Popcorn Frights Film Festival 2021

Florida’s Popcorn Frights Film Festival Offers Horror Thrills of the Retro and Modern Varieties

By Joseph Perry

This year's Popcorn Frights Film Festival, the seventh annual installment of this outstanding Florida horror film fest tradition, will be a hybrid experience offering both in-theater and virtual film offerings from August 12-19, 2021, and Mike and Joseph are thrilled to bring you both print and podcast reviews from the fest! Uphill Both Ways listeners and readers can join in on the fright-fare goodness with Popcorn Fright’s nationwide virtual version. That’s right, true believers --- you can bring this highly acclaimed horror film festival smack dab into your own homes! The virtual program highlights include eight feature film World Premieres, Popcorn Frights’ first-ever Virtual Reality experience, a Sneak Preview of Alex Proyas’ new short film set in the DARK CITY universe, and a record-setting 68 film premieres! 

Following is information from the official press announcement with just a few of the Popcorn Frights offerings that Mike and Joseph are most looking forward to. Regular listeners know that Mike loves his slasher movies, Joseph is partial to supernatural fare, and they both love creature features — and Popcorn Frights nails all three of these subgenres, and more!

“The Legend of Baron To’a” Sees a Son Step Up to His Wrestler Father’s Legacy

 New Zealand action comedy The Legend of Baron To’a — which Joseph reviewed over at When It Was Cool — “combines the elements of a son returning to his homeland and a hero’s journey with some slam-bam wrestling excitement."
The film receives a December 4th theatrical, digital, and VOD release from Gravitas Ventures & New Zealand Film Commission. The film stars Uli Latukefu, who was recently tapped to play the young Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson in an upcoming NBC production. Uphill Both Ways has the official trailer and poster for you below. Following is the official press announcement.

When his late father’s priceless championship belt is stolen by a ruthless gang, a displaced Tongan man must reconnect with his father’s legacy to defeat the barbaric gang kingpin and get the title back.

Fritz, a displaced Tongan man, returns to the cul-de-sac of his youth to sell his family home. When a priceless heirloom — a championship wrestling belt belonging to his late father, Baron To’a, — is pillaged from the family home, Fritz’s uncle Otto cancels the sale of the house until the belt is returned. A local street thug reveals the belt is now in the possession of resident gang, The Pig Hunters. Fritz determines to get the belt back with higher reasoning.

After a run-in with a corrupt cop and a vicious attack from the gang, three patched members invite Fritz to a BBQ to “break bread.” The family-oriented BBQ becomes dangerous after dark as Fritz comes face-to-face with gang leader Tahu, who has the belt draped over his shoulder. Fritz fails to reason with Tahu and is ruthlessly beaten into the streets.

While healing, Fritz realises he must rekindle a lost connection with his father’s legacy, proclaiming to Otto that he wants a “shot at the title.” After training with Otto, Fritz combines his analytics skills with his father’s wrestling techniques to smash his way through the gang and flush out Tahu. An epic “no holds barred” title fight ensues, but does Fritz truly understand what it takes to become the champion?

THE LEGEND OF BARON TO'A 
Directed by: Kiel McNaughton
Written by: John Argall
Genre: Action & Adventure, Comedy
Distributor: Gravitas Ventures
Produced by: Kerry Warkia 
Cast: Uli Latukefu, Nathaniel Lees, Jay Laga'aia, Shavaughn Ruakere, & John Tui 
Run Time: 103m

"Double Vision"

Episode 86

It's time for a new regular feature (at least for now) as Mike and Joseph debut "Mt. Retromore" - their take on the game of coming up with your own "Mt. Rushmore" of a given topic. For this first shot they come up with their four professional wrestlers who they each feel were important to the sport in the 70s and 80s. A couple might be obvious, but the big question is if there are any duplicates between the lists! Then it's off to the main topic where the guys discuss remakes and reboots of TV shows and movies from the 70s and 80s. Are they in favor of this practice or do they bash it to bits? And more importantly, why did they forget Bingo's favorite movie, "King Kong"?!?

https://traffic.libsyn.com/…/wheni…/UBW086_Double_Vision.mp3