Sam Mooney. Photo by Laura Amour.

Hailing from Brookhaven, Mississippi, Sam Mooney began his music career as something of a pop-fusion wunderkind, winning the Mid-South Talent Competition at age 17. The next summer he hit #10 on the iTunes U.S…

A couple of years ago, I released an episode of my podcast, Words Like That, focusing on five excellent but under-appreciated Christmas movies. While you can read article versions of those recommendations on Medium, below, readers will find…

Although I grew up on oldies and classic rock, I didn’t know many Bruce Springsteen songs until I began producing music reaction videos for YouTube a few years ago.

At that point, I dove headfirst into “The Boss’s” catalog, listening…

I saw Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning this past Thursday afternoon, the earliest showing that was available in my area. I am a huge fan of the Mission Impossible franchise and Tom Cruise. I love all of these movies. I…

Warner Bros. has released a special look at James Gunn's new Superman movie, and it is dividing fans across the web. Watch as Words Like That host Cole Powell watches the footage live and gives his no-holds-barred take.

Cole Powell…

Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning hits theaters in May. But after its predecessor's disappointing box office performance in the post-COVID streaming age, does the franchise's 8th installment stand a chance in theaters? Cole Powell weighs in.

Cole Powell is an…

Adapted from Words Like That S3 Ep. 1. Originally published January 14, 2025

Two big movies hit the box office this month: Wolf Man, yet another reboot of the classic Lon Chaney, Jr. Universal horror movie, and Flight…

This weekend I ventured from my rural seclusion to “the big city” to see A Complete Unknown, the new Bob Dylan biopic directed by James Mangold and starring Timothée Chalamet.

Having previously helmed one of the greatest musical biopics…

Adapted from Words Like That S2 Ep. 11, originally released October 31, 2024.

I am a huge fan of monster movies. And I mean all kinds of monsters. Jaws. Godzilla. Alien. But my favorites are the classic horror monsters…

Adapted from Words Like That S2 Ep. 10, originally released October 2, 2024.

I’m a bit of history buff. I'm a sucker for a good biopic. I like Dennis Quaid. It’s no wonder, then, that I headed to…

Adapted from Words Like That S2 Bonus #1, originally released August 1, 2024.

On a recent episode of the Words Like That podcast, I discussed my view of copyright claims and fair use within the YouTube ecosystem, and…

Adapted from Words Like That S2 Ep. 2, originally released in audio-only format April 29, 2024.

The Professor and the Mad Man, starring Mel Gibson and Sean Penn, is a historical drama/biopic about the 19th-century Scottish linguist who…

Adapted from Words Like That S2 Bonus #1, originally released August 1, 2024.

On the July 12, 2024, episode of Words Like That, I reviewed Kevin Costner's Horizon: An American Saga, Pt. 1. In that review, I…

Adapted from Words Like That S2 Ep. 8, originally released July 29, 2024.

(Since this news broke at the same time one of kid's arms did, it flew under my radar. A big shoutout, then, to Randomine Records patron…

Adapted from Words Like That S2 Ep. 8, originally released July 29, 2024.

The Beatles cinematic universe is happening. This news broke back in February (although I'm just now getting to it), and Sam Mendes is directing.

Sam Mendes…

Adapted from Words Like That S2 Ep. 7, originally released July 23, 2024.

With the comic book movie world going gaga for Deadpool & Wolverine this weekend, I'm counting down every previous Hugh Jackman X-Men movie. (Note: This will…

Adapted from Words Like That S2 Ep. 6, originally released July 16, 2024.

I must begin with the disclaimer that I am not a lawyer and nothing I say should be taken as legal advice of any kind. Today…

Adapted from Words Like That S2 Ep. 5, originally released July 12, 2024.

Horizon: An American Saga, Pt. 1. is the 3-hr.-long first installment in actor/writer/director Kevin Costner’s ambitious cinematic experiment: a western tetraloogy examining American expansion in…

Adapted from Words Like That S2 Ep. 4, originally released July 8, 2024.

I am a huge Planet of the Apes fan. When I was a kid, I was obsessed with the original 1968 Charlton Heston version. I liked…

Adapted from Words Like That S2 Ep. 3: “Queen Sells Out…Literally," originally released July 2, 2024.

As originally reported in Variety, Queen, one of the greatest rock bands of all time, has reportedly sold their catalog to Sony for…

Adapted from Words Like That S1 Ep. 5: “Christmas Movie Special + End of Year Story Updates," originally released December 19, 2023.

Last summer, a report circulated that Gargoyles, Disney’s cult sci-fi/fantasy series from the ‘90s (and also my…

Adapted from Words Like That S1 Ep. 5: “Christmas Movie Special + End of Year Story Updates," originally released December 19, 2023.

I reviewed a few big summer movies earlier this year on the Words Like That podcast, and now…

Adapted from Words Like That S1 Ep. 5: “Christmas Movie Special + End of Year Story Updates," originally released December 19, 2023.

Well, it finally happened. “Now and Then,” the last, final (probably, maybe) ever Beatles song, has been released. 

…

Adapted from Words Like That S1 Ep. 5: “Christmas Movie Special + End of Year Story Updates," originally released December 19, 2023.

The final film on this Christmas recommendation list went largely unnoticed when it was released in 2021. An…

Adapted from Words Like That S1 Ep. 5: “Christmas Movie Special + End of Year Story Updates," originally released December 19, 2023.

I’ve already featured a version of A Christmas Carol in this list, and, in a way, this one…