Prime Minster

Sure, let's have a biopic about one of our better leaders.

We follow Jacinda Ardern, from when she becomes the leader of Labour, through to when she resigns. We encounter some very big moments, the Christchurch incident, and of course a lot around COVID-19, and we are with her as she announces decisions. We end on her afterwards, living a simpler life, and enjoying it.

Note that I say "as she announces decisions" rather than, say, "as she makes decisions". We get events as they happen, largely from the point of view of someone who happens to be there. We don't get a deep insight into how Jacinda is making choices, just some surface level stuff that most people could guess. Yes, it's hard, we get that, but... that's about it.

It's a basic view, so there is a better documentary out there that might actually delve into the events.

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Second of Senua

I finally decided to take the plunge and play the sequel. Sure, why not go through another emotional wringer.

This time Senua is after the slavers that previously attacked her village. She gets close, then a storm hits, and the game starts. We are her as she encounters a couple of people and through them get one step at a time closer to ending the problem.

While the first game was all about Senua's personal issues, especially around Dillion, this is about other people's issues. The end of the game tries to tie it into how Senua interacts with people, but the bulk of the game is not really Senua's issues, but helping other people. And the game is basically three repeated instances of find a giant, finding out their deal, then deal with the giant. Which involves repeated bouts of bits of combat, an environment puzzle, and a boss fight that's kind of a puzzle boss fight.

There are far fewer environmental puzzles this time, but that's because the game is a lot shorter too, and definitely feels it. I wouldn't say this feels like DLC for the first game, but it definitely isn't as full as the first game was. But I do seem to be a lot better at combat. Towards the end in the first one, I had to turn the game to easy, but this time I left it at dynamic the entire time. I did some lore stuff, but...

After finishing the game I unlock some extra stuff, but I don't think I feel like going back and playing through again, which does mean there is some lore I will miss (unless I watch it on youtube).

So decent-ish, but lower effort that the first time around.

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Badddder Guys

What's that movie with Cardi B and Sabrina Carpenter songs in it? Oh yeah, it's that animated DreamWorks one!

They were Bad Guys that were Good Guys that were actually Bad Guys until they encountered actual Bad Guys then they were Good Guys. In this follow up, you could go with something from their past coming back to haunt them as in their new lives or... you could redo the first movie, with people thinking they are Bad Guys, while they are trying to be Good Guys, while encountering actual Bad Guys and having to be Good Guys.

Clear? No, but yeah, they did the first film again in that they are up against another group of bad guys and have to deal with those. And they aren't interesting bad guys either, just some peoples who happen to do bad things and have leverage over the Bad Guys until around halfway through the movie when that no longer matters...

Because one of the worst things this movie does is take too long to do anything. I kept looking at the time, amazed and how little of the movie had gone while it felt like they had taken so much of it!

Voice performances are fine, animation looks familiar, characters are back from the first one, but I don't remember who they are.

Probably not for me, so I hope the people who it is for enjoy it.

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Batman Zero Punt

Let's continue the Batman theme with talking about the cross over with Fortnite. I feel like I should be mad, but Fortnite has consumed so much that everything is in there now.

A rift opens in Gotham, and Batman ends up kicked it, and finds himself in the world of PUBG Fortnite, an island with an enclosing storm, with fighting that resets every 22 minutes. However, Batman can't remember who he is, but who he is in innate and he battles the best he can, even teaming up with the Cat for a while. Eventually he finds a way out, but just ends up on a bigger island with other escapees, and eventually they find their way to home, and it's all wrapped up... or is it?

I'm not mad, because this is a decent story. I don't know the complete lore of Fortnite, other than what bits they ripped off from the other game, but this seems to pretty faithfully delve into it. I don't know if the other characters are on point, but Batman, Catman and Deathstroke come across well. Harly is a rather reductive version of herself, so we can't have everything.

There is set up for a sequel... and I won't even be mad at that!

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Aztecy Bats

Is this is an Elseworld? A glimpse into history? Or just a story cashing in on Batman's legacy?

A young Aztec warrior ends up leading the fight against Cortes and his men... and that's about all I have to say about that, because the story is just that basic! The writers shove some Bat-theming in there, with a would be Batman, a Catwoman, a faux Two-Face and a really sad attempt at a Joker... but this really is just a basic Aztec vs Conquistadors story with a Bat paint over.

Given that... it isn't even an interesting take on that. You can pretty much guess how it is going to go, and yep, there is goes. The art style works fine, and the performances are fine too. Just fine all around.

And there can be a sequel. Because of course there can be...

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Deadman/Batpool

[This is about the Batman/Deadpool crossover comic that's just come out, so you may want to skip this to avoid spoilers.]

We finally get a return of crossing over the big two comic universes and... some good, some bad. It's a collection of stories, with the main one being:

Batman and Deadpool: It's Batman and Joker... and Deadpool, because no-one can name a big bad of Deadpool that people would be interested in seeing? As far as Batman and Joker go, this is a pretty basic story, but I'm guessing they kept it simple as the main gimmick is inserting Deadpool. Everyone is written largely as expected, so that's good. A nice story, but nothing amazing. (They are different universes.)

Wonder Woman/Captain America: Two warriors from World War Two meet up and then continue to do so. They respect the hell out of each other, and it's a nice touch given that they do have that original connection other heroes don't really do. (It's a merged universe.)

Krypto/Jeff: Super pets having a super time!

Green Arrow/Daredevil: Fighting in Hell('s Kitchen) is bad enough, but with the League of Shadows and the Hand around it's more annoying. The Red and Green team up to deal with threats, and there's a nice touch with Matt's history. While short, this is probably my favourite story, although Green Arrow gets some weird dialogue. (Same universe.)

Green Lantern/Guardians of the Galaxy: Rocket gets a Ring and hijinx ensue!

Batman/Wolverine: It's Frank Miller. Ugh.

Lobo/Wolvering: He's called Logo, 'cos it's funny??? (This is some Amalgam rubbish!)

It's a start. Let's hope there's better to come now the gates are back open.

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Brung her buck

This got really uncomfortable to watch. And I don't think she's a good counselor.

A dad dies, so the two kids are sent to live with a foster parent, who is more interested in Piper than Adam. She acts really creepy at times, and how the hell is she a foster parent? It slowly becomes "will the good people survive" and more "will anyone get out of this alive?"

This is tied to Talk To Me, although I needed to be told that more than I worked it out myself. There was apparently also an ARG associated with this? No idea, not paying attention to that, but Amanda the Jedi explains it.

Sally Hawkins goes all out, and did her own stunts, ow! The kids aren't terrible, although they aren't being normal kids either. And hey, Sora Wong was actually partially sighted, so they actually casted properly.

There is unexplained stuff going on, relating to all the supernatural stuff, but you can easily keep up with what's happening. And they'll be making more movies to explain it yet.

Yay?

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