2023 - The Highlights (Tetris_King)

While the COVID-19 pandemic isn’t as much of a threat as it was back in 2020, I still take precautions to avoid infection, though my interest in seeing films in a theater has become less about whether or not I can and more about whether or not it seems worth it, now that our household has integrated streaming options for newer titles. That said, between both streaming and the theater, so many films came out this year that I liked that my list was difficult to pare down, but I am overall satisfied with my final list. Due to various circumstances, however, I didn’t get to play too many new games this year, but I did manage enough to still put a list of my favorites together.

Each list is presented in no particular order, with links to reviews where applicable.

Top Movies

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

 

 

Following the end of the Infinity Saga, the quality of subsequent MCU films has overall been on a decline, but I was still dedicated to seeing the Guardians of the Galaxy sub-series through since it had generally remained consistent, and also since the third film would be the last Marvel would see of director James Gunn before his move to DC. Not only did Vol. 3 provide a surprisingly emotional arc for Rocket Raccoon, it also has arguably the best MCU villain since Thanos in the form of the High Evolutionary, thanks largely to a stellar performance by Chukwudi Iwuji. For those who have been following the Guardians’ exploits and/or want a good dropping off point from the seemingly-endless Marvel train, this is a must-see.

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

 

As someone who has only a general idea of D&D, not to say I haven’t tried to dip my toe in it before, I wasn’t sure what to expect from this film going in, but came away wholly enjoying it thanks to its well-timed humor and having the general atmosphere of a D&D session in a good way. I enjoyed it so much that I not only bought every D&D transforming Diceling figure with the Honor Among Thieves branding, but it also made me seriously consider giving the game itself another shot.

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts

 

 

After seeing how good Bumblebee turned out, I gained a renewed interest in the Transformers film series as it began to pivot in a new direction, especially with its sequel Transformers: Rise of the Beasts finally venturing outside the franchise’s then-overextended stay in its G1-inspired comfort zone. While my expectations were tempered with cautious optimism going in, said expectations were exceeded thanks to its well-written human cast and its expanded robot cast somehow feeling decently well-balanced. One ending scene even has me excited for what’s to come in this new universe, though I first hope that the upcoming Transformers: One animated prequel film can maintain the same level of quality.

Oppenheimer

 

 

Films such as Oppenheimer are not usually my speed, especially ones with hefty runtimes, but I went to see this anyway, and in the highest quality possible, so I could be a participant in the Barbenheimer phenomenon. Despite my personal feelings on these types of films, and much of it consisting of people talking, I was actually hooked from start to finish and was particularly blown away by the surprisingly-tense nuclear bomb test scene. This scene alone is the main reason to see it in the best quality you can, something the sold-out 4K sets can attest to, though I would still strongly recommend this film anyway.

Gran Turismo

 

 

While video game movies usually attempt to adapt the game’s premise to the big screen, with mixed results that have gotten steadily better in recent years, Gran Turismo takes a different approach by adapting the story of a real-life event surrounding the game, with a few liberties taken for the sake of dramatization. The result is far better in its own right than one might expect, with a very suspenseful racing story that even those (such as myself) with no familiarity with the game itself can enjoy it, as well as a multitude of Easter eggs for those who are.

Rohan at the Louvre

 

While this film already grabbed my interest as a fan of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure and the Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan spinoffs, I found it to be both an excellent adaptation of the original one-shot and a solid suspense film on its own merits, thanks in no small part to the spot-on performance of Issey Takahashi in the role of Rohan Kishibe. Fortunately, this film is also written in such a way that anyone who is not familiar in any way with the world of JoJo can enjoy it, succeeding where the live-action Diamond is Unbreakable film fell short. Although not required viewing for this film, I would also highly recommend newcomers to watch the Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan live-action drama, which this film shares a universe with and also successfully divorces itself from JoJo, if they can.

Top Games

The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog

 

 

In a pleasant surprise for April Fool’s Day, a new Sonic the Hedgehog game was released for free, placing the characters in a visual novel mystery about Sonic’s death, though the events turn out to be more mundane than initially let on (at least at first). For a free game, it has some amazing production values on all fronts, with some funny and clever writing that makes it a joyful ride from start to finish.

We Love Katamari Reroll + Royal Reverie

 

Part of Bandai Namco’s latest series of remasters of older Namco games included Katamari Damacy Reroll, which already excited me as a fan of the series, but I was even more surprised by the announcement of We Love Katamari Reroll and became further interested by the new Royal Reverie content. Much like the first, this is a remaster done right and the most ideal way to play this classic title, featuring cleaner visuals and several quality-of-life changes to bring the addictive gameplay to newer audiences, along with some new levels that expand on the game’s lore. While I would like to see the Katamari remasters continue, I would also hope the fact they made a second remaster means more of a full-on revival for the once-dormant IP.

Tron: Identity

 

 

It’s not too often we get any new Tron media since the franchise was put on hold after Tron: Legacy, so the announcement of a new Tron game at D23 Expo got me very excited for having any new media at all. While a choice-driven visual novel mystery might not be to everyone’s liking, with the main gameplay outside of that being Identity Disk puzzles, Tron: Identity has some very intriguing world-building and characters, as well as a great soundtrack, that makes it worth playing for anyone starving for new Tron content prior to the upcoming Tron: Ares.

God of War: Ragnarök – Valhalla

 

In celebration of God of War: Ragnarök’s one-year anniversary, the game received a bit of DLC content that serves as an epilogue to main story and mixes things up with rougelite gameplay, all for free. Said gameplay loop provides an extra challenge that can be freely adjusted to one’s desires, backed by a short bit of story that satisfactorily caps off Kratos’ character arc in the Norse games as he learns to make peace with the actions of his younger self. While a must-play for fans of the series, it is strongly recommended you brush up on both the Greek and Norse games if you care about the plot.

Top Disappointments

Shazam! Fury of the Gods

 

 

Where the original Shazam! film felt like a step in the right direction for what the DCEU could be, Fury of the Gods felt like a step back, with an overreliance on computer effects and a more complex storyline that takes away the more intimate focus that helped the first film stand out. While not one of the worst DC films out there, it is certainly one of the weakest and is more likely to disappoint fans of the original.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

 

 

The Ant-Man sub-series of the MCU isn’t one of the strongest, starting with a pretty funny first film and followed up by a less-well-written second installment whose main redeeming factor is its relationship with the Infinity Saga. Now that the MCU is in the midst of the Multiverse Saga, Quantumania represents everything wrong with the MCU at its current point, with a plot that takes comic book logic to its absolute extreme even by Marvel Studios standards and a setting that feels more like Star Wars than Marvel, not to mention weak villains, convoluted multiverse logic and a reliance on the viewer having seen a bunch of TV shows locked behind a Disney+ paywall. Unless you’re wholly devoted to the Marvel lifestyle, you can safely skip this one.

Bluey: The Videogame

 

With the immense popularity of the Australian animated series Bluey, to the point of it even getting a successful stage production, a video game adaptation seemed inevitable. Sadly, Bluey: The Videogame can't live up to the quality of the cartoon, mainly due to its severe lack of content for the asking price ($40) that can be beaten within an hour, maybe two or three if you make the time to gather all of the collectibles and Trophies. The voice acting and music are all there and the art style is faithfully recreated, but these alone do not make up for the janky animations and odd glitches that make the end product feel oddly rushed. I did not pay full price for the game, and neither should you (I got a physical PS5 copy on sale for $25), but I could tell I would most certainly have felt ripped off if I did.

Shazam! Fury of the Gods

Although the DCEU consisted of mostly duds (depending on who you ask), one of the few films that stood out was Shazam!, a 2019 film about the DC hero of the same name (previously known as Captain Marvel). While not without its flaws, it was still a very fun time, enough that we eagerly awaited the 2023 sequel, Fury of the Gods. Unfortunately, while Fury of the Gods still entertains, it feels like something got lost along the way.

2019 - The Highlights (EHeroFlareNeos)

2019 was a busy year for entertainment, which gave rise to a much meatier highlights list this year in both the Top Films and Top Disappointments categories. As usual, this list is presented in no particular order.

Top Movies of 2019

Avengers: Endgame

After 11 years and 22 feature films, Marvel Studios managed to do the impossible and cap off the Marvel Cinematic Universe in a very conclusive and satisfying way. The status quo changes at the end in a very emotional way and while this does seem to leave room for more to come, it feels less like sequel bait and more like an actual ending. The unique action sequences, emotional scenes and memorable lines will ensure that this movie will be talked about for years to come. Disney may have further plans for this franchise, but Avengers: Endgame is a once-in-a-lifetime success that seems impossible to replicate. It’s not a good starting point for anyone, but for those who take the time to watch every single MCU film, the investment was well worth the payoff.

Genndy Tartakovsky’s Primal – Tales of Savagery

I’ve always felt that in spite of his successes, Genndy Tartakovsky remains an underrated figure in the animation community. Throughout all of his projects, he has demonstrated his prowess as a visual storyteller and has continued to hone that skill. His latest project, Primal, shown theatrically for one week as Primal – Tales of Savagery, shows that his is now a master of the form, as he is able to tell a compelling story about a caveman and a dinosaur without a single line of spoken dialogue and with animation that perfectly captures the tone and emotion of every scene. A definite must-see.

Dragon Ball Super: Broly

Dragon Ball Super may not have been the best follow-up to Dragon Ball Z, but Dragon Ball Super: Broly blows both that and the original Broly – The Legendary Super Saiyan out of the water. Not only is Broly now a far more compelling character, with a more emotional backstory and a better motivation for him to fight Goku and Vegeta, but the action that fills up much of the latter half of the film is among one of the best fights I’ve ever witnessed in animation, helped by newer, more animation-friendly character designs. As an added bonus, you don’t have to be a Dragon Ball fan to enjoy this film, as it manages to stand up perfectly well on its own. If future Dragon Ball projects have this level of care put into them, then I’m in.

Shazam!

After Zack Snyder took a more hands-off approach with the DCEU, the films have been steadily increasing in quality. At the height of this is Shazam!, based on the Fawcett Comics/DC version of Captain Marvel. Though the story isn’t perfect, it captured the essential element of fun that the DCEU had been missing since the beginning, with a much lighter tone that still left room to explore serious subjects. The future seems to look bright for the DCEU as long as they take away the right lessons from this film going forward.

Pokémon Detective Pikachu

Although I haven’t kept up that well with the Pokémon franchise, I was optimistic going into Detective Pikachu and walked away satisfied. The story is written well enough that even people who aren’t familiar with the Pokémon universe can follow along and the designs of the different creatures work surprisingly well in live-action, especially Pikachu. The acting is also good enough to sell what’s happening and Ryan Reynolds pulls off the title role very well. While I can’t say for certain how accurate it is to the Detective Pikachu game, I can say that this is a safe bet for a good time.

Toy Story 4

I was wary about seeing Toy Story 4 at first, since Toy Story 3 seemed to end the trilogy out on a high note with nowhere else to go outside of animated shorts. However, Pixar proved that notion wrong with a well-told story that explores the idea of what it means to be a toy, as well as animation that blows everything Pixar has ever done out of the water, blurring the line between real life and CG more than ever. With the way it ends, however, I’m very sure now that there’s nowhere else left to go and that Pixar should let the franchise rest.

Joker (2019)

In sharp contrast with Shazam!, Joker is a dark psychological thriller that explores what happens when someone with deep mental health issues is pushed off the edge by a society that doesn’t do anything to help them. Joaquin Pheonix’s take on the iconic character is what makes this film, as his mesmerizing performance amplifies the more disturbing moments in the story and expertly takes Arthur Fleck from sympathetic to sickening. If you want to see a dark DC film done right, then look no further.

Metallica & San Francisco Symphony: S&M2

Including a concert film might seem a little bit like cheating, but this is certainly one of the better concert films I’ve seen. S&M2 earns its spot here for further experimenting with the concept behind the original S&M performance and modernizing it in just the right way, including a killer setlist featuring tracks both old and new. Definitely a must-see for any Metallica fan.

Top Games of 2019

Devil May Cry 5

As a Devil May Cry fan, I was excited by the prospect of another proper DMC sequel and was not disappointed by Devil May Cry 5. The story manages to move the story past Devil May Cry 2 and create a more cohesive narrative out of all of the classic DMC games while resolving plot threads left hanging from Devil May Cry 4. As for the combat, it’s the best in the series so far, accommodating multiple playstyles while making Dante, Nero and V feel unique from each other and allowing for a good amount of depth. If you don’t care about the story, then you still have a great action game, which is always a plus.

Death Stranding

The jury’s still out on whether or not Hideo Kojima unleashed is ultimately a good or bad thing, but Death Stranding shows that in spite of its flaws, there’s a lot of potential. The story takes full advantage of the unique traits of video games as a storytelling medium and displays a certain madness and attention to detail that only Hideo Kojima can provide, even if it falters in places. The main gameplay loop is also surprisingly satisfying, especially in the more open post-game, and the specific implementation of asynchronous multiplayer is something I now want to see in other games. This game demands a lot of patience from the player, but if you persist, you may find something that you like.

Kingdom Hearts III (Post-Critical Mode Patch)

Kingdom Hearts III was surprisingly disappointing on its initial release, largely due to the messy storytelling and far too lenient difficulty. Once Critical Mode was patched into the game, however, the difficulty actually felt more challenging and introduced the element of strategic depth that Proud Mode sorely lacked. The addition of New Game + also helped with people like me who wanted to try a second playthrough on the new difficulty and not have to redo a lot of difficult tasks to get the best equipment. Now all that’s left is to see if the upcoming Re:Mind DLC will fix the story.

Top Disappointments of 2019

Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker

As the ending to Star Wars’ Sequel Trilogy and Skywalker Saga, 42 years in the making, The Rise of Skywalker is a massive letdown and painfully average. Even from the opening crawl, it’s obvious that any attempt at explaining unexplained ideas from the previous two films, The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi, would involve pulling something out of thin air and throwing it into the script, even if it makes absolutely no sense. The overly busy action scenes and slick editing do nothing to hide the fact that, at its core, The Rise of Skywalker suffers from a lack of clear vision, which in turn makes the Sequel Trilogy worse off retroactively. While I love how it bookends with Star Wars conceptually, it ultimately rings hollow if you give it more than a second thought.

The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part

This film is the perfect example of studios trying, and failing, to capture lighting in a bottle. While The LEGO Movie did move a lot of product, it was a film that had a lot of heart in its memorable story and likeable characters, not to mention its powerful messages, and a lot of care and dedication in its animation. The LEGO Movie 2, however, was more obviously designed to sell toys and, for no discernable reason, pivoted in a more Musical direction with songs written seemingly to capture the same magic as “Everything is Awesome” without understanding why it clicked. Maybe next time they shouldn’t stick too closely to the instructions.

Wonder Park

If there was any film that would best demonstrate the dangers of development hell, it would be Wonder Park, previously titled Amusement Park, perhaps most notable for the extremely rare honor of not having a credited director. While not the worst movie to hit theaters, it certainly could’ve been a lot better. Potentially good ideas, and a perfectly serviceable message about not letting go of your imagination, are held back by very average writing that permeates the plot, although the animation is pretty decent. This isn’t the worst way to spend your time, but there’s no guarantee that it will stick with you down the line.

The Banana Splits Movie

The very existence of The Banana Splits Movie was baffling enough, but actually watching it made me further question why Warner Bros. decided that turning a children’s franchise into a horror property was the right way to go. Terrible writing, wooden acting and schlocky special effects overtake the occasionally decent cinematography and surprisingly quick pace. This may be the closest thing right now to a Five Nights at Freddy’s adaptation, and for all we know might be an abandoned script in disguise, but I’d suggest holding off until the real one.

Scooby-Doo! Return to Zombie Island

Ever since the Scooby-Doo! franchise got an adrenaline shot to the arm with the iconic Zombie Island, a new direct-to-video film shambled onto store shelves every year, more recently adopting a practice to follow up on specific stories. This year, it was apparently time to continue the storyline from Zombie Island. Unfortunately, one of the earliest decisions, saddling the movie with the lofty promise of a direct sequel, would of course come with equally lofty expectations that Warner Bros. were ill-equipped to deliver on. Bad writing, an overly silly tone, bland animation, ill-fitting music and physically painful retcons all follow Mystery, Inc. back to Moonscar Island as Velma tries to explain away phenomena she had already accepted as real the first time around. Then, of course, the film has the gall to dangle a carrot on a stick with a real monster that never factors back into the main plot except to sell the possibility of a third Zombie Island film. If you loved the original film, don’t even touch this rotting corpse.

Slayer: The Repentless Killogy (Short Film)

The Repentless Killogy is by no means a bad concert film, which I can personally vouch for since I happened to be at the show Slayer chose to immortalize, the short film which precedes it is an artistic mess. It’s meant to depict an ex-Neo Nazi, Wyatt, who seeks revenge for the death of a loved one. However, the story is made of three music videos stapled together, followed by extra footage which manages to somehow work Slayer’s Forum show into the story and commits a cardinal narrative sin of following Wyatt and then not having him be the one to exact his revenge. Additionally, there is a lot of gore and while it does fit the themes of the story, it does eventually feel like gore for the sake of gore. If you’re watching this on home video, it’s safe to skip the short film and just watch the awesome concert.

Kingdom Hearts III (Pre-Critical Mode Patch)

Kingdom Hearts III isn’t a terrible game by any stretch of the imagination, though the story left a lot to be desired. Following along with the game’s development, however, gave me the impression that a good number of the story’s flaws were the fault of not only Tetsuya Nomura, but also Disney’s stinginess with how each of their movies could be translated into the game (interestingly enough, Pixar was far more lenient), though I’m waiting to see if the upcoming Re:Mind DLC will fix it. As for the gameplay, it offers a lot of tools for players, but was far too easy on the initial release, even on Proud Mode, which made it more disappointing for series veterans.

Metal Wolf Chaos XD

Metal Wolf Chaos XD is by no means the worst game on the planet, but this remaster of a 2004 Xbox game didn’t age the best either. Even with some quality of life changes, the controls are rather clunky in the present day and the gameplay gets old after enough repetition. The over-the-top storyline and hilariously wooden voice acting are enough to keep anyone playing, but it only works for so long. The worst thing about the remaster, however, at least at launch, was that the lack of shaders and bloom effects made such a silly game look cold and lifeless instead of bright and colorful. If you’re on the fence, wait for them to sort out all the issues first.

2019 - The Highlights (Tetris_King)

Each list is presented in no particular order, with links to reviews where applicable.

Top Live-Action Movies of 2019

Shazam!

Until around the release of Wonder Woman, the DCEU has for the most part been fairly lackluster when compared to the MCU. Building off of Wonder Woman and Aquaman, Shazam! proved that DC could actually make a fun superhero movie within the same league as some of Marvel’s better movies. While not without faults, I had a good time watching this movie and it makes me want to see what else DC can do with their Captain Marvel/Shazam character down the line.

Avengers: Endgame

After 11 years and 22 movies of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Avengers: Endgame had some high expectations to fulfill in order to deliver a satisfying conclusion to the Thanos arc (officially known as the Infinity Saga) that would make all that investment pay off. Endgame managed to do this and more, delivering a powerful emotional climax to the MCU that would make the following movie, Spider-Man: Far From Home, feel a little tacked on. Though Marvel and Disney have plans for a Phase Four and beyond, including canon content exclusive to the Disney+ streaming service, I’m not sure I have the energy to keep caring about the MCU after Phase Three, let alone how they can possibly top Thanos as a villain on account of how well-written he was.

Pokémon Detective Pikachu

Though based on a game I haven’t played, that being the Pokémon spin-off Detective Pikachu on the 3DS, the film adaptation finally proved that a good live-action movie can be made from a video game, effectively breaking the curse that had been over the head of that concept since the Super Mario Bros. movie from 1993. Ryan Reynolds’ casting as Detective Pikachu managed to work in its favor, as did the translation of the Pokémon themselves into a real-world setting, looking realistic enough to sell that they could exist in real life while retaining their original designs and without feeling out of place. The story was also written well enough to be accessible to even non-fans of the series, plus it made me want to try to actually play the game that the movie was based on.

Joker (2019)

I wasn’t sure what to think of this movie going in, mainly because of its tone and the decision to make a DC movie disconnected from the ongoing DCEU series. Though the movie is dark, Joaquin Phoenix delivered a fantastic performance as the Joker, whose backstory takes an interesting turn based in what happens when an already mentally unstable individual is unable to receive the help they desperately need. Though Joker is designed to be a stand-alone story, the ending seems to set up what has the potential to be a very interesting take on Batman lore, should Phoenix agree to come back in any future movies set in this universe.

Metallica & San Francisco Symphony: S&M2

Following up on Metallica’s previous collaboration with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, the reunion features a mix of old and new material from Metallica’s library while exploring new territories in combining their sound with the orchestra. What results is a musical feast for the ears, with the orchestral tunes enhancing the thrash metal on a level greater than the original S&M, this time featuring some songs where the orchestra takes the spotlight and one where Metallica backs them up in an interesting way. This is a definite recommendation to fans of Metallica, particularly their first S&M performance, and I can’t wait to get this on CD and home video when it comes out so I can experience it again.

Top Animated Movies of 2019

Dragon Ball Super: Broly

Though I had only recently gotten into Dragon Ball via the Kai edit and Super, I was very curious how they were going to handle a canon version of the previously non-canon character Broly, more so when series creator Akira Toriyama confirmed he would be rewritten into a more fleshed-out character. Not only did the movie deliver on this promise, the fight that takes up a good chunk of the movie is one of the best fight scenes I have ever seen in Dragon Ball, even topping a good number of other animated fights that I’ve seen. The portrayal of Broly in the movie also leaves a lot more room for the character to come back in a future Dragon Ball installment, whatever that may be.

Toy Story 4

With the way Toy Story 3 ended on an emotional high note (in spite of some visual overkill in the third act), the announcement of Toy Story 4 made me question how it would be able to continue the story. When I went to see it, Pixar proved me wrong as it gave Woody’s story a powerful conclusion that brought me to tears in the theater, though now it definitely seems like there isn’t anywhere else to go for these characters. Toy Story 4 is still definitely one of those unnecessary sequels, however it was an unnecessary sequel told extremely well and is something I might watch again in the future.

Genndy Tartakovsky’s Primal – Tales of Savagery

As a fan of Genndy Tartakovsky’s work, I was already excited to see what his next [adult swim] series Primal would be like, and so jumped on the opportunity to see the first four episodes put together as a limited screening, subtitled Tales of Savagery. The result is a story told without dialogue that invokes some powerful imagery, both emotional and visceral, with some well-timed humor to balance things out. I consider Primal to be some Tartakovsky’s best work to date and highly recommend that anyone wanting to learn visual storytelling should give the show a watch.

Top Games of 2019

Ghost Giant

While not one of the more mainstream PS VR titles, Ghost Giant is an interesting experiment in third-person VR that allows you to feel as though you are actively taking part in the story. Said story also happens to be emotionally compelling and can tug at your heartstrings, which made me want to see it through to the end. It would be interesting to see more VR games experiment more with this style of gameplay, though for now I can’t wait to see what developer Zoink Games has in store next.

Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled (Pre-Microtransactions)

After Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy proved that shot-for-shot remakes of classic games with quality-of-life adjustments could work, it naturally made sense for the next game to be a remake of Crash Team Racing, Naughty Dog’s last game in the series before it would change hands a number of times. In my initial impressions, the game is very fun to play and compels you to improve your skills however you can in order to unlock more characters and other cosmetics for customization (though I focused more on the former). The announcement of regular Grand Prix events gave me more of a reason to keep playing, with the first Grand Prix proving that microtransactions weren’t necessary in order to keep players invested.

Tetris 99

I never thought I’d see an attempt to combine the puzzle game Tetris with the increasingly-prevalent battle royale genre, though Tetris 99 proves that this can work surprisingly well. Even though I’m not the type to play online multiplayer, I actually found myself playing several games thanks to their quick nature, however what attracted me more to this game was the introduction of offline modes through a paid update (included on-cartridge in all boxed copies of the game). Hopefully these offline modes can be fleshed out more in future updates, though that aside, Tetris 99 is a surprisingly fun game for those looking for a new take on Tetris and/or battle royale games.

Top Disappointments of 2019

The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part

Though I had my reservations at first, the original The LEGO Movie turned out to be a very strong movie that reignited my long-dormant passion for LEGO. The LEGO Movie 2 did not quite have that same impact, opting instead for a musical with a more transparent agenda to sell toys, leaving the story to suffer a bit as a result even if it had a good message. While it does still try to stay within the rules set up by the original, there is at least one point where it dances uncomfortably close to crossing the line of credulity, even if it did manage to tie back in with the B-Plot in the end. It did still make me want some of the toys, although the drive was not as strong as it was with its predecessor.

The Banana Splits Movie

In preparation for watching this movie, I ended up researching, and watching clips from, both the 1968 and 2008 Banana Splits series in order to have some idea as to what is was and try to wrap my head around the idea of rebranding a more obscure Hanna-Barbera variety show into a slasher movie in the vein of Five Nights at Freddy’s. I will admit that, since I was a bit on the fence at first, I ended up reading about the body count the Banana Splits rack up during the movie to mentally prepare myself, and even then I was actually a little terrified when I knew the kills were about to occur because I don’t do too well with horror even after voluntarily subjecting myself to some of it. Despite that, the story has Banana Buggy-sized holes in it and at least one of the Splits’ victims is written such that you actually end up rooting for one of the Splits to kill them, though the latter point is nowhere near enough to save the movie as there were also a number of missed opportunities to make the insane premise somewhat more horrific. In the end, while I don’t doubt there’s some ironic entertainment value in this movie, I can’t help thinking it may have affected the Banana Splits’ reputation and that these characters deserve better than a schlocky horror film (the upcoming Hanna-Barbera Cinematic Universe is perhaps a chance at a redemption arc for these characters).

Scooby-Doo! Return to Zombie Island

I have more of an on-and-off relationship with the Scooby-Doo franchise, however when I finally got to watch Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island in its entirety, I found it to be one of the best representations of Scooby-Doo that I’ve ever seen, so naturally my expectations were high when the sequel Return to Zombie Island was announced. By comparison to the original, Return to Zombie Island is a major letdown, with a very promising title sequence that the rest of the movie fails to live up to in just about every way. While the voice acting is good for the most part, there were so many missed opportunities to tell a more suspenseful story and the animation is not nearly as fluid as the original. Pair that with a long list of confusing retcons, as well the movie’s sudden assumption you’ve seen Curse of the 13^th Ghost, and you have a movie that even the most hardcore Scooby-Doo fans should honestly just skip.

Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker

When I saw The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi, I got some enjoyment out of both movies the first time around, only for my opinions to change in retrospect after watching them again in preparation for The Rise of Skywalker, which had the ambitious task of being the end of both the Sequel Trilogy and the Skywalker Saga as a whole. I will say the movie did actually feel like a finale for the nine-film saga George Lucas set out to do, however the plot is a bit of a mish-mash and kind of falls apart when you think about for more than five minutes (the driving force of the Sequels turns out to be something that comes right out of nowhere). When taking the Sequel Trilogy as a whole, not helped by the events of its third installment, it overall comes off as a bit of a letdown compared to the Original Trilogy; in retrospect, the Sequels feel a bit aimless as they don’t flow together as well as they could/should have, plus it at some point seems to start relying more on viewers having invested in side material that I personally don’t care for most of the time due to sheer volume (if you do care about side content more than I do, that’s perfectly fine). That said, if you’ve invested in the film series up until now, you might as well watch it at least once just to see the Saga to the end.

Slayer: The Repentless Killogy (Short Film)

I have nothing bad to say about the Forum concert featured in this movie since I happened to have actually attended that show, which makes it more special to me, however the short film that came before it on the home video release was a bit of a mess. After playing three Slayer music videos loosely duct-taped together, the video continues to show the protagonist going on a killing spree for the sake of revenge against someone named Luther, featuring a level of gore that eventually became nigh unwatchable for me, though the worst part was Luther being unsatisfactorily offed by a completely different character. Slayer also comes into play in a sort of ham-fisted way, ultimately making the short feel like a worse version of Metallica's Through the Never concert film (the story even takes a break to show Slayer playing "Angel of Death"). Slayer's music is really good, however the short film isn't really worth watching.

Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled (Post-Microtransactions)

Continuing from the above, my enthusiasm for this game started to wane a bit after the second Grand Prix events introduced microtransactions, though this is likely more to blame on the end of publisher Activision and not the developer. Still, once the system to purchase Wumpa Coins and bypass building up any actual skill was implemented, it instantly put a damper on things as I saw how sky-high the Pit Stop prices could get, almost as though they were actively trying to goad players into taking the easy way as opposed to making the rewards feel earned. That said, I still participate in Grand Prix event long enough to unlock more characters to play as in case I get to race against others, though I no longer have the same enthusiasm I once did when I first started playing.