Bah Humbug: A Christmas Movie Podcast with Helen O'Hara

It's Christmas Eve at Wayne Manor, and little Damian Wayne is home alone. WHAT COULD GO WRONG? Well, this animated caper suggests quite a lot might happen, and our young hero is going to have to extend every bit of his efforts to saving Christmas for the whole of Gotham. It's a madcap adventure, and joining your host, Helen O'Hara (@HelenLOHara) in the studio to talk about it is film journalist an...

Bad news: you've lost your job and your wife and daughter have left you. Good news: you just rubbed a random antique and a genie popped out. That's the premise of the new film Genie, starring Paapa Esiedu and Melissa McCarthy and based on a Richard Curtis TV film of 1991. We spoke to director Sam Boyd all about directing this new version of the story, and then your host Helen O'Hara (@HelenLOHara)...

You know the one about the dyslexic who sold his soul to Satan? Well, imagine that but it's a family comedy starring Eddie Murphy and instead of Satan it's a rogue Christmas elf. We have an exclusive interview with director Reginald Hudlin and screenwriter Kelly Younger to find out more about how it all came together. Then join your host, Helen O'Hara (@HelenLOHara) and film journalist James Dyer...

How can the same s**t happen to the same couple twice, as John McClane might ask? Well, it's a bigger and weirder mix-up of Christmas plans in this British comedy, the sequel to last year's Your Christmas Or Mine. We're once again joined by stars Asa Butterfield and Cora Kirk to talk about everything that went into making this Alpine adventure, and then author, journalist and podcaster Kat Brown j...

It was a famous flop, but the big-budget magic of Santa Claus: The Movie - just re-released in cinemas in a new 4K format - still has a lot to offer. That's especially true for today's guest, comedian and author Marc Burrows (@20thCenturyMarc), who joins your host Helen O'Hara (@HelenLOHara) to talk animatronic reindeer, Mrs Claus-related trauma and the fear of floating away into space forever. Sa...

It's a spectacular pun, based on the best Christmas Film Of All Time (TM), but now with added slasher action. This Christmas horror isn't for the faint of heart, but definitely has lots of red in it, a small-town where everyone has lessons to learn about the holiday spirit, and even a bit of romance. What's not to love? Your host, Helen O'Hara (@HelenLOHara) is joined by film journalist and Disniv...

It's 20 years since perhaps the best year for Christmas movies, the 2003 binge that gave us Love Actually, Elf and Bad Santa. But it also gave us one other Christmas classic, less well-known but at least as good. Your host, Helen O'Hara (@HelenLOHara), sits down with Jake Cunningham and Michael Leader of @Ghiblioteque to discuss Satoshi Kon's extraordinary Tokyo Godfathers and how it fits into tha...

It wouldn't be Christmas without some variation on A Christmas Carol attacking our screens, and this year offers two new takes on Charles Dickens' classic story. So Victoriana enthusiast Sarah Cooke joins the pod to talk about both, and The Dickens Fellowship General Secretary Paul Graham stops by to explain what it is about this story that has made it such a hardy perennial. To quote the Victoria...

Another special bonus episode today, this time focusing on Christmas monsters. Dr Emily Zarka has made an academic study of things that go bump in the night, and as well as teaching her students how to survive the monster apocalypse (we assume) she's the host of PBS show Monstrum. We invited her to come in for a chat earlier this year about the Krampus, and all the many Anti-Clauses out there that...

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has delivered another Christmas-themed treat, and Radio 1 film critic Ali Plumb joins us to discuss it. This time it's a one-off short that sees Dave Bautista's Drax and Pom Klementieff's Mantis head to Earth to kidnap Kevin Bacon. Ah, Christmas spirit! If you’ve enjoyed listening to “BAH HUMBUG”, please take a moment to give us a lovely 5 STAR rating on Apple Podcast...

One of the classics turns a sprightly 75 this year, so film historian Pamela Hutchinson and The Independent's film critic Clarisse Loughrey took the time out to talk Cary Grant, angels, having fantasies of someone tidying your office, and the many charms of The Bishop's Wife... If you’ve enjoyed listening to “BAH HUMBUG”, please take a moment to give us a lovely 5 STAR rating on Apple Podcasts. It...

Brace yourself: The Noel Diary is a Netflix Christmas romance that has some actual dramatic substance! Film critic Amon Warmann and editor Amanda Keats get involved in the discussion of this story of buried family secrets, long-lost parents and a tiny degree of actual realism among the fairy lights. If you’ve enjoyed listening to “BAH HUMBUG”, please take a moment to give us a lovely 5 STAR rating...

Christmas is not just a time for peace and joy; it also makes a great setting for mayhem. The Evolution Of Horror's Michael Muncer comes by to talk about this robot killer Santa Claus movie, while director Joe Begos drops in to explain just why he loves carnage. If you’ve enjoyed listening to “BAH HUMBUG”, please take a moment to give us a lovely 5 STAR rating on Apple Podcasts. It really helps ot...

It's strange that one of America's favourite holiday films, A Christmas Story, is barely a blip on the radar in the UK, but with new sequel A Christmas Story Christmas emerging this year, now seemed like the perfect time to discuss the phenomenon that is Ralphie Parker (Peter Billingsley) and his desperate quests for the perfect Christmas. Sam Clements, of The Holiday Season podcast, 90 Minutes Or...

Tim Allen returns in the role that defined Santa for a generation - this time on the small screen - and film critics Tom Beasley and Charlotte Harrison drop by to give their verdict. Allen's Scott Calvin is thinking of turning in the suit and retiring to Florida, but first he has to find another Santa to replace him. All these legal clauses, who'd think magical figures had so much bureaucracy? If...

A special bonus episode today, with Your Christmas Or Mine screenwriter Tom Parry explaining how his Christmas comedy of errors came to be, and how he spends his own Christmas. Best enjoyed in conjunction with the Your Christmas Or Mine episode, of course, which also contains cast interviews. If you’ve enjoyed listening to “BAH HUMBUG” please take a moment to give us a lovely 5 STAR rating on Appl...

It's time for one of the big ones! The Muppet Christmas Carol turns 30 this year so podcaster Tom Salinsky and film critic Olly Richards dropped in to explain why it's one of the absolutely nailed on Christmas classics. Does it need the extra song that's been added back in? What's it like to meet Kermit? All these and more questions will be answered. If you’ve enjoyed listening to “BAH HUMBUG”, pl...

Lindsay Lohan is back, and this time she's in a Christmas movie that dares ask, what if Overboard, but no-one was awful? Cathy and Dave from The Cinemile join Bah Humbug for a thorough dissection of the hunky hotel owner that an amnesiac Lohan meets, and discuss all the movie's couples we wish had ended up together... If you’ve enjoyed listening to “BAH HUMBUG”, please take a moment to give us a l...

What if Jolly Old Saint Nick went bloody all John Wick? That's the brilliant premise of Tommy Wirkola's fun Christmas action movie, and author and award-winning podcast Maria Lewis joins the show to talk through all the madness of a film where David Harbour's Santa Claus does for man-buns what Colin Firth once did for wet shirts. If you’ve enjoyed listening to “BAH HUMBUG”, please take a moment to...

This Is Christmas is the heartwarming story of what might happen if you stood up and talked to some strangers on the train. No, it's not about murder! People can be nice. Joining your host, Helen O'Hara, is guest Christmas expert and journalist Olly Richards. We're also joined by the star of the film, Alfred Enoch, who has perhaps the most unusual taste in Christmas movies you'll ever hear..." If...

Welcome back to Bah Humbug for another Christmas season! Today we're starting with Your Christmas Or Mine, the first of two train-based British Christmas movies this year. Here, young lovers James (Asa Butterfield) and Hayley (Cora Kirk) decide to surprise one another at Christmas - only to miss one another in the middle and end up at the other's family home without a support net. We spoke to both...

In order to celebrate the release of Helen's book "Women Vs Hollywood" in North America, we're releasing this special episode featuring the full interview with the amazing Lani Diane Rich. If you're in North America make sure to grab a copy now! You can follow Lani Diane Rich (she/her): @LaniDianeRich on Twitter Find out more about her work at https://lanidianerich.com/  You can purchase Women vs...

In order to celebrate the release of Helen's book "Women Vs Hollywood" in paperback, we're releasing this special episode featuring the full episode with Shelley Stamp. If you prefer paperback books or love purple books make sure to grab a copy now! Shelley Stamp (she/her): @StampShelley on Twitter  Find out more about her work at https://people.ucsc.edu/~stamp/research/Shelley_Stamp/Home.html  Yo...

Bert and Bertie, directors of the Marvel TV show, join Helen to talk all about filming a TV show based at Christmas If you’ve enjoyed listening to “BAH HUMBUG” please take a moment to give us a lovely 5 STAR rating on Apple Podcasts. It really helps other people to find the show. If you haven’t done so already please subscribe to this podcast so you auto-magically get the next episodes for free an...

Everyone loves "Home Alone", don't they? Well maybe not! Ali Plumb and Chris Hewitt join Helen to debate this as well as discussing the latest film in the series "Home Sweet Home Alone" If you’ve enjoyed listening to “BAH HUMBUG” please take a moment to give us a lovely 5 STAR rating on Apple Podcasts. It really helps other people to find the show. If you haven’t done so already please subscribe t...