This week on Born to Watch, the boys boldly go where they rarely venture, into the world of brand-new cinema, with their Project Hail Mary Movie Review. Based on Andy Weir’s bestselling novel and directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, this 2026 sci-fi epic arrives with huge expectations, a massive budget, and one very important question: can modern Hollywood still make crowd-pleasing blockbuster entertainment that leaves audiences smiling?

Whitey, Damo and special guest Will the Worky strap themselves into the Hail Mary spacecraft and dive headfirst into one of the biggest films of the year. With Ryan Gosling leading the charge as Ryland Grace, a reluctant hero tasked with saving humanity from extinction, the crew break down a film that combines hard science, emotional storytelling, spectacular visuals and a surprising amount of humour.

The boys discuss their experiences seeing the film on the big screen and whether Project Hail Mary is exactly the kind of cinematic event modern audiences have been craving. In an era where many blockbuster films come and go without leaving a lasting impression, this one feels different. It has heart, humour, intelligence, and a genuine sense of wonder that recalls the classic Spielberg and Lucas adventures of decades past.

One of the major talking points is Ryan Gosling's performance. Already one of Hollywood's biggest stars, Gosling continues to prove that he can effortlessly jump between drama, comedy and action. From The Nice Guys to Barbie, he has become one of the few modern actors who are completely willing to take the piss out of themselves, and the Born to Watch crew debate whether anyone in Hollywood currently does it better.

Of course, no discussion of Project Hail Mary would be complete without talking about Rocky. The mysterious alien engineer quickly became a fan favourite after the book's release, and the boys examine why Grace and Rocky's relationship forms the emotional core of the entire film. What could have been a simple science-fiction adventure evolves into a story about friendship, sacrifice and finding the courage to do the right thing when everything is on the line.

Will brings his unique perspective to the conversation after recently finishing the novel, comparing key elements of the book and film while highlighting what made Andy Weir's source material so compelling in the first place. The team also dives into the science behind the story, exploring the concept of astrophage, interstellar travel and whether the movie’s scientific ideas hold up under scrutiny.

As always, the discussion goes far beyond the movie itself. There are debates about modern cinema, movie-going habits, blockbuster filmmaking, favourite Ryan Gosling performances, German stoicism, Bunnings sausage sandwiches and plenty of classic Born to Watch chaos along the way.

The boys also explore the emotional journey of Ryland Grace, from a brilliant scientist hiding from responsibility to a man willing to sacrifice everything for a friend. It is this character arc that elevates Project Hail Mary above standard blockbuster fare and transforms it into something genuinely memorable.

So is Project Hail Mary the best movie of 2026 so far? Does it belong alongside modern sci-fi classics like Aliens? And can a giant alien rock really make grown adults emotional?

There is only one way to find out.

Join the Mission

• Have you read the book?
• Did the movie live up to your expectations?
• Is Ryan Gosling the most likable movie star in Hollywood?
• Where does Project Hail Mary rank among the best sci-fi films of the last decade?

Let us know in the comments and join the conversation.

If you love movie reviews, blockbuster debates, sci-fi adventures and plenty of laughs along the way, subscribe to Born to Watch wherever you get your podcasts.

#ProjectHailMary #ProjectHailMaryMovieReview #RyanGosling #BornToWatch #MovieReview #SciFiMovies #AndyWeir #RockyTheAlien #FilmPodcast #MoviePodcast

This week on Born to Watch, the boys take on one of the most iconic psychological thrillers ever made in this The Sixth Sense 1999 Review. Released in the legendary movie year of 1999, M. Night Shyamalan's breakthrough film became a cultural phenomenon, launching a career, creating one of cinema's most famous twists, and leaving audiences speechless as they walked out of theatres around the world.

Whitey, G-Man and Damo dive deep into the movie that turned Haley Joel Osment into a household name and gave Bruce Willis one of the most memorable performances of his career. More than 25 years later, does The Sixth Sense still hold up? Does the twist remain effective in an era where spoilers dominate social media? And is this actually M. Night Shyamalan's best film?

The crew discuss their memories of first seeing the movie back in 1999, when audiences had the rare opportunity to experience a genuine cinematic surprise before the internet ruined it. They explore how The Sixth Sense became the second-highest-grossing film of the year, behind only Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, and why it remained one of the most talked-about movies of its generation.

Of course, the discussion turns to Bruce Willis and whether this represents the finest acting performance of his career. Known primarily as an action star through films like Die Hard, The Last Boy Scout and Armageddon, Willis took a very different path with Dr Malcolm Crowe. The boys examine how his understated performance anchors the film while allowing Haley Joel Osment to steal almost every scene he appears in.

Speaking of scene-stealers, there is plenty of love for Haley Joel Osment. The team revisits his incredible performance as Cole Sear and debates his ranking among the greatest child actors in movie history. From his emotional vulnerability to the maturity he brought to the role, it is easy to see why he received an Academy Award nomination at such a young age.

The conversation also shines a spotlight on Australia's own Toni Collette. Her heartbreaking performance as Cole's mother remains one of the emotional centres of the film, and the boys discuss whether she was unlucky not to walk away with Oscar gold. The famous car scene receives particular attention, with everyone agreeing it remains one of the most powerful emotional moments in modern cinema.

As always, Born to Watch goes beyond the movie itself. The crew look back at the incredible films released in 1999, discusses where The Sixth Sense sits among the all-time great thrillers, and compares it with other famous twist-ending films that followed in its wake. They also explore how Shyamalan's success with this movie may have created impossible expectations for every project that came afterwards.

Along the way, there are plenty of laughs, stories, random tangents, movie trivia and classic Born to Watch chaos. From airline horror stories to debates about movie awards, nothing is safe once the boys get rolling.

So does The Sixth Sense deserve its reputation as a modern classic? Is the twist still one of the greatest reveals in cinema history? And where does it rank among the best films of 1999?

There is only one way to find out.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

• When did you first see The Sixth Sense?
• Did you figure out the twist before the ending?
• Is this M. Night Shyamalan's best movie?
• Where does Haley Joel Osment rank among the greatest child actors of all time?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion.

If you love movie reviews, nostalgia, classic cinema debates and a few completely unhinged tangents along the way, make sure you subscribe to Born to Watch wherever you get your podcasts.

#TheSixthSense #TheSixthSenseReview #BornToWatch #MovieReview #BruceWillis #HaleyJoelOsment #ToniCollette #MNightShyamalan #1999Movies #PsychologicalThriller

The boys are back for part two of the Born to Watch fourth birthday celebration, and this week’s feature is Quentin Tarantino’s love letter to a vanished era, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Review. Set against the backdrop of 1969 Los Angeles, this is Tarantino at his most nostalgic, most personal, and possibly most indulgent, but when it looks this good and feels this immersive, who cares?

Whitey, Damo and G-Man dive deep into the neon-soaked streets of old Hollywood, where television cowboys still mattered, stuntmen drank beer on rooftops, and everyone smoked enough cigarettes to shorten their lifespan by 20 years. From Rick Dalton's crumbling confidence to Cliff Booth's effortless cool, the crew break down why this film becomes richer with every rewatch.

The boys discuss how the movie completely subverts expectations, especially if you walk in expecting a full Charles Manson story. Instead, Tarantino delivers something far more emotional and reflective, a fairy tale about fading relevance, friendship, loneliness and the death of an era. Whitey explains how his first viewing left him confused, but his second cinema trip completely changed the way he saw the film, shifting focus away from the Manson backdrop and onto Rick Dalton's fear that Hollywood has passed him by.

There's plenty of love for Leonardo DiCaprio's performance as Rick Dalton, with Damo calling it one of the actor's best ever performances. The boys unpack how brilliantly DiCaprio balances insecurity, desperation, and ego, especially in scenes where Rick spirals after forgetting his lines or fearing he's become yesterday's news. Brad Pitt's Oscar-winning turn as Cliff Booth also gets the praise it deserves, with the crew debating whether Cliff might actually be one of Tarantino's coolest characters ever.

Naturally, the conversation turns toward the ridiculous depth of the cast. From Margot Robbie as Sharon Tate to Al Pacino, Timothy Olyphant, Dakota Fanning, Austin Butler, Luke Perry, Damian Lewis, Bruce Dern and Australian actor Damon Herriman as Charles Manson, this movie is stacked from top to bottom. The boys even debate whether this is Tarantino's deepest cast ever assembled.

And because this is Born to Watch, things quickly descend into absolute chaos.

There are discussions about Playboy Mansion parties, giant murals of yourself in your garage, Strangles learning what a queef is, and whether anyone alive could realistically resist picking up Margaret Qualley and Sydney Sweeney hitchhiking on the side of the road in 1969 Hollywood.

The episode also covers:

• Tarantino's recreation of 1969 Los Angeles
• The unbelievable soundtrack and radio advertisements
• Why the movie feels like it was made in the late '60s
• The brilliance of the Spahn Ranch sequence
• The film's Oscar success and controversial losses
• Why the ending works so perfectly
• Brad Pitt's effortless charisma
• Margot Robbie is somehow becoming even more beautiful in every scene
• The insane amount of smoking throughout the film
• Why Tarantino's "fantasy history" trilogy keeps working

There's also another loaded Snorbs Report Special, some underrated 2019 movie recommendations, and more random nonsense than should legally fit into one podcast episode.

Whether you're a lifelong Tarantino obsessive or someone who only recently discovered Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, this episode celebrates everything that makes the film unforgettable: the atmosphere, the performances, the music, the humour, and the strange, bittersweet feeling that Hollywood itself was changing forever.

So if you love movie deep dives, behind-the-scenes trivia, outrageous tangents, and three Aussie blokes talking absolute rubbish while somehow stumbling into genuine film analysis, this is the episode for you.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

• 💬 Is Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Tarantino's best-looking film?
• 💬 Was Brad Pitt or Leonardo DiCaprio better?
• 💬 Did the ending completely catch you off guard the first time?
• 💬 Is Cliff Booth secretly Tarantino's coolest character ever?
• 💬 And how many cigarettes were actually smoked during this movie?
• 🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and everywhere good podcasts live.

#OnceUponATimeInHollywood #QuentinTarantino #LeonardoDiCaprio #BradPitt #MargotRobbie #BornToWatch #MoviePodcast #FilmReview #HollywoodMovies #Tarantino