We Will Be Back Next Week

Sorry folks, but there is no xTDx this week. Don’t worry, we will be back next week!

Episode 49: Halloween Hangover

Do you need a cure for your Halloween hangover? Well we got it right here with Total Domination Episode 49! This week’s main topic is a discussion on horror movies. Now I know we have discussed them before, but this is more of an update of what we have seen in the past year and things we didn’t cover last time (because there is a lot).

As promised, the Crispin Glover dance scene from Friday The 13th Part IV: The Final Chapter.

Also, in Totally Dominating News we discuss more Expendables news, Texas Chainsaw Massacre rumors, and the Short Circuit remake.

Please remember to subscribe on iTunes and leave us a kick ass review if you do! Also, the email address for any questions, comments, or ideas is xTotalDominationx@gmail.com!!! One last thing, we also have a Twitter page, so please if you use Twitter follow us by clicking HERE!

If you use iTunes, please subscribe to us here >>>

You can also download the episode right here –
TOTAL DOMINATION EPISODE 49

Beer Beer Beer Beer Beer

Might xTDx be the only podcast with a craft beer named after it?
This xTDx ‘member’ can’t help but believe so.
Visit Cody Wyoming and listen to the Muppetcast.
Love,
James

Episode 48: 0000001 0000011 0000111

This week on Total Domination we discuss ROBOTS! ANDROIDS! and CYBORGS! from TV and film. Some of the Robots discussed are Terminators, Star Wars Robots, Futurama, and so many more!!! If we left out your favorite fictional robotic beings due let us know at xtotaldominationx@gmail.com!!!

In Totally Dominating News we discuss our recent feature on the Cody Wyoming Travel site, an update from Cody’s Corner, and a movie written by a member of The Hold Steady!!

Also, here is a promised link from last week — Bill Dee Williams Colt 45 commercial!!!

Please remember to subscribe on iTunes and leave us a kick ass review if you do! Also, the email address for any questions, comments, or ideas is xTotalDominationx@gmail.com!!! One last thing, we also have a Twitter page, so please if you use Twitter follow us by clicking HERE!

If you use iTunes, please subscribe to us here >>>

You can also download the episode right here –
TOTAL DOMINATION EPISODE 48

Episode 47: Put Down Your Weapon!

This week we are out of the BATTLE Lounge and on location in the Eagle’s Nest for a podcast full of action and explosions! In Episode 47 our main topic of discussion is BADASS MOVIE WEAPONRY! Some of these badass weapons include Conan’s Sword, The Cricket, The Annihilator 2000, and many more!

Also, in Totally Dominating News we discuss Ivan Rietman’s involvement with Ghostbusters 3, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and the new promo trailer for The Expendables!

Please remember to subscribe on iTunes and leave us a kick ass review if you do! Also, the email address for any questions, comments, or ideas is xTotalDominationx@gmail.com!!! One last thing, we also have a Twitter page, so please if you use Twitter follow us by clicking HERE!

If you use iTunes, please subscribe to us here >>>

You can also download the episode right here –
TOTAL DOMINATION EPISODE 47

P.O.R.T.A.L. Episode 02

Follow Agents Lou Campbell and Drake Drugeon of P.O.R.T.A.L.; a supernatural investigation unit tasked with handling situations too baffling for normal law enforcement agencies. In this week’s episode, Lou and Drake go after a dangerous man with a special remote.

Episode 46: Vicious Versus 3

This week on Total Domination our main topic is a segment we have done in the past known as Vicious Versus!!! Vicious Versus is where we take 2 actors, movies, characters, etc and put them against each other in the ultimate battle to end all battles! See if your favorites win in this epic war!

This week in Totally Dominating News James incorrectly predicts who got the olympics, Denis discusses one of his favorite hockey players’ retirement, Nick discusses the vampires/zombies/government connection, and Corey discusses the new Nightmare on Elm Street trailer & some great new albums.

Please remember to subscribe on iTunes and leave us a kick ass review if you do! Also, the email address for any questions, comments, or ideas is xTotalDominationx@gmail.com!!! One last thing, we also have a Twitter page, so please if you use Twitter follow us by clicking HERE!

If you use iTunes, please subscribe to us here >>>

You can also download the episode right here –
TOTAL DOMINATION EPISODE 46

What is good? What’s bad? A blog post.

—-

What makes something good? What makes something bad?

It varies from person to person. All of us have unique tastes. Especially when it comes to media. We all have our own
opinion of what is well done and what isn’t. It makes for interesting discussion. Bonds friendships. Makes life exciting.

What doesn’t, however, is when someone says an opinion and doesn’t explain it. How is one to agree or disagree if nothing is being proved? Or talked about?

I can’t agree if your reasons are skewed, or make no sense. Maybe people do this so they don’t have to actually risk the thought of their statement being made fun of. Or disproved. Or they’re lazy, in which case, keep that shit to yourself.

By saying what they think with no description of how they got to that conclusion, they can state their profound comment, and then move on.

This conversation would go like this.

“That sucks.”

“Why?”

“It just does.”

“But something has to make it suck?”

“Yeah, the fact that it sucks.”

This person can sound confident in their beliefs without doing anything else but saying it. Which comes off as knowledgeable, right?

Well, not to me.

If you can’t tell me why something sucks i don’t want to hear it. Why does someone rub you the wrong way? Don’t just tell me that it does.

I’d love to know.

Saying something is bad, means nothing to me. Oh great, its bad. But why? Maybe you just didn’t like it, but it was good. Maybe you didn’t enjoy it, so it was bad to you. But that doesn’t mean it was badly made. It could have good production, good sound. And so forth.

This is why i hate countless reviews. Its all subjective. And that’s fine. I don’t want things cut and dry. People are different. Which is why i want descriptions. Like, facts to back up your statement. Your thoughts. So I get a taste of where you’re coming from.

It helps me weed out the opinions that are worth a damn and the ones that my brain can filter out.

By naming reasons it becomes more of a discussion, and less a statement. I can support that.

Personally, I don’t care if people know what i think. My thoughts are mine, and worth a lot. I just don’t go around assuming everyone cares what i have to say. I don’t like time wasted, mine or other peoples.

Which, is what unexplained opinions do. No good. Not a fan.

Now, what I will do, is ask people to keep things to themselves if i haven’t seen the movie. Usually, I know this person. I know they’re tastes. I don’t need details. I know what gets them excited. But this comes out of knowing the person. If i don’t know what makes you pick things, then I’m left wondering. You’ll have to save your thoughts until after i see the movie.

Another reason I ask them not to explain,is because i hate spoilers. When I watch shit, i watch it for me. I want to get involved. Live through the characters. Evaluate the set design. Look at how the shot was framed. Look for social issues and problems that are being reflected in the art. See how the thing was put together. What plot point leads to where. And i want it to come from my head. That’s part of the fun for me. Being able to pick stuff out myself.

So i use all these things to judge a movie.

Now, what’s tricky is that depending on what movie i’m watching, I’m looking for different things. I’m an easy guy to please because I don’t take movies too seriously. I usually try and see what the thing is trying to do, what message its getting across, what it wants to do with itself. If its taking itself seriously, or if its going crazy because it wants to. Personally, if I’m entertained its a good movie to me. Even if it wasn’t meant to be what it was.

I think i would have loved film school. Oh well, pencils for me instead of reels.

The only movies i hate are boring ones. Like, despise. If i give you my time, you better fucking entertain me, if not, suck it.

Which is why when i say i enjoy movies others might find subpar, or ridiculous, or lame, i don’t care. I enjoyed myself. Usually their tastes aren’t mine and they were being too rigid. Or expectations were high. Who knows. All i know is that when I see a flaming ghost cranium riding a two wheeler telling the men in blue they’re number one, or Roger rabbit’s detective flying down a tube on a goomba mattress, i’m thrilled.

So, what am I saying here?

Explain your opinions. Show some thought. It doesn’t hurt. Oh and especially if you’re on the internet. I’m looking at you, message board people.

–Nick

Episode 45: Duo’s & Team’s

This week on Total Domination the main topic is our favorite on-screen duo’s and favorite on-screen teams/groups! As there are so many different on-screen duo’s and teams/groups, this was a very long a difficult process to pick out favorites! So listen in and see if you favorites were picked in the ultimate showdown of partnerhood!

Also, this week in Totally Dominating News we discuss the Highlander remake and some Marvel sequel & reboot news!

Please remember to subscribe on iTunes and leave us a kick ass review if you do! Also, the email address for any questions, comments, or ideas is xTotalDominationx@gmail.com!!! One last thing, we also have a Twitter page, so please if you use Twitter follow us by clicking HERE!

If you use iTunes, please subscribe to us here >>>

You can also download the episode right here –
TOTAL DOMINATION EPISODE 45

G.I.Joe. 80’s Propoganda? A blog post.

—-

It always blew my mind, for a show based on military and war, how greatly G.I.Joe ignored the politics of war altogether. The Joes never had to deal with subcommittees and hearings. Congress did not apply to them. They did what they wanted and when they wanted.

But you know why no one cared? Because everything the Joes did was right. They never invaded someone that didn’t need it. They never stopped anything that they shouldn’t have. Which was the point.

What G.I.Joe did, whether on purpose or not, was to show war was always right. It should never be questioned. Why question something that is required? Villains were being bad, so the heroes acted. End scene. There was no asking permission, because the Joes always knew what to do.

They were given the ok. Like a license to kill was to James Bond, the right to do whatever the fuck they wanted was to G.I.Joe. Cobra was building a device that could teleport things everywhere, so the Joes did the same.

Who cares if they had to go to god knows where to retrieve elements necessary for the devices function in other countries. No one cared. Not even the countries. Cobra was messing around, so the Joes had to do the same. Usually Cobra had the world by its collective cajones, but still. The Joes had free pass. Heads of state everywhere trusted them to get shit done.

Now, in the world of G.I.Joe, that was fine. Cause, like i stated, Cobra was serious. But they were always serious. Every threat was insane. Every threat was the most horrible thing ever, which gave the Joes the right to act accordingly. In the real world, however, this is not the case. Every threat isn’t global, and every threat doesn’t gain support from everybody else. Cobra is fictional, and so are threats like that.

G.I.Joe never had to deal with the idea of too much force or effort, because cobra was equally absurd. They never had to deal with people saying no, because who the hell is going to say no to your attempt to reclaim the space station which was hijacked to create a giant electromagnetic black out?

The real world is not like this.

Yeah, i know.

Duh.

But imagine being a kid, or don’t because you were. And your first knowledge of the military was G.I.Joe. Wouldn’t you be pumped to sign up so you could battle threats to the world, far and wide? Let’s say you never really knew about the world in high school. You were busy doing your own thing, and you hear about all the sweet things the military can do for you? So you sign up, and then you see things are greyer than you expected. You hear people back at home complaining about what you’re doing, when all you wanted to do was help the world. You didn’t expect your government to short change you and the people you were saving to give you grief.

I’m not knocking on soldiers at all here. Far from it. Why would I hate on people who want to make the world a better place? Why would i hate on people’s desire to help others. Quick answer, I wouldn’t. My family has felt the brunt of war more than I’ll say here.

I would however, blame everyone who sugar coats war and makes it not as bad is it is to people not involved in it. G.I. Joe is guilty of this, even though i love it dearly. It is not reality, but it doesn’t change the fact that the good guys do whatever they want and no one gets in they’re way. And they never lose. And no one dies.

That’s fake.

Now, what am i saying?

Am i wanting G.I.Joe to become more serious? Hell no.

I loved the new movie because it was not what I thought it was going to be. As much as i hate the star wars comparison, it fits. Its fantasy. It can’t be taken seriously. Which is the way it should be.

But back in the 80’s, with the war on communism coming to a close but tensions a flame, i can’t help but contemplate how making the good guys super good and painting the bad guys as ridiculous, always dangerous and illogical glorified how war was in the eyes of kids everywhere. Hell, i almost wonder how many kids thought that our armed forces were being forced into fun houses or battling cloned supermen. Or robots. God damn robots.

All I’m saying is that G.I.Joe glorified war for children everywhere, and America’s role in the world. We were the policemen, and were always necessary. More force was better, because the enemy demanded it. What bothers me is when people who aren’t fictional characters play up our enemy as cobra and that we have to do whatever it takes to stop them. Whatever it may be. Invade, Torture. You know the drill.

But despite all this G.I.Joe rules and I love it will all of my being. What’s done is done and I can’t change what it was. Hell, maybe that explains why no G.I.Joe cartoons have caught on recently. Different political environment.

-Nick

Episode 44: Summer Movie Season ‘09

This week on Total Domination we have the Eagle Scout and Z-Rex in the house, kickin’ it old school in the BATTLE Lounge with the xTDx Crew!

In Totally Dominating News we discuss RAMBO: The Savage Hunt, an abusive father, and that being white is OK.

The main topic this week is a reflection on the films we saw this Summer and which movies were our favorites. Listen in and see if your favorites were picked as the top films of Summer 2009.

Please remember to subscribe on iTunes and leave us a kick ass review if you do! Also, the email address for any questions, comments, or ideas is xTotalDominationx@gmail.com!!! One last thing, we also have a Twitter page, so please if you use Twitter follow us by clicking HERE!

If you use iTunes, please subscribe to us here >>>

You can also download the episode right here –
TOTAL DOMINATION EPISODE 44

Roughcuts Audition: KISS Meets The Phantom Of The Park

Below is my audition to become a member of the YouTube DVD review group known as The Roughcuts! So in order for me to get the gig, you need to go and vote for xTotalDominationx in the comments section at this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65VSI9fbsKQ !!!

Kanye West : a slight rant

By: James

I obviously didn’t watch the MTV VMAs last night. Why would I do that? MTV doesn’t even play music videos, (do they?) so why should I care what videos they give awards to? It would be the same as watching The Food Network host a movie award show, why the hell should I care what they think? But I digress.

This is about that college dropout that we all love.

Either the man is a brilliant man, or a severely egotistical and clueless man – if not both.

For you see, (to my knowledge) his last album, 808s & heartbreak hasn’t really been that big of a hit. I mean, sure it has sold millions, but not many people have been talking about it, which is a change from his past three releases. There was a time when you could hear “Touch the Sky” or one of his many other hits no matter where you went. I don’t think the same has gone for this album. I couldn’t even tell you what if any hits have come from this release.

What this means is that the man has been out of the limelight, which is bad for his business and ego. I personally believe he realized this, and actively did something to change it. Therefore he interrupted Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech, and within minutes, every blog, news network, Twitter, and Facebook page had something to say about Kanye West. Even better, he was invited to appear on Jay Leno’s premiere(!) episode of his new 9PM show- where he apparently (haven’t watched) balled his eyes out. Which will get even more people, blogs, news organizations talking about him.

We are all just feeding this man’s ego. This was his plan. It is like a viral video that is just spreading everywhere. Mock him however you want, but it was a brilliant move. In my opinion, this kind of stunt shouldn’t fly. The best thing that could of been done was to just pretend it didn’t happen. Much like Wilson from Home Improvement, I am reminded of the phrase ‘if a tree falls in the woods and no one is around, does it make a sound?’. When this man took his fall, the best thing that could of been done was to just let it go. Why help this man sell albums and overpriced concert seats?

If he honestly just wanted to express his opinion of which video should of won in this matter at this time, then I feel sorry for him. In this case, my same logic applies. If Mr. West really thought that this is how and when he should express his opinion of which video is the best, then he has some serious problems and needs help. Thus, he should still not be discussed. A man that is this far ‘gone’ shouldn’t be televised. My best example of this would be a streaker at a sporting event. Imagine Solider field during a Bears game, a man sprints onto the field naked. The cameras cut away, and focus on anything else. The network has no reason to show this person doing this despicable act, as they don’t want to promote the man. It will just give that man, or any other person a reason to attempt the same act again. “I could get on TV, I am going to do that!”

Like the streaker at that Bears game, Kanye should of been escorted out of the venue and arrested for trespassing – not awarded and given more TV time and publicity.

Yes, I realize that writing about how everyone should stop writing about Kanye West is contradicting and makes me a hypocrite, but whatever. I felt that it needed to be said. I can’t be the only person that feels this way…

“Now I ain’t saying she a gold digger
But she ain’t messing with no broke niggaz”

I know you ain’t broke Kanye.

Also, Corey is going to bitch at me if I don’t mention the podcast. So, stay tuned for the next episode of xTotalDominationx, where the main topic is finally The Muppets. That is a joke.

PS. Nick if you are reading this, then you should edit this right now. I am not a writer, clearly.

Episode 43: When We Were Young – Part 2

Welcome to Part 2 of our discussion on everything we loved (and I’m sure you loved too) from our childhood! Since this is a 2 parter, we just might have recorded this one right after the last one, so that only means one thing. What that means is that we do not have any Total Dominating News this week or a Teddy’s Tea Time.

So just sit back, relax, and reminisce with us about the greatness of the 90’s and late 80’s! Here are some links everyone who loved this time period might enjoy:

TMNT Toys

Retro Junk.com

You Know You’re a 90’s Kid If…..

Please remember to subscribe on iTunes and leave us a kick ass review if you do! Also, the email address for any questions, comments, or ideas is xTotalDominationx@gmail.com!!! One last thing, we also have a Twitter page, so please if you use Twitter follow us by clicking HERE!

If you use iTunes, please subscribe to us here >>>

You can also download the episode right here –
TOTAL DOMINATION EPISODE 43

P.O.R.T.A.L. Episode 01

Here it is! The brand new original series from Total Domination! (Like a cross between Reno 911 & X-Files) Follow Agents Lou Campbell and Drake Drugeon as they investigate strange happenings in the debut episode of P.O.R.T.A.L.; a supernatural investigation unit tasked with handling situations too baffling for normal law enforcement agencies.