Movies In A Nutshell

Charade (1963)
Darren'’s Pick
PART 1 – The Nutshell – If you haven’t seen it
A spoiler-free breakdown of the classic mystery-thriller Charade, a film that blends suspense, romance and comedy against a stylish Parisian backdrop.
An exploration of the film’s tone and rhythm, looking at how it balances lightness and tension, and how its playful approach to danger sets it apart from more straight-faced thrillers of the era.
A look at the kind of viewing experience Charade offers — fast-moving, dialogue-driven and deliberately unpredictable — without touching on story details, twists or outcomes.
By the end of Part 1, you’ll know whether this mix of mystery, charm and tonal juggling belongs on your watchlist.
PART 2 – The Unboxing – If you’ve seen it
What Did You Miss?
The details beneath the surface, from how the film withholds and reshapes information, to the way tone is used to disarm the audience while keeping tension in play.
Moments that gain new meaning on reflection, including recurring visual cues, shifting character dynamics, and how humour is used to redirect attention.
A deeper look at the film’s themes of trust, identity and uncertainty, and how Charade plays games with audience expectations throughout.

Paul’s Facts of the Day
A standout set of facts and trivia, including:
Behind-the-scenes production context
Casting decisions and their impact on the film’s dynamic
Influences from and on other mystery and thriller films
Creative choices that shaped the film’s lasting reputation

Hate It or Rate It?
Marc, Darren & Paul submit their scores and Charade takes its place in the Legend League.

PART 3 – Listener Lounge
Your questions, your comments and your shout-outs, the Question of the Week and of course the reveal of next week’s movie.

Listen Now
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Every movie we’ve featured and rated on the podcast
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Hosts
Marc Farquhar
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Enemy of the State (1998)
Marc’s Pick
PART 1 – The Nutshell – If you haven’t seen it
A spoiler-free breakdown of the late ’90s conspiracy thriller Enemy of the State, centred on surveillance, power, and the fragility of everyday life in a data-driven world.
An exploration of the film’s tone, pace, and thematic focus touching on paranoia, loss of privacy, institutional control, and how technology reshapes trust and identity.
A look at how the movie blends chase-thriller momentum with political tension, and how its depiction of surveillance turns ordinary spaces into sources of unease.
By the end of Part 1, you’ll know whether this mix of tension, escalation, and technological anxiety belongs on your watchlist.
PART 2 – The Unboxing – If you’ve seen it
What Did You Miss?
The details beneath the surface from how information replaces physical force as the main threat, to the way framing and perspective keep danger just out of sight.
Moments that gain new weight on reflection, including the use of off-screen action, overlapping systems, and constant motion to create a sense of pressure and inevitability.
A deeper look at how the film examines surveillance, accountability, and the balance between security and freedom, themes that feel increasingly relevant with time.

Paul’s Facts of the Day
A standout set of facts and trivia, including:
Connections to earlier surveillance cinema
How real-world technology influenced the script
Production choices shaped by rapidly changing tech
Behind-the-scenes decisions that reinforced the film’s sense of scale and urgency

Hate It or Rate It?
Marc, Darren & Paul submit their scores and Enemy of the State takes its place in the Legend League.

PART 3 – Listener Lounge
Your questions, your comments and your shout-outs, the Question of the Week and of course… the reveal of next week’s movie.

Listen Now
https://2ly.link/24tPI

View the Legend League
Every movie we’ve featured and rated on the podcast
https://linkly.link/2Bfcv

View the Listener League
See how listeners rated the movies they chose
https://linkly.link/2Bi9l

Join the conversation
🎙️ Voice message: https://linkly.link/2FuSQ
📧 Email: [email protected]

Socials
Website: https://www.moviesinanutshell.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moviesinanut
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moviesinanut

Hosts
Marc Farquhar
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marcfarquhar
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themarcfarquhar

Darren...

Godzilla (2014)
Listener’s Pick – Emi (@itakepicturesofsunset)
PART 1 – The Nutshell – If you haven’t seen it
A spoiler-free breakdown of the 2014 reimagining of the iconic monster, exploring the clash between humanity and forces far beyond our control.
An exploration of the film’s tone, scale and thematic focus — touching on survival, fear, human responsibility, and the awe-inspiring presence of nature’s unstoppable power.
A look at how the movie balances spectacle with character-driven moments, and why its approach to storytelling and creature design has made it a standout in modern monster cinema.
By the end of Part 1, you’ll know whether this blend of massive action, emotional stakes, and cinematic world-building belongs on your watchlist.
PART 2 – The Unboxing – If you’ve seen it
What Did You Miss?
The details beneath the surface — from the subtle storytelling cues in human interactions to the visual language used to frame the scale of destruction.
Moments that gain greater emotional weight on reflection, including the film’s use of sound, silence and tension to communicate suspense, danger, and awe.
A deeper look at how the movie explores humanity’s relationship to power, responsibility, and the natural world — themes that resonate even after the monsters leave the screen.
Paul’s Facts of the Day
A standout set of facts and trivia, including:
How the creature’s design was influenced by decades of Godzilla history
Casting and performance choices that shaped the film’s tone
Visual effects innovations used to bring massive destruction to life
Homages to the original 1954 film woven throughout
The balance of practical and digital effects to create a realistic scale
The production’s approach to depicting global consequences without losing the personal story

Hate It or Rate It?
Marc, Darren & Paul submit their scores — and Godzilla (2014) takes its place in the Legend League.

PART 3 – Listener Lounge
Your questions, your comments and your shout-outs — plus a Question of the Week inspired by the film’s themes: Most misunderstood monster or villain?
And of course… the reveal of next week’s movie.

Listen Now
https://2ly.link/24tPI

Join our SubReddit
https://www.reddit.com/r/MoviesInANutshell

View the Listener League
See how listeners rated the movies they chose
https://linkly.link/2Bi9l

View the Legend League
Every movie we’ve featured and rated on the podcast
https://linkly.link/2Bfcv

Join the conversation
🎙️ Voice message: https://linkly.link/2FuSQ
📧 Email: [email protected]

Socials
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Frankenstein (2025)
Paul’s Pick
PART 1 – The Nutshell – If you haven’t seen it
A spoiler-free breakdown of a new adaptation of a familiar story — one that revisits Frankenstein through a modern lens while remaining rooted in its gothic foundations.
An exploration of the film’s tone, genre and thematic focus — touching on creation, responsibility, obsession, neglect and what it means to bring life into the world without guidance or care.
A look at how this version reframes the story as philosophical science fiction rather than traditional horror, and why its ideas resonate strongly with contemporary conversations around technology, AI and humanity.
By the end of Part 1, you’ll know whether this blend of gothic storytelling, moral inquiry and atmospheric filmmaking belongs on your watchlist.
PART 2 – The Unboxing – If you’ve seen it
What Did You Miss?
The details beneath the surface — from shifts in perspective and unreliable narration to the way sympathy and blame are rebalanced as the story unfolds.
Moments that gain greater emotional weight on reflection, including the film’s use of silence, restraint and visual storytelling to communicate abandonment, regret and consequence.
A deeper look at how the film explores creation through absence rather than obsession, and how themes of neglect, forgiveness and generational trauma shape both the creator and the created.

Paul’s Facts of the Day
A standout set of facts and trivia, including:
The creative influences behind the creature’s physicality and movement
Casting decisions that reshaped the film late in development
Dual roles used to reinforce thematic connections
Mythological references woven into the production design
The craftsmanship-first approach to sets, costumes and practical effects
Why the film received a limited theatrical release before streaming

Hate It or Rate It?
Marc, Darren & Paul submit their scores — and Frankenstein (2025) takes its place in the Legend League.

PART 3 – Listener Lounge
Your questions, your comments and your shout-outs — plus a Question of the Week inspired by the film’s ideas around creation, responsibility and consequence.
And of course… the reveal of next week’s movie.

Listen Now
https://2ly.link/24tPI

Join our SubReddit
https://www.reddit.com/r/MoviesInANutshell

View the Listener League
See how listeners rated the movies they chose
https://linkly.link/2Bi9l

View the Legend League
Every movie we’ve featured and rated on the podcast
https://linkly.link/2Bfcv

Join the conversation
🎙️ Voice message:

One year ago today, Movies In A Nutshell started as a simple idea.
Since then, it’s grown into something we genuinely didn’t expect shaped by the movies we’ve covered, the conversations we’ve had, and the listeners who’ve stuck with us along the way.
To mark our first birthday, we’re doing something a little different.
This bonus episode steps away from the usual format for a relaxed, behind-the-scenes look at the show itself how it started, how it’s changed, and where it might be heading next.
🎂 In this birthday bonus episode, we talk about:
How the podcast began and how quickly the first year disappeared
The moments that genuinely surprised us
Episodes that connected more than we expected
Why different types of episodes resonate in different ways
How each host approaches movie choices and what that means for the show
The jokes, tangents and running gags that accidentally became part of the podcast
What we’ve learned from doing this every week
And what Movies In A Nutshell might look like as we head into Year Two

If you’ve been listening since the start, this one’s for you.
If you’re new, it’s the perfect snapshot of what Movies In A Nutshell is really about.
We’d love to hear from you
Do you have a favourite episode?
Was there a moment that stuck with you?
How did you first discover the podcast?
Get in touch and let us know — we’ll share listener responses in future episodes.
🎧 Listen Now
https://2ly.link/24tPI
Thank you!
Marc, Darren and Paul
https://www.moviesinanutshell.com