Now Playing Presents: The DC Comics Team-Ups Movie Retrospective Series

​Though the fellowship is broken the war of Middle Earth continues on in Peter Jackson's second Lord of the Rings​ film -- The Two Towers. Our heroes separated this film follows three parallel stories of heroism, and introduces new heroes and villains, including Gollum who may be either or both! There is also more action, including the intense battle at Helm's Deep. How does this middle chapter compare to the first, and does the fellowship of the podcast remain united in their views? If you make a pledge and support Now Playing Podcast you can listen to find out!

After the comedy showcase that was Escape from the Planet of the Apes viewers probably wouldn't expect a violent commentary on race relations as a follow-up. But that was exactly what was delivered in the fourth film of the series -- Conquest of the Planet of the Apes starring Roddy McDowall returning in the new role of ape revolutionary leader Caesar. This film was heavily modified to be family-friendly for release, but still had a harder edge than the previous films. Does this change of tone fit the series? Listen to this preview, then donate to support Now Playing podcast to find out!

In 1993 evil had a new, shorter face--that of the Leprechaun! Played by Willow star Warwick Davis, this magical meanie would maim and kill anyone who tried to separate him from his gold--including future Friends star Jennifer Aniston! The film spawned a franchise, including the new reboot Leprechaun: Origins, but how does the original hold up? Thanks to your pledge to Now Playing Podcast you can listen and find out!

​It was considered a risky move. New Line Cinemas put up the money for not just one, but three Lord of the Rings movies. All three were filmed simultaneously in a single fourteen month shoot in New Zealand, directed by Peter Jackson, a proven director but not one with a blockbuster history. If the films had not been successful it was likely New Line would have gone under. Yet the gamble paid off! The first film The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring was a massive hit that not only minted that first trilogy but would also lead to a second Middle Earth film trilogy adapting J.R.R. Tolkien's earlier novel The Hobbit. Is that first Lord of the Rings film as good as its reputation, and can any movie do justice to Tolkien's original prose? Make a pledge and support Now Playing to listen and find out!

Platinum Dunes Studios has released more franchise reboots than original films, attempting to update horror classics Friday the 13th, The Amityville Horror, and Texas Chainsaw Massacre for a new generation. Their latest reboot is of a totally different sort--Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! Can producer Michael Bay bring his Transformers toyetic touch to the Turtles? Join Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob in this final TMNT review to find out!

By 1984 Kubrick's 2001 was considered a film classic and the forefather of the modern science fiction film. But while Arthur C. Clarke continued the Odyssey on the page it wasn't until 1984 that moviegoers got to find out what happened to Dave Bowman, the star child, and the mysterious monolith. With Kubrick uninterested in making another space film, could any other director fill those shoes, and were they foolish to try? Make contact with Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie on this podcast to find out!

The first Planet of the Apes film ended in a way that begged for the story to continue. The follow-up Beneath the Planet of the Apes, however, ended on such a note that it seemed impossible there were more stories to tell of the future Earth under simian rule. Yet three more movies are in the original series, and the third tells how friendly apes Cornelius and Zira were able to Escape From the Planet of the Apes and travel to California in the year 1973. Does this change in time, place, and attitude sit well with Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob, or would they like to Escape the film? If you DONATE and support Now Playing you can listen and find out!

Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey changed film forever. Its effects created a visual language that would later be built on in George Lucas' Star Wars, Ridley Scott's Alien, Steven Spielberg's Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and countless other movies. Yet upon its release it was widely panned, and to this day the film has divided audiences. Some call it a bona fide cinema classic, others call it incomprehensible. Which side is right? Maybe both? Now join Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob on this podcast odyssey and find out!

Rhino. Electro. Green Goblin. In 2012's The Amazing Spider-Man the web head had a hard time defeating one bad guy, but now he is up against three. With The Amazing Spider-Man 2 director Mark Webb has an even harder challenge than rebooting the film series--he has to up the stakes while setting the stage for Sony to launch an entire Spider-Man cinematic universe of films. With all the movie moguls planning annual films and three bad guys on screen, can Andrew Garfield's Peter Parker still get a story of his own? And after a polarizing first film, does The Amazing Spider-Man 2 show a hero on an upswing, or a downward fall? Listen to Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart's review to find out!

In 1999 sci-fi fans were blown away by a new vision of rebel freedom fighters struggling against an oppressive ruler. New CGI effects helped to create visions never before seen in film. No, we're not talking about The Phantom Menace but The Matrix. Part Terminator, part Star Wars, part video game, The Matrix created a cult following and a fashion style. Now, fifteen years later, does this film still hold up? If you DONATE AND SUPPORT NOW PLAYING PODCAST you can take the red pill and Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie will show you how deep the rabbit hole goes!

​Sometimes the dead stay buried. Sometimes they come back. Based on the Stephen King short story from his Night Shift collection, this CBS TV movie introduces us to Jim Norman, a teacher with a troubled history starting a new job at a new school. Jim's few good students start to die and their seats in class are taken by the greasers who killed Jim's brother almost 30 years before. Is Jim losing his mind or are these pesky poltergeists back from the grave? And is this a Stephen King adaptation worth watching? Listen to Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie, the hosts who always come back, to find out!

The First Avenger is back in the latest film from the unstoppable Marvel Cinematic Universe. With a mysterious new assassin out to kill Captain America and S.H.I.E.L.D. turning on him, it's up to the Star Spangled man along with his friends Black Widow and new hero The Falcon to save the day. Is this a good installment in Marvel's Avengers series or just a stalling tactic until we get The Avengers: Age of Ultron in 2015? Listen to Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob's review to find out!

​You can't keep a good laundry machine down! We may not have Robert Englund or Ted Levine but the titular, demonically possessed, homicidal clothes press is back for blood in The Mangler Reborn. When two thieves break into a house to rob the owner what they find inside is carnage and chaos. Does this film have any resemblance whatsoever to King's original crisply-folded vision? Listen to Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart's review where it all comes out in the wash!

In the last film The Mangler was a killer laundry press. But that film was made in the 20th Century so now, with The Mangler 2, we get a Mangler for a new generation: a killer computer virus downloaded into the security system at a prestigious prep school. Listen to Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob's review to see if this diabolical digital demon is worth watching! And we promise, the Mangler virus is not embedded in the podcast MP3.

Workers keep dying at the Blue Ribbon Laundry Service, chewed up by The Mangler--a giant industrial laundry press. Is the machine broken, or is it possessed by a demon? Directed by Tobe Hooper and starring Robert Englund and Ted Levine, the film has horror icons on screen and behind the scenes. Can their combined talent make the Mangler loads of fun, or have King's Night Shift adaptations pressed their luck too far? Listen to Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob's review to find out!