Radio 1's Screen Time

So this is an unusual episode of Radio 1's Screen Time - sort of - in so far as there are not one but TWO interviews to enjoy, namely Saltburn's Emerald Fennell and The Marvels' Nia DaCosta. Plus, as a bonus, we've also got a brief review of Nic Cage's Dream Scenario in the middle, making this one heck of a cinematic sandwich.

Friend of the show and Independent film critic Clarisse Loughrey joins newcomer Dan Layton and good 'ol Ali Plumb this week for a triple-headed review-a-palooza tackling all of the big releases of that past few weeks, including Scorsese's latest, and, well, Trolls 3 - not forgetting 91-minute fight club high school comedy Bottoms, David Fincher's Michael Fassbender assassin thriller The Killer and more than a few more...

With Ali only just back from his trip to the USA, we've been digging through the back catalogue for a throwback interview special, and look who popped up! Twice!

Ali is still in California, no doubt trying to visit as many filming locations as possible, you know what he's like - and in that particular US state, there are more than a few filming locations worth visiting, that's for sure - but fret not, there's still a podcast for you this week in the form of this Ali Plumb's Film Club. BBC podcasting compadre Greg Jenner stopped by recently to speak to fellow backflipping-whilst-singing fan Ali as they discuss what could well be the greatest movie musical of all time. Disagree? Let us know!

After last week's gaming special, here's a bonus interview for anyone who's just as excited as Ali about the imminent arrival of Insomniac Games' new Spider-Man outing. Bryan Intihar and Jon Paquette, two of the creative team behind the series that's also given us the original Spider-Man game in 2018 and the Miles Morales follow-up in 2020, spoke to Radio 1's in-house nerd before he jetted off on holiday. And on that note! As well as this bonus podcast, we'll also have an Ali Plumb's Film Club to tide us over next week, don't you worry!

Yes, Screen Time is primarily a film 'n' TV podcast but Ali really does love his gaming, and let's be honest, chances are you do too. So joining him for a rambling journey around the best and biggest games of 2023 - so far - are gaming journalists (and friends of the podcast) Aoife Wilson and Steffan Powell to talk about the likes of Baldur's Gate 3, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Diablo 4 and much, much, much more. Needless to say, plenty of conversation also featuring what's still to look forward to this unbelievably stacked year, including Marvel's Spider-Man 2, Alan Wake 2 and... let's include Assassin's Creed Mirage as well, shall we?

Gareth Edwards - the director who gave us Godzilla and Rogue One - has a new film out in cinemas this weekend and its name is The Creator. Amazingly, it's not based on any intellectual property you might know, making it (can you imagine?) a blockbuster sci-fi that could be described as, well, original. Incredible. Truly. Hear him talk to Ali about his near future world of AI, "simulants", robot wars (kinda), Rain Man, the magic of CGI, John David Washington, Gemma Chan, Allison Janney and much much more on this special BBC Radio 1 interview podcast.

Dumb Money is in cinemas this week, telling the real-life story of the incredible GameSpot short squeeze of early 2021, centring around cat-obsessed, investing-obsessed real-life YouTuber RoaringKitty (aka Keith Gill, played in the film by Paul Dano). Yes, it's a film about the stock market, and you might be thinking that if you're not interested in that world then it's not for you... but maybe think again. As you'll hear in this interview with its director, Craig Gillespie, it's a fascinating, fast-paced, thrilling insight into a pocket of recent history that honestly very nearly defies belief. Also! As well as Paul Dano, it's also features the likes of Seth Rogen, Shailene Woodley, Anthony Ramos, Nick Offerman, Sebastian Stan and many other brilliant names - Barbie's America Ferrera, let's not forget! - so by all means, be intrigued, go on.

There's a whole lot going on in this week's podcast. In a good way! Ali and his new best friend - he likes to think, anyway - Vivian Oparah (Rye Lane, Class, Then You Run) chat about their new favourite film, the heartbreaking Korean romance Past Lives, as well as Vivian herself, before opening up the film club to talk about the wonders of Jordan Peele, concentrating on 2019's Us but touching on Nope and, of course, Get Out.

As it's somehow September and summer blockbuster season winds up for another year, Ali invited fellow film critic Clarisse Loughrey into the Radio 1 studios to try to do justice to the biggest movies of the past few months - including Barbie, Oppenheimer, Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 1 and maybe a few more. Warning: there are some spoilery mentions here, particularly when it comes to The Flash, but generally you should be okay.