Cinema in One Take

Kristen Stewart Directing Debut, Colour Inclusive Casting and Riz Ahmed's Hamlet

This week Kaleem and Emma explore Kristen Stewart's excellent directing debut The Chronology of Water, starring Imogen Poots, and her recent words to the press that at some point she might quit the USA, because she "can't work freely there."
They ask why (Mark Ruffalo aside) there's a deafening silence from Hollywood in the middle of awards season during a turbulent time in the USA.
They explore a recent report on so-called 'colour blind' casting been seen as 'tokenism' by audiences, and move on to Riz Ahmed's brilliant performance in Aneil Karia's 'Hamlet' which is out in the UK this week.
 

Big in Japan, I Love Boosters and Breathless, Richard Linklater-style

Cinema in One Take's Kaleem Aftab and Emma Jones discuss what's behind the surge in Japan's box office. They also  disagree over Richard Linklater's new film 'Nouvelle Vague', about the making of Jean-Luc Godard's movie 'Breathless' And as Sundance comes to an end in Park City, Utah, they mark the end of an era with some of their best Sundance films and memories.
 

Oscar and EFA Saints, "Sinners' and 'Sentimental Value'

Kaleem and Emma sit down to discuss the Oscar nominations right after they happened and to celebrate Sinners (16 nominations, Kaleem's favourite film) and Norway's Sentimental Value (9 nominations) - which also dominated this week's European Film Awards in Berlin. Plus, Matt Damon's words to Joe Rogan on how Netflix films are being watched (hint: with distraction!) and a recommendation for Greenland's best filmmaking. That's this week's Cinema In One Take! .
 
 
 
 

The Globes and a Golden Year for Cinema in 2026 (maybe)

It's 2026 ! And to kick off January, hosts Emma Jones and Kaleem Aftab dive into the the state of international cinema as they start the year.
They discuss the surprising resilience of cinema and how optimistic they both are about the big screen, despite press claims of its decline, highlighting the impressive box office performance of 2025.
They also wrangle over the Golden Globes... including Kaleem's lingering mixed feelings about them..and what it means for the upcoming Oscar nominations, and whether critics will pick their favourites or be swayed by box office success.
And stay tuned till the end,  because they pick some of the films they most want to watch in 2026.. films which if Thierry Fremaux is listening, they're sure he wants to show at this year's Cannes Film Festival.
 
 

Kaleem vs the Critics on 'Christmas Karma'. Plus: Emerald Hues and Emma's Beatle Blues

Kaleem Aftab and Emma Jones dive into the great festive divide: Gurinder Chadha's Christmas Karma. While critics have gleefully sharpened their candy-cane daggers, Kaleem stands tall as the film’s most enthusiastic champion — and he’s ready to explain why this mocked musical deserves a second look.
They also share their verdicts on potentially the biggest movie of 2025, Wicked for Good,  and explore the enduring reverence filmmakers have for The Beatles, sparked by Steven Soderbergh’s new comments on his new John Lennon documentary and the ongoing anticipation around Sam Mendes’ Beatles biopics. Why do directors approach the Fab Four with such cinematic awe?
 

Wuthering Hypes: The Power of a Trailer

This week on Cinema in One Take, Emma Jones and Kaleem Aftab unpack the headline-grabbing trailer drops — Wuthering Heights, the MJ biopic and a new Devil Wears Prada — to first looks at Mario Bros. and SS Rajamouli’s much-anticipated Mandakini, the follow-up to RRR. The pair explore why trailers continue to shape the conversation long before a film hits cinemas. Plus, Left Handed Girl, directed by Shih-Ching Tsou and co-written by Sean Baker. And finally:  with Julia Ducournau’s Alpha arriving in UK cinemas after a bruising Cannes reception, they ask whether it’s time for a critical rethink.

History, A House of Dynamite and Homage to Kenny Dalglish

Can we ever take a  film centred around real events  as actual history? Kaleem talks about Annemarie Jacir's 'Palestine 36' and whether it can be seen as a historical film.
Emma reviews Kathryn Bigelow's A House of Dynamite and the start of Netflix's season of award contenders.
And Kaleem reviews Asif Kapadia's film on renowned footballer Kenny Dalglish.
Plus, a little gem of the week: Souleymane's Story by Boris Lojkine.
 

One Battle After Another as Tilly Norwood arrives in Hollywood

In this episode of Cinema in One Take, Emma and Kaleem discuss the launch of Tilly Norwood, an AI actress.
They also analyse why Leonardo Di Caprio's new film, One Battle After Another, isn't grabbing cinema goers as much as critics. Is this vindication for Kaleem's review?
Finally, onto the release in North America, the UK and Ireland of The Smashing Machine, and an Oscar Campaign for Dwayne Johnson.