Entertainment journalist Leigh Livingstone and movie expert Tim Iffland review the newest film releases, plus break down the latest trailers and movie news. Bite-sized, moreish and a little salty – this is Popcorn Podcast with Leigh and Tim.
TO CELEBRATE THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF POPCORN PODCAST, WE’RE GIVING AWAY THREE GIFT PACKS FEATURING AN OFFICIAL POPCORN PODCAST MUG, MOVIE MERCHANDISE AND A $20 ITUNES GIFT CARD, SO YOU CAN WATCH YOUR FAVOURITE NEW RELEASE MOVIES!
All in Bonus
Jonathan Bailey joins Popcorn Podcast to take us behind the scenes of Jon M Chu's highly anticipated Wicked adaptation. Bailey, of Bridgerton fame, portrays Winkie Prince Fiyero alongside Cynthia Erivo's Elphaba and Ariana Grande's Glinda – he delights with talk of clunky booties, Wizard of Oz Easter eggs and how to dismount a horse in style. Tune in and swoon out…
Jason Scott Lee joins Popcorn Podcast to talk The Wind and The Reckoning, Hawaii's first native language film to receive a wide release. The movie, inspired by real events, follows the rebellion of a group of Native Hawaiians as they resist government-mandated exile during an outbreak of leprosy in 19th-century colonial Hawaii. Lee (Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story, Mulan) also shares what it was like filming a movie about a pandemic during an actual pandemic and the groundbreaking film that blows his mind…
Love on the Spectrum star Michael Theo drops by Popcorn Podcast to talk acting, his love of movies and being recognised as a CGA Rising Star. Each year, the Casting Guild of Australia (CGA) comes together to identify a group of extraordinary actors they believe have the potential to break out on the world stage. Theo recently made his acting debut in the ABC series Austin, after his small-screen turn in the uplifting Netflix docuseries Love on the Spectrum…
Gladiator II star Connie Nielsen joins Popcorn Podcast to discuss her return to Ancient Rome in Ridley Scott's epic sequel. The Danish actor (also known as Queen Hippolyta in the Wonder Woman and Justice League films) reprises her role as Lucilla, some 24 years after the Oscar-winning Gladiator, returning as the now-grown Gladiator Lucius’ (Paul Mescal) mother. In a wide-ranging interview that gets a little emotional, Nielsen reveals how Lucilla has changed and shares insights into Ridley Scott, as well as shocks us with a surprising fact about the original Gladiator…
Best-selling author Craig Silvey and actor Matt Day (Muriel's Wedding) visit Popcorn Podcast to talk about their heartwarming new film, Runt. Silvey's novels have been called modern Australian classics, and Runt is no different, telling a coming-of-age story of hope against adversity – featuring a delightfully villainous Fergus Fink (Day). The pair take us behind the scenes of Runt and talk "toning it down" in a special interview episode of Popcorn Podcast...
Aussie talent-to-watch Shabana Azeez joins Popcorn Podcast to discuss her complex role in Australian thriller Birdeater. The tense film follows bride-to-be Irene (Azeez) as she is invited to her fiancé's bachelor party, but when uncomfortable details of their relationship are exposed, the night takes a feral turn. The delightful Azeez shares how equally excited and terrified she was to play Irene; how she hopes audiences react to the controversial film; how collaboration was key when it came to intimacy; the classic movie that brings her joy; and so much more…
First-time filmmakers Jack Clark and Jim Weir join Popcorn Podcast to discuss their micro-budget Australian thriller, Birdeater. The tense film follows bride-to-be Irene as she is invited to her fiancé's bachelor party, but when uncomfortable details of their relationship are exposed, the night takes a feral turn. Directing duo Clark and Weir respond to the divided reactions on their film; how masculine identity is explored in its characters; the origins of the game ‘Paranoia’ and so much more…
Popular actor Brian Van Holt is here to talk his starring role in crime thriller Boneyard, featuring Curtis ‘50 Cent’ Jackson and Mel Gibson. Boneyard is inspired by the real West Mesa Murders, where the skeletal remains of 11 women and girls were discovered in the New Mexico desert. Van Holt is best known for his leading role in Cougar Town, opposite Courteney Cox, and has appeared in countless TV shows and feature films over the past thirty years. In our chat, Van Holt shares how co-star Vincent E McDaniel approached him for the film; the secret to acting; and the surprising reason he will never do a musical…
Australian filmmaker Mark Molloy joins the podcast to take us behind the scenes of his feature directorial debut – the long-awaited sequel Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F. Comedian Eddie Murphy returns to the iconic Beverly Hills Cop film franchise after 30 years as irreverent detective Axel Foley, back on the beat in Beverly Hills. When his daughter Jane’s (Taylour Paige, Zola) life is threatened, Foley and Jane team up with a new partner (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and old pals (Judge Reinhold and John Ashton) to uncover a conspiracy. In this fun chat, Molloy shares how he became involved in the Netflix film; his determination to deliver in-camera action; what Murphy is like to work with; and why Paige’s Jane was the perfect foil for Foley…
Actress Nora Zehetner drops by Popcorn Pals to talk about her new crime thriller, Boneyard, starring Curtis ‘50 Cent’ Jackson and Mel Gibson. Boneyard is inspired by the real West Mesa Murders, where the skeletal remains of eleven women and girls were discovered in the New Mexico desert. Zehetner reveals what drew her to this important project; how she decompresses after an intense day of filming; balloon-inspired meditation tips; and what terrified her as a kid…
Filmmakers Asif Akbar and Vincent E. McDaniel join Popcorn Pals to discuss their new indie film, Boneyard. Starring Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson and Mel Gibson, Boneyard is inspired by the West Mesa Murders where the skeletal remains of eleven women and girls were discovered in the New Mexico desert as they search for a killer within a angled web of intrigue and suspicion. In our chat, Asif and Vincent reveal why true crime stories grip audiences, how they walked the entertainment and thriller tight rope, and what it was like working with iconic actor Mel Gibson.
Rachel House opens her heart to discuss her brilliant feature film directorial debut, The Mountain. Starring Elizabeth Atkinson, Terrance Daniel and Reuben Francis, The Mountain is about three children on a mission to find healing under the watchful eye of Taranaki Maunga (Mountain), where they learn the true spirit of adventure and the magic of friendship. The conversation begins with Tim's new Gandalf tattoo, but quickly ventures into the personal layers House brings to her story; the power of using kids as vessels to communicate profound things about culture and identity; and a look back at a film that brought her joy…
The Exorcism writer/director Joshua John Miller drops by Popcorn Pals to discuss his new meta horror film starring Australia's Russell Crowe and Sam Worthington. The Exorcism is a movie within a movie about a troubled actor who begins to unravel while shooting a remake of the 1973 Oscar-winning horror, The Exorcist. As if that wasn't meta enough, Miller's own father (Jason Miller) starred in the original as Father Karras! In our chat, Miller reveals what his multi-layered movie says about redemption and forgiveness – and the "hellscape" of Hollywood – the importance of queerness in the story and so much more…
Popcorn Pals travels 300 years into the future with entertainment journalist Connor Dalton to chat Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. Set many years after the reign of Caesar, Noa (Owen Teague), a young ape, goes on a journey that will lead him to question everything he's been taught about the past and make choices that will define a future for apes and humans alike. Tim and Dalton talk The Simpsons connections, sequel fever, flawless visual effects and jet lag-afflicted double features. All this and much more!…
Popcorn Pals interviews Bad Behaviour writer/director Alice Englert about their exciting directorial debut starring Jennifer Connolly in a typically stellar performance. In our chat, Alice discusses the slippery slope that is catharsis, what her film is trying to say about enlightenment, how focusing on making a drama helped deliver its dark, satiric laughs and much more…
Evil Dead Rise stars Lily Sullivan and Alyssa Sutherland take Popcorn Podcast behind the scenes of the fifth instalment in the Evil Dead film series. The story tells the tale of two estranged sisters whose reunion is cut short by flesh-possessing demons, thrusting the family into a primal battle for survival as they face down a mother of a nightmare. In our special interview, Sutherland and Sullivan dive into Sutherland’s shocking transformation as a murderous mum and Sullivan’s big Evil Dead moment. The pair also shares how much fun they had playing with the more than 6,500 litres of fake blood used in production and a spooky story that will have the hairs on your neck standing up…
Let's-a-go! It's time for Popcorn Podcast's The Super Mario Bros Movie review. Based on the world of Nintendo’s Super Mario video games, Illumination Entertainment's latest brings Brooklyn plumber brothers Mario (voiced by Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) to animated life on the big screen. Join Popcorn Podcast on a journey to the Mushroom Kingdom as Mario embarks on an epic quest to help Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) defeat Bowser (Jack Black) and find Luigi. Does this animated adventure level-up your co-hosts expectations or hit them like a Bowser Bomb? Listen to find out in this unmissable bite-sized episode. Wahoo!…
Get set to scream with Popcorn Podcast's no-spoiler review of the latest instalment in the slasher franchise: Scream VI. The requel sequel follows the core four Woodsboro survivors – played by Melissa Barrera, Jenna Ortega, Jasmine Savoy Brown and Mason Gooding – as they start a new life in New York City, but there's another Ghostface out for blood and no one is safe when playing by the franchise rules. Leigh and Tim break down all you need to know about Scream VI…
M Night Shyamalan returns with apocalyptic thriller Knock At The Cabin, starring David Bautista, Jonathan Groff and Ben Aldridge. Leigh and Tim get into the nitty-gritty of the film, which follows a young girl and her parents taken hostage at a remote cabin by four armed strangers who demand the family make an unthinkable choice. Much like its characters, Popcorn Podcast must decide what they believe. Is this a return to form for Shyamalan or another miss for the enigmatic director?…
Darren Aronofsky's The Whale sparks a deep and profound conversation this week. The character study of a reclusive English teacher (Brendan Fraser) living with severe obesity who attempts to reconnect with his estranged teenage daughter (Sadie Sink) has garnered criticism for its subject matter, but Popcorn Podcast dives into the film's symbolism, message and the incredible Oscar-nominated performances of Brendan Fraser and Hong Chau to bring you all you need to know about The Whale. We hope you enjoy this bonus episode of Popcorn Podcast…
