The Potential Podcast!

Chris and Taylor review the new epic biographical thriller film  Oppenheimer written and directed by Christopher Nolan.  Based on the novel  American Prometheus by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin , the film follows the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer, from his early studies, direction of the Manhattan Project during World War II, and his eventual fall from grace due to his 1954 security hearing.  The...

Chris and Taylor review the fantasy comedy film, Barbie ,  directed by Greta Gerwig, who wrote the screenplay with Noah Baumbach. Based on the Barbie fashion dolls by Mattel, it is the first live-action Barbie film after numerous computer-animated direct-to-video and streaming television films. The film follows Barbie and Ken on a journey of self-discovery following an existential crisis. It featu...

Spoiler Warning! Chris and Taylor review season 3 of the fantasy drama television series, The Witcher, created by Lauren Schmidt Hissrich for Netflix. It is based on the book series of the same name by Polish writer Andrzej Sapkowski.  In the latest season, we pick up by following Geralt, Ciri, and Yennefer as they remain on the run from all the different factions currently after Ciri, including h...

Spoiler Warning! Chris and Taylor review the miniseries, Secret Invasion, created by Kyle Bradstreet for the streaming service Disney+, loosely adapted from the 2008 Marvel Comics storyline of the same name. It is the ninth television series in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) produced by Marvel Studios, sharing continuity with the films of the franchise. It follows Nick Fury and Talos as they...

Chris and Taylor review the new Netflix sci-fi comedy mystery film  They Cloned Tyrone  written by Juel Taylor and Tony Rettenmaier with direction by Taylor.  A series of eerie events thrusts an unlikely trio onto the trail of a nefarious government conspiracy in this puply mystery caper.  The film stars John Boyega, Jamie Foxx, Teyonah Parris, David Alan Grier, Kiefer Sutherland, J. Alphonse Nich...

Chris and Taylor review the comedy film Joy Ride, directed by Adele Lim, in her feature directorial debut, and written by Cherry Chevapravatdumrong and Teresa Hsiao, from a story by Lim, Chevapravatdumrong, and Hsiao. When Audrey's business trip to Asia goes sideways, she enlists the help of Lolo, her childhood best friend, Kat, a college friend, and Deadeye, Lolo's eccentric cousin. Their epic, n...

Chris and Taylor review the new AppleTV+ comedy series  Platonic created by Francesca Delbanco and Nicolas Stoller.  Former childhood best friends reconnect as adults and try to get past the rift that led to their falling out.  The series stars Rose Byrne, Seth Rogen, Luck Macfarlane, Tre Hale, Andrew Lopez, Carla Gallo, Alisha Wainwright, Vinny Thomas, Francesca Delbanco, Guy Branum, and Janet Va...

Spoiler Warning! Chris and Taylor review the spy action film, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, directed by Christopher McQuarrie from a screenplay he co-wrote with Erik Jendresen. It is the sequel to Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018) and the seventh installment in the Mission: Impossible film series. Dead Reckoning Part One sees Ethan Hunt, whose IMF team matches wits with a power...

Comedy comes in all forms and cultures, making it the most universal thing out there!  Chris and Taylor welcome Vishnu Vaka, and up and coming comedian performing all over New York and New Jersey.  Originally from India, he went through 14 schools by the time he got to 5th grade.  Finding comedy as a second career, Vishnu talks about what inspired him to pursue comedy, his style, getting to tour w...

Spoiler Review! Chris and Taylor review the action adventure film, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny , directed by James Mangold, who co-wrote it with Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth, and David Koepp. It is the fifth and final installment in the Indiana Jones film series and the sequel to Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008). In the film (set primarily in 1969), In...

Spoiler Warning!  Chris and Taylor review the second season of the comedy-drama series The Bear created by Christopher Storer.  The second season sees the kitchen crew attempt to transform the rundown Mr. Beef sandwich shop into a new fine-dining restaurant called The Bear.  The series stars Jeremy Allen White, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Ayo Edebiri, Lionel Boyce, Liza Colón-Zayas, Abby Elliott, Matty Ma...

Chris and Taylor review the romantic comedy films  Father of the Bride and  Father of the Bride Part II directed by Charles Shyer.  Both films star Steve Martin as George Banks, a businessman and father who struggles to hold it together through his daughter's wedding season.  The second film continues the story as George's daughter becomes pregnant, as does his wife, at the same time.  The films a...

Chris and Taylor review the 2023 sex comedy film, No Hard Feelings , directed by Gene Stupnitsky from a screenplay he co-wrote with John Phillips. On the brink of losing her childhood home, a desperate woman agrees to date a wealthy couple's introverted and awkward 19-year-old son. However, he proves to be more of a challenge than she expected, and time is running out before she loses it all. It s...

Chris and Taylor review the Netflix action thriller film, Extraction 2 (stylised on-screen as Extraction II ), directed by Sam Hargrave and written by Joe Russo, based on the graphic novel Ciudad by Ande Parks, Joe Russo, Anthony Russo, Fernando León González, and Eric Skillman. It is a sequel to the 2020 film Extraction. Back from the brink of death, commando Tyler Rake embarks on a dangerous mis...

Chris and Taylor review the science fiction action film, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, based on Hasbro's Transformers toy line, and primarily influenced by the Beast Wars storyline. It is the seventh installment in the Transformers live-action film series. Serving as a standalone sequel to Bumblebee (2018) and prequel to Transformers (2007), the film was directed by Steven Caple Jr. In the fil...

Spoiler Warning!  Chris and Taylor review the 3rd season of the sports comedy-drama series Ted Lasso developed by Jason Sudeikis, Bill Lawrence, Brendan Hunt, and Joe Kelly.  AFC Richmond is now a part of the Premier League and the pressure is on for Rebecca and Ted to not finish last against the competition, including West Ham and their new coach, Nate. The series stars Jason Sudeikis, Hannah Wad...

Chris and Taylor review the black comedy drama series "Beef" created by Korean director Lee Sung Jin for Netflix.  Two people whose involvement in a road rage incident pits them against each other.  The series stars Steven Yeun, Ali Wong, Joseph Lee, Young Mazino, David Choe, Patti Yasutake, Maria Bello, Ashley Park, Justin H. Min, Alyssa Gihee Kim, Remy Holt, Andrew Santino and Rek Lee. Follow us...

Spoiler Warning! Chris and Taylor review the 2023 superhero film, The Flash, based on the DC character of the same name. It is the 13th installment in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). The film is directed by Andy Muschietti from a screenplay by Christina Hodson. In the film, Barry travels back in time to prevent his mother's death, which brings unintended consequences. The film stars Ezra Miller,...

Chris and Taylor review the new supernatural horror film The Boogeyman written by Scott Beck, Bryan Woods, and Mark Heyman with direction by Rob Savage and based on a short story by Stephen King.  Still reeling from the tragic death of their mother, a teenage girl and her younger sister find themselves plagued by a sadistic presence in their house and struggle to get their grieving father to pay a...

Chris and Taylor go back to that darken doorstep with holy water in hand to review the 1973 supernatural horror film, The Exorcist , directed by William Friedkinz, marking this the 50th anniversary of its release. It derived from a screenplay by author William Peter Blatty, based on his 1971 novel of the same name. When young Regan starts acting odd her worried mother seeks medical help, only to h...

You've heard cruisin' through life? What about cruisin' through comedy? Chris and Taylor welcome the always hilarious comedian, voice actor and podcaster Al Ducharme. We couldn't stop laughing this whole episode! Al has had a fantastic career in comedy by land and sea (Maybe air ? Maybe one day!) We discuss performing on land versus cruise ships, his relationship with his wife and...

Spoiler Warning!  Chris and Taylor review the Sony/Marvel computer-animated film Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse written by Phil Lord, Christopher Miller and Dave Callaham with direction by Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers and Justin K. Thompson.  Miles Morales goes on an adventure with Gwen Stacy across the multiverse where he meets a new team of Spider-People known as the Spider-Society led b...

Chris and Taylor review the American comedy drama television series, Bupkis, which was written by Pete Davidson (who also acted as producer), Judah Miller and Dave Sirus.  show is  a "heightened fictionalized version of Pete Davidson's life". After moving back home to Staten Island, Pete struggles to deal with unfortunate family news, all the while trying to maintain his career, relationships and...

Spoiler warning! Chris and Taylor review the dark comedy crime drama television series, Barry , created by Alec Berg and Bill Hader, on HBO and HBO Max.  Now in prison, Barry seeks forgiveness from those he has wronged, like acting teacher Gene Cousineau and ex Sally Reed. Unlike its main character, Barry knows that the road to forgiveness is longer than one phone call from jail. The series stars...

Chris and Taylor review the final season of the American satirical dark comedy-drama television series, Succession , created by Jesse Armstrong and composed by Nicholas Britell. In the final season, the sale of media conglomerate Waystar Royco to tech visionary Lukas Matsson moves ever closer. The prospect of this seismic sale provokes existential angst and familial division among the Roys as they...