Best Ben Phillips And Matt Waters Podcasts (2025)

1
The Taste of Things 53:25

Play Pause

6d ago53:25

53:25

Demonstrating why they don't generally record at night, Ben & Matt have gone pretty insane in this episode as they give the world's worst descriptions of Cannes and how to eat Ortolans. Whatever, man, I got hungry just writing the caption.

1
Past Lives 1:05:09

13d ago1:05:09

1:05:09

Fire up your preferred Skype machine and join us for a discussion of in-yan, yearning and immigration questions. Is Matt projecting? Who won Benjis? Come find out! Hey maybe you used to be the podcaster and WE were the listeners! Ignore the fact podcasting was invented in our lifetime.

1
Decision to Leave 1:20:39

20d ago1:20:39

1:20:39

For the first time in the history of the podcast Matt took zero notes and tried to match Ben's 'off the dome' acumen... and he simply could not have picked a worse episode given the various twists and turns at play in this Korean detective tale. Open up your translator apps, takes some voice notes on your smart watch and lets climb the expert route…

1
The Northman 1:12:34

27d ago1:12:34

1:12:34

You think you know The Lion King? You know nothing of The Lion King. Oh, sorry, Hamlet. You know nothing of Hamlet. Crawl into our weird shamanic chamber, start howling like a wolf, and learn all about Olde English Oral Tradition, Bjork's film career and of course unique Icelandic apps.

1
The Batman 2:06:14

1M ago2:06:14

2:06:14

It seems Matt truly can just have everything he wants as he follows up on his most controversial selection ever last week with truly exhaustive detail on The Batman, resulting in one of our longest episodes ever. Sorry, Ben. This is a first for this particular podcast, which used to have a 'No Capes' rule, but we tossed most of these restrictions o…

1
The Harder They Fall 1:00:43

1M ago1:00:43

1:00:43

The tradition continues as Matt brings his annual eyebrow raising pick for Ben to politely tear apart. That's right it's time to talk the Netflixification of film, why everyone is so clean and what the heck has happened to most of these actors' careers as we talk The Harder They Fall.

1
The Last Duel 1:11:50

2M ago1:11:50

1:11:50

Come and listen to two idiots locked in a life-long grudge talking about two idiots with a life-long grudge. Who's to say which pair are less qualified to talk about the subject matter, really? At least there's insane costuming and accent choices to lighten the tone!

1
The Worst Person in the World 1:08:06

2M ago1:08:06

1:08:06

Players of 'Stuff Matt Likes in Movies Bingo' should have their cards at the ready as we head to Norway to experience some deep Millennial Malaise. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll hear about The Benjis.

1
I'm Thinking of Ending Things 1:16:05

2M ago1:16:05

1:16:05

Make sure your seatbelts are fastened because it's time for 40 minutes of uncomfortable car journeys, rapidly-changing hobbies, ice cream in the snow and of course a great deal of allegorical discourse. Never change, Charlie Kaufman.

1
Tenet 1:25:44

2M ago1:25:44

1:25:44

We're back baby! We simply couldn't wait to start talking about the 2020s so decided to launch Volume 5.1 to cover 2020-2024, starting with Christopher Nolan's brain-breaking Tenet. Does Matt even understand the film? Does he realise he keeps saying palomino? Is Princess Diana super tall in The Crown??? Find out now! Music courtesy of Goldblume…

1
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (aka The End) 1:42:30

2y ago1:42:30

1:42:30

Hey wait a minute, Guardians 3 wasn't the first MCU project of 2023, and it's not 2024 yet! Why is there a new episode of Marvellous Journey? Well imaginary listener who is unrealistically invested on our sporadic podcast, the answer is we're kiiiind of bringing the show to an end and decided to go out on a high note. We did still discuss the rest …

1
BoJack Horseman Season Six (Part Two) 1:24:21

2y ago1:24:21

1:24:21

BoJack's turned his life around and has finally found happiness and we're sure that won't immediately implode causing him to lose everything and everyone near and dear to him. No way! We debate if 'The View from Halfway Down' deserves its litany of plaudits, discuss how well they 'landed the plane' and wonder what the show might have looked like if…

1
BoJack Horseman Season Six (Part One) 1:12:27

2y ago1:12:27

1:12:27

They released it in two parts, so we're talkin' about it in two parts. Deal with it! BoJack is in rehab, Diane is in Chicago, Mr Peanutbutter is in hot water of his own making and Princess Carolyn is really not doing so well juggling work and her new child. Plus Todd's complicated family dynamic is at least revealed. Is the part one/part two thing …

1
BoJack Horseman Season Five 1:29:28

2y ago1:29:28

1:29:28

Bojack has landed the lead role in WhatTimeIsItRightNow.Com's prestige TV drama, Philbert, but it turns out a chaotic production and prescription pain pills aren't good for a drug addict with an extensive history of Terrible Deeds. Elsewhere, Diane and Mr. Peanutbutter respond to their break-up in very different ways, Princess Carolyn is desperatel…

1
BoJack Horseman Season Four 1:19:56

2y ago1:19:56

1:19:56

BoJack has a daughter?!? Ruh-roh! Unpacking some secret Horseman family history definitely won't unleash new levels of trauma on our cast! Probably... Maybe.... Hmm.... Meanwhile Mr. Peanutbutter is running for Governor of California, Diane is struggling with her thoughts (and prayers), Princess Carolyn has some big family and career decisions to m…

1
BoJack Horseman Season Three 1:10:54

2y ago1:10:54

1:10:54

All aboard the Oscar Train, because against all odds BoJack is in the running for Best Actor! We meet his ruthless publicist, Ana Spanakopita, Todd's ex-girlfriend, Emily, Princess Carolyn's new boyfriend, Ralph, and the enigmatic Cuddlywhiskers. Some minor disagreement when comparing Seasons 2 and 3, but as always we select our two favourite episo…

1
BoJack Horseman Season Two 1:03:38

2y ago1:03:38

1:03:38

BoJack's book is a hit, and so is this podcast! Okay one of those things is true. BoJack films his dream movie, Mr. Peanutbutter has a new hit show, Diane takes down a beloved public figure, Princess Carolyn starts her own agency and Todd wins big in copyright court. We break down the new recurring characters and surprisingly big name cameos, Ben t…

1
BoJack Horseman Season One 1:11:12

2y ago1:11:12

1:11:12

For years Ben & Matt's podcasting White Whale has been BoJack Horseman and now it's finally time to get stuck in as they introduce the show in general and break down Season One. We meet our core cast, establish some regular segments, discuss how long it takes to get into the debut season and get into our favourite episode... which may be a surprise…

1
Lost Light: Cancelled Plans & Alternate Ending 48:27

2y ago48:27

48:27

On the day of their interview with James Roberts, Matt discovered he'd been sitting on a goldmine of juicy secrets concerning original plans for Lost Light. With James' blessing, we're breaking them down now. From minor tidbits to major revelations, we pull back the curtain a little on what might have been had Lost Light not been cut short. Plus so…

1
Interview with James Roberts 1:01:51

2y ago1:01:51

1:01:51

After dissecting his books for 14 weeks, Ben & Matt had the privilege of sitting down with James Roberts to discuss all things More Than Meets The Eye/Lost Light. From the origins of his Transformers fandom (and how it differs from Ben & Matt's!), to his influences when building the cast, to incredibly specific questions about Mnemosurgery and Empu…

1
Teaser (Subscribe now, episodes coming soon!) 0:46

2y ago0:46

0:46

Soooo the show doesn't actually start until November, but just in case you've found us via a plug from our other podcasts, we wanted you to be able to subscribe now wherever you get your podcasts, and then when we actually make the thing you're good to go! Bojack Podcast! One Season per Episode! Except the Final Season! Which is two episodes!!!…

1
Lost Light: Issues 13-25 2:15:46

2y ago2:15:46

2:15:46

Just because the crew of the Lost Light appear to be dead, doesn't mean this is the end! Death? Sparkeaters? Infinites? An Evil Alliance of Past Foes? A Planet-Sized Transformer? Unknowable Ancient Beings Trying to Eat the Universe? Pfft. How about a challenge next time?!? It's also NOT the end of this podcast, as next week we will be joined by Jam…

1
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts 1:30:01

2y ago1:30:01

1:30:01

At last the movie side of our journey has come to an end as Matt finally watches Rise of the Beasts. We discuss the awkward fit of the Maximals into what is clearly a soft Transformers reboot... or should that be the awkward fit of the Transformers into what is clearly a Beast Wars movie? Plus mileage on Pete Davidson, some sad Peter Cullen truths,…

1
Lost Light: Issues 1-12 2:00:33

2+ y ago2:00:33

2:00:33

New Name! New Issue 1! Same old lovable crew! We discuss why Rodimus is purple now, whacky adventures in a parallel universe, IDW's controversial history with gender in Transformers, the nature of grief, and a much-lauded mutiny. Outro music: ‘This Is Why We Fight’ (The Decemberists Cover) – Saskia Parks Homework Next Week: Transformers: Rise of th…

1
Bumblebee 1:22:14

2+ y ago1:22:14

1:22:14

For ten weeks we have suffered, but at long last it's time for an Actually Good movie! We could tell you about our discussion of Travis Knight's rap career, the much-lauded opening, the best human character in the series, our mildly heated 80s nostalgia debate and how much they get out of no-name villains... But really, The Thing Is... He's Just A …

1
More Than Meets The Eye: Issues 45-55 1:42:28

2+ y ago1:42:28

1:42:28

The end is in sight as we discuss the final issues of More Than Meets The Eye ahead of its revamp. Don't let that knowledge take the drama out of the crew's impending death though! Love Triangles, Big Returns, Long Term Continuity and Cute Animals with Dark Pasts... truly this episode has it all! Outro music: ‘This Is Why We Fight’ (The Decemberist…

1
Transformers: The Last Knight 1:46:05

2+ y ago1:46:05

1:46:05

It took 9 weeks, but Ben & Matt finally disagree about the quality of a movie. For Matt, The Last Knight is one of the worst things he has ever seen in his entire life and potentially permanently altered his brain chemistry. Ben contends that while it's bad, it's not only not the worst Transformers movie, but not even the second worst! They discuss…

1
More Than Meets The Eye: Issues 34-44 1:47:46

2+ y ago1:47:46

1:47:46

In which we discuss The Ethics of Withholding Medical Treatment, The Ethics of Killing Baby Robot Hitler, The Ethics of Charisma Parasites, The Ethics of Dated Sitcoms, and the Ethics of War (As Expressed Through Flowers) Plus Ben tries to break Matt by mentioning too many characters from books we aren't reading, and it works better than he could h…

1
Transformers: Age of Extinction 1:29:36

2+ y ago1:29:36

1:29:36

Time to dust off one of our favourite debates on this podcast network: Is it worse to be Boring or Bad? Michael Bay submits his evidence to the latest hearing, Age of Extinction, which literally has another movie tacked onto the back of it. Hard to believe a movie could be Bad OR Boring when it features Dinobots, Bounty Hunters and Stanley Tucci, b…

1
More Than Meets The Eye: Issues 17-33 1:45:46

2+ y ago1:45:46

1:45:46

Be not afraid of the huge number of issues covered in this episode, as a big chunk of it belongs to Dark Cybertron, the mostly irrelevant crossover event we break down in under 10 minutes. On either side of that we discuss Huge Secrets about Magnus & Skids, Pharma's horrifying antics, a mockery of a trial, the Lost Light's new crew members, and the…

1
Transformers: Dark of the Moon 1:20:17

2+ y ago1:20:17

1:20:17

In which we discuss Shockwave's cool pet drill, the height of 3D filmmaking, the courting of major name supporting actors, gay panic with Dr Ken, juggling villains, and the ups and downs of The Battle of Chicago. (Yes, Matt said 'Episode 4' at the start by accident. Sorry!) Next Week: Issues 17-33 of MTMTE (you can skip Dark Cybertron) Two Weeks: A…

1
More Than Meets The Eye: Issues 9-16 & 2012 Annual 2:11:44

2+ y ago2:11:44

2:11:44

We continue our adventures aboard the Lost Light with some Big Name Cameos, history lessons, dramatic countdowns (and ups), an ill-advised night on the town and the monster in the basement finally gets loose. Homework Next Week: Dark of the Moon Two Weeks: Issues 17-33 (But feel free to skip Dark Cybertron!)…

1
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen 1:24:07

2+ y ago1:24:07

1:24:07

In which we discuss embarrassing reviews from their younger selves, the 2008 writers strike's impact on one of the worst major movies ever released, Michael Bay Unchained, giant robot balls and of course a Magic Sock Full of Matrix Dust.By Matt Waters & Ben Phillips

1
More Than Meets the Eye: Issues 1-8 1:29:41

2+ y ago1:29:41

1:29:41

It's our first episode covering the acclaimed IDW Transformers series, More Than Meets the Eye, by James Roberts. We discuss the core cast, pacing difficulties, horror monsters, Star Trek away missions, the Worst Decepticons in the World and what Ben believes to be the book's greatest triumph. For those listening along who have never read the book …

1
Transformers (2007) 1:14:49

2+ y ago1:14:49

1:14:49

In which we discuss the seeming improbability of Michael Bay agreeing to helm this franchise, everything revolving around a horny teenager, characters arriving in pairs, deploying Megatron so late and Matt's potentially controversial take on the best handling of a Transformer in a Michael Bay movie. For those wanting to read and/or watch along, nex…

1
Introductions 26:30

2+ y ago26:30

26:30

In this introductory mini-episode, Ben & Matt talk through their mission statement for the podcast as well as their history with the Transformers franchise. If you'd like to watch and read along with us then you need to watch Transformers (2007) before the next episode, and read More Than Meets the Eye Issues 1-8 for Episode 2. Essential Transforme…

1
'All-Marvel List' Updates 39:17

2+ y ago39:17

39:17

Hey, you know that segment we do at the end of every episode where we debate if an actor belongs on our list of top performances? And you know how we never actually read the list out anymore because it's become too long? And you know how we've ended up with a BUNCH of spare picks this year? Well, it's time for some tidying up!…

1
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever 1:30:59

2+ y ago1:30:59

1:30:59

In which we discuss Ryan Coogler trying to thread one of the most difficult needles in recent film history, annoying white people, the degree to which the supporting cast stepped up to fill a tragic void, and Tenoch 'Too Big' Huerta.By Ben Phillips & Matt Waters

1
Werewolf by Night 1:06:52

2+ y ago1:06:52

1:06:52

In which we discuss Marvel's first 'Special', the complex comic history of two relatively obscure characters, commitment to the genre and get into an intense debate about whether Gael Garcia Bernal belongs on our All-Marvel list. Plus Ben REALLY wants you to read Nextwave.By Ben Phillips & Matt Waters

1
She-Hulk: Attorney At Law 1:18:24

2+ y ago1:18:24

1:18:24

In which we discuss the internet's favourite MCU show, Marvel's struggles with commitment to a genre, yet more dodgy CGI, the great version of this show hiding within and of course everyone's favourite horn-head (now with extra emphasis on the horn).By Ben Phillips & Matt Waters

1
Thor: Love & Thunder 1:14:36

2+ y ago1:14:36

1:14:36

In which we discuss how things could change so dramatically when running it back with the same creative vision, the transparency of Marvel making things up as they go, the ongoing visual effects crisis, whether Christian Bale deserves an All-Marvel nod and the awkward fit of trying to tell two stories in one.…

1
Ms. Marvel 1:14:52

2+ y ago1:14:52

1:14:52

In which we discuss the monumental shift in how television works over the last 15 years, the twisty turny creator intent for Kamala Khan, the ways in which Marvel can't help but meddle with a good thing, and sing the praises of Iman Vellani.By Ben Phillips & Matt Waters

1
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness 1:21:26

3y ago1:21:26

1:21:26

Bouncing back from all the negativity that comes with Moon Knight, Ben & Matt are thrilled to be in more positive territory again as they step into Sam Raimi's Multiverse of Madness. We discuss the troubled production, Raimi's return to the directing chair, the elaborate comic book inspirations, how it does (and doesn't) tie into WandaVision and Lo…

1
Moon Knight 1:37:34

3y ago1:37:34

1:37:34

Ben & Matt are back for another year and the vibes are absolutely rancid as they're forced to pick the bones of Moon Knight once again. From their love of the character in the comics to the production's many baffling decisions, it's a pretty intense episode for sure... Welcome back everyone!By Ben Phillips & Matt Waters

1
MCU Phase 4 Rankings (Crossover with The Superhero Pantheon) 2:24:17

3y ago2:24:17

2:24:17

It's time once again for The Reel World's two superhero podcasts to cross the streams, as Ben, Matt, Jerome & Brian break down Phase 4 of the MCU and answer some burning questions.Plus the ever-chaotic combined rankings of every movie and show. Enjoy the madness!By Ben Phillips & Matt Waters

1
When Harry Met Sally 1:32:30

3y ago1:32:30

1:32:30

In an effort to go out with a bang, Ben and Matt recorded in person for the first time and invited a special guest in the form of Ben's partner Alex, leading to some fun bickering about When Harry Met Sally. Music courtesy of GoldblumeBy Ben Phillips & Matt Waters

1
Do The Right Thing 1:16:23

3y ago1:16:23

1:16:23

Naturally one of the most important movies about racism in America requires deep discussion of how IMDb works, sneaker culture and villains of the Far Cry games... Music courtesy of GoldblumeBy Ben Phillips & Matt Waters

1
Mystic Pizza 1:02:39

3y ago1:02:39

1:02:39

What's the bigger mystery here: How this movie ended up on our Best of the 80s list, or what the heck these spices from the Algarve could possibly be? We can only answer one of them for you! Music courtesy of GoldblumeBy Ben Phillips & Matt Waters

1
Midnight Run 1:13:42

3y ago1:13:42

1:13:42

Somewhere in amidst this thorough examination of American financial systems, European travel and outdated dollar denominations there's some chat about Midnight Run, we promise. Music courtesy of GoldblumeBy Ben Phillips & Matt Waters

1
Die Hard 1:08:57

3y ago1:08:57

1:08:57

The Christmas Season can officially kick off because it's Die Hard time, and you've never heard Matt so excited. Lets talk set design, 80s henchmen, Alan Rickman's devastating good looks and obviously Circle Theory. Music courtesy of GoldblumeBy Ben Phillips & Matt Waters