Wanna Watch

Are you a Londoner? Eli Silverman(@elisnoid), Luke and Hamza (@instahamz) are. They take a trip back into London of 1984 when they watch The Chain, the classic British comedy drama written by Jack Rosenthal and directed by Jack Gold.  Eli takes a break from comedy podcast The Cheapshow and his Soho Radio House of Pickle Sounds to be transported into a fantasy world of an affordable housing market.All shot on location, the film is bursting with recognisable faces like Nigel Hawthorne, Billie Whitelaw, Warren Mitchell and Leo McKern to name but a few. It's London that in part no longer exists, but will live forever.Music by E.M.M.A (@oiiiemma)

A mind-bending animation directed by René Laloux and designed by Mœbius, The Masters of Time (Les Maîtres du temps) takes us into a dream-like state. A young boy trapped on a hostile planet waits for rescue from his father's friends.Film-maker Lars Henriks (https://www.larshenriks.de) of the New Hamburg School of Filmmaking tells us why he chose this film. We talk dreams and half-heard voices, and also how this film is so popular it could be a kind of copypasta.Why did it scar Luke as a child? And what did Hamza(@instahamz) wish he had done before listening?Music by E.M.M.A (@oiiiemma)

Film critic and writer Benedick Lewis (@seethisif) had a mouth watering experience watching Chef. Jon Favreau stars and directs this tale of a chef re-igniting his career and family life, with John Leguizamo, Scarlett Johansson, Oliver Platt, Bobby Cannavale, and Dustin Hoffman, along with Robert Downey Jr. Food, working with parents, mysterious hidden doors, we go into it all.Warning, you will be hungry after listening.Music by E.M.M.A (@oiiiemma)

The Idiots (Idioterne) is a provocative film from Lars von Trier, made under the Dogme 95 manifesto. A group of adults try to find their inner idiot by acting as if they are developmentally challenged.Improviser Duncan Wrigley joins Luke and Hamza (@instahamz) to have an intense and challenging chat about the messages of the movie. Who really comes off looking bad in the movie, and will we ever want to watch it again?Music by E.M.M.A (@oiiiemma)

Raj Kumarasuriyar from the Arseholics Podcast (@arseholics) takes a break from talking about Arsenal to chat about Top Gun.He tells us about the emotional trauma that kept him from watching Top Gun for all these years.  Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer's volleyball skills leave us shocked and we discuss the machismo of the 80s, war politics and what the new Top Gun film may bring us.Music by E.M.M.A (@oiiiemma)

Improviser and PhD candidate Nathan Keates talks about The 400 Blows with Luke and Hamza (@instahamz).We cover our thoughts on education from our youths,  and how François Truffaut took his experience as a youth and turned it into such an influential movie. Where does a kid find decent role models in life?Music by E.M.M.A (@oiiiemma)

Mikey Weinkove (https://thepeoplespeak.org.uk/) talks Fight Club, David Fincher's adaptation of Chuck Palahniuk's  novel. Brad Pitt, Edward Norton and Helena Bonham Carter are in fine form in this movie about masculinity and consumerism around the turn of the century.We find out what Talkaoke is, discuss male aggression and testosterone, what Guy Maddin's Sissy Boy Slap Party has to do with Fight Club, and how to find authentic connections with people.Music by E.M.M.A (@oiiiemma)

Movie lover Bobby Carroll (@bcmoviediary), takes a break from his own movie podcast, 'Worst Movies We Own' to have a chat with Luke and Hamza (@instahamz).We delve into Miami Connection, the Taekwondo film to end all Taekwondo films. Action, music, a lot of heart and painful toeholds, this movie has it all.Bobby tells us what the Prince Charles Cinema was really like back in the day, and the proper way to enjoy a 'bad' film. We talk about other underappreciated movies like Hudson Hawk and Last Action Hero, as well as our experience of Spectrum and Amstrad movie games.Music by E.M.M.A (@oiiiemma)

Data analyst Gareth Morinan returns with glad tidings, he has seen every Cube movie and wants the lads, Luke and Hamza (@instahamz) to discuss it. Nobody is escaping this podcast without solving some sort of puzzle.We go over Cube, Cube 2 Hypercube and Cube Zero. Why was the original such an amazing hit, and how do the sequels fare?Music by E.M.M.A (@oiiiemma)

David Duncan (@everybodyspal) is a writer and comedian (he admits under duress). He likes horror and blobs, and Luke and Hamza (@instahamz) learn to love the blob in this episode featuring our own predictions about blob sequels.We talk about Kevin Dillon, Del Close, Shawnee Smith's performances, and Frank Darabont and Chuck Russell's excellent script. Why did it not do so well? Who knows, but we do know that if you want to see more of David's comedy you can follow @beachhunks.Music by E.M.M.A (@oiiiemma)

Luke and Hamza are honoured by Katy Schutte's (katyschutte.co.uk) presence. The legendary improviser suggested Spontaneous, Brian Duffield's romantic black comedy. Starring Katherine Langford, Charlie Plummer, Hayley Law, Piper Perabo, Rob Huebel and Yvonne Orji, it shocks and delights.The story about exploding high school students brings up our own memories of arrogantly exploding at school, and a deep dive into late 80s/early 90s weird culture. The secrets of flying saucers,  Hamza's elite training as part of Vendetta, the source of Katy's hat-making skills and why Luke is the intellectual great-grandson of Albert Einstein. Everything is revealed.Music by E.M.M.A (@oiiiemma)

Actor, improviser, tuba-player, the legend Mark Beltzman (https://markbeltzman.com/) chats about Citizen Kane with Luke and Hamza (@instahamz).Influential and still frighteningly relevant today, Orson Wells 1941 drama about a media magnate who runs for office and builds his own Xanadu, brings up talks about connection in acting, online performance and visiting the real Hearst castle.Music by E.M.M.A (@oiiiemma)

Matt Smith joins Luke and Hamza (@instahamz) to share his insights into city finance and Wall Street. The film stars Charlie Sheen, Michael Douglas, with Daryl Hannah, Sean Young and Martin Sheen.We talk about real life Gordon Geckos (Michael Douglas) and why Oliver Stone's critique of Wall Street was taken as inspiration by City Bois.Music by E.M.M.A (@oiiiemma)

Clown Hanna Winter went on an adventure, and that adventure was the debut of Buckaroo Banzai. rock-star, brain surgeon, test-pilot.We gush over the epic cast of Peter Weller, Jeff Goldblum, Christopher Lloyd, Ellen Barkin, John Lithgow, and Clancy Brown. And try to work out exactly what was going on.Music by E.M.M.A (@oiiiemma)

Director Chryssanthi Kouri is here to talk about The Apartment. Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine and Fred MacMurray in Billy Wilder's comedy romance.We talk about loneliness in the big city, truth and romance and Hamza blows his top. Music by E.M.M.A (@oiiiemma)

Akie Kotabe (@akiekotabe) joins Luke and Hamza (@instahamz) for a true classic, Seven Samurai.We delve into the genius of Akira Kurosawa's directing, Toshiro Mifune's physical performance and the film's lasting influence on cinema.Music by E.M.M.A (@oiiiemma)

Improviser Chris Mead (@MrChrisMead), joins Luke and Hamza (@instahamz) to talk about Under the Skin. Jonathan Glazer directs Scarlett Johansson in a largely improvised performance as an alien stalking men in Glasgow.Potent imagery, and hair-raising music inspire a discussion about improvising, if an alien could fit into earth society and what we've all had enough of in movies.Music by E.M.M.A (@oiiiemma)

Josh Burdett (@joshburdett1), legendary actor, joins Luke and Hamza (@instahamz) to talk about The Great Beauty (La Grande Bellezza) directed by Paolo Sorrentino. A magic trick of a film, that follows journalist Jep Gambardella as he tries to find meaning amongst the glamorati of Rome.We talk about finding great beauty amongst the cynicism of the world, how to achieve true confidence (according to a lawyer), and what drove Josh to return to acting after loving it at school.Music by E.M.M.A (@oiiiemma)

Publicist and entertainment writer Katy Davies talks Orlando, the 1992 tale of a sex-shifting immortal. Based on a novel by Virginia Woolf, its stars Tilda Swinton, with appearances by Billy Zane, Quentin Crisp, Toby Jones and more.We talk gender roles, finding your true voice and self-acceptance. Can we ever be as cool as Tilda riding a motorbike?Music by E.M.M.A (@oiiiemma)

Three idiots talk about the classic Frank Capra picture, It's a Wonderful Life. Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed are a loving couple, Henry Travers is Clarence the Angel.Luke, Hamza (@instahamz) and Bill Barberis (@billbarberis) are the three idiots, discussing life, philosophy and bacteria, in a bonus-length episode.We delve into modern politics, individuality vs collectivism and how language affects our view of the world.Music by E.M.M.A (@oiiiemma)

Hamza(@instahamz) gets a Christmas wish when singer and loon Anja Bibby (@anjabibby) comes to talk about Holiday Inn.The crooning of Bing Crosby meets Fred Astaire's dancing, supported by Marjorie Reynolds who can do both. Irving Berlin's song and dance numbers remain timeless classics. But does the madcap romance live up to today's high standards of art? Music by E.M.M.A (@oiiiemma)

Stand-up and Improviser Pernilla Haaland (@pdogcomedy) just watched Carol, Todd Haynes romantic drama starring Rooney Mara and Cate Blanchett in 1950s America.Human drama, Ibsen, lesbians in love and fur, Luke and Hamza (@instahamz) cover it all. We talk about why we all love this film and what it says about society and our own identities.Music by E.M.M.A (@oiiiemma)

Clown and street performer Zoe Hughes (@ZoeRHughes), watched Die Hard, the ultimate Christmas movie. John McTiernan directs Bruce Willis and Alan Rickman in the action thriller that launched a franchise.Luke and Hamza (@instahamz) are locked in the same podcast. Together they navigate the air ducts of American 80s politics, the joy of action heroes and a change to the Luke and Hamza family.Music by E.M.M.A (@oiiiemma)

Ip Man is a 2008 Kung Fu biopic about the eponymous grandmaster of Wing Chung, played by Donnie Yen. Fight choreography by Sammo Hung makes this film set during the Sino-Japanese war a balletic blast of duty and honour.Sean Niu is the host of The Electric Image Express, a podcast exploring Asian-American identify through film and TV. The two collide in this episode to create a far-ranging discussion. Luke and Hamza (@instahamz) join the melee and dig into the discussion about the the changing face of diversity in US and UK media, what kind of kung fu films hit the right spot, and what the movies are really selling.Music by E.M.M.A (@oiiiemma)

Somebody didn't like Salvador. How can you not love James Woods and Jim Belushi amidst the Salvadorian civil war? Oliver Stone does what he does best, dissecting the American Dream in this 1986 flick.Returning guest film-maker Jacob Migicovsky (@jaymidge) was enthralled by the story-telling. We talk divorcing yourself from the dream, and how story-telling can work with its medium.Music by E.M.M.A (@oiiiemma)

Comedy actor and improviser Charles Pettitt joins Luke and Hamza (@instahamz) to delve into the mystery of Mulholland Drive. David Lynch's breath-taking Hollywood mystery has Naomi Watts and Laura Harring trying to survive film industry machinations.We experience the pains of Hollywood, dream interpretations, SNL auditions, turning failure into success and even, perhaps, a little friendship along the way.Send your opinions on our guests likeability to wannawatchpod@gmail.comMusic by E.M.M.A (@oiiiemma)

Improviser and sketch wizard Paul Creasy (https://anchor.fm/next-level-sketch) talks Scarface with Luke and Hamza (@instahamz).80s excess, Al Pacino, Michelle Pfeiffer, script by Oliver Stone and directed by Brian De Palma, this movie has it all. Including Octavio, the blessed Octavio.Music by @oiiiemma

Actor Angela Peters (http://ukactorstweetup.com/), joins Luke and Hamza (@instahamz) to chat about The Shining. Stanley Kubrick's adaptation of Stephen King's novel is our final spooky film for Halloween. Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall's iconic performances chill the very bones.We chat about this pop culture monster that has been referenced everywhere from The Simpsons to Premier Inn adverts. Our chat covers the difference between the book and the film, the myriad interpretations of the film and what the ending really means.Music by @oiiiemma

Trainee clinical psychologist Alex Fradera joins Luke and Hamza (@instahamz) to peer deep into the psyche of Trump's America, humanity and the comedy of the clown, in the second Borat film.Sacha Baron Cohen and Maria Bakalova's quest across America to gift the US President turns up a discussion about cringe comedy, post-truth satire and finding the line.Music by @oiiiemma

The cult classic British horror movie, Dog Soldiers is the feast for us today. Tristan Tetteroo, improviser and writer, is one of the lads for this chat about squaddies vs Werewolves. Directed by Neil Marshall and starring Sean Pertwee, Kevin McKidd and Liam Cunningham, the movie provokes a chat about using your budget properly, male bonding and our scant knowledge of army life.Shownotes: https://pebblesinthepool.wordpress.com/2020/10/22/wanna-watch-dog-soldiers/Music by @oiiiemma

We talk blood, religion and sex with E.M.M.A. the music producer that made our very own intro music.Our October horror film this time is Carrie (1976), Brian De Palma's adaptation of the Stephen King novel. Standout performances from Sissy Spacek and Piper Laurie make this a true classic of the genre. Heart-breaking tragedy and John Travolta's first big screen role await.Shownotes here: https://pebblesinthepool.wordpress.com/2020/10/15/wanna-watch-carrie-1976/Music by @oiiiemma

Comedian writer Dan Willis (@djameswillis) joins our first spooky October season of horror, to watch the classic 1973 Wicker Man. Featuring Christopher Lee, Britt Ekland and Edward Woodward, it's a tale of sex, death and rebirth on the deeply pagan island village of Summerisle.Luke and Hamza (@instahamz) talk about the ancient primal heart of the British Isles, censorship and the various symbols seen in the film. Who really wants to move to Summerisle?Show notes here: https://pebblesinthepool.wordpress.com/2020/10/08/wanna-watch-the-wicker-man-1973/Music by @oiiiemma

Luke and Hamza (@instahamz) sit down with psychologist and improviser Alex Fradera to talk about the movie that made Sly Stallone.We talk vulnerability, the changing face of cinema and how to get the blood pumping in our exercise routines. Does winning or losing really matter?Music by @oiiiemma

Magician and artist Andrew Prince (@APrinceDraws) joins Luke and Hamza (@instahamz) to talk about the 2017 documentary, Dealt.We learn how Richard Turner became the most respected card mechanic in the world, how he learned to accept certain truths about himself, and how obsessive you need to be to do magic.Hamza still doesn't believe Andrew's nail explanation. What's true and what is all part of the act?Music by @oiiiemmaShow-notes Here: https://pebblesinthepool.wordpress.com/2020/09/30/wanna-watch-dealt/

Our very first guest Sophie Davies (@sophiewophy) returns to talk about another De Niro film, The Deer Hunter. We talk about the manly friendships of John Cazale, Christopher Walken and John Savage, supported by Meryl Streep.How does it hold up outside the infamous Russian roulette scenes? Is it a true depiction of the horrors of war? Is the small-town direction too small-town for the big screen?Music by @oiiiemma

Our 20th episode woo!Luke and Hamza (@instahamz) talk with Data Scientist Gareth Morinian about 2019 sci-fi thriller 'I Am Mother'. Director Grant Sputore crafted a smooth and enjoyable post-apocalyptic tale, starring Clara Rugaard, Luke Hawker, Rose Byrne, and Hilary Swank. Musings on free-will, the real state of Artificial Intelligence and how to find stuff on Google ensue.Show NotesMusic by E.M.M.A (@oiiiemma)

Comedian John Dredge (@johndredge) had personal reasons for suggesting we watch the 1979 Muppet Movie. Were his fears about Luke and Hamza's (@instahamz) reactions unfounded?We have a good old chat about 70s counter-culture, the mystique of the Muppets and why they continue to remain popular after 50 years. We also pitch our own Muppet movie take on a beloved classic.If you love heart, comedy and celebrity cameos out the wazoo, you'll love the movie and our chat.Show notesMusic by E.M.M.A (@oiiiemma)

The intense epic of the Godfather Part 2 is kicked off with a lengthy discussion of lucid dreaming (skip to 25 mins if you want to get straight into the film chat). Send questions and experiences of lucid dreaming to wannawatchpod@gmail.com.Guest filmmaker Dan Balcaban returns, as does Al Pacino as Michael Corleone, along with De Niro as the young Godfather. Luke and Hamza (@instahamz) talk production values, which film is better, and if we like or hate Michael.Show NotesMusic by E.M.M.A (@oiiiemma)

Writer and art therapist, Kyra Hall-Gelly talks about the adventure drama Embrace of the Serpent with Luke and Hamza(@instahamz). The Amazonian jungle is the backdrop of a story about Gods, lost cultures and preserving knowledge. Director Ciro Guerra uses the inspiration of explorers Theodor Koch-Grunberg and Richard Evans Schultes, to weave a tale about a shaman's journey through life.We talk the knowledge of the body in art therapy, the tensions of colonialism and preserving culture.Music by E.M.M.A (@oiiiemma)

Daniel Blake (@danielblake68), Chief Executive at Citizens Advice Haringey, talks about Dog Day Afternoon with Luke and Hamza (@instahamz). Al Pacino and John Cazale are amazing as two would-be bank robbers, in this 1975 drama from Sidney Lumet. The sweltering heat of the movie sparks discussions about social safety nets, fighting 'The Man' and non-violent negotiation techniques.Music by E.M.M.A (@oiiiemma)

How does Dave, a hip-hip aficionado comedy writer from Cornwall, meet Hamza (@instahamz), a Croydon boy writer-director? Find out in this episode where Luke hears the mystery solved in about 2 minutes.Keep listening for the bonus discussion on Shaolin vs Wutang, the film that made the Wutang Clan what it is today. We talk hip-hop and kung-fu lineages and the things that make us who we are.Music by E.M.M.A (@oiiiemma)

Comedy Actor Tatiana Collet-Apraxine was drawn to watch A Monster Calls for personal reasons. The 2016 magical realist drama deals with death and childhood grieving, the power of stories and speaking our truths.Sigourney Weaver, Felicity Jones, Lewis MacDougall, and Liam Neeson do fine work in this tale of a boy visited by a menacing monster who loves to tells stories.Luke and Hamza (@instahamz) share their stories with Tatiana about cultural attitudes to death, our own bereavements and what happens when men cry.Music by E.M.M.A (@oiiiemma)

Actor, writer and Director Philip Wolff (https://www.screenactors.co.uk/) joins Luke and Hamza(@instahamz) for a journey into the strange world of Zardoz, John Boorman's 1974 sci-fi cult classic.Sean Connery in an orange loincloth, floating heads and unique practical effects make this wild and confusing ride of a movie into an interesting chat. We talk about the messages of sci-fi, adapting HP Lovecraft for a modern audience, death and sex, and the artistic audacity of John Boorman.Music by E.M.M.A (@oiiiemma)

Luke and Hamza (@instahamz) talk with comedy actor Nathan Lang (@nathanllang) about Bong Joon-Ho's directorial debut, Barking Dogs Never Bite.This black comedy about a dog-napping unemployed academic and Korean social strata provokes divided opinion amongst the lads. Who just isn't onboard with the disjointed and unsettling comedy? What we do know is that everybody loves Bae Doona's performance as a useless maintenance worker.We talk about Nathan's stint as Pinhead on the classic Aussie soap Neighbours, working with great directors like Yorgos Lanthimos and how much animal distress we can tolerate in our films. Was it a specially trained stunt dog?Music by E.M.M.A (@oiiiemma)

Steve Harcourt (@slackwagon) of Collapsed Lung and Free Seed Films (@freeseedfilms) joins Luke and Hamza (@instahamz) to talk about the Oscar winning Pixar film Ratatouille. Remy the rat wants to be a chef, can he achieve his dream in the kitchens of Paris? We talk the Hero's Journey, suspending disbelief in the face of strict health and safety rules and where it stands in the Pixar ouevre.Music by E.M.M.A (@oiiiemma)

In honor of the passing of legend Carl Reiner, Luke and Hamza (@instahamz) talk with Bella about Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid, the 1982 neo-noir comedy, starring Steve Martin and Rachel Ward.Featuring 20 classic noir films cut into a mystery about death, cheese and the mysterious Friends of Carlotta, this film provides lots of chat about the change in comedy tastes over the years, how we consume media differently, and how much damn java detectives make.Music by E.M.M.A (@oiiiemma

Are you seducing me, Luke and Hamza (@instahamz)? Improviser Monica Gaga (@msmonicagaga) talks titillation, sex and power in our chat about Mike Nichols' The Graduate.Dustin Hoffman's breakthrough role opposite the sexually incandescent Anne Bancroft provides food for thought over power dynamics in relationships, and what to do with the broken American Dream.Music by E.M.M.A. (@oiiiemma)

Another classic, this time film-maker and actor Dan Balcaban watches The Godfather for the first time, in a feature length episode filled with chat about the classic tragedy of Al Pacino taking Marlon Brando's place as the head of a New York mafia crime family.Luke and Hamza (@instahamz) delve into some of the behind the scenes trivia of the film, and how Pakistani weddings and Italian-American weddings are not too dissimilar.Music by E.M.M.A. (@oiiiemma)Check out a very young Dan, Hamza and Luke in The Blazing Guns here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZDPQdjqfC533mjXNoko4kJVHO-40Opy1

Ken Russell directing, Paddy Chayefsky writing and William Hurt acting like a man possessed, in his first screen role. Mix in John C. Lilly's sensory deprivation experiments with psychedelics and you have the 1980 sci-fi thriller trip of Altered States.Guest improviser/film-buff Andrew Gentilli explores the other realms with Luke and Hamza (@instahamz). Is it a happy ending? Is there such a thing as a happy ending? Does every domestic argument have to end in evaporation? The important questions.Music by E.M.M.A. (@oiiiemma)

A true classic, William Friedkin's The French Connection bought together Gene Hackman and Roy Scheider as New York detectives trying to make one of history's biggest drug busts. Guest comedian Shane Malone (@mrshanemalone) joins us for a chat about his love for 70s cinema and how this film fits into that.Luke and Hamza (@instahamz) discuss the powerful car chase scene and Friedkin's unusual directing style, with a bonus after credits chat about kung fu movies.Music by E.M.M.A. (@oiiiemma)

Yeon Sang-ho's box-office busting zombie movie Train to Busan is the next stop for Luke and Hamza (@instahamz), and their special guest Bill Barberis (@billbarberis). The Belgian actor and our hosts muse on the philosophy of horror and the expectations of 'festival films.'Tune in to find out who gets eaten first by the zombies.Music by E.M.M.A (@oiiiemma)