In this engaging discussion, Toby Jones, an acclaimed actor known for his roles in 'Captain America' and 'Infamous,' shares insights about playing Philip Burton in 'Mr. Burton,' who guided Richard Burton's rise in acting. He chats about the nuances of accents, the evolution of TV drama, and the impact of mentorship. The conversation also explores the quirky A24 film 'Death of a Unicorn,' its dark humor, and the challenges of navigating the indie film landscape today.

Andy Lally, an accomplished race car driver with a wealth of experience in stock car racing, joins Katherine Legge to discuss her upcoming NASCAR debut in Phoenix. They dive into the exciting world of sim racing and how Katherine is using it for preparation. Lally shares insights on navigating the challenges of transitioning between racing formats. The conversation also touches on the significance of her first race being on International Women's Day, and the emotional journey of adapting to the complexities of NASCAR.

This week, Gorgeous George MacKay, known for his roles in films like 1917, joins the discussion. He shares insights about his role in Josh Oppenheimer's unique post-apocalyptic musical, The End. The conversation dives into the complexities of familial relationships amidst catastrophic circumstances, exploring themes of denial and creative risks. George also touches on the transition from documentary to musical storytelling, highlighting the blend of fantasy and realism in their approach. A fascinating take on a world that mirrors our own!

Vanguardistas have more fun—so if you don’t already subscribe to the podcast, join the Vanguard today via Apple Podcasts or extratakes.com for non-fruit-related devices. In return you’ll get a whole extra Take 2 alongside Take 1 every week, with bonus reviews, more viewing recommendations from the Good Doctors and whole bonus episodes just for you. And if you’re already a Vanguardista, we salute you. The much anticipated ‘Flow’ is first on the review slate this week. The Oscar-winning animation follows the story of a solitary black cat, displaced from its home by a huge flood in a world now devoid of humans, who finds refuge on a boat with a crew of other animals who must work together to survive. Plus The Alto Knights—the new gangster flick where Robert De Niro as 1950s New York Mafioso Frank Costello squares up to, erm, himself as rival Vito Genovese—and of course Snow White—the live action remake of the 1937 Disney classic. Our guest this week is the fabulously French auteur director Francois Ozon, who’s chatting with Simon about his new film ‘When Autumn Falls’. Set amidst the crisp and golden vistas of Autumnal Burgundy, and featuring lots and lots of extremely chic knitwear, the film follows doting grandmother Michelle—whose family life is thrown into turmoil by an unfortunate accident involving some mushrooms. But was it an accident? All is not as cosy as it seems, and the dodgy  fungi aren’t all that’s toxic about this situation... Another week of top takes and high-quality witterings from the Good Doctors—not to mention correspondence from you lot. Don’t miss it! Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free): Flow Review: 07:52 Francois Ozon Interview: 27:49 When Autumn Falls Review: 39:23 Laughter Lift: 48:40 The Alto Knights Review: 53:31 Snow White Review: 01:00:12 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com And to find out more about Sony’s new show Origins with Cush Jumbo, click here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vanguardistas have more fun—so if you don’t already subscribe to the podcast, join the Vanguard today via Apple Podcasts or extratakes.com for non-fruit-related devices. In return you’ll get a whole extra Take 2 alongside Take 1 every week, with bonus reviews, more viewing recommendations from the Good Doctors and whole bonus episodes just for you. And if you’re already a Vanguardista, we salute you. Our guests this week are Ashley Walters and Erin Doherty, stars of astonishing new Netflix series ‘Adolescence’. With each episode shot in one take, it follows the story of a family left in shock when their teenage son is arrested for murder. Doherty and Walters respectively play the psychologist and detective involved in the case, alongside Stephen Graham—who plays the boy’s father and co-created the series alongside Jack Thorne. Erin & Ashley chat to Simon about the technical feat of shooting the film, how absolutely terrifying the internet can be, and how terrifyingly good first-time teenage actor Owen Cooper definitely is. Mark reviews the series, plus all these new releases: ‘Black Bag’, Steven Soderbergh’s seductive spy comedy following Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender as married spooks trying to trace a leak whilst navigating a relationship that must have secrets; ‘Opus’, a fandom thriller about the long-awaited and frighteningly cultish return of fictional pop icon Moretti (John Malkovich), and Karan Kandhari’s madcap Mumbai-set black comedy about arranged marriage, ‘Sister Midnight’. Top quality correspondence from you as always, including a right telling off for Mark, news from ‘the internet’s stinkiest it girl’, and a hello to a bit more of Jason Isaacs than we bargained for in this week’s episode of White Lotus.... Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free): Sister Midnight Review: 08:47 Ashley Walters and Erin Doherty Interview: 25:55 Opus Review: 57:04 Laughter Lift: 50:51 Black Bag Review: 1:05:57 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com And to find out more about Sony’s new show Origins with Cush Jumbo, click here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s ‘Mickey 17’ release day, and Ben is chatting to Director Bong Joon Ho in today’s episode to celebrate. Starring Robert Pattinson as an expendable worker on a colonized ice planet, the new film from Korean cinema’s modern master sees protagonist Mickey ‘re-printed’ over and over again.  Frequently killed in his dangerous daily tasks, ‘human printing technology’ allows Mickey to be simply reborn, with his memories intact. But when he makes it back to base unexpectedly alive one day, he finds he’s already been reprinted—coming face to face with his latest iteration. His girlfriend may be loving it, but the law, upheld by Mark Ruffalo’s villainous Marshall, is not. Ben sits down with the ‘Parasite’ Oscar winner, and his legendary translator Sharon Choi, to unpack this dark comedy sci-fi satire... to name some of the genres this madcap movie might be. Nobody makes them like Director Bong. He reveals the secret real-life location of his ice-planet (complete with mountains of salt standing in for snow), the challenges of working with two Robert Pattinsons, and his obsession with his comfort-blanket iPad. Check out the ‘Now and Ben’ back catalogue for more conversations with cinema’s most exciting creative talents, including four-time Oscar winning director of ‘Anora’, Sean Baker,  ‘Peaky Blinders’ writer Steven Knight, and Hollywood royalty Angela Bassett. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vanguardistas have more fun—so if you don’t already subscribe to the podcast, join the Vanguard today via Apple Podcasts or extratakes.com for non-fruit-related devices. In return you’ll get a whole extra Take 2 alongside Take 1 every week, with bonus reviews, more viewing recommendations from the Good Doctors and whole bonus episodes just for you. And if you’re already a Vanguardista, we salute you. In this week’s Take we’re travelling back into the past and looking to the future with VR. Yes, we made Simon put on a VR headset thingy—and yes, we did laugh at him whilst he wandered blindly around the room thinking he was in 19th century Germany. That’s because he was experiencing ‘Trailblazer’, a VR experience telling the forgotten story of Bertha Benz, the woman behind the wheel of the world’s first automobile in the first road trip ever taken. Simon chats to the voice of Trailblazer, Star-Wars star Daisy Ridely and creator Eloise Singer. They talk about history’s forgotten women, Daisy’s forgotten BAFTA (surprise!), and whether we’ll all be swapping cinema tickets for VR goggles in the future... Plus reviews this week of ‘Twiggy’, Sadie Frost’s doc about the titular teenage model sensation and 60s icon; ‘One Of Them Days’—a comedy caper starring Keke Palmer and SZA as two broke best friends trying to raise a month’s rent after losing it to a deadbeat boyfriend—and Bong Joon Ho’s big follow-up to ‘Parasite’, ‘Mickey 17’. Starring Robert Pattinson as an ‘expendable’ worker in a barren ice colony, Director Bong’s latest sci-fi flick sees protagonist Mickey ‘reprinted’ over and over again each time he dies—until a duplicate begins to cause trouble. Find out if Mark thinks you should be heading to the cinema on the double! Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free): Twiggy Review: 10:24 Daisy Ridley & Eloise Singer Interview: 25:19 One of Them Days Review: 43:28 Laughter Lift: 47:31 Mickey 17 Review: 52:37 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com And to find out more about Sony’s new show Origins with Cush Jumbo, click here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Scottish actor Robert Carlyle, famed for his roles in Trainspotting and The Full Monty, engages in a gripping discussion about his latest character, councilor Sam Hagen, in the Netflix drama Toxic Town. He dives deep into the poignant themes of environmental negligence and the haunting true story behind the Corby poisonings, shedding light on the courage of local mothers fighting for justice. Laugh out loud as he shares his quirky take on a memorable bird-themed moment from the show. Plus, reviews of indie cinema and Oscar buzz add to the lively conversation!

In this engaging conversation, Angela Bassett, a celebrated actress known for her powerful roles over four decades, discusses her portrayal of President Evelyn Mitchell in the Netflix series Zero Day. She shares insights about the challenges of playing strong female characters and reflects on her inspiring real-life figures. The conversation takes a fun turn as she recalls her experience voicing Michelle Obama on The Simpsons and reunites with Robert De Niro. Bassett also emphasizes the importance of diverse representation in cinema and the evolution of Black stories on screen.

Multi-hyphenate filmmaker Mario Van Peebles joins to discuss his latest project, 'Outlaw Posse', a bold reimagining of Black Westerns that defies typical narratives. He shares insights on celebrating Black cowboys and family legacies in indie filmmaking, being part of a creative dynasty with his father and son. The conversation also touches on the unsettling themes in 'The Monkey', a dark comedy horror about a murderous toy, blending slapstick and gore in a refreshing way. Listeners get a broad look at modern cinema’s rich storytelling landscape from a diverse perspective.