Category: comedy

Society

Billy Whitney is a good, normal kid living with his rich family in Beverly Hills. His parents favor his sister, Jenny. They don’t like his taste in friends nor care much about his school activities. Billy feels like he can’t escape their vain, detached, materialistic world. How right he really is. When Jenny’s old beau plays a troubling recording for Billy, his whole world turns upside down. People die. He sees things. Jenny’s acting just like their parents, his therapist, and the kids at school. Is Billy losing it, or is something deeper going on?

This was a movie I’d heard about for years but never got to experience until recently. The movie is great at making you wonder what the hell is going on and keeping you glued. The finale is batshit insanity with incredible effects. The acting is solid. I appreciate the uncanny, otherworldly feel to the whole movie. I like the social commentary on the rich feeding off the poor, but it never gets heavy-handed. There’s some really funny moments that don’t spoil the dread the movie maintains. My only real gripe is I feel like they should’ve had Billy’s statis hungry ex girlfriend pop up in the end. Overall, I’d call Society an underrated gem that’s relevant and has one hell of a disturbing ending. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (sn1)

During an exploration on the moon, a strange object was found. A space dumpster. Inside the long sealed empress of evil, Rita Repulsa, is unleashed to conquer Earth. Zordon, an ancient alien wizard, and his trusty robot servant Alpha 5 spring into action. Zordon has Alpha find five teenagers with attitude from the nearby city of Angel Grove. Jason, Zack, Trini, Billy, and Kimberly were chosen to become the Power Rangers, the only heroes mighty enough to stop the forces of evil…

If you grew up as a 90’s kid as Savior and I did, this show is peak nostaglia as you can get. Fighting, monsters, a colorful giant robot fighting said giant monsters- what else can any kid ask for? Hell, I was a Power Ranger for Halloween the years I wasn’t Batman. The first season with the classic 6 rangers is lightning in a bottle. The core 6 had good chemistry and for the first 60-episode season, it is it cool seeing the characters grow. For example, Billy starts as a weak, stereotypical nerd who gradually becomes the team’s tech wizard as well as a competent, confident fighter. The show’s structure is aligned with self-contained episodes but the multi-part arcs are some of the show’s highlights. The evil Green Ranger arc that introduces the legendary Tommy into the group is still awesome all these years later. The original Zords are iconic: the Mastodon, Triceratops, Pterodactyl, Sabre-Tooth Tiger, Tyrannosaurus, and the Dragon Zord. The theme is one of my all-time favorites and I still smile each time I hear it; the music all around kicks ass.

Like many show’s there’s some dull episodes here and there. Because of the use of Japanese footage, there is quite a bit of repetition to the Ranger and Zord scenes. This show looks goofy and over the top, but to a charming degree. A couple of times in the first season, plotlines do repeat, just slightly altered. As a kid I remember thinking Bulk and Skull, the comic relief bullies, were annoying, and they are, but they grew on me. Rita is a goofball villain with a shrill voice and neither her or her lackeys are competent, but damn if it isn’t funny.

In the end, Power Rangers is a fun, goofy, kids show but it’s still plenty of fun. Whether you’re riffing it with friends, or getting hyped whenever you hear “It’s Morphin Time!”, the first season of Power Rangers is a good, light-hearted time in our dreary world I recommend. May the power protect you.

Fantastic 4: First Steps

The 1960’s have been defined by 4 heroes who have fought villains, shaped the world, and made it a better place not only for themselves and the people around them, but the newest bundle of joy joining their family. They are no strangers to danger…until a new threat emerges from the stars, announcing the imminent death of the planet- the coming of Galactus. When faced with an impossible threat, an impossible choice, can the Fantastic 4 pull off the impossible?

I’ve been through the ringer of Fantastic 4 (1994) , Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer , and the abomination known as Fant4stic so I was scared. I’m proud to say we actually got not only a great Fantastic 4 movie, but one of the best Marvel movies in years. There was a ton of love given to the comics as well as the visual aesthetic. The movie harkens back to classic 50’s/60’s sci fi and golden age comic books. I loved the actors all around. The 4 have great chemistry and true to the characters. The Silver Surfer was awesome. The true standout was Galactus which, my god, was absolutely terrifying. The movie is well-balanced between drama, comedy, sci-fi action; I’m so happy it stands on its own and doesn’t rely on the greater MCU for its characters and story. Unfortunately, I wasn’t a fan of the MCU end credit scene, most of us knew it was coming. In the end, I was greatly surprised and I highly recommend the MCU debut of Marvel’s First Family. May the Galactus bring you…glory? Yanno.

Mortal Kombat 2 trailer

Ok, no joke I lost when this trailer finally dropped. I enjoyed the first movie but it wasn’t perfect. Everything I see for the sequel looks like a MK fan’s wet dream. Karl Urban seems like a perfect fit for Johnny Cage. Shao Khan looks intimidating as hell. Of course the highlight is the showdown between Scorpion and Noob Saibot in hell. I’m insanely pumped for this movie and have seen the trailer a bunch of times. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Superman (2025)

Superman- we all know the man and his origin. We know what he stands for. We know that he is a symbol of hope in a troubled, complicated world. What if we didn’t, though? Superman can thwart kaijus, hang with the Justice Gang, and put a stop to political bloodshed, and we love him for it…until a secret raises a question: can humanity trust our lives to an unstoppable alien?

Superman is the first movie in James Gunn’s revamped DCU, and like many, I was really curious how it’d go. First, Gunn did a much better job of establishing a DC universe in this one film than the old DCEU did- no contest. Nothing feels overly forced. I don’t feel like this movie exists as an advert for other projects to come. Gunn clearly respects the material and it shows. The cast is great all around but Corenswet and Hoult are the highlights as Superman and Luthor. Corenswet brings a humble, gentle quality we haven’t seen to Supes since Christopher Reeves, while making him feel more human than I think we ever have. Hoult as Lex Luthor is a straight-up, ruthless, grimy, petulant bastard and perfectly captures Superman’s nemesis.

The movie, while excelling at a lot, does fumble hard in places. It does do too much. There are characters that feel shoved in. There’s jokes that either don’t land or break decently built dramatic scenes. Ultraman’s identity pissed me off a bit. The politics- they are a lot of real world politics in this movie- feel real heavy handed at times, bordering on preachy. There’s a bit with social media too I thought was eye rolling too if I’ll be honest. The effects range from great to questionable.

Overall, Superman was a good, solid foundation I want to see more of. Because of how much politics plays a role in the film, I can’t really recommend it as a clear yes or no. I will say this: I wanted a Superman movie that felt like a Superman movie. I got it. In many ways this movie is the polar opposite of Man of Steel and a refreshing palate cleanser to the host of evil Superman archetypes that have sprung up over the last few years. I enjoyed the movie and I think it deserves a chance. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Alan Wake 2

13 years since we last joined writer Alan Wake and his battle against the otherworldly Dark Presence. 13 years since he went missing in Cauldron Lake, a new threat has emerged in Bright Falls. Violent rituals being perpetrated by a cult seemingly inspired by Wake’s works have attracted FBI attention. Agent Saga Anderson and her partner Alex Casey are on the case- quickly realizing nothing is how it seems and Bright Falls has more than a murder cult and a cast of strange characters to contend with. Reality is being rewritten and the Dark Presence is returning, this time under the guise of the malevolent Mr. Scratch. As Saga’s history comes crashing down, the mystery of all mysteries is what happened to Alan Wake?

Alan Wake remastered was a solid action experience with a great story and some really irritating parts. Wake 2 is a modern horror masterpiece. The story is absolutely fascinating with plenty of twists and character development. Visually, the game is incredible, blending animation and live action flawlessly. The gameplay is improved but overall the game is more difficult; full disclosure, I sucked at this game because I’m the worst pathfinder in existence and I rushed through many of the goodies that would have helped a lot for the endgame. I was impressed how genuinely errie and tense the game gets, especially in the second half. Poets of the Fall return with new bangers as the Old Gods of Asgard, including a great live performance with the cast. What gripes I have are pretty small- I wasn’t a fan of the upgrade system for weapons, the reality shifts as Wake himself get confusing, and the game requires a learning curve for Saga’s mind place and Alan’s writing room but they don’t really subtract from the game for me. I will warn you, the real ending appears after the second playthrough on the Final Draft, but both endings are damn good. In the end, I highly recommend this if you love old sci-fi, classic David Lynch and Stephen King, or want a different kind of horror game. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Borderlands 4 story trailer

After the lackluster story of Borderlands 3 , am I excited for 4? The game looks fun. But I gotta admit Randy Pitchford’s comments about the real Borderlands fans being willing to pay $80, like many gamers in our very harsh American economy, rightfully pissed me off. It’s going to be a long time if I even decide to pick up BL4 but from everything I’ve seen, the game basically looks like business as usual for the series. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Fantastic 4: First Steps trailer

Ok, so long time followers know I love Marvel’s First Family. I wrote a piece a while ago about what I wanted from them in the MCU ( What to do with Fantastic 4? ).

They’re here, along with bringing Silver Surfer and Galactus into the MCU. I love the vintage vibe the movie is going for. Ebon Moss as the Thing looks perfect. Galactus is perfect so far. I like the golden age costumes. There’s a lot of potential but the more I think, the more I’m afraid of this thing. While not as wretched as Fant4stic, I’m still seeing a huge uphill fight for this thing. I think. Starting with Surfer and Galactus is very risky. The 4’s crap track record adds anxiety as well as the serious dip in MCU quality in general. The first test screenings being meh don’t really help either. Time will tell but I am still cautiously excited. May the gaming gods flame on!

Sinners

I want to talk about hype for a moment. How many times have you seen a piece of media hyped up to a level that ultimately killed your enjoyment? Maybe it was shoved down your throat, maybe the final product wasn’t for you or just meh? I went into Sinners expecting a solid vampire romp with some heart, maybe some laughs. The questions are what did I get and was the hype warranted?

It’s a small Mississippi town in the Jim Crow era of America. The Smoke Stack twins, 2 local troublemakers, have returned to their hometown to begin a new blues club for the weary black community. They recruit the best the community has to open their new club, including there young cousin Sammy, a gifted musician. The club is a hit opening night. Sammy is a hit. All seems well until a odd trio of Irish musicians show up, politely asking to be let in, led by the friendly Remmick, preaching equality through music. They are turned away. Throughout the night, things slowly unravel for Smoke and Stack as they learn the profits aren’t weren’t what they hoped. Maybe they were too rash sending the Irish away, all they wanted was to be family after all…

Ok, no bullshit, this movie is phenomenal. The movie is first and foremost about music and it does it exquisitely. There’s a lot of blues, Irish folk, and fusion throughout as the movie progresses; the music numbers are fantastically performed by an extremely talented and enthusiastic cast. Michael B. Jordan is outstanding as the twins. The vampires have a badass design, and Remmick is a really cool villain. Ryan Coogler, director of the MCU Black Panther movies, puts his heart and soul into the setting and costumes as well as his appreciation of black culture, while still giving us a pretty awesome action/ horror movie. I haven’t been this inspired leaving a movie theater since seeing Oppenheimer . It’s rare to see movies, or any art in general, where the passion is palpable. It’s contagious. Sinners is an example of dedication and talent coming together under one banner that I can’t recommend enough. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Superman full trailer

I’m cautiously optimistic for this one. I’ve been a longtime fan of James Gunn, even before his time with the MCU. The last DC cinematic universe imploded so there’s literally an entire cinematic universe riding on this movie. Corenswet seems like a more human Clark and I do like the energy he seems to have as the Man of Steel. I like what I saw of Lois, Guy Gardner, Mr. Terrefic, and Lex Luthor. I’m not sure how I feel about the Engineer as the main baddie but I do love everything I’ve seen of Krypto. There have been some leaks that I pray aren’t true or at least seriously overplayed about the main plot of the movie because so far I like where it’s going. Time will tell. May the gaming gods bring you all glory.