Episode 73: Mr. Robot, Mr. Robot VS. Fight Club, Top 5 Unreliable Narrators

"The world itself is just one big hoax." We review season 1 of USA's critically acclaimed new series Mr. Robot! What makes Mr. Robot one of the most modern shows on TV? How does it get hackers right? What makes Rami Malek's performance so powerful? In the INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER, it's Mr. Robot versus Fight Club! We share our top 5 unreliable narrators.

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Show Notes

• 0:00 - 25:54: Mr. Robot
• 25:55 - 35:33: INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER: Mr. Robot VS. Fight Club
• 35:34 - 48:26: Top 5 Unreliable Narrators

Links

• Mr. Robot Season Finale: This Is TV's First Great Cyberpunk Show
  
• USA Postpones Mr. Robot Finale Due to Similarities to WDBJ Shooting
•  Mr. Robot functions best when it’s most human
•  When A Brown Actor Plays A White Character, Who Really Wins?
•  USA has already given Mr. Robot a second season
•  The Caper in 'Mr. Robot' Is No Robin Hood Scheme
•  Mr. Robot' Star Rami Malek's Past is All Online
•  'Mr. Robot' Boss Talks Finale and Season 2: Elliot "Is Past the Point of No Return"

Top 5 Unreliable Narrators

Conrad: 

1. The Ususual Suspects
2. Inception 
3. Lolita
4. Big Fish
5. Memento

Ali:

1. Memento
2. Calvin and Hobbes
3. Life of Pi
4. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
5. A Clockwork Orange

Bonus Episode 2: How Much Is Too Much?

"We’ve been charged with telling new stories for a younger generation because they deserve what we all had — a mythology to call their own." Disney's announcement of new Star Wars films, theme parks, TV shows, and other goodies have us wondering — how much is too much? Do we need a new Spider-Man, a Fantastic Four reboot, more Star Trek, and another Avengers film? Where do artistic endeavors end and commercial franchises begin? Why do these stories keep repeating, despite our fatigue, and how do we keep them relevant? Special guest, geeky photographer and host of the On Taking Pictures podcast Bill Wadman.

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Show Notes

• 0:00 - 59:39: How much is too much?

Links

• Star Wars: Rogue One - The Mission Has Begun
• Colin Trevorrow to Direct Star Wars: Episode IX
• Official Poster For Star Wars: The Force Awakens
• The President Of Lucasfilm Eases Our Worries About Han Solo Movie
• Star Wars Themed Lands Coming to Disney Parks
• The Problem with Supersizing Star Wars
• To Boldly Go - The Future of Star Trek
• Ant-Man, Age of Ultron, and The Problem With Marvel
• Enough, already, with the superhero movies
• Hollywood Should Make More, Not Fewer, Superhero Films
• Jurassic World Is A Huge Mega-Hit, And That’s Terrible News For Movies
• The Good, Bad and Meh: Lessons From Mad Max, Terminator, and Jurassic
• Psychology of Comic Con (THE PSYCH SHOW with Dr. Ali Mattu)

Episode 72: Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation, Rogue Nation VS. Ghost Protocol, Top 5 Rogues

“Hunt is the living manifestation of destiny and he has made you his mission.” We (non-spoiler) review the fifth entry into the Mission: Impossible franchise — Rogue Nation! What makes this film series unique? How does Rogue Nation compare against other summer blockbusters? What makes Tom Cruise a big film geek? In the INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER, it’s Rogue Nation VS. Ghost Protocol! We share our top 5 rogues.

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Show Notes

• 0:00 - 25:54: Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation (non-spoilers)
• 25:55 - 35:33: INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER: Rogue Nation VS. Ghost Protocol
• 35:34 - 48:26: Top 5 Rogues

Links

• Nerdist Podcast: Tom Cruise
• Here's Every Crazy, Suicidal Stunt From The Mission Impossible Movies
• Rogue Nation preserves the stand-alone fun of the Mission: Impossible series
• 'Rogue Nation' Fulfills The Mission Of A Reliable Blockbuster Series
• Meet Rebecca Ferguson, the beautiful scene-stealer in Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation
• A tribute to 'Mission: Impossible' composer Lalo Schifrin

Top 5 Rogues

Conrad: 

1. Captain Malcolm Reynolds (Firefly, Serenity)
2. Jack Harkness (Doctor Who, Torchwood)
3. Captain Jack Sparrow (Pirates of the Caribbean) 
4. Shane MacGowan (The Pogues)
5. Tom Sawyer (LOST)

Ali:

1. Frank Abagnale, Jr. (Catch Me If You Can)
2. Starbuck (Battlestar Galactica) 
3. Quark (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)
4. Captain Jack Sparrow (Pirates of the Caribbean) 
5. Lando Calrissian (Star Wars: Rebels, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi)

Episode 71: Humans, Humans VS. Ex Machina, Top 5 Warnings to the Future

“They are as close to humans as can be, and yet still people insist that forming a relationship with them or treating them with dignity is somehow perverse.” We review Humans, AMC and Channel 4’s new science fiction drama. How does Humans explore the relationship between humanity and technology? What does it reveal about the singularity and artificial intelligence? How will society change if we create an artificial labor class? In the INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER, what’s the better exploration of AI — Humans or Ex Machina? We download our top 5 warnings to the future. 

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Show Notes

• 0:00 - 18:30: Humans (non-spoilers)
• 18:30 - 46:56: Humans (spoilers)
• 46:57 - 58:31: INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER: Humans VS. Ex Machina
• 58:32 - 1:25:08: Top 5 Warnings to the Future

Links

• If Isaac Asimov Were Alive, Humans Would Be His Favorite TV Show
• Like its technology, Humans delivers more depth than advertised
• In an Android World, ‘Humans’ Is Real and Terrifying
• Crazy Sexy Geeks: Artificial Intelligence

Top 5 Warnings to the Future

Conrad: 

1. "The Entire History of You" (Black Mirror)
2. Oryx and Crake
3. A for Anything
4. Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home/The Bone Clocks
5. The Handmaid’s Tale

Ali:

1. 1984
2. Fahrenheit 451 
3. Gattaca
4. The Handmaid’s Tale
5. "Let that be your last battlefield" (Star Trek: The Original Series)

Episode 70: Ant-Man, Ant-Man VS. Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, Top 5 Animal Companions

"This is not some cute tech like the Iron Man suit!" We review the newest edition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe — Ant-Man! After over a decade of development, multiple rewrites, and the departure of Edgar Wright, does Peyton Reed's Ant-Man work? We discuss how awesome Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, and Evangeline Lilly are in their roles, criticize the film's representation of diversity, and debate how much creativity is left at Marvel Studios. In the INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER, what makes better use of the macroscopic perspective — Ant-Man or Honey, I Shrunk the Kids? We share our top 5 animal companions and sidekicks. 

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Show Notes

• 0:00 - 21:06: Ant-Man (non-spoilers)
• 21:07 - 38:45: Ant-Man (spoilers)
• 38:46 - 48:08: INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER: Ant-Man VS. Honey, I Shrunk the Kids
• 48:09 - 1:04:28: Top 5 Animal Companions and Sidekicks

Links

• Watch A Viral Video Setting Up Ant-Man and Linking To Civil War
• Ant-Man builds a smaller, lighter Marvel movie
• ‘Ant-Man,’ With Paul Rudd, Adds to a Superhero Infestation
• Ant-Man: A Small Defeat for Marvel
• Ant-Man Is A Perfectly Competent Superhero Movie
• You Won't Believe Where the Ant-Man End Credits Scene Comes From
• How Ant-Man Will Affect Marvel's Movies For Years To Come
• Why There's Still a LOT Of Edgar Wright In Marvel's Ant-Man
• How ‘Ant-Man’ Highlights the Sad State of Marvel’s Female Characters
• An Ode To ANT-MAN’s Most Triumphant Scene
• ‘Ant-Man’ Shows Power and Limits of Marvel Brand
• Boy 'Bewildered' After Lost 'Hobbes' Toy Goes On Epic Adventure

Top 5 Animal Companions and Sidekicks

Conrad: 

1. Direwolves (Game of Thrones)
2. Battle Cat (He-Man)
3. Falcor (The Neverending Story)
4. Hobbes (Calvin and Hobbes)
5. K-9 (Doctor Who)

Ali:

1. Remy (Ratatouille)
2. Yoshi (Mario Bros.)
3. Lockjaw (Ms. Marvel)
4. Falcor (The Neverending Story)
5. Darwin (seaQuest DSV)