Popcorn Culture

Whether it's the T-Rex in Jurassic Park, the Xenomorph of Alien, or Godzilla in, well, Godzilla - creatures have long held a larger-than-life place in moviegoers' imagination. In this Supercut, we discuss our favourites, as well as how to create memorable creatures, and why some movies have flourished and others have flopped. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Whether it's the T-Rex in Jurassic Park, the Xenomorph of Alien, or Godzilla in, well, Godzilla - creatures have long held a larger-than-life place in moviegoers' imagination. In this Supercut, we discuss our favourites, as well as how to create memorable creatures, and why some movies have flourished and others have flopped. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Based on a novel by Matt Ruff, Lovecraft Country tackles monsters both fantastic and prosaic. Set in the segregated United States of the 1950s, the show looks at the insidious nature of racism and sexism, while also exploring a central mystery involving magic, pulp fiction, and secrets. The gang review this series, and discuss whether it successfully blends politics and entertainment. See omnystud...

Released in 1979, Ridley Scott's Alien is many things: a movie chock-full of indelible, striking images; the first time many of us saw the Giger-inspired Alien; the first time we met one of the great heroines of cinema, Ellen Ripley; the introduction of new terms into science fiction and horror fans: facehugger, Space Jockey, the list goes on. In this episode of Throwback Tuesday, we dive head fir...

From Kubrick to Kurosawa, Scorcese to Spielberg, the world of cinema is full of “influencers” - indelible names who have shaped onscreen entertainment with their unique approaches to filmmaking. In this week’s Supercut, we discuss filmmaking influences when it comes to popular culture, and those whose works continue to resonate with audiences today. See omnystudio.com/listener fo...

While limited series Watchmen dominates this year’s Emmy nominations with a whopping 26 nominations, 2019 was an incredibly rich year for television content - with shows like Schitt’s Creek, Succession, Unorthodox, Euphoria, and The Handmaid’s Tale all also tipped to win some accolades. We look at this year’s big Emmy winners and discuss what they say about the TV landscape...

This year, Akira Kurosawa’s Rashomon celebrates its 70th anniversary - a film so influential in storytelling that it has a trope named after it: the Rashomon Effect. The plot revolves around the murder of a samurai, as the events behind his death unfold from several different perspectives, all of which seem unreliable in their own ways. We look back at the 1950 Japanese classic by one of cin...

As part of our weeklong celebration of Malaysia Day, we're dedicating this episode to exploring all facets of Malaysian cinema. We'll be running through the greats of the past all the way up to modern day classics, and also getting a frank assessment of the state of the industry from our guest, Nadiah Hamzah. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In conjunction with Malaysia Day, we're throwing back to a true Malaysian classic. The fourth outing of the Bujang Lapok series, this caper of a film spoofs the Malay film industry of the 50s and 60s, and has a whole host of stars of that era as well. We'll also be discussing this film in the context of the career of the late, great P. Ramlee. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Can we pack all of Disney and its magnificence into a single Supercut? We sure as heck try! In the spirit of Mulan finally gracing cinemas, we dive into our own memories of timeless Disney films and what they've meant to us over the years. From classics like The Lion King and Aladdin, to modern gems like The Emperor's New Groove and Lilo & Stitch, Disney continues to set new standards for the...

It's finally here! After months of delays, Hua Mulan gets down to business to defeat the huns in Disney's live-action retelling of the ageless Chinese legend. Or does she? It's no secret that Disney opted to make this film grittier than its animated counterpart, but is that enough to make this Mulan an instant classic as well? In this episode, we review the highly anticipated Mulan, its cinematic...

It's finally here! After months of delays, Hua Mulan gets down to business to defeat the huns in Disney's live-action retelling of the ageless Chinese legend. Or does she? It's no secret that Disney opted to make this film grittier than its animated counterpart, but is that enough to make this Mulan an instant classic as well? In this episode, we review the highly anticipated Mulan, its cinematic...

Ahead of our review of Mulan, we're throwing back to one of the defining wuxia films, that also just happens to be a huge crossover smash hit, winning Academy Awards to boot. We're talking of course, about Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Layering kungfu, romance and myth in one cinematic spectacle, and starring a plethora of stars, it's a rich rewatch for many reasons. See omnystudio.com...

Indiana Jones. The Dude. Imperator Furiosa. Darth Vader. Marty McFly. Annie Hall. What do all of these people have in common? They’re characters you remember long after you’ve left the cinema hall. In this Supercut, we discuss what goes into creating a great, original movie character, and reminisce about some of our favourites. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of director Spike Lee’s most celebrated recent releases, BlacKkKlansman, made its debut on streaming recently, and we’re taking the chance to review it. Tapping into America’s recent calls for black equality and the Black Lives Matters movement, the movie tells the story of African American detective Ron Stallworth (John David Washington) and his colleague Flip Zimmerman (Ada...

As Hollywood and the rest of the world mourn the sudden and untimely loss of actor Chadwick Boseman, we celebrate his magnetic onscreen presence by throwing back to one of his many acclaimed performances - as the Godfather of Soul himself, James Brown. Alongside the movie, we pay tribute to Boseman's legacy and why his roles have left an indelible mark on African American culture and Hollywood cin...

It's finally here! Through the multiple delays and cancellations that have derailed the film industry, Christopher Nolan has always maintained that Tenet needs to be released, and seen, in cinemas, on the biggest screen possible. Tonight we talk about our impressions of Nolan's latest, deeply ambitious film, and whether it really is the blockbuster that's going to turn the tide for the film indust...

Be warned, here there be spoilers! In a special episode of Popcorn Culture, we talk about all things Tenet - and we do mean all things. We discuss plot points, performances, and what we think it all means. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Justice League: Dark is what you get when you combine vigilantism with gothic metal and plenty of witchcraft. Constantine, Zatanna, Swamp Thing, and a handful of creepy characters must team with Batman and try to save the world from the Demons Three. They must then head to Apokalips to hunt down the meanest villain of them all, Darkseid. In this episode, we review both Justice League: Dark and its...

A detective with acrophobia is hired to investigate the strange behaviour of an old friend's wife. As if that premise isn't bizarre enough, the aforementioned detective must now overcome both his obsession with the case, as well as his acrophobia, to prevent his own personal downfall. In this episode, we revisit one of Alfred Hitchcock's most popular works, Vertigo, and discuss how in 1958 it beca...

A detective with acrophobia is hired to investigate the strange behaviour of an old friend's wife. As if that premise isn't bizarre enough, the aforementioned detective must now overcome both his obsession with the case, as well as his acrophobia, to prevent his own personal downfall. In this episode, we revisit one of Alfred Hitchcock's most popular works, Vertigo, and discuss how in 1958 it beca...

Could anyone hate Tom Hanks? The two-time Oscar-winner (and six-time nominee) isn’t just one of the most popular film stars in the world, he’s also one of the most universally liked. With the acting chops to take on both comedic and dramatic roles, Hanks has starred in a whole host of iconic roles, including Sleepless in Seattle, Philadelphia, Forrest Gump, and Captain Phillips. In thi...

This biopic of treasured children’s TV personality Fred Rogers - which stars another immensely likeable American icon, Tom Hanks - never made it to the Malaysian cinemas. The movie begins with a rather sceptical investigative journalist (Matthew Rhys) being assigned to interview Rogers, and intertwines both their journeys into a tale of empathy and kindness. As it premieres on streaming, we...

The Muppets have had so many movie capers (eight, to be exact!), that it might be difficult to keep track - but we’re taking it all the way back to their silver-screen debut, 1979’s The Muppet Movie. In the film, the gang reminisce about how they all met, while we discuss why Jim Henson’s puppet creations remain so delightful 65 years after they were first introduced. See omnystu...

In 2010, Kathryn Bigelow won the Academy Award for Best Director, for her film The Hurt Locker (famously beating her ex-husband James Cameron to the punch). She was the first woman to win this award, and to date, still the only one. In this episode of Supercut, we discuss female creators in the entertainment we watch, from directors and writers, to showrunners and editors - we'll be going through...