Cinema In Context

Zach Cregger films. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Weapons (2025) and Barbarian (2022). Our conversation begins with our experiences watching Barbarian for the first time and it quickly weaves into our reactions to watching Zach Cregger's latest film Barbarian. We make connections between the films and with Heretic (2024), Longlegs (2024), The Shining (1980), Carnivàle (2003-2005), Magnolia (1999), Prisoners (2013), and No Country For Old Men (2007). We praise the work of Georgina Campbell, Bill Skarsgård and Justin Long in Barbarian, and Julia Garner, Josh Brolin, Benadict Wong, Alden Ehrenreich, Toby Huss and Amy Madigan in Weapons.

1978 and 2025. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Superman (1978) and Superman (2025). Our conversation begins with our reactions to 1978's Superman, directed by Richard Donner, with most of the podcast watching the film for the first time in preparation for the podcast recording. We talk about the score from John Williams and how it connects to his other great scores from the 1970s and 80s. We praise the merits of the original film, especially Christopher Reeve as Superman and Clark Kent. We discuss the merits of 2025's Superman, directed by Jason Gunn, beginning by praising the chemistry between David Corenswet's Superman and Rachel Brosnahan's Lois Lane. We talk about the connections between the film and the wider DC Universe films, as well as comparisons to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Zombie films, the first and latest. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss 28 Years Later (2025) and Night of the Living Dead (1968). Our conversation begins with confusion as we realise some podcast hosts were under the impression we were focusing on 28 Days Later (2002). We compare the cinematography of Anthony Dod Mantle in both 28 Years Later and 28 Days Later. We discuss the merits of 28 Years Later, including the performances, storytelling, pacing and narrative left turns. We get into a awkward and sinister inclusion of Jimmy Savile lookalikes in the film and the divisive ending. Our conversation moves to Night of the Living Dead and discussing our experiences watching the film, as well as Dawn of the Dead (1978), Day of the Dead (1985), Land of the Dead (2005), Diary of the Dead (2007), and Survival of the Dead (2009). We praise the performance of Duane Jones and allude to the representation politics of Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead, casting a man of colour in both lead rol

The Final Destination saga. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Final Destination: Bloodlines (2025) and the original Final Destination (2000), as well as the sequels in between: Final Destination 2 (2003), Final Destination 3 (2006), The Final Destination (2009) and Final Destination 5 (2011). We begin by discussing the Health and Safety elements of the films, especially the 'Public Service Announcement' lurking under the surface of the majority of the grisly deaths in the series. Jeremy, Sarah, and William each reminisce about their experiences watching the films. We talk about the process that recent series directors Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein went through to land the job of the latest film. We celebrate our positive reactions to various moments from across the series, especially the fifth film. We honour the work of Tony Todd and the connections to Candyman (1992) in the series. We talk about the nebulous role of Death as a villain and the logic of the premonitions in each film. Jerem

Pamela Anderson starring films. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss The Last Showgirl (2024) and Barb Wire (1996). We begin by discussing Barb Wire and showering it with praise (excuse the pun). We celebrate the 90s-ness of the film. We talk about all the homages and connections we noticed in Barb Wire, including Casablanca (1942), Batman Forever (1995), Alien 3 (1992), Mad Max (1979), Romeo + Juliet (1996), Candyman (1992), Strange Days (1995), and Total Recall (1990). We praise the cast, including Xander Berkeley, Udo Kier and Temuera Morrison. We discuss the production values of Barb Wire, including the visual effects, action, cinematography and other production values. Our conversation explores the criticism of Barb Wire and how the tastes of audiences shifted over the 90s, making connections to Waterworld (1995), Cutthroat Island (1995), Hook (1991) and Charlie's Angels (2000). We move our discussion to The Last Showgirl, directed by Gia Coppola. We talk about the strength of the perform

Artificially Intelligent girlfriends. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Companion (2025) and Her (2013). Both films have director-writers in Drew Hancock and Spike Jonze, respectively. We start by discussing the vision of the future Her presents and how much has come to pass - 'prescient' is the word we all describe the film as. We celebrate a number of elements of Her that we enjoy. The conversation then moves to a discussion of Companion and how we found the film not as complex as Her. We discuss the films in connection to Lost In Translation (2003), Barbarian (2022), Ex Machina (2014), M3GAN (2022), Hereditary (2018), Midsommar (2019), Beau Is Afraid (2023), Heretic (2024), The White Lotus (2021-) and Yellowjackets (2021-). We praise the performances of Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Sophie Thatcher and Jack Quaid. We end with a discussion about real-world AI today and how the films connect to matters at hand.

Week-long liaisons. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss two films about a young sex worker asked to be a date for a week: Anora (2024) and Pretty Woman (1990). We discuss our initial experiences watching the Gary Marshall's Pretty Woman. We praise the film's creation of tropes, archetypes and memorable movie moments. We celebrate the performances, especially Julia Roberts. We talk about the types of romantic comedies like Pretty Woman that made up a lot of our movies back in the 1990s and early 2000s. We shift our discussion to Anora and gush over the quality of the film. We talk about the comedy elements of the film, the improvisation, the production design, makeup, costume design and the prowess of director Sean Baker. We praise the performance of Mikey Madison as Anora and also Yura Borisov as Igor, both up for acting Oscars. We finish our conversation by looking at connections between the two films.

Minisode: Oscars 2025 by Cinema in Context

Three Paddington films. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Paddington (2014), Paddington 2 (2017) and Paddington in Peru (2024) and our general reactions to the films, especially those of us who haven't seen a Paddington film before. We talk about the work of writer and director Paul King, including The Mighty Boosh and Wonka (2023), and praise the work of first-time director Dougal Wilson. We discuss the cast and performances in the films, including the work of Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Emily Mortimer, Ben Wishaw, Jessica Hynes, Matt Lucas, Peter Capaldi, Nicole Kidman, Hugh Grant, Olivia Colman, Julie Walters, Michael Gambon, Jim Broadbent, Brendan Gleeson and Noah Taylor. We praise the films' visuals, especially Paddington's animation. This extends into a discussion of live-action, special effects, visual effects and computer generation. We touch on Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (2024), the work of Ray Harryhausen - Jason and the Argonauts (1963) and Clash of the Titans (1981), the original G

The best of the year. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss their film and television highlights of the year, including their biggest surprise, biggest disappointment, wildcard, best television and best films of 2024. Here are the films and television shows we discussed: • Biggest surprise of the year: Migration (William); Kneecap (Sarah); Wicked: Part 1 (Jeremy) • Biggest disappointment of the year: Means Girls (Sarah and Jeremy); The Bear, Season 3 (William) • Wildcard: Alien: Romulus (Jeremy); Grand Theft Hamlet (Sarah); Hundreds of Beavers (William) • Best television: Delicious in Dungeon (William); Hacks, Season 3 (Jeremy); Mr. & Mrs. Smith (Sarah) • Runner-ups to the film of the year: The Substance and Civil War (Jeremy); The Wild Robot and Robot Dreams (William); Origin and American Fiction (Sarah) • Best film of the year: Dune: Part Two (Jeremy); Successor | Zhua wa wa (William); All of Us Strangers (Sarah) Additional shout-outs to Gut Instinct, Rebel Ridge, The Legend of Zelda: Breat

1970s television films. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Saturday Night (2024) and Network (1976), films about television in 1975. We begin by discussing our connection and experience watching the television sketch-comedy show Saturday Night Live (1975-present). We discuss the actors' performances in the film, especially in their impersonations of the famous cast members of the original episode: Chevy Chase, John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd and Andy Kaufman. We shift our conversation to Network and how relevant the film still is today. We also praise the performances in Network, including Faye Dunaway, William Holden, Peter Finch, Robert Duvall, Beatrice Straight and Ned Beatty. We compare the two films, especially the costume and production design of both films being similar while being almost 50 years apart.

Mega-city grand vision films. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Megalopolis (2024) and Metropolis (1927), films by Francis Ford Coppola and Fritz Lang. We begin by sharing our experiences watching Metropolis, including the first time watching it and our experience watching it more recently. We talk about the music in Metropolis, how it's drawn from music before it and influenced music after the film. We start our conversation about Megalopolis by questioning the film's logic and figuring out what the film is trying to do. We praise and dissect the work of Aubrey Plaza, Talia Shire and Kathryn Hunter, as well as critique the work of the cast as a whole. We consider the film regarding other films and filmmakers' work, trying to figure out what could have made Megalopolis a better film. We discuss the performances from Metropolis, especially the work of Brigitte Helm. We finish by discussing the themes, ideas and politics of Metropolis and whether it is still relevant to us today.

Say their name multiple times. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Candyman (1992) and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024), as well as Beetlejuice (1988). We start by sharing our experiences and reactions to watching Candyman, including the key imagery and ideas that stand out. We praise the score from Phillip Glass, the writing work of Clive Barker, the direction and vision from Bernard Rose, and the commendable acting work and charisma of Virginia Madsen and Tony Todd. We then discuss Beetlejuice (1988), with Sarah watching it for the first time for this episode, which then moves into our reactions and experiences to watching Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024). We talk about the connections between the two films and how we seem to connect films in more surprising ways than we initially realise. We discuss the wider state of "Legacy-quels" and the repeated trope of the grown-up lead as a sad parent. We talk about the urban and suburban exploration in both films and how it mines the fears of modern-day

The Alien franchise. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Alien (1979) and Alien: Romulus (2024), as well as Aliens (1986), Alien³ (1992), Alien: Resurrection (1997), Prometheus (2012) and Alien: Covenant (2017). Our conversation dips in and out of all these films, praising and critiquing the work of directors Ridley Scott, Fede Alvarez, James Cameron, David Fincher and Jean-Pierre Jeunet. We praise the performances of Sigourney Weaver, Ian Holm, Bill Paxton, Lance Henriksen, Winona Ryder, Michael Fassbender, Cailee Spaeny, David Johnson and Spike Fearn. We consider the human-android-alien-company relationships throughout all the films, with Ripley, Ash, Bishop, Call, David, Walter, Andy and Rook. We celebrate the production design of the original and new film, and how the latest entry into the franchise harks back to its predecessors. We discuss the lore of the Alien franchise, considering the stages of the titular monster through the queen, egg, face-hugger, chest-burster, xenomorph, "The New

Looking back at 100 months. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss the last 100 months of Cinema in Context. We reminisce on the beginnings of the podcast, referencing the many people who have contributed along the way. We discuss our top films of the 'new' films we've focused on since 2016. The films we discuss include Thor: Ragnarok (2017) from Episode 20, Mission: Impossible - Fallout (2018) from Episode 29, Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022) from Episode 74, The Salesman (2016) from Episode 13, Parasite (2019) from Episode 42, Turning Red (2022) from Episode 73, Upgrade (2018) from Episode 33, Cats (2019) from Episode 48 and 57, Encanto (2021) from Episode 70, A Quiet Place (2018) from Episode 25, A Star is Born (2018) from Episode 31 and Tenet (2020) from Episode 54. We wrap up our discussion by looking back at the discoveries we have made in our back catalogue selections over the past eight years, our favourite pairings for different episodes and reflecting on the overall positiveness

Originally from January 2023, Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss the films Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) and Titanic (1997). This additional content covers three key questions: each person's favourite moment from the films, one thing they would change and a third film they would group with these movies.

George Miller sequels. Special guest Sophie Ricketts joins Jeremy Downing and William Chen to discuss Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024) and Babe: Pig in the City (1998). We begin by discussing our reactions to Babe: Pig in the City, by first considering its predecessor Babe (1995) and then reminiscing the circumstances in which we watched its 1998 sequel. We talk about the darkness in Babe: Pig in the City and whether this film is appropriate for children. We then move on to a discussion about Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024) and immediately discuss it in comparison to Mad Max: Fury Road (2015). We finish by discussing why we think Furiosa is bombing at the box office and our final thoughts on Babe 2, with some last-minute comparisons to Poor Things (2023), La cité des enfants perdus | The City of Lost Children (1995) and Batman Returns (1992).

War-torn "road trips". Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Civil War (2024) and Apocalypse Now (1979). We begin by discussing the different versions of Apocalypse Now and our reaction to the different elements in each film. We shift to talk about Civil War and how the film evokes a visceral response and gets the audience thinking. We talk about the connection to Heart of Darkness, the work of Marlon Brando and the ideas present in Apocalypse Now. We commend the work of Kirsten Dunst and Jessie Plemmons in Civil War and their wider careers. We discuss the music in both films, individually and the similarities between the two. We commend the work of Martin Sheen, Robert DuVall and Dennis Hopper in Apocalypse Now. We finish with a conversation about the politics of both films, what they are trying to achieve and how it has been received by the public.

Space Opera Sequels. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen begin by discussing our reactions to Dune: Part Two, how it compares our perspectives of Part One and how the films connect to the source text. We talk about our opinions and connections to The Empire Strikes Back (aka Star Wars Episode V), and our experiences watching it growing up. We praise the performances in the films, especially Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford and Mark Hamill in The Empire Strikes Back, and Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Javier Bardem, Rebecca Ferguson and Florence Pugh. We discuss the prowess of George Lucas, Irvin Kershner, Denis Villeneuve, Hans Zimmer and John Williams.

Unpacking the Academy Awards. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss the 96th Academy Awards ceremony. We begin by talking about the presentation of the ceremony itself. Our conversation moves to the Best Picture category and we consider Oppenheimer, Zone of Interest, American Fiction and The Holdovers. We discuss the Sound category and the skill of how The Zone of Interest was put together. We move into a conversation about Poor Things, including the performance of Emma Stone, the design elements in the film and the politics of the script. We talk through a range of smaller categories and touch on Maestro, Godzilla Minus One, The Creator, and the performances of Lily Gladstone, Carey Mulligan and Sandra Hüller. We talk about the Screenplay categories, the performances of "I'm Just Ken" and "What Was I Made For", reminisce about previous ceremonies and winners, and finish by discussing the animated and documentary categories.