Travis and the Professor X himself are back with another huge breakdown of a movie franchise, this time it's the X-Men cinematic universe! In this first part (of two), they go into the cast, characters, costumes, plots, deaths, and directors of X-Men, X2: X-Men United, and X-Men: Last Stand. They may even mention Wolverine once or twice. Find out what they liked the most, what they liked least, and what they would have liked to have seen in the films but didn't. So hit the download button, check it out, and come back here for the next episode where they wrap everything up!
Episodes
Tuesday Jul 14, 2020
PCR Rewind #32 - Evolution of the X-Men (Part 1)
Tuesday Jul 14, 2020
Tuesday Jul 14, 2020
In honor of the 20th anniversary of the premiere of the first X-Men movie, which debuted on July 14th, 2000, check out this classic episode of us breaking down the original trilogy of films in the franchise!
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Saturday May 30, 2020
PCR Rewind #19 - 30 Years of TURTLE Power
Saturday May 30, 2020
Saturday May 30, 2020
**To celebrate 30 years of the first live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie, enjoy this classic PCR episode we recorded way back in March 2015.**
Travis & Xavier are back with another special commentary episode! Keeping with the theme of 80's cartoon franchises, this time they set their sights on the 1990 smash-hit, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! Throughout the movie they reminisce their favorite scenes, moments, and one-liners! They also touch on the sequels that follow the movie as well. Before they get the movie going, they do a quick review of the highs and lows of the Michael Bay-produced 2014 movie. Now let's start the show! The class is Podcast 101, your instructor is Pop Culture Rewind!
2:57 - Michael Bay/Transformers/TMNT
4:10 - Age of Extinction
7:10 - 2014 TMNT reboot
13:13 - 1990 Commentary begins
Monday May 25, 2020
PCR #128 - Revenge of the Clone Wars
Monday May 25, 2020
Monday May 25, 2020
In this episode, Travis breaks down and reviews (with spoilers) the final season of Star Wars: Clone Wars. He spends a little time recapping the first two story arcs, which deals with the "Bad Batch" of Clone Troopers, followed by the return of Ahsoka Tano and what happened to her after she left the Jedi Council in season five. The real detailed review starts with the final four episodes, which deal with the "siege of Mandalore". He goes into detail of how these episodes have a unique tone and style different from the rest of the series, the improved voicework, a new technique used in one sequence, and how it all ties-in to Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. He wraps up by giving his final thoughts on the season as a whole and the mastermind behind it all, Dave Filoni.
Download it, enjoy it, and "may the Force be with you. Always."
Friday Mar 13, 2020
PCR #125 - The Rise of a Retaliation!
Friday Mar 13, 2020
Friday Mar 13, 2020
Just in time to help combat all this coronavirus hysteria, we have a brand new GIANT-SIZED episode for you to enjoy.
In this episode, Travis & X talk all about the live-action GI JOE films, Rise of Cobra and Retaliation! There have been quite a few recent GI Joe news items they open up with first and then get into the 2009 movie Rise of Cobra. They talk about the portrayal of the characters and performances of the cast (including Channing Tatum, Sienna Miller, Joseph Gordon-Levitt (#JGLs), Marlon Wayans, Dennis Quaid, and Rachel Nichols), military inaccuracies, unnecessary backstories that insult longtime fans, knocking off Iron Man, how Brendan Fraser got a cameo, a somewhat faithful telling of the history between Snake-Eyes and Storm Shadow (even though Snake-Eyes had lips!), and of course what’s the first natural thing to say when your face gets covered in metal.
From there they take on Retaliation (starts @ 1hr 56min) and discuss the differences in the tone and direction of this film. They also talk about the uselessness of Flint, the wonderful assets of Lady Jaye/Adrianne Palicki, the chemistry between Dwayne Johnson and Channing Tatum, the greatness of one Walton Goggins, brining in Ray Stevenson as Firefly, the awesome new look of Cobra Commander, the Joes being on the run (and similarities to Renegades), continuing the Snake-Eyes/Storm Shadow story by including Jinx and the RZA, the new look of Snake-Eyes, what Cobra’s scheme is, & a big mistake made at the end of the movie.
They wrap up with final thoughts, box office numbers and ratings, an argument over The Rock’s career, and of course one last question: GI Joe or Transformers?
So hit the download button and enjoy. Yo Joe!
Friday Feb 28, 2020
PCR #124 - Attack of the Clone Wars!
Friday Feb 28, 2020
Friday Feb 28, 2020
In this episode, Travis and X prepare for the return of Clone Wars by recapping their favorite moments of the fan-favorite Star Wars animated series. They get spoiler heavy in their thoughts for the show (and for Rebels as well). Travis just got finished watching the series recently for the very first time, and they go into why it took him so long to finally watch it and what were some of his initial reactions upon viewing. From there they go into the more mature tone of the series as well as the storytelling, the amazing voice cast, the connections to the movies, their thoughts on Ahsoka Tano (and what is she better than?), a nice tangent on Mandalorian, Mandalore, and the Darksaber, the original format of the show and how it changed over the seasons, and the issue over the correct viewing order of the series. From there Travis gives his top ten story arcs from the series. After that, they go back and forth on some other cool moments and episodes they both enjoyed. They talk a little about the shorts series Forces of Destiny and how it tries to clear up some plot holes. They wrap up with their final thoughts and what they like better: Clone Wars or Rebels...
Tuesday Feb 11, 2020
PCR #123 - Crossover Crisis on Infinite CW's
Tuesday Feb 11, 2020
Tuesday Feb 11, 2020
In this episode, Travis goes solo and breaks down the big five-part CW crossover event, Crisis on Infinite Earths, based on the groundbreaking series from DC Comics. He goes into recapping each episode (yes, spoilers!) with his thoughts on what worked, what didn't, which parts were taken straight from the comics, and what were some missed opportunities. After summarizing the event as a whole, he lists his top 5 moments from it and gives his thoughts on what CW has done with their shows "post-Crisis". How did Green Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, Superman, and everyone else fair? Hit the download button and find out!
Wednesday Jan 29, 2020
PCR #122 - Bad Boys....For Life!
Wednesday Jan 29, 2020
Wednesday Jan 29, 2020
Whatcha gonna do, when Travis and X talk all about BAD BOYS? They start the conversation off by explaining why the 1995 movie means so much to them and then breaks down their favorite parts of the film and goes into discussion on the key plot points, being the first movie directed by Michael Bay and how that affects the overall feel of the franchise, and then breaks down the cast and characters. They switch gears for the 2003 follow-up film, Bad Boys II. Their opinions start to diverge a little on what they like and dislike, but do have some complaints that they share about the film that should’ve ended the franchise. That gets them to the newest flick, Bad Boys For Life, and they give their full spoiler-filled review of the film. They talk about the changes (or lack thereof) to the characters over the course of 17 years, the new cast of characters introduced, and where the series goes from here. They wrap up by ranking all three films from their favorite to worst. The results might be surprising. So sit back, have a Coke and a smile, and enjoy!
Monday Jan 20, 2020
PCR #121 - 2019 Rewind!
Monday Jan 20, 2020
Monday Jan 20, 2020
In this episode, Travis and Chris recap the year of 2019! Some of the topics they touch on include Star Wars ending the year with a movie, video game, and TV show all doing very well; the streaming wars between Netflix, Disney+, DC Universe and more; the breakup and makeup between Marvel and Sony; #ReleasetheSnyderCut; the ending of some big franchises like Game of Thrones, Big Bang Theory, the “Skywalker” and “Infinity” Sagas; some of their favorite TV shows they’ve watched; a breakdown of all the movies they’ve seen throughout the year and name their Top 5 worst films, followed by their Top 10 favorite films they’ve seen. All this and more, so hit the download button and enjoy!
Monday Jan 13, 2020
PCR #120 - The Last Awakening of Skywalker
Monday Jan 13, 2020
Monday Jan 13, 2020
It’s the end of an era as the final installment of the Skywalker Saga was just released, and in this episode, Travis and X discuss all the ins and outs of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. They first open up the episode by recapping their thoughts on all of the other current era Star Wars flicks, from Rogue One, Solo, Last Jedi, and Force Awakens, followed by their thoughts on JJ Abrams and his filmography. They then get into the actual movie by breaking down the movie in chronological order and discussing the key points of the film. Some of the topics they go over throughout are the return of Emperor Palpatine and the Empire, adding in lazy plot devices, course-correcting just about every aspect from Last Jedi, unnecessary character developments, the unforgivable amounts of “Mary Sue” aspects of Rey, how they dealt with Leia/Carrie Fisher, the “surprise” of seeing Billy Dee Williams back on screen, character deaths and sacrifices not meaning anything, who or what were the Knights of Ren supposed to be, the lazy writing from JJ that isn’t justified, the Goonies scene, and just why does everyone feel the need to start asking Rey what her last name is. All this and more are discussed. Also, X has a wonderful tribute for Wedge Antilles that has to be heard. This is a doozy of an episode, so hit the download button and may the Force be with you!
Monday Dec 30, 2019
PCR #119 - A Decade of Superheroes
Monday Dec 30, 2019
Monday Dec 30, 2019
Happy New Year! Just in time to close out the 2010s, Travis and Chris have a fun little countdown of their personal Top Ten picks for the best superhero movies of the past decade. You can probably guess some of the picks, but Chris has some picks that will leave your head scratching (Travis is still trying to figure one out). After that, Travis does some extra credit and names his Top Five superhero TV shows of the decade as well. Do you agree with their picks? What was your favorite superhero movie from the 2010s? Hit the download button and let us know! See you in 2020!
Thursday Dec 12, 2019
PCR #118 - Duel of the (Trailer) Fates
Thursday Dec 12, 2019
Thursday Dec 12, 2019
In this episode, Travis and X were SUPPOSED to be talking about just the new Black Widow and Wonder Woman trailers that were just released, comparing the two female-led superhero movies from Marvel and DC on what they thought was the better trailer. However, we all got a nice treat with the new Ghostbusters: Afterlife trailer that dropped right after those, so of course they had to close out the show by talking about the “true” sequel to the original franchise. They discuss the look and feel of the three trailers, the casting choices and how they look so far, the writing and directing teams, and what stood out as the best and worst parts from all of the trailers. The start of the 2020 movie hype begins now! Check it out and enjoy!
Monday Nov 11, 2019
PCR #117 - The Dark Fate Awakens
Monday Nov 11, 2019
Monday Nov 11, 2019
In this episode, Travis and Chris give their SPOILER review of Terminator: Dark Fate. They break down what they liked, what they didn’t like, their thoughts on the new female-led cast of characters, the new enemy, the connections to the past films, and all of the easter eggs, references, and homages in the movie (that they could find anyways). Do they think the franchise is dead after this? All this, plus Travis gives an interesting take on what they could have done differently to get people more invested in this new story.
Check out the video version of this episode at youtube.com/popculturerewind
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Tuesday Nov 05, 2019
PCR #116 - HBO's MAXimum Effort
Tuesday Nov 05, 2019
Tuesday Nov 05, 2019
In this episode, Travis and Chris breakdown the latest news on Warner Bros' new streaming service and what it means for the industry, what's going on with some upcoming Star Wars and Game of Thrones projects, the Dark Fate of Terminator, and some major shake-ups in Marvel. All of this and more so hit the download button and enjoy!
Friday Oct 25, 2019
PCR #115 - Let's Talk About Joker
Friday Oct 25, 2019
Friday Oct 25, 2019
Straight from our YouTube channel! If you haven't subscribed to it, what're you waiting for?!
In this episode, we give our SPOILER review and breakdown the Todd Phillips directed movie, Joker! We discuss what we liked, if there was anything we didn't like, Joaquin's powerful performance, how it references the DC Universe, did any of the movie actually happen, and if we think there will be a sequel.
What did YOU think of the movie?
Check out the video version of this episode (and other cool exclusive stuff) on our YouTube channel, and while you're there please hit the subscribe button and give us a "thumbs up" on the videos. We greatly appreciate all of your support!
Thursday Oct 10, 2019
PCR #114 - Joker's Wild
Thursday Oct 10, 2019
Thursday Oct 10, 2019
In this episode, Travis and Chris unravel their favorite Joker memories by deep-diving into the history of the character, how and when he was created, the inspirations for him, the many different origins he has (or doesn’t have), becoming a pop culture icon starting in the 60s, going through a darker reinvention in the 80s, staying relevant in the 90s, returning to the movies with Dark Knight and then Suicide Squad (yes, we have to talk about that one too). They also breakdown the differences between all the actors that have played the Clown Prince of Crime in movies and TV shows and what all of the unique. Hope you enjoy! TTFN!
Monday Sep 30, 2019
Rambo: First Last Blood, Part 113
Monday Sep 30, 2019
Monday Sep 30, 2019
“Nothing is over! Nothing! You just don’t turn it off!”
In this episode, Xavier and Travis breakdown their favorite memories and moments from the Rambo franchise. Starting off with First Blood and how that film is different from the rest of the series, how he was transformed into an 80s pop culture icon in Rambo: First Blood, Part 2, to the disappointing Rambo III and how that ended the franchise originally, to how Sly brought the franchise back from the dead 20 years later with the aptly named Rambo and the sheer brutality he brought with it. They wrap up by ranking the films themselves and talk a little about the recently released “final” film in the series, Last Blood. What are your favorite Rambo moments? Tell us in the comments section and if you liked the episode please take a second to give us rate and review on Apple Podcasts and hit the subscribe button on wherever you get your podcasts from!
Monday Aug 26, 2019
PCR #112 - You're Tearing Me Apart, Spidey!
Monday Aug 26, 2019
Monday Aug 26, 2019
In this episode, Travis and X give their thoughts on the ongoing public spat between Marvel and Sony over the movie rights for Spider-Man. Who do they blame for the breakdown? Are they #teamsony or #teammarvel and how do they want to see it resolved? They also go into detail over the new Masters of the Universe series coming to Netflix which is headed by Kevin Smith. What has Travis so up in arms over this announcement? They then discuss the new GI Joe spinoff movie starring Snake Eyes and what the studio totally missed the mark on. They talk about John Wick 3 and the trilogy as a whole. Also, what’s going on with the new Matrix movie and should anyone care at this point? They wrap up by tackling the most important social justice issue on the planet right now: The chicken sandwich.
You don't want to miss out on this episode, so be sure to hit the download button and enjoy!
Sunday Aug 04, 2019
PCR #111 - SDCC 2019 Rewind!
Sunday Aug 04, 2019
Sunday Aug 04, 2019
In this episode, Travis and Chris are ridin' nerdy as they talk about some of the big announcements from this year's SDCC! Find out why Travis thinks the new Terminator movie is a mixed bag which is hurting the movie before it even comes out, what's the huge, planet-sized crowdfunding experiment that Hasbro revealed, what other toys from SDCC that got them excited, what's going on in the world of Walking Dead, what were some missed opportunities from DC as well as some exciting news for this year's DC CW crossover event, and finally they break down ALL of the big MCU Phase 4 lineup reveals and talk about where the MCU is going from here, what they liked and what they didn't. All that and more! So hit the download button and enjoy!
Wednesday Jul 17, 2019
PCR #110 - Spidey's Cinematic Stories, Part 4: Mysterious Endings
Wednesday Jul 17, 2019
Wednesday Jul 17, 2019
In this episode, Travis and Chris give their thoughts on the final installment of the MCU’s Infinity Saga, Spider-Man: Far From Home. They first give some non-spoiler overall thoughts, followed by a more in-depth spoilery discussion by talking about all the interesting plot points, cast performances, and all the wonderful surprises along the way. Before all that, they start the episode off by covering some current news topics such as the HBO Max streaming service, the Joker movie, Terminator: Dark Fate’s director Tim Miller’s statement and how it affects opinions going in to the movie, comments from Robert Downey Jr and if he does indeed have a Scrooge McDuck vault, and of course they have a very interesting conversation regarding the recent controversial casting for the live-action Little Mermaid. They wrap up the episode by going over some of the movies they are looking forward to for the rest of the year. For you video game fans, be sure to stick around to the very end for some bonus chatter. This is a fun episode, so hit the download button and enjoy!
Tuesday Jun 18, 2019
PCR #109 - Last Stand of the Dark Phoenix
Tuesday Jun 18, 2019
Tuesday Jun 18, 2019
In this episode, Travis and the Professor talk all about the final installment of the long-running X-Men film franchise (until Marvel Studios does it properly!). They start by doing a full spoiler-filled recap of the film and go through everything that worked and definitely did not work. They give their takes on the decade time jumps between films, wonky plotlines, the costumes, both good and bad performances from the cast, X-Men having a Bat-phone, how much everyone loves mutants in this movie, the special mutant cameo we finally got to see, the good and bad of all of the action scenes, production troubles and reshoots, the similarities between this and Last Stand, bad writing and directing, and more! After the recap, they talk about the legacy of the Fox X-Men franchise and what it will be remembered for. Lastly, they decide to give in and do their own casting for the X-Men in the MCU. You can’t miss Xavier’s hot takes on who he picks! If you’re a fan of the X-Men franchise or not, hit the download button, listen and enjoy, and then go back and check out all of our past X-Men movie episodes in the archives! Excelsior!