Bugonia (2025)

In this episode of Cinema Callback, Andy and Michael take a deep dive into Yorgos Lanthimos' Bugonia (2025), starring Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, and Aidan Delbis. Through the show's signature voice note conversation format, the hosts exchange their reactions to a darkly comic science-fiction thriller exploring conspiracy theories, corporate power, social alienation, and humanity's increasingly fractured relationship with reality.A remake of the South Korean cult film Save the Green Planet!, Bugonia follows Teddy, a disillusioned factory worker who becomes convinced that Michelle Fuller, the powerful CEO of a pharmaceutical company, is secretly an alien threatening humanity. Alongside his cousin Don, Teddy kidnaps Michelle, setting the stage for a disturbing psychological confrontation in which the boundaries between paranoia and genuine social grievance become increasingly difficult to separate.Andy and Michael explore the film's examination of conspiracy culture, class resentment, and the internet rabbit holes that can transform ordinary frustrations into dangerous obsessions. Does Bugonia offer a convincing portrait of modern disenfranchisement, or does its increasingly outrageous narrative risk undermining its social commentary?The conversation also traces the hosts' personal histories with Lanthimos' filmmaking, revisiting Dogtooth, The Lobster, The Killing of a Sacred Deer, The Favourite, and Poor Things. They consider how Bugonia fits within his fascination with power, control, cruelty, and the absurdity of human behaviour, while questioning whether his latest collaboration with Emma Stone represents a creative high point.Particular praise is reserved for Jesse Plemons and Emma Stone, whose performances rank among the most compelling of their careers. The hosts also discuss the remarkable contribution of Aidan Delbis, Robbie Ryan's cinematography, and Jerskin Fendrix's intense musical score, examining how these elements transform a relatively confined hostage drama into something far more unsettling.Attention then turns to the film's divisive final act, including its extraordinary alien revelation, deliberately camp science-fiction imagery, and haunting concluding montage. Andy and Michael debate whether the ending provides a satisfying resolution to the film's central mysteries or fundamentally changes the meaning of everything that came before it. Comparisons with 10 Cloverfield Lane, Faults, and Signs open up a broader discussion about suspense, ambiguity, and the risks of revealing too much.There is also room for some unusual Hollywood promotional trivia, including Emma Stone's Los Angeles campaign offering free cinema admission to audience members willing to arrive with shaved heads, a fittingly strange marketing strategy for an equally unconventional film.As ever, the discussion unfolds through Andy and Michael's informal voice note exchanges, combining contrasting interpretations, film history, humour, and the occasional unexpected tangent.Join Andy and Michael for a deep dive into Yorgos Lanthimos, Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, conspiracy culture, corporate distrust, class warfare, alien invasions, controversial endings, and whether Bugonia is a brilliant satire of modern paranoia or a disturbing reflection of humanity's own self-destructive tendencies.Enjoying the conversation?Support Cinema Callback on Patreon for bonus content, exclusive extras, and to help us continue making in-depth film discussions through our unique voice note format.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/CinemaCallback

In this episode of Cinema Callback, Andy and Michael take a deep dive into Garson Kanin's Bachelor Mother (1939), starring Ginger Rogers, David Niven, and Charles Coburn. Through their signature voice note conversation format, the hosts explore a wonderfully inventive screwball romantic comedy about mistaken identity, unexpected parenthood, and the increasingly ridiculous consequences of one enormous misunderstanding.Set against the festive backdrop of New York, Bachelor Mother follows Polly Parrish, a department store employee who finds herself mistaken for the mother of an abandoned baby. Despite her protests, her employer's son becomes convinced of her supposed predicament, setting off a chain of misunderstandings that gradually develops into an unlikely romance.Andy and Michael examine the film's surprisingly progressive treatment of single motherhood, considering how it avoids the moral judgment audiences might expect from a 1930s Hollywood production. They also debate one of its most unusual storytelling decisions: David Niven's character never discovers the truth about the baby's parentage. Is this a strange narrative omission or a brilliant comedic device?The discussion explores the film's memorable New Year's Eve celebrations, including its beautifully understated silent exchange of "Happy New Year," the chaotic dance competition, and the unexpected prize mix-up. There is also appreciation for the Donald Duck toy sequences and the extraordinary energy of its enormous crowd scenes. Can modern CGI crowds ever reproduce the atmosphere created by hundreds of real performers?The hosts praise Ginger Rogers' sharp dialogue delivery, David Niven's energetic comedic timing, and the film's remarkably economical storytelling. With a lean runtime of approximately eighty minutes and few unnecessary subplots, Bachelor Mother prompts a friendly disagreement: does it deserve a place among the twenty greatest romantic comedies ever made?The conversation also considers the film's unusual status as a New Year's movie rather than a traditional Christmas classic. Other seasonal viewing enters the discussion, including The Apartment, When Harry Met Sally, and Man Versus Baby, alongside reflections on how parenthood can change the experience of watching older films, particularly when babies find themselves in danger.As ever, everyday life becomes part of the conversation. Michael reflects on celebrating New Year's in the UK before travelling to Spain, sharing memories of watching holiday films with his daughter and preparing an ambitious fortieth birthday project: watching a film from every month of 1940. His recordings are interrupted by a phone call from his wife about grapes for the Spanish New Year's tradition, before he checks in again while running errands during the Reyes celebrations on January 6th.Meanwhile, Andy discusses returning to office life after the Christmas break, the anxieties of parenthood, and his own holiday viewing experiences.Join Andy and Michael for a deep dive into Ginger Rogers, David Niven, screwball comedy, mistaken identity, New Year's cinema, single motherhood, practical crowd scenes versus CGI, and whether Bachelor Mother belongs among the greatest romantic comedies ever made.Enjoying the conversation?Support Cinema Callback on Patreon for bonus content, exclusive extras, and to help us continue making in-depth film discussions through our unique voice note format.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/CinemaCallback

In this episode of Cinema Callback, Andy and Michael take a deep dive into Alejandro González Iñárritu's Digger (2026), starring Tom Cruise. Through their signature voice note conversation format, the hosts exchange unfiltered reactions to an ambitious, divisive black comedy exploring political power, environmental catastrophe, billionaire egos, and the absurdities of modern society.Beginning as a hyper-stylised narrative surrounding a global oil crisis, Digger takes an extraordinary turn, transforming into a theatrical production set within the ruins of a post-apocalyptic future. Andy and Michael unpack this radical structural shift, debating whether it reveals the film's deeper philosophical ambitions or undermines the story it initially sets out to tell.The conversation also examines Tom Cruise's dramatic performance, his unusual accent, and his willingness to challenge the familiar heroic persona that has defined much of his career. Does Cruise deliver one of his most interesting performances, or does the film's exaggerated approach threaten to overwhelm even its biggest star?Attention then turns to the film's distinctive visual style, with Andy and Michael debating the merits of CGI, practical miniatures, and traditional matte paintings. They also explore Cosmo Sheldrake's striking musical score and how its unusual soundscape complements Iñárritu's increasingly surreal vision.Drawing comparisons with Dr. Strangelove and Don't Look Up, the hosts consider the fine line between effective political satire and heavy-handed social commentary. Is Digger a genuinely provocative examination of wealth, corporate greed, and environmental destruction, or does its relentless determination to make a statement become exhausting?The discussion also addresses the film's disastrous box-office performance, questioning whether its unconventional storytelling and challenging tone made it impossible to market to mainstream audiences. Does commercial failure necessarily reflect artistic failure, or might Digger eventually find an audience more receptive to its unusual ambitions?As ever, the conversation extends beyond cinema itself. Michael records from Madrid, where a family wedding and a rare opportunity for some uninterrupted cinema time allow him to catch an opening-day screening. His voice notes follow him through the Spanish capital, into taxis, and eventually across a school sports field as parenting responsibilities interrupt proceedings.Meanwhile, Andy reflects on falling ill after attending the BFI London Film Festival, speculates about the air quality of the London Underground, and discusses his annual birthday tradition of watching a Tom Cruise film. There are also tangents involving Reacher, Dr. Seuss, demanding cats, cups of tea, a few beers, and the continuing frustration of WhatsApp cutting off voice notes after thirty minutes.Join Andy and Michael for a deep dive into Tom Cruise, Alejandro González Iñárritu, political satire, post-apocalyptic theatre, practical effects versus CGI, Cosmo Sheldrake, box-office disasters, and whether Digger is a misunderstood cinematic achievement or an extraordinarily ambitious misfire.Enjoying the conversation?Support Cinema Callback on Patreon for bonus content, exclusive extras, and to help us continue making in-depth film discussions through our unique voice note format.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/CinemaCallback

BFI London Film Festival 2026 — 15 Films, 14 Days & One Epic Voice Note Journey | Cinema Callback SpecialFor this special episode of Cinema Callback, Andy and Michael take listeners inside the 2026 BFI London Film Festival, capturing two weeks of press screenings, cinematic discoveries, personal adventures, and unexpected disasters through the show's signature voice note conversation format.With press accreditation secured and two weeks booked off work, Andy documents the experience from his initial festival preview to his final screening. Along the way, he sends Michael voice notes from London's streets, cinemas, and daily journeys, sharing immediate reactions to the films while Michael responds from afar with questions, opinions, and stories of his own.15 Festival Films and a Birthday BonusAcross 14 days, Andy watches 15 festival films, plus one additional screening for his birthday tradition.The films discussed include:The Dreamed AdventureThe BelovedThe Man I LoveLook Back — Hirokazu Kore-edaAll of a Sudden — Ryusuke HamaguchiRogue Trooper — Duncan JonesLa Bola Negra — Los JavisWild Horse Nine — Martin McDonaghPaper Tiger — James GrayRay Gunn — Brad BirdDigger — Tom Cruise birthday screeningKlara and the Sun — Taika WaititiTender Loving Care — Mike LeighClub KidMinotaur — Andrey ZvyagintsevThe Debut — Jesse EisenbergFrom highly anticipated releases to unexpected discoveries, Andy and Michael explore which films impressed, disappointed, surprised, and sparked the most interesting conversations.Behind the Press ScreeningsThe episode also offers a candid look at attending a major film festival as an accredited member of the press. Andy discusses the £51 accreditation fee, approximately £150 in travel expenses, and his daily 28-minute walk from Victoria Station to Picturehouse Central, complete with a regular Gail's bakery stop for a pain au chocolat.There are also the unwritten rules of press screenings, including an awkward confrontation with someone who objected to Andy eating popcorn. And just as the festival gathers momentum, an increasingly unpleasant "grade B cold" threatens to derail the entire experience.Life Outside the CinemaAs always, Cinema Callback isn't exclusively about films. The voice notes wander into the hosts' everyday lives, from Andy's cat clawing his leg during an opening recording to wedding planning, meeting registrars, and celebrating his birthday on October 10th with his annual Tom Cruise film.Meanwhile, Michael returns from a family wedding in Spain, sharing stories about travelling with young children, his wife's dislike of Westerns, and the pair's ongoing movie traditions, including Spooktober, Criterion Week, and Animated April.A Festival Experienced in Real TimeRather than delivering polished reviews recorded weeks later, this special captures the festival as it unfolds. The anticipation before screenings, the excitement of discovering something extraordinary, the disappointment of an underwhelming film, and the exhaustion of watching so much cinema become part of an evolving conversation between two friends.By the final day, Andy and Michael reflect on the highlights, surprises, frustrations, and what the experience reveals about contemporary cinema.Part festival diary, part film criticism, and part comedy of everyday mishaps, this is the BFI London Film Festival experienced from the press screenings to the streets of London, one voice note at a time.Enjoying the conversation?Support Cinema Callback on Patreon for bonus content, exclusive extras, and more film discussions through our unique voice note format.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/CinemaCallback

In this episode of Cinema Callback, Andy and Michael take a deep dive into Clint Bentley’s Netflix film Train Dreams (2025), starring Joel Edgerton. Through the show’s signature voice note conversation format, the hosts exchange contrasting reactions to a beautifully photographed, deeply melancholic story about working-class life, grief, isolation, and the passage of time.Set against the changing American frontier of the early twentieth century, Train Dreams follows Robert Grainier, a railroad worker and logger whose life unfolds through moments of love, tragedy, and quiet reflection. Andy and Michael explore the film’s portrayal of physically demanding labour, male loneliness, psychological trauma, and the devastating consequences of loss, while considering how its story reflects humanity’s evolving relationship with nature, industry, and time itself.The conversation also explores the film’s place within a particular tradition of spiritual and philosophical art-house cinema, drawing comparisons with Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life and David Lowery’s A Ghost Story. Does Train Dreams achieve the same sense of emotional transcendence through its meditative imagery and deliberately sparse storytelling, or does its restrained approach leave the audience feeling slightly detached? The hosts debate whether a film in which seemingly very little happens can nevertheless communicate something profound about the human experience.Andy and Michael also find themselves questioning the boundaries of the Western genre. With its historical frontier setting, rugged landscapes, isolated workers, and changing American identity, does Train Dreams qualify as a genuine Western, or is it better understood as a character drama with distinctly Western DNA? The discussion opens up a broader examination of what actually defines a genre beyond its familiar imagery and setting.Across their voice note exchanges, the hosts share contrasting family reactions to the film, including the wonderfully contradictory assessment that it is "brilliant despite nothing happening." There is also room for the usual Cinema Callback tangents, including a brief discussion of the genre surprises in Sinners and the different expectations audiences bring to films that challenge conventional storytelling.As ever, the conversation extends beyond cinema itself, with personal updates covering an engagement, the search for wedding rings, the realities of parenthood on the go, and holiday travels back to Ireland. These moments of everyday life provide a fitting contrast to a film so deeply concerned with the passage of time and the experiences that ultimately define us.Join Andy and Michael for a deep dive into grief, PTSD, the American frontier, Terrence Malick, the meaning of the Western, and whether a film in which almost nothing happens can somehow say everything about being alive.Enjoying the conversation?Support Cinema Callback on Patreon for bonus content, exclusive extras, and to help us continue making in depth film discussions through our unique voice note format.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/CinemaCallback

In this episode of Cinema Callback, Andy and Michael take a deep dive into Jay Duplass’s The Baltimorons, an unconventional indie holiday romance co-written by Duplass and Michael Strassner, and starring Strassner alongside Liz Larsen.Through the show’s signature voice note conversation format, the hosts unpack a film that begins in surprisingly dark territory. Cliff is a self-involved improv comedian whose story opens with a suicide attempt before the holidays. After breaking a tooth on Christmas Eve, he finds himself in the office of Didi, a grounded and world-weary dentist, beginning an increasingly chaotic odd-couple journey through Baltimore.Andy and Michael debate whether The Baltimorons really captures the magic of a Christmas movie at all. Is this a warm, alternative addition to the festive canon, or does its melancholy, dysfunctional view of the holidays place it closer to the world of anti-Christmas movies such as Christmas, Again?The biggest disagreement comes with the romance itself. The hosts clash over Cliff’s deliberately unlikable and uncharismatic qualities and whether the film successfully subverts the traditional romantic comedy by pairing a flawed man-child with an older woman. Is their relationship a refreshing rejection of the polished people who usually populate the genre, or does the lack of conventional romantic chemistry expose problems with the writing and the plausibility of their connection?The conversation also expands into the wider career of the Duplass brothers. Andy and Michael look at Jay Duplass’s work away from his usual collaboration with Mark Duplass and consider how his solo directing and writing instincts compare with the films the brothers created together.Ultimately, The Baltimorons gives the hosts plenty to disagree about. From its dark opening and unusual central relationship to its awkward comedy and alternative take on Christmas romance, this is a film that deliberately refuses to give audiences the comfortable characters and familiar emotional beats they might expect from the genre.Join Andy and Michael for a deep dive into rom-com subversion, Christmas melancholy, difficult protagonists, unlikely attraction, and whether The Baltimorons earns its unconventional romance.Enjoying the conversation?Support Cinema Callback on Patreon for bonus content, exclusive extras, and to help us continue making in depth film discussions through our unique voice note format.Patreon: Cinema Callback on Patreon

As part of Cinema Callback’s Criterion Collection series, Andy and Michael take a deep dive into Seijun Suzuki’s Gate of Flesh (1964), a bleak but surprisingly energetic portrait of sex workers attempting to survive among the ruins of postwar Tokyo.Through the show’s signature voice note conversation format, the hosts explore the strange contradiction at the heart of the film. Its world is defined by poverty, violence, hunger, and national devastation, yet Suzuki presents it through vibrant colours, artificial sets, experimental cinematography, and an almost relentlessly lively pace. Rather than undermining the seriousness of the story, the deliberately “fake” appearance begins to feel like a reflection of a society that is itself barely holding together.Andy and Michael discuss the small community formed by the women and the brutal rules they establish to ensure their collective survival. Sex must remain transactional. Intimacy and emotional attachment threaten the system they have created, meaning something as fundamentally human as falling in love can become an act of betrayal. The arrival of a former soldier places those rules under increasing pressure and exposes just how fragile their makeshift society really is.The film’s distinctive colour coding also leads to one of the episode’s more unexpected comparisons, as the women’s different coloured headbands and underground existence somehow bring the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles into a discussion of 1960s Japanese art cinema. Beneath the joke, however, is a fascinating example of Suzuki using bold visual shorthand to give each character an immediate identity within the group.Across their voice note exchanges, Andy and Michael explore how Suzuki keeps such harrowing material remarkably engaging. Unusual camera angles, theatrical environments, bursts of colour, heightened performances, and constant visual experimentation transform a story about prostitution and national ruination into something that feels alive and unpredictable.Ultimately, Gate of Flesh becomes a film about survival when normal society has ceased to function. Its characters are not simply living in the ruins of Tokyo. They are attempting to construct their own rules, identities, and sense of community from what remains.Join Andy and Michael for another Cinema Callback: Criterion Collection deep dive into a strange, colourful, brutal, and visually audacious film about poverty, intimacy, survival, and a society attempting to rebuild itself from the rubble.Enjoying the conversation?Support Cinema Callback on Patreon for bonus content, exclusive extras, and to help us continue making in depth film discussions through our unique voice note format.Patreon: Cinema Callback on Patreon

As part of Cinema Callback’s Criterion Collection series, Andy and Michael take a deep dive into Robert Bresson’s Pickpocket (1959), a stark, stripped back portrait of crime, isolation, and a young man who seems almost completely checked out from the world around him.Through the show’s signature voice note conversation format, the hosts explore Michel, a protagonist whose emotional numbness becomes one of the film’s most fascinating qualities. Looking at the character through a modern lens, Andy and Michael discuss whether aspects of his detachment and difficulty connecting with others could be read as autistic traits, while contrasting Bresson’s deliberately cold approach with the warmth and coziness of modern character studies such as Paterson.Despite that emotional restraint, the film suddenly comes alive during its remarkably slick pickpocketing sequences. Andy and Michael discuss the precision and perfect timing of these scenes, where hands, bodies, wallets, and objects move together with almost mechanical choreography. They consider how surprisingly modern these sequences feel, drawing comparisons with the energy and technical confidence of filmmakers such as Martin Scorsese.The conversation also digs into the philosophical cat and mouse game between Michel and the police. Rather than simply asking whether he will be caught, Pickpocket becomes interested in why Michel steals at all, the intellectual arguments he constructs around his behaviour, and whether his crimes offer excitement, purpose, or simply another way of separating himself from conventional society.More broadly, the episode becomes a discussion about why we watch films in the first place. Andy and Michael debate the difference between approaching cinema academically, as an important part of film and art history, and simply wanting to be entertained. Does understanding a film’s influence make the experience of watching it more rewarding, or should a supposedly great film still work entirely on its own terms?At a brilliantly efficient 75 minutes, Pickpocket never overstays its welcome. It remains a strange genre adjacent classic: part crime film, part character study, part philosophical exercise, and a work capable of provoking considerably more discussion than its modest runtime might suggest.Join Andy and Michael for another Cinema Callback: Criterion Collection deep dive into emotional detachment, beautifully executed crime, the purpose of watching classic cinema, and a film that continues to invite philosophical pondering more than six decades later.Enjoying the conversation?Support Cinema Callback on Patreon for bonus content, exclusive extras, and to help us continue making in depth film discussions through our unique voice note format.Patreon: Cinema Callback on Patreon

As part of Cinema Callback’s Criterion Collection series, Andy and Michael take a deep dive into Theodore Witcher’s 1997 cult classic Love Jones, a soulful romantic drama powered by the sizzling energy and chemistry between Larenz Tate and Nia Long.Through the show’s signature voice note conversation format, the hosts explore the relationship between aspiring writer Darius and photographer Nina, two young artists whose attraction feels immediate but whose path towards something more meaningful is complicated by pride, uncertainty, jealousy, and bad timing. Rather than forcing its characters into familiar romantic archetypes, Love Jones allows them to feel messy, contradictory, and remarkably authentic.The conversation also explores the film’s distinctive portrayal of the Black experience within the poetry, jazz, art, and nightlife subcultures of 1990s Chicago. Andy and Michael discuss the almost sensory quality of Witcher’s filmmaking, creating a world that feels as though you can touch and smell it, and how the city, music, clubs, apartments, friendships, and creative spaces become essential to the romance itself.Looking at Love Jones alongside other Gen X landmarks such as Singles, Reality Bites, and Jerry Maguire, the hosts consider how perfectly the film captures a particular moment in the 1990s while somehow remaining endlessly fresh. There is nostalgia in returning to this world, but the emotional uncertainty of its characters and the chemistry between Tate and Long prevent it from ever feeling trapped in its decade.Andy and Michael also reflect on the remarkable fact that Love Jones was Theodore Witcher’s directorial debut and remains his only feature film. What could have been simply another romantic drama instead became a genuine hidden gem, gradually developing a devoted following and eventually earning recognition within the Criterion Collection.Join Andy and Michael for another Cinema Callback: Criterion Collection deep dive into the sizzling chemistry, character authenticity, ’90s atmosphere, and soulful filmmaking that make Love Jones one of the great overlooked romantic dramas of its generation.Enjoying the conversation?Support Cinema Callback on Patreon for bonus content, exclusive extras, and to help us continue making in depth film discussions through our unique voice note format.Patreon: Cinema Callback on Patreon

As part of Cinema Callback’s Criterion Collection series, Andy and Michael take a deep dive into Andrzej Wajda’s Ashes and Diamonds (1958), one of the defining films of postwar Polish cinema. Through the show’s signature voice note conversation format, the hosts explore a film whose personal drama is inseparable from the complicated political history surrounding it.Originally watched as part of a week spent exploring films from the Criterion Collection, Ashes and Diamonds proves to be one of the most challenging discussions of the project. Set immediately after the end of the Second World War, the film follows a young resistance fighter tasked with assassinating a Communist official as Poland finds itself caught between nationalist resistance and an emerging Soviet backed government.Andy and Michael openly discuss the gaps in their own knowledge of Polish history and how that affected their experience of the film, from initially misreading certain characters to struggling with some of the ideological divisions driving the story. The conversation becomes an exploration of what happens when we encounter a film deeply rooted in a history and culture that we do not completely understand.At the centre of the film is Zbigniew Cybulski’s charismatic performance as Maciek, the conflicted young assassin whose look and screen presence famously drew comparisons with James Dean. Andy and Michael discuss how Cybulski provides an emotional route into the film, embodying a generation emerging from one war only to find itself caught immediately in another struggle over Poland’s future.Across their voice note exchanges, they also explore Wajda’s extraordinary filmmaking, from the striking deep focus photography and symbolic compositions to individual images that reveal why Ashes and Diamonds became such an influential work. They discuss its lasting impact on filmmakers including Martin Scorsese and how its visual storytelling can remain immediately powerful even when some of its political nuances prove harder to penetrate.Ultimately, the discussion raises a larger question about watching world cinema: how much historical context do we need to truly understand a film? Can performance, imagery, and filmmaking transcend those gaps, or are there some works whose deepest layers only become accessible when we understand the history that produced them?Join Andy and Michael for another Cinema Callback: Criterion Collection deep dive into a technically extraordinary, historically complex film and the challenges and rewards of encountering cinema outside your own cultural experience.Enjoying the conversation?Support Cinema Callback on Patreon for bonus content, exclusive extras, and to help us continue making in depth film discussions through our unique voice note format.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/CinemaCallback