EP 192: Masters of the Universe (2026) & Gen X Nostalgia Movies

EP 192: Masters of the Universe (2026) & Gen X Nostalgia Movies

By the power of Grayskull, I unite fans of sword and sorcery, 1980s nostalgia, and homoerotic relationships between hero and villain because today we are discussing Masters of the Universe based on the media franchise by Mattel and the second live-action film adaptation after the 1987 film.  A new live-action film was announced in 2009 by Sony Pictures Entertainment. Following multiple writer, director and casting changes, the rights were transferred to Netflix in 2022 and then bought by Amazon MGM Studios in 2024 who delivered the film to theaters this weekend with director Travis Knight.  We’ll review the film and talk about Gen X nostalgia as it relates to box office success today.  Masters of the Universe, the franchise turned feature film, is directed by Travis Knight and written by Chris Butler, Aaron Nee, Adam Nee, and David Callaham. Nicholas Galitzine stars as Prince Adam / He-Man, alongside Camila Mendes, Jared Leto, Alison Brie, James Purefoy, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, Charlotte Riley, Kristen Wiig, Morena Baccarin, and Idris Elba. Its plot follows Prince Adam as he returns to his home planet, Eternia, to take his destiny as He-Man, and save his home from the evil forces of Skeletor. Our pre-episode Patreon exclusive conversation features: * Martin Scorsese and AI * Boots Riley and Sophy Romvari on Twitter * The Odyssey tickets On this episode: Danny Jarabek [https://therollingtape.com/danny-jarabek/] Adam Patla [https://therollingtape.com/adam-patla/] Nadia Arain [https://therollingtape.com/nadia-arain/] Joshua Mbonu [https://therollingtape.com/joshua-mbonu/]  Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/therollingtape] Subscribe for Early Access and Video: The Rolling Tape Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/therollingtape] Listen Here: Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/0PQMLl7VaSKWFvMTqpYXhi?si=d000de8a9ad140d7] Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-rolling-tape/id1642316834] All Listening Platforms [https://therollingtape.buzzsprout.com/] Have questions? Email info@therollingtape.com [info@therollingtape.com] Podcast Website Link [https://therollingtape.buzzsprout.com/share] Website & Publications: www.therollingtape.com [http://www.therollingtape.com] Social Platforms on Linktree [https://linktr.ee/therollingtape] Credits: * Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl Vincent * Artwork: Danny Jarabek * Editor: Danny Jarabek * Assistant Producer: Evan Miller

Ladies Night & Women in Film Spotlight: Agnès Varda

We're launching a brand new episode format: a recurring spotlight series dedicated to celebrating singular women in film, their work, their lives, their legacies, and what they mean to us. There's no more fitting way to kick things off than with Agnès Varda, whose birthday was recently on May 30th. Happy birthday, Agnès! Belgian-born French filmmaker Agnès Varda is widely known as the Godmother of the French New Wave, a movement she helped shape before it even had a name, influencing directors like Jean-Luc Godard and Alain Resnais. Her work blurs the line between documentary and narrative fiction, and throughout her career she returned again and again to themes of feminism, social marginalization, and personal memory. She was also one half of what might be cinema's greatest power couple, married to French director Jacques Demy. The two were beloved figures who opened their home to generations of young filmmakers and artists. Varda's accolades include the following: * Honorary Palme d'Or, Cannes (2015) * Golden Lion for Vagabond, Venice Film Festival (1985) * Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary Feature, Faces Places * Honorary César Award (2001) * Honorary Academy Award (2017), the first ever awarded to a female director On this episode: Sara Ciplickas [https://therollingtape.com/sara-ciplickas/] Kasey Dunifer [https://therollingtape.com/kasey-dunifer/] Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/therollingtape] Subscribe for Early Access and Video: The Rolling Tape Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/therollingtape] Listen Here: Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/0PQMLl7VaSKWFvMTqpYXhi?si=d000de8a9ad140d7] Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-rolling-tape/id1642316834] All Listening Platforms [https://therollingtape.buzzsprout.com/] Have questions? Email info@therollingtape.com [info@therollingtape.com] Podcast Website Link [https://therollingtape.buzzsprout.com/share] Website & Publications: www.therollingtape.com [http://www.therollingtape.com] Social Platforms on Linktree [https://linktr.ee/therollingtape] Credits: * Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl Vincent * Artwork: Danny Jarabek * Editor: Danny Jarabek * Assistant Producer: Evan Miller

The Awards Tape: Cannes Awards Assessment, Movies Delayed to 2027 & Oscar Contenders Draft Revisions

It's only June but Awards season here at The Awards Tape just got a whole lot more complicated. This week we analyze the aftermath of the Cannes Film Festival lineup to break down the early Oscar frontrunners and discuss which titles generated the buzz to possibly translate to Academy recognition.  Then we turn to the bad news: a handful of titles we drafted earlier this season have officially been pushed to 2027, and we're working through what those delays mean for our rosters.  Finally, we revise our previous draft teams at the negotiating table by fantasy football style management implementing team improvement moves, trades, deals, and roster upgrades. Our teams pre-negotiations: Gabe: The Odyssey Godzilla Minus Zero Wild Horse Nine Disclosure Day Werwulf  Avengers Doomsday Parallel Tales I Love Boosters Danny: Project Hail Mary Dune Part 3 Fjord Josephine Tony The Social Reckoning Fatherland Spider-man: Brand New Day Paul: Digger Possible Love All of a Sudden Narnia The Invite Cry to Heaven Behemoth! Untitled Jesse Eisenberg Musical Jacob: Paper Tiger Saturn Return Michael The Adventures of Cliff Booth Artificial  Look Back  Clarissa  Animals Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/therollingtape] Subscribe for Early Access and Video: The Rolling Tape Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/therollingtape] Listen Here: Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/0PQMLl7VaSKWFvMTqpYXhi?si=d000de8a9ad140d7] Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-rolling-tape/id1642316834] All Listening Platforms [https://therollingtape.buzzsprout.com/] Have questions? Email info@therollingtape.com [info@therollingtape.com] Podcast Website Link [https://therollingtape.buzzsprout.com/share] Website & Publications: www.therollingtape.com [http://www.therollingtape.com] Social Platforms on Linktree [https://linktr.ee/therollingtape] Credits: * Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl Vincent * Artwork: Danny Jarabek * Editor: Danny Jarabek * Assistant Producer: Evan Miller

The Rolling Remote: Interview With The Vampire (S1 & 2) & Season 3 Premiere Preview

We are finally talking about the cult classic show, AMC's Interview With The Vampire. The AMC series first premiered in 2022 and is based on the beloved novels by Ann Rice. Over two seasons, it becomes one of the most acclaimed genre shows on television.  Thanks to standout performances from Jacob Anderson, Sam Reid, and Asad Zaman, and an incredible supporting cast with the Vampire Lestat right around the corner. Today we are taking a step back to look at the first two seasons as a whole. What makes this adaptation work? Why has the fandom become so passionate? Who are our favorite characters? And where does the show go from here?  We have three vampire aficionados and two local TRT experts on the scene of Interview With The Vampire joining Jake, the hosts of Just Start the Tape [https://open.spotify.com/show/3BWMQCEnFQyPBWKnTPK8ar?si=msoG6oYdSj6fP9737eb6HQ&nd=1&dlsi=787e6b51ca58453a] podcast, Bobbi Miller and Kam Ryan. On this episode: Jake Fittipaldi [https://therollingtape.com/jake-fittipaldi/] Kam Ryan [https://therollingtape.com/kam-ryan/] Bobbi Miller [https://therollingtape.com/bobbi-miller/] Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/therollingtape] Subscribe for Early Access and Video: The Rolling Tape Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/therollingtape] Listen Here: Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/0PQMLl7VaSKWFvMTqpYXhi?si=d000de8a9ad140d7] Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-rolling-tape/id1642316834] All Listening Platforms [https://therollingtape.buzzsprout.com/] Have questions? Email info@therollingtape.com [info@therollingtape.com] Podcast Website Link [https://therollingtape.buzzsprout.com/share] Website & Publications: www.therollingtape.com [http://www.therollingtape.com] Social Platforms on Linktree [https://linktr.ee/therollingtape] Credits: * Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl Vincent * Artwork: Danny Jarabek * Editor: Danny Jarabek * Assistant Producer: Evan Miller

EP 191: Backrooms (2026) & Live Commentary: Backrooms (Found Footage) (2022)

If you're not careful and noclip out of reality in the wrong areas, you'll end up in this podcast, but fret not we don’t have moist carpet, mono-yellow walls or endless fluorescent lights. What we do have is a review of Kane Parsons’ breakout horror hit with A24, Backrooms, and a watchalong of the original video that inspired the film in 2022.  Backrooms is directed by Kane Parsons in his feature-length directorial debut and written by Will Soodik. It is based on Parsons's web series and inspired by the "Backrooms" creepypasta that evolved online over a number of years. In the film, Clark, played by Chiwetel Ejiofor, a furniture store owner, and Mary played by Renate Reinsve, his therapist, discover a dimension of seemingly endless liminal spaces accessed through the basement of the store. Mark Duplass, Finn Bennett, and Lukita Maxwell also star. Our pre-episode Patreon exclusive conversation features: * Primetime Teaser * A24 Recommendations * Omaha, Sovereign, Union County unofficial trilogy On this episode: Danny Jarabek [https://therollingtape.com/danny-jarabek/] Jacob Diedenhofer [https://therollingtape.com/jacob-diedenhofer/] Cameron Ritter [https://therollingtape.com/cameron-ritter/] Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/therollingtape] Subscribe for Early Access and Video: The Rolling Tape Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/therollingtape] Listen Here: Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/0PQMLl7VaSKWFvMTqpYXhi?si=d000de8a9ad140d7] Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-rolling-tape/id1642316834] All Listening Platforms [https://therollingtape.buzzsprout.com/] Have questions? Email info@therollingtape.com [info@therollingtape.com] Podcast Website Link [https://therollingtape.buzzsprout.com/share] Website & Publications: www.therollingtape.com [http://www.therollingtape.com] Social Platforms on Linktree [https://linktr.ee/therollingtape] Credits: * Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl Vincent * Artwork: Danny Jarabek * Editor: Danny Jarabek * Assistant Producer: Evan Miller