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 113: The Eight Year Drought [Night Moves; The Rover; Obvious Child]
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It’s Episode 113 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 begin by discussing the recently-announced recipients of this year’s Honorary Oscars, which leads us to several Oscar-related issues of the past, including the 1937 Best Actress race and the much-maligned Best Picture winner of 1941. Masculinity is alive and well, as Guy Pearce exercises badass tendencies in David Michod’s “The Rover,” which, thankfully for Pete, Jacki Weaver was absent from, while the talent on show in Scandinavian crime drama “The Keeper of Lost Causes” had Cal clamouring for more. By contrast, there are reviews of two films from female directors, with Gillian Robespierre’s indie comedy “Obvious Child” tackling the tricky subject of abortion, and Kelly Reichardt’s “Night Moves” deconstructing the folly of environmental activism. Pete walked out of the latter at Venice and did not turn back, but tune in to find out whether he managed to finish it at the second time of asking. Meanwhile, Cal has much to say about the sexual politics in John Slattery’s “God’s Pocket,” Pete dictates when co-incidences in film scripts are acceptable, and we bitch about a particularly unwelcome trend in world cinema. Elsewhere, Cal is baffled by a bizarre Robert Pattinson car sing-a-long, there’s a rare shout-out for a former co-star of Dakota Fanning, and there is some serious trepidation in advance of next week’s trashy-looking Rowan Joffe thriller.
- The Academy announces the recipients of this year’s honorary Oscars
[3:10 – 13:50]
- Night Moves
- Obvious Child
- The Keeper of Lost Causes
- God’s Pocket
[25:35 – 1:04:00]
Closing Segment: Our take on David Michod’s revenge thriller “The Rover,” starring Guy Pearce and Robert Pattinson!
[1:04:05 – 1:17:50]
The Isaac Range
Outro Music: Keri Hilson, “Pretty Girl Rock”
Episode 101: The Besmirchment of Hermione [Edge of Tomorrow; Maleficent; Ilo Ilo]
Episode 101: The Besmirchment of Hermione
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It’s Episode 101 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 sees the debut review of perennial podcast talking point and all-around legend, Liv Ullmann, whose return to the screen in German Oscar entry “Two Lives” got tongues wagging, but did its tepid tale of espionage make a lasting impression on us? In the wake of this week’s Singapore film “Ilo Ilo,” we get to talking about other recent Camera d’Or winners at the Cannes Film Festival, touching on some films Pete doesn’t really like, and one in particular that he can’t get enough of. Elsewhere, only one of us saw Angelina Jolie strut her stuff in Disney spin-off “Maleficent,” and the sheer insanity of Doug Liman’s “Edge of Tomorrow” had us knocked for six. Listen, as we rue a series of missed opportunities and get into a passionate discussion about the importance of film critics, while Pete rants about the recent career choices of a podcast favourite and a former co-star of Emily Blunt gets an unexpected shout-out. Vive le Yorkshire!
The week’s news:
- Ken Loach complains about critics
[5:25 – 11:25]
Opening Segment: Discussing the winners of the Camera d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, since 2000, featuring discussion of “Reconstruction,” “Hunger,” “Beasts of the Southern Wild,” and more!
[11:35 – 21:40]
Preconception Corner
- Ilo Ilo
- Maleficent
- Two Lives
[29:10 – 58:05]
Closing Segment: Our take on Doug Liman’s “Edge of Tomorrow,” starring Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt!
[58:10 – 1:11:15]
The Isaac Range
Outro Music: The Shirelles, “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?”
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