Ghandi

Ghandi

This week we are reviewing the 1982 biographical epic Gandhi — directed and produced by Richard Attenborough, written by John Briley, and featuring one of the greatest performances ever committed to film by Ben Kingsley as Mahatma Gandhi. The film covers Gandhi's extraordinary life from a defining moment in 1893 — being thrown off a train in the Colony of Natal for sitting in a whites-only compartment — right through to his assassination and funeral in 1948. It is the story of one man's mission to lead India to independence from the British Empire through non-violent resistance, and it is absolutely towering cinema. We kick things off with a bit of Frank Sinatra and Rudyard Kipling's poem 'If' before we get into it. The Aussie comes out swinging from the start — he is in the best form he has ever been on the podcast and absolutely rips into the Scotsman for a boring story. It is the funniest takedown we have had in a while and a sign of things to come. The Scotsman's mission this week was to get the Aussie to see Sir Ben Kingsley in the most extreme contrast imaginable — from the terrifying, unhinged Don Logan in Sexy Beast to the gentle, transcendent Gandhi. It is about as far apart as two performances can be. He could make that leap. And then some. The Aussie not only loved Gandhi — he dominated the entire episode. Thoughtful, articulate, full of insight and understanding — he gave the Scotsman a well-earned break from doing all the heavy lifting. The Aussie has been driving his wife mad quoting Gandhi all week, claims he has been "so chilled out" since watching it, and even watched it on a bigger screen. That is the Gandhi effect. The Scotsman gets pressed on the big question — does he love or hate the English? It is a fair question given the subject matter and one he cannot dodge. Scores are high across the board. This is a long one and every minute of it is worth your time. Out now on YouTube and also available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Hit subscribe or follow — it genuinely helps the show keep growing. Thanks for the support.

Legends of the Fall

This week we are reviewing the 1994 American epic historical Western drama Legends of the Fall, directed by Edward Zwick and starring Brad Pitt, Anthony Hopkins, Aidan Quinn, Julia Ormond and Henry Thomas. Based on the 1979 novella by Jim Harrison, the film follows three brothers and their father living in the wilderness and plains of Montana in the early 20th century — and how their lives are shaped by nature, history, war and love. The timeframe spans nearly 50 years, from World War I through the Prohibition era and into a brief final scene set in 1963. We kick things off with a travel story — and this one does not end well for a small boy who performs a good deed and receives a pocket lolly from the Aussie as a reward. A pocket lolly. Fluff and all. The Scotsman is disgusted. And he is already feeling sick — because this week introduces a brand new segment. Rob's Rant. A one-off, five-minute monologue. No interruptions. Scathing, unfiltered, and delivered with the full force of a man who cannot believe this film was brought to the podcast. The Scotsman gives Legends of the Fall the lowest rating in the history of the show. He is furious. Hold on to your cowboy hats. Before the rant, he shares a story about a family faux pas — and that is what tips him over the edge. The Aussie is heartbroken. His genuine joy when the Scotsman reveals he has not seen the film is one of the highlights of the episode — and it is shattered almost immediately. The pain is palpable. The Aussie tries to mount his defence, but every attempt is met with the Scotsman hammering back: "defend it, defend it, defend it" — a callback to the Aussie's own interrogation tactics during the Duel episode. We try to get to the root of the Aussie's deep, lifelong love of this film. And he tells us. It is Brad. It has always been Brad. Brad on a horse. Brad on a horse. Brad on a horse. He is dreamy. "Did you miss out on romance growing up?" asks the Scotsman. "Is that a serious question?" replies the Aussie, genuinely surprised. It takes a full 37 minutes before the Aussie finally removes the rose-coloured glasses and admits what this film really is — Brad Pitt's vehicle to superstardom. Nothing more, nothing less. Rohan Reminisces takes us back to 1994 — a decent segment this week, with some genuinely fun facts. The Aussie then surprises everyone with a brilliant Jim Carrey impression, before immediately going bashful and refusing to continue. The Scotsman steps in as director: "take a beat," he instructs. The Aussie has absolutely no idea what that means. There is also singing. And crying. Crying and singing. Out now on YouTube and also available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Hit subscribe or follow — it genuinely helps the show keep growing. Thanks for the support.

Anora

This week the lads review Anora, the 2024 American romantic comedy-drama written, directed, produced and edited by Sean Baker. The film stars Mikey Madison as Anora “Ani” Mikheeva, a New York lap dancer who impulsively marries the wealthy son of a Russian oligarch, played by Mark Eydelshteyn. Supporting performances from Yura Borisov, Karren Karagulian, Vache Tovmasyan, Darya Ekamasova, and Aleksei Serebryakov round out a film that swept awards in 2024. Both hosts loved it. Properly loved it. A genuine cracker. The Aussie finally brings a decent opening story — which immediately triggers the Scotsman to ask the logical question: what’s the succession plan for the podcast if one of them meets their maker? From there, things drift into strip clubs past and present (the Aussie goes slightly bashful), and a shout-out to American listeners — roughly 25% of the audience tuning in from the States. When they finally get into the film, it’s detailed and thoughtful — until the Aussie corrects the Scotsman one time too many. Was it “kicked” or “punched” in the face? Does it matter? Apparently it does. The Scotsman flips. Flow ruined. A firm declaration follows: no more interruptions. Ever. There’s a strong debate about the meaning of the ending — two very different interpretations. At one point the Aussie tells the Scotsman, “That’s your best 90 seconds in 200 episodes.” Want to know why? You’ll have to listen. Rohan Reminisces takes us back through 2024 — including Anatomy of a Fall, Barbie, and Poor Things — alongside the major global headlines of the year, including the wars in Gaza and Ukraine. The Scotsman isn’t firing on all cylinders this week and misses a few quiz questions. He also pulls out Russian and Italian accents, then demands to know why that doesn’t make him a racist. The pronunciation of “pho” somehow becomes another battleground. The podcast is out now on YouTube and also available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Please click subscribe or follow — it genuinely helps us be seen among the thousands of other podcasts.

Scarface

This week the podcast revisits Scarface, the 1983 crime epic directed by Brian De Palma and written by Oliver Stone. A remake of the 1932 original, it stars Al Pacino as Cuban refugee Tony Montana, alongside Michelle Pfeiffer as Elvira Hancock and Steven Bauer as Manny Ribera. Arriving in Miami during the Mariel boatlift, Tony claws his way from dishwasher to cocaine kingpin through ambition, violence and pure ego. As the empire grows, so does the paranoia. Addiction, pride and distrust burn every bridge in sight, building to one of cinema’s most operatic downfalls. And then the shock. A 5/5 from the Aussie. Rare air. First one of the year. Before they get to the film, there’s another travel story. The Aussie meets up with Chris, the independent airport driver again, and appears to be paying way over the odds, but apparently, he can afford it. He also bumps into Stan Wawrinka at the airport, causes mild chaos by acknowledging him publicly, and that opens the floodgates to name-dropping: Tiger Woods, Shane Warne, Nadia Bartel, Clayton Oliver, Eddie Betts and Heather Graham. The debate quickly shifts to whether celebrities are public property. The Scotsman counters with a far less glamorous update: his heating and cooling unit has died and it’s going to cost a fortune. And he asks if he can borrow some money from the Aussie. Once the intro dust settles, the Scotsman waits for the verdict on the movie. Drum roll. The Aussie "absolutely loves it" and breaks down why. The discussion goes deep. This film earns the time. They dissect the final scene and inevitably act out the immortal line "say hello to my little friend". The Scotsman tells the story slightly wrong. The Aussie corrects him.  Rohan Reminisces takes us back to 1983. The Scotsman demands better questions next week. They touch on Cheers, favourite cast members, Trading Places, Risky Business and the Aussie sings "Flashdance... What a Feeling" from Flashdance. You may need earplugs. Then the biggest shock in 225 episodes: the Scotsman forgets to prepare trivia. The Aussie goes low with "are you embarrassed and going to have a cry". No tears. Professional recovery. Comes back swinging. The episode is out now on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts. If you enjoy it, hit subscribe or follow — it genuinely helps the show stand out among the many movie podcasts out there. Thanks for tuning in.

Brothers

This week on Aussie and the Scotsman, the lads take on Brothers (2009), the American psychological thriller directed by Jim Sheridan starring Tobey Maguire, Jake Gyllenhaal, Natalie Portman, Sam Shepard, Clifton Collins Jr., and Mare Winningham. SPOILER ALERT - Watch before listening. This is an absolute must watch The film follows Captain Sam Cahill (Maguire), a US Marine. It’s heavy, confronting, and — according to the Aussie — essential viewing. “Watch this before listening,” he insists. “It’ll shake you to your soul.” The episode opens with the Aussie calling the Scotsman his brother, while the Scotsman is already deep in complaint mode — this time about parking meters. The Aussie, once again, arrives with “no stories,” which pushes the Scotsman to the brink… until a surprising revelation about how much the Aussie’s kids can bench press. Things escalate when the Aussie declares himself the Tobey Maguire of the friendship — a man of honour — and makes it abundantly clear that the Scotsman is not. A brief detour into the Scotsman’s former life as a daddy blogger (yes, adadslife.com.au [http://www.adadslife.com.au] gets dragged up) threatens to derail the episode entirely. The big moral questions raised by Brothers take centre stage — guilt, loyalty, trauma, and what honour really means. And then there’s Rohan Reminisces. Set in 2007, it collapses in real time when the Aussie abandons the segment mid-flow to search for a song on his phone, ask for wiring, and destroy what little structure remained. The Scotsman issues a final ultimatum over the complete lack of preparation. For the first time ever, Rohan Reminisces is shut down early — leaving the Scotsman in a spiral of despair and the Aussie largely unfazed. The podcast is out now on YouTube and also available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Please hit subscribe or follow — it genuinely helps us cut through the noise. Thanks for your support.