Where to start with… Films To Be Buried With

Our Where To Start series aims to give you a point of entry into the shows you’ve heard of, but never heard…

LOOK OUT! It’s only an article about Films to be Buried With! Our Issue 23 cover star Brett Goldstein has charmed us all with his enthusiasm for all movies, and guests ranging from actor Sharon Stone, serial podcaster James Acaster, and even Gleb Shemble*. In every episode, guests are informed they have died (in surreal ways) and must unveil their life stories through the medium of cinema before choosing only one film to take into the afterlife. A somewhat bleak premise, Goldstein makes death a fun, glorious inevitability.

The show’s been running since 2018 – launching between the boom of podcasts in 2016 and the popularisation of starting a podcast amidst a global pandemic – and now has over 200 episodes. It is right to acknowledge that there is a huge back catalogue of episodes. So if you’re new to Brett Goldstein’s podcast, we know you’re not superhuman, and you may need to whittle down where to start. So here are my personal recommendations. Happy listening!

*Ed Gamble

If you wondered why you never recognised the third name in my introduction, it’s because it’s become an in-joke with listeners to always mispronounce Ed Gamble’s name after Ed called Brett out for never mentioning him. Ed explains all in this introduction. This episode was one of the first ‘The Resurrection!’ specials –  an opportunity for a previous guest to redo their film choices before they return to the afterlife. Since then, multiple guests have returned to the world of the living to give some more films to describe their life… before dying again. Listen on your podcast player >>

Zach Braff

Fellow podcaster, director, fake doctor, and real friend, Zach Braff, banters with Brett about how films have illustrated his life. Out of all of the episodes I am suggesting, Braff’s chosen death is certainly the most epic, glamorous, yet oddly realistic. Whilst Zach Braff does talk about films, in a beautifully eloquent way, there are also discussions about being a highly-sensitive person (HSP), trying to get recognised by Hollywood with Zach’s directorial debut Garden State, and how it has been recording Zach’s podcast with Scrubs co-star Donald Faison. Zach and Brett share great chemistry as they both understand the podcast medium and how to tailor conversations that are engaging to listeners. A highlight is when Zach talks about how Beverly Hills Cop always brings a key memory of his late dad, and his description brings such a vivid image to you as a listener. Listen on your podcast player >>

Barry Jenkins

This episode demonstrates the star power Films to be Buried With can accrue: Academy award-winning director Barry Jenkins. This was recorded during Covid-19 so Barry will have you reminisce on how deprived we were to not be able to go to the cinema and have shared experiences with others. As a guest, Jenkins is frank with a sharp dryness in humour. You can tell that Brett is keen to engage and learn from Barry’s experience as a filmmaker. It is easy for people to assume that such a critically-acclaimed director would be pretentious, but Barry brings up films that the average filmgoer will recognise, like when he talks about how Terminator talked about topics that are still relevant in America today. Plus, Jenkins’s choice of the worst film ever made is, frankly, the best of all the answers people have given in this podcast’s canon. Listen on your podcast player >>

Pearl Mackie

Even Brett Goldstein said in this introduction that Pearl Mackie’s appearance is one of the greats. The former Doctor Who star and West End darling opens up about how she found Robin Hood incredibly foxy, and not just in the literal sense of the word! This episode brings a wide range of emotions: from talking about how Fruitvalle Station was the film that made her cry, and what it’s like to reflect on that film after George Floyd’s murder; to watching About Last Night with her friend, drinking multiple glasses of wine and laughing at Kevin Hart’s antics. This was recorded whilst people were receiving their Covid-19 vaccinations, and Pearl shares how her arm is aching post-jabbing, so this is also a great time capsule for podcasting amidst the pandemic. Listen on your podcast player >>

Will Poulter Live @ The BFI

When writing this, one of the episodes that immediately leapt out at me was one of the first live shows for the podcast with We’re the Millers and Chronicles of Narnia star, Will Poulter, onstage at the BFI. Brett Goldstein is in his element showing his comedic prowess, to the audience’s delight. Will Poulter demonstrates his thoughtfulness and generosity as he asks to donate his appearance fee to a charity of Brett’s choosing. There are fascinating conversations taking place, like Brett and Will’s distaste for ‘method acting’, and what it was like to fence with a CGI mouse. Additionally, there is a fun faux pas with Will Poulter saying Titanic was the sexiest film of all time, and Brett interpreting it as Will’s ‘safe word’ to stop talking about it. The flow of the chat is smooth, hilarious and insightful, and is my personal highlight of the podcast. Listen on your podcast player >>

Nish Kumar

Nish Kumar may as well be the co-host of the podcast judging by the number of times he has contributed – here is where it all started. Since this episode, Brett and Nish started annually reviewing the top films of 2019, 2020 and 2021, and I will not be surprised if Nish is brought back for another ‘Judgement Day’ (the name of episodes where previous guests can come back a third time!). Of course, Nish and Brett’s conversation is hilarious and enthusiastic about movies, and what brought audiences to this joyous podcast. However, across this catalogue, Brett has remained the beating heart of the show, and why listeners keep coming back. Listen on your podcast player >>

To learn more about Brett Goldstein, his love of podcasts, and his show read our interview in Issue 23 of the Pod Bible Magazine now!

What’s your favourite episode of Films To Be Buried With? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!