KnockBack: The Retro and Nostalgia Podcast

Latest Episodes:

#169 | God of War (2005 game) May 10, 2021

Show notes

Every so often, a game comes along that helps define a genre. When it comes to 2005's God of War -- which launched that year on PlayStation 2 courtesy of Santa Monica Studio -- one can't help but see how important it was (and still is) to so many of the 3D action games we play today. Inspired by Greek mythology, a cinematic approach, a glorified sense of gore and sex, and... well... some Capcom games, clearly, God of War remains one of the PlayStation brand's biggest touchstones all of these years (and consoles) later. So grab your Blades of Chaos, Kratos fans. It's about to get tragic.

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#168: South Park (Bigger, Longer & Uncut) May 03, 2021

Show notes

South Park rages on even today, but it was during a more embryonic stage in the mega-franchise's history that we got its one and only film: Bigger, Longer & Uncut. Released to theaters in the summer of '99, South Park's movie foray is basically the length of three regular 'ol episodes, but produced differently. For instance, it's a musical, and a damn good one! And there's a whole lot of cursing, nudity, and more. But at its heart is exactly what makes South Park so popular even today, and certainly then: Irreverence, inappropriate humor, excellent comedic timing, and an appreciation for the destruction of Canada. And yes, we do indeed blame them. But we blame bad parents even more... and thankfully, so does this film.

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#167 | The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (film) Apr 26, 2021

Show notes

Way back in 1954, JRR Tolkien released the first of three seminal books that are referred to colloquially as "the trilogy," but that is otherwise collectively known as The Lord of the Rings. And, believe it or not, it took decades for this wonderful fantasy franchise to see life on the silver screen. By way of the talented Peter Jackson and his extraordinary team, Fellowship of the Ring (and its two subsequent, book-based films) bring us to Middle-earth on the verge of great potential disaster. The One Ring is in danger of falling into the wrong hands, and it's up to a wizard, some Hobbits, elves, humans, and even an ax-wielding dwarf to keep it secret, keep it safe. It's time to go high fantasy.

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#166: Freaks and Geeks Apr 19, 2021

Show notes

Some television shows come along that are way ahead of their time, and Freaks and Geeks -- which ran for a scant 18 episodes between 1999 and 2000 on NBC -- is one such program. That's especially ironic, of course, since it's actually about the past. Taking place in 1980 and 1981 in and around a Michigan high school, Freaks and Geeks is the brainchild of writers, directors, and producers Paul Feig and Judd Apatow, who are of course wildly famous today. So, too, is much of the cast, from James Franco and Seth Rogen to Linda Cardellini and Jason Segel. But beyond all of that, Freaks and Geeks is a show about the teenage experience, set through the lens of multiple groups of oft-conflicting cliques. So let's discuss one of the most beloved cult classic television shows of all-time, and then get really sad that we never received more.

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#165: Home Cooking Apr 12, 2021

Show notes

Depending on who you are, who your parents are, when and where you grew up, and many other factors, your experience eating at home as a kid was... well... different. We Moriartys were quite lucky, indeed: Italian Long Islanders with an extended family of talented cooks constantly putting delectable treats in front of us (carbs, especially). But some of you out there... well... you may not have been as lucky. So let's explore stories of eating at home, of breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, or beloved meals and loathed options. Was your mom a better cook, or your dad? Maybe your grandparents? There's much to discuss. Just one thing: Don't go into this episode on an empty stomach.

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#164 | Rewriting Star Wars: Episode VIII Apr 05, 2021

Show notes

KnockBack's 159th episode is a unique one in that it's dedicated to the wholesale recrafting and rewriting of 2015's Star Wars film The Force Awakens. Quite simply, we've decided to follow it up with our rewriting of Episode VIII! Now, it's important you listen to or watch Episode 159 first, or you'll have no idea what we're talking about. You've been warned! Otherwise, please enjoy yet another episode voted on by you, the fans!

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#163: PlayStation Portable Mar 29, 2021

Show notes

Nintendo has long dominated gaming's lucrative handheld scene, vanquishing foes who dared enter the space, one after another, from Atari to SEGA to SNK. But then 2004 rolled around. It was late in that year (and into the next) that Sony launched PlayStation Portable, or PSP, the only non-Nintendo handheld in the history of the industry to... well... hold its own against its arch-rival in an ecosystem it had to scratch, claw, and bite its way into. Yet, PSP's legacy is a mixed one, remembered as much as a fabulous on-the-go emulator as it was a unique proving ground for some of Sony's biggest IP. Discontinued in 2014, our memories of PSP are growing dimmer by the year. So let's put some thoughts on the record, and let's do so with a special guest: MrMattyPlays, who holds PlayStation Portable near-and-dear to his heart.

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#162: Our Favorite '90s Memories Mar 22, 2021

Show notes

You, our precious audience, have a wide array of wants when it comes to KnockBack. You like the episodes about games, and about movies, and TV shows, and all the rest, but you also like when we get into the ephemera of the past, too. Today's show is thus dedicated to just that. We, the Brothers Moriarty, have chosen 10 'somethings' from the decade of the 1990s -- maybe a show we used to watch, or a way we used to do something, or whatever the case might be -- and talked about those memories, why they matter, and how they brought us to today. Needless to say, we really think you're going to like this one, especially if you were around and can remember the firsthand essence of the stories we tell. Enjoy!

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#161: The Movie Theater Mar 15, 2021

Show notes

For pretty much every child, going to the movie theater is a rite of passage. The thing is, the nature of that rite hinges mightily on when and where you grew up. For we The Brothers Moriarty, our formidable movie theater experiences were on Long Island in the '70s, '80s, and '90s, and it's from there that we can draw many memorable, funny, and resonant stories. Our pre-movie rituals. What snacks to eat. Getting rides to and fro. Meeting girls (or boys!). Playing in the arcade. Seeing flicks you weren't supposed to. The saga truly goes on and on. Today's episode of KnockBack -- voted on by the audience -- is dedicated to our favorite cinematic stories. Not on the screen, of course, but our stories of visiting them, instead.

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#160 | Blade Runner (1982 film) Mar 08, 2021

Show notes

In the early '80s, Harrison Ford was completely and undeniably in his element. Over a five year period, he appeared in The Empire Strikes Back, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Return of the Jedi, and The Temple of Doom. That's one hell of a run. But squished right in between those four movies is 1982's Blade Runner, where we see Ford lose the roguishness (kind of) for something decidedly deeper, darker, and more philosophical. Ridley Scott's classic sci-fi film tells the story of maverick androids that need to be hunted down and "retired," and it's based upon a '60s novel from Philip K. Dick. But -- much like with most of Dick's writing -- this is a story that challenges our very concept of what it is to be human. To feel, to think, to remember, to act. So let's head to Los Angeles in 2019, where things aren't quite what you'd expect.

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