Now Playing - The Movie Review Podcast

When Freddy and Jason’s team-up killed at the box office, it didn’t take long for 20th Century Fox to green-light another long-anticipated cinematic crossover–Alien vs. Predator. Having already fought on the pages of comic books and in video games, these two classic extra terrestrials took their battle to the big screen, continuing an ancient Predator coming-of-age ritual in Antarctica, with a group of humans, including Charles Bishop Weyland played by Lance Henriksen, in the middle...

Remember 1997 when the Jamaican gangs were terrorizing Los Angeles and everyone was carrying guns in the 105 degree heat? Well you can relive those days along with Arnie, Stuart, and Brock as they review the period piece–Predator 2! In that summer of 1997 a Predator came to Los Angeles on a hunt for the toughest in Los Angeles, and it only makes sense that he would pick Danny Glover as the alpha male for him to best...

An invisible alien Predator hunts a team of super-commandos in a Central American jungle, and it must be some hunter to take on Carl Weathers, Bill Duke, Richard Chaves, Jesse Ventura, and Arnold Schwarzenegger! This film introduced a new sci-fi staple into our cultural lexicon, a creature that has gone on to appear in tons of comic books, video games, and a crossover movie franchise, but was this original entry worthy of such a legacy? Listen to find out!

{Predator Series}

Over 25 years after Danielsan first craned kicked his way into movie history comes this remake of The Karate Kid, starring Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan. Shot on location in China and featuring Kung Fu instead of Karate, this reboot of the franchise hopes to pack the same punch with a new generation of moviegoers...

Arnie interviews Heather Langenkamp about the Nightmare on Elm Street documentary Never Sleep Again! And as a bonus, we have a never-before released interview with Robert Englund!

{Nightmare on Elm St Series}

In 1994 The Karate Kid tried to be the comeback kid in this soft rebooting of the series. Gone is the aging protagonist played by Ralph Macchio, and he has been replaced by future Academy Award winning actress Hillary Swank in her first starring role. And back is Mr. Miyagi with his wisdom and unlikely training methods...

Three years after the release of The Karate Kid Part II, Daniel LaRusso and Mr. Miyagi were back in California, and in theaters with the aptly named The Karate Kid Part III. Now Daniel must defend his Karate title against “Karate’s Bad Boy” Mike Barnes, and when Mr. Miyagi refuses to help him train Daniel turns to toxic waste dumper Terry Silver for help. With a subplot involving Mr. Miyagi’s Little Trees, this film has been generally panned by critics...

In 1984 The Karate Kid crane-kicked the box office, and it didn’t take Mr. Miyagi to realize a sequel would be fast-tracked. Released in the summer of 1986, The Karate Kid Part II took Daniel LaRusso from California to Okinawa. Mr. Miyagi faces his former rival Sato and Peter Cetera delivers a theme song that still monopolizes light-rock radio the world over...

It’s the underground horror hit of the year–The Human Centipede. Playing only at midnight showings in select theaters as well as On Demand, this film’s content promises to be one of the raunchiest horror films ever. With the tagline “100% Medically Accurate” you know you’re in for something more than your standard slasher, but how extreme is this film and, more to the point, is it any good? Stuart, Arnie, and Marjorie have watched this film and review every gross detail in this podcast...

Did you want to take Karate lessons in 1984? If so, you weren’t alone! When The Karate Kid first came out in it was a smash hit, earning an Oscar nomination for Pat Morita and entering “Wax on, Wax off” into the cultural lexicon of movie phrases. Now, with this classic story being reinterpreted for modern audiences with this summer’s remake starring Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith, we at Now Playing will “wax on” with our Karate Kid retrospective series...