SOFA DOGS Podcast

John Pavlich

A small band of pop culture enthusiasts (geeks) provide their own audio commentaries for DVDs of both the tv box and the movin' pictures. The Sofa Dogs cover a wide range of genres, from Horror and Science Fiction to Comedy and Drama, and everything in between.

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Top 10 SOFA DOGS Podcast Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best SOFA DOGS Podcast episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to SOFA DOGS Podcast for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite SOFA DOGS Podcast episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

#266 - The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)

SOFA DOGS Podcast

12/06/12 • 138 min

Subject: The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)

Observers: John Pavlich, William Bibbiani

Record Date: December 04, 2012, 12:36 AM

Plot Summary: While digging into his parents' mysterious disappearance, high school misfit, Peter Parker is bitten by a spider in a science lab and uses his resulting super powers to fight crime in New York City.

Note: The conclusion to the podcast's month-long dissection of Spider-Man on the big screen, Crave Online's film channel editor (and co-host of The B-Movies Podcast), William Bibbiani returns (check out all past appearances on the podcast here) for closing arguments regarding this film and the Marvel franchise overall. We discuss some awkward dialogue, thin character motivations, deleted scenes, massive plot holes, abrupt changes in tone and a selfish and out of character Peter Parker. It's not a hate fest, though. We also sing the praises of the script's romantic comedy elements, Marc Webb's direction and most of the performances by the actors and actresses. Remember to listen for the preemptive countdown before starting the film on your DVD.

Supplemental Material: Listen to William Bibbiani and Jonathan London discuss The Amazing Spider-Man in depth on Geekscape! Read The Amazing Spider-Man: The Abridged (Parody) Script by Tom Schutt at The Editing Room! Watch How The Amazing Spider-Man Should Have Ended!

#182 - Couch Surfing Ep. 36b: Trifecta! (Part 2 of 3)

SOFA DOGS Podcast

08/05/10 • 56 min

Scott Carelli returns for part 2 of this expansive, trilogy of insanity to talk Inception, Christopher Nolan and Blackout.

00:01:28 - John shares his long journey of getting to see Inception on an IMAX screen. This leads to mini-reviews of Christopher Nolan's previous work.

00:14:36 - We debate the pacing and emotional impact of Inception.

00:17:31 - Joseph Gordon-Levitt gets some high praise for his work and John plays Casting Agent. Scott also theorizes why Leonardo DiCaprio was cast as the lead.

00:20:24 - Scott brings up a potential plot hole and continuity error, meaning SPOILERS here for Inception. The ending is also heavily discussed, of course. NOTE: Scott's issue with the film here will be fixed in a future episode.

00:32:13 - We talk a bit about Scott Pilgrim, both the books and the upcoming film. So far, John is not a fan of the source material but is seriously looking forward to the movie.

00:35:59 - John briefly geeks out about his love of film scores and soundtracks, with a big shout-out to The Inferno Music Vault.

00:39:15 - Is Michael Bay a better film maker than Christopher Nolan? How is this even a question?

00:42:12 - The new film, Devil reminds John of a 2007 film, Blackout. He made Scott watch Blackout. Scott proceeds to cry tears of blood for the remainder of this episode.

The following artists can be heard in this episode:

Leonardo DiCaprio & Ellen Page, Zack Hemsey, Hans Zimmer, Dreadzone, Tangerine Dream, Echobelly, Astral Projection, Metric, Paul Hertzog, Danzig, INXS, Better Than Ezra and James L. Venable.

#173 - Couch Surfing Ep. 34a: Iron Helps Us Play!

SOFA DOGS Podcast

05/22/10 • 66 min

Just before he heads to the Summit City Comic Convention, Scott Carelli stops by to talk about Iron Man 2, among other topics of geeky interest. Mostly though, at least in this first half, it's about Iron Man 2. There will be SPOILERS in this discussion. You've been warned.

00:02:01 - John has purchased a Blue Snowball Microphone. The wedding is in June. :)

00:03:54 - Talk of Iron Man 2 starts here, beginning with Justin Theroux's script.

00:06:59 - Was this actually an Avengers prequel film? If not, should it have been?

00:12:07 - Apparently, creating your own brand new element to the periodic table, ain't no thing but a chicken wing.

00:16:57 - Do the bad guys have any solid motivations behind their actions? All signs point to "Not really".

00:20:26 - Demon In A Bottle? Kind of, sort of, just a little.

00:25:02 - We take it upon ourselves to rewrite a crucial section of the film. Did we make it better? We'll leave that for you to decide.

00:32:56 - Sam Rockwell is always fun to watch, but perhaps his Justin Hammer character needed a revision or two.

00:38:15 - Speaking of wasted potential, we discuss Scarlett Johansson's character (or lack there of), Natasha.

00:44:44 - John strongly recommends a new personal favorite horror film, Triangle, which is currently available on streaming video through Netflix Watch Instantly.

00:51:10 - Marvel Studios' upcoming film adaptations get some discussion, including Captain America and Thor.

00:56:45 - Due to Joss Whedon's involvment with The Avengers, we imagine the possibility of Nathan Fillion and Sarah Michelle Gellar making appearances in the film. This leads to thoughts about Gellar's recent work and the evolution of her career over the last five years.

The following artists can be heard in this episode:

Glee Cast with Jenna Ushkowitz & Kevin McHale, The New Amsterdams, Rogue Wave, The Antlers, Goldfrapp, AC/DC, Earlimart, Coldplay, The Little Ones, Radio 4, The Shout Out Louds, Christian Henson, Curve, Air and Third Eye Blind.

#159 - Couch Surfing Ep. 30a: Fiendy McSpookerson (Part 1 of 2)

SOFA DOGS Podcast

11/20/09 • 67 min

Paul Elard Cooley, Horror author and podcaster for Shadow Publications joins the show. In this edition, we discuss many aspects of the Horror film genre, including some specific titles that we like, and others we don't. This is the first half of the podcast. It's been divided into two parts, due to our original running time of over two hours!00:02:22 - The great debate begins. Rob Zombie's version of Halloween and his work in general is discussed.00:08:53 - The Evil Dead Trilogy comes up.00:12:58 - John talks about the documentary, Halloween: 25 Years of Terror.00:19:19 - Supernatural versus psychological.00:26:07 - John makes a point to list off his positive opinions of the remake. Paul questions the swaying nature of nostalgia. The remake of Dawn of The Dead is discussed.00:32:08 - The vampire craze is among us, and doesn't seem to be letting up anytime soon.00:41:24 - The differences and similarities between horror films of today and those of old. The Saw franchise and the term, "torture porn" is dissected.00:51:31 - Nothin' but love for the delightful, Julie Benz. It's brief, but there it is. :)00:56:06 - If it's Halloween this year, it must be something else more worthy and fitting of the tag line.00:58:50 - Paul recommends Behind The Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon. 01:42:01 - Back to Rob Zombie's Halloween. Lots more discussions to come in part 2 of this episode.The following artists can be heard in this episode:Rob Zombie, White Zombie, Primitive Radio Gods, Face To Face, Nine Inch Nails, Danny Elfman, Talking Heads, Echo & The Bunnymen, Johnny Cash, Bauhaus, Alice Cooper, Charlie Clouser, The English Beat, Shriekback and Brother Cane.

#139 - Couch Surfing Ep. 25: Sucking Chest Wounds

SOFA DOGS Podcast

02/12/09 • 70 min

Just in time for his 17th Birthday, Will Ritchie from Geekeasy makes an appearance on the show. Could this be considered some manly rite of passage? Probably not, but you decide.00:02:50 - Will's been watching and loving Dead Like Me. This brings up lamentation of Bryan Fuller's recent experiences with the TV Gods.00:07:23 - How I Met Your Mother has become Will's new drug of choice. The nature and history of sitcoms and reality shows are discussed.00:15:28 - John likes making new friends through pop culture references. This leads into curiosity about Nathan Fillion's work. Will suggests that Joss Whedon and his entourage may be cursed.00:21:55 - Will schools John on Firefly's DVD exclusive episodes. John hangs his head in shame.00:26:37 - This just in, Will and John love horror movies like a fat kid loves cake. John praises the strong acting in The Alphabet Killer, but warns against the so-so script. This leads into an appreciation of Eliza Dushku.00:36:33 - John breaks Will, after discussing sexuality used in media as a marketing tool. Burn Notice is mentioned.00:41:25 - Dollhouse is fast approaching. The anticipation is so thick, you can almost taste it. It tastes like cinnamon. Will throws in a story of random geekness.00:45:16 - More email from Marshal, our neighbor to the far, far north. His favorite episode of Geek By Night is apparently That Yellow Mustard.00:51:50 - Will just wants to spread the love and increase the peace. John is open to the idea, but not optimistic.01:03:32 - John discusses his age and maturity level in relation to others. This is just before he closes out the show so he can go cow tipping, so your mileage may vary.The following artists can be heard in this episode:Cuba Gooding Jr., Fader Gladiator, Faithless, Groove Armada, Weezer, Zero 7, Why?, Coldplay, My Chemical Romance, Stars, Dreadzone, Moby, Jimmy Eat World, Echobelly, Syntax, Anthony Stewart Head & George Sarah & Alyson Hannigan and Deadstar.

#130 - Heathers

SOFA DOGS Podcast

11/12/08 • 101 min

Dark comedies rarely get any darker than Heathers. Veronica Sawyer is fed up with the shallow, popular members of her highschool. With the help of her mysterious new boyfriend, the two of them begin killing their social betters and making it look like suicide. Unfortunately, this trend makes the recently deceased more popular than ever.

Join me as I discuss school violence, teen suicide and the art of black comedy while revisiting this wickedly funny gem from the 80s'. It's so very. Remember to listen for my preemptive countdown before starting your DVD.

#127 - Couch Surfing Ep. 21: The Rainbow Connection

SOFA DOGS Podcast

10/02/08 • 128 min

Eric Diaz, from the video podcast Geekscape brings a unique perspective to the show this week. Lots of frank, dividing subject matter gets covered here in this overstuffed episode, so proceed with caution. Not suitable for children, unless you're really open and casual with your kids. Like, seriously.00:02:46 - Eric is singing the praises of Mad Men. It won some important Emmy awards, so that's gotta count for something, right?00:09:12 - John desperately wants to check out the special features on the Spaced DVDs, even though he's already seen and enjoyed the show.00:11:48 - John is experiencing a love/hate relationship with season one of Eli Stone. The conversation turns into talk of the Green Lantern movie.00:18:47 - Breaking news, Tim Burton was a hired gun on his remake of Planet Of The Apes, which ruined the movie.00:20:28 - John and Eric discuss fan boy-submitted, great movies lists. Popularity goes head to head with actual quality.00:26:00 - Back to Eli Stone. Season two will be arriving soon, but John is almost certain the show had been canceled. Confusion ensues.00:29:55 - John brings up Fringe. It's entertaining, but the problems are still there. This leads into some Joshua Jackson love.00:42:36 - If a show taps an idea really well, should no one else be allowed to expand on it? This leads to talk about Bones. The show has jumped the shark, so John has dropped it. Again.00:46:27 - There's talk of the season three premiere of Heroes. It's not pretty. Thankfully, Hiro manages to escape more or less unscathed.00:56:36 - John gives his play by play on Heroes through his Twitter posts.01:06:24 - John continues his thoughts on season one of Six Feet Under.01:13:45 - Eric explains the difference between sexual behavior and sexual orientation, using the new Buffy comics and the television series as reference material.01:24:48 - Chasing Amy comes up in a discussion of the validity bisexuality.01:34:27 - Buffy gets blamed for the decrease in female membership in the Church Of England. We roll our eyes and scoff.01:45:41 - Eric makes a bold prediction about the Buffy comics. John gasps, but considers it.01:54:02 - Eric praises the writing on the Angel comics, but the art makes him cry.02:01:30 - John closes out the show by lamenting how expensive weekly comics are.The following artists can be heard in this episode:C & C Music Factory, Etta James, Johnny Ace, Dan Mudford & Pete Woodhead, George Michael, Ladytron, Beck, Imogen Heap, Thomas Dolby, Moby, Pete Yorn, Crystal Method, Wendy & Lisa, Stars, Iio, Doves, Gym Class Heroes, Thomas Newman, Lamb, Stereophonics, Sarah Mclachlan, DJ Shadow, Massive Attack, Tricky, The Futureheads, Curve, Marvin Gaye, Overseer, Sinead O'Connor, BT, Joshua Radin and Dead Or Alive.

#95 - Couch Surfing Ep. 2: Cashey Money

SOFA DOGS Podcast

12/31/07 • 80 min

The second episode of Couch Surfing finds John & Scott in the aftermath of the holiday break. They discuss the pros and cons of dollars as presents, ebay and "rare" collectibles and what the future holds for the Academy Awards. Also of note: For those of you who might give a pretentious crap, you can finally hear what Bill Murray whispered to Scarlett Johansson at the end of Lost In Translation, by going here. We're still working out the kinks of this experimental show, but we hope you will listen and enjoy. The following artists can be heard in this episode:The O'Jays, The Flying Lizards, Andy Partridge, Stars, Dream Academy, Greyboy, David Newman, Rob Dougan, The Cure, Death Cab For Cutie, Bloc Party, Craig Armstrong, Moby, Pale 3 Featuring Beth Hirsch, My Bloody Valentine, Cocteau Twins, Michael Jackson and Moby (again).

#77 - Shadow Puppets

SOFA DOGS Podcast

08/04/07 • 101 min

Shadow Puppets is written and directed by Michael Winnick. It concerns a handful of amnesiacs who awaken to find themselves trapped in an abandoned research facility. While they attempt to figure out their situation and their identities, they are pursued by a mysterious and dangerous shadow creature.The film stars James Marsters (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Jolene Blalock (Star Trek Enterprise) and Tony Todd (Candyman). Fear, suspicion and paranoia run high in this fun slice of eerie entertainment, where nothing is as it seems and your own shadow is out to get you.

#362 - The Ring (2002)

SOFA DOGS Podcast

08/20/17 • 118 min

Subject: The Ring (2002)

Observers: John Pavlich, William Bibbiani, Witney Seibold

Record Date: August 16, 2017, 11:53 PM

Plot Summary: When a relative dies under gruesome and mysterious circumstances, a reporter follows the trail of a cursed videotape and its disturbing footage that may be somehow responsible.

Note: Due to the cancellation of The B-Movies podcast, William and Witney (creators of Canceled Too Soon) have asked me to host this commentary track. We discuss J-Horror remakes, avant garde film-making and "psychic photography". Remember to listen for the preemptive countdown before starting the film on your DVD.

Support: John's Go Fund Me campaign!

Buy: The Ring/The Ring Two Movie Collection on DVD at Amazon.com!

Buy: Pop Art from John's Etsy Store!

Watch: The Sofa Dogs YouTube Channel!

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