The Empire Film Podcast

2012 was the year that was, and this is the Empire Podcast Review Of The Year (that is). So for a slightly anarchic meander around the past 12 months of moviedom - and some spoilers that you'd expect with that (see the 32 minute onwards for the likes of 'Death Of The Year' and so on) - then press play on this here podcast.

The final Empire Podcast of the year brings three directors into the studio, namely Christopher McQuarrie (Jack Reacher), Colin Trevorrow (Safety Not Guaranteed) and Juan Antonio Bayona (The Impossible). For more podcast fun, be sure to download the second Hobbit Spoiler special, as well as the Review Of The Year special, which is due up on 31st December.

Pretty much all other big name releases are running scared this week, hiding in their metaphorical trolls' caves as The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey stomps into cinemas. So with that in mind, this particular Empire Podcast boasts three interviews with stars from said film, namely Andy Serkis (Gollum), Martin Freeman (BIlbo) and Richard Armitage (Thorin), as well as your regular dose of film-related fun and general movie blather.

Eric Idle, then. Member of Monty Python's Flying Circus, The Rutles and The Unseen University, he's been making people chuckle for years and years, be it on stage, TV screen, cinema, record player or in this instance, podcast recording booth. Here you can find out more about his ongoing Spamalot musical (and the court case it's currently embroiled in), his downloadable stage show What About Dick?, what it was like to shoot The Holy Grail and even his involvement in this year's Olympic Closing Ceremony. So for 40 odd minutes of Idle banter - sorry - click play immediately.

In the latest Empire Podcast, Seven Psychopaths' Sam Rockwell and Martin McDonagh talk about the latter's follow-up to In Bruges and the former's love of dancing on screen. Elsewhere, Warp Films' 10th anniversary is celebrated and Sightseers writers and stars Alice Lowe and Steve Oram stop by for a chat. Plus, the team try to work out exactly what it is about The Wolf from Pulp Fiction that makes him worthy of such a reputation...

A interview triple bill for you this week with actor Jake Gyllenhaal (End Of Watch), director Ben Wheatley (Sightseers) and producer Stephen Woolley (Great Expectations) all dropping by to talk a whole load of waffle with the Empire Podcast team. Elsewhere, the Star Wars Episode VII news round-up continues apace, Star Trek Into Darkness gets a synopsis and Susan Boyle biopic casting suggestions are made.

End Of Watch and Silver Linings Playbook are two movies well worth watching this weekend. Want more details than just that? Listen to this very podcast, and details are what you shall have - as well as more Star Wars Episode VII titbits, a discussion of journalism on film and an obligatory mention of Nick's very good friend, The Rock.

Graciously accepting our repeated offers to come round for a cup of tea, Father Ted co-creator Graham Linehan (and the man behind The IT Crowd) popped in for a chat in front of some Empire Podcast microphones, and you can listen to the resulting interview in this very podcast. As well as some wise words from the man who came up with a character as bonkers as Father Jack, the Empire Podcast team review a pair of five star releases - namely Paul Thomas Anderson's The Master and Michael Haneke's Amour - as well as a million star one in the form of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2. Why a million stars? Well, you'll have to listen to the podcast to find out..

Appearing on this week's Empire Podcast are Kick-Ass and Wanted creator Mark Millar - and now head honcho of Fox's Marvel properties - and Skyfall writers Neal Purvis and Robert Wade. As well as those two interviews, there are discussions of actors that will put you off watching a movie entirely and the recent arrival of the trailer for World War Z. For all that and a whole lot more, click play or download or just subscribe to our RSS feed...

A huge piece of movie news arrived this week in the form of Disney's acquisition of Lucasfilm for $4 billion and the announcement of Star Wars: Episode VII's release in 2015. Naturally, the first chunk of this week's Empire Podcast discusses this in depth, with the rest filled out by your usual dose of reviews, interviews (including Doctor Who's Matt Smith and Grass Roots' and American Pie's Jason Biggs) and other highly entertain cinematic bits and bobs.

The one and only Sir Roger Moore stopped by the Empire Podcast studio this week in honour of his latest book, Bond On Bond. The result is this 40-minute special interview podcast, which covers everything from the third Bond's Christmas dinner tips to explaining the plot of Inception. A word of warning, however - though he's as debonair and funny as ever, the 85-year-old Sir Roger does speak rather softly, so do pay attention 007...

What better way to celebrate Halloween than listening to Empire's Halloween kinda-sorta special? As well as discussions of all things ghouly and grisly, Skyfall gets a non-spoilery review, the Iron Man 3 trailer gets dissected and we interview the Re-Animator himself, Jeffrey Combs.

In a bumper, 90-minute plus Empire Podcast, the team welcome Martin Short and Catherine O'Hara for Frankenweenie, Katie Featherston for Paranormal Activity 4 and Benh Zeitlin and Quvenzhané Wallis, the director and star of Beasts Of The Southern Wild. Elsewhere, all the Bonds get recast and the London Film Festival is discussed, as well as all the film news and reviews that you expect from the world's biggest movie magazine.

Two movie-making pairings come to the Empire Podcast booth this week, namely Pusher's Nicolas Winding Refn and Richard Coyle and Ruby Sparks' Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris. Elsewhere, Adele's Skyfall tune gets dissected and corrected, the possibility of Taken 3 is discussed and the Empire Podcast team work out what the best cameo in all of cinema is. The results? Inconclusive, but entertaining.

In a week boasting three Empire Podcasts, at least one had to be the actual regular Empire Podcast - and this, ladies and gentlemen, is it. In the discussions department, there's directorial hot streaks, movies banned by mother and rewatchable gems, whereas over in the reviews section we've got Taken 2, Liberal Arts and The Perks Of Being A Wallflower all getting a grilling. Then there's the brilliant David Thomson, the author of The Big Screen: The Story Of The Movies And What They Did To Us, who drops by to tell us about his latest book.

Today, Friday October 5, has been designated by Q branch as Global Bond Day. So with Skyfall hitting UK cinemas on October 26 - and US ones on November 8 - there's no better time to talk Bond, and Empire is more than happy to oblige. So join Chris Hewitt, Nick de Semlyen, Dan Jolin and Neil Alcock for a journey through 007's back catalogue, as well as interviews with Mary Goodnight herself, Britt Ekland, and the director of the new Bond documentary Everything Or Nothing, Stevan Riley. Be warned, however: contains high levels of double entendre...

Join Empire for a trip down Red Dwarf memory lane - remember, Infinity Welcomes Careful Drivers - as we talk talkie toasters, Alan Rickman playing Lister, Howard Goodall's bonkers lyrics, Kryten impersonations, bullshitting Bill Clinton, getting "Smeg!" shouted at you in the street with Chris Barrie, Craig Charles and Doug Naylor in honour of Red Dwarf's 10th series, currently airing on Dave.

Two five-star movies are discussed on this week's Empire podcast, with Looper and Holy Motors both on our reviewing checklist, supported by the conversational talents of interviewees Liam Neeson (for Taken 2) and Elizabeth Olsen (for Liberal Arts). Elsewhere, the podcast team talk sneaking into movies underage and accidentally dressing up as Sickboy from Trainspotting. As you do.

Olivia Williams and Ken Loach drop by the Empire podcast studio for a quick chat this week, and as Chris is off on a work trip to somewhere in deepest, darkest Hollywood, Helen takes over hosting duties. Under her watchful guidance, the team talk shouting out in movies, the Avengers Assemble Blu-ray conundrum and sick day movies, on top of reviewing Now Is Good, Killing Them Softly, Hysteria and Savages.

For our 28th podcast, we welcome ParaNorman directors Sam Fell and Chris Butler into the studio to talk about zombies, bad puns and people with shovel-like faces. Elsewhere on the podcast, the team discuss film's best insults - "Why you stuck-up, half-witted, scruffy-looking nerf-herder!" - and the rare occasions they've been forced to leave a cinema. Then there are reviews of ParaNorman, Premium Rush and The Sweeney, as well as more than a few dodgy cockney accents.