Close-Up Culture Podcast: Recent Episodes
James Prestridge
Welcome to the Close-Up Culture Podcast Network. Discover fun film and TV reviews, as well as entertaining and informative shows like Sexy Sunday.
This week Jess and Anouchka head to Sicily to analyse the second season of the White Lotus and its twisted sexual dynamics.
This week Jess and Anouchka look at the film Newness, dating apps and open relationships!
This week Jess and Anouchka discuss Friends From College, flawed characters and avoiding tropes.
In this episode of Me Party, Anna chats about the new film 'Bones and All’ and hopes she doesn’t get eaten by a cannibal soon.
Jess and Anouchka chat about the sex scenes in 'trashy' teen movies, including American Pie and Booksmart.
In this episode of Me Party, Anna talks about the film Pretty Red Dress. Alexandra Burke can sing at my party anytime!
This week Jess and Anouchka dive into the second season of Industry and discuss whether this new year at Pierpoint is as hot as the first one.
This week, in honour of Halloween and all its spookiness, we're looking at sex scenes from horror movies! Through five films carefully selected by Jess, we try and find out whether sex scenes in horror can be sexy... or just plain creepy.
This week, in honour of Halloween and all its spookiness, we're looking at sex scenes from horror movies! Through five films carefully selected by Jess, we try and find out whether sex scenes in horror can be sexy... or just plain creepy.
This week we look at Don't Worry Darling, where we discuss Alice and Jack's supposed steamy relationship, as well as the many questions we had when the film ended. Warning: many spoilers ahead!
This week Jess and Anouchka take a look at the anthology series Easy and take a closer look at threesomes, open relationships, and grey jogging bottoms.
This week Jess and Anouchka take a look at the anthology series Easy and take a closer look at threesomes, open relationships, and grey jogging bottoms.
This week we look at two films with an identical premise: Friends With Benefits and No Strings Attached. But are the sex scenes equally as good?
This week we look at two films with an identical premise: Friends With Benefits and No Strings Attached. But are the sex scenes equally as good?
This week, we look at the entitled millennial lives of Girls. Join us as we go deep into the awkward sex scenes of Hannah, Marnie, Jessa and Shosh, and all the escapades they get up to along the way.
This week, Anouchka and special guest Ted review Elvis by Baz Luhrmann, and analyse how sex can be portrayed on screen in more ways than one might think.
Named after one of the hits in the 2011 film 'The Muppets', Me Party is the reviewing party podcast of one, where Anna talks about what she's seen on her own.
This week Anouchka interviews filmmaker Zara Woolf about filmmaking, sex scenes, intimacy coordination and first crushes.
This week we took ourselves out to watch Emma Thompson and Daryl McCormack in Good Luck To You Leo Grande, sparking conversations about sex work and coming of age (at any age).
Anna interviews Zara Woolf about her latest short film ‘Wild Angel’. Wild Angel follows the coming of age journey of bisexual teen Angel as she navigates the first steps in pursuit of her dream career.
Anna is back! She reviews the Sean Durkin film, The Nest, which stars Jude Law and Carrie Coon.
Why does Sally Rooney only write female characters you're meant to hate? What's with Conversations with Friends being so boring? And is Marianne and Connell's sex life actually quite boring? These are questions we seek to answer, and more, on this week's episode of Sexy Sunday!
This week we look at the sexed-up lives of the teens at Euphoria high, where we explore their highs of season 1 and the unfortunate lows of season 2.
This week we look at the awkward and horny life of Tracey from Chewing Gum, and discuss her hilarious journey towards losing her virginity.
Are sex scenes hotter than porn? And if so, why? These are the questions we discuss in detail on this episode of Sexy Sunday!
This week we dive into Anouchka's favourite show Weeds, and the surprisingly raunchy number of sex scenes. We discuss our favourite scenes, as well as how much we can understand about the characters from just their sex scenes.
Anouchka and Jess discuss the multitude of sex scenes in the hit period drama, Bridgerton. This includes a chat about the strange sex appeal of forearms.
Anouchka and Jessica talk about 'will they or won't they?' on-screen couples, starting with the disappointing climax to How I Met Your Mother.
This week we look at American Psycho, a cult classic and Anouchka's favourite movie! Be prepared to know all the American Psycho trivia, as well as a new found obsession for Christian Bale's artistic process!
Why do all these fanfiction movies romanticise abusive relationships? And why is there always the "bad boy who's actually sensitive" and "plain girl that everyone fancies" trope in these films? These are the questions we hope to answer in this week's episode of Sexy Sunday!
Join us as we look at Joe's creepy sexual conquests, discussing in detail which love interest we preferred (spoiler alert: it wasn't Beck) and where we have lots of fun dissecting all the hot sex scenes.
This week we join the new graduates at Pierpoint as they navigate their new high-stress jobs and their sexual relationships. And there are many sexual conquests to explore, especially lots of exciting build-up and sexual tension!
Anna and James say goodbye (for now) as they review the Netflix documentary, The Tinder Swindler.
Join us as we dissect Fleabag's sexual escapades in all their awkward glory! And, of course, where we show our love to the Hot Priest and all the juicy sexual tension.
This week we go ALL IN on the new Gossip Girl, a reboot that (in our opinion) is simultaneously boring and gives you whiplash! But how do we feel about the sex scenes and the characters?
Join us this week as we discuss the Polish show "Sexify", where we lust after Polish Timmy, revel in the antics of the Easter episode, and dissect whether this show actually destigmatizes the female orgasm.
This week we journey back to the early 2000s and dive into the sex scenes of Entourage, looking at how the show has aged and whether the characters are purely misogynistic or a critique of misogyny. Or perhaps a bit of both!
Join us as we dissect the awkward sex lives of Moordale's own, discussing in detail what impact the sex scenes have on the storylines and whether this show is as subversive as it thinks it is.
Close-Up Culture is five years old! James and Anna celebrate this special birthday by talking about the quirks and perks of running a website.
Anna and James give their thoughts on Spencer, Princess Diana, the Royals, Kristen Stewart's performance, and much more.
In this Tasty Debrief, Anna talks to Steph McNeil, an actor and creator, about mental health and how it can be affected by acting, social media, the entertainment industry and everyday life.
Anna gives her thoughts on Taylor Swift's re-recorded version of her 2008 album, Fearless.
Topics include:
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I Care A Lot
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Jennifer's Body
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Misery
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Suicide Squad 2 Trailer
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The Flight Attendant
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Temptation Island
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Apostle
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The Hunt
It's the first episode of the Tasty Debrief! James gives his mini review of the TV show, Your Honor.
It's the 100th episode special! Join Anna and James as they reminisce about the podcast and name some of their favourite moments.
Anna and James discuss their favourite - and least favourite - things to come out of 2020.
Anna and James review 'Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan'.
Anna and James review two more Studio Ghibli films, My Neighbour Totoro and Spirited Away.
Anna and James discuss their favourite films of all time, The Muppets and The Big Lebowski.
Anna and James give their thoughts on three short films.
Waffle: https://vimeo.com/437711138
Milkshake: https://vimeo.com/375783563
Red Apples: https://vimeo.com/435759073
Anna and James review two more Studio Ghibli films, Kiki's Delivery Service & Howl's Moving Castle.
Anna and James chat about their mutual love of Kristen Stewart. They talk about her upcoming role as Princess Diana, 'Crickets', 'Clouds Of Sils Maria' and 'Personal Shopper'.
Anna interviews directors Tom Basis and Robert Summerlin about their short film, 'The Poet And The Plant'.
Read Anna's review: https://closeupculture.com/2020/06/14/the-poet-and-the-plant-short-film-review/
Find out more about the film: https://www.thepoetandtheplant.com/
James and Anna share their thoughts on Twilight, lip twitches, vampire baseball, and much more.
Anna and James build fantasy movies with a budget of £15 million. What will they dream up?
Anna pitches a horror starring Jack Nicholson and Barney the Dinosaur, while James lays out an Alien film with Anya Taylor Joy and Honey Boo Boo.
Let us know your own fantasy movie picks!
Anna and James try to understand two critically panned films, Tall Girl and Little Man.
Anna and James debate and discuss a series of topics:
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Who is the best female character from an action movie?
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Which superhero would win the Hunger Games?
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What is the most disappointing TV show ending of all time?
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Is the book always better than its film adaption?
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Pitch a film biopic
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Underrated film quotes
It is a battle of the brothers as Mark defends his Close-Up Culture Film Quiz crown against James.
Anna and James review two Studio Ghibli films that are currently streaming on Netflix, Porco Rosso and The Wind Rises.
Anna takes on Mark in the second Close-Up Culture Podcast film quiz. Will Anna keep hold of the Pawny trophy?
Anna and James keep a 6ft distance as they review 'All The Bright Places' and 'Midsommar'.
To celebrate the 50th episode of the podcast, Anna and James face off in a big film quiz. Who will emerge as the first Close-Up Culture Quiz Master.
Thank you to everyone who has ever listened to an episode of the podcast!
Anna and James review the last films they show before cinemas shut down for the foreseeable future.
In this bonus episode, Anna and James offer their film, TV and book suggestions for those stuck at home.
Anna and James take a trip down memory lane as they discuss films from their childhood. Warning: contains painfully embarrassing stories.
This week's episode of the podcast sees Anna and James take on 'Greed' and 'Uncut Gems'.
Topics include:
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The billionaire who inspired 'Greed'
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The lion scene
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Anna's casserole
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The stress of 'Uncut Gems'
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Adam Sandler's performance
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The shocking ending to 'Uncut Gems'
James and Anna are back! This week they sit down to talk about 'Emma' and 'Sonic The Hedgehog'.
Topics include:
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Mini review of 'The Lighthouse'
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Sonic The Hedgehog video games
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Was the 'Sonic The Hedgehog' storyline too bland?
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Jim Carrey's role and performance
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Johnny Flynn fan club
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Johnny Flynn's performance as George
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Anya Taylor-Joy's alien beauty
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The storyline of 'Emma'
Mister Rogers and Harley Quinn are the talk of this week's podcast!Anna and James deep dive into 'A Beautiful Day In The Neighbourhood' and 'Birds Of Prey'.
Topics include:
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Can UK audiences connect with 'A Beautiful Day In The Neighbourhood'?
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Mister Rogers as a protagonist and Tom Hanks' portrayal of him
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How the film encourages self-reflection
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The performances of Chris Cooper and Matthew Rhys
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'Suicide Squad' vs 'Birds Of Prey'
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The story structure of 'Birds Of Prey'
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Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn
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Is Black Mask a good villain?
Anna and James dedicate an entire episode of the podcast to talking about Bong Joon-Ho's Oscar-winning film, 'Parasite'.
Topics include:
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Anna vs the weather
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James' birthday
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Military Wives & Sharon Hogan
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The Russians are coming
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Underwater mini review
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Academy Awards reaction
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In-depth 'Parasite' review begins at 12.12
On this week's episode of the Close-Up Culture Podcast, Anna and James give their thoughts on 'Bombshell' and 'Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker'.
Topics include:
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Shadow of Trump in 'Bombshell'
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Performances by Charlize Theron and Margot Robbie
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Elevator scene
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James' complaints about the visual style of 'Bombshell'
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Emotional fake-outs in 'Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker'
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Knights Of Ren
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Anna's reaction to Babu Frik
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Romance between Rey and Kylo Ren
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James pitches his dream Star Wars movie
On this week's special edition of the Close-Up Culture Podcast, Anna and James give their picks and predictions for every category at the 92nd Academy Awards. But they are not alone! Industry professionals join us at various stages of the podcast to give their expert thoughts on the Oscars.
Time stamps:
General Oscars talk - 0.14
Best Film Editing - 10.10
Best Visual Effects - 15.00
Kathleen Simmonds - 17.20
Sydney Nicole Herauf - 19.45
Jonathan Jude - 20.36
Joanna Pickering - 20.16
Best Makeup and Hairstyling - 27.35
Best Costume Designer - 29.30
Best Production Designer - 30.45
Awkward Tarantino standing ovation watch-along - 34.00
CK Goldiing - 38.22
Best Cinematographer - 40.00
Best Sound Editing - 42.00
Best Sound Mixing - 43.30
Reshma Gajjar - 45.45
Best Original Score - 52.38
Best Original Song - 55.42
Best Live Action Short - 58.50
Best Animated Feature - 1.00.01
Best International Feature - 1.02.00
Andrea Jaurrieta - 1.03.30
Widad Shafakoj - 1.04.50
Best Original Screenplay - 1.05.30
Best Adapted Screenplay - 1.07.30
Best Supporting Actor - 1.09.40
Best Supporting Actress - 1.12.15
Ravshana Kurkova - 1.15.12
Nicole Muj - 1.16.40
Best Actor - 1.18.40
Eric Bernard - 1.21.15
Nick Borenstein - 1.22.45
Best Actress - 1.25.25
Best Director - 1.29.10
Best Picture - 1.32.20
Closing thoughts - 1.36.40
Bloopers - 1.38.30
Anna takes a break from her hectic schedule to chat with James about 'Just Mercy' and 'The Personal History Of David Copperfield'.
Anna and James jump straight into the action with reviews of 'The Gentlemen' and '1917'.
Let's get weird... On this week's podcast, Anna and James dive into two of the most talked about films from recent weeks - Jojo Rabbit and Cats.
It's time for a post-Christmas catch up! Anna and James are back to talk about their holidays and review Greta Gerwig's Little Women.