Last week A24’s Civil War was released and we have mixed feelings about it. Will their biggest-budget movie to date prove itself at the box office? And is a movie about war and an American fascist leader really what we want to see right now? References‘The Rise and Rise of A24’, The Economist (not credited)Director Alex Garland speaking to The Hollywood Reporter about Civil War‘Box Office: ‘Civil War’ Makes $2.9 Million in Previews, Best Ever for an A24 Movie’ by Jordan Moreau for VarietyFilm PharmacyPerfect Days (2023) dir. by Wim WendersIdiocracy (2006) dir. by Mike Judge-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Original music by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us

It takes skill to capture the effortless spontaneity of a really good party scene. Relatively few nail it but when they do, they really do. This week we compile our top 5 party scenes; from teenage house parties to rave afters, with a surreal French restaurant jamboree sandwiched in the middle.ReferencesThe party scene in 10 Things I Hate About YouThe afterparty in Human Traffic (1999)The party scene in Playtime (1967)The party scene in The Great BeautyWatch Steve McQueen’s Lovers Rock here on BBC iPlayerAn oral history of 10 Things I Hate About You by David Krumholtz for VultureA cute 10 Things I Hate About You behind-the-scenes featurette Retrospective with the Human Traffic cast in by Phil Hoad for The GuardianJacques Tati’s ways of working told by two extras from PlaytimeSteve McQueen Q&A about Lovers RockFilm PharmacyThe Tree of Life (2011) dir. by Terrence Malick Tron: Legacy (2010) dir. by Joseph KosinskiThe Color of Pomegrates (1969) dir. by Sergei ParajanovModern Times (1936) dir. by Charlie Chaplin-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Original music by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us

We’re going back to the horniest years in Hollywood history for another scandalous pre-coder; Baby Face, the 1933 movie that was so shocking it solidified cinema’s censorship for the next 30 years. Watch it for free here. ReferencesWill Hays IRLYou Must Remember This’ episode on Will Hays and “Pre-Code” Hollywood  Wes Anderson Talks Early Hollywood Censorship in ‘TCM Picks’ Video for Barbara Stanwyck’s ‘Baby Face’ by Etan Vlessing for The Hollywood ReporterHow the Catholic Church censored Hollywood's Golden Age by Vox on YouTubeBaby Face: The End Of The Pre-Code Era by Paul J. Bradley for Classic Film JournalRemembering Hollywood's Hays Code, 40 Years On by Bob Mondello for NPR‘Tracing Hollywood’s Legacy of Self-Censorship through a Comparative Analysis of the Film Baby Face (1933) in its Censored and Uncensored Forms’ by Morgan B. LockhartFrom femme fatale to cattle rancher: how Barbara Stanwyck bucked convention by Pamela Hutchinson for The GuardianBarbara Stanwyck: 10 essential films by Lynsey Ford for BFIBarbara Stanwyck’s NY Times obituary Film PharmacyOld Boy (2004) dir. by Park Chan-wookKiller Joe (2012) dir. by William Friedkin-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Original music by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us

-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Original music by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us

It’s been out for a week but we’re not taking any chances. Here is our painstakingly spoiler-free discussion of Dune: Part Two, plus our thoughts on Madame Web and a sexy addition to the Film Pharmacy.ReferencesDenis Villeneuve on Dune: Part Two and dialogue v. cinematography for The Times‘Dune: Part Two’ Star Stellan Skarsgard Laughed Seeing Austin Butler as Feyd-Rautha: Butler ‘Really Enjoyed Being Evil’ by Michaela Zee for VarietyDune: Part Two’s box office success and what it means for the film industry by Anthony D’Alessandro for DeadlineFilm PharmacyBound (1996) dir. by the WachowskisBlack Narcissus (1947) dir. by Powell and PressburgerUnfaithful (2002) dir. by Adrian Lyne10 Things I Hate About You (1999) dir. by Gil JungerFish Tank (2009) dir. by Andrea ArnoldLove dir. by Gaspar Noe-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Original music by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us

We're  back with series 4 and ahead of the Oscars next weekend, we bring you a roundup of everything you need to know about this awards season. We discuss Oppenheimer's dominance, the Barbie controversy and where The Zone of Interest sits on the Salo to Up unsettling scale.Most importantly of all, our very own awards ceremony returns. The Groovies this year include awards for Best Cinema, Short King, and Least Unbearable Cinematic Experience. The Oscars better watch out. There's a new rodeo in town. -----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Original music by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us

It’s the end of the year and also our series finale so we're bringing both to a close with a deeply intellectual discussion on the ultimate New Years movie, Bridget Jones’s Diary. Plus, in anticipation of awards season, we list the films we’re most excited to see over the next couple of months. ReferencesBridget Jones’s Diary deleted scenesThat scathing New York Times piece on Bridget Jones 20 behind-the-scenes Bridget Jones’s Diary facts-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Original music by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us

For our penultimate episode of the series we’re going recommendation-heavy and spoiler-free, with our top picks of festive films, hitting every point on the Grinch-to-Elf Christmas spirit scale.  ReferencesThe Powell and Pressburger season from Oct-Dec 2023 - catch the last few screenings now.The Red Shoes: Beyond the Mirror exhibitionPiece for ASC on Jack Cardiff from 1994, The Red Shoe’s cinematographer Why The Red Shoes looks so good by The Royal Ocean Film Society on YouTubeThe cinematography of The Dark Knight by V Renee for nofilmschool.comThe Philosophy of Groundhog Day by Sebastian Martinez Diaz for film-cred.comCarol by it’s Cinematographer Ed Lachman for ASC-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Original music by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us

We couldn’t resist the controversy around Ridley Scott’s new movie, so this week we’re discussing Napoleon and wading into the debate about historical accuracy and film. But what do you think? Let us know on instagram - @groovymoviespod.ReferencesRidley Scott profile by Michael Schulman for The New YorkerRidley Scott’s response to Napoleon’s critics by Caroline Frost for DeadlineRidley Scott’s response to criticism of the Egyptian invasion scene in Napoleon by Adam Bentz on Screen Rant‘Napoleon on trial: The battle for historical accuracy of the upcoming film’ by Prateek Dasgupta for Medium‘Great man or monster - who was the real Napoleon?’ by Dominic Sandbrook for The Times‘The Ugly Truth about Napoleon and Josephine’ by ElleHistory on YouTubeFacts on NapoleanOppenheimer BBC documentary Film PharmacyFrances Ha (2012) dir. by Noah BaumbachZodiac (2007) dir. by David Fincher-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Original music by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us

This week we are joined by Audra and Elisa from Culture Colander. They bring an American perspective to a very British class system as we dissect Emerald Fennell’s new film Saltburn, i.e. The Talented Mr Creepley. ReferencesListen to and follow @culturecolanderInterview with Emerald Fennell and the cast of Saltburn‘The sons and daughters of The Talented Mr Ripley’ by Manuela Lazic for The RingerThe New Yorker Radio Hour episode where Emerald Fennell talks about her upbringingFilm PharmacyFriends Best Thanksgiving MomentsThe Greatest Showman (2017) dir. by Michael GraceyDan in Real Life (2007) dir. by Peter Hedges-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Original music by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us

Aesthetica short film festival, the Hollywood blacklist, and one of its scripts, Todd Haynes’ new movie May December, are all up for discussion this week. Expect sweeping generalisations about short films and a tabloid-esque compare-and-contrast between May December and the real-life scandal that inspired it. ReferencesAesthetica Short Film FestivalNew York 81 (short 2022) dir. by Jannicke Systad JacobsenMary Kay Letourneau and Vili Fualaau on Barbara WaltersJohn Lahr’s piece on Todd Haynes for The New YorkerAdam White’s interview with Todd Haynes for The IndependentThe Black ListFilm PharmacyInside Llewyn Davis (2013) dir. by Joel and Ethan CoenWhiplash (2014) dir. by Damien ChazelleJodorowsky’s Dune (2013) dir. by Frank PavichMoonage Daydream (2022) dir. by Brett MorgenLady Boss: The Jackie Collins Story (2021) dir. by Laura Fairrie-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Original music by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us

In honour of new release Fingernails, we talk dystopian romances: why they work, when they don’t, and which animal we’d like to be turned into if we didn’t find love. ReferencesFingernails director Christos Nikou on modern dating by Lou Thomas for BFI Sheila O’Malley’s review of The LobsterInterview with Yorgos Lanthimos on The Lobster by Mekado Murphy for The New York TimesSpike Jonze on Her by Logan Hill for The New York TimesFilm PharmacyDie Hard (1988) dir. by John McTiernanThe Godfather (1972) dir. by Francis Ford Coppola Atonement (2007) dir. by Joe WrightFight Club (1999) dir. by David Fincher-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Original music by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us

This week James drags us to the BFI IMAX for Gravity’s 10th year anniversary re-release, on a mission to prove that the cinematic experience is worth leaving the house for. Film PharmacyThe Full Monty (1997) dir. by Peter CattaneoPride (2014) dir. by Matthew Warchus-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Original music by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us

With DiCaprio and De Niro in fine gurning form and Thelma Schoonmaker on the edit, the gang’s back together for Martin Scorsese’s brand new film. But is it worth the 3hr26m runtime?ReferencesKillers of the Flower Moon: Oil, Money, Murder and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann (the book the film is based on)Interview with Leonardo DiCaprio and Lily Gladstone for CritqalMartin Scorsese’s companion films list on LetterboxdFilms and TV shows about indigenous communities we recommended:Dances with Wolves (1990) dir. by Kevin Costner Smoke Signals (1998) dir. by Chris EyreReservation Dogs (2021-2023) created by Sterlin Harjo and Taika WaititiCall Me Human (2020) dir. by Kim O'BomsawinFor more, read Corinne Rice’s ‘8 Essential Films of the Native American Experience’-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Original music by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us

It’s that spooky time of year and Practical Magic’s 25th anniversary. So this week we take a whistlestop tour through witch movie history to our final destination: the 90s (cinema’s hexiest decade?).  References‘Screaming, Flying, And Laughing: Magical Feminism’s witches in contemporary film, television and novels’ by Kimberly Ann Wells‘Witches, “bitches” or feminist trailblazers? The Witch in Folk Horror Cinema’ by Chloe Germaine Buckley‘“We are the weirdos”: how witches went from evil outcasts to feminist heroes’ by Anne T. Donahue for The Guardian‘Magical Women, Witches & Healers’, Frames Cinema Journal, issue 16The Evolution of Black Witches on Screen‘How Hollywood Has Failed Black Witches’ by BreAnna Bell for Variety‘Celebrating the magic of black witchiness in entertainment’ by Claire Lawrence for offcultured.com‘Thirstory: The Real Witches of Hollywood’ by Mitchell Nugent for InterviewGeorge Miller on directing The Witches of EastwickCher on The Witches of EastwickRachel True on The Craft‘The Real Curse in Practical Magic is Heterosexuality’ by Natalie Adler for ViceFilm PharmacyIkiru (1952) dir. by Akira KurosawaJiro Dreams of Sushi (2011) dir. by David Gelb-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Original music by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us

To any Swifties listening - hello, welcome. To any non-Swifties, please forgive us. We couldn’t resist discussing the music-movie partnership of an era. So this week we take the opportunity to ask the question: do concert films work?We, of course, dive into Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour  but also compare it with another concert movie that is currently in cinemas: Stop Making Sense, A24’s re-release of the 1984 Talking Heads documentary. We also watched Amazing Grace, the long-lost Sydney Pollack film capturing the recording of Aretha Franklin’s gospel album of the same name. ReferencesPatrick Willems on Taylor Swift as a director - a must for anyone in the middle of the venn diagram of film and Swift loversThe origin story of Stop Making Sense by Jonathan Gould for The New Yorker‘Is the worldwide release of ‘Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour’ a game-changer for distribution?’ by Jeremy Kay for Screen DailyQ&A with Alan Elliott, the producer who got Amazing Grace finally madeThe Story behind Amazing Grace by Jim Farber for The GuardianFilm PharmacyLock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) dir. by Guy RitchieBridget Jones Diary (2001) dir. by Sharon Maguire-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Original music by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us

It's the 30 year anniversary of Dazed and Confused (1993), Richard Linklater's ode to 70s adolescence. And he wasn't alone - many of the 90s greatest films were set in the last vinyl decade. Besides the dramatically pointy collars and avocado bathroom sets, what was the appeal? To answer the question, we take a closer look at Linklater's coming-of-age breakout hit, Cameron Crowe's career-defining Almost Famous (2000 - ok not quite 90s, but as good as) and our favourite Paul Thomas Anderson movie, Boogie Nights (1997).ReferencesAn Oral History of Boogie Nights‘Almost Famous: The Oral History of a Golden God’s Acid Trip’ by Ilana Kaplan for the NY Times‘Dazed and Confused Was the Definitive Movie About the '90s, Not the '70s’ by Stephen Marche for EsquirePhilip Seymour Hoffman on Acting Film PharmacySalò, or the 120 Days of Sodom (1977) dir. by Pier Paolo PasoliniFame (1980) dir. by Alan Parker-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Original music by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us

Inspired by new release Past Lives, this week we look at love stories about what could have been. We discusses the enduring influence of 90s clanger Sliding Doors and the indie classic, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. ReferencesPast Lives director Celine Song explains ‘in-yun’ 'Break-Up' - This American Life's podcast episodeI don’t want to get over you by The Magnetic Fields‘From Script to Screen: Charlie Kaufman on Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’  by David S. Cohen for Scriptmag.com Film PharmacyThe Wizard of Oz (1939) dir. by Victor FlemingThe Fall (2006) dir. by Tarsem SinghA Philadelphia Story (1940) dir. by George Cukor-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Original music by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us

We return to our favourite debate: monogamy vs. polyamory. This time with love triangles as the point of entry. We discuss new release Passages' somewhat bleak version of the shape, and look back at more optimistic portrayals, including Woody Allen's Spanish holiday fantasy Vicky, Cristina, Barcelona and the pre-code shocker Design For Living.  Lily also gives the lowdown on (the auteur behind The Room) Tommy Wiseau's new release, Big Shark.  References ‘The Ethical Slut’: Inside America’s Growing Acceptance of Polyamory by Anna Fitzpatrick for Rolling StoneDesign for Living New York Times review from 1933‘Ernst Lubitsch Made the Hollywood Comedy Sublime’ by Alex Ross for The New YorkerFilm Pharmacy Night Watch (2004) dir. by Timur BekmambetovCold War (2018) dir. by Paweł Pawlikowski-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Original music by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us

This week we take a closer look at the writers and actors strikes and what the impact will be for film-making and cinemas. We also pick our must-see movies from the Venice Film Festival. Donate here to emergency financial assistance writers, performers and people in support roles affected by the strikeDonate here to SAG-AFTRA's emergency fundReferencesSAG proposalsWGA proposalsDeadline Strike Talk - podcast by Hollywood strikers about the strikes'The 2023 Hollywood strikes for dummies' by Jason P Frank for Vulture 'The unions of Hollywood are trying to save it from itself' by Emma Roth for theverge.com'The Hollywood strike can and must win – for all of us, not just writers and actors' by Hamilton Nolan for The Guardian'Inside The Shifting Theatrical Release Dates: How Studios Changed Up The Movie Calendar As WGA Strike Clocks 100 Days' by Anthony D'Alessandro and Justin Kroll for Deadline'‘Barbenheimer’ Fever… and Then What? How Major Film Delays Amid the Strikes Could Damage the Movie Business' by Rebecca Rubin for VarietyAI writing a scriptOur Picks from Venice Aggro Dr1ft trailer Scene from One From The HeartMichel Gondry's music video for The Chemical Brothers' Let Forever BeMichel Gondry's music video for Bjork's BacheloretteMichel Gondry's Cibo Matto's Sugar WaterPoor Things trailerPriscilla trailerOrigin trailerFilm PharmacyBardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths (2022) dir. by Alejandro González IñárrituThe Saragossa Manuscript (1965) dir. by Wojciech Has-----------If you love what we do, please like, subscribe and leave a review!Original music by James BrailsfordLogo design by Abby-Jo SheldonFollow usEmail us