Okay, so I interviewed the mighty Thomas Jane for the podcast. I've been a fan of his for years & it was a fantastic conversation. He's one cool guy!

German actor Udo Kier dead at the age of 81. A sinister character actor, Kier could command any scene even in the smallest of roles. Credits include Andy Warhol's Flesh For Frankenstein & Blood For Dracula, End Of Days, Dancer In The Dark My Own Private Idaho & countless others.

Can't get enough of me talking about films? This hour-long episode sees me chat to Scott Martin, Michael Jai White, Charlotte Kirk & Stephanie Beran about EXIT PROTOCOL. It's a fun one. Check out the episode on the below link or wherever you get podcasts! www.moviesinfocus.com/podcast-epis...

Podcast Episode 91: James Badge Dale & Michael Mando Talk KING IVORY. A fun episode with two cool actors where we spend time talking about John Swabs film, my physical media collection & we also plan movie night! Listen below or wherever you get podcasts. www.moviesinfocus.com/podcast-epis...

Never forget the urban myth that states that Stan Laurel is Clint Eastwood's father!

Chatted with Michael Mando & James Badge Dale about KING IVORY - John Swab's punchy drug thriller. Two great actors & very cool guys. Could have talked to them all day. They really dug my physical media collection & I might have committed to hosting movie night on Friday!

The Movies In Focus press pass collection.

Director Lee Tamahori dead at the age of 75. He kicked off his career with the acclaimed Kiwi drama Once Were Warriors before making the likes of Muholland Falls, Along Came A Spider & James Bond film Die Another Day. I was always partial to his 1997 survival thriller, The Edge.

My view at last night's Belfast Film Festival screening of Good Vibrations. The film is a love letter to Belfast & the power of music. Fun facts: I used to buy music in Good Vibrations in the early 2000s & the film's co-writer Glenn Patterson taught me creative writing back then too.

Onscreen directing credits for Tod Browning's Dracula & Tim Burton's Batman.

Press pass sorted. That's me set for the Belfast Film Festival Looking forward to tonight's opening film, Die, My Love.

Podcast Episode 89. British film producer & the man behind Shogun Films, Jonathan Sothcott joins this episode of the podcast to discuss his impressive & varied career in the film industry. Listen via the link below or wherever you get podcasts! www.moviesinfocus.com/podcast-epis...

Browne on Cyprus Avenue.

Low on budget, but big on vision, Phil Claydon's Helloween delivers a pic that’s perfect for late-night viewing - ideally with a couple of beers & few slices of pizza. It all harkens back to the golden age of the VHS era. www.moviesinfocus.com/review-hello...

Podcast Episode 88. I had a really fascinating chat with film composer Tom Schraeder (The Dark & The Wicked, We’re Not Safe Here, Vicious) about the creative process when scoring films & just music in general. Listen below or wherever you get podcasts! www.moviesinfocus.com/podcast-epis...

Iconic movie poster artist Drew Struzan dead at the age of 78. So many great posters: Star Wars, Blade Runner, The Goonies, Big Trouble In Little China, Indiana Jones, Back To The Future, The Thing, E.T. The list is unbeatable. A true master of the art form.

Daniel Craig's casting as James Bond in Casino Royale was announced on this day 2005 - 20 years ago!

Paul Simon turns 84 today. I had front row seats when he played Nottingham in 2016. He spoke out saying that I was the only person in the audience he could see. So essentially, Paul Simon played the whole concert for me. I'm pretty sure he enjoyed it as much as I did.

Diane Keaton dead at the age of 79. She starred in countless iconic movies from The Godfather, Reds, Annie Hall, Looking For Mr Goodbar & Something's Gotta Give. Famed for her quirky fashion style, she had a strong screen presence that balanced comedy & drama. A real loss.

The Tron movies really don't make a big enough deal of the fact that the first name of Jeff Bridges' Flynn is Kevin.

Podcast episode 87! Kiah Roache-Turner's BEAST OF WAR is a top-tier entry in the killer shark genre. We had a great time talking about New Wave Australian war movies, Jaws, art & a lot more. Listen via the link below or wherever you get your podcasts. www.moviesinfocus.com/podcast-epis...

Any Batman film where we see The Dark Knight standing at the top of an incredibly tall building is a good one.

Podcast Episode 86! Another fun listen. Returning guest, Charlotte Kirk (The Lair) & Zach McGowan (Black Sails), stars of director Neil Marshall's new erotic thriller, Compulsion join this episode of the podcast. Listen below or wherever you get podcasts. www.moviesinfocus.com/podcast-epis...

Podcast episode 85! Neil Marshall’s Compulsion is a homage to Italian giallo & 80s/90s erotic thrillers. Marshall & star Anna-Maria Sieklucka join the podcast to talk about the blood-soaked thriller. Listen via the link below or wherever you get podcasts! www.moviesinfocus.com/podcast-epis...

Another great episode. Maverick respect!

Podcast Episode 84! Hayley McFarland & Sharmita Bhattacharya join this episode of the @moviesinfocus podcast to talk about their excellent performances in the great new horror, WE’RE NOT SAFE HERE. Listen via the link below or wherever you get podcasts. www.moviesinfocus.com/podcast-epis...

Podcast Episode 83! Action auteur Renny Harlin joins the @moviesinfocus podcast to talk about THE STRANGERS: CHAPTER 2 - & his new killer shark pic Deep Water. Listen via the link below, or wherever you get your podcasts! www.moviesinfocus.com/podcast-epis...

Podcast Episode 82 Director Bill Fishman talks about his energetic & zesty new comedy WALTZING WITH BRANDO, Billy Zane's note-perfect performance & working with Monkees legend Michael Nesmith. Listen below or wherever you get podcasts! www.moviesinfocus.com/podcast-epis...

I decided to skip the traditional obituary style and write about how Robert Redford and his films fit into my life. A 40-year biographical journey with the artist, if you will. Check it out below: www.moviesinfocus.com/obituary-rob...

Robert Redford dead at the age of 89. An icon. One of the screen greats, Redford delivered in front & behind the camera. Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid, The Natural, The Great Gatsby, Spy Game, Quiz Show, Ordinary People & many others. A real Holywood legend has passed.

A great episode (as always)! Go give this a listen!

Podcast Episode 81: Solomon Gray Talks His Offbeat Horror WE’RE NOT SAFE HERE He discusses the creative challenges of crafting a slow-burn chiller & the performances of Hayley McFarland & Sharmita Bhattacharya. Listen below or wherever you get podcasts: www.moviesinfocus.com/podcast-epis...

Stuart Gordon's The Pit And The Pendulum: an intriguing Edgar Allan Poe adaptation. Lance Henriksen adds some gravitas to this medieval romp & Oliver Reed appears in an all too quick cameo. This 1991 pic might be light on horror, but it's an interesting take on Poe's iconic tale.

Received my review copy of @kermodemovie.bsky.social's new book - Surround Sound: The Stories Of Movie Music. I'm looking forward to diving into this!

Read the 3 star Movies In Focus review of Chris Columbus' The Thursday Murder Club: www.moviesinfocus.com/review-the-t...

Fashion designer Giorgio Armani dead at the age of 91. His costume work on Brian De Palma's The Untouchables was exquisite. Here endeth the lesson.

I had the pleasure of having Graham Greene on the podcast. A man of wit & charm, he discussed how he won his part in Dances With Wolves, what’s it’s like going to the Oscars & the passing of Richard Donner. Listen below or wherever you get podcasts: www.moviesinfocus.com/podcast-epis...

Graham Greene dead at 73. A game- changing supporting character actor who was Oscar nominated for Dances With Wolves. He brightened up the screen in everything from Maverick, Die Hard With A Vengeance, Twilight, The Green Mile, Wind River & more. He was always a treat to watch.

Rob Zombie's House Of 1000 Corpses: a nasty piece of throwback horror cinema. This wears its '70s genre influences on its tattooed sleeve. It's not necessarily enjoyable, but it is oddly captivating viewing - if you're into that sort of thing. This is not for the fainthearted.

John Boorman's Excalibur: a sumptuous (and definitive) take on the Arthurian legend. The gold standard of fantasy flims, its world is gloriously realised. An excellent cast, striking visuals & powerful music cues bring a touch of class to this medieval movie. Stunning cinema.

Podcast Episode 80! Director M.J. Bassett and actor Matilda Lutz join this episode of the Movies In Focus podcast to talk about their new fantasy adventure film. www.moviesinfocus.com/podcast-epis...

Richard Donner's The Omen is a masterclass in how to make an intelligent & thrilling horror. It features strong performances - Gregory Peck anchors things with gravitas. This has stunning visuals & an amazing - & now iconic - Jerry Goldsmith score. Brilliant filmmaking.

The Omega Man is the best screen adaptation of Richard Matheson's I Am Legend. The dystopian sci-fi pic might differ from Matheson's novella, but it keeps its tone & texture. Charlton Heston is excellent as the lone man existing in a desolate Los Angeles. A minor masterpiece.

Terence Stamp dead at the age of 87. A 60s icon, Stamp was a powerful screen presence. He starred in diverse films like Far From The Madding Crowd, Superman, Adventures Of Priscilla Queen Of The Desert  & Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. His finest turn may have been in The Limey.

I really enjoyed the tone of Erik Bloomquist's Self-Help. It’s funny when it needs to be and dark when it wants to be - there’s even a real eye-watering gouging sequence! Read the ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️@moviesinfocus review below: www.moviesinfocus.com/review-help-...

I'm on @letterboxd.social - go give me a follow for my usual style of movie talk! Here's the link: boxd.it/j5Yf

Steve Martin is 80 years old today. So here's my CD copy of Steve Martin & The Steep Canyon Rangers' 2011 album, Rare Bird Alert. It's signed by Martin himself and the Steep Canyon Rangers. It's an excellent bit of banjo-driven bluegrass.

The Silence of the Lambs (1991) Dir. Jonathan Demme.

I enjoyed the old-school throwback nature of Red Sonja & the non-fussy style of its storytelling. It sets itself up nicely for a sequel - an enjoyable proposition indeed. Read the Movies In Focus review of M.J. Bassett's RED SONJA starring Matilda Lutz: www.moviesinfocus.com/review-matil...

DANTE'S PEAK$.