Discerning Geeks Portal

In this episode, we review "Real Genius" (1985), the 2nd feature film in the long career of Val Kilmer (b. 1959, d. 2025). Recorded on 22 June 2024, this is a "time capsule" episode. - Which Geek was the most excited about reviewing this movie? - Which Geek was the most...confounded(?)...by the movie? - Which science classes did the Geeks take in college? Which Geek(s) took only one science for general requirements, and which Geek(s) almost added a minor in a science? - Which Geek had to rent this movie twice? - Which hyperbolic phrase did one Geek resurrect to describe this movie? - What commentary did the Geeks have about higher education, 1980s history, 1980s technology, dumb people, smart people, the TV show "Big Bang Theory," social intelligence, political correctness, ethics, and holding the door open for other people? - Which character in the movie led to a discussion about possible autism in fictional characters vs. quirkiness or eccentricities written into character personalities? - Which Geek immediately dropped a philosophy class in college when the professor openly (and probably unethically & illegally) claimed that religious students would almost certainly fail the class? - And, how did discussion about this movie lead to mentions of "Animal House," "Revenge of the Nerd," and "PCU"?Listen now for the answers to these and other academic questions as we study..."Real Genius."E-Mail: discerninggeeks@gmail.comPlease rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. On Spotify and GoodPods apps, you grade and/or comment on individual episodes.Royalty-free music in this episode came from Pixabay.com and FreeMusicArchive.org.

We hope you enjoyed the "Thunderbolts*" review from episode #189. During that recording we also talked about summer movie trailers, classic episodes of this podcast, the 1980s horror-comedy "Killer Klowns From Outer Space," the Oscar-winning "Anora" (and what Todd thought about it; can you guess whether he liked it or not?), and more. The recording lasted over two hours, the post-review discussion was split off into this...its own separate episode.The five movie trailers we discussed were the following... - Predator: Badlands - Tron: Ares - Jurassic World Rebirth - Mission: Impossible -- The Final Reckoning - The Fantastic Four: First StepsWe talked about "Killer Klowns From Outer Space," for which Ryan Gosling is producing a remake. You can listen to our review of "Killer Klowns" in episode #020 or as part of #110.You can contact us via discerninggeeks@gmail.com, or you can leave a comment on individual episodes via the Spotify or GoodPods apps. Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts.Royalty-free music used in this episode came from Pixabay.com.

The Geeks have their first review from summer 2025, the new MCU movie, "Thunderbolts*." - How do the Geeks feel about the use of prevalence of guns in a Marvel movie? - What real-life politician did Preston relate to Julia Louis-Dreyfus's character in the movie? - Was this movie too drab, and how much could that be the fault of the projector in the theater where the Geeks saw the movie? - Did Preston correctly predict's Todd's rating? - In the Spoiler Zone, what did the Geeks think about the explanation for the asterisk in the name of the movie? - How does this team stack up against previous MCU teams, and is it acceptable and maybe intentional that this group is more in the misfit category? - Who did the Geeks speculate could be on an Avengers team in one of the upcoming movies? - What did the Geeks think about the villain of the movie? - How did Bucky show up suddenly during the desert chase scene? - And, what else did the Geeks talk about enough that it will have to continue in a separate post-review episode coming soon?Listen now for the answers to these and other booming questions as we weather the storm of..."Thunderbolts*."Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. You can comment directly on individual episodes via Spotify and the GoodPods app. And, you can e-mail us at discerninggeeks@gmail.com.Royalty-free music used in this episode came from Pixabay.com

We're back with a review of a classic movie, "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory." Sure, it's gotten another adaptation and a prequel, but this is the original 1971 version starring Gene Wilder. - Is Willy Wonka benevolent & eccentric or a psychotic child-murderer? Do the Geeks have an answer to the question, or is the movie successfully ambivalent on the matter? - What extreme impression did one of the Geeks get about one of the five golden ticket winners in the movie? - What did the Geeks think about the Oompa Loompas and the actors playing them? - Why does Grandpa Joe have a dedicated hate group against him online? - Did one of the Geeks have any favorite songs in the movie? - What are the different interpretations of what Snozzberries refer to? - Which American food company helped finance this film, why, and what product associated with the marketing...failed. - What's up with Hershey's chocolate? - Which Geek is convinced that four of the children in this movie were killed by the chocolate factory? - Does this movie have a good message in the end, or is it undercut by the mere possibility that Willy Wonka is a psychotic child murder? - Is the Golden Ticket contest rigged? Which Geek things so & why? - What mistake was one Geek making when remembering something about the setting of the movie? - What great things did one Geek have to say about Gene Wilder? - Which Geek was annoyed by the way Charlie Bucket's teacher was teaching fractions...badly? - What kind of candy-making trivia does one Geek convey? - Is the ending a good thing? Should we take the gift at face value? Or, if Willy Wonka is a child-killer, is he just trying to dump evidence? - And, what very different grades did the Geeks give this movie?Listen now for the answers to these and other sugary, flavorful, fizzy questions, as the Geeks present their Golden Tickets and hope to survive..."Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory."You can contact us at discerninggeeks@gmail.com. Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. You can give ratings or comments on individual episodes via the Spotify and Goodpods apps.Royalty-free music used in this episode came from Pixabay.com and FreePD.com.

The wait is over. It's time to reveal our top 8 picks! Preston & Todd complete the Favorite Female TV Characters countdown, highlighting standout women from space opera, fantasy, gritty dramas, comedies, animation, and more.The female characters in this episode include... - 3 military officers from sci-fi shows - 2 business owners from two very different kinds of shows - 2 housewives from two very different kinds of shows - 1 assassin - 1 bounty hunter - 1 cop - 1 diplomat - 1 lawyer - 1 government official - 1 time traveling doctor (but not The Doctor, with a capital D) - And, 1 villain.The shows they come from include... - 3 space operas - 3 very different fantasy shows (1 historical drama, 1 borderline-horror, 1 sword-&-sorcery) - 3 animated shows - 1 anthology drama - 1 dramedy - 1 lawyer show - And, 1 political drama.For just 15 characters spread out between two top 8 lists (Preston & Todd actually matched on one this time), that's a lot of variety.But, exactly which characters did they choose, from which shows, and in what order? And, which female TV characters got a mention, even if they weren't in the ranked lists? Listen now for the thrilling conclusion to the long overdue special topic, Favorite Female TV Characters.Between Parts 1 & 2, Preston & Todd ranked 39 female TV characters, and Todd listed a bunch of honorable mentions in post-show segments. But, we may have still missed some of your favorites. Do you have favorites of your own? Would you like us to follow up with a Part 3 to this topic? Let us know with an e-mail at discerninggeeks@gmail.com or in comments online via Facebook, BlueSky, Spotify, or the GoodPods app. And, if you like this topic or others from our 186 episodes (!?!), please leave us a review wherever you listen to podcasts.Royalty-free music used in this episode came from Pixabay.com.

From brilliant scientists and fearless leaders to quirky oddballs and animated icons, television has given us some unforgettable female characters. In this episode, Preston & Todd kick off a two-part countdown of their all-time Favorite Female TV Characters, revealing ranks 20 through 09.Way back in episodes #037 & #039, the Geeks listed their Favorite Sci-Fi TV Characters.  Many of our favorite shows are dominated by male characters, so we realized that too many excellent female characters were missing from the conversation.  An episode dedicated to amazing fictional women has been on the list for years, and our randomizer finally landed on it.You'll have to listen to know our exact picks, but here are a few stats from just this episode…7 characters from spaceship-based shows7 characters are doctors, scientists, mechanics, or androids5 characters from animated shows5 characters with a number, a day of the week, or the word “river” in their name3 from DC live action or animated shows3 from “The Munsters” and/or “The Addams Family”2 from “Firefly”2 from the “Stargate” franchise2 are Batman villains2 from time travel shows2 from police procedurals…And, that's just the multiples, not including the one-offs.  Following the outro, Todd also lists over 20 of his honorable mentions.Who made the lists?  Were there are any commonalities between Todd's & Preston's lists?  Why were these fictional women so amazing?  Listen now to find out.And, with characters this great, who's left for ranks 08 to 01?  For that, stay tuned for Part 2 coming soon.Who would make your list of strong, smart, funny, quirky, resourceful, and lovable female TV characters?  You can send us an e-mail at discerninggeeks@gmail.com or find us on Facebook or BlueSky.Royalty free music used in this episode comes from Pixabay.com.

Continuing with the 2024 Year In Review, the Geeks list and rate their favorite TV seasons of 2024. There's also a little bit about music, wrestling, and books.The TV shows covered in this episode include:ABC / Hulu - 9-1-1  (seasons 7 & 8) - High Potential  (season 1) - The Rookie  (season 6)Amazon Prime - Batman: Caped Crusader  (season 1) - Fallout  (season 1) - Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power  (season 2 of 5 - really?!?!?)Apple TV+ - Monarch: Legacy of Monsters  (season 1)Disney+ - Agatha All Along  (season 1???) - Doctor Who  (season 14 a.k.a. “1”) - Star Wars: Skeleton Crew  (season 1???) - Star Wars: The Acolyte  (only season) - What If…?  (season 3 - final) - X-Men ‘97  (season 1)FX and/or FX on Hulu - Shogun  (season 1) - The Bear  (season 3)HBO and/or Max - Creature Commandos  (season 1) - Hacks  (season 3) - The Penguin  (season 1)Netflix - A Man On The Inside  (season 1) - The Diplomat  (season 2)Paramount+ - Star Trek: Discovery  (season 5 - final)Shudder - The Last Drive-In With Joe Bob Briggs  (season 6)Starz - Outlander  (season 7.5 of 8)Syfy - Resident Alien  (season 3; upcoming season 4 moving to USA Network) - The Ark  (season 2)The CW - Superman & Lois  (season 4 - final)TLC / Hulu / Max - Sister Wives  (season 19!?!?!)But, which ones were good, and which ones were disappointing? How many shows did both Todd & Preston watch? What were Todd's & Preston's top 2 or 3 favorite TV shows of the year, and was there any overlap? What did the Geeks have to say about music, wrestling, books, or any other entertainment in 2024?Listen now for the answers to these and other discerning and reminiscing questions, as the Geeks finish up their 2024 Year In Review.You can send us a message at discerninggeeks@gmail.com or a comment on Facebook, BlueSky, Spotify, or the Goodpods app. Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts.Royalty-free music used in this episode came from Pixabay.com.

Welcome to 2025, and thanks for returning to the Discerning Geeks Portal. In PART 1 of our two-part 2024 Year-In-Review, we take a look back at movies we've seen & even some movies we were only tempted to see & a few we were glad we did not see. Throughout the discussion, the following movies get at least a mention, if not a deeper dive... - Alien: Romulus - Atlas - Beetlejuice Beetlejuice - Borderlands - Challengers - Civil War - Deadpool & Wolverine - Dear Santa - Fly Me to the Moon - Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire - Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire - IF - Inside Out 2 - Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes - Lord of the Rings: War of the Rohirrim - Madame Web - Megalopolis - Moana 2 - Oddity - Rare Exports - Transformers One - The Fall Guy - The Heretic - Twisters - Wicked - Will & Harper Which ones did Preston or Todd see? Which ones did they both see? Which ones did they like? Which ones did they skip? Which ones that Preston watched would have given Todd nightmares? Listen now for the answers to these and other cinematic questions as we look back at movies of 2024. Stay tuned for PART 2 where we review 2024 TV and other entertainment. You can e-mail us at discerninggeeks@gmail.com or join us on Bluesky. Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. Remember that you can rate individual episodes on Spotify and the Goodpods app, and you can leave comments per episode on Goodpods. Royalty-free music in this episode comes from Pixabay.com.

Finishing off the holiday season, we review the Christmas episodes of the TV show "Grimm": 3.08 "Twelve Days of Krampus" and 4.07 "The Grimm That Stole Christmas." Technically, we also briefly mention 1.07 "Let Your Hair Down," but that episode would barely be about Christmas at all if not for one single scene. - This episode starts with a tangent about the TV show "Farscape." What did the Geeks think about that show? - And, even after starting to talk about "Grimm," how did Todd work in his obligatory "Babylon 5" reference? - What extra lore was Preston able to provide about the Krampus mythology? - In the Krampus episode, what were the good & bad things about Monroe's obsession with over-the-top Christmas decorating & Rosalee's hesitation to celebrate Christmas? - What observation did both Geeks make about the holiday content vs. serial storytelling content in both these episodes? - What stats did Todd & Joanna provide to prove that "Grimm" had an expansive & impressive mythology, built gradually over six seasons? - What were some of the similarities & differences between season 3 & season 4 Christmas episodes? - How did the Geeks work in a science lesson, complete with a "Mr. Wizard's World" reference? - What head-canon did Preston help create to reconcile Todd's nitpick about the Kallikantzaroi behavior at the very beginning of the episode vs. the rest of the episode? - What great things did the Geeks have to say about actress Elizabeth "Bitsie" Tulloch from "Grimm" and "Superman & Lois" vs. their issues with the direction of her "Grimm" character later in the series (left vague; no spoilers)? What did Bitsie say on Bluesky in response to Todd's comment about the "Superman & Lois" series finale? - What culinary knowledge did Preston impart about making fruitcake properly -- despite the fact that we all know there's only one fruitcake in the world, and it just gets passed around from one person to another? - Are these episodes truly Christmas episodes, or just episodes happening to take place at Christmas? - And, can you tell the Geeks love the power couple of Monroe & Rosalee? Listen now for the answers to these and other dark fairy tale questions as the Geeks investigate..."Grimm" Christmas episodes. You can contact us at discerninggeeks@gmail.com or on Facebook, X, or Bluesky. Please rate or review us. You can rate individual episodes on Goodpods, and you can leave comments on individual episodes on Goodpods & Spotify. The Discerning Geeks Portal Podcast wishes you a safe, healthy, and happy holiday season, a very Merry Christmas, and a joyful & prosperous New Year. Royalty-free music used in the episode was obtained via Pixabay.com.

The movie doesn't have a sequel, but now the review does. We revisit the holiday classic, "The Muppet Christmas Carol." This time, Todd re-evaluates the movie with Preston, who wasn't with us the first time around, in episode #028 (check out that episode for the first version). - What examples did the Geeks have of Muppets being comforting, diplomatic, the theme of the best ride at Disney World, great music video makers, and being made for adults as much as for kids? - While still on tangents before diving into this movie, what did the guys think of the 2011 movie and 2015 TV show, both insufficiently titled "The Muppets"? - What did the guys think about the performance choices of Michael Caine ("My Cocaine") as Ebenezer Scrooge? - Did Todd have any nitpicks this time around? If not, is that the first time ever and possibly a sign of the apocalypse? - What were some of Preston's favorite parts? - While talking about Scrooge as a rich person, what calculation did Todd make about a billionaire's salary per minute (not per hour)? Is it ethical to be a billionaire? And, how did this lead to a joke-not-a-joke about Batman? - Do the Geeks think the ghosts haunting Scrooge were real or just a dream or hallucination? - What did the Geeks think about each individual song in the movie, and what were their favorite quotes? Listen now for the answers to these and other melodic questions as the Geeks sing the praises of..."The Muppet Christmas Carol." You can contact us by e-mail at discerninggeeks@gmail.com or by Facebook, X, and Bluesky. Please rate or review us. On the Goodpods app you can rate individual episodes, and you can leave comments on episodes at Spotify and on Goodpods. Please check out our previous Christmas-themed episodes. You can hear the full list at the 1:16:47 mark. There's still one more coming in 2024 before/by Christmas. The Discerning Geeks wishes everyone a safe, healthy, and happy holiday season. Royalty-free music used in this episode was obtained via Pixabay.com.

Merry Christmas! Next up in our Christmas movie reviews is "The Nightmare Before Christmas." - If the various holidays (each represented by a tree in this movie) each got their own movie and eventually crossed over to form the "Nightmare Before Holiday" Cinematic Universe, which holiday (or maybe day of the week) would be the antagonist? - Does this movie contain any deeper meanings, and what could those be? - How well developed (or not) is the relationship between Jack and Sally? What are the different theories online about Jack's emotions & motivations? - How is Danny Elfman's band, Oingo Boingo, relevant to this movie, and did Todd really have to add a boing sound effect every time Oingo Boingo is mentioned? - What information did Preston have about the re-release of this movie with a modern rock & heavy metal soundtrack? - What were the opinions about the songs in the movie? - What were the good & bad things about the antagonist, Oogie Boogie? - How well did the visual techniques in this 33-year-old movie hold up to today, and was any appreciation for the techniques distinct from opinions about the visual style? - How much trouble did Todd have giving this movie a score, and what were the mixed emotions involved? - And, as we've been asking with all our Christmas reviews this year (and some from previous years), is this truly a Christmas movie...or not? Listen now for the answers to these and other haunting questions as we contemplate..."The Nightmare Before Christmas." You can contact us at discerninggeeks@gmail.com. We are on Bluesky and Facebook, and we'd love for you to rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. On the Goodpods app, you can rate individuals episodes, and you can leave comments on individual episodes on both Spotify and Goodpods. Royalty-free music used in this episode comes from Pixabay.com.

Merry Christmas, and welcome to the last minute marathon of Christmas-related movie reviews for 2024. First up, we review "Iron Man 3." We reviewed "Iron Man" and "Iron Man 2" in episodes #011 & #099. This makes the 3rd trilogy that we've completed, having reviewed the "Back to the Future" trilogy in episodes #058, #065, and #088, and "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy in a two-parter, episodes #066 & #067. - Are the Geeks caught up on their vaccines, and how it that relevant? - What memories did the Geeks have about their times seeing "Iron Man 3" in the theater? - That did the Geeks think about the topic of Tony Stark being Iron Man, even without the armored suits? - What aspect of this movie was Todd probably too prudish about? - What did the Geeks think about the various armored suits, House Party Protocol, and Clean Slate Protocol? - Todd once heard a podcast where the hosts disliked the portrayal of Tony Stark's anxiety/PTSD in this movie. Did Todd or Preston agree or disagree? - How much did the Geeks like the pre-teen character, Harley Keener? - What quotes did the Geeks like in this movie, and what kind of trivia did they have to share? - Is this truly a Christmas movie, or is it just coincidence that it is set at Christmas? - The "twist" with the Mandarin is divisive. What did the Geeks think about it? - This whole movie can be divisive. How kind (or not) were the Geeks in their final ratings & rankings? - And, as a final tangent, how highly did Todd praise the final season & especially the very final episode of "Superman & Lois"? Listen now for the answers to these & other robotic questions as we suit up for..."Iron Man 3." You can send us a message at discerninggeeks@gmail.com. Check us out on Bluesky & Facebook (maybe X), and please give us a rating or review wherever you listen to podcasts. Remember, you can leave comments for individual episodes on Spotify and both 5-star ratings & comments on episodes via the Goodpods app. Merry Christmas, and stay tuned for...hopefully...three more Christmas-themed episodes coming soon (because time is running out). Royalty-free music in this episode comes from various artists at Pixabay.com.

We return to "The Simpsons," one of Preston's favorite shows, to review the "Treehouse of Horror" specials 05 to 08. Check out episodes #168 & #169 of our podcast for our two-part review of "Treehouse of Horror" 01 to 04. In this batch The stories, spoofs, and themes covered in these four episodes include:  "The Shining," time travel, cannibalism, giants, "Nightmare on Elm Street," "The Thing," microscopic societies, alien bodysnatchers, nuclear holocaust, "The Fly," Salem Witchcraft Trials, and alternate dimensions where everything is 1990s CGI. What did the Geeks think about the 12 stories across these four episodes? Which ones did they agree and disagree on. How much trivia did Preston have about the conceptualization and production of these episodes? Listen now to find out the answers to these and other horrifying questions, as the Geeks climb the ladder to the 5th through 8th levels of...The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror. You can contact us at discerninggeeks@gmail.com Public domain music included in this episode come from Pixabay.com.

Just in time for listening while standing in line at the polls on Election Day, Todd & Preston discuss movies & TV shows of a political theme. Political-Themed TV Shows Discussed The West Wing Veep Madam Secretary The Simpsons episode 6.05 "Sideshow Bob Roberts" Commander-In-Chief House of Cards The Newsroom The Good Fight South Park episode 20.05 "Douche and a Danish" Babylon 5 Political-Themed Movies Discussed The American President Election Air Force One My Fellow Americans Welcome to Mooseport Vice Lincoln Mr. Smith Goes to Washington Citizen Kane Listen now for these topics and more as Todd & Preston prepare for election day with a look into political movies & TV shows. You can contact us at discerninggeeks@gmail.com. Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. You can leave comments per episode at Spotify and the Goodpods app. Public domain music in this episode is performed by The United States Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps, via FreeMusicArchive.org.

Welcome to the Halloween 2024 Edition of Todd & Preston's Drive-Time Chats. This episode starts with Preston's review of "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice." Preston then continues with reviews of the following streaming movies: - A recent remake of "Salem's Lot" - "VHS Beyond" - "I Watched the TV Glow" Todd then talks about movies he's recently seen in abridged form, via reaction videos on YouTube: - "Alien vs. Predator" - "Alien vs. Predator: Requiem" - "Alien Romulus" - "Army of Darkness" (which the Geeks did a full review of in episode #167) - "Blade" And, the talk of vampires in "Blade" let to a tangent about the very short-lived 1990s vampire TV show "Kindred: The Embraced" and how it was loosely based on the "Vampire: The Masquerade" role playing game, which Preston has played. The Geeks then did reviews of the following TV shows: - "Agatha All Along" on Disney+ - "Grotesquerie" on FX And, while not related to Halloween, the Geeks went on tangents about the movie "Children of Men," the Mariah Carey song "All I Want For Christmas Is You," election season, and political related movies. Steering back to Halloween, the Geeks talked about candy and the recent paranormal investigation videos from the Red Letter Media YouTube channel. Listen now for these topics and all the other little side streets driven down along the way. You can contact us or request a link to our Discord server at discerninggeeks@gmail.com. Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. You can write comments directly on our episodes, via Spotify and the Goodpods app. Royalty free / CC0 songs used in this episode come from Pixabay (list of artists forthcoming in an update to this draft episode summary).

This week, we take a deep dive into the importance we place on entertainment, whether we're being too picky about movies & TV shows, why some of them fail, and how much writing is responsible for successes or failures. Note: Please excuse this brief description when first being published. I had an extensive description all typed out, and when I clicked one link on the screen, Spotify blanked out my summary!?!?! Check back later and refresh the episode for when I have the patience to re-type the summary all over again (from a text editor this time; I've learned my lesson that I should copy & paste it from there into Spotify's episode page), but for now, I'm releasing the episode as is. E-mail: discerninggeeks@gmail.com Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts.

This week, we review the sci-fi film, "Valerian and the city of a Thousand Planets," a passion project of "The Fifth Element" director Luc Besson. - What record does this movie hold among independent films and European films? - What did the Geeks think about the story structure and pacing? Did the movie flow well, or were there too many distracting tangents along the way? - With Luc Besson directing both visually vivid movies, which had better visuals, this movie or "The Fifth Element"? - What did the Geeks think about the characters? Was there chemistry between the two leads? - How much did the Geeks like the diversity of the alien races? - How did this review inspire comparisons to "Rogue One," "Sleepy Hollow," the European division of Africa, Jerry Lewis, "Star Wars," "Star Trek," "Alien," and, of course, "Babylon 5"? - This was a pick of our fallen comrade, Dave Teague (his items still remaining on the list & available for being picked). For what reasons did we guess he put this on the list? - Was the alien market scene near the beginning helpful for world-building or overly complicated? - And, what 1990s sci-fi epic did we roll to review sometime in the near-ish future? It's a modern classic, despite a far-fetched final resolution & a massively misguided & forgettable sequel. Listen now for the answers to these and a thousand other questions, as we explore, "Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets." You can contact us at discerninggeeks@gmail.com. Send us an invite request to join our Discord server. And, please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. Public domain / cc0 music used in this episode include the following from Pixabay.com. - Intro/outro: "hybrid-trailer-epic-12954" by Alex_MakeMusic - Rundown: "deep-space-8141" by unknown - Joanna voiceover: "quotsupervillainquot-cinematic-score-156281" by u_5gcdffq7mb - Dave Teague story: "blues-rock-energetic-203364" by Emmraan - Lightning round: "sci-fi-action-trailer-music-246208" by NiKneT_Art

We continue with Part 2 of our Drive-Time Chat #07, covering the following topics... - "Late Night With The Devil" movie - "Arcadian" movie - "Deadpool & Wolverine" trailers (recorded before the movie itself came out) - The "X-Men" franchise, in general - "Batman: Caped Crusader" TV show - "Agatha All Along" trailer - "Spider-Man" comics Listen now for these topics & more. You can contact us at discerninggeeks@gmail.com or by joining our Discord server. Public domain songs included in this episode are from Pixabay.com and FreePD.com.

Tune in to our Drive-Time Discussion #07 as Todd & Preston cover: X-Men '97, The Ark, House of the Dragon, The Acolyte, The Bear, Jules - Preston is finally caught up on "X-Men '97," so we're finally able to talk about it, including some spoilers. What did the Geeks think about it? - What reasons did the Geeks have for bringing up Surge energy drink, Putt-Putt Golf & Games, love triangles, and strong accents? - What did Todd have to say about the return of the low-budget but intriguing series "The Ark" on Syfy? - Why does Preston think "House of the Dragon" is so good, and why won't Todd give it a try? - Where does Todd fall in the fandom or hatred of "Star Wars: The Acolyte"? - What did Preston like so much about season 3 of "The Bear," and did Todd ever hear of it before this season? - What is the heartwarming sci-fi comedy "Jules" about, and why did Todd find so charming & refreshing? Listen now for the answers to these and other questions, and stay tuned for Part 2 of this Drive-Time Discussion #07. You can contact us at discerninggeeks@gmail.com or join our Discord server. Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. Songs (public domain, CC0, or via Pixabay royalty free licence) used in this episode include: - midnight-blues-21179 by lemonmusicstudio via Pixabay - vlog-music-132239 by Onoychenkomusic via Pixabay - blues-kind-of-day-112818 by solarmusic via Pixabay

It's another new member of the $1 billion club. We review the superhero blockbuster, "Deadpool & Wolverine." - Plain & simple, which Geek is the grump this episode and how badly? - What were the Geeks' opinions about performances in the movie? - Which of the Geek(s) felt like one or more of the fights in the movie were a little over-the-top? Did they mean that in a good way or bad way? - How good was the on-screen chemistry between Deadpool & Wolverine? - Which types of humor in the movie did each Geek prefer? - Were there any issues with character motivations in this movie? - Which scene practically put one Geek in a bad mood? - What did the Geeks think about the movie's soundtrack? - This movie brings Deadpool into the MCU (sort of?), but did it feel more MCU or more Fox X-Men? - Where do the Geeks rank this movie against various categories of movies, including the first two Deadpool movies? - And, what details, compliments, and critiques, do the Geeks share in the spoiler section at the end? Listen now for the answers to these and other timeline-altering questions as we avoid being stabbed repeatedly by..."Deadpool & Wolverine." You can contact us via e-mail at discerninggeeks@gmail.com or by joining our Discord server. Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts.

May the odds be ever in your favor...for enjoying this week's review of "The Hunger Games," the first movie in the young adult political action-thriller franchise. - Which Geek has read the Hunger Games book trilogy, which Geek didn't see any of the Hunger Games until now, which Geek is the only one to see all five movies including the prequel, and are any of these the same Geek? - Which narrative & visual issues did one Geek have with Act 1 of the movie? - Which Geek first pointed out how much of the movie was filmed in North Carolina and that he had been to many of those locations? - Which location in the movie franchise was filmed in Atlanta's Marriott Marquis, the center host hotel of Dragon Con (of course pointed out by Todd)? - How critical were the Geeks about the love triangle in this movie (and the sage as a whole)? - Were the Geeks bothered by the target audience being teenage girls? - Did the premise of the Hunger Games make sense, or was it too unrealistic? - In what ways is the premise perverse & disturbing? - What were the most likable things about main character Katniss & support character Rue? - Which young adult characters in a recent Disney+ show were played by the actress that played pre-teen Rue in THG? - Which Japanese horror novel contained a very similar plot first, possibly so similar that some criticized this movie for copying? - Which two animated TV show episodes were randomly rolled to reviewed in the near future? - In the special SPOILER section at the end, what were two Geeks' complaints about the saga's ending in "Mockingjay, Part 2"? - And, why the #&][ did Todd go on such huge tangents about "Star Wars: The Acolyte" and...Taylor Swift concert videos on TikTok? Listen now for the answers to these and other death-defying questions as we give tribute to..."The Hunger Games." You can contact us at discerninggeeks@gmail.com or on our our Discord server. Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts.

In Part 2 of our discerning look into "The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror 01 to 04," we start with the two literary parodies and then delve into broader discussion about the general appeal of "The Simpsons." - One of these stories makes a reference to the political primaries of 1992 that included Ross Perot. Don't the days of Ross Perot seem quaint now, in a good way? Could we get that kind of political season back please? - Did Dave enjoy the monkey's paw parody, or is this another one in the bad category? What did Todd think about it? - Being a literature fan, did Dave appreciate any aspects of the "Raven" parody? Being less of a literature fan, did that parody reach Todd at all? - Were there any strong opinions about the wraparound segments, the framing devices that bind the separate stories together into full episodes? - Which Grandpa moments did Preston enjoy? What is Todd's favorite Grandpa moment that comes from a totally separate episode? - When trying to determine comedic tastes, was there consensus among the Geeks on Jeff Foxworthy or Jeff Dunham? Which Geek loves the Walter puppet, which Geek loves Jose the "jalapeno on a stick," and which Geek thinks Akhmed the Dead Terrorist is overrated? - How did the movie "PCU" come up in conversation? - Everybody has..."their own"...what, exactly? - How many episodes of the "The Simpsons" has there been? - Preston is the huge Simpsons fan. Just how high did he score these four "Treehouse of Horror" episodes? - What is one of Dave's biggest problems with "The Simpsons"? - Which two very different movies were randomly rolled to be reviewed in the near-ish future? - And, since he couldn't join Preston & Todd during the full review a couple months ago, what were Dave's "quick & dirty" thoughts about "The Fall Guy" (one of this year's most underrated movies so far)? Listen now for the answers to these and other questions as we finish up our deep dive of "The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror 01 to 04." You can contact us by sending an e-mail to discerninggeeks@gmail.com or by joining our Discord server. Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts.

This week, we take a haunting look into the first four "Treehouse of Horror" episodes from "The Simpsons." In Part 1 of this super-sized two-parter, we review the movie parody and "Twilight Zone" parody stories from those first four annual Halloween-themed episodes. Each "Treehouse of Horror" episode contains three stories and a framing device. Preston is the huge Simpsons fan, and he chose to structure our discussion by category. First, we cover the "Twilight Zone" parodies regarding alien abduction, an all-powerful Bart, and a gremlin on a school bus instead of an airplane wing. Next, we cover the movie-based parodies regarding a haunted house, a donut robot, a spooky clown doll, King Kong, zombies, a deal with the devil, and Dracula. Were Dave & Todd's opinions of these "Treehouse of Horror" specials as strong as an oak or as sad as a willow? Was there a consensus to match Preston's love for these, or were opinions a mixed cauldron? Which episode was one Geek's S-tier? The three stories from the 2nd installment were all nightmares, but did one Geek find any of these episodes to be real-life nightmares? Listen now for the answers to these and other bewitching questions as we climb...the "Treehouse of Horror." Stay tuned for Part 2, coming soon, where we cover the two literature-based parodies regarding Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven" and a wish-granting monkey's paw. In Part 2, we also discuss "The Simpsons" in general, including a debate about the show's comedic style. You can contact us by sending a message to discerninggeeks@gmail.com or by joining our Discord channel. Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts.

This week, we join a time-traveling S-Mart employee named Ash against Deadite zombies as we fight with, "Army of Darkness." - Did the Geeks agree whether this movie felt like a Looney Tunes cartoon brought to life? - What did Dave feel was the target audience for "Army of Darkness," and did he consider himself part of that group? - What did the Geeks feel about the special effects in the movie, and how much did it matter that many of the effects, especially the zombie skeletons, were practical? - What excuse did Todd use to bring up the recent "The Fall Guy" movie yet again? - How effective was Bruce Campbell in the lead role? Did he make or break the movie for any of the Geeks? - Which Geek somehow missed who the famous noble lord was supposed to be in this movie? - Which famous filming location stood in for medieval England -- despite not looking like England? - What did the Geeks feel about this movie's depiction of magic, particularly the pivotal mirror scene? - How did one Geek equate this movie to NASCAR? - What did the Geeks think about the ending of the movie, especially after Preston shared one alternate ending that was originally considered? - And, how did the rights to a Hannibal Lecter movie affect this movie and its ending? Listen now for the answers to these and other undead questions as do combat with..."Army of Darkness." You can e-mail us at discerninggeeks@gmail.com or join our Discord server. Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/discerninggeeks/message

This week, we review the 1999 romantic heist film, "The Thomas Crown Affair." - Were the Geeks on the same page with this movie, or was this another contentious review? - What did the Geeks think about the heist aspect of the money? Was it still enough of a heist movie with certain elements missing or downplayed and the movie also being half romantic drama? - How "heisty" is this remake compared to it's original as well as other movies like the "Ocean's" trilogy, "The Italian Job," and "Great Muppet Caper"? Someone on the internet created a spreadsheet on the topic, and Todd had numbers. - Does a viewer need to adjust moral expectations when watching heist movies, considering the protagonists are thieves? - Which plot holes do the Geeks recognize in the movie? Do they get in the way of enjoying it? - This movie is from 1999. Why does one Geek say that post-9/11 thinking affects our judgment of whether certain aspects of the movie make sense today? - Was Thomas Crown a likable protagonist despite being an ultra-privileged billionaire who's committing a crime & trying to get away with it, just for fun? - What did the guys think about the Katherine Banning character, including her intelligence, skills, complicated motivations, sexual allure, and being played by an actress in her 40s instead of the more typical 20s or 30s? - Does Katherine go too far using her sexuality to investigate Thomas Crown, and is Michael out of line in his confrontation toward her about it? - How fitting did the Geeks think the music was for the movies? - And, what superhero movie was rolled to be reviewed sometime in the (hopefully) near future (when Andruw can join us again, because this pick is his)? Listen now for the answers to these and other artsy fartsy questions as we investigate..."The Thomas Crown Affair." You can join our Discerning Geeks Portal server on Discord and/or send us an e-mail at discerninggeeks@gmail.com. You can request a certain series, season, and episode title of a Star Trek episode for Todd to review in verbal & written form, via e-mail or the Star Trek channel on our Discord Server. Please rate or review us whether you listen to podcasts. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/discerninggeeks/message

Folks, you're missing out if you haven't seen "The Fall Guy." The Geeks recently saw the new action/romantic-comedy in the theater (one of them twice), and now they're reviewing & recommending it to you, our discerning stunt team. - This movie is part action movie, part romantic comedy. For the action part, it's a "love letter" for stunt people. What did the Geeks think about the stunts in the movie? - Which scenes, stunts, moments, techniques, and running gags did the Geeks enjoy in the movie? - When Todd went to see this a 2nd time by himself, how successful was his attempt to write notes in a dark theater? - Three of the Geeks saw the movie, but only two Geeks could make it for the review. What was one of the complaints of the Geek who couldn't record? - How convincing was the romantic comedy portion? Were the performances, dialogue, and editing, good enough to fill in any blanks that we didn't see on camera, while Colt & Jody were apart? Did Ryan Gossling & Emily Blunt have good chemistry when their characters were reunited? - How well were the action & romantic comedy aspects blended together? Through the writing, directing, and editing, did the two genres fit together well? - In the spoiler section, what was one Geek's issues with the plot and the movie-within-a-movie, "Metalstorm"? - What comparison did one Geek make between "The Fall Guy" and "Lord of the Rings: Return of the King"? - What surprise twist at the end did one Geek think was one of the best jokes in the movie? - Was "Metalstorm" more "Mad Max," "Rebel Moon," or a little of both? - If Dave Teague were still alive (not to be confused with Dave Shutt, who's still with us; he's fine, folks), what would Dave have thought about this movie, in general, and also about the end credits being refreshingly short? - How would this movie have been received if it had come out in the '90s? - What grade would Dave Teague have given this movie? - And, bringing topics together, what ultra-bloody 1980s action movie, still a Dave Teague pick left on our list, did the Geeks randomly roll for a future review? Listen now for the answers to these and other death-defying, safety-tested questions as we take the plunge with, "The Fall Guy." NOTE: After the SPOILER SECTION starts, you can SKIP AHEAD to 01:08:33 for SPOILER-FREE ratings, the roll for a future topic, salutations, and some trivia about the Fall Guy theme song, "The Unknown Stuntman." You can e-mail us at discerninggeeks@gmail.com or join our Discord server. You can challenge Todd to watch & review any episode of Star Trek by requesting the series, season, and episode title, via e-mail or Discord. Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/discerninggeeks/message

We are back with a review of a 2024 movie, "Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire." Dave, Preston, and Todd, all saw this in the theater together recently, and all liked it. - Did the Geeks think this movie was fun? Was the comedy good? - How well did the movie handle its older characters from the original movies? - Were there too many characters? - Were the character interactions & relationships a plus or a minus? - What was the target audience for this movie? Was it clear? Did the movie successfully reach who it meant to? - Were the plot & pacing good in this movie? Were there any flaws in those areas? - Which Geek had a few nitpicks (directed at Sony) with the audio & visuals? - What were the opinions of the teenage Phoebe Spengler character and her interactions with a young humanoid ghost? Was this movie's version of Phoebe true to the character introduced in the previous movie? - Why did more people not see this movie? Did it not connect well enough with audiences? Are chances hurt for another Ghostbusters movie? - What bizarre way does one of the Geeks rank the four Ghostbusters movies? - From the theater concessions, which of the two "Deadpool & Wolverine" themed sodas tasted good or bad to one of our Geeks? - And, which Geek groaned this time at the thing we randomly rolled to review coming soon? Listen now for the answers to these and other haunting questions as we finally thaw out, "Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire." You can send us an e-mail at discerninggeeks@gmail.com, or you can join up on our new Discord server. If you'd like to challenge Todd to watch and review a certain Star Trek episode, send him the exact series, season, and episode title, via an e-mail or Discord. Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. At the very beginning, Todd mentions a desire to check out the upcoming movie, "The Fall Guy." Since the recording of this episode, "The Fall Guy" has premiered to good reviews but disappointing box office. Dave, Todd, and Preston, went to see it in its second week, and two of them recorded a review that will be coming soon. In the meantime, here's a spoiler for the review... Two of the Geeks really liked it, and one Geek was less impressed but didn't hate it. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/discerninggeeks/message

Part 2 of Todd & Preston's Drive-Time Chat #06 continues with the following topics. - TV shows that only lasted two seasons (at least 19 shows mentioned) - Preston's Wrestling Corner - Todd's Star Trek Challenge - Upcoming topics on the podcast: "The Thomas Crown Affair," Ranking MCU Phase 2, "Army of Darkness," Favorite Multi-Episode TV Stories, and "Real Genius" - A tangent about real-world stuff, particularly the teaching profession - The excellent music teacher movie "Mr. Holland's Opus" and the recent reaction video of it on the "Popcorn In Bed" YouTube channel Please join our new Discord server. You can send us an e-mail at discerninggeeks@gmail.com. Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. If there is an episode of any Star Trek series you would like Todd to watch and review, request the show, season, and episode title via e-mail or our Discord server. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/discerninggeeks/message

It's time for another Drive-Time Chat with Todd & Preston. As usual, they packed in more topics (and side tangents) than they expected, so be on the lookout for Part 2. For now, here's what they they cover in Part 1. - "X-Men '97" first half of season 1 - "Shogun" (up to the penultimate episode for Todd; no spoilers; Preston is still catching up) - "The Rookie" season 6 so far - "9-1-1" season 7 so far - Jerry Stiller - "The Ark" (when is season 2 coming out?!?) - "Invincible" season 2 - "After Midnight With Taylor Tomlinson" - "Garth Marenghi's Darkplace" - Cancellation of "Quantum Leap" revival after two seasons :( - Animated "Justice League" series and other shows that lasted two seasons - "Twin Peaks," "Dune" (1984), and David Lynch - Todd's Star Trek Challenge Listen now for the discussion on these topics and more. Then, open up Discord and join our new Discerning Geeks Portal server. @@ Todd's Star Trek Challenge @@ Make Todd watch and review any episode of Star Trek (that he has access to, which may not include "Prodigy" at the moment). Pick any series, any season, and any episode. It can even be a fan-made episode or film on YouTube, as Todd really enjoyed "Star Trek Continues" recently. Send the episode request via the Discord server or by e-mail at discerninggeeks@gmail.com. Once Todd watches the episode, he will review it in both podcast form (here and/or on the Fandom Variables podcast) and in written form, on the DGP Discord server and at Medium.com. Please rate or review our podcast wherever you listen to us. Thank you. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/discerninggeeks/message

This week, we take a...hopefully discerning...look into the British musical horror comedy web series, "Don't Hug Me, I'm Scared." Technically, this is just season 1, which only takes about 35 minutes to watch six episodes, and somehow this led to our 2nd-longest podcast episode ever. - What were the co-hosts' general feelings about this web series. Which one(s) found it at least entertaining, if not meaningful; and which one(s) found it frustratingly nonsensical & pointless? Can you guess which Geek was which? - What exactly were the motivations behind the makers of this web series? How much do the Geeks agree and/or disagree on those motivations? - One Geek referred to at least part of the project as cohesive & having meaning. Which Geek was the first to grunt at such a notion? - What was the significance of June 19th in the web series? - What was the main redeeming quality that one critical Geek gave the web series? - Did the Geeks feel the series had any successful horror or comedy elements? - What was the explanation behind the title of the series, and did it make any sense to the other Geeks? - What one-time scoring system did one Geek come up with specifically for this web series? - How did this review lead to references to Star Trek, Pink Floyd, urine, Shakespeare, Bluey, N.C. State basketball, Lost, philosophers Plato & Diogenes, a BBC show called "Ghost Watch," the movie "Dead Poets Society," and Elon University's one-month winter terms? Listen now for the answers to these and other cryptic questions as we try...with varied success...to make sense of..."Don't Hug Me, I'm Scared" (season 1). You can now join us on our new Discord channel. Just login to Discord and look for Discerning Geeks Portal. You can send us an e-mail at discerninggeeks@gmail.com. Please rate or review our podcast on your favorite listening apps. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/discerninggeeks/message

With the triumphant return of Andruw, we finally review the Netflix horror trilogy, "Fear Street." Each of the movies in the trilogy are named after the year in which they're based: 1994, 1978, and 1666. - How well did the Geeks think these three movies worked as a collective trilogy? Was there disagreement about this point? - Did one or more co-hosts love these movies, and did one or more co-hosts hate these movies? - Were the characters likable and/or sympathetic? Did that change for the better or worse for any of the co-hosts? - With these three movies gradually going back in time, which other movie trilogy did one Geek compare it to? - Which of the Geeks felt a same-sex relationship between two characters was crucial to the plot & message of the trilogy, and which other Geek felt that wasn't even important until the 3rd movie? - Was there too much focus, good or bad, on a scene involving a bread slicer? - Which co-host repeatedly reminded the others how many hours it took to watch the whole trilogy? - Which of the Geeks was extremely critical of the trilogy's plot, to the point of claiming there was no plot? - Which Geek wondered where all the adults were in the trilogy? - Which cartoon had an episode with convenient similarities to this trilogy? - How did this review lead to tangents about "Avatar" movies, Dave Teague, "Killer Klowns From Outer Space," oldies music, and "Mac & Me"? - What were the Geeks' opinions about the production value, monsters, and music? - Which of the Geeks totally blew his Lightning Round? - One of the Geeks listed 5 witch-related movies better than Fear Street. What were his picks? - And, what confounding thing was randomly rolled to be reviewed in the near future? Note: We actually got to that item before things rolled earlier, so this episode's rolled item will be reviewed in the next episode. Listen now for the answers to these and other frightening questions as we try to demystify..."Fear Street." Please rate or review our podcast. Send us an e-mail at discerninggeeks@gmail.com. @@ AND, search for our new DISCORD SERVER. @@ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/discerninggeeks/message

This week is PART 2 of Todd & Preston's Drive-Time #05. Topics discussed include... - "NCIS" franchise - "JAG" - "Magnum P.I." - "Hawaii Five-O" - The movie "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" - The movie "2 Days in the Valley" - Spaghetti Westerns - Who had the better navy, the Empire from Star Wars or the Federation from Star Trek - "Star Trek Adventures" role playing game - "Star Trek Continues" web series Listen now for these and other topics, and check out Part 1 of this Drive-Time Chat #05 if you didn't already. You can contact us at... - E-Mail:  discerninggeeks@gmail.com - Facebook:  #DiscerningGeeksPortal - Twitter (X):  @discerninggeeks Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/discerninggeeks/message

With Dave & Andruw incognito this week, Todd & Preston go on another imaginary car ride for their Drive-Time Chat #05. And, once again, the discussion lasted long enough to make a two-parter. This is Part 1. This time, Todd & Preston discuss... - Preston's audio issues (sorry about that, folks) - Super Bowl commercials & trailers - Trailer for "Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire" - "The Real Ghostbuster" animated series from the '80s & '90s - Trailer for now-officially-named "Deadpool & Wolverine) - Trailer for "Godzilla x King Kong: The New Empire" - Preston's viewing of the musical prequel film "Wonka" - Preston's viewing of "Fargo" season 5 - Todd's viewing of YouTube channel "Popcorn in Bed," where a Canadian woman living in Utah (sometimes joined by her sister) reacts to movies she's seeing for the first time - Todd's and Preston's different senses of humor - Todd's new..."between jobs"...status - Todd's viewing of "Quantum Leap" (revival) two-part season 2 finale and reminiscing about the original series - Todd's viewing of the "The Rookie" season 6 episodes 1 & 2 (after a strike-extended hiatus and with the season's 2nd episode being the show's 100th episode overall) - And, the Zander Hawley amusing song, "Daddy Cop," from the popular cold opens of episodes 89 & 100 of "The Rookie" Listen now for these and other topics, and stay tuned for Part 2 of this Drive-Time Chat #05. You can contact us at... - E-Mail:  discerninggeeks@gmail.com - Facebook:  #DiscerningGeeksPortal - Twitter (X):  @discerninggeeks Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/discerninggeeks/message

This week, we review the 1989 fantasy/sports/road-trip movie, "Field of Dreams," a favorite of one of our co-hosts. - This movie makes a lot of nostalgic connectionss between baseball and Americana. Which Geek is a fan of Japanese baseball? - Which Geek described this as a "Hallmark movie for dudes"? - What did the Geeks think about the relationship between the main character and his wife? - Which Geek(s) really loved the opening monologue? - How much or how little did this movie's stance on baseball as a major American tradition have an affect on the Geeks' opinions about the game? - The supernatural aspect of the movie is barely explained. Which Geek has his own unorthodox theory? - One theme of the movie is a man's relationship with his father. What aspect of this topic got one Geek a little more emotional talking about it, more so than watching that aspect of the movie itself? - What did the Geeks thnk about James Earl Jones' place in the movie? - What is the origin story of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, and how is that relevant to this movie? - How many of the Geeks would have preferred at least a little more explanation into the supernatural aspect of the movie? - Which Geek equated this podcast to the Field of Dreams, and how many Geeks got a little sentimental during the lightning round? - And, which ranking-related topic was rolled for a future episode. Listen now for the answers to these and other questions as play for a while on the..."Field of Dreams." You can contact us at... - E-Mail:  discerninggeeks@gmail.com - Facebook:  #DiscerningGeeksPortal - Twitter (X):  @discerninggeeks Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/discerninggeeks/message

Season 4 is the season of variety. So far, we've reviewed two Christmas movies, a western, and a horror TV-movie older than all the co-hosts. This week, we review a different kind of movie. It's the cutscenes of the video game "Arkham City" stitched together in cinematic fashion. It's our first time reviewing something from a video game, outside of Whatcha' Doin'? episodes. - Which voice actors from "Batman: The Animated Series" reprise their respective roles in the "Arkham City" game/movie? - This was Preston's pick, partially because the also liked the game. What did non-gamers Dave & Todd think about this cutscene compilation? - Which relative of Dave & Andruw came close to meeting Mark Hamill at a video game convention? - What did the Geeks think about the portrayal of Batman in this "movie"? Was he just as good, if not better, than Batman in other cinematic presentations? - Was Batman a little too physically strong in this game/movie, considering he's a superhero without actual super powers? - Which Geek wondered how exactly Batman is not killing people in this game/movie considering how hard & how fast he's punching people? - How well does the game/movies portray Batman as DC's best detective? - What did the Geeks thing about the three main villains and the two ticking-clock scenarios? - What did the Geeks about the plethora of support characters (and subsequently many subplots) in the game/movie? - Which of the three main villains did the Geeks find most interesting? - Were these versions of Penguin and Mr. Freeze better than their counterparts from the Tim Burton & Joel Schumacher movies? - What did the Geeks think about the appearance of Gotham Cty? - Which Geek said he doesn't like it when Batman gets too dark. - What did the Geeks think about the ending? Did Batman carry the right person out of Arkham City? - And, ultimately, does this compelation of cut scenes truly work as an actual movie? Find out the answers to these and other caped crusading questions as explore the many buildings, room, villains, and subplots of..."Arkham City." So far, in season 4, we've had the 3rd & 4th of our four Christmas movie reviews, a review of a modern western, a 2023 year-in-review special, our first review of a TV movie, and now a review of a of a video game "movie." Coming...sometimes in 2024, we have the reviews of a mainstream semi-modern fantasy, a sexy heist movie, and streaming channel horror movie trilgoy; plus a ranking of the MCU Phase 2, and much more. Stay tuned, and let us know what you'd like us to cover. You can contact us at... - E-Mail:  discerninggeeks@gmail.com - Facebook:  #DiscerningGeeksPortal - Twitter (X):  @discerninggeeks Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/discerninggeeks/message

This week, we delve into classic small-screen macabre with a review of the highly-rated 1972 TV movie, "Kolchak: The Night Stalker." This is the first of two TV movies which led to the single season of a Kolchak TV show, which in turn inspired "The X-Files." - Preston is the big Kolchak fan in the group. How much, if any, were the other Geeks impressed by it? - Which odd comparison did one Geek make between Kolchak and a certain lawyer show character from the '80s & '90s. - Gayle Foster was an intriguing support character with an unclear profession and a surprising relationship with Kolchak. Which Geek(s) liked the mystery around Gayle, and which Geek(s) would have preferred more clarity around who & what she was? - Did we see enough of the vampire in the movie? Did the Geeks agree on this, or were there differing opinions? - Which Geek had a bit of a problem with Kolchak's publisher being so hesitant...to publish a story. - Which Geek(s) appreciated the time period in which this TV movie was made and adjusted their expectations accordingly? - What was the score of this movie's biggest fan? - What unofficial connections does Kolchak have to "The X-Files"? - What excuse did Todd find to mention "Babylon 5" this week? - Which Geek at one time wanted to be a reporter in the field? - And, did the Geeks forget to roll for a future topic in this episode? Listen now for the answers to these and other journalistic questions as we report on "Kolchak: The Night Stalker." So far, in season 4, we've had the 3rd & 4th of our four Christmas movie reviews, a review of a modern western, a 2023 year-in-review special, and now our first review of a TV movie. Coming...sometimes in 2024, we have the reviews of a video game "movie," a mainstream semi-modern fantasy, a sexy heist movie, and streaming channel horror movie trilgoy; plus a ranking of the MCU Phase 2, and much more. Stay tuned, and let us know what you'd like us to cover. You can contact us at... - E-Mail:  discerninggeeks@gmail.com - Facebook:  #DiscerningGeeksPortal - Twitter (X):  @discerninggeeks Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/discerninggeeks/message

Happy New Year, Discerning Listeners, and welcome to our special Year In Review episode for 2023. In this episode we talk about some of the best -- and...not so best -- movies, TV shows, and other entertainment that we enjoyed in 2023. For movies, we cover the following: - Blue Beetle - Super Mario Bros. Movie - Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves - Evil Dead Rise - Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse - No Hard Feelings - Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania - The Marvels - Oppenheimer - Godzilla Minus One - Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3 - Crater (TV movie formerly on Disney+) - The Creator - John Wick: Chapter 4 - Barbie ...But, which ones did we think were good, bad, or somewhere in between? You may be surprised by our opinions, but as usual, we do our best to back up our reasons. For TV shows, we cover...probably too many to list. But, it's the usual wide variety of Marvel, Star Trek, Star Wars, and other sci-fi, fantasy, superhero, and horror shows. But, we also sneak in at least one example each of cop, medical, heist/hijack, kids show, political drama, and royalty docudrama type shows. We also talk a little bit about shows that we binge-watched in 2023 even if those shows didn't originate in 2023. Taking longer than we thought on movies & TV, we had to save a few topics for a future episode, but we still squeezed in at least one example each of books, games, YouTube channels, and podcasts. Listen now for our epic wrap up of a year that was...maybe a little less than epic but...still worth reviewing. 2023 is behind us. Best wishes to everyone for an excellent 2024. :) One of the topics we had to skip was the big question... Was 2023 truly a lackluster year, or are we becoming too picky? What do you think? Let us know by sending us a message. You can contact us at... - E-Mail:  discerninggeeks@gmail.com - Facebook:  #DiscerningGeeksPortal - Twitter (X):  @discerninggeeks Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/discerninggeeks/message

Happy New Year! We welcome in 2024 with a slight departure from sci-fi and fantasy with the 1993 western, "Tombstone." - How many of the Geeks have a love for westerns, and how many of them were turned on to westerns by their dads? - What did the Geeks think about the huge, all-star cast? - Which deep or emotional aspects of the movie appeal to at least one of the Geeks? - Which line of dialogue from the movie inspired this week's obligatory "Babylon 5" reference? - Which Geek knows the trivia about the real-life versions of the characters in the movie? - How accurate is this movie's depiction of the shootout at the O.K. Corral? - What did the Geeks think about the portrayal of women in the old west? - And, what were some of the Geeks' favorite quotes from the movie? Listen now for the answers to these and other gunslinging questions, as the Geeks travel to the infamous town with the unfortunate name, "Tombstone." Are there movies, TV shows, or other topics you'd like us to explore in season 4? Let us know. You can contact us at... - E-Mail:  discerninggeeks@gmail.com - Facebook:  #DiscerningGeeksPortal - Twitter (X):  @discerninggeeks Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/discerninggeeks/message

Concluding our run of Christmas movies, we review the 1992 superhero sequel, "Batman Returns," which maybe should be renamed "The Penguin & Catwoman: Featuring Batman." - Did two of the Geeks possibly see this movie together during its 1992 theatrical run? - Which Geek, as a teenager, was on the local news for his out-of-the-theater reaction to the movie, and did he give hard-hitting, discerning commentary, or did he boil his review down to how Michelle Pfeiffer looked in the catsuit? - Was there a consensus on this movie, or were opinions split? - More specifically, did anyone like this movie's version of the Penguin character? - How much influence, if any, did this version of the Penguin have on the character in other mediums? - What impressive physical feat did Michelle Pfeiffer achieve during the shooting of one Catwoman scene? - Which comparison was made between the Catwoman and Seven-Of-Nine from "Star Trek: Voyager"? - Did the Penguin, Catwoman, or both together, overshadow Batman in his own movie? - Which Geek had significant complaints about the movie not making sense? - What comment about comic book logic led to a bit of trivia about the "Deadpool Meat Dimension" from Marvel Comics? - How much did the Penguin and Catwoman in this movie both deviate from their comic book origins? - Which Geek had...quite a bit...to say about the sequence in which the Penguin gains control over the Batmobile? - What nitpicks & logic flaws were brought up involving the Batsuit? - What were the Geeks' various opinions about this movie's depiction of Gotham City, the relationship between Bruce and Selina, and Max Shreck as the movie's 3rd (but possibly best) villain? - How did discussion about the Bruce/Selina relationship lead one Geek to reminisce about dating life in high school? - What subplot in this movie reminded one or two, maybe all three, Geeks about real-life politics and not in a good way? - Which Geek particularly liked the last moment of the movie? - In what way is a prehistoric caveman superhero an important precursor to all of DC's heroes & villains with special powers or optimal human traits? - Was there consensus on whether this movie truly qualifies as a Christmas movie? - Was there consensus on whether "Batman Returns" is better or worse than "Black Adam"? - And, what three season 4 topics were randomly rolled (two offline) for future episodes? Did Preston finally get one of his selections picked? Listen now for the answers to these and other vigilant questions as the Geeks review, "Batman Returns." Check out our previous Christmas-themed episodes... #026 - Gremlins #028 - Muppet Christmas Carol #034 to #036 - Christmas-Themed Dungeons & Dragons One-Shot Radio Play, Parts 1 to 3 #080 - The Man That Invented Christmas #081 - Klaus #082 - Home Alone #083 - Children of Men #115 - Whatcha' Doin' December 2022 Catch-Up #149 - National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation #150 - Violent Night #151 - The Santa Clause And, check out our other reviews of movies based on DC Comics characters... #003 - Batman #089 - Batman Begins #116 - Black Adam #145 - Shazam #146 - Wonder Woman Are there movies, TV shows, or other topics you'd like us to explore in season 4? Let us know. You can contact us at... - E-Mail:  discerninggeeks@gmail.com - Facebook:  #DiscerningGeeksPortal - Twitter (X):  @discerninggeeks Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/discerninggeeks/message

This week, technically our season 4 premiere though awkwardly timed right in the middle of our Christmas run, we reviewed "The Santa Clause" the first of the movie & TV franchise that stars Tim Allen as the next Father Christmas. And, we had special guests: Dave's daughters, Evangalyne and Josephine. - Which reindeer was oddly missing from both this movie and the previous review movie, "Violent Night"? - What geeky things did the co-host do to light and/or decorate their Christmas trees this year? - What "battle" regarding Christmas lights does Dave's family have every year? - How many Advent calendars do Dave's wife & kids have? - What do Dave's daughters want for Christmas? - What traditional Moravian Christmas event did one Geek attend this year (and, he's not the one who's Moravian)? - What things about Moravian Lovefeast coffee and Moravian brass bands got mentions? - Was the apparent death of Santa Claus in the movie dark or disturbing, and how well did Dave's kids handle it? - What was one Geek's conspiracy theory about the reason Disney made this movie? - What did Dave's daughters think about this movie? - How did Dave's daughters rank this movie compared with other Christmas movies they've seen? - What were one Geek's very specific pieces of advice for making the best hot chocolate drink? - Which Geek appreciated the way the movie navigated the main character being a divorced father trying to reconnect with his child? - Which Geek had trouble tracking the passage of time in the movie -- making it seem to him, the first time around, like the two Christmases in this movie were one long Christmas? - Which Geeks had a nitpick about the movie not explaining what powered Santa Claus's time traveling? - And, what score did each Geek give this movie? Listen now for the answers to these and other legally & supernaturally binding questions as we read the fine print of..."The Santa Clause." Check out our previous Christmas-themed episodes... #026 - Gremlins #028 - Muppet Christmas Carol #034 to #036 - Christmas-Themed Dungeons & Dragons One-Shot Radio Play, Parts 1 to 3 #080 - The Man That Invented Christmas #081 - Klaus #082 - Home Alone #083 - Children of Men #115 - Whatcha' Doin' December 2022 Catch-Up #149 - National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation #150 - Violent Night Accidentally & awkwardly timed right in the middle of our Christmas movie run, this is technically our season 4 premiere. Are there movies, TV shows, or other topics you'd like us to explore in season 4? Let us know. You can contact us at... - E-Mail:  discerninggeeks@gmail.com - Facebook:  #DiscerningGeeksPortal - Twitter (X):  @discerninggeeks Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/discerninggeeks/message

Our 2nd Christmas movie review of 2023 is for the action-fantasy-heist film, "Violent Night," starring David Harbor, from "Stranger Things," as holiday legend and former warrior, Santa Claus. - How much were supporting cast members of this movie previously in Lifetime and Hallmark movies? - This is the type of movie that would normally be a tough sell for Todd and Dave. Did they find redeeming qualities in this movie? How much? Would they go so far as to say they even liked it? - How and to what extent was this movie an homage to "Home Alone" and/or "Die Hard"? - How well did it work giving Santa Claus a backstory of being an ancient Viking warrior? - Should the magic of Santa Claus have had more explanation, or did it work leaving it as a mystery, even to him? - How effective were the main villain, henchmen, and henchwomen in the movie? - How good, sympathetic, and important of a character was young Trudy? Did her casting & portrayal match the age she was implied to be? - What did the Geeks think about Trudy's estranged parents? How good, interesting, sympathetic, well written, and/or well performed were those characters? Did the Geeks care whether the parents got back together? - What were some of the Geeks' least favorite parts? - How was one character based on Mark Walberg? - What did one Geek think was this movie's main target audience? - How did a mention of Biltmore House -- America's largest private home and a popular Asheville, North Carolina, tourist destination -- lead to an unexpected soapbox rant by one Geek? - Was there agreement that this movie was at least better than "Black Adam," the movie the Geeks watched on New Years Eve last year and which led to Preston joining the podcast? - And, what musical way did one Geek choose to work in a "Babylon 5" reference, and did it come from whom you would have expected it? Listen now for the answers to these and other bashing, smashing, and trashing questions as we journey with the legendary Santa Claus through a very..."Violent Night." Check out our previous Christmas-themed episodes... #026 - Gremlins #028 - Muppet Christmas Carol #034 to #036 - Christmas-Themed Dungeons & Dragons One-Shot Radio Play, Parts 1 to 3 #080 - The Man That Invented Christmas #081 - Klaus #082 - Home Alone #083 - Children of Men #115 - Whatcha' Doin' December 2022 Catch-Up #149 - National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation Accidentally & awkwardly timed right in the middle of our Christmas movie run, this is technically our season 3 finale. Are there movies, TV shows, or other topics you'd like us to explore in season 4? Let us know. You can contact us at... - E-Mail:  discerninggeeks@gmail.com - Facebook:  #DiscerningGeeksPortal - Twitter (X):  @discerninggeeks Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/discerninggeeks/message

Merry Christmas, everyone! And, welcome to the Discerning Geeks Portal's first Christmas movie review since 2021! This week, we are reviewing the 1989 Christmas classic, "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation." - How many National Lampoon's vacation movies are there, and did everyone know that number? - Which Geek said his review of this movie could pretty much be a rerun of his review for another comedy the Geeks examined in a recent episode? - Which Geek was the first to praise John Hughes for his filmography and style of storytelling? - What were the various opinions about the character of cousin Eddie? - What were the various opinions about the style of humor in the movie, including the Christmas light issues, the sh***er jokes, the jelly-of-the-month surprise, the cat incident, etc.? - Which Geeks had memories of Christmas stunts and lost lasagnas to share? - What Geek felt the movie was like a live-action cartoon, and did he mean that in a good way or a bad way? - Which Geek had turkey cooking advice? - Which Geek felt like mindset might factor in to the likability of the movie? - Which annoying Christmas song is sung in the shower every morning during the Christmas season by the relative of two of the Geeks? - And, which Geek had to make slight adjustments to a lot of his lower-grade movies in his spreadsheet in order to get this movie and a few forthcoming movies into a more proper ranking (the spreadsheet part should be huge hint)? Listen now for the answers to these and other festive holiday questions as the Geeks shine too many lights on..."National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation." We're approaching the end of season 3. Are there movies, TV shows, or other topics you'd like us to explore in season 4? Let us know. You can contact us at... - E-Mail:  discerninggeeks@gmail.com - Facebook:  #DiscerningGeeksPortal - Twitter (X):  @discerninggeeks Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/discerninggeeks/message

We resume our Favorite Genre TV Seasons topic with our respective top 6s. If you missed our #10 through #07 picks and honorable mentions, listen to episode #147 first. The seasons discussed in this episode are from the following shows:  - Babylon 5  - Batman: The Animated Series  - Cowboy Bebop  - Dark Matter  - Doctor Who  - Fargo  - Fooly Cooly  - Firefly  - Fringe  - Game of Thrones  - Invincible  - Kolchak: The Night Stalker  - Star Trek: The Original Series  - Stargate Universe  - Stranger Things  - The Boys  - The Orville  - The Umbrella Academy  - Twilight Zone But, which seasons were picked, which Geeks picked which seasons, how many shows were picked for more than one season and/or by more than one Geek, and which shows from this list are here due to one Geek listing two more honorable mentions he forgot in Part 1? Listen now for the answers to these and other cliffhanging questions as bring a finale to our lists for Favorite Genre TV Seasons. We're approaching the end of season 3. Are there movies, TV shows, or other topics you'd like us to explore in season 4? Let us know. You can contact us at... - E-Mail:  discerninggeeks@gmail.com - Facebook:  #DiscerningGeeksPortal - Twitter (X):  @discerninggeeks Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/discerninggeeks/message

This week, we begin a two-part discussion about our Favorite Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror/Superhero TV Seasons. Here in PART 1, we list our honorable mentions and the first 4 seasons in our ranked top 10 lists. Those honorable mentions and #10 to #07 ranks are represented by the following TV shows.  - Adult Swim Infomercial Series  - Alien Nation  - Babylon 5 - Battlestar Galactica (original)  - Buck Rogers  - Dark Matter  - Doctor Who - Eureka  - Futurama  - Grimm  - Metalocalypse  - Helsing  - Paranoid Agent  - Star Trek: Deep Space Nine  - Star Trek: The Next Generation  - Stargate SG-1  - Stargate Universe  - The Flash  - The Incredible Hulk  - The Mandalorian  - The Orville  - The Venture Bros.  - The X-Files  - Travelers  - True Detective But among these shows, which seasons were picked? Which ones are honorable mentions, and which ones are in at least one Geek's top 10? - Which five shows were mentioned or ranked by two of the Geeks so far? - Which two additional shows were represented by two seasons but by the same Geek? - Which was the one show mentioned or ranked by three different Geeks? - Which of these shows officially sneaked into the list during editing? - Which other show was mentioned during the editing process but so unofficially that it's not even in the list above? Listen now for the answers to these and other questions as we break down our favorite genre TV seasons up to 7th place. Stay tuned for PART 2, coming soon, which will include our respective top 6 lists. We're approaching the end of season 3. Are there movies, TV shows, or other topics you'd like us to explore in season 4? Let us know. You can contact us at... - E-Mail:  discerninggeeks@gmail.com - Facebook:  #DiscerningGeeksPortal - Twitter (X):  @discerninggeeks Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/discerninggeeks/message

This week, we review the 2017 DCEU blockbuster, "Wonder Woman." - How tall is Gal Gadot? Is she undersized for playing an Amazonian? Does she fill out the costume well enough? - How did the Geeks feel about the casting of Gal Gadot, beyond the physical? - What did the Geeks feel about the adaptation of Wonder Woman, her costume & equipment, other characters, and the island of Themyscira, from the comics? Which Geek missed the invisible jet? - Was there any logic in Hippolyta wanting Diana trained not at all or wanting her trained harder than anyone else, but not anything in between? - Was there any logic in the Amazons being a race of warriors but not willing to intervene in a war? Did the Amazons lose sight of their purpose? - Did the Geeks like the casting & performance of Chris Pine as Steve Trevor? - What were the Geeks' favorite moments & quotes from the movie? Which Geek said this movie contains the best moment in all the DCEU? Which line of dialogue almost gets one Geek choked up? - What did the Geeks think about the 3rd act, which is often criticized by people? Which Geek felt the 3rd act should have involved more hand-to-hand combat between Diana and an enemy, rather than the telekinesis, lasso work, and energy exchanges that we got instead? - Dave is usually the pickiest about villains. Were this movie's villains acceptable to him? Which Geek felt the villains were a little weak? Which Wonder Woman adversary from the comics did one Geek say he would have preferred seeing? - Which horror movie trilogy was randomly rolled for a future review? - Just how different is Andruw's voice between his first episode (over three years ago) and today? - And, which movie about the creator of the Wonder Woman character did three of the Geeks recommend? Listen now for the answers to these and wonder-ful questions, as we enter the trenches with..."Wonder Woman." We're approaching the end of season 3. Are there movies, TV shows, or other topics you'd like us to explore in season 4? Let us know. You can contact us at... - E-Mail:  discerninggeeks@gmail.com - Facebook:  #DiscerningGeeksPortal - Twitter (X):  @discerninggeeks Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/discerninggeeks/message

We return to the DCEU, for our 2nd review in that franchise, the 2019 moderate hit, "Shazam!" - Which support character received the earliest accolades in the review? - Which Geek had a semi-cryptic and half-hearted compliment as his first positive of the review? - Which Geek said this movie was on par with "Guardians of the Galaxy"? - Which Geek said he could relate to the Freddie Freeman character? - Which Geek reminisced about going with his dad to comic book stores every Friday after school? - What did the Geeks have to say about the family aspect of this movie, mostly about orphans on the good side plus a villain that's resentful of his family? - Which Geek questioned whether the villain in this movie was actually...too villainous? - How did a discussion about rough childhood experiences lead one Geek to the inevitable "Babylon 5" reference (technically more about the show's creator than about the show itself)? - Which had some intellectual things to say about psychopaths and sociopaths? - How many of the Geeks considerd the movie...boring? - Which Geek reminisced about seeing this movie with his dad? - And, what DCEU movie was rolled randomly for a future installment? Listen now the answers to these and other electrifying questions as we cast lightnigh from our hands toward... "Shazam!" We're approaching the end of season 3. Are there movies, TV shows, or other topics you'd like us to explore in season 4? Let us know. You can contact us at... - E-Mail:  discerninggeeks@gmail.com - Facebook:  #DiscerningGeeksPortal - Twitter (X):  @discerninggeeks Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/discerninggeeks/message

This week, we review the horror-comedy classic, "Ghostbusters," starring Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Leslie Jones, Kate--... Just kidding, it's the 1984 version, with Bill Murray, Dan Akroyd, Harold Ramis, Ernie Hudson, Sigourney Weaver, Rick Moranis, and Annie Potts. - How did Todd work in Babylon 5, London, and Dragon Con references into the first six minutes, and how annoying is that getting? - Which of the Geeks had several items of trivia about the movie? - For a movie that's part comedy, part horror, part fantasy, part sci-fi, and part disaster movie, what interesting perspective did our late friend & co-host Dave Teague have about a more grounded. mundane aspect of the story? - When a friend of Preston's built an Ecto-1 replica, what lengths did he have to go to imitate the Ecto-1's unique siren sound? - Why was the cartoon based on the movie called, "The Real Ghostbusters" rather than just "Ghostbusters"? - Which Geek pointed out the Ecto-1 as one of the best ideas in the movie? - Which Geek sited the conversation between Ray and Winston about the Bible as one of the best scenes? - Which characters did Preston say were the unsung heroes of the movie? - Which Geek had the most nitpicks? (If this takes you more than two guesses, you must be new to the podcast.) - Which Geek tried to dig deeper into another Geek's nitpicks, and how many times did it take for one Geek to understand the question being asked? - How did one Geek compare movie structure to music? - How good were the ratings for this movie, and did any of the Geeks say that "Ghostbuster 2" or "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" is just as good -- if not better -- than the original? - When asked if they believe in ghosts or have had any actual ghost encounters, what did each Geek say? - Which DC movie was rolled randomly to be reviewed soon? - And, how frustrating is it that Todd finally finished editing & releasing the review of a ghost-related movie really late in the day on November 1 instead of October 30 or 31 -- in time for Halloween -- which would have been more thematically appropriate? Listen now for the answers to these and other stream-crossing questions as the Geeks examine, explicate, exalt, extol, exorcise, and exterminate..."Ghostbusters." We're approaching the end of season 3. Are there movies, TV shows, or other topics you'd like us to explore in season 4? Let us know. You can contact us at... - E-Mail:  discerninggeeks@gmail.com - Facebook:  #DiscerningGeeksPortal - Twitter (X):  @discerninggeeks Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/discerninggeeks/message

This week, we rank the movies of Phase 1 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. - Was there consensus among the Geeks on which MCU Phase 1 movie is at the bottom, or was the vote more split than expected? - Which Geek had a surprising & controversial pick for his #5 rank? - Which Geek had a surprising & controversial pick for his #3 rank? - Out of the six movies, how often did 3 out of 4 Geeks agree on the same rank? - Which Geek(s) thought more highly, than you might expect, of "The Incredible Hulk" and "Thor"? - Which Geek(s) thought a little lower, than you might expect, of "Captain America: The First Avenger" and "The Avengers"? - And, what was the overall MCU Phase 1 ranking after combining all four Geeks' separate scores? Listen now for the answers to these and other flying, smashing, hammering, throwing, punching, shooting questions, as we tackle the ranking of the Marvel Cinematic Universe - Phase 1 movies. For the full reviews of all six MCU Phase 1 movies, listen to some of our past episodes. #011 - Iron Man #052 - The Incredible Hulk #099 - Iron Man 2 #097 - Thor #055 - Captain America: The First Avenger (the review where Joanna got drunk) #057 - The Avengers We also reviewed a few more movies & TV shows from the MCU. Check those out as well. #108 - Thor: The Dark World #118 - Ant-Man #047 - Captain Marvel #059 - Black Widow #094 - Spider-Man: No Way Home #038 - WandaVision 1.01 to 1.06 #042 - WandaVision 1.07 to 1.09 #056 - Loki 1.01 to 1.04 #060 - Loki 1.05 to 1.06 We're approaching the end of season 3. Are there movies, TV shows, or other topics you'd like us to explore in season 4? Let us know. You can contact us at... - E-Mail:  discerninggeeks@gmail.com - Facebook:  #DiscerningGeeksPortal - Twitter (X):  @discerninggeeks Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. Public Domain music used in this episode include: - Intro & Outro: "Defenders of the Truth" by Zakhar Valaha ("Daddy_s_Music") via Pixabay - "Make It Work" Interlude: "The Star Spangled Banner" by The United States Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps via Free Music Archive --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/discerninggeeks/message

Todd & Preston's Drive-Time Chat #04 picks up where it left off with Part 2. In this continuation, the Geeks discuss... - The Star Wars "Ahsoka" series - Spooky season, something one Geek loves, the other maybe not as much - Dave Teague's Halloween parties - Preston's favorite rewatches around Halloween - Preston's love of the "The Last Drive-In With Joe-Bob Briggs" - Predicting everyone's picks for the upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase 1 ranking episode Listen now for these topics and plenty of tangents in between. Check out Part 1 of this discussion if you haven't already. The Geeks' ranking of the MCU Phase 1 movies is coming soon along with reviews of the movies "Ghostbusters (1984)" and "Shazam." Other topics ahead that still need to be recorded are reviews of the movies "Wonder Woman" and "Tombstone" and the remaining TV topics, Favorite Multi-Episode Stories and Favorite TV Seasons. We're approaching the end of season 3. Are there movies, TV shows, or other topics you'd like us to explore in season 4? Let us know. You can contact us at... - E-Mail:  discerninggeeks@gmail.com - Facebook:  #DiscerningGeeksPortal - Twitter (X):  @discerninggeeks Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/discerninggeeks/message

Welcome to Part 1 of Todd & Preston's Drive-Time Chat #04, where the car ride is imaginary, but the conversation is real. In this episode, Todd & Preston chat about... - Todd's trip to Dragon Con 2023 - Todd's first viewing of the cheesy 1980s movie, "Mac & Me," while at Dragon Con - Preston's review of the Agatha Christie-based Hercule Poirot film, “A Haunting in Venice” - Preston's review of the Venture Bros. TV movie, "Radiant Is the Blood of the Baboon Heart” - Todd's review of the movie "Oppenheimer" and a discussion about pacing in movies Listen now for these topics and plenty of tangents in between. Stay tuned Part 2 of this Drive-Time Chat #04, when Todd & Preston talk about the Star Wars "Ahsoka" series, spooky season, and predictions about the Geeks' upcoming ranking of MCU Phase 1 movies. The Geeks' ranking of the MCU Phase 1 movies is coming soon along with reviews of the movies "Ghostbusters (1984)" and "Shazam." You can contact us at... - E-Mail:  discerninggeeks@gmail.com - Facebook:  #DiscerningGeeksPortal - Twitter (X):  @discerninggeeks Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/discerninggeeks/message

This week, we review the Mel Brooks horror comedy classic, "Young Frankenstein." It's been a while, but all four co-hosts, Dave, Todd, Andruw, and Preston, are here, and they have a wide range of opinions on this movie. - It might be called "Young Frankenstein," but is the movie older than all four co-hosts? - Which of the Geeks feels so strongly about this movie that he gives it a score early, in first impressions. - Which Geek is the grump this episode (maybe not a hard guess)? - Which Geek has at least one song from the movie, if not the whole soundtrack, downloaded on his phone? - Which Geek thinks this movie is just *old*? - Which Geek once again thought this movie would be a slam dunk, like he did with one of his other previous picks -- and was once again wrong? - What lesson does one Geek have about the origin stories of Dracula and Frankenstein's monster? - Which Geek compared this Frankenstein spoof to the original, more serious source material? - Which Geek(s) have possible explanations for why the humor doesn't work for him/them? - Which Geek explains the connection between one of this movie's early jokes and an Aerosmith song? - Which Geek explains the motivation of Gene Wilder for accepting the lead role in this movie? - Which Geek referenced some classic science-fiction literature and unintentionally walked Todd right into an obligatory "Babylon 5" reference? - Does the one parent in the group feel this movie is kid-friendly? - What redeeming qualities did Mr. Grumpypants scrounge up for this movie? - Which Geek lost his internet connection during the recording (maybe not a hard guess if you're a long-time listener)? - Did one or more Geeks think some level of knowledge of the original Frankenstein source material is necessary, or at least helpful, in the enjoyment of this movie? - Which Geek cracked himself up just quoting the movie (frequently)? - Which Geek compared this movie to a Looney Tunes cartoon, and did he mean that in a good way or bad way? - After 100+ episodes, which Geek can't remember how long the Lightning Round is? - Which Geek has a personal reason for being bothered by Elon Musk's first name? - Which Geek said he liked the font used in part of the opening credits? - Which Geek is reminded, in a good way, of a recently deceased relative when thinking of this movie? - Which Geek pointed out that this movie reminded him of our late friend & co-host, Dave Teague. - Which joke from this movie was Dave Teague's last words on this podcast (in episode #092) before he passed away? - With the wide range of opinions on this movie, were there 0, 1, or 2 perfect scores for this movie, and how low were the not-great scores? - Which DC superhero movie was randomly chosen for a future episode? - Which DC character would two of the Geeks love to see on screen (they might get it on TV, eventually)? - Which Geek is prejudging the "Barbie" movie and lamenting its success? - And, what did Dave & Todd think about the "Oppenheimer" movie? Listen now for the answers to these and other monstrous questions, as the Geeks experiment with..."Young Frankenstein"? You can contact us at... - E-Mail:  discerninggeeks@gmail.com - Facebook:  #DiscerningGeeksPortal - Twitter (X):  @discerninggeeks Please rate or review us wherever you listen to podcasts. Public domain music used in this episode include: - Intro: "Night in the Castle" by Kevin MacLeod via FreePD.com - Rundown: "halloween-spooky-horror-scary-creepy-funny-monsters-and-zombie-116009" by SoundGalleryByDmitryTaras via Pixabay.com - Preston's Classics Creation Corner: "the-rockpool-162588" by Geoff Harvey via Pixabay.com - Technical Difficulty Transition: "Wakka Wakka" by Bryan Teoh via FreePD.com - Lightning Round Clock & Outro: "spooky-halloween-152254" by The_Mountain via Pixabay.com - "Oppenheimer" Mini-Review: "this-is-war-version-b-95408" by Solbox via Pixabay.com --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/discerninggeeks/message