Zebras In America

Due to technical difficulties, Popcorn Eschaton had to pivot guests, topics, and even host! But because we try to go with the flow as best we can, and are blessed with wonderful friends, we march on! On this episode, John is joined by friends of Zebras Eschaton, Elana Levin and Frank Smith, as they pay tribute to the legendary metal icon Ozzy Osbourne. They discuss the cultural and musical legacy...

What could be more Popcorn Eschaton than pairing Jim Jarmusch with Star Trek? On this episode, Scott and John head west to explore the poetic violence and self-discovery of 1995's 'Dead Man,' then they return to The Final Frontier as they join the Enterprise crew on their resurrection quest in 'The Search for Spock'! Logo designed by Jesse Arnold (https://www.instagram.com/just.shelve.it/) Theme m...

On this Popcorn Eschaton, Scott and John embrace living in liminal spaces as they journey through death and the boundaries between this world and the next. First, they explore Apichatpong Weerasethakul's 2010 spiritual drama 'Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives,' then they discuss Pedro Almodóvar's 2024 meditation on friendship and choosing how we meet our end, 'The Room Next Door.' Logo d...

Popcorn Eschaton welcomes the brilliant Carmelita Valdez McKoy to discuss medieval mythology and Catholic/Pagan sycheticism! The conversation dives into 'Excalibur,' John Boorman's classic of Arthurian myths, Dark Age Disco costumes, as well as personal and political morality! It's got a cast full of future British acting legends acting out the foundational legends of Britain! Amazing stuff. Logo...

On this Popcorn Eschaton, Scott and John tackle one of the most discombobulating, bravura, and labyrinthian science fiction movies ever made: Richard Kelly's 'Southland Tales'! They discuss how the film succeeds and fails in reflecting America in a post-9/11 world and why a strange, unfinished piece of art should be enjoyed on its own terms. Maximalism ahoy! Logo designed by Jesse Arnold (https://...

Scott and John are joined by the brilliant writer and podcaster Spencer Seams! They discuss the emblematic race film from 1941 'The Blood of Jesus,' as well as Jacques Rivette's harrowing 1966 examination of institutional abuse within the Catholic Church, 'The Nun.' They discuss misogyny, giving voice to unheard voices, and the importance of community. Logo designed by Jesse Arnold (https://www.in...

It's CONCLAVE time! It was inevitable that Scott and John would cover this stylish thriller about hermetic power, faith vs. certainty, conservatism vs. generosity, and how utterly terrifying it would be to have Isabella Rossellini disappointed in you. In times of such despondency, it was a privilege to be able to discuss a film that so elegantly addresses how the instruments of power can be change...

Scott and John welcome the brilliant Heather Drain to Popcorn Eschaton as they discuss the Japanese cult animated feature 'Belladonna of Sadness!' They explore the difficult subject matter of the film, the wildly stylized and beautiful animation, the exuberant musical score, and how the events of the film presage both Joan of Arc and the French Revolution. Trigger warnings for sexual assault, muti...

On this Popcorn Eschaton, Scott and John dive into the infinite morass that is the American health care system, as seen through cinema. First, they look at how public policy is interwoven with corporate interests, as well as how journalism is supposed to be safeguarding us from those interests, with Michael Mann's brilliant 1999 thriller 'The Insider.' Then, they shift focus and tone to 'The Big S...

Scott and John are joined by the world's greatest Ingmar Bergman advocate, the brilliant Becky D'Anna, to discuss 1957's 'The Seventh Seal'! They dive into the collision of medieval religious traditions with the cinema of the mid-20th century, the reputation of Bergman vs. the reality of his art, and the multifarious ways we can interpret the imagery of the film. Becky's writing, Top Ten lists, an...

"This Land is Your Land" is an anthem to community and the rights all humans have to the earth they walk on, but what truths are there for us in the life of the song's composer, the legendary Woody Guthrie? On this Popcorn Eschaton, Scott and John continue on the Hal Ashby train as they explore the 1976 sprawling biopic (of a kind), 'Bound for Glory'! Logo designed by Jesse Arnold (https://www.ins...

It's the 50th Popcorn Eschaton! For this special occasion, Scott and John pick their respective favorite movies and reflect on how they came to start this spiritually cinematic journey. John's pick for his favorite is 'Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,' and they discuss how fun it is to see Nazis getting punched and how wholesome it is to watch a father and son embrace each other with love. Scot...

Because we at Popcorn Eschaton love the immortal spirit of David Lynch so very much, we just wanted to talk about him some more! Let us journey to a small town out of time, the liminal suburbia that is the Lumberton of 'Blue Velvet'! We are joined by the brilliant Elana Levin (of Graphic Policy) to discuss voyeurism, Roy Orbison, and how the film intersects with both feminine archetypes and femini...

With the passing of the one-and-only David Lynch, Scott, John, and Marcus wanted to explore two of the director's films that are least discussed in cinema circles: 'Dune' and 'The Straight Story.' One extravagent, overstuffed, and finished outside of Lynch's control, the other deeply personal, human, and compassionate. They explore how the films reflect what they love about Lynch's work, what they...

Scott and John are joined once again by the brilliant Marcus Pinn as they discuss one of Marcus's favorite filmmakers: Bruno Dumont! They focus on Dumont's pair of musicals about 15th Century saint and martyr Joan of Arc, the anachronistic music choices, and what Joan's tribulations have to say about religious and governmental hypocrisy throughout history. Logo designed by Jesse Arnold (https://ww...

It's priests taking on authoritarianism on Popcorn Eschaton! Scott and John take a look at two different perspectives of Catholic priests having their faith tested by unjust persecution and how those priests respond to that repression. First, they discuss the Jean-Pierre Melville classic 'Léon Morin, Priest' and what it has to say about faith, as well as our shared responsibility to those in need....

It's a Francis Ford Coppola double feature on Popcorn Eschaton! Scott and John each discuss their respective personal favorite Coppola movies, 'Rumble Fish' and 'Bram Stoker's Dracula'! They talk about why these atypical picks are important to their cinematic development, how these films appeal to their respective tastes, and how they address both class and spirituality. Logo designed by Jesse Arn...

On this Popcorn Eschaton, Scott and John are joined by prison reform professional Noah Barth. to discuss the modern classic 'The Shawshank Redemption.' They examine the film's take on the prison system as an institution, hope, and the relationship between platonic soulmates. Noah brought a great deal of wisdom and insight to the discussion and helped us use the film as a springboard to talk about...

It's time for Scott and John to take a dive into M. Night Shyamalan's 2006 fantasy 'Lady in the Water,' the much-maligned fairytale of community and redemption. They discuss how the film has its heart in the right place but is also extremely messy, how Shyamalan could benefit from more active collaborators in his filmmaking, and the parallels the film has with Bantu Kongo cosmology. Also: John is...

It's spooky season, so Scott and John are diving into John Carpenter's underappreciated, philosophical, theological, and science-obsessed horror movie, 'Prince of Darkness'! They discuss Carpenter's brilliant music, the big questions the movie asks, and opening the box of quantum mechanics to get at Schrödinger's Cat, even if it means we also open a jar of Evil Goo! Logo designed by Jesse Arnold (...

On this Popcorce Eschaton, Scott and John take a look at two drastically different, but complimentary, prison films: the raging ember of empathy for inmates, 1947's 'Brute Force,' directed by Jules Dassin, and Claire Denis's 'High Life,' a sci-fi meditation on the battle between despair and hope. Logo designed by Jesse Arnold (https://www.instagram.com/just.shelve.it/) Theme music is "Sun Blood" b...

Scott and John are joined once again by the brilliant Marcus Pinn as they discuss one of the most important documentaries ever made and one of the greatest testaments to the power of unions, 'Harlan County, USA.' They explore the enduring intensity of the film, the struggle behind getting the movie made, and what 'Harlan County, USA' has to say about the struggle of the working class, both in 1977...

Robots! The insatiable maw of capitalism! Awesome tunes! Scott and John dive into the glorious 1980s toy commercial... that is also a beautifully scored and animated ride through the galaxy with wonderfully realized characters, 'Transformers: The Movie!' Then they transition to the much more muted tones, but no less beautiful and energizing, world of 'Ghost in the Shell,' a dystopian masterpiece t...

Scott and John take a trip to the Spanish Civil War to look at two profound meditations on death, conflict, and childhood, Victor Erice's 'The Spirit of the Beehive' and Guillermo del Toro's 'The Devil's Backbone.' They discuss how each film approaches fascism and finds beauty even in the most devastating tragedies. Logo designed by Jesse Arnold (https://www.instagram.com/just.shelve.it/) Theme mu...

On this Popcorn Eschaton, Scott and John take a journey to medieval Scandinavia for tales of flight both physical and spiritual. First they discuss Nicolas Winding Refn's 2009 film 'Valhalla Rising,' then focus on the 2012 post-Black Death survival picture 'Escape.' Go North, grab a sword, and RUN! Logo designed by Jesse Arnold (https://www.instagram.com/just.shelve.it/) Theme music is "Sun Blood"...