Where No Man Has Gone Before

Captain America Looks A Little Upset

Here’s our first look at Chris “Human Torch” Evans as Steve “Captain America” Rogers in the new movie of the same name. Is it me, or does he look like he’s just been crying. “I’m going to be playing Marvel characters for the rest of my career!”

Click to biggify. Anyway, Aside from the Michael Cera expression on his face, Chris Evans looks good as Cap, and I particularly like the denim-and-canvas uniform; that makes sense for a World War 2 character. It’s rugged and tough and can be dyed many colours.

Coming soon: Chris Evans in Ant-Man.

Cera or Eisenberg?

See, I’m not the only one.

Which one is it?

No mention of Andy Samberg, or, to be honest, the girl who works at the corner store near my house. She looks more like any of them than they do.

Today’s Podcast: Simply Syndicated Radio

You have probably been wondering why I keep talking about something called Simply Syndicated, so tonight I’ll take a moment to explain. Simply Syndicated is a U.K. communications company that produces audio (and occasional video) content designed for use by cool people. Podcasts, music, live shows, stuff like that. Originally built around its flagship show, Movies You Should See, Simply Syndicated has grown over more than five years to include a diverse lineup of programs produced both in-house and by others. For instance, I appear weekly on Starbase 66, which is produced in Florida with input from Washington and then broadcast from England, and I never leave Ontario. I also produce and host Books You Should Read, an existing show on the network that I scooped up a few months back. And there are other shows, too.

One of the hurdles podcasters always face is getting people to listen to their work. Many folks don’t like the idea of having to download a show, transfer it to an iPod or whatever, and listen to it (this listen-on-demand is what drew me to podcasts in the first place, but hey, I’m weird). So Simply Syndicated, which is run by the mighty podcaster Richard Smith, has launched a new feature: online streaming radio. Just visit http://www.simplysyndicated.com and you’ll hear a steady flow of the network’s current shows: music, sports talk, movie discussion, music reviews, book chats, whatever it is Here Goes Nothing does, food, technology and, always, great people with great senses of humour.

So if you’re one of those folks who’s always resisted listening to podcasts because it seems too nerdy or too techy, just visit Simply Syndicated and click “play” on the radio bar. You won’t be disappointed. Unless you hear me talking.

Now, if only someone would come up with a Simply Syndicated iPhone app …

Back To The Future Part 4

Now that Back to the Future is 25 years old — and is getting a cinematic re-release, news that made me want to kiss my mom — I thought it might be time to revisit all those rumours of a fourth film in the series. Michael J. Fox, who looks a lot better in his actual 40s than he did in his artificial 40s in BTTF2, would likely not be able to return, which is a shame. But Doc Brown is still out there somewhere. I have never liked the acronym BTTF, because as a block reader, I tend to read acronyms as whole words so it makes me think “beat off.”

There were rumours in the ’90s of a fourth film, this time starring Sarah Michelle Gellar along with Christopher Lloyd. SMG was pretty hot stuff at the time, so it could have worked, but now all I can think of is the word “smegma.” Are you sensing a trend here?

Thanks to YouTuber Jake Mathew for that one.

Anyway, if the powers that be decide to do a fourth film, I have some requests:

1. Please limit the CGI, and don’t be tempted to make it animated
2. Don’t remake the first film. It worked because it was so fresh. Find a new approach; with time travel, anything is possible
3. Keep the Delorean
4. Don’t cast The Rock. Kind of random, I know.
5. Good Lord, no 3D

I have an idea for the fourth, actually, and it would involve Michael J. Fox (an person I absolutely worship, I should mention). There’s a fantastic Starlog article out there by a guy named Bruce Gordon (no relation) that explains how the timelines were fouled up by Marty’s actions and points out that the Marty McFly who belonged in the cool-parents-new-truck timeline was now stuck in the drunk-mom-loser-family timeline. Gordon actually postulates that we see this Marty in Back to the Future. So why not tell that Marty’s story? Re-edit and manipulate old footage, then shoot modern Marty, played by Fox, trying to escape from a world that totally did him wrong … and then Doc Brown turns up to set things right. See, I’d pay to see that. And I probably will, after some Hollywood jerkoff steals my idea.

Here’s some cool trivia.

Today’s Podcast: Nerd Hurdles

Before I get to talking about my favourite Canadian podcast ever of all time, I would like to address some comments I made a few days ago. Apparently, in reviewing the Masters of None podcast, I made some remarks that offended the hosts of the show. These allegedly include:

1. A challenge to fight
2. A reference to daily baseball cap usage
3. A veiled allegation of nerdery
4. Kirk Cameron
5. A joke about Mike’s eyebrows

I hate to burn bridges with fellow podcasters, particularly guys from the Simply Syndicated network, so I’m going to have to go ahead and apologize. Here it is: Mike, I actually like your eyebrows, and they kind of make me jealous. Please PM me the address of your esthetician.

Anyway, the exact polar opposite of Masters of Bone is Nerd Hurdles, which we often call our sister show (on Starbase 66), mostly because both NH hosts have really long hair. Nerd Hurdles took shape on our forums as prolific writer/musician/artist/photographer/genius/bananaslammer Jakob met, courted and recruited the mighty Mandi and convinced her their relationship would hinge on a weekly conversation about things people are afraid to like because other people might think they are nerds. If that last sentence worked for you, you will like this podcast.

Nerd Hurdles is my kind of show; I feel, every week, that they are talking to me. Except for the one about Harry Potter. extremely intelligent, usually informed and wickedly funny, and includes occasional appearances from Igor the houseboy and a talking Hispanic banana.

I was on this show once, but only accidentally, because of an ill-timed Skype call, Twitter and Geordie Laforge. Jakob and Mandi have been on our show though, and Mandi offered up the greatest line ever uttered in podcasting: “What is it, a ketchup packet?” You can hear that on our Christmas show from last year. It’s important to mention that we know each other in real life, and when I fought Jakob, he was totally wicked with a bo staff.

Apparently the links to the show are too hard to find, so here goes: Listen to Nerd Hurdles. Or you can also click here.