Thursday, 28 October 2021

The Nerd Room Episode #293 | ANAKIN IN ASHOKA, DUNE, HASBRO PULSECON

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 another intense week in nerd the crew discuss the reveal of Anakin appearing in Ashoka, Michael B and Val Zod, a spoiler-free Dune review, a breakdown of Ghostbusters, Marvel, and Star Wars from Hasbro PulseCon and much more!


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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!

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Bring on the Bad Guys - Episode 35 - Halloween Special - Friday the 13th: Jason Goes to B&M

It's the Bring on the Bad Guys Hallowe'en SPOOK-TACULAR!

In a departure from their usual superhero-esque shenanigans, the guys are testing out "Friday the 13th: Horror at Camp Crystal Lake". Can they avoid the threatening presence of Jason Voorhees (or his Mum)? Can they survive all five nights at the creepy summer camp? Will we make it half an hour in before Brad loses his shit at this terrible excuse for a game?

Ian, Brad and Dave are joined by Emotionally 14's own Rob Wade to venture into the darkened woods around Camp Crystal Lake, and...well, we're not really sure what happens after that, but apparently it involves a lot of frying pans.

Follow the show on Instagram @bringonthebadguys and Facebook @BringBadGuys


Friday, 22 October 2021

Rob's Movie Night Roundup - T (Tron)

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

TRON
Director: Steven Lisberger
Stars: Jeff Bridges, Bruce Boxleitner, David Warner

Synopsis via IMDB: A computer hacker is abducted into the digital world and forced to participate in gladiatorial games where his only chance of escape is with the help of a heroic security program.

If your first question is "However did it take Rob until 2021 to watch the original Tron?", it's not an unreasonable question. It's a movie with video games being played in it. It's an 80s movie. It's hailed as miles ahead of its time. The video game point again. Nevertheless, here we are in 2021 with me having watched Tron for the first time recently.

If it helps, that was a question I audibly asked myself during the course of the movie. I thought it was cool!

Of course, certain aspects of the special effects look a little dated, but considering the time in which the movie was made the visuals should not be undersold. It's worth saying that the version I watched (in this case on Disney+) looked bloody lovely, so I'm guessing there's been a pretty significant remastering effort which has been really well done!

It's easy, nearly 40 years after a movie releases, to forget the creativity on display here. The very idea of the movie is inspired, and I would genuinely play a video game based on the in-movie game where you basically play Jai alai using the ceiling and platforms disappear when they're hit. Hell, if I could code more effectively I'd make that game.

I digress. I thought this movie was cracking, and at just over 90 minutes it was a really well-structured and tight movie with no wasted effort. Really glad I watched it.


I might go back and look properly, but it feels increasingly like 1982 is among the most incredible years for movies. Tron just adds to the pile that already includes Blade Runner, The Thing and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, just to name a few. An awesome and unique visual style, some synth music and some solid 1980s movie performances make for an enjoyable time all round!

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.


Thursday, 21 October 2021

The Nerd Room Episode #292 | DC FANDOME: THE BATMAN, BLACK ADAM, THE FLASH, & MORE

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 full recap of the mega-virtual event DC Fandome! They cover everything from The Batman trailer to Peacemaker!


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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


Fire When Ready - Episode 61 - Star Wars: Legion - Skirmish Game

Saw Gerrera's Partisans - led by a young Jyn Erso - see a chance for a major victory when they stumble across Emperor Palpatine attempting a clandestine mission for his own, dark reasons. Can they capitalise on this lucky accident, or will the Empire score another victory?

Featuring special guest, Kyle Mullings!

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @firewhenreadyuk

If you like the look of this game, or even if you're just in the market for a few new bits for your existing set, why not check out our Amazon Affiliate store to do so?




Monday, 18 October 2021

Bring on the Bad Guys - Episode 34 - Marvel: Crisis Protocol Gameplay

Hammers are falling from the sky, and it's a race as to who is going to get their hands on them. Thor, Loki and Valkyrie are fighting over the mystical artifacts, but so are Venom, Baron Zemo, Ghost Spider and more!

Featuring special guest, Kyle Mullings.

Follow the show on Instagram @bringonthebadguys and Facebook @BringBadGuys


Thursday, 14 October 2021

The Nerd Room Episode #291: WHAT IF…? SEASON FINALE, DC FANDOME HYPE, MCU NEWS

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 the TNR crew jump into the Marvel What If...? season finale and series as a whole, DC Fandome just a few days out from the virtual conference, MCU news (Dardevil, Adam Warlock), and much more!


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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 - S (Spider-Man: Into The Spiderverse, A Star Is Born)

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

SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDERVERSE
Directors: Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman
Stars: Shameik Moore(voice), Jake Johnson(voice), Hailee Steinfeld(voice)

Synopsis via IMDB: Teen Miles Morales becomes the Spider-Man of his universe, and must join with five spider-powered individuals from other dimensions to stop a threat for all realities.

I'm actually quite relieved to have come to this one later. On a number of occasions over the course of my life, I have gone into a film with nothing but hype and hyperbole ringing in my ears. Into The Spiderverse got an incredible amount of plaudits on release, and so it would have been very easy for me to get swept up in that. As it is, I've gone into it a couple of years on, and had a chance to just look at it without that stuff surrounding me.

Overall, I thought it was really well done. A lot of attention was given to the visuals and animation at the time of release, and its nomination and subsequent win at the Academy Awards of 2019 were for many a foregone conclusion. Certainly, this film looks stunning in motion and from looking at the nominees for that year it's a very worthy winner. The animation is colourful, clean and crisp and genuinely made me wonder whether the 4k Blu-Ray purchase would be worthwhile. I have yet to decide.

In every other respect, the movie is good but I wonder if perhaps things like the story and characters got pumped up by the positivity surrounding the movie at the time of release. There's nothing wrong with them, by any stretch, but there's nothing especially exceptional about them either. They're good.

In short, I liked this one very much but I'm actually kind of relieved that I could come to it a bit later and go in with expectations a bit more normalised.


A STAR IS BORN (2018)
Director: Bradley Cooper
Stars: Bradley Cooper, Lady Gaga, Sam Elliott

Synopsis via IMDB: A musician helps a young singer find fame as age and alcoholism send his own career into a downward spiral.

Hollywood really likes movies about broken unsympathetic people doesn't it?

By the end of this movie, I couldn't find anyone to root for but Sam Elliott (probably not the first time I've found a film that does that, in truth). Ally (Lady Gaga) comes off as an ungrateful sellout, and Jack (Bradley Cooper) comes off as a stubborn and cowardly trainwreck. There are redeeming moments for the characters, but they're so few and far between that the cast becomes hard to root for. There's a minor pace problem but nothing too serious,

I'm by no means looking to crap on this movie, so I'll say a few things I liked. The movie was well directed on the whole. The songs were really good, and the moment in the movie where Ally first gets up in front of a crowd gave me a good kind of shivers. If you like movies with musical aspects, there are some really good bits in this film.

The performances were very good, too. Bradley Cooper has done a good job in everything I've seen him in, so no great surprise there. Lady Gaga, considering this is her first feature film role (to my knowledge at least), does a great job as the young brash singer turned megastar Ally. There's also a good showing from the supporting cast including a showing from comedy legend Dave Chappelle and...

Wow, that was Andrew Dice Clay. I hadn't even put that together until I looked at the cast list on IMDB.


S was a pretty good letter, all things considered. Of the two, Into The Spiderverse was the favourite. I kind of figured that would be the case going in, but I didn't hate A Star Is Born. Don't expect to see it too high on my overall list should one materialise (and I think at this point it's likely), but it won't be near the bottom given some of the stuff I've watched in 2021.

I've been reflecting a lot on this alphabet format, and if I run this sort of thing again in 2022 don't expect it to be so rigid. Beyond that I'm still mulling.

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.


Monday, 11 October 2021

Fire When Ready - Episode 60: Yoda, Super Tactical Droid, Magnaguards, Wookiees and LAAT/Le Review

A new batch of reinforcements has arrived on the LAAT/i, so it's time for an unboxing and review of the latest releases for Star Wars: Legion.

Featuring special guest, Rob Wade.

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @firewhenreadyuk

If you like the look of this game, or even if you're just in the market for a few new bits for your existing set, why not check out our Amazon Affiliate store to do so?




Thursday, 7 October 2021

The Nerd Room Episode #290 | Venom: Let There Be Carnage 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 mild spoiler review of Venom: Let There Be Carnage.

  • Venom 2 BO - No Spoilers
  • Venom Review - Mild Spoilers
  • Venom End Credit - Full Spoilers

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