Join Callum, James and Daisy for part two of their exploration of Anne Hathaway’s filmography. Picking up from her early breakthrough roles, they turn to the films that established her as a bold, versatile performer capable of leading major studio productions while taking risks in smaller, more unusual projects. Their conversation considers how Hathaway’s choices have shaped her career and allowed her to move confidently between spectacle, comedy and intimate drama.

They begin with her Oscar-winning performance in Les Misérables, discussing the emotional and physical commitment behind one of her most celebrated roles. Next, they revisit her distinctive interpretation of Catwoman in The Dark Knight Rises and examine how her interpretation stacks up against other Catwoman. The discussion then moves to Interstellar, where Hathaway matches the film’s epic scale with a deeply felt performance, before turning to The Intern and the warm, convincing chemistry she shares with Robert De Niro. Callum, James and Daisy also champion her underrated work in Colossal and Armageddon Time, considering why both performances deserve greater recognition. Finally, they celebrate her outstanding performances in 2026 and reflect on the renewed momentum surrounding her career.

Across the episode, they trace how Hathaway’s performances have matured, from technically demanding roles to quieter character studies. They consider the recent highs and lows of a career defined by continual reinvention, asking how public perception, critical response and changing opportunities have influenced the way her work is viewed. Throughout, they highlight the intelligence, discipline and emotional openness that connect even her most contrasting performances.

Join us for this concluding chapter of our exploration of Anne Hathaway’s filmography as we celebrate one of the world’s finest actresses. Whether you are a longtime admirer or newly discovering her work, this final instalment offers an enthusiastic look at the ambition, range and resilience behind an extraordinary career.

Head to the UK Film Review website for the latest movie reviews.

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Join Callum, James and Anne Hathaway expert Daisy for an in-depth discussion of one of the most versatile and accomplished actresses working today. Together, they examine the qualities that have made Hathaway such a distinctive screen presence, from her ability to move confidently between comedy and drama to the commitment she brings to every performance. With Hathaway appearing in five films this year—including two of the year’s biggest box-office releases, The Devil Wears Prada 2 and The Odyssey—the timing could not be better for a closer look at her career. The group considers why she continues to stand out, even when the films around her receive mixed or negative reviews, and asks what makes audiences return to her work. Rather than focusing only on awards or commercial success, they explore the range, energy and precision that Hathaway brings to roles of every size.

In part one, the conversation focuses on the early years of Hathaway’s career. Callum, James and Daisy look at the characters she plays, the range of genres she tackles and the level of commitment she brings to each role. They begin with the cult classic The Princess Diaries, the film that launched her career and introduced viewers to the warmth, humour and awkward charm that would become central to many of her early performances. From there, they compare her work in The Princess Diaries and Ella Enchanted, considering how she approaches two very different fairy-tale heroines and what those films reveal about her developing screen persona. The discussion then turns to The Devil Wears Prada and the challenge of performing opposite Meryl Streep. They consider how Hathaway holds her own, how her character changes over the course of the story and why the performance remains so memorable. Moving into more dramatic territory, they ask whether her work in Rachel Getting Married deserved an Oscar and discuss the intensity she brings to the role. They also revisit Becoming Jane, including the much-discussed accent, before celebrating her flair for physical comedy and sharp comic timing in Get Smart. Finally, they take on Bride Wars, debating whether the film has been judged too harshly and whether it deserves to be reclaimed as a cult classic. Across these films, the group traces Hathaway’s growing confidence and her willingness to take on contrasting material.

Whether you have followed Hathaway’s career from the beginning or are discovering these films for the first time, this opening instalment offers an accessible, enthusiastic guide to her early work. We hope you enjoy part one as we revisit the roles that established her career, shaped her public image and laid the foundation for the varied performances that followed.

For more from our film podcast and the latest movie reviews, head to our website.

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Jack Salvadori shares his favourite 5 films from the 2026 Venice Film Festival and what he's looking forward to at the BFI London Film Festival 2026.

In the episode, Jack reviews:

Primetime starring Robert Pattinson.

Wild Horse Nine starring Sam Rockwell and John Malkovich

Possible Love directed by Lee Chang-dong

DAU directed by Il'ja Chržanovskij

Look Back directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda

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Episode 43 of the UK Film Club Podcast with the latest movie reviews from Brian and Chris. In this month's episode, we cover:

Cinema

De Gaulle: Résistance

Pressure

Dog Stars

Streaming

The Runner

Indie

Just One Last Thing

We Want the Virus

Doggerland: The Dead & The Lonely

Evil inSight

Robbery at the Rockvale Theatre

The Long Spring

Loving Silence

Designed by Preeti

Nostalgia

Blade Runner

Remember to head to our website for the latest movie reviews.

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Chris Olson interviews Mark Wolfe and Kerry McArthur, Canadian filmmakers behind the dark drama The Orchard.

Head to our website for more of our filmmaker interviews and find out more about Chris Olson on his official website, where you can also discover his other work including original acoustic mysic and sync music for film.

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In this second part, we continue our exploration of The Films of Hayao Miyazaki, focusing on what many regard as the peak of his career and his later, possibly final, works. We begin with one of the most acclaimed films of the 21st century, Spirited Away (2001), before moving through Howl’s Moving Castle (2004), Ponyo (2008), The Wind Rises (2013), and The Boy and the Heron (2023).

We start by discussing how Spirited Away became one of the greatest films of all time and earned Miyazaki his first Academy Award. We explore its themes of consumerism and capitalism, the meaning of No-Face, and why the film may not resonate with every viewer.

Next, we turn to the Academy Award-nominated Howl’s Moving Castle, considering how it became Miyazaki’s artistic response to the Iraq War and how he adapted Diana Wynne Jones’s novel for the screen.

Ponyo marks a return to childhood innocence and hand-drawn animation, prompting us to ask whether it may be Miyazaki’s most visually beautiful film. We then consider whether The Wind Rises is an overlooked work and perhaps his most personal film.

Finally, we end with The Boy and the Heron, the film that won Miyazaki his second Academy Award. We discuss whether it has the best English dub of any Miyazaki film, why he returned from retirement, and whether it could be his final feature.

We close by considering why Miyazaki’s films remain so enduring and beloved, and how his ideas have evolved from 1979 to 2023. Once again, we hope you’ll join us for this concluding part of The Films of Hayao Miyazaki.

Head to our official website for the latest film reviews.

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UKFR film critic James Learoyd interviews Isabel Moir, who is one of the programmers at this year's BFI London Film Festival. Offering incredible insight into the inner workings of the LFF, Isabel chats to James about all manner of aspects surrounding the biggest film festival in the UK. Find out more about this year's London Film Festival below:

https://www.ukfilmreview.co.uk/post/top-films-to-see-at-the-70th-bfi-london-film-festival

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Join “The Films Of… “ crew and UK Film Review critics James Learoyd and Callum Ewing, along with special co-host Tom Manning, as they analyse and discuss one of cinema’s most famous and influential directors: Hayao Miyazaki. In this first part, we explore how Miyazaki’s upbringing shaped recurring themes in his films, from environmentalism and aviation to societies that turn machines into weapons of war. Beginning with The Castle of Cagliostro (1979), we move through his filmography, including Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984), Castle in the Sky (1986), My Neighbour Totoro (1988), Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989), and Porco Rosso (1992), before concluding part one with Princess Mononoke (1997).

The episode traces Miyazaki’s journey from animator at Toei Animation, where he met Isao Takahata, to co-founding Studio Ghibli with him and later influencing Western animation. We also discuss his approach to female protagonists such as Nausicaä and San, his creation of complex antagonists, and how the concept of ma — silence and space — shapes the pacing of his films.

We examine how Miyazaki adapted the manga and TV series he had worked on into The Castle of Cagliostro, how Frank Herbert’s Dune inspired Nausicaä, and how a trip to Wales influenced Castle in the Sky. We also cover why My Neighbour Totoro struggled at the box office before becoming a merchandising phenomenon, how Miyazaki moved from producing to directing Kiki’s Delivery Service, how the war in Yugoslavia shaped the tone of Porco Rosso, and how Princess Mononoke became one of Japan’s biggest films.

Through this first part we hope longtime fans and newcomers can sit back and relax whilst appreciating one of the master of cinema.

Remember to head to the UK Film Review website for the latest movie reviews.

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