Movies In Focus

Acclaimed Australian actor Richard Roxburgh joins this episode of the Movies In Focus podcast. His impressive acting career has seen him deliver memorable performances in films such as Moulin Rouge!, Mission: Impossible 2, Van Helsing, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Hacksaw Ridge, Elvis and the successful TV series Rake.His new film, The Correspondent - which is based on the remarkable true story of Australian journalist Peter Greste - whose experience as a foreign correspondent and his incarceration in Egypt became an international news story.Richard talks about what attracted him to the project, the challenges of bringing this remarkable story to the screen and how he approached portraying a man who is caught up in an extraordinary and deeply challenging set of circumstances.

Director and writer D.J. Caruso joins this episode of the Movies In Focus podcast to talk about his career and the ever-changing landscape of film. Caruso has had an impressive career - making his feature directorial debut with the excellent Val Kilmer starring neo-noir, The Salton Sea before going on to direct Taking Lives with Angelina Jolie and Ethan Hawke, Two For The Money starring Al Pacino and Matthew McConaughey, Disturbia and Eagle Eye with Shia LaBeouf and a plethora of other mainstream movies. Meanwhile, his most recent film was 2024’s Netflix biblical epic Mary with Anthony Hopkins. This is a wide-ranging conversation which touches on Hollywood of the past, present and future and offers a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the film business. We also talk a little bit about John Badham's The Hard Way - an excellent action-comedy starring Michael J. Fox and James Woods - which Caruso worked on early in his career. Caruso also discusses his upcoming screen adaptation of Welsh writer Dylan Thomas’ A Visit To Grandpa’s starring Anthony Hopkins and Catherine Zeta-Jones. 

Filmmaker Dara Van Dusen joins this episode of the Movies In Focus podcast to talk about her new film, A Prayer For The Dying. Starring Johnny Flynn and John C. Reilly, the film is an arthouse western that packs a real emotional and psychological punch.A Prayer For The Dying is based on a novel by Stewart O’Nan and Dara Van Dusen not only makes her feature length directorial debut with the film, but she also wrote the screenplay.  Breaking down the themes of the film, Dara talks about adapting a book that means so much to her, the difficulties in making a film which lacks obvious commercial appeal and much more. This is yet another illuminating conversation that shines a real light on the filmmaking process. 

New thriller Knightfall is the latest release from prolific British film producer Jonathan Sothcott. It’s a throwback action film sees Geoffrey Moore team with Ian Ogilvy and Jeanine Nerissa Sothcott to uncover a conspiracy that lies deep within the British Secret Service. Geoffrey Moore joins this episode of the Movies In Focus podcast to talk about Knightfall, working with former The Saint star Ian Ogilvy, the world of modest budget films and his ‘old man’ - who just happens to be the legendary James Bond star Roger Moore. This loaded episode also sees Moore do a great impression of Peter Sellars’ Inspector Clouseau and much more.You really don’t want to miss this one! Knightfall is now available on Digital and On Demand

Mark Vanselow, Liam Neeson’s long time stunt double joins this episode of the Movies In Focus podcast to talk about his feature directorial debut, The Mongoose. The high-octane thriller sees Neeson play a former special forces operative who finds himself on the run from the police and caught in a cross country pursuit. The film - which opens in U.S cinemas on October 30, 2026 also stars Marisa Tomei, Ving Rhames and Michael Chiklis. During the course of the discussion, Vanselow talks about stunt work, the intricacies of making a chase movie, the film’s high calibre cast, his long term working relationship with Liam Neeson and much more. 

Matt Sukkar and Duke Nicholson, the director and star of the off-beat crime thriller The Deputy join this episode of the Movies In Focus podcast. A 1970s-tinged darkly comedic thriller, The Deputy sees a none-too-bright small town deputy uncover a local conspiracy after a routine night on the job goes horribly wrong.The Deputy marks Sukkar’s feature film directorial debut and it also sees Nicholson (the grandson of the legendary Jack Nicholson) star in his first leading role. Along for the ride is a top tier supporting cast that includes William H. Macy, Tiffany Haddish, Stephen Dorff, Billie Lourd and Julia FoxOver the course of this episode Sukkar and Nicholson discuss how The Deputy came to be, how cult pics like After Hoursand Assault On Precinct 13 were the inspirations for the film’s very specific tone and much more.The Deputy is now in U.S cinemas, on Digital and On Demand now.

Ian Ogilvy is an actor who has entertained generations, having starred in a plethora of roles across film and television. He’s worked alongside iconic stars like Boris Karloff and Vincent Price in cult horror films The Sorcerers and Witchfinder General as well as having roles in everything from The Avengers and I, Claudius to Murder, She Wrote and Robin Of Sherwood. However, his most famous part is probably that of Simon Templar in The Return Of The Saint - a move which saw him take over the famed halo from Roger Moore.  Ogilvy is now back on screens in the British action-thriller Knightfall - a film that sees him share the screen with Geoffrey Moore - the son of his Saint predecessor, Roger Moore. In the film, Ogilvy plays a spy who is pulled out of retirement to assist his daughter (Jeanine Nerissa Sothcott) who is caught up in a conspiracy. Ian Ogilvy joins this episode of the Movies In Focus podcast to talk about Knightfall, working with horror icons like Vincent Price and Boris Karloff and other aspects of his long and illustrious career. 

Director Adam Rifkin and actor James Paxton join this episode of the Movies in Focus podcast to talk about their new film, Last Train To Fortune. Also starring Malcolm McDowell, Mary Steenburgen, Bernadette Peters and Laura Marano, Rifkin’s film is a comedy-western that plays with the genre's well-worn tropes - but it does so with a good heart and good characterisation. As I say in our discussion - it’s like the type of film that Disney would have made and released in the 1990s. During the course of this episode Adam talks about how Last Train To Fortune was written by his mother Michele as part of a screenwriting competition, while James discusses how the film was originally supposed to star his father, the late Bill Paxton, when it was set to be filmed in the 1990s. 

Academy Award-winning filmmaker Kevin Macdonald joins this episode of the Movies In Focus podcast to talk about his latest film, The Runner starring Gal Gadot and Damien Lewis. The Runner is a tense real-time thriller that sees a lawyer (Gadot) racing across London in attempt to save her abducted son at the behest of a mysterious caller (Lewis). Kevin Macdonald is a prolific filmmaker, adept at both documentaries and dramatic features – having directed the likes of One Day In September, Touching The Void, The Last King Of Scotland and State Of Play. On this episode, Macdonald discusses making an action film on the streets of London, keeping tension and continuity on a real time thriller – and I couldn’t help but ask him about his excellent 2009 political thriller, State Of Play starring Russell Crowe, Rachel McAdams and Ben Affleck. This is yet another episode when digs into the minutiae of filmmaking. The Runner hits Prime Video globally on September 2, 2026. 

Filmmaker Robert Gamperl joins this episode of the Movies In Focus podcast to talk about his enigmatic western short films, Darlin and Stubborn. A former football player (or soccer player, if you're that way inclined) and a very talented film director and director of photography, Robert discusses his love of the western and the effort that it takes to make a selection of short films which embrace the genre. This is yet another fascinating insight into the world of low budget films and the precise nature of short film-making - that offers up a great understanding of why the western genre continues to resonate with filmmakers of all ages.Saddle-up and come along for the ride.