Kermode & Mayo’s Take

Is Wicked Pop-u-lar with Mark?
Thomasin McKenzie is this week’s guest—star of Edgar Wright’s ‘Last Night in Soho’, Mark’s film of the year 2018 ‘Leave No Trace’—and now ‘Joy’, a new Netflix drama about the development of IVF treatment at Oldham hospital in the 1970s. Written by Jack Thorne, the film’s medical miracle story is focalised through McKenzie’s character Jean Purdy—a talented embryologist whose work was key to the team’s breakthrough discovery, but whose name was left out of the history books. She chats to Simon about putting Jean back in the picture in this latest in a line of meaty and challenging roles for the young actor. Reviews this week of ‘Blink’, a poignant documentary following a family determined to travel the world and create precious visual memories for their three children, who are losing their sight—and Amrou Al-Kadhi's debut drag queen drama ‘Layla’, which follows the story of the titular performer (Bilal Hasna) as they discover their confidence and creativity whilst navigating their queer Arab identity. Plus the much-anticipated stage-to-screen musical ‘Wicked’. The Wizard of Oz prequel stars Cynthia Erivo as green-skinned misfit Elphaba, and Ariana Grande as glam girl Galinda, both still witches-to-be as they forge an unlikely and rocky friendship at university. We find out if Mark thinks it’s going to be ‘Pop-u-lar'... Plus top quality correspondence from you and typical witterings from the Good Doctors as per. Our Christmas Spectacular with Mark and Simon live onstage at London’s Prince Edward theatre is now sold out! Event info here: https://www.fane.co.uk/kermode-and-mayo Timecodes (for our ad-free Vanguardistas): Blink Review: 09:30 Thomasin McKenzie Interview: 30:18 Layla Review: ~47:49 Wicked Review: ~57:00 You can contact the show by emailing [email protected] or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: [email protected] And to find out more about Sony’s new show Origins with Cush Jumbo, click here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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1:11:09
Sir Ridley Scott on Gladiator II
‘Gladiator II’ director and legendary one-man blockbuster factory Ridley Scott is our guest this week. He joins Simon to discuss the long-awaited sequel to 2000’s modern classic, in which this time Paul Mescal plays Lucius, the long-exiled son of Russell Crowe’s Maximus. He finds himself back in Rome as a prisoner from his now-conquered adopted homeland, and must outfight and outwit his opponents and captors whilst guarding the secret of his ancestry. Simon talks to Ridley about swords, sandals, CGI and how he knew Paul Mescal would make a great Roman. We find out what Mark makes of the high-octane epic– do its mega action sequences jump the (Coliseum-swimming) shark? Plus we’ve got two more reviews of ‘The Last Dance’, a punchy drama set amidst the Hong Kong funeral business from director Anselm Chan—and ‘Christmas Eve in Miller’s Point’, a kooky indie holiday comedy with an ensemble cast including Matilda Fleming, Michael Cera and Francesca Scorsese. Spoiler alert – if a catastrophic weather event happened at Miller’s Point, Mark wouldn’t mourn its disappearance. More top takes from the Good Doctors. To our LTLs and newbies alike: strength and honour! Catch Mark and Simon live at our Christmas Spectacular – final tickets available here: https://www.fane.co.uk/kermode-and-mayo Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free): The Last Dance Review: 09:48 Sir Ridley Scott Interview: 28:23 Gladiator II Review: 44:19 Christmas Eve In Miller’s Point Review: 58:00 You can contact the show by emailing [email protected] or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: [email protected] And to find out more about Sony’s new show Origins with Cush Jumbo, click here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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1:08:39
Red One makes Mark explode in birdsong
Simon goes on a leafy adventure with Hugh Bonneville to talk ‘Paddington In Peru’, the latest addition to the most kind and polite of all cinematic universes—and for those of us who need cheering up this week, their conversation is just the tonic. The film sees Britain’s favourite bear journey back to his native land with the Brown family on a quest to visit Aunt Lucy. Pass the marmalade sandwiches. Plus, Mark reviews ‘Blitz’, Steve McQueen’s wartime drama starring Saoirse Ronan as a mother attempting to navigate a bombarded London with her young son; Andrea Arnold’s free-spirited social realist drama ‘Bird’ starring Barry Keoghan; and, as we enter the Christmas Corridor, ‘Red One’ in which the North Pole’s head of Security (played by Dwayne Johnson) teams up with an infamous bounty hunter (Chris Evans) to save a kidnapped Santa Claus. Another week of top takes from Mark & Simon! A few extra tickets for our Live Christmas Spectacular have dropped – snap them up here before they go: https://www.fane.co.uk/kermode-and-mayo Timecodes (for Vanguardistas, who also listen ad-free): Bird review: 08:25 Blitz Review: 13:53 Hugh Bonneville Interview: 28:59 Paddington In Peru Review: 45:35 Red One Review: 56:32 You can contact the show by emailing [email protected] or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: [email protected] And to find out more about Sony’s new show Origins with Cush Jumbo, click here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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1:09:37
When Simon Met Billy (Crystal)...
This week, Simon is joined by the one and only Billy Crystal to talk all about his starring role in the Apple TV+ psychological thriller series ‘Before’, which sees a child psychiatrist who, having tragically lost his wife to suicide, encounters a troubled young boy who seems to have a haunting connection to his past. Their conversation is intelligent, insightful and so long that we had to put some of it in Take 2. Truly, one for the K&M ages! Meanwhile, Mark reviews ‘Small Things Like These’, a period drama that sees Cillian Murphy play a devoted father who uncovers disturbing secrets at the local convent, which leads him to discover shocking truths about his own past; ‘Heretic’, a Hugh Grant-starring horror about two mormon missionaries who attempt to convert a seemingly normal man, only to find themselves fighting for their lives in a deadly game of cat-and-mouse; and ‘Anora’, the Palme D’Or-winning latest from Sean Baker, which sees a young sex worker impulsively marry the son of an oligarch, only to have her fairytale threatened when the news reaches his family. Another stellar week at the Take. We’ll have what Simon’s having! Plus, get your tickets to our Live Christmas Spectacular here: https://www.fane.co.uk/kermode-and-mayo Timecodes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!): Small Things Like These Review: 08:53 Billy Crystal Interview: 26:26 Heretic Review: 42:23 Anora Review: 53:24 You can contact the show by emailing [email protected] or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: [email protected] And to find out more about Sony’s new show Origins with Cush Jumbo, click here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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1:07:43
Emilia Pérez: Have We Found the Film of the Year?
This week, Simon and Mark interrupt Ben Wheatley’s breakfast (sadly not Wheaties) to about his new comedy horror miniseries ‘Generation Z’, which sees an army truck crash outside a care home, infecting the residents and leaving four teenage friends to deal with the deadly consequences. Mark also weighs in on the show, as well as giving his take on ‘Emilia Pérez’, Jacques Audiard’s musical-comedy, which looks set to be an Awards contender, and sees a Mexican lawyer offered an unusual job to help a notorious cartel boss retire and transition into living as a woman; ‘The Room Next Door’, Spanish auteur Pedro Almodovar’s full-length English-language debut following Tilda Swinton as a dying journalist trying to reconnect with her best friend; and ‘Venom: The Last Dance’, the third instalment in the Tom Hardy-starring superhero franchise, which sees Eddie Brock and the symbiote Venom go on the run when they are hunted by both of their worlds. Another tasty week of cinematic nourishment at The Take! Plus, get your tickets to our Live Christmas Spectacular here: https://www.fane.co.uk/kermode-and-mayo Timecodes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!): Emilia Pérez Review: 08:31 Ben Wheatley Interview: 29:42 Generation Z Review: 44:58 The Room Next Door Review: 50:50 Venom: The Last Dance Review: 56:47 You can contact the show by emailing [email protected] or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: [email protected] And to find out more about Sony’s new show Origins with Cush Jumbo, click here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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1:12:23

The new home of Mark Kermode and Simon Mayo. They’re back, and it’s bigger, and better and larger-er and more-er. Film reviews, TV reviews, and all your conversation around movie and non-movie related stuff. Plus a whole bunch of recommendations to watch in cinemas, on all streaming services and on physical media. As well as the film and TV reviews, Mark and Simon will be talking about anything and everything. Punctuation, Thunderbirds, obscure German pop music, fax machines, subtitles, MRI scans, magic, school assemblies, Scandinavia, and don’t forget the dad jokes. EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! Want more Kermode & Mayo? Subscribe to Kermode & Mayo’s Extra Takes for ad-free listening plus access to our subscriber-exclusive show - TAKE TWO, new episodes every Monday. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking try free at the top of our show page. If you’re not a fruit-based person, never fear! Subscribe at Extratakes.com to get access on your preferred podcast platform. There's more to discover at kermodeandmayo.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices