Pop That!

It's our final episode of the 2024 season, and we're ending with a bang! In the mid-1980s, Brian De Palma gave us his best Hitchcock homage by turning an eye on the seedy, sleazy underbelly of Hollywood in Reagan-era Los Angeles. By blurring the lines between the adult film business and the mainstream film industry, De Palma gave us one of his most scathing critiques while entertaining the - ahem - pants off us. In honor of its 40th anniversary, it's time to Relax! And Pop That! on 1984's Body Double.

25 years ago, Paul Thomas Anderson followed up his success with Boogie Nights with a cinematic opera that defied expectations and categorization. Playing like an ensemble chamber piece, switching between viewpoints, this PTA film earns its title, releasing layer upon layer, unfolding like the petals of its eponymous flower. On its anniversary, let's break down and decipher what exactly is going on, and decide once and for all, can this film save us? It's time to Pop That! On 1999's Magnolia.

Spooky season is in full effect! So, let's dive back in and return to Elm Street! Bringing back elements that made the original entry so stellar, A Nightmare on Elm Street 3 manages to give us more of what we love, while expanding the mythology in authentic and exciting ways. Directed and co-written by up-and-comer Chuck Russell, with screenwriting involving original creator Wes Craven and a young Frank Darabont, this Elm Street entry is not just a keeper, it's one of the best horror sequels of all time. Grab your Hypnocil, it's time to Pop That! on A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors!

Spooky season is in full effect! So, let's dive back in and return to Elm Street! 1985's A Nightmare on Elm Street 2 served as New Line Cinema's attempt to establish a new horror franchise with their main villain: Freddy Krueger. And while initial audiences might not have known what to make of this delightfully queer-coded and oddball outing, lucky for us time (and a fresh reappraisal) have turned the film into a bonafide cult classic. Get ready to scream, queen! It's time to Pop That! on A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge.

In 1988, budding director Tim Burton brought to life a horror-comedy featuring a unique and memorable foil surrounded by a talented cast of characters, and 1980s children (like me) would never be the same. In this special episode, Chris Calilung and Susan Pickover join the show to pay tribute to the original movie just in time for the release of the belated sequel. Listen in as we break down the goth details, revel in the nerdy facts and alternate castings, and talk about our love for Winona, Catherine, Burton, and, of course, Michael Keaton. So say it once, say it twice, third time's the charm - it's time to Pop That! On Tim Burton's Beetlejuice!

40 years ago, Wes Craven introduced audiences to the first entry in what would become one of the greatest horror movie franchises of all time. Special guests Aaron Haughton and Dave Berman join the show to celebrate the 40th anniversary, as we kick off our tribute to the entire Elm Street series. Stay caffeinated and grab that hall pass, and whatever you do DON'T. FALL. ASLEEP. It's time to Pop That! on 1984's A Nightmare on Elm Street.

Almost 30 years ago, the summer movie box office got a shot of adrenaline from Jan de Bont's Twister. As the new legacy sequel prepares to take audiences by storm (ahem) Chris Calilung joins the show to break down why we love this film and its enduring legacy. Buckle up, and make sure that truck carries full coverage, it's time to Pop That! on 1996's TWISTER.

We're baaack! Our 2024 season kicks off with some emotionally resonant, gut-punching Queer cinema. Aaron Haughton joins the show from Viddy Well Film Blog to help us break down 2023's ode to gay ghostly love - All Of Us Strangers. Ghost stories are nothing new in the film world, yet leave it to Andrew Haigh to remix the fantasy elements of this well-worn trope with his quintessential emotional beats. Prepare to be treated to an offbeat, stirring, and fresh spin on spiritual cinematic specters. It's time to Pop That! on All of Us Strangers.

For our fourth and final Slasher Summer episode this season, Viddy Well Film Blog's Aaron Haughton returns once more to break down our last “Remake That Rocks”: Chuck Russell's funhouse sci-fi gross-out The Blob. Russell's late-80s remake of 1958's “The Blob” proves the old adage: if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Acting as a sort of counter-programming to the onslaught of teen slashers and franchise horror movie villains popular during the time period, “The Blob” is content just to scare the hell out of you with a gooey monster and a ridiculously fun premise. It's time to Pop That on 1988's The Blob.

For our third Slasher Summer episode this season, Viddy Well Film Blog's Aaron Haughton returns to break down our next “Remake That Rocks”: David Cronenberg's mental- and physical-disintegration masterpiece The Fly. Cronenberg's mid-80s remake of 1958's “The Fly” is part gothic horror romance, part ethical sci-fi allegory, and features the body horror that is a trademark of the maestro director. Outdoing the original film by leaps and bounds, Cronenberg dares us to care about the main characters before showing us how vanity to be superhuman turns deadly - and stomach churning. It's time to Pop That on 1986's The Fly.

For our second Slasher Summer episode this season, Viddy Well Film Blog's Aaron Haughton is back to break down our next “Remake That Rocks”: John Carpenter's seminal 1982 masterpiece The Thing.   Carpenter's remake of the 1950s sci-fi B-movie The Thing From Another World isn't just one of the greatest remakes of all time; it's an awe-inspiring creature feature with next-level practical FX, featuring a story with influences that can be felt in horror and science-fiction to this day. What do we do when we can't trust the people around us, or even our own bodies? It's time to Pop That on 1982's The Thing.

We're baaaack! We're relaunching Pop That! Podcast with a new logo and a fresh attitude, so buckle up, listeners.  For our first episode back, Aaron Haughton joins the show from Viddy Well Film Blog. That's right, it's our seasonal tradition: Slasher Summer. This year, we're breaking down the best horror remakes of all time, starting with Philip Kaufman's 1978 version of Invasion of the Body Snatchers.   Kaufman's late 70s remake of 1956's Body Snatchers is a meditation on post-war paranoia that manages to scare up one helluva punch in terms of story and characters, resonating even by modern standards. How do we survive the inevitability of change, when adaption means losing who we are? It's time to Pop That on 1978's Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

Remember the days when summer camp meant death by machete and not death by pandemic? 40 years ago, the granddaddy of all slasher films debuted, and summer camp shenanigans would never be the same. Aaron Haughton joins the show to POP THAT on Friday the 13th (2009)!  PART 12 of a 12-PART SPECIAL (SLASHER SUMMER 2020)

Remember the days when summer camp meant death by machete and not death by pandemic? 40 years ago, the granddaddy of all slasher films debuted, and summer camp shenanigans would never be the same. Aaron Haughton joins the show to POP THAT on 2003's Freddy Vs. Jason! PART 11 of a 12-PART SPECIAL (SLASHER SUMMER 2020)

Remember the days when summer camp meant death by machete and not death by pandemic? 40 years ago, the granddaddy of all slasher films debuted, and summer camp shenanigans would never be the same. Aaron Haughton joins the show to POP THAT on 2001's Jason X! PART 10 of a 12-PART SPECIAL (SLASHER SUMMER 2020)

Remember the days when summer camp meant death by machete and not death by pandemic? 40 years ago, the granddaddy of all slasher films debuted, and summer camp shenanigans would never be the same. Aaron Haughton joins the show to POP THAT on 1993's Jason Goes to Hell - The Final Friday! PART 9 of a 12-PART SPECIAL (SLASHER SUMMER 2020)

Remember the days when summer camp meant death by machete and not death by pandemic? 40 years ago, the granddaddy of all slasher films debuted, and summer camp shenanigans would never be the same. Aaron Haughton joins the show to POP THAT on 1989's Friday the 13th Part VIII - Jason Takes Manhattan! (Kinda. Sorta.) PART 8 of a 12-PART SPECIAL (SLASHER SUMMER 2020)

Remember the days when summer camp meant death by machete and not death by pandemic? 40 years ago, the granddaddy of all slasher films debuted, and summer camp shenanigans would never be the same. Aaron Haughton joins the show to POP THAT on 1988's Friday the 13th Part VII - The New Blood!  PART 7 of a 12-PART SPECIAL (SLASHER SUMMER 2020)

Remember the days when summer camp meant death by machete and not death by pandemic? 40 years ago, the granddaddy of all slasher films debuted, and summer camp shenanigans would never be the same. Aaron Haughton joins the show to POP THAT on 1986's Friday the 13th Part VI - Jason Lives! PART 6 of a 12-PART SPECIAL (SLASHER SUMMER 2020)

Remember the days when summer camp meant death by machete and not death by pandemic? 40 years ago, the granddaddy of all slasher films debuted, and summer camp shenanigans would never be the same. Aaron Haughton joins the show to POP THAT on 1985's Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning!  PART 5 of a 12-PART SPECIAL (SLASHER SUMMER 2020)

Remember the days when summer camp meant death by machete and not death by pandemic? 40 years ago, the granddaddy of all slasher films debuted, and summer camp shenanigans would never be the same. Aaron Haughton joins the show to POP THAT on 1984's Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter!  PART 4 of a 12-PART SPECIAL (SLASHER SUMMER 2020)

Remember the days when summer camp meant death by machete and not death by pandemic? 40 years ago, the granddaddy of all slasher films debuted, and summer camp shenanigans would never be the same. Aaron Haughton joins the show to POP THAT on Friday the 13th Part 3!  PART 3 of a 12-PART SPECIAL (SLASHER SUMMER 2020)

Remember the days when summer camp meant death by machete and not death by pandemic? 40 years ago, the granddaddy of all slasher films debuted, and summer camp shenanigans would never be the same. Aaron Haughton joins the show to POP THAT on Friday the 13th Part 2!  PART 2 of a 12-PART SPECIAL (SLASHER SUMMER 2020)

Remember the days when summer camp meant death by machete and not death by pandemic? 40 years ago, the granddaddy of all slasher films debuted, and summer camp shenanigans would never be the same. Aaron Haughton joins the show to POP THAT on Friday the 13th (1980)!    PART 1 of a 12-PART SPECIAL (SLASHER SUMMER 2020)

Holy possessed computers! It's time to rip our way through our final first-time slasher watch for Summer 2019. And we might have saved the best for last. Aaron Haughton is here to talk about the deliriously camp cult classic Death Spa! As its title would suggest, this is no Merchant-Ivory film. It's like Pieces with mullets and spandex. It's time to POP THAT on Death Spa!

April Fools! It's time to fake and prank our way through another first-time slasher film for Summer 2019. Aaron Haughton is here to talk about the cult classic April Fools Day! We were refreshingly enthusiastic about this very fun 80s psych-out, that features killer cover art and a bomb 1980s cast. (Seriously, it's like the Dazed & Confused of second-tier 80s actors.) It's time to POP THAT on April Fools Day!

Check it! It's time to stab our way through another first-time slasher film for Summer 2019. Aaron Haughton is here to talk about the cult classic Alone in the Dark! Not to be confused with the 2005 Tara Reid joint, this film features (literally) insane performances by Jack Palance, Martin Landau, and Donald Pleasance. Are these three character actors enough to save this film? Let's POP THAT on Alone in the Dark!

Peep this! It's time to strangle our way through another first-time slasher film Summer 2019. Aaron Haughton is back in the house to break down John Carpenters TV Movie: Someone's Watching Me! It's always a good time for a JC joint, and even the TV powers that be couldn't take away from that signature JC style. It's time to POP THAT with Someone's Watching Me!

We're baaaaaaack! It's time to slice and dice our way through some first-time slasher film watches for Summer 2019. Aaron Haughton is back in the house to break down the seminal slasher classic Black Christmas! Listen in as we dissect such questions as: "Is it pronounced HU-SEE or HOO-SAY?" and "What is up with Bob Clark's obsession with making Christmas movies?" It's time to POP THAT on Black Christmas!

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Aaron Haughton joins the show to break down our best of year lists, just in time for the Oscar nominations. So, will our lists match up with the Academy's? (Magic 8 Ball says: "outlook not good.") Time to Pop That! on our favorite films of 2018. 

We're baaaaack. It's the start of Season 2, and what better way to kick off a brand new year and brand new season than to talk about SEX! Sex and the City is the subject of our premiere, and it's so much fun that we're breaking it into TWO PARTS! Regina Soto joins the show to break down the entire first season. So are you a Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda, or Samantha? (Part 2 of 2)

We're baaaaack. It's the start of Season 2, and what better way to kick off a brand new year and brand new season than to talk about SEX! Sex and the City is the subject of our premiere, and it's so much fun that we're breaking it into TWO PARTS! Regina Soto joins the show to break down the entire first season. So are you a Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda, or Samantha? (Part 1 of 2)

Listen in for our review of Chang-dong Lee's searing Korean film 'Burning.' Trust us, this one's a serious awards contender. It's our Pop Take on this richly rewarding film from the press screening at Austin's Fantastic Fest. 'Burning' opens in limited release November 9.

We're live on the red carpet at Fantastic Fest in Austin, TX to interview Jonah Hill and the cast of "mid90s", including: Sunny Suljic, Olan Prenatt, Gio Galicia, and Ryder McLaughlin. Jonah talks film nerd stuff with us, then the cast breaks down how much better life was on-set without cell phones. It's time to POP THAT! ("mid90s" opens theatrically October 19.)

Our first season winds down, but stay tuned for our upcoming Fantastic Fest coverage! This 25th episode will be our last FULL-LENGTH episode until November, and it’s a doozy. There’s nothing better in September than dissecting that perennial favorite subject: high school. Aaron joins the show to break down 5 films that deal with how rough high school can be: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Just One of the Guys, The Craft, Summer School, and Back to the Future. It’s time to head BACK TO SCHOOL and POP THAT!

Summer's officially over, and we've saved the very best for last. Aaron & I were virgins to the amazing experience that is PIECES! After hearing about this infamous movie over the years, we were skeptical it could live up to the hype. But we were so happy to be so wrong. This movie has it all. Skateboarding mirror crashes, tennis matches, dismembered bodies, full-frontal male genitalia, and an actual ninja! I mean what more can you ask for? It's time to POP the eff outta THAT and talk all about dem PIECES!

We're entering the home stretch of our Slasher Summer with a genre classic: THE NEW YORK RIPPER. Have you ever wanted to see a slasher movie with Donald Duck as the killer? Then you're in luck! In 1982, Lucio Fulci came stateside to bring us his take on American excess and cartoon villains. Aaron and I were so flummoxed by this movie's messages, that we were "quacking" up. Let's get punny, and POP THAT! on The New York Ripper!

It’s still hot out! And Aaron and I felt so grimy and filthy after watching this week’s feature film, we had to dowse ourselves in holy water. We review the grungiest, grindhouse-iest movie we’ve watched so far this summer with the hypnotically-perverse Nightmare. Trigger warning: this movie does not shy away from exploitation, abuse, and general misogyny, so this may not be everyone’s cup of tea. But we’re here to break it down for you. It’s time to POP THAT! and make some sense of this NIGHTMARE!

It’s August! Now that the year's half done, Aaron and I thought it would make sense to break down our thoughts on 2018’s cinematic releases so far. It’s shaping up to be a banner year for tentpole blockbusters, indies, and genre stories alike. We have films on our lists that we can already seeing making the year-end best-of list. So what are we going to do with all this awesome movie love? Share it with you all! It’s time to Pop That! and break down our top 10 movies of 2018 (so far.) 

It's so hot out! So we're staying cool indoors and talking shop about The Prowler. Aaron and I break down what works (the gore!) and what doesn't (the excruuuuciating pacing) of this Friday the 13th knock-off that could (let's be real) also double as a prequel to Toy Soldiers. This movie has a truly WTF ending that you'll wanna hear Aaron and I attempt to make sense of.  It's Episode 2 of our #SlasherSummer series! Time to POP THAT! on The Prowler! 

Aaron and I are cinephiles of trash celluloid, yet somehow we both managed to have several films slip through the cracks over the years. So we fix that starting this summer with our very first #SlasherSummer episode devoted to the best slashers we had never seen (until now.) First up is Tourist Trap (1979), which is about a bunch of deadly mannequins manipulated psycho-kinnetically by a maniac. Yes, it's as crazy as it sounds. Time to POP THAT! with Aaron Haughton and break down TOURIST TRAP! 

It's our very first Second-Chance Cinema episode and we're packing in a double-feature doozy! Jason Pippin is in the house to talk about Prometheus and Alien: Covenant. A lot has been said about these movies over the years, so how did they hold up on a second-chance watch? You'll have to listen and find out. Two die-hard Alien fan-geeks talking shop about the franchise we love. What's better than that? Time to give a second chance to Prometheus and Covenant and POP THAT!

It’s a first for Movies 101! An actual Q&A with director J.A. Bayona, the talented filmmaker behind the new summer blockbuster Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. We were fortunate enough to attend this Q&A session after an advanced screening presented by the awesome folks at Birth.Movies.Death, Alamo Drafthouse, and Rooster Teeth. If you’re a fan of the Jurassic Park/Jurassic World franchise or just a movie lover, you won’t want to miss what Mr. Bayona has to say on a variety of topics. (Warning: Spoilers within!) It’s time to Pop That! with Director J.A. Bayona himself!

Grrrr!!! Rawr!!!!! It's time to take a dino-bite out of J.A. Bayona's Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. Come for our dinosaur puns and stay for our social critique on how this movie finally puts some humanity back into this franchise. (Seriously, there's a scene that will have you boo-hooing into your Fruity Pebbles like you're 12 years old again.) But, is that enough? Get our Pop Take! (the good and the bad) on Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.

Have you seen Hereditary? Or are you avoiding spoilers, but want to know what sort of time you may be in for? Then listen to our Pop Take on Ari Aster's first feature-length movie. It's a doozy and not for the squeamish. Well-crafted arthouse horror for the mainstream sure is a rare gem to find, but this film (mostly) earns that praise. It's a truly scary, scary movie. It's time for our Pop Take! on Hereditary.  

We couldn’t be more excited to have our friend (and one of our favorite funny ladies) Regina Soto back on this episode to break down all the mixed messages we get about love and romance from movies and TV. Seriously, why didn’t Andie end up with Duckie at the end of Pretty In Pink? And why don’t we feel worse than we should about that?? This and other questions are answered on this episode of Movies 101: What’s Love Got To Do With It?

It's TV 101! And we're talking serious about "Roseanne: The Return." Susan Pickover joins the show for an "emergency" recording to break down the cancellation of the recently-returned series. We discuss our love for the original show, break down how the new season ultimately succumbed to its own politics, and try to answer the question: how did this go so wrong? This was a pretty emotional episode to record, so join us as we wade through our feelings and try to make sense of it all. We hope you appreciate the discussion! It's seriously time to POP THAT!

Star Wars is back, baby! Kicking off the summer this Memorial Day weekend with both Chris Calilung and Chris Shatraw in the house to dissect our viewing. Did it measure up? You'll have to listen to find out. So grab a glass of moof milk, kick off your shoes and let's get our Pop Take on Solo: A Star Wars Story!

It’s the inaugural show of one of our new themed episodes, where we ask the question: WTF Were They Thinking??? And we couldn’t be more excited to have our friend (and one of our favorite funny ladies) Susan Pickover on this episode to break down the classic 1989 extravaganza: Teen Witch. Betcha didn’t know the show was named after this classic! Tune in to find out why we love this glorious POS movie and we ask WTF….WERE THEY THINKING?

It's that time of year! We’re gonna predict which summer movies will be tops at the box office. Chris Calilung and Matthew McKibben join me to see if we're winners or losers by summer's end. (If it's anything like last year, our dreams will be crushed like a bug under Thanos' boot.) May the odds be ever in your favor!

Aaron Haughton joins me from Viddy-Well film blog to break down the year in movies for 2017. In this second (and final) part we reveal our Top 10 movie lists for 2017. (Aaron and I had no clue how the other chose, so hear us geek out when we both have the exact same #6 film.) In the immortal words of the old guy in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: we chose...wisely. Vive le cinema!