Richard and Greg join their partners Niniane and Naomi to discuss films chosen by the aforementioned Wheel. Who agrees with whom? And, more interestingly, who doesn’t?? Season 5 ends with the quartet celebrating an
Australian comedy classic that has become both beloved and iconic – to which our podcast can only aspire.

* The Indian in the Cupboard (1995) http://tinyurl.com/fmfw-05-10-indian
* In the Mood for Love (2000) http://tinyurl.com/fmfw-05-10-mood
* The Castle (1997) http://tinyurl.com/fmfw-05-10-castle

In this episode, we move from Greg’s comfort zone (whodunnits) to Richard’s (Italian pronunciation). Our reviewers discuss three Italian films that made it in the English-speaking world. Two made it to the Oscars, and all have something to say about “la condizione umana”. And then, in preparation for the season finale, Richard and Greg try something new – the Cinematic Wheel of Fortune (complete with sound effects!)

• God Willing (2015) http://tinyurl.com/fmfw-05-09-willing

• Il Postino (1994) http://tinyurl.com/fmfw-05-09-postino

• Life is Beautiful (1997) http://tinyurl.com/fmfw-05-09-life

Greg takes Richard into classic Agatha Christie territory with a French director’s Hollywood take on a British novel. After examining the British class system, they finish with a largely forgotten whodunnit film written by Psycho actor Anthony Perkins and West Side Story composer Stephen Sondheim. And if that doesn’t get you in, nothing will. What is Richard’s problem with filmic murder? And is it OK for Death to be funny?

• And Then There None (1945) http://tinyurl.com/fmfw-05-08-none
• Gosford Park (2001) http://tinyurl.com/fmfw-05-08-gosford
• The Last of Sheila (1973) http://tinyurl.com/fmfw-05-08-sheila

OTHER RESOURCES

• Watch “The Ninth Guest” (1934) https://tinyurl.com/9thguest
• Watch “Charlie Chan in London” (1934) https://tinyurl.com/london-chan
• Read the 2021 article about “The Last of Sheila” https://tinyurl.com/sheilabyjulia
• Glass Onion (2022) http://tinyurl.com/fmfw-05-08-onion

Richard and Greg review three Shakespearean films made either side of the year 2000. Shakespeare is known for raising the Big Questions – and this episode is no exception. Which of our podcasters is the worse at trying to sound Shakespearean? Are they better or worse than American actors at this? Are podcasts like the theatre, where the Scottish Play must not be mentioned by name? And (most importantly of all) what DID Shakespeare have against Norway?

• The Tempest (2010) http://tinyurl.com/fmfw-05-07-tempest
• The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021) http://tinyurl.com/fmfw-05-07-macbeth
• Hamlet (1996) http://tinyurl.com/fmfw-05-07-hamlet

OTHER RESOURCES

• James Thurber’s “The Macbeth murder mystery” https://tinyurl.com/macthurber
• Gilligan Island’s musical Hamlet https://tinyurl.com/hamletisle

We don’t know about you, but Richard is flabbered and Greg is gasted that this is our Tenth Christmas Episode! As usual, they review three Christmas films in search of that special seasonal something. Two films are liked more by one reviewer than the other – whereas the third is universally found wanting, sadly. This last outcome is likely to be a wee bit controversial. As is perhaps the source of their disagreement about one of the others.

• Last Train to Christmas (2021) https://tinyurl.com/fmfw-05-xmas-train
• How to Make Gravy (2024) https://tinyurl.com/fmfw-05-xmas-gravy
• A Boy Called Christmas (2021) https://tinyurl.com/fmfw-05-xmas-boy

Richard and Greg grew up admiring one US and three Australian movie reviewers. Back in 2019, US-based Leonard Maltin was asked by “The Movies That Made me” podcast to pick movies from each decade of the past century that he wished were better known. Richard and Greg dare to pick up Maltin’s mantle to review three of these “sleeper” films for themselves (with apologies to Mrs Maltin for our presumption in naming this episode…)

• House of Games (1987) http://tinyurl.com/fmfw-05-06-games
• Pollyanna (1960) http://tinyurl.com/fmfw-05-06-pollyanna
• The Last Command (1928) http://tinyurl.com/fmfw-05-06-command
  
  OTHER RESOURCES
• Podcast in which Leonard Maltin picks movies more people should know about https://tinyurl.com/maltin2019

Richard and Greg choose a film for three modes of transport (somehow forgetting about the 1987 Steve Martin / John Candy film). Although the films are scattered across the 20th Century, our reviewers find that all stand up well to the test of time – suggesting that this episode should have been called “Transports of Delight”. But which film had “the most obnoxious movie kids ever seen”…?

• Flying High! / Airplane! (1980) http://tinyurl.com/fmfw-05-05-plane
• The General (1926) http://tinyurl.com/fmfw-05-05-train
• Duel (1971) http://tinyurl.com/fmfw-05-05-auto

OTHER RESOURCES

• Comparison of “Flying High!” with “Zero Hour!” https://tinyurl.com/zerocompare
• Watch the 4K restoration of “The General” https://tinyurl.com/general4k

Quo Vadis? To see the new Gladiator film! They may not have swords or togas, but Richard and Greg make the pilgrimage to a newish Melbourne cinema to see an ancient-ish Roman story. What did they think? Is it thumbs-up or thumbs-down? (And if it’s thumbs-down, does director Ridley Scott get thrown to the lions…?) You know that there’s only one way to find out: kick your sandals off and hit the Play button.

• Gladiator 2 (2024) https://tinyurl.com/fmfw-minisode-04