KnockBack: The Retro and Nostalgia Podcast

Latest Episodes:

#89: Spirited Away Oct 31, 2019

Show notes

Japanese animation legend Hayao Miyazaki brings a fantastical flair to all of his work, but out of Studio Ghibli's entire roster of films, 2001's Spirited Away might be the weirdest and more extraordinary of all. Steeped in Shinto symbolism and vague in its message, Chihiro's misadventure is enchanting in its imagery and sometimes even sudden in its harshness, and it -- like all Ghibli flicks -- is more than deserving of a little KnockBack-style attention. So grab a handful of bath tokens and come along with us as we discuss the beautiful and eerie world of the spirits beyond, and the little girl who one day finds herself in their midst.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

#88: Goodfellas Oct 24, 2019

Show notes

There's nothing quite like a good mob movie, and when it comes to 1990's Goodfellas, there are few better. Based on a authoritative, journalist-written book drawing from historic experiences and events, and played by a series of actors mimicking their real-world counterparts perfectly, Goodfellas is one of the most quotable and beloved films of any kind in the last few decades. DeNiro. Pesci. Liotta. Sorvino. Brocco. These are powerful names in film and television, particularly when it comes to this type of fare. So go home, get your shinebox, and come on back and listen to a two-plus hour long conversation about one of Martin Scorcese's very best flicks.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

#87: Alien Oct 17, 2019

Show notes

Like horror, the science fiction genre simply wasn't taken very seriously until well into film history. By the 1970s, though, specific pieces of cinematic sci-fi were beginning to distance themselves from the schlock that dominated decades past, and Alien should certainly be counted amongst the most notable of the group. Buttressed by good writing, excellent cinematography, and a frightening atmosphere, Alien still stands out more than 40 years later as an example of how to do sci-fi right, particularly when you mix elements of horror into the concoction. So let's chat about the Nostromo for a little while, and the strange and ancient danger is stumbles upon in deep space, just as the crew was about to head toward the safety of home...

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

#86: Superbad Oct 10, 2019

Show notes

For many of us, high school was a bizarre experience, particularly in hindsight. It turns out that much of what we cared a great deal about in our teens doesn't actually matter whatsoever, but when you're there -- in the moment and living that life -- the gravity is all too real. 2007's Superbad -- starring Jonah Hill and Michael Cera -- celebrates that reality, from the seeming hopelessness of young romance to the pursuit of all-important booze. It also doesn't hurt that the film is incredibly funny and outrageously inappropriate. So sit down, kick back, and reminisce along with us about one of the great teen movies of all-time. And if you don't? Well... prepare to be fucked by the long dick of the law. (Not really.)

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

#85: The Last of Us Oct 03, 2019

Show notes

It took a while for PlayStation 3 to really get going, but when it did, it graced players with a slew of amazing exclusive games that solidified the console's place in industry history. Interestingly enough, though, it was one of its very last exclusives -- launched in the shadow of PlayStation 4 -- that easily takes the cake as PS3's best game. Naughty Dog's The Last of Us came out in the early summer of 2013, and immediately bowled over millions of gamers around the world with its incredible story, amazing characters, award-winning performances, and fantastic gameplay. It's truly, actually, really, and definitely one of the best games ever made, and we are thrilled to dedicate nearly three hours to talking all about it. So take a knee, craft what you need, and let's get going. Oh... and avoid those spores.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

#84: '80s Fashion Sep 26, 2019

Show notes

Yes, it's true: There's a lot to love about the 1970s. But the reality is, it was kind of a down decade. Unemployment was high, and inflation was, too. An oil embargo crippled western economies. The peace and love of the '60s rapidly gave way to stagnation, corruption, and agitation. By 1980, people were ready to break free, and they did just that. Buttressed by a technological boom and a rapidly recovering market, the '80s were a time of excess, a time to be loud and bold. The music, movies, games, and television shows each tell a portion of the overall tale -- and we've talked plenty about 'em here on KnockBack -- but it's perhaps that 10 year span's fashion that spoke (and still speaks) loudest. This was an era when sneakers and caps first became an obsession, when accessorizing reached an all-time high, when the colors you wore better be bright (and preferably neon), or else. So grab your Aquanet, tease that hair, and turn on your answering machine. Let's discuss a time when people wore 10 watches at once, when shoulder pads were considered hot for some reason, and when Air Jordans somehow cost more than they do today.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

#83: Aladdin Sep 19, 2019

Show notes

By the early '90s, Disney's much-vaunted animation revival was in full swing. The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast had the company buzzing, yet the decade still had much, much more in store. In late 1992, Aladdin joined the roster, packing a rock-solid cast of voice actors helmed by comedian Robin Williams. Yet, while Williams' ad-libbed performance as Genie is the most celebrated part of the film (and the way Disney treated him perhaps the most notorious), a wonderful crew of animators worked tirelessly to bring the world of Agrabah to life. So let's take a step back and remember a movie from the very thick of the so-called Disney Renaissance, and remember why it was so special to begin with.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

#82: Our Greatest Childhood Fears Sep 12, 2019

Show notes

Children aren't exactly the most rational creatures on the planet, and naturally, the Moriarty Boys weren't immune to this reality in their younger years. Today's episode of KnockBack is structured around that irrationality, specifically when it comes to the things kids fear. Dagan was afraid of nuclear war, sharks, and aliens. Colin (that's me!) lived in silent fear of a recurring nightmare known as The Tickley Monster, being buried alive, and often wondered if was he was going to die of AIDS (thanks, late-'80s and early-'90s Paranoid America!). All of this is easy to look back and laugh at (and trust us, we do), but it's likewise rooted in the mysticism of youth, when we frankly don't understand very much about the world around us, but think we do. So let's embarrass ourselves just a tad, shall we?

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

#81: Jurassic Park Sep 05, 2019

Show notes

Dinosaurs are a bit of cultural phenomenon, and have been for a century and a half, since the earliest professional paleontologists ventured out to find the fossilized remains of one of Earth's most mysterious and fascinating prior occupants. Yet, perhaps no single piece of fiction has ever played on that human love of dinosaurs quite like Jurassic Park. While Jurassic Park found its origins as a book, released in 1990 and written by the late, great Michael Crichton, it was intended on a movie from pretty much the word go (Crichton even adapted the novel into film form himself for a cool half a million bucks). It's the movie that captured the world's imagination, and it was such a smash hit that it became the highest-grossing film of all-time following its run through theaters in the summer of 1993. Not too shabby! So let's talk about Crichton's classic, Steven Spielberg's directing, John Williams' score, and the performances of Laura Dern, Sam Neill, and many others. (Like Jeff Goldblum. Duh!) Just be sure you say the magic word.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

#80 | Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace Aug 29, 2019

Show notes

In May of 1999, the very Earth below us shook as Star Wars fully emerged from dormancy. While George Lucas ate around the edges throughout the '90s, re-releasing the classic trilogy multiple times while launching an absurd amount of toys and other merchandise, it all ultimately led to one thing: Episode I. As the first Star Wars film since 1983's Return of the Jedi, Episode I -- subtitled The Phantom Menace -- had immense pressure put on it from the moment it was announced, and for most fans, it simply didn't deliver. But really, there's a lot more here than just (in our opinion) a subpar film. There's a ravenous fandom to discuss, too, one that we were (and kinda still are) a part of. There was the early Internet, forums, leaks, rumors, and more. There's a director who probably shouldn't be directing, a producer who didn't really seem to be producing, and special effects that don't age quite as well as you'd think. What went wrong with E1? What did it do right? And what was it like seeing it in the theater, opening day, opening show, around a lot of very, very, very excited people, about a decade before you could even share the experience on your smartphone? This is the longest episode of KnockBack yet, and you voted for it. (Yes: We're angels.)

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

KnockBack: The Retro and Nostalgia Podcast

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected