This week the MovieFilm gang dives deep into a spoiler-filled dissection of the latest — though far from greatest — entry in Fox’s long-running X-Men feature film franchise, Apocalypse. We get into the story, praise what works, and offer our thoughts on what doesn’t. In addition, hear Zaki’s interview with the delightful Emilia Clarke about her new romantic drama Me Before You as well as her continuing work on Game of Thrones. All that, plus some thoughts on Disney’s Alice Through the Looking Gl...
Jun 01, 2016•1 hr 54 min•Ep. 96
For this week’s show we dive in with a brief conversation about writer-director Shane Black’s delightful action-comedy The Nice Guys, followed by Zaki’s interview with actress Kate Beckinsale about her work on the new Jane Austen adaptation Love & Friendship, directed by Whit Stillman. After that, hear our takes on the new trailers for Star Trek Beyond and Ghostbusters, and the upcoming TV remakes/reboots of Lethal Weapon, 24, MacGyver, and Frequency. In addition, we discuss the big shakes u...
May 25, 2016•1 hr 42 min•Ep. 95
With Captain America: Civil War currently battling atop the box office and breaking records in the process, the MovieFilm gang reconvenes to dissect the latest — greatest? — superhero epic from Marvel Studios. But that’s not the only topic on the agenda: First Brian talks about his adventures signing comics on Free Comic Book Day, then Zaki offers quick takes on the new financial thriller Money Monster, starring George Clooney and Julia Roberts (read his review here), and Fox’s upcoming X-Men: A...
May 13, 2016•1 hr 52 min•Ep. 94
This week Brian and Zaki discuss a whole host of new and upcoming release, including Disney’s box office behemoth The Jungle Book, the Kevin Costner action thriller Criminal, and Universal’s sequel/spin-off The Huntsman: Winter’s War. From there, listen to Zaki’s roundtable with the hilarious comedy duo Key & Peele about their feature film Keanu. After that, it’s on to a discussion of the trailers for The Magnificent Seven and Jason Bourne, and some headlines, including James Cameron’s furth...
Apr 21, 2016•1 hr 46 min•Ep. 93
This week we start things out with Brian offering some of his post-season thoughts on FX’s The People vs. O.J. Simpson and Hulu’s 11/22/63. From there, listen to Zaki’s interview with director Jeremy Saulnier and actor Anton Yelchin about their shocking new thriller Green Room (featuring Patrick Stewart in his creepiest role to date). After that, we discuss the box office collapse of Batman v. Superman, and what effect — if any — it will have on Warner Bros.’ plans for their big superhero cinema...
Apr 13, 2016•1 hr 30 min•Ep. 92
Justice dawned at the box office to the tune of record-breaking $167 million opening weekend, but the questions remains: Is Batman v. Superman a good movie? Is Ben Affleck the best Batman we’ve ever seen? Will Henry Cavill’s Superman ever manage to crack a smile? Brian and Zaki get into it it all with an extended conversation that discusses the pluses and minuses of the Zack Snyder-directed superhero epic’s convoluted plot, what we thought of the various performances (Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, ...
Mar 29, 2016•1 hr 30 min•Ep. 91
With the release of BATMAN V. SUPERMAN mere days away, Brian and Zaki take a stroll down memory lane and look at the very first big budget superhero epic of the modern era, SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE. Listen in as we offer up anecdotes about the making of the Richard Donner film starring Christopher Reeve, as well as our thoughts on Superman’s pop culture longevity, and how this version stacks up against more modern tellings. Whether you watch alongside us or listen separately, there’s lots or trivia a...
Mar 21, 2016•2 hr 23 min
In this week’s MovieFilm Podcast, we discuss a whole host of new and upcoming releases, including Zootopia, London Has Fallen, and the upcoming film from Richard Linklater, Everybody Wants Some!! After that, it’s on to headlines, including our thoughts on Spider-Man making his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in the upcoming Captain America: Civil War, and the plans for an in-home option for viewing brand-new movies. We also have reactions to the trailers for Ghostbusters, Ben-Hur, and [...]
Mar 18, 2016•1 hr 35 min•Ep. 90
Lots to discuss in this week’s show! First up, short takes on new and upcoming releases Eddie the Eagle, Triple 9, and Eye in the Sky, including Zaki’s fascinating interview with Eye in the Sky director Gavin Hood about what went into the making of the complex drone warfare drama. But that’s not all! With the Academy Awards in the rearview, we have our thoughts on the last Oscar show, and whether our picks were their picks. We also discuss the Netflix original series Fuller House, and how its po...
Mar 03, 2016•1 hr 40 min•Ep. 89
With the Ryan Reynolds superhero epic Deadpool (read Zaki’s review here) blowing the doors off the box office this past weekend, we take the opportunity to examine the stunning success of the X-Men spin-off and make some predictions about what its R-rated, blood-soaked path means for the future of the genre, and whether we can expect more violent, swear-filled superhero excursions in the near future. But that’s not all! We also take the opportunity to discuss the new JJ Abrams-produced Hulu mini...
Feb 17, 2016•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 88
It might be the dog days of January and February at movie theaters, but that doesn’t mean the MovieFilm gang doesn’t have plenty to talk about! First up, the ’90s are alive and well with FX’s The People vs. O.J. Simpson and Fox’s The X-Files revival. Then, Zaki offers his thoughts on the new release The Finest Hours, Disney’s harrowing true life Coast Guard rescue film. From there, it’s on to some Listener Letters and thoughts on the trailers for upcoming sequels Independence Day: Resurgence and...
Feb 04, 2016•1 hr 42 min•Ep. 87
For this week’s show we’re joined once again by our old friend (and Joblo.com editor-in-chief) Paul Shirey, for a fun and free-ranging conversation on all the latest out of Hollywood. First up, we offer some thoughts on new releases Ride Along 2 and 13 Hours, and then we dive right into your questions and comments for us as we answer your Listener Letters. After that, it’s on to Headlines, including the diversity problem at the Oscars, remembering the late, great Alan Rickman, and news that Fox ...
Jan 20, 2016•1 hr 30 min•Ep. 86
SPECIAL PREVIEW! Welcome to the first episode of the all-new Nostalgia Theater podcast, spinning off the MovieFilm show! As longtime readers may know, Zaki has run a feature by that same name at his blog Zaki’s Corner for many years now, and so he decided it was time to branch out and “expand the franchise,” so to speak. The purpose of this show is to do exactly what the print feature does: Look back at beloved and not-so-beloved pop culture artifacts from bygone days, talk to the creators who m...
Jan 12, 2016•1 hr 32 min
Happy new year! It’s a super-sized episode of the show as we take a look back at our top ten favorite flicks from the year just passed. With varied lists that include everything from big budget epics like Mad Max and Mission: Impossible to smaller releases like Trumbo and The Big Short, we go through the reasons why these were the movies that rose to the top for us. Where did we end up ranking them? You’ll have to listen to find out! But that’s not all: We also [...]
Jan 06, 2016•1 hr 52 min•Ep. 85
The Force has awakened! With this weekend’s release of Star Wars: Episode VII already leaving several box office records in its wake, Disney’s $4 billion relaunch of the legendary franchise is off to an auspicious start (click here to read Zaki’s non-spoiler review). For this final MovieFilm show of 2015, Brian and Zaki mark the return of Star Wars from a galaxy far, far away by dispensing with the traditional format and instead going all-in for an in-depth, spoiler-filled conversation about the...
Dec 21, 2015•1 hr 44 min•Ep. 84
Yo! The critically-acclaimed Creed is punching up the nation’s box office as we speak, and we go the distance this week talk up director Ryan Coogler’s emotional and engaging Rocky spin-off, starring Michael B. Jordan and Sylvester Stallone. But that’s not all, hear Brian’s takes some of the movies he missed from last summer, including Pixels and The Man From U.N.C.L.E., as well as Zaki’s fascinating interview with director Jay Roach about his brilliant biopic Trumbo, starring Bryan Cranston. In...
Dec 02, 2015•1 hr 44 min•Ep. 83
It’s Episode 4 of the MovieFilm Commentary Track, and with Thanksgiving on the horizon, we’re watching a movie we’re especially thankful for: Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (or, as old fogies like us call it, just Star Wars).
Nov 25, 2015•2 hr 6 min
After three long years, Bond, James Bond is back! Last Friday marked the release of Spectre, the twenty-fourth film in the immortal spy movies, and Brian and Zaki couldn’t be more excited to be joined by Bruce Scivally, renowned film historian and co-author of James Bond: The Legacy, to talk up the latest 007 film as well as his new tome, Dracula FAQ. In addition, we also cover some of the latest headlines out of Hollywood, including a proposed Die Hard prequel and plans to
Nov 11, 2015•1 hr 42 min•Ep. 82
For this week’s show, after taking stock of the aftermath of last week’s once-in-a-lifetime Back to the Future day (make sure you listen to our special commentary track!) Brian and Zaki offer up quick reactions to whole host of new releases from the past month, including the Robert Zemeckis thriller The Walk, the drug drama Sicario, Steven Spielberg’s latest team-up with Tom Hanks Bridge of Spies, and the Michael Fassbender starrer Steve Jobs. From there, catch Zaki’s interview with director Dan...
Oct 29, 2015•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 81
The future is now! Today is October 21, 2015, and as any dyed-in-the-wool film buff knows, that’s the very same date that Marty McFly and Doc Brown visit at the start of 1989’s Back to the Future Part II. Well, naturally being the lifelong Back to the Future buffs that we are, there was no way the MovieFilm gang was going to let this momentous, once-in-a-lifetime occasion pass without making a contribution to the festivities. And so here we are with our third MovieFilm commentary track (after Pl...
Oct 21, 2015•1 hr 51 min
Matt Damon is currently sitting atop the box office with his starring role in Ridley Scott’s The Martian, and we’re joined by special guest Zahra Noorbahksh this week as we unpack the stellar sci-fi epic. In addition, we talk up new releases like Davis Guggenheim’s latest documentary He Named Me Malala, and the fairy tale reinvention Pan. But that’s not all, we also discuss the latest headlines out of Hollywood, including a franchise onslaught that’s going to see four more Transformers films, tw...
Oct 07, 2015•2 hr•Ep. 80
For this week’s show we start by offering quick takes on M. Night Shyamalan’s The Visit and the new IMAX-3D spectacle Everest, before diving into the latest headlines out of Hollywood. Arnold Schwarzenegger is hosting Celebrity Apprentice, Liam Neeson is parodying Liam Neeson action movies, and we can look forward (or not?) to another Charlie’s Angels reboot. We talk about it all, plus much more! There’s also Zaki’s fascinating interview with actor-producer Robert Leeshock about his new film Sta...
Sep 22, 2015•1 hr 29 min•Ep. 79
Continuing a post-Labor Day tradition, the MovieFilm gang is back with a super-sized episode taking stock of the summer movie season that just ended. FromFurious 7 to Avengers to Straight Outta Compton, it’s been a year of big money and big surprises, and we take stock of the winners and losers, as well as making our predictions for the remainder of the year. We also remember the late, great Wes Craven, discuss what we learned on “Force Friday,” and Zaki shares the story of how his heartfelt int...
Sep 08, 2015•2 hr 8 min•Ep. 78
It’s a packed show this week, as Brian and Zaki are joined by the esteemed Sean Gerber of Modern Myth Media to guide us through all the big Disney, Star Wars, and Marvel announcements unveiled at last weekend’s D23 convention. But that’s not all: Zaki offers quick reviews of this week’s American Ultra, as well as The Man From U.N.C.L.E. and the number one movie in the nation, Straight Outta Compton. From there, it’s on to the main event as we put our heads together and attempt to unpack the “how...
Aug 19, 2015•1 hr 50 min•Ep. 77
The dog days of August may be here, but that doesn’t mean the MovieFilm crew has missed a step as we celebrate three years of the show! To start things off, we have Zaki’s interview with writer/director/star Joel Edgerton about his creepy new thriller The Gift, in theaters this Friday. After that, we’re joined once again by comedian Zahra Noorbakhsh for a fun and free-flowing conversation as we share our collective love for the nation’s number one movie, Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation, also ...
Aug 05, 2015•1 hr 59 min•Ep. 76
It's the big 75th episode of the MovieFilm Podcast! We start off this week's show by discussing new release Pixels, directed by Chris Columbus and starring Adam Sandler, Kevin James, and Michelle Monaghan. Before you watch the retro video game comedy in theaters Friday, listen in to get my take. After that, listen to our interview with screenwriter and playwright Jeffrey Hatcheras he discusses the sublime Mr. Holmes , starring Ian McKellen as the nonagenarian Sherlock. From there, it's onto the ...
Jul 22, 2015•1 hr 38 min•Ep. 75
The MovieFilm gang starts out this week's show by welcoming celebrated author and pop culture historian Caseen Gaines to help celebrate thirty years of Back to the Future , and talk up his new must-read tome We Don't Need Roads: The Making of the Back to the Future Trilogy . After that, listen to some hilarious highlights from Zaki's roundtable interviews with director Judd Apatow and stars Amy Schumer , Colin Quinn , Dave Attell , Mike Birbiglia , and Vanessa Bayer about the new film Trainwreck...
Jul 14, 2015•1 hr 42 min•Ep. 74
Prepare to be terminated! For this week’s super-sized MovieFilm Podcast, Brian and Zaki are joined by Taz Ahmed and Zahra Noorbakhsh, hosts of the #GoodMuslimBadMuslim Podcast for a fun and free-flowing conversation that covers Full House, Magic Mike, and Fifty Shades of Grey. In addition, we discuss the tragic passing of film composer James Horner, news about the latest actor to play Spider-Man, word on Hugh Jackman’s final X-Men appearances, and the all-new trailer for the Rocky spin-off Creed...
Jul 02, 2015•1 hr 52 min•Ep. 73
On the heels of Jurassic World’s record-breaking opening weekend, the MovieFilm crew are joined by special guest Sean Coyle, director of Hulu’s The Awesomes, for a discussion on the long-in-coming franchise reboot from director Colin Trevorrow and producer Steven Spielberg. Did it measure up to our expectations? After two mega blockbusters in a row, is Chris Pratt a true superstar? What would we like to see them tackle in the inevitable next Jurassic entry? We tackle it all, but in addition, we ...
Jun 16, 2015•1 hr 41 min•Ep. 72
With summer movie season in full swing, the MovieFilm guys have lots to say about Tomorrowland (read Zaki’s review here) and San Andreas (read his review here), two high-expectations releases that garnered very different responses from audiences. In addition, we also tackle some of the big news of the last two weeks, including David Letterman’s retirement after thirty-plus years in late night, plans to expand the Transformers franchise into a “shared universe” with spin-offs galore, word of an u...
Jun 03, 2015•1 hr 42 min•Ep. 71
