Best Film Ever

“I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve... does anyone?”

Join Ian, Kev & Megs for our 332nd episode as we walk the tracks, dodge leeches, and revisit Rob Reiner’s coming-of-age classic Stand By Me (1986). This week is all about friendship, memory, growing up, and the strange sadness of knowing some moments only become important once they’re already gone. Liam drops in later for a special bonus segment, while BFF of the BFE: Ariannah Who Loves BFE The Most™ joins us for The Endgame.

This week we discuss:

River Phoenix’s extraordinary performance — vulnerable, intelligent, and quietly devastating. Was this the role that proved he was destined for greatness?

The chemistry of the four boys — natural, funny, chaotic, and deeply believable. Is this one of the strongest young ensembles ever put to film?

The film’s relationship with memory — nostalgia, grief, and the way adulthood reshapes childhood stories.

Ian breaks down the narration structure — reflective storytelling, emotional hindsight, and why Richard Dreyfuss’ voiceover works where so many others fail.

Megs explores the emotional honesty of the film — masculinity, vulnerability, and the fear of being left behind.

Kev weighs in on the pacing and atmosphere — quiet moments, campfire stories, and why the journey matters more than the destination.

The balance of humour and sadness — how the film pivots effortlessly between childhood comedy and existential dread.

Ian talks about the short story in the middle of this bigger story and what Stephen King is really doing with it

Liam joins us for a bonus segment — dropping in to talk about the film’s legacy, Stephen King adaptations, and why stories about friendship hit differently as you get older.

The “show vs tell” balance — does the film earn its emotional resonance through subtle character work, or does nostalgia do some of the lifting?

Ariannah joins us for The Endgame — helping us unpack why Stand By Me continues to resonate across generations and whether its emotional simplicity is actually its greatest strength.

The ending — bittersweet, perfect, and quietly heartbreaking. Does any closing narration hit harder than this?

And finally, whether Stand By Me is the Best Film Ever — or simply one of the most emotionally truthful coming-of-age films ever made.

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

We are very thankful to the following Patreon backers for their generous support:

Juleen from It Goes Down In The PM

Hermes Auslander

James DeGuzman

Synthia

Shai Bergerfroind

Ariannah Who Loves BFE The Most

Paul Komoroski

Duane Smith (Duane Smith!)

Andy Dickson

Aashrey

Chris Pedersen

Randal Silva

Nate The Great

Rev Bruce

Richard

Ryan Kuketz

Dirk Diggler

Stew from the Stew World Order podcast

NorfolkDomus

John Humphrey's Right Foot

Timmy Tim Tim

Youth Hosteling with Chris Eubank

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/

“You have been weighed. You have been measured. And you have been found wanting.”

Join Ian & Liam for our 331st episode as we joust for glory, dance to Queen in medieval Europe, and revisit Brian Helgeland’s wildly anachronistic crowd-pleaser A Knight’s Tale (2001). Megs isn’t with us this week — she’s apparently been appointed to the royal court after successfully inventing modern fashion 600 years early. Kev? Last seen trying to enter a jousting tournament under a fake noble title before being immediately exposed by Paul Bettany.

This week we discuss:

Heath Ledger’s breakout leading-man performance — charming, earnest, rebellious. Was this the moment Hollywood realised he could do absolutely anything?

The film’s glorious tonal chaos — medieval sports movie, romantic comedy, rock concert, underdog drama. Why does this bizarre cocktail somehow work?

Paul Bettany’s Chaucer — flamboyant, scene-stealing, and possibly the film’s secret MVP.

Liam breaks down the film’s anachronisms — Queen, Bowie, Nike-energy editing. Does the film transcend historical accuracy through sheer confidence?

Ian explores the underdog narrative — class, identity, and whether William’s rise actually challenges the social order or merely slips inside it.

The romance between William and Jocelyn — genuine chemistry or the weakest part of the film?

The sports-movie structure — training montages, rivalries, and comeback arcs dressed in chainmail.

The “show vs tell” balance — does the film earn its emotional moments through character work, or simply overwhelm you with charisma and music?

Rufus Sewell’s Count Adhemar — classic villainy, simmering resentment, and one of the great sneering performances of the era.

What's with the romantic plot's detour in Act II - where did that come from?

The ending — triumphant, ridiculous, emotionally earned… or all three simultaneously?

And finally, whether A Knight’s Tale is the Best Film Ever — or simply one of the most aggressively lovable films of the 2000s.

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

Juleen from It Goes Down In The PM

Hermes Auslander

James DeGuzman

Synthia

Shai Bergerfroind

Ariannah Who Loves BFE The Most

Paul Komoroski

Duane Smith (Duane Smith!)

Andy Dickson

Aashrey

Chris Pedersen

Randal Silva

Nate The Great

Rev Bruce

Richard

Ryan Kuketz

Dirk Diggler

Stew from the Stew World Order podcast

NorfolkDomus

John Humphrey's Right Foot

Timmy Tim Tim

Youth Hosteling with Chris Eubank

“Boy, I got vision… and the rest of the world wears bifocals.”

Join Ian, Liam & Kev for our 330th episode as we saddle up, head for Bolivia (Megs has headed back to America early), and ride into one of the most charming, melancholy, and effortlessly watchable westerns ever made with Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969). It’s outlaws, bicycles, and impossible charisma this week as we ask whether two of cinema’s coolest men were ever really built for the world they lived in.

This week we discuss:

Paul Newman and Robert Redford’s legendary chemistry — playful, effortless, and endlessly quotable. Is this one of the greatest screen pairings of all time?

The tone — western, comedy, tragedy, anti-western. How does the film balance charm with the creeping inevitability of its ending?

Newman’s Butch Cassidy — talkative, inventive, and always thinking three steps ahead. Is he a genius… or simply delaying reality?

Redford’s Sundance Kid — cool, lethal, and increasingly aware the world is changing around him.

Ian breaks down the film’s structure — episodic storytelling, tonal pivots, and why the pacing feels so modern for 1969 - but does it rob us with the ending

Liam questions the mythology of outlaws — are Butch and Sundance rebels, romantics, or simply criminals we’ve chosen to like?

Kev dives into the cinematography and score — sweeping landscapes, freeze frames, and Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head somehow working against all odds.

Liam educates us all on the Old West and references about 25 other Westerns in the process

The pursuit — who are those guys, and why does the film turn a chase into existential dread?

Katharine Ross as Etta Place — underwritten love interest or essential emotional grounding?

There's a cameo in this film that you'll never see coming - we didn't

The ending — iconic, tragic, and endlessly imitated. Does freezing the moment make it more powerful?

The “show vs tell” balance — how much does the film rely on charm and implication rather than explicit emotional beats?

And finally, whether Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is the Best Film Ever — or simply one of the coolest films ever made.

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

Paul Komoroski

Duane Smith (Duane Smith!)

Andy Dickson

Chris Pedersen

Randal Silva

Nate The Great

Rev Bruce

Richard

Ryan Kuketz

Dirk Diggler

Stew from the Stew World Order podcast

NorfolkDomus

John Humphrey's Right Foot

Timmy Tim Tim

Aashrey

Youth Hosteling with Chris Eubank

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/

Hannibal or Hans Gruber? Darth Vader or The Wicked Witch? The Joker or Norman Bates? Anton Chigurh or Nurse Ratched? People have been debating the greatest movie villains ever since Dracula first crept onto the silver screen and even now audiences still can’t decide who truly rules the darkness. Joined by some of our Friends of the Podcast: Ariannah, JDG & his horseshoe, Hermes Auslander, Paul Komorowski and Sythia, we’ve chosen to embrace our villain era as we throw 32 of cinema’s greatest bad guys into a single knockout tournament. We’ve got shocking eliminations, absolute monsters of matchups, redemption arcs nobody saw coming, and enough evil monologues to fill a secret lair as we crown the Best Movie Villain of All Time.

“The Force, it’s calling to you. Just let it in.”

Join Ian, Liam & Kev for our 329th episode as we celebrate our annual Star Wars Day release by jumping to lightspeed into J.J. Abrams’ galaxy-reviving blockbuster Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015). Megs? She's not with us this week — She's been recruited by the Resistance after showing a worrying amount of lightsaber proficiency.

This week we discuss:

The revival question — how The Force Awakens brought Star Wars back to life after a decade away. Nostalgia, safety, or smart recalibration?

Daisy Ridley’s Rey — mysterious, capable, and instantly central. Is she the perfect modern Star Wars protagonist? Why is her best work done when she's not talking?

John Boyega’s Finn — defector, comic relief, emotional anchor. Does the film fully realise his potential?

Adam Driver’s Kylo Ren — volatile, conflicted, and deliberately unfinished. One of the saga’s most interesting villains?

Ian breaks down the film’s structure — echoes of A New Hope. Homage, remix, or outright repetition?

Kev dives into the spectacle — practical effects, sound design, and what it's like to watch your first Star Wars Film

The legacy characters — Han, Leia, and Luke. How well does the film balance past and future?

The humour — lighter, faster, more modern. Does it fit the Star Wars tone?

The “show vs tell” balance — does the film rely too heavily on familiarity, or does it earn its emotional beats?

The ending — powerful, quiet, and iconic. Does it stick the landing?

And finally, whether Star Wars: The Force Awakens is the Best Film Ever — or simply the most important reboot of the modern blockbuster era.

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

Paul Komoroski

Duane Smith (Duane Smith!)

Andy Dickson

Chris Pedersen

Randal Silva

Nate The Great

Rev Bruce

Richard

Ryan Kuketz

Dirk Diggler

Stew from the Stew World Order podcast

NorfolkDomus

John Humphrey's Right Foot

Timmy Tim Tim

Aashrey

Youth Hosteling with Chris Eubank

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/