A Trip to the Moon/Le Voyage Dans La Lune (Georges Méliès, 1902)

"Le Voyage ..."

Introduction

Where fantastical film began - the idea that film transports you from one spot to another. A completely fictional universe, created by a filmmaker, for you the audience to step into for a short moment. The 1001 Film Club has returned with thanks to FilmSquish and TheAnswerMPV and they kick-off with freely available short - The Sci-Fi classic by Méliès. I cannot thank them enough as I am keen to 'catch 'em all' - much like Pokémon - one at a time and, as these freebies and shorts are easy ones to get, it is something I intend to watch as soon as possible. Though, I won't lie, i'm not looking forward to the three-hours worth of Triumph of the Will and Birth of a Nation ... one at a time I guess ...

Inspirational

A better critic than I will be able to detail the exact influence this film has had on cinema but I shall merely mention the first films that came to my mind when I watched it. First and foremost, it seemed to remind me of Moulin Rouge. No big dance numbers here, no colour either - just a certain surrealist edge that is toyed with to support the strange french-edge the film posseses. The special effects used is subtle and eerir: a spaceship rammed into a moon - a moon that blinks with human eyes.

Thats not all either - the smoke-and-cut sequences as aliens leap around in acrobatic finesse only to be hit by a stick and, cut, the alien disappears. Reminds me of some films I made at Uni (Yes thats right, first is Georges Méliès then theres me...). The acrobatic forms that dance and move alongside the women, gymnastically poised on the planets give space and the moon an air of beauty that, without the feminine forms, would not be as picturesque.

Sets the Stage for the Future ...

But the, what on earth could this be? It is the new medium of film  it is the beginning of cinema as a narrative. Cinematic-escapism in its primitive form and, through combining special effects and human skill steeped in an alien world - a world which had never been seen before brings another film to mind... could you say Le Voyage Dans La Lune is the Avatar of its day?

But unlike the special edition of Avatar, you can watch it - for free and legally - yourself! As a side note, it is interesting to note that Méliès intended to release the film in America and make millions, but Thomas Edison's technicians nabbed it and copied it and sold it in America and made Edison millions ... whilst Méliès got jack shit.

Who needs Avatar when you have this ...

Remember - you can always email The Simon and Jo Film Show directly using this email: simonandjoshow@gmail.com

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TSAJS: 28/11/2010 Biutiful/Harry Potter and Azkablam! and a Goblet...

*INACCURACY ALERT - I have just been informed that, when we discuss Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban I incorrectly recall the start of the previous film Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Suffice to say, with all the potter info in my head its become a bit of a blur - so apologies for that incredible inaccurracy. Ironically, the sequence I forgot about - the awesome bus - was one of the best sequences in the entire film!

This week, we travel outside of London to Brighton to cover an upcoming film playing at CineCity: The Brighton Film Festival and we record at the Oldest Cinema in Britain - The Duke of Yorks. Alejandro González Iñárritu directs Biutiful starring Javier Bardem and, believe me, though set in Barcelona it is the complete opposite the Javier Bardems previous outing in Vicky Cristina Barcelona.

We then cover the news - that includes DiCaprio as a tiger and Christian Bale as Batman - for the last time. So he says. The UK box-office (Time-Out ... update your London Box-Office!) and feedback from new listeners and Baffler-Planners alike.

Finally, we discuss the next two Harry Potter films: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Alfonso Cuarón and Mike Newell try their hand with Potter with serious outcomes ...

Trailers

Links

Thanks to Jon at Splendor Cinema for his support of the show! The Duke of Yorks truly is the place to be!

Opposing views on Alfonso Cuarón is held by Nick at Random Ramblings of a Demented Doorknob.

Music

I couldn't find the soundtrack for Biutiful but IMDB has obviously got the soundtrack listing so, I have hunted down the following tracks by Underworld, Cafe Tubeca and Lorca. To finish, the final few tracks are from the Harry Potter franchise - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is John Williams whilst Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is composed by Patrick Doyle.

Remember - you can always email The Simon and Jo Film Show directly using this email: simonandjoshow@gmail.com

We are also on Twitter (simonandjoshow) and Facebook.

Favourite Film Faces #14: Ralph Fiennes in 'Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire'

Last night, through watching all the Harry Potter films in order, I have reached the fourth installment: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. I was tryin to recall at what point Ralph Fienne's turned up as the infamous Voldermort and this is that moment. I recently heard a podcast - Battleship Pretension methinks - and they explained how Mike Newell and Christopher Columbus made Harry Potter films for the kids, whilst Yates and Cuaron made much more darker and sinister films. I understand Columbus, in all fairness, was indeed making a kids film - and good for him - but Mike Newell... I don't know. I think HP4 has many dark elements just with a certain playful tone 'hovering' above it all.

Fact is, with regards to casting - this is the most perfect casting ever. In fact, so good - it seems as if this is what Fiennes was destined for. Ralph Fiennes often plays the villian - Schindler's List, Red Dragon and the complex-figure in the National Theatre's Oedipus, his own worst enemy - and the nose-less being that is Voldermort could not have asked for a better actor.

Ralph Fiennes - you are a legend. 

Remember - you can always email The Simon and Jo Film Show directly using this email: simonandjoshow@gmail.com

We are also on Twitter (simonandjoshow) and Facebook.

Baffler #5: Bourne's British Brain Baffler

So, we have a new quiz with a much more focus on British Cinema. Jo and I are pitted against each other, yet again, and attempt to out-quiz each other. As usual, Richard Bourne presides over.

As usual - get your results in as soon as a you can and - as it is only 10 minutes long - feel free to use the widget at the top of this page to listen and then comment below with your results.

Its all fun and games really and, feel free to track down Bafflers #1- #4 on podomatic and on itunes...

Enjoy!

Scores so far, after the jump ...

Terminator 3: Rise Of The Machines (Jonathan Mostow, 2003)

"The future has not been written. There is no fate but what we make for ourselves. I wish I could believe that. My name is John Connor, they tried to murder me before I was born, when I was 13 they tried again. Machines from the future."

Introduction

It ain't that bad. Its no where near as bad as everyone said. Don't get me wrong, its no Jim Cameron movie, but it sure as hell isn't GI Joe: The Rise of the Cobra. Again, in my attempt to blitz the Terminator franchise and understand what its all about I ploughed into the post T2 sequels. The films everyone says are awful. I remember the release thinking "Wow, Clare Danes does star in the big films still". Prior to this, everyone was pleased to have the duo of films that preceded - but, in the year of the trilogies (American Pie 3, Matrix Revolutions, LOTR:The Return of the King...), it seemed the perfect time to release the third Terminator movie. Why not hire the director of U-571...

James Cameron hinted at a possible script for T3 many times in the ninties before he left Linda Hamilton for Titanic, but the studios were never going to say no to this franchise. The door was wide open. Interesting details from wikipedia:

The studios had long wanted to make a sequel to the Terminator films. However, they were unsure whether Arnold Schwarzenegger would appear in it. Schwarzenegger initially refused to star in Terminator 3 because Cameron, who created the character and helmed the first two films, would not be directing the third installment. Schwarzenegger tried to persuade Cameron to produce the third film. Cameron declined, however, as he felt that he had already finished telling the story upon the conclusion of T2. But feeling that the Terminator character was as much Schwarzenegger's as it was his own, he advised Schwarzenegger to just do the third film and ask for "nothing less than $30 million." 

So, with 20% of the profits ging directly to Arnie - alongside a little over $29m - the stage was set.

Off the Radar

So many good aspects to this film - it truly is a shame it didn't fall completely into place. The late-teenager John Connor (Nick Stahl) has been 'off the radar' since T2. He has virtually deleted his existence from all the records that tracked him. It is fate that brings him back to Katherine Brewster (Clare Danes). Brewster and Connor, the night before the whole T2 situation, got it on in at some mutual friends party - but, obviously, John Connor was never to be seen again after that whole debaucle. This 'character' development goes hand in hand with a clear, conscious connection to the previous installments. In the same as the previous installments Arnie arrives with the fire-in-the-background silhouette and the vast majority of the film is still set within an LA urban setting or a dusty Nevada desert.

In The Beginning ...

I heard recently about how Ridley Scotts up and coming prequel to the Alien films will 'explain' where the Alien comes from. I additionally heard an opinion whereby the Alien franchise does not need a history lesson. The fear of the alien is in the lack of knowledge behind the creature. In the same discussion, the same could be said about the terminator - but alas, clearly this was directly what was wanted in this film. I feel that this is a double-sided sword - on the one hand we have a great starting point of research: how did the terminator develop? who was responsible for the machine itself? In The Terminator no explanation was given - the terminator was to kill Sarah Connor and she had to kill the terminator to survive. And she does. Terminator 2:Judgement Day expands on the universe - Sarah Connor needs to stop the accelerated-development of the artificial-intelligence to stop the nuclear war which will break out in 1997. This is averted. Terminator 3:Rise of the Machines reveals that the development of A.I. continues and that Judgment Day has not been averted. But, instead of a small case of 'kill one guy and everyone is knocked out' scenario, John Connor has to face SkyNet himself to stop the nuclear attack... despite the terminators initial objective only to protect John and Kate from the fall out. Obviously, by going into SkyNet and seeing their machines we also witness the birth of the machines ... the first terminators. A nice touch I felt.

A New Woman

In skin-tight leather we see the new terminator - with weaponary that fires out of her hand and she can control machines. This whole 'step-up' from the Robert-Patrick-terminator of T2 is clear and, in another homage to T2 we see an update truck chase and attack on John Connor as the terminator protects him. Its bigger and brasher but I think the huge scale of this seems a little too much - as if the budget simply went a little too far. But it is in the final act where it all falls apart...

Arnie Goes Bad

Everyone remembers The Terminator and, to some small extent, we want to see the terminator in destroy mode - rather than protect-mode. I think this finale is a cheap attempt at making this possible as he glitches and switches between kill/protect John Connor - to the point that we see multiple helicopter explosions. Wholly unneccessary. One helicopter crashing down as a smaller, leaner helicopter additionally crashes down into the previous helicopter - and we have a terminator-on-terminator fight. As Kate and John run away.

I don't think the film is perfect - but we have to accept the plus points. Nick Stahl held his own as Connor, the look of the film and some sequences have great parrallels to the previous films and it sits well in the canon that is the Terminator Franchise. But its got little depth - maybe 'accept your fate'? Because thats what happens - everything seems a little pointless by the final reel. Judgement Day comes and goes - and this ultimately negates T2 too ... lets hope Terminator Salvation resolves some of these problems. Will the next John Connor please stand up...

TSAJS: 21/11/2010 Chico and Rita and Harry Potter (Part 1)

Beginning from the Clapham Picturehouse yet again, this week we dodge the Potter-madness by watching animated-romance Chico and Rita. But alas, 'Potter' has not escaped us as Simon rewatched Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

The usual news and UK Box-Office is discussed and criticised too with discussion about the recent trailers for Source Code, the new Duncan Jones film and The Green Lantern starring Ryan Reynolds and, much to Jo's distaste, Blake Lively.

Music

The vast majority of music is from the trailer for Chico and Rita, whilst I hunted down tracks by Dizzy Gillespie and Thelonius Monk who feature in the film too. Its strange, but currently there is no soundtrack available to this film ... but if Jazz is your bag then, hunt it down on amazon.

The tracks from Harry Potter are not the originals unfortunately, pulled from the album The Music of John Williams performed by the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra.

Trailers

Links

We mentined Jon over at Splendor Cinema and the Brighton Film Festival which we hope to cover in next weeks podcast.

Remember - you can always email The Simon and Jo Film Show directly using this email: simonandjoshow@gmail.com

We are also on Twitter (simonandjoshow) and Facebook.

Favourite Film Faces #13: Peter Breck in 'Shock Corridor'

So, this was the first time I have seen Shock Corridor and the first Samuel Fuller film I have seen. It is a great film - incredible acting on Peter Breck's part. The clear influence on Shutter Island is clear from the outset as Breck, akin to DiCaprio, is investigating a 'case' in an asylum... and, inevitably, things go wrong...

When Breck is having difficulting speaking it truly is a terrifying prospect - you can completely imagine that feeling of mentally knowing what you want to say, but your mouth simply not moving. Its not The Matrix-type sealed-up, its a simple case of your mouth not moving ... everyone else just thinks your ebing silent ... you can't prove why it is happening, but it is ...

Peter Breck has you in absolute terror as he narrates the situation: "Who killed Sloane?.... who killed sloane?"...

Remember - you can always email The Simon and Jo Film Show directly using this email: simonandjoshow@gmail.com

We are also on Twitter (simonandjoshow) and Facebook.

Harry Potter Continues ...After the Deathly Hallows comes ...

Having rewatched only Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stones and the Chamber of Secrets I watched this ...  this may skew my perspective on the next few films...

Kudos to Cassette Boy who really does create some incredible videos!

Remember - you can always email The Simon and Jo Film Show directly using this email: simonandjoshow@gmail.com

We are also on Twitter (simonandjoshow) and Facebook.

Terminator 2: Judgment Day (James Cameron, 1991)

"On August 29th, 1997, it's gonna feel pretty fucking real to you too. Anybody not wearing 2 million sunblock is gonna have a real bad day. Get it?"

Introduction

Randomly, I bought this before watching The Terminator. Reason being that I was going through the early-DVD phase of my life and, in a tin box ... with loads of special features ... a 'classic' film I hadn't seen ... I had to buy it. Ironically, I am sure that this film marked the end of my watch-the-film-and-special-features-all-in-one-go phase ... so many special features, many of which are relentlessly dull, simply stalled me pretty soon and I decided I'd bail on the special features, content that I'd watched a 'classic' film. Then I watched it again when Sarah's Mum visited. Lets see what we can pull from the 'flames' of Terminator 2: Judgement Day.

Future before Modern Day

So, in the same way as its predecessor, the opening delivers the background to 'The Terminator' whilst also setting the scene for entire film itself. As if the previous film did not exist, this film sets Sarah Connor up, now as narrator explaining the nuclear war that killed the vast majority of humans. The nuclear war still happens, the future is still set - and this film is about stopping the nuclear war from happening - opposed to the previous film whereby the focus is Sarah Connors survival to give birth to John Connor, the leader of the resistance. Cameron explands the universe and, as if in a dreamlike-state, we are walked through this nuclear attack: childrens play on swings, the laughter and fun drowned out by the intense light and heat destroying all human kind. This is Sarah Connor's fear - and, the storm clouds that approached at the end of The Terminator has clearly hit home as she is currently in an asylum, whilst her son - John Connor - is a rebellious youth.

Rehash and Renew

In the same way as in The Terminator, he returns in the same way - his point-of-view tinted in red whith details highlighthing his actions. The clock-like 'tick-tock' soundtrack beating as he makes his move. He even finds his 'look' very quick -finding leather and sunglasses to update his style. This is within 10 minutes. I heard the following information from Andy and john on The Hollywood Saloon. If you can imagine watching  Terminator 2: Judgement Day up until he confronts John Connor, you are - again - unsure about his motives. You are supposed to think he is the same terminator, with the same motives - on a rampage and killing John Connor... but things have changed. The terminator has a new motive - he has, in fact, been sent to protect. This is lost on so many people now because the terminator is seen as the protector - the same role played in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines.

Hope and Humanism

I believe this film has a primary focus on how humans and their personal perspectives is what needs to be valued. There is 'no fate' - no inevitable options. Humans "have feelings" and are "afraid". It is these emotions that stop hope from blooming. But then again, it is these emotions that make people reflect on their actions. T2 builds on the argument set-up in T1 ...captialism and a lack-of-foresight into the effects industrialism. The SKYNET company is given more depth - that one hand being the reason for the quick evolution of technology. We know Cameron's very pro-nature attitude and this is clear in this film too - but it is our ignorance of the bigger-issues that is the concern. We are all responsible.

Miles Dyson - the scientist directly involved in the development of the technology that will, in turn, create the war on Judgement Day - is a good guy. He has a family. He has children. He could be anyone who simply wants to be successful - who doesn't want to be successful?

When Sarah Connor finishes the film, narrating over the ongoing road ahead - she ends on a message of hope - "If a machine, a terminator, can learn the value of life, maybe we can too". The question is - who is she talking to? The Terminator himself? Or the clueless development of military machinery and nuclear power - are they not terminators themselves? Putting the cogs together for someone, with less good intentions, to use. Is that too much depth? Who supplies the armies in the middle-east with their weapons? Technology can be a dengerous thing in the wrong hands ...

Across the Blogosphere ...

I haven't had an 'Across the Blogosphere' in some time, so I thought, now I have a few blogs and podcasts to mention, now would be the time.

First up, and arrogantly so, I featured on the LAMBcast for the first time. Its always difficult for us Brit folks to manage to take part in these things - often the ideal time is in the afternoon on a Saturday and - if thats the time people start across the atlantic - us Brit folks are at that moment in the middle of our Saturday night festivities. Thanks to Nick and Jason for beginning a little earlier so I could take part! I thoroughly enjoyed the show and I hope to take part again in the future.

Secondly, as most people know already, Mad Hatter managed to snag a sweet interview with an Oscar-Winning editor - no other than Walter Murch, who edited the sound on Apocalypse Now! amongst a huge bunch of Francis Ford Coppola films. Do have a listen!

Thirdly, Univarn found his favourite faux-movie trailers. You can find a bunch on YouTube, but some of these you might have missed ... I know I had.

One more? Sure - this site I have only recently found and it is incredible. The 1001 Movies club has not ceased it continues in the form of filmsquish! so check it out! It shall not be long before my review on Melies A TRIP TO THE MOON will be a part of the relaunch!

Remember - you can always email The Simon and Jo Film Show directly using this email: simonandjoshow@gmail.com

We are also on Twitter (simonandjoshow) and Facebook.

TSAJS: 14/11/2010 The Kids Are All Right/All The King's Men

First off, kudo's to Jo for his new logo for the show - Well Done Sir!

This week, we begin at Leicester Square and move to the Curzon Cinema to record. Jo and I finally watch the highly acclaimed The Kid's Are All Right, directed by Llisa Cholodenko whilst Simon goes back to his Best Picture Oscar winners by watching All the King's Men from 1949.

Additionally, we run through lots of news on The Dark Knight Rises, information on the new Steve McQueen/Michael Fassbender project, Carey Mulligan and Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby.

Trailer







Music

All music is from the soundtrack to The Kids are All Right, available on amazon.com amongst other major retailers.

Links

Mike McKenny reminded us about The Leeds International Film Festival which you can check out by clicking here

The LAMBcast this week holds the views Simon has on both Paranormal Activity films - so go and listen to it..

Michel Gondry's solving a Rubik's cube with his nose and his toes ...

Remember - you can always email The Simon and Jo Film Show directly using this email: simonandjoshow@gmail.com

We are also on Twitter (simonandjoshow) and Facebook.

The Terminator (James Cameron, 1984)

"You still don't get it, do you? He'll find her! That's what he does! It's ALL he does! You can't stop him! He'll wade through you! He'll reach down her throat and tear her fuckin' heart out!"

Introduction

Alongside Robocop, in Primary School, The Terminator was the film everyone had seen ...  except me. I was the one with Catholic parents who would never in a million years be allowed to watch an '18' rated film in Primary School. On my 12th birthday, Dumb and Dumber was out of bounds due to the 'toilet' humour my Mum and Dad were not prepared to let me watch. So, Unfortunately I only managed to watch this fairly recently - having watched Terminator 2: Judgement Day multiple times already. I am always the one who demands others to watch films in their original, canonical order - so this was an epic fail on my part.

Visual Start

Whenever we think of silent openings, everyone references 2001: A Space Odyssey and then, only recently, Wall-E and There Will Be Blood. The Terminator, though nowhere near as epic, begins with virtually no speaking – you have to work out what is going on. Both Kyle Reece (Michael Beihn) and The Terminator (Schwarzenegger) both look in the phone book for Sarah Connor (Hamilton). We only realise the true meaning of their intentions when they meet her - the fact that the film is called The Terminator means that, to some extent, you are expected to guess which one is the machine. I think with Schwarzenegger's definitive role being the machine itself, means that this tension is lost on modern audeiences - much like the first hour of T2 is lost, due to the trailers and post-release knowledge ... but thats a different argument.

The Future?

Considering the film begins, set in the future, only to flash back to the modern day, it is interesting to see how this "future story" has very little "future" shown. It shows the destroyed world people live in - with their [small-set] underground houses with very little to live off. This brings to mind other 'future' films with very little future in - The Matrix would be one, whilst even 2001 shows lots of space but very little urban-life [quote from Sarah].

Having just watched Back to the Future it is additionally interesting as to how the film links back round as the child John Connor is, in fact, Kyle's child - sent by John Connor to meet Sarah Connor. I am sure there is a timeline inconsistency here and the time-travel element of The Terminator films are flawed as soon as we find this information out.

Horrific Night

Another apsect which could place this sci-fi film into an almost horror-genre (thoug Cameron does not direct the film in this way at all) is the unstoppable nature of The Terminator - akin to serial killers and mad-men, anyone gets in the way and he will kill them. We see two additional Sarah Connors killed off early on and, due to the nightime setting of the film, this merely adds to the fear of someone knocking at your door, late at night, and - just on such a trivial fator such as your name - you are killed. The finale, is industrial - the metal bangs and clunky machinery a reminder of the industrial world we live in - and the destructive future it may create. Is the real terminator captialism and industrialism - the dependency on such models for a society to survive, it eventually will walk over anything and 'terminate' anything to keep society functioning in its model?

The Terminator may be dated, but the root-issues are still relevant - potentially even moreso. The irony may be a discussion on the business model Avatar has created. A film made with huge technological advances in 3D and, finanically, a huge success within Hollywood - Avatar proves that there are films everyone will make sure they watch, importantly, at the cinema. But ironically, this has changed the goal-posts within filmmaking. Now any film that can be retro-fitted into 3D is made - and you only have to look as far as Clash of the Titans and The Last Airbender to see that, although they made their money back (Clash with a sequel in the pipeline whilst Airbender was made to be part of a trilogy ... but we shall see if that happens...) I think everyone is well aware that these are not good examples of the future of cinema. The focus on new-techonology to help cinema make money detracts us from what is really neccessary - an investement in unique story and interesting characters. Will these things make money? Inception proves this is true ... but then again, with a plot ripped off from Pocahontas and Dances with Wolves, Avatar is still the model to imitate, whilst Inception is seen as a fluke.

What do you think? Is The Terminator a representation of our future? Could Avatar's techonological advancements eanr money in the short-term - but potentially destroy cinema in the long-term?

Remember - you can always email The Simon and Jo Film Show directly using this email: simonandjoshow@gmail.com

We are also on Twitter (simonandjoshow) and Facebook.

Favourite Film Faces #12: Elijah Wood in 'Back to the Future Part II'

I forgot to mention this on the podcast regarding Back to the Future Part II - this, blink-and-you-miss-it role by a very young Elijah Wood. This always reminds me of Pre-Lord of the Rings whereby Elijah Wood was always getting closer and closer to the big-time - I'll never forget him in Forever Young with Mel Gibson and Deep Impact, my preferred mid-ninties meteor-attack film (over Armageddon). I knew Elijah Wood very well before Frodo Baggins came along!

Not to mention how kick-ass this nostalgic-eighties cafe is ... now someone should recreate the exact bar with moving TV-monitors and Michael Jackson reading you your menu.

Remember - you can always email The Simon and Jo Film Show directly using this email: simonandjoshow@gmail.com

We are also on Twitter (simonandjoshow) and Facebook.

TSAJS: 07/11/2010 'Back to the Future' Trilogy/Psycho

This week, having caught a bunch of this weeks films at The London Film Festival, we use the opportunity to discuss the Back to the Future Trilogy - thats right, all three releases between 1985 and 1990 to coincide with the latest blu-ray release.

To Listen ... 

We then discuss some of the latest news and London box-office and some of the recent trends in Hollywood Rom-Coms - 'no strings-attached' sex. Finally, we then discuss Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho which had been shown at the Union Chapel at Islington, London - through Jameson Cult Classics.

And, obviously, we mentioned the Brokeback to the Future mash-up ... click here.

Trailers

Two examples of those 'lots-of-sex-for-men-doesn't-have-repurcussions' films coming out are below...

But there are many more, including Hall Pass with Owen Wilson, Just Go With It with Adam Sandler and the Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway in Love and Other Drugs - click on the titles if you are interested in this trend.

Links

Luke Owen's writings on An American Werewolf in London as it was screened at London Zoo.

Simon guests on the LAMBcast soon so ... get prepared and start listening to the podcast now!

Music

All music is from the soundtrack from Back to the Future including the score by Alan Silvestri and eighties classic by Huey Lewis and the News and a new take on Johnny Be Good.

Remember - you can always email The Simon and Jo Film Show directly using this email: simonandjoshow@gmail.com

We are also on Twitter (simonandjoshow) and Facebook.

Favourite Film Faces #11: Jack Nicholson in 'The Departed'

I heard Danny Boyle mention the Jack Nicholson quote "act accordingly" when referring to the inevitably of death.

And then I remembered someone mentioning how Nicholson was awful in The Departed.

He is awesome in The Departed. End of.

Remember - you can always email The Simon and Jo Film Show directly using this email: simonandjoshow@gmail.com

We are also on Twitter (simonandjoshow) and Facebook.

Bourne's Bloody Brain Baffler

[Updated 4/11/2010]

We have another Brain baffler available to download and this is a Halloween treat for everyone! Again, Simon and Jo are pitted against each other once again and after Jo's, so far, three-win streak the question remains ... does Simon know anything about films? This will prove one way or the other.

Currently, only Jo and I (and Rachel from Rachels Reel Reviews and The LAMB) have scores [so far] but as you listen and gain a score, email in and comment below and we shall add you to the ranking.

You can always email The Simon and Jo Show on simonandjoshow@gmail.com or find us on Facebook and Twitter - which you can see links for on the left-hand side.

Click on the link to see the scores thus far ...

Adventures of Tintin ... The Picture We Have All waited for...

I am sold.

I have only recently subscribed to both Empire and Sight and Sound ... for way too long I have bought them full price from the shop ...

I am proud.

This is why I read Empire...

More importantly my original "hmmm ... I don't know if it will be good" has officially changed to "I am so looking forward to this..."

 Completely steeped in the original artwork by Herge...

And even a close-up of Captain Haddock...