From the Phoenix Cinema in East Finchley we 'celebrate' Mark Kermode. Kind-of. We then sit in Dan & DeCarlo's cafe to talk about, amongst the films on release, Peter Jackson's The Lovely Bones, Jean-Pierre Jenuet's MICMAC's, Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away and Wong Kar-Wai's In the Mood for Love.A small discussion on the BAFTA winners and an analysis of the Oscar nominee's for Best Animation, Best Documentary and Best Film Not in the English Language.
Blogs mentioned:
Lots of stuff on He Shot Cyrus and more on the Kid in the Front Row (both have fan pages on facebook!)
Music is by the Cocteau Twins, from Raphael Beau's MICMAC's score and the soundtrack to In the Mood for Love.
http://simonandjoshow.mypodcast.com/
I really like the show and feel a little awkward offering constructive criticism so I apologise from the outset. The one thing I would like to highlight is that although you both have some very good opinions and can defend your own stance on films and issues you reference to other critics from the itunes store podcast circuit too frequently. I can barely handle Xan and Jason’s opinions when I listen to Film Weekly never mind having it echoed again the week after. I also understand that you currently have Kermode fever, having met the good doctor this week, which I’m sure was a pleasure – I really like him, but this isn’t the only week I’ve noticed their opinions have been emphasised frequently.
ReplyDeleteThe only problem I think this creates is that it undermines your own views and it seems as though you don’t back yourselves enough. As I pointed out above, you both have impassioned views on things; views that are just as valid (moreso in some cases) as these established critics.
I imagine that one of the main problems is that you obviously cannot see all films on release so rather than having nothing to say you can rely on a trusted opinion.
Hopefully this constructive criticism has come across ok and keep up the good work. Not just with the show but with the blog. How you get the time to write up that many films is very impressive. Wish I could.
Thanks man!
ReplyDeleteI really appreciate the comment and I think you are right - the sources this week were limited! But yeah, we try and back up the films we haven't watched with these opinions - but inevitably we also use them within our own reviews!
Recently we have tried to support blogs and bloggers moreso - as we inevitably draw alot of our opinions from 'established sources' when, in fact, as you said about our show - bloggers and similar podcasts are equally valid opinions and sources.
Then again, we aspire to - and look up to - film critics we mention and want to clarify this stance...
Its a tricky line to balance on!
Simon
yeah, it is an unenviable position, but you guys do a good job. Glad that the comment didn't seem out of terms and keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteGood to see you using the still relatively unknown discussion function of Facebook. Hasn't quite taken off yet on any facebook fanpage I visit, but as the friends and fans grow this will be an invaluable tool for community discussion.
in the meantime, we are simply trying to gain more publicity - without paying for it! ha ha! But, bit by bit, we build the show fanbase...
ReplyDeleteSimon, I hate to burst your bubble, but, well, go here. To make matters worse, I've heard rumors of a planned New Year's Day movie as well. They won't stop until they've used them all, and then they still won't stop.
ReplyDeleteYou guys pretty much confirmed what I was thinking about MICMACS, but it was positive enough, and I'm an Amelie lover (I really, really need to see more of Jeunet's other works), so I'm still on board.
Weird, that movie that the Rep was talking about, I haven't even heard of. Must not be getting a stateside release.
But come on! Not that I have seen any of them, but clearly, we need a new one which is in the vein of Love, Actually... i would make a shed load. It doesn't even have to be any good (Valentines day was rumoured to be very bad...) because it'll still make money.
ReplyDeleteNew Years Day though.
God.