Enjoy Stuff: A TechnoRetro Podcast

What is the Matrix? Well, take this red pill and we will show you. Or listen to this episode of Enjoy Stuff to hear us look back on the trilogy and discuss the latest fourth film that was recently released. Follow the white rabbit and Enjoy Stuff!

 

In 1999 the Wachowskis released a groundbreaking film with stunning visual effects and some contemplative themes that still resonate today. In 2021 the fourth movie brought us back to Neo, Trinity, and the Matrix. Did it hold up to the originals? Jay and Shua look back at what they enjoyed and what the film means to them.   

 

News

-M&Ms is updating their mascots and brand 

-Coke is making changes to their iconic cans 

-Get ready for limited Edition Cinnamoji Toast Crunch Cereal

-There’s a new Peeps line-up in time for Easter

-‘Percy Jackson’ series is coming to Disney+

 

What we’re Enjoying

Jay has been revisiting an older comic called MiracleMan. This character has been around since 1954, but was revived in 1982 by Alan Moore. It’s an interesting dive into comics history. Shua took a little time to himself and broke out the Super Nintendo Classic and explored the world of The Legend of Zelda- A Link to the Past. It’s been fun exploring this retro world. 



Enjoy Movies!

Have you ever felt you’re living in a world that isn’t quite right? You could be living in a computer simulation for the benefit of machines. Or you could just be watching the 1999 movie hit The Matrix.

 

Keanu Reeves stars as Neo, a computer hacker that discovers none of his world is real. Once Morpheus releases him and shows him the truth, Neo must discover whether or not he is the One, who is the savior in a prophesy that hopes to save all humankind. 

 

Throughout the film, we see Neo find his true potential as he battles Agents of the Matrix, virtual computer programs that are seemingly indestructible and dangerous to the humans that have escaped their captivity. 

 

Lilly and Lana Wachowski used this film to show their extraordinary filmmaking ability and also present a deep story that makes us question our reality and ponder destiny vs choice. After the incredible success of the first film, they followed it up in 2003 with two more stories that completed the trilogy. At least for a little while. 

 

Before the two sequels showed us what our ultimate destiny would be, the Animatrix told us some of the history of the machine war in a series of Anime stories that laid the groundwork for this world. 

 

Then, in 2021 Lana Wachowski was told the movie studio wanted to make a new Matrix movie with or without the Wachawskis. Sl she came up with Matrix Resurrections. Keanu Reeves and Carrie Ann Moss returned with a few new surprises and ideas that added to the universe. 

 

So the Matrix has a rich history that continues to give us interesting ideas to ponder. Where will it go from here?  



Are you a part of the Matrix? Would you take the blue pill or the red pill? Let us know. Come talk to us in the Discord channel or send us an email to podcast@enjoystuff.com

 

Direct download: Enjoy_Stuff_1-37.mp3
Category:Enjoy Stuff -- posted at: 3:00am EDT

Star Wars! If you've only seen it this way, then you haven't seen it at all. Luckily, in 1997 the Star Wars Trilogy - Special Edition returned to theaters and returned to our hearts. But this was much more than just a re-release! Jay and Shua look back at the anniversary of the biggest resurgence of a franchise in history!

 

Where were you in 1997? If you were like most of the world, you were standing in line to watch a 20 year old movie. The Star Wars - Special Edition not only gave us the beloved story back on the big screen, it also gave us a cleaned up look, experimental digital effects, and ‘a few new surprises’. This is the Star Wars Trilogy - Special Editon. 



News

-These two new Kit Kat flavors may be just what you’ve been looking for! 

-We are excited to share that a Quantum Leap reboot may actually happen! 

-Daniel Radcliffe is going to be playing Weird Al in a new movie (we’re not even kidding!) 

-Shane the Roving Spoonster found Jay’s long lost Beatles parodies

-Please consider helping some of our neighbors who lost their homes in the Marshall and Middle Fork fires in Colorado on December 30, 2021 [link]

 

What we’re Enjoying

Shua started the year by revisiting some favorite books. He’s been ‘lazy reading’ Ready Player One and Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline, which has prompted him to revisit all kinds of awesome things that were referenced in the story. Jay has been watching the mind-numbing, adult oriented action of John Cena’s Peacemaker on HBO Max. 



Enjoy Movies!

Star Wars celebrates the anniversary of yet another milestone; the release of the Star Wars Trilogy - Special Edition in 1997. But is a re-release of a movie really that big of a deal? You bet your sweet womp rat!

 

After the success of the re-releases, Lucas was able to do a ton of development which was focused on, but certainly not limited to, the prequel trilogy. 

 

What was different about the Special Edition (SE)? To begin with, they were able to clean it up significantly. 20 years of degradation of the film meant that we could lose the brilliant piece of art forever. Plus, the company developed new restoration techniques which paved the way for film companies to restore other films. 

 

Also, George used this as a chance to improve some things that he was never satisfied with because of budget or technology constraints. Some of these changes were exciting to fans, but some made them madder than a Wookiee losing a chess match. What did you think?

 

The boys share some stories of their experience with the SE back in ‘97. It made some memorable times in their lives, inspired them to get involved in fandom, and eventually led them to each other.  



Was your Star Wars fandom sparked by the Special Editions? Did you join the throngs of people lining up to revisit an old movie? Let us know. Come talk to us in the Discord channel or send us an email to podcast@enjoystuff.com

Direct download: Enjoy_Stuff_1-36.mp3
Category:Enjoy Stuff -- posted at: 3:00am EDT

Dream a little dream with Jovial Jay and Shua as they dive into the subconscious of Dream Movies.  

 

Grab a glass of warm milk and get comfortable under that blanket because we are about to explore your mind. Movies that involve movies can sometimes get a little trippy. Do you believe what you see? Let’s look into the world of dream movies. 



News

-What genre fits with giant mechanized robots more than any others? Musicals, of course! And now there’s a Gundam musical just for you!

-Looking to ditch those annoying headphones? Well, get ready for completely invisible ones! 

-We say goodbye to the beloved Betty White and a bevy of other celebrities who we’ve lost this year already. 

-Please consider helping some of our neighbors who lost their homes in the Marshall and Middle Fork fires in Colorado on December 30, 2021 [link]

 

What we’re Enjoying

Who’s Jay gonna call? Ghostbusters! The boys finally got around to watching Ghostbusters: Afterlife and they were pleased. It was a nice combination of homage and new blood. After watching the Hawkeye series on Disney+, Shua wanted to check out the classic comic series by Matt Fraction that inspired so much of the show. Great art, story, and characters.



Enjoy Movies!

What are dreams? Well, according to the Sleep Foundation, “Dreams are images, thoughts, or feelings that occur during sleep.” There’s a lot of speculation about why we dream, but there’s no arguing that the idea makes for a great movie-making opportunity. Let’s take a look at Dream Movies!

 

Dreams with actual dreaming-

A classic movie with dreams as the central plot is the 1984 Dennis Quaid thriller Dreamscape. It explored the idea that some could go into your mind with you to control your dreams and even kill you! The same year, Nightmare on Elm Street looked at it from an even scarier point of view. Films like Wizard of Oz and Brazil tell stories that connect our dreams to reality. And Inception created dreams within dreams to give Leonardo DiCaprio opportunities to make us question what we’re seeing. 

 

Daydreaming-

But you don’t have to be asleep to let dreams affect the way you behave. Ralphie daydreamed about his Red Ryder BB gun until his dream finally came true (and his mother’s nightmare that he’d shoot his eye out). And The Secret Life of Walter Mitty showed how daydreams can be both dangerous to your mental health but also inspiring. 

 

Was it actually a dream?-

Some of the most thrilling dream movies make us wonder if we’re watching reality or that character’s subconscious dealing with a crazy world. Did Quaid really save Mars in Total Recall? Was Neo really plugged into the Matrix? And did George Bailey ever really exist in Bedford Falls, or is It’s A Wonderful Life just a bunch of bunk?!

 

Grab your Teddy and snuggle up with Jay and Shua as we take a trip around the world and back, and explore the world in your mind. 

 

What dream movies do you enjoy? Got any dreams that would make a good movie? Let us know. Come talk to us in the Discord channel or send us an email to podcast@enjoystuff.com

Direct download: Enjoy_Stuff_1-35.mp3
Category:Enjoy Stuff -- posted at: 3:00am EDT

Come Together as Jay and Shua Get Back to where they once belonged with memories, history, and influence of the Beatles on Enjoy Stuff. 

 

This week we share our admiration and influence of the Fab Four. For many years Beatles music has been inspiring musicians and fans with their groundbreaking performances. 



News

-George Harrison’s My Sweet Lord gets Star Studded music video

-Apparently George Jetson was born in 2022 

-Please consider helping some of our neighbors who lost their homes in the Marshall and Middle Fork fires in Colorado on December 30, 2021 [link]

 

What we’re Enjoying

The end of the year brought us a little time off to catch up with some fun stuff. Shua and his family had a great time in Anaheim, California at Disneyland and California Adventure. Plus, he watched Encanto and the latest season of Cobra Kai season 4. Jay has been immersing himself in all things Spider-Man in preparation for No Way Home. And he’s been experimenting with art on his Affinity program. 



Enjoy Music!

The Beatles are generally regarded as one of the greatest musical artists of the 20th century. For Jay and Shua, despite the fact that they had broken up before either of them were born, they became an important influence in their life. 

 

The guys look at the cultural impact of the Beatles throughout their history, while discussing their discography. And they share how the boys from Liverpool made a difference in their lives. 

 

Throughout their relatively short history, they made twelve Albums

  1. Please Please Me - March 22, 1963
  2. With The Beatles - November 22, 1963
  3. A Hard Day's Night - July 10, 1964
  4. Beatles For Sale - December 4, 1964
  5. Help! - August 6, 1965
  6. Rubber Soul - December 3, 1965
  7. Revolver - August 5, 1966
  8. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - May 26, 1967
  9. The Beatles (The White Album) - November 22, 1968
  10. Yellow Submarine - January 17, 1969
  11. Abbey Road - September 26, 1969
  12. Let It Be - May 8, 1970
  1. Believe it or not, they made five movies
    1. A Hard Day's Night
    2. Help!
    3. Magical Mystery Tour
    4. Yellow Submarine
    5. Let It Be
    6. Plus Get Back (3-part documentary on Disney+)

 

Do you enjoy the Beatles? What stories do you have? Let us know. Come talk to us in the Discord channel or send us an email to podcast@enjoystuff.com

Direct download: Enjoy_Stuff_1-34.mp3
Category:Enjoy Stuff -- posted at: 3:00am EDT

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