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Welcome to another episode of Popped! Today, Daniel, Tanya, and guest host Eric Cheung dive into Michael Bay’s 2005 science fiction/action blockbuster, The Island. Released in the summer of 2005, this film stars Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johansson as two residents of a mysterious, isolated facility who discover the truth about their existence. Despite its high-octane action and glossy visuals, The Island was a box office disappointment, raising questions about its blend of popcorn spectacle and philosophical ambition.

Popped Mail – Letters and Messages from You!

Before we get into the main event, let’s check out some of your thoughts and questions about The Island. Did you see it in theaters? Did the twist catch you off guard, or did you see it coming a mile away? We love hearing from you, so keep those messages coming!

Main Discussion – Our Initial Thoughts and Continued Discussion about the Film

Daniel: “So, what happens when Michael Bay tackles the age-old question, ‘What does it mean to be human?’ Does he stick the landing, or is it just another excuse for explosions and car chases?”

Tanya: “I was surprised by how much the film tried to say, but I’m not sure it ever really got there. The action is classic Bay, but the deeper themes felt a bit… undercooked.”

Eric: “It’s like the movie wants to be Blade Runner, but ends up being more like a really expensive bag of chips—flashy, but not very filling.”

Together, we’ll break down the film’s plot, characters, and whether the story holds up under the weight of its own ambitions.

I Coulda Done Without That! – Things That Did Not Work

The relentless product placement—did we really need to see so many logos?
The pacing: did the action sequences overshadow the story?
Underdeveloped supporting characters—so much potential, so little payoff.

I Know That Dude – We Take a Closer Look at Actor Ethan Phillips

You might recognize Ethan Phillips from his role as Neelix on Star Trek: Voyager, but in The Island, he pops up in a small but memorable role. We’ll talk about his career, his performance here, and why he’s one of those “Hey, it’s that guy!” actors.

Popped Academy – Awards for Best and Worst Performance

Best Performance: Ewan McGregor brings a surprising amount of heart to his dual role.
Worst Performance: Some of the supporting cast get lost in the shuffle—who stood out for the wrong reasons?
Trivia – About "The Island"

Did you know the film was partially inspired by classic sci-fi stories about cloning and identity?
The chase scenes used real, practical effects—classic Bay!
The film’s budget ballooned to over $120 million, but it struggled to recoup costs at the box office.
Let’s Get to POPPIN’! – We Rate the Film

On our patented Popped! scale, how does The Island stack up? Is it a satisfying snack, or just empty calories? Each host gives their rating and final thoughts.

Outro

Thanks for joining us for this episode of Popped! If you have thoughts on The Island or suggestions for future episodes, reach out to us! Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review. Until next time, keep your popcorn fresh and your movies popping!

Popped! is a Brain Cloud Production.

Hosts:
Daniel Hendrix
Ben Wilson
Tanya Holstrum
and Guest Host Eric Cheung

Music

Spooky Funk (Popped Theme) 
Citation Needed

Neon Eyes of Utopia
Soundbay

Darkness
Defekt_Maschine

Breaking News in 2029
Pixabay

Lost
danydory

Awards Ceremony-Heroic Adventure Epic SoundGallery
DmitryTaras

French Jazz Music
William_King

Fun Disco
Musictown

Voice Over Narration
Glenn Thayer
Tyler Collier

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Welcome, adventurers, to another episode of our podcast! Today, we’re donning our furs, sharpening our swords, and braving the icy winds of the North as we follow a band of fearless Vikings—and one very out-of-place Arab emissary—on a quest to save a besieged Nordic kingdom. That’s right, we’re diving into the 1999 epic, The 13th Warrior. Inspired by the legendary tale of Beowulf and the real-life account of Ahmad Ibn Fahdlan, this film promised adventure, danger, action, and even a dash of humor. Despite a star turn from Antonio Banderas, it famously flopped at the box office. But does it deserve its frosty reputation? Let’s find out.

We kick things off by exploring the film’s unique blend of myth and history. The 13th Warrior brings together the grandeur of Norse legend and the outsider’s perspective of Ibn Fahdlan, played by Banderas. The movie delivers on atmosphere—misty forests, roaring fires, and brutal battles. The camaraderie among the Vikings is palpable, and the sense of mystery surrounding the enemy keeps the tension high. But does the film’s epic scope make up for its narrative stumbles? We debate the highs and lows, from the thrilling set pieces to the sometimes muddled storytelling.

I Coulda Done Without That
In this segment, we each pick something that didn’t quite work for us. Was it the occasionally clunky dialogue? The abrupt pacing? Or maybe the way some characters seemed to blend together? We share our “coulda done without” moments and discuss how they affected our enjoyment of the film.

Academy of Popped
Time to hand out some awards! Who brought their A-game, and who left us cold? We nominate our picks for best and worst performances. Did Banderas rise to the challenge, or did a Viking warrior steal the show? And who, unfortunately, just didn’t fit in with the rest of the cast? Our Academy of Popped has the answers.

Yeah, I Know That Dude
In this spotlight segment, we focus on a particular actor from the film. Maybe it’s Omar Sharif in a memorable supporting role, or perhaps one of the Viking warriors who’s popped up in other movies or TV shows. We dig into their careers and share some fun facts you might not know.

Trivia
Did you know The 13th Warrior was one of the most expensive movies ever made at the time? Or that it went through extensive reshoots and rewrites? We share behind-the-scenes tidbits, production woes, and surprising facts that add new layers to the film’s legacy.

Let’s Get to Poppin’
It’s time for our final verdict! We each rate The 13th Warrior using our signature “Pops” system. Does it deserve a second chance, or is it best left buried in the snow? Tune in to hear our scores and final thoughts.

Thanks for joining us on this wild ride through the frozen North! Whether you’re a fan of epic tales, historical adventures, or just love a good underdog story, The 13th Warrior has something for everyone. Grab your sword and board, and we’ll see you next time for another cinematic adventure. Until then, keep your shields up and your popcorn ready!

Music:

Vikings
SergePavkinMusic

Awards Ceremony Nomination - Heroic Adventure Epic Cinematic
SoundGalleryByDmitryTaras

Freyja - Viking Nordic Background Music
OB-LIX

A Dawn Of Glory
ROVADOR 

Fun Disco
Musictown

French Jazz Music
William King

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Daniel, Ben and Tanya list off their TOP 5 favorite Irish films, series, etc. as well as rattling off a list of honorable mentions. 
Join them as they explore the humor, war, troubles, and diaspora of the Emerald Isle through the unique medium of television and film. 

So, grab a jar of the black stuff, some rashers, sausage, eggs, potatoes, beans, soda bread, tomatoes, mushrooms, and black pudding so you can have a full belly and keep warm while listening to Popped!

Music

"Irish" by SergePavkinMusic

"The Cruiskeen" Lawn by Nesreality

Eileen Oge by Nesreality

Spancil Hill by Julius H

Wild Mountain Thyme (Will Ye Go, Lassie Go) by Julius H

Red is the Rose by Julius H

Irish Jig by Musictown

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Daniel, Ben, and Tanya are joined by special guest, Susan Aubrey Wilde, to discuss the 1987 horror/comedy hit "The Lost Boys". 
They give their initial reactions to the film then and now. 
Gain some insight on the film through the following show segments:
"I Know that Dude" where we discuss the career of one particular actor in the film. In this case, Barnard Aloycious Hughes who played Grandpa.
"I coulda done without that", where the gang discuss a moment in the film that didn't work for them. 
"Trivia" where Daniel shares some facts he discovered by watching the Documentaries and deep delving online to learn some behind the scenes info.
Last but not least "Let's Get to Poppin'" where Daniel, Ben, Tanya and Susan each give their rating for the film in pops. 

So, grab some Chinese food, some chopsticks, and sit back for a wild night of POPPED!

Hosts 
Daniel Hendrix
Ben Wilson
Tanya Holstrum

Guest Host
Susan Aubrey Wilde

Music

Spooky Funk
*Popped Theme)
Citation Needed

Drips of Blood
by moodmode

Chill Vibra Jazzy
by danydory

French Jazz Music
by William King

Jazzy Abstract Beat
by Coma-Media

Lost
by danydory

FunDisco
by Musictown

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The Popped crew remember their fathers who all passed within the last two years. They reminisce on their fathers favorite, movies, television shows and music relating how their fathers either encouraged or influenced their own choices in pop culture.

This show is the end-result of a long hiatus due to these deaths and a complete meltdown of Daniel's computer. Now that the computer is fixed, the Popped crew will resume their show but wanted to honor their fathers and the Popped viewers with an episode that explains their recent absence. 

So, sit back, grab some corn and get ready for an unusually heartfelt episode of Popped.

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Daniel speaks to the Vice President of Marketting for Harmony Gold, Kevin McKeever about the 1985 hit anime series Robotech. Kevin covers the history of Robotech as well as that of Frank Aghrama and Carl Macek. Daniel and Kevin discuss the many products and projects that have been promised for years by Harmony Gold with Kevin welcoming fan question and criticism equally. 

It's an eye opening look into the world of ROBOTECH through the eyes of a a Marketting Executive. Many fans have reached a point of exhaustion with what they perceive as endless excuses and unfulfilled promises by Harmony Gold and they view Kevin as the front-man for a company that has not delivered on much of what it's promised. Kevin does a good job of covering his bases here and gives somewhat of a timeline for when things can be expected to happen. That said, this interview happened during the SAG-AFTRA strikes so there is some open-endedness to certain projects many of us have waited for news on.

Put on your helmet, power up your Veritech, and get ready to kick Zendtraedi butt ... just make sure you have your radio tuned to our braodcast as we talk about ROBOTECH!

Music:

"Insurrection: by Alexza Vesa

"A Hero of the 80's" by Grand Project

"Heroic Motivational Rise" (Trailer) by Alex Kisenkov

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Daniel, Ben and Tanya with second time in a row special guest Tony Ukena discuss the prophetic dystopian cult comedy phenomenon by Mike Judge (Office Space, Beavis and Butthead, King of the Hill, Silicon Valley) where society has devolved to a point where people have become so stupid that a man  who travels forward in time and is completely average by todays standards, is the smartest man on the planet.

Idiocracy (2006) starring: Luke Wilson, Maya Rudolph, Terry Crews, Dax Shepard, Andrew Wilson.

Hosts:
Daniel Hendrix 
Ben Wilson
Tanya Holstrom

Guest Host 
Tony Ukena

Voice Overs
Glenn Thayer
& Tyler Collier

Music

Spooky Funk (Popped Theme)
Need Citation

Stomping Rock
by Alex Grohl

Metal Gear
by Muzaprodution

Despair Metal Trailer
by Life Saturation

Freak Glimmer Instrumental Jazz
by Trygve Larsen

Lost
by DanyDory

Everything Feels New
by Evgeny Bardyyuzha

Lifelike
by Alexi Action

Fun Disco
by Musictown

Dark Beat
by QubeSounds

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Join the Popped crew with their special guest Tony Ukena as they discuss the 1997 Thriller hit, The Game, starring Michael Douglas, Sean Penn, Deborah Kara Unger, James Rebhorn and more. 

We discuss the premise, plot complications, performances and themes of this re-imagining of a tried and true classic redemption arc.

How many pops will The Game get? Check it out and find out

We introduce a new segment called " Did you catch that?"

Music
Spooky Funk
(Popped Theme)
by Citation Needed

Spellcraft
by geoffharvey

Let the Mystery Unfold
by geoffharvey

Classic Music_For_Videos
by Oleg Kirilkov

Lost
by DanyDory

Fun Disco
by Musictown

Dark Beat
by QubeSounds

Voice Overs
Glenn Thayer
& Tyler Collier

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Daniel, Ben and Tanya discuss the seminal Sci-Fi horror Classic “Aliens” 1986, Directed by James Cameron. This successful sequel film followed the lone survivor of the Nostromo Ripley, played by the extremely talented Sigourney Weaver. 
The gang talk about how the ensemble crew lead to a palatable storyline and the dramatic tension was ramped to extreme levels by the story pacing, ambience, and uniqueness of the aliens themselves. 

Join us as we take a drop ship into Hadley’s Hope to find out what happened to the settlers on LV-426 but you’d better hang on “were in for some chop”. It could get rough but if we can survive it, we’ll be “in the pipe, five by five.”

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Daniel, Ben, and Tanya kick off Season 3 by travelling back in time to the year 2019 to discuss the 1982 Science Fiction thriller Cult Classic Blade Runner and it's impact on cinematic history as well as the landmark performances, visuals, music, and feel of this classic masterpiece.
They talk about the important moments in the film, the ambience, music, existential dilemmas, anachronistic future tech, and the performance that took this film from good to magnificent. 

Get ready for an empathy test, relax and "just don't talk" ... 

Music:

Android - Ambient Soundscape
by Dream Protocol

Runner Corp
by DST Technician

Blade Runners Harmony
by Andy De Rue
 
Dark Beat
by Qube Sounds

Everything Feels New
by Evgeny Bardyuzha

Fun-Disco
by Musictown

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