Cruising – A Podcast Preview
Exorcist director William Friedkin pushed the boundaries of what an R-rated movie could show when he ordered cop Al Pacino to start Cruising the leather bars of New York City in this notorious slasher. Will the Serpico star have any better luck earning a detective shield, or keeping a girlfriend, now that he’s posing as a gay S&M enthusiast intent on catching the eye of a like-minded serial killer? Who’s here… Jakob, Stuart and Arnie are here… and you’re here when you donate for the Platinum Level Pacino series!
Cruising – 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 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.
Exorcist director William Friedkin pushed the boundaries of what an R-rated movie could show when he ordered cop Al Pacino to start Cruising the leather bars of New York City in this notorious slasher. Will the Serpico star have any better luck earning a detective shield, or keeping a girlfriend, now that he’s posing as a gay S&M enthusiast intent on catching the eye of a like-minded serial killer? Who’s here… Jakob, Stuart and Arnie are here… and you’re here when you donate for the Platinum Level Pacino series!
Cruising
Exorcist director William Friedkin pushed the boundaries of what an R-rated movie could show when he ordered cop Al Pacino to start Cruising the leather bars of New York City in this notorious slasher. Will the Serpico star have any better luck earning a detective shield, or keeping a girlfriend, now that he’s posing as a gay S&M enthusiast intent on catching the eye of a like-minded serial killer? Who’s here… Jakob, Stuart and Arnie are here… and you’re here when you donate for the Platinum Level Pacino series!
Deep Blue Sea – 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 December 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.
Originally Released April 22, 2011
Arnie, Stuart, and Brock go back into open water for one last shark tale–Deep Blue Sea, a bonus addendum to our Jaws retrospective series. Ostensibly based on an unused plot for Jaws 5 based on Richard Dreyfuss’ Matt Hooper at the Aurora station, the film as made stars LL Cool J and Thomas Jane squaring off against genetically altered “smart sharks”. With such a B-movie plot and directed by Renny Harlin, has Now Playing’s Jaws series sunk to new depths after Jaws: The Revenge? Donate to Now Playing to find out!
Ant-Man And The Wasp
The box office for 2015’s Ant-Man might be considered small in comparison to other Avengers films, but Marvel banks that the second Paul Rudd adventure will make a bigger impact on the big screen thanks to The Wasp. Are the two pint-sized superheroes simply chasing a Ghost when they shrink to a subatomic level and hunt for long lost scientist Janet Van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer)? Podcasters Stuart, Arnie, and Justin don’t need truth serum to tell listeners what they really think of the 20th installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Listen now!
The First Purge – A Podcast Preview
How do you convince New Yorkers to vote for a chaotic night of mass death, theft, and vandalism? Tell ‘em it only hurts Staten Island. The fourth Purge film traces the origins of the 12-hour “murder holiday” back to the neglected borough. Will shrink Marisa Tomei allow the New Founding Fathers to turn her psychological experiment into sanctioned ethnic cleansing? Can he-man drug dealer Dmitri (Y’lan Noel) protect a public housing highrise from psycho purger Skeletor (Rotimi Paul)? Time is running out to Donate for this Silver Level series!
The First Purge – 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 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.
How do you convince New Yorkers to vote for a chaotic night of mass death, theft, and vandalism? Tell ‘em it only hurts Staten Island. The fourth Purge film traces the origins of the 12-hour “murder holiday” back to the neglected borough. Will shrink Marisa Tomei allow the New Founding Fathers to turn her psychological experiment into sanctioned ethnic cleansing? Can he-man drug dealer Dmitri (Y’lan Noel) protect a public housing highrise from psycho purger Skeletor (Rotimi Paul)? Time is running out to Donate for this Silver Level series!
The First Purge
How do you convince New Yorkers to vote for a chaotic night of mass death, theft, and vandalism? Tell ‘em it only hurts Staten Island. The fourth Purge film traces the origins of the 12-hour “murder holiday” to the neglected borough. Will shrink Marisa Tomei allow the New Founding Fathers to turn her psychological experiment into sanctioned ethnic cleansing? Can he-man drug dealer Dmitri (Y’lan Noel) protect a public housing highrise from psycho purger Skeletor (Rotimi Paul)? Time is running out to Donate for this Silver Level series!
Alone in the Dark II (Movie Review)
Podcasters Justin, Arnie, and Stuart are still shooting daggers at notorious filmmaker Uwe Boll, this time for making them watch a sequel to reviled video game movie Alone in the Dark. Christian Slater dodged a bullet when he passed off the role of paranormal investigator Edward Carnby to Die Another Day villain Rick Yune. Can the new star muster the strength to leave his sick bed and track down the witch that had him stabbed in a Central Park urinal? And what tricks will occultist veterinarian Lance Henriksen pull from his medicine bag? Listen and find out!
Now Playing needs YOUR help to not become a FALLEN KINGDOM!
Now Playing Podcast is a show without any sponsors or ads. Yet for 10 years we’ve been bringing in-depth movie reviews, and have not missed a free show on Tuesday since 2010! (Yes, that’s 391 weeks of a new show every single Tuesday).
None of this would be possible without our donors and patrons. So listen to this preview of our new bonus review of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom and then go to http://nowplayingpodcast.com/donate to help keep Now Playing going strong!
Jurassic World – 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.
After three failed attempts to open a dinosaur zoo, has Masrani Global Corp finally gotten it right? We find out in Jurassic World–the first new Jurassic Park film in over a decade! With Guardians of the Galaxy star Chris Pratt in the lead this film took a record-breaking bite out of the box office. How does it compare to the original trilogy? Donate to Now Playing to find out!
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom – Donation Bonus
Three years after the Indominus Rex broke out of its cage and brought down Jurassic World, political activist Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard) and raptor wrangler Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) return to the Fallen Kingdom to rescue the remaining dinosaurs from an erupting volcano. Can they also protect these dino refugees from a nefarious plot that awaits them? And are Jakob, Stuart, and Arnie sold on director J.A. Bayona, and the new Indo-Raptor? The park is open when you Donate at the Jurassic Level!
Alone in the Dark
Uwe Boll is easily the most prolific creator of video game movies, but does he also deserve his reputation as Worst Filmmaker Ever? The Now Playing Arcade takes up the question with a review of Alone In The Dark, a beloved 1992 supernatural PC game that became a 2005 tax write-off for the hack director. Christian Slater stars as a PI who goes looking for lost 30-year-old orphans, and finds Tara Reid logging Native American artifacts in a museum overrun with monsters. Learn if this box office flop is so bad it’s good, or just bad, when you listen now!
SDCC 2018 Exclusive Reveal! Entertainment Earth Deadpool with Baby Cable!
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Entertainment Earth has a huge selection of exclusives at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con International. Now Marvelicious Toys is excited to bring you the exclusive reveal of their next item: The Deadpool with Baby Cable Wooden Push Puppet!
These Push Puppets stand like wooden figures, but when you push the bottom they crumble to the ground. Release the button, they stand back up again. (Pump the button to make them dance!)
This baby Cable/Deadpool combination is a fan favorite from the “House of M” storyline, plus Deadpool popularity is ever-higher thanks to this summer’s Deadpool 2 co-starring Cable!
The Push Puppet is limited to only 1,500 pieces–each one has an individually number holographic sticker. And it is only $8.99
If you’re going to SDCC you can get this at the Entertainment Earth booth #2343. If you’re not going to the show, you can place an order now at Entertainment Earth’s site and, if you’re lucky like Domino (meaning if any are left after SDCC), you may be able to get your hands on one!
The Purge: Election Year — A Podcast Preview
U.S. politicians will worry less about hanging chads in the Election Year 2039, and far more about getting hung from a tree, after Purge Night rules are modified to allow government officials to be hunted. The only way Presidential hopeful Charlie Roan (Elizabeth Mitchell) will evade assassination, and reach the White House, is to let security guard Frank Grillo, and small business owner Mykelti Williamson, run her campaign for all 12 hours of America’s “murder holiday”. Get full coverage of the race from Jakob, Arnie, and Stuart when you Donate Today!
The Purge: Election Year – 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 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.
U.S. politicians will worry less about hanging chads in the Election Year 2039, and far more about getting hung from a tree, after Purge Night rules are modified to allow government officials to be hunted. The only way Presidential hopeful Charlie Roan (Elizabeth Mitchell) will evade assassination, and reach the White House, is to let security guard Frank Grillo, and small business owner Mykelti Williamson, run her campaign for all 12 hours of America’s “murder holiday”. Get full coverage of the race from Jakob, Arnie, and Stuart when you Donate Today!
The Purge: Election Year
U.S. politicians will worry less about hanging chads in the Election Year 2039, and far more about getting hung from a tree, after Purge Night rules are modified to allow government officials to be hunted. The only way Presidential hopeful Charlie Roan (Elizabeth Mitchell) will evade assassination, and reach the White House, is to let security guard Frank Grillo, and small business owner Mykelti Williamson, run her campaign for all 12 hours of America’s “murder holiday”. Get full coverage of the race from Jakob, Arnie, and Stuart when you Donate Today!
Incredibles 2
It took 14 years for Pixar and director Brad Bird to create a sequel for popular superhero family The Parrs. Now mother Helen (Holly Hunter) steps back into the role of Elastigirl to lead a global PR campaign championing superpowers. But how easily can she change minds on the supers ban when new villain Screenslaver uses television to hypnotize and control the masses? And how well does stay-at-home dad Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson) do raising Violet, Dash, and baby Jack Jack without her? Listen now as Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart dig into Incredibles 2!
The Incredibles 2 — UNEDITED PODCAST for Patrons Only
Now Playing’s review of The Incredibles 2 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 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!
It took 14 years for Pixar and director Brad Bird to create a sequel for popular superhero family The Parrs. Now mother Helen (Holly Hunter) steps back into the role of Elastigirl to lead a global PR campaign championing superpowers. But how easily can she change minds on the supers ban when new villain Screenslaver uses television to hypnotize and control the masses? And how well does stay-at-home dad Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson) do raising Violet, Dash, and baby Jack Jack without her? Listen now as Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart dig into Incredibles 2!
The Purge: Anarchy — A Podcast Preview
Writer/director James DeMonaco is takin’ it to the streets for the quickie sequel to his surprise hit The Purge. Tough guy Frank Grillo and poor waitress Carmen Ejogo are among the unlucky folk caught up in the Anarchy of downtown Los Angeles on Purge Night 2023. Do podcasters Jakob, Arnie, and Stuart cleanse their souls, or just empty their bowels, engaging in this second course of social Darwinism? Donate tonight and find out!
The Purge: Anarchy
Writer/director James DeMonaco is takin’ it to the streets for the quickie sequel to his surprise hit The Purge. Tough guy Frank Grillo and poor waitress Carmen Ejogo are among the unlucky folk caught up in the Anarchy of downtown Los Angeles on Purge Night 2023. Do podcasters Jakob, Arnie, and Stuart cleanse their souls, or just empty their bowels, engaging in this second course of social Darwinism? Donate tonight and find out!
Ocean’s 8
George Clooney and his crew are sitting out the latest caper so that little sister Debra (Sandra Bullock) and seven criminally-minded gal pals have a chance to steal the spotlight. Ocean’s 8 finds the girl gang attempting to lift a $150 million diamond necklace, worn to a glitzy red carpet gala by annoying Hollywood starlet Anne Hathaway. But can Debra pull off the sting while also getting revenge on the art dealer ex-boyfriend who put her to jail (Richard Armitage)? And who in the octet walks away with the hearts of hosts Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob? Listen and find out.
Mortal Kombat: Annihilation
It sure looked like Liu Kang (Robin Shou) won the Mortal Kombat tournament last film, but that’s not stopping his demonic foes from continuing their assault on Earth. Now the only way our heroes can stop mankind’s Annihilation is to challenge Outworld emperor Shao Kahn (Brian Thompson) to a rematch. Is new director John Leonetti up for this fight? And could someone please move the Eiffel Tower and Golden Gate Bridge out of the arena? Things are bound to get messy as Justin, Stuart, and Arnie play referee for this contentious sequel. Listen now!
Enter the Dragon – Patron Exclusive Review
Kung Fu films have a storied history, but Americans would likely be unaware of it were it not for one man–Bruce Lee. The martial arts virtuoso and actor brought this Hong Kong style to the United States with his breakout film Enter the Dragon. Sadly, Lee would not live to see his biggest film released, but his legacy lives on to this day. So enter the ring by becoming a Now Playing Patron and spar with the Now Playing hosts as they reflect on this kung fu classic.
The Purge — A Podcast Preview
Release The Beast, and let podcasters Jakob, Arnie, and Stuart bring The Purge franchise into your home tonight! Ethan Hawke stars as a security systems specialist who got rich in near-future America when crime became legal for one night a year. He’ll find out just how safe his family really is when a homeless man takes refuge in their mansion on Purge Night 2022, and masked yuppies assault the place looking to murder them all. Your soul will be cleansed when you Donate Today for this Silver Level Series!
The Purge
Release The Beast, and let podcasters Jakob, Arnie, and Stuart bring The Purge franchise into your home tonight! Ethan Hawke stars as a security systems specialist who got rich in near-future America when crime became legal for one night a year. He’ll find out just how safe his family really is when a homeless man takes refuge in their mansion on Purge Night 2022, and masked yuppies assault the place looking to murder them all. Your soul will be cleansed when you Donate Today for this Silver Level Series!
Mortal Kombat
Video games finally broke through at the box office in 1995 with the release of Mortal Kombat – director Paul WS Anderson’s cinematic take on the popular Midway fighting game. Earth will fall under the control of demons unless Thunder god Raiden (Christopher Lambert) can assemble a team of human martial artists that rivals end bosses Goro, Kano, Sub Zero, Scorpion, and Sheng Tsung. Is this next entry in the Now Playing Arcade a winner, or will Justin, Stuart, and Arnie receive another hard blow to the head? Find out when you listen now!
Assault on Precinct 13 (2005) – A Podcast Preview
Before creating The Purge franchise, James DeMonaco broke into the home invasion genre by writing a remake of Assault on Precinct 13. Ethan Hawke is now the cop who must protect a condemned Detroit police station – and prisoners Ja Rule, John Leguizamo, and crime boss Laurence Fishburne – from heavily armed mercenaries swarming the doors and windows one snowy New Year’s Eve. Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob have drawn up a full psych evaluation of the 2005 redo. Get the confidential report when you donate today!
Assault on Precinct 13 (2005)
Before creating The Purge franchise, James DeMonaco broke into the home invasion genre by writing a remake of Assault on Precinct 13. Ethan Hawke is now the cop who must protect a condemned Detroit police station – and prisoners Ja Rule, John Leguizamo, and crime boss Laurence Fishburne – from heavily armed mercenaries swarming the doors and windows one snowy New Year’s Eve. Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob have drawn up a full psych evaluation of the 2005 redo. Get the confidential report when you donate today!
Solo: A Star Wars Story
One of the most popular characters in the Star Wars universe has gone Solo. Harrison Ford earned fame and fortune playing an irascible space bandit in four sci-fi blockbusters. Now rising star Alden Ehrenreich inherits the iconic role in a prequel that dramatizes Han Solo’s first mission in the Millennium Falcon. He joins Chewie, Lando, and a band of criminals for a hyperfuel heist on planet Kessel, but will longtime fans be the ones feeling ripped off? Assume Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart won’t betray you and you won’t be disappointed in their latest podcast!
Solo: A Star Wars Story — UNEDITED PODCAST for Patrons Only
This is a (mostly) unedited podcast. It 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!
One of the most popular characters in the Star Wars universe has gone Solo. Harrison Ford earned fame and fortune playing an irascible space bandit in four sci-fi blockbusters. Now rising star Alden Ehrenreich inherits the iconic role in a prequel that dramatizes Han Solo’s first mission in the Millennium Falcon. He joins Chewie, Lando, and a band of criminals for a hyperfuel heist on planet Kessel, but will longtime fans be the ones feeling ripped off? Assume Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart won’t betray you and you won’t be disappointed in their latest podcast!
Assault on Precinct 13 (1976) – A Podcast Preview
Before he was a Master of Horror, Halloween director John Carpenter transplanted the Western genre to South Side Los Angeles for the explosive action flick Assault on Precinct 13. Austin Stoker stars as a newly promoted cop babysitting a condemned police station on its last night of operation. Can he shield the few remaining employees, as well as a Frank Kersey-like vigilante, from the heavily armed street gang besieging their rundown building? Hear Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob break it all down when you donate today!
Assault on Precinct 13 (1976)
Before he was a Master of Horror, Halloween director John Carpenter transplanted the Western genre to South Side Los Angeles for the explosive action flick Assault on Precinct 13. Austin Stoker stars as a newly promoted cop babysitting a condemned police station on its last night of operation. Can he shield the few remaining employees, as well as a Frank Kersey-like vigilante, from the heavily armed street gang besieging their rundown building? Hear Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob break it all down when you donate today!
Deadpool 2
You know who’s big? I am! Not in that way, get your mind out of the gutter! (Okay, I’m big in that way too.) But my first movie was more popular than Jesus! So take that John Lennon!
But even with my healing factor I’m not immune to…performance anxiety. The dreaded sophomore slump can happen to anyone. I’ve got a second movie out and I pulled out the big guns. (Literally. Cable has a ginormous rifle. How does he hold that with those tiny hands?) But even with Cable and X-Force I’m worried– will Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart think it’s as good as the first one? I’m scared…why don’t you listen now and let me know?
Deadpool 2 — UNEDITED PODCAST for Patrons Only
This is a (mostly) unedited podcast. It 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!
Ryan Reynolds made a string of flops before finally finding big screen success as wisecracking mutant mercenary Wade Wilson. So why does the Canadian heartthrob want to commit career suicide and kill off this seemingly invincible superhero in Deadpool 2? Can time-travelling cyborg Cable (Josh Brolin), bullied mutant teenager Firefist (Julian Dennison), or any of the extended X-Men family save this unlucky actor from his self-destructive tendencies? Join Jakob, Stuart, and Arnie as they place their bets on the franchise’s odds for survival.
Serpico – A Podcast Preview
Al Pacino is best known for playing gangsters, but this summer Now Playing Platinum Level donors will discover how explosively the actor administers justice in five major cop roles. The fun starts with the 1973 biopic Serpico. Al stars as a real life New York City police officer who got a bullet in the face instead of a promotion when he blew the whistle on widespread department corruption. Will Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart condemn the system for passing over Pacino for a Best Actor Oscar yet again? It all comes out in the wash when you Donate Today.
Serpico
Al Pacino is best known for playing gangsters, but this summer Now Playing Platinum Level donors will discover how explosively the actor administers justice in five major cop roles. The fun starts with the 1973 biopic Serpico. Al stars as a real life New York City police officer who got a bullet in the face instead of a promotion when he blew the whistle on widespread department corruption. Will Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart condemn the system for passing over Pacino for a Best Actor Oscar yet again? It all comes out in the wash when you Donate Today.
Wing Commander
Game developer Chris Roberts was on course to deliver the first major science fiction film of 1999 when he personally piloted his massively popular flight simulator Wing CommanderPhantom Menace and The Matrix. Do fighter pilots Freddie Prinze Jr. and Matthew Lillard offer a new hope for genre fans as they clean the cat box of feline space invaders The Kilrathi? Or should Arnie, Justin, and Stuart quickly eject from this next entry in the Now Playing Arcade? Listen and find out!
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
20 years after computer programmer Jordan Mechner released Prince of Persia for the Apple IIe, the Disney Company paid the kingly sum of $200 million to launch his video game swashbuckler Dastan on the big screen. A Middle Eastern Jake Gyllenhaal looks for a way to turn back time after he’s framed for the murder of his adoptive royal father. Does the Now Playing Arcade take a gravity-defying leap forward with the acrobatic hero? Or would Stuart, Arnie, and Justin be more entertained by an ostrich race? Place your bets and Listen Now!
Goodfellas – A Patron Podcast Preview
Goodfellas – Patron Exclusive Review
The Godfather Part III – A Podcast Preview
The Now Playing hosts may wish to be out, but Al Pacino pulls them back in for one more Godfather installment. Part III marks the final screen appearance of aging gangster Michael Corleone, now eager to cut a deal with the Vatican and legitimize his family business. Was he wise to to hand the puppet strings to bastard nephew Andy Garcia? And was this the wrong day for director Francis Ford Coppola to take his daughter to work? Receive your ticket to this Gold Level opera when you Donate Now!
The Godfather Part III – 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 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 Now Playing hosts may wish to be out, but Al Pacino pulls them back in for one more Godfather installment. Part III marks the final screen appearance of aging gangster Michael Corleone, now eager to cut a deal with the Vatican and legitimize his family business. Was he wise to to hand the puppet strings to bastard nephew Andy Garcia? And was this the wrong day for director Francis Ford Coppola to take his daughter to work? Receive your ticket to this Gold Level opera when you Donate Now!
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 Godfather Part III – For Annual Subscribers
The Now Playing hosts may wish to be out, but Al Pacino pulls them back in for one more Godfather installment. Part III marks the final screen appearance of aging gangster Michael Corleone, now eager to cut a deal with the Vatican and legitimize his family business. Was he wise to to hand the puppet strings to bastard nephew Andy Garcia? And was this the wrong day for director Francis Ford Coppola to take his daughter to work? Receive your ticket to this Gold Level opera when you Donate Now!
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 Godfather Part III
The Now Playing hosts may wish to be out, but Al Pacino pulls them back in for one more Godfather installment. Part III marks the final screen appearance of aging gangster Michael Corleone, now eager to cut a deal with the Vatican and legitimize his family business. Was he wise to to hand the puppet strings to bastard nephew Andy Garcia? And was this the wrong day for director Francis Ford Coppola to take his daughter to work? Receive your ticket to this Gold Level opera when you Donate Now!
Avengers: Infinity War
Ten years ago Marvel Comics gambled their entire existence, using all their remaining IP as collateral, on the idea that they could make superhero films better than anyone else. 18 movies later, Marvel Studios makes their biggest bet yet – a billion dollars that audiences will love “the most ambitious crossover event in history” and one gaudy gold glove! Is more the merrier when it comes to superheroes on screen, or are Earth’s Mightiest Heroes set up for an epic fail? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob now as they review Avengers: Infinity War!
Avengers: Infinity War — UNEDITED PODCAST for Patrons Only
This is a (mostly) unedited podcast. It 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!
Ten years ago Marvel Comics gambled their entire existence, using all their remaining IP as collateral, on the idea that they could make superhero movies better than anyone else. Ten years and 18 movies later, not only has their gamble paid off but few would disagree with their hubris. Now Marvel Studios makes another big bet, a billion dollars, that audiences will love what they tout as “the most ambitious crossover event in history.” Is the more the merrier when it comes to superheroes on screen, or is this an overstuffed, overlong, bloated bust? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob now as they review Avengers: Infinity War!
The Godfather Part II – A Podcast Preview
Two years after The Godfather won Oscars and big box office, director Francis Ford Coppola and his loyal star Al Pacino used all their power to create an even more ambitious sequel. Part II retraces the footsteps of father Vito Corleone (Robert De Niro) from Sicily to America, contrasting his rise to power with son Michael Corleone losing Family influence with Cuban investments and U.S. Senate investigations. Will Jakob, Arnie, and Stuart pass over the first film and declare its younger brother to be the smart one? Donate Today for Gold and find out!
The Godfather Part II – 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 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.
Two years after The Godfather won Oscars and big box office, director Francis Ford Coppola and his loyal star Al Pacino used all their power to create an even more ambitious sequel. Part II retraces the footsteps of father Vito Corleone (Robert De Niro) from Sicily to America, contrasting his rise to power with son Michael Corleone losing Family influence with Cuban investments and U.S. Senate investigations. Will Jakob, Arnie, and Stuart pass over the first film and declare its younger brother to be the smart one? Donate for Gold and find out!
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 Godfather: Part II – For Annual Subscribers
Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob are making listeners an offer they can’t refuse: a retrospective of Al Pacino’s greatest gangster performances, kicking off with the Francis Ford Coppola classic The Godfather. Did Al have to cut the head off a horse in order to land the star-making role of Michael Corleone? And does Pacino, then an untested New York stage actor, prove to be a contender sharing the screen with heavyweight thespian Marlon Brando? Join the Now Playing Family for this Gold Level discussion when you Donate Today!
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 Godfather Part II
Two years after The Godfather won Oscars and big box office, director Francis Ford Coppola and his loyal star Al Pacino used all their power to create an even more ambitious sequel. Part II retraces the footsteps of father Vito Corleone (Robert De Niro) from Sicily to America, contrasting his rise to power with son Michael Corleone losing Family influence with Cuban investments and U.S. Senate investigations. Will Jakob, Arnie, and Stuart pass over the first film and declare its younger brother to be the smart one? Donate for Gold and find out!
NOTE: This Podcast is released as part of Now Playing Podcast’s Spring, 2018 Donation Drive.
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!
Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within
No one was better suited to convert the role playing mechanics of the best-selling Final Fantasy series into stirring cinema than game creator Hironobu Sakaguchi. But dreams of writing and directing the world’s most photorealistic animated movie crashed to earth like a meteor when The Spirits Within landed in theaters in summer 2001. Gaia only knows what podcasters Justin, Arnie, and Stuart will find inside the wreckage of this poetic tale of parasitic alien invasion! So let down your defense shields and listen now.
The Godfather – A Podcast Preview
Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob are making listeners an offer they can’t refuse: a retrospective of Al Pacino’s greatest gangster performances, kicking off with the Francis Ford Coppola classic The Godfather. Did Al have to cut the head off a horse in order to land the star-making role of Michael Corleone? And does Pacino, then an untested New York stage actor, prove to be a contender sharing the screen with heavyweight thespian Marlon Brando? Join the Now Playing Family for this Gold Level discussion when you Donate Today!
Rampage
32 years after making its debut as a city-leveling coin-op video game, Rampage bursts onto the big screen as a brand new movie. So why are Dwayne Johnson, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and Joe Manganiello so eager to shut down the Chicago block party being thrown by giant gorilla George, mutant crocodile Lizzie, and massive wolf Ralph? Join podcasters Arnie, Justin, and Stuart as they try to figure out why New Line Pictures plunked so many quarters into this arcade classic.
Beetlejuice – Patron Exclusive Review
It’s showtime once again for Betelgeuse… better known as Beetlejuice. (Just don’t say his name thrice!) The fast-talking “bio-exorcist” made the heads of millions of moviegoers spin when he debuted in theaters 30 years ago this month. Now “co-hosts with the most” Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart dig up this first collaboration between Batman star Michael Keaton and director Tim Burton to see if the zany afterlife comedy still kills. Listeners can join them in the conga line when they become a Now Playing Patron!
Doom (2005)
Long before he took on a Rampage of giant gorillas, wolves and lizards, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson led a squadron of Doom-ed Marines to Mars for another blowout with video game baddies. The 1993 first-person shooter Doom changed the way millions looked at their PCs. So why wasn’t the 2005 movie adaptation a similar success? Join Justin, Arnie, and Stuart as they analyze the DNA of this box office bomb to determine if its the handiwork of angels or demons.
Ready Player One
Get ready to “clan up” with Arnie, Justin, and Stuart for a podcast review of Ready Player One. Steven Spielberg’s latest sci-fi adventure imagines the future of entertainment to be pop culture icons of the past populating a massive cyber playground. Should viewers cough up the coins it takes to slip on a pair of 3D glasses and join gamer Wade Watts (Ty Sheridan) – along with Freddy Krueger, Hello Kitty, Iron Giant, and countless other superstars of the 1980s and 90s – for a virtual reality scavenger hunt? Listen and find out.
Pacific Rim: Uprising — Early Release for Patrons
This show will be available for all listeners Tuesday, March 27th, but Patrons of $25 or more can listen to it now!
Hasbro Q&A — HasLab Sail Barge (and Yakface!) Update
From Left to Right, Steve Evans, Mark Boudreaux, and Joe Ninivaggi
Today Star Wars Action News was privileged to be one of only three fan sites participating in a Q&A with the Star Wars Brand Team at Hasbro. The topic was, of course, their current crowdfunding project for the Khetanna — Jabba the Hutt’s Sail Barge playset that measures 4-feet long.
Participating in the conversation were our long-time friends from Hasbro: Steve Evans (Design Director for Star Wars toys), Mark Boudreaux (Senior Principal Designer for Star Wars toys), and Joe Ninivaggi (Director, Global Brand Strategy & Marketing – Star Wars).
The conversation revealed some new information about the current campaign, and also had a nice video tour of the newly painted Sail Barge.
You can read the transcript of the interview below, but the high points are:
- The Yakface figure included with the Khetanna, on the Power of the Force card with the silver coin, will have the lowest production run of any modern Star Wars figure (assuming the Barge’s numbers don’t end dramatically above 5,000)
- If you live in the US or Canada the crowdfunding is the only way you will ever be able to buy the Barge. If the Barge is backed then Hasbro will make a small quantity of Barges available, but only for those living outside of the US and Canada.
- The paint on the barge took over 200 man-hours. (The design of the barge took over “one thousand” Mark half-joked.)
- The team is looking at only one Star Wars HasLab project per year. HasLab will do multiple projects per year, but the others will be for Marvel, Transformers, and My Little Pony.
- This is the team’s first crowdfunding effort and they’re using it as a learning experience. Future HasLab projects will take current feedback into account regarding payment plans, cost of items, duration of the campaign, etc.
- The Barge is incredibly cool with so many details that can only be seen close-up, including a sink faucet in the galley and a retractable microphone in Jabba’s dais.
- If the Barge is funded the Hasbro team is looking at producing an updated Jabba the Hutt figure with an improved paint application and perhaps facial sculpting from their previous efforts.
Below is an rundown of the conversation.
The team started with a run-down of the Entertainment Weekly reveal of the painted Sail Barge, and the inclusion of the Power of the Force Yakface figure. Steve said the paint job was “200 man and woman hours” of work, to which Mark added “And that’s just to paint it. Not including the work that’s been done since… another 1,000 hours there.” They also noted a pick-up in orders since yesterday’s news, but they still need almost 1,800 orders in 12 days.
Then the Q&A Began
Question: What is your ideal rate for Star Wars campaigns? One per year, two per year, etc?
Answer: Joe said HasLab will likely have multiple initiatives per year across Transformers, My Little Pony, and Marvel, but they are starting with only one Star Wars initiative per year “and take it from there.”
Q: Why was a payment option not made available for the Barge as other companies do for items of similar price.
A: Joe replied, “I think this will answer a number of questions but this is our first time doing this. We’re learning a lot on this. HasbroToyShop, which, of course, is our partner that allows us to sell directly to fans, they’re set up a certain way and we went out with this particular model. There’s always opportunity to learn in the future, we’ve definitely seen that come up as a request and something that would hopefully make the product more accessible to all fans.”
Q: At Toy Fair Steve told Star Wars Action News that if the Barge is funded then there may be opportunities for it to be sold other methods. And on the HasLab FAQ it states “We reserve the rights to make the products (or similar versions of the products) available at other sources, such as online stores and retail locations, but such availability is not guaranteed.”
But in an Instagram post on March 19 Hasbro said the Barge would not be available via traditional retail outlets.
Can you clarify these statements? Is it possible the Barge will be available at retail if it is funded?
A: Steve clarified that if you live in the US and Canada then backing at HasbroLab.com is the only way you will be able to purchase the barge. There are no plans to take this to retail in the US and Canada. However, since only US and Canada can purchase from HasbroLab.com then, if the Barge hits its 5,000 orders, they would make an additional, limited quantity available to international buyers only.
Q: People say there’s not enough time to budget for a $500 item in the time of the Barge. In the future can we get a bit more notice?
Steve said they are getting insights daily and have learned a lot going for future projects like this. Their team read studies indicating 45 days is the optimal time for crowdfunding* and that longer campaigns have lower success rates. For future crowdfunding campaigns they will look at “everything” and see how to adjust timing.
(Note: In my own research I’ve read campaigns over 30 days have a lower success rate. Either way, Steve’s point is valid. -Arnie)
Q: Perhaps in the future could Hasbro announce the campaign at Toy Fair, but launch it at San Diego Comic-Con so collectors have a few months to save up, not just 45 days.
A: Joe said that is a good idea and they may look at doing that next time. They added that projects do not get much more ambitious in terms of size and price than the Sail Barge. They’ve wanted to do it for decades. But they know that price points for future items don’t always have to be this expensive.
Q: The Jabba on display in the published Sail Barge photos looks like the Toys R Us exclusive from a few years ago. Is it an old Jabba or is it a new Jabba?
Mark clarified that Jabba is the same sculpt that came with the Jabba/Rancor set, but they wanted to make a special Jabba for the barge so they’re looking at enhancing his deco. The photos released show more weathering on the body and highlights to the face than the Jabba/Rancor set had. They’ll be looking at techniques, either photo-real or more traditional techniques, to make this new Jabba noticeably different from the older version.
Q: Can Slave Leia be rereleased to pose in the Barge
A: Steve said for characters that enhance the Barge, they’re doing Yakface and Skiff Guard. They’ll look at other background characters from these scenes if the Barge is successful. As for Slave Leia–no plans but they’ll look at it.
Q: If the Barge meets its goal of 5,000, but not much higher, will this carded Yakface with the coin have the lowest production run of any modern Hasbro Star Wars figure?
A: Steve gave an emphatic “yes”. Historically Hasbro does not give production numbers for its products, but Steve compared the Yakface to their San Diego Comic-Con exclusives. For that convention he said they produce more than 5,000 of the exclusives (“not a lot more, but more”).
Steve added that Yakface on the Power of the Force card will not only be a “physical rarity” but also an “emotional rarity” given how Yakface and Blue Snaggletooth are the holy grails to many vintage Star Wars figure collectors.
Q: How will Hasbro handle broken/missing parts, and keep backers informed of progress?
A: Steve said for broken parts the usual Hasbro policy to contact Customer Service applies.
But Joe went on to say that the packaging team has been challenged to make the box secure. Additionally, they hope for the box to have nice presentation, including perhaps trays that slide out when packaged. They hope to make the experience of the unboxing as cool as the item itself. They feel presentation is really important with this, so it needs more than just printed inserts. “This is a vintage item, after all, and we want to make sure to present it,” Mark said.
In regards to communication with buyers, Joe said “It’s not everyday you buy something for $500 and don’t get it for a year afterwards.” As such, if the project is successful, the Hasbro team plans to take backers on a behind-the-scenes journey, keeping them updated with the inner workings of Hasbro on how the Barge is made and shipped.
Q: Will there be tape on the Vintage box?
A: The team asked what we would be interested in, and unanimously the sites requested no tape on the Vintage box, just a flap-fold, and tape the shipping carton.
There was also discussion if the Yakface will be shipped inside the same box as the Barge. Steve said they don’t know for sure–currently it is in the box but that could change.
Q: With less than two weeks away from the end of the campaign, with about 1800 orders needed, what is the mood at Hasbro? How has this impacted you emotionally?
A: Steve said, “We’re on the edge of our seats. The trajectory is what we expected. It spikes, levels off, and spikes in the end.” He said that the released pictures of the painted Sail Barge helped make it real for some people, and adding the exclusive Yakface also helped.
They all agreed the campaign is emotionally draining. “It’s taken up a lot of our time personally and we have invested ourselves greatly on something that doesn’t yet exist,” Steve said. “I feel confident because it’s a great project but it’s up to the fans.”
“You don’t want to see a grown man cry,” Mark added on as the interview came to an end.
Then we were treated to a video tour of the painted Sail Barge and the Hasbro team pointed out many features that have not had much attention from fans:
- The jail in the lower level has a sliding metal door to differentiate from the wood. The Barge will come with two metal chains of different sizes to put different character sizes (perhaps a human and a Wookiee?) in the jail.
- In the galley they wanted to “set a tone for the interiors” and then let fans embellish and fill it out to what they felt their fantasy for Jabba would be. The Barge has a kitchen counter, a couple sinks, faucet, and Chupas hanging from the wall in the back, setting the stage for how fans might like to complete their diorama. That’s one of the reasons they wanted to go with the Sail Barge: it’s awesome to start with, they said. Very iconic, a great movie beat with lots of characters involved, so they wanted something that could really push dioramas to the next level and interact with a lot of your characters both new and old.
And they have some “Work in progress” images of painting that will be coming soon.
- Next to the galley is the armory. Axes are mounted to the wall as decoration. They also have some horn racks on the back wall where you can hang your blasters, staffs, etc. and there’s a table in the back where you can repair your weapons.
There are a couple staffs in the model photographs that were released, but those are not included with the barge. You will need to supply your own weapons and staffs. The axes on the wall are permanently attached decoration.
- Moving into the lounge it’s more about comfort. A lot of wooden surfaces, wooden walls, wooden floors. There are opening and closing shutters on either side, as well as the dais which you can move back and forth a bit to adjust the floor plan.
- You can actually pull the microphone out of the control panel on Jabba’s dias. It’s attached to a cable and for production they’re going to increase the length of the cable so you can have a C-3PO figure hold it.
- One question they had was about foot pegs. They talked about it and, other than 2 foot pegs on the platform on the deck cannon, they’ve elected to not include foot pegs in the vehicle itself. They didn’t want to disrupt the aesthetics by putting traditional foot pegs and they didn’t want to limit character placement.
- They have the rancor trophy mounted to the wall, Ishi Tib heads, a Gammorrean Guard head, and Jabba’s mural mounted to the wall. They wanted to include all the details seen in the film and then let you embellish with your own accessories.
- There is a side hatch with a larger port where the Weequay can come out to surprise Luke (it’s larger as the barge isn’t QUITE to scale with 3.75 in figures).
- They worked closely with Lucasfilm for all the details on the cockpit. They went to the archives and looked at all the reference photos, and also went into the vault to get any inspiration they might need to include other details.
- There is a corridor so a figure can walk from the Cockpit all through the ship.
- There will also be a trap door in the deck above that goes down into the jail. A button on the side will allow you to activate the trap door. “Gotta have some fun right? It can’t be all serious display stuff,” Steve said.
- They’re making a subtle revision to the rail so if you have a Vism with a cannon open stock it will be able to fit onto the rail.
- The sails would be removable so if you wanted to open the deck up for play it’s easy to do. The sails will stay in tact but you’re able to lift them off!
And with that Steve concluded the interview saying “Thank you for all your support. Fingers crossed, trust in the force, #BacktheYak, #BacktheBarge!”
If you want to order, the campaign is open until April 3, 2018. You can back the project now at HasbroLab.com
You can see newly released photos of the Barge and its accessories in the gallery below!
Tomb Raider
It’s been 15 years since Lara Croft last raided movie theaters, but now a new Oscar-winning actress is picking up the controls and racing into action. Tomb Raider 2018 – an origin story for the scrappy video game heroine – finds Danish Girl Alicia Vikander tracking her missing father Lord Richard Croft (Dominic West) to a mythical Japanese island crawling with mercenaries and booby traps. Listen now to find out if survivors Stuart, Arnie, and Justin have reached higher ground in the Now Playing Arcade.
Hellraiser: Judgment
For the last several sequels, the Hellraiser franchise has been chewing through bad scripts and vomiting the pages all over Jakob, Arnie, and Stuart. Now 10th chapter Judgment aims to break this cycle by employing a kooky new collective of Cenobites – including a nebbish Auditor, a glutinous Assessor, a cleaver-wielding Butcher, and a recast Pinhead (Paul T. Taylor). Are they guilty of bearing false witness against Clive Barker by pursuing a serial killer with a Ten Commandments fetish? Donate Now to find out if there’s any soul left to tear apart!
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – The Cradle of Life — Early Release for Patrons!
Angelina Jolie reprised her role as England’s most scantily clad excavator for her second and final Tomb Raider adventure. Cradle of Life finds Lady Croft diving into sunken ruins with Greek sailors, motorcycling across the Great Wall of China with Gerard Butler, and ascending African peaks with Djimon Hounsou. All in the hopes of beating blackhearted bio-engineer Ciaran Hinds to Pandora’s Box. Listen and find out if this 2003 sequel is plagued by the same problems that made Arnie, Justin, and Stuart deathly ill watching previous video game adaptations.
High Tension (Haute Tension) – Patron Exclusive Review
America wasn’t the only country to produce torture porn this millennium. Piranha 3D director Alexandre Aja first made a name for himself with the 2003 Gaelic slasher Haute Tension. Will Yank audiences be able to translate this ultraviolent tale of a deranged mechanic stalking two college girls in the French countryside? And can Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart make sense of that infamous twist ending?! Find out when you become a Now Playing Patron merci beaucoup!
THE LAST JEDI Comes Home in 4K Ultra HD Mar 27
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| The biggest movie of 2017 comes home this month! Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi is available in HD and Ultra HD 4k digitally via Movies Anywhere on March 13. Physical Blu-ray and 4k discs will be released March 27.This marks the first 4k releases of a Star Wars film, and it is Disney’s first title available on 4k Ultra Blu-ray disc in both Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos audio.
Bonus features accompanying this release include*:
* Digital bonus offerings may vary by retailer. |
Death Wish (2018)
Movies with action heroes from the 1980s die pretty hard at the box office these days, but Bruce Willis aims to change all that with a 2018 reboot of Death Wish. The aging tough guy stars as a Chicago surgeon who goes from saving lives in the ER to taking lives on crime-ridden streets, after burglars violate his home and family. Can Bruno take out the bad hombres and make America great again one bullet at a time? Or do hosts Arnie, Jakob and Stuart wish this vigilante died with Bronson? Listen and find out…
Toy Fair 2018 Roundup — Dimond Select Toys’ Marvel Selects, Minimates, Gallery Statues, and More
Diamond Select Toys have long been the go-to company for Marvel fans who like highly-articulated, finely detailed figures with their Marvel Select line. And for fans of articulated mini-figs, the Diamond Select Minimates are up to Assortment 76!
But the past couple of years Diamond has expanded their Marvel offerings with the Diamond Gallery PVC statue line and the Marvel Milestones statue line, and this will leave collectors like me with a problem: not enough space for all the cool things they have coming!
Check out all the items in the video below, and see detailed photos in our gallery!
Toy Fair 2018 Roundup — Marvel & Movies Come to Life with Mezco
The clear winner of Best in Show for Toy Fair 2018 is Mezco. Their One:12 series of Marvel figures is entering its third year, and Mezco unveiled some truly awesome and surprising upcoming releases!
On display at the Javitz center were some figures we’d seen before at San Diego Comic-Con, such as the Gladiator Hulk and Thor from Thor: Ragnarok, and the Spider-Man in his homemade suite from Homecoming. New additions to the line however include Black Panther with his movie-style outfit. The silver accents and the detail in the black outfit really make this six-inch figure stand out!
Also new in the Marvel Cinematic Universe was revealed Hela–Mezco’s first female Marvel One:12 figure! She comes with her large headdress and a Cate Blanchett likeness that is downright perfect. My only hope for this figure would be an alternate head (or variant released) without the helmet.
Similarly, in the Marvel Television Universe, three figures were shown. Daredevil is coming in both his Season One black outfit and his season two red. And also from Daredevil Season Two (and his own series) comes The Punisher. He is wearing an armored chestplate, and has an amazing beat-up Jon Bernthal likeness.
For comic-based Marvel fans, though, there was some real excitement! Revealed at the show were two new mutant figures, Cyclops and his son from the future, Cable! Cyclops is in his classic yellow-and-blue outfit, and the soft goods fit the figure perfectly. The shade of blue is spot-on with the ’90s version of the character.
Cable is on a much larger buck than usual, and has more solid plastic than soft goods from what I could see. The robotic arm has incredible sculpting detail, and he is a good size to stand among your other One:12 figures without dwarfing them!
Finally, for horror movie fans of Now Playing Podcast some of Mezco’s horror line of One:12 figures were revealed. They continued their look into the many iterations of Jason (leaving me hoping for a Jason X in the near future!), plus Michael Myers and Ash from Evil Dead 2. I did ask if a Pinhead might be joining this One:12 series soon. Mezco has the Hellraiser rights (as shown with their large figure and fuzzy-dice puzzle boxes). Drake could not confirm Pinhead being slated for the line, but he gave me hope stating, “I’m not saying no…”
Two surprising reveals included John Wick–with an uncanny Keanu Reeves likeness. With the third film, and a TV series, in production there seem to be several companies looking to light the fuse on this new action star.
Plus–in the single most incredible valut-pull I saw at Toy Fair, they are making a One:12 figure of Diabolik from the 1968 film Danger: Diabolik! This is a movie championed in Now Playing’s book Underrated Movies we Recommend and to see the John Phillip Law character realized in six inches was nothing short of astonishing.
Check out our video and photo coverage of Mezco below, and be sure to follow Marvelicious Toys for updates and reviews as these products start to ship!
Toy Fair 2018 Roundup — Marvel Collecting with Monogram International
Monogram International was out in full force during February’s Toy Fair International!
Of course, for collectors the hot item from Monogram is their blind-packaged foam keyrings, and they had two new sets on display. More, they were one of the only companies showing their new Infinity War merchandise–including a new set of keyrings with a blonde-haired Black Widow, Dr. Strange, Nebula, and others!
They also showed an assortment of X-Men related keyrings with characters including Professor X, Magneto, and Cyclops, and a Marvel Zombie Villians themed set with ghoulish versions of Venom, Thanos, and others
But the Marvel goodies didn’t stop at keyrings. Their vinyl bust banks continued to make a showing, with a Gladiator Hulk from Thor: Ragnarok and a new Black Panther joining the ranks of classics like The Punisher, Spider-Gwen, and Deadpool.
A new line of collectibles was shown — blind packaged, figural magnets. These items measure about 2-3 inches tall, and have environmental bases showing the superheroes popping out at you! Initial offerings showed Iron Man, Daredevil (in both Red and Yellow outfits), Deadpool (in his gray X-Force outfit), Captain America, Black Widow, and others.
Finally, for the more practical, there were a number of household items including Marvel chracter-themed neck pillows for flying. There were also pens which are topped with Marvel characters in the same style as their cute keyring collection.
Check out the gallery below for pictures of their booth, and stay with Marvelicious Toys for updates and reviews as these hit retail!
New Podcast: Marvelicious Toys Issue 188: Toy Fair 2018 Video Tour
Hosted by Arnie Carvalho, Justin Kozisek, and Marjorie Carvalho
2018 is a big year for Marvel fans. Infinity War, Deadpool 2, Ant-Man and The Wasp…and there’s comic books too!
All these will have toy tie-ins, and they were revealed at Toy Fair 2018! So join the Marvelicious Toys team for this episode to see the newest reveals from LEGO, Hasbro, Funko, Diamond Select Toys, and more!
Get Your Shark-Fin Hat Ready — DEEP BLUE SEA 2 is coming April 17!
The original Deep Blue Sea didn’t sink when released in 1999–but it didn’t thrive either, barely breaking even. Yet nearly 20 years later comes the direct-to-video sequel Deep Blue Sea 2, coming to Blu-Ray, DVD, and VOD on April 17, 2018.This sequel follows shark conservationist Dr. Misty Calhoun (Danielle Savre) as she is invited to consult on a new, top secret project run by pharmaceutical billionaire Carl Durant (Michael Beach). She believe the project, performed at a remote, sea-based facility, focuses on extracting shark antibodies to help work toward cures for human diseases. However, Dr. Calhoun is shocked to learn that the company is using unpredictable bull sharks as its test subjects, and Durant as bio-engineered a shiver of highly intelligent, super-aggressive bull sharks. When science meddles with the time tested process of nature and nurture, the outcome can be deadly! The film is directed by two-time Independent Spirit Award nominee Darin Scott (Menace II Society, To Sleep With Anger), and written by Hans Rodionoff (Lost Boys: The Tribe) and award-winning writing partners Jessica Scott & Eric Patterson (Another Cinderella Story). “Deep Blue Sea 2 is a true sequel, staying within the mythology of the original film, and taking the next step in the evolution of the sharks … and their human counterparts,” said Mary Ellen Thomas, WBHE, Vice President, TV Marketing, Family & Animation. “This time, there’s more perspective from the sharks, giving greater personality to the ‘villains’ in this film. It’s a thrill ride that will keep the audience guessing throughout.” Deep Blue Sea 2 stars Danielle Savre (Heroes, Boogeyman 2) in the lead role of shark conservationist Dr. Misty Calhoun; Rob Mayes (John Dies at the End, Mistresses) as Trent Slater, a highly decorated ex-Navy SEAL; and Michael Beach (Third Watch, The 100, upcoming Aquaman) as Carl Durant, a big pharma billionaire with questionable ethics. Rounding out the cast is Nathan Lynn (Outlander) as tech expert Aaron Ellroy, Kim Syster (Sterlopers) as neurobiologist Leslie Kim, and Jeremy Jess Boado (House Party: Tonight’s the Night) as clinical neurophysiologist Daniel Kim. The bonus features on the Blu-Ray Combo Pack, DVD, and Digital include: Returning to the Deep – The Making of Deep Blue Sea 2 (Featurette) – Go behind the scenes with the cast and crew of Deep Blue Sea 2 as they film the highly-anticipated sequel. Deep Blue Sea 2: Death by Shark (Featurette) – In this wildly fun featurette, the cast and crew of Deep Blue Sea 2 discuss their characters’ demise and the jump-out- of-your- seat moments in the Deep Blue Silliness (Gag Reel) – A collection of fun outtakes and bloopers from the feature film showcasing the cast and production team. Deleted Scenes – A few filmed moments that didn’t make the final cut of Deep Blue Sea 2. |
Win “Black Panther: The Art of the Movie” Book and the “Black Panther” Soundtrack CD!
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Facebook is changing its News Feed so you see less news (ironically).
There will be less videos, less news articles, and more items that your friends have commented on.
But there is a way to keep your favorite Pages (like Now Playing Podcast) in your feed. Below you will find instructions how to do it on iPhone, Android, and Desktop.
And by doing this you could win a copy of Black Panther: The Art of the Movie book or the Black Panther soundtrack on CD!
Simply follow the instructions below. Then head to our Facebook page and post a screenshot showing Now Playing having priority in your timeline on our pinned post! You have until March 31 to post it. Two winners will be randomly selected from all entries! The first prize winner gets The Art of Black Panther book ($50 value), and the second prize winner will get the Black Panther soundtrack on CD ($15 value)
The photo posted should be of this screen, with the Blue Star on the Now Playing logo:
International winners may be responsible for some or all of the shipping costs.
Here are the instructions on how to make sure you keep seeing Now Playing’s posts on your timeline:
For Facebook app on iPhone:
1. Select the three line menu in the bottom right corner of the app
1. Scroll down in the menu and click “Settings”
3. Select “news feed preferences” from the pop-up menu
4. Select “Prioritize who to see First” on the next screen
5. Click on “Now Playing Podcast” and any other pages you want to remain in your newsfeed
For Facebook app on Android:
1. Tap on the three line menu in the top right of the app.
2. Select “News Feed Preferences” from the next screen.
3. Tap “Prioritize Who to See First” on the next screen
3. Click on “Now Playing Podcast” and any other pages you want to remain in your newsfeed
For Facebook app on Desktop:
1. Click the arrow in the top right corner to show the drop-down menu
2. From that menu choose “News Feed Preferences.”
3. Select “Prioritize who to see first”
4. Find Now Playing (and all other pages/people you want to see in your feed) and click on them. The Blue Star means you’ll see us in your feed!
New Podcast: Star Wars Action News — 501st Episode: Marching on Toy Fair
Hosted by Arnie Carvalho and Marjorie Carvalho
Toy Fair international begins TOMORROW! In this episode Marjorie and Arnie discuss the things they hope, and expect, to see at this weekend’s show. Listen now, and then follow Star Wars Action News on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter for live VIDEO updates from the show!
Also in this episode, Arnie talks to Nathan P Butler, author of A Saga on Home Video about his Star Wars video collection, his book, and what the digital revolution means for physical media.
With Brock reviewing the novel Cobalt Squadron and more, it’s all in this pre-Toy Fair episode of Star Wars Action News!
New Podcast — Star Wars Action News Episode 500!
Hosted by Arnie Carvalho, Marjorie Carvalho, Daryl Whitlow, Andrew Harrison, Brock, and more!
This weekend is Toy Fair International 2018! Tons of new Star Wars collectibles will be revealed (including, likely, the first look at SOLO toys)! Star Wars Action News will be there to cover all the releases.
Facebook is Changing. Here’s how to keep up with Now Playing Podcasts
Facebook is changing its News Feed so you see less news (ironically).
There will be less videos, less news articles, and more items that your friends have commented on.
But there is a way to keep your favorite Pages (like Now Playing Podcast) in your feed. Here’s instructions how to do it on iPhone, Android, and Desktop:
For Facebook app on iPhone:
1. Select the three line menu in the bottom right corner of the app
1. Scroll down in the menu and click “Settings”
3. Select “news feed preferences” from the pop-up menu
4. Select “Prioritize who to see First” on the next screen
5. Click on “Now Playing Podcast” and any other pages you want to remain in your newsfeed
For Facebook app on Android:
1. Tap on the three line menu in the top right of the app.
2. Select “News Feed Preferences” from the next screen.
3. Tap “Prioritize Who to See First” on the next screen
3. Click on “Now Playing Podcast” and any other pages you want to remain in your newsfeed
For Facebook app on Desktop:
1. Click the arrow in the top right corner to show the drop-down menu
2. From that menu choose “News Feed Preferences.”
3. Select “Prioritize who to see first”
4. Find Now Playing (and all other pages/people you want to see in your feed) and click on them. The Blue Star means you’ll see us in your feed!
Toys R Us to Close Up to 182 US Stores Beginning in February
This morning Toys ‘R’ Us announced their plans to close several of their stores. Other stores will become combined Toys ‘R’ Us/Babies ‘R’ Us locations.
Per court documents filed, the company may close as many as 182 stores as part of its bankruptcy reorganization process. That would be up to 20% of Toys ‘R’ Us’s US stores.
The full release from Toys ‘R’ Us’s CEO Dave Brandon is below.
See a full list of closing stores at USA Today
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You Can’t RUNAWAY from CHILDREN OF THE CORN 10
No matter how far you run, the past will always catch up to you.
That is the tagline for Children of the Corn: Runaway — and the same could be said for this franchise.
Stephen King’s eponymous short story, originally published in a 1977 issue of Penthouse magazine, has now spawned ten movies–the first starring Linda Hamilton in 1984. The previous installment, Children of the Corn: Genesis was released by Dimension Films in 2011. Now it’s harvest time once more.
Children of the Corn: Runaway tells the story of young, pregnant Ruth, who escapes a murderous child cult in a small Midwestern town. She spends the next decade living anonymously in an attempt to spare her son the horrors that she experienced as a child. Ruth and her son end up in a small Oklahoma town, but something is following her. Now, she must confront this evil or lose her child.
The film is directed by John Gulager (Piranha 3DD, Feast) and written by Joel Soisson (Children of the Corn: Genesis, Dracula 2000Hellraiser: Judgment). It stars Marci Miller, Lynn Andrews, Mary Kathryn Bryant, and Jake Ryan Scott. (Bryant is also in Dimensions’ upcoming ).
The movie will be on VOD, DVD, and Blu-Ray March 13th. The Blu-Ray is priced at $21.99; the DVD at $19.98. All formats have only one special feature: a deleted scene
The hosts at Now Playing Podcast have already reviewed the first nine Children of the Corn films. Their review of Runaway will be coming later in 2018.
Here is the teaser trailer and cover art for the film:
Star Wars Toy Sales Down as “Movie Fatigue” Sets In
Are you suffering from “Movie Tie-In Fatigue?”
Per a Bloomberg article, Star Wars toy sales are down. Specifically adult collectors are still buying (but, judging by some “fan” sites, they’re complaining the entire time they shop); however, kids have less interest in the Star Wars toys.
The article states: “While ‘Star Wars’ was still the top-selling toy line during the nine-week holiday period, sales fell from 2016 and the brand lost its No. 1 position for the year…This was despite “Last Jedi” being the top-grossing film released in the U.S. last year “
The most telling quotes? “Adult collectors, who grew up with the brand, are still buying a lot of merchandise when the toys come out, but demand dies down afterward… That doesn’t bode well for Hasbro, which has the main “Star Wars” toy partnership, or Jakks Pacific Inc., which has a secondary license. ”
What do you think? Is the problem fatigue? Is a new movie per year too much? Is it the types of toys offered? Why do YOU think sales are down? Let us know in the comments!
THOR: RAGNAROK Video Release: Streaming Feb 20, Disc Mar 6
Marvel’s God of Thunder will roar in your home starting next month!
One of 2017’s biggest super hero movies, and recipient of three green arrows from the Now Playing Podcast critics, Thor: Ragnarok will strike digitally in HD and 4K Ultra HD on Feb. 20. The 4k Ultra HD and Blu-ray discs will follow on March 6.
The 4k Blu-ray release will include HDR as well as Dolby Atmos audio.
The movie will also be part of the digital “Movies Anywhere” program where a digital copy purchased at a participating digital retailer will be available through all of the following platforms: Amazon Video, Google Play, iTunes and Vudu
In Marvel Studios’ “Thor: Ragnarok,” Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is imprisoned on the other side of the universe without his mighty hammer and finds himself in a race against time to get back to Asgard to stop Ragnarok – the destruction of his home world and the end of Asgardian civilization – at the hands of an all-powerful new threat, the ruthless Hela (Cate Blanchett). But first he must survive a deadly gladiatorial contest that pits him against his former ally and fellow Avenger – the Incredible Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) – and grapple with his silver-tongued adopted brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston), the fierce warrior Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) and the eccentric Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum).
Fans who bring home the Ultimate Cinematic Universe Edition (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital) of “Thor: Ragnarok” will experience all the thunderous action and lightning-fast wit in stunning 4K Ultra HD with next-generation high dynamic range (HDR) visuals and Dolby Atmos immersive audio. Exclusive, never-before-seen bonus features include deleted scenes; hilarious outtakes; an exclusive short: part three of the mockumentary “Team Thor,” retitled “Team Darryl” and featuring an eccentric new roommate; the evolution of MCU’s heroes culminating in “Avengers: Infinity War;” numerous making-of featurettes which explore the unique vision of director Taika Waititi; the story’s unstoppable women; the effortlessly charismatic Korg; the tyrannical leader of Sakaar, the Grandmaster; and the film’s comic-book origins; audio commentary by Waititi; and more.
You can hear Now Playing Podcast’s review of the film now. Stay tuned for a review of the 4k Blu-Ray set when available.
See below for further release specifications:
Bonus features may vary by retailer, but there are disc and digital exclusive videos:
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Blu-ray:
- Director’s Introduction
- Deleted/Extended Scenes – Deleted Scenes: The Sorcerer Supreme, Skurge Finds Heimdall & Hulk Chases Thor Through Sakaar and Extended Scenes: Thor Meets the Grandmaster, Stupid Avenger vs. Tiny Avenger & Grandmaster and Topaz
- Gag Reel – Watch a collection of goofs, gaffes and pratfalls starring the cast
- Exclusive Short/Team Darryl – Fresh off being unseated as the ruler of Sakaar, the Grandmaster makes his way to Earth to start a new life. It’s been over a year since Thor left Australia and Darryl has been struggling to pay his rent. Now Darryl needs a new roommate to help make the monthly payments. Unfortunately for Darryl, the Grandmaster was the only one who answered Darryl’s “Roommate Needed” ad and with no viable options, the Grandmaster moves in.
- Marvel Studios: The First Ten Years – The Evolution of Heroes – Marvel’s universe is vast and transcends both time and space. We’ll examine the Cinematic Universe as a whole and revisit each of our heroes’ current location and their place in the current MCU timeline, as it all leads up to the one culminating event: “Avengers: Infinity War.”
- Getting in Touch with Your Inner Thor – “Thor: Ragnarok” director Taika Waititi has brought his unique sensibility and sense of humor to the film in a great many ways but it is the evolution of Thor’s own sense of humor, which stands out the most in the new film. This piece explores the impact Chris Hemsworth has made on the development of his widely-loved character and celebrates the mighty cast and crew who reveal the fun and hard work that went into assembling Thor’s eccentric counterparts.
- Unstoppable Women: Hela & Valkyrie – This piece explores the strong female characters in “Thor: Ragnarok,” their importance in the MCU, their incredible casting and their epic comic origins.
- Finding Korg – A tongue-in-cheek interview with Taika on casting Korg. He describes the difficult search for just the right evolution of the character design, and the nuances of this instantly classic character in the MCU. This conversation will also delve into all the extraordinary visual effects that brought Korg, Sakaar and the worlds of “Thor: Ragnarok” to life.
- Sakaar: On the Edge of the Known and Unknown – Sakaar is the collection point for all lost and unloved things. This documentary will answer all known and unknown questions while also exploring the hard work and creativity that went into creating the look and feel of Sakaar. From design inspired by Jack Kirby’s classic artwork to the dedication of the visual development team to the awe-inspiring physical and digital production, you will see this distant world come alive.
- Journey into Mystery – A deep dive story piece with the writers, director and producer Kevin Feige about the inspirations for “Thor: Ragnarok” within the comics. Most notably, the contest of champions limited series where the Grandmaster pitted our favorite heroes against one another as he does in the film. This piece also further explores Thor’s comic book origins and classic arcs through interviews with some of the most important comic creators, such as Walt Simonson and Jack Kirby.
- 8bit Scenes – Final Bridge Battle + Sakaar Spaceship Battle. Dive into these climactic sequences presented in retro video-game format.
- Directors Commentary
Digital Exclusives:
- Evolution of Thor and Hulk’s Bromance – We’ll examine this Super Hero friendship, which has spanned through several Marvel films. From their original Helicarrier fight match to the now iconic Hulk punch from Avengers 1, see how Marvel’s most powerful Super Heroes become the most extraordinary Super Hero buddies.
- Additional Deleted Scenes – Travel to Asgard & Race To The Wormhole
DISC SPECIFICATIONS (applies to film content only):
- Product SKUs: Cinematic Universe Edition (4K UHD+Blu-ray+Digital), Multi-Screen Edition (Blu-ray+DVD+Digital), Digital HD/SD/4K UHD, DVD and On-Demand
- Feature Run Time: Approximately 130 minutes
- Rating: PG-13
- Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1
- Audio:
- UHD BD: English Dolby Atmos 7.1.4, English & Spanish 7.1 Dolby Digital Plus, French Canadian 5.1 Dolby Digital, English DVS 2.0 Dolby Digital
- Blu-ray: English 7.1 DTS-HDMA, Spanish & French Canadian 5.1 Dolby Digital, English DVS 2.0 Dolby Digital
- DVD: English, Spanish & French Canadian 5.1 Dolby Digital, English DVS 2.0 Dolby Digital
- Digital UHD: English Dolby Atmos 7.1.4, English DVS 2.0 Dolby Digital
- Digital HD: English & French Canadian 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 2.0 Dolby Digital, English DVS 2.0 Dolby Digital
- Languages/Subtitles: UHD BD: English SDH, Spanish, French Canadian
- Blu-ray: English SDH, Spanish, French Canadian
- DVD: English SDH & CC, Spanish, French Canadian
- Digital UHD: English CC, Spanish, French Canadian
- Digital HD: English CC, Spanish, French Canadian
HELLRAISER: JUDGMENT – Trailer Released, On Video Feb 13
| Lionsgate continues to breathe life into seemingly dead franchises. First Day of the Dead: Bloodline, now they bring us the first footage from Hellraiser: Judgment.
This new direct-to-video Hellraiser was filmed in 2016 but only recently completed post-production. It was written and directed by Gary J. Tunnicliffe, writer of Hellraiser: Revelations and make-up designer on the Hellraiser series since 1992’s Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth. Tunnicliffe had previously directed (and starred in) a Hellraiser “fan film” No More Souls which was included in Arrow Video’s recent box set (and can be seen on YouTube). Hellraiser: Judgment appears to be based on Tunnicliffe’s existing Judgment script, which only reached 4% of its crowdfunding goal. Like Hellworld and Deader before it, this is (at least) the third Hellraiser film to be made from previously Pinhead-less ideas. Judgment’s official synopsis is: “The dreaded Pinhead returns in the next terrifying chapter of the classic Hellraiser series. Three detectives trying to stop a diabolical serial killer are sucked into a maze of otherworldly horror, where hellish denizens including the Auditor, the Assessor, and the Jury await to pass judgment.” Starring in the film is Randy Wayne (The Dukes of Hazzard: The Beginning) as David Carter, Damon Carney (“Jackson’s Henchman” in Logan) as Sean Carter, Rheagan Wallace (Malcolm in the Middle) as Allison Carter, and Paul T. Taylor (Super, Sin City) as Pinhead. Heather Langenkamp (A Nightmare on Elm Street, Wes Craven’s New Nightmare) is on board in the cameo role of “Landlady.” The movie is scheduled for release on DVD, Blu-ray, and Video on Demand February 13th. You can pre-order it now on Amazon. The Blu-Ray, Digital HD, and DVD with all include bonus features of Deleted & Extended Scenes and a Gag Reel. Now Playing Podcast has reviewed all nine released Hellraiser films. Their review of Judgment will be released in February. What do you think of the Judgment trailer? Can it be the first great Direct-to-Video Hellraiser? Let us know in the comments! |
 Hear NOW PLAYING PODCAST’S reviews of all the HELLRAISER films! Their review of JUDGMENT will be out in February. |
Day of the Dead: Bloodline — on Blu-ray Feb 6
Lionsgate has announced their new Day of the Dead: Bloodline will be released on DVD and Blu-ray February 6.
The film is described as a “terrifying retelling of George A. Romero’s zombie horror classic” starring Jonathon Schaech (Prom Night, Ray Donovan) and Sophie Skelton (Another Mother’s Son, Outlander). Romero’s Day of the Dead was previously remade in a 2008 film starring Mena Suvari and Ving Rhames.
Bloodline is currently available for rent through Video on Demand. On February 6 it will be available to own on VOD as well as on physical media.
All versions of the movie will come with the featurette: Day of the Dead: Bloodline: Reviving Horror. The Blu-ray will be 1080p with 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio.
You can see the trailer for the new Romero Remake below–and Now Playing Podcast’s review will be coming in February! Stay tuned…
New Podcast: Books & Nachos — Twin Peaks: The Final Dossier by Mark Frost
Hosted by Arnie Carvalho and Stuart Atkinson
Marjorie’s Top 10 Films of 2017
by Marjorie Carvalho
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I expected not to like this movie and was pleasantly surprised. A nice action film with some solid acting, it’s interesting enough to keep you watching. It seems as if they played fast and loose with the historical accuracies, and some of the characters actions don’t make sense (looking at you Tom Hiddleston) but it was an enjoyable movie. | ||
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An over the top gore fest written by James Gunn, The Belko Experiment is full of inventive kills, human prey and suspense. A mysterious voice tells captive office employees that 2 employees must be killed or double that will die. The audience, nor the characters, are given any clues as to why this is happening or who is responsible. Trapped inside the office, things turn chaotic and brutal. The twist ending is original and an oddly satisfying end for the movie. | ||
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If the opening scene of this movie doesn’t get you, I don’t know if you have a heart. Little Georgie’s encounter with Pennywise is terrifying, sad and had me on the edge of my seat. The children in this movie are all fantastic actors and Bill Skarsgard undeniably scary as Pennywise. While it felt a little long in places, it still delivered creepiness and I’m looking forward to part 2.
Now Playing will review It (2017), It (1990) and the It sequel upon its release September 6, 2019. |
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A crime caper by Edgar Wright shines due to it’s stellar use of music as a character. From the opening scene, down to the end scene, music is as part of this movie as any human. The soundtrack is eminently playable. In addition to the music, the visuals are top notch. A coffee run early in the movie, filmed continuously is a great sequence, almost like a music video. And let’s not forget the clean cut Jon Hamm portraying a foul mouthed criminal. | ||
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Wolverine is by far my favorite X-Men character and until Logan, he had not had a proper movie to showcase his tortured soul. With self healing powers, he has suffered while those around him have perished and he is left caring for a demented Professor X in a strange future with self driving cars. When he meets a child with similar powers, I feared he would turn fatherly, when instead we get a meaningful redemption movie and the door left open for future X-Men. | ||
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A movie about the making of the worst movie of all time might be one of the best movies of 2017. James Franco, along with brother Dave, make you feel both pity and empathy for Tommy Wiseau and Greg Sestero. Dave really pulls off the earnest star seeking Greg while James, well, he is Tommy better than Tommy can be Tommy. Both Franco brothers really shine in this movie. You don’t need to have seen The Room to get the jokes or the movie, it’s enough itself so you never feel like you are missing anything.
Hear Now Playing’s full review of The Room now. The full The Disaster Artist review will be out 1/31! |
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If the 80’s were a movie, this would be it. From the stellar New Wave soundtrack to the use of neon, and the Hasselhoff nod, Atomic Blonde is thoroughly 80’s. Charlize Theron is seriously badass in her role as a spy, while James McEvoy was great as a spy who has spent too much time in Berlin. Between double agents, and brutal fight scenes, you still don’t know who is double crossing who. The cold gray and starkness of the Berlin on both sides of the wall adds a dreariness to this movie in stark contrast to the bright neon and music of the decade.
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A tongue in cheek biopic about the everyone’s favorite working class hero Tonya Harding, I, Tonya paints a brutal picture of her upbringing, as well as her tumultuous marriage to Jeff Gillooly (Sebastian Stan) leading into “The Incident” and its aftermath. Margot Robbie’s Harding is wickedly trashy and Allison Janney, playing Tonya’s mom, is a national treasure. Often breaking the 4th wall, this movie doesn’t get too serious, how can you when the actual events are crazier than any movie? | ||
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In a hard to look at portrayal of social media in our lives, Ingrid Goes West shows what happens when reality can’t be separated from social media. Ingrid moves to California because an Instagram influencer, Taylor, replied to her comment. She then works her way into Taylor’s life via kidnapping Taylor’s dog. It’s painful to watch Ingrid attempt to achieve #bestie status with Taylor, it’s so #desperate and #cringeworthy but you can’t stop watching. Aubrey Plaza is astounding as awkward Ingrid and her performance makes you feel sorry for Ingrid, even when she is making bad decisions. | ||
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At times sweet, and at times heartbreaking, Kumail Nanjiani true story of the courtship of his wife is a great story. Not only does he stand by when his estranged girlfriend falls seriously ill, he also wins over her parents while at the same time, trying to break free from his parents and Pakistani traditions. Though a bit long, the movie is touching and sweet and that mushy stuff I usually don’t fall for. | ||
Marjorie Carvalho is a movie critic on Now Playing Podcast. Read more of her reviews in the Now Playing Podcast book–Underrated Movies We Recommend. You can also follow her on Twitter.
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