Before "Ted Lasso," before viral Super Bowl speeches, and long before anyone tried to give athletes emotional depth in a rom-com, there was Jerry Maguire. The year was 1996. The Cold War was over, the NFL was king, and Tom Cruise was still a god among men, only this time, he wasn't flying jets, breaking into vaults, or sliding around in his jocks. He was having an existential crisis... over sports marketing. Join the team for this Jerry Maguire (1996) Review.

This week on Born to Watch, the team gets personal with Cameron Crowe's career-defining genre-bender. It's a sports film. It's a romantic drama. It's a corporate takedown. It's an Oscar-worthy performance from Cuba Gooding Jr., a breakout role for Renée Zellweger, and the movie that made grown men cry, "You complete me."

Whitey sets the tone, reminding us that Tom Cruise's 90s run, A Few Good Men, The Firm, Mission: Impossible, Magnolia, is better than most actors' entire careers. He dives headfirst into Jerry's meltdown, that now-iconic mission statement, and the truth that integrity doesn't pay… until it suddenly does. Gow takes us into the heart of the Rod Tidwell storyline and how one man's love for his family and the almighty bonus created one of cinema's most quotable characters. Will? He gets emotional. There are tears. Multiple.

The pod goes all in on the movie's cry meter, with Whitey clocking in at a solid three sobs, and Gow recommending we scrap the popcorn scale for tears-per-scene metrics. We break down why this movie hits so hard: the kid with glasses saying "You said fuck," the kitchen kiss, the living room apology, and yes, the car radio singalong that still gives everyone anxiety.

The team also has questions: What was Jerry doing on that porch? Is Bob Sugar the most punchable man in cinematic history? Could Tom Hanks have pulled this off, or did Cruise's signature manic energy make this role iconic? And what's with Dickie Fox and his "wake up happy" nonsense? Do we buy it, or want to slap him?

As always, we hit The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. The good? The chemistry between Cruise and Cuba. The soundtrack that absolutely slaps. Bonnie Hunt is an underrated MVP. The bad? The wedding scene. Jerry's inability to fake happiness. That mission statement is being printed at Kinko's. The ugly? A porch makeout scene that doesn't belong in a PG-13 film, especially with a child and a sister literally ten feet away.

The cast breakdown gets the complete treatment: Zellweger's rise from indie darling to Oscar winner, Cuba's perfect moment before a long string of missed roles, and a deep, reluctant appreciation for Jay Mohr's ultra-hatable Bob Sugar. Also: Jonathan Lipnicki, secret weapon. Human heads weigh 8 pounds. Who knew?

Legacy-wise, Jerry Maguire doesn't just survive; it thrives. It's more relevant in 2025 than ever: in a world that prizes hustle and brand, it reminds us what it means to care. It's messy. It's heartfelt. And it's full of awkward truths that still sting.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

• Is this Tom Cruise's most human role?
• Did the mission statement actually change anything, or make him broke?
• Who deserves the bonus: Jerry or Rod?

Drop us a voicemail at https://www.borntowatch.com.au and show us the listener love.

Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your pods. Don't forget to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and whisper "You had me at hello" to strangers in the street.

#JerryMaguire1996Review #BornToWatch #TomCruise #YouCompleteMe #ShowMeTheMoney #CameronCrowe #MoviePodcast #SportsRomance #FilmReview #90sMovies

Before Call of Duty, before The Hunger Games, and long before kids with rifles were standard streaming fare, there was Red Dawn, a film where teenagers in Colorado picked up hunting rifles, hid in the woods, and waged war on the Soviet-Cuban invasion of suburban America. In 1984, World War III didn't start with a bang. It began with a history teacher getting machine-gunned through a classroom window. Wolverines, assemble. This Red Dawn 1984 Review is gunna be epic!

This week on Born to Watch, the team revisits John Milius' unlikely cult classic, the first PG-13 movie ever released, and still one of the most bizarrely patriotic action flicks of its time. Whitey sets the scene: Cold War hysteria at its cinematic peak, where the solution to global conflict is apparently a football quarterback, a couple of dirt bikes, and a stash of grenades. Gow marvels at how dark and unexpectedly bleak the movie is upon rewatch. And special guest Chris, who watched this on loop in a Canadian compound in Saudi Arabia (seriously), adds depth, nostalgia, and just the right amount of North American sincerity.

The pod kicks off with a bang (and a few technical apologies), diving straight into awkward romances, surprisingly competent teens, and Patrick Swayze's transition from ballet shoes to combat boots. There's plenty of love for the Outsiders alums in the cast, from Swayze to C. Thomas Howell to Charlie Sheen in his screen debut, "He looks like he's been acting for 20 years," Whitey insists. Jennifer Grey and Lea Thompson round out the '80s dream team, while Powers Boothe arrives halfway through the movie like a red-blooded Deus Ex America, delivering monologues about freedom, death, and being "super Catholic unless he needs to be super Anglican."

And yes, the Wolverines' origin story is still insane. A bunch of high schoolers flee to the hills, build underground bunkers with trap doors, and become insurgents overnight. The pod breaks down every logical inconsistency and still comes away loving it: why did the Russian soldiers...take the picnic basket? Why did Darryl betray them? And how the hell did they learn to use claymores?

As always, The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly delivers the heat. The good? A refreshingly sincere slice of 80s teenage warfare, where death has weight and characters grow (or die trying). The bad? Avenge me! Avenge meee! Screams Harry Dean Stanton in a moment so melodramatic it becomes unintentionally iconic. And the ugly? Powers Boothe, nearly getting frisky with Lea Thompson, cut in post, thank God, but still creepy on rewatch.

The conversation also swerves into great side quests. Gow takes us through Ordinary People, tying every cast member back to The Outsiders or Back to the Future in six degrees or less. Whitey flexes his film nerd muscles with a deep dive into director John Milius, writer of Apocalypse Now, Dirty Harry, and the infamous USS Indianapolis speech from Jaws. There's also the obligatory "One Degree of Kurt," tying the film back to Russell via Tombstone and Powers Boothe. Born to Watch bingo, complete.

Set pieces get their due: the shock of the paratroopers in the opening scene, the forest ambush montages, the tragic final shootout between brothers. There's genuine reverence for how gritty and grim the film gets, even with its wild premise. "This movie's better than it has any right to be," is the consensus.

Legacy-wise, Red Dawn didn't just launch a thousand VHS replays; it set the template for teen action cinema, and even inspired a less-than-stellar 2012 remake (which the boys pretend doesn't exist). No Oscars here, but in the Book of Born to Watch, it gets a solid star on the Walk of Cult Classics.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

• Should Jed have let Darryl live?
• Is Red Dawn better than it should be—or just a patriotic fever dream gone rogue?
• Would YOU survive a Soviet invasion with nothing but camping gear and high school trauma?

Please leave us a voicemail at https://www.borntowatch.com.au and join the rebellion.

Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your pods. Don't forget to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and yell "WOLVERINES!" at strangers to promote the show.

#RedDawn #Wolverines #borntowatchpodcast #80sAction #CultClassic #PatrickSwayze #ColdWarCinema #MoviePodcast #FilmReview

By 2016, the Star Wars galaxy was splintered. Disney had bought the keys to the kingdom, and The Force Awakens had opened the floodgates of nostalgia; fans were debating whether the magic still remained. Enter Rogue One, a gritty, grounded war film that not only connected the dots between trilogies but also reminded us what sacrifice actually looks like in a galaxy far, far away. Our Rogue One (2016) Review could be our boldest Star Wars exploration yet. Listen to find out.

On this week's Born to Watch, the team rallies on Yavin 4 to break down the boldest entry in Disney's Star Wars canon. Whitey brings the heat with tales of midnight screenings and family rewatches, calling Rogue One the "Everest" of modern Star Wars. Damo, initially underwhelmed, admits it took a second viewing to appreciate the depth and daring of this standalone story. And Bones? Let's just say he came armed with more trivia than a Death Star databank, from K-2SO's comic origins to what Chirrut Îmwe's staff is really made of.

The episode begins with the squad sharing their first impressions, ranging from faulty cinema projectors to kids ditching mid-movie, before diving into the film's iconic trailer. Vader's breath. The Rogue One theme. Mon Mothma's icy resolve. It still rocks. The boys dissect what made the trailer work and laugh at the glaringly absent "I rebel" line that somehow vanished between teaser and final cut.

Naturally, the Born to Watch crew doesn't just scratch the surface. They dive deep into what makes Rogue One so special: a fresh cast of characters who aren't chosen ones or lightsaber prodigies, but ordinary rebels making impossible choices. Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) gets major love for her no-frills attitude, while Diego Luna's Cassian Andor earns newfound respect thanks to the phenomenal Andor series, which Whitey all but begs Damo to finally watch.

And then there's K-2SO, the sardonic droid voiced by Alan Tudyk (aka "Two Dicks”, don't ask, just listen). Easily one of the funniest characters in the franchise, K-2 delivers punchlines and gut-punches with equal finesse. The same goes for Donnie Yen's Chirrut and Wen Jiang's Baze, a dynamic duo who bring martial arts, mysticism, and machine guns to the battlefield.

Ben Mendelsohn's Director Krennic gets the Aussie shoutout treatment, with the team praising his imperial smugness and exquisite cape work. Forest Whitaker's Saw Gerrera? A source of debate, gasps, and conspiracy theories, is he a Vader prototype? A puffed-up Darth Hipster? Either way, "Bo Gullet" lives rent-free in everyone's head, even if no one quite understands what he's doing there.

And then comes the scene. You know the one. The Vader hallway massacre. It's cinematic perfection, a horror movie, action flick, and fan fantasy rolled into one red lightsaber ignition. The team agrees: it might be the greatest single moment in Star Wars history. Period.

From there, it's time for Good, Bad, and Ugly, where the sets, the new worlds (Scarif, Jedha), and the grounded stakes all get high praise. The team relishes how Rogue One finally explains the Death Star's ridiculous design flaw, praises its minimal use of nostalgia, and wonders how Jyn Erso climbs that 500-metre tower without even puffing.

Legacy-wise, Rogue One is a billion-dollar box office hit that somehow still feels underrated. No Skywalkers. No prophecy. Just a desperate, beautiful mission and a finale that dares to kill every single lead. The episode wraps with laughs, trivia, a tease of a Star Wars Trivial Pursuit rematch, and a reminder that Rogue One is the rare Disney-era film that actually elevates what came before.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

• Is Rogue One the best Star Wars movie since the original trilogy?
• Would you rather pilot an X-Wing or be one with the Force like Chirrut?
• Is K-2SO the most underrated droid in the galaxy?

Drop us a voicemail at https://www.borntowatch.com.au
and be part of the show!

Listen to the full episode now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your pods.

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#RogueOne #StarWars #BornToWatch #MoviePodcast #CassianAndor #K2SO #DarthVader #FilmReview

Lock, load, and prepare for a ballistic ride. This week, the Born to Watch crew take on the movie that brought Keanu Reeves roaring back into the action spotlight and set a new standard for gun-fu carnage with their John Wick (2014) Review.

Whitey, G Man, Damo, and returning guest Bones gather in the "Red Circle Russian Baths" to break down this lean, mean revenge machine. The premise is simple: they killed his puppy, they stole his car, and now John Wick is going to kill absolutely everyone. What follows is 101 minutes of exquisitely choreographed violence, ruthless headshots, and underworld world-building that's as fascinating as it is stylish.

The boys kick things off with an "overs and unders" rewatch count, Bones leading the charge with a double-digit tally, Damo admitting he was late to the Wick party, and G Man revealing this was only his second full viewing. Whitey takes us back to his last days running a video shop in 2014, when he first discovered the movie on DVD and immediately knew it was something special.

From there, it's a high-calibre conversation covering the sequels (John Wick 2 gets big love, John Wick 3 cops a length warning, and John Wick 4 is called out for testing bladders at nearly three hours). They crunch the numbers on the original film's body count, 84 kills for Wick alone, and swap favourite takedowns, from the Red Circle massacre to the infamous knife-to-the-chest finisher.

But John Wick isn't just about spraying bullets. The team dive into what makes it different: the cool, calculated underworld mythology of The Continental, the gold coin economy, and the assassin's code that adds sophistication to the chaos. They agree that the "no business on Continental grounds" rule is a masterstroke, and that Ian McShane's Winston brings the perfect mix of charm and menace.

Keanu Reeves' career gets its own spotlight, with nods to Point Break, Speed, The Matrix, and even the roles he almost played (Platoon, Starship Troopers). Supporting cast members also get their flowers: Michael Nyqvist's quietly menacing Viggo, Alfie Allen's punchable rich-kid villainy, Willem Dafoe's sniper guardian angel, and a surprise cameo from wrestling giant Kevin Nash.

In true Born to Watch fashion, the chat spirals into side quests: hot takes on Taken's influence on modern revenge films, debates over whether Russians are cinema's ultimate gangsters, and an oddly passionate discussion on Japanese onsens and Russian bathhouses (including the etiquette of washing before soaking with strangers).

They also unpack critical reception, David Stratton's dismissive "all gun battles" take versus The New York Times' praise for its style, wit, and box office performance, noting how word of mouth turned a modest $86 million return into the launchpad for a billion-dollar franchise.

Signature segments return in force:

• Hit, Sleeper, Dud, Swinger – with Interstellar and Edge of Tomorrow as hits, Frank as the sleeper, Dumb and Dumber To as the dud, and Pompeii roasted as a "swinger" that belongs in cinematic ash.
• Snobs Report Special – veering gloriously off-topic to Alexandra Daddario's career-making scene in True Detective.
• Question Time – covering everything from the realism of Wick's "magic pills" to whether Iosef's death was anticlimactic, and what exactly makes a headshot so satisfying.

Through it all, the crew's affection for John Wick is undeniable. They celebrate its stripped-back storytelling, grounded stunt work, and unrelenting pace, while acknowledging its few stumbles. It's the perfect mix of 80s-style simplicity and modern fight choreography, proof that a revenge story, told well, never goes out of style.

If you're a fan of tight, furious action films with a killer lead, a colourful rogues' gallery, and a fictional criminal underworld you want to explore (but not live in), this is the Born to Watch episode for you.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

• Is John Wick the best modern action franchise or just a stylish headshot marathon?
• Which kill in the Red Circle nightclub is your all-time favourite?
• Is killing the puppy the single most effective way to make an audience cheer for revenge?

Drop us a voicemail at https://www.borntowatch.com.au and be part of the show!

Listen to the full episode now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your pods.

#JohnWick #KeanuReeves #MoviePodcast #ActionMovies #BornToWatch #GunFu #RevengeMovies #CultAction #FilmReview #PopCulture #borntowatchpodcast

This week on Born to Watch, the boys dive sunglasses-first into their Cobra (1986) Review, Sylvester Stallone’s 80s fever dream of fascist fashion, cult chaos, and cheeseball one-liners. In a time when Sly was king of the box office, rocking Rambo and Rocky, he went rogue and gave us… Marion Cobretti. Part cop, part Terminator, all denim.

Whitey, G-Man, and Morgz try to unpack this absurd Dirty Harry knockoff that’s equal parts vanity project and testosterone overdose. From the opening monologue's completely made-up crime stats to the gratuitous axe-wielding cult, nothing about Cobra makes sense, and that’s half the fun.

But it’s not all bullets and bravado. The team takes a hard look at Stallone’s creative control (spoiler: he shouldn’t have had any), the film’s bizarre product placement (Pepsi, anyone?), and a montage that includes Brigitte Nielsen posing with robots to a Robert Tepper deep cut. Seriously.

Gow marvels at the buckle boots and slasher absurdities, Dan questions why Cobra opens a warm beer just to throw it, and Whitey can’t believe this was supposed to be the start of a franchise. There’s praise for the poster, grief for the editing, and unfiltered confusion about the serial killer cult that clinks axes in an abandoned pool.

Also in this episode:

• An explosive “Good, Bad, and Ugly” segment where “ugly” takes on new meaning
• A wild tangent into Canadian trailer parks and Gow's legendary exploits as the “Ten Slayer”
• A bonus voicemail from our mate XR8 Chupperz, who wants answers about Canadian bar fights and Gow’s taste in trailer park women

As the crew reflects on Cobra’s place in 1986 cinema, surrounded by giants like Top Gun, Aliens, and Platoon, they ask the big questions: Could this have been good with a different cut? Did anyone actually direct this thing? And is “You're a disease, and I’m the cure” the greatest dumb action line ever written?

Spoiler alert: Cobra ends with 41 confirmed kills. Stallone doesn’t just clean up crime; he clears the census.

So if you love muscle-bound madness, slashers in stocking masks, or just want to laugh at a movie that takes itself way too seriously, this episode is for you.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION
Is Cobra a misunderstood action gem or just a flaming dumpster fire of denim and ego?
Would you ride shotgun with Cobretti or run from his gun with the custom Cobra logo?
Who’s scarier—the Night Slasher or that robot photo shoot montage?

Drop us a voicemail at https://www.borntowatch.com.au and be part of the show!

Listen to the full episode now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your pods.

#Cobra #SylvesterStallone #BornToWatch #MoviePodcast #80sAction #CultClassic #BadMoviesWeLove #BrigitteNielsen #PepsiPlacement #GunWithALogo

Strap on your goggles and hoist the sails, this week on Born to Watch, the crew dives into a post-apocalyptic puddle with their Waterworld (1995) Review, Kevin Costner’s legendary aquatic epic that soaked Universal Studios in ambition, cash, and controversy. Whitey, G Man, and Damo reunite to wade through the waves of cinematic history, revisiting a film as infamous for its behind-the-scenes chaos as it is for its soggy storytelling.

From the jump, the team questions Waterworld's place in pop culture infamy. Once touted as the most expensive movie ever made, this maritime Mad Max-on-water starred Costner at the peak of his fame, but was it his creative apex or the beginning of his soggy descent? The guys don’t pull punches, balancing deep dives into production lore with their trademark irreverent humour.

Whitey sets the tone by confronting the bloated ambition of the project: “Has any Hollywood star become so famous with a catalogue with so many peaks and troughs?” Cue a wide-ranging Costner retrospective, comparing the golden days of Field of Dreams and The Untouchables to the indulgent excesses of The Postman and yes, Waterworld. The verdict? Costner might’ve been drinking his own Kool-Aid, filtered through a urine distillation machine, of course.

G Man leads the crew through the absurd plot, where the Earth is drowned, the polar caps are melted, and dry land is a mythic memory. Costner plays the Mariner, a grim, gilled loner with webbed feet and a personality drier than the lost continent he’s searching for. The podcast doesn’t shy away from the film’s narrative flaws: characters with no backstory, Mad Max rip-offs, and a complete lack of chemistry between the leads, most notably between Costner and Jeannie Triplehorn, affectionately known as “Jeannie Triple Blurter” by the team.

Speaking of performances, Dennis Hopper’s turn as the Deacon is eviscerated with delight. Compared to his electric villain in Speed just a year prior, Hopper here is an oily cartoon, piloting a rust-bucket Exxon Valdez filled with chain-smoking goons. “It’s a bad Beyond Thunderdome,” declares Whitey, and the panel doesn’t disagree.

The gang revels in the film’s infamous production disasters: hurricanes, a constantly rewritten script, Costner’s massive creative control, and his falling out with director Kevin Reynolds. G Man reminds us of the legendary quote about Costner directing himself: “Now he gets to work with his favourite actor and his favourite director.” Ouch.

Despite the floundering script, there are moments that the Born to Watch crew appreciates. The practical effects, like the massive floating Atoll set and Costner’s tricked-out trimaran, get nods of approval, even if the action sequences are undercut by choppy editing and goofy stunts. And the team can’t help but laugh at the iconic “pee filtration scene,” the rope-assisted bungee jump climax, and the infamous underwater city reveal, which defies all logic and basic physics.

One of the episode’s standout sections is “Question Time,” where the trio tackles the film’s most baffling plot points: How does the Mariner’s boat outrun jet skis? How does dry land remain uninhabited? And why, oh why, would someone spend their life searching for paradise only to leave it five minutes after finding it?

The boys also pay tribute to the lesser-known cast and crew: a young Jack Black in a blink-and-miss-it role, Tina Majorino (aka the Enola of Napoleon Dynamite fame), and the brilliant yet misfiring score from James Newton Howard. “He dialled it in harder than Dennis Hopper did,” quips Damo.

By the end, the Born to Watch gang reaches a consensus: Waterworld is a cinematic curiosity, too ambitious to dismiss outright, too flawed to celebrate, and just insane enough to warrant a watch. Maybe once.

So whether you're a fan of ‘90s action epics or just here to marvel at cinematic misfires, this Waterworld deep dive is a splash of nostalgic chaos you won’t want to miss.

Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts!

Join the conversation:

• Is Waterworld an underrated cult classic or a floating disaster?
• Would you survive in a world covered by the ocean?
• And seriously, how does that boat outrun jet skis?

#BornToWatch #Waterworld #KevinCostner #MoviePodcast #90sMovies #PostApocalyptic #DennisHopper #JeanneTripplehorn #CultClassic #MadMaxOnWater #MovieReview #PodcastLife