Colin's Last Stand: Knockback

Like horror, the science fiction genre simply wasn't taken very seriously until well into film history. By the 1970s, though, specific pieces of cinematic sci-fi were beginning to distance themselves from the schlock that dominated decades past, and Alien should certainly be counted amongst the most notable of the group. Buttressed by good writing, excellent cinematography, and a frightening atmosphere, Alien still stands out more than 40 years later as an example of how to do sci-fi right, particularly when you mix elements of horror into the concoction. So let's chat about the Nostromo for a little while, and the strange and ancient danger is stumbles upon in deep space, just as the crew was about to head toward the safety of home...        Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For many of us, high school was a bizarre experience, particularly in hindsight. It turns out that much of what we cared a great deal about in our teens doesn't actually matter whatsoever, but when you're there -- in the moment and living that life -- the gravity is all too real. 2007's Superbad -- starring Jonah Hill and Michael Cera -- celebrates that reality, from the seeming hopelessness of young romance to the pursuit of all-important booze. It also doesn't hurt that the film is incredibly funny and outrageously inappropriate. So sit down, kick back, and reminisce along with us about one of the great teen movies of all-time. And if you don't? Well... prepare to be fucked by the long dick of the law. (Not really.)        Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It took a while for PlayStation 3 to really get going, but when it did, it graced players with a slew of amazing exclusive games that solidified the console's place in industry history. Interestingly enough, though, it was one of its very last exclusives -- launched in the shadow of PlayStation 4 -- that easily takes the cake as PS3's best game. Naughty Dog's The Last of Us came out in the early summer of 2013, and immediately bowled over millions of gamers around the world with its incredible story, amazing characters, award-winning performances, and fantastic gameplay. It's truly, actually, really, and definitely one of the best games ever made, and we are thrilled to dedicate nearly three hours to talking all about it. So take a knee, craft what you need, and let's get going.  Oh... and avoid those spores. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Yes, it's true: There's a lot to love about the 1970s. But the reality is, it was kind of a down decade. Unemployment was high, and inflation was, too. An oil embargo crippled western economies. The peace and love of the '60s rapidly gave way to stagnation, corruption, and agitation. By 1980, people were ready to break free, and they did just that. Buttressed by a technological boom and a rapidly recovering market, the '80s were a time of excess, a time to be loud and bold. The music, movies, games, and television shows each tell a portion of the overall tale -- and we've talked plenty about 'em here on KnockBack -- but it's perhaps that 10 year span's fashion that spoke (and still speaks) loudest. This was an era when sneakers and caps first became an obsession, when accessorizing reached an all-time high, when the colors you wore better be bright (and preferably neon), or else. So grab your Aquanet, tease that hair, and turn on your answering machine. Let's discuss a time when people wore 10 watches at once

By the early '90s, Disney's much-vaunted animation revival was in full swing. The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast had the company buzzing, yet the decade still had much, much more in store. In late 1992, Aladdin joined the roster, packing a rock-solid cast of voice actors helmed by comedian Robin Williams. Yet, while Williams' ad-libbed performance as Genie is the most celebrated part of the film (and the way Disney treated him perhaps the most notorious), a wonderful crew of animators worked tirelessly to bring the world of Agrabah to life. So let's take a step back and remember a movie from the very thick of the so-called Disney Renaissance, and remember why it was so special to begin with. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Children aren't exactly the most rational creatures on the planet, and naturally, the Moriarty Boys weren't immune to this reality in their younger years. Today's episode of KnockBack is structured around that irrationality, specifically when it comes to the things kids fear. Dagan was afraid of nuclear war, sharks, and aliens. Colin (that's me!) lived in silent fear of a recurring nightmare known as The Tickley Monster, being buried alive, and often wondered if was he was going to die of AIDS (thanks, late-'80s and early-'90s Paranoid America!). All of this is easy to look back and laugh at (and trust us, we do), but it's likewise rooted in the mysticism of youth, when we frankly don't understand very much about the world around us, but think we do. So let's embarrass ourselves just a tad, shall we? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dinosaurs are a bit of cultural phenomenon, and have been for a century and a half, since the earliest professional paleontologists ventured out to find the fossilized remains of one of Earth's most mysterious and fascinating prior occupants. Yet, perhaps no single piece of fiction has ever played on that human love of dinosaurs quite like Jurassic Park. While Jurassic Park found its origins as a book, released in 1990 and written by the late, great Michael Crichton, it was intended on a movie from pretty much the word go (Crichton even adapted the novel into film form himself for a cool half a million bucks). It's the movie that captured the world's imagination, and it was such a smash hit that it became the highest-grossing film of all-time following its run through theaters in the summer of 1993. Not too shabby! So let's talk about Crichton's classic, Steven Spielberg's directing, John Williams' score, and the performances of Laura Dern, Sam Neill, and many others. (Like Jeff Goldblum. Duh!) Just be sure y

In May of 1999, the very Earth below us shook as Star Wars fully emerged from dormancy. While George Lucas ate around the edges throughout the '90s, re-releasing the classic trilogy multiple times while launching an absurd amount of toys and other merchandise, it all ultimately led to one thing: Episode I. As the first Star Wars film since 1983's Return of the Jedi, Episode I -- subtitled The Phantom Menace -- had immense pressure put on it from the moment it was announced, and for most fans, it simply didn't deliver. But really, there's a lot more here than just (in our opinion) a subpar film. There's a ravenous fandom to discuss, too, one that we were (and kinda still are) a part of. There was the early Internet, forums, leaks, rumors, and more. There's a director who probably shouldn't be directing, a producer who didn't really seem to be producing, and special effects that don't age quite as well as you'd think. What went wrong with E1? What did it do right? And what was it like seeing it in the theater,

What can you really say about The Big Lebowski? Well... a ton, as it turns out. The Coen Brothers' 1998 cult-classic comedy is one of the most quotable films of all-time, with one of the most bizarre cast of amazing characters you'll ever encounter in the genre. Smart, witty, and wonderfully written, The Big Lebowski rings loudly more than two decades after its release not because of '90s nostalgia or hazy retro glasses. It's an authentically hysterical movie, and more than worthy of an episode of KnockBack. So mark it an eight, Dude, and then sit down, do a J, and join us for a fun episode about an enormously influential flick. He asked me to repeat that: Join us for a fun episode about an enormously influential flick. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Even the darkest fiction we watch and read typically has some sort of light at the end of the tunnel. But not Cormac McCarthy's The Road. First published in 2006 (and later turned into a film in 2009), The Road is unlike any father-and-son tale you've ever experienced. Civilization is in ruins, the sun is blotted out by endless smoke, almost everyone is dead, and the world and its few remaining inhabitants are completely unrecognizable. What does it take to survive in such an unimaginably dark situation? And is it even worth surviving at all? Let's delve into this Pulitzer Prize-winning novel and ask ourselves a simple question, the question at the very heart of McCarthy's narrative: Is there any limit to what you'd do for love? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

No matter where we're from, many of us spend something like 14 years in mandatory school systems that served only to distract us from our toys, video games, and watching cartoons. Yet there we were, imprisoned and desperate to escape. But school wasn't always an agonizing experience, especially when you had the right teacher helming your class. Today's episode of KnockBack is dedicated to them, to the teachers we've taken with us, the ones that inspired us, helped us, cared about us, and -- ultimately -- stuck with us. From an English teacher who instilled the value of literature, to the history teacher who ran a tight ship except for one specific day a year. From an art teacher who insisted on seriousness from the truly talented, to a math teacher who was perhaps a little to easy on us. Let's chat about our very favorite instructors from our youth. And some of yours, too. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When Rosemary's Baby hit theaters in 1968, the horror genre as we know it today didn't really exist yet. The scariest flicks of the era were low budget, poorly lit, and corny beyond belief. But Roman Polanski's film helped define a shift towards the same kind of well written, expertly produced and directed psychological horror that had already found a niche on nascent TV. Written by a bohemian novelist, adapted and spearheaded for the big screen by a highly controversial director, and starring a famous actress who was then known only for her work on a soap opera, Rosemary's Baby is a horror film for the ages. But back in 1968, its religious, witchcraftian premise was utterly offensive to mainstream American sensibilities. That, of course, is part of why it's so great. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Our beloved KnockBack is a lot of things. It's a celebration of nostalgia and memory, of reminiscing and remembering, and, as it turns out, the many characters that make up The Moriarty Cinematic Universe. As our listenership (that's you!) knows, our dad -- Gerard Moriarty -- comes up all the time, sometimes in jest, other times in seriousness, and always with reverence. So this week, we thought we'd invite him on the show so that you can all meet the man himself. What does Mr. Moriarty think about his sons' popular podcast? How does he feel about being brought up almost every week? And, perhaps most vitally, does he want to correct the record in any way, shape, or form? Without further ado, allow us to introduce our father, the Air Force veteran, the retired FDNY lieutenant, the man who used to make meatloaf with cereal. The person, as it turns out, who makes Colin cry for the very first time in KnockBack history. In a good way, of course. It's Onion Man's time to shine! Learn more about your ad choices. Vis

In 1998, Capcom followed its beloved survival horror game Resident Evil with a sequel. But Resident Evil 2 wasn't just any sequel. It experienced a tortured development, coming to store shelves a full year later than intended, which -- at the time -- was an absolutely catastrophic delay. So expectations were incredibly high. But, with now-famous game dev gods Shinji Mikami (Producer) and Hideki Kamiya (Director) helming the project, it turned out that the wait was more than worth it. Resident Evil 2 is one of Capcom's best-selling games ever, and its modern remake is considered one of 2019's finest titles. We think it's more than worthy of a lengthy episode of KnockBack? Wouldn't you agree? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Brothers Moriarty co-host KnockBack, but it's no secret who the star of the show is: Dagan. So let's focus solely on him today, and hear some of his stories from the '70s, '80s, and '90s. The through-line? These random events -- from his first experience seeing real-life gore to getting chased by the cops through the streets of Philadelphia (and more!) -- are completely unassociated with almost anything else we'd talk about on our retro and nostalgia show. But that doesn't mean these stories shouldn't be told. They should definitely be told. So let's let Dagan tell 'em! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In America, The Fourth of July -- our so-called "Independence Day" -- is a time of raucous celebration. Families and friends gather around the country for burgers and hot dogs, slaw and baked beans, beers and cigars, and plenty of fireworks (of course). As children, though, The Fourth of July takes on an almost mystical air, when permutations of people get together you don't often see at once, where entire neighborhoods collapse under the weight of visitors, when adults seem to get hammered at light speed while their kids play in the pool from dawn 'til dusk, and where you don't have to ever get up to catch the school bus in the morning. In the end, celebrating Fourth of July is all about Summer in America, and all the awesomeness that comes along with it. So let's reminisce. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When it comes to Nintendo franchises, Metroid sticks out like a sore thumb. It's completely unlike almost any other Nintendo fare. It simply doesn't fit. But that's what makes it so interesting. It all started humbly enough in the 1986 original, but underneath the unassuming facade of a side-scrolling action game was a shockingly deep (and ruthlessly difficult) adventure, one that required its earliest players to make maps by hand, distinguish between items and weapons with unclear uses, and keep their wits in a sprawling map far harder to decipher and navigate than its cousin, The Legend of Zelda. There were even multiple endings! By the early-'90s, Metroid returned with a Game Boy-exclusive sequel created with the same explorative mantra in mind, and, well, the rest is history. Or herstory, perhaps, since Metroid also introduced gamers to one of the medium's first iconic female protagonists. But enough delay: Let's chat about Metroidvanias long before that term even existed. Learn more about your ad choices

Christopher Nolan is one of the modern world's most talented filmmakers, full stop. If you ask 10 people what their favorite Nolan flick is, you may very well get 10 different answers. (Really. He's directed 10 films.) Yet, in a catalog of works-of-art, Interstellar may very well be greatest of them all. Released in 2014 to an astounding critical reception and with hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars grossed, Interstellar tells the unusual (and riveting!) story of the end of the world, and how a daring trip through space and time might just be able to undo Earth's dire, apocalyptic situation. When it comes to storytelling, Interstellar is thorough, but in terms of its rigorous and realistic science that hinges upon what's actually possible, Interstellar's a movie so deep, you could drown in it. So let's drown for a bit, shall we? Not like Dr. Doyle on Miller's Planet, mind you. Metaphorically. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Every month, our lovely Patreon audience gets to vote on a topic we cover here on KnockBack, and today, we deliver one such episode. Batman made his comic book debut all the way back in 1939, and his amazing staying power is due, in part, to the exceptional number of ways DC has allowed him to be portrayed. Perhaps one of Batman's most iconic portrayals, however, is in cartoon form. Batman: The Animated Series -- which initially ran from 1992 through 1995 -- is a stellar piece of art, an accessible-yet-deep look at all the Batman franchise has to offer. From its portrayal of Gotham to its amazing villains (to its treatment of Batman/Bruce!), Batman: The Animated Series has earned its sterling reputation. So allow us to be your billionaire caretaker, and you our boy ward, and let's learn a thing or two about The Bat-Man. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Video gaming began after World War II, when primitive punch card and oscilloscope games were played exclusively on university and government supercomputers. But what started as a small niche for the educated and elite quickly found its way into venues every person could enjoy, like bars, lounges, and restaurants. Before you knew it, pinball machines were everywhere, and by the late-'70s, so too were arcade machines. Space Invaders. Pac-Man. Galaga. Arkanoid. While it may be hard for the younger generations to fully grapple with, for older gamers, the arcade really meant something. And it still does today. So let's hearken back to a time before smart phones, or even the Internet. Hell, let's even hearken back to a time before mainstream home console gaming, and show our appreciation for the quarter-gobbling machines that spawned one of modern entertainment's most vital verticals. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices