Special Episode: Best of the Podcast, Year 3 Compilation
It’s a special episode of In the Mood for Podcast, a British-based film podcast hosted by Calum Reed of Ultimate Addict and Pete Sheppard of In the Mood for Blog.
It’s been three long years and the podcast is still going, so sit back and listen to a compilation of our past year of putdowns, innuendo, and general banter. For those unfamiliar with the podcast, we do discuss films with intelligence and depth, and sometimes even like them, but none of that seemed as entertaining as Pete’s homoerotic plot rundown of “The Giver,” Cal’s unexpected remark about Jodie Foster, or our dissection of Roger Ebert’s anecdotal “Memoirs of a Geisha” review. Anyway, enjoy!
Episode 123: The Folly of Ambition [Interstellar; Leviathan; Human Capital]
It’s Episode 123 of In the Mood for Podcast, a British-based film podcast hosted by Calum Reed of Ultimate Addict and Pete Sheppard of In the Mood for Blog.
This week we’re joined once again by Irini M., who brings us news from her home country’s Thessaloniki Film Festival in a notably more concise fashion than September’s Venice round-up. She also joins in our discussion of some interesting recent events, which includes some rare exciting news involving David O. Russell, and the bizarre spectrum of films vying for this year’s Animated Feature Oscar. We discuss two Foreign Language Oscar contenders, as Paolo Virzi’s “Human Capital” enlivens the middle-class misery of bourgeois Italy and Andrey Zvyagintsev’s “Leviathan” documents the coastal conflicts of rural Russia, before giving ambition a dressing down, as Christopher Nolan’s epic “Interstellar” comes to town. We reveal whether the cinematic influences used in the film are a blessing or curse, and whether Nolan’s scope and logic holds up under scrutiny. Elsewhere, we recount a horror show from Venice which saw Pete become a gay advocate, a mistaken text briefly convinced Cal that his niece was a child genius, while Keira Knightley’s recent quest to boost female self-image has us rather baffled.
- Darren Aronofsky to head the jury at next year’s Berlin Film Festival
- David O. Russell’s long-delayed “Nailed” re-titled as “Love in Politics” and scheduled for release in the UK
- Animated Feature Oscar qualifying list is announced
- European Film Award nominations are announced
[3:05 – 20:55]
[21:00 – 34:45]
Reviews of:
- Leviathan
- Human Capital
[43:25 – 1:01:30]
Closing Segment: Our take on Christopher Nolan’s space-set epic “Interstellar,” and discussing cine-literate films, with comment on “Allegro,” “Kill Bill,” and “Once Upon a Time in the West”!
[1:01:35 – 1:28:40]
The Isaac Range
Outro Music: Adam and the Ants, “Prince Charming”
Episode 100: Don’t Fear the Reaper [100 Films to See Before You Die]
Episode 100: Don’t Fear the Reaper
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It’s Episode 100 of In the Mood for Podcast, a British-based film podcast hosted by Calum Reed of Ultimate Addict and Pete Sheppard of In the Mood for Blog.
As we close in on a century of episodes, our 100th is our longest yet, as we take a week off from new releases at the cinema to bring you our one hundred films you must see before you die. We take a moment to consider the people who have departed us since the podcast began, we discuss the recent winners from the Cannes Film Festival, plus the positivity continues with the latest installment of the Red Light District! Listen for discussion of films from France, Russia, Hong Kong, Greece, and more, digressions concerning Greta Garbo and Bryan Forbes, and find out which auteur Pete shockingly left out of his personal canon.
The Week’s News:
- Cannes Film Festival prize winners
Red Light District: featuring discussion of “Once,” “The Passion of Anna,” “Skyfall,” “Sorcerer,” “The Spirit of the Beehive,” “To Paint, or Make Love” and “The Wrong Box”
[6:10 – 20:20]
Our 100 Films to See Before You Die: featuring discussion of tons of classics, ranging from “M,” to “Onibaba,” to “Titanic.”
[20:25 – 1:48:30]
Outro Music: Blue Oyster Cult, “Don’t Fear the Reaper”
Episode 96: Pfists & Trysts [Transcendence; Amazing Spider-Man 2; Labour Day]
Episode 96: Pfists & Trysts
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It’s Episode 96 of In the Mood for Podcast, a British-based film podcast hosted by Calum Reed of Ultimate Addict and Pete Sheppard of In the Mood for Blog.
This week is especially sweet for Pete, as Rebecca Hall features in two very different releases: Wally Pfister’s ambitious Sci-fi project “Transcendence,” and Patrice Leconte’s reserved romantic drama “A Promise.” Despite general dread at the prospect of Jason Reitman’s “Labour Day,” Cal managed to catch it, but did he find something of worth besides an appreciation for Diane Lane’s taste in men? We both saw “The Amazing Spider-Man 2,” of which there are fairly lengthy preconceptions, and elsewhere we discuss some relationship news, an odd piece of casting, and the eclectic competition jury for this year’s Cannes Film Festival. Tune in to find out why Cal is on particularly grumpy form, how many times Pete had to recount the plot of “Transcendence” in order to perfect it, and our potentially epic plans for our upcoming 100th episode!
The Week’s News:
- Jodie foster marries her female partner
- George Clooney gets engaged
- Jessica Chastain cast as Marilyn Monroe
- A new Dad’s Army film to be made
- Cannes jury is announced
[4:45 – 16:10]
Preconception Corner
- The Amazing Spider-Man 2
- A Promise
- Labour Day
[28:05 – 59:15]
Closing Segment: Our take on Wally Pfister’s “Transcendence,” discussing debut screenwriting feats, and cinematographers-turned-directors!
[59:20 – 1:20:40]
The Poupaud Range
Outro Music: The National, “Bloodbuzz Ohio”
Episode 93: Of Gods and Jen [Noah; Divergent; Tom At The Farm]
Episode 93: Of Gods and Jen
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It’s Episode 93 of In the Mood for Podcast, a British-based film podcast hosted by Calum Reed of Ultimate Addict and Pete Sheppard of In the Mood for Blog.
The Gods look from upon high this week, as Pete has seen two Jennifer Connelly films in a matter of days, having finally caught up with Akiva Goldsman’s bizarre fantasy “A New York Winter’s Tale,” which Cal had already seen. We’re both on board for Crowe and Connelly’s re-teaming in Darren Aronofsky’s ambitious epic “Noah,” but at least one of us was put off by its emulation of Middle Earth and strange addition of rock people (no, really). Cal has seen Xavier Dolan’s tempestuous “Tom At The Farm,” and horror maestro Vincenzo Natali’s supernatural chiller “Haunter,” while Pete settled down for futuristic blockbuster “Divergent,” starring podcast favourite Shailene Woodley. All that, plus Pete has a sofa story which recalls Christopher Nolan’s “Memento,” Cal is under the spell of a certain farmhand, Abigail Breslin is at the centre of a retro-style Huston problem, and the reveal that Lady Gaga is in the new Muppets film is greeted with minimal enthusiasm.
The Week’s News:
- The death of Mickey Rooney
- Disney announces a sequel to “Wreck-It Ralph”
- Pete has seen “A New York Winter’s Tale”
[1:30 – 6:55]
Preconception Corner
- Tom At The Farm
- Divergent
- Haunter
[17:25 – 44:30]
Closing Segment: Our take on Darren Aronofsky’s “Noah,” and discussing biblical epics!
[44:35 – 1:03:40]
The Poupaud Range
Outro Music: Eugene McGuinness, “Shotgun”