Explore every episode of the podcast The Franchisees

We're back! So sorry for the delay, we missed last week due to Ben being stricken with shingles. A late October witch's pox no doubt. But now we're back with another spooky duology so just pretend it's still Halloween for a few more days.

Friend of the show, past and future guest, and comedian extraordinaire Joel Edmiston joins us to talk about one of, if not the best horror comedy ever AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON! We talk about John Landis (prison) we talk about Joel's hatred for Howie Mandel (also prison), and we wax nostalgic about our love for this classic film bro film.

We also talk about some new releases we've seen recently like FRANKENSTEIN (2025), ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER, MATERIALISTS, THE SMASHING MACHINE, THE LONG WALK, PREDATORS and of course some other horror movies we've been watching this October such as THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN, THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH, RAISING CANE, POLTERGEIST 2, MARTIN, WOMAN IN BLACK, ASYLUM, THE SIGNALMAN, GHOSTWATCH, and WOLF GUY. Ben also watched LOOKING FOR MR. GOODBAR for Diane Keaton, RIP!

We return next week with the much maligned sequel, just a hop across the pond or a drive in the chunnel to beautiful Paris. Does AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN PARIS have the same delicate balance of comedy and horror as its predecessor or does it suck ass? I'm sure you've already figured out the answer for yourself.

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The Vampire Lestat has been asleep for many many years... until he finally hears something that excites him out of his slumber: nü metal! In the very 2002-core film QUEEN OF THE DAMNED we follow Lestat (almost-Aragorn Stuart Townsend) on his journey to become the world's most beloved vampire rock star. Will the titular Queen of the Damned (RIP Aaliyah) seduce him or will the uhhh council of vampires stop her I don't remember what happens exactly it's pretty bad but lots of fun for connoisseurs of that 2000s feeling.

We also talk about some other films we've seen lately such as WR: MYSTERIES OF THE ORGANISM, TELL THEM WILLIE BOY IS HERE, SNEAKERS, THE WAY WE WERE, SUMMER WITH MONIKA, SAWDUST AND TINSEL, THE RAPTURE, WARRIORS OF VIRTUE, MARTY, RUNNING ON EMPTY, and the recent Pee-Wee doc and the original Smashing Machine doc.

Next week we're playing fetch with vampire's mortal enemies: werewolves! First up is the horror-comedy classic AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON directed by King of the Damned (as in Going to Hell) John Landis!

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It's October and we're neck-deep in the bottomless pit of horror films! Our good friend Jordan Seccareccia joins us again to revisit a Certified Cruise Classic: INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE. We talk Tom, we talk luscious production design, we talk (and mock) Mr. Bradley Pitts, and of course we go on many, many tangents! We also celebrate several important birthdays!

Some other movies discussed on this episode are ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER, THE MASTER, MAGNOLIA, HIGHEST 2 LOWEST, BAMBOOZLED, RED SORGHUM, JU DOU, WEAPONS, EDEN LAKE, WAR OF THE WORLDS, OJ: MADE IN AMERICA, HARD BOILED, A BETTER TOMORROW, MOON WARRIORS, and the classic making-of documentary about STAR WARS: THE PHANTOM MENACE.

Next week we return from beyond the grave with the sort-of sequel/continuation of Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles QUEEN OF THE DAMNED. Join us for a trip back to our childhood in the early 2000s!

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We're back and we're going down down down down, way down in the direct-to-dvd hole with THE DESCENT: PART DEUX. More caves, more crawlers, more throat-ripping! But first, we share out timely coverage of the 50th Toronto International Film Festival, surely the best one yet! Did we see much? No, not really. But what we saw was pure gold, right? Well no, mostly slop. But amongst the slop there are always gems. Every bowl of slop has a gem, as the saying goes.

We're talking FUCK MY SON!, THE FENCE, LEVERS, BLUE HERON, MADDIE'S SECRET, KLEE, and more! And we also find time to talk about a few non-TIFF films such as OCTOBER, JOINT SECURITY AREA, and last year's People's Choice Award winner THE LIFE IF CHUCK. 

Join us next week for gay vampires as we cover INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE!

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New franchise, we're spelunking, we're caving, come join us! But before we talk about Neil Marshall's 2005 horror hit, please join us as we talk about this crazy world's descent into Charlie Kirk mania and Ben's latest nemesis 'cherubslayer123' (we recorded this episode a few days after he was killed so it was fresh then and now we're releasing it after nobody gives a shit anymore but please still listen it's a funny story)

Of course we also find time to talk about other movies we've been watching such as ROBOT DREAMS, LIFE DURING WARTIME, CASINO, THE SCARLET EMPRESS, 35 SHOTS OF RUM, EEPHUS, CLEARCUT and many, many more.

Join us next week for THE DESCENT PART II and even more timely coverage of the 50th Toronto International Film Festival (you remember that right? it wasn't that long ago really)

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Comedy is now illegal in America and by extension Canada... we regret to inform you that this will have to be the final episode of The Franchisees. But boy are we going out with a bang! SPINAL CRAP POO is here to make us all laugh and remind us of the ravages of time! Is this movie worth seeing? Is it fun to be back with the boys again? Or is it just sad? Listen to find out but you know already come on.

We also talk about the fate of James Christian Kümmel (aka Jimmy Kimmel) and the late Charlie Kirk (you'll have to wait for our next episode on horror film THE DESCENT to hear our more timely reaction to Charlie "xcx" Kirk)

We talk about some movies we've been watching recently like CALIFORNIA SCHEMIN', THE LONG WALK, MO' BETTER BLUES, DEATH LINE, SORRY BABY, EVIL DEAD TRAP 1 & 2, and the late great Robert Redford classics JEREMIAH JOHNSON and THE OLD MAN AND THE GUN.

Next week it'll be October (almost) so we're going back to the horror well and spelunking in a deep dark cave to visit our Appalachian friends the "crawlers" in THE DESCENT. 

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In ancient times
Hundreds of years before the dawn of history
Lived a strange race of people, the druids

No one knows who they were
Or what they were doing
But their legacy remains
Hewn into the living rock of Stonehenge

Stonehenge, where the demons dwell
Where the banshees live and they do live well
Stonehenge
Where a man is a man and the children dance to
the pipes of pan

Stonehenge
Tis a magic place where the moon doth rise
With a dragon's face
Stonehenge
Where the virgins lie
And the prayer of devils fill the midnight sky

And you my love, won't you take my hand
We'll go back in time to that mystic land
Where the dew drops cry and the cats meow
I will take you there
I will show you how

And oh how they danced,
the little children of Stonehenge
Beneath the haunted moon
For fear that daybreak may come too soon

And where are they now,
the little people of Stonehenge?
And what would they say to us,
if they were here tonight?

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Not a great franchise tbh! But here we are at the end anyway, at least the end for now. It'd be funny if they just called the sequel to this legasequel I STILL KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER. Just keep it going.

Alex has seen no new movies this week. Ben watched WAR OF THE WORLDS, THE IRON LADY, THE SECT, BRING HER BACK, THE BROTHERS GRIMM, PROVIDENCE, MERMAID LEGEND, PAVEMENTS, BABY INVASION, SHIFTY, HIGH TENSION, HIS MOTORBIKE HER ISLAND, THE NEW WORLD, NOUVELLE VAGUE, and HIGHEST 2 LOWEST. Cinephilia is a sickness.

Next week we're rocking and rolling... with laughter! Just in time for the release of the probably very bad old man movie sequel, we'll be covering THIS IS SPINAL TAP!

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This piece of shit, I mean really what are we doing here talking about this garbage, life is short, it's summer time we're supposed to be surfing and sunbathing and sucking cock, what is this, what are we doing with our lives, what have we done to deserve this, I'm going to fucking blow my fucking brains out!

Just kidding, we're back with the third and clearly worst instalment of the I KNOW WHAT YOU DID franchise (or is it more the LAST SUMMER franchise?). This is some god damned direct-to-video trash I tell ya what and there is not much to talk about here save for some gnarly skateboard tricks in the first 5 minutes. 

We also talk about Clive Barker's RAWHEAD REX and at some point when things are really degenerating we just start naming members of Jackass.

Next week we're heading to the movie theatres for the latest (and greatest?) legacy sequel, unimaginatively titled I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER (2025).

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More like I still know what you did two summers ago am I right? It's summertime again and the survivors of the first film win a free trip to the Bahamas... what could possibly go wrong? This film is filled with 90s horror sequel hilarity, including an inspired turn by Jack Black as a white guy with dreads who loves, you guessed it, weed and pussy! We got Brandy, we got Mekhi Phifer, we got Jeffrey Combs and Bill Cobbs, we have all these new characters to kill.

Alex and Ben also find time to talk about HAPPY GILMORE 2 and create what is sure to be a new podcast favourite character, Guy Ritchie's Radiohead Charlie.

Next week we're back with the direct-to-video threequel I'LL ALWAYS KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER.

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A killer fisherman? A web of lies and guilt? 90s teens standing together on a poster in a vaguely triangular formation? It's all from the #twisted mind of Kevin Williamson! We're back with a new franchise: I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER. It's still summer right? August 17th is still summer. Not even up for debate really. Anyway, it feels kind of funny doing this franch before Williamson's superior SCREAM but they made too many of those and this series has a new one out, also titled I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER so that's what we're doing because it's still summer.

In addition, Alex and Ben share a few other films they've been watching such as WOULD YOU RATHER?, ZABRISKIE POINT, SUMMERTIME, and the hottest superhero of the summer SUPERMAN.

We'll be back next week with the second film in the series, the somewhat confusingly titled I STILL KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER.

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We're back on track with a fresh new episode on the new NAKED GUN film starring Liam "Leslie Nielsen" Neeson and directed by Akiva "Lonely Island Boy" Schaffer. Are comedies back? Can America finally laugh again? How many jokes are there over the entire 85 minute runtime? Worry not, listener: we're going through this film bit by bit, gag by gag, larf by larf.

We also find time to talk about some other recent movies we've been watching, including HAPPINESS, BULLY, THE PEANUT BUTTER SOLUTION, MORVERN CALLAR, PASSION, PERSON TO PERSON, PETULIA, RAZORBACK, HOUSE OF GAMES, and VOYAGE OF TIME.

We'll be back next week with a new franchise: I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER! We certainly know what we were doing last summer... podcasting.

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ANOTHER EMERGENCY FRANCHISE UPDATE: they went and made another Jurassic movie. Hooray! Alex and Ben were dreading this one but to their surprise, this new entry is actually not completely terrible... and isn't that the best we can hope for these days?

We're joined by Ben's friends and creators of the classic high school YouTube Jurassic Park parody video Cretaceous Park: returning guests Matthew Nicholson and Maxim Gertler-Jaffe, and a first time guest long-time listener Chris Moroz.

We talk about some other movies we've seen recently such as EDDINGTON, Caveh Zahedi's THE SHOW ABOUT THE SHOW, MOONAGE DAYDREAM, SPEED, SPECIES, THE PIANO TEACHER and more. We also talk about corporate franchise synergy, Fortnite collaborations, and the mess that is STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER.

We'll be back next week with the new NAKED GUN film!

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we're phoning it in again. it's summer!

We're back and we're spoofin' and goofin' yet again with THE NAKED GUN 2 1/2: THE SMELL OF FEAR. Is this sequel, full of laughs and gags, as funny as the first film? Or is it the start of those dreaded diminishing returns? Or can we barely remember what happens in it and try to avoid talking about it for as long as we possibly can? Listen to find out.

We also talk about our favourite bizarre Toronto eatery Fancy Induced Burger and discuss a few films we've been watching recently including THE THIN RED LINE, ANOMALISA, THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY, THE HOT CHICK, MORTAL KOMBAT, a Fassbinder triple bill, Orson Welles' FILMING OTHELLO, and EATING RAOUL.

Next week we return with the third and final film in the original run of the franchise, THE NAKED GUN 33 1/3: THE FINAL INSULT.

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In anticipation of the upcoming, similarly titled THE NAKED GUN (2025), we're looking back through the files of Police Squad an covering the beloved, hilarious, zany, and ZAZy NAKED GUN franchise. We're talking, spoofs, goofs, laughs, larfs, farts, and toots. We're talking Leslie Nielsen and Zucker Abrahams Zucker. Many of us have fond memories of watching these films on TV back in the day, but do they hold up?

But wait, there's more! Ben talks about the rom(?)-com(?) MATERIALISTS and also celebrates Pride Month with some queer cinema picks such as YOUNG SOUL REBELS, SHINJUKU BOYS, JE TU IL ELLE, and MALA NOCHE. Alex also talks about the recent Pee-Wee Herman documentary.

Next week the spoofs, goofs, and loofs continue with NAKED GUN 22 1/2!

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We're talking about the newest entry in the 28 DAYS franchise, 28 YEARS LATER. Danny Boyle, Alex Garland, Anthony Dod Mantle... they're all back baby and they've cooked us something real interesting. We talk about the crazy camerawork, the zany and wild tonal shifts, and try to make sense of the film's nutty ending. 

Next week we're starting a new franchise: THE NAKED GUN. Join us for some laughs and gaffes!

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Robert "Hitler" Carlyle stars as Johnny Weeks in 28 WEEKS LATER, the underrated(?) sequel to 28 DAYS LATER. 

Join us next week for 28 YEARS LATER, here's a preview: it's good!

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SUPER SPECIAL AND VERY IMPORTANT EMERGENCY BROADCAST

A NEW JOHN WICK MOVIE OR SPINOFF OR WHATEVER HAS BEEN RELEASED

BEN & ALEX, YOU SWORE A BLOOD OATH TO COVER ANY AND ALL NEWLY RELEASED FILMS FROM A FRANCHISE THE SHOW HAS PREVIOUSLY COVERED

FAILURE TO DO A BALLERINA (2025) EPISODE WILL RESULT IN AN IMMEDIATE $1000000000000 BOUNTY PLACED ON BOTH OF YOUR HEADS

Ok fine relax relax, we're covering Ballerina From the World of John Wick or whatever it's called, we're doing it, relax, get off our asses. We're really gonna phone this one in though, ok? We're ordering pizza, we're eating it on mic, and there's nothing you can do about it.

In addition to BALLERINA we also talk about a few others films such as THE KILLER, YOU'RE A BIG BOY NOW, and 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY.

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They made the chimps watch too much LiveLeak and it infected them with Rage, cut to 28 days later and the entire British Isle is fucked. That's right, we're getting our MiniDV cams out and going back to the glorious days of post-9/11 with 28 DAYS LATER. This film reinvented a genre when it came out... but how does it hold up now?

Joining us are the three lads from a new screening series in Toronto: Truth and Dare. Each month Nick Armstrong, Adam Bovoletis, and Sacha Kingston-Wayne program cutting-edge documentaries that challenge the idea of what a doc needs to be. 

Before we talk about this weeks film we also discuss some recent stuff we've been watching: VULCANIZADORA, THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME, MOUNTAINHEAD, and of course the actual first film in this franchise, the Sandra Bullock comedy 28 DAYS. Adam also walks us through his 29th birthday movie marathon and we all try out Shaq-a-licious XL gummies to determine whether or not they truly taste like Shaq.

Come see Ben's film CHERUB next week on June 22nd at 3pm at the Paradise Theatre and then head to the latest Truth and Dare screening TREASURED STACKS OF JODIE MACK, a retrospective of the incomparable experimental filmmaker Jodie Mack. That screening is also on June 22nd at 7pm at CineCycle, PWYC.

CHERUB tickets: https://www.goelevent.com/FOFS/e/Cherub

TREASURED STACKS OF JODIE MACK info: https://theseventhart.org/treasured-stacks-of-jodie-mack/

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So it's come to this... the FINAL RECKONING. We've had so many reckonings over this series but this is the last one, we promise. To help us process this reckoning we've enlisted friend of the show, past + future + current guest, and musician extraordinaire Rob McLay. 

There's much to talk about but before we get into the film we also discuss some other movies we've been watching lately: THE SWIMMER, BAD SHABBOS, SCARFACE, and two less-than classic Tom Cruise vehicles KNIGHT AND DAY and THE MUMMY.

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - THE FINAL RECKONING is such a strange film; an awkward, unwieldy, exposition beast that also has two of the greatest action set pieces in the series (and cinema) history. We're all still processing the silliness so in many ways this podcast episode is more our own attempt at clarity than it is a review for you the listener. All the same, I'm sure you'll enjoy it! 

Join us next week for a new franchise: 28 DAYS LATER

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We're back and we're talking about MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - DEAD RECKONING PART ONE, the first reckoning of an epic two-part reckoning. Ben remembers enjoying this one back in theatres in 2023, Alex has never seen it. Does it hold up? Is it a mess? Is the franchise past its prime???

Before we answer these questions (and more!) we also talk about the Cannes Film Festival and some other films we've been watching: FINAL DESTINATION BLOODLINES, A BETTER MAN, THE MONKEY, THE SHROUDS, FLIGHT RISK, M. BUTTERFLY, IMPERIAL GREEN (and more!)

Next week, the second and final (?) reckoning and last film of the franchise (?) - MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - THE FINAL RECKONING

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We're back, Ben's been fired and replaced with friend of the pod/past and future guest Jordan Seccareccia, and Ethan Hunt saves the world again. We're talking MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - FALLOUT, what some consider the zenith of the franchise. Who are those some? Why your good friends Jordan and Ben. Will they be able to convince Alex to join the Fallout team? It's our most impossible mission yet!

We don't talk about any other movies on this episode (save for Jordan's brief review of the new FINAL DESTINATION flick) but Ben regales us about his trip to New York City, telling us of all the wonderful celebrities he rubbed shoulders with.

Next week, the first part of a two-part finale... or is it?... DEAD RECKONING PART ONE.

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We're back, we've formed a Rogue Nation whatever that is and we have two very special guests leading the revolution: Corporal Niko Block of the Fail Army (and AWOL social media coordinator of The Franchisees) and Dr. Yuki, foremost scholar of and PhD-haver in Tom Cruise Studies. 

We also talk about some other movies such as WARFARE, SINNERS, CHILDREN OF MEN, BETWEEN THE LINES, and PYAASA. Then, Dr. Yuki shares her Top 5 Cruise Performances, followed by the similar but different Top 5 Sexiest Cruise Performances. What films will make the list? Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to listen and find out!

Join us next week for MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - FALLOUT, what some (Ben) consider the zenith of the franchise.

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We're initiating ghost protocol, we've initiated it before and we're initiating it again. People have said some very bad things about our friend Ethan Hunt, some very nasty things. But we're going to initiate ghost protocol and make the IMF great again!

We're back after a brief hiatus (sorry) with MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - GHOST PROTOCOL. Tom Wilkinson initiates ghost protocol (whatever that means) before getting shot in the head. Jeremy Renner of the famous Jeremy Renner App joins the team and Tom Cruise scales the tallest building in the world.

We also talk about some other movies we've been watching like WARFARE, SINNERS, MISERICORDIA, I WAS BORN BUT..., GOOD MORNING, and the new restoration of BATANG WEST SIDE.

Join us next week for MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - ROGUE NATION with special guest Joe Rogan!

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Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to remember the name of the Hollywood Hack who directed MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE III... who is it... what's his stupid name again... ah whatever I forget.

Devin Shears joins us again to talk M:I III, the GOAT Philip Seymour Hoffman, and what is in many ways the craziest iteration of Tom Cruise/Ethan Hunt yet: the normal wife guy. He loves his wife!

We also talk about some movies we've been watching including THE APPRENTICE, THE FLORIDA PROJECT, and MISERICORDIA.

The boys teach Devin about "prone bone" and Ben tells another enchanting story from his life rubbing shoulders with the Hollywood Elite (in this case, Miles Teller at the Front & Spadina LCBO)

Join us next week for MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - GHOST PROTOCOL

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Three incredible artistic talents came together at the beginning of the millennium to create an astounding work of art: Tom Cruise, John Woo, and Limp Bizkit... together they produced MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 2 and we thank them every goddamn day of our lives.

We're back to discuss M: I 2 with connoisseur of early 2000s cinema/vibes Katherine Vienneau. We've got the Chimera Virus, we've got Thandiwe Newton, we've got Dougray Scott oh my god we've got Dougray Scott. We've got masks galore, we've got sexual Tom Cruise having sexual sex, we've got at least a little bit of that classic John Woo doves and slo-mo and heroic bloodshed. 

We also pay our respects to Val Kilmer, Rest in Peace, and our disrespects to former friend of the show Paul Schrader, Rest in Piss. We talk about a very special Buckcherry appearance at Woodstock '99, and also recount our favourite Val Kilmer movies (TOP SECRET!, THE DOORS, THE SALTON SEA, and REAL GENIUS). Alex also tells us about the latest British comedy THE BALLAD OF WALLIS ISLAND which, unfortunately, sets up Ben to do sevearl Carey Mulligan impressions.

Join us next week for MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE III (Roman numerals this time, nice)

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Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to listen to this podcast. Please listen to it, please! Please accept the mission, we love you and we accept you, won't you accept us?? 

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE, the 1996 Cruise-De Palma classic! What can you say? Well, one of us likes it and the other is lukewarm. Still, it's nice to huff that new franchise smell!

Before we talk about M:I and Tom Cruise and Brian De Palma, Ben fills us in on his recent trip to the BFI Flare Film Festival in jolly old London, England. He also shares his Top 5 Most British People he met.

We talk about lots and lots of other movies on this episode, including CHILLY SCENES OF WINTER, THE ELECTRIC STATE, BLACK BAG, HEAT, PRINCESS MONONOKE, THE BOY FRIEND, VENGEANCE IS MINE, THE STUNT MAN, GIRL 6, and we even talk a little TV as Alex has recently watched ADOLESCENCE.

Next week do join us for the classic John Woo/nü-metal sequel MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 2!

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Three desperate men on a sweaty search for gold... sounds like this podcast, baby! We're back with the final episode in our Dollars Trilogy series, THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY. Joining us is our good friend Jordan Seccareccia, thereby mirroring and completing the titular trio. Which one of us is good, which one is bad, and which one is ugly? Or are we each perhaps some odd combination? You'll have to listen to find out!

We also talk about lots and lots of other movies, including new and recent releases like MICKEY 17, SEVEN VEILS, FLIGHT RISK, BLACK BAG, JUROR #2, as well as old classics like UNFORGIVEN, AMADEUS, SEVEN SAMURAI, and JULIEN DONKEY-BOY.

There's also a years-in-the-making payoff partway through the episode that you won't want to miss!

Next week, new franchise - Mission: Impossible! Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to listen and rate and review and subscribe.

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The Man with No Name is back and this time his name is Manco and he has a friend Morty (played by Chief Van Cleef). They are in love and express that love by shooting each other's hats!

FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE is the bigger, better, and richer sequel to last week's A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS. Your hosts are joined by a special guest, friend of the pod Max. Max rode into town on a pale horse, joined us at the campfire, ate some beans, and spun us an old cowboy tune.

We also talk about Alex and Max's favourite film THE BIKERIDERS, and some other stuff we've been watching like CABARET, THE EXTERMINATING ANGEL, and PRIME CUT (RIP Gene Hackman)

Join us next for week for the exciting conclusion of the Dollars Trilogy, THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY. Perhaps another lonesome cowboy will drift into our ranch and join us for an impromptu Sergio Leone filmography ranking. You'll have to listen to see who (it's Jordan)

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A man... of few words. A man... with a poncho. A man... with no name. Although perhaps he does have a name and it's Joe but that's not important. We're doing the Dollars Trilogy aka The Man With No Name Trilogy, a series of spaghetti westerns directed by master filmmaker Sergio Leone and starring the god Clint Eastwood. 

Before we talk about the film we also discuss what we've been watching recently: THE GORGE, WOMAN OF THE HOUR, and 47 RONIN. Ben is back from Halifax and Alex is back from Mexico. How were their trips? Acceptable!

Join us next week for the 2nd instalment in the Dollars Trilogy, FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE. How many dollars more? You'll have to listen to find out, you should know that by now!

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This episode is dedicated to Forky. 

We're back with the fourth instalment of the TOY STORY franchise, the appropriately titled TOY STORY 4. 2019 was a lifetime ago, almost long enough to ask the question "does this movie hold up?" Yes, it's pretty good!

Ben is a little "turnt up" in this episode so be warned!

Join us next week for the cash-grab conclusion of the TOY STORY franchise, LIGHTYEAR.

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It's a wonderful night for Oscar, Oscar Oscar, who will win?

You, the listeners... that's who wins. Because it's our annual Best Movies of the Year episode hooray yay hooray! Alex and Ben talk about the year in cinema 2024 and countdown their favourite movies from #20 to #1. Get ready to here about all your favourite films and maybe even a few you haven't discovered yet. We won't spoil the lists but here's a sneak peek at a few movies we'll be discussing:

A DIFFERENT MAN, LAST SUMMER, THE BRUTALIST, CHALLENGERS, HARD TRUTHS, FURIOSA, MATT AND MARA, RED ROOMS, EVIL DOES NOT EXIST, I SAW THE TV GLOW, MEGALOPOLIS, NICKEL BOYS, ODDITY, and many more!

Enjoy the Oscars tonight and we'll see you next week for our regularly scheduled episode on TOY STORY 4.

You can follow The Franchisees on Twitter and Instagram @thefranchisees or email us at thefranchiseespod@gmail.com 

We're back with the beloved third entry in the TOY STORY franchise. Alex and Ben were very close to Andy's age when they first saw the film... needless to say, it hit them like a ton of bricks. Will this poignant and beautiful film still pull on their now-jaded heartstrings? At least one of them, yes!

We also talk about Pixar's stellar run and eventual decline, the possible real-life inspiration for Lots-o'-Huggin' Bear (John Lasseter), the Super Bowl, and a few other films we've been watching recently.

Join us next week for TOY STORY 4,  film that has to justify its existence and does a pretty good job.

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1999 was a legendary, leeeggggendary year for cinema. And animation is cinema, no matter what those film snobs tell you! Please, please for the love of god accept that animation is cinema so that Guillermo del Toro can take a break. 

The subject this week is TOY STORY 2, what some consider one of the greatest sequels of all time. Is it true? Does it hold up? Is it on the same level as the original? We're joined by special guest/friend of the pod Valerie Keaton to help us find out. 

We also talk Tim Heidecker, HARD TRUTHS, Doug Benson, and so much more.

 You can follow Valerie on Twitter @StealingValerie and on Letterboxd @ValerieKeaton. She also has a substack @valeriekeaton.

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It's our 30th Franchise! Wow, time sure does fly when you're having fun... and there's nothing more fun than toys. What if these toys had a story of their own? Well you're in luck. Back in 1995, future-disgraced animator John Lasseter and company invented computers and used those computers to invent animation resulting in the first animated feature length computer animated feature film, TOY STORY. You know it, you love it, you've seen it. And we're podcasting about it I guess.

We also talk about the Timmy 'Bob' Dylan biopic A COMPLETE UNKNOWN, snuff videos, Nicolae Ceaușescu, and beat boxing. 

Join us next week for the appropriately named sequel TOY STORY 2!

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The Mick Travis trilogy concludes in hilarious, sometimes baffling fashion. We also talk about EMILIA PÉREZ, HARD TRUTHS, "trade wars" and "juice lips"

Join us next week for a new franchise: TOY STORY

Mick Travis is back in O LUCKY MAN!, at least some version of Mick Travis. Join him on an epic journey through the hellish and bizarre landscape of 70s Britain. From coffee salesman to superstar, and many stops along the way. This is a sprawling state-of-the-nation film akin to SOUTHLAND TALES or maybe I'm just making that comparison to get you to watch it, it's hard to tell. 

We also take a look at what appear to be some pretty boring Oscar nominations and talk about some other movies we've been watching.

Join us next for the conclusion of Lindsay Anderson's MickTril, BRITANNIA HOSPITAL

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wow jeez sorry it's late again ahh jeez guys I'm really running out of excuses here!

please enjoy this episode on Lindsay Anderson's 1968 film IF...., not to be confused with the disgusting John Krasinski's IF (2024) and the even more disgusting Marvel's WHAT IF... ?

we also take time to talk about the life and work of our beloved David Lynch who passed away earlier this week. sometime soon we promise we'll do a full David Lynch episode where we needlessly rank his entire filmography.

join us next week for the 2nd film in the Mick Travis trilogy, O LUCKY MAN!

Sorry it's late again folks I keep getting burgled and I'm not even half as smart as any of these kids man like I can't build any of these traps I am struggling to defend myself my home is a shambles they took everything man they took everything they took my DVDs they took my Blu-rays man they took my 4K UHDs they took it all and I did nothing I just stood there and watched like a fucking jackass because I couldn't assemble a single trap I didn't even have to come up with any concepts I just tried to remember the ones from these movies but I couldn't figure out how to build any of them because I'm an idiot ok I'm an idiot I know that and I just keep getting my shit burgled I've been burgled like 3 times in the past month man

anyway thank god this franchise is over, next week we're doing our most requested and highly anticipated franchise yet...

Sorry it's late, please forgive me I was left home alone and had to defend myself against the flu.

Released in the shadow of America's darkest hour, HOME ALONE 4 teaches us all to live again, to laugh again, to love again. Do dark hours have shadows? Only time will tell.

New kid again, this is definitively not "the boy" but he is playing a boy we are all familiar with: Kevin McCallister. Some things have changed (his parents are divorced) while some things remain the same (he ends up home alone with burglars again) This is a divisive film for us on this episode... is it a bad movie? ... or is it the movie that healed a nation? If HOME ALONE 3 inadvertently caused 9/11... does HOME ALONE 4 fix it? It does not, it cannot... and yet it tries all the same.

Join us next week for another made-for-television sequel HOME ALONE: THE HOLIDAY HEIST. Even more made-for-TV than this one if you can believe it. Sir Malcolm McDowell stars.

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HOME ALONE 3, new kid, new world, new film, new life. Sometimes these are good things for a franchise. New means different, but does it also mean good? Hollywood megastar Alex D. Linz takes over from ol' has-been Culkin. There are 4 bad guys attacking from all fronts. They're after the chip Morty. People fall down and go boom. John Hughes wrote it. Much to consider and talk about!

We also saw QUEER, one of us liked it and one of us didn't... listen to find out. And, as per the title, make sure to listen so you can hear Ben fart on mic. It's a Christmas Miracle, live and uncut!

Merry Christmas to all and to all home alone you are alone for a reason it's because no one likes you. 500 FranchCoins in everyone's crypto wallets today!

Join us next week for the made-for-television sequel HOME ALONE 4, perhaps the strangest Home Alone of them all.

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New York City baby! Greatest city in the whole fucking world!

All I'm gonna say is this city needs less Kevin McCallisters and more Luigi Mangiones

Home Alone 3 next, Roger Ebert's favourite. Join us then, won't you?

 Ho Ho Ho! Or should I say Ho Ho Home Alone? I've already said it, it's too late to take it back. I might even say it again. Ho Ho Home Alone. 

It's December and Christmas is looming over us all. Have you bought your presents? Have you left any of your children home alone? We're doing the Home Alone franchise. 

Get ready for family friendly extreme violence. Get ready for Macaulay Culkin and a small dose of Kieran Culkin. It's a beloved Christmas Classic, what can you say?

Join us next week for the similarly beloved sequel, HOME ALONE 2: LOST IN NEW YORK! Kevin gets lost again but this time in New York and he meets Donald Trump and he murders the bandits and he works at a hotel just like Ben.

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Midley Scott, Didley Squat, call him what you want. But the important thing is that he's still out there delivering consistent 2-3 star bores. And that means something. Show him so goddamned respect. 

GLADIATOR II is here and we are not unlike the cheering crowds in the coliseum... thirsty for bloodshed and desperate to be entertained. And were we not entertained? Well no not particularly. This sequel 24 years in the making doesn't capture the magic of the original (a film neither Alex nor Ben really liked in the first place). But Denzel Washington is in this one and he's having fun and we really do love to see it. Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal... well they're here too.

Sleigh bells ring and we're listening, new franchise time and it's glistening. That's right, it''s December now so we're celebrating the holidays with a certified Christmas classic (followed by a series of increasingly less classic sequels). Join us next week for HOME ALONE! 

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The year is 2000 and the world is captivated by the return of the sword and sandal epic... who is this mysterious Australian man Russell Crowe? And most importantly, will we be entertained?? 

Gladiator I hardly know 'er Gladiator I'm glad he ate her and so on, and now that we've got that over and done with let's get really serious for a second: this episode was still recorded pre-Trump's reelection (lol, lmao) and yet both Ben and Alex are in a deep November depressive funk. This is a shorter episode and also a little low energy but still lots of fun.

Join us next week for GLADIATOR II which (tbh I have seen already but am going to pretend like I haven't while writing this) could be good!

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...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................HOT SWEDISH SEX........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ next week GLADIATOR


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The second in Bergman's thematic trilogy, WINTER LIGHT is about the silence of God... and whomst amongst us isn't dealing with that these days? 

This is an incredible film that we hope you watch and enjoy, and while we are two Silly Boys we try out best to approach it seriously and honestly. Most of this episode is Ben ranting and raving about how much he loved the film so be prepared for that. 

We'll see you next for THE SILENCE... sure to be more silence of God in that one!

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