In this episode of Film Stories with Simon Brew, two films that benefitted from surges in popularity for their leading actors.
The action movie Broken Arrow would ultimately end up in the hands of director John Woo, his second Hollywood feature. John Travolta led the cast. And oddly, it all came together in the way it did thanks to Free Willy 2.
Julia Robert ... Show More
Jun 1
The New Mutants (2020), and a big missed opportunity
The idea wasn't a bad one. With the cost of X-Men movies spiralling, 20th Century Fox was interested in a lower cost, slightly more niche film in the saga. One that could perhaps appeal to a teen audience, that wouldn't put quite the strain on the old finances. Josh Boone - off t ... Show More
59m 43s
May 24
In conversation with director Alicia MacDonald - Finding Emily, Mike Leigh, short films, romantic comedies, Kickstarter
Alicia MacDonald first feature film as director, Finding Emily, turns out to be a Working Title-backed romantic comedy, the kind that used to fill British cinema charts. Albeit with a twist! In this Film Stories special, she talks to Simon Brew about launching her first feature, ... Show More
52m 7s
May 20
In conversation with Thea Sharrock - Ladies First, Wicked Little Letters, The Beautiful Game, posh chairs
Director Thea Sharrock is the guest for this special edition of the Film Stories podcast. She joins Simon to chat about her new film, Ladies First, which stars Rosamund Pike and Sacha Baron Cohen. Plus! There's time too for conversation about Wicked Little Letters, The One And On ... Show More
49m 32s
Dec 2021
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang with Shane Black
As the writer of movies like Lethal Weapon, The Nice Guys, The Long Kiss Goodnight and Iron Man 3, Shane Black is a true screenwriting auteur, known for his scripts' pulse-racing action, quippy dialogue and genre-skewing surprises. At the heart of his stories are usually two odd- ... Show More
1h 18m
Jun 2023
Sliver and Sharon Stone as Superstar (Erotic 90’s, Part 12)
Sharon Stone and Joe Eszterhas’s post-Basic Instinct reunion film was one of the most troubled productions of the 90s. A post-Hitchcock tale of sexual surveillance given a technological update for the 90s, after a long battle with the MPAA the sanitized, R-rated version of Sliver ... Show More
1h 16m
Apr 2023
Pretty Woman, Sleeping with the Enemy and Julia Roberts in the early 90s (Erotic 90’s, Part 2)
The first blockbuster about sex of the 90s, Pretty Woman both reinvigorated Richard Gere’s career, and turned Julia Roberts into the biggest female movie star of the era. We’ll dissect the gender politics of this fantasy about love between a streetwalker and a corporate villain, ... Show More
1h 8m
Nov 2020
10 Things I Hate About You with Karen McCullah and Kirsten ‘Kiwi’ Smith
<p>Kirsten ‘Kiwi’ Smith and Karen McCullah are the writers behind the timeless high school comedy 10 Things I Hate About You. Released in 1999, their Gil Junger-directed teen reworking of Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew had it all: big laughs, blossoming romance, coming-of-age ... Show More
51m 56s
Oct 2022
The Julia Roberts Hall of Fame and ‘Ticket to Paradise’
Julia Roberts, the once (and maybe future) queen of the box office returns to movie theaters this weekend with ‘Ticket to Paradise,’ a rom-com reunion of sorts with George Clooney—her first starring role on the big screen in four years. Amanda and Sean will review this new film, ... Show More
1h 40m
Apr 2023
“The actress everybody wants to fuck”: Theresa Russell and Sondra Locke (Erotic 90’s, Part 3)
An enigmatic sex symbol dating back to the 70s, Theresa Russell made a play for Hollywood stardom in the late 80s and early 90s, making a number of films about the sexual commodification and role playing. Ken Russell’s Whore was marketed as a gritty answer to Pretty Woman, showin ... Show More
1h 23m