September is a big month over on Netflix. We have some great additions, but are losing a lot of “Geek” favorites. First, the bad news–depending on how you look at it–is that we are losing “Transformers: Age of Extinction.” We are also losing the original Star Trek movie from 1979 and the newest one “Into Darkness” this month.
On the bright side, we are gaining the first season of “Gotham,” the highly rated series on Fox about Bruce Wayne’s home town.
Gabbing Geek 51, Battle Lines, is so contentious you’ll think it was a presidential debate where every single candidate is Donald Trump. We talk about corporate wars at Marvel, the latest salvo in the battle of the video streaming giants, our epic Geek Book Club discussion of Armada, and our latest game: Battle Royale. You can start listening to this amazing, ferocious episode right now or jump after the break to find out more!
“Do you know how many Video division employees I made cry at their desk with this download option? ALL OF THEM! HA!”
In a bold move on the streaming video front, Amazon yesterday announced that users of its Amazon Prime Video streaming service (which is part of a Prime annual subscription) can now download videos to mobile devices. They’ve also dropped the word “Instant” from their video offering–perhaps as a nod to the ability to watch a video without streaming it that moment. Downloading videos is currently supported on both the iOS and Android Amazon Video apps but will not be supported on laptop and desktop computers. Not every title will be available for download but Amazon original series (Transgender and others you haven’t heard of) and several key properties that Netflix is about to lose (such as Hunger Games, 24, and Star Trek Into Darkness) are all downloadable today.
Netflix has been the industry leader in the streaming video space for years but Amazon has been pushing back hard both on the pricing option (comparable by itself but there are other benefits to Prime such as free shipping and streaming/downloadable music) and the original programming front. Now that Amazon is pushing the functionality gameboard piece, we will have to wait and see if Netflix responds. Netflix has always said that they would not support downloading content but they also didn’t have a major competitor offering downloads.
Will Amazon Prime Video’s new feature make it attractive to travelers and influencers? Are you more or less likely to use this service now?
If that headline doesn’t put a smile on your face then you have lost your emotional core. Galaxy Quest is the rare science fiction movies that stands up within the genre even though it’s a parody of the genre itself. As a send-up of Star Trek it succeeds and as a rousing space adventure/comedy it completely succeeds. So the story that the movie is being rebooted as a long-form TV show on Amazon has so many intriguing possibilities, I cannot wait to see this!
Daredevil on Netflix was not only a dark, gritty epic set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe but it also felt incredibly realistic. Part of that was a lack of major superpowers (he listens well…which will be great once he gets a girlfriend) but the other part was the lack of special effects. But of course Daredevil had special effects–they were just seamlessly integrated so you didn’t notice them.
Tech Times has a fantastic interview with Bryan Godwin, the CEO of Shade VFX and recent Emmy nominee for his work on Daredevil. While we all eagerly await the next Marvel Netflix series (let alone Daredevil season 2!) you can give the interview a read to see what you missed and how visual effects can be integrated without being obvious.
Gabbing Geek 44: Freedom, Freed ‘Em, And Free Dumb!
Episode 44 of the Gabbing Geek podcast covers Back to the Future reboot news, the new Apple Music service, and the just revealed Spider-Woman #1 cover. Then we discuss some influential LGBTQ characters from geek properties before launching our toughest trivia contest yet! Find out who wins by listening right now or jump after the break to find out more!
This was the greatest special effect in the 80s. Trust us.
Details are starting to emerge about the upcoming release of the stand-alone HBO streaming service. The International Business Times reports the service will be called HBO Now and will launch with Game of Thrones’ new season on April 12. The price is expected to be $15 per month, which is close to what most people pay for an HBO subscription right now. Is that the right price for access to HBO content? And, if so, will Netflix stay at their cheaper rate to come up to HBO’s level? Let us know your thoughts!
This. Read this. Now. Unless you haven’t read the first book. In which case, read that. Then read this.
Gabbing Geek’s first podcast of 2015 is now live and we FINALLY get to talk about Golden Son, the second book in the Red Rising trilogy. If you’ve read the first book, Red Rising, or don’t care about spoilers for the first book, then you’ll absolutely want to listen to this episode–we don’t spoil anything for book 2. But if you want to participate in our Gabbing Geek Book Club in 4 weeks, be sure to read both Red Rising and Golden Son (they’re page turners, you won’t have any problems, Jenny guarantees it!). Continue reading Gabbing Geek 21: Golden Son & Prophecies
Gabbing Geek 