EPISODE 042 - Free Form #3

Free Form:
"Here we are again on a fifth Saturday. You know what that means? No, not free rectal exams. And no, not a front row seat to a Kevin Costner / Nic Cage Double feature. You want REAL punishment? How about a show with NO NOTES! (*Insert screams here*) That's right... it's a FREE FORM episode! You may cower in fear now."

• Personal Preamble:
  • Tales of woe from the sickguy.
  • Contest reminder.
• Listener Feedback:
  • Last-minute voice mail from Rachel, host of The Sims 2 Challenges.
    • Send your email feedback to flickabrac @gmail .com - space added to protect against spambots. If you don't want it read on the show, please make a note of that.
    • Alternately, you can call the voice mail line at (206) 350-2310. Line open 24/7. Standard calling rates apply. Calls will be played on the show.
• New in Theaters on June 6, 2008.
• Mini-review of The Devil Wears Prada.
• Free-form means just that: No specified topic. Here's a sampling of what we talked about:
  • Squidlord interrogates Willie Gillis about podcasts.
  • Kim joins the call and a GNI conversation ensues.
  • The dreaded "TalkShoe Cash" fallout.
  • And more fun stuff.
• Promo: Operation BSU
• Thanks to SquidLord, Eric the Half-a-bee, Rachel, Kim, and Willie for their voice participation!
• Thanks also to Beth, TC Vulpes, SheWhoSims, wendiigo, and Dev for playing with us in the text chat!
• Music used in this episode:
  • Bumper music composed by StudioMig
    • Intro and Outro: Robot
    • New in Theaters: The Sword of Fire
    • Movie Review: Sherlock
    • Main Event: Transformers
  • (With appreciation to the Podsafe Music Network)

Download the episode!

June 4, 2008:
SMT #10: Spider-Man trilogy

EPISODE 041 - Let's Have Some FUN!

This week's non-movie topic:
"As the saying goes, 'All work and no play makes flick want to rip your head off, squeeze it into a trash compactor, and use the rest of your body parts for evil scientific experiments designed to shock and horrify the world. Just before he takes it over.' On the bright side, the world never really has to worry about that with all of the wonderful movie entertainment out there to distract me from my homicidal rages and world conquest schemes.

So how about you? When it comes time to kick off your shoes and do something just for the fun of it, what is it that really floats your boat? It can be a full-blown hobby, or something you like to do just from time to time... you know, to ease the tedium and monotony of everyday life. What do you do just for fun?"

• Personal Preamble:
  • Contest reminder.
• Listener Feedback:
  • Voice mail from Rachel, host of Sims 2 Challenges.
    • Send your email feedback to flickabrac @gmail .com - space added to protect against spambots. If you don't want it read on the show, please make a note of that.
      
    • Alternately, you can call the voice mail line at (206) 350-2310. Line open 24/7. Standard calling rates apply. Calls will be played on the show.
      
• In Theaters the week of May 30.
  
• Mini-review of The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian.
  • This movie is also discussed in Episode 7 of Spoiler Alert (iTunes link)
• Discussion of things we do just for fun.
  
• Promo: Sims 2 Junkie
  
• Thanks to Jerry, samsper, Wendiigo, and Rachel for participating in the voice chat!
  
• Thanks also to Beth, TC Vulpes, kyohtee, Infinity Nevermore, Dev, Brent, and Alex C for playing with us in the text chat.
  
• Music used in this episode:
  • Bumper music composed by StudioMig
    • Intro and Outro: Robot
      
    • New in Theaters: The Sword of Fire
      
    • Movie Review: Sherlock
      
    • Main Event: Transformers
  • (With appreciation to the Podsafe Music Network)

Download the episode!
(Right-click and Save As.)

May 31:
Free Form #3

June 4, 2008:
SMT #10: Spider-Man trilogy

EPISODE 040 - And Cue the Tears

Genre of the Month Discussion:
"They make us think. They make us cry. Some of the really good ones will also make us laugh -- as Dolly Parton said in Steel Magnolias, 'laughter through tears is my favorite emotion.' Tonight's Genre of the month discussion will be all about Drama. What stimulates your dramatic senses? What drives you to your favorite napping place? Who are some of your favorite dramatic actors? And what are your absolute favorite dramas?"

• Listener feedback:
  • Email from Terri!
  • Voice mail from Rachel (from Sims 2 Challenges)!
  • Voice mail from Samantha (host of Darkcastings)!
  • Send your email feedback to flickabrac @gmail .com - spaces added to protect against spambots. If you don't want it read on the show, please make a note of that.
  • Alternately, you can call the voice mail line at (206) 350-2310. Line open 24/7. Standard calling rates apply. Calls will be played on the show.
• In Theaters the week of May 23.
• In lieu of a movie review, a VERY long voice mail from Rachel, all about podcasts.
• Discussion of the Drama genre:
  • Top 25 Drama rentals at Netflix. (Link not provided due to the ever-changing nature of the list. List was current at the time of recording.)
  • Discussion of some sub-genres within Drama
  • Personal Drama favorites
• Promo: Girls Night In
• Thanks to Rachel, Samantha, and Terri for their voice participation!
• Thanks also to KyOhTee, Kim, Maggie, Jaime, ToyCorpse, Dev, wendiigo, and AlexC for playing with us in the text chat!
• Music used in this episode:
  • Bumper music composed by StudioMig
    • Intro and Outro: Robot
    • New in Theaters: The Sword of Fire
    • Movie Review: Sherlock
    • Main Event: Transformers
  • (With appreciation to the Podsafe Music Network)

Download the episode!
(Right-click and Save As.)

May 24, 2008:
What do we do for fun?

June 4, 2008:
SMT #10: Spider-Man trilogy

EPISODE 039 - Summer Time Explosions

The Movie Topic:
"While your calendar will tell you that it won't happen until June 20, just one look at the marquee of your local cinema will tell you: Summer is already here. Already fans have marveled (HA!) at a metallic superhero and futuristic racing. The next couple of weeks will bring us a return to Narnia and our favorite whip-cracking archaeologist. This week on flick-a-brac, we're going to talk about the big releases of the season (and a few of the smaller ones). Which ones are we Indy Jonesing for, and which ones will we avoid like a bad Shakesperean sequel?"

• Personal Preamble:
  • Contest reminder.
  • Notice of upcoming schedule shift.
• Listener Feedback:
  • Voice mail from Samantha (host of Darkcastings).
  • Voice mail from Rachel (host of The Sims 2 Challenges).
    
  • Email from Dev.
    • Send your email feedback to flickabrac @gmail .com - space added to protect against spambots. If you don't want it read on the show, please make a note of that.
    • Alternately, you can call the voice mail line at (206) 350-2310. Line open 24/7. Standard calling rates apply. Calls will be played on the show.
• In Theaters the week of May 16, 2008.
• Mini-review of Iron Man.
• Discussion of movies being released in the Summer 2008 season.
• Promo: Operation BSU
• Thanks to Jerry and Samantha for their voice participation!
• Thanks also to Kim, SimChris, Terri, Mike James, Laurie in Georgia, Dev, Toy Corpse, Brent, and Wendiigo for playing with us in the text chat!
• Music used in this episode
  • Bumper music composed by StudioMig
    • Intro and Outro: Robot
    • New in Theaters: The Sword of Fire
    • Movie Review: Sherlock
    • Main Event: Transformers
  • (With appreciation to the Podsafe Music Network)

Download the episode!
(Right-click and Save As.)

May 17:
Drama

June 4, 2008:
SMT #10: Spider-Man trilogy

CONTEST -- (Rules and Details)

I want to announce a CONTEST! That's right, YOU can win a $25 Amazon.com gift certificate just by picking the Specific Movie Topic for August! How do you do that? You send me suggestions for movies.

HERE ARE THE OFFICIAL RULES AND REGULATIONS:

All entries must be done via email. ( flickabrac @gmail .com -- spaces added to defend against spambots ) You can send as many suggestions as you want, as long as you don't double any. You can also send them in as many separate messages as you want. You can send one message with 20 suggestions, or you can send 20 messages with one suggestion each. That's up to you.

Entries must be made from a valid email address, preferably the one with which you have an Amazon.com account. They must also have your name attached somehow... it can be your real name, a pseudonym, or even your Talkshoe ID (if you're a regular live visitor and don't want the world to know who you *really* are). This is so I know who to say won when your movie is picked as the winner.

YOU CANNOT PICK A MOVIE THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN DISCUSSED IN THE SMT! Entries that suggest a Pixar movie, Gremlins (or 2), Stranger than Fiction, The Santa Clause (or 2 or 3), The Breakfast Club, Rent, Honey I Shrunk the Kids, any Friday the 13th movie, Pay It Forward, Spider-Man trilogy, or one of the films scheduled for the Specific Movie Talk for July, will not be considered. The July SMT topic IS already set, though it will not be revealed until the appropriate time.

Contest is open to anyone, anywhere, as long as entrant has access and willingness to use the Amazon.com website.

Deadline for entries is 1:00 am Eastern time on Friday, June 6, 2008*.


SO HOW DO I WIN ALREADY??

Listeners will select the winner. At some point on Friday, June 6, 2008*, I will post a poll to the flick-a-brac show notes web site. The ten movies with the highest number of write-in recommendations will be on the poll. In the event of ties to fill the last slots, *FLICKGUY WILL BE THE SELECTOR*

The poll will be open until 1:00 am Eastern time Saturday, July 5, 2008. Whichever movie has the highest number of votes will be declared the Specific Movie Talk topic for the August 2 episode. Again, in the event of a tie *FLICKGUY WILL BE THE SELECTOR*

If the winning movie was initially suggested by one person, that person will win the gift certificate. If the movie was suggested by two or more people, the winner will be chosen via random drawing. The winner of the gift certificate will be announced in EPISODE 50, the July 26 ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL.

Winner need not be present to win... though winner will find out sooner if winner *is* present.

So pick the Specific Movie Talk for August. And win a gift certificate for $25.



(*NOTE: These rules were initially announced in Episode 038. The deadline for entries was originally announced as June 7, but certain events over the week following 038 have forced me to change the deadline. I apologize for any confusion or inconvenience.)

EPISODE 038 - SMT #9: Kindness - Pass It On

Specific Movie Talk:
"What if you sat down one day with the intention of changing the world? Could you do it? What if there were obstacles to implementing your plan to change the world? Could you keep at it? These are just a few of the challenges faced by a middle school student in the remarkable movie Pay It Forward. Tonight, we're going to talk about the characters... the story... the themes... and how they might translate to the real world."

• Personal Preamble:
  • Final report on Script Frenzy.
• Feedback:
  • Voice mail from Samantha, host of Darkcastings.
  • Voice mail from Fini, who sucks because she doesn't have a podcast.
  • Email from Dev.
  • Voice mail from Rachel, host of The Sims 2 Challenges.
    • Send your email feedback to flickabrac @gmail .com - space added to protect against spambots. If you don't want it read on the show, please make a note of that.
    • Alternately, you can call the voice mail line at (206) 350-2310. Line open 24/7. Standard calling rates apply. Calls will be played on the show.
• New in Theaters on May 9, 2008.
• Mini-review of 88 Minutes.
  • This movie is also discussed in Episode 6 of Spoiler Alert (iTunes link)
• Contest Announcement! (Full Rules)
• In-depth, spoiler-laden discussion of Pay It Forward.
• Promo: Sims 2 Junkie
• Special thanks to CitiDrea and Samantha for their voice participation! This discussion contained some difficult subject matter, and they shared some incredibly personal experiences.
• Thanks also to Rachel, Jerry, SimChris, Dev, J. Abrams, Kathleen Egan, Infinity Nevermore, Laurie in Georgia, She Who Sims, ToyCorpse, Alex C, and Wendiigofor playing with us in the text chat!
• Music used in this episode:
  • Bumper music composed by StudioMig
    • Intro, Spoiler, and Outro: Robot
    • New in Theaters: The Sword of Fire
    • Movie Review: Sherlock
    • Contest: Sunshine
    • Main Event: Transformers
  • (With appreciation to the Podsafe Music Network)

Download the episode!
(Right-click and Save As.)

May 10:
Summer Movie Preview!

June 4, 2008:
SMT #10: Spider-Man trilogy