Five Easy Pieces Podcast

Before we take some time off so that our co-host Victoria can experience the beauty of motherhood, we decided to pay tribute to the expectant mother by counting down our all-time top five baby movies. Although we'll be gone for a short while, fear not - we will be back. And let's rejoice - she's having a baby!

Whether it's a scrap to get your lunch money or a ploy to get the girl, a bully is a character we've all come across in various shapes and forms.   And, in the movies, they can be some of the most complex and unruly of cinematic characters. From the familiar school playground to the prison tiles of death row, we discuss our all-time top five movie bullies.

The story of a person's life is something to behold. A truly great biopic is hard to come by, but when told well onscreen it can captivate, educate, and even startle you. In our latest episode, Tom and Victoria discuss what constitutes a great biographical film and count down their-all time top five biopics movies.

With Nixon still in the White House and the debacle of the Vietnam War still in full force, cinema was at its most progressive in 1971 with filmmakers like Hal Ashby, Martin Scorsese, and Steven Spielberg recognised as pinnacles of the New Hollywood Era. Tom and Victoria discuss this daring and reformist year in cinema by counting down their all-time top five films from 1971.

After a brief intermission, Tom and Victoria are back to round up this year's cinematic releases and count down their all-time top five films of 2018. Also, Tom has a cough.   Wishing our listeners a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Notorious serial killers like Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer have continued to fascinate the world for decades. True crime books, podcasts, TV shows, and movies continue to be the go-to glutton for punishment to millions of us around the world and are prominent now more than ever. So what is it that drives our fascination with the macabre? Tom and Victoria discuss the serial killer movie - ones which explore fabled killers like Aileen Wuornos to fictional butchers like Buffalo Bill.

In our latest episode, Tom and Victoria explore the increase of Vietnam War Films that were released in Hollywood post-war in 1975 and count down the all-time top five that they believe to be the genre's most poignant, authentic and brutal.

Tom Cruise had us at hello. He completes us and we've felt the need, the need for more of the movie mogul ever since. You want the truth? Then help us help you as we count down our all-time top five Tom Cruise performances. It's classified.  

Tom and Victoria take a trip down the open road to discuss their all-time top five road movies - from a sentimental journey to a Rocky Mountain High!

As we continue to endure what is proving to be the Golden Age of reboots, sequels, and prequels, remakes are thriving and yet are more problematic than ever. In this episode, Tom and Victoria are joined by their close friend and remake enthusiast, Bob Prosser, who offers his prowess by discussing what he believes to be the top five worst remakes of all time.

As we swiftly approach the midway point of 2018, Tom and Victoria explore the cinematic voyage of the third millennium and count down their all-time top five films of the 21st Century so far.

Ever feel shame? Ever feel such immense guilt that the only way to carry on is to confess? So do Tom and Victoria as they discuss the movies that they hate to love and resent knowing so well and pick their all-time top five guilty pleasures.  

The art of filmmaking has captivated audiences for over a century, to the point that even filmmakers themselves have become fascinated with their own complex profession. Tom and Victoria discuss this progressive film-within-a-film concept as they count down their all-time top five films about filmmaking.

Victoria and Tom cut loose and kick off their Sunday shoes as they count down their all-time top five dance sequences - from a Golden Hollywood waltz to a dirty disco.

Victoria and Tom are joined by their close friend and Studio Ghibli fanatic, Bryony Cook, to discuss the world of Totoro, Ponyo, No-Face et al. and the visionary masters who created them: Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata (1935-2018). We dedicate this episode to master animator, Isao Takahata, who sadly passed away shortly after we recorded this episode.

Tom and Victoria take the stand as they give evidence to support their all-time top five courtroom dramas, and the vote is almost unanimous.

Tom and Victoria go back to Hollywood's Golden Era by examining the movies of 1954 and discussing films that starred some of cinema's greatest actors like James Stewart and Marlon Brando.

With the annual Academy Awards swiftly approaching, Tom and Victoria reminisce over the past 90 years and count down what they believe to be the all-time top five biggest Oscar snubs - from Judy Garland losing to Grace Kelly to Stanley Kubrick never winning for Best Director.  

Tom and Victoria pick their all-time top five original film scores, discussing the works of composers from John Williams to Vangelis.

Tom and Victoria kick off the New Year by examining the all-time top five performances of one of cinema's most immersive and dynamic character-actors: Sissy Spacek.