Learn about the true story behind Mao’s Last Dancer. This month discover the real history behind the incredible and inspiring story of ballet legend Li Cunxin. Mel and Gaz discuss Li’s remarkable journey, including his humble upbringing in China, how he was chosen to join the Beijing Dance Academy, and his defection to the United States. What does it really take to become one of the greatest ballet dancers of all time? Let’s find out!
Gari and Mel critique The Grizzlies, the 2018 Canadian drama about the creation of an Inuit student larcrosse team in Northen Canada. Inspiring and confronting in equal measure, we talk through the true story, discussing the harsh reality of living in the isolated Artic town of Kugluktuk, the sobering causes behind the community's historical trauma, and the remarkably uplifting story of how a sport can provide hope to youth just when they need it most. It's a beautiful story, and you won't want to miss us chat about what makes it special.
This time Gari and Mel critique Gorillas in the Mist, the 1988 true story of primatologist Dian Fossey, whose remarkable conservation work with Mountain Gorillas and unsolved murder have become the stuff of legend.
This is it. This is the big one. We finally critique Ridley Scott's Oscar winning Gladiator, starring the formidable Russell Crowe as Maximus Decimus Meridius. He may be a father to a murdered son and a husband to a murdered wife, but does the movie he's starring in hold up after all these years? Mel takes us through the real history of Rome and its gladiatorial combat and gives us the lowdown on the many accurate and inaccurate aspects of the history that's represented.
This time we're critiquing the newly released Nuremberg, where Russell Crowe fills the rather large shoes of Nazi leader Herman Göring, who is on trial for a host of appalling crimes against humanity at the newly-established International Military Tribunal. Rami Malek also joins him, playing his eccentric psychiatrist, Douglas Kelley. But is the film any good? We give you the honest appraisal - the movie may be hoping for Oscars, but does it really deliver?
We critique the true history behind Will Smith's Oscar winning performance in King Richard, where he plays Richard Williams, the father and coach of tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams. We talk about the real reason the family moved to Compton, the complexity of the real people that the movie leaves out, and ask ourselves how the movie holds up against the real story.
A big announcement - we're back! In this short chat, we talk about what films we'll be covering in our exciting upcoming episodes so you can be all ready to join us. To warm up, we couldn't help but break down our picks for the BEST and WORST movies of 2025 (so far).
Film Critic Gari Mallon co-hosts the Real Movies Fake History podcast and writes extensively on new movies here.
