Are you ready to fall in love with Now Playing Podcast? This is your month, as the show brings you EIGHT all-new episodes in February, including back-to-back podcast chosen by listeners, a long-awaited (and hopefully not delayed) big screen video game adventure, and the even longer awaited launch of what may be the most requested film retrospective in the show’s history.
Here’s everything coming to Now Playing Podcast in February 2022.
February 1 – My Bloody Valentine 3D
Now Playing wraps its two-part My Bloody Valentine series on February 1 with a review of the 2009 remake directed by Patrick Lussier and written by Todd Farmer. Released at the height of the 3D craze, the film stars a cadre of WB/CW-ready actors alongside the great Tom Atkins. While not a beat-for-beat remake, My Bloody Valentine 3D mirrors the 1981 original’s story of a killer in a miner’s uniform. This time, there will be blood.
February 4 – Love Exposure
A patron-supported review brought to us by Now Playing listener Chris Bravo, Love Exposure is a 2008 Japanese comedy-drama famous for its length – clocking in at 237 minutes. We’ll see if our hosts can handle the runtime and the plot, which involves, among other things, a lead character that loves taking up-skirt photos of unsuspecting women.
February 8 – Basic Instinct
Another listener-supported pick, Now Playing will review Paul Verhoeven’s Basic Instinct nearly 30 years after it was released in theaters in March 1992. The erotic thriller finds Michael Douglas’ cop chasing author Sharon Stone, who may or may not be a murderous seductress. Basic Instinct became a pop culture obsession at the time of its release, drawing the ire of conservative critics for its sex scenes and elevating Stone to superstar status after a decade in supporting roles.
February 11 – Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
At last, after years of listener demand, Now Playing is set to take on the Harry Potter film series for its 2022 Spring/Summer Donation Drive. What began as a series of novels about a boy wizard became one of the biggest film franchises in history – debuting its first installment in November 2001. That inaugural entry would go on to reach billion-dollar status, and it wouldn’t be the last time Harry Potter and “billions” were mentioned in the same sentence.
February 15 – Basic Instinct 2
It took 14 years to bring a Basic Instinct sequel to the screen, and by that time it felt as if the world had moved on. Of the key players, only Stone returned for the sequel, once again showcasing her sexuality in a role that finds author Catherine Tramell suspected of murder in London. While the first Basic Instinct was a genre-reshaping blockbuster, the sequel fizzled and has been forgotten by many. Our hosts will dig into the story to see if there’s anything worth remembering.
February 18 – Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and friends didn’t take much time off following their blockbuster debut in 2001. Warner Bros. had a sequel – Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – lined up for November 2002, and the result was nearly the same, though it fell short of the first film’s billion dollar gross. The review will be available as part of Now Playing’s 2022 Spring/Summer Donation Drive.
February 22 – Uncharted
There’s a lot riding on Uncharted. The adventure film is expected to launch a franchise for the long-popular video game series and for star Tom Holland. Along for the ride is Marky Mark, who was rumored to be the series lead in the early years of Uncharted’s development. It’s a risky time to release a blockbuster in theaters, and when the only movie making money is Spider-Man: No Way Home, it helps to have familiar IP and Spider-Man himself on board.
February 25 – Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
This time, it took a little longer to bring forth the next Harry Potter sequel, but when Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban hit theaters in May 2004, it picked up right where the last one left off, earning another $800 million for the franchise. The third entry also brings in director Alfonso Cuaron, who would go on to make the acclaimed Children of Men, Gravity, and Roma.
