This week on Born to Watch, Whitey, Gow and Damo head back to 1983 for a full Trading Places 1983 Review, revisiting one of the most iconic comedy films of the 1980s. Directed by John Landis and starring Eddie Murphy, Dan Aykroyd and Jamie Lee Curtis, Trading Places is a movie that perfectly captures the raw, outrageous humour of the decade. But more than 40 years later, the big question for the Born to Watch crew is simple: Does this comedy classic still hold up?

Set in the world of high-stakes Philadelphia commodities trading, Trading Places follows privileged stockbroker Louis Winthorpe III (Dan Aykroyd) and street hustler Billy Ray Valentine (Eddie Murphy). When two absurdly wealthy brothers, Randolph and Mortimer Duke, decide to test a social experiment for a one-dollar bet, the lives of both men are turned upside down.

• Winthorpe loses everything.
• Billy Ray gains everything.
• And the Dukes sit back and watch the chaos unfold.

For Whitey, this rewatch brings back the wild spirit of 80s comedies, a time when films were raw, unfiltered and packed with unforgettable moments. From the opening scenes inside the Duke & Duke trading empire to the infamous orange juice futures finale, the movie moves at a relentless pace.

Gow dives into the film's history, breaking down how Eddie Murphy was just beginning his meteoric rise after Saturday Night Live. His performance as Billy Ray Valentine demonstrates the charisma and comedic timing that would soon make him one of the decade's biggest movie stars.

Meanwhile, Damo delivers what the listeners came for, the legendary Snorbs Report, analysing one of the most famous scenes in the film and debating whether Jamie Lee Curtis might have the most unexpected reveal in 80s cinema history.

But Trading Places is more than just a comedy.

At its core, the film is a clever satire about class, wealth and power. The Duke brothers treat human lives like chess pieces, manipulating events purely to prove a point about social status. What makes the story work so well is how Murphy and Aykroyd eventually turn the tables.

And when the revenge finally arrives, it is glorious.

Throughout the episode, the Born to Watch crew break down some of the most memorable moments in the movie, including:

• Eddie Murphy announces himself as a superstar
• Dan Aykroyd's legendary drunken Santa meltdown
• The outrageous Duke brothers
• Jamie Lee Curtis' scene-stealing performance
• The chaotic train disguise sequence
• The brilliant orange juice trading finale

The boys also tackle their regular segments, including Overs and Unders, Hit Sleeper Dud for 1983, the Rank Bank, and, of course, Damo's Snorbs Report.

Along the way, they debate Eddie Murphy's place among the greatest comedy stars of all time and ask whether Hollywood would even dare make a movie like Trading Places today.

Because let's be honest.

Movies like this simply do not get made anymore.

Fearless, ridiculous and packed with classic one-liners, Trading Places remains one of the defining comedy films of the 80s.

But does it still deserve its legendary reputation?

Whitey, Gow and Damo are here to find out.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

• Is Trading Places Eddie Murphy's true breakout movie?
• Is the orange juice trading finale the greatest comedy ending ever?
• And is Winthorpe's Santa suit the most disgusting costume in movie history?

Drop us a voicemail at https://www.borntowatch.com.au

Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your pods.

#TradingPlaces #BornToWatch #EddieMurphy #DanAykroyd #JamieLeeCurtis #80sMovies #ComedyClassic #MoviePodcast #FilmReview #80sComedy

In this Terminator 2: Judgment Day Review, the Born to Watch crew dives headfirst into what many consider the greatest sequel ever made. James Cameron didn't just follow up the original Terminator… he reinvented the blockbuster. Released in 1991, Terminator 2: Judgment Day changed action movies forever with groundbreaking visual effects, unforgettable characters, and one of Arnold Schwarzenegger's most iconic roles.

This week the full team is back, and the discussion kicks off with a simple but loaded question, is Terminator 2 the greatest sequel of all time? From the opening future-war battlefield to the legendary showdown between the T-800 and the liquid-metal T-1000, the boys break down why this film still holds up more than three decades later.

Arnold Schwarzenegger returns as the Terminator, but this time the formula is flipped. Instead of hunting Sarah Connor, he's protecting her son, John Connor, the future leader of the human resistance. It's a twist that audiences in 1991 didn't see coming, and it gives the film its emotional core.

The crew digs into Schwarzenegger at the absolute peak of his powers. After dominating the 80s with films like Predator, The Running Man and the original Terminator, Arnie was arguably the biggest movie star on the planet when T2 arrived. The famous bar scene, the sunglasses moment, and of course the immortal line "Hasta la vista, baby" all get the Born to Watch treatment.

Linda Hamilton also gets her flowers in this episode. Her transformation from the vulnerable Sarah Connor of the first film into the hardened warrior of Judgment Day is one of the most dramatic character evolutions in action movie history. The boys discuss her intense performance, the physical transformation she underwent, and why her portrayal still feels authentic today.

Edward Furlong's debut as John Connor sparks plenty of debate, too. Some love his rebellious street-kid energy, others question whether he’s the most annoying teenager ever put in charge of humanity's future. Either way, he plays a crucial role in the film’s emotional arc, and the developing bond between John and the T-800 is one of the movie's biggest surprises.

Then there's Robert Patrick's T-1000. With his cold stare, relentless pursuit, and shape-shifting liquid metal body, he created one of the most terrifying villains of the 1990s. The guys break down why the T-1000 works so well and how the visual effects still look incredible today.

Of course, no discussion of Terminator 2 would be complete without talking about the action set pieces. The LA River chase, the motorcycle-and-truck pursuit, the hospital escape, and the steel mill finale are all analysed in classic Born to Watch fashion. These scenes helped redefine what audiences expected from blockbuster filmmaking.

The episode also dives into the film's massive cultural footprint. From the Guns N' Roses track "You Could Be Mine" to the revolutionary CGI that brought the T-1000 to life, Terminator 2 pushed cinema technology forward and influenced action movies for decades.

But the big question remains: Does Terminator 2 actually surpass the original?

That's the debate the Born to Watch crew finally settles.

So slide into your leathers, fire up the Harley, and join the boys as they revisit one of the biggest and most influential action films ever made.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

• Is Terminator 2 the greatest sequel of all time?
• T-800 or T-1000 — which Terminator wins the showdown?
• Does Judgment Day beat the original Terminator?

Drop us a voicemail at https://www.borntowatch.com.au and be part of the show!

Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

#BornToWatch #Terminator2 #JudgmentDay #ArnoldSchwarzenegger #JamesCameron #90sAction #MoviePodcast #SciFiMovies #T1000 #HastaLaVistaBaby

2025 Hit Sleeper Dud is here, and this year it’s a solo pod.

Whitey is on the road, the Academy Awards are looming, and the team is temporarily scattered, but the show must go on. So in true Born to Watch fashion, we break down the year in film the only way we know how, by calling it straight. The hits. The sleepers. The duds. No fence-sitting. No safe takes. Just movie love, movie rage, and a bit of chaos in between.

First up, the HITS.

Leading the charge is F1, starring the forever-sexy Brad Pitt. It’s big, loud, formulaic and absolutely electric. Joseph Kosinski proves again he knows how to strap a camera inside a cockpit and make you feel every rev. Unreal cinema fun. That’s what movies are supposed to be.

Then comes Weapons, the horror surprise that had Whitey on edge from start to finish. Creepy premise, massive performances, and Amy Madigan absolutely crushing it. This one lingers.

Stephen King’s The Long Walk delivers bleak dystopia done right. Cooper Hoffman proves the talent runs in the bloodline, and Mark Hamill playing against type adds weight to a brutal premise.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps lands better than expected, giving Marvel just enough oxygen to stay alive heading into Doomsday. Period setting, Galactus looming, and yes, Pedro Pascal everywhere.

And yes, Jaws returning to cinemas for its 50th anniversary still rules the ocean. Some films do not age. They evolve.

Now the SLEEPERS.

Anaconda (2025) should not have worked. But it did. Jack Black, Paul Rudd, jungle chaos, midlife crisis energy. Low expectations. Big laughs.

The Naked Gun reboot? Surprisingly hilarious. Liam Neeson leans into absurdity and Pamela Anderson brings the heat. It’s not Leslie Nielsen, but it earns its laughs.

Then Marvel’s quiet comeback entry, Fantastic Four, sneaks in again as a sleeper-level win.

Now the DUDS.

Jurassic World Rebirth proves some DNA experiments should stay extinct.

Superman should have soared. Instead, it stumbled. Strong casting, messy execution.

And Captain America: Brave New World? Whitey turned it off. Enough said.

Plus, we talk about the “meh” movies like Sinners and One Battle After Another, which were good but not great.

Then we look forward. Spielberg. Nolan’s The Odyssey. Michael. Masters of the Universe. Mandalorian and Grogu. Avengers Doomsday. Dune Messiah.

Big year coming.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

• What was YOUR 2025 Hit Sleeper Dud?
• Did Superman deserve better?
• Are we done with dinosaurs yet?

Drop us a voicemail at https://www.borntowatch.com.au and be part of the show.

Like. Subscribe. Share with your friends. Share with your enemies.
Born to Watch. We don't take ourselves or the movies too seriously.

#BornToWatch #MoviePodcast #2025Movies #FilmReview #HitSleeperDud #CinemaTalk #MovieDebate #Blockbusters #Marvel #FilmFans

Logan (2017) Review kicks off this week's episode of Born to Watch, and boys… this is not your usual superhero movie.

Whitey, Gow and Damo head into the wasteland of 2029 to talk about the final outing for Wolverine, and right from the start the big question is asked, is this actually a superhero movie at all… or is it a western wearing claws?

After nearly two decades of Hugh Jackman playing Logan, the X-Men universe throws away the colourful costumes, the CGI sky beams and the multiverse nonsense, and replaces it with dust, silence and a dying hero who just wants it all to end.

This week, the boys dive into:
• Why Logan feels closer to a Clint Eastwood western than a Marvel film
• The emotional weight of Professor X and Logan’s relationship
• Laura (X-23) stealing the movie without saying much at all
• The brutality and why the R-rating actually matters
• Whether this is the greatest superhero film ever made

Whitey argues that this is the natural evolution of comic book movies, a character study about regret and aging rather than saving the world. Gow admits he expected CGI chaos and instead got a real film. Damo questions the timeline, the X-Men continuity and whether the emotional ending works if it doesn't match the earlier movies.

The discussion also covers how Logan was clearly inspired by classic westerns, especially Shane, and why the movie works best when it forgets it's part of a franchise entirely.

Hugh Jackman delivers possibly his best performance as a broken warrior who no longer heals, drinks too much, hurts constantly and carries decades of guilt. Patrick Stewart's Professor X adds heart and tragedy, while the road-trip structure slowly turns the film into something surprisingly intimate.

And then… there's the ending.

No big sky battle.
No final speech.
Just consequences.

The boys debate whether Logan's death lands emotionally, if Laura is the future of the character, and why this film changed how studios approached superhero movies afterwards.

Is Logan the peak of comic-book cinema? Or just a really good western accidentally starring a superhero?

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

• Is Logan the best comic book movie ever made?
• Does the R-rating improve superhero films?
• Is this secretly just a western?

Drop us a voicemail at https://www.borntowatch.com.au and be part of the show.

Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Don't forget to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE and follow Born to Watch for your weekly dose of nostalgia, arguments and completely unnecessary movie rankings.

#Logan #BornToWatch #MoviePodcast #Wolverine #HughJackman #XMen #FilmReview #WesternMovies #SuperheroMovies #MovieDebate

Our Hard to Kill 1990 Review kicks off with a simple truth: the late 80s and early 90s were the golden age of action heroes. Stallone, Schwarzenegger and Willis ruled the world… and then along came a man with a ponytail, a whisper voice and an absolute obsession with breaking forearms.

This week Whitey, Dan and Will the Worky step back into the dojo to tackle Steven Seagal's second ever film, Hard to Kill (1990). A movie that, at the time, felt like the arrival of the next unstoppable action icon… and now feels like a fever dream involving aikido, silk shirts and extremely uncomfortable sex scenes.

Seagal plays Mason Storm, a cop who uncovers political corruption and is immediately shot, along with his wife, in what might be the least secure safe house ever filmed. Storm survives after being pumped full of shotgun pellets and spending seven years in a coma. Yes, seven years. And apparently, all it takes to recover is a massage, a training montage and a nurse who instantly falls in love with him.

From there, the movie becomes a revenge story, but also, somehow, a romance, a conspiracy thriller, a martial arts film, and a weird Seagal self-fantasy all rolled into one.

The boys dive deep into:
• The unbelievable hospital security
• The most aggressive love scene ever filmed
• Mason Storm's questionable medical recovery
• The ponytail era of action cinema
• And why nobody recognises the villain's voice despite him repeating the same catchphrase constantly

There are discussions about video store culture, the 1990 action boom, and how Seagal briefly convinced the world he belonged alongside the legends.

But time has not been kind to Hard to Kill. Watching it today reveals something different. Schwarzenegger knew he was in on the joke. Bruce Willis had charm. Seagal genuinely believes he is the most dangerous man alive… and that may be the biggest reason this film is unintentionally hilarious.

Still, there are broken bones, exploding pool cues, corrupt cops and more arm snapping than a chiropractor convention.

And honestly… that’s why we kind of love talking about it.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

Is Seagal the strangest action star of all time?
Does Hard to Kill accidentally become a comedy?
And is this the most confident bad movie ever made?

Leave a review, share the episode and send it to a mate who still thinks Seagal could win a real fight.

#BornToWatch #HardToKill #StevenSeagal #90sAction #ActionMovies #MoviePodcast #CultMovies #BadMoviesGoodTimes #VideoStoreEra #FilmReview

This week, the boys jump aboard the Andrea Gail for The Perfect Storm 2000 Review, the Wolfgang Petersen disaster epic that tried to answer one simple question:
What if Mother Nature just decided you were finished?

It's a Monday night. You've done your research.
You head down past Burleigh, just west of Palm Beach. Three chairs are waiting. Gow's checking stats, Damo's preparing the Snorbs Report, and Whitey's tweaking the levels.

Game time.

Based on the true story of a sword-fishing crew who sailed directly into a once-in-a-lifetime weather system, the film brings together an all-star cast, George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, John C. Reilly, Diane Lane and a collection of "hey-that-guy!" actors, but the real star might just be the ocean itself.

Whitey is deep in his Clooney phase and openly declares him possibly "the most handsome man we've ever reviewed," while Gow and Damo debate whether the movie actually needs characters at all once the waves hit 100 feet.

Because this is Born to Watch, the conversation doesn’t stay serious for long.

We cover:

• The legendary boat-on-the-wave shot
• Why every sea captain is basically Captain Ahab
• The world's worst job (professional fisherman easily makes the grand final)
• Mark Wahlberg's historically patchy beard
• The glow-stick responsibilities aboard a fishing vessel
• Whether the crew should've just sailed to Portugal instead

The boys also dig into the film's strange structure. Half character drama, half disaster movie, half weather documentary, and somehow still compelling once the storm begins. Even critics admitted the storytelling problems stop mattering once the chaos kicks in.

There's praise for the James Horner score, debate about the true events versus movie invention, and an unexpected emotional reaction to the funeral scenes.

Plus:

• The 2000 Movie Lottery (Remember the Titans vs Bring It On vs The Cell)
• Box office success vs critic ratings
• The Snores Report returns
• Michael Ironside is officially considered for Born to Watch Royalty

And of course, the most important question of all:

If you knew the storm was coming… would you still turn the boat around for the payday?
Because sometimes the scariest part of a disaster movie isn't the wave, it’s the decision that leads to it.

JOIN THE CREW

If you enjoyed the episode, don't just listen, become part of the Born to Watch community.
Leave a rating on Spotify or Apple, drop a YouTube comment, and tell us:

Did Billy Tyne make the right call… or did he doom the Andrea Gail?

#BornToWatch #ThePerfectStorm #MoviePodcast #FilmReview #GeorgeClooney #MarkWahlberg #DisasterMovies #2000sMovies #TrueStoryMovies #MovieNostalgia

Boogie Nights 1997 Review: 200 episodes in, and Born to Watch hits a milestone with a film that feels weirdly, uncomfortably autobiographical.

From the moment Whitey declares this the perfect way to celebrate the show's 200th episode, it's clear this isn't just another movie review. Boogie Nights is loud, chaotic, hilarious, messy, strangely heartfelt and absolutely stacked with characters who think they're on top of the world until reality comes crashing in. In other words, it's the ideal Born to Watch film.

Set against the late-70s and early-80s adult film industry, Paul Thomas Anderson's second feature is a sprawling ensemble piece that follows the rise and fall of Eddie Adams, reborn as Dirk Diggler. Mark Wahlberg's breakout performance anchors the film, but this is never just Dirk's story. It's about a group of outsiders who form a surrogate family, chasing success, validation and meaning, until excess, ego and changing times pull them apart.

The boys dig into the idea that Boogie Nights is really two films stitched together, the euphoric disco-soaked rise of the 70s, followed by the darker, cocaine-fuelled collapse of the 80s. It's a tonal shift that mirrors the characters' journeys, from optimism and community to paranoia, loneliness and self-destruction. When Little Bill exits the film, everything changes, and the show explores how that moment symbolises the end of innocence for the entire group.

There's plenty of love for the ensemble cast. Burt Reynolds' Jack Horner is discussed as both mentor and flawed father figure, a man clinging to an artistic vision while the industry evolves without him. Julianne Moore's Amber Waves is heartbreaking and layered, especially when the conversation turns to her custody battle and the illusion of freedom within the industry. John C Reilly, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Don Cheadle, Heather Graham and William H Macy all get their flowers, with Hoffman's painfully awkward Scotty and Macy's tragic Little Bill standing out as performances that linger long after the credits roll.

As always, the Born to Watch humour cuts through the heavy themes. There's banter, self-reflection, side-tracking, and more than a few laughs at the absurdity of certain scenes, including the legendary Alfred Molina drug-deal sequence, which the team agrees is one of the most anxiety-inducing moments PTA has ever put on screen.

The episode also looks at Boogie Nights in context, how it landed in 1997 alongside juggernauts like Titanic and LA Confidential, why it underperformed at the box office, and how it grew into a cult classic that feels even richer with repeat viewings. It's a film you can dip in and out of, catch individual scenes, and still be completely absorbed.

Ultimately, this Boogie Nights 1997 Review becomes a celebration, not just of the film, but of the journey Born to Watch has been on for 200 episodes. It’s messy, honest, occasionally inappropriate, and full of love for movies that take big swings.

And really, what better way to celebrate than strapping on the roller skates and heading back to the Valley?

BORN TO WATCH – JOIN THE CONVERSATION

• Is Boogie Nights Paul Thomas Anderson’s most rewatchable film?
• Does the movie completely change once the 80s arrive?
• Which character hits hardest on a rewatch?

Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or at BornToWatch.com.au

#BornToWatch #BoogieNights #PTA #MoviePodcast #FilmDiscussion #CultCinema #1990sMovies #MovieReview #PodcastLife #200Episodes

The boys are back for 2026, and they are not easing into it gently. Born to Watch kicks off the new year with a full-blooded dive into one of the most aggressively 80s action films ever put on VHS shelves, Walter Hill's Extreme Prejudice (1987). Cowboy hats, cocaine, mercenaries, sweat, testosterone and a whole lot of unexplained shoulder shots, this one has it all. In this Extreme Prejudice (1987) Review, Whitey, Gow and Damo reunite as the A-team and take on a film that feels like The A-Team pilot collided head-on with a dusty Western, then detonated somewhere on the Texas–Mexico border.

At the centre is Nick Nolte at peak brooding intensity, playing a stone-faced Texas Ranger chasing his childhood friend, now a drug-running psychopath in a pristine white suit, played with unhinged gusto by Powers Boothe.

Directed by action legend Walter Hill, Extreme Prejudice is the kind of movie that barely pauses for breath. Secret military units officially declared dead, renegade majors, bank robberies, double-crosses, unnecessary nudity and a final act so chaotic it feels like an entire missing movie has been cut out, which, as the boys discover, is pretty much exactly what happened.

The cast reads like an 80s action villain roll call. Michael Ironside growls his way through another morally questionable authority role, Clancy Brown looms menacingly, William Forsythe perfects the art of being deeply hateable, and a young Larry B Scott pops in an action film after Revenge of the Nerds turned him into a cult comedy icon. Add in Maria Conchita Alonso, singing badly on purpose, and you have a film bursting at the seams with characters who all look like they should be in different movies.

As always, the boys break it down properly. Overs and unders are debated, including the uncomfortable realisation that Extreme Prejudice may make perfect sense if you're sixteen and not at all if you're over forty. There's deep discussion about whether Nick Nolte smiles even once in the entire film, spoiler, he does not, and whether anyone in the 80s understood centre-mass shooting.

The Nut-Tuck-Yourself SAG Awards get a workout, with Nolte's pre-Prince of Tides physique under the microscope, and the Snorbs Report pops up exactly where you expect it to. Box office numbers are crunched, Walter Hill's career is put into context, and the boys try to work out how a film with this cast, this director and this level of explosive excess somehow lost money.

Film School for F-Wits returns with a look at Hill's obsession with male-driven action cinema, while Hit, Sleeper and Dud for 1987 reminds everyone just how stacked that year really was, from Predator and Lethal Weapon to the absolute disaster that was Revenge of the Nerds II.

Add in listener feedback, voicemail chaos, bird-related accusations, corn beef confessions, and a reminder that Born to Watch never takes movies, or itself, too seriously, and you've got the perfect way to start the year.

This is sweat-soaked, ridiculous, deeply flawed 80s action cinema, and the boys wouldn't have it any other way.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

• Is Extreme Prejudice peak 80s action excess, or just glorious nonsense?
• Does Nick Nolte smile even once in this movie?
• Is the final act pure chaos genius, or a missing half-hour of film?

Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or at BornToWatch.com.au

Born to Watch, because some movies demand to be watched, argued over and mildly roasted.

#BornToWatch #ExtremePrejudice #80sActionMovies #WalterHill #NickNolte #ActionMoviePodcast #CultAction #VHSClassics #MoviePodcast #80sCinema