The wall holds… until it doesn’t.

In Part 2 of our Two Towers deep dive, we return to Middle-earth to cover Acts 2 & 3, our final thoughts, and the scores — and yes, this episode is absolutely dominated by Helm’s Deep.

Often cited as one of the greatest battle sequences ever put to film, the Battle of Helm’s Deep didn’t just raise the bar — it obliterated it. Rain-soaked chaos, brutal scale, flawless geography, and tension that somehow escalates for nearly an hour without losing momentum. Hollywood has been chasing this high ever since… and mostly failing.

We break down why Helm’s Deep works on every level:

• Practical effects meeting early CGI

• Character-led action amid overwhelming odds

• Visual storytelling so clear you always know where you are (a miracle, frankly)

• And a final charge that still gives goosebumps two decades later

Beyond the battle, we dig into the film’s emotional payoffs, its darker tone, the growing weight on its characters, and whether The Two Towers is actually the most important film in the trilogy, even if it’s unfairly branded the “weakest”.

Is this the moment LOTR truly became untouchable?

Does Helm’s Deep alone justify its legendary status?

And how does it all land when the dust finally settles?

Swords shatter. Horns sound. Cinema history is made.

This is The Two Towers – Part 2. Ents. ⚔️🛡️🏰

FULL SPOILERS FOR LORD OF THE RINGS THE TWO TOWERS IN THIS EPISODE. You have been warned.

If you have any things you want to discuss about this film or Lord of the Rings in general, 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

All music used in this podcast is for commentary and review purposes under fair use. We give full credit to the original composers and right holders, and acknowledge that we do not own any of the music featured.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00:00 - Preamble

00:05:17 - Review: Act 2

00:59:10 - Review: Act 3

01:42:21 - Closing Thoughts & Scores

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We’re back. The review series returns. The hobbits are traumatised, the fellowship is scattered, and Middle-earth is very much going through it.

This week on The Third Reel, we begin our deep dive into The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, kicking things off with Part 1, where we tackle Act 1 only. Part 2 lands next week, covering Acts 2 & 3, our final thoughts, and the all-important scores.

Often (rudely) labelled the worst film in the trilogy, yet somehow still considered one of the greatest films ever made, The Two Towers sits in a strange cinematic no man’s land. But is that reputation fair? Or is this the unsung MVP of Middle-earth?

We break down the fractured narrative, the tonal shift from Fellowship, the rise of Rohan, and the film’s growing obsession with mud, despair, and extremely intense walking. And yes… we’re already warming up for Helm’s Deep - a battle so iconic it permanently changed how Hollywood stages large-scale warfare (and set the bar impossibly high for everyone else).

Swords clash, Uruk-hai run in straight lines, and we ask the big questions:

Is this really the weakest of the trilogy?

Or is The Two Towers quietly doing the heaviest lifting of them all?

Grab your lembas bread — Part 1 begins now. 🧙‍♂️⚔️

FULL SPOILERS FOR LORD OF THE RINGS THE TWO TOWERS IN THIS EPISODE. You have been warned.

If you have any things you want to discuss about this film or Lord of the Rings in general, 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

All music used in this podcast is for commentary and review purposes under fair use. We give full credit to the original composers and right holders, and acknowledge that we do not own any of the music featured.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00:00 - Preamble

00:08:34 - Review: Act 1

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oscar season is looming, the buzz is buzzing, and we’re cracking open one of the most talked-about literary adaptations of the year — Hamnet.

With Jessie Buckley earning serious awards chatter, we ask the very important question: has the Shakespeare well finally run dry… or is there still emotional gold to be mined from the Bard’s personal life? 👀🎭

Based on the novel by Maggie O’Farrell, Hamnet explores the devastating real-life tragedy that inspired Hamlet, reimagining the loss of Shakespeare’s son and the grief that shaped one of the most famous plays ever written. It’s intimate, sorrowful, beautifully performed… but does it work as a film, or is it just prestige misery bait with a ruff collar?

In classic Reel Kwik fashion:

• 🎬 First half: spoiler-free thoughts, performances, themes, and Oscar prospects
• 🚨 Second half: full spoiler breakdown, deeper analysis, and final scores

Expect chat about grief, awards hype, and whether this film earns its place in the Oscar conversation — or belongs back on the stage.

🎧 Press play, grab a quill, and prepare for tragedy (the cinematic kind).

What film do you want to see covered? 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

00:13:31 - Spoiler-Free Thoughts

00:36:28 - Full Spoiler Review

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To celebrate the release of 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple — a film we are… let’s say cautiously sceptical about — we decided not to review it at all.

Instead, we’re heading back to where it all began: Danny Boyle and Alex Garland’s grimy, raw, pulse-pounding horror classic 28 Days Later, the film that kicked off this apparently new franchise and redefined fast, angry “infected” (they are not zombies, thank you very much).

We pit it against another lonely, end-of-the-world favourite: I Am Legend — a glossy Hollywood blockbuster with a very different take on isolation, survival, and yelling at mannequins.

Same ruined world. Very different vibes.

One is documentary-style, bleak and uncomfortably real.

The other is big-budget, star-powered and unapologetically cinematic.

But which one actually does it better?

To find out, we put both films through our highly rigorous, completely unbiased, definitely scientific scoring system. Four categories. Five points each. No vibes. Just facts™.

• Story & Emotional Impact
• Craft & Tone
• World-Building
• Tension & Set-Pieces

The overall winner takes home the prestigious, imaginary trophy for Best Zombie (Sorry, Infected) Movie.

What better time to get spooky than January? Other than that other horror month of course.

Press play, lock the doors, and join us as civilisation collapses - again.

FULL SPOILERS FOR 28 DAYS LATER AND I AM LEGEND IN THIS EPISODE. You have been warned.

Agree with our scores? What would you score these films? 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

00:09:51 - Category 1: Story & Emotional Impact

00:48:53 - Category 2: Craft & Tone

01:06:54 - Category 3: World-Building

01:23:32 - Category 4: Tension & Set-Pieces

01:43:55 - Final Scores

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since we somehow managed the impossible — turning Rachael from a Florence Pugh sceptic into a fully-fledged Florence Pugh celebrator — we’ve been on the hunt for our next great conversion. And while Rachael is usually the easy target (she apparently hates half of Hollywood), we thought we’d mix things up and turn our attention to Dale… who has one very specific cinematic prejudice.

Against Keira Knightley.

Yes. Elizabeth-Swann-Bend-It-Like-Beckham-Actual-National-Treasure Keira Knightley. And you could even say that Dale’s dislike is less Pride and a whole lot more… Prejudice.

So in this episode of Make Me a Fan Of…, Rachael and Daniel each bring a Keira Knightley film to the table in a bold, valiant, possibly doomed attempt to turn Dale from Keira-Knightley-Doubter into Keira-Knightley-Enjoyer. Can the team make it 2 for 2 on opinion-shifting? One thing’s certain — Dale is much more stubborn than Rachael, so this one might go down to the wire.

This format has become one of the most beloved in our little podcast universe (turns out we all love a bit of emotional peer pressure), so you can expect more of these in the future… though probably featuring Rachael more than anyone else. Dan just seems to like everyone.

And to set the mood, we leave you with the immortal words of Elizabeth Swann herself:

Keira Knightley. Icon. Corset Queen. But will she become Dale-Approved™?

Stick around to the end to find out whether three carefully-chosen films are enough to change a mind — or whether Dale remains unmoved, like a particularly grumpy Mr Darcy in the rain.

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

00:07:31 - The Debate

00:31:32 - The Films

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Welcome to the first chaos of 2026 — it’s our annual deep dive into the year ahead in cinema! We’re breaking down the films that have got us excited, confused, or mildly panicked, from epic space odysseys to superhero overload.

This year, Nolan returns with a mind-bending spectacle that promises headaches and awe in equal measure. Spielberg’s back in sci-fi, Denis Villeneuve is rounding off his Dune trilogy, and yes… there’s more superhero madness than you can shake a cape at. We’re talking trailers, teasers, and all the film gossip that tickles our pickle (and maybe yours).

A quick note: schedules and release dates change on a whim, so what we’re talking about is accurate at the time of recording — don’t get mad if things shift! Also, the recording goes a bit sideways for Daniel near the end, so you’ll miss a couple of his opinions on two December films — sorry, Daniel.

On top of all that, we’re showing off our brand-new cover art and launching our brand-new Patreon, where you can support the podcast and get exclusive content. Big year, big films, big chaos — and now a big new way to join the fun.

Laughs, ironic commentary, and mild arguments guaranteed — all while we rank what we’re most anticipated to see in 2026. A new year, a new slate of cinema, and of course, the same chaotic three of us pretending we know what’s coming next.

Let us know your what you are excited to see in 2026!

Email us at thirdreelpod@gmail.com or through the socials @third_reel_pod

https://linktr.ee/thirdreelpod

TIMESTAMPS

00:00:00 - Preamble

00:11:34 - 2026's Most Anticipated

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Love a list? Good — because for our very last episode of 2025 we’re going out with a bang (and maybe a terrified scream). It’s our Top 10 Films of 2025 — SEO-friendly enough for the algorithm, chaotic enough for us. Each of us brings our own Top 10, but here’s the twist: we only talk about a film when it finally ranks highest on someone’s list. So yes — the suspense is real, the arguments are silly, and the hot takes are hotter than a prestige A24 horror poster lamp.

It’s been a huge year for cinema — some massive blockbusters, some tiny gems, and honestly? A big year for horror fans. But which films will claw their way to the top? Which “masterpiece” will cause the most chaos? And which beloved favourite will one of us totally hate for reasons that barely make sense?

Stick around for laughs, mild outrage, and a surprisingly heartfelt goodbye to 2025 — as we crown our personal Best Films of 2025.

Let us know your 2025 rankings!

Email us at thirdreelpod@gmail.com or through the socials @third_reel_pod

https://linktr.ee/thirdreelpod

TIMESTAMPS

00:00:00 - Preamble

00:06:44 - The Lists

02:05:00 - Honourable Mentions

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It’s Film Swap… but make it festive 🎄

This time, we’re diving into Christmas films, but not the usual suspects. No Home Alone, no Elf, no It’s a Wonderful Life. Instead, we’ve gone digging a little deeper into the Christmas vault… well, Dale and Dan did.

Rachael brings The Holiday — one of her all-time festive favourites — in a bold attempt to convert notorious The Holiday hater Dan. Can she finally thaw his icy heart, or will this one end up on his seasonal naughty list?

Dan, fresh off Halloween fever and still riding the wave of our 80s film draft, opts for Gremlins. Is it a Christmas movie? Yes. Is it also mildly traumatising? Also yes.

Meanwhile, Dale goes deep with Jack Frost. Yes, that Michael Keaton one. You know, where he dies and comes back as a snowman... Seriously.

Join us as we revisit these slightly obscure Christmas picks and ask the all-important question: do any of them deserve a permanent place in your yearly Christmas movie rotation?

Hot takes, festive chaos, and an extremely questionable snowman await.

Which theme do you want to see us tackle next? What's a film you'd bring to the table for this theme? Let us know!

Email us at thirdreelpod@gmail.com or through the socials @third_reel_pod

https://linktr.ee/thirdreelpod

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00:00 - Preamble

00:14:44 - Gremlins

00:32:55 - Jack Frost

00:46:45 - The Holiday

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