Pulp Friction

It’s time for the annual Pulp Friction Halloween specdracular! First up, it’s one of the great Halloween movie classics, Henry Selick’s Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas . Join Rocky and Cody as they ask the hard questions like, “Are those Oogie’s biological children?” and, “What’s the racial vibe of Thanksgiving Town?” Persons of interest include Beetlejuice, Betty Boop, and Jeffrey Kat...

Rocky (she/her) and Ruth (he/him) uncover a lost episode from the Pulp Friction archives, our first post-9/11 Pulpy Awards. Hear us cover all the hits and misses of 2001, from famous disasters to underappreciated gems. Did Reese Witherspoon deserve more recognition for Legally Blonde ? Which racing movie did BT provide the better soundtrack for? Persons of interest include Bradley Cooper, Hugh Neu...

(Disclaimer: This is a comedy podcast. The Beatles did not kill JFK.) Rocky, Sam and Leon are taking another stab at solving the Beatles’ riddle, and this time they’re covering their first foray into film—and maybe the best thing they ever did?— A Hard Day’s Night . Is it another insidious piece of Beatleganda, or an admission of guilt for their crimes? Persons of interest include running, jumping...

That Eurodance you like is coming back in style! Rocky, Baph and Eddie are here to break down the little novelty song that could, “Planet of the Bass.” Who is DJ Crazy Times? WHERE is Ms. Biljana Electronica? How does it MEAN? Persons of interest include David Guetta, David Guetta, and David Guetta. Pulp Friction is available wherever pods are cast. Subscribe and share to support the show. Reach o...

Two movies fifteen years in the making, from beloved filmmakers making massive creative leaps. Both are monster hits, particularly as a DIY double feature, but do they transcend their fraught subject matter? And more importantly, how many ways can Rocky pronounce “Baumbach” in two hours? Persons of interest include Sandra Bullock, Hobie Doyle, and the life-giving Diablo Cody. Pulp Friction is avai...

Fans have been asking, “Rocky, where the hell have you been loca?” Worry not, Pulp Friction is back! And we’re finally returning to the Twilight saga with New Moon , the nexus point for Team Edward vs. Team Jacob. Does it succumb to sequelitis, or is it, like Twilight , a quietly interesting blockbuster? Persons of interest include Barbie, some guy from One Tree Hill , and the Christ. Pulp Frictio...

Altar boys, altered boys, join us as Rocky (she/her) and Emily (she/he) take another dip into Fall Out Boy’s chaotic catalog. Scratching your head at the band’s “We Didn’t Start the Fire” cover? Take a stroll down memory lane to 2015, when they followed up their big comeback with their most relevant record to date—one that left fans divided. Persons of interest include Drake, Jason Derulo, and my...

If you’ve been online at all this month, you’ve heard thousands sing the praises of the year’s biggest pop culture phenomenon, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Only Pulp Friction is brave enough to tell you what stinks about it. Join Rocky (she/her), Simone (they/she), and Alex (they/them) as they cut through the noise. Persons of interest include Seth Rogen, Logan Lerman, and Voltron. Pulp Fr...

40,000 years ago, an Early European modern human sculpted a lion-man hybrid, one of the earliest sculptures ever discovered. Since then, anthropomorphic animal characters have fallen in and out of vogue more times than one can count, but today, they have some true diehards: furries. Rocky (she/her) is joined by two esteemed furries, Blurry (xe/any) and Flan (they/she) to talk about the fandom’s un...

Berry Gordy III is known professionally as Berry Gordy, Jr. The Beatles’ third US release is called The Beatles’ Second Album . Coincidence? We think not. In our latest attempt to solve the Beatles’ riddle for teens, Rocky (she/her), Sam (he/him), and Leon (they/them) uncover the coordinated plot to launch the band in America. Persons of interest include Sally, influential endocrinologist Dr. Rich...

It’s Myles on Styles this week as Rocky (she/her) and Myles (they/he) break down the strange arc of perpetual heartthrob Harry Styles. What is it about his persona that invites such extreme fandom and such extreme criticism? Is he baiting, or has he done enough? Persons of interest include Nick Jonas, Katy Perry, and our dear policeman. Pulp Friction is available wherever pods are cast. Subscribe...

Get ready for some of Rocky’s worst takes yet on this exceptionally nice episode. Rocky (she/her) and Ruth (he/him) are talking Eminem, who once caused more friction than basically anyone else alive. The Eminem Show was his commercial and critical pinnacle, but was it also the beginning of the end? Persons of interest include Machine Gun Kelly, Steve Irwin, and our ol’ pal Elvis. Pulp Friction is...

From “miss me when I’m gone” to Bumper in Berlin , the Pitch Perfect franchise is one of the rare original film series of the ‘10s to leave a massive impact on pop culture, yet they’re looked back on with a certain derision. Do they deserve the hate? Can Rocky, Ned and Cody break down all three films before they break down completely? Aca-persons of interest include Australian John Lithgow, Jewish...

The disgusting brothers on m***********g tour! Rocky (she/her) and Sam (she/they) return to talk about the highlights from Succession ’s barn-burner of a season premiere. It’s the last season and anything could happen, but one thing’s for sure: Logan’s about to come up with a brand new slur for whatever Greg and Tom have going on. Persons of interest include Jonah Ryan, Bridget Randomfuck, and Ter...

Movie’s biggest night has come! All the stars came out for a glittering night of Tinseltown excess, but who took home the gold? Only Pulp Friction has your answer! Rocky (she/her) and Em (they/them) are covering all the highs and lows. Persons of interest include Matt Damon, Tammy Faye, and Morgan Freeman’s new look. Pulp Friction is available wherever pods are cast. Subscribe and share to support...

The three amigos are back on their neverending journey to solve the Beatles’ enigmatic riddle for teens. Last time, Rocky (she/her), Sam (he/him), and Leon (they/them) uncovered the shocking truth about the Fab Four and JFK. This time, they scour the band’s second record for clues about their motives—and who’s cutting the checks. Pulp Friction is available wherever pods are cast. Subscribe and sha...

Knock at the Cabin is here (and it rocks), so Rocky and special guest Shirt Bimbo are talking about the long and winding career of M. Night Shyamalan. Is he a hack who got lucky? One of the true visionaries of pop cinema? Both? Only two online trans women can crack the code. Persons of interest include Dick Tracy, Stuart Little, the borzoi of people, and women. Pulp Friction is available wherever...

With the year in review behind us, we’re moving forward with a hard look at an iconic band gone far too late. Panic! at the Disco is no more, and Rocky (she/her) and Emily (she/he) are reflecting on the band’s career—starting with their only certified classic—to ask the question: what was that all about? Persons of interest include Dallon Weekes, the Beatles, and Chuck Palahniuk. Pulp Friction is...

Just in the nick of time (January 19th), Rocky (she/her) and Ruth (he/him) are back to break down some of their favorites in film from 2022. We talk categories like: * Best Picture * Worst Picture * Best Director * Best Lead Performances * Best Supporting Performances * Best First Feature * Best Ensemble * Best Cameo * And much more! Persons of interest include M3gan, Maverick, and Eminem. Pulp Fr...

It’s that time again! Rocky (she/her) and Lye (any) are here to break down their favorites from the year in the following categories: * Song of the Year * Album of the Year * Artist of the Year * Best Debut Album * Plus their favorite songs and albums in pop, rock, jazz, alt, hip hop, R&B, country/folk, and electronic/dance. You can listen to Pulp Friction on any major podcast platform. Subscribe...

2022 is wrapping up, which means it’s time to kick off year in review season! Before we get to the second annual Pulpy Awards, we’re starting out chill with a look back at 2022’s animated films. Can Disney recover? Is Netflix the new frontier? Rocky (she/her) and Alex (they/them) share their thoughts on the year in animation. Persons of interest include Beavis, Butt-head, and Mussolini. Pulp Frict...

One day in the mid-’80s, an executive at Scholastic bravely asked the question, “What if there was a babysitters club ?” This week, Rocky (she/her) and Glenn (they/them) scratch the surface of this series’ illustrious history, including books, spinoffs, the 1995 film, the two TV shows, and more. Persons of interest include Kristy, Sissy Spacek, and ‘Arry Potter. Pulp Friction is available wherever...

After a few weeks off, Pulp Friction is back and bigger than ever. Rocky (she/her) is joined by Rose Camille (she/her) to discuss one of the few pieces of media that’s barely lost its volatility nearly 20 years after its release: Twilight . Persons of interest include Henry Cavill, Percy Jackson, and one dozen hard boiled eggs. You can find Rocky on Twitter (while it still stands) and Rose on Inst...

Halloween is back on the menu! Rocky (she/her), Sam (she/they) and Eddie (he/him) are teaming up to tackle two Carries—don’t worry, no pigs were harmed! Does the 1976 film’s reputation overpromise? Is the 2013 version worth a second look? Persons of interest include Zack Snyder, Lindsay Lohan, and Luke Skywalker. You can find Rocky on Twitter and Pulp Friction wherever you get your podcasts (now i...

It’s official, folks: “Heat Waves” by Glass Animals holds the record for the most weeks a song has spent on the Hot 100 in history (and it’s still at #20!). How did this happen? What does it mean for music? Is the song any good to begin with? Rocky is joined by Kadin and River to break down what, exactly, is going on here. Persons of interest include Ed Sheeran, Dream, and an ever-lurking Johnny D...