Episode 151: Duty to Serve [She’s Funny That Way; Minions; The Longest Ride]
It’s Episode 151 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 2015 races on, we’re joined this week by Irini M. to talk about our highlights from the year so far, plus she gives us a recap of her latest successful film viewings in a special edition of the Red Light District. Reviews this week include Roy Andersson’s quirky Golden Lion winner, “A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence,” Mauritanian drama “Timbuktu,” while Cal dishes all on the latest Nicholas Sparks adaptation “The Longest Ride,” paying particular attention to Scott Eastwood. Elsewhere, we sat down for Peter Bogdanovich’s latest screwball emulation “She’s Funny That Way,” and Pete caught the Despicable Me spin-off “Minions,” which it’s fair to say tested his patience. Tune in for an unexpected tirade against Mickey Rooney’s longevity, some love dramas concerning the Stratten family, and the occasional jibe about Greece’s disastrous financial situation.
The week’s news
Red Light District: Irini “pimps” the many films she’s seen lately, featuring discussion of “Ana and the Wolves,” “Gett: The Trial of Vivian Amsalem,” “The Invisible Man,” “Lifeboat,” “Spring,” and much more!
[8:35 – 24:53]
Preconception Corner
Reviews of:
- The Longest Ride 33:20 – 43:52
- Minions 44:53 – 49:44
- A Pigeon Sat… 49:45 – 58:15
- Timbuktu 58:16 – 1:02:07
- She’s Funny That Way 1:02:08 – 1:12:49
Halfway through 2015: Discussing our favourite films and performances from the year so far!
[1:12:50 – 1:26:58]
Shag, Marry or Kill?
The Pootsition
The Garrett Gauge
Outro Music: Black Eyed Peas, “Meet Me Halfway”
Episode 136: The Abrupt Apology [Blackhat; Cake; Predestination]
It’s Episode 136 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.
Despite Pete’s efforts toward the contrary, this week’s episode is our longest yet, as we dig into our year-end awards, disclosing more than a little about our favourite films and performances. We also react to this past Sunday’s Academy Awards, measuring “Birdman” up against the Best Picture winners of the past and speculating about how its leading man couldn’t also sail to victory. The week’s reviews include time travel thriller “Predestination,” starring podcast favourite Ethan Hawke, Jennifer Aniston’s failed Oscar bid, “Cake,” and Michael Mann’s latest procedural drama “Blackhat,” which one of us walked out on. Meanwhile, Anna Kendrick is – quite literally – a vision, there’s an appearance from Gloria Gaynor, and Pete has an abrupt apology for one of last week’s performers after omitting her from The Pootsition.
- Kristin Stewart makes history with Cesar win
- Birdman wins the Best Picture Oscar (+ other reaction)
[4:00 – 20:53]
Preconception Corner
Reviews of:
- Blackhat 28:10 – 38:48
- Predestination 38:49 – 46:55
- Cake 46:56 – 1:00:26
Closing Segment: Revealing our top ten films of 2014, and discussing our favourite performances (in quite a bit of depth)!
[1:00:27 – 1:4]
Shag, Marry or Kill?
The Pootsition
The Garrett Gauge
Episode 130: Jardiner du Jour [Foxcatcher; Into the Woods; Predicting the Oscar Noms]
Episode 130: Jardiner du Jour
It’s Episode 130 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.
We only have two films this week, but the episode is jam-packed, thanks to Sunday’s Golden Globe awards and the impending Oscar nominations. We discuss the highlights from the ceremony, and the impact of recent events on all of the major Oscar races, speculating whether Jennifer Aniston can really seal the deal, and if there’s any room for manoeuvre in that seemingly locked Supporting Actress lineup. Elsewhere, negative preconceptions concerning Steve Carell are tested when we review Bennett Miller’s “Foxcatcher,” and Pete’s far-from-impressed verdict on “Into the Woods” sees Cal and Irini scrambling to defend the Disney musical. The return of the Red Light District sees us chat about the days when Leos Carax was joyful, the banality of Adolf Eichmann, and Jean-Luc Godard’s contempt for iPhones, while Pete has his own bridges to burn with social media, and none of us are quite sure how to pronounce Isabel Coixet’s name.
- The death of Anita Ekberg
- The death of Francesco Rosi
- The death of Samuel Goldwyn Jr
- Isabel Coixet’s new film to open Berlin Film Festival
Opening Segment: Our review of Sunday’s Golden Globe Awards, featuring reaction to the winners, the speeches, and of course the fashion!
[7:20 – 27:35]
Preconception Corner
Reviews of:
- Foxcatcher
- Into the Woods
[33:50 – 57:10]
Red Light District: Pimping the best films we’ve seen lately, featuring discussion of “Alice in the Cities,” “Beginners,” “Cleo from 5 to 7,” “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart,” “Force Majeure,” “Goodbye to Language,” “Hannah Arendt,” “Haute Cuisine,” “The Night Is Young,” and “Trial”!
[57:20 – 1:10:50]
Closing Segment: Predicting the upcoming Oscar nominations! Will “Foxcatcher” go the way of “The Master”? Will Amy Adams make it six nominations in nine years? Will Cal have to see “The Judge”?
[1:10:55 – 1:27:15]
The Isaac Range
Outro Music: Beck, “Devil’s Haircut”
Episode 127: Size Matters [Winter Sleep; The Hobbit 3; Get Santa]
Episode 127: Size Matters
It’s Episode 127 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 the week of the epics, as Peter Jackson finally ends his Middle Earth fascination (we hope, anyway) with the last instalment of The Hobbit, and Nuri Bilge Ceylan has made his longest film yet, with the solemn Palme d’Or winning “Winter Sleep.” We had an awful lot to say about Ceylan’s 196-minute effort, which leads to a discussion of films about actors and an all-out celebration of Ava Gardner, while we managed to get around to festive favourite “Get Santa” and Cal caught the middle-class melodrama “The Face Of Love.” Elsewhere, we discuss the impact of the Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild nominations, whether Jennifer Aniston can get that Oscar nod, and the early announcements for the Berlin Film Festival brings encouraging news of new films by Terrence Malick, Andrew Haigh, and Kenneth Branagh. We reveal our tentative plans for the festive period, a Turkish delight creates a dilemma for Pete in the Olsen Factor, and a dodgy looking sci-fi effort looks to bring awards favourite Eddie Redmayne crashing back to Earth.
- Berlin Film Festival reveals it will premiere Terrence Malick’s “Knight Of Cups”
- Screen Actors Guild Award nominations
- Golden Globe nominations
[4:10 – 23:35]
Preconception Corner
Reviews of:
- Get Santa
- The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
- The Face Of Love
[29:50 – 1:00:25]
Closing Segment: Our take on Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s Palme d’Or winning “Winter Sleep,” and discussing films about actors!
[1:00:30 – 1:21:20]
The Isaac Range
Outro Music: Nancy Sinatra, “These Boots Are Made For Walkin'”
Episode 114: The Paris Clanger [Before I Go To Sleep; Life of Crime; They Came Together]
(Right click… save as)
It’s Episode 114 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’s episode is a tale of two halves, as Irini M. joins us once again, having spent the past week or so trawling across the lido of Venice. She brings us extensive coverage of the film festival, reviewing most of the competition line-up, and dishing her verdict on (among other things) why Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu’s “Birdman” left Italy empty-handed, and why Kim Ki-Duk’s filmmaking style is getting rather insufferable. Eventually we get to reviewing new releases, with Nicole Kidman’s new amnesiac thriller “Before I Go To Sleep” leaving us with head-scratching thoughts on the film’s title, and even more perplexing notions about its logic. We’re also on board for the sequel to Nicholas McCarthy’s promising “The Pact,” worryingly left in the hands of new directors, while Cal reviews David Wain’s romantic comedy pastiche “We Came Together,” and we tackle Elmore Leonard adaptation “Life of Crime. Listen for our theories on why Kirsten Dunst won Best Actress at Cannes, which former feline-loving Oscar winner Al Pacino may be slyly mocking, which British singer forces Pete to recoil in horror, and what this week’s Christie clanger has to do with Paris Hilton’s wardrobe.
The Week’s News
Opening Segment: Discussing the prizes awarded at this year’s Venice Film Festival, plus guest Irini M. provides coverage of many other films which played at the festival, including “Birdman,” “3 Hearts,” “Manglehorn,” “Red Amnesia,” and “She’s Funny That Way”
[4:35 – 40:40]
Preconception Corner
- The Pact II
- Life of Crime
- They Came Together
- Before I Go To Sleep
[47:20 – 1:23:50]
Shag, Marry or Kill?
The Olsen Factor
The Isaac Range
Episode 63: Puzzling Downfalls [Elysium; Lovelace; We’re the Millers]
Episode 63: Puzzling Downfalls
(Right click… save as)
It’s Episode 63 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.
Peroni comes out to play in this week’s episode, as Pete prepares for his impending flight to Venice by cracking open a bottle or two and lays into some usual suspects, including Nicolas Winding Refn and Kate Hudson. Cal saw Jennifer Aniston bare all in “We’re the Millers” and Amanda Seyfried get it all out in “Lovelace,” and reveals a risqué podcast game to test Pete’s knowledge of steamy film scenes. We review Nell Blonkamp’s sci-fi spectacle “Elysium,” which features some remarkable performances, and welcome Julianne Moore’s return to the podcast in “What Maisie Knew.” All that, plus an epic news segment, some banter about Glenn vs. Sigourney in 1988, and discussing how nobody can quite remember what Ruby Dee’s two lines were in “American Gangster.”
The Week’s News, featuring discussion of Miley Cyrus’ performance at the VMAs, the casting of Ben Affleck as Batman, and the death of Julie Harris, among other things! [1:55 – 15:10]
Reviews of:
- Lovelace (plus a game!)
- What Maisie Knew
- We’re the Millers
[21:40 – 1:03:00]
Closing Segment: Our take on Nell Blonkamp’s “Elysium,” starring Matt Damon, and summarising this past Summer in film! [1:03:05 – 1:19:50]
The Watson Factor
The Poupaud Range
Outro Music: Alice Russell, “Drinking Song Interlude”
In the Mood for Podcast 
