FIRST 23:00: Spoiler-Free Review with our See It/Skip It Verdict AFTER 23:00: Full Spoiler Review

It’s another Sunday edition of See It or Skip It and this time Ian is flying solo to crane-kick his way through Karate Kid: Legends (2025), the latest legacy sequel to join the dojo of long-dormant franchises getting a fresh coat of wax. But did we really need another Karate Kid movie?

Ian’s here to break down whether this spiritual sequel finds balance or just breaks the board. Does Legends honour the conventions we expect from a Karate Kid film—training montages, tournaments, and that moment of quiet wisdom from a mentor—or does it skip straight to a breakneck pace that leaves the heart of the series behind?

What should a legacy sequel accomplish in its first outing? Is this film content to lean on nostalgia, or does it earn its place in the Karate Kid canon? Ian explores whether the new characters bring something meaningful to the dojo or if they’re just here to bow respectfully and cash in.

All this and more in this week’s See It or Skip It review of Karate Kid: Legends—and of course, Ian lets you know if you should SEE IT or SKIP IT.

“Goonies never say die!” Join your favorite TransAtlantic podcasting crew – Ian, Liam, KevDog & Megs – with a surprise zipline call-in from Georgia – as we hunt for treasure, dodge booby traps, and argue over coastal real estate law in our 281st episode covering the beloved ‘80s adventure The Goonies (1985). We’re trading poisoned apples for pirate maps and Baby Ruth bars as we discuss:

• Why Ian still can’t remember androgynous character names—and what that means for Andy and the podcast’s collective patience.
• We get into a surprisingly spirited debate over what foreclosure actually means (and how much Spielberg economics we're willing to accept).
• What’s the real tragedy behind the film’s stunning set design—and the moment it all went poof.
• Which young actor accidentally ruined an iconic shot… and whether Spielberg ever truly forgave him.
• We get honest about Chunk, fat shaming, and how watching it through a 2025 lens left some of us feeling a little queasy.
• We go over some podcast metrics, because if the Fratellis can chase gold, we can at least check our download stats.
• Who far outpunches his small role in the cast—and who far outkicked his coverage romantically (we’re actually not looking at Brand).
• Kev’s brought along some exotic treats (if you’re English), and reactions range from delighted to deflated.
• Someone (take a guess) tries to do some serious heavy lifting to make the central treasure-hunting plot actually make sense.
• Ian gives what he thinks is a masterclass in narrative construction and points out where The Goonies missed a few easy wins (even with pirate ships involved).
• Whether The Goonies is the Best Film Ever.

Become a Patron of this podcast and support the BFE at https://www.patreon.com/BFE.

We are extremely thankful to our following Patrons for their most generous support:

• Juleen from It Goes Down In The PM
• Hermes Auslander
• James DeGuzman
• Synthia
• Shai Bergerfroind
• Ariannah Who Loves BFE The Most
• Andy Dickson
• Chris Pedersen
• Duane Smith (Duane Smith!)
• Randal Silva
• Nate The Great
• Rev Bruce
• Cheezy (with a fish on a bike)
• Richard
• Ryan Kuketz
• Dirk Diggler
• Stew from the Stew World Order podcast
• NorfolkDomus
• John Humphrey's Right Foot
• Timmy Tim Tim
• Aashrey

Buy some BFE merch at https://my-store-b4e4d4.creator-spring.com/.

Massive thanks to Lex Van Den Berghe for the use of Mistake by Luckydog. Catch more from Lex's new band, The Maids of Honor, at https://soundcloud.com/themaidsofhonor.

Also, massive thanks to Moonlight Social for our age game theme song. You can catch more from them at https://www.moonlightsocialmusic.com/.

“Here’s Johnny!” Join your favorite TransAtlantic podcasting duo – Ian & Liam (with Megs checking in later once she arrives from Florida) – as we snowmobile into the Overlook Hotel for our 280th episode (B-Tech Kev's not here. Doesn't he get that all work and no play make Kev a dull boy?) and crack open Stanley Kubrick’s psychological horror masterpiece The Shining (1980). We’re trading ditching the swim team for haunted hallways and axing our way through one of the most iconic films ever made as we discuss:

• Liam talks far too much about a film that we're not reviewing today (but what else is new?).
• We correct a few political misnomers from last week, because facts matter—especially when ghosts are listening.
• Ian talks about the passing of George Wendt; Liam, not to be outdone, imagines the hypothetical passing of one of his heroes.
• Megs joins us and delivers a full-on mini-episode as she trials her new sidepod and recounts her real-life triumph over the forces of nature.
• We debate whether Jack Nicholson is giving a genuinely strong performance… or just letting his charisma do all the heavy lifting.
• Is there causality in this story—or is it all just vibes? And if there isn’t, shouldn’t that break the movie?
• Ian reveals who he’s in good company with on this one—and who he most certainly is not.
• Ian also explains the origin of the iconic “Here’s Johnny!” line to, well… everyone.
• Ian asks if this movie is trying to cram two different horror movies into one
• Liam swears this isn't a horror movie and the boys try to come up with a list of what makes a film a horror film

Become a Patron of this podcast and support the BFE at https://www.patreon.com/BFE.

We are extremely thankful to our following Patrons for their most generous support:

• Juleen from It Goes Down In The PM Hermes Auslander James DeGuzman Synthia Shai Bergerfroind Ariannah Who Loves BFE The Most Andy Dickson Chris Pedersen Duane Smith (Duane Smith!) Randal Silva Nate The Great Rev Bruce Cheezy (with a fish on a bike) Richard Ryan Kuketz Dirk Diggler Stew from the Stew World Order podcast NorfolkDomus John Humphrey's Right Foot Timmy Tim Tim Aashrey

Buy some BFE merch at https://my-store-b4e4d4.creator-spring.com/.

Massive thanks to Lex Van Den Berghe for the use of Mistake by Luckydog. Catch more from Lex's new band, The Maids of Honor, at https://soundcloud.com/themaidsofhonor.

Also, massive thanks to Moonlight Social for our age game theme song. You can catch more from them at https://www.moonlightsocialmusic.com/.

It’s another edition of See It or Skip It and this time Ian and Liam are tackling Mission: Impossible – Final Reckoning (2025), the explosive (and supposedly final?) chapter in Ethan Hunt’s death-defying saga. Does Tom Cruise still deliver jaw-dropping stunts and spy-thriller spectacle—or is the mission starting to show its age?

If it is the end, is this truly a satisfying send-off for the franchise, or are we looking at Fast & Furious–style diminishing returns? Has the series said everything it has to say—or is there still life in the IMF yet? Is the plot compelling, or just another excuse to jump off a mountain with a briefcase? Do the emotional stakes hit as hard as the explosions? And most importantly—how many masks is too many masks?

Ian and Liam break down the set pieces, the pacing, the performances, and whether Final Reckoning delivers on nearly 30 years of buildup—or if it’s time for Ethan Hunt to finally accept that some missions really are impossible.

All that and more in this week’s See It or Skip It—and then they tell you whether you should SEE IT or SKIP IT.

“Give her the goddamn [microphone], Conrad!” Join your favorite TransAtlantic podcasting crew – Ian & Liam (Megs and B-Tech Kev have headed off to Houston) – as we dive deep into the murky waters of grief, guilt, and WASP repression for our 289th episode, covering Robert Redford’s directorial debut Ordinary People (1980). We’re joined by BFF of the BFE: Ariannah (Who Loves BFE the Most™), as we trade poisoned apples for therapy sessions and take a long, quiet look at the cracks beneath the perfect family portrait as we discuss:

• How Ordinary People took the 1980 Oscars by storm
• Does the film’s quiet intensity still hit home—or has its reserved style become a relic of another era?
• Is Conrad a deeply sympathetic protagonist—or a mirror too uncomfortable to look into?
• How Ordinary People explores mental health, emotional repression, and the cold war between appearance and authenticity.
• Would the film still work today or have we successfully de-stigmatized mental health, trauma, and therapy?
• Which character we most relate to – and does that change
• Where Mary Tyler Moore lands in the pantheon of dramatic performances. And what’s someone's major gripe with her character’s arc?
• Speaking of gripes—can we talk about that family photo scene?
• We’ve got questions about golf sweaters, family breakfast tension, and how much pain can hide behind tickets to Michigan State
• We get personal about how Ordinary People affected us—and whether we saw ourselves in any of its emotional breakdowns.
• We talk quiet power, redemptive silence, and the importance of just… being there for someone.
• Whether Ordinary People is the Best Film Ever.

Become a Patron of this podcast and support the BFE at https://www.patreon.com/BFE.

We are extremely thankful to our following Patrons for their most generous support:

Juleen from It Goes Down In The PM Hermes Auslander James DeGuzman Synthia Shai Bergerfroind Ariannah Who Loves BFE The Most Andy Dickson Chris Pedersen Duane Smith (Duane Smith!) Randal Silva Nate The Great Rev Bruce Cheezy (with a fish on a bike) Richard Ryan Kuketz Dirk Diggler Stew from the Stew World Order podcast NorfolkDomus John Humphrey's Right Foot Timmy Tim Tim Aashrey

Buy some BFE merch at https://my-store-b4e4d4.creator-spring.com/.

Massive thanks to Lex Van Den Berghe for the use of Mistake by Luckydog. Catch more from Lex's new band, The Maids of Honor, at https://soundcloud.com/themaidsofhonor.

Also, massive thanks to Moonlight Social for our age game theme song. You can catch more from them at https://www.moonlightsocialmusic.com/.

“On the BFE, nobody touches you. We're always behind this metal and glass.” Join your favorite TransAtlantic podcasting crew – Ian, Liam & Megs (Kev’s stuck in traffic... literally) – as we collide head-on with our 270th episode, diving into the Oscar-winning ensemble drama Crash (2004). We’re trading poisoned apples for tangled fender benders and uncomfortable conversations as we discuss:

• How Crash sparked intense debate in 2004 and controversially drove off with Best Picture.
• Does the film still resonate 20 years later—or has its commentary aged as awkwardly as some of its dialogue?
• Is Crash a powerful mirror to society… or a heavy-handed lecture?
• How Crash explores race, prejudice, guilt, and the unseen connections that bind us.
• Which character’s arc hit us hardest – and which character has multiple members of the BFE auditioning for the role?
• Is Crash misunderstood genius—or awards bait that tricked us all?
• Where the film sits among Best Picture winners. And what’s our biggest gripe with its storytelling choices?
• Which characters does the film tell us to forgive - and do we?
• Speaking of gripes—do any of these characters actually change?
• We get personal about when we first saw Crash, and how our take on the film has evolved over time (or crashed and burned).
• We talk intense performances, sweeping coincidences, and how this film could only have been made at this exact time
• Whether Crash is the Best Film Ever.

Become a Patron of this podcast and support the BFE at https://www.patreon.com/BFE.

“You were the chosen one!” Join your favorite TransAtlantic podcasting crew – Ian, Liam & Megs (Kev's off-planet this week, likely negotiating with the Trade Federation) – as we ignite our lightsabers, spin into some space politics, and plunge into the dark side for our 270th episode covering Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005). We’re trading poisoned apples for Order 66 and flying headfirst into the fall of Anakin Skywalker as we discuss:

• Whether Revenge of the Sith sticks the landing for the prequel trilogy—or crashes harder than General Grievous’ escape pod.
• Does the film finally deliver the emotional payoff the prequels promised?
• Is Anakin’s fall convincing… or did he turn to the dark side over some bad dreams?
• Why does the reason for Anakin's turn seem inconsistent in this one
• Are Restie award winners, Hayden Christensen and Natalie Portman any better this go around or is a back-to-back a likely result?
• We talk about our philosophical stances and what happens when 2 of them crash into each other?
• Which Jedi we’d most likely be – and who’s clearly the Palpatine of the group
• Is this film secretly the best prequel—or just the least clunky one?
• Where does the Anakin/Obi Wan light saber fight fall in the history of duels in Star Wars?
• Speaking of gripes – was Padmé done dirty by giving her nothing to do?
• Does George Lucas understand love?
• We ask how Order 66 compares to another major franchise's big emotional disaster
• Whether Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith is the Best Film Ever.

Become a Patron of this podcast and support the BFE at https://www.patreon.com/BFE.

We are extremely thankful to our following Patrons for their most generous support:

Juleen from It Goes Down In The PM Hermes Auslander James DeGuzman Synthia Shai Bergerfroind Ariannah Who Loves BFE The Most Andy Dickson Chris Pedersen Duane Smith (Duane Smith!) Randal Silva Nate The Great Rev Bruce Cheezy (with a fish on a bike) Richard Ryan Kuketz Dirk Diggler Stew from the Stew World Order podcast NorfolkDomus John Humphrey's Right Foot Timmy Tim Tim Aashrey

Buy some BFE merch at https://my-store-b4e4d4.creator-spring.com/.

Massive thanks to Lex Van Den Berghe for the use of Mistake by Luckydog. Catch more from Lex's new band, The Maids of Honor, at https://soundcloud.com/themaidsofhonor.

Also, massive thanks to Moonlight Social for our age game theme song. You can catch more from them at https://www.moonlightsocialmusic.com/.

FIRST 36:00: Spoiler-Free Review with our See It/Skip It Verdict AFTER 36:00: Full Spoiler Review

It’s another Sunday edition of See It or Skip It and this time Ian is joined by BFF of the BFE to tackle the Marvel anti-hero team-up Phase Five film Thunderbolts* (2025), Marvel’s messiest group project yet. Does Jake Schreier bring something fresh to a story about second chances and dangerous alliances—or is it all attitude with no real heart? Does the film's central theme and newest character go to a brave place for Marvel in discussing some very real places in the very silly comic book world or is it in danger of glorifying a self-destroying pattern of behaviour. Was Bucky actually beneficial in this story or was he just some MCU star power to give the group legitimacy. Could the film have worked if we'd made Bucky the main character? Where does Thunderbolts* fit among Marvel's post-snap catalogue?

Ian & James tackle all these questions and more in this week’s See It or Skip It review of Thunderbolts*—and then they tell you whether you should SEE IT or SKIP IT.