Category: comedy

Ed Gein: The Musical

I can only imagine what you most be thinking, but I assure you this isn’t a joke post. This movie is real. Ed Gein is one of the infamous figures in American history and inspired dozens if not hundreds of books, documentaries, biopics, as well as being the inspiration behind The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Silence of the Lambs, and Psycho. If you want any actual factual knowledge about Gein and his crimes, plenty of those documentaries are free on YouTube (don’t go to Netflix for the latest season of Monster; were you really expecting the dude behind AHS to give a account of Ed Gein?). Certainly don’t watch this.

So we follow Ed Gein as he’s busted after killing his final victim and through delusional songs, many parodying others such as “Luck be a Lady”, “Pure Imagination” from Willy Wonka, and “Hard Knock Life” from Annie, we uncover a very loose account of Gein’s story. I mean loose in the most sincere way possible.

I’m going to frank, this movie isn’t good. Did I laugh? Plenty, but I wasn’t feeling good about it. The whole thing is in bad taste at it’s core but its so flat, over the top, and cheap its not meant to be taken seriously, not even remotely (unlike Netflix’s Monster). The acting is porn level bad. The pacing is awful and feels way longer than it is. The musical numbers are funny and just trippy at times- like Gein arguing with a woman’s corpse over what style of lampshade she wants to be. The sheriff was great and his reactions to the whole thing were my favorite part of the whole movie. In the end, I can’t recommend this movie unless you’re already drunk or stoned off your ass. May the gaming god’s bring you glory.

Deadpool and Wolverine

You know you’re in trouble when Deadpool is your saving grace….Wade’s been through alot after the events of Deadpool 2. By that I mean, he hung up the guns and katanas and tried living a normal life, sucking at it, losing his spark when getting turned down by the Avengers. When the TVA shows up offering Wade legendary hero status in a new universe, he’s elated, until he realizes his universe is dying. To save it, his universe needs a new Wolverine. So it’s up to the Merc with a Mouth to find a Wolverine, escape a wasteland of banished Marvel characters, and become a goddamn Disney hero. Ain ‘t the multiverse fun?

Deadpool took the world by storm in 2016. Even with comic book movie fatigue setting in and many fans giving up on the MCU, the end of the Deadpool trilogy was the last hurrah for many. I had mixed feelings going in. My opinion of 2 soured over time, I didn’t trust Disney, and after Logan and the brilliant end to Hugh Jackman’s time as Wolverine, bringing him back, albeit as a variant, still soured things for me. After multiple rewatches, it still does. However, overall, the six-year wait was well worth it. Reynolds and Jackman bring their A games and have fantastic chemistry. The fights are bloody and memorable. Finally seeing Wolverine in his classic yellow and blue was a nerd dream come true. The cameos were outstanding and 1 in particular stole the show (I don’t want to spoil it but it was damn good to see some classics come back).

Not every joke lands, and I wish we got more crazier Deadpools for the final fight (namely Pandapool), and this movie doesn’t work nearly as well unless you’re a Marvel fan or grew up with 2000’s movies. I’ve heard casuals say the movie was a little confusing, but it’s much easier to follow than a lot of MCU stuff. In the end, Deadpool 3 is a great end to the trilogy and an even better send-off to the Fox Marvel era. Its packed with blood, fights, and nerdy fanservice that’s hard not to love. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

The Thunderbolts (New Avengers)

This Wheaties box is one of the funniest jokes in the film, and I laughed way too hard…Thunderbolts picks up with a group of the MCU outcasts (Yelena, US Agent, Red Guardian, Ghost, and Taskmaster) being ordered to infiltrate a shady testing facility. After duking it out a bit, they come a scrawny dude named Bob, the last living subject of a certain medical test. Bob, a former drug addict suffering from mental illness, stands out of this group like a sore thumb. But what if I told you Bob was a force that outmatches the powerhouses of Marvel like Hulk, Thor, and Captain Marvel? Under the devious influence of government head Valentina de Fontaine, Bob is molded into the Sentry, the world’s greatest hero. Can the outcasts, aligned with Winter Soldier and Red Guardian, stand a chance against Fontaine and the darkness inside Bob-for every light there is a darkness, and that darkness is the Void…

Going in, I knew what this movie was: MCU Suicide Squad. Basically, it’s what the comics are, and honestly, they’ve never been my thing, but I gave it a shot. With Captain America: Brave New World being a dud and Fantastic 4: First Steps being the best MCU flick since Spider-man: No Way Home , I was curious where this lay.

The cast is the biggest positive in my opinion. Everyone gives it their all. Florence Pugh, since her Black Widow debut, has been a bright light in the MCU’s darker days. Luis Pullman did great as Bob/Sentry/ Void. The final act goes for emotional character stakes instead of a giant boss battle, easily the best climax to a MCU film in a while. I liked the darker, mature themes like mental health, drug abuse, trauma, and guilt. The movie handled them well without going overly dark or trying to preach.

Unfortunately, the MCU itself, or rather its formula of forced humor, is this movie’s biggest weakness. I didn’t laugh much, but I rolled my eyes a lot more than I wanted to. Most of the action scenes were meh overall. Taskmaster is utterly wasted and is just a body to drop for pretend stakes (sorry for the spoiler, but seriously, the marketing spoiled it pretty quick). Valentina has been built up for a while, and her endgame didn’t really feel like much of a payoff.

In the end, the movie is ok but easily could have been above average. What it does good, it does great. The flaws kill it. It’s worth watching and I’m not mad they’ll return for Doomsday. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

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.