This week, a character returns to the Star Trek franchise for the first time since THE ORIGINAL SERIES, and our awesome panel — Chris Clow (Movies.com, Comics on Consoles, GeekPulse Radio), Rachael Clow (Biology PhD candidate), Cicero Holmes (Spawn On Me Cast), and me! — unpacks a new plot of intrigue that surrounds Captain Lorca, Michael Burnham, and the Federation's war with the Klingon Empire.

PLUS: a secret revealed?! The panel has to go to RED ALERT to warn listeners about a possible secret the show is attempting to keep that was brought to our attention by Cicero, and it could lead to some very consequential occurrences on the show for our characters to contend with. Finally, some of the latest Star Trek news and the discussion you've come to know and (hopefully) love!

Had a great time last weekend on the Out Now with Aaron and Abe Podcast (Abe was MIA this week, but we got special guest Alan Aguilera) to talk the new Jackie Chan-Pierce Brosnan actioner The Foreigner. What did I think of Jackie's entree into the genre of "Old Men Kicking All Form of Ass"? You'll have to listen in for the goods. We also talked the trailer for Fox's upcoming X-Men spin-off The New Mutants, and much more! As always, a fun chat that I'm sure you'll enjoy listening to. Check it out via the embed below, or over here at iTunes.

Welcome back to the Final Frontier!

Discovery Debrief returns to talk the fourth episode of Star Trek: Discovery, "The Butcher's Knife Cares Not for the Lamb's Cry." In addition to the usual pleasantries and Trek love from our four panelists — Chris Clow (Movies.com, Comics on Consoles, GeekPulse Radio), Rachael Clow (Biology PhD candidate), Cicero Holmes (Spawn On Me Cast), and me! — we also give you an in-depth perspective that can only come from four longtime Star Trek franchise fans.

Plus: trouble ahead? We respond to a listener who wants something different from our show, but we also want to know what YOU think! Find us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter @DSCDebrief, and be sure to like, comment, rate, subscribe, and just get in touch! Please continue boldly going with us in our ongoing mission to explore the latest series in the Star Trek franchise!

You know you're a #geekdad when your kid is asked to name the capital of Kansas on a quiz and he puts "Smallville." #fb

— Zaki Hasan (@zakiscorner) October 13, 2017

The final trailer for Star Wars: The Last Jedi has dropped, and that can only mean one thing: Invasion. No, wait, wrong trilogy. What it actually means is that we were so excited about all of the new and exciting glimpses of what’s to come in Episode 8, that we just had to talk about it in this very special mini-episode. You can hear it all via the embed below, or at iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play. And if you haven’t already, please make sure to hit “like” on our Facebook page, and send any questions or comments to [email protected].

"I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain."

Those words are uttered by Roy Batty, the rogue robot played by Rutger Hauer in Ridley Scott's 1982 sci-fi detective yarn Blade Runner (the line was improvised by Hauer, or so the story goes). In many ways they sum up for me the existential angst that brackets the entire film and gives it much of its enduring appeal. Why do we exist? What will be left of us once we're gone? Whether robot questioning man or man questioning himself, it's the essential, unanswerable permanence of such ponderings that have allowed the movie to transcend its era and be regarded as one of the greatest science-fiction movies ever made.

But while Scott's neo-noir opus is indeed widely considered a classic today, it sure didn't start out that way. Based on a Philip K. Dick trippy 1968 novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, the project spent more than a decade languishing in the dreaded development pipeline, endured a famously troubled production beset with all kinds of problems with home studio Warner Bros., and limped out of theaters barely recouping its not-inconsiderable $28 million budget. All told, Scott was unhappy with the film, star Harrison Ford was unhappy with the film, and perhaps most importantly, audiences were unhappy with the film.

When you're away from your phone that two hours after a #StarWars trailer drops… pic.twitter.com/RUk0jy03Yx

— Zaki Hasan (@zakiscorner) October 10, 2017

Blade Runner 2049 is now in theaters, arriving thirty-five years after the cult classic original! For this week’s show, Brian and I dive deep into the Denis Villeneuve-directed sci-fi detective yarn starring Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford. But that's not all! Listen to my interview with Peter Landesman, writer/director of the new film Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down the White House, plus quick conversations on James Cameron’s new Terminator plans, Universal’s Fast & Furious spin-off, and much more! As always, you can hear it all via the embed below, or at iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play. If you haven't already, make sure to hit “like” on our Facebook page, and send any questions or comments to [email protected].

On our latest episode we're very excited to speak with our special guest A. David Lewis, graphic novelist, scholar, and author of the new book Muslim Superheroes: Comics, Islam, and Representation. We had a great time geeking out about the history of the medium and its traditionally thorny depictions of Muslims and Islam, as well as how/if that trend has changed in recent years with such new characters as G. Willow Wilson's Ms. Marvel. We know you'll really enjoy this one, and you can check out the show at the embed below or at this link. As always, send any questions or comments to [email protected], or at our Facebook page.

Discovery Debrief returns with its panel — Chris Clow (Movies.com, Comics on Consoles, GeekPulse Radio), Rachael Clow (Biology PhD candidate), Cicero Holmes (Spawn On Me Cast), and me! — to talk the latest news surrounding the current iteration of the Star Trek franchise, and then dive in deep to the events of the series' third episode: "Context is for Kings."

With former Commander Michael Burnham finding herself on a brand new starship — albeit with some decidedly familiar faces — she's thrust into a mysterious plot that places her inside an adrift haunted house in space that has more in common with the likes of the original two Alien films and John Carpenter's The Thing than it does anything else in the Trek franchise. The panel also discusses the enigma that is Discovery's commanding officer, Gabriel Lorca, the positioning of longer-term characters, and some speculation surrounding a clandestine intelligence organization we've seen before in the Star Trek universe. Plus: we answer YOUR questions! Find us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter @DSCDebrief, and be sure to like, comment, rate, subscribe, and anything else you can think of!

The past several months haven't been great ones for the brand that is "Tom Cruise: Movie Star." With the critical and box office shellacking endured by Universal's franchise flameout The Mummy last spring -- despite Cruise's face and name given even more prominence in the marketing than the titular monster -- plus the the less-than-spectacular reception accorded his Jack Reacher sequel last year, it's easy to think that the Mission: Impossible Maverick's once-impeccable ability to pick just the right projects to play to his superstar strengths had begun to fail him.

And y'know, maybe the immutable passage of time and the exigencies of audience interest have pushed us past the point where the mere presence of Cruise's all-caps name in front of a title could turn any movie into a must-see event. But hey, thirty-plus years as one of the most remarkably consistent draws in the world is no small feat. And while he's still a bona fide star, if we're at the point in his career where he's more likely to set aside his action hero image and choose "for love of the game" projects like American Made, than that's not a bad place to be either -- for him as an actor and for us in the audience.

With last Sunday's premiere of Star Trek: Discovery (read my review here if you haven't already),  I was honored to be asked by my friend Chris Clow (of Movies.com and GeekPulse Radio) join the panel for a new weekly podcast that will cover each installment of Star Trek's newest universe as it airs. To that end, Discovery Debrief: A Star Trek Podcast dropped its first episode this week. I had a great time chatting with Chris, Rachael Clow (Biology PhD candidate), and Cicero Holmes (Spawn On Me Cast), for a far-ranging discussion that spanned not only each of our personal histories with the Trek franchise, but also our thoughts on this latest sojourn into Gene Roddenberry's fictional fiefdom. Check out the first show below, and if you dig it, hit up iTunes and show us some love. Look for new episodes every week as the show airs!

This past week the Out Now with Aaron and Abe Podcast celebrated its big 300th episode, and to celebrate they brought on a whole slew of former guests to briefly come on the show and talk podcastin' and movies. It's been my pleasure to be part of their rotating roster of guests over the years, and any chance to hang with them is a fun time for me. Check out part one of the supersize episode at the embed below or here at iTunes:

Today marks thirty years to the day that TV's Star Trek: The Next Generation first premiered in syndication. The sequel series was a risky venture by Paramount, but three decades later, it’s fair to say that Captain Picard, Commander Data, and the other crewmembers of the Enterprise-D are at least as beloved as their legendary predecessors. Why did The Next Generation work almost despite itself? I discuss that question and more with my special guest, Mark A. Altman.

In addition to working on such series as TNT's The Librarians and ABC's Castle, Mark has been called “The World’s Foremost Trekspert,” having authored or co-authored dozens of books and articles about Gene Roddenberry’s creation, including Trek Navigator, Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages, and last year's best-selling two volume set The Fifty-Year Mission: The Complete, Uncensored, Unauthorized Oral History of Star Trek. Join us for a fun and...(wait for it)...engaging chat about Star Trek: The Next Generation's thirty-year voyage, and what the future may hold for the Trek franchise.

When Kingsman: The Secret Service arrived in theaters a scant two years and seven months ago, it had the benefit of gliding in with little to no pre-existing expectations (or pre-existing audience, for that matter). All we knew is that it was an action flick from Kick-Ass and X-Men: First Class director Matthew Vaughn, and it was based on a comic book few people had even heard of, written by the guy who created Wanted. I'm willing to bet that precise lack of pre-release fanfare was as big a factor as any in making the spritely spy picture starring Colin Firth and Taron Egerton break out the way that it did. All told, the first Kingsman cleared more than $400 million worldwide against an $81 million budget.

The MovieFilm boys celebrate Zaki's birthday with a spoiler–filled conversation about current box office ruler Kingsman: The Golden Circle. But that's not all! Also: Quick takes on The LEGO Ninjago Movie, Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down the White House, and our early reaction to CBS’ new Star Trek series, Discovery. Plus: An interview with director Hany Abu Assad about the upcoming The Mountain Between Us! All that, plus plenty of Listener Letters and more! As always, you can hear it all via the embed below, or at iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play. If you haven't already, make sure to hit “like” on our Facebook page, and send any questions or comments to [email protected].

On our latest episode we're joined by Lena Khan, writer/producer/director of the new film The Tiger Hunter, in theaters now. The film stars Danny Pudi, Rizwan Manji, and Jon Heder, and is inspired by her father's immigrant experience coming to the west in the 1970s. We had the opportunity to chat with Lena about her own interest in the film industry, some of her artistic inspirations, and the long journey of bringing this film to the screen, from concept to crowdfunding, to completion. It's a story about artistic perserverance that's at least as inspirational as the film itself, and you can hear it all at the embed below, or via iTunes or Stitcher. As always, please hit "like" on our Facebook page, and send any comments or questions to [email protected].

We're now thirty-five years out from when Steven Spielberg's E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial first arrived in theaters, beginning a flight through the record books that would see it become not only the top-grossing release of the 1980s, but also displacing 1977’s Star Wars as the top domestic earner of all-time (a hallowed crown it would retain for the next fifteen years -- until it was itself dispatched by the 1997 Star Wars reissue). With the movie back in theaters this week for a limited run celebrating its anniversary and a newly remastered print, it's a perfect time to look back at Spielberg's ode to innocence and reflect on its road to becoming one of the most beloved classics of the modern era.

Before we even talk about E.T, it's helpful to remember who Steven Spielberg was in the run-up to its production. The director had first broken through in 1976 with the staggering, off the charts success of Jaws, which redefined the kind of blockbuster performance you could potentially get from exactly the right kind of crowd-pleaser. He quickly followed that up the next year with another smash, Close Encounters of the The Kind. And while 1979's 1941 ended up being a bit of a debacle, Spielberg nonetheless reclaimed his luster with 1981's Raiders of the Lost Ark (produced by George Lucas, which introduced the world to Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones).

I look at Jimmy Smits' face in the above shot from Star Wars: Episode II, and for some reason this is how I picture his discussion with George Lucas while filming.

(Inspired by a conversation with my podcast partner Brian Hall)

IT is here, and with the killer clown movie bringing the box office back to undead life, we’ve got lots to discuss on the first MovieFilm of the fall as we pick apart the horrific Stephen King adaptation and whether it measures up to the famous 1990 TV adaptation! But while Pennywise is our main topic, we’d be pound foolish if we didn’t also discuss this week’s new release American Assassin, and talk about the latest headlines out of Hollywood, including Liam Neeson announcing his retirement from action films, and word that J.J. Abrams has taken over the command of Star Wars: Episode 9! In addition, hear our takes on the trailers for Mark Felt and The Disaster Artist, plus Zaki’s interview with writer/director Danny Strong about his new film Rebel in the Rye, now in theaters. All that, plus plenty of Listener Letters and more! As always, you can hear it all via the embed below, or at iTunesor Stitcher or Google Play. If you haven't already, make sure to hit “like” on our Facebook page, and send any questions or comments to [email protected].

Terrific profile that neatly encapsulates the many complexities of #CatStevens' relationship with his audience. https://t.co/0qXFKWCwfa

— Zaki Hasan (@zakiscorner) September 15, 2017

Attention all personnel! Today marks exactly 45 years to the day that the classic TV series M*A*S*H first premiered on CBS. Based on the novel by Richard Hooker and the 1970 feature film directed by Robert Altman, the boundary-busting sitcom starring Alan Alda had an impressive eleven season run, redefining what television was capable of, and leaving the air with a finale that remains to this day the highest rated episode of any TV show ever. Not a bad legacy, and it provided quite the springboard for conversation with my buddy (and M*A*S*H superfan) Rob Kelly via a special arrangement with his own Film & Water Podcast wherein we share the same interview and distribute it via our respective shows. It's a fun chat that runs the gamut from Trapper to BJ, Henry to Potter! We talk about how we became fans, why we're still fans, and what it is about M*A*S*H that still resonates this many decades later. Listen via the embed below, or subscribe at iTunes, Stitcher Radio, TuneIn Radio, or Google Play (and remember to leave a review!). Like always, send any questions or comments to [email protected], and don't forget to hit "like" on our Facebook page.

Fixed. pic.twitter.com/N3exVnt78a

— Zaki Hasan (@zakiscorner) September 14, 2017

It was exactly thirty years ago that I first saw the Chuck Norris actioner The Delta Force, giving seven-year-old Zaki one of his earliest glimpses of the filter through which Hollywood tends to depict Middle Eastern/Muslim characters. You know the type: Swarthy hordes with bushy beards (skullcap optional), spouting exclamations such as "By the beard of the prophet!" and the like. Well, here we are three decades on, and here's the simplistic, xenophobic, just-plain-dumb American Assassin right on schedule to show us how far we haven't come.

I was all of ten years old when I saw the two-part TV movie adaptation of Stephen King's It. Starring Tim Curry as the titular creature, a.k.a. Pennywise the Dancing Clown, alongside a whole host of TV-familiar faces like Richard Thomas, Tim Reid, Annette O'Toole, and John Ritter,  It first aired on ABC in fall of 1990 as one of those marquee "Sweeps Week" events so common back then. On reflection, I'm not sure if it was a childhood unease with clowns that made the miniseries so effective, or if the miniseries was so effective that it retroactively instilled an unease of clowns in me.

Either way, it sure did a number one me, permanently embedding itself in my still-developing brain even after only a single viewing (I revisited it for the first time just last week), and when word came that Warner Bros. was developing a cinematic spin on the Stephen King best seller, I was more than a little curious to see if anything could top the sight of Tim Curry in clown makeup lurking beneath a sewer grate, his teeth sharpened to feast on little kids just like me. Well, It version 2.0 is here, and it finds its own vein of terror to mine that's just as rich as its predecessor.

In celebration of the 30th Anniversary of Star Trek: The Next Generation, I was honored to join the fine folks at the Nerd Lunch Podcast as their "Fourth Chair" for a fond look back at the seminal sci-fi series. I had a great time, and we covered a whole lot of ground, all of which you can listen to via the embed below. Enjoy!

On our latest episode, we're joined by Imam Dawood Yasin, Dean of Student Life & Experiential Learning at Zaytuna College in Berkeley, CA. Listen as he shares the fascinating story of his own journey, going from the modeling on the catwalk to studying and teaching Islam all over the world. It's a fun and wide-ranging discussion we're confident you'll enjoy. Check out the show at the embed below or at this link. As always, send any questions or comments to [email protected], or at our Facebook page

I had the chance once again to hang out with Batman-on-Film.com crew this past weekend for a celebration of their auspicious 89th episode by looking back at -- appropriately enough -- the '89 Batman movie starring Michael Keaton & Jack Nicholson, and directed by Tim Burton. I think it's safe to say that this flick is the juncture point to which many Batman, movie, and comic book fans can point to as the origin of their fandom. I had a really good time with this one, and I think you'll enjoy listening just as much as I did participating: 

Thirty-five years ago this December, directors Jim Henson and Frank Oz first took audiences into the mystical land of Thra, home of The Dark Crystal. While the ambitious puppet-centric feature didn't quite land with audiences at the time, its mix of effects and fantasy have turned it into a cult artifact in the decades since. For this episode, I'm joined by special guest is Caseen Gaines, author of the beautiful new tome The Dark Crystal: The Ultimate Visual History, for a fun chat about the film's origins, production, scuppered plans for a sequel, and much more! Check it out at the embed below, or subscribe at iTunes, Stitcher Radio, TuneIn Radio, or Google Play (and remember to leave a review!). As always, send all questions or comments our way via [email protected], and don't forget to hit "like" on our Facebook page.

Labor Day has come and gone, and with it summer movie season! As is our annual tradition, the MovieFilm boys reconvene after the long weekend to look back at the past several months of high profile blockbusters, all-ages animated films, and low budget indies. From The Fate of the Furious to Dunkirk -- with plenty of pit stops in-between -- we take stock of what worked and what didn't. And with this being one of the lowest-grossing summers on record, there's plenty to unpack! In addition, we discuss the news of yet another directorial shuffle on a Star Wars film, talk about seeing the legendary John Williams in concert and Close Encounters of the Third Kind on the big screen, plus plenty of other Hollywood Headlines! Listen via the embed below or at iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play. If you haven’t already, make sure to hit “like” on our Facebook page, and send any questions or comments to [email protected].

Rolling Stone's Bridgette Dunlap on all the ways President Trump's pardon last week of lawless ex-lawman Joe Arpaio is problematic.

After watching Batman & Robin a few weeks ago, you'd think there was no further we could fall, but Superman IV: The Quest for Peace is here to say, “Hold my beer.” That's right, the MovieFilm boys have a commentary to mark the Man of Steel’s 1987 franchise-killer hitting its thirtieth anniversary last month. Come don your nostalgia-tinted glasses with us and see if they're enough to dull the pain of Christopher Reeve’s ignominious farewell to his most iconic role. Listen in as we go through some of the behind-the-scenes history, highlight the pluses, zero in on the minuses, and just generally have a good time talking through Superman’s unkindest cut. As always, you can hear it via the embed below, or at iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play. If you haven't already, make sure to hit “like” on our Facebook page, and send any questions or comments to [email protected].

For this episode we're joined by special guest John O'Brien, Assistant Professor of Sociology at New York University Abu Dhabi and author of the new book Keeping It Halal: The Everyday Lives of Muslim American Teenage Boys. for a rousing discussion on the background, methodology, and results documented in this ethnographic study, as well as its broader implications on the discussion of Muslims in the American sphere. Check out the show at the embed below or at this link. As always, send any questions or comments to [email protected], or at our Facebook page.

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I recently joined my friend Paul Spataro on the Is It Jaws? podcast to talk 2014's Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, the second leg of the rebooted Apes trilogy. The episode dropped a few weeks ago, and I completely forgot to post it here. It's a fun listen, as Paul's show usually is, and you can get more info and subscribe here, and download my guest shot at this link. 

It's the dog days of August, but that doesn't mean we don't have a lot to discuss on the MovieFilm show! Hear our thoughts on plans to revive the Terminator franchise once again, word of a solo picture for Batman’s nemesis the Joker, behind-the-scenes drama with Justice League, and more! Plus: some exciting new Star Wars news, a hefty dose of Listener Letters as we answer a diverse array of questions from all corners, and Zaki’s reflections on attending his 20 year high school reunion! Listen through the embed below, or at iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play. As always, please hit “like” on our Facebook page, and send any questions or comments to [email protected].

A few weeks ago my MovieFilm partner Brian Hall and I joined Rob Kelly on his Film & Water Podcast for a fun conversation about the 1970 feature film M*A*S*H, -- a podcast episode sparked by an offhand exchange on an episode of the MovieFilm Podcast. I always have a good time chatting with Rob, and getting to do a guest shot with my buddy Brian just made it even more fun. I have a feeling you'll enjoy listening to this whether you've seen the movie or not. Give the show a listen at this link or via the embed below, and if you dig it, please head over to iTunes and hit "subscribe"!

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