Games
- The Forest
My interest in this game resembles the bell curve of New Zealand’s COVID-case chart. I was lured in by two things – the “plane crash on a mysterious island” setup will always catch my eye; and quite simply that the required machine specs suited my laptop.
So I got right into it, after some initial frustration with what I was meant to be doing (video above captures my mood). Building, exploring, discovering new weapons, fighting cannibals and mutants, and piecing together the story somewhat. The “somewhat” is the problem for me. I quickly grew bored as the game’s hazy goals, stacked up on some frustrating UI quirks and an impossibly dark nighttime look. More than half of the things you can build are purely decorative and serve no value or purpose to the game.
Maybe it works better when played with friends? Possibly, although I doubt it. It needs more purpose, story and characters to hold my interest.
Series
- Devs
This was great. Created, written and directed by Alex Garland, so if you’re a fan of his previous work you’ll likely be into this too. It was thought-provoking, the soundtrack was fantastic, and the visuals were cool. Some sloppy performances didn’t hold it back. - Limmy’s Show
I discovered this show after Limmy was a guest on Office Hours. I listen to most of Tim Heidecker’s comedy recommendations and this was definitely a winner – and it makes sense – it plays like a less crude, less nightmarish version of Tim & Eric, with more charming accents. It matched my sketch comedy tastes perfectly and I can’t believe I hadn’t heard of it until this year. - The Twilight Zone (2019) (Season 2)
Thankfully, this improved on the first season, which mostly paid fan-service to the sixties series. This still meant that half of the episodes were built on a weak premise or poorly executed. But it was worth trudging through those for the other half. - It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia (Seasons 1-5)
A show which has long alluded me – it’s never aired on any traditional channel, nor could it be found on any streaming platform to which I had access. I discovered it was available through my ISP here and it’s been part of my lunchtime workout routine since. “Who Pooped the Bed?” is a work of genius. - Solar Opposites
Off-brand Rick & Morty. It’s entertaining enough. I binged the lot in a weekend, but did I need it? Nah. - Nathan For You
I’ve seen most of this show a multiple times already, but not for a few years. Re-watching it only confirmed that it’s one of the most brilliant shows of the last ten years. If you haven’t seen it, you’re really missing out on some big laughs and clever ideas.
Docos
- Love On The Spectrum
This was really charming. It’s listed as “reality” but it plays more documentary-style and opened my eyes to a world I’m really unfamiliar with – yet found very relatable. I’ve had enough awkward dates of my own, without being able to cite autism as a reason. - I’ll Be Gone In The Dark
An interesting spin on the classic true-crime doco where some of the light is shone back on the author herself. Michelle McNamara’s years of research led to an arrest following her death.
Side note: I don’t know why but I can’t stand Patton Oswalt.
Movies
- The Death of Dick Long
This could have been better. Moments even felt like it wanted to be Fargo. It falls far short of that, but was still worth a look. It’s biggest problem is that it can’t decide whether to lean into the comedy or drama, and in turn waters down both. - The Florida Project
I’m not sure I’d recommend this, but that’s not to say it lacked value. It captured the feel of the Orlando / Space Coast region of Florida with its bright colours, motels, and endless flat suburbia – some of which took me back to my own childhood of long hot summers riding my bike around the streets of western Sydney making up games to entertain ourselves. More importantly it captured a lot of the issues with America right now, contrasting Disneyland against the very real poverty of many, and the way many of these folks are dismissed and looked down upon rather than understood. Actually you know what, I would recommend this. Ignore my first sentence. - Ad Astra
This looked awesome and tickled my sci-fi bones in a visual sense, but was otherwise forgettable. - The Fast and Furious series
I’d managed to go this long without seeing a single movie from this franchise, so when they appeared on Netflix I decided I’d “educate” myself. The first three were a waste of time. Strangely they became more enjoyable as they leaned into the ridiculousness of the concept. Check-your-brain-at-the-door fun. - The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
God this was long, but I see why it’s a classic. The soundtrack is still the best thing about it. RIP Ennio. - Starship Troopers
Re-watched this after having not seen it for maybe 20 years. It’s still brilliant, and some of the themes have only become sharper with age. VFX largely held up, and Denise Richards had the same effect on me as when I saw this at 14 years of age. Sigh.
I have yet to see Paul Verhoeven’s RoboCop (I was a bit too young on release), but knowing it’s held in a similar regard means it’s on the list.