Popcorn Culture

Based on Joyce Carol Oates' bestselling fictional take on Marilyn Monroe's life, Blonde is a psychological biopic drama that garnered a lot of controversy even before it came out for a variety of reasons: the casting of Ana de Armas in the central role, its graphic content, and the central question - did we need another film about this tragic film icon? We try to answer that in this review. ...

Described by some critics as 'near perfection', Some Like It Hot has a lot going for it - it's directed, produced and co-written by Billy Wilder, it has both Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis - and of course, it has a sparkling Marilyn Monroe performance. Ahead of reviewing Blonde, we look back to a movie that's often been regarded as one of Monroe's bests, and discuss what it's like watching it 63 year...

Description: From Paris and New York, to Tokyo and Seoul, cities have always featured in a huge way in film and television, sometimes even becoming a main character in its own right. In this Supercut, we talk about our favourite cities on screen and the movies and shows that manage to capture the spirit of a place.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Edgar Wright's latest film went to previously unexplored territory for him - a psychological horror drama film that ties the experience of two newcomers to London and Soho, separated though they might be by decades. Starring Thomasin McKenzie, Anya Taylor-Joy, Matt Smith, and Terence Stamp, it's also the final onscreen appearance of Diana Rigg. In this episode of Stuff We Missed, we talk about the...

Described as his most personal film, Belfast is written and directed by Sir Kenneth Branagh, and explores the coming-of-age of a young boy in Belfast during The Troubles. Starring Caitríona Balfe, Judi Dench, Jamie Dornan, Ciarán Hinds, Colin Morgan and Jude Hill, the film received very warm reviews and a lot of awards buzz. We discuss our experience of watching this film, and how it captures a ci...

Whether we’re talking about anthropomorphised animals like Donald Duck, pets like Marley, or the kind we’d rather avoid (ahem, Bruce) - animals on film or TV are almost a foolproof formula. So we’re dedicating this week’s Supercut to discussing everything from the cute n’ cuddly to the frankly terrifying, and share some of our favourites.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jordan Peele's back with his patented blend of creeping dread and searing social commentary, in his latest film Nope. Starring Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer, the movie is being described as neo-Western science fiction horror, and tells the story of two African American siblings who own a horse ranch, attempting to capture evidence of a UFO. We review the movie, and talk about whether it delivers...

Jean-Luc Godard, widely considered one of the best film directors of all time, passed away recently at the age of 91. We pay tribute to him and his legacy by throwing back to the movie that introduced him as the genius he went on to be hailed as, 1960's Breathless. In the movie, petty thief Michel (Jean-Paul Belmondo) impulsively kills a policeman while stealing a car. He hides in his girlfriend P...

From Anubis to Zeus, depictions of gods and myths are a-plenty on screen. In this Supercut, we dive into some of our favourites, and discuss why the old stories have offered such abiding on-screen fodder.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After a fair amount of back and forth, uproar and Thor memes mourning the lack of a release in Malaysia, Thor: Love and Thunder has finally arrived on our shores, quietly showing up on Disney+ as a streaming option. We review this latest entry into the MCU canon (and Taika Waititi filmography), and discuss whether it's worth the wait.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A 1999 remake of a 1932 film, The Mummy packed a lot into its 2-hour runtime: zany comedy, all the trappings of a classic action-adventure film, and a great pairing in the form of Brendan Fraser's American adventurer Rick O'Connell and Rachel Weisz's scholarly librarian, Evelyn Carnahan. All that - and of course, mummies and pyramids. In this episode, we take it back to the movie that kickstarted...

From talking animals to fantastical kingdoms to magical races of beings, fantasy as a film and TV genre is so wide as to have spawned multiple subgenres. Yet at the heart of it, is a fascination with imaginary worlds and everything that might occur in them. In this Supercut, we discuss the fantasy genre onscreen, and geek out about some of our favourites.  See omnystudio.com/listener for priv...

Revisiting arguably the biggest fantasy movie trilogy of our time is no mean feat, so the brand new TV series Rings Of Power certainly comes burdened with high expectations. Set thousands of years before the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, the show covers the forging of the Rings of Power, the rise of Sauron, and the last alliance between Elves and Men. We review the first two...

Just the synopsis alone is enough to intrigue: Tilda Swinton plays a scholar of mythology, who finds a djinn who offers her three wishes in exchange for his freedom. When she's sceptical about making the wishes, the djinn tells her fantastical stories of his past in an effort to convince her. Oh, and the djinn is played by Idris Elba. If that's not enough, the movie is directed by the always surpr...

While we've explored comedy before, we haven't focused specifically on the people who make us laugh, and all the effort and thought that goes into their work. So this Supercut is dedicated to our favourite comedians, through the years (and generations)! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After its clever, funny and warm first season, Only Murders in the Building returned with a new murder at its heart, and fresh mysteries to explore in the Arconia and its denizens. We review the sophomore outing of OMitB, and whether Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez continue to delight.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sometimes, there's nothing more exciting than going back to the beginning - hence the appeal of the origin story. On this week's Supercut, we discuss what makes an origin story onscreen truly successful, and share some of our favourites.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two hundred years before the events of Game of Thrones, the Targaryens sat on the Iron Throne and ruled Westeros. This prequel to the smash hit TV show chronicles the events leading up to a succession war for the family, which sets in motion the beginning of the end to their rule. Expect plenty of high drama, scheming, intrigue, and of course, dragons. We review the first episode of the show.&nbsp...

A dragonslaying knight and the last dragon left are forced to team up in order to defeat an evil, almost immortal king. A thoroughly 1990s fantasy film, Dragonheart rose above its middling reviews to achieve cult status amongst its fans, thanks at least in part to the fact that Draco the dragon was voiced by none other than a certain Sir Sean Connery. We revisit the movie and talk about whether it...

Whether it's literal demons, the stuff we'd rather not talk about, or the less savoury side of human nature, many films and shows don't shy away from going dark. On this episode of Supercut, we dive in head first and talk about where our limits are.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Following on a successful audio adaptation, Neil Gaiman's epic graphic novel series, The Sandman, finally makes its way onto our screens. But how can a story as complex and nerdy as this - with its multiple threads and characters, blending of mythology, modern life, literature and philosophy - be translated into a series? It turns out - with some style. In this episode, we discuss how we feel abou...

The latest installment in the Predator franchise, Prey is set in the 17th century, when a skilled Comanche warrior finds herself protecting her tribe against a highly evolved alien that hunts humans for sport, while also battling against the wilderness and colonisers. Since its release, it's been praised for its action sequences, its inclusion and embrace of Comanche culture, and performances, wit...

Did you used to love multi-season prestige dramas, but now prefer bite-sized sitcoms? Were you previously thrilled by hyper-violent action sequences, but now just find them stomach-churning? Were rom-coms your jam, until you realised you now prefer dark and gritty realism? In this week's Supercut, we talk about our changing viewing habits and how that might shape what we enjoy (or don't).  &n...

Boasting a stacked cast (Brad Pitt, Sandra Bullock, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, Michael Shannon) and a director known for his action chops (David Leitch, of Atomic Blonde, Deadpool 2, and Hobbes & Shaw fame), Bullet Train seems to have all the ingredients to be a runaway hit. Including an intriguing plot about an assassin on a mission, who finds himself on a bullet train alongside...

Malaysians finally get to go to infinity and beyond as Lightyear drops on Disney+ Hotstar, after not making it to our cinemas earlier this year. In the latest Pixar animated offering, legendary space ranger Buzz Lightyear (voiced by Chris Evans) sets off on an intergalactic mission with a motley crew of recruits - all while trying to evade the evil Zurg. We review the movie and see what the buzz (...