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The gang is all back this week and they discuss Alien: Earth, The Naked Gun, Weapons, Gilda & Gene, a boatload of trailers, and so many tangents!

This episode kicks off a little earlier than usual, so the gang's pre-show conversation about a few trailers doesn't end up on the cutting room floor. After that, they jump into the new FX series, Alien: Earth. It's set in the years between Alien: Covenant and the original Alien film. If you are a masochist and enjoy hearing Kevin talk, then this is the segment for you. That guy doesn't shut up! The fool actually watched every single Alien film (sans the AvP films) in preparation for this episode, and it shows. Thankfully, Andrew was paying attention and didn't let them leave Lauren out to dry!

When Kevin finally cedes the floor, the baton is passed to Lauren, who watched the recent rekindling of The Naked Gun films, starring Liam Neeson. The story is a continuation rather than a full reboot, as Liam's character is the son of the original Frank Dreben. The film manages to keep much of the same humor that made the original films successful and is definitely worth a watch if you enjoyed those.

Andrew got a chance to get to the theater this week to see Weapons, so the gang is able to dive a little deeper into the film, though they manage to stay relatively spoiler free, still. The discussion digs deeper into some of the overarching themes of the film and clarifies the title. They also vaguely discuss the villain of the film and whether or not they were even more than they seemed. Again, this one is a strong recommendation from the guys.

Next up, Lauren takes the mic to discuss the off-Broadway show, Gene & Gilda. It's a fictional account of an interview with Gene Wilder where he discusses his magical and heartbreaking relationship with Gilda Radner. The two met on set and their chemistry was magical. This is a beautiful story and is running through September, so if you are in the NYC area, definitely give it a shot. Not only is it well told, but the actors are brilliantly cast!

The gang finishes out the show where they began, discussing trailers and what's to come for the rest of 2025, which is a surprising amount of quality films. They definitely don't cover them all, so do a little research and let us know which one's you are excited for!

As always, thank you for watching. If you haven't already, don't forget to Like & Subscribe. We love new viewers! Also, leave us comments and let is know how we are doing and what we can be doing better. Enjoy the episode and have a great week!

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It's just Kevin and Andrew this week, but that doesn't leave us lacking for content. this week, the guys watched Weapons, War of the Worlds, Trainwreck: Storm Area 51, and The Monkey.

In a rare event, Kevin made it to the theater for a non-family film! But he still took a family member, so that's something. But I digress... He and his son ventured to the theater for the new film, Weapons. The latest horror flick from the director that brought you Barbarian is a really solid film and a must-see in the theater if horror is your jam. The story is interesting and creative, and the final act is absolutely nuts, being both horrific and laugh-inducing at the same time. Definitely see this one as soon as you can!

Next up, the guys take you on a trip to sad town. Both of them watched War of the Worlds on Prime, and the consensus is... this movie absolutely sucks! How a movie was made for $65M and stars Ice Cube and Eva Longoria and is completely abysmal is almost baffling. There is really no telling where that money went, other than to Amazon branding. Someone is very rich after making this film, but the term we'd use for this sort of money-making scheme is embezzlement. Ok, that's an unsubstantiated guess, but we invite you to watch this film and figure out anywhere else that money could have gone. But actually, don't watch this film. This is one of those "we watched it so you don't have to" moments on APNC.

In a much better turn, the guys watched Trainwreck: Storm Area 51. This one is the rare multi-part Trainwreck series and is well worth the watch. If you don't remember, several years back, a young man jokingly posted a Facebook event to storm Area 51. This somehow snowballed into a massive worldwide event and ended in... well, watch the episode to find out! It's a great cautionary tale of how something that should be inconsequential can take on a life of it's own become, possibly, even dangerous.

Kevin closes out the show with a review of the movie, The Monkey, now streaming on Hulu. This is classic cheesy horror at its finest. The story isn't overly deep or complicated. The characters are fun but also not complicated. The kills have a very "Final Destination" feel to them, and the movie really is just a lot of fun. Theo James does a great job in dual roles, somehow being nerdy but also a total d-bag. If you like your horror fun and bloody, this is a great one!

As always, thank you for watching. If you haven't already, don't forget to Like & Subscribe. We love new viewers! Also, leave us comments and let is know how we are doing and what we can be doing better. Enjoy the episode and have a great week!

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The whole gang is back together this week AND they've all watched Fantastic Four, so we revist that with a full spoiler review, the move on to Nonna's, Freaky Tales, Twisted Metal, and Project Runway.

APNC has always been a show that loves the MCU. Heck, the first episode ever was about Captain Marvel (not to date ourselves...), so to have the opportunity to have a full spoiler discussion about the Fantastic Four was something we weren't going miss, even though we just discussed it last week. Getting Andrew's take from the more seasoned MCU angle and Lauren from the less indoctrinated side leads to some great discussions and generates some really solid discussion about what this movie means for super hero movies going forward.

After that discussion, Lauren takes over and discusses the film Nonna's on Netflix. It stars Vince Vaugnn in a less over the top role than usual in a story that's based on a real restaurant. Rather than hiring traditional chefs, a restauranteur hires a handful of Italian grandma's (nonna's) to make the food. It's a heartwarming story about the initial struggles and ultimate success of a very niche restaurant. The review sounds lovely, as does the restaurant. If you're ever in Staten Island, give it (and the movie) a shot!

Next up, Andrew takes us back in time the Bay Area with Freaky Tales. It's 4 intertwining takes, a la Pulp Fiction, that come together at the end. Much like every other film or TV show this year, it stars Pedro Pascal, but also Ben Mendelsohn, rapper Too $hort, and Jay Ellis. It's not kid friendly, so watch when you have the TV to yourself, but it's a solid watch and a great story.

Slingshotting back to the future, Kevin discusses the return of the post apocalyptic series, Twisted Metal, on Peacock. This one stars Anthonay Mackie and Stephanie Beatriz as drivers in a world where you are never truly safe unless you're moving. Despite the world it's set in, this show is a ton of fun and it requires no knowledge of the video game it's based on to enjoy, so if over the top mayhen and witty dialogue (and Kevin's favorite Mackie performance) is your jam, give this one a shot for sure.

Lauren closes the show with a quick review of the new season of Project Runway. It sees the return of Heidi as the host, but lacks some of the old Project Runway magic without Tim Gunn. It's only 2 episodes in, so far, and the challenges have been less than stellar, but it's a long haul, so there is definitely room for improvement as the season rolls on.

As always, thank you for watching. If you haven't already, don't forget to Like & Subscribe. We love new viewers! Also, leave us comments and let is know how we are doing and what we can be doing better. Enjoy the episode and have a great week!

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So Kevin and Lauren are back, sans Andrew and after a much needed week off. this week they cover Fantastic Four, Trainwreck: Poop Cruise, Locked, Sirens, The Life List, and ASH.

Kevin kicks off the show with his mostly spoiler-free review of Fantastic Four: First Steps. It's another solid Superhero movie in a summer where it felt like the genre could be at a tipping point. But, for Kevin at least, this film, Thunderbolts, and Superman have kept hope alive. This one is worth catching in the theaters and is a great entry point into Marvel for anyone, as it has no real ties to anything else right now.

Next up, Lauren puts her travel experience to work in reviewing Trainwreck: Poop Cruise. Yes, the name is silly, but this is something that really happened. And wow was it disgusting. All in all, it was a quick entertainning watch, but it certainly left Kevin and Lauren with more questions than answers...

Kevin kicks off his first review from his horror thriller week with a review of Locked, starring Anthony Hopkins and Bill Skaarsgard. This is a decent thriller with a SAW-adjacent plot where a man is locked in a car and is left to the whims of a rich man who just feelings like being an a-hole. It's not bad and it's not great, but the leads do a great job, so it's not entirely worth missing if you have Hulu right now.

Lauren and Kevin finally find some common ground, as they both watched Sirens on Netflix. This is one of those shows that's not a RomCom, not a drama, and not really a comedy. It sits in the funky grey area where it's an amalgum of those things, but somehow less than. The performances are great and it's a quick watch, so, much like Locked, it's not entirely skippable, but you won't hate yourself for missing it, either.

Lauren then moves on to another Netflix film that's not quite a RomCom with The Life List. This one is better than Sirens and has a sweet storyline that keeps it entertaining. When a girls mom passes away, the daughter is sent on a scavenger hunt of sorts for her inheritance. If that doesn't sound fun to you, I promise it's better than it sounds and really is sweet, although it does feel Hallmark-esque.

Finally, Kevin closes out the show with the film ASH, on Shudder. This is a very pretty, very viscreal sci-fi horror(?) flick. The main performers are Aaron Paul and Eiza Gonzalex and they are honestly really great in this. The rest of the film is a bit of a mishmash of good ideas, possibly stolen from Event Horizon and Memento, that don't quite come together. It's kind of great as a visual medium, but it's definitely lacking overall. This isn't one you need to fire up a trial of Shudder for.

As always, thank you for watching. If you haven't already, don't forget to Like & Subscribe. We love new viewers! Also, leave us comments and let is know how we are doing and what we can be doing better. Enjoy the episode and have a great week!

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We're back this week with a bit of a Mobius strip format... The video kicks off with Kevin and Lauren talking about Superman, The Better Sister, Ironheart, and Gerald's Game, but then we get a treat and Andrew pops in, so we loop back to the beginning to complete our Superman discussion!

We begin the show by jumping immediately into Superman. Lauren gives her take on the film, and then Kevin breaks down the film and his thoughts. If you weren't aware, Kevin is a huge Superman fan, and it shows here. It's not all total fanboy-ness. He does have some issues with this movie, but he still gives praise to Man of Steel. All in all, though, the review is very positive.

Next up, Lauren takes us over to Amazon Prime with a review of The Better Sister. This series is a drama starring Jessica Biel and Elizabeth Banks as sisters and the drama surrounding them after the murder of one of their husbands, who also happens to be the other sister's ex! It's a gripping and well-acted drama and certainly worth watching.

The mic flips back over to Kevin, who gives his final review on Ironheart, having now watched the finale. Honestly, the review isn't wildly different than his previous review. The show holds up well throughout the finale and introduces a long-rumored major character for the MCU overall. If you were on the fence, watch it. If you thought it would suck, give it a chance. The worst that can happen is that you turn it off. The best thing is, you enjoy it.

Thanks to Kevin's bad influences, Lauren has started down the Stephen King/Mike Flanagan rabbit hole. She starts with Gerald's Game, the Netflix film starring Carla Gugino. It's definitely a more psychological thriller, and Carla does a great job with a story that may not be one of the greatest King has ever told. That said, it's still a solid watch.

After Kevin does a little vamping for time, Andrew finally arrives, and the Superman discussion takes flight again (see what I did there?). We catch him up on our thoughts and then he gives his take. He is still a Man of Steel fan, but gives a lot of praise for this film. The general consensus from our esteemed panel is that the film is definitely worth watching, so get out there and see it!

As always, thank you for watching. If you haven't already, don't forget to Like & Subscribe. We love new viewers! Also, leave us comments and let is know how we are doing and what we can be doing better. Enjoy the episode and have a great week!

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It's just Kevin and Lauren again this week, since Andrew thinks having a life is important or whatever. They talk the Squid Game finale, Jurassic World Rebirth, Megan 2.0, and Heads of State.

The show opens up like last week, with the discussion of the final season of Squid Game. This time, though, Kevin and Lauren come with full knowledge of the finale. If you haven't watched for some reason (seriously, why haven't you?!?) be warned this will be spoiler heavy. Basically, the spoiler free review is, it's a really strong ending to a really great show. No other episode or spin offs need to be created, and yet...

But I digress! Next up, Kevin talks Jurassic World Rebirth, starring Scarlett Johanson, Jonathan Bailey, and Mahershala Ali. As far as the Jurassic films go, it's definitely one of the better ones. It's go action, adventure, and a boatload of CGI (that could be better, lets be honest). The story and the heart are there and it leaves the door open for more films, so what's not to love?!?

Speaking of things not to love... Megan 2.0... Lauren saw this film and, like the majority of the viewing audience, was left wanting. The film steers away from the horror genre into more of an action film and it seems like it doesn't translate well. The film is problematic in many ways, all of which are detailed by Lauren. So if you need to convince yourself not to see this one in the theater, don't skip this section. Remember, at APNC, we love to watch so you don't have to!

Kevin closes the show with Heads of State, a film he was convinced would be in the same category as Megan 2.0. But here's the thing - it's a lot of fun. John Cena and Idris Elba play the US President and the British Prime Minister, respectively. This is an action comedy so we aren't looking towards award season, but they play their parts wonderfully. Look, if you loved the action comedies of the 90s (tink Tango and Cash or anything with Arnie), then you should really enjoy this film. As a massive bonus, it's on Prime and won't cost you a dime!

As always, thank you for watching. If you haven't already, don't forget to Like & Subscribe. We love new viewers! Also, leave us comments and let is know how we are doing and what we can be doing better. Enjoy the episode and have a great week!

Facebook: @apncpodcast Twitter: @APNCPodcast Instagram: AllPopNoCulture

It's just Kevin and Lauren this week and they manage to keep it pretty tight with some Squid Game talk, Call me Izzy, Smoke, Baby Girl, and Ironheart.

They open the show by discussing the first half of the new season, as Lauren has watched 4 of the episodes and Kevin has only watched 3. The review is definitely favorable and the two make their predictions about the finale, both with differing ides about where it could end up!

Next up, Lauren takes us to Broadway with Call Me Izzy. It's a one owman show starring the always incredible Jean Smart. It tackles the tough topic of abuse and is delivered wonderfully in a way that only Jean Smart can do. If you're in the New York area and aren't looking for the most uplifting story, this one is worth catching.

Kevin takes us back to the small screen with Smoke, the new series on Apple TV+. It follows 2 arson investigators, played by Taron Eggerton and Jurnee Smollett. They are tracking 2 separate arsonists while dealing with their own issues on the home front. Only the tow episodes have aired so far but it seems to be an excellent investigative series and has a great twist at the end of the second episode.

Continuing the recent trend of "we watched it so you don't have to," Lauren watched Babygirl starring Nicole Kidman. It's the tale of a highly successful business woman seduced by a younger man and the messiness that ensues. All in all, it doesn't do much to reinvent the wheel and leaves a lot to be desired, even in the genre of steamy romance.

Kevin closes out the show with a review of the first 3 episodes of Ironheart on Disney+. The story of Riri Williams is carried over after Black Panther 2 and is surprisingly very solid so far. This is a character that Kevin did not enjoy in her previous appearance, but he's been impressed with the work done in this outing and he's enjoying it so far, even going as far as calling it one of the better Marvel shows.

As always, thank you for watching. If you haven't already, don't forget to Like & Subscribe. We love new viewers! Also, leave us comments and let is know how we are doing and what we can be doing better. Enjoy the episode and have a great week!

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It's just Kevin and Lauren this week and they came prepared. They talk about Life of Chuck, Cleaner, Materialists, The Swarm, and Equals.

Lauren kicks off the show with a largely positive review of the new Mike Flanagan/Stephen King joint, The Life of Chuck. Putting those two men together you'd think this would be a horror fest, but it's a poignant film about a man's life. Early comparisons were drawn to The Shawshank Redemption, but Lauren feels this movie doesn't quite have that same depth. All in all, it's still a good movie and worth a watch.

Speaking of good movies, Kevin didn't bother to watch any this. Instead, he kicks off his first of two "I watched it so you didn't have to" segments with Cleaner on MAX. This is Die Hard clone that lacks much of the DNA that made that film great. It's not necessarily a bad film, but you'd do better with the OG. It stars Daisy Ridley as a former soldier turned window cleaner who gets stuck outside her building when eco terrorists take over. She's forced to battle her way back inside (which takes far too long) so that she can save the day because, of course, the entire police force is unable to breach the building. Look, it's better than Skyscraper, so there's that…

We flip back to goodness with Lauren's review of Materialists, starring Dakota Johnson, Chris Evans, and some guy named Pedro Pascal. It's a love story and billed as a RomCom, though Lauren and Kevin discuss the fact that it's less funny and more thoughtful than most, leaving it a bit in the ratings limbo. Folks going to see a Failure to Launch type movie are coming out disappointed. That said, it's a really good movie about love and self discovery and is well worth a watch. Just go in with more grounded expectations.

Let's talk about expectations for a second. Have you ever seen the trailer or poster for something ad said to yourself, "that's going to suck"? A wise person would not watch said offering. But Kevin has no fear. On HBO, he came across the series The Swarm and it's… well… not good. It's not about a killer swarm of bees. That would make sense. It's about an underwater hive mind turning everything in the ocean against humanity. Think The Abyss, but globally, and much, much worse. At its core, it ends up being a neat concept but a very poor offering overall.

Getting into the spirit, Lauren closes the show with a review of the film, Equals. It stars Nicolas Holt and Kristen Stewart and that's about where the good part ends. It's a futuristic society where people have been stripped of emotion and if you develop emotions, you get wiped. Our two stars develop emotions (obviously) and fall in love (obviously-er) which leads to them struggling to escape this world so they can be together. It ends on a semi tragic, semi vague note that leaves you wondering, "why did I do this?"

As always, thank you for watching. If you haven't already, don't forget to Like & Subscribe. We love new viewers! Also, leave us comments and let is know how we are doing and what we can be doing better. Enjoy the episode and have a great week!

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It's just Kevin and Andrew this week and thanks to the magic of tangents, they turn a little into a lot! They cover the new film Deep Cover in Prime, Trainwreck: The Astroworld Tragedy, FUBAR, The Last of Us, Expedition 33, and more!

Kevin kicks things off with a quick review of Deep Cover, now playing on Prime, starring Bryce Dallas Howard, Orlando Bloom, Nick Mohammed, and what seems like everyone else under the sun. This movie doesn't reinvent the wheel (the idea is even strikingly similar to Hit Man starring Glen Powell), but it does lead to a really fun ride. If you're looking for a quick, fun, adventure, this is a good one to throw on.

Next up, Andrew takes us to the seedy side of the concert world with Trainwreck: The Astroworld Tragedy on Netflix. This one documents the events leading up to, and the fallout from, the Astroworld 3 concert with Travis Scott. It's laundry list of things gone horribly wrong that resulted in the deaths of 10 concert goers and several more injuries. There's a lot to be learned here, so give this one a watch.

Kevin lightens the mood again after this with a quick review of the first few episodes of FUBAR Season 2 on Netflix. Much like Deep Cover, this doesn't reinvent the wheel and it doesn't do much to stand out from season one, but it is still a fun and witty show with a fantastic cast. Everyone is funny and the action is well done. The addition of Carrie Anne Moss and Guy Burnett are very welcome, too, and do manage to bring more depth to the show.

After finishing the main content, Kevin takes us into the gaming world with a quick talk about his sons experience with The Last of Us parts 1 & 2 - games he swore "weren't that great." Spoiler alert, he now believes they are great and might be his favorite games. Who knew a dad could be right?!? Next up Kevin talks about the very French masterpiece, Clair Obscur - Expedition 33. It's a wonderful game full of art and emotion and an absolutely gorgeous soundtrack. If story based RPGs are your jam and you haven't played this, get on it. It's a heavily favored game of the year candidate at this point.

The guys then close out the show going down various rabbit holes, highlighted by Black Phone 2 and Superman. There's a lot of good stuff in there at the end, so definitely hang in there!

As always, thank you for watching. If you haven't already, don't forget to Like & Subscribe. We love new viewers! Also, leave us comments and let is know how we are doing and what we can be doing better. Enjoy the episode and have a great week!

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It's a packed house and still an economical episode this week. The gang discusses the animtaed film, Predator: Killer of Killers, The Assessment, Sinners (again), and Floyd Collins.

The show opens with Andrew and Kevin discussing the new animated anthology film, Predator: Killer of Killers. It's a great entry in the Predator franchise with animation reminiscent of Arcane. The film is the telling of the Predators hunting on Earth of 3 different time periods, which culminates in a fantastic final battle on the Predator home world. All in all, it's great storytelling and visually exciting.

Next up, Lauren talks about the film, The Assessment. This is a psychological grounded sci-fi flick about a post apocalyptic world where having children is a privilege, not a right. Before being allowed to have a child, a couple has to go through an assessment with an increasingly unhinged evaluator that turns the couples whole life on it's ear. It's twisty and turny and totally unhinged and definitely worth a watch.

Kevin FINALLY watched Sinners, so he and Andrew dig into it again, this time with a little more insight into the making of the film thanks to the bonus features, which makes for an interesting conversation. Honestly, there isn't much to say here other than the film is incredible and is definitely a must see.

After Andrew leaves for an early bedtime, Lauren closes out the show with a review of the Broadway revival of Floyd Collins, a tale of an early 20th century miner trapped in a cave and the sensationalism around it. While the premise isn't heartwarming, it has a solid soundtrack and creative set design and was a great show to see at the Lincoln Center.

As always, thank you for watching. If you haven't already, don't forget to Like & Subscribe. We love new viewers! Also, leave us comments and let is know how we are doing and what we can be doing better. Enjoy the episode and have a great week!

Facebook: @apncpodcast Twitter: @APNCPodcast Instagram: AllPopNoCulture