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The Last of Us (2023)
As close to a 10/10 any adaptation can get
I'll say I was kind of sceptical at first, whether or not it would capture the spirit of the game I love, whether it would do it justice or follow the other recent adaptations of beloved franchises. I am incredibly happy to say that, based on the first episode, all my worries have gone, this show is phenomenal.
They struck just the right balance between staying true to the source, to the smallest details, and making it fresh for existing audiences as well as new ones. Really taking whats already there in the game and expanding on it for the TV Show, greatly enhancing the story in a different way.
Acting is great across the board and I was really pleasantly surprised with casting choices that left me cautious at first. Action feels snappy but is used very sparingly which has a result that makes the violence feel like it should, harrowing and dangerous.
The Witcher: Blood Origin (2022)
My rating is pretty generous
Honestly, there's very, very little to like her. The plot is paperthin, so are the characters. The dialogue is horrible, things happen randomly without explanation and build up making basically everything it tries fall flat. All these backstories of the characters are laid out but nothing feels distinct or unique because there's a huge overlap in their backgrounds. There's also far too little time to even get to know and care for these characters. Even with 4 episodes it feels drawn out in the parts that don't matter and too rushed in parts that do matter. This all is not even mentioning the fact it's tied to The Witcher brand, in which case they've thrown out the little bit of information they could've used for these events, it's all horribly inconsistent with what's already established for no apparent reason other than to be different.
On a positive note, ignoring how well it fits The Witcher, the cinematography looks decent, the action is snappy and Meldorf is kinda funny.
It just baffles me how this show even came to release knowing it had to pass multiple sets of eyes for approval at several stages in it's development.
House of the Dragon: The Rogue Prince (2022)
Another absolute banger
Honestly, really impressed with the show so far, this episode was amazing.
Even without 'real action' it was a great episode. A clear showcase of the writing talent they have now, only matched by the earlier seasons of Game of Thrones. With a limited budget, Game of Thrones had to stand out without flashy action so there was a real need write smart and engaging dialogue. House of the Dragon did not have that need but takes after it's predecessor when it comes to it's writing.
Pacing feels just right, not too fast, not too slow. Characters are built upon in a clever and meaningful way. Even though the book lacked concrete details on this, the writers manage to add something that feels natural.
House of the Dragon (2022)
Incredibly strong start
Now, I will admit, I watched the leaked episode but this feels like this is the start of something big.
It feels very familiar to the earlier seasons of Game of Thrones. Strong writing, morally grey characters and a great balance between being a faithful adaptation and welcoming to newcomers.
Based on the first episode alone, I think some scenes needed a bit more time to hit and the first episode can feel like loose scenes with not much holding them together. The groundwork is solid though and none of the criticism I mentioned has a negative impact on the experience.
Against the Ice (2022)
A more grounded The Martian
This is a well executed movie, thoroughly enjoyed it. There's few characters which allowed the movie to focus on the background, motivations, struggles and dynamics of the two characters.
Cinematography is gorgeous and the shots of Greenland had my jaw dropping multiple times. Music did not really do anything to stand out but the scenes it accompanied, it enhanced greatly.
The ending was a little more abrupt than I would've liked, I felt like they could have explored their mental states slightly more but I guess they were tied to the actual historical event the movie is based on.
Vikings: Valhalla (2022)
Rather forgettable with some high's scattered throughout
Honestly, I went in already having tempered my expectations but despite that, I still came out mostly dissapointed.
The majority of the characters feel underdeveloped and uninteresting. Leif, Harald, Godwyn and Edmund, as opposed to the other characters, had enough time to be established and grow as their respective characters.
On top of that, after the initial three episodes, there is a jarring switch in narrative. More or less resolving the conflict set up in the very first episode and replacing it with another conflict that was supported by weaker characters and unrelated to the former conflict introduced in episode one. And while I understand that the show is tied to the history they draw from when it comes to the real life history, they already take so much creative liberties with the time period that I'd rather have an entertaining and well-written story that's different from actual history than the forgettable story we ended up getting.
It had moments I enjoyed, but it seems they continued on the path they've been on since Vikings ended, not learning from their mistakes and delivering an end result more in line with the latter half of Vikings.
Cherry (2021)
Great movie with flaws
Emotional movie that tries to adress real world issues, falls short in some areas but excels in others. The movie does not have anything we've not seen before but still has just as much impact as the ones that released before this.
The story is told in a very stylish way with these red highlights and it being told by Cherry to someone else. The movie is unstructured in a very structured way if that makes sense, split up into different chapters that all take place at a different point in time. The start especially goes into these little side paths and jumps around a lot but I guess that goes with the idea of the story being told to someone else.
Holland is great, even in a more mature role. Supporting cast ranged from alright to decent but some of the dialogue felt a little unnatural while other bits were really well written, mostly the banter.
Music was absolutely beautiful when the scenes needed it, tense when the scenes needed it and emotional when the scenes needed it.
I dont really understand why the movie got such mixed reviews but I really enjoyed watching it and I think you will as well
The Last of Us: Part II (2020)
Exhausting yet Beautiful...
Let me start this review off by saying that some people do not like this game, and that is fine. This game is very depressing and bleak at times and some people just don't enjoy those types of games. For me, this game is very special in a lot of different ways, I really enjoyed playing through this game and the 20-30 hours playthrough stuck with me long after I had seen the credits.
Most of the criticism other people have stem from the fact the story is not what they wanted/expected from the game. The game takes alot of risks which might not resonate with everyone. The game follows Ellie, after the events of The Last of Us (Part I) Joel and Ellie have settled in Jackson, a settlement run by Joel's brother Tommy and his wife Maria. After a traumatic event, Ellie sets out for revenge on those who wronged her and the ones she loves. This sounds like a classic revenge story but it is much deeper and more nuanced that it might seem at first glance. Like I mentioned before, Naughty Dog took some risks and made some bold choices with some of the characters and events that take place. The game requires you to think about it and play with your brain on. There are multiple layers to the story that get peeled off as you progress through the story. In the end those layers will reveal a bittersweet core that will make you question the character's choices and actions in a haunting and beautiful way. It might not be the story I expected or wanted but in the end I realise it was the story that was needed for the characters we loved. It's an incredibly nuanced story that really forces you to reflect on the characters we love so dearly because of the events of the last game.
Gameplay has been refined by quite a bit compared to the first game. Combat is incredibly grounded and realistic. Enemies are smarter and will make an effort to take you down in various ways. Besides that different factions in the world have different strategies when it comes to combat which makes combat varied, fun and tense. Crafting is still here, there are now more and different recipes which gives you tools to tackle encounters in different ways. Movement has seen improvements, compared to Joel, Ellie controls very different. Ellie is much more agile which again, makes the encounters feel different. The addition of a jump button, although it was marketed as a major feature, was not used a lot. Jumping and going prone was mainly used for environmental puzzles and exploration with the latter also being very useful in combat. Collectibles come in the form of trading cards, artifacts and coins, these are a fun little distraction that can keep you busy while exploring the massive environments Naughty Dog has given us to explore.
Graphically the game is stunning, even on base PS4 visuals and performance of both the game and the hardware are phenomenal. Character models and environments are varied and look incredible. Long grass moves in subtle ways when the wind blows, ice breaks when walking through it, rain drops reflect on metallic objects. Everything looks and feels just right. Combine that with the amazing sound design and you've got yourself an amazing, immersive experience that is rarely topped by other AAA games.
This is definitely one of the most controversial games to have ever come out in the last 20 years. The game is very divisive for alot of people and the reviews reflect that as well. I'll end this review with on of the best quotes I have heard to describe this game.
"If you finish the game wishing you had (spoiler) , you may have won the game you played with your controller but you lost the game Naughty Dog was playing with you"