Free For All #4 - The Lost Episode, aka RPC Unplugged

July 13, 2020 by Neoplasmic in Free For All, Movies, Podcast, RPC Movies, RPC Podcast Network, Video Games

Hello once again, ladies and gents! Your friendly neighborhood EIC Neoplasmic here! This is a very special episode of RPC’s Free For All podcast which was recorded over a month ago on June 7, 2020 featuring Mike (Captain Kaye), Kristal (Kay-Rah), Josh (The Director), Jacob (the Streamin’ Demon), myself, and our newest co-host, Hayden (Lord Hades). Topics included Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of Ready Player One, the rise and fall of Ernest Cline, the author of Armada and the aforementioned book upon which Spielberg’s film was based, along with a cornucopia of random thoughts about musical biopics and laughter. Yes, friends, this is the lost episode of FFA, and it’s one that I personally think is very special and unique! Please enjoy!

Rambling About Games #1 - Our Video Game Review Method

July 11, 2020 by Neoplasmic in Editorial, Video Games, Articles, Rambling About Games, RPC Games, Renegade Arcade

Hey, all! Your friendly neighborhood RPC founder and EIC, Neoplasmic, here. Just thought I’d write out some stuff about our video game content and rating system and what we love to do here. As you’ve no doubt discovered by listening to our awesome Renegade Arcade podcast, we love games, and we want to be clear about how we choose the games we cover, how we review them, and what our scores mean.

Annecy Film Fest Recap and Other Animation News - Tooned Up #9

July 08, 2020 by Neoplasmic in Animation, Podcast, RPC Podcast Network, Tooned Up

Greetings and welcome to another episode of Tooned Up, Renegade Pop Culture’s animation podcast! This week, Mike and Cameron are joined by Reuben Baron from CBR as they discuss the latest news in the world of animated films and take an in-depth look at the recent Annecy Film Festival! It’s a packed episode yet again, so buckle up and enjoy!

At the Edge of the Abyss - A Last of Us 2 Spoiler Review & Analysis

July 03, 2020 by Neoplasmic in Editorial, Review, Spoilers, Video Games, RPC Gaming, Articles, Renegade Arcade

Here it is, at long last: our review of The Last of Us Part 2! A word of warning, however… as there are SPOILERS AHEAD! Since launching two weeks ago, this game has seen a lot of criticism and controversy over its themes, characters, and design. So what’s our verdict? Read on and find out!

Hot Shyamalan Nights: The Batman Legacy - Free For All #5

July 02, 2020 by Neoplasmic in Free For All, General Discussion, Podcast, RPC Podcast Network, Movies, Video Games

The latest episode of RPC’s Free For All general discussion show finds Kristal, Josh, Jacob, and Keona chatting about a fan-edited cut of the movie Shazam, replete with less humor, a more Snyder-esque color palette, and retooled visual effects and music. We also talk about a Last of Us 2 outrage petition, M. Night Shyamalan’s filmography, our favorite actors, Matt Reeves’ Batman, and the upcoming Avengers video game! Plus, an epic Josh rant about Youtube star Shane Dawson! It’s a packed show, so let’s get to it!

Cat Stalkers and Depression - Tooned Up #8

June 30, 2020 by Neoplasmic in Animation, Podcast, RPC Podcast Network, Tooned Up

Welcome to the latest installment of RPC’s animation podcast, Tooned Up! This episode, Mike, Cameron, and Jacob chat about WETA’s announcement that they are entering the animation studio arena, Studio Ghibli’s first CG feature film, Netflix’s new cat-focused anime called A Whisker Away, and the dog-focused French animation, Marona’s Fantastic Tales. Episode edited by the great Kawaii Kyle!

Playstation 5 Reveal, EA Play 2020, and The Last of Us 2 spoiler impressions - Renegade Arcade #4

June 26, 2020 by Neoplasmic in Podcast, Renegade Arcade, Video Games, RPC Podcast Network, RPC Gaming

Tony, Josh, Kristal, and Keona discuss Sony's Playstation 5 reveal event, Electronic Arts' Play 2020 show, and share some spoiler-filled thoughts on the Last of Us 2 in the latest episode of the Renegade Arcade!

Looney Tunes, Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts, Dorohedoro - Tooned Up #7

June 25, 2020 by Neoplasmic in Animation, Tooned Up, Podcast, RPC Animation, RPC Podcast Network

In the latest episode of Tooned Up: Mike and Cameron shed some light on the recent non-troversy that HBO Max’s Looney Tunes has faced over the lack of Elmer Fudd and Yosemite Sam’s signature guns; Netflix has released the first two seasons of Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts, which both earn thumbs up from our hosts; and the streaming service has also unleashed the anime version of Dorohedoro on the world! Lots of news and views in this episode, so please enjoy on your podcast service of choice!

23 Marvelous Movies: Captain America: The Winter Soldier

June 22, 2020 by Jacob Krehbiel in MCU, RPC Comics, Articles

Captain America: The Winter Soldier is what Marvel fans often point to as the film where the cinematic universe truly came together because it was here that the complexity, nuance, and genre-defining that were already prevalent in the previous films were brought to the attention of filmgoers and critics. Any series that went from pulpy, old-fashioned WWII adventure to espionage political thriller in the same vein as The Manchurian Candidate and the Bourne series.

Annecy 2020 Preview - Tooned Up #6

June 01, 2020 by Neoplasmic in Animation, Tooned Up, RPC Podcast Network, Podcast, RPC Animation

Cameron, Mike, Jacob, and Keona discuss the lineup for the animation-focused Annecy Film Festival, running from June 15-30! This year, due to complications from the global pandemic, the festival is scheduled to take place online, which means even more of us can view the films featured during the event. Join us as we talk about our impressions of the Festival’s lineup of projects, as well as the latest news from the animation world!

Final Fantasy VII Remake Spoiler Special - Renegade Arcade #3

May 29, 2020 by Neoplasmic in Podcast, Renegade Arcade, Video Games, Spoilers, RPC Podcast Network, RPC Gaming

Join Keona, Josh, Kristal, and special guest host Millenial Mike from the Exiles Network as they discuss the hit video game, Final Fantasy VII Remake, developed and published by Square Enix! This is a SPOILER special, which means if you haven’t finished the game, you may want to come back to this show in the future!

23 Marvelous Movies: Thor: The Dark World

May 29, 2020 by Jacob Krehbiel in Editorial, Review, Movies, MCU

Both Iron Man 3 and Thor The Dark World were released in 2013. Meanwhile, Warner Bros and DC had launched their cinematic universe with Man of Steel in that year as well, which was met with a disappointingly small box office intake and less than stellar critical reception. Many of the complaints lobbied against Zack Snyder's take on Superman were about how downbeat and overly bleak it was.

Mental Health Checkup, vol. 1

May 25, 2020 by Neoplasmic in RPC Podcast Network, General Discussion, Mental Health, Podcast

Welcome, friends, to a more experimental podcast for us here at Renegade Pop Culture. Instead of our usual Free For All discussion, we decided to chat about our personal struggles in life, particularly when it comes to our mental and emotional health during this quarantine. We know this is an unusual topic for a popular culture website, but Mike, Kristal, Jacob, Josh, and Keona wanted to let you know that you are not alone, especially if you’re dealing with dark times in your life.

An Ode to Ghibli

May 23, 2020 by Jacob Krehbiel in Animation, Tooned Up

Here is a poem that I have written a few years ago as a tribute to my favorite animation studio. Just to clarify, this was written before it was announced that Ghibli would come back and begin production on an upcoming Miyazaki film, How Do You Live?, which is why the last three verses were written as a goodbye to the beloved dream factory.

Scoob! Review - Tooned Up #5

May 17, 2020 by Neoplasmic in Animation, Podcast, RPC Podcast Network, Tooned Up, RPC Animation, Review

It’s finally here! Scoob, the latest film in the Scooby Doo franchise, is now out on digital and VOD, and hosts Mike and Cameron are here to discuss its release in episode five of Tooned Up! Starring Zac Efron, Amanda Seyfried, Jason Isaacs, Gina Rodriguez, Will Forte, and Frank Welker, Scoob finds the gang and their beloved dog hot on the trail of the evil Dick Dastardly and his canine sidekick, Muttley. Along the way, the gang meets the heroic Blue Falcon and Dyno-Mutt, runs into Simon Cowell, and embarks on another magical mystery-solving tour of the world! Join us for our own Dynamic Duo’s take on the film!

Living in a Materia World - A Final Fantasy VII Remake Review

May 16, 2020 by Neoplasmic in Review, Video Games, RPC Gaming, Spoilers, Renegade Arcade

Here it is, our review of Final Fantasy VII Remake! We tried to keep spoilers to a minimum, but be warned if you haven’t finished the game! Join us as we dive deep into the history of the legendary original game up to the release of FFVII Remake! What’s the verdict? Read on to find out! (Also, it’s a long one, so maybe bring a drink and a sandwich while you read it?)

23 Marvelous Movies: Iron Man 3

May 15, 2020 by Jacob Krehbiel in Articles, MCU

Iron Man 3 is the final standalone outing for Tony Stark, released at a time when audiences were assured that six different superheroes could indeed occupy the same film successfully. What they needed to be reminded was that these heroes could still be interesting in their own flicks.

Adult Animation Spectacular! - Tooned Up #4

May 12, 2020 by Neoplasmic in Animation, Podcast, RPC Animation, RPC Podcast Network, Tooned Up, TV

Welcome back to another episode of RPC’s animation show, Tooned Up! Today our host, Mike, is joined by Cameron, Jacob, Kristal, Josh, and Keona as they look at some of the best adult-oriented animated TV series around, like Harley Quinn, Rick & Morty, and the brand new Hulu original, Solar Opposites! But first, they regale us with some Ducktales and talk about the reboot of that beloved Disney show! Join us, won’t you?

23 Marvelous Movies: The Avengers

May 06, 2020 by Jacob Krehbiel in Comic Books, MCU, Editorial

The Avengers was by no means the first film to cross different characters from different series together in one film. Freddy vs Jason, Alien vs Predator, Zatoichi and the One-Armed Soldier, King Kong vs Godzilla, and Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman, just to name a few. But what it was the first of this kind of movie to treat like a serious stepping stone for its characters’ arc. It didn’t just bring these heroes together because it would be fun to see that. It brought them together because that’s why they made them in the first place.

May the 4th Be With You - Free For All #3

May 04, 2020 by Neoplasmic in Editorial, Free For All, RPC Podcast Network, Podcast, Movies, RPC Movies, RPC Retro

Welcome, fellow Star Wars geeks (and even those of you who aren’t!), to another episode of our general discussion podcast, the Free For All with Jacob, Mike, Josh, Kristal, and Keona! This week on the show, we dissect the Rise of Skywalker even further, dive deep into Captain America: Civil War, chat about Universal’s troubles with the North American Theater Owners (NATO), and we talk about the relevance of the Simpsons in today’s world. It’s a long episode, guys, but well worth a listen!