The Third Reel: A Movie Podcast

#85 - CineTiers: MCU (Part 2) – The Multiverse Madness Era 🎬🌀

We survived the “good years”… but now things get weird. Welcome to Part 2 of our CineTiers MCU deep dive, where the gloves come off, the timelines split, and the phrase “it’s canon somewhere” gets used far more than it should. Picking up from Endgame, we dive headfirst into Marvel’s bold (and occasionally baffling) next chapter – ranking everything from Phase 4 onwards, right up to the latest release, including the long-awaited arrival of Fantastic Four. Yes, we went there. This is the era of the multiverse. The era of Disney+ crossovers. The era of “wait… do I need to watch a series before this makes sense?” Dan is still fighting the good fight for Marvel supremacy. Rach is… having a fantastic time tearing it all down. Dale remains the diplomatic middle ground, desperately trying to keep the tiers from descending into pure chaos. As before, every film is ranked into our sacred CineTiers (S–E) – but this time, expect more disagreements, more hot takes, and at least one ranking that may legally qualify as a hate crime (cinematically speaking). Is the MCU still the king of blockbuster cinema… or has the crown started to slip into another dimension? There’s only one way to find out. Which group of films do you want to see us cover next? We want to know! Email us at thirdreelpod@gmail.com or through the socials @third_reel_pod https://linktr.ee/thirdreelpod Support our Patreon for more TTR! https://patreon.com/thirdreelpod TIMESTAMPS: 00:00:00 - Preamble 00:03:59 - Further Rankings 01:26:44 - Rearranging Rankings 01:33:05 - Final Rankings ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

#84 - CineTiers: MCU (Part 1) – Ranking the “Good Years” 🎬🦸‍♂️

We’ve finally done it. We’ve opened the multiverse-sized can of worms that is the Marvel Cinematic Universe… and we’re not closing it anytime soon. Loved, loathed, memed into oblivion – the MCU is the cinematic juggernaut that simply refuses to leave the group chat. So naturally, we thought: let’s rank all of it. Dan is waving the Marvel flag like it’s Comic-Con opening day. Rach is sharpening the knives. Dale? Somewhere in the middle, holding a shield and wondering how it got this serious. In this episode, we kick off our CineTiers MCU special, ranking every film (so far) into the sacred tiers: S, A, B, C, D, and E – just like we did with Pixar… except this time there are more capes, more quips, and significantly more arguments. Because the MCU now has approximately a billion films/phases and counting, we’re splitting this into two parts. 👉 Part 1 covers everything from Iron Man through to Infinity War – aka the era many call “the good years” (we’ll let you decide if that holds up…). Next week, we dive headfirst into Part 2, tackling everything post-Endgame up to the latest release – including the increasingly chaotic, multiverse-heavy, “wait, who is that again?” phase of Marvel. If you’ve ever argued about the MCU… this one’s for you. Which group of films do you want to see us cover next? We want to know! Email us at thirdreelpod@gmail.com or through the socials @third_reel_pod https://linktr.ee/thirdreelpod Support our Patreon for more TTR! https://patreon.com/thirdreelpod TIMESTAMPS: 00:00:00 - Preamble 00:10:43 - Initial Rankings ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

#83 - We Tried to Make Rachael Love Ed Norton…

The series returns, the stakes are… oddly personal, and Rachael is once again in the hot seat. Welcome back to Make Me a Fan — the show within the show where friendships are tested, filmographies are weaponised, and opinions are absolutely not left at the door. Currently, the scoreboard reads like a dramatic trilogy: 🎬 1 glorious success (Rach falling head over heels for Florence Pugh) 🎬 1 crushing failure (Dale stubbornly resisting the charms of Keira Knightley) And now… the decider. This time, the boys step into the ring armed with the filmography of the ever-intense, ever-intriguing Edward Norton — an actor who doesn’t just perform… he infiltrates. Known for disappearing into roles like a method-acting ninja with a philosophy degree, Norton’s catalogue is a playground of complex characters, moral grey zones, and the occasional existential spiral. The mission? Simple. Pick three films. Make Rachael care. Convert scepticism into full-blown fandom. Will Norton’s layered performances crack the code? Or will Rachael remain gloriously unconvinced, arms folded, unimpressed? It’s persuasive cinema meets chaotic energy — and honestly, it could go either way. What actor/director do you have a dislike of that you want to see covered? We want to know! Email us at thirdreelpod@gmail.com or through TikTok and Instagram @third_reel_pod https://linktr.ee/thirdreelpod Support our Patreon for more TTR! https://patreon.com/thirdreelpod TIMESTAMPS: 00:00:00 - Preamble 00:09:30 - The Debate 00:26:53 - The Films ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

#82 - Philip Seymour Hoffman: The Scene-Stealer Who Stole the Film

The Icon Series returns, and this time Rachael steps up to the director’s chair to shine a spotlight on a performer who didn’t just enter scenes… he quietly took ownership of them and redecorated the place. We’re diving into the extraordinary life and career of Philip Seymour Hoffman. Not quite Old Hollywood, but every bit as golden. A master of nuance, discomfort, vulnerability, and the kind of intensity that makes you forget you’re watching acting at all. Just people. Messy, brilliant, unforgettable people. From his early days as the ultimate “that guy” character actor to becoming an Oscar-winning powerhouse, Hoffman built a career on performances that linger long after the credits roll. The kind that creep into your brain at 2am and demand a rewatch. Along the way, Rachael takes pit stops at three of his most defining roles: • Capote – the performance that earned him the Oscar and proved subtlety can hit like a sledgehammer • Doubt – where ambiguity, tension, and moral chess matches simmer just beneath the surface • The Master – a hypnotic, unpredictable turn that feels less like acting and more like controlled chaos Expect insight, admiration, a few laughs, and the occasional moment of “how did he do that?” disbelief. Because some actors play characters. Philip Seymour Hoffman became them… then made you feel slightly uncomfortable for watching. Who do you want to see us cover us next? Email us at thirdreelpod@gmail.com or through our socials @third_reel_pod https://linktr.ee/thirdreelpod Support our Patreon for more TTR! https://patreon.com/thirdreelpod TIMESTAMPS 00:00:00 - Preamble 00:06:18 - PSH Pt 1 00:10:37 - Capote 00:20:53 - Doubt 00:32:02 - PSH Pt 2 00:36:13 - The Master 00:45:40 - PSH Pt 3 ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

#81 - Monsters, Mayhem & Mummies: A Not-So-Scientific Study of Creature Cinema

This week, we unleash the beasts. Joined by friend of the pod and quite possibly the world’s most qualified (self-appointed) monster movie expert, we dive fang-first into the wild, weird, and wonderfully chaotic history of monster cinema. From the gothic gloom of early Universal legends like Dracula and Frankenstein, through the skyscraper-scaling chaos of King Kong and the atomic rage of Godzilla, all the way to the gloriously unhinged creature features of the 80s and 90s… we cover it all. But this isn’t just a history lesson. Oh no. This is a full autopsy. What actually makes a great monster movie? Is it the creature design? The chaos? The humans making absolutely baffling decisions? We break down what works, what really doesn’t, and the films that should probably be locked away in a cursed tomb forever. Speaking of cursed tombs… we shine a spotlight on one of Mike’s all-time favourites and a certified Third Reel darling: The Mummy. With a new instalment looming (yes, really, and yes, with original cast whispers), there’s never been a better time to revisit this swashbuckling, sand-blasted classic. We also… reluctantly… dig up the sequels. Some things are better left buried, but here we are. Yes, Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, we’re looking directly at you. And yes… we do acknowledge the Tom Cruise one. Briefly. Like a jump scare you wish you could forget. We also ask the big question: has monster cinema peaked, or is the best still lurking in the shadows, waiting for its moment? Grab your pitchforks, light a torch, and press play. Just… maybe don’t read any ancient texts out loud while listening. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.