Colin's Last Stand: Knockback

There's just no denying it: The gaming series Halo and the Xbox console are intrinsically linked, and will be forever. Indeed, Microsoft went and bought Halo mid-development to become its maiden console's killer app, and... well... it worked... because Xbox was unlikely to survive without it. Two decades-plus later, Halo remains one of the most important console franchises in the world, and yet, it all began innocuously enough with a 2001 product subtitled Combat Evolved. While far from the first FPS on console, there's no doubt that Halo -- through control, story, LAN, and more -- set the precedent for the next more-than 20 years of console-based shooting, which, as we well know, is now big, big business. We may just have the esteemed Halo to thank for that, and so, we welcome a conversation all about it here on KnockBack. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

So many of our remembrances are centered on our 'home territory' of Long Island, and the places where we would later call home, from Boston to Philadelphia to California. But what about the times we left, specifically for vacation with our family or friends? This week's episode of KnockBack is dedicated to those leisure-filled days and weeks of yore, when we had nothing to do and no expectations, but lots of funny and ridiculous stories to tell. We hope you enjoy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Back in the late '70s, Ridley Scott and Dan O'Bannon released the seminal sci-fi horror movie Alien. It took more than half a decade to get a sequel off the ground, however, this time manned by none other than auteur James Cameron. It's with Aliens, with an S, that the quiet horror franchise-to-be became an action franchise with horror elements, and while it was a somewhat divisive move, there's no doubt that Aliens -- finally launched in 1986 -- is one of the best-regarded and most influential sci-fi and action movies ever made. So let's head back to LV-426, friends. The Xenomorphs aren't nearly done with humanity yet, and there's so much to discuss en route. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You may not be familiar with the concept of Shovelry, but veterans of 2014's smash-hit indie darling Shovel Knight will know all about it. Kickstarted nearly a decade ago by a new team called Yacht Club Games and launched to massive commercial and critical success, Shovel Knight is an ode to the NES era, taking liberal amounts of inspiration from the likes of DuckTales, Mega Man, Castlevania, Ninja Gaiden, Faxanadu, Zelda II, Super Mario Bros. 3, and more. Yet, it's also a adventure that can act as an excellent gateway for younger players into the days of yore. Shovel Knight is one of the greatest old-school-style romps ever crafted, full stop, and we're thrilled to talk about it on KnockBack. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We love music, and we don't focus on it enough here on KnockBack. We're endeavoring to change that, starting now. Music is tied up so intimately with nostalgia that it barely merits further explanation. Yet, for all of us, songs and time, songs and people, songs and a moment or an event, these are the connections we simply cannot escape. Here are 10 songs we love that also remind us of happiness or pain from times gone. Indeed, they may represent the only tangible connection we have to some of the topics we discuss. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In between seasons three of four of Sci-Fi's reimagined Battlestar Galactica series came a standalone movie. It's called Razor, and -- as the name suggests -- it focuses on the trials and tribulations of the Battlestar Pegasus, which we were introduced to in season two. Pegasus is commanded by an icy officer named Cain, who does whatever's necessary to survive. But Razor shows us a different side of Cain, and gives us insight into how she and her ship lived through the Cylon assault on their home colonies. We're also introduced to Cain's protégé, Kendra Shaw, who -- much like Starbuck and Adama -- acts as Cain's surrogate daughter. And so we spool up our FTL drives once more, this time to go just ever-so-slightly into the past, which will hopefully illustrate some of what's yet to come with our journey through BSG. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Back in 1978, something truly horrifying happened. Following the worldwide, blockbuster success of the original Star Wars in 1977 (which we now lovingly refer to as A New Hope), audiences waited for what was next. And while The Empire Strikes Back arrived in 1980 and set the world ablaze, there were a few stops along the way, and one of them was almost impossibly ill-advised, in hindsight. The Star Wars Christmas Special aired only one time that holiday season, and it's widely-considered to be the single worst piece of Star Wars anything, ever. (Colin contends it's arguably the worst piece of entertainment ever created.) Not even the original movie's cast and some timely guest stars could save this coke-addled variety show. It's no wonder -- apart from its Boba Fett cartoon -- that it's been completely disowned and disavowed. And yet, we couldn't help ourselves. Enjoy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Surprise! For our 200th episode, we decided to cover one of the most-requested topics from our audience since we began KnockBack some four years ago. Avatar: The Last Airbender came to Nickelodeon in 2005, and its first season immediately raised the bar of what could be expected from a 21st century Nick that helped define the previous 20 years of children and teen television content. Full of heart and soul, beautifully animated, and charming to the max, Avatar is undeniably appealing and worth your attention. We're very pleased to finally talk about it here on KnockBack, and we hope you enjoy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Choice A or Choice B? We're met with this conundrum over and over again in life, and yet, there are certain choices that are far more consequential than others. This episode of KnockBack is dedicated to such forks in the road, where two or more options are presented, and whichever choice you make will resonate far beyond that point in time, perhaps for the rest of your life. From jobs and living situations to education and the start and stop of relationships, these are 10 moments from the lives of the Brothers Moriarty that -- if a different path was taken -- would have likely meant this very show wouldn't exist at all. How meta. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Everyone knows that Kill Bill was originally intended as one epic-length film, but Miramax ultimately convinced writer and director Quentin Tarantino to do things their way. The result is a second installment that's quite different from its first. Depending on how you look at things, of course, that may be a good thing. 2004's Kill Bill: Volume 2 is a far less violent, far more cerebral offering that exchanges swordplay for dialogue, but the same themes transcend both films and remain at their beating heart: Revenge, rage, and love. Indeed, the two parts fit together kind of like Yin and Yang, a perhaps not-all-that-inappropriate reference considering the film's deep Asian-inspired roots. Can you survive the Five Point Palm-Exploding Heart Technique? Unlikely. Thankfully, though, it's quite safe to hit play, sit back, and listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If the blood-fueled havoc of Kill Bill reminds us anything, it's that "revenge is never a straight line." Quentin Tarantino's 2003 flick -- his fourth written-and-directed film -- was originally intended to be one long, four hour-ish movie, but they wisely split it in two. Thus, in Volume 1, we're left to consume the first half of the story, all about a nameless Bride fueled by a mother's rage. Full of memorable characters and performances, exceptional cinematography, an epic soundtrack and score, and a full embrace of its nerdy and sometimes-obscure influences, Kill Bill: Volume 1 is a must-see movie for its wonderful style alone. So listen to the podcast, and let us know what you think. If you still feel raw about it, we'll be waiting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The third entry in the Metal Gear Solid franchise is the first game to take us backwards in time. While the original two adventures took place slightly ahead of their release window, MGS3 takes place 40 years prior to its 2004 launch, and within is a captivating Cold War-slash-alternate history tale about the Soviet Union, some American (and other foreign) agents, and a vaunted, nuclear-armed super weapon that will change the face of warfare forever. Infused with memorable characters and dialogue, revamped combat, and a deeply geopolitical tale, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater is considered by many fans of the series to be its best entry. Do the Moriarty Brothers agree? As usual, there's only one way to find out: Hit play. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

1982's Poltergeist is a fascinating film to examine. It's a Steven Spielberg horror production that also wasn't, a movie with what was essentially a 'shadow director,' allowing Spielberg to navigate around contractual issues with ET, which he (also) directed, and which came to theaters at nearly the same time. But production curiosities aside, Poltergeist is akin to the collision of two Spielberg pictures -- Jaws and The Goonies -- a sometimes dire and scary while at other times upbeat and even funny adventure about a house built on an old graveyard... and the consequences therein. Is the house clean? Well, not exactly. Yet, the TV beckons... and so does this episode of KnockBack. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Our return to Battlestar Galactica brings us to what many consider the show's weakest season, and that's certainly a valid perspective. But the reality is that, while season three took some weird turns and bottlenecked the show with some frustrating one-offs that felt more procedural and drama, it's still full of emotional moments, excellent acting, and a continuation of a core plot that finds our fledgling band of human survivors still seeking Earth, fleeing from their Cylon pursuers who are always only a step behind. We've said many times: Battlestar Galactica is a science fiction show, but it's more than that. It's a show about philosophy, religion, and existentialism, and that all comes out in droves during this contentious season. So jump your ships into orbit and hit play. And don't pay any attention to that music you may be hearing in the background... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

While it's true that we ain't afraid of no ghosts, it's also true that we're not very fond of them, either. They are, after all, undead apparitions that seem to play by their own set of rules, and, well, it's time that they were busted. Thus, we queued up 1984's classic comedy Ghostbusters to draw some inspiration. With lots of brilliant minds involved -- Ivan Reitman, Bill Murray, Dan Akroyd, and others -- you'd think Ghostbusters would be a runaway hit. And for many audiences, it certainly was. But the Brothers Moriarty have a slightly different take: Primarily that Ghostbusters has all of the makings of something truly great, but doesn't fully take advantage of any of its components. Please don't try to trap us with your proton pack before you listen, though, for you may just find that you agree. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

While it's true that the first rule of Fight Club is not to talk about Fight Club, we felt like a two hour podcast of silence wouldn't be very enticing. Thus, we're willing to break the sacred code to present to you a discussion all about David Fincher's 1999 film based upon Chuck Palahniuk's 1996 novel. The story revolves around an unnamed man played by Edward Norton who encounters a man named Tyler Durden, played by Brad Pitt. The result is an introspective, Generation X-infused movie that focuses a spotlight on the hopelessness deep inside all of us, one that comes out in fits of consumerism, despair, and even violence. It's that latter word that's the true focus of Fight Club, though: The battering life can deliver all of us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We, the Moriarty Brothers, are grown-ass men with houses, but that wasn't always the case. In our younger days, we -- like so many! -- lived in apartments, townhouses, and even entire homes with roommates, and such experiences are obviously rich for storytelling. So allow us to delve into our college years and early professional lives, and tell you about some of our living situations, from the mundane to the ridiculous... and regale you with tales of the amazing, lame, and otherwise unforgettable people we bunked with along the way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Way back when, anime made its way to western audiences primarily via three important films: Akira, Ghost in the Shell, and today's topic, Ninja Scroll. Released in Japan in the summer of 1993, Ninja Scroll quickly meandered west, where it garnered a substantial hardcore audience during the VHS era and into the DVD era. That's especially strange, since -- back in its native country -- Ninja Scroll wasn't much of a hit at all. That wasn't true outside of Japan's borders, however, where nearly 30 years later, it's still considered an all-time great and a seminal piece of Japanese culture. So let's jump into Feudal Japan and sort through a very video game-like plot about a couple of samurai slicing and dicing through eight foes with special powers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

By the time 2002 rolled around, people were already pretty disenchanted with what would become known as the Star Wars Prequels. 1999's Phantom Menace left much to be desired, but there was great hope Attack of the Clones would turn things around. After all, it's the Empire Strikes Back of this particular trilogy, but as we all know, it's nowhere near as good. Yet, there's no denying that, for us, this movie is better than we remembered. But there's still much to say about Hayden Christensen, Kamino and Geonosis, Jango and Boba Fett, Tusken Raider slaughter, Yoda's lightsaber battle, a '50s diner, and much, much more. So put away the death sticks, hit play, and join us for yet another chat about A Galaxy Far, Far Away. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Playing MGS2 some 20 years after its initial release on PlayStation 2 in 2001 is... well... it's an experience. In fact, it's completely and eerily prescient. What starts out innocently enough as a conspiracy theory-laden, Solid Snake-driven adventure ends up turning into a shockingly timely commentary on technology, war, government, and humanity itself. Snake's and Raiden's adventure through the Tanker and Big Shell is widely considered one of gaming history's greatest, and after giving it another go with fresh, modern eyes, we're pleased to say it's still a tour de force. There's so much underneath the surface, in fact, that we don't even know where to begin or end (much like the Patriots' ubiquitous control over society). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices