Two Reel Cinema Club – The website of the podcast Two Reel Cinema Club. Every episode we watch two films, one old and one new, and try to connect the dots.

Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere vs The Night of the Hunter: Night of the Boss

We’re dancing in the dark this week, as we watch the new movie Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere and then study the film that makes a cameo in that rock and roll biopic, 1955’s The Night of the Hunter. Two bad fathers, two rivers, two tales of growing up poor. But which of the two features the sweatiest man? Which of the two has the most riverside wildlife? Which of the two is wearing twenty undervests and a fake chin? And which movie do we consider a mediocre film that everyone should watch?

Plus a twentieth century ghost story, a short film about migration, a soccer semi-final, an almost silent music producer, a no-show for Courtney Cox and a forest’s worth of the King of England’s trees.

If you enjoyed the show, find us on social media:

BlueSky: @tworeelcinemaclub

Instagram: @tworeelcinemaclub

Or come to our website, where we’ll be writing about the movies we cover in the show and a few more things besides: https://tworeelcinemaclub.com

Coens vs PTA: Popcorn Counter

Post author By James Ruzicka
Post date 5 November 2025
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We’re doing a bit of fantasy programming at the Popcorn Counter this episode, as we reflect on last week’s encounter with two of the major forces in 21st century Hollywood film making: the Coen brothers and Paul Thomas Anderson. They’re both straddled the arthouse and the multiplex, and they both have an outstanding body of work behind them. But which do we personally rate? Whose films would we prefer to watch? And why does one appeal more than the other?

If you enjoyed the show, find us on social media:

BlueSky: @tworeelcinemaclub

Instagram: @tworeelcinemaclub

Or come to our website, where we’ll be writing about the movies we cover in the show and a few more things besides: https://tworeelcinemaclub.com

One Battle After Another vs The Big Lebowski: Big Battles

Post author By James Ruzicka
Post date 29 October 2025

At last, two good films in one podcast! This week we’ve watched One Battle After Another, the new Paul Thomas Anderson picture with Leonardo DiCaprio, and we’re comparing it to the film that it doffs its revolutionary cap to, 1998’s comedy classic The Big Lebowski. Two stoners, two missing women, two dirty bathrobes. But which film feels out of time? Which film made us reminisce over payphones? Which film is broadcasting the revolution on AM radio? And which film is a remake of The Big Sleep?

Plus ripping up a copy of the Yellow Pages, the early pregnancy of Obama, a Monty Python Beatles spoof, Seth Rogan exposing Hollywood, Tom Hanks in a FedEx ad, Georgie Orwell and James Baldwin, another film about rocks, and we play a round of the hot new game ‘Six Degrees of Aimee Mann’.

If you enjoyed the show, find us on social media:

BlueSky: @tworeelcinemaclub

Instagram: @tworeelcinemaclub

Or come to our website, where we’ll be writing about the movies we cover in the show and a few more things besides: https://tworeelcinemaclub.com

Sons of Trivia: Popcorn Counter

Post author By James Ruzicka
Post date 22 October 2025

Welcome to Jeopardy at the Popcorn Counter this week, where we’re pretending to be Alex Trebek with twenty movie related answers, but can you guess the questions? Some of them are doable … and some of them are frankly not. Do you know your Mount Rushmores from your Nostromos? Play along and see if you can beat our score.

If you enjoyed the show, find us on social media:

BlueSky: @tworeelcinemaclub

Instagram: @tworeelcinemaclub

Or come to our website, where we’ll be writing about the movies we cover in the show and a few more things besides: https://tworeelcinemaclub.com

Fast Funny Five: Popcorn Counter

Post author By James Ruzicka
Post date 15 October 2025

Success is hard to measure in life, but easy to measure in comedy: does it make you laugh or not? After enduring Spinal Tap II last week we’re returning to some of our favourite comedies at the popcorn counter. But what is in our top five, and do we have any overlaps? How does Justin Trudeau fit in to all this? Are popstars funny? Where did we go for Andrew Curtis’ birthday party? And is there a connection between being funny and being objectionable?

If you enjoyed the show, find us on social media:

BlueSky: @tworeelcinemaclub

Instagram: @tworeelcinemaclub

Or come to our website, where we’ll be writing about the movies we cover in the show and a few more things besides: https://tworeelcinemaclub.com

Spinal Tap II vs This is Spinal Tap: Taps

Post author By James Ruzicka
Post date 8 October 2025

For those about to rock, we salute you this week, as we put on our poodle wigs and tune up our Gibsons to watch the new comedy feature Spinal Tap II: The End Continues and compare to the film that started it all, 1984’s This Is Spinal Tap. Is the old film still funny? Does the new film live up to its predecessor? Which film sets up gags it never pays off? Which film has the cleverest cameos? And which film made us think of a martial arts movie?

Plus an early Halloween treat from 2017, a Hollywood spoof with Seth Rogan, an amusing brush with cryptocurrency, Stephen King’s best book, echoes of Bill and Ted, another look back at Don’t Look Back, and an Eric Idle film from the 1970s. Rock on!

If you enjoyed the show, find us on social media:

BlueSky: @tworeelcinemaclub

Instagram: @tworeelcinemaclub

Or come to our website, where we’ll be writing about the movies we cover in the show and a few more things besides: https://tworeelcinemaclub.com

Noir: Popcorn Counter

Post author By James Ruzicka
Post date 1 October 2025

Join us as we sit in the darkness at the popcorn counter this week and muse on why Noir seems to be the second most enduring genre in all of cinema. After jiggling our brains a little, we think we can come up with a significant noir film from every decade of the last ninety years. But have we ever tried to write a noir project? And how do noir mysteries trace their origins to bible stories…?

If you enjoyed the show, find us on social media:

BlueSky: @tworeelcinemaclub

Instagram: @tworeelcinemaclub

Or come to our website, where we’ll be writing about the movies we cover in the show and a few more things besides: https://tworeelcinemaclub.com

Honey Don’t vs The Big Sleep: Honey Don’t Sleep

Post author By James Ruzicka
Post date 24 September 2025

We don’t know why a detective for hire is called a private dick, but we’ve certainly seen plenty of sexy investigators this week. We have watched the new Ethan Coen ‘lesbian B-movie’ Honey Don’t, starring Margaret Qualley and Aubrey Plaza, and we’re comparing it to Howard Hawks’ 1946 film noir that it tips its hat to, The Big Sleep with Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. Two gumshoes, two sets of murders, two seductive mysteries and two steamy romances. But which of these do we consider the most sexually charged film of all time? Which film is fifteen minutes too long, and which is fifteen minutes too short? Which film is 70% of the way there? Which film is hoping to flip your expectations? What did The Big Sleep change when compared to Raymond Chandler’s original book? And who did we leave the cinema wishing we were?

Plus a video game made for four hands, some long scenes from Spielberg, a journey through the labyrinth of immigration, a trip to France with the Cliche Squad, and one of the greatest screen writing teams of all time. Just remember, we’re not enjoying watching these sex scenes. It’s our job.

If you enjoyed the show, find us on social media:

BlueSky: @tworeelcinemaclub

Instagram: @tworeelcinemaclub

Or come to our website, where we’ll be writing about the movies we cover in the show and a few more things besides: https://tworeelcinemaclub.com

Michael Douglas and the Nepo Bros: Popcorn Counter

Post author By James Ruzicka
Post date 17 September 2025

Are there are any nepo-babies in the mainstream film industry? Perhaps we should be asking if there are any successful people who aren’t? We started making a list sitting at the popcorn counter this week and soon ran out of ink. But out of all the nepo-babies that we’ve seen at the movies over the last few years, why is Michael Douglas our most admired? We look back at his career and ask how he managed to consistently choose zeitgeist projects for more than thirty years. And out of all these timely pictures, which is our most favourite?

If you enjoyed the show, find us on social media:

BlueSky: @tworeelcinemaclub

Instagram: @tworeelcinemaclub

Or come to our website, where we’ll be writing about the movies we cover in the show and a few more things besides: https://tworeelcinemaclub.com

The Roses vs The War of the Roses: Thorny Roses

Post author By James Ruzicka
Post date 10 September 2025

We seem to be stuck in a loop reviewing films called ‘War of the Something’, because this week we’ve watched the new Olivia Coleman Benedict Cumberbatch comedy The Roses, and we’re comparing it to the Kathleen Turner Michael Douglas version of the same story, 1989’s The War of the Roses. Two divorces, two fighting couples, two ruined houses. But which one of these films wants to be Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf and which one wants to be Home Alone? Which character has nothing to do? Why does Michael Douglas love the rain? And how do they both compare to the original source novel from 1981?

Plus a documentary about rocks, a return visit to a lost ark, some huge flowers, a Simpson’s tongue twister, a cardinal sin among comedians, a subtly optimistic lecture from Robert Reich, a box of ‘thank-you’ chocolates and a fridge full of deadly raspberries.

If you enjoyed the show, find us on social media:

BlueSky: @tworeelcinemaclub

Instagram: @tworeelcinemaclub

Or come to our website, where we’ll be writing about the movies we cover in the show and a few more things besides: https://tworeelcinemaclub.com