Episode 29: Guardians of the Galaxy, Guardians VS. Firefly, Top 5 Awesome Mix Songs

Guardians of the Galaxy

"I am Groot!" We go on a cosmic voyage with the Guardians of the Galaxy! How did this obscure Marvel comic become one of the most anticipated films of the summer? Does it live up to its hype? How does the film's massive nostalgia explosions and its Awesome Mix Vol. 1 impact audiences? Is this the first Marvel Studios film to have a captivating 3rd act? In the INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER, who's a better team - the Guardians of the Galaxy or the crew of Firefly? We share our own top 5 songs to save the galaxy.

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Show Notes

  • 0:00 – 33:56: Guardians of the Galaxy.
  • 33:57 – 49:57: INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER: Guardians VS. Firefly.
  • 49:58 – 01:00:13: Top 5 Awesome Mix Songs.

Links

Top 5 Awesome Mix Songs

Conrad: 

  1. Wave of Mutilation - Pixies 
  2. Hold On - Tom Waits
  3. A New England - Billy Bragg
  4. No Action - Elvis Costello & the Attractions
  5. The Passenger - Iggy Pop and Stooges

Ali:

  1. Heroes - David Bowie
  2. Good Times - Sam Cook
  3. Stand By Me - John Lennon
  4. Dancing In The Street - Martha & the Vandellas
  5. Tonight, Tonight - The Smashing Pumpkins

Honorable Mentions:

Conrad: 

  • Queen Bitch - David Bowie
  • Career Opportunities - The Clash
  • Save Me - Aretha Franklin
  • Roadrunner #1 - The Modern Lovers
  • Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space - Spiritualized

Ali: 

  • With A Little Help From My Friends - Joe Cocker
  • Standing Outside the Fire - Garth Brooks
  • Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours - Stevie Wonder
  • I Won't Back Down - Johnny Cash
  • Take a Picture - Filter

Bonus Episode 1: Best of San Diego Comic Con Panels

Lowen Baumgarten, Raphael, and Ali Mattu at San Diego Comic Con 2014

Lowen Baumgarten, Raphael, and Ali Mattu at San Diego Comic Con 2014

We continue our San Diego Comic Con 2014 coverage with clips and recaps of our favorite panels! Does TV have the power to heal? Why did Atari secretly bury thousands of E.T. video game cartridges? What does Max Brooks think of the WWZ film adaptation? How did the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles get their start? What made Fight Club go from a failed book to a cult film? Who wins the psychology of Star Trek VS. Star Wars? What do San Diegans think of Comic Con? 

Show Notes

  • 0:00 - 4:02: Introduction.

  • 4:03 - 12:44: Psychology of Cult TV Shows.

  • 12:45 - 27:44: Digging E.T.: Behind the Scenes of the Xbox Originals Documentary, Atari: Game Over.

  • 27:45 - 41:02: Max Brooks-Zombies vs. Vampires: The Extinction Parade Survival Panel.

  • 41:03 - 57:24: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 30th Anniversary.

  • 57:25 -  1:09:28: Fight Club: From Page to Screen and Beyond.

  • 1:09:30 - 1:22:26: The Psychology of Star Trek vs. Star Wars: Episode IV.

  • 1:22:28 - 1:36:43: An Interview With Alix and Justin.

Panel Downloads

Psychology of Cult TV Shows

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A panel of therapists and scientists (mad or otherwise), including Dr. Janina Scarlet (The Superhero Manual), Dr. Travis Langley (Batman and Psychology: A Dark and Stormy Knight), Dr. Ali Mattu (Nerd Hour), and Billy San Juan (Alliant International University) discuss the psychology behind TV shows, such as Doctor Who, Sherlock, Firefly, Grimm, and Buffy. Find out how TV shows might help us cope with painful experiences and geek out in discussing such fundamental questions as: With all the regenerations, what is the Doctor's true identity? What makes Sherlock a better detective than London's finest? What does psychology tell us about the demons that live inside us? With these questions and more, this panel is a must for loyal fans of these shows.

Digging E.T.: Behind the Scenes of the Xbox Originals Documentary, Atari: Game Over

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Comic-Con fans will get the first glimpse at Atari: Game Over, the Xbox Originals documentary that chronicles the fall of the Atari Corporation through the lens of one of the biggest mysteries of all time, dubbed "The Great Video Game Burial of 1983." As the story goes, the Atari Corporation, faced with overwhelmingly negative response to the E.T. video game, disposed of hundreds of thousands of unsold game cartridges by burying them in the small town of Alamogordo, New Mexico. Atari founder Nolan Bushnell, original Atari video game designer Howard Scott Warshaw (E.T., Yar's Revenge, Raiders of the Lost Ark), two-time Academy Award-winning executive producer Simon Chinn (Searching for Sugar Man and Man on Wire), Emmy Award-winning executive producer Jonathan Chinn (FX's 30 Days and PBS's American High), director Zak Penn (X-Men 3, Avengers, andIncident at Loch Ness), Fuel CEO Mike Burns, and more as they take fans behind the scenes and share an inside look into the making of this weird and wonderful film. Moderated by Larry Hyrb (Xbox's Major Nelson).

Max Brooks-Zombies vs. Vampires: The Extinction Parade Survival Panel

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New York Times bestselling author Max Brooks (The Zombie Survival Guide) is renowned for his zombie survival lectures but this year he returns to provide intel and anecdotes on how to survive a Vampires vs. Zombies apocalypse! Moderated by William Christensen (Avatar Press publisher), this panel and Q&A introduces readers to Max Brooks's new all-original comic book series, Extinction Parade: War!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 30th Anniversary

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In 1984, Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird published the first issue of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The comic book was an overnight success, and three decades later, the Turtles are more popular than ever, starring in a hit Nickelodeon television series, an award-winning toy line, monthly comic books from IDW, and a new live-action movie later this summer. Join TMNT co-creator Kevin Eastman for a 30th anniversary celebration featuring a who's who of talented people who have contributed to the Turtles' enduring history. Guests include Karl Aaronian (Playmates Toys), Townsend Coleman (voice of Michelangelo in the original TMNT animated series), Lloyd Goldfine (4kids TMNT, Turtles Forever), Ciro Nieli (executive producer, NickelodeonTMNT), Ernie Reyes Jr. (Keno inTMNT II: The Secret of the Ooze), and Tom Waltz (writer, IDW TMNT comics), and panel moderator Andrew Farago (curator, Cartoon Art Museum; author of TMNT: The Ultimate Visual History).

Fight Club: From Page to Screen and Beyond

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Chuck Palahniuk (Fight Club, Choke, Haunted), director David Fincher (Fight Club, Seven, The Social Network, and Gone Girl), Gerald Howard (Doubleday executive editor), and special guests discuss the seminal novel's journey from book to film and beyond. Moderated by Rick Kleffel (TheAgonyColumn.com).

The Psychology of Star Trek vs. Star Wars: Episode IV

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Step into the pop culture ring with geeky psychologists Dr. Andrea Letamendi (The Arkham Sessions) and Dr. Ali Mattu (Super Fantastic Nerd Hour) as they bring their popular, intergalactic sci-fi battle back to Comic-Con for round 4! Special guests Sam Witwer (Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Being Human) and Rod Roddenberry (Trek Nation, Roddenberry Entertainment) join the psych pros to debate, tackle, and explain some of the most fascinating aspects of both universes. Pick a side and cast your vote as they crown one the winner! Impartially refereed by Brian Ward (Shout! Factory).

An Interview with Alix and Justin

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Friends of the show Alix and Justin sit down to talk being a nerd, how San Diego Comic Con has changed over the past 10 years, what happens to the city when the con takes over, and why this place is a perfect match for the ultimate fan gathering.

Episode 28: San Diego Comic Con Recap, Marvel Entertainment VS. Warner Bros., Top 5 SDCC Moments

San Diego Comic Con banners

The best of San Diego Comic Con 2014! We discuss everything that makes Comic Con the best convention in the country, share the biggest film, TV, and comic book news, and debate if the con bubble is about to burst. In the INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER, who won Comic Con – Marvel Entertainment or Warner Bros.? We share our top 5 SDCC moments. 

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Show Notes

  • 0:00 – 1:09:22: San Diego Comic Con Recap.
  • 1:09:23 – 1:18:10: INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER: Marvel Entertainment VS. Warner Bros.
  • 1:18:11 – 1:41:36: Top 5 San Diego Comic Con moments.

Links

Top 5 San Diego Comic Con Moments

Ali:

  1. Hanging out with cool geeks
  2. How to panels
  3. Stoopid Buddy Stoodios (Robot Chicken)
  4. Max Brooks's panel
  5. Geeky TSA agents 

Honorable Mentions:

  • Gender bending cosplay

  • Scifi plush toys

Episode 27: The State of Nintendo, Nintendo VS. Sony PlayStation, Top 5 Nintendo Products

Nintendo characters

"It's me, Mario!" From its humble origins as a playing card company to its decades of innovation, we discuss the history and future of Nintendo! How did Nintendo defeat Atari? Who is Shigeru Miyamoto and how did he influence the video game industry? Will the 3DS survive competition from Apple and Android's smartphones and tablets? Why did the Wii U launch fail? Will Mario Kart, Super Smash Bros., Kirby, Yoshi, Zelda, and Starfox return Nintendo to its glory? In the INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER, which company is here to stay – Nintendo or Sony PlayStation? We press start on our top 5 Nintendo products. Special guest, Nintendo superfan Moira Fogarty.

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Show Notes

  • 0:00 – 1:05:50: The state of Nintendo.
  • 1:05:51 – 1:21:10: INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER: Nintendo VS. Sony PlayStation.
  • 1:21:11 – 1:50:00: Top 5 Nintendo products.

Links

Top 5 Nintendo Products

Moira:

  1. Dr. Mario
  2. Wii Sports
  3. Chibi-Robo!
  4. Donkey Konga
  5. Paper Mario

Conrad: 

  1. Moira's Super Mario Bros. 8-bit quilt
  2. The Legend of Zelda
  3. Super Mario Bros.
  4. Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)
  5. Tetris

Ali:

  1. Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)
  2. Mario Kart
  3. Game Boy
  4. Nintendo 64
  5. Nintendo Power

Honorable Mentions:

  • Metroid Prime

  • PuzzleQuest 

  • WarioWare

  • Rayman Raving Rabbids

  • Game Boy

  • Wii
  • Nintendo Power Glove
  • R.O.B. (Robotic Operating Buddy)
  • Donkey Kong (arcade)
  • Super Mario Bros. (cartoon)

Episode 26: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Apes VS. Na'vi, Top 5 Post-Human Stories

Caesar in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

"Apes together strong!" Your favorite nerds explore the Planet of the Apes franchise! What are the ingredients of a great Apes film and why did Tim Burton's remake fail? Is Dawn of the Planet of the Apes a worthy successor to the surprisingly good Rise of the Planet of the Apes? What does the new film series say about conflict and peace? And what's the controversy about Andy Serkis, "digital makeup up", and motion capture animation? In the INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER, we debate the social commentary behind Apes versus Avatar's Na'vi. Expand your consciousness as we share our top 5 post-human stories. 

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Show Notes

  • 0:00 – 1:00:02: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.
  • 1:00:03 – 1:09:49: INFINITE CROSSOVER CHAMBER: Apes VS. Na'vi.
  • 1:09:50 – 1:41:48: Top 5 Post-Human Stories.

Links

Top 5 Post-Human Stories

Conrad: 

  1. Anvil of Stars (Greg Bear)
  2. Dune (Frank Herbert)
  3. I am Legend (Richard Matheson)
  4. Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams)
  5. Dark City (film)

Ali:

  1. Dune (Frank Herbert)
  2. The Time Machine (H. G. Wells)
  3. "Elementary, Dear Data" & "Ship in a Bottle" (Star Trek: The Next Generation)
  4. Gattaca (film)
  5. The World Without Us (Alan Weisman)

Honorable Mentions:

  • The Terminator
  • The Matrix
  • "Soldier" & "Demon witha Glass Hand" (The Outer Limits)
  • Old Man's War (John Scalzi)
  • Neuromancer (William Gibson)
  • Diaspora (Greg Egan)
  • Frankenstein (Mary Shelley)
  • Caprica (TV show)