Synth's Pit of Opinions

I was quite a fan of 28 Years Later. A fascinating direction for the film series that feels unique and refreshing in a deluge of zombie movies and post apocalypses. On my youtube channel I have reviewed the first two films in the series, and I have decided on holding off on making a video of the 28 Years Later films once all three are out. However, having watched the second entry in theatres, I wanted to write up a quick review of it in isolation. I think it is a fascinating movie in a lot of ways, and my opinion wavers consistently. I can’t quite decide whether I like it or not. It could just as easily rise in my estimation in the future as it could quickly plummet.  Namely this internal conflict resembles the two halves of the film. One part of it concerns the doctor character played by the impeccable Ralph Fiennes. He has mostly concluded the project from which the movie derives it’s name.  The odd passive relationship he has developed with the terrifying alpha Samson in th...

Pokemon Let’s Go Eevee and Let’s Go Pikachu was the first switch entry into the long running pokemon series. Quite a spotlight was put on it, seeing how it would modernise and progress the series from its last few 3DS games.  However, as a semi-remake of the game boy game “Pokemon Yellow”, it seems content revelling in the past. Though perhaps its Pokemon Go integration begs to differ. We will get into that later.  I played Pokemon Let’s Go Eevee, though both games are nearly identical. The different character models of differing pokemon offer no degree of unique experience. So both games will be referred to as one throughout the length of this review. Firstly, let’s discuss the visual presentation… It’s inoffensive. The larger models look quite similar to the 3DS entries, with a greatly appreciated drawn back camera angle. The HD resolution does quite a bit to help the previously solid artistic direction, but it is never going to be too impressive.  Perhaps it’s greater ...

The horror of knowing something is wrong but not being able to justify and express it is palpable. Trapped not in any physical sense, but emotionally. The few people you have trusted with your sincerity and joy being robbed from you, but still seeing their stinging smile each and every day. The Stepford Wives has become a bit of a euphemism in and of itself. Relaying the patriarchal nightmare the movie so slowly and agonisingly depicts. It is a film about it’s so called twist, but the exact nature of the twist itself is immaterial really. The encroaching evidence that these women are being replaced, changed, dumbed down or lobotomised until all they can think about is keeping a clean kitchen for their husband.  A mystical and exaggerated realisation of patriarchy’s effect on many women themselves.  The core of the film is that anxiety more than anything else. But it only works because of how likeable the real women in the movie are. The protagonist Joanna is so achingly real i...

Mobile gaming used to be quite the fascinating frontier of unique indie development. With a less sensitive touch screen input, a different method of displaying information in order to obscure nothing, and one of the largest install bases of all time.  However, that era is long gone. With gacha games being the only real money makers, and everything else is just other forms of skinnerbox development.  So games that were created in the hay day of mobile development were quick to move back to traditional consoles or PC. The same goes for Reigns. A simple, sweet little game with incredible execution that was fairly priced as the bite sized thirty minute experience that it is. The game is based off of the dating app Tinder, utilising its left or right choice based interaction as the entirety of the gameplay.  The player assumes the role of the king, being presented with various crises, offers, warnings and decisions. By leaning right or left, you can view which of the four stat...

100 meters is one of those rare dream adaptations. An adaptation of a fairly modern manga that to my knowledge has no existing english translation. Every aspect of the animated medium is used to full effect. The film has a great look to it in even its most small and simple scenes. But its incredible use of rotoscoping is able to capture the minutiae of human movements. They are important for some of the emotionally relevant conversations, but especially in the scenes of physicality.  The movie centers on sprinters and the act of running quite a bit. Less on the technical side of the sport, that is likely covered in more detail within the pages of its original form. But instead the way everyone engages with it, the way anxieties about past injuries or acceptance of defeat before a race even starts is all communicated without words. The art style speaks more than the characters are able, and the characters have some beautifully poignant conversations.  But my love of the art in ...