Giant Geek vs. Mega n00b
Eric Johnson and Emily Jones
The good news: The internet has made it easier than ever to watch, read, play, or listen to just about anything ever made. The bad news: Same. It's easy to get buried, even for two of the biggest pop culture geeks we know: Ourselves. Giant Geek vs. Mega n00b is what happens when we try to make each other -- and everyone who wants to listen along -- discover the good stuff. Join us! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Watergate Weekend, Part Two: Dick (1999)
And now for the REAL story of Watergate.This movie offers a bit of a lighter take on the scandal, as well as a guess at the identity of Woodward and Bernstein's infamous source, Deep Throat. Kirsten Dunst and Michelle Williams pay a pair of teenagers who couldn't be less interested in politics or world events - until they stumble into the middle of the biggest story of the century, befriend Richard "Dick" Nixon, and learn that you can't let Dick run your life.You can rent or buy the movie from a
Jun 17, 2018 • 0:35
Watergate Weekend, Part One: All the President's Men (1976)
Tomorrow will be the 46th anniversary of one of the most important political events of the 20th century: The break-in and attempted bugging of the Democratic national headquarters in Washington, D.C., at the Watergate office complex.That break-in and its historic aftermath have been rendered many times on film, most recently as a cameo in 2017's "The Post." But today, we're watching the best-known cinematic rendition of Watergate, "All the President's Men," a 1976 adaptation of journalists Bob W
Jun 16, 2018 • 0:50
Gossip Girl (2007)
Hey, Upper East Siders (and, you know, all listeners). I've got the biggest episode EVER.Ok, maybe not. But it is the second episode stemming from the Golden Globes bet we both lost. Today, it's time to torture Eric. And what better way than with the scandalous lives of Manhattan's elite?For the uninitiated, Gossip Girl is an anonymous blogger who chronicles (and tortures) a bunch of extremely wealthy high school students. With tipsters all over the city - especially in the fancy private schools
May 13, 2018 • 0:54
Grand Theft Auto V Heist Videos (2014)
Way back in January, Emily and I made a bet: Whoever could predict the winners of the Golden Globes more accurately would subject the other to a Geek vs. n00b pick that they would definitely hate. And I'm just gonna say it up front: If watching a bunch of dudes play Grand Theft Auto V for two hours is not your idea of a good time, then this episode may not be for you.Emily, however, had no choice. We both lost the bet (because we tied), so this weekend we're both torturing each other, no ifs and
May 12, 2018 • 0:41
A Wrinkle in Time (2018)
Surprise again! Although if you listened to yesterday's bonus episode, then this will not be surprising:On this show, we talked about the new movie adaptation of "A Wrinkle in Time," directed by Ava DuVernay and starring Storm Reid, Oprah Winfrey, Mindy Kaling and Reese Witherspoon. Technically this is not an episode with a "geek" and a "n00b" like usual, but we still had plenty to say about it.At the time of this episode's publication, you can probably still find "A Wrinkle in Time" at your loc
Apr 1, 2018 • 0:01
A Wrinkle in Time (1962)
Surprise! We're back with a bonus episode.In honor of the movie coming out (more on that later), we're rereading A Wrinkle in Time. The book follows Meg Murry, her little brother Charles Wallace, and their friend Calvin on a trip through time and space to save the Murrys' missing father.Be sure to read it, as we're about to spoil everything that happens!Tomorrow, we'll be back with a follow-up episode on the new movie. Keep an eye on your favorite podcast place. See acast.com/privacy for privacy
Mar 31, 2018 • 0:40
The Sound of Music (1965)
We're closing out the season with a pick that's somewhat surprising for a show with this premise: The Sound of Music. Yes, there is (or was until recently) someone who'd never seen this movie before.As you likely know, The Sound of Music is the Oscar-winning film adaptation of the Tony-winning Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, starring Julie Andrews as a wayward nun-in-training and Christopher Plummer as the father whose kids she's sent to care for as governess. Set in Salzburg, Austria before an
Mar 25, 2018 • 0:01
What We Do in the Shadows (2014)
- OK, so It's a movie about vampires.- Oh I love it! And they're terrorizing Los Angeles?- No, they just hang out in Wellington, New Zealand.- You've lost me.- They argue about household chores and have to deal with how to get dressed for a night on the town when you can't see yourself in the mirror.- ...- They also befriend a boring, pudgy man who works at a tech company.- ...- ... Thanks for your time.--"What We Do in the Shadows" isn't for everyone. But if you're the sort of person intrigued
Mar 24, 2018 • 0:32
Twin Peaks (1990)
Life in a sleepy small town is turned upside down when a teen girl - pretty, blonde, a good student, the prom queen - is found, brutally murdered. Before long, the secrets start tumbling out, and we learn she's not as innocent nor is the the town as quiet as it seemed.It's the premise of, rough estimate here, seven million movies, books and TV series? Just a ballpark figure. And any of them made since the early 90s (and plenty of other TV shows besides) owe a TON to a defining classic of the oeu
Mar 4, 2018 • 1:07:42
The Court Jester (1955)
"The Court Jester" has everything: Medieval palace drama! Implausible hypnotism! Acrobatic dwarves!... Oh, I'm being told that "The Court Jester" is not New York's hottest nightclub, but rather a 1955 musical comedy starring Danny Kaye. It's also the subject of this week's Giant Geek vs. Mega n00b, featuring guest geek Yoichi Shiga.Loyal listeners may remember Yoichi from our Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone episode, where he was one of our Potter n00bs ... but what did we think of this mov
Feb 25, 2018 • 0:38
The Net (1995)
This week, we're traveling back to the 90s, when the internet was relatively new and very slow and weird, for a dated thriller that feels oddly relevant today: The Net.In it, Sandra Bullock plays an isolated computer programmer and Jeremy Northam a leader of the evil hacking syndicate that's out to get her, via some particularly vicious and invasive identity theft. And since neither of us has seen it, we've brought in Emily Cureton to be our guide.Be sure to watch before listening, since as alwa
Feb 12, 2018 • 0:47
Sports Night (1998)
With the exception of that one episode about the Tour de France, we haven't done a lot of sports here on Giant Geek vs. Mega n00b. But a TV show about a SportsCenter-like show, written by "West Wing" creator Aaron Sorkin? Sign us up!But wait, there's more: Joining us for our introduction to "Sports Night" is Sorkin superfan Walt Mossberg — although he may be better known as the former Personal Technology columnist for the Wall Street Journal who co-founded AllThingsD and Recode, where Eric now w
Feb 4, 2018 • 1:10:43
Star Trek: The Next Generation
And now, it's time for round two of Star Trek: a foray into The Next Generation.Set long after the original show, this popular series returns to the Trek universe for another set of adventures aboard a later iteration of the Enterprise. Its crew of beloved characters include Patrick Stewart's Captain Jean-Luc Picard, LeVar Burton's Geordi Laforge, and Brent Spiner's android Data. But since we've never actually watched it, dedicated TNG fangirl Sarah Weitman (who you might recall from our 30 Rock
Jan 28, 2018 • 0:01
The Fast and the Furious (2001)
"Hurtling metal, meat and rubber through the concrete jungle at dangerous velocities." That's how, in 1998, Ken Li described New York's underground street racing scene.His article for Vibe Magazine, "Racer X," inspired the incredibly successful "Fast and Furious" movie franchise. And today, we bring it all full circle. Li, now the executive editor at Newsweek, joined us on the latest episode of Giant Geek vs. Mega n00b to talk about the first "Fast and the Furious" movie, which neither Emily nor
Jan 21, 2018 • 0:47
Star Trek
As we explained last week, this season we're shaking this up by bringing in guests to help fill in some gaps in our shared pop cultural knowledge.This week's is a big gap: Star Trek.Created by Gene Rodenberry and premiering in 1966, the seminal sci-fi series is famous for both its extensive cultural impact and its extremely dedicated fan base. We're lucky to have two of those fans with us to guide our voyage, Zach Powers and Josh Powers.For this introduction, we're watching season one's Space Se
Jan 15, 2018 • 0:01
Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003) and Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004)
You've been waiting patiently for it for months, and now it's finally here: Season 6 of Giant Geek vs. Mega n00b.This season, we're shaking things up by bringing in friends and colleagues to school us on the pop culture that Emily and I have both missed. And first out of the gate are the Kill Bill movies, brought to the podcast by my former schoolmate David Ruiz.Directed by Quentin Tarantino and starring Uma Thurman as "The Bride," Kill Bill is the story of a "roaring rampage of revenge." But di
Jan 7, 2018 • 0:01
The Thin Man (1934)
And now for the second part of our after-Christmas discussion of movies that are not exactly about Christmas. Much of this one, fittingly, takes place in the time between Christmas and New Year's Eve.The movie is The Thin Man (1934), based on the Dashiell Hammett novel of the same name and starring William Powell and Myrna Loy in one of their many on-screen collaborations. It launched a whole series of Thin Man films, all focused on Powell and Loy as the delightful Nick and Nora Charles. Give it
Dec 31, 2017 • 0:43
Gremlins (1984)
After a slightly longer-than-expected break (several months instead of several weeks), we're back!Last year — when we watched The Nightmare Before Christmas and Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town — we pitted two Christmas movies against each other. This year, we're doing the same thing.Well, sort of.This weekend, we're watching two not-quite-Christmas movies, the first of which is "Gremlins" (1984), which was directed by Joe Dante, written by Chris Columbus and stars Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates and H
Dec 30, 2017 • 0:45
30 Rock (2006)
It's no secret that we both love 30 Rock. A lot. Tina Fey's seven-season comedy for NBC is, in our opinion, one of the best ever, and we've both watched it countless times.But that's no fun for this podcast! So we've brought in a guest n00b to the world of TGS, night cheese, and Dr. Spaceman: Georgia's own Sarah Weitman, who's only seen a handful of random episodes.For our purposes, we're starting from the beginning and watching season one, episodes 1-3 and 5-7. Will Sarah like them? Will we man
May 18, 2017 • 0:44
This Is Us (2016)
We're nearly at the end of the fifth season of Giant Geek vs. Mega n00b, but there's still a lot we haven't done (just you wait). This week, we talked about the super-zeitgeisty new TV show "This Is Us," and — unlike most weeks, when the n00b enters with very little knowledge — that zeitgeistiness put Emily and myself at odds from minute one.In case you've missed the polarizing cultural discussion, "This Is Us" is a dramedy about the intersecting lives and families of four people
May 18, 2017 • 0:01
Into the Woods (1986)
We all know what happens when Cinderella goes to the ball, and when Jack climbs the beanstalk, and when Little Red Riding Hood gets to Granny's house....but not in this version.Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's Broadway musical Into the Woods turns all of these stories (and more) on their heads, then crashes a giant into them to upend things even more. It's a zany fairytale romp, but it's also a story about parents, children, relationships, and loss.Eric has seen the 2014 movie version, which
Apr 9, 2017 • 0:01
The Social Network (2010)
Technology doesn't materialize out of thin air; it's made by people. And those people aren't necessarily good people.This week's movie, "The Social Network," is a heavily dramatized telling of how Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg disrupted Harvard University, then colleges everywhere and then the world. The only problem — at least as seen here with Aaron Sorkin's name on the screenplay — is that he also upended his personal relationships along the way.You can stream "The Social Network
Apr 2, 2017 • 0:59
Beauty and the Beast (2017)
"Beauty and the Beast," the first animated movie ever to be nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars, is now ... a live-action movie, too! But how does it stack up to the original?On this bonus episode of Giant Geek vs. Mega n00b, we did the same thing that we did with La La Land last month: Emily and I watched the movie on our own, and did not share any thoughts about it with each other until we started recording. Turns out, we both had a lot of thoughts to share.You can find "Beaut
Mar 26, 2017 • 0:01
Velvet Goldmine (1998)
After exploring the line between public and private - and the notion of faking your death - with "Man on the Moon" last week, there was only one direction we could go in: "Velvet Goldmine."This one isn't actually a biopic, but it DOES star Jonathan Rhys Myers as a glam rocker inspired by David Bowie, Ewan McGregor as another star based on Iggy Pop and Lou Reed, Christian Bale as a journalist writing about them, and Toni Collette as Myers's wife. They're all very pretty.The opening titles really
Mar 26, 2017 • 0:37
Man on the Moon (1999)
We've all been there: 40 million people love watching you perform, and you hate it, so you decide to start wrestling women.OK, actually one person has been there: Andy Kaufman, the subject of the 1999 biopic "Man on the Moon," directed by Milos Forman and starring Jim Carrey as Kaufman. This week on Giant Geek vs. Mega n00b, we are diving deep into alternative comedy, engineered outrage and how well Lorne Michaels and David Letterman can act as themselves.You can stream "Man
Mar 18, 2017 • 0:46
Gaslight (1944)
You've heard the term on the news, you've seen it thrown around on Twitter, and now it's time to go to the source.We're talking about gaslighting, the practice of manipulating someone into doubting their own experience and sanity. It comes from a 1944 film starring Ingrid Bergman, Charles Boyer, and Joseph Cotten (and a very young Angela Lansbury in her first film role).Many years after her aunt was killed, Bergman moves back into the house where it happened with her new husband (Boyer), and thi
Mar 11, 2017 • 0:31
The Stanley Parable (2013)
This week, Emily and I played a video game with several great features, including offices, hallways, doors, a broom closet and existential dread.And as if that's not enticing enough, then try this on for size: "The Stanley Parable" is a hilarious interactive ride that answers a question no one was asking, "What if Tom Stoppard wrote a video game?" In it, you play as Stanley, an office drone whose coworkers mysteriously vanish.And I'm not kidding about the broom closet. Go in the
Mar 5, 2017 • 0:37
La La Land (2016)
Two lovers, both alike in artistic yearning, in fair Los Angeles where we ... ok, you know what, I'm not going to try and do the Shakespeare thing. "La La Land" is a story about two white people in L.A. who want to be famous and/or artistically respected, and it tied the record for most Oscar nominations ever. In this special bonus episode of Giant Geek vs. Mega n00b, recorded shortly before the Oscars, Eric and Emily offer their harsh critiques of a movie that has enchanted much of th
Feb 26, 2017 • 0:40
When Harry Met Sally (1989)
Does When Harry Met Sally really need an introduction? It isn't just a classic romantic comedy; it is THE romcom. Though far from the first, it's the ultimate and quintessential romcom, the movie that defines the genre, the movie that launched the romcom boom of the 1990s and 2000s, the movie that all others since aspire to.Even those who somehow haven't seen it, which until recently included Eric, know the basics: Meg Ryan. Billy Crystal. Nora Ephron. Rob Reiner. Carrie Fisher. Classic lines. H
Feb 26, 2017 • 0:49
The Twilight Zone (1959)
Imagine, if you will: A seemingly ordinary podcast suddenly re-emerges after more than a month of silence. Except this is no ordinary season premiere. The two hosts of this podcast have just made a life-changing visit ... to the Twilight Zone.We're back! And to kick off Season 5, we watched five episodes from the seminal TV anthology, "The Twilight Zone." After the intro to this episode, we talk about them with spoilers in depth, so you should watch these episodes before you listen! They ar
Feb 18, 2017 • 0:43
Santa Claus is Comin' to Town (1970)
Instead of a beloved and critically-acclaimed feature, today we're watching a cheesy-as-hell TV special by Rankin and Bass. They're the same folks that brought us the Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer we've all seen a million times - but this is better (in my humble opinion).Santa Claus is Comin' to Town is a Santa origin story, tracing his life from orphaned baby to jolly old man delivering toys. Along the way, it answers all the burning questions you've always had about Santa (how do the reindeer
Dec 11, 2016 • 41:29
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
What's this? Why, it's another bonus episode of Giant Geek vs. Mega n00b! Most of the time, people who say "Happy Holidays" aren't thinking of Halloween, but that might change once you see "The Nightmare Before Christmas," a 1993 stop-motion classic directed by Henry Selick and inspired by a poem written by Tim Burton. Emily, despite being the more musical half of the podcast, has never seen it, so whether you're a n00b like her or a geek like Eric, join us!If you're listening to this episo
Dec 10, 2016 • 0:34
Bob's Burgers (2011) VS. WKRP in Cincinnati (1978)
Surprise! Just in time for Thanksgiving, have an extra serving of Giant Geek vs. Mega n00b!While you're recovering from your food coma this week, join us for six delightful episodes of turkey-flavored TV: Three from "Bob's Burgers," which Eric has seen relatively little of, and three from "WKRP in Cincinnati," which Emily hadn't even heard of.The three Bob's Burgers episodes on tap are: S3E5, "An Indecent Thanksgiving Proposal"; S4E5, "Turkey in a Can"; and S5E4, "Dawn of the Peck." You can
Nov 23, 2016 • 0:33
Hamilton (2015)
How did a bastard orphan immigrant become one of America's founding fathers? How did the country forget about him? And how — and why? — did he become the subject of a wildly popular hip-hop musical 200 years after his death?In trying to answer these tricky questions, we quickly struck a roadblock: Neither Emily nor Eric had seen or listened to the soundtrack of "Hamilton," Lin-Manuel Miranda's hit 2015 Broadway musical about the rise and fall of Alexander Hamilton. Enter Eric
Nov 6, 2016 • 0:01
The West Wing (1999)
Topic: The West WingGeek(s): Emily and EricWe've got American politics on the brain (can't imagine why that would be), so it seems high time we get to a particularly stellar bit of political fantasy we're both more than a little obsessed with - the West Wing.Since we need a n00b to enlighten/inflict this on, we're enlisting help from my dear friend Reilly Mesco, who has somehow never seen the show. A travesty, we agree, and one that must be corrected.In case you're somehow also in the n00b categ
Nov 6, 2016 • 0:47
Machine of Death (2010)
What if you could put your finger in a machine and find out how you were going to die? What if that machine were always right?And what if that machine was also kind of a jerk, dispensing cryptic predictions that often came true in cruelly ironic ways? That is the delightful-slash-terrifying premise of "Machine of Death," an anthology of short stories collected and first published in 2010 by Ryan North, Matthew Bennardo and David Malki. And it's what we're talking about today on the po
Oct 29, 2016 • 0:47
Steely Dan (1976)
Topic: Steely DanGeek: EmilySteely Dan is a 1970s band that gets knocked a lot for being stereotypical dad music. But have you ever really listened to them? Eric never has. But even if you think you know them, I'd encourage you to pay closer attention this time. There's a lot going on there, folks.We're diving in to our close read with their 1976 album The Royal Scam. Give it a listen, then listen to this. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Oct 22, 2016 • 0:45
Rick and Morty (2013)
On one of the first episodes of this podcast, I made Emily watch Doctor Who. On a later episode, which sadly never saw the light of day because we lost the audio, I made her watch Back to the Future.Today, we complete the trifecta with "Rick and Morty," the irreverent animated Adult Swim show that synthesizes those series, Futurama, and like a million other sci-fi influences into a hilarious, chaotic and occasionally traumatizing experience.Come on, it'll be fun!If you've never seen Rick and Mo
Oct 8, 2016 • 0:33
Gilmore Girls (2000)
Topic: Gilmore GirlsGeek: EmilyIf you're out on the road, feeling lonely and so cold, all you have to do is call on Gilmore Girls and they'll be there on the next train.I've tortured this so that it doesn't actually rhyme, but you see, this is more or less how I feel about this beloved TV show. And I'm not alone! There's so much love out there for Gilmore Girls that it's getting its very own Netflix revival. Huzzah for Stars Hollow, Connecticut!Eric, however, has never seen it, and with the new
Oct 2, 2016 • 0:39
Zombieland (2009)
The last time we visited the zombie apocalypse, when we watched "The Walking Dead," most everything was bleak: People were fighting, some of them got killed, and there was little hope for the future.What if, instead, we all decided to have fun? That's part of the appeal of this week's movie, "Zombieland," a roadtrip comedy that just happens to coincide with the world's destruction via flesh-hungry monsters.And — as if you needed another reason to watch this movie with us — "Zombieland" has
Sep 24, 2016 • 0:33
Le Tour de France
Topic: The Tour de FranceGeek: EmilyAnd now for a sport that's a bit off the beaten track (or well-ridden road, as the case may be): cycling. I've been watching the Tour de France religiously for many years, and back in July I made Eric take the Tour plunge - albeit on a somewhat limited basis.For the purposes of our podcasts, we watched highlights of the first eight stages of the 2016 Tour with the help of some detailed planning and my NBC Sports Gold subscription. The full replays usually go u
Sep 21, 2016 • 0:50
Ex Machina (2015)
You might use Siri, or Cortana, or Alexa — but you would never think of them as real people.But what if you did? What if you could have a conversation with an artificially intelligent person that felt real and human? And what if that person looked like a beautiful woman?Those are just the surface-level questions of this week's movie, "Ex Machina."DO NOT WATCH THE TRAILER FOR THIS MOVIE. It has spoilers, as does this podcast after the 3-minute mark.So, skip the trailer and go
Sep 10, 2016 • 0:50
The Music Man (1962)
Topic: The Music ManGeek: EmilyWelcome to season four! Let's watch a musical.As you might recall, last season we watched Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and - spoiler alert - Eric loved it and immediately embarked on a binge. While this warms my little geek heart, it also poses a problem: CXG is packed with musical parodies, including one of my favorite number from one of my favorite musicals, and Eric has never seen it.Enter the Music Man.This musical has been a favorite since before I can even remember (I
Sep 3, 2016 • 0:38
UHF (1989)
"Weird Al" Yankovic has been writing and performing song parodies since 1976. But he only made one feature-length movie — for good reason."UHF" did not do well at the box office when it was released in 1989. It made $6.1 million on a $5 million budget. But in the years since, it has become a must-watch for any kid discovering the joys of "Weird Al" and a cult classic for geeks of all ages around the world.You should definitely watch "UHF" before you listen to the discussion portion of
Jul 11, 2016 • 0:35
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (2015)
Topic: Crazy Ex-GirlfriendGeek: EmilyThis week's topic hasn't been around for very long, but oh boy has it made a splash. It won a Golden Globe. Vulture named it best show on TV. I am madly in love with it.We're talking, of course, about the CW's Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. It's an hour-long comedy from the brilliant mind of Rachel Bloom, who also stars alongside a refreshingly diverse and seriously talented cast. The plot follows Bloom's character as she moves across the country in an attempt to win b
Jul 2, 2016 • 0:36
Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988)
The Mario games are full of important life lessons for kids: Get regular exercise! Help your friends! Do mushrooms and kill turtles!But will those messages resonate for someone (Emily) who has never played one of the official Mario games? Will that someone, who has barely played any video games, be able to clear the first level? On this week's Giant Geek vs. Mega n00b, we find out!If you don't still have an old Nintendo console from the 80s or 90s, fear not — you can find Super Mario B
Jun 26, 2016 • 31:04
Stick It (2006)
Topic: Stick ItGeek: EmilyToday we venture into the world of elite gymnastics - but we're not going to take it too seriously. Stick It is part snarky teen comedy and part inspirational sports movie, part send-up of the gymnastics world and part homage to the sport.I've been a fan of this beautiful little movie, complete with its high-profile gymnastics cameos, for quite a while. The balance of sarcastic humor and genuine heart is just too good to resist.But can Eric warm to a movie about a sport
Jun 19, 2016 • 0:36
The Big Lebowski (1998)
Sometimes, there's a podcast... And I'm talkin' about the Giant Geek versus the Mega n00b here... Sometimes there's a podcast and, well, it's the podcast for its time and place. It fits right in there.OK, just imagine how much better this description would sound if Sam Elliott were reading it. And now stop imagining how wonderful his voice is, because it's time to go watch a movie with us: The Big Lebowski.You can stream The Big Lebowski for free if you have an Amazon Prime subscription, or rent
Jun 12, 2016 • 0:39
The Big Sleep (1946)
Topic: The Big SleepGeek: EmilyBogart is back on the podcast! This time with his real-life wife and frequent on-screen partner Lauren Bacall.The Big Sleep is quintessential noir: a private eye, an array of untrustworthy dames and sketchy suits, and enough blackmail and dead bodies to turn a mobster's stomach. It has the added benefit of an almost hopelessly twisted plot you get to sort through every time almost like you're watching for the first time. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-ou
May 29, 2016 • 0:36
Edge of Tomorrow / Live Die Repeat (2014)
Think about a Tom Cruise action movie. Okay, now forget everything you just thought of, because we're watching a Tom Cruise action movie where most of that won't apply.That will make sense after you watch this week's film Edge of Tomorrow, later re-titled for marketing purposes as Live Die Repeat after it bombed at the box office. The less you know about this film going in, the better, so go watch it and then join our Giant Geek vs. Mega n00b discussion!For more like this, check out the other of
May 21, 2016 • 0:47
Trainspotting (1996)
(Normally, Emily would be writing this because it was her pick, but she's off having some super-cool weekend adventure. Whatever, I'm not jealous.)Choose Life. Choose a job. Choose a career. Choose this new episode of Giant Geek vs. Mega n00b, in which we talk all about the critically-acclaimed 1996 Danny Boyle film Trainspotting.For more like this, check out the other offerings at geekvsn00b.com, or subscribe to us on iTunes and Google Play Music.You can stream Trainspotting on Netflix or Sho
May 14, 2016 • 0:39
Portal (2007)
Hello and, again, welcome to the Giant Geek vs. Mega n00b Podcast Enjoyment Center. Your specimen has been processed and we are now ready to begin this week's episode.On this week's episode, [MALE CO-HOST NAME HERE] challenged [FEMALE CO-HOST NAME HERE] to try playing Portal, a 2007 video game made by Valve Software.For your own safety, and the safety of others, please subscribe to Giant Geek vs. Mega n00b on iTunes. The Enjoyment Center would also like to inform you that this podcast is also
May 7, 2016 • 0:39
Clueless (1995)
Topic: CluelessGeek: EmilyWe're back for season three!And we're starting with a bang: the classic teen comedy Clueless. In case you're unfamiliar (somehow?) with this film, it stars lots of famous people and music and features a parade of classic outfits and phrases - and best of all, it's based on Jane Austen's "Emma."Normally I'd launch into how I first watched this movie or why I fell in love with it, but I honestly can't remember the first time I watched it. It's just sort of part of my pop
May 1, 2016 • 0:40
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (1998)
Topic: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's StoneGeek: Emily AND EricThat's right, it's Harry Potter time!Now, you might have noticed that Eric and I are both serious Harry Potter enthusiasts, and we have been since it all started. We read the books as they came out, pre-ordered each new one and devoured it immediately, the whole nine yards. In fact, we went to the midnight premiere of the last movie together.As delightful as all of this is for us, it presents a podcast problem: since neither of us i
Mar 27, 2016 • 0:43
The Disaster Artist (2013)
Up-front caveat: If you haven't seen "The Room," go watch it. Then come back to this post.In case you ignored that instruction and are still reading ignorantly, "The Room" is widely considered to be one of the worst movies ever made -- and it's wonderful. Also, insane. Even more wonderful was the fact that one of its stars, Greg Sestero, wrote a tell-all book in 2013 about everything that happened behind the scenes; "The Disaster Artist" shows that the insanity captured on the screen was only a
Mar 19, 2016 • 0:38
In A Lonely Place (1950)
Topic: In A Lonely PlaceGeek: EmilyWe're doing more film noir this week, with another of the greats of the genre: Humphrey Bogart.I more or less stumbled on "In A Lonely Place" by accident. I was in the midst of a weekend-long Bogart marathon (a reasonable life choice that I strongly recommend), wandering around his IMDb credits, and this one's description intrigued me. Boy was I right.Bogart plays a screenwriter who hasn't had a hit in years and ends up accused of murder. But did he do it? Uncl
Mar 14, 2016 • 0:30
The Walking Dead (2010)
The zombies are coming! Grab a knife and a gun, get in your car, lock the doors and pray that your iPhone is charged so that you can listen to this podcast.Is that a sound survival strategy? Nope. But really, most of us would not last a day in a real zombie apocalypse. That's why we love shows like this week's topic, "The Walking Dead."And since the show is filmed in Emily's state of Georgia, she had to watch it.Can't listen right now because you're too busy looking for a friend who has a crossb
Mar 6, 2016 • 0:38
The Third Man (1949)
Topic: The Third ManGeek: EmilyAnd now, we venture into noir. What better way to dive into the genre than with Joseph Cotten, Orson Welles, and World War Two-ravaged Vienna?That's right folks, this week it's "The Third Man."I probably first watched this movie on TCM, or in a fit of classic film VHS rentals, but I've returned over and over because there's just so much to love here. It's got intrigue, mysterious death, crosses and double crosses, and a perfect score to hold it all together. It was
Mar 1, 2016 • 0:30
Pet Sounds (1966)
Hooray for trying new things. Unless those things are psychotropic drugs that permanently damage your brain.On this episode of Giant Geek vs. Mega n00b, Emily and I tried the good type of new thing: For the first time, we discussed a music album. Specifically, we listened twice over to "Pet Sounds" by the Beach Boys, one of my all-time favorite albums to listen to all the way through, for reasons that will become clear as you listen to the podcast.Don't want to listen right now? Then subscribe t
Feb 20, 2016 • 0:44
A Tale of Two Cities, Part Two (1859)
Topic: A Tale of two Cities (book three)Geek: EmilyAnd now for the payoff I sold so, so hard last time: the grand conclusion of A Tale of Two Cities. All the threads - golden threads, if you will - finally come together in the exciting conclusion of this epic novel. At least, that's what I think of it. We'll just have to see if Eric enjoys it. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Feb 15, 2016 • 0:39
Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005)
I never really got into anime in the way that a lot of other geeky kids did. Dragonball Z? Did not care. Pokémon? I watched the first season or two of the anime, but the video games were always first in my heart. Digimon? Yeah, no.So, I was surprised in college to really get into the Nickelodeon animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender, which borrows heavily from anime. It tells the story of an epic war fought by element-"bending" humans, a group of children who must save the planet, and some
Feb 6, 2016 • 0:45
A Tale of Two Cities, Part One (1859)
Topic: A Tale of Two Cities (books one and two)Geek: EmilyThis week embark on our lengthiest bit of culture yet: reading Dickens.I'm not sure when or why I read A Tale of Two Cities the first time, but I was pretty quickly hooked - and immediately started rereading it. You must understand, I'm not a big re-reader, in general. There are very few things I read over and over (basically this, Harry Potter, and Sabriel), and this tops the list BY FAR. It's just so good! And frankly so complicated tha
Jan 30, 2016 • 0:40
Hearthstone (2014)
WE'RE BACK!Here's the first episode of Giant Geek vs. Mega n00b Season 2. In it, Eric challenges Emily to overcome years of video game evasion and play Hearthstone, a free digital card game made by Blizzard.You can play Hearthstone on iOS and Android devices (just search for it in the App Store), or download a PC version of the game for your Windows or Mac computer at Battle.net.For more Giant Geek vs. Mega n00b, visit GVNpodcast.com. And please leave a review for us on iTunes! We'll be back nex
Jan 23, 2016 • 0:34
A Muppet Family Christmas (1987) VS. The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
Christmas special! Eric's favorite Muppet Christmas movie is "A Muppet Family Christmas," a TV special originally released in 1987. Emily's is "The Muppet Christmas Carol," which was released theatrically in 1992. So, who is right?Naturally, we watched both of them, and to get the most out of this episode, you should, too. "The Muppet Christmas Carol" is available to rent for $3 from Google, Vudu, Sony and Apple. And "A Muppet Family Christmas" is available to stream on YouTube at http://tiny.cc
Dec 12, 2015 • 0:46
A View to a Kill (1985)
Topic: A View to a KillGeek: EmilyFor the second part of our super special double-whammy season finale we're circling back to where we started: James. Bond.We're vaulting from one end of the Bond spectrum to the other, from the sublime(ly awesome) to the ridiculous(ly sublime). A View to a Kill is Roger Moore's last movie as the superspy, and he's got the world's best possible Bond villains opposite him: Christopher Walken as a psychotic genetic experiment and Grace Jones as his unspeakably grea
Jun 12, 2015 • 0:38
Watchmen, Part Two (1986)
Eric and Emily discuss the second half of Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Jun 10, 2015 • 0:34
This Week: Introducing the Marcia f***ing Brady of the Upper East Side
Hello friends! We'll be back this week with another new episode, finally rectifying the fact that although he is obsessed with "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," Eric is oblivious to Sarah Michelle Gellar's other iconic teen starlet roles of the late 90s and early aughts.Yes, that means we're watching Cruel Intentions.As always, be sure to watch it before you listen! There will be many spoilers. Find it here: Amazon; Google Play; Vudu. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
May 19, 2015 • 0:01
Watchmen, Part One (1986)
Topic: Watchmen (first half)Geek: EricThis week, we finally get to something I've been wanting to discuss since before we started this podcast: The graphic novel Watchmen, by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons.Even if you saw the mediocre 2009 film and didn't like it, don't close this tab. I saw it, too, and was confused more than anything else. It's only in the shadow of the far, far superior book that its problems come into clarity.But we're not here to talk about a lousy movie (well, Emily and I tal
May 13, 2015 • 0:40
This Week: Watchmen, Part One
It's time for another book! And that means another two-parter. This week, we're tackling the first half of Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons.Watchmen is no ordinary book. It's what some folks call a "comic book," but those of us who know better call a "graphic novel." Unlike the innumerable serialized Superman or Spider-Man stories, it's a self-contained work, starring characters that don't appear elsewhere. It's also a goldmine of ideas to discuss.Given that Watchmen is widely considered
May 11, 2015 • 0:01
Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)
Topic: Four Weddings and a FuneralGeek: Emily See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
May 1, 2015 • 0:33
This Week: Four Weddings and a Funeral
Hello again, fearless listeners, and sorry for the slight delay on this week's podcasting!For our latest episode, Eric ventures into territory he's not super into while Emily gushes endlessly about Hugh Grant. Have you guessed it yet?It's Four Weddings and a Funeral! This is also known as the best Hugh Grant movie of the very Hugh Grant-heavy 90s (disagree? I'll fight you.) And yes, sure, Andie McDowell is also in it, so huzzah for her if that's your thing.In any case, you have no excuse not to
Apr 28, 2015 • 0:01
The Cabin in the Woods (2012)
Topic: The Cabin in the WoodsGeek: EricBelieve it or not, that title doesn't refer to yours truly. At least not in this context.To understand what it does refer to, please go watch The Cabin in the Woods before listening to this episode. We will spoil everything about it!I saw this movie in theaters right after it came out in 2012, and loved it so much that I went back three days later. I enjoyed Cabin in the Woods even more on another viewing, but that second trip left me fuming mad.(Rant incom
Apr 22, 2015 • 35:23
This Week: The Cabin in the Woods
quae vigilate in silvis CameramAlso, don't watch the trailer for this week's movie, The Cabin in the Woods. It's super-spoilery and we strongly recommend going in to this 2012 horror flick cold, knowing as little as possible about it.That said, if you're anything like us you may care to know that it shares some creative DNA with Buffy the Vampire slayer; it was written by Drew Goddard and Joss Whedon, and directed by Goddard. For fans of the Whedonverse, there's also more than a few actors you'l
Apr 20, 2015 • 0:02
The Sopranos (1999)
Topic: The SopranosGeek: EmilyOh, the Sopranos. We (here defined as "the TV-obsessed population of the internet) are so caught up in the last set of Mad Men episodes at the moment, or the latest season of House of Cards, or how Breaking Bad ended, or whatever prestige show we're focusing on at the moment. It's easy to forget how much we used to focus all this energy on this one amazing show about the modern-day mafia in North Jersey.Or maybe - if this week's hubbub about that infamous final scen
Apr 15, 2015 • 0:34
This Week: The Sopranos
All right, all right, so that's from The Godfather. But they idolize those movies SO MUCH on this show that it makes it ok to use the world's most overused mafia cliche, right? Right. So in case you haven't gotten this, we're watching The Sopranos this week. Specifically, we're watching Season 1 - Episodes 1, 2, and 5. It's ok, you can start nodding along with the theme song...now. For the somehow uninitiated (do you exist?), this HBO series starring James Gandolfini, Lorraine Bra
Apr 14, 2015 • 0:01
In the Loop (2009)
Topic: In The LoopGeek: EricI went back and forth on whether or not to star-star-out the swears in that title, but I don't want to risk getting in trouble with iTunes. So, here we are: You win, Linton Barwick.If you don't know that name or what it has to do with censoring swears, you should go watch In The Loop. That's the topic of this week's podcast discussion, and we do spoil several of the best jokes!OK, enough nagging. Hat tip to the /Filmcast (which is an excellent podcast, by the by) for
Apr 8, 2015 • 0:25
This Week: In the Loop
Although this podcast is rated "explicit" for our occasional swearing, most of what we watch here on Giant Geek vs. Mega n00b is relatively all-ages-appropriate. This week's movie, In The Loop, is very not family friendly, and gloriously so.In The Loop has no nudity or violence (sorry), but achieves that "glorious" label entirely through words. To see what I mean, you really should watch the movie before you listen to our discussion, which comes out on Wednesday.Here's how to find it:&
Apr 6, 2015 • 0:04
The Bourne Identity (2002)
Topic: The Bourne IdentityGeek: Emily What can I even tell you about the Bourne Identity? As I’ve said 1,000 times if I’ve said it once, what’s remarkable here isn’t that I think these movies are great; it’s that Eric has somehow avoided seeing them. They’re so ubiquitous. Seriously, turn on your TV. If you have cable, one of these movies is probablyplaying somewhere. They always are.I think I saw all of them when they came out or shortly thereafter, and obviously immediately loved the
Apr 2, 2015 • 0:28
This Week: The Bourne Identity
For more, visit http://geekvsn00b.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Mar 31, 2015 • 0:02
The Day of the Doctor and The Time of the Doctor (2013)
It only took us seven weeks (not counting part one of Sabriel and another episode, the audio for which was exterminated by Daleks) to get back to Doctor Who -- and there's a good reason for that.As we noted earlier this week, Emily binged on Doctor Who after our second episode, The Angels Have the Phone Box, and Eric wanted to make sure he had a chance to discuss two of his favorite episodes, The Day of the Doctor and The Time of the Doctor, with her in podcast form.Dumb, dumb Eric.What he/I did
Mar 25, 2015 • 0:44
This Week: A Geektastic Return to Doctor Who
We recorded our first episodes of this podcast in August of last year, and Eric's first pick was one of his favorite shows, Doctor Who.Spoiler alert for episode two, Emily really liked it -- so much so that she binged nearly 100 episodes of the show in the ensuing weeks. That took her up to the two end-of-2013 specials, The Day of the Doctor and The Time of the Doctor, which are also two of Eric's favorite episodes in the whole series. You can see where this is going.Join us this week for a
Mar 24, 2015 • 0:03
James Bond music and video games
Thank you so much to everyone who has supported Giant Geek vs. Mega n00b in its first month-plus. You guys rock.But did you know?!?!? For every single episode we release here, we've also recorded a bonus mini-episode, or "minisode," with at least 10-15 extra minutes of fun discussions.Normally, these minisodes are only available to our friends who chip in at least $5 per month on Patreon. But this week, we're putting two of them out there for free, in the hopes that you'll check out our Pat
Mar 18, 2015 • 0:28
This Week: Patreon Minisodes Coming Soon
This week, we're doing something a bit different here at Giant Geek vs. Mega n00b: We're sharing two mini-episodes recorded specifically for our podcast subscribers over at Patreon.If you don't know what Patreon is, it's sort of like Kickstarter, except instead of asking fans to fund one big project, we ask for small recurring donations. For $5 a month, you get access to "minisodes" for every weekly episode, which take us down fun and totally weird tangents.It's really important to stress: This
Mar 16, 2015 • 0:04
Sabriel (1995)
Topic: Sabriel by Garth NixGeek: EmilyYeah, you knew there was going to be an episode by this title eventually.Also, let me preface this by saying that half of our Sabriel discussion, originally a two-episode set, has vanished. We’re blaming it on Daleks and/or internet goblins even though it’s 100% my being an idiot. What follows is a combination of the usual introductory post and the main point you’re missing from that disappearing tape.Sabriel is a Young Adult fantasy novel, and I first read
Mar 12, 2015 • 0:29
This Week: Sabriel by Garth Nix
Last week in this space, we listed all the ways to find our movie of choice, Pacific Rim, online. This week, the job is a bit easier: We're reading a book!I know, I'm as shocked as you.Emily had to explain to me how all this worked, but if I understand it right: You can go to a physical store out in the real world to pick up a copy of Sabriel, which was written by Garth Nix and first published in 1995. This is the first book in a tetralogy (that's like a trilogy but for four books, yo!), so make
Mar 10, 2015 • 0:03
Pacific Rim (2013)
Ancient dinosaurs that have been living under the ocean floor for millions of years (for some reason) are attacking! What do you do?Correct answer: Build giant robots to beat the crap out of them.Pacific Rim is not an intellectually challenging movie, but it is a lot of fun, and it's the topic of this week's episode. It stars Charlie Hunnam as robot pilot Raleigh Becket, Idris Elba as a shouty general, and Rinko Kikuchi as aspiring pilot Mako Mori.In case you missed the
Mar 4, 2015 • 0:34
This Week: Pacific Rim
Pacific Rim is not currently available to stream for free anywhere (well, anywhere legal), but here are the links to places you can buy it:Amazon - $10iTunes - $10Google - $10Xbox - $10PlayStation - $10DVD on Amazon - $6Blu-Ray on Amazon - $12Netflix - DVD subscription required See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Mar 2, 2015 • 0:02
Moulin Rouge (2001)
The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return... But, barring that, you can just listen to this podcast and learn a thing or two about Moulin Rouge!The 2001 film, directed by Baz Luhrmann, centers on a love-obsessed poet played by Ewan McGregor, who falls in love with Satine, the star of the titular cabaret BUT THERE'S A TWIST... For some reason, everyone at the Moulin Rouge knows the lyrics of songs popularized by the likes of Nirvana and Marilyn Monroe,
Feb 25, 2015 • 0:35
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)
Emily has played very few video games in her life, but watches a lot of rom-coms. Eric has played way too many video games, and generally avoids rom-coms. What happens when they watch a rom-com that's all about games?In this episode, your hosts Eric Johnson and Emily Jones discuss Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, a 2010 film starring Michael Cera and Mary Elizabeth Winstead. Also appearing: lots and lots of funny people, including Anna Kendrick, Aubrey Plaza, Chris Evans, Jason Schwartzman
Feb 18, 2015 • 0:36
The Avengers (1967)
The IMDb description of the first thing we watched for this episode is: "The executives of several ceramics companies are being driven crazy or killed by fear."And that's not even the craziest thing.Yes, it's the 1960s British TV series The Avengers (no relation to the superheroes -- sorry, Iron Man fans), starring Patrick Macnee and Diana Rigg. In this episode, your hosts Emily Jones and Eric Johnson watched three episodes from season 5: "The Fear Merchants," "Escape in Time" and "The Livi
Feb 9, 2015 • 0:34
Doctor Who (2007)
Ready for an adventure in space and time? How about THREE adventures? Well, allons-y!In this episode, your hosts Eric Johnson and Emily Jones discuss three episodes of Doctor Who from the third series, which aired in 2007. The episodes are "Smith and Jones," "The Shakespeare Code" and "Blink."Starring David Tennant as the 10th Doctor and Freema Agyeman as Martha Jones.Read more about Doctor Who and how a late-night TV host turned Eric into a superfan at geekvsn00b.com. See acast.com/privacy
Feb 9, 2015 • 0:36