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.
All in Bonus
Leigh and Tim discuss Red Rocket, Sean Baker's (The Florida Project) wild character-driven ride about Mikey Saber (Simon Rex), a washed-up opportunistic porn star who goes crawling back to his small Texas hometown – not that anyone really wants him back! Enjoy this bonus Popcorn Podcast episode.
Popcorn Podcast has the absolute honour of chatting to Oscar-winner Eva Orner about her powerful new documentary Burning to get firsthand insights on why the filmmaker felt compelled to make this movie, how she brought footage and interviews together in a way that balances both the political and emotional, and how she hopes people will respond to watching the confronting but important film. We hope you enjoy this special episode.
Prepare for a wild ride as Popcorn Podcast dives into the fabulously decadent and dubious House of Gucci, a tale of excess, greed and multiple betrayals dramatising the murder of the Gucci heir, as orchestrated by his ex-wife. Director Ridley Scott directs this blockbuster starring Adam Driver and Lady Gaga alongside Al Pacino, Jared Leto and Jeremy Irons.
If you want to know, if this movie's good. Who you gonna call? Popcorn Podcast! Ghostbusters are back in town and Leigh and Tim get nostalgic discussing new sequel Ghostbusters: Afterlife, starring Mckenna Grace, Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon and Finn Wolfhard. Join us on a journey to the Afterlife in this special no spoiler bonus episode.
Popcorn Podcast dives into Joel Coen's adaptation of Macbeth, starring the incomparable Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand. Yes, Shakespeare's iconic tragedy has been done before... but never like this. Leigh and Tim unpack The Tragedy Of Macbeth – which marks Coen's first outing as a solo director – coming to cinemas and Apple TV+.
Forbidden love and gang wars. Happiness and tragedy. Singing and dancing. Director Steven Spielberg's love letter to the iconic West Side Story has it all! Popcorn Podcast brings you the action and energy of Spielberg's adaptation, which unravels the tale of Tony (Ansel Elgort) and Maria (Rachel Zegler), teenage lovers threatened by circumstances they can't control.
Popcorn Podcast heads back into The Matrix with a review of Resurrections, the fourth instalment of the Wachowski sisters' highly successful sci-fi film franchise. Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss return as Neo and Trinity in a mind-bending blockbuster full of eye-popping action, special effects and ultimately... love. Listen to the no spoiler episode and let us know what you think of The Matrix Resurrections on our social media channels.
Spider-Man: No Way Home swings into cinemas and Popcorn Podcast has the full spoiler-filled lowdown on this highly anticipated sequel starring Tom Holland, Benedict Cumberbatch and Zendaya. Can Peter Parker save the multiverse while also weaving the intricate web that is Marvel's Phase Four? From the big surprises to the even bigger events that will reverberate through the MCU, Leigh and Tim candidly discuss it all! Please be warned, due to popular demand this is a one-off spoiler episode of Popcorn Podcast.
Popcorn Podcast talks Joachim Trier's The Worst Person In The World, led by Renate Reinsve in the acclaimed role that won her Best Actress at Cannes Film Festival. The Norwegian film follows four years in the life of Julie (Reinsve) as she navigates life, love and loss while trying to figure out who she really is and whether her choices make her the worst person in the world. Join Leigh and Tim as they discuss this romantic drama.
Clifford The Big Red Dog bounds onto the big screen in a family-friendly film starring John Cleese, Jack Whitehall and Darby Camp. Leigh and Tim delight in its heartfelt message of acceptance, but does it live up to the nostalgia of the iconic Scholastic book series? Listen to this bonus bite-sized Popcorn Podcast episode to find out.
The Card Counter is under Popcorn Podcast interrogation, as Leigh and Tim discuss the character-driven drama starring Oscar Isaac as a haunted gambler walking the line between redemption and revenge. The film from 'Movie Brat' writer and director Paul Schrader also stars Willem Dafoe, Tiffany Haddish and Tye Sheridan, but is it worth taking a bet on?
Popcorn Podcast chats to Oscar-winning director Eva Orner about her powerful new documentary Burning, which takes an unflinching look at the catastrophic Black Summer bushfires while shining a light on the urgency of climate action. As well as Leigh and Tim's discussion of the doco, Orner shares her passion for the project and the challenges of bringing Burning to fruition, why she was compelled to make the film and what must happen to help prevent another tragedy like this. Burning is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video with a subscription to the service.
Popcorn Podcast invites The Many Saints of Newark director Alan Taylor to talk about revisiting the world of The Sopranos to bring this prequel to life and why it was the right choice to cast the late James Gandolfini's son, Michael, as the younger version of his iconic character, Tony Soprano.
Popcorn Podcast invites The Many Saints of Newark star Alessandro Nivola to talk about his charismatic, but dangerous, character Dickie Moltisanti, how he bonded with Michael Gandolfini over the enormity of their roles, and the fear and excitement of working with gangster movie icon Ray Liotta.
Leigh and Tim are as mismatched as Venom and Eddie in their Venom: Let There Be Carnage views. But like the journalist (Tom Hardy) and his symbiote (also Tom Hardy), the co-hosts find a way to co-exist for this review of director Andy Serkis' sequel. Does the second film better the original? Or is it total carnage? Listen to the no-spoiler review now.
Join Popcorn Podcast as we discuss the outlandish Zola – a movie of our modern age, inspired by a series of wild tweets about a waitress/stripper who finds herself trapped in an out-of-control weekend that is stranger than fiction. But how true is this tall Twitter tale? And what does it say about the future of filmmaking?
Popcorn Podcast breaks down Halloween Kills, featuring special guests Jamie Lee Curtis, Kyle Richards, director David Gordon Green and producer Malek Akkad. Halloween Kills may be slaying at the box office, but does the sequel in this rebooted horror franchise deliver on being bigger, bolder and deadlier? Dive into this bonus bite-sized episode of Popcorn Podcast to find out.
Popcorn Podcast invites director Justin Kurzel and writer Shaun Grant to talk about their controversial new film Nitram, reflecting on one of the darkest chapters in Australia's modern history: the Port Arthur Massacre. The events leading up to the horrific event – where 35 people were killed and 23 more injured – are explored in Nitram, starring Caleb Landry Jones in his Cannes Best Actor-winning performance. There has been a lot of discussion about the film and whether it should have been made, so we ask Kurzel and Grant to expand on their decision to delve into this story and share how they approached it with sensitivity and awareness.
Popcorn Podcast invites Simon Barrett to talk being a first-time director with Shudder's Seance and his return to found footage anthology series V/H/S, as well as press him for details about John Travolta and Nicolas Cage reuniting for Face/Off. Barrett is a horror aficionado and frequent collaborator with friend Adam Wingard, with the pair having worked together on projects including the third Blair Witch film. Currently Barrett and Wingard are penning the scripts for both the long-awaited Face/Off sequel and Thundercats.
Popcorn Podcast invites Ride The Eagle co-writer and director Trent O'Donnell to talk about making the heartfelt film with his mates, Jake Johnson and D'arcy Carden, and the surprising freedom and fun times of filming during a pandemic. Plus, the Aussie shares how great it is to be back home and the joys of working with acting legends Susan Sarandon and J.K. Simmons.
