In this minisode, host Andy Farnsworth reviews the larger than life ‘Godzilla Vs Kong. ’ These two titular titans face each other once more in this epic movie in their cinematic Monsterverse. Audiences get another larger-than-life battle between the two, and this time it looks just like you would imagine. If the reason you’re watching this movie in the first place is the massive monster fights, boy, does this movie deliver! Particularly if you are watching on the big screen.

In this minisode, host Andy Farnsworth reviews Benedict Cumberbatch’s “The Courier” and ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League.’ It’s been said that “the door of history turns on small hinges,” and that is nowhere more evident than the story told in “The Courier,” a true story about an English businessman who gets caught up in the world of espionage during the Cold War in the 1960s. Not a reboot, not a reimagining, not a prequel or sequel, but an actual, “let’s-do-this-again-with-the-same-cast-and-footage-and-make-it-better-this-time.”  And yet that’s precisely what has happened for fans of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and the other DC Comic superheroes of “Zack Snyder’s Justice League,” streaming now on HBO Max.

When you sell 250,000,000 of your books, it's hard to believe you can stay relatively anonymous.  But Jeff Kinney, author of the mega-popular "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" series of books and movies, manages to pull off that feat--for the most part. In this episode, Kinney joins Fan Effect  host Andy Farnsworth to talk about his best-selling kids' books about a "wimpy" junior high student, including the newest entry, "Rowley Jefferson's Awesome Friendly Spooky Stories."  They also talk about why he doesn't put his own picture in his books, seeing his books adapted into movies, and a bit about an animated series coming this year to DisneyPlus.

In this minisode, host Andy Farnsworth reviews Disney’s latest release, ‘Raya And The Last Dragon’ on KSL-TV. In the midst of the (hopefully) waning pandemic, Disney is bringing their latest animated feature to both the movie theaters and their DisneyPlus streaming service as a premium purchase. The feature mixes several genres and styles, and It’s, no surprise, heavily influenced by Southeast Asian culture. The family film is rated PG and something the whole family can enjoy.  The big question seems to be, “Do I take my kids to the theater yet?  Or do we spend the $30 fee and watch it on Disney Plus at home?”

American actor and musician, Henry Thomas, best known for his breakout role as Elliott in Steven Spielberg’s film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, is the next big guest announcement coming to FanX 2021 this September! FanX founder and producer Dan Farr joins host Andy Farnsworth to discuss the big news and the excitement surrounding the upcoming event, which might include a fun contest suggested by Andy and bonus virtual content than previous cons. While the 2020 FanX Salt Lake Comic Convention was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, tickets are available for 2021 at fanxsaltlake.com, purchase early for the best discount.

It is official, FanX 2021 has announced their first big guests for the Salt Lake Comic Convention this September. While the global pandemic postponed the 2020 event, FanX founder and producer Dan Farr is excitedly planning a party like no other this year! He joins host Andy Farnsworth to dive into the universe of the announced guests, discusses the fun of working with celebrities, and all you need to know to finally get your con on in 2021.

What happens when the cuteness of legos meets the horrifying 1978 Star Wars Holiday Special? We get the new hybrid of Star Wars parody that is The Lego Holiday Star Wars Special. The show, released on Life Day 2020 on DisneyPlus, is a family-friendly comedic jumble of time-traveling, Easter egg hunting, Wookie growling fun. Deseret News’ Entertainment Editor Herb Scribner joins hosts Andy Farnsworth and KellieAnn Halvorsen to explore this new take on the Star Wars universe, and compare it to the iconically terrible 1978 made-for-tv special that we have already covered on this podcast. So grab your Life Day robe and your traditional holiday Tip-Yip to snack on, Fan Effect is diving back into one of our favorite fandoms to explore this galaxy of Lego-themed humor. We apologize for the audio distortion, we had microphone issues we were not aware of at the time of the recording.

In this special edition of Fan Effect, we get to know a bit more about our host, Andy Farnsworth, as a belated birthday gift to our listeners. What sparked his love of all things fandom? What is his opinion are the elements that make for a magnificent movie? What is his vision for the future of this podcast? We explore a wide array of pop-culture topics and deep-dive into why and how good storytelling changes our lives for the better.

Utah loves Halloween, and the multitude of haunted houses and creepy experiences are evidence of our playful devotion to the holiday. In this episode Fan Effect visits the Fear Factory, the fan-favorite, critically acclaimed, actually HAUNTED haunted house in the heart of Salt Lake City. The massive haunt sprawls across 6 buildings, up 6 stories, and even into underground passages, with a gaggle of ghosties and ghoulies to appease the wants of any horror-lover. Host KellieAnn Halvorsen is taken backstage to see the inner-workings of this spectacular spectacle and learn how they have taken every precaution to provide a COVID safe experience for their guests. Because let's face it, this pandemic should not take away our favorite holiday. In the second part, KellieAnn talks to Fear Factory owner and creator Rob Dunfield about the creation, inspiration, and evolution of this happy haunt.

Are you craving the movie-going experience in this topsy-turvy pandemic world? Well, The Salt Lake Film Society has some options to allow you to get your popcorn on, and see the new and classic films you crave from the comfort of your own home or as a glorious drive-in experience. Tori Baker, President and CEO of the Salt Lake Film Society (SLFS) joins host KellieAnn Halvorsen to discuss all the cinema experiences the non-profit arthouse theater has to share with their audiences. The SLFS is on a mission to educate, advocate, and inform about, and through, cinema and the coronavirus can’t stop them from doing just that. They have pivoted to Cinema Safe experiences that are actually allowing for some fun and unique affairs like their Motor Cinema at the Redman Movies & Stories studio backlot with visits from cosplay groups (like, literal “Mad Max: Fury Road” inspired cars) and a Virtual Screenings program that is now being used to support other art house theaters nationwide. So order your curbside Curbside Concessions and settle into learning about the unique history, programs, and experiences offered by the Salt Lake Film Society.