With the Game Awards 2025 right around the corner, we share our predictions for Game of the Year, potential surprises, and which studios might walk away with the biggest wins. Tune in to our LIVE coverage of The Game Awards Thursday Dec. 11. 

Also, Valve has announced a new Steam Machine, a powerful PC-console hybrid designed to bring Steam gaming straight to your living room. We discuss specs, features, price expectations, and whether this new device can compete.

Our Discord community has been so lovely! We’ve been chatting about what we’re playing, watching and reading and we’d love to have you! Join here: https://discord.gg/pZQV9fcMKN

Pacino and De Niro go toe-to-toe in HEAT (1995) as Michael Mann delivers one of the greatest crime thrillers ever. We dig into what the movie is really saying, why it feels like a love letter to Los Angeles, and, of course, the insane shootout that has earned legendary status. Plus, we also chat a bit about One Battle After Another!

#Heat #AlPacino #RobertDeNiro #MichaelMann

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Welcome to The Strictly Casual Podcast! Whether you have been here for the last few years, or this is your first introduction to Strictly Casual— we are so glad you are here.Our goal is to build a community bound by stories told through Movies, TV, & Games. If you are even remotely interested in any of these topics, you're in the right place. 

Join our discord: ⁠https://discord.gg/6wGv89kvMb⁠

YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/strictlycasual⁠⁠⁠ 

Social links: ⁠⁠⁠https://strictlycasual.co/pages/social-platforms

2025 has been stacked with games, and August was no exception. We’ve been deep in the Battlefield 6 beta, exploring the dark streets of Lies of P, getting lost in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and venturing into Dune: Awakening plus plenty more. We share what’s hitting, what’s missing, and what might be next.

#battlefield6 #clairobscurexpedition33 #duneawakening #liesofp #thebazaar ---------------------------------------------------

Welcome to The Strictly Casual Podcast! Whether you have been here for the last few years, or this is your first introduction to Strictly Casual— we are so glad you are here.Our goal is to build a community bound by stories told through Movies, TV, & Games. If you are even remotely interested in any of these topics, you're in the right place. Join our discord: https://discord.gg/6wGv89kvMb

YouTube: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/strictlycasual⁠⁠ 

Social links: ⁠⁠https://strictlycasual.co/pages/social-platforms

Marvel’s first family is here! How does this iteration of the team land on screen?

We’re breaking down the characters, the retrofuturistic setting, the surprising themes the film is trying to tackle, and loads of gushing about practical sets over CGI.

Special guest and Fantastic Four expert Avery Kilgore (@antihero_komics) joins us for the first time!

#FantasticFour #FirstSteps #MCU #DoctorDoom

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Welcome to The Strictly Casual Podcast! Whether you have been here for the last few years, or this is your first introduction to Strictly Casual— we are so glad you are here.

Our goal is to build a community bound by stories told through Movies, TV, & Games. If you are even remotely interested in any of these topics, you're in the right place. 

Join our discord: ⁠⁠https://discord.gg/6wGv89kvMb⁠⁠ 

YouTube: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/strictlycasual⁠⁠ 

Social links: ⁠⁠https://strictlycasual.co/pages/social-platforms

🦸‍♂️ Superman (2025) isn’t just a reboot. It’s the start of something bigger.

This week, we’re talking about everything from the cast and the tone to the deeper themes of legacy, hope, and what it actually means to be Superman in 2025.

Plus: how this movie sets the stage for what’s next in the DCU and why it might be the most important superhero film in years.

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Welcome to The Strictly Casual Podcast! Whether you have been here for the last few years, or this is your first introduction to Strictly Casual— we are so glad you are here.

Our goal is to build a community bound by stories told through Movies, TV, & Games. If you are even remotely interested in any of these topics, you're in the right place. 

Join our discord: ⁠⁠https://discord.gg/6wGv89kvMb⁠⁠ 

YouTube: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/strictlycasual⁠⁠ 

Social links: ⁠⁠https://strictlycasual.co/pages/social-platforms

Before cinematic universes and multiverse madness, Superman (1978) showed the world how to believe a man could fly. In this episode, we’re going back to where the superhero genre began with Christopher Reeve’s iconic performance, John Williams’ soaring score, and Lex Luthor’s completely unhinged plan to sink California for a real estate flip. We’re talking trunks vs. no trunks and why Superman’s wholesome charm hits different today.

Welcome to The Strictly Casual Podcast! Whether you have been here for the last few years, or this is your first introduction to Strictly Casual— we are so glad you are here.

Our goal is to build a community bound by stories told through Movies, TV, & Games. If you are even remotely interested in any of these topics, you're in the right place. 

Join our discord: ⁠⁠https://discord.gg/6wGv89kvMb⁠⁠ 

YouTube: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/strictlycasual⁠⁠ 

Social links: ⁠⁠https://strictlycasual.co/pages/social-platforms

Before 28 Years Later hits theaters, we’re revisiting the film that started it all.

This week, we take a closer look at 28 Days Later (2002), directed by Danny Boyle and written by Alex Garland. From its gritty digital visuals to its haunting sense of isolation and rage, this movie helped reshape horror for a new generation.

We break down what makes it so effective, how it holds up today, and why its influence can still be felt more than 20 years later.

Whether you're watching for the first time or returning to a classic, this is the perfect lead-up to 28 Years Later.

Welcome to The Strictly Casual Podcast! Whether you have been here for the last few years, or this is your first introduction to Strictly Casual— we are so glad you are here.

Our goal is to build a community bound by stories told through Movies, TV, & Games. If you are even remotely interested in any of these topics, you're in the right place. 

Join our discord: ⁠⁠https://discord.gg/6wGv89kvMb⁠⁠ 

YouTube: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/strictlycasual⁠⁠ 

Social links: ⁠⁠https://strictlycasual.co/pages/social-platforms

The mission ends here.

In this episode, we break down Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning and unpack how it all wraps up. Does Ethan Hunt stick the landing? Does the franchise go out with a bang or something quieter?

We dive into the stunts, the set pieces, the emotional weight of this chapter, and what it says about legacy, sacrifice, and the cost of the mission. 

It’s a sendoff years in the making, and we’re here for every second of it.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it: revisit the film that started it all.

In this episode, we’re diving into Mission: Impossible (1996). The slick, stylish thriller that kickstarted one of the biggest action franchises in movie history.

We break down what made De Palma’s take so bold and different, how it still looks incredible nearly 30 years later, and why it’s so much fun to revisit. 

Plus, James shares a behind-the-scenes story from The Phoenician Scheme premiere.

This message will self-destruct in 3…2…1…

Daredevil is back—but not without complications.In this episode, we break down Daredevil: Born Again Season 1 (2025), a show torn between two creative visions after a major showrunner shake-up and mid-production overhaul. We talk through how those competing directions affect the story, tone, and pacing—and whether the series still delivers on its promise.But it’s not all behind-the-scenes drama—we also dive into what does work: the thrill of seeing Daredevil back on screen, standout new characters, complex villains, and how this version of Hell’s Kitchen stacks up against what came before.____________________________Welcome to The Strictly Casual Podcast! Whether you have been here for the last few years, or this is your first introduction to Strictly Casual— we are so glad you are here.Our goal is to build a community bound by stories told through Movies, TV, & Games. If you are even remotely interested in any of these topics, you're in the right place. Join our discord: ⁠⁠https://discord.gg/6wGv89kvMbYouTube: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/strictlycasual⁠⁠ Social links: ⁠⁠https://strictlycasual.co/pages/social-platforms