Failed Critics

As the year heads towards its end, it can only mean one thing: The annual splurge of awards shows and self-congratulatory press conferences continue and are going strong. In this last week, we've had the latest Geoff Keighley wank-a-thon award show. Whilst hosts John Miller and Andrew Brooker are skipping out on the awards, "who won what" and "what missed out", it is one of the best places outside of the gaming conventions to get an announcement or two and a few new trailers. This is where the lads are spending their time today. Talking of gaming conventions, Sony's first party touch-fest, "The Playstation Experience" gave us an hour long list of trailers, announcements and general silliness that the boys get into as well. In what is likely to be a semi-regular occurrence, the guys have turned their video game podcast into a news broadcast. They get everything off their chests from the last few days, covering both shows and their opinions on just about everything. Is Brooker likely to play The Last... &n

No sooner have hosts John Miller and Andrew Brooker dusted themselves off from their mammoth Call of Duty special than they return for the third week in a row with a new episode. As Christmas approaches and everyone starts to do their "Best of 2016" lists - ours will be here in a few weeks - it must mean that the first game awards show of the season is upon us. As much as Brooker protests that he hates game awards, the pair manage to fumble their way through some of the more prominent awards from last week's Golden Joysticks. In an unusual turn, December's Games for Gold makes the news this week as the lads gush over the freebies we get over the festive season. John tries to convince Brooker of the virtues of Motorsport Manager this week, while Brooker confesses his undying love for left-to-die shooter, Titanfall 2 in this episodes What We've Been Playing. The guys also find time to chat about Watch Dogs 2, another sequel that surpasses its original. Rounding things off is a back and forth with the boys... &#

The team have all got their wands out and they're not afraid to [---DM unsolicited pictures of them---] show them in the latest triple bill episode of the Failed Critics podcast in honour of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, starring Meddie Redbayne as Newt Scaramanger. Hosts Steve Norman, Owen Hughes and Tony Black pick three movies each from the back catalogue of various stars from the big new release that's reigniting the Harry Potter extended universe (ugh), with an accompanying review courtesy of Mr Black. That's not the only latest release on this week's episode to receive a review, as Owen explains why his Twitter went nuts after he watched the Ken Loach drama, I, Daniel Blake. Meanwhile Steve rounds up what's happened so far in The Walking Dead as we slowly lurch closer to the mid-season break. There's quizzing, a chat about video game adaptations with the news that another attempt at making a Mortal Kombat movie gets off the ground, and a futile rant about the lack of independent movies...

Insert your own pun here about the main review on this week's podcast being Arrival and yet you're receiving another episode nearly three days late... Go on.. I know you want to. Get it out of your system. Well done. Now onto the other stuff in this week's show with hosts Steve Norman and Owen Hughes, and guests Andrew Brooker and Tony Black. It seems only fair that I issue a warning to anybody of any decent moral sensibility who will almost certainly find the use of a particular word in this episode outrageously offensive. It's not out of the ordinary for the Failed Critics to amuse themselves during recording by being as outrageously offensive to each other as they can. Consider this a sneak-peak behind the curtains of what almost always has to be edited out so that you can listen to the normally only mildly offensive language on the podcast. The fact that this episode is still heavily edited, and this isn't the worst of what had to be taken out of the show, should give you a flavour of how a recording... &

Our health is regenerated and our load outs reset - that must mean that your Character Unlock hosts are back and ready for more Call of Duty shenanigans. John and Brooker return to finish off their retrospective of the legendary shooter series that may, or may not, be on the downward spiral for this half of the franchise's history before digging into Infinite Warfare, the latest instalment to divide the community. The lads talk all things story, before touching on the game's multiplayer and, with the help of their audience, finally musing on what Call of a Duty need to do to keep its status as the granddaddy of all shooters going forward. Recommendations for the week and community shoutouts round of this marathon two-parter that all but killed its hosts. Join us next week for a quieter, more ninja Lila instalment as the boys talk stealth games in honour of the recently released Dishonoured 2.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

As the annual season of game release insanity comes to a head this week with the release of the latest instalment in Activision's behemoth shooter franchise, Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, it seems only fitting to spend some time talking about the series that has revolutionised the gaming industry time and time again. Hosts John Miller and Andrew Brooker dive into this almighty series, they are offered a momentary distraction as they find some time to talk about that one day a year that gets RPG fans salivating, November 7th, more affectionately called "N7 Day" in those parts of the Internet that only some dare enter. As John picks apart the news on the latest Mass Effect, Brooker's eyes glaze over, barely understanding a word and just nodding politely before the pair sink their teeth into the meat of this episode. Digging into the early games in the Call of Duty franchise and ploughing through to arguably the games that changed the world, the lads call it a day somewhere around game six and find cover to...

Counting on all of his fingers and toes like a mildly autistic Ben Affleck in this week's main review, The Accountant, Steve Norman has discovered the magic number! Turns out that De La Soul weren't lying and it is three. Steve, Paul Field and Andrew Brooker, if you want to be precise, with Owen Hughes on a camping trip in Wales or something. As well as yet another 2016 thriller to barely register any thrills, there's also room on this week's bitesize episode to review two other new releases, as Brooker dissects Nocturnal Animals and Paul kicks off the section with a new horror film, Rupture, starring Noomi Rapace. We also have What We've Been Watching with competitive tickling documentary (no, really), Tickled, plus indie horror The Neighbour - and even a few softcore pornos make it on with the boss absent (sort of). Tsk tsk.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Apologies for this week's podcast being so late. It took us a little while to master the art of manipulating time and space, unlike a certain Marvel wizard who can montage his way through ancient texts on the topic. Steve Norman was closely guarding the FC library which meant Owen Hughes, Brian Plank and Andrew Brooker had to use all their cunning to get past him. You know what, I'm just going to end that metaphor there. It's possibly the worst one I've ever come up with and I'll just tell you what's on the podcast this week. The big new release this week is - as you've probably ascertained - the new Marvel movie, Doctor Strange, starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Mads Mikkelsen, Tilda Swinton, Benedict Wong, Chiewetel Ejiofor amongst others. (Scott Adkins!) In What We've Been Watching, Steve stays quiet as Brian declares Hot Fuzz the best of the Cornetto trilogy, Brooker quenches his appetite for all things gruesome and grotesque with The Woman, and Owen doesn't watch anything at all, but reviews the BBC...

As the nights draw in and the temperature drops, as the sweet cupboard fills up and the pumpkins are carved, it can only mean one thing... Halloween is just around the corner. What better way to celebrate than giving knocking on people doors and stealing lollipops from small children a miss for a night and spending a bit of time comparing our favourite (and least favourite) scary games? John "The Madman" Miller and Andrew "Axe Murderer" Brooker are joined by their first guest, The X-Cast host and podcast veteran "Spooky" Tony Black (who managed to leave the podcast this week with an enormous list of must-play games). Together, the trio take on the first week of decent news since Character Unlock began and dig into what they've been playing since we last heard from them. Our latest episode tackles the new Nintendo Switch announcement as the guys ponder the future of the console maker and try to decide whether or not their new console is worth spending money on. We talk about Red Dead Redemption 2, the game...

As the 36th Cambridge Film Festival nears its conclusion, we round-up and preview some of the best independent and international movies that you still have a chance to see! In this episode, Owen Hughes guides you through our pick of the bunch as he's joined by our world cinema experts Liam and Andy (who you may remember contributed to our World Cinema Special podcast back in January). From Romanian and Greek, to Ecuadorian and Colombian films. From docu-dramas to short film compilations. On topics as diverse as incest and the Russian avant-garde movement. If you're looking for a movie that's just off the beaten track from the usual mainstream cinema, then we've got you covered. In the podcast, we chat about: Cloudy Sunday - Showing Wednesday 26th October, 4pm (Arts Picturehouse); Next Generation Tiger Shorts 2016 - Wednesday 26th, 5.30pm (Cinemobile); Wonderland - Wednesday 26th, 5.30pm (Arts Picturehouse); Between Sea and Land - Wed 26th 8pm (Arts Picturehouse) & Thu 27th 12.45pm (cinemobile); Alba

Brushing the cobwebs out of the way through the passage right at the back of the Failed Critics library, where nobody has been for centuries or more, we've found an ancient book containing spells for raising the dead. Using our powers wisely, we let Steve Norman, Owen Hughes and Tony Black conjure up some deceased actors, putting them straight back to work in brand new movies pitched on this very episode of the Failed Critics Podcast Halloween special. Resurrecting the dead in a triple bill is about as creepy as it gets this year, with What We've Been Watching ditched in favour of reviewing the new release Jack Reacher: Never Go Back, and a quick chat about the brand new semi-biographical comedy The Comedian's Guide to Survival, starring James Buckley (The Inbetweeners). Comedian's Guide is co-written by and based on the life of our very own James Mullinger from Underground Nights - check out their latest episode for some great background information on the making of the hilarious film. Elsewhere on this... &

Before writer Callum Petch had even got his foot through the door upon returning from Ben Wheatley's Free Fire last Sunday, he was answering a telephone call from Failed Critics to let us know exactly how it - and the rest of the BFI London Film Festival - had been this year. This special bonus podcast is the result of that call, as Callum kindly rounds up five of the best, and a few of the rest from the 60th LFF. If you've been following his posts on the site, you'll have a good idea of which movies came out top, as well as those that flattered to deceive. Did Paul Verhoeven's latest feature, Elle, make the cut? What about the new Denis Villeneuve sci-fi, Arrival? Was it as good as Sicario, Prisoners and Enemy? How was Oldboy director Park Chan-wook's The Handmaiden received? You'll just have to listen to the podcast to find out!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Earth still spins, the sun still shines and Hollywood still makes trilogies that nobody in their right mind wants, with Ron Howard's third Dan Brown adaptation, Inferno, hitting cinemas last weekend. Rather than expend any amount of energy reviewing the Tom Hanks led mystery thriller, the Failed Critics instead run through a triple bill of film franchises that should have ended before getting to the trilogy stage. Boy, were there plenty to choose from! With regular host Steve Norman off celebrating his birthday, we drafted in Matt Lambourne to swivel on the comfy high-backed armchair and guide Owen Hughes, Brian Plank and Tony Black through another podcast. There's no quiz this week, but a discussion about the new Star Wars: Rogue One trailer arose, as did a short summary of this year's London Film Festival. In What We've Been Watching, the team cover Netflix series Luke Cage and half of their newest feature-length comedy, Mascots. There's even time for a chat about HBO's latest smash hit, Westworld... &#

Welcome to our second episode of Failed Critics' basement lingering, video game-centric spin off, Character Unlock! Hosts John Miller and Andrew Brooker have stolen the keys to some of the shiniest and fastest cars you can ever imagine getting your hands on and they plan to tear around the streets for an hour or so. Celebrating the beginning of Silly Season 2016 by completely avoiding new releases for a couple of weeks, the boys delve into this year's FIFA iteration and the disappointing sequel Homefront: The Revolution, before digging into futuristic follow-on Deus Ex: Mankind Divided and wondering what's next for the fan-favourite franchise. They pick apart newly released PlayStation VR and the games that were (and weren't) allowed out for review before the hardware came out, all whilst waxing lyrical about why that might be. The pair also kick the tyres on Forza Horizon 3, the latest in the free-roam racing series. Finally, stealing more of the Failed Critics patter, Brooker and John list out a triple... &

All aboard! Every week Owen Hughes rides the Failed Critics steam train from host Steve Norman's caravan park in Swanage all the way to guest Andrew Brooker's residence in Milton Keynes, stopping at the exact same point along the way to peer through the windows of the FC HQ in Oxford. Unfortunately there are no affairs or murders for him to observe and fantasise about, only a depressed version of himself wondering why the bloody hell he sits through these uninspiring movies that 2016 keeps on churning out. Specifically the latest to cross the team's path, The Girl on the Train, starring Emily Blunt. This week's journey also pulls in at the games and tech podcast Super Pixels Radio stop. Failed Critics debutant Elliot Beverley chats with Owen about the animated stop-motion family movie, Kubo and the Two Strings. We also have the buffet cart stocked with the latest trailers from the New York Comic Convention. It's got all of your favourites only slightly overpriced, including Power Rangers, John Wick 2, Iron...

Ejecting the Blu-ray from our PS4 and using it for its intended purpose for a change, the Failed Critics have booted up a computer game or two and put the movies back on the shelf for the first ever episode of our brand new sister-podcast, Character Unlock. Andrew Brooker and John Miller host the pilot episode, kicking off with a run down from EGX 2016. It's not just top-down racing games that John got to play, as Battlfield 1, Forza Horizon 3, FIFA 17 and plenty of indie games went under his microscope at the event. Plus, this week Brooker chats with game reviewer-turned-game developer, Kevin Van Ord, about his career, what he thinks about early access for Original Sin 2, and sneaking Scottish euphemisms into Dwarven dialogue. They round off the podcast by answering your questions that you sent to us via our Facebook and Twitter feeds. Want to get to know Brooker and John? Listen to find out how they met, what their favourite games are, which games series' they would combine, and how many worms they think...

Wahey look how quirky and gothic we are as hosts Steve Norman and Owen Hughes stumble around for far longer than they should on this week's podcast discussing Tim Burton's latest zany fantasy film, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. Ooooh we're so weird. Steve's got a face full of wasps and Owen constantly props himself up with sticks else he sinks into the ground. It's fine though because of the randomness and wacky way we present ourselves so you'll have to love it. (Oh, by the way, I was being sarcastic.) In less annoying Burton-esque tropes, the pair struggle to get a handle on why Disney are bothering to remake The Lion King and end the show rather unusually by trying to figure out exactly what's wrong with the BBC's sitcoms lately. In What We've Been Watching, Steve also finally gets to see Don't Breathe after its glowing review on the podcast a few weeks back, whilst Owen revisits the remake of one of his favourite ever movies in 2008's Day of the Dead. Join us again next week for a... &

Yeehaw, listeners! It's a darn tootin' mighty fine show we've got for you this week. Hosts Steve 'the kid' Norman and Smilin' Owen Hughes are joined by pardners The Liam With No Surname and Django Brooker for a special westerns triple bill episode. Their pistols are cocked and ready to fire on each of their favourite three westerns in honour of this week's big new release, Antoine Fuqua's The Magnificent Seven, starring Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke and Lee Byung-hun amongst others. A 'west' inspired quiz opened the podcast with the score delicately poised at 2-2 between Owen and Steve, who was just one loss away from watching the abhorrent Killer Bitch. There was also time for a short chat about the furore over the latest images from the Jumanji sequel. Join us again next week for reviews of Deepwater Horizon and Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Hello and welcome to another episode of the Failed Critics Podcast. Proving that they're not just a pair of losers with no friends, hosts Steve Norman and Owen Hughes are back again but this time Paul Field and Tony Black join them. As ever the podcast kicks off with a quiz, this week hosted by Steve, that puts the Failed Critics' soap knowledge to the test, before they move on to What We've Been Watching. Paul makes a bold declaration that Park Chan-wook's Handmaiden is the Oldboy director's best film yet; Steve also takes a trip to Korean cinema with zombie-thriller Train to Busan; Tony reaches peak noughties teen melodrama as he continues his run-through of Smallville; and Owen laments ever letting Paul know his address after receiving a copy of British gangster-exploitation flick Killer Bitch in the post. The big new release this week for the team to chew over is Simon Barrett and Adam Wingard's eagerly anticipated Blair Witch, the sequel to the iconic cult classic, The Blair Witch Project in case you...

Welcome to another episode of the Failed Critics Podcast where hosts Steve Norman and Owen Hughes were left entirely to their own devices as both guests bailed on them faster than Gareth Bale operating an AB 43HS-series. (It's a waste-handling baler. It bales stuff.) Hastily rejigging the content of the show just hours before recording, the podcast this week features a triple bill about drunks on film, suggested to us by Underground Nights co-host, Paul Field. Presumably in honour of the fact he and Jonathan Sothcott got legless recently and professed their love for Failed Critics down the phone to us. Either way, it produced some interesting choices from both Owen and Steve, even if we do say so ourselves. Also on the podcast this week, the pair discuss the news that Dev Patel is absolutely unequivocally 100% not in a new Slumdog film (or is he??) plus Joe Manganiello being cast as the only villain in Ben Affleck's solo-Batman movie (or is he??). There's also time to squeeze in a couple of reviews. Steve...