Stay ConnectedBecome a Paid Subscriber and get bonus podcasts: https://anchor.fm/nowplayingpodcast/subscribe
Three playful movie reviewers break down a variety of film franchises by dedicating a podcast to every single sequel, reboot, and spin-off in a series. In-depth conversations cover production history, literary sources, gossip, merchandising, and personal opinion with humor and critical insight. No cinematic universe is too obscure or sacred! Over 1,200 reviews at http://nowplayingpodcast.com
Copyright: © Venganza Media, Inc.
Would you dream of reading 300 pages about the actor who played Freddy?
This year the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise turns 40 years old, and Now Playing host Arnie has been celebrating all month by revisiting the classic slasher series. As part of that personal retrospective he has read and reviewed Freddy Krueger star Robert Englund's 2009 autobiography: Hollywood Monster: A Walk Down Elm Street with the Man of Your Dreams. Does Englund dream up new tales to entertain people who have been fans for decades? Is there more to the man than just the makeup? You can find out by hearing Arnie's bonus Halloween book review now!
Knull in Void
Tom Hardy has a Last Dance with his shadow self Venom as the symbiotic pair hot step across the country evading Chewitel Ejiofer (Serenity) and alien enthusiast Juno Temple (Ted Lasso) in the trilogy’s 2024 conclusion. Is there something extra about the black ooze E.T. that makes him a target for both the US military and imprisoned space elf Andy Serkis? And are the bickering fugitives better off locked up in Area 51 rather than trying to get from a Mexican dive bar to a Lady Liberty photo op with a pack of monsters on their tail? Listen and Find Out Now!
Bad To The Lucky Bone
Who is The Crooked Man who dares to make a Hellboy sequel without Ron Perlman, Guillermo del Toro, or even David Harbour? Why it’s creator Mike Mignola, bringing his original comic book vision of the character to the screen for the first time! But did the titular phantom steal all the coins from the production budget, leaving new star Jack Kesy (Baywatch) looking red from embarrassment at the threadbare special effects and creature designs? Find out if Crank director Brian Taylor gives the franchise the shot of adrenaline it needs when you Listen Now!
The Lost Boys
Stephen King’s 1975 vampire novel Salem’s Lot won’t stay dead, coming back for a fourth time as a 2024 feature film exclusively on Max. So why did the studio lock this new effort from producer James Wan (The Conjuring) and writer/director Gary Dauberman (It Chapters 1 & 2) in a crypt for three years before exposing it to the light of day? And would they have more luck changing the title and peddling it as a remake of The Sandlot, given how much focus is put on 11-year-old boys at play? Listen Now to learn if the end results are Pennywise or dollar foolish.
Born This Way
Joaquin Phoenix indulges in a Folie A Deux (aka “Madness of Two”) by restaging the Joker sequel as a musical duet with psycho fangirl Lady Gaga. Will the jury in his high-profile murder trial plug their ears once this incarcerated clown starts singing his defense in full makeup? Or can lawyer Catherine Keener (Get Out) convince them that Arthur Fleck suffers from multiple personality disorder and never wanted to dance with the Devil in the pale moonlight as Gotham City burned? Listen Now to find out if director Todd Phillips leaves the hosts crying or smiling.
I’d still take 8 years of civil war over 8 hours at the DMV
Rosario Dawson (Ahsoka) attempts to mend her broken family and America’s political divide in a post-apocalyptic Demilitarized Zone (aka DMZ) formerly known as Manhattan. Can she break the influence that tyrannical baby daddy Benjamin Bratt (Catwoman) has on their graffiti artist son Freddy Miyares (When They See Us) by backing political rival Hoon Lee (Banshee)? And can director Ava DuVernay (Selma) take an obscure DC/Vertigo comic book from 2005 and find new political relevance for today’s streaming audience? Eyes Forward Love to find out now!
Roll Models
The story of Autobots and Decepticons begins with the 2024 animated epic Transformers One. What makes lowly miner droid Orion Pax (Chris Hemsworth) so optimistic that he will find the Matrix of Leadership and lead his cog-less peers to a new destiny on the surface of Cybertron? And how does his friendship with bestie Brian Tyree Henry (Into The Spider-Verse) transform into such a bitter rivalry? Listen Now to find out how well Hasbro incorporates Scarlett Johansson, Jon Hamm, Keegan-Michael Key, and Steve Buscemi into their iconic toy line.
The Silence of the Low Men
Stephen King tries his hand at touching coming-of-age drama with the 2001 adaptation of Hearts In Atlantis. So why are the Now Playing Podcast hosts so terrified by the stranger danger posed to 11-year-old Anton Yelchin (Star Trek) by neighbor Anthony Hopkins? Is single mother Hope Davis (American Splendor) smart to leave her son unsupervised with this supernatural tenant and trust that his fatherly lessons in gambling and kissing girls won’t get the pair into trouble with the FBI agents swarming small town Connecticut? Listen Now, and don’t miss a minute of it.
”I’m Ready for My Close-Up, Mr. Murnau”
The silent movie Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror may be a counterfeit version of Dracula, but it boasts the most authentic undead performance in cinema history, according to Shadow of the Vampire. Has director John Malkovich made a pact with the devil by casting actual bloodsucker Willem Dafoe as his lead actor? And will co-stars Catherine McCormack (Braveheart) and Eddie Izzard (Ocean’s 13), along with crew Cary Elwes (Saw) and Udo Kier (Andy Warhol’s Dracula), be sacrificed in the artistic pursuit of ultimate realism? “Iris In” and Find Out Now!
Little Miss Sunset
Six kidnappers abduct Abigail in a get-rich-quick scheme that backfires once they realize the wee ballerina is Dracula’s Daughter. Can ex-junkie Melissa Berrera (Scream), bad cop Dan Stevens (Legion), hacker Kathryn Newton (Quantumania), wheelman Angus Cloud (Euphoria), muscle Kevin Durand (Locke & Key), and sniper William Catlett (Black Lightning) find a way out of this babysitting bloodbath? And does directing team Radio Silence revive the Universal Monsters brand better than the recent Renfield and Last Voyage of the Demeter? Listen Now!
My Body, Main Course
Will it be another cannibal holocaust for tweeting college activists after their 2015 plane ride crashes into the very same Green Inferno that Ruggero Deodato documented in his notorious 1980 found footage shocker? Director Eli Roth (Thanksgiving) certainly isn’t letting these social justice warriors off any hooks or impaling sharp objects as they attempt to live-stream a stand-off between an oil company destroying the rainforest and a local tribe of headhunters. Find out if Final Girl Lorenza Izzo, and the Now Playing hosts, can withstand the abuse now.
No Animals Weren’t Harmed In The Making Of This Movie
Four documentary filmmakers disappear into the “green inferno” of the Amazon rainforest and end up the main dish in a Cannibal Holocaust. But will the recovered footage of their final moments in the jungle actually prove that modern-day Americans are the real savages? And why is porn star Robert Kerman the only one arguing that snuff films shouldn’t air on prime-time television? Find out if Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob taste like chickens as they dish on Italian splatter director Ruggero Deodato’s notorious 1980 found footage landmark Listen Now!
Custodians of the Galaxy
Cate Blanchett steps away from her Oscar bait prestige pictures to go vault hunting with fellow Academy Award winner Jamie Lee Curtis in a s***hole adaptation of Borderlands. Is Barbie tyke Ariana Greenblatt the key to opening up this blockbuster video game franchise to mass movie audiences accustomed to a less filthy Pandora planet? And will funnyman Kevin Hart get short with Jack Black’s wise-cracking robot for stealing all the one-liners? Listen Now to learn if Thanksgiving director Eli Roth has a prayer of making a sequel to this costly Arcade effort.
Echidna not, we’re back in the Now Playing Arcade
Those schmucks Stuart, Justin, and Arnie tried taking an extended break from video game movies but are finally ready to knuckle down and review the hit Sonic The Hedgehog miniseries that broke Paramount Plus streaming records in 2024. Can Idris Elba punch his way into the hardened hearts of the hosts as he trains klutzy deputy Adam Paley to crush the competition at a Reno bowling tournament? Or does the spin-off screech to a halt without movie stars Jim Carey and James Marsden in the picture? Enjoy a Knuckles sandwich when you Listen Now!
At last, we get the live-action remake of Fox and the Hound.
Ryan Reynolds makes a big gambit to save the MCU from the Phase Four doldrums by reviving Hugh Jackman and the rest of 20th Century Fox’s stable of discarded superheroes for a 2024 blowout. But will Disney prune Deadpool & Wolverine from the sacred timeline once the vulgar assassin and his cranky man crush start letting blood and R-rated words fly? Maybe audiences are okay with Professor X’s twin sister Emma Corrin (The Crown) wiping out everything that’s happened since Endgame? Skate uphill with MFs Jakob, Stuart, and Arnie to find out now!
Cloudy With A Chance of Meatheads
Glen Powell (Top Gun: Maverick) might shoot fireworks into tornadoes for free on YouTube, but Universal Pictures insists that storm chasers return to the big screen to enjoy the 2024 sequel Twisters. Does sensitive scientist Daisy Edgar-Jones (Where The Crawdads Sing) have the solution to taming these lethal cyclones? Or are her sidekicks Anthony “Hamilton” Ramos and David “Superman” Cornenswet actually profiting from Oklahoma small towns being hit by natural disasters? Listen Now as the hosts put their spin on this second installment!
Funnel of Love
Bill Paxton (Aliens) and Helen Hunt (TV’s Mad About You) rekindle their whirlwind romance as they tail tornadoes across Oklahoma in the 1996 blockbuster Twister. Will rival storm chaser Cary Elwes (Princess Bride) rain on their parade by being the first to test new technology that sees inside a cyclone? And does this unlikely marriage between Speed director Jan de Bont, Jurassic Park author Michael Crichton, and producer Steven Spielberg still hold water 28 years later? Find out if Jakob, Stuart, and Arnie consider this an F5 disaster when you Listen Now!
My Heart Will Go On (but my franchise won’t)
Sandra Bullock does her best to keep a Caribbean vacation liner afloat after leech-covered psycho Willem Dafoe wires her boat to Speed 2 collision with an oil tanker in this infamous 1997 sequel. Does director Jan De Bont jump a shark trying to engage Cruise Control and sail this doomed voyage into familiar commercial waters? And did the mega-expensive production hit the metaphorical ice
Uneasy Riders
Keanu Reeves has to keep the Speed of a Los Angeles city bus above 50 mph, or he’ll set off another bomb planted by madman Dennis Hopper in the surprise blockbuster of Summer 1994. Should passenger Sandra Bullock be trusted to take the wheel and avoid all the oncoming gridlock and freeway construction when she can’t keep her eyes off her hunky co-star? And how did this modestly budgeted action flick become cinematographer Jan De Bont’s ticket to a big-time Hollywood directing career? You pay no fare to hear the answers to this pop quiz now.
The Cane Mutiny
Stephen King turned ABC-TV into the Weather Channel with his three-night prime-time event: Storm of the Century. But record snowfall and gale-force winds are just a tempest in a teapot compared to the destruction caused by Colm Feore (Thor) upon arrival on a quaint Maine island. Can Tim Daly stop the future Frost Giant from terrorizing his community with more success than Wings co-star Steven Weber, who played Jack Torrence in the network’s previous King miniseries The Shining? Listen Now as Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart give you what you want!
Deep Throat Slashes
Mia Goth has got that X factor that Now Playing Podcast likes in a Scream Queen, so our Summer 2024 Platinum Donation Drive features the horror trilogy she made with director Ti West (House of the Devil). What happens when our aspiring star tries to shoot an amateur porno at a Texas farm without the Bible-thumping landowners finding out? Is dotty old Pearl (also played by Goth) oblivious to the hanky panky going on in her barn, or just waiting for the right moment to step into the spotlight and make things juicy? Donate Now to get the uncensored podcast today.
A Tree Grows On Brosnan
Pierce Brosnan retires from James Bond duties to write books for Stephen King in the 2011 cable miniseries Bag of Bones. But is the ghost haunting his New England cottage his recently killed wife (Haunting of Hill House’s Annabeth Gish), or a blues singer (Dreamgirls’ Anika Noni Rose) still cursing locals for wrongs received back in the 1930s? And does Mick Garris (The Stand) have anything in his bag of directing tricks to help this quiet story of grief and writer’s block take root as a TV ratings event? Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart spell it out for you now!
He’s the DJ, I’m the Slapper
Oscar viewers might’ve turned on Will Smith, but Martin Lawrence is still Ride Or Die for 2022’s Best Actor winner as the long-time co-stars head into a fourth Bad Boys adventure together. Can the Miami cops clear the name of dearly departed captain Joe Pantoliano (Matrix) after he’s linked to drug cartel money? And is this duo ready for retirement now that eternal playboy Mike Lowery has found a wife and Marcus Burnett keeps having heart palpitations over his snack food diet? Use the password SKITTLES89 to download this podcast and Find Out Now!
The Scribe Who Loved Me
Henry Cavill may never get to be 007, but he’s tailor-made for a stylish 2024 Kingsman spin-off from Matthew Vaughn. Is his literary superspy Argylle a stunningly accurate predictor of real-life geo-political events, or merely the invention of lovelorn novelist Bryce Dallas Howard (Jurassic World)? And what happens when man-in-chair Sam Rockwell lets the cat out of the bag and exposes Sam Jackson, Bryan Cranston, and Catherine O’Hara to be part of a network of powerful secret agents? Find out if Manners Maketh the Manuscript when you Listen Now!
We Don’t Need Another Hardy
Director George Miller crafts the fifth installment of his Mad Max Saga into an origin story for one-armed trucker Furiosa. Anya Taylor-Joy (Queen’s Gambit) takes the wheel from Charlize Theron to guide audiences from her green homeworld of Many Mothers to the sandy turf wars between Immortan Joe (Lachy Hulme) and new baddie Dementus (Chris Hemsworth). But is it wise for the 79-year-old creator to travel down his Fury Road without series icon Tom Hardy in the driver’s seat? Witness Jakob, Stuart, and Arnie make it epic with another podcast review.
Bye Bye Birdie
Brandon Lee returns from the grave through the power of The Crow to bring vengeance upon the Detroit punks who ruined his Halloween wedding. But can director Alex Proyas (Dark City) deliver a gritty comic book vision on par with Tim Burton’s Batman after an on-set tragedy prevented his star from completing this 1994 action flick? And how much help does the undead vigilante receive from ghostbuster Ernie Hudson, skater girl Rochelle Davis, and alt-rockers Stone Temple Pilots, Nine Inch Nails, and The Cure? Donate for Silver Level to find out now!
Killers Of the Woodpecking Loon
Alaqua Cox leaves New York City to reinvent herself as a Native American superhero, but that won’t stop her bad deeds in Hawkeye from coming back on her like an Echo. Can Maya Lopez restore honor to her Choctaw ancestors by baiting her abusive surrogate father, Kingpin (Vincent D’Onofrio), into a rematch on Oklahoma home soil? And does the deaf character’s preference to let action speak louder than words translate into the bloodiest Disney+ effort yet? Hear what Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart think about this 2024 MCU miniseries when you Listen Now
The End of the Road
Danny Glover might be too old for Lethal Weapon, but he’s still hip enough to monetize Death Race 4, a new generation turning to the Dark Web for pay-per-view entertainment. But should gambler Danny Trejo bet on longshot action star Zach McGowan (Agents of SHIELD) to outmaneuver champion driver Frankenstein on this new prison roadway? And does Beyond Anarchy go beyond the craziness of Roger Corman’s original movie by giving grotesques like Matilda the Hun and Nazi Bastard a shot at the crown? 100 points to the first to Listen Now!
Ford Vs Kalahari
Convict Luke Goss hits a speed bump on his road to freedom after Death Race 3 relocates the masked driver and his pit crew to a perilous African penitentiary. Can mechanic Danny Trejo pimp Frankenstein’s Mustang so that it withstands the sweltering Inferno of the desert, makes it through sandy terrain and hostile shantytowns, and beats ten other well-armed vehicles to the finish line? And what are the odds that CEO Ving Rhames will steal back this ratings juggernaut from devious corporate raider Dougray Scott (Mission: Impossible II)? Listen and find out now!
The Gangrene Mile
Long before Jason Statham strapped on a metal mask and drove a monstrous Mustang around a penitentiary track, bank robber Luke Goss (Hellboy 2) got fans of reality TV bloodsport revving their engines in the 2011 prequel Death Race 2. But do CEO Ving Rhames (Pulp Fiction) and femme fatale producer Lauren Cohen (Walking Dead) have enough money in their streaming budget to turn shank fights in the prison yard into epic demolition derby carnage? Find out if Danny Trejo and Sean Bean give this franchise a satisfying tune-up when you Listen Now!
It’s the end of the World as we know it…
… but host Stuart feels fine about wrapping up his six-podcast exploration of Frank Herbert’s epic science fiction saga with a look at the final novel, Chapterhouse Dune. Is the Bene Gesserit homeworld the perfect place to restart a worm farm after the wicked Honored Matres destroyed the original Arrakis deserts? Find out if the beef between the two most powerful Sisterhoods in the universe can be squashed when you Listen to the latest Now Playing Book Review.
The Ride of Frankenstein
Jason Statham and Tyrese hone their Fast & Furious driving skills as director Paul WS Anderson (Resident Evil) reinstates Roger Corman’s campy bloodsport Death Race as a grim 2008 prison flick. Can a pit crew run by Ian McShane (Deadwood) help a wrongly convicted auto racer stay alive for all three days of the obstacle course, and get revenge on the villain actually responsible for killing Statham’s wife? And what did Oscar darling Joan Allen ever do to wind up in movie jail playing the evil warden? The race for answers starts now!
Make America Race Again
Roger Corman re-stages his cinematic Death Race a half-century after ruling the drive-ins of the 1970s. But can new Frankenstein Manu Bennett (The Hobbit) keep pace with his 2050 competition, which includes a pugilistic pop star, a religious zealot from Texas, a genetically altered himbo, and an AI-powered driverless car? And does the fascism of Chairman Malcolm McDowell (Clockwork Orange) resemble the politics of anyone we know in 2017? Strap on your VR helmet and join fast-talking hosts Jakob, Stuart, and Brock to find out now!
Road Kill Bill
David Carradine risks life and limb to become the most celebrated driver of Death Race 2000. But does this automotive Frankenstein actually score more points with peace-loving rebels once he starts mowing down the folks responsible for this freeway carnage and avoids hitting women and children crossing the post-apocalyptic streets? And how much mileage do Sylvester Stallone (a year before Rocky) and Martin Kove (Karate Kid) add to their careers by taking Roger Corman’s armored go-karts into theaters four years before Mad Max? Find Out Now!
How many licked Titans does it take to get to the center of Hollow Earth?
Rebecca Hall (Iron Man 3) and her Monarch scientists know it’s a bad idea to bring together Godzilla x Kong after their 2021 showdown. But somebody has got to stop a giant ape named Skar King and his captive ice dragon, Shimo, from creating a New Empire that freezes out humanity. Can Titan veterinarian Dan Stevens (Downton Abbey), paranoid podcaster Brian Tyree Henry (Eternals), and Skull Island survivor Kaylee Hottle improve our odds? Find out as Jakob, Arnie, and Stuart return to the MonsterVerse. Listen Now!
The Comeback of the Original Spice Girls
Stuart is back airing his blasphemous opinions about Frank Herbert’s Dune-verse with a podcast review of fifth installment Heretics of Dune, Things have gotten Scattered in the time since the wormy God Emperor left the throne. Find out how a new generation of Bene Gesserit and Atreides descendants are faring on the rebranded desert planet. Listen Now!
Call Me By Your Mouse
Emperor Christopher Walken and Harkonnen hardasses Dave Bautista (Guardians of the Galaxy) and Austin Butler (Elvis) are ready to turn the page on House Atreides as Part 2 of Denis Villeneuve’s Dune adaptation gets underway. Can vengeful Timothee Chalamet worm his way into the heart of cynical Zendaya, and convince the indigenous people of Arrakis to follow their messiah into an interplanetary war? And why does Josh Brolin always seem to have his hand on a weapon of mass destruction? Find Out when you Listen Now to this epic podcast!
NYPD Blue Balls
Eight months before starring as Al Bundy on Married… With Children, Ed O’Neill tried to keep pace with Gene Hackman in a TV spin-off of French Connection. Did NBC execs cancel this potential 1986 series because gruff narcotics detective Popeye Doyle was still murdering folks and violating civil liberties like it’s 1971? Or is the bigger problem that a future sitcom shoe salesman would rather sit on his ass watching sex tapes of Audrey Landers (Dallas) than chase down crooks? Find out if this failed pilot solves the Middle East crisis when you Listen Now!
He’s strong til the finish, cause he eats his spinach (and stopped shooting heroin), he’s Popeye the Jailer Man!
Gene Hackman crosses the pond to catch The Frog that avoided capture during a big time U.S. drug bust in the 1975 sequel French Connection II. But will it be any easier to find Fernando Rey on his home turf when the New York cop doesn’t speak the language and Marseilles police don’t condone his brutal investigative methods? And can fill-in director John Frankenheimer (Manchurian Candidate) replicate the adrenalized rush of the original car chases when so many characters are strung out on smack? You’ll know the score when you Listen Now!
Sadly, not the same Frog who hooked you up with a Rainbow Connection
Director William Friedkin (The Exorcist) pioneers ‘70s buddy cop formula with his five-time Oscar-winning breakout film The French Connection. Has all that foot-picking in Poughkeepsie prepared crass New York City cops Gene Hackman (Superman) and Roy Scheider (Jaws) for the amount of legwork required to catch heroin smuggler Fernando Rey? And are the filmmakers the biggest criminals of all with their blatant disregard for bystander safety and traffic laws while shooting a legendary high-speed car chase? Listen and Find Out!
The sleeper has awakened.
Stuart invites readers and sci-fi fans to follow him inside the wormhole once more as he renews his mission to cover Frank Herbert’s entire Dune literary saga. Find out what happens to Paul Atreides and his family after the movies stop, and son Leto II is proclaimed God Emperor of Dune in the pages of a mind-expanding fourth novel. Things get spicy when you Listen Now!
Closing Time
Tom Hiddleston keeps on slippin’ slippin’ into the future (as well as 19th Century Chicago) in the concluding season of his Disney+ series Loki. Can Oscar winner Ke Huy Quon stop the Norse God from glitching everywhere all at once by making dramatic repairs to the space loom that weaves time together? And will Jonathan Majors remain an ongoing MCU presence after being convicted of offscreen villainy, or must Owen Wilson and the TVA Minutemen purge the actor from official Marvel canon? Don’t waste a second looking for the answers. Just listen now!
Insects & The City
Dakota Johnson is clairvoyant EMT Madame Web, the only one who sees a future for marginal Spider-Man characters starring in their own Sony features. Can the fashionista paramedic protect a trio of teenage girls, including Sydney Sweeney (White Lotus), from toxic “ceiling guy” Tahar Rahim? And does the presence of Adam Scott (Severance) in this ambulance mean the actress is less than 50 Shades from Aunt May? Find out if Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart will perform the compressions to bring this DOA superhero flick back to life when you Listen Now!
The Kingdom of the Club Girl Skulls
While under house arrest, Shia LaBeouf looks out Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window and finds more than meets the eye to David Morse (Green Mile) in the 2007 thriller Disturbia. But can the Transformers star find the physical proof that women are going missing next door if his ankle bracelet always rats out his location to Detective Viola Davis? And is mom Carrie-Anne Moss (The Matrix) or sexy new neighbor Sarah Roemer the next to vanish? Find out what capital improvements have been made in the half-century since Hitch’s original. Listen Now!
DePalma Does Hollywood
Director Brian DePalma (Carrie) reopens Rear Window 30 years later to give struggling actor Craig Wasson (A Nightmare on Elm Street 3) a peek at murder in the Hollywood Hills. Is the beautiful woman on the other end of his telescope the victim of a Peeping Tom killer wielding an oversized drill? Or is working girl Melanie Griffith playing a cruel prank on a man who likes to watch rather than take action? Find out if Alfred Hitchcock is spinning in his grave over the way his classy 1954 story of voyeurism has been turned into a sordid 1984 softcore flick when you Listen Now!
The Dog Who Knew Too Much
Photojournalist Jimmy Stewart breaks his leg in the line of duty and winds up stuck at the Rear Window of his Greenwich Village apartment, suspecting a neighbor of murder. But did his camera lens actually capture Perry Mason star Raymond Burr in the act of chopping up his wife? Or is the injured Peeping Tom merely projecting his marital anxieties about Grace Kelly onto another unhappy household? Join Jakob, Stuart, and Arnie as they stare deeply into Alfred Hitchcock’s 1954 tale of voyeurism and trace its ongoing influence on cinema. Listen Now!
Trading Places
Boris Karloff’s Universal Monster was thought dead but emerges from a scorching sulfuric bath looking like Lon Chaney Jr in the 1942 sequel Ghost of Frankenstein. Should this reanimated giant leave his besieged castle to hook up with a distantly related brain surgeon capable of ending his homicidal impulses? And would the creature be better swapping his criminal brain with the cranium of the kindly doctor he killed, the little girl he kidnapped, or the abnormal bean of devious Bela Lugosi? Find out if this fourth Frankenstein chapter is a gas. Listen Now!
Well, that’s one way to break a hung jury!
Boris Karloff ends his run as a Universal Monster by getting the Son of Frankenstein to perfect the electrical waves powering his reanimated body. But can the operation be considered a success if the green guy continues to leave a trail of corpses in his wake? And has Bela Lugosi become the real monster of the franchise as new assistant Ygor, despite doing nothing more sinister than playing encouraging flute tunes for his oversized friend? Listen Now as Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie debate whether this 1939 sequel restores honor to the Frankenstein name.
Wedding Crashers
Elsa Lanchester dons the most famous beehive hairdo in movie history to walk down the aisle with Boris Karloff in The Bride of Frankenstein. Can director James Whale marry his campy sense of humor with the unused parts of Mary Shelley’s darkly philosophical novel and create an even more outrageous 1935 sequel? And will the Monster finally give a piece of his mind to the madman who made him now that he’s gained the ability to talk? Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob request your attendance as they discuss one of cinema’s most unholy unions. Listen Now!
The Original Champion Bodybuilder
Lightning has struck Now Playing in 2024, prompting Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to have alive-ly debate about Frankenstein… starting with the Big Guy’s 1931 debut as a Universal Monster. Is Boris Karloff’s portrayal of an accidentally murderous reanimated corpse even more iconic than Bela Lugosi giving you the evil eye in his Dracula cape? And how dramatically did director James Whale amputate Mary Shelley’s source novel to breathe new life into this fable about a scientist playing God? Listen to how this classic creation was stitched together right now!
Spongebob No Chance
Jason Mamoa does his best to salvage The Lost Kingdom of DC’s Justice League saga in this deep-sixed 2023 sequel to Aquaman. Is estranged brother Patrick Wilson better off in jail than helping crustaceans like Dolph Lundgren cockblock Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and his Black Trident? And how big a barnacle is Amber Heard after all her unflattering court appearances? Nicole Kidman may have “come to this place for magic,” but does the heartbreak of watching her career sink with the Snyderverse really feel good in a place like this!? Find out now!
Squid Games
Alan Moore’s Watchmen disbanded in 1985, but their legacy lives on in a 2019 HBO miniseries where a Rorschach-inspired militia and the offspring of Ozymandias (Jeremy Irons) try to harness the power of Dr. Manhattan. Can Regina King (Jerry Maguire) prove both Black and Blue lives matter as her masked crime fighter works with Tim Blake Nelson, Don Johnson, and former Silk Spectre Jean Smart to find a cop killer? And will showrunner Damon Lindelof (Lost) take more risks than Zack Snyder in bringing the DC superheroes to the screen? Find out now!
Christmas with the Cranks
The walls are coming down on civilization’s last city as Patricia Clarkson (Green Mile) and her wicked scientists race the clock to extract The Death Cure from Maze Runner test subjects. How much blood will Dylan O”Brien have to spill to stop his infected friends Rosa Salazar and Thomas Brodie-Sangster (Phineas & Ferb) from becoming rage virus zombies? And is crank-y rebel leader Walton Goggins (Justified) any more of an ally than heavy Aidan Gillen (Game of Thrones)? Listen Now as Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob help you find your way to the trilogy’s end.
Here Comes The Hot Steppers
Dylan O’Brien and his Maze Runner friends leave the labyrinth only to find themselves navigating a charred landscape full of rage virus zombies in second chapter The Scorch Trials. Can Giancarlo Esposito (Mandalorian), Lili Taylor (Conjuring), and Barry Pepper (Saving Private Ryan) offer these kids sanctuary from wicked scientists wanting to milk their brains? And would our hero do better to stop chasing Kaya Scodelario and date infected pistol-packer Rosa Salazar (Bird Box) instead? These burning questions get answered when you Listen Now!
Thinking Outside The Box
Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart survived the harrowing gladiator matches of The Hunger Games only to stumble into a labyrinth of dangers in the 2014 adventure The Maze Runner. Can Teen Wolf star Dylan O’Brien decode the secrets tucked within these giant granite walls, and find an escape path for a marooned tribe of teenage boys? Or will this flight to freedom be thwarted by an army of biomechanical spiders, bully Will Poulter (aka Adam Warlock), or the arrival of a girl (Kaya Scodelario)? Listen Now as the hosts guide you through another YA dystopia.
The Town That Dreaded Markdowns
Director Eli Roth (Hostel) has a lot to be grateful for this Thanksgiving now that a decades-long mission to expand his Grindhouse joke trailer has finally blessed the multiplex. Will holiday viewers be delighted to dine on a 17-year-old turkey overstuffed with gorey kills and T&A exploitation? Say a prayer for Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob as they gobble up this 2023 horror-comedy.
Charlie’s Bangles
Brie Larson mixes it up for the sequel to her 2019 Captain Marvel debut by bringing estranged niece Teyonah Parris (WandaVision) and gushing fangirl Iman Vellani (Ms Marvel) into her 2023 Marvels adventure. Can the trio stop trading places long enough to thwart a hammer-wielding Kree (Zawe Ashton) from disrupting the Skrull peace negotiations? And have the years Sam Jackson spent assembling the Avengers prepared him for a mother-Flerken job herding cats in space? Listen to find out if Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob are annihilators of the MCU’s 33rd movie.
It’s Not Easy Being Green
Sam Jackson returns from the far corners of the cosmos to help extra-terrestrial bud Talos (Ben Mendelsohn) stop a Secret Invasion of Earth by shape-shifting Skrulls. Are White House envoy Don Cheadle and MI-6 agent Olivia Colman smart to discount the aged Avenger after he broke his promise to find these radicalized aliens a new planet to inhabit? And is Nick Fury keeping other surprises about his personal life, and his time in space, tucked underneath that eye patch? Listen Now as Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart expose the truth about this 2023 Disney+ miniseries!
Choke-E-Cheese and the Riflefire Explosion
Security guard Josh Hutcherson (Hunger Games) spends Five Nights At Freddy’s looking for the reason why his younger brother went missing back in the 1980s. Could the animatronic mascots of this condemned pizzeria be at the center of a string of unsolved child abductions? And will his socially awkward little sister be the next victim after having a sleepover with these rock and roll robots, and sketching their dark secrets out in crayon? Listen Now as Justin, Arnie, and Stuart suit up to spend Halloween inside the Now Playing Arcade.
The Coyote of Wall Street
Martin Scorsese is back with longtime acting muses Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert DeNiro in the 2023 Oscar hopeful Killers of The Flower Moon. This time Leo is the taxi driver, chauffeuring Lily Gladstone around Oklahoma as uncle Bobby conspires with an entire town to fleece her Osage tribe out of oil profits. Can Jesse Plemons (Breaking Bad) get the FBI to stop this wave of poisonings, bombings, and shootings before the white devils succeed in Native American genocide? Listen Now as the hosts speak truth about Leo and Marty’s sixth collaboration.
Can God be Love if He lets such awful things air on network television?
Ron Perlman (Hellboy) is the Tak of the Town after his attempt to become the next Pennywise in the 2006 Stephen King effort Desperation. Will the possessed policeman ticket motorists Tom Skerritt (Dead Zone), Steven Weber (The Shining), Matt Frewer (The Stand), and Henry Thomas (Doctor Sleep) for driving past a cursed Arizona mine, or because he’s jealous they were in better King adaptations? And what darlings will director Mick Garris have to kill in order to turn the 700 page novel into a two hour TV movie? Find out when you Listen Now!
Sometimes dead is better than straight-to-streaming
Look what the cat dragged into Paramount Plus: a 2023 prequel to Stephen King’s beloved 1983 novel Pet Sematary. Long before the infamous Indian burial site brought back dead pets and run over children as flesh-eating zombies, grieving father David Duchovny dug a hole to reanimate the son he lost in Vietnam. Can longtime resident Judson Crandall justify staying on these sour grounds after tracing his hometown carnage back through the Bloodlines of its founding fathers? Walk this perilous road with Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out now!
See saw with a seesaw
Saw is back, as is series star Tobin Bell as “Jigsaw” John Kramer. In this film, set mere weeks after the events in the original Saw, Kramer travels to Mexico seeking a cure for his brain tumor. Instead, what he finds is a scam that leads him back to his old “Jigsaw” ways with all new traps. Will this movie suck out your eyeballs with its violence and gore? Or do you need to put several ounces of gray matter in a jar to enjoy the tenth Saw release? Join our hosts Jakob, Arnie, and Marjorie now to find out!
I Know What You Did Last Century
The Phantom Killer returns to Texarkana nearly 70 years after first turning a quaint community into The Town That Dreaded Sundown. But could the original culprit still be alive, uncaught, and wielding razor sharp band instruments in 2014? Or are these copycat slayings the handiwork of a disgruntled great-grandson, or demented fan of the 1976 Charles Pierce cult movie? And how much faith should be put in Anthony Anderson (Kangaroo Jack) and Gary Cole (Office Space) to crack the case? Step back into the shadows with Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob and Listen Now!
The Texas Trombone Massacre
Texarkana becomes The Town That Dreaded Sundown after a psycho with a sack over his head starts terrorizing couples necking in secluded makeout spots. Can Oscar-winning Ranger Ben Johnson (Last Picture Show) expect to lead the largest manhunt in US history to this Phantom Killer if his klutzy driver can’t even keep the patrol car on the twisty gravel backroads? And did Dawn Wells survive three seasons of Gilligan’s Island just to be shot dead in her kitchen? Listen and find out if this 1976 docudrama sheds new light on the unsolved 1946 true story.
A Hard Habit to Break
Valak continues to spread the evil of The Conjuring Universe throughout the churches of Europe in the 2023 sequel The Nun II. Can Sister Irene (Taissa Farmiga) return her nemesis to Hell with Father Burke out of the picture, and faithless bad girl Storm Reid (Euphoria) her only frIend? And will this demon in a wimple actually learn a thing or two about throwing shade from mortals after enrolling in a boarding school overpopulated with mean French girls? Arnie, Marjorie, and Stuart are ready to perform the miracle of turning slaughter into whine when you Listen Now!
Law & Order: MCU
Emmy winner Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black) sees her dreams of headlining a fun lawyer show get contaminated after cousin Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) accidentally turns her into She-Hulk. Does being a giant green hothead help the Attorney At Law win high profile cases for celebrity clients like Megan Thee Stallion and Abomination (Tim Roth)? Or will the super-prosecutor be convicted in the court of popular opinion after haters launch a nasty social media campaign against her? Learn how angry Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob get about the 2022 Disney+ series now!
Now if someone would design a video game preparing the next generation for service work!
A college dropout’s devotion to a PlayStation racing simulator unexpectedly paves the way for his career as a professional sports car driver in the incredible true story Gran Turismo. Is Lord of the Rings star Orlando Bloom still living in a fantasy world by thinking this homebody gamer is Team Nissan’s best shot at winning the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans? And can coach David Harbour (Stranger Things) really help the lad transition from couch to car if they remain stuck on whether to turn the radio dial to Enya or Black Sabbath? Play our next podcast and find out!
Livin’ La Vida Locust
A recent college graduate (Cobra Kai’s Xolo Mariduena) goes looking for work that will keep a roof over his family’s heads, and scores a lifetime appointment as Blue Beetle. Can DC’s first Latino crimefighter satisfy audiences tired of fascists like Batman dominating the box office, and hungry for superhero flicks equipped with George Lopez jokes? And is Susan Sarandon totally buggin’ to think she can extract the alien scarab fused into the youth’s back, and market it as a one-man police force? Listen to imperialists Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart to find out now!
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{DC Movie Universe}
{Blue Beetle Series}
As if vampires are the worst thing you’d encounter on a cruise ship.
Dracula had to find dry land before he could start sucking London dry in Bram Stoker’s classic 1897 novel, which means sailing for a month on the doomed Last Voyage of The Demeter. Will onboard medic Corey Hawkins (Straight Outta Compton) go down with the ship before he solves the mystery of why so many crew members sport holes in their necks? And does Javier Botet (Conjuring 2) ride the same wave of success that carried Bela Lugosi, Frank Langella, Nick Cage, and all the other Universal nosferatu to infamy? Listen and find out!
The 40 Year Old Terrapin
Fanboy producer Seth Rogan brings Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Rafael back to big screens to frolic in the radioactive green ooze that first transformed them into Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 40 years ago. Should the foursome heed the warnings of rodent mentor Splinter (Jackie Chan) to stay hidden from humans in the sewer? Or answer the call of cub reporter April O’Neil (Ayo Edebiri) to thwart villain Superfly (Ice Cube) before he vaporizes everyone in New York? Find out if this Mutant Mayhem is more toxic than a Michael Bay creation. Listen Now!
Sisterhood of the Traveling Partition
16-year-old cosplayer Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani) fulfills her ambition to be like idol Brie Larson after she straps on her great-grandmother’s magic bracelet, and becomes Ms. Marvel in a 2022 Disney+ miniseries. Can the fledgling superhero heal generational trauma dating back to Pakistan’s split from India by stopping supernatural family members from opening The Veil of Noor, and wiping out life on Earth? And how will the self-described “brown girl from Jersey City” honor Muslim tradition while following her cosmic dreams? Listen and find out.
The Shawshank Reinvention
Prison guard Tom Hanks walks the condemned down The Green Mile to the electric chair for a living, but takes a different path after meeting magical healer Michael Clarke Duncan (Armageddon) behind bars. Was a jury in Depression Era Louisiana blinded by racial prejudice when they convicted the enormous black man of brutally murdering angelic white twins? And does director Frank Darabont get the same mileage out of another Stephen King jailhouse melodrama as he did with Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins? Listen and find out!
…or How I Learned to Start Worrying And Make A Bomb
Christopher Nolan offers an intimate look at the Father of the Atomic Age in his epic new biopic Oppenheimer. Is Cillian Murphy even scarier than his Batman Begins villain when he delivers the means of mankind’s destruction to military bigwig Matt Damon at the start of the Cold War? Or should we feel sympathy for the bewildered scientist once Robert Downey Jr persecutes him and wife Emily Blunt for perceived Communist leanings? Find out if this director is paving a road to the Oscars, or turning summer movie season radioactive with his pretensions. Listen Now!
{Nolan Series}
Because it’s a global crisis when Tom Cruise loses his keys
Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart accept a seventh assignment to review a Mission: Impossible movie… make that half a movie… as Part 1 of Dead Reckoning explodes onto the big screen. Has artificial intelligence gotten so savvy that it can predict every move Ethan Hunt and his IMF regulars Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, and Rebecca Ferguson are going to make? Or can Tom Cruise beat the computers by performing dangerous leaps off a mountain on his motorcycle without digital fakery? Find out if this franchise is set to self-destruct when you Listen Now!
Paint It Black
Patrick Wilson steps away from the Conjuring universe and returns to his roots via The Red Door to direct the Lambert family through another Insidious ordeal. Does eldest son Dalton (Ty Simpkins) undo the hypnotic conditioning meant to protect him from demonic possession when he enrolls in a liberal arts college that heightens his artistic abilities? And does Lipstick Face Demon (Joseph Bishara) have more fun hazing frat bros than he would hiding from Elise, Specs, and Tucker? Look no Further for the answers. The podcast review is ready now!
You can now get our bonus review podcasts individually in our Patreon Digital Store! Hear OVER FOUR HUNDRED bonus movie review podcasts. Alien! Child's Play! Planet of the Apes! Psycho! And, yes, the reviews of Evil Dead Rise and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny are on there too. The store is at Patreon.com/NowPlayingPodcast Watch the video to find out all the details. And thank you for supporting Now Playing Podcast!
New Jack Hustler
Tommy Lee Jones and his U.S. Marshals are on the hunt for a new outlaw in the 1998 sequel to The Fugitive. Is Wesley Snipes able to keep pace with Harrison Ford as he flees a plane crash and his bad reputation for killing government agents, selling secrets to the Chinese, and not paying income tax? And is Robert Downey Jr a valuable addition to Sam Gerard’s team, or will his smarmy stances polarize in the same way Iron Man broke apart the Avengers? Get righteous with this long-running franchise when you join Brock, Arnie, and Stuart now!
Presumed Guilty
Harrison Ford goes on the lam after being wrongly sentenced to Death Row in The Fugitive, the 1993 blockbuster movie adaptation of the hit 1960s TV show. Can the convicted surgeon use his medical cunning to track down the one-armed man actually responsible for murdering his wife? And did running from all those boody-trapped boulders prepare the Indiana Jones star for navigating the mean streets of Chicago while evading capture from Oscar-winning pursuer Tommy Lee Jones (MIB)? Listen Now as Brock, Stuart, and Arnie chase down the answers.
Bratman Returns
Time is running out for the DCU unless The Flash (2023) can reverse the damage done by problematic star Ezra Miller, and deliver some meta-human box office. Does grabbing an extra can of crushed tomatoes from a supermarket shelf spare Barry Allen a lifetime of tragedy, or just turn all superhero continuity into a bowl of spaghetti? And can he clean up Ben Affleck’s “bat mess” by bringing audiences back to the glory days of Michael Keaton? Get your quick fix of Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie when you catch their latest podcast review. Listen Now!
Bumble in the Jungle
The planet-eating Unicron will devour all of Earth unless Optimus Prime and his Autobots help promote the Rise of the Beasts - the next phase of Transformers evolution. Do 30 foot tall mechanical gorillas, cheetahs, and falcons hold the key to mankind’s (and the franchise’s) future? And can Broadway star Anthony Ramos (Hamilton) learn to work with the team, and trust a talking Porsche that sounds like SNL’s Pete Davidson? Buckle up and join Justin, Stuart, and Arnie for this next stretch of road in the long-running Hasbro series. Listen Now!
Blame It On The Boogie
Chris Messina (Birds of Prey) wonders if psychotic patient David Dastmalchian (Suicide Squad) might be innocent of killing his three children after The Boogeyman he described in session starts stalking the therapist and his two daughters. Will eldest kid Sophie Thatcher (Yellowjackets) find more than skeletons in the closet once she starts rummaging through her dead mother’s things? And does found footage director Rob Savage (Dashcam) expand this Stephen King short story with more skill than most Night Shift adaptations? Listen Now!
The Spider And The Fly Girl
Miles Morales swings Across The Spider-Verse to reconnect with best friend Gwen Stacey five years after collecting the Oscar for his first animated adventure. Has the superhero jeopardized the structural integrity of everything by refusing to be the self-sacrificing Spider-Man we’ve seen in so many previous comic books and movies? And do new friends Spider-Woman (Issa Rae), Spider-Punk (Daniel Kaluuya) and Spider-Man India (Karan Soni) widen this story’s appeal? Find out if the sequel hits The Spot for Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob when you Listen Now!
Mercury In Retrograde
Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart are Flash-ing back to 1990, an era of television when there was only one DC comic book character on prime time. Soap star John Wesley Shipp spent an entire season as Barry Allen in a bulky red suit, chasing down CBS audiences who were quickly turning the dial to The Cosby Show and other light-hearted fare. Was the Red Speedster simply ahead of the superhero trend, or stuck in a rush job rip-off of Tim Burton’s Batman? You don’t have to wait for answers about this pilot to the quickly-canceled TV show. Listen Now!
Infiniti War
Jason Momoa starts a street fight that stretches from East LA to Antarctica in Fast X, and Vin Diesel is furious after his family gets framed for terrorism in Rome. Can Brie Larson help the Toretto car cult clear their name as police, mercenaries, and new Agency boss Alan Ritchson (Reacher) chase them across the global highways? And what side will hacker Cipher (Charlize Theron) choose after her dark web activity gets her stabbed in the back? Find out if the podcasters agree with grandma Rita Moreno that this franchise is built to last. Listen Now!
What happens when you teach Critical Wraith Theory
Arnie, Stuart, and Justin are done reviewing video game movies if they can make it through Detention, an award-winning 2019 ghost story that started life as an online 2-D side-scroller. Is a Taiwanese schoolgirl forever damned to relive lessons in torture after falling asleep in class, and waking up hunted by a towering, neck-snapping demon? Or is the real nightmare the historically accurate executions of teachers and students happening over banned books? Take this hall pass and join us for the final Now Playing Arcade installment. Listen Now!
We Are Groot-ful You Came Back
James Gunn gives his Guardians of the Galaxy an epic send-off before he abadons Marvel for a suicidal mission to save the DCU. Volume 3 has the lovable A-holes reuniting to save Rocket (Bradley Cooper) after he’s mortally injured by Adam Warlock (Will Poulter). Can Drax, Mantis, and Nebula stop bickering long enough to find answers at the biotech company that created the wise-cracking racoon? And will Star Lord Chris Pratt get a second chance at love with his green girl Gamora (Zoe Saldana)? Find out when you take the road to Knowhere with Now Playing.
Oculus Riffs
Park ranger Sam Richardson (Veep) wonders if there are Werewolves Within his chipper New England community after finding a trail of bodies in the snowy wilderness. Will a night of finger-pointing at the guests of the Beaverfield Inn get to the bottom of these canine attacks, or just lead to more murder and unneighborly behavior? And will Ubisoft’s 2016 virtual reality game continue to play as a 2021 horror-comedy with a cast of almost famous jokesters? Arnie, Justin, and Stuart aren’t letting sleeping dogs lie. The truth comes out when you Listen Now!
Having a good blockhead for business
The walls close in on video game entrepreneur Taron Egerton (Kingsman) after he risks everything to travel behind the Iron Curtain and secure the rights to Tetris. Can the American dodge KGB agents and stay ahead of his corrupt competition to win the heart of a Soviet programmer who can’t even profit from sales of his game? And is there anything BASIC about the way the pieces of this Cold War true story come together beyond the computer coding? The answers are available on all platforms when you plug into the Now Playing Arcade. Listen Now!
How to Skin Friends and Influence People
Count Dracula would like to believe the sun rises and sets around him in all his many screen adventures, but the spotlight finally falls on overshadowed servant Renfield in this 2023 sequel. Can Nicholas Hoult (Warm Bodies) find the confidence to escape a 90 year toxic relationship with narcissist Nicolas Cage before he’s gaslit into committing more murders for the vampire? And shouldn’t New Orleans cop Awkwafina be able to do better for herself than a guy with more bugs than teeth in his mouth? Listen Now to find out if this familiar story still rises to full power.
Now You’re Re-playing With Power
Chris Pratt gives voice to Nintendo’s mascot in the splashy new Super Mario Bros Movie. But did the Brooklyn plumber level up from poorly rendered previous incarnations starring Captain Lou Albano and Bob Hoskins by letting Illumination Studios (Despicable Me) animate his 2023 adventure? And do Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) and Donkey Kong (Seth Rogan) really need help stopping lizard Bowser (Jack Black) from invading their pixelated kingdoms? Listen and find out if Stuart, Justin, and Arnie are (raccoon) suited to review the latest Arcade entry.
Look Who’s Stalk-ing
The sole survivor of a police standoff at a rural daycare imposes her own brand of justice on the adult world by indoctrinating Children of the Corn farmers into a Nebraskan eco-death cult. But are these pint-sized zealots praying to a supernatural deity that prowls their endless fields, or hallucinating from the industrial chemicals unwisely sprayed on their dying crops? Find out if monsters or Monsanto are the reason why in 2023 Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob are paying tribute to the eleventh installment of Stephen King’s most enduring franchise. Listen Now!
John Wick is the stair-master
It's been four years since John Wick's last Chapter, but in that time the appetite for the series has only grown. The super-assassin out-grossed super-heroes Black Adam and Shazam 2, bringing in over $70 million in the first weekend. But is the book of Wick starting to get too long (with this installment alone running 2 hours and 50 minutes)? And how much more can be done with gun-fu? Join our hosts for this new movie review to find out!
Taste The Rainbow, Marvel Lovers
Zachary Levi’s boyish superhero Shazam unleashes the Fury of the Gods onto Philadelphia after he accidentally frees the three Daughters of Atlas from a celestial prison. Is it beneath Oscar-winning Queen Helen Mirren to wrestle her birthright powers away from a bunch of foster kids? And can lovestruck West Side Story siren Rachel Zegler convince older sister Lucy Liu (Kill Bill) not to grow a garden of mythical monsters to wipe out humanity? Download Now Playing’s current show and find out if lightning strikes twice for DC’s most fun-loving character!
Ghostface Takes Manhattan
Jenna Ortega (Wednesday) might’ve left behind the slaughter of Woodsboro in Scream VI, but college in the Big Apple will continue to test her knowledge of scary movies and survival. Is the new killer one of the social media haters routinely slandering older sister Samantha (Melissa Barrera) for being Billy Loomis’ daughter? Or should closer tabs be kept on returning survivor Kirby Reed (Hayden Panettiere)? And is this the final chapter for Friend-less reporter Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox)? Listen Now as Arnie, Marjorie, and Stuart answer the sequel’s call.
Killmonger vs. Kang: Rumble in Wakanda
Whenever his back was against the ropes Michael B. Jordan always had Sylvester Stallone and Black Panther director Ryan Coogler in his corner. But Creed III finds Apollo’s son fighting in the arena alone - Jordan’s directorial debut is also the first movie in the Rocky series not to involve Sly. Can the Killmonger actor prove that he’s the real box office powerhouse while taking on his old frenemy Jonathan “Kang” Majors? Find out if this franchise still packs a punch when you get into the ring with Arnie, Jakob, and Brock. Listen Now!
Bat Man Forever
Think you know everything about Bram Stoker’s infamous vampire after a century of big screen adaptations? The 2014 prequel Dracula Untold promises to shed new light on the legend’s days as an undead Transylvanian swordsman. Can Fast and Furious heavy Luke Evans resist the urge to lap blood off the battlefield once he strikes a devilish bargain to defeat an invading Turkish sultan? And would the historical Vlad The Impaler really comply with Universal Studios’ unholy masterplan to rebrand their iconic movie monsters as superheroes? Listen and find out.
Catch Me If You Kang
Marvel superheroes Ant-Man and the Wasp experience big problems after they, and immediate family members, get shrunk inside a trippy universe teeming with warfare and talking broccoli. Is grandma Michelle Pfeiffer experienced enough with jumpstarting spaceships (and jumping into bed with Bill Murray) to get her marooned clan safely home? And will troubles continue to multiply for Paul Rudd and daughter Cassie once modified nemesis Yellowjacket hunts them down? Listen Now to learn how many holes Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob find in Quantumania!
I never drink… wine (unless it comes from the Coppola vineyard)
Gary Oldman turns his back on God and Bela Lugosi’s tailor to play Bram Stoker’s Dracula in curlers and a red kimono. But is prudish Winona Ryder the kind of woman a daywalker would hound for centuries? Should someone chain hammy Anthony Hopkins next to Renfield for his crazy ideas about stopping STDs with swords and stakes? And do we blame a trio of vampire brides for draining the life from Keanu Reeves’ performance, or his sticky English accent? Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie make listeners an offer they can’t refuse with their latest podcast.
Stayin’ Alive
Frank Langella might be 500 years old, but he still struts into 20th Century London ready to disco the night away in the 1979 incarnation of Dracula. Can Saturday Night Fever director John Badham make Bram Stoker’s ladykiller look attractive to liberated women when the dude doesn’t even have a car? Or does Kate Nelligan date the bad boy vampire as a way of avoiding her stuffy boyfriend, controlling father Donald Pleasance, and foul duties at a madhouse? Listen Now as Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart continue their history of Universal Studios’ biggest monster.
The Big Slurp
Lon Chaney Jr. knew the pressures of living up to an iconic father’s legacy even before he agreed to be the Son of Dracula in 1943. Can the second generation horror star pioneer another classic Universal Monster without donning the extensive movie make-up that made him such a convincing Wolf Man? And did his Count Alucard overestimate the influence vampires have on women when he accepted the invitation of a scheming occultist to her New Orleans plantation? Find out how backwards this second Dracula sequel really is when you Listen Now.
Daddy’s Little Ghoul
Bela Lugosi is dead, but Countess Marya Zeleska is ready to don her father’s cape and step into the spotlight as the next Universal Monster, Dracula’s Daughter. Will her habit of leaving holes in the necks of women wandering alone in the London fog ring as familiar to incarcerated vampire hunter Professor Von Helsing? And can an obsessed psychiatrist put this undead pariah through conversion therapy using a funky hypnosis machine before she puts him inside a Transylvanian casket. Find out if this sequel has bite when you listen to the latest podcast.
The Original Pain in the Neck
Dracula became the premier Universal Monster in 1931 when he leapt from the Broadway stage onto film screens for the first official adaptation of Bram Stoker’s novel. Can star Bela Lugosi still mesmerize with that piercing stare of his? Or is hearing that thick Hungarian accent what gave the shivers to folks new to talking pictures? And did Carlos Villarias prove how bite-lingual this vampire can be in the concurrently shot Spanish version of the story? Learn if Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie send this ancient horror back to rest in the earth in which it was buried. Listen Now!
Where’s the beef?
Charlton Heston got his damned dirty paws on the 1966 sci-fi novel Make Room! Make Room! and turned it into Soylent Green, his third foray into cinematic dystopia. Is it easier to swallow a future where New York City is overrun by talking monkeys or albino vampires rather than believe it could survive without a decent restaurant? How much more will rents go up when apartments come furnished with high class call girls? And are old folks like Edward G Robinson buying the farm, or providing the livestock? Find out when you sink your teeth into this Gold Level podcast.
Somehow I didn’t imagine the children of the night making such New Age music
Director Werner Herzog revives the uniquely German take on the Dracula myth with his 1979 remake of Nosferatu The Vampyre. Klaus Kinski emerges from the shadow of Max Schreck’s silent era performance to put his own morose spin on the Transylvanian Count who longs to spend eternity with Isabelle Adjani. Can Van Helsing stop a plague of rats from spreading madness throughout Central Europe? Or will romantic audiences actually root for the bloodsucker to beat out aloof husband Bruno Ganz for the heart of the girl? Listen and find out!
The oldest movie we will ever review! (Probably)
A decade before Universal Studios made Dracula the centerpiece of their stable of movie monsters, German visionary FW Murnau put his own spin on Bram Stoker’s literary creation with the 1922 silent classic Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror. Is Max Schreck’s iconic portrayal of Count Orlock the vampire that all other cinematic incarnations aspire to be? And is the plague being spread by this creature of the night really anti-seminism and Nazi fervor? Find out if Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob stick their lovely throats out for this bootleg bloodsucker. Listen Now!
Daniel Craig is back as the famed Knives Out detective Benoit Blanc, crashing the private Greek isle of billionaire Edward Norton (Fight Club) to see which of his “disruptor” friends is planning to put him in a glass coffin. Will the killer turn out to be canceled starlet Kate Hudson with the crossbow at the Infinity Pool? Maybe Men’s Rights influencer Dave Bautista with the wrench on Twitch? Or is ex-wife Janelle Monae out to shatter the illusion of a cordial uncoupling? Join Justin, Stuart, and Arnie as they put the pieces of this Glass Onion together.
'Tis the Season to experience your favorite Marvel a-holes clumsily learning that meaning of gift giving, and experiencing the fellowship of kidnapping, in the Disney+ event The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. Can Mantis and Drax cheer up Star-Lord Chris Pratt about his recent box office slump by decreasing his degrees of separation from a true movie star like Kevin Bacon? Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart cap a year of Phase Four entertainment with this stocking stuffer “thank you” to all their naughty and nice listenership. Cut loose and download the fun!
James Cameron takes audiences back to Pandora by Way of Water with his long-anticipated sequel to Avatar. Are the domestic dreams of Na’vi couple Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana torpedoed now that nemesis Stephen Lang and his military outfit are brought back to life in new, blue bodies? And can the Sully children adapt to an ocean teeming with aquatic dangers after their clan relocates to Kate Winslet’s coastal village? Don’t hold your breath waiting for these answers. Hear Arnie, Marjorie, and Stuart provide for their Now Playing family right now!
Crime! Inflation! Oppression! Yes, today’s headlines look bad, but not as bleak as the Metropolis that director Fritz Lang envisioned all the way back in 1927. Will the skyscrapers of the future fall like the Tower of Babel after a sexy fem-bot incites factory workers to tear down the machines that run their city? And should a mama’s boy who defies his moneybags father just so he can court a virgin in the urban underbelly be called a savior, or the heart of the problem? Start exploring 100 Years of Dystopia when you Donate for Gold Level now!
Quantum of Malice
Star Wars fanboys had their Knives Out for Rian Johnson in 2019, but the writer/director survives their harsh verdicts of The Last Jedi by following it up with a hit murder mystery. Daniel “007” Craig stars as a celebrated Cajun investigator summoned to the mansion of a dead crime novelist to determine if he was murdered. Could the culprit be Michael Myers survivor Jamie Lee Curtis, queasy maid Ana de Armas (No Time To Die), or Captain America himself Chris Evans? Find out if Arnie, Justin, and Stuart have a Clue about this caper in their latest podcast.
Jon Hamm is urged to “Confess, Fletch” after a coed is found murdered in his Boston rental apartment. But the real mystery is whether movie fans will accept someone new in the title role. Is the Mad Men star too suave to wear the disguises, and make the jokes Chevy Chase did, as the intrepid reporter infiltrates a snooty yacht club to recover missing paintings? And could any of the eccentric suspects - including germaphobe Kyle MacLachlan and horny countess Marcia Gay Harden - get away with stealing the spotlight? The hosts are on the case. Listen Now!
Chevy Chase finds a dead woman in his bed, the Ku Klux Klan on his lawn, and televangelists on his TV praying for his inheritance, now that Fletch Lives in a bequeathed Louisiana plantation. Will the investigative reporter clear his name of murder charges, or be forced to spend retirement concealing his identity in a series of extravagant disguises? And is the smoking ooze being dumped on Fletch’s new property as toxic as his treatment of women? Listen now as Stuart, Justin, and Arnie debate freeing this unpopular sequel from movie jail.
Beverly Hills Copycat
Chevy Chase takes a vacation from Saturday Night Live and National Lampoon movies to star as investigative reporter Fletch in this beloved 1985 mystery. Can the comedic chameleon unmask the real reasons why shady yuppie Tim Matheson (Animal House) hires a beach bum to break into his mansion and murder him? And will the jocular journalist be laughed out of town if he runs the headline that Norm from Cheers fronts a massive drug trafficking operation out of a hot dog stand? Get the full scoop when you download the latest Now Playing podcast.
Waiting To Impale
Wakanda Forever mourns the loss of King T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman), but that doesn’t mean a worthy successor can’t slip into the cat suit and become the next Black Panther. But can anyone stop the advanced African nation from being sunk by an underwater South American society also armed with an arsenal of Vibranium? Or is new rival Namor too light on his feet to fight off fierce females Letitia Wright, Angela Bassett, Lupita N’yong’o, and Danai Gueria? Let favorite colonizers Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart dry your tears with their latest podcast. Listen Now!
Edward Woodward (TV’s original Equalizer) travels to a remote Scottish island in search of a missing schoolgirl and finds The Wicker Man instead. Does the original 1973 cult film live up to its legacy as one of the greatest British horror films of all time? And what scares the hosts more: that Christopher “Dracula” Lee might have murdered this child in an occult harvest ritual, or that he celebrates the sacrifice by donning drag to lead nudist villagers in song-and-dance? Enjoy the fruits of Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart’s labours when you Donate for Platinum this Fall.
He’ll be back…. in inferior Terminator sequels and straight-to-streaming crap.
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s movie star reputation took a big hit when Collateral Damage was released in the shadow of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Can today’s audiences better appreciate his tough guy approach to a South American cartel leader (Cliff Curtis) who inadvertently killed Ahnold’s wife and child in a Los Angeles consulate bombing? Or is the whole film really just propaganda for the Governator’s entry into California politics? Join Brock, Stuart, and Arnie as they say “hasta la vista” to the last action hero of the 20th Century. Listen Now!
Jack Russell: The Furred Avenger
Gael Garcia Bernal (Coco) might look like a typical Marvel superhero in the daylight, but he becomes a Werewolf By Night in order to protect the other monsters of the MCU. Can he outsmart six skilled hunters as they descend upon a labyrinth to slay a mythical beast and collect the powerful Bloodstone? And can Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie really root for anyone willing to rescue Man-Thing from movie jail? Get the details on Disney’s 2022 Halloween Special in black and white when you download the latest Now Playing podcast. Listen Now!
The S stands for Hurt
Dwayne Johnson cooks up a different kind of Shazam for the DC Cinematic Universe as the homicidal metahuman Black Adam explodes onto the big screen. Is he the hero that an ancient Middle Eastern country needs after a tyrant seizes their crown and threatens Hell on Earth? Or is Amanda Waller (Viola Davis), Hawkman (Aldis Hodge) and the Justice Society right to try and capture lightning in a bottle before someone gets killed? Don’t wait an Eternium for the answers. Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob are ready to take you into the darkness. Listen Now!
Out of Shape
Jamie Lee Curtis tried to move on from the curse of Michael Myers, but another Haddonfield Halloween Ends in blood and screams after granddaughter Allyson goes trick-or-treating with psycho babysitter Corey. Can the franchise’s original boogeyman teach this wannabe anything about being an old school slasher icon, or is Michael wise to keep his face out of this latest installment? Find out if director David Gordon Green has given Carpenter’s legacy a new beginning when you download the latest podcast from Brock, Stuart, and Arnie. Listen now!
{Halloween Series}
Hulu tries to rescue the Hellraiser franchise from a purgatory of underwhelming sequels by re-configuring the original 1987 Clive Barker gorefest into an elevated 2022 reboot. Will a recovering drug addict become the pin-up girl for a Just Say No campaign against soul-tearing Cenobites after she gets high and accidentally opens their infamous puzzle box? Find out if Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob are ready to tear apart the vision of new director David Bruckner (The Night House) when you Donate at the Such Sights To Show You Level this October.
Total Remake
Arnold Schwarzenegger sees double after corrupt CEO Tony Goldwyn (Scandal) and geneticist Robert Duvall (The Godfather) duplicate his DNA in The 6th Day. Can the aging action star stop a clone from co-opting his career and family? Or will goons Michael Rooker (Guardians of the Galaxy) and Terry Crews (Expendables) terminate the Twins star before he can get to the choppah and expose their illegal practices? Find out how original this sci-fi thriller from the year 2000 really is when you listen to your Sim-Pals Stuart, Brock, and Arnie.
It’s the End of Days for Schwarzenegger’s movie career unless he can update his 80s action hero image for the gritty new millennium. Will it take a miracle for the Now Playing hosts to accept the Austrian bodybuilder as faithless Jericho Cane, a mercenary who must put down the bottle and embrace the rocket launcher of God in order to stop Satan (Gabriel Byrne) from impregnating Robin Tunney? Does the movie fall to pieces the second a leering albino pops up to propose the booty call? Cut out our tongues and we’ll still speak the Gospel truth. Listen Now!
Arnold Schwarzenegger refuses to remove “action hero” from his identity as he suits up for summer 1996 blockbuster Eraser. Can he, James Caan, and the US Marshals help a comely whistleblower escape into Witness Protection before she’s hunted down by a cabal of high powered politicians? And is the aging Terminator equipped to fight off a kamikaze airplane, a tank full of gators, and an experimental rifle that can pinpoint targets even through walls? Pencil in time with Brock, Stuart, and Arnie as they look deeper into this film icon’s career. Listen Now!
Jamie Lee Curtis hides an affair from husband Arnold Schwarzenegger, oblivious that he too conceals a double life as a spy capable of terminating her boyfriend Bill Paxton in the deceptively comedic 1994 blockbuster True Lies. Is it possible to translate a modest French farce into a pumped up James Cameron spectacle? And who the hell is Tom Arnold (aka Mr Roseanne Barr) to give marital advice to anyone? Brock, Arnie, and Stuart are ready to share their honest impressions about this next entry on Ahnold’s action star resume. Listen now!
Arnold Schwarzenegger might’ve been a kindergarten cop, but he has no authority over the 10-year-old boy jawing in his ear throughout his 1993 box office bomb The Last Action Hero. Was it a Big Mistake for the movie icon to partner with a know-it-all fan eager to point out every cliche of his cinematic character? Or did Die Hard director John McTiernan and Lethal Weapon scribe Shane Black elevate the action genre with clever self-awareness that wouldn’t be hip for another decade? Brock, Arnie, and Stuart provide the magic ticket when you Listen Now!
As the Fall season begins, so comes time for ooky, spooky fun with Now Playing! Our Fall/Winter 2022 Donation Drive is underway, kicking off with our Silver Level: The Addams Family! We're reviewing six Addams films, from the original TV cast to last year's animated road-trip adventure. Plus we have our Gold 100 Years of Dystopia series, our Platinum Wicker Man series, and new installments in Jeepers Creepers, M. Night Shymalan, and even Hellraiser! Listen to this podcast preview for a sample of our Addams Family Values and information on how to get all the season's bonus podcast treats!
Arnold Schwarzenegger peels back the Iron Curtain, steps naked from a Russian sauna, and brings some Red Heat to the mean streets of Chicago in this 1988 buddy-cop action flick. Can the Soviet strongman learn the American way of implementing justice from wiseass detective James Belushi (K-9), and bring down the international drug dealer that killed his partner? And does 48 HRS director Walter Hill make their screen chemistry crackle like he did with Nick Nolte and Eddie Murphy? Find out when you get on the bus with Arnie, Brock and Stuart. Listen now!
Arnold Schwarzenegger made a Raw Deal with producer Dino DeLaurentiis when he opted to star in this 1986 flop instead of a third Conan film. Can the muscle bound lawman get back in the good graces of the FBI (and his nagging wife) by infiltrating the Chicago mob, and avenging the death of Darren McGavin’s son? And does this unhappy onscreen marriage resemble any real life fireworks going on between Ahnold and new bride Maria Shriver? Find out if Brock, Stuart, and Now Playing’s Arnie terminate this unsung entry on the Austrian he-man’s resume.
Twenty years before he was California’s governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger went Commando to assassinate the deposed President of a fake Latin American country in this 1985 shoot-’em-up. Did the Austrian bodybuilder pump up his Terminator image with superhuman tree lifts and gratuitous shopping mall showdowns? Or are the corny catch phrases and play dates with daughter Alyssa Milano dead tired in 2022? Let off some steam with Brock, Stuart, and Arnie as they explore why Ahnold was the last action hero of the 20th Century. Listen Now!
Lances With Wolves
Centuries before targeting Arnold Schwarzenegger in the South American jungle, the Predator was making Native Americans their Prey in this prequel set in the year 1719. Can Comanche medicine woman Amber Midthunder silence the sexist naysayers by bringing down the cloaked alien that’s been picking off her tribe in the wilderness of the Great Plains? And do grizzly bears and mountain lions pose just as much danger to the novice hunter as her outer space foe? Track the latest moves of this 36-year-old franchise when you listen to Brock, Stuart, and Arnie.
{Predator Series}
Superman and Batman have been taken prisoner, so it’s up to their dogs Krypto (Dwayne Johnson) and Ace (Kevin Hart) to lead the rescue team in the first big screen adventure for the DC League of Superpets. Did deranged guinea pig Lulu (Kate McKinnon) learn enough about being a supervillain from Lex Luther (Marc Maron) to successfully engineer an orange kryptonite plot that expels the Justice League from the planet? And will the Man of Steel have to pick Lois Lane over Man’s Best Friend in the end? Listen Now as Jakob, Arnie, and Stuart sniff it out!
Before there was a League of DC Superpets, there was Underdog… the clumsy police beagle turned into a flying canine crime fighter by mad scientist Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones). But can Walt Disney turn a 1960s Saturday morning cartoon created by cereal makers into something that satisfies the tastes of a new generation of superhero fans weaned on Richard Donner’s Superman? And what can K-9 star Jim Belushi teach his four-legged partner about making a funny family film? Never fear, Now Playing is all you need to hear! Listen Now!
Midnight Sun puts a new light on Stephanie Meyer’s first novel by retelling Twilight through the silver eyes of Edward the vampire. Will fans still swoon over his love affair with Bella Swan knowing he was really fantasizing about committing violence against her body and soul? And what do the rest of the Cullen clan think about a mortal girl from Arizona taking up so much space in their sibling’s head? Join Stuart and Jakob as they put this book series to bed.
After five years living in the shadows, Kate Beckinsale returns to the Underworld universe ready to kick Lycan ass and win the Blood Wars for the vampires. But can the single mother prevent enemies on both sides of the conflict from hunting down and drinking the hybrid blood of her runaway daughter Eve? And will Selene find true friends or just new hairdos when she follows the Northern Lights to a frozen palace full of blonde bloodsuckers? Join Jakob, Stuart, and Arnie as they wrap up this franchise and send it off to the Sacred World of podcasting. Listen Now!
Bella Swan grows up fast in Breaking Dawn - dealing with marriage, motherhood, and rigor mortis all in one giant Twilight conclusion. Will author Stephanie Meyer give her undead Heathcliff and Cathy the happy ending that’s so far eluded their teenage courtship? And are things better or worse between Edward and Jacob now that the werewolf has given up on Bella and imprinted on her baby girl instead? Jakob and Stuart are ready to break it all down now!
Breaking bones, not Breaking Dawn
Six years after putting Underworld on ice, Kate Beckinsale isslipping on a leather catsuit and Awakening to the joy of blasting more werewolves. But how will Selene adapt to a future where humans are now the Death Dealers, driving both Lycans and vampires into hiding? And has eternal love Scott Speedman gone missing because he’s a captive of the evil Antigen Corporation… or because he’s ducking out on raising their homicidal offspring Eve? Find out if this fourth installment transforms the hosts’ opinions about the franchise when you Listen Now!
Double Rainbow
Chris Hemsworth and ex-girlfriend Natalie Portman attempt to bury the hatchet after she lifts his hammer and becomes another Thor in the latest Marvel adventure Love & Thunder. Is the superhero couple falling into a parent trap by rescuing the children of New Asgard from disillusioned zealot Christian Bale? Or is this God Butcher right to target Zeus (Russell Crowe) and the other disappointing, debaucherous deities hiding inside Omnipotent City? Join Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart as they use their illusion to produce another mighty podcast. Listen Now!
The romance between sullen teen Bella and immortal vampire Edward gets overshadowed by the backstories of several supporting characters in Eclipse, Stephanie Meyer’s third Twilight novel. Will battle scars and tales of war make readers think differently of Jasper Whitlock? Does jealous Rosalie Hale become more sympathetic after hearing how she was turned undead? And what exactly happened to Bree Tanner in her Second Short Life? Listen Now!
Egypt’s first superhero… or a Chicago gangsta stuck in da Nile?
Oscar Isaac (Ex Machina) spends his days hawking trinkets at a museum gift shop, and his nights sleepwalking around the globe as a mummified mercenary named Moon Knight. Should the scatterbrained crime fighter try to figure out his multiple personalities in a sanitarium run by Black Phone predator Ethan Hawke? Or is this white padded cell really a front for a doomsday cult bent on bringing a vengeful, crocodile-headed God down to Earth? Listen Now as Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob balance the scales of Marvel’s latest Disney + series!
‘I’m sorry I can’t be the right monster for you Bella”
Bella Swan can’t wait to die so she can spend all future birthdays sucking face with vampire boyfriend Edward Cullen in the second Twilight novel. Will things end tragically between the odd couple once author Stephanie Meyer starts quoting Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet? And is Bella’s native friend feeling the pangs of puppy love, or the onset of a werewolf transformation? Find out what’s in the pages of New Moon when you join Team Jakob and Stuart!
With all of the Toy Story seemingly told, Pixar rockets back into the past to give us a cinematic origin story for Buzz Lightyear voiced by Chris Evans. Can the cocky Space Ranger learn to work with a team of misfits after his arrogance maroons the mission on a planet crawling with deadly bugs, lethal vines, and killer robots? And does Buzz have a friend in robotic cat Sox the same way he clicked with neurotic cowboy Woody? Pull the string and hear podcasters Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart talk to infinity and beyond about this spin-off space opera. Listen Now!
“Do I dazzle you?”
Stephanie Meyer drove a stake into typical literary depictions of vampires when she published her 2005 bestseller Twilight. What is it about Bella Swan that makes the chaste heroine so irresistible to every living and undead boy in Forks, Washington? And was it a good look for suitor Edward Cullen to take off the Dracula cape and show off his sparkling personality? Join Jakob and Stuart as they sink their teeth into this six-part blockbuster book series. Listen Now!
Fellowship of the Wild Things
Kate Beckinsale steps away from the Underworld franchise so that her real life ex Michael Sheen can get some time in the sun as star of prequel Rise of the Lycans. Did Bill Nighy start an eternal war when he adopted a werewolf cub destined to lead human slaves and wilderness beasts in an uprising against vampire aristocracy? And does Death Dealer Rhona Mitra look enough like Selene to wear her iconic leather catsuit and indulge in more forbidden interspecies romance? Listen Now to find out what the hosts are “Lycan” about this third entry in the saga!
Dinosaurs have escaped Jurassic World and claimed Dominion over all of the Earth in the sixth chapter of Steven Spielberg’s popular franchise. Is CEO Campbell Scott out to save humanity by bringing the big lizards to his Italian sanctuary, or just using their extinct DNA to conduct more unethical genetic experiments? And how well are veterans Jeff Goldblum, Sam Neil, and Laura Dern spliced into the story as Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard attempt rescue of a kidnapped clone and velociraptor? The Park is open when you Donate at the Amber Level.
Scott Speedman may have morphed into the perfect halfbreed boyfriend for vampire Kate Beckinsale at the end of Underworld, but there has been no Evolution in her clan’s thinking when it comes to interspecies romance. Can the pair escape the nocturnal city and find a place for themselves within a primordial forest? And what happens when winged Elder Marcus (Tony Curran) catches up with the Death Dealer, and learns where his Lycan brother is imprisoned? The key to making sense of the sequel is listening to the latest Now Playing podcast.
Long before Bella had to choose between vampire and werewolf boyfriends, Kate Beckinsale was two-fisting pistols to save star-crossed Lycan lover Scott Speedman from her judgey undead family in Underworld. Is the director of Live Free Or Die Hard a wise man for placing the story of Romeo & Juliet inside The Matrix? Or is Len Wiseman just a letch inventing excuses for getting his future wife out of corsets and into tight leather? Find out if Jakob, Stuart, or Arnie stake a claim for The 2000s’ other fangs and fur Gothic romance when you Listen Now.
Turns out Jack Nicholson did not forget Chinatown as advised, but pulled double duty 16 years later as director and star of the sequel The Two Jakes. Did Harvey Keitel hire our heartbroken private eye because he needs help confronting a duplicitous wife, or because the sting will provide cover when he murders a business partner? And how did the long lost daughter of Faye Dunaway wind up owning an LA suburb built atop an explosive reservoir of oil and gas? Join kitty cats Jakob, Stuart, and Arnie as they follow the money down the well. Listen Now!
Forget it, Jake. It’s Podcasting.
Jack Nicholson goes sticking his nose where it doesn’t belong in the Oscar-winning 1974 noir Chinatown. Can the private eye connect the dots between the missing girlfriend of a city official and LA’s vanishing water supply? Is femme fatale Faye Dunaway really falling for the gumshoe, or just taking Jake to the bedroom to stop him from seeing who’s drowning her hubby in the pool? And why does tycoon John Huston want to be an orange farmer so bad? Get the full picture in a podcast your sister, your daughter, and the entire family can enjoy. Listen Now!
Smokin’ In The Girls’ Room
11-year-old Charlie McGee might look like just another snowflake who can’t manage her emotions, but tell her she’s no Drew Barrymore and you’ve got a real Firestarter on your hands in 2022. Is proud papa Zac Efron pushing his telekinetic daughter to make the right choices, and avoid being captured by Native American assassin Rainbird and The Shop? Or will the next High School Musical end with a thermonuclear explosion? Find out if Blumhouse has made a barbeque out of a classic novel when you listen to the latest Stephen King podcast.
The Imitation Game
Dr. Strange presents the illusion that his latest Marvel movie is a routine affair, but In the Multiverse of Madness might actually be another zombie splatter comedy from Evil Dead director Sam Raimi. Can Benedict Cumberbatch’s callous sorcerer fix his relationship with Rachel McAdams, and save America (the country and the teenager) from the wrath of monster mom Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen)? And is it possible there’s a reality where The Inhumans are cool? Listen Now as Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob make their 28th incursion into the MCU.
“We cannot protect the young from harm. Pain must and will come.”
JK Rowling collaborates with a pair of theater veterans to tell her eighth Hogwarts adventure Harry Potter and the Cursed Child as a stage play. And while Brock, Stuart, and Arnie couldn’t score tickets, they are ready to review the published script. What happens when Harry’s son goes Slytherin, and travels back in time to change the outcome of the Triwizard Tournament? Listen to find out if fans throw the author into a Goblet of Fire for messing with a classic tale.
No Rest Ye Merry Gentleman
Jeremy Renner cuts his Yuletide New York vacation short after fangirl archer Hailee Steinfeld (Bumblebee) starts wearing his infamous Ronin suit to fight crime in the Disney Plus miniseries Hawkeye. Will the Marvel mercenary make it home for the holidays with only six days to defeat the Kingpin (Vincent D’Onofrio), new Black Widow Florence Pugh, a one-legged, deaf martial artist, and her entire Tracksuit Mafia? And why does wife Linda Cardellini want her old Rolex wrapped up and under the tree so badly? It’s Christmas in May when you Listen Now!
Leaving Los Angeles
Is The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent driving Nicolas Cage into a booze-fueled early retirement (or did he just make too many embarrassing flops)? Now the Oscar winner has to accept a humiliating offer to host a lavish birthday party for fanboy cartel leader Pedro Pascal. Will those “nouveau shamanic” acting techniques be of any help to Agent Tiffany Haddish when the CIA needs Cage to play spy and free a kidnapped politician’s daughter held at a Mallorca compound? Listen Now as Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie face off with Nic’s latest crazy comedy.
Listen Now and Get a Piece of The Rock
Nic Cage first used his “massive talent” to become an action star in the 1996 Michael Bay extravaganza The Rock. Can his Beatles-loving biochemist teach the original James Bond Sean Connery anything about being cool, as they team up to expel Ed Harris and his terrorists from Alcatraz? Or will Candyman Tony Todd steal the show by launching a fleet of missiles loaded up with delicious-looking green gumballs of flesh-eating virus? Listen Now to find out if Stuart, Jakob, or Arnie are ready to cut Cage some friggin’ slack, and let him out of movie jail.
Round Two with the Blue
Sega’s speedy mascot races back to movie theaters to offer an encore helping of attitude in Sonic The Hedgehog 2. This time the video game icon not only battles Jim Carrey’s mechanical contraptions and manic comic timing, but the oversized fists of new nemesis Knuckles (voiced by Idris Elba). Are James Marsden’s days of being a helicopter parent over now that flying fox Tails is ready to lift the hedgehog to the next level? Find out if this sequel receives any Blue Justice from the podcast hosts when you listen to the latest Now Playing Arcade installment.
Intravenous with a Vampire
Oscar-winning joker Jared Leto sinks his teeth into another comic book villain role as Morbius, a hematologist who turns into a “living vampire” after tinkering with bat DNA. Can blood brother Matt Smith (Dr. Who) convince the superpowered physician to turn his back on humanity, and join him on a New York bender biting babes and breaking things? Or will the good doctor accept Michael Keaton’s offer to take down Spider-Man in some future sequel instead? Find out how much the latest Marvel movie sucks for Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart when you Listen Now.
Dolph Lungren trains young gamers to become masters of a zombie universe in Dead Trigger, the 2017 film adaptation of a popular first-person shooter made for smartphones. Can a Disney star, an MMA fighter, and the no-longer-little rapper Lil’ Romeo blast their way to Terminal City, and rescue the scientist who can cure the outbreak? Or will Cyglobe CEO (and soap star) Tamara Braun whack them for posing a threat to her gun sales? Help Justin, Arnie, and Stuart answer the call for another trying video game movie when you Listen Now!
Michael Fassbender learns the homicidal impulses that landed him on Death Row in 2016 can be traced back to the Assassin’s Creed he pledged to free-will-loving vigilantes in 1492. Can Oscar-winning scientist Marion Cotillard (Inception) cure the convict of his violent ways simply by plugging him into holographic re-enactments of his past life hit jobs? Or does Jeremy Irons have nefarious reasons for footing this exorbitant 23AndMe bill? Find out why gamers have such animus for this big-budget adaptation of the popular Ubisoft title when you Listen Now!
How To Get Away With Murder… and get Jammin’ Ninja Super Cake
Yakuza director Takashi Miike tries his hand at a different type of video game adaptation by bringing Ace Attorney Phoenix Wright to the big screen. Can the rookie lawyer find the guilty parties in three interlocking murder trials simply by cross-examining parrots and debunking photographic evidence of lake monsters? And will the fashion police level charges against all those gravity-defying hairdos on display in the courtroom? Find out if Justin, Stuart, and Arnie offer objections to the latest entry in the Now Playing Arcade when you Listen Today!
They Still Call Me Bruce
Robert Pattinson spent the last two years suiting up as The Batman so that he might score a hit movie for DC, and rescue a Gotham City drowning in drugs, violent crime, and political corruption. Will his plans for urban renewal be thwarted by unhinged assassin The Riddler (Paul Dano), or mob henchman Oz “The Penguin” Cobblepot (Colin Farrell)? Or will Zoe Kravitz steal the show as a limber cat burglar with a soft spot for strays? Jakob, Stuart, and Arnie can help you crack the code on this dense new Caped Crusader adventure. Listen Now!
When Harlow sunflowers bloom, hipsters are doomed
Nearly 50 years after she left Leatherface dancing in the street, final girl Sally Hardesty returns to face another Texas Chainsaw Massacre in 2022. Can she save a bus full of social media influencers who dared to unlawfully displace the serial killer from his retirement in small town Harlow? And will Elsie Fisher (Eighth Grade) use the survival skills she honed during a school shooting to fight back against the triggered madman once the power tools come out? Brock, Stuart, and Arnie are abuzz with thoughts about this ninth franchise installment. Listen Now!
{Texas Chainsaw Massacre Series}
Who knew using the DaVinci Code shaved $2 billion off your next Papa John’s order?
Tom Holland leaves Spider-Man and the MCU behind to head into the Uncharted waters of a popular Playstation video game. Will his Nathan Drake solve a series of puzzles that lead to the legendary treasure of world explorer Ferdinand Magellan? Or will he be conned out of the gold by greedy partner Mark Wahlberg, billionaire rival Antonio Banderas, or a host of femme fatales and modern day pirates? All you have to do to unlock the opinions of host Arnie, Justin, and Stuart is download the latest Now Playing Arcade installment. Listen Now!
If she likes taking unnecessary risks so much, she shoulda made a sequel to Sphere
Sharon Stone could have screwed like a mink, raised rugrats, and lived happily ever after with Michael Douglas. Instead, her icy crime novelist chances implication in new murders and wardrobe malfunctions 14 years later in Basic Instinct 2. Is pasty psychologist David Morrissey right to claim the femme fatale suffers from risk addiction, and will endanger all of London if she’s allowed to write a new book there? Or is the real poison pen being wielded by a tabloid journalist and a dirty cop? You may never come again after you score the latest Now Playing fix.
Now Playing's sister podcast Books & Nachos is back! On this show you can hear Arnie, Stuart, and Brock review JK Rowling's smash first novel: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. It's a companion piece to tomorrow's bonus review of the first Harry Potter movie!
You can hear a new Harry Potter BOOK review each week at BooksAndNachos.com
Michael Douglas has survived many big screen fatal attractions with dangerous blondes, but the slick yuppie courts a date with the sharp end of an ice pick after he beds Sharon Stone in the steamy 1992 thriller Basic Instinct. Does this femme fatale write novels as a way of planning the future murders of unsatisfying lovers? Or is there a psychotic reader turning bloody acts from her books into San Francisco crime scenes? Untangle all the double crosses and crossed legs when you join Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart for this kinky podcast review. Listen Now!
Roses are red, violets are blue, pickaxes are painful, and reboots are too
With “horror holidays” like Halloween, April Fool’s Day, and Friday the 13th routinely being celebrated with 21st Century remakes, it makes sense that someone would dig up My Bloody Valentine in 2009,. Can the censors stop the carnage now that it’s flying into audiences’ faces via 3-D? And what kills a small town faster - a homicidal maniac stuffing residents’ hearts into boxes of candy, or prodigal son Jensen Ackles (Supernatural) closing down the local coal mine? Find out if the hosts are sweet on this second helping of Harry Warden when you Listen Now!
Twenty years after a cave-in turned a coal miner into a cannibal, legendary psychopath Harry Warden returns to paint his hometown red in the 1981 original My Bloody Valentine. So why don’t moviegoers associate headlamps and pickaxes with February 14th in the same way hockey masks and machetes signify Friday The 13th? And were the cruelest cuts made by the MPAA, who edited out literal showers of blood in order to give the film an R rating? Find out if Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie fall in love with this subterranean slasher when you Listen Now.
What do you mean you like TikTok more than scary movies?!
Neve Campbell, David Arquette, and Courtney Cox are ready to Scream for the fifth and possibly final time as a serial killer in a Ghostface mask terrorizes a new generation of self-aware Woodsboro horror enthusists. Is the 25-year-old franchise still capable of pulling off big surprises like that initial, infamous phone call to Drew Barrymore? And will the new directors enrage or bore Wes Craven purists by slipping some of that fancy pants “elevated horror” into the slasher formula? Find out if this “re-quel” proves legendary when you Listen Now.
{Scream Series}
He brings the Mile High Club and the six feet under crowd together
Tabloid journalist Miguel Ferrer (Robocop) is on the trail of The Night Flier, a serial killer who drains victims of blood during sunset stops at tiny East Coast airports. Is there any truth to the rumor that this phantom aviator is a vampire? And if so, is his sleek black jet just a way of impressing those blue haired groupies waiting for him on the tarmac? Find out if this latest installment in the Stephen King retrospective has more bite than other short story adaptations from the Nightmares & Dreamscapes anthology when you Listen Now.
{Stephen King Series}
100 years before Eggsy joined Colin Firth as a member of the Kingsmen, Ralph Fiennes (Schindler’s List) and his servants founded the secret spy organization inside a Savile Row tailor’s shop in the prequel The King’s Man. Can director Matthew Vaughn retain his signature mix of balls-out action and irreverent humor while exploring the root causes of World War I? And who is the mastermind of an imagined supergroup of historical villains including seductress Mata Hari and Russian monk Rasputin (Rhys Ifans)? Mind your manners and Listen Now!
{Kingsman Series}
Mobster Christian Slater has spent a lifetime outfitting his enemies with cement shoes, so it’s poetic justice that vengeful construction worker Wes Bentley (American Beauty) rigs a newly paved road so it swallows Dolan’s Cadillac and buries the human trafficker alive. Can a standout entry in Stephen King’s Nightmares & Dreamscapes short story collection be successfully stretched into feature length? And how much will the potty-mouthed Heathers star owe the swear jar should he manage to escape this trap? Get it in gear and find out now!
{Stephen King Series}
Peter Parker fears there’s No Way Home to his happy life with MJ (Zendaya) after Dr. Strange casts a magic spell that brings all the previous Spider-Man heroes and villains into the MCU. Is it Tom Holland’s responsibility to fix the messes made by Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe), Dr. Octopus (Alfred Molina), Sandman (Thomas Haden Church), Lizard (Rhys Ifans), and Electro (Jamie Foxx)? And were the spoiler-phobic right to avoid all social media before watching? Find out on another unforgettable Marvel podcast.
{Avengers Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{Spider-Man Series}
{Venom Series}
Where we’re going, there are no roads...
It can be a bumpy ride trying to follow Stephen King works on their journey from page to screen. What happens when the macabre Maine author has a head-on collision with British horror scribe Clive Barker (Hellraiser) in a two story pile-up called Quicksilver Highway? Can carnival showman Christopher “Doc Brown'' Lloyd make sense of this roadside carnage, as hands willingly sever themselves from their bodies, and a pair of wind-up chattery teeth take a bite out of a hitchhiker? Listen now as Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob rubberneck at another King adaptation.
{Stephen King Series}
{Nightmares and Dreamscapes Series}
Award-winning acting talent (and Steven Weber) try to wake up the Stephen King retrospective with 8 tales of horror taken from the short story collection Nightmares & Dreamscapes. What happens when assassin William Hurt (A History of Violence) goes to war with a box full of toys, detective William H Macy (Fargo) meets his maker, author Tom Berenger (Platoon) runs from a phantom in a cursed painting, and snakebitten golfer Richard Thomas (It) is mistaken for dead? Find out if Jakob, Stuart, and Arnie survive another King TV miniseries when you Listen Now.
{Stephen King Series}
{Nightmares and Dreamscapes Series}
Take me down to the Raccoon City where the folks are green and the cops are pretty
The Umbrella Corporation may have left town (and taken original star Milla Jovovich with them), but there’s still a horde of bloodthirsty zombies ready to welcome audiences back to Raccoon City in the seventh Resident Evil installment. Can estranged siblings Chris and Claire Redfield bring the foster father who poisoned their childhood to justice before he escapes with the infamous T-virus? And can corporate espionage spy Albert Wesker really hack pharmaceutical secrets with only a Palm Pilot at his disposal? Find out what’s up with a 90s throwback now.
{Video Game Series}
{Resident Evil Series}
Astronaut Matt Damon proves he has the “right stuff” to survive an extended stay on the Red Planet in Ridley Scott’s acclaimed 2015 blockbuster The Martian. Justin, Jakob, and Stuart continue their look at outer space exploration with an ultra-realistic trip to the nearest colonizable planet. How many scientists does it take to cypher out a solution to getting a marooned botanist back home safe? And will audiences find the results easier to follow than Interstellar and Arrival? Link up with the latest Now Playing transmission and find out.
{Individual Movie Reviews}
A San Diego couple buy a video camera to document the Paranormal Activity visiting their bedroom late at night, and end up making the most profitable horror movie of all time. How did raw footage of creaking floorboards and slight door movements scare the bejesus out of audiences steeped in the graphic imagery of torture porn? And can Jakob, Stuart, and Arnie find any clues revealing the identity of this demon supposedly hiding in the dark? The lights come up on a highly requested series when you Donate for Gold Level this Fall.
These days they’ll let any 90-year-old who ever pretended to fly a starship go up in a rocket. But you had to have The Right Stuff if you hoped to survive the first messy attempts to put a man in orbit back at the dawn of the Space Race. Join Jakob, Justin, and Stuart as they witness the amazing early successes and blunders of NASA, as well as the career launch of some major acting talent - including Ed Harris (The Abyss), Dennis Quaid (Innerspace), Scott Glenn (Backdraft), and playwright Sam Sheppard. Blast off into an 80s classic when you Listen Now!
{Individual Movie Reviews}
Eons before the assembly of the Avengers, ten celestial caretakers known as Eternals came together to protect and guide human development on Earth. Did Oscar-winning director Chloe Zhao (Nomadland) deviate too much from the Marvel formula in telling the secret history of the planet’s first superheroes? And should Angelina Jolie and Salma Hayek get credit for bestowing culture on mankind with Hackers and Grown Ups 2 on their resumes? Find out if Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob share a Uni-Mind about the latest MCU installment. Listen Now.
{Avengers Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob played a nasty trick on listeners when they pulled Loki from the Summer 2021 schedule at the last minute. Now they make up for lost time by diving into the first six episodes of Tom Hiddleston’s quest to conquer all of existence (or at least Disney Plus). Can the Norse God dethrone the three space lizards who currently police the future and promote the popularity of his nemeses The Avengers? And are the podcasters fated to review a never-ending stream of Marvel now that they’ve said “yes” to a TV series? Listen and Find Out!
{Avengers Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
Timothee Chalamet may look scrawny to Jason “Aquaman” Mamoa, but prophecy foretells the Call Me By Your Name star to be the savior of Dune in 2021. Can director Denis Villeneuve (Blade Runner 2049) hope to pass the test of coherently adapting Frank Herbert’s complex novel of life on a desert planet, given that David Lynch and SyFy Channel already experienced great pain putting their hands in this box? Join Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie as they worm their way through a saga of prophecy, ecology, and intergalactic politics in an epic podcast. Listen Now!
{Dune Series}
It’s easy to blame Haddonfield’s high body count on local boogeyman Michael Myers, but many of the latest Halloween Kills are being committed by a violent mob of formerly decent citizens. Did babysitter Jamie Lee Curtis, terrified kids Anthony Michael Hall and Kyle Richards, and shaky cop Will Patton grow up to become the real monsters of the community? And will Michael approve of the changes made to his sister’s bedroom when he catches up with the current owners of his redecorated house? Listen Now as Arnie, Stuart, and Brock unmask this sequel!
{Halloween Series}
{John Carpenter Series}
Diamonds may be forever, but Daniel Craig only has one more shot at bringing James Bond to life in No Time To Die. Will longtime nemesis Blofeld (Christoph Waltz) ruin the superspy’s chances at Happily Ever After by blowing up his Italian holiday with Lea Seydoux? Or will Rami Mallick prove to be the bigger threat as he uses nanotechnology and a Zen Garden of Death to poison the world? Find out if Brock, Stuart, and Arnie are shaken or stirred by 007 replacement Lashana Lynch, or any of the other surprises in this epic conclusion, when you Listen Now!
{James Bond Series}
That '70s girl takes after that '80s psycho
Folks might think of Mila Kunis as a typical All American Girl, but the 70’s Show actress proves she can be an American Psycho II after homicidal yuppie Patrick Bateman attacks her babysitter. Is this coed so eager to land a job hunting serial killers with the FBI that she’s willing to murder everyone in her criminology class? And how do the Now Playing hosts grade William Shatner, beaming down into this direct-to-video oddity to play a lecherous professor? You’d have to be a sociopath not to be curious about this special Friday freebie show. Listen Now!
{American Psycho}
Tom Hardy was struggling to make room for Venom in his life even before natural born killer Woody Harrelson, his screaming mad girlfriend Naomi Harris (Skyfall), and a blood red baby symbiote crashed their picture. Does sequel Let There Be Carnage bring an end to the reporter’s unconventional marriage to the gooey, black alien parasite? And is Michelle Williams proof that things get better once you’re out of the “Eddie closet”? Discover if Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart lose their heads over, or call the whole thing off, when you Listen Now!
{Spider-Man Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{Venom Series}
Christian Bale might look like just another vapid investment banker, but behind his well-groomed features and aerobicized body lies the mind of an American Psycho. So how did predatory Patrick Bateman go from graphically torturing women in one of the most misogynist books of the 1990s, to having a female director turn him into the punchline of the 1980s in this millennial horror comedy? And will Arnie really defend the "killer soundtrack" this yuppie cranks as he Wang Chungs on the all-star cast? Listen Now, and find out what's inside a podcaster's head!
{American Psycho}
Shirley Jackson’s novel The Haunting of Hill House stood as a horror classic for nearly 60 years before director Mike Flanagan (Hush) expanded its walls into a 10 episode miniseries for Netflix. Nell, Luke, and Theo are now the children of house flippers, spending the summer of 1992 seeing ghosts in renovated basements and hallways. Should the Crain siblings blame spectres like Tall Man and Abigail, or their secretive father and crazy mother, for why their lives are so messed up in 2018? Now Playing invites you to settle in for a forever podcast. Listen now!
{The Haunting Series}
Producer Steven Spielberg and director Jan DeBont (Speed) poured a lot of time and money into remodeling Shirley Jackson's classic ghost story into the much reviled 1999 remake of The Haunting. Long before she played clapping games with Ed and Lorraine Warren, Lili Taylor was conjuring bad spirits during her stay at a mansion where hundreds of child laborers perished. Do we need Liam Neeson’s science experiments to know there’s nothing scary going on? Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart are here to clean house with a brand new podcast. Listen Now!
{The Haunting Series}
Could the next Legend of the Marvel Cinematic Universe be an unassuming San Francisco parking valet who prefers late night karaoke to taking down his father's infamous Ten Rings terrorist cell? Martial artist Shang Chi is ready to answer the call for a modern Asian American superhero. But do comedienne Awkwafina, Crouching Tiger star Michelle Yeoh, and the Man Who Would Be The Mandarin (aka Ben Kingsley) offer enough protection for a magical gated community besieged by soul-sucking serpents? Hop aboard the Now Playing bus to find out!
{Avengers Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
Who can take a franchise, sprinkle it with dew, and get whole new generations buzzing about a gutted corpse or two? Executive producer Jordan Peele can, because he mixes love for a 1992 Tony Todd slasher with the inflammatory racial politics of Get Out and Us. Is it performance art or possession that drives a desperate Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (Aquaman) to strap on the iconic hook and paint the gentrified Cabrini-Green neighborhood red in 2019? You can summon the thoughts of the Now Playing hosts anytime you want when you Donate for Candyman today!
Hear this preview now then head to NowPlayingPodcast.com/donate to get the full series!
{Candyman Series}
Paranormal investigators engineer a blind date between a homeless wallflower and the noisy poltergeists of Hill House in The Haunting - the original 1963 movie adaptation of Shirley Jackson's classic ghost story. Director Robert Wise took a break between his Oscar-winning musicals West Side Story and The Sound of Music to craft one of the most beloved haunted house movies of all time! But will modern audiences find the rooms too old-fashioned and musty to spend time in now? Join Jakob, Stuart, and Arnie as they unpack a classic.
{The Haunting Series}
{{everywhere}}
40 years after nerdy Dustin Hoffman made his stand on foreign soil, preppy screenwriter James Marden borrows those iconic cracked spectacles so he can spar with some backwoods football jocks he calls Straw Dogs. Can new director Rod Lurie replicate the original film’s signature brand of cruelty in small town Mississippi? And will disgruntled wife Kate Bosworth stick with her Superman Returns co-star, or surrender to the redneck charms of Alexander Skarsgaard (True Blood)? Jakob, Stuart, and Arnie are locked, loaded, and ready for the 2011 reboot. Listen Now!
{Straw Dogs}
Lock the doors, bar the windows, and strap on a pair of headphones! Now Playing is prepping a retrospective of recent Home Invasion Classics, starting with the original 2008 shocker The Strangers. Why do three masked pranksters spend the night terrorizing a couple in a remote woodland cottage? And can Liv Tyler (Armageddon) and Scott Speedman (Underworld) appease their unwanted house guests before they become another crime statistic? Invite Stuart, Arnie, Jakob, and a whole lot of fun into your life when you donate for Fall's Silver Level Series.
{The Strangers Series}
Dustin Hoffman discovers that Jolly Old England is no refuge from the violence and social unrest of 1971 in the original Straw Dogs. Writer/director Sam Peckinpah pioneered the home invasion horror movie with this story of an American mathematician channeling his inner savage to beat back an angry mob storming his wife’s modest farm. Does the 50-year-old classic still have the power to shock modern audiences weaned on a steady diet of Purge sequels? Join Jakob, Stuart, and Arnie as they pry open the teeth of this vicious steel trap. Listen Now!
{Straw Dogs}
Marvel might not always appreciate the irreverent humor of director James Gunn, but DC is happy to bring the Guardians of the Galaxy mastermind on board The Suicide Squad. Idris ‘Black Superman’ Elba leads a rebooted team of criminals - including old favorite Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) and new hotshot Peacemaker (John Cena) - to a South American island coup that threatens the interests of Amanda Waller (Viola Davis). Is Project Starfish just an excuse for the bad guys to show their buttholes? The hosts are dying to share the details. Listen Now!
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{Batman Series}
{DC Movie Universe}
{Birds of Prey Series}
{Joker Series}
{DC Teams Series}
{Suicide Squad Series}
Dev Patel sets out to prove he's more than a Slumdog Millionaire by pushing away from King Arthur's Round Table, and picking up a sword to do battle with The Green Knight. Will Stuart, Jakob, and Justin lose their heads over this decidedly sinister spin on a classic 14th Century poem about chivalry? And can indie director David Lowrey (A Ghost Story) dethrone Peter Jackson and become cinema's next giant of the fantasy genre? The journey begins when you download the latest Now Playing adventure!
{Individual Movie Reviews}
Having crapped out on two previous live-action G.I. Joe adaptations Hasbro is ready to roll the dice again, betting big on Snake Eyes. This mute ninja is arguably the most popular Joe, but is he just as cool when he takes off the mask and he's the romantic guy from Crazy Rich Asians? Our hosts won't be silent with their thoughts! Listen now to know if they recommend this film -- and knowing is half the battle.
{GI Joe Series}
WWII strategy video game Company of Heroes moves the battle lines from computer consoles to movie screens with a stealth 2013 cinematic adaptation. But will Justin, Arnie, or Stuart decorate rising action star Chad Michael Collins, Vinnie Jones, or any of the other B-list actors in this platoon for their efforts in stopping Hitler from getting the nuke? And who thought it was a good idea to put demoted Tom Sizemore in charge of the Christmas hams? Find out if "the Good War" makes for a good entry in the Now Playing Arcade when you Listen Now.
{Video Game Series}
Scarlett Johansson breaks away from the Avengers after seven Marvel movies together so that her Russian secret agent Black Widow can finally headline her first solo adventure. Will Natasha Romanoff wipe the red from her ledger by hunting down the man who confined her childhood to war games in a Red Room? And does super soldier father David Harbour, scientist mom Rachel Weisz, and tag along little sister Florence Pugh back the trained assassin the way Cap, Thor, and Hulk would? Find out when you join the Now Playing family reunion and Listen Now!
{Avengers Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
A Japanese gangster helps a little girl navigate a treacherous red light district in search of her missing mother in the sprawling adaptation of 2006 video game Yakuza (aka Like A Dragon). Will the pair find their way through a dense plot involving a Korean assassin, klutzy bank robbers, desperate teenagers, bickering cops, and a flashy psycho who beats underlings and enemies alike with his baseball bat? And are gamers in for some serious pain with sadistic director Takashi Miike (Audition) at the helm? It all translates into one crazy night. Listen now!
{Video Game Series}
Is new father Dominic Toretto and his family of furious drivers slowing down 20 years into The Fast Saga? Only when they rocket to space and race their souped-up vehicles in zero gravity! This time Vin Diesel faces off against long lost brother John Cena, who’s hitched his wagon to sexy IT support Charlize Theron in a bid to hack the planet. Will the Now Playing hosts be magnetized by all the stunts and globe-trotting spectacle? Or has F9 thrown a wrench into the franchise with some NOS-huffing plot twists? Find out when you buckle up and Listen Now!
{Fast and Furious Series}
Everyone in 2021 wants to blame Bill Gates for putting microchips in vaccination shots, but the practice was pioneered by Allstate pitchman Dennis Haysbert in the 2016 Dead Rising sequel Endgame. Hallmark Channel hunk Jesse Metcalfe returns as the intrepid reporter hero, this time leading hackers and marksmen through a city overrun with zombies to rescue his missing camerawoman and avert genocide. Find out if there’s an Afterlife for this undead video game franchise when you play the latest Now Playing Arcade installment.
{Video Game Series}
{Dead Rising Series}
Why are the Dead Rising all over East Mission, Oregon if the government has a miracle drug that can prevent zombie outbreaks? It’s all part of Operation Watchtower, a top secret plan to give the military unprecedented access to American lives. But will anyone find out the truth if TV journalist Jesse Metcalfe insists on airing the story exclusively on middling streaming service Crackle? And can this 2015 zom-com live up to the irreverence of the 2006 Capcom video game on which it’s based? Find out on the latest Now Playing Arcade podcast!
{Video Game Series}
{Dead Rising Series}
It’s not The Devil, but Now Playing’s loyal listeners, that made Arnie, Majorie, and Stuart do another Conjuring film after so many hellish experiences in the franchise. This time the Warrens are heading to court in the 1980s to help a man beat a murder rap by insisting he was possessed by a demon escaped from his waterbed. Does Ed have the heart to keep fabricating these “true stories”, or are all these cons damning the demonologist to an early grave? And will Lorraine finally summon green arrows by trailing a series of witch totems? Listen and find out!
{Conjuring Series}
Blood-soaked prom queen... tween pyromaniac... axe wielding book critic… just some of the scary women that have leaped from the pages of Stephen King’s horror fiction onto the big screen. Now hardened New England housekeeper Dolores Claiborne is ready for her day in court. Will Kathy Bates eclipse the Oscar-winning work she did in Misery as she stands accused of pushing her cruel employer down the stairs? And will daughter Jennifer Jason Leigh fight for mama’s freedom knowing she did in dad years before? Find out on the latest King-cast.
{Stephen King Series}
George Clooney and his Ocean’s co-stars made casino heists look easy, but they never had to crack a safe being guarded by an Army of the Dead. Can Dave Bautista and his colorful crew of mercenaries bypass reanimated Elvis impersonators and a zombie white tiger to lay claim to a Vegas jackpot before nukes are dropped? And is writer-director Zack Snyder pushing his luck by returning to the horror genre 15 years after his Dawn of the Dead remake? Your chances for a good time always improve when you join the Now Playing hosts at the tables. Listen Now!
{Army of the Dead Series}
Ladies and gentlemen, I have one piece of advice for you. No matter what Jigsaw tells you, there's no escape from a Jigsaw trap. None! Oh, there's pain in a Jigsaw trap, but you don't want pain...you want an escape. And Chris Rock's new movie Spiral: From the Book of Saw shows there's no escape from a Jigsaw trap. So play the game, and our podcast review of Spiral, now.
{Saw Series}
Anthony Mackie shields himself from the pressure of becoming the next Captain America by taking to the sky as The Falcon for Marvel’s second Disney+ miniseries, and it’s made Sebastian Stan angry enough to relapse back into The Winter Soldier. Can these two set aside their differences long enough to save the world from a group of political extremists enhanced by super-soldier serum? And do these six episodes go by in a Blip, or is the MCU better suited to the big screen? Jakob, Arnie, and Stuart smash a lot more than flags when you Listen Now.
{Avengers Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{Captain America Series}
Tom Clancy techno-thrillers typically feature desk-bound diplomats on the hunt for missing subs and rogue nukes, but the stakes are much more personal for Michael B Jordan (Creed) as he seeks vengeance against the hitman who murdered his family in Without Remorse. Could the Navy Seal-turned-CIA operative start WWIII by breaking out of jail and heading to Russia in such a rage? And will Amazon Prime give this character's origin story the same hero's welcome that greeted old friend Jack Ryan? You'll be sad if you miss the latest Clancy-cast. Listen Now!
{Tom Clancy Series}
It’s been a hot minute since movie theaters hosted a Mortal Kombat tournament, but now the notoriously violent video game reboots itself on IMAX screens and HBO as an R-rated cinematic free-for-all. Can Raiden and damned ninja Scorpion light a fire under a mediocre MMA fighter, a double amputee, a girl without a dragon tattoo, and a loudmouth Aussie, so they’re prepared for a flawless victory over Shang Tsung, Sub-Zero, and other Outworld challengers? And will this 2021 rematch receive the cold shoulder from Justin, Stuart, and Arnie? Listen and find out.
{Video Game Series}
{Mortal Kombat Series}
Milla Jovovich and director Paul WS Anderson are hoping to recapture lightning in a bottle as they leave behind the zombie hordes of Resident Evil to chase bigger video game beasties in the 2020 blowout Monster Hunter. Will a team of grizzled UN soldiers find their way home after a sandstorm sweeps them into an alternate reality where giant crabs, worms, and dragons sit atop the food chain? And will martial artist Tony Jaa or Ron “Hellboy” Perlman help or hinder their chances of survival? Find out the final score in the latest Now Playing Arcade installment!
{Video Game Series}
Adam Sandler tries his hand in the Now Playing Arcade with the 2015 video game farce Pixels. Space invaders have brought classic coin-op characters to life, and now Pac-Man is gobbling up Manhattan, while Centipede conducts a pub crawl through London. Is it possible for a washed-up Atari addict to save a country that was stupid enough to elect Kevin James to be President? And can Q*bert, con artist Peter Dinklage, and crackpot Josh Gad take this former Waterboy to the next level of comedy? No quarters are necessary to find out. Listen Now!
{Video Game Series}
Godzilla Vs. Kong is a rivalry as old as the Hollow Earth (or at least the Japanese showdown of 1963), and now their battle to be crowned King of the Monsters is 2021’s biggest movie event. Will the Now Playing hosts cheer for the big ape as he breaks free of Project Monarch chains that have shackled him since Skull Island? Or is the angry green lizard still our fav, despite being slandered as the bad guy by a biotech company angling to unleash a robot monster of its own? Find out if this final round of the MonsterVerse is a winner when you Listen Now!
{Godzilla Series}
{MonsterVerse Series}
{King Kong Series}
Godzilla won the box office when he took down a MUTO (and most of San Francisco) in his 2014 Hollywood comeback. Now Mothra, Rodan, and all of the Big Lizard’s former co-stars burst forth from the Hollow Earth to challenge the throne. Have eco-terrorists made it possible for three-headed Ghidorah to be crowned 2019’s King of the Monsters? And are these Titan battles stranger than the things Millie Bobby Brown witnesses on a daily basis with her bickering scientist parents? Myth is our compass as Now Playing returns to the MonsterVerse.
{Godzilla Series}
{MonsterVerse Series}
{King Kong Series}
It was a decisive victory for The Legion of Doom when Warner Bros. executives handed Zack Snyder’s unfinished superhero team-up Justice League to Avengers mastermind Joss Whedon. Internet trolls were not kind to this last-minute attempt to leave the Darkseid behind, and tell jokes at Superman’s wake. Their aggressive social media campaign has paved the way for the original director to assemble a four-hour cut that promises to fix all the problems in the 2017 release. Find out if Jakob, Stuart, and Arnie have hope again for the DCU. Listen now!
{DC Teams Series}
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{DC Movie Universe}
{Superman Series}
{Batman Series}
{Wonder Woman Series}
{Flash Series}
{Aquaman Series}
It wasn’t so long ago that Elizabeth Olsen was blowing up the big screen in epic films like Avengers: Endgame. What curse has befallen her career that Scarlet Witch is now slumming it in a cheesy sitcom called WandaVision? Is Marvel experiencing some Growing Pains while trying to raise the TV profile of their superheroes? And is Paul Bettany merely a special guest star on the series, or has his cyborg Vision found a way to live on without an Infinity Stone? Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart broadcast their thoughts on a massive podcast airing now!
{Avengers Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
30 years after finding the perfect wife in New York City, Eddie Murphy’s King Akeem is once again Coming 2 America to meet the son he sired with one-night stand Leslie Jones. Will Millennial prince Jermaine Fowler follow in his father’s footsteps, and marry for love? Or will despot Wesley Snipes bring civil war down upon Zamunda if his daughter isn’t made the royal bride? And are these wedding hijinks more appetizing than a grass burger from McDowell’s? Discover if the palace is big enough to house all the returning characters when you Listen Now!
{Coming to America Series}
{Eddie Murphy Series}
Eddie Murphy let his soul glow in a new romantic light for the 1988 fairy tale Coming To America, starring as an African royal looking for his bride in downtrodden Queens, New York. Will any woman see Prince Akeem’s true worth once he goes undercover as a poor exchange student working the janitorial crew of a fast-food restaurant? And can audiences spot Murphy and buddy Arsenio Hall in all of their latex disguises courtesy of Oscar-winning make-up artist Rick Baker? Explore the very fine line between love and nausea when you Listen Now!
{Coming to America Series}
{Eddie Murphy Series}
Jakob, Stuart, and Arnie are not going to Stand for another crummy TV miniseries, so CBS better hope their nine-hour take on Stephen King’s beloved novel doesn’t choke like a Langolier downing ham Bronson Pinchot. Whoopi Goldberg leads an all-star cast of survivors rebuilding civilization in the aftermath of a deadly virus. Will they (or audiences) be tempted to shun the grind of a Colorado commune, and follow Dark Man Alexander Skarsgaard into debauchery? What happens in New Vegas gets said on an epic Now Playing podcast. Listen Now!
{Stephen King Series}
{Stand Series}
Did Valentine’s Day lack that spark of danger you crave? Why not spice up your life by joining in a round of Gerald’s Game? Carla Gugino leaves her Spy Kids at home, and consents to some light bondage in a remote Maine cabin, in an effort to save her marriage to yuppie Bruce Greenwood. What happens when she’s left shackled to the bedpost with no one but a feral dog and figments of an overactive imagination to hear her cries? Find out if Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart are turned on by the kinky side of Stephen King when you Listen Now!
{Stephen King Series}
Madchen Amick saw her fair share of weirdness living in Twin Peaks, but nothing could prepare her for a date in the pet cemetery with one of Stephen King’s Sleepwalkers. Will the virginal high school student survive a makeout session with a feline vampire intent on stealing her breath? And can the Now Playing hosts stop gasping over the dated computer effects, and numerous incestuous lovemaking scenes between mother and son? The cat definitely doesn’t have the tongues of Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart, so find out what they say when you Listen Now!
{Stephen King Series}
Stephen King is hosting a fire sale in Castle Rock – the fictional Maine setting for some of his most iconic stories. Now everything… and everyone… must go, unless local sheriff Ed Harris can shut down the dirty dealings of sinister new shopkeep (and O.G. exorcist) Max Von Sydow! Will these small town residents sell out their neighbors for the chance to own enchanted objects that corrupt their hearts and minds? And will podcasters Jakob, Stuart, and Arnie get all they wish for out of the 1993 adaptation of Needful Things? Listen Now and find out!
{Stephen King Series}
Arnie, Justin, and Stuart have shed a lot of tears while suffering through the 11 previous Uwe Boll video game adaptations, but the divisive director/producer can’t hurt the podcasters anymore if they can survive Far Cry. Til Schweiger (Inglourious Basterds) stars as the mercenary boat skipper who takes on an island of mutants like in the original installment of the first-person shooter. Can the aspiring action hero score any points with movie audiences ready to go Postal should Boll leave them Alone In The Dark one more time? Listen Now!
{Video Game Series}
Is Bloodrayne storming the Nazi death camps because she wants to take down The Third Reich and stop Hitler from becoming a vampire? Or because the bisexual bloodsucker is kinky for more steam room threeways? Director Uwe Boll wants to have it three ways too, as he reuses the sets and cast of this video game adaptation to simultaneously make a Bloodrayne “spoof” with obese asskicker Blubberella, and a Spielberg-trolling expose of Auschwitz gas chambers. Don’t worry, the Now Playing firing squad is equipped to take ’em all out. Listen Now!
{Video Game Series}
{Bloodrayne Series}
Almost everything has changed for Bloodrayne now that the daywalking vampire has left her European medieval castle, and traveled to the American frontier town of Deliverance, for a “high midnight” showdown with an undead Billy The Kid. Should gamers continue to feed their quarters into a series saddled with tax cheat Uwe Boll? Or does the much-maligned director prove to be better at shooting Spaghetti Westerns than Tolkien fantasies and zombie raves? Find out if the Now Playing Arcade removes the bounty from Boll’s head when you Listen Now!
{Video Game Series}
{Bloodrayne Series}
Kristanna Loken trades her Terminatrix leathers for a sword and fangs to star as the half-human, half-vampire assassin Bloodrayne. Does the video game vixen score many points with PlayStation fans by beating up on fat rocker Meatloaf, or picking a fight with everyone’s favorite pacifist Sir Ben “Gandhi” Kingsley? And can anyone win against an End Boss as bad as director Uwe Boll, whose track record in the Now Playing Arcade automatically has the hosts reaching for their bows and Red Arrows? Find out how much this sucks when you Listen Now!
{Video Game Series}
{Bloodrayne Series}
Before we leave behind a stressful year of coronavirus and social turmoil, Now Playing needs to travel back in time to 1984, and see if Wonder Woman can provide the big screen fireworks that quarantined audiences have been missing. Will heartbroken Gal Godot really give up her tiara and Amazonian strength for the chance to be with Steve Trevor (Chris Pine)? And was it always Kristin Wiig’s wish to get into shape wearing a grody to the HBOMax cheetah outfit? Find out if Pedro Pascal can make our dreams for a super sequel come true. Listen Now!
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{DC Movie Universe}
{Wonder Woman Series}
John David Washington had some trouble infiltrating hate groups as a BlacKkKlansman, but that’s child’s play compared to the lengths he goes to unlock the secrets of Tenet. Christopher Nolan’s 11th big screen adventure is his most twisted look at time yet – an IMAX sized optical illusion that reflects back on James Bond flicks while simultaneously pushing audiences into the uncertain future of a new quantum Cold War. Wishing you had that PhD in Physics while you watched? Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie are here to help you feel it and understand it. Listen Now!
{Nolan Series}
CBS attempted to change its image as “the old persons’ network” in 1991 when it greenlit Stephen King’s Golden Years, a series about a top secret lab experiment that rapidly de-ages an elderly janitor. Can the 8 episodes of this prematurely cancelled TV drama find new life edited down into a four hour movie? And why is Felicity Huffman footing the bill for this afflicted man’s flight from justice, particularly when he no longer qualifies for senior citizen discounts? Get nostalgic for King’s “novel for television” with Now Playing. Listen now!
{Stephen King Series}
Eddie Murphy was the biggest comedy star of the 1980s when he decided to spend Another 48 Hrs razzing rednecks and dodging bullets back in San Francisco. Now Nick Nolte is the one who stands to go to jail, after false charges are brought against the cop while he chases phantom drug dealer The Iceman. Can director Walter Hill keep the boys competitive with the big action sequels of the era, or does the pair spend too much time repeating the first movie’s greatest hits to keep pace with Lethal Weapon 2 and Die Hard 2? Listen and find out!
{48 Hours Series}
{Eddie Murphy Series}
It’s detective Nick Nolte’s worst nightmare – spending 48 Hrs handcuffed to scene stealer Eddie Murphy in his movie debut. How much damage can the pair do in two days as they tear through San Francisco looking for Warriors James Remar and David Patrick Kelly, and a Porsche full of money? And should director Walter Hill get his dick bronzed for pioneering the action-comedy formula that paved the way for Lethal Weapon, Rush Hour, and all those future foul-mouthed buddy cop franchises? Spend a little time with the Now Playing team and find out!
{48 Hours Series}
{Eddie Murphy Series}
It’s taken almost 25 years for The Craft to conjure a sequel, but now the Legacy of the 1996 wicca hit continues with a new generation of female spellcasters joining the circle. Can four teen witches work together to defeat sinister stepfather David Duchovney, and some toxic high school boys? Or will Lily, the new Witch of the West, lose confidence in her powers after mother Michelle Monaghan, Mission Impossible 3, spills a dark family secret? Find out if Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob are in a bind about this next chapter of the coven when you Listen Now!
{The Craft Series}
Blessed be! Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart are under the spell of The Craft, the first high school movie of the ’90s to stick up for the wiccans. Strange things start happening when naturally gifted magick user Robin Tunney blows into an LA Catholic school from the North, and joins a coven of weirdos led by Wicked Witch of the West Fairuza Balk. Is hunky football jock Skeet Ulrich the snake-in-the-grass that will undo all this supernatural Girl Power? Or were the foursome mistaken for ever putting their trust in deity Manon? Join the circle and Listen Now!
{The Craft Series}
Most Americans remember the First Gulf War as a quick and decisive U.S. victory, but director Jonathan Demme (Silence of the Lambs) sees it as the beginning of a White House corporate takeover in his 2004 version of Manchurian Candidate. Should shellshocked Denzel Washington get back on his meds, and stop accusing fellow soldier Liev Schrieber of being a sleeper agent? Or is this Vice Presidential hopeful really in the pocket of Big Pharma, or worse; his mother Meryl Streep!? Find out if this remake truly is a dream by Listening Now!
{Manchurian Candidate Series}
Election got you stressed? Tune out today’s political noise and vote to reinstate the 1962 Manchurian Candidate instead. Can troubled soldier Frank Sinatra stop Deep State Communists from using a brainwashed Korean War vet to gain control of the White House? And would the country be any better off run by Angela Lansbury, who uses her windbag husband and the power of television to promote Red Scare fake news and Murder, She Wrote reruns? Find out if Jakob, Stuart, and Arnie endorse this paranoid classic. Listen Now!
{Manchurian Candidate Series}
Something big is crashing down on Now Playing in time for Halloween! Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart are here to declassify all three installments of JJ Abrams’ super secret Cloverfield monster franchise starting with the original 2008 found footage blockbuster! What happens when a goodbye party for a New York businessman headed to Japan turns into a ticker tape welcome parade for America’s first kaiju? Does funnyman TJ Miller have enough batteries in his camera to document all the action of this Manhattan rampage? Donate for Platinum Level and find out!
{Cloverfield Series}
Aloha from Shrieker Island, a tropical paradise where Wall Street suits pay for the pleasure of blasting bio-engineered Graboids all weekend long! That is, until the big worms dig under the ocean and take over a neighboring wildlife preserve. Fortunately Burt Gummer (Michael Gross) has gone native, and left his Arizona compound to hunt his nemesis one last time! Are his odds improved by bringing along Jon Heder (Napoleon Dynamite), Jackie Cruz (Orange Is The New Black), and a badass chick with a bow and arrow? Feel the vibes of the latest Tremors now!
{Tremors Series}
Arnie talks to Burt Gummer himself: Michael Gross!
{Tremors Series}
It will be A Cold Day In Hell before Burt Gummer lets the IRS take away his Nevada land and business! Which is why he and faithful cameraman Jamie Kennedy have signed on for a seventh Tremors adventure. How are Graboids and Ass Blasters thriving in the snowy mountains of the Canadian Arctic? And can Burt be much help to the bug hunt once he’s diagnosed with worm poisoning, and needs to extract antibodies from his underground enemy in order to live? Find out if the podcasters warm up to the next installment when you Listen Now!
{Tremors Series}
Monster hunter Burt Gummer (Michael Gross) traces the Bloodlines of his subterranean nemesis all the way back to a slimy cave in Africa in the safari-minded sequel Tremors 5. How much bigger and badder has Graboid evolution become on the Dark Continent, with the introduction of nocturnal Ass Blasters and detachable snake tentacles? And what kind of relationship does the cranky survivalist hope to forge with flamboyant new cameraman Jamie Kennedy (Scream)? Go off the grid with Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart and find out now!
{Tremors Series}
Audiences may have first learned about Graboids in Tremors, but The Legend Begins 100 years prior in a prequel where Burt Gummer’s great grandfather (also Michael Gross) finds his Nevada silver mine overrun with “dirt dragons”. Can a Mexican prospector, badass gunslinger, and community of rejected immigrants find the firepower to defeat these mythical snakes before their American Dream is swallowed whole? And do Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart cotton to this fourth film in the franchise devolving into a Western? Saddle up and find out now!
{Tremors Series}
Michael Gross and most of the original cast head Back To Perfection, Nevada for more Graboid hunting in Tremors 3. Too bad the man-eating worms are now considered an endangered species, and Burt and the locals are mandated to capture the desert pests humanely or be evicted. Is a flashy tour guide able to steer the franchise in an eco-friendly new direction? And are the monsters still a blast once they mutate again, and take to the air with the power of their farts? Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart aren’t about to move from their lookout spot. Join them Now!
{Tremors Series}
Those initial Tremors may be over, but Jakob, Arnie, and Stuart are now bracing for Aftershocks. Fred Ward takes the franchise south of the border for a cheap Mexican vacation without Kevin Bacon. What does it mean for the monster hunt when those wormy, underground Graboids take to the surface and metamorphosize into bipedal Shriekers? Has Earl done himself any favors by calling in the comedic firepower of guns enthusiast Michael Gross? Find out how much heat is coming off this straight-to-tape sequel when you Listen Now!
{Tremors Series}
What’s shaking at Now Playing these days? Jakob, Stuart, and Arnie are moving to Perfection, Nevada to join the cult devoted to Tremors. The fun begins with a fresh look at the original 1990 creature feature, in which bickering handymen Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward contend with a stampede of supersized, subterranean worms gobbling up their town. Can the Footloose hunk make moves on a geologist while wriggling out of a tight spot? And are Michael Gross (Family Ties) and country singer Reba MacEntire comedic dynamite together? Listen and Find Out!
{Tremors Series}
A decade before his landmark slasher A Nightmare On Elm Street gave ’80s mallrats insomnia, writer/director Wes Craven invited hippies inside The Last House On The Left for a tour of extreme horror movie violence. What happens when four escaped psychopaths accept hospitality from the parents of the 17-year-old girl they just murdered? Does revenge taste even more delicious served up as a home cooked meal on turned tables? Find out if this 1972 grindhouse classic still kills by becoming a Now Playing Silver Level Donor this Fall.
{Last House on the Left Series}
{Wes Craven Series}
After ghosting audiences for the last three years, The New Mutants are finally ready to shut the history books on a half century of Boomer adventures, and let today’s generation have their say about the X-Men. Will the five central Millennials prove to be superheroes or snowflakes once nightmare creatures pop the protective bubble surrounding their world? And is she-wolf Rahne (Maisie Williams) the next Hugh Jackman, or do expectations flame out like Berto (Henry Zaga) when these kids are compared to MCU icons? The struggle is real so Listen Now!
{X-Men Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
Current events putting you in a heinous mood? Never fear fiftysomething metalheads Bill and Ted have seen the future, and return to the big screen ready to perform a song destined to heal an off-kilter universe. Have Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter grown up in the 29 years since their last cinematic adventure? And can daughters Billie and Thea traverse time and sign Jimi Hendrix, Mozart, and Death (William Sadler) to play in their dad’s defunct band Wyld Stallyns? It’s easier to Face The Music with friends Jakob, Arnie, and Stuart in your ear. Listen Now!
{Bill & Ted Series}
Sequels are always in danger of repeating themselves, but the problem becomes twofold for Bill and Ted when evil lookalike automatons hijack their second movie, and send the layabouts on a Bogus Journey to Hell! Can the wannabe rockers beat Death (William Sadler) at his own game, and get back to San Dimas in time to play a historic Wyld Stallyns concert? And is it beneficial for the boys to quit playing air guitar, and physically climb that Stairway To Heaven to plead their case to God? Find out if the hosts are excellent to each other and this movie by listening now!
{Bill & Ted Series}
Strange things are afoot at Now Playing! For the next three weeks Jakob, Stuart, and Arnaldo Carvalho, Esq. are catching up on the cinematic exploits of SoCal slackers Bill and Ted, starting with their 1989 Excellent Adventure. Can these clueless metalheads pass their history final by hopping in a time-traveling phone booth, and bringing legendary figures like Socrates and Napoleon Bonaparte to a 20th Century mall? And how accurate was this film’s prediction that Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter would change the future? Listen Now and Party On!
{Bill & Ted Series}
Johnny Depp has trouble telling fact from fiction after hayseed stalker John Turturro shows up on his porch, and accuses the New England writer of stealing his short story Secret Window. But is Stephen King the real plagiarist by presenting another tale of a tortured author using plot points cribbed from The Dark Half? And can Depp flip the script on his bitter divorce once bad things start happening to his cheating ex-wife (Maria Bello, not Amber Heard)? Find out if the seeds planted early in this narrative bear fruit or corn at the twist ending when you Listen Now!
{Stephen King Series}
Cancelled TV stars Bronson Pinchot (Perfect Strangers), David Morse (St. Elsewhere), and Patricia Wettig (thirtysomething) fight becoming a thing of the past after traveling through a rip in time in The Langoliers. Is this 1995 ABC miniseries a ticket back to prime time relevance? Or are the has-beens fated to a future forever flying coach and going unnoticed in the Bangor airport? And is 80s icon Pac-Man also angling for a comeback as he photobombs the finale? Feast on the next crazy Stephen King installment with Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie now!
{Stephen King Series}
Chris Pine (Star Trek) may be the fourth actor to play Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, but he’s the first incarnation of the Tom Clancy character to challenge Jason Bournes spy movie supremacy in the 21st Century. Can the CIA analyst keep pace with the times as he hunts down a shady Russian businessman (Kenneth Branaugh) out to tank the U.S. economy? And how long can eye surgeon Keira Knightley be kept in the dark about her boyfriend’s covert activities? Find out as Now Playing unlocks the file on the iconic spy's most recent big screen adventure.
{Tom Clancy Series}
{Jack Ryan Series}
Ben Affleck goes from Chasing Amy/ and following J-Lo around the block, to pursuing neo-Nazis hoping to detonate a dirty bomb on American soil in The Sum of All Fears/. Was this fourth Jack Ryan adventure too timely, with a plot that predicted many aspects of the 9/11 terrorist attacks? Does Tom Clancys Cold War politics still apply to this new War On Terror? And will CIA director Morgan Freeman open a file on why Harrison Ford has gone missing from the franchise? Jakob, Stuart, and Arnie are ready to play ball with the hot button thriller. Listen Now!
{Tom Clancy Series}
{Jack Ryan Series}
Harrison Ford was in no Clear and Present Danger/ of being replaced by any other movie star in 1994, but CIA analyst Jack Ryan does solicit help from another popular Tom Clancy character for his third big screen adventure. Can world-weary mercenary Clark (Willem Dafoe) help the pencil pusher defeat a Columbian drug cartel, and reign in an overreaching U.S. President? And does this 1989 novel about Reagan’s War On Drugs still hit the right targets today? Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart have emerged from the jungle with the answers, so Listen Now and find out!
{Tom Clancy Series}
{Jack Ryan Series}
Paramount was eager to adapt more Tom Clancy novels after Red October/ brought home a boatload of cash. But is it as much fun to play Patriot Games/ with so many important pieces missing from the sequel? Gone are the Cold War politics, sleek submarine technology, and Alec Baldwin as our nerdy CIA analyst hero. Will Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart remain loyal to the past, or go with Harrison Ford as an older Jack Ryan defending his family and seaside home from crazy Sean Bean (Lord of the Rings/) and a rogue IRA faction? Listen and find out.
{Tom Clancy Series}
{Jack Ryan Series}
Sean Connery has stolen a Soviet nuclear submarine, and now every Cold War naval vessel is on The Hunt For Red October. Tom Clancy’s 1984 bestseller was designed to torpedo Rambo shoot ’em ups, and take the action genre into a new decade of thinking man ‘techno-thrillers’. But did Alec Baldwin study enough about his co-star to turn his untested CIA analyst into the next James Bond? Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart are ready to track every move in Jack Ryan’s 30 year movie career, starting with this 1990 blockbuster. Listen Now!
{Tom Clancy Series}
{Jack Ryan Series}
Join all seven podcasters as they sit down for the first time to give a collective review of The Breakfast Club. Does John Hughes’ seminal teen drama of the 1980s still have something important to say about cliques and class division 35 years later? What were the hosts like in high school, and has recording one thousand shows together felt like punishment or a unique bonding experience? You won’t need to return to your locker for that bag of grass in order to spend the day giggling as Now Playing explains “who we are”. Listen Now!
{Individual Movie Reviews}
… except Snake Plissken, after President Cliff Robertson tasks him to recover a top secret weapon from revolutionaries hiding out at the former Happiest Place On Earth. But SoCal’s new prison island proves to be a decidedly sunnier and funnier place than the Big Apple penitentiary of 15 years ago. Can Kurt Russell’s one-eyed badass fend off deranged plastic surgeon Bruce Campbell, surf tsunamis with Peter Fonda, and hang with outlaw Pam Grier? And is Escape From LA a sequel to, or parody of, John Carpenter’s 1981 classic? Listen and Find Out!
{Escape From Series}
{John Carpenter Series}
How prophetic is John Carpenter’s 1981 vision of future Manhattan – so crime-ridden it’s become a maximum security prison? And how easily can Kurt Russell shake off his Disney kid image to star as Snake Plissken, the one-eyed convict coerced by Lee Van Cleef to rescue the Commander-In-Chief from crime lord Isaac Hayes? Start spreadin’ the news, the podcast is ready to play. Be a part of it and Listen Now!
{Escape From Series}
{John Carpenter Series}
Novelist Timothy Hutton starts to go a little cuckoo when The Dark Half of his creative mind – the part responsible for writing all of his salacious bestsellers – takes physical form and strikes out at the family and friends that push the author to be more wholesome. Is this latest Stephen King story just a thinly veiled tell-all of the horror writer’s struggles with alcohol and alter ego Richard Bachman? Or should we consider this more like a new chapter in director George Romero’s Living Dead saga? See if Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie are on the same page when you Listen Now!
{Stephen King Series}
Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart continue to dig into Stephen King’s extensive filmography, this week reaching the much-maligned adaptation of Tommyknockers. Marg Helgenberger (CSI) and Jimmy Smitts (LA Law) cause a meltdown in their little Maine town when they excavate a UFO in their backyard. Were fans too quick to bury this ABC-TV miniseries? Why would anyone want E.T. to go home when the aliens make such ingenious modifications to lipstick, magic shows, and Coke machines? Answer that knockin’ at the door by downloading and listening now!
{Stephen King Series}
Businesswoman Gwenyth Paltrow comes into contact with a novel virus. Now can an all-star cast stop her Contagion from spreading worldwide? And why does Matt Damon have a “Borne” immunity? Now Playing’s Viral Outbreak Retrospective reaches its dramatic conclusion with a podcast review of Steven Soderbergh’s sprawling, newly relevant 2011 medical thriller. Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob as they analyze the ways the fictional MEV-1 outbreak mirrors today’s COVID-19 pandemic. Listen Now!
{Viral Outbreak Series}
The Andromeda Strain has mutated again! Michael Crichton’s landmark 1969 novel came back in 2008 as a two-night TV mini-series produced by Ridley and Tony Scott! But is this cast of sitcom stars – including Eric McCormack (Will & Grace), Ricky Schroder (Silver Spoons), Christa Miller (Scrubs), and Andre Braugher (Brooklyn Nine-Nine) – capable of selling the science to a cable television audience? Follow Jakob, Arnie, and Stuart into the wormhole as they continue contact tracing the history of viral outbreaks in movies with this latest podcast. Listen Now!
{Viral Outbreak Series}
{Andromeda Strain Series}
The 1990s gets a whole lot grungier after an infected African monkey is smuggled into Northern California, and causes a deadly Outbreak. Dustin Hoffman and Rene Russo star as divorcing virologists tasked with flattening the curve of a super-Ebola before nervous military brass Morgan Freeman and Donald Sutherland opt to level the hot zone and everyone inside with jetfire. Find out if Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob think this 1995 medical thriller is nothing to sneeze at when you download the latest installment of their pandemic-themed podcast. Listen now!
{Viral Outbreak Series}
Gag me with a spoon! Those glow-in-the-dark boils under your eyes aren’t just an ‘80s fashion statement, but a Warning Sign that your local agro-research lab is cooking up more than genetically modified food. Before he kept Law & Order on television, sheriff Sam Waterston shot it out with enraged scientists infected with Borna disease in this fourth installment of the Now Playing Viral Outbreak Retrospective. Is this another brainless zombie movie? Or can Jakob, Arnie, and Stuart sink their teeth into some hard science too? Listen and find out!
{Viral Outbreak Series}
A whole new kind of sickness struck the 1970s with the release of The Andromeda Strain. Four scientists hunker down in a top secret lab to study the space plague inadvertently brought to Earth by a fallen satellite. Can they find a cure for the killer alien bug before politicians use nukes to inoculate the planet? And will this first film adaptation of Michael Crichton’s bestseller develop a fatal case of disco fever coming from the director of musicals West Side Story and The Sound of Music? Find out now!
{Viral Outbreak Series}
{Andromeda Strain Series}
(or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Support Podcasts
Stanley Kubrick and Peter Sellers help folks see the lighter side of apocalypse with their 1964 Cold War classic Dr. Strangelove. What happens when a paranoid general (Sterling Hayden) decides to protect American bodily fluids by ordering fighter pilot Slim Pickens to drop 50 megaton bombs on unsuspecting Soviet targets? Can George C. Scott and a Nazi scientist convince the US President there’s an upside to starting World War III? Find out when you become a Now Playing Patron and join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob in the bunker this April.
{Individual Movie Reviews}
Pandemic movies infect the Swingin’ Sixties courtesy of The Satan Bug – a 1965 spy caper that becomes the second installment of Now Playing’s Viral Outbreak Retrospective. TV star George Maharis (Route 66) attempted to be an epidemiological James Bond when he slipped on an isolation suit, and hunted down the reclusive billionaire who broke into a top secret bioweapons lab to release a highly lethal virus. Find out if Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart wash their hands of these dirty double crosses when you take two earbuds and call on Now Playing this morning!
{Viral Outbreak Series}
Finding yourself indoors with plenty of time to catch up on movies? Avoid the Panic in the Streets, and join Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob as they analyze Hollywood portrayals of pandemics through the ages with a topical Viral Outbreak Retrospective. The seven part series begins in 1950 with an Oscar-winning film noir classic directed by Elia Kazan (On The Waterfront). Can public health official Richard Widmark quarantine city slicker Jack Palance before the mobster infects all of New Orleans with plague? Your cure for boredom is here when you give it a shot!
{Viral Outbreak Series}
No one was playing Dungeon Siege in 2014, much less joining Uwe Boll on his Last Mission to make a respectable fantasy film out of the role playing video game. Prison Break star Dominic Purcell discovers his tattoos can now open portals to ancient Bulgaria. Is the modern day assassin much help to two Ehb princesses out to overthrow a traitorous king and his fire-breathing dragon? Or should he aim his pistol at the power-mad director instead? The hit job on this third In The Name Of The King chapter costs you nothing but time, so Listen Now!
{Video Game Series}
{Dungeon Siege Series}
Dolph! Uwe! What happens when Two World Heavyweight movie punchlines unite for one epically bad sequel to fantasy flop In The Name of the King? Lundgren stars as the unlikely son of Jason Statham, called from modern day Vancouver to wage war on a witch and her cannibal army in the medieval land of Ehb. Chosen Ones Justin, Stuart, and Arnie command you to fulfill the prophecy, take another drink from this never ending Boll of poison, and keep listening to the Now Playing Arcade until we’ve reached the Time Beyond!!
{Video Game Series}
{Dungeon Siege Series}
What In The Name of The King is Uwe Boll up to now?! Someone gave the notoriously awful director $60 million to turn video game Dungeon Siege into a wannabe Lord of the Rings. He’s even convinced Jason Statham to star as a martial-arts wielding peasant caught between goodfella magician Ray Liotta and a royally miscast Burt Reynolds in the battle to be crowned Worst Supporting Actor. Will Arnie have to travel to the pits of Mordor to burn this DVD, or is this the epic to finally free Boll from movie jail? Find out when you join the Now Playing Arcade!
{Video Game Series}
{Dungeon Siege Series}
Justin, Stuart, and Arnie invite listeners to another dimension, where fighting games made for the high end Neo Geo 24 bit system become major movie events! Can The King of Fighters at least claim victory over those flop film adaptations of Street Fighter, Double Dragon, and Tekken? Ray Park (aka Darth Maul) has stolen three legendary artifacts that enable him to turn a friendly martial arts tournament into career suicide. Find out how Maggie Q (Nikita) and future Deadpool 2 director David Leitch survived when you join the Now Playing Arcade and Listen Now!
Legendary Pictures was definitely chasing Avengers money when they hired Loki (Tom Hiddleston), Captain Marvel (Brie Larson), and Nick Fury (Samuel L Jackson) to coerce big ape Kong to join a MonsterVerse superteam. But they might have more luck winning the Vietnam War than lasting three days on Skull Island with bonkers POW John C Reilly and a nest of subterranean, flesh-eating lizards. Be glad you have Jakob, Stuart, and Arnie to keep you safe on this eighth wonderful installment of the King Kong podcast. Listen Now
{King Kong Series}
{Godzilla Series}
Lord of the Rings mastermind Peter Jackson emerged from Middle Earth with enough box office clout and Oscar statues to get any movie made he wanted. So why reteam with Gollum (aka Andy Serkis), and send huckster Jack Black, loverboy Adrien Brody, and new blonde Naomi Watts on an expedition to resurrect King Kong in 2005? Find out if their trip to Skull Island needs to be the length of a Tolkien epic, or if the podcasters would prefer to tour Jurassic Park instead, when you download the latest installment of this legendary ape franchise. Listen Now!
{King Kong Series}
Sega has taken company mascot Sonic The Hedgehog to the next level with a brand new live-action feature. That means Arnie, Justin, and Stuart are racing back to the Now Playing Arcade to cover all the twists and loop-de-loops this video game icon has traveled on the road to this CGI makeover. Will the Blue Devil win over Red State America as he makes rural Montana his home? And is he running rings around smartypants Dr. Robotnik, or has Jim Carrey simply forfeited the comedy game? Push play on the podcast and find out!
{Video Game Series} {Sonic the Hedgehog}
Time to find out who the real Harley Quinn is! Margot Robbie emancipates herself from that less-than-fantabulous group of metahumans known as Suicide Squad to fly with new crew Birds of Prey. Does a teen pickpocket, salty cop, ass-kicking lounge singer, and crossbow killer offer Harley the same level of protection as Jared Leto’s Joker? Or can Gotham villains like Black Mask (Ewan McGregor) separate this smart-mouthed clown from her face or breakfast sandwich without fear of retaliation? Chillax with some pizza and Cosmos, and take in our tell-all podcast!
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{DC Movie Universe}
{Birds of Prey Series}
{DC Teams Series}
{Suicide Squad Series}
Does the thought of a well-endowed female gorilla make your heart pump a little faster? One supersized simian is certainly warm to Lady Kong’s form - picking himself up from the broken pavement after his 1976 tumble from the World Trade Center, and continuing on in the 1986 sequel King Kong Lives. Is Linda Hamilton proud to oversee the birth of another miracle baby two years after delivering John Connor, or should she terminate her agent for casting her in this monkey business? The podcasters are off the chain and ready to battle, so Listen Now.
{King Kong Series}
Long before she became a fixture on American Horror Story, Jessica Lange practiced her screaming skills as the aspiring actress abducted by King Kong in a colorful 1976 remake. Is the big ape willing to play second banana to Jeff Bridges, as a primate paleontologist also falling for the buxom blonde? And can oil executive Charles Grodon strike it rich by putting Kong on tour, after Skull Island proves not to have the dinosaurs needed to produce a gasoline fortune? Arnie, Jakob and Stuart answer the distress call of this disaster movie when you Listen Now.
{King Kong Series}
Will Smith and Martin Lawrence declare themselves Bad Boys For Life as they relaunch the irreverent action franchise that made them box office titans a quarter century ago. But did Miami detectives Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett make a bargain with God, or sell their souls, when they retired director Michael Bay, and joined a SWAT team of squeaky clean Millennials who defer all the dangerous work to drones? And how will Mike clean up his brouhaha with a black magic witch running a Mexican cartel? Lean back in your recliner and Listen Now to find out.
{Bad Boys Series}
America wanted their big gorilla back for a popular Saturday morning cartoon, but King Kong Escapes for one last Japanese adventure. Villainous Dr. Who (no relation to the BBC Timelord) needs the legendary ape’s help in mining the North Pole of a rare mineral. Can a Bond babe and kidnapped nurse seduce Kong into dirtying his paws? Or will the beast find it impossible to dig alongside a robotical replica of himself dubbed Mechani-Kong? Join all of Tokyo in getting the blow-by-blow of their beatdown when you download Now Playing’s latest podcast.
{King Kong Series}
Don’t panic! King Kong has broken free of his American handlers and heads to Japan for fisticuffs with local lizard Godzilla. Should Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob drop a nuke on these two iconic monsters to stop them from soiling their cinematic reputations? Or did the big ape need this childish, man-in-rubber-suit cage match to make him relevant 30 years after his embarrassing tumble from the Empire State Building? Chill out with some cigarettes and soma berries, slip on the headphones, and find out when you Listen Now!
{King Kong Series}
{Godzilla Series}
Now Playing has one last podcast for 2019, dedicated to all those dirty birdies who love the oogy mind of Stephen King. Writer Paul Sheldon (James Caan) finds himself in Misery after he’s pulled from a car crash in snowy Colorado, and tortured by a demented fan who demands a new chapter for the romance novel heroine he retired. Did Kathy Bates deserve the Oscar for her tough love bedside manner? And how many pages from the book did director Rob Reiner have to eat in order to bring this very literate story to the screen? Listen and find out!
{Stephen King Series}
The Emperor Strikes Back! Zombie Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) steps from the shadows with secrets that could force last Jedi Rey (Daisy Ridley) to turn to the Dark Side and bad boy Kylo Ren (Adam Driver). But General Leia (Carrie Fisher) is committed to using every last ounce of her Old War star power to squash this Final Order, and pave the way for The Rise of Skywalker. Find out how much resistance Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart put up for the ninth and final episode in the Star Wars saga in when you download this massive podcast. Listen Now!
{Star Wars Series}
‘Twas the night of Black Christmas, and all through Blumhouse, strange creatures in hoodies, sought coeds to roust. But the remake has armed all the women with care, in the hopes it’s the bros’ turn to finally be scared. Now Arnie! Now Stuart! Now Brock to their boots, head off to the theater to watch Imogen Poots. Will this boys-vs-girls showdown get social media chatter? Or will militant feminists not even find that it matters? The hosts will exclaim their thoughts and insights, when you download the podcast and listen tonight!
{Black Christmas Series}
Life is tough for the Son of Kong. Everyone expects him to follow in his father’s massive footsteps, and scale the box office heights of the first film. But this quickie sequel has different monkey business in mind as it sends scandalized movie director Carl Denham (Robert Armstrong) back to Skull Island for romantic hijinks with an orphaned circus performer. Will they - or Now Playing hosts Jakob, Arnie, and Stuart - find any buried treasure while watching little albino Kong take on dinosaurs, cave bears, and a shady Norweigian sailor? Listen and find out!
{King Kong Series}
Jakob, Arnie, and Stuart find themselves in an Empire State Of Mind as they begin a four month wrestling match with King Kong - the Eighth Wonder of the World! This towering franchise has cast an 86-year-long shadow over film history, beginning with the big ape’s 1933 blockbuster debut! Head back to Skull Island with Now Playing, and discover if this legendary movie star still has the strength to make audiences scream like Fay Wray, or beat down 50 foot tall lizard Godzilla for their 2020 theatrical showdown. Listen Now!
{King Kong Series}
Playstation heroes Ratchet and Clank starred in 12 video game adventures together before making the quantum leap to movie theaters for a fast-paced (and okay, financially unsuccessful) 2016 animated feature. Did Earthlings miss a memorable screen pairing? And can this one-of-a-kind alien mechanic and his defective warbot bestie stop villains voiced by Paul Giamatti and Sylvester Stallone from reconfiguring the most beautiful planets in the solar system? No quarters needed to play the latest Now Playing Arcade installment. Listen Now!
{Video Game Series}
{Ratchet & Clank}
'70s TV execs discounted Aaron Spelling's idea for a Charlie's Angels show because there was no man to come and save them. Well, a lot has changed in the last 40 years and the women are just fine saving themselves...and even some men who get in trouble. Thus we have the Elizabeth Banks produced, directed, co-written, and co-starring 2019 Charlie's Angels. But in a post #TimesUp world is there still place for an Aaron Spelling-like jiggle fest? And if not, what does that leave for the Angels? Join us now to find out!
{Charlie's Angels Series}
Little Danny barely escaped Jack Nicholson and the ghosts of the Overlook Hotel back in 1980. Now grown-up Dan Torrance (Ewan McGregor) - nicknamed Doctor Sleep - is fighting the demon of alcoholism, as well as a pack of vampiric gypsies hoping to eat the soul of a powerful child clairvoyant. Will this Shining sequel leave Kubrick fans steaming? Or can new director Mike Flanagan honor the classic movie while bringing the story back to Stephen King’s original intentions? Join the hosts as they pick up bats and axes and come to play forever and ever!
{Stephen King Series}
{Shining Series}
Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) thought she saved humanity from a SkyNet future of robot domination. So it’s ironic that new cybernetic menace Legion has come online in the year 2020, and it’s now Sarah’s Dark Fate to protect new target Dani (Natalia Reyes) from a new Terminator. Will the arrival of augmented future soldier Grace (Mackenzie Davis) increase their chances of success? Or is it curtains for James Cameron’s flagship franchise (and if so, are they polka dot or butterfly drapes)? Find out when you listen now!
{Terminator Series}
For nearly a decade Devil's Rejects stars Bill Moseley and Sid Haig, plus series creator Rob Zombie, said the series--like its main characters--was dead. 10 years and several flops later, the Firefly family is back from the dead! How does Zombie explain this away? And are these 3 From Hell as dangerous in 1988 as they were in the '70s? Join our three podcast hosts from hell, Marjorie, Brock, and Arnie, to find out!
{House of 1000 Corpses} {Rob Zombie Series}
Rule #1 when you’re producing a sequel: Bring back everyone that made the first film successful. It took a decade, and probably more than a few Twinkies, but director Ruben Fleischer has managed to "Double Tap" Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Abigail Breslin, and Emma Stone for a second trip to Zombieland! Can the foursome teach Generation Z how to fight a ferocious new strain of undead? And is the Oval Office or Graceland a better place to wait out the apocalypse? Find out when you become a Now Playing Silver Level Donor!
{Zombieland Series}
Now Playing Arcade podcasters Justin, Arnie, and Stuart thought that first-person shooter Doom had already done a bang-up job destroying the video game’s appeal on the big screen with the Dwayne Johnson/Karl Urban 2005 movie. Second chapter Annihilation returns to finish the job with a squad of no-name Marines on a mission to mow down rubber suit demons and zombies in lab coats on a Martian moonbase. Have the hosts opened a portal to hell or the next level in camp comedy? Strap on some protective armor and head into the fray. Listen Now!
{Video Game Series}
{Doom Series}
Rule #1: if you want to survive the 2009 horror-comedy Zombieland: Find a Friend in Now Playing! Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart will be doing lots of cardio to keep pace with the last four humans in America, as they make their way to a California amusement park overrun with undead. Donate for Silver Level this fall and learn to enjoy the little things - Jesse Eisenberg trying to wallpaper the closet with Emma Stone; Woody Harrelson extolling the virtues of fresh Twinkies; and the shocking first impression Bill Murray makes on millennial Abigail Breslin.
{Zombieland Series}
Charlie's Angels returned in 2003...and so did Demi Moore. The superstar actress' Q-Score had fallen in the decade since her big hits Indecent Proposal and Ghost, but she was set to rise again as former Angel Madison Lee in this action sequel. Does she shine against then-box office champ Cameron Diaz? Does Moore even get enough screen time when squeezed into a cast with Bernie Mac, Crispin Glover, Justin Theroux, Robert Patrick, Shia LaBeouf, Luke Wilson, John Cleese, and Matt LeBlanc? Get your Zass over here and listen now!
{Charlie's Angels Series}
It’s Arthur Fleck, better known as Joker! Before becoming Batman’s #1 nemesis, the Clown Prince of Crime was just a struggling stand-up comic doing his best to make the public smile on the mean streets of Gotham. Can Joaquin Phoenix convince the Now Playing hosts that heartless millionaires like mayoral candidate (and father of Bruce) Thomas Wanye are the true enemies of the people? And is Hangover director Todd Phillips making a Scorsese inspired tragedy, or Trumpian comedy, out of this atypical DC Comics origin story? Listen and find out!
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{Batman Series}
{Joker Movie Series}
"Girl Power!" The sentiment continues, but the look has changed dramatically since the era of Spice Girls and, this week's movie review, 2000's Charlie's Angels. Listen now as our hosts remember what feminism looked like--in an unzipped mechanic's jumpsuit--as Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, and Lucy Liu update the Angels for a new millennium!
{Charlie's Angels Series}
It's been 11 years. The world has changed. John Rambo, however, has not--he's just tried to keep a lid on it. That lid blows when his "niece" is abducted by a Mexican cartel, and Rambo is out for Last Blood. Should this be Rambo's final mission? Join Arnie, Brock, and Jakob for this review to find out!
{Rambo Series}
Once upon a time, there were three little girls who went to the police academy... With those words Aaron Spelling and Leonard Goldberg created a television sensation: Charlie's Angels. It was an instant television sensation. And in the 43 years since it premiered on TV it had two theatrical films, a 2011 reboot, plus an upcoming new film! Join Arnie, Marjorie, and Jakob as they go back to where it all began--on the 480i TV screens in 1976.
{Charlie's Angels Series}
It’s 2016, and The Losers Club is all grown up and ready for a rematch with It. Chapter II finds Pennywise waking from his 27 year nap hangry, homicidal, and hot to dance with old Derry foes Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy, and Bill Hader. Can arcade tokens, yearbook pages, a bunch of shower caps, and other artifacts from an ‘80s childhood be used to complete a Native American ritual that will ‘eighty-six’ this shape-shifting space clown for good? Listen and Find Out!
{Stephen King Series}
{It Series}
30 years after massacring trees and dominating bookshelf space everywhere, Stephen King’s monster novel It transformed into the biggest horror movie of all-time! Chapter One focuses on The Losers Club - a group of misfit kids investigating the stranger things occurring in their cursed small town. Will stuttering leader Bill (Jaeden Martell) find his missing brother alive in the city’s waterworks? Can new kid on the block Ben (Jeremy Ray Taylor) woo crush Beverly (Sophia Lillis) while fighting off bullies with switchblades? Get down with the clown when you listen now!
{Stephen King Series}
{It Series}
Were executives at the ABC network Pennywise or pound foolish for thinking Stephen King’s gory, gigantic novel IT could float on 1990s prime time television alongside family-oriented hits Who’s The Boss and The Wonder Years? Tim Curry’s dancing clown did his best to lure the censors into the sewer as he terrorizes the children of Derry, Maine in a highly rated two-part miniseries. Make a pact to join podcasters Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob as they stare into the deadlights (and take shots at those special effects). Listen Now!
{Stephen King Series}
{It Series}
Mortal enemies come together like bacon and eggs in The Angry Birds Movie 2, as cranky cardinal Red (Jason Sudeikis) and green pig Leonard (Bill Hader) team up to stop mysterious balls of ice from flattening their respective island homes. Is this sequel "poultry in motion" now that new writers, directors, and Saturday Night Live cast members Leslie Jones and Pete Davidson have joined the nest? Or is the cartoon an albatross around the podcasters’ necks as they try to soar through Now Playing’s video game retrospective? Listen and Find Out!
{Video Game Series}
{Angry Birds Series}
DC Comics cooks up a new take on the gangster genre with the release of The Kitchen. Melissa McCarthy, Tiffany Haddish, and Elisabeth Moss star as a trio of marginalized mob wives who must find a way to put food on the table when their Irish hood husbands are busted for armed robbery. Is 1970s midtown Manhattan better off under the protection of wisegals who know how to clean up a blood stain? And should this dish have been seasoned with more of these ladies’ trademark comedy? Do it for the kids, and download the show now!
{DC Teams Series}
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
Someone opened a cold can of whoopass, and now "Mike Oxmall" and "Franz Grubar" - a crime fighting duo better known as Hobbs & Shaw - are storming the multiplex and hijacking the Fast and Furious franchise. Will Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Jason Statham be at each other’s throats for their entire spin-off movie? Or can they find a way to work together to defeat "Black Superman" Idris Elba, and track down the carrier of a deadly virus (Vanessa Kirby)? Trust your Now Playing Family to tell you the truth when you Listen Now!
{Fast and Furious Series}
The Now Playing Arcade is making Justin, Stuart, and Arnie see Red… and all the other Angry Birds that appear in the blockbuster 2016 animated movie! Can this short-tempered cardinal stop a boatload of green pigs from stealing all the eggs from his island with nothing more than slingshots, trampolines, and friends from anger management class? And does the vocal talent of Saturday Night Live alumni Jason Sudeikis, Maya Rudoph, and Bill Hader brighten the mood for the adults watching? Hear the hosts squawk about it all when you Listen Now!
{Video Game Series}
{Angry Birds Series}
Only witches can make a "weeping book", but Hollywood often wrings tears from Stephen King readers with their many poor adaptations. Will Blumhouse - the studio behind Paranormal Activity and Get Out - show Mercy in their telling of Skeleton Crew short story “Gramma”? Chandler Riggs (Walking Dead) stars as a mama’s boy out to determine if his nana (Shirley Knight) is a dying woman with dementia, or a black magic practitioner trying to possess his soul. Find out if this flick makes the podcasters want to put axes in their heads when you Listen Now!
{Stephen King Series}
Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart get lost in The Mist as they find their way back to the Stephen King retrospective. It took Shawshank Redemption director Frank Darabont more than a decade to bring this standout entry in King’s Skeleton Crew short story collection to the big screen. Are the beasties that maroon Thomas Jane and his son in a grocery store as scary as the religious zealotry of fellow refugee Marcia Gay Harden? And what will the hosts make of that infamous downbeat ending? Listen Now and clear the air on this controversial adaptation.
{Stephen King Series}
Peter Parker leaves his friendly neighborhood Spider-Man alter ego behind for a journey Far From Home meant to alleviate the loss of mentor Tony Stark. But S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Nick Fury won’t let the 16-year-old tourist shirk his Avenger duties while on European holiday, rebranding him “Night Monkey” so that Peter can fight elemental monsters alongside new superhero Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal). Can the web-slinger still make time to kiss Zendaya on the Eiffel Tower while keeping Venice afloat, or London Bridge from falling down? Listen and find out!
{Spider-Man Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{Avengers Series}
While Ed and Lorraine Warren are off “conjuring” up their next big screen supernatural adventure, daughter Judy and her groovy babysitters are back Home trying to contend with Annabelle. It’s an apocalypse in the Artifacts Room when the devil doll escapes her glass case, and unleashes everything from a bloody bridal dress to a British werewolf in an effort to claim souls. What else will Marjorie, Stuart, and Arnie discover when they reach inside this Feeley Meeley box and sort through the odds and ends? Download the podcast and Find Out!
{Conjuring Series}
Sheriff Woody (Tom Hanks) has come to a critical spork in the road. Can the cowboy doll continue down his path of being Bonnie’s neglected plaything now that fate, and a raucous family road trip, has reunited him with long lost love Bo Peep (Annie Potts)? And how should he deal with broken doll Gabby Gabby (Christina Hendricks), who holds Bonnie’s homemade creation "Forky" hostage in the hopes of exchanging him for Woody’s pull string? Listen to your inner voice - and Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart - when you to download the epic Toy Story 4 podcast!
{Pixar Series}
{Toy Story Series}
The Conjuring cinematic universe has certainly given Marjorie, Arnie, and Stuart a lot to cry about over the years. Is it a blessing or a curse that a blubbering Spanish spectre named La Llorona has followed Annabelle priest Father Perez to the big screen for a sixth installment in the franchise? Find out if the podcasters have a bawl watching this Weeping Woman use her long talons to snatch away two children from Hawkeye’s wife Linda Cardellini. Listen now!
{Conjuring Series}
Woody, Buzz, and the rest of Pixar’s playthings are ready to toy with your emotions once again as they prepare to spend infinity and beyond in the attic. But will their friendship survive after Andy decides to take only one of his childhood favorites to college, leaving the rest to be donated to a frenetic daycare center where passive-aggressive teddy bear Lots O’Huggin (Ned Beatty) orchestrates their misery? Find out if Toy Story 3 leaves Now Playing’s trio of podcasters in tears when you Listen Now!
{Pixar Series}
{Toy Story Series}
Before the Marvel Cinematic Universe overhauls the X-Men, those first movie mutants rise up from the ashes of the Fox franchise for a last stand with Dark Phoenix. What happens when a space mission leaves Jean Grey (Sophie Turner) surging with energy, and blowing her stack at Professor X (James McAvoy), Cyclops (Tye Sheridan), and all mankind? Will she be attracted to the newfound zen of Magneto (Michael Fassbender)? And does space alien Jessica Chastain come in peace... or just want a piece of her glow? School’s in session when you Listen Now!
{X-Men Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
Sheriff Woody (Tom Hanks) might have patched things up with arrogant astronaut Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), but who’s going to fix all the wear and tear that longtime play has had on his increasingly fragile doll body? Is this cowboy ready to be put out to pasture? Or will Hamm, Rex, Mr. Potato Head, and Buzz stop a thieving toy collector (Wayne Knight) from turning their friend into a collectible, and shipping him off to a museum in Japan? Jakob, Stuart, and Arnie reflect on the heartbreaking lessons of maturity offered in Toy Story 2 when you Listen Now!
{Pixar Series}
{Toy Story Series}
Every child imagines that their stuffed animals and action figures have a secret life, but the official Toy Story wasn't recorded until Pixar created the first computer animated feature film. Cowboy doll Woody (Tom Hanks) proves playthings can be just as petty as people when his 8-year-old owner Andy receives high-tech space man Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) for a birthday present. Is the fight to be Andy's favorite toy a zero sum game? Are the Now Playing hosts cynical enough to blow up this movie classic when they regress to childhood? Listen Now!
{Pixar Series}
{Toy Story Series}
Who can defeat The Avengers? Leave it to hitman extraordinaire John Wick! The sleeper hit series has, with its third "chapter", topped Avengers from their spot atop the box office charts. That success led to an instant announcement of Chapter 4 coming in 2021. But for all its success, can 54-year-old Keanu Reeves continue to kick ass on screen? Or does new partner Halle Berry "Jinx" the whole affair? Arnie, Justin, and Jakob have served, and will serve, so join them with this review of Parabellum.
{John Wick Series}
Did Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds feel it in his jellies when he signed on to be the voice of electric mouse Detective Pikachu in his first live-action adventure? Or is the sarcastic actor talking to the wrong crowd by partnering with millennial Justice Smith for a PG rated Pokemon movie? Join Stuart, Arnie, and Justin as they wrap up this legendary series, and follow the clues left at a mysterious car crash back to a deadly purple gas and notorious genetic mutation MewTwo. Catch It Now!
{Video Game Series}
{Pokemon Series}
Team Rocket is at it again! Spies Annie and Oakley have abducted the dragon protectors of a tranquil canal city. Good thing Pokemon Heroes Ash, Brock and Misty are here to ensure that Legendary Latios and Latias are rescued before a massive tidal wave destroys their town. Join hosts Justin, Arnie, and Stuart as they "sight share" their experience watching the last animated Pikachu movie to receive wide theatrical distribution in America, as well as their enjoyment of mobile game phenomenon Pokemon Go. You gotta catch the poke-cast now!
{Video Game Series}
{Pokemon Series}
It was inevitable that the Marvel Cinematic Universe would reach an Endgame after producing 21 blockbusters over the course of 11 years. Can Iron Man, Captain America, Hulk, Thor, Black Widow, and Hawkeye undo the devastation of Thanos’ Infinity War by implementing Ant-Man’s crazy "time heist" plot? And are IMAX screens big enough to contain the hordes of superheroes fighting for the spotlight in the sprawling final battle? Hosts Jakob, Arnie, and Stuart aim for the heart and the head as they assemble once more for a gigantic, in-depth review. Hear it now!
{Spider-Man Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{Avengers Series}
{Iron Man Series}
{Hulk Series}
{Captain America Series}
{Thor Series}
{Guardians of the Galaxy Series}
{Ant-Man Series}
The world’s greatest paranormal investigator is back on the big screen! Hellboy heads to England on a quest to wield Excalibur, and stop King Arthur’s witchy nemesis Milla Jovovich from unleashing a plague of monsters. Does Stranger Things’ David Harbour look as good in red as Ron Perlman? And how much help does he get from a saucy medium (Sasha Lane), a suppressed wildcat Major (Lost’s Daniel Dae Kim), and a hard R rating? Hear if Jakob, Arnie, and Stuart have Giant problems with this reboot when you listen now!
{Hellboy Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{Dark Horse Comics}
The ground has been pretty sour for Jakob, Stuart, and Arnie as they’ve trudged through some pretty rocky Stephen King film adaptations. Have their fortunes improved now that they’ve returned to Pet Sematary? One of the author’s most celebrated novels has found new life in a big budget “elevated horror” remake. Do the hosts hit the breaks on the dramatic plot twist that steers the Creed family down a different road? And will they dig Jason Clarke and Oscar nominee John Lithgow in the iconic roles? Listen Now, and let Now Playing take you to Church!
{Stephen King Series}
{Pet Semetary Series}
All hands on deck! Detective Comics has added a new superhero to its cinematic family. SHAZAM! might not be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, but this week he’s pushed his way past Captain Marvel to top the box office. Can a 14-year-old foster kid use Zachary Levi as his Photo ID, and pass himself off as the next Superman? Or do podcasters Justin, Stuart, and Arnie have BIG problems with a man-child in spandex? Your phone is charged with lots of laughs and great conversation when you download the show, and Listen Now!
{DC Teams Series}
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{DC Movie Universe}
{Shazam Series}
It may feel like Stuart, Arnie, and Justin have talked about Pokemon 4Ever, but Ash and Pikachu still have a long road to travel before they complete their cinematic journey. Perhaps they can speed up the process when they encounter Celebi - a legendary Pokemon with the power of time-travel. The hosts rewind the clock too when they pull out some classic Pokemon board games, and return to the era of dice rolls and moving tokens along fold-out maps. Listen Now and find out the true identity of the masked marauder!
{Video Game Series}
{Pokemon Series}
Ash and Pikachu are off pursuing new Championship dreams in the distant land of Johto when Pokemon 3 brings them face-to-face with the Unown! How will the travelers fare against a lonely orphan girl who’s harnessed the power of psychic Pokemon, and kidnapped Ash’s mother Delia, in an attempt to rebuild her missing family? And will Ash’s retired fire-breather Charizard return to the fold, and save his former Trainer from a Legendary pocket monster named Entei? Catch Stuart’s, Justin’s, and Arnie’s evolving opinions on this franchise when you Listen Now!
{Video Game Series}
{Pokemon Series}
Pikachu, his trainer Ash Ketchum, and all the classic pocket monsters proved they were no fad of the 1990s when they stormed the new millennium with another hit animated film. Pokemon 2000 sees them facing off with a heartless collector who stokes apocalyptic fears when he captures a flock of doomsday birds - including “Beast of the Sea” Lugia! Will the Now Playing crew have as much fun with the film as they do trying to learn the Pokemon Trading Card game? Listen and find out!
{Video Game Series}
{Pokemon Series}
Before they reach their End Game, Marvel Studios takes audiences back to where it all began for S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Nick Fury (Samuel “Mother-Flerken” Jackson) - a 1995 close encounter with Captain Marvel. Can Brie Larson’s space invader rectify where her loyalties lie when warring factions of Kree and Skrulls descend upon Earth to claim Annette Bening’s lightspeed technology? And when will the femalien be ready to use her flaming fist power? Find out if Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob had a Mar-Velous time revisiting the Grunge Era when you Listen Now!
{Marvel Series}
{Avengers Series}
{Comic Book Movies Series}
{Captain Marvel Series}
Also includes reviews of "Pikachu's Vacation" and "Origin of Mewtwo" Arnie, Justin, and Pika-Stu are strapping on the boxing gloves and going head-to-head with Pokemon - the second most popular video game franchise of all time. Can the hosts survive six rounds with these irrepressibly cute “pocket monsters”, starting with their blockbuster animated First Movie? Legendary baddie MewTwo hopes to wipe them and every other living being off the face of the earth with an epic flood, making way for a new generation of genetically modified critters. Catch all the laughs and excitement when you listen now!
{Video Game Series}
{Pokemon Series}
Now Playing is adding more Stephen King to their movie diet - starting with an adaptation of the horror scribe’s best-selling weight loss plan Thinner. Magic man Tadzu Lempke can help you melt away excess pounds without exercise or fasting, thanks to one of his custom gypsy curses. Can an obese lawyer eat a slice of humble pie, atone for running over Tadzu’s mother, and get his hex lifted before he wastes away to a skeleton? And is this production plagued by the same bad taste that’s caused so many other King works to belly flop on screen? Listen and find out!
{Stephen King Series}
Happy Death Day blew out the candles and got its wish--major profit for Blumhouse, but what will happen when the movie itself loops and begins a sequel? And how much did the trailers lie about the movie's plot? These questions and many more are answered in this episode of Now Playing Podcast!
{Happy Death Day Series}
Happy Death Day is a lighthearted whodunit slasher film, equal parts Groundhog Day, Friday the 13th, and Sixteen Candles. We follow college student Tree (Jessica Rothe) as she relives the same day again and again, always ending the same way--her murder. Is this a movie worth watching over and over again, or should it be tossed off like a bad hangover? Join the Now Playing hosts now to find out!
{Happy Death Day Series}
Harold Ramis and Bill Murray collaborated often in the ‘80s, producing beloved films like Caddyshack and Ghostbusters. Their final team-up was in 1993’s Groundhog Day. The high concept premise of a man forced to relive the same day again and again surpassed its comedic roots, and the film has become a modern-day classic. Did Ramis and Murray save the best for last? Well, rise-and-shine campers, it’s time to listen to Now Playing’s review of Groundhog Day!
{Individual Movie Reviews}
The Leprechaun is back, and he's on the attack! Leprechaun Returns is a new film rebooting franchise continuity and picking up after the events of the original 1993 Leprechaun. Intrigued? Our review comes out next month, but you can join Arnie now as he goes behind the scenes of Leprechaun Returns. Listen to these exclusive interviews with star Taylor Spreitler, new Leprechaun Linden Porco, and Leprechaun Returns' director Steven Kostanski. Hear this interview, then head to NowPlayingPodcast.com/Donate to get all our Leprechaun movie reviews!
{Leprechaun Series}
Tom Hardy didn’t have to drive like Mad Max to get moviegoers’ attention in 2014. Watch the method actor slip behind the wheel of indie Locke and get taken on a harrowing ride through one man’s midlife crisis. Why does a successful builder of skyscrapers throw away his career and marriage on an impromptu road trip to London? And will Arnie, Jakob, or Stuart get carsick spending all 84 minutes of the film locked in a BMW? Fasten your seat belts, crack open a cider, and become a backseat driver for this lively discussion of a one man show. Listen Now!
{Individual Movie Reviews}
Now Playing is about to unleash a Biblical plague better known as Face/Off - one of the 1990’s wildest action flicks! Hong Kong export John Woo created the ultimate body swap movie when he directed lawman John Travolta to surgically remove his face, and infiltrate a maximum security prison wearing the mug of terrorist Nicolas Cage. Meanwhile the bad guy uses his captor’s discarded flesh to masquerade at work and home as the dedicated cop. Find out if this head trip is a turn/on, or a slap in the face, for Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart when you Listen Now!
{Individual Movie Reviews}
Agent 47 is back and balder than ever in a 2015 relaunch of the Hitman franchise. Can Homeland actor Rupert Friend make a stronger impression than Timothy Olyphant as the legendary cloned assassin trades bullets with wannabe Wolverine Zachary Quinto? And can new agent Hannah Ware really be 43 times better than the boys if it takes her 43 years to locate sickly bioengineer Ciaran Hinds? Trust Justin, Stuart, and Arnie to protect listeners from head trauma as they navigate another treacherous video game adaptation. Listen now!
{Video Game Series}
{Hitman Series}
Justin, Arnie, and Stuart use the 42nd installment of the Now Playing Arcade to celebrate being 47… that is, video game Hitman: Codename 47. Die Hard 4 villain Timothy Olyphant hoped to make a killing at the box office when he suited up to play this mysterious baldie with a barcode back in Thanksgiving 2007. But can his follically-challenged assassin deliver enough carnage and believable romantic chemistry with beautiful Russian target Olga Kurylenko to satisfy audiences not holding a joystick? Find out when you slip on some headphones and Listen Now.
{Video Game Series}
{Hitman Series}
The Last Knight left many Transformers fans feeling stung, but Hasbro hopes to reawaken nostalgia for the 1980s toy line with their retro-minded solo film Bumblebee. Can the lovable VW bug connect with a grieving gearhead teenager (Hailee Steinfeld) using only a car radio to speak? And will Sector 7 jarhead John Cena, or Decepticons Shatter (Angela Bassett) and Dropkick (Justin Theroux), undermine the Autobot plot to relocate to Earth? Don’t take this high dive back into dicey waters alone. Roll out with Jerry, Arnie, and Stuart. Listen Now!
{Transformers Series}
DC Comics invites audiences to dive under the sea and get chummy with Aquaman - a character who got a lot of sand kicked in his face back in the days of Superfriends. Now tough guy Jason Momoa is on the hook to win the bastard Atlantean some cinematic justice. Will he stop half-brother King Orm (Patrick Wilson) from becoming Oceanmaster, and uniting the seven seas against the surface world? More importantly, can "Fishboy" talk crabby podcasters Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart out of torpedoing his first stand-alone feature? Listen and find out.
{DC Teams Series}
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{DC Movie Universe}
{Aquaman Series}
Thanos may have turned Tom Holland and half the Marvel Universe into ash last summer, but you can still find a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man on the big screen when you enter Into The Spider-Verse. Sony Pictures Animation brings together no less than nine different incarnations of the comic book webslinger - including Miles Morales, Peni Parker, and porcine punchline Spider-Ham - for an amazing mixed media showdown with Kingpin. Does this inter-dimensional crossover get the Spidey Senses tingling for Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart? Listen and find out!
{Spider-Man Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
Mark Wahlberg aimed to please fans of the popular shooter Max Payne, but his 2008 movie adaptation missed its target audience and clipped the wings of a potential franchise. Will this vigilante cop have better luck scoring points with Now Playing Arcade hosts Justin, Arnie, and Stuart? And can they coherently link the man who murdered Max’s family to a wild conspiracy involving hallucinogenic street drugs and C-list celebrities Mila Kunis, Chris O’Donnell, and singer Nelly Furtado? Your best shot at finding answers is to Listen Now!
{Video Game Series}
The Rocky series continues to go the distance with its eighth installment: Creed II. But is this really Adonis Creed’s story, or is it Rocky’s, as old nemesis Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) brings his son Viktor to the US for a fight? Will history repeat itself? And can Creed II still pack a punch when Creed writer/director Ryan Coogler is replaced with his buddy Steven Caple Jr? Go for it! Listen to Now Playing’s new movie review to find out!
{Rocky Series}
Wreck-It Ralph not only Breaks The Internet with his second movie, he shatters Thanksgiving box office records. But never fear… it’s Tech Support Tuesday, and hosts Justin, Arnie, and Stuart have the antivirus to all the holiday weekend hype. Will entering a violent racing game help glitchy Vanellope von Schweetz (Sarah Silverman) connect with her inner Disney Princess, and save her Sugar Rush friends? Or will John C Reilly’s 8-bit oaf bring down the franchise with a series of humiliating viral videos? CLICK HERE to get your next Now Playing Arcade fix!
{Wreck-It Ralph Series}
Good video games typically "go Turbo" and become crummy movies, but Walt Disney animators try to "Fix-It" with Wreck-It Ralph - a love letter to classic coin-ops. Can an 8-bit villain voiced by John C. Reilly step into a first person shooter and rebrand himself a hero? And do Arnie, Justin, and Stuart get a sugar rush seeing so much pixelated nostalgia from their childhood, like Q*bert and Sonic the Hedgehog? Or will they inevitably find something to glitch about? Save your quarters, because the answers are free when you press play and Listen Now!
{Wreck-It Ralph Series}
It’s homecoming weekend in Silent Hill, as teenage runaway Sharon reunites with her darkside doppelganger Alessa for a 2012 sequel in 3-D! Will the Revelation that cultists have kidnapped adoptive father Sean Bean provide a good reason for moviegoers to head back into the fog and solve new puzzles? And is Game of Thrones hunk Kit Harington much help in the fight against Pyramid Head, a lunatic Malcolm McDowell, and a staff of faceless demon nurses? Find out when you take another merry-go-round ride on the Now Playing Arcade!
{Video Game Series}
{Silent Hill Series}
The Now Playing Arcade finally has a reason to put down the flamethrower! Hosts Arnie, Stuart, and Justin stumble through the falling ash of Uwe Boll films to arrive at Silent Hill - the rare video game movie to earn box office success. Will stranded mother Radha Mitchell find any Green Arrows while searching the West Virginian ghost town for her missing adoptive daughter Sharon? And is that a pyramid, or a dunce cap, atop the head of the sword-wielding monster that follows close behind her? Quiet your questioning mind with another podcast review!
{Video Game Series}
{Silent Hill Series}
Because we consider you family, Now Playing is releasing a bonus podcast review of Hereditary for your Halloween enjoyment. Will Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob lose their heads over what’s become the most hyped horror flick of 2018? Or is the sight of Toni Collette’s model household going insane more likely to induce headaches than heart palpitations? You don’t need to worship King Paimon to acquire these answers. This show is free for everyone, and available now, as our way of saying Happy, Happy Halloween!
{Individual Movie Reviews}
Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie tried to Runaway from their Stephen King duties in 2018, but the tenth installment of Children of the Corn has found its way onto the Now Playing calendar in time for Halloween! Join these podcasters as they catch up with Ruth - a fugitive of the Gatlin corn cult who is forced to fight He Who Walks Behind The Rows for custody of her teenage son. Will Feast director John Gulager find a kernel of a good idea in a franchise that’s yielded a steady crop of Red Arrows? The only way to know if the hosts survive this harvest is to Listen Now! Watch our exclusive interviews with Courtney Gains John Franklin at the Now Playing YouTube Channel.
{Stephen King Series}
{Children of the Corn Series}
Return to Haddonfield with Brock, Arnie, and Stuart as they celebrate the 40th anniversary of Halloween with a podcast review of the blockbuster 2018 requel (rebooted sequel)! Former babysitter Laurie Strode is the one stalking Michael Myers this time, as the captured killer is transferred to a new sanitarium. Can Jamie Lee Curtis’s pistol-packin’ grandma hit the bull’s eye without original director John Carpenter? And will her therapist daughter Karen (Judy Greer), or rebellious grandkid Allyson (Andi Madichak), inherit her Scream Queen title? Listen Now and find out!
{Halloween Series}
Notorious filmmaker Uwe Boll has gone Postal - firing back at his many critics with a raunchy adaptation of one of the most offensive video games ever made. Can one unlucky Dude with a shotgun (Zack Ward) stop a Taliban plot to spread bird flu, and earn the respect of his trailer park? Or will he simply kill his cheating wife, cult leader uncle (David Foley), a corrupt cop, that rude lady at the welfare office, and Uwe Boll himself playing the owner of a Nazi-themed amusement park? Find out if Now Playing can make peace with it all when you listen now!
{Video Game Series}
WE are Now Playing, and this week WE are watching Venom - the gooey space alien who tries to survive a new movie without Spider-Man as his host. WE will see if reporter Tom Hardy and his black-and-white parasite can bring down unethical tech guru Riz Ahmed, repair a broken relationship with lawyer/fiancee Michelle Williams, and stop a second symbiote named Riot from eating the heads of everyone in San Francisco. (But WE will be the ones spitting venom if this character hasn’t received an upgrade from his Spider-Man 3 debut). WE will Listen Now!
{Spider-Man Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{Venom Series}
Uwe Boll’s reviled adaptation of Sega’s House of the Dead video game won’t stay dead, lumbering back to life with a SyFy Channel sequel. AMS agents Nightingale (Saw 2 babe Emmanuelle Vaugier) and Ellis (Ed Quinn) lead a team of soldiers into a college campus overrun with “hyper-sapiens”. Can they retrieve a blood sample from Patient Zero, and cure the zombie outbreak, before Dick Cheney decides to drop the bomb? And do Justin, Arnie, and Stuart see the franchise evolving now that it’s in new directorial hands? Listen and find out!
{Video Game Series}
{House of the Dead Series}
The 1996 shooter House of the Dead invited gamers to pick up light guns and mow down scores of charging zombies. But the 2003 movie adaptation has podcasters Justin, Arnie, and Stuart taking aim once again at immortal writer/director Uwe Boll. Should bad movie lovers take that boat ride with Clint Howard, and attend a Sega-sponsored rave on Seattle’s Island of the Dead? Or will the hangover live forever in viewers’ minds? You’ll find out if the Now Playing Arcade escapes this overturned porta-potty when you listen now!
{Video Game Series}
{House of the Dead Series}
30 years after his foul-mouthed mercenary Hawkins was slaughtered in a South American jungle, actor Shane Black returns to write and direct the fourth installment in The Predator franchise. Will audiences be missing Arnold when sniper Boyd Holbrook (Narcos), his autistic son Jacob Tremblay (Wonder), and a busload of looney war vets tangle with the space hunter? And can centerfold-ready scientist Olivia Munn help Sterling K. Brown determine if these new predators got milk, or some other juice, enlarging their bones? “Stick around” and find out!
{Predator Series}
Are podcasters Arnie, Marjorie, and Stuart ready to put their faith in The Nun after spitting on most of The Conjuring universe? The latest installment in the franchise traces the origins of demon-in-a-wimple Valak to a war-torn monastery in Romania. Can a free-spirited novitiate (Vera’s little sis Taissa Farmiga), and a guilt-ridden exorcist (Oscar nominee Demian Bichir), find the strength… and that misplaced vial of Christ blood… to combat this unholy sister act? Our vow of silence ends when you click play. Listen Now!
{Conjuring Series}
D.O.A. brought a healthy dose of T&A to fighting games in 1996, and the same holds true for the campy 2006 movie adaptation. Everything jiggles when a trashy American wrestler (Jamie Presley), shinobi ninja princess (Devon Aoki), and slinky British cat burglar (Holly Valance) compete in the lucrative Dead Or Alive competition. Will the vixens put aside their differences and unite against Eric Roberts as he uses nanotechnology to extract and sell off their combat skills? Hear the Now Playing Arcade hosts receive another ass whuppin’ when you Listen Now!
{Video Game Series}
{Dead or Alive Series}
Because the first Tekken movie didn’t prove fatal, podcasters Arnie, Justin, and Stuart must now survive Kazuya’s Revenge! But could the emotionless amnesiac drifting through this low budget prequel be the same Kazuya who so rashly seized control of the Iron Fist Tournament last time? And what good could possibly come from partnering with future champ Bryan Fury (Gary Daniels) to take down the assassin school that trained them? Things are gonna get messy, even with a crazed janitor mopping up the arena. Assume a defensive position and Listen Now!
{Video Game Series}
{Tekken Series}
Arnie, Justin, and Stuart climb into yet another arcade arena for a round with Tekken - the classic 1996 fighting game that inspired a not-so-classic 2010 science fiction flick. Can lowly thief Jin Kazama (John Foo) hold his own in a "kill or be killed" cage match with eight corporately-sponsored gladiators? Or will he take the fight to the evil organizers of the Iron Fist Tournament, and expose reigning champ Bryan Fury (Gary Daniels) to be a cyborg? Find out if the most damaging blows to the head are delivered to the audience when you Listen Now!
{Video Game Series}
{Tekken Series}
The 1994 strategy video game Warcraft expanded into the worlds of novels, trading cards, and online multiplayer spin-offs before finally reaching movie screens in 2016. The long awaited battle between orcs, elves, and humans was a massive hit with international audiences, but bombed big time in the States. Will Yank podcasters Arnie, Justin, and Stuart have more success than their fellow countrymen making sense of the cross-dimensional storyline? Grow some tusks and join them as they bite into this Tolkien-sized fantasy.
{Video Game Series}
{Warcraft Series}
Robin is tired of being Batman’s sidekick, so he and the other Teen Titans are taking their hit Cartoon Network show To The Movies. Trouble is, Hollywood still doesn’t consider the Boy Wonder, Cyborg, Starfire, Raven, or Beast Boy to be big screen stars. Does picking a fight with Slade, a "Deadpool rip-off" voiced by Will Arnett, help their box office? And will listeners catch Jakob, Arnie, and Stuart singing along with these goofsters as they crack an egg on the DC Universe? The answers aren’t on the usual Bat Channel. Go! to Now Playing to find out!
{DC Comics Series}
{Teen Titans}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
Tom Cruise recovers from the Fallout of recent flops, and a shattered ankle, by leaping back to the top of the box office with his tried and true Mission: Impossible franchise. The daredevil actor saves the world for the sixth time by once again teaming with techie Benji (Simon Pegg), hacker Luther (Ving Rhames), and markswoman Ilsa (Rebecca Ferguson) to stop plutonium-wielding terrorists. Listen now to find out if a tagalong CIA superman (Henry Cavill) and captive criminal mastermind (Sean Harris) compromise their mission to entertain.
{Mission Impossible Series}
Electronic Arts was eager to get racing game Need For Speed into multiplexes after watching Vin Diesel's family of car thieves make bank. But can Aaron Paul break box office records with rapper Kid Cudi, Mr. Robot, and hottie Imogen Poots in his pit crew? They'll all burn rubber crossing the country in a bid to land a spot in Michael Keaton's exclusive street race, thereby getting the chance to show up rival driver Dominic Cooper. Find out if this shift in gears in the Now Playing Arcade works for Justin, Stuart, and Arnie when you Listen Now!
{Video Game Series}
{Need for Speed Series}
Cinemaware turned to 1950s monster movies for inspiration when developing a 1989 computer game about giant ants attacking small town America. Now It Came From The Desert comes full circle as a 2018 feature film! An arrogant motocross racer and his shy mechanic must stop genetically modified insects from feasting on friends attending their victory kegger. But have these fanboys seen too many B-flicks to make an original mark on the genre? Listen now to find out if Arnie, Justin, and Stuart must burn down another freak game-adaptation-gone-wrong.
{Video Game Series}
The box office for 2015’s Ant-Man might be considered small in comparison to other Avengers films, but Marvel banks that the second Paul Rudd adventure will make a bigger impact on the big screen thanks to The Wasp. Are the two pint-sized superheroes simply chasing a Ghost when they shrink to a subatomic level and hunt for long lost scientist Janet Van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer)? Podcasters Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob don’t need truth serum to tell listeners what they really think of the 20th installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Listen now!
{Avengers Series}
{Ant-Man Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
Podcasters Justin, Arnie, and Stuart are still shooting daggers at notorious filmmaker Uwe Boll, this time for making them watch a sequel to reviled video game movie Alone in the Dark. Christian Slater dodged a bullet when he passed off the role of paranormal investigator Edward Carnby to Die Another Day villain Rick Yune. Can the new star muster the strength to leave his sick bed and track down the witch that had him stabbed in a Central Park urinal? And what tricks will occultist veterinarian Lance Henriksen pull from his medicine bag? Listen and find out!
{Video Game Series}
{Alone in the Dark Series}
Uwe Boll is easily the most prolific creator of video game movies, but does he also deserve his reputation as Worst Filmmaker Ever? The Now Playing Arcade takes up the question with a review of Alone In The Dark, a beloved 1992 supernatural PC game that became a 2005 tax write-off for the hack director. Christian Slater stars as a PI who goes looking for lost 30-year-old orphans, and finds Tara Reid logging Native American artifacts in a museum overrun with monsters. Learn if this box office flop is so bad it's good, or just bad, when you listen now!
{Video Game Series}
{Alone in the Dark Series}
It took 14 years for Pixar and director Brad Bird to create a sequel for popular superhero family The Parrs. Now mother Helen (Holly Hunter) steps back into the role of Elastigirl to lead a global PR campaign championing superpowers. But how easily can she change minds on the supers ban when new villain Screenslaver uses television to hypnotize and control the masses? And how well does stay-at-home dad Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson) do raising Violet, Dash, and baby Jack Jack without her? Listen now as Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart dig into Incredibles 2!
{Pixar Series}
{Incredibles Series}
George Clooney and his crew are sitting out the latest caper so that little sister Debra (Sandra Bullock) and seven criminally-minded gal pals have a chance to steal the spotlight. Ocean’s 8 finds the girl gang attempting to lift a $150 million diamond necklace, worn to a glitzy red carpet gala by annoying Hollywood starlet Anne Hathaway. But can Debra pull off the sting while also getting revenge on the art dealer ex-boyfriend who put her to jail (Richard Armitage)? And who in the octet walks away with the hearts of hosts Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob? Listen and find out.
{Ocean's 11 Series}
It sure looked like Liu Kang (Robin Shou) won the Mortal Kombat tournament last film, but that’s not stopping his demonic foes from continuing their assault on Earth. Now the only way our heroes can stop mankind’s Annihilation is to challenge Outworld emperor Shao Kahn (Brian Thompson) to a rematch. Is new director John Leonetti up for this fight? And could someone please move the Eiffel Tower and Golden Gate Bridge out of the arena? Things are bound to get messy as Justin, Stuart, and Arnie play referee for this contentious sequel. Listen now!
{Video Game Series}
{Mortal Kombat Series}
Video games finally broke through at the box office in 1995 with the release of Mortal Kombat - director Paul WS Anderson’s cinematic take on the popular Midway fighting game. Earth will fall under the control of demons unless Thunder god Raiden (Christopher Lambert) can assemble a team of human martial artists that rivals end bosses Goro, Kano, Sub Zero, Scorpion, and Sheng Tsung. Is this next entry in the Now Playing Arcade a winner, or will Justin, Stuart, and Arnie receive another hard blow to the head? Find out when you listen now!
{Video Game Series}
{Mortal Kombat Series}
One of the most popular characters in the Star Wars universe has gone Solo. Harrison Ford earned fame and fortune playing an irascible space bandit in four sci-fi blockbusters. Now rising star Alden Ehrenreich inherits the iconic role in a prequel that dramatizes Han Solo’s first mission in the Millennium Falcon. He joins Chewie, Lando, and a band of criminals for a hyperfuel heist on planet Kessel, but will longtime fans be the ones feeling ripped off? Assume Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart won’t betray you and you won’t be disappointed in their latest podcast!
{Star Wars Series}
This show description is guest written by Deadpool. You know who's big? I am! Not in that way, get your mind out of the gutter! (Okay, I'm big in that way too.) But my first movie was more popular than Jesus! So take that John Lennon! But even with my healing factor I'm not immune to...performance anxiety. The dreaded sophomore slump can happen to anyone. I've got a second movie out and I pulled out the big guns. (Literally. Cable has a ginormous rifle. How does he hold that with those tiny hands?) But even with Cable and X-Force I'm worried-- will Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart think it's as good as the first one? I'm scared...why don't you listen now and let me know?
{X-Men Series}
{Deadpool Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
Game developer Chris Roberts was on course to deliver the first major science fiction film of 1999 when he personally piloted his massively popular flight simulator Wing CommanderPhantom Menace and The Matrix. Do fighter pilots Freddie Prinze Jr. and Matthew Lillard offer a new hope for genre fans as they clean the cat box of feline space invaders The Kilrathi? Or should Arnie, Justin, and Stuart quickly eject from this next entry in the Now Playing Arcade? Listen and find out!
{Video Game Series}
{Wing Commander Series}
20 years after computer programmer Jordan Mechner released Prince of Persia for the Apple IIe, the Disney Company paid the kingly sum of $200 million to launch his video game swashbuckler Dastan on the big screen. A Middle Eastern Jake Gyllenhaal looks for a way to turn back time after he’s framed for the murder of his adoptive royal father. Does the Now Playing Arcade take a gravity-defying leap forward with the acrobatic hero? Or would Stuart, Arnie, and Justin be more entertained by an ostrich race? Place your bets and Listen Now!
{Video Game Series}
{Prince of Persia Series}
The Godfather enjoyed the reputation of being the greatest gangster film ever made for nearly 20 years before director Martin Scorsese ordered actors Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro, and Joe Pesci to dig a hole and bury Pacino’s dark tragedy. 1990 mob epic Goodfellas looks at Family life from the purview of low level hoods who will never get to be “made men” like Michael Corleone.Hear this preview, then find out if hosts Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie bust these wiseguys’ balls for their outrageous scams and gratuitous f-bombs when you become a Now Playing Patron.
{Individual Movie Reviews}
Ten years ago Marvel Comics gambled their entire existence, using all their remaining IP as collateral, on the idea that they could make superhero films better than anyone else. 18 movies later, Marvel Studios makes their biggest bet yet - a billion dollars that audiences will love “the most ambitious crossover event in history” and one gaudy gold glove! Is more the merrier when it comes to superheroes on screen, or are Earth’s Mightiest Heroes set up for an epic fail? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob now as they review Avengers: Infinity War!
{Spider-Man Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{Avengers Series}
{Iron Man Series}
{Hulk Series}
{Captain America Series}
{Guardians of the Galaxy Series}
{Doctor Strange Series}
{Thor Series}
{Black Panther Series}
No one was better suited to convert the role playing mechanics of the best-selling Final Fantasy series into stirring cinema than game creator Hironobu Sakaguchi. But dreams of writing and directing the world’s most photorealistic animated movie crashed to earth like a meteor when The Spirits Within landed in theaters in summer 2001. Gaia only knows what podcasters Justin, Arnie, and Stuart will find inside the wreckage of this poetic tale of parasitic alien invasion! So let down your defense shields and listen now.
{Video Game Series}
{Final Fantasy Series}
32 years after making its debut as a city-leveling coin-op video game, Rampage bursts onto the big screen as a brand new movie. So why are Dwayne Johnson, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and Joe Manganiello so eager to shut down the Chicago block party being thrown by giant gorilla George, mutant crocodile Lizzie, and massive wolf Ralph? Join podcasters Arnie, Justin, and Stuart as they try to figure out why New Line Pictures plunked so many quarters into this arcade classic.
{Video Game Series}
{Rampage Series}
Long before he took on a Rampage of giant gorillas, wolves and lizards, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson led a squadron of Doom-ed Marines to Mars for another blowout with video game baddies. The 1993 first-person shooter Doom changed the way millions looked at their PCs. So why wasn’t the 2005 movie adaptation a similar success? Join Justin, Arnie, and Stuart as they analyze the DNA of this box office bomb to determine if its the handiwork of angels or demons.
{Video Game Series}
{Doom Series}
Get ready to “clan up” with Arnie, Justin, and Stuart for a podcast review of Ready Player One. Steven Spielberg’s latest sci-fi adventure imagines the future of entertainment to be pop culture icons of the past populating a massive cyber playground. Should viewers cough up the coins it takes to slip on a pair of 3D glasses and join gamer Wade Watts (Ty Sheridan) - along with Freddy Krueger, Hello Kitty, Iron Giant, and countless other superstars of the 1980s and 90s - for a virtual reality scavenger hunt? Listen and find out.
{Steven Spielberg Series}
{Ready Player One Series}
These days Pacific Rim director Guillermo del Toro focuses more on The Shape of Water than plugging breaches in ocean floors, but that doesn’t mean his Pan-Pacific Defense Corps has disbanded. Our Precursor enemies have now staged an Uprising, and hijacked the giant robots once used to defend our coastal cities. Can John Boyega and Scott Eastwood inspire a team of teenage pilots to take back their tech and make the kaiju bleed blue? Podcasters Jerry, Arnie, and Stuart meld minds to make sense of this sequel. Catch their drift when you listen now!
{Pacific Rim Series}
It’s been 15 years since Lara Croft last raided movie theaters, but now a new Oscar-winning actress is picking up the controls and racing into action. Tomb Raider 2018 - an origin story for the scrappy video game heroine - finds Danish Girl Alicia Vikander tracking her missing father Lord Richard Croft (Dominic West) to a mythical Japanese island crawling with mercenaries and booby traps. Listen now to find out if survivors Stuart, Arnie, and Justin have reached higher ground in the Now Playing Arcade.
{Video Game Series}
{Tomb Raider Series}
Angelina Jolie reprised her role as England’s most scantily clad excavator for her second and final Tomb Raider adventure. Cradle of Life finds Lady Croft diving into sunken ruins with Greek sailors, motorcycling across the Great Wall of China with Gerard Butler, and ascending African peaks with Djimon Hounsou. All in the hopes of beating blackhearted bio-engineer Ciaran Hinds to Pandora’s Box. Listen and find out if this 2003 sequel is plagued by the same problems that made Arnie, Justin, and Stuart deathly ill watching previous video game adaptations.
{Video Game Series}
{Tomb Raider Series}
Movies with action heroes from the 1980s die pretty hard at the box office these days, but Bruce Willis aims to change all that with a 2018 reboot of Death Wish. The aging tough guy stars as a Chicago surgeon who goes from saving lives in the ER to taking lives on crime-ridden streets, after burglars violate his home and family. Can Bruno take out the bad hombres and make America great again one bullet at a time? Or do hosts Arnie, Jakob and Stuart wish this vigilante died with Bronson? Listen and find out...
{Death Wish Series}
Five years after busty British archaeologist Lara Croft stole the hearts of PlayStation owners, the planets aligned to bring the video game vixen to the big screen in the skin of Oscar-winning bad girl Angelina Jolie. The 2001 Tomb Raider movie finds Lara racing against the clock to reach an ancient time machine before its claimed by future James Bond Daniel Craig and The Illuminati. But will she avoid the pitfalls of other arcade-to-movie flops and flip the arrows green for fellow treasure hunters Justin, Arnie, and Stuart? Listen and find out!
{Video Game Series}
{Tomb Raider Series}
Chadwick Boseman bounds to the screen as Black Panther - the latest Marvel superhero to leap from comic pages into his own blockbuster movie. Will the newly crowned African Avenger continue to hide his technologically-advanced kingdom from the exploitative Western world? Or will Oakland militant Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan) usurp the vibranium throne and use Wakandan firepower to finally Kill Whitey? The revolution will not be televised… but colonizers Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart will certainly podcast about it all on this epic show. Listen now!
{Avengers Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{Black Panther Series}
It took 15 years for filmmakers to hit the reset button on Street Fighter, with a second movie ditching JCVD’s paramilitary squad in favor of an origin story for kung fu pianist Chun-Li. Does Smallville star Kristin Kreuk prove legendary in the title role? Is Oscar-nominated giant Michael Clarke Duncan slumming for work by teaming up with unconscionable real estate developer Bison (Neal McDonough)? Is embarrassment the reason Black Eyed Peas rapper Taboo won’t remove that mask? I gotta feeling confused video game players will have a good good night when they listen now.
{Video Game Series}
{Street Fighter Series}
Podcasters Justin, Stuart, and Arnie have been taken hostage by Street Fighter, the infamous 1994 movie adaptation of the popular arcade fighting game. How much Van Damme-age can the boys withstand when the "Muscles From Brussels" goes American in a blue beret to beat down villainous megalomaniac Bison (the last movie role for terminal song-and dance man Raul Julia). And does this Shadaloo showdown improve when con artists Ryu and Ken, yellow-skinned mutant Blanka, fake news crew Chun-Li, Honda, and Balrog, and even Aussie pop star Kylie Minogue join the fray? Listen now and find out.
{Video Game Series}
{Street Fighter Series}
The fly-kicking Lee Brothers were quick to mimic Mario’s leap from coin-ops and cartoons to a live-action feature film… and just as quick to fail. The 1994 action flick Double Dragon finds video game heroes Billy Lee (Party of Five heartthrob Scott Wolf) and Jimmy Lee (martial artist Mark Dacascos) scouring post-apocalyptic LA for the second half of a magic medallion. Will Justin, Arnie, and Stuart find their battle with Robert "T-1000" Patrick less tortuous than a repeated knee to the face? Listen now and find out.
{Video Game Series}
Pixelated plumbers Mario and Luigi spent a decade warping through various video games, cartoons, and comic books before finally arriving on the big screen as Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo in the 1993 live action adventure Super Mario Bros. Hosts Justin, Stuart, and Arnie dredge up this moldy oldie to assess whether Hollywood’s first attempt at adapting an arcade hit deserved to Bob-omb so badly. Devolve your lizard brain and listen to this super show now.
{Video Game Series}
{Mario Series}
The Now Playing Arcade is now open! Justin, Stuart, and Arnie are reviewing every movie based on a video game in a new retrospective that kicks off with The King Of Kong. Is this 2006 documentary about the heyday of coin-op machines (and the geeks who never stopped playing them) worth your quarters? Listen now and find out!
{Video Game Series}
Before elderly psychic Elise Rainier (Lin Shaye) faced her mortality battling "Veilhead" in Insidious, she had to confront literal and figurative skeletons in her family closet. New prequel The Last Key shows the Spectral Sightings team going back to Elise’s childhood home and taking on "Keyface", a demon who locks up your vocal cords and preys on your most violent thoughts. But can he silence criticisms that Arnie, Marjorie, and Stuart previously voiced about this franchise, and deliver an electrifying fourth chapter? Listen now and find out!
{Insidious Series}
Cult audiences love midnight movie The Room for being crazy melodrama, but the story of how it got made might be even more nuts. Does James Franco show his talent, or just his ass, stepping into the skin of wannabe writer/director/actor Tommy Wiseau? And will Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart find a new appreciation for this Disaster Artist when the truth behind his bad plots is dramatized? Listen now and find out!
{The Room Tommy Wiseau Series}
Audiences have been tearing delusional actor/writer/director Tommy Wiseau apart for the last 14 years over his self-funded melodrama The Room. Can you ever really trust anyone who would recommend a movie this preposterous? Oh hi Jakob! Three’s a crowd when the die hard Room-mate, his best friend Arnie, and manipulative bitch Stuart come together to explore this midnight movie phenomenon.
{The Room Tommy Wiseau Series}
Episode VIII finds General Leia (Carrie Fisher), Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), Finn (John Boyega), and a dwindling number of Resistance fighters beating a hasty retreat from the rising armies of Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis). Their only hope lies with recently located Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) - The Last Jedi in the universe. But can Master Luke trust feisty apprentice Rey (Daisy Ridley) to learn the ways of The Force without succumbing to the Dark Side like his previous pupil, the murderous tyrant Kylo Ren (Adam Driver)? Join Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart for a deep dive into the biggest movie of 2017.
{Star Wars Series}
In 12 Monkeys Bruce Willis plays James Cole - a man from the future who’s come to witness the start of an extinction-level pandemic. Or he’s insane, filled with a Cassandra complex. He encounters Brad Pitt’s Jeffrey Goines, who is insane, but also may know more than he’s letting on. Yet perhaps the real time traveler is nonconformist, eclectic director Terry Gilliam whose underrated 1995 film foreshadows both stars’ roles in more popular films. Now, join Arnie, Stuart, and guest host Matt as they travel back to 1995 and examine this dystopian sci-fi film.
{Individual Movie Reviews}
Saw director James Wan wished to leave the horror genre behind when he signed on to adapt Death Sentence - author Brian Garfield's previously unmade sequel novel to Death Wish. A buttoned-down Kevin Bacon cuts loose, kicks off his Sunday shoes, and follows in the footsteps of Charles Bronson's pistol packin' Paul Kersey once a street gang targets his perfect family. Listen now and find out if Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart give this failed reboot a stay of execution.
{Death Wish Series}
It was Charles Bronson's wish to never reprise the role of vigilante Paul Kersey after Death Wish IV. So movie producers found $5 million reasons for the 72 year old actor to star as their Face of Death one last time. This fifth chapter sends Kersey into the underbelly of New York City's garment district, where the tough guy hunts the cannoli-loving transvestite mobsters who disfigured his clothing designer fiancee and stole away his surrogate daughter. Do Jakob, Stuart and Arnie find this fashion forward finale a bad turn on the catwalk, or a fitting end to the Bronson era? Listen and find out.
{Death Wish Series}
How does a DC Comics super-team come together when the Man of Steel is dead, Batman is suicidal, Wonder Woman won't lead, and the most promising recruits are an aloof Merman, a renegade robot, and a neurotic runner who'd rather eat than fight? It will take the Classic Rock threat of Steppenwolf, reuniting with the Mother Boxes of Invention, to unify this Justice League. But is there any hope for Recommendations from Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie when the clashing visions of director Zack Snyder and last minute replacement Joss Whedon create such a chaotic production? Find out who wins and loses when you listen now! Thirsting for even more JUSTICE? Become a Now Playing Patron to hear an extended version of this review--over 30 minutes longer! Details are on the Now Playing Patron site!
{DC Teams Series}
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{DC Movie Universe}
{Superman Series}
{Batman Series}
{Wonder Woman Series}
{Flash Series}
{Aquaman Series}
Paul Kersey gets topical with his fourth killing spree in Death Wish 4: The Crackdown! This time he's going to whack the crack dealers in Los Angeles. It's the type of film only Cannon Films could make. But is it any good? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out!
{Death Wish Series}
The God of Thunder was ready to change his image after Now Playing and so many others hammered his solo films as the silliest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Third effort Ragnarok not only puts Thor in the arena with longtime frenemies Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) and Loki (Tom Hiddleston), but pits him against powerful new characters Hela (Cate Blanchett), Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), and Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum). Should the studly superhero have been so quick to chop off his golden hair, or would those shears have been better served cutting out some jokes in this 130 minute epic? Find out if hosts Arnie, Jakob and Stuart rain on Marvel's latest parade by listening now!
{Marvel Series}
{Avengers Series}
{Comic Book Movies Series}
{Thor Series}
{Hulk Series}
Seven Year's Later...it's again Halloween; it's again Now Playing reviewing Saw! The "torture porn" genre had fallen out of vogue, and Saw's grosses fell to match. Now, not quite a decade later, is the world ready for more traps and (plot) twists? Does the Saw cut as deep in its eighth iteration? Strap on your bucket and join Arnie, Jakob, and Marjorie to find out!
{Saw Series}
Texas Chainsaw 3D was a success in 2013, but the fast-tracked sequel got mired in studio bureaucracy and changes in creative teams. Finally, nearly five years later, comes Leatherface--a prequel to Tobe Hooper's original The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. It has been available to DirecTV customers for the past month, but now it's streaming through all major platforms. Can this new prequel give a better origin story for Leatherface than Platinum Dunes' attempt? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Brock to find out!
{Texas Chainsaw Massacre Series}
Paul Kersey has returned to New York (or London). He didn't come intending to fight a gang war, but he finds his war buddy gunned down. It's a fight Kersey didn't start, but he intends to finish it in Death Wish 3. It's the first Death Wish that is officially a Cannon film. Does their Over the Top aesthetic help Charles Bronson's franchise? Join the Now Playing Podcast hosts to find out!
{Death Wish Series}
In the early '80s, the dawn of home video, it would be easy to think movies had a lifespan of only four years. But Ridley Scott's creation Blade Runner escaped box-office failure to find its own life. Its imagery still influences artists 35 years after being released, and it's spawned novels, video games, and more. But now this dystopian vision returns to big screens with a sequel: Blade Runner 2049. Harrison Ford returns as Deckard, a man with secrets sought after by a new Blade Runner played by Ryan Gosling. Can director Denis Villeneuve craft a vision that we'll still be discussing in 2052? Listen to this review to find out!
{Philip K. Dick Series}
{Blade Runner Series}
Paul Kersey has lived a peaceful life for years in Los Angeles with his girlfriend, his daughter, and his housekeeper. Yet his tranquil existence will once more be shattered by a group of criminals who will assault his family. Now Paul is back on the streets, stalking the streets of Skid Row, looking for revenge. Does this Death Wish hit as hard as the original? Listen to this episode of Now Playing to find out!
{Death Wish Series}
Three children were all born during the solar eclipse. Does that mean these little sociopaths have no soul? Their birthday wish...is for you to die! That's the plot of Bloody Birthday, a 1981 film "so shocking" it couldn't see wide release until 1986! How does this Birthday surprise stack up against similar-themed slashers? Wish co-host Stuart a happy birthday as we cut into this Patron-selected film!
{Individual Movie Reviews}
Fledgling spy Eggsy Unwin (Taron Egerton) barely had time to assume his place as Galahad before chirpy drug czar Poppy Adams (Julianne Moore) reduced the whole Kingsman Round Table to rubble. Now the English gentleman must dust off his suit and accept assistance from newfound American allies Jeff Bridges, Halle Berry, Channing Tatum, and Pedro Pascal. How many shots of whiskey will it take to ply recommends from Yank hosts Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob? Their review of this highly anticipated sequel is finally available to listeners who missed the September live-stream podcast!
{Kingsman Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
In 1974 Charles Bronson made his entry in the self-defense/revenge genre with Death Wish. The film is a gritty look at a New Yorker who is pushed to the breaking point by the city's rampant crime. Based on a novel, is this just another grim exploitation flick, or does it Wish to be something more? Load up with Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob as they begin their series reviewing all the Death Wish films--ending with the Eli Roth/Bruce Willis reboot this November!
{Death Wish Series}
First came Halloween. Then Friday the 13th. Soon after, no holiday was safe! New Year's Evil, Mother's Day, Graduation Day. Prom Night...all became occasions for slasher fests. Then in 1981 it was time to blow out the candles with Happy Birthday to Me, a murder-mystery slasher starring Little House on the Prairie's Melissa Sue Anderson, and Superman's dad Glenn Ford. It's Now Playing co-host Arnie's birthday today, and listener Matt has chosen this to be his gift! Is it all he wished for? Join him, Stuart, and Jakob to find out!
{Individual Movie Reviews}
Marvel's Inhumans are the result of combining alien DNA with humans. In that way they're neither human nor alien, they're inhuman. Likewise Marvel's Inhumans is a halfbreed--it's neither television nor film. It is the TV series pilot premiering this weekend on IMAX screens. Is it worth the IMAX ticket price to see a shorter version of network television four weeks early? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob in this hair-raising review to find out!
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{Avengers Series}
Philip K. Dick's novel Radio Free Albemuth was published in 1985, three years after the author's death and nine years after the book was written. Yet with the author's name as propellant, this discarded novel was optioned for a low-budget movie. After lengthy post-production the film Radio Free Albemuth was released direct-to-VOD in 2014. Can the acting (and singing) of Alanis Morissette help audiences swallow this film's extra-terrestrial premise? Listen to find out!
{Philip K. Dick Series}
Do you remember Arnold Schwarzenegger's 1990 movie Total Recall? If not, Columbia Pictures will remind you with their wholesale retelling of that film. Featuring Colin Farrell in the lead this movie was quickly forgotten in theaters. But now, after much listener demand, the Now Playing hosts give Len Wiseman his props! So join Stuart, Brock, and Jakob for this return to our Philip K Dick Retrospective Series!
{Philip K. Dick Series}
{Total Recall Series}
Annabelle was a prequel to The Conjuring. Now we go even further back in time with Annabelle: Creation--the story of the doll's manufacture and first possession. These films hit big at the box office, but can this demonic doll break the curse of getting no recommends from the Now Playing hosts? Listen to find out!
{Conjuring Series}
Over the span of 34 years Stephen King wrote his Dark Tower saga of books, amassing more than 4,000 pages of lore. The story features the last legendary Gunslinger on a quest to ward off evil forces and reach The Dark Tower. The story has often been called "unfilmable" but, after nearly two decades of trying, the story has come to the screen. Is it an epic fit for King, or another dark tale that didn't survive the leap from page to screen? Join Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie on their quest to unravel the mystery and find out!
{Stephen King Series}
{Dark Tower Series}
Christopher Nolan's latest film tells of the English army's rescue from German assault at Dunkirk. The director is relying on visual spectacle over star power, choosing mostly unknown actors for many of the lead roles. But what can Nolan's unique film-making and storytelling style add to distinguish Dunkirk from other World War II films? Jump on the boat with Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart to find out!
{Nolan Series}
Trainspotting was a breakthrough film, gaining acclaim for both director Danny Boyle and star Ewan McGregor. Now, twenty years after their original tale of Scottish heroin addicts, the stars and director come together to catch up on the lives of Rent Boy, Spud, Sick Boy, and Franco. Who kicked the habit, and who hasn't? And what consequences are due for Renton stealing the £16,000? Choose life! Choose to listen to Now Playing and find out!
{Trainspotting Series}
In 1996 director Danny Boyle exploded on the indie film scene with his octane-fueled heroin comedy-drama Trainspotting. Based on the eponymous novel by Irvine Welsh, the film has a unique vibe, a killer soundtrack, and turned Ewan McGregor into a star. Can the 20-year-old film give the Now Playing hosts the same high it once did? Choose life. Choose Now Playing. Inject this into your ears now!
{Trainspotting Series}
Spider-Man has finally come home! While Marvel Studios started without its most popular characters, an agreement between studios (aided by some North Korean hackers) has now made it so Marvel's most super of heroes, Spider-Man, can stand alongside the other cinematic Avengers. But this is this third big-screen incarnation of the wall crawler in 10 years. Does this one swing higher than Raimi's and Webb's movies? Listen to find out!
{Spider-Man Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{Avengers Series}
{Iron Man Series}
No, Baby Driver is not about an infant taking his parents' car for a spin. Baby Driver is the latest film from Scott Pilgrim vs the World and Shaun of the Dead auteur Edgar Wright. For his fifth studio film Wright brings his unique take to the car chase genre. Or is it the musical? No matter. Load up your iPod Classic, pop in your ear buds, and join the hosts of Now Playing for this revved up movie review!
{Edgar Wright Series}
This year marks the 10th anniversary of Michael Bay’s Transformers franchise. To commemorate, Paramount and Bay have released the fifth movie in the series: The Last Knight. And this seems to be Bay’s last go-round with these Autobots and Decepticons. The box office is soft, but could Bay have possibly saved the best for last? And where does the franchise go from here? ROLL OUT with the hosts of Now Playing to hear their thoughts!
Bad Boys exploded in 1995. The career surge it caused for both stars Smith and Lawrence, as well as for director Bay, meant an eight-year wait for the sequel. In 2003 the Boys were back and it was bigger, badder, and much longer. But was it better? Join the bad boys of Now Playing Podcast for their review to find out!
{Bad Boys Series}
In 1995 Will Smith was a sitcom star with a rap career. Martin Lawrence was host of HBO's Def Comedy Jam, and his own show Martin where he would cross-dress to play Sheneneh. And Michael Bay was an unknown, save for a few stylish music videos. Their careers all blew up, as did several cars and an airplane, when they teamed up to make Bad Boys. Now join the bad boys of Now Playing for their review of this action classic!
{Bad Boys Series}
Fans of the 1975 Wonder Woman series have to be excited for the Wonder-ful release from La La Land records: The Wonder Woman 3-CD set. This release has music cues and score from all three seasons of Wonder Woman's run from composers Charles Fox, Artie Kane, Robert Prince, Johnny Harris, Robert O. Ragland, Angela Morley, and Richard LaSalle. On this bonus Now Playing, Arnie talks with Wonder Woman album producer Neil S. Bulk. Find out what goes into making a soundtrack for a 40-year-old show, and take a listen to some of the music found in this set. And on this episode--find out how to win one of six copies Now Playing is giving away! You have until June 13th to enter.
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{Wonder Woman Series}
Sometimes a movie becomes something more than a film--it becomes a movement. That seems to be the case with Wonder Woman. It has become celebrated as not only a great DC movie but also the first wonder-ful female-led superhero film, and a breakthrough for a female director. Beyond the politics, though, how much does this movie improve the Snyder-verse of DC Comics films? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out!
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{DC Movie Universe}
{Wonder Woman Series}
Cathy Lee Crosby's Wonder Woman series didn't take off. But one year later ABC was ready to try again with The All-New Original Wonder Woman. It was a huge success and this is the series everyone remembers. Starring then-unknown Lynda Carter as the titular superhero, how does Wonder Woman work in a movie made in the 1970s, set in the 1940s? Spin along with Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out!
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{Wonder Woman Series}
When you think of Wonder Woman on ABC in the '70s no doubt you think of Lynda Carter in her red, white, and blue outfit, spinning through costume changes. But do you remember ABC's first Wonder Woman played by Cathy Lee Crosby? Based on DC Comics' "Diana Prince" era of comics, this made-for-TV movie introduces Wonder Woman the super-spy. Her bracelets may not deflect bullets, but they are gadgets worthy of James Bond. The series based on this pilot was not green-lit, and the next year ABC would try again with their iconic Lynda Carter show. But was this original movie still a Wonder? Wonder no longer! Listen to Now Playing to find out!
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{Wonder Woman Series}
In 2006 David Lynch finally completed and released Inland Empire -- an experimental film that took him nearly three years to create. If it isn't the largest of Lynch's strange and surreal visions, it is his longest, coming in at three hours. And recently Lynch announced this is the final movie of his career. With talking bunny sitcoms, a murder mystery, and the Locomotion, did he go out on a high note? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob in this final David Lynch review to find out! Then head to NowPeakingPodcast.com and hear reviews of every episode of Twin Peaks! It's part of Now Playing's Spring '17 Donation Drive. Every dollar helps keep Now Playing going!
{David Lynch Series}
James Gunn defied all expectations. 2014's Guardians of the Galaxy was the first Marvel studios film to go cosmic, and with stars like a raccoon and a talking tree, it could have easily crashed. Instead it has become many fans' favorite entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Now Gunn is back, as are all the Guardians. The stakes are higher. Does this movie rock as much as the first? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out!
{Avengers Series}
{Guardians of the Galaxy Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
After Twin Peaks' inglorious end it seemed a safe assumption that David Lynch and the ABC network were through with each other. Yet in the late '90s ABC hired Lynch to make a pilot for a new TV series--Mullholland Dr. The series wasn't picked up, but Lynch filmed a new ending and the result was one of his most acclaimed films. So take the key, open the box, and join the Now Playing hosts as they analyze this surreal mystery movie!
{David Lynch Series}
For several films where Vin Diesel's Dominic Toretto was a car-driving superhero. Now, in The Fate of the Furious he's back on the wrong side of the law, working for a mysterious hacker named Cypher (Charlize Theron). Does this rift with his "family" supercharge the franchise's eighth installment, or is it headed for a burnout? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out!
{Fast and Furious Series}
After the violent, explicit Lost Highway it seems whiplash-inducing that David Lynch's next film would be a G-rated family film for Disney. But that's what The Straight Story is. There are no dancing little people, no time loops, and no murder mysteries. The Straight Story is a true story of Alvin Straight, a retired farmer who drives his John Deere lawnmower over 300 miles to see his ailing brother. Is this a Story worth watching? Join the Now Playing hosts to find out!
{David Lynch Series}
David Lynch's theatrical follow-up to the maligned Fire Walk With Me was Lost Highway -- a supernatural horror-thriller. The film stars Bill Pullman as Fred Madison, a man who may have killed his wife. On death row Fred is somehow replaced by twenty-something car mechanic Pete. What is going on, and how does it involve Dick Laurent? Hop in the car and join Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart as they guide you down this Lost Highway.
{David Lynch Series}
Twin Peaks was far from David Lynch's only television effort. Not only did Mulholland Dr. start as a television pilot, but Lynch also produced On the Air and, in 1993, Hotel Room. That latter series was not picked up by any network, but HBO aired the three recorded episodes as a mini-series. Later it was released on VHS as a film. Now you can join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob as they look at Lynch's television history and check out Hotel Room!
{David Lynch Series}
Twin Peaks television ratings weren't enough for ABC to keep the show on the air. That cancellation left fans biting their nails with a cliffhanger that seemed would never be resolved. One year later Peaks was brought back to life, not on television but in theaters. But would this movie, a prequel chronicling Laura Palmer's last week, give the fans what it wanted? It was derided upon release, but with 25 years of distance is this film an underrated masterpiece? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out! Then head to NowPeakingPodcast.com. It's a donation drive where you can hear reviews of every episode of the Twin Peaks series, including the new episodes coming this summer on Showtime!
{David Lynch Series}
{Twin Peaks Series}
When credits rolled on David Lynch's Wild at Heart it seemed like no sequel was necessary. But Wild at Heart novelist Barry Gifford continued Sailor and Luna's tales in a series of books. He also wrote a spin-off novel 59° and Raining: The Story of Perdita Durango featuring the Santeria practicing criminal from Wild at Heart. The film adaptation was made with no connection to Lynch's earlier film, and was released in the states as Dance With the Devil. Can it be as Wild as Lynch's villain? Join the Now Playing hosts to find out!
{David Lynch Series}
{Wild at Heart Series}
David Lynch was hitting a career peak in 1990. First, his show Twin Peaks became a national obsession. Then his new film Wild at Heart won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. But this movie, combining Barry Gifford's eponymous novel with The Wizard of Oz, did not find universal acclaim. Can Nicolas Cage win over the hearts of our critics? Listen to find out! Then head to NowPeakingPodcast.com and hear reviews of every episode of Twin Peaks! It's part of Now Playing's Spring '17 Donation Drive. Every dollar helps keep Now Playing going!
{David Lynch Series}
{Wild at Heart Series}
For eighteen years Hugh Jackman has played Logan - the popular X-Men hero also known as Wolverine. His first appearance in 2000's X-Men helped launch the modern age of cinematic superheros. But now, after playing Wolverine nine times Jackman is ready to hang up his claws. His planned final performance is in Logan -- a violent and dour film that reteams Jackman with The Wolverine director James Mangold. Did Jackman save the best Wolverine for last? Join the Now Playing Podcast hosts to find out!
{X-Men Series}
{Wolverine Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
In the 1970s Stephen King gave his version of a vampire tale with 'Salem's Lot. In the '80s he wrote another classic horror monster story. The novella was called "The Cycle of the Werewolf", but the film was called Silver Bullet. Does a pre-Lost Boys Corey Haim stand a chance against a rampaging werewolf? And who's scarier, the wolf or Gary Busey? Join the Now Playing hosts to find out!
{Stephen King Series}
February 24 is Twin Peaks day. It's designated as such because the first episode of Twin Peaks is set on February 24, 1989--the day Laura Palmer's body washed up on the shore of the small town. Now join Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart as they watch and review the pilot episode of Twin Peaks, including the international version which solves the murder! Then head to NowPeakingPodcast.com. It's a donation drive where you can hear reviews of every episode of the Twin Peaks series, including the new episodes coming this summer on Showtime!
{David Lynch Series}
{Twin Peaks Series}
Before Twin Peaks there was Blue Velvet -- David Lynch's first tale of Kyle MacLachlan investigating a small town murder. This violent, sexy, surreal film has been ranked one of Lynch's best, and helped put Easy Rider Dennis Hopper back on top. Is this a mystery worth solving? Join the Now Playing hosts to find out! Then head to Now Peaking Podcast.com for reviews of every Twin Peaks television episode in anticipation of this summer's new season on Showtime! Come Discuss Blue Velvet in the Now Playing Forums
{David Lynch Series}
John Wick thought he'd left his killer lifestyle behind. After avenging his beloved pet he was ready to literally bury his past...but the underworld is not yet done with him. Keanu Reeves is back in the sequel to the sleeper hit John Wick. Does this one go off as well as the first? And what does it have in common with The Matrix? Join the Now Playing hosts to find out!
{John Wick Series}
John Wick exploded out of nowhere. This film was announced in September, 2014 for release just a few weeks later. And thanks to the star power of Keanu Reeves, a strong trailer, and a high concept, the lack of promotion didn't matter--it quadrupled its modest budget. Now, just over two years later, Wick is back in theaters for Chapter 2. Prepare for it by joining the Now Playing hosts as they give the first John Wick a shot!
{John Wick Series}
Fifteen years ago Paul W.S. Anderson and Milla Jovovich transformed Resident Evil from a successful video game franchise to a hit movie series. They released a new film every two to three years, and made almost one billion dollars worldwide. Now, after a five year absence, they are back to conclude the series in The Final Chapter. Can Alice defeat the big boss and give the series a fitting ending--or do our hosts just want to hit the "reset" button and start the game over? Join Stuart, Justin, and Arnie to find out!
{Video Game Series}
{Resident Evil Series}
Ten years after Resident Evil first hit screens it came back for Retribution! This fifth movie brings back actors, and plot points, from previous installments. Can the return of Michelle Rodriguez, Sienna Guillory, Colin Salmon, and Oded Fehr breathe new life into this zombie series? Join the Now Playing hosts to find out!
{Video Game Series}
{Resident Evil Series}
It was no surprise that Resident Evil would return for a fourth film. That original series creator Paul W.S. Anderson returned, however, was surprising. Bringing James Cameron's 3-D cameras he attempted to make the most eye-popping yet. Did this breathe new life into Afterlife or should we call in the executioner? Join the Now Playing hosts to find out!
{Video Game Series}
{Resident Evil Series}
Alice goes Beyond Thunderdome on the Fury Road in Resident Evil: Extinction -- a Mad Max movie for gamers (it even ends with a final fight in a cage!) In this post-apocalyptic wasteland a group of survivors band together to travel to Alaska, where they are promised a civilization free of zombie infection. But who is their biggest obstacle -- the zombified birds and humans, or Umbrella Corporation's middle management? Grab a game controller and join the Now Playing hosts to find out!
{Video Game Series}
{Resident Evil Series}
The first Resident Evil film ended with what seemed like the end of the world -- Alice alone in a desolate, abandoned Raccoon City. Picking up from that very moment Apocalypse reveals all is not lost as there is plenty of life in the city, but not for very much longer. With new friends Jill Valentine and Carlos Olivera, can Alice make a deal to escape before the city is nuked, all while dodging attacks from Project Nemesis? Do the hosts care, or do they want to see the city burn? Listen to find out? Discuss this movie with the hosts in the Now Playing Podcast forums.
{Video Game Series}
{Resident Evil Series}
In 1995 Paul W.S. Anderson scored a major hit with Mortal Kombat, a box office hit grossing more than double any other video game adaptations. In 2002 Capcom hoped Anderson could beat his own high score with Resident Evil. Based on the zombie survival-horror game, this movie brought the game's iconography and added some martial arts action. The movie was a success and launched the longest-running video game movie franchise. But is this a movie you want to watch, or just play? Join Justin, Stuart, and Arnie to find out!
{Video Game Series}
{Resident Evil Series}
Fans of Star Wars comics, books, video games, and cartoons have long known the universe is ripe for adventures outside of the Skywalker family tree. But with Rogue One this type of story comes to the big screen for the first time. Detailing the group of rebels who steal the original Death Star plans, this film was seen as a creative risk by Lucasfilm. The result was one of the biggest opening weekends of all time; another super-successful Star Wars movie. But was it a story that needed to be told? Join the Now Playing Podcast hosts to find out!
{Star Wars Series}
The original Dune mini-series broke Sci-Fi channel records for viewing. Three years later they attempted to hit that same peak with the sequel Children of Dune. Combining the stories of two Frank Herbert novels, this three-part series brings back old characters and introduces new ones in the continuing story of House Atreides. Should you watch these Children? Listen to this episode of Now Playing to find out!
{Dune Series}
In this holiday season you can head to your local Chopping Mall to pick up the new Blu-Ray release of this 1986 horror cult classic. A brand new transfer and lots of bonus features accompany this new release. Going even further, on this podcast Arnie Carvalho talks to Chopping Mall director Jim Wynorski and writer Steve Mitchell, dispelling internet rumors and finding out about the making of this film. After you hear this interview, get our review of Chopping Mall! You can get this review now and help support Now Playing! It is available on our Podbean page. Every dollar you donate goes to make this show the best it can be. Thank you for your support and we hope you enjoy the podcast!
{Horror of 1986 Series}
The Dune novels have built a universe full of history and lore. So many details and characters exit that it seemed even David Lynch had trouble squeezing Frank Herbert's original novel into two hours, but could it work in six? In 2000 the Sci-Fi Channel released Frank Herbert's Dune -- a three-night mini-series telling of the fall of House Atreides, and the rise of its son Paul. How does this telling compare to both the '84 film and Herbert's original novel? Join the Now Playing hosts to find out!
{Dune Series}
Frank Herbert's novel Dune had a long path from the novel to film. After a series of false starts it finally hit theaters in 1984 directed by Oscar nominated director David Lynch. The director turned down Return of the Jedi for this other sci-fi epic. Yet while both are space fantasies on desert planets, Jedi was populated with muppets and Dune came with a pamphlet to help moviegoers unfurl the dense narrative. How much of this film is Herbert and how much is Lynch, and is this film the worm or the hook? Join the Now Playing podcast hosts to find out!
{David Lynch Series}
{Dune Series}
As the school year ended in 1986 John Hughes gave the world a film honoring playing hooky -- Ferris Bueller's Day Off. On the surface this is a fluffy comedy about three teens set loose in Chicago, but its themes and characters clicked with audiences and have endured for thirty years. Now, as Now Playing continues its look at the films of 1986, Arnie, Marjorie, and Justin skip school to give you this bonus movie review. Is this the best Day ever? Join them to find out!
{Ferris Bueller Series}
I am not an animal! I am a human being! That quote from David Lynch's The Elephant Man has become part of the American lexicon, quoted in literally hundreds of movies and television shows. But what of the film that created the quote? Lynch's 1980 black and white biopic, his first commercial production, was nominated for eight Academy Awards and won many other statues. How does The Elephant Man hold up over 35 years later? Take the bag off your head, put in your earbuds, and join Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart to find out!
{David Lynch Series}
David Lynch is a popular director of such films as The Elephant Man, Dune, Wild at Heart and Mulholland Drive. And he became a household name with his 1990 TV Series Twin Peaks where "Who killed Laura Palmer?" was the new decade's "Who shot JR?". But before all those films came Eraserhead - Lynch's surreal feature debut. It has become a midnight-movie cult hit and its meaning has been debated for decades. Now you can join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob as they give their analysis and review!
{David Lynch Series}
Fourteen movies into the Marvel Cinematic Universe comes the Strangest movie yet -- Doctor Strange. This film eschews all the other movies' science fiction basis to bring that magic feeling to the franchise. Can lauded actors Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, and Tilda Swinton cast their spell on our reviewers? Listen now to find out!
{Avengers Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{Doctor Strange Series}
After swearing he was done with horror movies, director Rob Zombie scared up some crowd-funded money to make a tale of Halloween murder-- 31. Featuring a group of carnies trapped by psychotic clowns, the film is a throwback to Zombie's earliest films. But is retro horror what we need, or is it just too much clowning around? Join the Now Playing hosts as they treat your trick with this special Halloween movie review!
{Rob Zombie Series}
It took three years for Blumhouse to scare up a sequel to Sinister. Original creator Scott Derrickson had moved on to make Dr. Strange, but he returned to co-write and produce this follow-up. But can a story of a demon shaming Deputy So & So live up to the suspense of the original? Justin, Stuart, and Arnie are here to fill your trick or treat bag with this bonus podcast! So listen to find out!
{Sinister Series}
The Pet Sematary series returned from the grave in 1992. The three years in the ground (or the video stores) did it no favors as the return looked little like the '89 original. Gone was the entire cast, replaced by new star Edward Furlong -- fresh off his success of Terminator 2. Can returning director Mary Lambert reanimate this franchise, or does this sequel smell of rot and death? Dig up this show to find out!
{Stephen King Series}
{Pet Semetary Series}
One of the most acclaimed horror films of this decade was Sinister. On the surface this Blumhouse production seems little different than many haunted house films like Paranormal Activity and Insidious. But Sinister hit a note with fans, and its success and style set director Scott Derrickson on the path to direct Marvel's Doctor Strange. Is this another false scare, or is there something truly Sinister here? Listen to find out!
{Sinister Series}
In 1983 King published Pet Sematary - the book he dubbed to scary to print, with a title too difficult to spell. The book was a smash success. Six years later the film adaptation was released. Can it possibly be as frightening as the source novel? Join Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob as they dig up this movie and find out!
{Stephen King Series}
{Pet Semetary Series}
By 1983 Stephen King had been christened the "King of Horror", his every book a bestseller, and his three films hits. John Carpenter was an acclaimed horror director who created the modern slasher with Halloween. When these two masters of terror joined forces to make 1983's Christine, could the results be anything but frightful fun? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob as they review the carnage to find out!
{Stephen King Series}
From the minds of Stephen King and George Romero comes Tales from the Darkside: The Movie...a horror anthology like no other. Well, scratch that, it's like several others--including Romero's own Creepshow! In fact, the King story in this film was written by Romero for Creepshow 2, but now it's joined by two other stories of monsters and murder. Are these Tales the best Creepshow sequel of all? Join us to find out...but only if you promise to never tell!
{Stephen King Series}
{Tales From the Darkside Series}
Nearly 20 years after the last Creepshow left theaters a third installment creeped onto video shelves. Five more tales of terror await, but now they are all intertwined with crossover characters and a twisting timeline. Does this add enjoyment to the final Creepshow? Grab a hot dog and join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out!
{Stephen King Series}
{Creepshow Series}
The studio made it in secret. No one knew that Adam Wingard's new horror film The Woods was actually the third installment of the Blair Witch film series. This one goes back to the original 1999 film in both universe and style. Watch the found footage as James Donahue, brother of the original film's Heather, leads a new crew into Burkittsville to try and uncover the age old mystery. Is this a great return to form? Head into the woods with Jakob, Arnie, and Stuart to find out!
{Blair Witch Series}
When you think of Ferris Bueller what comes to mind? Is it "Oh Yeah"? Or perhaps the Star Wars theme playing while Cameron's Ferrari shot above the city streets. And the iconic parade scene with Ferris lip syncing The Beatles' "Twist and Shout". But for all the important music moments in the film, Ferris Bueller's Day Off never had a soundtrack...until now. And to talk about it are Arnie, Marjorie, and Justin along with some guests. Join them for some music, some information, and a review of this new Ferris Bueller's Day Off CD.
{Ferris Bueller Series}
Five years after Stephen King and George Romero revived the horror anthology with Creepshow, New World Pictures released the sequel. The poster looked the same, but there was a new director, Romero was now only writing, and King had a "Story By" credit. With just three tales of terror, versus the original's five, is the humor as sharp and the horror as scary? Get your ticket and join Jakob, Stuart, and Arnie to find out!
{Stephen King Series}
{Creepshow Series}
Stephen King was a master of written horror, and George Romero a master of cinematic scares. And in 1982 those two combined forces to bring you Creepshow -- five tales of terror, written by King and directed by Romero. Were two kings of horror better than one? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob as they creep up on you with this review!
{Stephen King Series}
{Creepshow Series}
They didn't market Stand by Me as a Stephen King film. In 1986 a period piece drama didn't fit with King's history of films, including axe murderers, ghosts, zombies, vampires, and killer semis. Few would have thought this 50's coming-of-age nostalgia piece was from King's short story "The Body." Yet the movie was a smash hit, nominated for Golden Globe and Academy Awards. How does this movie hold up thirty years later, playing to people other than Baby Boomers? Stand by Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out!
{Stephen King Series}
{Different Seasons Series}
A Nazi in hiding is uncovered by a suburban boy, and the result is blackmail and bloodshed. That is the story of Apt Pupil, Bryan Singer's directorial follow-up to his breakthrough The Usual Suspects. Is Kurt Dussander's secret past a mystery on par with Keyser Söze? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out!
{Stephen King Series}
{Different Seasons Series}
The Shawshank Redemption has been voted the #1 movie of all time by IMDB.com users. It was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Actor for star Morgan Freeman. It has played endlessly on TNT. And yet, upon its release, the film flopped in theaters. Is history right? Is this the best movie of all time, underappreciated when it first came out? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out!
{Stephen King Series}
{Different Seasons Series}
Earlier this year DC brought Batman back to the big screen in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Now it's time for his nemesis to get the spotlight. Suicide Squad stars villains like Joker, Harley Quinn, Deadshot, and Enchantress -- a group of bad people who may be able to do some good. The characters are the worst of the worst...but is the film also the worst? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out!
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{Batman Series}
{DC Movie Universe}
{Birds of Prey Series}
{Joker Series}
{DC Teams Series}
{Suicide Squad Series}
It's been nine years since Matt Damon last played Jason Bourne. But now he is back, ready to uncover new secrets about Treadstone and what turned David Webb into Jason Bourne. Do Greengrass and Damon still have the spark that made those original films so memorable, or should they have not Borne out another sequel? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob in this podcast movie review to find out!
{Bourne Series}
On Thursday, September 8, 1966, Star Trek beamed into people's homes for the first time. Since then, Star Trek has become a cultural phenomenon spanning 725 television episodes across six series, and 12 movies. But now it is time for Star Trek to go Beyond. Is there still power in those warp coils on the Enterprise's 13th voyage in theaters? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Brock to find out!
{Star Trek Series}
A long time ago, in a trailer park far, far away... a teen named Alex beat the high score on the Starfighter arcade. But it wasn't just a game--it was a proving grounds for fighters to join an intergalactic war. Is Alex the Luke Skywalker for the '80s? And how does this film's once-groundbreaking CGI hold up over 30 years later? Join Arnie, Marjorie, and Justin to find out!
{Individual Movie Reviews}
The Bourne Ultimatum proved its box office dominance, and director Paul Greengrass and star Matt Damon were ready leave Jason Bourne behind. But Universal Pictures wasn't going to let that stop their blockbuster franchise, so enter The Bourne Legacy! Jeremy Renner stars as Aaron Cross - another covert super soldier from the same CIA operations as Bourne. Rather than risk exposure, the CIA has chosen to kill all their agents and start over. Can Cross survive this extinction protocol? And can the franchise survive without its signature star and character? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob now to find out!
{Bourne Series}
Three years after Bourne was supreme at the box office, star Matt Damon reteamed with director Paul Greengrass for the series' third installment -- The Bourne Ultimatum. This film promises to reveal the final secrets about the secret agent's past, and gives co-star Julia Stiles something to do. Did this original Bourne trilogy end on a high note? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out!
{Bourne Series}
Just two short years after Short Circuit electrified audiences Johnny 5 returned in Short Circuit 2. This time Johnny is in the big city and realizing what it means to be human...or in his case, not human. The film was supposed to be full of heart, laughs, and special effects. But Johnny's wires got crossed and no connection was made with audiences. With this film Johnny 5's cinematic life ended, but did he deserve his fate? Join Justin Five, Stuart, and Arnie to find out!
{Short Circuit Series}
Universal had little confidence in making The Bourne Identity, but after its huge success they fast-tracked the sequel: The Bourne Supremacy. This follow-up teamed Damon with Paul Greengrass, who would continue to guide the Bourne films through this summer's new Jason Bourne. Is this film truly supreme, or did the franchise lose its identity? Join Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob to find out!
{Bourne Series}
Robocop. R2-D2. HAL 9000. The T-1000. Johnny 5. Yes, in the pantheon of great movie robots, there is no denying S.A.I.N.T. model Number Five deserves prominent mention. He came alive in 1986's Short Circuit and charmed audiences with his naivete, and his DeBarge theme song. Now, as Now Playing looks back at the great sci-fi films of 1986, Arnie, Stuart, and new Now Playing critic Justin review this film to answer the age old question..."Who's Johnny?" Listen to find out!
{Short Circuit Series}
In 2002 a new action franchise was Bourne. Starring Matt Damon as Jason Bourne, The Bourne Identity modernized and heavily revised Robert Ludlum's original novel. Despite a modest budget, the film connected with critics and audience members alike. With the upcoming sequel Jason Bourne in theaters this July, it's time to check Bourne's original Identity. Does the film hold up 14 years later? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out!
{Bourne Series}
Jason Bourne has existed in Robert Ludlum novels for over 35 years. For mainstream audiences, however, he came to life when Matt Damon starred as the amnesiac secret agent in 2002. That action-packed rendition now defines the character, and has totally overshadowed Bourne's first portrayal -- in a 1988 ABC miniseries. The story was much closer to Ludlum's original novel than the later films, but can Richard Chamberlain match Damon's performance? To find out, join Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart as this new retrospective series is Bourne! And come back each week until we review the new Jason Bourne film in theaters!
{Bourne Series}
After three years and one Fast and Furious film, James Wan is back with a sequel to The Conjuring. The original horror film scared up lots of dough for Universal, so now the series returns with Ed and Lorraine Warren investigating another real life haunting -- The Enfield Poltergeist. How "true to life" is this story, and does it up the suspense from the original? Join us to find out!
{Conjuring Series}
In this sequel to 2014's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Donatello, Leonardo, Raphael, and Michelangelo are back again to save New York from Shredder. But while this film has the same look and some returning stars, there's a new vibe throwing back to the original cartoon series -- including fan-loved baddies Krang, Bebop, and Rocksteady. With Arrow star Stephen Amell joining the cast as human vigilante Casey Jones, are these turtles worth shelling out for? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob for their review to find out!
{Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
Director Bryan Singer is back to take the X-Men to the '80s for a totally tubular fight against Apocalypse! The film debuts the fan-favorite mutant villain on film. It also features the return of classic movie X-Men Cyclops, Jean Gray, and Nightcrawler. Is the result boss or bunk? Join Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart to find out!
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{Batman Series}
{DC Movie Universe}
{Superman Series}
{DC Teams Series}
The original Hellboy film didn't set the box office on fire. But like a necromancer, director and writer Guillermo del Toro brought the demonic comic hero back on screens in 2008. With the original cast back plus new antagonists both in and out of the BPRD, does Hellboy II: The Golden Army turn up the heat? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out!
{Hellboy Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{Dark Horse Comics}
Dark Horse Comics was once best known for its series based on popular movie properties like Star Wars, Predator, and Alien. That reputation slowly changed as the publisher's original characters gained prominence, with the most popular becoming Mike Mignola's demonic creation Hellboy! In 2004 that comic was adapted to film by fantastical visionary Guillermo del Toro. Now join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob as they go to hell and back, reviewing the original Hellboy!
{Hellboy Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{Dark Horse Comics}
Is this movie Captain America 3 or Avengers 3? Cap is back and he’s brought the whole team. Iron Man, Ant-Man, Black Widow, Vision, Scarlet Witch, and half a dozen other costumed heroes appear–to fight! At issue is the UN wanting to control The Avengers, and Captain America going rogue to save his friend Bucky, The Winter Soldier. Can even an IMAX screen hold this many heroes and give a satisfying story? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out!
{Avengers Series}
{Iron Man Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{Captain America Series}
{Spider-Man Series}
{Black Panther Series}
No one was interested in making movies based on the writings of Richard Bachman. His novels Rage, The Long Walk, Roadwork, and The Running Man were modest sellers that often had only one printing. More, they were dark and rough novels King wrote in his early years. That changed in 1985 when Bachman was exposed as a pen name for Stephen King. Just two years later Arnold Schwarzenegger was The Running Man--a very loose adaptation of the '82 Bachman novel. The film is now a cult hit, fondly remembered by Generation X, but is it any good? Listen now to find out!
{Stephen King Series}
{Running Man Series}
From 1974 to 1982 Stephen King published 12 books, most of them bestsellers. Yet only three movies were based on his writing during that same period: Carrie in 1976, The Shining in 1980, and Creepshow in 1982. That all changed starting in 1983. In the next four years a total of thirteen movies based on King's works hit screens. The first movie in that deluge was Cujo, based on King's 1980 book about a mother and son trapped by a rabid dog. Does Cujo keep to the quality of the Kubrick, De Palma, and Romero films that came before? Listen to find out!
{Stephen King Series}
{Cujo Series}
Harvey Pekar was an independent comic writer, a notorious talk show guest, and a general grump. And with the film American Splendor he added another title--movie star. Pekar himself and Paul Giamatti both play the author in the film that depicts Crumb's start in comics, and his fight with cancer. It's possibly the most down-to-earth comic book movie Now Playing has ever reviewed...but is it good? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out!And after you listen to this review, listen to Jakob's 2008 interview with Harvey Pekar.
Frank Miller was given a director's credit on Robert Rodriguez's Sin City. With that film's success Miller went on to direct his own feature film. The result was The Spirit, based on Will Eisner's iconic comic book crimefighter. The movie's visual style and tone strongly resembled Sin City but the reception didn't match that earlier film. Is this film a Sin worth committing? Listen to find out!
When fans think of The Spirit they probably think of Will Eisner’s 1940’s comic book crimefighter. Or they may think of Frank Miller’s 2008 film adaptation of the same name. Only the hard core Spirit fans and ’80s trivia buffs would think of the film we’re reviewing here — a TV movie intended as a pilot for a Spirit television series. The series never materialized, but the movie did air in 1987. How true is it to Eisner’s vision? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out!
{The Spirit Series}
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
It took fifteen years of development, but now the World's Finest heroes are together on screen with Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Can the Dark Knight and the Man of Steel share the screen? The box office was big but the audience divided. Now join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob for this review to find out!
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{Batman Series}
{DC Movie Universe}
{Superman Series}
{DC Teams Series}
It took fifteen years of development, but now the World's Finest heroes are together on screen with Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Can the Dark Knight and the Man of Steel share the screen? The box office was big but the audience divided. Now join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob for this review to find out!
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{Batman Series}
{DC Movie Universe}
{Superman Series}
{DC Teams Series}
It took fifteen years of development, but now the World's Finest heroes are together on screen with Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Can the Dark Knight and the Man of Steel share the screen? The box office was big but the audience divided. Now join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob for this review to find out!
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{Batman Series}
{DC Movie Universe}
{Superman Series}
{DC Teams Series}
Watchmen was an acclaimed '80s comic series. It helped legitimize comics as a literary medium, and remained a bestseller for over 20 years. Yet with its complex, nonlinear narrative, all attempts to adapt it to film had failed to launch. But in 2009 director Sack Snyder, fresh off his success on 300, used the same visual style to bring Watchmen to theaters. The result was not as highly-praised as the graphic novel, but is it worth a watch? Join Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart as they review the film version of Watchmen, including a comparison of all three different cuts released!
After the success of the X-Men superhero properties were in demand. But before hero teams like Justice League, Watchmen, and Avengers could assemble, there was The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Sean Connery's Allan Quatermain leads a cadre of literary figures including Tom Sawyer, Dr. Jeckyll, The Invisible Man, and others. The film's reception, though, was anything but extraordinary with rumors this production ended the careers of both Connery and director Stephen Norrington. Is the film deserved of that reputation? Join our League of Extraordinary Movie Critics to find out!
{DC Teams Series}
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
Created by comic book superstars J Scott Campbell, Jim Lee, and Brandon Choi, Gen 13 was Wildstorm Comics' risque Gen-X version of the X-Men. After only a few years in publication the series' success led to Buena Vista creating this animated feature, starring voice actors Mark Hamill, John de Lancie, John de Lancie, and Flea. But before the movie could see release Wildstorm was bought by DC Comics, and Buena Vista parent company Disney forever shelved this action cartoon. Is this a gem that deserves its day, or a mercy killing a'la Corman's Fantasic Four? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob for this review to find out!
{DC Teams Series}
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
DC has had over 15 years of television dominance. From Smallville to Arrow, The Flash, and Supergirl, the heroes of DC Comics have come to life on the small screen. But not every attempt to bring the comics to life succeeded. Birds of Prey was cancelled early, and David E. Kelley's Wonder Woman pilot was never aired at all. Neither was Justice League of America - a 1997 TV movie intended as a pilot for a CBS series. With The Flash, Green Lantern, The Atom, Martian Manhunter, Fire, and Ice sharing the screen, is this a lost gem? Join Now Playing's Super Friends Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out!
{DC Teams Series}
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
In 1976 Wonder Woman spun into America's homes on CBS. In 1978 Superman took flight in theaters. So to capitalize on this success Hanna-Barbera brought a live-action Superfriends to TV with Legends of the Superheroes! This TV special was split into two episodes, one an adventure and the other a "roast" of the heroes. But with Adam West and Burt Ward returning to the roles of Batman and Robin, is Legends of the Superheroes a worthy successor to Batman's camp fun? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob with this review to find out!
{DC Teams Series}
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
This show description is guest written by Deadpool. Oh, hello there! Deadpool here. It took ten years but I've finally got my own solo film! Now, I know I'm awesome, but even I'm shocked at how many box office records it broke. I have to give a lot of credit to the marketing, but the movie stars me, so it has to be awesome. The real question, though, is what Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob think. So whatever you're doing -- STOP! You need to just put your life on hold for the next 100 minutes and listen to this show to hear the guys review of my first movie!
{X-Men Series}
{Deadpool Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
Neil Gaiman's Stardust began in 1997 as a DC comic book fairy tale. In 1999 it was then published as an illustrated novel. Finally in 2007 it was adapted to the screen, directed by Matthew Vaughn. This story about a fallen star had its own star power with Claire Danes, Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert De Niro, and Peter O'Toole. Is this yet another Vaughn comic adaptation worth checking out, or should it be burned ashes to ashes, Stardust to Stardust? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out as they return to their DC Comics Retrospective Series!
{Individual Movie Reviews}
Studio Ghibli and director Hayao Miyazaki are highly regarded among anime fans. But none of their previous successes compared to 1997's mythological Princess Mononoke. The film became Japan's top-grossing film of all time. Disney's Miramax Films even commissioned an English translation written by Neil Gaiman, voiced by stars including Claire Danes, Billy Crudup, and Billy Bod Thornton. Now join the Now Playing hosts as they travel into the forest for their first anime movie review!
{Individual Movie Reviews}
Masters of the Universe was a beloved toy line and a hit '80s cartoon. Its 1987 live-action movie, however, is not so fondly remembered. This Dolph Lundgren vehicle broke its movie studio but created new figures for kids to play with. Does this film have the power? Listen to find out!
{He-Man Series}
It started with a contest, a fan-submitted new "fake" trailer for Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez's Grindhouse double feature. It ended up, like Machete, being made into a full movie! The title sums up the film, but with Rutger Hauer cast as the titular Hobo can this be more than midnight-movie fare? Join Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart to find out!
{Individual Movie Reviews}
The original film promised Danny Trejo would return as Machete, and that promise was kept! Machete Kills, released in 2010, boasts an even bigger line-up of stars than the original. Mel Gibson, Cuba Gooding Jr, Lady Gaga, Amber Heard, Charlie Sheen, and many more notable actors lined up to be featured in Robert Rodriguez's over-the-top film. But did Machete kill our hosts with its jokes? And are they anxious for Machete Kills in Space? Listen to find out!
{Machete Series}
He knows the score. He gets the babes. He kills the bad guys. He is Machete! The character was originally seen in a joke trailer in the Rodriguez/Tarantino Grindhouse double feature. Then in 2010 that joke became a major motion picture. Did the film live up to the trailer's promise? Listen to this episode of Now Playing to find out!
{Machete Series}
"If I had the time and a sledgehammer, I would track down every copy of that show and smash it." So said Star Wars creator George Lucas regarding the 1978 Star Wars Holiday Special. The two hour CBS special reunited Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, alongside most of the original Star Wars cast. It also gave fans their first glimpse at the bounty hunter Boba Fett! So how can it be so hated, shunned, and disavowed? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out!
{Star Wars Series}
Lucas promised it would never happen. He repeatedly swore that Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith was the last Star Wars film. Ever! What a difference $4 billion makes! Now, a decade since the last live action Star Wars film, Disney brings us The Force Awakens. The baton is being passed from the old trilogy's heroes to a new group, played by Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, and Oscar Isaac. But with the shadow of the prequels hanging over the series, does director J. J. Abrams' new film fall to the dark side, or the light? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob in this episode of Now Playing to find out!
{Star Wars Series}
In 2005 Revenge of the Sith was touted as the last Star Wars film. Ever. So fans were surprised and amazed in 2008 when the announcement came that Star Wars: The Clone Wars would be an animated, feature film. Originally developed as four episodes of the Clone Wars series, the footage was spliced together to feature length. With Samuel L. Jackson and Christopher Lee reprising their live-action characters, does this glorified TV pilot deserve its place as the final Lucas-era Star Wars movie? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out!
{Star Wars Series}
Apollo Creed was a major part of the Rocky series through the character's death in Rocky IV. Now his son Adonis takes center stage in Creed -- the seventh movie to feature Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa. Can Michael B. Jordan's Adonis be the new box office boxing champ? Listen to this episode of Now Playing Podcast to find out!
George Lucas wrapped up his six-part Star Wars saga with Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. This film needed to create the links between Lucas' two prequel films and his much-beloved original trilogy. Showing the rise of the Empire, the fall of Anakin Skywalker, and the downfall of the Jedi Order is an ambitious feat for any film. Did Sith rise to the challenge? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob for their review to find out!
{Star Wars Series}
The Phantom Menace opened to a big box office...and a big backlash. But for 2002's follow-up Attack of the Clones director George Lucas pulled out all the stops. Fans finally got to see in live action the origins of the Stormtroopers, Boba Fett, and an army of Jedi going to war. Did this universe-expanding story result in a better movie? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out!
{Star Wars Series}
Star Wars returned to the big screen in 1999 with Episode I: The Phantom Menace. Sixteen years after Return of the Jedi the hype and anticipation were at manic levels. The result was the highest grossing Star Wars film of all time--and lots of internet hate. Now Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart travel to Naboo, Tattooine, and Coruscant to review The Phantom Menace. Is the hate deserved, or could no film live up to such high fan expectations? Listen to find out!
{Star Wars Series}
Despite being a box office draw for 50 years, James Bond's last outing Skyfall shattered all expectations, making over $1 billion worldwide. That set expectations exceedingly high for the next Bond adventure -- Spectre. The movie brings back the classic cadre of Bond baddies, as well as the star and director of Skyfall. Did this film hit its target? Join Brock, Arnie, and Stuart to find out!
{James Bond Series}
It's a long-standing horror movie trope: teens who have sex are murdered. Friday the 13th, Halloween, A Nightmare on Elm Street, and dozens more films followed this pattern...but no film has made it as literal as It Follows. "It" is a supernatural creature that is passed through sex. When "It" is after you, your only escape is to pass it on by having sex with someone else. Yet It Follows is not a morality tale; the director takes this concept to new and frightening places. So should you watch It? Join Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie to find out!
{Individual Movie Reviews}
Artisan Entertainment and Haxan Films wasted no time releasing a sequel to The Blair Witch Project. Intending to capitalize on the first film’s huge success they rushed Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 for release while the original film was still part of the cultural zeitgeist. The sequel goes meta as we watch a group of fans of the original film take a pilgrimage to some of its filming sites when strange things begin to happen and some of the team go missing. Despite being directed by acclaimed documentary filmmaker Joe Berlinger Blair Witch 2 never escaped the original’s shadow and has been mostly forgotten. Does Book of Shadows conjure up scares to match the original? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out!
{Blair Witch Series}
In 1999 two great fears gripped the American people -- Y2K and The Blair Witch Project. This little movie was made for only $20,000 but it became a Sundance darling. Released by Artisan it went on to become the most profitable movie of all time, shot its stars and makers to superstardom, and opened the door for more "found footage" horror films. But without the hype of the moment does the Blair Witch still have what it takes to scare you? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out!
{Blair Witch Series}
1984's television movie The Ewok Adventure was a smash success for ABC, and soon George Lucas was working on a sequel. The result is Ewoks: The Battle for Endor. A darker continuation of the previous movie, Battle for Endor introduces new baddies, and a new heroic character played by Wilford Brimley. Was the Force with the Ewoks this time? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out!
{Star Wars Series}
George Lucas didn't want to do any more Star Wars movies after Return of the Jedi, but he wasn't done in that universe. Inspired by kids' affection for the furry Ewoks Lucas ordered the creation of an Ewok TV Special, which grew into The Ewok Adventure - a two-hour ABC Movie of the Week. Does Star Wars work on the small budget of the small screen? And when did Wicket learn to talk? Join our hosts for this review and find out!
{Star Wars Series}
George Lucas concluded the Star Wars trilogy in 1983 with Return of the Jedi -- a film thought for many years to be the final Star Wars movie ever. Needing to tie up every plot thread in two hours, this conclusion has been polarizing among fans, with some in the pro-Ewok camp, others anti-Ewok. Could this film ever live up to fan expectations? And which is better: Jedi Rocks or Lapti Nek? Join Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart for their review of Return of the Jedi to find out!
{Star Wars Series}
When it was released The Empire Strikes Back was the highly anticipated sequel to the biggest movie of all time. And it became widely known as the best Star Wars movie ever made. With creator George Lucas taking more of a back seat, and an even bigger push on special effects, does this film live up to its reputation? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out!
{Star Wars Series}
Star Wars. It twice became the biggest movie of all time. It has launched a billion dollar empire of movies, toys, and merchandise. It has even started a religion. But now, under the ownership of Disney, the Star Wars universe is set to expand infinitely with a new movie each year -- starting with Episode VII: The Force Awakens.
Now Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart go back to where it all started -- the 1977 original George Lucas film Star Wars (a.k.a. Episode IV: A New Hope). Is the Force still with Star Wars almost 40 years after its release? And which version is better, the Special Edition or the original? Listen to Now Playing to find out, then join us weekly for more Star Wars reviews culminating with The Force Awakens!
{Star Wars Series}
It's been seven years since the last Transporter film was released. In that time the series continued on television, but now is racing back to theaters with The Transporter: Refueled. This movie is intended to start a new trilogy of films, but without signature star Jason Statham has the series run out of gas? Listen to find out!
{Transporter Series}
In 2008 Jason Statham came back for one last ride in Transporter 3. This time Frank has to drive the daughter of a Ukranian politician to Odessa, avoiding danger and romantic entanglements along the way. The film ended Statham's run as the Transporter, but launched the American career of aptly-named director Olivier Megaton. Did the trilogy end on a high note? Listen to find out!
{Transporter Series}
The first Transporter film was a modest theatrical success, but thanks to DVD sales put star Jason Statham back in the driver's seat. Again directed by Louis Leterrier, the second Transporter film's fast ride cemented Statham's status as an action star. How does it measure up to the original? Listen to find out!
{Transporter Series}
If you need someone or something moved quickly, Frank Martin is your man. This former Special Ops soldier has moved to France and now works as a freelance driver for big spending criminals. His illicit career survives by strict adherence to rules, but when he breaks two of the rules he finds himself the target of a human trafficking ring. The plot is simple, but this action film from Luc Besson and Louis Leterrier launched Jason Statham's career as an American action star. Should you go along for the ride? Listen to find out!
{Transporter Series}
It's been 20 years since Roger Corman first made (but never released) the world's first Fantastic Four film, and now we get our fourth. Gone is the humor of the Tim Story duology; instead, Chronicle director Josh Trank created a grim and gritty version of Marvel's First Family, more based on the Ultimate Comics version than any other. But behind the scenes squabbles and internet gossip led to this movie's record low audience and critic ratings. Can this film be, if not Fantastic, any good at all? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out!
{Fantastic Four Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
In Tom Cruise's fifth Mission: Impossible film he finally goes up against the original television series' legendary foe -- The Syndicate. This evil group of spies and assassins has infiltrated the globe and is prepared to start a revolution. With the IMF disbanded for dangerous and risky tactics, can Ethan Hunt and his team possibly uncover and stop this Rogue Nation? And even more risky, can the fifth installment of a series still retain a high level of quality? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out!
{Mission Impossible Series}
Tom Cruise's MIF Agent Ethan Hunt is back with a mission to literally stop the end of the world. Disavowed by his agency, can Ethan stop a madman from launching a nuclear missile? And do newcomers Jeremy Renner and Simon Pegg mix up the Impossible formula? Join Jakob, Arnie, and Stuart to find out!
{Mission Impossible Series}
The second phase of Marvel Studios' Cinematic Universe is going out small. Compared to their other Phase 2 films, the hero is smaller, the budget is smaller, the box office is smaller. But it's a big moment as comics' final founding Avenger arrives on the big screen. The film was fraught with production delays and creative changes, but can Marvel prove good things come with small packages? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out!
{Avengers Series}
{Ant-Man Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
IMF agent Ethan Hunt has had enough combat. He wants to settle down, get married, and train new agents instead of going in the field himself. But when his star pupil is captured by a ruthless arms dealer Hunt gathers a new crew for another globetrotting mission. Should you choose to accept this third impossible mission? Join Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie to find out!
{Mission Impossible Series}
It may have taken 13 years, but Arnold Schwarzenegger is back as the T-800 in his movie series that absolutely will not stop ever -- The Terminator. In the new movie Genisys Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney) goes back in time to 1984 to save the life of Sarah Connor (Emilia Clarke), but he fins 1984 very different than he expects. Is Kyle's trip back to the future one worth taking? Join Marjorie, Arnie, and Stuart to find out! PLUS - listen to find out how you can win some Terminator collectibles! Contest ends July 15, 2015!
{Terminator Series}
Tom Cruise's character Agent Ethan Hunt has a new mission - stop a rogue IMF agent from releasing a deadly biological weapon -- and protect the woman he loves. With John Woo in the director's chair, this film is sure to have some slow motion action and doves flying, but should you choose this second impossible mission? Join Jakob, Arnie, and Stuart to find out!
{Mission Impossible Series}
Mission: Impossible was a smash hit TV series in the 1960s and 70s, and it even had a revival in the late 80s. But in the 90s, producer and star Tom Cruise tried to do the impossible: create a hit movie franchise based on an old TV show. Many shows have tried to become films, but few have succeeded. Yet with noted director Brian De Palma behind the camera, a bevy of stunt work, and Cruise on the poster, this film had a better chance than most. Should you choose to accept this first impossible mission? Join Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart to find out!
{Mission Impossible Series}
It's like a riddle: When does Chapter 3 come before Chapter 1? When it's an Insidious sequel! The new film may be titled Insidious: Chapter 3 but the film is actually a prequel to the original film. Were you interested how Tucker and Specs met Elise? Or what the Bride in Black did before harassing the Lambert family? It's all in Chapter 3, with a background story of a new demon trying to kill a high school girl. Is this an essential chapter in the Insidious story? Join Marjorie, Stuart, and Arnie to find out!
{Insidious Series}
Firestarter: Rekindled has Malcolm McDowell and Dennis Hopper starring in a movie based on the works of Stephen King! If this movie came out in 1982 it may have had the star power, and budget, to be a true classic. But Rekindled didn't come out when those actors' star power was at its peak, it was made in 2002 as an original Sci-Fi Channel two part miniseries. Does this story of Charlie's next battle against The Shop keep with King's original vision? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out!
{Stephen King Series}
{Firestarter Series}
In 1984 Stephen King had been given the moniker "The King of Horror." Movies on his books had more hits than misses, and his every novel was a bestseller, including the tale of a pyrokinetic girl hunted by government agents -- Firestarter! The heat from that book drew star Drew Barrymore, fresh off her role in the highest-grossing film of all time, E.T., With these two names combined, did the movie spark? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out!
{Stephen King Series}
{Firestarter Series}
Warning: This podcast deals with a movie that has no plot, hammy acting, and a hack script we wouldn't want to wipe our asses with. It's not even funny bad, it's just a boring, miserable watching experience. We want no one to give this film a penny by paying for the rental. We appreciate you listeners enough to tell you this up front - you really don't need to watch this film. And if you want to hear why - join Arnie, Stuart, and Marjorie for this podcast review.
{Human Centipede Series}
It's been 30 years since the last Mad Max film, but creator George Miller was compelled to go again into the post-apocalyptic Outback. The film suffered production troubles, extensive reshoots, and eventually had to film with a new star: Tomy Hardy as Max. But now the movie is on screens and bringing both praise and controversy. Did the series run out of gas without Mad Mel? Join Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob to find out!
{Mad Max Series}
Star Mel Gibson and director George Miller returned to the world of Mad Max one final time in 1985. With a budget larger than the previous two films combined, Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome established its place in pop culture with both catch phrases and a catchy Tina Turner song. For nearly 30 years this was thought to be the closing chapter in the series, and is Gibson's final time playing the titular character. How does this film hold up today? Listen to find out!
{Mad Max Series}
The 2015 summer movie season kicks off in a big way with the next Marvel Cinematic Universe film Avengers: Age of Ultron. Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, the Hulk, Black Widow, and Hawkeye are back in front of the camera, all again under the direction of geek god Joss Whedon. But with three super-powered baddies and a new Vision for these heroes there is more Avengers to assemble than ever before. Now join Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob to find out how super these heroes were!
{Avengers Series}
{Iron Man Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{Hulk Series}
{Captain America Series}
{Thor Series}
With the success of Mad Max director George Miller had his pick of films to direct, but he chose to return to the post-apocalyptic Australian outback for a second Mad Max film -- The Road Warrior! The budget was bigger, and so were the explosions, but does that make this film better than the original? Listen to find out!
{Mad Max Series}
In 1979 a low budget film exploded from down under to become the most profitable film of all time--Mad Max! Shot for less than half a million Australian dollars the movie launched Mel Gibson to stardom and has been a midnight movie staple. What is it about this gritty exploitation film that garners it such acclaim? Hop in and join Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie to find out!
{Mad Max Series}
Before making it big with Jaws Steven Spielberg was honing his directing skills on television. Spielberg's first feature-length film was, in fact, Duel a made-for-television ABC Movie of the Week. With little money and even less time the director created a suspense film that broke out of the small screen and was released theatrically in Europe and Australia But how does Spielberg's first film hold up against his later works? Join Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie to find out!
{Steven Spielberg Series}
Universal thought the Fast and Furious franchise was unstoppable. With each new sequel grossing more than the previous instalment, they fast tracked Furious 7, even if it meant losing long time series director Justin Lin and new star The Rock. But when Paul Walker died before the movie was complete the cast and the creatives making the film had to rework the script to be a fitting goodbye. Can Insidious director James Wan make this film still be fast and furious while paying the fitting respects to a passed co-star? Join Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie to find out!
{Fast and Furious Series}
With Fast Five director Justin Lin opened the car racing franchise up to a wider audience. With in his final film in the series, Fast & Furious 6, Lin tried to continue that trend, setting Vin Diesel's group of likeable outlaws against a European terrorist. The action set pieces were bigger, as was the box office, but can this film rev higher than the last installment? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out--and then come back next Tuesday as we conclude the serious with a review of Furious 7!
{Fast and Furious Series}
Director Justin Lin had one thought going into his third Fast and Furious movie--what if they didn't make it a Fast and Furious film. Rather than focusing on fast cars and racing, Fast Five becomes an action film involving drug dealers and spectacular chases. Culling a cadre of characters from the first four films, and adding The Rock as a new nemesis for Vin Diesel's Dominic Toretto, Fast Five set a new course for the franchise. How does this film rank for action? Listen and find out!
{Fast and Furious Series}
After the third Fast and Furious movie crashed at the box office the series could have run out of gas for good--until original stars Vin Diesel and Paul Walker returned to give it a jump start! With the two headliners returning, as well as supporting cast Michelle Rodriguez and Jordana Brewster, plus Justin Lin back behind the camera, audiences hit the NOS to get to theaters! Will this film live up to the hype? Join Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob to find out!
{Fast and Furious Series}
The third Fast and Furious film took a sharp turn, leaving the series' previous actors in the dust to tell a new story about a rebellious teen racing on the streets of Tokyo. The series has a new star, a new style of racing, and a new director in Justin Lin--who would return for three more Fast and Furious installments. Does the third movie in this series have the Now Playing hosts turning Japanese? Listen now to find out!
{Fast and Furious Series}
We live in a world where collusion among the rich destroy the middle class and keep the poor as working cattle. Everyone knows that. But in They Live it's revealed that the elite are actually working with aliens and using the media to hypnotize us and keep us subservient. Can a construction worker named Nada, played by WWF's Rowdy Roddy Piper, save the world? Listen now to find out in our review of John Carpenter's 1988 cult classic.
{John Carpenter Series}
When The Fast and The Furious raced up the box office Universal Pictures thought they had a franchise on their hands and hit the NOS for a sequel--with or without Vin Diesel. So for 2 Fast 2 Furious Paul Walker returns as Brian O'Connor, once again going undercover to bring down a criminal mastermind. This time, though, Brian's trash-talking bald-headed partner isn't Dominic Turetto, but Roman Pierce played by R&B singer Tyrese Gibson. Helmed by Oscar nominated director John Singleton, is this sequel Carz in the Hood, or did this cash-grab get the Shaft? Race to NowPlayingPodcast.com to hear this review and find out!
{Fast and Furious Series}
Pixar films including Toy Story, Monsters Inc., and Finding Nemo, had been smash hits. But could this success that worked on toys, fish, bugs, and beasts, work for a movie starring a roster of human characters? That was the risk they took with The Incredibles -- Pixar's first superhero film. The gamble worked and Pixar had another hit, but how does this film hold up more than 10 years later? Join Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob to find out!
{Pixar Series}
{Incredibles Series}
An undercover police officer infiltrates a group of thieves, but can he resist the lure of the subculture and do his duty? No, we're not talking the Keanu Reeves/Patrick Swayze film Point Break--we're reviewing the 2001 car racing film The Fast and The Furious. Starring Vin Diesel, fresh off the success of Pitch Black, the film raced to box office success and launched a billion-dollar franchise. But is there more to this film than fast cars and attractive women? Join Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob to find out!
{Fast and Furious Series}
From the director of X-Men: First Class and Kick-Ass comes Kingsman: The Secret Service. Like Kick-Ass, this film is also based on an original comic by Mark Millar, but now the pair are focusing on a young man trying to join an independent group of spies who pose as tailors. With a combination of new faces and established actors like Colin Firth and Samuel L. Jackson, does this new movie also kick ass? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out!
{Kingsman Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
The making of this film is unlike any other: director Richard Linklater and his stars convened annually over the span of twelve years to make a movie about a boy growing into a man. The sheer scope and complexity of the project is enormous, but it was completed when Boyhood hit theaters in 2014. But with all the behind-the-scenes complexity, was the final film worth it? Join Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie in this review to find out!
{Individual Movie Reviews}
It's been 18 years since Céline and Jesse met on that Vienna-bound train, both in real life and for the two fictional characters played by Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke. But where has time taken these two characters? The Before... films are Richard Linklater's precursor to boyhood, returning with the same characters and actors in 1995, 2004, and again most recently in 2013, but has the series grown better with age? Join Jakob, Arnie, and Stuart as they review the final film in this series to find out!
{Before Series}
It was unexpected that Before Sunrise, the 1995 indie romance film, would get a sequel. Long discussed by stars and director alike, the thought of Céline and Jesse reuniting on screen seemed impossible. Yet in in 2004, nine years after the original's release, audiences were able to reconnect with these two characters. Did the two reunite in Vienna on that train platform, and what are these two like now that they're older? Can they recapture the magic their relationship once held, and can Linklater recapture audience affection for these two lovers? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out!
{Before Series}
It is rare for a romance film to get a sequel, but Richard Linklater's Before Sunrise actually got two! Released in 1995, the movie tells of two strangers, Jesse and Céline, and their one night together in Vienna. But nine years later the couple returned in Before Sunset, and then in 2013 their story continued in Before Midnight. What is it about this saga that keeps the actors, director, and audiences coming back for more? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out!
{Before Series}
After the box office success of Carrie and The Shining move movies based on Stephen King's writings were a guarantee. And following in the footsteps of Brian DePalma and Stanley Kubrick came other stylistic directors, including John Carpenter, Rob Reiner, and David Cronenberg--director of The Dead Zone. Starring Christopher Walken as a psychic trying to stop nuclear war, the film continued King's success in theaters. Does the film hold up over thirty years later? You don't have to see the future to know--just listen to this episode of Now Playing to find out!
{Stephen King Series}
{Dead Zone Series}
"You think we need one more? You think we need one more. All right, we'll get one more." That quote, from 2001's Ocean's Eleven, seems like it could be the attitude going into Steven Soderberg's star studded third and final installment in the Ocean's series. The gang has now teamed up with former enemy Terry Benedict to rob a different Vegas casino. As an attempt to end the series on a high note, did this film hit the jackpot? Listen to find out!
{Ocean's 11 Series}
Director Steven Soderbergh won big with his Vegas film Ocean's 11. So three years later he decided to double down, getting back the whole cast from the first film, including Clooney, Pitt, Damon, and Cheadle, and adding to it Catherine Zeta-Jones, Bruce Willis, and several more for a sequel Ocean's 12. No longer based in Vegas, the crew globe-hops in an attempt to steal a Fabergé egg. Did Soderbergh's bet pay off the second time around, or did he push his luck too far? Join Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob to find out!
{Ocean's 11 Series}
In 2001 it's doubtful anyone was begging for a remake of the 60's Rat Pack film Ocean's 11. It was the cast that grabbed moviegoers' attention, filled with leading men George Clooney, Matt Damon, and Brad Pitt, plus a strong supporting cast and Julia Roberts as the female lead. But such star-studded films can often be debacles where the fun is had on the set, but not translated on the screen. Can director Steven Soderbergh pull off this intricate heist? Join Now Playing's Three -- Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob -- to find out!
{Ocean's 11 Series}
A young farmer must learn magic and join with a rouge warrior to travel to far away lands and save the world. No, this isn't a review of Star Wars, but Willow--the 1988 action-fantasy film based on a story by George Lucas. Though this film closely follows the Star Wars formula can it recreate that saga's excitement? Join Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob to find out in their review of this tale of Leprechaun meets Lord of the Rings!
{Individual Movie Reviews}
Before there was Clooney, Pitt, and Damon there was Sinatra, Martin, and Davis starring in Ocean's 11. This 1960 crime caper was the first film to feature The Rat Pack, with Ol' Blue Eyes himself playing Danny Ocean. In this original vision Ocean was a former World War II commander once again gathering his troops for one final mission--to rob five Vegas casinos in one night. The film has an impressive cast, but does it hold up over fifty years later? Go all in with Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart to find out!
{Ocean's 11 Series}
Horror film remakes have been non-stop for a decade. Of course the big films were redone, including Halloween, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Friday the 13th, and A Nightmare on Elm Street. Yet even smaller horror films, such as Black Christmas, I Spit on Your Grave, and Willard have seen updates for the 21st century. In 2012 another cult splatter film was added to that roster--Maniac. Closely based on the 1980 original, but with some daring style choices, this new Maniac did not find wide release but is slowly growing its own cult following. Can Hobbit Elijah Wood compete with Joe Spinell's personification of serial killer Frank? Listen to find out!
{Maniac Series}
1980 saw the release of several memorable slasher films, including Friday the 13th, Silent Scream, New Year's Evil, and Prom Night. Yet of all the 1980s slashers none may be more controversial than Maniac--a low budget splatter film with its unrated violence and Tom Savini's gore effects. The film has grown a cult following through home video but maniacal murderer Frank still lacks the name recognition of a Jason or a Michael Myers--yet it did warrant a 2012 remake starring Elijah Wood. Does Joe Spinell's psycho killer deserve a place in the pantheon of horror icons? Listen to find out!
{Maniac Series}
It's considered by many to be Stephen King's best novel of all time -- The Stand. King's fourth novel told of a superflu that wipes out humanity and sets the stage for an epic battle of good versus evil. In 1994 ABC aired a mammoth, four night mini-series that took the top three spots in the Nielsen ratings. Now it's time for Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart to take their Stand and review this miniseries. Can the book's epic quality be captured on a TV budget? Listen and find out!
{Stephen King Series}
{Stand Series}
Ever since Disney purchased Marvel Comics a family-friendly superhero cartoon was all but guaranteed. But it's not the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, or the X-Men who star in Disney's first Marvel animated feature, it's the little-known Asian team Big Hero 6. Many changes have happened adapting the team from the page to the screen, but is the result super? Join the Podcast Hero 3 of Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out!
{Big Hero 6 Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
George Lucas' 1977 space fantasy Star Wars changed the way American audiences consumed films. More, though, it also changed the landscape for movie merchandising, with more money being made on toys, games, and collectibles than on the movies themselves. Now the documentary Plastic Galaxy looks back at the first generation of Star Wars toys, released between 1977 and 1985 from Kenner. Does this film capture the childhood magic of Star Wars figures, and can the documentary appeal to anyone not already obsessed with little plastic Stormtroopers? Find out in this special Now Playing/Star Wars Action News crossover podcast hosted by Marjorie, Arnie, and Jerry!
{Individual Movie Reviews}
Christopher Nolan's film Interstellar tells of an Earth that is dying; those who don't starve to death will suffocate in an atmosphere turning toxic. Our only hope comes in the form of Cooper (Matthew McConaughey), a farmer who crashes NASA's secret base thanks to mysterious messages from beyond. It's an ambitious film filled with hard science and lots of discussions of love. Is it a film that has found its place in the stars, or that has crashed to its place in the dirt? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out!
{Nolan Series}
After bringing respectability back to the Dark Knight with the 2005 film Batman Begins Nolan reteamed with two of that film's leading actors, Christian Bale and Michael Caine, for The Prestige--an 1899 period piece about two competing illusionists. Does Nolan's non-chronological storytelling and slight of hand produce a prestigious film? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out!
{Nolan Series}
After directing the indie hit Memento director Christopher Nolan was chosen by producer Steven Soderbergh to direct Insomnia--a
crime thriller based on the 1997 Norwegian film of the same name. The result was Nolan's first mainstream studio film starring Al Pacino and Robin Williams. Does a film about a man who can't sleep live up to a film about a man with no memory? Don't lose any sleep thinking about it, just join Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob to find out!
{Nolan Series}
In 2001 Christopher Nolan broke into mainstream filmmaking with Memento--a noir murder mystery about a man who had no short-term memory trying to find his wife's killer. With a quirky concept and an editing style specifically used to play with the audience's own memories the result was an indie hit that launched the director into the public eye. Is this Tarantino-styled film remembered fondly by Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart? Do they remember it at all? Listen to find out!
{Nolan Series}
In 2001 Christopher Nolan broke into mainstream filmmaking with Memento--a noir murder mystery about a man who had no short-term memory trying to find his wife's killer. With a quirky concept and an editing style specifically used to play with the audience's own memories the result was an indie hit that launched the director into the public eye. Is this Tarantino-styled film remembered fondly by Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart? Do they remember it at all? Listen to find out!
{Nolan Series}
Christopher Nolan is one of the most acclaimed directors currently working in American cinema. His films bend the mind and break the box office--his Batman film The Dark Knight is the fourth highest grossing film in the US. Now Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart flash back to the director's first film--the micro-budgeted Following. With almost no money did Nolan's talent shine through, or is this a glorified home movie? Join us to find out! Playing during their Fall, 2014 donation drive you can join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob and find out!
{Nolan Series}
Last summer's supernatural horror film The Conjuring scared up big profits for Warner Bros. Pictures. While ghostly Bathsheba terrorized the house, it was possessed doll Annabelle that stole the show. Now the porcelain poltergeist is back in her own spin-off film! The film scored much green in its opening weekend, but will it get green arrows from the Now Playing hosts? Listen to find out!
{Conjuring Series}
When Tim and Allie's car breaks down on the desert streets of California the only help they can find is from nearby farmer Preacher and his Ukrainian wife Oksana. But one night in that house may lead to Tim and Allie's doom as strange occurrences terrorize the young couple. What is going on, and how in the world is this a Children of the Corn film? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob's review of Children of the Corn: Genesis for their the final film in this series (for now), and reflect on all the movies adapted from Stephen King's Night Shift stories.
{Stephen King Series}
{Children of the Corn Series}
Last summer a low budget horror film surprised box office pundits and horror fans alike. The weekend the big-budget films RED 2 and R.I.P.D. opened, the box office champion was The Conjuring. Directed by Saw co-creator James Wan, Conjuring seemed like a retread of the horror he showcased in 2010's Insidious, but with a based-on-real-life twist and the film became the top grossing horror film of the year. Now, as the spin-off film Annabelle hits theaters, Marjorie, Stuart, and Arnie go ghost hunting once more. Is this tale of a pesky poltergeist worth watching? Listen and find out!
{Conjuring Series}
Stephen King's short story "Children of the Corn" ties Carrie for being adapted for screens three times. The first was the "Dollar Baby" Disciples of the Crow, then in 1984 came the well-known film starring Linda Hamilton. Finally in 2009 came a new Children of the Corn, premiering initially on the SciFi channel before getting an unrated home video release. Is the third time the charm for He Who Walks Behind the Rows? Join Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart to find out!
{Stephen King Series}
{Children of the Corn Series}
This week listeners get two servings of Corn as Jakob, Arnie, and Stuart return to review the seventh Children of the Corn film, Revelation. Set not in Gatlin, Nebraska but rather in Omaha, featuring a cult of undead children, and with Michael Ironside getting top billing, can this serving go down easier than some of the earlier direct-to-video installments? Listen to this review to find out!
{Stephen King Series}
{Children of the Corn Series}
The Children of the Corn are all grown up, but original cult leader Isaac is back to lead them! The role of the original corn killer was reprised by John Franklin who not only starred but co-wrote the film with his cousin Tim Sulka. Does this return the franchise to its horror roots? Join Jakob, Arnie, and Stuart to find out!
{Stephen King Series}
{Children of the Corn Series}
Allison knows her brother has joined a cult of young people who worship He Who Walks Behind the Rows, but she doesn't know that he's slated to be sacrificed on the eve of his eighteenth birthday. Can she save her sibling from a corny fate? The answer lies in Children of the Corn V: Fields of Terror. With stars Eva Mendes, Alexis Arquette, and David Carradine, plus Fred Williamson, Kane hodder, and Ahmet Zappa on screen does this Corn greener than its predecessors? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out!
{Stephen King Series}
{Children of the Corn Series}
The ghost of a child evangelist possesses the youth of Grand Island, Nebraska. Can medical student Grace stop this preaching poltergeist before he possesses the body of her daughter? More importantly, can Children of the Corn IV: The Gathering, starring two time Academy Award nominee (and Chainsaw award winner!) Naomi Watts and scream queen Karen Black, improve this film series' track record? Join Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob to find out!
{Stephen King Series}
{Children of the Corn Series}
It's not unusual for the children of Gatlin to kill their parents. What is unusual is for those children to then move to a foster home in Chicago. But that is what happens in Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest. Can this franchise grow roots in the city? Listen to Jakob, Arnie, and Stuart's review to find out!
{Stephen King Series}
{Children of the Corn Series}
Children of the Corn 2: The Final Sacrifice was released to little fanfare and was barely in theaters. The sequel had no involvement by original author Stephen King, and no returning members of the cast or crew of the 1984 film. Yet, despite being released nine years after the original film, this sequel picks up just days later and reveals what happened to the surviving children of Gatlin. Was this story needed, and is there any enjoyment to harvest from this Corn? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out!
{Stephen King Series}
{Children of the Corn Series}
More than 20 films have been adapted from short stories in Stephen King's 1978 collection Night Shift, but almost half of those films are based on one tale: "Children of the Corn." The story tells of a group of crazed religious children who sacrificed all the adults in service of their god--He Who Walks Behind the Rows. Now Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob start to harvest these films with a review of the 1984 original. Was this original film revolutionary, demanding 8 follow-up films? Listen and find out!
{Stephen King Series}
{Children of the Corn Series}
Platinum Dunes Studios has released more franchise reboots than original films, attempting to update horror classics Friday the 13th, The Amityville Horror, and Texas Chainsaw Massacre for a new generation. Their latest reboot is of a totally different sort--Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! Can producer Michael Bay bring his Transformers toyetic touch to the Turtles? Join Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob in this final TMNT review to find out!
{Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
When teased at the end of Thor: The Dark World, the Guardians of the Galaxy looked like a bunch of a-holes. But this past weekend Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket Raccoon, and Groot proved their worth with a heroic opening weekend at the box office. More than just money, the film has been a hit with audiences and critics alike. What is the magic that made this film blow up like a ch-ch-ch-ch-cherry bomb, and were the hosts of Now Playing won over by this charming band of outlaws? Listen to Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob in this review to find out!
{Marvel Series}
{Avengers Series}
{Comic Book Movies Series}
{Guardians of the Galaxy Series}
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles return to their animated roots for 2007's computer-rendered TMNT. With a complex plot that spans millennia, involves an immortal Aztec and his stone statue generals, and thirteen random monsters of urban legend, do the turtles stick their heads out long enough to matter? Listen to Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart's review to find out!
{Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' Excellent adventure continue with their third live-action film. It's a New York Ninja in Lord Norinaga's Court when the teens time travel to feudal Japan. Is this Turtles in Time plot a Quantum Leap forward for this film series? It's Judgement Day for Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael, so listen to this podcast review to find out!
{Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Series} {Comic Book Movie Series}
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze was a sure thing. The original became the most profitable independent film of all time, the toys were still selling well, and the Turtles were even touring the country with a musical stage show. Add in chart-topping rapper Vanilla Ice with his Ninja Rap, plus new mutants for the Turtles to fight, it couldn't go wrong. Or could it? Join Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie this week to find out with their Oozing review of the second Turtles film!
{Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
Leonardo. Donatello. Michelangelo. Raphael. To an art student these names may conjure the image of the Renaissance masters but to generations of children these name mean only one thing--Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! With the new film in theaters soon the Now Playing Podcast hosts Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob don their masks, grab their weapons, and review all the Turtles' theatrical features! The first film to star these adolescent anthropomorphised amphibians came out in 1990 with Jim Henson's creature shop giving the Turtles life, but is it full of Turtle Power? Listen to find out!
{Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
Podcastbots, prepare to roll out! The Transformers are back in Age of Extinction, the fourth live-action robot fight-fest from high-octane director Michael Bay. With the biggest movie opening in 2014 audiences obviously turned out in droves for the carnage, but did Now Playing hosts Jerry, Stuart, and Arnie go along for the ride? Listen to find out!
{Transformers Series}
In the trailer for Maximum Overdrive writer/director
Stephen King said
"I just wanted someone to do Stephen King right." Critics, audiences, and even King himself have since said that King's directorial debut failed in that mission statement. But if King could not properly adapt his short story "Trucks" to a motion picture, can anyone? Find out this week on Now Playing Podcast as Jakob, Stuart, and Arnie review the 1997 USA Network TV movie Trucks and decide which adaptation fuels their engines!
{Stephen King Series}
{Trucks Series}
In 1986 Stephen King promised to scare the hell out of us, while Marvel's Green Goblin glowed behind him. The film was Maximum Overdrive--an adaptation of the author's short story "Trucks" from the Night Shift collection. It didn't scare up much money at the box office with the prolific horror author behind the camera and Brat Packer Emilio Estevez starring is this film a lost gem? Truck on to NowPlayingPodcast.com to find out!
{Stephen King Series}
{Trucks Series}
By 1984 Kubrick's 2001 was considered a film classic and the forefather of the modern science fiction film. But while Arthur C. Clarke continued the Odyssey on the page it wasn't until 1984 that moviegoers got to find out what happened to Dave Bowman, the star child, and the mysterious monolith. With Kubrick uninterested in making another space film, could any other director fill those shoes, and were they foolish to try? Make contact with Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie on this podcast to find out!
{2001 and 2010 Series}
Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey changed film forever. Its effects created a visual language that would later be built on in George Lucas' Star Wars, Ridley Scott's Alien, Steven Spielberg's Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and countless other movies. Yet upon its release it was widely panned, and to this day the film has divided audiences. Some call it a bona fide cinema classic, others call it incomprehensible. Which side is right? Maybe both? Now join Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob on this podcast odyssey and find out!
{2001 and 2010 Series}
Marvel's Avengers film upped audience expectations by bringing four solo cinematic superheroes together for one explosive adventure. Now Fox tries to go one better by bringing two entire superteams together! The catch: they're both the X-Men. In X-Men: Days of Future Past the original X-Men and the First Class cast share the screen with a dozen new mutants to try and save their species from annihilation at the hands of giant robot sentinels. Does this giant cast lead to X-treme confusion or, in the hands of returning director Bryan Singer is this X-ceptional entertainment? Listen to Now Playing's review to find out!
{X-Men Series}
{Wolverine Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
The King of the Monsters was King of the Box Office last weekend. This hotly anticipated reboot of the sixty-year-old monster movie grossed nearly $200 million worldwide, proving audiences still yearn to see skyscrapers felled by the giant lizard with the atomic breath. Now, because you, the Now Playing listeners, demanded it, Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie review the new 2014 version of Godzilla. Will the green lizard get green arrows from the hosts? Listen to find out!
{Godzilla Series}
Stephen King sued to get his name removed from New Line Cinema's film The Lawnmower Man. Then stars Jeff Fahey and Pierce Brosnan moved on to other projects as well. Even director Brett Leonard had other films to make. So why did New Line insist on making a follow-up to the cyber-sexy horror film? And could there be more on-the-nose casting than Matt Frewer, TV's Max Headroom, to play virtual reality computer god Jobe Smith? Jack in, and listen to Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart's review to find out!
{Stephen King Series}
{Lawnmower Man Series}
There have been a lot of bad Stephen King films, and a lot of films based on the author's works that are virtually unrecognisable from their source material. But of all the films bearing Stephen King's name on the poster only one drew the horror writer's ire to the point of filing a lawsuit to expunge any connection between him and the movie, and that film is The Lawnmower Man. A tale of a mentally challenged landscaper who, through use of virtual reality, becomes a digital god, The Lawnmower Man combined live action and computer generated images to give the audience something they couldn't see on their home PC. Is this a film worth booting up, or should the Now Playing hosts have followed the author's example and disavowed this film from their Stephen King Retrospective Series? Listen to cyber-gods Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart to find out!
{Stephen King Series}
{Lawnmower Man Series}
Rhino. Electro. Green Goblin. In 2012's The Amazing Spider-Man the web head had a hard time defeating one bad guy, but now he is up against three. With The Amazing Spider-Man 2 director Mark Webb has an even harder challenge than rebooting the film series--he has to up the stakes while setting the stage for Sony to launch an entire Spider-Man cinematic universe of films. With all the movie moguls planning annual films and three bad guys on screen, can Andrew Garfield's Peter Parker still get a story of his own? And after a polarizing first film, does The Amazing Spider-Man 2 show a hero on an upswing, or a downward fall? Listen to Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart's review to find out!
{Spider-Man Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
At a secret military base in Antarctica an evil force has arrived. Now the survivors of Ice Station Erebus don't know who's human, who's a demon, and who's come back for more...from the dead! Is this the best adaptation of King's original "Sometimes They Come Back" short story or should it be left buried in the ice? Listen to Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie's review to find out!
{Stephen King Series}
{Sometimes They Come Back Series}
You can't keep a good greaser down! In the 1950s Tony Reno and his gang died while trying to perform a human sacrifice, but now they're back from the dead to complete their quest for immortality. But...if they're back from the grave aren't they already immortal? And what is two time Oscar winner Hillary Swank doing here? Listen to Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob, the hosts who ALWAYS come back, to find out!
{Stephen King Series}
{Sometimes They Come Back Series}
Sometimes the dead stay buried. Sometimes they come back. Based on the Stephen King short story from his Night Shift collection, this CBS TV movie introduces us to Jim Norman, a teacher with a troubled history starting a new job at a new school. Jim's few good students start to die and their seats in class are taken by the greasers who killed Jim's brother almost 30 years before. Is Jim losing his mind or are these pesky poltergeists back from the grave? And is this a Stephen King adaptation worth watching? Listen to Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie, the hosts who always come back, to find out!
{Stephen King Series}
{Sometimes They Come Back Series}
The First Avenger is back in the latest film from the unstoppable Marvel Cinematic Universe. With a mysterious new assassin out to kill Captain America and S.H.I.E.L.D. turning on him, it's up to the Star Spangled man along with his friends Black Widow and new hero The Falcon to save the day. Is this a good installment in Marvel's Avengers series or just a stalling tactic until we get The Avengers: Age of Ultron in 2015? Listen to Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob's review to find out!
{Marvel Series}
{Avengers Series}
{Comic Book Movies Series}
{Captain America Series}
You can't keep a good laundry machine down! We may not have Robert Englund or Ted Levine but the titular, demonically possessed, homicidal clothes press is back for blood in The Mangler Reborn. When two thieves break into a house to rob the owner what they find inside is carnage and chaos. Does this film have any resemblance whatsoever to King's original crisply-folded vision? Listen to Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart's review where it all comes out in the wash!
{Stephen King Series}
{Mangler Series}
The first rule of Fight Club is the one that's most broken. Especially in 1999 when this film was new, fans had to share their thoughts and feelings about this anti-consumer culture, revolutionary, subversive, and thought-provoking story. Director David Fincher and screenwriter Jim Uhls took the story from Chuck Palahniuk's novel and, with stars Brad Pitt and Ed Norton, captured the spirit of a decade. Now, as thanks to everyone who supported Marjorie's participation in the American Lung Association "Fight for Air Climb" the hosts of Now Playing once again break Fight Club's cardinal, redundant rule and break this film down in depth. Step in the ring with Arnie, Stuart, and Marjorie now to listen!
{David Fincher Series}
In the last film The Mangler was a killer laundry press. But that film was made in the 20th Century so now, with The Mangler 2, we get a Mangler for a new generation: a killer computer virus downloaded into the security system at a prestigious prep school. Listen to Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob's review to see if this diabolical digital demon is worth watching! And we promise, the Mangler virus is not embedded in the podcast MP3.
{Stephen King Series}
{Mangler Series}
Workers keep dying at the Blue Ribbon Laundry Service, chewed up by The Mangler--a giant industrial laundry press. Is the machine broken, or is it possessed by a demon? Directed by Tobe Hooper and starring Robert Englund and Ted Levine, the film has horror icons on screen and behind the scenes. Can their combined talent make the Mangler loads of fun, or have King's Night Shift adaptations pressed their luck too far? Listen to Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob's review to find out!
{Stephen King Series}
{Mangler Series}
It’s hard to decide what's worst about working at the Bachman Textile Plant. It could be the lack of air conditioning. It could be the boss who coerces female employees for sex. Actually the worst thing about the mill is probably the giant rat-bat creature that lives in the basement and feeds on the workers. Such is the plot of Graveyard Shift, the 1990 film based on Stephen King's 1970 short story. Can a mischief of rats, a giant puppet beast, and Brad Dourif scare Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart to death? Listen to find out!
{Stephen King Series}
{Night Shift Series}
What do a man trying to quit smoking, a man running away with his lover, and a troll have in common? They're all stories told in Cat's Eye, the 1985 anthology film starring Drew Barrymore. The film has adaptations of two stories from Stephen King's Night Shift collection, and a third newly written for the screen. Are the original tales scarier than the new one? Are these stories even intended to frighten the audience? Listen to Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie's review to find out! Arnie is also reviewing all the original King Night Shift short stories at the Books & Nachos podcast! Head there now to hear reviews of the short stories "Quitters Inc." and "The Ledge" which were adapted in Cat's Eye!
{Stephen King Series}
{Night Shift Series}
Stephen King has over 50 feature films based on his writings. But beyond the feature films are hundreds of student-made short films based on King's short stories, completely authorized by the author. In an attempt to help student filmmakers King sells non-exclusive rights for one dollar; he calls these films his "Dollar Babies." As part of the contract these films can not be distributed or sold; however, in the 1980s three Dollar Babies were renegotiated and saw professional release. On a direct-to-VHS series called The Night Shift Collection student adaptations of King's short stories "Children of the Corn" (title changed to Disciples of the Crow for film), "The Boogeyman", and "The Woman in the Room" were distributed--the last title directed by Frank Darabont, who would go on to direct professional King adaptations The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, and The Mist! So join Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart as they go back to school and review The Night Shift Collection!
{Stephen King Series}
{Night Shift Series}
Robocop is back! After two theatrical sequels that quickly declined in quality, a syndicated TV series, and a series of TV movies, the cyborg cop is back in theaters with a totally new take on the tale of Alex Murphy. Gone is Verhoeven's ultra-violence and satrical take on 80's business, and instead Robocop is now a state of the art tactical killing machine, dressed in black. Does this new angle on the robot cop work, or should Murphy have stayed dead? Listen to Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart's review to find out!
{Robocop Series}
It's been a long road but we have reached the climax of the Robocop: Prime Directives series. Kaydick and Robocable have infiltrated OCP, planning to use their SAINT computer system to spread the human and machine killing Legion virus throughout Delta City. Only Robocop, his son James, and Kaydick's former lover Anne can stop him. After three cheaply made films, is there anything in this final movie to redeem the series, or does it Crash and Burn? Listen to find out!
{Robocop Series}
There is a new threat to Delta City, and his name is Kaydick. Having invented Legion, a virus that will destroy both technology and people, Kaydick is ready to annihilate all of humanity, and with RoboCable as his slave bodyguard it may just happen. Can Robocop avoid OCP's Systems Support team, and his own son, long enough to save the city? And can this film give Prime Directives a much-needed Resurrection? Listen to our review of the third Robocop: Prime Directives films to find out!
{Robocop Series}
Robocop has been feeling obsolete after a decade of paroling Delta City, but he's not ready to be shut down yet! When he is framed for a series of destructive acts, actually done by his former police partner who has also been turned into a cyborg, Robocop must go on the run and hide from OCP and their lethal Systems Support Team. Does the addition of RoboCable double the pleasure of the second Robocop: Prime Directives films, or will the Now playing hosts have a Meltdown? Listen to find out!
{Robocop Series}
Robocop, the franchise, was considered obsolete, broken down, and forgotten in the early 21st century. So what better than to make four films in which Robocop, the character, is considered obsolete, broken down, and forgotten? Such is the premise of the Robocop - Prime Directives. Taking place 10 years after the death of Alex Murphy Robocop still patrols the streets of Delta City hunting the mass murderer Bone Machine. Does this R-rated made-for-TV movie bring back the sprit of the original Robocop? Listen to our review of the first Prime Directives film Dark Justice, to find out! Then join us this Friday for the next Prime Directives review, Meltdown!
{Robocop Series}
Clarence Boddicker couldn't kill Officer Alex Murphy--the policeman rose again as the unstoppable Robocop. But what Boddicker started director Fred Dekker finished with Robocop 3. With a new man in the robosuit, a robot ninja, and a jetpack, the third Robocop film was both a critical and box office failure that would end the original franchise, save for some television projects, and doom Murphy to 21 years of obsolescence. But can the film, written by comic cult icon Frank Miller, be as bad as its reputation? Listen to Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob's review to find out!
{Robocop Series}
When Alex Murphy was killed in the line of duty OCP brought in their best scientists to rebuild him as the bigger, stronger Robocop. When Paul Verhoeven chose to make Total Recall instead of Robocop 2 Orion Pictures also turned to icons of the genre--the Irvin Kershner, director of The Empire Strikes Back, and Frank Miller, writer of the hit Batman comic The Dark Knight Returns. With these big names behind the camera, Peter Weller back in the Robosuit, and a much bigger budget, does Robocop 2 make the original obsolete? Listen to Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out!
{Robocop Series}
Robocop has been the star of numerous comic books, TV series, cartoons, video games, and more. His legacy is even worthy of a cinematic remake, hitting theaters in February, 2014. It's quite the achievement for a character that no director wanted to touch until Dutch filmmaker Paul Verhoeven brought his ultra-violent, satirical aesthetic to the character. The film was originally given an X-rating for violence and decried for its gratuitous gore, but it was a box office success and became a cult hit. Now, in preparation for the new Robocop film, Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob look back at the original. Do the film's sci-fi elements and cynical view of corporate America hold up today? Listen to find out!
{Robocop Series}
While the frequency of their collaborations has slowed, Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese are together again in 2013's Oscar-bating docu-comedy The Wolf of Wall Street. DiCaprio plays real-life Wall Street criminal Jordan Belfort, who lived a sex, drug, and money fueled lifestyle before his short stint in prison. Does Scorsese's style work when showcasing white-collar crime families? Listen to Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob's review to find out!
{Martin Scorsese / Leonardo DiCaprio Series}
It may only take a drop of water to make a new gremlin, but it took six years and a slew of writers, directors, and concepts to make a new Gremlins film. Finally original director Joe Dante returned in 1990 to give us Gremlins 2: The New Batch. With a gang of genetically modified gremlins taking a bite out of the Big Apple this film opted for more comedy than horror. Did that work for our hosts? Listen to this final Now Playing of 2013 to find out!
{Gremlins Series}
In the mid 1980s there was no bigger name in film than Steven Spielberg. As a director he had a string of major hits, including E.T. which became the top grossing film of all time. Even films he didn't direct but only produced, such as Poltergeist and The Goonies, benefited from having his name high on the title. Also in this category was Gremlins, the 1984 film about a small town overrun by small, evil creatures. Directed by The Howling's Joe Dante, this film provided a combination of horror, comedy, and Christmas. Now join Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob as they review this film, from the cuddly Mogwai to the creepy Gremlins to that lingering smell that makes Kate hate Christmas.
{Gremlins Series}
Stanley Kubrick's The Shining is considered a horror classic, but original Shining author Stephen King never felt it lived up to his original vision. So in 1997, for the novel's 20th anniversary, King and longtime collaborator Mick Garris reunited to bring The Shining to audiences as an ABC mini-series. While time has not granted this series the iconic status of Kubrick's film, is King's vision one worth seeing? Listen to Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart's review to find out!
{Stephen King Series}
{Shining Series}
Stephen King is a best selling, award winning horror author. Stanley Kubrick is regarded as one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. When these two came together a horror classic was born -- The Shining. It has scared audiences for over thirty years, and now Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob are reviewing it as the next film in the Stephen King Movie Retrospective Series. But King famously dislikes the movie. Will any of our hosts agree? Listen to find out!
{Stephen King Series}
{Shining Series}
When the first TV miniseries based on 'Salems Lot came out in 1979 Stephen King was an up-and-coming author. His novels had become bestsellers based of popularity of Brian DePalma's film Carrie, but he was not the brand name that he would become. As such the TV version of Salem's Lot ended with middling ratings. But by 2004 the author had not only been crowned the King of horror, he was also the monarch of miniseries, with The Stand, It, and others giving big ratings to networks. As such, as the 30th anniversary of 'Salem's Lot's publication approached, another miniseries was made. Starring The Stand's Rob Lowe, as well as Donald Sutherland and Rutger Hauer, does this adaptation provide more frights than the original? Listen to Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob's review to find out!
{Stephen King Series}
{Salem's Lot Series}
A Return to Salem's Lot has a town called Salem's Lot and vampires. Beyond that, this direct-to-video release has no ties to Tobe Hooper's 1979 TV mini-series or Stephen King's original novel. But helmed by the director of The Stuff and It's Alive, is this 80s film a fun time? Listen to Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart's review to find out!
{Stephen King Series}
{Salem's Lot Series}
When Carrie came out in 1976 Stephen King was an unknown author, but after the success of Brian DePalma's film the author was put in the spotlight. His older books became paperback bestsellers, and his new books topped the charts in hardcover. So expectations were high in 1979 when 'Salem's Lot, the second adaptation of King's work, hit screens. But rather than being in movie theaters, King's 1976 vampire novel was produced as a television mini-series. With horror master Tobe Hooper directing could this small-screen film live up to the quality of big-screen King horror? Listen to find out!
{Stephen King Series}
{Salem's Lot Series}
It will be 2015 before the Avengers assemble on the big screen again, but Disney and Marvel will fill that time with films focusing on individual Avengers and their disassembled heroics. Earlier this year we had Iron Man 3, and now Disney hopes to catch lightning in a bottle again with the help of a thunder god in Thor: The Dark World. The mighty Avenger must once again fighting an ancient enemy of Asgard, continue arguing with Odin over how best to rule the kingdom, and all the while try to romance his human love interest Jane Foster. Are the Now Playing hosts excited for Thor's return, or just glad to have Loki back on screen? Listen to our review to find out!
{Marvel Series}
{Avengers Series}
{Comic Book Movies Series}
{Thor Series}
In 1982 DC's Swamp Thing seemed ready for the big time with a major motion picture. But with that original film failing to grow on audiences, it would actually be in 1983 that Swamp Thing blossomed--as new writer Alan Moore took over and revamped the character. With the newfound popularity for the man-plant hybrid a new, low budget film was commissioned and released in 1989. Does The Return of Swamp Thing bear fruit, or is it another rotten comic adaptation? Listen to the Now Playing review to find out!
{Swamp Thing Series}
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
Charlie Brewster is a teenager with nothing on his mind but his girlfriend Amy. But one night out his bedroom window Charlie sees a woman bitten by a vampire. No one believes Charlie's story, not even his friend Ed, but perhaps monster expert Peter Vincent can be the one to save the day! Have you seen this plot before? In addition to being the story for the original Fright Night film and the 2011 remake, it's told yet again now in the Direct-to-Home-Video release Fright Night 2: New Blood. It's the same basic story...but this time in Romania! Does this third retelling of Tom Holland's vampire tale have fangs, or does it just bite? Listen to this special bonus Halloween review from Now Playing Podcast to find out!
{Fright Night Series}
By 1980 Superman had proven audiences of all ages could watch in wonder as comic books came to life on the big screen. But the next DC hero on the big screen wasn't Batman, Green Lantern, or even Aquaman, it was Swamp Thing. The film was directed by Wes Craven and starred James Bond baddie Louis Jordan and scream queen Adrienne Barbeau. It did not find box office success but did lead to a sequel, a TV series, and a cult following. Did the film just need time to bloom, or did it wither on the vine? Listen to Now Playing's latest DC Comic movie review to find out!
{Swamp Thing Series}
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{Wes Craven Series}
The posters declare "You Will Know Her Name" but for fans of horror, Brian DePalma, or Stephen King you already know her name--Carrie, the outcast girl whose telekinetic powers will be both her salvation and her damnation. When it was announced this film was being adapted to screen for a third time even original author King said "Why, when the original was so good?". But now the new adaptation is in theaters to tell a younger generation of movie lovers why they should know her name. Was King right and this film unnecessary, or can this film still shine in the shadow of the 1976 original? Listen to Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart's review to find out!
{Stephen King Series}
{Carrie Series}
Everyone is anxiously awaiting Carrie, the 2013 adaptation of Stephen King's story starring Chloë Grace Moretz--in theaters this Friday! But Carrie has already been retold in the 21st century--in 2002's made-for-television movie Carrie. Starring Agnela Bettis (May), written by Bryan Fuller (Dead Like Me, Pushing Daisies, and TV's Hannibal), and directed by David Carsons (Star Trek: Generations) the film has strong genre talent, but has been mostly forgotten. Does this remake deserve a second look? And can any insight into Friday's release be gleaned by this 11-year-old version? Listen to Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart's third Carrie review to find out!
{Stephen King Series}
{Carrie Series}
The Rage: Carrie 2 is not about Carrie White, the star character in Brian DePalma's 1976 film. Nor is it about another girl named Carrie. No, this movie tells the story of Rachel, Carrie White's telekinetic half-sister. With more than a few plot beats taken from Stephen King's original novel, The Rage adds 1990s style, dialect, and production values. There's little hope that this sequel could match the then 23-year-old original film, but the question is can The Rage: Carrie 2 be any good at all? Listen to Jakob, Arnie, and Stuart's next review in the Stephen King Movie Retrospective Series to find out!
{Stephen King Series}
{Carrie Series}
It's hard to imagine a time when Stephen King wasn't the king of horror fiction. It's hard to imagine a world without such influential stories including The Shining, The Stand, Christine, and King's first novel, Carrie. Yet before November, 1976 King was just another author with two modest-selling novels. But when Brian De Palma decides to adapt Carrie for the big screen he created an iconic horror movie staple, and from that King's book sold millions of copies and his career was minted. Now, in anticipation of the upcoming third adaptation of Carrie starring Chloë Grace Moretz the Now Playing hosts go back to watch and review De Palma's original. It's the start of Now Playing's massive Stephen King retrospective series, looking at all the movies based on King's writings, starting with Carrie. Does De Palma's blood soaked tale of a teen outcast still hold up over 35 years later? Listen to find out! Then join Arnie at booksandnachos.com for his review of the original novel!
{Stephen King Series}
{Carrie Series}
The Lords of Salem -- are they an up and coming rock band? Or are they a coven of reincarnated witches who plan to bring the son of Satan to Earth? In Rob Zombie's latest feature film it's both. With Zombie's muse and wife Sheri Moon-Zombie starring as Heidi, a radio DJ who also may be mother to the Antichrist, does this film cement Zombie as the new Lord of horror? Listen to this BONUS REVIEW to find out!
{Rob Zombie Series}
Insidious Chapter 2 scared more than audiences, it scared up a huge box office return showing that audiences are still hungry for spooky scares and ghost movies! Picking up mere seconds after the first film ended, director James Wan and writer Leigh Whannell answered all the lingering questions and finally revealed the fate of the Lambert family. Were the reveals satisfying, and what may be in store for Insidious Part 3? Listen to Stuart, Marjorie, and Arnie's review to find out!
{Insidious Series}
James Wan's first film, Saw, redefined horror for the 2000s. By 2011 the Saw films had run their course, and audiences turned their attention to more ghostly horror in the form of the Paranormal Activity series. So is it any wonder that when the writer and director behind Saw teamed up with the Paranormal Activity studio a new horror franchise? With Insidious 2 taking top spot at the US box office last weekend, the Now Playing crew go back to watch and review the original. Does this film scare the hosts? Listen to find out!
{Insidious Series}
Riddick is a hard man to kill, but Universal Studios and the poor reception of Chronicles of Riddick almost did the job. Through the tenacity of writer/director David Twohy and star/producer Vin Diesel the antihero was able to again overcome the odds and return to the big screen. With a story that comes off more as Pitch Black: Part 2 than a follow-up to Chronicles of Riddick, does the back-to-basics approach work? Listen to Arnie, Jakob, and Brock's review to find out!
{Riddick Series}
In Pitch Black Riddick was part of a small group of humans who had to survive one long night. Now Riddick is a warrior going to battle against a Necromonger army to save all of civilization! It's quite a turn for the former convict, and for the film series as it expands in scope with this sequel, The Chronicles of Riddick. Is this change of concept a welcome enlarging of Riddick's universe? Listen to Jakob, Arnie, and Brock's review to find out!
{Riddick Series}
A group of space travelers crash land on a deserted planet populated with carnivorous alien monsters. But perhaps even more dangerous to the survivors is Richard B. Riddick - an escaped convict with a high body count in his history. Riddick was actor Vin Diesel's star-making role, but does Pitch Black stand up to the Now Playing reviewers' spotlight? Listen to find out!
{Riddick Series}
At the end of the first Kick-Ass film Red Mist plotted his revenge while Kick-Ass enjoyed high school with girlfriend Katie and Hit Girl, orphaned with the death of Big Daddy, had to adjust to normal high school life under the watch of new guardian Marcus. It was an ending that begged a sequel, and now it has one! With a city full of costumed heroes, including Jim Carey joining the cast as new hero Col. Stars and Stripes, can Kick-Ass still kick ass? Listen to find out!
{Marvel Misfits Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{Kick-Ass Series}
Wolverine cannot be killed, and it seems neither can his film franchise. Despite tepid fan response to X-Men Origins: Wolverine a second solo film featuring Hugh Jackman was quickly put into production. With creative changes behind-the-scenes and a change to make The Wolverine a sequel to X-Men: The Last Stand, it was released with the promise of being "The Wolverine film you've been waiting for." Does it live up to that hype? Listen to Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart's latest X-Men movie review to find out as we bide our time until 2014's X-Men: Days of Future Past!
{X-Men Series}
{Wolverine Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
Bruce Willis, John Malkovich, and all their surviving operatives get a sequel in their sixties with RED 2. Do newcomers Anthony Hopkins and Catherine-Zeta Jones inject fresh blood into this franchise, or has the joke gotten too old even for this crew? Listen and find out.
{DC Hitmen}
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
80s action star Bruce Willis may have gotten older, but he's still considered RED - retired and extremely dangerous. Do Jakob, Stuart, and Arnie have a laugh watching senior citizens strap on pistols to blow holes in the CIA's rep, or is this AARP action-comedy D.O.A.? Listen and find out.
{DC Hitmen}
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
Comic book vets Chris Evans and Idris Elba have joined THE LOSERS - a ragtag band of mercenaries out to punish CIA baddie Jason Patric for a failed Bolivian mission. Should Avatar babe Zoe Saldana trust these C-stringers to get the job done, or should she just call the A-Team? Listen and find out.
{DC Hitmen}
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
What is a Pacific Rim? It's a movie pitting giant robots against giant monsters! Transformers versus Godzilla; the Cloverfield monster versus Robot Jox. The concept is not high art. But behind the lens is visionary director Guillermo del Toro, who has crafted fantastical worlds in many of his films including Hellboy and Pan's Labyrinth. So listen to Jerry, Stuart, and Arnie's review to find out if this film packs a mean punch!
{Pacific Rim Series}
Has sweet little Natalie Portman been palling around with terrorists? A masked swashbuckler known only as V For Vendetta hopes she'll help him rescue future London from dictators, but has Wachowski script tinkering disfigured this classic Alan Moore comic book as well? Listen and find out.
{DC Hitmen}
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
Viggo Mortensen looks like an unassuming small town diner owner, but to a crew of Philly hoods he's a thug with A History of Violence. Does director David Cronenberg split opinion in his radical reworking of the graphic novel? Listen and find out.
{DC Hitmen}
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
Tom Hanks is a cold blooded killer heading down the Road to Perdition, hoping to deliver his son from Irish mobsters he once considered family. Has director Sam Mendes made a comic book Godfather, or is this an offer that Jakob, Stuart, and Arnie easily refuse. Listen and find out.
{DC Hitmen}
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
With Christopher Nolan's Batman films Warner Bros. set the gold standard for superhero films. The Dark Knight was a box office hit, a fan favorite, and even won an Academy Award for acting. Yet the year after Batman Begins the other World's Finest superhero, Superman, failed to take flight. So when Dark Knight writer David Goyer pitched a new, bold take on Superman Warner Bros. agreed. Watchmen director Zack Snyder was brought in to direct, and the result was Man of Steel. Its opening weekend broke records, but both critics and fans are sharply divided over the quality of the film. Now Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob bring their Superman retrospective series to a close with their review of Man of Steel. Can Man of Steel leap tall buildings in a single bound, or should it be stopped with a speeding bullet? Listen to find out!
{Superman Series}
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{DC Movie Universe}
With Christopher Nolan's Batman films Warner Bros. set the gold standard for superhero films. The Dark Knight was a box office hit, a fan favorite, and even won an Academy Award for acting. Yet the year after Batman Begins the other World's Finest superhero, Superman, failed to take flight. So when Dark Knight writer David Goyer pitched a new, bold take on Superman Warner Bros. agreed. Watchmen director Zack Snyder was brought in to direct, and the result was Man of Steel. Its opening weekend broke records, but both critics and fans are sharply divided over the quality of the film. Now Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob bring their Superman retrospective series to a close with their review of Man of Steel. Can Man of Steel leap tall buildings in a single bound, or should it be stopped with a speeding bullet? Listen to find out!
{Superman Series}
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{DC Movie Universe}
For 20 years it seemed Nuclear Man and Lex Luthor really had killed Superman. Every attempt to bring the man of steel back to theaters had fallen through. While fellow DC superhero Batman had a major franchise launch, fail, and reboot, Superman seemed relegated to the small screen with Lois and Clark and Smallville. But director Bryan Singer was flying high after two successful X-Men films, and rather than return for X-Men he had Superman Returns. A continuation of the original two films, Superman Returns has the Kryptonian hero facing off again with nemesis Lex Luthor. Fans did not embrace Singer's vision and planned sequels were scrapped in favor of a complete reboot -- Man of Steel opening this week in theaters! But does Superman Returns deserve its bad reputation? Listen to Now Playing and find out! Then join us next week as we review the brand new Superman film Man of Steel!
{Superman Series}
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
Steel may not seem like a Superman movie, but in the 1990s it was as close as Warner Bros could muster. With Batman ushering in a new age of comic book movies there were many attempts to revive the red caped DC hero. Such names as JJ Abrams, Nicholas Cage, Kevin Smith, McG, and Tim Burton all worked on Superman projects, and all failed to come together. As unlikely as it seemed, the only man of steel we would see in theaters between 1987 and 2006 was Shaquille O'Neil in Steel. Based on a character born from the Death of Superman comic story, Steel is a disillusioned weapons maker who dons a high-tech suit to fight crime. The film was no slam dunk but does it deserve a second chance? Listen to Now Playing's review to find out!
{Superman Series}
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
Richard Donner, Christopher Reeve, even Richard Lester and the Salkinds, all had declared they were done with Superman. After a disappointing Superman 3 and a disastrous Supergirl the franchise seemed more toxic than kryptonite and the rights were sold off to cheapo genre film company Cannon Films. But despite star Reeves' earlier comments distancing himself from the character, Reeve again returned in exchange for both control over the story and a guarantee his pet project Street Smart would be made. The film ended up a notorious Nuclear Man sized bomb, but is it as bad as is thought? Listen to Jakob, Stuart, and Arnie's review to find out!
{Superman Series}
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
It's been four years since J.J. Abrams beamed aboard as new commander of Star Trek promising fast-tracked movies and TV series. But none of that came to fruition and even before Star Trek Into Darkness would reach theaters news spread far and wide that Abrams was moving on to another franchise, Star Wars, leaving questions as to what involvement he'll have with future Star Trek films and stealing some of Trek's pre-release thunder. Finally Star Trek Into Darkness opened this weekend. Was it worth the wait? Listen to find out!
{Star Trek Series}
With Christopher Reeve growing tired of wearing tights Warner Bros and the Salkinds attempted to recreate the magic with Supergirl. In her first starring role Helen Slater plays Superman's cousin who has come to Earth to recover the power supply to her dying city. With a witch as Supergirl's nemesis, does this film capture the excitement of Richard Donner's original? Listen to Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob's review to find out!
{Superman Series}
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
The Avengers broke box office records taking in more at the US box office in the opening weekend than any other film. With such popularity the world was primed for a follow-up. Now, almost one year to the day later, Marvel Studios' next film Iron Man 3 has been delivered, and came in second only to The Avengers in its opening weekend. The new film features a Tony Stark solo mission against his comic book nemesis The Mandarin in a storyline taken from the Warren Ellis Extremis comic arc. But without Jon Favreau directing and without a Hulk can the armored Avenger still shine? Listen to Jakob, Arnie, and Stuart's review to find out! {Marvel Series} {Iron Man Series} {Avengers Series} {Comic Book Series}
1983 was a banner year for computing. Microsoft Windows was announced, Lotus spreadsheets were released and the first IBM clone PC was sold by Compaq. And Gus Gorman builds a supercomputer that becomes self-aware, turns humans into cyborg slaves, and tries to kill Superman! This third installment in the Superman film series, this one directed entirely by Richard Lester, relied more on laughs than action, with comedian Richard Pryor taking a co-starring role. How does the mix of comedy, action, and inner conflict work in this Superman film? Listen to find out!
{Superman Series}
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
After a series of blockbuster, large-scale films director Sam Raimi returned to his horror roots with Drag Me to Hell. While there is no cabin, no necronomicon, and no deadites, this film feels very much like an Evil Dead movie with geysers of blood and a main character put through physical and psychological torment. Now as a bonus review, Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart are dragged to hell to face the Lamia. Does this film have the impact of Raimi's earlier, more raw horror films? Listen to find out, then DONATE to Now Playing before June 30, 2013 to hear our Spring Donation Drive bonus reviews of all the Evil Dead films as well!
{Individual Movie Reviews}
How much would you give up for the woman you love? For Superman the cost of love is his every power as he chooses to relinquish all that makes him super to live a mortal life with Lois Lane. But without Superman what can stop the three Kryptonian criminals Non, Ursa, and their leader General Zod from ruling the Earth? All of this, plus Lex Luthor, is in 1980's Superman II. But do Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob kneel before Zod? Listen to Now Playing to find out as we review both the Richard Donner and Richard Lester cuts of Superman II!
{Superman Series}
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
In 1978 director Richard Donner and a team of cutting-edge optical effects artists made audiences believe a man could fly. Perhaps even more impressive, though, is that stars Christopher Reeve, Gene Hackman, and Marlon Brando were able to bring such performances that adults and children watched a man convincingly and unironically wear a blue spandex unitard. But when Superman took to the screen there was no unintentional laughter, just a generation held in thrall as they watched the first big-budget superhero film--a movie to which all superhero films to this day are still compared. Do Now Playing movie reviews Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart still believe the film flies as high? Listen to this week's podcast to find out!
Superman. In the 1930s the DC character was a breakout success creating a template for superheroes that would be copied for the next century. In the 1970s he made moviegoers believe a man could fly in the first blockbuster superhero film. But long before Christopher Reeve would embody the iconic Kryptonian there was another Superman movie--Superman and the Mole Men. Created as part of the television series The Adventures of Superman, Superman and the Mole Men starred George Reeves as the man of steel dealing with a race of beings who have escaped their home miles below ground. Reeves would go on to play Superman on television from 1952 to 1958 becoming the face of Superman for the baby boomer generation. Now, as Now Playing hosts Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob begin their Superman retrospective series leading up to this summer's Man of Steel film they look back at this forgotten 1951 feature. Is this a Superman adventure worth unearthing or should it have stayed buried deep? Listen to find out!
{Superman Series}
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra left many audience members cold, but the box office proved there was a hunger for G.I. Joe movies. A sequel was started, but to give the series a boost of star power the original cast was almost entirely replaced with The Rock and Bruce Willis featured in the hopes of pleasing a larger audience. After a 9 month delay for a post 3-D conversion, did this sequel fix the flaws of the previous live-action film? Listen to Jerry, Jakob, and Arnie's review to find out!
{GI Joe Series}
With Michael Bay's film Transformers Hasbro proved that its toy lines could be turned into profitable movie franchises and Hasbro also had another major toy line in reserve--G.I. Joe! Like Transformers, this film could appeal both to young moviegoers as well as their parents who watched the 80's cartoon. But in 2009 the second Transformers film made over $400 million while G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra floundered at $150 million, failing in US theaters to make back the production costs. G.I. Joe returns in theaters this week in a semi-rebooted form, but is G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra a blight on Joe's history, or an overlooked gem released in a very busy summer? Listen to Jakob, Jerry, and Arnie's review to find out!
{GI Joe Series}
Yo Joe! For almost 50 years G.I. Joe action figures have excited and enthralled children, but it was in the 1980s with the Star Wars inspired comic book, toy line, and cartoon that the G.I. Joe identity would be galvanized. A culturally diverse army of specialists, the G.I. Joes would battle endlessly to keep the evil forces of Cobra at bay. Their skirmishes would be told in a syndicated cartoon series that ran from 1985 to 1986, and as the show prepared for a fourth season Hasbro decided to take the Joes to the big screen with the animated G.I. Joe: The Movie! The failure of Transformers: The Movie would cause G.I. Joe: The Movie to have major plot changes, delays, and an eventual video release long after the series had ended. Was that fate deserved, or does G.I. Joe: The Movie succeed where the Transformer movie failed? Listen to find our review to find out!
{GI Joe Series}
When a terrorist plans to destroy Washington D.C. the only hope for the United States is a confederate soldier with a scar on his face and a chip on his shoulder--Jonah Hex. A strange steampunk western based on the DC Comics character, Jonah Hex failed to find an audience despite A-list stars Josh Brolin and John Malkovich. Is this possibly an overlooked gem, or could it really be as bad as world-of-mouth indicates? Listen to Now Playing and find out!
{DC Heroes}
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
From the pages of DC’s Hellblazer comics, John Constantine was a blonde, British occult detective with a smoking habit and a bad attitude. The comics had a cult following and in 2005 Warner Bros gave the anti-hero the big screen treatment. Moving the action from Liverpool to Los Angeles, the film starred Keanu Reeves as the Americanized occultist. Now, continuing their look at DC comics one-off films, Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob see if Constantine’s theatrical adaptation had spirit, or was dead on arrival.
{DC Heroes}
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, those are the heroes DC Comics are known for. But there are others. As we build up to Man of Steel this summer, Now Playing hosts Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie are looking at some of these lesser known DC Heroes who fight bad guys and obscurity with equal fervor. For our first installment in this series, the hosts review Tank Girl, the 1995 film that pitted Lori Petty and a team of human/kangaroo hybrids against Malcolm McDowell. Does Tank Girl hit the mark, or is it a misfire? Listen to find out!
{DC Heroes}
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
25 years ago Bruce Willis delivered his career-making performance as John McClane in the original Die Hard. To celebrate this milestone, John McClane is back, once again showing terrorists that McClanes are hard to kill as he teams with his son to fight Russian terrorists. Is this film a good day for Die Hard? Listen to find out!
{Die Hard Series}
It had been over a decade since Bruce Willis last played gruff, resilient New York cop John McClane and most fans thought the series finished. But in 2007 it was time for McClane to return to Live Free or Die Hard. Teamed with a computer hacker played by Justin Long, does McClane still have what it takes to stop a cyber-terrorist attack and save his daughter? And is a much older Willis still able to Die Hard? Listen to find out!
{Die Hard Series}
John McClane is back, and for his third film, he's going to Die Hard with a Vengeance. He's been called back into action by a mysterious terrorist with ties to McClane's past. Partnered with Zeus, played by Samuel L. Jackson, and once again directed by John McTiernan, can this be the best Die Hard yet? Listen to Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob's review to find out!
{Die Hard Series}
When Die Hard blew up both Nakatomi Plaza and the box office a sequel was fast-tracked and released in 1990. Attempting to top the action and excitement of the original, 20th Century Fox chose a script based on the original novel 58 Minutes and put the film in the hands of director Renny Harlin. Set in an airport with John fighting another group of terrorists, does Die Hard 2 fly as high as the original, or did it all come crashing down? Listen to Jakob, Stuart, and Arnie to find out!
{Die Hard Series}
Its title became short-hand for an action movie template that would be followed for a decade. It propelled star Bruce Willis to superstardom, making him never need to work in television again. It brought joy, and Ode to Joy, to millions of fans. It is the original 1988 action film Die Hard. As we ramp up for the fifth installment in Bruce Willis' most famous franchise, can Die Hard hold up 25 years later? Listen to Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob's review to find out!
{Die Hard Series}
A homosexual socialite is murdered and dismembered, and it's up to hard-boiled police Detective Joe Leland to figure it out! But there's more to this case than meets the eye, and events will be set in motion that reveals a conspiracy among New York City's elite that Leland can only stop at the cost of his own career. With Frank Sinatra in the lead role, The Detective is a racy drama...but what does it have to do with Die Hard? And is the movie worth checking out? Listen to Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob's review to find out!
{Die Hard Series}
After Platinum Dunes recovered Leatherface from direct-to-video hell, they relinquished their rights to the franchise, so Twisted Pictures and Lions Gate Entertainment stepped in to take the series back to its grindhouse roots. Ignoring all Texas Chainsaw films except the original, this new 3-D film picks up right where the first ended, and then fast forwards to present day. Is this the sequel Tobe Hooper's classic has always deserved, or another waste of gas? Listen to Stuart, Arnie, and Brock's review to find out!
{Texas Chainsaw Massacre Series}
In Los Angeles, a man calling himself "Evil" has a novel way to celebrate the coming of a new year--killing a woman every hour as a new time zone enters 1981! In New Year's Evil we follow the man as he rings in the year, and harasses TV host Blaze in between. Should you resolve to see this movie, or is this a slasher best forgot and never brought to mind? Listen to Stuart, Arnie, and Marjorie's review to find out!
{Individual Movie Reviews}
Just in time for the holiday season, genre film studio Anchor Bay released a remake of Silent Night, Deadly Night! Only loosely based on the original, and titled simply Silent Night, the new version brings star power before unseen in the franchise, with Malcolm McDowell, Donal Logue, and Jamie King starring in the film about a psychotic Santa who kills those who are naughty. Is this modern version of Silent Night a Christmas treat, or another lump of coal left in the Christmas stocking? Listen to find out!
{Silent Night, Deadly Night Series}
The Silent Night, Deadly Night films have always been loose with continuity, but in Silent Night, Deadly Night 5: The Toy Maker we see yet another exploration of Christmas evil when an angsty Pinocchio unleashes deadly toys upon an unsuspecting young boy. With outspoken Silent Night, Deadly Night hater Mickey Rooney playing a drunken Gepetto, does this film have more to it than delicious irony? Listen to find out!
{Silent Night, Deadly Night Series}
After three films exploring the homicidal impulses of the Caldwell (or is it Chapman) family, Silent Night, Deadly Night 4 goes a different direction as a wannabe journalist investigates a case of spontaneous combustion in Los Angeles during Christmas season. Is a cult of Lilith worshipers a good replacement for a homicidal maniac, and is the Ricky played in this film by Clint Howard the same Ricky we've seen in the previous three films? Listen to find out!
{Silent Night, Deadly Night Series}
Ricky is back! After being shot at the end of Silent Night, Deadly Night Part 2, Ricky's brain-dead body is revived after a connection with a blind psychic. With horror vet Bill Moseley taking over the role of Ricky Robert Culp as the cop chasing the killer, and several connections to the classic TV series Twin Peaks, this sequel has more brains on display than the previous two films, but is it better? Listen to find out!
{Silent Night, Deadly Night Series}
The first Silent Night, Deadly Night film was pulled from theaters due to protests, but in the age of home video it found a second life on VHS. Anxious to capitalize on the first film's notoriety the studio decided to rush through a no-budget sequel, recycling most of the original film into a Part 2. Despite the humble beginnings, the film has gone on to surpass the original in infamy and YouTube fame, spawning a meme and a strange catch-phrase. Is this movie something to add to your Christmas wish list? Listen to Arnie, Stuart, and Marjorie's review to find out!
{Silent Night, Deadly Night Series}
In November, 1984 one of the most famous movie slashers hit theaters--Freddy Kruger. But that same day, another serial killer film was released that drew far more attention and ire--Silent Night, Deadly Night. Outside theaters across the country people protested the film featuring a bloodthirsty man in a Santa suit, and the film was quickly pulled from theaters. But over the years it has become a cult favorite horror film, spawning several sequels and, this year, a remake. Join Now Playing hosts Marjorie, Arnie, and Stuart as they watch and review this 1984 classic. Is this movie naughty or nice? Listen to find out!
{Silent Night, Deadly Night Series}
After reviewing 25 movies released over the span of 50 years, Now Playing reaches the conclusion of its James Bond retrospective series--Skyfall. Continuing the rebooted spy stories starring Daniel Craig, Skyfall has already become the top-grossing film in the James Bond franchise, and there is even rumblings of Academy Award honors. But can it really best Craig's Casino Royale, and how does a life long Bond fan warm to this new take? Listen to Now Playing's ultimate James Bond review to find out! Plus the hosts reflect on all 25 Bond films, picking the best and worst actors, film, and songs from the franchise!
{James Bond Series}
In 2006 we got a new take on an old hero with James Bond in Casino Royale, but while the film told of the spy's first adventure questions were left unanswered. Who were the mysterious people to whom Le Chiffre owed money? Who is the mysterious employer behind Mr. White? These answers were to be revealed two years later in the follow-up film Quantum of Solace. With Daniel Craig returning and a title taken from an original Fleming story, can this film live up to the high praise given to Casino Royale? Listen to Arnie, Stuart, and Brock's review to find out in Now Playing's penultimate James Bond review leading directly to this year's blockbuster Skyfall!
{James Bond Series}
James Bond made his first appearance in Ian Fleming's novels in 1953 in the novel Casino Royale, and in 2006 a brand new James Bond makes his first appearance in a film based on that novel. Rights issues had prevented Eon from adapting the original James Bond story as part of their film series, but with the rights obtained they used that opportunity to present a new James Bond for a new generation. Not just a new actor in the role, but an entirely new take on the MI6 agent, showing his origin, his obtaining his double-oh status, and going on his first mission to win a high stakes poker game against international terrorist Le Chiffre. But did Bond need a reboot? And how does Craig stack up against the previous Bond? Listen to Arnie, Stuart, and Brock's review to find out!
{James Bond Series}
It's James Bond's first adventure in the 21st century, and Pierce Brosnan's last time playing the role of the British secret agent. Partnered with Halle Berry's NSA agent Jinx Johnson, can the two stop a North Korean terrorist's nefarious plot? It's a film celebrating the lore of Bond, but not very celebrated by Bond fans. Is the reputation deserved, and what final impression does Brosnan leave as Bond? Listen to Now Playing to find out!
{James Bond Series}
In Pierce Brosnan's third outing as James Bond he must protect an oil heiress against a mercenary out for revenge, and uncovers a plot that involves a nuclear bomb being detonated in Istanbul. Notorious for having Bond girl Denise Richards, is this movie enough to earn a recommend from Arnie, Stuart, and Brock? Listen to Now Playing to find out!
{James Bond Series}
Bond has taken on evil in many forms, from expansionist communist regimes to maniacal villains who wish to destroy Earth, but can Bond take on the villain of the 90s--the media? In Brosnan's second film playing 007, he goes against Elliot Carver who hopes to foster a war between England and China to raise the ratings of his cable news network. The film has kung-fu, a helicopter chase, and a remote-controlled BMW, but is it Bond at his best? Listen to find out!
{James Bond Series}
After the longest hiatus in the history of the James Bond flm franchise, Bond is back and now portrayed by former Remington Steele actor Pierce Brosnan. In a post-Cold War era, can Bond remain relevant to modern audiences? Listen to Arnie, Stuart, and Brock's review to find out!
{James Bond Series}
Dalton is Bond, but no longer 007 when his License to Kill is revoked! When a drug lord goes after Bond's friend, the spy will stop at nothing for revenge. It's a Bond for the 80's, but does it hold up in the 21st century? Listen to Brock, Arnie, and Stuart's review to find out!
{James Bond Series}
With Roger Moore retiring as James Bond the mantle was passed to British actor Timothy Dalton. Portraying a more modern version of 007, Dalton's Bond had a harder edge and a more action movie feel. Is The Living Daylights the living end for Arnie, Stuart, and Brock? Listen to their review to find out!
{James Bond Series}
Anthology and horror have a long history together in comics, television, and film, with a heyday in the 80s with such films as The Twilight Zone, Nightmares, Cat's Eye, and the Creepshow films. But in 2007, Michael Dougherty made the most high profile horror anthology in over a decade with Trick 'R' Treat. Starring Sam, a character from Dougherty's animated short, as the sprit of Halloween, this film has plenty of recognizable stars and a high profile producer, but was unable to secure a wide theatrical release and ended up becoming a cult hit on home video. Now, due to listener demand, Arnie, Stuart, and Brock give their review of this underground favorite. Did they find it a treat? Listen to find out!
{Individual Movie Reviews}
In 1985 Roger Moore set two records--at 57 years old he was the oldest actor to portray James Bond, and with A View to a Kill his seventh Bond film he played Bond in the official films more times than any other actor to date. A View to a Kill would be his last film as James Bond, but with Christopher Walken as villian Max Zorin, Grace Jones as Zorin's goon May Day, and a rocking theme by 80's rockers Duran Duran, is Moore's last Bond film worth a view, or a kill? Listen to find out!
{James Bond Series}
You Only Live Twice declared "Sean Connery IS James Bond"...and then Connery quit and Roger Moore was James Bond. But due to legal wrangling a competing James Bond film was released in 1983 and once more Sean Connery WAS James Bond. Is this the long awaited return of the true James Bond, or a desperate cash grab? Listen to find out!
{James Bond Series}
Joss Whedon may have directed the biggest movie of 2012, but it wasn't the only film he released this year. Before Avengers, another Whedon co-written and produced film, Cabin in the Woods, was released and polarized both Whedonites and horror fans. This genre-bending tale of five friends who try to go off the grid but find themselves terrorized by inbred hillbilly zombies seems rote, but who are the puppet masters pulling the strings and for what purpose? Well Now Playing puppet masters overwhelmingly voted for a review of Cabin in the Woods in our one-off horror review poll, so listen to find out why!
{Individual Movie Reviews}
After For Your Eyes Only many people thought Roger Moore's Bond was at an All Time High, and with the impending revival of Sean Connery as a competing James Bond Eon was sure to bring back Moore as their golden gun for another adventure. This time Bond must team up with a group of smugglers to stop a crazed Russian general from taking over the world. Does Bond's clowning around work for Arnie, Stuart, and Brock? Listen to find out!
{James Bond Series}
After an out of this world adventure, Bond faced a more grounded foe in 1981's For Your Eyes Only. A British spy boat is sunk and Bond must get to its missile control system before the Russians do, but his quest is stymied by crime boss Aris Kristatos. Is the quality of this film as high as Kristatos' mountaintop fortress? Listen to Arnie, Stuart, and Brock's review to find out!
{James Bond Series}
James Bond has traveled the world in name of Queen and country, but for his eleventh official movie he has to go where no MI6 agent has gone before--outer space! In Moonraker Bond goes up against space shuttle manufacturer Hugo Drax and stop his plan to kill most life on Earth and breed a new master race. With a return of Bond baddie Jaws, a laser gun battle, and CIA agent Holly Goodhead, Moonraker is one of the most polarizing entries in the Bond franchise. Will it achieve liftoff with Arnie, Stuart, and Brock, or does it crash and burn? Listen to find out!
{James Bond Series}
When both British and Russian nuclear subs disappear, 007 must team up with Soviet Agent Triple X to investigate. But when X discovers Bond killed her lover, things get more complicated. Can they work as partners to stop aquatic anarchist Karl Stromberg? And is this movie, directed by Lewis Gilbert, as good as his previous Bond--You Only Live Twice? Listen to Stuart, Brock, and Arnie's review to find out!
{James Bond Series}
For Roger Moore's second Bond film every attempt was made to recapture the magic of Goldfinger. With the return of Goldfinger's director Guy Hamilton, another character carrying a golden pistol, and a plot full of twists and turns, it certainly seems like all the right ingredients were brought together. Add in classic Hammer horror icon Christopher Lee as a master assassin aided by diminutive aide Nick Nack, did this film live up to Bond's gold standard? Listen to Stuart, Arnie, and Brock to find out!
{James Bond Series}
They tried replacing Sean Connery once and failed. But with Connery's determination to move his career beyond Bond, United Artists had to once again recast the British spy. With the adaptation of Ian Flemming's second James Bond novel, Live and Let Die, English actor Roger Moore stepped into the tuxedo. Moore was already familiar with playing a spy, having played Simon Templar on television's The Saint for eight years, and Moore continued that success becoming the longest-serving James Bond actor, holding the role for twelve years. Now Brock, Stuart, and Arnie review Moore's first Bond film as he travels to America to investigate a drug lord from the Bahamas. Did this voodoo-themed adventure cast a spell on the Now Playing hosts? Listen to find out!
{James Bond Series}
Never Say Never Again isn't the only time Connery played Bond after leaving the role. After George Lazenby's one outing, United Artists decided to take Bond back to its original formula, bringing back the director, the writer, and the star of Goldfinger for one last Bond adventure. It's Connery's last official appearance as 007, facing off one last time against SMERSH and Blofeld. Which is better, Diamonds or Gold? Listen to Stuart, Brock, and Arnie to find out!
{James Bond Series}
James Bond is back, but Sean Connery isn't. Instead, wearing the tuxedo and tossing the hat, is George Lazenby, an actor who would play Bond only once. Lazenby was long a punch line for the Bond franchise, but some Bond fans consider this film one of the best. Does Lazenby escape Connery's shadow, and should he have had a second shot playing the British agent? Listen to this episode of Now Playing and find out!
{James Bond Series}
The poster boasted "Sean Connery IS James Bond", and yet You Only Live Twice was released with Eon Productions looking for a replacement actor as Connery had announced he was leaving the role of Bond. But for his supposed final film all stops were pulled out as he finally comes face-to-scarred-face with Blofeld, head of the evil group SPECTRE. Is this a film that you should watch twice? Listen to Brock, Stuart, and Arnie's review to find out!
In 1967 Bond fans were very anxious for the next installment in the series, with Sean Connery returning in You Only Live Twice. But that's not the movie we're reviewing! A few short weeks before You Only Live Twice came out, the first "unofficial" James Bond film came out--Casino Royale! A broad Bond spoof with several big name actors, a licensing deal allowed Columbia Pictures to put out this competing James Bond film, and would be the only theatrical adaptation of Ian Flemming's first James Bond novel for almost 40 years. How does this movie fit into the rest of the Bond series? Listen to Brock, Stuart, and Arnie's review to find out!
{James Bond Series}
James Bond's fourth theatrical outing has the superspy enjoying the Bahama sun, facing off against SPECTRE to retrieve two stolen nukes! Featuring a bevy of henchmen and extensive underwater sequences, does this Bond film sink or swim? Listen to this week's Now Playing to find out!
{James Bond Series}
Sean Connery's third time was a charm for his James Bond films. With Goldfinger the Bond formula was solidified. The song, the gadgets, the girls, the plots, it all came together for this film, which many Bond fans cite as their favorite. Does this film have the Midas touch with Arnie, Stuart, and Brock? Listen to find out!
{James Bond Series}
James Bond is back! In the last film Bond killed SMERSH agent Dr. No, and now No's boss, the mysterious ailurophile Blofeld. His plot--a beautiful Russian double-agent offers to defect in exchange for Bond's affections. Will Bond take the bait? And is this a review from Now Playing with love? Listen to Arnie, Stuart, and Brock to find out!
{James Bond Series}
After years of financial troubles, MGM Studios has finally gotten the next James Bond movie off the ground--this November's Skyfall. And there is no better time for Bond to be back as 2012 is the 50th Anniversary of James Bond's first appearance on the big screen in his first outing, Dr. No. With Sean Connery embodying Ian Flemming's British spy in a star-making role, this is the film that started it all. Now Dr. No also starts the James Bond retrospective series at Now Playing as Arnie, Stuart, and Brock look back at all of the James Bond films. Did Dr. No show signs of a hero that could stay in the public consciousness for half a century, and does it hold up 50 years later? Listen to find out!
{James Bond Series}
Since Michelle Pfeiffer squeezed into latex in Batman Returns an idea of a Catwoman movie had been teased. Writers, directors, and stars were attached to the project over the years, and it took over a decade for the film to become reality. Now starring Academy Award winner Halle Berry as Patience Phillips, a woman given the mystical powers of a cat, the film hoped to jump on the superhero bandwagon and launch a new franchise. Instead, it won several Raspberry Awards and tanked at the box office. Is this film as bad as its reputation? Listen to Jakob, Stuart, and Arnie as they let the fur fly in our review!
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{Batman Series}
The Dark Knight Rises, Christopher Nolan's much-anticipated conclusion to his Batman trilogy, opened last Friday under the pall of a senseless tragedy that occurred at a screening in Colorado. Nationwide, people mourn for those lost, and pray for those injured. But the majority refuse to let the acts of one man taint a movie they've waited four years to see, and audiences rushed to theaters and IMAX to see if Nolan's latest effort could measure up to 2008's record-breaking, Academy Award winning The Dark Knight. Listen to Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob's final review in their Batman retrospective series to find out if it did!
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{Batman Series}
{Nolan Series}
The Dark Knight opened under the dark cloud of Heath Ledger's death but went on to break box office records and set a new standard for superhero films and cement Christopher Nolan's A-List status. But why so serious? Listen to Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob's review of this Academy Award winning tale of capes and cowls!
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{Batman Series}
{Nolan Series}
It took eight years after Batman & Robin for the caped crusader to return to theaters with Batman Begins. Directed by a cult director with only two studio films to his name, starring an actor best known for extreme roles in small films, and released in a summer dominated by lightsabers, Batman Begins burst onto the scene and changed the public perception of what a superhero film can be. Now listen to Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob's review of Batman Begins as we lead up to Nolan's final film in his Batman trilogy--The Dark Knight Rises!
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{Batman Series}
{Nolan Series}
It was to be the biggest Spider-Man movie yet! 3 villains! Green Goblin 2! Sandman! Venom!! If that's not enough trouble for Peter Parker, Mary Jane is also jealous of the new girl Gwen Stacy. It had fanboys squealing with anticipation, and then crying in anguish, as Arnie did in Now Playing's first-ever movie review. Now Arnie revisits Raimi's third Spider-Man film, joined this time by Jakob and Stuart. Has time changed Arnie's view of this film? Listen to find out!
{Spider-Man Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
It was to be the biggest Spider-Man movie yet! 3 villains! Green Goblin 2! Sandman! Venom!! If that's not enough trouble for Peter Parker, Mary Jane is also jealous of the new girl Gwen Stacy. It had fanboys squealing with anticipation, and then crying in anguish, as Arnie did in Now Playing's first-ever movie review. Now Arnie revisits Raimi's third Spider-Man film, joined this time by Jakob and Stuart. Has time changed Arnie's view of this film? Listen to find out!
{Spider-Man Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
Raimi's 2002 film Spider-Man went on to be the highest grossing superhero film of all time, and so a sequel was swinging into theaters just 2 years later. Spider-Man 2 brings back all the primary characters from the original, and introduces a new foe in the form of Doctor Octopus. Did Spider-Man suffer a sophomore slump? Listen to Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob to find out!
{Spider-Man Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
Spider-Man is one of the best known comic book superheroes in the world, but his road to the silver screen was a bumpy one. Rights issues, bankruptcy, and technological challenges kept Spider-Man webbed up for over a decade despite numerous attempts to launch a theatrical series. But in 2002 cult director Sam Raimi's vision of Spider-Man lept into theaters and broke box office records, climbing to the top of the charts, becoming the highest grossing superhero movie of all time and even besting Star Wars: Attack of the Clones for opening weekend and total dollars. As we near The Amazing Spider-Man series reboot, Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob look back at Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy starting with the 2002 original. A decade later does the film still hold up? Listen to find out!
{Spider-Man Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
Despite being green lit for a television series, Spider-Man did not live long on CBS before being squashed under the boot of network executives. But the series was given a final hurrah with a two-hour movie Spider-Man: The Chinese Web, known in its theatrical release as Spider-Man: The Dragon's Challenge. To help clear J. Jonah Jameson's college friend from conspiracy charges, Spider-Man must travel to Hong Kong. Did the series end leaving our hosts wanting more? Listen to Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie's review and find out!
{Spider-Man Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
For over a year the hosts of Now Playing have watched and reviewed every movie based off a Marvel Comics series, but now they enter into their last Marvel review series with the most popular Marvel Comic character of all time -- Spider-Man! His red and blue spandex suit is iconic, outshining even Mickey Mouse in global brand awareness, and his 2002 movie even bested Star Wars in the box office. But before Tobey Maguire became the face of Spider-Man, there was Nicholas Hammond. Continuing their roster of prime time superhero shows, CBS ordered a two-hour pilot movie featuring Spider-Man, a college student and part-time photographer. Can the production budget of a 70s television show do justice to Spider-Man's amazing powers? Listen to Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob's review to find out!
{Spider-Man Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
After Batman Forever exceeded expectations, a sequel was rushed into production. Trouble on the set led to Val Kilmer being replaced by TV superstar George Clooney, but the real star power was held by the film's villain--Arnold Schwarzenegger as Mr. Freeze. And this film brought even more superhero star power, with more super heroes and super villains than any previous Batman movie, including Robin, Poison Ivy, Bane, and even Batgirl! The film was not well received and put Batman on ice for eight years, but Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob have thawed it out for the next installment of their Batman retrospective series. Is this ice nice? Listen to find out!
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{Batman Series}
After Tim Burton's Batman returned to diminishing results, audiences put off by the salacious Penguin and dark tone, Warner Bros. brought in Lost Boys director Joel Schumacher to give Batman a new vision. With Val Kilmer now the man behind the cowl, Gotham City was given a new look, a new hero in the form of Robin the boy wonder, and two new villains. Batman Forever came in only second to Toy Story at the 1995 box office, but was it as big a hit with the Now Playing reviewers? Listen to find out!
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{Batman Series}
When Batman was a huge success in 1989 a new Batman animated series was immediately approved, but due to the production time of animation it did not premiere until 1992. With a heavy dose of Tim Burton's gothic style but a mood more loyal to the original comics, allowing for such baddies as Clayface and Harley Quinn to fit alongside Joker and Penguin, Batman : The Animated Series was a huge hit reaching outside the normal after-school cartoon demographic to Batman fans of all ages. With the series' success, an original animated feature film got promoted to the big time--a theatrical release. So on Christmas day, 1993, Batman : Mask of the Phantasm became The Dark Knight's fourth appearance on the silver screen. Featuring Mark Hamill as the iconic voice of Joker and Kevin Conroy as Batman both fighting against a new, lethal vigilante The Phantasm, does this animated film actually supersede Burton's live-action films? Listen to Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie's review to find out!
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{Batman Series}
When Batman defied expectations to become the top grossing film of 1989 interest in all things Batman exploded. Batman T-shirts were everywhere, and even the 60s television series enjoyed a revival on syndication. But while comics, toys, and TV coasted on Batman 's success, what everyone really wanted was a sequel and so in 1992 director Tim Burton reteamed with star Michael Keaton to bring the next installment in their Bat-franchise--Batman Returns! With Batman facing double the trouble with a duo of evildoers, will Jakob, Arnie, and Stuart enjoy it twice as much? Listen to find out!
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{Batman Series}
It was a film that couldn't succeed. It was a superhero film starring a comedic actor. It was directed by the quirky, cult Tim Burton. It was a superhero known more for a campy dance than for kicking ass. And it was the most expensive film ever made. Yet in 1989 Batman dominated not only the box office but the pop culture landscape, bringing a darker, more modern superhero aesthetic to the big screen and becoming the movie that all other superhero films would be compared for over a decade. But does it hold up in this day of the even darker Christopher Nolan Batman adaptations? Listen to Jakob, Stuart, and Arnie's review to find out!
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{Batman Series}
When it comes to box office superheroes, none looms larger than Batman . He dominated theaters in 1989 with Tim Burton's vision of the caped crusader, and in the 21st century Christopher Nolan's take on the Batman made him the box office champion, with The Dark Knight becoming the highest grossing superhero film ever. Now, as we ramp up for Nolan's The Dark Knight Rises, Now Playing will be looking back at all of the Batman films, starting with the 1966 theatrical release! When Batman knocked out television audiences everywhere the studio decided to cash in on a feature film version of the show, where four of the dynamic duo's worst villains, Joker, Catwoman, Penguin, and The Riddler, team up to take over the world. Does this classic series hold up in feature length? Listen to Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie to find out!
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{Batman Series}
THE AVENGERS! Breaking worldwide box office records this super-hero team-up is a film that seems impossible to make, and yet they did! After a year of reviewing movies based on Marvel Comics characters, listen to Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob's review of this blockbuster film! Did it make a year's worth of viewing worth it, or did it fail to come together? Listen to find out!
{Avengers Series}
{Iron Man Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{Hulk Series}
By the summer of 2011 fans were ready for Avengers, but Marvel Studios still had some groundwork to lay before they could assemble. And in July the final character, the First Avenger, was introduced to audiences. But the fifth film in Marvel's series might be the hardest sell yet, a World War II period piece with a goody-goody hero. With Fantastic Four's Chris Evans donning the red, white, and blue outfit, did Captain America: The First Avenger stand alone, or was it just biding the time for ten more months until The Avengers was released? Listen to hear Jakob, Stuart, and Arnie's review of this film as well as the short A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Thor's Hammer.
{Marvel Series}
{Avengers Series}
{Comic Book Movies Series}
{Captain America Series}
In three films Marvel had created a cinematic universe based on science. Iron Man used advanced technology to power an armored suit; Bruce Banner used genetic manipulation and medicine to create The Incredible Hulk. But in their fourth film leading up to The Avengers they brought in a new element straight out of Norse mythology--Thor, the god of thunder. With a mighty hammer, a winged helmet, and a flowing red cape, Thor and his fellow Asgardians fought off the evil Ice Giants, but for his cocky war-mongering Thor was banished to earth, stripped of his powers. Can a thunder god fit in with an otherwise science based Cinematic Universe, and is his story a compelling one? Listen to Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob to find out as they review Thor, and the Blu Ray bonus short The Consultant!
{Marvel Series}
{Avengers Series}
{Comic Book Movies Series}
{Thor Series}
The first Iron Man film set the gold (and red) standard for Marvel superheroes in movies, but Marvel Studios knew the pressure was high to build up to The Avengers so just two years later Iron Man 2 was released. Jon Favreau was back behind the camera, and Robert Downey Jr. and Gwyneth Paltrow were still starring, but now Don Cheadle dons the War Machine suit, Sam Rockwell and Mickey Rourke team up as villains, and S.H.I.E.L.D. has a much larger presence in the form of Nick Fury, Agent Coulson, and Scarlett Johansson's Natalie "Black Widow" Romanoff. The film is certainly bigger than the first, but is it better? Listen to Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob's review to find out!
{Marvel Series}
{Iron Man Series}
{Avengers Series}
{Comic Book Series}
Mere months after Iron Man went supersonic at the box office Marvel's second issue of its Avengers movie series smashed its way into theaters--The Incredible Hulk! But after Ang Lee's film disappointed just a few years earlier Hulk's biggest enemy was audience expectations. Behind-the-scenes strife between producer/star Edward Norton and Marvel Studios only helped to add to audience superhero fatigue in a summer that also included The Dark Knight, and Hulk went on to be the lowest grossing Marvel studio film to date. Is Hulk truly Incredible, or is it as toxic as Bruce Banner's blood? Listen to Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out!
{Marvel Series}
{Avengers Series}
{Comic Book Movies Series}
{Hulk Series}
Who would win in a fight, Thor or the Hulk? In comic books, team-ups are the stuff of legend, fulfilling geeky desires while also increasing comic sales. But what can easily be done on the page is not so easy to transition to the screen, which may make this summer's The Avengers the most ambitious movie ever. Bringing together the larger-than-life characters of Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Captain America, Hawkeye, and Black Widow all led by Nick Fury, the cast is as impressive as the characters. Now, leading up to The Avengers, Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie are reviewing each of Marvel Studios' films. In our first review we look at 2008's Iron Man. Starring Robert Downey Jr, who had been more famous for his off-screen performances than his on-screen roles, and featuring a superhero that was not well known outside the comic reading crowds, the film went on to be the second highest grossing film of the year (bested only by another costumed billionaire vigilante--Batman ) and remains the highest grossing film in The Avengers franchise. Does this series get off on the right foot? Listen to our review to find out!
{Avengers Series}
{Iron Man Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
First Blade, then X-Men, then Spider-Man...Marvel's summer blockbuster films were just getting bigger and bigger, so expectations were high when Hulk smashed out of the small screen and into a big screen feature film. Directed by Ang Lee, coming right off his acclaim for Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, this was a Hulk that stayed more true to the comic book incarnation of the green giant, but also dared to be a psychological drama as well. Is this a strong film worthy of its hero, or a puny attempt to cash in on a Marvel character? Listen to Jakob, Stuart, and Arnie to find out!
{Hulk Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{Avengers Series}
{Avengers - Some Assembly Required Series}
A new science experiment holds the key to curing David Banner of the Hulk, but a group of terrorists plan to steal the device and the scientists who created it. In Death of the Incredible Hulk television audiences said goodbye to the Hulk, but is the ultimate performance of Bill Bixby an enjoyable watch, or will it kill the Now Playing hosts? Listen to find out!
{Hulk Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{Avengers Series}
{Avengers - Some Assembly Required Series}
After Thor and Hulk was a smash hit in the ratings another Hulk movie was quickly approved. David Banner is arrested for a murder he didn't commit, set up by crime Kingpin Wilson Fisk, and the only one who believes David's story is his attorney--Matt Murdock. By day Matt tries to clear David's name in the courts, and by night he takes on David's fight as the vigilante known as Daredevil! Is this a team-up made in comic book heaven? Listen to Jakob, Arnie, and Stuart's review to find out!
{Hulk Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{Avengers Series}
{Avengers - Some Assembly Required Series}
In 1987 The Incredible Hulk Returns and he brought a friend with him--Thor! Comic book crossovers are the thing of geek legend. Everyone wants to know who will win in a fight, Batman or Spider-Man. But due to licensing issues, on-screen comic book crossovers are rare, even for superheroes from the same publisher. That is what makes this summer's Avengers film so special, getting all the superheroes in one place! But long before Mark Ruffalo and Chris Hemsworth put Hulk and Thor on the same screen there was Lou Ferrigno and Eric Kramer in a story of murder, mystery, and action! With all three principle actors from The Incredible Hulk TV series reprising their roles, is this a smashing Hulk movie? Listen to Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out!
{Hulk Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{Avengers Series}
{Avengers - Some Assembly Required Series}
In November 1977, The Incredible Hulk premiered on CBS. But just a few weeks later, a second pilot movie aired to gauge audience reception to the now-famous Incredible Hulk formula. David Banner, on the run and searching for a cure, stumbles into a murder plot. Julie's stepmother and doctor are slowly poisoning the girl. Can David and old coot Michael save the girl? With such future TV stars as William Daniels (voice of KITT on Knight Rider) and Gerald McRaney (Major Dad), is this an Incredible series launch? Listen to Jakob, Arnie, and Stuart's review to find out!
{Hulk Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{Avengers Series}
{Avengers - Some Assembly Required Series}
The Incredible Hulk has been a staple in Marvel Comics since his first appearance in 1962, but to many The Hulk is less known for his comic book persona than his portrayal by Lou Ferrigno in CBS' hit prime time series The Incredible Hulk. Starring Bill Bixby as David Banner, a scientist who overdoses on gamma radiation, the series ran for five years, and it's impact can still be seen through references in both the Eric Bana and Edward Norton Hulk film adaptations. Now, as Now Playing starts its next leg of it's Marvel Comic Movie Retrospective, leading up to The Avengers, Jakob, Arnie, and Stuart are reviewing the television movie that started it all--The Incredible Hulk. Does this incarnation of the green giant make our reviewers angry? And would you like them when they're angry? Listen to find out!
{Hulk Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{Avengers Series}
{Avengers - Some Assembly Required Series}
After Ghost Rider set theaters ablaze in 2007 a sequel seemed assured, but it took five years to get here. But now Nicholas Cage returns in the quasi-rebooted Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance. Johnny Blaze can have his curse lifted but first he must stop the devil from transferring his soul into the body of a young boy. From the directors of the cult hit Crank films, does this Ghost Rider spark with Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart? Listen to find out!
{Ghost Rider Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
With a flaming skull, a leather jacket, and a bad bike, Ghost Rider embraced the biker comics counterculture in the 70's and had a resurgance as a dark hero in the 90's. The first Ghost Rider film broke box office records, and now Nicholas Cage reprises his role as the devil's bounty hunter. And continuing their look back at all movies based on Marvel Comics heroes, and in anticipation of Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, Jakob, Stuart, and Arnie will be watching and reviewing both Ghost Rider films. In the first movie, Johnny Blaze tried to woo childhood sweetheart Roxanne while eating jelly beans and listening to The Carpenters, but Mephisto has other plans for the stunt biker. Do Jakob, Arnie, and Stuart go along for this ride? Listen to find out!
{Ghost Rider Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
In 1978, before the Captain America films, CBS was still trying to replicate the successes of their Wonder Woman and Incredible Hulk TV series, but their next attempt to launch a superhero show drew inspiration from the Strange-st of places. The Dr. Strange TV film, based on the Marvel Comics magician, introduces prime-time television to Dr. Stephen Strange, a swinging psychiatrist with a destiny. This was not destined to be picked up as a series, but should it have? Listen to Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob's review to find out, or be left cold and barren!
{Avengers Series}
{Avengers - Some Assembly Required Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{Doctor Strange Series}
In the early 1990s the country was hungry for more superhero films. Batman had come out and shown us that comic book characters could be done without camp, and studios rushed to get more superhero projects in development. Yet despite Batman 's success, and 1991 being Captain America's 50th Anniversary, 21st Century Film Corporation's production of Captain America could not get distributed. Finally scuttled direct-to-VHS in 1992, this film has been a staple of the convention DVD bootleg circuit. Finally receiving not one but two official releases in 2011 to tie into Marvel's Captain America: The First Avenger, does this 1990s version deserve another look? Listen to Jakob, Stuart, and Arnie's review to find out!
{Avengers Series}
{Avengers - Some Assembly Required Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{Captain America Series}
In 1979 Captain America had not one but two TV movies! The first was a pilot for a possible series. The second was Captain America 2 - Death Too Soon! Reb Brown returned as Steve Rogers, the ex-Marine who really just wants to paint. But terrorist General Miguel, played by Christopher Lee, has poisoned Portland and only Captain America can stop him! With attack dogs, a hang-gliding motorcycle, and old ladies on Venice Beach, does this Captain America film do our country proud? Listen to Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart's review to find out!
{Avengers Series}
{Avengers - Some Assembly Required Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{Captain America Series}
In the 1940's Captain America was born with a punch to Hitler's jaw. In the 60's he was thawed out again to help lead Marvel's super-team The Avengers. And in the 70's, when superhero shows Wonder Woman and The Incredible Hulk ruled the airwaves, Captain America was updated once again for a new generation. Here Steve Rodgers is a former Marine who wants nothing more than to drive up the California coast and draw, but a diabolical plot from evil oil tycoon Lou Brackett puts Steve's life in danger. With a clear shield, a boss motocross bike, and a groovy outfit Captain America is called to action. Is this a Captain that kids of the 70's could get behind? Listen to Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie to find out!
{Avengers Series}
{Avengers - Some Assembly Required Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{Captain America Series}
During the Cold War, only one man could protect America from the evil terrorist forces of HYDRA - Nick Fury, director of ! But the Berlin Wall fell, HYDRA'S leader Baron Wolfgang von Strucker was captured, and Fury was put out to pasture. Now, however, HYDRA is back and S.H.I.E.L.D. needs Fury, played by Baywatch star David Hasselhoff, to save the day. Made for TV in the 90s, Nick Fury's first live-action depiction is now forgotten in the wake of Samuel L. Jackson. But can Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob handle The Hoff? Listen to Now Playing's review to find out!
{Avengers Series}
{Avengers - Some Assembly Required Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{Nick Fury Series}
In 14 years Sylvester Stallone had made five Rocky films, and for a long time it was easy to assume Rocky V was the last film. A financial failure and derided by critics and fans alike, it seems Rocky had finally retired once and for all. But 30 years after the original Rocky, Stallone put the gloves back on and returned to the role that made him famous. Now Rocky Balboa is a widower, a restaurateur, and has a beast inside him that needs to be released in the ring. Does this latest Rocky film knock out our reviewers Arnie, Jakob, and Brock? Listen to our final Rocky review to find out!
{Rocky Series}
After Rocky defeated Drago, and Communism, in Rocky 4, The Italian Stallion returned to his roots for Rocky 5. The director of the original Rocky film, John G. Avildsen, is back in the diretor's chair, and Rocky is back in Philly, broke once more. Due to brain damage Rocky cannot fight his way out of this situation, but with the family's only remaining possession, Micky's gym, Rocky finds himself training a new up-and-comer Tommy Gunn. This film takes a beating from fans and critics alike, but which way did the Now Playing judges rule? Listen to Arnie, Jakob, and Brock to find out!
{Rocky Series}
Rocky went the distance with Apollo Creed, found the Eye of the Tiger and beat Clubber Lang, but four his next fight he's taking on the biggest enemy of all--communism! When Russian Olympic Gold Medalist Drago kills Apollo in an exhibition match, Rocky must fight to avenge his friend and defend his country's honor. Rocky 4 was the highest grossing of all Rocky films, but is it the best of the best? Listen to Brock, Jakob, and Arnie's review to find out!
{Rocky Series}
As heavyweight champion Rocky traded his passion for glory. Now he worries more about his product endorsements and his new, plastic surgery enhanced face than his boxing matches. Fortunately Rocky's manager Mickey is shielding the champ, only letting Rocky fight punks who don't stand a chance. But when tough, hungry, up-and-comer Clubber Lang refuses to take "no" for an answer Rocky has to get the eye of the tiger...with the help of an old enemy. In theaters Rocky III was a hit that outgrossed even the original film, but with Mr. T in the spotlight can this film still go the distance or is it past its prime and ready for retirement? Listen as Arnie, Jakob, and Brock once more step into the ring for this Rocky review!
{Rocky Series}
Despite losing the boxing match by decision, Rocky was the undisputed box office champion of 1976. So three years later, the Italian Stallion was back on the big screen and this time he was there to "Win, Rocky, Win!" With Sylvester Stallone now behind the camera as well as in front, and the entire cast of the original film returning, does Rocky II pack a punch? Listen as Arnie, Jakob, and Brock step back in the ring and find out!
{Rocky Series}
It's sometimes hard to believe Sylvester Stallone is an Oscar nominated actor and writer. After all, Demolition Man and The Expendables aren't usually the films that get Academy notice. But in his career-making role as washed-up fighter Rocky Balboa Stallone captured accolades and audience dollars. Now, for Rocky's 35th anniversary, Now Playing hosts Arnie, Brock, and Jakob are watching and reviewing all six Rocky films, starting with this 1976 original. Can this film still go the distance with modern audience? Listen to find out!
{Rocky Series}
The Punisher's attempts at a franchise continue to be shot down. While 2004's Punisher film failed to blow up the box office, strong DVD sales convinced Lionsgate to move ahead on a sequel--only to have director Jonathan Hensleigh and star Thomas Jane drop out. But the project moved on, now a second reboot for the Marvel Knight. Ray Stevenson strapped on the skull-logo flack jacket to fight classic comic book villian Jigsaw in this ultra-violent comic adaptation. Does this third Punisher film finally hit the target, or is it yet another misfire? Listen to Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart's final installment in the Punisher Retrospective Series to find out!
{Punisher Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
With Blade a cinematic success Artisan Entertainment brought another R-rated Marvel property to the big screen--The Punisher. Starring Thomas Jane in the title role and John Travolta as bad guy gangster Howard Saint, this adaptation remained closer to the character's comic book portrayal, putting him in his signature skull outfit and with a story based on Garth Ennis' acclaimed Welcome Back Frank story. But this film was punished by most critics, only to find its audience on DVD. Is this film justice for our hero, or punishment for the viewer? Listen as Jakob, Arnie, and Stuart are here to live once more, or die once more, or review once more and find out!
{Punisher Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
In 1989 the second Marvel Comics hero got his shot at big screen glory -- The Punisher, a murderous vigilante who dispenses the ultimate punishment to criminals. To comic book fans, Dolph Lundgren's portrayal of the character barely resembled the original material. Gone was the giant skull on the Punisher's shirt, and instead of a Viet Nam war hero Frank Castle was now a police officer waging a one-man war against the mob. But is the true punishment that inflicted upon viewers of this film? On this week's Now Playing, Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob continue their Marvel Movie retrospective with this first Punisher film, so listen to find out!
{Punisher Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
After Red Dragon's success more Lecter films were guaranteed, and to keep with author Thomas Harris' original vision this time the movie was not just based on one of his novels--the Hannibal Rising screenplay was written by Harris in conjunction with the new novel telling of Hannibal the Cannibal's early years. Can this film provide a future for the series without Anthony Hopkins, and does Gaspard Ulliel's Hannibal rise to the occasion? Listen to Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob's final review in the Hannibal Lecter series to find out!
{Hannibal Lecter Series}
Quickly after Hannibal hit theaters production began on yet another installment of the Hannibal Lecter franchise, and this time instead of looking forward to Harris writing another Hannibal story they looked backwards to Red Dragon, Harris' first novel featuring the caged cannibal. Already made into a film in the 80's, Manhunter, now the story is retold in an adaptation more faithful to the original novel and with Hopkins again reprising the role that he is best known for. With an all-star cast and director Brett Ratner at the helm, was this film a needed update or a desperate cash-grab? Listen to Jakob, Arnie, and Stuart's review to find out!
{Hannibal Lecter Series}
Warning: This podcast deals with subject matter that will be objectionable to the vast majority of listeners. No one under the age of 18 should listen, and those over the age of 18 should listen with caution. Last year the world was fascinated by The Human Centipede. What started as an underground, unknown movie only shown at midnight in select theaters ended up a global phenomenon. Word of the sequel spread fast, and the buzz increased when the film was banned in the UK. Now the sequel is here and the full sequence twelve-person Human Centipede is ready to be revealed. Do four-times the people equate to four-times the entertainment? Listen as Stuart, Marjorie, and Arnie line up to review this sequel and find out!
{Human Centipede Series}
When Silence of the Lambs was received with critical acclaim and box office success, audiences waited with baited breath for the reunion of the cannibal and the agent -- Hannibal and Clarice. But despite audience anticipation, author Thomas Harris did not complete the sequel novel Hannibal until 1999, and upon its release many of the talent associated with the original film declined to return. But with new director Ridley Scott, fresh off his Oscar for Gladiator, behind the camera and Hopkins returning to chew up the scenery and his victims, could this film live up to the last or is it too much for audiences to swallow? Listen to find out!
{Hannibal Lecter Series}
It's iconic. Fava Beans and Chianti. Quid Pro Quo. Goodbye Horses. Based on Thomas Harris' second novel, Anthony Hopkins, Jodie Foster, and director Jonathan Demme came together and made a picture that captured both the pop culture imagination and swept the Academy Awards. Now, continuing their Hannibal Lecter series, Jakob, Stuart, and Arnie watch and review this seminal crime horror film. Does it hold up two decades later? Listen to find out!
{Hannibal Lecter Series}
Before Anthony Hopkins was having fava beans and a nice chianti, Hannibal Lector was played by Brian Cox in Manhunter, a 1986 film from Miami Vice's Michael Mann. A serial killer is on the loose and FBI profiler Will Graham has been called out of retirement to stop him. To do so, Graham turns to his old nemesis, the man he put in prison, Hannibal the Cannibal. With a plot that closely mirrors Lector's most iconic appearance in Silence of the Lambs, Manhunter was a failure in 1986 but is now a rediscovered favorite for Lector fans. Can this film hold a candle to Lector's later appearances? Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob review Manhunter as their first film in the Hannibal Lector retrospective series, so listen to find out!
{Hannibal Lecter Series}
Daredevil made money but when Affleck became toxic at the box office, Fox studios proceeded with a spin-off rather than a sequel, and despite being dead at the end of Daredevil Jennifer Garner was back reprising her role of Elektra. Donning the iconic red silk outfit for this outing, Elektra is an assassin who finds her conscience and must go up against the evil ninjas of The Hand to protect The Treasure. Is Elektra a treasure to movie fans, or should this franchise have not been resurrected? Listen to Jakob, Stuart, and Arnie to find out!
{Daredevil and Elektra Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
After the success of X-Men, 20th Century Fox quickly green-lit another Marvel superhero film--Daredevil! With Ben Affleck still riding his career high after The Sum of All Fears cast as the blind lawyer cum vigilante Daredevil seemed poised to swing in right behind the success of 2002's Spider-Man. Aided by a strong supporting cast including Colin Farrell, Jennifer Garner, Michael Clarke Duncan, and a pre-Iron Man Jon Faverau, this film broke box office records its opening weekend, but in the court of public opinion this film has been forgotten. Now, continuing their look back at every movie based on Marvel's superhero comics, Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart take the stand and bear witness to Daredevil. Was justice served? Listen to this podcast to find out the verdict!
{Daredevil and Elektra Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
Blade II made over $150 million worldwide, so it was no surprise that two years later Blade was back in theaters. What was surprising is he brought friends, in the form of Jessica Biel, Parker Posey, Natasha Lyonne, and Ryan Reynolds. Can the daywalker stand up to the star power in this cast? And does the return of Blade's comic book nemesis Dracula inject new blood into the franchise? Listen and find out!
{Blade Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
Blade was an unexpected hit in 1998, and so in 2002 Wesley Snipes returned to the role for the first sequel in his career. This time, with a still mostly unknown Guillermo del Toro at the helm, and writer David S. Goyer penning the script, did the Daywalker really get his chance to shine? Listen to Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob's review to find out!
{Blade Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
By 1998, the only Marvel Comics character to get a wide theatrical release was Howard the Duck. But Dark Knight writer David Goyer would change all that with Blade, starring Wesley Snipes as the comic book vampire slayer. With Stephen Dorff as charismatic vampire Deacon Frost, Blade redeemed comic based movies after Batman and Robin and kicked off the Marvel Age of movies. But can this pre-Matrix combination of CGI and black leather stand up today, and how does it fit in with the other Marvel comic book movies? Listen to Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob's review to find out!
{Blade Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
Dracula, Lestat, Angel, Nosferatu, Spike...Jerry??? While Hollywood continues to mine all vampire properties to build on the current fang mania, the 1985 cult film Fright Night was not one with the name recognition that made it an obvious choice for a remake, but with Buffy the Vampire Slayer's Marti Noxon writing, and an impressive cast including Colin Farrell and David Tennant, this unlikely remake seemed like it may make vampires scary again. But can it live up to the 1985 original in the eyes of fans, and will it appeal to new audiences? Listen to Arnie, Stuart, and Brock to find out!
{Fright Night Series}
Now Playing finishes its Final Destination Retrospective Series with the newest installment in the series. Sam and his coworkers are on their way to a work retreat when a bridge collapse nearly kills them all, but Death's design is still coming. Does Tony Todd's Bludworth have an insight into Death's plan that can help them save their lives, or are they Dust in the Wind? And do audiences care, or do we just want to see inventive death scenarios? Listen to Arnie, Jakob, and Brock as they review this installment and find out!
{Final Destination Series}
Despite having dusted Jerry in the first Fright Night film, Charlie Brewster has been convinced by his therapist that there are no such thing as vampires, and yet when Jerry's sister Regine comes looking for revenge Charlie's only hope lies with Peter Vincent-Vampire Killer! With a new girlfriend for Charlie, a new crew of baddies, and no Evil Ed in sight, does Fright Night Part 2 live up to the original? And even if it did, could you find a copy to watch? Listen to find out!
{Fright Night Series}
In 2009 Rob Zombie returned to the twisted mind of Michael Myers in Halloween 2...and no one cared because horror films had entered a new dimension: 3-D! Capitalizing on this new cinema gimmick was The Final Destination, the fourth in the franchise. With Final Destination 2 director David R. Ellis returning to stage another car crash, this time on a speedway, and psychic Nick trying to save the lives of his friends from such threats as a car wash, a swimming pool, and a chain link fence, do inventive deaths inject new life into the Final Destination series? Listen to find out!
{Final Destination Series}
Jerry and Billy would be great neighbors, were it not for all the apple cores they leave in the yard, and the bodies of dead prostitutes they take out in garbage bags. But while the rest of the neighborhood seems not to notice, Charlie Brewster realizes the truth--Jerry is a vampire. In 1985 Fright Night brought back the Vampire genre from the dead with its mix of horror and comedy. With Chris Sarandon as the evil, yet fashionable, Jerry, and Roddy McDowell as Peter Vincent, the fearless vampire killer, is this film's allure eternal, or should it have been buried in the 80's? Listen to Stuart, Arnie, and Brock to find out! Then come back to NowPlayingPodcast.com as we review all the Fright Night films, culminating with a review of the remake starring Colin Farrell!
{Fright Night Series}
You could describe Wendy's life as a roller coaster. She is facing high school graduation, her best friend is about to dump her doe-eyed boyfriend, and she's having psychic visions--of a roller coaster crashing. Armed with her magic camera, Wendy and friends must try to cheat death, but be it a car crash, a nail gun, or a tanning bed, death's design shall not be thwarted! With original director James Wong returning, is Final Destination 3 a fun roller coaster of carnage? Listen to Jakob, Arnie, and Brock to find out!
{Final Destination Series}
With stars Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford, and directed by Jon Faverau, Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart were roped in to seeing Cowboys & Aliens this past weekend. A mash-up of western and sci-fi based on a comic series, this seemed to be one of the few films this summer that was not building on an existing franchise, but starting one new and fresh. But did this film rustle up a good review? Ride 'em cowboy to nowplayingpodcast.com to find out!
{Individual Movie Reviews}
Death's design was thwarted in the first Final Destination film...or was it? In Final Destination 2, death continues to haunt Ali Larter's Clear to show, as Bludworth said, "You don't even want to mess with that mack daddy". With an astounding opening car crash and a new group of victims, is this a Destination worth visiting? Listen to find out!
{Final Destination Series}
The first Fantastic Four film was never released. The second time, the film was released to modest box office and poor reviews. But now Marvel's first family is back, and they've brought friends--fan favorite The Silver Surfer and his master, the world-eater Galactus. With these new characters and a retelling of one of the Fantastic Four's most beloved storylines, is the third time a charm for the Four, or do we have to wait longer for a Fantastic comic adaptation of Thing, Human Torch, Invisible Woman, and Mr. Fantastic? Listen to Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob as we finish our Fantastic Four retrospective series to find out!
{Fantastic Four Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
In 2000 the new wave of teen horror started by Scream ruled the box office. A slew of imitators jumped on the horror bandwagon only to flame out, but one new series found its legs and continues to have new films released today, and that is 2000's Final Destination. A vision that the plane taking his classmates to Paris will crash causes High School senior Alex to disembark with several of his friends, but they were meant to die on the plane and death's design will not be thwarted, as told to us by horror icon Tony Todd. Will Alex figure out a loophole and escape death? I have a vision that you will listen to Arnie, Jakob, and Brock's review to find out!
{Final Destination Series}
After over 20 years of trying, the Fantastic Four have finally arrived on the big screen in this big budget blockbuster! Made by 20th Century Fox, they obviously hoped to have a franchise to alternate between X-Men films, and what better than another team of super powered beings from the Marvel universe fighting against their arch-nemesis Dr. Doom. But with $100 million budget, does this film finally reach their target audiences, or does it flame out? Listen to find out!
{Fantastic Four Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
In this first installment, the Now Playing hosts watch a film never meant to be seen -- 1994's Fantastic Four. Made on the cheap and possibly never intended for release, this film has become legend to comic book lovers and film lovers alike. Why was this film never released? Did it deserve its fate? Listen to find out!
{Fantastic Four Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
Transformers: Dark of the Moon made headlines this weekend. Despite Revenge of the Fallen being almost universally hated by critics and Transformers fans alike, the third Bayformers film has kept pace with the predecessors and broken box office records, grossing over $400 million worldwide in less than a week, and breaking the US Fourth of July holiday weekend record. But is the movie any good, or is it yet another example of a lackluster film that sets the box office ablaze due to gorgeous special effects and inflated 3-D and IMAX ticket prices? Listen to our latest podcast as Jerry, Stuart, and Arnie review this latest, and reportedly last, Michael Bay helmed Transformers film. Will a government conspiracy dating back to the Apollo moon mission bring the Transformers' storyline down to earth, or is all that's here what meets the eye? Listen to find out!
{Transformers Series}
Tonight Transformers: Dark of the Moon opens in theaters, several days earlier than originally scheduled, but you can prepare for your Transformers experience by joining Arnie, Stuart, and Jerry as they review the second installment in the Bayformers series -- Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. There's more Autobots, more Decepticons, more cute little puppies, and G1 story staples like the Matrix of Leadership and the death of Optimus Prime, but do these callbacks make for a satisfying movie experience? Listen to find out!
{Transformers Series}
Now Playing has a bonus episode for you: BECAUSE YOU DEMANDED IT, Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart take a break from their Marvel Comics based movie reviews to look at a DC Comics property--Green Lantern! Starring Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Peter Sarsgaard, and Mark Strong, this is DC's attempt to emulate Marvel's Iron Man success with the B-level Emerald Knight. Does it reach Iron Man heights? Is Angela Bassett the new Samuel L Jackson? Listen to find out!
{Green Lantern Series}
{DC Comics Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
Continuing our Transformers Retrospective Series, Arnie, Jerry, and Stuart look at Michael Bay's 2007 Transformers, affectionately known among fans as Bayformers! Do director Michael Bay and producer Steven Spielberg transform this series into something accessible to non-fans, or does this film lack the All Spark? Listen to find out!
{Transformers Series}
For this first episode we go back to where it all began, with the Transformers 1986 animated theatrical film! The final fight of Optimus Prime vs Megatron, the ascension of Hot Rod, and guest voices including Eric Idle, Leonard Nimoy, Judd Nelson, and Orson Wells, this film was primed to make these robots in disguise bigger than ever...only to flop with only $5 million. Was this box office bomb a gem in disguise, or is this the moment it all went wrong? Dare to be Stupid with our Now Playing hosts and find out!
{Transformers Series}
The final episode in our X-Men retrospective series is here as the latest X-Men film, X-Men: First Class, is released. With Matthew Vaughn, director of the beloved Kick-Ass comic adaptation, behind the camera and Bryan Singer back on the team as a producer and writer this time, the X-Men boldly go where many franchises have gone before--the origin story reboot. But with a highly publicized rushed production schedule and a group of actors who have received acclaim but never had to carry a franchise film before, can X-Men: First Class continue the origin story reboot success of such films like Star Trek, Casino Royale, and Batman Begins? Listen to our review as Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart review this latest film and find out for yourself!
{X-Men Series}
{Wolverine Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
Hugh Jackman has gone solo in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, a prequel showing Wolverine's life from his boyhood in 19th Century Canada through his memory loss at Three Mile Island. And in place of the X-Men supporting him, Wolverine is now surrounded by such fan favorite mutants as Deadpool, Gambit, and Agent Zero. Do Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob find this trip down Wolverine's memory lane a exciting adventure, or were these memories best left forgotten? Listen to find out!
{X-Men Series}
{Wolverine Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
With Bryan Singer graduating from Mutant High to direct Superman, and taking most of his production crew with him, it fell to Brett Ratner to complete the X-Men trilogy. The war Magneto had foreseen in the first two films erupts when a cure for mutation is introduced. Itis the most bombastic of the X-Men trilogy and very polarizing to X-Fans, but does it Stand up for Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob? Listen to find out!
{X-Men Series}
{Wolverine Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
Professor X, Magneto, and most of the mutants from X-MEN return to the big screen three years after their debut - sporting higher production values, sharper social commentary, an enlarged cast, and answers for amnesiac Wolverine's backstory. Will Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart unite behind director Bryan Singer's grandiose vision, or will the many storylines send them into berserker rage? Listen and find out!
{X-Men Series}
{Wolverine Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
When you think of comic book superhero movies, do you think of concentration camps, human rights, and deep questions, starring both past and future Oscar winning actors? While certainly not the norm in 2000 when it was released, Bryan Singer's X-Men ushered in a new type of superhero film for a new century. With this being the first big-screen live action X-Men adaptation, bringing such comic book legends as Wolverine, Cyclops, Professor X, and Rogue to life and it's success launched not only the X-Men franchise but really set off a renaissance for Marvel Comics superhero films. With 11 years past, does this film hold up? Listen to Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob's review to find out!
{X-Men Series}
{Wolverine Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
Before there was X-Men...there was Generation X! For fans of the X-Men who had grown up watching the cartoon and reading the comics there would be a long wait, until 2000, for the X-Men to grace the silver screen in a big budget epic, but first in 1996 FOX aired the TV movie Generation X, a pilot for a TV series that never happened. Based on X-Men spin-off comic of the same name, Generation X sees a new group of superpowered teen mutants attending Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters, here run by Emma Frost and Banshee, both featured characters in this summer's X-Men First Class! Starring Matt "Max Headroom" Frewer as the evil dream manipulating scientist Russel Tresh, is this inauspicious start for the X-Men something all fans should track down, or is it best forgotten like a bad dream? Listen to find out!
{X-Men Series}
{Wolverine Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
It has been eleven years since Sydney, Gale, Dewey, and Ghostface took Hollywood, but now they are back home in Woodsboro for Scream 4 where our survivors and a new cast of comely high school students are terrorized by a new Ghostface killer while debating the relative merits of horror reboots. With the Millennials picking up where the now older Gen X cast left off, do threatening prank calls work in an era without home phones, and can writer Kevin Williamson and Director Wes Craven continue to parody slasher films effectively in an age of torture porn? Listen to the latest Now Playing as Marjorie, Arnie, and Stuart review this new release, and sum up their thoughts on the entire Scream series!
{Scream Series}
{Wes Craven Series}
When Scream 3 came out, it was intended to be the last installment in the Scream series. While we know now that would prove to not be the case, in 2000 Scream 3 looked to be the conclusion of what original Scream writer Kevin Williamson said was always envisioned as a trilogy. And with film-geek Randy coming back from the grave (via videotape) to give us the rules of the trilogy, we know Ghostface is back. But this time Ghostface has gone Hollywood as he is stalking actors on the set of Stab 3, hoping to lure reclusive Sydney Prescott out of hiding. Is the meta-humor horror combination a winning one? Listen to Arnie, Marjorie, and Stuart to find out, and join us next week as we review the new release Scream 4!
{Scream Series}
{Wes Craven Series}
Ghostface is back stalking Sydney and her friends, this time at Windsor College. In the script, screenwriter Kevin Williamson calls out that "by definition alone, sequels are inferior films". Does that statement hold true for the second installment of the Scream franchise? Listen to find out!
{Scream Series}
{Wes Craven Series}
With Scream 4 coming out, it's time to follow the rules of a Now Playing Retrospective series and rule number 1 is Arnie, Stuart, and Marjorie are looking back at the entire Scream series, arguably the most popular horror franchise of the past 20 years. With Ghostface tormenting teens, including Neve Campbell, Jamie Kennedy, Rose McGowan, and Drew Barrymore, and directed by master of horror Wes Craven, does this film hold up 15 years later? Listen in to find out!
{Scream Series}
{Wes Craven Series}
He has no powers, no girlfriend, no cool outfit, but /Dave Lizewski can still Kick-Ass in the film directed by future X-Men First Class director Matthew Vaughn. With it's balance of humor and violence, and a foul-mouthed, violent 11-year-old Hit Girl courting controversy the film failed to catch on with mainstream audiences. But is this an underrated Kick-Ass film, or are we three for three with our Marvel Misfits retrospective series? Listen to the final episode in this first part of our Marvel Comic Book Movie Retrospective to find out!
{Marvel Misfits Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
{Kick-Ass Series}
Rising from the swamps comes a humanoid creature made of pure plant matter - Marvel's Man-Thing! A cult comic book character, Man-Thing was promoted to Marvel Movie Star in 2005 to capitalize on the popularity of Man-Thing's superhero peers the X-Men and Spider-Man. Premiering on the Sci-Fi channel, this film remains fairly unknown. Is it a treasure found underneath the murkiness of the swamps, or a fetid swamp plant that should be left to decompose? Listen to Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob to find out!
{Marvel Misfits Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
Fresh off the success of Return of the Jedi, blockbuster movie producer George Lucas was thought to have the golden touch and be able to do no wrong, but Lucas has always been one to do the impossible. And in the late summer of 1986, Howard the Duck was laid into by critics and fans alike. Now, for the 25th anniversary of this legendary flop, Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob watch and review the film as the start of their Marvel Comics Movie Retrospective Series! Is the movie as bad as critics said, or like Lucas said, 25 years later is this film looked back upon fondly? Listen to find out!
{Marvel Misfits Series}
{Marvel Series}
{Comic Book Movie Series}
Potential New York senator Matt Damon finds more than paparazzi on his tail when attempts to date ballerina Emily Blunt disrupt the predestined order of the universe, and draw out a cosmic cleaning crew of grumpy old men determined to keep them apart. Can these two love birds prove that THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU has a romantic side? Listen in and find out!
{Philip K. Dick Series}
Nicolas Cage's movie choices can often be unpredictable, even to a psychic deity like Philip K Dick's The Golden Man. Was playing an omniscient mutant on the run a step in the right direction for the extravagant actor, or will his NEXT move bomb with the Now Playing critics? Listen in and find out!
{Philip K. Dick Series}
Keanu, Wynona, and notorious Hollywood bad boys Woody Harrelson and Robert Downey Jr toon in and drop out in this trippily animated adaptation of Philip K Dick's autobiographical novel concerning chemical addiction in near-future Southern California. Does the Now Playing crew find substance to these druggie doodles or is A SCANNER DARKLY one long, bad trip. Listen in and find out!
{Philip K. Dick Series}
Was it all about the PAYCHECK for matinee idol Affleck when he signed on to play a classically conflicted Philip K Dick character piecing together memories of a top secret assignment he completed before having his memory wiped? Or will he learn from past film flubs to forge a better future with director John Woo and botanist babe Uma Thurman? Listen in and find out!
{Philip K. Dick Series}
In 2002, Steven Spielberg and Tom Cruise synced heads to conjure a Philip K Dick vision of the future where a trio of psychics can convict murderers before a life is taken. But will Now Playing's threesome find the results of the powerhouse director/actor partnership a crime of confusion or a sci-fi classic? Listen in and find out!
{Philip K. Dick Series}
{Steven Spielberg Series}
FORREST GUMP's Gary Sinise is a scientist developing a bomb to eradicate alien invaders, who has the tables turned on him when he is accused of being a robotic assassin sent to blow up Earth's warmongering leader. Originally planned as a half hour short but expanded to feature length, can IMPOSTOR fool our Now Playing critics with its newly added storylines or will they cut its ambitions down to size? Listen in and find out!
{Philip K. Dick Series}
In 1995, ROBOCOP star Peter Weller signed up for more cybernetic carnage playing the leader of a space colony overrun by war machines originally designed to protect them from a human enemy. Will fans of Philip K Dick's "Second Variety" scream with delight or howl in pain at this low budget Canadian curiosity? Listen in and find out!
{Philip K. Dick Series}
In 1990, Philip K Dick's "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale" fuelled a rocket to Mars for action star Arnold Schwartzenegger, landing him one of his biggest box office successes and most complicated acting challenges. Is Ahnold the good guy liberating a Martian colony from tyranny, the bad guy sleeper spy, or a crazy man on a head-trip vacation gone very wrong? More importantly, does TOTAL RECALL decide if it's going to be forgettable action schlock or subversively smart sci-fi? Listen in and find out!
{Philip K. Dick Series}
{Total Recall Series}
Harrison Ford took a break from STAR WARS and INDIANA JONES to play cynical bounty hunter Rick Deckard in an expensive adaptation of Philip K Dick's "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?". A flop in 1982, BLADE RUNNER's cult following has grown in the subsequent decades as new edits of the movie offer expanded interpretations of Deckard's real identity. Does Ridley Scott's vision pass the hype test with our hosts, or will they retire it from the list of great sci-fi flicks? Listen and find out!
{Philip K. Dick Series}
{Blade Runner Series}
Over 27 years after an original film that Disney desperately hopes you don't remember all that well, Tron Legacy hits theaters in a big way. A film generating a lot of buzz and interest in a holiday movie season that is largely considered lackluster, hopes for Tron Legacy are high. With state of the art 3-D visuals and playing heavily on Gen X nostalgia, is Tron Legacy the upgrade from the original that Arnie, Jakob, and Brock were hoping for, or does it still fail to compile? Listen in and find out!
{Tron Series}
Another holiday season podcast coming to you, as a thanks from us at Now Playing to you for helping nominate us for a Podcast Award at podcastawards.com
{Black Christmas Series}
A black little package for under your tree this holiday season, as a thanks from us at Now Playing to you for helping nominate us for a Podcast Award at podcastawards.com
{Black Christmas Series}
Light Cycles. Neon Frisbees. Arcade games. These are the iconic and nostalgic images that come to mind when you think of Tron, Disney's "ahead of its time" 1982 cult classic that had Jeff Bridges as a cyberspace messiah almost 20 years before Keanu Reeves as Neo. With the upcoming sequel, Tron Legacy, being released in theaters, Disney is banking on viewer nostalgia, but beyond those images how well do you remember Tron? Disney is intentionally downplaying the original film, so to ensure your memory meets all system requirements for Tron Legacy, boot up this episode of Now Playing with Arnie, Brock, and Jakob! Is Tron an unappreciated classic that audiences should replay or are our hosts just waiting for the game over screen? Listen in and find out!
{Tron Series}
20 Years after Rambo 3 crashed at the box office like a chopper into a tank, John Rambo returned to the big screen. Stallone, still in the afterglow of his acclaimed return as Rocky Balboa, reprised his other classic role of John Rambo, and this time he's going to Burma to give you a war you won't believe. Limbs, and children, are flying in this ultra-violent action event, but is this new Rambo for the 21st Century a return to the series better days, or should we have just left Rambo in Afghanistan in the 80's? Listen to Arnie, Brock, and Jakob to find out!
{Rambo Series}
After Rambo First Blood Part II blew up at the box office like napalm on a waterfall it was inevitable that Stallone would reprise the role for another outing. This time, Rambo heads to war-torn Afghanistan, teaming up with the Afghan rebels to rescue his only friend, Colonial Trautman, and liberating the country from the Russian army in the process. Is this third film as dated as the cold war or more fun than sheep-carcass polo? Listen to this week's Now Playing with Arnie, Jakob, and Brock to find out!
{Rambo Series}
In 1985 Stallone returned to theaters as Rambo. Rambo returned to Vietnam to rescue POWs. And now, Brock, Jakob, and Arnie return to Now Playing to review Rambo: First Blood Part II, and they get to win this time! Continuing our Rambo Retrospective series, we discuss all of Rambo 2, from the slimy government agent who leaves Rambo to die, to Rambo's exploding arrow heads. Was this film a welcome return to familiar territory, or was watching it like being strapped to an electrified bed frame? Listen in to find out!
{Rambo Series}
John Rambo, as embodied by Sylvester Stallone, is arguably one of the biggest cinematic icons of the 1980s. Oscar-nominated for Rocky, Stallone's non-Rocky film career was on the ropes when Stallone signed onto this troubled production adapting David Morell's 1972 novel to film, but with a large explosion this would catapult Stallone to the action A-list and create a character that would not only endure on screen but off as well, with President Ronald Regan as one of Rambo's biggest admirers. Now join Now Playing as we watch and review these films! In our first installment we revisit the original Rambo film, First Blood. Is it the overblown, dumb action film stereotypical of the 80's or is it worthy of its place in cinematic history? Listen to Arnie, Brock, and Jakob's review to find out!
{Rambo Series}
After Paranormal Activity upset Saw as the Horror King of Halloween last year, the makers of the Saw film franchise decided that the seventh installment of Saw would be the last, and to provide a new novelty they also jumped on the 3-D bandwagon. Arnie, Marjorie, and Jakob have reunited to finish their trial of reviewing the Saw films by giving more thought to Saw 3-D than the screenwriters did. Is this last piece in the Jigsaw puzzle satisfying? Listen to find out!
{Saw Series}
After Platinum Dune's Texas Chainsaw Massacre reboot cut deep in the box office, another installment was inevitable, but with Leatherface left one-armed, and scene stealing R Lee Ermey's Sheriff Hoyt squashed like a Texas armadillo, where could the series go next? Platinum Dunes' answer was to make a prequel to their reboot, telling the origin story of the Hewett clan, including witnessing the birth of Leatherface, seeing how Ermey earned his sheriff's badge, and watching as the family dines for the first time on human flesh. Is this new film a tasty morsel to be savored, or just another rancid installment in a wayward horror franchise? Listen to find out!
{Texas Chainsaw Massacre Series}
When the fourth Texas Chainsaw Massacre was released quietly to video, it seemed Leatherface's terrorizing of Texas teens had been terminated. Only Michael Bay and his new production company Platinum Dunes gave Leatherface another look, deciding the time was right for a proper Texas Chainsaw Massacre reboot, bringing us a new Leatherface, a new group of teens, and a twisted new family lead by Full Metal Jacket hard-ass R. Lee Ermey as Sheriff Hoyt. This film launched Platinum Dunes' reputation as horror rehab, a reputation that is less than stellar after their reboots of Friday the 13th and A Nightmare on Elm Street. Was their first attempt their best? Is this Arnie, Stuart, or Brock's favorite of Platinum Dunes' reboots? Listen to find out!
{Texas Chainsaw Massacre Series}
Now Playing has yet another bonus mid-week episode for you: The Social Network, which held the number 1 box office spot for its first two weeks! From David Fincher (Fight Club, Seven) and Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing), this film has an impressive behind-the-scenes pedegree that Arnie, Stuart, and Marjorie all had to see and review.
{David Fincher Series}
For the 20th anniversary of the original Texas Chain Saw Massacre in 1994, Kim Henkel, writer of the 1974 classic, returned to write and direct the franchise's fourth installment. Starring then-unknown actors Renee Zellweger and Matthew McConaughey, this film would be shelved for years before finally being quietly shunted to VHS in 1997. But with the original writer back at the helm, is this Leatherface's return to glory, bringing terror to a new generation of horror fans? Listen to Arnie, Brock, and Stuart's review of Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation to find out!
{Texas Chainsaw Massacre Series}
Leatherface lurked in the corners while contemporary killers Jason and Freddy stole his spotlight, but now New Line Cinema, The House that Freddy Built, has taken Leatherface on to be their next money making slasher series! Trading in Texas locals for a Hollywood cast, including then-unknown Viggo Mortensen and horror icon Ken Foree. With this film allow Leatherface to shine as brightly as his chromed-out custom chainsaw? Listen to find out as Arnie, Brock, and Stuart review Leatherface--The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3!
{Texas Chainsaw Massacre Series}
By 1986 horror was very much in the mainstream. Freddy and Jason were exceptionally profitable franchises, and so it was put on Tobe Hooper to return to Texas and bring back Leatherface and the family for a new generation. With Poltergeist to his credit, Hooper had horror cred, and with Dennis Hopper starring along with Bill Mosely and Jim Siedow returning from the original film, Leatherface seemed poised to take his place among 80’s slasher icons Jason, Freddy, and Michael Myers. But Hooper’s horror-comedy vision added a new twist to the family dynamic, resulting in one of the most original installments in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre series. Were Now Playing hosts Brock, Stuart, and Arnie happy to see Hooper directing Leatherface to once again don the mask and do his chainsaw dance? Listen to find out!
{Texas Chainsaw Massacre Series}
In 1974 Tobe Hooper unleashed into theaters horror unlike any seen before and started the modern slasher genre with the seminal horror film The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Audiences watched in terror as Sally and Franklin Hardesty and their three friends travel through a rural Texas town and pick up a hitchhiker, beginning their terrifying encounter with a crazed, cannibalistic family. It can easily be said that without Leatherface we would not have had Michael Myers, Jason Voorhees, or even Freddy Krueger. Join Now Playing hosts Arnie, Brock, and Stuart as they journey with Sally and Franklin deep into the heart of Texas and review all six Texas Chainsaw Massacre films, starting with the 1974 original. It is classic horror, but does it hold up in the 21st century? Listen to find out!
{Texas Chainsaw Massacre Series}
The Lost Boys 2 was Warner Bros’ highest selling DVD release in 2008, so it should surprise no one that Corey Feldman is again back as Edgar Frog. This time, Edgar, faced with financial problems, must take a job infiltrating a group of vampires who run underground raves, led by head vampire DJ X. With Jamison Newlander also back and touting The Return of the Frog Brothers, does this film restore The Lost Boys to its 80’s glory? Listen to find out!
{Lost Boys Series}
After 20 years and a series of aborted sequels, Lost Boys fans had pretty much given up hope on their favorite vampire saga returning to the big screen. But in 2008 a sequel finally found its way to release–The Lost Boys: The Tribe. Featuring an entirely new set of vampires in a new California town, Chris Emerson has to square off against a tribe of vampires led by Shane to save his little sister from becoming a full vampire. Direct to video sequels are rarely are as good as their theatrical origins, but could this film buck the trend by including Keifer Sutherland’s half-brother as the head vampire, Corey Feldman reprising his gravely Edgar Frog voice, and a cameo from horror master Tom Savini? Listen to find out!
{Lost Boys Series}
Before he was Jack Bauer, Kiefer Sutherland was David, the charismatic leader of a rebellious vampire tribe in Santa Carla, California in the first Lost Boys movie. When single mother Lucy Emerson moves to Santa Carla with her two sons, Michael and Sam, David’s star-crossed romance puts him squarely in David’s sights. Directed by St. Elmo’s Fire’s Joel Schumacher, The Lost Boys quickly became a cult classic for its gore, its humor, and its sexy portrayal of vampires. But does it hold up over twenty years later? Listen to find out!
{Lost Boys Series}
Scott Pilgrim jumps out of the comic books and onto the movie screens in Scott Pilgrim vs the World, an imaginative and fast-paced movie directed by Edgar Wright. Does this adaptation work as a movie, or does it make you wish for a game over screen? Listen in and find out!
{Edgar Wright Series}
When the X-Files series ended, Mulder was on the run, Scully quit the FBI, and aliens were still planning to take over the Earth. Fans were left in suspense, but after a long period in development hell, the X-Files returned to the big screen in 2008 to provide fans with the answers to some of those questions. Eschewing the show’s dense mythology and instead focusing on a brand new one-off adventure involving a psychic pedophile priest and organ transplants. Did a one-off X-File make for a more satisfying summer film than the last, and did it make believers of our Now Playing hosts? Listen to find out!
{X-Files Movie Series}
Federal buildings being bombed, FEMA plotting to overthrow the government, and extra-terrestrials plotting with The Syndicate to turn the human race into drone slaves. In the 90’s, this dense mystery made up the heart of The X-Files television show, where agents Mulder and Scully investigated paranormal activities and uncovered a plot by aliens to take over the earth. With a hardcore audience of fans, in 1998 The X-Files took the leap to the big screen, hoping to appease old fans and bring in new ones. Does this work as a stand-alone film, and does raising the stakes to the big screen pay off for fans? Listen to find out!
{X-Files Movie Series}
Bursting onto the scene with Memento, Christopher Nolan has become one of the most watched genre director, breaking the box office with The Dark Knight as well as warping minds with The Prestige, so when one of this summer’s biggest and most mysterious films of the summer is written and directed by Nolan, we at Now Playing take notice. With a dense plot concerning a malleable dream world, the film could be a revelation or an incomprehensible mess. The Now Playing crew went opening day to tell you if this is the film of your dreams or a total nightmare!
{Nolan Series}
It’s been 20 years since they’ve had their own film, but thanks to Robert Rodriguez the Predators are back on the big screen! Producer Rodriguez and director Nimrod Antal are taking the alien hunter back to his jungle roots, and with the Predators going up against Adrien Brody, Laurence Fishburne, and Danny Trejo it’s bound to excite both sci-fi and action fans. But this time are the Predators right on target, or have they again missed their mark? Listen as Arnie, Stuart, and Brock review this final film in the Now Playing Predator Retrospective Series!
{Predator Series}
Paul W.S. Anderson’s match-up between Aliens and Predators may have left many fans of both franchises out in the cold, but the box office tallies made a rematch inevitable–thus 20th Century Fox gives us Aliens vs Predator: Requiem. Attempting to right past wrongs, the studio made this film with a “hard R” rating, including an unrated cut on DVD, and gave the directing reins to the special effects duo, the Brothers Strause. Was the battle so much sweeter the second time around? Listen to Stuart, Arnie, and Brock to find out!
{Predator Series}
{Alien Series}
When Freddy and Jason’s team-up killed at the box office, it didn’t take long for 20th Century Fox to green-light another long-anticipated cinematic crossover–Alien vs. Predator. Having already fought on the pages of comic books and in video games, these two classic extra terrestrials took their battle to the big screen, continuing an ancient Predator coming-of-age ritual in Antarctica, with a group of humans, including Charles Bishop Weyland played by Lance Henriksen, in the middle. Was this another dream team-up for fans of both franchises, or a monster mash-up gone horribly awry? Listen to Arnie, Brock, and Stuart’s review to find out!
{Predator Series}
{Alien Series}
Remember 1997 when the Jamaican gangs were terrorizing Los Angeles and everyone was carrying guns in the 105 degree heat? Well you can relive those days along with Arnie, Stuart, and Brock as they review the period piece–Predator 2! In that summer of 1997 a Predator came to Los Angeles on a hunt for the toughest in Los Angeles, and it only makes sense that he would pick Danny Glover as the alpha male for him to best. With an all-star cast including Bill Paxton and Gary Busey, Predator 2 is not a film to be missed! Or is it…? Listen to Now Playing to find out!
{Predator Series}
An invisible alien Predator hunts a team of super-commandos in a Central American jungle, and it must be some hunter to take on Carl Weathers, Bill Duke, Richard Chaves, Jesse Ventura, and Arnold Schwarzenegger! This film introduced a new sci-fi staple into our cultural lexicon, a creature that has gone on to appear in tons of comic books, video games, and a crossover movie franchise, but was this original entry worthy of such a legacy? Listen to find out!
{Predator Series}
Over 25 years after Danielsan first craned kicked his way into movie history comes this remake of The Karate Kid, starring Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan. Shot on location in China and featuring Kung Fu instead of Karate, this reboot of the franchise hopes to pack the same punch with a new generation of moviegoers. Does this retelling of the story for modern audiences have the same heart that makes the original the classic it is today, or is this just another Hollywood remake that misses the point? Listen in and find out!
{Karate Kid Series}
Arnie interviews Heather Langenkamp about the Nightmare on Elm Street documentary Never Sleep Again! And as a bonus, we have a never-before released interview with Robert Englund!
{Nightmare on Elm St Series}
In 1994 The Karate Kid tried to be the comeback kid in this soft rebooting of the series. Gone is the aging protagonist played by Ralph Macchio, and he has been replaced by future Academy Award winning actress Hillary Swank in her first starring role. And back is Mr. Miyagi with his wisdom and unlikely training methods. This film failed to catch on in theaters, but with a new reboot of The Karate Kid coming out next week was The Next Karate Kid an unappreciated classic? Listen in and find out!
{Karate Kid Series}
Three years after the release of The Karate Kid Part II, Daniel LaRusso and Mr. Miyagi were back in California, and in theaters with the aptly named The Karate Kid Part III. Now Daniel must defend his Karate title against “Karate’s Bad Boy” Mike Barnes, and when Mr. Miyagi refuses to help him train Daniel turns to toxic waste dumper Terry Silver for help. With a subplot involving Mr. Miyagi’s Little Trees, this film has been generally panned by critics. But is this movie as bad as everyone remembers? Listen in and find out!
{Karate Kid Series}
In 1984 The Karate Kid crane-kicked the box office, and it didn’t take Mr. Miyagi to realize a sequel would be fast-tracked. Released in the summer of 1986, The Karate Kid Part II took Daniel LaRusso from California to Okinawa. Mr. Miyagi faces his former rival Sato and Peter Cetera delivers a theme song that still monopolizes light-rock radio the world over. The sequel grossed even more than the original, but does that make The Karate Kid Part II the better film? Listen in and find out!
{Karate Kid Series}
It’s the underground horror hit of the year–The Human Centipede. Playing only at midnight showings in select theaters as well as On Demand, this film’s content promises to be one of the raunchiest horror films ever. With the tagline “100% Medically Accurate” you know you’re in for something more than your standard slasher, but how extreme is this film and, more to the point, is it any good? Stuart, Arnie, and Marjorie have watched this film and review every gross detail in this podcast.
{Human Centipede Series}
Did you want to take Karate lessons in 1984? If so, you weren’t alone! When The Karate Kid first came out in it was a smash hit, earning an Oscar nomination for Pat Morita and entering “Wax on, Wax off” into the cultural lexicon of movie phrases. Now, with this classic story being reinterpreted for modern audiences with this summer’s remake starring Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith, we at Now Playing will “wax on” with our Karate Kid retrospective series. Is this first installment worth the legacy? Listen in and find out!
{Karate Kid Series}
Nine, Ten, Freddy’s back in theaters again–and Now Playing is back also with the ultimate review in our Nightmare on Elm Street retrospective series as we review the brand new Nightmare on Elm Street movie. Gone are Robert Englund and Wes Craven, replaced by Jackie Earl Haley and Samuel Bayer, bringing a new, darker Freddy to a new generation of horror lovers. Join Stuart, Arnie, and Brock as they review this film, giving a review from the point of view of a horror fan, a Freddy fan, and a newbie to horror films. We compare the new Nightmare on Elm Street to the original, and wrap up our entire Nightmare on Elm Street reflecting on the series as a whole, Freddy’s place in the pantheon of horror icons, and comparing how the new Nightmare reboot compares to other recent horror reboots. Does Jackie Earl Haley give audiences the dangerous, evil Freddy they’d always dreamed of? Listen to find out!
{Nightmare on Elm St Series}
Having already fallen for the strong silent type during last year’s Friday The 13th retrospective, Now Playing switches teams for the guy with a good sense of humor in this totally new review of Freddy vs Jason. Is this crossover cage match a fitting farewell to Robert England’s Krueger, or are fans of the Nightmare on Elm Street series the real losers in this showdown of the slasher movie icons? Listen in and find out!
{Nightmare on Elm St Series}
{Friday the 13th Series}
1, 2, Freddy’s coming for you! The reboot of A Nightmare on Elm Street hits theaters April. You can start getting ready now with the hosts of Now Playing as we revisit and review all the films in the Nightmare on Elm Street series. A decade after A Nightmare On Elm Street, Freddy was living the dream – he had the souls, the stardom, the house and kids, and most importantly the reputation as one of cinema’s most celebrated killers. But what Kruegar really wants to do is direct! So now The Evil Formerly Known As Freddy (TEFKAF) steps out of the movies to meet his makers. Is Craven’s post-modern reinvention an inspired new direction for the series, or a trail of breadcrumbs leading nowhere? Listen and find out!
{Nightmare on Elm St Series}
After audiences threw the baby out with the bad slaughter in their mass rejection of Dream Child, New Line knew the days of turning Freddy into Benjamins was drawing short. The sixth entry in the Nightmare on Elm Street series pulls out all the stops – 3-D special effects, star cameos, and a fully revealed origin story…but is the Final Nightmare a fitting finale or a flaccid funeral? Listen to find out!
{Nightmare on Elm St Series}
Reigning Dream Master Alice knocked out Kruger the last time, only to find herself knocked up with an unborn son whose prenatal naps mean preternatural nightmares for the teenage baby mama and her graduating Springwood friends. Does this latest chapter deliver a Super Freddy movie or become an unworthy heir to the ongoing Nightmare On Elm Street series? Listen to find out!
{Nightmare on Elm St Series}
In 1987 Freddy was the Box Office Master by scaring up more money than he ever had before, and so in 1988, rushed into production despite such obstacles as a writer’s strike, Freddy was back again to face a new crop of Springwood teens. Freddy had a new funny, action-oriented feel, and it became Freddy’s top-grossing solo film, but does box office reflect quality? Listen to find out!
{Nightmare on Elm St Series}
Freddy is back and bigger than ever! (literally. He is taller than a four-story building) And also back are John Saxon and Heather Langenkamp from the first Nightmare on Elm Street movie, and they are set for an epic showdown with the dream stalker. Is this the horror film of your dreams or just another sloppy sequel? In the name of Lowrek, Prince of Elves, listen and find out!
{Nightmare on Elm St Series}
1, 2, Freddy’s coming for you! The reboot of A Nightmare on Elm Street hits theaters April. You can start getting ready now with the hosts of Now Playing as we revisit and review all the films in the Nightmare on Elm Street series. A Nightmare on Elm Street burned up theaters in 1984, so New Line was quick to respond to audience demand with Freddy�s Revenge. Now Freddy uses the body of new Elm Street resident Jesse to find all new victims! But is this movie hot, hot, hot or just another cold shower with coach? Listen to find out!
{Nightmare on Elm St Series}
1, 2, Freddy’s coming for you! The reboot of A Nightmare on Elm Street hits theaters April. You can start getting ready now with the hosts of Now Playing as we revisit and review all the films in the Nightmare on Elm Street series. In this first episode, we see Johnny Depp’s big screen debut as Freddy Kruger haunts four teens in this seminal horror classic. Listen now, and whatever you do…don’t fall asleep!
{Nightmare on Elm St Series}
Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio are back (as is Leo’s Bah-stan accent) in this noir thriller about an island that serves as a residence for the criminally insane. Scorsese’s most commercial feature since Cape Fear, listen as Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob tell you if this is a movie you’d be crazy to miss!
{Martin Scorsese / Leonardo DiCaprio Series}
Jack Nicholson. Alec Baldwin. Martin Sheen. Matt Damon. Leonardo DiCaprio. It’s an all-star cast, but how well can these movie icons fake a Bah-stan accent? We get to find out in The Departed, Martin Scorsese’s first organized crime film since Goodfellas. This is the film that finally won Scorsese his Oscar, but does the film deserve it or was Scorsese just given a de facto ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’? Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart have watched the film, so listen and find out!
{Martin Scorsese / Leonardo DiCaprio Series}
Howard Hughes–director, engineer, nut-job, AVIATOR. Martin Scorsese re-teamed with Leonardo DiCaprio for their second film, a biopic about eccentric millionaire Howard Hughes and the result is a stylistic, three hour opus. Is this film the Spruce Goose of Oscar Bait, or can it take flight? Listen to Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob’s review to find out!
{Martin Scorsese / Leonardo DiCaprio Series}
Only a year after the events of 9/11 Martin Scorsese released a film about the people who built New York–Gangs of New York. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Daniel Day-Lewis, this film had Oscar Bait written all over it, and with Cameron Diaz thrown in audience turnout was assured as well. But how well does the movie work, and does it help Leo recover from his post-Titanic career haze? Listen to find out!
{Martin Scorsese / Leonardo DiCaprio Series}
Now Playing is taking a trip Back to the Future! Join us as Brock, Stuart and Arnie take a look back and discuss all three films in this beloved time-travelling comedy adventure series. We conclude our series with Back to the Future Part III, released in 1990, where Marty travels to the Old West to save Doc Brown from Mad Dog Tannen’s bullet in his back. Does this series end with a hootenanny, or does this movie have us wanting to stick our heads in a water trough? Listen in and find out!
{Back to the Future Series}
Now Playing is taking a trip Back to the Future! Join us as Brock, Stuart and Arnie take a look back and discuss all three films in this beloved time-travelling comedy adventure series. We continue our series with the first sequel Back to the Future Part II, released in 1989, where Marty and Doc travel to the future, the past, and then further in the past, all to prevent Biff from using the time machine for his own gain. Does this sequel have 1.21 gigawatts of goodness, or does this movie leave us wanting less? Listen in and find out!
{Back to the Future Series}
Now Playing is taking a trip Back to the Future! Join us as Brock, Stuart and Arnie take a look back and discuss all three films in this beloved time-travelling comedy adventure series. We start our retrospective series with the modern-day classic Back to the Future. Has the original movie stood the test of time, or have Marty and Doc outstayed their welcome in pop culture history? Listen in and find out!
{Back to the Future Series}
2 years after his last theatrical release, “King of the world” James Cameron is back and once again astounding audiences with bleeding edge special effects in his new epic Avatar, boasting some of the best 3-D filmmaking ever. Does the movie live up to the hype? Is the story worthy of the technology? Arnie, Marjorie, and Stuart critique this film, so listen to find out!
{Avatar Series}
Jigsaw’s work is almost complete, but from beyond the grave he must attack some of the nation’s biggest problems: predatory mortgage lenders and insurance adjusters. Republicans and Democrats agree that Jigsaw’s “public option” is a little too extreme, but do viewers? Listen to find out.
{Saw Series}
There is a new Jigsaw, and worse he’s being hailed as a hero by the police of Generic City. But FBI Agent Strahm is hot on his trail. Will Strahm succeed where Danny Glover failed? Meanwhile, the team building experience from hell for a group of people involved in urban development. Listen to find out what it all means on the latest episode of our Saw movie retrospective series!
{Saw Series}
At the end of Saw 3 Jigsaw was killed, so why is Donnie Whalburg the New Kid on the Ice Block with a noose around his neck, and will Officer Rigg learn Jigsaw’s lesson in time to save him? More importantly, is it worth the viewer’s time to see a Saw film without John Kramer as the killer? Listen to find out!
{Saw Series}
Jigsaw John Kramer is dying of a brain tumor, and it’s up to Dr. Lynn Denlon to keep him alive while they watch Jigsaw’s latest victim Jeff go through a series of tests. Why would Lynn help Jigsaw? Well if Jigsaw’s heart stops the bomb strapped to Lynn’s head will explode. It’s the most intricate Saw movie yet, and we review it on Now Playing!
{Saw Series}
With the surprise success of the original Saw, a sequel was inevitable. However who would have guessed it would come out only one year later, or that they would continue being released one-per-year for so long? In this episode, the hosts of Now Playing learn more about “Jigsaw” John Kramer and the vengeance he exacts upon a New Kid on the Block.
{Saw Series}
When Saw came out in 2004 no one expected it to rapidly become the premiere horror franchise of the 21st century, but since then Saw has laid claim to the Halloween holiday, with each year seeing the release of a new installment in this horror series. It all started with Carey Elwes and Leigh Wannell waking up in a dirty bathroom, chained at the leg, and one is told to kill the other. With Danny Glover, Monica Potter, Michael Emerson, and Shawnee Smith rounding out the cast, does this movie deserve to be the modern day epitome of the horror film? Listen to Now Playing to find out!
{Saw Series}
With the release of the latest movie in the Halloween franchise, Rob Zombie’s Halloween II, the hosts of Now Playing look into Michael Myers’ family scrapbook, watching and reviewing all ten Halloween movies. Knights in White Satin, Sherri Moon Zombie in a white dress, and a white horse all populate Rob Zombie’s stylistic but thematically confused sequel to his 2007 remake of Halloween. If, as Loomis says, ‘Bad taste is the petrol that fuels the American dream’ then this movie is a dream come true. Listen to the hosts of Now Playing as we conclude our Halloween retrospective series and find out if a sequel of a remake really can hold a candle to the original.
{Halloween Series}
{Rob Zombie Series}
With the release of the latest movie in the Halloween franchise, Rob Zombie’s Halloween II, the hosts of Now Playing look into Michael Myers’ family scrapbook, watching and reviewing all ten Halloween movies. After a series of sequels with widely varying quality, Michael Myers follows Leatherface to have an extreme makeover for the 21st Century audience. Directed by Rob Zombie this film is a hybrid of Zombie’s aesthetic previously seen on screens in House of 1000 Corpses and Devil’s Rejects, and John Carpenter’s original vision. It’s part prequel, part remake, and all Rob Zombie, with Malcom McDowell taking on the role of Loomis. But does the remake work, or should Busta Rhymes have returned and the old story continued? Listen to find out!
{Halloween Series}
{Rob Zombie Series}
With the release of the latest movie in the Halloween franchise, Rob Zombie’s Halloween II, the hosts of Now Playing look into Michael Myers’ family scrapbook, watching and reviewing all ten Halloween movies. Ever wonder what happens if you put Busta Rhymes, Karate, The Blair Witch Project, Big Brother, American Pie, and Michael Myers all in a blender? Well, this is it! It’s Halloween: Resurrection and despite having his head chopped off in the last movie, Michael Myers is back to eat more rats (with Fennel!) and kill more people. Is this hip reimaging just what the series was calling for? Listen to find out!
{Halloween Series}
With the release of the latest movie in the Halloween franchise, Rob Zombie’s Halloween II, the hosts of Now Playing look into Michael Myers’ family scrapbook, watching and reviewing all ten Halloween movies. Jamie Lee Curtis is back as Laurie Strode, 20 years after the first Halloween, but Michael Myers is back too. Produced and influenced by Kevin Williamson, will this movie make you Scream? Listen to find out!
{Halloween Series}
With the release of the latest movie in the Halloween franchise, Rob Zombie’s Halloween II, the hosts of Now Playing look into Michael Myers’ family scrapbook, watching and reviewing all ten Halloween movies. Michael Myers is back in black…or at least with the man in black from the last Halloween movie, and we learn that Michael is cursed by a thorn and controlled by druids…oh I give up, listen to this podcast to find out if the Now Playing hosts can make sense of this movie, or the Producer’s Cut alternate release.
{Halloween Series}
With the release of the latest movie in the Halloween franchise, Rob Zombie’s Halloween II, the hosts of Now Playing look into Michael Myers’ family scrapbook, watching and reviewing all ten Halloween movies. Michael Myers is back and out for revenge in the fifth installment of the Halloween franchise, but what happened to his niece, and who is the strange mysterious man in the dark trench coat? Or the old woman at the barn party? We don’t know, but listen anyway as we review Halloween 5!
{Halloween Series}
With the release of the latest movie in the Halloween franchise, Rob Zombie’s Halloween II, the hosts of Now Playing look into Michael Myers’ family scrapbook, watching and reviewing all ten Halloween movies. After the debacle that was a Halloween movie without serial killer Michael Myers, the makers of this new installment want to be sure the Shatner-masked icon is front and center both in this movie and in its title. But does the return of The Shape also mean the return to the quality levels found in the first Halloween movies? Listen to find out!
{Halloween Series}
With the release of the latest movie in the Halloween franchise, Rob Zombie’s Halloween II, the hosts of Now Playing look into Michael Myers’ family scrapbook, watching and reviewing all ten Halloween movies. Join us this week as we count down the days till Halloween (Silver Shamrock!), and discuss the entry in this film franchise that doesn’t include Michael Myers, Dr. Loomis, or anything else that made the series successful in the first place.
{Halloween Series}
{John Carpenter Films}
With the release of the latest movie in the Halloween franchise, Rob Zombie’s Halloween II, the hosts of Now Playing look into Michael Myers’ family scrapbook, watching and reviewing all ten Halloween movies. Join us this week as we meet The Shape and his infamous Captain Kirk mask, and discuss the movie that frightened a generation, sparked a new genre of slasher film, and made John Carpenter one of the masters of horror.
{Halloween Series}
{John Carpenter Films}
With the release of the latest movie in the Halloween franchise, Rob Zombie’s Halloween II, the hosts of Now Playing look into Michael Myers’ family scrapbook, watching and reviewing all ten Halloween movies. Join us this week as we meet The Shape and his infamous Captain Kirk mask, and discuss the movie that frightened a generation, sparked a new genre of slasher film, and made John Carpenter one of the masters of horror.
{Halloween Series}
{John Carpenter Series}
In anticipation of Rob Zombie’s upcoming movie Halloween II, the hosts of Now Playing look back Rob Zombie’s initial foray into horror with the films House of 1000 Corpses and its sequel The Devil’s Rejects. Join us as we go into the home of the Firefly family and follow them on the run. We conclude with Zombie’s second film, The Devil’s Rejects. Does the Firefly family leave us on a high note? Listen to find out!
{Rob Zombie Series}
{Firefly Series}
In anticipation of Rob Zombie’s upcoming movie Halloween II, the hosts of Now Playing look back Rob Zombie’s initial foray into horror with the films House of 1000 Corpses and its sequel The Devil’s Rejects. Join us as we go into the home of the Firefly family and follow the on the run. We start with Zombie’s first film, House of 1,000 Corpses. Where do they fit all those bodies? Listen to find out!
{Rob Zombie Series}
{Firefly Series}
Welcome to the Now Playing Terminator retrospective series, where we will be looking back at all the films in the Terminator franchise. Today we finish our series watching Terminator Salvation. We have a new director, a new star, and a new, conflicted Terminator model. Is this movie the series’ salvation, or should this series now be terminated? Listen to find out!
{Terminator Series}
Welcome to the Now Playing Terminator retrospective series, where we continue looking back at all the films in the Terminator franchise. Twelve years after Terminator 2 dominated box offices, Arnold is back as the T-101, this time fighting a female Terminatrix to save a grown up John Connor and his future wife from termination. With the threat of nuclear war looming in the background, can John Connor save the world from Judgment Day? And more importantly, is it entertaining watching him try? Listen to find out as we rate this third film and prepare for the release of Terminator: Salvation
{Terminator Series}
Welcome to the Now Playing Terminator retrospective series, where we are looking back at all the films in the Terminator franchise. This time we look at the biggest movie of 1991, and the film that changed special effects forever–Terminator 2: Judgment Day. With the liquid silver T-1000 up against Arnold’s T-101, which is now defending John Connor, can this movie surpass the original? And if so, does it set a bar so high no sequel can ever live up? Listen to find out as we discuss this seminal film, and also the Universal Studios show inspired by the movie.
{Terminator Series}
Welcome to the Now Playing Terminator retrospective series, where we will be looking back at all the films in the Terminator franchise. Today we start off with the original Terminator, released in 1984. With a blend of sci-fi, action, and horror this movie gripped audiences and made a star of Arnold Schwarzenegger. Does it live up to the reputation? Listen to find out!
{Terminator Series}
Welcome to Now Playing’s Star Trek Retrospective Series! We are reviewing every movie in the Star Trek movie series in anticipation of the new Star Trek movie being released on Friday, May 8th, 2009. In the final installment of our Star Trek Retrospective series we finally view the reboot of the Trek series. How faithful is it to the original, how do the new actors measure up against the old, and most importantly, is it fun to watch? Listen and find out!
{Star Trek Series}
Welcome to Now Playing’s Star Trek Retrospective Series! We are reviewing every movie in the Star Trek movie series in anticipation of the new Star Trek movie being released on Friday, May 8th, 2009. This episode we discuss Star Trek Nemesis, released in 2002. Does this final journey for the Next Generation boldly go where no other Trek film has gone, or have we seen all of this B-4? Listen in and find out!
{Star Trek Series}
Welcome to Now Playing’s Star Trek Retrospective Series! We are reviewing every movie in the Star Trek movie series in anticipation of the new Star Trek movie being released on Friday, May 8th, 2009. This episode we discuss Star Trek Insurrection, released in 1998. Does this Fountain of Youth rebellion story provide a fresh perspective for this series that we can get behind or do we feel this movie still needs a few more nips and tucks? Listen in and find out!
{Star Trek Series}
Welcome to Now Playing’s Star Trek Retrospective Series! We are reviewing every movie in the Star Trek movie series in anticipation of the new Star Trek movie being released on Friday, May 8th, 2009. This episode we discuss Star Trek First Contact, released in 1996. Is resisting this time-travelling Borg adventure futile, or does the plot create a temporal disturbance in our heads? Listen in and find out!
{Star Trek Series}
Welcome to Now Playing’s Star Trek Retrospective Series! Where we are reviewing every movie in the Star Trek movie series in anticipation of the new Star Trek movie being released on Friday, May 8th, 2009. This episode we discuss Star Trek Generations, released in 1994. Is this team-up of the Enterprise Captains the fanboys dream of heavenly bliss, or does the meeting of the Generations ultimately leave us empty inside? Listen in and find out!
{Star Trek Series}
Welcome to Now Playing’s Star Trek Retrospective Series! We are reviewing every movie in the Star Trek movie series in anticipation of the new Star Trek movie being released on Friday, May 8th, 2009. This episode we discuss Star Trek VI–The Undiscovered Country, released in 1991. Does this last Trek movie featuring the original cast leave us wanting more or is it a trial to get through? Listen in and find out!
{Star Trek Series}
Welcome to Now Playing’s Star Trek Retrospective Series! We are reviewing every movie in the Star Trek movie series in anticipation of the new Star Trek movie being released on Friday, May 8th, 2009. This episode we discuss Star Trek V–The Final Frontier, released in 1989. Does this entry into the series bless us with a divine experience, or is it unable to see the DeForest from the trees? Listen in and find out!
{Star Trek Series}
Welcome to Now Playing’s Star Trek Retrospective Series! We are reviewing every movie in the Star Trek movie series in anticipation of the new Star Trek movie being released on Friday, May 8th, 2009. This episode we discuss Star Trek IV–The Voyage Home, released in 1986. Has this time-travelling Trek aged well, or does this whale tale sink like a diving nuclear vessel? Listen in and find out!
{Star Trek Series}
Welcome to Now Playing’s Star Trek Retrospective Series! We are reviewing every movie in the Star Trek movie series in anticipation of the new Star Trek movie being released on Friday, May 8th, 2009. This episode we are discussing Star Trek III–The Search For Spock, released in 1984. Is this quest for everyone’s favorite Vulcan worth the trip, or do we feel we were better off without this journey to retrieve the pointy-eared one? Listen in and find out!
{Star Trek Series}
Welcome to Now Playing’s Star Trek Retrospective Series! We are reviewing every movie in the Star Trek movie series in anticipation of the new Star Trek movie being released on Friday, May 8th, 2009. This episode we review Star Trek II–The Wrath of Khan, released in 1982. Do we feel this sequel generates life into this lifeless series, or does this episode leave us as cold as space? Listen in and find out!
{Star Trek Series}
Welcome to Now Playing's Star Trek Retrospective Series. We are reviewing every movie in the Star Trek movie series in anticipation of the new Star Trek movie being released on Friday, May 8th, 2009. We kick off our series discussing Star Trek--The Motion Picture, released in 1979. Was the first movie adventure of the crew of the Starship Enterprise worth the wait, or was the gang better off staying in reruns? Listen in and find out!
{Star Trek Series}
Welcome to Now Playing's Friday the 13th retrospective, where we are reviewing every movie in the Friday the 13th series in anticipation of the new Friday the 13th movie being released on Friday, February 13th, 2009. This episode we discuss the franchise as a whole, share some more thoughts on the 2009 remake, talk about what is next for Now Playing's retrospective series and more.
{Friday the 13th Series}
Welcome to Now Playing's Friday the 13th retrospective, where we are reviewing every movie in the Friday the 13th series in anticipation of the new Friday the 13th movie being released on Friday, February 13th, 2009. This is it! This episode we review the 2009 remake of Friday the 13th! Is this franchise reboot all that we hoped it would be, or do we feel the hockey mask should have stayed in moth balls? Listen in and find out!
{Friday the 13th Series}
Welcome to Now Playing's Friday the 13th retrospective, where we are reviewing every movie in the Friday the 13th series in anticipation of the new Friday the 13th movie being released on Friday, February 13th, 2009. This episode we are discussing Freddy vs. Jason, released in 2003. Is this the dream pairing of these two horror heavyweights fans were waiting for, or is this movie a nightmare from start to finish? Listen and find out!
{Friday the 13th Series}
{Nightmare on Elm St Series}
Welcome to Now Playing's Friday the 13th retrospective, where we are reviewing every movie in the Friday the 13th series in anticipation of the new Friday the 13th movie being released on Friday, February 13th, 2009. This episode we talk about Jason X, released in 2002. Is Jason's bold space adventure in the future regenerate life into the series, or do we feel Jason was better when he was more down to Earth? Listen and find out!
{Friday the 13th Series}
Welcome to Now Playing's Friday the 13th retrospective, where we are reviewing every movie in the Friday the 13th series in anticipation of the new Friday the 13th movie being released on Friday, February 13th, 2009. This episode we are discussing Jason Goes to Hell -- The Final Friday, released in 1993. Listen in to see if we are impressed and possessed by Jason's evil or if we felt like we were in hell the whole time we were watching it.
{Friday the 13th Series}
Welcome to Now Playing's Friday the 13th retrospective, where we are reviewing every movie in the Friday the 13th series in anticipation of the new Friday the 13th movie being released on Friday, February 13th, 2009. This episode we review Friday the 13th Part VIII-Jason Takes Manhattan. Does this series benefit by relocating to The City That Doesn't Sleep, or does Jason in the Big Apple just bite? Listen and find out!
{Friday the 13th Series}
Welcome to Now Playing's Friday the 13th retrospective, where we are reviewing every movie in the Friday the 13th series in anticipation of the new Friday the 13th movie being released on Friday, February 13th, 2009. This episode we are talking about Friday the 13th Part VII-The New Blood, released in 1988. Do we think this new blood infuses some life into this series, or does it make us think watching Weekend at Bernie's 2 would have been a better option? Listen and find out.
{Friday the 13th Series}
Welcome to Now Playing's Friday the 13th retrospective, where we are reviewing every movie in the Friday the 13th series in anticipation of the new Friday the 13th movie being released on Friday, February 13th, 2009. This episode we discuss Friday the 13th Part VI - Jason Lives, which marks the return of Jason Vorhees to the series. Listen in to see if we have a 'Welcome Back' ready for the man behind the mask.
{Friday the 13th Series}
Welcome to Now Playing's Friday the 13th retrospective, where we are reviewing every movie in the Friday the 13th series in anticipation of the new Friday the 13th movie being released on Friday, February 13th, 2009. This episode we review and discuss Friday the 13th Part V - A New Beginning, released in 1985. Listen to see if we think this new beginning is worthwhile, or if we feel they should have left the hockey mask alone.
{Friday the 13th Series}
Welcome to Now Playing's Friday the 13th retrospective, where we are reviewing every movie in the Friday the 13th series in anticipation of the new Friday the 13th movie being released on Friday, February 13th, 2009. This episode we review Friday the 13th -- The Final Chapter. Listen to find out our thoughts on this entry in the series, and if we think they should have actually stopped here.
{Friday the 13th Series}
Welcome to Now Playing's Friday the 13th retrospective, where we are reviewing every movie in the Friday the 13th series in anticipation of the new Friday the 13th movie being released on Friday, February 13th, 2009. Our look back continues with Friday the 13th Part III, released in 1982, and originally released in 3-D! Listen in to our discussion and hear what we think of this eye-popping entry into the series.
{Friday the 13th Series}
Welcome to Now Playing's Friday the 13th retrospective, where we are reviewing every movie in the Friday the 13th series in anticipation of the new Friday the 13th movie being released on Friday, February 13th, 2009. We continue our series by discussing Friday the 13th Part II, released in 1981, where Jason makes his first appearance as the killer at Camp Crystal Lake.
{Friday the 13th Series}
Welcome to Now Playing's Friday the 13th retrospective, where we are reviewing every movie in the Friday the 13th series in anticipation of the new Friday the 13th movie being released on Friday, February 13th, 2009. We get things started with today's inaugural episode, as the Now Playing staff is discussing the original Friday the 13th, released in 1980.
{Friday the 13th Series}
Our TOPPODCAST Picks 
