On this week's Born to Watch, the boys dive headfirst into one of the great underappreciated modern buddy cop films with their "The Nice Guys" (2016) Review. Every so often, a newer movie sneaks into the sacred eighties and nineties space, demanding a full BTW breakdown, and this Shane Black masterpiece absolutely earns its spot.
With Russell Crowe as the grizzled enforcer Jackson Healy and Ryan Gosling delivering one of the funniest performances of his career as hopeless private eye Holland March, this film feels like it could have been made in 1987 and left on a dusty VHS shelf for us to rediscover.

Set in a grimy, neon-soaked 1977 Los Angeles, The Nice Guys blends noir, slapstick, mystery, porn conspiracies, corruption, and one of the great chemistry pairings of the last decade. As Whitey says, this flick is a chuckle fest. Not belly laughs all the way through, but constant, rolling moments of Gosling brilliance. From falling off balconies while holding a drink, to screaming in a toilet cubicle mid-assassination attempt, to the endless stream of quotable lines, Gosling proves he might be one of the most underrated comedic actors working today.

The episode kicks off with the BTW boys returning to their familiar chaos, discussing missed recording sessions, RSI from too much… research, yacht rock, power ballads, and the Black Sorrows ruining Gow's weekend. Once the dust settles, the team dives deep into first watches, overs and unders, cinema memories, and how this movie became a cult favourite despite its disappointing box-office returns. Whitey even reveals he attended one of those old radio promo premieres and laughed himself stupid the entire time.

Gow delivers a huge research effort, running through the Shane Black universe, returning stars Kim Basinger and Russell Crowe (who he argues could literally be Bud White 20 years later), and a brilliant breakdown of Gosling's Mickey Mouse Club origins, career breakout roles, and upcoming work in the new Star Wars project, Star Fighter. The boys also praise the incredible Angourie Rice, who holds her own with two Hollywood heavyweights and often steals the film.

They unpack the bad reviews (including one from a critic who somehow thinks Crowe and Gosling have no chemistry), explode with joy over the bowling alley toilet scene, analyse the poor neighbour shot by Blueface, and debate how on earth police didn’t arrive after John Boy unleashed the loudest gunfight in seventies LA history.

There is the usual dose of Snorbs Report chaos, including an award-winning muff dive scene from "Below Her Mouth", some questionable memories from Morgz in London, references to Buck Rogers, pool tugging, and a Rick's Leash callback that nearly kills the room again. The Spotify Wrapped thanks, the voicemail from the foreign correspondent, and the pure BTW banter make this episode an all-timer.

If you love this movie, you’ll love this episode. If you’ve never seen The Nice Guys, this will send you straight to your couch to fix that mistake.

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Strap in and charge up the Mr Fusion, because this week on Born To Watch, the boys head back, forward and sideways through time with our full Back to the Future Part 2 (1989) Review. Whitey, G Man and Will settle into the DeLorean for one of the most ambitious sequels of the 1980s, breaking down timelines, hoverboards, self-lacing Nikes and all the glorious 80s optimism jammed into Robert Zemeckis' wild ride.

The episode kicks off with the crew riffing on 1989 as a powerhouse movie year, then quickly dives into how Back to the Future Part 2 faced enormous expectations. With a to be continued tease at the end of the original, fans were primed, and the pressure was real. As the boys say, sequels rarely outshine their predecessors, but every now and then you get an Empire Strikes Back or a T2. So where does this one land?

Whitey shares how the film was a childhood favourite, the one he rewatched the most, and how time has shifted his appreciation back to the original. Gow reveals he saw it at the cinema on release and has clocked well over 15 viewings since, instantly transported by Alan Silvestri’s iconic score. Will talks about how the franchise has simply always been there, one of those movies that defined growing up.

From there, the episode fires through the good, the bad and the very strange. There's deep love for the hoverboard, the power-lace Nikes, and that brilliant rooftop confrontation where Marty lures Biff over the edge before swooping up in the DeLorean. The crew gives full credit to the groundbreaking split-screen effects, the energy of Michael J. Fox juggling multiple characters, and the perfect dual performance from Fox and Christopher Lloyd, who are operating at peak one-two punch level.

They also dig into the weird bits the film never fully explains. Could Old Biff actually operate the DeLorean? Why does he get sick travelling through time when no one else ever has? Why do Jennifer and Jennifer faint from seeing each other, but Biff does not? How does Marty not realise Hill Valley 1985 has turned into a dystopian biker slum the moment he steps out of the car?

From Jaws 19 to the brilliant Jaws VHS window cameo, from Indiana Jones nods to manure trucks, the boys unpack every Easter egg this film throws at you. And of course, there’s a big chat about whether Biff Tannen’s alternate 1985 persona is really just 80s Donald Trump in a green tracksuit. (Spoiler, yes.)

The episode also dives into box office numbers, casting trivia, Elizabeth Shue stepping in as Jennifer, and some cracking tangents, including Huey Lewis, yacht rock, Stranger Things, The Little Mermaid, and even John Farnham fronting LRB.

By the time the boys reach question time, they've covered everything from the butterfly effect through to whether a single rich bloke can really break the fabric of time. It's pure Born To Watch chaos, big laughs and deep nostalgia for one of the great sequels of our generation.

If you love time travel, manure trucks and three blokes talking absolute cinematic nonsense, make sure you follow Born To Watch on Spotify and Apple. Drop us a five-star review, send us a voicemail at borntowatch.com.au and buckle up for the next kickass credit song from the House Band. Great Scott, get on board!

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In this week's episode of Born to Watch, the boys dive headfirst into a movie that feels a little too real after the last few years. Our Outbreak 1995 Movie Review isn't just a look back at a blockbuster about a killer virus; it's a full breakdown of a film that somehow became more relevant decades after its release. For Whitey, Gow and Damo, revisiting Wolfgang Petersen's tense, fast-paced viral thriller has stirred up memories of VHS nights, cinema crowds, and that one mate coughing a bit too loudly during COVID. But Outbreak isn't just a virus film. As the boys quickly discover, it's an action romance conspiracy hybrid, depending entirely on which one of them you ask.

From the moment Dustin Hoffman strides in as Sam Daniels, the stubborn, brilliant, pigheaded virologist who refuses to let common sense get in the way of his moral compass, the team is hooked. Damo is convinced it's a love story, Gow reckons it's a straight-up action blockbuster, and Whitey is adamant it's a conspiracy movie wrapped in a hazmat suit. One thing they all agree on, though, is that Outbreak pumps along at an absolute clip. Even with the science occasionally held together by duct tape, there's never a dull moment.

The boys relive everything from the opening scene in Zaire to the helicopter chase that absolutely no one asked for but everyone secretly loved. The idiocy of certain characters becomes a major talking point. Jimbo, Jim Bob, Hibbo, whoever he is, returns from Africa with a virus, bleeds from multiple orifices, and still wanders around town like he's only got hay fever. His girlfriend passionately kisses him while he looks like he's one hour from the morgue. Then there's the world's worst lab tech, sticking his hand inside a spinning blood machine like he's checking the oil in a 1992 Corolla.

Hoffman's performance gets a full deep dive. Gow breaks down his entire career from The Graduate to Rain Man to Wag the Dog. Whitey points out how small Dustin Hoffman really is, particularly when stacked up next to Renee Russo, and how this might be the least believable on-screen couple we've covered since Sharon Stone and anyone. The crew also discuss the real MVP of the movie, the man with the greatest eyebrows in cinema history, Donald Sutherland, delivering pure villainy with the energy of a man who genuinely enjoys ordering towns to be firebombed.

Morgan Freeman, as always, earns unanimous praise for bringing gravitas with every line, even when delivering military exposition about viral containment strategies. JT Walsh gets special mention for turning up for one single scene and blowing everyone off the screen with a thundering, no-nonsense speech that still hits hard.

From 90s nostalgia to scientific nitpicking, from snorbs reporting chaos to the classic Born to Watch overs-and-unders debate, this episode has everything. The boys even pick their own 1995 sleepers and duds, featuring Clueless, Just Cause, and Get Shorty. And yes, Damo manages to squeeze in a reference to Big Tit Monastery. Of course he does.

If you loved Outbreak back in the day, or if watching it post-pandemic makes you question every life decision you’ve ever made, this is an episode you cannot miss. Dive in for big laughs, big nostalgia, big stupidity, and some of the most questionable hazmat protocols ever put to film.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

• Does Outbreak hit different post-COVID?
• Should a monkey really be the hero of the third act?
• Was that helicopter chase the most unnecessary scene in '90s cinema?

Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or BornToWatch.com.au

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Few films strike the perfect balance between dark humour, bleak violence, and unforgettable characters quite like Fargo (1996). In this week's Born to Watch deep dive, the boys return to the bitter cold of Minnesota to revisit a Coen Brothers classic in our full Fargo Movie 1996 Review. Whitey, Gow and Morgz each recount their own memories of first seeing Fargo, or in Dan's case, pretending he remembers anything from the 90s, before jumping headfirst into one of the most uniquely crafted crime films ever made.

The episode kicks off with the lads debating their first screening. Whitey vividly remembers dragging everyone to the Dendy at Martin Place, feeling like a highbrow film buff discovering something special. Gow recalls the off-beat charm hitting him straight away. Dan, naturally, remembers nothing, except that he probably recommended the film, selected the seats, and probably did everything else. Classic Morgz. From there, the group dives into just how extraordinary Fargo's cast was at the time. The Coens pulled together a line-up of "relative nobodies" only to turn them into household names nearly three decades later.

The chat quickly turns to Minnesota cold weather, obscure fast-food chains, and one of the great running bits of the episode, exactly how many times Morgz allegedly found himself "accidentally" next to someone mid-romp during their travels. The boys also unpack the brilliance of Frances McDormand's Marge Gunderson, who doesn't even appear in the film's first 34 minutes but completely owns the narrative once she arrives. She's sharp, funny, methodical, and easily one of the greatest characters of the '90s.

Whitey breaks down the film's critical reception, comparing its Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb scores with those of past Born to Watch heavy hitters, such as Jaws, Rocky, The Terminator, and Catch Me If You Can. Morgs jumps in with Film School for Fuckheads, exploring how the Coens weaponised "Minnesota Nice" to create tension using politeness, silence, and awkwardness as narrative devices. From the meticulously written stuttering dialogue in William H. Macy's script to the off-kilter pacing of small-town conversations, the Coens built an atmosphere where the horror is subtle, creeping, and drenched in snow.

Gow rolls through the cast, shining a spotlight on Steve Buscemi's legendary "funny looking" performance and the near-silent menace of Peter Stormare, who delivers only 18 lines across the film yet becomes one of its most iconic figures. The boys get into the famous wood-chipper scene, the fake "true story" marketing trick, and how half the audience in 1996 genuinely believed the events were real.

There's also classic Born to Watch chaos, from detours into Shameless, to the worst movie endings ever made, to hookers in Hawaii, to Playboy magazines in glove boxes, to the eternal question: "Would you make sure your licence plates were right if you'd just kidnapped someone?" Just another Wednesday on Born to Watch.

The crew rounds things out with The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, celebrating the film's tight 94-minute runtime, near-perfect dialogue, incredible performances, legendary cinematography from Roger Deakins, and the deep satisfaction of a crime story where normal, everyday people take centre stage.

Fargo isn't just a film, it's a vibe. A cold, bleak, funny, violent, polite vibe that the Born to Watch boys unpack with equal parts nostalgia and nonsense. Strap in, grab your Arby’s, and enjoy one of our best episodes yet.

#YouBetcha

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

• Is Fargo the greatest dark comedy of the '90s?
• Does the wood-chipper still make you squirm?
• And is Marge Gunderson the most likable cop in movie history?

Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or BornToWatch.com.au
Leave us a five-star review; it helps the show more than you know.

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In our Species 1995 Movie Review, we drop you straight back into the chaotic brilliance of mid-90s cinema, where practical effects, erotic sci-fi horror and unapologetic B-grade madness collided to create something truly unforgettable. In this episode of Born to Watch, Whitey, Gow, and Damo go deep into the 1995 creature flick that defined many a teenage boy's movie-going experience. They unpack the film from top to bottom, celebrating the nostalgia, questioning the logic and laughing at the sheer absurdity that made Species a cult classic.

Whitey kicks things off by reminding us that the nineties were the final analog decade. Plans were made by phone, movie rumours spread by word of mouth, photos were printed, and mystery still existed. Out of that world came an alien seductress named Sil, played by Natasha Henstridge in her unforgettable debut. The boys discuss how this “erotic sci-fi horror” served as the perfect storm of schlock, suspense, and snorbery, with a surprising amount of A-grade pedigree hiding behind the B-grade sheen.

The crew swap first-watch stories, revealing who saw it at the movies, who wore out the VHS and who had only seen the, let's say, memorable scenes on repeat. They break down the cast, including a peak Michael Madsen showing maximum smoulder, Ben Kingsley collecting a paycheck, Forest Whitaker feeling everything as an empath, and Alfred Molina delivering one of the most gloriously stupid character decisions ever put on screen.

From there, the episode dives into Species' glaring logical gaps. The boys question how a creature only days old can understand cars, language, currency, sex, and self-sacrifice. They rip into the nightclub bathroom scene, which was somehow empty, the world's cleanest train conductor uniform, the magically perfect self haircut, and that spectacularly unconvincing fake-death scene, which makes no sense. Add an oil reservoir under Los Angeles, a fireball that should still be burning today and a final sewer showdown straight out of Aliens, and you have a recipe for pure nineties chaos.

The team also digs into production trivia. Henstridge's big break as a 19-year-old model, Madsen's reluctance toward violent roles, HR Giger's sexualised creature design and the film's surprising success at the box office. The boys even cover Species' most prestigious accolade, the 1996 MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss, complete with an on-stage pash and a very unimpressed boyfriend watching on.

As always, the gang wrap things up with The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, Snorbs Report, Ordinary People and Question Time, where the dumb decisions of this film truly shine. Was Spa Man the dumbest man alive? Would anyone ever leave a hot tub to answer the phone? Do diabetics get a raw deal in this movie? Why does Sil's intelligence fluctuate depending on what the script requires? It is all here, and it is all hilarious.

This Species 1995 Movie Review is full of nostalgia, stupidity and sci-fi sleaze, but above all, it is pure Born to Watch. Strap in for '90s madness, a whole lot of snobs chat, and plenty of laughs as the boys relive one of the most chaotic creature features ever made.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

• Is Species the most outrageous sci-fi horror of the '90s, or just the most unforgettable?
• Did Natasha Henstridge redefine the term B-grade icon?
• Would you have survived Sill's mating spree, or ended up like poor Rapey Robbie?

Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or at BornToWatch.com.au
Do us a favour: hit follow and drop a five-star review. It helps the show more than you know.

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When the directors of Pulp Fiction and Desperado joined forces in 1996, nobody expected the chaos that followed. From Dusk Till Dawn is part crime thriller, part vampire splatterfest, and entirely unforgettable. This week, the Born to Watch crew sinks their teeth into the film that turned George Clooney from TV doctor to Hollywood icon.

Whitey, Damo and Gow hit the road to El Rey, cocked, loaded, and possibly armed with a "dick gun." The boys dive straight into the movie's outrageous tonal shift: one moment it's a gritty outlaw chase, the next it’s a full-blown blood-soaked vampire brawl. Half road movie, half horror comedy, From Dusk Till Dawn remains one of cinema's wildest left-turns – and the lads can't get enough of it.

They reminisce about seeing it for the first time, back when nobody knew the twist. Gow remembers sitting in a dark cinema thinking it was just a stylish Tarantino heist until all hell literally broke loose. Damo recalls wearing out the VHS tape twice in a row, and Whitey laughs about taking five unsuspecting mates to see it just to watch their jaws drop. This is movie memory at its finest: the mid-'90s, Empire magazines, no spoilers, no internet, just word-of-mouth madness.

The conversation slides quickly from Clooney's charisma to Quentin Tarantino's unnerving performance as Richie Gecko, possibly his best acting turn. Damo describes him as “quiet, creepy and dangerous,” while Gow compares his brotherly chemistry with Clooney to "a bomb about to go off." The trio agree Clooney oozes movie-star presence, Harvey Keitel grounds the chaos, and Juliette Lewis somehow still looks 23 for the next 20 years.

And then there's Salma Hayek. The fellas do not hold back on the famous Titty Twister dance scene, the snake, the stumble, the hips, and Tarantino's now-infamous foot fetish. Whitey confesses it's "maybe the sexiest dance in movie history," while Damo says it's proof every song has an inner stripper. The music, the lighting, the moment – pure '90s cinematic magic.

Between the beer, blood, and banter, the boys celebrate everything that makes From Dusk Till Dawn such gleeful trash. They quote the immortal "Mexican or domestic?" gag, debate the "ugly snorbs" among the vampire horde, and burst into laughter, recalling Clooney's moral compass, the bad guy with the good heart. There's genuine affection for how the film refuses to play by any rules.

In Film School for F-Wits, Whitey goes full academic, calling the film the "ultimate tonal shift" and challenging the others to name a movie that turns harder or faster. Damo nominates a few classics, Gow brings his rugby grand-final energy, and the chat devolves into biscuits, Monte Carlos and Venetians, proof that even when the vampires attack, Born to Watch stays on brand.

From the "popcorn popping in the servo" opening to Cheech Marin's triple role and the legendary Titty Twister monologue, the episode is wall-to-wall chaos, nostalgia and laughs. By the time the guys hit The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, it's clear this flick isn't high art, but it’s pure fun. A 7.2 on IMDb? The crew say it’s worth every drop of blood and beer.

So grab a cold one, reload your dick gun, and join Whitey, Damo and Gow as they revisit From Dusk Till Dawn, the movie that proved you never know what's lurking inside the bar until the sun goes down.

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From the smoky streets of Little Italy to the milk-stained benches of a hitman's apartment, Born to Watch takes aim at one of the most unique and controversial action dramas of the '90s with its Leon: The Professional (1994) Review. In this week's episode, Whitey, Damo, and Dan on the Land dive deep into Luc Besson's stylish, unsettling, and surprisingly heartfelt film about an unlikely bond between a hitman and a 12-year-old girl.

Would this movie be made today? Probably not. But that's part of its enduring intrigue. The crew revisit the world of Jean Reno's stoic assassin, Gary Oldman's manic DEA agent, and Natalie Portman's breakout performance as Matilda, the orphan who turns vengeance into a calling.

As the boys reminisce, they take a nostalgic trip back to 1994, the year that gave us Green Day's Dookie, Nirvana's Unplugged, Pearl Jam's Vitalogy, and The Offspring's Smash. It was also the year they thought they were "arty as hell" watching French cinema in suburban multiplexes. Cue the milk, the braces, and the John Wayne impressions; this episode delivers the perfect blend of pop culture, humour, and heartfelt nostalgia that makes Born to Watch such a cult favourite.

Damo questions the fascination with milk-drinking hitmen, Dan lists the defining albums of '94, and Whitey recalls seeing the film in cinemas, not realising it would later feel very different once he had an 11-year-old daughter of his own. Together, they unpack the film's layered characters:

• Leon (Jean Reno): slow, gentle, and dangerous, with an oddly pure soul.
• Matilda (Natalie Portman): vulnerable yet vengeful, performing far beyond her age in a debut that stunned the industry.
• Stansfield (Gary Oldman): a villain so unhinged, it’s impossible to look away. His Beethoven-fuelled rampage remains one of the most gloriously overacted performances in movie history.

The trio debates whether the film's tone, which sits somewhere between action, arthouse, and morality play, could survive modern scrutiny. There's talk of Luc Besson's eccentric direction, Portman's controlled emotional performance, and the film's moral discomfort that keeps audiences divided decades later.

They also share behind-the-scenes gems, such as Portman's parents' restrictions on smoking scenes, her early mastery of on-screen crying, and Luc Besson's knack for finding raw emotion in unlikely places. Damo draws parallels to The Exorcist, Dan applauds Reno's physical subtlety, and Whitey argues that Portman should have received an Oscar nomination if not for Anna Paquin's earlier win for The Piano.

The gang laugh their way through some classic Born to Watch segments:

• The Cry-Meter: Whitey admits to misty eyes (7.5%) during the early tragedy.
• The Snorb’s Report: Featuring Elle Macpherson in Sirens, naturally.
• The Hit, Sleeper, and Dud: With shoutouts to The River Wild, Wagons East, and Legends of the Fall.

By the end, the trio agree that Leon remains both haunting and hypnotic, a masterpiece of tone, performance, and ambiguity. It’s a film that feels both dangerous and tender, and is completely unforgettable.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

• Was Gary Oldman the most unhinged villain of the ’90s?
• Why do all hitmen love milk?
• Should Natalie Portman have won an Oscar for her debut?

Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your pods. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and leave a five-star review at BornToWatch.com.au
.

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