KnockBack: The Retro and Nostalgia Podcast

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#229 | The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Jul 04, 2022

Show notes

Let's be honest: Nintendo 64 isn't chock-full of excellent, must-play games. But it certainly had its reserve of classics, and 1998's The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time -- the fifth core Zelda game -- is certainly one of them. In fact, for a not-so-small subsection of gamers, Ocarina of Time is considered one of the greatest (if not the best, outright) games of all-time. So, fresh off of recent playthroughs, we're excited to talk about it. From the jump to 3D to its amazing soundtrack, from its revolutionary Z-targeting gameplay to its rosters of memorable characters, items, weapons, and dungeons, Ocarina of Time was a masterpiece then, and it still is today. It's a reminder of Nintendo's true potential as the greatest innovator our industry has ever seen, and since it's one of the most-copied titles ever released, you also get to experience its lineage in most of what you play today. So let's get caught-up in the music, quite literally, and ping-pong between a seven-year period where things go off the rails, except for the heroics of one boy.

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#228: Game of Thrones (Season Seven) Jun 27, 2022

Show notes

We won't lie: The going gets a little rough from this juncture on. HBO's Game of Thrones series, by this point in its run, had far-outstripped its source material. As such, they're flying on fumes through the seven episodes of the seventh season. Released in 2017, this penultimate offering is controversial to say the least, but if anything, our problems with it amount to a backhanded compliment. The reality is: The plot, the characters, the world... they all deserved a lot more room to breathe, to reach the quality that had been met so consistently up to this point, and HBO failed in letting that happen. The result is something contentious, but not without merit. It's just a shame to think of what could have been had they really bought-in on finishing the journey as epically and strongly as they began it. And sadly, it only gets worse from here.

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#227: The Pool Jun 20, 2022

Show notes

Here in America -- and certainly in many other parts of the world -- swimming pools are a fundamental part of our summer tradition. Whether above-ground or inground, whether vinyl, fiberglass, or concrete, whether shared, community, or private, if you live in the USA and it's summertime, chances are you will readily encounter a pool. Perhaps you're a member of one, or even own your own. Since so many of us share this experience, we figured it'd be fun to talk about our pool memories from childhood. When did we learn how to swim, and what was it like growing up with a pool in our backyard? What games did we play and toys did we use? What's the protocol at public pools versus private ones, and what about the evolution of bathing suits? My friends, this podcast is the Marco to your Polo. Please enjoy.

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#226: The Terminator Jun 13, 2022

Show notes

James Cameron's 1984 sci-fi/horror flick The Terminator isn't so much under appreciated as it is oft-overlooked. After all, this film's sequel is one of the most famous action and sci-fi movies of all-time, but its predecessor is something more stayed, grounded, and thrilling. Intertwining themes of nuclear war and time travel with a very recognizable 1980s Los Angeles and a handful of wonderful performances, The Terminator does a lot of heavy lifting, not only in catapulting forward a series that still exists to this day, but in proving what science fiction can accomplish outside of the tried-and-true themes of space travel and spaceships and space battles and... space, generally. And yes: Arnold is awesome. Of course he is! So let's get you up to speed on this classic flick, starting with what year it is.

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#225: Game of Thrones (Season 6) Jun 06, 2022

Show notes

For many, the sixth season of Game of Thrones is when the show begins to decline. A lot of that unfortunately has to do with the subject matter itself: We are now beyond the boundaries of George RR Martin's books (at least as he's written and released them so far). With that structure gone, and with lots of holes to fill in, places to see and go, people to meet, and events to occur, the brisk pace of Game of Thrones' sixth season is perhaps its most glaring weakness. That's because within its 10 episodes is enough content for 20 or more, a compliment to yet another high-quality HBO offering that we simply want more of. It's still wonderful television, but it's sad to think about what could have been if it was given a more proper treatment, especially as we draw closer to what is widely considered a woefully weak finale. In the meantime, though, let us analyze and contemplate, as we're wont to do.

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#224: Hybrid Theory (Linkin Park album) May 30, 2022

Show notes

No, we've not Forgotten: Our audience voted for us to record an episode of KnockBack all about Linkin Park's seminal 2000 album Hybrid Theory, and needless to say, we're pleased to provide a Cure For the Itch. At a brisk 37 minutes a change, Hybrid Theory doesn't Runaway with fluff and filler. Instead, it stays With You, bringing you One Step Closer to the record's next great moment, one that always seems to be just around the corner. In the End, many consider Linkin Park's major label debut to be one of the most iconic raprock and nu-metal albums ever, a timely offering for a music industry Crawling towards a new era of downloads, YouTube videos, and single-obsessessions. In fact, Hybrid Theory is one of the final diamond-certified albums ever, a sign of the times. So let us talk about an album that brings raw energy and High Voltage to yearning, confused, and angst-ridden teens to this day.

(While we always 'stretch our legs' with opening, non-topic-related conversation, we want to warn you that our introductory conversation today veers into contemporary politics and expresses opinions you may disagree with. Should you like to skip to the content itself, fast-forward 20-25 minutes from the beginning.)

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#223: Game of Thrones (Season 5) May 23, 2022

Show notes

The fifth season of Game of Thrones, which first aired on HBO in 2015, represents somewhat of a plateau for the critically-acclaimed show. While the first four seasons presented a steady progression in quality, intrigue, and execution, season five seems outright rushed, with too much content in too little time. It's still awesome for what it is, though, and that's perhaps where our biggest criticism becomes a blatant compliment: Because we want more, and we want it slower and more methodically, not quickly and haphazardly. Thus, George RR Martin's famous televised series descends into what becomes an increasingly controversial second half, one that's largely winged without source material, though we're not quite to that point yet. As we do in each episode, let's travel this fictional world and try to make sense of its many characters, locales, and arcs, and have some fun and enjoy some insight along the way.

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#222: Spider-Man 2 May 16, 2022

Show notes

At first blush, Sam Raimi wasn't a natural fit to direct a Spider-Man film, and yet his 2002 entry into the series did awesome at the box office and is much-beloved to this day. Two years later, he -- along with Tobey Mcguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, and others -- delivered Spider-Man 2, an even better film than the original that builds wonderfully on its themes, characters, and world. Spider-Man 2 also introduces an iconic villain in the form of Albert Molina's Dr. Octopus, who many Spidey fans were glad to see reemerge, at least in passing, in the MCU. Made for an exorbitant amount of money even then ($200 million) and earning an obscene amount of profit (some four times its cost), Spider-Man 2 is still one of the most beloved superhero films ever, even if it hails from an era when the genre wasn't so well-worn and readily-accepted. So join us as we gush over and celebrate Spider-Man 2, and remember: With great power comes great responsibility... fair or not.

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#221: Game of Thrones (Season 4) May 09, 2022

Show notes

We're halfway through George RR Martin's famous HBO fantasy series now, and some would argue that season four is the strongest Game of Thrones gets. That's high praise, of course -- the entire run (save maybe the end) is some of the best television ever produced -- but, whether you're a fan of the books or merely a lowly TV-watcher like we are, there's a whole lot to love. What's perhaps most interesting about this season (at least for us) is how different combinations of characters begin meeting, taking the wide-ranging tale into exciting new directions. As usual, it's hard to talk in too much detail here in the description without spoiling the show, but, uh... you may want to hire a food taster when you're done listening to us heap praise on one of our favorite programs ever. And we'll leave it there.

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#220 | Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith May 02, 2022

Show notes

Our slow-and-steady voyage through the Star Wars films continues unabated this week, as we move our focus to 2005's Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (as voted on by our listeners on Patreon). Capping off a tumultuous and ill-received prequel trilogy, Episode III is widely considered the strongest effort in that specific arc. But do we, The Brothers Moriarty, agree? Not particularly. Revenge of the Sith was when Lucas ran out of runway, and as a result, we're met with a rushed film that sets the seeds of some good ideas, but barely sticks around long enough to see any of them grow. Worse yet, it ignores much of what would have made this movie shine, adding too much to a concoction already drowning in watered-down ingredients. Before you execute Order 66, however, consider giving our chat a listen, and discover what a couple of lapsed, curmudgeonly Star Wars fans think about Anakin's ultimate turn to the Dark Side.

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