Some exciting news—The Take is now on Patreon: www.patreon.com/kermodeandmayo. Become a Vanguardista or an Ultra Vanguardista to get video episodes of Take Two every week, plus member‑only chat rooms, polls and submissions to influence the show, behind‑the‑scenes photos and videos, the monthly Redactor’s Roundup newsletter, and access to a new fortnightly LIVE show—a raucous, unfiltered lunchtime special with the Good Doctors, new features, and live chat so you can heckle, vote, and have your questions read out in real time. On this week’s episode of Kermode and Mayo's Take, actor and national treasure Martin Clunes joins Simon… On the review slate this week: Pixar’s latest animated adventure, Hoppers—a high-concept tale of body-swapping beavers and environmental derring-do. Will it burrow into the Take’s good books, or be politely shown the exit? Then there’s The Bride!, a bold and buzzy reimagining of a classic monster myth from Maggie Gyllenhaal, starring Gothic romance, big hair, bigger ideas—Mark digs into the film’s ambition, while Simon weighs up whether it truly crackles with life. We also head back to Birmingham’s smoky underworld with Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, as the Shelby saga makes the leap to the big screen. Is it a cinematic evolution worthy of its razor-sharp legacy, or does it feel like prestige telly in slightly fancier trousers? Rounding things off is Mother's Pride, an intimate drama exploring family, sacrifice and the stories we tell ourselves. Tissues may be required. Mark considers its emotional pull; Simon braces for impact. Plus all the usual Take treats: the box office top 10, a Laughter Lift that may (or may not) restore your faith in humanity, and your ever-splendid correspondence. Thanks for listening! Timecodes 00:00:00 Show starts 00:11:33 Hoppers review 00:21:02 Box Office Top 10 00:33:27 Martin Clunes interview 00:49:06 Mother’s Pride review 00:56:35 Laughter Lift 00:59:10 The Bride! review 01:13:28 Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man review You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey 🌎 Get an exclusive 15% discount on your first Saily data plans! Use code [Take] at checkout. Download Saily app or go to to https://saily.com/Take ⛵ A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This episode is brought to you with Vanguard, whose Managed ISA service provides a smart way to invest with confidence, giving you a better chance of investment success.    It’s an International Women’s Day special, and we’ll be celebrating women in film by looking back at some of our favourite interviews with women filmmakers who have joined us on the Take. We’ve got Past Lives director Celine Song, editing legend and pioneer Thelma Schoonmaker, megastar actor-turned-director, Kate Winslet, and our live show guest Nia DaCosta on directing 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple. Plus we’ll hear from our Take guest booker Heather Dempsey about the importance of championing female filmmakers, and what barriers we need to keep pushing.   If you’ve been putting off sorting your ISA, or you’re new to investing and don’t know where to start, Vanguard’s Managed ISA might be a good fit. Essentially, it’s a Stocks and Shares ISA but managed by Vanguard experts. They’llhelp you work out your risk appetite, match you to an investment plan that’s right for you, and then they’ll do the rest. So, you can focus on the things you’d rather be doing… like listening to more of the Take, of course.     You can find out more at:  https://www.vanguardinvestor.co.uk/investing-explained/stocks-shares-isa/we-do-it-for-you?cmpgn=DP0126PBAMISA01UKEN0082     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Some exciting news—The Take is now on Patreon: www.patreon.com/kermodeandmayo. Become a Vanguardista or an Ultra Vanguardista to get video episodes of Take Two every week, plus member‑only chat rooms, polls and submissions to influence the show, behind‑the‑scenes photos and videos, the monthly Redactor’s Roundup newsletter, and access to a new fortnightly LIVE show—a raucous, unfiltered lunchtime special with the Good Doctors, new features, and live chat so you can heckle, vote, and have your questions read out in real time. Mark actually went to the BAFTAs this year IRL—and this week’s Take kicks off with a rundown of the winners and all the big moments of the ceremony, including of course some reflections on its controversy from Mark and Simon and from your correspondence. In celebration of Pixar’s 40th anniversary, Chief Creative Officer Pete Docter is our special guest this week. As the creative force behind some of Pixar’s most beloved films—including Up, Monsters Inc. and Inside Out, he joins Simon and Mark to celebrate the studio’s milestone birthday, and to look ahead to the release of their brand-new adventure, Hoppers. Featuring reflections on four decades of storytelling, a peek behind the animation curtain, and the secrets to making grown adults crumple into sobbing wrecks (in a good way). Mark’s Hoppers review is still to come next week—but first it’s another packed show with the Good Doctors’ verdicts on all the biggest big screen releases of this week. First up, the latest instalment in a horror institution, Scream 7, where the body count rises and we’re once again promised that this really is the last one of these films (bet it isn’t though). Remember what Mark thought of the last one? Well, you’re in for a ranty treat... Then there’s EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert—so anyone who knows how Mark feels about Elvis will know we’re in for a ravey treat. Plus The Testament of Ann Lee, a Shaker musical exploring faith, fervour, and ecstatic song starring Amanda Seyfried. You can hear her and director Mona Fastvold on last week’s show too. Finally, Sirât—the nerve-jangling desert-set tale from Oliver Laxe that is blowing minds left right and centre. Mark throws his hat into the ring. Plus all the usual delights of the Take: the box office top 10, the unpredictable and unbridled joy of the Laughter Lift, and your always-excellent correspondence. Thanks for listening! Timecodes 00:00:00 Show starts 00:15:21 Scream 7 review 00:24:54 Box Office Top 10 00:38:38 Pete Docter interview 00:56:49 The Testament of Ann Lee review 01:07:38 Laughter Lift 01:10:16 EPiC review 01:21:23 Sirât review You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Some exciting news—The Take is now on Patreon: www.patreon.com/kermodeandmayo. Become a Vanguardista or an Ultra Vanguardista to get video episodes of Take Two every week, plus member‑only chat rooms, polls and submissions to influence the show, behind‑the‑scenes photos and videos, the monthly Redactor’s Roundup newsletter, and access to a new fortnightly LIVE show—a raucous, unfiltered lunchtime special with the Good Doctors, new features, and live chat so you can heckle, vote, and have your questions read out in real time. Amanda Seyfried is our special guest this week. She’s starred in Mean Girls, The Housemaid and Mamma Mia!, but she’s never been a Mancunian... until now. She joins Simon alongside writer-director Mona Fastvold to talk about The Testament of Ann Lee, in which Seyfried stars as the titular leader of the Shakers. You might not have heard of her and the 18th century radical religious sect she founded—and we promise you’ve definitely never seen a musical about her. Seyfried talks about her struggle to crack a Manchester accent for the role, never mind all that ecstatic song and dance—and we hear from Fastvold about he old-school filmmaking techniques that helped her and co-writer husband Brady Corbet bring this unique story to the screen on shoestring budget. Mark will review The Testament of Ann Lee next week, but we’ve got four more movie reviews for you in the meantime—it's a packed show! First, The Secret Agent, where paranoia and deception collide as an ex-academic gets caught up in South American political turmoil. Then there’s If I Had Legs I'd Kick You, a darkly comic tale of maternal burnout pushed to surreal extremes. We also have Wasteman—a gritty prison drama starring Rye Lane’s David Jonsson. And finally, Good Luck Have Fun Don't Die, a genre-bending evil-tech adventure starring Sam Rockwell. Plus all the usual delights: the box office top 10, the unpredictable joy of the Laughter Lift, and your tip-top correspondence. Don’t miss it. Timecodes 00:00:00 Show starts 00:10:09 The Secret Agent review 00:22:02 Box Office Top 10 00:39:24 Mona Fastvold and Amanda Seyfried interview 01:01:24 If I Had Legs I’d Kick You review 01:07:35 Laughter Lift 01:12:09 Wasteman review 01:19:13 Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die review You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Some exciting news—The Take is now on Patreon: www.patreon.com/kermodeandmayo. Become a Vanguardista or an Ultra Vanguardista to get video episodes of Take Two every week, plus member‑only chat rooms, polls and submissions to influence the show, behind‑the‑scenes photos and videos, the monthly Redactor’s Roundup newsletter, and access to a new fortnightly LIVE show—a raucous, unfiltered lunchtime special with the Good Doctors, new features, and live chat so you can heckle, vote, and have your questions read out in real time. Bodices will be ripped in this week’s Take, because we’re talking Wuthering Heights. Emerald Fennell heads to the wild and windy moors for a cinematic storm of obsession, repression, lots of rain and, well… let’s just say nobody’s getting this worked up about the weather alone. Controversially starring Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff and Margot Robbie as Catherine, it’s already dividing the critics, so where does Mark stand? The lascivious literary adaptation’s director is our guest this week. She joins Simon to talk about the story’s sensuality, toxicity, and how much glaring, breathing, and storm-lashed longing is too much glaring, breathing, and storm-lashed longing? She tells us how it felt to realise her teenage dream of bringing her vision for this classic to the screen, and why its tale of love, revenge, and emotional chaos still gets pulses racing. Plus reviews of three more of the week’s cinematic offerings. There’s Crime 101, Bart Layton’s sleek thriller pairing Chris Hemsworth’s precision jewel thief with Mark Ruffalo’s relentlessly pursuing detective, and proving once again that nobody in LA should ever relax. Whistle brings supernatural horror and the world’s worst extracurricular activity, as students discover that cursed ancient Aztec artefacts are best left well alone. And Little Amélie offers something altogether gentler — an animated adaptation of Amélie Nothomb’s autobiographical story of childhood, identity, and wonder. All this, plus the box office top 10, a trip to the dizziest heights of humour in the Laughter Lift, and the customary digressions and delights of another top Take. 00:00:00 Show starts 00:08:53 Crime 101 review 00:18:33 Box Office Top 10 00:32:14 Emerald Fennell interview 00:46:27 Wuthering Heights review 01:00:06 Laughter Lift 01:03:11 Little Amelie review 01:08:49 Whistle review You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hello hello, Take listeners!A quick heads‑up: if you’re not yet part of our brilliant Patreon community, you’re missing out on an entire extra episode every single week.   Take 2 is where Mark & Simon stretch out, go deeper, get sillier, and answer the questions we simply can’t squeeze into the main show. And that’s just the start. Our Patreon subscribers also get polls, behind‑the‑scenes photos and videos, newsletters, video versions of Take 2, and Take Ultra — our fortnightly extra video and audio show packed with even more of the good stuff. Here’s a free taste of this week’s Take 2. If you enjoy it, come join us on Patreon — you’ll instantly unlock a whole world of bonus content and become part of something genuinely special.   Head over to Patreon for more. And here's a code to get 90% off your first month: T90. Just add it at checkout. Join Mark and Simon here: https://www.patreon.com/cw/kermodeandmayo/membership   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Some exciting news—The Take is now on Patreon: www.patreon.com/kermodeandmayo. Become a Vanguardista or an Ultra Vanguardista to get video episodes of Take Two every week, plus member‑only chat rooms, polls and submissions to influence the show, behind‑the‑scenes photos and videos, the monthly Redactor’s Roundup newsletter, and access to a new fortnightly LIVE show—a raucous, unfiltered lunchtime special with the Good Doctors, new features, and live chat so you can heckle, vote, and have your questions read out in real time. It’s the take you’ve all been waiting for... Mark’s Melania review. Did he enjoy this, er, ‘documentary’ about the FLOTUS? Obviously not. Will you enjoy listening to him slate it? We think so. Buckle up. Our guest this week is Riz Ahmed—actor, musician, writer and all-round creative force—joining Simon to talk about his bold new film adaptation of Hamlet. Reimagining Shakespeare’s most introspective tragedy for the screen, Ahmed takes on the iconic role of the Prince of Denmark in a version that fuses classic text with contemporary urgency. He tells Simon what it means to wrestle with “to be or not to be” in the modern world. Mark also reviews Hamlet, plus three more of this week’s notable releases. There’s Send Help, Sam Raimi’s survival thriller that strands its characters in a fight against both nature and themselves; The Chronology of Water, a visceral adaptation of Lidia Yuknavitch’s memoir, and Kristen Stewart’s directorial debut; and It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley, a documentary portrait of the elusive, mythic musician whose influence still reverberates decades on. All this, plus the box office top 10, the lofty pleasures of the Laughter Lift, and the usual conversational twists, turns, and small-hill-pedantry you’ve come to expect. Timecodes with YT clip codes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free) Send Help review - 08:53 ( clip: 11:27 – 12:18 Box Office Top 10 - 00:15:56 Melania review - 00:18:46 (clip 00:19:10 - 00:19:58) Riz Ahmed interview - 00:38:50 (film clip Universal 00:39:16 - 00:40:02) Hamlet review - 00:55:07 Laughter Lift - 01:02:50 Chronology of Water review - 01:04:46 (clip 01:05:41 - 01:06:32) It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley 01:11:19 (clip 01:11:56 - 01:12:44) You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Some exciting news—The Take is now on Patreon: www.patreon.com/kermodeandmayo. Become a Vanguardista or an Ultra Vanguardista to get video episodes of Take Two every week, plus member‑only chat rooms, polls and submissions to influence the show, behind‑the‑scenes photos and videos, the monthly Redactor’s Roundup newsletter, and access to a new fortnightly LIVE show—a raucous, unfiltered lunchtime special with the Good Doctors, new features, and live chat so you can heckle, vote, and have your questions read out in real time. Our guests this week are two comedy giants: star of Arrested Development, 30 Rock and BoJack Horseman, Will Arnett—and mega-successful scouse standup John Bishop. It’s Bishop’s unlikely comedy origin story that inspired Is This Thing On?, the new Hollywood feelgood blockbuster directed by Bradley Cooper. In it, Arnett plays a divorced dad who puts his name down for an open mic at a bar just to save the entry fee—then accidentally catches the comedy bug. As he secretly follows his new standup dreams, can comedy save his sanity—and maybe even his marriage? Find out what Mark makes of it, plus two more of this week’s big screen releases. First up its Nouvelle Vague, Richard Linklater’s homage to the French new wave film movement of the 1960s. Linklater’s film dramatises the making of one of its essential movies, Jean Luc Godard’s Breathless. And from uber-cool Parisians murderous monkey’s, we’ll be reviewing Primate too: a tongue in cheek horror where a pet chimp goes bad. The boys are here in the studio IRL this week, so you’ll be getting all of this, plus the box office top 10 and the banterous heights of the laughter lift, beamed right at you from the room where movie-reviewing magic happens. Keep it real, Vanguardistas and all-comers! Timecodes with YT clip codes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free) Nouvelle Vague review - 10:32 Box Office Top 10 - 23:51 Will Arnett and John Bishop interview - 39:19 Is This Thing On? review 56:11 Laughter Lift - 01:03:04 Primate review - 01:07:20 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Some exciting news—The Take is now on Patreon: www.patreon.com/kermodeandmayo. Become a Vanguardista or an Ultra Vanguardista to get video episodes of Take Two every week, plus member‑only chat rooms, polls and submissions to influence the show, behind‑the‑scenes photos and videos, the monthly Redactor’s Roundup newsletter, and access to a new fortnightly LIVE show—a raucous, unfiltered lunchtime special with the Good Doctors, new features, and live chat so you can heckle, vote, and have your questions read out in real time. Claire Foy is our special guest this week—and we promise that’s not just because her dad keeps writing in to the show... It’s also because she’s starring in H is For Hawk, out in cinemas this week. She plays Helen, who decides to keep and train a notoriously difficult goshawk as a means of coming to terms with the death of her father (played by Brendan Gleeson). Claire chats to Simon about bringing this bestselling memoir to the screen and learning to falcon with one of these ‘perfectly evolved psychopaths’ for real. Mark reviews H is for Hawk, plus three more fresh film releases—it's a packed show! First, Saipan—the football drama starring Éanna Hardwicke as Roy Keane and Steve Coogan as Ireland manager Mick McCarthy, which charts their legendary bust-up ahead of the 2002 world cup. From Korean cinema superstar Park Chan-wook we’ve got No Other Choice, a black comedy about a white-collar worker who turns lethal after being laid off. And last but certainly not least we’ve got even more Josh O’Connor and more Paul Mescal (surely those two lads deserve a holiday?) in The History of Sound—a gay romance between two student musicians in WW1 era America. Plus all the cinema action from the box office top 10, the endless hilarity of the laughter lift, and your tip top correspondence. Don’t miss it! Timecodes with YT clip codes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free) Saipan review 08:36 Box Office Top 10 - 18:43 Claire Foy interview – 42:09 H is For Hawk review 58:08 Laughter Lift - 01:07:47 The History of Sound review 1:16:01 No Other Choice review 1:10:54 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Some exciting news—The Take is now on Patreon: www.patreon.com/kermodeandmayo. Become a Vanguardista or an Ultra Vanguardista to get video episodes of Take Two every week, plus member‑only chat rooms, polls and submissions to influence the show, behind‑the‑scenes photos and videos, the monthly Redactor’s Roundup newsletter, and access to a new fortnightly LIVE show—a raucous, unfiltered lunchtime special with the Good Doctors, new features, and live chat so you can heckle, vote, and have your questions read out in real time. The chilling on screen (but charming IRL) Jack O’Connell joins us on the Take this week to talk 28 Years Later: the Bone Temple. Directed by Nia DaCosta, who loyal listeners may remember from our live Christmas Extravaganza, it’s the second installment in a sequel trilogy to Danny Boyle’s zombie smash hit. Jack talks tracksuits, tiaras and being the most villainous actor of the past year—plus lots more on-set insights from the horror-thriller that’s got you all talking. Don;t miss this one! Mark reviews Bone Temple too, plus more of this week’s fresh new films. First up, Rental Family—which sees Brendan Fraser’s Philip join a Japanese agency providing fake ‘family for hire’ for its clients’ social and companionship needs. Plus a tougher but important watch, The Voice of Hind Rajab, which replays the tragic death of six-year-old Hind Rajab—killed in Gaza in January 2024—based on real audio of her final recorded calls to the Palestine Red Crescent Society and the efforts of its volunteers to save her life. Plus all the usual top quality nonsense on all things film-related and beyond, and your emergency mails of course. Thanks for listening! Timecodes with YT clip codes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free) Rental Family review 09:55 Box Office Top 10 - 17:23 Jack O’Connell interview - 44:30 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple review 59:15 Laughter Lift - 1:15:14 The Voice of Hind Rajab review You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Some exciting news—The Take is now on Patreon: www.patreon.com/kermodeandmayo. Become a Vanguardista or an Ultra Vanguardista to get video episodes of Take Two every week, plus member‑only chat rooms, polls and submissions to influence the show, behind‑the‑scenes photos and videos, the monthly Redactor’s Roundup newsletter, and access to a new fortnightly LIVE show—a raucous, unfiltered lunchtime special with the Good Doctors, new features, and live chat so you can heckle, vote, and have your questions read out in real time. It’s a New Year’s correspondence special this week on the Take. Simon and Mark will be breaking open our bursting postbag and cracking into your excellent emergency mails from across the holiday period. We’ll be hearing your top takes on the films that made your festive breaks—and one repentant confession from the poor soul who made the mistake of watching The Lighthouse with their granny... We’ve got reviews of the freshest films from 2026’s first week too. First up it’s Becoming Victoria Wood, a documentary looking for the true personality behind the comedy persona of the national treasure. Plus you’ll hear Mark’s verdict on the new British boxing drama GIANT—which follows the true story of ring star Naseem Hamed (Amir El-Masry) and his fractious relationship with trainer Brendan Ingle, played by Pierce Brosnan. Not forgetting the much-anticipated Hamnet—the Chloé Zhao-directed biopic of William Shakespeare and his family during a period of personal turmoil and tragedy—based on Maggie O’Farrell’s bestselling novel. It’s already tipped for awards success—especially for lead performances by Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal—but do the Good Doctors believe the hype? Timecodes with YT clip codes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free) Becoming Victoria Wood review – 15:46 BO10 – 31:11 Hamnet review – 55:25 Laughter Lift – 1:10:25 GIANT review – 1:13:51 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s that time of year on the Take when Mark runs down his best and worst films of the year—so get ready for a reminder of 2025’s biggest raves and rants from I’m Still Here to Tron: Ares. It’s all new content as he ranks the big-screen bangers and clangers of the last 12 months and picks the Take’s best picture. We’ll also look at the year’s best small screen releases, revisiting stunning series like the gruelling Narrow Road to the Deep North and the gripping Pluribus (00:43:00 https://tv.apple.com/gb/show/pluribus/umc.cmc.37axgovs2yozlyh3c2cmwzlza). For Vanguardistas listening ad-free, Pluribus is at 00:39:31. Brand new reviews too of two new cinema releases. First up, Song Sung Blue—a feelgood musical drama biopic about a real-life couple who form a Neil Diamond tribute band and follow their long-held musical dreams, starring Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson. There’s Peter Hujar’s Day too—which follows the everyday life on the 70s Downtown New York arts scene of the titular photographer, played by Ben Whishaw. Plus we remember the greats we lost in 2025. We’ve said goodbye to some true cinema legends this year, including Robert Redford, Diane Keaton, David Lynch—and of course tragically and most recently Rob Reiner. Mark and Simon celebrate their exceptional contributions to cinema. Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free): 00:00:00 Start of Discussion 00:02:51 Song Sung Blue review 00:17:15 Best films of 2025: 00:30:20 Peter Hujar’s Day review 00:36:12 Best TV of 2025 00:45:39 Worst films of 2025 00:56:45 They Lived Their Dash (obits) You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Some exciting news—The Take is now on Patreon: www.patreon.com/kermodeandmayo. Become a Vanguardista or an Ultra Vanguardista to get video episodes of Take Two every week, plus member‑only chat rooms, polls and submissions to influence the show, behind‑the‑scenes photos and videos, the monthly Redactor’s Roundup newsletter, and access to a new fortnightly LIVE show—a raucous, unfiltered lunchtime special with the Good Doctors, new features, and live chat so you can heckle, vote, and have your questions read out in real time. We’ve got a proper festive treat for you in this week’s Christmas week Take special. The one and only Kate Winslet—Oscar winner, Hollywood royalty and all round very good egg. She’s given acclaimed performances as an actress in films like Titanic, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Sense and Sensibility, Steve Jobs and more—as well as in HBO’s Mare of Easttown series. She looks back over all that with Simon and Mark in this bumper chat—plus this time she’s getting behind the camera to direct her first film, Goodbye June. It’s a Christmas movie about a dysfunctional family thrown together when the elderly matriarch (June) falls ill during the festive period. As well as directing, Winslet plays Julia, one of June's four adult children. She came in person to our studio to unpack it with the Good Doctors—and she was so brilliant that she gets this Christmas Take special all to herself. She talks about her experiences as a debut director, working with her screenwriter son Joe Anders, and the incredible cast—from Helen Mirren and Timothy Spall to Toni Colette, Johnny Flynn and Andrea Riseborough. We even got a sneak peak of what a Winslet Christmas looks like. You won’t want to miss this. Happy holidays one and all! You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Some exciting news—The Take is now on Patreon: www.patreon.com/kermodeandmayo. Become a Vanguardista or an Ultra Vanguardista to get video episodes of Take Two every week, plus member‑only chat rooms, polls and submissions to influence the show, behind‑the‑scenes photos and videos, the monthly Redactor’s Roundup newsletter, and access to a new fortnightly LIVE show—a raucous, unfiltered lunchtime special with the Good Doctors, new features, and live chat so you can heckle, vote, and have your questions read out in real time. Howdy Take listeners! We’re approaching the very end of the Christmas corridor—and we’ve got all the movie reviews you need to get you through the final push and onto the sofa eating Quality Street and turkey leftovers. First up, The Housemaid—Paul Feig’s psychological thriller starring Sydney Sweeney as a live-in maid for a family with dark secrets. Plus Marty Supreme, the high-speed Josh Safdie drama starring Timothée Chalamet as a aspiring table-tennis star in 1950s New York—and finally, Avatar: Fire and Ash. Regular listeners will know about Mark’s longstanding love for (slating) the Avatar films—so buckle up for a festive rant. The wonderful Paul Bettany—star of A Knights Tale, Dogville, and more recently the Marvel Cinematic Universe as both the voice of J.A.R.V.I.S. and as Vision—is our guest this week. He’s with us to discuss the new Sky adaptation of Amadeus—in which he plays Salieri, the frustratedly mediocre nemesis of Will Sharpe’s Mozart. The Oscar-winning 1984 film adaptation is Simon’s favourite movie of all time—but will Bettany win him over to this new TV version? They unpack it and talk music, the truth about Mozart, and whether Paul will ever direct again. Thanks for listening, and Merry Christmas ya filthy animals! Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free) The Housemaid review – 11:17 BO10 – 20:34 Paul Bettany Interview: 28:20 Laughter Lift – 53:55 Marty Supreme review 57:55 Avatar Fire & Ash review 1:10:24 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Some exciting news—The Take is now on Patreon: www.patreon.com/kermodeandmayo. Become a Vanguardista or an Ultra Vanguardista to get video episodes of Take Two every week, plus member‑only chat rooms, polls and submissions to influence the show, behind‑the‑scenes photos and videos, the monthly Redactor’s Roundup newsletter, and access to a new fortnightly LIVE show—a raucous, unfiltered lunchtime special with the Good Doctors, new features, and live chat so you can heckle, vote, and have your questions read out in real time. To those of you who joined us for our Live Christmas Spectacular at the Prince Edward Theatre in London’s West End last weekend—thank you for being a fabulous audience and we hope you had as much festive film buff fun as we did. To those of you who couldn’t be there—fear not! This week’s Take brings it directly to your ears. Recorded live from the auditorium, it’s stuffed full of more goodies than your Christmas stocking, including interviews with Nia DaCosta on next year’s 28 Years Later sequel The Bone Temple, and Jason Isaacs beamed to us chatting about whatever he was doing in a massive conference centre in New Orleans... Plus reviews of some brand new films you can watch in cinemas and at home this holiday: Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery—the latest instalment in the whodunnit franchise that’s fast becoming a Christmastime screen staple, starring the fabulously accented Daniel Craig as detective Benoit Blanc and Josh O’Connor as a priest at the centre of the case—alongside the stellar ensemble cast we’ve come to expect from Knives Out. Plus we’ve got Goodbye June—the directorial debut from Kate Winslet that sees a dysfunctional family thrown together when their matriarch falls gravely ill at Christmas. The ensemble cast includes Helen Mirren, Toni Colette, Johnny Flynn, Timothy Spall, and Andrea Riseborough, alongside Winslet herself—and its screenplay was penned by her son Joe Anders. Kate Winslet will be joining us for an extended Christmas special interview on the Take—so you’ll hear a little sneak peek of that too. And finally, on a less festive note we’ve got Lurker—a fame and fandom psychodrama about a retail worker who becomes part of a pop star’s inner circle. We’ve got a Christmas cracker edition of the Laughter Lift too (oh you lucky things). Enjoy it, and we hope to see some more of your fabulous faces in the audience next year! Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free) Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery review: 11:19 Nia DaCosta Interview: 19:27 Christmas Cracker Laughter Lift: 42:22 Lurker review: p1 47’17 Jason Isaacs interview: 48:50 Lurker review pt 2: 1:00:53 Goodbye June review: 01:05:35 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Some exciting news—The Take is now on Patreon: www.patreon.com/kermodeandmayo.  Become a Vanguardista or an Ultra Vanguardista to get video episodes of Take Two every week, plus member‑only chat rooms, polls and submissions to influence the show, behind‑the‑scenes photos and videos, the monthly Redactor’s Roundup newsletter, and access to a new fortnightly LIVE show—a raucous, unfiltered lunchtime special with the Good Doctors, new features, and live chat so you can heckle, vote, and have your questions read out in real time.  We have a bonafide film and TV legend in our midst this week: director of ‘Broadcast News’, ‘Terms of Endearment’ and ‘As Good As It Gets’—not to mention co-creator of The Simpsons—James L Brooks. He talks to Simon about his new comedy drama ‘Ella McCay’—his first film in 15 years. He unpacks the movie starring Emma Mackey (yes, the names are confusing), Jamie Lee Curtis, Woody Harrelson and Jack Lowden—and tells us why he’s nostalgic for 2008. Plus a bit of Simpsons chat—there are a few very familiar voices in this movie!   Mark reviews Eternity—the new A24 afterlife romcom that sees Elizabeth Olsen torn between two dead husbands, played by Miles Teller and Callum Turner. Plus we’ve got his verdict on the new film from exiled Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi too--’It Was Just an Accident’. This latest daring project has seen the banned filmmaker issued a jail sentence from the Iranian government. And finally, Five Nights at Freddy’s 2....You might remember how much Mark loved the first one (not)... but could the sequel win him over? Spoilers: it doesn’t—but strap in for a review that might be more entertaining than the movie.  All the box office top 10 news for you too, plus the weekly hilarity of the laughter lift. Enjoy!   Our LIVE Christmas Extravaganza at London’s Prince Edward Theatre is this weekend! Join us on 7th December—with special guest Nia DaCosta, and Jason Isaacs beaming in from the USA. Tickets here: fane.co.uk/kermode-mayo      Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free)  Eternity review: 09:10  BO10: 19:50  James L Brooks Interview: 37:10  It Was Just An Accident review: 52:30 Laughter Lift: 1:02:32  Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 review: 01:07:32 Jay Kelly review: 01:14:41      You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo  Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey   EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee!  A Sony Music Entertainment production.      Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts    To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Some exciting news—The Take is now on Patreon: www.patreon.com/kermodeandmayo.  Become a Vanguardista or an Ultra Vanguardista to get video episodes of Take Two every week, plus member‑only chat rooms, polls and submissions to influence the show, behind‑the‑scenes photos and videos, the monthly Redactor’s Roundup newsletter, and access to a new fortnightly LIVE show—a raucous, unfiltered lunchtime special with the Good Doctors, new features, and live chat so you can heckle, vote, and have your questions read out in real time.  American indie darling director Noah Baumbach joins Simon in the guest spot this week to talk ‘Jay Kelly’, his new film starring George Clooney as the titular aging movie star in crisis. On an unexpected European tour, he looks back on a life of stardom and its effects on those around him—not least the long serving entourage who trail after him. Noah sits down with Simon to unpack his writing process and more on this sweeping showbiz tale.   Jay Kelly is out on Netflix next week, so listen out for Mark’s review then. In the meantime, we’ve got this week’s biggest releases reviewed for you right now. First up, ‘Pillion’—whose star Alexander Skarsgård was our guest on last week’s show. It’s an unbashful BDSM biker drama, following the unconventional romance between Skarsgård’s Ray and Harry Melling’s Colin. Does Mark think it’s a pleasure or a pain? Either way—maybe not one to watch on family film night...  Plus, ‘Christy’--the boxing drama based on the true story of women's boxing trailblazer Christy Martin, played by Sydney Sweeney—and ‘Zootropolis 2’, the long-awaited sequel to the animated animal cop drama for all the family.   All the best of the Box Office Top 10, and top correspondence too, including some excellent ‘Pluribus’ discussion—keep the emergency-mails coming, folks!   AND Don’t miss our upcoming LIVE Christmas Extravaganza at London’s Prince Edward Theatre on 7th December—with special guests Nia DaCosta, Jason Isaacs beaming in from the USA, and more! Tickets here: fane.co.uk/kermode-mayo      Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free)  Pillion review: 12:33   BO10: 27:34  Noah Baumbach Interview: 47:45  Christy review: 01:01:38  Laughter Lift: 01:10:39  Zootropolis 2 review: 1:12:57       You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo  Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey   EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee!  A Sony Music Entertainment production.      Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts    To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Howdy Take listeners—it's about time for another Now & Ben, don’t you think? This time it’s Benedict Cumberbatch—who chats to our Ben about his new film ‘The Thing With Feathers’, alongside director Dylan Southern. Based on the bestselling Max Porter novel, the movie follows Cumberbatch’s character ‘Dad’ through his grief at the sudden death of his wife, and his efforts to raise their two sons alone. It’s a hefty subject matter and emotional performance—but as you’ll hear there were some pretty hilarious on-set antics too. When you’re working with two child actors and a guy in a giant crow costume, things are bound to be some laughs... Enjoy, and watch out for more of these bonus interview nuggets dropping into the Take feed every ‘Now & Ben’. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Some exciting news—The Take is now on Patreon: www.patreon.com/kermodeandmayo. Become a Vanguardista or an Ultra Vanguardista to get video episodes of Take Two every week, plus member‑only chat rooms, polls and submissions to influence the show, behind‑the‑scenes photos and videos, the monthly Redactor’s Roundup newsletter, and access to a new fortnightly LIVE show—a raucous, unfiltered lunchtime special with the Good Doctors, new features, and live chat so you can heckle, vote, and have your questions read out in real time. A leather-clad Alexander Skarsgård is riding into this week’s Take as our very special guest. That’s because he’s here to talk about ‘Pillion’, the one-of-a-kind comedy drama where he stars as mysterious BDSM biker Ray. The film follows his unfolding relationship with Colin, a shy small-town boy played by Harry Melling—who you might have heard on the show a few months back chatting to Simon about ‘Harvest’. Colin begins to discover his submissive streak under Ray’s dominant hand, as their complex relationship develops. Alexander sits down with Simon to unpack the film—a ‘Dom-Com’, as he calls it—and gives us the lowdown on what a Skarsgård Christmas looks like too. Don’s miss Mark’s review of ‘Pillion’ on next week’s show. This week we’ve got his verdicts on three more juicy new releases for you as usual. First up, ‘Sisu: Road to Revenge’--the Finnish action sequel to 2022’s ‘Sisu’, where seemingly unkillable action man Aatami Korpi goes on a revenge rampage against the Red Army. Plus, Bizarre biblical horror ‘The Carpenter’s Son’, starring Nicolas Cage going full Nicola Cage yet again—and ‘Wicked: For Good’ – the sequel to last year’s musical smash spectacle. The Good Doctors run down the box office top 10 too—and from the top of the charts to the bottom of the barrel, there’s the Laughter Lift. Plus your excellent and erudite correspondence answered. AND Don’t miss our upcoming LIVE Christmas Extravaganza at London’s Prince Edward Theatre on 7th December—with special guests Nia DaCosta, Gurinder Chadha, and more! Tickets here: fane.co.uk/kermode-mayo Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free) Sisu: Road to Revenge Review: 13:44 BO10: 22:21 Alexander Skarsgard Interview: 37:37 The Carpenter’s Son Review: 51:15 Laughter Lift: 01:01:28 Wicked: For Good Review: 01:05:51 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Some exciting news—The Take is now on Patreon: www.patreon.com/kermodeandmayo. Become a Vanguardista or an Ultra Vanguardista to get video episodes of Take Two every week, plus member‑only chat rooms, polls and submissions to influence the show, behind‑the‑scenes photos and videos, the monthly Redactor’s Roundup newsletter, and access to a new fortnightly LIVE show—a raucous, unfiltered lunchtime special with the Good Doctors, new features, and live chat so you can heckle, vote, and have your questions read out in real time. The fabulous Edgar Wright joins us on this week’s Take to talk ‘The Running Man’—his new adaptation of the Stephen King dystopia. You might remember the Arnie version from 1987, but Wright’s is a refreshed take starring very angry action man Glen Powell. He plays Ben Richards, an out-of-work dad living in the slums of a sci-fi totalitarian state, who enters a deathmatch gameshow in the hope of winning the cash he needs to save his sick child. Edgar and Simon talk action classics, staying on Arnie’s good side, and why Stephen King called the film ‘Die Hard for our time’. Mark reviews it too—plus two more big movies out this week: a blockbuster and an exciting indie. In the arthouse corner, the Palme d’Or-winning ‘Titane’ director Julia Ducournau’s latest, ‘Alpha’. In her usual out-there style, it follows a troubled teenage girl who returns home with a mysterious tattoo, amidst a terrifying bloodborne epidemic. And from Hollywood, ‘Now You See Me: Now You Don’t’, the latest entry in the slick magician‑heist franchise... which has left Mark wishing it would do a disappearing act. Ladies and gentlemen, be marveled as a Kermodean rant is conjured before your eyes! Plus more exquisite dad jokes and guaranteed groans in The Laughter Lift, and we’ll hear plenty from you lovely lot as always—including some prizewinning pedantry. Keep it coming! AND Don’t miss our upcoming LIVE Christmas Extravaganza at London’s Prince Edward Theatre on 7th December—with special guests Nia DaCosta, Gurinder Chadha, and more! Tickets here: fane.co.uk/kermode-mayo Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free) Alpha Review: 13:11 BO10: 21:42 Edgar Wright Interview: 38:14 The Running Man Review: 53:04 Laughter Lift: 1:03:12 Now You See Me: Now You Don’t Review: 1:04:40 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Some exciting news — The Take is now on Patreon: www.patreon.com/kermodeandmayo. Become a Vanguardista or an Ultra Vanguardista to get video episodes of Take Two every week, plus member‑only chat rooms, polls and submissions to influence the show, behind‑the‑scenes photos and videos, the monthly Redactor’s Roundup newsletter, and access to a new fortnightly LIVE show — a raucous, unfiltered lunchtime special with the Good Doctors, new features, and live chat so you can heckle, vote, and have your questions read out in real time. It’s a pretty special week for guests over here in Take town. We’re welcoming debut filmmaker Ronan Day-Lewis, and his dad who’s come with him and is apparently quite famous or something? Yes, that’s Sir Daniel Day-Lewis, star and co-writer of ‘Anemone’—the father-son co-created drama that has brought him out of retirement. Day-Lewis stars as reclusive and damaged former soldier Ray, who reconnects with his brother Jem (Sean Bean) after years in the wilderness. The pair unpack the film with Simon—including how a 16th Century manuscript partially inspired it, their family history in Ireland, and what it was like to write and shoot an intense father-son story as a real life father-son team. Mark reviews it too, along with three more big movies you can head down to the cinema to watch this weekend—code compliantly, obvs. First up, ‘Predator: Badlands’—the latest instalment in this very loooong running sci-fi action franchise which the classic villain turns hero and the hunter turns hunted. In calmer territory, we’ve got ‘The Choral’ too—a cosy drama about a Yorkshire village choir during WWI, led by controversial new conductor Dr. Henry Guthrie (Ralph Fiennes). And finally, the new and long-awaited Lynne Ramsay film ‘Die My Love’—a dark family drama starring Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson. Reckon Mark’s going to be excited about this one... All the usual email excellence, bantz, rantz, and everything you’ve come to expect from a top Take too. AND Don’t miss our upcoming LIVE Christmas Extravaganza at London’s Prince Edward Theatre on 7th December. Tickets here: fane.co.uk/kermode-mayo Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free) Predator: Badlands Review: 11:33 BO10: 19:21 Daniel Day-Lewis & Ronan Day-Lewis Interview: 29:13 Anemone Review: 30:30 Laughter Lift: 57:21 The Choral Review: 1:02:41 Die My Love Review: 1:12:44 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Some exciting news — The Take is now on Patreon: www.patreon.com/kermodeandmayo. Become a Vanguardista or an Ultra Vanguardista to get video episodes of Take Two every week, plus member‑only chat rooms, polls and submissions to influence the show, behind‑the‑scenes photos and videos, the monthly Redactor’s Roundup newsletter, and access to a new fortnightly LIVE show — a raucous, unfiltered lunchtime special with the Good Doctors, new features, and live chat so you can heckle, vote, and have your questions read out in real time. Another top Take this week where the Good Doctors are giving you the lowdown on all the most enticing movies hitting cinema screens—and the small screen too, with our very special guest Ruth Wilson. She’ll be chatting to Simon about Down Cemetery Road — the new TV thriller based on Slow Horses author Mick Herron’s novel, where she plays the ordinary woman pulled into a mystery involving a huge explosion, a missing child, and a shady coverup. She unpacks her unlikely sleuth character, Sarah Trafford, the show’s tonal twist on TV crime, and hunting for clues alongside Emma Thompson’s gutsy gumshoe Zoe Boehm. Mark reviews it too—along with Relay — another taut thriller starring Riz Ahmed as a mysterious fixer who cuts deals through an anonymous phone service between his clients and the dodgy corporations they take on. And Bugonia—Yorgos Lanthimos’ latest oddity that asks whether Emma Stone might actually be an extraterrestrial...well, haven’t you wondered? All that plus the Box office Top 10, the ever- hilarious Laughter Lift, and top correspondence from you lot—keep it coming please! AND Don’t miss our upcoming LIVE Christmas Extravaganza at London’s Prince Edward Theatre on 7th December. Tickets here: fane.co.uk/kermode-mayo Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free) Relay Review: 10:44 BO10: 19:14 Ruth Wilson Interview: 36:04 Down Cemetery Road Review: 49:58 Laughter Lift: 58:30 Bugonia: 1:05:03 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This Week on the Show: Josh O’Connor, Kelly Reichardt & the Art of the Heist Fresh off the headlines of a real-life Louvre robbery, indie auteur Kelly Reichardt and breakout star Josh O’Connor join Simon to talk about their buzzy new film, The Mastermind—a stylish 70s-set art-heist drama that’s suddenly feeling very timely. O’Connor plays JB, a slacker dad whose low-stakes gallery theft spirals into something far more chaotic. Expect Nixon-era nostalgia, vintage fashion deep-dives, and awkward ovation etiquette. Plus, Josh spills on his upcoming Spielberg project—yes, that Spielberg. Mark Reviews: The Mastermind – Does Reichardt’s latest live up to the hype? Regretting You – A romantic drama with a title tailor-made for snark. Mark’s rant radar is fully activated. Sketch – A family film where kids’ drawings come to life. But does the magic hold up? Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere – Jeremy Allen White stars as The Boss in this hotly anticipated biopic. Does it rock or roll off the rails? Whether you're here for reviews, behind-the-scenes stories, or just want to know what’s worth your cinema ticket this week, we’ve got you covered. And some exciting news: The Take is now on Patreon! Find our page here: www.patreon.com/kermodeandmayo You can now become a Vanguardista—or join the new ranks of the Ultra Vanguardistas, on our Patreon page. Get a whole extra show with Take 2 every week, plus... Access to our new member-only Patreon chat rooms Polls & submissions — vote on the films we cover, send us questions to answer, and try your best (or worst) jokes for the Laughter Lift. Behind-the-scenes photos and videos you won’t find anywhere else. Video versions of ALL upcoming Take Two bonus episodes A new monthly newsletter called The Redactor’s Roundup And, most excitingly... A whole brand new fortnightly LIVE show from the Good Doctors – and the chance to message on the live chat during the show AND Don’t miss our upcoming LIVE Christmas Extravaganza at London’s Prince Edward Theatre on 7th December. Tickets here: fane.co.uk/kermode-mayo Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free) Regretting You Review: 10:51 Box Office Top Ten: 19:54 Josh O’Connor & Kelly Reichardt Interview: 33:31 The Mastermind Review: 48:15 Laughter Lift: 57:40 Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere Review: 1:01:04 Sketch Review: 01:15:57 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vanguardistas have more fun—so if you don’t already subscribe to the podcast, join the Vanguard today via Apple Podcasts or extratakes.com for non-fruit-related devices. In return you’ll get a whole extra Take 2 alongside Take 1 every week, with bonus reviews, more viewing recommendations from the Good Doctors and whole bonus episodes just for you. And if you’re already a Vanguardista, we salute you.  Another packed show this week with four movie reviews for your listening pleasure. First up, ‘Black Phone 2’ -- the sequel to 2021’s comms-based chiller, starring Ethan Hawke. Like a lot of horror movies, the fact that his character died in the last film isn’t really a big deal. Speaking of reanimation, we’ve got Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein too—a fresh take on the much-adapted classic horror novel, this time starring Jacob Elordi as the monster. ‘Roofman’ sees Channing Tatum hiding in a Toys ‘R’ Us in a crime caper based on a bizarre true story from ‘The Place Beyond The Pines’ director Derek Cianfrance—and finally, a new Luca Guadagnino out this week too. ‘After The Hunt’ stars Julia Roberts as a Yale college professor frustrated by her student’s allegations against a colleague... and it’s ripe to get under Mark’s skin—so buckle up for that one.  Plus, those of you who enjoyed Mark’s review of ‘Plainclothes’ last week will be pleased to hear that this week we’re welcoming the very lovely Russell Tovey to the show. The charged drama follows an undercover cop assigned to arrest gay men at cruising spots—and Russell plays a target who becomes an unexpected love interest. He and Simon unpack the film and how it speaks to today—plus a bit of art chat and a mysterious arty paperback too...  Strap in too for what we think is an especially good Laughter Lift, if we do say so ourselves—and more of your top correspondence answered—including a fascinating neuroscientific take on tearjerkers. Link here to the article mentioned in that one: https://medium.com/@itsanavidreader/why-we-cry-at-movies-but-not-real-life-the-psychology-behind-emotional-processing-de18f2dbf624  And don’t miss our upcoming LIVE Christmas Extravaganza at London’s Prince Edward Theatre. Tickets here: fane.co.uk/kermode-mayo        Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free)  Black Phone 2 Review: 09:04  Box Office Top Ten: 15:35  Russell Tovey Interview: 28:23  After The Hunt Review: 43:56  Laughter Lift: 52:30  Roofman Review: 59:31  Frankenstein Review: 01:08:14      You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo  Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey   EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee!  A Sony Music Entertainment production.      Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts    To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vanguardistas have more fun—so if you don’t already subscribe to the podcast, join the Vanguard today via Apple Podcasts or extratakes.com for non-fruit-related devices. In return you’ll get a whole extra Take 2 alongside Take 1 every week, with bonus reviews, more viewing recommendations from the Good Doctors and whole bonus episodes just for you. And if you’re already a Vanguardista, we salute you. Simon is off galivanting this week, so our supersub Ben Baby Smith is back—and ready to run down another big week of big screen action with Mark. We’ve got reviews of all the most exciting cinema coming up this weekend: First up, the foul-mouthed and warm-hearted drama ‘I Swear’, which tells the true story of Tourette’s activist John Davidson’s struggle with the condition after a teenage diagnosis. Another indie gem this week, ‘Plainclothes’ starring Russel Tovey and Tom Blyth, depicts the dilemma of an undercover cop discovering his sexuality after being assigned to arrest gay men at cruising spots. Finally, the biggest, shiniest and blockbuster-iest release of the week is TRON: ARES—and we’re not exactly sure how to pronounce that, so we’re going with TRON: HAIRIES. We can’t reveal Mark’s verdict before you listen... but we can say it stars Jared Leto, and that Mark treats it with the respect that it deserves. Strap in for this one—it’s a corker. Plus, if you heard Mark’s review of ‘A House of Dynamite’ last week, you might be excited to hear that its star Rebecca Ferguson—of ‘Mission: Impossible’, ‘Dune’ and many more—and its director—none other than the legendary Oscar trailblazer Kathryn Bigelow—are our very special guests in this week’s show. They unpack this super-tense nuclear thriller with Ben, and he gives them a little nugget of British 1980s nuclear panic to take away with them too. Plus the box office top 10, the Laughter Lift, and all your top correspondence answered! Don’t miss our upcoming LIVE Christmas Extravaganza at London’s Prince Edward Theatre. Tickets here: fane.co.uk/kermode-mayo Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free): I Swear Review: 10:43 Box Office Top Ten: 18:46 Kathryn Bigelow & Rebecca Ferguson Interview: 33:09 Plainclothes Review: 50:33 - Laughter Lift: 55:36 Tron: Ares Review: 1:00:28 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vanguardistas have more fun—so if you don’t already subscribe to the podcast, join the Vanguard today via Apple Podcasts or extratakes.com for non-fruit-related devices. In return you’ll get a whole extra Take 2 alongside Take 1 every week, with bonus reviews, more viewing recommendations from the Good Doctors and whole bonus episodes just for you. And if you’re already a Vanguardista, we salute you.  Our very special guest from the small screen this week is Aimee Lou Wood. The White Lotus star is back on British screens this month in ‘Film Club’—a BBC rom com that celebrates the healing power of love and, of course, movies. Wood has co-written the series too, and she sits down with Simon to unpack it. She shares what her writing debut has taught her, how she’s channeling the spirit of classic rom coms and bringing back “neurotic chatterboxes falling in love”. We might even have a scoop on her next big writing project...     Plus Mark reviews the week’s most exciting cinema releases. First up, ‘The Smashing Machine’—Benny Safdie’s UFC fighter biopic starring The Rock as you’ve never seen him before. Plus, the much-anticipated directorial debut from Harris Dickison—who you’ll know from ‘Triangle of Sadness’, ‘Scrapper’, ‘Babygirl’ and more. His social realist tale ‘Urchin’ stars Frank Dillane as the homeless Mike—and it looks an indie treat. Last but not least, another nail-biter from Kathryn Bigelow, ‘A House of Dynamite’, which charts the terrifying moments following a nuclear missile launch headed towards the US. Not soothing viewing.     We’re keeping the banter coming too though with the Laughter Lift and the Good Doctors’ thoughts on your stellar correspondence—plus news of our upcoming LIVE Christmas Extravaganza! Tickets here—available from 3pm TODAY: fane.co.uk/kermode-mayo       Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free):    Urchin Review: 03:39 (clip 05:37-06:32)  Box Office Top Ten: 12:06  Aimee Lou Wood Interview: 22:47  Film Club Review: 38:23 (23:14 – 24:02)  Laughter Lift: 45:18  The Smashing Machine Review: 51:19 (clip 53:02-53:57)  House of Dynamite Review: 1:01:34 (clip 1:02:52-1:03:45)        You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo  Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey   EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee!  A Sony Music Entertainment production.      Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts    To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vanguardistas have more fun—so if you don’t already subscribe to the podcast, join the Vanguard today via Apple Podcasts or extratakes.com for non-fruit-related devices. In return you’ll get a whole extra Take 2 alongside Take 1 every week, with bonus reviews, more viewing recommendations from the Good Doctors and whole bonus episodes just for you. And if you’re already a Vanguardista, we salute you.  ‘One Battle After Another’ hits the big screen this week—and there’s already plenty of buzz, not least from Steven Spielberg, about this much anticipated new flick starring Leonardo DiCaprio and the dazzlingly named newcomer Chase Infiniti. Its director—and one of the most exciting directors working today—Paul Thomas Anderson is our very special guest this week. He and Simon unpack his decades-long writing process on the movie, his first ever car chase, and getting binned off by DiCaprio for ‘Titanic’. Could this be the year PTA finally gets his Oscar? Answers in an envelope now please...  Mark reviews ‘One Battle After Another’ too--along with two more of the week’s most popcorn-worthy cinema releases. First up, ‘The Dead Of Winter’--where we see Emma Thompson explore new territory in a frozen thriller set in chilly Minnesota. And yes, that means she does the accent. Plus, ‘The Strangers: Chapter 2’... let’s see if this unintentionally silly slasher can improve on its predecessor, which shouldn’t be difficult... one would hope.  All the usual tasty features too as Mark runs down the full Box Office Top 10 and Simon tries to wring some genuine humour out of the Laughter Lift. Tope correspondence from you as always--and don’t forget you can now watch the full show on YouTube!     Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free):    The Dead of Winter Review: 09:16 (00:11:04 – 11:40:19)  Box Office Top Ten: 15:44  Paul Thomas Anderson Interview: 28:17  One Battle After Another Review: 42:04 (Clip: 00:28:34 – 00:29:16)  Laughter Lift: 56:11  The Strangers: Chapter 2 Review: 01:00:06 (Clip 01:01:23 – 01:02:06)        You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo  Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey   EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee!  A Sony Music Entertainment production.      Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts    To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vanguardistas have more fun—so if you don’t already subscribe to the podcast, join the Vanguard today via Apple Podcasts or extratakes.com for non-fruit-related devices. In return you’ll get a whole extra Take 2 alongside Take 1 every week, with bonus reviews, more viewing recommendations from the Good Doctors and whole bonus episodes just for you. And if you’re already a Vanguardista, we salute you.  Simon and Mark remember true movie legend Robert Redford, who passed away this week. We hear your favourite Redford films, memories of him as a style icon and more. Plus, the Good Doctors talk about meeting the great man himself on stage, and the surprising effect he had on their audience.  Paul Greengrass—legendary director of the Bourne movies, Captain Philips, United 93 and many more—is our guest this week. His latest movie is The Lost Bus—the gripping true story of a bus driver and schoolteacher’s attempt to evacuate 22 children from a vicious wildfire in Paradise, California, starring Matthew McConaughey and America Ferrera. Greengrass tells Simon how he brought this real-life story to the screen, how he recreated the terror of a wildfire with practical effects, and loads more from the making of this white-knuckle ride. He's always a treat to hear from, so don’t miss it.   Mark reviews it too, plus two more shiny new releases for your eyeballs. First, ‘Steve’, starring the ever-excellent Cillian Murphy as the burnt out headteacher of a reform school struggling to keep it together. And from gritty to glossy, we’ve got A Big Bold beautiful Journey for you too—a rom com with a sprinkling of magic starring Colin Farrell and Margot Robbie as a could-be-couple taking a time travelling tour of their respective pasts.   Top correspondence from our top-drawer listeners as always—including for a new feature. We’re inviting you to send us your Shameless Plugs—whatever you’re working on right now in the world of all things film and film-adjacent—let us know what it is and how we can get involved. Emails and voice notes welcome!   And don’t forget you can now watch the full show on YouTube too!     Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free):  Steve Review: 14:03  Box Office Top Ten: 21:33  Paul Greengrass Interview: 31:08  The Lost Bus Review: 47:21  Laughter Lift: 57:58  A Big Bold Beautiful Journey Review: 01:00:26        You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo  Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey   EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee!  A Sony Music Entertainment production.      Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts    To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vanguardistas have more fun—so if you don’t already subscribe to the podcast, join the Vanguard today via Apple Podcasts or extratakes.com for non-fruit-related devices. In return you’ll get a whole extra Take 2 alongside Take 1 every week, with bonus reviews, more viewing recommendations from the Good Doctors and whole bonus episodes just for you. And if you’re already a Vanguardista, we salute you.  ‘Spinal Tap II: The End Continues’ is finally out this week—but will it rock Mark’s world or break his heart? He’ll deliver his verdict in this week’s Take—plus more reviews of the biggest movies hitting cinema screens this weekend. First up it’s the final film instalment in everyone’s favourite goes-down-nicely-with-a-cuppa-tea-missus period drama saga, Downton Abbey. On a much less civilised note, we’ve got ‘The Long Walk’ too—a brutal death game drama adapted from Stephen King’s novel. Plus we’ll get your top takes on the Box Office Top 10 and whatever else is going on in your lovely listener lives.   Our very special and exceptionally well-dressed guest this week is Warren Ellis—musician of Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds and Dirty Three fame, and now the subject of new Justin Kurzel directed documentary ‘Ellis Park’. It follows the story of the animal sanctuary Ellis founded in Indonesia with Femke den Haas, and it’s an intimate insight into the life and music of this very cool man too. He chats IRL in the studio with Mark and Simon—and this week we’re filming the whole show in golorious technicolour, so you’ll get the full effect of his excellent outfit. They talk all about the movie and plenty about music too—and just because Warren loves a lengthy natter we’ve got even more for you in Take 2—so listen up!     Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free):  Downton Abbey Review: 06:35  Box Office Top Ten: 14:41  Warren Ellis Interview: 25:19  The Long Walk Review: 46:37  Spinal Tap: The End Continues Review: 1:00:48        You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo  Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey   EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee!  A Sony Music Entertainment production.      Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts    To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vanguardistas have more fun—so if you don’t already subscribe to the podcast, join the Vanguard today via Apple Podcasts or extratakes.com for non-fruit-related devices. In return you’ll get a whole extra Take 2 alongside Take 1 every week, with bonus reviews, more viewing recommendations from the Good Doctors and whole bonus episodes just for you. And if you’re already a Vanguardista, we salute you.  Grab the popcorn, because we’ve got a load more sweet and salty reviews for you this week on the Take. We’ll let you find out which are which. First up, ‘Honey, Don’t’, the neo-noir crime comedy from Ethan Coen that follows ‘Drive-Away Dolls’ as the next in a soon to be trilogy. Plus, two new indie flicks: Cork-set drama Christy, following two brothers forging a new life outside the care system, and the odd-couple holiday drama ‘Signs of Life’. There’s ‘The Conjuring: Last Rites’ too... but is it really really the last one this time?   Our guest this week is the ever-excellent Sam Riley—a stalwart on British screens since his breakout role as Ian Curtis in the Joy Division singer’s biopic ‘Control’. This time he’s starring in ‘Islands’, a mysterious sun-soaked thriller out next week. He plays tennis coach Tom—who seems to have the perfect life hitting rallies all day and chasing holiday flings all night—but things get complicated when he gets wrapped up in a dodgy family drama. Sam sits down with Simon to unpack his role in the movie, plus they talk middle-aged angst, holidays in the German Skegness, and that time he almost got arrested in Aberdeen... Keep an ear out for Mark’s review of the film next week too.   There’s top correspondence from you Wittertainees as always too, as we dive ever deeper into the cinema seating debate and beyond. Don’t miss another top Take!      Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free):  Honey, Don’t: 08:15  Box Office Top Ten: 14:00  Sam Riley Interview: 26:15  The Conjuring: Last Rites: 38:49  Signs of Life Review: 52:33  Christy Review: 58:13        You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo  Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey   EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee!  A Sony Music Entertainment production.      Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts    To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vanguardistas have more fun—so if you don’t already subscribe to the podcast, join the Vanguard today via Apple Podcasts or extratakes.com for non-fruit-related devices. In return you’ll get a whole extra Take 2 alongside Take 1 every week, with bonus reviews, more viewing recommendations from the Good Doctors and whole bonus episodes just for you. And if you’re already a Vanguardista, we salute you.  It’s a lovely highlights show for your summer holiday this week, where mark and Simon will be bringing back all the highlights of the year in film so far. You’ll hear all the greatest hits from our guest interviews with Justin Kurzel, Craig Mazin and Domhnall Gleeson.  And reviews of Sinners, Bring Her Back, The Ballad of Wallis Island, Adolescence, Death of a Unicorn (oy!), Jurassic World: Rebirth (yeesh!) and Another Simple Favour.  Reminisce and relive it all with us—and it’s back to school with a brand new pencil case, more new reviews and shiny starry guests next week.      Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free):  Bring Her Back: 03:43  Sinners: 07:45  The Ballad of Wallis Island: 13:17   Justin Kurzel: 18:20  Death of a Unicorn: 25:44  Another Simple Favour: 31:09  Jurassic World: Rebirth: 36:41   Domhnall Gleeson: 41:32  Adolescence: 46:57  Craig Mazin: 58:02      You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo  Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey   EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee!  A Sony Music Entertainment production.      Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts    To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Surprise! It’s another tasty nugget of Now & Ben in the Take feed. This time, Ben sits down with Olivia Colman and Jay Roach, star and director of ‘The Roses’--which hits the big screen this Friday.  This grown-up comedy with bite is all about marriage and what happens when it gets rocky. Colman plays one half of a battling couple alongside Bendict Cumberbatch—and although things might look perfect on the surface, tensions rise and resentment simmers as the pair’s respective careers start to move in opposite directions. It’s a reimagining of the 1989 classic ‘The War of the Roses’, starring Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner—and Roach has shaken things up to reflect the pitfalls of modern romance.   Ben chats to both of them about the secrets of comedy, casting, and marriage—and how this long-imagined project came to the screen. Spoilers—Olivia Colman is her delightful self on full beam—don't miss it!   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vanguardistas have more fun—so if you don’t already subscribe to the podcast, join the Vanguard today via Apple Podcasts or extratakes.com for non-fruit-related devices. In return you’ll get a whole extra Take 2 alongside Take 1 every week, with bonus reviews, more viewing recommendations from the Good Doctors and whole bonus episodes just for you. And if you’re already a Vanguardista, we salute you.  Supersub Ben Bailey Smith joins Mark this week for reviews of the freshest cinema releases. We’ve got the Good Doctor’s verdicts on ‘Eddington’, Ari Aster’s much-discussed western starring Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, Austin Butler, and Emma Stone. Plus, indie black comedy ‘Sorry, Baby’, and ‘The Life of Chuck’, whose stars Tom Hiddleston and Chiwetel Ejiofor are our very special guests this week.   We recorded this one with them a while back with Simon, so it’s him you’ll be hearing sit down with the two of them to unpack it. It’s a Stephen King adaptation following one man’s ordinary life and the multitudes it contains, and we can’t say too much more than that without giving it away. Best leave it to Tom and Chiwetel...   All the usual silliness and profundity to be found too as usual in another top Take. Don’t miss it!     Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free):  Eddington Review: 07:58  BO10ish: 15:28   Tom Hiddleston & Chiwetel Ejiofor: 28:53  Life of Chuck Review: 42:20  Sorry, Baby Review: 52:22    You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo  Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey   EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee!  A Sony Music Entertainment production.      Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts    To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vanguardistas have more fun—so if you don’t already subscribe to the podcast, join the Vanguard today via Apple Podcasts or extratakes.com for non-fruit-related devices. In return you’ll get a whole extra Take 2 alongside Take 1 every week, with bonus reviews, more viewing recommendations from the Good Doctors and whole bonus episodes just for you. And if you’re already a Vanguardista, we salute you.  Supersub Sanjeev is back again this week, donning his Take merchandise—and he’s not the only special guest we’ve got for you. Bob Odenkirk—star of ‘Breaking Bad’, ‘Better Call Saul’, ‘Nobody’, and now ‘Nobody 2’--joins us too. It’s Mark’s turn to do the interview honours this week, and he’s pretty chuffed with that—but as it turns out, he’s not the only fan in the room... They unpack the film’s stonking action seqeunces and talk sequel nerves, father figures and Jackie Chan.   Mark reviews the summer holiday action comedy too, as well as all the biggest movies you can catch on the big screen this week, rain or shine. First up, ‘The Materialists’--whose director Celine Song was our guest last week...and kind of became Sanjeev’s new bestie in the process? We get both Mark and Sanj’s takes on her New York romcom for our cynical modern dating scene. Plus, a much more grusome take on finding your ‘other half’, ‘Together’. Starring real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie, this co-dependency body horror is a real scrunge-fest. Don’t miss Mark’s verdict!   And for those still enjoying our run of curry house correspondence, this week’s laughter lift is for you. Keep that correspondence coming on all things curry and non-curry related—and make sure to get it in sharpish this week, as we’re recording next week’s show this Friday!     Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free):  The Materialists Review: 09:42  BO10: 23:51  K Pop Demon Hunters review: 21:33  Bob Odenkirk Interview: 33:42  Nobody 2 Review: 45:55  Together Review: 54:49    You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo  Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey   EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee!  A Sony Music Entertainment production.      Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts    To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vanguardistas have more fun—so if you don’t already subscribe to the podcast, join the Vanguard today via Apple Podcasts or extratakes.com for non-fruit-related devices. In return you’ll get a whole extra Take 2 alongside Take 1 every week, with bonus reviews, more viewing recommendations from the Good Doctors and whole bonus episodes just for you. And if you’re already a Vanguardista, we salute you.  Simon is off on his holibobs this week, but fortunately the excellent Sanjeev Bhaskar is in town to sub in, and he does an excellent job if we may say so. He takes up the baton to interview this week’s guest—who is the ever-delightful Celine Song. They unpack ‘The Materialists,’ her new romcom about the mercenary modern dating scene, starring Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal and Chris Evans. Fans of ‘Past Lives’ listen up—and listen out for Mark’s full review of this sophomore feature next week.   If you heard last week’s guest Guy Pearce on the show, you might have been waiting for Mark’s official verdict on the Aussie star’s new prison drama ‘Inside’--and we’ve got it right here or you this week. Plus two more fresh takes on the week’s new releases: first up ‘Freakier Friday’, the four-way body swap sequel to the 2003 original. And we’ve got the Good Doctor’s verdict on ‘Weapons’ too—a creepy horror-mystery from Barbarian director Zach Cregger.   Correspondence on celebrity curry house encounters continues this week too—so don’t miss your fellow Wittertainees tales of vindaloo with VIPS and Saag Aloo with the stars. And check out Take 2 for Sanjeev’s very own celeb curry anecdote...     Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free):  Inside Review: 07:40  BO10: 14:14  Celine Song Interview: 27:42  Freakier Friday Review: 44:07  Weapons Review: 54:50    You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo  Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey   EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee!  A Sony Music Entertainment production.      Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts    To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vanguardistas have more fun—so if you don’t already subscribe to the podcast, join the Vanguard today via Apple Podcasts or extratakes.com for non-fruit-related devices. In return you’ll get a whole extra Take 2 alongside Take 1 every week, with bonus reviews, more viewing recommendations from the Good Doctors and whole bonus episodes just for you. And if you’re already a Vanguardista, we salute you.  ‘Alien: Earth’ is landing on the small screen on 13th August in the first TV outing for the much-loved and multi-sequelled Alien franchise—and we’re bringing you a special bonus drop to celebrate. Showrunner Noah Hawley is the man behind it, and with ‘Fargo’ and ‘legion’ on his CV, it’s fair to say he’s pretty good at putting stuff on the telly that it seems like would be tough to make work on the telly. He chats to both Mark and Simon all about realising this ambitious project, adapting a stone cold classic, and his surprising love for British comedy.   Plus we’ve got Mark’s review of the series, hot off the embargo press. Where will it place in the Alien canon leaderboard, and can it undo the sins of the later sequels? Don’t miss the Good Doctor’s verdict, and do send your takes in to us too.     You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo   EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee!  A Sony Music Entertainment production.     Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts    To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com  ---    Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts    To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vanguardistas have more fun—so if you don’t already subscribe to the podcast, join the Vanguard today via Apple Podcasts or extratakes.com for non-fruit-related devices. In return you’ll get a whole extra Take 2 alongside Take 1 every week, with bonus reviews, more viewing recommendations from the Good Doctors and whole bonus episodes just for you. And if you’re already a Vanguardista, we salute you.  ‘Naked Gun’ is out this week, where Liam Neeson finally embraces his meme-status by playing parody cop Frank Drebin Jr.--son of Leslie Nielsen’s hero of the 1988 original. ...Is it naff though? Find out what Mark thinks—along with his verdicts on Willem Dafoe-starring weirdy fantasy drama ‘The Legend of Ochi’, and ‘Savages’, the new stop motion tale from the director of ‘My Life as a Courgette’. School’s out but the reviews still keep coming!   Our guest this week is Guy Pearce, who chats so Simon about this hard-hitting new prison drama ‘Inside’, set in his native Oz. Pearce plays grizzled lifer Warren, who is facing up to the uncertainties of freedom days before his long-awaited parole—but does he really want to get out? He stars alongside the ever-versatile Cosmo Jarvis and newcomer Vincent Miller, who plays the 18-year-old new inmate who Warren takes under his wing. Guy unpacks it all with Simon—plus we hear about his music projects, ‘The Brutalist’, and find out which classic role of his he actually hates...   Some really amazing correspondence this week on ‘The Narrow Road To The Deep North’ too, which has reminded us that we really do have the best and most fascinating listeners evs. Thanks as ever Wittertainees!      Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free):  Savages Review: 07:54  BO10: 14:39  The Bad Guys 2 Review: 27:28  Guy Pearce Interview: 33:09  The Naked Gun Review: 49:01  The Legend of Ochi Review: 59:24    You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo  Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey   EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee!  A Sony Music Entertainment production.      Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts    To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vanguardistas have more fun—so if you don’t already subscribe to the podcast, join the Vanguard today via Apple Podcasts or extratakes.com for non-fruit-related devices. In return you’ll get a whole extra Take 2 alongside Take 1 every week, with bonus reviews, more viewing recommendations from the Good Doctors and whole bonus episodes just for you. And if you’re already a Vanguardista, we salute you.  Could we have found the film of the year already? ‘Bring Her Back’ looks like it’s got a fighting chance. Mark reviews this brilliantly unsettling new horror from The Philippou brothers, who last freaked us all out with ‘Talk To Me’ in 2022. We’ve got the Good Doctor’s verdict on ‘Fantastic Four: First Steps’ too—plus the box office top 10 and all your top-quality correspondence.   Our guest this week is the fascinating Justin Kurzel. You know him as director of 2015’s ‘Macbeth’ with Michael Fassbender, 2021’s ‘Nitram’, and last year’s Nazi-hunting thriller ‘The Order’--and now of his first TV project, ‘The Narrow Road To The Deep North’, which hits British screens this week. He chats to Mark and Simon all about the visceral new series, which follows a group of Australian prisoners of war working on the Burma railway in the 1940s, and stars Jacob Elordi and Ciarán Hinds. Plus there’s a bit of chat about Nina Simone’s chewing gum, and a little teaser for his next project with the guardian of this strange and sticky piece of music ephemera, Warren Ellis.    Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free):  Bring Her Back Review: 08:36  BO10: 15:50  Justin Kurzel Interview: 21:55  The Narrow Road to the Deep North Review: 38:20  The Fantastic Four: First Steps Review: 51:16    You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo  Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey   EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee!  A Sony Music Entertainment production.      Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts    To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vanguardistas have more fun—so if you don’t already subscribe to the podcast, join the Vanguard today via Apple Podcasts or extratakes.com for non-fruit-related devices. In return you’ll get a whole extra Take 2 alongside Take 1 every week, with bonus reviews, more viewing recommendations from the Good Doctors and whole bonus episodes just for you. And if you’re already a Vanguardista, we salute you.  Our guest this week is Harry Melling—all grown up after first hitting the big screen as Dudley Dursley in the Harry Potter films. He’s here to chat about the latest in a hit parade of pleasingly weird and wonderful post-Potter projects, ‘Harvest’. This trippy period piece sees a mysterious feudal society in an unspecified place and time fall apart after crops fail and sinister strangers arrive. Simon unpacks this unique film with Harry—plus a bit of Potter chat since the HBO reboot has put the wizarding world back in the spotlight.   Mark reviews Harvest too—along with two more of this week’s biggest cinema releases: ‘Friendship’--a black comedy about male bonding starring Paul Rudd as the new-best-pal-next-door, and ‘Smurfs’--the latest big-screen outing for the little blue fellas. If that didn’t sound like a bit of Mark-bait already, it also stars James Corden. Odds on Kermode going full ‘Grouchy Smurf’ on this one?   Plus we revisit the Salt Path controversy, including some of your excellent correspondence, run down the Box Office Top 10 and serve up sizeable portions of delectable daftness as always.     Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free):  Friendship Review: 10:25  BO10: 18:16  Harry Melling Interview: 26:50  Harvest Review: 42:09  Smurfs Review: 56:18    You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo  Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey   EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee!  A Sony Music Entertainment production.      Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts    To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vanguardistas have more fun—so if you don’t already subscribe to the podcast, join the Vanguard today via Apple Podcasts or extratakes.com for non-fruit-related devices. In return you’ll get a whole extra Take 2 alongside Take 1 every week, with bonus reviews, more viewing recommendations from the Good Doctors and whole bonus episodes just for you. And if you’re already a Vanguardista, we salute you.  The wonderful Mark Gatiss is our guest this week. He joins Simon and Mark to talk ‘Bookish’—his new crime comedy passion project that sees him play a bookseller-turned-detective in postwar London. Plenty of whimsy, history, detective-fiction geekery and big love for weird archaic vocabulary in this chat, so don’t miss it—he's always a delight.   Our Mark reviews the series, as well as the week’s big cinema releases. First up, ‘Modì, Three Days on the Wing of Madness’--a whirlwind imagining of three days in the life of bohemian artist Modigliani, directed by Johnny Depp and (briefly) featuring Al Pacino. And, of course, we’ll get the lowdown on the super-size blockbuster of this week: is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s ‘Superman’!   We’ll also address this week’s ‘Salt Path’ news, with Mark and Simon reacting to the controversy surrounding the author of the original memoir, Raynor Winn. Since recording, Winn has published her response to the allegations which can be found here: https://www.raynorwinn.co.uk/     Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free):  Salt Path discussion: 02:36  Modì: Three Days on the Wing of Madness Review: 11:54  BO10: 18:04  Mark Gatiss Interview: 27:37  Bookish Review: 42:19  Superman Review: 49:59    You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo  Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey   EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee!  A Sony Music Entertainment production.      Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts    To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vanguardistas have more fun—so if you don’t already subscribe to the podcast, join the Vanguard today via Apple Podcasts or extratakes.com for non-fruit-related devices. In return you’ll get a whole extra Take 2 alongside Take 1 every week, with bonus reviews, more viewing recommendations from the Good Doctors and whole bonus episodes just for you. And if you’re already a Vanguardista, we salute you.  Our very special guest this week is a body horror legend; director of ‘The Fly’, ‘Videodrome’, ‘Crash’ and many more genre classics... the one and only David Cronenberg. He talks to Mark about his new film ‘The Shrouds’. Written in the aftermath of his wife’s death, it imagines a technology that allows those who have lost loved ones to watch their interred bodies decompose in real time. He and Mark discuss the meaning of art, his unique approach to moviemaking, and why we are allowed—and encouraged—to laugh about this most serious of subjects.   Mark reviews ‘The Shrouds’ too, plus two more of this week’s brand new movies. ‘Hot Milk’—a woozy summer psychodrama starring Fiona Shaw, Vicky Krieps and Emma Mackey—and of course this week’s gigantic blockbuster, Jurassic World Rebirth. What does Mark make of it—roaring success or bound for extinction? Listen up to find out + the Box Office Top 10 and excellent correspondence on what you’ve been watching this week on the big and small screen.    Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free):  Hot Milk Review: 10:02  BO10: 18:20  David Cronenberg Interview: 29:38  The Shrouds Review: 43:51  Jurassic World: Rebirth: 55:21    You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo  Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey   EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee!  A Sony Music Entertainment production.      Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts    To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vanguardistas have more fun—so if you don’t already subscribe to the podcast, join the Vanguard today via Apple Podcasts or extratakes.com for non-fruit-related devices. In return you’ll get a whole extra Take 2 alongside Take 1 every week, with bonus reviews, more viewing recommendations from the Good Doctors and whole bonus episodes just for you. And if you’re already a Vanguardista, we salute you.  ‘F1’, or ffffwan, as nobody is calling it—is racing onto cinema screens this week, so listen up for Mark’s verdict on this high-speed blockbuster. And we’ve got a review of ‘M3GAN 2.0’—the first of what could be many sequels to the dollfaced genre-mashing horror hit. Can they keep shoehorning numbers into their titles? Looks like we might be about to find out.  Our special guest this week is Maxine Peake, who stars in ‘Words of War’--a bold biopic of murdered Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya, whose work was critical of the Kremlin and the Russian army. She talks to Simon about telling Anna’s powerful story, why the film ditched the fake Russian accents, and being married to Jason Isaacs—onscreen only! You can catch Mark’s review straight after their chat too.   Top takes in the Box Office Top 10 this week—and fans of 80s radio nostalgia are in for a treat from Simon, so listen out. Plus, 28 Years Later fans, don’t miss Take 2 for yet more spoiler-tastic chat unpacking the film everyone’s talking about—including lots of you in your top correspondence. Keep it coming!     Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free):  M3GAN 2.0 Review: 09:16  Box Office Top Ten: 14:55  Maxine Peake Interview: 25:10  Words of War review: 40:45  F1 Review: 51:52  You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo  Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey   EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee!  A Sony Music Entertainment production.      Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts    To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vanguardistas have more fun—so if you don’t already subscribe to the podcast, join the Vanguard today via Apple Podcasts or extratakes.com for non-fruit-related devices. In return you’ll get a whole extra Take 2 alongside Take 1 every week, with bonus reviews, more viewing recommendations from the Good Doctors and whole bonus episodes just for you. And if you’re already a Vanguardista, we salute you.  It’s not quite 28 years, but we have been waiting a whole 23 for a Danny Boyle helmed sequel to the 2002 zombie apocalypse classic ‘28 Days Later’. He and Jodie Comer, who stars in the new horror shocker, join Simon to discuss ‘28 Years Later’. It’s the first in a trilogy of follow ups set amongst the new society that has developed on the remote Holy Island after the Rage Virus has rendered mainland Britain uninhabitable. Danny and Jodie unpack the horrifying and fascinating world of the film, and we’ll be bringing you The Good Doctors’ verdicts on it too. We can guarantee you a spoiler-free review in Take 1—but tune in to Take 2 sharpish if you’re after a spoiler-tastic deep dive...   More reviews this week of ‘The Last Journey’—a Swedish documentary about one son’s bid to help his father regain a zest for life via an elaborate road trip adventure—and ‘Elio’, an intergalactic new Pixar offering that sees a misfit kid appointed as Earth’s ambassador to the universe. Plus our usual rundown of the Box Office Top 10 with Mark’s takes and yours, more alleged ‘hilarity’ from The Laughter Lift, and top correspondence from you lot on everything from your cinemagoing antics to films that just need a slap.     Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free):  The Last Journey Review: 06:47  Box Office Top Ten: 12:59  Danny Boyle and Jodie Comer Interview: 24:27   28 Years Later Review: 38:35  Elio Review: 52:32  You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo  Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey   EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee!  A Sony Music Entertainment production.      Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts    To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vanguardistas have more fun—so if you don’t already subscribe to the podcast, join the Vanguard today via Apple Podcasts or extratakes.com for non-fruit-related devices. In return you’ll get a whole extra Take 2 alongside Take 1 every week, with bonus reviews, more viewing recommendations from the Good Doctors and whole bonus episodes just for you. And if you’re already a Vanguardista, we salute you. Our guest this week is the prounciationally challenging but very lovely Domnhall Gleeson, who sits down with Simon to talk about his new Apple TV+ thriller ‘Echo Valley’. In it, he plays the sinister dealer Jackie to Sydney Sweeney’s addict Claire—no more nice Domnhall. He and Simon talk accents, improv, and looking like a psychopathic Ronan Keating—don't miss it. Mark reviews ‘Echo Valley’, along with two more of the biggest big-screen releases this week. First up, ‘Tornado’, a Scottish Samurai tale starring Jack Lowden and Tim Roth as criminal heavies, and Kôki as the titular Tornado they are chasing down. Plus, ‘How to Train Your Dragon’: Mark delivers his verdict the live action (except for the dragon) remake starring Nick Frost, Gerard Butler and more. Some more excellent Jason Isaacs content too, and an iWttr mystery solved... Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free): Tornado Review: 10:24 Box Office Top Ten: 16:46 Domhnall Gleeson Interview: 26:53 Echo Valley Review: 43:21 How To Train Your Dragon Review: 52:50 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com And to find out more about Sony’s new show Origins with Cush Jumbo, click here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to another Now & Ben! This little nugget of bonus interview goodness features Carey Mulligan and Tim Key—stars of the new wholesome folk musical The Ballad of Wallis Island—in cinemas now. Ben sits down with them to talk about this British gem of a film that’s got Richard Curtis cooing. Plus behind the scenes goss on everything from corpsing on camera to sliding into dms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vanguardistas have more fun—so if you don’t already subscribe to the podcast, join the Vanguard today via Apple Podcasts or extratakes.com for non-fruit-related devices. In return you’ll get a whole extra Take 2 alongside Take 1 every week, with bonus reviews, more viewing recommendations from the Good Doctors and whole bonus episodes just for you. And if you’re already a Vanguardista, we salute you. It's a 20th anniversary special for this ‘ere podcast—yes, we have been in your ears via download since 2005. That’s two whole decades ago. Whew. To celebrate we’ve got a bumper correspondence special for you with lots of lovely stuff from you loyal listeners—including some who have valiantly put up with us for the entire duration. Alongside our usual box office top 10, we’ll be rolling back the clock to see what was in the charts this time two decades ago, and there will be reminiscences aplenty. Reviews aplenty too: First up, 'Ballerina', the latest instalment in the world of John Wick, this time with a twist--or should we say a pirouette? Plus, a double whammy of new horror releases: 'Clown In A Cornfield' adds another creepy clown to the conematic cannon of coulrophobia, and 'Dangerous Animals' is asks 'hmmm what would Jaws be like with an added serial killer?". Check out the Good Doctor's top takes on the lot. Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free): Ballerina review: 10:32 Box Office Top Ten: 18:01 Clown in a Cornfield review: 37:39 Dangerous Animals review: 53:14 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com And to find out more about Sony’s new show Origins with Cush Jumbo, click here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vanguardistas have more fun—so if you don’t already subscribe to the podcast, join the Vanguard today via Apple Podcasts or extratakes.com for non-fruit-related devices. In return you’ll get a whole extra Take 2 alongside Take 1 every week, with bonus reviews, more viewing recommendations from the Good Doctors and whole bonus episodes just for you. And if you’re already a Vanguardista, we salute you. It’s time for another of those very special episodes where we all get to say “hello” to one of our very favourite friends of the show in the actual flesh (or whatever the audio equivalent of that is...). You guessed it, our guest this week is the one and only Jason Isaacs. He drops in for a chat with both Simon and Mark about ‘The Salt Path’—a seriously inspirational film that sees him walk the South West Coast Path in a journey of massive resilience and self-discovery alongside Gillian Anderson. They play the real-life couple Moth and Raynor Winn, who walked the path after losing their home and livelihood, and wrote the bestselling memoir on which the film is based. It’s a seriously meaty chat and Jason is on top form—you don’t want to miss it. Mark reviews it too, plus two more big releases this week. We’ve got ‘Karate Kid: Legends’, the high-kicking and wholesome latest in the Kung Fu franchise, starring Jackie Chan—and ‘The Ritual’--an exorcism horror with a demon-ousting Priest played by... Al Pacino??? This one sounds like Kermode catnip, so listen in and say your prayers for a rant or a redemption. Simon is back this week too, so expect bumper banter from the Good Doctors. Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free): Karate Kid: Legends: 08:06 Jason Isaacs Interview: 30:18 The Salt Path Review: 48:20 The Ritual Review: 58:35 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com And to find out more about Sony’s new show Origins with Cush Jumbo, click here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vanguardistas have more fun—so if you don’t already subscribe to the podcast, join the Vanguard today via Apple Podcasts or extratakes.com for non-fruit-related devices. In return you’ll get a whole extra Take 2 alongside Take 1 every week, with bonus reviews, more viewing recommendations from the Good Doctors and whole bonus episodes just for you. And if you’re already a Vanguardista, we salute you. The wait is over for the actioniest and Tom Cruiseiest of all Tom Cruise action movies – ‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’. And we’ve got action director (and producer and writer) extraordinaire Chris McQuarrie—who is behind this and the last four Missions—in the guest spot for you this week. Our super sub Ben Bailey Smith chats to him about the much-anticipated new movie, its jaw-dropping stunts, and his longstanding creative partnership with Tom Cruise. Simon is on his holibobs this week and we bet he’s gutted to be missing this one! Plus we find out what Mark makes of this epic conclusion to the 29-year Mission: Impossible series. It’s a proper blockbuster week with reviews of two more big cinema releases too. Firstly, Disney’s live action ‘Lilo and Sitch’, which sees everyone’s favourite fuzzy blue genetic experiment accompanied by a cast of IRL actors including Hannah Waddingham as an alien and Maia Kealoha as Lilo. Secondly and more achingly-arty-quirkily, it’s Wes Anderson’s latest ‘The Phoenician Scheme’, starring Benicio del Toro, Scarlett Johansson, Mia Threapleton, Bill Murray, Tom Hanks—and indeed Uncle Tom Cobley and all. Plus all the usual top bantz from Mark and Ben, and from your stellar correspondence. Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free): Lilo and Stitch: 07:32 Box Office Top Ten: 12:59 Chris McQuarrie Interview: 26:10 Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning Review: 40:29 The Phoenician Scheme: 55:24 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com And to find out more about Sony’s new show Origins with Cush Jumbo, click here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vanguardistas have more fun—so if you don’t already subscribe to the podcast, join the Vanguard today via Apple Podcasts or extratakes.com for non-fruit-related devices. In return you’ll get a whole extra Take 2 alongside Take 1 every week, with bonus reviews, more viewing recommendations from the Good Doctors and whole bonus episodes just for you. And if you’re already a Vanguardista, we salute you. Reviews this week of French feelgood hit ‘The Marching Band’ (En Fanfare)--where a conductor in need of a bone-marrow transplant discovers a long-lost brother and undertakes an unexpected musical journey. Think Brassed Off, but more French. Also we have the edge-of-your-car-seat thriller ‘Hallow Road’ starring Rosamund Pike, and the usual run down of the Box Office Top 10 and all your erudite/hilarious/chin-strokey correspondence on those. The Good Doctors will also be talking ‘The Last Of Us’ series 2—and that’s because our very special guest this week is its showrunner Craig Mazin. In a bumper conversation that extends into Take 2 for Vanguardistas, he and Simon talk about the groundbreaking video-game adaptation series and his journey to creating it. Covering everything from storytelling secrets to the show’s brilliant needle drops, via revenge, grief and creativity, this one really goes places—don't miss it. Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free): En Fanfare (The Marching Band) Review: 08:15 Craig Mazin Interview: 26:03 The Last of Us S2 Review: 45:28 Hallow Road Review: 58:36 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com And to find out more about Sony’s new show Origins with Cush Jumbo, click here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vanguardistas have more fun—so if you don’t already subscribe to the podcast, join the Vanguard today via Apple Podcasts or extratakes.com for non-fruit-related devices. In return you’ll get a whole extra Take 2 alongside Take 1 every week, with bonus reviews, more viewing recommendations from the Good Doctors and whole bonus episodes just for you. And if you’re already a Vanguardista, we salute you. It’s a bumper review week in Take 1, and first up is the new underwater doc from everyone’s favourite near-centenarian national treasure, ‘Ocean with David Attenborough’. Mark reviews this big-screen voyage for the naturalist, and sticking with the seaside theme we’ve also got a review of Nic Cage’s bonkers beach-set latest, ‘The Surfer’. In it, Cage plays a man who revisits the beach of his childhood to surf with his son, but finds himself locked in a conflict with the locals that escalates to surreal heights. Plus, ‘The Wedding Banquet’—Andrew Ahn’s remake of Ang Lee’s 1993 romcom, in which two queer couples get mixed up in an unlikely marriage in pursuit of Green Cards and fertility treatment. And finally, ‘The Uninvited’—a Hollywood industry satire featuring two screen stars of the moment, Walton Goggins and Pedro Pascal—alongside Rufus Sewell, Lois Smith, Elizabeth Reaser and more. And in place of a guest this week the Good Doctors will be answering even more of your top correspondence than usual, so don’t miss it. Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free): Ocean with David Attenborough review: 08:23 The Uninvited review: 37:58 Laughter Lift: 43:38 The Surfer review: 49:13 The Wedding Banquet review: 59:26 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com And to find out more about Sony’s new show Origins with Cush Jumbo, click here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vanguardistas have more fun—so if you don’t already subscribe to the podcast, join the Vanguard today via Apple Podcasts or extratakes.com for non-fruit-related devices. In return you’ll get a whole extra Take 2 alongside Take 1 every week, with bonus reviews, more viewing recommendations from the Good Doctors and whole bonus episodes just for you. And if you’re already a Vanguardista, we salute you. The 50th anniversary re-release of ‘Slade in Flame’ is making Mark very happy this week, and he’ll be reviewing this “Citizen Kane of rock movies” at the top of the show to celebrate. Starring the real-life Black Country glam rockers as the fictional band Flame, it follows their rapid rise and fall via record company clashes that reveal the darker side of the music industry. Plus, new (and new-ish) releases ‘Thunderbolts*’, the Marvel anti-hero ensemble starring Florence Pugh, and ‘Sinners’—Ryan Coogler’s 1930s southern gothic tale of two twin brothers coming face to face with evil when they return to their Mississippi hometown in search of a new start. It came out while we were on our holibobs, so we’re catching up this week with a full review and some top takes from those of you who have seen it already. ‘Another Simple Favor’ is out this week too—and we’ve got director Paul Feig, also known for ‘Bridesmaids’, ‘Spy’ and, yes, the all-female Ghostbusters remake—on the show to talk Simon through it. A follow-up to the 2018 hit ‘A Simple Favor’, it sees Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick reprise their roles in a genre-mashing comedy-mystery-crime-thriller, this time on the isle of Capri. Feig talks power dressing, breaking his no-sequels rule, and how that Blue Origin all-female space flight could definitely be straight out of one of his movies. Mark reviews it too—and we also hear plenty from you wonderful wittertainees, including your takes on Mark’s ‘Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith’ review. Enjoy! Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free): Slade in Flame review: 11:34 Sinners review: 27:49 Paul Feig Interview: 36:44 Another Simple Favor review: 50:05 Laughter Lift: 57:20 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com And to find out more about Sony’s new show Origins with Cush Jumbo, click here&l Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vanguardistas have more fun—so if you don’t already subscribe to the podcast, join the Vanguard today via Apple Podcasts or extratakes.com for non-fruit-related devices. In return you’ll get a whole extra Take 2 alongside Take 1 every week, with bonus reviews, more viewing recommendations from the Good Doctors and whole bonus episodes just for you. And if you’re already a Vanguardista, we salute you. It’s time for the Take team to take stock of our first quarter, so this week we’re looking back over the first three or so months and putting our affairs in order: deciding whether to tighten our belts or loosen the purse strings, cut some salaries or dish out a few tasty bonuses. We’re bringing you a Quintessential First Quarter Recap of all the best bits from the year so far—including interviews with Ashley Walters & Erin Doherty, Jesse Eisenberg & Kieran Culkin and Brady Corbet—and a chance to hear moments from Mark’s best reviews like the previously Vanguardista-only ‘Santosh’. And there’s still plenty of brand new stuff for you in today’s take too. Our guest is David Oyelowo, who you’ll hear in conversation with Simon about his new Apple TV+ series ‘Government Cheese’. In this surreal 60s-set California comedy-drama, David plays Hampton Chambers, a father and former burglar trying to go straight after his release from prison and make his fortune in a crazy world. By popular demand, Mark and Simon will also be reviewing The Studio—the Hollywood film industry satire starring Seth Rogen as a spineless executive trying to make serious cinema and serious money... and possibly failing to do either. Plus we’ll be ‘treating’ you to the Laughter Lift as usual (you thought you’d managed to avoid that this week didn’t  you? Oh no, the hilarity never stops.) Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free): Quarter 1 highlights: 05:46 David Oyelowo Interview: 31:07 The Studio Review: 49:10 Laughter Lift: 01:04:33 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com And to find out more about Sony’s new show Origins with Cush Jumbo, click here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vanguardistas have more fun—so if you don’t already subscribe to the podcast, join the Vanguard today via Apple Podcasts or extratakes.com for non-fruit-related devices. In return you’ll get a whole extra Take 2 alongside Take 1 every week, with bonus reviews, more viewing recommendations from the Good Doctors and whole bonus episodes just for you. And if you’re already a Vanguardista, we salute you. ‘Warfare’ co-directors Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza join us this week to talk about the astonishing new film that aims to put modern conflict onscreen in the most authentic way possible. With an ensemble cast of soldiers featuring Will Poulter, Cosmo Jarvis, Kit Connor, and Joseph Quinn, the film’s events are based on the real wartime experiences of Mendoza (who is played by D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai). He’s a former Navy SEAL and Iraq veteran who has used his expertise to advise filmmakers presenting war onscreen, including Garland on ‘Civil War’. Now he’s collaborating with Garland again to tell his own story and that of his colleagues in this truly powerful film. Plus we’ve got reviews of ‘The Penguin Lessons’—the true story of an English teacher in turbulent 1970s South America who unexpectedly befriends the waddling creature of the film’s title, after rescuing it from an oil slick—and ‘Blue Road’, the literary doc on the colourful life of Irish writer Edna O’Brien. Don’t miss an Easter treat in the Laughter Lift this week too... Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free): The Penguin Lessons: 08:54 Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza Interview: 29:44 Warfare Review: 43:30 Laughter Lift Easter Special: 57:48 Blue Road: The Edna O’Brien Story: 1:00:39 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com And to find out more about Sony’s new show Origins with Cush Jumbo, click here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you’ve managed to watch any of the excellent seventh series of Black Mirror yet, you might have spotted our super sub Ben Bailey Smith popping up there... and just for you he’s collared his fellow dystopians Charlie Brooker and Emma Corrin for a chat about the mind-bending anthology’s latest iteration. Brooker is the writer and creator of the show, which has been sending sci-fi shivers down our spines since it first hit British TV screens in 2011, before going global with Netflix in 2016. So for over a decade, “it’s all a bit Black Mirror” has been the phrase on everyone’s lips whenever real-world technology makes another ever-so-slightly terrifying leap forward. Emma Corrin stars in episode three of the new series, ‘Hotel Reverie’, in which a cutting-edge filmmaking technology called ReDream allows modern day actors to star in high-tech remakes of classic films. Actor Brandy (Issa Rae) steps into the world of a 1940s movie—where she meets Corrin’s golden age star Dorothy. Charlie and Emma chat to Ben about Hotel Reverie and the rest of the brand new series. They talk golden age Hollywood, the shipping forecast, and erm... bowling? It goes places. Listen now for the whole story! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vanguardistas have more fun—so if you don’t already subscribe to the podcast, join the Vanguard today via Apple Podcasts or extratakes.com for non-fruit-related devices. In return you’ll get a whole extra Take 2 alongside Take 1 every week, with bonus reviews, more viewing recommendations from the Good Doctors and whole bonus episodes just for you. And if you’re already a Vanguardista, we salute you. We have a real treat for you in the guest slot this week—director of ‘The Amateur’ James Hawes, and one of its stars Laurence Fishburne—AKA actual Morpheus from The Matrix. We are not worthy. Laurence plays Colonel Henderson, the grizzled CIA man tasked with training Rami Malek’s geeky decoder Charlie for the fieldwork he insists on undertaking in order to track down his wife’s terrorist killers. Simon chats to the actor and director about this smart action thriller, and its influences from Hawes’ Brit spy series ‘Slow Horses’ to Jason Bourne. We’ll hear stories from the set plus the pair’s thoughts on the theatre, The Matrix and Adolescence. Don’t miss this one. Mark reviews ‘The Amateur’, as well as ‘Drop’--a psycho-thriller wherein a widowed mother’s (Meghann Fahy) first date interrupted by sinister messages threatening to kill her son—unless she kills her dinner companion. Plus, we’ll get the Good Doctors’ verdict on ‘One to One: John & Yoko’, the latest from documentary maestro Kevin Macdonald charting the revolutionary couple’s post-Beatles days in New York. We’ll also be catching up with the movie-going phenomenon that is ‘A Minecraft Movie’, and deciding whether we’re going to let its legions of fans get away with all those code violations... Another week of Top Takes from Simon & Mark and top correspondence from you. Keep it coming! Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free): Drop Review: 08:15 A Minecraft Movie Review: 19:53 Laurence Fishburne & James Hawes Interview: 29:48 The Amateur Review: 44:55 Laughter Lift: 52:43 One to One: John & Yoko Review: 55:24 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com And to find out more about Sony’s new show Origins with Cush Jumbo, click here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vanguardistas have more fun—so if you don’t already subscribe to the podcast, join the Vanguard today via Apple Podcasts or extratakes.com for non-fruit-related devices. In return you’ll get a whole extra Take 2 alongside Take 1 every week, with bonus reviews, more viewing recommendations from the Good Doctors and whole bonus episodes just for you. And if you’re already a Vanguardista, we salute you. Well hurrah hooray because this week it’s a Toby Jones show (not a Noby Jones show) and he joins Simon to chat about ‘Mr. Burton’. In this true story Toby plays the title character, schoolteacher Philip Burton, who spots the talent of young pupil Richie Jenkins in the Welsh mining town of his birth. Burton nurtures Jenkins’ acting flair as he becomes Richard Burton—taking his guardian’s name as the stage name by which he became internationally famous. The erudite everyman as always, Toby chats to Simon about accents, pyjamas, and the future of TV drama. Mark reviews ‘Mr. Burton’ too, as well as ‘Restless’, a psychological thriller about nightmare-inducing noisy neighbours—or at least they would be nightmare-inducing if Nicky (Lyndsey Marshal) could get any sleep. Plus, A24’s ‘Death of a Unicorn’—the starry satire where Paul Rudd & Jenna Ortega’s father and daughter accidentally run over a unicorn on the way to visit the billionaire Leopold family (Richard E Grant, Téa Leoni and Will Poulter). Mark’s verdict on all  these, plus your correspondence on everything from search engines to The Stath—and memories of the late Val Kilmer. Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free): Restless Review: 09:35 Toby Jones interview: 31:28 Mr Burton review: 46:11 Laughter Lift: 56:14 Death of a Unicorn review: 01:03:11 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com And to find out more about Sony’s new show Origins with Cush Jumbo, click here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vanguardistas have more fun—so if you don’t already subscribe to the podcast, join the Vanguard today via Apple Podcasts or extratakes.com for non-fruit-related devices. In return you’ll get a whole extra Take 2 alongside Take 1 every week, with bonus reviews, more viewing recommendations from the Good Doctors and whole bonus episodes just for you. And if you’re already a Vanguardista, we salute you. A smashy crashy action movie double bill on the review slate this week. First up, ‘Novocaine’—the action comedy where Jack Quaid plays Nathan Caine, a man born with a disorder that leaves him unable to feel pain. When the bank he works in is robbed and the girl of his dreams taken hostage, he discovers his physical quirk can be a superpower. But will it make Mark wince? Plus, The Stath returns in ‘A Working Man’--where he’s Jason Statham, doing Stath things. That’s probably all you need to know... but Mark will tell us where it’s at in the Stath stakes. Our guest this week is none other than Gorgeous George MacKay, who plays ‘Son’ in Josh Oppenheimer’s post-apocalyptic bunker-musical (yes, you read that correctly) ‘The End’. Set 25 years after an environmental catastrophe leaves the earth uninhabitable, MacKay and his ‘Mother’ (Tilda Swinton) and ‘Father (Michael Shannon) carry on a life of luxury and denial in their opulent underground shelter—where Son was born and raised, never having known life before. As Father writes a memoir nobody will read, and the family sing and dance their way through their bizarre existence in Golden-Age style, their brittle harmony is broken by the arrival of an unexpected guest. George tells Simon all about singing, dancing, having the most arthouse onscreen parents evs, and how his own new fatherhood has made him feel differently about the end of the world. Plus more correspondence on Flow from our Latvian listeners, the Milennium Bug from ‘Y2K’ defenders, and of course Snow White--including a message from a young critic giving Mark a run for his money. Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free): Novocaine Review: 09:04 George MacKay interview: 29:14 The End review: 42:54 Laughter Lift: 51:55 A Working Man Review: 56:13 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com And to find out more about Sony’s new show Origins with Cush Jumbo, click here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vanguardistas have more fun—so if you don’t already subscribe to the podcast, join the Vanguard today via Apple Podcasts or extratakes.com for non-fruit-related devices. In return you’ll get a whole extra Take 2 alongside Take 1 every week, with bonus reviews, more viewing recommendations from the Good Doctors and whole bonus episodes just for you. And if you’re already a Vanguardista, we salute you. The much anticipated ‘Flow’ is first on the review slate this week. The Oscar-winning animation follows the story of a solitary black cat, displaced from its home by a huge flood in a world now devoid of humans, who finds refuge on a boat with a crew of other animals who must work together to survive. Plus The Alto Knights—the new gangster flick where Robert De Niro as 1950s New York Mafioso Frank Costello squares up to, erm, himself as rival Vito Genovese—and of course Snow White—the live action remake of the 1937 Disney classic. Our guest this week is the fabulously French auteur director Francois Ozon, who’s chatting with Simon about his new film ‘When Autumn Falls’. Set amidst the crisp and golden vistas of Autumnal Burgundy, and featuring lots and lots of extremely chic knitwear, the film follows doting grandmother Michelle—whose family life is thrown into turmoil by an unfortunate accident involving some mushrooms. But was it an accident? All is not as cosy as it seems, and the dodgy  fungi aren’t all that’s toxic about this situation... Another week of top takes and high-quality witterings from the Good Doctors—not to mention correspondence from you lot. Don’t miss it! Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free): Flow Review: 07:52 Francois Ozon Interview: 27:49 When Autumn Falls Review: 39:23 Laughter Lift: 48:40 The Alto Knights Review: 53:31 Snow White Review: 01:00:12 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com And to find out more about Sony’s new show Origins with Cush Jumbo, click here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vanguardistas have more fun—so if you don’t already subscribe to the podcast, join the Vanguard today via Apple Podcasts or extratakes.com for non-fruit-related devices. In return you’ll get a whole extra Take 2 alongside Take 1 every week, with bonus reviews, more viewing recommendations from the Good Doctors and whole bonus episodes just for you. And if you’re already a Vanguardista, we salute you. Our guests this week are Ashley Walters and Erin Doherty, stars of astonishing new Netflix series ‘Adolescence’. With each episode shot in one take, it follows the story of a family left in shock when their teenage son is arrested for murder. Doherty and Walters respectively play the psychologist and detective involved in the case, alongside Stephen Graham—who plays the boy’s father and co-created the series alongside Jack Thorne. Erin & Ashley chat to Simon about the technical feat of shooting the film, how absolutely terrifying the internet can be, and how terrifyingly good first-time teenage actor Owen Cooper definitely is. Mark reviews the series, plus all these new releases: ‘Black Bag’, Steven Soderbergh’s seductive spy comedy following Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender as married spooks trying to trace a leak whilst navigating a relationship that must have secrets; ‘Opus’, a fandom thriller about the long-awaited and frighteningly cultish return of fictional pop icon Moretti (John Malkovich), and Karan Kandhari’s madcap Mumbai-set black comedy about arranged marriage, ‘Sister Midnight’. Top quality correspondence from you as always, including a right telling off for Mark, news from ‘the internet’s stinkiest it girl’, and a hello to a bit more of Jason Isaacs than we bargained for in this week’s episode of White Lotus.... Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free): Sister Midnight Review: 08:47 Ashley Walters and Erin Doherty Interview: 25:55 Opus Review: 57:04 Laughter Lift: 50:51 Black Bag Review: 1:05:57 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com And to find out more about Sony’s new show Origins with Cush Jumbo, click here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s ‘Mickey 17’ release day, and Ben is chatting to Director Bong Joon Ho in today’s episode to celebrate. Starring Robert Pattinson as an expendable worker on a colonized ice planet, the new film from Korean cinema’s modern master sees protagonist Mickey ‘re-printed’ over and over again.  Frequently killed in his dangerous daily tasks, ‘human printing technology’ allows Mickey to be simply reborn, with his memories intact. But when he makes it back to base unexpectedly alive one day, he finds he’s already been reprinted—coming face to face with his latest iteration. His girlfriend may be loving it, but the law, upheld by Mark Ruffalo’s villainous Marshall, is not. Ben sits down with the ‘Parasite’ Oscar winner, and his legendary translator Sharon Choi, to unpack this dark comedy sci-fi satire... to name some of the genres this madcap movie might be. Nobody makes them like Director Bong. He reveals the secret real-life location of his ice-planet (complete with mountains of salt standing in for snow), the challenges of working with two Robert Pattinsons, and his obsession with his comfort-blanket iPad. Check out the ‘Now and Ben’ back catalogue for more conversations with cinema’s most exciting creative talents, including four-time Oscar winning director of ‘Anora’, Sean Baker,  ‘Peaky Blinders’ writer Steven Knight, and Hollywood royalty Angela Bassett. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vanguardistas have more fun—so if you don’t already subscribe to the podcast, join the Vanguard today via Apple Podcasts or extratakes.com for non-fruit-related devices. In return you’ll get a whole extra Take 2 alongside Take 1 every week, with bonus reviews, more viewing recommendations from the Good Doctors and whole bonus episodes just for you. And if you’re already a Vanguardista, we salute you. In this week’s Take we’re travelling back into the past and looking to the future with VR. Yes, we made Simon put on a VR headset thingy—and yes, we did laugh at him whilst he wandered blindly around the room thinking he was in 19th century Germany. That’s because he was experiencing ‘Trailblazer’, a VR experience telling the forgotten story of Bertha Benz, the woman behind the wheel of the world’s first automobile in the first road trip ever taken. Simon chats to the voice of Trailblazer, Star-Wars star Daisy Ridely and creator Eloise Singer. They talk about history’s forgotten women, Daisy’s forgotten BAFTA (surprise!), and whether we’ll all be swapping cinema tickets for VR goggles in the future... Plus reviews this week of ‘Twiggy’, Sadie Frost’s doc about the titular teenage model sensation and 60s icon; ‘One Of Them Days’—a comedy caper starring Keke Palmer and SZA as two broke best friends trying to raise a month’s rent after losing it to a deadbeat boyfriend—and Bong Joon Ho’s big follow-up to ‘Parasite’, ‘Mickey 17’. Starring Robert Pattinson as an ‘expendable’ worker in a barren ice colony, Director Bong’s latest sci-fi flick sees protagonist Mickey ‘reprinted’ over and over again each time he dies—until a duplicate begins to cause trouble. Find out if Mark thinks you should be heading to the cinema on the double! Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free): Twiggy Review: 10:24 Daisy Ridley & Eloise Singer Interview: 25:19 One of Them Days Review: 43:28 Laughter Lift: 47:31 Mickey 17 Review: 52:37 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com And to find out more about Sony’s new show Origins with Cush Jumbo, click here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Begbie himself, and surely a frontrunner for British cinema’s scariest man (on screen only, we might add), is our guest this week—it’s Robert Carlyle. This time he’s playing staunchly moral councilor Sam Hagen in new Netflix drama ‘Toxic Town’. Penned by Jack Thorne (of course), and with a cracking cast of Jodie Whittaker, Aimee Lou Wood, Rory Kinnear and more alongside Carlyle, it tells the true story of the Corby poisonings. Following the closure of the town’s steelworks, mismanagement of toxic waste begins to affect the health of local mothers and their babies—who are dismissed by the council and must fight for justice. Robert unpacks his character, and gives us the screen zinger of the year that had us reaching for the birdsong button... Mark reviews ‘Toxic Town’, as well as Indian feelgood flick ‘Superboys of Malegaon’. The Hindi language film follows a gang of amateur filmmakers whose shoestring budget spoofs of their favourite Bollywood hits become a cult phenomenon. Plus, Gia Coppola’s ‘The Last Showgirl’--the story of a Las Vegas dancer’s fading glamour, starring Pamela Anderson in a critically acclaimed comeback performance. All the usual box office madness and top takes from our emergency mailers too. Don’t miss it! Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free): Superboys of Malegaon Review: 09:24 Toxic Town Review: 44:10 Robert Carlyle Interview: 30:19 Laughter Lift: 49:30 The Last Showgirl Review: 55:53 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com And to find out more about Sony’s new show Origins with Cush Jumbo, click here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’ve got a bona fide icon for you in today’s Now & Ben—a movie star of four decades known for tackling tough female characters in films like ‘Boyz n the Hood’, ‘Malcolm X’, ‘What’s Love Got to Do with It?’ and ‘Black Panther’. She is the one and only Angela Bassett. This time, she plays US president Evelyn Mitchell in ‘Zero Day’, the new Netflix thriller series in which America is struck by a cyber attack. Managing the crisis, Bassett’s president re-enlists beloved ex-President Geroge Mullen (Robert De Niro) to help still the public panic and discover the mysterious perpetrators. Angela talks to Ben about the role and her longstanding talent for playing powerful women onscreen—including Michelle Obama in ‘The Simpsons’, of course. She tells Ben about the real women who have inspired her, plus we get the lowdown on working with De Niro—and fans of Kathryn Bigelow’s undersung millennium tech thriller ‘Strange Days’, listen up: we’ve got a treat for you... Listen out for more of Ben’s conversations with cinema’s most exciting creative talents dropping into the feed every ‘Now and Ben’. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to another show jam-packed with top takes from Simon & Mark—which are still eliciting your ‘quiet affirmative noises’... Reviews this week of The Monkey—a splattery and slanted dark comedy horror about a murderous wind-up toy from Longlegs director Osgood Perkins, and I’m Still Here—the Brazilian drama about ‘the disappeared’ under the military dictatorship in the 1970s that has taken the Oscar nominations by storm. Plus September Says, an unsettling drama of sisterly bonds, and a little bit of Captain America: Brave New World, since we were foiled by the screening schedule last week. This week’s guest is 90s New Black Realist cinema’s MVP—that’s Mario Van Peebles. Possibly our smoothest, coolest guest evs, he directed 90s classics New Jack City, Panther, Posse—and now Outlaw Posse. With it, he’s pushing the frontier in more ways than one, bringing us a classic western without the whitewashing as he follows a gang of black cowboys who have rejected the unjust laws of their time to become outlaws. He talks to Simon about Black Westerns, ‘Black Rodeo’—the BFI season celebrating the genre that launched earlier this month—and being part of an indie filmmaking dynasty with his father Melvin and son Mandela. Your verdicts from our inbox on all the big releases too—keep them coming! Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free): September Says Review: 08:46 Captain America: Brave New World Review: 19:24 Mario Van Peebles Interview: 27:02 I’m Still Here Review: 46:11 Laughter lift: 52:53 The Monkey Review: 55:22 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com And to find out more about Sony’s new show Origins with Cush Jumbo, click here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We hope this week’s podcast will earn your ‘quiet affirmative noises’--whatever they might sound like...??? Listeners to last week’s show may remember one correspondent’s story of a film eliciting this mysterious and elusive sound—and you’ve kindly sent in some examples to clear up this crucial matter for us. Mmhmm. Grown-up Aussie animation ‘Memoir of a Snail’ is first on Mark’s review slate this week--starring Sarah Snook and with a voice cast including Nick Cave and Jacki Weaver, the crafted stop-motion story follows the melancholic life of a reclusive, snail collecting misfit in 1970s Canberra. On a lighter note, to solve all your lovers’ tiffs about what genre to go for this Valentine’s Day movie night, a review of the romcom-slasher hybrid ‘Heart Eyes’. And last but certainly not least—’Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy’, fourth instalment of the British romcom institution starring Renée Zellweger in which Bridget gets back to dating for the first time after the death of Mark (Colin Firth). Our guests this week are Stephen Graham and Malchi Kirby—who star in the Steven Knight-penned Victorian boxing drama ‘A Thousand Blows’, out next week. In it, a bulked-up Graham plays Henry ‘Sugar’ Goodson—the fearsome East End boxer and adversary of Kirby’s Hezekiah Moscow. Hezekiah arrives in 1800s London from Jamaica, hoping to fulfil his dream of becoming a lion tamer at the zoo—but finds himself at the heart of the city’s criminal underworld, orchestrated by Mary Carr (Erin Doherty), ‘Queen’ of the all-female crime gang The Forty Elephants. Simon chats to the stars about getting into the ring together in this gritty drama based on real historical figures, getting ripped, Jamaican heritage and more. Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free): Memoir of a Snail Review: 09:54 Stephen Graham & Malachi Kirby Interview: 26:19 Heart Eyes Review: 41:37 Laughter lift: 47:37 Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy Review: 52:44 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com And to find out more about Sony’s new show Origins with Cush Jumbo, click here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Awards season spinning your head? The Good Doctors have got you covered... Welcome to our awards special, where we’ll be giving you the lowdown on all the big players in this years awards nominations, all in one super-Take from Simon & Mark. We’ve brought together reviews of the titles everyone’s talking about—like Emilia Pérez, The Brutalist, Nosferatu and more—and interviews with the filmmaking & acting talents behind them. Sean Baker, James Mangold, Robert Eggers, RaMell Ross, Ralph Fiennes & Stanley Tucci... we’ve got a list of names longer than a yawn-inducing acceptance speech. From the bottom of our hearts, thanks to our agent, our mums, God, and you loyal Wittertainees. Now go forth and impress your pals at the Oscars watch-party. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dogman heads up Mark’s review slate this week--an anarchic animation based on Captain Underpants creator Dav Pilkey’s graphic novel series, where a lifesaving operation sees a police dog and his cop handler become one crime-busting half-canine hero. Plus, The Seed of the Sacred Fig—a courageous political drama about Iran’s authoritarian government from exiled Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof. And last but not least, September 5--the tense newsroom drama starring Peter Sarsgaard, who is our guest this week... Peter sits down with Simon to discuss the Oscar-nominated drama, based on the true events of the 1972 Munich massacre, the first act of terrorism to be broadcast live on television. During the Munich Olympics of that year, the Palestinian militant group Black September infiltrated the athletes village, killing two Israeli athletes and taking nine more hostage. Taking place entirely within the newsroom, the film follows the efforts of the ABC sports broadcasting team, led by producer Roone Arledge (Sarsgaard), to cover the story as it unfolds in real time—and navigate the many practical and moral issues this entails. Sarsgaard tells Simon all about the unique production—plus working with his wife Maggie Gyllenhaal on The Bride!, and why he’s given up correcting people when they think he’s a Skarsgård. It’s a great week for cinema—get the Good Doctors’ takes here, and don’t forget to send them yours! Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free): Dog Man Review: 04:38 Peter Sarsgaard Interview: 25:44 September 5 Review: 42:01 Laughter lift: 53:11 Seed of the Sacred Fig Review: 54:34 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com And to find out more about Sony’s new show Origins with Cush Jumbo, click here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In today’s Now & Ben drop, Ben sits down with Chris Sanders—director of the Oscar-nominated animation ‘The Wild Robot’. With a stellar career behind the drawing board that’s taken him from Disney to DreamWorks, he’s the man behind ‘How To Train Your Dragon’, ‘The Croods’ and ‘Lilo and Stich’—so Ben had plenty to quiz him on. ‘The Wild Robot’ takes us on an unexpected adventure through nature with Roz, a human assistance robot who finds herself shipwrecked on an uninhabited island. Uninhabited, that is, by humans—but she soon discovers a host of animal companions, including an orphaned gosling who needs her help. Becoming the adopted mother of this strange creature is a challenge that her programming hasn’t prepared her for. Ben & Chris chat about the film’s beautiful blend of hand-drawn and CG animation, why movie robots can teach us so much about being human, and what it’s like to be beloved to a generation of Disney kids as the voice of Stitch. Listen out for more of Ben’s conversations with cinema’s most exciting creative talents dropping into the feed every ‘Now and Ben’… Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brady Corbet, the now-Oscar-nominated director of ‘The Brutalist’, sits down with Simon for an interview this week. His much lauded and lengthy fictional biopic follows the life of László Tóth, a Hungarian architect who arrives in late-1940s America having survived the Holocaust, and finds his life changed once again when he picks up a commission from a wealthy industrialist. Brady chats to Simon about all those awards nominations, the empathy generating machine that is Adrien Brody, and the future of AI in the movie business. Reviews this week of ‘Companion’, a smart sci-fi horror about a holiday weekend gone awry for a couple who seem a little uncanny—and ‘Saturday Night’, Jason Reitman’s 70s-set tale of the origins of America’s now legendary Saturday Night Live comedy show. Plus ‘Hard Truths’, Mike Leigh’s family drama following Marianne Jean-Baptiste's scathing Pansy, an emotionally volatile woman grieving her mother and navigating wounded relationships with her sister, husband and son. Check out last week’s show to hear Simon’s interview with Marianne and Mike, who some of you may have noticed was feeling a tad grumpy at the beginning of the interview... Top takes from you too on what’s been on your screens this week, and of course, Mark’s Prime Ministerial quiff. Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free): Hard Truths Review: 09:40 Brady Corbet Interview: 26:27 Saturday Night Review: 45:52 Laughter lift: 51:53 Companion Review: 54:29 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com And to find out more about Sony’s new show Origins with Cush Jumbo, click here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Coming hot off the podcast press, we’ve got Mark’s review of ‘Flight Risk’ - under embargo until now. The Mel Gibson directed thriller sees a US Marshal escort a government witness via plane across the Alaskan wilderness to testify against a mob boss in Manhattan. Mark Wahlberg’s pilot is in charge of their safe passage, but things get turbulent when it turns out not everyone is who they seem to be. Don’t miss Mark’s verdict in this embargo special... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

‘The Brutalist’ is the epic structure on the horizon of this week’s movie releases; Mark reviews this fictional biopic of Hungarian architect László Tóth (Adrien Brody), a Holocaust survivor who arrives in America as an immigrant in 1947. Bauhaus trained and revered in his home country, László finds himself anonymous in a sometimes hostile USA—but gets a commission from a wealthy industrialist (Guy Pearce) that looks like the break he needs. Steven Soderbergh’s ‘Presence’ hits cinemas too this week—a ghost story in a troubled family home, shot from the perspective of the ghost. Plus don’t miss our ‘Flight Risk’ Embargo Special, coming up this  evening after 11pm, when the review embargo on the film lifts. Our guests this week are one of Britain’s best-known filmmakers, and one of its most revered dramatic actors: Mike Leigh and Marianne Jean-Baptiste. Their new film ‘Hard Truths’ hits UK cinemas next week. It follows the day-to-day life of Jean-Baptiste's Pansy, an explosively angry and depressed woman grieving her mother, whose barbed judgements of strangers and family alike can be searingly funny. Pansy seems to long for connection in her ailing relationships with her husband, son and sister, but is prone to pushing others away and further isolating herself. Simon sits down with the creative duo to talk about building this complex character, Leigh’s unusual working methods, and more. We’ll also take a moment this week to remember David Lynch, who we lost on 15th January, aged 78. One of the true greats of cinema, his singular surreal vision has inspired millions across his five-decade career. From Eraserhead and Blue Velvet to Twin Peaks, we hear from you about what his groundbreaking work meant. Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free): Presence Review: 10:44 Mike Leigh & Marianne Jean Baptiste Interview: 28:57 Laughter lift: 41:51 The Brutalist Review: 42:32 Remembering David Lynch: 55:21 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com And to find out more about Sony’s new show Origins with Cush Jumbo, click here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The big movie release this week is ‘A Complete Unknown’, but our guest is actually pretty famous... James Mangold, director of the much-anticipated Bob Dylan biopic and Hollywood hits from ‘Walk The Line’ to ‘Le Mans 66’, joins Simon for a chat. They talk about putting Dylan’s iconic and mysterious life onscreen, Timothée Chalamet’s awards-tipped performance as the young songwriting legend—and accidentally creating the Jonny Cash cinematic universe. Picking up a teenage Dylan—then still Bobby Zimmermann—as he hitchhikes to New York, the film follows his discovery as a once-in-a-generation musical talent and a defining voice of the 60s. Through rough relationships with fellow musicians like Pete Seeger (Edward Norton) and Joan Baez (Monica Barbaro)—and himself—we watch Dylan’s rise to fame, culminating in his hellraising ‘electric’ performance at the 1965 Newport folk festival. Is Mark shouting ‘Judas!’ or rocking along? Hear his review of the film, along with ‘Wolf Man’— the latest screen outing for the classic horror monster with a modern twist by ‘Invisible Man’ director Leigh Whannell. We’ve got Mark’s verdict on Robert Zemeckis’ new drama too, which reunites ‘Forrest Gump’ stars Tom Hanks and Robin Wright in the story of one piece of land throughout time. It’s called ‘Here’, but it might make you wish you weren’t... More excellent listener takes too on what you’ve been watching this week. We love hearing from you, so if you’re thinking of writing in, Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright... Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free): Here Review: 04:29 James Mangold Interview: 29:06 A Complete Unknown Review: 43:50 Laughter lift: 57:48 Wolf Man Review: 59:05 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com And to find out more about Sony’s new show Origins with Cush Jumbo, click here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this latest bonus nugget of ‘Now and Ben’ goodness, our sometime super sub Ben Bailey Smith chats to legendary film & TV writer Stephen Knight. He’s penned some of the most exciting scripts to hit our screens over the last three decades, from ‘Dirty Pretty Things’ and ‘Locke’ to ‘SAS Rogue Heroes’ and, of course, ‘Peaky Blinders’. Most recently he’s written ‘Maria’—a biopic of opera singer Maria Callas in her last days as she tries to rediscover her voice in time for her swan song. Following 2021’s ‘Spencer’, it’s Knight’s second collaboration with director Pablo Larraín. Ben sits down with Steven for an in-depth chat about the exceptional career that’s seen him become one of Britain’s most prolific and best-known TV & film writers. They talk humble beginnings in British TV comedy with Jasper Carrott, and his journey from the backstreets of Birmingham and the small screen to the bright lights of Hollywood. Ben even gets a cheeky bit of gossip about the upcoming Peaky Blinders movie… Listen out for more of Ben’s conversations with cinema’s most exciting creative talents dropping into the feed every ‘Now and Ben’… Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Our guests this week were ‘A Real Pain’...just joking, Jesse Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin were actually really nice... They sit down with Simon to discuss the comedy-drama, directed, written, produced by and starring Eisenberg alongside Culkin. They play two mismatched cousins David and Benji on a tour of Poland, the ancestral home of their late-grandmother, where they hope to reconnect with their Jewish roots—and each other. With Benji lacking in a social filer (as, delightfully, is Kieran Culkin is in real life—just ask Simon!) their trip isn’t as straightforward as the uptight David planned. Hear what Mark thought of the film, plus reviews of ‘Maria’—Pablo Larraín’s biopic of legendary opera singer Maria Callas (Angelina Jolie), reflecting on her public and private life in its last days in 1970s Paris—and ‘Babygirl’, the psychosexual thriller starring Nicole Kidman as a high-powered but privately dissatisfied CEO embroiled in an affair with Harris Dickinson’s much younger intern at her firm. Not forgetting your takes on ‘Nosferatu’, ‘We Live In Time’ and more from our bursting postbag of correspondence. Keep it coming! Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free): Maria Review: 05:39 Kieran Culkin and Jesse Eisenberg: 27:31 A Real Pain Review: 44:07 Laughter lift: 50:00 Babygirl Review: 54:17 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com And to find out more about Sony’s new show Origins with Cush Jumbo, click here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy New Year from Mark, Simon, The Redactor and the rest of us on the Take Team! We’re kicking off 2025 with a top-drawer guest—’Nosferatu’ director Robert Eggers. He tells Simon about his new remake of the1922 silent classic, originally by German expressionist director F.W. Murnau, in which Bill Skarsgård’s vampire nobleman terrorises a town in pursuit of Lily-Rose Depp’s Ellen, the object of his desires. They chat about his longtime fascination with the story, creating a monster for a modern vampire movie, and a sprinkling of the occult... Will Nosferatu meet Mark’s high standards for horror? Find out if he thinks it has bite—or whether it’s just a little bloodless? More reviews too of ‘‘We Live in Time’, the time slip rom-com starring Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh that crashes its lovers into each other’s lives (literally)—and ‘Nickel Boys’, a formally innovative new drama charting the friendship of two young inmates at a sinister reform school in Jim Crow era Florida. Listen back to last week’s episode to hear Simon’s interview with its director, RaMell Ross. Plus another chance to hear the best of our guests from the year behind us, and the best of Mark’s reviews from the drooling raves to the Kermodean rants for the ages. Looking at you ‘Megalopolis’.... Review: Nickel Boys – 03:03 Review: We Live In Time – 49:39 Best of the guests: 09:51 Best of the reviews: 54:14 Interview: Robert Eggers – 23:19 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s Boxing Day, but we’ve got more than just leftovers in today’s show—we're just as stuffed full of gourmet goodies as we hope you are right now... A fresh new guest interview this week with RaMell Ross, director of the awards-tipped ‘Nickel Boys’. Based on the Pulitzer prize winning novel by Colson Whitehead, it follows the growing friendship between two boys in racially segregated 1960s Florida, Ellwood and Turner, who find themselves unwillingly enrolled in an abusive reform school. Simon sits down with RaMell to talk about his innovative filmmaking approach—and we think you’ll be hearing plenty more from him in the future... Reviews of ‘Better Man’, the Robbie Wiliams biopic from ‘Greatest Showman’ director Michael Gracey that chronicles the pop superstar’s infamous monkeying around by making him an actual chimp; ‘The Order’, the 80s-set thriller starring Jude Law as a neo-Nazi-hunting FBI agent; and ‘How To Make Millions Before Grandma Dies’, the Thai comedy-drama in which broke university dropout M cozies up to his ailing grandmother in the hope of inheriting her massive fortune. Plus Mark’s top 5 films of the year—and bottom 5 cinematic stinkers too.  Merry Christmas one and all—wishing you much festive film-watching... Review: How To Make Millions Before Grandma Dies – 08:20 Interview: RaMell Ross – 17:15 Review: The Order – 33:09 Review: Better Man – 40:06 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Wassail Wassail Wassail! Christmas is almost upon us, and we’ve got a gift of a guest for you this week: Barry Jenkins, AKA Mr. Moonlight. He chats to Simon about ‘Mufasa’, the origin story for Simba’s father and the long-awaited prequel to 2016’s live action animation Lion King. When a flood washes the cub-Mufasa away from his homeland and parents, he finds himself an outsider in an altogether new territory—where he stumbles across young lion Taka and begins a life-changing new journey to becoming the King of the Pride Lands we all know and love. Simon asks the Oscar winning indie director how he ended up helming this huge Disney musical, and what he’s learned from the four-year journey to its release. We’ll hear Mark’s take on ‘Mufasa’ too, along with reviews of two more animation releases this week. We’ve got ‘Sonic 3’, where the speedy blue hedgehog and friends face new adversary Shadow—and Aardman’s Christmas gift to us all, the new Wallace & Gromit adventure ‘Vengeance Most Fowl’. The nation’s favourite plasticine pair are up against their old glove-headed adversary Feathers McGraw in this noirish stop-motion treat. You can hear Mark and Simon in conversation with co-directors Nick Park and Merlin Crossingham in last week’s episode, recorded live at our Christmas Spectacular. Plus one more review of ‘Alien Onstage’—a gloriously oddball documentary about a group of Dorset bus drivers creating a theatrical version of the 1979 sci-fi film classic. We absolutely promise this is the wholesome if slightly madcap holiday viewing you didn’t know you needed—but you really, really do. Top correspondence from you all as usual—including this year’s bespoke Christmas wassail number – don’t miss it! Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free): Review: Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl – 08:13 Review:  Alien on Stage – 58:09 Review: Sonic The Hedgehog 3 – 52:59 Interview: Barry Jenkins – 26:10 And normally this is just for the Vanguardistas, but as we’re feeling festive – here are 50 Christmas TV films of the holidays for everyone: WATCHLIST: FREE FESTIVE FIFTY 1. Easter Parade – December 23, 9.25am BBC TWO 2. Meet Me in St Louis – December 23, 11.05am BBC TWO 3. Coco – December 23, 3.15pm BBC ONE 4. Ghostbusters (1984) – December 23, 4.50pm BBC ONE 5. Chicken Run – December 24, 10am BBC ONE 6. Close Encounters of the Third Kind – December 24, 11.25am CHANNEL 4 7. A Christmas Carol (1984) – December 24, 2.10pm CHANNEL 4 8. White Christmas – December 24, 2.15pm BBC TWO 9. Moana – December 24, 2.20pm BBC ONE 10. It's a Wonderful Life – December 24, 2.30pm ITV 11. The Snowman - Christmas Eve – 3pm CHANNEL 4 12. Shrek – December 24, 3.55pm BBC ONE 13. Home Alone – December 24, 6.05pm CHANNEL 4 14. Beetlejuice – December 24, 10.45pm BBC TWO 15. The Rocky Horror Picture Show – December 25, 00.15am BBC TWO 16. Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl – December 25, 6.10pm BBC ONE 17. Toy Story 3 – December 25, 11.20am BBC ONE 18. Home Alone 2: Lost in New York – December 25, 3.10pm ITV 19. North by Northwest – December 25, 5.05pm BBC TWO 20. On Her Majesty's Secret Service – December 26, 9.25am ITV For the remaining films on the list, go to 33:10 in Take 2 and listen for Mark's pick and reaction as well! You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. < Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Presenting a new feature on the Take Channel.  ANORA has been one of the most talked-about films of 2024 so we sent supersub BEN BAILEY SMITH to speak to director Sean Baker.  In this interview you can hear Ben talk to Sean about how he judges his own work, his love of Chihuahuas, that home invasion scene, little Orphan Annie, and of course Ben asked him about the Take That needledrop. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Our Christmas Spectacular, recorded live at London’s Prince Edward Theatre is now available in your ears! On our festive guestlist this week we have Wallce & Gromit creator Nick Park and Merlin Crossingham, who co-direct the famous plasticine pair’s latest adventure Vengeance Most Fowl. They talk us through what happened when Aardman went noir for this festive film treat, share stop motion secrets, and tell us why it was the right time to bring back dastardly glove-headed supervillain Feathers McGraw. Check out our socials for photos of the real A-Listers on the bill though—actual Wallace and actual Gromit, who also joined us onstage. They were a little shy on the mic... but you can watch them in Vengeance Most Fowl on BBC 1 and iPlayer on Christmas Day at 6:10pm, and on Netflix outside of the UK from 3rd January. Plus a flying visit from someone we’re always happy to being saying hello to—Jason Isaacs himself! If you were one of our fabulous, talented and exceptionally good-looking live audience members then we’ve got some backstage extras in this episode for you too. London cinema tour guide extraordinaire Nigel Smith gives Simon and Mark the lowdown on our venue the Prince Edward’s history as a Cinerama. Plus a bonus backstage review of ‘The Bibi Files’—Alexis Bloom’s documentary expose on Benajamin Netanyahu and the corruptions scandals surrounding his government. Hear Mark’s take on ‘Queer’—Luca Guadagnino’s much-anticipated adaptation of William S. Burroughs’ novel, starring Daniel Craig as the autobiographical lead William Lee. And—from one former Bond to another—he also reviews ‘From Roger Moore With Love’, a charming celebration of the eyebrow-arching national treasure. You listeners bust out your film-buff smarts too, as two of our live audience take to the stage for a game of ‘(Simon and) Markstermind’... Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free): Bibi Files Review: 08:32 Queer Review: 24:04 From Roger Moore with Love Review: 39:26 Nick Park and Merlin Crossingham Interview: 48:16 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com And to find out more about Sony’s new show Origins with Cush Jumbo, click here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The ‘Rumours’ are true... screen superstar Cate Blanchett and director Guy Maddin are joining Simon this week to give us the gossip on their surreal new satire—once they’ve finished fangirling over the music of Sparks, that is. Following decades of avant garde work that’s made him one of Canada’s most celebrated filmmakers, ‘Rumours’ is the biggest movie to date from the Winnipeg weirdo—its star-studded cast featuring Charles Dance and Alicia Vikander alongside Blanchett. Set at a G7 summit called to address an ‘unnamed-crisis’, it follows the hapless world leaders as they are beleaguered by bronze-age bog bodies come to life in some sort of apocalypse situation. There’s also a giant brain. It’s as odd as it sounds. Mark reviews this bizarre object of a film, along with ‘Merchant Ivory’, a documentary deep dive on the filmmakers responsible for all those most quintessentially British of period dramas from ‘Room With A View’ to ‘The Remains of the Day’—and ‘Nightbitch’, Marielle Heller’s dark comedy where Amy Adams plays a new mother at her wits end who transforms into a dog. The Christmas Spectacular is almost upon us! Mark and Simon will be live onstage at London’s Prince Edward theatre this Sunday 8th December. We’re all sold out now, and you can find the event info here: https://www.fane.co.uk/kermode-and-mayo Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free): Merchant Ivory Review: 06:09 Cate Blanchett and Guy Maddin Interview: 25:53 Rumours Review: 40:18 Nightbitch Review: 56:11 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com And to find out more about Sony’s new show Origins with Cush Jumbo, click here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Two divine guests this week as Ralph Fiennes and Stanley Tucci join Simon to discuss ‘Conclave’, the papal political thriller from ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’ director Edward Berger. Set in the Vatican’s pontific conclave, where cardinals are sequestered during the selection of the new Pope, the film follows the taut power struggle as these men of the cloth vie for the Catholic Church’s top job. The pair talk faith and doubt, Isabella Rossellini, and whether those robes can possibly be comfortable??? We find out whether Mark thought the film was a spiritual experience, or should be atoning for cinema sins... As well as Conclave we’ve got reviews this week of ‘Moana 2’, sequel to the 2016 Disney smash where this time the Polynesian not-a-princess must journey to the lost land of Motufetū to lift a curse from her island community—and ‘Your Monster’, the comedy-horror-musical mash-up that sees dumped and depressed actress Laura unexpectedly reunited with the childhood monster from under her bed. Plus your stellar correspondence adds more names to the overly-polite Brits abroad league table, and we’ve got more on Galdiator II space monkeys too. Our Christmas Spectacular with Mark and Simon live onstage at London’s Prince Edward theatre is now sold out! Event info here: https://www.fane.co.uk/kermode-and-mayo Timecodes (for our ad-free Vanguardistas): Moana 2 Review: 06:35 Ralph Fiennes and Stanley Tucci Interview: 24:08 Conclave Review: 41:16 Your Monster Review: 53:36 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com And to find out more about Sony’s new show Origins with Cush Jumbo, click here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Thomasin McKenzie is this week’s guest—star of Edgar Wright’s ‘Last Night in Soho’, Mark’s film of the year 2018 ‘Leave No Trace’—and now ‘Joy’, a new Netflix drama about the development of IVF treatment at Oldham hospital in the 1970s. Written by Jack Thorne, the film’s medical miracle story is focalised through McKenzie’s character Jean Purdy—a talented embryologist whose work was key to the team’s breakthrough discovery, but whose name was left out of the history books. She chats to Simon about putting Jean back in the picture in this latest in a line of meaty and challenging roles for the young actor. Reviews this week of ‘Blink’, a poignant documentary following a family determined to travel the world and create precious visual memories for their three children, who are losing their sight—and Amrou Al-Kadhi's debut drag queen drama ‘Layla’, which follows the story of the titular performer (Bilal Hasna) as they discover their confidence and creativity whilst navigating their queer Arab identity. Plus the much-anticipated stage-to-screen musical ‘Wicked’. The Wizard of Oz prequel stars Cynthia Erivo as green-skinned misfit Elphaba, and Ariana Grande as glam girl Galinda, both still witches-to-be as they forge an unlikely and rocky friendship at university. We find out if Mark thinks it’s going to be ‘Pop-u-lar'... Plus top quality correspondence from you and typical witterings from the Good Doctors as per. Our Christmas Spectacular with Mark and Simon live onstage at London’s Prince Edward theatre is now sold out! Event info here: https://www.fane.co.uk/kermode-and-mayo Timecodes (for our ad-free Vanguardistas): Blink Review: 09:30 Thomasin McKenzie Interview: 30:18 Layla Review: ~47:49 Wicked Review: ~57:00 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com And to find out more about Sony’s new show Origins with Cush Jumbo, click here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

‘Gladiator II’ director and legendary one-man blockbuster factory Ridley Scott is our guest this week. He joins Simon to discuss the long-awaited sequel to 2000’s modern classic, in which this time Paul Mescal plays Lucius, the long-exiled son of Russell Crowe’s Maximus. He finds himself back in Rome as a prisoner from his now-conquered adopted homeland, and must outfight and outwit his opponents and captors whilst guarding the secret of his ancestry. Simon talks to Ridley about swords, sandals, CGI and how he knew Paul Mescal would make a great Roman. We find out what Mark makes of the high-octane epic– do its mega action sequences jump the (Coliseum-swimming) shark? Plus we’ve got two more reviews of ‘The Last Dance’, a punchy drama set amidst the Hong Kong funeral business from director Anselm Chan—and ‘Christmas Eve in Miller’s Point’, a kooky indie holiday comedy with an ensemble cast including Matilda Fleming, Michael Cera and Francesca Scorsese. Spoiler alert – if a catastrophic weather event happened at Miller’s Point, Mark wouldn’t mourn its disappearance. More top takes from the Good Doctors. To our LTLs and newbies alike: strength and honour! Catch Mark and Simon live at our Christmas Spectacular – final tickets available here: https://www.fane.co.uk/kermode-and-mayo Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free): The Last Dance Review: 09:48 Sir Ridley Scott Interview: 28:23 Gladiator II Review: 44:19 Christmas Eve In Miller’s Point Review: 58:00 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com And to find out more about Sony’s new show Origins with Cush Jumbo, click here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon goes on a leafy adventure with Hugh Bonneville to talk ‘Paddington In Peru’, the latest addition to the most kind and polite of all cinematic universes—and for those of us who need cheering up this week, their conversation is just the tonic. The film sees Britain’s favourite bear journey back to his native land with the Brown family on a quest to visit Aunt Lucy. Pass the marmalade sandwiches. Plus, Mark reviews ‘Blitz’, Steve McQueen’s wartime drama starring Saoirse Ronan as a mother attempting to navigate a bombarded London with her young son; Andrea Arnold’s free-spirited social realist drama ‘Bird’ starring Barry Keoghan; and, as we enter the Christmas Corridor, ‘Red One’ in which the North Pole’s head of Security (played by Dwayne Johnson) teams up with an infamous bounty hunter (Chris Evans) to save a kidnapped Santa Claus. Another week of top takes from Mark & Simon! A few extra tickets for our Live Christmas Spectacular have dropped – snap them up here before they go: https://www.fane.co.uk/kermode-and-mayo Timecodes (for Vanguardistas, who also listen ad-free): Bird review: 08:25 Blitz Review: 13:53 Hugh Bonneville Interview: 28:59 Paddington In Peru Review: 45:35 Red One Review: 56:32 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com And to find out more about Sony’s new show Origins with Cush Jumbo, click here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Simon is joined by the one and only Billy Crystal to talk all about his starring role in the Apple TV+ psychological thriller series ‘Before’, which sees a child psychiatrist who, having tragically lost his wife to suicide, encounters a troubled young boy who seems to have a haunting connection to his past. Their conversation is intelligent, insightful and so long that we had to put some of it in Take 2. Truly, one for the K&M ages! Meanwhile, Mark reviews ‘Small Things Like These’, a period drama that sees Cillian Murphy play a devoted father who uncovers disturbing secrets at the local convent, which leads him to discover shocking truths about his own past; ‘Heretic’, a Hugh Grant-starring horror about two mormon missionaries who attempt to convert a seemingly normal man, only to find themselves fighting for their lives in a deadly game of cat-and-mouse; and ‘Anora’, the Palme D’Or-winning latest from Sean Baker, which sees a young sex worker impulsively marry the son of an oligarch, only to have her fairytale threatened when the news reaches his family. Another stellar week at the Take. We’ll have what Simon’s having! Plus, get your tickets to our Live Christmas Spectacular here: https://www.fane.co.uk/kermode-and-mayo Timecodes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!): Small Things Like These Review: 08:53 Billy Crystal Interview: 26:26 Heretic Review: 42:23 Anora Review: 53:24 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com And to find out more about Sony’s new show Origins with Cush Jumbo, click here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Simon and Mark interrupt Ben Wheatley’s breakfast (sadly not Wheaties) to about his new comedy horror miniseries ‘Generation Z’, which sees an army truck crash outside a care home, infecting the residents and leaving four teenage friends to deal with the deadly consequences. Mark also weighs in on the show, as well as giving his take on ‘Emilia Pérez’, Jacques Audiard’s musical-comedy, which looks set to be an Awards contender, and sees a Mexican lawyer offered an unusual job to help a notorious cartel boss retire and transition into living as a woman; ‘The Room Next Door’, Spanish auteur Pedro Almodovar’s full-length English-language debut following Tilda Swinton as a dying journalist trying to reconnect with her best friend; and ‘Venom: The Last Dance’, the third instalment in the Tom Hardy-starring superhero franchise, which sees Eddie Brock and the symbiote Venom go on the run when they are hunted by both of their worlds. Another tasty week of cinematic nourishment at The Take! Plus, get your tickets to our Live Christmas Spectacular here: https://www.fane.co.uk/kermode-and-mayo Timecodes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!): Emilia Pérez Review: 08:31 Ben Wheatley Interview: 29:42 Generation Z Review: 44:58 The Room Next Door Review: 50:50 Venom: The Last Dance Review: 56:47 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com And to find out more about Sony’s new show Origins with Cush Jumbo, click here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Mark is joined by Ben Bailey Smith to give you the lowdown on the week’s cinematic releases. Ben chats to Naomi Scott about her tour-de-force performance in ‘Smile 2’, the second outing for the smash-hit horror-thriller franchise. It’s a big week for Mark as two of his favourite interests converge – reviewing films and Donald Trump – in ‘The Apprentice’, the Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong-starring story of how a young Donald Trump started his real-estate business in 1970s and ‘80s New York with the helping hand of his infamous lawyer Roy Cohn. He also gives his take on ‘The Wild Robot’, a starry animated sci-fi survival film, which sees a robot shipwrecked on a deserted island and forced to adapt to its new surroundings, developing a parental bond with an orphaned gosling in the process. Strap in for some stellar takes! Plus, get your tickets to our Live Christmas Spectacular here: https://www.fane.co.uk/kermode-and-mayo Timecodes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!): The Wild Robot Review: 07:21 Naomi Scott Interview: 24:35 Smile 2 Review: 39:49 The Apprentice Review: 52:02 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com And to find out more about Sony’s new show Origins with Cush Jumbo, click here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week’s guest is everyone’s favourite foul-mouthed politico-cum-Time Lord. That’s right, Peter Capaldi is on the show to tell Simon all about Season 2 of his time-bending, psychological thriller show ‘The Devil’s Hour’. Mark reviews ‘Transformers One’, an animated sci-fi action film based on the Hasbro toy line, which explores the untold origin story of Optimus Prime and Megatron, better known as sworn enemies, but once friends bonded like brothers who changed the fate of Cyberton forever; ‘Salem’s Lot’, the latest adaptation of Stephen King’s classic supernatural horror novel, which sees an author return to his childhood home in search for some inspiration for his next book, only to discover that people are mysteriously turning into blood-sucking vampires; and ‘Timestalker’, a historical sci-fi romantic comedy in which a hapless woman falls for the wrong guy, dies a grim death and is reincarnated a century later. As she experiences romantic misfortune through different eras of history, she seeks to avoid repeat mistakes and finally break the cycle. What will be Mark’s film of the week? Listen and see! Plus, get tickets to our Live Christmas Spectacular here: https://www.fane.co.uk/kermode-and-mayo And vote for us for Best Co-Host Team at the prestigious Signal Awards here. Let’s win this thing!:  https://vote.signalaward.com/PublicVoting#/2024/shows/craft/best-co-host-team-pop-culture-podcasts Timecodes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!): Transformers One Review: 06:21 Peter Capaldi Interview: 27:55 Salem’s Lot Review: 45:20 Timestalker Review: 54:08 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com And to find out more about Sony’s new show Origins with Cush Jumbo, click here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mark and Simon think you'll love Origins with Cush Jumbo. In this podcast, Cush meets some of the stars of stage and screen, and so they're giving you a little taster of what you can expect to hear. Here's an exert from Cush's episode with David Schwimmer, a master of comedy, who we all feel we know insideout as Ross Geller. He appeared in 236 episodes of Friends, runs his own theatre company (for the last 36 years!), is a dad and also a great friend of Cush's. They discuss his early jobs before Friends, and a serious role he had to turn down decades ago, that might have changed everything. If you enjoy this teaser, head over to https://pod.link/1761431583 and follow the show so you don't miss an episode. A Sony Music Entertainment production Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us at @sonypodcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week’s guests are Take fave Joaquin Phoenix and writer-director Todd Phillips, who tell Simon all about ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’, their musical thriller follow-up to the 2019 smash hit ‘Joker’, which sees failed comedian Arthur Fleck meeting the love of his life, Harley Quinn, while incarcerated at Arkham State Hospital. Mark also gives his take on the film, as well as offering his thoughts on various new releases, including ‘Harder Than the Rock’, a documentary exploring the overlooked impact and influence of the UK’s first reggae band, Cimarons, as they persevere against all odds and follow their dream of playing to live audiences one last time; and ‘A Different Man’, a black comedy psychological thriller, which sees an aspiring actor undergo a radical medical procedure to drastically transform his appearance, only for this new dream face to turn into a nightmare when he becomes obsessed with reclaiming what was lost. An interesting companion piece with ‘The Substance’, we reckon. Another brilliant session with the Good Doctors. Timecodes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!): Harder Than The Rock Review: 08:05 Joaquin Phoenix and Todd Phillips Interview: 32:11 Joker: Folie À Deux Review: 48:13 A Different Man Review: 58:39 We're doing a LIVE show: Kermode and Mayo's Christmas Movie Spectacular - December 8th at 2.30pm at the Prince Edward Theatre in London. Tickets are selling fast at www.fane.co.uk/kermode-and-mayo You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com And to find out more about Sony’s new show Origins with Cush Jumbo, click here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week’s guests are Saoirse Ronan and Paapa Essiedu, who are on the show to tell Simon all about their addiction recovery drama ‘The Outrun’, which sees Ronan star as a young woman fresh out of rehab, as she returns home to the wild Orkney Islands after more than a decade away. The pair discuss everything from their characters’ chemistry to Stephen Graham’s influence on Ronan’s performance – and there’s even more in Take 2! Mark also weighs in on the film, as well as giving his take on various new releases, including ‘My Old Ass’, which sees a girl’s 18-birthday magic mushroom trip bring her face-to-face with her wise-cracking 39-year-old self. And brace yourself for one of Mark’s finest hours of criticism with his take on Francis Ford Coppola’s long-awaited ‘Megalopolis’. You’ll be replaying this one, that’s for sure. Another great week at the Take! Timecodes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!): My Old Ass Review – 10:19 Saoirse Ronan and Paapa Essiedu Interview – 32:58 The Outrun Review – 46:47 Megalopolis Review – 56:52 We're doing a LIVE show: Kermode and Mayo's Christmas Movie Spectacular - December 8th at 2.30pm at the Prince Edward Theatre in London. Tickets are selling fast at www.fane.co.uk/kermode-and-mayo You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com And to find out more about Sony’s new show Origins with Cush Jumbo, click here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We're excited to announce the xmas show, click here for an exclusive chance to secure your tickets: www.fane.co.uk/kermode-and-mayo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week’s guest is Kathryn Hahn, who talks to Simon about her starring role in ‘WandaVision’ spinoff ‘Agatha All Along’, a dark comedy superhero miniseries, which follows witch Agatha Harkness, as she recruits some unlikely allies on her quest to regain her former powers. Mark gives his thoughts on the show, as well as reviewing various new releases: ‘The Goldman Case’, a French-language courtroom drama based on the real-life trial of left-wing revolutionary Pierre Goldman, who was accused of several armed robberies and the death of two chemists; “Girls Will Be Girls’, an Indo-French coming-of-age drama and Sundance hit, which follows 16-year-old Mira as she discovers desire and romance, only to have her rebellious sexual awakening disrupted by her mother, who never got to come of age herself; and ‘The Substance’, the much-talked about Demi Moore-starring body horror, which sees an aging aerobics star, who, after being fired on her 50th birthday, takes an experimental substance that promises to transform her into a ‘better’ version of herself – with horrifying consequences. Mark’s gonna have a field day with this one, we’re sure! Enjoy! Timecodes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!): The Goldman Case Review – 08:49 Kathryn Hahn Interview – 28:38 Agatha All Along Review– 43:51 Girls Will Be Girls Review – 51:23 The Substance Evil – 56:39 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com And to find out more about Sony’s new show Origins with Cush Jumbo, click here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For the last episode of this season, team STB gets real with those pesky inner monologues (as promised in the Carrie: Sex and the City episode). Plus, what's the connection between 80s comedy-thriller Lovejoy and The Matrix? We explore actors who have come back from obscurity with aplomb.   We want to hear about any theories we might have missed, what you’ve thought of the show so far and your character suggestions. Please drop the team an email (which may be part of the show): shrinkthebox@sonymusic.com    Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts.  To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week’s guest is the one and only Sir Ian McKellen, who is on the show to very eloquently tell Simon all about his starring role in ‘The Critic’, a period thriller in which a powerful – and pompous – London theatre critic lures a struggling actress into a blackmail scheme that has deadly consequences. Mark also weighs in on the film, as well as reviewing ‘Lee’, a Kate Winslet-starring biopic of photographer Elizabeth ‘Lee’ Miller, a fashion model who became an acclaimed war correspondent for Vogue magazine during World War II; ‘Speak No Evil’, a psychological thriller with James McAvoy, which sees an American family’s dream holiday turn into a living nightmare when they spend a weekend at a British family’s idyllic country estate; and ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’, the long-awaited sequel to Tim Burton’s beloved 1988 comedy horror classic, which sees the mischievous poltergeist Beetlejuice return for more supernatural chaos, as a new family stumbles upon his bizarre afterlife realm. By all accounts, a stellar week! Timecodes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!): Lee Review – 06:00 Beetlejuice Beetlejuice – 22:37 Sir Ian McKellen Interview – 29:11 The Critic Review – 43:41 Speak No Evil – 54:56 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In our final character episode of this season, we put Carrie from Sex and the City on the couch. Nemone looks at why Sex and the City hasn’t aged well, and Ben talks about diversity in the privileged, white world of the show. We get into Carrie’s shopping habit, low self-esteem, and why everyone in the show is SO obsessed with relationships, even though the women really have no need for them. We also get a primer on the Bechdel test, and how you can tell if a show is sexist without knowing it. And if you want to check out more on the patriarchy and diversity, have a listen to our episodes on Sydney from The Bear. We want to hear about any theories we might have missed, what you’ve thought of the show so far and your character suggestions. Please drop the team an email (which may be part of the show): shrinkthebox@sonymusic.com Find how to view the shows we’ve talked about here. CREDITS We used clips from episodes of Sex and the City. It’s available to watch on NOWTV/SKY. Starring: Sarah Jessica Parker – Carrie Bradshaw Cynthia Nixon – Miranda Hobbs Kim Cattrall – Samatha Jones Kristin Davis – Charlotte York Created by: Darren Star Candace Bushnell Directed by: Susan Seidalman Nicole Holofcener Alison Maclean Michael Fields Darren Star Produced by: Darren Star Michael Patrick King John P. Melfi Jenny Bicks Sarah Jessica Parker Cindy Chupack We would love to hear your theories: shrinkthebox@sonymusic.com A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts. To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We have a fantastic selection of new releases and nostalgia for you this week. First of all, we look at Meryl Streep’s best films and put it to you to pick one. The final result was almost too tight to call - around 52/48%, if that number sounds terribly familiar... We also look at brand new releases Starve Acre and Robot Dreams, as well as looking forward to next week, when we’ll review Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. Of course we didn’t forget! Starve Acre is a chilling tale of British folk horror at its finest, while Robot Dreams is a touching animation which anyone in the world could watch and still understand – just one of those things animation does. Finally, we get to the bottom of why all these Spiderman releases have happened in the same year, as well as Mark looking at the “best” deaths in cinema history – if you can call them that. Timecodes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!): Meryl Streep World Cup – 06:36 Starve Acre Review – 10:51 Spiderman: Homecoming Review – 19:34 Robot Dreams Review – 34:46 Meryl Streep Cup Final – 42:36 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ben and Nemone put Jackson Lamb from Slow Horses on the couch. Gary Oldman’s version of Mick Herron’s character has become household name, and you can see why. A man with many layers, a million secrets, and a lightning rod for other’s emotions – perhaps he is the perfect Freudian analyst. Nemone gives us a crash course in transference and counter-transference, looks at why people mask and create false selves, and what drives people into a career where they hide their true selves from everyone, including themselves. This is the PERFECT watching companion to Season 4 of Slow Horses, coming 4th September on AppleTV+! And if you want to look at false selves, then listen back to our episode on The Morning Show’s Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon. We want to hear about any theories we might have missed, what you’ve thought of the show so far and your character suggestions. Please drop the team an email (which may be part of the show): shrinkthebox@sonymusic.com NEXT CLIENTS ON THE COUCH. Find out how to view here Carrie Bradshaw, Sex and the City (selected episodes) CREDITS We used clips from Season 1 of Slow Horses. It’s available to watch on AppleTV+. Starring: Gary Oldman - Jackson Lamb Jack Lowden - River Cartwright Kristin Scott Thomas - Diana Taverner Saskia Reeves - Catherine Standish Rosalind Eleazar - Louisa Guy Christopher Chung - Roddy Ho Created by: Mick Herron Will Smith Directed by: James Hawes Jeremy Lovering Saul Metzstein Produced by: Iain Canning Hakan Kousetta Jamie Laurenson Gail Mutrux et al. We would love to hear your theories: shrinkthebox@sonymusic.com A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts. To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week we put all the heavyweights from cinema’s best year – 1984 – into the ring, and see who comes out victorious. Think Terminator, Dune, Stop Making Sense, Beverly Hills Cop – I mean, there’s nowhere near enough space to list them all. But who will win...? Mark also gives his take on the re-release of Amazing Spiderman 2, with future Oscar-winner Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield in the lead roles now. Mark explains why we’re getting so many of these films back in cinema, too, for those wondering... We hear his thoughts on the new Netflix big hitter, KAOS, featuring Jeff Goldblum, everyone’s favourite piano-playing god. Plus, we review Paradise is Burning, a touching Swedish comedy drama that follows young Laura and her two sisters who, without their mother there, run amok until a call threatens to put them in foster care and undo the unique life they’ve built for themselves. Mark has some big decisions to make. Film of the week, plus film of the year (alright, 40 years ago, but still...) Timecodes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!): World Cup of 1984 Qualifying – 7:46 Amazing Spiderman 2 Review – 11:27 Paradise is Burning Review – 29:11 KAOS Review – 38:20 World Cup of 1984 Final – 49:18 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ben and Nemone put Raymond Holt on the couch. We look at how this trailblazing policeman (the first black, gay police captain in the force) stands out from the rest of the precinct. We learn how family dynamics inform behaviour and what it takes to be a great leader. Nemone looks at a diagnosis of ASD or Asperger’s Syndrome for the captain, and Ben gives a heartwarming tribute to the great actor who played him, André Braugher. We want to hear about any theories we might have missed, what you’ve thought of the show so far and your character suggestions. Please drop the team an email (which may be part of the show): shrinkthebox@sonymusic.com NEXT CLIENTS ON THE COUCH. Find out how to view here Jackson Lamb, Slow Horses (Season 1) Carrie Bradshaw, Sex and the City (selected episodes) CREDITS We used clips from episodes of Brooklyn 99. It’s available to watch on Netflix. Starring: Andy Samberg - Jacob "Jake" Peralta Stephanie Beatriz - Rosa Diaz Terry Crews - Terrence "Terry" JeffordsMelissa Fumero - Amy Santiago Joe Lo Truglio - Charles Boyle Chelsea Peretti - Regina "Gina" Linetti Andre Braugher - Raymond Holt Dirk Blocker as Michael Hitchcock and Joel McKinnon Miller as Norm Scully Created by: Dan Goor Michael Schur Directed by: Craig Zisk Julie Ann Robinson Troy Miller Dean Holland Jason Ensler Produced by: Dan Goor Michael Schur David Miner Phil Lord Christopher Miller (both; pilot) Luke Del Tredici David Phillips We would love to hear your theories: shrinkthebox@sonymusic.com A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts. To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week Mark is joined by another Take fave Ben Bailey Smith to talk all things cinema. Mark also gives his take on a swathe of new releases, including ‘Kneecap’, a comedy-drama based on true events that sees fate bring together a Belfast teacher and two self-confessed down-and-outs – the real musicians playing themselves – to form a hip-hop trio that rises to global fame; ‘Between the Temples’, which sees a cantor in a crisis of faith have his world turned upside town when his grade school music teacher reenters his life as his new adult bat mitzvah student; and ‘Blink Twice’, a psychological thriller and actress Zoe Kravitz’s directorial debut, which sees two cocktail waitresses invited on a dream vacation to a tech billionaire’s private island, only for strange events to leave them questioning their reality. A great week in new releases! What will be Mark’s pick of the week? Timecodes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!): Kneecap Review – 05:20 Box Office Top Ten – 13:52 Close to You Review – 26:30 Between The Temples Review – 35:20 Blink Twice Review – 41:00 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ben and Nemone put Moira Rose on the couch and take a deep dive into her narcissistic tendencies, and what effect that has on the rest of the Schitts. Nemone explains how narcissism is not as easy to spot as its widespread use would have you believe. We also discuss the collection of wigs that Moira keeps in her closet and why they are transitional objects. And if you’re interested in hearing more on narcissism, then check out our episode on Game of Thrones’ Cersei Lannister. We want to hear about any theories we might have missed, what you’ve thought of the show so far and your character suggestions. Please drop the team an email (which may be part of the show): shrinkthebox@sonymusic.com NEXT CLIENTS ON THE COUCH. Find out how to view here Raymond Holt, Brooklyn 99 (selected episodes) Jackson Lamb, Slow Horses (Season 1) Carrie Bradshaw, Sex and the City (selected episodes) CREDITS We used clips from episodes of Schitt’s Creek. It’s available to watch on Netflix. Starring: Eugene Levy - Johnny Rose Catherine O'Hara - Moira Rose Daniel Levy - David Rose Annie Murphy - Alexis Rose Created by: Daniel Levy Eugene Levy Directed by: Jerry Ciccoritti Paul Fox Produced by: Eugene Levy Dan Levy Fred Levy Andrew Barnsley Ben Feigin Kevin White David West Read We would love to hear your theories: shrinkthebox@sonymusic.com A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts. To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week we have an extra special treat, as Take fave Sanjeev Bhaskar joins Mark in the host’s seat to deliver a funny and insightful episode. Mark reviews various new releases, including ‘Only the River Flows’, a Chinese neo-noir crime thriller, which sees an ambitious police detective attempt to solve a series of murders from a disused cinema; ‘Swan Song’, an immersive documentary following The National Ballet of Canada as it mounts a legacy-defining new production of Swan Lake; and ‘Alien: Romulus’, a new addition to the sci-fi horror franchise, which sees space colonisers come face-to-face with the most terrifying life-form in the universe while scavenging the deep ends of a derelict space station. Will Mark like it, love it, hate it? Listen to find out! Timecodes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!): Only The River Flows Review – 06:46 Box Office Top Ten – 13:14 Swan Song Review – 35:53 Alien: Romulus – 45:33 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If characters in ‘trapped’ dramas escape, is that the end of the show? Ben and Nemone explore The Handmaid’s Tale and Severance as examples. Plus, Ben reacts to a listener’s ‘constructive’ feedback and Nemone explores Polyvagal Theory to explain why we might react in the way we do from childhood trauma. We want to hear about any theories we might have missed, what you’ve thought of the show so far and your character suggestions. Please drop the team an email (which may be part of the show): shrinkthebox@sonymusic.com NEXT CLIENTS ON THE COUCH. Find out how to view here Raymond Holt, Brooklyn 99 (selected episodes) Jackson Lamb, Slow Horses (Season 1) Carrie Bradshaw, Sex and the City (selected episodes) Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts. To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We have a VERY special guest this week. The legendary thrill-maker M Night Shyamalan comes on to talk all things Exorcist, family and his process behind his new release, Trap, starring Josh Hartnett. This was a great chat, so there’s even more in our premium episode. Plus, we review Caligula’s re-issue and get into some more results from our World Cups of Tom Hanks and 1984. Meryl Streep to come next week... also a special guest appearance from The Redactor. We also review the cracking Sky Peals, a head-twister in which a gas station attendant starts to believe he’s descended from an alien race.  Timecodes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!):  Caligula Review – 12:03  M Night Shyamalan interview – 26:07  Sky Peals Review – 44:32  Rebel Moon Part II: The Scargiver Review – 50:19  World Cup of 1984 Results – 57:53  Tom Hanks World Cup Results 1:00:35  You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo   EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee!  A Sony Music Entertainment production.     Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts    To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ben and Nemone discuss The Wire’s ‘Bubbles’ aka Reginald Collins. An informant and heroin user, a man with a fragile support network who finds himself stranded while trying to forge closer bonds with those around him. Nemone tells Ben how unconditional love is the hardest thing to give an addict, and the key to helping them start their journey to sobriety. Plus we hear wisdom from Gabor Maté. Our episode on the Queen’s Gambit has great insights into addiction if you’re looking for even more on this subject.     We talked about AA, Al Anon and Samaritans in the show. Here are links:  AA: https://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk/  Al Anon: https://al-anonuk.org.uk/  Samaritans: https://www.samaritans.org/  We want to hear about any theories we might have missed, what you’ve thought of the show so far and your character suggestions. Please drop the team an email (which may be part of the show): shrinkthebox@sonymusic.com  NEXT CLIENTS ON THE COUCH. Find out how to view here   Moira Rose, Schitt's Creek (Season 1)  Raymond Holt, Brooklyn 99 (selected episodes)   Jackson Lamb, Slow Horses (Season 1)  Carrie Bradshaw, Sex and the City (selected episodes)    CREDITS  We used clips from Seasons 1 of The Wire. It’s available to watch on NOWTV.  Starring:  Dominic West - Jimmy McNulty  Idris Elba - Stringer Bell  Lawrence Gilliard Jr. - D’Angelo Barskdale  Wood Harris - Avon Barksdale  Deirdre Lovejoy - Rhonda Pearlman  Wendell Pierce - Detective Bunk  Lance Reddick - Cpt. Cedric Daniels  Andre Royo – Reginald Collins, aka Bubbles  Sonja Sohn - Kima Greggs  Created by:  David Simon  Directed by:  Clark Johnson  Peter Medak  Clement Virgo  Ed Bianchi  Gloria Muzo  Produced by:  Karen L. Thorson  Ed Burns  Joe Chappelle  George Pelecanos  Eric Overmyer  David Simon  Robert F. Colesberry  Nina Kostroff Noble  We would love to hear your theories: shrinkthebox@sonymusic.com  A Sony Music Entertainment production.  Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts.  To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s a bumper week for reviews, with Mark giving his thoughts on a raft of releases, including ‘Kensuke’s Kingdom’, Frank Cottrell-Boyce's adaptation of Michael Morpurgo’s beloved novel about a young boy swept overboard and stranded on a desert island with a mysterious stranger; ‘My Neighbour Totoro’, the classic Japanese animation about two sisters who move to the country to be near their ailing mother only to find themselves in an adventure with the wondrous forest spirits who live nearby; and Sam Raimi’s much-loved Spider-Man trilogy, which is back in cinemas this summer.   Simon reveals the results of the World Cup of Tom Hanks, along with the 1984 draw. Will Mark be able to predict the winners?   Plus, a special gift for all you Take devotees; Mark sits down to rewatch one of his absolute favourites, ‘Sex and the City 2’. You’re welcome! Mwahahaha!  Timecodes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!):  Kensuke's Kingdom Review – 7:10  World Cup of Tom Hanks Draw – 18:02  My Neighbour Totoro Review – 27:03  Spider-Man Trilogy Review – 35:58   Sex and the City 2 Review – 47:21  World Cup of 1984 Draw – 59:36    You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo   EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee!  A Sony Music Entertainment production.     Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts    To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ben and Nemone discuss Helen McCrory’s iconic Poly Shelby from Peaky Blinders. She’s a devout Catholic, but up to her neck in the murky world of bootlegging and murder. Nemone gets into the thorny question of how she might match those up, and reveals how each of us has a ‘silent observer’ inside. We also dive into the history of women’s rights in 1920s England. Look out for some killer lines from our Polly, too. If you like this, you’ll love our look at Cersei Lannister and how to lead violent men using more than physical force, and the toll that takes. We want to hear about any theories we might have missed, what you’ve thought of the show so far and your character suggestions. Please drop the team an email (which may be part of the show): shrinkthebox@sonymusic.com NEXT CLIENTS ON THE COUCH. Find out how to view here Reginald "Bubbles" Cousins, The Wire (Season 1) Moira Rose, Schitt's Creek (Season 1) Raymond Holt, Brooklyn 99 (selected episodes) Jackson Lamb, Slow Horses (Season 1) Carrie Bradshaw, Sex and the City (selected episodes) CREDITS We used clips from Seasons 1&2 of Peaky Blinders. It’s available to watch on BBC iPlayer. Starring: Tommy Shelby - Cillian Murphy Polly Gray - Helen McCrory Arthur Shelby - Paul Anderson Ada Shelby - Sophie Rundle Finn Shelby - Harry Kirton Lizzie Shelby - Natasha O'Keeffe Linda Shelby - Kate Phillips Created by: Steven Knight Directed by: Otto Bathurst Tom Harper Colm McCarthy Produced by: Katie Swinden Laurie Borg We would love to hear your theories: shrinkthebox@sonymusic.com A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts. To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week’s guest is novelist and screenwriter Frank Cottrell-Boyce, who tells Simon all about ‘Kensuke’s Kingdom’, his adaptation of Michael Morpurgo’s beloved novel, which sees a boy become stranded on a desert island after being swept overboard during a storm on a sailing trip with his family. The conversation is so good that we’ve got more in Take 2! Mark will be reviewing the film next week.   The Good Doctor Kermode gives his thoughts on various new releases, including ‘The Echo’, a Mexican-German docufiction film, which blends detached observation with incisive commentary to capture the rhythms of life in the traditional Mexican village of El Echo; ‘About Dry Grasses’, a Turkish-language drama about a disillusioned teacher in a remote village who, facing allegations of sexual misconduct, meets a colleague who may help make sense of the challenges at hand; and ‘Deadpool and Wolverine’, which sees Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman don their superhero costumes and join forces for another Marvel outing in which Wolverine, recovering from his injuries, crosses paths with the loudmouth Deadpool, reluctantly teaming up to defeat a common enemy.   Expect some A+ witterings from Simon and Mark, who bravely and boldly ask: how can we be more ‘Brat’ this summer?    You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo   EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee!  A Sony Music Entertainment production.     Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts    To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ben and Nemone discuss Tasha Jefferson, aka Taystee, from Orange is the New Black. We get fascinating insights into child states and how difficult they are to escape; attachment theory and why prison can be a better alternative to living in the outside world. Expect to laugh and cry while reliving one of the early bingeable series on Netflix. And if you’re interested in looking further into issues of adoption and racism, check out our episode on The Queen’s Gambit, from Season 1.    We want to hear about any theories we might have missed, what you’ve thought of the show so far and your character suggestions. Please drop the team an email (which may be part of the show): shrinkthebox@sonymusic.com    NEXT CLIENTS ON THE COUCH. Find out how to view here   Polly, Peaky Blinders (seasons 1&2)  Reginald "Bubbles" Cousins, The Wire (Season 1)  Moira Rose, Schitt's Creek (Season 1)  Raymond Holt, Brooklyn 99 (selected episodes)   Jackson Lamb, Slow Horses (Season 1)  Carrie Bradshaw, Sex and the City (selected episodes)    CREDITS  We used clips from Season 1 of Orange is the New Black. It’s available to watch on Netflix.  Starring:  Taylor Schilling as Piper Chapman  Laura Prepon as Alex Vause,   Michael Harney as Sam Healy  Michelle Hurst as Miss Claudette Pelage  Kate Mulgrew as Galina "Red" Reznikov  Jason Biggs as Larry Bloom  Uzo Aduba as Suzanne "Crazy Eyes" Warren  Danielle Brooks as Tasha "Taystee" Jefferson  Natasha Lyonne as Nicky Nichols  Taryn Manning as Tiffany "Pennsatucky" Doggett  Selenis Leyva as Gloria Mendoza  Adrienne C. Moore as Cynthia "Black Cindy" Hayes  Dascha Polanco as Dayanara "Daya" Diaz  Created by:  Jenji Kohan  Directed by:  Michael Trim  Andrew McCarthy  Uta Briesewitz  Jodie Foster  Matthew Penn  Produced by:  Jenji Kohan  Sara Hess  Tara Herrmann  Lisa Vinnecour  Neri Kyle Tannenbaum  Mark A. Burley    We would love to hear your theories: shrinkthebox@sonymusic.com    A Sony Music Entertainment production.  Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts.  To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Another guestless week but that just means more musings, fun and general nonsense from your favourite Good Doctors. Mark gives his thoughts on various new releases, including ‘Blur: To The End’, a documentary depicting the comeback of the classic Britpop band; ‘Thelma’, a June Squibb-starring comedy about a 93-year-old who gets duped by a phone scammer pretending to be her grandson, prompting her to set out on a treacherous quest across the city to reclaim what was taken from her; ‘Chuck Chuck Baby’, an emotionally charged musical drama in which a chicken factory worker sees her dreary life interrupted when her schoolgirl crush arrives back in town; and ‘Twisters’, a sequel to the 1996 Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton-starring disaster film, which sees a retired tornado-chaser and meteorologist persuaded to return to Oklahoma to work with a new team and new technologies. A packed-out week of new movies and takes for your listening pleasure! Timecodes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!):  11:44 - Blur: To The End Review  16:48 - BO10  28:58 - Thelma Review  36:26 - Chuck Chuck Baby Review  44:52 - Twisters Review    You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo   EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee!  A Sony Music Entertainment production.     Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts    To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ben and Nemone put Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon’s The Morning Show characters, Alex and Bradley, on the couch. We ask how a person creates a false self at work, what makes Bradley break the mould and find out how Alex could ever have respect for her male boss in the middle of a #MeToo scandal. Stay tuned for more on false selves in our upcoming episodes on Jackson Lamb and Polly Shelby too! We want to hear about any theories we might have missed, what you’ve thought of the show so far and your character suggestions. Please drop the team an email (which may be part of the show): shrinkthebox@sonymusic.com NEXT CLIENTS ON THE COUCH. Find out how to view here Tasha, Orange is the New Black (season 2) Polly, Peaky Blinders (seasons 1&2) Reginald "Bubbles" Cousins, The Wire (Season 1) Moira Rose, Schitt's Creek (Season 1) Raymond Holt, Brooklyn 99 (selected episodes) Jackson Lamb, Slow Horses (Season 1) CREDITS We used clips from Season 1 of The Morning Show. It’s available to watch on AppleTV+. Starring: Jennifer Aniston as Alexandra "Alex" Levy Reese Witherspoon as Bradley Jackson Billy Crudup as Cory Ellison Mark Duplass as Charlie "Chip" Black Néstor Carbonell as Yanko Flores Karen Pittman as Mia Jordan Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Hannah Shoenfeld Bel Powley as Claire Conway Desean Terry as Daniel Henderson Jack Davenport as Jason Craig Steve Carell as Mitch Kessler Created by: Jay Carson Directed by: David Frankel Lynn Shelton Roxann Dawson Tucker Gates Produced by: Jennifer Aniston Reese Witherspoon Kerry Ehrin Michael Ellenberg Mimi Leder We would love to hear your theories: shrinkthebox@sonymusic.com A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts. To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

No guest this week, but that just means more from your favourite professional witterers – and a whole load of reviews! Mark gives his thoughts on various new releases including ‘Fly Me to the Moon’, a romantic comedy-drama starring Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum, which sees sparks fly between a marketing executive and a NASA official as he makes preparations for the Apollo 11 moon landing; ‘Hundreds of Beavers’, a zany slapstick comedy in which a drunken applejack salesman must go from zero to hero to become North America’s greatest fur trapper by defeating, you guessed it, hundreds of beavers; and ‘Longlegs’, a serial killer horror in which Nicolas Cage plays the eponymous homicidal maniac. Mark also gives his take on ‘Despicable Me 4’, the fourth instalment of the animated comedy franchise, replete with his beloved minions, which, this time, sees Gru, having just welcomed a new member to the family, have his peaceful existence threatened when criminal mastermind Maxime Le Mal escapes from prison and vows revenge against him. A chocka-block week, indeed! Timecodes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!): 08:19 – Hundreds Of Beavers Review 11:56 – Box Office Top Ten 29:33 – Fly Me To The Moon Review 37:30 – Longlegs Review 48:44 – Despicable Me 4 Review You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ben and Nemone answer your questions and explore your suggestions. They talk about whether they have any friends who are spies and explore some brilliant female led comedies you've either missed or forgotten.     We want to hear about any theories we might have missed, what you’ve thought of the show so far and your character suggestions. Please drop the team an email (which may be part of the show): shrinkthebox@sonymusic.com    NEXT CLIENTS ON THE COUCH. Find out how to view here   Michael, Office (USA. Season 1)  Chandler, Friends (selected episodes)  Sydney, The Bear (season 2)  Tyrion, Game of Thrones (seasons 1&2).  Alex and Bradley, The Morning Show (Season 1)   Tasha, Orange is the New Black (season 2)    CREDITS  We used a clip from Girls, Series 6.   Starring (in the clip we used):   Lena Dunham as Hannah Horvath  Adam Driver as Adam Sackler.     Created by: Lena Dunham. Written by Lena Dunham and Judd Apatow.   Directed by: Jesse Peretz  Produced by: Home Box Office.     Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts.  To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week’s guest is director Ti West, who is on the show to tell Mark all about ‘Maxxxine’, the hotly-anticipated third instalment of his cult horror trilogy made in collaboration with its star Mia Goth, which sees the action taken to the adult film scene in seedy 1980s Hollywood. With Mark and Ti geeking out over all things horror, the chat is just too good to cut it down, so head to Take 2 for more! Mark also gives his thoughts on the film, as well as reviewing ‘Blue Lock The Movie – Episode Nagi’, a feature-length extrapolation of the popular manga and anime set in a football training academy, which explores the origin story of football prodigy Seishiro Nagi. The big review of the week is ‘Kill’, an Indian action-thriller, which sees a pair of commandos face an army of invading bandits on a train trip to New Delhi. Timecodes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!): 07:50 – Blue Lock The Movie – Episode Nagi Review 14:06 - Box Office Top Ten 28:29 – Ti West interview 40:21 - Kinds of Kindness Review 50:39 - Kill Review You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ben and Nemone put Tyrion Lannister from Game of Thrones on the couch. Tyrion doesn’t conform to society’s norms. How does he use that to his advantage? He’s booksmart, cunning and the most open-minded man in Westeros. This ‘half-man’ is, in fact, three times as impressive as any of his peers. We look into difference, diversity and skulduggery in this latest episode. Don’t miss it!  We want to hear about any theories we might have missed, what you’ve thought of the show so far and your character suggestions. Please drop the team an email (which may be part of the show): shrinkthebox@sonymusic.com  NEXT CLIENTS ON THE COUCH. Find out how to view here Alex and Bradley, The Morning Show (Season 1) Tasha, Orange is the New Black (season 2) Polly, Peaky Blinders (seasons 1&2) Reginald "Bubbles" Cousins, The Wire (Season 1) Moira Rose, Schitt's Creek (Season 1) Raymond Holt, Brooklyn 99 (selected episodes)  CREDITS We used clips from Season 1 of Game of Thrones. It’s available to watch on NOWTV. Starring: Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister Sean Bean as Eddard Stark Mark Addy as Robert Baratheon Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Jaime Lannister Michelle Fairley as Catelyn Stark Lena Headey as Cersei Lannister Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen Iain Glen as Jorah Mormont Aidan Gillen as Petyr Baelish Harry Lloyd as Viserys Targaryen Kit Harington as Jon Snow Created by: George R.R. Martin (based on novels by) David Benioff (adapted for screen by) D.B. Weiss (adapted for screen by) Directed by: Mark Mylod Alan Taylor David Benioff D.B. Weiss et al. Produced by: Christopher Newman Mark Huffam Greg Spence Lisa McAtackney Duncan Muggoch For HBO  We would love to hear your theories: shrinkthebox@sonymusic.com  A Sony Music Entertainment production.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week’s guests are the red-hot actor and director duo, Jesse Plemons and Yorgos Lanthimos. They’re on to talk about their film ‘Kinds of Kindness’, which is released on 28th June, among tons of other things. It’s one you won’t want to miss.  Mark also gives his take on the film, as well as reviewing ‘Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1’. This is Kevin Costner’s epic Western drama, which shows people drawn to the new west during the Civil War (the original one, not the Alex Garland one). Currently, the film is planned to have a whopping three sequels.  The big review of the week is ‘A Quiet Place: Day One’, the next instalment in Simon’s favourite movie series. This one takes us back to the origins of the saga, showing the moment that earth fell quiet. Did it make Mark and Simon hoot and holler with praise? Find out in the show.  Timecodes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!):  07:28 - Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 Review  16:08 - Box Office Top Ten  27:46 - Jesse Plemons and Yorgos Lanthimos interview  43:00 Kinds of Kindness Review  50:17 A Quiet Place: Day One Review    You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo   EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee!  A Sony Music Entertainment production.     Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts    To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ben and Nemone put sous-chef Sydney Adamu from The Bear into therapy. She helps whip the team at the restaurant into shape, she’s nurturing but anxious and riddled with self-doubt, not to mention a person of colour with the highest of ambitions in a profession dominated by white men. Mouthwatering, no?    We want to hear about any theories we might have missed, what you’ve thought of the show so far and your character suggestions. Please drop the team an email (which may be part of the show): shrinkthebox@sonymusic.com  NEXT CLIENTS ON THE COUCH. Find out how to view here   Tyrion, Game of Thrones (seasons 1&2).  Alex and Bradley, The Morning Show (Season 1)   Tasha, Orange is the New Black (season 2)  Polly, Peaky Blinders (seasons 1&2)  Reginald "Bubbles" Cousins, The Wire (Season 1)  Moira Rose, Schitt's Creek (Season 1)  Raymond Holt, Brooklyn 99 (selected episodes)     CREDITS  We used clips from season 2 of The Bear, available on Disney+.     Starring  Jeremy Allen White as Carmen Berzatto  Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Richard Jerimovich  Ayo Edebiri as Sydney Adamu  Lionel Boyce as Marcus  Liza Colón-Zayas as Tina  Edwin Lee Gibson as Ebraheim  Corey Hendrix as Gary Woods  Richard Esteras as Manny  Jose M. Cervantes as Angel  Abby Elliott as Natalie Berzatto    Created by: Christopher Storer  Written by: Karen Joseph Adcock, Joanna Calo, Rene Gube, Sofya Levitsky-Weitz, Alex O'Keefe, Catherine Schetina, Christopher Storer  Directed by: Alan Myerson, Peter Bonerz, James Burrows, Kevin S. Bright   Produced by: FX/Hulu/Disney+    We would love to hear your theories: shrinkthebox@sonymusic.com A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts.    To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com.    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week’s guests are documentarian Asif Kapadia and videographer Joe Sabia, the co-directors of ‘Federer: Twelve Final Days’, an intimate look at the tennis legend as he approaches his retirement.   Mark also gives his take on the film, as well as reviewing ‘Something in the Water’, a thriller which sees five girlfriends, reunited for a destination wedding, get stranded in open water, finding themselves in a fight for their lives against circling sharks and the elements; and ‘The Exorcism’, a horror that sees Russell Crowe play a troubled actor who begins to exhibit disruptive behaviour while shooting a horror film, causing his estranged daughter to wonder: is he slipping back into past addictions or is there something more sinister at play?   The big review of the week is 'The Bikeriders’, Jeff Nichol’s long-awaited, star-studded crime drama about a Midwestern motorcycle club’s evolution from a gathering place for local outsiders to a sinister gang.  Timecodes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!):  05:44 – Green Border Review 11:54 – Box Office Top Ten 26:54 – Asif Kapadia Review 39:10 – Federer Twelve Final Days Review 42:49 – The Exorcism Review 51:20 – The Bikeriders Review You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo   EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee!  A Sony Music Entertainment production.     Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts    To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ben and Nemone put Chandler from Friends on the famous Central Perk couch to talk about his phobia of commitment, his attachment patterns and how he feels about mum AND dad putting on a black dress and trying to seduce one of your best friends. Expect doses of sarcasm, celebrity cameos and Janice’s laughter peppered throughout. We want to hear about any theories we might have missed, what you’ve thought of the show so far and your character suggestions. Please drop the team an email (which may be part of the show): shrinkthebox@sonymusic.com NEXT CLIENTS ON THE COUCH. Find out how to view here Sydney, The Bear (season 2) Tyrion, Game of Thrones (seasons 1&2). Alex and Bradley, The Morning Show (Season 1) Tasha, Orange is the New Black (season 2) Polly, Peaky Blinders (seasons 1&2) Reginald "Bubbles" Cousins, The Wire (Season 1) CREDITS We used clips from all seasons of Friends, available on Netflix. Starring Matthew Perry as Chandler Bing David Schwimmer as Ross Geller Courtney Cox as Monica Geller Jennifer Aniston as Rachel Green Lisa Kudrow as Phoebe Buffay Matt LeBlanc as Joey Tribbiani Created by: David Crane and Marta Kauffman Written by: Ted Cohen and Andrew Reich, David Crane, Marta Kauffman, Scott Silveri, Shana Goldberg-Meehan et al. Directed by: Alan Myerson, Peter Bonerz, James Burrows, Kevin S. Bright Produced by: Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions and Warner Bros. Television Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts. To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week’s guest is writer-director Jeff Nichols, who is on the show to tell Simon all about his long-awaited, star-studded crime drama ‘The Bikeriders’, which stars Simon’s fave Austin Butler, and tells a fictional story inspired by the 1967 photo-book of the same name, which depicts the  lives of the Outlaws MC, a motorcycle club founded in McCook, Illinois. Mark will give his thoughts on the film when it comes out next week. He also reviews ‘Freud’s Last Session’, an Anthony Hopkins-starring drama based on the play of the same name, which sees the legendary psychoanalyst invite iconic author C.S. Lewis to debate the existence of God; and ‘Arcadian’, a post-apocalyptic action horror, which sees Nicolas Cage play a father living with his twin teenage sons as they fight to survive in a remote farmhouse at the end of the end of the world. The big review of the week is ‘Inside Out 2’, the follow-up to the now-classic children’s movie, which sees Riley, now a teenager, encountering new, difficult emotions like Anxiety. Timecodes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!): 07:07 – Freud’s Last Session 12:24 – Box Office Top Ten 25:58 – Jeff Nichols Interview 41:26 – Arcadian Review 47:31 – Inside Out 2 Review You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ben and Nemone stroll into The Office (USA). They consider the differences between Michael Scott and David Brent, explore ego and ask why some people think they’re funny (when they’re just not). We want to hear about any theories we might have missed, what you’ve thought of the show so far and your character suggestions. Please drop the team an email (which may be part of the show): shrinkthebox@sonymusic.com  NEXT CLIENTS ON THE COUCH. Find out how to view here Chandler, Friends (selected episodes)  Sydney, The Bear (season 2)  Tyrion, Game of Thrones (seasons 1&2).  Alex and Bradley, The Morning Show (Season 1)   Tasha, Orange is the New Black (season 2)  Polly, Peaky Blinders (seasons 1&2)  CREDITS  We used clips from The Office USA, series 1 on Netflix.   Starring  Steve Carell as Michael Scott,   Rainn Wilson as Dwight Schrute  John Krasinski as Jim Halpert  Jenna Fischer as Pam Beesly  Created by: Greg Daniels, Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant.   Written by: reg Daniels, Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant, Mindy Kaling, B.J Novak,   Directed by: Ken Kwapis, Ken Whittingham, Greg Daniels.  Produced by: Deedle Dee Productions, Reveille Productions and NBC Universal. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts.  To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week’s guest is one of America’s most beloved auteurs, and arguably the most laid-back director working today, Richard Linklater, who is on the show to tell Simon all about his latest black romantic comedy ‘Hit Man’, which sees a professor moonlighting as a hitman descend into dangerous, dubious territory when he finds himself attracted to a woman who enlists his services. Mark also gives his thoughts on the film, as well as reviewing ‘The Dead Don’t Hurt’, Viggo Mortensen’s directorial debut which sees a Franco Canadian woman and a Danish immigrant fall in love in 1860s San Francisco only to be separated by the American Civil War. The big review of the week is ‘Bad Boys: Ride or Die’, the fourth instalment of the Will Smith and Martin Lawrence buddy cop action series, which sees the duo’s late police captain get linked to drug cartels, prompting them to embark on a dangerous mission to clear his name. Timecodes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!): 06:36 – The Dead Don’t Hurt Review 12:20 – Box Office Top Ten 23:15 – Richard Linklater Interview 38:55 – Hit Man Review 46:35 – Bad Boys: Ride or Die Review You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ben and Nemone answer your questions and explore your suggestions. They talk about whether they have any friends who are spies and explore some brilliant female led comedies you've either missed or forgotten. We want to hear about any theories we might have missed, what you’ve thought of the show so far and your character suggestions. Please drop the team an email (which may be part of the show): shrinkthebox@sonymusic.com NEXT CLIENTS ON THE COUCH. Find out how to view here Michael, Office (USA. Season 1) Chandler, Friends (selected episodes) Sydney, The Bear (season 2) Tyrion, Game of Thrones (seasons 1&2). Alex and Bradley, The Morning Show (Season 1) Tasha, Orange is the New Black (season 2) CREDITS We used a clip from Girls, Series 6. Starring (in the clip we used): Lena Dunham as Hannah Horvath Adam Driver as Adam Sackler. Created by: Lena Dunham. Written by Lena Dunham and Judd Apatow. Directed by: Jesse Peretz Produced by: Home Box Office. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts. To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Take fave Benedict Cumberbatch tells Simon all about his psychological miniseries ‘Eric’, which sees him play troubled puppeteer Vincent, who clings to his missing son’s drawings of a blue monster puppet named Eric, convinced that if he can get Eric on TV then his son will come home.   Mark also gives his take on the show, as well as reviewing ‘Sting’, which sees a 12-year-old's pet spider rapidly transform into a giant flesh-eating monster, forcing the young girl to fight for her family’s survival.   This week’s big review is ‘The Beast’, a science fiction romantic drama loosely based on Henry James’ novella ‘The Beast in the Jungle’, which imagines a near future in which artificial intelligence is in control of everyone’s lives and human emotions are perceived as a threat. Lea Seydoux and ‘Gorgeous George’ Mackay star.   Timecodes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!):  08:14 – Sting Review  12:03– Box Office Top Ten  24:44 – Benedict Cumberbatch Interview  39:15 – Eric Review  45:42 – What's On June  49:06 – The Beast Review    You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo   EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee!  A Sony Music Entertainment production.     Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts    To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

He’s grumpy, belligerent, stubborn, filterless and has to win every single argument. We ask how Larry David has any friends left and why he is so concerned with manners, yet is rude to virtually everyone he meets. Plus, Ben and Nemone look at why some people find Curb Your Enthusiasm excruciating whilst others just can’t get enough of the hit show.   We want to hear about any theories we might have missed, what you’ve thought of the show so far and your character suggestions. Please drop the team an email (which may be part of the show): shrinkthebox@sonymusic.com    NEXT CLIENTS ON THE COUCH. Find out how to view here Michael, Office (USA. Season 1)  Chandler, Friends (selected episodes)  Sydney, The Bear (season 2)  Tyrion, Game of Thrones (seasons 1&2).  Alex and Bradley, The Morning Show (Season 1)   CREDITS  We used clips from Season 7 of Curb Your Enthusiasm. Episodes 1,4,5,7,10.    Starring (in the clips we used):   Larry David as Larry David,   Jeff Garlin as Jeff Greene  Cheryl Hines as Cheryl David  Susie Essman as Susie Greene  Jason Alexander as Jason Alexander  Bob Einstein as Marty Funkhouser  Catherine O'Hara as Bam Bam  Anita Barone, as Denise  Peter Mackenzie as Man in Shorts  Paul Webster as Larry's Friend Jim    Created and written by: Larry David. Directed by Larry Charles, Alec Berg, David Mandel, Bryan Gordon, Jeff Schaffer and Andy Ackerman,    Produced by: Linda Balaban, associate producer  Alec Berg, executive producer  Larry Charles, executive producer  Larry David, executive producer (showrunner) / executive producer  Jeff Garlin, executive producer  Tim Gibbons, executive producer  David Mandel, executive producer  Megan Murphy, co-producer  Erin O'Malley, executive producer  Gavin Polone, executive producer  Jeff Schaffer, executive producer (showrunner)  Laura Streicher, producer    Produced by HBO and Production Partners.   Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts.  To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, director George Miller sits down with Simon to chat all things ‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’, the origin story of renegade warrior Furiosa before her encounter and team-up with Mad Max. Mark also gives his take on the film, as well as reviewing ‘In Flames’, a Pakastani-Canadian supernatural drama, which sees a mother and daughter’s precarious existence ripped apart after the death of the family patriarch. The big review of the week is ‘The Garfield Movie’, which sees Chris Patt voice the iconic, Monday-hating, lasagna-loving cat, who finds himself unexpectedly reunited with his long-lost father, a scruffy street cat who draws him into a high-stakes heist. Timecodes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!): 08:18 – In Flames Review 12:04 – Box Office Top Ten 24:48 – George Miller Interview 39:29 - Furiosa Review 51:25 – The Garfield Movie Review You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Gang dynamics, whether you can escape a criminal heritage and the physiological cause and effect of PTSD. Plus, race rigging, opium smoking and casual violence - all in a day's work for The Peaky Blinders. Here’s the article Ben mentioned by his sister Zadie Smith: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1399593/My-father-the-accidental-hero.html We want to hear about any theories we might have missed, what you’ve thought of the show so far and your character suggestions. Please drop the team an email (which may be part of the show): shrinkthebox@sonymusic.com NEXT CLIENTS ON THE COUCH. Find out how to view here Larry David, Curb Your Enthusiasm (Season 7) Michael, Office (USA. Season 1) Chandler, Friends (selected episodes) Sydney, The Bear (season 2) Tyrion, Game of Thrones (seasons 1&2). CREDITS We used clips from Season 1 of Peaky Blinders. Starring: Cillian Murphy (Tommy Shelby), Paul Anderson (Arthur Shelby), Sophie Rundle (Ada Shelby) Helen McCrory (Polly Gray) and Samuel Edward Cook (Danny Whizz-bang). Created by: D Steven Knight Written by D Steven Knight, Toby Finlay and Stephen Russell. Directed by: Otto Bathurst and Tom Harper. Produced by: Caryn Mandabach Productions, Tiger Aspect Productions and British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts. To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Vicky McClure chats to Simon about her new limited series ‘Insomnia’, which sees a mother approaching her fortieth birthday forced to grapple with her traumatic past after she develops insomnia.   Mark gives his thoughts on various new releases, including ‘Two Tickets to Greece’, a French comedy-drama starring Laure Calamy (of ‘Call My Agent’ fame) which follows two childhood friends who cross paths after many years and finally decide to take their dream vacation to Greece; and ‘Hoard’, a social realist psychodrama, which sees a teenager living in a foster home encouraged by a previous resident to revisit her childhood memories of her mother who used to be a hoarder.   The big review of the week is 'If’, John Krasinski’s latest, which sees a 12-year-old girl, who can see everyone’s imaginary friends, embark on a magical journey to reconnect the forgotten so-called IFs with the now-adult kids who dreamt them up.  Timecodes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!):  07:00 – Two Tickets For Greece Review  11:49 – Box Office Top Ten  21:40 – Vicky McClure Interview  35:36 – Hoard Review  42:40 – IF Review    You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo   EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee!  A Sony Music Entertainment production.     Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts    To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As Cersei says: ‘power is power’ and she’s got it in spades. We investigate how she becomes a master manipulator, and we take an honest objective look at her over-familiar relations with her brother Jaime.  We want to hear about any theories we might have missed, what you’ve thought of the show so far and your character suggestions. Please drop the team an email (which may be part of the show): shrinkthebox@sonymusic.com NEXT CLIENTS ON THE COUCH. Find out how to view here  Tommy Shelby, Peaky Blinders (Season 1) Larry David, Curb Your Enthusiasm (Season 7) Michael, Office (USA. Season 1) Chandler, Friends (selected episodes) Sydney, The Bear (season 2) CREDITS We used clips from Season 1 and 2 of Game of Thrones.  Starring: Sean Bean as Ned Stark, Mark Addy as Robert Baratheon, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Jaime Lannister, Michelle Fairley as Catelyn Stark, Jack Gleeson as Joffrey Baratheon, Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister and Lena Headey as Cersei Lannister Based on: "A Song of Ice and Fire" by George R.R. Martin Created by: David Benioff and DB Weiss Written by: David Benioff, George R.R. Martin, Dave Hill, Bryan Cogman, Ethan J. Antonucci, Gursimran Sandhu, Vanessa Taylor and Jane Espenson.  (S1&2) Directed by: David Nutter, Alan Taylor, Daniel Minahan, Alik Sakharov, Brian Kirk, Timothy Van Patten, Nei Marshall, David Petrarca and Tom McCarthy. Produced by: Home Box Office (HBO), Television 360, Grok! Studio, (Grok! Television), Generator Entertainment and Bighead Littlehead. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Simon’s fave John Krasinski, along with Ms Fleabag herself, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, are on the show to discuss their new film ‘If’, which sees a 12-year-old girl who can see everyone’s imaginary friends, embark on a magical journey to reconnect the forgotten so-called IFs with the now-adult kids who dreamt them up. Mark will be reviewing the film next week. The good doctor Kermode gives his diagnosis on various new releases, including ‘Made in England’, a documentary in which legendary auteur Martin Scorsese reflects on the legacy and lasting influence of the equally legendary British filmmaking duo Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger; and ‘La Chimera’, Alice Rohrwacher’s latest about a British archaeologist who becomes embroiled in an international network of stolen Etruscan artifacts in the 1980s – its star Josh O’Connor was on the show to talk about last week. If you haven’t already his chat with Simon is an absolute must-listen! The big review of the week is ‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’, the fourth instalment of the ‘Planet of the Apes’ reboot franchise, which sees a young ape, many years after the reign of Caesar, embark on a journey that will lead him to question everything’s he’s been taught about the past and make choices that will define a future for apes and humans alike. Timecodes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!): 06:34 – Made In England Review 11:47 – Box Office Top Ten 25:18 – John Krasinski and Phoebe Waller-Bridge Interview 41:23 – La Chimera Review 47:36 – Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes Review You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Where does Frasier’s snobbery originate from? Why does he revert to his ‘child state’ when around his father? And... the hidden story behind Frasier being a Freudian analyst and Niles (his brother) being a Jungian analyst. Plus, Ben and Nemone’s minds are blown when they realise a crazy coincidence with Frasier and Tony Soprano. We want to hear from you!!! Please drop the team an email with your questions and theories (which may be part of the show): shrinkthebox@sonymusic.com NEXT CLIENTS ON THE COUCH. Find out how to view here Cersei, Game of Thrones (Season 1) Tommy Shelby, Peaky Blinders (Season 1) Larry David, Curb Your Enthusiasm (Season 7) Sydney, The Bear (Season 2) Michael, Office (USA. Season 1) CREDITS We used clips from Season 1 of Frasier Starring: Kelsey Grammar as Dr Fraiser Crane, David Hyde Pierce as Niles Crane, John Mahoney as Martin Crane, Peri Gilpin as Roz Doyle and Jane Leeves as Daphne Moon. Created and written by: David Angell, Peter Casey, David Lee and Brad Hall. Directed by: James Burrows, David Lee, Andy Ackerman and Rick Beren. Produced by: Grub Street Productions, Paramount Network Television, Paramount Television (in association with) Grammnet Productions and National Broadcasting Company (NBC) Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, man of the moment Josh O’Connor is in the studio to chat to Simon about his leading role in ‘La Chimera’, Italian auteur Alice Rohrwacher’s period fantasy drama about a British archaeologist who becomes involved in an international network of stolen Etruscan artifacts during the 1980s. Mark gives his take on various new releases including ‘Love Lies Bleeding’, the latest offering from Kermode fave Rose Glass, which sees Kristen Stewart play a reclusive gym manager who falls for an ambitious bodybuilder only for the pair to become embroiled in the former’s violent criminal family; and ‘The Idea of You’, an Anne Hathaway-starring romcom that sees a 40-year-old single mum begin an unexpected romance with the 24-year-old leader singer of the biggest boy band on the planet. The big review of the week is 'The Fall Guy’, a Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt-starring action comedy, which sees a battle-scarred stuntman spring back into action when the star of a big studio movie suddenly and mysteriously disappears. Timecodes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!): 06:20 – Love Lies Bleeding Review 12:36 – Box Office Top Ten 25:02 – Josh O’Connor Interview 42:24 – The Idea of You 48:46 – What's On May 55:23 – The Fall Guy You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week there’s no guest, but lots more witterings from the good doctors to make up for it.   Mark gives his take on a swathe of new films, including ‘Ordinary Angels’, a Hilary Swank-starring emotional drama about a hairdresser who rallies an entire community to help a widowed father get his critically ill youngest daughter a liver transplant; ‘Boy Kills World’, an action thriller about a martial arts expert who goes on a campaign of vengeance after he is rendered deaf-mute by an attack that killed his entire family; ‘I.S.S.’, a science fiction thriller, which sees tensions flare aboard the International Space Station when a worldwide conflict breaks out on earth; and ‘Challengers’, Luca Guadagnino’s latest, which sees Zendaya star as a former-tennis-prodigy-turned-coach who transforms her husband into a world-famous grand slam champion only to become embroiled in a love triangle when he competes against his former best friend – and her former lover.   The big review of the week is ‘The American Society of Magical Negroes’, a comedy-drama, which sees a young man join a clandestine group of magical African Americans committed to enhancing the lives of white individuals, satirising the Magical Negro trope.   Timecodes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!): 09:39 – Orindary Angels 16:42 – Boy Kills World 20:45 – Box Office Top Ten 35:19 – I.S.S. 43:33 – Challengers 50:27 – American Society of Magical Negroes You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo   EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee!  A Sony Music Entertainment production.     Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts    To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week Simon and Mark are away so instead we have a clip episode for your viewing pleasure featuring interviews with the likes of Ramy Youssef and Emma Stone, Denis Villeneuve and Hans Zimmer; and reviews of everything from ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ to Madame Web. Enjoy listening to some of the best The Take has had to offer these past few months! Timecodes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!): 2:08 The Holdovers (Alexander Payne, Universal) 4:57  Scala!!! (Jane Giles, Ali Catterall, BFI) 8:35 Zone of Interest (Jonathan Glazer, A24) 12:19 All of us strangers (Andrew Haigh, Disney) 15:42 Poor Things (Yorgos Lanthimos, Disney) 21:19 Ramy Youssef and Emma Stone 25:21 Denis Villeneuve and Hans Zimmer 31:02 Cate Blanchett 35:12 Cillian Murphy 42:13 Kung Fu Panda (Mike Mitchell, Universal) 45:42 Godzilla x Kong The New Empire ( Adam Wingard, Warner Bros) 47:11 Madame Web (SJ Clarkson, Columbia Pictures) 50:49 Driveaway Dolls (Ethan Coen, Universal) 53:59 Ghostbusters Frozen Empire (Gil Kenan, Columbia) You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Kirsten Dunst and Alex Garland sit down to chat with Simon about their new film ‘Civil War’, which sees Dunst star as a photojournalist travelling with her team across a dystopian United States, engulfed by a second civil war, in a bid to interview and photograph the president. Mark also gives his take on the film, as well as reviewing ‘The Teachers’ Lounge’, a drama in which a teacher decides to step in when one of her students is suspected of theft, finding herself caught between her ideals and the school system in the process; and ‘The First Omen’, which sees a young American nun start to question her own faith when she uncovers a terrifying conspiracy to bring about the birth of evil incarnate in Rome. The big review of the week is ‘Back to Black’, a musical biopic about singer Amy Winehouse’s tumultuous relationship with Blake Fielder-Civil inspires her to write and record the groundbreaking album ‘Back to Black’. Timecodes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!): The Teachers’ Lounge – 6:58 Box Office Top Ten – 10:55 The First Omen – 13:16 Kirsten Dunst & Alex Garland Interview – 25:32 Civil War Review – 37:45 Back to Black Review – 46:11 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, the lovely Dev Patel is on the show to chat all things ‘Monkey Man’, his (co) writing and directorial debut, which sees a young man hunt down the group of corrupt leaders responsible for his mother’s death. Mark also gives his thoughts on the film, as well as reviewing ‘Evil Does Not Exist’, an enigmatic eco-parable, which sees a Tokyo company buy up land near a pristine lake in a bid to turn it into a glamping site; and ‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’, a Rebecca Hall-starring follow-up to the 2021 monster film, which sees Godzilla and the almighty Kong face a colossal threat hidden deep within the planet that challenges their very existence and the survival of the human race. The big review of the week is ‘Seize Them!’, a Dark Ages-set comedy romp, which sees a queen, played by Aimee Lou Wood, forced to endure hardship and danger as she embarks on a voyage to win back her throne. Timecodes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!): Evil Does Not Exist – 7:05 Box Office Top Ten – 12:45 Godzilla x Kong – 16:54 Dev Patel Interview – 25:49 Monkey Man Review – 40:17 Seize Them! Review – 47:43 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Obi Wan Kenobi himself, aka Ewan McGregor, sits down with Simon to discuss his new miniseries ‘A Gentleman in Moscow’, which sees a Russian aristocrat spared from death and placed under house arrest while the Bolshevik Revolution plays out before him. Mark also gives his take on the series, as well as reviewing ‘Mothers’ Instinct’, a Jessica Chastain and Anne Hathaway-starring thriller about a pair of rich suburban housewives, whose sisterly bond is unraveled after a tragic accident shatters their seemingly picture-perfect lives; and ‘Silver Haze’, a British drama about a young nurse, who is unable to build any meaningful relationship thanks to her obsession with getting revenge for a traumatic event that happened 15 years prior, until she falls in love with one of her patients. Plus, Mark and Simon keep us up to date on the cinematic events happening around the country. Timecodes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!): 07:14 Mother’s Instinct Review 14:21 Box Office Top 10 30:55 Interview with Ewan McGregor 42:05 A Gentleman in Moscow Review 48:22 Silver Haze Review 52:24 What’s On You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

No interview this week, but even more witterings from your favourite duo for your trouble. Mark gives his thoughts on new releases, including ‘Late Night with the Devil’, a found footage horror, which sees a 1977 live television broadcast go horribly wrong, unleashing evil into the nation’s living rooms; ‘Immaculate’, a Sydney Sweeney-starring horror about an American nun who heads to a convent in Italy only to discover that her new home harbours a sinister secret; and ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’, the latest instalment in the supernatural comedy franchise, which sees Ghostbusters new and old join forces to protect their home against evil forces and save the world from a second ice age. Plus, Mark and Simon keep us abreast of the cinematic events happening around the country. Timecodes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!): 08:38 Late Night with the Devil review 19:25 Box Office Top 10 39:08 Immaculate review 45:56 Laughter Lift 52:01 Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire review 01:00:13 What’s On You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, the one and only Cate Blanchett joins Mark and Simon for a chat about her drama ‘The New Boy’, which follows a young Aboriginal Australia orphan, who is brought into a Christian monastery, run by a renegade nun, begin to question his faith and loyalty to his heritage. Mark gives his take on the film, as well as reviewing ‘Monster’, a Japanese psychological mystery thriller about a mother who confronts a teacher after noticing disturbing changes in her son’s behaviour; and ‘Drive Away Dolls’, an Ethan Coen-helmed road trip caper about two lesbian friends who get caught up in crime. Plus, Mark and Simon keep us abreast of the cinematic events happening around the country. Timecodes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!): 08:23 Monster review 23:27 Box Office Top 10 37:28 Cate Blanchett interview 52:03 The New Boy review 57:23 Laughter Lift 01:02:48 Drive-Away Dolls review 01:09:23 What’s On You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, acclaimed director Ava DuVernay chats to Simon and Mark about ‘Origin’, her new biographical drama based on the life of the author Isabel Wilkerson who wrote the seminal book ‘Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents’, while coping with personal tragedy. Mark also offers his thoughts on the film, as well as reviewing ‘The Inventor’, a Stephen Fry-starring animation, which imagines Leonardo da Vinci, as he leaves Italy to join the French court, where he can experiment, study and invent freely; and ‘High and Low – John Galliano’, a documentary charting the triumphs and controversies of the legendary and controversial fashion designer. Plus, Mark and Simon keep us abreast of the cinematic events happening around the country. Timecodes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!): 08:16 High & Low: John Galliano review 20:52 Box Office Top 10 32:52 Ava DuVernay interview 47:29 Origin review 54:55 Laughter Lift 01:03:42 The Inventor review 01:09:09 What’s On You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With the 2024 Academy Awards taking place on Sunday, the most trusted voices in film Mark and Simon are here to guide you through the 10 films in the running for Best Picture.   Featuring highlights from interviews with directors Greta Gerwig, Celine Song and Jonathan Glazer, and actors Cillian Murphy (an exclusive unheard part of his chat with the pair), Emma Stone, and Jeffrey Wright. Plus Mark’s thoughts on all of the films involved.   Timecodes for the Vanguard:   02:36 Cillian Murphy interview (exclusive unheard part of interview)  06:39 Oppenheimer review  09:06 Greta Gerwig interview  12:19 Barbie review  15:35 Killers of the Flower Moon review  20:07 Emma Stone and Ramy Youssef interview  23:14 Poor Things review  25:35 The Holdovers review  32:54 Jonathan Glazer interview  36:02 The Zone of Interest review  39:16 Maestro review  44:42 Jeffrey Wright interview  47:22 American Fiction review  50:20 Anatomy of a Fall review  55:07 Celine Song interview  58:53 Past Lives review  A Sony Music Entertainment production.     Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts    To advertise on this show contact: podcastsales@sonymusic.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, acclaimed director Denis Villeneuve and renowned composer Hans Zimmer join Simon for a chat about their hotly-anticipated project, ‘Dune: Part Two’ - the next chapter in their adaptation of Frank Herbert’s legendary sci-fi saga.  Mark also gives his take on the film, as well as reviewing ‘Four Daughters’, Kaouther Ben Hania’s Oscar-nominated documentary, which mixes fact and fiction to tell the story of Olfa Hamrouni, a Tunisian woman whose two eldest daughters were radicalized by Islamic extremists; and ‘Lisa Frankenstein’, a Diablo Cody-penned comedy about a misunderstood teenager and a reanimated Victorian corpse who embark on a murderous – and romantic – journey together.   Plus, Mark and Simon tell us about the exciting cinematic events happening around the country.    Timecodes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!):  08:39 Four Daughters review  22:19 Box Office Top 10   34:33 Denis Villeneuve and Hans Zimmer interview  49:31 Dune: Part Two review  01:00:13 Laughter Lift   01:02:44 Lisa Frankenstein review   01:08:38 What’s On   You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo   EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee!  A Sony Music Entertainment production.     Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts    To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, director Jonathan Glazer talks to Simon about his Bafta award-winning and Oscar-nominated historical drama ‘The Zone of Interest, which follows the commandant of Auschwitz and his wife, as they strive to build a dream life for their family in a house next to the camp. Meanwhile, Mark gives his take on an array of new releases, including ‘Perfect Days’, Wim Wenders’ latest offering, which follows a toilet cleaner in Tokyo, who finds joy in the mundane, but beautiful, details of everyday life; ‘Madame Web’, Dakota Johnson’s first superhero outing, which sees her play a New York City paramedic who starts to show signs of clairvoyance and must protect three young women from a mysterious adversary who wants them dead; ‘Shoshana’, Michael Winterbottom’s biographical thriller about the tragic, real life love story between Shoshana Borochov and Tom Wilkin, set against the British Mandate in Palestine; and ‘Wicked Little Lies’, a star-studded British black comedy about a real life scandal that saw residents of a quaint Sussex town receive letters filled with obscenities and hilarious profanity. Plus, Mark and Simon tell us about your own cinematic events happening around the country. Timecodes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!): 12:29 Perfect Days review 23:46 Box Office Top 10 29:48 Madame Web review 37:00 Jonathan Glazer interview 53:43 Shoshana review 01:03:49 What’s On 01:04:47 Wicked Little Letters review You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy Valentine’s! Sit back and enjoy our latest episode – a gift to all film lovers. This week, director Michael Winterbottom talks to Simon about his new biographical thriller ‘Shoshana’, which follows the tragic real life love story between Shoshana Borochov and Tom Wilkin, set against the British Mandate in Palestine. Mark will be reviewing ‘Shoshana’ next week, but, in the meantime, gives his take on various other new releases, including ‘Someone’s Daughter, Someone’s Son’, a documentary in which filmmaker Lorna Tucker returns to her former haunts and speaks to current and former homeless people about why, 25 years on, record numbers of people are still reduced to living on Britain’s streets; ‘Bob Marley: One Love’, a biopic exploring the life and struggles of the legendary reggae musician and activist; and ‘The Taste of Things’, a romantic drama which follows the relationship between a cook, played by Juliette Binoche, and the gourmet she works for - an apt cinematic treat for this Valentine’s week. Timecodes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!): 08:05 Somone’s Daughter, Someone’s Son review 19:59 Box Office Top 10 37:26 Michael Winterbottom interview 52:42 Bob Marley: One Love review 01:00:11 Laughter Lift 01:04:48 The Taste of Things review You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Steve McQueen and his wife, historian, filmmaker and producer Bianca Stigter, are in the studio to chat with Simon about ‘Occupied City’, their four-hour documentary about the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam from 1940-45, which is based on Stigter’s book on the subject. Mark gives his thoughts on the film, along with reviewing ‘Your Fat Friend’, a documentary that charts the rise of writer and activist Aubrey Gordon from anonymous blogger to NYTimes best-selling author and podcaster, whose goal is to shift the way we see fat people in the world and the fat on our own bodies; and ‘The Iron Claw’, the Zac Efron-starring true story of the Von Erich brothers, who made history in the intensely competitive world of professional wrestling in the early 1980s. Plus, we find out about the exciting cinematic events happening around the UK. Timecodes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!): 08:44 Your Fat Friend review 19:00 Box Office Top 10 34:00 Steve McQueen and Bianca Stigter interview 49:32 Occupied City review 59:03 Laughter Lift 01:01:49 The Iron Claw review 01:08:00 What’s On You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s a bumper week for (lauded) guests! Simon chats to Jeffrey Wright about his Oscar-nominated role in ‘American Fiction’, which tells the story of a Black novelist, frustrated with the establishment that profits from Black entertainment that relies on tired and offensive tropes, who uses a pen name to write an outlandish Black book of his own, only to find himself at the heart of hypocrisy and the madness he claims to disdain; and both Simon and Mark talk to Cillian Murphy about his Oscar-nominated turn as J. Robert Oppenheimer in Christopher Nolan’s eponymous biopic.   Mark gives his thoughts on ‘American Fiction’, along with reviewing Jonathan Glazer’s historical drama ‘The Zone of Interest’, which follows the commandant of Auschwitz, Rudolf Höss, and his wife Hedwig, as they strive to build a dream life for their family in a house and garden next to the camp; and ‘Argylle’, a star-studded spy action-comedy about a reclusive author who writes best-selling espionage novels about a secret agent on a mission to unravel a global spy syndicate only to find that the plots of her books are starting to mirror the covert actions of a real-life spy organisation.   A very glitzy week for you!  Time Codes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!):  08:15 The Zone of Interest review  22:13 Box Office Top 10  31:29 Jeffrey Wright interview  45:47 American Fiction review  53:41 Laughter Lift  55:44 Cillian Murphy interview  01:07:52 Argylle review  You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo   EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee!  A Sony Music Entertainment production.     Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts    To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Simon sits down for a thoughtful and moving chat with director Andrew Haigh about his new Bafta-nominated drama ‘All of Us Strangers’, which sees Andrew Scott play a lonely screenwriter drawn back to his childhood home, where his parents appear to be living, just as they were on the day they died 30 years ago. Mark also gives his take on the film, as well reviewing ‘Baghead’, a horror in which a young woman discovers the pub she’s inherited is home to a 400-year-old she-devil; and ‘The Color Purple’, the second adaptation of Alice Walker’s classic novel, which tells the story of Celie, an African American woman living in the American South during the early 1900s. Plus, it’s awards season! The duo give their thoughts on who was – and wasn’t, ahem - nominated at this year’s Oscars. Time Codes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!): 10:55 Baghead review 23:24 Box Office Top 10 35:44 Andrew Haigh interview 50:54 All of Us Strangers review 57:10 Laughter Lift 59:18 The Color Purple review 01:06:16 What’s On You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, the one and only Daniel Kaluuya is in the studio and ready to chat with Mark and Simon about his dystopian directorial debut – co-directed with his longtime friend and collaborator Kibwe Tavares - ‘The Kitchen’, which sees a funeral-service worker looking for a way out of the chaotic housing block of the title.   Mark also offers up his critical perspective on the film, as well as reviewing ‘The End Where We Start From’, a Jodie Comer-starring drama about a woman trying to find her way home with her newborn as an environmental crisis submerges London in floodwaters; and ‘The Holdovers’, Alexander Payne’s latest, which sees Paul Giamatti play a curmudgeonly teacher at a New England school, who remains on campus during Christmas break to babysit a handful of students only to form an unlikely bond with a brainy but damaged troublemaker and the school’s head cook.   Time Codes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!):  09:50 The End We Start From review  21:13 Box Office Top 10  38:28 Daniel Kaluuya interview  57:32 The Kitchen review  01:00:32 The Laughter Lift   01:03:15 The Holdovers review  01:09:43 What’s On You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo   EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee!  A Sony Music Entertainment production.     Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts    To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

OK, now we are really back! Mark and Simon are firmly back in their seats and ready to shepherd you through a new year in cinema. This week, Simon sits down with Emma Stone and Ramy Youssef to discuss their roles in Yorgos Lanthimos’ wild new science fantasy black comedy ‘Poor Things’, which tells the story of a young woman in Victorian London, who, after being crudely resurrected by a scientist following her suicide, runs off with a debauched lawyer to embark on an odyssey of self-discovery and sexual liberation. Mark also offers his thoughts on the film, as well as reviewing ‘The Disappearance of Shere Hite’, a documentary narrated by Dakota Johnson, which follows the life of American-born German sex educator and feminist Shere Hite; and the George Clooney-helmed ‘The Boys in the Boat’, a biographical sports drama about the University of Washington rowing team that represented the United States at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin. Time Codes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!): 08:39 The Disappearance Of Shere Hite review 17:44 Box Office Top 10 33:41 Interview with Emma Stone and Ramy Youssef 49:43 Poor Things review 58:21 Laughter Lift 01:02:37 The Boys in the Boat revew 01:08:53 What’s On You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’re back! Well kind of. This week, Robbie Collin and Rhianna Dhillon are filling in for Mark and Simon, who are still recovering from their completely raucous New Year celebrations. Rhianna chats to director James Hawes about his new war drama ‘One Life’, which sees both Anthony Hopkins and Johnny Flynn star as humanitarian Nicholas Winton, who is known for his role in rescuing Jewish children during the Holocaust. Robbie gives his take on the film, as well as reviewing ‘Night Swim’, a horror about a haunted swimming pool – yes, you read that right, a haunted swimming pool; and ‘Good Grief’, the directorial debut of Dan Levy of Schitt’s Creek fame, which follows an artist who takes his two best friends on a trip to Paris after the death of his famous writer husband. Time Codes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!): 03:07 Night Swim review 15:52 Box Office Top 10 35:01 James Hawes interview 50:04 One Life review 54:58 Laughter Lift 59:29 Good Grief review 01:07:18 What’s On You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week sees Mark review ‘Raging Grace’, a social issue drama-come-gothic horror about a Filipino single mother working in a sinister British family mansion; ‘Priscilla’, Sofia Coppola’s adaptation of Priscilla Presley’s 1985 memoir about her complicated relationship with music icon Elvis Presley; and ‘Scala!!!’, a documentary telling the riotous story of the famed London cinema, which inspired a generation during Britain’s turbulent Thatcher years. Plus, Mark talks us through his best and worst films of 2023. You’re welcome! Time Codes (relevant only when you are part of the Vanguard): 10:36 Raging Grace review 21:16 Priscilla review 31:30 Scala!!! review 41:32 Mark’s Top 5 and Bottom 5 Films of 2023 A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s Christmas! This week, Simon chats to Zack Snyder about his new space opera ‘Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire’, which sees an ex-soldier search for allies to help defend her home when it is threatened by the cruel ruling Imperium. Mark gives his take on the film, as well as reviewing ‘The Boy and the Heron’, the long-awaited and apparently final film from legendary filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki, which follows a 12-year-old boy, who, after speaking to a talking heron, journeys into another world to search for his mother, who he believed to be dead; and ‘Ferrari’, Michael Mann’s 30-years-in-the-making passion project, a biographical sports drama about  Enzo Ferrari, who founded the iconic Italian car company. Time Codes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free): 11:35 The Boy and the Heron Review 20:08 Box Office Top Ten 31:53 Zack Snyder Interview 49:00 Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire Review 57:36 Laughter Lift 01:05:14 Ferrari Review 01:13:00 What’s On You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week sees Mark and Simon chat to director, writer and producer Taika Waititi and American Samoan footballer Jaiyah Saelua about ‘Next Goal Wins’, a sports comedy-drama based on the documentary of the same name, which chronicles the national team of American Samoa as they try to recover from the indignity of the worst loss in international football history and attempt to qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Mark also offers up his thoughts on the film, along with reviewing ‘What Happens Later’, a romantic comedy that marks Meg Ryan’s second outing as director, and sees her star alongside David Duchovny as ex-lovers that get snowed-in at a regional airport; ‘The Three Musketeers: Milady’, an adaptation of Alexandre Dumas’ classic novel, which sees D’Artagnan embark on a frantic quest to save the woman he loves, joining forces with the mysterious Milady de Winter in the process; and ‘Godzilla Minus One’, a Japanese-language addition to the Godzilla franchise, which sees a post war Japan faced with a new crisis in the form of a giant monster, baptised in the horrific power of the atomic bomb. Time Codes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!): 08:32 What Happens Later Review 17:41 Box Office Top Ten 28:20 Taika Waititi and Jaiyah Saelua Interview 44:21 Next Goal Wins Review 49:45 Laughter Lift 56:01 The Three Musketeers: Milady Review 59:34 Godzilla Minus One Review 01:08:18 What’s On You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon sits down with director and screenwriter Paul King and screenwriter Simon Farnaby to discuss their new Timothée Chalamet-starring Christmas blockbuster, ‘Wonka’, which is a prequel to the Roald Dahl children’s classic ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’. Mark gives his take on the film, along with reviewing ‘Please Don’t Destroy: The Treasure of Foggy Mountain’, the Saturday Night Live trio’s first comedy feature about a three childhood friends who realise they don’t like their life trajectory and so set off to find the treasure that is rumoured to be buried in a nearby mountain; and ‘Leave the World Behind’, Mr. Robot creator Sam Esmail’s star-studded psychological thriller – and adaptation of the novel of the same – which sees a family’s Long Island vacation interrupted by two strangers bearing news of a mysterious blackout. Time Codes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are ad-free!): 09:44 Please Don’t Destroy: The Treasure of Foggy Mountain Review 18:45 Box Office Top Ten 35:05 Simon Farnaby and Paul King Interview 51:05 Wonka Review 01:00:19 Laughter Lift 01:04:05 Leave the World Behind Review 01:13:38 What’s On You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s another bumper week for guests: Simon and Mark chat to their fave “gorgeous George” Mackay about his new psychosexual noir ‘Femme’, which sees a man who is targeted in a horrific homophobic attack seek revenge on one of his attackers, played by Mackay. They also say hello to Jason Isaacs, who is here in the studio to chew the fat and discuss his turn as Hollywood legend Cary Grant in the ITV miniseries ‘Archie’. Mark gives his thoughts on both, along with reviewing ‘Eileen’, an adaptation of Ottessa Moshfegh’s best-selling, psychological-thriller novel about a shy young woman working at a prison when a captivating, glamorous counsellor, played by Anne Hathaway, and helps her access new facets of her personality, but may be drawing her into something more dangerous - Hathaway described it as ‘Carol’ meets ‘Reservoir Dogs’. Time Codes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are ad-free!): 06:54 Eileen review 15:55 Box Office Top Ten 27:36 Jasson Isaacs interview 51:24 Laughter Lift 54:41 George MacKay interview 01:11:49 Femme review 01:15:35 What’s On You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Strap in for a bumper week of interviews: Simon sits down for an entertaining chat with Joaquin Phoenix and Vanessa Kirby to discuss their turns in Ridley Scott’s new epic, ‘Napoleon’, which looks at the military commander’s origins and ruthless climb to emperor through the prism of his volatile relationship with his wife and one true love, Josephine; and both Simon and Mark talk to Jodie Whittaker about her new Australian-set series ‘One Night’, which follows three friends whose friendship was destroyed by a traumatic event 20 years prior. Mark gives his thoughts on both, along with reviewing Joanna Hogg’s latest offering, ‘The Eternal Daughter’, a gothic mystery drama, which stars long-time collaborator Tilda Swinton in a double role, playing both a middle-aged filmmaker and her elderly mother who are guests at a mysterious hotel. Time Codes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are ad-free!): 06:26 The Eternal Daughter review 16:37 Box Office Top Ten 29:45 Jodie Whittaker interview 46:36 One Night review 51:26 Laughter Lift 54:44 Joaquin Phoenix and Vanessa Kirby interview 01:09:58 Napoleon review 01:19:25 What’s On You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon meets director Todd Haynes to discuss his thorny, new offering ‘May December’, which stars the powerhouse duo of Julianne Moore and Natalie Portman, and tells the story of a seemingly perfect married couple’s marriage buckling under the pressure when an actress arrives to do research for a film about their notorious tabloid romance twenty years prior. Mark also weighs in on the film, along with giving his thoughts on ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’, the latest instalment of the dystopian kids franchise, which sees Rachel Zegler star as a defiant female tribute from the impoverished District 12; ‘The Marvels’, the second instalment for Brie Larson’s titular superhero Captain, which sees Carol Danvers get her powers entangled with those of Kamala Khan and Monica Rambeau, forcing them to work together to save the universe; and ‘Saltburn’, Emerald Fennell’s class-skewering psychological thriller, which she was on the show to talk about last week. Plus, Mark and Simon take us through the Box Office Top 10 and the film events worth catching in this week’s What’s On. Time Codes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are ad-free!): 09:53 Hunger Games The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes Review 21:55 Box Office Top Ten 30:37 The Marvels Review 35:43 Todd Haynes Interview 56:26 Laughter Lift 01:00:15 Salburn Review 01:11:44 What's On You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon sits down with actor-writer-director Emerald Fennell to discuss her new, star-studded, class-skewering, psychological thriller ‘Saltburn’, which sees an Oxford scholarship student drawn into the world of a charming aristocrat when he invites him to his family’s sprawling country estate.   Mark reviews ‘The Automat’, a Mel Brooks-fronted documentary centered on the vending machine popularised in the 20th Century that offered fresh cooked meals in a commissary-style eatery; ‘Anatomy of a Fall’, the Palme d’Or winning crime thriller about the trial of a woman accused of murdering her husband in their remote chalet in the French Alps; ‘Dream Scenario’, a surreal comedy about a hapless family man, played by Nicolas Cage, who finds his life upended when millions of strangers start seeing him in their dreams.   Plus, Mark and Simon take us through the Box Office Top 10 and the film events worth catching in this week’s What’s On.     Time Codes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are ad-free!):  09:15 The Automat Review  20:48 Box Office Top Ten   36:56 Emerald Fennell Interview  52:35 Laughter Lift  55:18 Anatomy of a Fall Review  01:03:38 Dream Scenario Review  01:12:06 What's On  You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo    EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee!  A Sony Music Entertainment production.     Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts    To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Simon sits down with the brilliant and always-interesting Gabriel Byrne for a philosophical chat about his turn as the legendary Irish playwright Samuel Beckett in ‘Dance First’, James Marsh’s experimental biographical drama. Their conversation is so good, there’s more of it in Take 2! Mark also gives his thoughts on the film, as well as reviewing ‘How To Have Sex’, cinematographer-turned director Molly Manning Walker's Cannes-winning feature debut about  a group of teen girls’ rite-of-passage first holiday to Malia; ‘Bottoms’, the Young Hollywood-packed second feature from director Emma Seligman, which follows two unpopular queer high school students as they start a fight club in a bid to have sex before graduation; and ‘The Killer’, David Fincher’s latest offering starring Michael Fassbender as a – you guessed it – contract killer with a growing conscience. Plus, Mark and Simon take us through the Box Office Top 10 and the film events worth catching in this week’s What’s On. Time Codes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are ad-free!): 11:12 How To Have Sex Review 21:24 Box Office Top Ten 32:55 Gabriel Byrne Interview 46:50 Dance First Review 52:09 Laughter Lift 57:52 Bottoms Review 01:04:27 The Killer Review 01:11:46 What's On You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, certified film royalty is in the studio! Mark and Simon sit down with Martin Scorsese’s legendary film editor, Thelma Schoonmaker, who is here to discuss restoring her late husband director Michael Powell’s equally legendary body of work as part of the iconic filmmaking duo Powell and Pressburger. She also talks about her own work with Scorsese. A must listen! Mark reviews the restoration of the Powell and Pressburger classic ‘Peeping Tom’, a psychological horror about a filmmaker who murders women and records their dying moments; ‘Typist Artist Pirate King’, director Carol Morley’s warm and sympathetic fictionalised portrait of the late “avant-garde and misunderstood” artist Audrey Amiss; ‘Cat Person’, a darkly comic psychological thriller about a college student who goes on an awkward date with an older man who may be a murderer, based on Kristen Roupenian’s viral New Yorker short story of the same name; and ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s, a supernatural horror inspired by the indie video game of the same name, which sees a troubled security guard menaced by creepy, animatronic, funhouse animals. Plus, the duo takes us through the Box Office Top 10 and the film events worth catching in this week’s What’s On. Time Codes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are ad-free!): 10:38 Typist Artist Pirate King Review 22:27 Box Office Top Ten 35:45 Thelma Schoonmaker Interview 53:32 Laughter Lift 58:06 Cat Person Review 01:04:56 Five Nights At Freddy’s Review 01:10:17 What's On You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tristan Redman is a journalist who doesn’t believe in ghosts. But weird things happened in his teenage bedroom – weirder than normal. When, years later, he discovers subsequent occupants of his family home were haunted by the ghost of a faceless woman, he’s curious. Because by a strange coincidence, it just so happens that the house Tristan grew up in is right next door to a murder scene - where his wife’s great grandmother was killed by two gunshots to the face. Could there be a connection? Tristan decides to investigate and soon finds himself where no son-in-law should ever be: delving deep into his wife’s family history, asking questions no one wants answered. Wondery and Pineapple Street Studios present Ghost Story — a seven-part podcast series about family secrets, overwhelming coincidences and the things that come back to haunt us. Follow Ghost Story on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Listen everywhere on October 23rd or you can binge ad-free on Wondery Plus starting the same day. Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon may be back in the studio, but this week Mark steps into the interviewer’s chair. He sits down with legendary documentarian Errol Morris to discuss his new film about the storied life and career of the equally legendary spy novelist, John le Carré. Mark also gives his take on ‘Foe’, a psychological sci-fi starring Saoirse Ronan and Paul Mescal as a married couple conscripted into an off-planet settlement program; and ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’, Martin Scorsese’s epic Western crime drama set in 1920s Oklahoma, which centres on the serial murder of members of the oil-rich Osage Nation, a string of brutal crimes that came to be known as the Reign of Terror. Plus our favourite duo takes us through the Box Office Top 10 and the film events worth catching in this week’s What’s On. Time Codes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are ad-free!): 11:19 Foe Review 20:53 Box Office Top Ten 36:20 Errol Morris Interview 48:56 The Pigeon Tunnel Review 54:17 Laughter Lift 58:54 Killers of the Flower Moon Review 01:08:48 What's On You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Mark hosts the show alongside Take fave Ben Bailey-Smith. Ben sits down with one of Hollywood’s finest actresses Laura Linney to discuss her sentimental comedy-drama ‘The Miracle Club’, which follows a group of Dublin women in 1960’s Ireland as they embark on a once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage to Lourdes. Mark offers his own thoughts on the film, while also giving his take on ‘Blackberry’, a Glenn Howerton-starring biographical drama about the rise and fall of the world’s first smartphone; ‘Silver Dollar Road’, Raoul Peck’s latest documentary about a Black family’s decades-long legal fight to maintain ownership of their coastal property in North Carolina; and ‘The Fall of the House of Usher’, a Mike Flanagan-helmed Netflix horror miniseries loosely based on the Edgar Allan Poe short story of the same name. Mark and Ben also take us through the Box Office Top 10 and the film events worth catching in this week’s What’s On. Time Codes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are ad-free!): 09:37 Silver Dollar Road Review 18:12 Box Office Top Ten 20:17 Blackberry Mini Review 34:49 Laura Linney Interview 49:12 The Miracle Club Review 55:23 Laughter Lift 01:04:34 Fall Of the House of Usher Review 01:09:47 What's On You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Simon sits down with director Gareth Edwards to talk about his new AI-centred sci-fi action thriller epic, ‘The Creator’. Mark reviewed this last week. Other films Mark gives his takes on include ‘The Exorcist: Believer’, the sixth instalment of the horror franchise, which sees Hollywood icon Ellen Burstyn reprise her role from the original film; ‘The Burial’, a Jamie Foxx and Tommy Lee Jones-helmed legal drama about a lawyer who helps a funeral home-owner save his family business from a corporate behemoth; and ‘The Great Escaper’, which sees a World War 2 veteran, played by Michael Caine, escape from his care home to attend the 70th anniversary of the D-Day Landings in France. Our dynamic duo also takes us through the Box Office Top 10 and the film events worth catching in this week’s What’s On. Time Codes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are ad-free!): 09:59 The Great Escaper Review 20:59 Box Office Top Ten 30:50 Gareth Edwards Interview 49:00 The Burial Review 52:59 Laughter Lift 56:53 The Exorcist: Believer Review 01:06:06 What's On You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week’s episode sees Simon interview director Craig Gillespie, to discuss his film 'Dumb Money’, which is based on the true story of everyday people who flipped the script on Wall Street and got rich by turning GameStop(!) into the world's hottest company. Mark reviewed this in full last week. Other films Mark reviews include ‘The Creator’ - set against the backdrop of a war between humans and robots with AI, a former soldier finds a secret weapon, which turns out to be a robot in the form of a child. Plus ‘Saw X’, where John is back; he travels to Mexico for a risky, experimental medical procedure in the hopes of a miracle cure for cancer... only to discover the entire operation is a scam. Obviously they also cover the Box Office Top 10, plus it’s a bumper episode for What’s On. Time Codes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are ad-free!): 09:46 The Creator Review 20:19 Box Office Top Ten 38:15 Craig Gillespie Interview 58:04 Laughter Lift 01:03:08 Saw X Review 01:11:25 What's On You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The smash-hit interview podcast Out To Lunch is out now, with a sparkly new host on dining duty: the much loved British actor, comedian and writer Ade Edmondson. Ade takes guests such as Chrissie Hynde, Reece Shearsmith, Tony Visconti, Daisy Haggard and Ed Byrne to a top restaurant whilst you get to hear the witty and wonderous conversation. It’s like you’re sat at the table next to us. After breaking into the comedy circuit in the 1980s, Edmondson starred in countless British films and TV shows, including seminal comedy The Young Ones and alongside his wife, Jennifer Saunders as part of the legendary Comic Strip Presents. Ade’s more recent projects include Rain Dogs with Daisy May Cooper, Back to Life with Daisy Haggard and as Captain Peavey in Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Having won Celebrity MasterChef and 'star baker' in The Great Sports Relief Bake Off, Ade will leave the cooking to the professionals... A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

More Mark, more Simon, more mindless natter – and some movie reviews for good measure! This week’s episode sees Simon sit down with director and Take diehard Alice Troughton, who’s in the studio to discuss her film debut ‘The Lesson’, a mystery-thriller about an aspiring young writer who accepts a tutoring position at the estate of his literary idol only to become ensnared in a web of family secrets. Mark also offers his thoughts on the film, along with reviewing ‘Dumb Money’, Craig Gillespie’s star-studded dramatisation of the David-and-Goliath, real events, which saw a group of savvy Redditors game the stock market, making a mall video game store the world’s hottest company in the process; and ‘Expend4bles’, the fourth instalment of the Stallone and Statham-helmed franchise, which sees the team assigned to stop a terrorist organisation smuggling nuclear warheads that will ignite a conflict between Russia and the US. High-octane indeed. The Box Office Top 10 and What’s On are covered as usual. Time Codes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are ad-free!): 11:36 Dumb Money Review 22:38 Box Office Top Ten 35:29 Alice Troughton Interview 52:11 The Lesson Review 58:44 Laughter Lift 01:00:17 What's On 01:05:00 Expend4bles Review You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Don’t worry, Mark and Simon are back for good! This week’s episode sees Simon sit down with the humble and delightful Timothy Spall, who is in the studio to discuss his new film ‘Bolan’s Shoes’, a melodrama about the enduring legacy of childhood trauma and the deep bonds of sibling love set to the music of the film’s namesake, T-Rex's Mark Bolan. Our own iconic Mark also offers his thoughts on the film, along with reviewing ‘A Haunting in Venice’, Kenneth Brannagh’s stab at a Poirot murder-mystery, which sees the famous detective investigating a murder while attending a Halloween séance at a haunted palazzo in Venice, and ‘Brother’, a Canadian drama about the sons of Caribbean immigrants dealing with issues of masculinity, identity and family amid the pulsing beat of Toronto’s early hip-hop scene. The Box Office Top 10 and What’s On are covered as usual. Time Codes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are ad-free!): 08:54 Brother Review 21:31 Box Office Top Ten 35:22 Timothy Spall Interview 50:30 Bolan’s Shoes Review 58:27 Laughter Lift 01:01:05 Haunting in Venice Review 01:08:39 What's On You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mark and Simon are finally back on land, having abandoned their canalboat somewhere near Slough, and, more importantly, Celine Song is in the studio to discuss her soulful debut feature ‘Past Lives’. The film is her directorial debut, and sees two deeply connected childhood friends reunited for one fateful week as they confront destiny, love and the choices that make a life. Plus, Mark reviews two new sequels, ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3’, the Portokalos gang’s latest outing directed by lead actress Nia Vardalos; and ‘The Nun 2’, which sees Sister Irene once again come face to face with the demonic force that plagued her four years ago. The Box Office Top 10 and What’s On are covered as always. Time Codes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are ad-free!): 13:02 My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 Review 22:33 Box Office Top Ten 40:54 Celine Song Interview 57:13 Past Lives Review 01:03:17 Laughter Lift 01:07:52 The Nun 2 01:14:32 What's On You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With Mark and Simon still having the time of their lives at sea, Anna Bogutskaya and Rhianna Dhillon are back to warm their seats with some sizzling, cinematic takes. Say a prayer to the cinematic powers that be because this week is a bumper week for interviews. Rhianna sits down with not one but two - yes two! - brilliant directors, Antoine Fuqua and Ira Sachs, to talk about their respective new films, ‘The Equalizer 3’, the final outing for Denzel Washington’s violent vigilante Robert McCall, and ‘Passages’, which sees a gay couple’s marriage thrown into crisis when one of them impulsively begins a passionate affair with a young woman. While we don’t have time to include the interviews in their entirety in Take 1, you can listen to the rest of them in Take 2. Anna jumps in to offer her thoughts on both, as well as reviewing ’Sound of Freedom’, the controversial, Q-Anon and Donald Trump-endorsed, Jim Caviezel-starring action film about a former US government agent who embarks on a mission to rescue children from sex traffickers in Colombia. Time Codes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are ad-free!): 00:04:14 Ira Sachs Interview 00:17:01 Passages Review 00:24:49 Box Office Top 10 00:38:04 Antoine Fuqua Interview 00:48:23 The Equalizer 3 Review 00:57:37 Laughter Lift 00:59:24 Sound of Freedom Review 01:13:18 What’s On You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With Mark deciding he simply hasn’t had enough of the UK’s waterways and heading back out to join Simon, Robbie Collin and James King are stepping in to co-captain The Take podcasting vessel.   James sits down with the funny and philosophical French writer, director and actor, Louis Garrel, to discuss his latest film ‘The Innocent’, a comedy-heist-come-family-farce that’s far more personal than you’d first think.    Robbie reviews ‘Scrapper’, a sunny, imaginative kitchen-sink drama starring Harris Dickinson; and ‘Theater Camp’, a Young Hollywood-packed comedy about the eccentric staff of a rundown theatre camp, who band together with the beloved founder’s crypto-bro son in an attempt to keep it afloat.  All in all, a great week in movie going.    Time Codes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are ad-free!):  11:43 Scrapper review  24:31 Box Office Top 10  40:00 Louis Garrel interview  56:53 The Innocent review  1:02:10 Laughter Lift  1:05:20 Theatre Camp review  1:13:41 What’s On    You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo   EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee!  A Sony Music Entertainment production.     Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts    To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week sees Mark holding down the fort with fellow professional film watcher Robbie Collin.   In a special twist, both Mark and Robbie sit down for a brilliant conversation with British-acting-legend-in-the-making Harris Dickinson to discuss his sunny, new, kitchen-sink drama, ‘Scrapper’.  They also debate the merits of ‘Strays’, an R-rated comedy featuring the voices of Jamie Foxx, Isla Fisher and Will Ferrell, who play a motley crew of stray dogs, who team up to get revenge on one of their owners; ‘Lie With Me’, a thoughtful French film about an author who, on returning to his hometown for the first time in decades, meets the son of his first love; and ‘Blue Beetle’, DC’s latest offering, which sees an alien scarab choose a young, college graduate to be its symbiotic host, bestowing him with a suit of armor capable of extraordinary and unpredictable powers.   Time Codes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are ad-free!):  06:46 Lie With Me Review  15:44 Box Office Top 10  33:33 Harris Dickinson Interview  52:47 Strays Review  58:32 Laughter Lift  01:02:44 Blue Beetle Review  01:09:08 What's On    You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo   EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee!  A Sony Music Entertainment production.     Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts    To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With Simon still chugging along on the UK’s glorious waterways, beloved actor and Take fave Sanjeev Bhaskar steps in to chat nonsense – ahem, review films - with Mark. Sanjeev speaks with director Neill Blomkamp about his new stranger-than-fiction biographical sports drama ‘Gran Turismo’, covering everything from Blomkamp’s motivations for making the film to the challenges of shooting in a moving race car - or as the directors puts it, a “motion sickness, nausea machine”. Mark offers his thoughts on Blomkamp’s new film, which sees a young man win an opportunity to become a real racing driver because of his prowess playing the Gran Turismo video game. He also reviews ‘Haunted Mansion’, a star-studded remake of the Eddie Murphy-helmed 2003 supernatural comedy of the same name, which sees Rosario Dawson and Lakeith Stanfield take the spooky baton; and ‘Meg 2: The Trench’, indie director Ben Wheatley’s stab at a sequel for the arguably soon-to-be-cult-classic prehistoric shark franchise. Time Codes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are ad-free!): 14:13 Haunted Mansion Review 23:38 Box Office top 10 41:13 Neill Blomkamp Interview 55:57 Gran Turismo Review 01:01:03 Laughter lift 01:03:53 Meg 2: The Trench Review 01:14:02 What’s On You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

BBC’s ‘Ghosts’ - we explore them further. We also ask if Homer Simpson is abusive and we answer your questions in this special bonus edition. EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/shrink Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! We'd love to hear your comments and guest suggestions on the show. Email: shrinkthebox@sonymusic.com A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With Mark and Simon on their rip-roaring canal cruise, this week’s episode sees favorites Rhianna Dhillon and Anna Bogutskaya take the helm of the good Take ship. Rhianna speaks to writer and director Nicole Holofcener about her new film ‘You Hurt My Feelings’ - her view on drafting the script and how she takes feedback... Rhianna and Anna also review ‘Heartstopper’ Season 2, a Netflix series about two teens Charlie (Joe Locke) and Nick (Kit Connor) who are in the midst of navigating school and young love; ‘Joy Ride’ an outrageous raunchy comedy starring Ashley Park, directed by Adele Lim; plus ‘You Hurt My Feelings’, where a novelist's long-standing marriage suddenly turns upside down when she overhears her husband give his honest reaction to her latest book. Rhianna and Anna are subjected to this week’s Laughter Lift, and wade through plenty of Box Office Top 10 correspondence! Time Codes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are ad-free!): 08:56:01 Heartstopper Review 20:10:01 Box Office top 10 42:56:01 Nicole Holofcener Interview 55:59:01 You Hurt My Feelings Review 01:02:56:01 Laughter lift 01:04:46:01 Joyride Review 01:12:22:25 What’s On You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ben’s close encounter with an obsessive fan. Plus we ask why writers create good-looking psychopaths and we explore your character suggestions in this special bonus edition. EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/shrink Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With Mark and Simon setting off on their rip-roaring canal cruise, this week’s episode sees favourites Rhianna Dhillon and Anna Bogutskaya take the helm of the good ship Take. Rhianna chats to SAG Executive Vice President Ben Whitehair to find out more about the strikes, including what actors are fighting for and the wider implications for the industry. Anna reviews ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem’, the star-studded, Seth Rogen co-penned, computer-animated superhero outing, which sees the iconic Turtles set out to be accepted as normal teenagers through acts of heroism; ‘The Beanie Bubble’, a comedy drama about the meteoric rise in popularity of Beanie Babies soft toys; and ‘Talk To Me’, a freaky Australian horror about a young woman who becomes embroiled with the supernatural following a séance with an embalmed hand. Time Codes (relevant only when you are part of the Vanguard): 13:58 The Bear Season 2 Review 23:14 Box Office Top 10 38:19 Greta Gerwig Interview 53:10 Barbie Review 01:01:42 Laughter Lift 01:03:32 Oppenheimer Review 01:14:05 What’s On You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As Season 2 hits our screens, we reflect on the recipe that had everyone crying into their dinner, how Carmy and Ritchie approach grief differently and how advice from a Vietnamese Buddist Monk can be applied to a professional kitchen. The Bear is available to watch on Disney Plus. As ever, adult issues, language and spoilers will be sprinkled liberally throughout the show. If you want to catch the BBC show that Ben is in (as mentioned): https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/p0fvlpf9/the-sixth-commandment If you have been affected by any of the issues discussed in this episode: For the UK, call SAMARITANS on 116 123 samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan. Internationally: https://www.befrienders.org/ For UK help via talking therapies contact your GP or the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy bacp.co.uk EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/shrink Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The humanity in growing old. Mattel's uncomfortable history. The undeniability of Ryan Gosling. This week’s episode sees Simon discuss all things ‘Barbie’, already one of the hottest – and pinkest – films of the year, with its wonderfully thoughtful co-writer and director Greta Gerwig. And if that’s not enough, Mark reviews the other big-hitter of the summer, ‘Oppenheimer’, Christopher Nolan’s epic biographical thriller about the scientist who developed the atomic bomb; and the second season of ‘The Bear’, Christopher Storer’s dynamic, heart-filled kitchen comedy, which sees the chefs at The Beef prepare to reopen as a high-end restaurant. Time Codes (relevant only when you are part of the Vanguard): 13:58 The Bear Season 2 Review 23:14 Box Office Top 10 38:19 Greta Gerwig Interview 53:10 Barbie Review 01:01:42 Laughter Lift 01:03:32 Oppenheimer Review 01:14:05 What’s On You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You’d think someone with two therapist parents would be golden. Why Otis is scared of sex. Plus what’s worse, having a parent who is strict or a smotherer? We look at what it’s like for the rest of the boys such as Eric, Adam and Jackson in the second of this two-parter on the hugely popular Netflix show. If you have been affected by any of the issues discussed in this episode: For the UK, call SAMARITANS on 116 123 samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan. Internationally: https://www.befrienders.org/ For UK help via talking therapies contact your GP or the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy bacp.co.uk We'd love to hear your comments and guest suggestions on the show. Email: shrinkthebox@sonymusic.com EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/shrink Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The terror of wondering whether Tom Cruise has died. Writing the rulebook for shooting in a pandemic. The artistic mediocrity of AI. Even more Tom Cruise! This week’s episode sees Simon sit down for a chat with another iconic Simon, the brilliant Simon Pegg, who has once again strapped on his harness to join the Mission Impossible crew for its seventh stunt-filled, death-defying outing. Mark reviews ‘Medusa’, a drama about a young woman who leads a vigilante girl gang enforcing Christian standards in Brazil; ‘Squaring the Circle’, a documentary about the creative team responsible for some of the most iconic album artwork of all time; and ‘While We Watched’, a turbulent newsroom documentary that intimately chronicles the working life of broadcast journalist Ravish Kumar, who risks his life to tell the truth about India today. Time Codes (relevant only when you are part of the Vanguard): 10:05 Name me Lawand review 23:41 Box Office Top 10 38:38 Peter Sohn interview 53:25 Elemental review 57:29 Laughter Lift 00:31 Mission Impossible review 01:14:22 What’s on You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What it’s like being called a ‘cock-biter’ - how Maeve is misunderstood and underestimated. Plus revenge porn, toxic friendships and fears or fascination around sex. In this two parter: we look at the girls first and what they face growing up in this hugely popular Netflix show. We'd love to hear your comments and guest suggestions on the show. Email: shrinkthebox@sonymusic.com If you have been affected by any of the issues discussed in this episode: For the UK, call SAMARITANS on 116 123 samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan. Internationally: https://www.befrienders.org/ For UK help via talking therapies contact your GP or the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy bacp.co.uk EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/shrink Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

An emotional interview with Pixar director and voice over, Peter Sohn, about his latest film ‘Elemental’. During the interview Peter opens up to Simon about why this film is particularly close to his heart. Mark reviews the seventh film in the Mission Impossible franchise, ‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One’ starring Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell and Rebecca Ferguson, plus a new heartfelt documentary ‘Name Me Lawand’, which shows us the world from the point of view of a migrant whose life was transformed by a school for the deaf in the UK. Plus Mark and Simon cover this week’s Box Office Top 10, What's On and the ever-hilarious laughter lift. Time Codes (relevant only when you are part of the Vanguard): 10:05 Name me Lawand review 23:41 Box Office Top 10 38:38 Peter Sohn interview 53:25 Elemental review 57:29 Laughter Lift 00:31 Mission Impossible review 01:14:22 What’s on You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Emotional contagion in gang culture is not the only issue driving this week's client. Does compartmentalising ruthless work and being a caregiver have ill effects? We delve into how grief can drive reckless decision-making to become Top Boy. If you have been affected by any of the issues discussed in this episode: For the UK, call SAMARITANS on 116 123 samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan. Internationally: https://www.befrienders.org/ For UK help via talking therapies contact your GP or the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy bacp.co.uk EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/shrink Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

‘Phoebe Waller-Bridge is a modern creative force’ who keeps Harrison Ford on his toes, according to director James Mangold, who has just directed the fifth film in the Indiana Jones franchise, ‘Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny’. Simon is remote from Denmark, so Mark takes the reins on this week’s interview, in which they discuss the genius of Phoebe Waller-Bridge and agree Toby Jones can do no wrong whilst talking about working with Harrison Ford... Mark reviews ‘Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny’, plus Isabelle Huppert’s new French thriller ‘La Syndicaliste’ and this week’s Box Office Top 10, in a slightly shorter than usual episode, as Mayo has to catch a plane. Time Codes (relevant only when you are part of the Vanguard): 13:52 La Syndicaliste 19:24 Box Office Top 10 30:33 James Mangold Interview 45:56 Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny EVERYTHING ELSE IN TAKE 2 THIS WEEK You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The difference between personality types: Feeler or Dealer. Plus why Mitch is so desperate to be one of the crowd and Cam wants to stand outside of it. We explore two of our favourite characters in more detail. If you have been affected by any of the issues discussed in this episode: For the UK, call SAMARITANS on 116 123 samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan. Internationally: https://www.befrienders.org/ For UK help via talking therapies contact your GP or the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy bacp.co.uk EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/shrink Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Work experience with Kenneth Branagh. A guardian angel dance troupe. The Simon Mayo cameo that could have been. This week’s episode features an interview with Aisling Bea and Lara McDonnell, who star as the younger and older iterations of the lead character in ‘Greatest Days’, a jukebox musical featuring the hits of Take That. Mark reviews ‘No Hard Feelings’, Jennifer Lawrence’s new, R-rated, coming-of-age sex comedy; ‘Nimona’, a computer-animated fantasy featuring the voices of Riz Ahmed and Chloë Grace Moretz, which sees a knight and a scrappy shapeshifting teen team up to prove the former’s innocence after he is accused of a crime he did not commit; and ‘Asteroid City’, Wes Anderson’s latest star-studded outing set at a stargazing convention in a retro-futuristic version of 1955. Time Codes (relevant only when you are part of the Vanguard): 09:33 No Hard Feelings review 20:47 Box Office Top 10 32:55 Aisling Bea and Lara McDonnell 51:14 Nimona review 56:55 Laughter Lift 01:03:36 Asteroid City review 01:11:40 What’s On You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What does infidelity say about a marriage? How can honesty in the face of money laundering keep a family together, and what sort of mother is Wendy? We learn how a wholesome American mum holds her nerve (and maybe even thrives) against a cartel. If you have been affected by any of the issues discussed in this episode: For the UK, call SAMARITANS on 116 123 samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan. Internationally: https://www.befrienders.org/ For UK help via talking therapies contact your GP or the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy bacp.co.uk EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/shrink Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sibling disagreements on set. Making sense of the DC universe. The legend that is Michael Keaton. This week’s episode features an interview with director and producer brother-sister duo Andy and Barbara Muschietti about their contentious, new, time-bending superhero movie, ‘The Flash’. Mark reviews ‘Extraction 2’, the second instalment of the Russo Brothers’ Chris Hemsworth-helmed action franchise; ‘The Flash’, DC's latest controversy-ridden offering starring Ezra Miller as Barry Allen, a forensic scientist who gains the power of superhuman speed after being struck by lightning; and ‘Pretty Red Dress’, a big-hearted music drama starring Alexandra Burke that follows a South London family and the red garment at the centre of their lives. Time Codes (relevant only when you are part of the Vanguard): Ad break 1 Ad break 2 Ad break 3 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With special guest Kiell Smith-Bynoe who plays Mike in hit BBC comedy ‘Ghosts’. Ben and Sasha ask: is sharing your partner with a group of ghosts a metaphor for partnerships and what’s it like to act next to dead people? Plus, they take a look at why it's not just our upbringing that shapes us, but also the time we come from. Recorded Live at The Podcast Show in London. If you have been affected by any of the issues discussed in this episode: For the UK, call SAMARITANS on 116 123 samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan. Internationally: https://www.befrienders.org/ For UK help via talking therapies contact your GP or the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy bacp.co.uk EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/shrink Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Violin-offs. A fresh interpretation of Marie Antoinette. Simon Mayo, a fashionista? This week’s episode features an interview with actors Kelvin Harrison Jr. and Lucy Boynton about their new biographical period drama, 'Chevalier’. Mark reviews ‘Medusa Deluxe’, a murder mystery set in a high-stakes hairdressing competition; ‘Chevalier’, an upcoming biographical drama based on the true story of Black composer Joseph Bologne, the son of an enslaved Senegalese woman and a French plantation owner, who rose to great heights in 18th Century French society; and 'Transformers: Rise of the Beasts', the latest installment of the Hasbro toy franchise, which sees a new faction of Transformers join the Autobots as allies in the battle for earth. Time Codes (relevant only when you are part of the Vanguard): 10:05 Medusa Deluxe Review 23:14 Box Office Top 10 34:11 Interview with Lucy Boynton + 52:34 Chevalier Review 57:36 Laughter lift 01:08:29 Transformers: Rise of the Beasts Review Ad break 1 00:17:28 Ad break 2 00:32:41 Ad break 3 00:59:16 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What’s an anxious ruminator? What happens when self-blame is a way of life and how stationery can be lethal? We learn that there’s a little bit of George in all of us and how to keep it at bay. Our top ten George episodes (available on Netflix) Season 2, episode 4: The Phone Message Season 4, episode 10: The Contest Season 4, episode 15: The Shoes Season 5, episode 14: The Marine Biologist Season 5, episode 21: The Opposite Season 7, episode 19: The Calzone Season 7, episode 22: The Invitation Season 7, episode 7: The Secret Code Season 8, episode 9: The Abstinence Season 8, episode 13: The Comeback If you have been affected by any of the issues discussed in this episode: For the UK, call SAMARITANS on 116 123 samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan. Internationally: https://www.befrienders.org/ For UK help via talking therapies contact your GP or the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy bacp.co.uk EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/shrink Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon interviews director Rob Savage about his latest release, 'The Boogeyman’. Mark reviews, ‘Reality’ -  which depicts the unauthorized release of government intelligence to the media about Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections.‘The Boogeyman’ - an upcoming American supernatural horror film directed by Rob Savage about an entity that enters a family’s house and preys on their recent bereavement; 'Spider-man: Across The Spider-Verse' the superhero film featuring the Marvel Comics character Miles Morales meeting a team of protective Spider-People. Time Codes (relevant only when you are part of the Vanguard): Reality Review:  00:09:35 Box Office Top 10:  00:21:30 Rob Savage Interview:  00:32:50 The Boogeyman Review:  00:48:31 Laughter Lift: 00:56:59 Spider-man: Across The Spider-Verse Review:  01:01:01 What’s On: 01:08:24 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How anger can be a force for good, are we misusing the word ‘trigger’ and what happens when a birthday party turns into a domestic. We deep dive into the police sergeant’s life to see how she copes (or not). If you have been affected by any of the issues discussed in this episode: For the UK, call SAMARITANS on 116 123 samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan. Internationally: https://www.befrienders.org/ For UK help via talking therapies contact your GP or the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy bacp.co.uk EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/shrink Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this special live version of the show from Union Chapel in Islington, Mark reviews, ‘Master Gardener’ - a film which follows a horticulturist devoted to tending the grounds of a beautiful estate owned by a wealthy dowager; ‘Hypnotic’ which sees a detective investigating a mystery involving his missing daughter, and a secret government program; ‘The Gallows Pole’ – which recounts the true story of a gang of land-workers in Yorkshire in the late 18th century, who embezzle the Crown. We also speak to Shane Meadows + Sophie McShera, the director and star of ‘The Gallows Pole’. Time Codes (relevant only when you are part of the Vanguard): Master Gardener Review: 06:36 Box Office Top 10: 12:03 Hypnotic Review: 27:43 Shane Meadows + Sophie McShera Interview: 34:00 The Gallows Pole Review: 50:44 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ben and Sasha break down how the Schitt’s Creek siblings are fuelled differently, the different flavours of wine, and why quality time with the ones who love us most, trumps all. If you have been affected by any of the issues discussed in this episode: For the UK, call SAMARITANS on 116 123 samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan. Internationally: https://www.befrienders.org/ For UK help via talking therapies contact your GP or the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy bacp.co.uk EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/shrink Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mark reviews, ‘Fast X’ - Dom Toretto and his family are back again to confront the most lethal opponent that they've ever faced; ‘Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret’ - a film exploring eleven-year-old Margaret’s entry into life, friendship and adolescence; ‘Beau Is Afraid’ - sometimes the greatest adventures come from one’s darkest fears. From Ari Aster, director of Hereditary and Midsommar. We also speak with Director Louis Leterrier from the Fast X franchise about XYZ Time Codes (relevant only when you are part of the Vanguard): Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret Review Box Office Top 10 Fast X Review Laughter Lift Beau Is Afraid Review What’s On You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ben and Sasha ask why do some people behave like big babies (and why is it more obvious in wealthy people); why can trying to hold on to someone mean you actually push them away, and how can we learn to spot terrible mistakes heading in our direction? If you have been affected by any of the issues discussed in this episode: For the UK, call SAMARITANS on 116 123 samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan. Internationally: https://www.befrienders.org/ For UK help via talking therapies contact your GP or the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy bacp.co.uk EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/shrink Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mark and Simon look ahead to what to look out for this summer! Mark reviews ‘Book Club: The Next Chapter’ – the sequel of four best friends who take their book club to Italy for the fun girls’ trip they never had; ‘Still: A Michael J Fox Movie’ - follows the life of beloved actor and advocate Michael J. Fox, exploring his personal and professional triumphs and travails with Parkinson’s Disease; ‘Plan 75’ - follows the Japanese government's program to encourage older people to be euthanized to rejuvenate an aging society. Time Codes (relevant only when you are part of the Vanguard): 14:40 Plan 75 Review 24:20 Box Office Top 10 40:57 Summer Preview 50:04Still: A Michael J Fox Movie Review 59:18 Laughter Lift 01:04:42 Book Club: The Next Chapter Review 01:11:49 What’s On You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ben & Sash explore what makes a successful confidence trickster, and how Jimmy McGill is full of contradictions: criminal and yet kind. Plus, how it’s difficult not to slide back into old habits without the right support. If you have been affected by any of the issues discussed in this episode: For the UK, call SAMARITANS on 116 123 samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan. Internationally: https://www.befrienders.org/ For UK help via talking therapies contact your GP or the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy bacp.co.uk EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/shrink Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Director of Hereditary and Midsommar, Ari Aster, joins Mark and Simon to discuss his new film ‘Beau is Afraid’. He explains how doing press isn’t his favourite part of the process, but divulges some of his feelings on the film with Mark and Simon. Mark reviews ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ –  where Marvel’s Cinematic Universe expands into the cosmos – and Peter Quill finds himself the object of an unrelenting bounty hunt; ‘Return to Seoul’ - chronicles a 25-year-old French woman first return to South Korea since birth, where she tries to find her biological parents; ‘Blue Kaftan’ depicts a Moroccan couple’s relationship as the wife, Mina slowly realises just how much her husband is moved by their new male apprentice. Time Codes (relevant only when you are part of the Vanguard): 00:11:12 Return to Seoul Review 00:20:03 Box Office Top 10 00:32:19 Ari Aster Interview Blue Kaftan Review Laughter Lift Guardians of the Galaxy 3 Review What’s On You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ben Bailey Smith and Sasha Bates delve into the Shrink the Box emails to answer questions, discuss new character suggestions and pick each other’s brains. This week: they muse on whether the Roy Family (Succession) could really do a group therapy session and Ben asks Sasha whether she ever dislikes her clients (and other tricky therapist conundrums). If you have been affected by any of the issues discussed in this episode: For the UK, call SAMARITANS on 116 123 samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan. Internationally: https://www.befrienders.org/ For UK help via talking therapies contact your GP or the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy bacp.co.uk EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/shrink Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Penelope Wilton talks about the logistics of filming The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, and what it was like working alongside Jim Broadbent. Following their Easter break, Mark reviews ‘The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry’ - an upcoming British drama film directed by Hettie Macdonald about the lengths one man will go to, to see his dying friend; ‘Little Richard: I Am Everything’ which depicts the life of Rock n Roll legend; ‘Polite Society’ which covers one sister’s attempt at the most ambitious of all wedding heists in the name of independence and sisterhood. Time Codes (relevant only when you are part of the Vanguard): 11:58 Polite Society Review 19:07 Box Office Top 10 (including Pope’s Exorcist review) 28:34 Penelope Wilton interview 42:20 The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry Review 50:06 Laughter Lift 56:26 Little Richard: I Am Everything Review 01:08:22 What’s On You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ben and Sasha delve into the Shrink the Box emails to answer questions, discuss new character suggestions and pick each other’s brains. This week: they wonder whether analysing a fictional character means you are analysing the writer too. Plus what it would be like to have a werewolf on the couch. If you have been affected by any of the issues discussed in this episode: For the UK, call SAMARITANS on 116 123 samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan. Internationally: https://www.befrienders.org/ For UK help via talking therapies contact your GP or the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy bacp.co.uk EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/shrink Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rachel Weisz and Alice Birch discuss remaking David Cronenberg's chiller ‘Dead Ringers’ and the importance of depictions of birth on screen. Super subs Rhianna Dhillon and Robbie Collin stand in whilst Mark and Simon are away. Robbie reviews ‘How To Blow Up A Pipeline’ - about a group of environmental activists who want to make their voices heard and disrupt an oil pipeline; ‘Evil Dead Rise’ an American supernatural horror film written and directed by Lee Cronin, which is the fifth installment of the Evil Dead film series; as well as Prime Video series ‘Dead Ringers’. Time Codes (relevant only when you are part of the Vanguard): 09:18 Evil Dead Rise Review 19:30 Box Office Top 10 36:14 Rachel Weisz and Alice Birch interview 52:53 Dead Ringers Review 59:22 Laughter Lift 01:02:26 How To Blow Up A Pipeline 01:10:17 What’s On EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Siobhan Roy has it all: a high flying career, a man who adores her, and a private jet at her disposal. And still it’s not enough. This week we explore the most dysfunctional of family dynamics, how power is mistaken for love, and why the need for parental approval... never quite goes away. Don’t forget to check out Season 1 of Succession to avoid spoilers. If you have been affected by any of the issues discussed in this episode: For the UK, call SAMARITANS on 116 123 samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan. Internationally: https://www.befrienders.org/ For UK help via talking therapies contact your GP or the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy bacp.co.uk EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/shrink Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Super subs Rhianna Dhillon and Anna Bogutskaya stand in whilst Mark and Simon are away. Nicholas Hoult talks to Rhianna about taking center stage as Dracula’s long-suffering servant in ‘Renfield’, plus he discusses sharpening his craft alongside Nicholas Cage once again. Anna reviews ‘One Fine Morning’ - a French film about a single mother struggling to take care of her father who has a neurodegenerative disease; ‘Obsession’ a Netflix drama from directors Lisa Barros D'sa and Glenn Leyburn about an esteemed doctor who has a steamy affair with his son's girlfriend, as well as comedy-horror Renfield.  Time Codes (relevant only when you are part of the Vanguard):    11:25 One Fine Morning Review  21:49 Box Office Top 10   33:43 Nicholas Hoult Interview   48:24 Renfield Review  52:28 Laughter Lift  53:51 Obsession Review  01:02:37 What’s On  EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We look at the Geller siblings: Ross and Monica. We explore why Monica said “If I could choose my parents, I’d choose yours” to her brother and whether her obsessive neatness is a problem. Plus, we ask why Ross’ intellectualism is a defence mechanism and how friends really can be your support network. Don’t forget to check out Season 1 of Friends to avoid spoilers. If you have been affected by any of the issues discussed in this episode: For the UK, call SAMARITANS on 116 123 samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan. Internationally: https://www.befrienders.org/ For UK help via talking therapies contact your GP or the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy bacp.co.uk EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/shrink Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Prolific French director Mia Hansen- Løve speaks to Simon about her deeply personal new film ‘One Fine Morning’ - and how it was inspired by her own experience of her father going into a care home. Mark reviews ‘Lola’ - a science fiction film directed by Andrew Legge – the film is set in 1940 is about a machine called ‘LOLA’ that can intercept radio from the future; ‘Godland’ which is set in the 19th century and tells the story of a priest who is sent to a remote part of Iceland, and ‘Air’ which tells the story of shoe salesman Sonny Vaccaro (played by Matt Damon) and how he and Nike perused Michael Jordan in what would become one of the most successful partnerships of all time. Time Codes (relevant only when you are part of the Vanguard): 12:08 Godland Review 20:14 Box Office Top 10 29:24 Mia Hansen-Løve 46:37 One Fine Morning Overview 50:12 Air Review 56:18 Laughter Lift 01:01:18 Lola Review 01:08:41 What’s On EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Thanks to heycar – this bonus episode is all about the best road trip films out there. Mark fills us in on his notorious road trips of the past, including his most memorable road trip which started in Moscow, and finished in Ukraine – all done in a Lada with a flat tyre.   You can hear the listeners' favourite road trip movies, plus Mark’s Top 5 of all time.   This episode is brought to you by heycar. heycar fun facts below: heycar offers a large range of quality checked used cars from select dealers across the UK all within a single app, all at your fingertips. All cars are under 8 years old with less than 100,000 on the clock. All cars come with a warranty and a 10-day money back guarantee. You can download the heycar app to find your perfect car. Or visit heycar.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Thrills, state secrets, and international assassins. Eve Polastri has always been wanted to be a MI6 spy. When she stumbles across Villanelle, she gets just that. We explore what happens when a romantically charged obsession goes too far and what happens when people start to want different things out of a relationship. Don’t forget to check out Season 1 of Killing Eve to avoid spoilers. If you have been affected by any of the issues discussed in this episode: For the UK, call SAMARITANS on 116 123 samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan. Internationally: https://www.befrienders.org/ For UK help via talking therapies contact your GP or the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy bacp.co.uk EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/shrink Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Emily Watson stars alongside Paul Mescal in new psychological drama ‘God’s Creatures’. She joins Simon and Mark in the studio to talk about what it was like playing Paul’s mother in the film where her sense of right or wrong is well and truly put to the test. Mark reviews new Iranian crime movie ‘Law of Tehran’, ‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’ - starring a stellar cast including Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, and Regé-Jean Page among others - based on the tabletop role-playing game ‘Dungeons & Dragons’, and ‘God’s Creatures’ - a story about a mother (played by Emily Watson) who tells a lie for her beloved son that rips apart their family and close-knit Irish town. Time Codes (relevant only when you are part of the Vanguard): 12:30 Law of Tehran Review 20:22 Box Office Top 10 34:02 Emily Watson Interview 49:43 God’s Creatures 01:00:57 Dungeon’s And Dragons: Honor Among Thieves 01:11:55 What’s On EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Meet the Rayburn’s. They are upstanding pillars of the community, hugely admired, and entirely dysfunctional. We delve into why Danny is actually the scapegoat, what the sympathetic ghost signifies, and just how sticky familial roles can be. Do you have a character suggestion for us? Get in touch! Please email shrinkthebox@somethinelse.com Don’t forget to check out Season 1 of Bloodlines to avoid spoilers.  If you have been affected by any of the issues discussed in this episode: For the UK, call SAMARITANS on 116 123 samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan. Internationally: https://www.befrienders.org/ For UK help via talking therapies contact your GP or the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy bacp.co.uk EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/shrink Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Keanu and Chad tell Simon about the most difficult stunts to film in the latest John Wick installment in a fascinating interview. Mark reviews the new satirical horror from Brandon Cronenberg - ‘Infinity Pool’  about a writer (Alexander Skarsgård) and his wife, who find themselves in a strange and dangerous situation on holiday when they’re involved in a fatal accident, ‘The Beasts’ - about a middle-aged French couple who move to a village but are met with hostility and violence from two of the locals, and ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’  the highly successful franchise is back, and this time sees John Wick trying to uncover a path to defeat the High Table, but there is a new enemy in the mix. Time Codes (relevant only when you are part of the Vanguard): 14:28 The Beasts Review 22:15 Box Office Top 10 31:37 Keanu Reeves and Chad Stahelski interview 46:32 John Wick: Chapter 4 Review 55:19 Laughter Lift 01:00:34 Infinity Pool Review 01:10:44 What’s On EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Black, British and kind of famous, Michaela Coel’s Arabella colours outside of the lines; misses deadlines, and, can’t *quite* remember what happened to her last night? One woman’s search for the truth raises questions around agency, relationships and whether or not there’s ever such a thing as shades of grey - when it comes to consent. Don’t forget to check out Season 1 of I May Destroy You to avoid spoilers. Do you have a character suggestion for us? Get in touch! Please email shrinkthebox@somethinelse.com If you have been affected by any of the issues discussed in this episode: For the UK, call SAMARITANS on 116 123 samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan. Internationally: https://www.befrienders.org/ For UK help via talking therapies contact your GP or the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy bacp.co.uk EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/shrink Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Multifaceted Daveed Diggs tells Simon how his role as Marshall Zucker in the start studded ‘Extrapolations’ was deeply personal. Mark reviews South London rom- com ‘Rye Lane’ - starring David Jonsson and Vivian Oparah, ‘Pearl’ Ti West’s prequal to horror film ‘X’ which sees Mia Goth reprise her role as the title character, ‘80 for Brady’- which is a comedy starring Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Sally Field, and Rita Moreno and is inspired by the true story of four best friends who travel to the Superbowl to see their hero Tom Brady, ‘Extrapolations’ Apple +’s new anthology drama, set in the near future where the effects of climate change have become embedded in everyday life, and last but not least ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’ - which once again follows teen Billy Batson as he transforms into his adult superhero alter ego. Time Codes (relevant only when you are part of the Vanguard): 08:25 - 80 For Brady Review 15:42 - Shazam Review 21:08 Box Office Top 10 38:52 Daveed Diggs Interview 51:27 Extrapolations Review 55:47 Laughter Lift 01:00:51 Pearl Review 01:09:08 What’s On 01:09:56 Rye Lane Review EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transporting viewers to the idyllic, suburban world of Westview, New Jersey, but all is not how it seems. Despite her otherworldly powers, Wanda experiences grief and loss, just like the rest of us. Plus a deep dive into the strength of nostalgia, what the mysterious beekeepers mean, and how sometimes, destruction is the only thing that helps us heal. Don’t forget to check out Season 1 of Wandavision to avoid spoilers. Do you have a character suggestion for us? Get in touch! Please email shrinkthebox@somethinelse.com If you have been affected by any of the issues discussed in this episode: For the UK, call SAMARITANS on 116 123 samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan. Internationally: https://www.befrienders.org/ EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/shrink Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! For UK help via talking therapies contact your GP or the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy bacp.co.uk A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Andy Serkis tells Simon about playing his darkest role yet, and why he decided to take on the challenge. Mark reviews the new horror/slasher take on a child’s classic ‘Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey’ which follows a bloodthirsty Winnie-the-Pooh and Piglet as they terrorise their former friend Christopher Robin; ‘Champions’ - a heartwarming new comedy/drama starring Woody Harrelson about a former minor-league basketball coach who is court ordered to manage a team of players with intellectual disabilities; ‘Luther: The Fallen Sun’ which sees Idris Elba reprise his role as detective John Luther, this time for the big screen, & ‘Scream VI’ - survivors of the Ghostface murders find themselves in fresh danger when a new killer is on the loose. Time Codes (relevant only when you are part of the Vanguard): 11:57 Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey Review 21:07 Box Office Top 10 33:36 Andy Serkis Interview 49:34 Luther: The Fallen Sun 54:49 Laughter Lift 56:25 Champions Review 01:03:23 What’s On 01:04:22 Scream VI Review You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Advertising sells - and Don Draper knows how to sell it better than anyone: a product, the American dream, and even himself. We look at why the ad-men of the ‘60s were so terrified of therapy, how sex is power, and why faking who you are - is actually the hardest sell of all. Don’t forget to check out Season 1 of Mad Men to avoid spoilers. Do you have a character suggestion for us? Get in touch! Please email shrinkthebox@somethinelse.com If you have been affected by any of the issues discussed in this episode: For the UK, call SAMARITANS on 116 123 samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan. Internationally: https://www.befrienders.org/ For UK help via talking therapies contact your GP or the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy bacp.co.uk EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/shrink Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Michael B. Jordan talks about his directorial debut – he discusses how he feels about Danielle Deadwyler missing out at the Oscars, and working with Jonathan Majors (who interrupted Jordan’s directing playing his music). Mark reviews new MUBI release ‘Close’ which follows two teenage boys whose friendship is thrown into disarray when their schoolmates point out their intimacy. New slashes/splatter film ‘Project Wolf Hunting’ - about dangerous criminals on a cargo ship bound for Busan, South Korea; and ‘Electric Malady’ directed by Marie Liden, about a man who suffers from electro-sensitivity. Time Codes (relevant only when you are part of the Vanguard): 11:14 Close Review 19:18 Box Office Top 10 32:37 Michael B. Jordan Interview 46:24 Creed III Review 54:54 Laughter Lift 58:54 Project Wolf Hunting 01:04:52 What’s On 01:07:14 Electric Malady EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Falling in love with a priest - whilst being deathly afraid of intimacy? What’s that about? Join us as we delve into the world of Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Fleabag and find out why she is so intent on being quite so ‘naughty’. Don’t forget to check out Season 1 and 2 of Fleabag to avoid spoilers. If you have been affected by any of the issues discussed in this episode: For the UK, call SAMARITANS on 116 123 samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan. Internationally: https://www.befrienders.org/ For UK help via talking therapies contact your GP or the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy bacp.co.uk EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/shrink Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon speaks to Hugh Jackman about how filming ‘The Son’ changed him as a parent, plus he talks about reprising his role as Wolverine! Mark reviews ‘Cocaine Bear’, a film about a 500-pound black bear who goes on a murderous rampage after unintentionally ingesting cocaine. ‘What’s Love Got To Do With It’ starring Lily James and Shazad Latif, centering around an arranged marriage; ‘The Independent’ starring Jodie Turner-Smith and Brian Cox which tells the story of a reporter who uncovers a presidential election conspiracy; and ‘Broker’, a Korean drama film written and directed by Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda. Time Codes (relevant only when you are part of the Vanguard): 11:08 The Independent review 17:54 Box Office Top 10 33:41 Hugh Jackman Interview 50:43 Broker Review 01:02:22 What’s On 01:04:28 What’s Love Got To Do With It? Review 01:09:10 Cocaine Bear Review EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Omar is only Barack Obama's favourite fictional character of all time. And perhaps ours too? We find out why we're on the side of the gun-toting, duster-coat wearing stick-up badass who robs drug dealers for a living. Don’t forget to check out Season 1 of The Wire to avoid spoilers. Do you have a character suggestion for us? Get in touch! Please email shrinkthebox@somethinelse.com If you have been affected by any of the issues discussed in this episode: For the UK, call SAMARITANS on 116 123 samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan. Internationally: https://www.befrienders.org/ For UK help via talking therapies contact your GP or the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy bacp.co.uk EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/shrink Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon speaks to Hollywood royalty Michael Douglas about the return of Ant-Man - Michael recommends the best way to watch his new film... Mark reviews drama ‘Nostalgia’ about a man named Felice who returns to his hometown, Naples, after a 40-year absence; ‘Marcel the Shell with Shoes On’ - the feature adaptation of the animated short, Marcel (voiced by Jenny Slate) is a 1-inch-tall shell that lives with his grandmother; ‘The Son’ starring Hugh Jackman, Laura Dern and Vanessa Kirby which tells the tragic story of a deeply troubled teenager who tries to navigate moving in with his father, and ‘Ant- Man and the Wasp: Quantumamia’ which sees Paul Rudd, Michelle Pfeiffer, and  Michael Doulas reprise their role in the Marvel franchise. Time Codes (relevant only when you are part of the Vanguard): 11:34 Marcel the Shell With Shoes On Review 18:43 Box Office Top 10 29:59 Michael Douglas 43:55 Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania Review 52:06 Laughter Lift 01:01:43 Nostalgia Review 01:05:57 What’s On 01:07:46 The Son Review EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The often enigmatic chess genius that is Beth Harmon - is the Queen of this week’s episode. Ben and Sasha explore why Beth feels so compelled to clean up after parties - and how her controlled prowess at the chessboard, becomes utter chaos away from it. Do you have a character suggestion for us? Get in touch! Please email shrinkthebox@somethinelse.com Don’t forget to check out Season 1 of The Queen’s Gambit to avoid spoilers. If you have been affected by any of the issues discussed in this episode: For the UK, call SAMARITANS on 116 123 samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan. Internationally: https://www.befrienders.org/. For UK help via talking therapies contact your GP or the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy bacp.co.uk A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We learn about the making of ‘Till’, and what Danielle thinks about the Awards. Mark reviews ‘Women Talking’ - a harrowing American drama about a religious isolated community starring Jessie Buckley, Rooney Mara and Claire Foy, ‘Epic Tails’ - which tells the story of a super smart mouse named Pattie and her feline friend Sam, who embark on an exciting adventure through ancient Greece. ‘Blue Jean’- Georgia Oakley’s standout feature film about a closeted PE teacher in the 1980s who must lead a double life in order to keep her job, and Channing Tatum takes to the stage once again in ‘Magic Mike’s Last Dance’ - which sees Mike Lane go to London for one last hoorah with a wealthy socialite (Salma Hayek). Time Codes (relevant only when you are part of the Vanguard): 11:44 Epic Tales Review 15:57 Box Office Top 10 32:21 Danielle Deadwyler and Barbara Broccoli Interview 48:43 Magic Mike’s Last Dance 54:31 Laughter Lift 58:22 Women Talking 01:08:39 What’s On 01:10:27 Blue Jean EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production.    Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts   To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sliding on their gloves, and stepping into their Hazmat suits, Ben and Sasha distil one of TV’s most infamous characters: The mighty Heisenburg. On this week’s Shrink the Box we uncover why Walter White is often in his underpants, how he taps into his ‘shadow side’ and we explore if the ‘Revenge of the Nerd’ is really a thing. Don’t forget to check out Season 1 of Breaking Bad to avoid spoilers. Do you have a character suggestion for us? Get in touch! Please email shrinkthebox@somethinelse.com If you have been affected by any of the issues discussed in this episode: For the UK, call SAMARITANS on 116 123 samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan. Internationally: https://www.befrienders.org/. For UK help via talking therapies contact your GP or the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy bacp.co.uk A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Telegraph critic Robbie Collin stands in for Simon this week as he’s unwell. Mark reviews ‘EO,’ Jerzy Skolimowski’s harrowing new film about a donkey that encounters happiness and sorrow along his journey through life, ‘Knock at the Cabin’ - M Night Shyamalan’s apocalyptic film – which tells the story of a same sex couple who are held hostage and asked to make an unthinkable choice, from the Shrek family ‘Puss in Boots: The Last Wish,’ starring Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, and Florence Pugh, and ‘The Whale’ - adapted from stage to screen, the film tells the sad tale of a reclusive and obese man named Charlie who wishes to reconnect with his estranged daughter. You can also hear Simon’s interview with The Whale actor, Brendan Fraser, and director, Darren Aronofsky, with more from them both in Take 2. Mark and Robbie go through this week’s Top 10 and your correspondence. Time Codes (relevant only when you are part of the Vanguard): 10:55 EO Review 18:00 Box Office Top 10 36:20 Darren Aronofsky and Brendan Fraser 48:29 The Whale Review 57:44 Laughter Lift 01:00:28 Knock at the Cabin Review 01:07:43 What’s On 01:09:09 Puss in Boots: The Last Wish EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production.    Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts   To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Unravelling the complex (and surprisingly endearing) layers of the OG mobster: Mr Tony Soprano, all roads lead to New Jersey on the first episode of Shrink the Box! We find out why talking to a therapist is a ‘whackable’ offence, how falling in love with your shrink is not THAT uncommon and why his mother, Livia Soprano could be the real villain of the show. Don’t forget to check out Season 1 of The Sopranos to avoid spoilers. Do you have a character suggestion for us? Get in touch! Please email shrinkthebox@somethinelse.com If you have been affected by any of the issues discussed in this episode: For the UK, call SAMARITANS on 116 123 samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan. Internationally: https://www.befrienders.org/. For UK help via talking therapies contact your GP or the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy bacp.co.uk Shrink The Box is a Somethin’ Else Production with Sony Music Entertainment. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ever wondered why Tony Soprano's therapist stuck with him? Simon and Mark chat with friend of the show, actor/comedian Ben Bailey Smith, and psychotherapist Sasha Bates about their new podcast ‘Shrink the Box’ where every week Sasha and Ben give listeners the chance to delve into the psyches of their favorite fictional film and tv characters.   Mark reviews Steven Spielberg’s semi-autobiographical coming of age drama ‘The Fablemans’, ‘Plane’ stars Gerrard Butler who finds himself in even more danger after he is forced to land a commercial plane on an island in the Philippines, ‘Unwelcome’ a new horror film about a couple who are gifted a house in rural Ireland that isn’t what it seems, and ‘All the Beauty and the Bloodshed’ - the new Oscar nominated documentary directed by Laura Poitras which explores the life of artist Nan Goldin and her takedown of the Sackler family. Time Codes (relevant only when you are part of the Vanguard): 13:51 All The Beauty and The Bloodshed Review 18:54 Box Office Top 10 33:16 Shrink The Box with Ben Bailey Smith and Sasha Bates 48:54 The Fabelmans Review 58:35 Laughter Lift 01:02:42 Plane Review 01:09:37 Unwelcome Review EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production.    Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts   To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Cate Blanchett is the star of  ‘Tár’ and is tipped to win big at the awards this year; in this episode you’ll hear Cate talk to Simon about the impact the film has had on her. Mark reviews Damien Chazelle’s latest film ‘Babylon’ - set in the decedent and depraved world of 1920’s Hollywood, ‘Holy Spider’ a Persian-language crime thriller directed by Iranian director Ali Abbasi, ‘More than Ever’ -  a heartfelt drama starring Vicky Krieps and Gaspard Ulliel in the penultimate film before his death, and ‘Alice Darling’ - directed by Mary Nighy, and starring Anna Kendrick - the film tells the story of a young woman who is pushed to the brink by her psychologically abusive boyfriend.    Time Codes (relevant only when you are part of the Vanguard):   09:55 Alice, Darling Review  18:44 Box Office Top 10  35:12 Cate Blanchett interview  51:58 Laughter Lift   53:55 Holy Spider Review   58:23 More Than Ever Review  01:02:04 What’s On  01:03:45 Babylon Review     EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee!  You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo  A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production.    Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts   To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Would Empire of Light have happened if Olivia Colman hadn’t said yes to playing Hilary? Director and writer, Sam Mendes CBE, chats to Simon in this week’s episode as the pair unpack his latest release. Mark reviews psychological horror ‘Enys Men’, set in 1973 on an uninhabited island off the Cornish coast; Cate Blanchett’s new film ‘Tár’ - about the life of composer and conductor, Lydia Tár; ‘M3gan’ - about a robotics engineer at a toy company, who builds a life-like doll that begins to take on a life of its own, as well as Olivia Colman and Sam Mendes’ latest ‘Empire of Light’. Time Codes (relevant only when you are part of the Vanguard): 10:24 Enys Men Review 20:45 Box Office Top 10 31:29 Sam Mendes Interview 46:40 Empire of Light Review 54:05 Laughter Lift 59:42 M3GAN Review 01:04:49 What’s On 01:06:05 Tár Review EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production.    Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts   To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The daughter of Beatle Paul McCartney, Mary McCartney, joins Ben and Anna to give us a glimpse of what went down in the world-famous Abbey Road Studios. Anna reviews ‘Till’ - the heart-breaking film about the death of Emmett Till in 1960s America, the highly anticipated ‘A Man Called Otto’, the Disney Original documentary ‘If These Walls Could Sing’, and ‘Piggy’- a Spanish French indie thriller. Time Codes (relevant only when you are part of the Vanguard): 13:09 Till Review 24:27 Box Office Top 10 39:55 Mary McCartney Interview 51:32 If These Walls Could Sing Review 57:13 Laughter Lift 01:04:55 Piggy Review 01:09:06 What’s On 01:10:16 A Man Called Otto Review EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production.    Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts   To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mark and Simon take a look at the best bits of Kermode and Mayo’s Take this year including highlights from Rowan Atkinson, Jeff Goldblum, Charlotte Rampling – as well as the biggest reviews like Top Gun Maverick, Elvis and Everything Everywhere All At Once. PLUS Simon interviews TOM HANKS and MARIANA TREVINO about the upcoming  comedy-drama ‘A Man Called Otto’. They also reflect on those we have lost this year in the world of Film and TV, including Robbie Coltrane, Angela Lansbury, Olivia Newton-John and Sidney Poiter among others. EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production.    Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts   To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Detective Benoit Blanc is back!! Simon sits down with Daniel Craig, and director Rian Johnson to chat all things ‘Glass Onion: A Knives out Mystery,’ the sequel to ‘Knives Out.’ (2019) Mark reviews ‘The Enforcer’- an American action thriller starring Antonio Banderas who must sacrifice everything to save a young girl from his femme fatale boss (Kate Bosworth), ‘The Pale Blue Eye’ - a gothic horror starring Christian Bale, Gillian Anderson and Henry Melling’s as a young Edgar Allan Poe, ‘I Wanna Dane with Somebody’ the new biographical musical about American icon Whitney Houston starring Naomi Ackie and Stanley Tucci, and ‘Corsage’ - a fictional account of a year in the life of Empress Elisabeth of Austria played by Vicky Krieps. Plus your correspondence, the Box office Top 10, What’s On, the Laughter Lift and much more! You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! TIME CODES FOR THE VANGUARD (apologies we can’t put out time codes for those who don’t subscribe as the ad times fluctuate Time Codes: 00:12:25 – The Enforcer 00:18:02 – Ad 00:19:26 – Box Office Top 10 00:36:16 – Interview 00:53:27 – Laughter Lift 00:55:43 – Ad 00:58:32 – The Pale Blue Eye 01:04:26 – Corsage 01:08:34 – I Wanna Dance with Somebody A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production.    Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts   To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It took three years and cost 250 million dollars to make ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’, and Mark has some strong feelings on the film... Mark also reviews animated Christmas movie ‘The Nutcracker and the Magic Flute’ - which follows Marie as she makes a wish and becomes the same size as her toy nutcracker, ‘The Unofficial Science of Home Alone’ - a one off Sky special with comedians James Acaster and Guz Khan, as they step into the shoes of the Wet Bandits as they build and test some of the famous boobytraps from the film, and ‘Le Pupille’, Disney+’s new live-action short that follows the rebellious girls of a strict Catholic boarding school in the run up to Christmas. Plus your correspondence, the Box office Top 10, What’s On, the Laughter Lift and much more! You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! TIME CODES FOR THE VANGUARD (apologies we can’t put out time codes for those who don’t subscribe as the ad times fluctuate) 12:02 The Nutcracker and the Magic Flute 17:41 Last Week’s Streamers 19:49 Box Office Top 10 33:12 The Unofficial Science of Home Alone 40:45 Laughter Lift 51:16 Le Pupille 59:48 The Way of Water A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production.   Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What is it like to work with Tom Cruise? The legendary Hollywood producer, Jerry Bruckheimer, pays us a visit to tell all and to speak to Simon about the making of ‘Top Gun: Maverick’. Mark reviews ‘Nocebo’ - a new mystery/psychological thriller starring Eva Green and Chai Fonacier, ‘Anonymous Club,’ a documentary that gives an intimate portrayal at the life of beloved singer Courtney Barnett, ‘The Silent Twins’ - a biographical drama about the twin sisters June and Jennifer Gibbons, who were institutionalized following years of silence as teenagers, and ‘Rimini’ - The latest drama by Ulrich Seidl about a once famous Austrian pop singer who returns home after the death of his Mother. 12:53 Rimini Review 24:05 Box Office Top 10 38:37 Jerry Bruckheimer Interview 54:11 Anonymous Club Review 58:28 Laughter Lift 01:03:48 Nocebo Review 01:07:41 What’s On 01:08:46 Silent Twins Review Plus your correspondence, the Box office Top 10, What’s On, the Laughter Lift and much more! TIME CODES FOR THE VANGUARD (apologies we can’t put out time codes for those who don’t subscribe as the ad times fluctuate) You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production.   Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why eating nineteen bowls of noodles helped Gary Oldman get into character for Jackson Lamb – he joins Mark and Simon in the studio, fully in character for ‘Slow Horses season two’. Gary talks filming the new series, as well as the 25th anniversary of ‘Nil by Mouth.’ Mark reviews ‘White Noise’- an apocalyptic black comedy directed by Noah Baumbach and starring Greta Gerwig, Adam Driver and Don Cheadle, ‘Tori & Lokita,’ which tells the tale of two youngsters who are united by their shared experience of travelling  alone from Africa and having to contend with the cruel conditions of their exile in Belgium, the 1997 cult classic ‘Nil By Mouth’ which has been re-released by the BFI  for its 25th anniversary - written and directed by Gary Oldman, and ‘Violent Night’ - a new Christmas horror comedy – where Santa Claus is called in to rescue a wealthy family from a group of mercenaries. Plus your correspondence, the Box office Top 10, What’s On, the Laughter Lift and much more! You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media: @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! TIME CODES FOR THE VANGUARD (apologies we can’t put out time codes for those who don’t subscribe as the ad times fluctuate) 12:30 White Noise Review 19:41 Box Office Top 10 36:01 Gary Oldman Interview 56:09 Laughter Lift 01:02:18 Tori & Lokita Reivew 01:09:35 What’s On 01:12:28 Violent Night Review A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production.   Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The monstrous Miss Trunchbull is played by Dame Emma Thompson in the new musical film ‘Matilda the Musical’ - Simon talks to Dame Emma about this extraordinary role, and how Emma’s comprehensive prosthetics started at 5am each day! Mark reviews ‘Bones and All’ - a romantic horror road film by Luca Guadagnino, starring Timothée Chalamet Taylor Russell and Mark Rylance, ‘She Said’ - a biographical drama based on the 2019 book that follows the New York Times investigation that exposed Harvey Weinstein, ‘Matilda the Musical’ - based on the 1988 book by Roald Dahl with music by Tim Minchin, and the stop-motion animated ‘Pinocchio’ - a spin on the classic tale directed by Guillermo Del Toro. Plus your correspondence, the Box office Top 10, What’s On, the Laughter Lift and much more! You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media: @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon speaks to actor Paul Mescal about his new film ‘Aftersun.’ Mark reviews black comedy horror film ‘The Menu,’ starring Anya Taylor-Joy, Nicholas Holt, and Ralph Fiennes - about a young couple who visit a remote island to eat at an exclusive restaurant, but the chef has prepared some shocking surprises for his guests, ‘Armageddon Time’ - a personal coming of age story by James Gray - starring Anne Hathaway and Jeremy Strong, ‘Aftersun’- the debut feature film from Charlotte Wells, about a woman reflecting on the memories of a holiday she spent with her father as a child, and ‘Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery’ - detective Benoit Blanc is back solving another case, this time in sunny Greece. Plus your correspondence, the Box office Top 10, What’s On, the Laughter Lift and much more! You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media: @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production.   Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts   To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ben Bailey Smith speaks to writer/director Sebastián Lelio and actor Florence Pugh about their haunting new film ‘The Wonder.’ Mark reviews the much-anticipated ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ the first four episodes of ‘The Crown’ season five, ‘No Bears’ by Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi – about two parallel love stories in which the partners are thwarted by hidden, inevitable obstacles, and ‘A Bunch of Amateurs’ – about the survival of one of one of the oldest amateur filmmaking clubs in the world. Plus your correspondence and more You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media: @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production.   Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts   To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mark and Simon are LIVE from Indigo at the O2 in Greenwich, and are joined by special guests Aimee Lou Wood (to discuss her new film ‘Living’ in which she stars alongside Bill Nighy), the director of ‘Girls’, and more recently ‘Catherine Called Birdy’; Lena Dunham comes to the stage with her husband Luis Felber who wrote the soundtrack to her latest hit film. Mark reviews ‘Living’ - about a man whose medical diagnosis inspires him to cram some fun into his life, plus some horror themed content including ‘Queer for Fear’- the new shudder docuseries that examines the history of the LGBTQ + community in the horror genre, and ‘Terrifier 2’ - about a sinister clown who terrorises a small community.   Plus your correspondence, The World Cup of Horror FINAL.  You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media: @KermodeandMayo  EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee!    A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production.   Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts   To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week Simon speaks to rising British star Harris Dickinson about his role as a male model in ‘Triangle of Sadness’. Mark reviews new horror film ‘Barbarian’ - starring Bill Skarsgård, Justin Long, and Georgina Campbell, Sebastián Lelio’s psychological thriller ‘The Wonder’- where Florence Pugh is sent to watch a girl who miraculously lives healthily without eating, new rom com ‘Bros’ - about neurotic podcaster Bobby who’s world is turned upside down when he meets Aron, and ‘Triangle of Sadness’ the outrageous new satirical comedy about a group of wealthy people meeting on a luxury cruise. Plus your correspondence, The World Cup Final of horror films draw, What’s On and the Box Office 10. You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media: @KermodeandMayo Buy tickets to our Halloween Live Special at the Indigo at the O2 on October 31st at www.kermodeandmayo.com/live EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production.   Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts   To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week Simon speaks to the prolific British-Irish playwright and filmmaker Martin McDonagh about his new irreverent dark comedy ‘The Banshees of Inisherin’. Mark reviews the latest superhero movie ‘Black Adam’ - starring Dwayne Johnson and Piers Brosnan, Park Chan-Wook's new mystery/romance drama ‘Decision to Leave’ - about a detective investigating a man’s death in the mountains,Hulu original horror film ‘Matriarch’ - about a woman who returns home to the secluded village she grew up in to reunite with her estranged Mother, and ‘The Banshees of Inisherin’ - set on a fictional remote island of the coast of Ireland during the civil war, two best friends have a strange falling out. Plus your correspondence, The World Cup Final of horror films draw, What’s On and the Box Office 10.  You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media: @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production.   Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts   To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week Simon speaks to Emma Mackey about her role as Emily Bronte in ‘Emily’ and the writer and director of the film Francs O’Connor. Mark reviews new adaptation of the popular children's book ‘Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile’- starring Javier Bardem, and Shawn Mendes as the voice of Lyle, Netflix’s new German remake of ‘All Quiet on the Western Front, ‘Emily’ - about one of England’s most talented writers who tragically died at the age of 30, and ‘Halloween Ends’ where Michael Myers is back once again facing off Laurie Strode played by Jamie Lee Curtis Plus your correspondence, The World Cup Final of horror films draw, What’s On and the Box Office 10. You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media: @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production.   Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts   To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week Simon speaks to one of Britian’s finest acting talents Sally Hawkins about her new film ‘The Lost King.’ Mark reviews the culinary smash hit series 'The Bear,’ David O. Russell’s new star-studded drama ‘Amsterdam’, ‘Vengeance’ - starring Ashton Kutcher and B. J. Novak about a podcaster who travels to Texas to investigate the death of woman he briefly dated and ‘The Lost King’- written by Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope, based on the discovery of King Richard III’s remains beneath a Leicester car park. Plus your correspondence, The World Cup Final of horror films draw, What’s On and the Box Office 10. You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media: @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production.   Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts   To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week Simon sits down with screen legend Christian Bale to discuss his role in David O. Russell’s latest film ‘Amsterdam.’ Mark reviews Peter Strickland’s culinary black comedy ‘Flux Gourmet’; ‘Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris’ - a 1950’s period film which follows a housekeeper as she embarks on her dream, starring Lesley Manville, Isabelle Huppert and Jason Isaacs; ‘The Woman King’ starring Viola Davis - about a group of all female warriors in the 1800’s; new horror film ‘Smile’ and the star studded ‘Amsterdam.’ Plus your correspondence, What’s On and the Box Office 10. You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media: @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production.   Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts   To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week Simon and Mark are joined in the studio by the extraordinary Charlotte Rampling to discuss her new film ‘Juniper’. Mark reviews the highly anticipated psychological drama ‘Blonde’- a fictionalized take on the life of Marilyn Monroe; Olivia Wilde’s new film ‘Don’t Worry Darling’ - starring Harry Styles, and Florence Pugh; ‘Catherine Called Birdy’ - a coming of age comedy set in Medieval England, directed by Lena Dunham; and ‘Juniper’- Starring this week's guest Charlotte Rampling, about a fraught relationship between Grandmother and Grandson. Plus your correspondence, What’s On and the Box Office 10. You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media: @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production.   Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts   To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Power, greed, religion and sex: historian Dan Jones brings the drama of medieval history alive through compelling stories, larger-than-life characters and vivid scenes. In the first season, get to know the most dysfunctional family of the Middle Ages – the Plantagenets – and find out how their scandalous betrayals and bloody politics shaped the world we live in today.  A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week Simon speaks to the iconic American actress Pam Grier about the 25th anniversary of ‘Jackie Brown’. Mark reviews Disney+ live action ‘Pinocchio’, Brett Morgan’s new documentary about David Bowie - ‘Moonage Daydream’, Quentin Tarantino’s seminal film ‘Jackie Brown’ and romantic comedy ‘Ticket to Paradise’ starring Julia Roberts and George Clooney.  Plus a huge amount of correspondence, What’s On and the Box Office 10.  You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media: @KermodeandMayo  EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee!    A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production.   Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts   To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This episode was recorded before the announcement of the passing of HRH Elizabeth II. This week Simon speaks to the multitalented Poet, Musician, and actor Johnny Flynn about his new film ‘The Score.’ Mark reviews new comedy horror ‘Bodies Bodies Bodies’ - about a group of spoilt friends whose party game goes horribly wrong, ‘See How They Run’ - a mystery/crime set in the 1950’s, starring Sam Rockwell, Adrien Brody, and Saoirse Ronan, ‘The Score’ - a British musical/heist film starring Will Poulter, Johnny Flynn, and Naomi Ackie, and David Cronenberg’s latest body horror ‘Crimes of the Future.’ You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media: @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production.   Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts   To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon and Mark are back from their cruise and joined by very special guest Timothy Spall to discuss his new drama ‘It Snows in Benidorm’. Mark reviews the new drama ‘The Forgiven’ - starring Jessica Chastain, Matt Smith and Ralph Fiennes, ‘Three Thousand Years of Longing’ - George Miller’s new fantasy romance starring Idris Elba and Tilda Swinton, ‘It Snows in Benidorm’, and ‘Blackbird’ - the new spy film starring, written, directed and produced by Michael Flatley. You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media: @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production.   Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts   To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon and Mark are on the final week of their cruise, so this week covers all the highlights from their Take 2 episodes so far, bringing you the best bits (normally reserved for subscribers, ie. The Vanguard) FOR FREE! To subscribe via any platform, visit: https://extratakes.com/ Highlights include: MORE TOM HIDDLESTON One Frame Back: Films About Mythical Sea Creatures MORE ROWAN ATKINSON Mark and Simon Spoil Everything: Top Gun: Maverick MORE ALICIA VIKANDER Take it or Leave it: You Decide - Heart Stopper PLUS Anna Bogutskaya joins the party with her interview with Zawe Ashton, who stars in the new regency core film, Mr. Malcolm’s List. As well as all that, there’s yet another surprise from Mark and Simon... make sure you wait for those credits. You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media: @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production.   Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts   To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Join Robbie Collin and Rhianna Dhillon as they stand in while Mark and Simon are on their annual cruise. Rhianna speaks to national treasure Hugh Bonneville about his sinister new role in Baback Anvari’s new crime thriller ‘I Came By’. Robbie reviews ‘Bad Sisters’ Sharon Horgan’s new comedy/thriller, ‘House of the Dragon’ - following the story of the Targaryen civil war 300 years before the events portrayed in ‘Game of Thrones’, ‘My Old School’ - a new true crime documentary set in a Scottish secondary school starring Alan Cumming, and ‘Fisherman’s Friends: One and All’ - the sequel to the 2019 hit about the famous sea shanty singing group from Port Isaac. PLUS a surprise from Mark and Simon... make sure you wait for those credits. You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media: @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Join Anna Bogutskaya and Rufus Jones as they fill in while Mark and Simon are on their annual cruise. Rufus speaks to the genius director behind ‘Get Out’ and ‘US’, Jordan Peele, about his latest horror/sci-fi ‘Nope.’ Anna reviews the harrowing new Apple TV + series ‘Five Days at Memorial’ - chronicling the aftermath hurricane Katrina had on one hospital, ‘Eiffel’ - following the life and career of Gustave Eiffel and starring Emma Mackey, ‘Nope’ - Jordan Peele’s latest big hit and ‘Blind Ambition’ - a new documentary about Africa’s best and most unlikely sommeliers. PLUS a surprise from Mark and Simon... make sure you wait for the credits... You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media: @KermodeandMayo A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon and Mark talk to Oscar winning Swedish actress Alicia Vikander about her new role in the highly meta series ‘Irma Vep’ - created by Olivier Assayas. Mark reviews the star-studded ensemble  action/thriller ‘Bullet Train’, the reissue of the cult classic ‘The Harder They Come.’ - featuring music by and starring Jimmy Cliff, and Irma Vep – about Mira, an American movie star who is disillusioned by her career and recent breakup, so comes to France to star in a remake of the French silent classic, “Les Vampires.” Exclusive! Grab the NordVPN deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-daycare  money-back guarantee! You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo.   A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon talks to legendary Hollywood director and actor Ron Howard, about his new biographical survival film ‘Thirteen Lives’ - starring Viggo Mortensen, Colin Farrell, and Joel Edgerton. Mark reviews the new animation ‘DC League of Super-Pets', ‘Thirteen Lives’, documentary ‘Fire of Love’ - following the lives and careers of volcanologists Katia and Maurice Kraftt, and ‘Hit the Road’ - a new film by Iranian director Panah Panahi, that tells the tender and chaotic story about a family on a road trip You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or find us on our social channels. A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts Exclusive! Grab the NordVPN deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-daycare  money-back guarantee! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon talks to actress Daisy Edgar-Jones, of ‘Normal People’ fame, who stars in ‘Where the Crawdads Sing’ - the new film adaptation of Number One best-selling book by Delia Owens. Plus Mark reviews ‘Notre Dame on Fire’, based on the real-life disaster that took place in August 2019, documentary ‘Kurt Vonnegut Unstuck in Time’ - about the life of the beloved American writer, and ‘She Will’ - a psychological horror, by debut director Charlotte Colbert. Mark and Simon read out email from Tim Clayton about the single-screen cinema called Kino Astra in Oborniki Slaskie, Poland – if you’d like to find out more you can visit: https://kinoastra.pl/o-nas/ You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or find us on our social channels. A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts Exclusive! Grab the NordVPN deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-daycare  money-back guarantee! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon talks to Bafta winning British actor Sheridan Smith OBE on what it was like to be a part of ‘The Railway Children Return.’ Mark reviews Ryan Goslings new action flick ‘The Gray Man’, ‘The Good Boss’ - a Spanish workplace satire staring Javier Bardem. ‘The Railway Children Return’ - which is the sequel to the much beloved classic. + ‘McEnroe’ -a new documentary that follows the life of the iconic tennis player. Plus, What’s on World, the Box office chart and more. You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or find us on our social channels. Show timings: 00:06:19 Last week's streamers 00:09:46 The Good Boss review 00:15:15 Ad break 00:17:46 Box Office Top 10 00:35:27 Sheridan Smith interview 00:49:42 The Railway Children Return review 00:55:12 The Laughter Lift 00:57:16 Ad break 01:03:00 The Gray Man review 01:06:21 What's On 01:07:43 McEnroe review A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts Exclusive! Grab the NordVPN deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-daycare  money-back guarantee! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon interviews actor and singer Taron Egerton best known for his work in the ‘Kingsman Franchise,’ and ‘Rocketman’ about his role in Apple TV+ new drama series ‘Black Bird – based on true events about a convict trying to help catch a serial killer. Mark reviews the much anticipated ‘Thor: Love and Thunder,’ new British robot film ‘Brian and Charles’, ‘Black Bird,’ and documentary ‘Futura’ - Exploring what boys and girls from age 15 to 20 think about the future, through a series of interviews during a long journey across Italy. Plus, What’s on World, the Box office chart and more. You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or find us on our social channels. Show timings: 00:08:59 Brian and Charles review 00:17:28 Ad break 00:18:21 Box Office Top 10 00:32:32 Taron Egerton interview 00:47:32 Black Bird review 00:53:37 Elevator Jokes 00:55:13 Ad break 00:59:15 Futura review 01:02:21 What’s On 01:04:23 Thor: Love and Thunder review A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts Exclusive! Grab the NordVPN deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-daycare  money-back guarantee! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mark reviews ‘Minions: Rise of Gru’, ‘Nitram’ - about a young man who develops an unexpected friendship with an older and isolated heiress, and ‘Tigers’ - about a young Swedish football player who is sent to play in Italy’s most prestigious club.  Plus, What’s on World, the Box office chart and more.  You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or find us on our social channels.  Show timings: 17:52 Tigers Review 26:49 Box Office Top 10 40:59 Nitram Review 47:59 The Laughter Lift 50:05 Minions Review 01:00:53 What’s On World  A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production.  Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts  Exclusive! Grab the NordVPN deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-daycare money-back guarantee! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mark and Simon are joined in the studio by comedic genius Rowan Atkinson to chat about his new comedy Netflix series ‘Man vs, Bee.’ Mark reviews the highly anticipated ‘Elvis’, Ethan Hawkes new horror, ‘The Black Phone’, ‘Man vs. Bee’ and Wim Wenders 1987 classic ‘Wings of Desire’ - about an angel who wonders the streets of Berlin observing its residents.  Plus, What’s on World, the Box office chart and more.  You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or find us on our social channels.  Show timings: 13:03 Last Week’s Streamers  16:25 Black Phone Review  22:43 Box Office Top 10  35:12 Rowan Atkinson Interview  49:49 Man Vs Bee Review  54:11 Elevator Jokes  01:00:16 Elvis Review  01:11:33 What’s On A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production.  Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts  Exclusive! Grab the NordVPN deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-daycare  money-back guarantee! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon speaks to the one and only Tom Hanks about his role as Colonel Tom Parker in ‘Elvis’. Mark reviews ‘Lightyear’ – the story of a young Buzz Lightyear, Emma Thompson stars in ‘Good Luck to You, Leo Grande’, François Ozone’s French drama ‘Everything Went Fine’ and Chris Hemsworth’s new film ‘Spiderhead’ Plus, What’s on World, the Box office chart and more. You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or find us on our social channels. Show timings: 00:11:18 - Everything Went Fine review 00:22:10 - Box Office Top 10 00:34:19 - Tom Hanks interview 00:49:59 - Lightyear review 00:55:12 - Elevator Jokes 00:58:02 - Good Luck To You, Leo Grande review 01:04:31 - What’s On 01:06:22 - Spiderhead review A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts Exclusive! Grab the NordVPN deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-daycare  money-back guarantee! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon speaks to screen legend, and fan of the show Jeff Goldblum about reprising his role as Dr. Ian Malcom in Jurassic World Dominion. Mark reviews new Jennifer Coolidge film ‘Swan Song,’ British comedy horror ‘All My Friends Hate Me,’ ‘Jurassic World Dominion,’ and new Britbox documentary series ‘Reel Britannia’ - highlighting the best of British cinema. Plus, Take it or Leave it, What’s on World, the Box office chart and more. You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or find us on our social channels. Show timings: 15:26 Swan Song review 24:20 Box Office Top 10 39:02 Jeff Goldblum Interview 53:31 Jurassic World: Dominion review 01:00:24 Take It Or Leave It 01:02:47 Reel Britannia review 01:07:08 What’s On World 01:08:45 All My Friends Hate Me review A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts Exclusive! Grab the NordVPN deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-daycare  money-back guarantee! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon speaks to renowned filmmaker, producer, and writer Danny Boyle to discuss his new Disney+ series ‘Pistol.’  Mark reviews folk horror ‘Men’ which stars Jessie Buckley and Rory Kinnear, the new adaptation of ‘The Midwich Cuckoos’, Mia Hansen- Løve’s ‘Bergman’s Island’ and ‘Pistol’. Plus, TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT: Ukrainian special. Box office chart and more. You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or find us on our social channels. Show timings: 14:42 Men Review 24:42 Box Office Top 10 34:43 Danny Boyle Interview 49.36 Pistol Review 01:00:54 The Midwich Cuckoos 01:07:55 What’s On 01:10:12 Bergman Island A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts Exclusive! Grab the NordVPN deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-daycare  money-back guarantee! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mark and Simon are live from the Union Chapel, Islington, London! They’re joined by friend of the show Sanjeev Bhaskar, and Rory Kinnear who is starring in ‘Men’. Mark reviews Top Gun: Maverick, French film ‘Between Two Worlds’, American animation ‘Bob’s Burger’s’ and the new series of ‘Stranger Things’. Plus, extra bits live from the church! You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or find us on our social channels. Show timings: 7.26 Bob’s Burgers Review 11.42 Sanjeev Bhaskar interview 23.01 Between Two Worlds Review 31.00 Box Office Top 10 39.22 Rory Kinnear interview 51.31 Top Gun: Maverick Review 01.00.11 Stranger Things Review A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts Exclusive! Grab the NordVPN deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-daycare  money-back guarantee! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this week's episode of Kermode and Mayo’s Take, Mark and Simon are joined in the studio by Tom Cruise’s co-star Miles Teller to discuss his latest role as Bradley ‘Rooster’ Bradshaw in ‘Top Gun: Maverick.’ Mark reviews Amazon’s college satire ‘Emergency’, Norwegian horror film ‘The Innocents’, Terrence Davies new World War One drama ‘Benediction’ and music documentary ‘A-ha-The Movie’ - about one of 1980’s most popular bands. Plus, Mark and Simon recommend the essential week’s viewing in Take It or Leave It. You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or find us on our social channels. Show timings: 11.16 Last week’s streamers 13.03 What’s On 16.45 Emergency Review 24.53 - Box Office Chart 37.27 Miles Teller interview 52.36 The Innocents Review 58.18 Take It Or Leave It 01.02.47 A-Ha The Movie Review 01.08.43 Physical Product of the Week 01.10.01 Benediction Review A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts Exclusive! Grab the NordVPN deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-daycare  money-back guarantee! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this week's episode of Kermode and Mayo’s Take, Mark and Simon are joined in the studio by Argentinian screenwriter, director, and auteur Gaspar Noé to discuss his latest film Vortex. Mark reviews Apple TV+’s new series ‘The Essex Serpent’, Sci-fi/Action film ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ staring Michelle Yeoh, new drama starring Mark Wahlberg - ‘Father Stu’, ‘The Drover’s Wife’ and ‘The Quiet Girl’ about a 9-year-old girl who discovers a new way of life when she moves in with a middle-aged farm couple for the summer. Plus, Mark and Simon recommend the essential week’s viewing in a brand-new feature: Take It or Leave It (previously +/-) You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or find us on our social channels. Show timings: 7.15 - Father Stu Review 15.04 The Drover’s Wife Review 20.05 The Quiet Girl Review 25.25 Physical Product of the Week 27.53 Gaspar Noé Interview 40.03 Vortex Review 47.04 The Essex Serpent Review 55.29 Take It Or Leave It (previously +/-) 59.10 Everything Everywhere All At Once 01.18.10 Box Office Top 10 A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts Exclusive! Grab the NordVPN deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-daycare  money-back guarantee! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Once a week with us not enough for you? We have great news - in addition to our regular episodes every Friday, join Kermode & Mayo’s Extra Takes to get our subscriber-exclusive show - TAKE TWO. Every week on TAKE TWO, you’ll get a full extra hour of us diving deeper into topics, discussions (and popcorn) we didn’t have quite enough time for in our regular episode. Plus, if you want to listen without interruption, subscribers get access to all Kermode & Mayo episodes completely ad-free! Perfectly happy with one episode a week? No worries - we’re not taking anything way, only adding more. Subscribe to Kermode and Mayo’s Extra Takes to get access to TAKE TWO every Monday and other fantastic subscriber-exclusive episodes. Apple Podcast listeners click “try free” at the top of the page below to get your first month free (a limited time offer!) or visit the link in our show description to get access on your preferred podcast platform. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this first episode of Kermode and Mayo's Take, Mark and Simon are joined by Tom Hiddleston who talks about his role in The Essex Serpent. Mark reviews new Marvel film ‘Dr Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness’, ‘This Much I Know To Be True’ which captures Nick Cave and Warren Ellis' creative relationship as they bring to life the songs from their last two studio albums, ‘Cabaret’ 50th Anniversary, new Netflix series ‘Clark’ - the story of Clark Olofsson, the man behind Stockholm syndrome, Danish film ‘Wild Men’/ ‘Vildmænd’ and also ‘Wake Up Punk’ starring Vivienne Westwood. Plus Mark and Simon recommend the essential week's viewing in a brand new feature: +/- (otherwise known as add / remove). You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or find us on our social channels. Add The Essex Serpent to your Up Next in Apple TV+: https://tv.apple.com/gb/show/the-essex-serpent/umc.cmc.1vyhx06lta7a21tshl8qitota Exclusive! Grab the NordVPN deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-daycare  money-back guarantee! A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The new home of Mark Kermode and Simon Mayo. Coming early May 2022.  Film reviews, TV reviews, and all your conversation around movie and non-movie related stuff. Plus a whole bunch of recommendations to watch in cinemas, on all streaming services and on physical media. As well as the film and TV reviews, Mark and Simon will be talking about anything and everything. Punctuation, Thunderbirds, obscure German pop music, fax machines, subtitles, MRI scans, magic, school assemblies, Scandinavia, and don’t forget the dad jokes. Follow now to get episodes as soon as they arrive. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices