The Empire Film Podcast

The title of this week's episode of the Empire Podcast is a delightful phrase that comes from none other than our star guest, Ethan Hawke, who tells Jamie Graham all about his new film, The Weight, and how it was one of the biggest challenges of his storied career. Either side of that, Chris Hewitt is joined in the podbooth by Helen O'Hara, James Dyer, and Amon Warmann for a fun episode that asks the big question: are there any good short Best Picture winners? And then very quickly moves onto the biggest question of them all: why didn't Predator win Best Picture? The gang also tackle a ton of movie news, including the rumour that Jon Watts is going to direct Star Wars Episode X, and cast their collective eye over the Cruise/Iñárritu collaboration, Digger, British coming-of-age comedy Extra Geography, the aforementioned The Weight, and steamy-but-not-quite-as-steamy-as-Amon-would-like thriller, Verity. Do we love any of these movies? And will they love us back? To find out, have a listen. Enjoy!

This week's episode of The Interviews is all about editors-turned-directors. First, we have an extended interview between Chris Hewitt and David Kittredge, the director behind the excellent documentary, Boorman And The Devil, which chronicles the wild making of John Boorman's legendary-for-all-the-wrong-reasons sequel, Exorcist II: The Heretic, and even rehabilitates the film's reputation somewhat. That film is in cinemas right now. After that, Jamie Graham has a fun chat with Padraic McKinley about his debut film, the gritty Ethan Hawke period thriller The Weight, which is out in cinemas this Friday. Enjoy!

This week's episode of the Empire Podcast is all about birthdays, folks. Partially because Chris Hewitt just had one, but also because this week's listener question asks our Three Colleagues Of Such Lethal Cunning — Chris, Helen O'Hara, and James Dyer — to discuss the best movies released on their birthdays. The answers will shock and, in one case, depress the hell out of you. Elsewhere, our intrepid trio — joined by this week's workie, Grace — discuss a number of trailers, including The Further Misadventures Of Cliff Booth, and compare audiobook casts for starriness; and review David Ayer's Brad Pitt-and-dog survival thriller, Heart Of The Beast, the new version of Sense And Sensibility, rom-com The Love Hypothesis, Exorcist II documentary Boorman And The Devil, and Na Hong-jin's gonzo South Korean action movie, Hope. And speaking of Heart Of The Beast, that film's director, David Ayer, sits down on Zoom for a lovely natter with Chris. He's a good director, Brant. 14/10. Enjoy.

Which witch is which? And more importantly, which witch is best? That's the big question on the lips of the Empire Podcast team this week, as Chris Hewitt, Helen O'Hara, and James Dyer discuss their favourite movie witches, and ask if the Blair Witch is even a witch at all (we wouldn't say it to her face, mind). Speaking of witches, Zach Cregger created a truly memorable one last year with Aunt Gladys in Weapons, and now the director is already back with his latest movie, a reimagining of the survival horror video game Resident Evil, and Chris has a fun Zoom with Cregger and his star, Austin Abrams. Oh, and Chris, Helen and James also look at the week's movie news, featuring a whole bunch of trailers and an unexpected Vin Diesel Instagram post, and review Resident Evil (or, in Chris' case, the first 30 minutes), Bad Apples, In The Grey, Shaun The Sheep: The Beast Of Mossy Bottom, and Pulp: What Do You Do For An Encore. Packed to the gills with poddy goodness, this one. Enjoy.

This week's episode of The Interviews is different class, folks. First up, Chris Hewitt has a lovely Zoom with Jarvis Cocker — yes, THE Jarvis Cocker — as the Pulp frontman and all-round legend talks about the band's new movie, the Garth Jennings-directed Pulp: What Do You Do For An Encore, which is in cinemas for ONE DAY ONLY, Friday September 18 (today, in other words), before heading to MUBI from September 25. So have a listen to this, and then catch it if you can. After Jarvis exits the building, Helen O'Hara has a one-to-one with the Danish director Susanne Bier about her new movie, Practical Magic 2, which is conjuring up a storm at the box office right now. Enjoy.

With the latest issue of Empire magazine in shops for just another week or so, it's time for Chris Hewitt and Empire editor Nick de Semlyen to slide into the podbooth and dig deep in the latest episode of The Shameless Plug. Join our dynamic duo as they talk about Chris' adventures writing this month's cover feature on the Tom Cruise/Alejandro G. Iñárritu collaboration, Digger; plus his in-depth chat about The Frighteners with that movie's director, Peter Jackson. They also talk about the other goodies to be found within the issue, including features on VisionQuest, Paul Greengrass' The Uprising, Whalefall; a packed First Word section; and the story of a Hunt For The Wilderpeople reunion that, sadly, proved to be one of Sam Neill's final interviews. If you haven't picked up the new issue yet, it's still available now in all good, evil, and virtual newsagents and other magazine stockists until September 23. And if you have got a copy of the issue, why not read along with Chris and Nick? Enjoy.

Happy birthday, Star Trek! Gene Roddenberry's groundbreaking sci-fi show turned 60 this week, and the Empire Podcast is celebrating in style this week. Helen O'Hara broke a world record, which she tells Chris Hewitt and James Dyer about, before our intrepid trio (our very own Kirk-Spock-Bones?) tackle a listener question about recasting The Next Generation crew. Their solutions may seem illogical. Elsewhere, Chris, Helen and James look at the week's movie news, review Practical Magic 2, Runner and The Runner (or maybe it's the other way around), Pressure, and Oasis: Don't Look Back In Anger, while Helen comes face-to-face with two legends, in the form of Practical Magic 2 stars, Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest. We hope you enjoy this episode and — hey! — live long and prosper, why don't you?

It's another jam-packed edition of The Interviews this week, folks. First, Chris Hewitt sits down with Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight as he tackles another project about complicated brothers, the documentary Oasis: Don't Look Back In Anger, which chronicles the return and reconciliation of Liam & Noel Gallagher. We hear Damon Albarn loves it. Then Alex Godfrey has a lovely chat on Zoom with Camille Cottin, the star of Call My Agent!: The Movie, the feature-length continuation of the hit French Netflix series. And finally we bring you an excerpt from our live show at Kings Place last week, as Corin Hardy drops by to shamelessly plug an intriguing Shawshank Redemption experience. Enjoy!

The latest episode of The Interviews is a barnstormer, folks, in which the legendary Willem Dafoe talks to Alex Godfrey about his new movie, Late Fame, running a farm, and not celebrating birthdays; Chris Hewitt has a wild chat with Stop! That! Train! stars, Jujubee and Ginger Minj; and we bring you an excerpt from Harry Stainer's spoilerific chat with Teenage Sex And Death At Camp Miasma director, Jane Schoenbrun (the rest, along with Team Empire's deep dive, is over at Empire+). Don't listen to that one until you've seen the film, for obvious reasons. Three very different interviews for you to enjoy. So please do enjoy!

This week's Empire Podcast sees Chris Hewitt have a lovely natter with The Death Of Robin Hood star, Jodie Comer, and her director, Michael Sarnoski. Everything we do (we do it for them). Then Chris is joined in the podbooth by Helen O'Hara, James Dyer, and Alex Godfrey, to discuss their favourite Tim Curry moments, look at the week's movie news, and review a whole bunch of films including The Death Of Robin Hood, Mayday, and Gail Daughtry & The Celebrity Sex Pass. Enjoy!