Shoot The Hostage

Shoot The Hostage Podcast
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  • Film Reviews
  • Updated Weekly

Welcome to Shoot The Hostage with Sarah & Dan - the movie podcast where we pick one movie at a time and take a deep dive into anything and everything we can. Each season, we dive into a new theme which we take turns in choosing. We tend to choose a diverse pick of films for each season, trying our best to cover different genres & themes. If you’re in the market for a movie podcast with hosts that don’t take themselves too seriously and love films just as much as you, then head over. Take your shoes off and come on in.

  1. 6d ago ·  Bonus

    Season Fifteen Wrap Show Preview

    Do you feel like you are in a transitory place where things are familiar but not quite right? Is your sense of reality feeling a little unstable? Don’t worry, you haven’t wandered into the Backrooms, you’ve just reached the threshold of the Shoot the Hostage Season 15 wrap show. Come out from under those flickering fluorescent lights, put the kettle on and we’ll help you escape the void. That’s right Hostages, we’re back for one last discussion about liminal space movies. In this episode, we lean into the eternal struggle of art vs entertainment: Dan argues for Michael Bay-style bad guy clarity, while Sarah ties to justify why we spent eight weeks in a shroud of mystery. We’re also fully transparent about the behind the scenes chaos, including an update on Sarah’s health and Patreon pauses. What to expect from the episode: A complete recap of our liminal space journey, from Triangle to the “anti-god” liquid in Prince of Darkness. Sarah justifies her choices and why she chose to trap everyone in the void for eight weeks. We discuss the vibes and merits of Messiah of Evil, although one of us maintains, it’s still not a movie. Dan admits he actually enjoyed an unhinged 1970s Australian movie even if nobody’s head exploded. A look back at our favourite conversations, including why we spent thirty minutes talking about Dwayne the Rock Johnson during a Peter Weir discussion. Dan puts Sarah through a ringer with an eight-question quiz. If you would like to listen to the full episode, head over to Patreon to get access to this and all of our previous wrap shows from seasons 1-14. We shall return! On August 3rd we're back with a brand new season. This time chosen by Dan. The new theme is "Size Doesn't Matter and the first film we're sizing up is Ant-Man (2015). Would you like to see the full lineup for season 16? The only place you can see it is on Patreon but you don't need to be a paying member. Sign up for a free membership and get access to the lineup when it drops any day now. Instagram | TikTok | Threads | YouTube

  2. Jul 6

    Prince of Darkness - S15 E122

    Join us one last time in Liminal Spaces as we peer into the green swirling abyss for another visit to John Carpenter town. It’s time to talk about Prince of Darkness (1987), a film that proves that when it comes to 80s horror, nobody does it like the master of horror himself. In this episode, we dive into cosmic horror, subatomic evil and the ultimate showdown between religion vs science. We discuss the legendary Donald Pleasence (playing a very different role than his alcoholic turn in Wake in Fright), the return of the incomparable Victor Wong and why Dennis Dun is the essential comic relief we all need when the world is ending. We explore how Carpenter utilised a modest $3 million budget to create some of the most memorable images in late 80s cinema including that gateway mirror scene. Expect plenty of our usual tangents, including a deep dive into the big key theory – because we’re convinced that the church was taking security advice from the set of 90s Gladiators. We also talk about John Carpenter movies in general, his apocalypse trilogy, and why Alice Cooper should never be allowed near a bicycle. What to expect in this episode: We debate if an abandoned church teeming with students can truly be considered a liminal space. Dan explains how the size of a key us directly proportionate to the security of a gladiator’s sleeping quarters. A look at the iconic reunion of Big Trouble in Little China stars Victor Wong and Dennis Dun. Why John Carpenter chose to hide behind a pseudonym for one of his best written scripts. Sarah traces her obsession with religious horror back to a childhood cartoon about hoarding dragons. The low-budget ingenious solutions to the practical effects needed to tell this story. A heated discussion on the ethics of a professor using his students as disposable demon bait. We argue over whether the score is a pulsating masterpiece or just a Danny Elfman knockoff. The existential dread of wondering if your colleagues are actually10,000 bugs in a trench coat. A first look at our upcoming season and why Paul Rudd is the perfect palate cleanser for the apocalypse. We'll be back on August 3rd for Season 16 If you're a fan of the show and want more content, check out our £3.00 a month tier on Patreon where we release our end of season wrap shows and 2 reviews of brand new movies every month. Plus you'll get access to our back catalogue from 2023 onwards. Enjoy the show but can't support us financially? We get it. You could submit a review on the podcast player you're reading this on right now. Or if you listen on Spotify and you haven't given us a five-star rating yet, what are ye waiting for? It's easy. If you've done some or all of that and still want to do more, we would love it if you tell a friend about the show.   Or come find us on social media: Instagram | TikTok | Threads | YouTube

  3. Jun 29

    Annihilation - S15 E121

    We’re entering the Shimmer for the penultimate episode of the season! Or as Dan insists on calling it, (much to Sarah’s annoyance) the “penny”. Join us as we discuss Alex Garland’s 2018 sci-fi weirdness, Annihilation. As the 7th entry in our Liminal Spaces season, Sarah explains why this dreamlike and ethereal landscape is the ultimate subversion of the genre, moving away from empty car parks and into a hauntingly beautiful, mutating wilderness. We dive deep into why this stands as one of the most essential contemporary sci-fi movies, blending high-concept cinema with skin-crawling body horror. Sarah dons her “feminist wig”, (a hat so big it would make David Lynch proud) to discuss how Garland crafts some of the most complex, non-sexualised roles for women in modern film. We analyse the powerhouse cast, including Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tessa Thompson and Gina Rodriguez and debate why Garland’s writing is what other directors only pretend to achieve. From the horror of the screaming skull bear to the philosophical questions of human nature, we explore how this book adaptation deviates from Jeff VanderMeer’s novel to focus on the terrifyingly relatable theme of self-destruction. It’s a weird movie that demands your full attention, so put down your second screen and get ready for a refraction of our usual hopeless pedantry. What to expect from this episode: Dan explains his logic behind calling this the “penny” episode just to wind Sarah up. Discussions around our favourite Alex Garland films including one we covered (Ex Machina) We explore why Alex Garland is one of Sarah’s favourite filmmakers for writing meaty, complex roles for women. A look at the “inverse Nolan” trope and how Oscar Isaac serves as the story’s catalyst. We break down the ethereal visuals of the Hox gene and those haunting human-plant hybrids. A retrospective on the bear sequence and why it’s a masterclass in cosmic horror. We discuss the self-destructive motivations of every member of the expedition. Parallels between the plot and the real-life story of Henrietta Lacks. We debate the dreamlike ending and whether assimilation is the same thing as annihilation. This season has eight episodes, concluding July 6th Would you like to see the full lineup for season 15? The only place you can see it is on Patreon but you don't need to be a paying member. Sign up for a free membership and get access to the lineup. If you're a fan of the show and want more content, check out our £3.00 a month tier on Patreon where we release our end of season wrap shows and 2 reviews of brand new movies every month. Plus you'll get access to our back catalogue from 2023 onwards. Enjoy the show but can't support us financially? We get it. You could submit a review on the podcast player you're reading this on right now. Or if you listen on Spotify and you haven't given us a five-star rating yet, what are ye waiting for? It's easy. If you've done some or all of that and still want to do more, we would love it if you tell a friend about the show.   Or come find us on social media: Instagram | TikTok | Threads | YouTube

  4. Jun 22

    Wake in Fright - S15 E120

    Don’t Wake in Fright because you’ve got a massive hangover; wake up and join us in The Yabba for a cold midi! This week on Shoot the Hostage, we are continuing Sarah’s Liminal Spaces season with a journey into the sun-drenched beer-soaked nightmare of Australian cinema: Ted Kotcheff’s 1971 film, Wake in Fright. In our 6th episode of the season, we follow Gary Bond as John Grant, a bonded schoolteacher who finds himself trapped in a nightmarish cycle of substance abuse and aggressive hospitality in the outback town of Bundanyabba. If you’re looking for weird movies where the heat is as sticky as the floors in the local pub, this one might be for you. We explore how a simple overnight stop transforms into a personal purgatory of horror and nihilism, featuring a terrifying performance from Donald Pleasence and the final screen appearance of the legendary Chips Rafferty. The cinema of Australian new wave doesn’t get much more brutal than this, as we tackle the sausage fest of toxic masculinity and the infamous, real-life kangaroo hunting footage. It’s a bond you can’t escape and a reminder that sometimes the most terrifying thing in the outback is a bloke who just wants one more skooner. What to expect from this episode: Dan kicks things off with a pop quiz about the decimal currency system and espresso machines. We discuss why Wake in Fright is arguably the most Australian movie ever made, despite the director being Canadian. A look at director Ted Kotcheff’s career, from First Blood to the philosophy of Weekend at Bernie’s. We explore the liminal space of Bundanyabba and why it feels like a dusty, inescapable purgatory. The mystery of the aggressive hospitality and why Dan is suspicious to any cars that give way to pedestrians when it conflicts with the highway code. We tackle the elephant in the room: the brutal and controversial kangaroo hunting scene. We break down the repressed feelings and the Socrates of the Outback vibes of Doc Tydon. This season has eight episodes, concluding July 6th Would you like to see the full lineup for season 15? The only place you can see it is on Patreon but you don't need to be a paying member. Sign up for a free membership and get access to the lineup. If you're a fan of the show and want more content, check out our £3.00 a month tier on Patreon where we release our end of season wrap shows and 2 reviews of brand new movies every month. Plus you'll get access to our back catalogue from 2023 onwards. Enjoy the show but can't support us financially? We get it. You could submit a review on the podcast player you're reading this on right now. Or if you listen on Spotify and you haven't given us a five-star rating yet, what are ye waiting for? It's easy. If you've done some or all of that and still want to do more, we would love it if you tell a friend about the show.   Or come find us on social media: Instagram | TikTok | Threads | YouTube

  5. Jun 15

    It Follows - S15 E119

    It Follows that we should probably talk about this movie before Dan stages a coup. We’re five episodes deep into our Liminal Spaces season, and Sarah has chosen David Robert Mitchell’s It Follows (2014). While Sarah has watched this enough times to be legally haunted, Dan is still convinced that a Detroit setting should automatically involve more OCP interference or at least a robot that can’t climb stairs. From the weird dreamlike vibes of the anachronistic production design to Disasterpeace’s unforgettable synth score, we’re asking the big questions: Is it about ghost crabs or just the inevitable, slow-walking march towards death? We also explore the cinema of the suburbs where Maika Monroe is often floating on water and Keir Gilchrest is always holding a beer. What to expect from this episode: Dan explains why his knowledge of Detroit begins and ends with Robocop and car manufacturing. Sarah breaks down why David Robert Mitchell used 360 degree pans to create a sense of hyper-alert horror. We debate if Maika Monroe’s character qualifies as a final girl. Chats around the anachronisms, including that legendary (and non-existent) electronic clam-shell phone. We discuss the real-life body found during location scouting that changed the productions plan. We ponder the potential sequel and whether it will go in a full Aliens style James Cameron direction. This season has eight episodes, concluding July 6th Would you like to see the full lineup for season 15? The only place you can see it is on Patreon but you don't need to be a paying member. Sign up for a free membership and get access to the lineup. If you're a fan of the show and want more content, check out our £3.00 a month tier on Patreon where we release our end of season wrap shows and 2 reviews of brand new movies every month. Plus you'll get access to our back catalogue from 2023 onwards. Enjoy the show but can't support us financially? We get it. You could submit a review on the podcast player you're reading this on right now. Or if you listen on Spotify and you haven't given us a five-star rating yet, what are ye waiting for? It's easy. If you've done some or all of that and still want to do more, we would love it if you tell a friend about the show.   Or come find us on social media: Instagram | TikTok | Threads | YouTube

  6. Jun 8

    Lost Highway - S15 E118

    We hope you don’t get lost on the highway to this episode because we’re taking a detour into the obtuse, dreamlike world of 90s cinema with David Lynch’s 1997 head-scratcher, Lost Highway. As the fourth entry in our Liminal Spaces season, we’re trying to figure out if we’re on a road to nowhere or just stuck in a psychogenic fugue state. To help us navigate this noir nightmare. We’ve bought back Jamie from the Final Transmission podcast! You might remember Jamie from his debut in our Season 4 episode about The Blair Witch Project, and he’s returned to help us solve a movie that even the director refuses to explain. We tackle the ethereal dualities of Patricia Arquette, wonder why Bill Pullman is so committed to strobe jazz sax solos, and witness the final, heartbreaking performance of Richard Pryor. We also dive into the horror of the Mystery Man played by Robert Blake, discuss the 90s movies trend of circular plagiarism, and finally address why Balthazar Getty has been a rising star since the Filofax era. Plus, Dan reveals his theory that the script was written by Barry Gibb and we explore the cinema of industrial soundtracks featuring Rammstein, Marilyn Manson and David Bowie. What to expect from the episode: We debate whether Fred Madison is the alpha or just a gut with a very overactive imagination. Jamie explains why this is his favourite Lynch film while Dan struggles to find any evidence of someone being kicked from the head or jumping onto a helicopter. We explore the theory that the entire movie was subconsciously inspired by the O.J. Simpson trial. Discussion around David Lynch’s big hat and megaphone approach to on-set social distancing. We investigate the vampiric makeup choices and the quintessentially noir lighting of Peter Deming. This season has eight episodes, concluding July 6th Would you like to see the full lineup for season 15? The only place you can see it is on Patreon but you don't need to be a paying member. Sign up for a free membership and get access to the lineup. If you're a fan of the show and want more content, check out our £3.00 a month tier on Patreon where we release our end of season wrap shows and 2 reviews of brand new movies every month. Plus you'll get access to our back catalogue from 2023 onwards. Enjoy the show but can't support us financially? We get it. You could submit a review on the podcast player you're reading this on right now. Or if you listen on Spotify and you haven't given us a five-star rating yet, what are ye waiting for? It's easy. If you've done some or all of that and still want to do more, we would love it if you tell a friend about the show.   Or come find us on social media: Instagram | TikTok | Threads | YouTube

  7. Jun 1

    Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975) - S15 E117

    We’re climbing back into the void for the third instalment of our Liminal Space season. After the chaotic vibes of last week, Sarah has led us into the hazy sun-drenched mystery of Peter Weir’s 1975 masterpiece, Picnic at Hanging Rock. It’s a film that defines Australian cinema and remains one of the most haunting pop-culture touchstones of the 1970s, even if Dan is convinced the titular landmark is a self-powered, solar-propelled magic rock with a hidden toaster outlet for your crumpets. We anchor ourselves into the cinema of Victorian repression, exploring how a group of schoolgirls from Appleyard College vanished on Valentine’s Day in 1900. Is the rock simply a geological wonder, or is it an ancient, cosmic horror entity capable of folding time and space? We discuss the ethereal atmosphere created by Weir and the legendary “great wig drama” involving a formidable Rachel Roberts. From Jackie Weaver’s flat cap adventure to the mystery of the 1900 era thin bananas, we’re leaving no stone unturned. What to expect from this episode: Sarah explains why this is the quintessential entry for our liminal space movies season. Dan reveals his theory about the rock being a self-powered solar panel for picnickers. A look at the tyrannical performance of Rachel Roberts and her refusal to look at her co-stars. We discuss the ethereal cinematography and framing. The mystery of the thin bananas and a tangent about why fruit was better in the good old days. Why an American distributor was so angry about the ending, he threw coffee at his TV. A breakdown of some of the deleted scenes from the theatrical cut and the motive behind Peter Weir’s directors cut. The secret clock-stopping powers of the book’s eccentric author. How a teenager almost made the movie before Patricia Lovell stepped in. Dan tries to reconcile if this is a Lovecraftian horror or just a very long afternoon without enough snacks. This season has eight episodes, concluding July 6th Would you like to see the full lineup for season 15? The only place you can see it is on Patreon but you don't need to be a paying member. Sign up for a free membership and get access to the lineup. If you're a fan of the show and want more content, check out our £3.00 a month tier on Patreon where we release our end of season wrap shows and 2 reviews of brand new movies every month. Plus you'll get access to our back catalogue from 2023 onwards. Enjoy the show but can't support us financially? We get it. You could submit a review on the podcast player you're reading this on right now. Or if you listen on Spotify and you haven't given us a five-star rating yet, what are ye waiting for? It's easy. If you've done some or all of that and still want to do more, we would love it if you tell a friend about the show.   Or come find us on social media: Instagram | TikTok | Threads | YouTube

  8. May 25

    Messiah of Evil - S15 E116

    Welcome back to the second stop on Sarah’s tour of liminal space movies, and this week we’re descending into the 1973 cult cinema classic, Messiah of Evil. It’s the film that sparked this entire season, and while it might have sat on a shelf for years, it’s currently having a bit of a second coming on the pod. We’re breaking down the dreamlike logic of Point Dune (formerly new Bethlehem) and exploring why this film feels so much like David Lynch’s style, even though it was hitting screens before Eraserhead was a glimmer in Lynch’s eye. We discuss directors Gloria Katz and Willard Huyck ambitious artistic vision and how editor Scott Conrad (of Rocky fame) managed to piece together such an atmospheric experience from a production that literally ran out of money. Beyond the hanging beds and important Mr Blobby tangents, we wade through the claret to get to the iconic supermarket scene to discuss the consumerist ghoul angle. Dan finds a rare moment of connection between the film’s hand-painted murals and his own Dad’s late-night black-tape art projects, while Sarah defends the Dick Smith neon-lurid blood recipe as peak 70s cinema aesthetic. What to expect in this episode: A breakdown of why Walter Hill’s throat-slitting open features the loudest shoe foley in the history of cinema. Sarah explains why the weird movies energy of Messiah of Evil was the specific catalyst for this entire season of liminal space movies. Dan reveals why he’d rather be watching Noel’s House Party. Discussion around the true liminal space horror of derelict theme parks and Mr Blobby World. The obvious but necessary comparisons to David Lynch. We explore the logistical genius of the hanging bed and why it’s the ultimate space-saver unless you live in the Sistine Chapel. Sarah geeks out over the peak 70s era production design, including the Michael Greer white suit and those polyamorous drifter arrangements. We suggest which scenes would have been improved with swapping characters out for clones of Noel Edmunds in a Mr Blobby costume. This season has eight episodes, concluding July 6th Would you like to see the full lineup for season 15? The only place you can see it is on Patreon but you don't need to be a paying member. Sign up for a free membership and get access to the lineup. If you're a fan of the show and want more content, check out our £3.00 a month tier on Patreon where we release our end of season wrap shows and 2 reviews of brand new movies every month. Plus you'll get access to our back catalogue from 2023 onwards. Enjoy the show but can't support us financially? We get it. You could submit a review on the podcast player you're reading this on right now. Or if you listen on Spotify and you haven't given us a five-star rating yet, what are ye waiting for? It's easy. If you've done some or all of that and still want to do more, we would love it if you tell a friend about the show.   Or come find us on social media: Instagram | TikTok | Threads | YouTube

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About

Welcome to Shoot The Hostage with Sarah & Dan - the movie podcast where we pick one movie at a time and take a deep dive into anything and everything we can. Each season, we dive into a new theme which we take turns in choosing. We tend to choose a diverse pick of films for each season, trying our best to cover different genres & themes. If you’re in the market for a movie podcast with hosts that don’t take themselves too seriously and love films just as much as you, then head over. Take your shoes off and come on in.

Information

  • Creator
    Shoot The Hostage Podcast
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    171
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Shoot The Hostage

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