Kermode & Mayo’s Take

Simon goes on a leafy adventure with Hugh Bonneville to talk ‘Paddington In Peru’, the latest addition to the most kind and polite of all cinematic universes—and for those of us who need cheering up this week, their conversation is just the tonic. The film sees Britain’s favourite bear journey back to his native land with the Brown family on a quest to visit Aunt Lucy. Pass the marmalade sandwiches. Plus, Mark reviews ‘Blitz’, Steve McQueen’s wartime drama starring Saoirse Ronan as a mother attempting to navigate a bombarded London with her young son; Andrea Arnold’s free-spirited social realist drama ‘Bird’ starring Barry Keoghan; and, as we enter the Christmas Corridor, ‘Red One’ in which the North Pole’s head of Security (played by Dwayne Johnson) teams up with an infamous bounty hunter (Chris Evans) to save a kidnapped Santa Claus. Another week of top takes from Mark & Simon! A few extra tickets for our Live Christmas Spectacular have dropped – snap them up here before they go: https://www.fane.co.uk/kermode-and-mayo Timecodes (for Vanguardistas, who also listen ad-free): Bird review: 08:25 Blitz Review: 13:53 Hugh Bonneville Interview: 28:59 Paddington In Peru Review: 45:35 Red One Review: 56:32 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

In a captivating conversation, Billy Crystal, the beloved actor and comedian known for classics like When Harry Met Sally, shares insights about his role in the Apple TV+ psychological thriller, Before. He delves into themes of grief and memory, revealing how a child psychiatrist's painful past intertwines with a troubled boy’s haunting presence. The discussion is rich with anecdotes and reflections on the emotional depth required for such intricate storytelling, ensuring listeners gain a profound appreciation for the art of film and its exploration of loss.

Ben Wheatley, an acclaimed film director known for his unique blend of horror and dark comedy, discusses his new miniseries 'Generation Z,' where elderly residents become zombies after a chemical spill. The conversation touches on how the show reflects societal anxieties while appealing to a teenage audience. Mark also reviews 'Emilia Pérez,' a musical-comedy exploring identity within a crime drama, and delves into other films like Almodovar's latest and the third 'Venom' installment, providing a rich mix of critique and cinematic insights.

This week, Naomi Scott, an actress known for her roles in Aladdin and Smile 2, joins the discussion. She shares insights on her powerful performance in Smile 2 and the emotional depth of its storytelling. The conversation turns to ‘The Apprentice,’ where Mark passionately critiques the film’s portrayal of Donald Trump’s early career and relationships. They also explore the heartwarming animated tale of ‘The Wild Robot,’ highlighting themes of parenthood and survival in a touching narrative.

This week’s guest is everyone’s favourite foul-mouthed politico-cum-Time Lord. That’s right, Peter Capaldi is on the show to tell Simon all about Season 2 of his time-bending, psychological thriller show ‘The Devil’s Hour’. Mark reviews ‘Transformers One’, an animated sci-fi action film based on the Hasbro toy line, which explores the untold origin story of Optimus Prime and Megatron, better known as sworn enemies, but once friends bonded like brothers who changed the fate of Cyberton forever; ‘Salem’s Lot’, the latest adaptation of Stephen King’s classic supernatural horror novel, which sees an author return to his childhood home in search for some inspiration for his next book, only to discover that people are mysteriously turning into blood-sucking vampires; and ‘Timestalker’, a historical sci-fi romantic comedy in which a hapless woman falls for the wrong guy, dies a grim death and is reincarnated a century later. As she experiences romantic misfortune through different eras of history, she seeks to avoid repeat mistakes and finally break the cycle. What will be Mark’s film of the week? Listen and see! Plus, get tickets to our Live Christmas Spectacular here: https://www.fane.co.uk/kermode-and-mayo And vote for us for Best Co-Host Team at the prestigious Signal Awards here. Let’s win this thing!:  https://vote.signalaward.com/PublicVoting#/2024/shows/craft/best-co-host-team-pop-culture-podcasts Timecodes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!): Transformers One Review: 06:21 Peter Capaldi Interview: 27:55 Salem’s Lot Review: 45:20 Timestalker Review: 54:08 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

Mark and Simon think you'll love Origins with Cush Jumbo. In this podcast, Cush meets some of the stars of stage and screen, and so they're giving you a little taster of what you can expect to hear. Here's an exert from Cush's episode with David Schwimmer, a master of comedy, who we all feel we know insideout as Ross Geller. He appeared in 236 episodes of Friends, runs his own theatre company (for the last 36 years!), is a dad and also a great friend of Cush's. They discuss his early jobs before Friends, and a serious role he had to turn down decades ago, that might have changed everything. If you enjoy this teaser, head over to https://pod.link/1761431583 and follow the show so you don't miss an episode. A Sony Music Entertainment production Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us at @sonypodcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week’s guests are Take fave Joaquin Phoenix and writer-director Todd Phillips, who tell Simon all about ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’, their musical thriller follow-up to the 2019 smash hit ‘Joker’, which sees failed comedian Arthur Fleck meeting the love of his life, Harley Quinn, while incarcerated at Arkham State Hospital. Mark also gives his take on the film, as well as offering his thoughts on various new releases, including ‘Harder Than the Rock’, a documentary exploring the overlooked impact and influence of the UK’s first reggae band, Cimarons, as they persevere against all odds and follow their dream of playing to live audiences one last time; and ‘A Different Man’, a black comedy psychological thriller, which sees an aspiring actor undergo a radical medical procedure to drastically transform his appearance, only for this new dream face to turn into a nightmare when he becomes obsessed with reclaiming what was lost. An interesting companion piece with ‘The Substance’, we reckon. Another brilliant session with the Good Doctors. Timecodes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!): Harder Than The Rock Review: 08:05 Joaquin Phoenix and Todd Phillips Interview: 32:11 Joker: Folie À Deux Review: 48:13 A Different Man Review: 58:39 We're doing a LIVE show: Kermode and Mayo's Christmas Movie Spectacular - December 8th at 2.30pm at the Prince Edward Theatre in London. Tickets are selling fast at www.fane.co.uk/kermode-and-mayo 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

This week features Saoirse Ronan, acclaimed actress known for her diverse roles, and Paapa Essiedu, a talented actor discussing the intricacies of film character dynamics. They dive into their gripping drama, 'The Outrun,' detailing Ronan's challenging depiction of recovery from addiction. The conversation reveals insights into their characters' chemistry and the influence of Stephen Graham on Ronan's performance. Mark adds a sharp critique of the much-anticipated but underwhelming 'Megalopolis,' making for a thought-provoking listen!

We're excited to announce the xmas show, click here for an exclusive chance to secure your tickets: www.fane.co.uk/kermode-and-mayo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week’s guest is Kathryn Hahn, who talks to Simon about her starring role in ‘WandaVision’ spinoff ‘Agatha All Along’, a dark comedy superhero miniseries, which follows witch Agatha Harkness, as she recruits some unlikely allies on her quest to regain her former powers. Mark gives his thoughts on the show, as well as reviewing various new releases: ‘The Goldman Case’, a French-language courtroom drama based on the real-life trial of left-wing revolutionary Pierre Goldman, who was accused of several armed robberies and the death of two chemists; “Girls Will Be Girls’, an Indo-French coming-of-age drama and Sundance hit, which follows 16-year-old Mira as she discovers desire and romance, only to have her rebellious sexual awakening disrupted by her mother, who never got to come of age herself; and ‘The Substance’, the much-talked about Demi Moore-starring body horror, which sees an aging aerobics star, who, after being fired on her 50th birthday, takes an experimental substance that promises to transform her into a ‘better’ version of herself – with horrifying consequences. Mark’s gonna have a field day with this one, we’re sure! Enjoy! Timecodes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!): The Goldman Case Review – 08:49 Kathryn Hahn Interview – 28:38 Agatha All Along Review– 43:51 Girls Will Be Girls Review – 51:23 The Substance Evil – 56:39 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