Legit Cool Film Talk
by River
Legit Cool Film Talk - a podcast for film lovers.Whether you’ve got 10 minutes or an hour to kick it.Hosted by River, the podcast covers films across every genre, era and style, from new releases and blockbusters to classics, cult favourites and independent cinema.Catch 10-minute reviews for quick thoughts on what’s worth watching, or settle in for long-form breakdowns exploring story, characters, performances, filmmaking and the ideas behind the film.🎧 Real films. Real conversations. Support the show on BuyMeACoffee → Shout me a coffee @legitcoolfilmtalk
Episodes
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148 - MCU Phase 3 - Avengers: Endgame Part 1/2
Avengers Endgame Part 1 of 2 with Dion Rakic from MCMCULTURE. River is joined by Dion from MCMCULTURE for a conversation about the state of the Multiverse Saga and a deep dive into Avengers: Endgame. They compare Endgame with Infinity War and explore the theme of grief, character arcs, and...
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147 - Heart of the Beast
River reviews David Ayer’s Heart of the Beast, a 101-minute survival drama that becomes much more than a wilderness ordeal. What starts as a man-versus-nature story unfolds into a quiet, emotional exploration of trauma, companionship, and healing. The film’s biggest strength, according to River…
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146 - MCU Phase 1 - The Avengers
The movie that launched the modern MCU event era still has a lot to prove. The Avengers is more than just the first time Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow, and Hawkeye share the screen—it’s the test of whether all that build-up actually pays off. I'm joined by film and TV...
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145 - Resident Evil (2026)
Resident Evil finally gets the adaptation fans have been waiting for, and this one actually feels like the game. Zach Cregger turns a beloved horror universe into a tense, first-person nightmare where every corridor, jump scare, and ugly creature design feels ripped straight out of a playthrough....
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144 - MCU Phase 2: Captain America - The Winter Soldier
Captain America: The Winter Soldier gets the deep-dive it deserves as River is joined by MCU superfan and writer Andy Thai and film creator Derek to unpack why this film still feels like the blueprint for modern Marvel. From the very first run through Washington to the brutal highway fight, this...
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143 - Tony
Matt Johnson’s A24 biopic finds the person before the icon River reviews Tony, the new A24 film directed by Matt Johnson, and explains why this narrowly focused story about a 19 year old Anthony Bourdain in Provincetown works so well. The episode is less interested in a full life story and more...
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142 - MCU Phase 3 - Captain America: Civil War [With guest Troy Cervantes]
Civil War is still one of the MCU’s sharpest swings - and this conversation explains exactly why it works. River and guest speaker Troy Cervantes break down the film’s biggest strengths, from the freedom-versus-accountability debate to the emotional fracture that splits Steve Rogers and Tony…
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141 - Spider-Man: Brand New Day [With Guests The Cinephile Mind]
River sits down with Miguel, Hunter, and Nic from The Cinephile Mind to unpack Spider-Man: Brand New Day, a movie that swings hard into identity, loneliness, memory, and whether Peter Parker can survive as Spider-Man alone. What starts as a spoiler-heavy reaction turns into a full-on debate about...
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LOTR: The War of The Rohirrim - Interview with writers Arty Papageorgiou & Phoebe Gittins
In this episode, we go behind the scenes of the creative process that brought the film to life, exploring the relationship between storytelling, character development and music with composer Steven Gallagher. We discuss how the score was crafted to support the emotional journey of the characters,...
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140 - The Odyssey
Most film fans will praise Nolan’s The Odyssey for its epic scale and breath-taking visuals—yet beneath the surface, it struggles to connect emotionally. What if a film about Greek mythology feels more like a series of disconnected episodes rather than a meaningful journey? If you’re craving...
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*Special Features* Revisiting 'The Prestige'
Christopher Nolan's The Prestige isn't just a brilliant film about rival magicians—it's one of cinema's greatest narrative magic tricks. In this revisit, I explore why the film becomes even more rewarding with every rewatch, from its non-linear storytelling and unforgettable performances by Hugh...
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139 - Disclosure Day
Disappointing Expectations: A Critical Review of Spielberg's Disclosure Day In this episode, I dive into the highly anticipated Steven Spielberg film, 'Disclosure Day,' examining its promising premise, standout performances, and where it falls short. Whether you're a Spielberg fanatic or a casual...
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From Michael Jackson to Jaafar Jackson - Suga Pop interview
In 1983, Suga Pop taught Michael Jackson during one of the most important periods of his artistic development. Four decades later, he returned to Havenhurst to help Jaafar Jackson prepare for the upcoming Michael film. We discuss Michael's dancing, Beat It, Thriller, the evolution of Popping and...
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138 - Backrooms
In this episode, I dive into Kane Parsons' horror film Backrooms, a cinematic expansion of the popular YouTube series. I explore its themes, filmmaking techniques, box office success, and the emotional undercurrents that make it a unique experience in modern horror. I Cover: The film's origins…
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137 - Obsession
Deep Dive into Obsession (2026): A Psychological Horror about Love, Control, and Toxicity. Join me as I unpack the emotionally disturbing and philosophically rich horror film Obsession by Curry Barker. This episode explores how the movie pushes the boundaries of psychological horror and metaphors...
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136 - Mortal Kombat II
Game Faithfulness, Fight Scenes, and Mythology Deep Dive. In this episode, I explore whether Mortal Kombat 2 truly captures the essence of the games, how its action sequences stack up visually and mechanically, and whether its storytelling meets fans' expectations. As a Mortal Kombat enthusiast…
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135 - Michael
Michael Jackson Biopic Review - Celebrating the King of Pop: Explore the intricate storytelling and behind-the-scenes craft of the Michael Jackson biopic, blending passion, nostalgia, and cinematic artistry. Join us as we dive into the performances, production details, and personal reflections...
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134 - MCU Phase 1: Thor (2011)
Thor (2011) Movie Review and Breakdown | Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase One Dive into this detailed analysis of Marvel’s "Thor," directed by Kenneth Branagh, exploring its storytelling, craftsmanship, and character arc. Whether you're a Marvel fan or film enthusiast, get behind-the-scenes...
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133 - Stand By Me (1986)
At its core, Stand by Me follows four twelve-year-old boys in small-town Oregon who set out on a two-day journey to find the body of a missing kid, discovering friendship, loss, and the end of childhood along the way. Are you a fan of coming-of-age stories or nostalgic films? Join me, River, as I...
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132 - The Drama
The film The Drama revolves around a couple's wedding week that takes an unexpected turn when a significant confession disrupts their plans. Set against the backdrop of Boston, the story delves into the complexities of modern relationships, exploring themes of love, honesty, and moral ambiguity....
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131 - The Passion of the Christ
In the story, we follow Jesus (Jim Caviezel) from his arrest in Gethsemane through his trial, brutal scourging, crucifixion, and death, while witnessing the grief of his mother Mary (Maia Morgenstern) and Mary Magdalene (Monica Bellucci). The film blends the four Gospel accounts with traditional...
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130 - MCU Phase 1: Iron Man 2
Billionaire Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) deals with the fallout of revealing his identity to the world. While resisting government pressure to turn over his technology, he faces a lethal health crisis: the palladium core powering his chest's arc reactor is slowly poisoning him. MCU Phase One...
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129 - Project Hail Mary - Review
Science teacher Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling) awakens alone on a spaceship light-years from Earth with no memory of his identity or mission. As fragments return, he discovers he's on a desperate solo voyage to reverse a mysterious Astrophage phenomenon dimming the Sun and threatening life on Earth....
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128 - Nuremberg - Review
In the aftermath of World War II, as Nazi Germany surrenders, high-ranking leaders—including Hitler's second-in-command, Hermann Göring—are captured and held for trial. U.S. Supreme Court Justice Robert H. Jackson (Michael Shannon) pushes for an unprecedented international tribunal in Nuremberg…
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127 - Marty Supreme - Review
Set in 1950s America, the film follows Marty Mauser, a table tennis player based on Marty Reisman, as he rises from salesman to competitor. He forms relationships with Rachel Mizler and Kay Stone, navigates bets and alliances with Milton Rockwell, and faces challenges in underground and...
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126 - V For Vendetta - Review
V for Vendetta tells the story of V, a masked anarchist freedom fighter in a dystopian, totalitarian future Britain, who uses elaborate terrorist acts to overthrow the fascist Norsefire government, inspiring a young woman named Evey Hammond to join his cause and help ignite a revolution against…
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125 - Watchmen - Review
Set in an alternate 1985 where superheroes are real but outlawed, Watchmen is a dark, sprawling deconstruction of the superhero genre. When a retired vigilante, The Comedian, is brutally murdered, the paranoid and uncompromising Rorschach investigates, suspecting a conspiracy targeting former...
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124 - 300 - Review
In 480 B.C., Sparta faces an existential threat as the Persian “God-King” Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro) leads an army of over 300,000 to conquer Greece. King Leonidas (Gerard Butler), bound by Spartan law and honor, defies the odds and leads 300 elite warriors to the narrow pass of Thermopylae to hold...
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123 - Weapons - Review
In the quiet suburban town of Maybrook, Pennsylvania, a chilling mystery unfolds when seventeen children from the same classroom vanish in the dead of night, leaving their homes at exactly 2:17 a.m. The only student left behind is Alex Lilly (Cary Christopher), a quiet kid who seems to hold...
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122 - The Fantastic Four: First Steps - Review & Recap
Set in a vibrant, 1960s-inspired retro-futuristic world on Earth-828, The Fantastic Four: First Steps introduces Marvel’s First Family—Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic, Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Johnny Storm/Human Torch, and Ben Grimm/The Thing—as established heroes balancing their superhero…
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121 - Superman (2025) - Review & Recap
Superman (2025) follows Clark Kent, a young but established Man of Steel, as he navigates his dual identity as a Kryptonian hero and a bumbling Daily Planet reporter. When tech billionaire Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) orchestrates a scheme to turn public opinion against Superman, exploiting his...
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120 - Sinners - Review & Recap
Set in the sweltering Jim Crow-era Mississippi of 1932, Sinners follows twin brothers Smoke and Stack Moore (both played by Michael B. Jordan), World War I veterans who return to their hometown of Clarksdale after years working for the Chicago Outfit. Armed with stolen gangster money, they buy a...
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119 - The Accountant 2 - Review & Recap
Christian Wolff (Ben Affleck) has a talent for solving complex problems. When an old acquaintance is murdered, leaving behind a cryptic message to "find the accountant," Wolff is compelled to solve the case. Realizing more extreme measures are necessary, Wolff recruits his estranged and highly...
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118 - Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning - Review & Recap
Two months after the rogue AI “Entity” unleashes global chaos, Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his IMF team — Luther (Ving Rhames), Benji (Simon Pegg), and Grace (Hayley Atwell) — race to stop it from triggering nuclear war. Defying orders to surrender the Sevastopol submarine’s key, Ethan chases the...
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117 - The Accountant
Christian Wolff (Ben Affleck) is a math savant with autism, working as a freelance accountant for dangerous criminal organizations while hiding behind a small-town CPA office. When Treasury agent Raymond King (J.K. Simmons) starts closing in, Wolff takes a legit job auditing a robotics company,...
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116 - Thunderbolts* - Review & Recap
Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts follows Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes, Red Guardian, Ghost, Taskmaster, and John Walker, a band of antiheroes drawn into a covert operation by the calculating Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. Tasked with a high-stakes mission for the shadowy O.X.E. organization, they...
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115 - Captain America: Brave New World - Review & Recap
Captain America: Brave New World follows Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) as he navigates a global crisis involving a newly discovered metal, adamantium, found on Celestial Island. When an assassination attempt on President Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford) leads to Isaiah Bradley’s (Carl Lumbly)...
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114 - Wolf Man (2025) - Review & Recap
Leigh Whannell’s reboot of the Universal Monster classic. Christopher Abbott plays Blake, a San Fran dad who drags his wife Charlotte (Julia Garner) and daughter Ginger (Matilda Firth) to his rural Oregon childhood home after his dad’s presumed dead. Night one, a beast scratches Blake, and he...
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113 - Conclave - Review & Recap
When the beloved pope dies suddenly, Cardinal Lawrence, Dean of the College of Cardinals, oversees the conclave to elect his successor. Locked in the Vatican with the world’s most powerful cardinals, he uncovers a maze of secrets, scandals, and power plays that could upend the Church. River…
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112 - MCU Phase 1: Incredible Hulk - Review & Recap
Dr. Bruce Banner’s a genius with a curse—gamma radiation turned him into the Hulk, a green wrecking ball of rage he can’t control. He’s ducking the feds and General Thunderbolt Ross, a hardass dead-set on turning him into a living weapon. On the run, Banner tracks down a fix for his condition and...
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111 - Nosferatu - Review & Recap
In Nosferatu (2024), a reimagining of the classic tale, Thomas Hutter (Nicholas Hoult), a real estate agent, travels to the remote castle of Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård) to finalize a property sale. Uncovering Orlok’s vampiric nature, Thomas becomes trapped while Orlok journeys to Wismar…
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110 - Heretic - Review & Recap
Two young Mormon missionaries, Sister Barnes and Sister Paxton, venture into a remote and unfamiliar town to spread their faith. When they are invited into the home of the enigmatic and charming Mr. Reed, their beliefs and courage are put to the ultimate test. What begins as a seemingly cordial...
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109 - LOTR: The War of the Rohirrim
Set 183 years before the events chronicled in the original trilogy of films, “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim” tells the fate of the House of Helm Hammerhand, the legendary King of Rohan. A sudden attack by Wulf, a clever and ruthless Dunlending lord seeking vengeance for the death...
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108 - The Rings of Power Season 2 Episode 7 & 8 - Review & Recap
Season 2 of The Rings of Power promises to deepen the epic storylines introduced in Season 1 while introducing new twists. The season centers on Sauron, now unmasked, who must rebuild his strength and oversee the forging of the Rings of Power to cement his dominion over Middle-earth. Galadriel,...
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107 - Smile 2 - Review & Recap
In Smile 2, global pop star Skye Riley, haunted by the trauma of her boyfriend's death, begins experiencing terrifying visions and eerie smiles similar to those from the original Smile curse. As her comeback tour approaches, she faces escalating supernatural horrors that force her to confront her...
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106 - The Rings of Power Season 2 Episode 5 & 6 - Review & Recap
The season will explore the rise of Sauron in greater detail, especially after his identity as Halbrand was revealed in the Season 1 finale. One of the central plot points will be the creation of more Rings of Power, with characters like Celebrimbor, Galadriel, and Gil-galad playing key roles. A...
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105 - The Rings of Power Season 2 Episode 3 & 4 - Review & Recap
In this episode of The Legit Cool Podcast, River and Tony take a deep dive into episodes 3 and 4 of The Rings of Power season 2. They dissect key plot points and character arcs, focusing on Sauron’s shifting role from manipulative villain to a figure striving to save his realm, which adds a new...
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104 - The Rings of Power Season 2 Episode 1 & 2 - Review & Recap
The season will explore the rise of Sauron in greater detail, especially after his identity as Halbrand was revealed in the Season 1 finale. One of the central plot points will be the creation of more Rings of Power, with characters like Celebrimbor, Galadriel, and Gil-galad playing key roles. A...
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103 - MCU Phase 1: Iron Man - Review & Recap
Iron Man tells the origin story of Tony Stark, a genius billionaire and weapons manufacturer. After being captured by terrorists and gravely injured, Stark builds a high-tech suit of armor to escape. This experience leads him to reevaluate his company's role in global conflict and to use his...
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102 - Blink Twice - Review & Recap
Frida, a cocktail waitress, and her best friend Jess get invited to a private island by tech mogul Slater King. What starts as a luxurious getaway quickly turns dark as Frida uncovers a twisted plot involving memory-erasing flowers, hallucinogens, and a series of brutal assaults. As memories…
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About this show
Legit Cool Film Talk - a podcast for film lovers.Whether you’ve got 10 minutes or an hour to kick it.Hosted by River, the podcast covers films across every genre, era and style, from new releases and blockbusters to classics, cult favourites and independent cinema.Catch 10-minute reviews for quick thoughts on what’s worth watching, or settle in for long-form breakdowns exploring story, characters, performances, filmmaking and the ideas behind the film.🎧 Real films. Real conversations.
Support the show on BuyMeACoffee → Shout me a coffee
@legitcoolfilmtalk
Hosted by
River