Now Playing Podcast Presents: The Fast and Furious Retrospective Series

Paul Kersey gets topical with his fourth killing spree in Death Wish 4: The Crackdown! This time he's going to whack the crack dealers in Los Angeles. It's the type of film only Cannon Films could make. But is it any good? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob to find out!

The God of Thunder was ready to change his image after Now Playing and so many others hammered his solo films as the silliest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Third effort Ragnarok not only puts Thor in the arena with longtime frenemies Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) and Loki (Tom Hiddleston), but pits him against powerful new characters Hela (Cate Blanchett), Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), and Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum).  Should the studly superhero have been so quick to chop off his golden hair, or would those shears have been better served cutting out some jokes in this 130 minute epic? Find out if hosts Arnie, Jakob and Stuart rain on Marvel's latest parade by listening now!

Seven Year's Later...it's again Halloween; it's again Now Playing reviewing Saw! The "torture porn" genre had fallen out of vogue, and Saw's grosses fell to match. Now, not quite a decade later, is the world ready for more traps and (plot) twists? Does the Saw cut as deep in its eighth iteration? Strap on your bucket and join Arnie, Jakob, and Marjorie to find out!

Texas Chainsaw 3D was a success in 2013, but the fast-tracked sequel got mired in studio bureaucracy and changes in creative teams. Finally, nearly five years later, comes Leatherface--a prequel to Tobe Hooper's original The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. It has been available to DirecTV customers for the past month, but now it's streaming through all major platforms. Can this new prequel give a better origin story for Leatherface than Platinum Dunes' attempt? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Brock to find out!

Paul Kersey has returned to New York (or London). He didn't come intending to fight a gang war, but he finds his war buddy gunned down. It's a fight Kersey didn't start, but he intends to finish it in Death Wish 3.  It's the first Death Wish that is officially a Cannon film. Does their Over the Top aesthetic help Charles Bronson's franchise? Join the Now Playing Podcast hosts to find out!

In the early '80s, the dawn of home video, it would be easy to think movies had a lifespan of only four years. But Ridley Scott's creation Blade Runner escaped box-office failure to find its own life. Its imagery still influences artists 35 years after being released, and it's spawned novels, video games, and more. But now this dystopian vision returns to big screens with a sequel: Blade Runner 2049. Harrison Ford returns as Deckard, a man with secrets sought after by a new Blade Runner played by Ryan Gosling.  Can director Denis Villeneuve craft a vision that we'll still be discussing in 2052? Listen to this review to find out!

Paul Kersey has lived a peaceful life for years in Los Angeles with his girlfriend, his daughter, and his housekeeper. Yet his tranquil existence will once more be shattered by a group of criminals who will assault his family. Now Paul is back on the streets, stalking the streets of Skid Row, looking for revenge. Does this Death Wish hit as hard as the original? Listen to this episode of Now Playing to find out!

Three children were all born during the solar eclipse. Does that mean these little sociopaths have no soul? Their birthday wish...is for you to die! That's the plot of Bloody Birthday, a 1981 film "so shocking" it couldn't see wide release until 1986! How does this Birthday surprise stack up against similar-themed slashers? Wish co-host Stuart a happy birthday as we cut into this Patron-selected film!

Fledgling spy Eggsy Unwin (Taron Egerton) barely had time to assume his place as Galahad before chirpy drug czar Poppy Adams (Julianne Moore) reduced the whole Kingsman Round Table to rubble. Now the English gentleman must dust off his suit and accept assistance from newfound American allies Jeff Bridges, Halle Berry, Channing Tatum, and Pedro Pascal.  How many shots of whiskey will it take to ply recommends from Yank hosts Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob?  Their review of this highly anticipated sequel is finally available to listeners who missed the September live-stream podcast!     

In 1974 Charles Bronson made his entry in the self-defense/revenge genre with Death Wish. The film is a gritty look at a New Yorker who is pushed to the breaking point by the city's rampant crime. Based on a novel, is this just another grim exploitation flick, or does it Wish to be something more? Load up with Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob as they begin their series reviewing all the Death Wish films--ending with the Eli Roth/Bruce Willis reboot this November!