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 Interviews
First-time filmmaker Daniel André joins Popcorn Podcast to discuss his feature film debut Running on Empty. The film follows Mort (Keir Gilchrist), who discovers he has less than a year to live and uses a dating service that matches people by their death dates. In our chat, André talks about society’s fascination with death; how making the film was unexpectedly cathartic; the comparisons made to his film and After Hours; and how he and star Keir Gilchrist bonded on set…
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…
Instantly recognisable actor and voice artist Patrick Warburton drops by Popcorn Podcast ahead of his appearance at Metro Comic Con 2024 to talk iconic characters, living large in Australia with local superstars, working with Seth Macfarlane and how Harvey Weinstein got in the way of a big payday…
Twisters director Lee Isaac Chung joins Popcorn Podcast to talk helming a long-awaited sequel to 1996 cult classic Twister, starring Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton. Chung hopes to blow audiences away with his take on the action-packed blockbuster, this time featuring Daisy Edgar-Jones and Glenn Powell as tornado chasers in pursuit of a monster storm. After bringing us the deeply personal Oscar-nominated Minari, Chung shares why independent filmmakers are perfect for big-budget popcorn films and how he stays true to the original Twisters while upping the ante for fans and new audiences alike…
Let's get Goofy! Legendary voice actor Bill Farmer drops by Popcorn Podcast ahead of Metro Comic Con to talk walking in the oversized shoes of one of Disney's most beloved characters – the one and only Goofy Goof. Farmer has been solely responsible for voicing the often clumsy, good-natured animated icon since 1987, as well other instantly recognisable characters, such as Sylvester, Yosemite Sam and Foghorn Leghorn in the original Space Jam film, and Stinkie in some of the Casper films. Farmer shares how he helped turn Goofy into a film trailblazer; the memorable fan encounter that has stayed with him through the years; and gives us one helluva Goofy holler…
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…
The delightful Hannah Waddingham drops by Popcorn Podcast to discuss her wickedly brilliant role in The Garfield Movie alongside Chris Pratt. Waddingham may be "jet-lagged up the wazoo" for our interview, but the triple-threat superstar still regales us with juicy tidbits about her villainous character, Jinx, shares why Saturdays are actually the worst day of the week and responds to a special message from Leigh…
Filmmaker Matt Brown joins Popcorn Podcast to discuss his latest film, Freud's Last Session, starring Sir Anthony Hopkins as neurologist Sigmund Freud and Matthew Goode as famous author CS Lewis. Brown drops by to discuss how he convinced Anthony Hopkins the role of Freud was right for him; how to hold onto our beliefs while still respecting differing opinions; and how he put that philosophy into practice while collaborating with playwright Mark St Germain on Freud’s Last Session…
Filmmaking brothers Colin and Cameron Cairnes are here to talk about their new movie, which is making waves and setting box office records. Melding found footage and mock-documentary style structures, Late Night With The Devil is fresh and unique in a done-to-death (pardon the pun) arena. In a fun and insightful chat, Colin and Cameron talk more about the controversy surrounding Late Night With The Devil and the impact it's had; convincing their crew to NOT do their best work; and why they can now die happy…
Australian filmmaker Jordon Prince-Wright is one to watch. The discovery of compelling WWI diary entries from ANZAC soldiers has led him to Before Dawn – his biggest project yet. In an in-depth conversation, Popcorn Podcast learns of Jordon Prince-Wright’s passion for these untold stories, his tenacious pursuit in casting lead Levi Miller, how nothing could quite prepare him for the scale of this production and how his team were blamed for a 2.4 magnitude earthquake in Esperance…
Hot off the heels of an explosive SXSW launch, Dev Patel's Monkey Man has everyone's attention. The Oscar-nominated star of critically-acclaimed films, including Lion and Slumdog Millionaire, joins Popcorn Podcast to discuss his directorial debut and transition into bona fide action star. In our interview, Patel shares what the action genre means to him and why Monkey Man is an important story to tell, as well as what the physically demanding role did to his body and who encouraged him to step behind the camera to direct his first feature film…
Lashana Lynch is on Popcorn Podcast! The British star behind some of the coolest characters in film joins us to discuss portraying Rita Marley in Reinaldo Marcus Green's biopic Bob Marley: One Love. Lynch also shares how she finds confidence in kick-arse roles, such as Izogie, Maria Rambeau and 007, and which recent film has brought her the most joy…
Gil Kenan, writer and director of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, stops by Popcorn Podcast to take us behind the scenes of the latest instalment in the Ghostbusters legacy, talking iconic throwbacks, why Afterlife was a walk in the park compared to Frozen Empire, and even revealing an update on the highly anticipated Ghostbusters animated series reboot…
Filmmaker Rose Glass joins Popcorn Podcast to talk about Love Lies Bleeding, her "bombastic, pulpy and dark" sophomore film starring Kristen Stewart, Katy O'Brian and Ed Harris. Glass shares what setting the film in the American Midwest offered, what Stewart and O’Brian bring to the roles of Lou and Jackie and what veteran actor Ed Harris had to say about her directing…
