Welcome back to a new episode of "Helen & Bill Do Retro Cinema", the episodes of this podcast where Helen and Bill take on the roles vacated by David and Margaret and bring you the reviews that matter... on movies from the past that no doubt you have all seen before.

Today's episode features the five films that were nominated for Best Picture at the 77th Academy Awards in 2005, all released in 2004. So why not tune in to hear what these two cinefiles think about:

MILLION DOLLAR BABY

SIDEWAYS

FINDING NEVERLAND

RAY

THE AVIATOR

That's the agenda on today's episode of "Helen & Bill Do Retro Cinema", on the podcast where agreeing on anything is a full time commitment, Thoughts from the Metal Cavern.

For your consideration, here is episode eleven of "It's a Ponderous Life", the place where I offer you the weekly rantings of a middle aged man trying to come to grips with life, where the wife and kids all have their own lives that don't require me, and I get fist shakingly annoyed at the world as I see it.

In Australia and New Zealand, ANZAC Day has rolled around again, and with it the annual discussion and remembrance of the same day back in 1915 when the first troops were dropped onto the shores of Gallipoli, and the start of a battle that has become a part of folklore for both of these countries.

In the years since, the day has become one where we remember the sacrifice a generation of young men made in the name of King and Country, with traditions of the dawn service, the march, and the two-up. But in more recent times, have those traditions held up, or have they been overtaken by the need to make sporting events the major focus of the day in a masquerade of celebrating that sacrifice. And perhaps more to the point, is the day as relevant to the younger generations now, some 110 years after the outbreak of what was known as The Great War.

On today’s discussion, I am going to ramble on about my memories growing up of ANZAC Day, and how the way I have looked at the day has changed over the intervening years.

So please join me in my quest to get a few things off my chest, in another episodic enlightenment of “It's a Ponderous Life”, right here on Thoughts from the Metal Cavern.

For your consideration, here is episode ten of "It's a Ponderous Life", the place where I offer you the weekly rantings of a middle aged man trying to come to grips with life, where the wife and kids all have their own lives that don't require me, and I get fist shakingly annoyed at the world as I see it.

As this podcast has moved away from being the sports-heavy discussion that it started out to be and has become more a reflection on things I’ve seen and done and thought about in my life, I have had several episodes which talk about movies and the spectacle of watching them. And today's episode is no different.

Like most of you, I was able to enjoy movies from a young age, and especially so in going to the cinema and enjoying that experience. So, on today’s episode I’m going to talk about my first forays to the cinema, what I saw, who I went with, and what are my memories of those films along with the cinemas I watched them in. And perhaps those of you who are of my vintage will pick up on some similarities to what you watched, and those of you who are younger may wonder just what was so attractive at that time.

So please join me in my quest to get a few things off my chest, in another episodic enlightenment of “It's a Ponderous Life”, right here on Thoughts from the Metal Cavern.