Monday 30 August 2021

Bring on the Bad Guys - Episode 30 - Marvel: Crisis Protocol - Star Lord, Beast and Mystique Review

There's been another supply drop from the SHIELD Helicarrier, containing some exciting new stuff for Marvel: Crisis Protocol. Brad and Ian unbox, rate and review Star Lord, Mystique and Beast for your favourite Marvel miniatures game.

Follow the show on Instagram @bringonthebadguys and Facebook @BringBadGuys


Thursday 26 August 2021

The Nerd Room Episode #284 | SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME & ETERNALS TRAILERS

The following presentation is Emotionally14 Endorsed. We didn't make it ourselves, but the people that did are fantastic and we think that you'll like it!


This week TNR tackle the latest MCU trailers with Spider-Man: No Way Home and Eternals! We also discuss the Black Canary Film, Captain America 4, What If?, and much more!


Twitter | Facebook | YouTube

Be sure to check out more from the Star Wars Commonwealth and follow Talk Star Wars, Tumbling Saber, Generation X-Wing, Rogue Squadron Podcast, San Diego Sabers Radio Podcast, and Sandcrawler Podcast!


The Nerd Room

A Star Wars, Marvel, & DC Podcast
A weekly podcast bringing you the latest Star Wars, Marvel, and DC news and reviews!

iTunes

Podbean

Stitcher

Youtube


Wednesday 25 August 2021

Rob's Movie Night Roundup - P (Panic Room)

At the beginning of the year, my wife and I decided that we'd like to watch more movies. There are 52 weeks in a year, 2 of us, and 26 letters in the alphabet. What better way to choose some movies than to go alphabetically? The only rule: Where possible, it should be a movie that one or more of us had never seen before. Oh, and ideally it should be part of one of the copious online streaming services we're already subscribed to, because why bother paying for a rental when we're not short of options?

Incidentally, if anyone from the big online streaming service providers is reading this (your Notfluxes or your Prims, for example), please make it easier to search for/sort movies alphabetically. Thanks.

Also, fair warning: There may well be movies that appear on this list that you'll find hard to believe I haven't seen before. It happens.

Previous letters are here: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O

P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

PANIC ROOM
Director: David Fincher
Stars: Jodie Foster, Kristen Stewart, Forest Whitaker

Synopsis via IMDB: A divorced woman and her diabetic daughter take refuge in their newly-purchased house's safe room, when three men break-in, searching for a missing fortune.

I love David Fincher movies. He's directed so many great films that I look forward to seeing his name in the credits. I also love Jodie Foster. She's a great actress and I get the feeling she's probably really nice in real life as well. I'm not sure why.

Kristen Stewart has never been a massive favourite of mine, but that's not to say that I think she's bad at acting. I've just not seen anything I've particularly liked that she's been in, but it's never because of her. Unless she had any hand in the decision making for Breaking Dawn Part 2 which I think is legitimately one of the least enjoyable movie experiences I've ever had. I have never read or seen any of the Twilight series aside from that film though, so make of that what you will I guess.

Jared Leto is even in this movie! I had no idea that this was the case, but was pleasantly surprised. I don't have a huge degree of exposure to his work, but he's alright. This is, of course, to say nothing about Forest Whitaker's appearance as well! It's Saw Gerrera! Obviously he doesn't play that part. Sorry...spoilers? I'm so unclear on what the rules are, now.

One thing I really like about this film is how the entire thing is restricted to a single location, and kept very tight on that location. Everything is done in the context of the house, of which the panic room forms part. Characters come and go, but the house is always the focal point of the story. Given the plot, this is a great choice. The way the film is shot, too, is excellent. The angles are great, the color palette is sparse and it all just looks lovely.

Everyone performs their parts very well, with highlights being Foster and Stewart as the mother/daughter duo occupying the house around which the plot hinges. Whitaker's character takes what might be a slightly trope-y turn nowadays, but in 2002 probably wasn't all that played out. It's a small cast, but an effective one.

I don't really know what else to say about it. I really enjoyed it.


As the world opens up, I had a feeling there would be a few letters that might have to constitute fewer movies. I've already had thoughts on how I might approach this endeavour differently were I to attempt it again, but more on that perhaps later. With all that said, Panic Room was well worth the price of admission (my Netflix subscription price, in this case) and I'm glad I've seen it now.

Did you enjoy the roundup? Let me know! If you have thoughts on the movies chosen and their respective writeups above, you know where to find me. Maybe you don't, but there are buttons everywhere to make that happen. Comments, Twitter, you name it. Moreover, if you want to make use of this movie night format, bearing in mind you're a few weeks in and might have to double up to get up to speed, feel free to do the same - I'd love to know what you chose too!

Rob Wade


Rob Wade blogs about stuff he likes. Whether it's video games or geek media for Emotionally14 or writing about speculative theories for future films on Talk Star Wars, the focus has always been on the stuff that brings the most pleasure to his life within media.

Rob is the editor of Emotionally14, and showrunner of the E14 podcasts "The Crazy Train", "The E14 Gamecast" and "Talk Star Wars", as well as the host and guest of a number of pieces on E14's Youtube channel over the years.


Tuesday 24 August 2021

TUMBLINGSABER PODCAST - BIG THINGS PLANNED

The following presentation is Emotionally14 Endorsed. We didn't make it ourselves, but the people that did are fantastic and we think that you'll like it!


In this episode of the podcast, TumblingSaber take a delayed look at The Bad Batch season one finale, and at the first season as a whole, including where it may be going in season two.

We're glad to be in your ears and would love to hear from you! Send an email with your thoughts and questions to tumblingsaber@gmail.com, or find us in our closed TumblingSaber Facebook group. We'd love to see you there.

If Twitter is your thing, you can find me, Cory, and Carlos there as well!

Thanks for listening to the podcast! See you next week!


TumblingSaber Podcast
A Star Wars Podcast

Fandom rises, and a podcast to meet it! TumblingSaber is a Star Wars podcast by fans, for fans! We talk films, TV, comics, novels, toys, and much more!

iTunes

Patreon

Stitcher

Youtube

Spotify


Thursday 19 August 2021

The Nerd Room Episode #283 - MARVEL’S WHAT IF? EP.1, SHANG CHI, SW: VISIONS

The following presentation is Emotionally14 Endorsed. We didn't make it ourselves, but the people that did are fantastic and we think that you'll like it!


The TNR crew breaks down the last 2 weeks of nerd with Marvel's What If? Ep. 1, Shang Chi World Premiere, Star Wars: Visions trailer, the theatrical landscape, and much more!


Twitter | Facebook | YouTube

Be sure to check out more from the Star Wars Commonwealth and follow Talk Star Wars, Tumbling Saber, Generation X-Wing, Rogue Squadron Podcast, San Diego Sabers Radio Podcast, and Sandcrawler Podcast!


The Nerd Room

A Star Wars, Marvel, & DC Podcast
A weekly podcast bringing you the latest Star Wars, Marvel, and DC news and reviews!

iTunes

Podbean

Stitcher

Youtube


Tuesday 17 August 2021

Bring on the Bad Guys - Episode 29 - The Batman Who Laughs: Rising - Gameplay and Review

"The Batman Who Laughs Rising" is the latest release in the highly popular "Rising" series. The regular crew are joined by E14 editor, and The Batman Who Laughs superfan, Rob Wade to test out the game. Terrible dice rolls and much comedy ensues, as per usual.

Follow the show on Instagram @bringonthebadguys and Facebook @BringBadGuys


If the game sounds like fun, why not pick up a copy via our Amazon weblink? You pay no extra, and it's a nice way of saying we sent you!


Thursday 12 August 2021

The Nerd Room Episode #282 | THE SUICIDE SQUAD REVIEW

The following presentation is Emotionally14 Endorsed. We didn't make it ourselves, but the people that did are fantastic and we think that you'll like it!


Join the TNR crew for a review of DC's "The Suicide Squad"!


Twitter | Facebook | YouTube

Be sure to check out more from the Star Wars Commonwealth and follow Talk Star Wars, Tumbling Saber, Generation X-Wing, Rogue Squadron Podcast, San Diego Sabers Radio Podcast, and Sandcrawler Podcast!


The Nerd Room

A Star Wars, Marvel, & DC Podcast
A weekly podcast bringing you the latest Star Wars, Marvel, and DC news and reviews!

iTunes

Podbean

Stitcher

Youtube


Rob's Movie Night Roundup - O (Once Upon A Time...In Hollywood, Okja)

At the beginning of the year, my wife and I decided that we'd like to watch more movies. There are 52 weeks in a year, 2 of us, and 26 letters in the alphabet. What better way to choose some movies than to go alphabetically? The only rule: Where possible, it should be a movie that one or more of us had never seen before. Oh, and ideally it should be part of one of the copious online streaming services we're already subscribed to, because why bother paying for a rental when we're not short of options?

Incidentally, if anyone from the big online streaming service providers is reading this (your Notfluxes or your Prims, for example), please make it easier to search for/sort movies alphabetically. Thanks.

Also, fair warning: There may well be movies that appear on this list that you'll find hard to believe I haven't seen before. It happens.

Previous letters are here: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N

O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Once Upon A Time...In Hollywood
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie

Synopsis via IMDB: A faded television actor and his stunt double strive to achieve fame and success in the final years of Hollywood's Golden Age in 1969 Los Angeles.

I'm not sure what the general sentiment is regarding Tarantino when it comes to movie fandom. I'm not a huge film buff, but I've always quite liked his stuff. Out of all the ones I've seen, I probably enjoyed Django Unchained the most. Was that still true after having seen Once Upon A Time...? Yes, but it was still fun.

I'm a huge fan of both Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt and it was crazy to me that this was their first co-starring role together. Considering how long they have both been plying their respective trades, it's strange to me that they've only ever joined forces as stars in this film. In any case, they combine to great effect here. Margot Robbie also does a great job as Sharon Tate, and while the Manson family sub-plot is a weird one, it's sufficiently creepy and suspenseful as to not feel too out of place.

Like many Tarantino films, there are some violent elements, but considering how violent some of the previous films in his repertoire it comes across as particularly restrained for the most part. There is a fair bit of creative license applied, for which mileage may vary pretty drastically (Bruce Lee's depiction in the film, for example, has come under some scrutiny), but it's a well-shot film with some great performances.

One thing I think is worthy of note, as well, is that this film is nearly 3 hours long but in no way feels like it takes 3 hours to complete. Despite the movie not really containing much in the way of fast-paced action, it's engaging throughout and I'd heartily recommend it.


Okja
Director: Bong Joon Ho
Stars: Tilda Swinton, Jake Gylenhaal, Seo-hyun Ahn

Synopsis via IMDB: A young girl risks everything to prevent a powerful, multinational company from kidnapping her best friend - a fascinating beast named Okja.

It turns out I'm four years behind my mate Aaron in seeing this one. Crikey, how time flies. It doesn't seem like four years ago that Aaron posted his spoiler-free roundup here. Nevertheless, here we find ourselves. Relax; I'm not planning on spending the whole review talking about what Aaron said. That's what the URL is for. Now you can go and enjoy it yourselves!

I think it's fair to say that this film is designed to criticise the meat industry or at the very least elements of it, and that's fair enough. It comes down a little on the old Denis Leary bit "We only want to save the cute animals", but whatever works. Here's the thing: I have a weird relationship with films that are clearly designed to convey some sort of moral message. It's not to say that I'll do the complete opposite thing out of some sort of misplaced spite or rebellious spirit, but I will say that I hadn't eaten McDonald's for a year or so before watching Supersize Me, and the next day I had a quarter pounder meal. I was in France, so it was technically a Royale, but anyway.

This film didn't do that to me, or at the very least I don't recall having anything pork-based the next day, but there are some similarities. I would say, though, of the two Okja does a better job of conveying the message without an element of smarm. The director, whose work I only know from Snowpiercer which I thought was cracking, does a great job here! The movie is entertaining, heartwarming and brutal in all the right places. The pacing is well done, with scenes jumping forward as much as they need to from set piece to set piece.

The performances throughout are great as well, with my favourites being Jake Gylenhaal's pretty interesting take on a TV wildlife expert and Seo-hyun Ahn portraying the driven and endearing main character. Tilda is great, as always, and Giancarlo Esposito was a nice surprise to see included in the story, but the two above were my standouts.

There's not much I'd say to knock this one. Maybe the CGI is ropey in a couple of places, but other than that it's an enjoyable movie. Definitely a good way to spend some time, and with P on the horizon I might have to dip into Parasite, which I hear is also excellent.


O might end up being one of my favourite letters, based on my initial impressions. I found Once Upon A Time... thoroughly engaging (although that was a split decision in the Wade household), and based on Okja I have a sense of what my "P" film might be, and you might well see that director pop up again...

Did you enjoy the roundup? Let me know! If you have thoughts on the movies chosen and their respective writeups above, you know where to find me. Maybe you don't, but there are buttons everywhere to make that happen. Comments, Twitter, you name it. Moreover, if you want to make use of this movie night format, bearing in mind you're a few weeks in and might have to double up to get up to speed, feel free to do the same - I'd love to know what you chose too!

Rob Wade


Rob Wade blogs about stuff he likes. Whether it's video games or geek media for Emotionally14 or writing about speculative theories for future films on Talk Star Wars, the focus has always been on the stuff that brings the most pleasure to his life within media.

Rob is the editor of Emotionally14, and showrunner of the E14 podcasts "The Crazy Train", "The E14 Gamecast" and "Talk Star Wars", as well as the host and guest of a number of pieces on E14's Youtube channel over the years.


Tuesday 10 August 2021

TUMBLINGSABER PODCAST - REST IN PIECES

The following presentation is Emotionally14 Endorsed. We didn't make it ourselves, but the people that did are fantastic and we think that you'll like it!


This week on the pod, we return from a short break to catch up on the good offerings from The Bad Batch. From War-Mantle to Return to Kamino pt 1, there's been a ton of interesting developments in the story to unpack. We also discuss revealed Galactic Starcruiser pricing, as well as a delightful new special: Star Wars Lego - Terrifying Tales!

We're glad to be in your ears and would love to hear from you! Send an email with your thoughts and questions to tumblingsaber@gmail.com, or find us in our closed TumblingSaber Facebook group. We'd love to see you there.

If Twitter is your thing, you can find me, Cory, and Carlos there as well!

Thanks for listening to the podcast! See you next week!


TumblingSaber Podcast
A Star Wars Podcast

Fandom rises, and a podcast to meet it! TumblingSaber is a Star Wars podcast by fans, for fans! We talk films, TV, comics, novels, toys, and much more!

iTunes

Patreon

Stitcher

Youtube

Spotify