‘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

Introducing An AI Advantage for the US Open from Smart Talks with IBM.

Follow the show: Smart Talks with IBM

As AI technology progresses, its impact on our daily lives—including how we consume our favorite sports— will grow alongside it. In this episode of Smart Talks with IBM, Jacob Goldstein, host of Pushkin’s own What’s Your Problem?, sat down with Brian Ryerson, Senior Director of Digital Strategy at the US Tennis Association. They discuss the impact of data on the fan experience, the role that storytelling plays in sports, and how AI has unlocked innovative features, such as AI Commentary and Match Reports. 

This is a paid advertisement from IBM. The conversations on this podcast don't necessarily represent IBM's positions, strategies or opinions.

Visit us at https://ibm.com/smarttalks

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

DISCLAIMER: Please note, this is an independent podcast episode not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in conjunction with the host podcast feed or any of its media entities. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are solely those of the creators and guests. For any concerns, please reach out to [email protected].

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

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

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

This week, Mark is joined by Ben Bailey Smith to give you the lowdown on the week’s cinematic releases.

Ben chats to Naomi Scott about her tour-de-force performance in ‘Smile 2’, the second outing for the smash-hit horror-thriller franchise.

It’s a big week for Mark as two of his favourite interests converge – reviewing films and Donald Trump – in ‘The Apprentice’, the Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong-starring story of how a young Donald Trump started his real-estate business in 1970s and ‘80s New York with the helping hand of his infamous lawyer Roy Cohn.

He also gives his take on ‘The Wild Robot’, a starry animated sci-fi survival film, which sees a robot shipwrecked on a deserted island and forced to adapt to its new surroundings, developing a parental bond with an orphaned gosling in the process.

Strap in for some stellar takes!

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!):

The Wild Robot Review: 07:21

Naomi Scott Interview: 24:35

Smile 2 Review: 39:49

The Apprentice Review: 52:02

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

This week’s guest is everyone’s favourite foul-mouthed politico-cum-Time Lord. That’s right, Peter Capaldi is on the show to tell Simon all about Season 2 of his time-bending, psychological thriller show ‘The Devil’s Hour’.

Mark reviews ‘Transformers One’, an animated sci-fi action film based on the Hasbro toy line, which explores the untold origin story of Optimus Prime and Megatron, better known as sworn enemies, but once friends bonded like brothers who changed the fate of Cyberton forever; ‘Salem’s Lot’, the latest adaptation of Stephen King’s classic supernatural horror novel, which sees an author return to his childhood home in search for some inspiration for his next book, only to discover that people are mysteriously turning into blood-sucking vampires; and ‘Timestalker’, a historical sci-fi romantic comedy in which a hapless woman falls for the wrong guy, dies a grim death and is reincarnated a century later. As she experiences romantic misfortune through different eras of history, she seeks to avoid repeat mistakes and finally break the cycle.

What will be Mark’s film of the week? Listen and see!

Plus, get tickets to our Live Christmas Spectacular here: https://www.fane.co.uk/kermode-and-mayo

And vote for us for Best Co-Host Team at the prestigious Signal Awards here. Let’s win this thing!:  https://vote.signalaward.com/PublicVoting#/2024/shows/craft/best-co-host-team-pop-culture-podcasts

Timecodes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!):

Transformers One Review: 06:21

Peter Capaldi Interview: 27:55

Salem’s Lot Review: 45:20

Timestalker Review: 54:08

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

Mark and Simon think you'll love Origins with Cush Jumbo. In this podcast, Cush meets some of the stars of stage and screen, and so they're giving you a little taster of what you can expect to hear.

Here's an exert from Cush's episode with David Schwimmer, a master of comedy, who we all feel we know insideout as Ross Geller. He appeared in 236 episodes of Friends, runs his own theatre company (for the last 36 years!), is a dad and also a great friend of Cush's. They discuss his early jobs before Friends, and a serious role he had to turn down decades ago, that might have changed everything.

If you enjoy this teaser, head over to https://pod.link/1761431583 and follow the show so you don't miss an episode.

A Sony Music Entertainment production

Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us at @sonypodcasts

To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email [email protected]

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week’s guests are Take fave Joaquin Phoenix and writer-director Todd Phillips, who tell Simon all about ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’, their musical thriller follow-up to the 2019 smash hit ‘Joker’, which sees failed comedian Arthur Fleck meeting the love of his life, Harley Quinn, while incarcerated at Arkham State Hospital.

Mark also gives his take on the film, as well as offering his thoughts on various new releases, including ‘Harder Than the Rock’, a documentary exploring the overlooked impact and influence of the UK’s first reggae band, Cimarons, as they persevere against all odds and follow their dream of playing to live audiences one last time; and ‘A Different Man’, a black comedy psychological thriller, which sees an aspiring actor undergo a radical medical procedure to drastically transform his appearance, only for this new dream face to turn into a nightmare when he becomes obsessed with reclaiming what was lost. An interesting companion piece with ‘The Substance’, we reckon.

Another brilliant session with the Good Doctors.

Timecodes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!):

Harder Than The Rock Review: 08:05

Joaquin Phoenix and Todd Phillips Interview: 32:11

Joker: Folie À Deux Review: 48:13

A Different Man Review: 58:39

We're doing a LIVE show: Kermode and Mayo's Christmas Movie Spectacular - December 8th at 2.30pm at the Prince Edward Theatre in London. Tickets are selling fast at www.fane.co.uk/kermode-and-mayo

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

This week’s guests are Saoirse Ronan and Paapa Essiedu, who are on the show to tell Simon all about their addiction recovery drama ‘The Outrun’, which sees Ronan star as a young woman fresh out of rehab, as she returns home to the wild Orkney Islands after more than a decade away. The pair discuss everything from their characters’ chemistry to Stephen Graham’s influence on Ronan’s performance – and there’s even more in Take 2!

Mark also weighs in on the film, as well as giving his take on various new releases, including ‘My Old Ass’, which sees a girl’s 18-birthday magic mushroom trip bring her face-to-face with her wise-cracking 39-year-old self.

And brace yourself for one of Mark’s finest hours of criticism with his take on Francis Ford Coppola’s long-awaited ‘Megalopolis’. You’ll be replaying this one, that’s for sure.

Another great week at the Take!

Timecodes (relevant only for the Vanguard - who are also ad-free!):

My Old Ass Review – 10:19

Saoirse Ronan and Paapa Essiedu Interview – 32:58

The Outrun Review – 46:47

Megalopolis Review – 56:52

We're doing a LIVE show: Kermode and Mayo's Christmas Movie Spectacular - December 8th at 2.30pm at the Prince Edward Theatre in London. Tickets are selling fast at www.fane.co.uk/kermode-and-mayo

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

We're excited to announce the xmas show, click here for an exclusive chance to secure your tickets:

www.fane.co.uk/kermode-and-mayo

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices