Ben Worthington Podcasts

On Friday the 13th, 1980, humble housewife Candy Montgomery killed her friend Betty Gore with an axe, slashing her 41 times in her friend's home. The resulting case was a lurid tale of infidelity, suburban malaise, and bizarre self-defense claims (which actually got Candy acquitted). It's the framework for Hulu's latest limited series based on a tr…

Films about sex are rare, films about porn even rarer. And when they do arrive, more often than not they're one-handed, moralistic tales of the subjugation and exploitation women experience in the porn industry. Ninja Thyberg's Pleasure, which we reviewed out of Sundance 2021 and is hitting wide release in America today, is more nuanced and complic…

One of the most heartening things about Disney+'s run of Marvel TV shows is that they seem to be an interesting staging ground for new ideas, the exploration of new communities, and -- most importantly for our interests -- new artists to reach broader audiences. That's certainly the case with Marvel's latest series in the MCU, Moon Knight, which se…

In this tutorial, ex-IELTS examiner Robert discusses how to enjoy answering tricky IELTS speaking part 3 questions. We discuss: Types of tricky questions to expect during speaking part 3 What it means if the examiner is asking you difficult questions Three types of speaking questions and how to answer them How to use tricky speaking questions to yo…

In this episode, we talk to ex-IELTS examiner Robert about examples of complex sentences for IELTS writing tasks. A sentence has one job above all others: to convey information. Its job is not to be clever. Its primary task is to present information and in your case, score points. IELTS is a test of English and to show that you know how to use the …

In this episode, we discuss IELTS speaking sample questions, answers and vocabulary for the topic of food and nutrition. We look at: Sample speaking parts 1,2,3 questions about food & nutrition and sample answers Useful speaking vocabulary about food & nutrition with examples of them in sentences Sample collocations to make you sound more like a na…

How do you put music to the multiverse? Especially when the multiverse includes sights as strange as rocks with googly eyes, people with hot dog fingers, and heads exploding into glitter? That's the challenge experimental band Son Lux faced when composing the whirlwind, two-hour score for Daniels' latest film, Everything Everywhere All at Once. Bui…

In this tutorial, we provide sample Band 8 answers to IELTS Writing Task 2 questions as seen in the exam in March 2022. These are the new batch of questions for the writing task sent in by our own students and seen on the internet. If you struggle with generating ideas or if your mind goes blank, this tutorial will help you learn: How to brainstorm…

In this episode, ex-IELTS examiner Robert discusses how to get an instant improvement in IELTS writing, particularly Academic Task 1. We look at: A simple piece of advice to improve your writing immediately Why a lot of students do not score Band 7 or higher in IELTS writing The worst mistake you can make in Academic Task 1 Two types of students wh…

In this episode, we have Fadi Toma from Fraser International College, Canada. We discuss why international students should study at Fraser international college. We discuss: What life is like in Vancouver, Canada Why should international students join FIC Facilities and support available for students on campus What the international student communi…

In this episode, ex-IELTS examiner Robert discusses how to score band 8 in IELTS general task 1 letter writing. You’ll learn; How to show the examiner that you are worth a Band 8 The difference between a Band 7 and Band 8 How to improve your grammatical range and accuracy Sample band 8 answer to a general task 1 question Join many other students wh…

In this episode, we discuss with ex-IELTS examiner Robert about question types and quick thinking in IELTS Writing task 2. Listen to this episode and you’ll learn: 4 types of Task 2 essay questions and how to answer them The best way to answer task 2 questions quickly How to think of what to say in your essay What’s more important than reading your…

In this episode, we review the latest IELTS speaking cue card questions as seen in the exam between January to March 2022 and provide sample answers. We discuss: Sample Band 7 answers to each of the latest questions Examples of phrases you can use in your speaking exam A simple tip to make your answers sound more natural 3 quick ways to improve you…

In this episode, we discuss sample questions and answers for the topic of government. We discuss: How to give examples to back up your answers How to generate ideas for questions about government How to build a solid Task 2 essay A guide to organising your essay in the best way Sample answers to recent government questions Each sample answer aims t…

In a world where so many people have learned to start working from home the last couple of years(and many still do), the phrase "don't take your work home with you" has become ever more dubious. But what if you could really leave it all at the office -- not just your work, but your memories of doing that work? That's the eerie premise of Apple TV+'…

In this episode, we discuss with ex-IELTS examiner Robert about a new way to look at IELTS writing Task 2. You will learn: How IELTS reflects your way of thinking How Task 2 is similar to school debates How to think like an IELTS examiner Why science based IELTS test takers may be at a disadvantage Why you should think of Task 2 like an experiment …

In this tutorial, ex-IELTS examiner Robert reveals the 3 biggest unwritten rules about IELTS essay writing. You will learn: How these unwritten rules can improve your writing Why paragraph structure is so important How many words should your essay contain Why giving examples from your knowledge and experience is important for the exam Join many oth…

In this tutorial, you will learn five Band 9 words you can use to impress your examiner during the IELTS exam. We discuss: Examples of Band 9 words to use in your next essay Why these words are Band 9 and what they mean How to use them in a natural way during the IELTS exam How to identify more Band 9 words in the dictionary In the online course, w…

In this tutorial, ex-IELTS examiner Rob discusses how to succeed in IELTS academic task 1. You will learn: Where test takers most often lose points in Task 1 Rob’s helpful tips to succeed in academic task 1 Important information to look for in the graph, table, chart, plan or map Sample answer to academic task 1 question What to include in your ans…

In this episode, we speak to Bisi about the international student guide to Wilfrid Laurier University, Canada. We discuss: Why international students should join Wilfrid Laurier university What the international student community is like on campus Support available for international students on campus Most common nationalities at WLU What covid pre…

It's safe to say that the world of film music, especially modern film music, owes a lot to Portishead's Geoff Barrow. In a large way, that's due to the instrumentalist and musician's founding of indie label Invada Records in 2001, which placed an early focus on hip hop and experimental acts before pinning down a unique emphasis on releasing film sc…

In this episode, we discuss part 2 of Band 8 sample answer and advice for IELTS writing general task 1 with ex-IELTS examiner Rob. Listen and you will learn: How to convince the examiner that you deserve Band 8 How to score higher for coherence and cohesion in writing Example of Band 8 answer to a recent general task 1 question. What does task achi…

In this episode, ex-IELTS examiner Robert gives advice on how to transform your IELTS writing from basic to advanced. You will learn: How many hours you should practise per day to improve your writing Important tips to help transform your writing from basic to advanced Sample answer and vocabulary for a recent IELTS writing task 2 question Two impo…

In this episode, we speak to Monica from Chapman University about 5 reasons why international students should join Chapman’s graduate programs. We discuss: Which graduate programs are most popular at Chapman University 5 reasons why international students should join the Chapman University graduate program Is IELTS a requirement to gain admission t…

In this episode, we speak with ex-IELTS examiner Rob about common question structures and types in part 3 of the speaking test. There is no one way to prepare for the IELTS Speaking Test. Some recommend going through practice cue cards –especially useful for part 2 – and going through model answers. Others might say that you must learn through read…

In this episode, ex-IELTS examiner Ellen looks at how to improve your IELTS Exam score with uncountable nouns. We discuss: What are uncountable nouns? The difference between countable and uncountable nouns Examples of correct and incorrect ways to use uncountable nouns in your IELTS exam Common mistakes IELTS students make with uncountable nouns Ex…

What would you do if you could go back in time and talk to your 12-year-old self? What if you could also see a dead loved one again? For all the whiz-bang action-adventure stuffed into Ryan Reynolds' latest film, The Adam Project, composer Rob Simonsen's score never strays far from those sentimental questions. The next collaboration between Reynold…

Months after he came on the show last (for the COVID documentary In the Same Breath), composer Nathan Halpern has been extremely busy. Just a few weeks ago, he scored three films that premiered at this year's Sundance film festival: the nail-biting thrillers Watcher and Emily the Criminal, as well as the documentary short The Martha Mitchell Effect…

Today we're talking to Hollywood Music in Media Awards-winning composer Dara Taylor, best known for her collaborations with composer Christopher Lennertz on a variety of projects, from the Netflix series Lost in Space to the cult 2020 comedy Barb and Star Go to Vista del Mar. But her latest solo project is the biggest yet for the young composer - t…

For the next few weeks, we'll be highlighting some of the scores and composers we really liked out of the 2022 Sundance International Film Festival. First up is Something in the Dirt, the latest from Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead, who've made a cottage industry out of scintillating low-budget sci-fi and supernatural horror. Along with the ride f…

When one thinks of most modern film scoring, we're in an interesting realm of experimentation and innovation -- one less defined by the traditional symphonic orchestras of John Williams and James Horner and more by the electronic and textured influences of Hans Zimmer and his coterie. Normally, Oscar-nominated composer Daniel Pemberton operates in …

This week, we're looking at Netflix's latest awards contender, The Lost Daughter, the directorial debut of Maggie Gyllenhaal and starring Olivia Colman, Dakota Johnson, Jessie Buckley, and Ed Harris. Based on the 2006 novella of the same name by Elena Ferrante, the film follows a middle-aged literature professor named Leda (Colman) as she attempts …

This week, we're talking to David Newman, son of acclaimed composer Alfred Newman and a proud member of a film music family that includes brother Thomas Newman and cousin Randy Newman. He's a prolific and legendary composer and conductor who's scored more than 100 feature films and television shows. You may know his work from films like Serenity, t…

Refugee narratives are a common one in documentary, but Jonas Poher Rasmussen's Flee is something unique. Telling the story of one of Jonas' childhood friends, a gay Afghan refugee named Amin, Flee charts its subject's childhood in Afghanistan, the circumstances by which he had to leave. Fleeing to Denmark without the rest of his family, he was lef…

This week, we talk to composer Siddhartha Khosla about his twisting, mercurial score for Hulu's Only Murders in the Building, co-created by John Hoffman and Steve Martin. It's a charming, unassuming murder-mystery-comedy series buoyed by career-best work from Martin Short, Steve Martin, and Selen Gomez, and as many twists and cosmopolitan affectati…

The latest film from director Edgar Wright, Last Night in Soho, is a time-twisting psychological thriller about a young woman named Eloise (Thomasin McKenzie) who moves to London to enter fashion school. Once there, though, the sheltered Ellie finds herself haunted by dreams in which she's transported into 1960s Soho, viewing the young life of an a…

Throw a rock at an LA-based thriller, and you can hit any number of stylistic signposts: neon lights, fancy cars, pumping dance clubs, androgynous threats in the night. But in Netflix's Night Teeth, the LA thriller gets some fresh blood - literally! - in the form of a sprightly, energetic vampire flick that still beats with the oddly warm heart of …

Grammy and Golden Globe-nominated composer Harry Gregson-Williams is no stranger to director Ridley Scott: First working with his brother, the late Tony Scott, on films like Enemy of the State and Spy Game, Gregson-Williams began working with Ridley on Kingdom of Heaven, and has scored several other films with him since (including his sprawling sco…

Film scores don't often chart, but when they do, it's for good reason. In 2011, that happened to the piercing, airy, enigmatic score for Nicholas Winding Refn's neo-noir Drive, starring Ryan Gosling as a nameless Hollywood stunt driver turned getaway driver. It was a minimalist throwback to the car-based crime films of the '70s and '80s, fueled by …

Given the sprawling nature of the decade-old Marvel Cinematic Universe, it makes sense that Phase Four would be dedicated to breaking apart the house they've built and changing around the pieces to see what happens. We've had alternate realities with WandaVision and Loki, of course, but Disney+'s latest, the animated What If...?, is a pure alternat…

What lengths would you traverse to let go of your traumas? That's one of many premises swimming around in the hazy ether of Hulu's new series Nine Perfect Strangers. Created by David E. Kelley and based on the book by Liane Moriarty, the series follows nine people drawn for one reason or another to a mysterious wellness center called Tranquillum, l…

In the wake of Avengers: Endgame, the MCU has been taking bigger chances in Phase Four with smaller, lesser-known heroes, especially ones from communities not often represented in Hollywood. With Marvel's latest, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, we get the live-action film adaptation of '70s Marvel's answer to Bruce Lee, a superhero-flavo…

Central to the horror-film feel of Nanfu Wang's new COVID-19 documentary, In the Same Breath, is the eerie, evocative score courtesy of Emmy-nominated composer Nathan Halpern. A prolific scorer of feature films, documentaries, and limited series alike, Halpern has brought his idiosyncratic approach to films as diverse as Chloe Zhao's The Rider, Swa…

In the Grand Theft Auto-like world of Free City, Free Guy's Guy (Ryan Reynolds) gets to while away the days as an NPC in his hyper-violent video game world with a host of licensed music, courtesy of Mariah Carey, Digital Underground, Frankie Valli, and more. But the incidental score to Shawn Levy's surprisingly charming adventure film comes courtes…

David Lowery's The Green Knight is a brilliant, mesmerizing take on the 14th-century Welsh poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, starring Dev Patel as a flawed, headstrong variant on the archetypal Knight of the Round Table. It's steeped in the ancient Arthurian traditions of chivalric romance, but muddied and tarred with the grit, fatalism, and pa…

One of the best, most undersung action shows on television is Cinemax's Warrior, a stylish period piece based largely on concepts developed by the late Bruce Lee for a show that would eventually (and unfortunately) become Kung Fu. Charting the conflicts between Chinese gangs and the American police in San Francisco's Chinatown in the 19th century, …

As the Marvel Cinematic Universe expands its reach into TV, so too does its musical palate expand in turn. And so it goes with Loki, the latest Disney+ series, which will see its season finale next week. It's been a wild ride, following Loki (Tom Hiddleston) through his misadventures with the Time Variance Authority, his unlikely friendship with TV…

When Ronald D. Moore's reimagined Battlestar Galactica premiered on The Sci-Fi Channel in 2003, it was a watershed moment for the genre. A gritty, moody, morally complicated redo of the cheesy '70s Glen Larson series, Moore's take on the show -- a space opera about a fleet of ships carrying the remnants of humanity to a mysterious planet called Ear…

During his all-too-brief stint on this Earth, John Belushi was one of comedy's greatest voices. A blustering buffoon one minute, a deeply intelligent trickster the next, Belushi's work on SNL, The Blues Brothers, and Animal House made him a household name in the blink of an eye -- before his life was tragically cut short by the very lifestyle that …

When the first Saw premiered in 2003, it rattled the foundations of the horror genre -- not just for its pioneering of gruesome, high-concept gory horror of a type that would come to be known as 'torture porn', but for its perversely iconic musical soundscapes. "Hello Zepp," with its grungy buildup and cacophonous, rising strings, quickly became a …