Geek Outlaw's Wild Wild Podcast

“It’s my party, and I’ll crack someone’s skull open if I want to.”   Welcome to the WILD WILD PODCAST #42 Join Geek Outlaw & co-host Spunky Destructor as we try to console each other and make sense of the brutal events which took place in the seventh season premiere of The Walking Dead. (WARNING: “Mind blowing” spoilers within.) LISTEN HERE! —>  Wild Wild Podcast #42   Yeah, so that just happened. Twice. They were the swings heard (and seen) around the world as the wildly anticipated season seven premiere of The Walking Dead aired this past Sunday after a long summer of chatter regarding Lucille’s eventual victim.   Now up to bat for the Chicago Cubs…   If you’re an avid and up-to-date reader of the graphic novel like myself, the episode was payoff and then some for the book’s most excruciating event which transpired in issue 100. If you didn’t even know there was a comic book and you watch the series, chances are you’re probably checking Yelp right about now for the best local psychiatrist.   Sorry Rick, there’s a new sheriff in town. (See what I did there?)   Either way, nothing could (or can) prepare you for what took place during the series’ seventh season premiere. Being the gluttons for punishment that we are, both the Destructor and I viewed the episode twice… within a twelve hour period. That should all but confirm our questionable mental states prior to watching the premiere in the first place. Mental stability aside, from this point on the series will never be the same. Much like issue 100 forever changed The Walking Dead comic storyline, this seventh opener achieved the same for the television series.   The grin that pissed off 17 million plus premiere night viewers.   Credit should be given to all involved for creating an episode that delivered intensity along with eliciting an emotional response from every major known category minus happiness. Be it anger, sadness, frustration, hopelessness, and nausea, the audience was taken on a ride that only quaaludes and elephant tranquilizers could tame. With that, I’ll leave the rest of my thoughts and spoilers to the podcast. The good news is, Spunky Destructor and I will either bring some laughs and levity to the somberness being felt across The Walking Dead universe, or we will make you even more queasy than the premiere itself. Either way, you’ve got nothing to lose. (With the possible exception of your last meal.)   Something tells me that isn’t strawberry jam. Join Geek Outlaw & co-host Spunky Destructor as we try to console each other and make sense of the brutal events which took place in the seventh season premiere of The Walking Dead. (WARNING: “Mind blowing” spoilers within.) LISTEN HERE! —>  Wild Wild Podcast #42 The post WILD WILD PODCAST #42: Negan Swings and Hits a Double in THE WALKING DEAD’s Brutal Season 7 Premiere appeared first on Geek Outlaw.

I’ve finally figured out why Sansa has looked so disturbed the past 18 months.   Welcome to the WILD WILD PODCAST #41 It’s Mass hysteria as we tackle the controversy over the Ghostbusters reboot, give our thoughts on the roller-coaster sixth season of Game of Thrones, and preview Geek Outlaw’s plans for Nerdi-Gras (aka San Diego Comic-Con 2016) (WARNING: Spoilers for Game of Thrones are abound within.) LISTEN HERE! —>  Wild Wild Podcast #41   End times has technically arrived, and it looks like we all survived… for the moment. Of course I’m referring to the release of the much ballyhooed Ghostbusters remake directed by Paul Feig, which just landed in theaters a few days ago to a resounding thud.   A small poster tweak that (sadly) probably would have helped sales.   I kid you not fellow Outlaws, worldwide people were reporting empty theaters, early walkouts, and discounted ticket prices, and utter silence from the few who dared sit through the 2-hour lobotomy. Seriously, during prime time viewing hours, many theaters were emptier than a dentist office on Free Root Canal Day.  The money (or lack thereof) was the final proof in the pudding as the remake pulled in a lowly $46 million in association to its $154 million dollar budget. (Sorry, I don’t count tax incentives and rebates at the last minute like the rest of the media is now doing all of the sudden for some odd reason.)   “Fiction can be fun Sony, but I find the reference section much more enlightening. “   On a related note, it’s quite entertaining watching Sony and the press twist themselves into mini-pretzels selling this as a success. It should be pretty telling when a film called Alvin and the Chipmunks 2: The Squeakquel was able to do more business in one weekend than the Ghostbusters remake by capturing $48 million of its $70 million dollar production in the same amount of time. On the subject of nuts, just listen to Sony describe this opening as the second coming.   Hey at least you don’t have to put up with annoying sounds from the audience like laughing and clapping.   Add in the hundreds of millions spent on advertising and marketing, and Feig himself said the film would need to turn $500 million globally to turn a profit. Without the help of the number 2 box office in the world – China graciously passed because they wisely decided their folk wouldn’t like the flick and because they don’t like ghosts in general – it looks as though Feig is going to be washing dishes on the Sony Studio lot for several years to come. It’s sad when ponder what could have been though. If done right, this could have and should have been a $100 million plus weekend for a Ghostbusters film… had it been made with care and respect to the original.   Why do I have the sudden urge to buy things made in China again?   How so you ask? Well you’ll have to listen in as Spunky Destructor and I breakdown why Feig’s Ghostbusters remake will forever haunt Sony, and where exactly the wheels fell off. (Hint: Pretty much everywhere.) In this extra special bonus edition of the Wild Wild Podcast, we’ll also talk about the Game of Thrones sixth season in its entirety, as well as discuss the Outlaw’s plans for San Diego Comic-Con 2016! I’ll be (attempting) to video live stream every evening from Nerdi-Gras, so if you like watching live train wrecks, make sure to tune in to the calamity via the links below! Until then, see you on the other side Outlaws…   Hide the women, children, pets and small appliances… the Outlaw is going Live!   It’s Mass hysteria as we tackle the controversy over the Ghostbusters reboot, give our thoughts on the roller-coaster sixth season of Game of Thrones, and preview Geek Outlaw’s plans for Nerdi-Gras (aka San Diego Comic-Con 2016) (WARNING: Spoilers for Game of Thrones are abound within.)   LISTEN HERE! —>  Wild Wild Podcast #41   SDCC 2016 LIVE VIDEO LINKS (Starting every evening at Approx) 6:30pm: Tuesday July 19th Wednesday July 20th: Thursday July 21st: Friday July 22nd: Saturday July 23rd: Sunday July 24th: (If the individual time slots don;t work, try the following link: http://www.youtube.com/c/GEEKOUTlaw/live) The post WILD WILD PODCAST #41: Ghostbusters Remake, Game of Thrones Season 6 & San Diego Comic-Con 2016 in a Podcast Together; Mass Hysteria! appeared first on Geek Outlaw.

Where in the mutant world is Geek Outlaw? (Hint: Look for the creepy stalker.)   Welcome to the WILD WILD PODCAST #40 Tune in as Team Outlaw & Team Destructor do battle as we debate on Captain America: Civil War, X-Men: Apocalypse, and the beginning episodes of Game of Thrones. (WARNING: Some spoilers go to battle inside.) LISTEN HERE! —>  Wild Wild Podcast #40   Whether its mutants fighting mutants, Avengers fighting Avengers, or me fighting to accept Ben Affleck was cast as Batman, 2016 will go down as the year good guys decided to beat the snot out of other good guys… or, not-so-bad guys. Why this seems to be a popular year for pitting hero against hero is mostly just Hollywood not wanting one studio to corner said market, however my feeling is superheroes have done such a good job putting away criminals, they eventually became bored and needed someone to take out there pent up energy on.   One of these things is not like the other… it’s better.   The latest entry into the hero v. hero fray is 20th Century Fox’s X-Men: Apocalypse. In the interest of full spoiler-free disclosure, the crux of the Apocalypse plot doesn’t revolve solely around the battle of disenfranchised do-gooding factions. They are subplots at best; nevertheless they still play a role within the culminating confrontation of the film. As is to be expected – and I don’t blame you – I have no doubt all of those reading this would like me to bring a swift demise to my blathering and move on with the pleasantries, also known as my overall thoughts on the film.   Further proof Ryan Reynolds is mightier than the sword.   Seeing as I’d like you to listen to the podcast to hear the thoughts of Spunky Destructor and myself, I will simply say Bryan Singer’s latest mutant mashup is a mixed bag. In true Singer fashion, Apocalypse has a couple of stunning visual sequences, well placed humor and emotional character moments. Alas, for every positive action, it felt as if there was an equally negative reaction, if not stronger. In general, the eye candy not only seemed overused, but unpolished within several major scenes. There are also seem to be so many subplots going on, one kind of gets the sense the movie bites off more story than it can chew. It’s with a heavy heart that I report not even seeing Jennifer Lawrence run around with blue body paint on could save Apocalypse from mediocrity. (Although seeing Olivia Munn perform martial arts in an 80’s style aerobic leotard didn’t hurt the cause.)   If only I saved 15% or more on my auto insurance with Geico.   Another relevant factor leading to our “meh” ratings is Spunky and I viewed this film only a few weeks after seeing Captain America: Civil War, which for lack of a more creative word, I found to be epic (see my written review and overuse of the word “epic”, here.) Lucky for my Outlaw listeners, we talk about Civil War in-depth as well during this podcast and do a bit of a comparison between the competing hero conglomerates within the Marvel universe.   If only 20th Century Fox & Marvel could kiss their pride and makeup a shared bank account, this could be a reality.   And if the podcast wasn’t painfully long enough, we also delve into the first several episodes of The Game of Thrones sixth season.   Brings new meaning to putting on your “Game” face. (See what I did there?)   All of it is enough to make you want to stream this special 2-hour episode immediately, only to subsequently fill your ears with sound-proof concrete as you pray for an actual apocalypse.   Tune in as Team Outlaw & Team Destructor do battle as we debate on Captain America: Civil War, X-Men: Apocalypse, and the beginning episodes of Game of Thrones. (WARNING: Some spoilers go to battle inside.)   LISTEN HERE! —>  Wild Wild Podcast #40   The post WILD WILD PODCAST #40: It’s Team Outlaw vs Team Destructor as we debate Civil War, X-Men: Apocalypse & Game of Thrones Season 6 appeared first on Geek Outlaw.

Who wouldn’t want a hairy, larger-than-life, wise-cracking best friend? (Oh, and Baloo would be a great friend too.)   Welcome to the WILD WILD PODCAST #39 Geek Outlaw & co-host Spunky Destructor cover the “Bare Necessities” of our Jungle Book review, discuss our future fears of Fear the Walking Dead, and pay our respects to the music icon, Prince. (WARNING: Minor spoilers lie within.) LISTEN HERE! —>  Wild Wild Podcast #39   In the jungle, the mighty jungle The Outlaw records his podcast alone tonight. The above lyrics were almost the case after yours truly dragged Wild Wild Podcast co-host Spunky Destructor to go see Disney’s latest live-action adaption of The Jungle Book in 3D.   Is the fountain of youth in the jungle? Still looking great after 50 years.   The resistance to go see the semi-musical conversion of Disney’s 1978 animated classic might seem like an odd movie to protest, but her reasoning was fairly sound. Having an aversion to animal death on screen, Spunky D made a rational assumption that at least one of the beloved characters of this more grown up take of the cartoon would feature some sort of realistic animal death or brutality. To her credit, my lovely partner-in-podcast warned me that if she went, and a CGI creature of any species kicked the computer generated can, I would be eating my meals through a straw for eight months… if I was lucky. Being the rational and sympathetic man that I am, dragged her kicking and screaming to the balcony of the theater. My ultimate downfall with is the fact I’m a man. Unless there is no way to set something on fire or every sports cable channel goes inexplicably dark, worrying about things causes pain in the space between our ears.   It’s a jungle out there, and it’ll cost you an extra $10 to see it in 3D.   Even though I made it out of the theater with about 67% of my limbs intact, I learned a valuable lesson. Unfortunately, the NHL playoffs came on shortly after the incident and it’s any new information absorbed has been replaced with how many blocked shots the Pittsburgh Penguins average on a per period basis. I won’t spoil how Spunky D felt about the film, as I’ll leave that to the podcast itself. Nevertheless, it’s worth hearing her take seeing as how resolute she was in dismembering me  in identical fashion to any potential onscreen animal deaths.   When these wolf pups came on screen, Spunky Destructor made it clear my fate lay in the hands of their survival.   Keeping with the theme of dismemberment, we also discussed our feelings on the first couple episodes of Fear the Walking Dead’s sophomore season. (Hint: we both feel it’s better thus far, but we also both agree that’s like saying Spam tastes better than 3-year-old fertilizer.) We also pay tribute throughout the episode to the man known as Prince, then as the artist formerly known as Price, only to become Price again.   “This is what it sounds like when the world cries.”   If that wasn’t enough, our show intro was also updated thanks to the professional larynx of Jeff Martin. Please don’t hesitate to share your thoughts (good or bad), but do note we had some technical difficulties with the mic this episode which left thing sounds a bit echo-y. All shall be fixed for next episode. (For those concerned, no animals were harmed during the recording of this podcast, although an Outlaw was severely mangled.)   How Geek Outlaw was escorted out of the the theater after the film.   Geek Outlaw & co-host Spunky Destructor cover the “Bare Necessities” of our Jungle Book review, discuss our future fears of Fear the Walking Dead, and pay our respects to the music icon, Prince. (WARNING: Minor spoilers lie within.)   LISTEN HERE! —>  Wild Wild Podcast #39   The post WILD WILD PODCAST #39: We Cover the “Bare Necessities” of THE JUNGLE BOOK and Share our Fears of FEAR THE WALKING DEAD Season 2 appeared first on Geek Outlaw.

  Free hugs for all… Lucille goes first.   Welcome to the WILD WILD PODCAST #37 Join Geek Outlaw & co-host Spunky Destructor as we take a swing at dissecting The Walking Dead’s tense season six finale and if Negan’s arrival lived up to the hype. We also welcome Geek Outlaw’s first Walking Dead cast member Twitter follower, the yet unnamed and well-padded Morgan-mystery helper, actor Daniel Newman. (WARNING: Only minor “Undead” spoilers within.) LISTEN HERE! —>  Wild Wild Podcast #37   Whoever said you couldn’t make it through a zombie apocalypse with just a horse and a stick has never met this man.   As most Walking Dead devotees know, a barbed wire wrapped feces-storm has been a brewin’ for the better part of the past 16 episodes of the popular apocalyptic series. Although to be fair, the term hurricane might be a tad more apropos. Keeping with the weather analogies, comic-book readers of The Walking Dead know Negan as a category 6 leather-jacket wearing tornado whom makes the Governor seem like a cool breeze on a spring afternoon with the Pope. His arrival with his pet bat Lucille in issue 100 of the graphic novel turned the The Walking Dead world on its undead head, thus his debut appearance on the series may have been one of the most anticipated television broadcasts since Neil Armstrong sunk his boot into extraterrestrial dust on the Moon.   “Take me out to the infirmary, take me out of the crowd…”   Could Jeffery Dean Morgan’s introduction as the charismatic godfather of zombie land possibly live up to the hype, let alone capture the charming – yet far from G-Rated – vulgarity which made the villain one of the comic’s most popular characters Rather than blather on tediously with written words, click the link below (or above) to hear how Spunky Destructor and I felt about the finale from the differing viewpoints of a comic and non-comic reader. Obvious biases aside, I feel we step up to the plate to deliver a bloody interesting (and mostly spoiler-free) 2-hour special Wild Wild Podcast with our thoughts on how season six concluded, and what might be coming in season seven. If that isn’t exciting enough to prompt a visit to “Pee Pee City”, I don’t know what is.   Mr. Grimes is probably wishing he had brought along that second pair of clean underwear after all.   Join Geek Outlaw & co-host Spunky Destructor as we take a swing at dissecting The Walking Dead’s tense season six finale and if Negan’s arrival lived up to the hype. We also welcome Geek Outlaw’s first Walking Dead cast member Twitter follower, the yet unnamed and well-padded Morgan-mystery helper, actor Daniel Newman. (WARNING: Only minor “Undead” spoilers within.) LISTEN HERE! —>  Wild Wild Podcast #37 ~ ~ The Walking Dead’s new mystery man, Daniel Newman (left), is now also part of Geek Outlaw’s wild, wild Twitter community! (You can follow Daniel Newman (who is also following me) on Twitter @DanielNewman.) The post WILD WILD PODCAST #37: Negan Swings for the Fences on THE WALKING DEAD’s Season 6 Finale, but does he Hit it Out of the Park? appeared first on Geek Outlaw.

  There’s nothing more frightening than waiting for important mail from USPS.   Welcome to the WILD WILD PODCAST #36 Join Geek Outlaw & co-host Spunky Destructor as we go deep under the surface of 10 Cloverfield Lane, catch our breaths as we chat about the intense sixth season of The Walking Dead, and listen as Spunky watches the new Ghostbusters reboot trailer for the very first time! (WARNING: Only minor spoilers within.) LISTEN HERE! —>  Wild Wild Podcast #36   If the apocalypse was knocking at your door, would you run head first into the chaos throwing caution and your collection of porcelain Yoda figures to the wind, or rather seal yourself inside with a year’s supply of Top Romen as you develop a rather unhealthy ability to carry on meaning conversations with yourself? The above query is just one of the many deep philosophical questions Spunky Destructor and I tackle after our viewing of the J.J. Abrams produced film, 10 Cloverfield Lane. The “is it or isn’t it a sequel to Cloverfield” is an intense experience that begs the question, is a solitary life locked away in a 500 square foot bunker from the rest of a potentially unlivable world truly a life worth living?   This is just a monthly exam, it isn’t going to hurt a bit…   Fittingly enough, we also converse about the nervous breakdown inducing action of The Walking Dead’s sixth season thus far along with my play-by-play reaction of Spunky Destructor’s fan reaction to the new Ghostbusters reboot trailer.   “Yes Carol, you heard me correctly… they rebooted Ghostbusters.   One thing’s for certain, if given the choice to either live safely in the confines of a shelter with unlimited supplies with this trailer being the only thing available to watch or venture out into almost certain death, we both decided we’d take our chances with what’s behind door number two before you could utter the word “reboot.” Compared to the probable horror Sony has waiting for the movie-going public on July 15th, the prospect of zombies, aliens, viruses or nuclear fallout all seem like a jovial trip to the grocery store.   Spunky D and I both had the same reaction to the trailer. (Sadly, I was responsible for post-podcast cleanup.)   Join Geek Outlaw & co-host Spunky Destructor as we go deep under the surface of 10 Cloverfield Lane, catch our breaths as we chat about the intense sixth season of The Walking Dead, and listen as Spunky watches the new Ghostbusters reboot trailer for the very first time! (WARNING: Only minor spoilers within.) LISTEN HERE! —>  Wild Wild Podcast #36   The post WILD WILD PODCAST #36: We go Under the Surface of 10 CLOVERFIELD LANE & Catch Up on THE WALKING DEAD’s Most Intense Season to Date appeared first on Geek Outlaw.

I wonder if that’s a chimichanga in his pocket or he’s just happy to see me.   Welcome to the WILD WILD PODCAST #35 Join Geek Outlaw & co-host Spunky Destructor as we break the fourth wall with our review of Deadpool and as we hold hands while discussing the premiere of The Walking Dead’s sixth season second half opener. (WARNING: Spoilers, dead and alive, lie within the podcast. You’ve been warned!) LISTEN HERE! —>  Wild Wild Podcast #35   “Death is but a door. Time is but a window. We’re back for 2016!” Ok, so I took a little liberty with that notable quote from Ghostbusters 2, but felt it appropriately fitting considering the subject matter of this extra extended installment of the Wild Wild Podcast.   Which in turn requires an even larger Wild Wild Podcast.   Dead is the new living as Spunky Destructor and I dive chimichanga first into Hollywood’s newest tight-suited darling, Deadpool, only to then hold each other’s hand as we venture out into the zombie horde that was the midseason premiere of The Walking Dead’s sixth season.  (It should be noted that my hand almost suffered the exact fate of a certain someone in said premiere once Spunky realize I was holding hers.)   Love, it’s what makes Deadpool an emotionally unstable mercenary.   If listening to the sound of my voice gives you indigestion (and I wouldn’t blame you), my quick recap on Deadpool is as follows; to die for. Seriously, if this was last you film you had the chance to ingest before going to that great comic-book store in the sky, you’d go out laughing. [NOTE: I’m not condoning any type of self-Kevorkian type theater events, so please don’t take my over exaggerated review to heart.]   Look who’s trying to pull the ol’ hole at the bottom of that bag of popcorn routine.   However, if you can only see one movie all year, do yourself a favor and reevaluate why you’ve limited yourself to viewing only one 2 hour film production over a 365 day period. Should that assessment prove fruitless, then I guess Deadpool would make a pretty solid option for your solo choice. As the biggest opening R-rated movie of all time in the money dept, the movie-going community also makes for a persuasive argument.  Be careful about bringing the youngins though, as that R rating is a hard one. Anyone under the age of 18 or with a weak ticker may want to stay home and fire up season one of the Golden Girls.   You do not want to be near that when it’s loaded. (Same goes for the gun.)   As someone who has only had limited exposure to Deadpool  – which arguably might be a good thing – it’s a true testament to the writers, director and Ryan Reynolds himself that they nailed the character to a an absolute tee. Without a doubt in my mind, Reynolds was born to play Deadpool and Deadpool was born to be played by Ryan Reynolds.   Genetic mutation has it’s benefits.   On the other side of the entertainment medium, another popular franchise about blood and death made its spring midseason debut on none other than Valentine’s Day. An interesting choice to fire back up one of television’s most popular shows, but if you’ve watched the first offering of The Walking Dead’s second season already, then you know it was oddly suiting for a reason we chat about on the show. Going back to podcast #32, Spunky and I both felt this season’s premiere in October may have been one of the most ambitious episodes The Walking Dead has embarked on to date. On that note, being  we also agreed this episode made the previously mentioned premiere look like an installment of Sesame Street, should provide some insight into just how bloody insane the sixth season’s second half operner truly is.   Rule #1 of Walking Dead Club: Never mess with a well-built redhead wearing a military jacket.   Fittingly, the intensity, action, and emotion were all cranked up to sixth gear for what felt like the entirety of the episode. Being it the sweat dripping off my forehead, the tears being expelled from my eye sockets, or the…. well, anyway, let’s just say I had liquid exiting almost every orifice of my body. The physical reactions I experienced are even more amazing considering I had a fairy good idea the events were going to unfold well before they even transpired on screen.   “Ok, we have a deal. If your brother gets bit, you can have his bike.”   I’ll leave the spoilers to the podcast itself, but let’s just say fans of the graphic novel will be beside themselves with joy thanks to the showrunners honoring some major plot points from the source material. Not only did they go there, they went there in glorious fashion. That’s enough breaking the fourth wall for now fellow Outlaws, as I really need to go break the fifth wall (aka The Seal.)   I’m just going to leave this here. (You’re welcome ladies… and some gentlemen.)   Join Geek Outlaw & co-host Spunky Destructor as we break the fourth wall with our review of Deadpool and as we hold hands while discussing the premiere of The Walking Dead’s sixth season second half opener. (WARNING: Spoilers, dead and alive, lie within the podcast. You’ve been warned!) LISTEN HERE! —>  Wild Wild Podcast #35   (For both “Dead” pieces of entertainment!)   The post WILD WILD PODCAST #35: The Walking Deadpool – We Break the Fourth Wall in our Review of the Mouthy Merc & The Walking Dead’s Epic 6th Mid-Premiere appeared first on Geek Outlaw.

Mother said if I Force chocked too much my hand would freeze like that. (I should have listened.)   Welcome to the WILD WILD PODCAST #34 The Force is strong (and long) in this episode as Geek Outlaw & co-host Spunky Destructor sink their teeth into the long awaited release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. We also deliver some holiday cheer in the form of our favorite Holiday TV specials! (NOTE: Our Star Wars coverage begins at approximately the 49 minute mark of our special 2-hour holiday extravaganza!) (WARNING: Minor spoilers there are. Caution, you should use.) LISTEN HERE! —>  Wild Wild Podcast #34   IMAX 3D REVIEW UPDATE:  As hinted at in the original post below, I took in my second viewing of Star Wars: The Force Awakens in one of the half-dozen available laser-projected IMAX 3D theaters. I was persuaded by the director himself, J.J. Abrams, as he confidentially declared it the best possible way to view the film, in his own unbiased opinion of course. I’m sure you could feel the sarcasm awaken on that last comment seeing as how IMAX 3D tickets fall within the higher echelon of the price bracket, right up there with booking a first-class flight on an upcoming Virgin Atlantic spaceliner. Not that the extra-inflated prices of the IMAX screenings would have deterred the seventh chapter in the franchise from capturing the North American box-office throne, which it did yesterday in a mind-altering 20 days. As a comparison, the now runner-up, Avatar, took over 7 months and a re-release to hit $760 million.   What, no Hallmark card from Mr. Cameron?   Dollars and sense aside (see what I did there?), the grand questions are, was the IMAX 3D showing worth the price of admission, and did the second go-round change my overall enjoyment of the film itself. Let’s start with the former, shall we (as this is going to be a very short summary). IMAX 3D does for The Force Awakens that Photoshop does for Kim Kardashian’s backside, it enhances the entire package to great effect. It should be noted I had the privilege (and luck of living within a droids’s throw) of the Universal Studios Citywalk theater that features one of the largest IMAX theaters in the known galaxy. When footage actually shot with an IMAX camera is being projected on the Citywalk screen, it all but forces audience members to crank their necks upwards in a 90 degree fashion in order to take in every inch of the massive display which is roughly the size of North Carolina. Sadly, there was only one approximately 10 minute portion of the movie that utilized the IMAX camera, but to say it was a sight to behold would be a vast understatement, particularly during the Millennium Falcon chase scene.   When size of the Schwartz does matter.   On the extra-dimensional side of things, the 3D element was probably one of the best implementations of the technology outside of Avatar (coincidence?) and a handful of all-CGI films. It was quite literally jaw-dropping to see one of the First Order cruisers seemingly float out of space and into the theater itself. Bottom-line, if you’ve got an IMAX 3D theater – be it laser-projected or not – use The Force to get yourself there posthaste. As for my second helping in general, I was honestly a bit surprised when I walked out of the theater with a more favorable opinion of the movie compared to my initial outing. Dare I say, it didn’t have anything to do with the rose tinted 3D IMAX glasses I was sporting this time either. Oddly enough, I found myself connecting to the characters and the relationships more so during my repeat visit, which in turn made for a more emotionally satisfying experience overall.   The Dark Side didn’t have cookies, but they did have plenty of vodka.   Unfortunately, a psychology degree is not part of my repertoire yet, so telling you why this was the case is outside of my pay grade. If I had to guesstimate however, I’d most likely chalk up my not-as-awesome first sitting with the film to sensory overload. The excitement of seeing the first Star Wars sequel in over 32 years by the man who has delivered one of my favorite television series (LOST) and arguably the best reboot-that’s-not-a-reboot (Star Trek), may have prevented me from absorbing the human components underneath all of the Jedi polish. Needless to say, whether you see it in IMAX 3D or not (at minimum shoot for 3D), I highly recommend a second viewing in any format, as it might positively alter your take once you’ve broken through the coolness factor of it being a brand new Star Wars sequel. It even prompted me to raise my review by one whole spur! Don’t call it a comeback though, The Force was always awake.   ~ ORIGINAL 2D REVIEW: Unless you’ve been living under a rock – or within the carcass of a hairy kangaroo-looking alien creature – you’re probably aware that one of the most anticipated movies this side of The Dark Side just landed at theaters a few days ago. Yes, I not only delivered another non-senseical metaphor, but more importantly, Disney finally broke their Lucasfilm seal with the release of Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens. It’s the first in a long line of new films and theme parks that should keep fans of the franchise happy long after they’ve passed on to the spiritual side of The Force. Worries of whether Disney’s acquisition of humanity’s most beloved Sci-Fi franchise would be a successful endeavor all but disappeared back when the second teaser trailer was released featuring Han Solo and his furry friend gracing the big screen together again for the first time in over 32 years. While most people, myself included, will tell you a trailer does not a movie make, there was enough positive nostalgic tingles provided within the aforementioned trailer that I wouldn’t be surprised if Disney made their money back on the film through licensing partnerships based on those 2-minutes alone.   I’ve seen the movie already but this teaser still gives me the warm and fuzzies.   For all intents and purposes, the record-shattering $247 million this film hauled in during its opening weekend (plus the $281 million earned internationally), is proverbial icing on the cake for Disney whom has already been raking it in since acquiring the rights from George Lucas. Enough about greenbacks though, I’m fairly certain all three of you reading this are wondering what our thoughts are on the flick itself. However, before I start down the road on another of my mostly incoherent ramblings, I want to send out a huge thanks to author and Podthingy host John Mulhall for orchestrating a mass viewing at the historic Arclight Cinema in Hollywood, CA. A special thanks as well to Midnight Movie Squad member Robert Takata for commandeering the tickets in person when our chances of pre-opening night viewing looked as bleak as Lindsay Lohan’s career. Among those in our group were many friends and family members of the late Podthingy co-host, Blayne Alexander. Blayne was as big a fan of the franchise as any, and a toast was made in his honor before heading to the seats. Blayne’s force was strong with the entire group in attendance and we knew he was enjoying the viewing with us all in our own special way.   The Midnight Movie Squad out in “Force”.   With regards to my written review, I’m going to try and refrain from getting too wordy here since most of what we have to say is revealed in the podcast itself, but I will sum up my general thoughts in four simple words. Star Wars is back! Despite the notion a franchise like Star Wars never really leaves per say, the core elements of what made the originals so popular felt as if they went on a bit of a hiatus with the prequels produced by Mr. Lucas himself over a decade ago. As he did with his original Star Trek refresher, J.J. Abrams succeeds in revitalizing a property that was needed a shot of adrenaline. To be fair though, Abrams had the capability to tap the nostalgia factor of the popular human actors from the original trilogy those of whom, understandably, couldn’t really be utilized in any substantial capacity for the prequels. On a related J.J. topic, the sci-fi loving director noted one the best ways to view the film is in a 3D laser projected IMAX theater, which the Outlaw will be partaking in later this week for his second viewing. I’ll update the review accordingly if “The Force” of 3D IMAX in any way reshapes my opinions of the flick.   “Can you hear The Force now? Good…”   Abrams wisely makes use of the nostalgia at his disposal at almost every turn. This is by no means an undesirable aspect seeing as he incorporates the feel-good nods to great effect. If anything, story wise his homage to A New Hope comes across as semi-carbon copy of said original when one steps back to look at the entire series of events. Alas, this didn’t bother me sensibilities too much as I more or less perceived it as an endearing, yet honorable way to reintroduce the Star Wars universe to a whole new generation without [shudder] completely revamping it. Furthermore, in general I feel The Force Awakens gives all fans A New Hope for the future of what’s to come. (See what I did there?) One of my few major gripes with this installment had more to do with the predictability of a major scene, and the rushing of another.   The Wild Wild Podcast with Chromedome. (And yes, I’m referring to the Stormtrooper, not me.)   On the character front, seeing old favorites like R2-D2, C3P0 and Leia grace the screen after the events of Return of the Jedi sent a warm tingle down my leg. Although, that could have been the product of drinking too many adult beverages before the showing. Make no mistake about it though, The Force Awakens was the BB-8 and Han Solo show. The new little soccer ball colored droid stole every scene he was in much like R2-D2 accomplished when he first rolled onto the scene. BB-8 and Harrison Ford – whom looked as if he slid back into the role of Solo with relative ease – provided most of the film’s levity and humor. In addition, the pure magic of the non-computer generated practical effect used to make the spherical robot come to life, drew me out of the movie several times due to the pure mesmerizing joy of watching that orange and white colored ball spin swiftly through rough terrain.   “You are getting sleepy…”   Nevertheless, before my love letter to BB-8 requires an FCC sensor, I will end my written thoughts here and use Jedi Mind Tricks to direct you all over to podcast episode #34 (although providing the link works too), where both Spunky Destructor and I engage in a more detailed discussion. May your data plan be with you.   Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays & Happy New Year fellow Outlaws. May the Force be strong with all of us in 2016!   The Force is strong (and long) in this episode as Geek Outlaw & co-host Spunky Destructor sink their teeth into the long awaited release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. We also deliver some holiday cheer in the form of our favorite Holiday TV specials!  (NOTE: Our Star Wars coverage begins at approximately the 49 minute mark of our special 2-hour holiday extravaganza!) (WARNING: Minor spoilers there are. Caution, you should use.) LISTEN HERE! —>  Wild Wild Podcast #34     The post WILD WILD PODCAST #34: (IMAX 3D Review Update!) – Finally the Force Awakens as we review Star Wars Episode VII & share our favorite Holiday TV Specials appeared first on Geek Outlaw.

Some preachers pray for forgiveness, others pray for laundromats.   Welcome to the WILD WILD PODCAST #33 Put away that old record player, put on some headphones, and listen in as Geek Outlaw and co-host Spunk Destructor discuss the final two episodes of The Walking Dead. Get our thoughts on everything from Glenn and Alexandria’s fates, to the latest in Fall apocalypse fashion. (WARNING: There are some UNDEAD spoilers within the Podcast!) LISTEN HERE! —>  Wild Wild Podcast #33   These days, there are two ways to obtain your mainstream fix of undead mush-for-brains walkers; tune into AMC’s The Walking Dead on Sunday evenings, or at any point during the day, flip the station over to C-SPAN. Mind you, the latter variety of zombies are less animated and significantly less intelligent. Recently however, both have proven to be quite intense, with The Walking Dead just barely edging it out in the drama, action and suspense departments. Arguably, I’d say each has been on equal footing of late when it comes to all-out gore.   Who said politics and gore don’t mix? (Excuse me Ms. you have a little something on the side of your face.)   Political comparisons aside, I am however quite confident in my assessment the sixth season of Robert Kirkman’s comic creation has proven to be one of the most impressive and ambitious yet! Even Spunky Destructor – who’d rather ensure a colonoscopy than admit to agreeing with me – has mentioned what an incredible roller coaster the first eight episodes have taken the audience on thus far. While many – myself included – may be expecting the pace of the series to hit an eventual lull soon, show runner Scott Gimple informed fans via written statement on the Talking Dead that we as an audience haven’t seen anything yet. I am paraphrasing, but with regards to the premiere scheduled to air February 14th, 2016, his words were along the lines of “most ambitious episode ever.” My curiosity is officially teased considering I felt the fall premiere back in October achieved that goal already and would be tough to top in such a short time-frame.   “My mommy told me W stands for winner!”   In conjunction with the tease provided for the second half of this season, Valentine’s Day 2016 is shaping up to be like the bloodiest one on record. And if you know anything about my relationship history, that’s no small feat.   Put away that old record player, put on some headphones, and listen in as Geek Outlaw and co-host Spunk Destructor discuss the final two episodes of The Walking Dead. Get our thoughts on everything from Glenn and Alexandria’s fates, to the latest in Fall apocalypse fashion. (WARNING: There are some UNDEAD spoilers within the Podcast!) LISTEN HERE! —>  Wild Wild Podcast #33 ~ Is it me, or is wearing a firearm above your crotch as it points at your genitals not seem like the best of ideas? The post WILD WILD PODCAST #33: Zombie Panchos are Back in Style as The Walking Dead hits Season 6 Halftime appeared first on Geek Outlaw.

And the winner for most uncomfortable hand salute ever is…   Welcome to the WILD WILD PODCAST #32  Join co-host “Spunky Destructor” and I as we discuss The Hunger Games’s final film chapter, Mockingjay Part 2, and how our little Katniss is finally leaving the nest. (WARNING: SPOILERS on fire within.) LISTEN HERE! —>  Wild Wild Podcast #32   It has been the culmination of three books, four movies and three marriage proposals to Jennifer Lawrence, but the conclusion of the Hunger Games’ theatrical series is finally here with Mockingjay Part 2. In true Hollywood fashion however, just because the main story is over doesn’t mean the opportunity to milk the franchise is gone. More on that in a Panem minute. Despite not being the most adamant fan young adult fiction – the only thing Twilight means to me is the time of day – I really enjoyed the Hunger Games novels for their inclusion of political themes and sci-fi elements. The movies were only made better by Lawrence (Katniss Everdeen), and no I’m not just saying that because I’m a hormonally charged 30-something male… not entirely anyway.   Have I ever told you how beautiful you are when you’re angry and pointing an arrow at my head?   The film series could have easily gone the dopey angst-filled teeny-bopper route had it not been for Lawrence’s nuanced and powerful performance throughout. Josh Hutcherson (Peeta Malark) also kicked it up a notch during the last two entries as well, which helped balance some of the emotional heft from just sitting on Lawrence’s shoulders. Add to the mix veteran actors such as Woody Harrelson, Donald Sutherland, Julian Moore and the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, and in many ways the Hunger Games delivered an even more mature product on screen than in words. For my money, it’s one of the few book-to-film properties that consistently made for a better watching experience than a reading one. Granted part of my own issue is I barely know how to read as it is, so my opinion probably shouldn’t be the shining star on the hill to guide you.   Stop me if you’ve heard this one. Three blondes walk into a Capital bar…   The end of the Hunger Games film adaptions was also a tad bittersweet in the world of Geek Outlaw as well. The original film was also one of the first written pieces I uploaded to this site, and that only came to be thanks to the recommendation of co-host, Spunky Destructor. In all reality, it was a huge impetus (no, I’m not impotent… I don’t think) for the creation of Geek Outlaw and most definitely the spark to what eventually turned into the Wild Wild Podcast as you know it today. My deepest condolences for all who’ve decided to tune in. According to recent reports however, this may not be the swan song for Hunger Games talk for future podcast episodes. It seems that if the studios have their way, a Hunger Games prequel is already being discussed. Albeit there will be no Jennifer Lawrence, I would find a historic look at how Panem came to be a potentially more interesting saga than the Hunger Games themselves. Nevertheless, that past-future tale will only come to fruition should Suzanne Collins decide it’s a story worth telling.   The last goodbye? Not if studio execs get their way.   On that note, please won’t you join us as we give one final review of the girl on fire and I throw out one last wedding proposal to the actress who’s career is on fire.  I’m going on male intuition here and guessing 4th times the charm. That said, I will gracefully make this my last attempt as I wouldn’t want to walk out of my house one morning to see I had become the new owner of the “truck on fire.” Have a safe and geeky Thanksgiving everyone!   The typical forlorn look of someone who’s actually read Geek Outlaw.      Join co-host “Spunky Destructor” and I as we duscuss The Hunger Games’s final film chapter, Mockingjay Part 2, and how our little Katniss is finally leaving the nest. (WARNING: SPOILERS on fire within.) LISTEN HERE! —>  Wild Wild Podcast #32 The post WILD WILD PODCAST #32: We Give Thanks for Katniss and Discuss Why Mockingjay Part 2 is No Turkey appeared first on Geek Outlaw.