Excalibur

EXCALIBUR

The magical sword Excalibur begins in the hands of Uther Pendragon, but years later, it finds its way to his bastard son Arthur, the knave destined to become king. With the help of the mysterious Merlin, Arthur rises to fulfill his fate, bringing together the Knights of the Round Table at Camelot and unifying the country. But even a legendary king is still a man, and Arthur must face love, betrayal, the search for the Holy Grail, and the fight to save the kingdom he was born to rule.

Craig, Alan and Elisabeth talk about Arthurian Legend, the timeless Helen Mirren, panels at Comicpalooza and the movie “Excalibur” on this week’s Matinee Heroes!

Show Notes

  • 1:00

    Craig and Alan discuss all the panels they will be at for Comicpalooza 2026

  • 13:02

    Craig, Alan and Elisabeth discuss “Excalibur.”

  • 49:08

    Recasting

  • 1:15:03

    Double Feature

  • 1:18:30

    Final Thoughts

  • 1:25:18

    A preview of next week’s episode “The Last Duel.”

Next week, it’s like three movies in one as we discuss “The Last Duel.”

A Knight’s Tale

A KNIGHT’S TALE

Born a peasant, William Thatcher sets out to change his stars, win the heart of a noble maiden, and shake up the medieval world around him. With the help of his loyal friends, he enters the brutal world of tournament jousting, where he must prove he has the courage, skill, and heart to become a legend.

Craig and Elisabeth talk about Chaucer, naughty cross-stitching, droopy eyes and the movie “A Knight’s Tale” on this week’s Matinee Heroes!

Show Notes

  • 00:00:00

    Introduction

  • 00:00:42

    Craig and Elisabeth talk about naught cross-stitch and embroidery.

  • 00:08:46

    Craig and Elisabeth discuss “A Knight’s Tale.”

  • 00:50:50

    Recasting

  • 01:22:08

    Double Feature

  • 01:24:52

    Final Thoughts

  • 01:29:41

    A preview of next week’s episode “Excalibur.”

Next week, medieval May continues with the 80’s classic “Excalibur.”

Terminator Cast – Linda Hamilton, Michael Biehn and Edward Furlong – September 2024

Terminator Cast – Linda Hamilton, Michael Biehn and Edward Furlong – September 2024

Recorded live at FanX Salt Lake in 2024, this special episode of CONversations with Craig brings together three icons from the Terminator franchise: Linda Hamilton, Michael Biehn and Edward Furlong. The panel looks back at the legacy of Sarah Connor, the genius and intensity of James Cameron, the practical stunt work behind The Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgment Day, and how a movie about killer machines somehow feels even more relevant in the age of AI.

    • Linda Hamilton reflects on Sarah Connor’s legacy, calling the role a “lucky accident” while recognizing the staying power of one of cinema’s most iconic action heroes.
    • Michael Biehn talks about James Cameron’s work ethic and vision, including how Cameron’s storytelling about the future still feels unsettlingly accurate decades later.
    • Edward Furlong shares what it was like starting his career on Terminator 2, working with Cameron, Hamilton and Arnold Schwarzenegger before fully understanding how massive the movie would become.

“Technology knows that I’m the enemy. And they treat me like the enemy. Go figure.” – Linda Hamilton

Want more exclusive interviews and behind-the-scenes stories from the people who bring your favorite characters to life? Subscribe to our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or on your favorite podcasting platform for more behind-the-scenes stories and exclusive interviews.

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: HONOR AMONG THIEVES

A charming thief pulls together a mismatched crew of adventurers to recover a powerful lost relic. Along the way, they face deadly magic, old betrayals, dangerous enemies, and plenty of bad decisions. What begins as a simple mission becomes a chance for this band of misfits to become the heroes no one expected.

Craig, Elisabeth and guest Annie Bulloch talk about unsung movie gems, bending the rules, halfling hotties and the movie “Dungeon and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” on this week’s Matinee Heroes.

Show Notes

  • 00:00:00

    Introduction

  • 00:01:15

    Craig, Elisabeth and Annie Bulloch talk about being a GM for D&D games.

  • 00:12:29

    Craig, Elisabeth and Annie discuss “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves.”

  • 00:53:46

    Recasting

  • 01:18:52

    Double Feature

  • 01:21:04

    Final Thoughts

  • 01:24:54

    A preview of next week’s episode “A Knight’s Tale”

Next week, medieval May continues with a fan favorite “A Knight’s Tale.”

Alien Nation

ALIEN NATION

In Los Angeles, three years after an alien ship comes to Earth, humans and extraterrestrial newcomers live side by side in a city divided by fear, prejudice, and violence. When a human police detective is assigned a newcomer partner, they must learn to work together while investigating a dangerous drug ring spreading through the alien community. As the case deepens, their uneasy partnership becomes the key to exposing a larger threat.

Craig, Elisabeth and Alan talk about concepts vs execution, physical media, sour milk addiction and the movie “Alien Nation” on this week’s Matinee Heroes!

Show Notes

  • 00:01:10

    Craig, Elisabeth and Alan talk about this year’s Comicpalooza.

  • 00:16:46

    Craig, Elisabeth and Alan discuss “Alien Nation.”

  • 00:45:10

    Recasting

  • 00:54:42

    Double Feature

  • 00:58:55

    Final Thoughts

  • 01:08:48

    A preview of next week’s episode “Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves.”

Next week, medieval May starts with the vastly underrated “Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves.”

Starman

STARMAN

An alien answers a NASA message and comes to Earth in peace, but his ship is shot down by the military. Stranded, he takes the form of a dead man and forces the man’s widow to drive him to Arizona so he can meet a rescue ship. As the government hunts them down, the two form an unexpected bond.

Craig, Elisabeth and guest Steve and Izzy talk about aliens on earth, road trips, Ape-ril and the movie “Starman” on this week’s Matinee Heroes!

Show Notes

  • 0:51

    Craig, Elisabeth and Steve & Izzy talk deer and Ape-ril.

  • 15:35

    Craig, Elisabeth and Steve & Izzy discuss “Starman.”

  • 54:45

    Recasting

  • 1:20:37

    Double Feature

  • 1:28:59

    Final Thoughts

  • 1:39:25

    A preview of next week’s episode “Alien Nation.”

Next week, Alien April ends with the cult classic “Alien Nation.”

Men in Black

MEN IN BLACK

A smart-mouthed New York cop discovers that aliens are secretly living on Earth and gets recruited into a hidden agency that keeps them under control. Paired with a stone-faced veteran, he must stop a deadly alien invader searching for a powerful object that could spark an intergalactic crisis. As he adjusts to a bizarre new world of disguises, weapons, and cosmic secrets, his first day on the job turns into a fight to save the planet.

Craig, Elisabeth and guest Tami Anderson talk about immigration, galactic pugs, neurolyser damage and the movie “Men in Black” on this week’s Matinee Heroes!

Show Notes

  • 0:58

    Craig, Elisabeth and Tami Anderson talk alien encounters but with human beings.

  • 7:28

    Craig, Elisabeth and Tami discuss “Men in Black.”

  • 52:12

    Recasting

  • 1:12:59

    Double Feature

  • 1:19:14

    Final Thoughts

  • 1:24:19

    A preview of next week’s episode “Starman.”

Next week, Alien April continues with the low-key adventure “Starman.”

Dane DiLiegro – June 2024 – CONversations with Craig

Dane DeLiegro did not exactly take the usual road to Hollywood, and that is what made this live conversation at the 2024 Origins Game Fair in Columbus, Ohio so entertaining. Before becoming the Predator in Prey, he played pro basketball in Europe, spent years apprenticing under a legendary Tuscan butcher, and nearly ended up in the culinary world instead of the film business. By the time he started describing what it took to bring the Predator to life, it was clear this was not your standard actor origin story.

    • Before acting, DeLiegro spent years playing professional basketball in Europe and living in Tuscany during the off-seasons, where he apprenticed under famed butcher Dario Cecchini and learned traditional Tuscan butchery.
    • His path into movies started almost by accident when a stand-in job on Free Guy led people on set to realize his size and physicality made him a natural fit for creature acting.
    • DeLiegro detailed the intense physical demands of playing the Predator in Prey, including mime school, martial arts and parkour training, major weight loss, and performing scenes with extremely limited vision inside the suit.

“Every morning you wake up and it’s a little Predator surprise party, remembering that you’re the Predator.” – Dane DiLiegro

Want more exclusive interviews and behind-the-scenes stories from the people who bring your favorite characters to life? Subscribe to our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or on your favorite podcasting platform for more behind-the-scenes stories and exclusive interviews.

Paul

PAUL

For the past 60 years, a wisecracking alien named Paul has been held at a top-secret military base in America’s UFO heartland. When he decides he’s had enough of Earth, he escapes and jumps into the first vehicle he finds, a rented RV driven by two British sci-fi geeks, Graeme and Clive. With federal agents and an angry father chasing them, the two come up with a wild plan to help Paul get back to his spaceship.

Craig, Elisabeth and guest Paul Hitchcock talk about sincerity in comedy, Elisabeth’s starring role, Comic Con fatigue and the movie “Paul” on this week’s Matinee Heroes.

Show Notes

  • 1:15

    Craig, Elisabeth and Paul Hitchcock talk alien encounters.

  • 5:44

    Craig, Elisabeth and Paul discuss “Paul.”

  • 54:14

    Recasting

  • 1:20:59

    Double Feature

  • 1:27:21

    Final Thoughts

  • 1:37:01

    A preview of next week’s episode “Men in Black.”

Next week, Alien April continues with the blockbuster “Men in Black.”

The Long Goodbye

THE LONG GOODBYE

Private detective Philip Marlowe gives his friend Terry Lennox a ride to Mexico. But when Marlowe gets back to Los Angeles, he is pulled into the investigation of Terry’s wife’s death. Then comes word that Terry has died by suicide in Mexico but Marlowe isn’t buying it. As he starts chasing the truth, he takes on a new case from a woman who has a surprising connection to Terry’s past.

Craig, Elisabeth and Alan talk about Robert Altman’s disjointed style, candle cults, the Oscars and the movie “The Long Goodbye” on this week’s Matinee Heroes!

Show Notes

  • 1:29

    Craig, Elisabeth and Alan talk about the 2026 Oscars.

  • 11:48

    Craig, Elisabeth and Alan discuss “The Long Goodbye.”

  • 34:38

    Recasting

  • 54:23

    Double Feature

  • 59:54

    Final Thoughts

  • 1:06:43

    A preview of next week’s episode “Paul.”

Next week, Alien April kicks off with Elisabeth’s feature film debut “Paul.”