The Flickcast

SDCC14: Have a Game Plan

Posted on July 21, 2014

Comic-Con International 2014 is set to kick off in just over 48 hours and after selling out 130,000 passes in just 90 minutes, San Diego is about to be descended upon by hordes of Con newbies. Every year those of us who have survived and live to tell the tale make sure to pass on our knowledge (whether or not they ask for it) to try and help these rookies get the most of their SDCC experience.

The best most important piece of information to take from this article is to have a game plan. Without knowing what your goals are for the show, there is a serious risk of wasting a lot of time only to not get the experience you’re hoping for. Luckily there is no shortage of information about the show, the exclusives, the panels, the autograph signings, the celebrities and everything else going down in San Diego during the show.

The Flickcast Episode 253: Damn Dirty Apes!

Posted on July 16, 2014

After a week off for the 4th of July holiday, we’re back with a brand new episode of The Flickcast. And you thought we’d forgotten about you. Not likely.

On this week’s show Chris and Joe talk about a lot of different things, as usual. Some of these “things” include the recent Emmy nominations and the worst snubs, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, the latest on Doctor Who, more on Guardians of the Galaxy and a bunch of other stuff.

Chris and Joe even make a bet on the opening weekend box office for Guardians. What did they think? Well, you’ll just have to listen to find out. Saw that coming, didn’t you?

Picks this week include Chris’ pick of director John Hillcoat’s Lawless and Joe’s pick of the wonderful, and sadly soon to be extinct, 35mm film.

As always, if you have comments, questions, critiques, offers of sponsorship, or whatever, feel free to hit us up in the comments, on Twitter, at Facebook, Google+ or via email.

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Op-Ed: ‘People Are Finally Over Comic-Con’

Posted on July 15, 2014

Working in both the entertainment industry and in YouTube, you’re bound to hear a lot of silly things said. “There’s no way people would want to watch someone else play video games.” “She looked like she had to be 18, right?” “He can’t wait to put me in his next feature.” But there’s one statement that you hear and you just know people are full of it.

When prepping for SDCC this year, I was asking a bunch of friends from various social circles who was heading to Comic Con and there was a common thread from those who weren’t going. They all used the phrase, “I think everyone is over Comic Con.”

Now I can see where this statement might be coming from. One could argue that year after year San Diego Comic Con can start to wear you a little thin by the end of it. No sleep, bad diet and abundance of partying can kick your butt. But when you look back a month later after recovering from the nerd flu you inevitably were stricken with a few days after it ended, you’re up and ready to rock once again.

But this year, there seem to be people claiming that “everyone” is over the Con. And this is where I call them out on it.

Documentary Review: ‘Life Itself’

Posted on July 5, 2014

Ebert would have loved this: It does not gloss over major events that tarnish his star – his alcoholism, his pettiness, even his face. This is not simply a chronicle of the critic’s final few months, rather it’s an overview of his life, aptly so, I suppose, as it’s adapted, in part, from Ebert’s memoir Life Itself.

Ebert was born in Urbana, Illinois, about an hour and a half south of Chicago, and grew up early on recognizing that he had a considerable talent for writing. In his mid-twenties, he began writing movie reviews for The Chicago Sun-Times, winning a Pulitzer Prize for his work in 1975. Around that time, too, he teamed up with Gene Siskel, forming something of the U.S.’s popular critical consensus for nearly 25 years.

Most of those beats you probably know, and director Steve James (Hoop Dreams) does an excellent job filling them in, yes, with interviews from those who knew Roger best during those times, and passages from the book, but even more so with a deft pace aided by short interspersions of Roger today, or at least Roger in 2012. These diversions are, thankfully, less a study in courage than a testament to stubbornness, wit, or another key personality trait that maintained while the body faded away.

The Flickcast Episode 252: Cancel the Apocalypse (Again)

Posted on July 2, 2014

It’s a brand new episode of The Flickcast. Just in time, under the wire and ready to go.

On this week’s show Chris and Joe talk about a lot of different things including a Pacific Rim sequel, comic book and animated series, Michael Bay’s Transformers 4 and The Last Ship, and Harrison Ford’s current status. Plus, Community get a sixth season and the rest, well, you’ll never guess what happens next. Just listen, it’s easier.

Picks this week include Chris’ pick of the movie The Raid 2: Berandal and Joe’s pick of the TV series Longmire.

As always, if you have comments, questions, critiques, offers of sponsorship, or whatever, feel free to hit us up in the comments, on Twitter, at Facebook, Google+ or via email.

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Op-Ed: NFL Bans Shredder and Bane Face Masks So Screw Them

Posted on July 2, 2014

You know what NFL? You’ve lost me forever. I never cared about your “sport” anyway. I sort of cared about Madden because it at least helped sell video game systems during the holiday seasons. But now, you’ve gone too far. Yesterday, the NFL announced they’d be banning “nonstandard/overbuilt” facemasks.

This includes Oakland Raiders defensive end Justin Tuck’s mask that resembled that of Shredder from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Now I don’t know who that is but damn them for not allowing a Shredder mask. They have also announced that the similar Bane styled masks will also be a part of this ban.

Now what is funny is the reason for the ban: because they don’t live up to NFL safety standards. The group of gargantuan men who are doing everything they can to throw their body weight on top of each other as fast as possible is worried about safety? Meanwhile hockey lets people play with a rubber puck flying at their face with no protection. Makes a lot of sense.

Well now I have given up on ever giving football a shot. The best chance they have is stepping their game up and creating a hybrid of the XFL and whatever the heck futuristic version of the game that they play in Starship Troopers and when they do it’s Team Shredder vs. Team Bane vs. Team Casey Jones vs. Team Mysterio.

Until then, I say “Good day” to the NFL.

29 Years Later, New Record Being Set in ‘Super Mario Bros.’

Posted on June 30, 2014

For most of the gaming popular, this was the first game they ever took home. While there were the select families that had the Atari 2600 or even Pong, it was Super Mario Bros. that made its way into homes across the country in unprecedented number in 1985. After likely billions of hours played and incalculable deaths, there are people still playing in 2014 and trying to beat it JUST a little faster.

YouTuber LordSaradoc has made his name on the space with about 90 videos doing speedruns. Just about a week ago, he uploaded a new one where he looks to have broken the Super Mario Bros. speed run with not just a perfect run with no deaths, but also accomplishing it in world record time. If everything is accurate, it looks as though LordSaradoc was able to complete the game in 4:57.69. In less than 5 minutes, he was able to run the perfect path doing what most people could only dream of accomplishing.

The Flickcast Episode 251: One Pine Looper

Posted on June 25, 2014

Yes, we like a challenge. So much so, in fact, that we often wait until the very last minute to get the show recorded, edited and released for all to enjoy. That’s just the nature of things and it makes life a bit more interesting. Well, we think so anyway.

Which brings us to now and this brand new episode of The Flickcast. You kinda figure that out, huh?

On this week’s show Chris and Joe dive in and talk all-things Star Wars including Harrison Ford’s health problems, schedule issues, celebrity cameos and more. They also talk about the season finale of Game of Thrones, Back to the Future, Nathan Fillion’s superhero prospects and the state of modern entertainment “journalism.” Hint: It sucks. Mostly.

Picks this week include Chris’ pick of the movie The Machine and Joe’s pick of a beer called Rocket Dog IPA from the folks at Laughing Dog Brewery.

As always, if you have comments, questions, critiques, offers of sponsorship, or whatever, feel free to hit us up in the comments, on Twitter, at Facebook, Google+ or via email.

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