Giant Geek Vs. Mega N00b

Topic: The Tour de FranceGeek: EmilyAnd now for a sport that's a bit off the beaten track (or well-ridden road, as the case may be): cycling. I've been watching the Tour de France religiously for many years, and back in July I made Eric take the Tour plunge - albeit on a somewhat limited basis.For the purposes of our podcasts, we watched highlights of the first eight stages of the 2016 Tour with the help of some detailed planning and my NBC Sports Gold subscription. The full replays usually go up on YouTube eventually, but unfortunately that hasn't happened yet.Not to worry, though! You can find recaps and highlights of those stages on the NBC Sports YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/user/2012NBCOlympics), as well as some of the bigger moments we discuss (like Chris Froome's crazy descent on stage eight!).And now that you're caught up, find out what we've got to say. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

You might use Siri, or Cortana, or Alexa — but you would never think of them as real people.But what if you did? What if you could have a conversation with an artificially intelligent person that felt real and human? And what if that person looked like a beautiful woman?Those are just the surface-level questions of this week's movie, "Ex Machina."DO NOT WATCH THE TRAILER FOR THIS MOVIE. It has spoilers, as does this podcast after the 3-minute mark.So, skip the trailer and go watch "Ex Machina" on Amazon (free to stream for Amazon Prime members), iTunes, Vudu or Google Play. Then come back and listen to our very intense discussion!If you liked this episode, then please subscribe to Giant Geek vs. Mega n00b on iTunes or Google Play Music, and make sure to like our page on Facebook. And if you're feeling really generous, tell a friend about this podcast! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Topic: The Music ManGeek: EmilyWelcome to season four! Let's watch a musical.As you might recall, last season we watched Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and - spoiler alert - Eric loved it and immediately embarked on a binge. While this warms my little geek heart, it also poses a problem: CXG is packed with musical parodies, including one of my favorite number from one of my favorite musicals, and Eric has never seen it.Enter the Music Man.This musical has been a favorite since before I can even remember (I'm not exaggerating; my dad used to sing several of the songs to me and my brother when we were little), but how did Eric take to his first taste of Big Hollywood Musicals? Listen to find out. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

"Weird Al" Yankovic has been writing and performing song parodies since 1976. But he only made one feature-length movie — for good reason."UHF" did not do well at the box office when it was released in 1989. It made $6.1 million on a $5 million budget. But in the years since, it has become a must-watch for any kid discovering the joys of "Weird Al" and a cult classic for geeks of all ages around the world.You should definitely watch "UHF" before you listen to the discussion portion of this week's episode; it's available to rent or buy on Amazon, iTunes, Vudu and Google Play.This is the Season 3 finale of Giant Geek vs. Mega n00b, but we'll only be off for a month or so. Join us later in the summer as we kick off Season 4 with a discussion of "The Music Man." To make sure you don't miss it, subscribe on iTunes or Google Play Music and like our page on Facebook.See you in a few weeks! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Topic: Crazy Ex-GirlfriendGeek: EmilyThis week's topic hasn't been around for very long, but oh boy has it made a splash. It won a Golden Globe. Vulture named it best show on TV. I am madly in love with it.We're talking, of course, about the CW's Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. It's an hour-long comedy from the brilliant mind of Rachel Bloom, who also stars alongside a refreshingly diverse and seriously talented cast. The plot follows Bloom's character as she moves across the country in an attempt to win back her ex - and this show is crazy good in large part because it's all about subverting every expectation its title and that summary just put in your head.Oh, and it's also a musical. Every episode features two or three original songs, drawn from all different genres and corners of the pop and musical theater worlds. And it's - just brilliant. But will Eric agree? Find out! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Mario games are full of important life lessons for kids: Get regular exercise! Help your friends! Do mushrooms and kill turtles!But will those messages resonate for someone (Emily) who has never played one of the official Mario games? Will that someone, who has barely played any video games, be able to clear the first level? On this week's Giant Geek vs. Mega n00b, we find out!If you don't still have an old Nintendo console from the 80s or 90s, fear not — you can find Super Mario Bros. 3 on the Virtual Console for Nintendo's more recent Wii and Wii U. You can also find it in the eShop if you have a Nintendo 3DS, which is how both Emily and I played this game.For more Giant Geek vs. Mega n00b, please subscribe to our show on iTunes or Google Play Music. And make sure to like our page on Facebook! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Topic: Stick ItGeek: EmilyToday we venture into the world of elite gymnastics - but we're not going to take it too seriously. Stick It is part snarky teen comedy and part inspirational sports movie, part send-up of the gymnastics world and part homage to the sport.I've been a fan of this beautiful little movie, complete with its high-profile gymnastics cameos, for quite a while. The balance of sarcastic humor and genuine heart is just too good to resist.But can Eric warm to a movie about a sport he doesn't even like? We'll see. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Sometimes, there's a podcast... And I'm talkin' about the Giant Geek versus the Mega n00b here... Sometimes there's a podcast and, well, it's the podcast for its time and place. It fits right in there.OK, just imagine how much better this description would sound if Sam Elliott were reading it. And now stop imagining how wonderful his voice is, because it's time to go watch a movie with us: The Big Lebowski.You can stream The Big Lebowski for free if you have an Amazon Prime subscription, or rent/buy it from Amazon, iTunes, Vudu and Google Play. For more Giant Geek vs. Mega n00b, please subscribe to our show on iTunes or Google Play Music. And make sure to like our page on Facebook! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Topic: The Big SleepGeek: EmilyBogart is back on the podcast! This time with his real-life wife and frequent on-screen partner Lauren Bacall.The Big Sleep is quintessential noir: a private eye, an array of untrustworthy dames and sketchy suits, and enough blackmail and dead bodies to turn a mobster's stomach. It has the added benefit of an almost hopelessly twisted plot you get to sort through every time almost like you're watching for the first time. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Think about a Tom Cruise action movie. Okay, now forget everything you just thought of, because we're watching a Tom Cruise action movie where most of that won't apply.That will make sense after you watch this week's film Edge of Tomorrow, later re-titled for marketing purposes as Live Die Repeat after it bombed at the box office. The less you know about this film going in, the better, so go watch it and then join our Giant Geek vs. Mega n00b discussion!For more like this, check out the other offerings at geekvsn00b.com, or subscribe to us on iTunes and Google Play Music.You can rent or buy Edge of Tomorrow from Amazon, iTunes, Vudu or Google Play.And one more thing: You should like our Facebook page. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

(Normally, Emily would be writing this because it was her pick, but she's off having some super-cool weekend adventure. Whatever, I'm not jealous.)Choose Life. Choose a job. Choose a career. Choose this new episode of Giant Geek vs. Mega n00b, in which we talk all about the critically-acclaimed 1996 Danny Boyle film Trainspotting.For more like this, check out the other offerings at geekvsn00b.com, or subscribe to us on iTunes and Google Play Music.You can stream Trainspotting on Netflix or Showtime Anytime. Or, you can rent(on) it for $3 from iTunes, Vudu or Google Play. You can also buy it from those three rental sites for $10, or for $13 as digital purchase on Amazon.And one more thing: You should like our Facebook page. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Hello and, again, welcome to the Giant Geek vs. Mega n00b Podcast Enjoyment Center. Your specimen has been processed and we are now ready to begin this week's episode.On this week's episode, [MALE CO-HOST NAME HERE] challenged [FEMALE CO-HOST NAME HERE] to try playing Portal, a 2007 video game made by Valve Software.For your own safety, and the safety of others, please subscribe to Giant Geek vs. Mega n00b on iTunes. The Enjoyment Center would also like to inform you that this podcast is also available on Google Play Music.Portal is available for $10 on Steam.Congratulations, [LISTENER NAME HERE] on reaching the conclusion of this text. Please celebrate this momentous achievement by following Giant Geek vs. Mega n00b on Facebook. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Topic: CluelessGeek: EmilyWe're back for season three!And we're starting with a bang: the classic teen comedy Clueless. In case you're unfamiliar (somehow?) with this film, it stars lots of famous people and music and features a parade of classic outfits and phrases - and best of all, it's based on Jane Austen's "Emma."Normally I'd launch into how I first watched this movie or why I fell in love with it, but I honestly can't remember the first time I watched it. It's just sort of part of my pop cultural DNA, and I love it to pieces. But did Eric? You'll have to listen. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Topic: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's StoneGeek: Emily AND EricThat's right, it's Harry Potter time!Now, you might have noticed that Eric and I are both serious Harry Potter enthusiasts, and we have been since it all started. We read the books as they came out, pre-ordered each new one and devoured it immediately, the whole nine yards. In fact, we went to the midnight premiere of the last movie together.As delightful as all of this is for us, it presents a podcast problem: since neither of us is a wizarding world n00b, we can't exactly do an episode of Giant Geek vs. Mega N00b about it on our own.Until now!We managed to round up a couple of guest n00bs - one our own age, one nine years old, both embarking on the world's most magical series for the very first time. Needless to say, we have a lot to discuss. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Up-front caveat: If you haven't seen "The Room," go watch it. Then come back to this post.In case you ignored that instruction and are still reading ignorantly, "The Room" is widely considered to be one of the worst movies ever made -- and it's wonderful. Also, insane. Even more wonderful was the fact that one of its stars, Greg Sestero, wrote a tell-all book in 2013 about everything that happened behind the scenes; "The Disaster Artist" shows that the insanity captured on the screen was only a glimmer of everything happening behind the scenes.This week, Emily and I read "The Disaster Artist" and discussed what its revelations mean for our shared fandom of "The Room."Can't listen right now because you're very busy right now and have to go? Then subscribe to Giant Geek vs. Mega n00b on iTunes!You can buy "The Room" on DVD or Blu-Ray, and "The Disaster Artist" is available pretty much anywhere you'd find books.To share your favorite Tommy Wiseau quotes or weigh in on anything else we discussed this week, email

Topic: In A Lonely PlaceGeek: EmilyWe're doing more film noir this week, with another of the greats of the genre: Humphrey Bogart.I more or less stumbled on "In A Lonely Place" by accident. I was in the midst of a weekend-long Bogart marathon (a reasonable life choice that I strongly recommend), wandering around his IMDb credits, and this one's description intrigued me. Boy was I right.Bogart plays a screenwriter who hasn't had a hit in years and ends up accused of murder. But did he do it? Unclear. It's a dark role, and he shines. You'll have to listen to find out if Eric liked it as much as I do. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The zombies are coming! Grab a knife and a gun, get in your car, lock the doors and pray that your iPhone is charged so that you can listen to this podcast.Is that a sound survival strategy? Nope. But really, most of us would not last a day in a real zombie apocalypse. That's why we love shows like this week's topic, "The Walking Dead."And since the show is filmed in Emily's state of Georgia, she had to watch it.Can't listen right now because you're too busy looking for a friend who has a crossbow? Then subscribe to Giant Geek vs. Mega n00b on iTunes!You can stream "The Walking Dead" on Netflix, or buy episodes on iTunes, Amazon or Vudu. For this discussion, we watched only the first two episodes of season 1, which are called "Days Gone Bye" and "Guts."To share your zombie survival plan or weigh in on anything else we discussed this week, email us at geekvsn00b@gmail.com. And you should follow us on Twitter and like our Facebook page.We'll be back next week to talk about "In A Lonely Place." See you then! See

Topic: The Third ManGeek: EmilyAnd now, we venture into noir. What better way to dive into the genre than with Joseph Cotten, Orson Welles, and World War Two-ravaged Vienna?That's right folks, this week it's "The Third Man."I probably first watched this movie on TCM, or in a fit of classic film VHS rentals, but I've returned over and over because there's just so much to love here. It's got intrigue, mysterious death, crosses and double crosses, and a perfect score to hold it all together. It was clearly past time for Eric to watch it. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Hooray for trying new things. Unless those things are psychotropic drugs that permanently damage your brain.On this episode of Giant Geek vs. Mega n00b, Emily and I tried the good type of new thing: For the first time, we discussed a music album. Specifically, we listened twice over to "Pet Sounds" by the Beach Boys, one of my all-time favorite albums to listen to all the way through, for reasons that will become clear as you listen to the podcast.Don't want to listen right now? Then subscribe to Giant Geek vs. Mega n00b on iTunes!You can find "Pet Sounds" on Spotify or Amazon Prime Music, and probably a bunch of other streaming services. Or you could, like, buy the album, wherever music is sold. I know, I know, crazy thought.To weigh in on the Beach Boys or anything else we discussed this week, email us at geekvsn00b@gmail.com. And you should follow us on Twitter and like our Facebook page.We'll be back next week to talk about "The Third Man." See you then! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out infor

Topic: A Tale of two Cities (book three)Geek: EmilyAnd now for the payoff I sold so, so hard last time: the grand conclusion of A Tale of Two Cities. All the threads - golden threads, if you will - finally come together in the exciting conclusion of this epic novel. At least, that's what I think of it. We'll just have to see if Eric enjoys it. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.