Renewed Gaming Top 15 - Platformers

The next line in the video games lists... platformers. What makes a game a platformer? Platforms. Ha!

No. What makes a game platformer? Where jumps from platform to platform, or enemy to enemy, or platform to enemy to platform... is the focus of the game. You can have other features that MIGHT put them in a different category, but the platforming aspect is what the player experience revolves around.

And there are MANY types of platformers.

So how about the list...

Top 15 Platforming Video Games/Series

Here we go...

Honorable Mention 1: Dig Dug: A digging platformer. Making your own platforms. One of the Atari/Namco Classics

Honorable Mention 2: Mega Man(series): The core series starring the Blue Bomber. Stealing abilities, defeating bosses with the newly stolen abilities. One of the most difficult, yet rewarding Platformers that is STILL active to this day(side honorable mention to Mighty No 9 for being made my the Mega Man creators, reinventing the Mega Man formula)

15. Ghosts 'n Goblins: One of the most punishing platformers ever made. Think it is hard... wait until the second run hits. Death comes quickly... this... is 2D Dark Souls.

14. Crash Bandicoot(franchise): The Original Unofficial Playstation Mascot! Blend of 2D platforming with 3D platforming... with a witty humor, cartoonish style. And a new installment. It isn't PS exclusive anymore, but it doesn't matter.

13. Shovel Knight: Unique game with 16 bit style. When you talk about Modern Retro games, this is the first you should talk about. A love letter to 8 bit and 16 bit gaming.

12. Ninja Gaiden(series): Another series with precise platforming and PUNISHING gameplay. The NES era was just a more difficult era of gaming. But so satisfying. I separate the 2D and 3D games, due to the 3D Ninja Gaiden games being more of a Action or Beat Em Up style game instead.

11. Cuphead: Talking about retro... mix a platforming Bullet Hell with Max Fleischer era animation. It is a BEAUTIFUL game. And a hell of a good time.

10. Banjo-Kazooie(franchise): Nintendo 64 3D platformer with plenty of smarts and crisp gameplay. Rare truly was Rare back then.

9. X-Men 2 Clone Wars: Sega Genesis platformer with everyone's favorite mutant team. There were a few decent ones before this... but this game was fun. Something missing for Mutant Apocalypse and Arcade's Revenge

8. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night: The first reinvention of the Castevania formula... and the BEST game in the series. Exploration... RPG elements... but platforming hack n slash. Gone is the Whip... but the different swords and abilities just made it cool. The game that changed a term from Metroid Style to Metroidvania.

7. Sonic the Hedgehog(series): The rival to Mario on the Sega systems. It was fast, with multiple paths to get to the end. The beauty was that because of the different paths, its replayability was so damn high. Sonic was a beast in 2D, but his 3D outings have not been the greatest. So be careful. But overall, Sonic deserved to be Mario's rival. If you are want to test out the Blue Blur in 3D, I recommend Sonic Adventure 2. Outside of that, try at your own risk

6. Little Big Planet(franchise): one part level creator, one part unending platformer. Unending? How so? There have been 3 games in the series. The levels from each predecessor were compatible with the current. When LBP2 was released, that was a selling point. There were MILLIONS of unique levels online. New game... millions of levels. I want LBP4.

5. Magical Quest starring Mickey Mouse: Yes, a Mickey game. On the SNES. But hear me out. A crisp platformer made by Capcom with Disney's designs. Exploration that felt rewarding. Great intuitive boss fights. And a difficulty curve. Lower difficulties for newbies and kiddos. And a higher difficulty for those needing a challenge. I beat it on the highest... and the final boss battle against Emporer Pete took nearly an HOUR(and that was AFTER I stopped dying). And it felt good to beat. If you haven't, and you can get it... do it. Worth it.

4. Donkey Kong Country(franchise): Rare is at it again. The DKC franchise has some of the best graphics and gameplay of any games in the 16 Bit era... but the graphics are so good, you forget it was on the SNES. But those damn minecart levels... and yes, I am declaring Donkey Kong 64 as a DKC title.

3. Mega Man X(series): Yes, I'm aware that Mega Man was an honorable mention, but I do not consider them the same series. X was Mega Man and more. Upgrades to abilities... new gameplay improvements, an ACTUAL storyline, and the introduction of Zero. Mega Man X was the first game I bought with my own money for the SNES. And I have vivid memories of beating Mega Man X4 on PC with a Keyboard... and now... I can almost beat it blindfolded on console. Word of caution... avoid X7. That game was horrible. But X8 made up for it... and with the core series still active, I want Capcom to finally give me Mega Man X9.

2. Kirby(franchise): Cute Pink Cremepuff. Eating enemies to copy their powers. Like a ameoba who just looooooves cake. On the Cusp of getting his first even 3D experience. Kirby is a bad ass. And you all know it. He is also the inadvertent antagonist of his series... yeah...

And the Number 1 Platformer game/series is...

1. Super Mario Bros(franchise): Seriously... was there ANY other choice? The OG NES Platformer innovator the genre. SMB3 did it again. Super Mario World did what 3 did, but in 16 bit. Mario 64 is what made 3D Platformers possible(the blueprint). Mario Galaxy innovated how Gravity works in a gaming. The 3D Land/World games took the Retro formula and brought to modern technology. Each Mario game sells MILLIONS OF COPIES! And even though the status quo does feel stale, it doesn't matter. The games are fun. If you are looking at a Mario platformer, wondering if you should buy it, odds are in your favor that you will get your money's worth.

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There you go folks.

What did you think of the list? Did I miss one? Should Mario have gotten the top spot(of course he should've)?

Comment... share...

And stay tuned...

Until next time...

Renewed Gaming Top 15 - RPGs

My official gaming logo

I've been a gamer for a long time(since I discovered Mario when I was 5, so... 33 years). I enjoy platformers, puzzlers, fighting games. But if I had to pick a favorite Genre, I would have to go with Role Playing Games or RPGs. So I thought, let's do an RPG list.

So there are different types of RPGs. You've got Turn-Based, Real Time Action, Dungeon Diving, Hack n Slash, Adventure, Japanese(JRPG), Real Time Strategy, Grid Based Strategy. Basically, if there is either a progression bar, XP bar, or other kinds of progression... if it is a focal point of a major feature, I would classify it qs an RPG. And this list will have a mix of the subtypes.

Some of the entries will be individual games, some will be whole series, and some will be parts to the series. And you'll know as we go along...

This list also deserves 15 instead of 10... I loooooooves RPGs

So... let's get to it.

Top 15 RPGs

Here we go...

Honorable Mention 1: Minecraft: Punching rocks, building stuff, exploring. And earning experience for defeating monsters. It doesn't go on the list proper because I have barely played the game itself. I usually do creative mode and build stuffs. But I can appreciate what Mojang created.

Honorable Mention 2: Quest 64: A game from the Nintendo 64(of course) that has NOT stood the test of time visually. The camera was garbage... and not knowing what your spells can do for you late game so you can be prepared is terrible. But... knowing what to do in this game, I loved it. It was so much fun learning the Elemental spell system. It was a cool concept. And I loved it.

Honorable Mention 3: Sacred 2 Fallen Angel: Underrated Diablo clone. Hack... slack... XP... skills. But the gameplay is fun. And HUNDREDS of character levels. It was great.

15. Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic: One of the best non traditional Star Wars game... and one of the best non traditional RPGs. Notable for the remake that is coming soon. And notable for the alignment system. Your actions and you dialogue choices determine whether you end up Jedi/Sith... and your color scheme change accordingly.

14. Two World 2: An Elder Scrolls clone, vast exploration, great combat. But... one of the coolest magic spell systems in any RPG. The card system. Not like "Magic: the Gathering spells" cards. No... you collect cards that represent spell parts. Like fire, earth, summon, etc. And as your skill grows, you can make more elaborate spells and stack cards. For example... I made a spell that looks like I'm throwing rocks... but they explode into fireballs on impact. One... the one spell for emergencies, where I throw multiple rocks onto the ground, and they all spawn Level 41 undead soldiers. Want a water ballon that turning into an icicle as it is flying through the air? You can do that. The spell system is unlike any others.

13. Fallout 4: So, 4 was the first Fallout game I ever played. I honestly didn't know about the series, and I play Elder Scrolls. The story is great. The gameplay is fun. The humor is... out there. The lore is frightening. And replayability is really high. Post-apocalyptic... but looks like the 50s? Still cool...

12. The Witcher 3: It is the only Witcher game I've played. And I loved it. The lore is amazing, the action is fun and engaging, the crafting is vast... but nowhere near the vast size of the world you are in. Monster hunting never looked so cool.

11. Borderlands(franchise): It is a looter shooter. THE looter shooter. But I like to refer to it as a FPS Diablo. You want that perfect gun with the right prefix? You farm. You need to be stronger? Grind. Want to work together to kick ass? Queue up. And...... you want to kick the most ass? You need to make the best build for you. Plus, the Pop culture references are great.

10. Final Fantasy(series): So, not ALL of the Final Fantasy games. But most of them. The gold standard of turn based RPGs. And innovators of the story driven action based RPGs. Job systems... iconic spells. And everyone that plays the games have a favorite to tell you all about. Mine is FF7. Iconic moment in gaming history when Aerith dies. Only game in the series to have a MOVIE sequel. Get those Crystals, ride those Chocobos, and summon that Bahamut variant.

9. X-Men Legends/Marvel Ultimate Alliance(franchise): 5 games. X-Men Legends 1&2 and Marvel Alliance 1,2,&3. Diablo style isometric hack n slash style RPG. Make a team of 4 heroes(sometimes villains). Mutants in the X-Men games, Marvel Heroes in the MUA games. With the latest being a Switch exclusive and a new developer, the game has DOZENS of characters that you can make your team of 4 from.

8. Stardew Valley: I've been playing this way too much lately. It is a farming simulator... mixed with a fishing simulator... mixed with a social simulator... mixed with a dungeon crawler. Play it how you want. And with XP for doing what tasks you want to do. All in a classic graphic style. One person made this game. Now... he is working on a follow-up about a Candy maker in a haunted factory. I'm in.

7. Super Mario RPG Legend of the Seven Stars: The last RPG Square made with Nintendo before they focused on the new Playstation 1(yeah...). A turn based RPG starring Mario, Peach, Bowser, and a slew of new characters. Paper Mario became a successful successor, but it never made the kind of impact for me that this game did.

6. Kingdoms of Amalur Reckoning: When this game came out, I was sold. R.A. Salvatore + Todd MacFarlane. Why wouldn't I be? The lore building was awesome, the plethora of content was amazing, the combat was deep. And you could build your skill tree however you wanted. A deep crafting system. I was able to make equipment that was better than any Legendary in the game. Because I wanted to. The studio mismanaged their finances... and folded... after this ONE game. It did just get the HD remaster treatment from new IP owner, THQNordic. So I have hope we will get more.

5. Diablo(franchise): A series so great, it is its own subgenre. Diablo-clone. A term that fits the style. Isometric... Dungeon crawling... mindless monster slaughter. Loot drops, boss smashing. And a really good story. Diablo is Diablo. And with the "recent" Remaster of Diablo 2, the Dark Wanderer never looked so good.

4. The Elder Scrolls V Skyrim: The inside joke is that Skyrim will be released on everything. So far... so good. But there is a reason. As awesome as Morrowind and Oblivion are, Skyrim is one of those games that just oozes replayability... if you ever finish the first time. You can get lost doing the same thing... or nothing. While earning XP for doing the actions you want to use. Wanna be a hero? Do it. Wanna be a thief? Go steal. Wanna be an assassin? Be prepared to get locked in a coffin. Freedom in a franchise filled with freedom. So... Empire or Stormcloaks?

3. Pokémon(core series): 8 Generations of Pokémon games. Released in pairs. Remaster and re-released in pairs. Encouraging players to interact with each other to complete that Almighty PokéWiki known as the Pokédex. I don't care about most of the spinoffs. And I didn't watch the anime much. But the core games are the GREATEST fully customizable Turn based, one on one, RPG ever created. There are 900 Pokémon. You get to use... 6. What is your team?

2. The Legend of Zelda(franchise): THE definitive Action RPG series. Link. Zelda. Ganon. Triforce. If you are a gamer, you know at least one of those terms. And each new innovative title is innovative for the INDUSTRY, not just the series. The original had one of the first batteries for save files. Link to the Past innovated the style for 16-bit. Ocarina of Time set the standard for 3D ARPGs. Oracle of Ages/Seasons changed how the handheld games can work with connectivity. Wind Waker changed how the genre looks. And Breath of the Wild changed how open world exploration feels. Zelda is the Triforce Standard of ARPGs.

(Zelda... 2? What is 1?)

And the number one RPG game or series is.......

1. Persona(franchise): My first Persona game was Persona 3. The PS3 was already out(for a while), but here was this $20 game for PS2 at my local Wal-Mart. It was a $20 bet. What I got was a massive turn based JRPG mixed with a life SIM. A mature rated Final Fantasy game. And I was hooked. Persona 4 was PS2 as well, and I grabbed it. Improved every aspect of P3. And the story was more relatable. And then Persona 5/P5R came out... perfected everything. A group of protagonists that life kicked around... fighting against the world that kicked them down. New Elemental types. New combat system. And yet... the Reaper still freaks me out. I've been able to go back and play Persona and both parts of Persona 2. Great games. The two spin off games Persona Q and Q2... blends the feel of Persona with the original series(Shin Megami Tensei)... and worked so well on the 3DS. And Persona 5 Strikers was great massive hack n slash Dynasty Warriors style game that gave us more from that wonderful P5 cast.

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In Memoriam: Marvel Heroes Omega: Online MMO with Marvel Characters that played exactly like a Diablo game. I miss it. So much. I MISS THIS GAME!!! Would've been number 3...

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Folks, there you have it! I favorite RPGs/series.

What do you think? Did I miss one? Those of you that know me, the list have qny surprises?

Until next time... don't forget...

Eyes To The Future - 2022 Edition

In previous blogs, at the beginning of the year/end of the previous year, I do a preview for the movies coming up... and... well... 2022 starts in less than 2 weeks.

So it is time.

It's simple. I'm going to mention movies 2022 that I'm interested in the most. No top 10. No particular order, aside from Chronological. And the dates associated with each movie is tentative, due the nightmare that is Covid and the shutdown.(I removed one because of a movie back already)

So... how about it? Let's get to the movies for 2022!!!

Scream - Jan 14th: Wes Craven created a franchise that practically parodied his own genre. Wes may be gone, but here we are with a new entry into the Scream movies!

Morbius - Jan 28: Jared Leto plays the Living Vampire of the Sony Spider-Verse... or is it the MCM? Either way... Morbius The Living Vampire is making a big screen debut!

Death on the Nile - Feb 11: Sequel to the Kenneth Branagh adaptation of the famous Agatha Christie story Murder on the Orient Express. I loved that movie, this one will hopefully be just as good.

Uncharted - Feb 18: Starring Tom Holland as the protagonist Nathan Drake, here is a chance for a really good Video Game movie. We will see.

The Batman - Mar 4: Matt Reeves's Batman movie almost here, and the more I see of it... the more I'm excited for it. Pattinson will nail this role.

Sonic The Hedgehog 2 - April 8: After the runaway surprise that was the first movie, they added some star power with Idris Elba as Knuckles. And... I'm sold even more.

Ambulance - April 8: Michael Bay with a movie about a bank heist gone wrong. Um... that is what I got for you. Sorry. Watch the trailer.

The Northman - April 22: It's Vikings The Movie. With Alexander Skarsgård. Who played a Viking Vampire. With Viking stuff. Viking.

Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness - May 6: The Doctor is in. And... this movie marks the return Sam Raimi helming a Marvel property. That is enough to get the nerd blood pumping. Welcome back, Sam Raimi.

DC League of Super Pets - May 22: when I first heard about this movie, I wasn't sure why we were getting a Krypto movie. Now we know Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart are starring in it. That is enough to be entertaining.

Lightyear - June 17: Chris Evans is voicing Buzz in a story that would've inspired the line of toys that Tim Allen voiced in Toy Story. Get that?

Thor Love & Thunder - July 8: Hemsworth getting a fourth movie, but more important... Christian Bale is now in the MCM!

Nope - July 22: Jordan Peele has done wonders as a horror writer/director. Not much is know about this movie yet. But I'm still excited for it.

Black Adam - July 29: After what seems like 50 years in development, Dwayne Johnson is finally getting his movie made... and so far, it loooooooks goooooooooood. I can already see it as a contender for The Ugly next year.

Salem's Lot - Sept 9: I don't know much about this remake, but I typically like or love Stephen King movies. And... well... yeah. I'm down for it.

Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse Part 1 - Oct 7: If you have been following my posts, over the Summer, I did a series of Comic book movie related posts... Culminating with an overall top 10... and you would know that Into the Spider-Verse was my Number 1 all time favorite Comic Book movie. And this is the first sequel. I'm excited for it... including the wonderful Oscar Issac is supposedly voicing Miguel O'Hara/Spidey 2099. And that... is enough for me to be there day one.

Halloween Ends - Oct 14: Safe to say the end of the road for the Halloween franchise. Sad... but for Erasequels, this trilogy has been great so far.

The Flash - Nov 11: The Flash solo film that isn't a solo film. Doing their own version of Flashpoint, even Michael Keaton is back as Batman.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever - Nov 11: Still tragic that Chadwick Boseman isn't with us, but hopefully they figured out how to keep the legacy alive without him.

Avatar 2 - Dec 16: The Long awaited sequel about the planet of giant Smurfs is a out to finally hit... question is,  do enough people care? I do. But how much? A year from now... we will see

Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom - Dec 16: After the first Aquaman was as great as it was, I've been looking forward to a sequel. And we are here. With all the missteps Warner has had over the DCEU/Snyder-Verse, at least this one is a ray of hope.

Aaaaaaaaand that is it... there are movies I skipped throughout the year, and it's because I don't care about them as much as the ones here.

What do you all think? Any of these sound interesting? Did I miss one? Leave a comment... share it with the masses.

Until next time, don't forget...

Happy New Year Everyone!

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly, and The Unforgiven - 2021 Edition

2020 was wrecked by Covid-19 and the shut down of so many movie theaters(even my local AMC is still struggling for showtimes). But 2021 has been a bit better, and even HBO Max/Warner Bros took the initiative to simul-release all of their titles on the streaming service(sad... we won't have that in 2022).

But because 2021 has been better as it pertains to movies, it also deserves a year end post.

Time to bring back... THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE UGLY, AND THE UNFORGIVEN!

For those of you who haven't seen this post before, a brief explanation.

The Good: The Best movie, actor, or moment for the year.

The Bad: The Worst movie, actor, or moment for the year.

The Ugly: The Best Positive Surprise for the year.

The Unforgiven: The Biggest Disappointment for the year.

So... let's get into it... starting with...

THE GOOD: This year is the first year I have given THREE Perfect scores, and thus ALL of them deserve the Good. First one is... Dune Part 1. One of my favorite Sci-Fi books of all time, and the original movie raises some vision questions. There were no questions here. It looks great, the story was presented directly, and it was the adaptation I've always wanted. Expectation were high, and they were surpassed. 

The second one is... Ghostbusters Afterlife. The single greatest Legacyquel released so far. Nostalgia at its finest, yet setting up for a bright future, bringing a new generation in while satisfying the lifelong fans. Harold Ramis would be very proud of it. 

And the third one is... The Matrix Resurrections. Another Legacyquel using it's foundation a competely different way. Mixed reactions from audiences and critics alike, but I personally LOVED this movie. This one took nostalgia down a different path, and utilized it in real time(well, during the movie). Watching Neo try to recover from a nervous breakdown because he couldn't tell the difference between reality and fantasy... and then coming to terms with the fact that his fantasy WAS his reality. The psychological experience and experiments done by the Analyst is deep enough to question the whole first half of the movie. And THAT is why I LOVED it. One moment changed the whole movie(up to the moment and then after the moment). Tonal shifts, when done right, can be the catalyst for a massive pay off or total diappointment(look at the career of M. Night Shyamalan). And for me, this one had a massive pay off.

Honorable Mention: Zack Snyder's Justice League: I loved this version(the only version). Sad that it took as long as it did to get finished. It is a bit long, but worth the wait.

THE BAD: I struggled to find a Bad at first... but boy did I find one during the holiday season. And that movie is... Home Sweet Home Alone. Why did this happen? It didn't need to happen. But it happened. In the original Home Alone movies, Kevin was bullied, picked on, but he still loved his family. He defended his home(and a toy store in the second movie) against a pair of burglars that we the audience had little to no sympathy for. And Kevin, though a slight jerk, he was still the lovable protagonist. This movie...... got the formula wrong. Max Mercer is a jerk, much more so than Kevin. Not a lovable jerk... a tiny asshole. And the burglars, the movie took the time to make them relatable. Some wonderful talent wasted on this movie... all because they forgot the foundation of the franchise.

Dishonorable Mention: Encanto: Sweet story, but it is a boring movie. And I love Disney movies. It might be the Disney Movie in a LOOOOOOONG time that I can't recommend. Boring. Lin-Manuel Miranda makes great music... this is just a huge misstep.

THE UGLY: This one has to go to an actress. Awkwafina. I admit, I'm not the biggest fan of her comedy or how she portrays herself when she is being funny. She feels like a walking Asian stereotype, and I'm not sure if that was on purpose or just part of the schtick... but it's there. But... voice work... she had an AMAZING turn in Raya and the Last Dragon. Almost a heartwarming difference. And I think she would be great in some more voice roles or even some more serious roles. We will see...... but until then, this was great example of what she CAN do.

Honorable Mention: Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Marvel has had some success with taking a relatively unknown property and making it interesting. Just look at Guardians of the Galaxy(though I credit James Gunn for it). Shang-Chi has a very cool backstory in the comics(even with the retcons). But he isn't a major player in print. More martial arts epic than MCU movie, it was a nice surprise it worked so well.(Awkwafina is in this too)

THE UNFORGIVEN: This one was very clear... Black Widow. No, I don't think it was a bad movie. It is disappointing for what it represented. ScarJo was finally getting her own solo movie...... but... it wasn't her movie. It was both a family movie... and a passing of a torch movie from Natasha to Yelena. A Black Widow solo movie that wasn't enough about her...... I'm also not saying it was a bad movie... it could've been split up into two movies. "Family"... exposition. "Sister"... exposition. "Villian" exposition. Marvel could've made both of those matter, but they didn't.

Dishonorable Mention: Space Jam: A New Legacy: I thought it was better than the original, but a family movie with so many references from IPs that kids shouldn't watch(like Game of Thrones)...... Warner, you can do better than that! Right?!...... Right?

As you saw above, I struggled to get a Bad in here. And I contemplated omitting it completely. 2020 was bad for the movie industry... 2021 has been great. We got the first GORY Mortal Kombat movie... we got a Ghostbusters Legacyquel that was phenomenal... a proper Dune epic... a few great Disney movies... Zach Snyder got his vision out there for Justice League. The best Spider-Man movie. And a new Matrix movie, that I hope has kickstarted a new trilogy.

Spider-Man No Way Home cracked the $1 Billion mark, globally. First movie to do so since the Covid pandemic era began. And I hope this is a sign of things to come.

2022 looks to have some contenders. And I hope we get some awesome results.

Yeah... I know... 3 perfect scores. And it does feel a bit awkward. At first, I thought it was because I was happy we were back in the theaters again. Happiness over quality. But... really... those 3 movies stand out. Not only this year, but the past few years. 2 Legacyquels with different takes on how a Legacyquel should be done... and a movie that shows that sometimes remakes are necessary.

New IPs are awesome. Classic IPs are awesome. "Hollywood needs to come up with more original movies." Do they though? Some remakes need to happen... (the original Dune was messy as best). Some franchises need to be introduced to new generations. And new original stories are going to come out. Just be happy. Enjoy what you like... let other people enjoy what they like...... but above all else, no matter what movie you are watching(or not watching) or where you are watching it at......

Don't forget...

Happy New Year everyone!!!

ONWARD TO 2022!! I hope it isn't 2020 Part II...

The New Review - The Matrix Resurrections

Copyright by Warner Bros

The Matrix Resurrections

Directed by Lana Wachowski

Starring Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Jessica Henwick, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II

Concept: Going back to the Matrix. Legacyquel for such an innovative franchise!

Execution

Here we go

Cast: As always, Keanu Reeves was breathtaking. Nice to see Carrie-Anne back. The new crew members are amazing. But the highlights are Jonathon Groff and Neil Patrick Harris. All of the performances are wonderful, but those 2 stand out. Score: 20/20

Presentation: Retro and futuristic. Color schemes the original trilogy introduced are still present. The flashbacks were a bit choppy, but it was done on purpose... manipulating the audience. Subliminal throughout. The action scenes felt different, but it parallels the story. All of the action scenes before the climax were indoors, isolated, like Neo through the story. Nice touch. The little details throughout the movie make piecing the story together even better, small clues, blink and you miss it moments. Score: 18/20

Chronicle: Some points in the movie feel like nostalgia in overload(especially the flashbacks). But as I was going through the film, I realized that it was done on purpose. Those were memories as Neo was seeing them, we were seeing them when he was seeing them. The "villain monologue" by Neil Patrick Harris(you'll know the one)... it all clicked for me. The original trilogy was focused around innovation in technology... but this one was a straight up psychological thriller. An experiment of the human mind. I started piecing things together, and any problem I had with the film leading up to it just melted away. I was engaged, and I want to see it again for those pieces. I love those kinds of things. An amazing Legacyquel, and makes me feel better about Reloaded and Revolutions. I really like what Lana was able to, and this deserves bonus points. Score: 33/30

Impact: There are no real technological innovations in this movie, but the workings of the human mind, the manipulation. I felt the franchise is in good hands with this movie, and I can't wait to see how the Analyst and the new Smith take psychological evil to the next level. It wasn't what I expected, but I'm glad. And I hope other franchises take note. Nostalgia is good, but you must use it wisely. And Lana pulled it off beautifully. Score: 19/20

Extra Oomph: It made me think. I love that. This is my kind of movie. Also, an appearance from Christina Ricci always makes things better(*wink*)(even if was just a cameo with one line). We also had a surprise Chad Stahelski(stuntman turned John Wick series director). And...... is that a Telma Hopkins?(checks cast list) it IS a Telma Hopkins!!! See... not all nostalgia is bad. Score: 10/10

Final Score: 100/100

FINAL GRADE: A++

Conclusion: It isn't like the original trilogy. And that is perfectly okay. It also isn't going to be for everyone. If you were looking for technological innovations, you will be disappointed, but this is perfect for anyone into the psychological thrillers.

It's all a matter of opinion: I cannot stress enough that THIS is MY opinion, you can either agree with me or not. I don't have to justify my opinion, because *clears throat* that's what this blog is about. Whether I like it or not doesn't mean you have to or not...... I'ts just my justification behind MY recommendation... Which leads me to my FINAL JUDGMENT...

FINAL JUDGMENT: I know this isn't going to be everyone's cup of tea, but I loved it. I recommend this movie to every sci-fi fan, but I also recommend to drop all expectations. This isn't the same Matrix we all know and love. But... it has so much potential going forward.

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There you go folks! I have given The Matrix Resurrections a score of 100!

Yes... I docked a point off Impact... and two off Presentation because of the fight scenes... but I loved the story/psychological aspect SOOOOOOO much, that it deserved the extra points there. So... it isn't a perfect movie, but I fully believe that deserves the rub from me! And the performances were all better than solid!

What did you all think? Aspect of the franchise that is missing? Something unexpected that pleased you? Something anger you? Disappointed? Surprised? Comment down below, share this with the masses!!

And there is my final review of 2021. Hopes that 2022 will have some spectacular movies!

Until then, don't you ever forget...

Happy Early New Year!

The New Review - Spider-Man: No Way Home

Rights belong to Sony and Marvel

Spider-Man: No Way Home

Directed by Jon Watts

Starring Tom Holland, Zendaya, and Benedict Cumberbatch

Concept: Jon Watts is the first to complete an MCU Trilogy with this 3rd MCU Spider-Man movie. Set directly after the event of Far From Home, Peter needs to navigate the aftermath... while making a stupid decision that brings villains from past franchises to the MCU.

Execution

Here we go...

Cast: As I said, Tom Holland is back, Zendaya is back, Jacob Batalon is back... and Benedict Cumberbatch is along for the ride. And they each has significant character growth here. But we also get Willem DaFoe, Alfred Molina, Jamie Foxx, Thomas Haden Church, and Rhys Ifans back(with their respecting villains)... and it doesn't seen to be overwhelming. It is extremely balanced... and I don't get how. Worries me that I missed something, but I didn't. Packed tight, yet very balanced. Score: 20/20

Presentation: I've said this before: it is a Marvel movie. Great soundtrack mixed with stunning visuals. But... this movie had some scenes that had WAY too much going on, but you can still see all of particle effects and it looks beautiful. For me, it is most visually impressive MCM movie, above and beyond the typical Marvel/Disney movie. Score: 21/20

Chronicle: So, I'm going to compare it to Raimi's Spider-Man 3. I had an issue with Spider-Man 3. There were at least 3 MAIN plots going at once, and the movie couldn't focus. No Way Home has MUCH MORE GOING ON, yet they found a way to make it focus on ONE main plot, AND balance all of these villains. I told Bob(yes... that Bob) that it felt balanced. And that is one of the best compliments I could ever give a movie with all that they packed in. But not all is sunshine and roses. There is a plothole that carries with you... one the movie addresses, but never explains why it happens. And... not a spoiler, it's in the trailers. Supposedly, these villains came over due to the botched spell... and they are villains that knew Peter Parker is Spider-Man.....  except one of them didn't know: Electro. He never knew. So why was he there? The movie addresses that he didn't know, but it forgets to figure out why he was there if he didn't know. It is a glaring plothole, but Jamie Foxx is SO good, I can't dock too many points. But... it can't be ignored. Score: 25/30

Impact: Without spoiling the movie, it is definitive within the grand scheme of the MCM... AND for a Spider-Man movie. Reports of a SECOND MCM Spidey Trilogy, this movie ends one ENORMOUS arc, but sets up Spidey as we know him... Solitary and somber. Also... the 3rd largest opening weekend of all time, it is promising for the theater industry. You can't really argue with success... and considering how many chances we have had since the Covid pandemic, the theaters need a win. If you completely ignore the movie itself, the success it has so far...... it is VERY important. Score: 20/20

Extra Oomph: I highlighted this already, but I must touch on it again. The balance. But the balance goes much further than that. It balances how much Strange is involved, how the villains were used, the personal crisis that Peter Parker is having through the movie, the terrible choices he had to make, and balancing him stuck to Iron Man's legacy to him setting out on his own... and it didn't drop a single plate(the Electro thing is like dropping a glass). I went in and expected something HUGE to not fit in, and everything just be a mess(again, like Spidey 3), but it subverted my expectations. And what we got was beauty that was both cohesive and chaotic...... beautiful controlled chaos. Score: 10/10

Final Score: 96/100

FINAL GRADE: A!

Conclusion: I can forgive them for the plothole, because the story balanced how exciting the situation was with how depressing it was going to be. Many characters... but none of them felt like they weren't important to the story overall. Massively cohesive.

It's all a matter of opinion: I cannot stress enough that THIS is MY opinion, you can either agree with me or not. I don't have to justify my opinion, because *clears throat* that's what this blog is about. Whether I like it or not doesn't mean you have to or not...... I'ts just my justification behind MY recommendation... Which leads me to my FINAL JUDGMENT...

FINAL JUDGMENT: No Way Home is my favorite Spider-Man movie so far... and it is easily the best of this MCM Trilogy. If you haven't seen it, I recommend it. Not just recommend it once... watch it twice. And don't just do it for me... do it to help your local theater. But... yeah... do it because it IS an epic movie.

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There you go, readers... Spider-Man: No Way Home has gotten a 96! That is pretty damn good.

What did you all think about it? What could they have done better? What do you hope for the next Trilogy? Comment... share...

Until next time, don't forget...

The New Review - The Eternals

 Copyright for Marvel/Disney

Marvel's The Eternals

Directed By Chloé Zhao

Starring Richard Madden, Selma Hayek, Gemma Chan, Angelina Jolie

Concept: Some of Marvel's earliest players are finally in the MCU.

Execution

Here we go...

Cast: There are PLENTY of characters in this movie. Maybe even too many. It makes sense, but it also doesn't. And hard to explain without spoiling some twists in the movie. The actors and actresses all do a very fine job of making their characters shine. This "team" is much different than what we have seen in the MCU thus far... and... the beginning of the movie lack enough exposition to fully introduce the characters fully... and 2 of them are killed. It makes sense in the overall scheme of things, but the lack of connection between audience and characters make it so I didn't feel anything when the two characters die. Again... it make sense overall, but in the moment, it was jarring. On a second watch I bet it'll feel different, but hindsight isn't always a good thing for a movie. Each cast member did great... it was the writing for character development that hurts... even if the movie explains it away. Score: 13/20

Presentation: This one is easy. It is a Marvel Movie. Soundtrack is excellent. Visually stunning, and that is including the Celestials. Stunning, as per the course for the MCU. Score: 20/20

Chronicle: So, as with the character development issue, the story is tied directly to that. And the film does a good job of explaining why things are the way they are. A surprise twist involving a traitor(it wasn't who I was expecting). But there is this problem with the time jumps. It goes to when they landed on Earth, to Present day, back to a different era, back to Present Day, back to a different era. And it makes sense in context overall, but still feels confusing a bit. Believe me when I say, it makes sense...... but it is still jarring. Just a forewarning. Score: 25/30

Impact: So as of now, there is very LITTLE Impact on the MCU. But the potential it has could easily make Eternals the sleeper when it comes to shaping the future of the MCU overall. The implications for Marvel Cosmic are limitless. But that is the point... potential. If they end up not making a sequel, that all goes to pot. So... we have to see how much this movie/franchise has for the MCU. Because of it being POTENTIAL, I have to dock some point. I can only hope that it works out... we will see. Score: 18/20

Extra Oomph: I could talk about how the inclusion of Dane Whitman is an AWESOME thing, but he is barely in it.(I get it. Not his movie). Instead, we are going to highlight one of the implications that were briefly mentioned in Impact. The connection that Arishem has to the Eternals in the movie, it lays some very important groundwork... the blueprint on how Galactus is connected to his Heralds. It is a VERY similar relationship between the Celestials/Eternals as it would be for Galactus/Heralds... ultimately ending in similar results for the planets. If this relationship was indeed the blueprint for getting Galactus in the MCU, then dammit... this makes the movie VERY important to the MCU. I know that I docked points in Impact for potential, but since Eternals isn't the only reference to Galactus I think we've seen, it makes the Comic Nerd in me very excited. So... bonus points? Bonus points!!! Also, I would be doing a disservice to the movie if I didn't mention the LGBT representation. Phastos has a homosexual relationship with a human guy with a kid. He had a family. And... it didn't feel shoehorned in. It felt natural. It was a good spot... made sense... and gave Phastos some real stakes. It gets a bonus point too. Score: 13/10

Final Score: 89/100

FINAL GRADE: B+

Conclusion: In the face of the issues I had with the movie in real time, Eternals also explains it. I feel it does, might not do it exactly right, but it does it. The time jumps can be jarring... it DOES make sense. And deserves a watch. It's like a jigsaw where the pieces are blank to begin with, but eventually the image appears to look like what is on the box. And the best part... it is entertaining enough to keep you engaged.

It's all a matter of opinion: I cannot stress enough that THIS is MY opinion, you can either agree with me or not. I don't have to justify my opinion, because *clears throat* that's what this blog is about. Whether I like it or not doesn't mean you have to or not...... I'ts just my justification behind MY recommendation... Which leads me to my FINAL JUDGMENT...

FINAL JUDGMENT: I do recommend seeing this movie. I feel it will be important to the MCU(or can we start calling it the MCM now?). It is entertaining, the action sequences are amazing, and I wanna see more Kumail Nanjiani!

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There it is... Marvel's The Eternals gets a B+!!!!!

Honestly, I originally didn't want to see this movie. It didn't look interesting to me. Now that I have seen it, I'm glad I did. Better than I expected, and some really cool concepts. It was worth the money.

Who has seen it? What did you think? Leave a comment. Share the post.

One more MCM movie to go, and I'm excited. And with it, 2 more chances for ANOTHER perfect score.(Matrix being the other chance).

Glad the movies are pretty much back, and I'm looking forward to the slate in 2022!

Until next time, don't forget...