School of Movies

[School of Movies 2026]

Finally, after twenty years of half-assed attempts (thirty if you count the Roger Corman production never intended to see the light of day) to bring Marvel's First Family to the big screen, they actually nailed it... mostly.

First Steps delivers not just the Silver Age superheroes, but the era itself, in a gorgeous, memorable, hopeful vision of the Kennedy-Era 1960s (one where racism has been dealt with, and women don't struggle to be taken seriously). This alternate Earth of 828 is put in jeopardy when a version of Galactus (who isn't just a big angry CG cloud) comes calling.

Setting aside a dedicated section to air our misgivings over two crucial factors, (wherein Sharon comes up with one subtle but significant story change that blows me away) this episode brings us closer to Doomsday, where these fantastic folks will play prominent roles.

[School of Everything Else 2026]

It's not often we talk about audiodramas on here, the last one I recall that wasn't made by me was the phenomenal World War Z in 2011. THESE three were what I needed in order to care about Star Wars again. Scholar Ian Doescher published the first three (of what would expand to nine and beyond) in lovely hardback book form between 2013 and 2014 envisioning how The Star Wars Original Trilogy would have sounded had it been written by William Shakespeare. But the audio versions we had not listened to until recently, and we absolutely love them.

On this show you will be transported to a galaxy far, far away, one dimension over from the version we're all familiar with, where Rebels and Imperials alike speak in iambic pentameter and soliloquise their innermost thoughts and motivations. It's funny as hell, often rather disarmingly touching and helps garner a fresh perspective on these immortal tales.

[School of Movies 2026]

For this episode we were lucky enough to be able to bring in stand-up comedian and 18th Century history nut Jenny Zigrino. We gave Jenny free reign on the choice of movie to talk about and she went for her favourite; the story of the greatest composer who ever lived, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. This masterpiece, directed by Milos Foreman and based on a 1979 stage play swept the Oscars in 1985 and if you've never had the pleasure you'll soon find out why.

You can find Jenny's standup material easily on YouTube, and check out her website where she is currently fundraising for her next show: https://www.jennyzigrino.com/ It was an absolute pleasure to have her on.

And for fans of irevenrent sexy alternate history I also showcase one of my own personal favourite projects, The Princess Thieves, the audiodrama of which can be found here: https://newcentury.bandcamp.com/

Guest: Jenny Zigrino

[School of Movies 2026]

The 1994 film that ate The Shawshank Redemption's lunch, dinner, supper, breakfast and second-breakfast at the Oscars. A deeply polarising melodrama recounting several decades of American Boomer history, showcasing cutting-edge face-mapping technology that looked unintentionally unsettling even then, and laying down confused messages along the way.

We attempt to read Gump fairly, consulting the direction the source book took, and taking into consideration Robert Zemekis' own views on the world, in particular focusing on the mostly-glimpsed journey of Forrest's running mate, Jenny.

[School of Movies 2026]

One of the most passionately beloved movies of the 1990s, and indeed all of film history, it is peculiar that while you will meet people who haven't seen this film, you will never meet people who don't like it and gleefully tell you so. The fact that when Shawshank first emerged it was largely ignored or made fun of for having a convoluted name, and lost almost every award it was nominated for to Forrest Gump (coming next week) is remarkable in retrospect.

It really only hit and became abidingly popular when it reached television screens. Perhaps the story itself does not suit being sat in a cinema with a lot of strangers feeling awkward and emotionally charged over this prison drama, and it in fact calls for a more intimate, quiet level of attention

One thing is for sure, it made for one hell of a podcast, and we were lucky enough to get back Ryan Estrada, our man in South Korea who once again holds a deep connection with this very special movie: www.ryanestrada.com

Guest: Ryan Estrada