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The Hopscotch Friday Podcast

Hopscotch Friday is an informed and impassioned pop culture binge. What does that mean? Well, it means we’ll review stuff and give you a good idea of what’s good, what’s bad, and what’s probably worth a cheeky watch anyway. Importantly, we also give you the *why*. Online we mostly focus on movies and DVDs. But we also like music, games, telly, comics…you name it. If you like what you hear, give us a shout at hopfriday@gmail(.com). Join Stevie and Emmet O'Cuana each week for a bit of pop culture pillow talk.
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Hopscotch Friday is an informed and impassioned pop culture binge. What does that mean? Well, it means we’ll review stuff and give you a good idea of what’s good, what’s bad, and what’s probably worth a cheeky watch anyway. Importantly, we also give you the *why*. Online we mostly focus on movies and DVDs. But we also like music, games, telly, comics…you name it.

If you like what you hear, give us a shout at hopfriday@gmail(.com).

Join Stevie and Emmet O'Cuana each week for a bit of pop culture pillow talk.

Jan 13, 2023

In part two of our run-down of Australian box office releases, we're up to our knees in cape-wearing vigilantes and magic folks. 

BUT - at the time of publishing, James Cameron's Avatar the Way of Water has completely reordered the list! So consider this episode a curio, a remnant before the Ego landed. Enjoy. 

Minions the Rise of Gru movie poster.

Jan 4, 2023

In the first of our two-part chat about what movies Aussies went to the cinemas to actually watch in 2022, we talk Sonic the Hedgehog, the folly of Baz Luhrmann's Elvis, and well there's a lot of Chris Pratt chat!

Austin Butler at the Cannes premiere of Baz Lurhmann's Elvis 2022.

Oct 21, 2022

Director David Weiner is back to toll the bells for the end of the In Search of Darkness part III campaign over on In Search of Darkness Part III - Ends Midnight Halloween! – CreatorVC Studios Inc (80shorrordoc.com)

Listeners have until Halloween midnight to get their order in for a copy of the film - as well as a chance to get your name in the credits (and some juicy sounding merch as well. 

Emmet asks David Weiner about our nostalgia for horror movies, the thrill of discovering gross out catharsis in a VHS case hidden away at the back of a video store - and recent resurrected iconic horror franchises such as Hellraiser and Halloween.

Sep 15, 2022

This episode we have a chat about Lightyear: the controversy and culture war nonsense, and the quiet existentialism of Buzz's mission to return home. 

Lightyear poster from Pixar animation

Aug 19, 2022

The dinos are back - but so are the old crew. 

And everyone looks just so tired! 

Chris Pratt and Colin Trevorrow on the set of Jurassic World Dominion

Jul 24, 2022

Phew! Finally, we get round to discussing all things Stranger Things season 4. From the Eddie of it all, to the mushrooming cast and the changes to the kinds of horror being depicted onscreen, we dig in. 

Stranger Things season 4 cast

Jun 19, 2022

The loosely adapted tale of Blackbeard and Stede Bonnet - Our Flag Means Death - has proven to be a fan favourite. Stevie and Emmet discuss - also a cat gets involved. 

Our Flag Means Death poster

 

Notes:

 

Jun 2, 2022
This episode is not a review of Matt Reeves's The Batman. It's a review of season 1 to 6 of Superstore on NBC.

....although you could be fooled! 

Stevie and Emmet discuss how this workplace comedy used the format to raise issues with unionism, corporate America - and the COVID pandemic. How successful is Justin Spitzer's show in dealing with these storylines? 

Listen on to find out! 

(also Emmet keeps talking about Epix's From!). 

May 6, 2022
So right out the gate - spoilers for this 'un if you haven't seen Kenneth Branagh's follow-up to The Orient Express. 

Stevie and Emmet have thoughts! 

Poster for Kenneth Branagh's Death on the Nile

Also - Emmet has a comic story with Jeferson Sadzinski, Cardinal Rae and Marcela Corrêa Müller titled How To Win A Raid in the second volume of The BeBop from Bird's Eye Comics. The anthology is now being Kickstarted, so please share and support. 

Apr 13, 2022
Stevie's back! And she's talking Moonfall, with Emmet, who recounts exactly how long he's hated Roland Emmerich movies. 
Apr 4, 2022
Ten years ago Emmet had the opportunity to interview Larry Cohen, to promote a visit to Australia as part of MonsterFest October 2012. This episode features segments of their conversation, released as a tribute to mark the 4 year* anniversary of Cohen's passing. 

Larry Cohen posing with models of the 'child' from It's Alive

During their conversation, Cohen raises his feelings about the use of CGI effects in horror cinema, how his themes have allowed a new generation of film-fans to rediscover his films, as well as shout outs to Bruce Campbell, Quentin Tarantino, and The Big Lebowski. 

Also for no apparent reason Emmet decides to shit on Sydney as a filming location!? 

Mar 6, 2022
Taking on the reins from the late Ivan Reitman, director Jason Reitman returns us to the world of the Ghostbusters - and it feels more like an obligatory school reunion than anything. 

Ghostbusters: Afterlife logo

In this episode Stevie and Emmet discuss how this sequel restages whole sequences from the original movie, the clash of styles between the two Reitmans, and how Ghostbusters is yet another franchise graverobbing its stars using CGI à la Star Wars. 

Safe to say, not a recommendation, and spoilers abound! 

Feb 18, 2022

We were a little slow getting back in the groove for 2022 - so here's a madcap rush to give you some capsule reviews of things we liked so far this year (and some things....we didn't like)!

  • Dexter New Blood
  • The Matrix Resurrections
  • And Just Like That
  • The Legend of Vox Machina
  • Inventing Anna

 

With quick mentions of Peacemaker, Archive 81, Arcane and Emily in Paris - we'll get back to those at a later date. 

Dec 31, 2021

In a tip of the hat to Fred Armisen and Bill Hader's Documentary Now!Stevie and Emmet look back at some recent documentaries exploring the darker sides of human nature. 

How about something with a bet more pep, hurm? But then with the rise of the true crime podcast and - in a post-Tiger King world - there's clearly a demand for the kinds of documentaries that just leave a bitter aftertaste. 

So what's that all about. 

Florian Homm in Generation Wealth.

Included in this episode:

That last one is the exception that proves the rule. 

 

Dec 22, 2021

Recorded hours away from the Hawkeye finale on Disney+, Stevie and Emmet weigh in on Hawkeye, the Renner of it all, and of course why Florence Pugh is the best. 

Disney+ Hawkeye logo

Dec 7, 2021

Stevie returns for this chat about all things Dune

We review the latest film, compare it to Jodorowsky's unfinished weird project and David Lynch's finished - and also pretty weird - 1984 production. 

And Emmet's short review of Rafe Judkins's adaptation of The Wheel of Time is also featured at the end of the episode. 

Dune poster - Australian release

Oct 30, 2021

This Halloween, director David Weiner and CreatorVC are hosting a crowdfunding campaign to support the release of In Search of Darkness III. The concluding chapter in Weiner's exhaustive 80s horror documentary series, this campaign is offering fans the opportunity to curate what films will be discussed in this entry. 

Rashid Lotf's poster for In Search of Darkness III

Emmet picks Weiner's brains on his approach to the In Search of Darkness series, his approach as a 'nostalgia curator', how cool Barbara Crampton is - and the discussion exorcises a video store trauma of Emmet's from the 1990s!

Mentioned in the discussion:

Oct 3, 2021

After an impassioned text exchange with guest Tan, Emmet agreed to watch Midnight Mass on Netflix. 

This episode is the result of that text message! This is a spoilerific conversations folks, so if you haven't yet seen Mike Flanagan's offering, we recommend checking it out first. 

Midnight Mass

 

Sep 26, 2021

This episode we talk about shows and movies that use violence for comic and satirical effect. 

Firstly a very impressive Korean drama just released on Netflix called Squid Game. Then we compare the show's approach to using violence - be it extreme and upsetting, or comical - to the likes of James Gunn's Troma-esque The Suicide Squad and Eric Kripke's adaptation of comic The Boys

(And if you make it to the end, Emmet delivers his rant about HBO's Watchmen!)

The Suicide Squad (2021) poster

Sep 6, 2021

Remember Black Widow? The movie that inspired its own Marvel's Civil War between the star and studio? 

Well we talk about it here!

(Mainly because Stevie watched it for a second time and has thoughts!). 

And Emmet bites his tongue to not blurt out his Taskmaster nerd rant - but here's his favourite comic panel featuring the character:

Jul 24, 2021

Director David Freyne's follow-up to Irish zombie drama The Cured is this heartfelt coming out drama set in Co. Kildare. 

Fionn O'Shea and Lola Petticrew star as Eddie and Amber, two gay teens just trying to survive school. Spotting that Eddie is equally estranged from their classmates, Amber proposes a solution - they pretend to date until they can finish school!

Shenanigans ensue. This is a sincere and heartfelt film, and the semi-autobiographical touches stir up memories of surviving the 90s for Stevie and Emmet also!

(and before the trip down memory lane, Emmet briefly touches on Kevin Smith's Masters of the Universe for Netflix and the apparent 'controversy'). 

Fionn O'Shea and Lola Petticrew star in Dating Amber (2020).

Jun 30, 2021

"Cruella De Vil
Cruella De Vil
If she doesn't scare you
No evil thing will
To see her is to
Take a sudden chill
Cruella, Cruella De Vil"

Stevie and Emmet review Craig Gillespie's Cruella

Is it a harmless camp foray into Disney villainy with a sidelong glance at the style innovations of Vivienne Westwood, or a heartless corporate product aimed squarely at merchandising aisles? 

Emma Stone in Cruella

In other news, Emmet was recently interviewed by Zoran Ilievski for his podcast Graphic Nature, where he discusses coming to comics, a weird coincidence involving a lost script from the early 2000s and The Beating of Wings

May 30, 2021

How does Emmet draw a long bow connecting Wild Mountain Thyme and Army of the Dead

He finds a way. 

Army of the Dead directed by Zack Snyder

In happier news we also discuss the Matt "Ireland's favourite uncle" Le Blanc meme and if that brown bread ice cream took your fancy, here's where you can get it

May 16, 2021

Stevie and Emmet take a drive to Major Tom's in Kyneton to buy burgers. 

More episodes soon. 

...barring further incidents with our kangaroo neighbours. 

Richard E. Grant in WIthnail and I

In this episode:

Mar 25, 2021

'The Snyder Cut', officially known as Zack Snyder's Justice League, dropped this week on HBO's streaming platform. 

The three year campaign by fans to restore director Zack Snyder's version of Justice League, which we reviewed in episode 42 with Dr Matt Finch, was endorsed by the film-maker and eventually the cast. Additional footage was shot late last year, in combination with original footage and special effects sequences. 

Zack Snyder's Justice League 2021, Ben Affleck, Ezra Miller
If I could turn back time...Ezra Miller as The Flash. 

So what did Tan and Emmet make of it?  

Also you are strongly advised to check out Leslie Jones's delightful live tweet of Zack Snyder's Justice League here

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