Gobbledygeek

Paul and AJ have already told you what movies you're going to watch this fall, but what about those nights when you feel like staying in and staring slack-jawed at your television screen? Well, ladies and germs,we've got you covered! The boys discuss a number of new shows--sci-fi dramas like Terra Nova and comedies like New Girl, starring the glorious angel that is Zooey Deschanel--and returning ones--from Community to Boardwalk Empire. Now you have no excuse not to be as anti-social as humanly possible. You can thank us later! Plus: Paul reviews more DC New 52 books; AJ tells you why you need Spotify in your life; we've got the second half of last week's Formspring question; and a listener e-mail.

Hello Gobblers! In honor of this Labor Day holiday, the boys did absolutely no work to get this podcast ready. No news. No predetermined topic. Just two geeks chatting and ranting, freestyle…like nerdy, talentless Flava Flavs. Thrill as the boys complain about George Lucas! Marvel as they complain about the debut of the DC New 52! (See what I did there?) Roll your eyes as they conflate adorable actress Karen Gillan and adorable (?) writer Kieron Gillen! They saw some movies and say some things about ‘em; they pimp some local record stores; they sing the praises of Direct Comic Book Service (http://www.dcbservice.com/) and InStockTrades (http://www.instocktrades.com/)…PLEASE SPONSOR US! 

Gather 'round, boys and girls! The leaves will soon be falling from the trees; snow can't be too far off after that. After long, strenuous days of leaf-blowing and snow-shoveling, what better way to take respite than by going to a movie? Well, luckily for you, Paul and AJ have got your fall/winter itinerary covered: they discuss 65 (!) movies coming out from September through January, from blockbusters like The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo to arthouse flicks like The Artist, from sure-to-be-awful movies like The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 to sure-to-be-awesome movies like Carnage. As August comes to a close, pour yourself a mug of hot cocoa, wrap yourself in a parka, and fantasize about all the moviegoing you'll be doing the next few months. Next: Maaaaybe TV previews?

Have you ever been inexplicably, powerfully moved by a scene in a film? Has there ever been a moment in your favorite television series that captivated you beyond all explanation? Have you found yourself so strongly identifying with a paragraph, page or chapter in a book that you feel as though you’ve been forever transformed? Paul and AJ have, more times than they can count. Hear just some of the scenes from pop culture that have spoken to them over the years. Also, AJ sees The Smurfs and lives to smurf the smurf (but just barely.) And our Formspring page is being ridden like a two dollar whore lately, giving us more questions than the boys could possibly answer… but they give the ol’ college try anyway.   Next: 2011 Fall/Winter Movie Preview

Everything old is new again. Hollywood insists that there are no new stories to tell. This week, Paul and AJ wander through the desert of pop culture and discuss the ups and downs (mostly downs) of prequels and reboots, looking for the rare oases of creativity. Also, Paul spends way too long saying not nearly enough about the latest reboot, Rise of the Planet of the Apes. And the boys wrap it all up with a slew of Formspring questions.   Next: Your guess is as good as ours. 

For the latest Geek Challenge, the boys challenged each other to watch two very different Westerns: Clint Eastwood's classic 1976 outing The Outlaw Josey Wales for AJ, and the Coen Brothers' 2007 award-winner No County for Old Men for Paul. One is an epic tale of revenge, filled with Indians and shoot-outs and starring the Spirit of the West himself. The other is a bleak modern Western featuring a frightening force of nature ripping through anyone in his way. How does the Challenge turn out? How often does Josey Wales spit? How dorky is Anton Chigurh's hair? These questions, and probably not others, will be answered in this week's gobble-rific Geek Challenge! Plus: news, the boys' joint review of Captain America: The First Avenger, and too many Formspring questions! Next: Something to do with Apes?

San Diego had its annual expo/trade show/clusterfuck from July 20-24, Comic-Con International, and while the Gobblers weren't actually on hand, they discuss some of the biggest comics, movies, and TV news to emerge from its seething bowels. Oh, and some nifty cosplaying. (Also some pathetic cosplaying. But we're trying to be positive here.) Plus: news and Formspring questions!     Next: "No Country for the Outlaw Josey Wales."

Captain America has arrived to some very positive buzz, but not all superhero adaptations fare so well. Paul and AJ are here with their official list of the 5 Worst Superhero Adaptations...but to console your inevitable sense of despair, they've also got the 5 Best Superhero Adaptations. Tights, capes, laser beams, and nipples are all on display. Merely a day's work for our intrepid Gobblers.   Next: Comic-Con 2011!   ‘Nuff Said.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen: the C-Word! We're talking about canon, of course. (And its dirty little sister, continuity.) These two words, and fan reaction to them, have defined a lot of fandom. How do you react to the supposed reality of a fictional story? Is it fluid? Who has the right to decide where canon begins and ends? These questions and more are blathered on about by Paul and AJ this week. Plus: news, AJ's review of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, and Formspring questions.

I am the sword in the darkness. I am the watcher on the walls. I am the fire that burns against the cold, the light that brings the dawn...the geek who watches Game of Thrones and has come here to rant and rave about it for your listening pleasure. Paul and AJ delve into the realm of Game of Thrones, including its many (oh god so many) characters, many of whom are wonderfully despicable; its shocking moments; its adorably incestuous sibling-on-sibling action. All that, plus: news, Paul's thoughts on Zookeeper and The Tree of Life, and Formspring questions.   Next: the boys discuss fandom's two big C-words--canon and continuity.

Nostalgia...it's that bittersweet pang, that intangible sense memory, when you encounter something that makes you want to go home again. It's also informed many major geek properties these past few decades, and is a buzzword of late thanks to J.J. Abrams' Super 8. AJ and Paul discuss things that make them nostalgic, the films Super 8 lovingly pays homage to, and of course, the movie itself. Plus: news, the boys' review of The Killing season 1, and a spectacularly dumb Formspring question.Next: we're off for the Fourth of July holiday, but we'll return July 9 with all-new geeking.

You may have heard that DC's relaunching/rebooting/re-whatevering their entire line. We certainly have, and rejoined by Nathan, we're here to discuss all 52 titles, from the Batmen to the WildC.A.T.S. to the...questionable decisions made by just about everyone involved. But hey! It's not us to be cynical, right? Right? Is this thing on? Plus: news and Formspring questions!

This week, Nathan joins Paul and AJ to discuss some of the biggest and best things to come out of this year's E3. Chiefly, there's Nintendo's new console, Wii U--its fancypants controller, its surprisingly decent technical specs, its silly name. We also puzzle out why exactly motion control features, a la Microsoft's Kinect, don't herald the future of gaming just yet, and talk about some of our most anticipated games, such as Luigi's Mansion 2 and Sonic Generations. Plus: news, our group review of X-Men: First Class, and Formspring questions.Next: Nathan rejoins us to discuss the DC Comics relaunch in all of its ridiculousness. (Another friend may join in as well!)

Geek Challenge time! Paul has astonishingly never seen the KILL BILL films, so AJ challenges him to watch them; and in turn, Paul challenges AJ to watch the BILL & TED films. Because of course. Will Paul thrill to the killing of Bill? Will AJ have a most excellent time? Is that real Hattori Hanzo steel? These questions and more will be answered in this week's exciting installment of Gobbledygeek! Plus: news, Paul's thoughts on L.A. NOIRE, AJ shares his Disney Dream cruise experience, and Formspring questions. Next: the boys, with an assist from Nathan, talk about the coolest games and tech to come out of E3 2011.

The lost episode of Gobbledygeek, "True Swan/Black Grit," was recorded way back on January 8. Initially conceived as a test episode for the show's new format, we then thought, "Hey. Because we're lazy bastards, this might also make a really convenient filler episode." And now, ladies and gentleturkeys, the time has come: half of the Gobbledyteam is away (on business, we're told), so we're unearthing this oft-mentioned chestnut in which Paul and AJ review the then-current films True Grit (harmony!) and Black Swan (dischord!). And we thought last week's episode was about time travel! Plus: outdated news, AJ reviewing The Fighter and Never Let Me Go, Paul reviewing Justified and possibly more!

Let's say you go back in time and kill your grandfather. This means you were never born. And more importantly, it means that you're not here, about to listen to Gobbledygeek either, something I believe we can all agree would be a grave tragedy. Paul and AJ discuss just such a time travel paradox, as well as methods of time travel and its reflections in pop culture, in this week's episode. We've got the flux capacitor fired up; hop in. Plus: news, AJ's review of Hereafter, and Formspring questions!  

Thor kicks off the summer movie season this weekend, so Paul and AJ get hammered--by, uh, by the movie, of course. Yeah. They discuss the look of Asgard, whether or not the mythology stuff is super goofy, Chris Hemsworth's terrific performance, and what Thor means for Captain America and The Avengers. Plus: news and Formspring questions.

The summer movie season is right around the corner, and Paul and AJ dive into a plethora of releases from the tentpoles to the (many, apparently) interesting limited releases. Superheroes? Check. Chick flicks? Check. Painfully quirky indie movies? Check. And most importantly, Justin Timberlake? Check, check, and here's a little more check. Plus: news, Paul and AJ's take on Steve Carell's final episode of The Office, and some Gobbler correspondence. Pop some corn and enjoy.

Is your knowledge of World of Warcraft limited to South Park? Boy, have we got a show for you! Like they did last year with Twilight, Paul and AJ turn to a special guest to explain a geek phenomenon they have little to no experience with. Enter Mark, our WoW expert; he'll tell you everything you could ever want to know about the game. Beyond the nerdish specs, he talks about why he's drawn to the game, what it means to him, and what kind of gamer would enjoy it. And yes, he does talk about the South Park episode. Plus: news, Formspring questions, upcoming DVD releases, and reviews (See My Friends by Ray Davies, Hobo with a Shotgun, Hanna, The Green Hornet, Source Code, and Standard Action). Please check out our REAL, official blog -- gobbledygeekbtr.wordpress.com

March was National Women's History Month, so of course Gobbledygeek starts April off with a show about...strong women in fiction! Scheduling is our strong suit. Paul and AJ discuss the notion of feminism--spoiler: they are 100% pro-woman, but vague on what the tenets of feminism actually are--and discuss such strong fictional women as Wonder Woman, Ellen Ripley, Dana Scully, and duh, Buffy Summers. Then there's the discussion of Sucker Punch, and yeah...opinions, they differ. Plus: news and upcoming DVD releases. Please check us out at our REAL blog: gobbledygeekbtr.wordpress.com