Groovy Movies

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!Edited and produced by Lily Austin and James BrailsfordOriginal music by James BrailsfordInstagram TikTokEmail us

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.ReferencesMaking-of featurette with Ruth Lee raving about corsetsAn American Cinematographer article on shooting Seven Brides by George Folsey-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Edited and produced by Lily Austin and James BrailsfordOriginal music by James BrailsfordInstagram TikTokEmail us

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 endingYou 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 -----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Edited and produced by Lily Austin and James BrailsfordOriginal music by James BrailsfordInstagram TikTokEmail us

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. ReferencesMaking of featuretteSidney Poitier on In The Heat Of The Night‘In the Heat of the Night: The Double Bind', essay by K. Austin Collins-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Edited and produced by Lily Austin and James BrailsfordOriginal music by James BrailsfordInstagram TikTokEmail us

Send us a textOur 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 watchBFI PlayerCheck out this website for links to cinema screenings of Seven SamuraiReferencesCheck out the Stockport PlazaThe eventful production story of Seven Samurai by Collier Jennings on collider.comAn analysis of the opening minutes of Seven Samurai by Arttective on YouTube-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Edited and produced by Lily Austin and James BrailsfordOriginal music by James BrailsfordInstagram TikTokEmail us

Send us a textThis 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 anniversaryBeautifully formatted New Yorker article about In The Mood For LoveThat cut dance scene-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Edited and produced by Lily Austin and James BrailsfordOriginal music by James BrailsfordInstagram TikTokEmail us

Send us a textYou 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. ReferencesSean Baker and Mikey Madison break down a scene by Vanity FairSean Baker's 30 year journey to Anora by Neon-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Edited and produced by Lily Austin and James BrailsfordOriginal music by James BrailsfordInstagram TikTokEmail us

Send us a textAs 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. -----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Edited and produced by Lily Austin and James BrailsfordOriginal music by James BrailsfordInstagram TikTokEmail us

Send us a textIt'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. ReferencesSeven's scriptSeven's cinematography by David E. Williams for theasc.comBehind-The-Scenes Stories From The Making Of 'Se7en' by Mike McGranaghan for ranker.com-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Edited and produced by Lily Austin and James BrailsfordOriginal music by James BrailsfordInstagram TikTokEmail us

Send us a textNothing 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.ReferencesVanity Fair piece on Babygirl by David CanfieldHalina Reijn on Bridging Hollywood's “Orgasm Gap” by Scott RoxboroughCinematographer Jasper Wolf on working on Babygirl-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Edited and produced by Lily Austin and James BrailsfordOriginal music by James BrailsfordInstagram TikTokEmail us

Send us a textRemember 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 on JunoDiablo Cody on Juno and its critics 15 years later by Evan Nicole Brown for The Hollywood Reporter-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Edited and produced by Lily Austin and James BrailsfordOriginal music by James BrailsfordInstagram TikTokEmail us

Send us a textThis 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) hereYoga Hosers (2016) trailerShadow of a vampire (2000) trailer-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Edited and produced by Lily Austin and James BrailsfordOriginal music by James BrailsfordInstagram TikTokEmail us

Send us a textIn 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.ReferencesDavid Lynch's documentary, Eraserhead StoriesInterviews with the Eraserhead cast‘The Epic Influence of David Lynch's Eraserhead, from Kubrick to Star Wars' by Garin Pirnia for EsquireInterview with Lynch from Chris Rodley's 1997 book Lynch on Lynch-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Edited and produced by Lily Austin and James BrailsfordOriginal music by James BrailsfordInstagram TikTokEmail us

Send us a textWe 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. ReferencesBehind-the-scenes documentary 'Wanderlust and Nostalgia'Tarsem Singh on the making of The Fall by Christina Newland for Little White LiesAn oral history of The Fall by Leila Jordan for IndieWire-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Edited and produced by Lily Austin and James BrailsfordOriginal music by James BrailsfordInstagram TikTokEmail us

Send us a textThis 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.ReferencesPages from the fictional book "The Philosophy of Time Travel" by Roberta Sparrow aka Grandma DeathDonnie Darko's BTS production video diary An oral history of Donnie Darko-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Edited and produced by Lily Austin and James BrailsfordOriginal music by James BrailsfordInstagram TikTokEmail us

Send us a textTo 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. ReferencesInterview with Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley and Coralie FargeatA breakdown of the set design of The SubstanceThe kind of headline Lily doesn't appreciate-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Original music by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us

Send us a textWe 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? ReferencesThat hotel Coppola owns for filmmakersTwelve 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-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Original music by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us

Send us a textThis 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 Trey Taylor, dazeddigital.comPenelope Spheeris on Wayne's World, Pat Saperstein, Variety.com‘Point Break is a feminine perspective on toxic masculinity', laineygossip.com-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Original music by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us

Send us a Text Message.Between 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. ReferencesPeter 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 As Actor Exits Set', by Anthony D'Alessando for deadline.com -----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Original music by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us

Send us a Text Message.From 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? ReferencesThe Strasberg school's definition of method actingOn Location with The Godfather: A Discussion with Gordon Willis (director of photography), theasc.comAn oral history of The Terminator 2-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Original music by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us

Send us a Text Message.Why 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.ReferencesHulk Smash's takedown of Tom HooperSteven Soderbergh's Butcher's Cut of Heaven's Gate-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Original music by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us

Send us a Text Message.You 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 that really captured the zeitgeist of the time here in the UK - whilst we try to figure out 1999's special formula for brilliant cinema. ReferencesEverything you need to know about the Wilhelm Scream, No Film School on YouTubeBrian Raftery, Best Movie Year Ever: How 1999 Blew Up the Big Screen (2019)Danny Boyle being interviewed about Trainspotting in 1999, YouTubeAmy Nicholson's article on 1999-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Original music by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us

Send us a Text Message.From 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?ReferencesHot takes: a short history of the one-shot movie in 11 attempts by Matthew Thrift for BFIInterview with Medusa Deluxe director Thomas HardimanThe 10 worst Martin Scorsese movies by Joe Williams for Far OutIn One Breath: Alexander Sokurov's Russian Ark (Making of) on YouTube-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Original music by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us

Send us a Text Message.It'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. ReferencesAn oral history of the making of The Mummy by Clark Collis for Entertainment WeeklyA video of Nina Wilcox Putnam, the co-author of the 1932 The Mummy screenplay, which was based on a real-life magician called Alessandro Cagliostro.Everything you need to know about The Mummy franchise on mummy.fandom.comGimme Three - A Series For CinephilesGimme Three is a love letter cinema. 3 films. 1 Theme. A hell of a lot of fun!Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Original music by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us

Send us a Text Message.It 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. ReferencesInterview 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 DailyCannes Awards: Female-Centered Stories Win Big in Cannes, as Sean Baker's ‘Anora' Earns Palme d'Or by Peter Debruge for Variety-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Original music by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us

Game. 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 ‘Spider-Verse' Reference by Armando Tinoco for DeadlineSex and Tennis Make a Good Match in Challengers by Richard Lawson for Vanity Fair -----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Original music by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us

This 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. ReferencesInterview with Jonathan Glazer on The Zone of Interest by David Canfield for Vanity FairThe Making of The Zone of InterestWim Wenders interviewed about Perfect Days for CurzonThe Tokyo Toilet ProjectFilm PharmacyChinatown (1974) dir. by Roman PolanskiSpoorloos (1990) dir. by George SluizerThoroughbreds (2017) dir. by Cory Finley-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Original music by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us

Last 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 VarietyFilm PharmacyPerfect Days (2023) dir. by Wim WendersIdiocracy (2006) dir. by Mike JudgeCheers to Chaos: Reality TV & CocktailsJoin hosts Will and Marisa as they dive into the most entertaining moments from reality TVListen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Original music by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us

It 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.ReferencesThe party scene in 10 Things I Hate About YouThe afterparty in Human Traffic (1999)The party scene in Playtime (1967)The party scene in The Great BeautyWatch Steve McQueen's Lovers Rock here on BBC iPlayerAn oral history of 10 Things I Hate About You by David Krumholtz for VultureA cute 10 Things I Hate About You behind-the-scenes featurette Retrospective with the Human Traffic cast in by Phil Hoad for The GuardianJacques Tati's ways of working told by two extras from PlaytimeSteve McQueen Q&A about Lovers RockFilm PharmacyThe Tree of Life (2011) dir. by Terrence Malick Tron: Legacy (2010) dir. by Joseph KosinskiThe Color of Pomegrates (1969) dir. by Sergei ParajanovModern Times (1936) dir. by Charlie Chaplin-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Original music by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us

We'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. ReferencesWill Hays IRLYou 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 ReporterHow the Catholic Church censored Hollywood's Golden Age by Vox on YouTubeBaby Face: The End Of The Pre-Code Era by Paul J. Bradley for Classic Film JournalRemembering Hollywood's Hays Code, 40 Years On by Bob Mondello for NPR‘Tracing Hollywood's Legacy of Self-Censorship through a Comparative Analysis of the Film Baby Face (1933) in its Censored and Uncensored Forms' by Morgan B. LockhartFrom femme fatale to cattle rancher: how Barbara Stanwyck bucked convention by Pamela Hutchinson for The GuardianBarbara Stanwyck: 10 essential films by Lynsey Ford for BFIBarbara Stanwyck's NY Times obituary Film PharmacyOld Boy (2004) dir. by Park Chan-wookKiller Joe (2012) dir. by William Friedkin-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Original music by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us

-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Original music by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us

It'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.ReferencesDenis 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 VarietyDune: Part Two's box office success and what it means for the film industry by Anthony D'Alessandro for DeadlineFilm PharmacyBound (1996) dir. by the WachowskisBlack Narcissus (1947) dir. by Powell and PressburgerUnfaithful (2002) dir. by Adrian Lyne10 Things I Hate About You (1999) dir. by Gil JungerFish Tank (2009) dir. by Andrea ArnoldLove dir. by Gaspar Noe-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Original music by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us

We'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. -----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Original music by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us

It'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. ReferencesBridget Jones's Diary deleted scenesThat scathing New York Times piece on Bridget Jones 20 behind-the-scenes Bridget Jones's Diary facts-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Produced and edited by Lily AustinMusic and sound by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us

For 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.  ReferencesThe Powell and Pressburger season from Oct-Dec 2023 - catch the last few screenings now.The Red Shoes: Beyond the Mirror exhibitionPiece 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 YouTubeThe cinematography of The Dark Knight by V Renee for nofilmschool.comThe Philosophy of Groundhog Day by Sebastian Martinez Diaz for film-cred.comCarol by it's Cinematographer Ed Lachman for ASC-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Produced and edited by Lily AustinMusic and sound by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us

We 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.ReferencesRidley Scott profile by Michael Schulman for The New YorkerRidley Scott's response to Napoleon's critics by Caroline Frost for DeadlineRidley 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 upcoming film' by Prateek Dasgupta for Medium‘Great man or monster - who was the real Napoleon?' by Dominic Sandbrook for The Times‘The Ugly Truth about Napoleon and Josephine' by ElleHistory on YouTubeFacts on NapoleanOppenheimer BBC documentary Film PharmacyFrances Ha (2012) dir. by Noah BaumbachZodiac (2007) dir. by David Fincher-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Produced and edited by Lily AustinMusic and sound by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us

This 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. ReferencesListen to and follow @culturecolanderInterview with Emerald Fennell and the cast of Saltburn‘The sons and daughters of The Talented Mr Ripley' by Manuela Lazic for The RingerThe New Yorker Radio Hour episode where Emerald Fennell talks about her upbringingFilm PharmacyFriends Best Thanksgiving MomentsThe Greatest Showman (2017) dir. by Michael GraceyDan in Real Life (2007) dir. by Peter Hedges-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Produced and edited by Lily AustinMusic and sound by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us

Aesthetica 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. ReferencesAesthetica Short Film FestivalNew York 81 (short 2022) dir. by Jannicke Systad JacobsenMary Kay Letourneau and Vili Fualaau on Barbara WaltersJohn Lahr's piece on Todd Haynes for The New YorkerAdam White's interview with Todd Haynes for The IndependentThe Black ListFilm PharmacyInside Llewyn Davis (2013) dir. by Joel and Ethan CoenWhiplash (2014) dir. by Damien ChazelleJodorowsky's Dune (2013) dir. by Frank PavichMoonage Daydream (2022) dir. by Brett MorgenLady Boss: The Jackie Collins Story (2021) dir. by Laura Fairrie-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Produced and edited by Lily AustinMusic and sound by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us

In 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. ReferencesFingernails director Christos Nikou on modern dating by Lou Thomas for BFI Sheila O'Malley's review of The LobsterInterview with Yorgos Lanthimos on The Lobster by Mekado Murphy for The New York TimesSpike Jonze on Her by Logan Hill for The New York TimesFilm PharmacyDie Hard (1988) dir. by John McTiernanThe Godfather (1972) dir. by Francis Ford Coppola Atonement (2007) dir. by Joe WrightFight Club (1999) dir. by David Fincher-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Produced and edited by Lily AustinMusic and sound by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us

This 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 PharmacyThe Full Monty (1997) dir. by Peter CattaneoPride (2014) dir. by Matthew Warchus-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Produced and edited by Lily AustinMusic and sound by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us

With 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?ReferencesKillers 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 CritqalMartin Scorsese's companion films list on LetterboxdFilms and TV shows about indigenous communities we recommended:Dances with Wolves (1990) dir. by Kevin Costner Smoke Signals (1998) dir. by Chris EyreReservation Dogs (2021-2023) created by Sterlin Harjo and Taika WaititiCall Me Human (2020) dir. by Kim O'BomsawinFor more, read Corinne Rice's ‘8 Essential Films of the Native American Experience'-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Produced and edited by Lily AustinMusic and sound by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us

It'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 Cinema Journal, issue 16The Evolution of Black Witches on Screen‘How Hollywood Has Failed Black Witches' by BreAnna Bell for Variety‘Celebrating the magic of black witchiness in entertainment' by Claire Lawrence for offcultured.com‘Thirstory: The Real Witches of Hollywood' by Mitchell Nugent for InterviewGeorge Miller on directing The Witches of EastwickCher on The Witches of EastwickRachel True on The Craft‘The Real Curse in Practical Magic is Heterosexuality' by Natalie Adler for ViceFilm PharmacyIkiru (1952) dir. by Akira KurosawaJiro Dreams of Sushi (2011) dir. by David Gelb-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Produced and edited by Lily AustinMusic and sound by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us

To 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. ReferencesPatrick Willems on Taylor Swift as a director - a must for anyone in the middle of the venn diagram of film and Swift loversThe origin story of Stop Making Sense by Jonathan Gould for The New Yorker‘Is the worldwide release of ‘Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour' a game-changer for distribution?' by Jeremy Kay for Screen DailyQ&A with Alan Elliott, the producer who got Amazing Grace finally madeThe Story behind Amazing Grace by Jim Farber for The GuardianFilm PharmacyLock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) dir. by Guy RitchieBridget Jones Diary (2001) dir. by Sharon Maguire-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Produced and edited by Lily AustinMusic and sound by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us

It'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).ReferencesAn Oral History of Boogie Nights‘Almost Famous: The Oral History of a Golden God's Acid Trip' by Ilana Kaplan for the NY Times‘Dazed and Confused Was the Definitive Movie About the '90s, Not the '70s' by Stephen Marche for EsquirePhilip Seymour Hoffman on Acting Film PharmacySalò, or the 120 Days of Sodom (1977) dir. by Pier Paolo PasoliniFame (1980) dir. by Alan Parker-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Produced and edited by Lily AustinMusic and sound by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us

Inspired 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. ReferencesPast Lives director Celine Song explains ‘in-yun' 'Break-Up' - This American Life's podcast episodeI 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 PharmacyThe Wizard of Oz (1939) dir. by Victor FlemingThe Fall (2006) dir. by Tarsem SinghA Philadelphia Story (1940) dir. by George Cukor-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Produced and edited by Lily AustinMusic and sound by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us

We 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 StoneDesign for Living New York Times review from 1933‘Ernst Lubitsch Made the Hollywood Comedy Sublime' by Alex Ross for The New YorkerFilm Pharmacy Night Watch (2004) dir. by Timur BekmambetovCold War (2018) dir. by Paweł Pawlikowski-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Produced and edited by Lily AustinMusic and sound by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us

This 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 strikeDonate here to SAG-AFTRA's emergency fundReferencesSAG proposalsWGA proposalsDeadline Strike Talk - podcast by Hollywood strikers about the strikes'The 2023 Hollywood strikes for dummies' by Jason P Frank for Vulture 'The unions of Hollywood are trying to save it from itself' by Emma Roth for theverge.com'The Hollywood strike can and must win – for all of us, not just writers and actors' by Hamilton Nolan for The Guardian'Inside The Shifting Theatrical Release Dates: How Studios Changed Up The Movie Calendar As WGA Strike Clocks 100 Days' by Anthony D'Alessandro and Justin Kroll for Deadline'‘Barbenheimer' Fever… and Then What? How Major Film Delays Amid the Strikes Could Damage the Movie Business' by Rebecca Rubin for VarietyAI writing a scriptOur Picks from Venice Aggro Dr1ft trailer Scene from One From The HeartMichel Gondry's music video for The Chemical Brothers' Let Forever BeMichel Gondry's music video for Bjork's BacheloretteMichel Gondry's Cibo Matto's Sugar WaterPoor Things trailerPriscilla trailerOrigin trailerFilm PharmacyBardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths (2022) dir. by Alejandro González IñárrituThe Saragossa Manuscript (1965) dir. by Wojciech Has-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Produced and edited by Lily AustinMusic and sound by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us

This 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.ReferencesThe 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 Interesting article on the battle for writer's credit on Citizen Kane by Richard Brody for the New Yorker'Citizen Kane' a masterpiece at 50', by Roger Ebert'Realism for Citizen Kane' by Gregg Toland for theasc.comGene Kelly and Cyd Charisse's sexy dance routine in Singin' In the Rain'Why Singin' in the Rain Is an Almost Perfect Musical' by Jeanine Basinger for The Atlantic'Beyond the Frame: Singin' in the Rain' by David E. Williams for the asc.com 'Shooting In Color Caused Some Problems Behind The Scenes Of Singin' In The Rain' by Whitney Seibold for slashfilm.comLucasfilm's J.W. Rinzler Talks About The Making of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back by for Vanity Fair'The Empire Strikes Back at 40: did the Star Wars saga peak too early?' by Scott Tobias for The Guardian'In Hindsight, Empire Strikes Back Director Irvin Kershner Would've Helmed One of the Prequels' by Mike Ryan for Vanity Fair Film Pharmacy recommendationsCeline & Julie Go Boating (1974) dir. by Jacques RivetteShowgirls (1995) dir. by Paul Verhoeven-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Produced and edited by Lily AustinMusic and sound by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us

This 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.ReferencesA quick guide to auteur theory by Jax Griffin for filminquiry.comPauline Kael's rebuttal to auteur theoryPauline Kael on Taratino and Pulp FictionChristopher Nolan: A Labyrinth of Linkages by David Bordwell and Kristen Thompson - essays looking closely at Nolan's narrative and cinematic style Wally Pfister's cinematography in Inception by Prachurya DasHitchcock's Psycho marketing campaignDramatic Tension in North by Northwest by Junming JiangThe directing and writing style of Greta GerwigFilm Pharmacy recommendationsMiss Congeniality (2000) dir. by Donald Petrie20th Century Women (2016) dir. by Mike MillsJoan Didion: The Center Will Not Hold (2017) dir. by Griffin Dunne-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Produced and edited by Lily AustinMusic and sound by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us

This 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 V. CoatesCriterion on the history of women editorsThe bar scene from Out of SightWhy Tarantino wanted a female editor-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Produced and edited by Lily AustinMusic and sound by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us

The 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.ReferencesAudrey Hepburn's screen test for Roman Holiday, 1953, YouTube The making of Roman Holiday, YouTubeCall Me By Your Name by Andre Aciman-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Produced and edited by Lily AustinMusic and sound by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us