Popcorn Culture

It's a love story. It's a sci-fi story. It's a melancholic mindtrick from the brain that is Charlie Kaufman, told through the lens of director Michel Gondry. On this episode, we look back at one of our favorite films of all time - Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Starring Jim Carrey at his saddest-finest, and Kate Winslet in one of her most unique roles to date, Eternal Sunshine showed us th...

There's no denying that love is an ever-present theme in cinema - whether as the sweeping romance, the doomed love story or the romantic comedy. On the eve of Valentine's Day, we wear our hearts on our sleeves and discuss romance onscreen - what works, what doesn't, and how this has changed. We also talk about romantic leads, the rise and fall of the rom-com, and whether we've gotten too cynical f...

Staying true to form, this crime caper from Guy Ritchie features an ensemble cast that includes Matthew McConaughey, Charlie Hunnam, Henry Golding, Michelle Dockery, Colin Farrell and Hugh Grant, and follows an American marijuana kingpin who gets caught in a web of blackmail and schemes. We review the movie to see whether it lives up to Ritchie's best. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy infor...

Whether you see the Academy Awards as Hollywood's highest honour or as an out-of-touch dinosaur, there's no denying that the Oscars do still hold clout when it comes to cinema. With the announcement of the 2020 awards on the 10th of February, we discuss who won, who lost, and what this says about Hollywood cinema today. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the release of the standalone Harley Quinn movie, Birds of Prey, we discuss what we made of this female-led and directed film, and then extend that discussion to antiheroes and why they continue to fascinate and repulse us (in equal measure!) on the big screen. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Directed by the Safdie brothers and starring a playing-against-type Adam Sandler, Uncut Gems is a tense crime thriller that's been getting rave reviews and award buzz. The gang weigh in on what they think of this film, and whether Adam Sandler truly was robbed of an Academy Award nominations. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I'll be back,' he said - and so he was. In this episode of Throwback Tuesday, we discuss Terminator 2: Judgment Day, and talk about the abiding allure of this iconic franchise, the creation of one of the cinematic universe's most memorable cyborgs, and where Sarah Connor fits into the pantheon of action protagonists. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this Supercut, it's all about British entertainment - how it's different and what we love about it. From comedy classics like Mr Bean that have shaped our collective childhoods, to modern pop culture phenomenons like Downton Abbey, we talk, discuss, dissect, and celebrate some of our favorite British movies and TV shows. Expect chat surrounding releases such as Yesterday, Rocketman and Humans,...

There have been many attempts to retell Dracula's story in all its bloodsoaked glory, but only a handful have come close to doing Bram Stoker's horror classic any justice. On this episode, we discuss if Sherlock showrunners Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat left a mark with their take on the legendary vampire. We also talk about this version's unique take on Dracula's lore, and if all those twists and...

It's the 1890's and a Malaccan Chinese girl accepts the grim proposal of a wealthy family to be married to their late son in order to save her from a life of debt. Obviously, all sorts of supernatural drama ensues. Ghost Bride is based on the book by Yangsze Choo and is a Malaysian-Taiwanese production. On this episode, we talk about everything that we loved, didn't love, and would like to see nex...

There was a time when having "Will Smith" on a movie poster was enough to put people in cinema seats. Today, even megastars like Chris Hemsworth aren't able to guarantee the success of non-franchise films. On this Supercut, we discuss celebrity appeal and if the age of the "Movie Star" is dead. We also talk about what it takes to market movies these days, if there are any genuine celebrities left,...

In his first big film post-Avengers Endgame, Robert Downey Jr plays the eccentric Dr. Dolittle, a recluse whose companions are the exotic animals he speaks to. When Queen Victoria falls ill, the fabled doctor and his furry friends must embark on an adventure to find a cure. With a star-studded cast and a top-notch lead, we review Dolittle to see if it's as exciting as the trailers make it out to b...

Near, far, wherever you are, chances are you've seen Titanic. On this episode of Throwback Tuesday, we take a trip back to 1997 and revisit James Cameron's magnum opus at the time - a film that reinvented the modern blockbuster, created stars out of Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, and reigned as the biggest movie in the world for more than a decade. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy info...

We take a deep dive this week into two separate topics. First, in light of the confusion and clamour surrounding the release of Cats, we discuss movies that have big budgets and big expectations, and didn't necessarily deliver. Then we get into what it means to be an Oscar nominated or winning film - does it make us more likely to want to watch these movies? We also talk about movies that seem cal...

An awards season contender, 1917 is a Sam Mendes war epic that's been said to push the boundaries of technical possibilities further. The gang weighs in on whether it's a worthy entry to the annals of great war films and whether it lives up to the hype. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this edition of Throwback Tuesday, we make our way through the back catalogue of Sam Mendes, in light of the release of 1917. We'll be discussing everything from Road to Perdition to Revolutionary Road, and American Beauty to Spectre. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the culmination of our weeklong Star Wars extravaganza, we take a deep dive into the cultural significance of Star Wars and where the franchise can go next. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The gang reviews the latest installment of Star Wars (and the final in the Skywalker saga), Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker. Expect honesty, and no spoilers! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In our first episode of Popcorn Culture, we throw back to the trilogy that started it all for Star Wars: episodes IV, V and VI, and discuss why and how it spawned the Skywalker saga and everything besides. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.