Saturday, August 20, 2011
New host
Thanks!
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
An update
I am not sure if these guys bothered to even Google the name, but I can say they made no attempt to contact me and as far as I know, no attempt to contact Ryan.
If/when we return, everything will go through this website still. We will never change the url.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Gree-Mor: The inbred Jedi
Friday, August 6, 2010
Inception: A Movie Review.
As with most of Nolan's movies, it's very pretty. It will have a familiar visual tone and vocabulary if you are a fan of his previous work. When it comes to visuals, Nolan is one of my 10 favorite directors. If asked to describe his style in one word, I would have to go with "muted." In a world of Michael Bays and McGs, Nolan has a way of restraining himself when it comes to colors. Every scene seems to have a color palate, and none of them include neon pink.
The story of the movie is inspired. Unlike Avatar from last year, I don't think anyone will be able to accuse this movie of being light on story and plot. If anything, it might try to do too much. The movie at times almost felt overly complicated. Don't mistake that for being "hard to follow." I followed the movie just fine, but it just felt like the movie was trying to do too much at times. There are two completely separate missions for the main character, each almost felt like they could have been their own movie. Leaving a third movie to be made just for the main character's more personal conflicts that appear by the end of the movie. I appreciate Nolan's apparent attempt to avoid a franchise, but sometimes too much story is just too much story. It also left me wanting more character development and interactions, which felt neglected at times in favor of moving the behemoth of a plot forward. With the movie reaching just over the two hour mark, I wish Nolan would have nutted up and either made it a franchise or an honest three hour movie.
The acting is stellar. DiCaprio is powerful, Joseph Gordon-Levitt is likable despite not enough character development and Ellen Page is just a joy to watch. Even Cillian Murphy (Scarecrow from Nolan's Batman series) appears and does a great job. The only actor I really didn't connect with was Marion Cotillard. For some reason, I just didn't feel her in this movie. Any time she was on the screen, it felt like the energy was sucked from the scene. She wasn't bad. It might have just been everyone else was just so good.
This movie also hosts what I think might be one of the best fight scenes ever in a movie. Joseph Gordon-Levitt has a fight where gravity is shifting. You may have seen bits of it in the trailer. Believe, it's as cool as the trailer makes it look. I personally think it's better than most, if not all, the fights shown in the Matrix movies.
At the end of the day, Inception is a well made movie and is entertaining at the very least.
Rating
4 out of 5
Segment 2
Inception is a high concept movie. Much like the work of Philip K. Dick, this movie at it's core is a study of human perception. Is the world what we make it? Is the world what it really seems? What makes our dreams any less real than the waking world around us? These are questions that are not new. People have been asking them, and similar questions, since man has first begun asking questions. So does Inception add anything to this dialog? Not in the slightest. The movie is almost all riddle and no solution.
With the movie's ambigious ending, I found myself trying to follow the movie's own rules and come to a conclusion. The problem being that the rules would only apply in the movie's "real world" setting and are void in movie making. Did Cobb and Miles just "appear" at the house or did the film maker just cut from the airport to the house to save time? Are the children appear to be the same age because they were constructs of his memory or is it just because the scenes were all shot in a single day? I don't mind that the story is left open, I mind that the details are so vague that it's hard to even draw your own solution.
While discussing this movie, I actually said "I'm done talking about it. They filmed it so the problem is unsolvable, so there's no point in trying to solve it." The basic principles of film making break the rules of this established world, so there is no weight to the rules. Unless a character verbally points out "I don't remember how we physically got here," there is no way to tell when the rules are being broken as a viewer. For me, that's very frustrating. I listened carefully to the dialog, noticing repeated phrases and themes such as "leap of faith." But by the end of the movie, I felt there was no reward for being attentive. All the things you notice might just be the short comings of the movie or the medium of movies themselves.
In the end I felt like I was being taunted for being a dedicated and observant viewer. I don't mind an open ending, but when you even leave the clues open... I draw the line.
Ryan, I think we have a topic...
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Tim Jennings at Comic-Con 2010
Be sure to subscribe to Tim's Youtube channel so you see all his future videos!!!!
Friday, July 23, 2010
Tron Legacy: Easter Egg in new Comic Con trailer
Looks pretty awesome right? Well, there might be something you missed. Remember the Disney science fiction classic The Black Hole? Did you see it in the trailer? You might have missed it. In case you did, here it is.
Now why is this so interesting? Those in the know, or at least people that listen to our show, should remember that Tron Legacy's director, Joseph Kosinski, has been attached to a remake of The Black Hole. He doesn't even have his first movie in the bag and he's already dropping nods to himself! I forgive you though Joe... I would be excited too. Tron Legacy looks like it's shaping up to be breathtaking and I can only hope this new take on The Black Hole will show everyone why I love the original so much.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
The Last Airbender: The Largest Conspiracy Since the Moon Landing
But this isn't a write up for Transformers, it's a write up for The Last Airbender. Like I explained, I didn't think there was any way this movie could be as bad as people said. I saw the movie today and I'm man enough to admit when I'm wrong... but this is not one of those times. Was Airbender a great movie? No. Was it a wretched demon of a film that will eat your soul and then defecate in your now empty husk of a body? Not even close.
I'm not sure what movie all these critics were watching, but it wasn't the same one I saw today. I have heard rumbling for years that M. Night isn't very good at making friends. He has quite a few people that tell stories of not having a good experience with him either on the set or in an interview. That's fine. Sometimes assholes make good artist. It's a fact that has been time tested. But you can't blackball a decent movie just because you don't like the guy that made it. Especially when there have been a lot of movies that have came out recently that are worse than Airbender. This seems to me a clear cut case of "critics be hatin'." Don't take my word on it, in fact, don't take anyone's word on it. Check it out sometime and decide for yourself.
In my opinion The Last Airbender is a decent movie. The plot makes sense, the acting was at least passable most the time, the special effects had some cool moments and it was overall not hard on the eyes. There were some times when the acting fell flat or was slightly hammed up, but it didn't ruin the movie for me. The dialog wasn't artistic, but got the point across. The plot moved forward and there was never any question why characters were doing what they were doing. There was never a point where you asked yourself "Why did the Decepticons need to kidnap Sam's parents and take them to the desert?" ARGH! NO! NO MORE TRANSFORMERS!!!!
Anyways, this movie isn't going to change how we look at the cinema and the only reason people might study it in years to come is to learn about how the bias of critics can completely slag an otherwise mediocre film. I personally enjoyed it and am sad that I might not get to see how this story unfolds on the big screen.
Now, I think it's safe to say I am not the intended audience for this film. This movie is targeted towards a younger audience. My showing wasn't packed, but there were a lot more people there than I thought would be. There were quite a few younger pre-teen kids there. What did they think of the movie? Well, a couple of them were mimicking the tai-chi like moves the characters did when "bending" the elements. They really seemed to enjoy it even if Roger Ebert didn't.
Lastly, the race issue. Get over it. There were people that flipped out when a tongue in cheek campaign was started to get a black comedian casted as Peter Parker. These people were of the strong feeling that Peter Parker couldn't be black simply because he was never black before. There were many, myself included, that called those people racist. Maybe not conciously, but they were racist all the same. My answer remains the same. If you think these characters, that from totally fictional lands can only be played by actors of a certain race, you're a racist. There is quite a deal of racial diversity through out the cast and people from common regions seem to share heritage. That's enough for me.
Frankly, to my eyes, Aang doesn't even look "Asian" as some people have said. His attire does look to be influenced by some Asian cultures, but he actually looks pretty Caucasian to me. Also, he can't be Asian because there is no Asia in this fictional world.
Anyways, I give the movie a 3 out of 5. If there's nothing else to watch, you might enjoy this. If you're under the age of 15, you might really enjoy it.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Episode 69: Kneel Before Pod!: The Movie
PUT IT IN YOUR EARS!!!
Music featured in this episode:
Devo - Fresh
Goldfrapp - Happiness
| Direct Download: Right Click and Save Podcast Home: http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/23055 RSS Subscription: http://feeds.feedburner.com/kbpod or just look us up on iTunes! |
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Project $10 - Get over it.
If you're not familiar with the Online Pass, it's real simple to break down. To take advantage of EA Sport's rich and ever expanding online features, you will need an online pass. This pass is included with every new copy of their sports games. If you buy it used, you can buy a pass for a one time charge of $10. Recently some people have really been getting up in arms and saying this is nothing more than an attempt by EA to price gouge.
EA claims that this move is just to help support the cost of the online services. If you've played an EA sports game lately, this might make sense to you. Every year they add more interconnectivity between their games and website. For example, in the latest Fight Night and FIFA games, I uploaded a picture of myself on the EA website. I then connected my Xbox to their online service via the in game menu, downloaded my picture and then applied it to my custom player. So in both games I had custom players that looked like me.
Another feature that is offered in FIFA is uploadable instant replays. So if I score an amazing goal, I can pause it and then upload the video to the EA website. To illustrate this feature, here is my custom player that looks like me (though you can't see his face) scoring a really cool goal.
When I was playing Fight Night, my menu would load audio updates from ESPN.com and play them as if I had a radio on in the gym. So I would get updates about other sports such as football and baseball. And I mean real life updates, not some silly pre-recorded fluff.
All of these features were made available to me for no additional cost. As long as I was connected to Xbox Live, I could access all these features. This is all well and good, but now EA is claiming that they are going to be stepping up their online game even more.
During EA's E3 presentation, they unveiled some of the details for their upcoming MMA title. To say they're ambitious is an understatement. EA is planning on more or less creating their own gaming league. In this league, gamers can cut promo videos to trash talk their opponents, participate in tournaments with real life prizes and be involved with live events. These live events will be broadcast over the internet to PCs and consoles with live commentary from real life MMA commentators. It is an unprecedented online presentation that combines the game itself and multimedia.
I see this as being a first step for a massive change in how EA presents their sports games and how players will play online. It will be risky and costly. Which now raises the issue of money. EA will have to pay for the bandwidth, the hardware and the staff to keep these online services going.
When you buy a used game, none of that money goes to the publisher. When you buy that used copy of Madden 2008 at Gamestop, all that money goes straight to Gamestop and no one else. That means someone could use EA's online services and they haven't paid a cent towards the upkeep of that service. Why should I, someone who mainly buys new games, have to pay towards the upkeep of these services while others don't?
So in the end, EA is saying it's fine to buy a used game. Feel free to play the variety of single player modes while we don't get a cent for it, but we draw the line. The line being they will not provide a maintained service to someone that hasn't even given them $10. It seems more than fair to me.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
No new episode this week.
Next week we will be tackling movie adaptations. So let us know how you feel about them! In general do you like them or hate them? Do you like them to be as close to the source material as possible? What are some examples of good ones? How about bad ones? What source material seems to adapt better (i.e. Books, Comics, Video Games)?
As always you can email us, call us or tweet. Just hit the contact link up at the top of the page!
Monday, June 14, 2010
Mortal Kommentary!
Next week, we'll be talking about movie adaptations. Comic books, video games, books and TV shows are all being turned into movies. Is nothing sacred? We'll be talking about why we love adaptations so much and why we get so crazy over them. So let us know how you feel. Do you like adaptations? Are you a rabid fan boy that foams at the mouth when "they" get your favorite franchise wrong? What do you think makes a good adaptation? Give us your feedback! Email us, show@kneelbeforepod.com, or click here for more contact options!
| Direct Download: Right Click and Save Podcast Home: http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/23055 RSS Subscription: http://feeds.feedburner.com/kbpod or just look us up on iTunes! |
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Android Karenina – A Book Review
As a reader of this website, or listener of the podcast, please raise your hand if you’ve read Leo Tolstoy’s classic Anna Karenina (and no, following that link doesn’t count). I’m going to assume that no one raised their hand, and I’m not surprised. I haven’t read it either. A soap opera, with a bunch of hard to pronounce names, based in 19th Century Russia? No thanks. I’m sorry, Mr. Tolstoy, but I prefer my soap operas to have midgets and demons.
Enter Ben H. Winters, who co-wrote Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters with Jane Austen. Mr. Winters had the brilliant idea to rerelease Anna Karenina for a new (much cooler) generation. Take everything that made the novel a beloved classic, and mix in two healthy doses of Steampunk and robots. Quirk Classics, the Masters of Our Public Domain, jumped on this idea, and catapulted Mr. Tolstoy into superstardom (possibly back into superstardom, records are unclear).
Android Karenina, the novel that breaks all the rules (but not those very important three!), is the fourth title which re-envisions classics of literature with a patently geeky bent. Following hot on the heels of Zombies and Sea Monsters, the addition of robots to the arsenal completes the Geek Trifecta.
Need more of a reason to check out Android Karenina*? How about a picture of some swanky dude making time with a robot chick…
*Not so fast, Sparky. As with my review of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls, Quirk Classics is letting me clue you in on another fantastic contest! Here’s the deal: Click on this link –> RIGHT HERE <- and tell them about Kneel Before Pod. As before, registration is required, but it’s a small price to pay for this awesome prize pack you will have a chance at winning (prize pack worth nearly $100…that’s a lot of money, children)!
- Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls by Steve Hockensmith
- How to Survive a Horror Movie by Seth Grahame-Smith
- Dracula’s Heir: An Interactive Mystery by Sam Stall
- Extreme Encounters by Greg Emmanuel
- How to Tell if Your Boyfriend is The Antichrist by Patricia Carlin
- An Android Karenina Poster
- And More!
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Episode 68: Kneel Before Ed: Episode II: The Ed Strikes Back
PUT IT IN YOUR EARS!!!
Music featured in this episode:
Drive Shaft - You All Everybody
The Supervillains - Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)
Episode Links:
Here is the picture album we discuss with Ed regarding the Tokyo Halloween Decadance
Here is Japanese rockstar ROLLY singing a couple selections from Rocky Horror Picture Show.
| Direct Download: Right Click and Save Podcast Home: http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/23055 RSS Subscription: http://feeds.feedburner.com/kbpod or just look us up on iTunes! |
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Episode 67: Kneel Before Ed... PART 1!
In part 1, we read your feedback, talk a lot and then finish it up with news. Next week, you will get the on topic Lost talk, some Star Wars and some other Misc stories. So strap in and get ready to Kneel Before Ed!
PUT IT IN YOUR EARS!!!
Music featured in this episode:
Geronimo Jackson - Dharma Lady
| Direct Download: Right Click and Save Podcast Home: http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/23055 RSS Subscription: http://feeds.feedburner.com/kbpod or just look us up on iTunes! |
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Episode announcement & super sexy music time!
Till then, enjoy long time friend of the show Jamie Douglas with his band The Powergoats playing live at Irene's Pub in downtown Ottawa!
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Episode 66: The Great Spider-Man debate of '010
PUT IT IN YOUR EARS!!!
Music featured in this episode:
Hockey Monkey - The Zambonis
The World is New - Save Ferris
| Direct Download: Right Click and Save Podcast Home: http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/23055 RSS Subscription: http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/recordings.talkshoe.com/rss23055.xml or just look us up on iTunes! |
Monday, May 10, 2010
Episode 65: Does whatever an iron can
Anyways, this week we talk about Ironman 2. Does it do the original proud? Does it miss the mark? Should we learn some new alloys? It's covered in this mostly spoiler free episode. So put it in your ears!!!
Music featured in this episode:
Skateaway - Dire Straits
Trou Macacq - Squirrel Nut Zippers
| Direct Download: Right Click and Save Podcast Home: http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/23055 RSS Subscription: http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/recordings.talkshoe.com/rss23055.xml or just look us up on iTunes! |
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Point / Counter Point: Spider-Man – Hero or Douchebag
Carl - President of the Spider-Man Fan Club
Over the years, comic characters have come and gone. Some have gone out of favor and others have gained a fan base. One character that has almost always been at the front of fandom is Spider-Man. But why has Spider-Man remained a fan favorite for so many years? The reason for Spider-Man's longevity is simply the fact that he is a lighthearted character that people can relate to and is generally a likable character.
For years, comic book superheroes were beyond the reader not only with their physical daring, but with their personal life and ideals as well. Rarely did you see Superman in a position where he was being bullied. You never saw Bruce Wayne fail to get the girl. By the time characters in comic books became heroes, they were typically paragons in every aspect of their lives.
Spider-Man was one of the first mainstream characters to show a less-than-perfect life beyond their origin story. Even after he gets his powers, Parker has what many people would see as a normal life. Problems with girls, his job, money and his family. His life is not charmed just because he becomes a super hero. In fact, his personal life suffers from his new found powers. In the real world, this could translate into "I got a promotion at work, but now my home life is suffering." It's a very human problem and many people have experienced it.
Not to mention Spider-Man and Peter Parker are always the victim to bullies, which is a situation that many comic book readers can relate to. Be it Flash in High School, or J. Jonah Jameson as he gets older, there is always someone working against him on a personal level. To many people, this is something they can relate to. Be it a boss, a family member or some jerk neighbor, readers can connect with a character that has people working to bring him down. It's an issue that hits close to home, especially to kids and teenagers.
Lastly, he's just a likable character. While sometimes the content does get a little bleak and dark, Spider-Man almost always keeps a positive attitude. He is well known in the Marvel Universe and by readers in the real world for his witty one liners and zingers that he directs towards villains in their confrontations. Even when he is facing what might be death, you can count on Spider-man to make a joke.
So in summary, people like Spider-Man due to his fun hi-jinks, his down to earth problems and his ability to relate to younger audiences. He has been on top for years and will no doubt continue to be an all-star in the comic book universe.
Ryan - Proponent of cigar-chomping newsmen everywhere
Let me paint a picture for you:
No one at school likes you, except for the weird rich kid that doesn't fit in either. The jocks, led by a Neanderthal nicknamed, of all things, “Flash,” treats you like his personal toilet. Your parents are dead, so the only family you have in the world is your septuagenarian aunt and uncle, who insist you eat your wheat cakes every morning. Sure, you're a smart kid, but then, what else could you have going for you with this kind of hand.
One day, a freak accident occurs, and you suddenly find yourself with the proportionate strength and speed of a spider. Not only that, but you have some kind of freaky warning bell in your head that lets you know if something bad it going to happen. Of course you are going to try and capitalize on your new found powers. Living the way you do doesn't exactly make being popular an easy task. Pro wrestling; that's the ticket.
Blah blah blah, your uncle is dead. You could have done something, but you didn't get precognition from that spider bite. Now your aunt, the only thing left to you, has no one to take care of her. I know – give up your semi-lucrative career as a popular wrestler and fight crime. For free. Because “With great power comes great responsibility.”
No, Parker, with great power comes great opportunity. As The Amazing Spider-Man, you could have had everything: money, fame, women. The world could have been your oyster. Instead, you end up fighting losers who adopt animal names for their crimes.
Take a look at Batman real quick. Same basic origin, same motive, and criminals fear him. If I were in the crime business, I wouldn't worry too much about ol' Spidey. He'll knock me around a bit, string me up on a light pole, throw out a “witty” quip, and leave me to the authorities. I figure I can bounce back from that. I honestly don't know how common criminals even take Spider-Man seriously.
Parker, in addition to being an all-around douche, also has the same problems as me. Why this is, I have no idea. Money's short? You're a superhero. Can't get the girl? You're a superhero. Your alter-ego's boss thinks you're a menace? You're a freaking superhero. See? One simple alteration in Parker's life, and everything comes up roses.
Face it, Tiger...you're a douche.
What are your thoughts on the ol' Web-Head? Everybody likes throwing in their two cents, so why don't you give us yours? Twitter, email, or voicemail, we'll take them all.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Even though I hate Halo, I hate myself even more...
Well, it's happening again. There's a cool new short film, a bunch of shiny screenshots and a wide spread beta. Being a gaming nerd, I can't help but to get a little tight in the pants over all of it. Then it happens... The tweet that will likely get the better of my common sense.
I have a very specific list of things I don't like about Halo. The generic cookie cutter combat is one of those things. There's a reason that I like games like Team Fortress, Battlefield BC2, Star Wars Battlefront and Tribes. Classes. The game allows people to play in a way that takes advantage of your natural playing style. Medics, Snipers, Engineers, Spies... They all come together in this amazing KFC Famous Bowl meal that makes for a truly satisfying experience. No race to the most powerful weapon on the map. Just a balanced game where working well together can achieve some amazing things and overcome tremendous odds. So with Halo adding classes and jetpacks, I might start running out of stuff to put on my "Why Halo is only mediocre at best" list.
If I secure a place in the Beta, I will let you kids know what I think. BTW, if I hate this game I am totally blaming Gabe...
























