Ramy Youssef and Emma Stone discuss reading a film script. Denis Villeneuve and Hans Zimmer share insights on their work. There's also a discussion on Bella Baxter's character development and actors Kate Blanchett and Killian Murphy reflecting on lockdown creative process.

This week, Kirsten Dunst and Alex Garland sit down to chat with Simon about their new film ‘Civil War’, which sees Dunst star as a photojournalist travelling with her team across a dystopian United States, engulfed by a second civil war, in a bid to interview and photograph the president. Mark also gives his take on the film, as well as reviewing ‘The Teachers’ Lounge’, a drama in which a teacher decides to step in when one of her students is suspected of theft, finding herself caught between her ideals and the school system in the process; and ‘The First Omen’, which sees a young American nun start to question her own faith when she uncovers a terrifying conspiracy to bring about the birth of evil incarnate in Rome. The big review of the week is ‘Back to Black’, a musical biopic about singer Amy Winehouse’s tumultuous relationship with Blake Fielder-Civil inspires her to write and record the groundbreaking album ‘Back to Black’. Timecodes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!): The Teachers’ Lounge – 6:58 Box Office Top Ten – 10:55 The First Omen – 13:16 Kirsten Dunst & Alex Garland Interview – 25:32 Civil War Review – 37:45 Back to Black Review – 46:11 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dev Patel discusses 'Monkey Man', a film where a young man seeks revenge for his mother's death. Review on 'Evil Does Not Exist' and 'Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire'. Big review on 'Seize Them!', a comedic Dark Ages adventure.

Ewan McGregor discusses 'A Gentleman in Moscow' miniseries, Mark reviews 'Mothers’ Instinct' & 'Silver Haze'. Topics include Bolshevik Revolution, sisterly bond shattered, nurse's obsession with revenge, cinematic events, and more.

No interview this week, but even more witterings from your favourite duo for your trouble. Mark gives his thoughts on new releases, including ‘Late Night with the Devil’, a found footage horror, which sees a 1977 live television broadcast go horribly wrong, unleashing evil into the nation’s living rooms; ‘Immaculate’, a Sydney Sweeney-starring horror about an American nun who heads to a convent in Italy only to discover that her new home harbours a sinister secret; and ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’, the latest instalment in the supernatural comedy franchise, which sees Ghostbusters new and old join forces to protect their home against evil forces and save the world from a second ice age. Plus, Mark and Simon keep us abreast of the cinematic events happening around the country. Timecodes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!): 08:38 Late Night with the Devil review 19:25 Box Office Top 10 39:08 Immaculate review 45:56 Laughter Lift 52:01 Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire review 01:00:13 What’s On 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, the one and only Cate Blanchett joins Mark and Simon for a chat about her drama ‘The New Boy’, which follows a young Aboriginal Australia orphan, who is brought into a Christian monastery, run by a renegade nun, begin to question his faith and loyalty to his heritage. Mark gives his take on the film, as well as reviewing ‘Monster’, a Japanese psychological mystery thriller about a mother who confronts a teacher after noticing disturbing changes in her son’s behaviour; and ‘Drive Away Dolls’, an Ethan Coen-helmed road trip caper about two lesbian friends who get caught up in crime. Plus, Mark and Simon keep us abreast of the cinematic events happening around the country. Timecodes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!): 08:23 Monster review 23:27 Box Office Top 10 37:28 Cate Blanchett interview 52:03 The New Boy review 57:23 Laughter Lift 01:02:48 Drive-Away Dolls review 01:09:23 What’s On 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, acclaimed director Ava DuVernay chats to Simon and Mark about ‘Origin’, her new biographical drama based on the life of the author Isabel Wilkerson who wrote the seminal book ‘Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents’, while coping with personal tragedy. Mark also offers his thoughts on the film, as well as reviewing ‘The Inventor’, a Stephen Fry-starring animation, which imagines Leonardo da Vinci, as he leaves Italy to join the French court, where he can experiment, study and invent freely; and ‘High and Low – John Galliano’, a documentary charting the triumphs and controversies of the legendary and controversial fashion designer. Plus, Mark and Simon keep us abreast of the cinematic events happening around the country. Timecodes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!): 08:16 High & Low: John Galliano review 20:52 Box Office Top 10 32:52 Ava DuVernay interview 47:29 Origin review 54:55 Laughter Lift 01:03:42 The Inventor review 01:09:09 What’s On 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Get insider insights on top Oscar contenders for Best Picture 2024, including exclusive interviews with Cillian Murphy, Greta Gerwig, Emma Stone, Jeffrey Wright, and more. Mark shares his thoughts on films like Oppenheimer, Barbie, Killers of the Flower Moon, and Maestro. Dive into the excitement of award season with this podcast!

This week, acclaimed director Denis Villeneuve and renowned composer Hans Zimmer join Simon for a chat about their hotly-anticipated project, ‘Dune: Part Two’ - the next chapter in their adaptation of Frank Herbert’s legendary sci-fi saga.  Mark also gives his take on the film, as well as reviewing ‘Four Daughters’, Kaouther Ben Hania’s Oscar-nominated documentary, which mixes fact and fiction to tell the story of Olfa Hamrouni, a Tunisian woman whose two eldest daughters were radicalized by Islamic extremists; and ‘Lisa Frankenstein’, a Diablo Cody-penned comedy about a misunderstood teenager and a reanimated Victorian corpse who embark on a murderous – and romantic – journey together.   Plus, Mark and Simon tell us about the exciting cinematic events happening around the country.    Timecodes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!):  08:39 Four Daughters review  22:19 Box Office Top 10   34:33 Denis Villeneuve and Hans Zimmer interview  49:31 Dune: Part Two review  01:00:13 Laughter Lift   01:02:44 Lisa Frankenstein review   01:08:38 What’s On   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  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, director Jonathan Glazer talks to Simon about his Bafta award-winning and Oscar-nominated historical drama ‘The Zone of Interest, which follows the commandant of Auschwitz and his wife, as they strive to build a dream life for their family in a house next to the camp. Meanwhile, Mark gives his take on an array of new releases, including ‘Perfect Days’, Wim Wenders’ latest offering, which follows a toilet cleaner in Tokyo, who finds joy in the mundane, but beautiful, details of everyday life; ‘Madame Web’, Dakota Johnson’s first superhero outing, which sees her play a New York City paramedic who starts to show signs of clairvoyance and must protect three young women from a mysterious adversary who wants them dead; ‘Shoshana’, Michael Winterbottom’s biographical thriller about the tragic, real life love story between Shoshana Borochov and Tom Wilkin, set against the British Mandate in Palestine; and ‘Wicked Little Lies’, a star-studded British black comedy about a real life scandal that saw residents of a quaint Sussex town receive letters filled with obscenities and hilarious profanity. Plus, Mark and Simon tell us about your own cinematic events happening around the country. Timecodes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!): 12:29 Perfect Days review 23:46 Box Office Top 10 29:48 Madame Web review 37:00 Jonathan Glazer interview 53:43 Shoshana review 01:03:49 What’s On 01:04:47 Wicked Little Letters review 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices