At the Movies (Australian TV program)

History

The program, which began in mid-2004, is a continuation of the pair's earlier program The Movie Show, which aired on SBS One from 1986 to 2004. The pair left SBS after expressing dissatisfaction with high-level decisions.

The weekly half-hour program consists of film reviews and discussions as well as interviews with cast and crew members. The hosts also occasionally broadcast from film events such as the Cannes Film Festival.

The pair's 25 years of presenting film reviews on television was celebrated in a special show on 26 October 2011, filmed before an audience and special guests, hosted by Cate Blanchett and Geoffrey Rush.

On 16 September 2014, Stratton and Pomeranz announced they would be retiring at the end of the 2014 series. The final episode aired on 9 December 2014, and Stratton and Pomeranz said farewell to over 700,000 viewers, making it one of the most-watched season finales on the ABC in the history of the station.

5-star films

Only seven films have achieved a perfect 5-star rating by both Pomeranz and Stratton.

• Good Night, and Good Luck
• Brokeback Mountain
• No Country for Old Men
• Samson and Delilah
• A Separation
• Amour
• Birdman or (the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

In the previous SBS format, several films achieved 5 stars from both Margaret and David, including films such as Goodfellas, The Thin Red Line, Schindler's List, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Aliens, Eyes Wide Shut, Russian Ark, The Thin Blue Line, Evil Angels, Return Home, The Piano,* Lantana,* and Three Colours: Red.

In other media

Pomeranz and Stratton both appeared in a parody of themselves and At the Movies in the fourth episode of the ABC show Lawrence Leung's Choose Your Own Adventure. They have also appeared in the ABC shows The Chaser's War on Everything, Review with Myles Barlow, Good Game and Dance Academy. Pomeranz has also appeared in recurring spoofs of the show on The Weekly with Charlie Pickering. In December 2020, they appeared in a spoof YouTube video reviewing the year 2020. Around 2006 Hopscotch Entertainment released a DVD Margaret & David at the Movies interactive quiz, hosted by Stratton and Pomeranz, containing around 1500 film-based questions (and answers), with list of rules and scoresheet.

In 2025, Alexei Toliopoulos and Zachary Ruane will be touring a comedy stage show Refused Classification based upon Margaret and David's historical legal battles surrounding film censorship, focusing in particular on their relation to Ken Park.

References

References

1. [http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/arts/the-david-and-margaret-show/story-e6frg8n6-1226163130634 "The David and Margaret show"] by [[Graeme Blundell]], ''[[The Australian]]'' (15 October 2011)
2. (16 September 2014). "Margaret Pomeranz and David Stratton roll end credits on 28-year film review partnership; ''At The Movies'' will not return to ABC in 2015". ABC News.
3. [http://mumbrella.com.au/movies-wraps-726000-metro-viewers-267062 "At The Movies wraps with bumper 726,000 metro viewers"] by Dan Robbins, ''Mumbrella'' (5 July 2015)
4. "Five-star movies". [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]].
5. (January 2009). "''The Thin Red Line''". [[Special Broadcasting Service.
6. (16 February 1994). "Schindler's List: Review". [[Special Broadcasting Service.
7. (January 2009). "2001: A Space Odyssey". [[Special Broadcasting Service.
8. (6 November 1986). "Aliens: Review". [[Special Broadcasting Service.
9. (January 2009). "Eyes Wide Shut Review".
10. (27 April 2003). "''Russian Ark review: One-take wonder is a most amazing achievement''". [[Special Broadcasting Service.
11. (28 June 1989). "The Thin Blue Line: Review".
12. "Evil Angels". SBS Movies.
13. "Return Home". SBS Movies.
14. "The Piano: Review". SBS Movies.
15. (2016-09-13). "What Margaret and David say about 500 Oz Movies". ozflicks.
16. "Three Colours Red: Review".
17. [http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2009/04/choose-your-own-margaret-david.html "Choose your own Margaret & David"] by David Knox, TVtonight (12 April 2009)
18. "''The Chaser's War on Everything'', season 2, episode 17, at 15:31".
19. "Margaret & David Review '2020' – YouTube".
20. "Refused Classification {{!}} Melbourne International Comedy Festival".
21. "Instagram".