Advertise on podcast: Cage Fighting: Cruise Control

This week Andy, Ash, Stu and Ed dive into Pootie Tang (2001), the cult comedy so strange it barely seems real. Born from a sketch-show character and directed by a pre-fame Louis C.K., the film follows a hero so cool he speaks almost entirely in his own language. The lads discuss blaxploitation influences, corporate satire, Jennifer Coolidge, studio interference, and whether Pootie Tang is a forgotten comic masterpiece or simply eighty minutes of glorious nonsense. More importantly, can a film this ridiculous still be genuinely funny twenty-five years later? The Short Short Film Film Review tackles Long Pork (2025), a dark dystopian short starring Lena Headey. Set in a future where politics, morality and punishment collide in deeply uncomfortable ways, the film sparks discussion about its controversial themes, stunning performances, unsettling imagery, and whether its message overwhelms the story itself. Disturbing, provocative and unexpectedly gripping, it proves once again that some of the most memorable filmmaking is happening far away from Hollywood. Finally, the Cruise Cruise reaches Valkyrie (2008). Tom Cruise dons an eye patch and attempts to change the course of history as Claus von Stauffenberg, the German officer at the heart of the failed plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler. Featuring an impressive ensemble cast and based on extraordinary real events, the film should have all the ingredients of a great historical thriller. So why did it leave the lads so cold? They discuss Bryan Singer's direction, the challenge of building suspense around a story everyone knows the ending to, and whether Cruise ever truly disappears into the role. Of course, no discussion of 2008 Tom Cruise would be complete without another trip into Scientology Watch. This week it's The Hole, the alleged Scientology punishment facility where senior executives reportedly found themselves sleeping on floors, enduring humiliation rituals, and, according to former insiders, competing in games of musical chairs to Bohemian Rhapsody. It's one of the strangest stories we've covered so far and the moment criticism of Scientology began coming from inside the organisation itself. With the usual blend of cult comedies, dystopian nightmares, failed assassinations, bizarre religions, movie star obsession, and Tom Cruise, it's time once again to take Cruise Control. 📲 Socials: @CageFightingPod Use the special link (cagefighting) to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan.

Kevin Smith's controversial religious comedy returns to the spotlight as Andy, Ash, Stu and Ed dive into Dogma (1999). With fallen angels, Alan Rickman, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Jay and Silent Bob, and one of the strangest studio stories of the 1990s, the lads discuss whether Dogma deserves its reputation as a cult classic, why it remains frustratingly difficult to find, and whether its debate about faith, belief and organised religion feels even more relevant today. The Short Short Film Film Review heads to France with Horatio⁠, a dark animated short that left the team scratching their heads, debating its meaning, and wondering exactly what happened after the credits rolled. Disturbing, thought-provoking and surprisingly memorable, it's another fascinating addition to the growing short film library. Finally, the Cruise Cruise reaches Tropic Thunder (2008). Ben Stiller directs a Hollywood satire packed with explosions, ego, movie stars and chaos, while Robert Downey Jr. delivers one of the most talked-about performances of his career. But for once, it's Tom Cruise who steals the spotlight. The lads discuss Les Grossman, giant prosthetic hands, studio executives, divisive comedy, and whether Tropic Thunder deserves its reputation as one of the defining comedies of the 2000s. Of course, no discussion of 2008 Tom Cruise would be complete without another trip into Scientology Watch. This week it's Tom Cruise, Anonymous, and the leaked Scientology video that accidentally triggered one of the first truly global internet protest movements. Guy Fawkes masks, viral videos, online chaos, and a confrontation between the Church of Scientology and an internet that had discovered it didn't like being told what it could and couldn't watch. With the usual blend of cult films, controversial comedies, internet rebellions, giant hands, fallen angels, and movie star madness, it's time once again to take Cruise Control. 📲 Socials: @CageFightingPodUse the special link (cagefighting) to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan.

The Trick 'r Treat season begins, and Ash has brought a gift for the lads. Unfortunately, it's Foodfight!. Often described as one of the worst animated films ever made, the gang dive into a production that spent more than a decade in development hell before finally emerging as a baffling mix of product mascots, questionable humour, terrible animation, and decisions that somehow become more confusing the longer you think about them. Is this genuinely the worst animated film ever made, or has its legendary reputation finally eclipsed the reality? The Short Short Film Film Review takes a very different turn with Paper Ghosts, the micro-budget short from director Vivek Pranavamurthi. Running for less than two minutes, this tiny film about grief, love, loss and acceptance sparks a surprisingly heartfelt discussion about visual storytelling, restraint, and how a film made for less than the price of a night out can sometimes leave a bigger impact than a Hollywood blockbuster. Finally, the Cruise Cruise continues with Lions for Lambs (2007). Tom Cruise steps away from action heroics to sit opposite Meryl Streep and debate politics, war, responsibility and the state of modern America. The performances are strong, the cast is packed with talent, but does Robert Redford's political drama actually have anything to say beneath all the talking? Of course, no journey through 2000s Tom Cruise would be complete without another visit to Scientology Watch. This week we explore The Disappearance of Shelly Miscavige. Once a prominent figure within Scientology, the wife of church leader David Miscavige seemingly vanished from public life, creating one of the most enduring and unsettling mysteries surrounding the organisation. Is there a simple explanation, or is this one of the strangest stories we've covered so far? With the usual blend of terrible films, thoughtful shorts, political dramas, conspiracy theories, cult weirdness, and Tom Cruise, it's time once again to take Cruise Control. 📲 Socials: @CageFightingPod Use the special link (cagefighting) to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan.

The Summer of 2026 may be over, but Winter is Coming. This week Andy, Ash, Stu and Ed look ahead to the biggest films and TV shows arriving between October 2026 and January 2027. From Tom Cruise's mysterious next project Digger!, to Clayface, Crystal Lake, Godzilla Minus Zero, Blade Runner 2099, Dune: Part Three, Harry Potter, The Beekeeper 2 and much more, the lads ask what should be on your watchlist, what's destined to disappoint, and what could become the next big surprise hit. The Short Short Film Film Review returns with Laura Living Backwards, the award-winning Midlands-made sci-fi short from Kate Horlor. With an ingenious time-travel concept, a fantastic lead performance from Sarah Feltham, and enough ideas to embarrass most modern Doctor Who episodes, the team discuss why this tiny production has left such a big impression. Finally, the Cruise Cruise reaches Mission: Impossible III (2006). Tom Cruise recruits TV wunderkind J.J. Abrams, Philip Seymour Hoffman delivers one of the most chilling villains of the 2000s, and Ethan Hunt attempts the most impossible mission of all: settling down and living a normal life. Of course, no discussion of 2006 Tom Cruise would be complete without another trip into Scientology Watch. This week it's South Park vs Scientology. Xenu goes mainstream, Tom Cruise becomes a cartoon punchline, Suri is born, Paramount loses patience, and the Church discovers something more dangerous than government investigators, journalists, or rival religions: A joke. With the usual blend of blockbusters, nonsense, cults, time travel, impossible missions, and animated character assassinations, it's time once again to take Cruise Control. 📲 Socials: @CageFightingPod Use the special link (cagefighting) to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan.

The Return of the Summer Smash. Part two of our Summer Review sees Andy, Ash, Stu, and Ed wrap up their look back at the record-breaking Summer of 2026. With July and Augustdelivering the season's heaviest of heavy-hitters; The Odyssey, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, surprise successes, disappointments, horror hits, and the films that helped turn a strong summer into one of the biggest box-office stories in modern cinema. The question remains: did Summer 2026 prove audiences still want the big-screen experience?   The Short Short Film Film Review heads back to where it all began with Amblin', the low-budget short film that launched the career of a young filmmaker named Steven Spielberg. Long before the sharks, dinosaurs, aliens and archaeologists, there was a desert road trip, a guitar case, and a glimpse of one of cinema's future giants finding his voice.   Finally, the Cruise Cruise rolls straight into our Spielberg double-bill, as Tom reunites with Steve in an alien invasion epic, as we talk all things War of the Worlds (2005). Giant tripods. Panicked crowds. Dakota Fanning screaming at frequencies normally reserved for military sonar. Between Spielberg's relentless direction, one of Cruise's most intense performances, and a post-9/11 blockbuster packed with anxiety, fear, and spectacle, the lads ask whether this is one of the most underrated science-fiction films of the 2000s.   Of course, no discussion of 2005 Tom Cruise would be complete without a trip through Scientology Watch, and this is a PRIME CRUISE MADNESS tale! With the usual blend of silliness, seriousness, alien invasions, and existential panic, it's time once again to take Cruise Control.   📲 Socials: @CageFightingPod Use the special link (cagefighting) to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan.

Summer 2026: The Cinema Strikes Back (Part 1) This week Andy, Ash, Stu, and Ed begin their look back at the record-breaking Summer of 2026, breaking down the biggest hits, surprise successes, spectacular failures, and the films that kept audiences piling into cinemas all season long. In Part 1, the lads tackle May and June, from billion-dollar blockbusters and breakout horror hits to forgotten curios and expensive disappointments, asking whether this was the summer Hollywood finally remembered how to make people leave the house. The Short Short Film Film Review takes aim at the viral relationship comedy It's Not About The Nail, a deceptively simple short that asks one of life's most important questions: are people looking for solutions, or do they just want somebody to listen? Finally, the Cruise Cruise rolls into the gorgeously neon-soaked streets of Los Angeles as Tom Cruise swaps heroics for homicide in Collateral. Grey hair. Sharp suits. Deadly precision. Cruise delivers one of the most surprising performances of his career as Vincent, a contract killer who turns an ordinary taxi ride into a nightmare. Between Jamie Foxx's breakout dramatic performance, Michael Mann's hypnotic vision of LA, and one of the coolest movie villains of the 21st century, the lads ask whether this might actually be Cruise at his very best. With the usual blend of silliness, seriousness, and another alarming instalment of Scientology Watch, it's time once again to take Cruise Control. 📲 Socials: @CageFightingPod Use the special link (cagefighting) to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan.

We started the month in 2001, before moving on 1 year later, and now we're doing 15 years later as ya boys delve into Summer 2016. Andy, Ash, and Stu unpack a season where Hollywood went all‑in on IP. With Civil War dominating the box office, Suicide Squad imploding in real time, Finding Dory and The Jungle Book battling for family supremacy, and Ghostbusters, Bourne, X‑Men, Star Trek, and Independence Day all fighting to stay relevant, the lads explore a summer defined by franchise fatigue, universe‑building desperation, and the moment everything became a brand. This week’s Short Short Film Film Review tackles OCD, Steven Ogg’s jagged, claustrophobic descent into compulsion and ritual, powered by one of the most feral performances of the decade. Finally, the Cruise cruise rides into The Last Samurai, a sweeping, blood‑and‑honour epic that finds Tom Cruise at his most earnest and transformative. Between Meiji‑era upheaval, prestige‑era ambition, and the ever‑important Scientology Watch check‑in, the lads ask whether this is Cruise’s most soulful turn — or simply the moment Hollywood decided he could carry an entire civilisation on his back. With the usual blend of silliness, seriousness, and three‑man chaos, it’s time once again to take Cruise Control. 📲 Socials: @CageFightingPodUse the special link (cagefighting) to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan.

The Millennial Moment rolls forward as Andy, Ash, and Stu regroup to examine the first post‑9/11 summer slate — Summer 2002, a season where Hollywood found itself blinking into a new world and trying to figure out what blockbuster filmmaking even looked like anymore. From tonal pivots to unexpected genre swings, the lads dig into how studios adapted, how themes evolved, and what took hold as the industry recalibrated in real time. This week’s Short Short Film Film Review rewinds all the way to the 1930s with Who Killed Rover?, a bizarre, proto‑noir curiosity that blends stiff‑upper‑lip melodrama with accidental absurdity. It’s creaky, strange, and unintentionally hilarious — the kind of archival oddity that leaves the boys wondering whether early cinema was secretly funnier than it ever meant to be. Finally, the Cruise cruise swerves into full pop‑culture parody territory as the lads revisit Austin Powers in Goldmember. Dutch villains, disco‑era nonsense, celebrity cameos, and Mike Myers firing jokes at a rate no human could reasonably absorb collide with Tom Cruise’s unforgettable cameo. Between the early‑2000s comedy boom, the meta‑celebrity chaos, and the ever‑important Scientology Watch check‑in, the lads ask the big question: is this Cruise’s strangest detour, or simply the moment Hollywood realised he could be funny on purpose? With the usual blend of silliness, seriousness, and three‑man chaos, it’s time once again to take Cruise Control. 📲 Socials: @CageFightingPodUse the special link (cagefighting) to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan.

Summer 2001’s Silver Anniversary celebration kicks into full swing as the Fab Four — Andy, Ash, Ed, and Stu — reunite for a sun‑soaked, nostalgia‑drunk march through one of the strangest, most transitional seasons in blockbuster history. From the dying glow of pre‑franchise Hollywood to the first rumblings of the IP‑driven future, the lads dig into what made Summer ’01 such a peculiar cultural crossroads and why its films still echo through the multiplexes today. This week’s Short Short Film Film Review spotlights Charlie Kaufman’s How to Shoot a Ghost, a surreal, melancholic, and quietly deranged miniature about grief, hauntings, and the impossible etiquette of dealing with the dead. It’s slippery, funny, and unmistakably Kaufman — a spectral how‑to guide that leaves the boys wondering whether the ghost is the problem, or whether the living are far worse. Finally, the Cruise cruise barrels forward into the neon‑blue, pre‑cog‑powered paranoia of Minority Report. Futurist tech, spider‑bots, milk‑bath visions, and Spielbergian momentum collide as Tom Cruise sprints through a world determined to arrest him for a crime he hasn’t committed yet. Between the philosophical tangles of free will, the early‑2000s tech prophecy, and the ever‑important Scientology Watch check‑in, the lads ask the big question: is this Cruise’s most finely tuned blockbuster performance, or simply the moment Spielberg weaponised Tom’s run for maximum cinematic impact? With the usual blend of silliness, seriousness, and four‑man chaos, it’s time once again to take Cruise Control. 📲 Socials: @CageFightingPodUse the special link (cagefighting) to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan.

The Nolan celebration reaches fever pitch this week as Andy, Ash, and Stu assemble for a monumental, film-by-film march through Christopher Nolan’s entire filmography. From the micro-budget ingenuity of Following to the existential quantum puzzles of Interstellar and the historical weight of Oppenheimer, the boys untangle non-linear timelines, spatial architecture, and Nolan’s relentless obsession with men trapped inside their own minds. Plus, the trio swing into the web-slinging world to deliver their full review of Spider-Man: Brand New Day. This week’s Short Short Film Film Review spotlights A Teachable Lesson (2016), a darkly absurd and razor-sharp short following a gunshot victim bleeding out by the side of the road, only for a passing mother to hijack his final moments as an unhinged life lesson for her six-year-old son. It’s pitch-black, uncomfortable, and brilliantly executed, turning a gruesome roadside emergency into a masterclass in parenting gone completely off the rails. Finally, the Cruise cruise sails straight into a waking nightmare as the lads wake up inside Cameron Crowe’s Vanilla Sky (2001). Masked pop-star vanity, fractured realities, and A-list existential dread collide as Tom faces off against his own movie-star image. Between evaluating the Cruise-Cruz chemistry and peeling back the real-world 2001 Church handlers hovering over the set, the boys ask the ultimate question: is this Cruise’s boldest risk, or just high-budget Hollywood self-indulgence? With the usual blend of silliness, seriousness, and a crucial Scientology Watch check-in, it’s time once again to take Cruise Control. 📲 Socials: @CageFightingPod Use the special link (cagefighting) to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan.

The Christopher Nolan celebration march barrels forward as Andy and Ash dive headfirst into the director’s colossal new behemoth, The Odyssey — a film so dense, so operatic, and so cosmically wound that even the lads need a breather before tackling its temporal labyrinths. Thankfully, the Cagey Awards return to bring some ’90s Cruise clarity, as the boys start charting Tom’s evolution from Hollywood’s golden boy to full‑tilt blockbuster deity. This week’s Short Short Film Film Review spotlights Finding Daddy, a darkly funny, sharply observed short about two sisters confronting their estranged father after discovering his sleazy sugar‑daddy persona online. It’s messy, lived‑in, and balances bleak realism with a strangely triumphant edge, as the girls wrestle with the gap between the dad they imagined and the one they actually get. Finally, the Cruise cruise hits choppy waters — and then fully runs aground — as the lads confront Mission: Impossible II. Doves, leather jackets, slow‑motion gunplay, and an entire ocean of Woo‑isms collide with Tom’s most chaotic franchise detour. Will Andy and Ash find hidden brilliance beneath the operatic nonsense, or does this mission simply self‑destruct? With the usual blend of silliness, seriousness, and a crucial Scientology Watch check‑in, it’s time once again to take Cruise Control. 📲 Socials: @CageFightingPodUse the special link (cagefighting) to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan.

The Christopher Nolan celebration march rolls on through July as the lads gather to talk a little more temporal architecture, before the Short Short Film Film Review takes a turn for the pitch-black and deeply uncomfortable. This week, we’re dissecting The Disappearance of Willie Bingham, a gruesome Australian short that takes a chilling, bureaucratic look at capital punishment. Will Andy, Ash, and Stu find a brilliant piece of speculative fiction, or will this escalating surgical nightmare leave them entirely squeamish? Then, the Cruise cruise drops anchor in the hyper-connected, emotionally raw valley of Paul Thomas Anderson’s Magnolia. Tom steps into the leather vest of Frank T.J. Mackey—a toxic, leather-clad, respect-the-c**k motivational guru that stands as arguably the most explosive, dick-obsessed role of his entire career. Your boys are diving deep into structural overlapping, torrential frogs, and whether Tom’s devastating breakdown by his father's bedside earns him the ultimate praise. With the usual blend of silliness, seriousness, and a highly necessary Scientology Watch check-in, it’s time once again to take Cruise Control. 📲 Socials: @CageFightingPodUse the special link (cagefighting) to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan.

Buckle up for our annual halftime review as Andy, Ash, and Stu take a scalpel to the first six months of 2026. From the catastrophic lets-downs that broke our hearts to the essential comedies actually worth your time—and the horror gems you desperately need on your radar—the lads are charting the highs, the lows, and everything in between from the year so far. To cleanse the palate, the Short Short Film Film Review kicks off a month-long celebration of Sir Christopher Nolan that will carry us all the way through July. We're dissecting Doodlebug, the gritty 1997 micro-short that launched us into the mind-bending filmography of cinema's favorite temporal architect to see where the magic truly began. Then, the Cruise cruise sails into arguably the most intense waters of Tom's career as we approach the end of the 90s with Stanley Kubrick's psychological labyrinth, Eyes Wide Shut. Masked rituals, marital paranoia, and meticulous direction. Will your boys find enlightenment in the shadows, or will this erotic thriller leave us completely cold? With the usual blend of silliness, seriousness, and a crucial Scientology Watch update, it’s time once again to take Cruise Control. 📲 Socials: @CageFightingPod Use the special link (cagefighting) to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan.

This week, the lads are stepping off the cinematic gas, cracking open the vinyl, and tuning into a completely different frequency. Matt is officially back in the hosting chair, sitting down with Andy for the very first MusiCast of 2026. Together, they’re digging into everything that’s been vibrating their eardrums so far this year, mapping out the highs and lows of the upcoming festival season, and dropping their latest music obsessions. Then, it’s time for a formal induction into the Cage Fighting Album Club. This week's honoree? BC Camplight’s 2005 indie-pop masterclass, Hide, Run Away. Will it get the unanimous thumbs up, or will the lads find themselves skipping tracks? Grab your headphones and find out. 📲 Socials: @CageFightingPod Use the special link (cagefighting) to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan.

Get ready for an emotional battering as Andy, Ash, Ed, and Stu dive head‑first into their Top 5 Moments That Broke Us — the scenes that shattered composure, cracked open chests, and left the lads staring into the middle distance wondering why cinema hurts this much. From gut‑punch revelations to quiet devastation, these are the moments that linger long after the credits roll. To soothe the collective trauma, the Short Short Film Film Review heads to Pixar territory with Small Fry, the Toy Story micro‑short that swaps existential collapse for fast‑food chaos, support‑group satire, and one very disgruntled Buzz Lightyear. Then the Cruise Cruise shifts back into full Hollywood charm offensive as the gang revisit Jerry Maguire. Contracts, conscience, Kwan, and one of the most quotable rom‑com‑sports‑drama hybrids ever made — will the lads still feel the magic, or does Jerry’s mission statement fall flat in 2024? With the usual blend of silliness, seriousness, and a crucial Scientology Watch update, it’s time once again to take Cruise Control. 📲 Socials: @CageFightingPod Use the special link (cagefighting) to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan.