The Curzon Film Podcast

Latest Episodes:

CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME? + BURNING | feat. Richard E. Grant Jan 31, 2019

Show notes

We're lucky enough to welcome the now Oscar nominated Richard E. Grant on to the podcast to talk about his new film 'Can You Ever Forgive Me?'. As well as that, we delve in to the burning questions and rare answers found in Lee Chang Dong's new film

In 'Can You Ever Forgive Me?' Melissa McCarthy is brilliantly unsympathetic as literary fraud Lee Israel. With her writing career permanently stalled, inability to get over her ex-girlfriend and no job prospects, she turns her craft to penning elaborate fake letters from the likes of Noël Coward and Dorothy Parker, with the help of her drinking buddy Jack Hock.

Adapted from Haruki Murakmi’s short story ‘Barn Burning’, Lee Chang Dong’s ‘Burning’ was the toast of Cannes, turning the heat on the Croisette even higher. It’s about Jong-soo, who dreams of becoming a writer, who bumps into Hae-mi (Jeon Jong-seo), a forgotten childhood friend. They begin a relationship, but she vanishes, only to return with the mysterious Ben in tow (The Walking Dead’s Steven Yeun), who starts to reveal some fascinating hobbies.

Discussing the films this week are Kelly Powell, Ella Kemp, Jake Cunningham and Sam Howlett

Follow the team on Social Media:

@ks_powell - Kelly

@jakehcunningham - Jake

@SamHowlett_1 - Sam

@efekemp - Ella

Produced by Jake Cunningham

Edited by Mark Towers

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

VICE + DESTROYER | feat. Adam McKay Jan 25, 2019

Show notes

In this episode we speak to director Adam McKay, whose latest film 'Vice' has just received Academy Award nominations for Best Picture and Best Director.

Christian Bale is Vice-president Dick Cheney in this brilliant reconstruction of the madness of the George W. Bush presidency. An arch-manipulator, Cheney plays business, politics and warfare as mere tools for his personal gain, with his wife Lynne (Amy Adams) as his confidante. Sam Rockwell plays willing dupe Bush alongside Steve Carell as Donald Rumsfeld, offering us a panoramic portrait of the craven misuse of political power.

In 'Destroyer', Karyn Kusama (Girlfight, The Invitation) directs an unrecognisable Nicole Kidman as an embittered and cynical LA cop Erin Bell on the hunt for an old foe. Tracking back many years to an undercover case gone wrong, we slowly discover what has brought Erin to her current battle-scarred state.

Discussing the films this week are Sam Howlett, Kelly Powell and Jake Cunningham

Follow the team on Social Media:

@ks_powell - Kelly

@jakehcunningham - Jake

@SamHowlett_1 - Sam

Produced and Edited by Jake Cunningham

Music from Incompetech.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

BEAUTIFUL BOY + GLASS | feat. Spring Programme Preview Jan 18, 2019

Show notes

In this episode of the Curzon Film Podcast we talk to Curzon’s Head of Programme about the best upcoming films, as well as dissecting this week’s new releases: M Night Shymalan’s ‘Glass’ and ‘Beautiful Boy’ starring Timothee Chalamet

Based on bestselling memoirs, Steve Carrell and Timothée Chalamet star in ‘Beautiful Boy’ a raw look at a father-son relationship pushed to the edge by addiction. Felix van Groeningen (The Broken Circle Breakdown) directs this emotionally powerful story of a child living a secret life with candour and empathy for both parent and child.

A collision between M. Night Shyamalan’s Unbreakable and his recent smash Split, Glass finds Bruce Willis’s David Dunn entering an asylum, in pursuit not only of James McAvoy’s Kevin Wendell Crumb but also Samuel L. Jackson’s Mr Glass.

Discussing the films this week are Sam Howlett, Kelly Powell, Ella Kemp and Louisa Maycock

Follow the team on Social Media:

@ks_powell - Kelly

@jakehcunningham - Jake

@SamHowlett_1 - Sam

@louisamaycock - Louisa

@efekemp - Ella

Produced and Edited by Jake Cunningham

Music from Incompetech.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

COLETTE + THE FRONT RUNNER | feat. Jason Reitman Jan 10, 2019

Show notes

In this episode, the team are joined by Curzon's very own programmer Lydia Penke, as well as director Jason Reitman (Juno, Up in the Air, Tully) to talk about two of the week's biggest releases: Colette and The Front Runner.

Colette is a truly modern, complex woman: a libertine and bisexual, she also made her fortune from her wits and pushed back against the patriarchy. Wash Westmoreland presents an elegant but not sanitised view of turn of the century Paris, where we watch as Colette (Keira Knightley) is seduced and married by notorious rake Willy (Dominic West). Pushed into ghostwriting novels for this charismatic cad, she uses her exuberance to push back against all constrictions placed on her in this rich portrait of a dazzling talent.

In The Front Runner, it's 1988 and Gary Hart, played Hugh Jackman, is the likeable and inspirational Democratic nominee, winning hearts and minds on the campaign trail. But he’s unwilling to open up about his family life, and the press unearth explosive details that begin to derail his marriage and his political aspirations. the personal fall out from this tabloid story changed the course of American politics.

Discussing the films this week are Steven Ryder, Lydia Penke, Kelly Powell and Jake Cunningham

Follow the team on Social Media:

@ks_powell - Kelly

@jakehcunningham - Jake

@SamHowlett_1 - Sam

@hydra815 - Steven

Produced and Edited by Jake Cunningham

Music from Incompetech.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

THE FAVOURITE + AN IMPOSSIBLE LOVE | feat. Mark Gatiss Jan 04, 2019

Show notes

In this episode of the Curzon Film Podcast, we’re lucky enough to be joined by Mark Gatiss (Sherlock, Doctor Who, The League of Gentleman) to talk about The Favourite, the new film from the director of The Lobster and The Killing of a Sacred Deer.

A triple threat of acting talent drives this acid period drama of courtly scheming. Olivia Colman is Queen Anne, a capricious and sickly ruler led by the nose by Rachel Weisz's courtier Lady Sarah. Abigail (Emma Stone) is a disenfranchised noblewoman who quickly sets about regaining her position by wheedling her way into the Queen's favours.

Cue an equal parts hilarious and horrific love triangle-cum-battle royale, played out against the backdrop of the English Restoration. The fullest realisation of Yorgos Lanthimos's (The Killing of a Sacred Deer, The Lobster) talents to date, The Favourite has the beauty of Barry Lyndon and the avant garde edge of Peter Greenaway. A fantastic start to the year of film.

Discussing the film are Sam Howlett, Steven Ryder and Kelly Powell

Follow the team on Social Media:

@ks_powell - Kelly

@jakehcunningham - Jake

@SamHowlett_1 - Sam

@hydra815 - Steven

Produced and Edited by Jake Cunningham

Music from Incompetech.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

THE BEST FILMS OF 2018 Dec 20, 2018

Show notes

In this episode of the Curzon Film Podcast, we discuss what the entire Curzon staff have decided are the top 10 films of 2018 - as well as some honourable mentions that didn’t quite make the cut.

From early 2018 releases like Phantom Thread and A Fantastic Woman to recent award favourites like Roma, the pod team delve in to what have been some of the highlights of the year. Stick around as well for a festive quiz at the end of the podcast - and play along at home!

Discussing the films this week are Kelly Powell, Sam Howlett, Steven Ryder and Jake Cunningham

Follow the team on Twitter:

@ks_powell - Kelly

@jakehcunningham - Jake

@SamHowlett_1 - Sam

@hydra815 - Steven

Produced and edited by Jake Cunningham

Music from incompetech.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

EUROPEAN FILM AWARDS 2018 Dec 16, 2018

Show notes

The 31s European Film Awards took place on 15th December in Seville and we were lucky enough to be invited along too.

Podcast hosts Jake Cunningham and Sam Howlett attended the ceremony on behalf of Curzon, hosting the exclusive UK live stream of the event, reporting on the prestigious Awards and in general just celebrating another fantastic year of achievements in European cinema.

In this episode of the Curzon Film Podcast, you'll head a round up of the nominees and winners from this star-studded ceremony. Make sure you visit the Curzon Blog to read an interview with Armando Iannucci ('The Thick of It', 'The Deat of Stalin') as well as a full breakdown of the categories and winners in Seville.

Follow the team on Twitter:

@jakehcunningham - Jake

@SamHowlett_1 - Sam

Produced and edited by Jake Cunningham

Music from incompetech.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT | feat. Clarisse Loughrey & Hannah Woodhead Dec 11, 2018

Show notes

In this episode we tackle one of the year's most controversial films, from one of cinemas most controversial directors, Lars Von Trier.

In a mesmerising career best, Matt Dillon plays failed architect turned serial killer Jack who leads us through his thought processes behind his increasingly more depraved acts of murder which he names “incidents”. As he retells his crimes to Verge (Bruno Ganz) as if they were all individual works of art in themselves, the audience is invited to question the nature of artistry, where its limits lie and when is far too far? And with pitch black humour and undeniable cinematic vision, von Trier delights in taking us there.

Hosted by Jake Cunningham, Little White Lies' Hannah Woodhead guests on the show to defend Lars' latest, whilst The Independent's Clarisse Loughrey has had enough of this provocateur.

Follow the team on Twitter:

@clarisselou - Clarisse

@goodjobliz - Hannah

@jakehcunningham - Jake

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

THE OLD MAN AND THE GUN + SORRY TO BOTHER YOU | feat. David Lowery Dec 06, 2018

Show notes

In this episode, we welcome David Lowey - director of Pete's Dragon and A Ghost Story - on to the podcast to talk about his latest film The Old Man and the Gun. We also chat about Boots Riley's startling debut Sorry to Bother You

David Lowery (A Ghost Story, Ain't Them Bodies Saints) brings the heist genre to a human level, with this tale of a senior citizen bank robber, played by Hollywood royalty Robert Redford. Redford's bank robber has all the charm and warmth we've come to expect across his seven decades in film. Keeping pace with him we’ve also got Danny Glover, Tom Waits, Sissy Spacek and Casey Affleck as the cop tasked with tracking the “Over the Hill Gang”

In his anarchic debut feature, Boots Riley sets fire to the modern world and blasts off to brilliantly original territory. An absurdist film that savages capitalism, low-paid labour and racism in a cutting, surprising trip that’s left American audiences baffled, buoyed and bruised in equal parts

Discussing the film this week are Ella Kemp, Steven Ryder and Jake Cunningham

Follow the team on twitter:

@efekemp - Ella

@CunninghamJH - Jake

@irma_pep - Steven

Produced and edited by Jake Cunningham

Music from incompetech.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

DISOBEDIENCE + ROMA Nov 30, 2018

Show notes

In this episode we're talking about Sebastian Lelio's follow up to 'A Fantastic Woman', the acclaimed drama 'Disobedience', and Alfonso Cuaron's 'Roma' which sees the director of 'Gravity' revisit monochromatic memories of his childhood.

In the same year as winning the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film with A Fantastic Woman, Sebastián Lelio delivers the English-language Disobedience, starring Rachel Weisz and Rachel McAdams. When her estranged rabbi father suddenly passes away, Ronit (played by Oscar-winner and co-producer Rachel Weisz) returns from New York to the north London Orthodox Jewish community that rejected her years previously after a scandalous transgression.

The most personal project to date from Alfonso Cuarón (Gravity, Children of Men, Y Tu Mama Tambien, Roma follows Cleo (Yalitza Aparicio), a young domestic worker for a family in the middle-class neighborhood of Roma in Mexico City. Delivering an artful love letter to the women who raised him, Cuarón draws on his own childhood to create a vivid and emotional portrait of domestic strife and social hierarchy amidst political turmoil of the 1970s.

Discussing the films this week are Kelly Powell, Sam Howlett and Jake Cunningham.

Follow the team on Twitter:

@ks_powell - Kelly

@jakehcunningham - Jake

@SamHowlett_1 - Sam

Produced and edited by Jake Cunningham

Music from incompetech.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.