Is that heading a bit wordy?
Most likely, but it works for what I intend. And I intend to disclose a lot of words or more. Much like Austin Powers in The Spy Who Shagged Me, my mojo was stolen. Most likely by life, but Dr. Evil could still be the lead suspect. Anyway, between death, job loss and some other things with relationships in my life, it was a bit much. And the job loss really topped it off. Not so much as to make me afraid of what’s to come, but more so the “what do I do next?”. By all accounts, I’m a small creator. So changing that output to some form of income to become a “what I can do” has always been a bit tricky for me. Maybe it’s mostly a me thing, but it’s also a perception of the industry thing. And that’s not to say I’m not grateful for what I’ve had so far.
I have gotten lucky A LOT.
And I know others will credit me as having earned it, but I’m not quite past the window of self-deprecation yet (even though I have an amazing therapist). So what does this open-book introduction mean? It means I dropped the ball on a lot of content. While it might not be seen that way, it’s very much something I hold myself accountable for. And while multiple articles could help, I think the best way to get ‘that guy‘ back on track is a multiverse-like breakdown of all the things I’ve seen. I’ve still got some other longform pieces to come for things important to me (and the brand involved), but for now let’s mass-review a tonne of films I’ve seen during this very big time in my life.
SHAZAM! FURY OF THE GODS
The ‘fury’ in its title is likely related to how furiously it bombed at the Box Office. While some like to staple the “audience are tired of superhero movies” argument on to it, I think the disparity of the overall DC Universe is most likely the cause. With things like the lack of a crossover with a certain character literally tied to it and general uncertainty around how they felt about the first film and DC, Shazam! ultimately suffered.
A fun and easy watch, you can rent it right now through Google TV.
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: HONOR AMONG THIEVES
The underdog of the year. Surprising. Hilarious. And really captures what a D&D campaign can look like. Right down to non-playable character’s doing the most as an NPC. This should be a must watch not only for its entertainment value, but because Chris Pine absolutely smoulders as a Bard, which is a class-type that really isn’t the smouldering type (depending on their stats I suppose)
AIR
Who knew a film that’s somehow about sports and marketing could be so good? Directed by Ben Affleck, who also stars alongside Matt Damon, my Good Will Hunting lads are back to tell a story about the Air Jordan 1. I don’t know how they did it, but all the trivia you get from it alongside the stellar story just makes it a great watch.
THE POPE’S EXORCIST
Is it watchable? Sure. Does Russell Crowe look like he’s having the time of his life while committing to the role of an Italian Priest? Absolutely.
THERE WE HAVE IT!
From there, I’ve got some other ones I want to dive into and give a bit more time too. That’s not to say these ones don’t deserve that, it’s just what happens when a choice needs to be made. AND THEY WERE CHOSEN. Because that’s how Xeno got their mojo back.
