The HD Movie Podcast

Episode 127: Scary Movie

Episode 127 of The HD Movie Podcast is here! Any movie, any year, any genre, any quality? Hayley Alice Roberts and Darren Gaskell are on it!
This week, your hosts head back a couple of decades to revisit a spoof horror that spawned its own franchise - it's 2000's SCARY MOVIE, in which the Wayans brothers lampoon Scream, which in itself was somewhat parodic and self-referential.
Settling down to enjoy a silly blast from the past, Hayley and Darren are instead confronted by the various phobias of this movie and a whole load of troublesome content. They had a lot to say (hence the runtime). They do try to accentuate the positives but they also can't ignore the mountain of negatives, and the character of Doofy is only the start... 
Something we can all enjoy without fear of controversy is the music of Mitch Bain, who writes and performs the tunes you hear on the podcast. You can find him on social media: @whoelsebutmitch on Twitter, evertheoptimitch on Instagram.
You can follow and contact the Podcast on X and Instagram by searching for "HDMoviePodcast". We're happy to hear from you.
You can find the hosts on Twitter and Instagram too!
Hayley: @HayleyARoberts on Twitter, hayleyaliceroberts on Instagram
Darren: @darren_gaskell on Twitter, darren_gaskell on Instagram
WTF, Dave?

Episode 126: Promising Young Woman

*** WARNING: This episode contains discussion of topics which some people may find distressing ***
Episode 126 of The HD Movie Podcast is here! Hayley Alice Roberts and Darren Gaskell continue to cover movies of any year, any genre and any quality.
This episode, your hosts return to the work of writer/director Emerald Fennell. They had plenty to say about Saltburn, so it was inevitable that they would want to discuss Emerald's debut feature PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN! It's a revenge movie which takes a very different tack, but does it work?
Hayley and Darren talk savvy casting, soundtrack picks, aesthetic choices, *that* twist in the plot, a number of alternate endings which did not come to pass and much, much more. Darren also gets to mention "Ms. 45", which he attempts to do as often as possible in otherwise normal conversations.
Our angel of the podcast is Mitch Bain, who writes and performs the tunes you hear within. You can find him on social media: @whoelsebutmitch on Twitter, evertheoptimitch on Instagram.
You can follow and contact the Podcast on X and Instagram by searching for "HDMoviePodcast". We're happy to hear from you.
You can find the hosts on Twitter and Instagram too!
Hayley: @HayleyARoberts on Twitter, hayleyaliceroberts on Instagram
Darren: @darren_gaskell on Twitter, darren_gaskell on Instagram
Better than Saltburn? You decide!

Episode 125: Anastasia

Episode 125 of The HD Movie Podcast is here! Hayley Alice Roberts and Darren Gaskell are back once again to look through the world of movies. Which movies? Any year, any genre, any quality - it's all possible.
This week, your hosts are back in the world of animation as they discuss 1997's ANASTASIA, directed by Don Bluth and Gary Goldman. It's a "what if?" story which takes historical fact as its basis and then proceeds to spin a whole film's worth of fiction, performed by a cast of notable stars of the time.
As a Disney fan, how does Hayley think this film holds up to the 90s output of the House Of Mouse? As a horror fan, did Darren manage to reach the end of this without running screaming from the room? There's also talk of the musical numbers, the inevitable comedy sidekick, the go-to Don Bluth movies of different decades and the template for making your animated flick a box office hit. And much more, of course. This podcast doesn't want to sell you short.
Hayley and Darren love a good tune, none more so than those of Mitch Bain, who writes and performs the tunes you hear on the podcast. You can find him on social media: @whoelsebutmitch on Twitter, evertheoptimitch on Instagram.
You can follow and contact the Podcast on X and Instagram by searching for "HDMoviePodcast". We're happy to hear from you.
You can find the hosts on Twitter and Instagram too!
Hayley: @HayleyARoberts on Twitter, hayleyaliceroberts on Instagram
Darren: @darren_gaskell on Twitter, darren_gaskell on Instagram
Ra-Ra-Rasputin!

Episode 124: Leap Year

Episode 124 of The HD Movie Podcast is here! Hayley Alice Roberts and Darren Gaskell and their mantra of "any movie, any year, any quality" certainly gets a test this time out.
It's a Leap Year, and with an episode release date of 29th February, what better time would there be to cover LEAP YEAR, the 2010 romcom starring Amy Adams as a "stager" looking to surprise her boyfriend by travelling to Ireland with the intention of taking advantage of a tradition which allows her to propose on Leap Day. Will complications ensue with her grumpy driver Declan? Of course.
Your hosts discuss not only international incident-level Irish stereotyping but also some unexpected and equally unwelcome Welsh stereotyping, and that's just the start of this movie's list of offences. There's a very unfortunate outcome for a chicken, an odd grasp of geography, a weird anti-singleton stance and bizarre verbal assaults during dinner. All played for laughs. Unsurprisingly, Hayley and Darren had thoughts.
One HD Movie Podcast tradition we can all get behind is the music of Mitch Bain, who writes and performs the tunes you hear on the podcast. You can find him on social media: @whoelsebutmitch on Twitter, evertheoptimitch on Instagram.
You can follow and contact the Podcast on X and Instagram by searching for "HDMoviePodcast". We're happy to hear from you.
You can find the hosts on Twitter and Instagram too!
Hayley: @HayleyARoberts on Twitter, hayleyaliceroberts on Instagram
Darren: @darren_gaskell on Twitter, darren_gaskell on Instagram
Where did the cliffs come from?

Episode 123: The Lodge

*** WARNING: This episode contains discussion of topics which some listeners may find distressing ***
Episode 123 of The HD Movie Podcast is here! Is it a movie? If so, Hayley Alice Roberts and Darren Gaskell will discuss it. Doesn't matter about the year or the quality.
This week, disturbing, psychological horror is on the menu in the form of Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala's THE LODGE! The new fiancée of a previously married bloke gets to spend some quality time with his kids at a remote location. What could possibly go wrong? Obviously, lots.
Your hosts talk about a Chekhov's Gun that's actually a gun, some terrific performances, the appearance of a trope that usually winds up the folks at HDHQ and there's plenty of discussion about that ending. Oh, that ending.
Something that's quite easy to get Lodge-d in your head (okay, apologies for that one) is the music of Mitch Bain, who writes and performs the tunes you hear on the podcast. You can find him on social media: @whoelsebutmitch on Twitter, evertheoptimitch on Instagram.
You can follow and contact the Podcast on X and Instagram by searching for "HDMoviePodcast". We're happy to hear from you.
You can find the hosts on Twitter and Instagram too!
Hayley: @HayleyARoberts on Twitter, hayleyaliceroberts on Instagram
Darren: @darren_gaskell on Twitter, darren_gaskell on Instagram
Hey, it's Alicia Silverstone! Oh...

Episode 122: Saltburn

Episode 122 of The HD Movie Podcast is here! It's a new year, but your familiar team of Hayley Alice Roberts and Darren Gaskell are back to cast their eyes over another bunch of films of any genre, any year and any quality!
We're starting 2024 off with a bang as your hosts take a look at the much talked about SALTBURN from writer/director Emerald Fennell. This has caused quite a stir due to some of its more adult-leaning content, so Hayley and Darren couldn't resist talking about that and the new puritanism regarding sex scenes in movies.
There's loads of other stuff to talk about too, such as the choice of music throughout, the zingers in the script and the number of questions left unanswered, not to mention some Jacob Elordi/Rosamund Pike thirst from Hayley and Darren (we'll leave you to guess who fancies Jacob and who fancies Rosamund) and the prospect of weird, bathwater-related merch spinoffs.
We may be launching into a new batch of episodes but we're still keeping the same top tunes from Mitch Bain, who writes and performs the music you hear on the podcast. You can find him on social media: @whoelsebutmitch on Twitter, evertheoptimitch on Instagram.
You can follow and contact the Podcast on X and Instagram by searching for "HDMoviePodcast". We're happy to hear from you.
You can find the hosts on Twitter and Instagram too!
Hayley: @HayleyARoberts on Twitter, hayleyaliceroberts on Instagram
Darren: @darren_gaskell on Twitter, darren_gaskell on Instagram
Poor Dear Pamela...

Episode 121: Merry Podmas 2023 #5 - Terror Train

Episode 121 of The HD Movie Podcast is here! Hayley Alice Roberts and Darren Gaskell have finished off the Xmas leftovers, they're back from the off licence with Hogmanay party booze and are ready bring you one more Merry Podmas selection, rounding off 2023 with an episode full of New Year flavour.
The final episode of 2022 took a look at Norman J. Warren's quintessentially British stylings of BLOODY NEW YEAR but this year Hayley and Darren head across the pond (figuratively - the HDMP budget doesn't stretch to Transatlantic flights) to board Roger Spottiswoode's TERROR TRAIN! And when one of the passengers happens to be Jamie Lee Curtis, the destination is likely to be slasher mayhem.
Your hosts talk about how Canada was quick out of the gate to follow up Halloween and Friday The 13th with some stalk and slash action and how Ms Curtis was part of not one but two Canuck horror flag bearers. They also talk about a genuinely surprising move in a largely derivative movie, whether or not David Copperfield can flirt expertly and for you Xmas action movie aficionados, there's Ellis from Die Hard in the mix! There's also a detour into Halloween: Resurrection territory and it is not a title either Hayley or Darren holds in high regard.
We've had another year of top tunes from Mitch Bain, who writes and performs the music you hear on the podcast. You can find him on social media: @whoelsebutmitch on Twitter, evertheoptimitch on Instagram.
You can follow and contact the Podcast on X and Instagram by searching for "HDMoviePodcast". We're happy to hear from you.
You can find the hosts on Twitter and Instagram too!
Hayley: @HayleyARoberts on Twitter, hayleyaliceroberts on Instagram
Darren: @darren_gaskell on Twitter, darren_gaskell on Instagram
Happy New Year, listeners! We hope to be back with you in 2024.

Episode 120: Merry Podmas 2023 #4 - Four Christmases

Episode 120 of The HD Movie Podcast is here! Hayley Alice Roberts and Darren Gaskell crash your party, drink all the prosecco and wish you all a Merry Podmas! Santa's on the way very soon but there's an episode for your hosts to deliver first.
We're on festive overload this week as we bring you not one, not two, not three but FOUR CHRISTMASES as an upwardly mobile couple, played by Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn, find themselves heading off to visit every single one of their estranged parents.
Hayley and Darren discuss an EIGHTY million dollar comedy with a stellar cast and undoubted talent behind the camera. Does it all add up to an unmissable Xmas treat? Does the mixture of heartwarming moments and gross out sequences work? Does Vince Vaughn's character actually deserve Reese Witherspoon's? Does Cursed get a mention?
Someone we know who's worth at least eighty million and so much more is Mitch Bain, who writes and performs the tunes you hear on the podcast. You can find him on social media: @whoelsebutmitch on Twitter, evertheoptimitch on Instagram.
You can follow and contact the Podcast on X and Instagram by searching for "HDMoviePodcast". We're happy to hear from you.
You can find the hosts on Twitter and Instagram too!
Hayley: @HayleyARoberts on Twitter, hayleyaliceroberts on Instagram
Darren: @darren_gaskell on Twitter, darren_gaskell on Instagram
Happy Christmas to you and yours, listeners!

Episode 119: Merry Podmas 2023 #3 - Night Of The Comet

Episode 119 of The HD Movie Podcast is here! Hayley Alice Roberts and Darren Gaskell order in a load of mince pies and wish you all a Merry Podmas! 'Tis the season and it's in full swing as the Chrimble-themed  movies continue!
This week's offering is more Christmas-lite that the previous two weeks but it's been on the schedule for ever, it's one of Darren's favourite movies and he's finally getting to wax lyrical about it. It's 1984's NIGHT OF THE COMET, directed by Thom Eberhardt and starring Catherine Mary Stewart and Kelli Maroney.
Darren tries to avoid turning the whole thing into a fanboy episode (with a reasonable amount of success) so he and Hayley do actually get to discuss the movie, with its resourceful use of its low budget, the inspired casting, memorable lines of dialogue and a whole lot more! There's also an update on the movie's UK Blu-Ray release after the main chat...
One thing unavailable to Samantha Belmont during her amateur DJ gig was the amazing music of Mitch Bain, who writes and performs the tunes you hear on the podcast. You can find him on social media: @whoelsebutmitch on Twitter, evertheoptimitch on Instagram.
You can follow and contact the Podcast on X and Instagram by searching for "HDMoviePodcast". We're happy to hear from you.
You can find the hosts on Twitter and Instagram too!
Hayley: @HayleyARoberts on Twitter, hayleyaliceroberts on Instagram
Darren: @darren_gaskell on Twitter, darren_gaskell on Instagram
I'm not crazy, I just don't give a...

Episode 118: Merry Podmas 2023 #2 - A Boyfriend For Christmas

Episode 118 of The HD Movie Podcast is here! Hayley Alice Roberts and Darren Gaskell stock up on the advocaat and, for the second time, wish you all a Merry Podmas! It's any movie, any year and any quality as usual but with a distinctly seasonal theme.
It wouldn't be Christmas without the podcast covering a Hallmark movie, so your hosts brace themselves as they dive into 2004's A BOYFRIEND FOR CHRISTMAS, directed by Kevin O'Connor who also helmed bizarre comedy horror flick Motel Hell! Unpack that one, folks.
It's an episode with a major twist as Hayley and Darren get ready to stick their snow boots into the usual tired old Hallmark tropes, lazy writing and ridiculous characters, but then find something a little different. Is it a Christmas miracle? You decide!
'Tis always the season for the tunes of a certain Mitch Bain, who writes and performs the music you hear on this podcast. You can find him on social media: @whoelsebutmitch on Twitter, evertheoptimitch on Instagram.
You can follow and contact the Podcast on X and Instagram by searching for "HDMoviePodcast". We're happy to hear from you.
You can find the hosts on Twitter and Instagram too!
Hayley: @HayleyARoberts on Twitter, hayleyaliceroberts on Instagram
Darren: @darren_gaskell on Twitter, darren_gaskell on Instagram
What happened to those tenants?