StarWTF Episode 10: Ackmena (Plus our Life Day celebration)

It's our StarWTF!? Life Day Celebration! Today we look at one of the most INSANE Star Wars productions, the Star Wars Holiday Special... and specifically we are discussing Bea Arthur's badass bar tending character, Ackmena. She's the rough and tough nighttime bartender at the Cantina, who is wooed by a man which a volcano head... and did we mention that she sings to the customers? It's both wonderfully entertaining and completely unwatchable.

Download Episode 10 - Ackmena

Ackmena was the nightshift bartender in Chalmun's Cantina in Mos Eisley on Tatooine. She was a favorite amongst the patrons there, as she was more approachable than the daytime bartender, Wuher. 

The Book Was Better Podcast Episode 109: Theodore Rex Novelization Writing Challenge!

This is the big one! Our annual Novelization Writing Challenge, where instead of critiquing a crappy novelization, we take it upon ourselves to WRITE one! Our good friend Tim the Stats Man provides each guest/writer with a transcript of scenes from a terrible film - that we haven't seen - and we do our best to write them ourselves, putting together everything we've learned from doing this show!

This year's book is based on the wretched Whoopi Goldberg and an animatronic T-Rex buddy cop movie Theodore Rex! This year's challengers are: Jess, Luke, Lizzy Unpronounceable, Courtney Coulson, Suzanne, and Xavier! This is our final show for the year and it is our biggest show ever!

Download here! (click to stream, right-click to save)

Or why not subscribe to us on iTunes and join the discussion in our friendly Facebook group!

Review: The Imitation Game

I was lucky enough to get an advanced screening ticket to see The Imitation Game (staring Benedict Cumberbatch and Keira Knightly) and honestly, I don’t think I could rave about it more.

 The film follows a segment in the life of Alan Turing, the man who broke the Enigma code and shortened World War II by at least two years. Benedict Cumberbatch is actually fantastic as the arrogant but brilliant Turing, surrounded by an amazing supporting case and the story itself is compelling regardless of how little or how much you know.

For a little non-spoiler review, follow me under the cut.

FPcast! The Fruitless Pursuits Podcast for December 22 2014! So This is Christmas!

This week we chat North Korea, review The Kingsman, Big Hero 6 and Saint Vincent, plus we talk about our favourite Christmas things, solve the Australian film industry and do poor imitations of Wortho! Happy Holidays everyone!

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And be sure to SUBSCRIBE to us on iTunes because we do this every week! And join the discussion in our friendly Facebook group!

StarWTF!? Episode 9: Dejarik (a/k/a Holochess)

Today we look back at Dejarik, the game that you probably know as "Holochess". It's the chess-like game that Chewbacca and R2-D2 play in the Millennium Falcon. The Dejarik table is a Star Wars icon (even teased by JJ Abrams during episode 7 shooting), but is the game itself any good? And more importantly, if you were playing, would you let the Wookiee win?

Download Episode 9 - Dejarik

Dejarik was a popular holographic game that was played throughout the galaxy. When activated, the game would project holographic playing pieces that resembled dangerous-looking species from throughout the galaxy. The players can move their pieces to attack one another and said pieces will behave like living beings when in battle.

The Book Was Better Episode 108: Jack Frost (with guest host Jacinta!)

This week our festive coverage continues as we dive into the giant Christmas turkey that is the novelization of Jack Frost! No, not the horror movie where Shannon Elizabeth gets assaulted in the shower - we're talking about the Jack Frost where Michael Keaton dies in a car accident and comes back as a creepy snowman puppet! And joining me for these horrific mixed messages is the steel-nerved Jacinta! And rest assured we're going to get to the bottom (ball) of this!

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Or why not subscribe to us on iTunes and join the discussion in our friendly Facebook group!

FPcast! The Fruitless Pursuits Podcast for December 15th 2014! I'm Birdman!

This week we talk about the freshly revealed new character names from Star Wars: The Force Awakens, plus we review the wonderful Birdman, Boyhood, and MORE!

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And be sure to SUBSCRIBE to us on iTunes because we do this every week! And join the discussion in our friendly Facebook group!

StarWTF!? Episode 8: Lightwhip

With The Force Awakens trailer out, everyone is buzzing about the new cross-guard lightsaber, but we go way back to the Expanded Universe and talk about the Lightwhip! We discuss the worst possible "light" weapons, and speculate on what we'll see in the sequels. (Note: We recorded this BEFORE The Force Awakens trailer was released, so there's lots of speculation. Alex's was eerily accurate.)

Download Episode 8 - Lightwhip

Lightwhips generally functioned on the same principles and mechanics as lightsabers, emitting a coherent beam of energy that was used as a weapon. However, rather than the straight, meter long blades emitted by standard lightsabers, lightwhips featured long, flexible blades that often exceeded several meters in length.

The Book Was Better Episode 107: Jingle All the Way (with guest host Sabrina!)

This week our holiday bonanza continues as we dare to read the festive fiasco that is the novelization of Schwarzengger goes shopping shocker Jingle All the Way! And caring about as much as I do as to whether or not Baby Anakin Skywalker gets some stupid toy is the always wonderful guest host Sabrina! Prepare to deck the halls with terrible impersonations! GET TO DA SHOPPAH!

Download here! (click to stream, right-click to save)

Or why not subscribe to us on iTunes and join the discussion in our friendly Facebook group!

FPcast! The Fruitless Pursuits Podcast for December 8th! Exodus Gods and Yobs!

This week we're back after a brief hiatus, catching up with our thoughts on the Force Awakens trailer, Suicide Squad casting, the Terminator Genisys trailer and a whole lot more! Plus we review Ridley Scott's 3D bible epic Exodus: Gods and Kings, starring our own Joel Edgerton as a baby in drag!

Download here! (click to stream, right-click to save)

And be sure to SUBSCRIBE to us on iTunes because we do this every week! And join the discussion in our friendly Facebook group!