Ready For Close-Up

Episode #28 - Our Summer Watchlist (everything, everywhere, all at once!)

With July just round the corner, Andy and Sam have compiled their respective summer watchlists - from films they have recently seen at the cinema (Jurassic World Dominion, Everything Everywhere All at Once), fresh streaming content (Heartstopper, The Gilded Age, Stranger Things 4) to new productions they look forward to between summer and fall (Elvis, Thor: Love and Thunder, Nope, My Policeman). They discuss that with mainstream movies and franchises in full swing and with independent cinema and streaming platforms everywhere, it will be interesting to see which films will stick out and which will leave a lasting effect on our ever-growing watchlists. Join us for an overview of what's good and what's to come!

Episode #27 - Hagsploitation! Whatever Happened to Psycho Biddies?

The release of Whatever Happened to Baby Jane in 1962 was followed by a decade of so-called Hagsploitation movies, in which former female Hollywood stars went at each others' throats as hair-raising psycho biddies. The genre has been highly controversial for its depiction of older women and therefore exposing ageism in Hollywood, but Andy and Sam have also found much cult potential and camp in the examples they have watched for this episode: Besides the Bette Davis/Joan Crawford classic, they discuss Tallulah Bankhead's turn in Fanatic! (1965), Debbie Reyolds and Shelley Winters in What's the Matter with Helen? (1971), as well as Ruth Gordon and Geraldine Page battling it out in Whatever Happened to Aunt Alice? (1968). Join our latest episode for some full-throated enthusiasm about the power of old ladies in 60s Hollywood and their legacy in cinema until today.

Episode #26 - The Oscars 2022: more than a slap in the face?

Overshadowed by that face-slapping scandal surrounding Best Actor winner Will Smith, winners and losers of the night were almost overlooked in an Oscar show that tried to reclaim some of its glamour and inspirational qualities post Covid. Andy and Sam review the night's big scandal but also its most important winners and the movies that clearly missed out. They find that the Academy Awards have been trying to do the impossible lately: compensating for past omissions and putting on a dated show format at a time when movie consumption habits have changed dramatically over the past couple of years. So will that face slap heard around the world serve as a wake-up call for the Academy?

Episode #25 - Two Deaths on the Nile: Whodunnit (better)?

Kenneth Branagh's new adaptation of Agatha Christie's murder mystery Death on the Nile happens to be the remake of one of Andy and Sam's favourite 1970s star ensemble movie, so they went into the new version understandably sceptically. The illustrous river cruise on the river Nile that turns into a blood fest only master detective Hercule Poirot can solve, has been updated to suit present-day tastes and while your podcasters warmed to it surprisingly, they still found much contrast in tone, character focus, production value and storytelling. Nothing beats the stellar cast of the 1978 original (Peter Ustinov alongside Maggie Smith, Mia Farrow, Bette Davis, David Niven or Angela Lansbury) but Branagh's ensemble - frontlined by Gal Gadot, Armie Hammer, Emma Mackie, Annette Bening and Russell Brand - offers deep insight into the director/main actor's own choices. Listen to find out more!

Episode #24 - (Don’t) Watch this in 2022!

With January behind us, Andy and Sam wrap up their first movie experiences of 2022 in their latest episode. Besides catching up on some missed TV shows and Netflix fare, they have also immersed themselves in some fresh cinematic experiences. Their reviews of Guillermo del Toro's mystery thriller Nightmare Alley, the latest history-bending installment in the Kingsman series (King's Man - The Beginning) and especially the disaster satire Don't Look Up - in which mankind faces the ultimate threat of extinction - give them lots to rave and rage about. What should you watch and what can you definitely miss? Listen in to get your film year 2022 on the go!

Episode #23 - Our 2021 in movies

With 2022 just starting, Andy and Sam have met for brunch to talk about 2021 and the year it was in movies. They discuss their highlights and disappointments - from House of Gucci and Hand of God to The Last Duel and Power of the Dog. They crown last year's stellar performances and analyse the life-changing nature of this second pandemic year for cinema as a whole. In the end, they remain hopeful that with many cinematic and streaming highlights behind and ahead of us, 2022 will prove to be an equally suprising and unexpected thrill ride. Join them at the table and listen in!

Episode #22 - Our first movie blind date

For this podcast, Andy and Sam have gone on a movie blind date, where they each present a film that they thought the other one would love - of course without revealing which one it is! In a rivetingly suspenseful episode, they each try to guess what movie was chosen for them, based on opening scenes, era and genre, the feel of the film and eventually the cast and crew. Will they guess correctly in time? No matter the outcome: Both have chosen thrillingly entertaining cult films that they have come to adore also for themselves. Join us in the guessing game!

Episode #21 - Is NO TIME TO DIE a Bond to die for?

The wait is finally over and James Bond is back at the cinema, but is NO TIME TO DIE really a Bond film to die for? Andy and Sam dive right into the spoilers, the controversies and the highlights surrounding Daniel Craig's final outing as Bond. Whereas Sam felt like being in Double-O-heaven repeatedly, Andy found himself wondering whether the serious drama of the Craig universe may have gone too far this time. There is no denying the many qualities of the film and the need to enjoy it as a theatrical experience. However, there's also the future of the series to consider: What lies ahead for the most successful franchise after the dramatic closure of this chapter in the Bond canon? Listen to find out!

Episode #20 - A double DUNE debate

The release of the epic science-fiction spectacle DUNE marks the second time Frank Herbert‘s cult novel has been put on the big screen. Andy and Sam review Dennis Villeneuve’s visually stunning adaptation of this thinly veiled Messiah tale and compare it to the famously failed David Lynch version of the 1980s. While both boast grand production designs and incredible star ensembles, it’s the new cinematic take that is able to build the best out of Herbert and Lynch’s worlds and keep anticipation high for the second part yet to come. Listen to our newest episode to see where Andy and Sam stand in this double DUNE debate! 

Episode #19 - THE FATHER and other great movies on memory

After a long and memorable summer, Andy and Sam finally take the chance to review the fabulous Oscar-winning THE FATHER, starring a stunning Anthony Hopkins as a man descending into dementia. Instead of being purely tragic, Florian Zeller's film manages to create an utterly immersive, funny, unnerving and truly cinematic experience. We take a walk down movie memory lane as well, passing other great movies that have put memories at their centre. As it turns out, some of our favourite movies and directors have dealt with the issues that go to the very heart of what filmmaking is: make believe.