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The Witterlist - 6th September 2019

Despite Simon’s throat giving Mark’s Tom Waits impression a run for its money, they were back to business as usual this week, with a show full of water polo, microscopic adventures and of course the return of everyone’s favourite interdimensional killer clown.

If you’ve missed a show or just want to revisit some of our premium movie content, you can find highlights of all of our programmes on our dedicated Witterlist page.

The Interview

James McAvoy interviewed by Simon Mayo

James McAvoy talks to Simon Mayo about his new film, It: Chapter Two.

Simon said “hiya Georgie” to James McAvoy this week, who has taken on the role of the adult Bill Denbrough in horror sequel It Chapter Two. Set 27 years after the first film, Bill and the rest of the grown-up Losers’ Club return to Derry to face off once more with murderous, shape-shifting clown Pennywise. After sharing cough sweets, James and Simon discussed their respective introductions to Stephen King, coming face-to-face with Bill Skarsgård’s Pennywise and how James helped to create one of the film’s scariest (and expensive) scenes.

Mark's reviews

It Chapter Two reviewed by Mark Kermode

Mark Kermode reviews It Chapter Two.

After the massive success of the first movie, it’s a shame that director Andy Muschietti and screenwriter Gary Dauberman miss the mark so badly in bringing the story to an end. A few impressive scenes aside, the film is overlong, disjointed and can’t resist undermining every good scare with a gag.

A Miniscule Adventure reviewed by Mark Kermode

Mark Kermode reviews A Miniscule Adventure..

French live-action/animation hybrid A Miniscule Adventure is completely dialogue free, following a group of insects on a rescue mission to the Caribbean. There are echoes Pixar, hints of Pingu and the sweet and sour tone of The Magic Roundabout. Mark was totally charmed by it.

The Shiny Shrimps reviewed by Mark Kermode

Mark Kermode reviews The Shiny Shrimps.

Another French release, The Shiny Shrimps sees a bigoted Olympic champion forced to coach a gay water polo team in order to make amends for a very public homophobic outburst. You can probably guess where the story goes from there, but even so Mark found it to be a big-hearted, funny and likeable film.

Rojo reviewed by Mark Kermode

Mark Kermode reviews Rojo.

Rojo is Argentinian writer-director Benjamín Naishtat’s dark satirical thriller following a lawyer who finds a violent encounter throwing his life into chaos. It’s a film of strange, creeping dread that builds its chills through rising tension rather than big, dramatic scares.

Next week

Next week we put on our Sunday Best and polish the silverware as the Earl of Grantham himself, Hugh Bonneville joins us to talk about the Downton Abbey movie.

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