video games – HunterWick Slow Burn

Ep. 034 – ‘Ready Player One’ Movie Review, Part 1

Ready Player One is so stuffed with pop-culture references, and our derision so strong for this hollow exercise, we can’t even fit our review into one Nerdstalking episode! Log in and listen to Part. 1 of our review as we slag director Steven Spielberg for not understanding video games, knock the world-building of the film as being as shaky as the Stacks, and lament about the lack of heart in the film, among other complaints. And you might even find a couple of positive comments in here too; consider them the Easter eggs you have to search for. As usual here at Nerdstalking, we give the movie a thorough going over and dive deep into what it is and what it means, so also be on the search for MANY, MANY SPOILERS!

Show Notes:

01:19 – Will they start patching movies next?

03:37 – Steven Spielberg: out of touch.

05:59 – Bill’s favourite line of the movie.

07:33 – The real problem with video games these days.

11:27 – A case study in better world-building: Alexander Payne’s Downsizing.

19:58 – Would the kids of this near-future give a shit about all this retro stuff?

29:31 – Missing in action: any character arcs.

36:13 – The movie lacks a solid heart.

41:51 – So much exposition!

43:24 – The best part of the movie: the Shining sequence.

Thanks for listening! Tune in next week for the conclusion!

Trailer for Ready Player One – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixWL1BWi44U

A video detailing 138 different pop-culture references in the movie – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYmfEx3taAM

Author of the novel, Ernest Cline, reveals every video game reference in the book – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zglevXKpJGY

Connect With Your Nerdstalkers:

Bill Hunter – writer, and creator of video game history website The Dot Eaters

Chadwick Gendron – writer, musician and creator of the Canadian Culture Thing

Our Website: http://nerdstalking.com/

Social Media Links:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/NerdstalkingPod

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nerdstalking/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nerdstalking/

William Hunter

April 5, 2018May 4, 2018

Ep. 032 – ‘WarGames’ Reboot, ‘Black Lightning’ TV Show and More

This episode looks at the classic cold-war computer hacker film WarGames, and the new interactive reboot based on the property. We also shine some light on the other black superhero, DC’s Black Lightning, found on Netflix. Lastly, Chad latches onto the inexplicable Venom teaser trailer and tries to make some Spidey sense of it.

Show Notes:
00:56 – We start with WarGames.
04:43 – A description of the reboot, and a look at the original movie.
06:53 – Chad starts in with Short Circuit.
08:22 – Dabney Coleman is a dick.
10:36 – Again with Short Circuit?
24:56 – Start of Black Lightning discussion.
29:03 – The unbearable deadness of James Remar.
37:31 – Chad breaks down the Venom teaser trailer.

Thanks for listening!

WarGames trailer – https://youtu.be/hbqMuvnx5MU
WarGames web series trailer – https://youtu.be/ZfObVggo5QE
#WarGames interactive series website (also available on Steam and iOS) – https://helloeko.com/wargames/episode-one-chasing-bryce/?autoplay=true&utm_source=verge&utm_medium=affiliate
Bill’s article on the history of the movie WarGames, at The Dot Eaters: http://thedoteaters.com/?bitstory=games-on-film-iii-wargames
Black Lightning series trailer – https://youtu.be/uoUlGwYa4QE

Connect With Your Nerdstalkers:

Bill Hunter – writer, and creator of video game history website The Dot Eaters

Chadwick Gendron – writer, musician and creator of the Canadian Culture Thing

Our Website: http://nerdstalking.com/

Social Media Links:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/NerdstalkingPod

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nerdstalking/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nerdstalking/

William Hunter

March 17, 2018May 4, 2018

Marvel Music

Here Comes the Spider-Man Theme Covers: Bomberman 64

18 days, 18 goddamn glorious 1967 Spider-Man TV show theme song covers! Because a spider has 8 legs, and if you take the 1 away from 18 you get 8! Here’s Day 7:

I’m sure that, in his swingin’ 60’s cartoon, Spider-Man came across his share of large, black, bowling-ball-shaped bombs with large fizzing fuses on the top. So a 1997 Bomberman 64 ad parodying the theme song isn’t too much of a stretch. It’s not a cover, per se, but I got a bang out of it. Again, I’ll show myself the door.