Podcasts

James Cameron-Wilson looks at the new leader of the UK box office, Aquaman, disappointed that it beat Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse to the top slot, a movie he considers far superior. He is less than impressed with Mortal Engines, debuting at #5. He points out that while only 4 films made over £40m in UK cinemas last year, this year over 8 have exceeded that take with overall attendance the highest since 1971. James also has a look at the nominations announced for the London Film Critics Circle awards.

Steve Caplin looks back at some of the most notable gadgets & gizmos of 2018. He reminds us of some of the tech disasters, looks at some of his favourite gadgets and highlights some impressive innovations. So, as well as the council that forgot to ask itself for planning permission for charging benches, we get jet suits, printed food, car windows for blind passengers, self-parking slippers, edible QR codes, contactless buskers and, of course, cuboid wombat poo's implications for manufacturing.

Nobody can escape the Brexit bedlam that has been playing out before our eyes, especially in the last week. In between backstops, trade deals, Norway, contempt of parliament, no-confidence, withdrawing withdrawal votes… what is really going on? Editor Simon Lambert, assistant editor Lee Boyce and host Georgie Frost discuss Brexit in the latest This is Money podcast. Are we going to leave? Should we really have a second referendum and can you do anything to Brexit-proof your cash? We talk it all through in our Brexit special. Outside the Brexit bubble, we look into those DNA self-testing kits being plugged by a number of firms as the perfect Christmas gift – could you get more than you bargained for? Simon reveals the best and worst performing funds of 2018 so far, in Top of the Pops fashion and Lee runs down the clever apps from challengers looking to encourage the savings habit.

Want to keep up with the latest earnings updates from the States? Well join Chris Hill and the Motley Fool Radio Show team here on Share Radio, direct from Washington DC, for news, views and analysis of the US stocks that matter. In this week's show: Johnson & Johnson falls on health concerns over the company’s baby powder; Under Armour gets a rough reception after its investor day; And Starbucks announces plans to deliver coffee in the U.S. and double its store count in China; Analysts Andy Cross, Ron Gross, and Jason Moser discuss those stories and the latest from Adobe Systems, Markel, and Casey’s General Stores; Plus, CNBC host Carl Quintanilla previews 2019 and talks cannabis, Facebook, and General Electric.

In this week's podcast, we were joined by the IEA's Head of Political Economy, Kristian Niemietz, the author of a recent paper which ventures into the realm of fiction to examine the fundamental flaws of socialism. Kristian and Editorial Manager Madeline Grant discuss the popular meme that socialism is a great idea in theory, but only fails due to bad implementation, or corrupt officials - as advocated by trendy millennial socialists today. Kristian debunks this idea, but explores how it has been extremely influential in art, culture and fiction over the last century. We look at why it has proven so compelling, and whether free marketeers need to do more to make the moral and philosophical case for capitalism - as well as arguing on raw economic grounds.

Adam talks to business psychology coach Chris Richards about how the right beliefs can help make you good with money and successful in business and conversely other beliefs can sabotage any attempt to do well. They look at why the truth of beliefs is less important than if they are useful and how it’s possible to change beliefs that are limiting.

Political commentator Mike Indian, author of The Groucho Tendency blog, looks back over a momentous few days in British politics. He discusses the Meaningful Vote that never was and the vote of no confidence in Theresa May as Conservative leader. Whither Brexit, now, though Will the ECJ ruling on Article 50 be used. Is another referendum or general election on the cards and, if the former, what could possibly be on the ballot paper?

James Cameron-Wilson looks at the UK box office, discussing new films The Old Man & the Gun, Sorry To Bother You and Tulip Fever, adversely affected by its links with Harvey Weinstein. As James points out, two movies - Spiderman: Into the Spider-verse and Mortal Engines - don't even show up in the figures. He also reviews for home release the French film The Workshop, which he recommends strongly.

If you're searching for Christmas gift ideas, Steve Caplin has suggestions from the sublime to the utterly ridiculous, from the cheap to the eye-wateringly expensive. Tripods, tyre inflators, exploding air rifle targets, cassette players, bluetooth buttons, sock clips, ipod stands for watching video in bed, an impressively powerful phone charger and even an underwater villa to stay in in the Maldives.