The Goggler Podcast

The Japan Foundation’s JFF Theater initiative and how Bento Harassment turns a small story into something universal. You can watch Bento Harassment, for free, at JFF Theater. Just click here to register and check out the movies on offer. Thank you for checking out The Goggler Podcast, if you have any thoughts or questions, just email us on podcast@goggler.my, or reach out to us via Instagram. You can also WhatsApp us on The Goggler Hotline, on +60125245208 RSS: https://goggler.my/feed/podcast/

Primate, The Rip, and 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple reviewed, plus how Christopher Nolan and Denis Villeneuve took the biggest screens away from Marvel. Primate and 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple are now showing in Malaysian cinemas. You can watch The Rip on Netflix. Thank you for checking out The Goggler Podcast, if you have any thoughts or questions, just email us on podcast@goggler.my, or reach out to us via Instagram. You can also WhatsApp us on The Goggler Hotline, on +60125245208 RSS: https://goggler.my/feed/podcast/

Today, on The Goggler Podcast, Bahir and Uma watch and review the latest installment in James Cameron’s epic franchise, Avatar: Fire and Ash. Avatar: Fire and Ash is still showing in Malaysian cinemas. With Avatar: Fire and Ash, James Cameron takes audiences back to Pandora in an immersive new adventure with Marine turned Na’vi leader Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), Na’vi warrior Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña), and the Sully family. The story picks up a few weeks after the events of Avatar: The Way of Water. The Sully family is still living amongst the Metkayina Clan in the picturesque reefs of Pandora, but is learning to adjust to life without Neteyam (Jamie Flatters), who was killed in a brutal skirmish with the “Sky People” from the RDA (Resources Development Administration). Jake (Sam Worthington), Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña), Lo’ak (Britain Dalton), Tuk (Trinity Jo-Li Bliss), Spider (Jack Champion), and Kiri (Sigourney Weaver) are each dealing with the loss in their own way. While Spider is adapting to life with the reef people, the Sully family is worried for his safety and realizes he can no longer remain with them. Following an introduction to the Tlalim Clan, also known as the Wind Traders, who are a peaceful nomadic air-traveling clan who sail the skies, their chief, Peylak (David Thewlis), agrees to transport Spider back to High Camp, the Omatikaya’s stronghold. Ultimately, the entire Sully family decides to join Spider on the journey. Their journey is cut short, however, when their party is attacked by members of the Mangkwan Clan, a.k.a. the Ash People. Led by Varang (Oona Chaplin), the Ash People are Na’vi whose culture and way of life were dramatically altered following the devastation of their home by a volcano. They blame Eywa (the All-Mother of Pandora) for this disaster. The RDA, meanwhile, is struggling, following their devastating defeat at the hands of Jake Sully and the Metkayina Clan, and is regrouping and planning their next attack. Thank you for checking out The Goggler Podcast, if you have any thoughts or questions, just email us on podcast@goggler.my, or reach out to us via Instagram. You can also WhatsApp us on The Goggler Hotline, on +60125245208 RSS: https://goggler.my/feed/podcast/

Today, on The Goggler Podcast, Bahir and Uma dig deep into the cinematic phenomenon that is Avatar and posit some theories as to why it continues to dominate at the box-office. Avatar: Fire and Ash is still showing in Malaysian cinemas. With Avatar: Fire and Ash, James Cameron takes audiences back to Pandora in an immersive new adventure with Marine turned Na’vi leader Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), Na’vi warrior Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña), and the Sully family. The story picks up a few weeks after the events of Avatar: The Way of Water. The Sully family is still living amongst the Metkayina Clan in the picturesque reefs of Pandora, but is learning to adjust to life without Neteyam (Jamie Flatters), who was killed in a brutal skirmish with the “Sky People” from the RDA (Resources Development Administration). Jake (Sam Worthington), Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña), Lo’ak (Britain Dalton), Tuk (Trinity Jo-Li Bliss), Spider (Jack Champion), and Kiri (Sigourney Weaver) are each dealing with the loss in their own way. While Spider is adapting to life with the reef people, the Sully family is worried for his safety and realizes he can no longer remain with them. Following an introduction to the Tlalim Clan, also known as the Wind Traders, who are a peaceful nomadic air-traveling clan who sail the skies, their chief, Peylak (David Thewlis), agrees to transport Spider back to High Camp, the Omatikaya’s stronghold. Ultimately, the entire Sully family decides to join Spider on the journey. Their journey is cut short, however, when their party is attacked by members of the Mangkwan Clan, a.k.a. the Ash People. Led by Varang (Oona Chaplin), the Ash People are Na’vi whose culture and way of life were dramatically altered following the devastation of their home by a volcano. They blame Eywa (the All-Mother of Pandora) for this disaster. The RDA, meanwhile, is struggling, following their devastating defeat at the hands of Jake Sully and the Metkayina Clan, and is regrouping and planning their next attack. Thank you for checking out The Goggler Podcast, if you have any thoughts or questions, just email us on podcast@goggler.my, or reach out to us via Instagram. You can also WhatsApp us on The Goggler Hotline, on +60125245208 RSS: https://goggler.my/feed/podcast/

Today, on The Goggler Podcast, Bahir and Uma watch and review Restaurant from the Sky, a soul-nourishing Japanese drama about food, community, and the quiet power of human connection. You can watch Restaurant from the Sky, for free, at JFF Theater. Just click here to register and check out the movies on offer. The Japan Foundation proudly presents a new season of JFF THEATER, a free global streaming platform offering a diverse selection of Japanese films with multilingual subtitles. Launched on August 1st, 2024, JFF THEATER was established to meet the growing global interest in Japanese cinema and to promote cultural exchange. With a regularly updated lineup every few months, viewers around the world can enjoy a wide range of Japanese films at their convenience. This time, JFF THEATER is pleased to once again showcase a fresh lineup of 8 titles, available for free streaming from October 31, 2025, to February 3, 2026. Centered around the themes of “All Out School Days” and “Meals that Heal and Connect”, this selection of films captures heartfelt stories of students embracing youth to the fullest, paired with comforting stories where food becomes a bridge for healing, understanding, and togetherness. Thank you for checking out The Goggler Podcast, if you have any thoughts or questions, just email us on podcast@goggler.my, or reach out to us via Instagram. You can also WhatsApp us on The Goggler Hotline, on +60125245208 RSS: https://goggler.my/feed/podcast/

Today, on The Goggler Podcast, Bahir and Uma watch and review Zootopia 2, a vibrant, witty sequel that deepens its world with sharp, heartfelt storytelling. Zootopia 2 is now showing in Malaysian cinemas. In Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Zootopia 2, rookie cops Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde find themselves on the twisting trail of a great mystery when Gary De’Snake arrives in Zootopia and turns the animal metropolis upside down. To crack the case, Judy and Nick must go undercover to unexpected new parts of town, where their growing partnership is tested like never before. Directed by Jared Bush and Byron Howard, the film features the voices of Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Ke Huy Quan, Fortune Feimster, Andy Samberg, Idris Elba, Patrick Warburton, Quinta Brunson, Nate Torrence, and Shakira. Thank you for checking out The Goggler Podcast, if you have any thoughts or questions, just email us on podcast@goggler.my, or reach out to us via Instagram. You can also WhatsApp us on The Goggler Hotline, on +60125245208 RSS: https://goggler.my/feed/podcast/

Today, on a very special episode of The Goggler Podcast, Uma speaks to fellow film journalists Katie Rife and Nick Newman about how this new world has changed they do the work that they do. This episode of The Goggler Podcast was recorded live at the TIFF Lounge, co-presented by the Japan Foundation and the Tokyo International Film Festival. You can find out more information about the festival here. ABOUT THE TOKYO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL: In 2025, the Tokyo International Film Festival once again presents a rich lineup of films from Japan and around the world. The selection spans acclaimed titles from international festivals, world premieres, animation, and documentaries. We will also welcome international guests to the TIFF Lounge, symposia, networking parties, and other forums designed to foster dialogue and exchange between Japanese and international filmmakers and industry professionals. Following the launch of the Women’s Empowerment section last year, which opened new horizons for dialogue by embracing female perspectives, TIFF will now inaugurate the new Asian Students ’ Film Conference section. This new initiative will invite film students from across Asia to Tokyo for a short film competition, with the aim of cultivating yet another new path for the future of cinema. This year also marks the unveiling of a new festival poster. One of its core visual themes is “perspective.” In a world often enveloped by sweeping grand narratives, we feel that it is the small, personal gaze that truly gives power to storytelling. Each film presented at TIFF from around the world embodies the unique and indispensable perspectives of its creators and protagonists—perspectives that promise to broaden the horizons of audiences everywhere. We invite you to experience these perspectives as they resonate from the screen. Thank you for checking out The Goggler Podcast, if you have any thoughts or questions, just email us on podcast@goggler.my, or reach out to us via Instagram. You can also WhatsApp us on The Goggler Hotline, on +60125245208 RSS: https://goggler.my/feed/podcast/

Today, on The Goggler Podcast, Bahir and Uma watch and review the first four episodes of the final season of Stranger Things. The first part of Stranger Things, Season 5 is now streaming on Netflix. The fall of 1987. Hawkins is scarred by the opening of the Rifts, and our heroes are united by a single goal: find and kill Vecna. But he has vanished — his whereabouts and plans unknown. Complicating their mission, the government has placed the town under military quarantine and intensified its hunt for Eleven, forcing her back into hiding. As the anniversary of Will’s disappearance approaches, so does a heavy, familiar dread. The final battle is looming — and with it, a darkness more powerful and more deadly than anything they’ve faced before. To end this nightmare, they’ll need everyone — the full party — standing together, one last time. Stranger Things was created by The Duffer Brothers and stars Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Noah Schnapp, Sadie Sink, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, Joe Keery, Maya Hawke, Priah Ferguson, Brett Gelman, Jamie Campbell Bower, Cara Buono, Nell Fisher, and Linda Hamilton. Thank you for checking out The Goggler Podcast, if you have any thoughts or questions, just email us on podcast@goggler.my, or reach out to us via Instagram. You can also WhatsApp us on The Goggler Hotline, on +60125245208 RSS: https://goggler.my/feed/podcast/

Today, on The Goggler Podcast, Bahir and Uma watch and review Wicked: For Good, the second part of Jon M. Chu’s adaptation of the acclaimed musical. Wicked: For Good is now showing in Malaysian cinemas. Elphaba, now demonized as The Wicked Witch of the West, lives in exile, hidden within the Ozian forest while continuing her fight for the freedom of Oz’s silenced Animals and desperately trying to expose the truth she knows about The Wizard. Glinda, meanwhile, has become the glamorous symbol of Goodness for all of Oz, living at the palace in Emerald City and reveling in the perks of fame and popularity. Under the instruction of Madame Morrible, Glinda is deployed to serve as an effervescent comfort to Oz, reassuring the masses that all is well under the rule of The Wizard.  As Glinda’s stardom expands and she prepares to marry Prince Fiyero in a spectacular Ozian wedding, she is haunted by her separation from Elphaba. She attempts to broker a conciliation between Elphaba and The Wizard, but those efforts will fail, driving Elphaba and Glinda only further apart. The aftershocks will transform Boq and Fiyero forever, and threaten the safety of Elphaba’s sister, Nessarose, when a girl from Kansas comes crashing into all their lives. Wicked: For Good was directed by Jon M. Chu, and stars Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, Marissa Bode, Michelle Yeoh, and Jeff Goldblum. Thank you for checking out The Goggler Podcast, if you have any thoughts or questions, just email us on podcast@goggler.my, or reach out to us via Instagram. You can also WhatsApp us on The Goggler Hotline, on +60125245208 RSS: https://goggler.my/feed/podcast/

Today, on The Goggler Podcast, Bahir and Uma watch and review Edgar Wright’s brand new adaptation of Stephen King’s The Running Man. The Running Man is now showing in Malaysian cinemas. In a near-future society, The Running Man is the top-rated show on television – a deadly competition where contestants, known as Runners, must survive 30 days while being hunted by professional assassins, with every move broadcast to a bloodthirsty public and each day bringing a greater cash reward. Desperate to save his sick daughter, working-class Ben Richards is convinced by the show’s charming but ruthless producer, Dan Killian (Josh Brolin), to enter the game as a last resort. But Ben’s defiance, instincts, and grit turn him into an unexpected fan favorite—and a threat to the entire system. As ratings skyrocket, so does the danger, and Ben must outwit not just the Hunters, but a nation addicted to watching him fall. The movie was directed by Edgar Wright and stars Glen Powell, William H. Macy, Lee Pace, Michael Cera, Emilia Jones, Daniel Ezra, Jayme Lawson, Sean Hayes, Katy O’Brian, Colman Domingo, and Josh Brolin. Thank you for checking out The Goggler Podcast, if you have any thoughts or questions, just email us on podcast@goggler.my, or reach out to us via Instagram. You can also WhatsApp us on The Goggler Hotline, on +60125245208 RSS: https://goggler.my/feed/podcast/

Today, on The Goggler Podcast, Bahir and Uma put forward their theories on why we’ve always kinda rooted for the Predator. Predator: Badlands is now showing in Malaysian cinemas. In the distant future, on a hostile alien planet, a young Predator cast out from his clan for his size finds his world turned upside down when he teams up with Thia, a damaged android with her own mysterious past. Together they embark on a deadly journey through harsh wilderness and ancient hunting grounds, where survival means confronting both monstrous beasts and the code of the Predator itself. Along the way, their unlikely alliance challenges everything they thought they knew about honor, power, and who the real hunters are. Predator: Badlands was directed by Dan Trachtenberg and stars Elle Fanning and Dimitrius Schuster‑Koloamatangi. Thank you for checking out The Goggler Podcast, if you have any thoughts or questions, just email us on podcast@goggler.my, or reach out to us via Instagram. You can also WhatsApp us on The Goggler Hotline, on +60125245208 RSS: https://goggler.my/feed/podcast/

Today, on The Goggler Podcast, Bahir and Uma watch and review the third movie in Dan Trachtenberg’s Predator reboot, Predator: Badlands. Predator: Badlands is now showing in Malaysian cinemas. In the distant future, on a hostile alien planet, a young Predator cast out from his clan for his size finds his world turned upside down when he teams up with Thia, a damaged android with her own mysterious past. Together they embark on a deadly journey through harsh wilderness and ancient hunting grounds, where survival means confronting both monstrous beasts and the code of the Predator itself. Along the way, their unlikely alliance challenges everything they thought they knew about honor, power, and who the real hunters are. Predator: Badlands was directed by Dan Trachtenberg and stars Elle Fanning and Dimitrius Schuster‑Koloamatangi. Thank you for checking out The Goggler Podcast, if you have any thoughts or questions, just email us on podcast@goggler.my, or reach out to us via Instagram. You can also WhatsApp us on The Goggler Hotline, on +60125245208 RSS: https://goggler.my/feed/podcast/

Today, on The Goggler Podcast, Bahir and Uma watch and review Jay Roach’s tragicomedy about a marriage in decline in The Roses. The Roses is now showing exclusively at selected GSC locations. At first glance, Theo and Ivy Rose seem to have it all: a glamorous life, successful careers, and children in a picture-perfect marriage. But when Ivy’s ambition begins to surge just as Theo’s professional fortunes falter, the veneer of domestic bliss starts to crack. What follows is a sharp, darkly comic exploration of what happens when love, power, and identity get entangled, and when the battleground of marriage becomes one of ruthless competition rather than partnership. The Roses was directed by Jay Roach, and stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Olivia Colman, Andy Samberg, Kate McKinnon, Ncuti Gatwa, and Allison Janney. Thank you for checking out The Goggler Podcast, if you have any thoughts or questions, just email us on podcast@goggler.my, or reach out to us via Instagram. You can also WhatsApp us on The Goggler Hotline, on +60125245208 RSS: https://goggler.my/feed/podcast/

Today, on The Goggler Podcast, Bahir and Uma watch and review Paul Greengrass’ epic new survival drama, The Lost Bus. The Lost Bus is now streaming on Apple TV+. The Lost Bus dramatizes the heart-stopping true story of bus driver Kevin McKay and schoolteacher Mary Ludwig, who, amid the raging 2018 Camp Fire, must lead 22 children and themselves through collapsing roads, smoke, and chaos in a desperate bid for survival. What begins as a mission of evacuation turns into a test of endurance, leadership, and sacrifice as every moment becomes a fight to stay alive against the inferno closing in. The movie was directed by Paul Greengrass, and stars Matthew McConaughey, America Ferrera, Yul Vazquez, and Ashlie Atkinson. Thank you for checking out The Goggler Podcast, if you have any thoughts or questions, just email us on podcast@goggler.my, or reach out to us via Instagram. You can also WhatsApp us on The Goggler Hotline, on +60125245208 RSS: https://goggler.my/feed/podcast/

Today, on The Goggler Podcast, Bahir and Uma watch and review the long awaited third installment in the TRON franchise: TRON: Ares. TRON: Ares opens in Malaysian cinemas on Thursday, October 9. Tron: Ares picks up the legacy of the digital frontier as a powerful new program, Ares, is sent from the world of the Grid into the real world on a mission that could change the relationship between humans and artificial intelligence forever. Blurring the line between creator and creation, the film explores what happens when digital life begins to question its purpose – and humanity’s control over it. The movie was directed by Joachim Rønning, and stars Jared Leto, Evan Peters, Greta Lee, Gillian Anderson, Jodie Turner-Smith, Cameron Monaghan, and Arturo Castro. Thank you for checking out The Goggler Podcast, if you have any thoughts or questions, just email us on podcast@goggler.my, or reach out to us via Instagram. You can also WhatsApp us on The Goggler Hotline, on +60125245208 RSS: https://goggler.my/feed/podcast/

Today, on The Goggler Podcast, Bahir and Uma watch and review Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another. One Battle After Another is now showing in Malaysian cinemas. One Battle After Another centers on Bob Ferguson, a former revolutionary now living off-grid with his daughter Willa, whose quiet life is shattered when a long-buried enemy returns and Willa disappears – forcing Bob to reunite with old comrades, confront his turbulent past, and race against time to rescue her. The film was directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, and stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro, Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor, and Chase Infiniti.   Thank you for checking out The Goggler Podcast, if you have any thoughts or questions, just email us on podcast@goggler.my, or reach out to us via Instagram. You can also WhatsApp us on The Goggler Hotline, on +60125245208 RSS: https://goggler.my/feed/podcast/

Today, on The Goggler Podcast, Bahir and Uma watch and review Badak, the brand new movie from the director of La Luna. Badak is now showing in Malaysian cinemas. Badak is the story of a deaf single father and his daughter, Mira. They run a burger stall together and their bond is strong, rooted in silent communication and unconditional love. Their relationship is challenged when Mira becomes a hip-hop star, and her dreams of pursuing that career creates a rift between them. Badak struggles to understand his changing daughter and reconnect their worlds, which seem to be suddenly separated by both sound and emotional distance. The movie was directed by M. Raihan Halim and stars Shaheizy Sam, Aida Amron, Wan Hanafi Su, and Hon Kahoe. Thank you for checking out The Goggler Podcast, if you have any thoughts or questions, just email us on podcast@goggler.my, or reach out to us via Instagram. You can also WhatsApp us on The Goggler Hotline, on +60125245208 RSS: https://goggler.my/feed/podcast/

Today, on The Goggler Podcast, Bahir and Uma watch and review Tetsuya Uesugi’s sumptuous exploration of Hokkaido cuisine in Northern Food Story. The Japanese Film Festival 2025 runs from September 10 to October 19 at selected GSC locations across Malaysia. Click here for more information and to secure your tickets. Northern Food Story, directed by Tetsuya Uesugi, is a lush, appetite-teasing documentary set in Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido. Over the course of a year and through shifting seasons, it follows four chefs – working in Japanese, French, and high-end sushi traditions – as they collaborate with local farmers and immerse themselves in their communities. It’s a film that celebrates not just food, but place, culture, and the transformation of everyday ingredients into expressions of identity. Thank you for checking out The Goggler Podcast, if you have any thoughts or questions, just email us on podcast@goggler.my, or reach out to us via Instagram. You can also WhatsApp us on The Goggler Hotline, on +60125245208 RSS: https://goggler.my/feed/podcast/

Today, on The Goggler Podcast, Bahir and Uma watch and review Sunset Sunrise, Yoshiyuki Kishi’s heartfelt Covid-era comedy-drama about renewal, connection, and hope. The Japanese Film Festival 2025 runs from September 10 to October 19 at selected GSC locations across Malaysia. Click here for more information and to secure your tickets. Sunset Sunrise is a heartfelt, quietly uplifting comedy-drama about a man who leaves behind his fast-paced Tokyo life for a seaside town, where unexpected encounters and new connections lead him to rediscover meaning, community, and hope. Balancing gentle humor with emotional depth, the film reflects on change, belonging, and second chances without ever feeling heavy-handed. The movie was directed by Yoshiyuki Kishi and stars Ken Mitsuishi, Machiko Ono, Jun Kunimura, and Haru Kuroki. Thank you for checking out The Goggler Podcast, if you have any thoughts or questions, just email us on podcast@goggler.my, or reach out to us via Instagram. You can also WhatsApp us on The Goggler Hotline, on +60125245208 RSS: https://goggler.my/feed/podcast/

Today, on The Goggler Podcast, Bahir and Uma watch and review the further culinary adventures of Goro Inogashira in the big screen adaptation of The Solitary Gourmet. The Japanese Film Festival 2025 runs from September 10 to October 19 at selected GSC locations across Malaysia. Click here for more information and to secure your tickets. The Solitary Gourmet follows Goro Inogashira, a quiet and introspective man whose love for food often leads him on unexpected journeys of self-discovery. Set against a backdrop of diverse cultures and cuisines, the film expands on the intimate, meditative tone of the beloved series while offering a richer, more cinematic experience. With its blend of humor, heart, and wanderlust, it celebrates the power of simple meals and fleeting connections without giving away any of its narrative turns. The movie was directed by Yutaka Matsushige who also stars as our titular protagonist. Joining him on his culinary journey are Yuki Uchida, Hayato Isomura, Anne Watanabe, Joe Odagiri, Sansei Shiomi, Takehiro Murata, Yoo Jae-myung, and Ken’ichi Endō. Thank you for checking out The Goggler Podcast, if you have any thoughts or questions, just email us on podcast@goggler.my, or reach out to us via Instagram. You can also WhatsApp us on The Goggler Hotline, on +60125245208 RSS: https://goggler.my/feed/podcast/