Groovy Movies (Groovy Movies)
Explore every episode of Groovy Movies
| Pub. Date | Title | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21 Jul 2022 | Promising Young Woman dir. by Emerald Fennell | 00:37:04 | |
<<<Trigger warning>>> This episode talks about sexual assault. <<<Spoiler warning>>> Watch the movie before listening if you don’t want to hear spoilers (and because it’s a great film). Films and articles mentioned: Promising Young Woman (2020) dir. by Emerald Fennell Superbad (2007) dir. by Greg Mottola Variety article criticising Carey Mulligan in the movie Other sources: Rebecca Liu’s review for anothergaze.com Feminist Frequency Radio podcast’s discussion of the film - episode 152 Interview with the film’s cinematographer Benjamin Kracun Editing and production by Lily Austin, original theme music by James Brailsford. Thank you to Abby-Jo Sheldon for our logo. ----------- | |||
| 03 Aug 2022 | When Harry Met Sally dir. by Rob Reiner | 00:35:38 | |
<<<Spoiler warning>>> Watch the movie before listening if you don’t want to hear spoilers (and because it’s the greatest rom-com ever made). Films and books referenced: When Harry Met Sally (1989) dir. by Rob Reiner Postcards from the Edge by Carrie Fisher (Simon & Schuster, 1987) Postcards from the Edge (1990) dir. by Mike Nichols Men in Black (1997) dir. by Barry Sonnenfeld Sleepless in Seattle (1993) dir. by Nora Ephron You’ve Got Mail (1998) dir. by Nora Ephron The Princess Bride (1987) dir. by Rob Reiner Stand By Me (1986) dir. by Rob Reiner Other sources: ‘When Harry Met Sally…’ in The Most of Nora Ephron by Nora Ephron (Doubleday, 2014) Nora Ephron and Rob Reiner discuss the film Vanity Fair article by Sonia Saraiya on When Harry Met Sally Editing and production by Lily Austin, original theme music by James Brailsford. Thank you to Abby-Jo Sheldon for our logo. ----------- | |||
| 30 Jul 2022 | Everything Everywhere All At Once dir. by Daniels | 00:31:21 | |
<<<Spoiler warning>>> Indiewire interview with Daniels Directors and Michelle Yeoh breakdown the film for Vanity Fair NY Times ‘Anatomy of a Scene’ with directors ----------- | |||
| 10 Aug 2022 | The Conformist dir. by Bernardo Bertolucci | 00:33:10 | |
<<<Trigger warning>>> Films referenced: The Conformist (1970) dir. by Bernardo Bertolucci 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) dir. by Stanley Kubrick One From the Heart (1981) dir. by Francis Ford Coppola Other sources: Documentary on Vittorio Storaro, The Conformist’s cinematographer Shadows of the Psyche: The Conformist, Q&A with Vitorio Storaro by John Bailey Editing and production by Lily Austin, original theme music by James Brailsford. ----------- | |||
| 17 Aug 2022 | Batman Begins dir. by Christopher Nolan | 00:39:27 | |
<<<Spoiler alert>>> Watch the movie before listening if you don’t want to hear spoilers (and if you’ve always wanted to hear Liam Neeson speak at ½ speed). Films referenced: Batman Begins (2005) dir. by Christopher Nolan The Dark Knight (2008) dir. by Christopher Nolan Batman & Robin (1997) dir. by Joel Schumacher Superman (1978) dir. by Dick Donner Superman II (1980) dir. by Dick Donner Waves (2019) dir. by Trey Edward Shults The Batman (2022) dir. by Matt Reeves Sources: Vilja Johnson, “It’s What You Do that Defines You:” Christopher Nolan’s Batman as Moral Philosopher, Journal of popular culture, vol. 47, no. 5 (2014) Kyle Killian, ‘Batman (and World War III) Begins Hollywood Takes on Terror’, Journal of Feminist Family Therapy, vol. 19, no. 1 (2008) Garry Lu, ‘How Christopher Nolan changed the game with Batman Begins’, Boss Hunting (2021) Stephen Pizzello, 'Batman Begins: The Bat Takes Wing', American Cinematographer (2020)
Thank you to Abby-Jo Sheldon for our logo. ----------- | |||
| 24 Aug 2022 | Licorice Pizza dir. by Paul Thomas Anderson | 00:27:11 | |
<<<Spoiler alert>>> This week is pretty low on spoilers but nonetheless, we strongly recommend watching the movie before listening - it’s a feast for the eyes.
Licorice Pizza (2021) dir. by Paul Thomas Anderson Bullet Train (2022) dir. by David Leitch Reservoir Dogs (1992) dir. Quentin Tarantino Pulp Fiction (1994) dir. Quentin Tarantino Hereditary (2018) dir. by Ari Aster Nomadland (2020) dir. by Chloe Zhao Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021) dir. by Andy Serkis Boogie Nights (1997) dir. by Paul Thomas Anderson
Jeff Ewing, 'How cinematic universes changed cinema', looper.com (2022) Ian Leslie, ‘How Marvel conquered culture’, The New Statesman (2021) Calum Russell, ‘From David lynch to Jordan Peele: 10 directors who can sell a film with their name alone’, Far Out (2022) Kyle Buchanan, ‘Paul Thomas Anderson Goes Back to the Valley With ‘Licorice Pizza’ The New York Times (2021) Kodak blogpost on Licorice Pizza Thank you to Abby-Jo Sheldon for our logo. ----------- | |||
| 31 Aug 2022 | Heat dir. by Michael Mann | 00:37:43 | |
<<<Spoiler alert>>> Watch the movie before listening if you don’t want to hear spoilers (and to see Val Kilmer’s hair at its cinematic nadir). Films and tv shows referenced: Heat (1995) dir. by Michael Mann Heat 2 (tbc) dir. by Michael Mann The Batman trilogy (2005-2012) dir. by Christopher Nolan LA Takedown (1989) dir. by Michael Mann LA Confidential (1997) dir. by Curtis Hanson The Godfather: Part II (1974) dir. by Francis Ford Coppola Other sources: James Clark and Paul Szoldra, ‘That one scene in Heat that gave audiences the most realistic firefight in movie history’, taskandpurpose.com Vincent M. Gaine, Existentialism and Social Engagement in the Films of Michael Mann (2011) Michael Mann and Meg Gardiner, Heat 2 (2022) Koralijka Suton, ‘Heat at 25: Michael Mann’s meticulous masterpiece’, cinephiliabeyond.org Kristopher Tapley, ‘Christopher Nolan talks Michael Mann’s Heat’, variety.com Zach Vasquez, ‘The crime cinema renaissance of 1990’, crimereads.com ‘The Making of Heat (1995)’, youtube.com
Thank you to Abby-Jo Sheldon for our logo. ----------- | |||
| 07 Sep 2022 | Bringing Up Baby dir. by Howard Hawks | 00:32:18 | |
<<<Spoiler alert>>> Watch Bringing Up Baby on iplayer. Films and tv shows referenced: Bringing Up Baby (1938) dir. by Howard Hawks Knocked Up (2007) dir. by Judd Apatow The Love Birds (2020) dir. by Michael Showalter Insecure (2016-2021) created by Issa Rae and Larry Wilmore Ghostbusters (2016) dir. by Paul Feig Ocean’s 8 (2018) dir. by Gary Ross Other sources: Me: Stories of my life (1991) by Katharine Hepburn Michaela Barton, ‘Bringing Up Baby is a revolutionary queer protest’, flippedscreen.com (2020) David Thomson, ‘Bringing Up Baby: The story of a scene’, The Guardian (2010) David R. Shumway, Screwball Comedies: Constructing Romance, Mystifying Marriage (Cinema Journal, Summer 1991) Editing and production by Lily Austin, original theme music by James Brailsford. Thank you to Abby-Jo Sheldon for our logo. ----------- | |||
| 14 Sep 2022 | The Worst Person in the World dir. by Joachim Trier | 00:35:41 | |
<<<Spoiler alert>>> Watch The Worst Person in the World on Mubi. Trust us it’s worth the subscription. Films and tv shows referenced: The Worst Person in the World (2021) dir. by Joachim Trier The Florida Project (2017) dir. by Sean Baker The Man who fell to Earth (19760) dir. by Nicholas Roeg Young Plato (2021) dir. by Declan McGrath, Neasa Ní Chianáin Reprise (2006) dir. by Joachim Trier Oslo, August 31st (2011) dir. by Joachim Trier Other sources: Nick Chen, Interview with Joachim Trier, dazeddigital.com Mubi, Interview with Joachim Trier, youtube.com Anatomy of a Scene, youtube.com Editing and production by Lily Austin, original theme music by James Brailsford. Thank you to Abby-Jo Sheldon for our logo. ----------- | |||
| 28 Sep 2022 | À Bout De Souffle (Breathless) dir. by Jean-Luc Godard | 00:37:16 | |
<<<Spoiler alert>>> We strongly recommend watching À Bout De Souffle before listening to the episode - for many reasons that we get into in the episode, but mainly because it changed cinema forever. You can rent it on BFI player. Films and TV shows referenced: À Bout De Souffle (1960) dir. by Jean-Luc Godard Last Year in Marienbad (1961) dir. by Alain Resnais Practical Magic (1998) dir. by Griffin Dunne Southland Tales (2006) dir. by Richard Kelly Donnie Darko (2001) dir. by Richard Kelly Le Mépris (1963) dir. by Jean-Luc Godard Bande à part (1964) dir. by Jean-Luc Godard Alphaville (1965) dir. by Jean-Luc Godard Tangerine (2015) dir. by Sean Baker Following (1998) dir. by Christopher Nolan When Harry Met Sally (1989) dir. by Rob Reiner Reservoir Dogs (1992) dir. by Quentin Tarantino Pulp Fiction (1994) dir. by Quentin Tarantino Mean Girls (2004) dir. by Mark Waters Euphoria (2019) created by Sam Levinson Breathless (1983) dir. By Jim McBride Other sources: Rubin Safaya, ‘À Bout de Souffle’, cinemalogue.com Jacqueline Wallace, ‘À Bout de Souffle by Jean-Luc Godard: How did it reinvent modern cinema?’, the-artifice.com Buy the New York Herald Tribune shirt Editing and production by Lily Austin, original theme music by James Brailsford. Thank you to Abby-Jo Sheldon for our logo. ----------- | |||
| 28 Sep 2022 | Bound dir. by the Wachowskis | 00:41:37 | |
<<<Spoiler alert>>> We hate to say it but the easiest place to watch Bound is on Amazon. If you’ve not seen it before you won’t be disappointed, even if the platform is. Films and tv shows referenced: Bound (1996) dir. by the Wachowskis The Matrix (1999) dir. by the Wachowskis Batman Begins (2005) dir. by Christopher Nolan Casablanca (1942) dir. by Michael Curtiz Poltergeist (1982) dir. by Tobe Hooper Dune (2021) dir. by Denis Villeneuve The Matrix Resurrections (2001) dir. by Lana Wachowskis Who's That Knocking at My Door (1967) dir. by Martin Scorsese Basic Instinct (1992) dir. by Paul Verhoeven Memento (2000) dir. by Christopher Nolan Other sources: James Robert Douglas, ‘Bound: the Wachowskis’ immaculately crafted queer thriller was a test-run for The Matrix’, theguardian.com Nat Whilk and Jayson Whitehead, interview with the Wachowskis from 1998, gadflyonline Erin Delaney, ‘Woman Unbound: Queer Utopia in the Wachowshi Sisters’ Bound, Cleo Journal Editing and production by Lily Austin, original theme music by James Brailsford. Thank you to Abby-Jo Sheldon for our logo. ----------- | |||
| 12 Oct 2022 | Grizzly Man dir. by Werner Herzog | 00:37:38 | |
<<<Spoiler alert>>> Avoid spoilers and watch the documentary here. And if that has whetted your appetite for Werner Herzog’s mesmeric timbre, see the links below for him in Rick and Morty, and starring as a plastic bag. Films referenced: Grizzly Man (2005) dir. by Werner Herzog Blonde (2022) dir. by Andrew Dominick The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) dir. by Martin Scorsese Passport to Paradise (2022) dir. by OI Parker Into the Inferno (2016) dir. by Werner Herzog Other sources: Trent Griffiths, ‘An Argument across Time and Space: Mediated Meetings in Grizzly Man’, Networking Knowledge (2014) Paul Arthur, ‘Beyond the Limits: Werner Herzog’s metaphysical realism: 40 years of boldly going where no documentary has gone before’, Film Comment (July-August 2005) Elif Akçalı and Cüneyt Çakırlar, ‘A Form of Proto-Cinema: Aesthetics of Werner Herzog’s Documentary Essayism’, Cineaction (2016) Werner Herzog in Rick and Morty, youtube.com Werner Herzog in Plastic Bag (2010) dir. by Ramin Bahrani, youtube.com Werner Herzog hypnotized his actors, youtube.com Editing and production by Lily Austin, original theme music by James Brailsford. Thank you to Abby-Jo Sheldon for our logo. ----------- | |||
| 19 Oct 2022 | We Need To Talk About Kevin dir. by Lynne Ramsay | 00:37:19 | |
<<<Spoiler alert>>> Don’t let us spoil this incredible movie for you - watch it on Netflix or Amazon or our favourite, Mubi, before listening. Films, TV shows and books referenced: We Need To Talk About Kevin (2011) dir. by Lynne Ramsay The Passengers of the night (2022) dir. by Mikhaël Hers We Need To Talk About Kevin (2003) by Lionel Shriver Morvern Callar (2002) dir. by Lynne Ramsay The Psychopath Test (2011) by John Ronson Ratcatcher (1999) dir. by Lynne Ramsay The Virgin Suicides (1999) dir. by Sofia Coppola Dahmer (2022) created by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan Other sources: Roger Ebert, We Need To Talk About Kevin film review (2012), rogerebert.com Mark Fisher, Implausible Psycho: “We Need To Talk About Kevin (2012), filmquarterly.org Hannah Holway, Beyond the Final Girl: We Need To Talk About Kevin and Motherhood in Horror (Feb, 2022), talkfilmsociety.com Editing and production by Lily Austin and James Brailsford, original theme music by James Brailsford. Thank you to Abby-Jo Sheldon for our logo. ----------- | |||
| 28 Oct 2022 | The Shining dir. by Stanley Kubrick | 00:41:24 | |
<<<Spoiler alert>>> Films, TV shows and books referenced: The Shining (1980) dir. by Stanley Kubrick The Shining (1977) by Stephen King A Nightmare on Elm Street (1985) dir. by Wes Craven Friday the 13th (1980) dir. by Sean S. Cunningham X (2022) dir. by Ti West It Follows (2014) dir. by David Robert Mitchell The Ritual (2017) dir. by David Bruckner [not named 😬- the one about Loki’s descendent] 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) dir. by Stanley Kubrick 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) by Arthur C. Clarke Toast of London, series 3, ep. 1 (2015) dir. by Michael Cumming Making the Shining (1980) dir. by Vivian Kubrick When Harry Met Sally (1989) dir. by Rob Reiner Other sources: Garrett Brown, The Steadicam and The Shining Revisited (2022) acsmag.com Alison Castle, The Stanley Kubrick Archives (2021) Pauline Kael, review of The Shining (1980) scrapsfromtheloft.com Herb A. Lightman, Photographing Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining (2019) acsmag.com Delia Malia Konzett, Kubrick’s Red Room: Architecture, Race, and Nationhood in The Shining (2022) Quarterly Review of Film and Video Rob Navarro, The Wendy Theory (2020) youtube.com
Thank you to Abby-Jo Sheldon for our logo. ----------- | |||
| 03 Nov 2022 | The Love Witch dir. by Anna Biller | 00:37:00 | |
<<<Spoiler alert>>> Films and podcasts referenced: ----------- | |||
| 10 Nov 2022 | Hero dir. by Zhang Yimou | 00:31:37 | |
<<<Spoiler alert>>> Films referenced: Editing and production by Lily Austin and James Brailsford, original theme music by James Brailsford. ----------- | |||
| 17 Nov 2022 | Mustang dir. Deniz Gamze Ergüven | 00:32:51 | |
<<<Spoiler alert>>> Other sources: Editing and production by Lily Austin and James Brailsford, original theme music by James Brailsford. Thank you to Abby-Jo Sheldon for our logo. ----------- | |||
| 24 Nov 2022 | Hunger dir. by Steve McQueen | 00:27:31 | |
<<<Spoiler alert>>> Films and TV shows referenced: Thank you to Abby-Jo Sheldon for our logo. ----------- | |||
| 01 Dec 2022 | 2001: A Space Odyssey dir. by Stanley Kubrick | 00:35:39 | |
<<<Spoiler alert>>> ----------- | |||
| 09 Dec 2022 | Die Hard dir. by John McTiernan | 00:41:12 | |
<<<Spoiler alert>>> Films and TV shows referenced:
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| 06 Mar 2023 | [GUESTS ON CULTURE COLANDER] The Whale, starring Brendan Fraser: "We didn't need fatness to tell this story" | 01:33:23 | |
Audra and Elisa pair up with Lily and James from Groovy Movies podcast to dissect one of the most talked about films of the year, The Whale, which stars Brendan Fraser and is nominated for multiple Academy Awards. They chat about fat representation, the struggle of stage-to-film adaptations, voyeurism, and the different manifestations of trauma. This episode pairs best with following Aubrey Gordon, making British friends, and watching the Oscars.
Check out Culture Colander Keep the conversation going
Sources
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| 08 Mar 2023 | Awards Season Special (part 1): The Worst | 01:13:52 | |
Kicking-off series 2 with part one of our Awards Season Special, a round-up of our least favourite of the awards contenders this year. Tensions rise in the fight for the bottom, Avatar v. Babylon - who will win? We also make predictions for this Sunday’s Oscars ceremony and award our very own gongs, The Groovies. ----------- | |||
| 16 Mar 2023 | Awards Season Special (part 2): The Best | 01:11:41 | |
In part two we regroup to see how our Oscars predictions fared, discuss our favourites of the awards contenders and, of course, present the rest of the Groovies. ----------- | |||
| 06 Apr 2023 | What makes a film feel timeless? (Dune, Memento, Casablanca) | 00:58:21 | |
This week we discuss timelessness. How certain films manage to capture that elusive quality, through the look, characterisation and storytelling. ----------- | |||
| 23 Mar 2023 | Do blank cheques make good films? (Showgirls, Southland Tales, The Last Temptation of Christ) | 01:05:25 | |
<<<spoiler alert>>> ----- The Last Temptation of Christ (1988) dir. by Martin Scorsese Showgirls (1995) dir. by Paul Verhoeven Southland Tales (2006) dir. by Richard Kelly You Don’t Nomi (2019) dir. by Jeffrey McHale One from the Heart (1982) dir. by Francis Ford Coppola Babylon (2022) dir. by Damien Chazelle Thelma & Louise (1991) dir. by Ridley Scott The Banger Sisters (2002) dir. by Bob Dolman Richard Kelly is working on a sequel to Southland Tales - Interview for Vanity Fair by Christopher Rosen. “God Bless Dwayne Johnson”: Richard Kelly on Southland Tales, 15 Years Later by Erik Luers for Filmmaker Magazine. ‘Southland Tales’ at 15: An Oral History of the Cannes Cut Nobody Saw Coming by Eric Kohn for IndieWire. The Last Temptation of Christ’ As a Testament to and an Exploration of Scorsese’s Own Faith by Koraljka Suton for cinephiliabeyond.org. Roger Ebert’s review of The Last Temptation of Christ. How Showgirls exposed the rot of our misogynistic culture by Hugh Montgomery for BBC. Is This The End of Netflix’s Blank Check Art House Films? by Anna Menta for decider.com. ----------- | |||
| 30 Mar 2023 | Don’t watch the movie - watch the documentary about the movie (Hearts of Darkness, Jodorowsky's Dune, Lost Soul: The Doomed Journey of Richard Stanley's Island Of Dr. Moreau) | 00:49:45 | |
Sometimes the story about the making of the film is even better than the final product. This week we discuss four films, via the incredible documentaries about how they were (or in some cases, weren’t) made. Sources and resources: ‘This Documentary About Making ‘Apocalypse Now’ Is Almost Better Than the Film’ by Douglas Laman for collider.com For the backstory to Francis Ford Coppola’s first short films: ‘The early erotic movies of Francis Ford Coppola’ by Calum Russell for Far Out ‘Where to begin with Alejandro Jodorowsky’ by Matthew Thrift for BFI ‘Is Jodorowsky’s Dune the greatest film never made?’ by Nicholas Barber for BBC Culture ‘Alejandro Jodorowsky’s ‘Dune’ Was Never Made, but With A.I., We Get a Glimpse of His ‘Tron’ by Frank Pavich for The New York Times ----------- | |||
| 13 Apr 2023 | Fucking Bonkers French Films (Last Year at Marienbad, The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, Celine & Julie Go Boating, Holy Motors) | 01:04:33 | |
This week we get into that particular kind of surrealist madness only French cinema can capture. From the overwrought 60s stylisation of Last Year at Marienbad to modern masterpiece Holy Motors, care of 70s standouts Celine and Julie Go Boating and The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie - if nothing else, we're giving tops marks for the titles.
Last Year at Marienbad (1961) dir. by Alain Resnais The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972) dir. by Luis Bunuel Celine & Julie Go Boating (1974) dir. by Jacques Rivette Holy Motors (2012) dir. by Leos Carax Sources and resources: Film Art: An Introduction by David Bordwell and Kristen Thompson - the analysis that kickstarted James’ love of French Films - comes highly recommended Sacha Vierny (the cinematographer on Last Year at Marienbad)’s obituary by Michael Brooke Pauline Kael's review of Last Year at Marienbad Pauline Kael's review of the Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie The Triumph of ‘Céline and Julie Go Boating’ by Kristen Yoonsoo Kim for thenation.com Interview with Holy Motors director Leos Carax by Eric Kohn for IndieWire ----------- | |||
| 21 Apr 2023 | What turns a bad movie into a cult classic? (Howard The Duck, The Room, Mommie Dearest, North Sea Hijack) | 01:08:00 | |
We’ve decided to do the unthinkable - willingly watch the worst films ever made (allegedly). The hit list includes Howard the Duck, Mommie Dearest and, of course, The Room, along with our own submission, the apex of Roger Moore’s career, North Sea Hijack, in an attempt to figure out what it takes to achieve cult bad status.
Howard the Duck (1986) dir. by William Huyck Mommie Dearest (1981) dir. by Frank Perry The Room (2003) dir. by Tommy Wiseau North Sea Hijack (1980) dir. by Andrew V. McLaglen A Howard the Duck explainer by Alex Abad-Santos for Vox Lea Thompson on Howard the Duck by Ryan Parker for The Hollywood Reporter Howard the Duck: An Oral History by Caseen Gaines for thedecider.com How George Lucas’ Howard the Duck movie made The Matrix possible by K. Thor Jensen Mommie Dearest at 40: the derided camp classic that deserves a closer look by Guy Lodge for The Guardian How ‘Mommie Dearest’ when from Oscar bait to cult classic by Luna Guthrie for collider.com The Room: how the worst movie ever became a Hollywood legend as bizarre as its creator by Aja Romano Lisa exits ‘The Room’ by EJ Dickson for theawl.com Tommy Wiseau breaks down a scene from The Disaster Artist ----------- | |||
| 04 May 2023 | From Dr Strangelove to Bond: The Genius of Ken Adam (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Moonraker, Barry Lyndon, Dr. Strangelove) | 01:08:33 | |
This week we’re celebrating the genius of Ken Adam, the production designer behind cinema’s most iconic sets and the man who created the visual flare the Bond movies have become known for. ----------- | |||
| 13 May 2023 | Our Favourite Comfort Films (The Big Short, Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, The Fall, The Mummy, Juno, Tea With Mussolini) | 00:41:59 | |
James has been under the weather this week, so in the spirit of self-care, we’re discussing our favourite comfort films. ----------- | |||
| 18 May 2023 | Edith Head: The designer who dressed Hollywood's Golden Era (Breakfast at Tiffany's, To Catch a Thief, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid) | 00:52:11 | |
There was one woman who had more influence over the look and style of Hollywood’s Golden Age than anyone else: Edith Head. This week we take a closer look at some of our favourite designs from her huge (1000-film-strong) back catalogue and take pointers from one of her self-help style guides, How To Dress For Success. ----------- | |||
| 24 May 2023 | Do we prefer our main characters with side character energy? (Grease, Pulp Fiction, Fight Club) | 00:42:08 | |
This week we consider unexpected main character-side character dynamics; the supporting parts that outshine the lead (Rizzo in Grease), characters that are both side and main at once (Pulp Fiction) and what it means when the side character was the protagonist the whole time (Fight Club). ----------- | |||
| 01 Jun 2023 | Did cinema create the ‘It’ girl? (It, Mahogany, Factory Girl) | 01:07:07 | |
Taking inspiration from this month's yesteryear issue of New York Magazine, for our final episode of the series, we look at cinema’s role in creating and cataloging the ‘It’ girl. ----------- | |||
| 27 Jul 2023 | Barbenheimer Special | 00:58:02 | |
Here to ride the zeitgeist as far as it will go, we're kicking off series 3 with a Barbenheimer special, having seen both films at 8:15, 18:00, and 00:20 in the same day - please excuse our zombie-ish state of being. ----------- | |||
| 03 Aug 2023 | What makes a killer plot twist? (Psycho, Atonement, Parasite) | 01:04:42 | |
This week we contemplate plot twists - what works, what doesn't work and the different purposes they can serve. And apologies, this week is spoiler heavy, so if you can, watch before listening: ----------- | |||
| 10 Aug 2023 | Our Sizzling Summer Holiday Special: Viva L'Italia (Call Me By Your Name, Roman Holiday, The Great Beauty) | 00:49:56 | |
The Great British Summer is letting us down so we’re escaping to Italy for a cinematic holiday special. Stops on the trip include Roman Holiday, Call Me By Your Name and The Great Beauty.
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| 24 Aug 2023 | The women behind Hollywood's top directors (Jaws, Raging Bull, Out of Sight) | 01:04:37 | |
This week James tells the amazing story behind the rise of women editors in cinema and we take a closer look at three of the best: Verna Fields (Jaws), Thelma Schoonmaker (Raging Bull) and Anne V. Coates (Out of Sight). ----------- | |||
| 31 Aug 2023 | Has the cult of director lost its power? (My Name is Alfred Hitchcock, North by Northwest, Inception, Reservoir Dogs) | 01:00:26 | |
This week we're discussing directors who have achieved cult status: the ones you can recognise within 24 frames of a film - the Taratinos, the Hitchcocks and of course, the Nolans. We come up with rules for achieving cult of director status and question if superstar directors still have power in the era of streaming services. ----------- | |||
| 07 Sep 2023 | James' Desert Island DVDs (The Empire Strikes Back, Singing in the Rain, Citizen Kane) | 00:49:59 | |
This week on the podcast we’re trying our hand at the greatest radio format of all time. Lily does her best (very bad) Kirsty Young impression as James' delivers his top 3 Desert Island DVDs. He also, of course, details his preferred AV set-up for shipwrecked screenings - think monkeys in tuxedos. ----------- | |||
| 13 Sep 2023 | But when can we see Dune 2? Everything you need to know about the Hollywood Strikes | 00:47:02 | |
This week we take a closer look at the writers and actors strikes and what the impact will be for film-making and cinemas. We also pick our must-see movies from the Venice Film Festival. ----------- | |||
| 21 Sep 2023 | Love Triangles on Film: How (not) to throuple (Passages, Vicky, Cristina, Barcelona, Design For Living) | 01:00:48 | |
We return to our favourite debate: monogamy vs. polyamory. This time with love triangles as the point of entry. Film Pharmacy ----------- | |||
| 28 Sep 2023 | Would you forget a past relationship if you could? (Past Lives, Sliding Doors, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) | 00:50:32 | |
Inspired by new release Past Lives, this week we look at love stories about what could have been. We discusses the enduring influence of 90s clanger Sliding Doors and the indie classic, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. ----------- | |||
| 05 Oct 2023 | Nostalgiaholics: Why were 90s filmmakers obsessed with the 70s? (Dazed and Confused, Almost Famous, Boogie Nights) | 00:56:38 | |
It's the 30 year anniversary of Dazed and Confused (1993), Richard Linklater's ode to 70s adolescence. And he wasn't alone - many of the 90s greatest films were set in the last vinyl decade. Besides the dramatically pointy collars and avocado bathroom sets, what was the appeal? To answer the question, we take a closer look at Linklater's coming-of-age breakout hit, Cameron Crowe's career-defining Almost Famous (2000 - ok not quite 90s, but as good as) and our favourite Paul Thomas Anderson movie, Boogie Nights (1997). ----------- | |||
| 19 Oct 2023 | It’s Taylor Swift’s Era and we’re just living in it (but do concert films work?) | 01:02:59 | |
To any Swifties listening - hello, welcome. To any non-Swifties, please forgive us. We couldn’t resist discussing the music-movie partnership of an era. So this week we take the opportunity to ask the question: do concert films work? We, of course, dive into Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour but also compare it with another concert movie that is currently in cinemas: Stop Making Sense, A24’s re-release of the 1984 Talking Heads documentary. We also watched Amazing Grace, the long-lost Sydney Pollack film capturing the recording of Aretha Franklin’s gospel album of the same name. ----------- | |||
| 26 Oct 2023 | Hex Appeal: Cinema’s Baddest Witches (Practical Magic, The Craft, The Witches of Eastwick) | 01:06:24 | |
It’s that spooky time of year and Practical Magic’s 25th anniversary. So this week we take a whistlestop tour through witch movie history to our final destination: the 90s (cinema’s hexiest decade?). ----------- | |||
| 02 Nov 2023 | Is Killers of the Flower Moon worth the runtime? | 00:41:38 | |
With DiCaprio and De Niro in fine gurning form and Thelma Schoonmaker on the edit, the gang’s back together for Martin Scorsese’s brand new film. But is it worth the 3hr26m runtime? For more, read Corinne Rice’s ‘8 Essential Films of the Native American Experience’ ----------- | |||
| 09 Nov 2023 | Does size matter? The Gravity of the cinematic experience | 00:46:39 | |
This week James drags us to the BFI IMAX for Gravity’s 10th year anniversary re-release, on a mission to prove that the cinematic experience is worth leaving the house for. ----------- | |||
| 16 Nov 2023 | Finding love in a dystopian place (Fingernails, The Lobster, Her) | 00:45:10 | |
In honour of new release Fingernails, we talk dystopian romances: why they work, when they don’t, and which animal we’d like to be turned into if we didn’t find love. ----------- | |||
| 23 Nov 2023 | May December and the blacklist we want to be on | 00:53:11 | |
Aesthetica short film festival, the Hollywood blacklist, and one of its scripts, Todd Haynes’ new movie May December, are all up for discussion this week. Expect sweeping generalisations about short films and a tabloid-esque compare-and-contrast between May December and the real-life scandal that inspired it. ----------- | |||
| 30 Nov 2023 | Saltburn: Are we really eating the rich? Ft. Culture Colander | 01:11:26 | |
This week we are joined by Audra and Elisa from Culture Colander. They bring an American perspective to a very British class system as we dissect Emerald Fennell’s new film Saltburn, i.e. The Talented Mr Creepley. ----------- | |||
| 07 Dec 2023 | Napoleon: Are biopics bad for history? | 00:51:14 | |
We couldn’t resist the controversy around Ridley Scott’s new movie, so this week we’re discussing Napoleon and wading into the debate about historical accuracy and film. But what do you think? Let us know on instagram - @groovymoviespod. ----------- | |||
| 13 Dec 2023 | Rebel without a Claus: The Groovy Movies Xmas-travaganza | 00:50:50 | |
For our penultimate episode of the series we’re going recommendation-heavy and spoiler-free, with our top picks of festive films, hitting every point on the Grinch-to-Elf Christmas spirit scale. ----------- | |||
| 28 Dec 2023 | Bridget Jones's Diary: The definitive New Year heroine? (and what to watch in 2024) | 01:03:37 | |
It’s the end of the year and also our series finale so we're bringing both to a close with a deeply intellectual discussion on the ultimate New Years movie, Bridget Jones’s Diary. Plus, in anticipation of awards season, we list the films we’re most excited to see over the next couple of months. ----------- | |||
| 29 Feb 2024 | The Groovies: Awards Season Special 2024 | 00:57:15 | |
We're back with series 4 and ahead of the Oscars next weekend, we bring you a roundup of everything you need to know about this awards season. We discuss Oppenheimer's dominance, the Barbie controversy and where The Zone of Interest sits on the Salo to Up unsettling scale. ----------- | |||
| 07 Mar 2024 | Dune: Part Two (spoiler-free!) | 00:42:41 | |
It’s been out for a week but we’re not taking any chances. Here is our painstakingly spoiler-free discussion of Dune: Part Two, plus our thoughts on Madame Web and a sexy addition to the Film Pharmacy. ----------- | |||
| 14 Mar 2024 | *Teaser* Next week's episode and an announcement | 00:00:47 | |
| 21 Mar 2024 | Baby Face: Pre-Code Horniness and the Original Sugar Baby | 00:58:36 | |
We’re going back to the horniest years in Hollywood history for another scandalous pre-coder; Baby Face, the 1933 movie that was so shocking it solidified cinema’s censorship for the next 30 years. Watch it for free here.
You Must Remember This’ episode on Will Hays and “Pre-Code” Hollywood Wes Anderson Talks Early Hollywood Censorship in ‘TCM Picks’ Video for Barbara Stanwyck’s ‘Baby Face’ by Etan Vlessing for The Hollywood Reporter How the Catholic Church censored Hollywood's Golden Age by Vox on YouTube Baby Face: The End Of The Pre-Code Era by Paul J. Bradley for Classic Film Journal Remembering Hollywood's Hays Code, 40 Years On by Bob Mondello for NPR ‘Tracing Hollywood’s Legacy of Self-Censorship through a Comparative Analysis of the Film Baby Face (1933) in its Censored and Uncensored Forms’ by Morgan B. Lockhart From femme fatale to cattle rancher: how Barbara Stanwyck bucked convention by Pamela Hutchinson for The Guardian Barbara Stanwyck: 10 essential films by Lynsey Ford for BFI Barbara Stanwyck’s NY Times obituary Film Pharmacy Old Boy (2004) dir. by Park Chan-wook Killer Joe (2012) dir. by William Friedkin ----------- | |||
| 04 Apr 2024 | The Top 5 Party Scenes in Cinema | 01:05:01 | |
It takes skill to capture the effortless spontaneity of a really good party scene. Relatively few nail it but when they do, they really do. This week we compile our top 5 party scenes; from teenage house parties to rave afters, with a surreal French restaurant jamboree sandwiched in the middle. ----------- | |||
| 18 Apr 2024 | Civil War: Will A24's big budget gamble pay off? | 00:40:24 | |
Last week A24’s Civil War was released and we have mixed feelings about it. Will their biggest-budget movie to date prove itself at the box office? And is a movie about war and an American fascist leader really what we want to see right now? ----------- | |||
| 01 May 2024 | The Zone of Interest & Perfect Days: Why is mundanity powerful? | 00:51:52 | |
This week we discuss the surprising common ground between Jonathan Glazer’s chilling examination of an Auschwitz commandant and his family, The Zone of Interest and Wim Wenders’ meandering meditation on life as a Tokyo Toilet cleaner, Perfect Days. ----------- | |||
| 16 May 2024 | Challengers v. Wimbledon: Sex, Love and Tennis | 00:56:05 | |
Game. Set. Match. (Is that right?) Two of tennis’ greatest novices tackle our most romantic sport in a battle of the ages. Which is the better tennis movie? Up-and-comer, Challengers, or seasoned champion, Wimbledon. But let’s be honest, it’s Zendaya v. Kirsten Dunst - who will win the title of most empowered woman on the court? ----------- | |||
| 30 May 2024 | Loves Lies Bleeding: Was Kristen Stewart always this good? | 00:42:18 | |
It turns out a bodybuilding rom-com thriller was the movie we’ve been waiting for. Yes, this week we’re talking about Love Lies Bleeding, Rose Glass’ follow-up to the incredible Saint Maud, starring Kristen Stewart in the role she was made the play. ----------- | |||
| 13 Jun 2024 | The Mummy and it’s children | 00:40:01 | |
It’s the 25th anniversary of The Mummy - I know, we can’t believe it either. How time flies. So we’re paying tribute to the first addition to the greatest ancient-history-action-adventure-thriller-franchise of all time and its somewhat uneven sequels and prequels. Topics covered include, of course, sexy mummies, Brendan Frasier at his peak and the incredible discovery of Rachel Weiz. ----------- | |||
| 27 Jun 2024 | One Take Movies: Are they a gimmick? | 00:50:14 | |
From the famous speeding train of 1896 to the groundbreaking Russian Ark and iconic Berlin night-out-gone-wrong flick Victoria, this week we take you through the illustrious history of one-take movies - or should it be one-shot movies? ----------- | |||
| 11 Jul 2024 | 1999: Cinema's best year, ever? | 00:39:53 | |
You honestly wouldn’t believe how many great films came out in 1999. The Matrix, Fight Club, The Blair Witch Project, The Talented Mr Ripley, Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, The Sixth Sense, Notting Hill, The Mummy, Cruel Intentions, 10 Things I Hate About You. We could go on… ----------- | |||
| 24 Jul 2024 | Fantastic Film Follies: How to finance a flop | 00:59:07 | |
Why talk about good films when we could talk about spectacularly bad ones? This week we discuss four infamous films that left their directors and studios in financial and/or reputational ruin. On the chopping block is Francis Ford Coppola’s One From The Heart, Michael Cimino’s Heaven’s Gate, Elaine May’s Ishtar and, of course, Tom Hooper’s Cats. Enjoy. ----------- | |||
| 12 Aug 2024 | Superior Sequels: What makes part 2 better than part 1? (Inside Out 2, The Terminator 2, The Godfather 2) | 00:46:02 | |
From Dune 2 to Deadpool and Wolverine, there have been a surprising number of hit sequels this year. So this week we’re asking the question, what makes that cinematic blue moon of a part 2 that is better than part 1? ----------- | |||
| 22 Aug 2024 | Sad girls on holiday (Lost in Translation, Swimming Pool, Shirley Valentine) | 00:51:34 | |
Between the weather and the state of the world, it’s been a pretty sad summer, so we’re sticking with that theme as we look at some of the best sad girls on film holiday. We discuss Charlotte Rampling in Francois Ozon’s Swimming Pool, Scarlett Johansson in Sofia Coppola’s Lost in Translation (and Bill Murray too) and Pauline Collins as Lewis Gilbert’s Shirley Valentine. ----------- | |||
| 05 Sep 2024 | Action Women, schwing (Point Break, American Psycho, Wayne’s World) | 00:57:01 | |
This week on our season finale we look at three box office and critical successes which you might not know were directed by women. In the hot seat is Kathryn Bigelow’s Point Break, Penelope Spheeris’ Wayne’s World and Mary Harron’s American Psycho. We also almost (but not quite) dodge the Blake Lively controversy and talk about the films we’re looking forward to this autumn. See you for season 5! ----------- | |||
| 13 Oct 2024 | EMERGENCY BONUS EPISODE: MEGAFLOPOLIS (or: Francis Ford Coppola's Roman Empire) | 00:43:08 | |
We had to, it was unavoidable. Francis Ford Coppola's 40-year-long passion project has finally come to fruition and it was important that we discussed it. So here is a bonus episode. Listen as we attempt to decipher how, what and why. Just why? ----------- | |||
| 02 Jan 2025 | The Substance (2024) | 00:36:08 | |
To kick off a new series, we’re starting with the biggest film of 2024 - that’s biggest by our personal metrics. Expect a detailed breakdown of the lens required to achieve such a revolting zoom on Dennis Quaid munching prawn heads and a rant about why this is not Demi Moore’s comeback. ----------- | |||
| 09 Jan 2025 | Donnie Darko (2001) | 00:41:21 | |
This week we sift through the web lore of one of the original multiverse movies, Donnie Darko. We relish seeing adolescent Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal squabble at the dinner table and ponder why a 23-year-old directing wunderkind never succeeded with a follow-up. ----------- | |||
| 16 Jan 2025 | The Fall (2006) | 00:33:44 | |
We go behind-the-scenes of an overlooked gem which is finally getting the attention it deserves, thanks to a 4K restoration by Mubi. Tarsem Singh's debut feature The Fall is a globe-trotting feast for the eyes, with a transformative performance by first-time actor, the then six-year-old Catinca Untaru. We strongly recommend catching it on Mubi before listening to the episode. ----------- | |||
| 23 Jan 2025 | Eraserhead (1977) | 00:47:30 | |
In honour of David Lynch who died last week - though serendipitously we recorded the episode a few weeks before - this episode we discuss his feature debut, Eraserhead. A film so freaky, so funny and utterly unique. Just like the man himself. ----------- | |||
| 30 Jan 2025 | Nosferatu (1922 & 2024) | 00:40:18 | |
This week we do a compare-and-contrast between Robert Egger’s Nosferatu and the 1922 German silent film it's based on. We deep-dive into the mad production story of the original, why Bram Stoker owes Nosferatu an apology and somehow pitstop at Yoga Hosers and Robbie William’s new film Better Man along the way. ----------- | |||
| 06 Feb 2025 | Juno (2007) | 00:38:24 | |
Remember when teen pregnancy was a thing? This week we discuss Juno, the movie that reinvented this particular noughties trend and made stars out of Elliot Page, Michael Cera and the film’s screenwriter, Diablo Cody. We discuss what makes the script so good and why people hated it. There is also space to reminisce about the heyday of director’s commentaries. This movie had an excellent one with Diablo Cody and the film’s director, Jason Reitman. Is there a way to bring them back? References Diablo Cody on Juno and its critics 15 years later by Evan Nicole Brown for The Hollywood Reporter ----------- | |||
| 13 Feb 2025 | Babygirl (2024) | 00:35:30 | |
Nothing says Valentine’s Day like age-gap office affairs and BDSM, so with that in mind, we bring you Halina Reijn’s Babygirl. It may have been snubbed at the Oscars but we shant be overlooking this orgasm-forward, kink-celebrating homage to the 90s erotic thriller. References Vanity Fair piece on Babygirl by David Canfield Halina Reijn on Bridging Hollywood’s “Orgasm Gap” by Scott Roxborough Cinematographer Jasper Wolf on working on Babygirl ----------- | |||
| 20 Feb 2025 | Se7en (1995) | 00:42:47 | |
It’s the 30 year anniversary of David Fincher’s Seven, otherwise known as the OG unboxing video. Be prepared for spoilers as we discuss the iconic ending that almost wasn’t and why real serial killers never live up to the hype. References Seven’s cinematography by David E. Williams for theasc.com Behind-The-Scenes Stories From The Making Of 'Se7en' by Mike McGranaghan for ranker.com ----------- | |||
| 06 Mar 2025 | The Oscars and The Brutalist (2024) | 00:48:22 | |
As the set comes down from the biggest celebration of the least-viewed cinematic triumphs of the year, we take stock of Sean Bakers success with Anora and attempt to map the blueprints of The Brutalist's anticlimatic awards season. Was it a grand failure or a misunderstood masterpiece? Probably neither but listen to find out. ----------- | |||
| 13 Mar 2025 | Anora (2024) | 00:49:32 | |
You may have heard something about Mikey Madison’s shining, star-making performance as Anora? Or perhaps that Sean Baker made Oscar-history by winning four awards at this year's ceremony for said film? Well if you haven’t seen it yet, now is the moment, it’s back in cinemas and will soon be available on streaming. This week we discuss what makes the story so kinetic, shooting on film with a tiny budget and that intimacy coordinator controversy. References Sean Baker and Mikey Madison break down a scene by Vanity Fair Sean Baker’s 30 year journey to Anora by Neon ----------- | |||
| 20 Mar 2025 | In The Mood For Love (2000) | 00:39:00 | |
This week we discuss the self-declared cinephile’s favourite, Wong Kar Wai’s In The Mood For Love. If you live near London and want to catch it, check out showtimes at The Prince Charles - it’s screening this Sunday (23rd) as it happens. We get into Kar Wai’s eccentric directorial method and the many versions of the film there could have been - but thank the film gods for this one. References “The Troubled Production of In The Mood for Love” production film for 20th anniversary Beautifully formatted New Yorker article about In The Mood For Love ----------- | |||
| 27 Mar 2025 | Seven Samurai (1954) | 00:38:01 | |
Our run of classics continues with Akira Kurosawa’s genre-creating, hero-assembling action/comedy/drama, Seven Samurai. Don’t let the 3.5 hour runtime put you off (or watch at 2x speed - we don’t endorse this), it is considered one of the best films ever made for a reason and we discuss why. See where you can catch it below. Where to watch Check out this website for links to cinema screenings of Seven Samurai References The eventful production story of Seven Samurai by Collier Jennings on collider.com An analysis of the opening minutes of Seven Samurai by Arttective on YouTube ----------- | |||
| 04 Apr 2025 | In The Heat Of The Night (1967) | 00:36:32 | |
If you’re in the mood for a time capsule of 1967, In The Heat Of The Night is the movie for you. We discuss how this iconic civil rights infused detective drama-cum-social thriller should have won Sidney Poitier an oscar - if only he hadn’t already won one 3 years before - and the pros and cons of deploying the camera’s zoom function. References Sidney Poitier on In The Heat Of The Night ‘In the Heat of the Night: The Double Bind’, essay by K. Austin Collins ----------- | |||
| 11 Apr 2025 | Fatal Attraction (1987) | 00:46:41 | |
We’re feeling nostalgic for sexy sex scenes and the villainisation of single women. Enter, Fatal attraction. Prepare for spoilers as we discuss the controversy around the axing of the original ending and look back on an era where it was possible for a film to be dubbed “the zeitgeist movie of the decade.” References You Must Remember This podcast’s ‘Erotic 90s’ series ‘Fatal Attraction’ Oral History: Rejected Stars and a Foul Rabbit’, by Bruce Fretts for The NY Times ----------- | |||
| 17 Apr 2025 | Seven Brides For Seven Brothers (1954) | 00:42:02 | |
What better way to celebrate Lily’s imminent nuptials than by watching a family musical based on a Roman legend about sexual assault? If you haven’t seen it, think Hollywood’s golden era with catchy tunes, luminous Metroscope (a rival to technicolor) and yes, some problematic gender politics. Enjoy. References Making-of featurette with Ruth Lee raving about corsets An American Cinematographer article on shooting Seven Brides by George Folsey ----------- | |||