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Roughly one year ago I discovered the joys of having podcasts to listen to while on frequent and lengthy trips on public transport. Searching for a film podcast to join me on the London Underground I came across Wittertainment or Mark Kermode and Simon Mayo’s Film Reviews, to give the show its actual title.

This month the show is celebrating its ten years of existence, ten years of becoming the BBC radio’s flagship film show and of Mark Kermode’s rants and Simon Mayo’s Kermode wrangling. I may not always agree with their reviews but it’s always fun to listen to, despite Kermode’s often irritating impressions.

To celebrate their ten years on the air the BBC has a series of special shows on 5 Live, all of which are available as podcasts. The first included a live recording at Mark Kermode’s childhood cinema and a clip show fronted by Hugh Bonneville, but what is really exciting is the show that aired last Friday.

On Friday Mark and Simon were joined by the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra in Salford (far too far away) to perform classic film scores including Star Trek, Taxi Driver, The Godfather and Raiders of the Lost Ark. How can you not give that a listen? Truly nerdy fans can even listen to an hour-long show in which they chose the list of songs for the show along with Andrew Collins, Paloma Faith, Richard Wigley and Robert Ziegler.

In summary Mark Kermode and Simon Mayo’s Film Reviews is a brilliant, if poorly titled, show and we just wanted to say happy tenth birthday.

You can listen to any of the special shows or just subscribe to their podcast here.

Yesterday Somerset House released the list of films in this year’s Film4 Summer Screen. We missed out last year and frankly I can’t figure out why. With the amazing line-up this year I can imagine a fair few trips will be made.

Things worth getting silly about are a Die Hard and Attack the Block double bill, Scott Pilgrim vs The World and The Princess Bride. Possibly most exciting of all is a Gremlins, Troll Hunter and Tremors triple bill. Watch this trailer if you aren’t excited by this idea.

Before each screening is an hour-long talk from the Behind the Screen series, well worth a look as they have the likes of Joe Cornish in attendance.

The full schedule of films is below and we’d love to see you there sitting on the floor, outdoors and at night, among fellow film fans and quality cinema.

The Skin I Live In: UK Premiere
Wednesday 27 July 2011

The Spy Who Loved Me
Thursday 28 July 2011

The Big Blue
Friday 29 July 2011

Die Hard / Attack The Block
Saturday 30 July 2011

The Apartment
Sunday 31 July 2011

Thelma & Louise
Monday 1 August 2010

Chinatown
Tuesday 2 August 2011

In The Mood For Love
Wednesday 3 August 2011

Scott Pilgrim vs The World
Thursday 4 August 2011

Serpico / Shaft
Friday 5 August 2011

Gremlins / Troll Hunter / Tremors
Saturday 6 August 2011

The Princess Bride
Sunday 7 August 2011

Tickets can be bought online from Thursday 9th June and will sell fast.

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What!? Just because in this sequel a man watches a DVD of the original Human Centipede before making his own human centipede, which he then goes on to violently rape?

The BBFC is so uptight. It’s not even in 3D.

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I know at least… three of our readers are aspiring script writers and so when word of this competition came along it seemed best to pass it along. We’re not here to promote BA, but they are running the competition so forgive us.

As part of the big build up to the 2012 Olympic Games British Airways are running a variety of competitions looking for “Great Britons”. The one we’re interested in is a scriptwriting competition, the winning idea being produced in 2012 and shown prior to the opening ceremony and on BA flights. You also get mentored by Richard E Grant who has written a total of one film, but has surely read a few more than that.

The limitation is that your film should be set around “London’s journey to The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games” and would presumably fare better if reflecting the Olympics in a positive light. Throwing in a scene on a plane wouldn’t hurt either.

You have until 27th July 2011 to enter, which you can do here, and if you win you will be writing from a London office for five months and being paid a not too shabby salary.

And now here is an attractive video that tells you little more that I already have:

You lucky things should get yourselves down to your local independent cinema tonight and watch today’s only release. We loved it, Robbie Collins hated it, which seat should you take?

Attack the Block
Aliens invade a South London council estate in Joe Cornish’s confident and punchy debut. Let’s hope Adam Buxton has got plenty of hobbies as his comedy partner is sure to be busy in the years to come. Saturday morning radio’s loss is cinema’s gain.

To harass you up to the weekend we will be shoving all the promo material we have down your throats over the next few days, enjoy.

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