The Letterboxd Show

A podcast hosted in fear is a podcast half-hosted—so now we have two hosts! Slim and Gemma introduce a new format, in which we interrogate a guest about their four Letterboxd favorites. First in the hot seat: the hosts themselves. Slim makes Gemma watch Vanilla Sky, while Gemma puts Slim through his bago-pago with Strictly Ballroom. Plus: Daniel Day-Lewis’s most surprising role, Paul Verhoeven’s normalization of the nipple, and Mark Ruffalo can be anything you want. Finally, the pressing question: are you Team Tom or Team Nicole? Related links: The Letterboxd list of films mentioned in this episode The Official Letterboxd Top 250 Edgar Wright’s 100 Favorite Comedies “Being tasteless paid off”: the Mank couple in Slate Gemma’s A Room with a View review Slim’s Robocop review and North by Northwest review 70mm Podcast Slim’s stats Gemma’s stats Slim’s Man Ass list Jill Bilcock: Dancing the Invisible—the documentary about Australia’s legendary film editor Lockdown Thirst: Letterboxd Show episode 4, featuring In the Cut Letterboxd Q&A with Paddington writer-director Paul King Steadicam inventor Garrett Brown’s favorite shots (including Casino’s counting room) Credits: This episode was recorded in Philadelphia and Auckland and edited by Slim. Theme music: ‘Vampiros Danceoteque’ by Moniker. Transcript by Sophie Shin.

Nomadland author and “newbie cinephile” Jessica Bruder joins host Gemma Gracewood for a chat about her favorite films, working night-shifts at Starbucks with Christina Ricci’s brother, Chloé Zhao’s unique directing magic, and why Shaun the Sheep Movie is way too stressful. The Last Vermeer star Guy Pearce drops by to talk about the intoxicating joys of interrogation scenes, the greatest Australian film ever made, and Letterboxd reviews of Memento. And, our Hollywood correspondent Dominic Corry on the Golden Globes, canapés, Coming 2 America, and the gender inclusivity of Interstellar fandom on Letterboxd. Plus, our NEON-Letterboxd 2021 Awards Bundle. Related links The Letterboxd list of films mentioned in this episode Dom’s essay on Interstellar The NEON-Letterboxd 2021 Awards Bundle IndieWire’s interview with Tom Quinn of NEON  Philbert Dy’s review of Coming 2 America Truman’s review of Memento Credits This episode was recorded in Brooklyn, Amsterdam and Auckland and edited by Tony Stamp. Theme music: ‘Vampiros Dancoteque’ by Moniker. Podcast artwork: Ann Davenport

In this bumper episode, Letterboxd mutuals Demi Adejuyigbe and Mia Vicino (AKA Brat Pitt) join Gemma Gracewood to talk about the top films in the 2020 Year in Review, their favorite Letterboxd features, the highs and lows of being ‘Letterboxd famous’, and why jobs are stupid. This episode also features a load of butt-talk, courtesy of The Kid Detective writer-director Evan Morgan and star Adam Brody (who also appears Promising Young Woman—both titles feature in 2020’s highest-rated crime films). And, McKenna drops in to tell us what she learned from her 366-day Twilight odyssey. Related links The Letterboxd list of films mentioned in this episode Russ le Roq and his band Roman Antix perform their 1985 song ‘What’s the Difference?’ Credits This episode was recorded in Los Angeles, Toronto and Auckland and edited by Tony Stamp. Theme music: ‘Vampiros Dancoteque’ by Moniker. Podcast artwork: Ann Davenport.

Host Gemma Gracewood and guests Slim (70mm Podcast), Hannah Woodhead (Little White Lies’ Truth & Movies podcast) and Tim Batt (The Worst Idea Of All Time podcast) gather on the first Catsiversary of Tom Hooper’s mewsical misfire to look back at the so-bad-it’s-good films that got us through 2020, plus: our favorite “5-Bangers” of the year.  Highlights include: Slim’s The New Mutants nightmare, Tim’s 2020 trophies, Hannah’s … Has Fallen spree, Gemma’s mum’s Cats commentary, Kyle McLachlan’s Showgirls stand-in’s very nice ass-cheeks, a Tom Hooper in New Zealand rumor, and the celebrity animals that got us through 2020. Related links The Letterboxd list of all the films mentioned in this episode Hannah’s Catsiversary romp through Letterboxd’s most-loved, lowest-rated films This episode was recorded in Sheffield, Philadelphia and Auckland and edited by Tony Stamp. Our theme music is ‘Vampiros Dancoteque’ by Moniker. Podcast artwork by Ann Davenport. On the next episode: the Letterboxd Year in Review, with a panel of Letterboxd superstars (we usually publish about a week into January, and our episode will follow). Leave a voice message about the very best film you saw in 2020.

Letterboxd editor-in-chief Gemma Gracewood hosts animation heads Toussaint Egan and Kambole Campbell, together at last, for a ramble through their all-time animation faves. Wolfwalkers director Tomm Moore on myths, hallucinogens, Wes Anderson and the joys of the Frozen soundtrack. Highlights include: all the love for Akira and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse; Kambole’s short-lived stop-motion career; is Ghibli “basic”?! Should Arendell have fallen? The small matter of Disney and cultural imperialism; and Toussaint Egan’s best Mickey Mouse-as-the-banker-from-Network impression! Plus: a news exclusive on the Puffin Rock feature film. Links The Letterboxd list of all the films mentioned in this episode AV Club article mentioned by Toussaint Kambole’s Letterboxd animation preview There’s a Monster in my Kitchen, Tomm’s film for Greenpeace Credits This episode was recorded in London, Paris, Chicago and Auckland and edited by Tony Stamp. Theme music: ‘Vampiros Dancoteque’ by Moniker. Podcast artwork: Ann Davenport. On the next episode: Slim (70mm Podcast), Hannah Woodhead (Little White Lies), Tim Batt (The Worst Idea Ever) on 2020’s shitters and five-bangers. Leave a voice message about the good-bad movies that got you through 2020.

In this episode the yuletide gets gayer with Happiest Season’s favorite sister, Jane—AKA the film’s co-writer Mary Holland—and Dana Nachman, director of a documentary love letter to the US Postal Service, Dear Santa (and crowd-pleasers Pick of the Litter and Batkid Begins). Plus: Love Actually’s missing lesbians, our spooky new theme music, and Die Hard or Die Hard 2? It’s the battle of the Christmas voice messages. Films mentioned: What We Do in the Shadows Love Actually The Family Stone Home Alone “Christmas movie posters with white heterosexual couples wearing red and green” list Make the Yuletide Gay—Christmas films with LGBTQ+ representation E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Top Gun Dirty Dancing It’s a Wonderful Life Toni Collette comedies and Hereditary Enchanted Drop Dead Gorgeous Grease The Addams Family Serendipity Elf A Christmas Story The Trial of the Chicago 7 The films of Adam McKay This episode was recorded in Los Angeles, Joshua Tree and Auckland and edited by Tony Stamp. Theme music is ‘Vampiros Dancoteque’ by Moniker. Podcast artwork by Ann Davenport. On the next episode, we’ve got Wolfwalkers director Tomm Moore and animation heads Kambole Campbell and Toussaint Egan—leave us a voice message regarding your favorite animated film.

Tears flow as writer-director Darius Marder and actor and ASL rocker Paul Raci join Letterboxd’s editor-in-chief Gemma Gracewood to talk about their new film Sound of Metal, in which Ruben (Riz Ahmed), a punk-rock drummer suffering hearing loss, turns to adult deafness coach Joe (Raci, the son of deaf parents). We talk disability representation in movies, the Serenity Prayer as film structure, heavy-metal sign language, making producers’ brains hurt, and releasing your debut feature at the worst time in human history. Plus: other music movies for you to soak up before 2020 crawls back into its hole. Films mentioned The Place Beyond the Pines Blue Valentine Sound of Metal Run Wonderstruck The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart? Bruce Springsteen’s Letter to You Zappa (and the Letterboxd Show episode with Alex Winter) The Shawl The Letterboxd Show is recorded in Los Angeles, Brooklyn and Auckland, and edited by Tony Stamp. The theme tune is ‘Hitchcock’ by The Phoenix Foundation (new album The Friend Ship out now!). Podcast artwork by Ann Davenport. On the next episode: festive feelings with Happiest Season’s Mary Holland! Leave us a voice message about your favorite festive film at letterboxd.show.

Our London correspondent Ella Kemp joins Letterboxd’s editor-in-chief Gemma Gracewood to talk about their highlights from the fall festival season. Later they’re joined by actor, writer and first-time feature director Cooper Raiff and his Shithouse co-star Dylan Gelula to talk college, crying, comfort films, and Dylan’s Letterboxd habits.  Films and links mentioned: Synchronic David Byrne’s American Utopia Lovers Rock I Carry You With Me Shiva Baby Shithouse Portrait of a Lady on Fire Kajillionaire I Used to Go Here Revenge of the Nerds St Elmo’s Fire Right Now, Wrong Then Lost in Translation On the Rocks Vanya on 42nd Street Bridge to Terabithia 13 Going on 30 Wolfwalkers Perfect Blue Millennium Actress Paprika Inside Out It’s Such a Beautiful Day The Red Shoes The Umbrellas of Cherbourg The Young Girls of Rochefort The Social Dilemma The work of Jay Duplass. TV shows mentioned: Togetherness, Love on the Spectrum, Normal People (specifically, episode 5). Dylan’s podcast, Lecture Hall, with her friend Broti Gupta.  This episode recorded in London, Los Angeles and Dunedin and edited by Morgan Avery. Podcast artwork by Ann Davenport. Our theme music is ‘Hitchcock’ by The Phoenix Foundation. Our next episode features Wolfwalkers co-director Tomm Moore, and animation fans Kambole Campbell and Toussaint Egan. To be in to win a Pro membership, leave us a voice message about your favorite animated film or sequence of all time.

Actor, writer and director Jim Cummings joins Letterboxd’s editor-in-chief Gemma Gracewood to talk about his brand new film The Wolf of Snow Hollow, Robert Forster’s final role, toxic masculinity, tears, montages, werewolves, Fight Club, Fincher, turning shorts into features, his Letterboxd favorites, and the enduring emotional power of Inside Out’s Bing Bong. Films and lists mentioned: Rope Rear Window Beast Beast Greener Grass The Social Network Zodiac Fight Club Thunder Road The Robbery (short) Blue Valentine Rebel Without a Cause Shithouse What We Do in the Shadows Napoleon Dynamite An American Werewolf in London The Howling Dirty Dancing Jamaica Inn The Great Dictator Inside Out Seduced and Abandoned Children of Men The ’Burbs Obvious Child (short) / Obvious Child Two Cars One Night (short) / Boy Whiplash (short) / Whiplash Lights Out (short) / Lights Out Saw (short) / Saw Brat Pitt’s review of Fight Club A list of films with men/boys crying Jim Cummings on Letterboxd  This episode recorded in Los Angeles and Auckland and edited by Morgan Avery. Podcast artwork by Ann Davenport. Theme music: ‘Hitchcock’ by The Phoenix Foundation. Our next episode features Cooper Raiff and Dylan Gelula of Shithouse. To be in to win a Pro membership, leave us a voice message about your favorite college film.

Letterboxd’s editor in chief Gemma Gracewood and lists editor Jack Moulton discuss their favorite docs of 2020 so far. Letterboxd members call in with their own top-doc picks, and we’re joined by Eli Despres and Elyse Steinberg, two-thirds of the directing team behind The Fight, which follows ACLU lawyers as they argue for major social justice issues including trans rights in the military and abortion access. Elyse also reveals she once acted in a Todd Haynes film. (We’ve kept in interruptions by children for pandemic documentary realness!) Films and lists mentioned: Official Letterboxd Top 100 Documentaries Welcome to Chechnya For Sama Boys State Disclosure Crip Cramp: A Disability Revolution Mucho Mucho Amor The Painter and the Thief Coronation The documentaries of Agnès Varda He Dreams of Giants The Ghost of Peter Sellers Father Soldier Son Making a Murder (and Knives Out) The Last Dance Showbiz Kids Miss Americana The Fight directors: The Fight Weiner Crumb American Movie The Oath How to Survive a Plague A Few Good Men Poison Heavenly Creatures It Might Get Loud Fantasia Fest: You Cannot Kill David Arquette Feels Good Man This episode was recorded in Los Angeles, New York and Auckland and edited by Morgan Avery. Podcast artwork by Ann Davenport. Theme music: ‘Hitchcock’ by The Phoenix Foundation (their new single ‘Landline’ is out now). Our next episode features Irish animator Tomm Moore. To be in to win a Pro membership, leave us a voice message about your favorite animated film of all time.