Pop Break Today

Aaron and Josh Sarnecky are back together. This time they’re talking about the cult classic Dark City for its 25th anniversary.

Dark City is a neo-noir science fiction film directed by Alex Proyas, who co-wrote the movie with Lem Dobbs and David S. Goyer. It opened in theaters on February 27, 1998.

The film follows an amnesiac named John Murdoch (Rufus Sewell) accused of murder. Pursuing Murdoch are the police and supernatural beings called the Strangers. Other characters include Dr. Schreber (Kiefer Sutherland), Inspector Bumstead (William Hurt), and John’s wife Emma (Jennifer Connelly).

Dark City received generally positive reviews, with Roger Ebert naming it the best film of 1998. However, it bombed at the box office. In 2021, Proyas released a companion short film and announced he was working on a Dark City television series.

Josh and Aaron discuss the movie’s plot, performances, visuals, and effects. They also go over the key difference between the theatrical cut and the director’s cut.

For another mind-bending neo-noir, you can listen to the brothers discuss Memento.

Dark City is available on Prime Video.

Last week, newly minted DC Studio’s co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran made quite a splash when they announced 10 new DC comic book adaptations as part of their launch of the DCU, a new interconnected DC comics inspired continuity which will span film, live action television series, animated television series, and video games. Gunn and co. had few details in terms of stars, directors, or release dates, but they were able to give fans and skeptical WBD investors alike some insight into their “writer-centric” approach to cultivating a brand new cinematic universe, along with a promise to keep some extremely popular film and television franchises (like Joker, The Batman, and Teen Titans Go) alive under the newly created Elseworlds label.

While this news will undoubtedly find its way to many of your favorite Pop Break podcasts over the months and years to come, we wanted to assemble our own Justice League of podcasting superheroes for a special bonus episode of Pop Break Today where you will be able to hear our instant reaction on this newly announced slate.

First up is an interview between Podcasts Editor Alex Marcus and Batman By The Numbers Podcast host Dan Cohen discussing some of the major themes and points of interest coming out of last Tuesday’s announcement. They try to answer the question, can you ever have too much Batman, along with a broader discussion on the stakes around this latest attempt to reboot Superman, where Jason Mamoa fits into all of this, and how we should think about DC’s 2023 slate in light of this news.

Welcome to “Not Couple Goals” where co-hosts Allie Nelson and Tyler McCarthy do a deep dive into a different ridiculous romantic thriller from the vantage point of their long-term relationship.

Allie, a TV writer/producer and actress, has an affinity for romantic thrillers, the more salacious the better. Tyler, an entertainment reporter and critic, often finds himself drawn in despite his better judgment. Join them as they explore all the ways it’s possible to love too hard… like WAY too hard.

In this episode, Allie and Tyler dip their toes into the alligator filled waters of horror with the 2022 movie “X,” starring Mia Goth, Jenna Ortega, Martin Henderson, Brittany Snow and Scott “Kid Cudi” Mescudi, written and directed by Ti West. Listen in as they discuss the way this film purposely subverts expectations, muse about whether the film crew was successfully creating an elevated adult film and wonder if all this murder could have been prevented by some good old fashioned lovin’. Should you watch this one with Grandma? Tune in to find out!

Special thanks to Mallory Johns for the introduction music.

Please don’t forget to follow our hosts on Twitter @ANelRetentive & @TylerMcCarthy and Instagram @ANelRetentive and to check out Tyler’s writing at USA Insider and Allie’s at Parade and Business Insider!

There’s arguably no superhero in existence that has been reimagined, redefined, or reinterpreted more than Batman.  No matter how many times he’s been rebooted, audiences are always willing to come back to Gotham City’s greatest defender.  With so much Bat content out there, there’s plenty to dissect, analyze, and of course, rank!  This podcast is dedicated to a surgical evaluation of Batman’s history, with a focus on ranking several topics in the world of Batman, among other classic Bat themes and characters.

Join host Daniel Cohen, Pop Break’s former Film Editor and Resident Bat-Maven, as he brings on several guests every month to share his passion for the one and only Dark Knight.  From Adam West to Robert Pattinson, no bat stone will be left unturned.  Bottom-line: If you’re a Batman fan, this is required listening.

Welcome to Anchored in Asbury, a monthly music interview podcast that revolves around the rich musical culture of Asbury Park, New Jersey.

Each month, host Bill Bodkin (editor-in-chief of ThePopBreak.com) talks with musicians, promoters, and people behind the scenes about their journeys in the music industry and how Asbury Park has been and is such a vital part of it.

The podcast is hosted by Bill Bodkin, editor-in-chief of ThePopBreak.com, who not only has covered the Asbury Park music scene for 19 years but produced and sponsored live shows throughout the city for the past decade.

This month’s episode features Ed Maier. Ed is the current co-owner of the legendary venue Nectar's in Burlington. He is also a partner in the new company Nectar's Presents, which is a concert promotion and talent buying company.

In Bill’s conversation with Ed, Ed discusses his early days of following Phish around the country and how that led him home to New Jersey to start booking and promoting first in Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey then the short-lived Chico's House of Jazz in Asbury Park. Ed regales the podcast with stories of bringing bands like The Hip Abduction and RIPE to Asbury Park, putting thousands on the beach as a part of Jams on the Sand and eventually becoming involved with a venue that's as synonymous with Phish as Bruce Springsteen is to the Stone Pony.

Hello and welcome to Bill vs the MCU! Each month your hosts Pop Break Podcasts Editor Alex Marcus and Pop Break Editor in Chief Bill Bodkin take another step into the wider Marvel Multiverse, with reviews and interviews on the film and television series that may be drawn upon as the MCU dives deeper and deeper into its Multiverse Saga.

After completing their twelve month rewatch of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Alex and Bill are fully embracing the ethos of the MCU’s Multiverse Saga with miniseries devoted to all the MCU-adjacent material out there. Currently, the pair are taking a guided tour of the Netflix Defenders-verse, featuring reviews of select seasons of Daredevil, Jessica Jones, and Luke Cage, along with this universe’s crossover event The Defenders.

This month, Alex and Bill are kicking off the multiversal phase of their podcast by checking in on 2015’s Daredevil S1. They discuss the catholic guilt, fight choreography, and excellent acting that helped make the series a groundbreaking step forward in TV superheroes back when it debuted. They are also joined by special guest Rhiannon of Marvel News Desk and #SaveDaredevil to help understand the enduring legacy of the series and get a backstage look at how #SaveDaredevil helped revive the series just in time for Phase 5 of the MCU.

Alex and Bill also unveil their new monthly segment Miss Minutes Marvel Memo, where they try to cram in a month's of MCU headlines in five minutes!

Don’t forget to come back next month when we’ll be reviewing Jessica Jones S1

Daredevil S1 and Jessica Jones S1 are available to stream on Disney+.

Welcome to “Not Couple Goals” where co-hosts Allie Nelson and Tyler McCarthy do a deep dive into a different ridiculous romantic thriller from the vantage point of their long-term relationship.

Allie, a TV writer/producer and actress, has an affinity for romantic thrillers, the more salacious the better. Tyler, an entertainment reporter and critic, often finds himself drawn in despite his better judgment. Join them as they explore all the ways it’s possible to love too hard… like WAY too hard.

In this episode, Allie and Tyler are joined by special guest The Pop Break podcast producer Alex Marcus to ring in 2023 with the seminal erotic thriller we all hid watching from our parents, 1999’s Cruel Intentions, starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe. Listen as they discuss the glaring differences between watching this movie as a teen versus an adult, Sebastion’s uncanny ability to seduce women (Tyler isn’t buying it) and Sarah Michelle Gellar’s badass villain turn. Where do the film’s even trashier sequels fit in? Tune in to find out!

Special thanks to Mallory Johns for the introduction music.

Please don’t forget to follow our hosts on Twitter @ANelRetentive & @TylerMcCarthy and Instagram @ANelRetentive and to check out Tyler’s writing at USA Insider and Allie’s at Parade and Business Insider!

It’s Podwork Angels: The Rush Hour, a podcast dedicated to the Canadian rock band Rush! Justin Mancini of TheCineMaverick.com & Cinema Joes is joined by fellow Cinema Joes podcast host Noah Franc of FrancNoir, as well as Luke Martin, host of Talking the Coda, as they delve into the discography of Canada’s favorite sons, from 1974 to 2012.

In the tenth episode of the season, Chris, Justin, Luke, Noah take a look at Rush’s wintry album Grace Under Pressure from 1984. They discuss the untapped potential of rock-heavy eulogies, debate Neil Peart’s drum tones and media savvy, and even question the namesake of one of their long-standing discussion categories. And as always, the hosts recommend more artists for your listening pleasure.

Host Picks:

Limelight (A Song We Think Is Underrated, or Just Really Like)

Chris – Afterimage

Justin – Kid Gloves

Luke – Distant Early Warning

Noah – Kid Gloves

Handle with Kid Gloves (A Song We Don’t Like So Much)

Chris – Red Lenses

Justin – Red Lenses

Luke – Red Lenses

Noah – Between the Wheels

Words of the Profits (A Favorite Lyric)

Chris – The Enemy Within

Justin – The Enemy Within

Luke – Red Sector A

Noah – Afterimage

Magic Music That Makes Our Morning Mood (A Favorite Musical Moment)

Chris – Kid Gloves

Justin – The Body Electric

Luke – The Enemy Within

Noah – Kid Gloves

Other Artists We’ve Been Listening To:

Chris – Deftones

Justin – Haim

Luke – Tasha Cobbs Leonard / Fred Hammond

Noah – GoGo Penguin

Aaron and Josh Sarnecky return in a new year to talk about Cloverfield, celebrating its 15th anniversary.

Cloverfield is a found footage monster movie directed by Matt Reeves and written by Drew Goddard. It opened in theaters on January 18, 2008.

The film follows Rob Hawkins (Michael Stahl-David), along with his friends and family (Odette Yustman, T.J. Miller, Lizzy Caplan, Jessica Lucas, and Mike Vogel). During Rob’s farewell party, a giant monster starts destroying Manhattan. The incident is shown via camcorder footage.

Cloverfield garnered a mostly positive reception. Renowned French film magazine Cahiers du Cinéma named it the third best film of 2008. The movie grossed $172 million on a $25 million budget.

Josh and Aaron discuss the plot, camerawork, and monster. They also chat about the found footage genre’s potential.

For more January movies, you can listen to Josh and Aaron’s podcasts on Snow Dogs and The Green Hornet.

Cloverfield is available on Pluto TV and Prime Video.

Welcome to Anchored in Asbury, a monthly music interview podcast that revolves around the rich musical culture of Asbury Park, New Jersey.

Each month, host Bill Bodkin (editor-in-chief of ThePopBreak.com) talks with musicians, promoters, and people behind the scenes about their journeys in the music industry and how Asbury Park has been and is such a vital part of it.

The podcast is hosted by Bill Bodkin, editor-in-chief of ThePopBreak.com, who not only has covered the Asbury Park music scene for 19 years but produced and sponsored live shows throughout the city for the past decade.

On the premiere episode, Bill sits down with Alexis Babini, lead singer of the Disney tribute band, The Little Mermen. Might be an odd choice for an Asbury Park podcast, right? Well that's where you'd be mistaken. Despite their New York City roots, The Little Mermen have found a home in Asbury Park.

Alexis talks about how House of Independents welcomed them into the scene and have been a huge support for the band. Alexis also speaks about the band's performance at the 2022 Sea.Hear.Now Music Festival, which became one of the big talking points of the entire festival. Alexis also talks about the creation of the band, Disney adults, the magic of Disney music, meeting legendary Disney composer Alan Menken right before their first show, his solo music and so much more.