School of Movies

Mass Effect 3

[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.

The Sound of Gonzo: Vol 5 [The Star Wars Trilogy]

[Digital Gonzo 2013]

Vol. 5 – James Batchelor [Star Wars]

VI: Fox Fanfare & Main Titles/Blockade Runner 
IV: Imperial Attack 
IV: The Dune Sea/The Jawa Sandcrawler 
IV: Cantina Band 
IV: Princess Leia's Theme 
IV: TIE Fighter Attack
V: The Battle of Hoth - Part 1 
V: The Asteroid Field 
V: Yoda's Theme 
V: The Clash of Lightsabers 
VI: Approaching the Death Star 
VI: The Pit of Carkoon/Sail Barge Assault 
VI: Luke and Leia 
VI: Emperor's Throne Room 
VI: Leia's News/Light of the Force 
IV: Throne Room and End Credits

This episode has been painstakingly remastered to sound better than when we initially released it in 2013.

The Sound of Gonzo: Vol. 4 [Lord of the Rings]

[Digital Gonzo 2012]

Vol. 4 - Chris Eason & Sharon Shaw [LOTR]

One Ring to Rule them All/The Shire/The Road Goes Ever On
Strider/Beren and Luthien
The Great Eye/The Fellowship
Gilraen’s Memorial/The Ring Goes South
Moria/The Bridge of Khazad Dum
The Departure of Boromir
Theoden King/The Funeral of Theodred
Sons of the Steward
The Host of the Eldar
Haldir’s Lament/Retreat
Theoden Rides Forth/The White Rider/Nature’s Reclamation
Eowyn’s Dream
The Battle of the Pelennor Fields
A Far Green Country
The Last Debate
Mount Doom/The Crack of Doom/The Eagles
Use Well the Days
Bilbo’s Song

This very special episode of The Sound of Gonzo has been painstakingly remastered to sound better than when we initially released it in 2012. 

The Return of the King

[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 Sharon and I at the end of all things are 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:

Chris Eason of GameBurst

Paul Gibson of Gonzo Planet

The Two Towers

[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 characterisation 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:

Chris Eason of GameBurst

Joshua Garrity of Cane and Rinse

 

The Fellowship of the Ring

[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. 

Then 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. 

Guest

Chris Eason of GameBurst

The Lord of the Rings Prologue

[Digital Gonzo 2012]

A lengthy discussion about Tolkein's books as a precursor to our movie discussions. 

In 2001 Peter Jackson, along with Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Richard Taylor, Tania Rodger, everybody at Weta Workshop and an astonishingly dedicated and talented cast and crew brought us the first of three (later to be six) movies covering the events in Middle Earth as told in the books of J.R.R Tolkien. These films had a profound effect on my life. They inspired me, transported me and made me sad that I couldn't be part of that production team. Everything I have done since then has been part of an ongoing effort to create something even one iota as special. Now the second trilogy is mere weeks away from starting and it's time to celebrate with some truly epic podcasts.

So we come to it at last, the Gonzo journey into these incredibly significant collaborative projects, masquerading as mere movies. In this episode we look at how this story has been told through other media. I've time-coded the different sections for ease of navigation.

00.00: Introduction/Timeline/Tolkien
00.13: Differences between Tolkien's books and the films.
01.26: The 1977 Hobbit Movie
01.44: The 1978 Lord of the Rings Movie
02.07: The 1980 Return of the King Movie
02.18: The 1981 Radio Play
02.38: The Video Games

It's a long and detailed episode and rabid fans of the book who were disappointed with the Peter Jackson films should probably steer clear. We don't pull our punches and there are some frankly hilarious moments of scorching criticism. You will also definitely find out new and interesting things and hear music both cringe-worthy and powerful. Joining us for the long haul is Chris Eason of GameBurst.

Guest:

Chris Eason of GameBurst

The Last Airbender

[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

Captain America: Civil War

[School of Movies 2016]

It's quickly jumped to the top of many a Marvel fans' favourites list. Combining the tone of Winter Soldier with the character lineup of Age of Ultron, this has been what people consider a worthy follow-up to the original 2012 Avengers Assemble. 

 

It was an almost impossible task: To more than adequately adapt a Marvel comics crossover of dozens of books, built on forty years of continuity, featuring dozens of characters into two and a half hours, featuring just one dozen characters and built on only eight years.

 

Not only have they succeeded, they managed to focus and update the sprawling text version, striking all the major points, kept the tone balanced between serious social commentary, nail-biting tension and riotous fun, delivered arguably the best superhero battle of all time, two AMAZING new heroes that left us slavering for their solo films, and somehow neither Iron Man nor Captain America were left overshadowed, but in fact came to new peaks of their long arcs in entirely natural fashion. 

Frankly, it's a masterpiece. 

Guests:

Joshua Garrity of Cane and Rinse

Jerome McIntosh of GameBurst

Guardians of the Galaxy

[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