Podcasts about Terrific

"Love is so Terrific" - Bing Crosby; "Haunted Heart" - Bing Crosby; "I Had a Dream" - Fibber McGee, Bing Crosby, & Molly; "Blue Shadows on the Trail" - Bing Crosby;Original Air Date: April 14, 1948

ON THIS EPISODE: (TIME STAMPS BELOW) A review of the potentially sci-fi movie Bugonia (this one is special, folks!), reactions to the opening hours and initial themes/philosophy of The Outer Worlds 2, a spotlight for “On Magic & Miracles: A Theological Guide To Discerning Fictional Magic”, and a look at some more of the costs and blessings of church leadership and its connection to family life as we continue our 1 Timothy Geek Bible Study! ‍ ‍ AND MUCH MORE! 00:00:30 Intro 00:02:47 Bugonia Review 00:13:57 CGC & Christian Geek News(Game Events Schedule!) 00:25:23 The Outer Worlds 2 Early Impressions & Themes/Philosophy 00:53:52 Costs & Blessings Of Church Leadership (1 Timothy Geek Bible Study) 01:05:30 SPOTLIGHT: “On Magic & Miracles” by Marian A. Jacobs 01:23:30 Listener/Viewer Questions & Feedback(Confirming The Call To Overseas Missions) ‍ ‍ GEEK WEEK 01:28:56 MOVIES/TV- Hellraiser(2022), A Nightmare On Elm Street(2010), The Void 01:48:48 VIDEO GAMES- Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake ‍ ‍ 01:59:37 On The Next Episode… ‍ ‍ 02:07:16 Essential Issues Weekly: DC Comics Reactions (Where does healthy confidence end and sinful pride begin? Wonder Woman & Mr. Terrific are both crossing that line, but only one may be able to admit it. Superman 30, The Flash 25, Green Lantern 27, Detective Comics 1101, Wonder Woman 25, Mr. Terrific: Year One 5!) ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ PAETER'S GAME SAVE FUNDRAISING PAGE & INFO: https://www.patreon.com/posts/139641978 ‍ ‍ Game Save '25 Event/Team Info: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xg-kZH9xtXk ‍ ‍‍ ‍ Get The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz & More Audio Entertainment From Spirit Blade Productions HERE: https://www.patreon.com/posts/44479037 ‍ ‍ Support this podcast and enjoy exclusive rewards at https://www.patreon.com/spiritbladeproductions ‍ ‍ Join Our Free Public Discord Channels! Invite HERE: https://discord.gg/5CRfFy2GG5 ‍ ‍ SUBSCRIBE TO PAETER'S SUBSTACK, @PAETERFRANDSEN: https://paeterfrandsen.substack.com/ ‍ ‍ Subscribe in a reader ‍ ‍ Open In i-tunes- itms://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-christian-geek-central-podcast/id258963175?mt=2 i-tunes Page Link- https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-christian-geek-central-podcast/id258963175?mt=2 Get fun, exclusive rewards for your support! Visit: https://www.patreon.com/spiritbladeproductions Or Become a Patron! ‍ ‍ All episodes are archived and available for download at www.spiritblade.com , Resources used to prepare CGC Bible Study/Devotional content include:"Expositor's Bible Commentary", Frank E. Gaebelein General Editor (Zondervan Publishing House),"The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament", by Dr. John H. Walton, Dr. Victor H. Matthews & Dr. Mark W. Chavalas (InterVarsity Press), "The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament", by Dr. Craig S. Keener (InterVarsity Press),Thayer's Greek Lexicon, Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Blueletterbible.org, The Christian Geek Central Statement Of Faith can be found at: http://christiangeekcentral.blogspot.com/p/about.html The Christian Geek Central Podcast is written, recorded and produced by Paeter Frandsen. Additional segments produced by their credited authors. Logo created by Matthew Silber. Copyright 2007-2025, Spirit Blade Productions. Music by Wesley Devine, Bjorn A. Lynne, Pierre Langer, Jon Adamich, audionautix.com and Sound Ideas. Spazzmatica Polka by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Freesound.org effects provided by: FreqMan

Alex Claffy is a terrific young bassist out of Philadelphia. He's got his own thing going on but he's also played with a number of great artists including Chris Botti, Randy Brecker, Jimmy Cobb, Fred Hersch, Benny Green and Leslie Odom Jr, one of the stars of Hamilton.My featured song is “The Rich Ones”. Spotify link.—-----------------------------------------------------------The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries!Click here for All Episodes Click here for Guest List Click here for Guest Groupings Click here for Guest TestimonialsClick here to Subscribe Click here to receive our Email UpdatesClick here to Rate and Review the podcast—----------------------------------------CONNECT WITH ALEX:www.claffytaffy.com—----------------------------------------ROBERT'S NEW SINGLE:“MI CACHIMBER” is Robert's new single. It's Robert's tribute to his father who played the trumpet and loved Latin music.. Featuring world class guest artists Benny Benack III and Dave Smith on flugelhornCLICK HERE FOR YOUTUBE LINKCLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS—--------------------------------------ROBERT'S RECENT SINGLE:“SUNDAY SLIDE” is Robert's recent single. It's been called “A fun, upbeat, you-gotta-move song”. Featuring 3 World Class guest artists: Laurence Juber on guitar (Wings with Paul McCartney), Paul Hanson on bassoon (Bela Fleck), and Eamon McLoughlin on violin (Grand Ole Opry band).CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKSCLICK HERE FOR THE OFFICIAL VIDEO—-------------------------------------------ROBERT'S LATEST ALBUM:“WHAT'S UP!” is Robert's latest compilation album. Featuring 10 of his recent singles including all the ones listed below. Instrumentals and vocals. Jazz, Rock, Pop and Fusion. “My best work so far. (Robert)”CLICK HERE FOR THE OFFICIAL VIDEOCLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS—----------------------------------------Audio production:Jimmy RavenscroftKymera Films Connect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comEmail Robert - robert@followyourdreampodcast.com Follow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.comYouTubeSpotify MusicApple MusicEmail - pgs@projectgrandslam.com  

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Short & Sweet: Cool Tech + Big News! Chris might be a bit under the weather this week , but we're still bringing the heat with a super cool audio demo and a juicy announcement! Price Drop Alert! We've permanently reduced the price of our Windows 10 Audio Documentation! Originally $75 → now just $60! Still rocking Windows 10? Need a friendly tour of the Desktop, Taskbar, and all those basics that make PCs tick? This guide has your back! Meet Mrmorale: The Stand That Can Kim takes the spotlight with a demo of the Mrmorale Bluetooth-Induction Speaker—a gadget that totally earns its cape! This is an Amazon affiliate link, purchasing from this link we will receive a small commission. Why we love it: • It's a phone/tablet stand • It doubles as a power bank • It handles Bluetooth and induction sound tech What's induction? It's magical audio sorcery that makes your tiny device sound bigger, bolder, and clearer—no pairing required! Kim shows off both modes with her iPhone and her Victor Reader Stream 3. Save the (Day After) Date! Our Day After Thanksgiving Open House is almost here! Registration will be ready by our next episode. It's free, it's fun, and we want YOU there—bring your questions, your comments, and yes… your virtual leftovers. Thanks for tuning in and hanging with us on this bite-sized episode! Rest up, Chris! And thanks for listening, everyone—we'll catch you next time!

Send us a textA Superman movie where the dog makes more choices than the Man of Steel? We dove into James Gunn's take and found a shiny spectacle that keeps dodging the heart of the character. From a midstream opening to a city-leviathan set piece shot through a fish-eye lens, the film races past the moments that would make us care, then tries to land on a heartfelt message about humanity it doesn't quite earn.We dig into why the quiet scenes sing—the Pa Kent farm talk and the final reflection—and how they whisper the contours of a better film: one where Superman wrestles with power, responsibility, and the courage to inspire rather than overpower. We also spotlight the true scene-stealer: Mr. Terrific. His competence, dry humor, and clear methods hint at the grounded, team-driven storytelling this world could support. Meanwhile, the Daily Planet ensemble, public-opinion whiplash, and a pocket-universe prison full of glass boxes illustrate how setup after setup goes un-paid-off, sapping stakes and coherence.This episode unpacks the plot mechanics, the character arcs that aren't, and the choice architecture that should define Superman but rarely shows up here. We question the Justice team's late pivot, the citywide consequences that never land, and the way recurring gags step on tension. And yes, we talk Crypto: when a superdog becomes the clutch play, the movie's center has drifted. If you love Superman's ethos—hope, restraint, and moral clarity under pressure—this breakdown will give you language to explain what's missing and how it could be fixed.Enjoy the breakdown? Follow, rate, and share the show so more listeners can find it. Drop your rewrite for the third act in the comments—how would you make Superman's humanity the thing that wins?Written Lovingly by AIBe our friend!Dan: @shakybaconTony: @tonydczechAnd follow the podcast on IG: @hatewatchingDAT

By Walt HickeyWelcome to the Numlock Sunday edition.This week, I spoke to Alyssa Rosenberg, Sunny Bunch and Peter Suderman, the three panelists of the outstanding film podcast Across the Movie Aisle. I really enjoy the show and have been a longtime fan of their individual work.I think that they're a group with genuinely diverse opinions but who have a lot of love for cinema and as a result have some of the most deeply interesting conversations about the art form of any show I listen to. The show just split off from The Bulwark's network and is striking it out independently. Do check them out!This interview has been condensed and edited. Hey, Across the Movie Aisle. Thank you so much for coming on Numlock. I really appreciate it.Absolutely.Thank you for having us.Yes, this is the first three-on-one conversation that I've ever done here, so we're gonna have to juggle a bit. Either way, I am just such a fan of the show. I really, really enjoyed it, subscribed to the Bulwark for it when I heard that you guys were going independent. I was really excited to see what was motivating that, what opportunities you were seeing out there. It's just such a really fun program, and I think it's so unique in the space.Before we get into talking about the movies, do you wanna talk a little bit about where this show came from, where it started, then what you would say your perspective on the film industry is?Sonny: Sure.Alyssa: Who wants to tell the story?Sonny: The origin of the show was back in 2019. I started working for an independent film studio that's based in Dallas, where I live now. I moved here for the job. The pitch was, “it's like Fangoria,” but for action movies and thrillers and heist movies, that sort of thing. And one of the things I wanted to do when we came over was a little podcast network. We were gonna have some shows, some storytelling things, et cetera. And one of the things I had wanted to do for a while (and hadn't really had an outlet for) was a show I had envisioned as like Crossfire or McLaughlin Group or something like that, but by way of movies.So Across the Movie Aisle — I've always shorthanded it as Siskel and Ebert meets Left Right Center. And the idea here is that I am a conservative. I don't know how other people would describe me, but I still think of myself as a center-right person. Alyssa is the center-left person.Peter: Would you even say that you are a neoconservative?Sonny: Well, I'm a neoconservative with libertarian tendencies, which is a funny thing.Peter: “You work at the Weekly Standard,” is a good way to think about your politics? And they basically haven't changed since you worked at The Weekly Standard. Is that fair? That's the long and the short of it.Sonny: Then Peter is whatever Peter is. I'll let him define himself. But the idea here was you have three people with differing political views talking about movies and other stories about movies. The show has two segments. The first is called Controversies and Nontroversies. The second is a review. And the Controversies and Nontroversies segment was initially thought of as we tackle some dumb internet outrage of the day and decide if it's really worth being mad about.And that evolved into something slightly different, right? Right, guys? I feel like it's now more about the business of Hollywood.Alyssa: Yes, exactly. But I think it's worth noting that our story actually starts way before 2019. The three of us were all critics in some respect or other. I was over at ThinkProgress running their culture and sports verticals. Sonny, were you at the Weekly Standard when we started or were you at the Free Beacon then?Sonny: I think I was at the Washington Free Beacon when we met. So it must've been 2012 or 13.Alyssa: The three of us were going to screenings every week and somehow just gravitated towards each other. We would sit together. We were the people who were hanging out and hashing things out together after the screening ended. When I moved to the Washington Post, I ended up bringing Sonny over as a contributor to the blog that I was working on there. They were invited to my wedding. We were authentically contentiously friends years before we started the podcast.I think that's been a little bit of the special sauce for us, right? We are capable of having conversations that are somewhat harder to have elsewhere because (even before we started working together) there were five, six years of trust built up in in-person conversations and discussions over beers at the really terrible bar near the former AMC in Friendship Heights. Nobody is here on this podcast to blow each other up. But it's also not like “We're friends for the camera!”I think the show has always been like both a reflection of our dynamic. It's also the way that we hang out every week, even though Sonny lives in Dallas, and Peter lives in Boston some of the time. So for me, it's like my night out.I mean, as a listener, I really find the appeal to be exactly that. I think that having different perspectives on something as universal as film makes the show super compelling to listen to, even if I don't always necessarily agree with the perspective on it. What makes movies just so good to view from multiple different angles? There are lowercase “c” conservative films, there are lowercase “l” liberal films, that stuff. How do you guys find approaching the current state of the film industry from these different points of view?Peter: Alyssa talked about how our story goes back even before 2019, when the podcast started. And just for people who may not be familiar with the dynamic of Washington that all of us came up in in our 20s, Alyssa was working for ThinkProgress, which was the journalism arm of the Center for American Progress, which is this leading democratic or democratic affiliated think tank. Sonny was working for the Weekly Standard and then for the Washington Free Beacon, these feisty, conservative journalistic outlets.I actually started writing movie reviews for National Review for a couple of years. When I moved over full-time to Reason Magazine, which is where I've been for more than 15 years now, and also to the Washington Times, which is someplace that both Sonny and I wrote for. It's a conservative-leaning paper that has undergone many transformations. If you live in Washington, your social circle and your conversations and your life are so frequently segmented by politics.What we liked about being friends with each other and seeing movies with each other was that we saw that it didn't have to be the case. Movies and art and pop culture, even disagreements about them, were ways that we could come together and maybe not even agree, but like learn about each other. We're really good friends, but we also like each other's minds. This is something that is really important and drew us all together. I have learned a lot about movies from Sonny. I have learned about culture from Alyssa. I don't know if they've learned anything from me. Maybe they've been annoyed about how I'm fine with A.I.Having those perspectives, it's not just that it's like, “Oh, that's nice that you're a little different.” This is a learning opportunity for all of us. It also makes the act of watching movies together much richer. When you're watching the movie, if you're watching it next to Alyssa, I know what she's thinking. Maybe not what I'm thinking, but it's like having another set of eyes. If you're a critic, if you're somebody who likes movies, if you are somebody who likes movies for the social aspect of them, seeing them with somebody else and talking about them afterwards just makes it so much more enjoyable. The fact that we then get to have that conversation in public for an audience that seems to enjoy this is really rewarding.Alyssa: I have a very hard time with certain kinds of violence in movies. But I can sit in a theater with Peter, and he can tell me when I need to cover my eyes, but also when I'm gonna be okay when it's over. And he's always right, right? And that's the thing that we get.Peter: But also when we see the Taylor Swift movie, I show up, and Alyssa has friendship bracelets for us. Everybody's bringing something to the party here.Alyssa: Peter, you joked about whether or not we've gotten anything from you. And I actually think that in some ways, I'm the one of us whose politics and aesthetics have changed most as a result of doing the show with both of you. I came up in an era of lefty cultural criticism when there were real incentives for tearing things apart. And I think I, in some ways early in my career, helped advance a fairly doctrinaire vision of what political conversations about art should be. And I have some regrets about some of the things that I wrote and some non-regrets too. I did a lot of work at that point in my career that I liked a lot.But one of the things I've come to believe in my conversation with these guys is that art is at its most politically powerful not when it affirms an agenda or a worldview that is defined by a political movement, but it is at its most powerful and interesting when it creates space for conversations that are not possible in conventional political formats and political venues. I think the unpredictability of movies and the inability to shove movies neatly into a partisan schema is where their power comes from.It is not in being subordinate to an agenda, but in opening the space for new possibilities. And I think that having a space to come to that conclusion made me a better critic and a better person. Maybe less employable as someone who writes about this stuff full-time in a predictable way. But I really enjoy seeing the world through the lenses that Peter and Sonny helped me apply to all of this.Peter: And just to underline that really quickly, a little bit more. One of the things that brings all of us together is that we are all three people who moved to Washington to work in political journalism, to work in discourse about politics. We have very strongly held beliefs. At the same time, I think all three of us come to movies, to art and to culture thinking, “You know what, you can make good art. You can make a great movie that maybe I find doesn't in any way align with my beliefs, right?” It has nothing to do with my political world or is even critical of my political worldview, but it's still a great movie.And this is a thing that you see very rarely in Washington and political discussions of art and film, but also in criticism. You have so much criticism that is out there, especially in the movie criticism world, that is just straightforwardly, politically determined. I don't think that that is the best way to approach art and to live a life that is about art because. Of course, it engages with politics. And of course you have to talk about that. And of course, you have to deal with that, but it's not just politics. If what you want from a movie is for it to be an op-ed, then what you want isn't a movie, it's an op-ed.I think that's really interesting. And actually, let's dive into that real quick. We'll go around the horn, perhaps. Peter, you brought it up. What is an example of a film or a piece of media that maybe either subverts or goes upstream compared to your personal politics that you nevertheless enjoyed? Or you, nevertheless, in spite of where you were coming from on that, really tended to like?Peter: So we all had mixed reactions to Paul Anderson's, P.T. Anderson's One Battle After Another, which is quite a political film, just came out. All of us thought that on a micro level, scene by scene, as a piece of filmmaking, it's genius. But on a macro level, its big ideas are kind of a mess. I go back to another Paul Anderson film from the aughts, There Will Be Blood, which is fairly critical of capitalism and of the capitalist tendencies that are deeply rooted in America. And it's not just a polemic, just an op-ed. It's not something that you can sum up in a tweet. It is quite a complex film in so many ways. And I'm a capitalist. I am a libertarian. I am a markets guy. And it is, I love that movie.Sonny and I frequently have arguments over whether There Will Be Blood is the first or second best movie of the last 25 years or so. Sonny thinks it's maybe the best. I think it's the second best. This is a movie that I think offers a deep critique of my ideology and my political worldview. But it is so profound on an artistic character narrative, just deep engagement level. I could talk about it for a long time. It's a movie I really love that doesn't support what I believe about politics in the world.Yeah, Sonny, how about you?Sonny: Bernardo Bertolucci's The Last Emperor is commie agitprop, but it's also very good. It's one of those movies where the lesson of the movie is literally “The elite overclass needs to be taught how to pee correctly in a bucket, so as not to annoy the normals.” But it's a beautiful movie, including the bucket. You don't have to agree with a film's politics to recognize that it is a great movie. It certainly doesn't hurt. I flipped through my rankings, and a lot of it does line up.But another one is JFK. Oliver Stone's JFK is a movie that is nonsense as history. If you look at it as a history text, you are reading the film wrong. What it excels at and the way that it is great is that it's the absolute perfect distillation of sitting next to an insane conspiracy theorist and hearing them ramble. The way that Oliver Stone edits together all of these disparate ideas — the way he edits is like hearing a conspiracy theorist talk.The way a conspiracy theorist talks is that they overwhelm you with information. They will just throw out random things and be like, “And this is connected to this, and this is connected to this.” And you are not able to actually judge these things because you have no idea really what they're talking about. You're not steeped in this stuff like they are, but it all sounds right. And all of a sudden, yeah, I believe that the military industrial complex murdered JFK at the behest of a fascist homosexual conspiracy, which is just another amusing little element to JFK by Oliver Stone.Those would be two examples, I would say.I love that. Alyssa, how about you?Alyssa: I would say Dirty Harry. I did a huge project about 10 years ago on depictions of the police in pop culture. And the ways in which law enforcement, as an industry, has actually really shaped their depictions on film. And look, I don't think the police always get everything right. And I think that shooting people is not a viable solution to a crime, especially without a trial. But God damn, does Clint Eastwood make like a sweater and a blazer and a real big gun look awesome, right?Sonny: Those are things that look awesome. Of course, they look awesome on Clint Eastwood.Alyssa: Of course, they look awesome, but they look especially awesome on Clint Eastwood. And they look even more awesome when he's shooting a crazed hippie who has commandeered a busSonny: Full of children.Alyssa: Yes, a bus full of children. The evil hippie deserves to get shot, and Clint Eastwood is the man to set things right. The thing about aesthetics is that they can get you to set aside your politics momentarily in a theoretical way. But I also think that good movies can get you access to spaces and mindsets that you might not have access to otherwise.When you asked that question, the movie that I immediately thought of, not necessarily of challenging my politics, but like bringing me a place I can't go, is Alex Garland's Warfare from earlier this year. It is one of the best movies I've seen this year. And also a movie about (both as a social and cultural environment) an all-male combat unit in the US military and a situation (the war in Iraq) that I have no access to. I cannot go there. My being in the space would fundamentally transform the space. And that opening sequence with this platoon watching this music video in a weird, sexualized group bonding ritual, I just found fascinating and oddly touching in a way that I think is interesting to watch, especially if you're steeped in left-leaning critiques of traditional masculinity in all-male spaces.And I found that movie, despite how harrowing it was, kind of beautiful and tender to watch in a way. And I just felt very grateful for it.Awesome. Yeah, again, I really appreciate how much thought goes into viewing not only movies as cultural entities, but also their space in politics, but also how the culture can overwhelm that. I really think that you guys have such fun takes on this. I wanna back out a little bit and talk a little bit about this year and this moment. I think one thing I really enjoy about your show is that it's obvious how much you guys really enjoy going to the movies, enjoy consuming this stuff. I know that there's a lot of fairly understandable doom and gloom sometimes around the movie industry, around the exhibition industry. A lot of that, I think, comes from some of the more industry side of things and infects the viewing public's view.I'll just throw it to you. What is a trend or something going on these days within movies or Hollywood that you actually think is a good thing, that you're actually enjoying? Or a transitional moment that you think could be fun? I guess, Sunny, I'll start off with you. I don't know.Sonny: That's a hard question to answer because everything is bad right now.Alyssa: To be clear, this is Sonny's default position about all eras and all things. All things.Peter: He's a cheerful man.Sonny: All things, really. No, everything is bad. But if I were looking at a few green shoots, I like the rise of the draft house style theater, a combination of dining, bar, movie space. I know some people have issues with the waiters scurrying back and forth. And it's not my real cup of tea either, but that's all right. You mentioned this question right before we started taping. I was trying to sketch something out, so I didn't have nothing.But I do think the rise of the boutique Blu-ray and 4K UHD retailers has been a good thing. I don't know that it's enough to save physical media in the film context, but the rise of your Vinegar Syndromes. Criterion, of course, is the longest player in this space, and they've been doing it since the days of Laserdisc. They're very good at what they do, and they have a great catalog.But even smaller places, like your Vinegar Syndromes or your Shout Factory and your Scream Factory. The studios themselves are getting into it. Lionsgate has their Lionsgate limited thing that they do, which is just sucking money out of my pockets. A24 has also been good in this space. I like the idea that there is a small but committed cadre of collectors out there. And it's not just ownership for the sake of ownership. It's not the high fidelity, “the things you own matter. So you should show them off so everybody can see them and see how cool you are” kind of thing. There are actual quality differences to having a disc as opposed to a streaming service, which always come in at lower bit rates, and they look and sound worse.But this is so niche. Very few people who collect this stuff (Blu-rays, 4Ks, et cetera) really understand how niche they are.If you look at the monthly pie chart of sales of discs every month, it's still 50 percent DVD, 20 percent to 25 percent Blu-ray, and then 25 percent to 30 percent 4K, depending on what's out at any given time. But 50 percent of discs are still being bought by people browsing Walmart shelves, like “Ooh, I'll watch this new movie for $5. Sure, why not?”Yeah, having something for the sickos is always something viable, right? Peter, I'll throw it to you.Peter: So, on this podcast, I have probably been the biggest MCU, Marvel Movie Universe booster. What I think is a good thing that is happening right now is that the MCU is in a decline, or at least a reset period. It's not overwhelming Hollywood in the way that it was throughout the 2010s. It's hurting theaters and exhibition because those movies are not performing the way they used to, and that's a downside for real.But what it is doing is creating a space for young filmmakers and for young acting talent to rise up without having to immediately be sucked into the MCU or something comparable, like the DC movies that were trying to start up and never really got going. Now they've rebooted the DC universe with the James Gunn Superman film. But, it really felt like in the 2010s, anyone who was in their 20s or 30s and was a really promising actor or a really promising director was gonna make one or two movies. And then they were gonna get sucked into the Marvel or maybe the Star Wars machine, one of these big franchise things.It wasn't like even 25 years ago when Sam Raimi was making Spider-Man films, and they were very distinctly Sam Raimi films. I mean, you watch the Dr. Octopus POV sequence in Spider-Man 2, and it's the same thing he was doing in Evil Dead, except he had $150 million to make that movie, right?These weren't even altruistic superhero films. They were just being brought in to lend their names a small amount of flavor to whatever it was they were doing. And now, in an era in which the MCU is not gone, but is diminished, a lot of acting talent and a lot of directing talent are going to be free to spend that formative period of third, fourth, fifth, sixth movies to make the things that they wanna make and to experiment.Like I said, this does have downsides. This is not great for theatrical exhibitors who are suffering right now because there are fewer movies and because the big movies are not as big. But in that space, you get the opportunity to try new things. And I love seeing new things, and I love watching new talent develop.That is cool. I like that. Alyssa?Alyssa: I'm glad you said that, Peter, because what I was gonna say is I am delighted to see some of the directors who did time in the MCU or other franchises coming back and making original movies. Obviously, Sinners is one of the big success stories of the year. It's also a success story because Ryan Coogler is not only making franchise movies.I saw Seeing Fruitvale, which turned Fruitvale Station, at the Sundance Film Festival. It was like a seminal moment for me early in my career as a critic. I was like, “Holy God, this guy is great.” Even though I like what he did with the Rocky movies and I like the first Black Panther, I just felt this sense of profound regret for him getting diverted from telling these original stories. I'm really excited for Chloe Zhao's Hamnet. I expect to be emotionally incapacitated by that movie. Honestly, it is great for people who love movies that Immortals was just such a disaster.Peter: Eternals.Sonny: Eternals, that's how good it is we can't even remember the title.Alyssa: Yes, Destin Daniel Cretton is working on a Shang-Chi sequel, but he is also collaborating with Ryan Coogler on a project that I think is drawn from their childhoods.Sonny: He's directing a new Spider-Man movie right now.Alyssa: But there's other stuff coming. There's the possibility of life outside franchises. And, I'm excited to see what some of these folks do when they're not in front of a green screen and when they're telling stories about actual human beings. I am excited to just see more movies like Weapons, like Materialists, coming from younger directors who are still figuring things out, but have interesting things to say. And this year, at least, appears to be able to do okay at the box office.I love that. People are recovering from their exile in Atlanta and have a chance to make some cool movies. You guys have been so generous with your time. I do want to just finish on one last note: where do you assess Hollywood's position within the world to be?Obviously, in the States, they've had a lot of pressure from things like TikTok coming from below, things like the federal government coming from above. But even internationally and geopolitically, you've seen international players start to compete with Hollywood at the Oscars. For instance, in Best Animated Film last year, as well as some big markets shutting down for them, like China is not really doing anything. From a political perspective, where do you assess the state of Hollywood right now?Peter: From a political perspective, I think Hollywood is going to start producing movies that read less overtly liberal, less conventionally left-leaning. I think we're already seeing some of that. I don't mean that Hollywood is suddenly going to be MAGA, that it's suddenly gonna be like reading Buckley's National Review or anything like that. I just mean that at the margins, you're gonna see more movies that don't toe the line in the way that you saw movies before. There was a moment, especially right before and right after the pandemic, where it really felt like too many movies were towing a very predictable left-of-center political line. And it was obvious and there was no nuance to it.Again, I do not oppose movies that may have a different worldview than mine, but it felt like they were running scared in a lot of cases. I mean, in sports, if your team is behind, that's the time when you try new stuff. You don't use the same strategy if you are losing. Hollywood's losing right now. They're losing economically and they're losing as a cultural force. While that's in some ways not great for the art form, that is going to be good for experimentation. And that's gonna be formal and craft experimentation. That's going to be talent. We're going to see new and interesting people. And that's also going to be ideas both for stories and for politics and ideology.Sonny: A big question is what happens with the retrenchment of the global box office? Because I do think, for a long time, you could count on basically two-thirds of the box office of a major Hollywood release coming overseas and one-third coming domestically. And those numbers have, in some cases, inverted. It's closer to 50/50 for more of them. It's not universally true. F1 did more business overseas than domestically, which you might expect for something that's based on F1 racing. But the big question is what happens if the rest of the world is like, “We're not that interested in the big Hollywood blockbuster stuff that we have been eating up for the last 15 or 20 years”?This goes hand in hand with Alyssa's point about originals. That's probably a good thing, honestly. It's probably a good thing to get away from the theory of the movie industry being like, “We need to make things that appeal despite language barriers.” Language matters; words matter. And tailoring your words to the correct audience matters. American movie studio should tailor their stuff to American audiences.Alyssa: And also getting away from the idea of appealing to the Chinese censors who controlled which American movies got access to Chinese markets, which was not the same thing as appealing to Chinese audiences. But yeah, I totally agree.My father-in-law works in the foreign exchange industry, and he said something that I've been thinking about a lot. They're just seeing real declines in people who want to come here or feel comfortable coming here. Until July, I was the letters editor at The Washington Post, and it was astonishing to me just how much rage Canadians were feeling towards the United States. I don't know that these will translate into a rejection of American movies. American culture exports have been unbelievably strong for a long time.But I do see an opening for Korean pop culture, which has already been very popular abroad. I think there's a real chance that we will see a rejection of American culture in some ways. And, it will take Hollywood a while to respond to that. It always lags a little bit. But I do think it would be very interesting to see what more aggressively American movies look like. And I think that could take many forms.But scale is in many ways the enemy of interestingness. If there is not and opportunity to turn everything into a two billion dollar movie because you sell it overseas, what stories do you tell? What actors do you put on screen? What voices do you elevate? And I think the answers to those questions could be really interesting.Peter: I agree with all of this in the sense that I think it will be good for the art form, like I have been saying. But there's a cost to this that all of us should recognize. When budgets get smaller and the market shrinks, that is going to be bad for people who work in the industry. And in particular, it's going to be rough for the below-the-line talent, the people whose names you see at the end credits — when these credits now scroll for 10 minutes after a Marvel movie because they have employed hundreds, maybe even a thousand people.And there was a story in The Wall Street Journal just this summer. You mentioned the time in Atlanta about how Marvel has moved most of its production out of Atlanta. There are people there who had built lives, bought houses, had earned pretty good middle-class incomes, but weren't superstars by any means. Now they don't know what to do because they thought they were living in Hollywood East, and suddenly, Hollywood East doesn't exist anymore.We may be in a position where Hollywood West, as we have long know it, L.A., the film center, also doesn't exist anymore, at least or at least as much smaller, much less important and much less central to filmmaking than it has been for the last nearly 100 years. And again, as a critic, I like the new stuff. I often like the smaller stuff. I'm an American; I want movies made for me. But also, these are people with jobs and livelihoods, and it is going to be hard for them in many cases.Sonny: Oh, I'm glad to see the A.I. King over here take the side of the little guy who's losing out on his on his livelihood.Peter: I think A.I. is going to help the little guy. Small creators are going to have a leg up because of it.Sonny: Sure.All right. Well, I love some of those thoughts, love some of those lessons. Publicly traded companies are famously risk-taking, so we're going to be fine, definitely. Either way, I really do love the show. I really, really enjoy it. I think it's one of the best discussion shows, chat shows about any movie podcast out there. It is really, really fun. It is very cool to see you guys go independent.I just want to throw it to you a little bit. What is your pitch? What is the show? Where can they find it? What's the best way to support it? And where can they find you all?Sonny: The show's a lot like this, like what you just listened to.Alyssa: Peter has developed this catchphrase when Sonny asked him how he's doing to kick off the show, and he always says that he's excited to be talking about movies with friends. We want to be your movie friends. You should come hang out with us. Hopefully, we will be going live a little bit more, maybe meeting up in person some. I will hopefully be doing some writing for our sub stack, if you have missed my blatherings about movies and movie trends.But yeah, come hang out with us every week. We're fun.Sonny: Movieaisle.substack.com. That's where you should go. You should I'm I'm I'm sure I'm sure there will be a link to it or something. Movieaisle.substack.com is where it lives now. We'll have a proper URL at some point.Terrific. And wherever you get your podcasts?Sonny: And wherever you get your podcasts!That's great. Peter, Alyssa, Sonny, thank you so much. This is really, really fun. Again, I really dig the show so much. I'm very, very happy for you guys being able to spring out independent. So really, thanks for coming on.Edited by Crystal WangIf you have anything you'd like to see in this Sunday special, shoot me an email. Comment below! Thanks for reading, and thanks so much for supporting Numlock.Thank you so much for becoming a paid subscriber! Send links to me on Twitter at @WaltHickey or email me with numbers, tips or feedback at walt@numlock.news. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.numlock.com/subscribe

The Most Terribly Terrific Time to Wrestle

Terrific apocalyptic road movie with sweeping romantic themes When I'm Ready, was written by, starring Andrew Ortenberg. Enjoy our discussion on the indie film and his acting career / aspirations. WHEN I'M READY rent / buy digital platforms "Defiant Screen Entertainment" also starring June Schreiner, Dermot Mulroney, Lauren Cohen, Dominique Booth. https://youtube.com/@movieanalystshaneadambassett?si=nZyw5fHIS4t_KgXj

Jake Tapper wrote the NY Times bestselling nonfiction books The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor, which was turned into a critically acclaimed film in 2020, and this year's ORIGINAL SIN: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again. He's also written two New York Times bestselling novels, The Hellfire Club and The Devil May Dance, He is an Emmy Award-winning TV journalist as lead DC anchor and chief Washington correspondent for CNN. His new book, RACE AGAINST TERROR: Chasing an Al Qaeda Killer at the Dawn of the Forever War, comes out Tuesday October 7th. Jake and I talk a little sports and then dive into the government shutdown and his terrific new non-fiction thriller. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at BackroomAndy@gmail.com Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

In this podcast, Edmund Shing analyzes why Chinese technology stocks—despite their past volatility—are currently more attractive than the U.S. Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Nebraska sits 4-1 and won its first conference game of the season. One of the reasons the Huskers have had success early this season and have overcome self-inflicted mistakes is the special teams play. Mike Schaefer and Michael Bruntz discuss what Mike Ekeler's unit has done already this season, how they knew they'd be blocking a punt against Michigan State, why Jacory Barney is special and more. Then they discuss the single biggest difference between this year and last in the third phase and how much it changes things on the field for the Huskers. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

All aboard! Get your ticket, pack your suitcase, and find a cozy spot by the window as we travel on three different types of trains: steam, diesel, and modern passenger.

Send us a textA horrible toxic accident transforms an alien Kryptonian into a downtrodden janitor. When this new toxic version of him is exposed to Earth's selfish, inconsiderate ways he turns into a new evolution of a hero: Incel Space Jesus! On Episode 688 of Trick or Treat Radio we are joined by the Vegan Prince of Wales, Linus for his Patreon Takeover! Linus has selected an unlikely duo of Superhero films, The Toxic Avenger (2025) and Superman (2025) for us to discuss! We also talk about; the Frankenstein sequel the world needs now, well known actors who started out in Troma films, and how bad marketing can impact a film's release! So grab your toxic mop, save all the dogs and squirrels you can, and strap on your Kryptonian Bum Bag for the world's most dangerous podcast!Stuff we talk about: Remembering 1990, MC Hammer, The Curse of Frankenstein, Hammer Films, UK theatrical cuts, Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Brexit, BST, Patreon Takeover, Linus, Atomsk, Wulf Gas, noise shows, basement shows, Xiphoid Dimentia, The Brute Man, The Abominable Snowman, Macabre, Attack of the Giant Leeches, Night of the Living Dead, Night of the Strangler, House on Skull Mountain, The Stranger Within, Mansion of the Doomed, Prey, Patrick, The Slayer, My Best Friend is a Vampire, Open House, Dark Carnival, Things, Night Terror, Jacquelin Hyde, Night of the Flesh Eaters, The Dead, 90210 Shark Attack, Cracoon, Insidious, Rupert Friend, Curse of Chucky, The Taking of Deborah Logan, Jeremy Holm, The Ranger, Brooklyn 45, Michelle Bauer, Demon Warp, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Granny, The Manitou, Peeping Tom, Guillermo del Toro, Frankenstein, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, The Toxic Avenger, Peter Dinklage, Macon Blair, David Prowse, James Earl Jones, Sebastian Shaw, Billy Bob Thornton, Samuel L. Jackson, Oliver Stone, Kevin Costner, Vanna White, Graduation Day, Marisa Tomei, Chopper Chicks in Zombie Town, David Boreanaz, Terror Firmer, Paul Sorvino, John G. Avildsen, Troma Films, Lloyd Kaufman, Father's Day, Cannibal: The Music, Roger Corman, Blue Ruin, The Shitheads, Buttcrack, Elijah Wood, Avator, The Crow without Eric Draven, Alan Scott and Hal Jordan, Brian Michael Bendis, Slimetime, The Toxic Crusaders, CHUDHaven, Swamp Thing, Evil Dead, Fede Alvarez, The Mighty Crabjoys, Savatage, Hall of the Mountain King, Night on Bald Mountain, Ernest Borgnine, Jesus Lizard, James Gunn, Superman, Krypto, Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, David Corenswet, Nicholas Hoult, Rachel Brosnahan, Alan Tudyk, Edi Gathegi, Nathan Fillion, Guy Gardner, John Byrne, The New Gods, Mr. Terrific, Brainiac, Jimmy and Stiggs, Joe Begos, Sam Raimi's Spider-Man, mate rate, RobertRodriguezMusic, RIP Renato Casaro, Space Jesus for Incels, Kryptonian Bum Bag, and The Four Swordsmen of the Girthening!Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/trickortreatradioJoin our Discord Community: discord.trickortreatradio.comSend Email/Voicemail: mailto:podcast@trickortreatradio.comVisit our website: http://trickortreatradio.comStart your own podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=386Use our Amazon link: http://amzn.to/2CTdZzKFB Group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/trickortreatradioTwitter: http://twitter.com/TrickTreatRadioFacebookSupport the show

Welcome to the third WCPE Book Club! This month, we are traveling back to 2018 with Volume 1 of The Terrifics! Written by Jeff Lemire with art by Ivan Reis, Joe Bennett, and Doc Shaner, The Terrifics brings together Mr. Terrific, Metamorpho, Phantom Girl, and Plastic Man in a loving homage to the Fantastic Four. Sitting in with us this month is friend-of-the-show Eddie Iiams, who offers up some great insights for an early Sunday morning podcast! John and Jerry spent the weekend in Norman, Oklahoma, for OAFCon, a comic-focused show with some great creator guests. We have our weekly Pick 3 choices, sponsored by our friends at Clint's Comics. Plus a new trivia question and a look at last week's top 10 books.  We would love to hear your comments on the show. Let us know what you've been reading or watching this week. Contact us on our website, Facebook, Instagram, or by email. We want to hear from you! As always, we are the Worst. Comic. Podcast. EVER! and we hope you enjoy the show. The Worst. Comic. Podcast. EVER! is proudly sponsored by Clint's Comics. Clint's is located at 3941 Main in Kansas City, Missouri, and is open Monday through Saturday. Whether it is new comics, trade paperbacks, action figures, statues, posters, or T-shirts, the friendly and knowledgeable staff can help you find whatever it is that you need. You should also know that Clint's Comics has the most extensive collection of back issues in the metro area. If you need to find a particular book to finish the run of a title, head on down to Clint's or check out their website at clintscomics.com. Tell them that the Worst. Comic. Podcast. EVER! sent you.

Metropolis, Delaware! Superman fights against non-Japanese Ultraman and befriends the worst Green Lantern in James Gunn's directorial debut as the new head of the DCU. We start at the Fortress of Solitude which is no longer solitudinal (Super Robots, Super Dog), moving to a bad guy military base on a beach just around the corner from Metropolis where it's always Casual Friday (Hawaiian shirt, anyone?), and the largest Hall of Justice with only the three members of the Justice Gang (terrible name, sounds more like a League). David Corenswet and Nicholas Holt dominate the show with amazing acting and, dare we say, chemistry??? Guys, they make a baby together; it's canon (Super Boy). Erin is finally on board with a Superman movie (especially Mr. Terrific and Iggy Pop) while Brennan hates Krypto. TRAIN YOUR PETS, PEOPLE!!! At the end we both agree the score could have been better, but the story is so fun, the acting is top notch, and Nathan Fillion has the WORST bowl cut for the best reasons. 

Celebrating Deadpool/Batman, the return of Amalgam, and more, Nico & TK re-matching up their favorite heroes to make a CRAZY new take on Marvel VS DC and see if their modern randomization can go somewhere CRAZY! Check out wild mashups like:  -- Emma Frost vs Harley Quinn! -- Elektra vs Mr Terrific! -- Magneto vs Poison Ivy! -- Cassandra Nova vs Damien Wayne's Robin! -- Doop vs John Constantine! -- and MORE! Come check it all out on an all-new X Is For Comics! X IS FOR SHOW is a talk show for your favorite media, the same way THE OFFICE was a documentary about a paper company. Every week, THE ACTION PACK gathers to discuss a wide range of entertainment media and news, from film & TV to comics to gaming, music, and beyond. Led by NICO (@NicoAction) and TK (@TKAccidental) with producer KEVO (@KevoReally), as well as a variety of friends and special guests, these LIVE discussions are not to be missed - so be sure to tune in and join us for all the fun!

This is an episode I'm excited for because we'll be looking at a group of words that have gone through a similar history; namely, they have all had quite a drastic change in their meanings over time.Many words we use today in English such as 'terrific' or 'fond' used to have almost completely opposite meanings! In this episode, I explore why these changes took place, share both the old and new meanings, and give examples from my life for each one. I'll invite you to do the same.Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast343➡️ Join the Free Mini Course - https://www.levelupenglish.school/mini⭐️ Join Level Up English - https://www.levelupenglish.school Become a member and get: Podcast Transcripts Private Podcast Group Classes Private Coaching And over 500 online lessons!

Our top news stories: James Gunn has revealed the cover to his second draft script for "Man of Tomorrow", a brand new deleted scene featuring Mr. Terrific and Krypto was released online, and "Superman" is now available on Blu-ray and DVD. Superman news for the period September 17-23, 2025. Brought to you by SupermanHomepage.com. Hosted by Steve Younis. Visit our website: https://www.SupermanHomepage.com/ Visit our online store: https://www.SupermanHomepage.com/shop Featured Products and Links: "Superman" 2025 Movie Merchandise - https://amzn.to/3AdxENy Funko's Superman Through the Ages Pop! Vinyl Figures - https://www.supermanhomepage.com/superman-through-the-ages-funko-pop-vinyl-figures/ Watch "Superman" 2025 Movie at Home - https://www.supermanhomepage.com/superman-now-available-on-4k-uhd-blu-ray-and-dvd/ This week's Superman comic books - https://www.supermanhomepage.com/superman-comic-books-available-this-week-september-24-2025/ Latest Comic Book Reviews - https://www.supermanhomepage.com/comics/2025-comic-reviews/c-review-2025.php

Don’t call it a comeback, but we’re back with another installment of Super Fantastic Terrific!…

SHOW OPEN: Marco Balletti breaks down another great start for Carlos Rodon as the Yankees take down the Orioles in Baltimore.

The DCU truly begins now, was it good? Was it bad? Let's talk about it! (Spoiler alert, its pretty super)Come join the discord! https://discord.gg/VgcmCvp3fcTweet us your thoughts at #GeekSpeakPod-TIMESTAMPS-0:00 - Intro2:06 - Julian McMahon Passing3:44 - Cadet Kelly (DCOM)19:44 - Movie Releases22:03 - HUGE IRONHEART CHARACTER SPOILER23:38 - Spider-Man: Brand New Day News26:14 - KJ Appa in Biopic??27:57 - Nintendo Movies30:34 - Zelda Movie Casting32:48 - Godzilla Minus One X DC33:50 - New Lego Batman Game34:58 - DCU News36:39 - Mr. Terrific and Jimmy Olsen Shows38:25 - WONDER WOMAN ON THE WAY39:43 - Clayface Movie News40:39 - Captain Planet Show43:27 - Steven Yeun ZUKO?! WHY?!46:21 - Pixar's Hoppers Trailer46:54 - Robert Eggers' Werewolf update47:43 - Harry Potter Set Photos50:13 - God of War TV Update51:36 - Feige Doom Update54:01 - Blade News54:51 - Secret Wars MCU Reboot57:42 - Superman (2025) (NON-SPOILERS)1:24:44 - Superman (2025) (SPOILERS)Official GeekSpeak Socials: http://linktr.ee/GeekSpeakPodSean's Socials: https://linktr.ee/seanwilliamsfilmmakerJosh's Twitter: https://twitter.com/J_Rudy28Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/geekspeak-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Frank and Jen break down Peacemaker Season 2, Episode 4, from the wild Michael Rooker cameo to that portable-dimension device that might not be what it seems. They dig into the alternate Earth, what it reveals about Chris, Keith, and Auggie, and why Adebayo might be the real center of the 11th Street Kids. The conversation hits possible DCU ties like Creature Commandos, Mr. Terrific, Blue Beetle, and whether the “boom tube” theory holds water. Plus, a thoughtful look at Harcourt's arc, Argus pressure, and how the show balances crude humor with real character growth. CA Timestamps and Topics 00:00 Welcome and coffee-fueled kickoff 00:24 First impressions of Episode 4 and the “family affair” watch 04:27 The portable dimension and how Auggie really got his tech 05:21 Series shift: Argus pressure, new location, and a relentless hunter 05:55 Michael Rooker goes all-in as an eagle tracker 08:14 “X-rated corner of the DCU” and the opening flashback read 09:49 Keith's role as heart vs. Auggie's shadow 13:16 Is the portal a boom tube or something new 16:29 Creature Commandos, Corto Maltese nods, and DCU connective tissue 19:38 Cameo watch: Mr. Terrific, Frankenstein, the Bride, or Weasel 24:26 Waller's name-drops and why she might show up 26:27 The coded “perfect world” that's not perfect at all 29:18 Adebayo as the team's glue and Chris's reality check 34:20 Harcourt and Rick Flag Sr. show a different side of both 35:58 Age, casting, and why Flag Sr. reads more “father-in-law” than “dad” 39:20 Why peacemaker is the easy scapegoat for a grieving Flag Sr. 40:07 Where this could go: reluctant father figure and hard choices 41:11 Enchantress, Rick romance, and what that means for Harcourt and Chris 42:15 Final cameo predictions and the Blue Beetle/Ted Kord angle 44:44 What if Dave Bautista played Peacemaker 47:44 James Gunn, Michael Rooker, and that dance 48:43 Guest plugs: Distance Nerding shows and Lego giveaway Key Takeaways Episode 4 plants a big flag for the back half of the season by moving the fight to a controllable space and tightening the Argus noose. The portal tech reframes Auggie's “genius” and hints at a broader toolkit that could connect to other DC corners. The alternate Earth isn't aspirational. It puts Chris's growth in focus and undercuts his nostalgia for a world he's better off without. Adebayo is the emotional center and likely leader in practice. She's the person everyone calls, and the one who grounds Chris. Harcourt's conversation with Rick Flag Sr. shows who she was before the walls went up, and why Argus keeps pulling her back. Expect a meaningful cameo tied to portals or Argus operations. Mr. Terrific, Waller, or a Creature Commandos face are all in play. The show keeps mixing crude laughs with character work that lands, which is why the heavier scenes hit. Quotes “Peacemaker is the X-rated corner of the DCU.” — Jen “This episode felt like a gear shift. Argus is coming, and the portal changes the board.” — Frank “Adebayo is the glue. She keeps everyone honest and points them back to reality.” — Frank “They didn't show that flashback for nothing. One choice can change a universe.” — Jen “Rooker only does that scene because Gunn is the one on the other end of the phone.” — Frank Call to Action If you dug this breakdown, subscribe and drop a quick review. Share the episode with a friend who is catching up on Peacemaker and tag us with #ChallengeAcceptedLive. Links and Resources Our network hub and source for all news discussed: GeekFreaksPodcast.com Follow Us Challenge Accepted: Instagram @challengeacceptedlive, TikTok @challengeacceptedlive, Twitter @CAPodcastLive Geek Freaks Network: Facebook Geek Freaks Podcast, Threads @geekfreakspodcast, Patreon Geek Freaks Podcast, Instagram @geekfreakspodcast, Twitter @geekfreakspod Listener Questions Send questions, hot takes, or challenges for future episodes to challengeacceptedgfx@gmail.com. We might feature your note on the show. Apple Podcast Tags: Peacemaker, Peacemaker Season 2, James Gunn, John Cena, Michael Rooker, DCU, Vigilante, Adebayo, Harcourt, Rick Flag, Creature Commandos, Boom Tube, Multiverse, Challenge Accepted, Geek Freaks Podcast

In this week's episode, I take a look back at the movies and streaming shows I watched in Summer 2025. This coupon code will get you 50% off the audiobook of Ghost in the Serpent, Book #1 in the Ghost Armor series, (as excellently narrated by Hollis McCarthy) at my Payhip store: FALLSERPENT50 The coupon code is valid through September 15, 2025 (please note the shorter expiration date). So if you need a new audiobook this fall, we've got you covered! TRANSCRIPT 00:00:00 Introduction and Writing Updates Hello, everyone. Welcome to Episode 267 of The Pulp Writer Show. My name is Jonathan Moeller. Today is September 5, 2025 and today I'm doing a review roundup of the movies and streaming shows I saw in Summer 2025. Before we do that, we will have Coupon of the Week and a progress update on my current writing and audiobook projects. First up, this week's coupon code will get you 50% off the audiobook of Ghost in the Serpent, Book One in the Ghost Armor series (as excellently narrated by Hollis McCarthy) at my Payhip store. That is FALLSERPENT50. This coupon code will be valid through September 15th, 2025 (exactly one week). So if you need a new audiobook to listen to as we head into fall, we have got you covered. Now for an update on my current writing and audiobook projects. I am pleased to report that the rough draft of Blade of Flames, which will be the first book in my new Blades of Ruin epic fantasy series is finished. The rough draft came at about 90,000 words long, which was what I was aiming for. Next up, I will be writing a short story set as sort of a bonus in that plot line called Thunder Hammer and that will be the backstory of one of the characters in Blade of Flames. And when Blade of Flames comes out (which will hopefully be later this September), newsletter subscribers will get a free ebook copy of Thunder Hammer. So this is an excellent time to subscribe to my newsletter. I am also 8,000 words into Cloak of Worlds. At long last, I am coming back to the Cloak Mage series after nearly a year's absence. Longtime listeners will know the reason was that I had five unfinished series and I wanted to spend the summer of 2025 finishing the unfinished ones and focusing up so I will only have three ongoing series at any given time. I'm hoping Blade of Flames will come out before the end of September and Cloak of Worlds before the end of October, and after that I will be able to return to the Rivah series at long last. In audiobook news, recording is finished on Shield of Power. That will be excellently narrated by Brad Wills and hopefully once it gets through processing and quality assurance and everything, it should be showing up on the various audiobook stores before too much longer. Hollis McCarthy is about halfway through the recording of Ghost in the Siege, which was, as you know, the last book in the Ghost Armor series that just came out. And if all goes well, the audiobook should be coming out probably in October once everything is done with recording and quality assurance and all that. So that is where I'm at with my current writing and audiobook projects. 00:02:34 Main Topic: Summer 2025 Movie/TV Roundup So without further ado, let's head into our main topic. The end of summer is nigh, which means this time for my summer movie review roundup. As is usual for the summer, I saw a lot of movies, so this will be one of the longer episodes. For some reason I ended up watching a bunch of westerns. As always, the movies are ranked from least favorite to most favorite. The grades of course are totally subjective and based on nothing more than my own opinions, impressions, and interpretations. Now on to the movies. First up is the Austin Powers trilogy, the three movies of which came out in 1997, 1999, and 2002. The Austin Powers movies came out just as the Internet really got going in terms of mass adoption, which is likewise why so many Austin Powers and Dr. Evil memes are embedded in online culture. Despite that, I had never really seen any of them all the way through. They've been on in the background on TBS or whatever quite a bit when I visited people, but I've never seen them all. But I happened upon a DVD of the trilogy for $0.25 (USD), so I decided for 25 cents I would give it a go. I would say the movies were funny, albeit not particularly good. Obviously the Austin Powers movies are a parody of the James Bond movies. The movies kind of watch like an extended series of Saturday Night Live skits, only loosely connected, like the skit is what if Dr. Evil had a son named Scott who wasn't impressed with him or another skit was what if a British agent from the ‘60s arrives in the ‘90s and experiences culture clash? What if Dr. Evil didn't understand the concept of inflation and demanded only a million dollars from the United Nations? What if Dr. Evil was actually Austin's brother and they went to school together at Spy Academy? Michael Caine was pretty great as Austin's father. Overall, funny but fairly incoherent. Overall grade: C- Next up is Horrible Bosses, a very dark and very raunchy comedy from about 14 years ago. It came out in 2011. Interestingly, this movie reflects what I think is one of the major crises of the contemporary era, frequent failures of leadership at all levels of society. In the movie Nick, Dale, and Kurt are lifelong friends living in LA and all three of them have truly horrible bosses in their place of employment, ranging from a sociopathic finance director, the company founder's cokehead son, and a boorish dentist with a tendency to sexual harassment. At the bar, they fantasize about killing their horrible bosses and then mutually decide to do something about it. Obviously, they'd all be prime suspects in the murder of their own bosses, but if they killed each other's bosses, that would allow them to establish airtight alibis. However, since Nick, Dale and Kurt are not as bright as they think they are, it all goes hilariously wrong very quickly. Bob Hope has a hilarious cameo. If the best “crude comedies” I've seen are Anchorman, Zoolander, Tropic Thunder, and Dodgeball, and the worst one was MacGruber, I'd say Horrible Bosses lands about in the middle. Overall grade: C Next up is Cowboys and Aliens, which came out in 2011. Now I almost saw this in 2011 when it came out, but I was too busy to go to the theater in July of 2011, so I finally saw it here in 2025 and I would say this was almost a great movie, like the performances were great, the concept was great, the scenery was great, the special effects were great, and the story was packed full of really interesting ideas, but somehow they just didn't coalesce. I'm not entirely sure why. I think upon reflection, it was that the movie is just too overcrowded with too many characters and too many subplots. Anyway, Daniel Craig portrays a man who wakes up with no memory in the Old West, with a mysterious bracelet locked around his wrist. He makes his way to the town of Atonement, and promptly gets arrested because he is apparently a notorious outlaw (which he doesn't remember). While he is locked in jail, space aliens attack the town. The aliens, for unknown reasons, abduct many of the townspeople, and Daniel Craig's character, who is named Jake even if he doesn't remember it, must lead the town's effort to recover their abducted citizens. Harrison's Ford has an excellent performance as this awful cattle baron who nonetheless has virtues of courage and fortitude that you can't help but admire. An excellent performance. That said, the movie was just too packed, and I thought it would work better as a novel. After I watched the movie, it turned out that it was indeed based off a graphic novel. Novels and graphic novels allow for a far more complex story than a movie, and I don't think this movie quite managed to handle the transition from a graphic novel to a film. Overall grade: C Next up is Heads of State, which came out in 2025. This was kind of a stupid movie. However, the fundamental question of any movie, shouted to the audience by Russell Crow in Gladiator is, “are you not entertained?!?” I was thoroughly entertained watching this, so entertained I actually watched it twice. Not everything has to be Shakespeare or a profound meditation on the unresolvable conflicts inherent within human nature. Anyway, John Cena plays Will Derringer, newly elected President of the United States. Idris Elba plays Sam Clark, who has now been the UK Prime Minister for the last six years. Derringer was an action star who parleyed his celebrity into elected office (in the same way Arnold Schwarzenegger did), while Clarke is an army veteran who worked his way up through the UK's political system. Needless to say, the cheerful Derringer and the grim Clarke take an immediate dislike to each other. However, they'll have to team up when Air Force One is shot down, stranding them in eastern Europe. They'll have to make their way home while evading their enemies to unravel the conspiracy that threatens world peace. So half action thriller, half buddy road trip comedy. The premise really doesn't work if you think about it too much for more than thirty seconds, but the movie was funny and I enjoyed it. Jack Quaid really stole his scenes as a crazy but hyper-competent CIA officer. Overall grade: C+ Next up, Captain America: Brave New World, which came out in 2025 and I think this movie ended up on the good side of middling. You can definitely tell it went through a lot of reshoots and retooling, and I suspect the various film industry strikes hit it like a freight train. But we ended up with a reasonably solid superhero thriller. Sam Wilson is now Captain America. He's not superhuman the way Steve Rogers was and doesn't have magic powers or anything, so he kind of fights like the Mandalorian – a very capable fighter who relies on excellent armor. Meanwhile, in the grand American political tradition of failing upward, Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, who spent years persecuting The Hulk and whose meddling caused the Avengers to disband right before Thanos attacked, has now been elected President. To Wilson's surprise, Ross reaches out and wants him to restart the Avengers. But Ross (as we know) did a lot of shady black ops stuff for years, and one of his projects is coming back to haunt him. Wilson finds himself in the middle of a shadowy conspiracy, and it's up to him to figure out what's going on before it's too late. I was amused that lifelong government apparatchik Ross wanted to restart the Avengers, because when the Avengers had their biggest victory in Avengers: Endgame, they were essentially unsanctioned vigilantes bankrolled by a rogue tech billionaire. Overall grade: B- Next up is Ironheart, which came out in 2025. I'd say Ironheart was about 40% very weird and 60% quite good. It's sort of like the modern version of Dr. Faustus. The show got some flak on the Internet from the crossfire between the usual culture war people, but the key to understanding it is to realize that Riri Williams AKA Ironheart is in fact an antihero who's tottering on the edge of becoming a full-blown supervillain. Like Tony Stark, she's a once-in-a-generation scientific talent, but while she doesn't have Stark's alcohol problems, she's emotionally unstable, immature, ruthless, indifferent to collateral damage and consequences, and suffering from severe PTSD after her best friend and stepfather were killed in a drive-by shooting. This volatile mix gets her thrown out of MIT after her experiments cause too much destruction, and she has to go home to Chicago. To get the funds to keep working on her Iron Man armor, she turns to crime, and falls in with a gang of high-end thieves led by a mysterious figure named Hood. It turns out that Hood has actual magic powers, which both disturbs and fascinates Riri. However, Hood got his magic in a pact with a mysterious dark force. When a job goes bad, Riri gains the enmity of Hood and has to go on the run. It also turns out Hood's dark master has become very interested in Riri, which might be a lot more dangerous for everyone in the long run. Overall, I'd say this is about in the same vein as Agatha All Along, an interesting show constructed around a very morally questionable protagonist. Overall grade: B Next up is A Minecraft movie, which came out in 2024. I have to admit, I've never actually played Minecraft, so I know very little about the game and its ecosystem, only what I've generally absorbed by glancing at the news. That said, I think the movie held together quite well, and wasn't deserving of the general disdain it got in the press. (No doubt the $950 million box office compensated for any hurt feelings.) One of the many downsides of rapid technological change in the last fifty years is that the Boomers and Gen X and the Millennials and Gen Z and Gen Alpha have had such radically different formative experiences in childhood that it's harder to relate to each other. Growing up in the 1980s was a wildly different experience than growing up in the 2010s, and growing up in the 2010s was an even more wildly different experience than growing up in the 1960s. Smartphones and social media were dominant in 2020, barely starting in 2010, and implausible science fiction in 2000 and earlier, and so it was like the different generations grew up on different planets, because in some sense they actually did. (A five-year-old relative of mine just started school, and the descriptions of his school compared to what I remember of school really do sound like different planets entirely.) The Minecraft game and A Minecraft Movie might be one of those generation-locked experiences. Anyway, this has gotten very deep digression for what was essentially a portal-based LitRPG movie. A group of people experiencing various life difficulties in a rural Idaho town get sucked into the Minecraft world through a magic portal. There they must combine forces and learn to work together to master the Minecraft world to save it from an evil sorceress. As always, the fundamental question of any movie is the one that Russell Crowe's character shouted to the audience in Gladiator back in 2000. “Are you not entertained?” I admit I was entertained when watching A Minecraft Movie since it was funny and I recognized a lot of the video game mechanics, even though I've never actually played Minecraft. Like, Castlevania II had a night/day cycle the way Minecraft does, and Castlevania II was forty years ago. But that was another digression! I did enjoy A Minecraft Movie. It was kind of crazy, but it committed to the craziness and maintained a consistent creative vision, and I was entertained. Though I did think it was impressive how Jack Black's agent managed to insist that he sing several different times. Overall grade: B Next up is Back to School, which came out in 1986 and this is one of the better ‘80s comedies I've seen. Rodney Dangerfield plays Thornton Melon, who never went to college and is the wealthy owner of a chain of plus-sized clothing stores. His son Jason is attending Great Lakes University, and after Thornton's unfaithful gold-digging wife leaves him (Thornton is mostly relieved by this development), he decides to go visit his son. He quickly discovers that Jason is flailing at college, and decides to enroll to help out his son. Wacky adventures ensue! I quite enjoyed this. The fictional “Great Lakes University” was largely shot at UW-Madison in Wisconsin, which I found amusing because I spent a lot of time at UW-Madison several decades ago as a temporary IT employee. I liked seeing the characters walk past a place where I'd eat lunch outside when the day was nice, that kind of thing. Also, I'm very familiar with how the sausage gets made in higher ed. There's a scene where the dean is asking why Thornton is qualified to enter college, and then it cuts to the dean cheerfully overseeing the groundbreaking of the new Thornton Melon Hall which Thornton just donated, and I laughed so hard I almost hurt myself, because that is exactly how higher ed works. The movie had some pointless nudity, but it was only a few seconds and no doubt gets cut in network broadcasts. Overall grade: B Next up is Whiskey Galore, which came out in 1949 and this is a comedy set in Scotland during World War II. The villagers living on an isolated island have no whiskey due to wartime rationing. However, when a government ship carrying 50,000 cases of whiskey runs aground near the island, wacky hijinks ensue. I have to admit the first half of the movie was very slow and deliberate, gradually setting up all the pieces for later. Then, once the shipwreck happens, things pick up and the movie gets much funnier. Definitely worth watching both as a good comedy movie and an artifact of its time. A modicum of historical knowledge is required – if you don't know what the Home Guard is, you might have to do some Googling to understand the context of some of the scenes. Regrettably, the version I watched did not have captioning, so I had to pay really close attention to understand what the characters were saying, because some of the accents were very strong. Overall grade: B Next up is Happy Gilmore 2, which came out in 2025. This was dumb and overstuffed with celebrity cameos but thoroughly hilarious and I say this even though it uses one of my least favorite story tropes, namely “hero of previous movie is now a middle age loser.” However, the movie leads into it for comedy. When Happy Gilmore accidentally kills his wife with a line drive, he spirals into alcoholism and despair. But his five children still love him, and when his talented daughter needs tuition for school, Happy attempts to shake off his despair and go back to golf to win the money. But Happy soon stumbles onto a sinister conspiracy led by an evil CEO to transform the game of golf into his own personal profit center. Happy must team up with his old nemesis Shooter McGavin to save golf itself from the evil CEO. Amusingly, as I've said before, the best Adam Sandler movies are almost medieval. In medieval fables, it was common for a clever peasant to outwit pompous lords, corrupt priests, and greedy merchants. The best Adam Sandler protagonist remains an everyman who outwits the modern equivalent of pompous lords and corrupt priests, in this case an evil CEO. Overall grade: B+ Next up is Superman, which came out in 2025 and I thought this was pretty good and very funny at times. I think it caught the essential nature of Superman. Like, Superman should be a Lawful Good character. If he was a Dungeons and Dragons character, he would be a paladin. People on the Internet tend to take the characterization of superheroes seriously to perhaps an unhealthy degree, but it seems the best characterization of Superman is as an earnest, slightly dorky Boy Scout who goes around doing good deeds. The contrast of that good-hearted earnestness with his godlike abilities that would allow him to easily conquer and rule the world is what makes for an interesting character. I also appreciated how the movie dispensed with the overused trope of the Origin Story and just got down to business. In this movie, Lex Luthor is obsessed with destroying Superman and is willing to use both super-advanced technology and engineered geopolitical conflict to do it. Superman, because he's essentially a decent person, doesn't comprehend just how depraved Luthor is, and how far Luthor is willing to go out of petty spite. (Ironically, a billionaire willing to destroy the world out of petty spite is alas, quite realistic). Guy Gardener (“Jerkish Green Lantern”) and the extremely competent and the extremely exasperated Mr. Terrific definitely stole all their scenes. The director of the movie, James Gunn, was quite famously fired from Disney in 2018 for offensive jokes he had made on Twitter back when he was an edgy young filmmaker with an alcohol problem. I suppose Mr. Gunn can rest content knowing that Superman made more money than any Marvel movie released this year. Overall grade: A-   Next up is Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, which came out in 1988. This was a very strange movie, but nonetheless, one with an ambitious premise, strong performances, and a strong artistic vision. It's set in post WWII Los Angeles, and “toons” (basically cartoon characters) live and work alongside humans. Private eye Eddie Valiant hates toons since one of them killed his brother five years ago. However, he's hired by the head of a studio who's having trouble with one of his toon actors, Roger Rabbit. Roger's worried his wife Jessica is having an affair, and Valiant obtains pictures of Jessica playing patty cake (not a euphemism, they actually were playing patty cake) with another man. Roger has an emotional breakdown, and soon the other man winds up dead, and Roger insists he's innocent. Valiant and Roger find themselves sucked into a dangerous conspiracy overseen by a ruthless mastermind. This movie was such an interesting cultural artifact. It perfectly follows the structure of a ‘40s film noir movie, but with cartoons, and the dissonance between film noir and the cheerfulness of the toons was embraced and used as a frequently source of comedy. In fact, when the grim and dour Valiant uses the toons' comedy techniques as a tactical improvisation in a moment of mortal peril, it's both hilarious and awesome. Christopher Lloyd's performance as the villainous Judge Doom was amazing. (I don't think it's a spoiler to say that he's villainous, because his character is named Judge Doom and he's literally wearing a black hat.) Like, his performance perfectly captures something monstrous that is trying very hard to pretend to be human and not quite getting it right. And the amount of work it must have taken to make this movie staggers the mind. Nowadays, having live actors interact with cartoon characters is expensive, but not unduly so. It's a frequent technique. You see it all the time in commercials when a housewife is smiling at an animated roll of paper towels or something, and Marvel's essentially been doing it for years. But this was 1988! Computer animation was still a ways off. They had to shoot the movie on analog film, and then hand-draw all the animation and successfully match it to the live film. It wouldn't have worked without the performance of Bob Hoskins as Eddie Valiant, who plays everything perfectly straight in the same way Michael Caine did in A Muppet Christmas Carol. So kind of a strange movie, but definitely worth watching. And it has both Disney and Warner Brothers animated characters in the same movie, which is something we will never, ever see again. Overall grade: A Next up is K-Pop Demon Hunters, which came out in 2025. Like Who framed Roger Rabbit?, this is a very strange movie, but nonetheless with a clear and focused artistic vision. It is a cultural artifact that provides a fascinating look into a world of which I have no knowledge or interest, namely K-pop bands and their dueling fandoms. Anyway, the plot is that for millennia, female Korean musicians have used the magic of their voices to keep the demons locked away in a demon world. The current incarnation is a three-woman K-Pop group called Huntrix, and they are on the verge of sealing away the demons forever. Naturally, the Demon King doesn't like this, so one of his cleverer minions comes up with a plan. They'll start a Demon K-Pop Boy Band! Disguised as humans, the demon K-Pop group will win away Huntrix's fans, allowing them to breach the barrier and devour the world. However, one of the Huntrix musicians is half-demon, and she starts falling for the lead demon in the boy band, who is handsome and of course has a dark and troubled past. Essentially a musical K-drama follows. I have to admit I know practically nothing about K-Pop groups and their dueling fandoms, other than the fact that they exist. However, this was an interesting movie to watch. The animation was excellent, it did have a focused vision, and there were some funny bits. Overall grade: A Next up is Clarkson's Farm Season Four, which came out in 2025. A long time ago in the ‘90s, I watched the episode of Frasier where Frasier and Niles attempt to open a restaurant and it all goes horribly (yet hilariously) wrong. At the time, I had no money, but I promised myself that I would never invest in a restaurant. Nothing I have seen or learned in the subsequent thirty years has ever changed that decision. Season 4 of Clarkson's Farm is basically Jeremy Clarkson, like Frasier and Niles, attempting to open a restaurant, specifically a British pub. On paper it's a good idea, since Clarkson can provide the pub with food produced from his own farm and other local farmers. However, it's an enormous logistical nightmare, and Clarkson must deal with miles of red tape, contractors, and a ballooning budget, all while trying to keep his farm from going under. An excellent and entertaining documentary into the difficulties of both the farming life and food service. I still don't want to own a restaurant! Overall grade: A Next up is Tombstone, which came out in 1993. The Western genre of fiction is interesting because it's limited to such a very specific period of time and geographical region. Like the “Wild West” period that characterizes the Western genre really only lasted as a historical period from about 1865 to roughly 1890. The Western genre was at its most popular in movies from the 1940s and the 1960s, and I wonder if it declined because cultural and demographic changes made it unpopular to romanticize the Old West the way someone like Walt Disney did at Disneyland with “Frontierland.” Of course, the genre lives on in different forms in grittier Western movies, neo-Westerns like Yellowstone and Longmire, and a lot of the genre's conventions apply really well to science fiction. Everyone talks about Firefly being the first Space Western, but The Mandalorian was much more successful and was basically a Western in space (albeit with occasional visits from Space Wizards). Anyway! After that long-winded introduction, let's talk about Tombstone. When Val Kilmer died earlier this year, the news articles mentioned Tombstone as among his best work, so I decided to give it a watch. The plot centers around Wyatt Earp, played by Kurt Russell, who has decided to give up his career in law enforcement and move to Tombstone, Arizona, a silver mining boomtown, in hopes of making his fortune. However, Tombstone is mostly controlled by the Cowboys outlaw gang, and Earp is inevitably drawn into conflict with them. With the help of his brothers and Doc Holliday (Val Kilmer's character), Earp sets out to bring some law and order to Tombstone, whether the Cowboys like it or not. Holliday is in the process of dying from tuberculosis, which makes him a formidable fighter since he knows getting shot will be a less painful and protracted death than the one his illness will bring him. Kilmer plays him as a dissolute, scheming warrior-poet who nonetheless is a very loyal friend. Definitely a classic of the Western genre, and so worth watching. Overall grade: A Next up is Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning, the eighth Mission Impossible movie. Of the eight movies, I think the sixth one was the best one, but this one comes in at a close second. It continues on from Dead Reckoning. Ethan Hunt now possesses the key that will unlock the source code of the Entity, the malicious AI (think ChatGPT, but even more obviously evil) that is actively maneuvering the world's nuclear powers into destroying each other so the Entity can rule the remnants of humanity. Unfortunately, the Entity's source code is sitting in a wrecked Russian nuclear sub at the bottom of the Bering Sea. Even more unfortunately, the Entity knows that Hunt has the key and is trying to stop him, even as the Entity's former minion and Hunt's bitter enemy Gabriel seeks to seize control of the Entity for himself. A sense of apocalyptic doom hangs over the movie, which works well to build tension. Once again, the world is doomed, unless Ethan Hunt and his allies can save the day. The tension works extremely well during the movie's underwater sequence, and the final airborne duel between Hunt and Gabriel. I don't know if they're going to make any more Mission Impossible movies after this (they are insanely expensive), but if this is the end, it is a satisfying conclusion for the character of Ethan Hunt and the Impossible Mission Force. Overall grade: A Next up is Deep Cover, which came out in 2025. This is described as a comedy thriller, and I didn't know what to expect when I watched it, but I really enjoyed it. Bryce Dallas Howard plays Kat, a struggling comedy improv teacher living in London. Her best students are Marlon (played by Orlando Bloom), a dedicated character actor who wants to portray gritty realism but keeps getting cast in tacky commercials, and Hugh (played by Nick Mohammed), an awkward IT worker with no social skills whatsoever. One day, the three of them are recruited by Detective Sergeant Billings (played by Sean Bean) of the Metropolitan Police. The Met wants to use improv comedians to do undercover work for minor busts with drug dealers. Since it plays 200 pounds a pop, the trio agrees. Of course, things rapidly spiral out of control, because Kat, Marlon, and Hugh are actually a lot better at improv than they think, and soon they find themselves negotiating with the chief criminals of the London underworld. What follows is a movie that is both very tense and very funny. Kat, Marlon, and Hugh are in way over their heads, and will have to do the best improv of their lives to escape a very grisly fate. Whether Sean Bean dies or not (as is tradition), you will just have to watch the movie and find out. Overall grade: A Next up is Puss in Boots: The Final Wish, which came out in 2022. I don't personally know much about the history of Disney as a corporation, and I don't much care, but I do have several relatives who are very interested in the history of the Disney corporation, and therefore I have picked up some by osmosis. Apparently Disney CEO Michael Eisner forcing out Jeffrey Katzenberg in the 1990s was a very serious mistake, because Katzenberg went on to co-found DreamWorks, which has been Disney's consistent rival for animation for the last thirty years. That's like “CIA Regime Change Blowback” levels of creating your own enemy. Anyway, historical ironies aside, Puss in Boots: The Final Wish was a funny and surprisingly thoughtful animated movie. Puss in Boots is a legendary outlaw and folk hero, but he has used up eight of his nine lives. An ominous bounty hunter who looks like a humanoid wolf begins pursuing him, and the Wolf is able to shrug off the best of Puss In Boots' attacks. Panicked, Puss hides in a retirement home for elderly cats, but then hears rumors of the magical Last Wish. Hoping to use it to get his lives back, Puss In Boots sets off on the quest. It was amusing how Little Jack Horner and Goldilocks and the Three Bears were rival criminal gangs seeking the Last Wish. Overall grade: A Next up is Chicken People, which came out in 2016. A good documentary film gives you a glimpse into an alien world that you would otherwise never visit. In this example, I have absolutely no interest in competitive chicken breeding and will only raise chickens in my backyard if society ever collapses to the level that it becomes necessary for survival. That said, this was a very interesting look into the work of competitive chicken breeding. Apparently, there is an official “American Standard of Perfection” for individual chicken breeds, and the winner of the yearly chicken competition gets the title “Super Grand Champion.” Not Grand Champion, Super Grand Champion! That looks impressive on a resume. It is interesting how chicken breeding is in some sense an elaborate Skinner Box – like you can deliberately set out to breed chickens with the desirable traits on the American Standard of Perfection, but until the chickens are hatched and grow up, you don't know how they're going to turn out, so you need to try again and again and again… Overall grade: A Next up is The Mask of Zoro, which came out in 1998. I saw this in the theatre when it came out 27 years ago, but that was 27 years ago, and I don't have much of a memory of it, save that I liked it. So when I had the chance to watch it again, I did! Anthony Hopkins plays Diego de la Vega, who has the secret identity of Zorro in the final days before Mexico breaks away from the Spanish Empire. With Mexico on the verge of getting its independence, Diego decides to hang up his sword and mask and focus on his beloved wife and daughter. Unfortunately, the military governor Don Montero realizes Diego is Zorro, so has him arrested, kills his wife, and steals his baby daughter to raise as his own. Twenty years later, a bandit named Alejandro loses his brother and best friends to a brutal cavalry commander. It turns out that Montero is returning to California from Spain, and plans to seize control of California as an independent republic (which, of course, will be ruled by him). In the chaos, Diego escapes from prison and encounters a drunken Alejandro, and stops him from a futile attack upon the cavalry commander. He then proposes a pact – Diego will train Alejandro as the next Zorro, and together they can take vengeance upon the men who wronged them. This was a good movie. It was good to see that my taste in movies 27 years ago wasn't terrible. It manages to cram an entire epic plot into only 2 hours and 20 minutes. In some ways it was like a throwback to a ‘40s movie but with modern (for the ‘90s) production values, and some very good swordfights. Overall grade: A Next up is Wick is Pain, which came out in 2025. I've seen all four John Wick movies and enjoyed them thoroughly, though I've never gotten around to any of the spinoffs. Wick is Pain is a documentary about how John Wick went from a doomed indie movie with a $6.5 million hole in its budget to one of the most popular action series of the last few decades. Apparently Keanu Reeves made an offhand joke about how “Wick is pain” and that became the mantra of the cast and crew, because making an action movie that intense really was a painful experience. Definitely worth watching if you enjoyed the John Wick movies or moviemaking in general. Overall grade: A The last movie I saw this summer was Game Night, which came out in 2016. It was a hilarious, if occasionally dark comedy action thriller. Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams play Max and Annie Davis, a married couple who are very competitive and enjoy playing games of all kinds. Jason has an unresolved conflict with his brother Brooks, and one night Brooks invites them over for game night, which Max resents. Halfway through the evening, Brooks is kidnapped, with Max and Annie assume is part of the game. However, Brooks really is involved in something shady. Hilarity ensues, and it's up to Max and Annie to rescue Brooks and stay alive in the process. This was really funny, though a bit dark in places. That said, Max and Annie have a loving and supportive marriage, so it was nice to see something like that portrayed on the screen. Though this also leads to some hilarity, like when Annie accidentally shoots Max in the arm. No spoilers, but the punchline to that particular sequence was one of the funniest things I've ever seen. Overall grade: A So no A+ movie this time around, but I still saw a bunch of solid movies I enjoyed. One final note, I have to admit, I've really come to respect Adam Sandler as an entertainer, even if his movies and comedy are not always to my taste. He makes what he wants, makes a lot of money, ensures that his friends get paid, and then occasionally takes on a serious role in someone else's movie when he wants to flex some acting muscles. I am not surprised that nearly everyone who's in the original Happy Gilmore who was still alive wanted to come back for Happy Gilmore 2. So that is it for this week. Thank you for listening to The Pulp Writer Show. I hope you found the show enjoyable and perhaps a guide to some good movies to watch. A reminder that you can listen to all the back episodes at https://thepulpwritershow.com. If you enjoyed the podcast, please leave a review on your podcasting platform of choice. Stay safe and stay healthy and see you all next week.  

Michael Strassner is an actor, writer, and director. His credits include Young Rock, A Spy Movie, Modern Family, Parks and Recreation and more. He also wrote, directed, and starred in the award winning short film BIG BOY. He stars in the new film THE BALTIMORONS, which he co-wrote with Jay Duplass, and which opens in theaters tomorrow, September 5th. Join us for this fun chat as Michael takes us back to his childhood, shares his early acting and filmmaker inspirations, and discusses his terrific new film and his collaboration with the Duplass Brothers. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at BackroomAndy@gmail.com Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

The focal point of our discourse today is the examination of the most intellectually formidable characters within the DC Comics universe, as we endeavor to construct a tier list that categorizes these extraordinary minds. We will delve into the unparalleled intellect of figures such as Lex Luthor, Mr. Terrific, and Brainiac, who epitomize the zenith of genius-level characters. Moreover, we shall juxtapose these luminaries against the backdrop of the Marvel Zombies and engage in a critical analysis of the recent trailer released on Disney Plus. Throughout this episode, we will not only react to the aforementioned trailer but also explore the implications of genius-level characters in the context of their respective narratives. Join us as we navigate the intricate landscapes of comic lore and cinematic adaptations, culminating in a robust discussion that promises to enlighten and engage.Who's the smartest in comics?

Superman is the most relatable superhero.James Gunn directing David CorenswetCorey Vidal's John Williams video(00:00) - James Gunn doing James Gunn things (01:28) - Noah and the Whale (05:02) - This movie loves to spin (07:41) - Hopecore Superheroes (11:25) - David Cornfed (12:41) - Gunn and Corenswet behind the scenes (13:54) - The best Lex Luthor (17:19) - Rachel Brosnahan!!! (20:12) - Nathan Fillion finally a superhero (22:04) - Guy Gardner in the comics (22:35) - Isabel Merced as Hawkgirl (27:09) - Boravia & Jharanpur (30:01) - Public opinion in this movie (30:59) - The Internet in this movie (34:03) - Jimmy Olsen (37:11) - Eve (39:28) - This world feels alive! (45:12) - Alan Tudyk as 4 (46:43) - We want more DCU (47:20) - 4 again (48:04) - Mr Terrific was terrific (50:11) - Superman is the MOST relatable hero (54:43) - Steve is an asshole (55:49) - Interiority! (56:18) - Put Penelope on the phone (57:09) - Krypto ❤️ (58:45) - The score (01:01:37) - Go listen to In Sequence! Support the show at https://ko-fi.com/matthortonWe're on Bluesky @cantletitgo.gay!Join The Worst Garbage Discord!Find AC at acfacci.comFind Matt at MattHorton.LIVEArt by Scout (https://ko-fi.com/humblegoat)Music by Ethan Geller Resources on PalestinePalestine Solidarity ToolkitDonate to Palestinian organizations providing relief and services in Gaza and the West Bank:Middle East Children's AllianceMedical Aid for PalestineAl-Awda Health and Community AssociationHebron International Resource NetworkBDS MovementOur History of Popular Resistance: Palestine Reading ListJewish Voice for Peace - First Steps for Palestinian FreedomJewish Voice for Peace - Take ActionOperation Olive BranchFind out more at https://cantletitgo.gay ★ Support this podcast ★

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jonathan Capehart is a co-host of the morning edition of The Weekend on MSNBC. From 2020 until 2025 he was anchor of The Saturday Show and The Sunday Show on MSNBC. He is also an analyst on The PBS News Hour. He is a former Associate Editor at the Washington Post, where he was an opinion writer for nearly two decades.He was also deputy editorial page editor of the New York Daily News and served on its editorial board. His editorial campaign in 1999 to save the Apollo Theater earned the board the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing. His new memoir, “Yet Here I Am: Lessons from A Black Man's Search for Home,”, is a NY Times bestseller. Jonathan discusses his terrific new book about his life and career, and shares why after nearly two decades he left The Washington Post this Summer. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at BackroomAndy@gmail.com Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

The season opener against TCU is getting closer as Carolina moves into game prep (3:27)Chancellor Lee Roberts joins for a terrific interview to talk UNC, Carolina athletics and his 500-mile bike ride across the state (38:24)Plus: e-mail catch-up (20:24), Cascada turns 20 (1:06:45), a terrible Chapel Hill song (1:11:03), the upcoming Montross Day of Service (1:16:00) and the Pod has a Discord server (we don't know what that means) (1:18:36)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today Ernie & Carter discuss the recent controversy surrounding Valiant and Bloodshot Beyond #1, (4:50) Carter's introduction to Mr. Terrific in Jeff Lemire's The Terrifics! (32:20) & they take a look at the upcoming Hulk story arc, & name change, Infernal Hulk, (46:00)Ernie also gives his thoughts on Predator Kills The Marvel Universe #1 (1:13:56). & they check out new details surrounding the next Marvel vs DC crossover!Get your first 1-Year Subscription at @GlobalComix for $69.99 using my link & promo code to read their entire digital comics library that now includes DC, Image Comics, Dynamite Comics, Boom Studios!, Vault Comics, ONI Press, AWA, and more!Link: https://globalcomix.page.link/GCXBLERDPromo Code: GCXBLERDWITHOUTFEAR

Liam and Cal sit down to review one of the most memorable episodes of Justice League Unlimited this week and while the general plot is similar, we can promise you this is not a sequel to Freaky Friday. The episode in question is "The Great Brain Robbery" which sees Lex Luthor and The Flash swamp consciousnesses as hijinks ensues. The hosts talk about the instantly memorable plot and quotable one-liners from the leads and supporting cast, the continued Mr. Terrific shine, how Michale Rosenbaum and Clancy Brown did with impersonating one another and even a nod to the classic Green Lantern yellow weakness. Plus the hosts discuss the most memorable line from the episode and why Tala seems to be so blissfully ignorant in this episode with our question of the week. All of this and a look at next week's Elseworld's tale that links back to an episode covered earlier this month and more on this week's all new DCAU Review!Please Consider Supporting the Podcast:Become a monthly or one time supporter of the pod at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://⁠⁠⁠⁠buymeacoffee.com/DCAUReview⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to the pod on⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Spotify or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and please consider leaving us a 5-star review⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to our new YouTube Channel ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support the pod by picking up some merch at our shop ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://dcaureview.myspreadshop.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us: Twitter/X ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@DCAUReview⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@DCAUReview⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Final Scores:Plot: Cal: 10/10 – Liam: 10/10Visuals/Animation: Cal: 8/10 – Liam: 7/10Music: Cal: 6/10 – Liam: 6/10Voice Acting: Cal: 10/10 – Liam: 10/10Bonus Point: Cal +2 (Rosenbaum as Lex, "Because I'm Evil")Final Tally: Cal: 36/40 – Liam: 33/40

ALWAYS Makes for a Terrific Thursday in Houston When We Hear from Quarterback #1 for these Texans! CJ STROUD PRESSER full 739 Fri, 15 Aug 2025 03:42:42 +0000 pdhqUbhfQsJPosRUMNIE3gQjoL12zFQW sports The Drive with Stoerner and Hughley sports ALWAYS Makes for a Terrific Thursday in Houston When We Hear from Quarterback #1 for these Texans! CJ STROUD PRESSER 2-6PM M-F © 2025 Audacy, Inc. Sports False

It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a podcast! We burst into the feed with a special episode on the First James Gunn Superman Movie, 2025's Superman! We also want to know what you've done with the dog! Then it's all talk of hunks, kindness, quality acting, cuteness, good jokes, earnest people, and controversies in our quest to embrace the punk rock nature of being a good person. Plus, we get into some horror in the MouthGarf Report, and fight our way through I See What You Did There! Please go to the movies! Please give us a 5 star rating on Apple Podcasts! Want to ask us a question? Talk to us! Email debutbuddies@gmail.comListen to the archives of Kelly and Chelsea's awesome horror movie podcast, Never Show the Monster.Get some sci-fi from Spaceboy Books.Get down with Michael J. O'Connor and the Cold Family and check out his new compilation The Best of the Bad Years 2005 - 2025Next time: "First," the Internet Comments Section Meme (1997)

It's time for a Pero victory lap this week as he gets the chance to bask in the Tigers best win in years over the stuttering Dogs. We cover all of the action from that game and also go around the game to cover off the Panthers cheating antics, the retirement of the Chod and the triumphant return of Jake Arthur to NRL competition. It's all this, it's romance, it's just the vibe really. Get it all here on the world's raunchiest podcast. So, let's get into it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join Andrew and Jesse as they break down the excitement of topwater fishing, from the irresistible draw of lures like the Whopper Plopper and Berkley Choppo to the gear and techniques that trigger jaw-dropping strikes from bass, pike, and musky. Packed with stories, laughs, and practical tips, this episode delivers something for both seasoned anglers and beginners looking to step up their game. Special thanks to Lunkerhunt for sponsoring this episode! Please check out their website: https://lunkerhunt.com/Due to character limits on these show notes the links for mentioned lures are all compiled on a free patreon post.Links: https://www.patreon.com/c/AverageOntarioAnglersSupport the showWe appreciate your support in making this one of Canada's favourite fishing podcasts! This show is ad free for your listening pleasure, but if you feel inclined to help us cover some of the cost incurred in producing this show please click the support show link

ON THIS EPISODE: (TIME STAMPS BELOW) An in-depth interview with DC Comics writer Jeremy Adams about how his Christian Faith plays into his writing and career, and a detailed analysis of a complex passage of scripture regarding men and women, including Paeter's approach to wrestling with, and interpreting, difficult verses in the Bible! Also, a “bonus” review of the “geek-adjacent” comedy, The Naked Gun! AND MUCH MORE! 00:00:30 Intro 00:04:06 Jeremy Adams Interview 01:01:27 CGC & Christian Geek News(A Resource For Theologically Considering The Multiverse Hypothesis) 01:06:08 The Naked Gun Review 01:21:33 Men & Women In Church And Interpeting Difficult Verses (1 Timothy Geek Bible Study) 01:46:52 Listener/Viewer Feedback & Questions(The Bible On Divorce, A Weirdly Misused Bible Verse) Paeter's Geek Week 02:11:17 COMIC BOOKS- Justice League Of America #48-70, 02:15:49 TV & MOVIES- Justice League Unlimited Season 1 02:24:23 VIDEO GAMES- Death Stranding 02:32:02 On The Next Episode… 02:34:42 Essential Issues Weekly: DC Comics Reactions (In a fresh re-telling of Mr. Terrific's origin story, his Atheism is confronted by the very real existence of God's agent of wrath! But the exchange leaves something to be desired. PLUS, Superman has a new Kryptonite-related power!?! Superman Unlimited 2, Batman/Superman: World's Finest 40, Wonder Woman 22, Batman & Robin: Year One 8, Detective Comics 1098, New History Of The DC Universe 1, The Flash 22, Green Lantern 24, Mr. Terrific Year One 2 (Spectre Vs. Atheist)! ) Support this podcast and enjoy exclusive rewards at https://www.patreon.com/spiritbladeproductions Join Our Free Public Discord Channels! Invite HERE: https://discord.gg/5CRfFy2GG5 Subscribe in a reader Open In i-tunes- itms://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-christian-geek-central-podcast/id258963175?mt=2 i-tunes Page Link- https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-christian-geek-central-podcast/id258963175?mt=2 Get fun, exclusive rewards for your support! Visit: https://www.patreon.com/spiritbladeproductions Or Become a Patron! All episodes are archived and available for download at www.spiritblade.com , Resources used to prepare CGC Bible Study/Devotional content include:"Expositor's Bible Commentary", Frank E. Gaebelein General Editor (Zondervan Publishing House),"The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament", by Dr. John H. Walton, Dr. Victor H. Matthews & Dr. Mark W. Chavalas (InterVarsity Press), "The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament", by Dr. Craig S. Keener (InterVarsity Press),Thayer's Greek Lexicon, Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Blueletterbible.org, The Christian Geek Central Statement Of Faith can be found at: http://christiangeekcentral.blogspot.com/p/about.html The Christian Geek Central Podcast is written, recorded and produced by Paeter Frandsen. Additional segments produced by their credited authors. Logo created by Matthew Silber. Copyright 2007-2025, Spirit Blade Productions. Music by Wesley Devine, Bjorn A. Lynne, Pierre Langer, Jon Adamich, audionautix.com and Sound Ideas. Spazzmatica Polka by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Freesound.org effects provided by: FreqMan

My productivity hack: https://www.magicmind.com/FITMESS20 Use my code FITMESS20 for 20% off #magicmind ---- Who controls the machines when AI gets superpowers? We're living through the most significant technological shift in human history, and most people are arguing about all the wrong things. While culture warriors battle over Superman's immigration status, the real story is staring us in the face: the war for control of artificial intelligence. This isn't some distant sci-fi fantasy anymore – it's happening right now, and the stakes couldn't be higher. The newest Superman movie accidentally became the perfect metaphor for our AI moment. You've got Lex Luthor commanding an army of machines like he's playing the world's most dangerous video game, while Superman fights back with his own AI companions. Sound familiar? That's because we're already living it. The question isn't whether humans and machines will merge – it's whether the good guys or the Lex Luthors of the world get to decide how it happens. Listen now to discover how a comic book movie reveals the three critical choices we're making about AI right now that will determine whether technology saves humanity or enslaves it. 10 Topics Discussed: The BroBots Rebrand - Why The Fit Mess is evolving into something bigger as we embrace the human-machine future Superman as AI Metaphor - How James Gunn's film accidentally became the perfect commentary on our current AI moment The Lex Luthor Problem - Why the people building AI might not be the people we want controlling it Intent vs Technology - How AI amplifies human nature, both good and evil, rather than changing it The Video Game Controller War - Lex Luthor's command system and what it reveals about human-machine interfaces Mr. Terrific's Cool Factor - Why the best AI integration makes humans more capable, not obsolete Biological Augmentation - The Engineer's sacrifice and what giving up humanity for technology really costs Real-World Supervillains - How tech billionaires are becoming the comic book antagonists we used to only fear in fiction Breaking Echo Chambers - Why putting down your screen and talking to real humans is the ultimate AI defense The Culture War Distraction - How fake outrage over Superman's "woke" themes distracts from the real technological threats ---- NEW WEBSITE: www.brobots.me  ---- MORE FROM THE FIT MESS: Connect with us on Threads, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Tiktok Subscribe to The Fit Mess on Youtube Join our community in the Fit Mess Facebook group ---- LINKS TO OUR PARTNERS: Take control of how you'd like to feel with Apollo Neuro Explore the many benefits of cold therapy for your body with Nurecover Muse's Brain Sensing Headbands Improve Your Meditation Practice. Get started as a Certified Professional Life Coach! Get a Free One Year Supply of AG1 Vitamin D3+K2, 5 Travel Packs Revamp your life with Bulletproof Coffee You Need a Budget helps you quickly get out of debt, and save money faster! Start your own podcast!    

It's been a while since we did a news episode! For those of you encouraging us to keep it up with the long episodes, this one's for you! Just a warning though: Spoilers for Superman are abundant. Spoilers for Fantastic Four: First Steps are slight but there nonetheless. Here's the basic breakdown of the episode:SupermanBox OfficeRatings Across Platforms"Superman" Breaks Preview Screening RecordSupposedly What "Superman" Needs to SucceedJames Gunn Pushes Back on High Superman Box Office PressurePossible Spin-Offs for Jimmy and Mr. Terrific?James Gunn Explains Why He Turned Down Directing Superman at FirstGunn Had Other Movies…Lex Suit Was Never in the Movie!James Gunn Reveals Scene Cut for Being Too Dark and ViolentOther Hotly Contested ScenesIs Superman an Immigrant? (Yes)Define SequelGunn's Secret Project TheoryWill We See The Legion of Superheroes?Superman's Easter Egg-Filled Hall of Justice Mural Is Finally Released OnlineWas the Dimensional Imp Mxyzptlk?Why Didn't Supergirl Tell Superman About the Message?Superman's Parents Came From ComicsWill We See Ultraman Again?Was Superman Too Fast-Paced?Gunn Didn't Want a Perfect SupermanWill We See Eve Tesmacher's Toes as a Blu Ray Extra?DCU Actor Says Superman Continuity Error Will Be Addressed in Next AppearanceSandmanNetflix's Returning Dark DC Series Ranks High on Streamer's Top 10 ChartWhy We Aren't Paying Much AttentionPeacemakerPeacemaker 2 is a Superman Follow UpOther Unnamed People are in PeacemakerSuperman Star Isabela Merced Teases Hawkgirl's DCU Return in PeacemakerJames Gunn Reveals Peacemaker Companion SeriesPeacemaker Dealing with DCEU?James Gunn Reveals Peacemaker Season 2 Theme at SDCC | https://youtu.be/Om_VWBua0_MJames Gunn Calls Peacemaker Season 2 His Favorite Soundtrack (and Teases More Ozzy Osbourne)Peacemaker Season 2 Trailer | https://youtu.be/f6AZTfI54OUJames Gunn Says Eagly is Better Than KryptoClayfaceJames Gunn's Tease for DC's Clayface MovieLanternsSuperman's Nathan Fillion Drops F-Bombs in HBO's LanternsDavid Corenswet Might Have Spoiled a Huge Lanterns CameoSupergirlJames Gunn Teases the DCU Krypton Scenes in SupergirlSupergirl Costume (Look Out)Krypto's FateThe Batman Part IIThe Batman 2 Finally Gets the Update DC Fans Have Been Waiting ForGunn Likes The Batman 2 ScriptBlack SupermanWarner Bros. Reportedly Dismissed a Black Superman Movie For Being “Too Woke”DCTeaJames Gunn Teases the DCU's Main Character Isn't Who Fans ThinkJames Gunn Reveals Three Superhero Moments He Never Wants to See AgainJames Gunn Addresses if Superman, Batman, & Wonder Woman Appear Together in the DCUBatman TalkReeves Batman and DCU Batman Probably Won't Appear in the Same Calendar YearWill Batman Show Up Before Brave and the Bold?We Probably Won't See Flash or Aquaman for Another Two yearsGunn Comments on Keaton's Blue and Gray Suit in The FlashAre WB Pushing Gunn for a Bunch of Things Post Superman?James Gunn Talks Godzilla Minus One With Director Takashi Yamazaki, Promises DC Studios MeetingWonder Woman is Being WrittenJames Gunn Teases Live-Action Debut of an Important DC AmazonJames Gunn Addresses Major DC Casting RumorThe Authority and Another Unannounced ProjectSwamp Thing UpdateWaller Still in DevelopmentCreature Commandos Season 2 Will Have a Big Change DC Fans Did Not See ComingSGT Rock UpdateBarbarian and Weapons Director Wrote a Gotham DC MovieBooster Gold Back in the MixHow Gunn Told Cavill He Was No Longer SupermanDC Boss James Gunn Confirms Two Movies Aren't Canon in the DCUAztec Batman: Clash of Empires Trailer | https://youtu.be/-bd_AUSkrRADC Drops a Bunch of Fan-Favorite Animated Movies on Streaming for FreeFeedbackLorenzo ValdesAndre' SparksshamonedreitudeZach ChampionSylas RodellJoin Our Riotous DC Debauch!Site: https://dconscreen.comStore: https://bit.ly/DCoStorePatreon: https://patreon.com/dconscreenApple: http://bit.ly/DCoSReviewSpotify: http://bit.ly/DCSCREENSpreaker: https://bit.ly/DCoSSpreaker

Donald Trump is bungling the Jeffrey Epstein scandal in real time. The Trump-Epstein connection is the politics news of the month, with no end in sight to further developments about the extent of the so-called “Epstein files” that may or may not be in the administration's possession. Trump's MAGA base is openly angry at him for seemingly the first time over the course of two administrations. Some Republicans have demanded answers, even as GOP leaders have shut down the House to stop Democrats from pursuing the release of further information. Both parties are using the scandal to their advantage, to the detriment of Epstein's real-life victims and survivors. This week, Katelyn and Christine interview independent journalist Ken Klippenstein about the Epstein discourse that split MAGA and might finally, finally stick to Teflon Don.Watch the full episode on Cancel Me, Daddy's YouTube channel.Links:Follow Ken Klippenstein on Bluesky @kenklippenstein.bsky.socialSubscribe to Ken's newsletter: www.kenklippenstein.comNPR's “Morning Edition”: A timeline of the controversy over the administration's handling of the Epstein filesMarianna Sotomayor and Kadia Goba for The Washington Post: House largely grinds to a halt over Epstein filesKatelyn Burns for Vox (2020): “At a news conference in 2019, [Trump] lied so often — about everything from Labor Secretary Alex Acosta's involvement in the Jeffrey Epstein case to whether Article II of the US Constitution gives him unlimited power — that Vox's Aaron Rupar called it a “master class in gaslighting.”Landon Thomas Jr. for New York (2002): “I've known Jeff for fifteen years. Terrific guy,” Trump booms from a speakerphone. “He's a lot of fun to be with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side. No doubt about it — Jeffrey enjoys his social life.”In this episode, we cover:• The documented Trump-Epstein connection timeline• Political psychology of scandal immunity• How conservative media frames controversial stories• Progressive analysis of MAGA loyalty dynamicsThis isn't just another Trump scandal breakdown - it's a deep dive into American political tribalism and the media narratives that shape public opinion.

Frank and Squeaks squeeze a convention's worth of geek news into one episode. They unpack the Mortal Kombat 2 trailer, debate James Gunn and Kevin Feige's competing road maps, and rate Donkey Kong Bonanza out of ten bananas. Actor‑producer Chris Maher (Blowback, Mojave Diamonds) stops by to share indie‑film war stories, screen‑test secrets, and hard‑won advice for working actors. Timestamps & Topics 00:00 – Intro and episode roadmap 00:25 – Question of the Week: where David Corenswet should land in Star Wars 02:15 – Mortal Kombat 2 trailer reactions; Karl Urban as Johnny Cage 07:10 – Marvel news: street‑level Spider‑Man, MCU reset, Kang fallout 13:20 – DC slate: Superman spin‑offs, two films a year, animated experiments 20:01 – X‑Men reboot by Jake Schreier, younger roster, villain wish list 23:00 – Spin‑off talk: Mr. Terrific, Jimmy Olsen, Paradise Lost expectations 30:00 – Wonder Woman fast‑tracked with Ana Nogueira scripting 37:45 – Henry Cavill exit explained—who he could play next 42:00 – Donkey Kong Bonanza review: mechanics, nostalgia, 9/10 bananas 46:42 – Interview: Chris Maher on auditions, stunts, producing, new film Nova 1:08:42 – Acting advice & networking: why paid classes matter 1:18:40 – Network news, Sandman binge, Xbox summer sale picks 1:22:53 – Recommendations & outro Key Takeaways Mortal Kombat 2 looks “worthy of theaters” with a Johnny Cage‑centric story. Kevin Feige confirms a post‑2027 MCU reset focused on fewer, higher‑quality releases. James Gunn aims for two DC films plus one animated project annually to combat superhero fatigue. A younger X‑Men lineup is coming; the hosts pitch Henry Cavill as Mister Sinister. Donkey Kong Bonanza nails open‑world exploration and earns 9/10 bananas from Squeaks. Chris Maher reminds actors “the real job is auditioning” and stresses business savvy in showbiz. Boardwalk Winter releases August 5; Maher's Vindicator distribution news is imminent. Memorable Quotes “I'm a thirty‑year‑old man web‑slinging around my house after Spider‑Man 2.” — Frank “Short films are fun; features are short films times ten headaches.” — Chris Maher “Editors, I love you guys…but I still mess with the clapper.” — Chris Maher “Sandman hits different when you're reading, listening, and binging all at once.” — Squeaks Call to Action If this episode hit your geek sweet spot, tap Subscribe, drop a quick 5‑star review, and share a screenshot with #GeekFreaksPodcast so we can shout you out next week! Links & Resources All news pulled from GeekFreaksPodcast.com – your one‑stop source Pre‑order Boardwalk Winter (Chris Maher, Natalie Veeder, Victoria Jackson) Follow Chris Maher on Instagram: @chrisfredma Follow Us Facebook: facebook.com/thegeekfreakspodcast Instagram: instagram.com/geekfreakspodcast Twitter: twitter.com/geekfreakspod Threads: threads.net/@geekfreakspodcast Patreon: patreon.com/GeekFreakspodcast Listener Questions What indie comic, game, or film should we spotlight next? Email GeekFreaksPodcast@gmail.com or tag us with #GeekFreaksMailbag and we might feature your question on air. Apple Podcast Tags Marvel news, DC Universe, Mortal Kombat 2, Donkey Kong Bonanza review, Chris Maher interview, acting advice, geek culture podcast

Actor and comedian Michael Hartney -- a Superman guy to his core - joins us to discuss James Gunn's much-anticipated, highly-speculated upon take on the world's most famous superhero. Then, in honor of Krypto (the Superdog, of course) we nominated best (goodest?) movie dogs to the Hall of Excellence.What's GoodAlonso - Dark Chocolate OreosDrea - gift article links on BlueskyMichael - Superman discourseKevin - finding his Tracy Bonham album (Sky Too Wide)ITIDICFinal Sundance in Park City Will Honor Its History in Utah and Founder RedfordAlamo Founder Launches Private Movie Experience in New York CityThe Devil Wears Prada Sequel Set for Next Spring HoE NomineesAlonso - Asta (The Thin Man)Drea - Dug (Up)Michael - Old Yeller Kevin - E. Buzz (Poltergeist)Staff PicksDrea - Life AfterAlonso - The Damned (2024)Michael - Popstar: Never Stop Never StoppingKevin - Hero at LargeMichael's Characters Welcome Patreon Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or LetterboxdWithKevin AveryDrea ClarkAlonso DuraldeProduced by Marissa FlaxbartSr. Producer Laura Swisher

In this jam-packed episode of The Geekz Podcast, Alil, Steve, Ed, and Sean bring the laughs, nostalgia, and hot takes as they dive deep into movies, TV, video games, and collectible culture. From joking about the heat and Lex Luthor cosplay to unwrapping vintage G.I. Joe and Monster in My Pocket cards, the crew shares their weekly hauls, including Disney Parks-exclusive Marvel statues and a rare Boglin score. Once Sean arrives, the spotlight shifts to their full review of Superman (2025)—complete with passionate debates, spoiler-filled reactions, and a breakdown of what worked (Mr. Terrific's show-stealing moment, a glorious Hall of Justice) and what fell flat (Hawkgirl's wings and Lex's pettiness). Whether you're into DC lore, card collecting, horror podcasts, or flea market gold, this episode is a must-listen for anyone who geeks out over the best in movies, toys, TV, and all things nerdy. Stay safe, be nice to each other, and keep it geeky! Also, check out our other Channel or watch it here, our Star Geekz Star Wars only feed. https://www.youtube.com/live/k4KTG2FKa38?si=KYIaebxR4gukHGl9

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.politix.fmThe race is on between Donald Trump, who's desperately trying to put down the raging scandal surrounding his Jeffrey Epstein lies (whatever they happen to be) and Democrats who are finally engaged, and trying to pry the truth loose. Who's gonna win?In this episode, Matt and Brian discuss:* How has the Epstein scandal developed over the past week?* Why have Democrats been uninterested in all matters Epstein, both recently and over many years of right-wing conspiracy theories?* What's the likeliest explanation of why Trump is behaving so desperately now?Then, behind the paywall, we tackle a bunch of pressing questions: what have Democrats done thus far to move the story forward? What more could they do? Will the files be released, or will the story fizzle? Could “the Epstein files” be the thing that finally creates real, lasting political problems for Trump? And what would it say about America if this—rather than matters of major civic significance, like COVID failures and the insurrection—becomes the thing that finally brings Trump low?All that, plus the full Politix archive are available to paid subscribers—just upgrade your subscription and pipe full episodes directly to your favorite podcast app via your own private feed.Further reading:* Matt wrote, “I'm not deeply invested in any theory about Epstein, but I always thought Democrats blew it by not pushing for some oversight here,” way back in 2021.* Brian on how the Epstein saga illustrates the need for Democrats to get outside their comfort zones, and how they might use this opportunity to wage war on the entire right-wing bad-faith media complex.* The 2002 Epstein profile that started it all: “‘I've known Jeff for fifteen years. Terrific guy,' Trump booms from a speakerphone. ‘He's a lot of fun to be with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side. No doubt about it — Jeffrey enjoys his social life.'”* Julie Brown, the reporter who broke the real Epstein trafficking scandal, weighs in with The Bulwark.

James Gunn has officially launched his DC Universe—and we've got thoughts. In this episode of ThumbWar, Rachel and J.D. dive headfirst into the chaotic brilliance of the new Superman movie, complete with our favorite needle-drops, Krypto chaos, Lex Luthor love, and Mr. Terrific stealing the whole damn show. We're breaking down: David Corenswet's Superman vs. Henry Cavill's legacy

We've called in the Justice Gang! Mal is joined by Van Lathan and Sean Fennessey to dive deep into James Gunn's 'Superman.' They delve into their thoughts on the movie, James Gunn's vision for the character, David Corenswet as Superman/Clark Kent, the heavy amount of themes in the film, the world-building of the new DCU, and more! Also, The Ringer-Verse is going to Comic-Con! We'll be hosting our very own panel at 6 p.m. PT on Thursday, July 24, at Grand 10 & 11, Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina for all badge holders. Intro (00:00)Opening Snapshot (09:53)Initial Thoughts (21:23)David Corenswet as Superman/Clark Kent (48:34)Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane (57:27)The Themes of 'Superman' (01:01:51)Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor (01:16:29)Clark's Parents (01:29:37)Krypto! (01:44:25)Mr. Terrific and the Justice Gang (01:49:14)Jimmy Olsen and Friends (02:01:17)Post-Credit Scenes (02:06:32) Hosts: Mallory RubinGuests: Van Lathan and Sean FennesseyProducers: John Richter and Eduardo OcampoSocial: Jomi AdeniranAdditional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Look up! It’s Jason and Rosie’s reaction pod to James Gunn’s Superman (2025) where they gush about the film, from the terrific Mr. Terrific to the excellent casting of Superman. And speaking of Superman’s casting, Joelle interviewed David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan! Follow Jason: IG & Bluesky Follow Rosie: IG & Letterboxd Follow X-Ray Vision on Instagram Join the X-Ray Vision DiscordSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom.Are you looking for practical strategies to help your kids face the challenges of a scary world? Join us for a conversation with Melinda Wenner Moyer. She is an author, contributing editor at Scientific American, a regular contributor to The New York Times, and a former faculty member at New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute. Her new book is titled Hello, Cruel World: Science-Based Strategies for Raising Terrific Kids in Terrifying Times.In this episode we discuss:Why is raising kids in today's world is so challenging and potentially terrifying for parents.What are the fears kids are feeling in today's culture?What are some of the clues parents and caregivers should look for to tell us our kids might be struggling with fear or anxiety?How does a parent or caregiver's fear impact our ability to raise our kids in what feels like a terrifying world?How do we balance protecting our kids from the world with equipping them to handle the hard things about today's world?When and how do we start “lifting the shield”?The book's framework for raising kids in these challenging times includes these three pillars: coping mechanisms, connection techniques, and cultivation practices.Coping MechanismsHow to manage anxiety and fear.Self-regulationEmotional literacyExamples of coping strategies for one or two agesConnection TechniquesParent-child attachment as a protective factorImportance of being emotionally available and validatingRoutines, rituals, and conversations that build trustExamples of fun and playful connection techniquesCultivation PracticesHow to practice optimism, gratitude, curiosity, and moral reasoningEncouraging healthy risk-taking and autonomyExamples for how we parents can model ethical and resilient behaviorWhat additional or special considerations for those of us raising kids impacted by trauma? How can we adapt some of these strategies?Examples of how a parent's approach should evolve as their child grows in age or ability by age/stage:Infants & Toddlers (0–3)Preschool (3–5)Elementary (6–11)Tweens & Teens (12–18)Resources for Parents & Caregivers:Practical Tips to Help Your Kids Manage StressPractical Ideas to Boost Your Child's Social-Emotional LearningSupport the showPlease leave us a rating or review. This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content: Weekly podcasts Weekly articles/blog posts Resource pages on all aspects of family building

Register here for the live online event to learn about ‘Unlocking BRRRR Deals in Little Rock on Thursday, July 17th at 8PM Eastern. Keith discusses the competitive nature of short-term rentals (STRs) and the need for hosts to offer luxury amenities to attract guests. Long time investing pro, Alex, joins us to cover the BRRRR strategy in Little Rock, Arkansas, an investor-advantaged market, emphasizing its low property taxes and stable cash flow. They explain the BRRRR process, including: buying, renovating, renting, refinancing, and repeating.  The strategy allows investors to scale their portfolios with minimal initial capital, offering a 0% management fee in year one and 4% in year two.  Resources: Register here for the live online event to learn about ‘Unlocking BRRRR Deals in Little Rock on Thursday, July 17th at 8PM Eastern. Show Notes: GetRichEducation.com/561 For access to properties or free help with a GRE Investment Coach, start here: GREmarketplace.com GRE Free Investment Coaching: GREinvestmentcoach.com Get mortgage loans for investment property: RidgeLendingGroup.com or call 855-74-RIDGE  or e-mail: info@RidgeLendingGroup.com Invest with Freedom Family Investments.  You get paid first: Text FAMILY to 66866 Will you please leave a review for the show? I'd be grateful. Search “how to leave an Apple Podcasts review”  For advertising inquiries, visit: GetRichEducation.com/ad Best Financial Education: GetRichEducation.com Get our wealth-building newsletter free— text ‘GRE' to 66866 Our YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/c/GetRichEducation Follow us on Instagram: @getricheducation Complete episode transcript:   Automatically Transcribed With Otter.ai    Keith Weinhold  0:01   Welcome to GRE I'm your host. Keith Weinhold, anymore when you own short term rentals like Airbnbs and vrbos, you are in an all out arms race competing to provide amenities like never before. Then what happens when you take the popular burr real estate strategy and overlay it with one of the most investor advantaged markets in all of America. It's a lucrative opportunity. You'll see how and why today on get rich education.    Keith Weinhold  0:32   Mid south home buyers, I mean, they're total pros, with over two decades as the nation's highest rated turnkey provider, their empathetic property managers use your ROI as their North Star. So it's no wonder that smart investors just keep lining up to get their completely renovated income properties like it's the newest iPhone. They're headquartered in Memphis and have globally attractive cash flows, an A plus rating with the Better Business Bureau, and now over 5000 houses renovated their zero markup on maintenance. Let that sink in, and they average a 98.9% occupancy rate, while their average renter stays more than three and a half years. Every home they offer has brand new components, a bumper to bumper, one year warranty, new 30 year roofs. And wait for it, a high quality renter. Remember that part and in an astounding price range, 100 to 180k I've personally toured their office and their properties in person in Memphis. Get to know mid south enjoy cash flow from day one. Start yourself right now at mid southhomebuyers.com that's mid southhomebuyers.com   Speaker 1  1:58   You're listening to the show that has created more financial freedom than nearly any show in the world. This is get rich education.   Keith Weinhold  2:14   Welcome to GRE from North Conway, New Hampshire to North port, Florida and across 188 nations worldwide. I'm Keith Weinhold, and this is get rich education, happy July, the second half of the year. And my favorite month of the year is your Airbnb fancy enough, because anymore STRS short term rentals have gotten so competitive that hosts treat their properties like white lotus level hotels. Now, STRS were never passive, but they become even less so it is active income. Once upon a time, Airbnb hosts could just sort of drop a few colorful throw pillows on their fold out couch and make a killing. But no more those days are so far gone. The STR game has changed drastically. I mean, you used to be able to list a basic home with generic furniture that you got at Costco, minimal amenities, no Wi Fi, and still get it booked, but today, it will sit empty unless you offer more than just a place to sleep. You have to build an experience for Airbnb guests. Now, increasingly, hosts are doing things like adding outdoor kitchens, arcade machines, putting greens, even basketball. And now, though these upgrades do cost a lot up front, they can pay off. These amenity types can double your nightly rate, but they come with more responsibility and more to maintain. I mean, more guests are expecting a flawless experience. The trend is that Airbnbs are becoming full scale hospitality operations, and if you don't treat it like one, you're going to fall behind. So simply having a nice house that just no longer cuts it, running a short term rental today is nothing like it was even two or three years ago. You used to be able to stand out with a decent bed and colorful throw prolos, but now guests are basically comparing your place to boutique hotels. Hosts are deeply investing in design, forward furniture, layered lighting and featuring spaces that some market as what they call moments like cozy reading corners in these luxurious bathroom setups, adding things like welcome guides and even complete brand identities with a proper. Name and even a logo and a story to give the place some personality, even writing up a history for your property, even if it's not that historic. Now, these sorts of tactics, they actually do, seem to work. Guests will give you more bookings, better reviews, and guests even share the space on social media like it's somewhat of a lifestyle destination now sometimes STR hosts, they team with these other platforms to add welcome champagne in ice buckets on site, sommeliers, private chefs, daily, housekeeping on demand. 24/7 textable concierges, heated plunge pools and other amenities through you partnering with some of these platforms and these upgrades don't come cheap. The publication called the playbook, they featured an STR in Sag Harbor, New York, where the property owner invested $85,000 into overhauling the landscaping and adding a James Turrell Inspired LED light installation. But overall, these improvements boost rental revenue by an average of 40% over what the property was collecting previously. All right, so this is a case study now, though, this STR trend of offering deep hospitality and luxury amenities has turned into more of a job and less about passive income. You know, really, this is free market capitalism, because this is competition to see who can provide the best service at the lowest price, but that's what it is. So this is making real estate less of a good and more of a service. Short term rentals soaring supply, day rate compression and AI driven pricing tools. That means that the just this all nice house with good photos thing that no longer cuts it. It is an amenities arms race now, and of course, this is a national trend. It doesn't mean that it's happening absolutely everywhere. In some places, hosts are able to charm guests simply with something like a freshly baked loaf of banana bread, but the consensus is whether they spend a little or a lot, Airbnb hosts unanimously say that they've got to work harder in order to keep guests happy. It's become more of a business and less of a side hustle than it used to be. You've got more hosts leaning into higher upfront investments because they know guests will pay for a sort of turnkey, Instagrammable experience. And this really is a classic early adopter issue, just like a lot of things, Airbnb launched in 2007 by the way, so this sort of first wave of Airbnb hosts back around 2012 to 2015 they were riding a blue ocean back then. There was virtually no competition. There weren't any standards, and there were plenty of bookings, and that made a lot of hosts pretty fat and happy. But that's not where we are now, really. The bottom line is that in many markets, short term rentals have transitioned from partial passivity to all out hospitality. That's the Airbnb arms race. The average Airbnb nightly rate for North America. Do you care to venture a guess at the average nightly rate? It is approximately $216 per night, and that right there is up 26% from 2020 so it is not up as much as house prices over that five year period from 2020 really, the Airbnb rate is up about as much as the long term rental rate.    Keith Weinhold  8:58   While we're talking numbers a quarter recently ended. Let's hit on our asset class rundown. What's happened to home prices in the past year? Well, when you aggregate all these sources, Zillow, Freddie, Mac case, Shiller, FHFA, in totality, home prices are up 2% single family rents are up 3% apartment rates are down 1% due to their oversupply. The 30 year mortgage rate was 6.9% a year ago, and it's 6.8 now. CPI inflation is 2.4% expressed in year to date terms. Now the SP5 100 is up 5% in the first half of this year, ending near 6200 the dollar is down. That means that it takes more of them to buy gold, which is over $3,300 an ounce, gold is up 27% just from the start of this year, and the oil price is still depressed in the 60s. Per dollar for a barrel, Bitcoin still strong, ending the quarter at 106kthat's your asset class rundown, which we do about quarterly.    Keith Weinhold  9:57   Hey, I really enjoyed meetingside. Of you on this year's terrific real estate guys Investor Summit at sea was concluded about a week ago. It was two days on land in Miami, followed by a week of conferences and fun aboard a Caribbean cruise ship. I really got to meet you and get to know you, because we had nine days together, and as one of the faculty members, I hosted a table at dinner every night, and each night the attendees rotated around to my table, so I got to meet a lot of you and really get to know you, and you got to know me. Yeah, it was as interesting for me to meet you in person, perhaps, as it was for you to meet me, because I like to hear what you're doing in real estate, investing, in everything else. I gave a main stage presentation that was almost an hour of all me, all GRE and also served on five different panel discussions. Oh, it's such a unique event. Get this, I was kind of dressed up to give my main stage presentation, which so many of you, by the way, told me afterwards, that that was your favorite presentation of them all, all week long, because each faculty member made a main stage presentation. But what I want to tell you is, just a few hours after I presented, on the cruise ship, I was shirtless in the water throwing a football around at the beach in St Thomas Virgin Islands. What an event. Fantastic to meet a number of you in person. So far today, I hope what I've shared with you has been informative. Next. It's something informative and really actionable that you can make lucrative that's next. I'm Keith Weinhold. You're listening to get rich education.    Keith Weinhold  11:45   The same place where I get my own mortgage loans is where you can get yours. Ridge lending group and MLS, 42056, they provided our listeners with more loans than anyone because they specialize in income properties. They help you build a long term plan for growing your real estate empire with leverage. Start your pre qual and even chat with President Caeli Ridge personally, while it's on your mind, start at Ridge lendinggroup.com. That's Ridge lendinggroup.com.    Russell Gray  12:16   You know what's crazy your bank is getting rich off of you, the average savings account pays less than 1% it's like laughable. Meanwhile, if your money isn't making at least 4% you're losing to inflation. That's why I started putting my own money into the FFI liquidity fund. It's super simple. Your cash can pull in up to 8% returns, and it compounds. It's not some high risk gamble like digital or AI stock trading. It's pretty low risk because they've got a 10 plus year track record of paying investors on time in full every time. I mean, I wouldn't be talking about it if I wasn't invested myself. You can invest as little as 25k and you keep earning until you decide you want your money back, no weird lock ups or anything like that. So if you're like me and tired of your liquid funds just sitting there doing nothing, check it out. Text family to 66866, to learn about freedom. Family investments, liquidity fund again. Text family to 66866.   Russell Gray  13:30   Hi. This is Russell Gray, co host of real estate guys radio show, and you're listening to get rich education with Keith Weinhold, don't quit your Daydream. You Keith,   Keith Weinhold  13:38   welcome back to get rich Education. I'm your host. Keith Weinhold, we're talking to a guest not only about an investor advantaged market, but when you overlay a certain strategy with it, this can be highly lucrative for investor returns, and we're with a long time investing pro Alex, welcome onto the show.    Alex Craig  14:04   Hi Keith, thank you.    Keith Weinhold  14:05   Well talking about top US cashflowing market, let's get right to it. Tell us about yours.   Alex Craig  14:11   Little Rock, Arkansas. It's a market that we've been in since 2012. I personally invest there. I've got about 75 doors of multi family, single family. And the reason why it works is just cash flow. Over the years, we've had investors from around the country that have owned portfolios where maybe they're somewhere in Phoenix or Dallas, where they're kind of speculating. This is not a speculation market, and that's why it works for myself. It's consistent. It's very linear, and linear is a word that we use a lot to describe. And if you're going to be a cash flow investor, and that's why I'm in it, it's you want a linear market. You don't want ups or downs, and then you want to make sure it's a growing market too. And Little Rock checks all the boxes of what you would want in a stable cash flow environment market.   Keith Weinhold  14:57   And I think a lot of our investor listeners are. Already pretty keen on that. You get a high ratio of rent income to purchase price. You have laws that heavily favor landlords over tenants. But Alex, in today's environment, people are more conscious about rising operating expenses and higher mortgage expenses, and that's really one advantage that Arkansas can give right now, is with those low property taxes   Alex Craig  15:20   Keith,it's so interesting you mentioned that because I did have a conversation with a client of ours that had a property in another market that he had mentioned how his property taxes had gone up and gone up substantially, which that's to expect. I mean, after COVID, there was a lot of markets saw a huge boost, especially with markets that saw hedge funds come in. Hedge Funds, I believe, ruined a lot of markets, raised the prices. And another reason I like Little Rock, it flies under the radar. You think is Little Rock is a small market, but it's really not. It's, I mean, the population of the city is 250,000 but the metro area, which is a 50 mile radius around Little Rock, is much bigger. And the entire, not only the entire market, metro area, feeds off little rock, really, the entire state does too. But that being said, because it's floating under the radar, the property tax have remained low. They've taken a little bit of bump over the years, because the values steadily go up, but they started low anyway. So with operating costs of insurance, insurance has gone up for a lot of for my own properties in other markets, it's going up, and it's going up in Little Rock too. I mean, it's just the name of insurance, but property taxes have remained low. They've always been low, and that's really a big help as to why this market works for us.   Keith Weinhold  16:30   Talking about flying under the radar, you're talking about, therefore evading a lot of that hedge fund money. Tell us more about the market and some of those anchors and drivers.   Alex Craig  16:40   It's a blue collar town. You've got logistics. Is a market, or is a segment of the industry that has really come on strong over the last few years, Amazon has really put a footprint in the market. Healthcare is a huge, huge market, like I mentioned earlier, not only does the region feed off the direct to the entire state, it's the hub of healthcare for the entire state of Arkansas, of course, it's government. Government provides a lot of jobs. The good thing about government jobs is they're maybe not on a national level anymore, but on a local, state level, they're very it's hard to get let go from a government job, unless now, not on a federal level, but it's very steady, so a lot of steady blue collar jobs, and that's what you want for a strong resident base, especially in the type of properties and 1000 to $1,200 price range, you want those blue collar study growing jobs.   Keith Weinhold  17:31   Yes, you do have those there. It's funny. I'm smiling a bit because I used to be a state government employee, and there's just no way that they ever would have fired me. I was so protective I had to quit in order for them to have to replace me at that job. I'm wondering about the new supply that's come on, Alex, because a number of markets have added supply. I know, for example, that Redfin reports that little rock median home price appreciation is up 7.3% year over year, and with the dynamics going on in the market recently, that typically tells us that there hasn't been that much new supply added. Is that what's going on there?   Alex Craig  18:11   No, there hasn't been a lot of new supply. I just think with little rock and every other market, the mortgage rates have gone up. Home ownership is down during COVID. It was really hard to get an investment property. For what we did, sending out our list every week. It was basically send out our properties, people hitting send and not even knowing what they were reserving. Rates were just low, right? Everybody's jumping in. It was hard to get inventory. So now what we have is, you know, higher rates that scares some people off. It pushes some people out on the market, but it also creates opportunity. I feel like this is the easiest time I've been investing in real estate since 2007 that was the foreclosure crisis, Great Recession, and it was a lot of foreclosures on the market, and that's how I built a big chunk of my portfolio. But now it's just a matter of there's not as many people in it. So for us, there's just more acquisitions for us to go out and get. There's still distressed homes on the market where individuals don't want to hire a realtor, they just want all cash offers. They're ready to get rid of them, and that's where we step in. And without as much competition like I said, we kind of fly under the radar. I feel it creates more just supply inventory for us and for me as an investor, but also for our clients too   Keith Weinhold  19:23   with that in mind, and again, a lot of our audience is already on board, knowing that little rock in Arkansas is a good cash flow market with stable, long term fundamentals, but in order to make it more profitable, you've overlaid it with a certain strategy there in Little Rock. Tell us about that.    Alex Craig  19:45   So the BRRRR strategy, yes, it's able to work now because there's not as many buyers in the market. So basically, the way the burrs strategy works is we acquire a property. I'm just going to use very round, simple numbers for simple math makes it easier on me   Keith Weinhold  19:58   and we're talking the BRRRR. Strategy that's buy, renovate, rent, refinance, and repeat. Those are the five investor steps.   Alex Craig  20:07   correct. And so that's what we do, is we buy. Let's just say the B. Let's take the B, for example, we buy a home, and we buy it for 60,000 where I'm just talking like if I own the home, and then I put $20,000 into the deal. So now I'm all into it for 80,000 and you have to remember, there's some in between, cost of closing costs. I'm just talking just very general strategy. You buy it for 60, you put 20 into it, and all of a sudden you're in it for 80, and the value comes back at 100 so you're in it for 80% of the after repair value. Most Fannie Mae lenders will do 75% so if you purchase a house outright, you put 20% down, but if you are doing a refinance, you're able they'll do it at 75% so instead of buying a home and putting it down payment upfront, you're using equity in the deal. And that's what the burst strategy is, buy renovate. So we buy it, we renovate it, we refinance it, we rent it out, and then you repeat it. So it allows for investors to scale their portfolios quicker and stretch their money a little bit further. So if you've got, I've got $50,000 and I want to invest in real estate, if you purchase a home, you're bound by the down payment. Once you put that down payment, it's, I wouldn't call it sunk cost, but that money's gone for reinvesting. The burr model allows you to stretch that money a little bit further. Now, like I said, I gave pretty basic numbers to the deal, but that's what you're going for. Some equity in the deal, and that's what we're able to provide for ourselves and for our clients.   Keith Weinhold  21:38   So let's review that numbers on a little rock burp, making a $60,000 purchase with a pre renovated property. Then the investor puts another 20k into it for the renovation. So now they're all in for 80k and they get a 100k appraisal on that property, and then they can borrow, say, 75% of that there, that is the refi portion, the fourth letter of the BRRRR acronym. So therefore they've got 80k into it, and they got 75k back, meaning they would only have 5k into it, but maybe another 5k for closing costs, and now they only have 10k in to a 100k property. That's the appeal. That's what we're talking about here with the BRRRR   Alex Craig  22:22   strategy. I mean, you're exactly right. And as I mentioned, I use some really basic numbers, because when you're using, you know, 100,060 and 20 makes them very basic. It's pretty hard to find out a deal worth 100,000 these days, even when we started in the industry, 100,000 was a pretty cheap after pair value. Probably the mean value of the homes that we're dealing in is probably about 140 to 140 to 160 but same principle, based on those same logic that what we just talked about, I wouldn't say, you know, five or 10k out of pocket, but if you're talking about purchasing a deal with 25% down versus doing a bur you're probably going to be in it at 15% Out of pocket costs 10 to 15% as opposed to putting a down payment of 25% but the big thing is, you're getting money back, and you're not putting as much so just it's great for scale. I don't know if you'll talk about DSCR lending very much on your show, but that's something that a lot of our clients, and that does 80% so we have a lot of clients going that route now too.   Keith Weinhold  23:21   Okay, so you could do 80% with debt service coverage ratio loans, but to drop back in our example, to help be clear, the investor has 80k of their own skin in the game into the property, 60k for the purchase, 20k for the renovation, even though they only have 80k in it appraises for 100k that ARV, that after repair value. Why is the after repair value 100k when you only have 80k into it? Why is it more?   Alex Craig  23:49   that's based off comparable sales? So when you're in it at 80, and you're going to refinance it through a lender, they're going to send an appraiser out, and appraiser is going to pull comparable sales within that neighborhood. So just because you're in an 80 the appraiser is going to go pull three comps, very similar to that home. So if we're selling a three bedroom one bath, they're going to pull three comps at a three bedroom one bath, relatively the same size look, if it's got a carport, they're going to try to find three houses with the carport. So in theory, that's what they're doing. They're pulling comparable sales and developing new value based on recent sales.   Keith Weinhold  24:23   So it's that you have this knowledge to buy in neighborhoods and buy in certain sub markets, where, when you know that capital is added and renovations are made and a rehab period that they do tend to appraise for that value based on the comparables that are already there.   Alex Craig  24:40   Yeah. I mean, if we were to take the same house at 60,000 and didn't do any work, he would then say, well, you've got some comparables here versus 100 but you could never sell this home for 100 these are the things you have to do, and that's what we do during the first R the renovate of the acronym is to renovate the home to the condition that the. Appraisers feel that are comparable for the neighborhood, and that's a real important part, is comparable to the neighborhood. We could go in and put in a Jacuzzi tub and grain of countertops. We actually, we do put a lot of grain in, because we get it so cheap. But you could go in and fix it up to the nines, but it's not going to appraise for any more than the others, because the appraiser would say, we over improved it. So we improve it to what we know, what the kind of the standard for the neighborhood? Because you could over improve these things for sure and not get that return on that investment.   Keith Weinhold  25:28   That is a great answer. There is a specific improvement target that you know that needs to be hit. Tell us more about this burr process, because to an out of area investor, it can sound pretty intimidating if they had to manage contractors remotely themselves,   Alex Craig  25:43   there definitely is a need to have a team on the ground that you trust, that you feel comfortable with, and that's what we've done. I've been doing it in multiple markets for myself since 2007 and we built into a business model in 2010 like I said, expanded Little Rock in 2012 and we've been doing this for 15 years now for other investors. So we've got that name and that reputation of taking care of our investors, that's the important part. And we do see a lot of investors get burned, because you can find a realtor to go to help you find deals, but usually the realtor relationship is thesis to end. It's okay, I found you a deal, but then there's so many other things afterwards, and the renovations, where I see so many people get burned, and you know, we manage approximately 1200 homes between two markets, and that's where I see when property owners come to us, they've been burned the most. It's like they've paid somebody $50,000 they didn't finish the job, they didn't do what they say they're going to do. So the renovation that we're the team on the ground, we've got a in House Project Manager, we've got a network of subcontractors. We tend to act as the contractor, subbing things out. We've got in house property management. We've got all the tools, but it's really between both. In the markets in which I operate. I've got about 30 employees within property management, renovations, acquisitions, so the team on the ground is and then the back in the property management part is the long, ongoing accountability. So if something doesn't work out, that's the way we said it. If we say it's going to rent for 1200 and we rent it out for 900 Well, we really got a big egg on our face. You do a few of those, and that's how you don't stay in business anymore. And there's, and I like to say, about every five years the market corrects itself into getting the wrong players out of the business. COVID was super easy, easy to find deals, easy to sell deals. But once the market changed and it became a little more competitive and rates rose, that's the people that have been around for the long time, been in it for the long haul, that stick around. They've got the established business model and their reputation. So every five years, a good correction in the market eliminates those bad players.   Keith Weinhold  27:47   So you have this vetted, proven in play system that investors can get into besides just identifying the property, it comes with that system, those contractors or that investor just has one point of contact with you there for updates on the renovation.   Alex Craig  28:03   Yeah. I mean, I feel like we know these neighborhoods. I like I feel we know these neighborhoods like the back of our hand. We've been investing in them for a decade plus, and we know the areas you want to be in, the areas you don't want to be in. And we have a lot of investors will call us either they already own the property or they're a current client, and they'll say, Hey, I could get this deal for 30,000 and it's worth 100 and I'm like, Well, that sounds too good to be true, especially if it's on the open market. If it was that good of a deal, it's already gone. We just know the market, where to be. We know what to pay. We could, pretty much just through our experience, identify a house we know probably within about five to 10% before we even dive into comparable sales of what it's worth. We could walk through a house within probably about three to five minutes and peg the renovation costs probably within about 10% now we still order an inspection, and that's where we uncover the things that we can't see, that maybe there's a bunch of rotted out joist or a foundation problem that we didn't see. So, but there's things aside we could walk through and we pretty much know, okay, it needs a roof that's 7000 it needs an air conditioner that's six flooring, two. So that's the expertise that we bring and like. So then the management part of it, on the back end, that kind of ties it all together with accountability.   Keith Weinhold  29:22   And I know that your typical project renovation cost tends to be about 25k just for simplicity, we use 20k in that example, and your completion times are shorter than others that have inexperienced crews. So tell us about that typical renovation time. Alex.   Alex Craig  29:39   every day we're accomplishing 500 so 25,000 divided by 500 comes to 50 days, 50 days. So we'll knock that out in about 50 days. And we just have a large network of subcontractors that we've been working with for years. If you weren't in the business, I think that'd be really hard to accomplish, and there's just a lot that. Goes into it. I mean, the renovating the homes, it's the once, it's the worst, it's the hardest thing that we do. For sure, it's definitely the most scheduling, but it's where, if you don't know what you're doing, a great deal turns into, how do I get out of this?   Keith Weinhold  30:15   Right, absolutely. Now, in our example, we used where an investor puts 60k into it for the purchase to start with, because I see the burst strategy is a good strategy. If someone doesn't have a lot of capital, like they would for maybe a new build property, can one even finance that initial purchase amount?   Alex Craig  30:35   Yeah, so private lending. So that's the part that makes if you've only got 50 grand to facilitate this entire process, and you want to try to repeat it as many times as you can. 50,000 would not be enough just to pay cash. So yes, we have private lending. We set that up. Sometimes we lend it ourselves. Sometimes we outsource it to some of our strategic partners, but we'll lend the money to buy and renovate the home. A typical what that loan would look like it's about 3.3 points of loan origination. So if you've got an $80,000 loan, that's $2,400 most lenders do require for you to bring that up front, and now you're in it for an $80,000 loan at 12% which, five years ago, that sounded crazy to borrow at 12% but with for private lending, that's not bad at all, especially you want to get in and out of it quickly. So if we're renovating the home, and you know, 50 days, if you're already pre approved with your lender, and they have all your documents by the time we finish renovating the home, the appraisals lined up, and you could be in and out of these private loans in about 90 days. That love that depends on the lending side, that you're giving the lender what they need. But ideally you want to be in these things about 90 to 120 days. So $80,000 loan at 12% that $800 a month. So if you're in it for 90 days, 800 times 320, 700 plus the loan origination fee. But that's how you do it. That's the you're just borrowing money to finance the acquisition, the rehab and the refinance   Keith Weinhold  32:03   that is an option for you if you don't have the cash here to come in with these burr strategy properties. Alex, tell us more about it. Really, what I would like to know is, when an investor gets their appraisal, their after repair value, how many want to sell it for a profit, and how many want to hold it with a tenant for long term income   Alex Craig  32:26   so far, zero. Want to sell it for a profit. If you're all in it for add and then you're selling for 100 once you sell it, there are other fees involved. You got to hire a realtor. Right now is a great time to hold it's a slow real estate market. I don't think Little Rock from an aspect, is where home ownership is down. I think that's a nationwide thing. So I think if you're going into this, you certainly want to look at it from perspective. This is a buy and hold. I don't think this is the best market to get into to buy something. Flip it with a in the example, we use a $20,000 margin with buyer concessions, realtor commissions. That's a lot of work involved. And let's just say it did work out. You sold it for 100 but you had to pay 2% closing in an agent fee, and you got some holding cost. Let's just say you netted 8000 that might be good for a six month return, but I feel like there's a lot of risk. I feel like our job as what we do for our clients, is to minimize risk. So someone came and said, Hey, I want to flip it. I would say, Well, I don't think it's the best market for it right now. I think you want to get into this buy and hold.   Keith Weinhold  33:29   Yes, Alex has been doing this for a long time, and he's a specific expert right there in that local market. Buy and hold is a strategy that most likely makes sense. And he also strongly recommends pay cash if possible, instead of using that 12% short term private lending option, like he mentioned before, because that can cut out about four to 5k worth of transactional cost. And then if you do buy and hold what Alex and his company offer there in Little Rock is essentially a cash flow boost, 0% management fee in year one and only 4% in year two. So that gives you some extra cash flow runway as well. And Alex, before I ask you if you have any last thoughts, I want to announce to you the audience, that we have a live event virtually next week, on July 17, at 8pm eastern for Little Rock BRRRRproperties that Alex is CO hosting with our investment coach, Naresh, where you can find these bird deals in this cash flowing market. In Little Rock you'll see actual bird deals recently completed with full breakdowns of their purchase prices, sort of these case studies, where you can see some real numbers and what the rehab budgets are and what the actual timelines were, and what the refi outcomes were like, and explore BRRRR ready properties that are currently available to own, if you so choose, on this upcoming live event that you can attend from the comfort of your own home. Learn the full process, from acquisition to renovation to property management to the financing of them, and again, everything is all handled by local experts, so that you don't have to live with the nightmare of remotely managing contractors, which I couldn't imagine doing. So whether you're a first time investor or you're scaling your portfolio, this is your chance to get boots on the ground, insight and a proven road map to burr success and really one of the most accessible markets in the country. Again, Alex here is CO hosting the event along with GRE investment coach, Naresh Vissa. It is a free, live virtual event again next week, Thursday, July 17, at 8pm Eastern. Sign up is open now at gre webinars.com it ought to be great. Alex, teaming with local experts like you has been of real benefit to our audience. Do you have any last thoughts about either Little Rock or burrs or the events that you're going to co host with our audience next week?   Alex Craig  35:57   So here's my last thought, as you were, you know, kind of concluding and I was reviewing what we had talked about. And one of the questions we get sometimes it's a fair question. It's like, well, if this is such a great deal, why don't you keep all the deals? So we hear that from time to time, and the simple answer is, we do. We do keep a lot of deals, and we're buying more real estate now, like I said, I feel like it's the easiest time to get into real estate. So we do, we do keep a lot. We're building a very large portfolio right now, but the house flipping to investors is just another business model that we have. And Property Management too. And we love property management, and we love building investor relationships. We've had a lot of investors we've had been with us since day one that we've developed really tight relationships with. So yes, we do keep a lot of the properties, and we sell properties too, and we and helps us build our management company, which you don't hear too many people say this, but we actually love property management. That's a hard thing to love, but we actually like it.   Keith Weinhold  36:54   That is more weird than Tom wheelwright loving taxes, perhaps, but Right. But I want to deal with somebody that really loves what they're doing, especially when they're protecting our asset and probably more importantly, when it comes to property management, protecting our time. So that's right, Alex, well, our viewers and listeners are really looking forward to it next week, again, that live event Thursday, July 17, at 8pm Eastern is something that you can sign up for now at grewebinars.com. Alex, we're looking forward to it next week.   Alex Craig  37:27   Bye, Keith, thank you.   Keith Weinhold  37:34   Oh yeah. Terrific overview on why the burr strategy can be so profitable. And our event next week. Now, when you rent your primary residence, which you would typically do in a high cost area, and then you own rental property elsewhere, typically a low cost area, do you know what that's called? Yeah, there is a name for that. Last week we spoke to two listener guests in California that are doing just that. That is called rentvesting. And yes, Little Rock is surely a popular low cost market for rentvesting. I have been on the ground myself in Little Rock with Alex's associate to do an on the ground tour of properties. There you want to tap into a system where you've got the guiding hand of both experience and belief. That's what you're doing here. As like he said, Alex personally owns 75 doors there. That is belief, and he's been doing this for out of area investors for 15 years. That's the experience part real proof of concept at next week's event, you'll be introduced to this same system where you can lean on their team for acquisition, renovation and management. Little Rock has an MSA population of about 770,000 but I think more importantly today, savvy investors are conscientious of keeping their expenses down, and for good reason, since they've been up all over the place. Now, the purchase price is 140 to 160k for these BRRRR optimized single family rentals. Remember that we used 100k just for ease of an example there, usually when you buy income property, you're really in at close to 25% of the purchase price when you add up the down payment and closing costs, but this way, you're in for just about half of that at 10 to 15% another low expense is that property tax, statewide, Arkansas Property Tax is just 610 of 1% so that's half the national average. And then your management expense is definitely going to be low for the first two years, because it is 0% in year one and 4% in year two. And these are properties that you can actually be pretty proud of. You'll learn more about this. Scope of work with a renovation on the webinar, often granite countertops in the kitchen is a live, remote event. So this means that you can have any of your questions answered in real time. Should you have them? As you can imagine, demand is high for these properties, and this is a chance to get connected directly with the team that makes it happen. We might never get Alex on an event like this again, and is co hosted with our GRE investment coach, Naresh. It's next week. It's free, Thursday, July 17, at 8pm Eastern, 5pm Pacific. Sign up now, or your future self might not be able to forgive yourself. You can do that now at grewebinars.com Until next week, I'm your host. Keith Weinhold, don't quit your Daydream.   Speaker 3  40:56   Nothing on this show should be considered specific, personal or professional advice. Please consult an appropriate tax, legal real estate, financial or business professional for individualized advice. Opinions of guests are their own. Information is not guaranteed. All investment strategies have the potential for profit or loss. The host is operating on behalf of get rich Education LLC, exclusively.   Keith Weinhold  41:19   You know, whenever you want the best written real estate and finance info, oh, geez, today's experience limits your free articles access and it's got pay walls and pop ups and push notifications and cookies disclaimers. It's not so great. So then it's vital to place nice, clean, free content into your hands that adds no hype value to your life. That's why this is the golden age of quality newsletters, and I write every word of ours myself. It's got a dash of humor, and it's to the point because even the word abbreviation is too long, my letter usually takes less than three minutes to read, and when you start the letter, you also get my one hour fast real estate video. Course, it's all completely free. It's called the Don't quit your Daydream letter. It wires your mind for wealth, and it couldn't be easier for you to get it right now just text. GRE to 66866, while it's on your mind, take a moment to do it right now. Text, gre to 66866   Keith Weinhold  42:35   The preceding program was brought to you by your home for wealth, building, getricheducation.com.

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