Picturehouses: Recent Episodes
Picturehouses
Phantom Thread star Vicky Krieps pops by to talk about working with Paul Thomas Anderson on her new film. In cinemas now.
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Lesley Manville, Vicky Krieps Duration: 130 min
This tale of obsession and self-doubt features what Daniel Day-Lewis has claimed will be his final film appearance. Celebrated couturier Reynolds Woodcock (Day-Lewis) and his sister Cyril (Manville) are at the centre of the 1950s London fashion world, dressing royalty, film stars, heiresses and debutants with the distinct style of the House of Woodcock. But despite the many women in his life Woodcock remains a confirmed bachelor, seeking only companionship and inspiration for his work, and all under the protective eye of Cyril. That’s until he meets hotel waitress Alma (Krieps) who, young and determined, will turn his carefully tailored life upside down. In his second collaboration with Day-Lewis, director Paul Thomas Anderson paints an illuminating portrait both of an artist on a creative journey and the women who keep his world running.
Sam spoke to Hong Chau, star of Alexander Payne's Downsizing about her role in the new film.
Director: Alexander Payne Starring: Matt Damon, Kristen Wiig, Christoph Waltz, Hong Chau Duration: 135 min
Having wittily addressed the social consequences of an aging population in Nebraska, writer-director Alexander Payne now turns his wry gaze on global overpopulation. A financially stretched couple (Wiig and Damon) decide to take the plunge when a team of Norwegian scientists discover a way to shrink humans down to six inches tall and ensconce them in utopian villages. Not only does this new Lilliputian community consume far less of the world’s resources, but their money is worth so much more. However, downsizing has unexpected downsides. Besides its breathtaking technical achievement, the film gives an entirely fresh perspective on fundamental human norms. Co-stars Damon and Wiig are wonderfully supported by Hong Chau and Christoph Waltz, who plays the couple’s small but sleazy playboy neighbour with uproarious zeal.
Corrina Antrobus joins the podteam to talk to director Lee Unkrich and producer Darla K. Anderson about Disney Pixar's latest film, Coco. In cinemas now.
Director: Adrian Molina Lee Unkrich Starring: Gael García Bernal, Benjamin Bratt, Anthony Gonzalez Duration: 105 min
With big dreams of becoming a musician, 12-year-old guitarist Miguel (Gonzalez) sets out to solve the mystery behind his family’s age-old ban on music. His adventures take him and his trusty dog Dante to the dazzlingly colourful Land of the Dead. Here, the young hero is met by a trickster skeleton Héctor (Bernal), and together they work hard to lift the musical curse. But will Miguel manage to make it back to the real world intact and will he solve the ancestral mystery? Pixar brings us another stunning family animation, masterfully directed by Lee Unkrich and co-directed by Adrian Molina. This time it’s Day of the Dead-themed and packed with magical skeletons, vibrant Mexican tradition, mischievous dogs and raucous celebrations. A truly captivating coming-of-age film with the family and a sense of humour at its heart.
Sam is joined by writer-director Martin Mcdonagh to talk about his new film. In cinemas now.
Director: Martin McDonagh Starring: Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell Duration: 115 min
Frances McDormand, Sam Rockwell and Woody Harrelson are at their best in this blistering pitch-black comedy from Martin McDonagh (In Bruges). McDormand stars as the foul-mouthed, tough-as-nails Mildred Hayes, a grieving mother whose frustration boils over when the local police allow her daughter’s murder case to go cold. She publicly shames the town’s revered sheriff, William Willoughby (Harrelson), with three disused billboards, a sequence of bright red reminders that justice has not been served. The move stokes the ire of Willoughby’s thuggish, bigoted deputy (Rockwell), and so begins a violent, vicious circle of anger and revenge. From there, Three Billboards hurtles along an unpredictable but hugely rewarding narrative arc, veering between riotous laughter and sobering drama throughout. Sharply scripted and wonderfully acted, it’s one of the most accomplished contenders in this year’s awards race.
Sam and Simon return for a festive end of year chat about their favourite films of 2017. The boys also discuss Star Wars: The Last Jedi and are joined by writer-director Rian Johnson. They wrap up with a look at some of the big new releases coming to cinemas in early 2018.
Special thank you to fellow podcasters: Dave & Cathy from the Cinemile, Kobi from FlixWatcher and Tess from You Had Us At Hello.
And a HUGE thank you to everyone who has listened in 2017. Have a happy new year and we'll see you in 2018. Merry Christmas!
Sam is joined by directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris to talk about their new film, Battle Of The Sexes. In cinemas now.
In the wake of the sexual revolution and the rise of the women’s movement, the 1973 tennis match between women’s world champion Billie Jean King (Stone) and former men’s number one and serial hustler Bobby Riggs (Carell) became one of the most watched televised sports events of all time. As their rivalry intensified in the media glare, both King and Riggs fought complex battles in their private lives: while she championed equality, the fiercely private King struggled to come to terms with her sexuality; at the same time, Riggs wrestled with his gambling demons at the expense of his family. Together, they served up a cultural spectacle that resonated far beyond the tennis court, sparking discussions that continue to reverberate today.
Sam talks to Josh Safdie about his new film, Good Time. Now available to watch in cinemas and on VOD platforms.
Sam talks to director Yorgos Lanthimos and actor Barry Keoghan about their collaboration on The Killing Of A Sacred Deer.
Director: Yorgos Lanthimos. Starring: Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman, Barry Keoghan. UK/Ireland 2017. 121 mins.
Black humour, horror and classical tragedy collide in the second English-language feature from absurdist Greek auteur Yorgos Lanthimos (The Lobster). Colin Farrell stars as Steven, a successful cardiac surgeon who enjoys a happy, healthy and affluent life in suburbia with his wife (Kidman) and two children. When he befriends a young man (Keoghan, Dunkirk) and takes him under his wing, a fatal mistake he once made on the operating table comes back to haunt him and his family in terrifying fashion. Inspired by the Greek myth of King Agamemnon, who was ordered to sacrifice his daughter after accidentally killing a sacred deer, Lanthimos’s enthralling, darkly comic horror unfolds with a carefully crafted sense of unease, and features excellent performances from its three leads.
Acclaimed theatre director Benedict Andrews talks to Sam about his feature film debut, Una, starring Rooney Mara and Ben Mendelsohn.
In cinemas and on demand now. More info here: http://www.thunderbirdreleasing.com/una/