Why 'Dunkirk' is mandatory IMAX viewing: Straight Up Hollywood podcast

Dunkirk covers the harrowing tale of an epic World War II battle. But onscreen it will rock your world and your theater seat.

As a movie experience, the action thriller needs to be seen on IMAX large screen format, and it needs to be seen immediately.

That's the emphatic assessment from USA TODAY movie reporter Bryan Alexander (@BryAlexand) about writer/producer/director Christopher Nolan's World War II epic, now in theaters.

The battle scenes are so real that the sound rattles the seats with each explosion from bombs dropped by German planes. In other moments, it feels as if you are soaring through the air in a dogfight with a Spitfire pilot played by Tom Hardy.

In this episode of Straight Up Hollywood, the podcast that brings you backstage and behind the scenes of Hollywood's hottest projects, Alexander talks about Nolan's quest to bring this real battle to the big screen.

Alexander also met young stars Fionn Whitehead and Harry Styles, both in their first movie roles.

Carly Mallenbaum (@ThatGirlCarly) covers the weekend's other big movie release, the R-rated comedy Girls Night. Mallenbaum dishes on the rowdy film's breakout star, Tiffany Haddish, who might even be funnier in interviews than she is onscreen.

Big tip: There's a disgustingly hilarious Girls Night scene that Haddish admits is based on an act she pulled in real life. 

Happy listening! And don't forget to subscribe to Straight Up Hollywood on iTunes.