Groovy Movies
By: Groovy Movies
Language: en-gb
Categories: Tv, Film, Reviews, History
Weekly deep dives into your favourite films with Lily Austin and James Brailsford.
Episodes
The best and worst of 2025
Dec 16, 2025The 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
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Is this the death of cinema?
Dec 09, 2025We 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 killing cinema
Champagne Problems beats Frankenstein to Netflix’s top spot
The...
Knives Out returns
Dec 02, 2025You 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
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RE-RELEASE: What turns a bad movie into a cult classic?
Nov 25, 2025This 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 the Duck movie made The Matrix possibl...
RE-RELEASE: Heat (1995) dir. by Michael Mann
Nov 18, 2025As 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 masterpiece’
‘The Making of Heat (1995)’
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Jennifer Lawrence in Die My Love: The modern melodrama? Ft. The Ministry of Film
Nov 11, 2025It 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
Manchester’s Cultplex cinema
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Duration: 01:00:41What is it about heist movies? Plus: the perpetual seductiveness of Rocky Horror
Nov 04, 2025Kelly 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
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Edited by Lily Austin
Original music by James Brailsford
Logo design by Alfie Garland
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Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein: Why do we keep digging it up?
Oct 21, 2025Guillermo 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 fatherhood and Frankenstein
Guillermo del Toro’s Fr...
Duration: 00:53:50A tribute to Diane Keaton and what’s happened to Bond’s guns?
Oct 14, 2025Following 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
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Edited by Lily Austin
Original music by James Brailsford
Logo design by Alfie G...
The trials of adapting “unfilmable” books
Oct 07, 2025From 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.
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Edited by Lily Austin
Original music by James Brailsford
Logo design by Alfie Garland
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One Battle After Another: Does Paul Thomas Anderson finally have a box office hit?
Sep 30, 2025The 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
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Edited by Lily Austin
Original music by James Brails...
RIP Robert Redford
Sep 23, 2025We 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
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Edited by Lily Austin
Original music by James Brailsford
Logo design by Alfie Garland
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Disney's boy trouble
Sep 16, 2025Disney 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 Odyssey
For news on the Laura Mulvey: Thinking Through...
Emerald Fennel's Wuthering Heights controversy
Sep 09, 2025Is 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 screening
Cineworld’s 4DX Rewind
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Why you haven’t heard of summer’s biggest box office hit
Sep 02, 2025We 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
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Following (1998): Christopher Nolan's first film
Apr 24, 2025Who 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
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Seven Brides For Seven Brothers (1954)
Apr 17, 2025What 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
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Fatal Attraction (1987)
Apr 11, 2025We’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 The NY Times
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In The Heat Of The Night (1967)
Apr 04, 2025If 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...
Duration: 00:36:32Seven Samurai (1954)
Mar 27, 2025Our run of classics continues with Akira Kurosawa’s genre-creating, hero-assembling action/comedy/drama, Seven Samurai. Don’t let the 3.5 hour runtime put you off (or watch at 2x speed - we don’t endorse this), it is considered one of the best films ever made for a reason and we discuss why. See where you can catch it below.
Where to watch
BFI Player
Check out this website for links to cinema screenings of Seven Samurai
References
Check out the...
Duration: 00:38:01In The Mood For Love (2000)
Mar 20, 2025This week we discuss the self-declared cinephile’s favourite, Wong Kar Wai’s In The Mood For Love. If you live near London and want to catch it, check out showtimes at The Prince Charles - it’s screening this Sunday (23rd) as it happens. We get into Kar Wai’s eccentric directorial method and the many versions of the film there could have been - but thank the film gods for this one.
References
“The Troubled Production of In The Mood for Love” production film for 20th anniversary
Beautifully...
Duration: 00:39:00Anora (2024)
Mar 13, 2025You may have heard something about Mikey Madison’s shining, star-making performance as Anora? Or perhaps that Sean Baker made Oscar-history by winning four awards at this year's ceremony for said film? Well if you haven’t seen it yet, now is the moment, it’s back in cinemas and will soon be available on streaming.
This week we discuss what makes the story so kinetic, shooting on film with a tiny budget and that intimacy coordinator controversy.
References
Sean Baker and Mikey Madison break down a scene...
Duration: 00:49:32The Oscars and The Brutalist (2024)
Mar 06, 2025As the set comes down from the biggest celebration of the least-viewed cinematic triumphs of the year, we take stock of Sean Bakers success with Anora and attempt to map the blueprints of The Brutalist's anticlimatic awards season. Was it a grand failure or a misunderstood masterpiece? Probably neither but listen to find out.
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Edited by Lily Austin
Original music by James Brailsford
Logo design by Alfie Garland
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Duration: 00:48:22
Se7en (1995)
Feb 20, 2025It’s the 30 year anniversary of David Fincher’s Seven, otherwise known as the OG unboxing video. Be prepared for spoilers as we discuss the iconic ending that almost wasn’t and why real serial killers never live up to the hype.
References
Seven’s script
Seven’s cinematography by David E. Williams for theasc.com
Behind-The-Scenes Stories From The Making Of 'Se7en' by Mike McGranaghan for ranker.com
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Babygirl (2024)
Feb 13, 2025Nothing says Valentine’s Day like age-gap office affairs and BDSM, so with that in mind, we bring you Halina Reijn’s Babygirl. It may have been snubbed at the Oscars but we shant be overlooking this orgasm-forward, kink-celebrating homage to the 90s erotic thriller.
References
Vanity Fair piece on Babygirl by David Canfield
Halina Reijn on Bridging Hollywood’s “Orgasm Gap” by Scott Roxborough
Cinematographer Jasper Wolf on working on Babygirl
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Juno (2007)
Feb 06, 2025Remember when teen pregnancy was a thing? This week we discuss Juno, the movie that reinvented this particular noughties trend and made stars out of Elliot Page, Michael Cera and the film’s screenwriter, Diablo Cody.
We discuss what makes the script so good and why people hated it. There is also space to reminisce about the heyday of director’s commentaries. This movie had an excellent one with Diablo Cody and the film’s director, Jason Reitman. Is there a way to bring them back?
References
Jaison Reitman...
Duration: 00:38:24Nosferatu (1922 & 2024)
Jan 30, 2025This week we do a compare-and-contrast between Robert Egger’s Nosferatu and the 1922 German silent film it's based on. We deep-dive into the mad production story of the original, why Bram Stoker owes Nosferatu an apology and somehow pitstop at Yoga Hosers and Robbie William’s new film Better Man along the way.
References
Watch Nosferatu (1922) here
Yoga Hosers (2016) trailer
Shadow of a vampire (2000) trailer
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Edited by Lily Austin
Original music by Jame...
Eraserhead (1977)
Jan 23, 2025In honour of David Lynch who died last week - though serendipitously we recorded the episode a few weeks before - this episode we discuss his feature debut, Eraserhead. A film so freaky, so funny and utterly unique. Just like the man himself.
References
David Lynch’s documentary, Eraserhead Stories
Interviews with the Eraserhead cast
‘The Epic Influence of David Lynch's Eraserhead, from Kubrick to Star Wars’ by Garin Pirnia for Esquire
Interview with Lynch from Chris Rodley’s 1997 book Lynch on Lynch
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The Fall (2006)
Jan 16, 2025We go behind-the-scenes of an overlooked gem which is finally getting the attention it deserves, thanks to a 4K restoration by Mubi. Tarsem Singh's debut feature The Fall is a globe-trotting feast for the eyes, with a transformative performance by first-time actor, the then six-year-old Catinca Untaru. We strongly recommend catching it on Mubi before listening to the episode.
References
Behind-the-scenes documentary 'Wanderlust and Nostalgia'
Tarsem Singh on the making of The Fall by Christina Newland for Little White Lies
An oral history of The Fall by Leila Jordan for IndieWire
Donnie Darko (2001)
Jan 09, 2025This week we sift through the web lore of one of the original multiverse movies, Donnie Darko. We relish seeing adolescent Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal squabble at the dinner table and ponder why a 23-year-old directing wunderkind never succeeded with a follow-up.
References
Pages from the fictional book "The Philosophy of Time Travel" by Roberta Sparrow aka Grandma Death
Donnie Darko’s BTS production video diary
An oral history of Donnie Darko
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The Substance (2024)
Jan 02, 2025To kick off a new series, we’re starting with the biggest film of 2024 - that’s biggest by our personal metrics. Expect a detailed breakdown of the lens required to achieve such a revolting zoom on Dennis Quaid munching prawn heads and a rant about why this is not Demi Moore’s comeback.
References
Interview with Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley and Coralie Fargeat
A breakdown of the set design of The Substance
The kind of headline Lily doesn’t appreciate
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EMERGENCY BONUS EPISODE: MEGAFLOPOLIS (or: Francis Ford Coppola's Roman Empire)
Oct 13, 2024We had to, it was unavoidable. Francis Ford Coppola's 40-year-long passion project has finally come to fruition and it was important that we discussed it. So here is a bonus episode. Listen as we attempt to decipher how, what and why. Just why?
References
That hotel Coppola owns for filmmakers
Twelve Against The Gods by William Bolitho Ryall
A BTS argument on Bram Stoker’s Dracula between FFC and Gary Oldman
"Making a Mess: A History of Megalopolis" by Be Kind Rewind
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Action Women, schwing (Point Break, American Psycho, Wayne’s World)
Sep 05, 2024This week on our season finale we look at three box office and critical successes which you might not know were directed by women. In the hot seat is Kathryn Bigelow’s Point Break, Penelope Spheeris’ Wayne’s World and Mary Harron’s American Psycho. We also almost (but not quite) dodge the Blake Lively controversy and talk about the films we’re looking forward to this autumn. See you for season 5!
References
‘Warner Brothers to put a studio in the dessert’, by Brian Welk, indiewire.com
‘How American Psycho became a feminist statement’ by Tr...
Sad girls on holiday (Lost in Translation, Swimming Pool, Shirley Valentine)
Aug 22, 2024Between the weather and the state of the world, it’s been a pretty sad summer, so we’re sticking with that theme as we look at some of the best sad girls on film holiday. We discuss Charlotte Rampling in Francois Ozon’s Swimming Pool, Scarlett Johansson in Sofia Coppola’s Lost in Translation (and Bill Murray too) and Pauline Collins as Lewis Gilbert’s Shirley Valentine.
References
Peter Dinklage discussing the live action remake of Snow White on Marc Maron’s podcast in 2022
‘Todd Haynes’ Joaquin Phoenix Gay Romance Pic Not Moving Forward A...
Superior Sequels: What makes part 2 better than part 1? (Inside Out 2, The Terminator 2, The Godfather 2)
Aug 12, 2024From Dune 2 to Deadpool and Wolverine, there have been a surprising number of hit sequels this year. So this week we’re asking the question, what makes that cinematic blue moon of a part 2 that is better than part 1?
References
The Strasberg school’s definition of method acting
On Location with The Godfather: A Discussion with Gordon Willis (director of photography), theasc.com
An oral history of The Terminator 2
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Fantastic Film Follies: How to finance a flop
Jul 24, 2024Why talk about good films when we could talk about spectacularly bad ones? This week we discuss four infamous films that left their directors and studios in financial and/or reputational ruin. On the chopping block is Francis Ford Coppola’s One From The Heart, Michael Cimino’s Heaven’s Gate, Elaine May’s Ishtar and, of course, Tom Hooper’s Cats. Enjoy.
References
Hulk Smash’s takedown of Tom Hooper
Steven Soderbergh’s Butcher’s Cut of Heaven’s Gate
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1999: Cinema's best year, ever?
Jul 11, 2024You honestly wouldn’t believe how many great films came out in 1999. The Matrix, Fight Club, The Blair Witch Project, The Talented Mr Ripley, Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, The Sixth Sense, Notting Hill, The Mummy, Cruel Intentions, 10 Things I Hate About You. We could go on…
It’s the 25th anniversary of this auspicious year and cinemas are getting in on the action, with 1999 seasons playing at many theatres. So we’re following suit. We discuss our favourites from this particularly good year, with special attention paid to Trainspotting - not only an excellent film but one...
One Take Movies: Are they a gimmick?
Jun 27, 2024From the famous speeding train of 1896 to the groundbreaking Russian Ark and iconic Berlin night-out-gone-wrong flick Victoria, this week we take you through the illustrious history of one-take movies - or should it be one-shot movies?
References
Hot takes: a short history of the one-shot movie in 11 attempts by Matthew Thrift for BFI
Interview with Medusa Deluxe director Thomas Hardiman
The 10 worst Martin Scorsese movies by Joe Williams for Far Out
In One Breath: Alexander Sokurov's Russian Ark (Making of) on YouTube
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The Mummy and it’s children
Jun 13, 2024It’s the 25th anniversary of The Mummy - I know, we can’t believe it either. How time flies. So we’re paying tribute to the first addition to the greatest ancient-history-action-adventure-thriller-franchise of all time and its somewhat uneven sequels and prequels. Topics covered include, of course, sexy mummies, Brendan Frasier at his peak and the incredible discovery of Rachel Weiz.
References
An oral history of the making of The Mummy by Clark Collis for Entertainment Weekly
A video of Nina Wilcox Putnam, the co-author of the 1932 The Mummy screenplay, which was based...
Loves Lies Bleeding: Was Kristen Stewart always this good?
May 30, 2024It turns out a bodybuilding rom-com thriller was the movie we’ve been waiting for. Yes, this week we’re talking about Love Lies Bleeding, Rose Glass’ follow-up to the incredible Saint Maud, starring Kristen Stewart in the role she was made the play.
References
Interview with Rose Glass, and stars Kristen Stewart and Katy O’Brian
‘Rose Glass talks ‘Love Lies Bleeding’, casting Kristen Stewart and working with a much bigger budget’ by Ellie Calnan for Screen Daily
Cannes Awards: Female-Centered Stories Win Big in Cannes, as Sean Baker’s ‘Anora’ Earns Palme d’Or by Pe...
Challengers v. Wimbledon: Sex, Love and Tennis
May 16, 2024Game. Set. Match. (Is that right?) Two of tennis’ greatest novices tackle our most romantic sport in a battle of the ages. Which is the better tennis movie? Up-and-comer, Challengers, or seasoned champion, Wimbledon. But let’s be honest, it’s Zendaya v. Kirsten Dunst - who will win the title of most empowered woman on the court?
References
‘Challengers’ Heats Up: How Zendaya’s Star Power and a Sexy Love Triangle Could Give Gen Z Its Next Movie Obsession by Selome Hailu and Ramin Setoodeh for Variety
‘Challengers’ Director Luca Guadagnino Explains Origins Of The ‘...
The Zone of Interest & Perfect Days: Why is mundanity powerful?
May 01, 2024This week we discuss the surprising common ground between Jonathan Glazer’s chilling examination of an Auschwitz commandant and his family, The Zone of Interest and Wim Wenders’ meandering meditation on life as a Tokyo Toilet cleaner, Perfect Days.
References
Interview with Jonathan Glazer on The Zone of Interest by David Canfield for Vanity Fair
The Making of The Zone of Interest
Wim Wenders interviewed about Perfect Days for Curzon
The Tokyo Toilet Project
Film Pharmacy
Chinatown (1974) dir. by Roman Polanski
Spoorloos (1990) dir. by Geo...
Civil War: Will A24's big budget gamble pay off?
Apr 18, 2024Last week A24’s Civil War was released and we have mixed feelings about it. Will their biggest-budget movie to date prove itself at the box office? And is a movie about war and an American fascist leader really what we want to see right now?
References
‘The Rise and Rise of A24’, The Economist (not credited)
Director Alex Garland speaking to The Hollywood Reporter about Civil War
‘Box Office: ‘Civil War’ Makes $2.9 Million in Previews, Best Ever for an A24 Movie’ by Jordan Moreau for Variety
Film Pharmacy<...
The Top 5 Party Scenes in Cinema
Apr 04, 2024It takes skill to capture the effortless spontaneity of a really good party scene. Relatively few nail it but when they do, they really do. This week we compile our top 5 party scenes; from teenage house parties to rave afters, with a surreal French restaurant jamboree sandwiched in the middle.
References
The party scene in 10 Things I Hate About You
The afterparty in Human Traffic (1999)
The party scene in Playtime (1967)
The party scene in The Great Beauty
Watch Steve McQueen’s Lovers Rock here on BBC iPlayer
An oral h...
Baby Face: Pre-Code Horniness and the Original Sugar Baby
Mar 21, 2024We’re going back to the horniest years in Hollywood history for another scandalous pre-coder; Baby Face, the 1933 movie that was so shocking it solidified cinema’s censorship for the next 30 years.
Watch it for free here.
References
Will Hays IRL
You Must Remember This’ episode on Will Hays and “Pre-Code” Hollywood
Wes Anderson Talks Early Hollywood Censorship in ‘TCM Picks’ Video for Barbara Stanwyck’s ‘Baby Face’ by Etan Vlessing for The Hollywood Reporter
How the Catholic Church censored Hollywood's Golden Age by Vox on YouTube
Ba...
Duration: 00:58:36*Teaser* Next week's episode and an announcement
Mar 14, 2024-----------
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Edited by Lily Austin
Original music by James Brailsford
Logo design by Alfie Garland
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Dune: Part Two (spoiler-free!)
Mar 07, 2024It’s been out for a week but we’re not taking any chances. Here is our painstakingly spoiler-free discussion of Dune: Part Two, plus our thoughts on Madame Web and a sexy addition to the Film Pharmacy.
References
Denis Villeneuve on Dune: Part Two and dialogue v. cinematography for The Times
‘Dune: Part Two’ Star Stellan Skarsgard Laughed Seeing Austin Butler as Feyd-Rautha: Butler ‘Really Enjoyed Being Evil’ by Michaela Zee for Variety
Dune: Part Two’s box office success and what it means for the film industry by Anthony D’Alessandro for De...
The Groovies: Awards Season Special 2024
Feb 29, 2024We're back with series 4 and ahead of the Oscars next weekend, we bring you a roundup of everything you need to know about this awards season. We discuss Oppenheimer's dominance, the Barbie controversy and where The Zone of Interest sits on the Salo to Up unsettling scale.
Most importantly of all, our very own awards ceremony returns. The Groovies this year include awards for Best Cinema, Short King, and Least Unbearable Cinematic Experience. The Oscars better watch out. There's a new rodeo in town.
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Bridget Jones's Diary: The definitive New Year heroine? (and what to watch in 2024)
Dec 28, 2023It’s the end of the year and also our series finale so we're bringing both to a close with a deeply intellectual discussion on the ultimate New Years movie, Bridget Jones’s Diary. Plus, in anticipation of awards season, we list the films we’re most excited to see over the next couple of months.
References
Bridget Jones’s Diary deleted scenes
That scathing New York Times piece on Bridget Jones
20 behind-the-scenes Bridget Jones’s Diary facts
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Rebel without a Claus: The Groovy Movies Xmas-travaganza
Dec 13, 2023For our penultimate episode of the series we’re going recommendation-heavy and spoiler-free, with our top picks of festive films, hitting every point on the Grinch-to-Elf Christmas spirit scale.
References
The Powell and Pressburger season from Oct-Dec 2023 - catch the last few screenings now.
The Red Shoes: Beyond the Mirror exhibition
Piece for ASC on Jack Cardiff from 1994, The Red Shoe’s cinematographer
Why The Red Shoes looks so good by The Royal Ocean Film Society on YouTube
The cinematography of The Dark Knight by V Renee for nofilmschool.com
Th...
Napoleon: Are biopics bad for history?
Dec 07, 2023We couldn’t resist the controversy around Ridley Scott’s new movie, so this week we’re discussing Napoleon and wading into the debate about historical accuracy and film. But what do you think? Let us know on instagram - @groovymoviespod.
References
Ridley Scott profile by Michael Schulman for The New Yorker
Ridley Scott’s response to Napoleon’s critics by Caroline Frost for Deadline
Ridley Scott’s response to criticism of the Egyptian invasion scene in Napoleon by Adam Bentz on Screen Rant
‘Napoleon on trial: The battle for historical accuracy of the...
Saltburn: Are we really eating the rich? Ft. Culture Colander
Nov 30, 2023This week we are joined by Audra and Elisa from Culture Colander. They bring an American perspective to a very British class system as we dissect Emerald Fennell’s new film Saltburn, i.e. The Talented Mr Creepley.
References
Listen to and follow @culturecolander
Interview with Emerald Fennell and the cast of Saltburn
‘The sons and daughters of The Talented Mr Ripley’ by Manuela Lazic for The Ringer
The New Yorker Radio Hour episode where Emerald Fennell talks about her upbringing
Film Pharmacy
Friends Best Thanksgiving Moment...
May December and the blacklist we want to be on
Nov 23, 2023Aesthetica short film festival, the Hollywood blacklist, and one of its scripts, Todd Haynes’ new movie May December, are all up for discussion this week. Expect sweeping generalisations about short films and a tabloid-esque compare-and-contrast between May December and the real-life scandal that inspired it.
References
Aesthetica Short Film Festival
New York 81 (short 2022) dir. by Jannicke Systad Jacobsen
Mary Kay Letourneau and Vili Fualaau on Barbara Walters
John Lahr’s piece on Todd Haynes for The New Yorker
Adam White’s interview with Todd Haynes for The Independent
The Black...
Finding love in a dystopian place (Fingernails, The Lobster, Her)
Nov 16, 2023In honour of new release Fingernails, we talk dystopian romances: why they work, when they don’t, and which animal we’d like to be turned into if we didn’t find love.
References
Fingernails director Christos Nikou on modern dating by Lou Thomas for BFI
Sheila O’Malley’s review of The Lobster
Interview with Yorgos Lanthimos on The Lobster by Mekado Murphy for The New York Times
Spike Jonze on Her by Logan Hill for The New York Times
Film Pharmacy
Die Hard (1988) dir. by John McT...
Does size matter? The Gravity of the cinematic experience
Nov 09, 2023This week James drags us to the BFI IMAX for Gravity’s 10th year anniversary re-release, on a mission to prove that the cinematic experience is worth leaving the house for.
Film Pharmacy
The Full Monty (1997) dir. by Peter Cattaneo
Pride (2014) dir. by Matthew Warchus
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Is Killers of the Flower Moon worth the runtime?
Nov 02, 2023With DiCaprio and De Niro in fine gurning form and Thelma Schoonmaker on the edit, the gang’s back together for Martin Scorsese’s brand new film. But is it worth the 3hr26m runtime?
References
Killers of the Flower Moon: Oil, Money, Murder and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann (the book the film is based on)
Interview with Leonardo DiCaprio and Lily Gladstone for Critqal
Martin Scorsese’s companion films list on Letterboxd
Films and TV shows about indigenous communities we recommended:
Dances with W...
Hex Appeal: Cinema’s Baddest Witches (Practical Magic, The Craft, The Witches of Eastwick)
Oct 26, 2023It’s that spooky time of year and Practical Magic’s 25th anniversary. So this week we take a whistlestop tour through witch movie history to our final destination: the 90s (cinema’s hexiest decade?).
References
‘Screaming, Flying, And Laughing: Magical Feminism’s witches in contemporary film, television and novels’ by Kimberly Ann Wells
‘Witches, “bitches” or feminist trailblazers? The Witch in Folk Horror Cinema’ by Chloe Germaine Buckley
‘“We are the weirdos”: how witches went from evil outcasts to feminist heroes’ by Anne T. Donahue for The Guardian
‘Magical Women, Witches & Healers’, Frames Cine...
It’s Taylor Swift’s Era and we’re just living in it (but do concert films work?)
Oct 19, 2023To any Swifties listening - hello, welcome. To any non-Swifties, please forgive us. We couldn’t resist discussing the music-movie partnership of an era. So this week we take the opportunity to ask the question: do concert films work?
We, of course, dive into Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour but also compare it with another concert movie that is currently in cinemas: Stop Making Sense, A24’s re-release of the 1984 Talking Heads documentary. We also watched Amazing Grace, the long-lost Sydney Pollack film capturing the recording of Aretha Franklin’s gospel album of the same name.
Re...
Nostalgiaholics: Why were 90s filmmakers obsessed with the 70s? (Dazed and Confused, Almost Famous, Boogie Nights)
Oct 05, 2023It's the 30 year anniversary of Dazed and Confused (1993), Richard Linklater's ode to 70s adolescence. And he wasn't alone - many of the 90s greatest films were set in the last vinyl decade. Besides the dramatically pointy collars and avocado bathroom sets, what was the appeal? To answer the question, we take a closer look at Linklater's coming-of-age breakout hit, Cameron Crowe's career-defining Almost Famous (2000 - ok not quite 90s, but as good as) and our favourite Paul Thomas Anderson movie, Boogie Nights (1997).
References
An Oral History of Boogie Nights
‘Almost Famous: The Oral Hi...
Would you forget a past relationship if you could? (Past Lives, Sliding Doors, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind)
Sep 28, 2023Inspired by new release Past Lives, this week we look at love stories about what could have been. We discusses the enduring influence of 90s clanger Sliding Doors and the indie classic, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
References
Past Lives director Celine Song explains ‘in-yun’
'Break-Up' - This American Life's podcast episode
I don’t want to get over you by The Magnetic Fields
‘From Script to Screen: Charlie Kaufman on Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’ by David S. Cohen for Scriptmag.com
Film Pharmacy
The Wiz...
Love Triangles on Film: How (not) to throuple (Passages, Vicky, Cristina, Barcelona, Design For Living)
Sep 21, 2023We return to our favourite debate: monogamy vs. polyamory. This time with love triangles as the point of entry.
We discuss new release Passages' somewhat bleak version of the shape, and look back at more optimistic portrayals, including Woody Allen's Spanish holiday fantasy Vicky, Cristina, Barcelona and the pre-code shocker Design For Living.
Lily also gives the lowdown on (the auteur behind The Room) Tommy Wiseau's new release, Big Shark.
References
‘The Ethical Slut’: Inside America’s Growing Acceptance of Polyamory by Anna Fitzpatrick for Rolling Stone
Design for Living N...
But when can we see Dune 2? Everything you need to know about the Hollywood Strikes
Sep 13, 2023This week we take a closer look at the writers and actors strikes and what the impact will be for film-making and cinemas. We also pick our must-see movies from the Venice Film Festival.
Donate here to emergency financial assistance writers, performers and people in support roles affected by the strike
Donate here to SAG-AFTRA's emergency fund
References
SAG proposals
WGA proposals
Deadline Strike Talk - podcast by Hollywood strikers about the strikes
'The 2023 Hollywood strikes for dummies' by Jason P Frank for Vulture<...
James' Desert Island DVDs (The Empire Strikes Back, Singing in the Rain, Citizen Kane)
Sep 07, 2023This week on the podcast we’re trying our hand at the greatest radio format of all time. Lily does her best (very bad) Kirsty Young impression as James' delivers his top 3 Desert Island DVDs. He also, of course, details his preferred AV set-up for shipwrecked screenings - think monkeys in tuxedos.
References
The lowdown on Cargo Cults
'The rise (and Inevitable fall) of Citizen Kane as the Greatest Movie Ever Made' by Bilge Ebiri for vulture.com
'What’s so good about Citizen Kane?' by Nicholas Barber for BBC
Inte...
Has the cult of director lost its power? (My Name is Alfred Hitchcock, North by Northwest, Inception, Reservoir Dogs)
Aug 31, 2023This week we're discussing directors who have achieved cult status: the ones you can recognise within 24 frames of a film - the Taratinos, the Hitchcocks and of course, the Nolans. We come up with rules for achieving cult of director status and question if superstar directors still have power in the era of streaming services.
References
A quick guide to auteur theory by Jax Griffin for filminquiry.com
Pauline Kael's rebuttal to auteur theory
Pauline Kael on Taratino and Pulp Fiction
Christopher Nolan: A Labyrinth of Linkages by David Bo...
The women behind Hollywood's top directors (Jaws, Raging Bull, Out of Sight)
Aug 24, 2023This week James tells the amazing story behind the rise of women editors in cinema and we take a closer look at three of the best: Verna Fields (Jaws), Thelma Schoonmaker (Raging Bull) and Anne V. Coates (Out of Sight).
References
'The Celluloid Ceiling' - stats on behind-the-scenes women in 2022's top grossing films
'Edited By' - an excellent source on women film editors
'"Mother Cutter": Verna Fields Mentors a New Generation of Film Directors in the 1970s'
'Precise Feeling: The Editing of Thelma Schoonmaker'
Editing rules from Anne...
Our Sizzling Summer Holiday Special: Viva L'Italia (Call Me By Your Name, Roman Holiday, The Great Beauty)
Aug 10, 2023The Great British Summer is letting us down so we’re escaping to Italy for a cinematic holiday special. Stops on the trip include Roman Holiday, Call Me By Your Name and The Great Beauty.
References
Audrey Hepburn’s screen test for Roman Holiday, 1953, YouTube
The making of Roman Holiday, YouTube
Call Me By Your Name by Andre Aciman
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What makes a killer plot twist? (Psycho, Atonement, Parasite)
Aug 03, 2023This week we contemplate plot twists - what works, what doesn't work and the different purposes they can serve. And apologies, this week is spoiler heavy, so if you can, watch before listening:
Psycho (1960) dir. by Alfred Hitchcock
Atonement (2007) dir. by Joe Wright
Parasite (2019) dir. by Bong Joon-ho
References
The Making of Psycho, YouTube
How Hitchcock got people to watch Psycho, YouTube
James McAvoy on Bryony in Atonement: "may she rot in hell", YouTube
Parasite's noodle dish that shows the class divide, metaflix.com
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Duration: 01:04:42Barbenheimer Special
Jul 27, 2023Here to ride the zeitgeist as far as it will go, we're kicking off series 3 with a Barbenheimer special, having seen both films at 8:15, 18:00, and 00:20 in the same day - please excuse our zombie-ish state of being.
References
Todd Haynes' Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story
Greta Gerwig's interview with Simon Mayo
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Edited by Lily Austin
Original music by James Brailsford
Logo design by Alfie Garland
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...
Did cinema create the ‘It’ girl? (It, Mahogany, Factory Girl)
Jun 01, 2023Taking inspiration from this month's yesteryear issue of New York Magazine, for our final episode of the series, we look at cinema’s role in creating and cataloging the ‘It’ girl.
Films referenced:
It (1927) dir. by Clarence G. Badger
Mahogany (1975) dir. by Berry Gordy
Kids (1995) dir. by Larry Clark
Factory Girl (2006) dir. by George Hickenlooper
Before Sunrise (1995) dir. by Richard Linklater
After Hours (1985) dir. by Martin Scorsese
Sources and resources:
The New York magazine article on ‘It’ girls by Matthew Schneier
151 New York ‘It’ girls
Do we prefer our main characters with side character energy? (Grease, Pulp Fiction, Fight Club)
May 24, 2023This week we consider unexpected main character-side character dynamics; the supporting parts that outshine the lead (Rizzo in Grease), characters that are both side and main at once (Pulp Fiction) and what it means when the side character was the protagonist the whole time (Fight Club).
Films referenced:
Grease (1979) dir. by Randal Kleiser
Pulp Fiction (1994) dir. by Quentin Tarantino
Fight Club (1999) dir. by David Fincher
Sherlock Jr. (1924) dir. by Buster Keaton
My Neighbor Totoro (1989) dir. by Hayao Miyazaki
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Edith Head: The designer who dressed Hollywood's Golden Era (Breakfast at Tiffany's, To Catch a Thief, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid)
May 18, 2023There was one woman who had more influence over the look and style of Hollywood’s Golden Age than anyone else: Edith Head. This week we take a closer look at some of our favourite designs from her huge (1000-film-strong) back catalogue and take pointers from one of her self-help style guides, How To Dress For Success.
Films referenced:
Lady In the Dark (1944) dir. by Mitchell Leisen
This Gun for Hire (1942) dir. by Frank Tuttle
To Catch a Thief (1955) dir. by Alfred Hitchcock
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) dir. by Ge...
Our Favourite Comfort Films (The Big Short, Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, The Fall, The Mummy, Juno, Tea With Mussolini)
May 13, 2023James has been under the weather this week, so in the spirit of self-care, we’re discussing our favourite comfort films.
Films referenced:
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) dir. by Michel Gondry
Juno (2007) dir. by Jason Reitman
Palm Springs (2020) dir. by Max Barbakow
Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977) dir. by George Lucas
Submarine (2010) dir. by Richard Ayoade
Tea with Mussolini (1999) dir. by Franco Zeffirelli
The Big Short (2015) dir. by Adam McKay
The Fall (2006) dir. by Tarsem Singh
The Mummy (1999) dir by Stephen Som...
From Dr Strangelove to Bond: The Genius of Ken Adam (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Moonraker, Barry Lyndon, Dr. Strangelove)
May 04, 2023This week we’re celebrating the genius of Ken Adam, the production designer behind cinema’s most iconic sets and the man who created the visual flare the Bond movies have become known for.
Films referenced:
Dr. Strangelove, or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964) dir. by Stanley Kubrick
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) dir. by Ken Hughes
Moonraker (1979) dir. by Lewis Gilbert
Barry Lyndon (1975) dir. by Stanley Kubrick
Sources and resources:
Ken Adam’s sketches, wallpaper.com
Ken Adam on working with K...
What turns a bad movie into a cult classic? (Howard The Duck, The Room, Mommie Dearest, North Sea Hijack)
Apr 21, 2023We’ve decided to do the unthinkable - willingly watch 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.
Films referenced:
Howard the Duck (1986) dir. by William Huyck
Mommie Dearest (1981) dir. by Frank Perry
The Room (2003) dir. by Tommy Wiseau
North Sea Hijack (1980) dir. by Andrew V. Mc...
Duration: 01:08:00Fucking Bonkers French Films (Last Year at Marienbad, The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, Celine & Julie Go Boating, Holy Motors)
Apr 13, 2023This week we get into that particular kind of surrealist madness only French cinema can capture. From the overwrought 60s stylisation of Last Year at Marienbad to modern masterpiece Holy Motors, care of 70s standouts Celine and Julie Go Boating and The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie - if nothing else, we're giving tops marks for the titles.
Films referenced:
Last Year at Marienbad (1961) dir. by Alain Resnais
The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972) dir. by Luis Bunuel
Celine & Julie Go Boating (1974) dir. by Jacques Rivette
H...
Duration: 01:04:33What makes a film feel timeless? (Dune, Memento, Casablanca)
Apr 06, 2023This week we discuss timelessness. How certain films manage to capture that elusive quality, through the look, characterisation and storytelling.
Films referenced:
Casablanca (1942) dir. by Michael Curtiz
Memento (2000) dir. by Christopher Nolan
Dune (2021) dir. by Denis Villeneuve
Dune (1984) dir. by David Lynch
Bound (1996) dir. by the Wachowskis
The Matrix (1999) dir. by the Wachowskis
Tar (2022) dir. by Todd Field
We Need To Talk About Kevin (2011) dir. by Lynne Ramsay
Ratcatcher (1999) dir. by Lynne Ramsay
You Were Never Really Here (2017) dir. by Lynne Ramsay
...
Don’t watch the movie - watch the documentary about the movie (Hearts of Darkness, Jodorowsky's Dune, Lost Soul: The Doomed Journey of Richard Stanley's Island Of Dr. Moreau)
Mar 30, 2023Sometimes the story about the making of the film is even better than the final product. This week we discuss four films, via the incredible documentaries about how they were (or in some cases, weren’t) made.
Films referenced:
Apocalypse Now (1979) dir. by Francis Ford Coppola
Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse (1991) dir. by Eleanor Coppola, Fax Bahr and George Hickenlooper
Jodorowsky’s Dune (2013) dir. by Frank Pavich
The Island of Dr Moreau (1996) dir. by Richard Stanley, (and then) John Frankenheimer
Lost Soul: The Doomed Journey of Richard Stanley's Island...
Do blank cheques make good films? (Showgirls, Southland Tales, The Last Temptation of Christ)
Mar 23, 2023
We’ll be trying our best not to give away too many spoilers, but if in doubt, watch the films before listening.
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In series two we're going thematic - that means more ideas, more movies, and more bad movies.
To kick us off, we're talking about blank cheque films - what happens when a studio cuts a cheque and gives the director total creative control...
Films referenced:
The Last Temptation of Christ (1988) dir. by Martin Scorsese
Showgirls (1995) dir. by Paul Verhoeven
Awards Season Special (part 2): The Best
Mar 16, 2023In part two we regroup to see how our Oscars predictions fared, discuss our favourites of the awards contenders and, of course, present the rest of the Groovies.
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Awards Season Special (part 1): The Worst
Mar 08, 2023Kicking-off series 2 with part one of our Awards Season Special, a round-up of our least favourite of the awards contenders this year. Tensions rise in the fight for the bottom, Avatar v. Babylon - who will win? We also make predictions for this Sunday’s Oscars ceremony and award our very own gongs, The Groovies.
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Edited by Lily Austin
Original music by James Brailsford
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Instagram
Ti...
[GUESTS ON CULTURE COLANDER] The Whale, starring Brendan Fraser: "We didn't need fatness to tell this story"
Mar 06, 2023Audra and Elisa pair up with Lily and James from Groovy Movies podcast to dissect one of the most talked about films of the year, The Whale, which stars Brendan Fraser and is nominated for multiple Academy Awards. They chat about fat representation, the struggle of stage-to-film adaptations, voyeurism, and the different manifestations of trauma.
This episode pairs best with following Aubrey Gordon, making British friends, and watching the Oscars.
Book Recommendation
Check out Culture Colander
Listen here!Follow here!Email at culturecolander@g... Duration: 01:33:23Die Hard dir. by John McTiernan
Dec 09, 2022
The final episode of the series is full of spoilers - watch Die Hard with your Disney+ subscription or better yet catch it at the cinema and get in the Christmas spirit before listening.
Films and TV shows referenced:
Die Hard (1988) dir. by John McTiernan
Friends, season 7, episode 6, ‘The one with the nap partners'
Moonlighting (1985-19189) created by Glenn Gordon Caron
The Fifth Element (1997) dir. by Luc Besson
Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) dir. by James Cameron
Magic Mike’s Last Dance (2023) dir. by Steven Soderbergh
...
2001: A Space Odyssey dir. by Stanley Kubrick
Dec 01, 2022
2001 subpasses spoilers (according to Lily) but even so, we strongly recommend you watch it first before listening to this episode, ideally on the big screen but if not, how about on Youtube.
Films and TV shows referenced:
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) dir. by Stanley Kubrick
Independence Day (1996) dir. by Roland Emmerich
Gravity (2013) dir. by Alfonso Cuarón
Barry Lyndon (1975) dir. by Stanley Kubrick
Dr Strangelove (1964) dir. by Stanley Kubrick
Dr Strange (2016) dir. by Scott Derrickson
RRR (2022) dir. by S. S. Rajamoul
Making the Shining (1980) dir. b...
Hunger dir. by Steve McQueen
Nov 24, 2022
We do our best to describe Hunger, but like many good films, it’s better watched. Mentally prepare yourself for the experience but don’t miss it. Stream Hunger here.
Films and TV shows referenced:
Hunger (2008) dir. by Steve McQueen
The White Lotus (2021-present) dir. by Mike White
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) dir. by Stanley Kubrick
Widows (2018) dir. by Steve McQueen
12 Years a Slave (2013) dir. by Steve McQueen
Other sources:
Interview with the director Steve McQueen, mubi.com 2 Interviews with Steve McQueen
Inter...
Mustang dir. Deniz Gamze Ergüven
Nov 17, 2022
The spoilers are full-on this week. Watch Mustang here to avoid hating us.
Films and TV shows referenced:
Mustang (2015) dir. Deniz Gamze Ergüven
The Florida Project (2017) dir. by Sean Baker
The Virgin Suicides (1999) dir. by Sofia Coppola
Kings (2017) dir. Deniz Gamze Ergüven
The Handmaid’s Tale (2017-present) created by Bruce Miller
Perry Mason (2020-present) created by Rolin Jones and Ron Fitzgerald
Other sources:
Interview with the director and cast
DP/30 interview with the director
Q&A with the dir...
Hero dir. by Zhang Yimou
Nov 10, 2022
Don’t let us ruin the twists and turns - watch Hero on NowTV before you listen.
Films referenced:
Magic Circle (2003) dir. by James Brailsford
Hero (2002) dir. by Zhang Yimou
In The Mood For Love (2000) dir. by Wong Kar-wai
Other sources:
Liza Bear, ‘Fighting for Peace (and Art Films), Zhang Yimou on Hero, indiewire.com
Mark Brent Ellsworth, The Hero Fallen: Zhang Yimou and the Question of Unstable Authorship
Christopher Doyle on the cinematography of Hero, theasc.com
Vivian Lee...
The Love Witch dir. by Anna Biller
Nov 03, 2022
We implore you - watch The Love Witch. Preferably before you listen, but after, during, alongside work too. Just give it a watch.
Films and podcasts referenced:
The Love Witch (2016) dir. by Anna Biller
Every Outfit podcast
This is Paris (2022) dir. by Alexandra Dean
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) dir. by Steven Spielberg
Donkey Skin (1970) dir. by Jacques Demy
When Harry Met Sally (1989) dir. by Rob Reiner
Other sources:
Anna Biller's list of 75 Classic Hollywood funny women
Anna...
The Shining dir. by Stanley Kubrick
Oct 28, 2022
If you’ve not already seen it, make sure you watch the movie before listening to this week’s episode (preferably the European over the US version) - and keep an eye out for the conspiracy-theory spawning inconsistencies.
Films, TV shows and books referenced:
The Shining (1980) dir. by Stanley Kubrick
The Shining (1977) by Stephen King
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1985) dir. by Wes Craven
Friday the 13th (1980) dir. by Sean S. Cunningham
X (2022) dir. by Ti West
It Follows...
Duration: 00:41:24We Need To Talk About Kevin dir. by Lynne Ramsay
Oct 19, 2022Don’t let us spoil this incredible movie for you - watch it on Netflix or Amazon or our favourite, Mubi, before listening.
Films, TV shows and books referenced:
We Need To Talk About Kevin (2011) dir. by Lynne Ramsay
The Passengers of the night (2022) dir. by Mikhaël Hers
We Need To Talk About Kevin (2003) by Lionel Shriver
Morvern Callar (2002) dir. by Lynne Ramsay
The Psychopath Test (2011) by John Ronson
Ratcatcher (1999) dir. by Lynne Ramsay
The...
Duration: 00:37:19Grizzly Man dir. by Werner Herzog
Oct 12, 2022Avoid spoilers and watch the documentary here. And if that has whetted your appetite for Werner Herzog’s mesmeric timbre, see the links below for him in Rick and Morty, and starring as a plastic bag.
Films referenced:
Grizzly Man (2005) dir. by Werner Herzog
Blonde (2022) dir. by Andrew Dominick
The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) dir. by Martin Scorsese
Passport to Paradise (2022) dir. by OI Parker
Into the Inferno (2016) dir. by Werner Herzog
Other...
Duration: 00:37:38À Bout De Souffle (Breathless) dir. by Jean-Luc Godard
Sep 28, 2022We strongly recommend watching À Bout De Souffle before listening to the episode - for many reasons that we get into in the episode, but mainly because it changed cinema forever. You can rent it on BFI player.
Films and TV shows referenced:
À Bout De Souffle (1960) dir. by Jean-Luc Godard
Last Year in Marienbad (1961) dir. by Alain Resnais
Practical Magic (1998) dir. by Griffin Dunne
Southland Tales (2006) dir. by Richard Kelly
Donnie Darko (2001) dir. by Richard Kelly
Le Mép...
Duration: 00:37:16Bound dir. by the Wachowskis
Sep 28, 2022We hate to say it but the easiest place to watch Bound is on Amazon. If you’ve not seen it before you won’t be disappointed, even if the platform is.
Films and tv shows referenced:
Bound (1996) dir. by the Wachowskis
The Matrix (1999) dir. by the Wachowskis
Batman Begins (2005) dir. by Christopher Nolan
Casablanca (1942) dir. by Michael Curtiz
Poltergeist (1982) dir. by Tobe Hooper
Dune (2021) dir. by Denis Villeneuve
The Matrix Resurrections (2001) dir. by Lana Wa...
Duration: 00:41:37Bound dir. by the Wachowskis
Sep 22, 2022
We hate to say it but the easiest place to watch Bound is on Amazon.
If you’ve not seen it before you won’t be disappointed, give it a watch then let us know if you agree with our take - email us at groovymoviespod@gmail.com, or dm us on instagram at @groovymoviespod.
Films and tv shows referenced:
Bound (1996) dir. by the Wachowskis
The Matrix (1999) dir. by the Wachowskis
Batman Begins (2005) dir. by Christopher Nolan
Casablanca (1942) dir. by Michael Curtiz<...
Duration: 00:41:37The Worst Person in the World dir. by Joachim Trier
Sep 14, 2022Watch The Worst Person in the World on Mubi. Trust us it’s worth the subscription.
Films and tv shows referenced:
The Worst Person in the World (2021) dir. by Joachim Trier
The Florida Project (2017) dir. by Sean Baker
The Man who fell to Earth (19760) dir. by Nicholas Roeg
Young Plato (2021) dir. by Declan McGrath, Neasa Ní Chianáin
Reprise (2006) dir. by Joachim Trier
Oslo, August 31st (2011) dir. by Joachim Trier
Other...
Duration: 00:35:41Bringing Up Baby dir. by Howard Hawks
Sep 07, 2022Watch Bringing Up Baby on iplayer.
Films and tv shows referenced:
Bringing Up Baby (1938) dir. by Howard Hawks
Knocked Up (2007) dir. by Judd Apatow
The Love Birds (2020) dir. by Michael Showalter
Insecure (2016-2021) created by Issa Rae and Larry Wilmore
Ghostbusters (2016) dir. by Paul Feig
Ocean’s 8 (2018) dir. by Gary Ross
Other sources:
Me: Stories of my life (1991) by Katharine Hepburn
Michaela Barton, ‘Bringing Up Baby ...
Duration: 00:32:18Heat dir. by Michael Mann
Aug 31, 2022Watch the movie before listening if you don’t want to hear spoilers (and to see Val Kilmer’s hair at its cinematic nadir).
Films and tv shows referenced:
Heat (1995) dir. by Michael Mann
Heat 2 (tbc) dir. by Michael Mann
The Batman trilogy (2005-2012) dir. by Christopher Nolan
LA Takedown (1989) dir. by Michael Mann
LA Confidential (1997) dir. by Curtis Hanson
The Godfather: Part II (1974) dir. by Francis Ford Coppola
Other source...
Duration: 00:37:43Licorice Pizza dir. by Paul Thomas Anderson
Aug 24, 2022This week is pretty low on spoilers but nonetheless, we strongly recommend watching the movie before listening - it’s a feast for the eyes.
Films referenced:
Licorice Pizza (2021) dir. by Paul Thomas Anderson
Bullet Train (2022) dir. by David Leitch
Reservoir Dogs (1992) dir. Quentin Tarantino
Pulp Fiction (1994) dir. Quentin Tarantino
Hereditary (2018) dir. by Ari Aster
Nomadland (2020) dir. by Chloe Zhao
Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021) dir. by Andy Serkis
Boogie Nights (1997) dir. by Paul Thomas...
Duration: 00:27:11Batman Begins dir. by Christopher Nolan
Aug 17, 2022Watch the movie before listening if you don’t want to hear spoilers (and if you’ve always wanted to hear Liam Neeson speak at ½ speed).
Films referenced:
Batman Begins (2005) dir. by Christopher Nolan
The Dark Knight (2008) dir. by Christopher Nolan
Batman & Robin (1997) dir. by Joel Schumacher
Superman (1978) dir. by Dick Donner
Superman II (1980) dir. by Dick Donner
Waves (2019) dir. by Trey Edward Shults
The Batman (2022) dir. by Matt Reeves
Sources:
Vilja...
Duration: 00:39:27The Conformist dir. by Bernardo Bertolucci
Aug 10, 2022
Sexual assault is referred to in this episode.
Be sure to watch the movie before listening if you don’t want to hear spoilers (and because it will make you seem cineliterate).
Films referenced:
The Conformist (1970) dir. by Bernardo Bertolucci
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) dir. by Stanley Kubrick
One From the Heart (1981) dir. by Francis Ford Coppola
Other sources:
Documentary on Vittorio Storaro, The Conformist’s cinematographer
Shadows of the Psyche...
Duration: 00:33:10When Harry Met Sally dir. by Rob Reiner
Aug 03, 2022Watch the movie before listening if you don’t want to hear spoilers (and because it’s the greatest rom-com ever made).
Films and books referenced:
When Harry Met Sally (1989) dir. by Rob Reiner
Postcards from the Edge by Carrie Fisher (Simon & Schuster, 1987)
Postcards from the Edge (1990) dir. by Mike Nichols
Men in Black (1997) dir. by Barry Sonnenfeld
Sleepless in Seattle (1993) dir. by Nora Ephron
You’ve Got Mail (1998) dir. by Nora Ephron
The Princes...
Duration: 00:35:38