24FPS @ LFF 2021: Preview Part 1

Dashcam [Cult]

The London Film Festival is back at full strength, and as a full scale physical event, for 2021. In the first part of our preview of the festival, I'm joined by Liam McLeod (of HeyUGuys and others) to break down the festival's themed strands. For each, we each choose one film that we're excited about to recommend and discuss.

The Crossing [Journey]

The Picture Show: LFF 2019 Preview

Jallikattu

With the tickets for this year's London Film Festival going on sale at 10am today, here is the two part audio preview I recorded with my friend Timothy E Raw, in which we each chose one film from every strand in the festival to preview and discuss. In the first part we cover the themed strands and in the second we look at the competition and gala sections.

For quick reference, here is the list of the films we chose.

Treasures
Sam: The Juniper Tree
Tim: Ride Lonesome

Experimenta
Sam: The Deathless Woman
Tim: Ruptures

Family
Sam: Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom
Tim: My Extraordinary Summer with Tess

Create
Sam: Recorder: The Marion Stokes Project
Tim: Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool

Journey
Sam: Adolescents
Tim: An Easy Girl

Cult
Sam: The Antenna
Tim: Vivarium

Thrill
Sam: Jallikattu
Tim: Only the Animals

Dare
Sam: System Crasher
Tim: Dogs Don’t Wear Pants

Laugh
Sam: The Unknown Saint
Tim: Arab Blues

Debate
Sam: Rewind
Tim: Mr Jones

Love
Sam: Nocturnal 
Tim: Lara

My Extraordinary Summer With Tess

Documentary Competition
Sam: White Riot
Tim: Mystify

First Feature Competition
Sam: Relativity
Tim: Babyteeth

Official Competition
Sam: Saint Maud
Tim: Lingua Franca 

Special Presentations
Sam: Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Tim: Our Ladies

Strand Galas
Sam: The Lighthouse
Tim: Judy and Punch

Headline Galas
Sam: The King
Tim: The Aeronaunts

The Picture Show: LFF 2016 Wrap Up

Toni Erdmann

Here is the last of the Picture Show's special episodes from this year's London Film Festival.  Once again, I'm joined by Mike to discuss the best (and a little of the worst) of this year's LFF, as we hand out our personal festival awards and run down our Top 5 lists from this year's early, extended, Christmas for movie nerds. 

The Picture Show @ LFF 2016: Episode 6

ELLE

On this very brief and rather disorganised episode of The Picture Show at LFF 2016. Mike and I attempt to organise and communicate our thoughts on Paul Verhoeven's Elle. Take this episode for what it is; an instant reaction. 

You can listen to the episode in the player below, or download it HERE.

The Picture Show @ LFF: 2015 Wrap Up

Rooney Mara and Cate Blanchett in Carol

The Picture Show wraps up its coverage of the London Film Festival. On this episode Mike and I are joined by MaryAnn Johanson of Flick Filosopher to discuss the high and low points of the festival. 

We framed our discussion largely though our favourite performances of the festival, each of us choosing our favourite breakout performance, best actor and best actress. We also picked our best and worst films of the festival. Films up for discussion included Petting Zoo, Room, Carol, Chevalier, Son of Saul, Nasty Baby and many, many more.

You can stream and download the show here or stream it in the player below.

The Picture Show @ LFF 2015: Episodes 7 and 8

The Assassin

Two more episodes of The Picture Show, recorded live at the London Film Festival. For episode 7, I was joined by my regular co-host Mike Ewins and by our guest Amon Warmann of amonymousblog. We discussed harrowing holocaust drama Son of Saul, Lance Armstrong biopic The Program and brilliantly acted British drama Couple in a Hole, along with some shorter reviews at the end of the show.

In episode 8, our guest is guest Matt Mansfield, who joins us to discuss a few of the films they've seen over the past couple of days (we took a day off.. sorry). Up for discussion are Hou Hsiao-Hsien first wuxia film The Assassin, Lucile Hadzihalilovic's beautiful and surreal Evolution and two films from debuting directors; Sundance folk horror hit The Witch and Italian coming of age film Arianna.

The Picture Show @ LFF 2015: Episodes 5 and 6

A Bigger Splash

Two episodes of the Picture Show at LFF for you this time, with 10 reviews between them. Episode 5 is a slightly longer episode as we covered 7 films. Mike and I each picked 2 shorts and a feature to review. Mike covered The Scent of Fish Sauce, Notes on Blue and Hand Gestures, while I chose Elephant, Groove is in the Heart and Nasty Baby. The joint review is Der Nachtmahr.

In episode 6 we're joined by Live For Films writer Sarah Louise Dean to discuss Luca Guadagnino's remake of La Piscine, A Bigger Splash, Ben Wheatley's JG Ballard adaptation High Rise and Ibsen inspired Australian drama The Daughter. You can stream each of the shows below.

Episode 5

Episode 6

The Picture Show @ LFF 2015: Episode 4

Flapping in the Middle of Nowhere

On this episode of The Picture Show 'live' from The London Film Festival 2015, I'm joined again by my friend and regular co-host Mike Ewins. We each review 2 films we've seen as screeners, and argue about one other.

I look at Rohmeresque Spanish film The Romantic Exiles and Vietnamese drama Flapping in the Middle of Nowhere. Mike reviews British thriller The Ones Below and experimental short film Blood Below the Skin, and there is much disagreement when it comes to deeply uncomfortable US coming of ager Take Me to the River.

You can listen to the show in the player below, or download it HERE.

The Picture Show @ LFF 2015: Episode 3

One Floor Below

Mike and I are back with another as live Picture Show from the London Film Festival 2015, discussing press screenings and screeners. Up for discussion are Marco Bellochio's 'vampire movie' Blood of my Blood, SNL Documentary Live From New York! and slow burning Romanian thriller One Floor Below. Then Mike reviews Argentinian Dogtooth ripoff Parabellum and I look at Swedish drama Flocking.

You can listen to the show in the player below or download it HERE.

24FPS @ LFF 2015: Days 1 and 2

This year, much of my LFF coverage is going to come in special as live episodes of The Picture Show, recorded directly after each day of screenings (some at the festival, some at home via digital screeners). Here are the first two episodes, each about 35 minutes long.

Cronies

In the first episode I'm joined by my regular co-host Mike Ewins and by Timothy E. Raw, formerly of Verite Magazine, now of Slant Magazine, to discuss Cronies, Virgin Mountain and Madame Courage.

In the second episode Mike and I are joined by filmmaker Matt Cruse to discuss Grandma, The Corpse of Anna Fritz and The Here After.

These shows were recorded outside in a relatively busy area, so audio quality is a little raw. That said, I got a very good new mic, so the quality is much better than I had anticipated.


Enjoy the shows, I'll be back with more audio coverage and some written reviews.

Episode 1

Episode 2

Arrowcast Episode 3: The Lickerish Quartet

In this episode of Arrowcast, my Picture Show co-host Mike Ewins joins me for the second episode running. We discuss the hidden depths of Radley Metzger's The Lickerish Quartet. We talk about Metzger as an auteur, the film as a commentary on cinema and the way we watch. We talk about films we think influenced Metzger and films we think may have been influenced by The Lickerish Quartet. Finally, we cover why we think both the film and its director deserve a thorough critical reappraisal and where they fit in the cinematic canon.

You can listen to the show [60 minutes] in the player below, or download it HERE

The Picture Show @ LFF 2014: Interview with Josephine Decker

In this interview special I chatted with writer/director Josephine Decker about her two films: Butter on the Latch and Thou Wast Mild and Lovely, which are playing at the Festival.  In half an hour we covered genre, influences, collaboration, clown school and much more.

Many thanks to Josephine for taking time out to chat with me, as you'll see from her detailed answers there was much more I could have asked.  This interview could easily have been twice as long.

There are NO SPOILERS for either film, so you're safe to listen before seeing them, which I encourage you to do.

You can listen to the show in the player below, or steam or download it HERE

Arrowcast Episode 2: Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2

In the second episode of the unofficial Arrow Video podcast Michael Ewins and I took a  look at Tobe Hooper's 1986 sequel to his 1974 classic The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.  We discussed the film's place in Hooper's career, its themes, characters and place in the Texas Chainsaw franchise and the extensive extras on the Arrow release of the film, among other things.

You can stream the podcast (82 minutes) using the player below or download the show from the Internet Archive HERE 

The Picture Show: London Film Festival 2014 Preview

In this episode of The Picture Show, with the London Film Festival almost upon us again, I'm joined by Mike Ewins to run through the programme. We largely stay away from the big hitters while recommending our choices from each festival strand.  In all 26 films are covered in depth, from a post apocalyptic rap musical to a film about Viggo Mortenson walking.  Guess who picked which of those.

You can listen to the show [79 minutes] in the player below or download it HERE

The Picture Show: Boyhood

In this episode of The Picture Show I am joined once again by Michael Ewins as we discuss Richard Linklater, digging into a few of the overarching themes of his films and especially into his new film, the 12 years in the making coming of age movie Boyhood.

You can listen to the show  using the player below, or you can listen and download HERE

The Picture Show: Muppets Most Wanted / Captain America: The Winter Soldier

In this episode Mike and I tackled two sequels.  There was an unusual harmony:  shared disappointment at Muppets Most Wanted, but more excitement about the new Captain America film. We also discussed a few random films (including current release Labor Day) in  our new regular feature What We've Been Watching.

You can listen to the show in the player below or download it HERE

The Picture Show: Nymphomaniac

On this episode of The Picture Show I am joined by my regular co-host Mike Ewins and by a first time guest, actress Rebecca Callard, to discuss just one film.  We devoted the whole show to Lars VonTrier and to his new, controversial, two part film Nymphomaniac, starring Charlotte Gainsbourg, Stacy Martin, Stellan Skarsgaard and Shia LaBeouf.

You can stream the show in the player below or download it HERE

The Picture Show: The Worst of 2013

It's that time of year again, so Mike and I are back, bringing you a huge show with a rundown and discussion of the 10 worst films that each of us saw in 2013.  We discuss, debate and (inevitably) argue about films that include horror remakes, action blockbusters, auteurist statements and big budget musicals in this mammoth three and a quarter hour show.  You can listen to the show below, or you can go HERE to download it.

Enjoy, and check back soon for the Top 10 show.

The Picture Show: Side By Side / To the Wonder

On this episode of The Picture Show, Sam and Mike look at two very different films: Documentary Side By Side triggers discussions about the future of cinema, while Terence Malick's To The Wonder inspires little wonder.  Note: The To The Wonder review starts 31 minutes in to the show.

You can listen to the show in the player below, or download or stream it HERE



Next Week: Parrk Chan-Wook's Stoker, Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters and more

The Picture Show: Review Special

Friend of the show Supermarcey makes a long overdue first Picture Show appearance on this review special, joining Sam to discuss and review new films from Arnold Schwarzenegger, Quentin Tarantino and Kathryn Bigelow. Three very different movies made for an animated and varied hour of discussion.

You can listen to the show in the player below, or you can stream or download it HERE.



No show next week, due to scheduling problems, but the following week we're definitely going to get you an early review of Side By Side.