Mark Kermode, also known as The Good Doctor and Number 75, is an English film critic who has a segment every Friday on Simon Mayo's BBC Radio Five Live show. For those of us not in the UK, the radio broadcast is also released as a podcast that is roughly 80 minutes long and shorter clips of individual reviews are put up on youtube. Kermode also has a video blog called Kermode Uncut.
One of the most enjoyable aspects about the podcast is how very intelligent the reviews are. Kermode has a PhD in English from Manchester and wrote his thesis on modern horror fiction. While he can occasionally come off a bit pompous, it is his educated and well spoken manner that makes Kermode's rants so utterly delightful. Even when I disagree with him, Kermode's rants are still a thing of beauty. The podcast would not be nearly as enjoyable without them.
It is also very refreshing to see such a vocal feminist in the media, especially a male one. Mark Kermode is a genuine feminist and it shows in almost every review. He is very quick to point out misogyny or homophobia in films and always takes filmmakers to task for it.
The icing on the Kermode shaped cake is that he also plays the base in the skiffle quartet The Dodge Brothers. Recently they have been touring and playing a live accompaniment to silent films, including one gig where the silent film was projected by an eight bicycle powered projector.
Additionally the man knows how to rock a Quiff like no other.
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