The HD Movie Podcast

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?

Episode 117: Merry Podmas 2023 #1 - Miracle On 34th Street (1994)

Episode 117 of The HD Movie Podcast is here! Hayley Alice Roberts and Darren Gaskell head up into the HDMP loft to get the tree out because it's once again time to wish you all a Merry Podmas! From now until the end of the year the podcast will be focusing on seasonal fare.
The first film unwrapped is the 1994 version of MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET, which has John Hughes on writing and producing duties and features Richard Attenborough as Kris Kringle, who may or may not be the real Santa and it's gonna take a court case to find out!
Hayley watched this movie as kid, so did it generate the same magic for her as an adult? Darren watched this movie as an adult, so did it generate the same magic for him as a more cranky adult? Your hosts also talk about the potency of Dylan McDermott, the point at which child performers cross the line from precocious into just plain annoying, Santa's somewhat unnerving chuckle and much, much more including a whistle stop comparison of the 1947, 1973 and 1994 versions of this classic tale.
Another of our presents to you is the impressive tuneage of Mitch Bain, who writes and performs the music 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
Is that Daphne from Frasier?

Episode 116: Spouse’s Request #2 - The Calcium Kid

Episode 116 of The HD Movie Podcast is here! Hayley Alice Roberts and Darren Gaskell return to talk about movies of any year, any genre and any quality.
Before the podcast celebrates another Merry Podmas, it's time for the second of our Spouse's Request episodes! Darren's wife Alison previously tortured your hosts with Tom Cruise crapfest Cocktail and now it's the turn of Hayley's husband Phil to pick the movie. His choice? 2004's sports mockumentary THE CALCIUM KID starring Orlando Bloom!
It's a rare first time watch for both of your hosts, so how much did they enjoy this Brit spoof featuring not only the piping hot (at the time) Bloom but also a certain Billie Piper? There's discussion of the film's view of its female characters, a couple of highly questionable subplots and just how long you should thrash a joke that's not working. Does it all lead to a Cocktail-style rant? Only one way to find out (other than asking Hayley or Darren)!
Always boxing clever, floating like a butterfly, stinging like a bee is none other than Mitch Bain, who writes and performs the music 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
Hayley and Darren's antics do not reflect the Health and Safety procedures of Express Dairies.

Episode 115: Teen Wolf

Episode 115 of The HD Movie Podcast is here! Hayley Alice Roberts and Darren Gaskell are back once more, continuing to talk movies of any year, any genre and any quality.
Our miniseries on werewolf movies comes to a close with 1985'S TEEN WOLF, directed by Rod Daniel and starring a certain Michael J. Fox, who has thoughts about this one, as do your hosts. This was made just before Back To The Future but released afterwards. Can you guess why?
Hayley and Darren talk about some very 80s attitudes on display, one of the oddest freeze frames out there, terrible basketball moves, unsatisfying subplots aplenty and just how suitable Teen Wolf is for that Parental Guidance rating. And that's not all by a long chalk, but we don't like to write essays describing our episodes.
For the final time this year, you'll be hearing our fabulously eerie Halloween theme which is, of course, composed and performed by the spooktacular Mitch Bain. You can find him on social media: @whoelsebutmitch on Twitter, evertheoptimitch on Instagram.
You can follow and contact the Podcast on Twitter 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
Make sure your flies are zipped up, folks!

Episode 114: Ginger Snaps

Episode 114 of The HD Movie Podcast is here! Hayley Alice Roberts and Darren Gaskell are still looking at movies of any year, any genre and any quality and are unlikely to change any time soon.
Our penultimate mini-venture into the world of the werewolf movie takes us to Canada in the year 2000, but there's a definite 90s high school movie flavour as we take a look at John Fawcett's GINGER SNAPS! Starring Katherine Isabelle, Emily Perkins and Mimi Rogers, this is generally well regarded but there's a big question that has to be posed: IS IT BETTER THAN CURSED?
Hayley and Darren talk about their very different introductions to this film, their experiences of meeting the aforementioned Katherine Isabelle, the allegorical trappings of this movie and how the shadow of David Cronenberg hangs over Canadian cinema in general. They also confront a specific genre trope they don't particularly like (it's the one about pets), talk about its ban from certain UK cinemas and decide whether or not it's better than Cursed.
Once again, you'll be hearing our excellent, spooky Halloween theme which is composed and performed by Mitch Bain, as is all of the other music on the podcast. You can find him on social media: @whoelsebutmitch on Twitter, evertheoptimitch on Instagram.
You can follow and contact the Podcast on Twitter 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
BUT IS IT BETTER THAN CURSED?