REEL RANTS & RAVES : A FILM PODCAST

SHOCKTOBER Episode 3 — 🎃 The Final Fright 🎃

All good scares must come to an end. 
 
In our final episode of Reel Rants & Raves -- Aaron, Chris, and Kelly G. wrap up SHOCKTOBER with a haunting collection of features that’ll leave you checking over your shoulder. First up, your Audience Pick — The Others (2001), Nicole Kidman’s ghostly masterclass in atmosphere and dread. Then, Kelly brings some surprises, ending with Ryan Coogler’s chilling, soulful SINNERS (2025) — a film that proves horror can move your heart as much as it stops it. It’s an episode packed with killer tunes, deep laughs, and heartfelt goodbyes. From our mics to your ears — thank you for listening, for screaming, and for growing with us. One last time… press play, if you dare. 

SHOCKTOBER - Episode Two

It’s alive… IT’S ALIVE! Aaron takes over SHOCKTOBER with his picks for days 11–20, kicking things off with his main reanimated masterpiece — Stuart Gordon’s Re-Animator. We get delightfully weird as we talk about Herbert West, the most unhinged med student in horror history. Somewhere along the way, Chris and Kelly spiral into a heated debate over who could possibly play West in a modern remake (spoiler: Chris' pick is better, but don’t tell him that). It’s chaotic, creepy, and way too much fun digging into this cult classic. Plus, we close things out with two killer shoutouts: the spooky geniuses at STERYE and their horror mystery boxes of terror, and the amazing mother & daughter team at Organically Wicked, with their candles that smell like fall… and fear. So grab your mystery box, light a creepy candle, and enjoy the madness!

SHOCKTOBER - Episode One

It’s finally October, which means one thing: SHOCKTOBER is upon us! 31 movies. 31 days. 3 episodes. First up, Aaron takes us on a haunted detour through Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights (spoiler: he screamed, but like, in a very manly way). Then we kick off the main event with Chris’ Day One pick, George Romero’s 1968 classic Night of the Living Dead. From there, Chris reveals his 9 other horror picks for days 2–10. Expect zombies, mayhem, questionable life choices, and at least one movie that makes us ask: ‘Why do people keep going into basements?’.

Director's Choice : Stanley Kubrick

In our brand-new segment ‘Director’s Choice’ -- the three of us each pick a film from one legendary filmmaker and dive in. First up: Stanley Kubrick. We’ve got heists gone sideways (The Killing), ultra-violence and milk bars (A Clockwork Orange), and a psychedelic space trip that makes Apple’s screensavers look like cave paintings (2001: A Space Odyssey). Join us as we debate, overanalyze, and occasionally crack bad jokes about one of cinema’s most meticulous mad geniuses.

Hong Kong Classics : 2046

For our grand finale in the Hong Kong Classics run, we kick things off with Chris valiantly trying to defend George Lucas’ greatest cinematic contribution since lightsabers: Howard the Duck. From there, we spiral into a deep (and very serious) investigation of Kelly’s Letterboxd habits, namely the highly suspicious string of glowing 5-star ratings — because apparently every movie is a masterpiece if you squint hard enough! Finally, we bring it all home with Wong Kar-Wai’s 2046, a lush, hypnotic capstone that makes you wonder how we got from intergalactic duck romance to one of cinema’s most visionary achievements in the span of a single episode. So grab your popcorn, guard your Letterboxd login, and let’s dive in!

Hong Kong Classics : Infernal Affairs

Our Hong Kong Classics series continues with the slick, razor-sharp Infernal Affairs—the tense, twist-laden undercover cop thriller that inspired Scorsese’s Oscar-winning The Departed. We dig into what makes the original so distinct, from its breakneck pacing to its moral ambiguity, before shifting gears to fresh superhero buzz: reactions to James Gunn’s Superman (DCU) and Matt Shakman’s Fantastic Four (MCU).

Hong Kong Classics : HARD BOILED

Welcome to the very first episode of Hong Kong Classics—and we're kicking things off with a bang. And by bang, we mean Hard Boiled, John Woo’s bullet ballet masterpiece starring Chow Yun-Fat and more flying paper cranes than your local origami club.
We’re diving deep into this explosive 1992 action epic: doves, dual pistols, and all. Plus, in our B-Segment, we're each bringing in our favourite movie scenes of all time—yes, all time. Things might get emotional… or just very loud.
And stick around ‘til the end, because Chris has a special surprise for the listeners. Let’s just say… it involves the ocean, a little salt, and a whole lot of gravitas.

The Academy Forgot Them

The Oscars have snubbed plenty of deserving films—but what about the ones that never even made it into the race? In this episode, we each count down our top 5 Best Picture Nomination snubs: iconic, groundbreaking, or just plain brilliant films that were never nominated. From cult classics to critical darlings, these are the movies the Academy overlooked—but we won’t.

97th Oscar Post-Show

The envelopes have been opened, the speeches NOT cut for time (Thanks Adrien Brody), and now it’s our turn. In this piping-hot follow-up, we unpack the wins, the snubs, and the moments that made us cheer (or cringe). Did our predictions hold up? Were the Oscars… actually good this year? Settle in—we’ve got thoughts, and they're fresher than you'd think.

97th Oscar Pre-Show

Yes, the Oscars were four months ago—but our hot takes have been slow-roasting to perfection. In this long-overdue pre-show, we size up the Best Picture nominees, make bold predictions, and wildly overestimate the Academy’s taste. Trust us, it’s still worth the listen.