Queer | Babygirl | The Room Next Door

12/31/24 • 45 min

Welcome to the first episode of The Curb review podcast, where Andrew F Peirce and Nadine Whitney catch up to talk through recent cinema, while also recommending a feature film from the past to catch up on.

In this first episode, we delve into the relationships in William S. Burrough’s Queer, directed by Luca Guadagnino and adapted for the screen by Justin Kuritzkes, with Daniel Craig, Drew Starkey, Lesley Manville, and Jason Schwartzman.

This discussion flows into talking about Halina Reijn’s latest film, Babygirl, which gives Nicole Kidman the chance to give the performance of her career, alongside Harris Dickinson, Antonio Banderas, and Sophie Wilde.

Finally, Nadine talks about Pedro Almodóvar’s first English language feature, The Room Next Door, featuring Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore.

Filmic recommendations this episode are:

Andrew: Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus by Steven Shainberg

Nadine: Love is the Devil: Study for a Portrait of Francis Bacon by John Maybury

Follow The Curb on Bluesky, Instagram, and Facebook and visit the Rotten Tomatoes profiles of Andrew here and Nadine here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Finally, Nadine talks about Pedro Almodóvar’s first English language feature, The Room Next Door, featuring Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore.

Filmic recommendations this episode are:

Andrew: Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus by Steven Shainberg

Nadine: Love is the Devil: Study for a Portrait of Francis Bacon by John Maybury

Follow The Curb on Bluesky, Instagram, and Facebook and visit the Rotten Tomatoes profiles of Andrew here and Nadine here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Previous Episode

Robert Connolly & Alison Lester Talk About Journeying Down to Magic Beach in This Interview

For this final chat in the series, Andrew catches up with prolific Australian director Robert Connolly and celebrated children's author Alison Lester to talk about their new collaboration, Magic Beach.

Magic Beach takes the Alison Lester's much-loved illustrated kids book and brings it to live with a series of vivid, vibrant, and invigorating animated shorts, made by some of Australia's finest visual talents: Lee Whitmore, Anthony Lucas, Marieka Walsh, Eddie White, Susan Danta, Jake Duczynski, Simon Rippingale, Pierce Davison, Kathy Sarpi, Emma Kelly, and Susie Shapones.

Magic Beach takes us on a journey into the ocean through the mind of kids, and it's through their eyes that we're immersed in the waves and ways of the water and the many stories the seas have to tell. From tales of sandcastle battles, to pirate smugglers, to a whimsical tale of a bird laying an egg on a boat, there's something for everyone in this brilliantly inventive film.

In the following interview with Robert and Alison, they talk about that journey into the water together, what it means to be able to tell stories for kids, and the role that the late, great Sarah Watt had in bringing this story to life.

Magic Beach screens as part of Perth Festival on January 7 and 13 at Luna SX in Fremantle, followed by special meet & greet screenings on 11 January at the Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace & Ritz Cinema in NSW and 12 January at the Classic Elsternwick & Sun Yarraville in Victoria. Magic Beach then opens wide around Australia on 16 January. Visit Madman.com.au for more screening details.

If you want to find out more about the work we do on The Curb, then head over to TheCurb.com.au. We are a completely independent and ad free website that lives on the support of listeners and readers just like you. If you can and have the means to support us, please visit Patreon.com/thecurbau to support our work from as little as $1 a month.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Next Episode

Die Bully Die Directors Nathan Lacey & Nick Lacey on Revisiting Trauma Through a Horror Comedy Lens

Die Bully Die is a short film built on the notion of retribution and exorcising the pain inflicted by a high-school bully. Actors and writers Matthew Backer & Drew Weston are directed by Nathan Lacey & Nick Lacey, and collectively they bring forth a horror comedy that shows in bloody fantasy sequences how a victim might just want to throw that pain back at their inflictor.

Die Bully Die was the winner of the Sydney Film Festival Dendy Award for Best Short Fiction, and is nominated for Best Short Film at the 2025 AACTA Awards. Nick and Nathan also received nominations for Best Direction in a Short Film at the Australian Directors Guild, while Nathan was nominated for Best Editing in Short Drama by the Australian Screen Editors, with cinematographer Patrick Coe nominated at Australian Cinematographers Society for Short Film Cinematography, and the sound team featuring Troy Mauri, Brendan Croxon, Cristobal Penailillo, and Jack Moiseyev, were honoured with a nomination at the Australian Screen Sound Guild.

In the following interview, Nathan and Nick talk about building a trauma informed horror comedy, what the collaborative process with actors and writers Matthew Backer & Drew Weston was like, how Gaspar Noe's style influenced the production, and a lot more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.