Film Reviews Episodes

Bob and Brad wrap up their mini-series of films directed by Billy Wilder with the 1954 romantic comedy classic Sabrina. The hosts pair this classic film with Johnnie Walker Blender's Batch Wine Cask Blend, a blended scotch whisky that has been finished in wine casks. Throughout the episode, Bob and Brad discuss the themes and performances of "Sabrina," diving deep into the complexities of the characters and the romantic relationships portrayed on screen. They also share their thoughts on the Jo...

In this episode of Film & Whiskey, Bob and Brad continue their exploration of films directed by Billy Wilder with his 1953 POW classic Stalag 17. They paired the film with the fifth and final whiskey in their lineup of Benchmark bourbons, the Benchmark Full Proof. Bob and Brad discuss the film's themes and performances, as well as the notable Benchmark Full Proof bourbon. During their tasting, they talk about the flavors and aromas of the whiskey and compare it to the other Benchmark bourbons t...

In this episode of Film & Whiskey, Bob and Brad begin a mini-series of films directed by Billy Wilder with his 1950 classic "Sunset Blvd." They pair it up with the fourth in their lineup of five Benchmark bourbons, this time the Benchmark Bonded. They explore the themes of the film, analyzing the performances of the lead actors, and discussing the iconic scenes that have made the film a classic. Bob and Brad also provide their detailed review of Benchmark Bonded bourbon, discussing the flavor p...

In this episode of Film & Whiskey, Bob and Brad score Clint Eastwood as a director using their five-category metric. They then move on to reviewing four single malts from Virginia Distillery Company's Courage and Conviction line. Finally, they sit down with TikTok star Brett Boles of "The M Tea" to discuss their favorite film music and the songs of Encanto. Timestamps: (0:00) Scoring Clint Eastwood as a Director (17:25) Virginia Distillery Company Courage and Conviction American Single Malt R...

Bob and Brad are joined by special guest Noah Gittell, a film critic and journalist, to discuss Clint Eastwood's 2008 drama "Gran Torino." The movie follows an aging Korean War veteran named Walt Kowalski, played by Eastwood himself, who becomes involved with a Hmong family in his neighborhood after witnessing a gang initiation ritual. Meanwhile, they sip on Benchmark Single Barrel, a new $25 whiskey from Buffalo Trace. They review the bourbon and share their tasting notes, as well as some interesting information about its production and aging process.

On this episode of Film & Whiskey, Bob and Brad continue their exploration of Clint Eastwood-directed films with a deep dive into the multi-layered crime drama, "Mystic River." Paired with the new $18 Benchmark Small Batch whiskey from Buffalo Trace, the hosts analyze the film's complex themes and powerful performances.

Bob and Brad are back with Season 7 of Film & Whiskey and they are starting things off with a bang. This episode's film selection is the 1992 Western classic "Unforgiven," directed by the legendary Clint Eastwood. To complement the movie, the duo is also sampling Benchmark Top Floor, a new $15 whiskey from Buffalo Trace. They dive deep into the film's themes and analysis, and discuss Clint Eastwood's direction and the performances of the cast. In addition, they review the Benchmark Top Floor whiskey and play their signature game of Two Facts and a Falsehood.

Bob and Brad discuss the remaining 8 movies in their Season Six Madness-style bracket and crown one film the champ. They also break down the best whiskeys of the season and hand out the semi-annual FILMIE awards. Meanwhile, they sample three mind-blowing bourbons from Doc Swinson's. Film & Whiskey Podcast. New episodes every Monday. Film & Whiskey Instagram Film & Whiskey Facebook Film & Whiskey Twitter Email us! Join our Discord channel! Theme music: "New Shoes" by Blue Wednesday Sound eff...

Bob and Brad put all 32 movies from Season Six into a Madness-style bracket and crown one film the champ. Meanwhile, they sample three mind-blowing ryes from Doc Swinson's. Film & Whiskey Podcast. New episodes every Monday. Film & Whiskey Instagram Film & Whiskey Facebook Film & Whiskey Twitter Email us! Join our Discord channel! Theme music: "New Shoes" by Blue Wednesday Sound effects via Daniel Simion and espectral --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/filmwhiskey/message Suppor...

Bob and Brad wrap up Season 6 with Michael Mann's 1992 historical epic The Last of the Mohicans, a film that neither Bob nor Brad had seen before. Luckily, they're joined by film critic Daniel Joyaux to break it down. Daniel counts this among his favorite movies, largely because of just how rewatchable it is. Together, the trio discuss Daniel Day-Lewis having the movie stolen out from under him by the phenomenal Wes Studi, the career of Madeleine Stowe, and how this movie fits into the catalo...

Bob and Brad continue their miniseries of Michael Mann films with his 1995 crime epic Heat, a movie that Bob had surprisingly never seen until about a year ago. This is Brad's first time watching the much-hyped pairing of Robert De Niro and Al Pacino, and the guys have plenty of thoughts on the two lead performances. Mixed in is a review of Val Kilmer, as well as a serial-killer subplot that's entirely unnecessary to the film. Meanwhile, they return to one of their favorite scotch whisky brands...

Bob and Brad kick off their miniseries of Michael Mann films with the 2004 thriller Collateral, a first-time watch for Brad. Featuring a rare villainous turn from Tom Cruise, the guys praise the casting and performances of he and Jamie Foxx, even while not loving some of the dialogue or the too-obvious metaphors. Meanwhile, they try one of Bob's all-time favorite bourbons, Johnny Drum Private Stock. Made by Willett, this features all the funk and rose petal notes that Bob has come to love from ...

Bob and Brad wrap up their miniseries of Coen Brothers comedies with their 1998 film The Big Lebowski, a first-time watch for Brad and just the second time for Bob. Unlike Raising Arizona, Bob was not a fan of this cult classic the first time he saw it, so our hosts have invited author Cathleen Falsani to help break down why this movie is so beloved. Cathleen's book The Dude Abides: The Gospel According to the Coen Brothers was is an incredible read, and she breaks down the deeper themes of Lebo...

Bob and Brad continue their miniseries of Coen Brothers comedies with their 1987 film Raising Arizona, and boy, is this episode a doozy. Bob loves this movie. Like, LOVES it. Brad hates this movie. Like, HATES it. Despite their very different opinions, they find some points in common, like their praise for the delightful Holly Hunter and the Coens' witty dialogue. Meanwhile, they sample their first-ever offering from Lagavulin, the famous 16-year expression. Known for its incredibly peaty ar...

Bob and Brad kick off their miniseries of Coen Brothers comedies with their 2000 film O Brother, Where Art Thou? A loose adaptation of The Odyssey, this film stars George Clooney in full Cary Grant mode, taking pratfalls and allowing himself to be the butt of the joke. Our hosts break the amazing Roger Deakins camerawork, as well as the vibrant cast of supporting characters. Meanwhile, they revisit the Maker's Mark brand for the first time since season 1 with Maker's Mark Cask Strength. At a $4...

Bob and Brad finish up their miniseries of James Cameron films with his 1991 extravaganza Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Today, they're joined by writer and filmmaker Ian Nathan. Ian is former editor of Empire magazine and author of nearly 20 books, including the new James Cameron: A Retrospective. Our trio of hosts break down every angle of this quite-literally-explosive film, lauding the performances of Linda Hamilton and Arnold Schwarzenegger, as well as Cameron's work as a writer, adding depth ...

Bob and Brad keep a-rollin' with the flaming semi-truck that is the James Cameron filmography with his 1984 sci-fi milestone, The Terminator. Drawing inspiration from the slashers of the 70s and early 80s and working with a budget of less than $7 million, Cameron delivered one of the most influential science-fiction films of all time. Brad is on record stating that this movie sparked his deeply-rooted hatred of the 1980s--how will he respond to another viewing? Meanwhile, our hosts try a young ...

Bob and Brad continue their mini-series on James Cameron with his 1986 action thrill ride, Aliens. Perhaps Cameron's most purely entertaining movie, this sequel took the intimate horror of the first installment and went in a different direction, turning Sigourney Weaver's Ellen Ripley into an action star and solidifying Cameron's reputation as one of the best directors in the genre. Meanwhile, they try a single barrel bourbon from Virginia, John J. Bowman. In fact, the distillate that goes into...

Brad and Bob strap in for a new Christmas tradition: celebrating the films of Tom Cruise. This year, there's no better movie to review than Top Gun: Maverick. The guys break down what makes this movie so special among both Cruise's catalog and the history of action movies. Meanwhile, they sip on three new whiskeys from Bardstown Bourbon Company known as the Origin Series. These are the first Bardstown releases to use only their own distillate, and they include a high-rye bourbon, a wheated bott...

Bob and Brad kick off a mini-series on James Cameron with his polarizing 2009 epic, Avatar. For Brad, this film sullied Cameron's reputation almost irreparably, but Bob feels much differently. The two try to hash out their differences while finding points in common, like the way-underrated Zoe Saldana. Meanwhile, they sip a 12-year Japanese whisky with an outrageous price tag, The Yamazaki 12. Will it live up to its Cameron-esque budget? Film & Whiskey Podcast. New episodes every Monday. Film...

Bob and Brad wrap up their mini-series of three films by director David Lean with his 1945 British masterpiece Brief Encounter. This aching romantic drama follows two ordinary, married people in pre-war England who quickly fall in love but know they cannot remain together. Our hosts discuss Celia Johnson's brilliant performance, as well as Lean and screenwriter Noel Coward's insistence on making these characters as relatable as possible, to devastating effect. Meanwhile, they try a budget Can...

Bob and Brad continue their mini-series of three films by director David Lean, with his 1957 classic The Bridge in the River Kwai. This rousing epic about British and American soldiers in a Japanese POW camp may seem similar to films like The Great Escape, but Lean's anti-war streak and the film's focus on hubris and shame make this a much more nuanced experience. Our hosts discuss William Holden as an actor versus as a movie star, while heaping praise on the subtleties in Alec Guinness' brillia...

Bob and Brad kick off their mini-series of three films by director David Lean, starting with his 1962 masterpiece Lawrence of Arabia. Considered one of the greatest films of all-time, it's easy to see why--the scale and scope of this film are staggering. Bob and Brad discuss the major themes of the movie before diving into a breakdown of the best (and worst) performances. Meanwhile, they go back to the Bushmills line to try Bushmills Black Bush. Like the Red Bush expression, this Irish whiskey ...

Bob and Brad revisit their annual holiday on the Film & Whiskey Podcast: HANKSGIVING. For the third year, they watch a Tom Hanks movie, and this year it's an especially warm-and-fuzzy one, 2019's A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood. They discuss Hanks' turn as Fred Rogers, whether Matthew Rhys deserved an Oscar nomination for his performance, and how Mr. Rogers' ethic aligns with the Thanksgiving holiday. Meanwhile, our hosts sip on two whiskeys from Two Souls Spirits, a new independent bottler...