Sequester & Chill: Summer Streaming Surprises
The pandemic may have spoiled the summer movie season, but that doesn’t mean there are no summer movies.
It’s been a summer movie season like no other. Some would say we didn’t have a summer movie season, with the likes of Maverick: Top Gun 2, Fast and Furious 9, Black Widow, Tenet, and many other highly anticipated blockbusters being punted to the future.
Yet, there were still many movies released.
Out of necessity, the practice of straight-to-streaming exploded this summer. Less than a year ago, many considered such a release as a monstrous curiosity that would destroy cinemas (see Scorsese’s The Irishman), but when there are no cinemas, or a communal viewing experience isn’t safe, distributors and streaming services combined to give cinephiles a way to experience new movies.
And some of them were really, really good!
Here’s a list of “new summer movies” I saw and most certainly recommend*:
Palm Springs
After Hot Rod and That’s My Boy I have avoided Andy Samberg like a COVID-19 ward, but good word of mouth had me visit Palm Springs and it was a good trip! There have been many movies to try and take the Groundhog Day repeating-day conceit, but I can think of none that had such interesting characters. It was funny and had some character-driven plot twists that kept me engaged.
If you see only one repeating-day film, see Groundhog Day. But if you want to see another, head to Palm Springs.
My Spy
It’s the dearth of new entertainment that led me to watch Dave Bautista’s entry in the “muscle man with kids” genre. Ever since Arnold Schwarzenegger broke out of his big-guns stereotype and became a family-friendly name with Kindergarten Cop it seems every wrestler-turned-actor has tried to copy that success. Some of these comedies work (I enjoyed The Game Plan),and some don’t (Hulk Hogan in Mr. Nanny).
After trying the insipid Stuber I wasn’t inclined to see My Spy but… I did. And it exceeded all my expectations. The chemistry between Bautista and child actress Chloe Coleman feels very natural, and the plot avoids several of the Kindergarten Cop cliches.
In a year that also brought the near-unwatchable Playing with Fire, My Spy was a fun diversion.
The Lovebirds
When this was intended for theatrical release the trailers made the film look funny. Kumail Nanjiani really impressed me with The Big Sick so I’m more inclined to see his work (though with Stuber that was a poor choice).
Lovebirds follows Nanjiani and costar Issa Rae as a couple on the verge of break-up. Well, nothing brings the spark back into a releationship as being on the run for a murder you didn’t commit. The result is the couple trying to find the real killer, uncovering a major conspiracy of Eyes Wide Shut orgiastic proportions, and making me laugh the whole way through.
Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion’s Revenge
It shouldn’t be difficult to make a Mortal Kombat movie. The stories are pre-written for the characters, the filmmakers then need to dramatize those stories in an interesting way.
Legends differentiates itself from previous Kombat movies by focusing on Scorpion. He was a near-mute ninja in the live-action films. Here, he is the protagonist.
The story is pretty rote. Scorpion is a felled warrior resurrected for revenge (see also: The Crow, The Wraith, Spawn, etc.) but the plot does have a few twists. For fans of the previous Kombat games or movies, seeing the classic characters brings a nostalgic thrill.
The only drawback is the animated action. It’s well-drawn, but either you like cartoon fighting or you don’t, and it never thrilled me in any animated form. I much prefer seeing stuntmen do well-choreographed martial arts to seeing artists’ renderings.
It’s not at Flawless Victory, but Scorpion wins.
*For the sake of this list, only movies released as movies were included. Mini-series that really played like long movies, like Defending Jacob, were excluded becuase their episodic format labels them “TV Series”
Bumblebee
The Last Knight left many Transformers fans feeling stung, but Hasbro hopes to reawaken nostalgia for the 1980s toy line with their retro-minded solo film Bumblebee. Can the lovable VW bug connect with a grieving gearhead teenager (Hailee Steinfeld) using only a car radio to speak? And will Sector 7 jarhead John Cena, or Decepticons Shatter (Angela Bassett) and Dropkick (Justin Theroux), undermine the Autobot plot to relocate to Earth? Don’t take this high dive back into dicey waters alone. Roll out with Jerry, Arnie, and Stuart. Listen Now!
Bumblebee – Early Unedited Release for Patrons
Our review of Bumblebee will be out for everyone on Totally Free Tuesday, January 1. This is an early, (mostly) unedited release for our Gold level patrons of $25 and higher.
If you want to hear this and many other shows early, plus get access to over 20 exclusive bonus shows, join our Patron campaign today!
The Last Airbender – Donation Bonus
M. Night Shyamalan’s career continued to deflate as he turned The Last Airbender, a beloved Nickelodeon cartoon series, into the Razzie award-winning Worst Film of 2010. Are podcasters Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob ready to tattoo red arrows on their foreheads and go to war with this sham cinematic genius? Or can they bend the rules for badly directed karate kids riding a flying bison, and let it all pass as children’s entertainment? Join our Gold Level Tribe and rediscover the lost art of breaking wind. Donate Today!
Aquaman
DC Comics invites audiences to dive under the sea and get chummy with Aquaman – a character who got a lot of sand kicked in his face back in the days of Superfriends. Now tough guy Jason Momoa is on the hook to win the bastard Atlantean some cinematic justice. Will he stop half-brother King Orm (Patrick Wilson) from becoming Oceanmaster, and uniting the seven seas against the surface world? More importantly, can “Fishboy” talk crabby podcasters Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart out of torpedoing his first stand-alone feature? Listen and find out.
Aquaman — Early Unedited Release for Patrons
Our review of Aquaman will be out for everyone on Totally Free Tuesday, Chrismas — December 25th. This is an early, (mostly) unedited release for our Gold level patrons and higher.
If you want to hear this and many other shows early, plus get access to over 20 exclusive bonus shows (including next week’s A Nightmare Before Christmas), join our Patron campaign today!
The Happening – For Annual Subscribers
Everybody out of the swimming pool! There’s a Lady in the Water who keeps insisting M. Night Shyamalan is the most important and inspirational writer of the 21st Century… even after making this flop fairy tale! Can schlubby building superintendent Paul Giamatti set sea nymph Bryce Dallas Howard straight, and keep this vanity project from going sideways? Or will Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob be forced to tear apart the Story like a pack of wild Scrunts? Donate Today and find the hidden messages in this unofficial remake of Splash!
NOTE: This listing is for annual subscribers to our show. You can also get this movie review individually for a small donation.
Every dollar you donate goes to make this show the best it can be. Thank you for your support and we hope you enjoy the podcast!
The Happening – Limited Time Release for Patrons
Note: This podcast is available to Now Playing Podcast Patrons of $25 or more. This podcast will only be available until March 31, 2019, so be sure to listen (and, if you want to listen after, to download) before that date!
You can also get this podcast through the Now Playing Spring 2018 Donation Drive, or individually for a small donation.
Bad things keep Happening to M Night Shyamalan! Was his foray into R-rated horror simply a creative way of committing career suicide? Or was the Sixth Sense creator under the influence of some kind of psychotropic herb (or $6 cough syrup) when he concocted this loony environmental parable? And should science teacher Mark Wahlberg be running away from the wind or his traitorous, tiramisu-eating wife Zooey Deschanel? Walk it all backwards with Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob when you Donate for Now Playing’s Gold Level Shyamalan series!
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse — Early Unedited Release for Patrons
Our review of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse will be out for everyone on Totally Free Tuesday, December 18th. This is an early, mostly unedited release for our Gold level patrons and higher.
If you want to hear this and many other shows early, plus get access to over 20 exclusive bonus shows, join our Patron campaign today!
Lady in the Water – For Annual Subscribers
Everybody out of the swimming pool! There’s a Lady in the Water who keeps insisting M. Night Shyamalan is the most important and inspirational writer of the 21st Century… even after making this flop fairy tale! Can schlubby building superintendent Paul Giamatti set sea nymph Bryce Dallas Howard straight, and keep this vanity project from going sideways? Or will Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob be forced to tear apart the Story like a pack of wild Scrunts? Donate Today and find the hidden messages in this unofficial remake of Splash!
NOTE: This listing is for annual subscribers to our show. You can also get this movie review individually for a small donation.
Every dollar you donate goes to make this show the best it can be. Thank you for your support and we hope you enjoy the podcast!
Lady in the Water – Limited Time Release for Patrons
Note: This podcast is available to Now Playing Podcast Patrons of $25 or more. This podcast will only be available until March 31, 2019, so be sure to listen (and, if you want to listen after, to download) before that date!
You can also get this podcast through the Now Playing Spring 2018 Donation Drive, or individually for a small donation.
Everybody out of the swimming pool! There’s a Lady in the Water who keeps insisting M. Night Shyamalan is the most important and inspirational writer of the 21st Century… even after making this flop fairy tale! Can schlubby building superintendent Paul Giamatti set sea nymph Bryce Dallas Howard straight, and keep this vanity project from going sideways? Or will Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob be forced to tear apart the Story like a pack of wild Scrunts? Donate Today and find the hidden messages in this unofficial remake of Splash!
Lady in the Water – Donation Bonus
Everybody out of the swimming pool! There’s a Lady in the Water who keeps insisting M. Night Shyamalan is the most important and inspirational writer of the 21st Century… even after making this flop fairy tale! Can schlubby building superintendent Paul Giamatti set sea nymph Bryce Dallas Howard straight, and keep this vanity project from going sideways? Or will Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob be forced to tear apart the Story like a pack of wild Scrunts? Donate Today and find the hidden messages in this unofficial remake of Splash!
Max Payne
Mark Wahlberg aimed to please fans of the popular shooter Max Payne, but his 2008 movie adaptation missed its target audience and clipped the wings of a potential franchise. Will this vigilante cop have better luck scoring points with Now Playing Arcade hosts Justin, Arnie, and Stuart? And can they coherently link the man who murdered Max’s family to a wild conspiracy involving hallucinogenic street drugs and C-list celebrities Mila Kunis, Chris O’Donnell, and singer Nelly Furtado? Your best shot at finding answers is to Listen Now!
The Village – For Annual Subscribers
M. Night Shyamalan built a wall between himself and some of his fan base when he set his encore to Signs in a 19th Century Village full of superstition and suppressed passion. Can podcasters Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob turn a blind eye to a controversial twist that makes a fool out of Adrien Brody? Or do you have to be Bryce Dallas Howard not to see “the Bad Color” popping up on their arrows, pointing audiences away from these monster-filled woods? Donate for Now Playing’s Gold Level series and be led by love through the pitfalls to the painful truth!
NOTE: This listing is for annual subscribers to our show. You can also get this movie review individually for a small donation.
Every dollar you donate goes to make this show the best it can be. Thank you for your support and we hope you enjoy the podcast!
The Village – Donation Bonus
M. Night Shyamalan built a wall between himself and some of his fan base when he set his encore to Signs in a 19th Century Village full of superstition and suppressed passion. Can podcasters Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob turn a blind eye to a controversial twist that makes a fool out of Adrien Brody? Or do you have to be Bryce Dallas Howard not to see “the Bad Color” popping up on their arrows, pointing audiences away from these monster-filled woods? Donate for Now Playing’s Gold Level series and be led by love through the pitfalls to the painful truth!
Creed II
The Rocky series continues to go the distance with its eighth installment: Creed II. But is this really Adonis Creed’s story, or is it Rocky’s, as old nemesis Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) brings his son Viktor to the US for a fight? Will history repeat itself? And can Creed II still pack a punch when Creed writer/director Ryan Coogler is replaced with his buddy Steven Caple Jr? Go for it! Listen to Now Playing’s new movie review to find out!
Signs – Donation Bonus
Unbreakable showed no Signs of derailing M. Night Shyamalan’s plans to reclaim summer box office glory with another story of spiritual crisis, suspense, and unseen supernatural forces. Was it coincidence or an act of God that brings Mel Gibson to the role of a troubled holy man turning the other cheek to mysterious crop circles in his field? And will Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie need tin foil hats to decipher the motivations of hydrophobic aliens showing up to the farm in time for batting practice? Things all make sense when you Donate for Gold Level!
Ralph Breaks the Internet
Wreck-It Ralph not only Breaks The Internet with his second movie, he shatters Thanksgiving box office records. But never fear… it’s Tech Support Tuesday, and hosts Justin, Arnie, and Stuart have the antivirus to all the holiday weekend hype. Will entering a violent racing game help glitchy Vanellope von Schweetz (Sarah Silverman) connect with her inner Disney Princess, and save her Sugar Rush friends? Or will John C Reilly’s 8-bit oaf bring down the franchise with a series of humiliating viral videos? CLICK HERE to get your next Now Playing Arcade fix!
Star Wars Cyber Monday Savings Give Your Wallet Force!
May the Savings be with you on this Cyber Monday where, finally, there are some great bargains to be had on Black Series and Vintage Collection Hasbro Toys, LEGO, and more!
Black Series/The Vintage Collection Hasbro Toys
The best bargain at Amazon today is the Black Series Force FX Z6 Riot Control Baton. This $200 prop replica is 1/3 off today–just $134.39!
Also in the Black Series Roleplay, the Stormtrooper Helmet is 38% off, down to $49.99 from $80 today only!
The Vintage Collection Imperial Combat Assault Tank from Rogue One is now 40% off at Amazon — just $47.99, down from $79.99. I jumped and got one at that price.
The Black Series Dewback with Sandtrooper is also over 25% off, marked down to $42.97 (not the cheapest it’s been, but a good price on a great toy)
Also in the Black Series, the Kylo Ren Centerpiece set is almost half off, just $28.96 (which is the right price for a non-articulated figure and diorama base)
It’s also a good time to army build your Jawas! The Black Series Jawa figure is down to $12.41.
Also the troop builder Black Series Range Trooper from SOLO is 41% off, just $11.77
And it seems stores can’t give away the Vintage Collection Snoke figure. You can get one now from Amazon for just $6.96 (down from $13), but it’s an Add-on item only.
Other Hasbro Toys
The Ultimate Co-Pilot Chewie is a great gift for kids (or those who are still kids at heart). This $130 toy is almost half off today only, $69.92!
In the 5POA line, the ForceLink 2.0 Resistance A-Wing with Pilot Tallie is 42% off, just $17.31. Likewise the ForceLink 2.0 Millennium Falcon with Escape Craft is 20% off, down to $23.99
And can you ever have enough Rathtars? The 3.75-inch Rathtar with Bala-Tik is 70% off–just $6.07
From Solo in the 5POA line, the Han Solo Landspeeder with figure is 15% off, $25.49 shipped.
In the kids focused Galactic Heroes line, the Galactic Rivals 10-Figure pack, with Grievous, Yoda, Luke, Vader, Sidious, Obi-Wan, and more, is 43% off, $17.14.
In that same line, Amazon’s exclusive Galacitc Heroes Millennium Falcon with Han and Chewie is $25, down from $40.
Amazon also still has the Sphero R2-D2 for just $39.99. Given that it’s sat at that price for about a week I could see a cheaper lightning deal, but that’s still a great price.
LEGO
Amazon has many Star Wars LEGO sets on deep discount today.
It’s the perfect time to get the 2018 LEGO Star Wars Advent Calendar. it’s 18% off, and you’ll get it in time to start opening on the countdown to Christmas!
The LEGO Imperial Patrol Battle Pack is also 27% off — just $10.99.
The Imperial TIE Fighter set is 20% off, $55.99.
LEGO Brickheadz Boba Fett is 20% off, down to $7.99
The Jedi & Clone Trooper Battle Pack is also 20% off, just $11.99
Also LEGO, Entertainment Earth has the Jakku Quadjumper for 35% off, just $32.49
The LEGO Porg Building Kit is 20% off, down to $55.99
From SOLO, Moloch’s Landspeeder set is 20% off, down to $31.99
Getting to the OT, from Empire Strikes Back comes Yoda’s Hut, marked down 20% to $23.99
GAMING
For gamers, Amazon has several discounts as well:
Star Wars CLUE is almost half off, marked down to $24.95
The Black Series Star Wars Trivial Pursuit is also almost half off, just $20.50
The Star Wars: Rebellion game is over 20% off, just $78.99
The Star Wars: Legion core set is $54.69, down from its usual $90.
The Star Wars: Legion Snow Troopers Expansion is 24% off: $18.99
Star Wars: Edge of Empire – Beyond the Rim is 11% off, down to $21.01
And many more Gaming Bargains can be found on Amazon’s site!
Got a deal we didn’t list here? E-mail us at show@swactionnews.com and let us know about it!
Finally, if you’re a Star Wars Action News listener, you may want to know about the Cyber Monday deal our sister podcast Now Playing Podcast is having right now — for just the next 18 hours!
Ralph Breaks the Internet – Early Release Rough Edit for Patrons
For Thanksgiving Arnie, Justin, and Stuart watched and reviewed the second Wreck-It Ralph movie. Did they wreck this blockbuster sequel?
The fully edited show will be on our main feed Tuesday, for everyone, for free! But Now Playing Patrons who are at the $25 level or higher for early show releases can hear the (mostly) unedited, show now!
Get the unedited recording now at NowPlayingPATRON.com
Unbreakable – Donation Bonus
The bond between writer/director M. Night Shyamalan and superstar Bruce Willis was Unbreakable in 2000, as the Dynamic Duo quickly reunited for another tale of secret supernatural powers. Yet their brooding comic book movie didn’t come close to shattering Sixth Sense box office records, and a sequel sat in movie jail for nearly twenty years. Before Sam “Mr. Glass” Jackson unleashes his next diabolical plot this January, join Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie for issue number two in our Gold Level M. Night Series. Donate Today!
Wreck-It Ralph
Good video games typically “go Turbo” and become crummy movies, but Walt Disney animators try to “Fix-It” with Wreck-It Ralph – a love letter to classic coin-ops. Can an 8-bit villain voiced by John C. Reilly step into a first person shooter and rebrand himself a hero? And do Arnie, Justin, and Stuart get a sugar rush seeing so much pixelated nostalgia from their childhood, like Q*bert and Sonic the Hedgehog? Or will they inevitably find something to glitch about? Save your quarters, because the answers are free when you press play and Listen Now!
Apocalypse Now – For Annual Subscribers
Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie have a mission for all listeners this November: become a Now Playing Patron and enjoy an epic review of 1979 ‘Nam classic Apocalypse Now. Martin Sheen put his life on the line to play a shell-shocked soldier traveling a war-torn river on the hunt for rogue colonel Marlon Brando. Is this boat trip into the heart of darkness worth the risks creator Francis Ford Coppola took with his sanity and Godfather profits? And does napalm smell even sweeter in the extended 2003 Redux Cut? The dossier is declassified when you Enlist Today!
Apocalypse Now – Patron Exclusive Review
Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie have a mission for all listeners this November: become a Now Playing Patron and enjoy an epic review of 1979 ‘Nam classic Apocalypse Now. Martin Sheen put his life on the line to play a shell-shocked soldier traveling a war-torn river on the hunt for rogue colonel Marlon Brando. Is this boat trip into the heart of darkness worth the risks creator Francis Ford Coppola took with his sanity and Godfather profits? And does napalm smell even sweeter in the extended 2003 Redux Cut? The dossier is declassified when you Enlist Today!
A Message from Stuart about our Sixth Sense Movie Review
This week Now Playing starts its M Night Shyamalan Thrillers Retrospective series of podcast movie reviews. M Night is a director Stuart has long wanted to cover on Now Playing and now, with the upcoming release of Glass, the third part in Shyamalan’s Eastrail 177 Trilogy, he’s getting the chance.
Here Stuart has a message for all listeners of Now Playing, as well as a preview of our review of THE SIXTH SENSE.
Listen to his message, then sign up today to hear all 11 M Night movie reviews!
Silent Hill: Revelation
It’s homecoming weekend in Silent Hill, as teenage runaway Sharon reunites with her darkside doppelganger Alessa for a 2012 sequel in 3-D! Will the Revelation that cultists have kidnapped adoptive father Sean Bean provide a good reason for moviegoers to head back into the fog and solve new puzzles? And is Game of Thrones hunk Kit Harington much help in the fight against Pyramid Head, a lunatic Malcolm McDowell, and a staff of faceless demon nurses? Find out when you take another merry-go-round ride on the Now Playing Arcade!
Silent Hill: Revelation – Early Release for Patrons
This podcast was released early for Now Playing Patrons of $25 or more. It will be made publicly available on our usual “new podcast” day, Tuesday, November 13.
It’s homecoming weekend in Silent Hill, as teenage runaway Sharon reunites with her darkside doppelganger Alessa for a 2012 sequel in 3-D! Will the Revelation that cultists have kidnapped adoptive father Sean Bean provide a good reason for moviegoers to head back into the fog and solve new puzzles? And is Game of Thrones hunk Kit Harington much help in the fight against Pyramid Head, a lunatic Malcolm McDowell, and a staff of faceless demon nurses? Find out when you take another merry-go-round ride on the Now Playing Arcade!
Suspiria (2018) – For Annual Subscribers
40 years after Dario Argento burned down Tanz Academy, the school for dancing and occult sciences is open again in divided Berlin for an epic 2018 remake of Suspiria! Can 50 Shades star Dakota Johnson keep pace with all the new steps that Oscar nominee Luca Guadagnino has added to this horror exercise? And is witchcraft, delusion, or too much spinning the reason we keep seeing Tilda Swinton in triplicate? Catch your breath when you Donate to hear Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob dig their hooks into this dense and dizzying Silver Level finale.
NOTE: This listing is for annual subscribers to our show. You can also get this movie review individually for a small donation.
Every dollar you donate goes to make this show the best it can be. Thank you for your support and we hope you enjoy the podcast!
Suspiria (2018) – A Podcast Preview
40 years after Dario Argento burned down Tanz Academy, the school for dancing and occult sciences is open again in divided Berlin for an epic 2018 remake of Suspiria! Can 50 Shades star Dakota Johnson keep pace with all the new steps that Oscar nominee Luca Guadagnino has added to this horror exercise? And is witchcraft, delusion, or too much spinning the reason we keep seeing Tilda Swinton in triplicate? Catch your breath when you Donate to hear Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob dig their hooks into this dense and dizzying Silver Level finale.
Silent Hill
The Now Playing Arcade finally has a reason to put down the flamethrower! Hosts Arnie, Stuart, and Justin stumble through the falling ash of Uwe Boll films to arrive at Silent Hill – the rare video game movie to earn box office success. Will stranded mother Radha Mitchell find any Green Arrows while searching the West Virginian ghost town for her missing adoptive daughter Sharon? And is that a pyramid, or a dunce cap, atop the head of the sword-wielding monster that follows close behind her? Quiet your questioning mind with another podcast review!
Phenomena (a.k.a. Creepers) – A Podcast Preview
Before she battled David Bowie in the Labyrinth, Jennifer Connelly fought off a deformed serial killer at her Swiss boarding school in Dario Argento’s demented fantasy Phenomena. Better known as Creepers in the States, the movie finds the teenage beauty using paranormal powers to befriend flies, lightning bugs, and swarms of flesh-eating insects (not to mention crippled entomologist Donald Pleasance and a razor-wielding monkey). Donate for Now Playing’s Fall 2018 Silver Level series and help convince Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart they didn’t just dream the whole thing up while sleepwalking.
Phenomena (a.k.a. Creepers)
Before she battled David Bowie in the Labyrinth, Jennifer Connelly fought off a deformed serial killer at her Swiss boarding school in Dario Argento’s demented fantasy Phenomena. Better known as Creepers in the States, the movie finds the teenage beauty using paranormal powers to befriend flies, lightning bugs, and swarms of flesh-eating insects (not to mention crippled entomologist Donald Pleasance and a razor-wielding monkey). Donate for Silver Level and help convince Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart they didn’t just dream the whole thing up while sleepwalking.
Hereditary
Because we consider you family, Now Playing is releasing a bonus podcast review of Hereditary for your Halloween enjoyment. Will Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob lose their heads over what’s become the most hyped horror flick of 2018? Or is the sight of Toni Collette’s model household going insane more likely to induce headaches than heart palpitations? You don’t need to worship King Paimon to acquire these answers. This show is free for everyone, and available now, as our way of saying Happy, Happy Halloween!
Children of the Corn: Runaway
Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie tried to Runaway from their Stephen King duties in 2018, but the tenth installment of Children of the Corn has found its way onto the Now Playing calendar in time for Halloween! Join these podcasters as they catch up with Ruth – a fugitive of the Gatlin corn cult who is forced to fight He Who Walks Behind The Rows for custody of her teenage son. Will Feast director John Gulager find a kernel of a good idea in a franchise that’s yielded a steady crop of Red Arrows? The only way to know if the hosts survive this harvest is to Listen Now!
Terror Train – A Podcast Preview
All aboard Terror Train – the final stop on Jamie Lee Curtis’ world tour as Scream Queen of 1980. The horror icon now finds herself stalked on a steam-powered locomotive by a fraternity pledge in a Groucho Marx mask. Donate at the Platinum Level and watch magician David Copperfield’s acting career disappear before you eyes! Marvel at the Dr. Loomis impersonation given by Oscar-winning train conductor Ben Johnson! And enjoy this VIP ticket with Now Playing podcasters Brock, Arnie, and Stuart on their last ride together for 2018! All aboard Terror Train – the final stop on Jamie Lee Curtis’ world tour as Scream Queen of 1980. The horror icon now finds herself stalked on a steam-powered locomotive by a fraternity pledge in a Groucho Marx mask. Donate at the Platinum Level and watch magician David Copperfield’s acting career disappear before you eyes! Marvel at the Dr. Loomis impersonation given by Oscar-winning train conductor Ben Johnson! And enjoy this VIP ticket with Now Playing podcasters Brock, Arnie, and Stuart on their last ride together for 2018!
Halloween (2018)
Return to Haddonfield with Brock, Arnie, and Stuart as they celebrate the 40th anniversary of Halloween with a podcast review of the blockbuster 2018 requel (rebooted sequel)! Former babysitter Laurie Strode is the one stalking Michael Myers this time, as the captured killer is transferred to a new sanitarium. Can Jamie Lee Curtis’s pistol-packin’ grandma hit the bull’s eye without original director John Carpenter? And will her therapist daughter Karen (Judy Greer), or rebellious grandkid Allyson (Andi Madichak), inherit her Scream Queen title? Listen Now and find out!
Halloween (2018) – Early Release (Unedited and Extended) for Patrons
The New Halloween film broke records for its box office, and Stuart, Arnie, and Brock broke a record for one of our longest recordings — nearly 2.5 hours discussing this sequel/Reboot.
The edited, much shorter, show will be on our main feed Tuesday for everyone for free! But Now Playing Patrons who are at the level for early show releases can hear the (mostly) unedited, full 2.5 hour show now!
Get the unedited recording now at NowPlayingPATRON.com
Prom Night (1980) – A Podcast Preview
Fans crowned Jamie Lee Curtis a Scream Queen on Halloween, but the actress didn’t receive her tiara until she walked the catwalk on Prom Night. Is the actress playing another innocent high school student under attack? Or could Curtis be the one under that glittery ski mask, slicing up the bullies responsible for her sister’s fatal hide-and-seek accident? Most important of all, does this flick deserve to rank with Friday the 13th as one of the biggest holiday-themed slashers of 1980? Cast your vote with Brock, Arnie, and Stuart when you Donate Today!
Postal
Notorious filmmaker Uwe Boll has gone Postal – firing back at his many critics with a raunchy adaptation of one of the most offensive video games ever made. Can one unlucky Dude with a shotgun (Zack Ward) stop a Taliban plot to spread bird flu, and earn the respect of his trailer park? Or will he simply kill his cheating wife, cult leader uncle (David Foley), a corrupt cop, that rude lady at the welfare office, and Uwe Boll himself playing the owner of a Nazi-themed amusement park? Find out if Now Playing can make peace with it all when you listen now!
The Fog (1980) – A Podcast Preview
Jamie Lee Curtis kicked off 1980 by re-teaming with Halloween director John Carpenter for a tangle with zombie lepers in The Fog. Does accepting rides from crusty Tom Atkins successfully change the actress’ image from virginal babysitter to promiscuous hitchhiker? Or will our Scream Queen be upstaged by Carpenter’s busty wife Adrienne Barbeau, making her big screen debut as a radio DJ giving weather reports atop a lighthouse? Brock, Stuart, and Arnie will clear the air on this horror classic when you Donate at the Platinum Level.
Venom
WE are Now Playing, and this week WE are watching Venom – the gooey space alien who tries to survive a new movie without Spider-Man as his host. WE will see if reporter Tom Hardy and his black-and-white parasite can bring down unethical tech guru Riz Ahmed, repair a broken relationship with lawyer/fiancee Michelle Williams, and stop a second symbiote named Riot from eating the heads of everyone in San Francisco. (But WE will be the ones spitting venom if this character hasn’t received an upgrade from his Spider-Man 3 debut). WE will Listen Now!
Venom – Unedited Recording Early Release for Patrons
Now Playing’s review of Venom will be on our main feed Tuesday, June 19, 2018 — for free, for everyone, forever. But patrons of $25 or more can enjoy this early unedited release.
Being a (mostly) unedited podcast. It has no opening or closing credits and will contain background noises, misspeaks, and other errors. Also a couple corrections or “inserts” may be in the final version and not in this release.
But we are releasing this for our Patrons of $25 or more who want the fastest access to the show!
The Witch – A Patron Podcast Preview
Now Playing Patrons have damned podcasters Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to make sense of The Witch, the spooky 2016 indie that divides genre fans over the label “elevated horror”. Is black magic at work when baby Samuel goes missing, and a 17th Century family of Salem exiles start blaming each other for their sudden streak of misfortune? Or should Split star Anya Taylor-Joy fear her parents’ extreme religious teachings more than demonic goat Black Phillip? Thoust will find out – and live deliciously – when you Become a Now Playing Patron this October. But before you sign that book, here’s a preview of the full show!
The Witch – For Annual Subscribers
Now Playing Patrons have damned podcasters Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to make sense of The Witch, the spooky 2016 indie that divides genre fans over the label “elevated horror”. Is black magic at work when baby Samuel goes missing, and a 17th Century family of Salem exiles start blaming each other for their sudden streak of misfortune? Or should Split star Anya Taylor-Joy fear her parents’ extreme religious teachings more than demonic goat Black Phillip? Thoust will find out – and live deliciously – when you Become a Now Playing Patron this October.
The Witch – Patron Exclusive Review
Now Playing Patrons have damned podcasters Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to make sense of The Witch, the spooky 2016 indie that divides genre fans over the label “elevated horror”. Is black magic at work when baby Samuel goes missing, and a 17th Century family of Salem exiles start blaming each other for their sudden streak of misfortune? Or should Split star Anya Taylor-Joy fear her parents’ extreme religious teachings more than demonic goat Black Phillip? Thoust will find out – and live deliciously – when you Become a Now Playing Patron this October.
House of the Dead II
Uwe Boll’s reviled adaptation of Sega’s House of the Dead video game won’t stay dead, lumbering back to life with a SyFy Channel sequel. AMS agents Nightingale (Saw 2 babe Emmanuelle Vaugier) and Ellis (Ed Quinn) lead a team of soldiers into a college campus overrun with “hyper-sapiens”. Can they retrieve a blood sample from Patient Zero, and cure the zombie outbreak, before Dick Cheney decides to drop the bomb? And do Justin, Arnie, and Stuart see the franchise evolving now that it’s in new directorial hands? Listen and find out!
Mother of Tears – For Annual Subscribers
30 years after Suspiria put Italian splatter movies on the map, Dario Argento completes the Three Mothers trilogy with an apocalyptic 2007 finale. Museum curators unseal an ancient urn, and unwittingly unleash a kinky witch named Lachrymarum (Moran Atias) onto the streets of Rome. But if she’s the Mother of Tears, why can’t podcasters Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob stop laughing? Find out if novice spellcaster Asia Argento stems the wave of crazy violence her father puts up on screen when you Donate for Now Playing’s Fall 2018 Silver Level series!
NOTE: This listing is for annual subscribers to our show. You can also get this movie review individually for a small donation.
Every dollar you donate goes to make this show the best it can be. Thank you for your support and we hope you enjoy the podcast!
Mother of Tears – Limited Time Release for Patrons
Note: This podcast is available to Now Playing Podcast Patrons of $10 or more. This podcast will only be available until March 31, 2019, so be sure to listen (and, if you want to listen after, to download) before that date!
You can also get this podcast through the Now Playing Spring 2018 Donation Drive, or individually for a small donation.
30 years after Suspiria put Italian splatter movies on the map, Dario Argento completes the Three Mothers trilogy with an apocalyptic 2007 finale. Museum curators unseal an ancient urn, and unwittingly unleash a kinky witch named Lachrymarum (Moran Atias) onto the streets of Rome. But if she’s the Mother of Tears, why can’t podcasters Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob stop laughing? Find out if novice spellcaster Asia Argento stems the wave of crazy violence her father puts up on screen when you Donate for Now Playing’s Fall 2018 Silver Level series!
Mother of Tears – A Podcast Preview
30 years after Suspiria put Italian splatter movies on the map, Dario Argento completes the Three Mothers trilogy with an apocalyptic 2007 finale. Museum curators unseal an ancient urn, and unwittingly unleash a kinky witch named Lachrymarum (Moran Atias) onto the streets of Rome. But if she’s the Mother of Tears, why can’t podcasters Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob stop laughing? Find out if novice spellcaster Asia Argento stems the wave of crazy violence her father puts up on screen when you Donate for Now Playing’s Fall 2018 Silver Level series!
Mother of Tears
30 years after Suspiria put Italian splatter movies on the map, Dario Argento completes the Three Mothers trilogy with an apocalyptic 2007 finale. Museum curators unseal an ancient urn, and unwittingly unleash a kinky witch named Lachrymarum (Moran Atias) onto the streets of Rome. But if she’s the Mother of Tears, why can’t podcasters Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob stop laughing? Find out if novice spellcaster Asia Argento stems the wave of crazy violence her father puts up on screen when you Donate for Now Playing’s Fall 2018 Silver Level series!
Inferno – A Podcast Preview
The second chapter in Dario Argento’s wicked witch trilogy finds Suspiriorum’s younger sister Mother Tenebrarum (Veronica Lazar) working her black magic in the flooded basement of a New York highrise. Can music student Mark Elliot (Leigh McCloskey) stop his sibling Rose (Irene Miracle) from falling under the spell of this Mother of Darkness? And is the neighbor attempting to exterminate the building’s feral cats actually creating a bigger flesh-eating rat problem? Find out if the sequel is a towering Inferno or a reeking dumpster fire. Donate Now!
House of the Dead
The 1996 shooter House of the Dead invited gamers to pick up light guns and mow down scores of charging zombies. But the 2003 movie adaptation has podcasters Justin, Arnie, and Stuart taking aim once again at immortal writer/director Uwe Boll. Should bad movie lovers take that boat ride with Clint Howard, and attend a Sega-sponsored rave on Seattle’s Island of the Dead? Or will the hangover live forever in viewers’ minds? You’ll find out if the Now Playing Arcade escapes this overturned porta-potty when you listen now!
Inferno
The second chapter in Dario Argento’s wicked witch trilogy finds Suspiriorum’s younger sister Mother Tenebrarum (Veronica Lazar) working her black magic in the flooded basement of a New York highrise. Can music student Mark Elliot (Leigh McCloskey) stop his sibling Rose (Irene Miracle) from falling under the spell of this Mother of Darkness? And is the neighbor attempting to exterminate the building’s feral cats actually creating a bigger flesh-eating rat problem? Find out if the sequel is a towering Inferno or a reeking dumpster fire. Donate Now!
The Predator
30 years after his foul-mouthed mercenary Hawkins was slaughtered in a South American jungle, actor Shane Black returns to write and direct the fourth installment in The Predator franchise. Will audiences be missing Arnold when sniper Boyd Holbrook (Narcos), his autistic son Jacob Tremblay (Wonder), and a busload of looney war vets tangle with the space hunter? And can centerfold-ready scientist Olivia Munn help Sterling K. Brown determine if these new predators got milk, or some other juice, enlarging their bones? “Stick around” and find out!
Suspiria (1976) – Limited Time Release for Patrons
Note: This podcast is available to Now Playing Podcast Patrons of $10 or more. This podcast will only be available until March 31, 2019, so be sure to listen (and, if you want to listen after, to download) before that date!
You can also get this podcast through the Now Playing Spring 2018 Donation Drive, or individually for a small donation.
Before producing Dawn of the Dead and Demons, Italian horror master Dario Argento shocked the world with Suspiria – the first installment in a feverish trilogy of witch films known as The Three Mothers. Is American ballerina Suzy Bannion (Jessica Harper) cracking under the high demands of a prestigious German dance academy? Or are her grueling new instructors really part of a black magic coven? Become a Silver Level Donor this fall and hear the sighs of delight and frustration as hosts Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie review this beguiling, gory fairy tale.
Suspiria (1976) – A Podcast Preview
Before producing Dawn of the Dead and Demons, Italian horror master Dario Argento shocked the world with Suspiria – the first installment in a feverish trilogy of witch films known as The Three Mothers. Is American ballerina Suzy Bannion (Jessica Harper) cracking under the high demands of a prestigious German dance academy? Or are her grueling new instructors really part of a black magic coven? Become a Silver Level Donor this fall and hear the sighs of delight and frustration as hosts Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie review this beguiling, gory fairy tale.
This podcast is not available for general download.
Now Playing is a podcast with no sponsors or advertisements. We rely solely on listener support to keep going. Our Fall 2018 Donation Drive is underway and from now through March 31, 2019, the The Three Mothers Retrospective series is available as a “thank you” to those who support Now Playing.
You can listen to this preview of the show for free now using the link above.
The full podcast series is available through a Paypal donation to Now Playing, or individual episodes are available on our Podbean page. Details can be found on our Fall 2018 Donation page.
You can get this review now and help support Now Playing! It is available on our Podbean page.
You can also get this episode and every donation show we’ve done– plus a 12 month subscription for all new shows! Details can be found on our Podbean Subscription page.
Every dollar you donate goes to make this show the best it can be. Thank you for your support and we hope you enjoy the podcast!
The Nun
Are podcasters Arnie, Marjorie, and Stuart ready to put their faith in The Nun after spitting on most of The Conjuring universe? The latest installment in the franchise traces the origins of demon-in-a-wimple Valak to a war-torn monastery in Romania. Can a free-spirited novitiate (Vera’s little sis Taissa Farmiga), and a guilt-ridden exorcist (Oscar nominee Demian Bichir), find the strength… and that misplaced vial of Christ blood… to combat this unholy sister act? Our vow of silence ends when you click play. Listen Now!
Vanilla Sky – Patron Exclusive Review
Open your eyes and take another look at Vanilla Sky, the much-maligned puzzle movie that Tom Cruise and director Cameron Crowe made as an encore to Jerry Maguire. Audiences in 2001 thought the toothy mega-star would always play handsome, infallible heroes, and recoiled when the fantastical melodrama remade Cruise into a disfigured murderer. Will podcasters Jakob, Arnie, and Stuart see new virtues as they pull the intricate story out of deep freeze, or are they just de-thawing a 17-year-old dog? Find out when you become a Now Playing Patron!
D.O.A. – Dead Or Alive
D.O.A. brought a healthy dose of T&A to fighting games in 1996, and the same holds true for the campy 2006 movie adaptation. Everything jiggles when a trashy American wrestler (Jamie Presley), shinobi ninja princess (Devon Aoki), and slinky British cat burglar (Holly Valance) compete in the lucrative Dead Or Alive competition. Will the vixens put aside their differences and unite against Eric Roberts as he uses nanotechnology to extract and sell off their combat skills? Hear the Now Playing Arcade hosts receive another ass whuppin’ when you Listen Now!
Righteous Kill – A Podcast Preview
The prospect of seeing Al Pacino and Robert De Niro shoot up the screen together still generated enough box office heat in 2008 to earn them a Righteous Kill. Now the iconic duo work side-by-side as police detectives on the trail of a demented poet who targets the crooks they weren’t able to put behind bars. Could a movie with this much acting talent be without virtue? Donate Today to hear Jakob, Stuart, and Arnie perform the autopsy on this final installment of the Platinum Level Pacino Series.
Righteous Kill – Limited Time Release for Patrons
Note: This podcast is available to Now Playing Podcast Patrons of $50 or more. This podcast will only be available until August 31, 2018, so be sure to listen (and, if you want to listen after, to download) before that date!
You can also get this podcast through the Now Playing Spring 2018 Donation Drive, or individually for a small donation.
The prospect of seeing Al Pacino and Robert De Niro shoot up the screen together still generated enough box office heat in 2008 to earn them a Righteous Kill. Now the iconic duo work side-by-side as police detectives on the trail of a demented poet who targets the crooks they weren’t able to put behind bars. Could a movie with this much acting talent be without virtue? Donate Today to hear Jakob, Stuart, and Arnie perform the autopsy on this final installment of the Platinum Level Pacino Series.
Righteous Kill – For Annual Subscribers
The prospect of seeing Al Pacino and Robert De Niro shoot up the screen together still generated enough box office heat in 2008 to earn them a Righteous Kill. Now the iconic duo work side-by-side as police detectives on the trail of a demented poet who targets the crooks they weren’t able to put behind bars. Could a movie with this much acting talent be without virtue? Donate Today to hear Jakob, Stuart, and Arnie perform the autopsy on this final installment of the Platinum Level Pacino Series.
NOTE: This listing is for annual subscribers to our show. You can also get this movie review individually for a small donation.
Every dollar you donate goes to make this show the best it can be. Thank you for your support and we hope you enjoy the podcast!
Righteous Kill
The prospect of seeing Al Pacino and Robert De Niro shoot up the screen together still generated enough box office heat in 2008 to earn them a Righteous Kill. Now the iconic duo work side-by-side as police detectives on the trail of a demented poet who targets the crooks they weren’t able to put behind bars. Could a movie with this much acting talent be without virtue? Donate Today to hear Jakob, Stuart, and Arnie perform the autopsy on this final installment of the Platinum Level Pacino Series.
The Godfather by Mario Puzo
Before it became one of the most beloved movies of all time, The Godfather was a blockbuster novel with characters and plot points that never made it to the screen. Join long lost podcaster Stuart as he comes home to his Books & Nachos family and parses out all the changes made to Mario Puzo’s classic.
Tekken 2: Kazuya’s Revenge (Movie Review)
Because the first Tekken movie didn’t prove fatal, podcasters Arnie, Justin, and Stuart must now survive Kazuya’s Revenge! But could the emotionless amnesiac drifting through this low budget prequel be the same Kazuya who so rashly seized control of the Iron Fist Tournament last time? And what good could possibly come from partnering with future champ Bryan Fury (Gary Daniels) to take down the assassin school that trained them? Things are gonna get messy, even with a crazed janitor mopping up the arena. Assume a defensive position and Listen Now!
Donnie Brasco
Johnny Depp stars as a real life FBI agent who spent six years infiltrating the New York mafia as Donnie Brasco. Will a close friendship with veteran gangster “Lucky” Ruggiero, played by veteran actor Al Pacino, convince the fresh-faced lawman to fuhgetabout his wife, daughters, and Uncle Sam and switch allegiances to The Family? Or will suspicious new capo Michael Madsen find out Depp is really a fugazi and whack that mole? You’ll find out, and be a “friend of ours,” when you donate for this final installment of Now Playing’s 2018 Gold Level series.
Bad Man by Dathan Auerbach
Ben’s three-year-old brother Eric disappeared five years ago, but Ben continues to search. When Ben takes a job at the store where Eric vanished things are not all that they seem. Join Brock for his spoiler-free review of Bad Man to see if this is the perfect thriller to cap off your summer reading list!
Tekken (2009) Movie Review
Arnie, Justin, and Stuart climb into yet another arcade arena for a round with Tekken – the classic 1996 fighting game that inspired a not-so-classic 2010 science fiction flick. Can lowly thief Jin Kazama (John Foo) hold his own in a “kill or be killed” cage match with eight corporately-sponsored gladiators? Or will he take the fight to the evil organizers of the Iron Fist Tournament, and expose reigning champ Bryan Fury (Gary Daniels) to be a cyborg? Find out if the most damaging blows to the head are delivered to the audience when you Listen Now!
Heat – Limited Time Release for Patrons
Note: This podcast is available to Now Playing Podcast Patrons of $50 or more. This podcast will only be available until August 31, 2018, so be sure to listen (and, if you want to listen after, to download) before that date!
You can also get this podcast through the Now Playing Spring 2018 Donation Drive, or individually for a small donation.
Al Pacino and Robert De Niro both appeared in Godfather Part 2, but they never had a scene together until they faced off in Heat. Michael Mann’s 1995 heist epic finds the iconic Italian actors giving it all they’ve got – Al is an LAPD detective better at catching bad guys than holding on to good women, while Bobby is a thief who prides himself on being able to walk away from everything he steals. Find out who scores with podcasters Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob when you Donate for Now Playing’s Platinum Pacino Series!
Heat – A Podcast Preview
Al Pacino and Robert De Niro both appeared in Godfather Part 2, but they never had a scene together until they faced off in Heat. Michael Mann’s 1995 heist epic finds the iconic Italian actors giving it all they’ve got – Al is an LAPD detective better at catching bad guys than holding on to good women, while Bobby is a thief who prides himself on being able to walk away from everything he steals. Find out who scores with podcasters Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob when you Donate for Now Playing’s Platinum Pacino Series!
Heat – Donation Bonus
Al Pacino and Robert De Niro both appeared in Godfather Part 2, but they never had a scene together until they faced off in Heat. Michael Mann’s 1995 heist epic finds the iconic Italian actors giving it all they’ve got – Al is an LAPD detective better at catching bad guys than holding on to good women, while Bobby is a thief who prides himself on being able to walk away from everything he steals. Find out who scores with podcasters Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob when you Donate for Now Playing’s Platinum Pacino Series!
Warcraft
The 1994 strategy video game Warcraft expanded into the worlds of novels, trading cards, and online multiplayer spin-offs before finally reaching movie screens in 2016. The long awaited battle between orcs, elves, and humans was a massive hit with international audiences, but bombed big time in the States. Will Yank podcasters Arnie, Justin, and Stuart have more success than their fellow countrymen making sense of the cross-dimensional storyline? Grow some tusks and join them as they bite into this Tolkien-sized fantasy.
New Jack City – Patron Exclusive Review
Now Playing is looking for some New Jack patrons to join them for a New Jack gangster flick. Let Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart sex you up this August with an exclusive podcast dedicated to the 1991 hood classic New Jack City! Nino Brown (Wesley Snipes) thinks “the world is mine” now that Al Pacino’s Scarface is dead, and he controls New York’s crack cocaine empire. Find out if the bad guy also steals the spotlight away from director/star Mario Van Peebles, rapper Ice-T, Breakfast Club bad boy Judd Nelson, and comedic junkie Chris Rock when you become a patron today.
Carlito’s Way – A Podcast Preview
Al Pacino and director Brian De Palma reunited 10 years after Scarface for another movie about a legendary Latino gangster. But penitent Puerto Rican Carlito Brigante goes a different direction than bloodthirsty Cuban Tony Montana – refusing to deal drugs once he’s sprung from jail on a technicality. Will corrupt lawyer Sean Penn obstruct Carlito’s Way out of a life of crime by involving him in a risky prison break? And do podcasters Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob still want to party with Pacino without the cocaine? Find out when you donate at the Gold Level or higher!
Volume 2, Episode 1: Hasbro and San Diego — Video Podcast
Marvelicious Toys is Back–and LIVE!
Welcome to the All-New, not All-Different Marvelicious Toys collecting show! There’s new music, there’s video content, and it is broadcast LIVE. But it’s still Justin, Arnie, and Marjorie bringing you the news and reviews of Marvel toys, statues, and more. So join them on this first episode as they reflect on Hasbro’s big news from San Diego Comic-Con.
Then join them LIVE August 23, 2018 at 9pm ET/6pm PT for Episode 2 LIVE!
Carlito’s Way – For Annual Subscribers
Al Pacino and director Brian De Palma reunited 10 years after Scarface for another movie about a legendary Latino gangster. But penitent Puerto Rican Carlito Brigante goes a different direction than bloodthirsty Cuban Tony Montana – refusing to deal drugs once he’s sprung from jail on a technicality. Will corrupt lawyer Sean Penn obstruct Carlito’s Way out of a life of crime by involving him in a risky prison break? And do podcasters Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob still want to party with Pacino without the cocaine? Find out when you donate at the Gold Level or higher!
Carlito’s Way – Limited Time Release for Patrons
Note: This podcast is available to Now Playing Podcast Patrons of $50 or more. This podcast will only be available until August 31, 2018, so be sure to listen (and, if you want to listen after, to download) before that date!
Al Pacino and director Brian De Palma reunited 10 years after Scarface for another movie about a legendary Latino gangster. But penitent Puerto Rican Carlito Brigante goes a different direction than bloodthirsty Cuban Tony Montana – refusing to deal drugs once he’s sprung from jail on a technicality. Will corrupt lawyer Sean Penn obstruct Carlito’s Way out of a life of crime by involving him in a risky prison break? And do podcasters Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob still want to party with Pacino without the cocaine? Find out when you donate at the Gold Level or higher!
Carlito’s Way – Donation Bonus
Al Pacino and director Brian De Palma reunited 10 years after Scarface for another movie about a legendary Latino gangster. But penitent Puerto Rican Carlito Brigante goes a different direction than bloodthirsty Cuban Tony Montana – refusing to deal drugs once he’s sprung from jail on a technicality. Will corrupt lawyer Sean Penn obstruct Carlito’s Way out of a life of crime by involving him in a risky prison break? And do podcasters Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob still want to party with Pacino without the cocaine? Find out when you donate at the Gold Level or higher!
Teen Titans GO! To the Movies
Robin is tired of being Batman’s sidekick, so he and the other Teen Titans are taking their hit Cartoon Network show To The Movies. Trouble is, Hollywood still doesn’t consider the Boy Wonder, Cyborg, Starfire, Raven, or Beast Boy to be big screen stars. Does picking a fight with Slade, a “Deadpool rip-off” voiced by Will Arnett, help their box office? And will listeners catch Jakob, Arnie, and Stuart singing along with these goofsters as they crack an egg on the DC Universe? The answers aren’t on the usual Bat Channel. Go! to Now Playing to find out!
Dick Tracy – Limited Time Release for Patrons
Note: This podcast is available to Now Playing Podcast Patrons of $50 or more. This podcast will only be available until August 31, 2018, so be sure to listen (and, if you want to listen after, to download) before that date!
You can also get this podcast through the Now Playing Spring 2018 Donation Drive, or individually for a small donation.
Al Pacino earned his sixth Oscar nomination playing Big Boy Caprice, the manic mobster who comes down hard on comic strip cop Dick Tracy. Warren Beatty’s big-budget 1990 summer movie was considered a disappointment when its box office didn’t match Tim Burton’s Batman. But will podcasters Jakob, Arnie, and Stuart find it to be the better film? And does Madonna deserve a spanking for her performance as gangster’s moll Breathless Mahoney? Extra Extra! Hear all about it when you donate for the Now Playing Gold Level Al Pacino series.
Dick Tracy
Al Pacino earned his sixth Oscar nomination playing Big Boy Caprice, the manic mobster who comes down hard on comic strip cop Dick Tracy. Warren Beatty’s big-budget 1990 summer movie was considered a disappointment when its box office didn’t match Tim Burton’s Batman. But will podcasters Jakob, Arnie, and Stuart find it to be the better film? And does Madonna deserve a spanking for her performance as gangster’s moll Breathless Mahoney? Extra Extra! Hear all about it when you donate for the Now Playing Gold Level Al Pacino series!
Mission: Impossible — Fallout (Podcast Review)
Tom Cruise recovers from the Fallout of recent flops, and a shattered ankle, by leaping back to the top of the box office with his tried and true Mission: Impossible franchise. The daredevil actor saves the world for the sixth time by once again teaming with techie Benji (Simon Pegg), hacker Luther (Ving Rhames), and markswoman Ilsa (Rebecca Ferguson) to stop plutonium-wielding terrorists. Listen now to find out if a tagalong CIA superman (Henry Cavill) and captive criminal mastermind (Sean Harris) compromise their mission to entertain.
Sea of Love – Limited Time Release for Patrons
Al Pacino took a four year break from movie stardom before diving into Sea of Love in 1989. The steamy thriller has Detective Frank Keller – Al’s third incarnation as a New York cop – pursuing a female serial killer who stalks men that advertise in singles magazines. Is it poetic justice that the lonely divorcee falls for mysterious MILF Ellen Barkin, or will partner John Goodman convince Al to stop looking at suspects through beer goggles? Qualify for breakfast with the Yankees when you Donate at the Platinum Level this summer.
Sea of Love – A Podcast Preview
Al Pacino took a four year break from movie stardom before diving into Sea of Love in 1989. The steamy thriller has Detective Frank Keller – Al’s third incarnation as a New York cop – pursuing a female serial killer who stalks men that advertise in singles magazines. Is it poetic justice that the lonely divorcee falls for mysterious MILF Ellen Barkin, or will partner John Goodman convince Al to stop looking at suspects through beer goggles? Qualify for breakfast with the Yankees when you Donate at the Platinum Level this summer.
Need For Speed
Electronic Arts was eager to get racing game Need For Speed into multiplexes after watching Vin Diesel’s family of car thieves make bank. But can Aaron Paul break box office records with rapper Kid Cudi, Mr. Robot, and hottie Imogen Poots in his pit crew? They’ll all burn rubber crossing the country in a bid to land a spot in Michael Keaton’s exclusive street race, thereby getting the chance to show up rival driver Dominic Cooper. Find out if this shift in gears in the Now Playing Arcade works for Justin, Stuart, and Arnie when you Listen Now!
The Untouchables – Patron Exclusive Review
Treasury Officer Eliot Ness (Kevin Costner) creates an elite task force of axe-wielding Prohibitionists, set on bringing down murderous bootlegger Al Capone (Robert De Niro), in the 1987 blockbuster The Untouchables. Will Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob find director Brian DePalma’s second movie about a hood nicknamed Scarface – now made “the Chicago way” – to be as violent and entertaining as his 1983 Al Pacino cult classic? Become a Now Playing Patron this July and enjoy a podcast that’s much more diverting than accounting.
Scarface – A Podcast Preview
Al Pacino was back in full gangster mode in 1983, starring as Cuban “political refugee” Tony Montana… better known as Scarface! The Brian De Palma cult classic charts the rise and fall of a cocaine kingpin – from his arrival in America and first job burying a Castro commie, to a final standoff with Bolivian guerrillas raiding his lavish Miami mansion. Are viewers f*cking with the best, or do pussycats Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie need to take a chainsaw to all this excess? The podcast is yours when you donate at the Gold Level!
Scarface – For Annual Subscribers
Al Pacino was back in full gangster mode in 1983, starring as Cuban “political refugee” Tony Montana… better known as Scarface! The Brian De Palma cult classic charts the rise and fall of a cocaine kingpin – from his arrival in America and first job burying a Castro commie, to a final standoff with Bolivian guerrillas raiding his lavish Miami mansion. Are viewers f*cking with the best, or do pussycats Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie need to take a chainsaw to all this excess? The podcast is yours when you donate at the Gold Level!
NOTE: This listing is for annual subscribers to our show. You can also get this movie review individually for a small donation.
Every dollar you donate goes to make this show the best it can be. Thank you for your support and we hope you enjoy the podcast!
Scarface
Al Pacino was back in full gangster mode in 1983, starring as Cuban “political refugee” Tony Montana… better known as Scarface! The Brian De Palma cult classic charts the rise and fall of a cocaine kingpin – from his arrival in America and first job burying a Castro commie, to a final standoff with Bolivian guerrillas raiding his lavish Miami mansion. Are viewers f*cking with the best, or do pussycats Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie need to take a chainsaw to all this excess? The podcast is yours when you donate at the Gold Level!
It Came From the Desert (Movie Review)
Cinemaware turned to 1950s monster movies for inspiration when developing a 1989 computer game about giant ants attacking small town America. Now It Came From The Desert comes full circle as a 2018 feature film! An arrogant motocross racer and his shy mechanic must stop genetically modified insects from feasting on friends attending their victory kegger. But have these fanboys seen too many B-flicks to make an original mark on the genre? Listen now to find out if Arnie, Justin, and Stuart must burn down another freak game-adaptation-gone-wrong.
Episode 504: SDCC 2018 Pre-Game Show
San Diego Comic-Con starts tomorrow! So be prepared for a deluge of news and reveals from your favorite toy and collectible companies. Arnie, Marjorie, Justin, Daryl, and Berent will be there bringing you all the Star Wars news there is.
To prepare for the con Marjorie and Arnie bring you this SDCC Pre-Game show. They look at all the Star Wars convention exclusives, discuss the new SDCC lottery system, and provide hands-on reviews of Hasbro’s SDCC exclusives including the Black Series Han Solo and The Vintage Collection Dr. Aphra 3-Pack.
With Brock reviewing the novelization of The Last Jedi and more, it’s all in this brand new episode of the Star Wars Action News podcast!
SDCC 2018 Exclusives:
- IDW
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- Star Wars Adventures 10 comic w/Variant Cover. 500 copies. $10
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- DKE:
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- Baby Fuzzball by Flat Bonnie (Chewbacca — 100 made, $20)
- BunEwok Wall Art by Flat Bonnie (10 made, $100)
- Weekend Dad Trooper 3.75-in figure (25 made, $55)
- Jumbo Art Trooper Andy (12-in figure, 15 made, $165)
- No Toys 4 Us Geoffrey Giraffe Figure (40 made, $65)
- Worst Gift Ever 2-1B (40 made, $45)
- Ewokalypse Now figure (30 made, $55)
- MANY MORE FIGURES
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- Toynk Booths 815, 4437, 5245
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- Super Blitz Plush Chewbacca (2,000 made, $10)
- Super Blitz Plush Chewie with Goggles (2,000 made, $10)
- Super Blitz Lando (2,000 made, $10)
- Super Blitz Qi’ra (2,000 made $10)
- Super Blitz Han Solo (2,000 made $10)
- Star Wars Movie Poster Pins — only $1,000 made. $25
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- Super 7: Booth 4945
- Entertainment Earth: (Pre-order now online, ships after con if stock available)
- LEGO
- Sideshow/Hot Toys: “Dark Side Anakin” (also put online 7/9)
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- Solo Print by Russell Walks – $35
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- Funko:
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- AT-AT Backpack Set $60
- Han Solo Backpack Set $50
- Han Solo Handbag Set (Rebel symbol) $50
- Endor Scout Coach’s Jacket $60
- Endor Commando Coaches Jacket $60
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- Bluefin
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- Jumbo Return of the Jedi Fett on ROTJ card $80
- McQuarrie Yoda Mini-Bust (750 made, $100)
- Jedi Luke Mini-Bust with light-up saber ($120)
- Left Coast Graphics Cantina Adventure Pin Set $24, limited to 1500
- Left Coast Graphics Collector Enamel Pins, blind box. Darth Vader, Stormtrooper, Han Solo (small head), Chewbacca and one MYSTERY CHASE character. PG members can buy whole set, including chase for $100.
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- Lando & Lobot Keepsake Ornaments (2,975 made, $35)
- Boba Fett itty bitty on Vintage Card (2,500 made)
- Golden BB-8 Perpetual Calendar (1,200 made)
- PXL8 Boushh and Han in Carbonite Pins
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- Porg mini-backpack (limited to 500, and also shared with Think Geek)
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- Mattel: Booth 2945
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- Porg and Falcon Hot Wheels
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- Egg Attack Boba Fett – 140 sets made. $80
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- No Character Key
- Empire Strikes Back Darkness Shines Metallic Variant : $65
- Other silkscreen pritns
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- Hasbro:
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- Forces of Destiny Porg/Porglings and Chewbacca ($49.99)
- Black Series Centerpiece Rey (Starkiller Base) & Kylo Ren Figure ($109.99)
- Black Series Han Solo & Mynock $34.99
- Vintage Collection Dr. Aphra Comic Set $49.99
- Has Dr. Aphra, Triple Zero, and BT-1
Episode 503: The ORIGINAL Star Wars Collecting Podcast is back!
After a short break, Star Wars Action News is back with Arnie and Marjorie looking at the state of collecting. They discuss why Star Wars sales are down, why Barge sales were up, and what’s coming with SDCC and SWCC! Hear this show to catch up, and then join them TUESDAY July 17th for a SDCC pre-game show!
Issue 189: Is This the Train to San Diego?
Justin, Marjorie, and Arnie are back with a brand new Marvelicious Toys! On this show we recap where we’ve been, and then talk about where we’re going: San Diego! SDCC is next week. What are the must-haves? Listen to find out about all the Marvelicious goodness!
SDCC Exclusives:
- Kotobukiya: Nothing
- Deadpool 2: Booth 3529
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- Exclusive SDCC shirt given to first 1,200 people each day Thurs – Sun
- Deadpool 2 Super Duper Cut pre-order — get SDCC exclusive Trucker Hat! (While supplies last)
- 25 people each day win a set of 18 Fox Blu-rays with the Deadpool box art.
- Deadpool Dream Suite on Saturday evening (modeled after Deadpool’s apartment) — have to enter to win
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- Fox TV
- Marvel Booth: Only announced more pin sets THERE IS A MODOK PIN
- Mondo
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- MCU 10th Anniversary Print – Lotto already over. $70
- Also Souvenir Book Cover
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- Toynk: Booths 815, 4437, 5245
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- Avengers Thanos Gauntlet Pin with Jewel – 1,000 made, $15
- Deadpool on Unicorn Pin – 2,000 made. $10
- Daredevil and Punisher Tiki Cup Set – 400 made, $40
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- NECA
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- Baby Groot Chia Pet – $30
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- Monogram International:
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- Thor Ragnarok Pewter Key Ring 2 Piece Set (300 pieces, $20)
- Thor/Hulk Foam Magnet Set (limited to 300 pices, $10)
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- Entertainment Earth: (Pre-order now online, ships after con if stock available)
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- Push Puppet Deadpool (8.99)
- Infinity Gauntlet Push Puppet (8.99)
- Squirrel Girl Whittles Wooden Doll ($12)
- X-Men Pin Mates 3-Pack ($14.99)
- Scarlet Witch
- Cyclops
- Wolverine
- Infinity Gauntlet Pin Mate 16-pack ($99.99)
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- Ban Dai – booth 3535
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- Scottie Young Deadpool X-Force Finders Keypers – $25
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- Jakks Pacific (Booth 3349)
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- Infinity Gauntlet Tsum Tsum Set – $19.99
- Gauntlet lights up!
- Also giving some away on Twitter week of SDCC
- Infinity Gauntlet Tsum Tsum Set – $19.99
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- LEGO (booth :
- Sheriff Deadpool Minifigure (Saturday. Enter the lotto)
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- Ant-Man & Wasp Set (Saturday, $40. Enter lotto)
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- Funko
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- Also Conan O’Brien Ant-Man POPs
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- Quantum Mechanix Inc. Booth 4145
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- Deadpool Maximum Effort Q-Fig Max ($29.95)
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- Mini Egg Attack Deadpool and Pony (X-Force Version) – 1,000 made, $30
- Life Size Iron man Mk 43 Pewter Finish. Only 30 made! $20,000
- Egg Attack Deadpool (Marvel Comic) – 140 made. $80
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- IDW (Pre-order now for guaranteed pick-up at the show)
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- Jack Kirby’s Marvel Heroes & Monsters Artist’s Edition w/Variant Cover (1,000 copies, $150)
- Joe Jusko’s Marvel Masterpieces Hardcover — SDCC Variant (150 pieces, $75)
- Jack Kirby’s Marvel Heroes & Monsters Artist’s Edition, SDCC Monsters Cover Variant (100 copies, $150)
- Jack Kirby’s Marvel Heroes and Monsters Artist’s Edition Cover Variant (100 made, $150)
- Jim Starlin’s Marvel Cosmic Artifact Edition–Signed and Numbered SDCC Variant (100 copies, $150)
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- Diamond Select Toys
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- Grey Hulk PVC Diorama (11-in tall, 5000 made)
- White Phoenix PVC Statue (10-in tall, 5000 made)
- Unmasked X-23 Wolverine (4000 made)
- Funko POP Teleporting Lockjaw & GITD Black Bolt (15000 made)
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- Avengers PXL8 Ornaments, Cap Iron Man & Thanos (1500 made)
- Dr. Strange PXL8 rnament
- Ant-Man and Wasp PXL8 Pins
- PXL8 Thanos Pin
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- Mattell: Booth 2945
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- Thanos Copter Hot Wheels
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- Gwenpool Animated Statue $64.99
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- Mezco (Booth 3445)
- Essential Sequential (booth 4507, 4606, 4505)
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- Adi Granov Iron Man Giclee – 16×20. Signed. $100
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- Hasbro:
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Archives
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- April 2020 (3)
- March 2020 (2)
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