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Movie Review: Mad God (2022)

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Mad God was the last movie I watched with my trial to the shudder streaming service and it has left me speechless. This innovative and creative journey through a confusing and nightmarish collection of narratives is an experience I suggest everyone have. It isn’t for everyone as it is very artsy and strange, but it is a movie that definitely redefines itself within the genre. If you want to watch a film that is different, uncomfortable, and somewhat frightening, give this movie a gander.

Mad God is a collection of stories that form a cohesive narrative told through a combination of mediums. Most of the movie is in stop motion, but it also mixes some CGI and live-action scenes for great effect. Keep in mind, that this is a silent movie, and it can be slow. Most scenes are composed of uncomfortable images and moments designed to make the audience uncomfortable. I would say that this movie works as a metaphor for the atrocities mankind is capable of. I am simply amazed by how far the creators were able to push this nightmare. This is a movie that pushes the limits of the genre in order to create a truly unique form of storytelling.

I liked this movie a lot. The stories it tells are interesting and the nightmare it sculps is fantastic. I have never seen anything like this. If you like experimental horror that pushes the envelope, check this movie out. Even if you don’t like these types of movies, I would ask you to experience the weirdness. It isn’t for everyone, but you can stream it on Shudder.

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Movie Reviews

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power – First Impressions

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Amazon has just released its Lord of the Rings show, and I have to say, I am addicted. I am not the biggest fan of the series, I haven’t read the book and have only watched the Hobbit, but this show definitely sparked my curiosity. I am living proof that you don’t need extensive knowledge of the lore to enjoy this show, but having the wiki open might help you get a deeper understanding of what is going on. If you are intimidated to get into Lord of the Rings, don’t be. It is a very in-depth fantasy, but it is well done.

This is a prequel to the series as it details the events that led up to how they crafted the rings. So far there are only two episodes out for the series with new episodes coming out weekly. The acting is fantastic, the story is interesting, and the setting is beautiful. The first two episodes do a great job at introducing the different factions, setting up the world, and getting you hooked for more. They spent a lot of money producing this show, and it shows. My only complaint is that I have to wait another week to see what happens next.

If you are patient, hop on this show immediately. If you aren’t, wait till it is all out. I am definitely excited to see where this series will go.

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Movie Reviews

Movie Review: Me Time (2022)

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Me Time is another lazy and generic buddy comedy where Kevin Hart plays himself. While this might be one of his better ones, it isn’t saying much considering how low the bar is. I wouldn’t bother with this movie unless you really enjoy Kevin Hart’s comedy.

Kevin Hart is a stay-at-home dad with a very successful wife. He takes pride and joy in his role, but there are factors that leave him insecure about his manhood. In an effort to prove his worth to the world, he links up with an old childhood friend for a night of partying. Things quickly get out of hand, and now Hart must salvage the night and save his marriage and friend.

You’ve seen this movie before. You will probably forget you watched this movie. This lazy addition to Hart’s filmography only proves that he is destined to be typecasted as himself for the remainder of his career. While these movies might be good for his bank statements, I am tired of having to sit through the same movie and listen to the same jokes, all to learn the same morals. All I want is a unique plot, and not this copy and pasted nonsense.

Don’t watch this movie and give it ratings. With how much content there is out right now, your time is better spent elsewhere. The acting is okay, the jokes are barely funny, and the plot is clearly recycled. Why waste your time on something that clearly had little effort put into it? You can stream it on Netflix, but I wouldn’t bother.

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video game reviews

Game Review: Beyond The Wire

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All images are screenshots from the game

This game was sent to me as a review code. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I will not let it influence my opinion. This will be my honest review of this game.

Beyond the Wire is a World War I online multiplayer shooter that promises large epic battles. There are two map sizes, 50 vs 50 and 40 vs 40. The only game mode I was ever able to play was frontline. You capture the objective, hold it for some time, and the frontline moves till you run out of time or capture the whole map. Once in a game, you can create different divisions, each with its own unique roles and load oats. Teams are limited by the choice of load oats to promote teamwork.

This game aims for realism with its insane amount of detail towards authenticity. The uniforms, maps, and weapons have all been carefully curated to not only fit the aesthetic but to also be respectful to history. The sound is amazing. You can hear footsteps moving towards or away from you. You can hear the bullets cutting the wind as they fly by you. It is a frightening moment when you hear the bulet ricochet off the ground beside you as you try to find its source. I recommend you play this game with headphones for the full experience. 

I had a lot of fun with this game when I could find a match. This game is starving for players. I was able to guess the pattern and hop on when there were people playing, but it was always a gamble. You are not getting the large battles that this game promised. My biggest match was 10 vs 10, but I was usually stuck in a server with high ping. You can always join an empty server and hope people start joining, but it’s never guaranteed. A big issue with this game is that if there isn’t anyone online, you can’t play this game because there is no story mode or bot matches.

I am not going to talk about the bugs I found because it is still in early access. The bugs I encountered were mostly cosmetic, but none of them was game-breaking. So is this game worth it? As of today, it isn’t. For the price, you should be able to pick it up whenever you want. Instead, you are bound to play with other people’s schedules.

When I was able to find a match, I had a lot of fun. I liked the anxiety I felt as I tried to find an enemy, and loved the satisfaction of finally getting a kill. I do want to send out my deepest apologies to those unlucky few I was matched with. I played terribly and never seemed to get better, but there was no flaming, and I never got kicked, and for that, I am grateful. Despite my poor performance, it was an experience I wanted to keep putting myself into. 

I would wait till it goes on sale or hope that they give out a free weekend before making your decision. The population seems to be growing as of writing this. It seems to be getting easier to find larger matches, but it is still a gamble. The game is on sale now on Steam, you can decide if the discount is enough to hop on. The sale ends September 7.

Series Reviews

Series Review: A League of Their Own (2022)

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I haven’t seen the movie this series is based on, nor can I comment on its historical accuracy, but I can definitely recommend it because it is a good show. If you are on the fence, don’t be. Go, stream it now.

The series follows one of America’s first women’s baseball teams. The series focuses on the adversities they faced and how they overcame them. The series covers social issues such as racism, sexism, and homophobia. While I do have to admit that it addresses these topics in a fantastical wholesome manner, it does so respectfully, and I can’t take issue.

This show is incredibly wholesome with a fantastic cast, a fun narrative, and a lot of baseball. The characters are unique, and watching them grow and become a team throughout the series is truly inspiring. The Peaches face a lot of obstacles because they don’t fit the traditional role society has assigned them. They just want to play baseball and be who they are, but that isn’t what a traditional woman is. The show does a great job at showing that the traditional woman is a myth, and it instead broadens the definition by including a more inclusive representation of womanhood.

It is inspiring to see all that these women had to endure and to see what they accomplished. This is an important narrative and one that needs to be told. My only complaint is that the narrative is a little too whitewashed, but the intent of this show is to be wholesome and fun, not real and heavy. I’ll let it slide. You need to watch this show.

You can stream this on Amazon with a Prime membership.

Series Reviews

The Patient (2022): Initial Thoughts

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The Patient is a new psychological thriller starring Steve Carrell. The show is on a weekly release, and you can stream it on Hulu. I suggest you wait for more episodes to release because although the acting is excellent, the first two episodes don’t leave much of an impression.

The story follows a therapist named Alan who has been kidnapped and kept prisoner by a murderer, Sam. Alan is forced to live his days chained into a room while he is forced to help Sam with his therapy. Sam doesn’t want to be a murderer, and kidnapping Alan seems to be his only option for getting better. Trapped in this room, Alan must deal with a person that is clearly unstable while he wrestles with his own demons. Will Alan be able to help Sam and earn his freedom, or will he become another victim?

The show is just okay. The acting is great, and the setting is neat, but the story doesn’t do enough to hook its audience. The first two episodes are set up for the series. You are introduced to Alan and get a sense of his specialization as a therapist through a series of sessions. These sessions are often disturbed by flashbacks that paint Alan as a flawed person who still needs to work through his own issues. You are also introduced to Sam, and slowly through their many conversations, get a sense of his motivations. Both actors have terrific chemistry and work well with each other. The isolation created in the house helps set the mood, but these two episodes are rather slow. I fear that releasing this show weekly might hurt the engagement of this show because it isn’t anything special yet. There is potentially based on the cast, but it seems too early to know for sure. A show like this needs better pacing if it is going to be successful.

The second episode ends on an obvious cliffhanger that does nothing for my curiosity. I will keep watching because I have to, but you should wait until there’s more to the series. 

Movie Reviews

Movie Review: Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank (2022)

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Paws of Fury is just as average as animated movies go. While there are a few jokes in this movie that made me laugh, this isn’t something I would watch unless I was putting it on for a younger kid. Paws of Fury is the unmistakable remake of the movie Blazing Saddles, but the characters have been reskinned to samurai cats, and the jokes are designed for kids. It isn’t bad, but if you have seen Blazing Saddles, you would much rather. This is a beat-for-beat remake with an added underdog narrative that honestly hurts the overall experience.

I don’t like the underdog story that this turns into because it is generic and bland. It reminds me of Kung Fu Panda, and I would rather be watching that. I wish they would have taken out the underdog story and kept it as a remake but with better voice acting. The voice acting is fine for the most part, but there are some bad line reads that are hard to overlook. I would have preferred real voice actors instead of name-brand actors, but the better voice acting isn’t saving this movie. This movie is very bland, and I am having trouble with this review. It didn’t leave much of an impression, and I don’t want to spend my time unfairly comparing this movie to its much better predecessor. 

As a kids’ movie, it is fine. I have seen a lot worse. You won’t hate this movie if you have to sit through it. You will at least appreciate all the references. I do like that they address a lot of the important themes from Blazing Saddles, such as racism and government corruption. I also appreciate how they modernized the source material, but this only proves how timeless Blazing Saddles is. You should be watching Blazing Saddles instead. 

The unavoidable truth is that this movie was made for kids that is held back by its genre. If you are looking for something to through on for family movie night, this movie is fine; otherwise, there are better animated movies out there. You can stream it now on Paramount+.

Movie Reviews

Movie Review: Samaritan (2022)

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Samaritan is Silvester Stallone’s attempt at the superhero genre, and I have to say, it is pretty good. Sure the pacing was a little slow, but his unorthodox take on the genre was both refreshing and entertaining. I doubt it will win any awards, but if you have been curious about the movie, go ahead and watch it.

Samaritan follows a young troubled youth Sam who is obsessed with the superhero Samaritan. Samaritan once protected the city from crime and against the supervillain Nemesis, but an epic encounter between the two leads to their disappearance. Most people believe the superhumans to be dead, but Sam holds out hope that Samaritan is alive and will one day make his return. His beliefs seem to hold some truth when he encounters a mysterious man who he believes to be Samaritan. At the same time, an ambitious and delusional crime boss attempts to fill the hole Nemesis left behind. Using the supervillain’s magic hammer, he plans to take over the city and bring forth a new world order. With the city spun into chaos, will Samaritan once again rise and bring the city new hope? You will have to watch the movie to find out.

This movie certainly gave me some Unbreakable vibes because of how it treats superheroes. It certainly challenges their traditional role in society by asking whether or not their existence is necessary. Samaritan makes some interesting points and raises some interesting questions about the genre, but unfortunately, I can’t address them without spoiling the movie. Just know that this isn’t your traditional superhero narrative, and it is going to feel a little slow. It does have a pretty satisfying conclusion if you stick with it.

This is a solid movie with fantastic actors, an entertaining narrative, and some pretty cool action. I always enjoy watching superhero movies that aren’t bound by their source material because they have a certain level of freedom that the mainstream ones don’t. They aren’t bound by the same conventions and aren’t bogged down by repeating a familiar backstory. I am even more impressed at how deeply Stallone understands the action genre and his respect for his ability to consistently make fun action movies. Samaritan is a fantastic combination of both these worlds and one that I can in good conscious recommend.

If you want to watch a decent superhero movie, you should give this movie a chance. You can stream it now on Amazon.

Movie Reviews

Movie Review: Orphan First Kill (2022)

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The Orphan First Kill is the prequel that did not need to be made. It is a negligible addition to the universe that adds little to the lore. The prequel focuses on the events before the first movie, but nothing interesting happens. The acting was great, but it is wasted on a boring story with questionable writing. Do yourself a favor and skip this movie.

I went back and re-watched the first movie to see how it compared. It has been a while, and I wanted to make sure that my opinion of the movie wasn’t a memory made better because I was so bored with First Kill. The original is a far better movie. It isn’t perfect, but at least it was entertaining. First Kill doesn’t have any real direction. It pads the run time with sappy family moments then teases you with an interesting and unexpected twist, only to become another generic horror movie that isn’t worth your time.

This movie has a few good moments, but not enough to save it. I am going to spoil this movie to make my point. It doesn’t matter because you shouldn’t watch yourself, but a warning is still in order. 

Ester goes to kill the detective that has been asking too many questions. In his final breaths, as Ester stands over him asking how he knew she was lying, a bullet pierces his head and leaves him lifeless. As he bleeds onto the carpet, Ester turns to see Julia Styles holding a gun. Styles confronts Ester about her lie, but instead of killing Ester and ending the movie, she blackmails Ester into keeping up the charade. Styles had been covering up the murder of the original Ester, and the new Ester was the piece she needed to make her husband happy again. 

This was a great moment that easily stands out against the blandness carried throughout the rest of this film, but it is a moment wasted because the rest of the movie doesn’t have any of this energy. I liked that Ester was made a victim because it puts the audience in an uncomfortable position. Do they root for Ester who is conning the family and has a murderous past, or do you root for the family the dark secret she is conning that also wants her dead? It makes me mad that such an interesting idea sits so comfortably within such a disappointing movie. 

You can stream this on Paramount+, but I wouldn’t bother.

Movie Reviews

Movie Review: The Long Night (2022)

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The Long Night didn’t make much of an impression on me. It doesn’t do anything I would go rushing to see, but it had enough interesting visuals to keep my attention. The acting is solid, the story is okay, and the lore is pretty tame. I honestly don’t have much to say because it doesn’t stand out much from any other demon cult movies I’ve seen.

The Long Night is a story of a woman who is searching for her biological parents. This search brings her to a mysterious house in the middle of nowhere. She begins to hear voices and sees visions of cults and demons. The situation grows bleak when they are trapped in the house by a group of cultists. Now she and her boyfriend must survive the night. Will they be able to escape, or will they become a sacrifice to some unknown demon?

This movie is better than the average cult movie, but it isn’t something I would go rushing to see. The writing is a bit awkward, and the characters aren’t great. It is always harder to write about these movies because they don’t really inspire much. There are definitely things about this movie I appreciated, but it isn’t something I’ll be watching again. If you like the genre and are starving for a new horror movie, then this movie is fine. If not, you can live your life without it. You can stream it on Shudder.