Welcome to the Community!

We at Jack and the Geekstalk love interacting with like minded people. Sometimes in normal conversation topics like comic books, video games and superheroes can be dismissed by people purporting to be ‘grown ups’ classing them as childish! Rude I know!

It is a breath of fresh air to be able to share our opinions on whatever we want no matter how ‘nerdy’ or ‘geeky’ the subject matter is. This is what has inspired our 2017 Community Year.

We want to build on the awesome community we are a part of, working with other blogs, podcasts and geeky people to talk about anything and everything that we are passionate about.

I thought we would start simple. A topic of eternal discussion in this group is film, so below you’ll find a little something from each community member about their favourite film and what they think makes it brilliant. Hopefully our community will grow as time goes by and this will be the first of many collaborations.

Without further ado, please enjoy the Community’s favourite films!

Ben from Supernerds UK – @HailLeviathan, @SuperNerdsUK

“A paragraph about my favourite film is tough. I’m a waffler at the best of times. My favourite film is Jaws, because, well, it’s Jaws. Arguably the first summer blockbuster, combining horror with action with humour, it provided a template for summer tentpole movies for years to come. Spielberg proved his genius and John Williams proved two notes could be scary. As of the time of writing this, I’ve still never been in a natural body of water.”

Chris Smolinski – @RamblingRiter

This is one of the hardest questions for me to answer. I love movies. I have had many different favorites through out my life. Plus I tend to forget some movies even though I love them. I generally enjoy movies that others don’t. So normally the super cheesy movies that earn 1 or 2 stars, I love them.

Most of my favorites are musical movies. I love a good musical. I am also a big fan of animated movies, Disney, Pixar, whatever. With that being said, I was going to say Book of life. I hated the preview, thought it would be a terrible movie. When it came out on DVD my kids wanted to see it so I sat with them and watched. I freaking loved it. Top to bottom it was great. But then today I was flipping through HBO and found August Rush. This movie is arguably one of my favorites. It has a fantastic score/soundtrack, a super great storyline, and awesome characters. People talk about flaws in movies, and for me this movie does not have a single one

South Devon Geek Squad – @SouthDevonGeeks

“Being asked about what is my favourite movie, I didn’t have to think very hard. It is Brandon Lee’s final movie: The Crow. The story begins with a resurrection from the dead; a rock star named Eric Draven (Brandon Lee) is murdered, along with his fiancée, on the eve of their wedding. His soul is escorted to the next world by a crow, but when a spirit is unhappy there, because of unsettled business on Earth, sometimes the crow will bring them back again. So a year later, on Halloween’s Eve (which is also called Devil’s Night) Eric reappears on Earth, swearing vengeance on those who committed the murders. Flashbacks recreate the original murder, and then Eric, led by the crow, treks through the mean, rainy, midnight streets on his lonely quest. He has fashioned for himself some death-head make-up and, since he is already dead, of course bullets cannot harm him. I loved the way the camera swoops high above the city, or dips low for extreme-angle shots through the film. Shadows cast fearsome daggers into the light and buildings are exaggerated in their details, The Crow, with its fast pace and countless camera set-ups reflects a bleak modern sensibility and remains one of my all-time favourite films.”

Ben from #nerdschatting – ben@nerdschatting, @nerdschatting

It’s a story about Hope

Have you ever seen The Shawshank Redemption? If you have you’ll probably agree with, at least some of, the following! However, if you haven’t… it really is worth finding the DVD/Blu Ray/Digital copy, settling down on a wet Saturday afternoon, and watching the number 1 movie in 4 of the 5 IMDB Top Rated movie categories.

Based on the 1982 Stephen King novella Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption (from the Different Seasons novella, subtitled “Hope Springs Eternal”), and directed by Frank Darabont; The Shawshank Redemption is, at its beginning, a movie about one man (Andy Dufresne), thrown into Shawshank State Penitentiary for killing his wife. Now, you aren’t told straight away if he is guilty of this crime, and given the actions of the man, you’re never quite sure if he did it or not until the plot wants to reveal the truth to the viewer. The story develops over several years where Andy remains incarcerated in the brutal, unforgiving setting of Shawshank prison, starting lasting friendships and changing the prison environment for those living within it for the better. The core theme of the movie is hope.

Andy says these words, in a letter to a friend, “hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things”, and it’s this line that always sticks with me as a viewer. During hard times in my own life, The Shawshank Redemption has always been able to give me a much needed boost. It’s helped me to retain hope that everything will be all right. Even in the face of crushing adversity, when everything is going wrong and the world is piling pressure on you, these words will always ring in my ears…“hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things”.

This is why I love the Shawshank Redemption; yes it’s a movie about prison life, violence (both physical and sexual), corruption and death, and yet …at its core…it’s a movie about hope.

Seb Reeves – @TheRealMrSeb

‘I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe…’ Roy Batty’s closing monologue wraps up the vision of a grim future that is ‘Blade Runner’. There are a number of scene’s that make this movie pure genius; from the constant rainfall that accompanies Deckard‘s search for the rogue replicants, To Gaff’s closing statement ‘It’s too bad she won’t live! But then again, who does?’ The film draws you in, and you find yourself rooting for both hunter and the hunted alike.

Markus – @TheMarckoguy

My favourite movie is David Fincher’s “Fight Club”. Based on Chuck Palahniuk’s book of the same name, it explores the themes of anti-consumerism, anarchism and freedom. And the movies does all of this in a very entertaining and surprisingly fascinating way. But not only is the plot terrific, the performances (especially Brad Pitt as Tyler Durden) are absolutely fantastic. The movie also has some of the darkest humour I’ve ever experienced in a movie, but it works and it makes me laugh every time, though I can understand why some wouldn’t find it funny. I of course also have to commend David Fincher’s directing of the movie, because he did a pretty damn great job. Really, there’s nothing I dislike or even get mildly annoyed at about “Fight Club”. It is without a doubt my favourite movie, and I’m sure it will continue being that for as long as I live (and even when I’m dead).

Ian from SuperNerds UK  – @SuperNerdsUK

It’s Pulp Fiction for me, perfectly written, perfectly acted! For a film that at times seems to be trying too hard to be cool, this is an intelligent, thoughtful, funny part of now classic cinema! This film has become deservedly a cultural icon! My favourite film ever!

Lou from Jack and the Geekstalk – @Lola_Flump, @JackGeekstalk

Howl’s Moving Castle; I love almost all the Ghibli films, but Howl‘s is the one that gives me a feeling of having a blanket wrapped around me- it’s a comfort film. There are a few reasons why I love it, I think the animation is hard not to find fascinating and it gives a smooth feel to all the transitions and scene changes. I’ve seen a lot of animations where you don’t connect with the characters because you can’t pick up on their non-verbal signals, but the combination of truly brilliant drawing and sequencing, alongside the excellent voice acting, means you still get all the unsaid stuff too. When Sophie is looking out across the valley contemplating, you feel like you understand her thoughts, whereas in other animations it would just be a flat still picture that means little. I also think the story is crafted well. There are so many strands to it; growing up, seeing beauty inside, finding your self worth, putting others first… As well as the love stories, which are not the conventional romantic boy and girl fall in love stories, but have so much more depth. It is a clever and meaningful film, without being too heavy or emotion-laden; it’s a film to enjoy as a child or adult and I come back to it again and again. Plus I really want to live in the moving castle and have fried breakfast sitting in front of Calcifer‘s Fire. (Does anyone else find Studio Ghibli films make them really hungry??)

Luke from Jack and the Geekstalk – @Lucas_Whizz, @JackGeekstalk

T2: Judgment Day. Explosions! Truck/motorcycle chases! Guns! Robots.. err sorry. Cybernetic Organisms! One liners! What’s not to like with T2: Judgment Day? When you get a cult classic like The Terminator surprise a whole generation with just how different it was from stuff that came before it’s a special thing. I mean I assume so; I wasn’t actually born until after the sequel released. When you have a sequel that is not only better than the first but helps build and shape the universe so well it just leaves you always wanting more, now that’s a special thing. The sense of awe I got when I first saw the T-1000 shape shift into another person or when it morphed through the metal bars was just incredible, and bringing Arnie back as the good guy was genius. Never have I felt so sad with one simple gesture, thumbs up everyone. The second terminator film for me is the Ultimate Sci-Fi movie, one that I have watched over and over again and one that I will always continue to go back to. Let’s just forget about the awful sequels and reboots. Hasta la vista, baby.

Chris from We Have a Hulk – @chris_hulkpod, @wehaveahulkpod

I don’t really like to think in absolutes but if I had to pick, I’d probably choose The Matrix (to be clear just the original, I have selective amnesia when it comes to the sequels). I love sci-fi, I love one man versus the world stories, I love questions and I’m also a very visual person. This movie ticks all the boxes for me.

I think the biggest thing for me is how it poses so many interesting questions relating to human nature, the nature of reality and even the nature of the nature of reality 😉

Also, the soundtrack is amazing and the film ends perfectly to the dulcet tones of Rage Against the Machine’s “Wake Up” (lulz).

“I know you’re out there. I can feel you now. I know that you’re afraid. You’re afraid of us. You’re afraid of change. I don’t know the future. I didn’t come here to tell you how this is going to end. I came here to tell you how it’s going to begin. I’m going to hang up this phone, and then I’m going to show these people what you don’t want them to see. I’m going to show them a world without you, a world without rules and controls, without borders or boundaries, a world where anything is possible. Where we go from there, is a choice I leave to you.”

Nicola from We have a Hulk – @nicola_hulkpod, @wehaveahulkpod

My favourite film is the brilliant Inception (2010) directed by the phenomenal Christopher Nolan. This is one of those rare films that stay with you once the credits roll – to this day I still can’t decide whether Cobb’s totum fell over or not. Is he free and back with his kids or forever lost in a dream? We’ll never know! So why is this my favourite film? Well the ensemble cast is absolutely fantastic and filled with incredible talents such as Hardy, Caine, DiCaprio, Gordon-Levitt & Cotillard. The special effects are also astonishing (rotating hallways & zero gravity sequences!) paired with a perfect soundtrack from the legend that is Hans Zimmer. But the whole concept of multiple dream layers? Mindblowing.

P.s I was so close to putting The Dark Knight!

Dan from Nerdifi – @Nerdifi_MCR

Tim Burton‘s Batman (1989) may not be the best film of all time, it may not even be the best Batman film of all time but to this day it remains my favourite film and arguably the most important superhero film of all time.

If Jaws cracked open the door to the summer blockbuster and Star Wars kicked it wide open, then Batman knocked out the frame and replaced the door with French Windows. Those of us who were around for the legendary hype of Batmania 2.0 will remember how ubiquitous that black and yellow emblem was, emblazoned on every tshirt, baseball cap, lunch box, breakfast cereal and flamethrower (that’s a Spaceballs reference, 80’s kids!) the eye could settle on in the summer of ’89.
It was a triumph of marketing, sure, but my 7 year old self gobbled up whatever bat-merch I could prior to the film’s VHS release (unfortunately I was too young to see this theatrically).
The end product did not disappoint. Michael Keaton gave a tour-de-force performance as a psychologically malformed Bruce Wayne whose only purpose is the monster he has created. Jack Nicholson defined the archetype for the comic book movie villain for nearly two decades. But the star of the show has to be Anton Furst‘s stunning production design that elevated the material while raising the bar for the Hollywood blockbuster.

Claudia from 1GeekyNerd – @1GeekyNerd

How to choose a favourite movie? To me it seems like a herculean task. Why I can’t even choose what I want from a menu of 10 items at my local bubble tea joint. I guess it is even harder when one’s taste in movies ranges from musicals to science fiction and from independent dramas to action packed, gun fu movies a la John Wick. Yippee-ki-yay, motherfucker. How could I possible choose between A Fiddler On The Roof or Alien, Schindler’s List or The Usual Suspects, The Flowers of War or Guardians of the Galaxy? Impossible task for squirrel girl here (oh, look, a squirrel…). So instead, I’m going for a movie that left a long lasting impression on me: Claude Lelouch‘s Les Uns et Les Autres. I went to see it with my bestie when we both were 14. The amazingly gorgeous music still follows me. Almost hauntingly. Perhaps because music has been an integral part of my life, perhaps because -despite not having lived through that time or having survivors as relatives- the events ring very true to my soul and are intertwined with me as if they were part of my epigenetic memories. I still remember the feeling of awe and the silent tears rolling down my cheeks as all the stories are brought together in the final scene under Ravel’s Boléro. The film recounts the lives – and deaths- of four different families across time starting in the 30’s, through the horrors of World War II, and all the way to the early 80’s. It is a story of love, sorrow and ultimately the beautiful resilience in us which prevails despite the ephemerality of human life giving us the hope we need in order to keep going in a world that doesn’t make any sense at times. Highly recommended.

Dave from Jack and the Geekstalk – @Crutchy, @JackGeekstalk

This was a tough choice for me and one that might change if I’m asked the same question again in a week’s time. As a huge Star Wars fan my automatic answer to ‘What’s your favourite film?’ is Return of the Jedi. I acknowledge it’s not the best Star Wars film but it’s the one I enjoy the most. But when I sat down to think about this in a little bit more detail I realised that there is one film I recommend more than any other….Garden State. The 2004 dark comedy film written, directed and starring Zach Braff (of Scrubs fame) is my favourite film ever. It’s not the acting, although with incredible stars like Natalie Portman, and Ian Holm the talent on display is impressive. It’s not the soundtrack, which again features some artists that I’d never heard before but In one particular case, The Shins, they have become some of my favourite musicians. It’s not even the story, which is engaging and keeps you transfixed to the three main characters. It’s the way this film makes me feel. It is both the saddest and happiest film that I’ve seen and it’s difficult to get the right balance between the two.

Braff plays Andrew, a semi-successful actor who returns home for his disabled mother’s funeral. This in itself is a dark start to the film but add in the fact that he has little to no relationship with his father (who was his therapist), he’s on behavioural controlling drugs and that SPOILER WARNING!!! he was responsible for his mother’s disability, and you at times feel like the weight of Andrew’s sorrow is too heavy to bear. Thankfully, Andrew finds happiness in re-connecting with his friends and finds love in the form of Sam (Natalie Portman), an equally troubled but kind soul just looking for her bright spark in the world.

The chemistry between Braff and Portman and also Peter Sarsgard who plays Mark, Andrew’s new best friend is what makes this film. If you don’t laugh and cry at least once in this film then you are dead inside, sometimes you will fluctuate between emotions in the same scene! It’s simple but beautiful and although he followed it up with crap films like The Ex, Zack Braff showed real talent for storytelling and genuine heart. Go watch it now, it will make you feel alive!

Well there you have it, our first community post is done. I hope you learnt a little bit about each of the writers and if you haven’t seen any of the films on this list then you will seek them out to learn why we love them so much, don’t just take our word for it!

We’ve given you our favourite films, now it’s your turn! What would you say is the film you rank above all others? Does it have a very personal connection or is it just a non-stop thrill ride that you love. Whatever the reason we want to know. Come join the community to talk about anything and everything, we can’t promise coherent and sensible conversations but we can promise you will have a good time and will end up discussing things you never thought would come up!

Here’s to the next community collaboration! Stay tuned for more awesome discussion from a fantastic group of people.

If you want to check out the people featured in this post, find their social media links and websites below. Please look them up as every single one of them is great and are always up for more interactions.

Chris Smolinski @RamblingRiter

South Devon Geek Squad @SouthDevonGeeks, SouthDevonGeekSquad.com

Ben from #nerdschatting Podcast @nerdschatting, @ben_nerdchat

Seb Reeves @TheRealMrSeb

Markus @TheMarckoguy, themarckoguy.wordpress.com

Ben from SuperNerds UK Podcast @HailLeviathan , badlydrawnben.wordpress.com

Ian from SuperNerds UK Podcast @SuperNerds_UK, www.supernerdsuk.com

Lou from Jack and the Geekstalk @Lola_Flump

Luke from Jack and the Geekstalk @Lucas_Whizz

Chris from We Have a Hulk Podcast @chris_hulkpod

Nicola from We Have a Hulk Podcast @nicola_hulkpod @wehaveahulkpod, wehaveahulk.co.uk

Dan from Nerdifi Podcast @Nerdifi_MCR, nerdifi.com

Claudia from @1GeekyNerd, summersolsticemusings.wordpress.com

Dave from Jack and the Geekstalk @Crutchy@Crutchy, @JackGeekstalk

Check out the #nerdschatting, Supernerds UK, We Have a Hulk and Nerdifi Podcasts!

    

And as always check out us on Twitter, Instagram and subscribe to our Podcast on ITunes and Podbean.com, Jack and The Geeks Talk.