#241 | Lethal Weapon 2

There was something truly mystical about the NES era. Video games were resurgent, rapidly increasing their mindshare with the assistance of an excited public. In short, people were so eager to play along (pardon the pun), that when The Wizard came along -- a film ostensibly designed to help sell Super Mario Bros. 3 in western markets -- no one really cared that it was a glorified advertisement. Chock-full of endless nostalgia and a barrage of late '80s staples like Double Dragon, Zelda 2, Ninja Gaiden, Mega Man 2, and Mario 2, The Wizard is frankly a must-watch. And we're very pleased to cover it here on KnockBack, as we reflect on the life and times of Fred Savage, the epic nothingness of the Power Glove, Real Life's seminal new wave classic Send Me An Angel, and absentee parenting so staggering that "it's 10 O'Clock, do you know where your children are?" seems quaint by comparison. Without further delay, let's head back to the Nintendo glory years, shall we? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

urprise! Today, Dagan and I (Colin) gather for the first time in nearly a year for a brand new episode of KnockBack, this one dedicated to the 1990 live action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film. There's no doubt that TMNT is still relevant and present today, but decades ago, it was at its cultural zenith on the back of a humble series of graphic novels, a smash-hit cartoon series, and one of the most famous toy lines of all-time. The TMNT movie really had no right to be good, and yet, it's somehow great. And we're eager to talk about it. So come join us in the sewers for a little ninjitsu in New York City, won't you? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It may only be about five years old, but The Last of Us: Part II is quite easily one of the greatest games of all-time. Thus, it not only deserves its own episode of KnockBack, but a seven-ish hour one, the longest show in Last Stand history to date. Divisive even before it came out -- but absolutely dripping with style, message, and storytelling -- TLoU2 is a tale about endless violence and cyclical revenge, the kind that you simply can't back away from. The deeper Ellie and Abby fall into their timeless feud, the less they gain and the more they lose. But they just can't help themselves. They refuse to. It's at the heart of what makes this game so incredibly great, and perhaps what makes it so very controversial, too. There's little else to say, other than that the Brothers Moriarty wanted to give love to one of gaming's most phenomenal adventures. Click play for the result...

In 1992, Final Fantasy V came to Super Famicom in Japan, but in the west, the seminal JRPG would remain a mystery for years. In 1999 (via PS1!) English-speaking audiences would gain access to the game for the first time (unless you played fan translations via emulator, of course), and since then -- whether on GBA, PC, phones, or more recently modern consoles -- FFV has always held an interesting place in the pantheon of great Final Fantasy titles. Is it as monumental as IV, VI, or VII? Not at all. But it's still extremely special in its own right, an adventure predicated on a robust jobs system that would later help inspire the likes of Final Fantasy Tactics, jobs utilized by a small core group of protagonists that stand the test of time (and pull at your heartstrings, too). For KnockBack's triumphant return, we thought we'd get back into the Pixel Remasters where we left off, and needless to say, we've got a lot to go over. So get in your airship, or on your chocobo, or whatever mode of transportation speaks to you most, and join us for another old-school chat. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When a movie invokes our obscure hometown of Brookhaven, Long Island, you know we have to give that film the proper KnockBack treatment. Dagan's been smitten with Alex Garland's 2015 directorial debut Ex Machina recently, and in a strange twist-of-fate, I (Colin) have actually seen this flick, a relative rarity. Dag and I both sat down to watch it again, though, and deliver this episode of KB to you today on the tail-end. Garland's AI-focused film may be nearing its decade mark. Yet, it's somehow jumped the boundary from sci-fi to reality in the 10 or so years that have elapsed since its release. AI is no longer some future hypothetical what-if; it's happening before our very eyes. And there's no doubt that Ex Machina has a lot to say about the subject: Its creation, its development, and its very essence and nature. Can robots ever be alive? Perhaps it depends on what being alive even means.