Colin's Last Stand: Knockback

In 2022, we -- the Brothers Moriarty -- sat down to discuss Xbox's seminal 2001 launch offering, Halo: Combat Evolved. We loved it, and we promised that we'd get to Halo 2 one day. Well, today is that day. Released late in 2004, at the back-end of Xbox's truncated lifecycle, Halo 2 is widely-considered one of the Xbox brand's highest-quality and most important games in its two decade-plus history. And candidly, we can see why. With expert gunplay, a fun sci-fi story, and a brisk runtime reminiscent of its generation (and which we frankly long for today), Halo 2 has us not only gushing about a title one-in-three OG Xbox owners purchased -- which is an insane attach rate -- but has us longing to play Halo 3, too, which we will certainly be getting to in short order here on KnockBack. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As we continue our cruise through the Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters here on KnockBack, we come to the enigma that is Final Fantasy III. Like Final Fantasy II, III never got a western release at the time it came to Famicom in 1990. But unlike II, which finally saw the light of day in the west late in the PSone era, we had to wait until 2006 to play Final Fantasy III in western markets, and we did so via a 3D remake on Nintendo DS with a sterile and boring aesthetic overshadowing an otherwise solid job-based title. Finally, though, we can experience it as intended, with chibi sprites and chiptunes, and we're glad we did. A prelude to beloved Final Fantasy IV -- not in story, but in substance -- Final Fantasy III is a worthy old-school JRPG, one we're pleased to present thoughts on today. What's even more exciting, though, is that we can now be unleashed on the truly amazing series entries to come... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There couldn't be a more appropriate film for us to cover here on KnockBack than Steven Spielberg's 1977 sci-fi classic Close Encounters of the Third Kind, at least through a contemporary lens. After all, the United States government is seemingly on the cusp of spilling the beans about potentially decades-old cover-ups of encounters with alien technologies, and, well, Close Encounters deals with this very topic. Starring a young Richard Dreyfuss and scored by a still-seasoning John Williams, Close Encounters of the Third Kind is an often chaotic (but always stylish) look at just how, when, and what we could potentially be visited by from beyond our atmosphere, and all of the fright and hope alike that comes along with such a visit. Of course -- this being KnockBack -- our conversation devolves into a wider chat about aliens, spacecraft, encounters, and what we may be on the verge of learning. We simply couldn't help ourselves. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The great American author Cormac McCarthy recently passed away at the age of 89. In his decades as a writer, he penned a dozen novels, and we've actually covered a couple of them on this show in the past: The Road (Episode #78) and No Country For Old Men (Episode #233). In ode of such an inspirational and talented creator, we thought we'd thumb through what many consider his finest work, Blood Meridian. Written in 1985 -- before McCarthy was a truly known literary quantity, but nonetheless well into his career -- Blood Meridian tells the story of The Kid, a runaway-turned-criminal inescapably caught-up in the events of the American southwest in the years leading into the Civil War. Brutal, violent, vivid, and honest, Blood Meridian is a tough read on multiple levels, and there's an incredible density of threads to pull when talking about it. Thus, we did the best we could to show thanks to Cormac McCarthy the KnockBack way, following whichever trails the conversation brings us down. Learn more about your ad c

Sports flicks are beloved the world over for their relatable characters, uplifting stories, and remarkable endings. Disney's 1992 live-action hockey movie The Mighty Ducks is certainly no exception, though -- more than 30 years later -- there are a few bits that may not have gotten through the goalie (pardon the pun). The reality is this: The Mighty Ducks is arguably the greatest hockey movie ever, and one of the greatest children's sports films of all-time. It's also a movie that happens to be very near-and-dear to one Colin Moriarty's heart, what with his love of hockey and all. He was a third grader just beginning his youth hockey career when The Mighty Ducks hit theaters, and needless to say, it was formative. Quack. Quack. Quack! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Our meandering through the Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters continues with Final Fantasy II, widely considered the 'black sheep' of the traditional series. But a lot of that hinges on perception, or lack thereof. See, Final Fantasy II took forever to come to the west -- it came to Famicom in 1988 but never migrated outside of Japan until it launched on PSone in 2003 -- so the reality is, a lot of people don't have any experience with it at all. And those that do have played it in sometimes less-than-ideal circumstances, though there are some good ports and reworkings on GBA (2004) and PSP (2007) to note. This episode of KnockBack, not surprisingly, is dedicated to the beleaguered II, the odd-man-out of classic Final Fantasy. With a differentiated experience system, an easily-broken economy, and actual characters and story, it's certainly a tale of ups and downs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Few gaming franchises have had the staying power of Square's (and later Square Enix's) Final Fantasy. Launched in the waning weeks of 1987 in Japan, it took some two and a half years for the original title to migrate to western NES consoles, and while it sold fairly well, it still represented only a small spark that would set off a slow burn. Ultimately, that burn would turn into a raging fire -- Final Fantasies IV, VI, and VII are widely considered some of the strongest games ever made, and we are in the midst of a revitalization of the franchise series -- but humble beginnings are what this episode of KnockBack is all about. The quaint and humble JRPG that emerged from Square in the late-'80s set the stage for all that would come, and we're thrilled to dive deep into everything that makes the original Final Fantasy so interesting and so vital so many years later. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the summer of 2005, a comedy hit theaters that surprised audiences: The 40 Year Old Virgin. The feature directorial debut of Judd Apatow -- previously best-known as a director, producer, and writer on TV projects like Freaks and Geeks and The Critic -- the film's title doesn't exactly belie its silly nature. But that's what's so fun and endearing about it. It's far from being the perfect comedy -- it has its notable weaknesses -- but it commands your attention with snappy writing, goofy characters, and a lot of heart. Is life all about butthole pleasures? One man says no, but we'll leave that up to you to determine... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's time for us to talk about a bona fide classic! Super Mario Bros. 3 -- launched in 1988 on Japanese Famicoms and in 1990 on the NES -- is widely considered one of the greatest games of all-time. And it's true: SMB3 is a masterclass in gameplay, design, and intent. But above all else, it's fun. Really, really fun, just as fun today as it was decades ago. We're excited to gush about one of our favorite games of our youth, one rife with memories and stories to tell. Indeed, we'd argue that Super Mario Bros. 3 is so close to perfect that it's hard to present one meaningful criticism of it (outside of its lack of saving, perhaps). So grab your Tanooki Suit and report for duty in the grasslands! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you wanted to ask your friend to play in 1990, you had to call his house phone and hope for the best. Was anyone there? Who would answer? Would your friend be available? Maybe you'll leave a message... It was a weird tradition we repeated ad nauseam, one of many peculiar and lost customs we were subjected to in our analog childhoods. And it's those traditions that are the subject of this episode of KnockBack. Wild rumors and speculation on the playground? The internet solves that for today's youth, but in our day, we believed it all. Wanted to know if you had a snow day? You had to start watching the local news the night before and into the next morning, hoping to see your school district appear in the scrolling marquee. New year teacher assignments and quarterly grades? Sent through the old-fashioned mail, easy to intercept or lose. Waiting was a rite of passage for all schoolkids. Now, youngins can know anything at any time, about everything in the world. The mystery is gone, yes, but we hope this show r

Let it go?! No. Embrace it! Frozen turns 10 this year, and in ode, Dagan thought it'd be a good idea to give the film the KnockBack treatment. And so we did just that. The tale of sisters Elsa and Anna is surprisingly emotional, and the film itself is chock-full of a small-but-solid cast of surrounding characters. Over the last decade, Frozen has turned into a phenomenon, and -- for little girls, especially -- it remains an iconographic piece of fiction. The ultimate question we want to get to here on KnockBack is: Does it deserve all of the accolades? You'd have to be icy to think not. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's time for we, The Brothers Moriarty, to continue our slow trek through the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Thus, we've come to the third film in the seemingly never-ending run of new Marvel movies: Iron Man 2. Released in 2010, Iron Man 2 was actually in-production when Disney acquired Marvel, and while it's not the literal start of the MCU, you could call it the figurative beginning, one with a master plan, a host of characters, and a legion of spin-offs both planned and intended. This leaves Iron Man 2, at least from our perspective, as transparently interstitial. That said, it's still a fun watch full of interesting characters, and we're thrilled to discuss it here on KnockBack Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

KnockBack is technically about anything, and we've naturally focused a great deal of our energy on video games. But there are other technologies vital to our childhoods that have nothing to do with our beloved consoles or handhelds. This episode of KnockBack is dedicated to that tech. What TVs did we grow up with? VCRs? What were our first stereo setups, and when did we finally get a Walkman? Did we have a home theater? When did computers enter the picture, and how did we interact with them? Today, we're surrounded by technology galore, but the Brothers Moriarty came up through decades where all of these various pieces were slowly being added, piece by piece. So let's put the puzzle together with some good, old-fashioned storytelling. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

PlayStation 3's Uncharted trilogy is inarguably a vital stepping stone in the history of Sony. These three titles helped breathe life into a once-struggling console, and gave the brand amazing momentum running into the following generation. But Naughty Dog's series about a globetrotting adventurer hit a bit of a snag when PS3 turned to PS4. Partially through development, Uncharted 4 would lose its creative force and writer, Amy Hennig, leaving the half-finished projects in the hands of the two men who just delivered The Last of Us: Neil Druckmann and Bruce Straley. It was going to be a hard task to make this one work. But ultimately, the team delivered in spades. Uncharted 4 is a fitting and high-quality end to Naughty Dog's Uncharted arc, visiting an older, wiser, and more reluctant Nathan Drake who's sucked back into 'the life' by his own brother, and by his own inability to let go of the past. Wonderfully paced and beautiful to look at, and with amazing performances and fun gameplay, A Thief's End is a mus

Over the five years we've been recording KnockBack, we've intentionally gone out of our way not to talk about A New Hope. It's an especially peculiar decision, considering the first-ever episode of KnockBack is about The Empire Strikes Back, the film that would follow it. But we wanted to get 2023 into gear with something positive and fun, a topic we can bring a lot of energy to, and we've finally succumbed: It's time to chat about 1977's original Star Wars film. But we do things a little differently, because this is probably the most-worn-out property to focus on, especially at this point. So instead of talking about the story, the main characters, and more, we discuss all we love in the negative space: The Jawas and the Sandcrawler, Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru, the Imperial officers and that dope meeting room, TIE Fighter Pilots and Death Star Gunners, and on and on and on. Some may call us nothing more than mindless philosophers, but we think this is perfect fodder for a show like ours. Learn more about your

For a good duration of the average childhood, you're dressed by your parents. You have very little choice or input, and certainly no financial means to make different decisions. But then, you start to care and exercise some agency: First a little bit, then a lot more. Before you know it, the way you present yourself to the world becomes a key component of your persona, something within your control. Today's episode of KnockBack is dedicated to both eras of childhood, the helplessness of school shopping with mom and the heady days of charting your own fashion course, with tons of stories, anecdotes, and choice gear from days past. The styles, the brands, and more. As always, we go deep. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Wait, what?! KnockBack is about the past! Well, that's typically true, but today we wanted to do something a little bit different. Why? Because beginning in 2023, KnockBack is going to change. And it begins with a month hiatus, while we retool. We wanted to explain where our heads are at with KnockBack, what the coming years hold, and deploy a new schedule that'll move the show to every-other-week beginning in January. Don't worry, though. Something new is spawning in those missing episodes' places... we're just not gonna tell you what that is just yet. And fear not: Dagan isn't going anywhere, either. You'll see him just as much as you used to. But more on that later. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Red Hot Chili Peppers were cruising along for nearly a decade by the time their most famous record, 1991's Blood Sugar Sex Magik, came to store shelves, the radio waves, and MTV. But it was a particular fusion of time, place, talent, and execution that propelled it to the stratosphere. Here in the US, it's a seven-times Platinum album teeming with earworm singles that explore the whole gamut of genres, from rap to funk to rock, all tied together by a renowned producer who happens to know quite a few musical styles very, very well. If you have to ask why Blood Sugar Sex Magik is so good, you've probably never listened to it. And while we could have lied, we know the secret. We're happy to give it away. Enjoy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

1973's Pink Floyd record The Dark Side of the Moon is easily one of the most famous albums of all-time, toting what is perhaps the most recognizable cover art ever concocted. Its 10 tracks (or 9, if you're old-school) tell a deeply human tale, celebrating the ups and downs of life with some of the most vivid and emotional rock lyrics ever constructed, all within a progressive rock framework that sounds like it was written and recorded yesterday. Of course, it wasn't. It's a nearly 50 year old work of art, now. That's what makes it so special, and why we're so eager to gush about the wonderful work of Gilmour, Waters, Mason, and Wright. So hit play. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the history of rock, there are seminal records... and then there are the true cream of the crop. The Beatles' 1967 classic Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is very much in the latter camp, a record so mind-bending and fresh that, 55 years later, it remains one of the most-revered albums ever recorded. And when we say recorded, we mean it in the old-fashion way: Using tape reels and decks without a semblance of computer assistance, which wouldn't have even been possible ast the time. From musicianship to lyrical work to production, Sgt. Pepper's may be unrivaled even in the Beatles' very own discography of genre titans. So let's delve in, go through some of these amazing songs, and discuss the neverending legacy of what some would argue is the strongest LP ever set to vinyl, one that shook the world it entered into, and continues to morph it to this day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices