Pretty Much Pop: A Culture Podcast

On the darkly comic '96 film and the 4-season crime show. Mark, Erica, Brian, and Tamler from VBW consider its style, "tundra western" setting, "Minnesota nice", gender issues, stunt casting, absurdism, and more. Yes, there are spoilers, but it barely matters. For more, visit prettymuchpop.com . Hear bonus content for this episode at patreon.com/prettymuchpop . Sponsor : Visit amazon.com/prettyRX...

In light of The Queen's Gambit , chess expert J.J. joins Mark, Erica, and Brian to look at chess media, culture, and personalities. We consider gender, genius, and other issues in Gambit , plus Pawn Sacrifice , Searching for Bobby Fisher , The Luzhin Defense , and The Coldest Game . For more, visit prettymuchpop.com . Hear bonus content for this episode at patreon.com/prettymuchpop .

What's the post-COVID future of movie theaters? Mark, Erica, and Brian compare past moviegoing habits and reflect on the big-screen vs. small-screen decision. How would we optimize the theatrical experience? We consider films affected like Tenet , Soul , etc. For more, visit prettymuchpop.com . Hear bonus content for this episode at patreon.com/prettymuchpop . Sponsors : Visit ExpressVPN.com/prett...

Returning heroine Vi (now a grad student in comics history) joins Erica, Mark, and Brian to put the new film in context, bringing in the weird ideas of WW's creator as shown in the 2017 biopic Professor Marston and the Wonder Women . Do the new film's themes actually make sense? We talk political ideals, truth, love, feminist utopias, '70s TV, and more. For more, visit prettymuchpop.com . Hear bon...

What explains the immense quarantine-time popularity of this quaint reality cooking show? What do we get out of watching talented amateurs bake things? Stephen , famous for playing Scar in The Lion King on Broadway, joins Erica, Brian, and Mark to consdier the format, context, and appeal of the show. For more, visit prettymuchpop.com . Hear bonus content for this episode at patreon.com/prettymuchp...

Join the office party, where Mark holds mini conversations on philosophy, art, and life with all PEL and PMP co-hosts, plus Ken Stringfellow , Jenny Hansen , and the members of Mark Lint's Dry Folk , whose 12 tunes are presented in succession with nary a partridge in sight. Will these 12 spirits turn you (or Mark) from errant ways? BYOB!

What has the Internet done to comedy? Tiffany , purveyor of social media bits and song parodies, joins Erica, Mark, and Brian to think about new ways of making and consuming comedy over TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and other social media. Maybe given current events we should describe the goal as something other than "going viral"? For more, visit prettymuchpop.com . Hear bonus content for this epis...

What makes a film transcendently bad? A cult classic, as opposed to merely unwatchable? Child Jackey appeared in 1966's Manos: The Hands of Fate , and she joins Mark, Erica, and Brian to discuss growing up in community theater, being reintroduced to her family movie by MST3K, and the over-confident auteur.  We also touch on Birdemic , Catwoman , The Happening , and Battleship , as well as films ab...

Fred writes for Marvel and his own Evil Twin Comics, in both non-fiction (e.g. Comic Book History of Animation, Action Philosophers) and stories (e.g. Marvel Zombies, Cowboys vs. Aliens). He even wrote a play about Jack Kirby. He joins Mark, Erica, and Brian to discuss playing in the Marvel sandbox, the role of humor, comic-to-movie transitions, and more. Learn more at fredvanlente.com . For more,...

Tyler (PMP's audio editor) rejoins Mark, Erica, and Brian to explain one of his passions. How is it a battle and what are the rules? What's the appeal? How does it relate to free-stylin', rap albums, and insult comedy? Does it make sense as a "free speech zone"? For more, visit prettymuchpop.com . Hear bonus content for this episode at patreon.com/prettymuchpop .

Kevin (The State, RISK!) joins Mark, Erica, and Brian to talk about his telling/curation/coaching of confessional stories. Do they have to be funny? True? How does this form relate to essays a la David Sedaris? How personal is too personal (or indicative of PTSD or something)? What's the role of craft in this most populist endeavor? Listen at risk-show.com . For more, visit prettymuchpop.com . Hea...

Plenty of songs try to tell stories, but do the pop song format and narrative really mix? Songwriter and short story author Rod Picott joins Mark, Erica, and Brian to talk about classics by Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash, formative nightmares like "Leader of the Pack" and "The Pina Colada Song, borderline cases like "Bohemian Rhapsody," and more. How does this form relate to theater, videos, and commer...

Brian, Erica, and Mark reflect on this weird sci-fi HBO Max series by Aaron Guzikowski and Ridley Scott. How much are we supposed to understand? Can we identify with any of the android and/or wild child and/or murdering characters? Is the imagery too heavy handed? How does it compare with Westworld , The Walking Dead , etc.? Warning: Spoilers ahoy! So watch it yourself or let us reveal its crazine...

Mark, Erica, Brian, and musician/actor Aaron consider the comedy of Sacha Baron Cohen, especially Borat Subsequent Moviefilm , where his co-stars are unwitting dupes and embarrassment is served in large helpings. We talk through the ethical and political issues, why Cohen's targets act how they do, and what this is as humor.  For more, visit prettymuchpop.com . Hear bonus content for this episode...

What scares us? Why do people enjoy being scared by films? Are there good horror movies that aren't scary and scary films that are still bad? Mark, Erica, Brian are joined by actor/special effects-guy Nathan Shelton (who runs the Frightmare Theatre Podcast ) to present our picks for what scared us as kids, and we consider Halloween, Blair Witch, Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, Stephen Ki...

Chris Matheson has written many comic movies and has converted religious texts into funnier books, most recently with The Buddha's Story . Mark, Erica, and Brian talk with him about what unifies these projects: Why the big ideas of religion and sci-fi are begging to be made fun of. How does humor relate to fear? Would a society based on Bill and Ted (or Keanu Reeves) actually be desirable? How bad...

Is the Last of Us franchise actually a good video gaming, or just long cinematics that are only good by comparison to past video game cut scenes? It's great, but not exactly "fun." Mark, Erica, Brian, and Drew Jackson talk about balancing narrative and gameplay, the message ("revenge is bad"), the shifting points of view (including playable flashbacks!), critical and fan reaction, representation,...

Travis joins Mark, Erica, and Brian to discuss our seemingly endless appetite for super-hero stories. His new book matches up heroes like Batman vs. Spider-Man for ethical comparison: What philosophy should govern the way we try to do good in the world? Also, The Boys , which assumes in the tradition of Watchmen that folks who wield that kind of power probably have something seriously wrong with t...

Is the new Mulan the equivalent for Asian-Americans what Black Panther was for African-Americans? Did the film work? Was it better than the 1998 animated film? Actor Michael Tow joins Erica, Mark, and Brian to discuss the development, aesthetics, and political controversies surrounding the film: How have feminist messages changed over Mulan's various re-tellings? Does the film's "you be you" ethic...

Amir the photographic artist and prof (see amirzaki.net ) joins Mark, Erica, and Brian to consider decision making in picture taking, how our purposes for photography have changed with the advent of new technologies, iconic images, witnessing vs. intervening, capturing the particular vs. the universal, and more. For more, visit prettymuchpop.com . Hear bonus content for this episode at patreon.com...

Mark, Erica and Brian (all manga noobs) are joined by Japanese Studies prof. Deborah Shamoon to talk about barriers for Americans to appreciate manga, different manga types (Deborah works on shojo manga, i.e. for girls), Osamu Tezuka (the "god of comics" who created Astro Boy et al), classic vs. new manga, gender portrayals, and more. For more, visit prettymuchpop.com . Hear bonus content for this...

Mark, Erica, Brian, and guest Mike Wilson discuss the director's films from Eraserhead to Inland Empire plus Twin Peaks and his recent short films. We get into the appeal and hallmarks of his mainstays-- Blue Velvet , Wild at Heart , Lost Highway , and Mulholland Drive --and also consider outliers like Dune , The Elephant Man , and The Straight Story . How many of these films actually make sense,...

With no new Pretty Much Pop episode this week, we've collected some highlights from the supporter-only aftertalks that we record with every episode to reveal to the general public. Feast upon these non-sequitur nuggets of wisdom and mirth! Get all the aftertalks at patreon.com/prettymuchpop.

Prompted by the release of new album Folklore and the 2020 documentary Miss Americana , Mark, Erica, and Brian speak with Amber Padgett about her love of Taylor, ranking the albums, why the hate, weird levels of fan engagement, double standards for female artists, and more. Designed to interest fans, haters, and folks curious as to what all the fuss is about. For more, visit prettymuchpop.com . He...

Remember when The Hunger Games was everywhere? Suzanne Collins returns to Just War Theory lessons with the prequel The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes . Mark, Erica, and Brian review the new book and look back on the YA novel/film franchise. Does the work critique yet glorify violence at the same time? Will the film version of the new novel be our next Phantom Menace ? For more, visit prettymuchpop...