Popcorn Optional - Pod.casts

Episode CV - Zack Snyder's Justice League

April 05, 2021 13:47 - 1 hour - 69.6 MB

Did you really think we wouldn't do an episode about Zack Snyder's Justice League? It's the directors cut of the century! We had to talk about it at least for a little bit. Ok, at least for an hour. Ok, its an hour and sixteen minutes. But there is way too much to talk about. Listen up!

Episode CIV - Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

February 17, 2020 14:30 - 1 hour - 61.6 MB

We back! Kind of. I mean, come on, you didn't think that we would miss the opportunity to talk Star Wars? The sequel trilogy has had its ups and downs depending on who you talk to but now that we have had some time to sit on it, it feels right to weigh in on whether or not the finale to the "Skywalker Saga" was a success. Listen in to our review of Episode IX of Star Wars.

Episode CIII - The Finale (Top 10 Office Episodes)

September 19, 2019 19:47 - 1 hour - 97.7 MB

After 102 episodes, our journey has come to an end. There may still be a couple of "post credits" episodes along the way (looking at you The Rise of Skywalker), but we want to end this podcast by talking about our favorite show, The Office. Over 9 seasons this show made us laugh, cry, cringe, and everything in between so what better way close this podcast than to talk about the show that we quoted and referenced more than any other. Listen in as we talk all things The Office as well as what t...

Episode CII - Hobbs & Shaw

August 08, 2019 05:49 - 1 hour - 55.9 MB

When you put Jason Statham and The Rock in a film, there are two ways the movie can go: fun, stupid action or stupid, stupid action. So which one is the newest entry in The Fast & The Furious franchise? Listen in as we review Hobbs & Shaw but before we get to that we talk the Summer Box Office Bet, nominated the 25th Class of Honorable Mensches, and talk a couple of new trailers.

Episode CI - The Lion King

July 25, 2019 13:58 - 1 hour - 56.2 MB

Disney's live-action/computer animated remake of The Lion King has all of the right ingredients for a hit: an established and talented director, one of the most amazing voice casts ever put together, and some of the best computer generated imagery ever seen. So why did this film leave a bad taste in our mouths when the credits rolled? Listen in to hear as Jake and Cameron review the 2019 remake as well as talk all things Comic Con 2019.

Episode C - Stranger Things 3

July 22, 2019 02:05 - 1 hour - 64.1 MB

Trevor. Jake. Cameron. Stranger Things 3. The three amigos are all together for the first time in almost two months to talk about those good ol' folks from Hawkins, Indiana. Season 1 was perfect. Season 2 had a few missteps but was still great. So where does season 3 fall on the spectrum? Listen in as we breakdown the highs and lows of the season as well as the trailers for IT: Chapter 2, Top Gun: Maverick, and Cats. Yes, Cats. Enjoy!

Episode XCIX - Spider-man: Far From Home

July 12, 2019 14:35 - 55 minutes - 50.5 MB

With Spider-man: Far From Home being the final film of Phase 3 of the MCU, it has a lot to deal with between telling its own story while also wrapping up the franchise post Avengers: Endgame. Listen in as Jake and Trevor breakdown whether this film continues the streak of great Spider-man films after both Spider-man: Into the Spider-verse as well as the new trailer for the live action remake of Mulan and how far each are into Stranger Things 3 so far.

Episode XCVIII - Toy Story 4

July 02, 2019 20:47 - 57 minutes - 53 MB

We back! I mean you didn’t really think we would miss the opportunity to to talk about a Pixar film did you? After a quick summer break, Jake and Trevor are here to talk about Toy Story 4. With the success and finality of Toy Story 3, there are a lot of questions about why the studio felt the need to make one more film. So does it further the legacy of the films before it or feel like a weird epilogue on an already perfect trilogy? Listen in as they review Toy Story 4 as well as talk The Offi...

Episode XCVII - Booksmart

May 30, 2019 19:46 - 55 minutes - 51.2 MB

Superbad. The Breakfast Club. Mean Girls. Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Booksmart? How does the directorial debut of Olivia Wilde starring Kaitlyn Dever and Beanie Feldstein fall in the class of all time great high school films? Listen in as Jake and Cameron review Booksmart as well as the results of the 24th class of Honorable Mensches and a new segment where Jake reads off loglines for upcoming TV shows and Cameron tries to guess if which studio picked them up.

Episode XCVI - John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum

May 22, 2019 16:50 - 39 minutes - 73.3 MB

Yeah, he's back, and better then ever! John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum continues what the first two films have started and solidifies the franchise as one of the best action franchises around. Listen in as we breakdown what makes this franchise tick.

Episode XCV - Holmes & Watson

May 15, 2019 19:44 - 20 minutes - 39.2 MB

Remember our Oscar bet where whoever lost has to watch the winner (loser?) for Worst Picture from the Razzies? Well Jake lost and had to unfortunately watch Holmes & Watson but here is where things get good: Jake has gone above and beyond and recorded a solo review. Just him. Reviewing on the the most panned movies in recent memory. You know it is going to be good so stop what you're doing and listen in now!

Episode XCIV - Avengers: Endgame Part II

May 08, 2019 19:46 - 1 hour - 64 MB

It wouldn't be right for us to only review the biggest cinematic event of the 2010s just once right? Yeah thats what we thought which is why we are back for a more in-depth review. Whats it like seeing the movie for a second time? Do problems get worse? Does it still hold the same emotional impact? Listen in for our in-depth review where we also do our 2019 Summer Box Office Movie Draft.

Episode XCIII - Avengers: Endgame

April 30, 2019 14:45 - 1 hour - 59.7 MB

22 movies over 11 years and the Marvel Cinematic Universe as we know it comes done to one film. The culmination of years of storytelling, character arcs, and hype and we are finally here. So how do you wrap up all of these storylines while still giving all of these heroes their moments? Listen in to our review of this once in a generation cinematic experience.

Episode XCII - Guava Island

April 18, 2019 14:27 - 56 minutes - 52.2 MB

Donald Glover may be one of the most talented artists working today so when he drops a movie suddenly, you drop what you are doing and watch it. With the help of director Hiro Murai and his brother Stephen Glover writing, Guava Island brings a lot of talents to the table in hopes of crafting something that is both timeless and timely. Listen in as we review this film as well as talk Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and Disney+.

Episode XCI - Shazam!

April 09, 2019 14:01 - 1 hour - 55.6 MB

DC seems to be headed on the right track after the success of Aquaman and the hype behind other upcoming movies like Wonder Woman 1984, so where does Shazam! fit in in all of this? Does it continue the success and build upon the existing universe or does it forge its own path in hopes of independent success? Listen in as we review DC's newest film and also talk the five most important movies to watch before Avengers: Endgame premieres.

Episode XC - Us

March 27, 2019 18:08 - 1 hour - 60 MB

Between the hype after Get Out, the hype about this movie from SXSW, and just the general "Jordan Peel is awesome" hype train, Us has a lot to live up to. Peele's sophomore film starring Lupita Nyong'o, Winston Duke, Shahadi Wright Joseph, and Evan Alex is the first great film of 2019 and solidifies Peele as a force to be reckoned with. Listen in to hear our review of what sets this apart from other horror films as well as do another round of Impish or Admirable where we talk about everything...

Episode LXXXIX - Triple Frontier

March 20, 2019 18:01 - 1 hour - 65.2 MB

What could go wrong with a heist movie written by Mark Boal that stars Ben Affleck, Oscar Isaac, Charlie Hunnam, Garrett Hedlund, and Pedro Pascal? Well depending on which half of the movie you watch, the answer could be very little or a whole lot. Listen in as we breakdown this new movie from Netflix as well as nominate the 23rd class of Honorable Mensches.

Episode LXXXVIII - Captain Marvel

March 14, 2019 02:07 - 1 hour - 56.5 MB

Captain Marvel is finally here! After years of hype, the 21st film of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the first with a female lead has finally arrived. Does Marvel break new ground here or does the film fall into the same ground and tropes as previous Marvel films? Listen in as we review the final film before Avengers: Endgame and also play our own game of Impish or admirable inspired by The Office.

Episode LXXXVII - 10 Years Later Oscars - 2008

March 06, 2019 21:32 - 1 hour - 60.5 MB

Here it is: the Second Annual 10 Years Later Academy Awards! It is that time of year where we look back at the films from 2008 and decide how the Academy Awards' decisions look now that they have had some time to breath. Did they make the right call in giving Slumdog Millionaire Best Picture or where there films not even nominated like The Dark Knight or Wall-E that were more deserving? Listen in as we travel back in time (not literally of course) and try to award the right films.

Episode LXXXVI - How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

March 01, 2019 13:13 - 55 minutes - 51.1 MB

After 9 years and 3 films, it is time to say good-bye to the world of dragons. How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World is the final and epic conclusion to the trilogy that we have come to love and adore. Listen in as we review this final chapter and also talk the winners and losers of the 91st Academy Awards.

Episode LXXXV - Alita: Battle Angel

February 21, 2019 01:25 - 54 minutes - 50.1 MB

If you have listened to the podcast before then you know that we have very different opinions on James Cameron and his films. Alita: Battle Angel is no different. Listen as we break down the highs and lows of this films as well as break down our most anticipated films of 2019 and as always we end with our content of the week.

Episode LXXXI - The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part

February 14, 2019 21:31 - 50 minutes - 46.6 MB

The Lego Movie was a surprise hit. The Lego Batman Movie was one of the better Batman movies of all time. The Lego Ninjago movie was a slight misstep but still fun. So where does The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part fall? Is it above the rest or does it set a new low for the franchise? Listen in to our review where we also talk the Academy Awards the the awards that are won't be presented live, nominate the 22nd class of Honorable Mensches, and as always end with our content of the week.

Episode LXXXIII - Blindspotting

February 08, 2019 16:43 - 48 minutes - 44.2 MB

January tends to be a slow month when it comes to new releases which is why we are going back and reviewing one of the 2018 films that we missed. This weeks film is Blindspotting which tells the story of a man, played by Daveed Diggs, who while on probation, begins to re-evaluate his relationship with his volatile best friend played by Rafael Casal. Listen in as we also talk trailers from the Super Bowl.

Episode LXXXII - Minding the Gap & Three Identical Strangers

January 30, 2019 02:20 - 1 hour - 71.5 MB

Another week, another double feature. This time it is back to back 2018 documentaries with Minding the Gap and Three Identical Strangers. Minding the Gap is the directorial debut from Bing Liu about three friends, skateboarding, and the issues that unfold in their lives. Three Identical Strangers tells the story of, well, three strangers who end up finding each other and come to realize they are actually triplets. Both documentaries are powerful stories and some of the best documentaries of 2...

Episode LXXXI - 2018 Top 10 Films

January 22, 2019 12:24 - 1 hour - 75.8 MB

2018 was a fantastic year for movies! We had surprising big budget animations, small indies that everyone fell in love with, movies that reminded us of what is important in life, and everything in between. Listen in as we count down our top 10 films from the past year as well as a few superlatives like what was the most surprising film of 2018.

Episode LXXX - Thunder Road & Won't You Be My Neighbor?

January 18, 2019 15:46 - 1 hour - 57 MB

In one corner we have indie star Thunder Road, the directorial feature film debut of Jim Cummings about a police offer whose life spirals out of control after the passing of his mother. In the other corner we have Academy Award hopeful Won't You Be My Neighbor? about the incredible life and talent that is Fred Roger. Two films enter the ring in an epic battle. Actually, there is no battle. Just us talking about why both of these films are some of the best of 2018! Listen in!

Episode LXXIX - You Were Never Really Here

January 11, 2019 13:02 - 1 hour - 57 MB

This week we are playing a little catch up on Oscar contenders from earlier in the year and reviewing Lynne Ramsay's newest film You Were Never Really Here starring Joaquin Phoenix. Listen in as we review this film as well as briefly talk frustrations with the Golden Globes, the top 100 shot films of the 20th century according to the American Society of Cinematographers, nominate the 20th class of Honorable Mensches, and as always end with our content of the week.

Episode LXXVIII.II - Aquaman

January 04, 2019 14:13 - 39 minutes - 36 MB

On part 2 of episode 78 we review the new DCEU film, Aquaman. We have been pretty hard on the DCEU in the past (with the exception of Wonder Woman) but we head into this review with clear eyes and full hearts hoping that this film doesn't lose. Listen in as we talk all things Aquaman from Jason Mamoa to characters hair to charks with laser beams on their heads.

Episode LXXVIII.I - Roma

January 04, 2019 14:05 - 45 minutes - 41.5 MB

Its a two parter this week to make up for time off over the holiday. On part 1, we review Roma, the new film from Honorable Mensch Alfonso Cuaron, director of Gravity and Children of Men. Listen in as we reivew what Cuaron has called his most personal film to date.

Episode LXXVII - Spider-man: Into the Spider-Verse

December 18, 2018 21:30 - 57 minutes - 52.3 MB

Animation + Spider-man + Miles Morales + Phil Lord and Christopher Miller = One of the best movies of the year. Who would have thought that the creative team behind Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs and The Lego Movie would be able to take one of the most beloved superheroes and make something this visually amazing. Listen in to our review where we also talk the let down of Avengers: Endgame as well as thoughts on Star Wars: The Last Jedi now that it has been out for a year.

Episode LXXVI - Elf

December 04, 2018 13:07 - 38 minutes - 35.3 MB

For 15 Christmas' now we have got to enjoy Will Ferrell as the always joyful Buddy the Elf. From snowball fights to candied spaghetti to decorations that rival the best of the best, Buddy captures the hope and wonder that surrounds Christmas. Listen in as we review this movie, talk Christmas movies in general and as always, end with our content of the week.

Episode LXXV - Widows

November 28, 2018 19:05 - 1 hour - 59.8 MB

With one of the most impressive casts this year and a director whose last film won Best Picture in 2013, there is a lot of hype for Widows to live up to. Listen in as Jake and Cameron review Steve McQueen's new heist film starring Viola Davis, Elizabeth Debicki, Michelle Rodriguez, Cynthia Erivo, Liam Neeson, Brian Tyree Henry, Daniel Kaluuya, Collin Farrell, and many more (see, I told this cast was impressive). The guys also talk the new trailer for the live action/CGI Lion King movie as wel...

Episode LXXIV - Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

November 21, 2018 16:47 - 1 hour - 66.5 MB

We were all fans of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them as a movie. It was fun, mysterious, and a pleasure to be back in the Wizarding World. With Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, J.K. Rowling and company look to take the success and aesthetic and once again expand upon this beloved world. So to ask the obvious question, does this sequel once again capture that magic or does this film over complicate this universe? Listen in for our review as well as the nominations for the 19...

Episode LXXIII - Overlord

November 15, 2018 20:47 - 42 minutes - 39 MB

Bad Robot? WWII? Nazi Zombies? Seems like a pretty killer formula for a movie. So do JJ and folks over at Bad Robot deliver on the goods or does the movie end up being the worst of all the elements? Listen in as Jake and Trevor review this new movie and finish off the episode with content of the week.

Episode LXXII - Harry Potter

November 08, 2018 20:59 - 1 hour - 86.7 MB

The time is here for us to travel back to our childhoods and talk about the magic (you know it had to be used) of the world of Harry Potter. We give our thoughts on each of the movies from the highlights to the cheesy moments, we talk all eight of the original movies and give our thoughts on why this is not only a great story, but one of the best franchises of all time. Listen in and enjoy!

Episode LXXI - First Man & Bad Times at the El Royale

November 01, 2018 19:36 - 1 hour - 74.3 MB

We've been gone for a little bit but thats why we are playing catch-up this week and do two reviews in one episode. First up is First Man, the new film from Damien Chazelle (La La Land, Whiplash) starring Ryan Gosling as Neil Armstrong. We then transition into Bad Times at the El Royale, the new film from Drew Goddard (Cabin in the Woods) and whether or not this is a worthy sophomore film for the director. As always, we end with our content of the week. Listen in and enjoy!

Episode LXX - A Star Is Born

October 11, 2018 18:38 - 1 hour - 70.2 MB

Who would have ever thought that we would be here with Bradley Cooper directing a movie like A Star Is Born? There is a lot to talk about with this film between the performances from Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper to the music to the story to the advertising so listen in as we breakdown why everyone is freaking out about Bradley Cooper’s directorial debut. We also talk about James Gunn being hired to write (and possibly direct) Suicide Squad 2 as well as answer the impossible question of is Net...

Episode LXIX - Set It Up

October 04, 2018 20:53 - 1 hour - 58.6 MB

After the results of our Summer Box Office Bet, Cameron chose to make Jake and Trevor watch Set It Up, the delightful romantic comedy now on Netflix. Listen in as we discuss the key components of a good romantic comedy as well as The Last Jedi vs Russia, Joaquin Phoenix as the Joker, nominations for the 17th class of Honorable Mensches, and as always end with our content of the week.

Episode LXVIII - The Predator

September 21, 2018 15:55 - 59 minutes - 54.7 MB

The original Predator film has got everything you could want out of an 1980s action film including Schwarzenegger, intense fights, cheesy one-liners, and an iconic monster. But what worked in the 80s doesn't always work in the 2010s. So with the new Predator lega-sequel, is Shane Black and his cast able to breath new life into this franchise? Listen in for our review as well as our thoughts on Henry Cavill being done playing Superman, the Captain Marvel trailer, the Emmy's, and as always we e...

Episode LXVII - Crazy Rich Asians

September 12, 2018 14:01 - 1 hour - 56.6 MB

A couple of times a year a film comes along that seems to spread through culture and when it happens you got to make a trip to see what all the hype is about. Well we are here to report the hype is real and Crazy Rich Asians delivers one heck of a fun time. So what separates this film from other romantic-comedies? Listen in to here our review but before that we talk the Oscar’s cancelling their Popular Film category, play a game of Movie Cast Mad Libs, and as always end with our content of th...

Episode LXVI - Searching

September 05, 2018 14:34 - 1 hour - 64.8 MB

In an age where movies seem to be following a formula, it is always a breath of fresh air whenever something comes along to breath new air into Hollywood. But does Searching provide more than just a new twist on a similar formula? Listen in as we review this new film from Aneesh Chaganty starring John Cho as well as do a wrap up of the summer box office bet and really the summer box office season as a whole, talk early reviews from the Toronto International Film Festival, and end with our con...

Episode LXV - The Godfather

August 31, 2018 11:45 - 1 hour - 79.4 MB

Welcome to the second edition of Ketchup! A member to the Popcorn Optional family where we go back and review classic films that none of us have ever seen. Yes I know, how have we never seen The Godfather? Better late than never right? Listen in as we review the film as well as talk the Bond 25 director shakeup, the Roma trailer, nominate the 17th class of Honorable Mensches, and as always end with our content of the week.

REPOST - Episode XLIX - Marvel Ranked

August 24, 2018 13:30 - 1 hour - 78 MB

We are taking a week off but decided to repost our Marvel Cinematic Universe Ranked episode in honor of Avengers: Infinity War coming out on blu-ray. We will be back next week with an all new episode!

Episode LXIV - The Meg

August 16, 2018 11:00 - 1 hour - 63.2 MB

The Meg, or Megan, as she is fondly referred to on this podcast, is just a friendly shark trying to find her place in the world...until mean old Jason Statham comes in. This harrowing tale about a prehistoric shark raises one simple question, how bad does a movie have to be in order to be good? Listen in as we review this new monster film as well as talk some news including changes to the Academy Awards, cook up some movie hot takes, and as always end with our content of the week.

Episode LXIII - Eighth Grade

August 08, 2018 12:00 - 1 hour - 66.3 MB

Middle school is awkward for everyone right? Well if you don't have a perfect memory of how cringy middle school is than you should check out Bo Burnham's new film Eighth Grade that perfectly captures that awkward time in one young girls life. Listen in for our review of this film to find out if Trevor's undying love for high school movies also translates to middle school movies as well as a movie cast mad libs for Top Gun and our content of the week.

Episode LXII - Mission: Impossible - Fallout

August 02, 2018 15:00 - 1 hour - 81.7 MB

We are now at a point now where the Mission: Impossible films are consistently some of the most entertaining big blockbuster films being released. So what exactly makes these films tick? Is it the cast? The action and stunts? All of it? Listen in as we breakdown the newest film in the franchise while also discussing the death of Moviepass, Star Wars Episode 9 cast announcement, Andy Serkis' Mowgli moving to Netflix, nominate the 16th class of Honorable Mensches, and as always end with our con...

Episode LXI - Die Hard

July 25, 2018 13:56 - 59 minutes - 54.9 MB

It is hard to believe that Die Hard is turning 30 this year. 30 years of Alan Rickman being the best villain, 30 years of Yippee ki-yay, and 30 years of debating whether or not this is a Christmas movie. So listen on in as we travel to Nakatomi Plaza to review Die Hard as well as talk Comic Con news and trailers including Aquaman, Shazam, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Godzilla 2, and Glass, James Gunn being fired from Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3, and as always end with our content of the week.

Episode LX - Sorry to Bother You

July 18, 2018 23:47 - 1 hour - 64.7 MB

After tons of hype from the Sundance Film Festival back in January, it is finally time for Boots Riley's directorial debut, Sorry to Bother You. Listen in as we review this film as well as talk a couple of casting announcements and trailers, announce our favorite movies of the year so far, do another edition of hot takes, and as always end with our content of the week.

Episode LIX - Ant-Man and the Wasp

July 11, 2018 14:24 - 1 hour - 63.7 MB

Infinity War sure was a doozy. So how does Marvel decide to follow up their biggest film to date? By making a sequel for their smallest characters (sorry, I had to). Ant-Man and the Wasp is the 20th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe but the question is does this film provide a nice palate cleanser or does it feel anti-climactic after Infinity War? Listen in to hear our review as well as a check in on the Summer Box Office Fantasy Bet, a couple of casting announcements, the 15th class of H...

Episode LVIII - Sicario: Day of the Soldado

July 03, 2018 13:45 - 1 hour - 56.7 MB

With Taylor Sheridan (Wind River) returning to once again write the script as well as Josh Brolin and Benicio del Toro reprising their roles, does Sicario: Day of the Soldado conjure up the same magic as Sicario or does the film miss the presence of Denis Villenueve, Emily Blunt, and Roger Deakins? Listen in as we review the new sequel as well as hit on Jared Leto playing Morbius, discuss a couple of new trailers, play a game of Movie Cast Mad Libs where Jake and Trevor are given character de...