In this episode of Rosie the Reviewer, we discuss For the Moment (1993), written and directed by Aaron Kim Johnston. Set in rural Manitoba in 1942, the film follows a group of Canadian women and young Commonwealth airmen brought together by the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. Though fictional, the story draws heavily on the real experiences of Johnston’s parents and captures the temporary, emotionally charged connections formed far from the war's front lines.
We talk about early-career Russell Crowe, understated performances, and why this quiet, character-driven film feels refreshingly honest about wartime romance, loss, and choices that do not come with neat endings.
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In this episode of Rosie the Reviewer, we continue our accidental monster-movie streak with Beast of War (2025), written and directed by Kiah Roache-Turner. Loosely inspired by the real sinking of the Australian ship HMAS Armidale in the Timor Sea on 1 December 1942, the film follows a group of soldiers stranded on a rapidly failing raft, hunted by a great white shark.
Joined by our favourite returning, usually SAS Rogue Heroes, but now creature-feature correspondent George, we talk about why this is not just a horror movie, but a survival story with real themes: isolation, fear, trauma, and the brittle veneer of civilisation when the ocean is doing its absolute worst. Merry Christmas, see you in 2026.
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In this episode of Rosie the Reviewer, we talk about Godzilla Minus One (2023), written and directed by Takashi Yamazaki. We can hear you thinking... What? Set in the immediate aftermath of WWII, the film follows a former kamikaze pilot grappling with survivor’s guilt, PTSD, and the struggle to rebuild a life in a shattered Japan - while Godzilla looms as both a literal threat and a powerful metaphor.
We discuss why this film works even if you think you don’t like monster movies (cough Maartje cough), how it uses Godzilla to explore nuclear trauma and post-war grief, and why the human story at its centre is surprisingly moving. We're joined by our friend Julie, resident Godzilla enthusiast, because this movie deserves her commentary.
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In this episode of Rosie the Reviewer, we discuss Son of Saul (2015), László Nemes’ profoundly human film set inside Auschwitz. Told entirely through the tight perspective of a Jewish Sonderkommando prisoner named Saul, the film is entirely glamourless. We talk about how the narrow framing, blurred periphery, and overwhelming soundscape place you in a world where there's no yesterday and no tomorrow, only the present.
Learn more about the Sonderkommando, the 1944 uprising and tell us what you think about this movie.
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In this episode of Rosie the Reviewer, we welcome an extraordinary guest: Bruce McKenna, co-executive producer, creator, and principal writer of The Pacific, and writer of the Bastogne episode of Band of Brothers. We talk about the moral stakes of war, what made it into the episodes and what didn't, and why everything is about narrative and theme.
We explore Bruce’s creative process and the kind of stories he likes to tell. This one may change how you look at WWII media.
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In this episode of Rosie the Reviewer, we tackle Midway twice. We compare the 1976 classic with the 2019 CGI-heavy remake and take you through the events of The Battle of Midway. Get to know the key players and learn with us as we break down one of the most decisive naval battles of the Second World War.
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In this episode of Rosie the Reviewer, we take a look at Nuremberg (2025), written and directed by James Vanderbilt and based on The Nazi and the Psychiatrist by Jack El-Hai. We talk about the performances by Russell Crowe and Rami Malek, what we thought of the film, and, of course, provide you with some real history, including a broader historical context around the Nuremberg Trials.
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In this episode of Rosie the Reviewer, we dive into Enemy at the Gates (2001), the wartime drama about Soviet sniper Vasily Zaitsev, the Battle of Stalingrad, and a completely unnecessary love triangle.
We explore the Battle of Stalingrad (one of the bloodiest battles of all time) and discuss how propaganda shaped this story both on screen and off.
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In this episode of Rosie the Reviewer, we talk The Monuments Men (2014), George Clooney’s glossy take on the true story of Allied soldiers racing to rescue Europe’s art from the Nazis. Joined by Merc, we unpack the film’s stacked cast, its mix of humour and drama, and why it never quite decides if it wants to be a comedy, a war drama, or an art heist. From Rose Valland’s secret lists to the missing Ghent Altarpiece, we explore what’s fact, what’s fiction, and why the real story deserves better.
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In this episode of Rosie the Reviewer, we take on Richard Attenborough’s A Bridge Too Far (1977), the war epic based on Cornelius Ryan’s book of the same name about Operation Market Garden. We take you through one of WWII’s most ambitious (and doomed-to-fail) military plans as we discuss the film. From Sean Connery’s Major General Urquhart to Gene Hackman’s Sosabowski (we approve), we talk about what led to Market Garden's failure, and how Dutch civilians like Kate ter Horst were astoundingly brave in the face of absolute hell.
Market Garden, a little complicated? We try to make it simple for you!
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In this episode of Rosie the Reviewer, we take to the skies for Battle of Britain (1969), Guy Hamilton’s sweeping recreation of the 1940 air campaign. We talk about the film's impressive aerial combat scenes, its documentary-style storytelling, and the astonishing number of real WWII aircraft used on set.
From Christopher Plummer’s dashing Canadian pilot to Michael Caine’s brief but memorable role, we explore how the film mirrors Tora! Tora! Tora! in scope while giving overdue credit to the women of the WAAF. Expect plenty of radar talk, command tensions, and reflections on why this film might teach you more than it thrills.
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In this episode of Rosie the Reviewer, we’re joined by journalist and author Tony Rushmer, whose book SAS: Duty Before Glory tells the story of Reg Seekings, one of the original members of the Special Air Service. Tony talks to us about how a documentary during lock down led him from sports journalism to writing about this WWII history that started in the Fens.
Alongside our returning guest George, we take a closer look at Reg Seekings: his humour, his friendship with Johnny Cooper, and his stoic yet warm nature.
Tony shares how he came to know the Seekings family, his conversations with the late Mike Sadler, and the rich archival work and Reg's personal recollections that shaped his writing. We also touch on the portrayal of the SAS in Rogue Heroes and how storytelling, fictional or not, keeps history alive for new generations.
We're also happy to report that Tony recommends five excellent books on WWII at the very end, so stick around to find out.
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In this episode of Rosie the Reviewer, we take on U-571 (2000) with returning guest Katie. This tense, incredibly fictional tale is all about American submariners capturing a German U-boat and its Enigma machine. It's got Matthew McConaughey, Jon Bon Jovi and Matthew Settle and everyone's damp. We explore the claustrophobic depictions and why the British were fuming about this one.
Including some real-life naval details, from the cramped quarters of the U-505 to the history of segregated Black sailors in WWII (because, let's be real, this movie does no historical heavy lifting).
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In this episode of Rosie the Reviewer, we wrap up our three-part discussion of The Pacific (2010) with episodes 7-10. Brace yourself for the brutal fighting on Peleliu and Okinawa to John and Lena Basilone, his final chapter and the long road home for Eugene Sledge and Robert Leckie. Alongside our returning guest George, we talk about leadership, disillusionment, the role of civilians, and the way grief and memory follow these men long after the war ends.
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Joining us to discuss episodes 4-6 of The Pacific (2010) is our friend Merc. We get into the meaty middle part of the show, saying hello to some new favourites (and clinging to them before they have to leave us again) while watching others go home. It's Peleliu time, which means everyone is having a terrible time. And Pavuvu, which is apparently not much better.
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In this episode of Rosie the Reviewer, Bec returns to the pod to talk about the first three episodes of our favourite HBO War drama The Pacific (2010). Together, we discuss the show's opening, the amazing theme, the great friendships... and we can't stop gushing about Bob Leckie. Sorry. Not really.
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In this episode of Rosie the Reviewer, we’re joined by Winnie and Gabby from the Donut Dollies podcast to discuss Their Finest (2016), Lone Scherfig’s adaptation of Lissa Evans’ novel Their Finest Hour and a Half. Together we unpack the film’s blend of romance, tragedy, and wartime propaganda, as well as how it compares to the book. Surprisingly much debate about Sam Claflin’s casting, the power of women in the Ministry of Information, and why Bill Nighy steals every scene as Ambrose Hilliard. Plus, the real history of women in Britain’s propaganda machine.
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This week on Rosie the Reviewer, we’re diving into the 2012 HBO film Hemingway & Gellhorn. It’s all about the messy relationship between WWII reporter Martha Gellhorn and Ernest Hemingway. We get into the Spanish Civil War (and yes, the movie really drags its feet before getting to WWII), and honestly, we’re not sure either of them is all that likable. Plus, we talk about Caroline Moorehead’s biography Gellhorn: A Twentieth-Century Life, Martha’s own novel Point of No Return, and her travel memoir, Travels with Myself and Another.
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In this episode of Rosie the Reviewer, we tackle Valkyrie (2008), the Tom Cruise-led film about the real-life July 20 plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler. We dig into the movie's balance between Hollywood drama and historical accuracy, the cast full of familiar faces, and whether Cruise managed to not be too Cruise-y.
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In this episode of Rosie the Reviewer, we discuss Grave of the Fireflies (1988), the harrowing Studio Ghibli animation that left us emotionally wrecked. We follow the story of Seita and Setsuko, two siblings trying to survive in Kobe, Japan during the final months of World War II. We discuss the film’s gut-wrenching portrayal of innocence lost and being forgotten, and why this is possibly the greatest movie you'll never want to watch again.
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