"How's that for a slice of fried gold?!" It has been 20 years since we were introduced to the Rom-Zom-Com genre in Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg's Shaun of the Dead and this film is still very much in the zeitgeist - is this a perfect movie? I was joined by Caitlyn Downs, the writer behind the Scared Sheepless blog, to discuss this monumental film in British comedy and horror and of course with the lens of the fat representation on display - mainly in Nick Frost's Ed. You can follow Caitlyn at the below; BlueSky Twitter IG The Podcast's socials; Twitter IG Hannah's stuff; Twitter IG TikTok You can also email the pod at fatsonfilm@outlook.com
*I am talking spoilers from the very beginning* I came out of watching Coralie Fargeat's The Substance (2024) very much in my feelings. A grotesque and gnarly film discussing the beauty standard is 100% my cup of tea. Starring a career best turn by Demi Moore, we follow Elisabeth Sparkle as she tries to remain relevant in an industry which tells her she has "past it". I wanted to spend a bit of time processing why this film hit me the way it had, and perhaps more than other audiences and of course its all down to our own perspective and experiences. I am someone is very aware of the beauty standard, and very aware of how fatphobic society is, topics this film hits hard (notably with zero fat people to help tell the story). So here is a 30 minute stream of consciousness as I deep dive into The Substance. The Podcast's socials; Twitter IG Hannah's stuff; Twitter IG TikTok You can also email the pod at fatsonfilm@outlook.com
Put on your lingerie, bleach your hair blonde and get ready to do a series of songs and dances in prison, we are talking Chicago (2002). I was joined by Holly Richards, the founder of Amplefolk and we talk about Queen Latifah as Mama Morton, we discuss John C Reilly's sad take on Amos. And we talk about if fat people actually exist in 1920s Chicago. You can find Ample folk at the below; IG The Podcast's socials; Twitter IG Hannah's stuff; Twitter IG TikTok You can also email the pod at fatsonfilm@outlook.com
The Whale (2022) follows Brendan Fraser as Charlie, a 600 pound English Teacher as he navigates his way through his final days of his life while trying to atone for his sins and ensure he has "done one good thing in my life!". I was joined by Abby from The Tracy Turnblad podcast to discuss this film, its potential fatphobic representation of fat people, the use of fat suits in Hollywood and how The Whale is just Concern Trolling: The Movie! You can find Abby at; IG Twitter Tiktok Abby's IG Abby's Website The Podcast's socials; Twitter IG Hannah's stuff; Twitter IG TikTok You can also email the pod at fatsonfilm@outlook.com
You know what makes a girl feel super gorgeous and confident while facing the oppression of today's strict beauty standard? A serious concussion! This episode I was joined by comedian and author Sofie Hagen to discuss 2018's Rom Com I Feel Pretty. We discuss the absurdity of the premise, how media likes to present normal people as ugly, the lack of fat people represented and how they made Busy Philipps look literally grey for her scenes. Sofie is currently on tour which you can find dates and tickets for here and their new book Will I Ever Have Sex Again? can be found here. Make sure you sign up to Sofie's newsletter to keep up to date with their latest projects! The Podcast's socials; Twitter IG Hannah's stuff; Twitter IG TikTok You can also email the pod at fatsonfilm@outlook.com
Calling all the Aca-Pitches! Do you like female groups of misfits who come together with the power of music only made by their mouths while they mash up some top 40 hits of the day? Do you like watching a plot B romance unfold where one is clearly not interested in the other? Do you want to watch a plus size character refer to themselves as Fat Amy therefore for the whole rest of the 2 hour run time all the characters refer to her as Fat Amy? Well Pitch Perfect from 2012 is for you. Lindsay Drysdale from Ghoulfriends Podcast stopped by by aca-cast to talk all things acapella and fat representation in this fun if not now problematic film. The less said about the sequels the better! You can find Lindsay at; IG Ghoulfriend IG Ghoulfriend Twitter The Podcast's socials; Twitter IG Hannah's stuff; Twitter IG TikTok You can also email the pod at fatsonfilm@outlook.com
Baby Reindeer dropped on Netflix in April 2024 and its all anyone is talking about. Written and starring Richard Gadd as we follow Donny try to stop their stalker while also coming to terms with their own victimhood is a hard watch. Jessica Gunning plays Martha, Donny's stalker, and I know for me my heart sank when I saw yet another plus size person be the perpetrator of obsession - but in watching it we see this is a much more nuanced take on a complex villain, played phenomenally by Gunning. Returning guest Jess Rolland comes back to help me navigate my own feelings on this very interesting example of fat representation and a deep discussion on our relationship with true crime. You can find Jessica at the below; IG Better Than Bad podcast IG Heat Short Film Twitter Better Than Bad Twitter Heat Short Film Twitter The Podcast's socials; Twitter IG Hannah's stuff; Twitter IG TikTok You can also email the pod at fatsonfilm@outlook.com
Join us in this electrifying episode of Fats on Film as we embark on a thrilling journey through the apocalyptic pub crawl of Edgar Wright's 'The World's End.' We delve into the intricate web of friendship, nostalgia, and societal critique woven by Wright's masterful storytelling. From pint to pint, we dissect the film's ingenious blend of comedy, sci-fi, and heartfelt introspection, uncovering its layers of humor and poignancy. So grab a drink, buckle up, and tune in as we explore the final installment of the Cornetto Trilogy in all its riotous glory! I was joined by contributor by Val Pullin (joining me again from Hot Fuzz!) contributor for Ghouls Magazine, history buff and a fan of all things Spooky and Halloween. You can find Val at; IG Twitter The Podcast's socials; Twitter IG Hannah's stuff; Twitter IG TikTok You can also email the pod at fatsonfilm@outlook.com
I know I have been MIA and I just wanted to tell you that I am still here. And I will be back so soon with Fats on Film episodes for you!
I'm smart, you dumb; I'm big, you're little; I'm right, you're wrong...We are talking about Matilda (both film and musicals). I was joined by Alice Mary Dunbar ( IG & TikTok) and we get into this childhood classic and of course how fat bodies are represented and treated. We talk fat villains with Trunchbull and Harry Wormwood and fat heroes like Bruce Bogtrotter and how these characters continue to enforce stereotypes or challenge them! The Podcast's socials; Twitter IG Hannah's stuff; Twitter IG TikTok You can also email the pod at fatsonfilm@outlook.com
Lets take a beloved 2004 film, make it into a broadway musical and then make that a film again 20 years later! It's Mean Girls! And joining me is returning guest, from Mean Girls (2004), its actress and host of the Better Than Bad Podcast, Jessica Rolland. Full disclosure, i truly thought this will be a little bonus episode, as me and Jessica have already spoken at length about Mean Girls (2004), but we get into the truly lacking of fat representation in the 2024 rendition, taking a step back from what we had 20 years ago and the mid-sizification of what it is to be plus size and how just in general the media and society are obsessed with policing women's bodies. You can find Jessica at the below; IG Better Than Bad podcast IG Heat Short Film Twitter Better Than Bad Twitter Heat Short Film Twitter The Podcast's socials; Twitter IG Hannah's stuff; Twitter IG TikTok You can also email the pod at fatsonfilm@outlook.com
You'll float too! You'll float too! Is that a promise? Film Journalist Becci Sayce joins me to discuss the fat representation in IT Chapter 1 & 2 - mainly the characters of Ben and Eddie's mum. We talk about how resourceful and intelligent young Ben is while being overlook and patronised by his peers and how the larger body of Eddie's mum is to convey images of monstrosity and an overbearing presence onto the audience. We make reference to an article by Virgie Tovar in Ravishly which you can find here - well worth the read! You can find Becci at the below; IG Twitter The Podcast's socials; Twitter IG Hannah's stuff; Twitter IG TikTok You can also email the pod at fatsonfilm@outlook.com
According to classic children's film Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory, the perfect child is not greedy, has manners, isn't spoilt and likes to read...and if you don't fit into this very tight parameter then you deserve a terrible punishment. I was joined by Matthew Tilt to deep dive into the Wonka-mania and we discussed the characterisation of Augustus Gloop and his "greediness", the fat cat portrayal of Mr Salt and we discussed whether these kids deserve their fate...and whether Grandpa Joe would have been a more deserving candidate of the torture. You can find Matthew; Twitter What's in a Scene Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory, and a small bit of world building - Film Stories The Podcast's socials; Twitter IG Hannah's stuff; Twitter IG TikTok You can also email the pod at fatsonfilm@outlook.com
Do you like watching the most powerful man in the country lust after his subordinate while her colleagues body shame her? What about Alan Rickman lusting after a woman half his age while we watch Emma Thompson cry her eyes out while Curtis has put her in the fat suit to really drive home the idea that of course Rickman would stray because she has a mum-bod and the secretary has washboard abs. Are we in the Christmas spirit yet? I was joined by the wonderful Faye from The I Spit on Your Grades Podcast (returning from the Bridget Jones' Diary episode) to discuss the British holiday classic Love Actually (2003). You can find Faye at the following; Twitter I Spit on Your Grades Podcast And the pod at; Twitter IG
We have all been there right, our ex-boyf who we are still hung up on after 3 years is getting married or our partner has cheated on us with their secretary, so we decide to swap homes, cars, pets, identities with a stranger across the world in a hope to be as far away from men as possible...and wouldnt you know it, there is still men in LA and 40 mins outside London! Caitlin Magnall-Kearns returns to the podcast to talk about 2006's The Holiday written and directed by the one Nancy Meyers. This is a fantastic conversation regarding the casting of Jack Black against Kate Winslet as a genuine romantic option for her which we just don't get to see very often. We also speak about our love for Cameron Diaz, who we would recast as Iris (soz Kate) and our ask for Mr Napkin Head to be cut from the culture. You can find Caitlin's new audio drama Heartburn here. Caitlin's IG Caitlin's Twitter Fats on Film IG Fats on Film Twitter Hannah's IG Hannah' Twitter
Stranger Things is a cultural phenomenan, one of Netflix's most successful orgiinal IPs and making stars of its ensemble cast. However there is an issue we need to discuss, the lack of fat characters and their treatment. From #Justiceforbarb to Bob Newby: Superhero and now to Jim 'Dad-Bod' Hopper's extreme weightloss conversation in season 4, we have a lot to discuss. Joining me is Writer and Director of film and tv, and author of the non-fiction book 'Fat Girl Best Friend' Sarah Grant. You can find Sarah at the following; IG Twitter Fat Girl Bestie Twitter TikTok Also you can find the podcast on IG and Twitter @fatsonfilm - also email me if you'd like at fatsonfilm@outlook.com
Put on your magic pair of jeans, jet set to Greece, Mexico or South Carolina, have a major coming of age experience and write all about it to your friends; its The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants! I was joined by Anti-Diet Coach and Content Creator Rebecca Edmonds to deep dive into this glorious mid-00s film where we explore the characters, with major focus on Carmen (America Ferrera) and how her body size is treated by the film. We laugh, we cry, we get the ick. You can find Rebecca at; IG
Criminal Minds is a police procedrual crime drama starting in 2005 and still airing today over 300 episodes later. Returning guest and friend of the pod, Ygraine Hackett-Cantabrana joined me to hold my hand through this beloved show (I had never seen an epsiode) where we discuss the shows depiction of fat femme killers and how they project the well known and established negative stereotypes and tropes of fat women for the story's progression. You can find Ygraine at the below; IG Twitter What A Scream Podcast Link to the Blood Letter Panel that Ygraine is guesting on Blood Letter IG
Big girls are having a moment. Survival of the Thickest dropped on Netflix in July 2023 starring and produced by Michelle Buteau and it follows Mavis Beaumont as her star rises across New York City being the hottest stylist in the game and how she brings her friends and community with her on her ascension to greatness. I was joined by lecturer and podcaster Mary Wild to deep dive into this show and we shared our love for this show, the representation and the fashion. We mused over what we would do in the situations Mavis finds herself in and how we hope for a season 2! You can find Mary at the following; Patreon Twitter IG
Would you like to be part of our world? Join myself and Fierce Fat Femme herself, Angelina, as we discuss The Little Mermaid; the villain of Ursula, what we admire about her, what we don't and our thoughts on the Disney Princess influence on the beauty standard. You can find Angelina at the following; IG TikTok