Press Play Action

Jersey Nerds Productions
  • 5.0 (2)
  • TV & Film
  • Updated Semiweekly

Press Play Action is a movie review podcast produced by Jersey Nerds Productions and hosted by Jersey Nerd Mitchell Lea! Mitchell and his cohort of die hard movie nerds take a look at cinema in all forms, from cult classics, guilty pleasure films, whats currently on in theatres and everything in between. If you are a movie fan than this is where you need to be!

  1. 2d ago

    31 Nights of Horror 2026 Part 1!

    The Jersey Nerds Production's third annual 31 Nights of Horror has begun! Jersey Nerds Mitchell Lea, Brandon Tew and Tommy Grant sit down and give reviews of the first six films for the month. An American Werewolf in London (1981), Wolf (1994), Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island (1998), Coraline (2009), Paranorman (2012), and Bones and All (2022)!

  2. Oct 8

    Movie Reviews: The Karate Kid Part III (1989) & Zombieland: Double Tap (2019)

    This week on Press Play Action, we're tackling two sequels that couldn't be more different! 🥋 THE KARATE KID PART III (1989)Daniel LaRusso and Mr. Miyagi return for another round of karate drama, but this time they're facing the outrageous Terry Silver and the return of Cobra Kai! Unfortunately, our hosts aren't pulling any punches. 👊 Is this just a disappointing rehash of the original? Why is a wealthy businessman so obsessed with destroying a teenager's life? And seriously...WHERE IS JOHNNY LAWRENCE?! 😂 🧟 ZOMBIELAND: DOUBLE TAP (2019)Ten years after the original, Columbus, Tallahassee, Wichita, and Little Rock are back for another zombie-filled adventure! With new characters, bigger zombie threats, and plenty of ridiculous comedy, the gang is ready to take another swing at the apocalypse. But does this sequel live up to the original? 🎙️ IN THIS EPISODE, WE DISCUSS: 🥋 The bizarre villainy of Terry Silver and the problems with Karate Kid Part III. 🐍 The missing Johnny Lawrence and how Cobra Kai expanded the franchise. 🧟 Whether Zombieland: Double Tap delivers a worthy sequel. 😂 Woody Harrelson and Jesse Eisenberg's chemistry, new characters, and Bill Murray's return. ❤️ The surprising connection between both movies: found family, independence, and discovering where you belong. 🏆 Our final ratings and whether either franchise deserves another sequel! 🎬 TWO SEQUELS. TWO VERY DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES. ONE HILARIOUS MOVIE DISCUSSION! 🎧 Tune in to the latest episode of Press Play Action and join The Jersey Nerds as we continue our journey through cinema!

    Movie Reviews: The Karate Kid Part III (1989) & Zombieland: Double Tap (2019)

  3. Sep 30

    Movie Reviews: Howard the Duck (1986) & Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987)

    Our journey through superhero cinema has officially reached the mid-'80s, and this week we're tackling two movies with reputations that certainly precede them: Howard the Duck (1986) and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987). 🦆 Howard the Duck — George Lucas executive produces Marvel's bizarre big-screen adventure about a sarcastic humanoid duck transported from his home world to Cleveland. What could possibly go wrong? We attempt to make sense of Howard's journey, the strange villains, the even stranger relationships, and a movie that left us questioning just about every creative decision that made it onto the screen. ☢️ Superman IV: The Quest for Peace — Christopher Reeve returns for his final theatrical adventure as the Man of Steel, this time taking on the threat of nuclear weapons—and Lex Luthor's creation, Nuclear Man. We break down the ambitious idea behind the story, the severely reduced budget, infamous effects, bizarre action sequences, and whether there's anything worth saving in the final chapter of the original Superman series. 🎙️ In this episode, we discuss: 🦸‍♂️ Christopher Reeve's Final Superman — Looking back at the end of an era for one of cinema's most iconic superheroes. ✌️ Superman vs. Nuclear Weapons — The serious real-world idea Christopher Reeve wanted the movie to explore...and how the finished film handles it. 💰 When the Budget Disappears — How Superman IV's troubled production becomes painfully obvious on screen. 🦝 Howard vs. Rocket Raccoon — If audiences can love a talking raccoon and a walking tree, could somebody finally make Howard work? 😂 The Best of the Worst — Nuclear Man's powers, questionable dialogue, Howard's trip through Cleveland, Superman's bizarre double date, and plenty of moments that left us completely speechless. 📉 How Low Can the Ratings Go? — We hand out some of the lowest scores in Press Play Action history. 🎥 Plus behind-the-scenes trivia, comic-book connections, box-office history, favorite ridiculous moments, and plenty of debate over one important question: Is this the WORST double feature we've ever reviewed?

  4. Sep 26

    Movie Reviews: The Iron Giant (1999) & The Wild Robot (2024)

    This week, we're bringing together two generations of animation for a surprisingly perfect pairing as we review The Iron Giant (1999) and The Wild Robot (2024). 🤖 The Iron Giant — Brad Bird's beloved animated classic follows young Hogarth Hughes and the mysterious giant robot he discovers in the woods of Maine. We break down Hogarth and the Giant's unforgettable friendship, the Cold War setting, the film's themes of choice versus programming, and why a movie that struggled at the box office eventually became one of animation's most celebrated cult classics. 🌲 The Wild Robot — A robot designed for civilization suddenly finds herself stranded in the wilderness. As Roz learns to communicate with the animals around her and becomes the unlikely mother of an orphaned gosling named Brightbill, she begins developing something she was never programmed to understand. We discuss the gorgeous animation, emotional storytelling, memorable characters, and why Roz's journey became one of the standout animated stories of its generation. 🎙️ In this episode, we discuss: 🤖 More Than Their Programming — Both robots must decide whether they are defined by their original purpose or the choices they make. ❤️ Learning to Love — The Giant's friendship with Hogarth and Roz's relationship with Brightbill give both movies their emotional core. 👦 Hogarth & Brightbill — Two young characters whose lives are forever changed by their robotic companions. 🌎 Finding Your Place — What happens when someone—or something—doesn't fit into the world around them? 💪 Violence vs. Compassion — Both films challenge their robotic heroes to overcome what others expect them to become. 🎨 25 Years of Animation — Comparing Brad Bird's hand-drawn 1999 classic with DreamWorks' visually stunning 2024 adventure. 😭 Those Emotional Endings — And whether either movie managed to get a few tears out of the Jersey Nerds. 🎥 Plus our favorite scenes, characters, performances, fun facts, trivia, and final ratings! Two robots. Two unlikely families. One powerful idea: You can become more than what you were built to be.

  5. Sep 26

    31 Nights of Horror Draft Night (2026)

    October is almost here, which means it's time for one of our favorite Jersey Nerds traditions: 👻 THE 3rd Annual 31 NIGHTS OF HORROR DRAFT! The rules are simple: the crew hits the draft board and builds our annual lineup of horror movies to watch throughout October. Some are classics. Some are modern favorites. Some we've somehow never seen before. And, as tradition demands, at least one of them is probably going to be absolutely terrible. 🎙️ In this episode, we discuss: 🎃 Which horror franchises we're continuing this year🔪 The movies we've somehow never watched👻 Classics we've been waiting years to finally cover🎬 Modern horror we're bringing into the rotation😂 Strategic draft picks, double picks, and the brand-new VETO rule💀 Which selections could become the best—or worst—movies of the entire marathon🤡 And the annual tradition of deliberately making the crew watch at least one terrible horror movie! From Michael Myers, Jason Voorhees and Freddy Krueger to found footage, psychological horror, werewolves, serial killers and even some spooky Scooby-Doo, we're covering a little bit of EVERYTHING this October. 🎃 31 NIGHTS. 31 HORROR MOVIES. ONE MONTH. The draft is complete. Now it's time to start watching.

  6. Sep 21

    Movie Reviews: Superman II (1980) & Superman III (1983)

    After revisiting the movie that made audiences believe a man could fly, we're continuing the Christopher Reeve era with Superman II (1980) and Superman III (1983)—two sequels that take the Man of Steel in VERY different directions. ⚡ Superman II — General Zod, Ursa, and Non escape the Phantom Zone and arrive on Earth looking for revenge and domination. Meanwhile, Clark Kent faces an impossible choice between his powers and a life with Lois Lane. We break down Christopher Reeve's performance, Terence Stamp's unforgettable General Zod, the battle for Metropolis, Superman giving up his powers, and the complicated production history behind one of the most celebrated superhero sequels. 💻 Superman III — Things get weird! Richard Pryor joins the franchise as computer programmer Gus Gorman in a sequel that leans much further into comedy. We discuss Robert Vaughn's Ross Webster, the supercomputer finale, synthetic Kryptonite, Lana Lang's return to Clark's life, and one of the most memorable sequences of the entire Christopher Reeve era—Superman vs. Clark Kent! One Superman faces three Kryptonian enemies. The other faces his greatest opponent—himself.

  7. Sep 21

    Movie Reviews: Selma (2014) & The Karate Kid II (1986)

    This week, we're pairing two films that might seem worlds apart but share more in common than you'd expect: Selma (2014) and The Karate Kid Part II (1986). ✊ Selma — Ava DuVernay's powerful historical drama takes us to the heart of the 1965 voting-rights campaign led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. We discuss the film's performances, its depiction of the fight for equality, and how courage and perseverance drive a movement in the face of violence and overwhelming opposition. 🥋 The Karate Kid Part II — Daniel LaRusso and Mr. Miyagi leave California behind for Okinawa, where Miyagi must confront his past and Daniel discovers that karate means much more than winning a tournament. We break down the sequel's deeper focus on Miyagi, Daniel and Kumiko's relationship, Chozen's rivalry, and how the change of setting gives the franchise a very different kind of story. Two completely different movies. Two very different battles. One shared message about having the courage to stand your ground.

  8. Sep 14

    Movie Reviews: Superman (1978) and Flash Gordon (1980)

    This week, we're traveling from Metropolis to Mongo as we revisit two blockbusters from the dawn of the modern superhero era: Superman (1978) and Flash Gordon (1980)! 🦸‍♂️ Superman — "You'll believe a man can fly." Christopher Reeve puts on the cape in Richard Donner's landmark superhero adventure, taking us from the destruction of Krypton and Clark Kent's childhood in Smallville to his arrival in Metropolis. We discuss Reeve's iconic performance, Gene Hackman's Lex Luthor, Margot Kidder's Lois Lane, John Williams' legendary score, and how Superman helped establish the blueprint for the superhero movies that followed. ⚡ Flash Gordon — FLASH! AHH-AHH! Sam J. Jones blasts off for the planet Mongo in one of the most gloriously over-the-top sci-fi adventures of the '80s. We dive into Ming the Merciless, Brian Blessed's unforgettable Prince Vultan, the outrageous costumes and production design, the campy performances, and—of course—Queen's legendary soundtrack. Two heroes. Two unforgettable soundtracks. Two completely different visions of comic-book adventure.

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Press Play Action is a movie review podcast produced by Jersey Nerds Productions and hosted by Jersey Nerd Mitchell Lea! Mitchell and his cohort of die hard movie nerds take a look at cinema in all forms, from cult classics, guilty pleasure films, whats currently on in theatres and everything in between. If you are a movie fan than this is where you need to be!

Information

  • Creator
    Jersey Nerds Productions
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    105
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Jersey Nerds Productions