Gobbledygeek

After our adventures with clown dolls, Reagan-era values, and disgusting eating habits with Poltergeist, Gobbledyween continues on with ghosts of a different sort in Peter Jackson's The Frighteners. Paul and AJ are joined by frequent guest/utter masochist Eric Sipple to discuss the underrated 1996 horror-comedy, yet another cult classic which Universal botched, moving it from a perfect Halloween release to date to a summer during which it had to contend with Independence Day. The boys are happy to discover that it holds up, that its elaborate special effects are still impressive, and that it's actually pretty damn disturbing. How well Jackson balances the darker stuff with some very broad laughs is another matter, and here's another: does that opening scene need to exist? We have the answer. Plus, Paul almost died! For real! Not an imaginary story! Next: rev your chainsaws and put on your prettiest skin-mask, boys and girls, because Gobbledyween is taking a look back at the original Texas Chain Saw Massacre.

It's late. Your dad's asleep in his chair. The national anthem plays. Static blares from your TV set. You place your hands on the screen, lean in close, and are confronted with the most nightmarish vision possible...the new episode of Gobbledygeek! Scary, I know. Paul and AJ kick off the month of horror that is known as Gobbledyween with a look back at Tobe Hooper's 1982 classic Poltergeist, joined by long-time friend of the show Valerie Clark in her first (1st!) appearance. Does the movie hold up? Did Hooper really direct it, or was it all writer/executive producer Steven Spielberg? Is the film really one long treatise on Reagan-era values versus traditionalism? Are the characters' food habits the most disturbing thing about the movie? All these questions and more will be answered! Plus, the gang talks Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Next: Gobbledyween continues to terrify, as the putrid Eric Sipple returns to chat Peter Jackson's The Frighteners.

Paul and AJ are joined this week by return guest Anna Williams, who has brought along her...cohort? partner-in-crime? mistress?...Kitty Chandler. Kitty writes the words; Anna edits those words. They discuss their forthcoming collaboration, the "braided anthology" Black Ice, along with wacky tales of purple diaries and sad cosplaying. Then there's Murderboarding, which is the two of them analyzing TV to an insane--and insanely detailed--degree. Next: Gobbledyween 2013 kicks off with the Tobe Hooper (but c'mon, we all know it was Spielberg) classic Poltergeist.

Comics! They're good for you! But wait, no! They're also bad! This is an accurate description of the emotional roller-coaster Paul and AJ strap themselves into this week. First up, there's X-Men: Battle of the Atom, an event the boys are surprised to enjoy chiefly because it's one of the Big Two's dreaded "events"; then there's The Superior Spider-Man, about which there is much rage and sadness and talk of poop. There's a lot of poop talk. Plus, Jurassic Park and Harry Potter are both going back to the well, and the boys pimp themselves and friends. They're just a coupla classy guys. Next: yet more Gobbledy-wonderment.

It’s an even-numbered episode, which theoretically puts Paul in the drivers seat for this week, but he completely phones it in, so AJ Wiley takes the reins and redeems himself, more or less, for many of his prior podcast failures. He welcomes foul-mouthed fiddle player Anna Williams to the show to school the boys on how to talk about music. Also pet gender, cast announcements for Fifty Shades of Grey, and Gobbledygeek being so bad it’s driven Hayao Miyazaki into retirement. Meanwhile, Paul’s only contribution is the pitch for League of Extraordinarily Awkward Auteur Directors. Next: the boys continue to fail at this job.

Esteemed writer of words Mere Smith and goddess of pain Eric Sipple have returned to Gobbledygeek! They discuss pitching their wares at the forthcoming Word on the Street Festival in Toronto, the crazy logistics that go into planning an event of that magnitude, the books they'll be hawking there, and the level of collaboration made possible by the Internet. Plus, Paul and AJ have a sane and measured response to the casting of Ben Affleck as Batman, and AJ lavishes praise upon The World's End. Next: who knows!

The people have spoken! Fan-favorite bastard Jason Tabrys, winner of the Gobbler’s Choice Award for Most Chaotic Fun guest, returns to the show at last. This time he and the boys talk about Batman’s hard-earned sexual gratification, scholarly tweets, reading ebooks in front of the real books, and Paul tries to defend his love of dance. Also, midget Gary Oldman. No words I can put here could ever possibly prepare you for the glorious chaos of this episode. Wade in and enjoy. Next: Mere Smith returns! (Oh, and Sipple too.) As they prepare for the upcoming Toronto Word On The Street festival, the dynamic duo join us to talk about artistic collaboration.

Did you know that Paul and AJ sometimes disagree on things? It's true! They've kind of sort of made a career out of it, albeit one where no one pays them anything. The only reward they earn is the mutual corrosion of their souls. Continuing in that time-tested tradition, AJ invited Paul to revisit Gremlins 2: The New Batch, a film AJ contests is one of the most underrated sequels ever. It's also one Paul hated when he saw it in theaters 23 years ago. Has his opinion changed? Next: more corrosion of the soul, perhaps featuring guests.

Paul and AJ have newfound allies in writer Magdalena Burnham and director Andrew Ruiz, who join them to discuss their television pilot project Allies. They've taken to Kickstarter to fund a pilot about the queer teen experience, following members of the gay/straight alliance at a Montana high school. That's right: independent TV, it's a thing! Magdalena and Andrew discuss the dearth of LGBTQ characters on TV, their influences, and their goals (Kickstarter and otherwise). Plus, the boys are excited about the return of Saga and AJ is disturbed by Berberian Sound Studio. Next: they warned you, remember the rules, you didn't listen. But now you'll have to listen to AJ and Paul revisit Gremlins 2: The New Batch.

SNIKT! Logan, the samurai with adamantium claws, returns for his first solo adventure in four years, since the unfortunate X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Good news is, The Wolverine is a better film. How much better? On that, the boys don't necessarily see eye-to-eye, but they sing the praises of Hugh Jackman and his rippling physique, the surprisingly diverse cast, and the audacity to make an X-movie without a bajillion unnecessary cameos. Plus, Paul and AJ pimp good friends Eric Sipple and Mere Smith's next venture. Next: for the first time in a long time, we've got a non-Eric or -Greg guest in the form of Magdalena Burnham. Joined by her director, the two will discuss their forthcoming pilot Allies.

Eric whined and whined and whined at us for MONTHS. Also, he really wanted us to watch Detention. So we've invited Sir Eric of Sippleonia, the goddess of pain himself, to discuss Joseph Kahn's 2011 absurdist horror comedy with us. The film is different, let's just say that. Paul and AJ aren't entirely sure the film's ADD stylings work, but Eric talks about it with such passion that it's hard not to be convinced. Plus, we mourn the cancellation of Bunheads and talk about the coolest things to come out of San Diego Comic-Con. Next: He's the best at what he does...and what he does ain't pretty. We discuss The Wolverine.

Rising from the sea to do battle with Paul and AJ, the monstrous Greg Sahadachny realizes he can never win and instead decides to discuss Guillermo del Toro's new film Pacific Rim. The trio talk about the ins and outs of del Toro's robots vs. monsters epic, particularly its lack of humanity, emphasis on big action, and exactly how successful that combination is. Plus, How to Train Your Dragon 2 is on its way and Paul somehow liked Spring Breakers. Next: Sir Eric of Sippleonia returns to chat about the 2011 film Detention, which has been bugging the boys to watch FOREVER.

This week, Paul and AJ discover that silence is perfectest herald of joy; if they were but little happy, they could say how much. You're kidding yourself, though, if you thought that meant they would shut up. Nope, there's plenty of talk about Joss Whedon's delightful Shakespeare adaptation Much Ado About Nothing, as the boys gush about the cast (Amy Acker and Alexis Denisof together again!), delight in the embellishments and grace notes Whedon has added to the text, and discuss how successfully the film blends Old English with 21st century trappings. Much ado, indeed. Next: we're making up for not taking the Fourth of July off by taking next week off, but when we return, we shall be discussing Guillermo del Toro's Pacific Rim.

"I met Bat-Turkey/He said, 'What up, Tofurkey?'" Pretend that never happened. Anyways, what are the boys talking about this week? EVERYTHING, THAT'S WHAT! More concisely: they're at each other's throats over the new Kanye album, they both laughed their asses off at This Is the End, Paul shares his thoughts on Before Midnight and World War Z, and AJ's wedding quest as Man of Honor finally comes to a close. It's all very exciting and rambly, par for the course for these excitable ramblers. There is no rapping. Next week: Much Ado About Nothing talk, if the world is a kind and just place.

A rocket hurtles from the doomed planet Krypton, crashing to Earth and delivering the child that would one day save us all. But first, he has to break stuff. Lots of stuff. And our fearless co-hosts, and returning champion guest Eric Sipple, talk smack about him behind his back as they review the explosive Zack Snyder film Man of Steel. Also, kind words are exchanged about the new series Orphan Black, and Neil Gaiman has written another book. Is it good? If you don’t know the answer to that, you’ve probably been living in the Phantom Zone. Next: another “we don’t have a plan so we’re just going to improvise and mug for the mics” episode. Good times.

Paper, dice, and all things nice, that's what makes a dungeon master. Paul and Super Special Guest of Honor Extraordinaire Eric Sipple discuss their histories with role-playing games, how they've used it as a venue for storytelling, and of gaming's unfortunate tendency toward gender bias. Plus, AJ attends a bachelorette party and the boys weigh in on the Game of Thrones finale. Next: up, up, and away with Man of Steel, once again joined by Maester Sipple.

Bad things happen. Sometimes bad things happen to people we love. Sometimes bad things happen on TV shows we love. Sometimes bad things happen to people we love on TV shows we love, and then there's just all sorts of bad stuff happening. Paul and AJ delve into the range of reactions to Game of Thrones 3.9, "The Rains of Castamere," and what sorts of conversations just don't work on Twitter. Plus, AJ gives his take on Arrested Development season 4 and Paul raves about Now You See Me. Next: The man, the myth...THE SIPPLE!

Rumor round the campfire is, AJ's a snob. At least that's what Paul and guest Gregory Sahadachny would have you believe. Before they get around to calling him on it, there's talk of the Office finale, the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. trailer, and how best to get into comics, among other things. And then, yeah, there's talk of snobbery. Does AJ punch them out? Tune in and discover for yourself! Next: live from the 2013 Alabama Phoenix Fest! Hopefully!

For the third annual "Paul and AJ Make Each Other Watch Awful Movies" event (man, we need a better title), the boys forced each other to fork over cash for Michael Bay's latest, Pain & Gain. While the film is blessedly better than, say, Transformers, it's still pretty terrible...the only question is how terrible. A surprising amount of mileage is gotten out of that question. Plus, AJ raves about The Place Beyond the Pines and Paul almost died on a backroad somewhere. Next: freestyle madness, perhaps with an old friend!

Marvel once again marks the arrival of the summer movie season with the appearance of Tony Stark, this time fighting a reliance on his armor as well as a radical terrorist threat known as the Mandarin. The boys are, unfortunately, fighting each other a little on this one as well: Paul is firmly in the pro-Iron Man 3 camp, while AJ remains mixed. Is Iron Man 3 a Shane Black movie instead of a superhero movie? What position does this installment's ballsier choices leave the character in? Is there a reason Ben Kingsley's Mandarin voice is so fucking awful? The answers to these questions and more will be found by enduring this thing we call an episode. Next: the moment has arrived. Paul and AJ will once again torment themselves with a potentially (nay, probably) awful movie...Michael Bay's Pain & Gain.