To celebrate the Australian premiere at the Melbourne International Film Festival of NEVER GET BUSTED!, the utterly compelling documentary about narco-officer turned activist Barry Cooper, I talked with co-director David Anthony Ngo about this true American original, who subjects either "love, hate or have never met."

Synopsis:

Written and directed by Australia’s David Anthony Ngo, director Stephen McCallum and produced by Erin Williams-Weir and Daniel Joyce, Never Get Busted! is the utterly compelling story of Barry Cooper, a highly decorated Texas narcotics officer - until he turned on the police force, busting crooked cops and teaching drug users how to hide their stash. Never Get Busted! is a high-octane, no-holds-barred documentary into the world of drugs, seen through the life of a man who has experienced all sides of the Drug War. Taking more than six years to make, and with filming across nine States of America, Mexico, the Philippines and Australia, the story takes the audience into covertly filmed police corruption, scenes of religious fervour, Hollywood pitch meetings, and the ultimate downfall of one of America's most brazen activists. In personal home videos, clandestine recordings, Barry’s own police dash cam footage, prime-time news, and present-day interviews, we see his story unravel in a form of macabre and exhilarating entertainment.

NEVER GET BUSTED! will be screening at the Melbourne International Film Festival on August 8 and 10, 2025.

Facebook: Never Get Busted

Instagram: Never Get Busted! (@nevergetbustedfilm)

Hang onto your slipcases, because Blake Howard and award-winning culture reporter and critic Candice Frederick ruminate on THE WIZ and how Sidney Lumet, Joel Schumacher, Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Richard Pryor and Quincy Jones make it more than significant.

L. Frank Baum’s timeless story The Wonderful Wizard of Oz gets a funky reimagining in this lavish adaptation of a landmark Broadway show based on the book. Diana Ross brings her showstopping star power to the role of Dorothy, here a Harlem schoolteacher who is magically transported to a surreal fantasyland that resembles New York City, complete with man-eating trash cans and a disco paradise. Propelled by the musical contributions of Quincy Jones and an all-star cast that includes Michael Jackson, Richard Pryor, and Lena Horne, this dazzling soul spectacular from legendary director Sidney Lumet reframes a beloved tale through the Black American experience, creating a powerful celebration of self-determination.

Special Features

• New 4K digital restoration, approved by producer Rob Cohen, with Dolby Atmos soundtrack
• In the 4K UHD edition: One 4K UHD disc of the film presented in Dolby Vision HDR and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
• New audio commentary featuring scholars Michael B. Gillespie and Alfred L. Martin
• Archival interviews with director Sidney Lumet and actor Diana Ross
• Trailer
• English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• PLUS: An essay by critic Aisha Harris

Candice Frederick

Award-winning culture reporter and critic with extensive experience in original reporting, interviewing, digital media, and editorial strategy. Well-sourced and adept at writing nuanced and contextualised pop culture criticism, in-depth features, and engaging celebrity profiles. Inquisitive reporter with a keen eye for cultural trends, industry shifts, social media discourse, examining controversial figures and topics, and challenging conversations through thought-provoking articles.

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FOR THE LATEST EPISODE OF THIS 90S CELEBRATION PODCAST, WE (HOSTS CHRIS CANDY, ROB BELUSHI, AND BLAKE HOWARD) GO TO THE BOOKEND OF THE DECADE, AMERICAN PSYCHO.

Thank you so much for the ongoing support!

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One Heat Minute Productions

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To celebrate the release of SHE RIDES SHOTGUN, a new crime thriller, I talked with the author and co-screenwriter Jordan Harper about the joy of watching his work remixed by director Nick Rowland, co-screenwriters Ben Collins & Luke Piotrowski and stars Taron Egerton and Ana Sophia Heger.

Synopsis:

In the gritty, explosive action-thriller She Rides Shotgun, Taron Egerton stars as newly released ex-con Nate. Marked for death by unrelenting enemies, Nate must now protect his estranged 11-year-old daughter, Polly (Ana Sophia Heger) at all costs. Shy, precocious, and wary of her father, Polly is swept up in Nate’s dangerous plight as they flee to evade the corrupt sheriff and brutal leader of a gang who will stop at nothing to protect his criminal interests. With scant resources and no one to trust, Nate and Polly form a bond forged under fire as he shows her how to fight and survive — and she teaches him what unconditional love truly means in this intense, moving story about loyalty, strength, and redemption.

SHE RIDES SHOTGUN will be released in American cinemas on August 1, 2025.

The co-host of two of our favorite movie pods, “Die Hard on a Blank” and “48 Hours of Buddy Movies,” joins us to discuss Miloš Forman’s final Czech picture, the sharp-as-a-shiv social satire “The Firemen’s Ball.”

Hang onto your slipcases because Blake Howard (One Heat Minute Productions) teams up with the legendary Travis Woods to unbox, unpack and unveil the upcoming IMPRINT FILMS physical media release of IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT (for which he authored a new essay).

In this episode, we discuss:

• In The Heat Of The Night (1967) – 4K UHD + Blu-ray Limited Edition Hardbox – Imprint Collection #428

Travis Woods (Host of INCREMENT VICE)

Travis Woods is a Contributing Editor at Bright Wall/Dark Room, as well as a writer for The New Beverly Cinema and Cinephilia & Beyond.

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JOIN THE ONE HEAT MINUTE PATREON FOR AS LITTLE AS $1 A MONTH

Follow the hosts:

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Alexei Toliopoulos - Twitter & The Last Video Store

For our first-ever two-guest double-feature show, we’re joined by film historians and “These Fists Break Bricks” authors Grady Hendrix and Chris Poggiali to discuss the two movies that broke kung fu big with American audiences.

Hang onto your slipcases because Blake Howard (One Heat Minute Productions) teams up with the legendary Bilge Ebiri to unbox, unpack and unveil the upcoming IMPRINT FILMS physical media release of RAGING BULL (for which he authored a new essay - "No Man Can Endure This").

In this episode, we discuss:

• Raging Bull (1980) – 4K UHD + Blu-ray – Imprint Collection #419

Support: 

JOIN THE ONE HEAT MINUTE PATREON FOR AS LITTLE AS $1 A MONTH

Follow the hosts:

Blake Howard - Twitter & One Heat Minute Website

Alexei Toliopoulos - Twitter & The Last Video Store