VIDEO GAME: Downwell (2019)

by benmweilertNo Comments
DownwellYear: 2019Rating: E10+Time Played: 10+ hours Outside of the games Nintendo makes for their own consoles, there aren't a lot of games from outside developers that take advantage of the system's unique properties. I first learned about Downwell from Game Maker's Tool Kit and thought it looked like an interesting way to use the Switch. Because you can remove the joycons, the screen can be used vertically, giving a much more natural orientation to play this extremely vertical game. Fortunately, Downwell goes on sale fairly frequently and you'll likely only be out a few bucks for a game with a significant challenge. As with other Devolver Digital games like Gato Roboto, Downwell leans into its retro pixel monochrome aesthetic. Things move pretty fast when in a constant free-fall, so it's important to have high contrast visuals to make important things stand out. If anything, the limited graphics aren't an issue because the gameplay loop is so addicting. I even bought a Flip...
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MOVIE: Madagascar – Escape 2 Africa (2008)

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Madagascar: Escape 2 AfricaYear: 2008Rating: PGLength: 89 minutes / 1.48 hours It's interesting how sometimes the first sequel in a franchise can deliver the plot the first movie promised. While Madagascar (2005) was more a "fish out of water" adventure with jerky animation and humor way over the kids' heads, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (2008) really showed the contrast between these zoo animals with their contemporaries in Africa. This comparison felt like a much better plot device than the cringe-worthy way the first movie handled the idea of zoo animals living in the wild. The jokes in Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa felt less unhinged from its predecessor. That they played into each of the sub-plots better helped more than just being a string of pop culture references that didn't quite fit the setting. The best gag of course was none of the group being able to pick out Marty from the herd of zebra (in the, "you all look the same" vibe)...
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BOOK: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900)

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The Wonderful Wizard of OzYear: 1900Author: L. Frank BaumLength: 154 pages There’s a reason The Wonderful Wizard of Oz continues to have cultural influence over 100 years after L. Frank Baum wrote it. Aside from its popular adaptation as a movie in 1939, which earned the story most of its visual representation, the original itself is a solid piece of children’s entertainment. Something about the isekai into a fantasy world coupled with these unique characters has kept a spot in pop culture that’s hard to deny. The world-building itself is likely why others continue to adapt Baum’s work today. As an adventure, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz has great character motivations which accentuate their individual flaws. From Dorothy wanting to return home to the Scarecrow wanting brains, the Tin Man wanting a heart, and the Lion wanting courage, each character has a part to play so that the entire team can achieve their goals. That anyone can find at least one character...
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MOVIE: Madagascar (2005)

by benmweilertNo Comments
Madagascar Year: 2005 Rating: PG Length: 86 minutes / 1.43 hours DreamWorks movies have always had a harsh comparison to their competition at Pixar. The visuals were never as stunning, the jokes as high-brow, or the plots as thought-provoking. And while Shrek (2001) was an early outlier, enough time has passed that they've developed some great movies like How To Train Your Dragon (2010) and The Bad Guys (2022). Still, movies like Madagascar (2005) highlighted everything that made DreamWorks movies distinctly of that studio—and also ultimately "less than" the comparable fare being put out by Pixar at the same time. Ironically, Pixar explored the whole "predators can't deny their instincts" plot to a much greater effect in Zootopia (2016). In Madagascar, these four Central Park Zoo animals find themselves separated from the support system that made their life comfortable. Their reactions to being in the titular country are played for laughs through the "fish out of water" trope. And while the frenetic, jerky motions of...
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VIDEO GAME: Spiritfarer (2020)

by benmweilertNo Comments
Spiritfarer Year: 2020 Rating: T Time Played: 2,036 minutes / 33.94 hours I remembered when I saw Spiritfarer on a Nintendo Direct (or other such showcase) and thought that it looked like a cute game with its hand-drawn art style. So I put it on my wishlist, picked it up on sale, and then never played it until recently. Once I finally found the time to play it, I was hooked. It provided that cozy vibe that I adored in Animal Crossing: New Horizons and had an exploration style similar to The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker that I also liked. That's not to say it didn't have its issues, but it was definitely worth my time and money. There's this nice niche of games between the hyper realistic AAA behemoths and the retro pixel art indie darlings that really appeal to me. The games that feel hand-drawn like Indivisible (or even Hollow Knight, to an extent) have this warmth to them that's difficult to...
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MOVIE: Trolls (2016)

by benmweilertNo Comments
TrollsYear: 2016Rating: PGLength: 92 minutes / 1.53 hours When it came out, Trolls (2016) was one of those movies that didn't align with my particular Millennial nostalgia—troll dolls always felt a little weird to me. As such, I didn't watch this for the first time until I had kids of my own. Amusingly enough, this is a movie meant for Millennials who have kids. The bright, colorful aesthetic is meant to keep kids entertained. However, the soundtrack for this movie is exclusively filled with music most Millennials will recognize and will probably have some nostalgia for. It's encouraging that there's something more to the plot of Trolls than just a bunch of naked, long-hair dolls. Creating this identity of creatures that have songs, hugs, and happiness as the core of their identity is a bit silly, but it works to offset their gigantic enemies who have none of those qualities. And since songs play so heavily into the troll culture here, it...
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