KnockBack: The Retro and Nostalgia Podcast

Latest Episodes:

#79: The Big Lebowski Aug 22, 2019

Show notes

What can you really say about The Big Lebowski? Well... a ton, as it turns out. The Coen Brothers' 1998 cult-classic comedy is one of the most quotable films of all-time, with one of the most bizarre cast of amazing characters you'll ever encounter in the genre. Smart, witty, and wonderfully written, The Big Lebowski rings loudly more than two decades after its release not because of '90s nostalgia or hazy retro glasses. It's an authentically hysterical movie, and more than worthy of an episode of KnockBack. So mark it an eight, Dude, and then sit down, do a J, and join us for a fun episode about an enormously influential flick. He asked me to repeat that: Join us for a fun episode about an enormously influential flick.

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#78 | The Road (novel) Aug 15, 2019

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Even the darkest fiction we watch and read typically has some sort of light at the end of the tunnel. But not Cormac McCarthy's The Road. First published in 2006 (and later turned into a film in 2009), The Road is unlike any father-and-son tale you've ever experienced. Civilization is in ruins, the sun is blotted out by endless smoke, almost everyone is dead, and the world and its few remaining inhabitants are completely unrecognizable. What does it take to survive in such an unimaginably dark situation? And is it even worth surviving at all? Let's delve into this Pulitzer Prize-winning novel and ask ourselves a simple question, the question at the very heart of McCarthy's narrative: Is there any limit to what you'd do for love?

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#77: Our Favorite Teachers Aug 08, 2019

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No matter where we're from, many of us spend something like 14 years in mandatory school systems that served only to distract us from our toys, video games, and watching cartoons. Yet there we were, imprisoned and desperate to escape. But school wasn't always an agonizing experience, especially when you had the right teacher helming your class. Today's episode of KnockBack is dedicated to them, to the teachers we've taken with us, the ones that inspired us, helped us, cared about us, and -- ultimately -- stuck with us. From an English teacher who instilled the value of literature, to the history teacher who ran a tight ship except for one specific day a year. From an art teacher who insisted on seriousness from the truly talented, to a math teacher who was perhaps a little to easy on us. Let's chat about our very favorite instructors from our youth. And some of yours, too.

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#76: Rosemary's Baby Aug 01, 2019

Show notes

When Rosemary's Baby hit theaters in 1968, the horror genre as we know it today didn't really exist yet. The scariest flicks of the era were low budget, poorly lit, and corny beyond belief. But Roman Polanski's film helped define a shift towards the same kind of well written, expertly produced and directed psychological horror that had already found a niche on nascent TV. Written by a bohemian novelist, adapted and spearheaded for the big screen by a highly controversial director, and starring a famous actress who was then known only for her work on a soap opera, Rosemary's Baby is a horror film for the ages. But back in 1968, its religious, witchcraftian premise was utterly offensive to mainstream American sensibilities. That, of course, is part of why it's so great.

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#75: Meet Mr. Moriarty Jul 25, 2019

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Our beloved KnockBack is a lot of things. It's a celebration of nostalgia and memory, of reminiscing and remembering, and, as it turns out, the many characters that make up The Moriarty Cinematic Universe. As our listenership (that's you!) knows, our dad -- Gerard Moriarty -- comes up all the time, sometimes in jest, other times in seriousness, and always with reverence. So this week, we thought we'd invite him on the show so that you can all meet the man himself. What does Mr. Moriarty think about his sons' popular podcast? How does he feel about being brought up almost every week? And, perhaps most vitally, does he want to correct the record in any way, shape, or form? Without further ado, allow us to introduce our father, the Air Force veteran, the retired FDNY lieutenant, the man who used to make meatloaf with cereal. The person, as it turns out, who makes Colin cry for the very first time in KnockBack history. In a good way, of course. It's Onion Man's time to shine!

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#74: Resident Evil 2 Jul 18, 2019

Show notes

In 1998, Capcom followed its beloved survival horror game Resident Evil with a sequel. But Resident Evil 2 wasn't just any sequel. It experienced a tortured development, coming to store shelves a full year later than intended, which -- at the time -- was an absolutely catastrophic delay. So expectations were incredibly high. But, with now-famous game dev gods Shinji Mikami (Producer) and Hideki Kamiya (Director) helming the project, it turned out that the wait was more than worth it. Resident Evil 2 is one of Capcom's best-selling games ever, and its modern remake is considered one of 2019's finest titles. We think it's more than worthy of a lengthy episode of KnockBack? Wouldn't you agree?

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#73: Dagan's Great Adventures Jul 11, 2019

Show notes

The Brothers Moriarty co-host KnockBack, but it's no secret who the star of the show is: Dagan. So let's focus solely on him today, and hear some of his stories from the '70s, '80s, and '90s. The through-line? These random events -- from his first experience seeing real-life gore to getting chased by the cops through the streets of Philadelphia (and more!) -- are completely unassociated with almost anything else we'd talk about on our retro and nostalgia show. But that doesn't mean these stories shouldn't be told. They should definitely be told. So let's let Dagan tell 'em!

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#72: The Fourth of July Jul 04, 2019

Show notes

In America, The Fourth of July -- our so-called "Independence Day" -- is a time of raucous celebration. Families and friends gather around the country for burgers and hot dogs, slaw and baked beans, beers and cigars, and plenty of fireworks (of course). As children, though, The Fourth of July takes on an almost mystical air, when permutations of people get together you don't often see at once, where entire neighborhoods collapse under the weight of visitors, when adults seem to get hammered at light speed while their kids play in the pool from dawn 'til dusk, and where you don't have to ever get up to catch the school bus in the morning. In the end, celebrating Fourth of July is all about Summer in America, and all the awesomeness that comes along with it. So let's reminisce.

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#71 | Metroid + Metroid II Jun 27, 2019

Show notes

When it comes to Nintendo franchises, Metroid sticks out like a sore thumb. It's completely unlike almost any other Nintendo fare. It simply doesn't fit. But that's what makes it so interesting. It all started humbly enough in the 1986 original, but underneath the unassuming facade of a side-scrolling action game was a shockingly deep (and ruthlessly difficult) adventure, one that required its earliest players to make maps by hand, distinguish between items and weapons with unclear uses, and keep their wits in a sprawling map far harder to decipher and navigate than its cousin, The Legend of Zelda. There were even multiple endings! By the early-'90s, Metroid returned with a Game Boy-exclusive sequel created with the same explorative mantra in mind, and, well, the rest is history. Or herstory, perhaps, since Metroid also introduced gamers to one of the medium's first iconic female protagonists. But enough delay: Let's chat about Metroidvanias long before that term even existed.

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#70: Interstellar Jun 20, 2019

Show notes

Christopher Nolan is one of the modern world's most talented filmmakers, full stop. If you ask 10 people what their favorite Nolan flick is, you may very well get 10 different answers. (Really. He's directed 10 films.) Yet, in a catalog of works-of-art, Interstellar may very well be greatest of them all. Released in 2014 to an astounding critical reception and with hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars grossed, Interstellar tells the unusual (and riveting!) story of the end of the world, and how a daring trip through space and time might just be able to undo Earth's dire, apocalyptic situation. When it comes to storytelling, Interstellar is thorough, but in terms of its rigorous and realistic science that hinges upon what's actually possible, Interstellar's a movie so deep, you could drown in it. So let's drown for a bit, shall we? Not like Dr. Doyle on Miller's Planet, mind you. Metaphorically.

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