Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Now Playing - The Movie Review Podcast

Jurassic Landmark

This podcast covers both the original 1954 Japanese Godzilla as well as the 1956 Americanized re-edit Godzilla: King of the Monsters

Before all the throwdowns with Mothra, Ghidorah, and King Kong, radioactive dinosaur Godzilla stood tall as a symbol of nuclear annihilation in his 1954 debut. Can paleontologist Takashi Shimura (Seven Samurai) convince the people of Japan that the creature attacking their boats, trains, and radio towers is just as much a victim of H-bomb testing as they are? And do things get worse with the arrival of American journalist Raymond Burr (Perry Mason) and an Oxygen Destroyer invention that steals the fiery breath from the big lizard’s mouth?  Find out now!

First Person Shirker

Austin Abrams (Whalefall) is tasked with delivering the cure to another Umbrella Corporation lab leak in the 2026 reboot of Resident Evil. But can the hapless courier reach the top floor of a Raccoon City hospital overrun with monsters using a vehicle unprepared for snowy mountain roads, receiving intermittent cell connection with a pregnant girlfriend, and having only handled guns in video games?  And will writer-director Zach Cregger (Weapons) be torn limb from limb for discarding all the franchise lore to focus on pratfalls?  F*ckin’ find out when you Listen Now!

Is it evil that I’m glad Milla Jovovich is no longer a resident of this franchise?

Umbrella Corporation wanted South Africa’s New Raccoon City to launch a pharmaceutical revolution in 2022, but the failed utopia ends up birthing a zombie apocalypse in Netflix’s episodic reboot of Resident Evil. Is the reason why twin sisters Ella Ballinska (Charlie’s Angels) and Adeline Rudolph (Mortal Kombat II) have no Joy in 2036 because their chemist father Lance Reddick (The Wire) screwed up an antidepressant 14 years before?  And does it make Zero sense that the T-virus is now turning caterpillars and lizards into kaiju?  Find out now!

Crimson Tides

YouTuber Mark Fischbach (aka Markiplier) adapts David Symanski’s 2022 submarine simulator Iron Lung into the surprise hit movie of 2026. What conspiracies will be uncovered when a convict gets welded inside a rickety submersible and dives into an ocean of blood on a distant moon?  Will the x-rays taken of alien creatures, or transmissions downloaded and decoded from other vessels, be the key to saving a dying universe?  And will Simon - or hosts Stuart, Arnie, and Justin - survive this deep plunge into the Now Playing Arcade?  Find out Now!

Get Your Ass Off Mars

Robert Patrick (Terminator 2) thought he liberated the Red Planet from bossy Earthlings 25 years ago, but that was just the Origins of a conflict that rages on in this 2011 SyFy Channel video game adaptation. Can Red Faction trooper Brian J Smith (Stargate Universe) mobilize Blue Planet scientist Danielle Nicolet (TV’s The Flash), and local Marauders led by Kate Vernon (Battlestar Galactica), to ensure that the Earth Defense Force stays off Martian soil?  Trust Terrans Arnie, Justin, and Stuart to tell the truth about this next Now Playing Arcade installment.

The Now Playing crew checks in for another Intermission with a packed slate of movies, memories, and questionable homework assignments. Jason revisits Point Break on the big screen 35 years later. Brock goes from The American President to Kate & Leopold and an MCU rewatch, and Stuart reports back from Chicago’s new Obama Presidential Center. Plus Arnie and Justin unexpectedly find common ground in the comedy of The State, Wet Hot American Summer, and Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass. Then longtime listener Josh joins the show for Resident Evil trivia and turns the tables with a question about the origins of Now Playing Podcast's "Brown Arrow" Review Rating.

Finally, Disney+ has assembled a 15-project watchlist to prepare for Avengers: Doomsday. Does revisiting the MCU’s greatest hits and less-greatest hits make the crew more excited for the next Avengers movie, or does it just feel like homework?

All this is explored on September's special Intermission episode!

Getting Long In The Tooth

Slain cult leader Sam Spruell (TV’s Fargo) promises to lead Insidious demons like Lipstick Face and The Bride In Black Out Of The Further in this sixth installment of the enduring horror franchise. Will traumatized dental hygienist Amelia Eve (Haunting of Bly Manor) be the unwitting courier for evil forces conquering the material world? Or is stopping shotgun-wielding housewives and a trio of anesthesia-huffing old farts still what dead medium Lin Shaye will do best at age 82?  Follow Arnie, Marjorie, and Stuart into the pillow fort to find out now!

Unclear and Present Danger

John Krasinski (A Quiet Place) walked away from four seasons playing Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan on an Amazon Prime series, only to return in the explosive 2026 reunion movie Ghost War. Can the former CIA analyst help his old boss Wendell Pierce (Hackers, The Wire) and friend Michael Kelly (House of Cards) fight a rogue black-ops unit making terrorist threats 20 years after brutally solving post-9/11 political realities?  And is Jack too much of a private citizen to play cloak-and-dagger with MI-6 babe Sienna Miller (GI Joe: Rise of Cobra)?  Step out of the darkness now!

Asking questions about character motivation that Marvel never put to Echo

Struggling actor Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (Aquaman) hides his destructive ionic powers to land his dream role as Wonder Man in this 2026 Disney+ series.  But can Iron Man 3's Trevor Slattery (Ben Kingsley) really expect to shed his Mandarin image if he’s gonna villainously turn his super-scene partner into the Department of Damage Control? And shouldn’t Hollywood be giving an Oscar to anyone who can permanently show Josh Gad the door?  Listen Now to learn if showrunner Andrew Guest (Brooklyn 99) found the real man inside this Stan Lee creation.

Home Sick

It’s a Brand New Day for Tom Holland now that everyone has magically forgotten Peter Parker, and Spider-Man is once again anonymously ridding New York City of criminals like Scorpion and The Hand.  But is the workaholic web-slinger turning into something socially unacceptable by suppressing his feelings? And will his genetic mutation qualify him for Xavier’s School For Gifted Youngsters if he can’t go to MIT with MJ (Zendaya) and Ned (Jacob Batalon)?  Find out if Punisher (Jon Bernthal) or Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) have any fatherly advice when you Listen Now!

Arnie and Justin unveil StubBook, their independent movie-and-TV logging platform. Plus: mahjong mysteries, vintage novelizations, 3D-printing disasters, Marvel trivia with patron Corey, and a heated debate over whether Disney’s “Infinity Vision” is a meaningful theatrical standard or an empty marketing gimmick.

John Wick comes at you with a pencil; Frank Castle comes at you with a pen! That's the Punisher way!

Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal) worries that his life has no purpose after putting down the crime family that murdered his wife and two children in an ultra-violent 2026 Marvel Television Special. Could there be One Last Kill for Punisher to perform after sitcom mom Judith Light (Who's the Boss) sets a bounty that brings every criminal in Little Italy to the vigilante’s door?  Hide your kids, lock up your dog, and take that donut and coffee to go, as you join Justin, Arnie, and Stuart for the bloodiest street bawl ever started on Disney+.  Listen Now!

Ill Will Hunting

Matt Damon has trouble finding a way home after winning the Trojan War with a duplicitous offering to Athena (Zendaya) in Christopher Nolan’s epic re-telling of The Odyssey.  Is there something more than the giant cyclops, spellcasting witch, Charlize Theron’s lotus flower diet, or the ghost of fallen soldier Elliot Page that prevents this Ithacan King from reclaiming his throne?  And how pissed will son Tom Holland be if mom Anne Hathaway reads Twilight instead of Homer, and marries Robert Pattinson? Find Out Now!

Dora (Milaje) The Explorer

Marvel Animation resurrects Black Panther for the 2025 Disney+ anthology series Eyes of Wakanda. Join Arnie, Stuart, and Justin as they follow an elite squadron of “War Dogs” over the centuries and see the sacrifices made to recover stolen artifacts from a pillaged Ethiopian city, a snowy Chinese temple, and even the Trojan War. Are there times when the isolationist African nation of Wakanda might benefit from burying the hatchet and sharing its advanced tech with the outside world?  Listen Now to learn a history the colonizers never taught you!

The book Sam Neill wrote for himself... and shared with the rest of us.

Sam Neill spent nearly five decades becoming one of cinema's most dependable actors, from Jurassic Park and The Hunt for Red October to Event Horizon, The Piano, and dozens of films in between. Following Neill's passing, Arnie looks back at the actor's 2023 memoir, Did I Ever Tell You This? Written during treatment for a life-threatening cancer diagnosis, the book becomes far more than another celebrity autobiography. Instead of Hollywood gossip or behind-the-scenes stories, Neill reflects on friendship, family, cars, dogs, wine, aging, and what really mattered to him.

Join us for a tribute to a remarkable actor and an even more remarkable man.

The Devil’s In The Deep Dish

Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) returns from her Wakanda Forever semester abroad to learn she’s lost her Tony Stark grant money and is being kicked out of MIT in the 2025 Disney+ miniseries Ironheart. Is the young inventor so desperate to fund the overhaul of her robot suit that she’d partner with possessed Chicago hood Anthony Ramos (Hamilton)?  And how much help will the superhero receive from a magic candy store, an A.I. program designed to look like her dead BFF, and pushover Alden Ehrenreich (Solo: A Star Wars Story)?  Find Out Now!

Athleisure wear, Affairs, and Awful Life Lessons

Arnie concludes his journey through Lauren Weisberger's Devil Wears Prada trilogy with When Life Gives You Lululemons. Shifting the focus to Emily Charlton and an all-new ensemble initially feels like a welcome break from the repetitive formula of the earlier novels. But does the fresh premise lead to a better story? Arnie examines the novel's suburban satire, gender politics, and increasingly questionable ideas about marriage, motherhood, and what makes a woman successful.

One Million Readers Would Kill for a Better Sequel

Over a decade before Disney made The Devil Wears Prada 2, original Devil author Lauren Weisberger wrote her own sequel. Arnie reviews Revenge Wears Prada: The Devil Returns, a novel that reunites Andy, Emily, and Miranda... but delivers little revenge, little devil, and surprisingly little story. Was this forgotten sequel worth revisiting?

This month on Now Playing Intermission, the hosts discuss community theater, symphony screenings of Star Wars, audiobooks, road trips, and what they've been watching. Plus, listener Michael from England joins the show for Tom Hanks trivia before the conversation turns to one of the biggest questions in Hollywood: why are original movies suddenly beating the biggest franchises at the box office?

DC Universe Series Episode 2

Stupor Girl

Milly Alcock (House of the Dragon) resists the call to do good like her cousin Clark (David Corenswet), instead spending the second DCU movie partying on red sun planets. Is she finally ready to put down the bottle and become Supergirl after villainous Krem (Mathias Schoenaerts) poisons her dog Krypto and orphans a swordmaker’s daughter (Eve Ridley)?  And how much help is bounty hunter Lobo (Jason Momoa) to their vengeance quest?  Find out if the director of I, Tonya and Cruella can handle another badass chick when you Listen Now.

Left To Her Own Devices Woody (Tom Hanks) and Jessie (Joan Cusack) worry that screens have replaced childhood make-believe once 8-year-old Bonnie receives her first tablet in Toy Story 5. Can the cowgirl doll help her kid make friends the old-fashioned way after Lilly Pad (Greta Lily) connects her to mean girls online?  And will deputized spaceman Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) keep the peace in the playroom once infinite upgrades of himself fly in from a spilled shipping container?  Listen Now to learn if this Pixar sequel (or just Conan O’Brien) takes a dump on the beloved franchise.

The Switches of Eastview

Kathryn Hahn (Glass Onion) realizes she’s Agatha All Along after breaking the TV show spell put on her by Wanda Maximoff in a 2024 Disney+ miniseries. But can this prickly loner forge a coven with Broadway legend Patti LuPone and deadly Aubrey Plaza (White Lotus) that has the power to access a mythic, wish-granting Witches' Road?  Or did her dream to reconnect with her dead child come true the minute a nameless, hexed teenager (Joe Locke) joined her quest?  Listen Now to hear if Justin, Stuart, and Arnie sing the praises of this WandaVision sequel.

Fistos of Fury

Manchild Nicholas Galitzine (Red, White & Royal Blue) dares to stand in Dolph Lundgren’s spot and attempt to wield the Sword of Power in the 2026 reboot of Masters of the Universe. Will his newfound muscles and brute strength impress boyhood crush Teela (Riverdale’s Camila Mendes), Man-At-Arms Idris Elba (Thor), and disapproving dad James Purefoy (Resident Evil)? Or has Jared Leto (Tron: Ares) ruined yet another kids' franchise with his eccentric take on villain Skeletor? Find out if director Travis Knight fumbled another Bumblebee when you Listen Now!

By The Power of Filmation

Before the Masters of the Universe conquer 2026 movie theaters, Arnie, Marjorie, and Stuart dish about the 1985 animated feature that reveals He-Man and She-Ra are twins. Is The Secret of the Sword that Adora is a real-life Eternia princess who’s been kidnapped and gaslighted by evil adoptive parents Hordak and Shadow Weaver… or just that Mattel would do anything to sell girls on a new doll line? And will Skeletor solicit help from this Horde so that he can finally seize control of coveted Castle Greyskull? You have the power to Listen Now!

The fourth Intermission finds the hosts debating film preservation, 4K restorations, AI upscaling, George Lucas's Star Wars revisions, Spielberg's E.T. walkie-talkies, and whether modern transfers are preserving movies or changing them. Plus, Jason completes a year-and-a-half watch-through of the entire Kristy Swanson filmography, Arnie revisits 1995's Mortal Kombat, listener Tom Ross hosts a trivia challenge, and the conversation wanders through Darth Maul, The Boys, Project Hail Mary, and more.

The old protect the young, and the young develop poor eating habits.

The Mandalorian and Grogu have left Disney+ behind to take orders from sci-fi queen Sigourney Weaver (Alien) in a big-screen 2026 Star Wars movie. But does Pedro Pascal need to go rescue little "Stinky the Hutt" now that he’s grown into big, buff Jeremy Allen White (The Bear)? And can director Jon Favreau (Elf) find The Way to balance between adrenalizing fans of the badass bounty hunter and soothing everyone else that’s come for adorable Baby Yoda? Learn if Arnie, Justin, and Stuart bring this spin-off in warm or cold when you Listen Now!

Before Alfred Hitchcock turned birds into cinematic terror, The Birds was a bleak, intimate apocalypse story from author Daphne du Maurier. In this special Now Playing Podcast Book Review, Arnie looks at the 1952 short story that inspired Hitchcock’s classic film and finds something very different: a grim survival tale closer to War of the Worlds, I Am Legend, and Night of the Living Dead than the Hollywood thriller audiences know.

From post-war paranoia to unexplained cosmic dread, hear why this short story still works over 70 years later, why its ending hits so hard, and why Hitchcock may have only borrowed the premise while leaving most of the original story behind. Plus, how gulls attacking a farmer became one of horror’s most influential setups.

Is this The Way to make a follow-up to a hit show?

Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff) aims to bring the various Mandalorian factions together and reclaim their homeworld in Season Three of the popular Star Wars series. Does that mean The Armorer can give Pedro Pascal a pass for peeking out from under his helmet and pushing his foundling child Grogu to become his combat-ready apprentice? Or would Grogu prefer to remain coddled by psycho fans like Amy Sedaris, Jack Black, and Lizzo? Find out if villain Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito) can Force himself into the crowded storylines when you Listen Now!

Nic is not the only Cage who made garbage action flicks in the 1990s

Karl Urban (The Boys) goes from Comic-Con has-been to fighting for Earth in a life-or-death tournament called Mortal Kombat II. Does this aging Gen X-er still have enough fight to defeat classic video game characters like fan-wielding Kitana, toothy Baraka, and big, bad Outworld villain Shao Khan? And can director Simon McQuoid bring new life to martial artists who didn’t stick the landing in his COVID-era first attempt at the property? Get over here and listen to Arnie, Justin, and Stuart provide perspective on another Now Playing Podcast Arcade entry.

Kenneth Branagh’s Adoing Nothing

Anne Hathaway (The Dark Knight Rises) returns to Runway Magazine in The Devil Wears Prada 2, where the collapse of print media may finally threaten the icy reign of editor Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep). But after the death of a publishing mogul leaves Miranda’s future uncertain, will the fashion queen be forced to trade first-class flights and chauffeured town cars for coach seats and Uber rides? And can Streep (Silkwood) still get away with terrorizing assistants, insulting body-positive models, and tormenting long-suffering Stanley Tucci (Captain America: The First Avenger) in 2026? Join Marjorie, Arnie, and Brock for their devilishly opinionated review.

The Devil Wears Prada has become iconic. Anne Hathaway’s cerulean sweater. Meryl Streep’s silver hair and clipped “that’s all” dismissal. The pop songs, the score, the fashion world excess. Just hearing the title instantly conjures images from the film for millions of people.

And while it’s common knowledge that Streep’s Miranda Priestly was inspired by Vogue editor Anna Wintour, fewer people realize the story began as a novel: a lightly fictionalized account written by Wintour’s former assistant, Lauren Weisberger.

Now, with a movie sequel hitting theaters, Arnie looks back at Weisberger’s original 2003 novel and its follow-ups, Revenge Wears Prada and When Life Gives You Lululemons. Join him as he dives into the world of chick lit and reveals just how dramatic a makeover the original book received on its way to becoming a Hollywood phenomenon.

Temuera Morrison is ready to throw The Book at Tatooine spice dealers as he steps from his Bacta tank and back into the role of Boba Fett for a 2022 Disney+ miniseries. But how did the badass bounty hunter escape Return of the Jedi’s Sarlacc Pit to claim Jabba the Hutt's throne from Bib Fortuna? And does he really need to interrupt Grogu’s Force training with Luke Skywalker and call in Pedro Pascal’s Mandalorian to win a showdown with outlaw Cad Bane? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Justin now for this next chapter in the Star Wars saga.

Sachs And The City

Anne Hathaway’s wannabe writer Andy finds both her outfits and work ethic clashing with boss-from-hell Meryl Streep in the 2006 comedy The Devil Wears Prada. Can bitchy first assistant Emily Blunt and diva fashion director Stanley Tucci help the aspiring journalist dress the part and fit in at high-pressure Runway magazine? And will boyfriend Adrian Grenier (Entourage) get tossed out with last season’s wardrobe once Andy connects with smooth operator Simon Baker (The Mentalist)? Gird your loins and join Marjorie, Arnie, and Brock for this free bonus podcast.

Stuart went back in the hospital this month for another surgery. But he's back home and ready to tell all his Stu Cru supporters about it on the third episode of Intermission. He gives more detail on his health, the complications that followed his initial surgery, and the major procedure he recently underwent to reclaim his life. It's a harrowing story but one with an uplifting end, and maybe even a xenomorph! Then Stuart, Arnie, Justin, and Jason hit pause on movie reviews to catch up on everything happening behind the scenes. Arnie talks about launching the new Now Playing website, what took so long, and what listeners can finally explore. The hosts welcome a longtime listener for a round of trivia covering I Spit on Your Grave, Star Wars, and a deep-cut Mortal Kombat question that actually stumps the room. Jason shares a new creative hobby that turns movies into ambient experiences, Justin talks hockey and the latest in Star Wars and superhero TV, and Arnie recounts a trip to Pittsburgh’s Monroeville Mall—including a surprisingly great horror museum filled with Dawn of the Dead history.

It’s a mix of fun, behind-the-scenes insight, and real-life perspective, and we hope you'll enjoy this Intermission between our movie reviews!

Show Links:

• The all-new Now Playing Podcast Website
• The Living Dead Horror Museum and Gift Shop in Monroeville, PA
• Photogallery of The Living Dead Horror Museum.
• Jason's Ambiance Videos on YouTube

Actor Thomas Dekker (The Sarah Connor Chronicles, A Nightmare on Elm Street 2010) joins Now Playing Podcast to revisit the Elm Street remake on its anniversary. He shares how he landed the role, what it was like filming in Chicago, and how the movie evolved from a darker original script into the final theatrical version. Dekker discusses reshoots, studio notes, changes to Freddy’s performance, and why he chose to play his character as genuinely afraid rather than heroic. He also reflects on fan reactions, working with Jackie Earle Haley, and what the experience taught him about big studio horror.

Three Mando and a Baby

Pedro Pascal and “Baby Yoda” (Grogu) search for a Jedi ally in The Mandalorian Season 2 on Disney+. But what does it mean to be The Mandalorian when Katee Sackhoff’s Bo-Katan removes her helmet, and Temuera Morrison straps back on his Boba Fett armor to join the quest? Is it more fun watching a legacy Star Wars character fly in and take down Moff Gideon's Dark Troopers, or seeing returning players like Carl Weathers step behind the camera? The Force will be with you if you Listen Now!

I guess you think you're... you know, like an authority figure, with that stupid fuckin' uniform, huh buddy?

Bob Odenkirk goes from Nobody to playing a “Normal” small-town interim sheriff. Teaming up again with Derek Kolstad, does he bring the same mix of dry humor and sudden violence that made their last series work? And with Henry Winkler in the wintery mix, are we getting something closer to the quirky crime chaos of Fargo, or just another round of bumbling crooks? Nearly nobody went to see this in theaters, but our hosts did, and you can join them now for this far-from-normal movie review!

No Child Left Behind

Pedro Pascal strapped on the helmet to become The Mandalorian and help launch the Disney+ streaming service back in 2019. Is there a beating heart underneath the Beskar steel armor that convinces the cold-blooded bounty hunter to betray his client, Werner Herzog, and prevent "Baby Yoda" from falling into the hands of Giancarlo Esposito (Better Call Saul)? Listen Now to find out if creators Jon Favreau (Iron Man) and Dave Filoni (Star Wars: The Clone Wars) forged a Season One that honors the influences of Spaghetti Westerns, samurai flicks, and the OG Star Wars trilogy.

The Devil Wears Ghorman Twill

Four years of Star Wars spy missions have Andor (Diego Luna) ready to ditch the Rebellion with equally traumatized girlfriend Bix (Morbius' Adria Arjona). Can schemer Stellan Skarsgård keep his agents in position like the bugged antiques in his shop until he has all the Death Star intel? And is Mon Mothma too busy throwing her teenage daughter's wedding to notice best friend Jimmy Smits has been replaced by Benjamin Bratt? Listen Now to learn if the Now Playing Podcast hosts get caught in creator Tony Gilroy’s Season Two spider web.

Now You’re Playing With Millennials 

Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) and Toad (Keegan-Michael Key) rocket into another Galaxy to rescue her kidnapped sister Rosalina (Brie Larson) in the 2026 Super Mario Brothers Movie sequel. Can brothers Mario and Luigi (Chris Pratt and Charlie Day) keep the Mushroom Kingdom safe as Bowser (Jack Black) returns to full size and escapes to a homemade planet built by imaginative son Junior (Benny Safdie)? And what do video game icons Yoshi (Donald Glover), Honey Queen (Issa Rae), and Fox McCloud (Glen Powell) bring to this “Mario Party”?  Listen to Find Out Now!

Stuart's Burning Down the House on this episode...

What did we lose when video stores disappeared, and can streaming ever replace it? Arnie, Stuart, and Justin dive into that, along with immersive theater, playoff hockey, and a round of listener trivia that puts their movie knowledge to the test.

And this is still a new podcast format for us, so let us know if you enjoy the show. We welcome your feedback to help shape this new type of Now Playing Podcast! If you like this looser vibe, let us know.

We’ll be back next month!

Do NOT confuse this title for another Caravan of Courage on the Ewok moon

Before he was the martyr of Rogue One, Diego Luna was a desperate thief who accidentally lit the spark of the Rebellion in the 2022 series Andor. Is he better off making Death Star parts in prison with Andy Serkis, or facing the consequences of the Imperial robbery he pulled for chameleon Stellan Skarsgård? And can Senator Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly) keep footing the bill while Forest Whitaker, Denise Gough, and Kyle Soller follow the money? Join rebels Justin, Arnie, and Stuart for the darker side of Star Wars right now!

Qui-Gon but Not Forgotten

Ewan McGregor returns to the role of Obi-Wan Kenobi in a 2022 miniseries that gives him another chance to school his rogue Padawan, Hayden Christensen, for rebranding himself as Darth Vader. But is the Force strong enough with this middle-aged Jedi Master to save little Princess Leia (Bird Box’s Vivien Lyra Blair) after she’s kidnapped by Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea? And will Inquisitor Moses Ingram (The Queen’s Gambit) succeed in her mission? Listen now to find out whether Arnie, Stuart, and Justin have renewed hope that Star Wars will thrive on Disney+.

The Hate U Give Disney Ends All Their Hopes (T.H.U.G. D.E.A.T.H)

Lee Jung-jae (Squid Game) attempts to save twin sisters from a witch coven and bring them into the Jedi fold, only to watch his Acolyte turn to the Dark Side in this Star Wars prequel. Can Amandla Stenberg (The Hate U Give) as former Jedi Osha be Forced to return to the Order and stop her sister Mae before she assassinates a meditating Jedi Master, a Wookiee hermit named Kelnacca, and even Trinity herself, Carrie-Anne Moss? And will Arnie, Justin, and Stuart give a Sith about this eight-episode Disney+ epic after it was cancelled following its first season? Listen and find out now.

Speaking In Tongues

Mary Shelley possesses Hamnet star Jessie Buckley and turns her into The Bride!, a politically charged sequel to her 1818 novel Frankenstein. But would the reinvigorated woman prefer not to be engaged to Christian Bale’s Monster when his idea of romance is stomping on mobsters' heads while pretending he’s tap dancing in a movie musical? And is director Maggie Gyllenhaal a mad scientist for fusing a Bonnie and Clyde love story with Gothic horror? Follow dubious detectives Brock, Stuart, and Arnie as they investigate this brain attack!

Bring Your Daughter To the Slaughter

Neve Campbell sat out Ghostface’s rampage in New York City so she could raise Isabel May to become her Final Girl replacement in Scream 7. Has Matthew Lillard risen from the dead to stalk veteran survivors like Courtney Cox, Mason Gooding, and Jasmin Savoy Brown in a brand new suburbia?  And why did O.G. screenwriter Kevin Williamson take another stab at directing a scary movie after his debut, Teaching Mrs. Tingle, nearly killed his career?  Join true crime junkies Marjorie, Arnie, and Stuart as they clean the blade of another postmodern slasher installment.

Welcome to the very first episode of Now Playing Podcast: Intermission, our new monthly free-form show where the structure is looser, it's far less edited, and anything can happen!

This month:

Arnie goes nuclear over Alamo Drafthouse’s new mid-movie cell phone ordering system and why he canceled his Season Pass.

Brock and Stuart break down Oscar season, from the Best Picture nominees to which films Arnie might actually enjoy.

The hosts debate Star Wars fatigue, The Mandalorian & Grogu, and who Lucasfilm is making movies for.

And we welcome our very first Patreon supporter guest for some horror trivia!

This is the show where we talk about what we’re watching, what’s frustrating us, and what’s coming next for Now Playing Podcast.

And this is our first show of this kind, so let us know if you enjoy the show. We welcome your feedback to help shape this new type of Now Playing Podcast! If you like this looser vibe, let us know.

We’ll be back next month!

Raging Ghoul 

Robert DeNiro couldn’t speak the Queen’s English even before Kenneth Branagh stitched his lips onto other body parts for a 1994 retelling of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.  Will the miscast actor need to hide at the North Pole to escape the embarrassment of his screen romance with Helena Bonham Carter?  Or was this a worthy creation denied life at the box office because of the bad press the director received over his off-screen dalliances?  Listen Now as Arnie, Brock, and Stuart dig up a classic movie monster and his bride for another re-animated podcast

Fleshdance

Rock star Sting denies his Frankenstein creation Clancy Brown (Shawshank Redemption) a happy wedding day so that the mad scientist can be the one to kiss The Bride. But will Jennifer Beals (Vampire’s Kiss) find reanimated life enjoyable with The Police frontman watching every breath she takes with suitor Cary Elwes (Princess Bride)? And can little person David Rappaport (Time Bandits) successfully reinvent the jilted Monster into a popular circus clown?  Find out if this 1985 Mary Shelley update plays outside Budapest when you Listen Now!

Vlad The Impersonator

Director Luc Besson (The Fifth Element) spins Bram Stoker’s classic horror novel Dracula into “A Love Tale,” released in US cinemas in time for Valentine’s Day 2026. Is Caleb Landry Jones (Get Out) damned to walk the world a lonely vampire because he picked Roseanna Arquette’s daughter over God in a 1480 Ottoman battle? And how strong a perfume does the 400-year-old bloodsucker need to throw stake-wielding priest Christoph Waltz (Inglourious Basterds) off his scent, or smell different than Gary Oldman did in the same role? Listen to Find Out Now!