Episode 139 - The Batman Spoiler Movie Review + Flight of the Navigator on Retro Rewind

From the gritty streets of Gotham, key political figures are being murdered, and it's up to one crime fighter to solve the Riddler's string of clues and puzzles to end Gotham's nightmare. Inspired by the animated story arc of "The Long Halloween," the film brings new light (and darkness) to one of DC's greatest superheroes, Batman. We give spoiler heavy discussion reviews, as we break down our most enjoyed moments of the latest incarnation of the caped crusader. The Batman stars Robert Pattinson, Paul Dano, Zoe Kravitz, Colin Farrell, Andy Serkis, Jeffrey Wright, John Turturro, and more. It is directed by Matt Reeves. We turn the clock back to 1986, and revisit one of Disney's most beloved childhood space journeys in "Flight of the Navigator." We'll share the technological wonder of how this movie was created at a time long before modern CGI, and our cherished memories with the film.

Episode 130 - Shang-Chi Legend of the Ten Rings + Batman 1989 on Retro Rewind

On this episode we discuss this year's second MCU phase 4 installment, 'Shang-Chi : And the Legend of the Ten Rings.' We take a closer in-depth spoiler discussion at the film, and break down any easter eggs and cameos we saw along the way. Where is Shang-Chi's place in the MCU, and what is the potential future of this new wave of hero for Marvel? We also discuss one of the most crucial films of 1989, Tim Burton's Batman on this week's Retro Rewind. We talk about the film's cultural impact on pop culture, and how this film, along with Frank Miller's vision brought the "Dark Knight" from campy to icon.

Episode 90 - Alita | Battle Angel Film Review & POPX Pix for Superman & Batman DCEU

On this episode, we dive into all things manga, James Cameron and Alita Battle Angel with a complete film review and rating from team POPX. We also give our hopeful top lists for prospect actors to replace Superman and Batman in the DC Entertainment Universe (DCEU). Who will dawn the cape and cowl again, tune in to find out the POPX Pix for our top actors to fill these roles.

Episode 69 - Marvel vs. DC Comics (The Path to Childhood)

We talk all things Marvel and DC Comics, and not necessarily pitting one up against the other, but sharing our fond moments from each, and which we gravitate towards on a personal level. To be honest, we're all a little Marvel and DC, and this podcast will highlight the success of both companies.

Episode 66 - Justice League Film Review & Origin Story

Fueled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman's selfless act, Bruce Wayne enlists newfound ally Diana Prince to face an even greater threat. Together, Batman and Wonder Woman work quickly to recruit a team to stand against this newly awakened enemy. Despite the formation of an unprecedented league of heroes -- Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg and the Flash -- it may be too late to save the planet from an assault of catastrophic proportions.

Episode 27 - Suicide Squad Movie Review & More - Spoiler Alert

This week we break down the movie Suicide Squad from DC comics and Warner Bros. We give our likes and dislikes relating to the film, and be warned, there is a spoiler alert for this episode. We also dive into the top 10 Easter Eggs from the film you may have missed!

Episode 25 - Star Trek Beyond Official Review - Spoiler Alert

On this week's episode we dive into all things San Diego Comic Con (SDCC) and the plethora of information, trailers and releases that follows. This week's movie, Star Trek Beyond, is a glowing example of what a Summer blockbuster movie should and can be.

Episode 20 - Rise of Comics in Pop Culture Part 2 - Jewish Influence

Happy Father's Day everyone! This week we talk about some sad news in the Star Trek franchise as Anton Yelchin is dead at age 27 in a fluke automobile accident. We also uncover some some awesome #EctoCooler love gearing up for the new #Ghostbusters film. And CW announces full fall lineup of shows starting in October. This week we discuss the "Rise of Comics in Pop Culture Part 2 - The Jewish Immigrant Influence." We dive into the humble origins of Detective Comics, Marvel Comics and creators Stan Lee, Bob Kane, Bill Finger, Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel.

Episode 9 - Batman V Superman Official Review - Spoiler Alert

On tonight's episode, we break down high and low points of Batman V Superman : Dawn of Justice. We dissect what worked in the film, and what didn't, as well as discuss some of our favorite moments from Zack Snyder's film. We wrap up the POPX contest, and listen to this week's "Fan of the Week: Red5mom."

Batman V Superman : Dawn of Justice Spoiler Free Review

Right out of the gate, we knew going in Zack Snyder had a monumental task of setting the ground work for what will become the definitive DC anchor saga of "Justice League." There is a wealth of comics, story arcs and graphic novels that Snyder pulled from in the creation of this film, and let's not forget the centerpiece of this movie, Frank Miller's epic "The Dark Knight Returns" saga from 1986. Most of which was inspired by the creation of "Batman V Superman."

Prior to going into the theater, I actually did take a quick peek at Rotten Tomatoes reviews to kind of see what others are saying about the film. Much to my surprise, as of Thursday night, I found a 33% review of the film, which has since declined to a 29% overall critic score. So I cleared my head of jargon, and proceeded into the cinema with an optimistic mind.

I just have to say for the record, this film was delightfully crafted, and we just can't begin to fathom where and why the critics are giving this film such harsh negative reviews. Perhaps, the critics have never opened a Frank Miller graphic novel, or read the "Death of Superman" with the introduction of Doomsday? It's no secret from the trailers that Doomsday is the super villain of the film, that's not a spoiler, rather common knowledge and directly in line with comic book lore. Perhaps, the weight and heaviness of the story line set in motion was just too much for the critics. They couldn't understand a film crafted with depth, rather than the typical Disney/Marvel movies. Or, and this is just my own two cents, people in the film critic review industry were paid off to write mundane reviews to trash the whole team at DC and Snyder for creating what will become the initial setup of the Justice League franchise. 

Sure, there are a couple parts of the film that seemed a little out of context. For instance the casting Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor seemed like a waste of a role. Unsure of what Synder's intent for Lex Luthor is in future films, this adaptation has Jesse Eisenberg roaming around more like a psychotic lunatic who is clearly on the mental playing field of the Joker rather than CEO of LexCorp. This just didn't seem to work for me, but it can easily be overshadowed by the amazing acting of Henry Cavill and Ben Affleck. Batfleck is here to stay, and I feel much like Ryan Reynolds has been officially redeemed with Deadpool, Ben Affleck has found a home in his new defining role as The Dark Knight. He's edgy, cunning and the suit is just totally awesome in fight scenes and closeups. Hands down, one of my favorite Batman costumes since Tim Burton's Batman series in 1989. 

The film score worked seamlessly as well. Hans Zimmer returns to score the new film, alongside Junkie XL. The tones and melodies from Man of Steel are prominent in the new film, and the theme music echoes in each scene in some way. I'm sure this Man of Steel score will live on in the future JLA movies as well. Hans Zimmer is one of my favorite composers, and he delivers again with a film score that matches the chaos of the film, as well as it's tender and climactic moments. Don't listen to the Rotten Tomatoes critics when they say the film score is loud, overpowers the dialog and is misplaced. This is all anything further from the truth. 

Overall, the film's plot was easy to follow, and this made it much more enjoyable to watch the cinematic glory of the epic battle between Superman and Batman. The setup for Justice League is now in forward motion, and we have a clear concise image of what we can expect in a couple years when the new film hits the silver screen. This film has a couple weak spots, like the casting role of Lex Luthor and one more small detail I can't mention without spoiling the film. But, it really doesn't matter because overall, the film stands as a stand alone film that simply introduces characters, sets up the foundations for future projects and gives us something to finally be proud of from DC Comics.


It's mindless bits like this clip circulating social media that are steering people who have yet to see the film for themselves, in totally the wrong direction. Do yourself a favor, stay off social media pertaining to the film until you have seen it for yourself, and can make your own analysis of the film. Some of these critics and parody clips attack and poke fun at the film, which in all actuality is really good.

So I leave you with this. Batman V Superman succeeded greatly in establishing the future franchise. Was it the best superhero ever? No. Was it the best movie ever? No. Did it surpass some of the more lackluster comic book movies in the past few years? Most certainly! Was there  a fun factor to the movie? Oh heck yes! I honestly don't understand the critic hate going on right now towards this film. I think critics need their own critics, and need to dive deeper into comic books from DC Comics from the past 25 years to truly understand what is going on in this movie. I got it. I get it. I applaud Zack Snyder's valiant effort. Will I see it again? You better believe it! 

Chief Editor POPXCAST
Joe Burke

Episode 8 - A Conversation with Marvel, DC Comics & Disney Artist, Russ Braun

We talk with Marvel Comics, DC Comics and Disney Animation Studios illustrator Russ Braun, whose projects working on DC's "Legends of the Dark Knight : Venom" series, along with Marvel's "Where Monsters Dwell" have left fans wanting more. Russ' versatile style to draw any creature, any animal, any object with precision and detail makes him a much sought after artist in the comic book industry today.

Episode 2 - The Superhero Television & Movie Breakdown

We cover some of the new content from the Star Wars realm including Star Wars Rebels and Rogue One. Also covering an array of DC shows including Arrow, The Flash, DC Legends of Tomorrow, Supergirl and more. We also dive into the world of Justice League, Dr. Who news is shared, Ultraman celebrates it's 50th, Mystery Science Theater 3000 returns by popular fan demand, Gotham starts up soon, and Deadpool opens in theaters this week February 12th, 2016.