Nerd Culture Podcast

The Dictator

Released: 2012

Directed by: Larry Charles

Written by: Sacha Baron Cohen, Alec Berg

Starring: Sacha Baron Cohen, Anna Faris and Ben Kingsley

Plot: The heroic story of a dictator who risks his life to ensure that democracy would never come to the country he so lovingly oppressed.

For: Some scenes quite funny

Against: Faris is wasted / Most of it is not funny / Not as good as Borat, but better than Bruno

Favourite Scene: Most of the scenes dealing with life in Wadiya

Rating: 1.5 Lukes

The Raid: Redemption

Released: 2011

Directed by: Gareth Evans

Written by: Gareth Evans

Starring: Iko Uwais, Ananda George and Ray Sahetapy

Plot: A SWAT team becomes trapped in a tenement run by a ruthless mobster and his army of killers and thugs.

For: Insanely cool action sequences / Over the top violence

Against: Not as much fun as I thought its would be / Some of the fight scenes go on a little long

Favourite Scene: Everything from when the alarm is triggered to cutting a whole in the floor to escape

Rating: 4 Lukes

The Raven

Released: 2012

Directed by: James McTeigue

Written by: Ben Livingston (screenplay), Hannah Shakespeare (screenplay)

Starring: John Cusack, Alice Eve and Luke Evans

Plot: When a madman begins committing horrific murders inspired by Edgar Allan Poe’s works, a young Baltimore detective joins forces with Poe to stop him from making his stories a reality.

For: Interesting idea

Against: Boring / Cusak is phoning it in / Evans tries hard but just can’t pull it off (I like him though) / Predictable / Terrible ending

Favourite Scene: The Pendulum

Rating: 0.5 Lukes

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Welcome to the twenty-seventh instalment of Who Review. This week, the Doctor becomes embroiled in the mystery of The Ambassadors of Death

EPISODES

The Ambassadors of Death (7 Episodes)

BROADCAST DATES

21 March – 02 May 1970

THE DOCTOR

Jon Pertwee

THE COMPANIONS

Liz Shaw

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Episode #32 features:

Popcorn Junkie: Total Recall

Dust Jacket: Anno Dracula by Kim Newman

Round Table: The Wold Newton Universe

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The Woman in Black

Released: 2012

Directed by: James Watkins

Written by: Susan Hill (novel), Jane Goldman (screenplay)

Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Janet McTeer and Ciarán Hinds

Plot: A recently widowed young lawyer travels to a remote village where he discovers the vengeful ghost of a scorned woman is terrorizing the locals by murdering their children.

For: A welcome addition to the Hammer Studios. Very atmospheric, with a great performance from Radcliffe (I was finally able to see him as another character and not just Harry Potter). It uses all the haunted house cliches, but generally uses them well.

Against: Arthur doesn’t seem all that concerned by the presence of the ghost / Some of the ‘scares’ are painfully obvious.

Favourite Scene: Almost every Woman in Black appearance / Arthur places his hand on the window palm print and gets a nasty surprise.

Rating: 3.5 Lukes

TED

Released: 2012

Directed by: Seth MacFarlane

Written by: Seth MacFarlane. Alec Sulkin & Wellesley Wild

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis and Seth MacFarlane

Plot: As the result of a childhood wish, John Bennett’s teddy bear, Ted, came to life and has been by John’s side ever since – a friendship that’s tested when Lori, John’s girlfriend of four years, wants more from their relationship.

For: Funnier than it should be / Mila Kunis / Sam Jones / ‘Look what Jesus did!’

Against: Some of the jokes fall flat / I love Giovanni Ribisi & Patrick Warburton, but their scenes drag the film to a halt / Norah Jones can’t act

Favourite Scene: TED is revealed to the world / Partying with Sam Jones / Every scene with TED and his boss at the grocery store

Rating: 3.5 Lukes

American Reunion

Released: 2012

Directed by: Jon Hurwitz & Hayden Schlossberg

Written by: Jon Hurwitz & Hayden Schlossberg

Starring: Jason Biggs, Alyson Hannigan and Seann William Scott

Plot: Jim, Michelle, Stifler, and their friends reunite in East Great Falls, Michigan for their high school reunion.

For: Jim’s dad (the legendary Eugene Levy) is always awesome

Against: Nostalgia is great, but sometimes it’s good to know when to let go / Not funny

Favourite Scene: Every scene with Jim’s Dad.

Rating: 1.5 Lukes

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Episode #30 features:

Dust Jacket: Alien Influences by Kristine Kathryn Rusch

Round Table: NCP’s Top 5 Movie Cliches

And introducing our new segment – Channel Zero. This episode featuring – Star Trek: The Next Generation

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