The Discourse

Welcome back to THE DISCOURSE, a podcast about film, entertainment & culture. In this episode, Carl and Tony chat about the contentious issue of Jewish casting in upcoming films Golda and Maestro. Should gentiles like Helen Mirren & Bradley Cooper be playing Jewish people and what does that say for representation, especially in the current febrile climate? Plus! Following a ScreenCrush article abo...

Welcome back to THE DISCOURSE, a podcast about film, entertainment & culture. In this episode, Tony and Carl talk about the woman on everyone's lips - Taylor Swift. Turns out our Dr. Sweeney is quite the Swiftie as we discuss her new film, The Eras Tour, and her general cultural dominance. Warning: contains singing. Also, following a recent Atlantic article about the history and future of streamin...

Welcome back to THE DISCOURSE, a podcast about film, entertainment & culture. In this episode, Tony and Carl begin by returning to the thorny issue of the BBC.Following the Gary Lineker social media debacle earlier this year, a clause now exists to restrict political opinion of their major broadcasters while on air. Is this sensible or repressive? Also, they take a look at a new Rolling Stone list...

Welcome back to THE DISCOURSE, a podcast about film, entertainment & culture. In this episode, Carl and Tony start by revisiting a recurring topic - Martin Scorsese vs Comic Book Cinema. Or not really, as he's once again been totally taken out of context as part of a much bigger discussion about cinema and culture, which they get into. Also, with reports that Gen Z are being scammed more than gene...

Welcome back to THE DISCOURSE, a podcast about film, entertainment & culture. In this episode, Carl and Tony start by discussing the great news of the week - the end of the WGA Strike! They get into some of the details and analyse what the end of the strike means, and what battles still lie ahead. Also, as Mark Kermode steps down as lead film reviewer for The Observer, they discuss the man, his ca...

Welcome back to THE DISCOURSE, a podcast about film, entertainment & culture. In this episode, Tony & Carl discuss the biggest topic right now in UK news: Russell Brand. They look at how the media have responded to the allegations about him, the wider context, and the growing conversations about the toxicity of the 2000s. Also, Bo Nicholson pops back in to ask us a follow up question to our discus...

Welcome back to THE DISCOURSE, a podcast about film, entertainment & culture. In this episode, Tony & Carl do a bit of well-earned naval gazing as The Discourse celebrates a year and 105 episodes of age,They get into how the podcast started, what podcasting means these days, some of their favourite stories and episodes across the year, plus how the podcast has evolved...-Remember: subscribe to THE...

Welcome back to THE DISCOURSE, a podcast about film, entertainment & culture. In this episode, Carl & Tony tackle three varied topics. They start with Ryan Air and their remarkable TikTok channel, which throws shade and insults at their customers. Are they breaking new ground? And how does it connect to Donald Trump? Speaking of politics, they debate whether they should be unnerved or just laugh a...

Welcome back to THE DISCOURSE, a podcast about film, entertainment & culture. In this episode, Carl & Tony tackle two related film-centric topics. A recent piece has exposed the alleged dodgy dealings behind Rotten Tomatoes reviewing, leading us to debate the merits and negatives of the site, and how it has influenced Hollywood. Plus! With Roman Polanski's latest film The Palace getting excoriatin...

Welcome back to THE DISCOURSE, a podcast about film, entertainment & culture. In this episode, Tony & Carl get into one steamy and one not so steamy topic. To kick off, they discuss how Yorgos Lanthimos' Poor Things has caused a right hoo ha over some explicit sex, and question whether it's a reaction to how sexless American cinema has become. Plus they get into the flipside, and a growing amount...

Welcome back to THE DISCOURSE, a podcast about film, entertainment & culture. In this episode, Tony & Carl return after a few weeks away, partly on holiday, for two semi-related topics. They start with the Chinese influence on Hollywood and how the state are perniciously implanting propaganda into the biggest blockbusters, such as Barbie and Meg 2. Where does it end? Plus they discuss Barbie and o...

Welcome back to THE DISCOURSE, a podcast about film, entertainment & culture. In this episode, recorded live in Birmingham's Custard Factory in Digbeth as part of a We Made This podcasters meet up, Carl & Tony celebrate their 100th episode with a range of special guests! They chat with Kurt North (Make It So) about the Lionesses and women's football, in advance of the England vs Spain World Cup fi...

Welcome back to THE DISCOURSE, a podcast about film, entertainment & culture. In this episode, recorded live in Birmingham's Custard Factory in Digbeth as part of a We Made This podcasters meet up, Carl & Tony dig into the Rachel Zegler/Snow White controversy & wonder whether actors need to/should be fandom nerds like the audience watching them. Plus! They examine a recent piece decrying solo acts...

Welcome back to THE DISCOURSE, a podcast about film, entertainment & culture. In this episode, Carl & Tony discuss the growing issue of moralism in art, and how fractious the discourse seems be around it. Plus! In What We've Been Watching, they chat about the new Apple TV thriller Hijack, Disney+ show The Bear, the films of Ben Wheatley & more...-Remember: subscribe to THE DISCOURSE+ for early acc...

Welcome back to THE DISCOURSE, a podcast about film, entertainment & culture. In this episode, Carl & Tony get into the debacle that was Secret Invasion and whether it signals a decline for the Marvel TV universe. Plus! Following a piece on the use of practical sets and effects in recent movies (including Barbie, which Tony feeds back on after seeing it) and wonder if there is a backlash against C...

Welcome back to THE DISCOURSE, a podcast about film, entertainment & culture. In this episode, Tony & Carl present some older discourse, from their previous podcast MOTION PICTURES, for a two-part discussion where they talk, in advance of Ben Wheatley's The Meg 2, his & Alfred Hitchcock's adaptations of Daphne du Maurier's classic novel, Rebecca. Hope you enjoyed the first part yesterday...-Rememb...

Welcome back to THE DISCOURSE, a podcast about film, entertainment & culture. In this episode, Tony & Carl present some older discourse, from their previous podcast MOTION PICTURES, for a two-part discussion where they talk, in advance of Ben Wheatley's The Meg 2, his & Alfred Hitchcock's adaptations of Daphne du Maurier's classic novel, Rebecca. Look out for the second part tomorrow...-Remember:...

Welcome back to THE DISCOURSE, a podcast about film, entertainment & culture. In this special episode, Tony & Carl discuss Greta Gerwig's BARBIE, recently released in cinemas. They examine the film in non-spoilery terms, analyse the initial box office, and get into the 'Barbenheimer' effect, and what lessons could be learned from its organic success. Remember: subscribe to THE DISCOURSE+ for early...

Welcome back to THE DISCOURSE, a podcast about film, entertainment & culture. In this special episode, Tony & Carl discuss Christopher Nolan's OPPENHEIMER, recently released in cinemas. They examine the film in spoilery and non-spoilery terms, analyse the initial box office, and question many of the moral and political questions it presents. Remember: subscribe to THE DISCOURSE+ for early access,...

Welcome back to THE DISCOURSE, a podcast about film, entertainment & culture. Good morning, listeners. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to join Carl & Tony as they discuss Christopher McQuarrie's MISSION IMPOSSIBLE - DEAD RECKONING: PART ONE, recently released in cinemas. They examine the film in spoilery and non-spoilery terms, analyse the initial box office, and discuss the ever...

Welcome back to THE DISCOURSE, a podcast about film, entertainment & culture. In this episode, Carl & Tony get into a heavy and somewhat downbeat news week by tackling the Huw Edwards scandal that has embroiled the BBC, and poses big questions again about the regulation of British press and the public interest. Also, they react to the recent SAG-AFTRA strike by actors in the US, in solidarity with...

Welcome back to THE DISCOURSE, a podcast about film, entertainment & culture. In this episode, Tony & Carl discuss the growing use of AI in the entertainment industry, concerning the BBFC and Marvel with Secret Invasion. Is it already going too far? Also, they get into sleazy entertainment by discussing HBO's The Idol, the recent movie No Hard Feelings, and whether we're entering a new puri-teen-i...

Welcome back to THE DISCOURSE, a podcast about film, entertainment & culture. In this special episode, Tony & Carl discuss James Mangold's INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY, recently released in cinemas. They examine the film in spoilery and non-spoilery terms, analyse the initial box office, and question whether the place of nostalgia in Hollywood storytelling is approaching an end. Remember:...

Welcome back to THE DISCOURSE, a podcast about film, entertainment & culture. In this episode, Carl & Tony discuss the state of film criticism following a Chris Stuckmann video - have we lost the ability to dissect film in a nuanced way? Plus, following a piece about how England & Man City footballer Jack Grealish might be rejecting toxic masculine forms, they wonder whether this signals a trend i...

Welcome back to THE DISCOURSE, a podcast about film, entertainment & culture. In this episode, Carl & Tony begin with a pleasant topic - Germany's plan to give all 18 year olds money to engage in culture, and they ask if it would work in the UK.Plus, as writers call for the end to creative humanities degrees in the UK, the recently PhD'd Carl wonders about whether we ought to better recognise thes...