Missing Frames: Catching up with Cinema

While heading to the theater for James Cameron’s latest blockbuster, Avatar: Fire and Ash, Shawn and Sarah Eastridge take a look back, reflecting on the original film and The Way of Water. Following their screening, they break down their spoiler-free and spoiler-heavy thoughts on the newest entry and ask the big question: do they want more Avatar? And more importantly: do they want more Avatar WITHOUT James Cameron at the helm?HOSTSShawn EastridgeSarah Eastridge

Missing Frames is closing out 2025 with a beloved holiday classic: Stanley Kubrick’s EYES WIDE SHUT. Wait…what? That’s right, we’re declaring once and for all that Eyes Wide Shut IS a Christmas movie. Join Shawn Eastridge and returning guest Richie Pepio as they dive into Stanley Kubrick’s enigmatic final film and discuss how it offers an intriguing and disturbing glimpse into the realm of marriage and long-term relationships. They also examine how Kubrick used Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman’s star status to manipulate both their performance and the audience and why the film’s initial lackluster response from both audiences and critics was so baffling.HOSTSShawn EastridgeRichie Pepio

2025 has been the Year of Superman, and Missing Frames has been celebrating James Gunn’s new film by sitting down with some of the writers, artists, and actors who help make the Man of Steel so special. Past conversations have included comic legends Dan Jurgens, Mark Waid, Tom King, and Phillip Kennedy Johnson, reflections on Richard Donner’s iconic film with Lauren Shuler Donner, and even a chat with Ma Kent herself, Neva Howell.Today’s guest is another incredible talent: Jonah Lees, who appears in Superman as Dean Farr, one of Lex Luthor’s LuthorCorp cronies, alongside his real-life twin brother, Christian. But Jonah’s career extends far beyond Metropolis. A highlight of the conversation is his work with Richard Linklater and Ethan Hawke on Blue Moon, as well as his recent portrayal of John Lennon in the Brian Epstein biopic Midas Man. An actor, songwriter, musician, and director, Jonah is a multifaceted creative whose range is as impressive as it is exciting. What begins as a Superman celebration quickly becomes a love letter to many shared passions: Superman, Richard Linklater, and The Beatles.

What happens when a film not only lives up to the hype but completely rewires your cinematic brain? In this Halloween special, Shawn is joined by John Carpenter aficionados Brad Gullickson and John Mills as he dives headfirst into his first-ever viewing of John Carpenter’s In the Mouth of Madness. The trio unpacks the movie’s eerie brilliance, Sam Neill’s masterful performance, and the meta madness that makes this one of Carpenter’s most underrated masterpieces. HOSTSShawn EastridgeBrad GullicksonJohn Mills

Can you love both Zack Snyder’s MAN OF STEEL and James Gunn’s SUPERMAN? While online discourse often paints fans as divided, there are many who appreciate both interpretations of the iconic hero. In this episode of Missing Frames’ Celebrating Superman series, Shawn is joined by fellow Nerd Party members Matthew Rushing and John Mills—two longtime Superman fans who enjoy both Snyder’s and Gunn’s visions of the character. Together, they explore what makes each take so compelling, and why tearing down others for their personal preferences runs counter to everything Superman represents.HOSTSShawn EastridgeJohn MillsMatthew Rushing

The Franchyze Boiz conclude their Superman franchise watch with a long overdue discussion of JAMES GUNN'S SUPERMAN. The eagerly anticipated film has proved a hit with both audiences and critics, but did it live up to the Boiz' hopes and expectations? And how does it rank with the rest of the series? Shawn, Brad, and Aaron share all their thoughts and feelings on this new iteration of the Man of Steel and ponder what the future of the DCU might hold.HOSTSShawn EastridgeBrad GullicksonAaron Prescott

DC Comics' Superman Group Editor PAUL KAMINSKI joins Shawn's Celebrating Superman series to discuss their love of the Man of Steel, James Gunn's new film, and all of the exciting things the Superman creative team have in store for Superman fans through the rest of this year AND BEYOND!

Ma Kent has joined the Superman celebrations! The wonderful actress Neva Howell, who portrays Martha Kent in James Gunn's new film, joins Shawn for a freewheeling discussion about her experience taking on this iconic role. They discuss how she started developing the character from her very first audition, some of her favorite memories from the set, and what it was like seeing the film on the big screen for the first time. They also express their excitement for Gunn's take on the Man of Steel, and how it's so crucial to emphasize Superman's kindness and love for humanity in a world that tends to take these things for granted.

The brilliant Eisner winning writer RYAN NORTH is not only writing Shawn's favorite comic run of the past few years, FANTASTIC FOUR, he's also writing the new limited series KRYPTO: THE LAST DOG OF KRYPTON. In this episode, he and Shawn celebrate Superman, Krypto the Super Dog, Fantastic Four, Kurt Vonnegut, Star Trek, computer science, and so much more. Is there anything they DON'T discuss? You'll have to tune in to find out!

The Franchyze Boiz reunite for part two of their CELEBRATING SUPERMAN rewatch. This time around, they take on Zack Snyder's interpretation of the DC Universe, including Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and both versions of Justice League. Will Brad and Aaron be able to rein in Shawn's unhinged ravings and rantings? Tune in to find out!HOSTSShawn EastridgeBrad GullicksonAaron Prescott

The Franchyze Boiz join in on the Superman Celebrations!! In the first part of their Superman franchise re-watch, Shawn, Brad, and Aaron take a look at the four Christopher Reeve films as well as Bryan Singer's Superman Returns.HOSTSShawn EastridgeBrad GullicksonAaron Prescott

Eisner Award-winning comic book writer TOM KING joins the Superman celebrations. He and Shawn discuss his incredible career, how he ended up writing comics professionally, and why Superman is his favorite superhero. They also discuss Tom and Andy Kubert's masterful Superman story UP IN THE SKY and their excitement for James Gunn's upcoming Superman film.

Few writers/artists have had as much of an impact on the Man of Steel's legacy as Dan Jurgens. Dan has been working on Superman comics since the late 80s/early 90s, and has continued writing and illustrating Superman stories to this day. In today's CELEBRATING SUPERMAN episode, Dan joins Shawn to discuss how he got started writing Superman, his favorite Superman stories, his 2024 visit to the set of James Gunn's new film, and, of course, the legendary DEATH OF SUPERMAN issue, which was both written and illustrated by him.

Acclaimed writer PHILLIP KENNEDY JOHNSON joins Shawn's CELEBRATING SUPERMAN series for a freewheeling discussion about his WARWORLD SAGA, his ACTION COMICS run, the upcoming SUPERMAN: BOOK OF EL series, and James Gunn's new film. They also talk about Phillip's love of music and his career as a member of the U.S. Army Field Band, and even manage to sneak in some conversation about his ongoing BATMAN & ROBIN run.

Missing Frames reaches another milestone: EPISODE 150! And another milestone episode means that Brad Gullickson is back in the guest seat watching one of Shawn's favorite movies for the very first time: master filmmaker Satoshi Kon's final film PAPRIKA. Shawn and Brad discuss the film's brilliance, its beauty, its heart, and its all-around bonkers story (which Christopher Nolan more than likely snagged some inspiration from for his 2010 film Inception). They also chat about Satoshi Kon's legacy as a filmmaker and what makes Paprika such a special entry in his brilliant filmography.HOSTSShawn EastridgeBrad Gullickson

In today's CELEBRATING SUPERMAN episode, Shawn is joined by Gene Luen Yang, the Eisner-Award winning writer and illustrator behind American Born Chinese, Dragon Hoops, and SUPERMAN SMASHES THE KLAN. Shawn and Gene discuss Gene's love of drawing and telling stories, how he self-published his works while teaching full time, and how he transitioned into the realm of professional comic book publishing. They also discuss the origins of Superman Smashes the Klan and how his personal experiences as a Chinese-American helped him expand upon the classic 1940s radio show story for his adaptation.

No Superman Celebration would be complete without honoring Richard Donner and his 1978 masterpiece, SUPERMAN, starring Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder, Gene Hackman, and Marlon Brando. Donner’s visionary film not only invented the "Comic Book Movie," it helped launch the era of modern blockbusters, standing proudly alongside the likes of Steven Spielberg's Jaws and George Lucas' Star Wars.In this episode, Shawn celebrates Donner’s legacy with none other than LAUREN SHULER DONNER, the love of Donner's life and one of Hollywood’s most accomplished producers. Her credits include Mr. Mom, Pretty in Pink, Free Willy, You’ve Got Mail, and the entire X-Men franchise. Join Lauren and Shawn as they reflect on Richard “Dick” Donner’s incredible life, career, and his enduring impact on the legacy of Superman.

The Aspiring Kryptonian TASMIN HUMPHRIES joins in on the Superman celebrations! Tasmin runs the UK's largest Superman site, sports a massive Superman collection, and is an all-around awesome person. She and Shawn discuss how she became a Superman fan, how becoming parents has challenged their Superman merch collecting impulses, and their excitement for James Gunn's upcoming film.

Shawn continues his CELEBRATING SUPERMAN series with SUPERMAN & LOIS writers JULIANA JAMES and ADAM MALLINGER. Adam joined Superman & Lois as a Writer's Assistant in Season 1 before being upgraded to Staff Writer for Season 2. Juliana joined in on all the excitement during Season 2, serving as both Executive Story Editor and Co-Producer. Both Juliana and Adam share all kinds of great behind the scenes tidbits and discuss the challenges of television writing and the importance living up to the Superman legacy.  Read Adam's blog post about writing his first Superman & Lois episode.

HAPPY SUPERMAN DAY! Celebrate the occasion with Missing Frames' continuing CELEBRATING SUPERMAN series. In this episode, Shawn is joined by JASON AARON, the esteemed writer behind the new ABSOLUTE SUPERMAN series. Jason's Absolute run is reimagining everything we know about this legendary character and it's already shaping up to be one of the Man of Steel's all-time greats. Jason and Shawn discuss the origins of this run, how to strike the fine balance between "reverence" and "revamp" and, most importantly, which side of the "TRUNKS or NO TRUNKS" debate Jason falls on.