Category Archives: Animation

The LEGO Movie

Posted on by Leave a comment
AKOP-lego

Podcast: Play in new window | Embed

Today we’re talking about The LEGO Movie! Andrew returns to chat with Earl about the animated film, dish out their impressions, and talk about their own experiences with the long-running toy franchise. They also bring up terrible LEGO sets, collecting, the “believing in yourself” epidemic, and seeing knock-off brands’ commercials before the screening. (Some noted spoilers.)

Guests:
Andrew Lawrence – “Everything is Lawesome”

Supplementary notes:
Clone High Opening
‘Lego Movie’ Production B Roll
You Can Do Anything: Must Every Kids’ Movie Reinforce the Cult of Self-Esteem?
The LEGO® Story
​The 16 Most Awful Lego Sets Ever Assembled

Audio notes: (1hr. 1min. runtime)
0:00:50 – Initial thoughts, experiences with LEGO, and the movie
0:15:15 – Animation, orange chainsaw & laser pieces, “believing in yourself”, and licensing
0:27:00 – (Spoilers here.) Differing views on LEGO building, custom sets, and being creative
0:35:50 – Attention to detail, The LEGO Story, and classifying it as a kids’ movie
0:47:05 – General LEGO talk, Modulars, awful LEGO sets, knock-offs, and disappointments

Theme: Coconut Robot2 (James Pants) / CC BY 3.0
Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes!
Follow us (@AKOPPodcast) or email us at akop@phillerworks.com!

Final Fantasy

Posted on by Leave a comment
AKOP-FF

Podcast: Play in new window | Embed

This week we’re talking about the Final Fantasy series! With FFXIV in full swing, and Lightning Returns now released, Earl brings in Brent and Tony to talk about the long-running game series, with Stephen jumping on-board a little later. They talk about Tony’s involvement with the Official Strategy Guide, Brent’s impression of the updated MMO, among a ton of other things. They also end up talking about the ridiculous names for titles, and offer Square-Enix some spin-off game ideas. (Very light spoilers, or some so old they don’t matter anymore.)

Guests:
Brent Peckham – “Brently Default”
Tony Gao – “Unredacted: Gao’s Fortune”
Stephen Hanek – “The Late of Us”

Supplementary notes:
Lightning Returns: Complete Official Strategy Guide
Unsong Story – Kickstarter

Audio notes: (1hr. 10min. runtime)
0:00:55 – The FFXIII-3 strategy guide, what’s interesting about the series, and FFXIV
0:08:45 – FFXIII’s story, lead designers & ideologies, Stephen appears, and FF’s problems
0:20:35 – Battle system, FFXV & Kingdom Hearts, and nomenclature
0:27:50 – Unsung Story, Bravely Default, spin-offs, and solving franchise issues
0:36:10 – FFXIII, how Tony worked on the guide, and story vs. gameplay
0:44:10 – Mystic Quest, completionists, FFT, Fire Emblem, and Valkyria Chronicles
0:54:25 – FF13 trilogy, time travel, Crazy Chocobo, FF10, and villains
0:59:35 – Franchise’s future, lack of identity, and going mobile
1:02:40 – Series’ successors, MMOs, F2Ps, RPG issues, and money

Theme: Coconut Robot2 (James Pants) / CC BY 3.0
Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes!
Follow us (@AKOPPodcast) or email us at akop@phillerworks.com!

2013 in Review

Posted on by Leave a comment
2013

Podcast: Play in new window | Embed

No lists or best of the best choices here, just pure old-fashioned rambling and nonsense in our own 2013 in Review episode! The original team of Earl, Brent Peckham, and Tony [redacted] are back to talk about the things they checked out and didn’t get to talk about in previous episodes. They get into everything from Out of the Furnace, to Final Fantasy 14, to Paul Walker’s untimely demise, to Aziz Ansari’s latest special, and to Justified, among many others. Along the way, Earl gets tipsy, Brent reveals he’s extremely old, and Tony stays quiet about some of his current endeavours.

Guests:
Brent Peckham
“Well we’re off to a great start” Tony

Audio notes: (1hr. 18min. runtime)
0:01:50 – Orphan Black, Sharknado, Out of the Furnace, Homefront, Beyonce, and Frozen
0:15:00 – Netflix, The Bletchley Circle, House of Cards, Amazon Prime, and Alpha House
0:22:00 – Elysium, Neill Blomkamp, Duncan Jones, 12 Years A Slave, Steve McQueen, & Oscars
0:31:30 – Luther, Idris Elba, Nathan For You, Aziz Ansari, and stand-up specials
0:41:45 – Games, Final Fantasy, Beyond Two Souls, No Man’s Sky, Ready Player One, GTAV, & Persona 5
1:01:55 – Paul Walker and Fast & Furious franchise
1:05:35 – FX in January, and Justified
1:06:50 – 2014, Interstellar, Jupiter Ascending, 22 Jump Street, Captain America, and Marvel films

Theme: Coconut Robot2 (James Pants) / CC BY 3.0
Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes!
Follow us (@AKOPPodcast or @phillerworks) or email us at akop@phillerworks.com!

Avatar – The Legend of Korra

Posted on by One comment
the-legend-of-korra

Podcast: Play in new window | Embed

This episode is all about Avatar: The Legend of Korra! Earl, Brent, and Susan team up to discuss the recently completed second season and how it stacks up to the first season, speculate on its future, and delve into its mythology. They also end up arguing about Russell T. Davies and Steven Moffat’s approach to Doctor Who finales, and geek out over the voice acting cast. (Spoilers for all of the series, and a bit of The Last Airbender.)

Guests:
Brent Peckham
Susan King

Audio notes: (57min. runtime)
0:00:50 – Comparing both seasons, antagonists, going “full anime”, and series’ tone
0:09:00 – Love triangle, Avatar lineage, Asami, Doctor Who nerd fight, and amnesia
0:15:25 – Wan, animation & production, series’ backstory, and comparing both halves of the season
0:21:55 – Speculation on season 3, “Change”, Dark Avatar, and earlier theories
0:26:35 – Characters, siblings, and voice acting
0:40:25 – Series review, the history of Republic City, industrialization, spirits, and equality
0:49:00 – Connections between original & new series, Zuko’s VA, and advanced bending

Theme: Coconut Robot2 (James Pants) / CC BY 3.0
Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes!
Follow us (@AKOPPodcast or @phillerworks) or email us at akop@phillerworks.com!

Title Sequences

Posted on by Leave a comment
AKOP-Covers_TitleSequences

Podcast: Play in new window | Embed

Cue music, insert titles… All Kinds of Philler. This episode is all about title sequences in film and television, which means opening titles, stingers, studio logos, and ending credits. Earl brings in Anna again to talk about some of the most iconic and memorable sequences in visual media. It’s a whirlwind discussion about memorable themes, ever-changing sequences, and what makes a great title. And somehow, they end up spoiling the intro to Lord of War. It’s a very distilled episode, with many examples left on the cutting room floor, but goes through a wide range of choices both obscure and popular.

Guests:
Anna (@gobanana66)

Supplemental notes:
Playlist of selected titles discussed
Art of the Title

Audio notes: (1hr. 15min. runtime)
01:00 – Interest in motion design
02:25 – Design sensibilities: Game of Thrones, and Scott Pilgrim
07:00 – Comparing American Psycho and Dexter
10:05 – TV vs. film openings
11:05 – Setting up films: Enter the Void, Darkplace, Lord of War, and Watchmen
18:15 – Updating sequences: Supernatural, and The Simpsons
25:20 – Kyle Cooper and David Fincher: Se7en, and Fight Club
28:32 – Prologue Films: Iron Man, Speed Racer, and 21 Jump Street
31:40 – Imaginary Forces: Marvel Studios, DC Studios, and Rubicon
38:40 – Jared and Jerusha Hess: Napoleon Dynamite and Gentlemen Broncos
42:25 – Changing sequences: James Bond, Community, and Drew Carey Show
51:05 – Music: Bob’s Burgers, Chuck, Mad Men, and Clone High
58:00 – Comparing X-Files and Fringe, and ageless actors
64:25 – Revisiting the Dexter intro
65:15 – Comparisons: Snatch vs. Baccano, and James Bond vs. Archer
67:55 – Iconic titles: Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, ’60s Batman, and Star Wars

Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes!
Follow us (@AKOPPodcast or @phillerworks) or email us at akop@phillerworks.com!

Page 3 of 41234