Kermode & Mayo’s Take

Latest Episodes:

Does NAKED GUN even pass the one laugh test? + Guy Pearce on INSIDE Jul 31, 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.

‘Naked Gun’ is out this week, where Liam Neeson finally embraces his meme-status by playing parody cop Frank Drebin Jr.--son of Leslie Nielsen’s hero of the 1988 original. ...Is it naff though? Find out what Mark thinks—along with his verdicts on Willem Dafoe-starring weirdy fantasy drama ‘The Legend of Ochi’, and ‘Savages’, the new stop motion tale from the director of ‘My Life as a Courgette’. School’s out but the reviews still keep coming!

Our guest this week is Guy Pearce, who chats so Simon about this hard-hitting new prison drama ‘Inside’, set in his native Oz. Pearce plays grizzled lifer Warren, who is facing up to the uncertainties of freedom days before his long-awaited parole—but does he really want to get out? He stars alongside the ever-versatile Cosmo Jarvis and newcomer Vincent Miller, who plays the 18-year-old new inmate who Warren takes under his wing. Guy unpacks it all with Simon—plus we hear about his music projects, ‘The Brutalist’, and find out which classic role of his he actually hates...

Some really amazing correspondence this week on ‘The Narrow Road To The Deep North’ too, which has reminded us that we really do have the best and most fascinating listeners evs. Thanks as ever Wittertainees!

Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free):

Savages Review: 07:54

BO10: 14:39

The Bad Guys 2 Review: 27:28

Guy Pearce Interview: 33:09

The Naked Gun Review: 49:01

The Legend of Ochi Review: 59:24

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

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FILM OF THE YEAR ALREADY? Mark on BRING HER BACK Jul 24, 2025

Show notes

Could we have found the film of the year already? ‘Bring Her Back’ looks like it’s got a fighting chance. Mark reviews this brilliantly unsettling new horror from The Philippou brothers, who last freaked us all out with ‘Talk To Me’ in 2022. We’ve got the Good Doctor’s verdict on ‘Fantastic Four: First Steps’ too—plus the box office top 10 and all your top-quality correspondence.

Our guest this week is the fascinating Justin Kurzel. You know him as director of 2015’s ‘Macbeth’ with Michael Fassbender, 2021’s ‘Nitram’, and last year’s Nazi-hunting thriller ‘The Order’--and now of his first TV project, ‘The Narrow Road To The Deep North’, which hits British screens this week. He chats to Mark and Simon all about the visceral new series, which follows a group of Australian prisoners of war working on the Burma railway in the 1940s, and stars Jacob Elordi and Ciarán Hinds. Plus there’s a bit of chat about Nina Simone’s chewing gum, and a little teaser for his next project with the guardian of this strange and sticky piece of music ephemera, Warren Ellis.

Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free):

Bring Her Back Review: 08:36

BO10: 15:50

Justin Kurzel Interview: 21:55

The Narrow Road to the Deep North Review: 38:20

The Fantastic Four: First Steps Review: 51:16

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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More SALT PATH & Harry Melling + your take on SUPERMAN Jul 17, 2025

Show notes

Our guest this week is Harry Melling—all grown up after first hitting the big screen as Dudley Dursley in the Harry Potter films. He’s here to chat about the latest in a hit parade of pleasingly weird and wonderful post-Potter projects, ‘Harvest’. This trippy period piece sees a mysterious feudal society in an unspecified place and time fall apart after crops fail and sinister strangers arrive. Simon unpacks this unique film with Harry—plus a bit of Potter chat since the HBO reboot has put the wizarding world back in the spotlight.

Mark reviews Harvest too—along with two more of this week’s biggest cinema releases: ‘Friendship’--a black comedy about male bonding starring Paul Rudd as the new-best-pal-next-door, and ‘Smurfs’--the latest big-screen outing for the little blue fellas. If that didn’t sound like a bit of Mark-bait already, it also stars James Corden. Odds on Kermode going full ‘Grouchy Smurf’ on this one?

Plus we revisit the Salt Path controversy, including some of your excellent correspondence, run down the Box Office Top 10 and serve up sizeable portions of delectable daftness as always.

Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free):

Friendship Review: 10:25

BO10: 18:16

Harry Melling Interview: 26:50

Harvest Review: 42:09

Smurfs Review: 56:18

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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THE SALT PATH: Simon and Mark’s reaction. Plus SUPERMAN Jul 10, 2025

Show notes

The wonderful Mark Gatiss is our guest this week. He joins Simon and Mark to talk ‘Bookish’—his new crime comedy passion project that sees him play a bookseller-turned-detective in postwar London. Plenty of whimsy, history, detective-fiction geekery and big love for weird archaic vocabulary in this chat, so don’t miss it—he's always a delight.

Our Mark reviews the series, as well as the week’s big cinema releases. First up, ‘Modì, Three Days on the Wing of Madness’--a whirlwind imagining of three days in the life of bohemian artist Modigliani, directed by Johnny Depp and (briefly) featuring Al Pacino. And, of course, we’ll get the lowdown on the super-size blockbuster of this week: is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s ‘Superman’!

We’ll also address this week’s ‘Salt Path’ news, with Mark and Simon reacting to the controversy surrounding the author of the original memoir, Raynor Winn. Since recording, Winn has published her response to the allegations which can be found here: https://www.raynorwinn.co.uk/

Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free):

Salt Path discussion: 02:36

Modì: Three Days on the Wing of Madness Review: 11:54

BO10: 18:04

Mark Gatiss Interview: 27:37

Bookish Review: 42:19

Superman Review: 49:59

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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A Sony Music Entertainment production.

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Will Jurassic World Rebirth turn Mark into a Rantosaurus? + David Cronenberg Jul 03, 2025

Show notes

Our very special guest this week is a body horror legend; director of ‘The Fly’, ‘Videodrome’, ‘Crash’ and many more genre classics... the one and only David Cronenberg. He talks to Mark about his new film ‘The Shrouds’. Written in the aftermath of his wife’s death, it imagines a technology that allows those who have lost loved ones to watch their interred bodies decompose in real time. He and Mark discuss the meaning of art, his unique approach to moviemaking, and why we are allowed—and encouraged—to laugh about this most serious of subjects.

Mark reviews ‘The Shrouds’ too, plus two more of this week’s brand new movies. ‘Hot Milk’—a woozy summer psychodrama starring Fiona Shaw, Vicky Krieps and Emma Mackey—and of course this week’s gigantic blockbuster, Jurassic World Rebirth. What does Mark make of it—roaring success or bound for extinction? Listen up to find out + the Box Office Top 10 and excellent correspondence on what you’ve been watching this week on the big and small screen.

Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free):

Hot Milk Review: 10:02

BO10: 18:20

David Cronenberg Interview: 29:38

The Shrouds Review: 43:51

Jurassic World: Rebirth: 55:21

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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A Sony Music Entertainment production.

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Is F1 in pole position for film of the week? Jun 26, 2025

Show notes

‘F1’, or ffffwan, as nobody is calling it—is racing onto cinema screens this week, so listen up for Mark’s verdict on this high-speed blockbuster. And we’ve got a review of ‘M3GAN 2.0’—the first of what could be many sequels to the dollfaced genre-mashing horror hit. Can they keep shoehorning numbers into their titles? Looks like we might be about to find out.

Our special guest this week is Maxine Peake, who stars in ‘Words of War’--a bold biopic of murdered Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya, whose work was critical of the Kremlin and the Russian army. She talks to Simon about telling Anna’s powerful story, why the film ditched the fake Russian accents, and being married to Jason Isaacs—onscreen only! You can catch Mark’s review straight after their chat too.

Top takes in the Box Office Top 10 this week—and fans of 80s radio nostalgia are in for a treat from Simon, so listen out. Plus, 28 Years Later fans, don’t miss Take 2 for yet more spoiler-tastic chat unpacking the film everyone’s talking about—including lots of you in your top correspondence. Keep it coming!

Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free):

M3GAN 2.0 Review: 09:16

Box Office Top Ten: 14:55

Maxine Peake Interview: 25:10

Words of War review: 40:45

F1 Review: 51:52

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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A Sony Music Entertainment production.

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28 Years Later: Mark’s Verdict + Jodie Comer and (Oh) Danny Boy(le) on the film Jun 19, 2025

Show notes

It’s not quite 28 years, but we have been waiting a whole 23 for a Danny Boyle helmed sequel to the 2002 zombie apocalypse classic ‘28 Days Later’. He and Jodie Comer, who stars in the new horror shocker, join Simon to discuss ‘28 Years Later’. It’s the first in a trilogy of follow ups set amongst the new society that has developed on the remote Holy Island after the Rage Virus has rendered mainland Britain uninhabitable. Danny and Jodie unpack the horrifying and fascinating world of the film, and we’ll be bringing you The Good Doctors’ verdicts on it too. We can guarantee you a spoiler-free review in Take 1—but tune in to Take 2 sharpish if you’re after a spoiler-tastic deep dive...

More reviews this week of ‘The Last Journey’—a Swedish documentary about one son’s bid to help his father regain a zest for life via an elaborate road trip adventure—and ‘Elio’, an intergalactic new Pixar offering that sees a misfit kid appointed as Earth’s ambassador to the universe. Plus our usual rundown of the Box Office Top 10 with Mark’s takes and yours, more alleged ‘hilarity’ from The Laughter Lift, and top correspondence from you lot on everything from your cinemagoing antics to films that just need a slap.

Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free):

The Last Journey Review: 06:47

Box Office Top Ten: 12:59

Danny Boyle and Jodie Comer Interview: 24:27

28 Years Later Review: 38:35

Elio Review: 52:32

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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A Sony Music Entertainment production.

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Domnhall Gleeson on Echo Valley Jun 12, 2025

Show notes

Our guest this week is the prounciationally challenging but very lovely Domnhall Gleeson, who sits down with Simon to talk about his new Apple TV+ thriller ‘Echo Valley’. In it, he plays the sinister dealer Jackie to Sydney Sweeney’s addict Claire—no more nice Domnhall. He and Simon talk accents, improv, and looking like a psychopathic Ronan Keating—don't miss it.

Mark reviews ‘Echo Valley’, along with two more of the biggest big-screen releases this week. First up, ‘Tornado’, a Scottish Samurai tale starring Jack Lowden and Tim Roth as criminal heavies, and Kôki as the titular Tornado they are chasing down. Plus, ‘How to Train Your Dragon’: Mark delivers his verdict the live action (except for the dragon) remake starring Nick Frost, Gerard Butler and more. Some more excellent Jason Isaacs content too, and an iWttr mystery solved...

Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free):

Tornado Review: 10:24

Box Office Top Ten: 16:46

Domhnall Gleeson Interview: 26:53

Echo Valley Review: 43:21

How To Train Your Dragon Review: 52:50

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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A Sony Music Entertainment production.

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Now and Ben: Carey Mulligan and Tim Key Jun 06, 2025

Show notes

Welcome to another Now & Ben! This little nugget of bonus interview goodness features Carey Mulligan and Tim Key—stars of the new wholesome folk musical The Ballad of Wallis Island—in cinemas now.

Ben sits down with them to talk about this British gem of a film that’s got Richard Curtis cooing. Plus behind the scenes goss on everything from corpsing on camera to sliding into dms.

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20 Years of Kermode & Mayo Jun 05, 2025

Show notes

It's a 20th anniversary special for this ‘ere podcast—yes, we have been in your ears via download since 2005. That’s two whole decades ago. Whew. To celebrate we’ve got a bumper correspondence special for you with lots of lovely stuff from you loyal listeners—including some who have valiantly put up with us for the entire duration. Alongside our usual box office top 10, we’ll be rolling back the clock to see what was in the charts this time two decades ago, and there will be reminiscences aplenty. Reviews aplenty too: First up, 'Ballerina', the latest instalment in the world of John Wick, this time with a twist--or should we say a pirouette? Plus, a double whammy of new horror releases: 'Clown In A Cornfield' adds another creepy clown to the conematic cannon of coulrophobia, and 'Dangerous Animals' is asks 'hmmm what would Jaws be like with an added serial killer?". Check out the Good Doctor's top takes on the lot.

Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free):

Ballerina review: 10:32

Box Office Top Ten: 18:01

Clown in a Cornfield review: 37:39

Dangerous Animals review: 53:14

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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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