Author: James Ruzicka

Did we ever tell you about the time we met Al Gore? Join us at the Popcorn Counter to hear how we encountered the man who was almost the President of the United States, and what it had to do with the film industry. Plus, once we’re on the subject of An Inconvenient Truth, we […]

We’re watching new Latvian animated film Flow this episode, a beautiful and distinctive looking parable about cooperation and environmental collapse, and we’re comparing it to the 1997 Studio Ghibli classic Princess Mononoke. These two movies offer two very different perspectives on the effects of humans on the lives of animals: Flow seems simple and family […]

This year is the first time in the history of cinema that every film in the top ten is a sequel or a prequel. Join us at the popcorn counter to talk about what’s wrong with the industry, how we’ve ended up here and what we might do to get ourselves out of this particular […]

We have watched the new Sebastian Stan movie A Different Man this week, a low budget, independent, off kilter comedy drama about an actor with neurofibromatosis who transforms his appearance and alters his identity. But do things change for the better or the worse? We’re comparing it to the classic tale of stolen identity, 1982’s […]

We’re in conversation with probably the world’s number one sound recordist this week, friend of the pod Mike Primmer, who was the man holding the boom in last week’s film A Prairie Home Companion. Join us for not only the best recorded Popcorn Counter ever, but also for some incredible insights into the making of […]

Stop singing that Whigfield hit from 1994 and instead join us for a look at Saturday Night, the brand new feature film comedy from Jason Reitman about the first broadcast of US television institution Saturday Night Live. With its fairly soft plot, character based comedy, constantly moving camera and huge ensemble cast it looks a […]

It’s quiz night once again at the Popcorn Counter this week, in what we’re going to call ‘Pop Quiz’ from now on. This time: detective movies. Can you name forty detective movies given our cryptic, random and rambling clues? Score over 28 to earn our undying respect. In between the questions, we wonder about Orson […]

Anna Kendrick’s directorial debut Woman of the Hour is our new film at the Two Reel Cinema Club this week, a true life serial killer thriller that mixes perky humour and dreadful violence to powerful effect. We’re comparing it to one of the granddaddies of serial killer movies, 1971’s Dirty Harry. Which film is stacked […]

It’s not an episode for those with claustrophobia this week, as we get stuck in the elevator on the way to the Popcorn Counter for the second time. At least we have our microphones, so we take the opportunity to practice our best elevator pitches. With Joker: Folie à Deux fresh in our minds, are […]

When Joker made nearly $1.1bn at the box office, a sequel was more or less assured. But who expected a musical? Join us this week as watch Joaquim Phoenix and Lady Gaga in Joker: Folie à Deux and ask: is it possible to turn a comic book movie into anything? What does the film say about […]