Scream 7

God, this doesn't even feel like a Scream movie. They've lost sight of everything the series was about. 

There's hardly any humor or movie references. There's one scene where one of the characters starts to talk about horror movies, and another character literally cuts them off by saying, "We don't do that anymore." I'm sure that was a nod to the fourth wall, but I have to ask: If Scream is no longer a self-referential horror snarkfest, then what sets it apart from other horror movies?

Mild spoilers ahead. So Ghostface starts killing again, what a shock. But then Sydney gets a video call from Stu Macher, taunting her and promising to come after her daughter. There are questions as to whether Stu actually survived the original film, or if it's an AI deepfake. I won't spoil that here.

It's a serviceable mystery/horror with some very explicit gore, but it lacks humor and clever dialogue. The twists aren't particularly notable, and the end reveal is underwhelming. It's also annoying how often people survive insane injuries. 

Sydney keeps telling her daughter, "Always shoot them in the head" as if Ghostface is a zombie. But she's right. People keep getting up minutes after getting shot repeatedly in the chest, while wearing clothing too tight to hide a bulletproof vest.

And for all the "rules of horror" they used to talk about, people make ridiculous decisions in this one. They've basically turned the series into a straightforward horror story, complete with all the tropes they used to reference ironically.

I don't know what this is, but it isn't Scream.

Mortal Kombat II (2026 Film)

"Best Mortal Kombat movie" isn't a very high bar, but this was just fantastic. I liked the 1995 movie at the time, but in retrospect it was mostly the novelty of it all. There weren't a lot of video game-based movies back then, and MK was one of the better ones. The sequel, MK Annihilation, was so bad it's good, or so bad it's terrible, depending on your mood.

2021's reboot was a solid film, but it wasn't very memorable. It did a serviceable job of reintroducing the characters and had some decent action, but it didn't make much of an impact on me. The best thing I can say about it is that it's "good for a Mortal Kombat movie."

I don't have to make that sort of excuse for 2026's Mortal Kombat II. It's just a fantastic movie. It's just so pretty. The fights are beautiful, with backgrounds right out of the games, but presented in the hi-def glory only Hollywood can produce. 

The plot? Look, if you're not into video game movies, this isn't going to change your mind. It's pretty goofy. But it's the best possible telling of a Mortal Kombat plot. 

Feel free to skip the 2021 film and jump straight to this one. MKII does assume you've seen the former, but it's not hard to catch up. Introducing Johnny Cage helps, since the other characters have to explain the situation to him.

Thoughts on the characters:
Kung Lao - Excellent adaptation. The special effects on his hat are great.
Johnny Cage - Since Karl Urban is the biggest name in the cast, they use him as much as possible. I like how they address his age. Urban was a bit old to play Johnny Cage, so they framed him as an aging action hero who mostly makes money from conventions now. This was a good choice.
Kitana - She was my favorite character in the movie. Her relationship with Shao Khan reminded me of Gamora and Thanos. Kitana looks and acts spot-on for the character.
Shao Khan - Perfect. His helmet looks awesome. He's truly scary, even when doing the silly moves straight out of the video game.
Baraka - I really liked him, but he was probably one of the few special effects in the movie that didn't stick the landing. His CGI mouth wasn't bad, just sort of distracting.
Jade - She looked great, and her subplot really worked for me.
Scorpion and Bi-Han - Continuing their story from the first movie, it's more of the same. It kind of feels like they were written into the movie as an afterthought, an excuse to include two of MK's most popular characters. Still, it was nice to see them again.
Shang Tsung, Sonya, Jax, Raiden, and Liu Kang - Kind of bland, but not bad. They do the job.
Quan-Chi - I've always hated him in the games, but at least he moves the plot forward here.
Cole Young - Who? They spent the entire first movie telling his story, but he barely feels like more than an extra in this one. Considering the fan backlash against him in the first movie, this may have been the best decision.

Overall, it's a decent movie, with lots of fun action, and terrific VFX. People who haven't played the games might not find much to like, but it's a wonderful treat for fans of the games.

Life is Strange: Reunion - Final Thoughts

Spoilers ahead.

That was a fitting end to Max & Chloe's story. I'm glad this is going to be the last game with these characters, but I hope the series continues with new characters.

As I suspected, this is very much an apology game. This is totally a "fans complained, so let's give them what they want" game. And if you love these characters, it's a blast.

As a one-off game, it's not great. The story is very much "Double Exposure Part 2," as well as the end of the story started by the original Life is Strange. Playing this one by itself would be like watching "Return of the Jedi" as your first Star Wars movie.

It fixes the mistakes created by the last game. But it also undoes the tragic choice you have to make in the very first game. It weaves everything back together in a way that leads to a happy - if bittersweet - ending. I don't know if I really approve of this... the original game made an impact for a reason, you had to choose between two equally tragic endings. But Reunion merges the timelines into a universe that's the best of both worlds.

The characters deserve this happy ending, finally, but it does mean that the original game loses a little of its bite. Kind of like how Spock's sacrifice in Star Trek II feels less meaningful after Star Trek III.

My biggest fear was that I'd have to choose between Max and Chloe surviving. Well, my fears were groundless. The final choice really isn't that tough. I'd say it's on par with the final choice in Before the Storm.

I think this game's most interesting mechanic is just how much extra material they had to write based on your previous choices. At the beginning of Reunion, when it asks you what you picked in the original game, I told it I sacrificed Chloe. In my playthrough of Reunion, Chloe mentions that she's supposed to be dead approximately 6,000 times. I'll have to watch a YouTube walkthrough to see the alternate dialogue. I swear it had to be like programming two entire games' worth of dialogue.

There are a lot of possible outcomes in the end. Different characters can die in the fire, and different buildings can burn down. As usual, when I looked at my post-credits stats, I saw options I never noticed when playing the through the story. Like I said, I'm going to have to watch some YouTube playthroughs.

In my ending, two main characters died - Vinh and Owen. I didn't manage to stop any of the fires, and the buildings burned down. When presented with the final choice, I lied to Max. None of these are happy events.

And yet, this game left me with warm fuzzy feelings. That feels wrong, somehow, but at this point in my life, I'll take happiness where I can find it.

Ranking the Life is Strange Games:

1. Life is Strange

2. Life is Strange: Before the Storm

3. Life is Strange: True Colors

4. Life is Strange: Reunion

5. The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit

6. Life is Strange 2

7: Life is Strange: Double Exposure

Life is Strange: Reunion - First Impressions

So, I'm about six hours into the newest Life is Strange game. So far it's a vast improvement over Double Exposure. 

An awful lot of it feels like an apology to the fans. Which can be bad. I mean, The Rise of Skywalker spent so much time trying to apologize for The Last Jedi, that it felt like it was written by a  PR committee (FTR I still loved it, but a lot of people didn't).

And Reunion does make some very obvious attempts to placate fans. It also makes a lot of "comfort references," like familiar music and legacy jokes (such as Max forgetting to water a plant).

Chloe is back. Regardless of what choices you made in the first game and Double Exposure, Chloe reappears and gets about as much screen time as Max. The writing is practically genius in the way it manages to honor all your major choices from previous games.

Like the last few games, Reunion asks upfront what choices you made in the earlier games. I've  played through LiS multiple times, so I've picked both endings. I had trouble deciding which one to tell Reunion I picked. Finally I chose "Sacrifice Chloe" because I felt it would make it that much more dramatic when Chloe showed up in Reunion.

And I was right. In fact, there's so much "You're supposed to be dead" dialogue that I'm wondering just how different the story is if you tell Reunion that you sacrificed Arcadia Bay.

Max no longer switches timelines at will like in DE. She's back to rewinding time like in the first game. And Chloe still has her backtalk from Before the Storm, though I've only gotten to use it twice so far.

There's a lot of foreshadowing, and it feels like the ending is going to be a real tearjerker. I don't know what to expect, but I know what I'm going to do if certain "Final Choices" are given.

Sacrifice Chloe vs Sacrifice Caledon University - Definitely save Chloe. It was a tough choice picking Chloe or Arcadia Bay, as it was a beautiful, charming town full of interesting people. But Caledon? Honestly I'd sacrifice Caledon for a grilled cheese sandwich.

Sacrifice Chloe vs Sacrifice Safi - Chloe wins. Safi is an annoying prankster, and even if she has good intentions (which is hard to say at this point in the game), she hasn't won my heart like Chloe.

Sacrifice Chloe vs Sacrifice Moses - Chloe wins again. Moses is a great guy, and I enjoy talking to him, but he's no Chloe.

Sacrifice Chloe vs Sacrifice Max - This is a real possibility. There are a lot of hints that Chloe is doomed, and it could turn out that the only way to save her is to eliminate the person who keeps screwing up time - that being Max herself. If it comes down to that, it's going to be a tough choice. I like Max better, but she had a good run. Chloe's never even really had a chance at life. I'll cross that road when I get to it.

Sacrifice Belgian Waffle vs Sacrifice Bacon Omelette - Oh, I don't know if my heart could handle it.

I'll write more when I finish the game. I'm trying not to play too much in one day, as I'm old and gaming hurts my back. But I'm also trying to get through this game before I start seeing spoilers. I doubt I'll finish the game today, but I should have it done by the end of the week.

Predator: Badlands

Well, that was more fun than it had any right to be, and it's much better than it looks.

Going in, all I really knew about Predator: Badlands was that the internet hated how the young Yautja looks. Some didn't like his hairstyle, others complained that his face was CGI instead of practical. The complainers are idiots. Assuming all Yautja wear their hair the same way is borderline racist, and the CGI looks a lot better in context.

I give this movie lots of points for actually doing something different with the Predator franchise. Let's face it, the first Predator was just "Alien in a jungle," and its sequel was "Alien downtown." The further sequels played more with the formula, but they still felt like retellings of the same story. Even the best Predator movie, Prey, had a plot that wasn't too different from the original.

But now (potential spoilers ahead), we get to see a Predator movie from the monster's point of view. For the first time (I think), we get to see them talk to each other with actual dialogue (in subtitles), and understand more of their culture.

At its core, it's a coming-of-age story, about a tribal warrior having to kill his first dangerous prey. Stylistically, it feels very Star Wars (it even opens with what's basically a lightsaber duel). But the Yautja themselves feel very much inspired by Star Trek's Klingons.

While there are no xenomorphs in this movie, Weyland-Yutani plays a big role in the story. Alien/Predator fanboys argue incessantly about what is and isn't canon to each other's universes. As I understand it, the Alien films don't take place in the same universe as the AvP and Predator films. I'm not sure if the AvP films are canon in the mainline Predator films, nor do I really care. The point is, Badlands does acknowledge that the other universe exists.

Anyway, it's fun film, with lots of sci-fi gadgets and strange creatures. The ending does open up potential for a sequel, but I doubt they'll follow up on it. This feels like more of a one-off to me, but I'd be happy to be proven wrong.

New ranking order:

1. Aliens (1986)
2. Alien (1979)
3. Prey (2022)
4. Predator: Badlands (2025)
5. Alien: Romulus (2024)
6. Predators (2010)
7. Predator (1987)
8. Predator 2 (1990)
9. Alien vs. Predator (2004)
10. Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007)
11. Alien Resurrection (1997)
12. Prometheus (2012)
13. Alien: Covenant (2017)
14. The Predator (2018) 
999. Alien 3 (1992) 

Tron: Ares

It's hard to rate the Tron movies, to be honest. The first one was one of my favorite films when I was a kid, but as an adult it's kind of cheesy and slow-paced. The second one was beautiful but exposition-heavy and sort of pointless. Despite all their flaws, there's a special place in my heart for the Tron universe.

Ares is also heavy on the exposition, but it doesn't feel as ponderous as the previous films. At its core, it's about two rival corporations, fighting over a piece of code that will change the world. The evil corporation, headed by the grandson of the original movie's antagonist, doesn't care who gets hurt as long as they make a profit. Meanwhile, the good company wants the code for completely ethical purposes, such as ending world hunger. It's sad that in a story about living computer programs, an ethical corporation is the hardest part to swallow.

The special effects are absolutely stunning. I saw it in 3D, and I highly recommend it. The visuals are easily the movie's biggest draw. Unfortunately, once you get past that, there's not a lot to say about it. I loved the nostalgic references to the original movie, and it had some really pretty action scenes. I also like that it spends plenty of time in both universes, with AI machines getting 3D printed into ours.

I love the little touches, like how the vehicles are printed with supports like a those from a filament printer. Or the nostalgic references, like the first movie's sound effects being used as someone's ringtone. There's plenty of fanservice for those who loved the original.

Still, not a lot happens. The majority of the movie follows a forgettable protagonist trying to get a MacGuffin from one side of town to the other. It's kind of like a high-tech remake of 2012's Premium Rush.

If you're a fan of the first two movies, this is a great entry in the series. But it's still just as flawed as the other two, with more eye candy than substance. 

The Long Walk

It's probably been thirty years since I read the Richard Bachman (wink wink) short story, "The Long Walk." If you asked me which Stephen King stories need be adapted to film, this would have been low on the list. I mean, it's not a very cinematic concept. The majority of the story is just watching people walk.

I don't remember the book enough to tell you how close they got it. But I do remember one thing: The book was very bleak, and made me feel physically tired just reading it. And in that respect, the movie captures the spirit of the book quite well.

Since the story was so simple, I kept expecting them to stretch it out with Grinch-levels of flashbacks and other superfluous content. But they didn't go there. There are a few short flashbacks, but the majority of the movie is centered on the dialogue between the walkers. In a strange way it reminded me of Stand By Me.

Visually it looks like an episode of The Walking Dead, with similar costumes and color filters. The gore is explicit and sickening. I was about to say it was unnecessarily gory, but the frankness of it does help you feel like you're walking in the characters' shoes, so to speak. You feel their horror.

Is it a good adaptation? Yes, it's damn near perfect. Will I ever watch it again? Absolutely not. This is a fantastic movie, but it's hard to call it entertainment.

Alien 3: Assembly Cut

So in my last blog I finally caught up on the Predator movies I'd missed. I thought I was completely up-to-date on the theatrical Alien and Predator movies, but I realized I was still missing one thing.

Okay, so you know by now I hate Alien 3. In fact, you're probably sick of hearing about it. If so, skip this blog entry. I will be covering a lot of the same ground.

I dislike the movie for several reasons, but the biggest is the way it screws up its predecessor's ending. I believe Ripley and Newt earned their happy ending. My fondest wish for the franchise is a new movie that reveals Alien 3 and Resurrection were just nightmares Ripley had in hypersleep, and the new film could follow the adventures of an adult Newt.

Alien 3 has some plot holes right from the start, such as how/when did the queen xenomorph lay at least two eggs (without her egg sack, mind you) somewhere on the Sulaco? How did a facehugger get into Ripley's cryo tube and impregnate her without interrupting her cryosleep? The timing just doesn't work, and it feels like we're just supposed to accept it because "that's the plot of the film, deal with it."

Plus it sets up problems it doesn't fix. I've mentioned this in previous blogs, but I like happy endings. The job of a writer is to come up with a problem, then fix it. From the moment Ripley learns she's been impregnated, she's a walking corpse. The audience is supposed to wonder "how is she going to get out of this one?" And then it's the writer's job to come up with a solution we weren't expecting. Problem: Ripley's going to die. Solution: Ripley dies. Wow, that's sooooooo creative, writing team. I hope you all got raises.

Overall it just doesn't do anything interesting or new with the series. The first movie had one alien, the second escalated the conflict to an alien army, and Alien 3 is just the first movie all over again, but not as good.

But putting all my prejudices aside, is Alien 3 a good film? If you have no prior expectations from the Alien universe, is it a satisfying cinematic experience? Does it stand on its own as a solid film?

In my opinion, no. Not at all. It's dull, it's boring, the action is chaotic, the dialogue is bad, the sound quality sucks, and I don't care about the characters. It can't even pick a genre: It's not scary enough to be horror, and it doesn't have enough action to be an action movie.

Back when it was released in 1992, most people seemed to agree with my assessment. But in the years since, the new generation has been much kinder. I think there's a tendency for people to enjoy things more if they've always existed from their point of view.

It's like the Star Wars prequels. The people who grew up on the original trilogy found the prequels to be disappointing, but the kids who grew up with all six movies seem to love them. Same with Alien: To the new generation, there have always been at least four Alien movies, so they don't have the disappointment of waiting years for a sequel only to be let down.

It's the difference between what might have been, versus what's always been. When a new movie is announced, our imaginations are ignited. What's it going to be about? Do the marines find an alien homeworld and take the fight to them? Do the aliens make it to Earth? So many cool ideas. So when the actual sequel just rehashes the first movie's plot, it's a big letdown.

A couple of years before Alien 3, a company called Dark Horse released a series of Alien comics that explored a lot of cool ideas, some of which would have made for great cinema. Some of the comics even featured the survivors of the second movie in new adventures. But Alien 3 made those stories obsolete. I know comics are rarely considered canon, but I'd rather believe in those superior stories to the one presented by Alien 3.

One cool thing the early comics revealed is that xenomorph queens aren't born queens. They're like bees, in that the other aliens feed it royal jelly so that it grows into a queen. I like this explanation a lot more than Alien 3's "Ripley just happens to be impregnated with a queen."

I've heard some defend Alien 3 by saying it's the movie that established how horrific this world is: That there is no hope for you if you exist in the Alien universe. Personally I don't think that's a thing that needed to be established, but some people are into dismal universes. 

Even the director, David Fincher, hates the film. He didn't have enough creative control over the theatrical cut, and the final product didn't match his vision. Enter... the Assembly Cut. Also referred to as the Special Edition (well, it's more complicated than that, but I'll spare you), this director's cut was released in 2003, and more accurately depicts Fincher's original plan.

For years I heard that it's a much better film. It's beloved by many of the people who hated Alien 3's theatrical cut. So as much as I was loathe to load up that movie again, I decided I had to give it a chance. I knew it still kills off the survivors of Aliens, but I had to get past that and judge the movie on its own merits. It was finally time to give this movie the chance it deserved. 

So... did I like it?

Well... it is a much better film. The editing is more cohesive. The characters have more depth, and are no longer just interchangeable bald guys. The extra footage does add to the story. The sound quality is a lot better. Now that I can actually hear the dialogue, the plot even makes more sense. Other than my prejudices about the deaths, it's actually... not too bad.

It still has flaws. While the practical effects on the xeno's close-ups are some of the best in the series, the CGI long shots (or is it just poorly-matted puppetry?) are downright cartoonish. I mean, "takes me right out of the film" goofy. There's more and more of these shots toward the end of the film, and those shots made me laugh out loud in scenes that were supposed to be filled with tension. Seriously, they could have edited in the sprites from the SNES game and it would have looked better.

With most of the characters being violent criminals, it's hard to really care when they get killed. At no point was I emotionally invested in anyone but Ripley. It actually has a decent cast, and most of them do a great job, but I just didn't care whenever they died. I wish there could have been more than one female character in the movie, but that wouldn't have worked with the plot. 

The bottom line is, the Assembly Cut is a much better cut of the film. It almost feels like a real movie instead of a rushed cash grab. The Assembly Cut is a lot like Highlander 2's Renegade Version. It polishes a turd until it's almost pleasant to look at.

But we didn't make a Love Connection today. My prejudices still stand - they shouldn't have undone the previous movie, and it still doesn't do anything creative with the franchise. This is definitely the cut to watch if you want to see it, but for me, the timeline ends after Aliens.

Note that there's also alternate cuts of Alien, Aliens, and Resurrection. The only one I've yet to see is Resurrection, but I'm told it's not that dramatic a difference (except for the ending). If I ever watch Resurrection again, I'll be sure to watch the alternate cut for completeness sake.

Here's my updated version of my ranking of the Alien/Predator movies, with alternate cuts included. 

1a. Aliens (1986) Special Edition
1b. Aliens (1986)
2a. Alien (1979)
2b. Alien (1979) Director's Cut
3. Prey (2022)
4. Alien: Romulus (2024)
5. Predators (2010)
6. Predator (1987)
7. Predator 2 (1990)
8. Alien vs. Predator (2004)
9. Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007)
10. Alien Resurrection (1997)
11. Prometheus (2012)
12. Alien: Covenant (2017)
13. The Predator (2018) 
14a. Alien 3: Assembly Cut (2003)
14b. Alien 3 (1992) 

Prey

Prey is the best Predator movie, and it's not even close. It succeeds on every level - the cinematography, the creature design, the story, all of it. It's just a beautiful movie from start to finish. Heck, it would have been an excellent film even without the Predator in it. They could have replaced the Yautja with a big bear or something, and it still would have been a good coming-of-age warrior's tale.

You know what, I'll go even farther - this is the only good Predator film. Which is not to say the others are bad, but even the best ones are generally "good for a sci-fi popcorn-muncher" or "good for a macho action/horror film." But Prey has no "good for x" qualifiers, it's just good cinema. What "The Dark Knight" did for superhero films, Prey does for Predator movies. It brings legitimacy to the genre.

But wait, no, I'm not done yet. I'll even say something that's going to shock some of my friends out of their shoes. Prey is a better movie than Aliens. No, I mean it. I love Aliens, and it's still my favorite film. And as you'll see at the bottom of this blog entry, I still rank Aliens number one. 

But if I'm going to be truly objective here, Prey is serious cinema in a way that Aliens is not. Rather than just keep the audience entertained with blood-pumping action and quotable quips, Prey does something rarely seen in either series. It's art. Every frame would look good on your wall. The Yautja has never looked better, the pacing is good, the camera angles, even the lighting.

Oh man, the lighting. That's a whole other rant. Movies are too dark these days. I hate directors who think we need realistic lighting. There's a story about filming LotR: The Two Towers where somebody asked the director where the light was coming from, since the battle was at night. He replied, "The same place the music is coming from." People have to remember that these are movies, and movies are more fun when we can see them. Prey has a few scenes set at night, and all of them are well-lit.

If I have one complaint about Prey, it's that some of the animals look obviously CGI. But they still look fantastic, and the CGI-ness actually helps me, because there's a lot of animal gore that would bother me if it looked too real.

When I started typing this review, I decided I'd update my ranking of the Aliens/Predator movies. I wrote the last one before I saw Alien: Romulus, so it needed updating anyway. In typing out the new list, I remembered I still hadn't seen The Predator (2018). I was planning to skip it entirely since it was so poorly reviewed. But then I decided I'd get it out of the way so I could rank it.

It's not as bad as I thought it would be, but it's definitely not good. The dialogue is often painful, and it has a lot of shallow comedy that feels out-of-place in a Predator film. The acting is ridiculous, like Power Rangers quality. The tone is uneven, and the climax is downright goofy. But it's got some fun action scenes, and overall it's still more entertaining than Alien 3.

And in related news, I've watched the first three episodes of Alien: Earth and I'm loving it so far. I'll blog more about it once it's finished. 

Ranking the Alien/Predator movies: 

1. Aliens (1986)
2. Alien (1979)
3. Prey (2022)
4. Alien: Romulus (2024)
5. Predators (2010)
6. Predator (1987)
7. Predator 2 (1990)
8. Alien vs. Predator (2004)
9. Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007)
10. Alien Resurrection (1997)
11. Prometheus (2012)
12. Alien: Covenant (2017)
13. The Predator (2018) 
999. Alien 3 (1992) 

The Naked Gun (2025)

I'm a sucker for parody movies, but a lot of them are really lazy. My favorites are Airplane!, Airplane 2: The Sequel, and Top Secret. I also enjoy Hot Shots and a couple of entries in the Scary Movie series. But that "(Something) Movie" series went seriously downhill, and the later films were just compilations of weak references and fart jokes.

The Naked Gun also ranked among my favorites. Hardly anybody remembers that Police Squad was originally a TV series, a show I remember with great fondness. The Naked Gun sequels weren't quite as good as the first, but they all had their moments.

The 2025 movie makes a passable effort at capturing the feel of its predecessors. The humor is a little uneven. At times it lifts jokes right out of Police Squad, other times the humor feels closer to Austin Powers. And occasionally the plot almost verges on serious, at least briefly. 

There's a lot of mood whiplash there, and it doesn't keep up the "laugh-a-minute" pace of the older movies. And, sadly, there are a couple of fart jokes. But it's still pretty decent, and one of the better silly comedies to come out in the last decade.

One casting quibble - The big bad guy is a tech mogul played by Danny Huston. Meanwhile, his henchman is played by Kevin Durand. Durand is often said to look a bit like Elon Musk. I can't help but wonder if it would have been funnier to have Durand play the tech billionaire, and really play up the Musk references. Heck, electric cars already play a big role in the plot. With as much as the previous Naked Gun movies made jabs at celebrities, I'm surprised this didn't occur to anybody. It just feels like a missed opportunity, but oh well.

While the new movie doesn't quite match the level of zaniness of the originals, this is a worthy continuation of the series. This is, for the most part, my kind of humor. It's a great homage, but I really miss Leslie Nielsen.

Fantastic Four: First Steps

I wish it was higher praise to say this, but this is the best Fantastic Four movie yet. It's sad that it's so hard to translate F4 to film, but I think it's because the entire concept feels so cheesy and retro. The 2005 movie was so light-hearted it was hard to take seriously, while the 2015 film tried to lean into the body horror aspect and failed miserably.

Okay, I actually like the 2005 movie, sue me. The 2007 sequel was a bit of a letdown, but I think the 2005 film was a great representation of the team. Still, it can't hold a candle to 2025's First Steps.

There's a lot of reasons the new movie succeeds, but for me, the biggest factor is that they set it in an alternate universe. By making the entire world a cheesy, zeerust-themed retrofuture, the team feels like a natural part of their world.

Rise of the Silver Surfer tried to play it safe with Galactus, because they thought a mile-high guy in a purple helmet would look silly. In First Steps, they give us a world where Galactus looks no goofier than any of F4's other villains.

We've all seen movies set in the 50's, where the set designers went to great lengths to make sure the cars and outfits were period accurate. First Steps faced the same challenge, but even more so because the world depicted is such a hodge-podge of eras. They picked a unique visual style and committed themselves to it, and it feels consistent throughout the film.

I like the way their powers are depicted, especially Reed's. Watching him swing through town like Spider-Man looks way better than you'd think.

I do feel the movie had some pacing problems, and I'm still not 100% sold on the cast. Johnny especially felt sort of bland. Some better banter might have livened things up a bit. But that's a small quibble; overall it's a Fantastic film that makes up for some of the misfires in the past.

Superman (2025)

Well, that was just fantastic. This is the Superman movie I've been waiting for since I was a kid.

I loved the first three Christopher Reeve movies growing up, but everything went downhill from there. Superman IV was obviously a poorly-edited rush job. Then there was a long wait until Superman Returns, which had some good ideas but wasted them. Then we have the DCEU, which decided to take the most colorful comic superhero and turn him into an angsty broody mess. Which is too bad, because I think Henry Cavill did great in the role. It's just that Zack Snyder had no understanding of the character.

But the new Superman movie is a love letter to the comics. (Spoilers incoming.) I'm so glad it didn't bog itself down with another origin story. Instead it just has an opening text that explains he's been Superman for about three years. It also includes a few other heroes such as Green Lantern, Mister Terrific, Hawkgirl, and a couple of surprises.

It has a great cast. I particularly loved Lois Lane. She looks like she stepped out of the animated series, and her voice reminds me a lot of Margot Kidder. I also thought Jimmy Olsen did a good job. I wasn't sold on David Corenswet's Superman when I saw the trailers, but now that I've seen it in context, he does a great job. His Clark and Superman actually look and sound different, which is critical for a Superman actor. I mean, okay, maybe he wasn't as good at it as Reeve, but he was definitely a better Clark than Cavill.

But a good hero needs a good villain, and Lex Luthor does not disappoint. Not to dis on Gene Hackman or other past Luthors, but this is the grandiose Lex that Superman deserves. I mean, Hackman's Lex, while well-performed, was basically a greedy land developer. Kevin Spacey is persona non grata, and Jesse Eisenberg brought great shame to the DC universe. There were some really good Luthors on TV (live and animated), but I'm going to stick to movies here.

I can't say Nicholas Hoult is the perfect Lex. He did a decent job, but some of his megalomaniacal speeches fell a little flat. But that's okay, his actions spoke louder than words. His evil comes across in a way that I don't feel we've seen on-screen before, and he really shows us how money can be a superpower.

The elephant in the room: A lot of people (particularly former Superman Dean Cain) are complaining that the movie is too "woke". Of course, you know me, I'm all for woke. But even if I wasn't, I honestly don't see how this movie is more woke than any of the previous Superman movies.

Batman v Superman

Some are saying it's because it has a strong pro-immigrant message. Again, that didn't hit me as a major theme in the movie. There is a subplot where Luthor turns public opinion against Superman, and the fact that he's an alien is one of the bigger factors there. But this is an idea that was already explored in the Henry Cavill movies.

The only difference is that "woke" is currently the big buzzword that red hats like to use to decry anything that promotes common decency. So if you're conservative and avoiding this movie because Fox News told you to, I promise you're being lied to (as usual). The new Superman movie is no more woke than the previous ones, and if you like those you'll love this one.

Anyway, Superman (2025) is a fun, action-packed movie that feels like a comic book brought to life. Some filmmakers try to make comic heroes more realistic or gritty, others lean so far into the "comic book" aspect that the movies turn silly. But this movie gets it just right. It's silly enough to be fun, but real enough to keep you invested. Nothing's ever going to replace the Christopher Reeve movie in my heart, but damn if this doesn't come close.

Ranking the Superman Movies:

(Note, I'm just including movies where he's in the title. I'm excluding movies that just happen to include Superman, such as Justice League.) 

1. Superman (1978)

2. Superman (2025)

3. Superman II

4: Superman III

5: Superman Returns*

6: Man of Steel*

7: Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

9: Superman IV

* Note I had a hard time deciding which should be higher between 5 & 6. I think Man of Steel is a much stronger movie, but Superman Returns is actually fun. Even Man of Steel's action scenes feel lifeless and dull.

Jurassic World: Rebirth

So, up front: I think at this point most people know what to expect when they buy a ticket to see a Jurassic Park movie. First you're going to see people making bad decisions, followed shortly by people getting eaten by dinosaurs. Other than the first one, none of them are really "fine cinema," but more like theme park rides. And that's okay. It's the same reason you'd buy a ticket to see a Godzilla movie (again, other than the first one) or even why you might go see a wrestling match.

So does Rebirth deliver? Oh yes. This is my third favorite Jurassic Park/World movie. It has great special effects and lots of exciting action scenes. Definitely worth a watch if you're not a cinema snob.

The opening text informs us that most of the dinos from the previous movies have died out, and no longer wander all over the Earth, because they couldn't acclimate to modern Earth's climate conditions. About two scenes later, two of the main characters talk about how most of the dinos from the previous movies have died out, and no longer wander all over the Earth, because they couldn't acclimate to modern Earth's climate conditions. The very next scene shows us part of an educational cartoon which informs us that most of the dinos from the previous movies have died out, and no longer wander all over the Earth, because they couldn't acclimate to modern Earth's climate conditions. My takeaway from this is that most of the dinos from the previous movies have died out, and no longer wander all over the Earth, because they couldn't acclimate to modern Earth's climate conditions. Also, I'm not sure why the opening text was necessary.

Anyway, the remaining dinosaurs live in the tropical regions around the equator. The plot reminds me a bit of the Lost World, or perhaps Jurassic Park 3. The writers came up with a fairly decent excuse to get these characters to the dino island. Basically they need some fresh dino blood for medical research, to cure heart disease or something. And then they have to get back out.

But it takes a long time for them to get to the dino shores, I'm talking "Peter Jackson's King Kong" levels of lollygagging their way to the island. Along the way you get a lot of backstory for the main characters, which pretty much spoils which characters are going to die. Hint: If all you know about a character is their name, they're probably destined to be dino jerky. 

The tension in this movie is incredible. As the characters wander though the jungle, you're constantly hearing distant growls or seeing leaves move in the background. The jungle feels incredibly dangerous, like you could be attacked at any time from any direction.

The soundtrack bothered a little bit. There was one bit in the score that reminded me a little too much of the Jaws theme, and it played at similar times. But also the original Jurassic Park theme kind of got on my nerves now and then, and it's hard to explain why. They'd use it in the same way they did in the original, in scenes that show the majesty of the dinosaurs. I don't know, it just felt a little unearned. It kind of reminded me of that Ian Malcolm quote: "I'll tell you the problem with the scientific power that you're using here: it didn't require any discipline to attain it. You read what others had done and you took the next step." It almost feels like sacrilege to use the "awe and wonder" theme for a series that's long since turned into action schlock.

But these are minor quibbles. Overall it's a really fun movie that hits all the right beats, while still showing you enough new stuff to keep you interested. There's a few dinos in here that haven't been shown before, including the (Spoiler Alert) big bad mutant they face at the end. It kind of looks like the lovechild of a Rancor and the Cloverfield monster, and while it's not pretty to look at, it definitely does its job at being frightening.

I saw Rebirth in 3D. Not on purpose, mind you, that was just the earliest showing I could get so I did it. I don't usually see movies on opening weekend, either, but I had a coupon that made it just $7. The 3D was really good. It's probably been a good ten years since I've seen a 3D movie, and while the technology doesn't seem to have made any leaps forward, it did a good job of adding to the aforementioned tension. Several shots really stood out, such as one where they fire a needle towards the camera, as well as several jungle shots where something is chasing them in the background.

Overall I give this movie a thumbs up, maybe 3.5 out of 5 stars. It's not a masterpiece, but it's a worthy entry into the series.

My ranking of the Jurassic Park/World movies:
1. Jurassic Park
2. Jurassic World
3. Rebirth
4. Jurassic Park III
5. The Lost World
6. Dominion
7. Fallen Kingdom

Thunderbolts

Eh, it wasn't bad. Thunderbolts has some great fight scenes and snappy dialogue. Beyond that, it doesn't offer much.

Going in, I thought it was going to be Marvel's version of the Suicide Squad. But while there are some similarities - the team is composed of former criminals, after all - it's really not the same kind of movie.

Spoilers:

Picking up the story right after Captain America: Brave New World, Elaine from Seinfeld is about to lose her job, so she tries to tie up all her loose ends at once. She gives each of her secret operatives a mission to watch one of the others, and sends them all to the same location so they can fight it out in a deathtrap. Then they figure it out, and team up to stop her.

But of course that's not all. Because another one of Elaine's scrapped projects wakes up and becomes super-powerful, and becomes the main villain of the movie.

My issues with the movie are thus:

First of all, I don't really like any of the characters. Most of them are Temu versions of older heroes. Yelena is Dollar Tree Black Widow, while Red Guardian, John Walker, and yes, even Bucky are all discount Captain America. I guess Ghost is pretty original, but she has no personality whatsoever. She needs a catchphrase or a personality quirk or something to stand out.

I'm also a little bothered by how much homework this movie requires. You'll want to watch the Falcon/Winter Soldier Disney Plus series to know more about John Walker. You'll have to watch Ant-Man 2 to know Ghost. Yelena, Red Guardian, and Taskmaster all came from the Black Widow movie, which several of my friends skipped. I'm really glad they brought back these secondary characters, especially since they spent so much time introducing them. But since Endgame, a lot of viewers are starting to skip movies that don't look good, so they might not know these characters yet.

But I guess my biggest problem with the movie was the humor. You either find Red Guardian funny or you don't, and the script banks heavily on his antics. I find him more annoying than funny, honestly, so a lot of the humor fell flat for me.

Bigger Spoilers:

The Taskmaster thing. If you've paid any attention to people online, you know what I'm talking about. One half of the fanbase was already annoyed because she isn't like the Taskmaster from the comics. The other half is now annoyed because she gets killed off early in Thunderbolts. Seems like that would make the first half happy, since it leaves room for a new Taskmaster in later films. But really all it proves is you can't please everyone.

Personally I'm with the half that hated to see her get killed off. She was brainwashed when she was a villain, so she really didn't deserve such a fate. But like Suicide Squad, they probably wanted to kill off one character early so the audience feels like anyone can die.

Biggest Spoilers: 

Following Brave New World, this is the second MCU film in a row where the final confrontation comes down to talking to the villain. In fact, the Thunderbolts literally save the day through the power of hugs. Personally I'm okay with this. It's nice to occasionally see a climax that doesn't involve punching each other to death. But people are going to complain about the Disneyfication of the MCU.

Captain America: Brave New World

So I finally got around to watching the new Captain America movie. I have to say, it's much better than I was led to believe. I kept hearing people call it a "hot mess" without really explaining why.

It has a pretty straightforward plot. General Ross is now president; he's trying to be a better person while also covering up the sins of his past. The Leader (who Ross had once kept prisoner and exploited) brainwashes a bunch of people to make Ross look bad. One of the Leader's machinations turns Ross into a red Hulk, leading to the climax.

I wish I could put spoiler tags in the above paragraph, but what's the point? The trailers spoiled everything this time. 

I like that there's bad guys on both sides, and that the villain has a good reason to be angry. The best villains were always the ones who had a point, like Magneto or Killmonger.

The action scenes were great, as were the special effects. It has plot holes, but it's a comic book movie. Show me one MCU film that doesn't have plot holes. I wish there was a little less exposition - sometimes there was a little too much time between action scenes.

Two movies are required viewing to fully prepare for Brave New World: The Incredible Hulk and The Eternals. This is sad because Incredible Hulk is 17 years old now, older than a lot of Brave New World's viewers, so some people might not remember who this "Samuel Sterns" guy is. And of course, The Eternals was a long, boring film that no one really wants to remember.

But I think the worst part is that Brave New World feels like a Hulk film. It 100% feels like a Hulk storyline, with Hulk characters galore. But no Hulk. Mark Ruffalo got cheated. Justice for Mark!

Some people complained about the Leader's design, but I think he looks great. And let's face it, he'd have looked ridiculous if they'd used his original comic book design. Other people complained that a non-powered hero like Sam shouldn't be able to go toe-to-toe with the red Hulk, and they're right. But those people didn't actually watch the movie, which addresses that.

This isn't the best Captain America movie, but that's a high bar, and it holds up with the others just fine. Honestly, I hate to throw the word "racism" around, but I do have to wonder about people who loved the first three Captain America movies and hated this one. No, it doesn't make you racist if you dislike Brave New World, but when people consistently only hate on the more diverse Marvel movies, it starts to paint a picture.

Has quality gone downhill since Endgame? Sure, overall, I guess. But there's still plenty to love in some of the recent movies, and I wish people would stop calling for the death of the MCU. Brave New World is proof that there's plenty of excitement still left in the series.

By the way, don't bother sticking around for the post-credits scene. There is one, but it's pointless.

Nomads of Zyden

I've just published my eight novel, a swords-and-sorcery fantasy called "Nomads of Zyden." A synopsis:

When a tribe of ghoulish monsters wipes out her mountain clan, a fierce warrior named Marta sets out on a mission of revenge. But while she grew up fighting giant beasts in the frigid wastelands, she isn’t prepared for the culture shock of meeting people from the lowlands.

During her epic journey she befriends a jester, a fairy, and a woman with whom she shares a magical bond. Together they take on a much larger quest in which they must explore ancient temples and fight ruthless monsters, all to retrieve a set of artifacts that will help them defeat an all-powerful evil. Their time is short and the fate of the world hangs in the balance.

 You can find it, and all my other books, here:

Books by Xine Fury

 

That New Superman Trailer

I’m really looking forward to this. Look, I hate to pick at old wounds (I’m lying), but I’m still bothered by the fact that some executive saw Watchmen and said, “Wow, Zach Snyder is really good at making grim, dismal movies about dark heroes, we should totally give him… Superman!” It bugs me to death that if you watch the entire DECU from 2013-2023, Batman has more laugh-out-loud moments than Superman.

That. Should. Not. Be.

The new Superman movie doesn’t look like it takes itself seriously at all, and honestly that’s exactly what we need right now. It looks like everything the Justice League movie should have been. And there’s a dog.

I’m especially excited to see Nathan Fillion’s take on Guy Gardner. He was always one of those characters I loved to hate.

Unfortunately this is going to be a make-or-break movie for the new series. They already have several movies planned after this one, but if Superman bombs, that could spell disaster for all those plans.

I’m gonna stay optimistic, though. I can’t wait to see where this new cinematic universe takes us.

Alien: Romulus

There's still only two good Alien movies, but this is one of the better bad ones. For the most part Romulus plays it safe, hitting all the beats of a standard Alien movie without trying to change the universe. That was the problem with Prometheus and Covenant - Ridley Scott wanted to reclaim his franchise and expand on the lore, but we already had mountains of lore in the comics and video games, and his additions simply weren't as good.

Some people complained that Romulus had too many easter eggs, but I thought it was just the right amount. A few of the refrences stood out like a sore thumb (like the "Rook" android, or Ripley's most famous line), but some of the so-called "easter eggs" were just to establish that it takes place in the same universe. Do you complain when the new Star Wars movie has lightsabers in it?

Much like Alien: Isolation, I felt Romulus did a great job making it feel like the Alien universe, with classic sound effects and set design. That was another problem I had with Prometheus - it was supposed to be a prequel, but it felt more futuristic.

The "final boss" could have used some work, but at least they kept it in the dark. Most of the special effects were great, and I loved the cinematography - all the sweeping shots and dynamic camerawork really made it exciting to watch. 

Overall, Romulus isn't great, but it's a fun ride.

Life is Strange: Double Exposure - Final Thoughts

This post contains spoilers.

I just finished Life is Strange: Double Exposure. I can't say I loved it, in fact it's my least favorite of the series, but I still enjoyed it a lot.

So, quick recap: Max is an adult now, and working at a university. She hasn't used her powers in years. As I mentioned in my previous post, you can choose which ending you picked in the first game, and whether Chloe was a friend or a sweetheart. Unfortunately, even if Chloe lived, the pair broke up off-screen between games.

It's easy to see why the writers felt they had to do this. They wanted to respect both endings from the first game, so they couldn't have Chloe play a major role in this one. It's one thing to have Chloe send you the occasional text, but it's another to record motion capture and tons of dialogue for a character only half the players will see.

So they had a good reason, but they still dropped the ball. They could easily have given Chloe an excuse to be away on a trip somewhere, so they wouldn't anger half their fanbase. But they also wanted to give Max some romance options, which is ridiculous itself given how skippable the romance is in Double Exposure.

The sad part is that it would be an easy fix even now. They could add a patch that lets you pick "we're still together" at the beginning, changes a few of Chloe's texts to explain her absence, and locks out both romance options. I'll be surprised if that isn't a fan-made mod by the end of the year.

But for the purposes of this review, I'm going to ignore the Chloe problem. Too many people are writing off Double Exposure for Chloe-related reasons, and I would rather judge the game by what's in it, rather than what's not.

So what's in it? Well, the game starts with a few scenes of Max hanging out with her new friends, including a woman named Safi. Then Safi gets shot and Max has to solve the mystery of her murder. Max soon discovers she has the power to shift between two alternate universes, and Safi is still alive in one of them. So she has the unique advantage of being able to solve Safi's murder with Safi's help.

Several characters seem to have a motive, but more weirdness is afoot. Doppelgangers of certain characters keep turning up and ruining their lives. Are these duplicates from alternate timelines? Things really come to a head at the end of chapter 2, when Max finds the last picture on Safi's camera: A pic of Max pointing a gun at Safi.

Max continues interviewing people on campus, using her power to get through locked doors, and rifling through desks for evidence. At the end of chapter 3 she comes face-to-face with herself, and has to chase herself down. Then we get a new revelation - the dopplegangers are actually Safi, who has a superpower of her own: shapeshifting.

Safi and Max talk about their superpowers, Safi explains why she hurt the people she hurt, and the two conspire to expose a local plagiarist. But then everything goes to hell. Safi loses her temper and breaks the minds of everyone nearby, Max's powers cause another storm to manifest, and there's another "Nightmare World" like the one in the final chapter of the original game.

Honestly, this is where the game lost me. There were an awful lot of "things happen because they happen" events, not to mention a good bit of filler. There was a part where Max kept going through hotel rooms that could have been lifted right out without anyone noticing.

Every game in the series has a signature "final choice," and some of them are more heartbreaking than others. The the original game presented you with a near-impossible decision, while True Colors gave you a more mellow "which happy ending would you like to view" choice. But the one in Double Exposure was so subdued I wasn't even sure if that was the final choice.

The ending seems to be setting up an Avengers-ish gathering. If this game makes enough money, the next game will definitely involve Max and Safi collecting more super-powered people. Maybe we'll see the return of characters from LiS2 and True Colors.

This might be wishful thinking, but there's also a line at the end of Double Exposure that implies that Max might get back together with Chloe (assuming she's alive in your game). Honestly, if the writers want to guarantee the next game sells better, they should announce Chloe's return right now. It could still respect the first game's ending. Maybe have an alternate character take her place (and a lot of her dialogue) if she died in the first game.

Note To Fans: If you ever want that to happen, then please stop threatening the staff of Deck Nine. They might just decide the Life is Strange franchise isn't worth it, and then Max & Chloe's breakup becomes permanent canon.

By the way, I bought the Ultimate version simply because I'd just gotten a bonus when Double Exposure was first announced. This version comes with some extra outfits and has a subplot where Max finds a lost cat. If you're on the fence about which edition to buy, personally I didn't find the bonus content to be worth the price. The cat is only in maybe four scenes.

Final Thoughts: Like every game in the series, Double Exposure is a beautiful game with difficult choices and a nice soundtrack. Unfortunately the plot isn't as interesting as its predecessors, and it contains some controversial writing choices. I like where the story arc is leading, though, and with a little luck the next game will knock it out of the park.

Ranking the Life is Strange Games:

1. Life is Strange

2. Life is Strange: Before the Storm

3. Life is Strange: True Colors

4. The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit

5. Life is Strange 2

6: Life is Strange: Double Exposure

Life is Strange: Double Exposure – First Impressions

Note: This post contains major spoilers for the original Life is Strange game, but only minor ones for Double Exposure.

So if you’ve read this blog for any length of time, you know I’m a big fan of the Life is Strange series. I didn’t play any of them until 2018, three years after the original was released, but I’ve posted at least a dozen blogs about the series.

The newest entry in the series, “Double Exposure,” has caused controversy since it was first announced. For starters, it doesn’t officially release until 10/29, but people who pre-ordered the “Ultimate Edition” got to play the first two chapters two weeks early. Some people liken this to paying to be a beta tester. Other people just hated that you don’t get enough stuff for the extra $30. (In addition to playing early, you also get a couple of new outfits and a pet cat.)

There’s also been some behind-the-scenes turmoil within the company that’s causing controversy, and some of the early players are experiencing bugs, both major and minor.

But the biggest complaint is how they handled the ongoing canon of the series. The first Life is Strange game ended with a very difficult choice: Should Max allow her best friend Chloe to die, or should she let a hurricane wipe out the entire town of Arcadia Bay?

Personally I think sacrificing Chloe is the “better” ending, in that it feels more cinematic and gives the entire game a sort of Twilight Zone vibe. Pricefield shippers, put your torches down. This does not mean I prefer that ending or that I consider it more canon. All I’m saying is that it’s tighter, and it feels more like how a story should end.

But the other ending - Sacrifice Arcadia Bay - has the advantage of being more ambiguous, in a “The Adventure Continues…” sort of way. That’s the ending the comics start from, which makes perfect sense for an ongoing series. The developers claim neither ending is canon, which was the whole point of letting you pick your ending .

The game was followed by a prequel (Before the Storm), then two sequels that star mostly-new characters. Life is Strange 2 asked you which ending you picked in the first game, but it only affected a couple of scenes. The writers could have skipped mentioning the first game entirely, so your choice is basically “which fanservice easter eggs would you like to see?”

The next game, True Colors, gives your choice a bit more weight in the bonus story “Wavelengths,” in which a former resident of Arcadia Bay comes to terms with the first game’s tragedies.

The new game, Double Exposure, handles it a little differently. Instead of the UI just asking you point blank which ending you picked, it takes a cue from “Knights of the Old Republic II” and asks you through dialogue. (Okay, KotOR2 isn’t the only game to do this, but why make just any old reference when I can make a Star Wars reference?)

Near the beginning of Double Exposure, Max has a conversation with her friend Safi, who asks Max about a photo in her wallet. First she asks if Chloe was Max's friend or girlfriend. Then she asks what happened to her. Your only choices are “She Died” or “We Broke Up.”

That pissed a lot of people off, and I can see why. Many fans who picked the “Sacrifice Arcadia Bay” ending expected it to mean that Max and Chloe lived happily ever after. Together. Even though Double Exposure follows either ending, it still found a way to screw up the canon (or at least the headcanon) for a lot of players.

I wish Double Exposure had given a third option. They could have added “We’re Still Together But She’s Out Of Town” or something. But then they wouldn’t have been able to give Max dating options in the game. So far I could live without those relationship options, but who knows? They might become more relevant to the plot later.

Anyway, a good portion of the fan base is furious. Some players have gotten their game refunded, some are boycotting the company, and some have even gone as far as to threaten the programming staff. That’s never cool.

The problem is, the game ain’t over yet. We’re only two chapters in, and the rest of the game doesn’t release for another week. I’m not saying the ending will fix it, but it’s ridiculous to complain until you know for sure.

A huge part of Double Exposure involves travelling between two versions of reality. What if, in the final chapter, Max realizes that neither reality is the “prime” reality? Maybe both are skewed, and she has to find a way to get to the real one. By the end of the third chapter, she might be traveling among five or six realities. Maybe in one of them, Chloe and Max never broke up.

And maybe the game’s final choice lets you decide which reality you want to live in. Wouldn’t that be interesting?

Is any of that likely? No. Sometimes it feels like the game is foreshadowing a Chloe appearance, but I’m not going to hold my breath. They probably remain broken up. But complaining about it before you know for sure is like sending back your pizza while it’s still in the oven.

Personally I wish people would judge a story by what’s in it rather than what they wanted to be in it. Admittedly I can be hypocritical on that point. Sure, when Star Wars fans hated on The Force Awakens for tossing the old extended canon in the trash, I said get over it and enjoy the movie. But I still refuse to forgive Alien 3 for undoing the previous movie’s happy ending. Some people say the Alien 3 Assembly Cut is actually a very good horror movie if you give it a chance, but I can’t do that. Hey, I never said I was perfect.

Regardless, I intend to judge Double Exposure on its own merits, and so far it’s really good. The graphics have come a long way. I love the facial expressions. You can actually tell what people are thinking by their faces, and not in a cartoonish way. I love Max’s new ability to shift between two versions of reality. Some of the puzzles remind me of “The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.” Especially the ones where you keep shifting back and forth just to get past obstacles.

The plot is predictable in places, but the biggest plot twists still surprised me. Especially the one at the end of chapter 2. There are a lot of suspicious characters milling about the game, but the real bad guy will probably turn out to be someone who never seemed sus at all. The game has some decent puzzles, but none of them have sent me online looking for a solution.

The game is a little glitchy in places. Note I’m playing on the Steam Deck. Sometimes I’ll go through a door and the new environment will load in one piece at a time, with weird bars at the top and bottom of the screen. Sometimes the sunlight looks like it’s going supernova, but only from certain camera angles. But none of this has been game breaking so far.

Like all Life is Strange games, the scenery is beautiful. They always pick gorgeous towns as their settings, and this one is no different. Though so far I don’t think Lakeport is as iconic as Arcadia Bay or even Haven Springs. I just played “Tell Me Why” a couple of months ago, so Double Exposure’s snowscapes kind of feel like more of the same.

I’m not in love with how you choose Max’s wardrobe at the beginning of each chapter. I can’t explain it, it’s just such an abrupt, no-frills clothing selection screen, and it feels like a placeholder for something better.

The soundtrack is excellent, as usual, though none of the songs have really resonated with me the way they did in some of the earlier games.

Overall I’m having a great time. I don’t mind the break-up thing, as I see this game as one of many possible timelines. I do hope they clarify that in the ending though, just to keep the other fans happy. I’m eagerly anticipating the rest of the chapters and I can’t wait to see how everything is resolved.