The Sci-Fi Podcast – Episode 49: Annihilation and Black Panther

Welcome to The SciFi Podcast, a wretched hive of scum and villainy a bi-weekly podcast focused on in-depth discussion of all things science fiction. The SciFi Podcast features three hosts—Mattroid, Solo, and Station!—and frequent guests. Each episode we look at a science fiction theme or franchise and take the discussion where no show has gone before.

The entire planet has been shocked by Marvel’s Black Panther. From a cultural standpoint the film’s impact is clear and impressive. How does it far as a superhero movie? Station! and Mattroid discuss the film’s technical side before William joins them for a lengthy discussion on the cultural merits of the movie and more. Head to the comments section for your take.

Station! leaves Mattroid and William to chat about Annihilation–she hadn’t seen it yet–and the two get into a spoiler-heavy discussion of the film. A true hard-sci-fi thriller, Mattroid and William agree on much, disagree on some, and leave most of it up you, the listener and viewer, to determine for yourself. What are your thoughts on the movie? Let us know in the comments.

Theme music courtesy of i hear sirens, featuring Matt on bass and Liz on keyboard. Hear more of i hear sirens ethereal, instrumental, post-rock at BandCamp. Podcast production and artwork by Mattroid.

Annihilation rating:

Mattroid – 10 ( Black Panther – 7.5 )
William – 9.5

 

SHOW NOTES:

Mattroid references 2010 twice, and on both occasions he meant 2001; the implication changes when this correction is considered.

Find the Annihilation books for sale here.

The Sci-Fi Podcast – Episode 48: Chris Claremont’s X-Men

Welcome to The SciFi Podcast, a wretched hive of scum and villainy a bi-weekly podcast focused on in-depth discussion of all things science fiction. The SciFi Podcast features three hosts—Mattroid, Solo, and Station!—and frequent guests. Each episode we look at a science fiction theme or franchise and take the discussion where no show has gone before.

When we think of comics, the X-Men are up at the top of the list that comes to mind. We conjure images of a berserker Wolverine, Cyclops’ optic blast, a torrential Storm, and of course Jean Grey and the Phoenix. We think of these characters, and we thank Chris Claremont for bringing them to us as never before, and for creating some of the greatest superheroes since their inception.

With Chris Claremont’s X-Men we learn about the franchise and how Claremont came to spearhead a new direction for the team, taking the fabled mutants from whatever to nothing better. While the documentary might suffer from some unfortunate production issues, the material is wonderful. Check it out and let us know your thoughts in the comments section. There might even be a little give away…

Theme music courtesy of i hear sirens, featuring Matt on bass and Liz on keyboard. Hear more of i hear sirens ethereal, instrumental, post-rock at BandCamp. Podcast production by Mattroid; artwork by Eric Chung, altered by Mattroid.

Rating:

Mattroid – 5
Station! – 5


The Sci-Fi Podcast – Episode 47: Aliens: Zone of Silence and The Toys that Made Us: episode 1

Welcome to The SciFi Podcast, a wretched hive of scum and villainy a bi-weekly podcast focused on in-depth discussion of all things science fiction. The SciFi Podcast features three hosts—Mattroid, Solo, and Station!—and frequent guests. Each episode we look at a science fiction theme or franchise and take the discussion where no show has gone before.

Hello, everyone. Welcome to 2018. The Sci-Fi Podcast crew has been preparing the schedule for the year and decided to start with a film review request and a trip into the mighty world of nostalgia.

Remember to check the show notes for a link to friend of the podcast Yo, Joe! Depot. As always, tell us your thoughts in the comments section.

Theme music courtesy of i hear sirens, featuring Matt on bass and Liz on keyboard. Hear more of i hear sirens ethereal, instrumental, post-rock at BandCamp. Podcast production by Mattroid; artwork by Mattroid.

Ratings for Aliens: Zone of Silence

Mattroid – 2.5

William – 2.0

Station! – 4.5

SHOW NOTES:

Liz’s video, Tomato, Tomato, is unavailable at this time…which is too bad because the VHS is excellent.

Find Yo, Joe! and his amazing collection of vintage toys (which you can purchase!) here.

The Sci-Fi Podcast – Episode 46: Star Wars – The Last Jedi

Welcome to The SciFi Podcast, a wretched hive of scum and villainy a bi-weekly podcast focused on in-depth discussion of all things science fiction. The SciFi Podcast features three hosts—Mattroid, Solo, and Station!—and frequent guests. Each episode we look at a science fiction theme or franchise and take the discussion where no show has gone before.

Finally, December of 2017 arrived, and with it the most anticipated movie in the last two years; Star Wars: The Last Jedi. The dramatic continuation of The Force Awakens finds out heroes–both new and old–banding together to escape, and if possible, defeat the First Order once and for all.

How did this movie compare to it’s predecessors? Does Finn matter? WHO IS REY?! All these things and more are discussed in a lengthy and fantastic review and dissection of the film, by Mattroid, Solo, and friend of the podcast Nick Ricci. Station! was forced to sit this one out, once again caring for a baby, but her thoughts on TLJ will be heard in future episodes.

Theme music courtesy of i hear sirens, featuring Matt on bass and Liz on keyboard. Hear more of i hear sirens ethereal, instrumental, post-rock at BandCamp. Podcast production by Mattroid; artwork by Mattroid.

 

SHOW NOTES:

The Sci-Fi Podcast – Episode 45: The Best and Worst Sci-Fi Worlds

 

Welcome to The SciFi Podcasta wretched hive of scum and villainy a bi-weekly podcast focused on in-depth discussion of all things science fiction. The SciFi Podcast features three hosts—Mattroid, Solo, and Station!—and frequent guests. Each episode we look at a science fiction theme or franchise and take the discussion where no show has gone before.

Naboo! Riza! Madmax! One impressive element of sci-fi movies is the setting. Everything from stark, bleak post-apocalyptic Earth to lush and vibrant planets in distant galaxies, the environment and basic tenets of these worlds can inspire us to long for visiting or perhaps allowing us to find a great deal of gratitude for living in the real world instead of what horrors could be.

Is Star Wars really so ideal? Would Battlefield Earth be a worse place to find yourself than the Madmax universe? We want to hear your thoughts about these movies, so check the comments section and leave your own.

Theme music courtesy of i hear sirens, featuring Matt on bass and Liz on keyboard. Hear more of i hear sirens ethereal, instrumental, post-rock at BandCamp. Podcast production by William and Mattroid; artwork by Mattroid.

The Sci-Fi Podcast – Episode 43: Comic Con SLC 2017 with Matt Jacobson of USA Today

Welcome to The SciFi Podcasta wretched hive of scum and villainy a bi-weekly podcast focused on in-depth discussion of all things science fiction. The SciFi Podcast features three hosts—Mattroid, Solo, and Station!—and frequent guests. Each episode we look at a science fiction theme or franchise and take the discussion where no show has gone before.

In Salt Lake City, Comic Con is alive and well. Your crew from The Sci-Fi Podcast witnessed thousands of eager geeks prove to each other that there’s no place like a comic convention to take in the sights, sounds, and smells of America’s beloved nerd culture. Along the way, through the three-day event, we were fortunate enough to cross paths with the lovely and hilarious Matt Jacobson, who writes for The Spectrum and USA Today. We took the chance to interview him and ask a few sci-fi standard questions, and he most definitely did not let us down.

Have you been to a comic convention before? Do you read USA Today? Do you love Andy Warhol? There’s so much to discuss, and we want to hear your thoughts about these movies, so check the comments section and leave your own.

Theme music courtesy of i hear sirens, featuring Matt on bass and Liz on keyboard. Hear more of i hear sirens ethereal, instrumental, post-rock at BandCamp. Podcast production and artwork by Mattroid.

The Sci-Fi Podcast episode 42: It Came From Planet X! – Night of the Comet

Some movies are so strange, so bizarre, so ultimately excellent that they belong in their own pocket universe of The Sci-Fi Podcast, known as Planet X! Mattroid will be joined in each of these short episodes by a special guest and together they’ll discuss a relatively unknown movie and any number of related (and unrelated) tangents.

In this fantastically manic episode of It Came From Planet X, Mattroid and new best friend Joel Robertson (Jor-el) can’t keep their ducks in a row, chatter like spider-monkeys, rarely stay on topic (STAY ON TARGET!) and very well may even manage to discuss the 1984 gem, Night of the Comet, a work of brilliant fiction.

Have you seen it?
Do you like it?
Do you own it?
Don’t touch that dial, you teenage zombie freaks! Chat about the movie in the comments section.

 

You can hear more from Joel and his studious cohorts at Retro Movie Geek, and as always make sure to check out our friends and family at Movie Podcast Network.

Podcast production and artwork by Mattroid. Music provided by TMMC.

RATINGS:

Mattroid – 8/10

Joel – 10/10

 

 

 

The Sci-Fi Podcast: Episode 41 – Bad Earth: Part One

Welcome to The SciFi Podcasta wretched hive of scum and villainy a bi-weekly podcast focused on in-depth discussion of all things science fiction. The SciFi Podcast features four hosts—Mattroid, Solo, Brain, and Station!—and frequent guests. Each episode we look at a science fiction theme or franchise and take the discussion where no show has gone before.

Every now and then a terrible sci-fi movie comes out and stuns audiences for years; sometimes a sci-fi movie comes out and polarizes audiences, leaving some dumbfounded while others are awe-struck; sometimes these movies become cult-classics and other times they are buried at the bottom of the dollar-bin at your local superstore.

Here we’ve got movies that reflect on Earth in the distant future; how things may be different, may be the same, or may be kooky as hell with weird things going on for no apparent reason. There’s so much to discuss, and we want to hear your thoughts about these movies, so check the comments section and leave your own.

Theme music courtesy of i hear sirens, featuring Matt on bass and Liz on keyboard. Hear more of i hear sirens ethereal, instrumental, post-rock at BandCamp. Podcast production and artwork by Mattroid.

Host ratings and reviews for After Earth

Mattroid – 7

Station! – 6

William Solo Jr. – 7

Brain – 6.5

 

SHOW NOTES:

— Movie Podcast Weekly Ep. 036: Now You See Me (2013) and After Earth (2013)

https://moviepodcastweekly.com/movie-podcast-weekly-ep-036-now-you-see-me-2013-and-after-earth-2013/

— Movie Podcast Weekly Ep. 244: The Mummy (2017) and It Comes at Night (2017) and The Bottom 5 Worst Movie Titles Ever (Part 2 of 3)

https://moviepodcastweekly.com/movie-podcast-weekly-ep-244-the-mummy-2017-and-it-comes-at-night-2017-and-the-bottom-5-worst-movie-titles-ever-part-2-of-3/#more-5331

— Movie Podcast Weekly Ep. 246: Transformers: The Last Knight (2017) and Oh, Hello on Broadway (2017)

https://moviepodcastweekly.com/movie-podcast-weekly-ep-246-transformers-the-last-knight-2017-and-oh-hello-on-broadway-2017/

THE SCI-FI PODCAST EP 39: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2

Welcome to The SciFi Podcasta wretched hive of scum and villainy a bi-weekly podcast focused on in-depth discussion of all things science fiction. The SciFi Podcast features four hosts—Mattroid, Solo, Brain, and Station!—and frequent guests. Each episode we look at a science fiction theme or franchise and take the discussion where no show has gone before.

Ego’s are bruised and heroes are tested in the second move in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy. Your hosts at The Sci-Fi-Fi Podcast soar off into the black of space to search for signs of life in this movie. Do the Guardians get the job done? How cute is Groot? Is the music better than the first film’s? All these things and more, and we want to hear your thoughts, so check the comments section and leave your own.

Theme music courtesy of I Hear Sirens, featuring Matt on bass and Liz on keyboard. Hear more of I Hear Sirens ethereal, instrumental, post-rock at BandCamp. Podcast production and artwork by Mattroid.
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THE SCI-FI PODCAST EP 38: Alien Abduction Part 2 – Communion (1989) and Fire in the Sky (1993)

Have you ever wondered about the origins of the Alien Abduction sub-genre in cinema? Episode 116 of HORROR MOVIE PODCAST was Part 1 in a crossover with your loyal hosts here at The Sci-Fi Podcast. On that ep, the HMP hosts and special guest Mattroid, from TSFP, spent some time exploring the theme and reviewed the films Alien Abduction (2014) as well as Altered (2006). We capped off Part 1 with an excellent interview with filmmaker Eduardo Sanchez.

Part 2 of that series is now here! In this episode, HMP co-hosts Dr. Shock (known as Dave Bowman on TSFP) and Wolfman Josh (known as SpaceWolf on TSFP) join the crew of The Sci-Fi Podcast to review the creepy Communion (1989) and Fire in the Sky (1993).

Mattroid, now joined by the other TSFP co-hosts, continue the epic discussion of Alien Abduction, remembering classic movies in the genre, exploring the trope that is Alien Abduction, and utilizing our resident scientist–The Brain–as a sounding board for our hypotheses regarding the probability and plausibility of life OUT THERE and that life coming here. You also will not want to miss Station!’s hilarious review of Communion or the great discussion about Fire in the Sky.

To Probe, or Not To Probe? Let us know in the comments section.

Theme music courtesy of I Hear Sirens, featuring Matt on bass and Liz on keyboard. Hear more of I Hear Sirens ethereal, instrumental, post-rock at BandCamp. Podcast production by Mattroid. Artwork by SpaceWolf.

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