A look at how winning the X Factor rarely results in a long term career as a pop star. This video deconstructs the myth of reality stardom and the problematic nature of televised singing competitions.
The Avengers (2012) and Captain America: Civil War (2016) have perfected the formula for the superhero action set-piece - but how is it done?
We take a dive into the tenure of former Showrunner Steven Moffat and his difficult relationship with the Daleks.
Love Island was one of the biggest Reality TV successes of last year. But is it any good? This video looks at whether Love Island, and reality TV as a whole, is unfairly maligned by high brow audiences and hopes to demonstrate some of the tricks behind the genre's construction.
Both David Ayer's Fury and Treyarch's Call of Duty paint very different pictures of the soldier during World War II.
For the past few years Nancy Drew's of the subreddit /r/rupaulsdragrace have come together to accurately predict the cast of the show with only a few errors along the way.
Black Panther just swept up a billion at the worldwide box office, but how does it fare against a certain superhero movie from ten years prior? We delve deep into the way both Black Panther and The Dark Knight utilises their villains and to what effects.
Kung Fury is often called a 'bad movie.' But what does this actually mean? This video explores the idea of 'bad film-making' and how terms such as 'good' and 'bad' are not as clear cut as they first appear.
The American Pie franchise has been fondly remembered since the first film was released in the late 1990s, but films also provide a crucial look at changing attitudes toward teenagers and sex at the end of the millennium.
Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy plays fast and loose with the star wars canon, so why is it so beloved? Ludonarrative dissonance and fidelity are two theories that might lend some answers...
With the new Solo: A Star Wars Story trailer having dropped this week we thought it was time to look back on what a Lord and Miller directed Solo movie could have looked like. This video explores Lord and Miller's filmography and their ability to execute seemingly terrible premises with aplomb.
Animal Crossing is one of the most popular life simulator franchises in existence, with titles spanning both console and handheld devices. Whilst the games have received critical acclaim, there are some important economic drivers present in the games which have been largely overlooked by critics and fans.
Doctor Who has managed to keep going for over 50 years, but is that really a good thing?
WARNING: NSFW Content. Once a popular children's franchise, Shrek is now one of the internet's most popular memes, with a lot of this content being extremely violent or pornographic. This video explores the emergence of this phenomena and the impact it has had upon YouTube culture.
This week we bring you something a bit different as we delve into what an Obi-Wan Kenobi movie may look like...
Nathan For You is one of the best and strangest shows on TV at the moment, not least because it feels so relevant. In this video, we investigate how the series engages with the reality genre and explore how Nathan Fielder uses the show to satirise the phenomenon of Fake News.
With the release of Infinity War, we take a shot at ranking the movies of the MCU.
The Nintendo Switch has been warmly received by the gaming community, already playing host to classics such as Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey. But it'll take a lot of killer content for the Switch to surpass the Nintendo DS for the title of greatest console of all time.
We’ve waited 14 years for a sequel to The Incredibles, so why aren’t we excited? Here’s the full breakdown on why the decision to pick up right where the first movie left off might be a great idea or a massive mistake...
Dilbert is one of the most beloved comic strips currently in circulation. This week we look at Scott Adams' corporate satire and explore what it can tell us both about business and happiness.
This week we look back at J.J Abrams' seminal film 'Star Trek' and examine what makes the film so special.
Adam West was a genius who, more so than any actor of the last 50 years, embraced his status as a typecast relic and reinvented himself as one of the best self-parodists of the 20th century. This video explores his life and legacy.
What can Disney do to fix it's Star Wars shaped problem? We take a look at the responses to Solo: A Star Wars Story and The Last Jedi to find out.
Love Island is back and as successful as ever. This is, in part, due to the way in which the producers successfully create a wide array of characters who fulfil a broad spectrum of roles.
The Inbetweeners still backs a punch ten years since it first aired. It's loud rude and crude and remains one of the most accurate depictions of British teenage life ever committed to screen. But it's also subtle. And here's why...
Clara Oswald gets a lot of hate from Doctor Who fans. Whilst we think her character is inconsistent and fundamentally flawed, there are some elements of her story which are worthy of praise.
Video game graphics have developed substantially over the years, to the point that they are becoming close to realistic. But is this such a good thing?
In August 2018 the Academy announced The Academy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Popular Film. We take a look at the award's place in the Oscar pantheon and discuss whether it is necessary or patronising.
The Great British Bake Off Is Back! A lot of people were unsure about the show's move to Channel 4 but if last year is any indication Bake Off is in safe hands... sort of. This week we take a look at the show's casting and how it impacts upon the show's narrative trajectory.
There is a certain section of Doctor Who's 'fanbase' who stopped watching the show after David Tennant left. Thankfully, Mummy on the Orient Express provides the perfect way back into the series.
Coronation Street is a MENTAL show where characters change their personalities 24/7. This week, we dive into how something that is essentially a hotbed for overlapping narratives manages to maintain coherency.
Tony Stark is the godfather of the MCU, and this week we take a deep dive into analysing just how directors Joe and Anthony Russo made the character so compelling in Civil War and Infinity War.
Review with Forrest McNeil is an absolute classic. Whether you've seen it or not, we take a look at what makes the show so great.
We've had a few comments on our video discussing The Avengers regarding our suggestion that it would have been better for Pepper to die at the end of Iron Man 3.
Steven Moffat's tenure saw him run the show with two Doctors for three series. Whilst this may appear a coincidence, there are interesting parallels that can be drawn between both Matt Smith and Peter Capaldi's first, second and third seasons.
The Prequel Trilogy showed us the fallout of an abusive relationship, will the Sequel Trilogy do the same? We break down Rey and Kylo's relationship across The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi and speculate where it's all leading to...
Silent cinema was never really silent. This week we explore the silent movie's complicated relationship with sound and effects.
Venom has received criticism for feeling like an early 2000s superhero movie. But what exactly does that mean and is it such a bad thing?
Here is an episode that will make you miss Moffat. Join Matt and Chris for our brand new discussion show: Look Who's Talking. Each week we'll be bringing you breakdowns of the brand new episode of Series 11, as well as sharing our thoughts and feelings about Doctor Who in general.
Reservoir Dogs is one of the most important independent films ever released. But Tarantino's debut had a troubled production history.
A brief few words on the legend that is Stan Lee.
Thor got Russo'd... but he also got Waititi'd first. How did these creators successfully break the God of Thunder in one incredibly tragic arc?
What makes Thanos the greatest villain of the MCU?
The Predator franchise is in free fall. Could lessons be learnt from Creed?
How exactly do the greats lose track of what is good?
2018 has been an absolutely spectacular year for Spider-Man, so we’ve tracked all the highs!
Love Actually is a quintessentially British Christmas film, beloved by audiences far and wide. But is it any good?
Black Mirror's interactive short film Bandersnatch is one of the most groundbreaking things to appear on Netflix. But what does it all mean?
Doctor Who Series 11 stands as one of the most divisive of the show's entire run. Whilst Chibnall and his team clearly care about the show and its heritage, there were a number of aspects which let the show down overall.
We take a look at how Jack Dean provides engaging critical commentary on the vlogging community.
The Office's David Brent is one of the most compelling sitcom characters of the 21st century. In this video, we analyse how he transitions from an antagonist to a sympathetic anti-hero.
Just what is it that makes Peter Quill aka Star Lord probably the biggest underdog of the Marvel Cinematic Universe? We discuss how James Gunn and the Russos turned Star Lord into one of the MCU's most complex characters.
From his announcement through to his wider involvement in the DCEU it always felt like Batfleck was on the cusp of greatness. With Ben Affleck now officially stepping down as Batman, we look back at his time in the role.
We look back at one of Doctor Who's most iconic monsters: The Weeping Angels.
RuPaul's Drag Race is one of the best Reality TV shows of the 21st Century. But recent seasons of the show have seemed a little... off. This video covers some of the reasons for the show's supposed decline in quality.
What does Whiplash and Spider-Man 2 teach us about the price of success? We deep dive into both movies and look at how they treat Andrew Neiman and Peter Parker!
In 2011, Will.I.Am dropped the greatest music video of all time. But is it really The Hardest Ever?
The Cybermen are among the most iconic villains in The Doctor's rogues gallery. And yet, across the revived series, they are often playing second fiddle to a different antagonist. Is it time The Cybermen had an upgrade?
Part One of our near HOUR LONG dissection of Captain America across the MCU.
We take a detailed look at Captain America's soul and determine where he might be going at the end of his story, using Game of Thrones, True Detective and Doctor Who. What is Captain America's Endgame?
Tommy Wiseau's The Room is beloved by audiences for its poor performances, amateur production and mawkish dialogue. But what does it all mean?
This week we hopped onto Your Favourite Film is Awful to discuss Avengers: Endgame.
We delve into Steven Moffat's characterisation of Missy across Series 8, 9 and 10.
John Wick is an action classic. But what makes it so rewatchable?
Pixar's films focus on a variety of ecosystems which, when disturbed by humans, are susceptible to destruction. This video explores the portrayal of human beings across Toy Story, Monsters Inc, Finding Nemo, A Bugs Life, Ratatouille and Wall-E
USS Callister is one of Black Mirror's best episodes, in part, because it features a perfect blend of both drama and comedy.
We break down the Series 11 of RuPaul's Drag Race and delve deep into the show's function as a Reality TV Competition.
The dynamics between characters on The Simpsons are what cemented it as one of the greatest television shows ever produced. In this new series of videos, we delve into the dynamics between the members of The Family Simpson, starting with the most developed relationship of all: Homer & Lisa Simpson
We are back on the podcast your favourite film is awful to discuss what makes Spider-Man 2 so good.
Star Wars has an incredible selection of lightsaber battles... but which duel is the very best ever?
What makes Spider-Man villain the Vulture evocative of Sam Raimi's villains from the Holy Trilogy?
This week we count down the ten best Doctor Who episodes of the revived series.
Furious 7 is a Masterpiece. This week we explore the world of James Wan and his hugely successful entry into the Fast and The Furious Franchise.
Spongebob Squarepants is one of the best cartoons of the 90s and a cornerstone of Nickelodeon's golden period. One of its hallmarks was the use of gross-ups and other alternative forms of animation to look into the heads of Spongebob, Patrick, Sandy, Mr Krabs, Squidward and the rest of the gang. Join us for this week's video essay as we look in-depth at this pioneering cartoon and analyse the effects of these gross-ups - before the show declined.
We've had a think about which films we might get in Phase 5 of the MCU!
The xenomorph is one of the most iconic monsters in movie history. And yet, it is only on screen for a precious 4 minutes. In this video, we explore how Ridley Scott and his team created a horror icon in such a short space of time.
This week we returned to Your Favourite Film is Awful to defend Monsters Inc against negative reviews. This time, Chris is in the hot seat!
How A Russo Restored Thor | Video Essay In the first of many videos on Avengers: Endgame, we chart the development of Thor across the MCU and discuss how The Russo Brother's controversial decision to introduce us to 'Fat Thor', represents an excellent turning point in his character arc.
TODAY. 13 OCTOBER 2019... is Uncharted 2 Day. And here's why it's still the best action game of all time.
The Family of Blood is Doctor Who's Best Story. In this video, we breakdown the two parter's deconstruction of The Doctor.
Steve Martin is one of the most talented comedians of his generation. But his 2003 film, Bringing Down The House, is an unfortunate stain in his filmography. This week we look at Steve Martin's most offensive film and delve deep into its racist undertones.
This week we dive into Jeff Yorkes and Topher Grace's incredible edit - Star Wars: Always. It might just be the greatest 5 minutes of Star Wars ever...
Ian McDiarmid's Emperor Palpatine is the performance of a lifetime - but how did this unique brand of campy acting save the star wars prequels?
A closer look at the Podrace sequence in Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace. Arguably the franchise's most ambitious scene.
What is the greatest animated lightsaber duel ever in Star Wars history?
We delve into why Celebrity X Factor was a complete disaster. Was it simply the case that The X Factor is on its way out or did the inclusion of celebrities mean that The X Factor: Celebrity was always doomed.
Anakin VS Obi-Wan is considered one of the greatest moments in the Star Wars Prequel Trilogy. Here, we examine why this perfectly balanced duel is still so powerful.
Revenge of the Sith has a perfect opening, synthesising everything we love about Star Wars into a nice little package. It's another example of what makes the prequel trilogy so underrated.
Star Wars The Rise of Skywalker is the worst Star Wars movie ever made. That's right. It's even worse than the Prequel Trilogy and concludes The Sequel Trilogy in terrible fashion. Here is our spoiler chat in which we discuss how Disney got it so wrong.
What is the best Doctor Who Christmas special? We rank every Doctor Who Christmas episode to determine which is the greatest story of all.
The Simpsons is known for its blink and you'll miss it mathematical references. But perhaps the most ingenious one of all is located in Series 10 Episode 2 'The Wizard of Evergreen Terrace' in which it appears that Homer Simpson has successfully disproven Fermat's Last Theorem.
Darth Maul & Savage VS Emperor Palpatine stands as one of the best lightsaber battles in both The Clone Wars and Star Wars as a whole. Here, we breakdown how through use of animation, Dave Filoni and his team were able to inject greater movement into Darth Sidious and unleash his full potential.
The 2003 series Star Wars: Clone Wars by Genndy Tartakovsky stands as one of the best stories in the entire franchise. We dive deep into the lightsaber battles of this animated Star Wars series to try and uncover what makes it so great.
Family Guy is in decline. But where did it all begin? We take a look at one of the show's strangest episodes 'Seahorse Seashell Party' to try and figure out how Seth Macfarlane's once-great show became a shadow of its former self.
Original Title: Creed: Legacy and Nostalgia (Done Right)