PopCult Podcast
135 episodes - English - Latest episode: 1 day ago -This is a weekly show that looks at film, television, comic books, and popular media.
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Episodes
In a Violent Nature/The Bikeriders
July 14, 2024 14:41 - 1 hour - 34.4 MBOne film deconstructs the tropes of lakeside slasher flick. The other examines a motorcycle club’s rise and fall. Ariana and Seth watched In a Violent Nature and The Bikeriders. They are ready to share their thoughts. If you would like to support the show & the blog you can do so at our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/popcultblog ...
The Boy and The Heron/Furiosa
July 07, 2024 14:32 - 54 minutes - 50.7 MBA Japanese animation master delivers his potential swan song while An Australian filmmaking legend visits his apocalyptic sandbox once again. Ariana and Seth watched The Boy and The Heron and Furiosa. Check out our thoughts. If you would like to support the show & the blog you can do so at our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/popcultblog ...
I Saw the TV Glow/Exhuma
June 16, 2024 15:45 - 1 hour - 56.7 MBTwo recent horror releases make up today's episode. One is a dark fantasy about queerness in the suburbs of 1990. The second is Korean folk horror about stopping a vengeful ghost. Ariana and Seth watched I Saw the TV Glow and Exhuma. They are sharing their thoughts.
Hit Man/Riddle of Fire
June 09, 2024 14:48 - 51 minutes - 47.5 MBRichard Linklater's latest places Glen Powell in the shoes of a pretend hired killer. Then, we visit a 16mm dreamworld where three kids are on a quest to make a blueberry pie. Ariana and Seth watched Hit Man and Riddle of Fire. Check out our thoughts. If you would like to support the show & the blog you can do so at our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/popcultblog ...
About Dry Grasses/Housekeeping for Beginners
June 02, 2024 14:52 - 1 hour - 66.9 MBTwo European features make up this week's episode. One follows a misanthropic rural schoolteacher in Turkey as he burns every bridge around him. The other is about a queer found family in North Macedonia. Ariana and Seth watched About Dry Grasses and Housekeeping for Beginners. Check out our thoughts. If you would like to support the show & the blog you can do so at our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/popcultblog...
Stress Positions/The Last Stop in Yuma County
May 26, 2024 15:09 - 1 hour - 57.7 MBWell, not every week is a fun one. Our first film is Brooklyn hipster snark against the backdrop of COVID. The second is a dull formulaic exercise in genre that wastes so much talent. Ariana and Seth watched Stress Positions and The Last Stop in Yuma County. Check out our thoughts. If you would like to support the show & the blog you can do so at our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/popcultblog ...
Challengers/Sasquatch Sunset
May 19, 2024 14:55 - 1 hour - 58 MBIn one film we follow the complex intersection of sex, sports, and relationships. In the second, we see life from the perspective of animals where mortality is sudden & cold. Ariana and Seth watched Challengers and Sasquatch Sunset. Their opinions may surprise you, especially about one of these films. If you would like to support the show & the blog you can do so at our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/popcultblog...
Do Not Expect Too Much From the End of the World/Dad & Step-Dad
May 12, 2024 14:47 - 1 hour - 62.4 MBA whirlwind day in the life of a Romanian woman hustling & grinding to stay afloat. A lazy weekend with two men concerned with the upbringing of a son they share. These strange films make up the podcast this week. Ariana and Seth watched Do Not Expect Too Much From the End of the World and Dad & Step-Dad. They have many thoughts. If you would like to support the show & the blog you can do so at our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/pop...
Tótem/La Chimera
May 05, 2024 15:21 - 54 minutes - 50.8 MBThese were two fantastic films made by two fantastic directing women. The first is an intimate study of a life changing day in a little girl's life. The second is the mythic journey taken by a rogue British archaeologist in Italy. Ariana and Seth watched Totem and La Chimera. They have many thoughts. If you would like to support the show & the blog you can do so at our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/popcultblog ...
The Sweet East/The American Society of Magical Negroes
April 28, 2024 14:53 - 56 minutes - 52.2 MBThis was a week of films that were not great. One is a Alice in Wonderland picaresque following a hipster down the East Coast. The second is a wildly misguided attempt at racial satire that is woefully hollow. Ariana and Seth watched The Sweet East and The American Society of Magical Negroes. They have many thoughts. If you would like to support the show & the blog you can do so at our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/popcultblog...
Problemista/Civil War
April 21, 2024 15:14 - 1 hour - 60.3 MBThis is a wildly divergent A24 double feature. One film is a comedy about the immigrant experience in NYC. The second follow journalists through a war on American soil. Ariana and Seth watched Problemista and Civil War. They are ready to share their thoughts. If you would like to support the show & the blog you can do so at our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/popcultblog ...
Love Lies Bleeding/Drive-Away Dolls
April 14, 2024 15:01 - 52 minutes - 48.4 MBAs Billy Eichner once said, "Let's go, lesbians!" On this week's sapphic episode we look at a two lesbian neo-noirs with two very different takes on the genre. Ariana & Seth share what they about Love Lies Bleeding and Drive-Away Dolls. If you would like to support the show & the blog you can do so at our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/popcultblog ...
Motorama, The Dark Backward, and Late-Stage Capitalist American Grotesque
March 31, 2024 15:58 - 1 hour - 72.3 MBWhile watching this week's movies, we think we might have stumbled upon a genre of film hidden right in front of our eyes the whole time. Motorama and The Dark Backward becoming a jumping off point for bigger conversation. Ariana & Seth share what they believe are the canon & key filmmakers in the genre of Late-Stage Capitalist Americana Grotesque. If you would like to support the show & the blog you can do so at our Patreon - https://www.p...
Seven Samurai/The Hidden Fortress
March 24, 2024 15:40 - 1 hour - 56.5 MBAkira Kurosawa is one of the greatest filmmakers to ever live and his movies have had a profound influence on the form. Today we talk about a group of ronin defending a village & the story of a princess in peril that should feel familiar. Ariana & Seth watched Seven Samurai and The Hidden Fortress. They have thoughts to share. If you would like to support the show & the blog you can do so at our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/popcultblog...
Perfect Days/Tokyo Story
March 17, 2024 16:12 - 1 hour - 71.8 MBTwo quiet slice of life dramas get the spotlight this week. Wim Wenders finds poignancy in the life of a public toilet cleaner as he makes connections. Ozu delivers his humanist masterpiece with a quiet family epic. Ariana & Seth watched Perfect Days and Tokyo Story. They have thoughts to share. If you would like to support the show & the blog you can do so at our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/popcultblog ...
Dune Part 2/Polytechnique
March 10, 2024 15:30 - 1 hour - 67 MBIt's all things Denis Villeneuve this week. We watched his latest, the second chapter in a legendary science fiction saga. Then we went back to see a film that garnered his first major attention. Ariana & Seth watched Dune Part 2 and Polytechnique. They have thoughts to share. If you would like to support the show & the blog you can do so at our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/popcultblog ...
Mami Wata/Poor Things
March 03, 2024 16:13 - 1 hour - 69.1 MBIn Nigeria, a woman attempts to keep her community together as massive fractures form. In a strange fantasy world, a woman attempts to figure out who she is as she speedruns through human development. Ariana & Seth watched Mami Wata and Poor Things. They have thoughts to share. If you would like to support the show & the blog you can do so at our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/popcultblog ...
All of Us Strangers/The Iron Claw
February 25, 2024 15:46 - 1 hour - 70.7 MBWe finally get to talk about two films from 2023 we have been so excited for. The first is a dreamlike queer fantasy about reckoning with the past so you can start living. The second is the tragic real life story of a professional wrestling dynasty. Ariana & Seth watched All of Us Strangers and The Iron Claw. They have thoughts to share. If you would like to support the show & the blog you can do so at our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/popcu...
The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp/A Matter of Life and Death
February 18, 2024 16:27 - 1 hour - 43.5 MBIt's a World War II Powell & Pressburger double feature today. In one film we follow the storied life of a career soldier in the British Army as he watches the world change around him. In the other a British soldier gets a second chance a life that might be snatched away from him. Ariana & Seth watched The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp and A Matter of Life and Death. They have thoughts to share. If you would like to support the show & the blog you can do so at our Patreon - ...
Babe: Pig in the City/Happy Feet
February 11, 2024 16:55 - 59 minutes - 33.3 MBGeorge Miller, creator of Mad Max, has made some pretty good family fare. This week we look at one which is a pig's wild adventure in urban environs and the other is a jukebox musical about penguins. Ariana & Seth watched Babe: Pig in the City and Happy Feet. They have thoughts to share. If you would like to support the show & the blog you can do so at our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/popcultblog ...
Bunny Lake Is Missing/A Taste of Honey
February 04, 2024 15:54 - 1 hour - 62.3 MBIt's another week of pulling from the Letterboxd Watchlist, this time with the theme being the 1960s and England. One film is a thrilling mystery about a lost girl and the other is about a girl lost about what to do with her future. Ariana & Seth watched Bunny Lake Is Missing and A Taste of Honey. They have thoughts to share. If you would like to support the show & the blog you can do so at our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/popcultblog...
All That Jazz/Mikey and Nicky
January 28, 2024 16:03 - 1 hour - 68.2 MBThe new movies we want to see just aren't available to us yet. So we dipped into the ol' Letterboxd watchlist and pulled out two classics from the 1970s we've needed to watch. Ariana & Seth watched Bob Fosse's All That Jazz and Elaine May's Mikey and Nicky. They have thoughts to share. If you would like to support the show & the blog you can do so at our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/popcultblog ...
Fallen Leaves/All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt
January 21, 2024 15:41 - 45 minutes - 42.1 MBWe're back with our first two films of the year. One is a Finnish working class romcom inspired by old fashioned movies. The second is a dreamlike expressionistic exploration of a Black woman's life in Mississippi. Ariana & Seth watched Fallen Leaves and All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt. They have thoughts to share. If you would like to support the show & the blog you can do so at our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/popcultblog ...
2023 Favorites
January 14, 2024 16:54 - 1 hour - 89.2 MBAfter an unexpected series of delays due to illness, we are back to talk about our favorite things and films of 2023. Ariana & Seth looked back at all the media that was a part of their lives in the last year and picked out the best they want to share with you. If you would like to support the show & the blog you can do so at our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/popcultblog You can visit our websi...
Miracle on 34th Street/The Shop Around the Corner/Xmas Sitcoms
December 24, 2023 17:21 - 1 hour - 78.4 MBWe went to court to learn if Santa was real. Then it was quick stop to pick up some things at a general store in Budapest, before heading home to watch some classic Christmas episodes. Ariana & Seth watched Miracle on 34th Street, The Shop Around the Corner, and a grab bag of old Christmas sitcoms - and we're talking about it. If you would like to support the show & the blog you can do so at our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/popcultblog ...
Passages/Cat Person
December 17, 2023 15:35 - 1 hour - 68.2 MBTwo more 2023 releases are spotlighted in this episode. The first is a very modern love triangle centered on a filmmaker who is a very difficult protagonist to like. The second may be one of the worst adaptations of a short story we've ever seen. Ariana & Seth watched Passages and Cat Person, and are sharing their thoughts. If you would like to support the show & the blog you can do so at our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/popcultblog ...
Earth Mama/Eileen
December 10, 2023 15:59 - 1 hour - 57.1 MBThe end of the year is approaching fast & with it come some fantastic films. In our first feature, we follow a young woman attempting to navigate an near impossible system to get her kids back. In the second, we see the world through the eyes of a disturbed young woman desperately in need of connection. Ariana & Seth watched Earth Mama and Eileen, and are sharing their thoughts. If you would like to support the show & the blog you can do so at our Patreon - ...
May-December/The Holdovers
December 03, 2023 17:31 - 1 hour - 64.1 MBIt's Haynes & Payne back at it again! In our first film, we follow an actress as she attempts to understand a couple whose lives are swamped in scandal. In the second, three people find a connection while spending the winter holiday at a boarding school. Ariana & Seth watched May/December and The Holdovers, and are sharing their thoughts. If you would like to support the show & the blog you can do so at our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/popcultblog...
The Beasts/Anatomy of a Fall
November 19, 2023 15:48 - 1 hour - 56.9 MBTwo new European films make up our double feature this week. In one a French transplant to northern Spain comes into conflict with the locals. In the second, a German woman living in France is accused of murdering her husband and must go through a harrowing courtroom trial, the only witness her blind son. Ariana & Seth watched The Beasts and Anatomy of a Fall, and are sharing their thoughts. If you would like to support the show & the blog you can do so at our Patreon - ...
The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar/The Killer
November 12, 2023 16:00 - 1 hour - 69.8 MBTwo new releases are the focus of the latest episode. In one, Wes Anderson adapts four short stories by the legendary author Roald Dahl. The second is the latest from the meticulous director David Fincher. Ariana & Seth watched The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and The Killer, and are sharing their thoughts. If you would like to support the show & the blog you can do so at our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/popcultblog ...
Bottoms/Killers of the Flower Moon
November 05, 2023 15:39 - 58 minutes - 54.2 MBThese films couldn't be more different. One is a comedy based on a series of Comedy Central shorts about two horny lesbian losers. The second is the true story of a series of killings at an Osage reservation in the early 20th century. Ariana & Seth watched Bottoms and Killers of the Flower Moon, and are sharing their thoughts. If you would like to support the show & the blog you can do so at our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/popcultblog ...
The PopCult 2023 Halloween Spooktacular
October 29, 2023 16:42 - 1 hour - 73.8 MBIt's night of classic tricks & treats as our intrepid hosts dress up and go door to door. It seems like some of what they find is well worth the effort, but other things are getting some houses tp'ed. Ariana & Seth watched six classic sitcom Halloween episodes and are sharing their thoughts. If you would like to support the show & the blog you can do so at our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/popcultblogYou can visit our websit...
Little Shop of Horrors/The Faculty
October 22, 2023 14:53 - 1 hour - 60.3 MBWe continue our Halloween celebration with two creepy tales of invasions from beyond. In the first, our aliens strike in the form of flesh-eating plants. In the second they take on the role of authority figures in a high school. Ariana & Seth watched Little Shop of Horrors & The Faculty. They have things to say. If you would like to support the show & the blog you can do so at our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/popcultblog You ...
Phantasm/Phantasm II
October 15, 2023 15:05 - 1 hour - 60.6 MBIt's spooky season. This episode Ariana & Seth watched the first two installments of a cult horror franchise that delivers a lot of unexpected & unique terrors. We watched Phantasm & Phantasm II and are ready to chat about them, BOYYYYYYYYYY! If you would like to support the show & the blog you can do so at our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/popcultblog You can visit our website at PopCult Reviews - htt...
The 100th Episode
October 01, 2023 14:15 - 42 minutes - 39.7 MBSeth & Ariana do something special to celebrate our 100th episode. If you would like to support the show & the blog you can do so at our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/popcultblog You can visit our website at PopCult Reviews - https://www.popcult.blog Make sure to follow us on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/popcult_blog/...
The Blue Caftan/Rotting in the Sun
September 24, 2023 15:21 - 57 minutes - 53.3 MBA beautiful & intensely intimate Moroccan drama & an intensely funny satirical Chilean comedy make up our two picks for this week. Ariana and Seth watched The Blue Caftan and Rotting in the Sun. Here are their thoughts in podcast form. If you would like to support the show & the blog you can do so at our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/popcultblog You can visit our website at PopCult Reviews - https://ww...
Afire/Theater Camp
September 17, 2023 14:29 - 51 minutes - 48 MBOne of the most prominent German filmmakers today delivers his latest film which prove disappointing. Then we hop the bus to go visit the grounds of a Broadway kids camp. Ariana and Seth watched Afire and Theater Camp. Here are their thoughts in podcast form. If you would like to support the show & the blog you can do so at our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/popcultblog You can visit our website at PopCult Reviews - ...
Please Baby Please/Save Yourselves!
September 10, 2023 14:34 - 53 minutes - 49.1 MBDiving deep into the indie films we came up with two obscure titles you've probably never heard of. One is a hyper-stylized queer comedy about a newlywed couple realizing their relationship is far more complicated than they thought. The other is a Millennial comedy about a couple disconnecting from the internet for a week at a cabin in the woods only for aliens to invade. Ariana and Seth watched Please Baby Please and Save Yourselves!, and are ready to chat about them. If you would like to...
TMNT: Mutant Mayhem/The Boogeyman
September 03, 2023 14:32 - 56 minutes - 52.2 MBWe indulge in some "popcorn" flicks this week. One is the return of an old favorite, heroes in a half-shell with a look inspired by more recent animated box office successes. Then, it is some Stephen King inspired horror as one of his short stories gets adapted into feature length. Ariana and Seth watched TMNT: Mutant Mayhem and The Boogeyman, and are ready to chat about them. If you would like to support the show & the blog you can do so at our Patreon - https://w...
RMN/Past Lives
August 27, 2023 14:47 - 1 hour - 63.6 MBTwo more new releases take the spotlight this week. In one we journey to Transylvania, but there's no vampires here. Instead, it's a tense & moody exploration of various ethnic groups at each other's throat. In our second film, we span 24 years as a Korean woman retains thoughts of her childhood crush while moving on with her life and changing in so many ways. Ariana and Seth watched RMN and Past Lives, and are ready to chat about them. If you would like to support the show & the blog you ...
Cobweb/Talk To Me
August 20, 2023 14:34 - 54 minutes - 50.8 MBIt's a horror double feature this week on the podcast. In one film, a little boy tries to figure out what secret hiding the walls has his parents acting so strangely. Then, it's down to Australia where a group of teenagers play around with contacting the dead only to have something horrible find its way to the land of the living. Ariana and Seth watched Cobweb and Talk To Me, and are ready to chat about them. If you would like to support the show & the blog you can do so at our Patreon - ...
A Thousand and One/Return to Seoul
August 13, 2023 14:43 - 51 minutes - 47.6 MBTwo women adrift in the world try and make sense of what is happening around them. One is an ex-convict trying to bring order to her life, while the other finds she has a desire to foment chaos as she struggles to reconnect with her roots. Ariana and Seth watched A Thousand and One and Return to Seoul, and are ready to chat about them. The first ten minutes of Return to Seoul - https://youtu.be/ObWCqcSO1ZI If you would like to support the show & the blog you can do so at our Patreon - ...
What We've Been Reading/Godland
August 06, 2023 14:38 - 1 hour - 70 MBSo many books and so little time in life to read them, but today we have some you should add to your To Be Read list. Also, we take a journey into the harsh & surreal landscape of Iceland along with a Danish priest out to tame the people and the land. Ariana and Seth are sharing some book recommendations as well as talking about the newly released Danish film Godland. If you would like to support the show & the blog you can do so at our Patreon - https://www.patreon.co...
Joyland/Barbie
July 30, 2023 14:47 - 1 hour - 66.6 MBThis episode features two films that explore ideas of gender & society but in wildly different ways and styles. For our first film, we journey to Lahore, Pakistan where we enter the world of erotic theater where transgender women perform on stage. Then it's over to a land of make believe where toys come to life and face the complex problems of the real world. Ariana and Seth watched Joyland and Barbie. Bet you can guess which one we liked more. If you would like to support the show & the b...
Full Time/Yellowjackets
July 23, 2023 14:42 - 1 hour - 59.2 MBIt's tough for ladies out there. Whether its trying to commute to work in the midst of French transit strikes or handling the trauma of being a cannibal in your formative years, women are being asked to balance a lot. Ariana & Seth watched the wildly intense Full Time and the darkly comic first two seasons of Yellowjackets. If you would like to support the show & the blog you can do so at our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/popcultblog You can visit...
Blue Jean/You Hurt My Feelings
July 16, 2023 14:35 - 57 minutes - 52.8 MBTwo new 2023 releases are spotlighted in this episode. One is a period piece about a lesbian teacher in 1980s England dealing with the pressure of staying closeted to keep her job. The other is a contemporary comedy about an author who overhears her husband saying he doesn't like her work. Ariana & Seth watched Blue Jean and You Hurt My Feelings and share their thoughts on the movies. If you would like to support the show & the blog you can do so at our Patreon - https://...
Sanctuary/Rye Lane
July 09, 2023 14:27 - 48 minutes - 44.6 MBLove is in the air this week on the PopCult Podcast. Our first film explores the power dynamics between a wealthy hotel heir and his ambitious dominatrix. The second film is about love blossoming between two young people in modern London. Ariana & Seth watched Sanctuary and Rye Lane and want to talk about them. If you would like to support the show & the blog you can do so at our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/popcultblog You can visit our website at P...
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret/The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster
July 02, 2023 14:53 - 57 minutes - 53.1 MBIt's all about the girls in book adaptations this week's episode. One is a beloved coming of age novel that has been the subject of much censorship since it was published over 50 years ago. The other is a remix of a classic horror novel set in America and about the scourge of death in poor communities. Ariana and Seth watched Are You There God? It's Me Margaret and The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster. They are eager to talk about them! If you would like to support the show & the blog you ...
Showing Up/Sleepless in Seattle
June 25, 2023 15:11 - 53 minutes - 49.2 MBFrom the present, we have a film about a struggling artist trying to determine if she has anything of value to say and where she fits in with the larger art community. From the past, it's a film about falling in love but with some heavily problematic messages and weird stalker-ish, parasocial behavior. Ariana and Seth watched Showing Up and Sleepless in Seattle for this episode. If you would like to support the show & the blog you can do so at our Patreon - https://www.patre...
The Last Action Hero/Trading Places
June 19, 2023 12:11 - 54 minutes - 50.2 MBIt's birthday time for two movie releases from the past. One signaled the weak spots in a mega movie star's career. The other was the first steps of a comedy star who would dominate the 1980s. Ariana and Seth watched Last Action Hero and Trading Places and talk about them on their respective anniversaries this episode. If you would like to support the show & the blog you can do so at our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/popcultblog You can visit our website at...