Best Steel Lake Studio Podcasts (2024)

1
Are we Excited to see Avatar?? 1:08:52

1+ y ago1:08:52

1:08:52

In this latest episode of Parallel Quest the guys share their thoughts on what is going on in the DC film universe and whether or not they are looking forward to the newest Avatar film. Be sure to check out our YouTube channel for more Parallel Quest content. Buy Zach’s newest book, Beast of Big Bear Forest: https://www.steellakestudio.com/books Si…

1
Heroism in 300 1:16:30

1+ y ago1:16:30

1:16:30

Welcome to Parallel Quest! In this week’s episode the guys (Zach and Cody) talk about the film 300. This testosterone filled film of men willing to sacrifice everything in order to protect their land and way of life is one that the guys really enjoyed when it first came out. But does the highly choreographed action and rather over the top perspecti…

1
Spider-Man was the Catalyst 1:14:09

2y ago1:14:09

1:14:09

Welcome to Parallel Quest! In this week’s episode the guys (Zach and Cody) talk about their thoughts on review bombing, and have a retrospective discussion on the amazing 2002 super-hero film, Spider-Man. Be sure to check out our YouTube channel for more Parallel Quest content. Buy Zach’s newest book, Beast of Big Bear Forest: https://www.steellake…

1
Uncharted and Lightyear Reviews 1:13:49

2y ago1:13:49

1:13:49

Welcome to Parallel Quest! In this week’s episode the guy’s review Lightyear and Uncharted, now that they are both available to stream. They were our most anticipated movies of the year, how did they live up to expectations? Be sure to check out our YouTube channel for more Parallel Quest content. Buy Zach’s newest book, Beast of Big Bear Forest: h…

1
Nicolas Cage is a National Treasure 1:22:27

2y ago1:22:27

1:22:27

Welcome to Parallel Quest! In this week’s episode the guy’s talk about National Treasure, the 2004 adventure film starring Nicholas Cage. This is actually Cody’s first time watching the film, with Zach coming in as the seasoned viewing veteran, which makes for a very interesting perspective from each on this film. Be sure to check out our YouTube c…

1
Discussion on a Bunch of Comic-Con Announcements 1:37:23

2y ago1:37:23

1:37:23

Welcome to Parallel Quest! This week the guys share their thoughts on the various different reveals at San Diego Comic Con. Topics including: A National Treasure series and the discussion around strong female leads DC’s upcoming movies and how they can capitalize on a weak phase 4 from Marvel Will A Dungeons and Dragons movie with the tone of Guard…

1
Lord of the Rings Hype Check | Fantasy Fix #1 12:24

2y ago12:24

12:24

Welcome to a Parallel Quest Fantasy Fix. In this short episode Cody goes over why he is still excited about The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power in the midst of his tempered expectations. Check out our YouTube channel. Buy Zach’s newest book, Beast of Big Bear Forest: https://www.steellakestudio.com/books Sign up for our E-MAIL LIST: https://w…

1
The Sandlot and a Short Discussion on Sadnerson 1:46:26

2y ago1:46:26

1:46:26

Welcome to Parallel Quest! In this week’s episode Cody and Zach discuss a classic tale of summer, The Sandlot. This is a movie that is a staple to many a childhood of the millennial generation. The Sandlot came out at a time where baseball was beginning to get to its highest point of popularity while also highlighting the summer shenanigans that so…

1
Obi-Wan Kenobi Review | Deserved to be Better 1:09:49

2y ago1:09:49

1:09:49

Welcome to Parallel Quest! In this week’s episode Cody and Zach give their in-depth review on the new Disney’s latest adventure in the Star Wars saga, Obi-Wan Kenobi. Does this show put Star Wars back in a place that it deserves to be in? Or is this yet another squandered opportunity from the new era of Lucasfilm? There are elements in the show tha…

1
Revenge of the Sith Retrospective 1:24:52

2y ago1:24:52

1:24:52

Welcome to Parallel Quest! In this week’s episode Cody and Zach talk about the one rather good film of George Lucas’s Star Wars prequels: Revenge of the Sith. The Star Wars prequel films are most definitely a mixed bag amongst fans of the franchise. With a little bit of time though, it seems like these have aged much better with fans than the initi…

1
What Adventure Looks and Sounds Like — Raiders of the Lost Ark 1:11:40

2y ago1:11:40

1:11:40

Welcome to Parallel Quest! In this week’s episode Cody and Zach talk about one of their favorite adventure movies ever made: Raiders of the Lost Ark. Between Star Wars and Indiana Jones, Lucasfilm delivered some of the most fun filled films for the better part of a decade. Currently the film studio seems a bit lost in their identity as they have tr…

1
The Mummy (1999) — Better than You would Think 1:20:44

2y ago1:20:44

1:20:44

In this week’s episode Cody and Zach discuss their thoughts on a couple of shows and movies that they were excited about at the beginning of the year, providing their thoughts now that said projects are out. With the release of Kenobi, Cody shares his initial impressions of the first couple of episodes and his general concerns. This leads to a disc…

1
Initial Impressions: Halo and Moon Knight 1:14:11

2y ago1:14:11

1:14:11

Cody and Zach decide to share an update on some of the things that they have been watching recently and give their recommendations on whether or not they are worth your time. With Halo being one of Zach’s most anticipated releases of the year, he gives some interesting insight on what he thinks of how the show starts off. This leads to a discussion…

1
We were Wrong about The Book of Boba Fett 31:26

2y ago31:26

31:26

When we sat down and started to review the Book of Boba Fett, one episode at a time, we thought that we were in for a treat. In spite of the fact that the season started off slow, Cody and Zach believed that the show was in good hands with John Favreau at the helm. However, the guys came to the conclusion that the show did not live up to the expect…

1
Dr. Strange and The Multiverse of Madness — Fun and Flawed 1:00:05

2y ago1:00:05

1:00:05

The long awaited sequel to Dr. Strange has been released and the guys at Parallel quest, sit down to give their spoiler-filled review. While this is a highly anticipated summer blockbuster and delivers a lot of fun, it is fair to say that this installment within the MCU is a bit of a mixed bag. There are strong elements that make the movie a joy to…

1
Dumb and Dumber — One of the Best Slapstick Comedies 1:30:41

2y ago1:30:41

1:30:41

Dumb and Dumber is one of the best comedies of the slapstick variety. Before it ever hit the screen it was a movie that no production company wanted to back, but after its wild success it goes to show that executives aren’t always right on what people are going to like. While Dumb and Dumber is a film that Cody and Zach think is hilarious now, thei…

1
The Batman Review: Pretty Good, Almost Great 1:27:22

2y ago1:27:22

1:27:22

The Batman released at the beginning of March to positive reviews from critics and mostly good reception from fans. The success of the film shows that reboots and remakes still are not going to disappear anytime soon in the foreseeable future. While The Batman can definitely be recognized as a success, it is not a flawless movie, in fact it has qui…

1
Braveheart Retrospective & What We Look Forward to in 2022 1:21:47

2+ y ago1:21:47

1:21:47

Braveheart was a huge release in the mid-90’s with great staying power and influence. Proving that you can have an epic tale that can attain box office success, critical acclaim, and audience adoration. In this episode of Parallel Quest, the guys share their most anticipated films that are yet to be released in 2022 and cover Braheart in the Retros…

1
Wheel of Time Season 1 Review | A Decent Show that Needs Improvement | SPOILERS 21:16

2+ y ago21:16

21:16

#WheelOfTime #Season1 #Review Our journey with the first season of Amazon’s The Wheel of Time has come to its end as we put together our overarching review for our general perspective on season 1. This review contains SPOILERS and seeks to be a reflection on both the good and bad, as well as give some feedback on how the show can improve going forw…

1
Book of Boba Fett Ep.3 Review & Analysis | Contains SPOILERS 30:14

2+ y ago30:14

30:14

Book of Boba Fett episode 3 was what the guys were asking for in concept, but the execution of it was not nearly as rewarding as what they hoped for. In this week’s review the guys break down the various different things in the episode that either didn’t work well or just turned out to be underwhelming. SPOILERS. Fighting a wookie, bringing in a ra…

1
Bringing Boba Back — Review & Analysis: The Book of Boba Fett Ch.1 19:36

2+ y ago19:36

19:36

The first season of The Book of Boba Fett is here! In chapter (episode 1) we are given the answer to the great mystery of “What happened to Boba Fett after Return of the Jedi?” As we know from the existence of the show he is clearly alive and well, but what type of man does Boba Fett become after having such a close brush with death? We believe tha…

1
Destined to Disappoint or Positioned for Promise? REVIEW Wheel of Time S1E8 (Season Finale) 30:24

2+ y ago30:24

30:24

The first season of Amazon Prime’s, The Wheel of Time, has come to its end. Cody and Zach give their final review of the season, until the show returns in the future. Did Moiraine and the Emond’s Field five go out with a bang, or was the finale more of a disappointing bust? Perhaps neither extreme is true and the finale was good enough but ultimate…

1
The One We've Been Waiting For | REVIEW The Wheel of Time S1E7 32:56

2+ y ago32:56

32:56

EPISODE CONTAINS SPOILERS Season 1 of The Wheel of Time has reached its penultimate episode, and it is one that has been worth the wait. We begin to see storylines come to satisfying milestones, even though there are some that still have issues. Episode 7 is not perfect but it does a lot more good than bad, and puts the show in a much stronger plac…

1
The Book that NEEDS to be a Movie | Mistborn Retrospective & Review 1:33:40

2+ y ago1:33:40

1:33:40

Brandon Sanderson is a much talked about storyteller on this podcast, and this week the guys finally do a retrospective on one of his early breakthroughs, Mistborn: The Final Empire. After catching everyone up on the books they are currently watching, the guys take it back to 2006, discussing the state of the world when we were all first introduced…

1
The Gate is Open—REVIEW Wheel of Time S1E6 27:45

2+ y ago27:45

27:45

The Wheel of Time’s first season is drawing near to its conclusion, and bounces back into the main plot with both strengths and weaknesses. As the final stretch of episodes falls before us, the guys’ conclusion with episode 6 is one of hope for the series and where it can go moving forward. Episode 6 in the Wheel of Time is not perfect but one that…

1
Slowing Down the Adventure — REVIEW Wheel of Time S1E4 24:09

2+ y ago24:09

24:09

Every good season of a television series is going to have an episode that is widely enjoyed, while there is often an episode that stinks out for being subpar. In The Wheel of Time’s first season, episode 5 comes across as the latter. While this is by no means an atrocity, it did not build upon the excitement that was introduced in episode 4. The gu…

1
Is it Getting Better? S1E4 Review Wheel of Time 23:18

2+ y ago23:18

23:18

The Wheel of Time Season 1 is already halfway to the finish line with the release of episode 4. In this week’s review the guys discuss the trajectory of the show and the potential effects the series might have on hardcore fans of the book series. Do the guys enjoy the direction of the show? Which group of characters has the most interesting plot li…

1
Review and Series Impressions—Wheel of Time S1E1-3 47:33

2+ y ago47:33

47:33

The Wheel of Time has finally arrived on Amazon Prime! The guys discuss their thoughts on the first 3 episodes of season 1. Did it come out making a huge statement or did it stumble out of the gate a bit? Are we excited for every single Friday going forward or is it something we aren’t as excited for going forward? We discuss all of these topics an…

1
Name of The Wind Retrospective 1:30:20

2+ y ago1:30:20

1:30:20

Within the Fantasy genre there are many tried and true tropes, such as slaying dragons, rescuing princesses, fighting dark lords, brave warriors, mysterious wizards, etc. Name of the Wind is a novel that seeks to bring some of these tropes into a story that feels more grounded and mundane than the typical epic fantastical journey. In this retrospec…

1
Dune Review and Discussion 1:39:33

2+ y ago1:39:33

1:39:33

We went to see Dune! Here is our longform review and discussion about the film, enjoy! Zach, a seasoned veteran of the the Dune franchise, and Cody, a fresh face to the world of Arrakis, discuss the brand new film, its strengths, critiques, and some of their favorite scenes. The review is mostly spoiler free, with spoilers discussed at the end. Let…

1
The Rise of Audiobooks and the Impact on Publishing 34:40

2+ y ago34:40

34:40

Back from a long hiatus, the guys are back to discuss the future of publishing with an emphasis on the impact of audiobooks. The perfect storm for the rise in audiobooks has arisen. They are less expensive to make than ever before, easier to attain than ever before, and as time goes on there are more and more affordable options in acquiring audiobo…

1
What Will Cinema be Like Going Forward? 1:42:06

3y ago1:42:06

1:42:06

In this week’s episode of Parallel Quest, the guys are doing a bit of a different show as they talk about the future of cinema. Listen in as they discuss their own movie going processes and share what they think the theater is going to be like in the future. Watch the Show on YouTube Buy Zach’s newest book, Something Strange at Grandma’s House: htt…

1
What can we Yield from a Mediocre Story | The Tommyknockers 2:04:19

3y ago2:04:19

2:04:19

There are many great storytellers in the world. However, just because one may be considered a great storyteller does not mean that everything that they create falls under an equal caliber of greatness. In today’s episode of Parallel Quest, the guys discuss Stephen King’s, The Tommyknockers and how it under delivers, but how ultimately that was a go…

1
A Classic Collection of Short Stories | The Martian Chronicles 2:02:56

3y ago2:02:56

2:02:56

One of the greatest short story collections to ever be written, The Martian Chronicles, still holds up as one of the guys’ favorites to this day. While going through school, we are forced to read a lot of books and do a lot of assignments that are not necessarily exciting, but this was not so when Cody and Zach read through Ray Bradbury’s iconic sh…

1
This Movie isn't Talked about Enough | Super 8 1:58:26

3y ago1:58:26

1:58:26

A lively Mariachi band can make for great entertainment at a wedding, young Pokemon trainers are being raised within Cody’s House, and a discussion of one of the most underappreciated sci-fi films to have come out in the last 20 years; these are the contents of this week’s episode of Parallel Quest. Listen in as Cody and Zach share about the time t…

1
A Disaster Film Everyone Loves | Independence Day 2:18:26

3y ago2:18:26

2:18:26

In the mid-late 90’s something that was on the minds of many was whether or not our planet and civilization was going to make it into the next millennium. With that came an increasing popularity in disaster films. What better plot line than to have the entire human race threatened by Alien invaders, whose sole purpose is to destroy humanity as we k…

1
Buddy Comedy and Romcom Collide 2:06:18

3y ago2:06:18

2:06:18

Wedding Crashers introduced us to the memorable duo of John and Jeremy through the journey of party crashing playboys to men who find their true loves. However, before seeing Wedding Crashers, we were not even familiar with the concept of wedding crashing in our adolescent lives. As we each stumbled upon this movie for the first time in our mid-tee…

1
Coming of Age through a Heartbreak | 500 Days of Summer 2:03:51

3y ago2:03:51

2:03:51

500 Days of Summer is a romantic comedy that both of the guys were surprised to like quite a bit. It tells the story of two young professionals who both bring something great to a relationship, but in the end, for somewhat unexplained reasons, the relationship did not work out for them. However, 500 Days of Summer is not a story focused simply on t…

1
Laughing through a Breakup | Forgetting Sarah Marshall 1:29:20

3y ago1:29:20

1:29:20

There is one thing true to all relationships… Breakups are never fun when they occur. Even the most amicable of severed ties can be stressful and depressing for all parties involved. Through the avenue of storytelling breakups can be made a little bit easier when we can laugh at someone else’s misery. That is the main topic of this episode of Paral…

1
A Generally Beloved Romcom | 10 Things I Hate about You 2:16:48

3y ago2:16:48

2:16:48

In the guys’ journey through Parallel Quest, they have not ventured into the realm of romance at this point in the podcast’s life. While Cody and Zach are more interested in adventure and high concept storytelling, there is something to be said about the tried and true success of the romantic comedy. Romcoms are oftentimes predictable with overly r…

1
Abandoned Amnesiac Assassin | The Bourne Identity 1:43:44

3y ago1:43:44

1:43:44

A story about espionage is a great avenue to get an audience member engaged in a tale. The story can either add to their own conspiracies about how the world of secret intelligence works or begin to deconstruct them. The Bourne Identity is a story that puts us in the shoes of an amnesiac assassin who is trying to figure out who he is, all while sur…

1
Great and Terrible Endings | The Return of the King 2:15:29

3y ago2:15:29

2:15:29

While there may be no perfect ending for a story, one of the most important components of a good story is that the conclusion is satisfactory. However, that does not mean the most talented storytellers are great at sticking the landing. The guys share the components of what makes a strong ending, and examine what it looks like when a story falls fl…

1
Discussing Game of Thrones and Our Favorite Childhood Shows 2:22:19

3y ago2:22:19

2:22:19

50 episodes into Parallel Quest felt like a good point to discuss some of our favorite television programs as kids. From Boy Meets World to Courage the Cowardly Dog, there were many shows we enjoyed within the first 12 years of our lives that left a lasting impact. Since we were inspired to talk about these shows, we also got into a very long conve…

1
The Importance of Part 2 in a Trilogy | The Two Towers 2:22:09

3y ago2:22:09

2:22:09

Trilogies make up some of the greatest stories that we get to experience. The second installment in a trilogy has the challenging task of improving on the work of its predecessor but setting up the final part to give great payoff. In this week’s episode of Parallel Quest the guys talk about trilogies and how good the second part of well-known trilo…

1
A Man Loses his Sons but Frees a Country | The Patriot 1:48:00

3y ago1:48:00

1:48:00

Some might say that The Patriot could simply be boiled down to a basic revenge tale, while others may claim it to be a great story on the American Revolution. Either way one may look at this film, it was a big deal when it was released in the summer of 2000. Join in on this week’s episode of Parallel Quest as the guys discuss the simple things, jou…

1
When Award Winners were Great | Gladiator 1:54:05

3y ago1:54:05

1:54:05

In 2000, the new Millennia brought one of the teams favorite movies, Ridley Scott's Gladiator, starring Russel Crowe. Growing up this was an important movie in the lives of our teenage selves, from the great battle scenes to the script full of one-liners. Even though the final product is something that the guys love, that doesn't mean the productio…

1
The Final MCU Podcast | MCU Phase 3 pt. 2 2:01:22

3y ago2:01:22

2:01:22

The journey through all of the Marvel films had to go on hiatus due to Cody's family coming down with illness, but upon recovery, the Steel Lake Studio team has returned to cover the final 6 films in the MCU. The ride through all of these was wild and the guys are very excited to discuss some of the best ones in all the MCU in this episode of Paral…

1
New Faces, New Storylines and The Same Formula | Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase 3 (Part 1) 2:05:18

3y ago2:05:18

2:05:18

Phase 3 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe made a lot of money. However, that does not mean that much had changed for the MCU in phase 3; the general approach was to slightly expand the storylines and introduce new faces using tried and true formulaic tactics. In this episode of Parallel Quest the guys discuss the first 6 films of phase 3 of the Marv…

1
Raising the Bar | Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase 2 2:21:36

3+ y ago2:21:36

2:21:36

In Phase 2 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe it had become quite clear that the MCU was here to stay. In our second part of our extended coverage of the MCU the guys discuss the six movies of Phase 2. Was it an improvement over the first phase? How do these movies rank up against each other? Did the guys fully buy-in to phase 2 or observe from the s…

1
Building a Cinematic Universe | Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase 1 2:51:42

3+ y ago2:51:42

2:51:42

This is the beginning of our biggest podcasting endeavor to date: Covering the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe. We kick things off by covering Phase 1 of the MCU. In our following episodes we will be covering an entire phase or a portion of a phase, rather than giving each film its own episode. We are sharing our parallel experiences in our lives …

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