The podcast where we look at the world of film from a variety of different angles
Past episodes…
All our past episodes are here. And here’s a summary of how our opinions compare to the Academy’s.
BP313 Red Dwarf - DIscovering the TV Series
Released 2 September 2024
Get your tickets to the launch event on 3 October here:
BP312 Chain of Command with Jessica Regan
Released 1 May 2024
Today we watched the two-part story “Chain of Command”, the tenth and eleventh episodes of The Next Generation’s sixth season, and the last two episodes transmitted before the start of the spin-off show Deep Space Nine. It was written by Frank Abatemarco and Ronald D Moore and directed by Robert Scheerer (Part I) and Les Landau (Part II).
BP311 This Side of Paradise with Garrett Millerick
Released 24 April 2024
“This Side of Paradise” is the 24th episode of the first season of Star Trek, first shown on 2 March 1967. It was written by Jerry Sohl and DC Fontana and directed by Ralph Senensky.
BP310 The City on the Edge of Forever with Joy Wilkinson
Released 17 April 2024
Today we watched “The City on the Edge of Forever”, the 28th episode of the original Star Trek’s first season. The script is credited to science fiction author Harlan Ellison, and the director was Joseph Pevney. It was first broadcast on 6 April 1967, and – yes, it’s the one with Joan Collins in.
BP309 The Devil in the Dark with Dan Starkey
Released 10 April 2024
“The Devil in the Dark” is the 25th episode of the original Star Trek, from its first season. It was written by producer Gene L Coon and directed by Joseph Pevney, and it was first shown on NBC on 9 March 1967.
BP308 Tapestry with Andy Stanton
Released 3 April 2024
“Tapestry” is the 15th episode in TNG’s excellent sixth season, featuring recurring character Q, first introduced in the pilot episode. It was written by Ronald Moore, directed by Les Landau and first shown on 15 February 1993.
BP307: The Enemy Within with Natalie Bochenski
Released 27 March 2024
“The Enemy Within” is the fifth episode of the first season of Star Trek, first shown on 6 October 1966. It was written by Richard Matheson and directed by Leo Penn.
BP306 Oscars 2024
Released 12 March 2024
Following an unsuccessful attempt to record an episode immediately following the transmission of the 96th Academy Awards on ITV, we reconvened a couple of days later with hopefully more coherent thoughts.
BP305 Oscar Nominations 2024
Released 23 January 2024
For this episode, we briefly discuss the nominations for the 96th Academy Awards, which were announced today by Zazie Beetz and Jack Quaid at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater.
BP304 The Church on Ruby Road
Released 30 December 2023
For this episode, we open our Christmas presents only to discover that a goblin has sabotaged our stocking by wiring it up to the mains. Luckily, Natalie Bochenski from the Raven On Podcast is coming to our rescue.
BP095 Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022)
Released 20 December 2023
For this episode, we watched the 2022 Best Picture winner Everything Everywhere All At Once, written and directed by Daniels (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert). It won a very impressive seven awards including the trifecta of Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay and Best Director, and three of its cast walked away with awards too: Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan and Jamie Lee Curtis, with Stephanie Hsu also nominated.
BP303 The Giggle
Released 12 December 2023
For this episode, we fracture into two different incarnations, one right here on Best Pick, and the other over on Natalie Bochenski’s Raven On podcast. Which of us would you like to imagine is dressed only in boxers and a shirt?
BP302 Wild Blue Yonder
Released 5 December 2023
For this episode, we once again were joined by Natalie Bochenski’s who provides all sorts of jokes, insights and perspectives, even while we continue to be cruelly denied the same from Stuart Layt.
BP301 The Star Beast
Released 28 November 2023
For this episode, Best Pick joined forces with Natalie Bochenski’s Raven On podcast, not least in part because the irreplaceable Stuart Layt can no longer recap Doctor Who with her.
My Year of Dicks: Road to the Oscars
Released 5 April 2023
For this episode, Tom spoke to screenwriter Pamela Ribon and director Sara Gunnarsdóttir whose short animated film My Year of Dicks made it all the way to the Dolby Theatre.
Oscars 2023
Released 13 March 2023
For this episode, we quickly reviewed the 95th Oscars which took place at the Dolby Theatre on 13 March 2023.
BP235.5 Oscar Nominations 2023
Released 25 January 2023
For this episode, we quickly reviewed the Oscar nominations which were announced on 24 January 2023 by Allison Williams and Riz Ahmed.
BP094 CODA (2021)
Released 28 December 2022
For this episode, we watched the 2021 Best Picture winner CODA, written and directed by Sian Heder. It’s a remake of the French film La Famille Belier and the stars are Emilia Jones, Marlee Matlin, Daniel Durant and Troy Kotsur who won Best Supporting Actor and Heder also won for the screenplay. With this film, we’re going to press pause on the podcast, but we do have a few ideas about other things we might want to do, so watch this space…
BP235 Gas Food Lodging
Released 14 December 2022
For this episode, we watched 1991 American indie Gas Food Lodging, written and directed by Allison Anders (based on the book by Richard Peck). She assembled an amazing cast, led by Brooke Adams, Ione Skye, Fairuza Balk and James Brolin. Despite only costing just over $1 million to make, it struggled to make its money back. It has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 81%.
BP234 The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists!
Released 30 November 2022
For this episode, we watched the 2012 stop-motion animated film The Pirates! In An Adventure with Scientists! adapted from his book by Gideon Defoe, directed by Peter Lord and starring the voices of Hugh Grant, David Tennant, Imelda Staunton, Martin Freeman and Russell Tovey. It cost $55 million to make and made $120 million at the box office. It has an 86% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
BP233 The Iron Giant
Released 16 November 2022
For this episode, we watched 1999’s The Iron Giant based on Ted Hughes’s book The Iron Man. The screenplay was by Tim McCanlies and Brad Bird, who also directed. The voice cast includes Eli Marienthal, Jennifer Aniston, Harry Connick Jr, Vin Diesel and John Mahoney. The film combines a hand-drawn look with computer animation for the Iron Giant himself and it cost $50 million to make, taking only around $30 million at the box office. It has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 96%.
BP232 Toy Story 3
Released 2 November 2022
For this episode we watched the 2010 Pixar sequel Toy Story 3, one of a handful of animated movies to be nominated for Best Picture. The screenplay is by Michael Arndt, from a story by John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich, who also directed. Returning to their familiar characters are voice actors Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack and John Morris and the guest cast includes Ned Beatty, Michael Keaton and Timothy Dalton. The film cost $200 million to make and took over five times that at the box office. It has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 98%.
BP231 Mulholland Drive
Released 19 October 2022
For this episode, we watched the 2001 David Lynch film Mulholland Drive, starring Naomi Watts, Laura Harring, Justin Theroux, Robert Forster and Ann Miller. This film began life as a TV pilot and was eventually repurposed by Lynch as a one-off feature film. It was suggested by Patreon supporter Joel Aarons, made it on to our shortlist and came top of our Patreon poll, by a narrow margin.
BP230 Cactus Flower
Released 5 October 2022
For this episode, we watched the 1969 comedy Cactus Flower, written by IAL Diamond from the Broadway play by Abe Burrows, itself based on a French play by Pierre Barillet and Jean-Pierre Grédy. The director was Gene Saks and the cast was led by Walther Matthau, Ingrid Bergman and Goldie Hawn who won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in what was essentially her first film role. It took $25m at the box office, over eight times its budget and it has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 85%.
BP229 RoboCop
Released 21 September 2022
For this episode, we watched classic eighties action flick RoboCop, but despite the trashy title this is a film which hides a great deal of cleverness and even heart under its brutality, bloodletting and general excess. The script was by Edward Neumeier and Michael Miner, and it was the first American film for Dutch director Paul Verhoeven. It cost about $14 million to make, it took over $50 million at the box office and it picked up two competitive Oscar nominations and a special award for its sound.
BP228 A League of Their Own
Released 7 September 2022
For this episode, we watched A League of Their Own, written by Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel from a story by Kelly Candaele and Kim Wilson. Penny Marshall directed and the cast includes Geena Davis, Lori Petty, Rosie O’Donnell, Tom Hanks and Madonna. It was made for a budget of $40 million and it took $132 million at the box office. It received no Oscar nominations and it has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 81%.
BP227.5 Mr Malcolm's List
Released 26 August 2022
Mr Malcolm’s List is based on the novel by Suzanne Allain and directed by Emma Holly Jones. The film stars Freida Pinto, Sope Dirisu, Zawe Ashton, Oliver Jackson-Cohen Ashley Park and Theo James. It’s a period drama with a very modern feel and after a special screening, The Guilty Feminist’s Deborah and our own Jessica Regan sat down with its director Emma Holly Jones.
BP227 Apocalypto - with Joy Wilkinson
Released 24 August 2022
For this episode, we were joined by filmmaker Joy Wilkinson who brought us, of all things, a Mel Gibson film. Apocalypto was written by Farhad Safinia and Gibson directed by Gibson. It is a Mayan-language adventure film with a cast of unknowns. It cost $40m to make and brought in $120m at the box office, with decent reviews and Oscar nominations for its Makeup, Sound Editing and Sound Mixing. It has a 65% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
BP226 The Shawshank Redempton - with Nat Luurtsema
Released 10 August 2022
For this episode, we were joined by writer, actor and comedian Nat Luurtsema who has brought us the 1994 film The Shawshank Redemption, written and directed by Frank Darabont who adapted it from the Stephen King novella Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption. The stars are Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman and despite seven Oscar nominations it was somewhat of a box office disappointment, but it developed a second lease of life on VHS and subsequently on DVD, and it has a permanent position at the top of the IMDb top 250.
BP225 A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood - with Gabriella Geisinger
Released 27 July 2022
For this episode, we were joined by the Deputy Movies Editor of Digital Spy Gabriella Geisinger who brought us the 2019 film A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood which tells the story of a lightly-fictionalised journalist played by Matthew Rhys meeting real life living legend of children’s television Fred Rogers, played by Tom Hanks. The script was by Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster, based on the Esquire article by Tom Junod and it was directed by Marielle Heller. It was nominated for a single Academy Award, Best Actor for Hanks, but he was defeated by Joaquin Phoenix.
BP224 Talking to Peter Bradshaw
Released 13 July 2022
For this episode, Tom sat down with legendary film journalist Peter Bradshaw whose opinions about various Best Picture winners have been heard in previous episodes. Peter was a delight and it was very gracious of him to give up his time to talk to us about his favourite films, his attitude towards film criticism and why he owes his career to Tory MP Alan Clark.
BP223 Mean Green Mother From Outer Space
Released 29 June 2022
For this episode, we took a deep dive into the creation of one scene in the movie Little Shop of Horrors. The movie was directed by Frank Oz, adapted by Howard Ashman from his off-Broadway play, with music by Alan Menken. In the climactic scene, the malevolent flesh-eating plant Audrey II has grown to 12 feet high and poor benighted Seymour Krelborn (Rick Moranis) is engaged in a battle to the death. Thus begins the song “Mean Green Mother From Outer Space” which was nominated for an Oscar. Every aspect of Audrey II was brought to life on set with a vast team of puppeteers working behind (and very often underneath) the scenes. You can hear how this all worked from plant performers Anthony Asbury, Sue Dacre, Nigel Plaskitt and Robert Tygner.
BP222 Goodfellas
Released 15 June 2022
For this episode, we watched and talked over Martin Scorsese’s crime classic Goodfellas, based on the book Wise Guys by Nicholas Pileggi, who wrote the screenplay with Scorsese. Thelma Schoonmaker handled the editing, the cinematography was by Michael Ballhaus and the cast includes Ray Liotta, Robert de Niro, Joe Pesci, Lorraine Bracco and Paul Sorvino. It cost $25m and made about $47m at the box office. It was nominated for seven Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director and Joe Pesci won Best Supporting Actor. It has a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
BP221 Jurassic Park
Released 1 June 2022
For this episode, we watched and talked over Jurassic Park, from the book by Michael Crichton, with a screenplay by Crichton and David Koepp. The director was Steven Spielberg, leading a team of effects technicians headed by Michael Lantieri, Phil Tippet, Dennis Muren and Stan Winston. Human actors include Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum and Richard Attenborough. It made over $900m on its first release from a budget of $63m and it picked up three Academy Awards for Sound, Sound Effects Editing and (natch) Visual Effects. It has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 92%
BP220 Top Gun
Released 18 May 2022
For this episode, we watched and talked over Top Gun, the film which invented Tom Cruise. It also stars Kelly McGillis, Anthony Edwards, Tom Skerritt and Val Kilmer. It was written by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr, directed by Tony Scott and produced by Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer. At the Oscars, it picked up Best Original Song from its four nominations and it currently has a Rotten Tomatoes score of just 57%.
BP219 Triangle
Released 4 May 2022
For this episode, we watched Triangle, a 2009 psychological thriller written and directed by Christopher Smith and with Melissa George leading the cast. From its budget of $12m it made back less than $2m and it has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 80%.
BP218 I'm Your Man
Released 20 April 2022
For this episode, we watched I’m Your Man, the 2021 romantic drama with a sci-fi twist, written by Maria Schrader and Jan Schomburg, directed by Schrader and starring Maren Eggert, Dan Stevens and Sandra Hüller. At the Berlin International Film Festival, Maren Eggert won the prize for Best Leading Performance and the film was nominated for the Golden Bear. It has a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
BP217 Flirting with Disaster
Released 6 April 2022
For this episode, we watched Flirting with Disaster, the 1996 comedy written and directed by David O Russell and starring Ben Stiller, Patricia Arquette and Tea Leoni. It cost $7m to make and produced a modest box office return of around $14m. It has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 87%.
BP216.5 Oscars 2022
Released 28 March 2022
For this episode, we reviewed events at the 94th Academy Awards, which John and Tom watched live and which Jess caught up on when she awakened.
BP216 Bicycle Thieves
Released 23 March 2022
For this episode, we watched Bicycle Thieves, based on the novel by Luigi Bartolini, with a screenplay by Cesare Zavattini and various others including the director Vittorio De Sica. The cast includes Lamberto Maggiorani, Enzo Staiola and Lianella Carell and it won an honorary Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 1949. It has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 99%.
BP215 My Life as a Dog
Released 9 March 2022
For this episode, we watched My Life as a Dog, based on the novel by Reidar Jönsson, who wrote the screenplay along with Brasse Brännström, Per Berglund and director Lasse Hallström. The cast includes Anton Glanzelius, Tomas von Brömssen, Melinda Kinnaman, Anki Lidén. It was nominated for two Academy Awards – Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay – and it has a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
BP214 Les Diaboliques
Released 23 February 2022
For this episode, we watched Les Diaboliques, from the novel by Boileau and Narcejac. The screenplay is by Henri-Georges Clouzot and Jérôme Géronimi and the director was Cluzot. The cast includes Simone Signoret, Véra Clouzot, Paul Meurisse and Charles Vanel. It won the New York Film Critics Circle Award for the Best Foreign Film of 1955, but it was completely overlooked at the Oscars. It has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 96%.
BP213 The Piano
Released 9 February 2022
For this episode, we watched The Piano, written and directed by Jane Campion and produced by Jan Chapman. The cast includes Holly Hunter, Harvey Keitel, Anna Paquin and Sam Neill and the music was by Michael Nyman. It was nominated for eight Oscars (including for Best Picture and Campion as Best Director) and won three. It also won the Palme d’Or at Cannes among a slew of other awards. It cost $7m and made $140m and it has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 91%.
BP212.5 Oscar nominations 2022
Released 9 February 2022
For this episode, we gave our initial thoughts on the nominees for the 94th Academy Awards which were announced yesterday.
BP212 American Psycho
Released 26 January 2022
For this episode, we watched American Psycho, adapted from the novel by Bret Easton Ellis with a screenplay by Mary Harron and Guinevere Turner, and directed by Harron. The cast includes Christian Bale, Willem Dafoe, Jared Leto, Josh Lucas and Samantha Mathis and it made $34m from its $7m budget. It has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 69%.
BP211 Titus
Released 12 January 2022
For this episode, we watched Titus, Julie Taymor’s 1999 adaptation of Shakesepeare’s play Titus Andronicus. The film stars Anthony Hopkins, Jessica Lange, Alan Cumming and Colm Feore and it was not a box office success, earning less than $3m from its $18m budget. Nor was it a big success at the Academy Awards where it was nominated only for its costumes, where it lost to Mike Leigh’s Topsy-Turvy. We also delve into the history of Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark and the life and work of Anthony Hopkins.
BP093 Nomadland (2020)
Released 29 December 2021
For this episode, we watched Nomadland, written, edited and directed by Chloé Zhao, from the non-fiction book Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century, by Jessica Bruder. Among a cast of non-professional actors, the leads are Frances McDormand and David Strathairn. Music is by Ludovico Einaudi. From six nominations, it won three awards: Best Director for Zhao, Best Actress for Frances McDormand and Best Picture.
BP210 The Godfather Part III
Released 15 December 2021
For this episode, we watched The Godfather Part III, or to be exact, we watched The Godfather, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone. The film was written by Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola and was directed by Coppola with cinematography by Gordon Willis and music by Carmine Coppola. The stars were Al Pacino, Diane Keaton, Talia Shire, Eli Wallach, Joe Mantegna, Bridget Fonda, George Hamilton and Sofia Coppola. The original cut was released in December 1990 and it was nominated for seven Oscars, winning none of them.
BP209 Dr No - with Garrett Millerick
Released 1 December 2021
For this episode, we watched the first James Bond film, Dr No from 1962. The script was adapted from Ian Fleming’s 1958 novel (the sixth to feature 007) by Richard Maibaum, Johanna Harwood and Berkely Mather and it was directed by Terence Young. Familiar Bond stars include Sean Connery, Lois Maxwell and Bernard Lee as well as Ursula Andress, Joseph Wiseman and John Kitzmiller.
BP208 Baby Face - with Matheus Carvalho
Released 17 November 2021
For this episode, we watched Baby Face written by Gene Markey and Kathryn Scola from a story by Darryl F Zanuck. The director was Alfred E Green and the stars were Barbara Stanwyck and George Brent. It was nominated for no Oscars but it does have a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
BP207 Disney Animated Features - with Andy Stanton
Released 3 November 2021
For this episode, we spoke to children’s author Andy Stanton who spent lockdown watching every Disney animated feature.
BP206 Brazil
Released 20 October 2021
For this episode, we watched Brazil written by Tom Stoppard, Charles McKeown and Terry Gilliam and directed by Gilliam. The cast include Jonathan Pryce, Kim Greist, Michael Palin, Robert de Niro, Katherine Helmond, Ian Holm, Bob Hoskins, Ian Richardson and Peter Vaughan. The Los Angeles Film Critics Association awarded it Best Picture, Best Screenplay and Best Director but it won no Oscars despite nominations for its screenplay and art direction. It has a 98% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
BP205.5 The Lovie Awards
Released 13 October 2021
This is not a real episode, just an announcement. We've been nominated in the 11th Annual Lovie Awards. Please cast your votes for us to win Best Podcast (Arts and Entertainment). It seems to be between us and a documentary limited series about a rugby team (?).
BP205 The Matrix
Released 6 October 2021
For this episode, we watched and talked over The Matrix written and directed by The Wachowskis and starring Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Laurence Fishburne and Hugo Weaving. The visual effects were supervised by John Gaeta and the cinematography was by Bill Pope. The film earned more than $450m from its $63m budget and spawned two sequels with a third on the way. It won Academy Awards for its editing, its sound, its sound effects and its visual effects, as well as two BAFTAs and two Saturn Awards.
BP204 The Ladykillers
Released 22 September 2021
For this episode, we watched The Ladykillers, written by William Rose and directed by Alexander Mackendrick. The cast includes Alec Guinness, Katie Johnson, Herbert Lom, Peter Sellers, Danny Green, Cecil Parker and Jack Warner. It was one of the last of the “Ealing Comedies” and it was nominated for Best Original Screenplay at the 1956 Academy Awards. It has a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
BP203 Phantom of the Paradise
Released 8 September 2021
For this episode, we watched Phantom of the Paradise written and directed by Brian de Palma and starring Paul Williams (who also wrote the songs), William Finley and Jessica Harper. On its initial American release, it made only $250,000 from its $1.3m budget but it has gone on to be a cult success and even at the time the score was nominated for both an Academy Award and a Golden Globe. It has an 83% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
BP202 Wild Tales
Released 25 August 2021
For this episode, we watched Wild Tales written and directed by Damián Szifron and starring Ricardo Darín, Oscar Martínez, Leonardo Sbaraglia, Érica Rivas, Rita Cortese, Julieta Zylberberg and Darío Grandinetti. It was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards but lost to Paweł Pawlikowski’s Ida.
BP201 The Taking of Pelham 123
Released 11 August 2021
For this episode, we watched The Taking of Pelham One Two Three, written by Peter Stone based on the 1973 novel by John Godey. It was directed by Peter Stone and released by United Artists. The stars are Walter Matthau, Robert Shaw, Martin Balsam, Hector Elizondo and Earl Hindman.
BP092.5 Exit Interview - with Deborah Frances-White
Released 4 August 2021
Our journey having concluded (we’ll record an episode looking at Nomadland later in the year), we sit down with friend of the pod Deborah Frances-White to look back on our experience with the help of some listener questions.
BP092 The King's Speech (2010)
Released 28 July 2021
For this episode, we watched The Kings Speech, written by David Seider and directed by Tom Hooper. It starred Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter and Guy Pearce and from a very impressive twelve Oscar nominations it scored four wins – for Colin Firth, for Tom Hooper as director, for the screenplay and of course Best Picture.
BP091 Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
Released 14 July 2021
For this episode, we watched Slumdog Millionaire, written by Simon Beaufoy, from the book Q & A by Vikas Swarup. It was directed by Danny Boyle and starred Dev Patel, Freida Pinto, Anil Kapur and Irrfan Khan. It won a tremendous eight Oscars including for Danny Boyle as director and for the screenplay, but none of its cast was even nominated.
BP090 Spotlight (2015)
Released 30 June 2021
For this episode, we watched Spotlight, directed by Tom McCarthy and written by McCarthy and Josh Singer. The stars were Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams (nominated), Mark Ruffalo (nominated), Brian d’Arcy James and Stanley Tucci. It was also nominated for its editing and McCarthy as Best Director but apart from Best Picture, it won only for its screenplay.
BP089 A Beautiful Mind (2001) - with Thom Tuck
Released 16 June 2021
For this episode, we watched A Beautiful Mind, which won Oscars for its screenplay by Akiva Goldsman, its director Ron Howard and Jennifer Connelly as Best Supporting Actress. It did not win an Oscar for its star Russell Crowe and the cast also included Paul Bettany, Ed Harris and Christopher Plummer. Music was by James Horner and the cinematography was by Roger Deakins.
BP088 Gandhi (1982)
Released 2 June 2021
For this episode, we watched Gandhi, written by John Briley and directed by Richard Attenborough. It starred Ben Kingsley as Gandhi with support from Rohini Hattangadi, Roshan Seth, Pradeep Kumar, Saeed Jaffrey, Candice Bergen, Edward Fox and John Gielgud, among many others. From its 11 nominations, it managed to win eight Oscars including Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Actor for Kingsley, Best Art Direction and Best Cinematography.
BP087 No Country for Old Men (2007)
Released 19 May 2021
For this episode, we watched No Country for Old Men. This is the only film directed by the Coen Bros to win Best Picture, but the second of their four nominations in this category. The film stars Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Woody Harrelson and Kelly Macdonald – Bardem winning Best Supporting Actor. As well as the film winning Best Picture, the Coens also won Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay.
BP086.5 Best of the Best
Released 12 May 2021
For this episode, we looked back on our Oscars journey with an amazing panel of special guests: John Ross Bowie, Michaela Watkins, Bryan Edward Hill, Melissa Fumero and Rachel Bloom.
BP086 Parasite (2019)
Released 5 May 2021
For this episode, we watched Parasite, the first film not in the English language ever to win Best Picture. Director Bong Joon-ho also won Best International Feature, Best Director and shared Best Original Screenplay with Han Jin-won giving it a total of four awards. None of its cast was nominated.
BP085.5 Oscar Winners 2021
Released 26 April 2021
For this episode we quickly recap all of the surprises, forgone conclusions, gaffes and highlights of the 93rd Academy Awards – mere moments after the broadcast concluded.
The Writers Panel Crossover episode
Released 23 April 2021
We’re thrilled to announce a special one-off live stream show in which you will be able to see our faces as well as hear our voices.
BP085 The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) with Ned Sedgwick
Released 21 April 2021
For this episode, we watched The Bridge on the River Kwai, written by Carl Foreman and Michael Wilson, based on the book by Pierre Boulle. The director was David Lean and the stars were William Holden, Alec Guinness, Jack Hawkins and Sessue Hayakawa. From eight nominations, it won seven Oscars, including Best Director, Best Actor for Guinness and Best Adapted Screenplay.
BP084 Marty (1955)
Released 7 April 2021
For this episode, we watched Marty written by Paddy Cheyefsky and directed by Delbert Mann, who both won Oscars. The stars were Ernest Borgnine, Betsy Blair and Joe Mantell, all of whom were nominated, Borgnine winning. It was also nominated for its Art Direction and Cinematography.
BP083 An American in Paris (1951) with Matheus Carvalho
Released 24 March 2021
For this episode, we watched An American in Paris, written by Alan Jay Lerner, inspired by and featuring the music of George Gershwin. The director was Vincente Minnelli and the stars were Gene Kelly, Oscar Levant, Leslie Caron, Georges Guétary and Nina Foch. It was nominated in eight categories and won six Oscars, plus a special award for Gene Kelly.
BP082.5 Oscar Nominations 2021
Released 16 March 2021
For this episode we discussed the nominations for the 93rd Academy Awards which were announced on 15 March 2021 at 12:15 GMT by Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Nick Jonas.
BP082 12 Years a Slave (2013)
Released 10 March 2021
For this episode, we watched 12 Years A Slave, written by John Ridley, from the memoir by Solomon Northup. The director was Steve McQueen with music by Hans Zimmer and cinematography by Sean Bobbitt and the stars were Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Dano, Paul Giamatti, and Lupita Nyong’o. As is fairly typical for this period, as well as Best Picture it only won two other awards – adapted screenplay and Best Supporting Actress for Nyong’o.
BP081 You Can't Take it With You (1938) with Sam Bain
Released 24 February 2021
For this episode, we watched You Can’t Take it With You, written by Robert Riskin, adapted from the play by George Kaufman and Moss Hart, directed by Frank Capra and starring Jean Arthur, Lionel Barrymore, James Stewart, Edward Arnold, Mischa Auer, Ann Miller, and Spring Byington. It was nominated for seven Academy Awards but only won Best Picture and Best Director.
BP080 Million Dollar Baby (2004)
Released 10 February 2021
For this episode we watched Million Dollar Baby, written by Paul Haggis, based on stories by FX Toole. It was directed by Clint Eastwood and starred Hilary Swank, Eastwood and Morgan Freeman. As well as Best Picture, Eastwood won Best Director and Swank and Freeman both won acting awards. Eastwood was nominated as Best Actor but lost to Jamie Foxx. It was also nominated for its screenplay and its editing.
BP079 Birdman (2014)
Released 27 January 2021
For this episode, we watched Birdman, written by Alejandro G Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Jr and Armando Bó and directed by Iñárritu. The stars were Michael Keaton, Zach Galifianakis, Edward Norton, Andrea Riseborough and Emma Stone. It received nine Academy Award nominations and won four awards including for its screenplay and its cinematography by Emmanuel Lubezki.
BP078 Mrs Miniver (1942) - with Helen O'Hara
Released 13 January 2021
For this episode, we watched Mrs Miniver based loosely on the 1940 novel by Jan Struther. It starred Greer Garson (won), Walter Pidgeon (nominated), Henry Travers (nominated), May Whitty (nominated) and Theresa Wright (won) and was directed by William Wyler (won). It also won for its screenplay and cinematography.
BP077 Titanic (1997) with special guests Natalie Bochenski and Dan Beeston
Released 30 December 2020
For this episode, we watched Titanic, written and directed by James Cameron with music by James Horner and cinematography by Russell Carpenter. It starred Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Billy Zane, Kathy Bates, Frances Fisher, Bernard Hill and Gloria Stuart. From an amazing 14 Academy Award nominations, it collected eleven, meaning that it tied both for most nominations (with All About Eve) and most wins (with Ben-Hur). We also dip into the life and work of James Horner.
BP076.5 Christmas Quiz 2020 with special guest quizmaster Thom Tuck
Released 23 December 2020
For this episode, writer, actor and comedian Thom Tuck joins us with a quiz he has set, testing us on what we have said over the last twelve months’ worth of episodes. Feel free to play along at home but be warned – it’s not easy.
BP076 The Hurt Locker (2009)
Released 16 December 2020
For this episode, we watched The Hurt Locker, written by Mark Boal (won) and directed by Kathryn Bigelow (won). The stars were Jeremy Renner (nominated), Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty, Evangeline Lilly, Ralph Fiennes, David Morse and Guy Pearce. In total it was nominated in nine categories and it also won for its editing, sound mixing and sound editing.
BP075 Mutiny on the Bounty (1935)
Released 2 December 2020
For this episode, we watched Mutiny on the Bounty, written by Talbot Jennings, Jules Furthman and Carey Wilson based on the novel by Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall. It was directed by Frank Lloyd and starred Charles Laughton, Clark Gable and Franchot Tone (all nominated). It was also nominated for its screenplay, its music, its editing and Lloyd as Best Director but Best Picture was its only win, making it the third and most recent Best Picture winner to win no other Oscars.
BP074.5 Discussing "Moonlight" with Syrus Lowe
Released 25 November 2020
For this extra episode, we caught up with friend of the pod Syrus Lowe to get his take on Moonlight and matters arising.
BP074 Moonlight (2016)
Released 18 November 2020
For this episode, we watched Moonlight, written by Barry Jenkins, based on the play by Tarell Alvin McCraney and directed by Jenkins, with cinematography by James Laxton and music by Nicholas Britell. The cast included Trevante Rhodes, André Holland, Janelle Monáe, Naomie Harris and Mahershala Ali. It was nominated for eight Academy Awards and won three – Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor (Ali) and Best Picture.
BP073 The Godfather Part II (1974) with Phill Jupitus
Released 4 November 2020
For this episode, we watched The Godfather, Part II, written by Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola, based on the novel by Puzo and it was directed by Coppola with music by Carmine Coppola. It starred Al Pacino, Robert de Niro, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, Talia Shire, Michael V Gazzo, John Cazale and Lee Strasberg. Five of the cast were nominated for acting Oscars, with de Niro winning. It also won for its screenplay, art direction, score, and Coppola for Best Director.
BP072 Rocky (1976)
Released 21 October 2020
For this episode, we watched Rocky, written by and starring Sylvester Stallone and directed by John G Avildsen. It also featured Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers and Burgess Meredith. Stallone was nominated for his screenplay and Stallone, Shire, Meredith and Young were all nominated as actors but all it won was Best Picture, Best Director and Best Film Editing.
BP071.5 The Films of Stanley Kubrick - with Garrett Millerick
Released 14 October 2020
For this episode, we watched the films of Stanley Kubrick (or at least most of us watched most of them). Kubrick directed 13 feature films between 1953 and 1999 which between them were nominated for 27 Oscars, winning nine. Kubrick himself was nominated 14 times and won once (Best Special Effects for 2001: A Space Odyssey).
BP071 My Fair Lady (1964)
Released 7 October 2020
For this episode, we watched My Fair Lady, the movie adaptation of the Lerner and Lowe musical, itself based on the play Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw. It won eight Oscars from twelve nominations, including Best Actor for Rex Harrison, Best Director for George Cukor and Best Adaptation Score for Andre Previn. Leading lady Audrey Hepburn was not nominated.
BP070 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) - with Felicity Ward
Released 23 September 2020
For this episode, we watched The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, written by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson from the book by JRR Tolkein. It was directed by Jackson and starred Elijah Wood, Ian McKellan, Viggo Mortensen, Andy Serkis and many others. It was nominated for 11 Academy Awards and won every single one, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Score and Best Song.
BP069 Wings (1928)
Released 9 September 2020
For this episode, we watched Wings, written by John Monk Saunders, Hope Loring, Louis D Lighton, Julian Johnson; directed by William A Wellman and starring Clara Bow, Charles “Buddy” Rogers, Richard Arlen, Gary Cooper. As well as Best Picture, Wings also won for its Engineering Effects.
BP068 Driving Miss Daisy (1989)
Released 26 August 2020
For this episode, we watched Driving Miss Daisy, written by Alfred Uhry from his play, directed by Bruce Beresford and starring Jessica Tandy (won), Morgan Freeman (nominated) and Dan Aykroyd (nominated). It also won for its screenplay and its make-up. Beresford was not even nominated as Best Director – very rare for a Best Picture winner.
BP067 Gentleman's Agreement (1947)
Released 12 August 2020
For this episode, we watched Gentleman’s Agreement, written by Moss Hart (nominated) from the novel by Laura Z Hobson and directed by Elia Kazan (won) and starring Gregory Peck (nominated), Dorothy McGuire (nominated), John Garfield, Anne Revere (nominated) and Celeste Holm (won). Those wins were the only categories in which it triumphed, although it was also nominated for its editing.
BP066 Going My Way (1944)
Released 29 July 2020
For this episode, we watched Going My Way, written Frank Butler and Frank Cavett, directed by Leo McCarey and starring Bing Crosby, Barry Fitzgerald and Risë Stevens. It was nominated for ten Academy Awards and won seven including Best Director for McCarey and Best Actor for Crosby.
BP065 Tom Jones (1963)
Released 15 July 2020
For this episode, we watched Tom Jones, written John Osbourne, based on the novel by Henry Fielding. It was directed by Tony Richardson and it stars Albert Finney, Susannah York, Hugh Griffith, Edith Evans and Joan Greenwood. It was nominated in ten categories and it won four awards: Best Director, Best Score, Best Adapted Screenplay and, of course, Best Picture.
BP064 The Life of Emile Zola (1937)
Released 1 July 2020
For this episode, we watched The Life of Emile Zola, written by Norman Reilly Raine, Heinz Herald and Geza Herczeg (won), directed by William Dieterle (nominated) and starring Paul Muni (nominated), Gloria Holden, Gale Sondergaard and Joseph Schildkraut (won). It was also nominated for its art direction, score, sound and assistant director.
BP063 Out of Africa (1985) - with special guest Deborah Frances-White
Released 17 June 2020
For this episode, we watched Out of Africa, written by Kurt Luedtke (won) based on the books Out of Africa, Isak Dinesen: The Life of a Story Teller and Silence Will Speak. It was directed by Sydney Pollack (won) with music by John Barry (won) and it stars Robert Redford, Meryl Streep (nominated) and Klaus Maria Brandauer (nominated). It also won for its Cinematography, Art Direction and Sound.
BP062 Amadeus (1984)
Released 3 June 2020
For this episode, we watched Amadeus, written by Peter Shaffer (won), based on his play. It was directed by Milos Forman (won). It starred Tom Hulce (nominated), F Murray Abraham (won), Elizabeth Berridge, Roy Dotrice, Simon Callow and Jeffrey Jones. It also won for its Sound, Art Direction, Costume Design and Makeup.
BP061 The Deer Hunter (1978)
Released 20 May 2020
For this episode, we watched The Deer Hunter, written Deric Washburn, Michael Cimino, Louis Garfinkle, Quinn K. Redeker and directed by Cimino. It stars Robert De Niro, John Cazale, John Savage, Meryl Streep and Christopher Walken. The Academy rained Oscars upon it, awarding Cimino Best Director, Walken Best Supporting Actor, and giving it Best Sound and Best Editing as well as Best Picture. There were also nominations for de Niro and Streep as well as for the cinematography and screenplay.
BP060.5 Citizen Kane (1941) with special guest Tish Potter
Released 13 May 2020
For this episode, we watched Citizen Kane, written by Herman J Mankiewicz and Orson Welles, directed by Welles and starring Welles, Joseph Cotton, Dorothy Comingore, Everett Sloane, Ray Collins, George Coulouris, Agnes Moorehead. It did not win Best Picture (the only Academy Award it won was for its screenplay) but how could we overlook it? We’re joined by friend of the pod Tish Potter who hasn’t seen it before.
BP060 How Green Was My Valley (1941)
Released 6 May 2020
For this episode, we watched How Green Was My Valley, written by Philip Dunne, from the novel by Richard Llewellyn and directed by John Ford who won his third Best Director Oscar for it. It starred Walter Pidgeon, Maureen O’Hara, Donald Crisp (won Best Supporting Actor), Roddy McDowall and Sara Allgood (nominated). It also won Best Black-and-White Cinematography and Best Black-and-White Art Direction and it was nominated for its screenplay, its editing, its score and its sound.
BP059 Oliver! (1968)
Released 22 April 2020
For this episode, we watched Oliver! the movie version of the Lionel Bart stage musical directed by Carol Reed, based on Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens. The screenplay was by Vernon Harris and it won five Oscars: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Musical Adaptation Score, Best Art Direction and Best Sound. Ron Moody (Fagin) and Jack Wild (Dodger) were both nominated but neither of them won.
BP058 Green Book (2018) with special guest Kobi Omenaka
Released 8 April 2020
For this episode, we watched Green Book, written by Nick Vallelonga, Brian Currie and Peter Farrelly and directed by Farrelly. It stars Vigo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali who won Best Supporting Actor. Apart from Best Picture, its only other Academy Award was for the screenplay, but it was also nominated for its editing and Mortensen for Best Actor.
BP057 The Apartment (1960)
Released 25 March 2020
For this episode, we watched The Apartment, written by Billy Wilder and IAL Diamond (won), directed by Wilder (won) and starring Jack Lemmon (nominated), Shirley MacLaine (nominated), Fred MacMurray, Ray Walston, Jack Kruschen (nominated) and David Lewis. It also won for its editing and art decoration and was nominated for its cinematography and its sound.
BP056 Cavalcade (1933)
Released 11 March 2020
For this episode, we watched Cavalcade, adapted from the Noel Coward play by Reginald Berkeley and directed by Frank Lloyd (won). It starred Diana Wynyard (nominated), Clive Brook, Una O'Connor, Herbert Mundin and it was also nominated for its Art Direction.
BP055 Argo (2012)
Released 26 February 2020
For this episode, we watched Argo, written by Chris Terrio, directed by Ben Affleck and starring Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin, John Goodman, Tate Donovan. As well as Best Picture, it won Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Film Editing. It was nominated in four other categories including Best Supporting Actor for Arkin.
BP054 All the King's Men (1949)
Released 12 February 2020
For this episode, we watched All the King’s Men, written, produced and directed by Robert Rossen, based on the novel by Robert Penn Warren. Rossen was nominated in all three capacities. Star Broderick Crawford won Best Actor, Mercedes McCambridge won Best Supporting Actress and John Ireland was nominated as Best Supporting Actor. The film was also nominated for its editing.
BP053.5 Oscar Winners 2020
Released 10 February 2020
For this episode, we blearily report back on all of the results, triumphs, disappointments and gossips from the 92nd Academy Awards.
BP053 The Shape of Water (2017) with special guest Sarah Bennetto
Released 29 January 2020
For this episode, we watched The Shape of Water, written by Guillermo del Toro and Vanessa Taylor (nominated) and directed by Del Toro (won). It starred Sally Hawkins (nominated), Michael Shannon, Richard Jenkins (nominated), Doug Jones, Michael Stuhlbarg, Octavia Spencer (nominated) with music by Alexandre Desplat (won) and cinematography by Dan Lausten (nominated). It also won for its production design (Paul Denham Austerberry, Shane Vieau, Jeff Melvin). In total it was nominated for thirteen Academy Awards, one less than the all-time record.
BP052 Hamlet (1948)
Released 15 January 2020
For this episode, we watched Hamlet, based on the play by William Shakespeare, directed by Lawrence Olivier (nominated), and starring Olivier (won), Basil Sydney, Eileen Herlie, Norman Wooland, Felix Aylmer, Terence Morgan and Jean Simmons (nominated). It also won for its art direction and costume design and it was nominated for its score and Olivier was nominated as director.
BP051.5 Oscar Nominations 2020
Released 14 January 2020
For this episode we discussed the nominations for the 92nd Academy Awards which were announced at on 13 January 2020 at 05:30 PT by Issa Rae and John Cho.
BP051 The Last Emperor (1987)
Released 1 January 2020
For this episode, we watched The Last Emperor, written by Mark Peploe and Bernardo Bertolucci from the book by Puyi and directed by Bertolucci. The stars were John Lone, Joan Chen, Peter O'Toole, Ying Ruocheng, Victor Wong, Dennis Dun. It won all nine Oscars for which it was nominated, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Score and Best Adapted Screenplay – but none of its cast received nominations.
BP050.5 Christmas Quiz of the Year 2019
Released 25 December 2019
For this episode, writer, actor and comedian Thom Tuck joins us with a quiz he has set, testing us on what we have said over the last twelve months’ worth of episodes. Feel free to play along at home but be warned – it’s not easy.
BP050 One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
Released 18 December 2019
For this episode, we watched One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, written by Bo Goldman and Lawrence Hauben, from the play by Ken Kesey and Dale Wasserman. It was directed by Milos Forman and starred Jack Nicholson, Louise Fletcher, Brad Dourif, William Redfield. It is one of three films to win the “big five” – Picture, Director, Screenplay, Actor and Actress – and like the other two it won only those five. However, it was also nominated for Best Supporting Actor (Dourif), Best Cinematography (Haskell Wexler, Bill Butler), Best Film Editing (Richard Chew, Lynzee Klingman, Sheldon Kahn) and Best Original Score (Jack Nitzsche).
BP049 Braveheart (1995)
Released 4 December 2019
For this episode, we watched Braveheart, written by Randall Wallace (nominated) and directed by Mel Gibson (won) with music by James Horner (nominated) and cinematography by John Toll (won). It stars Gibson, Sophie Marceau, Patrick McGoohan and Catherine McCormack. It also won Best Sound Effects Editing and Best Makeup.
BP048 The Greatest Show on Earth (1952)
Released 20 November 2019
For this episode, we watched The Greatest Show on Earth, written by Fredric M. Frank, Theodore St. John, Frank Cavett, Barré Lyndon and directed and produced by Cecil B DeMille. The stars were Betty Hutton, Cornel Wilde, Charlton Heston, James Stewart and Dorothy Lamour and it won only Best Picture and Best Story.
BP047 Gigi (1958) - with special guest Kiri Pritchard-McLean
Released 6 November 2019
For this episode, we watched Gigi, written by Alan Jay Lerner (won) with music by Frederick Loewe and Andre Previn (won) from the book by Colette. It was directed by Vincente Minelli (won) and produced by Arthur Freed. The stars were Leslie Caron, Louis Jourdan, Maurice Chevalier and Hermione Gingold. It also won for its Art Direction, Cinematography, Costume Design, Film Editing and Best Original Song.
BP046 Ordinary People (1980)
Released 23 October 2019
For this episode, we watched Ordinary People, written by Alvin Sargent, from the book by Judith Guest. It was directed by Robert Redford and produced by Ronald L Schwary and the stars were Donald Sutherland, Mary Tyler Moore, Judd Hirsch and Timothy Hutton. It was nominated for six Academy Awards and won four – Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor for Timothy Hutton as well as Best Picture. We also explore the story of Michael Cimino’s epic failure Heaven's Gate.
BP045.5 Alfred Hitchcock
Released 16 October 2019
For this episode, we discussed the life and work of Alfred Hitchcock, which we didn’t have time to do in any detail at our live show.
BP045 Rebecca (1940)
Released 9 October 2019
For this episode, we watched Rebecca, written by Robert E. Sherwood, Joan Harrison, Philip MacDonald and Michael Hogan, based on the novel by Daphne du Maurier. It was directed by Alfred Hitchcock (nominated) with music from Franz Waxman (nominated) and cinematography by George Barnes (won). The stars were Joan Fontaine (nominated), Laurence Olivier (nominated), Judith Anderson (nominated) and George Sanders. It was nominated for a further four awards.
BP044 Midnight Cowboy (1969)
Released 25 September 2019
For this episode, we watched Midnight Cowboy, written by Waldo Salt (won) from the novel by James Leo Herlihy and directed by John Schlesinger (won), with music by John Barry and cinematography by Adam Holender. It starred Jon Voight (nominated), Dustin Hoffman (nominated) and Sylvia Miles (nominated). It was also nominated for its editing.
BP043 The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
Released 11 September 2019
For this episode, we watched The Best Years of Our Lives, written by Robert E Sherwood (won) based on the novella Glory for Me by MacKinlay Kantor. It was directed by William Wyler (won) and starred Myrna Loy, Frederic March (won), Dana Andrews, Teresa Wright and Harold Russell (won). It also won for its Editing, Music and was nominated for its Sound Recording.
BP042 Shakespeare in Love (1998) - with special guest Tish Potter
Released 28 August 2019
For this episode, we watched Shakespeare in Love, written by Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard (won) and directed by John Madden (nominated) and starring Joseph Fiennes, Gwyneth Paltrow (won), Geoffrey Rush (nominated) and Judi Dench (won).
BP041 Rain Man (1988)
Released 14 August 2019
For this episode, we watched Rain Man, written by Barry Morrow and Ronald Bass (won) and directed by Barry Levinson (won). It starred Dustin Hoffman (won), Tom Cruise and Valeria Golino. It also received nominations for its art direction, cinematography, editing and score.
BP040 The Artist (2011)
Released 31 July 2019
For this episode, we watched The Artist, written and directed by Michel Hazanavicius with music by Ludovic Bource and starring Jean Dujardin and Bérénice Bejo. From ten nominations, it managed five awards, for Hazanavicius as director, for Dujardin, for its costumes and its score as well as Best Picture.
BP039 The French Connection (1971)
Released 17 July 2019
For this episode, we watched The French Connection, written by Ernest Tidyman (won) from the novel by Robin Moore and directed by William Friedkin (won). It starred Gene Hackman (won Best Actor), Fernando Rey, Roy Scheider (nominated Best Supporting Actor), Tony Lo Bianco and Marcel Bozzuffi with music by Don Ellis, cinematography by Owen Rolzman (nominated) and editing by Gerald B Greenberg (won). It was also nominated for its Sound.
BP038 Chicago (2002)
Released 3 July 2019
For this episode, we watched Chicago, written by Bill Condon, from the musical play by Bob Fosse and Fred Ebb, and the play by Maurine Dallas Watkins. It was directed and choreographed by Rob Marshall and starred Renée Zellweger (nominated), Catherine Zeta-Jones (won), Richard Gere, John C Reilly (nominated) and Queen Latifah (nominated). It also won for its Art Direction, Costume Design, Editing and Sound. Kander and Ebb’s new song “I Move On” was nominated but lost to "Lose Yourself" from 8 Mile.
BP037 The Lost Weekend (1945)
Released 19 June 2019
For this episode, we watched The Lost Weekend, written by Charles Brackett and Billy Wilder, directed by Wilder and starring Ray Milland and Jane Wyman. The film won Oscars for its screenplay (adapted from the novel by Charles Jackson), Best Director for Wilder and Best Actor for Milland. It also won the Grand Prix at Cannes.
BP036 Chariots of Fire (1981) - with special guest Deborah Frances-White
Released 5 June 2019
For this episode, we watched Chariots of Fire, written by Colin Welland (won), directed by Hugh Hudson (nominated) and produced by David Puttnam. It starred Ben Cross, Ian Charleson, Nigel Havers, Cheryl Campbell, Alice Krige and Ian Holm (nominated), with music by Vangelis (won) and cinematography by David Watkin. It also won for its costume design.
BP035 Platoon (1986)
Released 22 May 2019
For this episode, we watched Platoon, written and directed by Oliver Stone (who was nominated in both capacities and won for his direction), starring Tom Berenger (nominated), Willem Dafoe (nominated) and Charlie Sheen. It also won for its sound and its editing.
BP034 Forrest Gump (1994) with special guest Joy Wilkinson
Released 8 May 2019
For this episode, we watched Forrest Gump, written by Eric Roth, from the novel by Winston Groom. It was directed by Robert Zemeckis, and both won Oscars for their work. The film also picked up awards for Tom Hanks in the leading role, its Editing and its Visual Effects. The cast includes Gary Sinise (nominated), Robin Wright, Mykelti Williamson and Sally Field.
BP033 Dances with Wolves (1990)
Released 24 April 2019
For this episode, we watched Dances with Wolves, written by Michael Blake (won), from his novel. Kevin Costner starred and won for his directing as well as for Best Picture with Jim Wilson. The film also won for its Score (John Barry), Sound, Editing and Cinematography.
BP032 A Man for All Seasons (1966) with special guest Garrett Millerick
Released 10 April 2019
For this episode, we watched A Man for All Seasons, written by Robert Bolt (won), from his stage play. It was directed by Fred Zinnemann (won) and starred Paul Scofield (won), Wendy Hiller (nominated), Leo McKern, Orson Welles, Robert Shaw (nominated) and Susannah York. It also won for its cinematography and costume design.
BP031 Unforgiven (1992)
Released 3 April 2019
For this episode, we watched Unforgiven, written by David Webb Peoples, and directed by Clint Eastwood, who also starred alongside Gene Hackman, Morgan Freeman and Richard Harris.
BP030 The English Patient (1996)
Released 20 March 2019
For this episode, we watched The English Patient, written and directed by Anthony Minghella and based on the novel by Michael Ondaatje. It won a staggering nine Academy Awards, including for Minghella as director, and for Juliet Binoche as Best Actress. The film also stars Ralph Fiennes (nominated), Kristin Scott Thomas (nominated), William Dafoe, Naveen Andrews, Colin Firth and Julian Wadham.
BP029 Gone with the Wind (1939)
Released 6 March 2019
For this episode, we watched Gone with the Wind, written by Sidney Howard (won), from the novel by Margaret Mitchell and directed by Victor Fleming (won). It starred Clark Gable (nominated), Vivien Leigh (won), Leslie Howard, Olivia de Haviland (nominated) and Hattie McDaniel (won). It also collected Oscars for its cinematography, editing and art direction.
BP028.5 Oscar Winners 2019
Released 27 February 2019
For this episode, John and Tom stayed up till 4:00am GMT watching the Oscars, and they’re joined by Jessica Regan at a much more civilised hour in Los Angeles to pore over the winners, the losers, the surprises and the catastrophes.
BP028 Casablanca (1943) with special guest Deborah Frances-White
Released 13 February 2019
For this episode, we watched Casablanca, live at the Cinema Museum in London. The screenplay was credited to Julius and Philip Epstein and Howard Koch, and it was directed by Michael Curtiz, based on the unproduced play Everybody Comes to Rick’s by Murray Burnett and Joan Alison. It starred Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Paul Henreid, Claude Rains, Conrad Veidt, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre and Madeleine Lebeau. As well as Best Picture, it won for its screenplay and direction.
BP027 The Great Ziegfeld (1936)
Released 30 January 2019
For this episode, we watched The Great Ziegfeld, written by William Anthony Maguire, directed by Robert Z Leonard and starring William Powell, Luise Rainer, Frank Morgan and – eventually – Myrna Loy. As well as Best Picture, it was one of only three films to win Best Dance Direction (Seymour Felix), and Luise Rainer won the first of her two consecutive Best Actress awards.
BP026.5 Oscar Nominations 2019
Released 23 January 2019
In this episode we quickly review the Academy Award nominations which were announced by the Academy on 22 January 2019.
BP026 All About Eve (1950) with special guest Yasmine Akram
Released 16 January 2019
For this episode, we watched All About Eve, written and directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, with cinematography by Milton R Krasner, music by Alfred Newman and starring Bette Davis, Anne Baxter, George Sanders, Celeste Holm, Gary Merrill, Hugh Marlowe and Thelma Ritter.
BP025 The Broadway Melody (1929)
Released 2 January 2019
For this episode, we watched The Broadway Melody, written by Edmund Goulding, Sarah Y. Mason, Norman Houston and James Gleason with songs by Nacio Herb Brown and Arthur Freed, and Willard Robison. The director was Harry Beaumont (nominated) and the film stars Charles King, Anita Page, Bessie Love (nominated) and Jed Prouty.
BP024.5 Christmas Quiz of the Year 2018
Released 26 December 2018
Comedian, actor and improviser Thom Tuck @TurlyGod joins us with a quiz he has set, covering the 24 films we have so far watched.
BP024 Cimarron (1931)
Released 19 December 2018
For this episode, we watched Cimmaron, written by Howard Estabrook and Louis Sarecky based on the novel by Edna Ferber. It was directed by Wesley Ruggles with music by Max Steiner. The stars were Richard Dix, Irene Dunne and Estelle Taylor.
BP023 On the Waterfront (1954)
Released 5 December 2018
For this episode, we watched On the Waterfront, written by Budd Schulberg (from the series of articles “Crime on the Waterfront” by Malcolm Johnson) and directed by Elia Kazan. The stars were Marlon Brando (Best Actor), Eva Marie Saint (Best Supporting Actress), Lee J Cobb, Rod Steiger, Karl Malden with music by Leonard Bernstein and cinematography by Boris Kaufman.
BP022 The Godfather (1972)
Released 22 November 2018
For this episode, we watched The Godfather, written by Francis Ford Coppola and Maria Puzo, from the novel by Puzo; directed by Coppola; music by Nino Rota; cinematography by Gordon Willis. It stars Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duval, John Cazale and Diane Keaton.
BP021 Kramer vs Kramer (1979)
Released 7 November 2018
For this episode, we watched Kramer vs Kramer, written by Robert Benton from the novel by Avery Corman, and directed by Benton. It stars Dustin Hoffman, Meryl Streep, Justin Henry and Jane Alexander.
BP020 It Happened One Night (1934) - with special guest Nat Luurtsema
Released 24 October 2018
For this episode, we watched It Happened One Night, written by Robert Riskin and Samuel Hopkins Adams and directed by Frank Capra. The stars were Clark Cable, Claudette Colbert, Walter Connolly, Roscoe Karns and Jameson Thomas.
BP019 The Sound of Music (1965)
Released 10 October 2018
For this episode, we watched The Sound of Music, written by Ernest Lehmann from the stage play by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse based on The Story of the Trapp Family by Maria von Trapp. Songs by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. Directed by Robert Wise. The film stars Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer and it won five Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Music.
BP018 Annie Hall (1977)
Released 26 September 2018
For this episode, we watched Annie Hall, written by Woody Allen and Marshall Brickman and directed by Allen, who also starred alongside Diane Keaton, Tony Roberts, Carol Kane and Paul Simon.
BP017 Around the World in Eighty Days (1956) - with special guest David K Barnes
Released 12 September 2018
For this episode, we watched Around the World in Eighty Days, written by James Poe, John Farrow and S J Perelman, based on the novel by Jules Verne. It was directed by Michael Anderson and produced by Mike Todd. Stars were David Niven, Cantinflas, Robert Newton and Shirley MacLaine with countless cameos besides.
BP016 In the Heat of the Night (1967)
Released 29 August 2018
For this episode, we watched In the Heat of the Night, written by Stirling Silliphant, based on the the novel by John Ball. It was directed by Norman Jewison, produced by Walter Mirisch and edited by Hal Ashby, with music by Quincy Jones and cinematography by Haskell Wexler. It starred Sidney Poitier, Rod Steiger, Warren Oates, Lee Grant and Larry Gates.
BP015 Patton (1970)
Released 15 August 2018
For this episode, we watched Patton, written by Francis Ford Coppola and Edmund H. North, based on the 1954 novel Patton: Ordeal and Triumph by Ladislas Farago and the 1961 novel A Soldier's Story by Omar N. Bradley. The director was Franklin J. Schaffner, the producer was Frank McCarthy and the film starred George C Scott with Karl Malden, Michael Bates and Edward Binns.
BP014 Grand Hotel (1932)
Released 1 August 2018
For this episode, we watched Grand Hotel, written by William A. Drake from his play, adapted from the German production Menschen im Hotel, written by Vicki Baum. The director was Edmund Goulding, the producer was Irving Thalberg and the all-star cast included Greta Garbo (who wants to be alone), John Barrymore, Joan Crawford, Wallace Beery, Lionel Barrymore, Lewis Stone and Jean Hersholt.
BP013 Schindler's List (1993) - with special guest Julian Simpson
Released 18 July 2018
For this episode, we watched Schindler’s List, written by Steven Zaillian based on the novel by Thomas Keneally, and directed by Steven Spielberg. It stars Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley, Ralph Fiennes, Caroline Goodall and Embeth Davidtz.
BP012 Crash (2005)
Released 4 July 2018
For this episode, we watched Crash, written by Paul Haggis and Bobby Moresco and directed by Haggis. It starred Sandra Bullock, Don Cheadle, Matt Dillon, Jennifer Esposito, Brendan Fraser, Terrance Howard, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Thandie Newton, Ryan Phillipe and Larenz Tate.
BP011 The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Released 20 June 2018
For this episode, we watched The Silence of the Lambs, written by Ted Tally from the book by Thomas Harris, directed by Jonathan Demme and starring Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Scott Glen and Ted Devine.
BP010 West Side Story (1961)
Released 6 June 2018
For this episode, we watched West Side Story, directed by Jerome Robbins and Robert Wise, with a screenplay by Ernest Lehmann from the stage musical produced by Hal Prince, directed by Robbins, book by Arthur Laurents, music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. The cast includes Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer, Rita Moreno, George Chakiris and Russ Tamblyn.
BP009 Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
Released 23 May 2018
For this episode, we watched Lawrence of Arabia, directed by David Lean and written by Robert Bolt and Michael Wilson, with cinematography by Freddie Young and music by Maurice Jarre. It stars Peter O’Toole, Alec Guinness, Anthony Quinn, Jack Hawkins, José Ferrer and Omar Shariff.
BP008 Terms of Endearment (1983)
Released 9 May 2018
For this episode, we watched Terms of Endearment, written and directed by James L Brooks, based on the book by Larry McMurtry and starring Shirley MacLaine, Debra Winger, Jack Nicholson, Jeff Daniels and John Lithgow.
BP007 The Departed (2006)
Released 25 April 2018
For this episode, we watched The Departed, directed by Martin Scorsese and written by William Monahan, based on Infernal Affairs, written by Alan Mak and Felix Chong, directed by Mak and Andrew Lau. It stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen, Ray Winstone and Vera Farmiga.
BP006 Ben Hur (1959)
Released 11 April 2018
For this episode, we watched Ben-Hur, written by Karl Tunberg (and uncredited others including Gore Vidal and Christopher Fry), from the novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ by General Lew Wallace. It was directed by William Wyler and starred Charlton Heston, Jack Hawkins, Haya Harareet, Stephen Boyd and Hugh Griffith.
BP005 American Beauty (1999) - with special guest Deborah Frances-White
Released 28 March 2018
For this episode, we watched American Beauty, written by Alan Ball and directed by Sam Mendes, both making their feature film debuts and both winning Academy Awards. Music was by Thomas Newman (nominated) and cinematography was by Conrad Hall (won). The cast includes Kevin Spacey (winning Best Actor), Annette Bening (nominated), Thora Birch, Alison Janney, Peter Gallagher, Mena Suvari, Wes Bentley, Chris Cooper.
BP004 From Here to Eternity (1953)
Released 14 March 2018
For this episode, we watched From Here to Eternity, written by Daniel Taradash from the novel by James Jones, directed by Fred Zinnemann, starring Burt Lancaster, Montgomery Clift, Deborah Kerr, Donna Reed, Frank Sinatra, Ernest Borgnine.
BP003.5 Oscar Winners 2018
Released 7 March 2018
Join our three hosts, somewhat blearily at 5:00am GMT as they quickly sum up the 90th Academy Awards.
BP003 Gladiator (2000)
Released 21 February 2018
For this episode, we watched Gladiator, written by David Franzoni, John Logan and William Nicholson, directed by Ridley Scott and starring Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen and Oliver Reed.
BP002 All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)
Released 7 February 2018
For our second episode, we watched All Quiet on the Western Front, based on the novel by Erich Maria Remarque, directed by Lewis Milestone and produced by Carl Laemmle, Jr. ("Uncle Carl Laemmle has a very large faemmle.")
BP001.5 Oscar Nominations 2018
Released 26 January 2018
Although the podcast is only on its first movie, we couldn’t wait to get back in front of the mics and talk to you about the Oscar nominations for this year. We don’t have a movie to watch but we have all sorts of confident predictions to make.
BP001 The Sting (1973)
Released 24 January 2018
**SPOILER WARNING** This podcast gives away major plot-points of The Sting, and we also discuss – among others – Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Wrestler, Fight Club, Ocean’s Eleven and The Sixth Sense.
BP000 It Begins
Released 10 January 2018
Our quest begins in the time-honoured way by assembling the team and assessing all of our special skills.