satire

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Listen to Gobbledygeek Episode 464 – “West Side Story (2021)”

Ariana DeBose and David Alvarez in West Side Story (2021), directed by Steven Spielberg

Gobbledygeek episode 464, “West Side Story (2021),” is available for listening or download right here, on Spotify, and on Apple Podcasts.

Somethin’s comin’, somethin’ good: this week, Paul and Arlo pirouette through a discussion of Steven Spielberg’s new take on West Side Story, nominated for Best Picture at this year’s Oscars. Is it a spoiler to say they love it? The boys discuss how Spielberg and screenwriter Tony Kushner’s changes enrich the text, why choreographer Justin Peck’s bold choice to discard Jerome Robbins’ iconic choreography was the right move, what it means for the Sharks to be played by Latinx actors, and the joy of watching Spielberg treat every musical number like his and Janusz Kaminski’s playground. Plus, Taco Bell sends Arlo spiraling into an existential crisis, and the boys chat about this year’s other Best Picture nominees.

NEXT: Si Spurrier and Jeff Stokely’s Six-Gun Gorilla is locked and loaded for this month’s Four-Color Flashback.

BREAKDOWN

  • 00:00:53  –  Intro
  • 00:06:39  –  Interminable Oscars Discussion
  • 00:37:43  –  A Look Back to Episode 402
  • 00:47:04  –  West Side Story (2021)
  • 02:14:52  –  Outro / Next

LINKS

MUSIC

  • “Something’s Coming” by Ansel Elgort, West Side Story (2021 Motion Picture Soundtrack) (2021)
  • “Somewhere” by Rita Moreno, West Side Story (2021 Motion Picture Soundtrack) (2021)

GOBBLEDYCARES

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Listen to Gobbledygeek Episode 410 – “Geek Challenge: Puppet Master vs. Seed of Chucky”

Top: ‘Puppet Master’ (1989), directed by David Schmoeller
Bottom: Jennifer Tilly in ‘Seed of Chucky’ (2004), directed by Don Mancini

Gobbledygeek episode 410, “Geek Challenge: Puppet Master vs. Seed of Chucky,” is available for listening or download right here and on Apple Podcasts here.

They’ll tear you a new puppet hole, bitch! The worlds of Charles Band and Don Mancini collide in a pre-Gobbledyween Geek Challenge. Paul sends Arlo a psychic alert letting him know to watch 1989’s Puppet Master, the first of producer Band’s direct-to-VHS Full Moon Features and the source of approximately one trillion sequels. In turn, Arlo goes meta and has a doll voiced by him call Paul while the real Arlo is tied to a bed behind him, commanding Paul to watch 2004’s Seed of Chucky. Paul recounts the joy of watching Full Moon Features in his 20s, Arlo launches a full-throated defense of Mancini’s vision, and they are both just completely miserable. Plus, the boys have nothing but nice things to say about Taylor Swift’s Folklore.

Next: we’re off, then we’re not.

THE BREAKDOWN

Total Run Time: 01:49:34

  • 00:00:25  –  Intro / Banter
  • 00:16:56  –  Puppet Master
  • 01:03:15  –  Seed of Chucky
  • 01:45:00  –  Outro / Next

THE MUSIC

  • “Master of Puppets” by Metallica, Master of Puppets (1986)
  • “Doll Parts” by Hole, Live Through This (1994)

THE LINKS

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Listen to Gobbledygeek Episode 399 – “Disclaimer: Not a Criminal Act”

Jennifer Garner in Gary Winick’s ’13 Going on 30′ (2004). Her face upon realizing she has boobs has become humanity’s face upon awakening each morning.

Gobbledygeek episode 399, “Disclaimer: Not a Criminal Act,” is available for listening or download right here and on iTunes here.

FIRST THING’S FIRST: Paul obliquely confesses a past sin during this episode, it’s kind of a super tense moment, but Arlo has cleared off-mic that it was not a criminal act! So…do with that what you will! Elsewhere, the world is fucking ending, so you might as well watch The End of the Fucking World. Paul and Arlo muse on the collapse of civilization, discuss proper social distancing etiquette, and recommend things to watch and read as society dissolves. Some of those recommendations: The Hunt, now available on VOD since movie theaters have shuttered; comfy junk food movies like Yes Man and Ghosts of Girlfriends Past; Netflix’s I Am Not Okay with This; Hawkeye: Freefall by Matthew Rosenberg and Otto Schmidt; Matt Fraction and Steve Lieber’s uproarious Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen; and, of course, perennial classic Good Burger.

Next: Ten years. 400 episodes. It’s all led to this. It’s a shame we’re all dying.

THE BREAKDOWN

Total Run Time: 02:08:53

  • 00:00:46  –  Random thoughts on the end of the world
  • 00:59:30  –  Paul interrupts the flow to obliquely confess a past sin
  • 01:13:00  –  What to watch / read as we slowly go mad and die alone
  • 02:02:26  –  Outro / Next

THE MUSIC

  • “Doom Days” by Bastille, Doom Days (2019)
  • “Make Art Not Friends” by Sturgill Simpson, SOUND & FURY (2019)
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Listen to Gobbledygeek Episode 376 – “Four-Color Flashback: American Born Chinese (feat. Johny Ho)”

Art from ‘American Born Chinese’ by Gene Luen Yang & Lark Pien.

Gobbledygeek episode 376, “Four-Color Flashback: American Born Chinese (feat. Johny Ho),” is available for listening or download right here and on iTunes here.

For the next installment of this year’s non-superheroic Four-Color Flashback, Paul and Arlo are joined by their pal Johny Ho to discuss Gene Luen Yang’s American Born Chinese. While they’ve previously discussed Yang’s work on the Avatar: The Last Airbender comics, Paul and Arlo discover a whole new side of Yang in this semi-autobiographical novel; while Johny finds pieces of his experience reflected in the story of Jin Wang, an Asian kid enrolled in a Western school. The gang discusses Yang’s simple yet exciting artwork; Lark Pien’s vibrant colors; the horrifying stereotypes Yang spotlights; the meaning of the Monkey King’s journey; and more.

Next: game over. Sarah Kosheff rides in on her dragon to talk Game of Thrones’ final season.

(Show notes for “Four-Color Flashback: American Born Chinese.”)

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Listen to ‘Gobbledygeek’ Episode 329, “Black Mirror: Shattered Reflections (feat. Sarah Kosheff)”

Gobbledygeek episode 329, “Black Mirror: Shattered Reflections (feat. Sarah Kosheff),” is available for listening or download right here and on iTunes here.

Ladies and gentlemen, we are through the tweeting glass. First-time guest Sarah Kosheff joins Paul and Arlo to discuss Charlie Brooker’s sci-fi anthology series Black Mirror in general, and the new fourth season in particular. The gang discusses how the series explores the intersection of technology and society, if the “what if phones but too much” line of criticism is reductive, if the idea of a Black Mirror “shared universe” is in any way appealing, and more. Plus, Paul meets The Greatest Showman, Arlo and Sarah marvel at The Shape of Water, and Arlo finally puts Paul in his mouth.

Next: famed Briton Wesley “Wezzo” Mead stops by once again to discuss Chris Carter’s seminal sci-fi series The X-Files. This time, the gang will discuss season 7.

(Show notes for “Shattered Reflections.”)