GEEK THIS!

We’re touching on nostalgia with the release of X-Men ’97 on Disney+!

The podcast episode begins with hosts Dave Clements and David Hunt giving a brief introduction of their show, “Geek This,” which covers a wide range of pop culture topics focusing primarily on movies, TV shows, comic books, and video games.

Dave Clements kicks off the conversation by sharing his latest geeky endeavor, playing the remastered “Crisis Core,” a prequel game to “Final Fantasy VII” initially released on the PSP. David Hunt, who is less enthusiastic about RPGs, admits to not having played the “Final Fantasy” series much but discusses his limited experience with the franchise.

David Hunt then delves into his current fascination, which surprisingly isn’t typical of the show’s usual topics. He’s geeking out over the band Twenty One Pilots and their newly released single “Overcompensate,” along with the band’s broader lore and thematic content hidden within their albums. The hosts discuss the unique storytelling and augmented reality game-like elements embedded in the band’s music and cover art, highlighting their appreciation for artistic depth.

After their music discussion, the hosts shift their focus to the main topic of the podcast: the newly released “X-Men ’97” animated series on Disney+. They reminisce about the original 1992 “X-Men: The Animated Series,” its memorable theme song, and personal connections to the X-Men franchise. Both hosts share their stories related to the series’ action figures and their experiences watching the show in their early years.

As they continue to reflect on the original series, the hosts talk about their favorite characters and the show’s take on more complex themes and parallels to civil rights, applauding the meaningful content continuing in the new series. They address some criticisms viewers have expressed online over changes in character designs and elements of wokeness in the new series, which they find humorous and off-base.

Then they transition into discussing the performances of the characters in “X-Men ’97,” comparing voice actors and their portrayals of the characters. There is a particular focus on Cyclops being portrayed as a “square,” which leads to a broader discussion about the character’s qualities. Additionally, they ponder the impact of the Storm character losing her powers early in the new series and speculate on the duration of this plot point.

Towards the end of the episode, the hosts express a desire to see more animated Marvel content that explores different characters and stories. They then announce their plans for future podcast content, revealing their upcoming series “Now This Is Franchising,” starting with the 2002 “Spider-Man” film.

In the final moments, Dave Clements calls on the audience to provide feedback and participate in the podcast community via email, the website, and social media. The episode concludes with the hosts sharing their enthusiasm for the continuation of “X-Men ’97” and their plans to revisit the original animated series.

We watched DUNE: PART TWO, so we have to talk about it! Also, we’ve decided to take an unedited approach to the show. If you like it, let us know. If you hate it, let us know!

The episode begins with host Dave Clements greeting the audience and joking about a beeping noise that startled him. His co-host, David Hunt, chimes in, albeit a bit awkwardly, realizing the limitations of podcasting—namely, that the audience can’t respond to his queries.

Dave Clements is going through the keto diet again and is struggling with cravings, particularly when seeing foods he can’t have because of his diet. David Hunt sympathizes, noting how difficult it is to diet with children at home who aren’t following the same eating plan.

The conversation shifts to what the hosts have been up to. David Hunt shares his experience playing Final Fantasy VII Crisis Core and talks about his new PlayStation Portal, which allows him to play when the TV is occupied by his child. Dave has returned to rotating streaming services, settling on Netflix with ads to save some money. He mentions a new anime he’s watching, “Delicious in Dungeon,” which combines elements of Dungeons and Dragons and food—a recommendation he makes despite the challenge of starting keto.

Their talk turns toward Netflix streaming, with Dave Clements expressing his frustration over rewatching shows when his preference leans toward new content. The two friends joke about their partners rewatching their favorite shows on streaming services. The conversation then leads into the main topic of the episode: a review of Denis Villeneuve’s Dune films.

Both hosts disclose their lack of exposure to the Dune universe before the recent films. Dave attempted to watch the 1984 version by David Lynch but couldn’t get into it. David Hunt hadn’t seen the earlier film, mini-series, or read the book, and his knowledge was primarily through secondary sources like the Sci-Fi Christian podcast.

Approaching Villeneuve’s “Dune Part One,” both hosts were excited. David Hunt hadn’t seen it in theaters due to life getting in the way but caught up on the first film right before the second one was released. Dave watched Dune as soon as it came out on HBO Max, but it took a few tries to get through it without falling asleep.

Dave discusses the grand visuals and designs of the movie and the use of practical effects. David Hunt expresses that watching the second movie helped him better appreciate the first one, as they should be watched as a single entity. Both hosts find the movie visually stunning and well-acted but admit the storyline was dense and at times hard to follow.

Turning the discussion to “Dune Part Two,” Dave says he enjoyed Paul’s character more this time because of his character arc. However, he struggled with understanding some of Paul’s motivations and actions. He appreciated Zendaya’s character and was impressed by a big twist in the film involving Paul’s mother.

Dave mentions being impressed by the sandworms, sharing a piece of trivia about the failed attempt to utilize practical effects for a riding scene ultimately generated digitally. He’s intrigued by the larger universe and is open to exploring more of it.

Before closing the episode, the hosts invite their audience to send feedback and content suggestions. They address that previous episodes can be found on the podcast website and hint at re-releasing earlier content. The hosts express their love for engaging with their listeners and mention potential future series on other movie franchises. The episode ends with the hosts bidding farewell until the next episode.

We recorded in a library for this episode, so we do apologize for the difference in sound quality. This may happen every so often, but we’ll keep working to make it less noticeable.

Hey there! Welcome to the test episode for what is currently called Geek This Premium. Obviously, with it being a test, it's just a bunch of rambling, but you'll see what we have planned and you'll even be part of shaping what it becomes!

The end of Marvel Studio’s Loki has come and we have opinions. We also touch on The Marvels and the What If…? Season 2 trailer. Much like the Loki series finale, we’re jumping all over the place, but we get there in the end!

David’s Rating: 4/5Dave’s Rating: 3.5/5

We’ve started a Patreon. It’s only $1/month and you get access to our unedited audio and Discord community!We’d love for you to join us!

This episode contains spoilers for Loki Season One and the first three episodes of Loki Season Two.

When we last left Loki Laufeyson, Thor’s adopted brother and regular villain of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, he had caused a bit of a problem in The Sacred Timeline. Especially when one of his variants, named Sylvie, killed a figure only known as He Who Remains.

In Season Two, Loki partners up with Mobius M. Mobius, time-traveling in an attempt to save The Sacred Timeline while Sylvie tries to destroy it and live her own life. In this episode we discuss the first half of Loki and dig into where it may be going.

Marvel’s Loki has returned to the small screen for season two, but we decided to go back in time ourselves to remember what season one had going on. We also touch on Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania (what a title).

After this, we’ll be headed back to the future for season two’s mischief!

We’ve been gone for three years. Longer if you think about the time that Dave was solo – we don’t talk about that. But… we’re back and we actually have a plan of attack! But first, we figured it would be best to catch up, let you know what we’ve been up to, and what we’ve been geeking out about.

Dang it’s good to be back! Pardon the rust; it’s been a bit since we’ve recorded together.

Please follow us over on Facebook, Instagram, and (possibly) Threads to let us know you’re happy we’re back, what you thought of this episode, and what you want to hear from us next!

It’s time to make that episode. The one where we lay the show to rest. It’s not the final goodbye, just because we really want both Dave and David to say goodbye together. In this episode, Dave gives shares why Geek This! had to end and what could be on the horizon.

It’s the first official episode of To The Movie & Back! We review the new Marvel Studios Special Presentation, Werewolf By Night, which was directed by Michael Giacchino. We also touch on his amazing career as a composer and touch on two other shorts he made, Monster Challenge and Short Trek: Ephraim and Dot. (Ephraim and Dot is exclusive to Paramount+ subscribers.)

Dave also shares his distaste for The Wizard of Oz, David gives some thoughts on where we might see this short tie into the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, ponder if Ghost will sponsor us, and if it was John.

A lycanthrope superhero fights evil using the abilities given to him by a curse brought on by his bloodline.

Werewolf By Night Synopsis

IMDB Listing

Werewolf By Night Official Trailer

Monster Challenge Short Film

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Subscribe to To The Movie & Back!

Yes indeedy! David Hunt and Dave Clements are getting back together behind microphones in order to talk about movies!

After many conversations about bringing GEEK THIS back, we decided it would be best to have a fresh start and focus on one topic because, quite frankly, GEEK THIS simply became too much. We were dipping into industry news, comics, movies, TV, and video games, which sounds like a great idea. It was all over the place, especially when we weren’t making it together.

So now we’re making TO THE MOVIE & BACK (or TTMB for short). Rather than discussing what’s new in theaters, we’re taking a page from our own book and extending the concept we put into place with the Batman On Film series. We’re compiling lists focused on characters, actors, directors, and franchises, then reviewing each of those films. It’s a way for us to ensure we don’t get too lost in the weeds, yet always have something new to talk about every episode.

We’ve also decided to batch record each month. In theory, it should be less of a struggle to get episodes out this way.

Subscribe now so you don’t miss the first episode, due to be released in October 2022, then twice per month after that!

It’s been a week since I got my Xbox Series S and I thought I’d talk about it. This one’s rambly, like always, but in the near future I’m hoping to have some friends – new and old – join me in a discussion about all three of the new generation of consoles!

David Hunt and I are having discussions on bringing the podcast back! I decided to sit down behind the microphone by myself to share my thoughts, give a glimpse of what may be coming and why it matters. I’ve also asked for your input as a listener, so please let me know by getting in touch via the contact form or social media! My Twitter is @mrdaveclements and that’s a good place to find me on the internet.

Can’t wait to start things up again and hear your feedback and ideas!

A lot of us are stuck at home right now and it might be rough for you. For me, there's not a lot of difference in my day-to-day, but the current situation can take its toll, for sure, no matter who you are. That said,

I had some things on my mind that I felt the need to share regarding the way we, as pop culture fans, handle changes to franchises and characters we love. I hope you enjoy this impromptu rant. I’d love to know what you think, too! Let me know on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mrdaveclements

Thanks for listening.

Two companies stand at the forefront of comics book publishing. While this is common knowledge, a good majority of readers may not have experienced the seminal issues that laid so much of the groundwork for what would come in the 80+ years that were to...

As we enter the Christmas season, it was only fitting to review some of my favorite heist movies. It is the biggest time of year for consumerism, so why not celebrate like this!? For my first installment of Heistmas, I'm talking about Ocean's Eleven,

With the recent release of El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie on Netflix, I decided it was time to share my impression of Breaking Bad as whole, with a brief overview of the show, touching on Better Call Saul, and a short piece on El Camino itself.

Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster brought the superhero comic into the mainstream when they debuted Superman's story in 1938 with Action Comics #1. In fact, they launched what would become the Golden Age of superhero comics, but what does that mean exactly?

Golden. Silver. Bronze. Modern.

All of these are eras in comic book history that had their own stories to tell and over the course of the last 80 years, there have been hundreds of thousands of issues published between the main two publishing companies – Marvel Comics and DC Comics – alone. They have pushed what we know about characters beloved for decades and, at times, have published story lines that have had dramatic and long-lasting effects on their universes. Sadly, we’re not super humans, so attempting to read every issue ever published is an impossibility.

But what if you could go through the ones that mattered? The ones that set new precedents, created alternate timelines, ret-conned some of our favorite moments, and in some cases, changed the landscape of the comic industry as a whole?

In this monthly series, I’ll be exploring many of those stories and getting a better grasp on how the issues, story arcs, and events shaped what we know, love, and hate. It’s important to know where our heroes came from so we can understand where they might be headed.

It only took $72 billion dollars to bring the X-Men and Fantastic Four rights to Disney. So what’s next and what could the impact be on Disney’s new intellectual properties?

At the end of 2017, a battle began for the acquisition of rights to many of 21st Century Fox’s assets. The ones we’re immediately interested in here at GEEK THIS were, of course, those surrounding the X-Men, Fantastic Four, and other Marvel intellectual property. For most of us, this was one of those things that seemed unimaginable – all of the Marvel characters under one roof, with the ability to produce live-action versions of our favorite comic book storylines and scenes.

After spending $72 billion and fighting with Comcast, The Walt Disney Company is now holding the rights to many of Fox’s assets. One thing was 30% of Hulu, which is interesting, due to the upcoming debut of the Disney+ streaming platform. With this particular acquisition, it actually gives Disney a majority of control, at 60% (they had a 30% share before the deal). No one is sure of those ramifications, but there are, of course, suspicions. It will be interesting to watch, to say the least.

Season 6 of GEEK THIS! officially starts, comic writer Tom Taylor shuts down some Captain Marvel haters, and I share my newest ideology about geek culture.

As I return from the hiatus from what I now consider “Season 5” of the podcast, I’ve taken some time to think about the purpose of the show. That led me to start thinking about toxic fandom, something that has been more and more present within geek culture over the last few years. One of the biggest showings of toxic fandom was after Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi was released in 2017.

With this episode, I wanted to give a recent example of this situation. I also wanted to share a way for us as fans to battle the toxicity, which is what I now call the “Not For Me Ideology”. The short and sweet explanation of this is to simply understand that not everything is made for you. Thankfully, Tom Taylor did a great job of talking about this in the tweet I shared.

Consider supporting GEEK THIS by donating.

POTENTIAL SPOILER WARNING! For the first time in the history of the podcast, I’m breaking down a trailer!

Back in April, Thanos snapped his fingers at the end of Infinity War and removed half of everything. Since then, we’ve all been wondering what will happen in the next chapter of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. A lot of fans took it upon themselves to try and guess the title of the film. On December 7, 2018, we not only received the answer to their questions and assumptions, but we got a trailer!

My initial reaction to this trailer was pure excitement. Marvel Studios did a good job at keeping things close to their collective vests when it comes to the particulars of this film. There are secrets within the trailer and I was perfectly fine waiting until the movie was released to find the answers. That didn’t stop me from digging deeper into what was revealed within!

Listen to the full episode to hear the break down, as well as some theories on what some of Marvel’s secrets are.

Avengers: Endgame is set to release on April 26th, 2019.

Consider supporting GEEK THIS by donating.

Stan Lee passed away on November 12, 2018, due to cardiac arrest triggered by respiratory and congestive heart failure. He was an icon in the comic book industry. He co-created some of the most popular characters alongside the likes of Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, and so many other artists. Sadly, his life ended in turmoil.

Even so, he was part of a legacy of amazing creators that encouraged all of us in one way or another. He inspired some of us to write or draw or create our own things. His appearances in Marvel films – and even his wonderful Teen Titans Go! to the Movies cameo – have become a staple for us. He’s made quite an impression on us and he will be sorely missed.

I happened to be lucky enough to get my photo taken with Stan back in 2016, right alongside David Hunt and his wife. While it was an extremely quick experience, it has to be one of my favorite moments as a comic book fan. (He smelled exactly like you’d think he would.)

Chucky the Doll terrified me on multiple levels as a kid, so it took a lot of psyching myself up in order to watch Child's Play. I have to say that I’m very glad I did, because I overcame my fear and laughed at myself in the process. Also,

David Hunt returns, along with Michael Myers, as we chat about the 2004 modern zombie classic, Shaun of the Dead. After that, we jump into a conversation about our recent Halloween double-feature! Every time David is on the show,

Ghouls, ghosts, gasps, and superheroes are all part of DC Comics' Halloween-inspired 80-page Giant, which is the focus of this week's episode. Also, I bring back the Pull List segment and let you know what comics I'm reading this week!

For the last couple of years, Hulu has showcased some of the best (and worst) horror films. This year they take it one step further by focusing on shorts created by independent film makers in partnership with Fox Network Group’s content studio, All City.

It's October, the podcast is back, and it's that time of the year where we all just want something spooky to watch. This week, I'm starting off the season right by talking a little about a show from my childhood - and possibly yours - Are You Afraid of...

This week, I'm jumping all into my newfound fascination for role-playing games with a special release of the pilot episode of RPG with Me, a new podcast I'm doing with my daughters. I hope you enjoy it!

It's the week after San Diego Comic-Con and we've got trailers! Why not spend the entire episode giving my initial reactions?!

A BTS look at the show as we continue to celebrate 100 episodes.

You'll never know how grateful I am that you listen. Thank you all so very much for 100 episodes! There's still more to come!

It's one of the biggest video games out there right now: Fortnite. I talk about my experience with the game and the following news stories in this week's episode.

It's another hard-hitting episode as I give my opinion on the recent news surrounding Chris Hardwick and Chloe Dykstra, as well as share the way the writers of Infinity War would fix the DCEU.

Geoff Johns steps down as DC Comics Chief Creative Officer and I end the episode with a discussion about the serious issue of depression.

GEEK THIS! is back from a short hiatus! The Toys That Made us could easily be marketed solely to collectors, but for me, there was a little bit of nostalgia, even with the good amount of toys that I never played with. I’m a fan of history,

Yes, the show is on hiatus for another week or so, but we absolutely had to get together and talk about Deadpool 2! David Hunt and Mike Kostrewa return for the discussion, which has a very brief non-spoiler section before we dive in head-long.

This week we re-assembled our personal team of Avengers to talk about Infinity War. It's a longer episode (with some audio glitches, sorry) featuring David Hunt and Mike Kostrewa back behind the microphones again.

In the last two episodes, I’ve been sharing pieces of lore surrounding Avengers: Infinity War, which is the culmination of 10 years and 18 films within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Today, in the third and final part of my Road to Infinity War series,...

The Infinity Gems power the Infinity Gauntlet and as you might expect, they've have switched hands a time or two. The real question, though, is "Where did they come from?"

The Infinity Gauntlet has had an interesting existence since it debuted in 1990. We’ve seen Thanos wearing it in the Infinity War trailer but that doesn’t mean someone else won’t get their hand into it. We’ll have to see.

Stan Lee gets his blood stolen, Antonio Banderas becomes an X-Man, and Thanos demands your silence!

The upcoming X-Men movies continue to get shuffled, a Han Solo keeps the drama coming, and Pacific Rim might just be crossing over with Godzilla and friends.

Take a trip back to the 1800's as I review the animated adaptation of the original Elseworlds story, Gotham By Gaslight, in this shorter episode.

Wolverine finally joins podcasting, DC goes even darker, and Nicolas Cage is finally Superman!

An astronaut named Gary and his planet-destroying sidekick called Mooncake embark on serialized journeys through space in order to unlock the mystery of where the universe actually ends and if it actually does exist.

Black Panther has been a huge box office success and we've seen it twice. Let's talk about it.

Netflix’s new show, Altered Carbon, is based on a 2002 book by Richard Morgan. The story is set in a dystopian world that feels similar to the cyberpunk style we see in Blade Runner.

This past weekend millions of people chose to watch two sports teams duke it out in hopes to take home some jewelry. I personally don’t pay any attention to sports of any kind, but I do know that the first Sunday in February means it’s time to watch so...