Kermode & Mayo’s Take

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Is ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER film of the year? With Paul Thomas Anderson Sep 25, 2025

Show notes

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.

‘One Battle After Another’ hits the big screen this week—and there’s already plenty of buzz, not least from Steven Spielberg, about this much anticipated new flick starring Leonardo DiCaprio and the dazzlingly named newcomer Chase Infiniti. Its director—and one of the most exciting directors working today—Paul Thomas Anderson is our very special guest this week. He and Simon unpack his decades-long writing process on the movie, his first ever car chase, and getting binned off by DiCaprio for ‘Titanic’. Could this be the year PTA finally gets his Oscar? Answers in an envelope now please...

Mark reviews ‘One Battle After Another’ too--along with two more of the week’s most popcorn-worthy cinema releases. First up, ‘The Dead Of Winter’--where we see Emma Thompson explore new territory in a frozen thriller set in chilly Minnesota. And yes, that means she does the accent. Plus, ‘The Strangers: Chapter 2’... let’s see if this unintentionally silly slasher can improve on its predecessor, which shouldn’t be difficult... one would hope.

All the usual tasty features too as Mark runs down the full Box Office Top 10 and Simon tries to wring some genuine humour out of the Laughter Lift. Tope correspondence from you as always--and don’t forget you can now watch the full show on YouTube!

Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free):

The Dead of Winter Review: 09:16 (00:11:04 – 11:40:19)

Box Office Top Ten: 15:44

Paul Thomas Anderson Interview: 28:17

One Battle After Another Review: 42:04 (Clip: 00:28:34 – 00:29:16)

Laughter Lift: 56:11

The Strangers: Chapter 2 Review: 01:00:06 (Clip 01:01:23 – 01:02:06)

You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo

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Robert Redford remembered + Paul Greengrass on THE LOST BUS Sep 18, 2025

Show notes

Simon and Mark remember true movie legend Robert Redford, who passed away this week. We hear your favourite Redford films, memories of him as a style icon and more. Plus, the Good Doctors talk about meeting the great man himself on stage, and the surprising effect he had on their audience.

Paul Greengrass—legendary director of the Bourne movies, Captain Philips, United 93 and many more—is our guest this week. His latest movie is The Lost Bus—the gripping true story of a bus driver and schoolteacher’s attempt to evacuate 22 children from a vicious wildfire in Paradise, California, starring Matthew McConaughey and America Ferrera. Greengrass tells Simon how he brought this real-life story to the screen, how he recreated the terror of a wildfire with practical effects, and loads more from the making of this white-knuckle ride. He's always a treat to hear from, so don’t miss it.

Mark reviews it too, plus two more shiny new releases for your eyeballs. First, ‘Steve’, starring the ever-excellent Cillian Murphy as the burnt out headteacher of a reform school struggling to keep it together. And from gritty to glossy, we’ve got A Big Bold beautiful Journey for you too—a rom com with a sprinkling of magic starring Colin Farrell and Margot Robbie as a could-be-couple taking a time travelling tour of their respective pasts.

Top correspondence from our top-drawer listeners as always—including for a new feature. We’re inviting you to send us your Shameless Plugs—whatever you’re working on right now in the world of all things film and film-adjacent—let us know what it is and how we can get involved. Emails and voice notes welcome!

And don’t forget you can now watch the full show on YouTube too!

Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free):

Steve Review: 14:03

Box Office Top Ten: 21:33

Paul Greengrass Interview: 31:08

The Lost Bus Review: 47:21

Laughter Lift: 57:58

A Big Bold Beautiful Journey Review: 01:00:26

You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo

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Does SPINAL TAP II turn it up to 11? + the rockin’ Warren Ellis Sep 11, 2025

Show notes

‘Spinal Tap II: The End Continues’ is finally out this week—but will it rock Mark’s world or break his heart? He’ll deliver his verdict in this week’s Take—plus more reviews of the biggest movies hitting cinema screens this weekend. First up it’s the final film instalment in everyone’s favourite goes-down-nicely-with-a-cuppa-tea-missus period drama saga, Downton Abbey. On a much less civilised note, we’ve got ‘The Long Walk’ too—a brutal death game drama adapted from Stephen King’s novel. Plus we’ll get your top takes on the Box Office Top 10 and whatever else is going on in your lovely listener lives.

Our very special and exceptionally well-dressed guest this week is Warren Ellis—musician of Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds and Dirty Three fame, and now the subject of new Justin Kurzel directed documentary ‘Ellis Park’. It follows the story of the animal sanctuary Ellis founded in Indonesia with Femke den Haas, and it’s an intimate insight into the life and music of this very cool man too. He chats IRL in the studio with Mark and Simon—and this week we’re filming the whole show in golorious technicolour, so you’ll get the full effect of his excellent outfit. They talk all about the movie and plenty about music too—and just because Warren loves a lengthy natter we’ve got even more for you in Take 2—so listen up!

Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free):

Downton Abbey Review: 06:35

Box Office Top Ten: 14:41

Warren Ellis Interview: 25:19

The Long Walk Review: 46:37

Spinal Tap: The End Continues Review: 1:00:48

You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo

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HONEY, DON’T: a film title that reviews itself? + Sam Riley on ISLANDS Sep 04, 2025

Show notes

Grab the popcorn, because we’ve got a load more sweet and salty reviews for you this week on the Take. We’ll let you find out which are which. First up, ‘Honey, Don’t’, the neo-noir crime comedy from Ethan Coen that follows ‘Drive-Away Dolls’ as the next in a soon to be trilogy. Plus, two new indie flicks: Cork-set drama Christy, following two brothers forging a new life outside the care system, and the odd-couple holiday drama ‘Signs of Life’. There’s ‘The Conjuring: Last Rites’ too... but is it really really the last one this time?

Our guest this week is the ever-excellent Sam Riley—a stalwart on British screens since his breakout role as Ian Curtis in the Joy Division singer’s biopic ‘Control’. This time he’s starring in ‘Islands’, a mysterious sun-soaked thriller out next week. He plays tennis coach Tom—who seems to have the perfect life hitting rallies all day and chasing holiday flings all night—but things get complicated when he gets wrapped up in a dodgy family drama. Sam sits down with Simon to unpack his role in the movie, plus they talk middle-aged angst, holidays in the German Skegness, and that time he almost got arrested in Aberdeen... Keep an ear out for Mark’s review of the film next week too.

There’s top correspondence from you Wittertainees as always too, as we dive ever deeper into the cinema seating debate and beyond. Don’t miss another top Take!

Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free):

Honey, Don’t: 08:15

Box Office Top Ten: 14:00

Sam Riley Interview: 26:15

The Conjuring: Last Rites: 38:49

Signs of Life Review: 52:33

Christy Review: 58:13

You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo

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Summer Holiday Highlights of the year so far Aug 28, 2025

Show notes

It’s a lovely highlights show for your summer holiday this week, where mark and Simon will be bringing back all the highlights of the year in film so far. You’ll hear all the greatest hits from our guest interviews with Justin Kurzel, Craig Mazin and Domhnall Gleeson.

And reviews of Sinners, Bring Her Back, The Ballad of Wallis Island, Adolescence, Death of a Unicorn (oy!), Jurassic World: Rebirth (yeesh!) and Another Simple Favour.

Reminisce and relive it all with us—and it’s back to school with a brand new pencil case, more new reviews and shiny starry guests next week.

Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free):

Bring Her Back: 03:43

Sinners: 07:45

The Ballad of Wallis Island: 13:17

Justin Kurzel: 18:20

Death of a Unicorn: 25:44

Another Simple Favour: 31:09

Jurassic World: Rebirth: 36:41

Domhnall Gleeson: 41:32

Adolescence: 46:57

Craig Mazin: 58:02

You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo

Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey

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Now and Ben: Olivia Colman and Jay Roach on THE ROSES Aug 26, 2025

Show notes

Surprise! It’s another tasty nugget of Now & Ben in the Take feed. This time, Ben sits down with Olivia Colman and Jay Roach, star and director of ‘The Roses’--which hits the big screen this Friday.

This grown-up comedy with bite is all about marriage and what happens when it gets rocky. Colman plays one half of a battling couple alongside Bendict Cumberbatch—and although things might look perfect on the surface, tensions rise and resentment simmers as the pair’s respective careers start to move in opposite directions. It’s a reimagining of the 1989 classic ‘The War of the Roses’, starring Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner—and Roach has shaken things up to reflect the pitfalls of modern romance.

Ben chats to both of them about the secrets of comedy, casting, and marriage—and how this long-imagined project came to the screen. Spoilers—Olivia Colman is her delightful self on full beam—don't miss it!

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Tom Hiddleston & Chiwetel Ejiofor on THE LIFE OF CHUCK Aug 21, 2025

Show notes

Supersub Ben Bailey Smith joins Mark this week for reviews of the freshest cinema releases. We’ve got the Good Doctor’s verdicts on ‘Eddington’, Ari Aster’s much-discussed western starring Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, Austin Butler, and Emma Stone. Plus, indie black comedy ‘Sorry, Baby’, and ‘The Life of Chuck’, whose stars Tom Hiddleston and Chiwetel Ejiofor are our very special guests this week.

We recorded this one with them a while back with Simon, so it’s him you’ll be hearing sit down with the two of them to unpack it. It’s a Stephen King adaptation following one man’s ordinary life and the multitudes it contains, and we can’t say too much more than that without giving it away. Best leave it to Tom and Chiwetel...

All the usual silliness and profundity to be found too as usual in another top Take. Don’t miss it!

Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free):

Eddington Review: 07:58

BO10ish: 15:28

Tom Hiddleston & Chiwetel Ejiofor: 28:53

Life of Chuck Review: 42:20

Sorry, Baby Review: 52:22

You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo

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Bob Odenkirk talks NOBODY 2 – will it meet Mark’s expectations? Aug 14, 2025

Show notes

Supersub Sanjeev is back again this week, donning his Take merchandise—and he’s not the only special guest we’ve got for you. Bob Odenkirk—star of ‘Breaking Bad’, ‘Better Call Saul’, ‘Nobody’, and now ‘Nobody 2’--joins us too. It’s Mark’s turn to do the interview honours this week, and he’s pretty chuffed with that—but as it turns out, he’s not the only fan in the room... They unpack the film’s stonking action seqeunces and talk sequel nerves, father figures and Jackie Chan.

Mark reviews the summer holiday action comedy too, as well as all the biggest movies you can catch on the big screen this week, rain or shine. First up, ‘The Materialists’--whose director Celine Song was our guest last week...and kind of became Sanjeev’s new bestie in the process? We get both Mark and Sanj’s takes on her New York romcom for our cynical modern dating scene. Plus, a much more grusome take on finding your ‘other half’, ‘Together’. Starring real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie, this co-dependency body horror is a real scrunge-fest. Don’t miss Mark’s verdict!

And for those still enjoying our run of curry house correspondence, this week’s laughter lift is for you. Keep that correspondence coming on all things curry and non-curry related—and make sure to get it in sharpish this week, as we’re recording next week’s show this Friday!

Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free):

The Materialists Review: 09:42

BO10: 23:51

K Pop Demon Hunters review: 21:33

Bob Odenkirk Interview: 33:42

Nobody 2 Review: 45:55

Together Review: 54:49

You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo

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Is Mark freaked out by FREAKIER FRIDAY? + Celine Song on THE MATERIALISTS Aug 07, 2025

Show notes

Simon is off on his holibobs this week, but fortunately the excellent Sanjeev Bhaskar is in town to sub in, and he does an excellent job if we may say so. He takes up the baton to interview this week’s guest—who is the ever-delightful Celine Song. They unpack ‘The Materialists,’ her new romcom about the mercenary modern dating scene, starring Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal and Chris Evans. Fans of ‘Past Lives’ listen up—and listen out for Mark’s full review of this sophomore feature next week.

If you heard last week’s guest Guy Pearce on the show, you might have been waiting for Mark’s official verdict on the Aussie star’s new prison drama ‘Inside’--and we’ve got it right here or you this week. Plus two more fresh takes on the week’s new releases: first up ‘Freakier Friday’, the four-way body swap sequel to the 2003 original. And we’ve got the Good Doctor’s verdict on ‘Weapons’ too—a creepy horror-mystery from Barbarian director Zach Cregger.

Correspondence on celebrity curry house encounters continues this week too—so don’t miss your fellow Wittertainees tales of vindaloo with VIPS and Saag Aloo with the stars. And check out Take 2 for Sanjeev’s very own celeb curry anecdote...

Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free):

Inside Review: 07:40

BO10: 14:14

Celine Song Interview: 27:42

Freakier Friday Review: 44:07

Weapons Review: 54:50

You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo

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Alien: Earth Bonus Special Aug 05, 2025

Show notes

‘Alien: Earth’ is landing on the small screen on 13th August in the first TV outing for the much-loved and multi-sequelled Alien franchise—and we’re bringing you a special bonus drop to celebrate. Showrunner Noah Hawley is the man behind it, and with ‘Fargo’ and ‘legion’ on his CV, it’s fair to say he’s pretty good at putting stuff on the telly that it seems like would be tough to make work on the telly. He chats to both Mark and Simon all about realising this ambitious project, adapting a stone cold classic, and his surprising love for British comedy.

Plus we’ve got Mark’s review of the series, hot off the embargo press. Where will it place in the Alien canon leaderboard, and can it undo the sins of the later sequels? Don’t miss the Good Doctor’s verdict, and do send your takes in to us too.

You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo

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To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com

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