What could be more festive than a masked orgy? Or an axe-wielding husband? Or a smart device going rogue in space? We finish this series with a Christmas special for those looking for an alternative movie recommendation during the holidays, by counting down our top 5 Kubrick Christmas movies. ----------- If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review! Edited by Lily Austin Original music by James Brailsford Logo design by Alfie Garland Instagram TikTok Letterboxd ...

The end of the year is drawing in, you have precisely 15 days to catch the best movies of 2025 and/or swerve the worst. This mission, should you choose to accept it, can be aided by this very podcast. Enjoy. References BTS of the making of Kill Bill's lost chapter for Fortnite Charli XCX's The Moment trailer Gwyneth Paltrow and Jacob Elordi on Actors on Actors Alexander Skarsgård and Stellan Skarsgård on Actors on Actors ----------- If you love what we do, please like, subscribe ...

We discuss the Netflix-Warner Bros. deal and whether or not this spells the end of cinema. Then we look at a lesser reported Netflix controversy - the streamer muscling in on The Hallmark Channel's turf, the festive rom-com. And to save this episode from too much doom and gloom, we finish with a fantastic new release, Harry Lighton's Pillion, starring Alexander Skarsgard and Harry Melling (i.e. Dudley Dursley). References The Netflix-Warners Bros deal How the big tech monopoly is killi...

You may not have clocked it, given the lack of fanfare, but the third installment of Knives Out was released last week. Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery will only be in cinemas for 2 weeks, before moving to Netflix, but is it worth catching on the big screen? We also discuss WGA and SAG renegotiations which will be taking place in 2026. Is another strike on the cards? References For horror fans: The Knickel Cinema The Odyssey cinema in St Albans ----------- If you love what we do, pleas...

This we’re revisiting one of our most popular early episodes, where we did the unthinkable and willingly watched the worst films ever made (allegedly). The hit list includes Howard the Duck, Mommie Dearest and, of course, The Room, along with our own submission, the apex of Roger Moore’s career, North Sea Hijack, in an attempt to figure out what it takes to achieve cult bad status. References Howard the Duck: An Oral History by Caseen Gaines for thedecider.com How George Lucas’ Howard t...

As Michael Mann’s Heat 2 inches closer to becoming a cinematic reality, we’re revisiting one of our earliest conversations about the great Al Pacino-Robert De Niro head-to-head, with special appearances from a young Natalie Portman and a wiggy Val Kilmer. References James Clark and Paul Szoldra, ‘That one scene in Heat that gave audiences the most realistic firefight in movie history’ Michael Mann and Meg Gardiner, Heat 2 (2022) Koralijka Suton, ‘Heat at 25: Michael Mann’s meticulous master...

It is all about melodrama this week. First we discuss Lynne Ramsay's spectacular new movie, Die My Love, starring Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson. Then we have a highlight from our guest appearance on The Ministry of Film podcast, where we talk about Brief Encounter, ahead of its re-release as part of the BFI's season "Too Much: Melodrama on Film". References Listen to The Ministry of Film Disney’s CEO Bob Iger on stepping down Lynne Ramsay on Die My Love BFI’s Melodrama season Ma...

Kelly Reichardt’s genre-defying heist movie, The Mastermind, is in cinemas, so we’re taking the opportunity to discuss our favourite capers. We also pay tribute to the longest running cinema release of all time (from 1975 to present day), The Rocky Horror Picture Show, on its 50th anniversary. References Dogma: The Resurrection Tour ----------- If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review! Edited and produced by Lily Austin and James Brailsford Original music by Ja...

Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein hit cinemas this past weekend for a brief stint before moving to Netflix. We discuss his adaptation and why filmmakers keep returning to Mary Shelley’s classic story. We also look at the rumours circulating around a few big screen delays (namely the troubled Michael Jackson biopic) and, the 30 years in the waiting, Heat 2 - is it finally going into production? References World of Reel’s article on The Daniels’ film delay Guillermo del Toro on fatherho...

Following the news of Diane Keaton’s death, we pay tribute to the rarest of things, a true Hollywood original. We also take you through the latest box office flops, Harris Dickinson’s thoughtful directorial debut, Urchin, and discuss the latest James Bond-Amazon controversy. References Then Again, Diane Keaton’s memoir Harris Dickinson interview for BFI The Nickel cinema ----------- If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review! Edited and produced by Lily Austin an...

From A Clockwork Orange to Cloud Atlas, via the many attempts at Don Quixote, we consider the challenge of adapting books deemed “unfilmable” and why directors can’t resist the challenge. ----------- If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review! Edited and produced by Lily Austin and James Brailsford Original music by James Brailsford Instagram TikTok Letterboxd Email us

The wait is finally over. Our (best attempt at spoiler-free!) thoughts on Paul Thomas Anderson’s play for a blockbuster and an early look at the other films tipped for greatness this awards season. References Maggie Gyllenhaal’s The Bride trailer Token Homo’s queer horror season at Genesis cinema Horror season at Cultplex Long-ass movies at Prince Charles Cinema ----------- If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review! Edited and produced by Lily Austin and James Bra...

We pay tribute to the late, great Robert Redford with some recommendations from his illustrious filmography and discuss the phenomenon of MIA movies - films which completed shooting but never made it to the big screen. References World of Reel’s MIA movies article Science Museum’s IMAX 70mm season ----------- If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review! Edited and produced by Lily Austin and James Brailsford Original music by James Brailsford Instagram TikTok Letterb...

Disney is struggling to appeal to Gen Z men, according at a Variety article. Is original IP the answer? This past weekend saw the release of The Golden Spurtle, a documentary about the world porridge-making contest. We discuss this and other delightfully absurd documentaries that have nothing to do with missing girls. And James delivers a Nolan progress report following the The Odyssey's shoot wrap. References Christopher Nolan loves pepperoni pizza A trojan horse spoiler from The Odysse...

Is a screen adaptation obliged to be faithful to the book? We wade into the controversy around Emerald Fennel’s forthcoming Wuthering Heights adaptation, review Darren Aronofsky’s Caught Stealing and discuss our highlights from the Venice Film Festival - namely the premiere of Megadoc, the behind-the-scenes documentary about Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis. References Emerald Fennel's Wuthering Heights trailer World of Reel’s story on the Wuthering Heights test screeni...

We return just as it comes to the end of “popcorn season” - but is that term still relevant? From lukewarm hits like F1 and Superman, to surprise ones like Weapons and KPop Demon Hunters, we compare notes about the summer’s struggling box office. References James’ Letterboxd (be sure to follow Groovy Movies’ too!) The Projected Picture Trust Bradford Pictureville Our cinema recommendation Widescreen Weekend Film Festival ----------- If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave...

Who better to wrap the season finale with than Christopher Nolan? But it would be too easy to go for Tenet or Inception, we’re going back to where things all began, with his very first film. Made for just £6000 (!) but with all the hallmarks of his later movies, it’s a great one to watch to see where it all began. References The Vine’s top 10 movies made on a shoestring Nolan on Following ----------- If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review! Edite...

What better way to celebrate Lily’s imminent nuptials than by watching a family musical based on a Roman legend about sexual assault? If you haven’t seen it, think Hollywood’s golden era with catchy tunes, luminous Metroscope (a rival to technicolor) and yes, some problematic gender politics. Enjoy. References Making-of featurette with Ruth Lee raving about corsets An American Cinematographer article on shooting Seven Brides by George Folsey ----------- If you love what we do, p...

We’re feeling nostalgic for sexy sex scenes and the villainisation of single women. Enter, Fatal attraction. Prepare for spoilers as we discuss the controversy around the axing of the original ending and look back on an era where it was possible for a film to be dubbed “the zeitgeist movie of the decade.” References The original ending You Must Remember This podcast’s ‘Erotic 90s’ series ‘Fatal Attraction’ Oral History: Rejected Stars and a Foul Rabbit’, by Bruce Fretts for...

If you’re in the mood for a time capsule of 1967, In The Heat Of The Night is the movie for you. We discuss how this iconic civil rights infused detective drama-cum-social thriller should have won Sidney Poitier an oscar - if only he hadn’t already won one 3 years before - and the pros and cons of deploying the camera’s zoom function. References Making of featurette Sidney Poitier on In The Heat Of The Night ‘In the Heat of the Night: The Double Bind’, essay by K. Austin Collins -----...