Standard Issue Podcast

With the New Year approaching, some of us will be thinking about resolutions for the year ahead. Not Laura Tristram, founder of new app, Lumii Life, an AI-powered mental health companion, who believes that shaming ourselves into “better” behaviours is never the way forward.Jen caught up with Laura to talk about how New Year’s resolutions can actually be bad for our mental health, why we should treat ourselves with compassion, and what led her to found Lumii Life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's our second revisit of a classic festive Rated or Dated and this time it's picked by Jen. How did 1990's Home Alone stand up when we watched it all the way back in 2020? Ahh, 2020. I'd say happy days, but you know... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're having a week off, so here's a classic from the Rated or Dated files. But what did Mickey, Jen and Hannah make of Richard Curtis's 2003 Christmas offering? You can probably guess, but if you haven't, it's probably best not to listen with your Nan while you're prepping the sprouts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the last Outside The Box of 2024, we've been watching Say Nothing, Shetland, Until I Kill You, The Day of the Jackal, Bad Sisters, Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light, Mrs Davies and, you've guessed it, more Attenborough, in the form of Asia.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christmas classic or RSPCA headache? Chris Columbus and Joe Dante’s creature feature had a lot of input from one Steven Spielberg and it shows. But will this horror/comedy/action combo for kids still surprise and delight Mick, Hannah and Jen? Is Gizmo still a charming little nugget? Are the gremlins mischievous, anarchic fun or irritating? And WHEN THE HELL IS BREAKFAST? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr Laura James ND specialises in naturopathic breast oncology and is on a mission to get breast cancer recognised as a feminist issue. That means her approach to breast cancer is holistic – imagine that, she takes the whole woman into consideration. Her argument is compelling and in this episode she’s explaining to our Mick how a breast cancer diagnosis pretty much always shines a light on the existing challenges women face.Laura has also created a line of products for women who have or have had breast cancer, which you’ll find at bestforbreast.com, with all profits going to breast cancer services. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s Hannah, Yosra and Mick’s final review of a film of 2023, and Hannah’s picked another celebrated “feminist” movie from that year. Neither Poor Things nor Barbie impressed us much, so the pressure’s on for Justine Triet’s awards-bothering legal drama, Anatomy of a Fall. Will Sandra Hüller impress as a woman on trial after the sudden death of her husband? Will young Milo Machado-Graner’s acting chops blow us away as Daniel? Is Messi the French Border Collie more than just a “good boy” as Snoop? And why are we all sporting the heads of Labrador puppies? Find out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we're watching Fathers for Justice blueprint and Oscar-nabbing weepathon, Kramer vs. Kramer. But how up to date will Jen and Hannah find the sexual politics? What will they make of Dustin Hoffman's method acting? And how much will Hannah want to give Meryl Streep a hug? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ultra-runner and delightful human Sabrina Verjee loves a crazy adventure. She held the overall record for the 325-mile circuit of the Wainwrights between June 2021 and May 2022, and also held the female record for the Pennine Way between September 2020 to August 2021. On December 21, she’s about to take on a new challenge, running the 100-mile trail of Lakes, Meres and Waters in honour of legendary fell-runner Joss Naylor. Jen caught up with her to talk about loving a challenge, how much sleep is not enough sleep, and whether women are allowed to be adventurers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New BBC audio drama Purple Heart Warriors is about some of the Second World War's least talked about soldiers, the Japanese Americans of the 442nd. We all know Hannah is fascinated by war stories, but not everyone is, so she's asking director Jessica Dromgoole about how you make a story like this accessible to everyone, and what it tells us about war, loyalty, immigration and much more.* Purple Heart Warriors starts on the BBC World Service on December 11 and the whole series will be available to listen to on BBC Sounds from December 9.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices