Colin's Last Stand: Knockback

Robert Eggers' 2015 debut film The Witch isn't exactly old, but its subject matter certainly is. Taking place in the early 1630s in New England -- a full 60 years before the Salem Witch Trials -- The Witch tells the story of a banished family of devout Puritans who go into the Massachusetts woods to live alone. And... well... you may be able to guess what happens next. Written entirely in period English and lit only by natural light and candles, The Witch may be one of the most thoroughly colonial movies ever made. It also happens to be a masterpiece of pacing, tension, and acting. So let's delve into this spectacular and spooky period piece, as a tight-knit religious family slowly comes undone. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ignorance is bliss, or so the saying goes. But when we're kids, ignorance is also a way of life. In our tiny worlds, everything was magnified or understated: The glorious ups, our mundane everyday lives, and especially the seemingly-tragic downs. Little did we know then what we would learn later: That a lot of what we cared so deeply about didn't matter very much, that the stuff we should have paid more attention to we barely worried about, and that many of the people we looked to for guidance were flying blind, too. So instead of focusing on a movie, video game, TV show (or the like) this week, we thought we'd take the time to hone-in on the wisdom and knowledge we didn't even know existed as kids but take for granted as adults, and how a little tweak here or there in our past could have taken us in entirely different directions. If only we knew better. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We recently lost American filmmaker Joel Schumacher to cancer at the age of 80. With a diverse filmography dating back to the '70s and running through to just a few years ago, it's hard to put Schumacher in a box, but it seems a lot of people wanted to memorialize him by focusing on his two maligned Batman movies instead of the great work he did. To pay him tribute, we decided to go back to his 1985 Brat Pack film St. Elmo's Fire, which he wrote and directed, and which still holds a place with '80s movie fans everywhere. So let's head to Washington DC and catch up with seven recent graduates of Georgetown University, young 20-somethings who are having a difficult time transitioning to adulthood, and an even more difficult time understanding how the dynamics between them have changed after college. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When Mass Effect launched on Xbox 360 in 2007, it promised to be not only one of the most ambitious RPGs of all time, but the entry point to one of the most ambitious gaming trilogies ever. Designed as three games from the get-go, the original Mass Effect propelled Commander Shepard and his team into the galactic intrigue that would engulf the games-long story, but it also ended up doing something even crazier: Allowing subsequent iterations to read your previous games' saves, essentially crafting an agency-driven IP that still hasn't been replicated with any equivalent success. But this episode of KnockBack is dedicated to the very first game -- Mass Effect itself -- BioWare's influential and memorable foray into the world of third-person shooter RPGs. So hone your biotics, gather your Element Zero, and jump through the nearest Mass Relay. We'll see you on the other side. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Writer and director Quentin Tarantino has long been a divisive and controversial filmmaker, primarily because of his seeming, unapologetic glorification of gore. But something deeper typically rests beneath his portrayal of human brutality. This is perhaps most true in his 2012 picture Django Unchained, a movie that takes place in the Southern United States on the brink of the Civil War. And while it's not a piece of history per se, it dedicates a lot of time delving into much of what made that Confederacy Eve era tick: Slavery, greed, and inhumanity. With multiple Oscar-worthy performances -- including from Leonardo DiCaprio, Jamie Foxx, and Christoph Waltz -- a riveting story, and a redemptive arc, it could easily be argued that Django Unchained is Tarantino's strongest work. Whether you agree with that proclamation or not, however, there's no denying that it's given us a lot to talk about. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There are times when an older movie feels like it could have been made yesterday. 1989's Do the Right Thing -- one of Spike Lee's very first films -- is just such an offering. Based in the racially-mixed Bed-Stuy neighborhood of Brooklyn during one hot summer day and night, Do the Right Thing is ostensibly about a group of black people (children, teens, and adults) and their daily experiences, particularly through the lens of a white-owned pizzeria that sticks out like a sore thumb in an era of simmering racial tensions. But underneath the surface, this Spike Lee Joint is about so much more than just that. It's about police brutality, gentrification, crime, differing generational views, work and joblessness, and on and on. Yes, this movie was made in '89... but for better or for worse, it feels like it could have been crafted specifically for right this very minute. So let's talk about it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We've been recording KnockBack week-in and week-out for more than two years, and while we tell lots of stories about our time with video games, TV shows, movies, toys, and much more, we also include mentions of some very important people: Our childhood friends. These folks aren't just random characters from our past; they're people who helped shape who we were then, and still are today. To celebrate some of the individuals most important to us in our youth, we thought we'd dedicate an episode of KnockBack specifically to them, telling tales of how we met, the times we spent together, and how they molded us. Dedicated listeners of the show have definitely heard these names before, but never in this much detail and with this much love. As always, we hope you enjoy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nintendo is undoubtedly best-known for its long-running, ubiquitous franchises: Mario, Zelda, and the like. But sprinkled in the mega-selling mixture are games that sold far less, but have earned their own level of reverence. EarthBound -- launched in 1994 in Japan and 1995 in the US -- is one such adventure. Known as Mother 2 in Japan (the original Mother was a Famicom game that didn't see western release for more than two decades), EarthBound is a truly peculiar, truly charming title, one that pits four children against a dangerous, world-consuming foe. It's a JRPG based heavily on conventions introduced by Dragon Quest, but its quirky style, colorful graphics, and humorous dialogue are all its own. It also didn't sell very well, either in Japan or outside of it, and has many divisive features. So let's chat about all of it -- the whole tapestry that makes EarthBound... well... EarthBound... -- and sort out whether Ness' journey has earned its place in the annals of gaming history. Learn more abou

Did Disney's Star Wars trilogy end with a loud bang or a resounding thud? It depends on who you ask, of course. But just late last year (in 2019), the new galactic journey that began with Episode VII ended with Episode IX, and the results were about as divisive as you'd probably imagine. Mired by rewrites, production problems, roving directors, and the death of an iconic actor, The Rise of Skywalker tried to undo many of the problems introduced by Rian Johnson's Episode VIII, but whether or not it even remotely succeeded is a matter of endless debate. So let's talk about the conclusion of Rey's journey, chat about Finn, Poe, Kylo Ren, and all of the other characters, worlds, and pieces of lore... and maybe spend approximately half of this episode talking about Babu Frik, too, because... well... he deserves all the attention he can get. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Do you know the definition of insanity? After playing 2012's Far Cry 3, you just might. While this open world FPS series began inauspiciously enough under the direction of none other than Crytek, it's when Ubisoft brought the shooter franchise in-house that it truly began to shine. And it perhaps shines brightest with its third core entry, one that takes place on the fictional Rook Islands in the Pacific Ocean, pits rich kids against drug-and-slave-trading thugs, and challenges players to find meaning in all of the gratuitous and endless violence surrounding them. Far Cry 3 is a high water mark in open world design, gunplay, and narrative -- with awesome in-game systems and some fascinating characters to boot -- and it absolutely demands an episode of KnockBack. So grab your rucksack, islander. There are psychopaths about. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For Americans, the year 1776 is sacred. It isn't the year the American Revolution started (that's 1775), nor is it the year it ended in victory (that's 1783). Instead, '76 represents the year the US declared its independence from England, changing the course of domestic and global history alike forever. The 2000 film The Patriot -- starring Mel Gibson and the late, great Heath Ledger -- is one of the few flicks that actually delves into the War For Independence in any substantive way, and while it's an action flick first, and while it takes sometimes great liberties (pardon the pun) with history, it's still a fun, enjoyable movie that The Brothers Moriarty happen to cherish. So aim small, miss small... and enjoy the podcast while you do. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week's episode of KnockBack is a special one, not only because of its subject matter -- the 1982 Steven Spielberg smash-hit film E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial -- but because our guest host this week is none other than Dagan's wife, Helene. E.T. was, is, and will likely always be one of the most seminal movies ever created, and it's because it has what so many other pictures all-too-often lack: Heart and imagination. There's a good reason why, for more than a decade after it launched, it was the highest-grossing film in the history of the industry, and why -- nearly 40 years later -- it remains a seminal piece of Americana. So sit back, hit play, and don't phone home. At least, not until you hear what we have to say. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Powerpuff Girls might seem like an unassuming piece of animation... yet it's anything but. Nestled within the soul of Cartoon Network's hit show is a surprising amount of depth, an amalgamation of influences ranging from anime to gaming to old superhero TV shows. The result is one of the most charming cartoons of the last 30 years. The adventures of Blossom, Buttercup, and Bubbles -- three five year old girls, mind you -- are equal parts hilarious and clever, with a cast of memorable villains and side characters that round out the entire product. In the late '90s and early aughts, The Powerpuff Girls were everywhere. For the next few hours, allow them to barrage your ears like they barrage HIM. You'll be glad you did. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Comedian and actor Mike Myers has always been a bit of an enigma. The hilarious Canadian made his bones on Saturday Night Live and drew international acclaim for his Wayne's World skits and films, but it was 1997's James Bond spoof Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery that might be his most famous and most beloved work. Playing both the movie's protagonist (the titular Austin Powers) and antagonist (the amazing Dr. Evil), Myers put in work. After all, he devised all the characters, the story, and even wrote the screenplay. More than two decades (and two sequels) later, does his original '90s-era classic still retain the respect we once held for it? Or should it be fed to sharks with friggin' laser beams attached to their heads? Well, listen to the podcast and find out. Because you're the boss around here... and you need the info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We live in a golden age of television, but even some of the best series stick around too long. Unlike many of its contemporaries, though, HBO has a good habit of identifying ideas that don't need to linger, and while True Detective has three seasons, they're all detached from one another. The first season -- running eight episodes back in early 2014 -- is widely considered one of the best miniseries ever created, with exceptional performances, amazing writing, and a setting so thoroughly realized, it's as if it's the main character. So let's delve into the story of detectives Rust Cohle and Marty Hart, the brutal and sadistic murders they uncover in the Louisiana Bayou, and their 17-year long saga to find the truth of these crimes... and the reality of their relationship with one another. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The ocean is a mysterious and even scary place, but in Disney's 1989 classic animated film The Little Mermaid, it's pretty damn awesome. That's what makes protagonist Ariel's insistence on leaving her home waters for the world above so confounding... that is until she falls in love and finds the perfect excuse to live her dream. The Little Mermaid was the first film in the so-called Disney Renaissance of the '80s and '90s, and it still holds up wonderfully these few decades later. So let's examine Ariel's story, the history behind it, and the gorgeous animation that may just convince you to remain Under the Sea, even if you like your oxygen in gaseous form. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Few modern filmmakers are more popular, beloved, controversial, and even reviled than Quentin Tarantino. When he got his start in the early '90s with the cult classic Reservoir Dogs, no one could have predicted his meteoric rise in the American and global movie industries, but it's his 2009 flick Inglourious Basterds that's perhaps his most popular offering. Inglourious Basterds tells an alternate history tale in Nazi-occupied France during World War II, and it melds an intriguing story, wonderful acting, and Tarantino's trademark violence, humor, and clever writing into something truly memorable. We release a new episode of KnockBack week-in and week-out, but you know what, audience? This might just be our masterpiece. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today, Rocksteady is one of the most famous game developers on the planet, but back in 2009, they were basically unknown. With only one obscure PS2 game under their belt, the British team was met with an enticing challenge: Make a good Batman title. Turns out, such a task is easier said than done, but Rocksteady rose to the occasion. 2009's Batman: Arkham Asylum is one of the very best licensed games ever created, an ode not only to the Dark Knight, but to 3D exploration and kinetic fisticuffs, too. Packing exceptional vocal performances, tons of unlockables and secrets, and the perfect playtime in an era of too-long adventures, Arkham Asylum more than deserves its own episode of KnockBack. You asked for this one, CLS Patrons, and we're all too happy to oblige. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's true: We would have never chosen to do this topic on our own. But when our beloved audience voted on Patreon to hear this discussion, we simply had to oblige. In 1992, the Moriarty Brothers' parents split. In the wake of that event, our lives were reshaped forever. This isn't an uplifting episode of KnockBack by any stretch of the imagination, but it's most certainly a candid and honest one, one about loss, pain, choice, and consequences. We are who we are, in part, because of this traumatic event, one that occurred when we were 18 and 7. Two wildly different ages packing two radically different perspectives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The so-called run-and-gunner Cuphead is hands down one of the most beautiful video games ever created. Crafted in the spirit of the rubber hose cartoon stylings of the 1920s and 1930s, Cuphead is a rarity in the modern industry: It's drawn and animated by hand, and it's brutally (and we mean brutally) difficult. It's also charming, artfully designed, funny, and full of lush detail that truly showcases the sheer amount of work and energy that went into making it. Thus, we simply had to dedicate an episode of KnockBack to Studio MDHR's masterpiece, and we hope you enjoy it. Without further ado: Here's a real high-class bout! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices