Jurassic World

Hey Podcastage, Logan here again with another movie review.

Grrr, Rawr and that clicking sound the raptors make, Im here for Jurassic World

In talking about this movie I will say it now, SPOILERS. Okay, years later in this universe, Jurassic Park is now Jurassic World, and people still love dinosaurs (who doesn't). But the park needs to grow and scientists still feel the need to play GOD.  They end up splicing together a bunch of dinosaurs into some new creation. This new monster dinosaur, known as Imperius Rex, escapes along with a bunch of other dinos and this is not good for the people trapped on the island. It means we have to say goodbye to a lot of the characters in this movie who hadn't been developed, which is a lot.

My first gripe of the film, lack of development in its characters. Vincent D'Onofrio is an over the top bad guy who wants to weaponize the raptors. Chris Pratt is a Kurt Russell-esque character in this movie and can get away with most of his cheesy lines. The rest of the cast suffers from either lack of screen time or weak dialogue. The kids are a prop for danger (even though everyone is in danger) and they don't get to shine as kids in this place. The big bad militant villain is more justified than Hugh Jackman in Chappie, but it still seems a bit ridiculous. I was just let down by the lack of character development.

Alright enough of the bad. Jurassic World is a spectacle. Much like the youngest kid in the film I was stunned at how the dinosaurs looked and how it felt like a real park. I wanted to be there until the whole shit hitting the fan part. Also, the acting is good even with weak dialogue. Everyone does a great job. Jake Johnson and Lauren Lapkus are funny, and Bryce Dallas Howard was stiff at the beginning but still nails it by the end.

I had a fun time watching this movie. It's a great popcorn flick on the surface and a slight jab at the current climate of the movie industry today. Bandrew mentioned it on episode 56 of Podcastage, but Ill summarize it again. The director, Colin Trevorrow, recently spoke about working on this film.  It turns out that Jurassic World was almost Jurassic Park 4. There were many versions and rewrites, and yes, one version included humanoid dinos and Raptors with laser beams. Okay, so Colin Trevorrow decides to work on the film and makes it a reflection of how "we" make movies. We reboot and turn everything up to 11 when it comes to sequels. This is reflected in the film by making a park that is bigger, and making dinosaurs that are bigger, with more teeth (they mention that in the movie). Over all, Jurassic World does a great job at being fun and winking to those who notice.

Chris Pratt + Dinosaurs fighting = really good time!

I give it, 8 Velociraptors on a T-rex Back out of 10.

5 Tips For Great Podcast Quality

Hey everyone. This month I have an amazing guest blogger. His name is Remi Lavictoire, and he is the host of The Sci-Fi Movie Podcast, and he's absolutely brilliant. Before we get into it, I will request that you do yourself a favor. Once you finish soaking up the wealth of knowledge that Remi has provided us, go check out his podcast and follow him on twitter. Alright, enjoy.

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Radio and Television have the benefit of decades to establish standards and best practices for sound quality.  Many Podcasters have limited experience with audio standards.  Fortunately, we have more tools and knowledge than ever, and with a bit of effort, we can make great audio that will keep our listener coming back for more.

Here are 5 tips to make your Podcast sound great!

1. Subscribe and listen to your own Podcast

I’m always amazed when Podcasters don’t listen to their finished Podcast. What’s wrong? Don’t have time? Don’t like the sound of your voice? Too bad, suck it up. You’re a broadcaster now, and that means you need to know exactly what your audio sounds like when it reaches your audience.

Once I’ve published an episode of The Sci-Fi Movie Podcast, I check the Apple Podcast App and PocketCasts to ensure it download correctly. Then I listen to the whole show on the little iPhone speaker. Why? To make sure the file plays properly, the levels are good, the show notes look ok, and I uploaded the correct file (Yep, I’ve uploaded the wrong file before)

2. Listen to your Podcast like a Listener

One of the advantages to Podcasting is the ability to listen anywhere. In the car, at the Gym, on a run, at work, on a plane, wherever you go, your favorite Podcasts come with you.

Since you’re a regular listener of your own Podcast, try listening in different environments that will be popular with your audience. Typically, we listen on a computer, smart phone or tablet, or in the car. We can also use Earbuds, Headphones or the car stereo.  Each of these environments can highlight your audio quality or point out the flaws.

Here’s an example: I listen to a Podcast based on a TV show, and when I listen on my iPhone speaker, it sounds fine.  If I play that same Podcast through my BlueTooth car deck, the woofers pick up and amplify the plosives (Popping P’s) from one of the hosts.  I had to turn off the episode in the car because one host was popping p’s constantly.

So, how do you know your listener enjoys your Podcast?  You’ll ask them, and that’s our next tip.

3. Ask your listener what they want

Back in my Radio days, one of the points my Program Directors kept drilling into my head was, ‘Think about your listener’.  And now I can hear you say, ‘But wait, this is my Podcast and I can do anything I want, right?

Sure you can, to a certain extent.

The key here is finding a balance between the fun you have creating a podcast, and considering your audience. I love talking about Sci-Fi Movies, and I’m blessed to have Ian Fults and Jonathan as my co-hosts.  We can sit around for hours talking about movies, but does our listener want 2 hour podcasts?  Our polling says no. Good thing too, because editing a 2 hour Podcast would be brutal.  We asked our audience how long a show they would like, and they indicated 45 minutes to an hour would be very nice.  Now, we structure our Podcast to run about an hour.  That means we don’t always include all the content we have, but we get in the best stuff we in that time frame.

Think about the questions you’d like to ask your audience and conduct regular polls to get feedback. Facebook and Google Plus both have polling functions, so you can ask quick questions like:

• Do you listen on an iPhone or Android

• How many episodes of The Sci-Fi Movie Podcast would you like to hear per week?

• What is the ideal podcast length?

  • 30 Minutes

  • 60 Minutes

  • 90 Minutes

  • 12 Hours

Drop a quick question into your Social Media once every few weeks and make it something your listener can answer in under 10 seconds.  That’ll give you valuable insight into what your listener likes about your show and would like more of in the future.

Invite your listener to email you with feedback and ideas for future Podcast. These are your listeners, take their feedback, thank them, and make them part of your Podcast.

4. Make your audio the best it can be

Now, more than ever, broadcasting is becoming more democratized.  Podcasting allows everyone to become a broadcaster, and that’s a great thing. Couple this with affordable microphones, mixers and audio editing software, just about anyone can start a podcast.

Photo By: Sophie Gamand

And, that’s where things get a bit tricky.  With all these options, we find a myriad of styles and techniques for creating audio, some quite good, and some that would scare the hair off a dog.

How do you make Podcast audio that will keep your listener coming back every show?

Record the best quality audio you can with the equipment you have.

Every Podcaster has their own constraints, and it’s usually time or money. If you’re constrained by money, you might have to choose less expensive gear. But that’s ok, you can make great sounding audio on a limited budget. The key here is to do the best you can with what you’ve got.  If the room you’re recording in has a lot of echo and sound reflection, try putting up a blanket around your microphone, or record in a closet. Your wardrobe will serve double duty and a sound dampener.

We always record in .wav format, and I mix the multi track with .wav until the very last step where I export  to a 96Kbps mono file.  Yep, working with .wav is a bit cumbersome, especially when moving them around with Dropbox, but it’s the highest quality, and there’s no loss of information in the file, like there would be in an .mp3 file.  

Got a persistent hum in your audio?  Record 10 seconds of room noise (no talking) and use Audacity or Adobe Audition to remove that hum from the entire track.

There’s a school of thought that says ‘take it out in post’, and while that can work, removing room noise can also remove voice frequencies too, and that’s not great.

I prefer to create the conditions where I can get the best quality audio and rely less on post processing.  I’ll close the windows, draw the curtains, unplug the fridge (and I diligently set my phone to remind me in 2 hours to plug it back in!)

When we’re recording The Sci-Fi Movie Podcast, I have a reminder in the show notes to ‘ask Jonathan about the cat’.  See, his cat wears a bell, and in earlier episodes, you can hear an occasion bell tinkling in the background.  It drove me nuts because I didn’t notice it until I was editing the mixed down file, so I didn’t know whose audio track the bell was on.  

But, I tangent….

And my last tip…

5. Learn from the Podcasting Professionals

Even though Podcasting is a relatively new medium, there are seasoned experts who can help you learn valuable skills and much of the content is free.  On Facebook, you’ll find several Podcasting groups where you can ask questions of the more experienced Podcasters, Cliff Ravenscraft and Pat Flynn have free Podcasting tutorials on YouTube with excellent information.  Also, seek out Dave Jackson from The School Of Podcasting and Daniel J. Lewis at The Audacity To Podcast. They’re super smart, love to help others and can save you hours of struggle.  

Happy Podcasting!

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Remi Lavictoire is the Creator/Co-Host of The Sci-Fi Movie Podcast, which you can find at:

http://sci-fimoviepodcast.com/
Twitter: @RemiLavictoire

Podcastage Ep. 56: A Polar Bear Named Bob

Yeah! You read that right. The title of this episode is called "A Polar Bear Named Bob". I know I don't need to say anything else to sell you on this episode, but I'm going to anyways. On this Ep, Bandrew discusses a single persons twitter account and how detrimental it is to create an echo chamber of your own thoughts. He also shares a fun story about a haircut and discusses Jurassic World in a bit too much depth. Then there's a bit of questions that are answered and a new shitwittery! CHECK IT OUT!

Giant Squid Lavalier Mic Test

Okay. I'm back with another tech review / test for you guys and gals. This time it's something that will boost your video's quality so much that I can't even explain it. I'm talking about an easy fix. The Giant Squid Omni-Directional Lav Mic.

This thing has a huge frequency response from 20-20,000 Hz, so it doesn't sound tinny, or cheap. It is also an 1/8" or 3.5mm plug, so you can plug this guy directly into your computers mic input without needing an audio interface! I should note that it does require a minimal amount of power to function. Your computer input does offer this, but if you're using an interface or portable recorder, make sure it can support this. I used my Zoom h2n and was getting no audio and then turned on the line power and it worked like a charm.

It is also a 5 foot cable, so keep that in mind when you buy it. Know what you're going to use it for. I guess that's all I can say about it, other than the fact that it's only $50, and that's not a whole lot of cash to make your youtube videos reviewing Keeping with the Kardashians seem professional. Just watch the video and hear for your self.

Buy it on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1SZjC1P

Podcastage Ep. 55: Five Hundred Pound Monster

Hey Everyone. Another episode of podacstage is live. On today's Sunday morning Quarter Hour Podcastage Salvation Hour, I cover a lot of topics. First off, people raging at me when I'm trying to accomplish stuff. Then I kind of discuss Ready Player One, also I discuss Gay Marriage! There's a lot of ground that I cover in this episode, so enjoy, and let me know what you think in the comments below.

Ascension

You guessed it. It's Friday, and that means it's time for another installment of Friday Night Action Move Bookclub. This week, I'm telling you about Ascension...a TV show.

SyFy has done it again. Made a show that we absolutely love. Then cancelled it. Good work by the execs there. They clearly don't understand the landscape of media consumption now-a-days. The SyFy fan base has cut the cord and no longer has cable, so they need to focus on creating original content to be distributed digitally!

Anyways, lets get into the show/miniseries. This miniseries follows a crew of civilians that are on an interstellar trip to our nearest star Alpha Centauri. We start following their story 50 years into this journey, during the 2nd/3rd generations life. All I can say without giving anything away is that there are twists, murders, and everything you want to see happen in a confined space...just like Battlestar Galactica...and speaking of BSG. This show has Tricia Helfer! Are you sold yet? Maybe not, but blame that on my sales tactics and not on the show.

Let me try to sell you on it again. The story is good, the few FX that there are, look great, and the acting is good. This is not your typical SyFy show with horrible graphics, horrible acting, and a horrible story. This is the exact opposite. Do you remember how SyFy released BSG as a mini-series and it did so well that they turned it into one of the greatest television series ever created? Well, maybe we can do that with this mini-series. One last piece of advice and I'll let you go. Watch through the first episode all the way. I'm pretty sure you're going to love it. Now go forth and enjoy.

Note: You can watch it on Netflix.

Podcastage Ep. 54: Tickle Fight

Episode 54 is out and a very inquisitive and young guest stops by at the very beginning of the episode. I do discuss the lack of guests on the podcast and the future of guests on podcastage. I also use Emilia Clarke to help play out a scenario of how this podcast will affect my relationships in the future. Of course there is some rage as well because what would a podcastage episode without rage be!? Enjoy, and share it around!

Zoom h2n Review / Test

This week I decided to review my Zoom h2n. This is one of the most powerful and cheapest ways to get into podcasting, and have great sound quality at the same time. This thing runs $160 for just the recorder, or $200 for the recorder and the accessories pack (which I HIGHLY recommend). I guess I should tell you why I think it's a great podcasting device.

First, it is one of the easiest devices I have ever used. I took it out of the box. Put in the batteries. Put in the SD card. Turned it on and hit record and I was going. That's a huge benefit if you're podcasting, you want to be able to record quickly so you don't miss any amazing conversations. It also want to point out that this thing is portable. With the accessory pack, they provide a nice case that you can just throw in your bag and be good to go just about anywhere.

Second, this thing is versatile. It has 5 mic capsules inside that allow you to capture a lot of stuff in the exact way you want to. Let me explain. It has a a 90-degree XY microphone on one side and a Midside microphone on the other side. The 90-degree XY set up is fairly self explanatory and you can't alter it at all. The Midside is the cool one. It has a mic that points forward, and a mic point 90 degrees on either side. So it's depth of field is about 150-degrees. Now the cool part. As a podcaster, you may not want to pick up all the room noise. You are able to change the depth of field of the mid side microphone all the way down to the point where it's a Mono mic, which is perfect for podcasting.

Third, Surround Sound! Both mics sound great by themselves, and they each serve their own purpose, but you can actually join them together and get an omni-directional (almost 360-degree) microphone! This is perfect for podcasters who don't have the budget to buy a bunch of microphones or an interface that supports lots of microphones! It allows you to put the mic in the middle of the table, have a conversation with your guest and you're good to go!

Another purpose that I think this setting is great for is backing up your podcasts. If you record lots of guests, or record on your laptop, or anything, I know you've run into an issue with recording where you realized that you had not been recording. This is a great solution. Put on the surround sound mode, set it in the middle of the table, and hit record. This means if your primary recording device fails, you will still have a record of your podcast!

There are a few other features and tests that I discuss in the video that you should check out. But I highly recommend this to podcasters who are looking for a great primary rig, or a backup rig!

Buy it on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1FxyECc

Podcastage Ep. 53: The Worst Action Movie

Hey Yo! What's good!? Well episode 53 is out now and this is another long one. By creating outlines prior to podcasting, I have successfully doubled the length of the podcast, simply because I don't forget half the stuff I was going to talk about. I don't know if an hour of me a week is too much for you, but I hope not. I feel like they are getting better with each episode.

Anyways, this episode, I talk about dance clubs and the absurdity of a single action, dog abuse (sort of), ebola, and a lot of other stuff. I hope you enjoy the episode, and don't forget to rate, review and subscribe in iTunes. Here's a link to iTunes!

Cube

There are only a few films that are written well enough to take place in a single setting, or a single room. The first one that comes to mind is 12 Angry Men, an instant classic, but that's not the film I'm talking about today. I'm talking about Cube. Another instant classic, but one that has gone unnoticed by many. 

I have to admit, I hadn't given thought to this film in years, until I saw a poll on The Sci-Fi Movie Podcast website that contained this title. I quickly went to iTunes and bought Cube as well as Cube 2: Hypercube.

The story is fairly simple. Six strangers wake up in a strange cube. They have to find out why they were put in, how to get out, and how to survive. As I said, it is simple, but you become invested in it immediately. There are a couple issues that I have with this film.

1. A couple times in the film, they use a camera shake effect that is reminiscent of Star Trek. It's goofy, but it is a small portion of the film, and keep in mind, the budget was only $400K.
2. The acting is nothing amazing that you're going to write home about. However, the fact that I am still able to watch this movie and enjoy it speaks to the great and original premise.

Another thing to keep in mind, this film was made in 1997 and has been ripped off quite a bit, so just remember that this came before Saw. OKAY!? Now, please go watch this film, and if you're feeling crazy, watch Cube 2: Hypercube because there is some really cool physics talk in there!

Buy it on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1StwNb4

Podcastage Ep. 52: Left Behind without Kirk Cameron

Alright Y'all! Episode 52 is up and is live! On this episode, I discuss an overlap of material that I share with @midnight, I talk about something that blew my mind while I was visiting Los Alamos, and then I discuss in a very angry and uninformed way the underlying message of the Left Behind film starring Nicholas Cage. I then go into a diatribe about 12 Years a Slave. It was difficult to articulate myself because I was so angry for half the podcast but I think I got the point across well enough. Anyways, don't forget to subscribe, and rate & review in iTunes. Also, please click on Support in the menu, and then click on the amazon link before you go shopping! 

Tonor USB Clear Digital Sound SF-922B Mic Review / Test

I'm back with another Mic review/test for you guys. This week I tested out the Tonor USB Clear Digital Sound SF-922B Microphone. The pro's of this microphone are the ease of use and the cost. This thing is literally a plug and play device (but so are a lot of other USB mics). That means you can order it, get it in the mail, plug it in and start making a podcast or skyping...for $23! That's right. Twenty three dollars. But that brings me to the cons.

This microphone is made of plastic and it feels like if I squeeze it to hard it will break. It also misses out on a lot of frequencies. It only captures 100Hz - 16kHz. Most higher end mics will pick up 50Hz-20kHz. This means you lose out on a bit of the audio quality and your recordings won't sound as full. However, with the low end cut out, it removes a lot of trouble frequencies and makes the audio a lot easier to work with. It's really up to you if you want to save a few minutes, or save your audio quality. Another downside with using USB microphones is the fact that you can only use one at a time. So if you wanted to buy a few of these, you would need to have multiple computers to record into, and that can lead to syncing issues, and it's just a headache. Basically, I don't recommend doing that if you can avoid it.

In all honesty, the mic doesn't sound that bad for $23. It's sold as a microphone for Skype, but it could definitely work for a podcast if you have a minimal budget. You won't stick out as having terribly professional audio, but it does sound better than an internal mic on a computer. 

Buy it on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1QumDt7

Podcastage Ep. 51: The YouTube Generation

Episode 51 is live and it is another long one. I swear that one day I will get this figured out. On this episode I discuss masterbation (Of course! Why wouldn't I). Then I talk about my experience with advertising, as well as the fact that viral video children will be the end of us. I tell you two TV shows you have to check out. OH! And there's a new format for Shitwittery. This week's theme is Ruin A Sci-Fi Film or Book. Tweet your shitwittery and don't forget to hashtag it #Shitwittery to be on next Sunday's episode! Enjoy!

5 Steps to Start Your Podcast

If you are reading this, that means that you want to start a podcast. This blog post will help you learn the steps to making that happen. 

1. Have an idea
This may seem like an idiotic step to include, but it is the most important step. You need to have an idea of what you're going to discuss on your podcast before you start recording. This is important because if you're not passionate about what you're talking about, your potential listener will move on to a different podcast that is exciting and engaging. You have to remember that there are probably hundreds of podcasts covering a similar topic to you, so you need to hook them in by making them excited about your topics. 

Photo by: Dmitri von Klein

2. Get the gear
Many people will go look at podcast studios online like Earwolf, or Marc Maron's Garage, and see an SM7B, which is a $350 mic, and get discouraged. Let me tell you that you don't need to spend $350 on a mic to sound good. There are plenty of cheap alternatives. Here are a couple options:

- Audio Technica AT-2020USB ($149)
- Shure SM58 ($110 including cable)
- Zoom iQ6 ($100)
- Audio Technica AT-2500USB ($70)
- Blue Snowball ($43)
- Your iPhone ($0)

Another important aspect is your actual recording device. Rather than picking up a desktop audio interface, I recommend a portable recorder. This affords you the ability to just throw a recorder in your bag and go to record your podcast rather than having to spend an hour setting up a computer, and interface, and blah blah blah. There are 2 different recorders I will mention from my favorite portable recorder company.

Zoom h2n ($160)

If you're looking for simple, this is the way to go. An interface and a mic all in one. You can set this down in the middle of the table and record a table full of people. The coolest thing about this device is it's ability to record in 3 different polar patterns 90-degree X/Y, Mid-Side, or Surround. That means you don't need multiple microphones to pick up an entire room, this will do it all for you at only $160!

Here's an image of Chris Hardwick recording The Nerdist Podcast, using the Zoom h6 to record 3 Shure SM58's direct. Then he is using the Zoom h4n as an audio back up in case anything goes wrong with the h6

Photo from: WSJ.com

Zoom h6 ($400)

This device is what I currently use and it is one of the most useful pieces of audio equipment I have ever purchased. The reason I recommend this, is that it implements an interchangeable capsule feature that allows you to use an X/Y mic, MidSide Mic, Shotgun Mic, or the coolest one in my opinion, a 2 XLR expansion capsule. This means you can record up to 6 XLR inputs on individual channels allowing you to mix in your DAW later. Another AMAZING feature that made me ditch my desktop audio interface is that this thing can act as an audio interface so you can record directly into your DAW! To put it simply, this thing does everything you can ever need, and it sounds great! 

3. Hosting your podcast

There are plenty of options for hosting your podcast. When I first started a podcast, I bought a domain, and had to figure out how to develop an RSS feed and all that nonsense. For my current podcast, I found out about Libsyn. This service will cost you as low as $5/month and you can host your podcast there, and they develop the RSS feed for you. So this part is a no brainer. Sign up for Libsyn. Upload your first episode. And you're ready for the next step.

4. Submit to iTunes

Before you get to iTunes, make sure you have artwork (at least 1400px by 1400px). Also get the best art that you can with your budget. Pay someone if you have to because this is the first impression anyone will have of your podcast and it needs to catch their eyes! Now that you have your SUPER TIGHT artwork, grab the url for your rss feed (for example, mine is http://podcastage.libsyn.com/rss) and head to the iTunes store.

Step 1. Go to the podcast portion of the iTunes store.
Step 2. Select submit podcast
Step 3. Paste your RSS Feed
Step 4. Hit continue
Step 5. Wait for iTunes to approve it

This part can take a few days. When filling out all the information on Libsyn about your podcast, make sure you label everything correctly. Mainly, if you swear, mark it explicit. This will speed up the process for iTunes and minimize your chances of getting rejected.

5. Social networking your podcast

Don't forget to set up your twitter, facebook, youtube, and whatever sites you plan on using to promote your podcast. This is so you can share information with your listeners in between episodes. Don't forget to get them involved in your podcast (i.e. ask them to provide questions, for feedback, for reviews in iTunes, etc.).

That's all the steps to get your podcast up and running. A few additional pieces of advice. Don't be afraid of recording a bunch of practice episodes by yourself to get comfortable on the microphone. 

If you have any questions about the process, don't hesitate to leave a comment on here, and I will revise the article to include an answer to your question. Let's make this a living article that we can expand on and grow to help new podcasters get a better idea of what it takes to start a podcast.

MAD MAX: Fury Road

Hey Everyone, Bandrew Here. This week we have a guest Friday Night Action Movie Book Club blogger who joins us from The Paper Robots. Per his request, I have included a copy of the Friday Night Action Movie Book Club Theme Song so you can listen to it, and get in the mood to learn about a film that he thinks is TIGHT! Now I will pass it over to Logan.

This weeks  Friday Night Action Movie Bookclub is a new release by the name of Mad Max: Fury Road. This is a sequel/reboot? of the 1980s classic Mad Max(1979), I think it takes place after Road Warrior, but that isn't relevant. What is relevant is the production behind the film.

George Miller the director of the original trilogy came back with Fury Road and re-envisions the Mad Max world with the power of today's production value and budget. George Miller might be as crazy and awesome as the movie is on screen. I say this because Fury Road uses a lot of practical effects. The vehicles and weapon (yes guitar flamethrower) all function. Secondly he gave the actors a bare bones script and storyboards to base the scenes on. This lead to minimal dialogue but in my opinion it works perfectly for the action movie. The film runs 2 hours and about 70% is high octane car chase action.

Let me back up and say that the world of Mad Max is a near future wasteland where food/water/supplies are all scarce second some people have been infected by radiation and need regular human blood to survive. Thirdly everything is metal and dirty. The world is run by 3 brothers who control the water, guns and supplies. The main villain also has these sister wives that are basical a baby farm to produce a healthy male lineage. Max (Tom Hardy) is more like a dog fighting to survive the wasteland and gets wrapped into Furiosa's (Charlize Theron) plan to save the woman and bring them to a "promise land" of green. 

Now you know the plot and it seems to be full of action movie cliche but it play much more than that, the plot is simple, save the people from the evil guys by running to some better place, right? Well yes but it also has a female lead and Max as her companion Furiosa is a badass with an awesome big rig truck. The plot quickly doesn't matter once you are swept into the action. Note that the film goes to a higher frame rate during these sequences and it adds to the style of the film as a whole.

I can't say much about what I didn't enjoy, there's little talking, and little room for bullshit. You just sit in your seat and watch wasteland warriors fight each to keep control of what little is left in the world. The heroine wants a better world in a place that only wants to survive and that is a compelling enough reason to watch this film.You don't need unique concept but instead a unique take on the concept and Mad Max delivers.

Podcastage Ep. 50: Can't Stop Saying It. Won't Stop Saying It.

In the words of Stuart from Mad Tv... "Look what I can do! I can quit drinking, start a podcast and get to episode 50!" Personally, I think that it's rather erie how well that quote fits this current scenario! But hey! We finally did it! It's an episode I never thought I would reach, but with your support, I was able to do it!

I won't waste your time with a bunch of nonsense, but I wanted to honestly say thank you so much for supporting me these last six months. This podcast has turned into more than I could have hoped for and it has changed my life for the better. I am much more mentally healthy and actually have a healthy outlet that doesn't involve burying my issues in a bottle. So thank you all so much. Get ready for 50 more!

Pelican 0915 SD Card Case Review / Recommendation

One thing I have noticed is that the majority of podcasters don't carry extra SD cards with them. I don't know if they don't think they'll need it, or they just hadn't thought of it. Well I am here to tell you to buy as many SD cards as you can carry. Or at least a few extras. 

This week I'm not necessarily reviewing, but just recommending this case...or any case for that matter. Just get an SD card case and a few back up SD cards and take them with you whenever you are recording! This is just the case I landed on because it can hold up to 24 cards. 12 SD cards, 6 mini-SD cards, and 6 micro-SD cards. It fits all the SD storage I could need and it protects the cards when I throw them in my bag and have to go out and record away from my DAW. Buy a case. Buy extra cards. I won't say it again! You'll thank me later.

Pelican 0915 SD Card Case: http://amzn.to/1KY8kte
ScanDisk Ultra 32gb Micro SD Card: http://amzn.to/1KY8eBK

Unneeded Movie Reviews - Predator (1987)

I’M BACK! Hey podcastage, Pete here with an unneeded and unwarranted review of a movie that came out 28 years ago. It’s called Predator, and it’s good. So good that Bandrew and I watched it twice in a row. Not like two nights in a row, or two movie nights in a row, this was literally dead to rights 2 times in a row. The credits rolled and we were so stoked and pumped we started it back up immediately and gave each other high fives. I also remember wearing a really loud obnoxious neon t shirt, but we’ll try to forget that.

Let me start this review with my score of the movie – 0 AHHNOLDS out of 10.

Why so low? Because Predator isn’t a movie, this is an experience. An experience on the level of your first kiss, when you have a child born, or when you have a really good sandwich. This could quite literally be a watershed moment in your life. Predator is one of the greatest things that will ever happen to you.

Why so awesome? Great question. First off just take a look at the IMDB page for this movie. Let me quote what has to be the best main plot keywords of any movie: “Jungle; Severed Arm; Death of Friend”. That alone answers the awesome question.

Predator is a great example of Arnold’s golden years of action movies. He spouts one liners at a rate that makes no sense. He hangs out in a really non-sexual/really sexual way with a bunch of totally yoked bros. Arnold and Carl Weathers high five with such power and ferocity I actually checked the USGS earthquake log for the summer of ’87 just to see if there was some unfounded 8.0 Richter scale earthquake. Also fun fact, a lot of guys in this movie became state governors after making this movie.

Ridiculousness aside, this is a pretty great man vs. beast flick (I mean experience). John McTiernan, the lens flare maestro (also dude who did Die Hard), did a superb job with pacing and letting the badasses just be badasses without a whole lot of filler, or story. Once the Predator gets the involved, everyone dies (sans Arnold) and next thing you know Arnold is covered in mud punching the Predator in the face. I’m not a film study major so give me a break if I’m not good at talking about the finer points of film criticism.

Really do yourself a favor and go rent this movie now! You’ll have fun, and all your dreams will come true. Predator is the standard to which all action movies are held to, and you are also held to that standard. Yell words down below if you want to. Have a great week!

-Pete

Podcastage Ep. 49: What a Disappointment

Episode 49 is live now! This is the final episode before the monumental episode 50 that we never thought we would reach. Bandrew covers quite a few topics, from an upcoming podcast he's excited about, to a disappointing trip, to a movie he saw, to a movie idea, to how he needs to live the next 30 years of his life. Enjoy the episode, and don't forget to rate review and subscribe in iTunes (just click the black bar at the top of the screen)!

Filmage: The Story of Descendents/All

The title of this weeks Friday Night Action Movie Bookclub may seem familiar to you. If it does, it's because I named my podcast after this band. Descendents is one of my favorite bands, and has been from the first time I heard them in middle school. I somehow came across their album Everything Sucks and my mind was blown. I found myself asking "how can these songs be so catchy yet so technical at the same time?" This is a question I had asked myself only a year earlier about 'Rush'...right before a kid hit me in the stomach and called me an queer for liking Rush. I stopped listening to Rush because my stomach hurt, but in turn I found Descendents. Years later I have rediscovered Rush, and I have avoided getting punched in the gut for my musical taste by anyone except my ex. But I digress...

All I can say about this film is that if you like pop punk and have not listened to the Descendents, or you know nothing about them, you HAVE to watch this film. It takes you through the entire history of this band and how they shaped the genre that allowed bands like Green Day & Blink 182 to get famous. The impact that this band had on the entire punk scene is simply jaw dropping.

What's more amazing that what this band has done is what the individual members of the band have gone through and accomplished. I won't ruin anything because the narrative in this doc is beautiful, but I will give you one teaser. Their singer Milo, quit the band in the 80's to go become a scientist. Then came back and started recording and touring again. Now, Milo Aukerman (not related to Scott Aukerman. I know because I embarassingly brought it up to him and he told me that I was a stupid idiot for thinking they could possibly have any relation, and then he slapped me) is a Doctor of Biology and sings in a punk rock band and works for DuPont. This band were the first group that made it okay, or and dare I say it, cool to be a nerd. 

If you still need me to sell you on this film, I will steal a quote from a gentleman from pennywise..."This is the best rocumentary I have ever seen". And that's the truth! That's all I can say about it! Go watch it now! NOW! Watch it ALL...NO! ALL! (I hope someone got this reference),

Buy it on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1GaMoIb