Kermode & Mayo’s Take

Some exciting news—The Take is now on Patreon: www.patreon.com/kermodeandmayo Become a Vanguardista or an Ultra Vanguardista to get video episodes of Take Two every week, plus member-only chat rooms, polls and submissions to influence the show, behind-the-scenes photos and videos, the monthly Redactor’s Roundup newsletter, and access to a new fortnightly LIVE show—a raucous, unfiltered lunchtime special with the Good Doctors, new features, and live chat so you can heckle, vote, and have your questions read out in real time. This week’s very special guest is a living legend and bona fide National Treasure: Sir Ian McKellen. He chats to Simon from the comfort of his very own East London pub The Grapes about his new film ‘The Christophers’. This Steven Soderbergh directed drama of art, family feuds and friendship is a late-career gem from McKellen, who plays cantankerous celebrity artist Julian Sklar in an unlikely and uneasy friendship with Michaela Coel’s Laurie, his new assistant. Sir Ian and Simon prop up the bar and talk grumpy old men, unfinished business… and what it’s like to be Gandalf. Mark will review The Christophers next week, but for now we’ve got three more fresh film releases to dissect. Three fresh reviews this week too: first up, the new Hugh Jackman-starring family adventure that’s like “Babe meets Knives Out”: ‘The Sheep Detectives’. A star-studded affair with roles played by Hugh Jackman, Emma Thompson, and Molly Gordon with sheep voiced from the likes of Chris O’Dowd, Patrick Stewart and Bryan Cranston, the ‘cozy-crime’ tale sees the sheep turn sleuths. Plus, a full review of Legends, the new Netflix series form last week’s Take guest Steve Coogan, where ordinary customs workers go undercover to fight Britain’s heroin crisis. And finally a look at the fourth time made, second era’d Mortal Kombat II. And as always we’ve got top correspondence from you lovely listeners, extended and unadulterated wittering from Mark and Simon—and Laughter Lift jokes guaranteed to induce the most exasperated groans. It’s what The Redactor lives for. You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo 🌎 Get an exclusive 15% discount on your first Saily data plans! Use code [Take] at checkout. Download Saily app or go to to https://saily.com/Take ⛵ 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: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Timecodes: 00:00:00 audio start 00:09:59 The Sheep Detectives 00:19:18 Box office 10 00:30:08 Sir Ian McKellen interview 00:46:11 Legends review 00:54:56 Laughter Lift 01:00:27 Mortal Kombat review Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

07/05/2026 • 74:49

Some exciting news—The Take is now on Patreon: www.patreon.com/kermodeandmayo Become a Vanguardista or an Ultra Vanguardista to get video episodes of Take Two every week, plus member-only chat rooms, polls and submissions to influence the show, behind-the-scenes photos and videos, the monthly Redactor’s Roundup newsletter, and access to a new fortnightly LIVE show—a raucous, unfiltered lunchtime special with the Good Doctors, new features, and live chat so you can heckle, vote, and have your questions read out in real time. On this week’s Take, Mark and Simon return with more of the week’s freshest film reviews – and the Redactor is back from his holibobs (boo hiss). First on the review slate we’ll revisit the world of fashion, ambition, and withering put-downs in The Devil Wears Prada 2, the much-anticipated sequel to the beloved original. Has the magic survived the runway return, or should some classics be left untouched? Then it’s Surviving Earth, a tender new family drama centred on a refugee harmonica player trying to hold his fractured family together. And finally, Hokum, a chilling Irish-set horror about a haunted hotel and a family secret, starring Adam Scott. Plus, Steve Coogan stops by to talk about his new Netflix series Legends, based on the true story of ordinary customs workers going deep undercover to tackle Britain’s heroin crisis in the 90s. One of Britain’s most renowned character actors, Coogan chats to Mark and Simon about playing real people, life beyond Partridge, and how he gets deep into his roles. For the football fans, there’s some Saipan chat too. And as ever, there’s correspondence from the faithful, a few unexpected cinematic tangents, and the familiar blend of conviction, camaraderie, and gentle sparring that keeps the Take motoring along. Oh, and the Laughter Lift—as if we hadn’t all suffered enough. You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! 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: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Timecodes: 00:11:50 The Devil Wears Prada 2 review 00:22:43 Box Office Top 10 00:26:20 Lee Cronin's The Mummy review 00:38:03 Steve Coogan interview 00:51:56 Hokum review 01:07:04 Surviving Earth Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

30/04/2026 • 78:50

Some exciting news—The Take is now on Patreon: www.patreon.com/kermodeandmayo Become a Vanguardista or an Ultra Vanguardista to get video episodes of Take Two every week, plus member-only chat rooms, polls and submissions to influence the show, behind-the-scenes photos and videos, the monthly Redactor’s Roundup newsletter, and access to a new fortnightly LIVE show—a raucous, unfiltered lunchtime special with the Good Doctors, new features, and live chat so you can heckle, vote, and have your questions read out in real time. On this week’s Take, Mark and Simon return with another trio of fresh reviews spanning the big and small screen. First up, they dive into the BBC’s Half Man, a hard-hitting new series from Baby Reindeer creator and star Richard Gadd, who is also our very special guest on the show. It’s already prompting plenty of discussion—but does it live up to the hype, or crumble under the weight of expectation? Then it’s The Rose of Nevada, Mark Jenkin’s new seafaring feature that could see him launch into the mainstream. And finally, Michael—the Michael Jackson biopic that’s already divided the critics. Find out what Mark makes of it. And as ever, there’s correspondence from the faithful, a handful of cinematic detours, and the usual mix of passion, persuasion, and playful disagreement that keeps the Take ticking along nicely. Oh, and the Laughter Lift. You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! 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: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Timecodes: 00:13:34 Rose of Nevada review 00:23:19 Box Office Top Ten 00:40:20 Richard Gadd interview 00:55:13 Half Man review 01:02:13 Laughter Lift 01:11:16 Michael review Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

23/04/2026 • 92:36

Some exciting news—The Take is now on Patreon: www.patreon.com/kermodeandmayo Become a Vanguardista or an Ultra Vanguardista to get video episodes of Take Two every week, plus member-only chat rooms, polls and submissions to influence the show, behind-the-scenes photos and videos, the monthly Redactor’s Roundup newsletter, and access to a new fortnightly LIVE show—a raucous, unfiltered lunchtime special with the Good Doctors, new features, and live chat so you can heckle, vote, and have your questions read out in real time. On this week’s Take, Mark and Simon are back with more box fresh film reviews of the latest big screen releases. And we are still reviewing three brand new films out this week, even though it’s Easter holibobs and the show is pre-recorded—because the Good Doctors are actual time travellers now, ICYMI. First up, they head to the Highlands for Glenrothan, Brian Cox’s whisky-soaked directorial debut family drama—does it live up to its lofty ambitions, or get lost in the Scottish mist? Then it’s Rebuilding, a quietly affecting portrait of second chances and fragile hope starring Josh O’Connor as a cowboy without a ranch. And finally, Wizard of the Kremlin—where Vladamir Putin is played by… Jude Law?! Plus Mark talks to ‘The Pope of Trash’ John Waters, director of cult classics like Pink Flamingoes and Multiple Maniacs, and high priest of bad taste. He’s celebrating the BFI’s Trash season. Expect a gleeful and provocative conversation on the art of trash cinema, the pleasures of the disreputable, and why good bad films might just be the most honest kind of all. Plus, as always, there’s the latest correspondence from the faithful, a few choice diversions, and the sort of cinematic enthusiasm (and exasperation) you’ve come to expect. You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! 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: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com And here is the link to the Faith for Holy Places article as promised in the episode: https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2026/20-march/faith/faith-for-holy-places/faith-for-holy-places Timecodes: 00:00:00 Show starts 00:13:01 Glenrothan review 00:36:46 John Waters Interview pt 1 00:38:51 John Waters interview pt 2 00:50:51 Rebuilding review 00:57:08 Laughter Lift 01:02:29 Wizard of the Kremlin review Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

16/04/2026 • 76:36

Some exciting news—The Take is now on Patreon: www.patreon.com/kermodeandmayo Become a Vanguardista or an Ultra Vanguardista to get video episodes of Take Two every week, plus member-only chat rooms, polls and submissions to influence the show, behind-the-scenes photos and videos, the monthly Redactor’s Roundup newsletter, and access to a new fortnightly LIVE show—a raucous, unfiltered lunchtime special with the Good Doctors, new features, and live chat so you can heckle, vote, and have your questions read out in real time. Fresh film talk and finely tuned cinematic debate await in this week’s episode of Kermode & Mayo’s Take. The Good Doctors return with their trademark blend of insight and irreverence, casting a critical eye over the latest arrivals on the big screen. Leading the lineup is Father Mother Sister Brother, the latest slanted family drama from Jim Jarmusch, with an all-star cast including Adam Driver, Cate Blanchett, and Charlotte Rampling. Then on to some moody existentialism with The Stranger, an adaptation of Albert Camus’ seminal novel, directed by François Ozon—who was our guest a couple of weeks back. And finally, The Undertone, a podcast-based, sound-forward horror—but will it resonate with Mark? He’ll also be reviewing Glenrothan—a warming, Scottish-set tale of family reunion through whisky, directed by Brian Cox. Simon sits down with this formidable acting talent to discuss his turn to directing. Cox reflects on the changes and challenges of moving behind the camera, and what we can expect from his feature debut. All that alongside a generous helping of listener correspondence, probably some spirited disagreement, and the familiar flickers of presenter exasperation—another essential listen for wittertainees the world over. You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! 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: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Timecodes: 00:00:00 Show starts 00:12:02 Father Mother Sister Brother review 00:20:31 Download Chart 00:31:55 Brian Cox interview 00:45:27 Laughter Lift 00:49:49 Undertone review 01:01:30 The Stranger review Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

09/04/2026 • 79:27

Some exciting news—The Take is now on Patreon: www.patreon.com/kermodeandmayo Become a Vanguardista or an Ultra Vanguardista to get video episodes of Take Two every week, plus member-only chat rooms, polls and submissions to influence the show, behind-the-scenes photos and videos, the monthly Redactor’s Roundup newsletter, and access to a new fortnightly LIVE show—a raucous, unfiltered lunchtime special with the Good Doctors, new features, and live chat so you can heckle, vote, and have your questions read out in real time. More movie musings and cinematic chat this week on Kermode & Mayo’s Take. The Good Doctors will be reviewing this week’s biggest big screen releases—plus a bit of TV for you too today. First up, there’s The Drama, a black comedy starring Robert Pattinson and Zendaya as a soon-to-be-married couple whose romantic bliss is derailed by a shocking confession. Then more white-knuckle stuff in Fuze—a bomb disposal meets heist thriller starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Theo James and Sam Worthington. On a much more colourful note, we’ve got Super Mario Galaxy—but will this latest screen outing for the videogame franchise be a level up or game over? On the small screen, the spotlight turns to the BBC’s Twenty Twenty Six—a brand new sequel series that catches up with Hugh Bonneville’s Ian Fletcher in all his bureaucratic glory. This time he’s been appointed ‘Head of Integrity’ on the organizing committee for an international football tournament taking place in summer 2026, which definitely isn’t the FIFA World Cup. Simon sits down with the ever-charming Hugh to unpack the series—plus a word on his latest stage outing in Shadowlands, and little bit of Downton chat too. All that, along with the usual listener correspondence and presenter cantankerousness—you won’t want to miss this one. You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! 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: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

02/04/2026 • 79:09

Some exciting news—The Take is now on Patreon: www.patreon.com/kermodeandmayo Become a Vanguardista or an Ultra Vanguardista to get video episodes of Take Two every week, plus member-only chat rooms, polls and submissions to influence the show, behind-the-scenes photos and videos, the monthly Redactor’s Roundup newsletter, and access to a new fortnightly LIVE show—a raucous, unfiltered lunchtime special with the Good Doctors, new features, and live chat so you can heckle, vote, and have your questions read out in real time. On this week’s episode of Kermode and Mayo’s Take, director François Ozon joins us to talk about his latest film, The Stranger. He sits down with Simon and Mark to discuss the inspirations behind the story, balancing ambiguity and tension, and the challenges of bringing such a distinctive vision to the screen—along with a few reflections on his wider body of work and the themes that continue to draw him in. You’ll be able to hear Mark’s full verdict on The Stranger in two weeks’ time, and this week we have a packed slate of new releases. First up, The Magic Faraway Tree brings a beloved children’s classic to life with a mix of whimsy, adventure, and a touch of nostalgia. Then there’s Splitsville, a comedy exploring relationships in all their messy, unpredictable glory. And finally, They Will Kill You, a new horror starring Tom Felton—son of Jason Isaacs, of course. They’re really related you know, just like all the Skarsgårds and Sargaards….The Elsewhere, we’ll have all the usual Take treats: the box office top 10, a Laughter Lift that may (or may not) brighten your week, and your ever-wonderful correspondence. Thanks for listening! You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey 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: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Timecodes: 00:00:00 Show starts 00:07:57 Splitsville 00:14:59 Box Office top ten 00:31:43 François Ozon Interview 00:44:11 They Will Kill You review 00:51:35 Laughter Lift 00:56:56 The Magic Faraway Tree Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

26/03/2026 • 71:25

Some exciting news—The Take is now on Patreon: www.patreon.com/kermodeandmayo. Become a Vanguardista or an Ultra Vanguardista to get video episodes of Take Two every week, plus member-only chat rooms, polls and submissions to influence the show, behind-the-scenes photos and videos, the monthly Redactor’s Roundup newsletter, and access to a new fortnightly LIVE show—a raucous, unfiltered lunchtime special with the Good Doctors, new features, and live chat so you can heckle, vote, and have your questions read out in real time. On this week’s episode of Kermode and Mayo’s Take, Stephen Graham joins us to talk about his new film The Good Boy. It’s an unsettling thriller where he plays a father fixated on a strange rehabilitation ritual for a violent young man who he takes in and…erm… chains up in his basement. Stephen chats to Simon about navigating the film’s darker emotional undercurrents, finding the human intrigue in morally murky territory, and being his usual lovely Liverpudlian self. You’ll be able to hear Mark’s full verdict on The Good Boy in this week’s show too, alongside a packed slate of other new releases. First up, Project Hail Mary finally lands—bringing big ideas, bigger stakes, and one very lonely astronaut to the big screen. Then there’s Ready or Not 2: Here I Come, which ups the ante on the original’s gleefully gory game of survival. And finally, Dead Man’s Wire, a tense thriller starring Bill Skarsgard that sees a desperate act spiral into a gripping standoff. Elsewhere, we’ll have all the usual Take treats: the box office top 10, a Laughter Lift that may (or may not) brighten your week, and your ever-wonderful correspondence. Thanks for listening! Timecodes: 00:00:00 Show starts 00:09:44 Dead Man's Wire review 00:18:12 Box office top ten 00:30:51 Stephen Graham interview 00:44:11 The Good Boy review 00:53:37 Laughter Lift 00:57:06 Ready or Not 2: Here I Come review 01:04:42 What's On? 01:09:21 Project Hail Mary You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey 🌎 Get an exclusive 15% discount on your first Saily data plans! Use code [Take] at checkout. Download Saily app or go to to https://saily.com/Take ⛵ 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: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

19/03/2026 • 89:32

In this Oscars special episode of Kermode & Mayo’s Take, Simon Mayo and Mark Kermode break down the biggest moments from the 2026 Academy Awards. Mark shares his reactions to the ceremony, from Avatar: Fire and Ash winning Visual Effects to the triumph of Sentimental Value.   Simon and Mark unpack the night’s major wins — including One Battle After Another sweeping six awards and Paul Thomas Anderson’s backstage reflections on politics, culture, and “bringing common sense and decency back into fashion.” They also explore the fierce race between One Battle After Another and Sinners, Michael B. Jordan’s emotional Best Actor win, and Autumn Durald Arkapaw’s groundbreaking Cinematography victory.  Hear extended backstage moments from Paul Thomas Anderson, Michael B. Jordan, and Jessie Buckley as they reflect on the significance of their awards, artistic responsibility, and historymaking achievements. The duo also discuss Amy Madigan’s longawaited Supporting Actress win, Norway’s triumph with Sentimental Value, and the powerful documentary Mr Nobody Against Putin.  Plus: the rise of KPop Demon Hunters, Guillermo del Toro’s three craft wins for Frankenstein, a rare Oscars tie, Conan O’Brien’s sharp hosting, emotional tributes to Rob Reiner, Catherine O’Hara, Diane Keaton and Robert Redford — and the films that left emptyhanded.  The video version of this episode is available on our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/kermodeandmayo  You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo  Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey    🌎 Get an exclusive 15% discount on your first Saily data plans! Use code [Take] at checkout. Download Saily app or go to to https://saily.com/Take ⛵   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: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

16/03/2026 • 46:02

Some exciting news—The Take is now on Patreon: www.patreon.com/kermodeandmayo. Become a Vanguardista or an Ultra Vanguardista to get video episodes of Take Two every week, plus member-only chat rooms, polls and submissions to influence the show, behind-the-scenes photos and videos, the monthly Redactor’s Roundup newsletter, and access to a new fortnightly LIVE show—a raucous, unfiltered lunchtime special with the Good Doctors, new features, and live chat so you can heckle, vote, and have your questions read out in real time. On this week’s episode of Kermode and Mayo’s Take, Ryan Gosling is with us to talk about his new sci-fi epic Project Hail Mary. From the challenge of bringing Andy Weir’s beloved novel to the screen to the peculiar pressures of carrying a space-set survival story (often alone), Gosling reflects on the film’s mix of brainy science, cosmic peril and unexpected heart. This week it’s Mark he’ll be chatting to, and they get deep on sci-fi gems from Silent Running to The Abyss—plus some behind the scenes gossip on Project Hail Mary’s epic karaoke scene. Keep an ear out for Mark’s review next week, and in the meantime there’s a trio of new releases on this week’s review slate. First up is Scarlet, a swashbuckling anime revenge drama based on the story of Hamlet. Then there’s How To Make A Killing, a darkly comic crime caper starring Glen Powell, and loosely based on the Ealing Comedy classic Kind Hearts and Coronets. And finally, One Last Deal—where a sports agent (played by he who shall not be named) battles to land a big contract and save his career. In Mark’s eyes though, the lead actor’s career is way beyond saving. Rant on the horizon, folks! We’ll also be shouting out our favourite women directors for this Women’s History Month; Plus all the usual Take treats: the box office top 10, a Laughter Lift that may (or may not) restore your faith in humanity, and your ever-splendid correspondence. Thanks for listening! Timecodes: 00:00:00 Show starts 00:11:51 Scarlet review 00:19:01 Box Office Top 10 00:39:08 Ryan Gosling interview 00:51:28 How To Make A Killing review 00:57:36 Laughter Lift 01:02:08 One Last Deal review You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey 🌎 Get an exclusive 15% discount on your first Saily data plans! Use code [Take] at checkout. Download Saily app or go to to https://saily.com/Take ⛵ 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: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

12/03/2026 • 75:10

Here's a cheeky preview of our latest Take Ultra video episode in which Mark and Simon look ahead to this week’s Oscars and assess the state of the race.  Ultra-Vanguardistas get these live streams every other week, our weekly T2 episodes in video and loads more. You can join them here: https://www.patreon.com/c/kermodeandmayo/membership   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

09/03/2026 • 10:39

Some exciting news—The Take is now on Patreon: www.patreon.com/kermodeandmayo. Become a Vanguardista or an Ultra Vanguardista to get video episodes of Take Two every week, plus member‑only chat rooms, polls and submissions to influence the show, behind‑the‑scenes photos and videos, the monthly Redactor’s Roundup newsletter, and access to a new fortnightly LIVE show—a raucous, unfiltered lunchtime special with the Good Doctors, new features, and live chat so you can heckle, vote, and have your questions read out in real time. On this week’s episode of Kermode and Mayo's Take, actor and national treasure Martin Clunes joins Simon… On the review slate this week: Pixar’s latest animated adventure, Hoppers—a high-concept tale of body-swapping beavers and environmental derring-do. Will it burrow into the Take’s good books, or be politely shown the exit? Then there’s The Bride!, a bold and buzzy reimagining of a classic monster myth from Maggie Gyllenhaal, starring Gothic romance, big hair, bigger ideas—Mark digs into the film’s ambition, while Simon weighs up whether it truly crackles with life. We also head back to Birmingham’s smoky underworld with Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, as the Shelby saga makes the leap to the big screen. Is it a cinematic evolution worthy of its razor-sharp legacy, or does it feel like prestige telly in slightly fancier trousers? Rounding things off is Mother's Pride, an intimate drama exploring family, sacrifice and the stories we tell ourselves. Tissues may be required. Mark considers its emotional pull; Simon braces for impact. Plus all the usual Take treats: the box office top 10, a Laughter Lift that may (or may not) restore your faith in humanity, and your ever-splendid correspondence. Thanks for listening! Timecodes 00:00:00 Show starts 00:11:33 Hoppers review 00:21:02 Box Office Top 10 00:33:27 Martin Clunes interview 00:49:06 Mother’s Pride review 00:56:35 Laughter Lift 00:59:10 The Bride! review 01:13:28 Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man review You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey 🌎 Get an exclusive 15% discount on your first Saily data plans! Use code [Take] at checkout. Download Saily app or go to to https://saily.com/Take ⛵ 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: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

05/03/2026 • 88:15

This episode is brought to you with Vanguard, whose Managed ISA service provides a smart way to invest with confidence, giving you a better chance of investment success.    It’s an International Women’s Day special, and we’ll be celebrating women in film by looking back at some of our favourite interviews with women filmmakers who have joined us on the Take. We’ve got Past Lives director Celine Song, editing legend and pioneer Thelma Schoonmaker, megastar actor-turned-director, Kate Winslet, and our live show guest Nia DaCosta on directing 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple. Plus we’ll hear from our Take guest booker Heather Dempsey about the importance of championing female filmmakers, and what barriers we need to keep pushing.   If you’ve been putting off sorting your ISA, or you’re new to investing and don’t know where to start, Vanguard’s Managed ISA might be a good fit. Essentially, it’s a Stocks and Shares ISA but managed by Vanguard experts. They’llhelp you work out your risk appetite, match you to an investment plan that’s right for you, and then they’ll do the rest. So, you can focus on the things you’d rather be doing… like listening to more of the Take, of course.     You can find out more at:  https://www.vanguardinvestor.co.uk/investing-explained/stocks-shares-isa/we-do-it-for-you?cmpgn=DP0126PBAMISA01UKEN0082     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

02/03/2026 • 27:04

Some exciting news—The Take is now on Patreon: www.patreon.com/kermodeandmayo. Become a Vanguardista or an Ultra Vanguardista to get video episodes of Take Two every week, plus member‑only chat rooms, polls and submissions to influence the show, behind‑the‑scenes photos and videos, the monthly Redactor’s Roundup newsletter, and access to a new fortnightly LIVE show—a raucous, unfiltered lunchtime special with the Good Doctors, new features, and live chat so you can heckle, vote, and have your questions read out in real time. Mark actually went to the BAFTAs this year IRL—and this week’s Take kicks off with a rundown of the winners and all the big moments of the ceremony, including of course some reflections on its controversy from Mark and Simon and from your correspondence. In celebration of Pixar’s 40th anniversary, Chief Creative Officer Pete Docter is our special guest this week. As the creative force behind some of Pixar’s most beloved films—including Up, Monsters Inc. and Inside Out, he joins Simon and Mark to celebrate the studio’s milestone birthday, and to look ahead to the release of their brand-new adventure, Hoppers. Featuring reflections on four decades of storytelling, a peek behind the animation curtain, and the secrets to making grown adults crumple into sobbing wrecks (in a good way). Mark’s Hoppers review is still to come next week—but first it’s another packed show with the Good Doctors’ verdicts on all the biggest big screen releases of this week. First up, the latest instalment in a horror institution, Scream 7, where the body count rises and we’re once again promised that this really is the last one of these films (bet it isn’t though). Remember what Mark thought of the last one? Well, you’re in for a ranty treat... Then there’s EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert—so anyone who knows how Mark feels about Elvis will know we’re in for a ravey treat. Plus The Testament of Ann Lee, a Shaker musical exploring faith, fervour, and ecstatic song starring Amanda Seyfried. You can hear her and director Mona Fastvold on last week’s show too. Finally, Sirât—the nerve-jangling desert-set tale from Oliver Laxe that is blowing minds left right and centre. Mark throws his hat into the ring. Plus all the usual delights of the Take: the box office top 10, the unpredictable and unbridled joy of the Laughter Lift, and your always-excellent correspondence. Thanks for listening! Timecodes 00:00:00 Show starts 00:15:21 Scream 7 review 00:24:54 Box Office Top 10 00:38:38 Pete Docter interview 00:56:49 The Testament of Ann Lee review 01:07:38 Laughter Lift 01:10:16 EPiC review 01:21:23 Sirât review You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey 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: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

26/02/2026 • 95:11

Some exciting news—The Take is now on Patreon: www.patreon.com/kermodeandmayo. Become a Vanguardista or an Ultra Vanguardista to get video episodes of Take Two every week, plus member‑only chat rooms, polls and submissions to influence the show, behind‑the‑scenes photos and videos, the monthly Redactor’s Roundup newsletter, and access to a new fortnightly LIVE show—a raucous, unfiltered lunchtime special with the Good Doctors, new features, and live chat so you can heckle, vote, and have your questions read out in real time. Amanda Seyfried is our special guest this week. She’s starred in Mean Girls, The Housemaid and Mamma Mia!, but she’s never been a Mancunian... until now. She joins Simon alongside writer-director Mona Fastvold to talk about The Testament of Ann Lee, in which Seyfried stars as the titular leader of the Shakers. You might not have heard of her and the 18th century radical religious sect she founded—and we promise you’ve definitely never seen a musical about her. Seyfried talks about her struggle to crack a Manchester accent for the role, never mind all that ecstatic song and dance—and we hear from Fastvold about he old-school filmmaking techniques that helped her and co-writer husband Brady Corbet bring this unique story to the screen on shoestring budget. Mark will review The Testament of Ann Lee next week, but we’ve got four more movie reviews for you in the meantime—it's a packed show! First, The Secret Agent, where paranoia and deception collide as an ex-academic gets caught up in South American political turmoil. Then there’s If I Had Legs I'd Kick You, a darkly comic tale of maternal burnout pushed to surreal extremes. We also have Wasteman—a gritty prison drama starring Rye Lane’s David Jonsson. And finally, Good Luck Have Fun Don't Die, a genre-bending evil-tech adventure starring Sam Rockwell. Plus all the usual delights: the box office top 10, the unpredictable joy of the Laughter Lift, and your tip-top correspondence. Don’t miss it. Timecodes 00:00:00 Show starts 00:10:09 The Secret Agent review 00:22:02 Box Office Top 10 00:39:24 Mona Fastvold and Amanda Seyfried interview 01:01:24 If I Had Legs I’d Kick You review 01:07:35 Laughter Lift 01:12:09 Wasteman review 01:19:13 Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die review You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey 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: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

19/02/2026 • 94:07

Some exciting news—The Take is now on Patreon: www.patreon.com/kermodeandmayo. Become a Vanguardista or an Ultra Vanguardista to get video episodes of Take Two every week, plus member‑only chat rooms, polls and submissions to influence the show, behind‑the‑scenes photos and videos, the monthly Redactor’s Roundup newsletter, and access to a new fortnightly LIVE show—a raucous, unfiltered lunchtime special with the Good Doctors, new features, and live chat so you can heckle, vote, and have your questions read out in real time. Bodices will be ripped in this week’s Take, because we’re talking Wuthering Heights. Emerald Fennell heads to the wild and windy moors for a cinematic storm of obsession, repression, lots of rain and, well… let’s just say nobody’s getting this worked up about the weather alone. Controversially starring Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff and Margot Robbie as Catherine, it’s already dividing the critics, so where does Mark stand? The lascivious literary adaptation’s director is our guest this week. She joins Simon to talk about the story’s sensuality, toxicity, and how much glaring, breathing, and storm-lashed longing is too much glaring, breathing, and storm-lashed longing? She tells us how it felt to realise her teenage dream of bringing her vision for this classic to the screen, and why its tale of love, revenge, and emotional chaos still gets pulses racing. Plus reviews of three more of the week’s cinematic offerings. There’s Crime 101, Bart Layton’s sleek thriller pairing Chris Hemsworth’s precision jewel thief with Mark Ruffalo’s relentlessly pursuing detective, and proving once again that nobody in LA should ever relax. Whistle brings supernatural horror and the world’s worst extracurricular activity, as students discover that cursed ancient Aztec artefacts are best left well alone. And Little Amélie offers something altogether gentler — an animated adaptation of Amélie Nothomb’s autobiographical story of childhood, identity, and wonder. All this, plus the box office top 10, a trip to the dizziest heights of humour in the Laughter Lift, and the customary digressions and delights of another top Take. 00:00:00 Show starts 00:08:53 Crime 101 review 00:18:33 Box Office Top 10 00:32:14 Emerald Fennell interview 00:46:27 Wuthering Heights review 01:00:06 Laughter Lift 01:03:11 Little Amelie review 01:08:49 Whistle review You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey 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: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

12/02/2026 • 80:05

Hello hello, Take listeners!A quick heads‑up: if you’re not yet part of our brilliant Patreon community, you’re missing out on an entire extra episode every single week.   Take 2 is where Mark & Simon stretch out, go deeper, get sillier, and answer the questions we simply can’t squeeze into the main show. And that’s just the start. Our Patreon subscribers also get polls, behind‑the‑scenes photos and videos, newsletters, video versions of Take 2, and Take Ultra — our fortnightly extra video and audio show packed with even more of the good stuff. Here’s a free taste of this week’s Take 2. If you enjoy it, come join us on Patreon — you’ll instantly unlock a whole world of bonus content and become part of something genuinely special.   Head over to Patreon for more. And here's a code to get 90% off your first month: T90. Just add it at checkout. Join Mark and Simon here: https://www.patreon.com/cw/kermodeandmayo/membership   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

11/02/2026 • 10:15

Some exciting news—The Take is now on Patreon: www.patreon.com/kermodeandmayo. Become a Vanguardista or an Ultra Vanguardista to get video episodes of Take Two every week, plus member‑only chat rooms, polls and submissions to influence the show, behind‑the‑scenes photos and videos, the monthly Redactor’s Roundup newsletter, and access to a new fortnightly LIVE show—a raucous, unfiltered lunchtime special with the Good Doctors, new features, and live chat so you can heckle, vote, and have your questions read out in real time. It’s the take you’ve all been waiting for... Mark’s Melania review. Did he enjoy this, er, ‘documentary’ about the FLOTUS? Obviously not. Will you enjoy listening to him slate it? We think so. Buckle up. Our guest this week is Riz Ahmed—actor, musician, writer and all-round creative force—joining Simon to talk about his bold new film adaptation of Hamlet. Reimagining Shakespeare’s most introspective tragedy for the screen, Ahmed takes on the iconic role of the Prince of Denmark in a version that fuses classic text with contemporary urgency. He tells Simon what it means to wrestle with “to be or not to be” in the modern world. Mark also reviews Hamlet, plus three more of this week’s notable releases. There’s Send Help, Sam Raimi’s survival thriller that strands its characters in a fight against both nature and themselves; The Chronology of Water, a visceral adaptation of Lidia Yuknavitch’s memoir, and Kristen Stewart’s directorial debut; and It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley, a documentary portrait of the elusive, mythic musician whose influence still reverberates decades on. All this, plus the box office top 10, the lofty pleasures of the Laughter Lift, and the usual conversational twists, turns, and small-hill-pedantry you’ve come to expect. Timecodes with YT clip codes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free) Send Help review - 08:53 ( clip: 11:27 – 12:18 Box Office Top 10 - 00:15:56 Melania review - 00:18:46 (clip 00:19:10 - 00:19:58) Riz Ahmed interview - 00:38:50 (film clip Universal 00:39:16 - 00:40:02) Hamlet review - 00:55:07 Laughter Lift - 01:02:50 Chronology of Water review - 01:04:46 (clip 01:05:41 - 01:06:32) It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley 01:11:19 (clip 01:11:56 - 01:12:44) You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey 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: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

05/02/2026 • 83:23

Some exciting news—The Take is now on Patreon: www.patreon.com/kermodeandmayo. Become a Vanguardista or an Ultra Vanguardista to get video episodes of Take Two every week, plus member‑only chat rooms, polls and submissions to influence the show, behind‑the‑scenes photos and videos, the monthly Redactor’s Roundup newsletter, and access to a new fortnightly LIVE show—a raucous, unfiltered lunchtime special with the Good Doctors, new features, and live chat so you can heckle, vote, and have your questions read out in real time. Our guests this week are two comedy giants: star of Arrested Development, 30 Rock and BoJack Horseman, Will Arnett—and mega-successful scouse standup John Bishop. It’s Bishop’s unlikely comedy origin story that inspired Is This Thing On?, the new Hollywood feelgood blockbuster directed by Bradley Cooper. In it, Arnett plays a divorced dad who puts his name down for an open mic at a bar just to save the entry fee—then accidentally catches the comedy bug. As he secretly follows his new standup dreams, can comedy save his sanity—and maybe even his marriage? Find out what Mark makes of it, plus two more of this week’s big screen releases. First up its Nouvelle Vague, Richard Linklater’s homage to the French new wave film movement of the 1960s. Linklater’s film dramatises the making of one of its essential movies, Jean Luc Godard’s Breathless. And from uber-cool Parisians murderous monkey’s, we’ll be reviewing Primate too: a tongue in cheek horror where a pet chimp goes bad. The boys are here in the studio IRL this week, so you’ll be getting all of this, plus the box office top 10 and the banterous heights of the laughter lift, beamed right at you from the room where movie-reviewing magic happens. Keep it real, Vanguardistas and all-comers! Timecodes with YT clip codes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free) Nouvelle Vague review - 10:32 Box Office Top 10 - 23:51 Will Arnett and John Bishop interview - 39:19 Is This Thing On? review 56:11 Laughter Lift - 01:03:04 Primate review - 01:07:20 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey 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: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

29/01/2026 • 79:58

Some exciting news—The Take is now on Patreon: www.patreon.com/kermodeandmayo. Become a Vanguardista or an Ultra Vanguardista to get video episodes of Take Two every week, plus member‑only chat rooms, polls and submissions to influence the show, behind‑the‑scenes photos and videos, the monthly Redactor’s Roundup newsletter, and access to a new fortnightly LIVE show—a raucous, unfiltered lunchtime special with the Good Doctors, new features, and live chat so you can heckle, vote, and have your questions read out in real time. Claire Foy is our special guest this week—and we promise that’s not just because her dad keeps writing in to the show... It’s also because she’s starring in H is For Hawk, out in cinemas this week. She plays Helen, who decides to keep and train a notoriously difficult goshawk as a means of coming to terms with the death of her father (played by Brendan Gleeson). Claire chats to Simon about bringing this bestselling memoir to the screen and learning to falcon with one of these ‘perfectly evolved psychopaths’ for real. Mark reviews H is for Hawk, plus three more fresh film releases—it's a packed show! First, Saipan—the football drama starring Éanna Hardwicke as Roy Keane and Steve Coogan as Ireland manager Mick McCarthy, which charts their legendary bust-up ahead of the 2002 world cup. From Korean cinema superstar Park Chan-wook we’ve got No Other Choice, a black comedy about a white-collar worker who turns lethal after being laid off. And last but certainly not least we’ve got even more Josh O’Connor and more Paul Mescal (surely those two lads deserve a holiday?) in The History of Sound—a gay romance between two student musicians in WW1 era America. Plus all the cinema action from the box office top 10, the endless hilarity of the laughter lift, and your tip top correspondence. Don’t miss it! Timecodes with YT clip codes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free) Saipan review 08:36 Box Office Top 10 - 18:43 Claire Foy interview – 42:09 H is For Hawk review 58:08 Laughter Lift - 01:07:47 The History of Sound review 1:16:01 No Other Choice review 1:10:54 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey 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: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

22/01/2026 • 84:37

Some exciting news—The Take is now on Patreon: www.patreon.com/kermodeandmayo. Become a Vanguardista or an Ultra Vanguardista to get video episodes of Take Two every week, plus member‑only chat rooms, polls and submissions to influence the show, behind‑the‑scenes photos and videos, the monthly Redactor’s Roundup newsletter, and access to a new fortnightly LIVE show—a raucous, unfiltered lunchtime special with the Good Doctors, new features, and live chat so you can heckle, vote, and have your questions read out in real time. The chilling on screen (but charming IRL) Jack O’Connell joins us on the Take this week to talk 28 Years Later: the Bone Temple. Directed by Nia DaCosta, who loyal listeners may remember from our live Christmas Extravaganza, it’s the second installment in a sequel trilogy to Danny Boyle’s zombie smash hit. Jack talks tracksuits, tiaras and being the most villainous actor of the past year—plus lots more on-set insights from the horror-thriller that’s got you all talking. Don;t miss this one! Mark reviews Bone Temple too, plus more of this week’s fresh new films. First up, Rental Family—which sees Brendan Fraser’s Philip join a Japanese agency providing fake ‘family for hire’ for its clients’ social and companionship needs. Plus a tougher but important watch, The Voice of Hind Rajab, which replays the tragic death of six-year-old Hind Rajab—killed in Gaza in January 2024—based on real audio of her final recorded calls to the Palestine Red Crescent Society and the efforts of its volunteers to save her life. Plus all the usual top quality nonsense on all things film-related and beyond, and your emergency mails of course. Thanks for listening! Timecodes with YT clip codes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free) Rental Family review 09:55 Box Office Top 10 - 17:23 Jack O’Connell interview - 44:30 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple review 59:15 Laughter Lift - 1:15:14 The Voice of Hind Rajab review You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey 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: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

15/01/2026 • 89:46

Some exciting news—The Take is now on Patreon: www.patreon.com/kermodeandmayo. Become a Vanguardista or an Ultra Vanguardista to get video episodes of Take Two every week, plus member‑only chat rooms, polls and submissions to influence the show, behind‑the‑scenes photos and videos, the monthly Redactor’s Roundup newsletter, and access to a new fortnightly LIVE show—a raucous, unfiltered lunchtime special with the Good Doctors, new features, and live chat so you can heckle, vote, and have your questions read out in real time. It’s a New Year’s correspondence special this week on the Take. Simon and Mark will be breaking open our bursting postbag and cracking into your excellent emergency mails from across the holiday period. We’ll be hearing your top takes on the films that made your festive breaks—and one repentant confession from the poor soul who made the mistake of watching The Lighthouse with their granny... We’ve got reviews of the freshest films from 2026’s first week too. First up it’s Becoming Victoria Wood, a documentary looking for the true personality behind the comedy persona of the national treasure. Plus you’ll hear Mark’s verdict on the new British boxing drama GIANT—which follows the true story of ring star Naseem Hamed (Amir El-Masry) and his fractious relationship with trainer Brendan Ingle, played by Pierce Brosnan. Not forgetting the much-anticipated Hamnet—the Chloé Zhao-directed biopic of William Shakespeare and his family during a period of personal turmoil and tragedy—based on Maggie O’Farrell’s bestselling novel. It’s already tipped for awards success—especially for lead performances by Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal—but do the Good Doctors believe the hype? Timecodes with YT clip codes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free) Becoming Victoria Wood review – 15:46 BO10 – 31:11 Hamnet review – 55:25 Laughter Lift – 1:10:25 GIANT review – 1:13:51 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey 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: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

08/01/2026 • 90:15

It’s that time of year on the Take when Mark runs down his best and worst films of the year—so get ready for a reminder of 2025’s biggest raves and rants from I’m Still Here to Tron: Ares. It’s all new content as he ranks the big-screen bangers and clangers of the last 12 months and picks the Take’s best picture. We’ll also look at the year’s best small screen releases, revisiting stunning series like the gruelling Narrow Road to the Deep North and the gripping Pluribus (00:43:00 https://tv.apple.com/gb/show/pluribus/umc.cmc.37axgovs2yozlyh3c2cmwzlza). For Vanguardistas listening ad-free, Pluribus is at 00:39:31. Brand new reviews too of two new cinema releases. First up, Song Sung Blue—a feelgood musical drama biopic about a real-life couple who form a Neil Diamond tribute band and follow their long-held musical dreams, starring Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson. There’s Peter Hujar’s Day too—which follows the everyday life on the 70s Downtown New York arts scene of the titular photographer, played by Ben Whishaw. Plus we remember the greats we lost in 2025. We’ve said goodbye to some true cinema legends this year, including Robert Redford, Diane Keaton, David Lynch—and of course tragically and most recently Rob Reiner. Mark and Simon celebrate their exceptional contributions to cinema. Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free): 00:00:00 Start of Discussion 00:02:51 Song Sung Blue review 00:17:15 Best films of 2025: 00:30:20 Peter Hujar’s Day review 00:36:12 Best TV of 2025 00:45:39 Worst films of 2025 00:56:45 They Lived Their Dash (obits) You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey 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: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

22/12/2025 • 81:45

Some exciting news—The Take is now on Patreon: www.patreon.com/kermodeandmayo. Become a Vanguardista or an Ultra Vanguardista to get video episodes of Take Two every week, plus member‑only chat rooms, polls and submissions to influence the show, behind‑the‑scenes photos and videos, the monthly Redactor’s Roundup newsletter, and access to a new fortnightly LIVE show—a raucous, unfiltered lunchtime special with the Good Doctors, new features, and live chat so you can heckle, vote, and have your questions read out in real time. We’ve got a proper festive treat for you in this week’s Christmas week Take special. The one and only Kate Winslet—Oscar winner, Hollywood royalty and all round very good egg. She’s given acclaimed performances as an actress in films like Titanic, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Sense and Sensibility, Steve Jobs and more—as well as in HBO’s Mare of Easttown series. She looks back over all that with Simon and Mark in this bumper chat—plus this time she’s getting behind the camera to direct her first film, Goodbye June. It’s a Christmas movie about a dysfunctional family thrown together when the elderly matriarch (June) falls ill during the festive period. As well as directing, Winslet plays Julia, one of June's four adult children. She came in person to our studio to unpack it with the Good Doctors—and she was so brilliant that she gets this Christmas Take special all to herself. She talks about her experiences as a debut director, working with her screenwriter son Joe Anders, and the incredible cast—from Helen Mirren and Timothy Spall to Toni Colette, Johnny Flynn and Andrea Riseborough. We even got a sneak peak of what a Winslet Christmas looks like. You won’t want to miss this. Happy holidays one and all! You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey 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: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

20/12/2025 • 62:23

Some exciting news—The Take is now on Patreon: www.patreon.com/kermodeandmayo. Become a Vanguardista or an Ultra Vanguardista to get video episodes of Take Two every week, plus member‑only chat rooms, polls and submissions to influence the show, behind‑the‑scenes photos and videos, the monthly Redactor’s Roundup newsletter, and access to a new fortnightly LIVE show—a raucous, unfiltered lunchtime special with the Good Doctors, new features, and live chat so you can heckle, vote, and have your questions read out in real time. Howdy Take listeners! We’re approaching the very end of the Christmas corridor—and we’ve got all the movie reviews you need to get you through the final push and onto the sofa eating Quality Street and turkey leftovers. First up, The Housemaid—Paul Feig’s psychological thriller starring Sydney Sweeney as a live-in maid for a family with dark secrets. Plus Marty Supreme, the high-speed Josh Safdie drama starring Timothée Chalamet as a aspiring table-tennis star in 1950s New York—and finally, Avatar: Fire and Ash. Regular listeners will know about Mark’s longstanding love for (slating) the Avatar films—so buckle up for a festive rant. The wonderful Paul Bettany—star of A Knights Tale, Dogville, and more recently the Marvel Cinematic Universe as both the voice of J.A.R.V.I.S. and as Vision—is our guest this week. He’s with us to discuss the new Sky adaptation of Amadeus—in which he plays Salieri, the frustratedly mediocre nemesis of Will Sharpe’s Mozart. The Oscar-winning 1984 film adaptation is Simon’s favourite movie of all time—but will Bettany win him over to this new TV version? They unpack it and talk music, the truth about Mozart, and whether Paul will ever direct again. Thanks for listening, and Merry Christmas ya filthy animals! Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free) The Housemaid review – 11:17 BO10 – 20:34 Paul Bettany Interview: 28:20 Laughter Lift – 53:55 Marty Supreme review 57:55 Avatar Fire & Ash review 1:10:24 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey 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: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

18/12/2025 • 92:40

Some exciting news—The Take is now on Patreon: www.patreon.com/kermodeandmayo. Become a Vanguardista or an Ultra Vanguardista to get video episodes of Take Two every week, plus member‑only chat rooms, polls and submissions to influence the show, behind‑the‑scenes photos and videos, the monthly Redactor’s Roundup newsletter, and access to a new fortnightly LIVE show—a raucous, unfiltered lunchtime special with the Good Doctors, new features, and live chat so you can heckle, vote, and have your questions read out in real time. To those of you who joined us for our Live Christmas Spectacular at the Prince Edward Theatre in London’s West End last weekend—thank you for being a fabulous audience and we hope you had as much festive film buff fun as we did. To those of you who couldn’t be there—fear not! This week’s Take brings it directly to your ears. Recorded live from the auditorium, it’s stuffed full of more goodies than your Christmas stocking, including interviews with Nia DaCosta on next year’s 28 Years Later sequel The Bone Temple, and Jason Isaacs beamed to us chatting about whatever he was doing in a massive conference centre in New Orleans... Plus reviews of some brand new films you can watch in cinemas and at home this holiday: Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery—the latest instalment in the whodunnit franchise that’s fast becoming a Christmastime screen staple, starring the fabulously accented Daniel Craig as detective Benoit Blanc and Josh O’Connor as a priest at the centre of the case—alongside the stellar ensemble cast we’ve come to expect from Knives Out. Plus we’ve got Goodbye June—the directorial debut from Kate Winslet that sees a dysfunctional family thrown together when their matriarch falls gravely ill at Christmas. The ensemble cast includes Helen Mirren, Toni Colette, Johnny Flynn, Timothy Spall, and Andrea Riseborough, alongside Winslet herself—and its screenplay was penned by her son Joe Anders. Kate Winslet will be joining us for an extended Christmas special interview on the Take—so you’ll hear a little sneak peek of that too. And finally, on a less festive note we’ve got Lurker—a fame and fandom psychodrama about a retail worker who becomes part of a pop star’s inner circle. We’ve got a Christmas cracker edition of the Laughter Lift too (oh you lucky things). Enjoy it, and we hope to see some more of your fabulous faces in the audience next year! Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free) Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery review: 11:19 Nia DaCosta Interview: 19:27 Christmas Cracker Laughter Lift: 42:22 Lurker review: p1 47’17 Jason Isaacs interview: 48:50 Lurker review pt 2: 1:00:53 Goodbye June review: 01:05:35 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey 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: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

11/12/2025 • 84:18

Some exciting news—The Take is now on Patreon: www.patreon.com/kermodeandmayo.  Become a Vanguardista or an Ultra Vanguardista to get video episodes of Take Two every week, plus member‑only chat rooms, polls and submissions to influence the show, behind‑the‑scenes photos and videos, the monthly Redactor’s Roundup newsletter, and access to a new fortnightly LIVE show—a raucous, unfiltered lunchtime special with the Good Doctors, new features, and live chat so you can heckle, vote, and have your questions read out in real time.  We have a bonafide film and TV legend in our midst this week: director of ‘Broadcast News’, ‘Terms of Endearment’ and ‘As Good As It Gets’—not to mention co-creator of The Simpsons—James L Brooks. He talks to Simon about his new comedy drama ‘Ella McCay’—his first film in 15 years. He unpacks the movie starring Emma Mackey (yes, the names are confusing), Jamie Lee Curtis, Woody Harrelson and Jack Lowden—and tells us why he’s nostalgic for 2008. Plus a bit of Simpsons chat—there are a few very familiar voices in this movie!   Mark reviews Eternity—the new A24 afterlife romcom that sees Elizabeth Olsen torn between two dead husbands, played by Miles Teller and Callum Turner. Plus we’ve got his verdict on the new film from exiled Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi too--’It Was Just an Accident’. This latest daring project has seen the banned filmmaker issued a jail sentence from the Iranian government. And finally, Five Nights at Freddy’s 2....You might remember how much Mark loved the first one (not)... but could the sequel win him over? Spoilers: it doesn’t—but strap in for a review that might be more entertaining than the movie.  All the box office top 10 news for you too, plus the weekly hilarity of the laughter lift. Enjoy!   Our LIVE Christmas Extravaganza at London’s Prince Edward Theatre is this weekend! Join us on 7th December—with special guest Nia DaCosta, and Jason Isaacs beaming in from the USA. Tickets here: fane.co.uk/kermode-mayo      Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free)  Eternity review: 09:10  BO10: 19:50  James L Brooks Interview: 37:10  It Was Just An Accident review: 52:30 Laughter Lift: 1:02:32  Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 review: 01:07:32 Jay Kelly review: 01:14:41      You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo  Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey   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: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

04/12/2025 • 88:55

Some exciting news—The Take is now on Patreon: www.patreon.com/kermodeandmayo.  Become a Vanguardista or an Ultra Vanguardista to get video episodes of Take Two every week, plus member‑only chat rooms, polls and submissions to influence the show, behind‑the‑scenes photos and videos, the monthly Redactor’s Roundup newsletter, and access to a new fortnightly LIVE show—a raucous, unfiltered lunchtime special with the Good Doctors, new features, and live chat so you can heckle, vote, and have your questions read out in real time.  American indie darling director Noah Baumbach joins Simon in the guest spot this week to talk ‘Jay Kelly’, his new film starring George Clooney as the titular aging movie star in crisis. On an unexpected European tour, he looks back on a life of stardom and its effects on those around him—not least the long serving entourage who trail after him. Noah sits down with Simon to unpack his writing process and more on this sweeping showbiz tale.   Jay Kelly is out on Netflix next week, so listen out for Mark’s review then. In the meantime, we’ve got this week’s biggest releases reviewed for you right now. First up, ‘Pillion’—whose star Alexander Skarsgård was our guest on last week’s show. It’s an unbashful BDSM biker drama, following the unconventional romance between Skarsgård’s Ray and Harry Melling’s Colin. Does Mark think it’s a pleasure or a pain? Either way—maybe not one to watch on family film night...  Plus, ‘Christy’--the boxing drama based on the true story of women's boxing trailblazer Christy Martin, played by Sydney Sweeney—and ‘Zootropolis 2’, the long-awaited sequel to the animated animal cop drama for all the family.   All the best of the Box Office Top 10, and top correspondence too, including some excellent ‘Pluribus’ discussion—keep the emergency-mails coming, folks!   AND Don’t miss our upcoming LIVE Christmas Extravaganza at London’s Prince Edward Theatre on 7th December—with special guests Nia DaCosta, Jason Isaacs beaming in from the USA, and more! Tickets here: fane.co.uk/kermode-mayo      Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free)  Pillion review: 12:33   BO10: 27:34  Noah Baumbach Interview: 47:45  Christy review: 01:01:38  Laughter Lift: 01:10:39  Zootropolis 2 review: 1:12:57       You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo  Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey   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: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

27/11/2025 • 85:22

Howdy Take listeners—it's about time for another Now & Ben, don’t you think? This time it’s Benedict Cumberbatch—who chats to our Ben about his new film ‘The Thing With Feathers’, alongside director Dylan Southern. Based on the bestselling Max Porter novel, the movie follows Cumberbatch’s character ‘Dad’ through his grief at the sudden death of his wife, and his efforts to raise their two sons alone. It’s a hefty subject matter and emotional performance—but as you’ll hear there were some pretty hilarious on-set antics too. When you’re working with two child actors and a guy in a giant crow costume, things are bound to be some laughs... Enjoy, and watch out for more of these bonus interview nuggets dropping into the Take feed every ‘Now & Ben’. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

21/11/2025 • 15:56

Some exciting news—The Take is now on Patreon: www.patreon.com/kermodeandmayo. Become a Vanguardista or an Ultra Vanguardista to get video episodes of Take Two every week, plus member‑only chat rooms, polls and submissions to influence the show, behind‑the‑scenes photos and videos, the monthly Redactor’s Roundup newsletter, and access to a new fortnightly LIVE show—a raucous, unfiltered lunchtime special with the Good Doctors, new features, and live chat so you can heckle, vote, and have your questions read out in real time. A leather-clad Alexander Skarsgård is riding into this week’s Take as our very special guest. That’s because he’s here to talk about ‘Pillion’, the one-of-a-kind comedy drama where he stars as mysterious BDSM biker Ray. The film follows his unfolding relationship with Colin, a shy small-town boy played by Harry Melling—who you might have heard on the show a few months back chatting to Simon about ‘Harvest’. Colin begins to discover his submissive streak under Ray’s dominant hand, as their complex relationship develops. Alexander sits down with Simon to unpack the film—a ‘Dom-Com’, as he calls it—and gives us the lowdown on what a Skarsgård Christmas looks like too. Don’s miss Mark’s review of ‘Pillion’ on next week’s show. This week we’ve got his verdicts on three more juicy new releases for you as usual. First up, ‘Sisu: Road to Revenge’--the Finnish action sequel to 2022’s ‘Sisu’, where seemingly unkillable action man Aatami Korpi goes on a revenge rampage against the Red Army. Plus, Bizarre biblical horror ‘The Carpenter’s Son’, starring Nicolas Cage going full Nicola Cage yet again—and ‘Wicked: For Good’ – the sequel to last year’s musical smash spectacle. The Good Doctors run down the box office top 10 too—and from the top of the charts to the bottom of the barrel, there’s the Laughter Lift. Plus your excellent and erudite correspondence answered. AND Don’t miss our upcoming LIVE Christmas Extravaganza at London’s Prince Edward Theatre on 7th December—with special guests Nia DaCosta, Gurinder Chadha, and more! Tickets here: fane.co.uk/kermode-mayo Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free) Sisu: Road to Revenge Review: 13:44 BO10: 22:21 Alexander Skarsgard Interview: 37:37 The Carpenter’s Son Review: 51:15 Laughter Lift: 01:01:28 Wicked: For Good Review: 01:05:51 You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey 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: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

20/11/2025 • 83:29