September finds us back in your inbox with fresh episodes, community highlights, and film discoveries from the ATRM crew.

We've had a fascinating conversation with Derek Noonan, our Patron of the Month, who brings perspectives shaped by years in creative direction and a lifetime of cinema obsession. Plus, John ventures into the pressure-cooker world of job interviews gone wrong with his Spotlight selection. And we're excited to debut a new feature - The Projection Booth - where we'll be highlighting fellow film podcasts worth your time, starting with UK Film Club.

Ready for your monthly fix of film discussion? We're ready too, but first, a farewell to one of cinema's greatest...

Hollywood lost one of its most enduring icons on September 16th when Robert Redford passed away at age 89 surrounded by loved ones at his Sundance home in Utah.

The legendary star who defined what 'cool' meant for an entire generation (and still does for us) had quite the career. From his breakthrough alongside Paul Newman in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) to his Oscar-winning directorial debut with Ordinary People (1980), Redford crafted a career that was as much about artistic integrity as it was about box office magnetism (and he had plenty of that).

Robert Redford - Years and years of making any hat look magnificent.

But perhaps his greatest legacy lies beyond the screen. Through the Sundance Institute and Film Festival, Redford democratised filmmaking, giving voices to independent artists who might never have found a platform otherwise. Directors like Quentin Tarantino, Steven Soderbergh, and Kevin Smith all owe a debt to the festival Redford built in the Utah mountains.

Whether he was exposing political corruption in All the President's Men (1976), breaking hearts in The Way We Were (1973), or championing environmental causes, Redford never took the easy path. He used his star power not just to entertain, but to challenge, inspire, and change the landscape of American cinema forever.

We'll miss him, but the movies will endure, the festival will continue, and through his films, the magnetic smile and piercing blue eyes that captivated audiences for decades will live on forever.

New episodes out now and coming soon from All The Right Movies, ready for your autumn listening...

Tom Hanks trades his everyman charm for cold-blooded killing in Sam Mendes' Depression-era thriller. Luke, Westy, and Matt explore Sam Mendes' father-son crime saga, dive into Conrad Hall's Oscar-winning cinematography, and Thomas Newman's haunting score that perfectly captures the moral weight of vengeance.Available anywhere you get your podcasts!

Witness the divine comedy of genius versus mediocrity as we tackle Miloš Forman's huge masterpiece (according to at least one of the team anyway). John, Westy, and Matt go all in for an in-depth look at F. Murray Abraham's Oscar-winning turn as Salieri, Tom Hulce's manic Mozart, and how a historical epic managed to make 18th-century court drama feel modern. Powdered wigs optional but encouraged.On every major podcast streaming service.

Michael Mann brings his signature intensity to colonial America in a sweeping historical epic and John, Westy, and Matt will be diving right in to examine peak Daniel Day-Lewis, discuss how Mann transformed a classic novel into epic cinema, and break down the unforgettable score that still gooses our bumps three decades later. Until then, stay alive, no matter what occurs - your podcast feed might just depend on it.Coming Friday, September 19th to all audio podcast platforms!

In this brand-new newsletter feature, we're shining a light on UK Film Club, a monthly podcast that champions films from every corner of the industry - from iPhone-shot indies to the latest blockbusters.

Hosted by experienced film critics Chris and Brian, UK Film Club treats micro-budget first-timers with the same respect as major studio releases. What sets them apart is their filmmaker-first approach - directors can submit their work directly for review, whether a short film or a festival-bound feature. Each monthly episode (last Thursday) features cinema releases, streaming picks, indie spotlights, and their popular "Nostalgia Pick" where classics like Jaws get the UK Film Club treatment. With exclusive clips from upcoming indies and 14k Instagram followers, they've positioned themselves on "the frontline of film." If you're looking for early insights into tomorrow's festival favourites or want to discover your next hidden gem, search for UK Film Club on your podcast platform of choice.

Our September POTM is a Chicago creative director who splits his time between Wrigley Field, Lake Michigan, and his impressive home theater setup.

This month we're celebrating Derek Noonan - a brand-building veteran whose journey from witnessing his dad's dialogue scene in a 1980s gangster classic through early internet design proves that cinema and creativity run hand-in-hand - and deep in the Noonan DNA. When he's not crafting websites or catching concerts [Oasis in Mexico City? Er, yes please - Ed], Derek's at home with his Old English Sheepdog Brewtus, diving into films that range from childhood action classics to Nolan's mind-bending epics.

Derek on the water with Brewtus - where they go to recover from the Cubbies games and Gallagher brothers gigs (probably)

Hello, Derek. Please tell us a little bit about yourself.I split my time between Chicago and Michigan, where I love being on the water and swimming in the lake. I'm a creative director who has worked with manufacturers, restaurants, and start-ups, building brands and designing websites since the early days of the internet. These days, I'm more homebody than social butterfly, happiest hanging out with my Old English Sheepdog, Brewtus. I'm a regular at Cubs games (Wrigley Field is a gem) and try to catch as many concerts as I can. This month I'm seeing Supergrass, Oasis in Mexico City, and The Viagra Boys at my favorite venue in Chicago, The Salt Shed. When I'm unwinding, you'll usually find me with a citrusy hazy IPA in hand, listening to podcasts or music, or watching a good movie.What's your all-time favourite film?There are many favorites from my childhood, including Die Hard, Aliens, and Predator. However, for my all-time favorite, I have to go with Interstellar. I've seen Christopher Nolan's masterpiece so many times, and still pick up something new every time I watch it. It hits on every level… intellectual, emotional, and visceral. The way it plays with time makes you feel the weight of every second. The father-daughter bond with Murph always makes me cry. Hans Zimmer's score is the greatest I've ever heard in a movie—those organ swells and crescendos lift the story into something unfathomable and always give me chills. The planet-building is breathtaking, McConaughey gives it all a grounded soul, and TARS is hands-down the dopest robot ever. Sci-fi, survival, philosophy, family, exploration… it's epic in scale yet deeply human. I want to watch it right now.Me too, after that pitch! How long have you been part of the ATRM Community?I started listening to you guys in early 2020. I used to be on Twitter a lot, and author Don Winslow mentioned your podcast a couple of times as a solid film podcast. I had read a bunch of his books and was looking for a new podcast, and the rest is history. Five years later, you've become a big part of my life. I'm sure many of your listeners are the same way, whether they're patrons or not, but when I see the notification that a new podcast is available from ATRM, I get pretty fired up and can't wait to dive into it.Good ol' Don. What was your cinematic "awakening"?My boring answer would be Star Wars (1977)… it opened up my mind to whole new worlds, it got me hooked on space travel, spaceships, and alien creatures, while also making me care about our own planet. The toys, the battles of good versus evil, and the endless imagination of it all ignited something in me for movies. My Bodyguard (1980) was also a big one for me as a young kid because it showed me that everyday stories could be just as exciting and meaningful as any blockbuster. I loved seeing Chicago on screen for the first time and thinking, "hey, I've been there!" And I'll never forget Being There (1979)—the first movie I watched with my dad on HBO on our new cable TV box at home… a memory I'll carry forever.How do you typically watch films?I love watching blockbusters on the big screen… especially on IMAX (even though Chicago's IMAX theaters are crap), but most of the time, I'm perfectly happy just watching movies at home. I need to go to the theaters more than I do; we all do.What's the most memorable theater experience you've ever had?My dad was a Chicago actor; he mostly did TV and radio voice-over work, commercials, infomercials, and industrial videos, among other things. However, he would occasionally get hired as the 15th actor in the credits for some Chicago films. He played the Rangemaster in The Untouchables (1987); he's the guy who says, "This kid's a prodigy" - our family likes to joke that my pops introduced Andy Garcia's career. I went to see the movie with a large group of my friends, but since we were young 'uns, we arrived at the theater late. The theater was already packed, so we all had to sit separately in the remaining single seats available. After my dad's scene was done, all my buddies stood up and cheered for my dad and me, yelling "Greg!", "Mr. Noonan!" and hooting and hollering; it was the best. I was thrilled to see my dad, whom I loved dearly, do such an outstanding job in such a big movie, and then to hear all my buddies going nuts for him - it was an early memory that helped me realize how important it is to have close and loving friends and family. And taught me how enjoyable it can be to watch movies with friends. Getting a little emotional right now just typing it, miss that guy.That's a great memory. If you could live inside the world of any movie for a day, which would you choose?Rivendell in Middle-earth, where the Elves live. The Lord of the Rings movies make that spot feel completely real, with stunning landscapes and incredible detail. It looks like a dream, so otherworldly yet believable that I wish I could step through the screen and spend the rest of my life there. But a day will do.You'll be pleased to hear we have an LOTR on its way in a few weeks then! What other film do you think All The Right Movies needs to cover?Million Dollar Baby (2004) - just one of my all-time favorite films. I would love to learn more about it from you and hear you guys discuss it on a Classic episode. Runner Ups: Citizen Kane (1941) or The Sound of Music (1965). You guys would give both the research they deserve. Citizen Kane is such a massive movie for its time - still holds up. The Sound of Music would be a fun one with you guys as well. I have no idea where you guys would take the banter and how you would regard that film, but I would need to hear you guys all singing the ATRM rendition of 'Edelweiss'. [Haha, good luck with that! - Ed.]Thanks a lot, Derek. Do you have any creative ventures to promote?I'm currently tinkering with a couple of things, as I often do, and I'm excited to see if either can stick for the long haul.You can also catch Derek's contribution in this month's Double Feature episode - his choice of a River Phoenix theme and Stand By Me and Sneakers as the films won the poll! You can give that episode a listen on our Patreon service. And if you've got an Old English Sheepdog named after beer, we definitely want to hear from you too.

This month's Spotlight ventures into the claustrophobic world of psychological thrillers, where John uncovers a British indie that turns a job interview into a battle of wits. Sometimes the most gripping films unfold in a single room with nothing but dialogue and mounting paranoia.

Reviewed by: John

I stumbled across this while trawling through late-night streaming options, and was drawn in by the simple premise: eight candidates in a windowless room have 80 minutes to answer one question to land their dream job. The catch is the paper in front of them is blank, and they don't know what the question is.

Eight candidates, one room, 80 minutes - the most terrifying job interview since Matt joined ATRM.

Director Stuart Hazeldine crafts a pressure cooker of a film that feels like a theatrical play given cinematic life. As the clock ticks down, alliances form and shatter, theories emerge and collapse, and the civilised exterior of the ambitious professionals is stripped away. What starts as polite confusion descends into basically psychological warfare as each candidate - identified only by nicknames based on appearance - reveals how far they'll go to win. By the halfway mark, they're ready to sacrifice each other faster than you can say "corporate ladder."The cast, led by Luke Mably and Jimi Mistry, sells every moment of tension. These aren't household names (unless, like me, you watched UK TV soaps Dream Team and Eastenders about 20 years ago), but they commit fully to the escalating hysteria, making you believe this job must be worth any sacrifice. Nathalie Cox is especially compelling as 'Blonde,' moving between vulnerability and steel-edged determination with the skill of someone who's definitely experienced her fair share of team-building exercises (truly a fate worse than death).The Rotten Tomatoes scores are pretty average but what impressed me is how the film wrings maximum tension from minimal resources. There's no flashy effects, no scene changes - just eight people, four walls, and a ticking clock. It's like The Apprentice directed by Hitchcock (if that doesn't sell it, nothing will). Hazeldine trusts his concept and his actors, using subtle camera work and an increasingly suffocating score to ratchet up the claustrophobia. The rules are simple: leave the room, spoil your paper, speak to the invigilator, and you're disqualified. Without spoiling the clever resolution, I'll say that Exam works because it taps into very real anxieties about competition, ambition, and how we present ourselves under pressure. In an era of ever-increasing corporate dystopia, watching a bunch of candidates tear each other apart for a mysterious job feels unnervingly plausible.Fair warning: you'll spend the entire runtime trying to solve the puzzle yourself, and the film's confident enough to make you wait for answers. And, mercifully, there's not a Microsoft Teams in sight.In the UK, Exam (2009) is available to rent or buy digitally on Amazon Video, Apple TV, Sky Store, and Google Play. In the US, stream on Tubi (free with ads), and rent or buy digitally via Apple TV, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, and YouTube.

From bonus episodes to voting on future episodes, becoming an ATRM Patron puts you at the heart of our film-loving community. Join Derek and over a thousand other supporters who help keep the projector running while getting exclusive content, early access, and the chance to shape what hits our recording schedule.