Bit of a quick one this week as my day job is absolutely insane and I haven’t really had the time to sit and think about my media consumption this week. Thanks for reading!

Watching

Is 2025 “The Year of The Movie”? Are movies back?

At least for myself, this is the most new movies (And some rereleases.) I have watched in years. I have essentially seen a movie once a month in theaters. I have definitely not done this since COVID and before that I doubt I have been that active in theaters since 2008.

Admittedly, 2025 started off slow for me as I saw Heart Eyes in February, then Sinners in April but really nothing in between. Both great movies BTW. But since June I have been really wanting to experience some movies in the theater: Dogma, Showgirls, 28 Years Later and Eddington all within a month.

Also, the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles² is being rereleased this year for it’s 35th anniversary and also Shin Godzilla for it’s 10 year anniversary. I am going to see these in theater!

I was sitting in Eddington and about half way through that movie I thought to myself: Are movies back? The thought made me very happy because I am excited for new movies in a way I have not been in a long time. (As of writing) I am going to see Weapons this weekend, I am dumbly anticipating The Running Man remake from Edgar Wright and I also can’t wait for PTA’s latest One Battle After Another.

I know that’s not much of a statement but in a year where everything is burning down I at least have some good movies to go see.

Reading

Listening to a Poorhammer episode the other day and I was introduced to a game-design theory relating to how certain players want their games to feel.

Timmy, Johnny and Spike are archetypes proposed by Mark Rosewater, the lead designer of Magic: The Gathering card game, are an interesting thought experiment when thinking about your players.

It is important to remember that most folks are a combination of all three but tend to lean toward two dominate personalities.

I find this way of thinking about games fascinating. Not really because I have any interest in designing games but more because it helps me understand why I like certain games more than others. I like games that have crunchy rules and allow me to have weird, personalized playstyle and I really enjoy the act of playing games. So I probably lean more towards Johnny with Timmy influences. Winning is a part of playing games but I’m not really competitive so I relate with the Spike personality least.

I look back on my time with God of War: Ragnarok and it makes perfect sense as to why I never clicked with that game. It isn’t a game that is concerned with the player having a unique experience. It’s big and bombastic but it does not really allow the player to have any self-expression. I loved Kingdom Come: Deliverance. because that game does not care if the player ever sees the end credits. It is a game where the player is given a bunch of deep mechanics and is set loose on the world. Plenty of room for the player to find their unique playthrough.

Ultimately, it’s just another interesting way to think critically about the things I like.

Playing

I played Amplitude’s original release of Dungeon of the Endless a few years ago and really enjoyed the art and the frantic tower defense gameplay.

Surprisingly, Amplitude, this time with the help of Sega completely remade the game in a 3D engine and released it on consoled in 2022 with a new name: Endless Dungeon.

It’s the same game with a few quality of life updates and a just as cool but 3D art style. Very unique game that is scratching all the itches of the original.

Listening

I am not a vocalist homo. I don’t really have a diva. Like, I know that Mariah Carey is a better singer than JLo but I like “If You Had My Love” more than most of Carey’s albums. I know that Jennifer Hudson is a good signer but sometimes, para me, she is just screaming. Christina Aguilera is a better singer than Brittany Spears but, like, ok? I just want bops! Does it make me bop? If yes, then I like it.

I tell you all this so you can know where I am coming from when I say: Why isn’t the album Ungodly Hour by Chloe x Halle talked about more often?

I remember when it came out folks were talking about it but where are they now? Did Chloe kick a dog in public or something? Are they cancelled? Because these songs rule. The arrangements are so wild, there’s really not been a comparable sound in the mainstream since³ . Obviously, I do not have my ear to the ground musically but nothing has broken through to me.

I guess my only gripe with the album is that songs are too short. But that’s really a problem with modern music overall.

I have had the album on repeat while working this week and I am being brave and saying something: Give Ungodly Hour a re-listen!

Other Notables

** What really happens if you answer those Indeed scam texts.

** Who is Elara Voss?

** Jordan Hudson finally reaches out to the Sports Gossip Show and reveals that, yes, she’s a 24yo.

1  In 2008 my roommate managed a theater so I saw just about every movie that year for free and I loved it. Dark Knight, Ironman, Tropic Thunder, Cloverfield and the DBZ movie stand out as highlights.

2  I did see TMNT as a kid in a drive in, but most of my memories of that film are from wearing out the VHS for the following decade. Also, go see TMNT, it’s a way better film than it has any right to be.

3  One exception being Willow. She’s is doing some weird and cool things with arrangements but she was born rich, she can do strange things musically and not worry about marketability because she’s never had to pay rent in her life.