Stark-Spangled Banner (ft. guest, David Ayer)

This week's episode of the Empire Podcast is all about birthdays, folks. Partially because Chris Hewitt just had one, but also because this week's listener question asks our Three Colleagues Of Such Lethal Cunning — Chris, Helen O'Hara, and James Dyer — to discuss the best movies released on their birthdays. The answers will shock and, in one case, depress the hell out of you. Elsewhere, our intrepid trio — joined by this week's workie, Grace — discuss a number of trailers, including The Further Misadventures Of Cliff Booth, and compare audiobook casts for starriness; and review David Ayer's Brad Pitt-and-dog survival thriller, Heart Of The Beast, the new version of Sense And Sensibility, rom-com The Love Hypothesis, Exorcist II documentary Boorman And The Devil, and Na Hong-jin's gonzo South Korean action movie, Hope. And speaking of Heart Of The Beast, that film's director, David Ayer, sits down on Zoom for a lovely natter with Chris. He's a good director, Brant. 14/10. Enjoy.