Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

It’s mini pod time again. Another between-season fix, keeping you going before the start of Series Three. Yes, the format continues to be abandoned as Phil and Nicky complete the trilogies they started in Series Two.

Nicky has brought BEFORE MIDNIGHT (2013) and Phil has chosen RETURN OF THE JEDI (1983) Enjoy!


References mentioned, and wider reading…

Elijah Gonzalez in Paste Magazine -
https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/richard-linklater/before-midnight-time-non-idealized-love

Dana Stevens in Slate.Com -
https://slate.com/culture/2013/05/before-midnight-directed-by-richard-linklater-reviewed.html

The Blog od Marzarbul -
https://www.theblogofmazarbul.com/2021/10/02/a-flawed-masterpiece-why-return-of-jedi/

Dagon Dogs -
https://dagondogs.com/2016/04/09/return-of-the-jedi-quick-dirty-review


#films #podcast #movies #filmreview

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

It’s mini pod time! Your between-season fix, keeping you going before the start of Series Three. For two weeks only, the format has been abandoned as Phil and Nicky complete the trilogies they started in Series Two.

Phil is here with THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (1980) whilst Nicky has brought BEFORE SUNSET (2004). Enjoy!

References mentioned, and wider reading…

Post by Shaun Watson -
https://swatson7856.medium.com/movie-review-star-wars-episode-v-the-empire-strikes-back-1980-d233d27ce339

Review bv Roger Ebert -
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-empire-strikes-back-1997-1

Review by Peter Bradshaw -
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2004/jul/23/before-sunset-review

Post by Jaime Rebanal
https://cinemafromthespectrum.com/2019/08/31/before-sunset-review-taking-that-one-chance-that-got-away-all-over-again/



• Finally, you can find us on Bluesky at @lightscamereapod
• On Insta at @lightscameraaggro
• Or you can email us at lightscameraconflict@gmail.com
(Yes, we set up our email address before we’d finalised our name. What of it?!)

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

This week, Nicky has chosen to talk about ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MEN (1976).

Written by Carl Bernstein, Bob Woodward, and William Goldman, and directed by Alan J Pakula, ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MEN is a love letter to journalism. With Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman playing the tenacious reporters on the scent of Watergate scandal, this film combines routine procedure, the tiniest of details, along with thrills and chills as our heroes search for the truth.

That’s Nicky’s view, anyway. She returns for a rewatch on a yearly basis. And Phil? Who knows? Listen to the episode and find out.


References mentioned, and wider reading…

Substack by John Devore about the realities of journalism -https://150wordreviews.substack.com/p/essay-all-the-presidents-men-1976

Medium post by Syifa Abibi -
https://medium.com/theuglymonster/all-the-presidents-men-the-washington-post-vs-richard-nixon-22c8848e20f3

George Clooney’s opinion -
https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/movie-george-clooney-called-cinematic-perfection-perfect-film/

Info about the split diopter by Jo Light
https://nofilmschool.com/split-diopter-all-presidents-men

Steve Buttry’s comparison to Spotlight - https://stevebuttry.wordpress.com/2015/11/24/spotlight-a-generation-later-echo-of-all-the-presidents-men/

Interview with Alan J Pakula - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DyeWjsutZE

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

This week, Phil has chosen to talk about THE KARATE KID (1984).

Written by Robert Mark Kamen and directed by John G Avildsen, THE KARATE KID is a long time fave of Phil’s. Telling the story of Daniel - a new kid on the block who’s developed the unfortunate habit of getting beaten up on the daily - and his rise to karate dominance with the help of friendly maintenance man, Mr Miyagi!

Phil approached this chat like the giddy school boy he is. Forty-two years on, is Nicky just too grown up these days to warm to the film’s charms? Listen to the chat and find out.

This conversation was recorded in January 2026.

References mentioned, and wider reading…

Lessons from The Karate Kid by Gwendolyn Bluemich
https://community.thriveglobal.com/lessons-from-the-karate-kid/

The Difficult Realities of the Karate Kid Lessons We Can Learn About East Asian Representation in Mainstream Culture…
https://www.cultursmag.com/the-difficult-realities-of-the-karate-kid-lessons-we-can-learn-about-east-asian-representation-in-mainstream-cinema/

HOW THE KARATE KID RUINED THE MODERN WORLD by Dr. David Wong
https://www.cracked.com/article_18544_how-the-karate-kid-ruined-modern-world.html

To book Ralph Macchio…
https://www.aaespeakers.com/keynote-speakers/ralph-macchio

Phil’s first contribution to the pod’s research!
https://screenrant.com/karate-kid-daniel-villain-theory/

Obama catches a fly
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45j8CtSm50U

Smithy’s training montage at Sport’s Personality of the Year
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvvKUtHlDK8



#films #podcast #movies #filmreview

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

This week, Nicky has chosen to talk about BEFORE SUNRISE (1995).

Written by Richard Linklater and Kim Krizan, and directed by Richard Linklater, this film asks an age-old question. If Ethan Hawke asked you to get off a train with him, would you? For Nicky, it’d be a real quick yes. She’d walk round Vienna, have the most meaningful experience of her life, and measure all romantic encounters against that one night, finding that they repeatedly came up short. And Phil? For his personal stance, you’ll need to listen to the pod.

Nicky has loved this film since she discovered it in the nineties. Phil is a more recent viewer. This conversation was recorded in February 2026.

(Also, when Nicky describes not having a train ticket when she was seventeen, she means she didn’t have a booked seat. No fare dodging here!)

References mentioned, and wider reading…

https://medium.com/@Jeanaubinet/before-sunrise-the-charm-of-simplicity-and-emotional-depth-0235eab7b15f The Charm of Simplicity and Emotional Depth

https://chicagofilmscene.com/the-conversational-intimacy-of-before-sunrise/

https://www.reddit.com/r/movies/comments/49w7ra/does_anyone_know_what_the_couple_in_the_beginning/ - The German couple’s argument, translated.

https://nofilmschool.com/How-to-write-a-conversation - Screen writing tips

https://www.willmcphail.com/store/lady-no-kids-2025 - The adventures of Lady No-Kids by Will McPhail

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/jan/30/before-sunrise-review-richard-linklater-ethan-hawke-julie-delpy by Peter Bradshaw


#films #podcast #movies #filmreview

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

This week, Phil has chosen to talk about NOTTING HILL (1999).

Written by Richard Curtis and directed by Roger Michell, NOTTING HILL tells the story of sweet, bumbling Will, played by Hugh Grant in his sweet and bumbling rom-com period.

After casually throwing orange juice over a humungous movie star, bookseller Will and mega-famous Anna, start a relationship. Is it too implausible to be believed? Does Will the bookseller behave well at all times? Does Richard Curtis’ London bear any resemblance to the real place? All these questions and more will be answered on the pod.

Phil has loved this film for a long time. Nicky has also watched it a few times. Did they find common ground? Is this the film that’ll align their views? You’ll just have to listen to find out.

References mentioned, and wider reading…

https://www.curzon.com/journal/hugh-grant-rom-com-speeches/ - The Very Specific Appeal of Hugh Grant’s Romantic Declarations, by Yasmin Omar

https://colehaddon.substack.com/p/what-that-last-brownie-really-means - What That Last Brownie Really Means, by Cole Haddon


https://bethlisogorsky.substack.com/p/notting-hill-1999-review - Notting Hill: What Works/What Doesn’t - By Beth Lisogorsky

https://www.theguardian.com/film/filmblog/2014/mar/17/notting-hill-julia-roberts-richard-curtis-film-guilty-pleasure - My Guilty Pleasure: Notting Hill, by Peter Bradshaw

https://29secrets.com/pop-culture/25-years-since-notting-hill-a-tribute-to-the-most-chaotic-rom-com-ever-made/ - A Tribute to the Most Chaotic Rom Com Ever Made, by Anne T Donahue




#films #podcast #movies #filmreview #nottinghill

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

This week, Nicky has chosen to talk about DIRTY DANCING (1987).

Written by Eleanor Bergstein and directed by Emile Ardolino, DIRTY DANCING tells the story of boy meets girl, girl learns professional dance routine while boy’s colleague gets backstreet abortion, boy gets sacked, girl is put in corner, boy and girl have time of their lives. An everyday tale, relatable to all.

Is this the sexiest film ever made or did Nicky just think it was when she was twelve? Does Baby’s coming of age tale resonate with straight men on the same level? Can Nicky argue its feminist merits or is it simply enough to win the hearts of sleepover attendees the world over? These questions and more get discussed on this week’s pod.

In all seriousness, this episode contains frank discussions around the subject of abortion, as it relates to Penny’s story.


References mentioned, and wider reading…

Dirty Dancing is an Underrated Feminist Masterpiece- https://www.themarysue.com/dirty-dancing-feminist-masterpiece/

Dirty Dancing, Jewishness, and Who Gets to be White - https://thewhitepages.net/p/out-of-the-corner

The interview with Eleanor Bergstein - https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-back-alley-abortion-that-almost-didnt-make-it-into-dirty-dancing/

Guardian article by Ann Lee - https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/may/19/my-favourite-film-aged-12-dirty-dancing


• Finally, you can find us on Bluesky at @lightscamereapod
• On Insta at @lightscameraaggro
• Or you can email us at lightscameraconflict@gmail.com
(Yes, we set up our email address before we’d finalised our name. What of it?!)



#films #podcast #movies #filmreview

Support the show