Groovy Movies

Part two of our Christopher Nolan recap takes us from Inception - the movie that made his name as an “IP” director - all the way to the present day and our hellish scramble to get IMAX tickets for The Odyssey . If you haven’t got yours yet, what are you waiting for? On our next and final episode, we’ll be concluding our 5-year run of Groovy Movies with a special episode discussing this most major...

In anticipation of The Odyssey's release, we’re traversing the course of Christopher Nolan’s career and plotting his signature hallmarks along the way. Plus: the box office-shattering success of Backrooms and Obsession , and the AI movie showing at Tribeca Film Festival.  References   Christian Zilko’s IndieWire article Nolan’s 60 Minutes interview  The Nolan Variations: The Movies, Mysteries,...

We take a deep dive into indie cinema’s biggest success story: production company A24. Plus, we discuss its latest hit, the non-rom-com The Drama . References That needle drop in The Drama we mentioned: "Inside Out" by Jesse Rae If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review! Produced and edited by Lily Austin and James Brailsford Original theme music by James Brailsfo...

This week we’re learning lessons from blockbusters: the latest, Project Hail Mary, and a classic, Jurassic Park. With the help of Hannah McGregor, the author of the brilliant “Clever Girl” and co-host of the podcast, Material Girls (do go and subscribe), we decipher the messages about care, chaos and lady monsters which lay under the wobbly surface (get it? that's a Jurassic Park reference) of...

After another lacklustre awards season and a decline in viewers, is it time to reinvent the awards ceremony or just retire it altogether? Then we get up to speed on the latest in the Warner Bros. takeover psychodrama (and future hopes for Star Trek nerds the world over), before reviewing two recent films that take big, beautifully flawed swings: Maggie Gyllenhaal’s The Bride and Oliver Laxe’s Sirā...

Finally, Valentine’s Day weekend has finally come to pass, which could only mean one thing: we’ve been to see Wuthering Heights - sorry, “Wuthering Heights” that is. Was it as erotic as the test screen audience reported? And can Jacob Elordi really not grow a beard?  We search for answers. References That World of Reel article   Emerald Fennell’s BFI interview on Wuthering Heights Emerald Fennell’...

We’re back and it is our 101st episode! And we’re marking the milestone with an area of special interest for James, and mostly special disinterest for Lily: Star Wars (or at least until she watched the burlesque show “The Empire Strips Back.” We take a whistlestop tour through the three sagas to consider how one of the great trilogies became such a mess. But could this year’s 50th anniversary of A...

What could be more festive than a masked orgy? Or an axe-wielding husband? Or a smart device going rogue in space? We finish this series with a Christmas special for those looking for an alternative movie recommendation during the holidays, by counting down our top 5 Kubrick Christmas movies.   ----------- If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review! Edited by Lily Austin Ori...

The end of the year is drawing in, you have precisely 15 days to catch the best movies of 2025 and/or swerve the worst. This mission, should you choose to accept it, can be aided by this very podcast. Enjoy.  References The reviewer of Actors On Actors - @theamateurstake BTS of the making of Kill Bill 's lost chapter for Fortnite Charli XCX's The Moment trailer Gwyneth Paltrow and Jacob...

We discuss the Netflix-Warner Bros. deal and whether or not this spells the end of cinema. Then we look at a lesser reported Netflix controversy - the streamer muscling in on The Hallmark Channel's turf, the festive rom-com. And to save this episode from too much doom and gloom, we finish with a fantastic new release, Harry Lighton's Pillion , starring Alexander Skarsgard and Harry Melli...

You may not have clocked it, given the lack of fanfare, but the third installment of Knives Out was released last week. Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery will only be in cinemas for 2 weeks, before moving to Netflix, but is it worth catching on the big screen? We also discuss WGA and SAG renegotiations which will be taking place in 2026. Is another strike on the cards? References For horror f...

This we’re revisiting one of our most popular early episodes, where we did the unthinkable and willingly watched the worst films ever made (allegedly). The hit list includes Howard the Duck, Mommie Dearest and, of course, The Room , along with our own submission, the apex of Roger Moore’s career, North Sea Hijack , in an attempt to figure out what it takes to achieve cult bad status.   References...

As Michael Mann’s Heat 2 inches closer to becoming a cinematic reality, we’re revisiting one of our earliest conversations about the great Al Pacino-Robert De Niro head-to-head, with special appearances from a young Natalie Portman and a wiggy Val Kilmer. References James Clark and Paul Szoldra, ‘That one scene in Heat that gave audiences the most realistic firefight in movie history’ Michael Mann...

It is all about melodrama this week. First we discuss Lynne Ramsay's spectacular new movie, Die My Love , starring Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson. Then we have a highlight from our guest appearance on The Ministry of Film podcast, where we talk about Brief Encounter , ahead of its re-release as part of the BFI's season "Too Much: Melodrama on Film". References Listen to...

Kelly Reichardt’s genre-defying heist movie, The Mastermind , is in cinemas, so we’re taking the opportunity to discuss our favourite capers. We also pay tribute to the longest running cinema release of all time  (from 1975 to present day), The Rocky Horror Picture Show , on its 50th anniversary. References Dogma: The Resurrection Tour ----------- If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and...

Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein hit cinemas this past weekend for a brief stint before moving to Netflix. We discuss his adaptation and why filmmakers keep returning to Mary Shelley’s classic story. We also look at the rumours circulating around a few big screen delays (namely the troubled Michael Jackson biopic) and, the 30 years in the waiting, Heat 2 - is it finally going into production?  Re...

Following the news of Diane Keaton’s death, we pay tribute to the rarest of things, a true Hollywood original. We also take you through the latest box office flops, Harris Dickinson’s thoughtful directorial debut, Urchin, and discuss the latest James Bond-Amazon controversy.  References Then Again , Diane Keaton’s memoir Harris Dickinson interview for BFI The Nickel cinema ----------- If you love...

From A Clockwork Orange to Cloud Atlas, via the many attempts at Don Quixote, we consider the challenge of adapting books deemed “unfilmable” and why directors can’t resist the challenge. ----------- If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review! Edited by Lily Austin Original music by James Brailsford Logo design by Alfie Garland groovymoviespod.co.uk Instagram TikTok Letterbo...

The wait is finally over. Our (best attempt at spoiler-free!) thoughts on Paul Thomas Anderson’s play for a blockbuster and an early look at the other films tipped for greatness this awards season. References Maggie Gyllenhaal’s The Bride trailer Token Homo’s queer horror season at Genesis cinema Horror season at Cultplex Long-ass movies at Prince Charles Cinema ----------- If you love what we do,...

We pay tribute to the late, great Robert Redford with some recommendations from his illustrious filmography and discuss the phenomenon of MIA movies - films which completed shooting but never made it to the big screen. References World of Reel’s MIA movies article Science Museum’s IMAX 70mm season ----------- If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review! Edited by Lily Austin...

Disney is struggling to appeal to Gen Z men, according at a Variety article. Is original IP the answer? This past weekend saw the release of The Golden Spurtle , a documentary about the world porridge-making contest. We discuss this and other delightfully absurd documentaries that have nothing to do with missing girls. And James delivers a Nolan progress report following the The Odyssey's sho...

Is a screen adaptation obliged to be faithful to the book? We wade into the controversy around Emerald Fennel’s forthcoming Wuthering Heights adaptation, review Darren Aronofsky’s Caught Stealing and discuss our highlights from the Venice Film Festival - namely the premiere of Megadoc , the behind-the-scenes documentary about Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis. References Emerald Fennel's  Wu...

We return just as it comes to the end of “popcorn season” - but is that term still relevant? From lukewarm hits like F1 and Superman, to surprise ones like Weapons and KPop Demon Hunters, we compare notes about the summer’s struggling box office. References James’ Letterboxd (be sure to follow Groovy Movies’ too!) The Projected Picture Trust Bradford Pictureville Our cinema recommendation Widescre...

Who better to wrap the season finale with than Christopher Nolan? But it would be too easy to go for Tenet or Inception, we’re going back to where things all began, with his very first film. Made for just £6000 (!) but with all the hallmarks of his later movies, it’s a great one to watch to see where it all began.  References  The Vine’s top 10 movies made on a shoestring  Nolan on Following -----...

What better way to celebrate Lily’s imminent nuptials than by watching a family musical based on a Roman legend about sexual assault? If you haven’t seen it, think Hollywood’s golden era with catchy tunes, luminous Metroscope (a rival to technicolor) and yes, some problematic gender politics. Enjoy. References Making-of featurette with Ruth Lee raving about corsets An American Cinematographer arti...