Podcasts about digital gonzo

[School of Movies 2025] We return to the format of the first film, trapped in a specific, focused time period, lovingly recreated for modern audiences. The big obstacles to be overcome are both based on the ticking clock point-of-no-return, and are unexpectedly and deeply personal for our protagonist. This one is Emmet's movie. While Marty still has to learn a harsh lesson about whether other people think he's chicken or not, he is on a rescue mission and this third film puts Doc Brown front and centre. This is because being saved from temporal exile and murder-by-Tannen externally pales in comparison to the urgency in which Emmett must save himself internally, philosophically, and in key regard to his until-today strained relationship with the rest of the human race beyond Marty. Christopher Lloyd brings it, in this sweetly tragic, broken-and-mended love story through time, opposite the luminous Mary Steenburgen as doomed schoolmistress Clara Clayton in the Hill Valley of 1885. This is a bittersweet goodbye that punctuates this madcap, majestic trilogy with a firm and definite full-stop, ending on the highest of notes that defies all modern conventions of the permanent strip-mining of exhausted IPs. Guest: Jesse Ferguson @TheDapperDM from the Recorded Tomorrow Podcast Those early Digital Gonzo shows can be found on the School of Movies Archive podcast feed. They are rough as hell, amateur hour on my part and each barely breaks the sixty minute mark. The best bits of all of them are featured at the end of each of these three new shows. Many thanks to my vintage guests, James Batchelor and Nikki Taylor.

[School of Movies 2025] A sequel where the plot is hugely influenced by one of the original cast members playing hardball for a higher fee and getting left off the project should not be this great, and yet here we are. Likewise, the whole first act being set in the (then) faraway future of 2015 was almost entirely only there to fulfil promises from the end of the first film (even if Marty and Jennifer being in the timeline twice actually doesn't even make sense). How is it still wonderful? A second film that utilises time travel to go back to the first from a new angle in such a singular and unique fashion that any subsequent occurrence is shorthand "doing a Back to the Future II", this also presents us with a nightmare dark alternate timeline where a gaudy, dangerous moron becomes so powerful that he pretty much ruins America. Thankfully none of us have to live in THAT reality. Most of all though, of the three films this is the most lively, taking the form of a time-hopping adventure and allowing the two amazing leads to play off each other and the wildly up-for-it support cast, aging and de-aging across sixty changing years of Hill Valley. Guest: Jesse Ferguson @TheDapperDM from the Recorded Tomorrow Podcast Those early Digital Gonzo shows can be found on the School of Movies Archive podcast feed. They are rough as hell, amateur hour on my part and each barely breaks the sixty minute mark. The best bits of all of them are featured at the end of each of these three new shows. Many thanks to my vintage guests, James Batchelor and Nikki Taylor.

[School of Movies 2025] Teenager from 1985 accidentally winds up in 1955 and meets his parents as teenagers, endangering his very existence. Bob Zemekis and Bob Gale made time travel immense and exhilarating, yet fun, intimate and personal, wisely choosing to focus (in a way that was rare at the time) on the everyboy hero's family relationships. And to illustrate quite how the alchemy of casting and crew was so key, they got several weeks into the original shoot with a completely different actor for Marty McFly. Things only finally clicked into place when Eric Stoltz exited the project and Michael J. Fox entered the scene, simultaneously filming day-shoots of the sit-com Family Ties. Three of the greatest movies ever made, and perennial occupants of my most beloved top spots, Back to the Future, both as a trilogy, and as a stand-alone film is so close to perfect that it can be rounded up to perfect with minimal argument. It has been fifteen years since I first recorded a show on each of these, and more than any other previous show, they were in desperate need of a revisit. Guest: Jesse Ferguson @TheDapperDM from the Recorded Tomorrow Podcast Those early Digital Gonzo shows can be found on the School of Movies Archive podcast feed. They are rough as hell, amateur hour on my part and each barely breaks the sixty minute mark. The best bits of all of them are featured at the end of each of these three new shows. Many thanks to my vintage guests, Nikki Taylor and Giles Thomas

[Digital Gonzo 2012] NOTE: This is a reissued episode from over 12 years ago. Please forgive the lower production values and boneheaded things I say. The epic conclusion to Christopher Nolan's game-changing Dark Knight Trilogy. It's definitely not as straightforward as film two in the series because many people hate this film already, and an equal amount adore every inch of it. It's a tricky balancing act since so much of the most well-crafted and exceptional elements have already been discussed over three and a half hours reviewing Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. Neither did I want this turning into a hail of disproportionate vitriol over perceived flaws. Guests: Sharon Shaw of School of Movies Neil Taylor of TheKiddDogg James Carter of Cane and Rinse Jerome McIntosh of GameBurst Aquila Edwards of Eyrie City Paul Gibson of Gonzo Planet

[Digital Gonzo 2012] NOTE: This is a reissued episode from over 12 years ago. Please forgive the lower production values and boneheaded things I say. Part two of Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight Trilogy. Following the powerful set-up of Batman Begins, the production team pulled out all the stops to deliver an epic crime thriller in the style of Michael Mann's Heat. This is a story of a city in turmoil and a police force struggling to keep order, up against the ruthless mob. At the center are Batman and The Joker, forces of nature representing order and chaos. The only hope for Gotham may in fact be the White Knight, district attorney Harvey Dent. But you all know this, because everybody and his dog saw this movie back in 2008. I just wanted to set the scene a little. Much is discussed, especially Heath Ledger's extraordinary performance, but not forgetting the brilliant turns from Aaron Eckhart and Maggie Gyllenhaal and the possible career-high score from Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard. Guests: Sharon Shaw of School of Movies Neil Taylor of TheKiddDogg Joshua Garrity of Cane and Rinse Jerome McIntosh of GameBurst Aquila Edwards of Eyrie City Paul Gibson of Gonzo Planet

[Digital Gonzo 2012] NOTE: This is a reissued episode from over 12 years ago. Please forgive the lower production values and boneheaded things I say. Finally we get to Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight Trilogy. After eight years away from cinema screens, and multiple stalled attempts at relaunching the franchise, Warner Bros knocked the Bat out of the park with the best film so far and arguably the most compelling and mature adaptation of Bruce Wayne and his alter-ego. Many aspects are discussed and deconstructed including Christian Bale's intense portrayal, ace cinematographer Wally Pfister's erotic endeavours and why Hollywood on paper is a senile, avaricious old psychopath. Guests: Sharon Shaw of School of Movies Taylor Nova of TheKiddDogg Joshua Garrity of Cane and Rinse Jerome McIntosh of GameBurst Aquila Edwards of Eyrie City Paul Gibson of Gonzo Planet

[School of Everything Else 2023] This is the good stuff. Look no further than the 2012-2013 one-season 3D animated show for the absolute best Green Lantern experience. Co-Created Giancarlo Volpe of Avatar and Bruce Timm, one of the key figures in the beloved and critically acclaimed classics of Batman: The Animated Series, along with the connected Superman, Batman Beyond, Justice League Unlimited, all of which constitute a true encapsulation of the DC comic heroes. What we have here is the archival spoiler-free section from our 2013 Digital Gonzo episode talking about this fantastic cartoon. That is then followed by a 90-minute, spoilerific contemporary discussion about what happens to the various characters. This series is so unappreciated that we actively recommend you listening to this whole thing. It's the NOBODY watching it that's the real spoiler. Hal Jordan (Earth's GL lost in space with this tiny crew) Razer (A disgraced Red Lantern trying to make amends)  Aya (The prototype ship's computer, learning everything about the universe) Kilowog (A Bolovaxian GL, big, blunt and kind-hearted) Many thanks to our guests, both old and new.  Guests: Toby Jungius @TJungius of Through the Wind Door Matt Ramsey of GamerDork Jerome McIntosh of GameBurst Alex Eding of Plaid Hat Games

[Digital Gonzo 2013] This is a special, re-edited, re-release of a classic episode of Digital Gonzo. Back in 2013 we talked all about Green Lantern, under the impression that Warner Bros. & DC had big plans for superheroes over the next decade. And while they have genuinely given more heroes an airing, audiences seem to only be interested in The Bat and the Joker, (oh, and Aquaman, because he has laser-sharks). So, what this is is a pared-down and pacier version of the first part of that show with more focus and music. This is then followed by a contemporary take as Sharon and I rewatch the film with the benefit of hindsight to see if it has perhaps improved with age. The second half of the 2013 podcast was all about the extremely good Green Lantern: The Animated Series, and that will be coming next week with an all-new 90-minute full-spoilers discussion to tie into our DC Animated Universe shows. 1. The History of Green Lantern (2013) 2. The Comics (2013) 3. The 2011 Movie (2013) 4. The Movie Revisited (2022) ------------------- Who You Callin' Yellow? by Jamas Enright Going Green by Movie Bob, from the Big Picture show on The Escapist Weakness and Strength by Nama Chibitty Alex Eding a True Lantern Fan's Rant on the Green Lantern Movie Guests: Sharon Shaw of School of Movies Matt Ramsey of GamerDork Jerome McIntosh of GameBurst Alex Eding of Plaid Hat Games

[Digital Gonzo 2013] The 150th episode of Digital Gonzo. This was a one-off show inspired by the episode of Community 'Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'. It's a sit-down gaming session conducted over Skype with myself as Dungeon Master and my guests as a team of adventurers. For this one we were using the flexible, simple ruleset of Advanced Fighting Fantasy by Graham Bottley which itself stems from the gamebooks of Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone (The Warlock of Firetop Mountain, Deathtrap Dungeon) and detailed in the starter book Dungeoneer. This is the first of the two adventures within that book. I wanted to bring you guys something different, in the style I have honed over the years so there's music and sound FX as well as a hefty chunk of silliness and getting into character. The lengthier fights have been edited for pacing but you're mainly missing a lot of dice rolls. The team that begins this story comprises of the following. Thrale Copperhelm: A tough-as-nails dwarf, played by Neil Taylor of GameBurst Lastern Darkfire: An elf fresh out of the forests, played by Mark Reay of The A.I. Bots Kellis Payge: A human mage from the city watch of Chalice, played by Sharon Shaw of School of Movies Harron Brondyn: A sarcastic thief played by Matt Ramsey of Do Try This at Home Focus is on character and story over action and complex systems, almost closer to an audio drama than the recording of a game. The guest soundtrack for this week is the original World of Warcraft OST by Jason Hayes, Tracy W. Bush, Derek Duke, and Glenn Stafford. Many thanks to my guests, who played brilliantly and went easy on me in my first-time role as Dungeon Master. The combat rules were still being learned by all of us, also Gonzo is an adult podcast and we use adult language in this.  And thank you all for making this one of the warmest, smartest, funniest communities on the internet for 150 episodes of Gonzo.

[School of Everything Else 2017] This is the third show I have put together about the Legend of Zelda series. The first was back in 2010 for Digital Cowboys when we covered most of the games in the series. The second was in early 2012 on Digital Gonzo when we covered the contentious Skyward Sword on the Wii (This episode is now available exclusively through Patreon). This time we're looking at a bunch that we missed first time round, and one or two that have emerged more recently. 2001. Oracle of Seasons/Ages 2004. The Minish Cap 2006. Twilight Princess 2007. Link's Crossbow Training 2007. The Phantom Hourglass 2009. Spirit Tracks 2011. Ocarina of Time 3D 2013. A Link Between Worlds 2013. Wind Waker HD 2014. Hyrule Warriors 2015. Majora's Mask 3D My guests this time are Laura Kate Dale, Gary Blower, Glen Watts, Iain Hopwood, Lloyd Huhn, David Garcia Abril and Richard Lago. This show was recorded back in 2015 while the Switch was still called the NX, Breath of the Wild didn't have a name and Twilight Princess HD had yet to be announced. When we do a fourth Zelda show it will be a lot sooner and will be all about Breath of the Wild, which after thirty or so hours of play may be my favourite of them all. Guests: Laura Kate Dale of Lets Play Video Games Gary Blower of GameBurst Iain Hopwood of Year of Steam Lloyd Huhn David Garcia Abril Richard Lago Glen Watts

[School of Everything Else 2016] Alex's 500th Podcast.   I've been at this game for almost a decade and produced and hosted  four media discussion shows, Digital Cowboys, Digital Gonzo, Digital Drift andSchool of Movies.  What we have here is a collection of highlights from the first few years. This celebratory episode ended up as two, simply because there was so much to choose from. So Episode 501 will be released next week. Consider them like Kill Bill Volumes 1 & 2.  This is significant interviews, first meetings, moments of particular insight and of course the absolute funniest bits, many of which were suggested by you guys while I was putting this together.   Volume 1. Digital Cowboys Another Day at the Office [Joinee Radio, Early 2007 - 0.01.22] Curse of the Golden Flower [Digital Cowboys Episode 01 - 0.06.36] An Important Announcement [DC48, 2008 - 0.08.58] First Meeting With Daniel Floyd [DC10, 2009 - 0.12.13] Red vs Blue Interview [DC126 - 0.15.24] Giant Bomb Snackbox [DC104 - 0.19.40] Jonathan Coulton Interview [DC121 - 0.22.23] Dominik Diamond Interview [DC133 - 0.27.07] The Wii - First Meeting With James Batchelor [DC130 - 0.32.51] First Meeting With Neil Taylor [DC167, 2010 - 0.34.37] Duke Nukem Kicked Out [DC180 - 0.35.18] Legends of Zelda - Opening Montage [DC164 - 0.38.41] Paul & Storm Interview [DC163 - 0.42.53] Digital Cowboys - The Last One [DC109, 2011 - 0.49.10] Volume 2: Digital Gonzo New Solo Show [Digital Gonzo Episode 42, 2011 - 0.55.23] Thor - Alex Doing Mr Plinkett Doing Thor [DG70, 2012 - 0059.44] Never Mind the BuzzGeeks: Cosmocats [DG33 - 1.02.20] Back to the Future - Time Travel [DG19 - 1.05.00] Fire [The Internet News - 1.09.42] Never Mind the BuzzGeeks: Coffee Commercials [DG39 - 1.13.06] Movie Clichés - The Wilhelm Scream [DG34 - 1.15.43] Schools [The Internet News - 1.17.44] Blue Sun Audio Drama [DG35 - 1.22.25] James Bond - The Henchman Agent #1 [DG43 - 1.29.30] James Bond - Henchman Agent #2/Herr Stamper [DG45 - 1.33.51] Firefly - The Henchman Agent #4 [DG106 - 1.33.52] Batman Returns - The Henchman Agent #3/The Finale [DG77 - 1.36.51] Alien - Shotgun Penis [DG74 - 1.41.36] Alien Resurrection - Alien DNA/Executives [DG82 - 1.45.29] Superman IV - Physics! [DG133, 2013 - 1.51.56] Sound of Gonzo - Snowboarding Spy [DG102 - 1.57.00] The Last Airbender - Exposition Scrolls [DG95 - 1.59.26] Sound of Gonzo - Vice City/Dance Hall Deadlock [DG142 - 2.00.47] Iron Man 3 Avengers in Advertising [DG154 - 2.02.51] Return of the King - Lyra on LOTR [DG112 - 2.06.40] The Two Towers - Gollum [DG111 - 2.07.36] An Unexpected Journey - Gollum-Off [DG113 - 2.11.29] Fan Response - First Meeting With Bob Chipman [DG149 - 2.12.25] Pacific Rim - Signing Off [DG161 - 2.21.30] Tower of the Sorcerer - "Can I Ride It?" [DG150 - 2.32.15]

[Digital Gonzo 2012] This covers the first season of the follow up to The Legend of Aang. Major spoilers throughout so we heartily suggest that you not only see the entirety of Korra first but seek out the original series in case you weren't aware how highly we regard it. Joining me once again to talk about Airbending, extremist solutions, and the challenge of matching the quality and storytelling of the finest animated show ever created, I have Daniel Floyd, Pixar animator and the voice of Extra Credits, Joshua Garrity of the Cane and Rinse podcast and The Animation Archives, and from Gonzo Planet, Sharon Shaw, Jerome McIntosh and Duane Griffiths. Thank you to all our new listeners for your support and questions. You can contact me through the Gonzo Planet website and you should all definitely check out the forums and leave iTunes reviews, Facebook likes and jubulant tweets. Stay tuned to the very end to hear a trailer for Batman: Breakdown an original audio drama I released for episode #90 and maybe the best thing I've helped create aside from my daughter. Next week, Gonzo Gaming returns with The 10 Most Important Games of this Generation in Digital Gonzo #100.    

[Digital Drift 2014] This is the first impressions review of The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies. Next year we will be covering all three movies with a deeper focus on production in our Extended Edition podcasts. If you've just joined us for Digital Drift you can of course hear the reviews of the Lord of the Rings and first two Hobbits on the Digital Gonzo section of the podcast feed.   It's been hard-going for some of us to say a last goodbye to the Weta films. The fact that they've divided audiences far more than the original trilogy exacerbates the isolation that comes with this. Experience the wrath and ruin of dragon fire. Watch an obscene amount of gold drive an essentially decent dwarf to insanity. Witness five pages of battle written by Tolkein get fully expanded into a war among the species' of Middle-earth. Feel the loss and grief of these events from the many perspectives beyond just that of Bilbo Baggins as the scope of this project hammers home.  Guests: Chris Eason of GameBurst James Batchelor of Bond and Beyond Glen Watts of the Digital Drift community  

[Digital Gonzo 2013] Welcome back to the ninth part of the Middle-earth series of Gonzo podcasts. To any newcomers, the first episode was a prologue, focusing on the books and the animated films, the next six were two-part super in-depth reviews of the Lord of the Rings films, following that was a first impressions round-table of the then just recently viewed theatrical edition of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, a tone we will be reprising with its follow-up, and the eighth was a Sound of Gonzo celebration of the music of Howard Shore's Lord of the Rings scores. If you are filled with apathy about these films or boundless spite towards their creators, these are not the podcasts for you. We like them. Guests: Chris Eason of GameBurst Sharon Shaw of School of Movies

[Digital Gonzo 2012] For the first time in our series we cannot look at the film we are delving into in retrospect of the entire trilogy or with the deeper familiarity with its creation that the extended edition extras grant us. So this is a first impressions round-table with as much as possible on what we thought about the inaugural installment in the new Hobbit Trilogy.  For those who haven't heard the Digital Gonzo Lord of the Rings podcasts, I heartily recommend you go back and listen to the first seven shows. They're an incredibly in-depth and detailed exploration of a film series I place above all other cinema. For those looking for a negative review of the Hobbit, you'd better stroll on and search elsewhere. We do call the creators on the flaws we've found but this is pretty much a Weta love-in once again. Also this is the first of this series where we fulfill our voracious need to swear so those with little children listening, be warned.  Guests: Sharon Shaw of School of Movies Chris Eason of GameBurst James Batchelor of Bond and Beyond Paul Gibson of Gonzo Planet

[Digital Drift 2014] This is the tenth of the Marvel Cinematic Universe podcasts. We talk at length about the transition from obscure Marvel comic to breakout success, how the characters differ across the mediums taking many detours into the depiction of female and black characters in comic book movies, the inspired soundtrack, the hilarious, often touching performances, the detail-filled worlds and of course the vibrant, fun-filled rollicking space adventure now finally earning recognition.  This is also the first of a trilogy of unrelated movie reviews all celebrating some of the best aspects of the human spirit. Next week it's The Lego Movie, followed by The Iron Giant, which also makes this a Chris Pratt and Vin Diesel appreciation trio. This is because episode 30 is my 400th podcast (give or take a few dozen, Digital Cowboys ran for 209 episodes and Digital Gonzo for 161).  Each has an epic running time. The discussion for all three went super-in depth for what might be perceived as kids movies by anyone who doesn't listen to this show, and while we kept things clean for the other two it does get dark for Guardians at times so be aware of that going in. We brought in multiple voices across the board for a broader range of perspectives and experience and I've gone all out on the music and clips.  Listen out for my suggestions for Awesome Mix Vol. 2. A Marvel No-Prize to anyone who can give us the complete track listing for these hypothetical, thematically consistent tracks on the forum.  James Batchelor also makes a special guest appearance as The Henchman Agent, returning from his stint on the James Bond and Batman podcasts.  There are various readings from ‘We Are Groot: ‘Guardians Of The Galaxy' Celebrates Heroes With Authentic Psychological Deficits' written for Comics Alliance by by Dr. Andrea Letamendi http://comicsalliance.com/guardians-galaxy-psychology-analyisis-trauma/ Guests: Jerome McIntosh of GameBurst Mike Hearn from Walter the Wicked Rose Lynn from the Digital Drift community Doctor Lorin Grieve from Year of Steam  

[Digital Drift 2014] Welcome to the introductory episode of Digital Drift. With the first two volumes of my podcast, Digital Cowboys and Digital Gonzo now complete that makes this the 370th podcast episode I've put out. For the third volume I have recruited a new co-host to share the creative load; my wife, Sharon Shaw. She'll be offering the show a second voice and a ton of perspective. And we've decided to go right back to the beginning on this one with a prototype for the Gonzo movie reviews, released on the Digital Cowboys feed in May 2010 many months before I began the Star Wars Gonzo reviews. This was originally two hour-long episodes covering both volumes of Kill Bill. We've taken them, trimmed away the bits that didn't work, added more clips and music and some additional segments with our views on the films four years on. You can hear how we were back then, what's changed and what's stayed the same. We'll be releasing regular episodes throughout 2014, interspersed with Digital Cowboys to give me room to write the book. Focus will be on more conceptual topics (much like the Fan Response show of Digital Gonzo) and while movie reviews will still remain, we'll be doing a lot more interviews and shorter, discussion podcasts, bringing on the experts so that we don't have to devote all our time studying absolutely everything. Kill Bill is in both of our top three movies lists and by the time you get to the end of this one you'll know why.  

[Digital Gonzo 2013] Couple of weeks ago after becoming fascinated by the broader concepts of the Fan Response show and looking for a more anthropological approach to studying online human behaviour I came across a podcast called Lou Reads the Internet. On this podcast which has run for over 120 episodes since March 2009, host Lou Fernandez simply reads aloud, almost always from forums, almost always the words of people who have… special interests. Now these could be racists, misogynists, fetishists, and fantasists from all walks of life.  He proceeds for fifteen to thirty minutes and tries his level best to remain impartial. Some of his most interesting episodes are ones he is obviously ruffled by the content and breaks down repeatedly.  I devoured show after show, hearing from Tea Partyers, adult babies, furrys, men with big penises, men with tiny penises, meth addicts, beleaguered hotel workers, those who are poised for The Rapture and white supremacists looking to make their hate-filled rhetoric more appealing to children. It is not, repeat not, I repeat once again NOT for the faint hearted or those with weak constitutions and since I have Lou with me tonight to talk about his show, I am issuing a warning to all my listeners... This is going to get disgusting! You may end up nauseous, furious, terrified. This is effectively extreme podcasting. I will try my level best to keep the conversation under control, but I'd strongly suggest that if it gets too much you switch off and come back for next week's episode on Thor: The Dark World. It also goes without saying that if you are a child listening to this, turn off now. There are things you need to spend more of your life not knowing about.  Be sure to tweet me with the timestamp for where we broke you. I'll compile a list and this will probably end up more of an endurance contest. It is, however, possible that you may be fascinated by some of this. Below is the approximate, but not exact running order of topics. And if you start listening to Lou's show because of me then be sure to let him know.  This made me question both my tolerance levels and how judgmental I am. The Misogynists  The Anti-Liberals The Torture Porn Fanatics  The Religious Zealots  The Adult Babies The Pokevores  The Drug Addicts The Zoophiles The Incest Lovers The Bodily Fluid Fetishists The Beleaguered Hotel Workers The Pandora Dreamers The Super-Racists One last thing. this show has nothing to do with the now departed singer Lou Reed. We recorded it on October 10th and he died in the meantime. Just in case anybody wonders.

[Digital Gonzo 2013] Ghostwatch is the 1992 hoax TV broadcast screened on BBC1 which caused a widespread national panic as thousands of kids (and more adults that would like to admit it) reacted with terror to the creepy happenings onscreen. 

[Digital Gonzo 2013] The 150th episode of Digital Gonzo. This was a one-off show inspired by the episode of Community 'Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'. It's a sit-down gaming session conducted over Skype with myself as Dungeon Master and my guests as a team of adventurers. For this one we were using the flexible, simple ruleset of Advanced Fighting Fantasy by Graham Bottley which itself stems from the gamebooks of Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone (The Warlock of Firetop Mountain, Deathtrap Dungeon) and detailed in the starter book Dungeoneer. This is the first of the two adventures within that book. I wanted to bring you guys something different, in the style I have honed over the years so there's music and sound FX as well as a hefty chunk of silliness and getting into character. The lengthier fights have been edited for pacing but you're mainly missing a lot of dice rolls. The team that begins this story comprises of the following. Thrale Copperhelm: A tough-as-nails dwarf, played by Neil Taylor of GameBurst Lastern Darkfire: An elf fresh out of the forests, played by Mark Reay of The A.I. Bots Kellis Payge: A human mage from the city watch of Chalice, played by Sharon Shaw of School of Movies Harron Brondyn: A sarcastic thief played by Matt Ramsey of Do Try This at Home Focus is on character and story over action and complex systems, almost closer to an audio drama than the recording of a game. The guest soundtrack for this week is the original World of Warcraft OST by Jason Hayes, Tracy W. Bush, Derek Duke, and Glenn Stafford. Many thanks to my guests, who played brilliantly and went easy on me in my first-time role as Dungeon Master. The combat rules were still being learned by all of us, also Gonzo is an adult podcast and we use adult language in this.  And thank you all for making this one of the warmest, smartest, funniest communities on the internet for 150 episodes of Gonzo.

[Digital Gonzo 2013] This episode, originally published in September 2013 I invited on Bob Chipman, AKA MovieBob along with Daniel Floyd and Leelee Scalaferri of Extra Credits to talk about the age old scenario of fans flipping their lids when something they love is perceived as being meddled with. With the ascent of Twitter and Facebook, forums, comments sections and YouTube we have more opportunities than ever before to voice our discontent, and voice it we have in ways often so hostile and illegible that some sections of the internet appear to be transcripts of the death-screeching of broken killer robots with electronic Tourette's syndrome.  Among other specific instances we cover Anita Sarkeesian of Feminist frequency, The Xbox One, Batfleck, Phil Fish, Grand Theft Auto V, Devil May Cry, Mass Effect 3, Green Lantern, The Star Wars Special Editions and Fifty Shades of Grey. The aim was not to be wholly objective and detached and there is a lot of opinion being flung back and forth during this crackling debate with four vibrant personalities all vying for the mic, but we do try our best to be fair.   To illustrate the many facets of this immense debate I have employed audio segments from some of the best and brightest. With Great Power [Bob Chipman: The Big Picture] Crass Effect [Bob Chimpan: Game Overthinker] Rebecca Black [Charlie Brooker: 10 O' Clock Live] Anita Sarkeesian: The Monster Gamers Created [Jim Sterling: Jimquisition] Harassment [Daniel Floyd & James Portnow: Extra Credits] GTA V Review Revulsion [Johnny Chiodini: GameSpot - Feedbackula] Guide to Comments [Vi Hart] A Day at the Park [Kiriakakis: Mused] Bob, Dan and Leelee have made hundreds of video presentations between them and their recommendations if you're newcomers are the following. Extra Credits [Of Penny Arcade TV] Call of Juarez: The Cartel A Little Bit of Yesterday Art is not the Opposite of Fun Moviebob The Big Picture - Skin Game Game Overthinker - Never Grow Old Music on the show played by Lindsey Stirling Crystallize  Elements Electric Daisy Violin Of course there wasn't time to discuss a bunch of well known examples, including the Derpy Hooves debacle but we do want this show to spark debate on ways for the more considerate side of the internet to gain more of a vocal share of the general discussion, which often seems to be dominated by the enraged and abusive.

[Digital Gonzo 2013] This was the most requested Gonzo show in history. For a project of this magnitude we needed a Dynamic Analysis, so the first hour is a collection of audio articles. The second half focuses on the rest of it. There are definitely still issues with combat and structure that affect the gameplay experience regardless of how you felt about its close, but there is also a deep and rich adventure to be had finding everyone and everything in the last hours before the galaxy takes on the Reapers. There were so many people who wanted to talk about this game that I couldn't not confine them to a single, epic round-table, so instead we have three. Appropriately you'll meet many old faces and some new. Everyone has something to say. At the close we spend a good 48 minutes talking about the Citadel DLC with full plot spoilers for that as well as Leviathan and Omega. Everyone present agreed that Citadel was downright essential if you love the characters of Mass Effect so if nothing else, play that before you listen to the last third of this show. Introduction FilmCritHulk: A Few Words on the Ending of Mass Effect 3 [Read by Alex Shaw] (0.00.50) Sharon Shaw: The Third Choice (0.21.37) J.C. Hutchins: Blood on My Hands: My Failure and Redemption in Mass Effect(0.30.50) Leelee Scaldaferri: The Center of the Universe (0.53.07) Alex Shaw: On Taking Back Earth (1.03.00) Round Table 1: Margeurite Kenner & Alasdair Stuart (1.05.44) Alex Shaw: Some Statistics (1.40.30) Round Table 2: Neil Taylor, Jerome McIntosh & James Perkins (1.44.25) Round Table 3: Matt Ramsey, Leelee Scaldaferri & Sharon Shaw (2.21.38) The Idea Channel: Will Space Travel Save Us? (3.07.00) Alex Shaw: Shepard Effects (3.15.16) Citadel (3.21.40) Margeurite can be found on Cast of Wonders, Leelee is the artist for Extra Credits. You'll also hear a segment from The Idea Channel which is available on YouTube and something I sincerely suggest you each spend a few hours delving into. Some incredible, funny, lightly delivered, deeply considered six-minute lectures on there. Kind of like TED Talks but with more visual flair and packed to the gills with blink-and-you'll-miss-it geeky references. It's been a great ride on the Normandy. I hope some day soon we can come back and re-enter this universe which has played host to some of our favourite games of all time.

[Digital Gonzo 2013] Passed off as simply enjoyable dumb fun, and about nothing more besides enormous robots hitting big monsters, this movie proved to be absolutely perfect for the Gonzo style of analysis, being in fact deeply textured, nuanced and detailed. I am joined for this joyful exploration of the lovingly crafted world of Guillermo Del Toro. We hope we can redress the balance on this and get my favourite film of 2013 recognized by a few more people as a modern masterpiece in visual storytelling.  This was the final episode of Digital Gonzo. We went away for several weeks and had a think about re-formatting, then came back as Digital Drift.  Guests: Sharon Shaw of School of Movies Joshua Garrity of Cane and Rinse Neil Taylor of TheKidDogg Alasdair Stuart of Escape Artists

[Digital Gonzo 2013] Back with Avengers Phase 2, we have the second film in the series. This time, freed of his origin and following the events of the Avengers crossover, Thor is off on a world-spanning adventure to prevent some dark elf or other from bringing the universe to darkness and blah blah blah.  The plot was surprisingly unimportant to the grander scheme of things. It's just a series of visually stunning events conveyed with flair and humour, which just so happens to allow Thor to clash again with his father, relate to his mother, meet Jane again, look very pretty and intense and form an uneasy alliance with a newly freed Loki. All credit to Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston. They make for a fantastic pair of charismatic, warring onscreen presences and most of our podcast is spent discussing these two. As well as this there is a points of view section with community feedback on the film, a brilliant article written by Hiddleston himself prior to The Avengers and some extended chat on the continuation and expansion of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Guests: Sharon Shaw of School of Movies Jerome McIntosh of GameBurst David Merrett of the Digital Gonzo community  

[Digital Gonzo 2013] We have had a deluge of opinion on this movie, which itself has been rather divisive. Like Superman Returns, Man of Steel and Watchmen, Iron Man 3 provoked strong feeling from many people who were able to express them creatively in this ensemble piece. So this is another rather fascinating Dynamic Analysis, alternating essay material with round-table chat segments. See you in seven day for more Thor.  Trailer  Intro Chat and First Impressions Travis De Santis on Iron Man 2 Glen Watts on Tony Stark Honest Trailers: Iron Man 3  Alex Spencer on The Mandarin Nama Chibitty also on The Mandarin Mandarin Chat & Abandoned Concepts Jamas Enright on Pepper Potts Lorin Grieve on PTSD Music and Trevor chat Ryoma on the Iron Man Suit Andy Rodriguez on Avengers Phase 2 How Iron Man 3 Should Have Ended Alex Shaw on the Path Interrupted The Future of the Avengers series chat The Avengers Sell Out Some Questions & Final Summation Guests: Joshua Garrity of Cane and Rinse Neil Taylor of TheKidDogg Jerome McIntosh of GameBurst   

[Digital Gonzo 2013] This week we're back busting ghosts and investigating paranormal disturbances of all kinds. The majority of the show is spent discussing Ghostbusters II, the 1989 sequel that despite studio pressure, editing strife, shifting release dates, unhappy cast and crew, lukewarm reception and relative obscurity still manages to not be a terrible follow-up to one of the greatest comedies of all time. Also up for debate are The Real Ghostbusters, Extreme Ghostbusters, the 2009 video game and the prospects in store for a possible Ghostbusters III.  Guests: Neil Taylor of TheKidDogg Matt Ramsey of GamerDork  

[Digital Gonzo 2013] Welcome to the movie that started it all… for me anyway. Ghostbusters was the first trip to the cinema for me, aged four. In effect, considering our twelve inch, wooden, push-button telly, it was the first experience that made me understand what a film could be. And what a way to start a lifetime of being besotted with this medium. It has everything a young lad could want; eye-popping effects, hilarious dialogue from a really tight script, mythology and science hinting at a wider world and believable, lovable heroes facing off against a dark god in the center of New York. We clean up the town, taking you guys from creepy Columbia logo through to Slimer's final charge, along the way we talk about balancing comedy with horror, abandoned concepts and casting choices, the secrets of the special effects, the theoretical science of busting ghosts and for one loopy tangent… The Shining. Next week we're talking Ghostbusters II, The Real Ghostbusters, Extreme Ghostbusters, the 2009 Ghostbusters video game and the prospect of Ghostbusters III. This ended up being in the top three most quotable movies reviewed by Gonzo, up there with Aliens and Predator. We came, we saw, we kicked it- Guests: Joshua Garrity of Cane and Rinse Neil Taylor of TheKidDogg Gary Blower of GameBurst Matt Ramsey of GamerDork

[Digital Gonzo 2013] We chose Green lantern to kick this off because he's the first proper DC hero to get a big screen movie since superheroes became a serious business who wasn't the Kryptonian or the Bat. Also because we just finished watching the now-canceled Green Lantern: The Animated Series and defying all expectation it turned out to be my second-favourite animated show after Avatar. I do not mince words here, this is a must-see series, criminally cut off in its prime. It is available in Region 1 as two DVD sets and should set you back around £22 As well as this and the movie we talk about the history of the character, his other animated outings and his development through the comics.  1. History of Green Lantern 2. DC Animated Universe Appearances 3. First Flight 4. Emerald Knights 5. 2011 Live Action Movie 6. The Animated Series 7. Comics by Geoff Johns This is a Dynamic Analysis and you will hear from various other contributors. 1. How to repel newcomers from Green Lantern by Andy Rodriguez 2. Who You Callin' Yellow? by Jamas Enright 3. Going Green by Movie Bob, from the Big Picture show on The Escapist 4. Weakness and Strength by Nama Chibitty 5. Alex Eding a True Lantern Fan's Rant on the Green Lantern Movie (1 & 2 read by Matt Ramsey.) Guests: Sharon Shaw of School of Movies Matt Ramsey of GamerDork Jerome McIntosh of GameBurst Alex Eding of Plaid Hat Games

[Digital Gonzo 2013] On this episode we continue the Ninja Turtles discussion through the 2003 show, the 2007 CG movie and the 2012 Nickelodeon CG show.  Two things become clear over the course of events. One is that despite being less popular now than at the height of early 90's Turtle Power the output itself is getting better and better, the other is that on a long enough timeline without a full reboot every so often, the TMNT framework descends into inane nonsense.  Guests: Neil Taylor of TheKidDogg Matt Ramsey of GamerDork

[Digital Gonzo 2013] This is the first of two podcasts for 2013 covering the first 29 years of Turtle history, from their monochrome single issue comic book published by Mirage Studios back in 1984 all the way up to the new Nickelodeon TV show in 2012. It's hard to remember now for some of us who were there at the time but turtlemania was a thing and we shall remind you of it. For the younger listeners this will be a window into what things were like back then, with all the comics, toys and cheesy merchandise discussed. This episode covers their creation and early years, the 80's TV show, renamed Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles in the UK, the first movie from 1990 which has held up surprisingly well and bears much of the focus of this podcast, followed by its two atrocious sequels and the temporary bullet in the head of the franchise, the late 90's live action Saban show “The Next Mutation”. Next week we will be looking at the more serious second animated series originally released in 2003 as well as the fourth (and best) movie and the new, third animated show, which is actually rather excellent.  With the fifth theatrical movie in production for release in 2014, not coincidentally their 30th anniversary as well as not one but two major TMNT video games being released in the Autumn of this year there has never been a better time to get re-acquainted with Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello and Raphael.  Guests: Neil Taylor of TheKidDogg Matt Ramsey of GamerDork

[Digital Gonzo 2013] Returning to the seemingly never-ending stream of Batman movies ripe for Gonzo review, we're back to cover the two-part animated adaptation of one of the most celebrated and important graphic novels of all time. The movies are way better than the book and we'll tell you why throughout this podcast. These are available on DVD and Blu Ray and the second part is better than the first. Don't wait for the box set. These are worth seeing right now.  Joining me are Matt Ramsey of the Do Try This at Home podcast and Batman expert David Hartrick. David writes for major Football websites In Bed with Maradona and 500 Reasons to Love Football. His book on the world's favourite sport; 50 Teams that Mattered is available from Ockley Books. Spoilers and foul language run throughout. Guests: Matt Ramsey of GamerDork David Hartrick of In Bed With Maradona

[Digital Gonzo 2013] This was an interesting one to cover. I went into a round-table debate with 18 pages worth of written material (only a small portion of it actually penned by me) and the intention to integrate broadly contributed prepared content with on-the-hoof discussion. Everybody seemed to have an opinion on this movie and many of the same points were covered over and over and over again. The end result was two and a half hours of raw material.  Rather than just releasing that monstrosity to the world I have carefully trimmed it down for pacing and avoided duplication. The end result is a trim 87 minutes of engaging opinion, carefully blended.  Not bad for a movie I originally didn't have much to say about.  Approximate Running Order  1. Intro and Production History 2. Did I Love it? [By David Hartrick] 3. Round-table 4. Story and Character [By Daniel Floyd] 5. Thoughts from The Gonzo Community  6. Why I Love Man of Steel [By Jake Del Toro] 7. Downs and Ups [By Alex Shaw]  —- #2 Read by Sharon Shaw #4 & #6 Read by Alex Shaw Guests: Neil Taylor of TheKidDogg Jerome McIntosh of GameBurst Sharon Shaw of School of Movies

[Digital Gonzo 2013] Continuing our in-depth investigations into the most important big screen depictions of The Superman, this time we're looking at the 2009 adaptation of Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' seminal graphic novel, Watchmen. It contains a being of supreme power and a frightened world on the verge of self-destruction. It is also a satirical sideways glance at the otherwise ordinary people who put on masks and take to the streets to fight crime.  I finally have a name for this new style. I've never been happy with the word “Review” to describe what we do here at Gonzo. A good critic can get a film reviewed in ten minutes. What these shows are, what they have been for years and now with the more delineated sections for focused audio articles by myself and other contributors I will, from now on be describing as… “Dynamic Analyses”  I had to think up something punchy that was shorthand for ridiculously detailed and nerdy examination of every facet of a piece of media, from the viewpoint of multiple sources, and I think it fits rather well. Anyway, what better work to flex the new format to than the single most sacred cow in comic history.  Who's for steak?  I kid, I kid… but seriously, we go into this one fearlessly and hold both book and film to account, whilst celebrating their strong points.  Table of contents. 1. Intro 2. The Long and Winding Road to Watching Watchmen  3. Tales of the Black Freighter (Lorin Grieve) 4. A Digital Cowboy on Watchmen (Tony Atkins)  5. Round-table 1:  Alternate History / Adaptation / Music 6. Four Points on Watchmen (David Hartrick)  7. Round-table 2: Cold war 8. Not Quite Watchmen (Joshua Garrity) 9. Never Read It (Matt Ramsey) 10. Time Observation 11. Round-table 3: Comedian / Rorschach 12. Silk Specter II: An Exercise in Ambivalence (Sharon Shaw) 13. Round-table 4: Dan Dreiberg / Doctor Manhattan / Ozymandias / The End 14. Walking With Giants  15. Epilogue ——— 3. Read by Sharon Shaw 6. Read by Matt Ramsey Guests: Joshua Garrity of Cane and Rinse Sharon Shaw of School of Movies

[Digital Gonzo 2013] This is going to be a challenge for me. We're looking at a film that is not loved, not even regularly liked. It's been derided, dismissed and largely forgotten. It holds a meager 41% freshness rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and I'm in the unique position of thinking it's great. REALLY great. Not only that, but it's my favourite Superman film to date and that includes Man of Steel.  So if you're not a fan of the 2008 movie, Hancock, allow me to paint you a picture of what I'm seeing. I know it's going to be hard for a lot of you. All you will remember is a mess and the feeling of two mismatched halves shoved together. We're going to uncover why they match perfectly, why it's not messy at all and why it's one of the greatest superhero films ever made.  I am Jason Bateman, you are the good people of Los Angeles. Let me tell you why Hancock is important to all of us. * Intro  * Kermode on Hancock  * Tonight He Comes  * The Rejected Hero  * The Details  * Conflict  * Round-table  * The Reluctant Hero  Guests: Sharon Shaw of School of Movies Jerome McIntosh of GameBurst

[Digital Gonzo 2013] I'm trying out a new format this week. Rather than the usual round-table discussion this is a series of audio articles on Superman and in particular the 2006 film Superman Returns. This is the perfect film to do this for because it's hated by so many, liked by several, it opens up the archetypal hero for analysis in a way none of the earlier films did and it had an incredibly protracted development cycle of nigh-on twenty years.   1. Intro  2. Superman Returns: Good, Bad or Both?  3. Kryptonite 101  4. Kevin Smith on Superman Lives  5. The Non-Making of Superman 6. This is why Superman Doesn't Work Alone  7. A Couple of Things You May Not Have Noticed  8. A Comic Fan on Superman  9. Superboy  10. The Joy of Lex  11. Lois' Pain  12. Superman's Return  I hope you guys will find it entertaining, deep and funny. One of the benefits of this format is that it allows community members to get their views aired so that it facilitates a mix of viewpoints. I think this could potentially work a lot better than the cyclical bickering contest that contentious film reviews on podcasts sometimes become. Let us know on the forums what you think of it. Next week's Watchmen will be in the same style. This won't replace the standard Gonzo format, but it's not every film lends itself to the same uniform manner of review and this is simply another approach.  Chapter 2. Written by Lucas Windsor. Read by Matt Ramsey Chapter 6. Written and read by Sharon Shaw Chapter 8. Written by David Hartrick. Read by Matt Ramsey Chapter 11. Written by Alex Shaw. Read by Sharon Shaw Guests:  Sharon Shaw of School of Movies Matt Ramsey of GamerDork  

[Digital Gonzo 2013] This is the first of five podcasts covering the Superman movies. Rather than being slavish to format and giving a show each to every single one including the many animated choices out there I have devoted my attention to the most interesting and significant portrayals of The Superman in the past three and a half decades.  This episode covers all four of the Christopher Reeve films.  1978. Superman 1980. Superman II 1983. Superman III 1987. Superman IV: The Quest for Peace Next week will be Bryan Singer's fan project, Superman Returns (2006) then Watchmen (2009), which centres around Alan Moore's Superman analog, Doctor Manhattan. That film also got Zack Snyder directing duties on the next podcast subject, this year's Man of Steel. We finish off with my current favourite take on the mythology, from 2008, the tale of a lonely, outcast, drunken, surly superbeing, Hancock, played with heart and humour by Will Smith. Fans of the Reeve films be aware, There are a few things I really like about these pictures and a whole heap of stuff that I don't. There is ranting aplenty this week. Guests: Neil Taylor of TheKiddDogg   Paul Gibson of Gonzo Planet

[Digital Gonzo 2013] This is principally a review of the 2009 film directed by J.J. Abrams. Now every podcast I have listened to covering this movie is largely negative, so if you want to hear something along those lines you have an ocean of choice available to you. My crew and I however, love the film for a multitude of reasons of which we will go into in great detail, not forgetting of course to point out the bits that don't make sense. So if that's something you'd like to hear then you came to the right place. There is a brief history of Star Trek at the beginning and an extended essay running throughout. i'm actually surprised at the depths we ended up reaching, having never been a fan before this film. Guests: Sharon Shaw of School of Movies Joshua Garrity of Cane and Rinse Jerome McIntosh of GameBurst Michael Fox of Little Metal Dog    

[Digital Gonzo 2013] This podcast is several things at once. First and foremost it's a review of the 2011 film; The Muppets. Although I have to be honest and say that what I tend to do on Gonzo goes somewhat beyond the term ‘review'. The search is now on for a word to accurately describe just what that is.  Secondly it's a look back on Muppet history, The Muppet show and their precious six theatrical movies. Third it's a musical journey closer to one of the Sound of Gonzo episodes. I found during the edit that the songs were so intrinsically linked with the tone and performance that to render them faithfully was the only way to match the emotional flow of the film. I thoroughly recommend buying the soundtrack, it's been on repeat in our house since I picked mine up. Guest: Daniel Floyd of Extra Credits

[Digital Gonzo 2012] This one serves as an introduction to Avatar since my estimate is that 97% of you, my listeners have never had the pleasure of this, maybe the finest animated TV series in the world, and I do not use those words lightly. The Legend of Aang is a story that starts out aimed at kids aged 6-11 but rapidly becomes something far more compelling to all age groups and walks of life. Taking inspiration from eastern mythology and martial arts, but with a fresh, original and very funny energy. Set over three series, which are paced like books, this has the scale of Lord of the Rings and the heart of Toy Story. You will find yourself devouring episodes, hungry for more as it draws towards a conclusion that will leave you breathless. That series won ten major awards and ran from 2005 - 2008 but in an extremely rare instance Nickelodeon green-lit a follow-up series named The Legend of Korra which aired in 2012 and immediately met with massive success. It features gorgeous, animation that surpasses most theatrically released movies and a plot that embraces even more unexpectedly mature social themes than its predecessor. Nickelodeon was so impressed with the feedback, viewing figures and critical response that they recently ordered forty more episodes, a move that made my team here misty-eyed with joy. To put the whole thing in perspective we review in this episode the disastrous, turgid and utterly hated cinematic outing from 2010, directed by M Night Shyamalan. Using it as a foil to explain what they did so wrong with the movie that was done so right on the show. Joining me for this spoiler-free sizzle to convince you of what's been missing from your life all these years I have Daniel Floyd, Pixar animator and the voice of Extra Credits and Joshua Garrity of the Cane and Rinse podcast and The Animation Archives, presented by Gonzo Planet. Also of Gonzo Planet, my ever-patient wife Mrs Sharon Shaw, anime and comic book fanatic Mr Jerome McIntosh and for one of his very first Gonzo shows, Mr Duane Griffiths. Guests: Daniel Floyd of Extra Credits Joshua Garrity of Cane and Rinse Sharon Shaw of School of Movies Jerome McIntosh of GameBurst Duane Griffiths of the Digital Gonzo community

[Digital Drift 2014] This is the tenth of the Marvel Cinematic Universe podcasts. We talk at length about the transition from obscure Marvel comic to breakout success, how the characters differ across the mediums taking many detours into the depiction of female and black characters in comic book movies, the inspired soundtrack, the hilarious, often touching performances, the detail-filled worlds and of course the vibrant, fun-filled rollicking space adventure now finally earning recognition.  This is also the first of a trilogy of unrelated movie reviews all celebrating some of the best aspects of the human spirit. Next week it's The Lego Movie, followed by The Iron Giant, which also makes this a Chris Pratt and Vin Diesel appreciation trio. This is because episode 30 is my 400th podcast (give or take a few dozen, Digital Cowboys ran for 209 episodes and Digital Gonzo for 161).  Each has an epic running time. The discussion for all three went super-in depth for what might be perceived as kids movies by anyone who doesn't listen to this show, and while we kept things clean for the other two it does get dark for Guardians at times so be aware of that going in. We brought in multiple voices across the board for a broader range of perspectives and experience and I've gone all out on the music and clips.  Listen out for my suggestions for Awesome Mix Vol. 2. A Marvel No-Prize to anyone who can give us the complete track listing for these hypothetical, thematically consistent tracks on the forum.  James Batchelor also makes a special guest appearance as The Henchman Agent, returning from his stint on the James Bond and Batman podcasts.  There are various readings from ‘We Are Groot: ‘Guardians Of The Galaxy' Celebrates Heroes With Authentic Psychological Deficits' written for Comics Alliance by by Dr. Andrea Letamendi http://comicsalliance.com/guardians-galaxy-psychology-analyisis-trauma/ Guests: Jerome McIntosh of GameBurst Mike Hearn from Walter the Wicked Rose Lynn from the Digital Drift community Doctor Victoria Luna B. Grieve from Year of Steam

[Digital Gonzo 2012] This is the sixth and final of the official MARVEL superhero movie reviews for now. In the future we will be returning to Marvel with reviews of the Spider-Man and X-Men film series', and maybe a few of the others like Daredevil, 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer and Ang Lee's Hulk. We will also be covering any subsequent movies from the Marvel cinematic universe including Iron Man 3, Thor 2, Captain America 2 and the inevitable follow-up to The Avengers. But right now we're focusing on this culmination of years of setup and expectation as The Avengers Assemble. This is actually the first ever Gonzo show I've recorded where myself, my guests and the rest of the world have only just seen the film in question for the first time. in fact it launches in the USA tonight. This makes for a slightly different discussion, not least because this is also the culmination of four years of waiting, longer if you're a Marvel fan. It is also a new beginning for comic book movies and my theory is that in twenty years this will be seen as one of the first truly successful crossovers. Some of the things we didn't mention on the show that need mentioning… 1. The Helicarrier was awe-inspiring. 2. Black Widow did her fighting without high-heeled shoes again and in fact pointedly picked them up afterwards. 3. It would appear that the Americans get a brief post-credits Easter-Egg so stick around until the very end. That goes for this spoiler-packed podcast as well. Guests: Nikki Taylor of TheKiddDogg Joshua Garrity of Cane and Rinse Jerome McIntosh of GameBurst Paul Gibson of Gonzo Planet

[Digital Gonzo 2012] This show covers the not the first but certainly the finest cinematic outing for the star-spangled man with the shield.. This was another tough movie to make happen considering America's relationship with war over the past decade. If they had gone too patriotic the rest of the world would have hated it, too down on America and the domestic box-office would suffer greatly. In the end the smartest thing to do was to put Steve Rogers in the context to which his character was created. The simpler times of the 1940s where heroes were lantern-jawed and villains were hideous and motivated only by hate. It could have been disastrous. It wasn't. Find out more inside, true believers! To finish off we also talk about some of the best and worst MARVEL video games out there as well as some wild speculation on what might happen in The Avengers that will seem dated within hours once people start seeing it. Neil and I also place a bet. Guests: Nikki Taylor of TheKiddDogg Joshua Garrity of Cane and Rinse Jerome McIntosh of GameBurst Paul Gibson of Gonzo Planet

[Digital Gonzo 2012] This was a tough one for MARVEL. DC spent years developing the similarly magic-based superhero movie; Wonder Woman and ultimately stalled, ironically letting go the director of The Avengers. The rest of the established Marvels have their background in science, albeit fantastical science from the mind of dreamers. Thor has his basis in actual Norse mythology, given a space-age refreshing by Jack Kirby. The challenge was to sell modern cinema audiences this shining hero for the first time and make him every bit as believable as Iron Man. Guests: Nikki Taylor of TheKiddDogg Joshua Garrity of Cane and Rinse Jerome McIntosh of GameBurst Paul Gibson of Gonzo Planet

[Digital Gonzo 2012] This first show covers Iron Man, arguably the best of the released movies so far. A critical and box-office high for Robert Downey Junior and director John Favreau and the beginning of a new renaissance of Marvel comic book adaptations. Guests: Neil Taylor of TheKiddDogg Joshua Garrity of Cane and Rinse Jerome McIntosh of GameBurst Paul Gibson of Gonzo Planet

[Digital Gonzo 2012] The board is set, the pieces are moving and the final battle for Middle-earth begins. In this episode we discuss the thankless task of expertly performing Denathor, Arwen's ultimate decision and some of the shakier moments in the trilogy. This final film was the product of an insane amount of high pressure, respite-free work for Weta and it is testament to their brilliance that this still became the box-office triumph of the series. By far the most emotionally draining of all the podcasts in this series and maybe the most complicated editing process for a film podcast that I've undertaken. There were several occasions where I fell apart and had to pick myself up again here. The most epic battle of all time concludes and the ring-bearer reaches Mount Doom. I can only hope that myself and my team did these films an iota of the true depth of discussion they deserve.  With me at the end of all things are Sharon Shaw of DorkCast, Chris Eason of GameBurst and Paul Gibson of Gonzo Planet. This is the last of the Lord of the Rings movie reviews but not the final podcast. We still have an Unexpected Journey to discuss as a new trilogy begins, followed soon after by a sound of Gonzo episode devoted to the wonderful scores by Howard Shore. Guests: Sharon Shaw of School of Movies Chris Eason of GameBurst Paul Gibson of Gonzo Planet

[Digital Gonzo 2012] The middle of a trilogy is always going to be a tall order. You can't start and you can't stop. What you're delivering is an *episode* and the best you can hope for is some great characterization and memorable events, broadening the scope of the world you've already introduced. The Two Towers, especially in its extended cut manages this and more. Things get tense as the battle for Helm's Deep begins. Merry and Pippin try their best to motivate the most boring creatures on Middle-earth and Frodo meets a character given entirely new depth and purpose by the film series. We learn about Theoden's complex relationship with both shame and pride, and what moment really pushed Smeagol over the edge, never to return from the powerful grip of Gollum. Guests: Sharon Shaw of School of Movies Chris Eason of GameBurst Joshua Garrity of Cane and Rinse

[Digital Gonzo 2012] The Lord of the Rings begins in earnest. Starting with an epic retelling of Middle-earth history we set out to balance the attention to detail of major fandom with critical analysis, discussions on character development and notable aspects of the production. Setting out from the Shire, this episode will take you all the way to Rivendell meeting Bilbo, Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippin, Gandalf, Saruman, Strider, Elrond and Arwen along the way. The operatic scoring of Howard Shaw remains an emotional touchstone throughout.  Continuing where we left off, the Ring goes south, over and under the Misty Mountains culminating at Amon Hen where the Fellowship is broken from within. Character discussions include Boromir and Galadriel and the epic confrontation with shadow and flame.  Guests: Sharon Shaw of School of Movies Chris Eason of GameBurst

[Digital Gonzo 2012] Time to cover the 2005 movie that closed out the TV series. Take a journey with us on the final flight of Serenity, a superb, funny, clever, emotional and mostly ignored Sci-Fi cult classic, destined to travel on and find new audiences, decades and even centuries into our future. Stick around to the end for some goram hilarious outtakes and a wonderful version of the Firefly Theme from Michelle Dockrey entitled “Mal's Song”. Guests: Sharon Shaw of School of Movies Leah Haydu of Some Other Castle Joshua Garrity of Cane and Rinse Matt Ramsey of GamerDork Gary Blower of GameBurst