Now Playing - The Movie Review Podcast
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1.050 afleveringen, van nieuw naar oud
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Godzilla Minus One Movie Review
4 november 2026 · 1 uur 40 min
The Laws of Subtraction Lees meer
Toho Studios finds the math of Godzilla Minus One working out well at the global box office as their giant lizard celebrates his 70th Anniversary with a 2023 blockbuster. Can a guilt-ridden kamikaze pilot put his flying skills to better use after the radioactive monster renews nuclear fears in post-WWII Japan? And how did a kaiju series known for sticking a man in a rubber suit to attack model train sets earn an Oscar for Best Visual Effects? Listen Now to learn if this 38th Godzilla entry floats to the top of the franchise, or sinks in the shadow of the Monsterverse.
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Intermission 9: Not the Full Monty (And Listener Q&A!)
1 november 2026 · 59 min
For the first time ever, all six Now Playing Podcast hosts are together, and somehow everyone manages to keep their pants on. Mostly. Lees meer
In this Intermission podcast: Stuart discovers his inner Broadway fan; Brock boldly goes back to Star Trek: The Next Generation; Jason gears up for Formula One in Las Vegas; and Justin explores haunted houses and the Brat Pack. Meanwhile, Arnie and Marjorie return from Universal's Halloween Horror Nights with tales of questionable Cenobites, a Universal Studios tour guide's worst nightmare, and some very expensive home decorating ideas.
Then it's time for Impossible Arnie Trivia, as one brave listener faces a gauntlet of Godzilla questions with an enormous prize package on the line.
Finally, the hosts open the listener mailbag to answer your burning questions. How has nearly 20 years of Now Playing changed their lives? How do they take notes in dark movie theaters? Would they rather celebrate a masterpiece or tear apart a cinematic disaster? And which movies are they still dying to review?
It's musicals, monsters, movies, memories, and more on November's stuffed Intermission podcast!
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Clayface Movie Review
28 oktober 2026 · 1 uur 45 min
Getting Into Characters Lees meer
Batman would have one less problem in Gotham if Tom Rhys Harries (Slaughterhouse Rulez) had won an Oscar rather than gotten carved up by mobsters in the 2026 origin story Clayface. Can this disfigured celebrity reclaim his looks and movie-star status once scientist Naomi Ackie (Blink Twice) fills his pores with A.I. nanocells that allow the method actor to literally stretch? Or does staying bent out of shape at the folks who canceled his career typecast this versatile thespian as an unlovable villain? Hear Now Playing give DC Studios an earful today!
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Street Fighter (2026) Movie Review
21 oktober 2026 · 1 uur 52 min
Eat some snails with Arnie, Justin, and Stuart in the Now Playing Arcade Lees meer
Lord Bison (David Dastmalchian) invites the world’s toughest warriors to show off their “psycho energy” and gravity-defying hairdos in the 2026 reboot of Street Fighter. Can estranged brothers Ken Masters (Noah Centineo) and Ryu (Andrew Koji) repair their relationship as the MTV playboy summons a Flaming Hadouken, and the orphaned loner struggles to contain a dark spirit inside himself? And is spy Chun-Li (Callina Liang) right to say there’s more happening at this tournament than 50 Cent and Jason Momoa flexing video game physiques? Listen Now!
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The Social Reckoning Movie Review
13 oktober 2026 · 1 uur 41 min
Getting In Your Face(book) Lees meer
Mikey Madison (Anora) braces for a Social Reckoning after she shares stolen Facebook secrets with investigative reporter Jeremy Allen White (The Bear) in this 2026 docudrama. Has Mark Zuckerberg (Succession’s Jeremy Strong) become a better friend to media types like Bill Burr (The Mandalorian) since Jesse Eisenberg played the retaliatory tech-company CEO in start-up story The Social Network? And can Oscar-winning screenwriter Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing) make this Meta commentary with the same directorial flair as David Fincher? Find out Now!
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Godzilla (1998) Movie Review
6 oktober 2026 · 1 uur 35 min
Iguana Be Sedated Lees meer
Matthew Broderick needs another day off after Godzilla rises out of the Hudson to nest in New York City in a 1998 reboot of the iconic Japanese monster. But should this dweeby biologist criticize the asexual reproduction of a giant lizard laying eggs inside Madison Square Garden when he’s got even less romantic chemistry with aspiring reporter Maria Patillo? And can Hollywood hitmakers Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin coax our star to demolish Manhattan buildings with the same zeal as the UFOs from Independence Day? Listen and find out now!
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Intermission 8: Old Punks, Great Pumpkins, & Disco Testicles
2 oktober 2026 · 41 min
Halloween has come to Now Playing! The hosts share their favorite spooky-season traditions, from month-long horror marathons and haunted houses to vintage TV specials, costumed pets, and gifts from the mysterious Mr. Bogeyman. Meanwhile, Arnie has accidentally planned an entire month around Hellraiser. Plus, concerts, Star Trek, fantasy football, and a patron brave enough to face our horror movie trivia! Lees meer
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Godzilla (1954) / Godzilla: King of the Monsters (1956)
30 september 2026 · 1 uur 26 min
Jurassic Landmark Lees meer
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!
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Resident Evil (2026) Movie Review
22 september 2026 · 1 uur 34 min
First Person Shirker Lees meer
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!
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Resident Evil (2022) TV Series Review
15 september 2026 · 1 uur 57 min
Is it evil that I’m glad Milla Jovovich is no longer a resident of this franchise? Lees meer
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!
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Iron Lung Movie Review
8 september 2026 · 1 uur 10 min
Crimson Tides Lees meer
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!
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Red Faction: Origins Movie Review
2 september 2026 · 1 uur 8 min
Get Your Ass Off Mars Lees meer
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.
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Intermission #7: Avengers - Homework
31 augustus 2026 · 37 min
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. Lees meer
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!
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Insidious: Out of the Further Movie Review
26 augustus 2026 · 1 uur 28 min
Getting Long In The Tooth Lees meer
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!
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Jack Ryan: Ghost War Movie Review
18 augustus 2026 · 1 uur 9 min
Unclear and Present Danger Lees meer
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!
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Wonder Man TV Series Review
12 augustus 2026 · 2 uur
Asking questions about character motivation that Marvel never put to Echo Lees meer
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.
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Spider-Man: Brand New Day Movie Review
5 augustus 2026 · 2 uur 9 min
Home Sick Lees meer
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!
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Intermission #6: To Infinity and... Nowhere
2 augustus 2026 · 53 min
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. Lees meer
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The Punisher: One Last Kill Movie Review
28 juli 2026 · 1 uur 3 min
John Wick comes at you with a pencil; Frank Castle comes at you with a pen! That's the Punisher way! Lees meer
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!
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The Odyssey Movie Review
22 juli 2026 · 2 uur 38 min
Ill Will Hunting Lees meer
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!
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Eyes of Wakanda Miniseries Review
15 juli 2026 · 1 uur 5 min
Dora (Milaje) The Explorer Lees meer
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!
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Did I Ever Tell You This? A Memoir by Sam Neill Book Review
14 juli 2026 · 34 min
The book Sam Neill wrote for himself... and shared with the rest of us. Lees meer
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.
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Ironheart Miniseries Review
8 juli 2026 · 2 uur 15 min
The Devil’s In The Deep Dish Lees meer
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!
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When Life Gives You Lululemons by Lauren Weisberger Book Review
3 juli 2026 · 26 min
Athleisure wear, Affairs, and Awful Life Lessons Lees meer
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.
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Revenge Wears Prada: The Devil Returns Book Review
3 juli 2026 · 37 min
One Million Readers Would Kill for a Better Sequel Lees meer
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?
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Intermission #5: Backrooms v Supergirl - The Summer Hollywood Didn't See Coming
2 juli 2026 · 1 uur 10 min
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? Lees meer
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Supergirl (2026) Movie Review
1 juli 2026 · 1 uur 55 min
DC Universe Series Episode 2 Lees meer
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.
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Toy Story 5 Movie Review
24 juni 2026 · 1 uur 41 min
Left To Her Own Devices Lees meer
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.
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Agatha All Along Miniseries Review
17 juni 2026 · 2 uur 32 min
The Switches of Eastview Lees meer
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.
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Masters of the Universe (2026) Movie Review
10 juni 2026 · 2 uur 3 min
Fistos of Fury Lees meer
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!
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He-Man and She-Ra: The Secret of the Sword Movie Review
3 juni 2026 · 1 uur 30 min
By The Power of Filmation Lees meer
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!
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Intermission #4: Maclunky, Walkie-Talkies, and the Death of Movies
1 juni 2026 · 43 min
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. Lees meer
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Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu Movie Review
27 mei 2026 · 2 uur 6 min
The old protect the young, and the young develop poor eating habits. Lees meer
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!
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The Birds by Daphne du Maurier Book Review
22 mei 2026 · 20 min
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. Lees meer
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.
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Star Wars: The Mandalorian - Season 3 Review
20 mei 2026 · 2 uur 28 min
Is this The Way to make a follow-up to a hit show? Lees meer
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!
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Mortal Kombat II Movie Review
13 mei 2026 · 1 uur 39 min
Nic is not the only Cage who made garbage action flicks in the 1990s Lees meer
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.
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The Devil Wears Prada 2 Movie Review
10 mei 2026 · 2 uur
Kenneth Branagh’s Adoing Nothing Lees meer
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.
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The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger Book Review
9 mei 2026 · 37 min
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. Lees meer
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.
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Star Wars: The Book of Boba Fett Miniseries Review
6 mei 2026 · 1 uur 53 min
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. Lees meer
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The Devil Wears Prada Movie Review
4 mei 2026 · 1 uur 42 min
Sachs And The City Lees meer
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.
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Intermission #3: Stu Cru - Still Standing
1 mei 2026 · 39 min
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. Lees meer
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
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Nightmare on Elm Street (2010) Interview with Thomas Dekker
1 mei 2026 · 30 min
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. Lees meer
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Star Wars: The Mandalorian - Season 2 Review
29 april 2026 · 2 uur 22 min
Three Mando and a Baby Lees meer
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!
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Normal Movie Review
27 april 2026 · 1 uur 37 min
I guess you think you're... you know, like an authority figure, with that stupid fuckin' uniform, huh buddy? Lees meer
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!
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Star Wars: The Mandalorian - Season 1 Review
22 april 2026 · 2 uur 13 min
No Child Left Behind Lees meer
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.
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Star Wars: Andor - Season 2 Review
14 april 2026 · 2 uur 17 min
The Devil Wears Ghorman Twill Lees meer
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.
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The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Review
7 april 2026 · 1 uur 29 min
Now You’re Playing With Millennials Lees meer
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!
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Intermission #2 - Streaming Killed the Video Store
2 april 2026 · 36 min
Stuart's Burning Down the House on this episode... Lees meer
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!
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Star Wars: Andor - Season 1 Review
31 maart 2026 · 2 uur 28 min
Do NOT confuse this title for another Caravan of Courage on the Ewok moon Lees meer
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!
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Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi Miniseries Review
25 maart 2026 · 2 uur 26 min
Qui-Gon but Not Forgotten Lees meer
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+.