Show #30: No Country for Paula Deen

By popular demand we have returned to the old meandering format you've all come to love. (We like the longer format too). This one's a little more than an hour, so plan your days accordingly. Though this one has its share of current events, it's also got one of those 'big think' topics for you to ponder and then discuss at length with your friends and loved ones in your various salons. You're welcome. Discussed: George Lucas' "threats" of retirement, the oddly cheery quality of the 'Red Tails' trailers, Wednesday's internet blackout to oppose SOPA, other, better solutions to online piracy, Franzen's thoughts on the 'saturation of entertainment' in our culture, Cormac McCarthy's career change, and Paula Deen's diagnosis/money-making scheme. Hope you enjoy it.

Show #30

Show #29: A Contagion of Republican Presidential Candidates

We're back with a new half-hour podcast. That's right, I said a half-hour podcast. Enjoy it peeps. Discussed: Mitt Romney's New Hampshire win and what it means for the Republican field, and Obama's relative strength going into November. We also revisit Steven Soderburgh's 2011 worldwide pandemic movie 'Contagion'. Monolith finally saw it, and so we, you know, talk about it. Also noted: Charles Barkley's appearance on SNL last weekend, when, how, and on what people watch commercials, and some stuff about new apps to watch TV with. All in just a little over 30 minutes. You're welcome. Won't happen again.

Show #29

Show #28: Kurt Vonnegut's 8 Rules for How Not to do a Podcast

On this, the last podcast of 2011, we discuss 'The Dark Knight Rises' trailer, the 'Prometheus' teaser, possible 20th Century Fox shenanigans (the very possibility of which gets us riled), and the story of the genesis of the Alien-creature, as told by co-creator Ron Shussett (and poorly recalled by BearTrap), Kurt Vonnegut's 8 rules for writing a short story, and then a spoiler-heavy discussion of season 1 of FX's 'American Horror Story'. Click on the link and get you some podcast. Happy new year er'rybody!

Show #28

Show #27: Now I have a Christmas podcast. Ho, ho, ho, ho.

On this week's episode, Santa 'Lith and Rudolph the Red-Nosed BearTrap gather around a hot mic and talk about Christmas. What does it mean, man? What's it all about? Discussed in this 'cast: who's caught the "Christmas spirit" and who's managed to fight it off, whether it is truly better to give than to receive, favorite Yule-time memories, and finally, a whole lotta Christmas movies. 'Scrooged', 'A Christmas Carol', 'A Christmas Story', 'Love, Actually', 'It's a Wonderful Life', Die Hard', you name it, we talk about it. Even if it only mentions Christmas, even if it just has a scene with a Christmas tree in the background, it gets a mention. Exhaustive. And that's why this cast is 7 and a half hours long. You may need to clear some room off your hard drives. And if that's not enticement enough to take a listen, this podcast also features an original Monolithian Christmas recording. I'll not say more. Okay, I'll say more: it's ridiculous. Get your listen on!

Show #27

Show 26: They won't be scared when you get Carl Grissom in that courthouse. I promised that. Remember?

What don't we talk about in this one? Well, actually, that would be a pretty long list, so maybe that's not the best rhetorical question, but what I mean to say is that this episode is far-ranging and all over the place. Discussed: the strange psychosexual undercurrents in the 1989 "Batman'", why UK actors are getting all the plum acting gigs, what, if anything, will get get people back into the theaters after the worst box office weekend since 2008, a mournful takedown of superhero comics that surprises everyone, a Monolith review of the 'Fright Night" remake, the off-note marketing for the Spielberg movies "Warhorse" and "Tintin", "Green Lantern" is mentioned again, and some other interesting interesting stuff. Thing to listen for: how stoked we are about next week's Christmas podcast for absolutely no reason. Click, yo.

Show 26

Show #25: I think a lot of people will stay away, Mayor. They're scared.

What begins as a short discussion about some Indiana Jones-related topics turns into a half-assed AFI Lifetime Achievement Award ceremony for Harrison Ford. From 'Force 10 from Navarone' to 'Sabrina' all the way to 'Cowboys and Aliens' the man that is Ford gets discussed and discussed but good. Some points remarked upon at length in this podcast: Is the end of 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' narratively 'wrong'? Does the universally maligned 'Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull' deserve a second look? Is Han Solo, as Harrison himself described him, a "thin" character? How would it have been if Tom Selleck had been Indiana? Which movie was the beginning of Harrison's modern day slide into disappointing movies? And what current wunderkind Hollywood big-shot wrote the movie that makes Harrison Ford fans cringe? Also, and just for fun, we complete this anology: Tom Cruise is to Running as Harrison Ford is to ... ? Anyway, we love the guy. Listen and enjoy.

Show #25

Show 24: You fill this square with people and the businesses will come back here.

This week we get meta on your asses and comment on the comments our commenters commented! Discussed: a little more on CFL bulbs (but only a little more), good versus great movies (wherein the ‘Lith and the Trap disagree!), top 5 sci-fi movies of all time, a revisiting of last week’s video game chat with a reassessment of the Nintendo Wii, Louis CK, the definition of a ‘drama’, and some other tangential stuff that may be of interest. Get your click on?

Show #24