Popcorn Culture

The gang from Hawkins is back for more supernatural adventures, as Netflix's hit show continues its exploration of 1980s teen horror movie tropes. Following the events of Season 3, the characters have both grown up into high schoolers and aren't seemingly as close as we might remember - but nothing like more mysterious disappearances and the looming threat of another monster to bring them all back...

Picking up from the animated TV series, this film sees John Mulaney and Andy Samberg voicing the titular chipmunks, in a story that takes place in a world where cartoons live alongside humans. It's been 30 years since Chip and Dale had a falling out, which resulted in the cancellation of their show - but now, they must reconcile their differences to investigate the kidnapping of their friend Monte...

Tom Cruise isn't called the last great Hollywood celebrity for nothing. He's been a leading actor in the industry for decades, making everything from high-octane action films to Oscar-worthy dramas and amassing a massive fanbase in the process. On this Supercut, we look at the illustrious, eclectic, over-the-top career of the man with one of the most iconic runs in film history, Tom Cruise! See om...

He feels the need, the need for speed... again! Taking place three decades after the original Top Gun, 'Maverick' puts Pete Mitchell (Tom Cruise) back in the cockpit for an all new, high-stakes mission. On this episode, we check out the highly anticipated, action-packed sequel to one of the most iconic films of the 80s. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nicolas Cage has done strange accents and championed unorthodox hairdos in many movies, but few are more iconic than Con Air. In the movie, Cage plays Cameron, a prisoner about to taste freedom when his plane is hijacked by a band of criminals. Obviously, no one but Nic Cage can get the plane back on track! In anticipation of Top Gun: Maverick, we review one of the most iconic plane-centric films...

From Dunder Mifflin to the 99th Precinct, the glamorous offices of Runway to the secrecy of the fictional MI6 and the CIA, workplaces figure in ways big and small in films and shows. We talk about their significance in stories, and some of our favourites. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Work-life balance has always - and is increasingly - seen as an elusive thing. But Severance, a series on Apple TV+, posits something entirely different, focusing on a team of office workers who have had memories surgically divided between their work and personal lives, though one worker, Mark (played by Adam Scott), uncovers a larger conspiracy that complicates matters. Severance has been gaining...

Ben Stiller's directorial debut, Reality Bites was a slice of life dramedy, exploring the relationships, careers and issues of a group of 20-somethings in the 90s. It also gave the world an iconic character, in the form of Ethan Hawke's Troy Dyer, and has become a cult favourite in the years since its release. In this episode of Throwback, we talk about the experience of watching this film close t...

From the early days of Steamboat Willie to the stop-motion of Henry Selick and hand-drawn details of Studio Ghibli, animation has evolved tremendously over the years (and remained the same in others). In this Supercut, we compare and contrast different animation styles over the decades, and talk about our favourites. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The latest from Richard Linklater, Apollo 10½: A Space Age Childhood is an animated film, loosely based on his own childhood, and set during the events before the Apollo 11 Moon landing - and imagining if a 10 year old was the first person to land on the moon. Featuring the voices of Glen Powell, Jack Black, Zachary Levi and Josh Wiggins, the film has been critically acclaimed. We talk about...

Aladdin is turning 30 this year - a fact that shocked all 3 of us, and prompted this throwback episode where we marvel over one of the classics of the Disney Renaissance. Featuring the inimitable Robin Williams voicing Genie, songs and characters that have become ingrained into the Disney DNA, and one of the best villains in the form of Jafar. We also - inevitably - compare it to the recent live a...

Some cast spells, some use wands, and others have lightning bolts shooting out their fingers. Whatever the case, magic on screen is always fun! From Doctor Strange to The Prestige, we talk about our favourite wizards, witches, magicians, and sorcerers along with the movies and TV shows that housed all their glorious hocus pocus. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"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...