This week on Shoot the Hostage, Sarah’s taking it all the way back to grim-town as we confront Gaspar Noé’s Climax (2018). We’ve arrived at the fourth film in Sarah’s season dedicated to movies about drugs. She explains why Climax took the fourth spot instead of the final one, which you would think, given the title, would be the natural placement. We also draw connections between Climax's disorienting visuals and unsettling atmosphere to other controversial films seen on the characters' intervie...
Jul 14, 2025•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 118
Are you ready to GO all-in? This week on Shoot the Hostage our drugs season takes a detour intro the fast-paced, vibrant world of Doug Liman’s 1999 cult hit, Go – our third foray into the wild world of cinematic substances. This film boasts arguably the most aggressively late 90s cast ever, functioning as a true ensemble piece even if some weren't A-listers at the time. We get into the raw talent of Sarah Polley as Ronna, a young adult making some truly stupid decisions over one wild night. We a...
Jul 07, 2025•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 117
No need for a temporal displacement event on your end, because Shoot the Hostage is bringing one to you! As the second stop on our season of films about drugs, Sarah and Dan delve into the minds of Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson and their uniquely divisive independent film, Synchronic (2019) Starring Anthony Mackie and Jamie Dornan as two paramedics in a New Orleans, Synchronic introduces a made-up designer drug that promises literal time travel. We get into why this independent film about a f...
Jun 30, 2025•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 116
Get ready to Choose Life (and a podcast!), because Season 11 is officially here, and we're kicking off our brand-new theme of 'Drugs' movies with a true behemoth of 90s films: Danny Boyle's iconic Trainspotting (1996). Join us as we unpack why Trainspotting has captivated audiences for decades, despite its characters being, well, mostly "assholes". We dive deep into the film's gritty depiction of heroin use – a portrayal that absolutely, objectively does not glamorize addiction, no matter what B...
Jun 23, 2025•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 115
Before we return next week with our new season, it's time for our bonus show picked from the archives of our Patreon feed. This time we talk the MCU and Thunderbolts . We are back next Monday June 23rd for season 11! Would you like to see the full lineup for season 11? The only place you can see it is on Patreon but you don't need to be a paying member. Sign up for a free membership and get access to the lineup. This episode as a preview of our season 10 wrap show which is available in full, ove...
Jun 16, 2025•14 min•Ep. 114
We're back for one last look at last season in our end of season "best of" clips show. Join us as we revisit some of our favourite moments of our season of films that were considered box-office flops Make sure to mark June 23rd in your calendar as that is when we return for season 11! Would you like to see the full lineup for season 11? The only place you can see it is on Patreon but you don't need to be a paying member. Sign up for a free membership and get access to the lineup when it drops on...
Jun 09, 2025•44 min•Ep. 113
Join us for one last round of flops discussion as we embark on our traditional end of season wrap show. The full episode is available over on Patreon on our £3.00 a month tier. We're sad that our flops season has come to an end but what a journey it was. From terrible films to objectively brilliant movies and everything in between. As this was our 10th season, this time we decided to cover 10 movies which were : The Thing (1982) Masters of the Universe (1987) Empire Records Battlefield Earth Nig...
Jun 02, 2025•12 min•Ep. 112
Calling all questionable mushroom-based life-forms. This week on Shoot the Hostage, Dan and Sarah are hitting the reset button on reality and plummeting into the bonkers world of the Super Mario Bros. (1993). As we reach the final level of our "Flops" season, we're asking the essential questions about this infamous film adapted from a computer game: Was it doomed from the start? How did this become one of the most notorious flops of all time?... And why is Fisher Stevens in white-face? Join us a...
May 26, 2025•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 111
In the penultimate episode of the season, we're diving headfirst into the dark fantasy movie that defined 80s childhoods (for some of us, Dan included, maybe?) but was a complete box-office flop: Labyrinth (1986). Settle in for spoilers, swearing, and probably a tangent or two about where babies go when Jareth steals them. Was it just a logistical nightmare with all those puppets, animals, and babies? Yes. Does Jareth's portrayal raise some eyebrows today? Absolutely, he's the villain, you muppe...
May 19, 2025•1 hr 39 min•Ep. 110
Buckle up because this week on Shoot The Hostage, we're hitting the track with a film that definitely ran out of gas at the box office! Dan and Sarah dive headfirst into the glorious box-office flop that is Driven (2001) We brake down the bewildering plot involving characters played by Kip Pardue, Burt Reynolds, Estella Warren, Gina Gershon (making her second appearance on the podcast) and Robert Sean Leonard. We pull back the curtain on the film's massive budget, chaotic production (including c...
May 12, 2025•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 109
This week on Shoot the Hostage, Dan and Sarah brave the wasteland of cinema history to grapple with the undisputed heavy artillery of our big old floppy flop season, Tank Girl (1995). Be warned, as is tradition, we swear and spoil. Sarah chose this one and frankly, it feels like some kind of revenge after Battlefield Earth. Released in 1995 this film doesn't just qualify as a flop, it lives in the flop house and pays rent with lint and disappointment. It somehow made more than Empire Records and...
May 05, 2025•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 108
Alright, film fanatics, gather round your audio devices! Dan and Sarah are back on Shoot the Hostage, and this week we’ve finally braved a cinematic experience that’s less blockbuster and more… well, block-bust. We're talking about Martin Scorsese’s 1982 gem (that the world collectively ignored), The King of Comedy. Settle in as we dissect this certified box office flop, a movie so unloved by initial audiences that, according to Entertainment Tonight, was the biggest flop of 1983. We'll be tryin...
Apr 28, 2025•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 107
Damn the man! Save the Nightbreed! This week on Shoot the Hostage Dan and Sarah dive headfirst into the gloriously bonkers world of Clive Barker’s 1990 cinematic oddity, Nightbreed! Based on Barker's own 1988 novella, Cabal, Nightbreed throws us into a world where the real monsters might not be the ones with the gnarly prosthetics. Speaking of gnarly, this film certainly delivers on the creature front, showcasing Barker's unique and utterly twisted imagination. We'll be asking the big questions,...
Apr 21, 2025•1 hr 32 min•Ep. 106
Get ready folks, because this week on Shoot the Hostage, Dan and Sarah bravely (or stupidly) sat through the cinematic turd known as Battlefield Earth (2000). Yes, that's right, we're diving headfirst into what many consider to be not just a box office flop, but a serious contender for the title of worst movie of all time. If you've ever wondered what happens when you try to adapt roughly 40% of a massive thousand-page book by the prolific (in quantity, at least) science fiction writer and Scien...
Apr 14, 2025•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 105
Get ready to "Damn the man! Save the Empire!" because this week on Shoot The Hostage, Dan and Sarah are diving deep into the gloriously messy, utterly 90s, and undeniably flopped cinematic experience that is Empire Records (1995). It’s not quite Rex Manning Day just yet, depending on when you're listening, but we're close enough to celebrate this box-office flop that holds a special, possibly embarrassing, place in at least one of our hearts. Join us as we try to figure out why this ensemble pie...
Apr 07, 2025•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 104
All aboard the Battle Cat! Dan and Sarah don their Power Swords (which look suspiciously like oversized letter openers) to champion another cinematic misfire! On this day, we tackle the 1987 cinematic flop, Masters of the Universe in another instalment looking at movies that flopped at the box-office! Join us as we take on our first Dolph Lundgren movie and give a standing ovation (from a safe distance) to Frank Langella’s Skeletor. Here is just a little of what you can expect from us in this ep...
Mar 30, 2025•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 103
We’re back for another season of themed movies where this time, we’re focusing on “Flops”! Get ready to lock your doors and check your blood, because this week on Shoot The Hostage, Dan and Sarah are diving deep into the icy paranoia of John Carpenter's 1982 masterpiece, The Thing! After 12 years of podcasting, Sarah's finally talking about what she calls her favourite movie of all time. No pressure! Expect the usual foul-mouthed fun as we dissect this creature feature classic, which was a big f...
Mar 24, 2025•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 102
Before we begin the new season on March 24th, it's time for our bonus show. We went to see Bong Joon-ho's latest offering, Mickey 17. Join us as we discuss the director, the cast and Mark Ruffalo's teeth. We keep this one pretty spoiler-lite but as always, we recommend watching it before listening. Season 10 runs until May 26th with 10 episodes this time Would you like to see the full lineup for season 10? The only place you can see it is on Patreon but you don't need to be a paying member. Sign...
Mar 17, 2025•18 min•Ep. 102
Relive the highlights of our Nicolas Cage movie deep dive in this special compilation episode! We're revisiting the best (and weirdest) bits from our discussions on films like Vampire's Kiss, Face Off, the infamous Wicker Man remake, and the surprisingly moving Pig. Expect peak "coming of cage" moments, our takes on Nicolas Cage's filmography, his two-headed snake, and vampire theories. Perfect for die-hard Nic Cage fans or anyone curious about a podcast covering Nicolas Cage films. Get ready fo...
Mar 10, 2025•46 min•Ep. 101
Calling all Cage aficionados and connoisseurs of cinematic chaos! Face/Off with us one last time this season as we put a bow on Nicolas Cage with our end of season wrap show. Lend us your ears for a run-down of the eight movies covered this season which were: Vampire’s Kiss The Rock Face/Off Snake Eyes The Wicker Man Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans Mandy Pig We discuss our favourites and least favourites and have unfiltered opinions on the good, the bad and the Nicolas Cage. Dan voices ...
Mar 03, 2025•11 min•Ep. 100
Shoot the Hostage concludes its Nicolas Cage-a-thon with Pig (2021), a film that proves Nic Cage can do subtle, heartbreaking, and filthy all at once. Join Dan and Sarah as they wade through the truffle-scented forest of Michael Sarnoski's directorial debut, discussing whether this is an anti-revenge movie or Cage: Pig in the City. Expect spoilers as we discuss the film's themes, from grief and loss to the pretentious world of gourmet dining. We'll be asking the big questions, like: Is Pig just ...
Feb 24, 2025•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 99
Hello, fellow Cage-o-philes! This week, we're almost at the end of our Nicolas Cage season with Panos Cosmatos’s 2018 hallucinatory masterpiece, Mandy.... Sarah was pushing hard for this one, and Dan caved, so buckle up! In this episode, we're diving deep into the gory, stylized world of Mandy (2018). Expect plenty of Nicolas Cage appreciation, Andrea Riseborough stanning, and Richard Brake love.... We'll be dissecting everything from the film's stunning visuals to its exploration of grief and r...
Feb 17, 2025•1 hr 25 min•Ep. 98
Get ready for another dive into the weird and wonderful world of Nicolas Cage. This time with a bonus Werner Herzog to bring Nic Cage crashing back down to Earth in Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (2009). Is this a remake of the Abel Ferrara movie or was it just a cynical attempt to cash in on a well-known title? What is the plot of this film? IS THERE a plot to this film? Why is Nic Cage doing a voice… sometimes? And why are reptiles a major part of this movie? All that plus the questi...
Feb 10, 2025•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 97
This week on Shoot a Hostage, Dan and Sarah are diving headfirst into the cinematic mess that is Neil Labute's 2006 remake of The Wicker Man, starring everyone's favorite wild card, Nicolas Cage. You might be asking yourself why we would subject ourselves (and you, dear listener) to such a film, and frankly, so were we. But curiosity, as they say, killed the cat, and in this case, nearly killed our brains We're not gonna lie, The Wicker Man (2006) has a reputation for being, well, terrible. With...
Feb 03, 2025•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 96
Welcome back for another episode in Dan’s “Coming of Cage” season. This week we’re taking a gamble with Brian De Palma’s 1998 neo-noir thriller Snake Eyes, starring, of course, everybody’s favourite national treasure, Nicolas Cage. Strap in for a ride through Atlantic City as we witness Cage’s charismatic but corrupt detective, Rick Santoro, unravel a sinister conspiracy that goes all the way to the top. We dissect that legendary opening one-take sequence, analysing De Palma’s signature style an...
Jan 27, 2025•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 95
This week Dan and Sarah take a deep dive into John Woo's 1997 masterpiece of mayhem, Face/Off. Strap yourselves in as they dissect the film's ludicrous plot, gravity-defying action sequences, and the career-defining performances of Nicolas Cage and John Travolta. Dan makes a valiant attempt to untangle the film's convoluted science while Sarah ponders the logistical nightmare of swapping all body parts. They also discuss the film's questionable family dynamics and debate whether it's acceptable ...
Jan 20, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 94
Welcome to The Rock! This week Dan is making Sarah watch one of his childhood favourite movies, The Rock (1996) for the second instalment in his “Coming of Cage” season. Tune in to see if Sarah agrees with Dan on this being peak Michael Bay and whether Alcatraz does indeed have a subway underneath. We also talk about the huge cast of actors including Sean Connery, Ed Harris, William Forsythe, Tony Todd, Bokeem Woodbine and Claire Forlani. Season 9 runs until 24th February. Would you like to see ...
Jan 13, 2025•1 hr 28 min•Ep. 90
Coming of Cage! This week on Shoot The Hostage, Dan and Sarah sink their teeth into the batshit world of Vampire's Kiss (1988) starring Nicolas Cage. Is he a vampire? Is he insane? Does he like bats, plastic fangs, and cockroaches? (Yes, he eats a real one). Is Jennifer Beals a figment of his imagination? And did this movie directly inspire Bret Easton Ellis and Christian Bale for American Psycho? Dan and Sarah dive deep into the glorious weirdness of this film and explore the possible meaning b...
Jan 06, 2025•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 89
We started a tradition last year and today we continue that tradition. Yes we're back to talk about the best films of 2024. Make yourself a drink and strap in for our 2024 end of year show. In a similar format to last year, we talk about the year in film, offer our separate top 5 lists, attempt to come up with a combined top 5 and talk about some of the worst films of 2024. We also take a look at 2025 upcoming movies. We also hand out our Jason Statham King of Turds award and make it through the...
Dec 30, 2024•2 hr 14 min•Ep. 93
As we have reached the end of another year, we thought it would be fun to release a whole episode with some of our favourite moments from recording in 2024. We covered 5 themes over the year and a total 42 movies. If you avoided any of the episodes for fear of spoilers, fear not, there are no spoilers here. Just a bunch of clips from moments that made us laugh. We'll be back with our new season covering 8 Nic Cage movies which begins on January 6th. Would you like to see the full lineup for seas...
Dec 27, 2024•2 hr 36 min
