The Cult Popcast

| Review | Finally, we are caught up with ‘Atlanta.’ The long-awaited third season of Donald Glover’s hit series just wrapped, and things are crazier than ever. Joining the cast is Kenyetta from the podcast, ’Kenyetta & Jack Save the World,’ to help Steven and Gabe dig into what makes this show so good - and its cultural significance. What in the world is Afro-Surrealism anyway?

| Review | Sometimes some crimes go slipping through the cracks, but these two gumshoes are picking up the slack. 

| Analysis | Bryce is back on the cast today as we jump feet first into ‘Halo,’ the new sci-fi epic on Paramount+ based on the massively popular video game franchise of the same name. A despondent Gabe helps Bryce run Steven through two decades of the iconic saga’s history before discussing the fluctuating level of quality of this latest live action adaptation.

| Review | ‘Men,’ am I right? The new Alex Garland joint is out, and it is a trip. Played as a horror story, Garland’s layered exploration of toxic masculinity is a hauntingly beautiful spectacle designed to disturb. Don’t watch this if you just had lunch-or a baby.

| Review | Ozark is finally over and has left us with so many feelings. Did it end well? Was justice served? Who survived? Will Netflix survive? A extremely big ups to the cast and crew of this unforgettable show.

| Review | ‘Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness’ is finally out and once again Mordo’s ominous warning rings true: “Forget everything that you think you know.” But does the MCU’s first “horror film” live up to the hype? And just how much campy fun and panache can the legendary Sam Raimi bring to the Disney formula? Let’s just say this one is a ride.

| Review | Marvel strikes back with, ’Moon Knight,’ a relatively unknown superhero with dueling identities-mascaraing as an Avatar for an Egyptian god. Sound confusing? You don’t know the half of it… or the third of it.

| Review | With the current trend of multiverses and meta self-referencing, you know what would be perfect? Nicolas Cage playing a version of himself in a movie about his own career. That movie now exists. ‘The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent’ is a heartfelt tribute to the renowned (and eccentric) movie star, but it’s also a celebration of film history. And Pedro Pascal is amazing too.

| Review | Haaaaaark! Auteur Robert Eggers is back with his third feature film, ‘The Northman.’ Drawn from the Scandinavian legend of Viking warrior Amleth, this old tale of revenge has echoed throughout history, inspiring storytellers from Shakespeare to Walt Disney. The question is this: if you had the chance to change your fate - would you?

| Review | The new installment of the Harry Potter spinoff franchise, ‘Fantastic Beasts’ has arrived and it begs a larger question as we discuss other pre-established franchises and the quality of their current iterations; such as ’Jurassic Park,’ ‘Halo,’ and ‘The Book of Boba Fett.’

| Review | Apple TV+ continues to build up their catalog of quality titles with ‘Severance,’ the intriguing new series from the minds of Dan Erickson and Ben Stiller. With equal parts “mystery box” science fiction and character-driven drama, this stylized show creates an immersive and surreal world that takes a fresh look at the dehumanization of the individual in the modern corporate workplace. B...

| Review | Straight out of Macedonia, it’s the new Focus Features indie film by Goran Stolevski about 19th century witches and the beauty and darkness/joy and grief that make up life; and yet…

| Analysis | Sucked… into… a baaagelllll. ‘Everything Everywhere All At Once’ is the ambitious new indie film from creative duo Daniels, brought to you by A24. True to its name, this movie wholeheartedly embraces its absurdist multiverse premise while balancing the quirky madness with a complex, deeply emotional journey of a family finding purpose and connection in the existential chaos of modern...

| Review | Ah, the 90s. It was a simpler time, wasn’t it? A sweeter time. Today’s cast is on 'Pam & Tommy,' the Hulu original making waves for it’s retelling of that seminal moment shortly before the turn of the century, when the zeitgeist came to a head and burst as rock and roll, sex, and pop culture smashed headlong into technology. This is the story of the internet’s first sex tape.

| Review | After a brief hiatus, the boys are back discussing “Content Storm 2022,” we talk about ‘Turning Red,’ ‘The Adam Project,’ ‘Deadpool 3,’ ‘Free Guy,’ ‘The Untitled Mario Movie,’ ‘Our Flags Mean Death’ and then landing on the new wildly salacious-horror/slasher A24 feature film, ‘X.’

| Review | High school is a weird time. Not every experience is the same, but almost every person’s journey invariably runs up against some emotional trauma. ‘Euphoria’ is a show that attempts to capture that chaotic and often scary essence of growing up and finding yourself, but it does it with dreamlike style and visual flair.

| Analysis | Well folks, it’s all led to this. We have arrived once again at the Academy Awards - and perhaps for the last time. There’s a lot to talk about here, not the least of which is Will Smith’s violent outburst at Chris Rock and consequent manic episode. What makes such a celebrated person behave like this? Steven and Gabe do some casual reporting and armchair analysis of the incident afte...

| Analysis | One of Steven’s favorite films of the year, the very special ‘Encanto’ is nominated for best animated feature film at the 2022 Academy Awards. Spoken about many times on this podcast, they felt it was deserving of its own episode.

| Analysis | ‘Flee’ is the true story of one man’s harrowing journey to escape war-torn Afghanistan in the 1990’s. Depicted through 2D animation, this documentary spans multiple timelines as Amin Nawabi finally discloses his past so that he may confront the truth and move forward.

| Analysis | Things take a turn for the worst in Joachim Trier’s Norwegian picture that is nominated for Best International Feature Film, ‘The Worst Person in the World;’ Following a woman in her late twenty’s as she navigates the complexities of relationships and life in our current day and age, this film has some steep competition in it’s categories. Steven, Gabe, and Ally are here to ponder the...

| Analysis | Last but certainly not least on this years ballot for Best Picture is ‘Drive My Car,’ a layered and meditative Japanese drama about living with sorrow. This is a beautiful film and a good reminder that no matter what you look like or how you speak, we have more in common than we know.

| Analysis | Fail to plan, plan to fail. This is the motto of Richard Williams, a man with relentless drive who dreams to give his family the world. ‘King Richard’ is the dramatic depiction of how he raised Venus and Serena Williams to become two of the greatest athletes in tennis history.

| Analysis | Next up in the running for Best Picture at the 2022 Academy Awards is 'CODA,' a wholesome coming of age story about a young girl who discovers her love for singing. The twist: her whole family is deaf. What are you willing to sacrifice to chase your dream? 

| Review | Video games are back on the menu today as the boys talk ‘Elden Ring,’ the latest action RPG from acclaimed Japanese studio FromSoftware. What is a “Soulsborne” game, and what makes them so special? And why the hell was Ryan Coogler held at gunpoint on suspicion of being a bank robber?

| Review | Vengeance or hope? A question is asked and a signal is in the sky for this new rendition of a familiar Gotham City. Today we dissect Matt Reeve’s ‘The Batman.’