Now Playing -- The Movie Review Podcast

Much like the Tarman, the Return of the Living Dead franchise had been cooped up for years but in 2005 sudios released not one but two sequels! Last week Now Playing supporters heard our review of the film Necropolis, now Jakob, Stuart, and Arnie are back to Rave to the Grave. When the trippy drug Z starts to turn users into the undead only a pair of Russian mobsters stands between the zombies and global disaster. Is this film a good party time or should it have remained interred? Donate and support Now Playing to find out!

Richard Donner, Christopher Reeve, even Richard Lester and the Salkinds, all had declared they were done with Superman. After a disappointing Superman 3 and a disastrous Supergirl the franchise seemed more toxic than kryptonite and the rights were sold off to cheapo genre film company Cannon Films. But despite star Reeves' earlier comments distancing himself from the character, Reeve again returned in exchange for both control over the story and a guarantee his pet project Street Smart would be made. The film ended up a notorious Nuclear Man sized bomb, but is it as bad as is thought? Listen to Jakob, Stuart, and Arnie's review to find out!

It's hard to kill a zombie in Return of the Living Dead. Shoot them, burn them, they keep coming back for more brains. But after 1993 it seemed the zombies had finally been killed for good by the most harrowing of enemies--intellectual property rights issues. Leave it to Hollywood to never leave money on the table, though, as the zombie resurgence of the early 21st century with 28 Days Later and Dawn of the Dead enabled Return of the Living Dead to crawl from the grave again with not one but two low-budget, direct-to-SyFy Channel sequels. This week on Now Playing's bonus donation series Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob watch the first of these films: Return of the Living Dead--Necropolis. Is watching this film worse than eating cooked, zombified rat? If you donate to support Now Playing you can listen and find out!

For Return of the Living Dead 3 studio Trimark Pictures brought in Brian Yuzna, a horror producer and director best known for the ground-breaking Re-Animator films. Yuzna worked with writer John Penney to create a zombie love story. Starring future O.C. actress Melinda Clarke as Julie, a goth girl with a new found taste for brains, Return of the Living Dead 3 had much different in tone than the previous two films. Is this change for the better? Donate to Now Playing and you can listen and find out!

It's been four years since J.J. Abrams beamed aboard as new commander of Star Trek promising fast-tracked movies and TV series. But none of that came to fruition and even before Star Trek Into Darkness would reach theaters news spread far and wide that Abrams was moving on to another franchise, Star Wars, leaving questions as to what involvement he'll have with future Star Trek films and stealing some of Trek's pre-release thunder. Finally Star Trek Into Darkness opened this weekend. Was it worth the wait? Listen to find out!

It's been four years since J.J. Abrams beamed aboard as new commander of Star Trek promising fast-tracked movies and TV series. But none of that came to fruition and even before Star Trek Into Darkness would reach theaters news spread far and wide that Abrams was moving on to another franchise, Star Wars, leaving questions as to what involvement he'll have with future Star Trek films and stealing some of Trek's pre-release thunder. Finally Star Trek Into Darkness opened this weekend. Was it worth the wait? Listen to find out!

With Christopher Reeve growing tired of wearing tights Warner Bros and the Salkinds attempted to recreate the magic with Supergirl. In her first starring role Helen Slater plays Superman's cousin who has come to Earth to recover the power supply to her dying city. With a witch as Supergirl's nemesis, does this film capture the excitement of Richard Donner's original? Listen to Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob's review to find out!

The Avengers broke box office records taking in more at the US box office in the opening weekend than any other film. With such popularity the world was primed for a follow-up. Now, almost one year to the day later, Marvel Studios' next film Iron Man 3 has been delivered, and came in second only to The Avengers in its opening weekend. The new film features a Tony Stark solo mission against his comic book nemesis The Mandarin in a storyline taken from the Warren Ellis Extremis comic arc. But without Jon Favreau directing and without a Hulk can the armored Avenger still shine? Listen to Jakob, Arnie, and Stuart's review to find out!

The Avengers broke box office records taking in more at the US box office in the opening weekend than any other film. With such popularity the world was primed for a follow-up. Now, almost one year to the day later, Marvel Studios' next film Iron Man 3 has been delivered, and came in second only to The Avengers in its opening weekend. The new film features a Tony Stark solo mission against his comic book nemesis The Mandarin in a storyline taken from the Warren Ellis Extremis comic arc. But without Jon Favreau directing and without a Hulk can the armored Avenger still shine? Listen to Jakob, Arnie, and Stuart's review to find out!

George Romero's Night of the Living Dead was so successful that it had not one but two sequels! Of course there was 1978's Dawn of the Dead, but Night co-writer John Russo wrote his own sequel as well: Return of the Living Dead. First published as a novel in 1977, the story was taken and rewritten, and eventually directed by Dan O'Bannon, best known as the author of Alien. Giving the film a punk rock score and a cast of punk characters, the film combines horror and humor. Does it work? DONATE to Now Playing you get to find out and hear...more...podcasts!

1983 was a banner year for computing. Microsoft Windows was announced, Lotus spreadsheets were released and the first IBM clone PC was sold by Compaq. And Gus Gorman builds a supercomputer that becomes self-aware, turns humans into cyborg slaves, and tries to kill Superman! This third installment in the Superman film series, this one directed entirely by Richard Lester, relied more on laughs than action, with comedian Richard Pryor taking a co-starring role. How does the mix of comedy, action, and inner conflict work in this Superman film? Listen to find out!

It's been 32 years since Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell left obscurity in Detroit and went to a cabin in the woods that would start their careers and scare the hell out of moviegoers. With Raimi reaching big-time success with big-budget films like Oz and Spider-Man it seemed that the Evil Dead franchise would remain lifeless, but in 2013 it was back with a poster promising "The Most Terrifying Film You Will Ever Experience." Raimi and Campbell remained involved as producers, but directing fell to first-time filmmaker Fede Alvarez. Does this return to terror work for Evil Dead, or is it another forgettable horror reboot? DONATE to Now Playing to find out!

After a series of blockbuster, large-scale films director Sam Raimi returned to his horror roots with Drag Me to Hell. While there is no cabin, no necronomicon, and no deadites, this film feels very much like an Evil Dead movie with geysers of blood and a main character put through physical and psychological torment. Now as a bonus review, Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart are dragged to hell to face the Lamia. Does this film have the impact of Raimi's earlier, more raw horror films? Listen to find out, then DONATE to Now Playing before June 30, 2013 to hear our Spring Donation Drive bonus reviews of all the Evil Dead films as well!

After a series of blockbuster, large-scale films director Sam Raimi returned to his horror roots with Drag Me to Hell. While there is no cabin, no necronomicon, and no deadites, this film feels very much like an Evil Dead movie with geysers of blood and a main character put through physical and psychological torment. Now as a bonus review, Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart are dragged to hell to face the Lamia. Does this film have the impact of Raimi's earlier, more raw horror films? Listen to find out, then DONATE to Now Playing before June 30, 2013 to hear our Spring Donation Drive bonus reviews of all the Evil Dead films as well!

How much would you give up for the woman you love? For Superman the cost of love is his every power as he chooses to relinquish all that makes him super to live a mortal life with Lois Lane. But without Superman what can stop the three Kryptonian criminals Non, Ursa, and their leader General Zod from ruling the Earth? All of this, plus Lex Luthor, is in 1980's Superman II. But do Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob kneel before Zod? Listen to Now Playing to find out as we review both the Richard Donner and Richard Lester cuts of Superman II!