Popcorn Culture

"The Multiverse is a concept about which we know frighteningly little", warned Doctor Strange not too long ago. Now, the former Sorcerer Supreme has to traverse different realities to protect a teenager named America Chavez from an unhinged albeit familiar sort of evil. In this episode, we review the highly anticipated 28th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and discuss if it lives up to all th...

In Marvel Studios' sixth TV series, Oscar Isaac stars as both Marc Spector and Steven Grant, two identities of a man with DID (dissociative identity disorder). He also moonlights as a violent vigilante in service of an ancient Egyptian god. Their world starts to unravel with the emergence of Arthur Harrow (Ethan Hawke), a ruthless fanatic who plans to unleash a powerful deity and rid the world of...

Costumes are often greatly overlooked when it comes to movies or TV shows, but can often make or break a story. Think of The Hunger Games' lavish outfits, Mad Men's dapper dressing, or the Bohemian fineries of Moulin Rouge, and how they transport us to a different time or even world. We dedicate this week's Supercut to costume design, and talk about our favourite onscreen fashions.   &nb...

Following the runaway success of this Regency-era drama's first season, our second visit to the ton turns out to be quite different indeed. The show introduces yet another entangled romance, with a host of new characters, particularly Kate Sharma and her sister Edwina, who arrive just in time for the new debutante season. Starring Simone Ashley, Jonathan Bailey, and familiar faces from the last ou...

The first of the Hunger Games movies turns 10 this year, which might be difficult to fathom given the huge pop cultural footprint they’ve left behind. Taking the teen post-apocalyptic dystopia genre and turning it into a genuine critical and commercial hit, The Hunger Games not only shaped a whole new subgenre of films, but also made a bona fide global star of Jennifer Lawrence. We revisit the mov...

Glasses. Unkempt hair. Lightning scar. Few characters are more instantly recognizable than the boy who lived. On this Supercut, we're putting on our Sorting Hats and geeking out about it all - Harry Potter, Fantastic Beasts, and the Wizarding World in all its glory! We also discuss favourite characters, favourite movies, J.K. Rowling's Malfoy-esque tweets, Patronus Charms and Harry Potter's enduri...

We return to the Wizarding World in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, the third installment in the Harry Potter prequel saga. Directed by David Yates, the series continues on the adventures of Newt Scamander and his role in the rivalry between Albus Dumbledore and the dark wizard Grindelwald. We review the film and discuss if it's better than The Crimes Of Grindelwald, the treatment of...

Taking shape in the 1980s, action comedies are a particularly successful genre hybrid - bringing together slapstick and fast talking humour, with punches, kicks and smash cuts. In this Supercut episode, we discuss some of our favourites, and the work it takes to get these films just right. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Combining the adventures of Stede Bonnet, gentleman pirate, and Blackbeard, feared pirate extraordinaire, Our Flag Means Death is a number of things mashed into one show: workplace comedy, hijinks on the high seas, and romance. We talk about this blending of genres, and whether it worked for us. Enjoy 60 days' free subscription when you sign up for the all-new Astro Platinum Pack today. WhatsApp “...

Based on a true story, Ford v Ferrari leads up to the 1966 Le Mans race, and follows a team of American and British engineers and designers, led by automotive designer Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) and his British driver, Ken Miles (Christian Bale), determined to build a new Ford racing car capable of defeating Ferrari. In this review, we talk about the performances, race sequences, and whether we e...

Whether you prefer them monstrous, seductive, or glittery, vampires have a hold on the cinematic imagination that’s hard to beat. From Nosferatu to Blade to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, there’s truly a bloodsucking undead story for every type of viewer. In this week’s Supercut, we discuss the perpetual appeal of vampires onscreen, and why they’re so bloody entertaining. See omnystudio.com/listener fo...

The third movie in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe features the character known as Morbius, the Living Vampire. Going back to his origins, the story follows biochemist Michael Morbius as he tries to cure himself of a rare blood disease, but accidentally infects himself with a form of vampirism instead. And of course, Morbius is played by Jared Leto. We review the movie. See omnystudio.com/listener for...

Adapted from Anne Rice’s wildly popular vampire novel, this 1994 movie features some huge Hollywood names - Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Antonio Banderas, and a thoroughly creepy Kirsten Dunst in one of her early roles - hamming it up in full undead period glamour. Framed through a modern-day interview with a vampire named Louis (Pitt), the plot revolves around his relationship in the 1700s with Lestat...

In celebration of Michelle Yeoh's highly acclaimed performance in Everything Everywhere All At Once, we decided to dedicate an entire Supercut to actors we've been watching for the longest time! Whether it's Leonardo DiCaprio's illustrious evolution from child actor to Oscar-winning Hollywood heavyweight, or everlasting scenery chewers like Denzel Washington, we're geeking out over the famous face...

Starring Michelle Yeoh as an exhausted woman who wants nothing more than to finish her taxes, Everything Everywhere All At Once is already getting rave reviews as an early contender for next year's Oscars. The film, directed by Daniels (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert), is being hailed as a hilarious, trippy, genre-bending sci-fi action adventure. On this episode, we review A24's highly unorthodo...

A Michael Bay movie that's getting overall positive reviews? Who would've thought. Amidst a slew of lackluster Transformers outings and one 6 Underground, it's easy to forget that Michael Bay is in fact a master of action filmmaking. In Ambulance, a film about a heist gone terribly wrong, Bay injects the top-tier talents of Jake Gyllenhaal and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II into a blockbuster full of crazy...

With the 94th Academy Awards just around the corner, we take a look at some of the major nominations and discuss who the frontrunners are... and who we think they should be. We also look back at some of our favourite (and least favourite!) films that are in contention this year. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ahead of the Academy Awards, we're reviewing two feature directorial debuts that have garnered some noms - Lin-Manuel Miranda's tick, tick... BOOM! and Maggie Gyllenhaal's The Lost Daughter. We discuss the performances (with Andrew Garfield, Olivia Colman, and Jessie Buckley all receiving acting nominations), the writing, and the way each film is put together. See omnystudio.com/listener for priva...

A true cinematic classic, The Godfather has it all - iconic lines ('I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse'), memorable scenes, and actors in performances that have shaped the rest of their careers. In this episode, we look back at The Godfather now that five decades have gone by, and discuss its impact and legacy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Whether going back to your parents’ high school, sending a cyborg to protect your younger self, speaking to aliens who see time differently, or just wanting to finish a history assignment, time travel is one of the most intriguing sci-fi themes on screen. This week, we’re dedicating our Supercut to the joys and complications of tales that travel through time. See omnystudio.com/listener for privac...

Thirteen-year-old Mei is in a tough spot - she’s torn between being an obedient daughter, dealing with the turmoil of growing up, and if all that isn’t enough, she turns into a big red panda when she gets too excited. Now if anyone can pull off that premise into an entertaining, exciting, yet multilayered story, it’s the folks from Pixar. We review the studio’s latest animated offering, and discus...

What’s the one thing you’re never supposed to do if you ever time travel to the future? Cross paths with your past self. Yet, this is exactly what happens in this sci-fi adventure, when a time-travelling fighter pilot played by Ryan Reynolds accidentally crash lands in 2022 and then proceeds to team up with his 12-year-old self on a mission to save the future. The film also features a stacked cast...

Turn on the Bat-signal and grab the Shark Repellent because it's time to dive into the psyche of Gotham's caped crusader! From campier iterations to moodier incarnations of the Dark Knight, we're geeking out over our favourite (and not so favourite) things about everyone's favourite brooding billionaire. On this Supercut, we discuss our favourite Batman movies, as well as what we'd like to see in...

"I'm vengeance!" Against all odds, Robert Pattinson dons the iconic cowl in Matt Reeves' latest take on Gotham's guardian. Arguably darker and more violent than any iteration before it, this new film follows Batman and Jim Gordon as they unravel the mystery behind The Riddler's crazed killing spree. In this episode, we review this near-three-hour monster of a film and discuss if The Batman lives u...

This week, we're throwing back to Cosmopolis, a film that many consider Robert Pattinson's first step out of Twilight typecasting and into the realm of acclaimed experimental projects. Directed by David Cronenberg, Cosmopolis tells the story of a young billionaire who takes a ride across Manhattan to get a haircut. The journey soon becomes an odyssey of weirdness as he meets eccentric characters a...