Movies and shakers
Mark Kermode and Simon Mayo offer insights into the latest films; there’s a shocking look at gender bias in the world today, plus a mysterious drama
KERMODE AND MAYO’S TAKE
Stalwarts of podcasting long before the medium became mainstream, Mark Kermode and Simon Mayo are back with another show in which they do what they do best – talk about film in a down-toearth but insightful manner.
The meaty episodes – usually over an hour long – are packed with reviews of the latest releases, interviews with major stars and a rundown of the Box Office Chart, intermingled with warm chit chat and friendly banter between the two old friends.
As with their Radio 5 Film Reviews show before it, what makes this particularly strong is its engagement with their listeners, who send in their own well-considered opinions about the films covered in the podcast.
WHERE TO START: Hear Tom Hanks explain why Elvis would have been a different film had it not been for the pandemic.
VISIBLE WOMEN
If you were to learn about driving from the car industry’s use of crash test dummies you’d assume women never do it. That’s because the mannequins are almost exclusively modelled on the male body – except for one that is only used in the passenger seat.
This is one of a staggering number of examples of gender biases in a world that has been designed for men, many of which are explored by presenter Caroline Criado Perez in her weekly podcast.
Following on from her bestselling book Invisible Women, the show highlights and examines issues that many of us are unaware of – PPE provided to health workers during the pandemic were often too large for female faces, school playgrounds that push girls to the sidelines and AI making healthcare judgments based on male-dominated data sets.
It’s a serious and often infuriating topic, but Criado Perez deftly handles the subject matter with clear explanations and a chatty style.
WHERE TO START: Can Playgrounds be Sexist? reveals how a few simple changes can make everyone feel welcome in what should be a space for all.