Popcorn Culture

Wouldn't it be loverly? That's one of the central questions of the thoroughly loverly My Fair Lady, which tells a version of George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion, in the form of Eliza Dolittle and Henry Higgins and their sparkling back and forths. Starring Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison (reprising his role from the Broadway musical), and directed by George Cukor, this film has long been lauded as one...

Some go method - Marlon Brando, Daniel Day-Lewis; others effortlessly sink into roles - Cate Blanchett, Gary Oldman; and others simply play versions of themselves - Jack Nicholson, we’re looking at you. But in the end, it all comes down to acting style. In this Supercut, we discuss actors who have developed a distinctive way of bringing their characters to life, and the joys we get from them...

The latest in the “American faces peril in a foreign locale” trope, Beckett sees John David Washington playing an American tourist in Greece, who unexpectedly finds himself the target of a manhunt and must now clear his name. The film also stars Alicia Vikander, Boyd Holbrook, and Vicky Krieps. We review the movie, and see how it holds up as a modern thriller. See omnystudio.com/listen...

Often hailed as one of Denzel Washington’s finest performances - and that is a high bar - Malcolm X holds the distinction of bringing together a number of African-American cultural icons. Besides starring Washington, the 1992 film is directed by Spike Lee, and of course centres around the life and struggles of African-American activist Malcolm X. We revisit the movie, and discuss how it, in...

Binge watching, same day premieres, midnight drops - there's a brand new dictionary for how we watch the films and shows we watch. And now with streaming services experimenting with weekly episodes, and cinemas remaining closed, we thought the time was ripe to talk about the way all our viewing habits have changed, and how content is likely to be shaped around that in the future. See omnystudio.co...

What's the worst part about going on vacation overseas? According to HBO's 'The White Lotus', it's the people. Directed by Mike White and starring Steve Zahn, Connie Britton, and Alexandra Daddario (among others), this satire dramedy follows the exploits of various guests at a tropical resort over the span of a week. On this episode, we review HBO's latest miniseries, 'The White Lotus', and all th...

What if you could play casting director for an hour or two, and put actors together in fresh combinations? Who would you like to see? Share your thoughts with us as we discuss interesting cast and director combinations we'd like to see. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What if you could play casting director for an hour or two, and put actors together in fresh combinations? Who would you like to see? Share your thoughts with us as we discuss interesting cast and director combinations we'd like to see. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Variously called a prequel, or sidequel, to Netflix's hit zombie show Kingdom, Ashin of the North is a feature length special episode that expands on the series' story and mythology. It's also much more than a zombie thriller, touching on elements of revenge and tragedy. In this episode, we review Kingdom: Ashin of the North and discuss how it stands up against the show's 2 previous seasons. See o...

A true crossover hit, Zhang Yimou's Hero has all the makings of a wuxia classic: stunning sequences, opulent settings and big names. With stars like Jet Li, Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung at the helm, and Rashomon among its influences, Hero set the tone for Chinese cinema in its time. We look back to see if this grand tale holds up almost 20 years on. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informat...

Who was Sean before James Bond, Jon before Don Draper, or Sigourney before Ripley? For many actors, one iconic screen role often shoots them to stardom, and often goes on to define them - for better or worse. On this week’s Supercut, we look at the iconic roles associated with actors, and how they’ve shaped the way we view them. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this sci fi action film starring Chris Pratt, a group of time travellers arrive in present day from the year 2051 to warn mankind of a future global war against a deadly alien species. In response, soldiers and civilians from our time are drafted and sent into the future to fight the alien army. We review the movie and see how well it does on the alien/ invasion/time travel/summer blockbuster s...

It’s been 20 years since Elle Woods sashayed onto our screens and stole our hearts with her brains, beauty, and unapologetic pinkness! Featuring one of Reese Witherspoon’s most iconic roles, the film tells the story of a sorority girl who enrolls in law school as an attempt to win back her ex-boyfriend, but in the process ends up smashing stereotypes and triumphing as a successful lawy...

This is our no-holds-barred review of Loki, and it is burdened with glorious spoilers! In this special episode of Popcorn Culture, we talk about the latest Marvel TV show to our hearts' content - and this is no deception, there WILL be spoilers on plot, reveals, and twists, and what it all means for the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the golden age of superhero content and cinematic universes, sequels, spinoffs, and offshoots have become the norm. But this lucrative concept is hardly a new one. While many of these attempts to expand an existing franchise have backfired in epic fashion, some have turned out to be better than the originals! On this Supercut, we get into the age-old Hollywood art of milking the cash cow... and...

He is Loki, of Asgard, and he is burdened with glorious purpose! After escaping The Avengers with the help of the Tesseract, the God of Mischief finds himself in the crosshairs of the mysterious TVA - an organization that exists beyond time and space. As things unravel, Loki soon realizes that there is more to his existence than he could have ever imagined. In this episode, we review Marvel Studio...

Chuck a bunch of people together in a confined space, whether a remote island, a hyper-surveilled house, or a mansion vying for love. Add some abrasive personalities, a large incentive, and dramatic twists and turns, and watch the sparks fly! That was a tried and true recipe for reality television for a long time. But in the decades since Big Brother, reality TV has also come to encompass the Kard...

After making his name for decades as a wildly popular and polarising TV host, a motorhead and a know-it-all, Jeremy Clarkson's latest venture is... becoming a farmer? Officially one of the highest rated programs on Amazon Prime, Clarkson's Farm highlights the struggles and highlights of someone diving headfirst into a new life, and grappling with things like climate change, stubborn sheep, and str...

What if your life wasn't your life? What if instead, everything around you, every moment, was engineered to evoke reactions, to create a story - one that was then broadcast around the world? This is the premise of Peter Weir's The Truman Show, which starred Jim Carrey in one of his first dramatic turns. 23 years on, we talk about the movie's larger impact, and what it has to say about our fascinat...

Has anything captured our imagination (and our screens) as much as the existence of extraterrestrial life? Whether cute and friendly, or murderous and terrifying, movies about aliens have spanned cinema through almost all genres. In this Supercut, we geek out on our love for movies and TV shows about aliens. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In director Steven Soderbergh’s latest foray into the crime genre, the setting is 1954 Detroit, where a group of small-time criminals are hired for a heist that goes terribly wrong. Their search for who hired them and why sends them on a journey that spans every level of the city. The movie stars a whole roster of interesting actors, including Benicio del Toro, Jon Hamm, Don Cheadle, and Bre...

“Today we celebrate our Independence Day!”... from the alien invasion. Didn’t we all cheer when a geek, a pilot, the US President, and a group of unlikely heroes unite to save mankind from being destroyed by an advanced alien race? Twenty-five years after its release, we revisit the Roland Emmerich alien invasion classic, which stars, among others, Will Smith, Bill Pullman, and J...

What makes a crime movie good? Is it the mystery, the thrill of the chase, or the heinousness of the crime itself? Whether it's a heist, a murder, or a procedural, there's something about cracking a case that keeps us glued to our screens. On this Supercut, we get into our favourite crime films and TV shows, as well as the characters and criminals that made them work. See omnystudio.com/listener f...

Stealing is bad, but what if the thief is also a gentleman? We'll let you ponder on that question as we review both parts of the critically acclaimed Netflix series, Lupin. Based on the classic story about gentleman thief and master of disguise, Arsène Lupin, this retelling puts the character on a path of revenge with a few plot twists and turns along the way. See omnystudio.com/listener fo...

If there was ever a film that defined the word "caper", The Sting would be it. Starring Hollywood heavyweights Robert Redford and Paul Newman, the film went on to sweep The Oscars in 1974 by winning a slew of technical trophies plus Best Picture. In this episode, we take it back to an era rife with con men, gangsters, and scheming criminals - the 70s... and we also review The Sting. See omnystudio...