Review It Yourself

About Review It Yourself

Film Reviews without the Faff! The podcast with the sigh, with Sean and Sarah. New episodes every Sunday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

Publisher

Review It Yourself

Category

tv & film · tv & film · tv & film

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

10 Oct 2021

Latest episode

1 Nov 2026

Latest episodes

438 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   1 Nov 2026

   Forrest Gump (1994) with Author Fraser McCallum and co-host Sarah

   Forrest Gump won six Oscars—but does it really deserve to be considered a classic? What do you really think of Forrest Gump? Is Tom Hanks' Oscar-winning performance enough to make it a classic, or has the reputation of Robert Zemeckis' 1994 film outgrown the movie itself? In this episode of Review It Yourself, Sean and Sarah are joined by returning guest Fraser McCallum, author of Cold War Britain: Fifty Years in the Shadow of the Bomb, for a lively, funny and occasionally brutal re-examination of one of the most famous films of the 1990s. Forrest Gump won six Academy Awards and became deeply embedded in popular culture, producing instantly recognisable moments, characters and phrases. But does it still work when viewed decades later? This time, the Review It Yourself team isn't simply asking whether Forrest Gump is entertaining. They're asking what the film is actually trying to say. Forrest Gump Revisited Sean, Sarah and Fraser discuss the film's enduring reputation, its place in 1990s American cinema and whether its cultural impact has helped turn it into something of a cinematic institution. The conversation explores: Tom Hanks' performance as Forrest Gump Whether Forrest Gump deserves its reputation as a classic The film's six Academy Award wins Forrest's relationship with Jenny Robin Wright's performance and Jenny's treatment by the story Forrest's passive approach to life and decision-making The film's complicated relationship with American history Vietnam, the military and Forrest's experiences in the army Elvis Presley and the film's use of historical footage The way Forrest is inserted into famous moments in history American identity and patriotism The film's soundtrack and use of popular culture The contrast between Forrest and Jenny's lives Whether the film encourages audiences to think—or deliberately avoids asking too many difficult questions The difference between watching Forrest Gump as a child and watching it as an adult Why the mid-1990s produced so many memorable American films Whether Forrest Gump stands alongside films such as Pulp Fiction, The Shawshank Redemption and Heat One of the biggest discussions centres on Jenny. Rather than accepting the film's portrayal at face value, the conversation asks whether Jenny is actually one of the more interesting characters—and whether a film following Jenny's life rather than Forrest's might have been a much more compelling story. The episode also considers the unusual way Forrest Gump mixes comedy, romance, tragedy, American history and nostalgia, often without stopping to examine the contradictions created by doing so. Fraser McCallum – Author of Cold War Britain Fraser McCallum returns to Review It Yourself as the author of Cold War Britain: Fifty Years in the Shadow of the Bomb. Cold War Britain: Fifty Years in the Shadow of the Bomb is available through bookshops and the Imperial War Museum's online shop. Buy or find out more about Cold War Britain at the Imperial War Museum Shop (https://shop.iwm.org.uk/products/cold-war-britain-fifty-years-in-the-shadow-of-the-bomb?utm_source=chatgpt.com) You can also follow Fraser McCallum on social media: Instagram: @fraser_mcca11um on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/fraser_mcca11um/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) Threads: @fraser_mcca11um on Threads (https://www.threads.net/@fraser_mcca11um?utm_source=chatgpt.com) Listen, Follow & Contact Review It Yourself Enjoying the discussion? Follow Review It Yourself so you don't miss future episodes covering films, television, books and popular culture. Instagram: @reviewityourselfpodcast2021 (https://www.instagram.com/reviewityourselfpodcast2021?utm_source=chatgpt.com) X / Twitter: @YourselfReview (https://twitter.com/YourselfReview?utm_source=chatgpt.com) BlueSky: Review It Yourself on BlueSky (https://bsky.app/profile/reviewityourself.bsky.social?utm_source=chatgpt.com) Threads: @reviewityourselfpodcast2021 on Threads (https://www.threads.net/@reviewityourselfpodcast2021?utm_source=chatgpt.com) Cinova App: @reviewityourself Email: reviewityourselfpodcast@gmail.com (mailto:reviewityourselfpodcast@gmail.com) Support the Podcast If you enjoy Review It Yourself, there are several easy ways you can help the podcast grow. Subscribe or follow the show on your favourite podcast platform so new episodes appear in your feed. Leave a rating or review on Apple Podcasts. Reviews help other film fans discover the podcast and make a genuine difference to an independent show. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

2. 

   24 Oct 2026

   Sci-Fi Films & 'The Solarian Deep' (2026 Book) with Author David Deane Haskell

   Dive beneath the waves into secrets, evolution, rebellion and survival. In this episode of Review It Yourself, Sean is joined by science fiction author David Deane Haskell to discuss The Solarian Deep, the first novel in his planned Techno-Quatic series. What begins as a journey into an unfamiliar underwater world soon becomes a fast-moving exploration of mystery, transformation, power, evolution and the societies we build around ourselves. Sean shares his honest reading experience, explaining how, once the world and characters clicked into place, he found himself racing through the book and finishing its final sections in a single extended reading session. The Solarian Deep is a science fiction novel set in the distant future, where evolutionary forces, underwater societies and hidden secrets collide. The episode explores the book's mysterious "Great Dying", the controlled society of the Shallows, social hierarchy, political power, rebellion and the tension between conformity and transformation. David also discusses his approach to science fiction world-building and why he prefers stories that allow readers to discover a world rather than having every mystery immediately explained. The conversation moves through the challenges of creating believable characters, writing morally complex people, and balancing technology and world-building with an engaging story. Sean and David also discuss whether The Solarian Deep could work as a film or television adaptation, with comparisons to science fiction and speculative fiction including Star Wars, Alien, The Andromeda Strain, The Martian, Project Hail Mary, WALL-E, Children of Men, 1984 and more. The conversation also explores David's writing journey, including his earlier fiction, a period of writer's block, and how personal growth and greater empathy have influenced the characters and relationships in his more recent work. David reveals that the Techno-Quatic story is planned as a trilogy and discusses other books from his catalogue, including Dark Alignment, Too Much Information and his nonfiction book Wounded Angels. He also talks about his forthcoming novel, The Vibrance, which he describes as the best work he has written so far. If you enjoy science fiction books, underwater worlds, dystopian fiction, cyberpunk, speculative fiction, complex world-building, character-driven stories or discussions about books becoming films, this is an episode for you. Find David Deane Haskell Website and contact: David Deane Haskell | Stories of control, truth, and consequence (https://www.daviddeanehaskell.com/) Visit David's website to find The Solarian Deep, his other books, contact information and links to his social media. Important: Make sure to search for David Deane Haskell, including the middle name Deane, to find the correct author. Follow Review It Yourself For more honest reviews, book discussions, film conversations, interviews and plenty of unexpected tangents, follow Review It Yourself: Instagram: Review It Yourself on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/reviewityourselfpodcast2021?utm_source=chatgpt.com) X / Twitter: Review It Yourself on X / Twitter (https://twitter.com/YourselfReview?utm_source=chatgpt.com) BlueSky: Review It Yourself on BlueSky (https://bsky.app/profile/reviewityourself.bsky.social?utm_source=chatgpt.com) Threads: Review It Yourself on Threads (https://www.threads.net/@reviewityourselfpodcast2021?utm_source=chatgpt.com) Cinova App: Find @reviewityourself on the Cinova App and join the conversation by rating and reviewing films. Email: reviewityourselfpodcast@gmail.com (mailto:reviewityourselfpodcast@gmail.com) Support Review It Yourself If you enjoy the podcast, please consider supporting Review It Yourself by: Following or subscribing wherever you listen to podcasts Leaving a rating and review on Apple Podcasts Sharing this episode with a friend who loves science fiction or books Following Review It Yourself on social media Joining the conversation and sharing your own opinions on the books and films discussed Every follow, rating, review and share helps more people discover the podcast. Have you read The Solarian Deep? What do you think? Would David Dean Haskell's underwater science fiction world make a great film or television series? Get in touch and let Review It Yourself know. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

3. 

   17 Oct 2026

   'Oceanic: White Star's Ship of the Century' (2018 Book) with Author and Historian Mark Chirnside

   Discover the forgotten White Star liner that connects directly to Titanic. What if there was a White Star Line ship that helped shape the story of Titanic, yet remains largely overlooked? In this episode of Review It Yourself, historian and author Mark Chirnside returns to discuss his book Oceanic: White Star Line’s Ship of the Century and the fascinating history of one of the most important—and ultimately short-lived—liners of the pre-Titanic era. If you love Titanic history, White Star Line, ocean liners, maritime history, shipbuilding, passenger travel, or historical books, this episode offers plenty to discover. About Oceanic Mark Chirnside explains why Oceanic was so significant to the White Star Line and why the ship deserves to be considered in its own right rather than simply as another link in the Titanic story. Oceanic was launched in January 1899, with her main voyage taking place later that year. Rather than concentrating solely on winning speed records, White Star Line increasingly focused on size, comfort, reliability and passenger experience. The episode explores how this approach helped establish a pattern that would later be seen in the Olympic-class liners, including Olympic, Titanic and Britannic. What We Discuss Among the subjects covered in this episode: The history and significance of the White Star Line’s Oceanic Why Oceanic was such an important ship for the company The competition between White Star Line, Cunard and German shipping lines Why speed records were becoming less commercially important Oceanic’s emphasis on comfort, reliability and passenger accommodation The development of first-, second- and third-class accommodation The engineering and design of Oceanic Longitudinal bulkheads and why they were not carried forward to Olympic, Titanic and Britannic Oceanic’s launch and the unusual sight of her propellers turning during launch The extensive collection of photographs and illustrations in Mark’s book Rare and previously unused historical images Captain Cameron and why Captain Edward Smith did not command Oceanic Why This Book Is Worth Reading One of the strengths highlighted during the discussion is that Oceanic: White Star Line’s Ship of the Century is more than a collection of technical information or photographs. Mark combines shipbuilding, engineering, business, passenger experience, social history and maritime events to tell the story of Oceanic across her career. The book also makes extensive use of photographs, with detailed captions that encourage the reader to look closely at the people, machinery, accommodation and construction details visible in each image. For Titanic enthusiasts, the book provides valuable broader historical context—showing the development of White Star Line and the technological and commercial decisions that eventually led towards the Olympic-class ships. About Mark Chirnside Mark Chirnside is a historian and author specialising in ocean liners and maritime history. His work covers subjects including White Star Line, Olympic, Titanic and other major passenger ships. Mark's website includes his books, research, blog articles, media appearances and presentations, as well as additional information about Oceanic: White Star Line’s Ship of the Century. Website: https://markchirnside.co.uk/ (https://markchirnside.co.uk/) The website is also a useful place to discover Mark's latest research and articles, with the opportunity to sign up for updates about new material. Follow Review It Yourself Enjoyed the episode? Follow Review It Yourself so you don't miss future film reviews, book discussions and history-focused episodes. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reviewityourselfpodcast2021 (https://www.instagram.com/reviewityourselfpodcast2021) X / Twitter: https://twitter.com/YourselfReview (https://twitter.com/YourselfReview) BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/reviewityourself.bsky.social (https://bsky.app/profile/reviewityourself.bsky.social) Threads: https://www.threads.net/@reviewityourselfpodcast2021 (https://www.threads.net/@reviewityourselfpodcast2021) Cinova App: @reviewityourself Email: reviewityourselfpodcast@gmail.com (mailto:reviewityourselfpodcast@gmail.com) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

Who has been a guest on Review It Yourself

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Luke
• Jamie
• Jamie from 'Old Shipping Lines'
• Ryan Walker
• Lasse

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

558,643

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.7 / 5

12 ratings

Spotify

4.6 / 5

50 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 67 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

80

Social presence

0

YouTube

86

Engagement

51

Contact Review It Yourself

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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