Watching
Every film and series South African radio reviewed, recommended or argued about this month, with what was said and the audio of it.
92 titles · 115 airings · 6 stations · last 30 days
Newest airing first. Clear the chips above for the whole month.
Film · drama · South African
Ross Devenish · 1980
Ross Devenish recalls making Marigolds in August with Athol Fugard on a very small budget, with no lights, costumes or sets beyond what was available. The filmmakers' choices under those limits are discussed.
Film · drama · South African
Ross Devenish · 1970
A restored version of the 1970 film adaptation of Athol Fugard's play Boesman and Lena, starring Yvonne Bryceland, is to be screened at the Mask Theatre in Muizenberg. The filmmaker recalls the difficulties of making it under apartheid-era security scrutiny.
Film · drama
Kevin Costner · 1992
A 1992 film that became one of the highest-grossing films in movie history, with a soundtrack by Whitney Houston that became the best-selling movie soundtrack album of all time. The presenter recalls queuing to see it as a teenager and crying at the end.
2 airings · Cape Talk
Film · drama
Described as an Oscar-winning film starring Jacob Tremblay and Brie Larson that is devastating and one of the most disturbing films the speaker has seen. The guest says they never got over it.
Series · drama
Russell Crowe
A dramatised account of the Unabomber manhunt, covering his Harvard years as a prodigy and the FBI hunt that ended with his capture through his manifesto. The guest says it is short and sharp, a good way to get to know the story, though it leaves many questions unanswered.
Film · adventure
Brad Pitt
A new film in which Brad Pitt and his dog Odin struggle through the wilderness to get back to safety, with very little dialogue. The host found it striking and wondered whether dogs in service can suffer PTSD as the dog in the film does.
2 airings · Cape Talk
Series · comedy
A celebrated German dark comedy returns for a second season on Apple TV. The Klutz family, who searched for their missing daughter Wanda in season one, find her caught standing over a dead body.
Series · drama
The medical drama has returned to Disney Plus with season 23. The latest premiere had the team dealing with a runway collision that brings new emergencies to the OR.
Film · romantic comedy
Zoe Kazan
A quirky romantic comedy that turns darker, subverting the manic pixie dream girl trope, written by and starring Zoe Kazan with Paul Dano. The critic gives it a solid seven and says it is well worth watching this weekend.
Film · drama
Charlie Kaufman
A surreal, unsettling road-trip-to-meet-the-parents puzzle about memory and identity, led by Jesse Buckley and Jesse Plemons. The critic calls it uncompromising and gives it a solid seven. It is streaming on Netflix.
Film · romantic comedy
Kyle Allen
A time-loop fantasy romantic comedy in the spirit of Groundhog Day, with chemistry between its two teen leads. The critic gives it a solid seven and says it is sweet-natured and charming. It is available on Prime Video.
Film · horror
A horror film about a B-list actor who injects himself with a substance to stay relevant and then discovers he can reshape his face and body into living clay. It opens in cinemas today.
Series · drama · South African
Kyle Clark
A South African Netflix series, premiering on 30 October, with Kyle Clark in his first lead role. The cast and shoot are praised, and the guest hopes for a second season.
2 airings · Cape Talk
Series · comedy · South African
Kyle Clark
A new chapter in the How to Ruin franchise, set around an interracial romance between a Zulu family and a traditional Indian family during Diwali. Kyle Clark, who plays the male lead, describes its comedy and cast, and says overseas audiences have responded to it.
Series · drama
Florence Pugh
A historical drama set in late 19th century America, a remake of the earlier film based on John Steinbeck's novel, following a woman and her effect on the men in her life. The guest praises its production and cast and recommends it.
Series · political thriller
Kerry Russell
A political thriller about an ambassador caught in international crises, now in its fourth season. The guest praises its grounded storytelling despite extreme twists, and the show is recommended to listeners.
2 airings · Cape Talk
Film · biography
Michael Fassbender · 2015
A guest uses the film Steve Jobs, with Michael Fassbender in the lead role, as an example of intellectual ability without emotional intelligence. The film shows Jobs struggling with emotional intelligence despite his business success.
Series · reality
Speakers discuss Love is Blind, a reality show they found gripping and compelling despite not expecting to like it. They describe it as good mindless entertainment that they are fully hooked on.
Series · comedy
Seth Rogen
A guest describes The Studio as a satire about how big commercial studios make things, and calls it really good satire. They strongly recommend it to listeners.
Film
A guest says they loved Sinners and found it fantastic filmmaking, though they came to it late. They tell listeners they will enjoy it and be converted, and say watching it in a cinema was incredible.
Series · comedy
Tina Fey
A comedian says Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt was a turning point in their decision to write comedy. They single out an episode that was a mockumentary as the moment it clicked for them.
Series · comedy
Michaela Coel
A comedian says Chewing Gum was the first comedy they watched that made them feel represented. They describe it as silly, and say its lead actress of African descent and her on-screen mother reminded them of their own mom.
Series · documentary
A dinosaur documentary that presented the creatures as real animals rather than monsters, which is what first got the guest interested in paleontology as a child.
Series · drama
Kerry Washington
Listeners discuss watching Scandal, saying they watched one or two series before stopping. The speaker found the lead character intolerable by series eight, though they still love the show.
2 airings · Cape Talk
Film · drama
Matt Damon
Listeners discuss Good Will Hunting as an all-time favourite that they feel cannot be topped. It is praised as excellent and brilliant, with Robin Williams's performance singled out as marvelous.
Film · thriller
Ben Affleck
A thriller in which Ben Affleck plays a mayoral candidate in LA with a troubled family past. The reviewer finds it perfectly watchable and gripping, though some plot threads are left unresolved.
Film · drama
The host recalls Hotel Rwanda as a fantastic movie seen a couple of years ago, linking it to the country's turbulent political history.
Film · drama
A guest chooses Ennio Morricone's music from The Mission and praises the film's powerful narrative about colonial Europe's impact on indigenous communities. The guest says the film's emotional force is what draws them to the piece.
Film · horror
Zach Krager
A grounded survival-horror reboot of the franchise follows a courier caught in a snowy zombie outbreak, led by Austin Abrams. The reviewer praises its inventive set pieces and creature designs and gives it an excellent eight.
Film · drama
A columnist who wrote a piece for the Maverick says the film left them filled with anger and disappointment. They highly recommend it to listeners.
Film · drama
2010
The 2010 film told the story of the founding of Facebook. It is named as the earlier film that the new follow-up builds on.
Film · drama · South African
Speakers discuss Invictus, in which Morgan Freeman plays Nelson Mandela. The guest feels Freeman's portrayal was almost too perfect, a facsimile built from over-detailed study of Mandela's walk and talk, and lacked Mandela's inner controlled passion.
Film · science fiction
Tom Cruise
The host recalls a film with Tom Cruise about a surveillance state that arrests people before they commit crimes. He uses it to question whether a state that punishes bad thoughts is one we would want.
Series · crime
Catherine Zeta-Jones
A reviewer binge-watched this eight-episode series about a former cocaine dealer turned artist hunted by the seven demons, a group of assassins. They found it uneven and slow to start but very enjoyable, and advise listeners to give it a couple of episodes.
Film · action
Guy Ritchie
A rowdy World War II action comic book about a squad of rogues led by Henry Cavill fighting Axis forces. The critic says it lacks real peril but is raucous popcorn fun, tilting a solid seven.
Series · thriller · South African
Deon Meyer
An MNET series adapted from Deon Meyer's novel Blood Safari, updated to contemporary South African politics. Deon Meyer says he is delighted with the production and the South African crew and cast.
2 airings · Cape Talk
locl transcribes six South African radio stations as they air. Every hour a model reads the stretches that name a book, film or series and records each titled work that was discussed, reviewed or recommended, with the verdict and who gave it. Quiz clues, name-drops and the stations’ own programmes are left out. Titles and names are as the transcript heard them, so a spelling can be off. Opinions belong to the speakers. Press play to hear the opening window of the conversation; the transcript link has the rest. Only conversations whose audio is still held are listed, so a title leaves the page with its audio.
Updated Wednesday, 28 October at 12:52 SAST. Showing 30 days.