KnockBack: The Retro and Nostalgia Podcast

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#219 | Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Apr 25, 2022

Show notes

It's no understatement to say that Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is perhaps the most singularly important game to ever come to a PlayStation platform, at least when taking into account the environment in which it launched. When it released in 2009, it did so at a vital time for the brand: PS3 Slim was out, its price was cut, and PlayStation had what seemed to be one last chance to best its rival and pull itself out of a dark three year period. Sony-owned Naughty Dog did a lot of the heavy lifting with the 2007 original, but Among Thieves realized the full potential of Uncharted, and is considered one of the best games of all-time to this very day. It's truly wonderful, and we are pleased to fulfill a listener vote and cover the game. So stay warm, friends. It's gonna get a little snowy.

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#218: Game of Thrones (Season 3) Apr 18, 2022

Show notes

If the first two seasons of HBO's Game of Thrones didn't get your blood pumping, the third season -- which first aired in 2013 -- almost certainly will. With multiple kings (and a queen!) staking a claim and vying for power across the land, the stakes are ratcheting-up. One would-be monarch is equipped with a trio of dragons; another with more money than anyone could imagine; another with the power of fire magic, and so on. In the wake of each rest death and destruction, but it also brings us one step closer to resolution. From the Red Wedding to slave rebellions, and from the Brotherhood Without Banners to the situation North of the Wall, there is a whole lot to discuss, and there's little to waste. After all: Winter is still very much coming, and there are so many characters, arcs, and plot-points involved in this ever-darkening landscape.

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#217: Childhood Bedrooms Apr 11, 2022

Show notes

It's time for us to once again go back in time, not to celebrate and discuss a movie, video game, or TV show, but rather our own childhoods. Specifically: Our bedrooms growing up. These were our fortresses of solitude, places where we can regroup, study, be alone, and generally do whatever we want. Video games. Toys. TV. Computers. And, yes, schoolwork as well. Lots happened in our childhood bedrooms, which is why we're pleased to spend some two hours talking about our fondest and funniest memories of the places where we laid our heads to rest at night as children, and spent an awful lot of time in between, too.

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#216 Game of Thrones (Season 2) Apr 04, 2022

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While lots of viewers obviously love the first season of Game of Thrones, it's the second season -- which first aired on HBO in 2012 -- many consider the beginning of the series' long-running and well-earned golden era. There's action all over the map: In the far-north with rumblings of 'A King Beyond the Wall,' in Winterfell and the Iron Islands, which stir with and fall victim to the spirit of raiding, across the Narrow Sea in Essos, where we discover a desert city called Qarth, and certainly at King's Landing, which is set to be invaded at any moment. There's a lot more going on, too, which is how Game of Thrones rolls. It's dense with characters and plot. Thus, we do the best we can to not only make sense of it all, but touch on the characters, moments, and arcs that stood out to us most, from the relationship between Arya and Tywin and the drama between Jaime and Brienne to the Battle of Blackwater Bay and the reignition of a fiery old religion.

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#215: Toy Story Mar 28, 2022

Show notes

While Toy Story wasn't the first 3D animated offering, it was certainly the film that proved the technique viable, desirable, and even preferable to the old ways of doing things. It also made a boatload of money, which never hurts. When it launched in theaters in late 1995, Toy Story left audiences enamored with its characters, blown-away by its visuals, and instantaneously hungry for more (it would take four years for more to arrive). At a brisk 80 minutes, Toy Story doesn't linger. Instead, it entertains relentlessly, packing amazing voice acting (Tom Hanks and Tim Allen!) and, at that point in time, the most sophisticated computer graphics the world had ever seen. Remember: This is a year -before- Super Mario 64 came out. It's really quite amazing, when you think about it. So -- as we're wont to do on this show -- we gush about Toy Story for well over two hours, get into its deep and winding history, what it means to animation and society alike, and the heavy influence it would play on entertainment, even two and a half decades-plus later. As usual, it doesn't hurt having an Emmy Award-winning animator co-hosting this show...

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#214 | Game of Thrones (Season 1) Mar 21, 2022

Show notes

When it comes to HBO's mega-hit Game of Thrones -- arguably the single most famous offering in the four decade-long history of cable television -- there's so much to say. Like, tons. Infinite amounts, even. So, we've decided to tackle Game of Thrones here on KnockBack with an episode dedicated to each season, in an attempt to do some justice to something so grand. The first 10 episodes set George RR Martin's epic story (derived from his novel series A Song of Fire and Ice) into motion. We meet the Lannisters, Starks, and others who are all vying for a single throne, would-be rulers of great kingdoms steeped in history, tradition, and conflict. Game of Thrones is considered one of the best television shows ever for a reason: Because it really, truly is. It's a show that embodies the notion of "exceptional." And we're happy to celebrate it with a robust chat about the characters, settings, and story arcs that make season one hum.

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#213: Ghost in the Shell (1995 film) Mar 14, 2022

Show notes

While Ghost in the Shell began its life as a manga in the late '80s, the 1995 animated feature film that interpreted its story is what most people are familiar with. Created by renowned artist and writer Masamune Shirow and brought to the big screen by Mamoru Oshii, Ghost in the Shell deals with surprisingly heady subject matter: Science, politics, philosophy, and morality, amongst many other themes. The future world of cyborgs and humans envisioned in this work isn't too far off the mark, either, particularly when compared to other works of cyberpunk that are much more fanciful and overtly fictional in their approach. Overall, this is perhaps what makes Ghost in the Shell so notable to so many. It feels alive and true-to-form. And it's certainly worth a deep dive right here on KnockBack.

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#212 | Uncharted: Drake's Fortune Mar 07, 2022

Show notes

It's no exaggeration to say that 2007's Uncharted: Drake's Fortune launched at the perfect time. Naughty Dog's Indiana Jones-and-Tomb Raider-inspired adventure was released exclusively on PlayStation 3 when the console was in dire straits, getting beaten badly on the market by both Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii. In fact, that era may be the lowest point ever for the entire brand. But, for the first time for many PS3 players and would-be owners, Uncharted gave them something to be truly excited about, something to point at and justify their expensive console purchase. There's no denying that Drake's Fortune is one of PlayStation's most important offerings ever, and we're glad to dedicate a couple of hours to get into all the many reasons why this wonderful game still holds up all these years later.

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#211: Sixteen Candles Feb 28, 2022

Show notes

We love John Hughes here on KnockBack. The (sadly deceased) American filmmaker and writer is perhaps best-known for his work on the likes of Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller, and Home Alone. But before he got to any of those films -- and the rest of his legion of '80s masterpieces -- he undertook Sixteen Candles, which also happens to be his directorial debut after a series of writing gigs, including with National Lampoons. Starring Molly Ringwald and Anthony Michael Hall, two staples of his actor stable, Sixteen Candles is a surreal, funny, and emotional movie about a 16-year old girl whose family forgets her big day... and all that happens thereafter. However, there's a lot of weird stuff in this film, too: Implied sexual assault, casual racism, and more. All told, just where does Sixteen Candles fit in the Hughes Pantheon? Good and bad alike: Let's discuss.

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#210: Thriller (Michael Jackson album) Feb 21, 2022

Show notes

This episode of KnockBack is for all you pretty young things out there. In late-1982, Michael Jackson -- already world-renowned both with his family band The Jackson 5 and via his solo vehicles -- released his most seminal work, the three-times Diamond certified record Thriller. While its title track may be what's most remembered these days, it's interesting to look back to the early-'80s, when Thriller (the song) was released sixth (!) when it comes to singles. From Billie Jean and Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' to Beat It and Human Nature, Thriller provides banger after banger, a fusion of pop sensibilities with a rock-and-roll backbone. Yes: Michael Jackson is today a controversial figure, even reviled in some corners. But we wanted to look at this album through a historically relevant lens, and examine the music for music's sake. We hope you enjoy.

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