Straight Up

Taylor Swift’s The End of an Era documentary is already breaking Disney records, so we review the first two episodes. Is it pure hagiography or genuinely insightful? Also on the show: why Bonnie Blue wrote a Spectator op-ed backing Nigel Farage, George Clooney’s new marital rule, and the surprising subculture that’s helped make Zootopia 2 box office gold. Plus a review of Alchemised, the incredible fanfic inspired by Harry Potter and the Housemaid’s Tale that netted a seven-figure film deal. Enjoy hunnies and remember next week’s ep is dropping on Tuesday!Enjoy and please do let us know what you think of the ep, share your recs and just generally get in touch on IG ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or email at ⁠⁠hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk⁠. We LOVE hearing from you!Follow us on TikTok @straightuppodRecs/ reviews Backstage Beauty SalonAlchemised, SenLinYuThe fanfiction written on a notes app that’s become a bestseller – with a seven-figure film deal, GuardianMargaret Atwood on Desert Island Discs, BBC Sounds The MaddAddam Trilogy, Margaret AtwoodCece, Emmelie PropheteGrace Beverley: the Oxford student with a £70m wellness brand, The Times Zootopia 2, in cinemas nowWake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, Netflix Taylor Swift: The End of an Era, Disney.

50 Cent’s explosive Diddy documentary is dominating the headlines, so this week we’re unpacking the most shocking moments from Sean Combs: The Reckoning. Also on the show: Sydney Sweeney finally addresses her “great jeans” ad controversy, Margot Robbie has given a wonderfully juicy Vogue interview around Wuthering Heights, Channing Tatum’s “career defining” film with Kirstin Dunst is out, Miley Cyrus’s fiancée has everyone talking about age-gaps again and Ellie Goulding’s new baby daddy is a “bad boy”. Plus: the Netflix and Warner Bros mega-deal that has Hollywood spooked! Enjoy and please do let us know what you think of the ep, share your recs and just generally get in touch on IG ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or email at ⁠⁠hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk⁠. We LOVE hearing from you! Follow us on TikTok @straightuppodRecs/reviews:Roofman, Apple TV‘Roofman’ Stars Channing Tatum, Kirsten Dunst Talk That Nude Scene, Which Toys They Took From Set, Hollywood Reporter Margot Robbie, British Vogue The end of big-screen cinema? What Netflix hopes to achieve by buying Warner Bros, GuardianAll About Miley Cyrus’s Fiancé Maxx Morando and Their ‘Low-Key’ Relationship, ElleSean Combs: The Reckoning, NetflixSean Combs: The Reckoning review – you can see why the musician is fighting to ban this horrific documentary, Guardian .

The Beast in Me is the buzzy new Netflix thriller everyone’s talking about, so this week we’re sharing our (spoiler-free!) review and the standout moments from its star Claire Danes’ latest interviews. First, though, we dive into Jennifer Lawrence’s career-defining performance in Die My Love, also starring Robert Pattinson, and her personal reflections on postpartum life, as well as Charli XCX’s fab Substack on the realities of being a pop star and the celeb newsletter boom more generally. Plus: the brilliant new sci-fi about a romantasy writer, Pluribus; the Guardian’s viral investigation into ‘free birth’ influencers; and Ambika Mod’s latest role as a porn-addicted academic. Enjoy hunnies! Get 10% off our fave sofa brand Swyft with the code straightup10 at swyfthome.com, and the code works on top of Black Friday sales! Stylish, comfy, flat-packed and no tools required.We love hearing from you, DM us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, email at ⁠⁠hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk⁠ and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too!Recs/reviews:Pluribus, AppleTVThe Lost Bus, AppleTVDie My Love, in cinemas now ‘Die My Love’ and the savage truth about the postpartum experience, Gillian Orr, SubstackInfluencers made millions pushing ‘wild’ births – now the Free Birth Society is linked to baby deaths around the world, GuardianThe realities of being a pop star, Charli XCX’s substack  Why is Everybody Losing Weight and What do we do Sincerely? A person who's lost weight, Lizzo’s SubstackLizzo Starts Over The pop star’s success once felt radical. Can she capture the Zeitgeist again?, VultureThe Beast In Me, Netflix ‘I’d barely kissed a boy, but was making out with Adonis’: Claire Danes on sex, spy camp and teen stardom, Guardian  Porn Play, Royal CourtThe 31-Year-Old Creator Of Porn Play Wanted To “Do Something Provocative”, Vogue.

From Frankenstein, One Battle After Another and Bugonia, to Sinners, Materialists, and The Roses, in this very special bonus episode we're battling it out for the best films of 2025 live from the Curzon cinema Hoxton! Why are so many of this year’s top films so divisive, and is horror taking over Hollywood? Plus, why blockbuster icons like Leonardo DiCaprio should take note of Timothée Chalamet’s marketing tricks for Marty Supreme, the joys of the Wicked press tours, and our Oscar predictions. Finishing up with a few questions from our huns in the audience! TYSM to everyone who joined us, we loved meeting you all and we can’t wait to do more next year. Thank you so much to our fave cinema Curzon for hosting and sponsoring this episode. PSA for all the huns who want to watch the incredible films reviewed in this ep, Curzon have got a brilliant Black Friday deal on their Classic Film Membership, which runs from 28 November to the 1 December and includes a whopping seven free cinema tickets instead of the usual five, as well as 20% off all additional cinema tickets for you and a guest, and 10% off food and drink in all Curzon cinemas. Find out more here.We love hearing from you, DM us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, email at ⁠⁠hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk⁠ and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too!Recs/reviewsFrankenstein, Netflix Bugonia, in Curzon cinemas now  One Battle After Another, AppleTVEddington, Amazon Prime VideoLilo and Stitch, Disney+After The Hunt, Amazon Prime Video The Roses, Disney+Materialists, Amazon Prime VideoThe Ballad of Wallis Island, Amazon Prime VideoWicked: For Good, in Curzon cinemas nowBridget Jones: Mad About The Boy, Amazon Prime Sinners, Amazon Prime VideoWeapons, Amazon Prime VideoBabygirl, AppleTVDie My Love, in Curzon cinemas now.

The Devil Wears Prada 2 trailer has just dropped and we couldn’t be more thrilled about it! Will Miranda and Andy’s return live up to the iconic first film? Also this week: Jack Whitehall’s glossy thriller Malice, the Caroline Flack documentary that reveals new details about the role the tabloids and police played in her tragic passing, Louis Theroux interviews Florence Pugh, Hilary Duff is making a comeback, Rachel Sennot’s fab influencer comedy I Love LA, Michelle Obama publishes a fashion book and Paris Hilton has been problematic again. Enjoy hunnys and look out for our bonus episode next Wednesday!Get 10% off our fave sofa brand Swyft with the code straightup10 at swyfthome.com, and the code works on top of Black Friday sales! Stylish, comfy, flat-packed and no tools required.We love hearing from you, DM us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, email at ⁠⁠hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk⁠ and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too!Recs/reviewsI Love LA, NOW TVMalice, Amazon PrimeCalifornication, Paramount +‘Diabolical move’: Miranda Priestly’s red shoes get Instagram fashion no-no, Guardian Allow Hilary Duff to Reintroduce Herself, Vogue Florence Pugh on the Louis Theroux podcastMichelle Obama at 61: ‘I feel as free now as I did when I was a kid’, The Times Paris Hilton: ‘I’m not scared of anything — except spiders, bees and dying’, The TimesCaroline Flack: Search for the Truth, Disney+.

Sydney Sweeney’s new film Christy has bombed at the box office, days after her GQ cover interview went viral for all the wrong reasons. Are her days as Hollywood’s golden girl over? We take a look at evolving public image and explore whether her controversies have actually damaged her career. Also on the show: how Sarah Snook’s new kidnapping thriller has prompted a conversation about the gender gap, the I'm A Celeb lineup, what Timothée Chalamet’s very revealing Vogue interview means for Kylie, and we are so here for JLaw’s comeback! Finally, is it fair to say Kim Kardashian has created the worst TV show of all time with All’s Fair? Plus two fab new book recommendations. Get 10% off our fave sofa brand Swyft with the code straightup10 at swyfthome.com, and the code works on top of Black Friday sales! Stylish, comfy, flat-packed and no tools required.We love hearing from you, DM us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, email at ⁠⁠hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk⁠ and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too!Recs/reviewsAll Her Fault, Sky/ NowTV All her Fault is a misandrist masterpiece, VultureSarah Snook And Dakota Fanning On How New Show ‘All Her Fault’ Reveals The “Invisible Labor” Women Take On In Relationships, Deadline Sarah Snook on Why She Opted for ‘All Her Fault’ After ‘Succession’: “I Can’t Top That, So Finding Something Different Was Really Important”, Hollywood ReporterOur October bonus ep: The myth of having it all and how to break freeDid women ruin the workplace?, New York TimesJennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson Vanity Fair lie detector test, YouTubeJennifer Lawrence, The Interview podcast (NYT)Sydney Sweeney, GQThe Universe According to Timothée, VogueAll’s Fair, DisneyIs All's Fair really the 'worst TV drama ever'? BBC The All's Fair cast: ‘It’s good to see women come together and protect one another', GlamourWith ‘All’s Fair,’ Ryan Murphy gives us the ultimate Trump-era TV show, LA Times‘All’s Fair’ and the New Television of Nothingness, Hollywood ReporterHave we passed peak social media? Financial TimesShield of Sparrows, Devney PerryUnder The Blue, Suzannah V EvansThe Safekeep, Yael van der Wouden.

Is having a boyfriend embarrassing now? Vogue’s viral piece arguing that male partners have become “culturally loserish” has broken the internet, so we dive in and discuss whether it’s a feminist reckoning or pure TikTok rage bait. Also this week: Millie Bobby Brown’s bullying claims against David Harbour, Jennifer Aniston’s Hollywood hypnotist boyfriend, People Magazine’s Sexiest Man Jonathan Bailey, Cruz Beckham’s new music, and The Cut’s hot take on high-earning women dating younger men. Plus some far from mid TV for you to enjoy! Last two tickets to our very special live recording at Curzon Hoxton on 19 November are available here :)Get 10% off our fave sofa brand Swyft with the code straightup10 at swyfthome.com, and the code works on top of Black Friday sales! Stylish, comfy, flat-packed and no tools required.We love hearing from you, DM us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, email at ⁠⁠hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk⁠ and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too!Recs/reviewsDown Cemetery Road, Apple TV Emma Thompson: The spy thrillers I read as a teenager told me women should fall in love and get killed, Radio TimesThe Dead of WinterGirl Bands Forever, BBC iPlayerJonathan Bailey named People magazine’s 2025 Sexiest Man Alive, PeopleMillie Bobby Brown Reportedly Filed Harassment and Bullying Claim Against David Harbour, Vanity FairJennifer Aniston Finally Hard-Launched Her Hypnotist Boyfriend, The CutOPTICS and Lick The Toad, Cruz BeckhamJust Find a Younger Man: Dating is horrible right now, but some women have discovered a loophole, New York MagazineAll Fours by Miranda JulyThe myth of having it all and how to break free, our bonus from last weekIs Having A Boyfriend Embarrassing Now? VogueIs it really outrageously uncool to have a boyfriend? the Guardian.

Lily Allen’s West End Girl isn’t just a comeback, it’s a brutally honest divorce album and everyone is talking about it! We unpack where art ends and reality begins, who “Madeline” might be and Lily’s viral interview quotes about sex, age, personal branding and the media’s obsession with her private life. Also this week: our reviews of the second season of Nobody Wants This, Julia Roberts and Andrew Garfield’s controversial campus cancel culture film After the Hunt, Aimee Lou Wood’s gorgeous rom-com series Film Club and Dave’s new album. Plus: are we rooting for Sophie Turner and Chris Martin? And why is Geri trying to stop Netflix’s Spice Girls biopic? Enjoy hunnies! Final tickets to our very special live recording at Curzon Hoxton on 19 November are available here :)Get 10% off our fave sofa brand Swyft with the code straightup10 at swyfthome.com, and the code works on top of Black Friday sales! Stylish, comfy, flat-packed and no tools required.We love hearing from you, DM us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, email at ⁠⁠hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk⁠ and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too!Recs/reviewsAfter the Hunt, in cinemas nowAfter the Party, Channel4The Chair, NetflixFilm Club, BBC iPlayerAimee Lou Wood reveals how debut writing project Film Club helped her embrace her neurodivergence, Radio TimesWest End Girl, Lily AllenLily Allen on her sensational new album, Perfect Lily Allen: ‘Intimacy is messy… I’ve had a tough year’, The Times ‘Madeline’ from new Lily Allen album comes forward after affair with David Harbour, NME The Boy Who Played the Harp, Dave Nobody Wants This, Netflix.