With the craziness of the holidays behind me, I finally got around to watching Avatar: The Way of Water in theaters. I watched this movie in 3D, and if you are thinking of watching this movie, I suggest you do the same. The 3D in The Way of Water is not a silly gimmick to sell tickets but is successfully used to create a truly breathtaking experience.
There are a couple of issues to keep in mind before you decide on which format to watch. If you are someone who easily gets motion sickness, watch this movie in 2D instead. I got motion sickness towards the beginning, and although I eventually got used to it, it made the first few minutes of this movie unpleasant. It will be impossible to sit through three hours of motion sickness. If you are someone who suffers from frequent migraines, watch this movie in 2D instead. My wife got one of the worst she has ever experienced, and while she enjoyed most of the film, the migraine ruined her experience. She won’t be watching any 3D movies in the future.
The Way of Water deals with the aftermath of the initial conflict between the Navi and the Sky people. Jack has since become the leader of his tribe and has started a family on Pandora. For the years that follow the conflict, he and the Navi enjoy their peaceful lives on Pandora. But this peace is short-lived when Sky People return, this time with more advanced technology. Earth is dying, and its people look to Pandora as their potential new home. But for Pandora to replace Earth, the Sky People must eliminate the defiant Navi. Will Jack and the Navi ever find peace on Pandora, or will the sky people claim the planet as their own?
The Way of Water is a beautiful movie. You should watch this movie just to experience the beautiful alien planet. The creatures, the cultures, and the ecosystems have all come together to create a fantastical narrative. Every scene of nature is vivid, and I appreciate the work put into the movie to make it all so realistic. The acting was fantastic, and the story is solid, but I will admit that this movie could have been shorter. There are a lot of scenes in this movie where Cameron shows off the technology he used for this movie. There are a lot of beautiful shots of swimming, for example, that look cool but only pad the film. I am glad I watched it, but I needed an intermission.
The conflict in this movie is what made this movie for me. Cameron does a fantastic job at making the battles and action feel epic. Despite knowing the outcome, I was so invested in the plot and characters that I was still anxious. I was consistently at the edge of my recliner with my nails digging deep into the pleather. I won’t deny that there are slow parts, and the story isn’t perfect, but I never felt the need to leave the theater. If you find yourself getting bored, I am here to assure you that it gets better. Use the boring bits as your intermission.
If you haven’t watched the original, you don’t have to. I don’t remember what happened in the original, but I never felt lost by the events in this one. The movie does a great job of summarizing the crucial events from the first one to keep everyone up to date. If you are on the fence, don’t be. Go watch this movie in theaters. Avatar: The Way of Water is worth the theater experience, even if you watch it in 2D. As of writing this review, you can still watch this movie in theaters.
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Movie Review: Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)
Knives Out shouldn’t have had a sequel. While Glass Onion isn’t bad, it lacks the charm of the first one. I didn’t hate this movie, but it does feel lazy and uninspired. While the first movie pokes fun at the genre, this one pokes fun at the fact that it isn’t a real mystery. Glass Onion is a murder mystery board game live play with fantastic actors and little direction. It is fun to watch at least once, but it loses what little charm it has soon after.
An eccentric millionaire has invited a group of his influential friends to his island where they will solve his murder. The game is supposed to take the whole weekend. Blanc has mysteriously been asked to join the weekend games and activities. But what starts as a game quickly turns real. There is a killer among them. Can Blanc find out who before it is too late?
The acting in this movie is great but expected from this cast. Honestly, the acting is the only reason this movie works. This movie is essentially characters reacting to a situation with a weak plot to move them through the mystery. The movie does a great job of placing clues throughout, but the mystery can be solved without them. If you are looking for a fun mystery to solve, Glass Onion won’t provide one. It even goes on a long unneeded rant about how it doesn’t.
The narrative and concept are weak, but the characters that interact within this game are where this movie’s charm lie. Whenever the movie veers away from the main cast to develop a backstory, I found it to be slow and boring. This movie is more about how characters react to a situation than the actual mystery. Unfortunately, anything that doesn’t involve these characters is boring, only serving to pad the movie’s run time. The backstory bits drag and aren’t well-acted. It was made apparent that this movie was made with characters and actors in mind but
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Game Review: Xenoblade Chronicles 3
I never played any games in the Xenoblade series, but I thought it was about time I tried. The trailer sold it very well, and I was in the market for a new Switch game. Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is a turn-based JRP with a unique twist on the genre. Where most games in the genre let you plan your turns, this one makes you wait for cooldowns. Attacks are automatic, but you have full control of your abilities and positioning. If you haven’t played any games in this series, this mechanic will take some getting used to.
At first, combat feels very passive. I felt like I was waiting around for cooldowns, and a lot of it is, but as you start unlocking more skills and classes, it becomes more about managing your teams, builds, and abilities. If you can make it past the tutorial, this game becomes more enjoyable. I found the grind very relaxing, but I suggest you play on mute, or else you will get tired of the voice lines.
There is a strategy to this game as you build your characters and combos, Don’t be discouraged. As dumb as I am, I was able to figure it out. I just went with whatever worked with my play style, but there is ample opportunity to min-max. I am sure there are guides available to help you do so.
The game keeps combating interesting by introducing new classes, mechanics, and abilities as you get deeper into the story. You are encouraged to explore, do side missions, and play different as different characters, but it isn’t mandatory. There is a lot to do in between cutscenes, but it doesn’t get overwhelming.
The story is the main draw for this game. I loved the story, but it is a bit of an anime cliché. I didn’t mind it because the voice acting was fantastic, and I love anime. One thing to note about this game is that the cut scenes are long. The game has enough gameplay in between that I can’t count it as a visual novel, but be aware that you will have to sit through a lot of narratives. But trust me when I say, it’s a great one.
This game is a huge commitment. It takes about 100 hours to complete, more if you start doing side quests. I skipped a lot of them because I wanted to finish them while I still had free time, but I will be going back to do them on my second playthrough. I didn’t feel like I needed to do them, but they will help and add valuable world-building. It is up to you how much time you want to invest in this world, but the investment is worth it.
There is a reason Xenoblade Chronicles 3 was nominated for game of the year. The story is great, the gameplay is fun, and the art is cool. That said, this is a very niche game. I didn’t like combat at first, but I found myself enjoying it more the more I played. I found it a relaxing experience, but one that proved a challenge if I wasn’t cautious. If the gameplay is something you can sit through, then I highly recommend this game. If you want a game with a great story, add this to your collection. Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is only available on the Nintendo Switch. Go get your copy today!
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Movie Review: Gone in the Night (2022)
Gone in the Night shouldn’t be a movie. This movie is the biggest waste of time on the platform. Nothing happens in this movie. There is barely a plot, and the twist is terrible. If you are considering watching this movie, don’t.
Wynona Ryder and her boyfriend plan to spend a weekend in the woods in an effort to save their relationship. But when they get to the cabin, they find that the cabin has been double booked. Another couple is already spending the weekend, but they decide to share the booking. Everything seems fine, but in the morning, Ryder discovers that her boyfriend has run off with another woman. She eventually decides to find out what happened to him, and it unravels to be one of the slowest and most disappointing mysteries you will ever see.
Gone in the Night wastes its talented cast on poorly written and forgettable characters. There is barely a story to this movie. Most of the time you are watching Wynona Ryder go on boring dates and lazily search for her missing boyfriend. What little story exists in this movie is brushed over so you can make it to the next boring date. The narrative exists as an inconvenience because of its collection of fake-deep rants and boring scenes with Winona Ryder. The big reveal is brushed over so quickly, it barely exists. If you are going to make a thriller, give your mystery some screen time.
Gone in the Night is supposed to be a thriller, but it isn’t thrilling. There is no suspense or buildup. Things just happen, and then it just ends. It tries to be deep by ending on a cliffhanger, but who cares? There wasn’t enough development for it to work. Don’t watch this movie, nothing happens. You can stream it on Hulu, but it isn’t worth the data.
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The Legend of Vox Machina Season 2
It’s finally happening! The second season of The Legend of Vox Machina is set to premiere on January 20, 2023, on Amazon. If you haven’t seen the series, now is a great time to start. Check out my full review of the first season for more information. Trust me it was a fantastic season. Even if you aren’t a fan of fantasy, this series will blow you away and leave you wanting more. It has everything you want in a show. It has fantastic characters voiced by amazing actors, a great story, mayhem, and lots and lots of blood. If you aren’t a fan of fantasy, prepare to be one. It has beautiful art, epic action, and lots of humor. It is a bit on the adult side so viewers beware.
This post isn’t sponsored, I am just very excited about a series I absolutely love. The trailer has just dropped, leaving me incredibly impatient for what is to come. This second season promises an even more epic adventure as Vox Machina must band together and save the world from dragons! Why have the dragons banded together to attack humanity? Why dragons? It is probably Tiamat, but we will have to wait and see. Check out the trailer, mark your calendars, and go watch the first season!
Diablo IV: Developer Stream Recap
I have been casually following the development of Diablo 4 since its announcement. I love Diablo and played Diablo 3 more than I would like to admit, but I hadn’t decided if I would be buying Diablo 4.
Today’s Developer stream has gotten me interested in what is to come. I may not be ready to preorder, but I will be getting it eventually. If you haven’t seen the stream, I recommend it if you are on the fence and have questions, but I will summarize the important bits as best I can.
The developers briefly introduced some of the lore where they spoke a bit about the conflict between Lilith and Inarious. They showed the cinematic trailer that introduced those characters/ If you haven’t seen it, check it out on Youtube. I will be getting this game hoping that the story is good. But even if the story isn’t good, at least the cinematics will be cool.
I was a bit disappointed to learn that Diablo 4 will be coming with a battle pass valued at $10 per season. While they assured fans that there will be free unlockable tiers, it doesn’t dull the frustration of having to pay more money to enjoy a game I already own. The battle pass will only feature cosmetic items, and while it may not directly affect gameplay, it is frustrating that half of my progress will be locked behind a paywall. As I understand it, there will still be journeys and things to unlock each season, but I can only assume all the cool stuff I want will be in the paid tiers of the battle pass. I am not excited about battle passes being the standard in modern gaming, but it is what it is. Each season is three months long, with the first season starting shortly after launch. Each season will have its unique battle pass.
Most importantly, they talked about a new crafting mechanic that will premier in Diablo 4, the Codex of Power. As you progress through the game and conquer dungeons, you will find unique abilities and buffs in the form of aspects. Each dungeon has a unique aspect with unique buffs and powers, and Diablo 4 will have over 120 different dungeons. Aspects are class-specific, but there are some that will work for multiple classes.
Aspects can be imbued into your legendary gear to give you unique powers and buffs. Aspects can be transfered to better gear as you find them so you can always carry aspect powers you love. It seems that the focus of Diablo 4 is to have the flexibility to allow for a diverse collection of builds. The developers boasted that you will be able to find a build that will suit your playstyle, but this is something we will have to see for ourselves.
While I am bummed about the addition of the battle pass, Diablo 4 is shaping up to be a promising sequel. It will be available for PC, Playstation, and Xbox when it releases on 06/06/2022. Preorders are available now. One thing to note is that your saves will crossover between systems, but you will need to buy the game for every system you want to play it on. Battle passes you only need to buy once, and they will carry over to your other consoles.
They also announced a collectors box with a bunch of swag but no game for $96.66. It comes with a cool box, an art book, a cloth map, and some other goodies if you need the Diablo swag. I won’t be buying it because I didn’t find much interesting, but your preorders are now open. You can watch a full unboxing on the official diablo YouTube channel.
I won’t be preordering this game just yet, but I will be following it closely. Who knows, I might change my mind like I always do.
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Movie Review: Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio
I was very excited about Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio. I believed that Del Toro’s artistic vision would bring new life to this ancient fairy tale, but sadly I was mistaken. This movie ended up being a huge disappointment that I struggled to finish.
There is no real need for a synopsis. This movie is the story of Pinocchio set against the backdrop of WWI-era Italy voiced by British actors.
I wish this movie was voiced in Italian because I was not a fan of any of the voices. The singing would have been more tolerable in Italian. If the voices don’t turn you off this movie, the singing sure will. Admittedly, I am not a fan of musicals, but I at least expect the singing to be good and the songs to be catchy. This version of the fairy tale chooses to be a musical without any talented singers or catchy songs to alleviate you from the boring narrative.
The story may have been well-intentioned as it touches on an important moment in history, but it unravels much too slowly. With the added musical numbers, this movie feels longer than it is. This felt like someone was trying to tell in Guillermo Del Toro’s style, but it was an attempt that fails miserably.
This adaptation may look pretty, but it lacks any real substance. I was not impressed. Once again I am disappointed by another of Guillermo Del Toro’s projects, and it is becoming difficult to remain supportive.
You can stream Pinocchio on Netflix, but I wouldn’t bother. I understand that this movie is in select theaters, but that would be a waste of your money.
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Series Review: The Rings of Power (2022)
I was initially keeping up with Rings of Power when it was first released but fell off after a couple of episodes because of its pacing. I was initially excited about this series, but that excitement has since dulled. The Rings of Power isn’t a bad series, but it isn’t the epic prequel I was promised either.
The Rings of Power is fine, but it is not without its faults. The acting is fantastic, but the writing holds them back. I love the diverse casting and it makes me happy to see people of color in prominent roles in fantasy. The fantasy genre has always felt exclusive to white people. Growing up, I enjoyed fantasy but had to hide this fact to avoid getting picked on. It is amazing to see characters of color who make an impact on the narrative instead of just being villains and henchmen. I hope this is a growing trend in the genre, even if this series isn’t the best.
The biggest issue I have with this series is its pacing. It was too slow to be released weekly. I wouldn’t mind if this series was slow because it was carefully developing its lore. Instead, this series is bogged down by its excessive use of metaphor. The Rings of Power is desperate to sound poetic and it is off-putting. It is safe to say that the writing for this series isn’t great, and at times it sounds like a cheap attempt at emulating Tolkien. It wasn’t bad enough to make me stop watching, but it made it difficult to finish it.
The rest of the series was fine, but I wouldn’t have finished it if it wasn’t for this review. It looks pretty. The CGI cities look cool, the action is decent, and the costumes are great. They even have a fantastic villain, but at its core, this series is just average at best.
I don’t think this series is for everyone. If you aren’t a fan of fantasy, watch the movies instead. This series is a slow burn that barely pays off. The Rings of Power only works as a supplement for those casual Lord of the Rings fans who want more stories in the universe but don’t want to read the books. This isn’t a series I’d rush through, and I definitely recommend you skip around. You can stream it all on Amazon if you have a Prime membership.
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Series Review: The Peripheral (2022)
The entire season of The Peripheral is finally available for streaming, and it wasn’t worth the wait. I started watching this series as it came out but quickly gave up when I lost interest. Having this series be a weekly release was a mistake because there isn’t enough happening to get you excited for the next episode. If you are looking for a good sci-fi series to binge, look elsewhere.
Flynn Fisher is the best VR gamer in the world, but she is also poor. She and her family live paycheck to paycheck and use Flynn’s gaming skills to make extra money. One day, a mysterious benefactor offers to pay her to test a new VR headset. Flynn finds herself in a hyper-realistic simulation where she must complete dangerous tasks to earn her paycheck. But there is an evil cabal working against her benefactor. Flynn finds herself in the middle of a deadly conflict where she and her family must fight to survive. Can Flynn get to the bottom of this mystery before anyone she loves dies?
I am happy this series has a recap before every episode because I struggled to remember the plot. The plot isn’t confusing, but it is boring. There clearly wasn’t enough plot for a whole series because they drag out what little plot they have over the eight episodes. This series is terribly paced. This series needed to be thrilling, fast-paced, and suspenseful, but it isn’t.
The cast is decent but they are wasted on flat characters and dull narrative. Flynn is a Betty Sue who seems to care the least about being in this series. She is much too perfect and will easily beat every encounter she faces. Any suspense and action that could have saved this series from being an abysmal flop are poorly executed. The action scenes are lethargic, the build-up is slow, and the big reveal comes out of nowhere. This is a series that suffers from a severe identity crisis as it struggles to try to define itself. There are too many plotlines fighting for your attention, and none of them will earn it.
I haven’t read the book this series is based on, but I can assure you it is a very loose adaptation. If you are here because you are a fan of the book or the Westworld series, prepare to be disappointed. This series was a waste of time. You can stream it on Amazon, but I wouldn’t bother.
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Series Review: Final Space
Final Space has no right to be as good as it is; you should watch it if you haven’t. I am disappointed that it won’t be getting its proper conclusion anytime soon because a greedy network is holding it hostage. Nonetheless, Final Space is the perfect space odyssey you should be watching!
Final Space is the story of Gary Goodspeed’s destiny. Gary is serving his prison sentence alone in space when a mysterious, planet-destroying space creature finds him. Gary befriends the strange creature and names it Mooncake. But the friendship between Mooncake and Garry sets off a series of events that will change the universe forever. Now Garry and his newly found crew of misfits must save the universe from an ancient evil.
Final Space is an epic and emotional adventure I wasn’t prepared for. Do not let the art style and general goofiness fool you, this is a serious adventure full of love, loss, action, and betrayal. Final Space is sci-fi done right. There is fantastic world-building, memorable characters with proper development, actual stakes, and a narrative that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I laughed, I cried, but I need more.
My only complaint about this show is that there aren’t any plans for a final season. It is also difficult to find copies of the seasons that have been released because it is no longer available for streaming anywhere. You can find the first two seasons on Amazon for purchase right now, but that might change soon. It is worth the trouble if you can find it anywhere else, even if it is a physical copy. I can only hold onto the hope that one day it will miraculously get the proper conclusion that it deserves. Take my word for it, go watch Final Space, and don’t forget to thank me when you do.
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