Garfield Kart: Furious Racing
This was supposed to be leaving Luna tomorrow morning*, so tonight I did a sort of “farewell tour” around all 16 tracks. I don’t know if I’m going to miss it, per se, but it scratched an itch for a bit.
* checked on Tuesday morning and it's still there, so who knows!
Monday, 30 June 2025
Sunday, 29 June 2025
TV
Richard Osman's House of Games
8x14 Week 3: Thursday
8x15 Week 3: Friday
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]
8x14 Week 3: Thursday
8x15 Week 3: Friday
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]
Saturday, 28 June 2025
TV
Friends
8x05 The One with Rachel's Date [6th or so watch]
8x06 The One with the Halloween Party [6th or so watch]
Richard Osman's House of Games
8x12 Week 3: Tuesday
8x13 Week 3: Wednesday
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]
8x05 The One with Rachel's Date [6th or so watch]
8x06 The One with the Halloween Party [6th or so watch]
Richard Osman's House of Games
8x12 Week 3: Tuesday
8x13 Week 3: Wednesday
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]
Collection Count
Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.
After last week turned out to be so much smaller than expected, it's this week that's ended up as a bumper bonus one, with 17 new titles arriving. That includes six upgrades (five of them BD to 4K), although one doesn't replace the previous edition. It could have, if they'd bothered to carry forward all the extras. That makes it a bit of a punt to buy the Rocky series on 4K right now, because there are several areas for improvement if they decide to do another edition someday (as well as reinstating those extras that have gone missing, a major new documentary included in the set is actually available in a longer version on YouTube). Basically, I've bet on them not bothering with such a reissue. Time will tell.
Number of titles in collection: 3,569 [up 12]
Of which DVDs: 986 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 2,583 [up 12]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 481 [up 5]
Number of discs in collection: 8,593 [up 25]
Number of films: 4,531 [up 18]
Number of additional cuts: 449 [up 3]
Number of TV episodes: 10,154 [no change]
Number of short films: 1,248 [up 8]
See you next week, faithful reader.
After last week turned out to be so much smaller than expected, it's this week that's ended up as a bumper bonus one, with 17 new titles arriving. That includes six upgrades (five of them BD to 4K), although one doesn't replace the previous edition. It could have, if they'd bothered to carry forward all the extras. That makes it a bit of a punt to buy the Rocky series on 4K right now, because there are several areas for improvement if they decide to do another edition someday (as well as reinstating those extras that have gone missing, a major new documentary included in the set is actually available in a longer version on YouTube). Basically, I've bet on them not bothering with such a reissue. Time will tell.
Number of titles in collection: 3,569 [up 12]
Of which DVDs: 986 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 2,583 [up 12]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 481 [up 5]
Number of discs in collection: 8,593 [up 25]
Number of films: 4,531 [up 18]
Number of additional cuts: 449 [up 3]
Number of TV episodes: 10,154 [no change]
Number of short films: 1,248 [up 8]
See you next week, faithful reader.
Friday, 27 June 2025
Films
The White Trap (1959)
This is included in the Edgar Wallace Mysteries DVD set, but isn't properly part of the series, so I decided not to count it for the "Series Progression" part of my Challenge. Also because it's a bit rubbish.
This is included in the Edgar Wallace Mysteries DVD set, but isn't properly part of the series, so I decided not to count it for the "Series Progression" part of my Challenge. Also because it's a bit rubbish.
Thursday, 26 June 2025
TV
Friends
8x01 The One After 'I Do' [6th or so watch]
8x02 The One with the Red Sweater [6th or so watch]
Richard Osman's House of Games
8x11 Week 3: Monday
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]
8x01 The One After 'I Do' [6th or so watch]
8x02 The One with the Red Sweater [6th or so watch]
Richard Osman's House of Games
8x11 Week 3: Monday
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]
Wednesday, 25 June 2025
TV
Critical Role Live Show: Melbourne || LIVE Beacon Backstage Pass
Where the Sydney pre-show was defined by Vegemite, this one is mostly stories of their trip to Melbourne zoo. So that's... nice.
These backstage livestreams are kinda pointless, but also kinda fun. I guess they know there's a chunk of their audience that just likes hanging out with the cast, even if they're not really doing anything, and this plays to that demographic.
The only thing approaching 'genuine information' was they said they're planning to announce/reveal a bunch of stuff at San Diego Comic-Con, which is only about a month away, so that's exciting. In fact, it's the weekend after the Age of Umbra finale — could we finally get some Campaign 4 news?
[Watch it (again) on Beacon.]
Where the Sydney pre-show was defined by Vegemite, this one is mostly stories of their trip to Melbourne zoo. So that's... nice.
These backstage livestreams are kinda pointless, but also kinda fun. I guess they know there's a chunk of their audience that just likes hanging out with the cast, even if they're not really doing anything, and this plays to that demographic.
The only thing approaching 'genuine information' was they said they're planning to announce/reveal a bunch of stuff at San Diego Comic-Con, which is only about a month away, so that's exciting. In fact, it's the weekend after the Age of Umbra finale — could we finally get some Campaign 4 news?
[Watch it (again) on Beacon.]
Games
Garfield Kart: Furious Racing
Still bothering to unlock stuff, just because, well, that's what you're incentivised to do, I guess. I believe the game is leaving Luna at the end of the month, so will all the stuff I've achieved then get lost forever? If so, that makes it really pointless.
Still bothering to unlock stuff, just because, well, that's what you're incentivised to do, I guess. I believe the game is leaving Luna at the end of the month, so will all the stuff I've achieved then get lost forever? If so, that makes it really pointless.
Articles
Letterboxd is the Gen Z fad that might just save cinema
by Louis Chilton (from Independent)
I've been a Letterboxd user for a number of years (I can't even remember when I started now, and I've back-filled it with data from here and 100 Films so I can't just see when my logs began*), so it's interesting to read this about how popular it's become, and how significant it might yet be.
* Turns out, I can tell from reviews — not by looking at my diary, but on my stats pages. The review count at the top of those pages is for reviews posted that year, not for films logged in my diary that year. So I can't tell exactly when I started (because, as mentioned, I've back-dated some reviews), but I know I posted 0 reviews in 2012 and 67 in 2013. So, yeah, I've been using Letterboxd for 12+ years. Madness.
by Louis Chilton (from Independent)
I've been a Letterboxd user for a number of years (I can't even remember when I started now, and I've back-filled it with data from here and 100 Films so I can't just see when my logs began*), so it's interesting to read this about how popular it's become, and how significant it might yet be.
* Turns out, I can tell from reviews — not by looking at my diary, but on my stats pages. The review count at the top of those pages is for reviews posted that year, not for films logged in my diary that year. So I can't tell exactly when I started (because, as mentioned, I've back-dated some reviews), but I know I posted 0 reviews in 2012 and 67 in 2013. So, yeah, I've been using Letterboxd for 12+ years. Madness.
Tuesday, 24 June 2025
TV
Age of Umbra
1x02 The Lost Monastery [2nd half]
[Watch it (again) on YouTube or Beacon.]
Critical Role Cooldown
Age of Umbra Episode 2
[Watch it (again) on Beacon.]
1x02 The Lost Monastery [2nd half]
[Watch it (again) on YouTube or Beacon.]
Critical Role Cooldown
Age of Umbra Episode 2
[Watch it (again) on Beacon.]
Games
Garfield Kart: Furious Racing
Actually tried to unlock stuff by racing at harder difficulty levels. Didn't get on as well. A reminder, I guess, that though I used to like to while away some time on games like this, I was never that good at them.
Actually tried to unlock stuff by racing at harder difficulty levels. Didn't get on as well. A reminder, I guess, that though I used to like to while away some time on games like this, I was never that good at them.
Monday, 23 June 2025
Sunday, 22 June 2025
Games
Garfield Kart: Furious Racing
Yep.
I have a feeling I'm going to get bored with it quite soon, but until I do, hey, why not.
Yep.
I have a feeling I'm going to get bored with it quite soon, but until I do, hey, why not.
Saturday, 21 June 2025
Films
28 Weeks Later (2007)
[#56 in The 100 Films in a Year Challenge 2025]
I've been meaning to watch this for about 18 years. Whatever my intentions, there's a non-zero chance I take the title of 28 Years Later literally.
[#56 in The 100 Films in a Year Challenge 2025]
I've been meaning to watch this for about 18 years. Whatever my intentions, there's a non-zero chance I take the title of 28 Years Later literally.
Comics
Judge Dredd Megazine
#472
Okay, I went back and read the interviews and two strips that were standalone. I liked the latter; the former ended up adding books to my to-buy list. So, that's good, I guess.
#472
Okay, I went back and read the interviews and two strips that were standalone. I liked the latter; the former ended up adding books to my to-buy list. So, that's good, I guess.
Games
Garfield Kart: Furious Racing
Of all the games I've given a 'quick spin' since I got my Luna controller — a gorgeous-looking well-regarded action-adventure with one of my favourite superheroes; an acclaimed James Bond outing I've wanted to play for over 20 years; an RPG regarded as one of the greatest games of all time — this stupid little rip-off kart racer is the only one I've so far returned to. But sometimes you just want a bit of dumb, easily-winnable racing fun, right? Well, I do, and this is my only (free) option at the moment, so on it went.
Of all the games I've given a 'quick spin' since I got my Luna controller — a gorgeous-looking well-regarded action-adventure with one of my favourite superheroes; an acclaimed James Bond outing I've wanted to play for over 20 years; an RPG regarded as one of the greatest games of all time — this stupid little rip-off kart racer is the only one I've so far returned to. But sometimes you just want a bit of dumb, easily-winnable racing fun, right? Well, I do, and this is my only (free) option at the moment, so on it went.
Collection Count
Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.
I thought this was going to be a big ol' week, but a couple of packages taking longer than expected means that's deferred 'til next week (they should arrive on Monday, unless something goes terribly wrong). Instead, just two additions this week, and one of those a BD-to-4K upgrade.
Number of titles in collection: 3,557 [up 1]
Of which DVDs: 986 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 2,571 [up 1]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 476 [up 1]
Number of discs in collection: 8,568 [up 2]
Number of films: 4,513 [up 1]
Number of additional cuts: 446 [no change]
Number of TV episodes: 10,154 [no change]
Number of short films: 1,240 [up 1]
See you next week, faithful reader.
I thought this was going to be a big ol' week, but a couple of packages taking longer than expected means that's deferred 'til next week (they should arrive on Monday, unless something goes terribly wrong). Instead, just two additions this week, and one of those a BD-to-4K upgrade.
Number of titles in collection: 3,557 [up 1]
Of which DVDs: 986 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 2,571 [up 1]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 476 [up 1]
Number of discs in collection: 8,568 [up 2]
Number of films: 4,513 [up 1]
Number of additional cuts: 446 [no change]
Number of TV episodes: 10,154 [no change]
Number of short films: 1,240 [up 1]
See you next week, faithful reader.
Friday, 20 June 2025
Comics
2000 AD
Prog 2400
First half of a multiverse-spanning crossover event, finishing up in that month's issue of Judge Dredd Megazine. It's a good thing they make a big fuss of these whenever they happen, otherwise I'd now be faced with sourcing a back issue — whereas instead, I can just go right on...
Judge Dredd Megazine
#472
The first 50-ish pages of this are the second half of the aforementioned crossover, and that's what I read. The rest is unrelated other stuff: a trio of interviews and several additional comic stories. Honestly, most of those don't interest me, so I don't intend to go back to them — not even the other Judge Dredd strip that's included, because it's a Part One and I don't have the following issues to finish it.
Prog 2400
First half of a multiverse-spanning crossover event, finishing up in that month's issue of Judge Dredd Megazine. It's a good thing they make a big fuss of these whenever they happen, otherwise I'd now be faced with sourcing a back issue — whereas instead, I can just go right on...
Judge Dredd Megazine
#472
The first 50-ish pages of this are the second half of the aforementioned crossover, and that's what I read. The rest is unrelated other stuff: a trio of interviews and several additional comic stories. Honestly, most of those don't interest me, so I don't intend to go back to them — not even the other Judge Dredd strip that's included, because it's a Part One and I don't have the following issues to finish it.
Thursday, 19 June 2025
TV
Age of Umbra
1x01 Desperloch [remainder]
It's been fairly widely commented upon, but combat really does flow so much more smoothly in Daggerheart than D&D. The latter makes it feel like a minigame: you stop, roll initiative, then everyone takes it in turn to do their combo of action / bonus action / movement. In Daggerheart, it just... starts. Okay, here Matt goes off to get a map, so it is still demarked in that sense, but it's only a slight pause. I can see how a less respectful or controlled table could turn it into chaos and/or one or two people dominating, but when played as intended, there's an ebb and flow that keeps it more engaging. Coupled with the different damage system in Daggerheart, which makes every strike more impactful, and I think overall it works much better, certainly as a viewer.
[Watch it (again) on YouTube or Beacon.]
Critical Role
Tag Team at the Teeth: Prologue
A nine-minute setup for their two Australian live shows. Watching this now feels a bit like taunting myself, because who knows how long it’s going to be before I can actually watch the shows proper? (I’m not in Australia, so can’t see them live. I’m not in the US or Canada, so can’t see them in a cinema later this week / next week. Presumably they'll be on Beacon shortly afte Age of Umbra, but they’re set after Campaign 3, so really I’m a couple of hundred episodes off getting to them.)
[Watch it (again) on YouTube or Beacon.]
Critical Role Cooldown
Age of Umbra Episode 1
[Watch it (again) on Beacon.]
Critical Role Live Show: Sydney || LIVE Beacon Backstage Pass
So, while it's going to be a while before the show itself is on Beacon, they did do this backstage livestream beforehand. It's just hanging out with the cast, doing things like improv warmup and eating Vegemite for the first time, but that's fun in its own way (for some us, at least).
[Watch it (again) on Beacon.]
1x01 Desperloch [remainder]
It's been fairly widely commented upon, but combat really does flow so much more smoothly in Daggerheart than D&D. The latter makes it feel like a minigame: you stop, roll initiative, then everyone takes it in turn to do their combo of action / bonus action / movement. In Daggerheart, it just... starts. Okay, here Matt goes off to get a map, so it is still demarked in that sense, but it's only a slight pause. I can see how a less respectful or controlled table could turn it into chaos and/or one or two people dominating, but when played as intended, there's an ebb and flow that keeps it more engaging. Coupled with the different damage system in Daggerheart, which makes every strike more impactful, and I think overall it works much better, certainly as a viewer.
[Watch it (again) on YouTube or Beacon.]
Critical Role
Tag Team at the Teeth: Prologue
A nine-minute setup for their two Australian live shows. Watching this now feels a bit like taunting myself, because who knows how long it’s going to be before I can actually watch the shows proper? (I’m not in Australia, so can’t see them live. I’m not in the US or Canada, so can’t see them in a cinema later this week / next week. Presumably they'll be on Beacon shortly afte Age of Umbra, but they’re set after Campaign 3, so really I’m a couple of hundred episodes off getting to them.)
[Watch it (again) on YouTube or Beacon.]
Critical Role Cooldown
Age of Umbra Episode 1
[Watch it (again) on Beacon.]
Critical Role Live Show: Sydney || LIVE Beacon Backstage Pass
So, while it's going to be a while before the show itself is on Beacon, they did do this backstage livestream beforehand. It's just hanging out with the cast, doing things like improv warmup and eating Vegemite for the first time, but that's fun in its own way (for some us, at least).
[Watch it (again) on Beacon.]
Games
Garfield Kart: Furious Racing
Not the kind of thing I normally play, obviously, but I've seen so much stuff online going on and on about the Switch 2, it's making me want one; but the main (some might say "only", but let's not get into that) game currently is Mario Kart, and I've never been a huge kart racing game fan. Nonetheless, it put the idea in my head so much that I decided to try to scratch the itch by seeing what was free to play on Luna — and this was the only option.
Is it a good game? Probably not. I'm sure gamers would say it's not even close to Mario Kart (which it's clearly designed to emulate). But did it scratch that itch, as a free version of something I only really want to play because there's so much chatter about it? Yes, it did.
Not the kind of thing I normally play, obviously, but I've seen so much stuff online going on and on about the Switch 2, it's making me want one; but the main (some might say "only", but let's not get into that) game currently is Mario Kart, and I've never been a huge kart racing game fan. Nonetheless, it put the idea in my head so much that I decided to try to scratch the itch by seeing what was free to play on Luna — and this was the only option.
Is it a good game? Probably not. I'm sure gamers would say it's not even close to Mario Kart (which it's clearly designed to emulate). But did it scratch that itch, as a free version of something I only really want to play because there's so much chatter about it? Yes, it did.
Wednesday, 18 June 2025
TV
Age of Umbra
1x01 Desperloch [1st hour]
As I've reached a very convenient end-of-story-arc point in my Campaign 2 viewing, I'm making a start on their currently-running Daggerheart-based miniseries. It's still the same players and GM playing a story-focused TTRPG, and yet the system switchup somehow makes it feel fresh and exciting. Interesting.
[Watch it (again) on YouTube or Beacon.]
Ever since I started watching Critical Role, I’ve debated where to categorise it. Some would just say it’s TV, but I started watching it on YouTube — that’s not really TV, that’s just online video slop, right? (I get that this is a generational thing, and I’m definitely of a generation that doesn’t respect “YouTubers”.) I don’t even watch CR on my TV, but on my computer or tablet, something I would never dream of doing with real TV (this is less generational, more just being a purist — or, if you prefer, snob). But it sits uncomfortably under the “Video” heading too — that was created more for short-form disposable stuff.
Anyway, after (too) much reflection, I’ve decided to ‘upgrade’ CR and its associated content, and the start of their newest miniseries seemed as good a changeover point as any. Funnily enough, tomorrow this will include their backstage pre-show livestream from Sydney, which immediately threw me into a conundrum: a livestream is definitely more “Video” than “TV”. But I don’t want to split their stuff up like that, so I guess it’s all TV now!
Maybe I should just call it “Content”. My Content Experience. Ugh.
1x01 Desperloch [1st hour]
As I've reached a very convenient end-of-story-arc point in my Campaign 2 viewing, I'm making a start on their currently-running Daggerheart-based miniseries. It's still the same players and GM playing a story-focused TTRPG, and yet the system switchup somehow makes it feel fresh and exciting. Interesting.
[Watch it (again) on YouTube or Beacon.]
Ever since I started watching Critical Role, I’ve debated where to categorise it. Some would just say it’s TV, but I started watching it on YouTube — that’s not really TV, that’s just online video slop, right? (I get that this is a generational thing, and I’m definitely of a generation that doesn’t respect “YouTubers”.) I don’t even watch CR on my TV, but on my computer or tablet, something I would never dream of doing with real TV (this is less generational, more just being a purist — or, if you prefer, snob). But it sits uncomfortably under the “Video” heading too — that was created more for short-form disposable stuff.
Anyway, after (too) much reflection, I’ve decided to ‘upgrade’ CR and its associated content, and the start of their newest miniseries seemed as good a changeover point as any. Funnily enough, tomorrow this will include their backstage pre-show livestream from Sydney, which immediately threw me into a conundrum: a livestream is definitely more “Video” than “TV”. But I don’t want to split their stuff up like that, so I guess it’s all TV now!
Maybe I should just call it “Content”. My Content Experience. Ugh.
Monday, 16 June 2025
Sunday, 15 June 2025
Podcasts
The Empire Spoiler Special Film Podcast
Christopher McQuarrie on Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning Part One
Christopher McQuarrie on Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning Part One
Videos
Critical Role
2x108 Traveler Con [1st half]
Just 77 episodes (that's over half the campaign) after it was first mentioned (even at my accelerated pace, it's been a whole year since I watched that episode; in real life, it was over two years) — and after many, many episodes of steadily increasing mentions and preparations as it got closer and closer — Traveler Con is finally here!
[Watch it (again) on YouTube, Twitch, or Beacon.]
2x108 Traveler Con [1st half]
Just 77 episodes (that's over half the campaign) after it was first mentioned (even at my accelerated pace, it's been a whole year since I watched that episode; in real life, it was over two years) — and after many, many episodes of steadily increasing mentions and preparations as it got closer and closer — Traveler Con is finally here!
[Watch it (again) on YouTube, Twitch, or Beacon.]
Saturday, 14 June 2025
Collection Count
Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.
Three new purchases this week, all new releases — two from this week, one ahead of next week — with two of them being splashy UHD Collector's Editions, and one of those an upgrade to an existing Blu-ray.
Number of titles in collection: 3,556 [up 2]
Of which DVDs: 986 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 2,570 [up 2]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 475 [up 2]
Number of discs in collection: 8,566 [up 7]
Number of films: 4,512 [up 2]
Number of additional cuts: 446 [up 2]
Number of TV episodes: 10,154 [up 2]
Number of short films: 1,239 [up 1]
It's also time for the monthly running time update, which passes a milestone...
Total running time of collection (approx.):
601 days, 17 hours, and 21 minutes.
(Up 1 day, 20 hours, and 37 minutes from last month.)
Yes, I've now passed 600 days! I passed 500 days back in March 2022 (with no fanfare). That's 3 years and 3 months ago, fact fans. I'd passed 400 days in July 2018, which was 3 years and 8 months before 500 — so the speed at which my collection increases is increasing. That doesn't surprise me in the slightest.
Purely in running time terms, my collection has doubled in size in just under 11 years. The number of titles has more than doubled in that time (makes sense, as the amount of TV thats gets released/bought by me has steadily decreased, and that has much higher running times per title). My DVD colleciton has shrunk by 17.9% in that time, while my Blu-rays have increased five-fold. I now own almost as many UHDs as I did Blu-rays back then. Considering I described 300 days as "madness" and I now have doubled that, I do have to wonder when (if) it will ever stop... Well, if I continue as I have been, logically I'll reach 700 hours around March 2028 — so let's see!
On a more immediate scale: I'll see you next week, faithful reader.
Three new purchases this week, all new releases — two from this week, one ahead of next week — with two of them being splashy UHD Collector's Editions, and one of those an upgrade to an existing Blu-ray.
Number of titles in collection: 3,556 [up 2]
Of which DVDs: 986 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 2,570 [up 2]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 475 [up 2]
Number of discs in collection: 8,566 [up 7]
Number of films: 4,512 [up 2]
Number of additional cuts: 446 [up 2]
Number of TV episodes: 10,154 [up 2]
Number of short films: 1,239 [up 1]
It's also time for the monthly running time update, which passes a milestone...
Total running time of collection (approx.):
601 days, 17 hours, and 21 minutes.
(Up 1 day, 20 hours, and 37 minutes from last month.)
Yes, I've now passed 600 days! I passed 500 days back in March 2022 (with no fanfare). That's 3 years and 3 months ago, fact fans. I'd passed 400 days in July 2018, which was 3 years and 8 months before 500 — so the speed at which my collection increases is increasing. That doesn't surprise me in the slightest.
Purely in running time terms, my collection has doubled in size in just under 11 years. The number of titles has more than doubled in that time (makes sense, as the amount of TV thats gets released/bought by me has steadily decreased, and that has much higher running times per title). My DVD colleciton has shrunk by 17.9% in that time, while my Blu-rays have increased five-fold. I now own almost as many UHDs as I did Blu-rays back then. Considering I described 300 days as "madness" and I now have doubled that, I do have to wonder when (if) it will ever stop... Well, if I continue as I have been, logically I'll reach 700 hours around March 2028 — so let's see!
On a more immediate scale: I'll see you next week, faithful reader.
Friday, 13 June 2025
Thursday, 12 June 2025
Wednesday, 11 June 2025
Games
Batman: Arkham Knight
It's over six months since I got my Luna controller — crikey, so long? Yeah, I've barely used it. To be honest, I didn't have the greatest experience with A Plague Tale — it was ok, but I've never really felt like going back to it. Things went better with Everything or Nothing, but I think my iffiness with the analogue sticks prevented me from revisiting it beyond the tutorial stages (I do still want to, though). And then I tried Final Fantasy VII, which... I sort of didn't get on with? The lack of free saving annoyed me, especially as I ended up having to play for hours when I didn't actually want to just to get to another save point. Maybe that's because I was still early in tutorial-esque bits and it gets better? It is a revered classic, after all.
Anyway, I finally whipped the controller out again today, to have a go at this Batman game that's currently available through Luna to regular Amazon Prime members (there's also an additional Luna+ sub that gets you even more, but I don't use it enough for that — evidently). This was the fourth in the series of 'Arkham' Batman games. I don't normally like I starting with the last, but this is the one that's free, so...
I ended up playing for about two hours — not because a lack of save points forced me to, but because I was actually enjoying it. I can certainly feel I'm out of practice at this type of gaming (aside from the aforementioned tests at the end of last year, I guess the last time I properly picked up a controller was pushing 20 years ago? Jesus, time flies...), but the game wasn't so punishing that I couldn't get somewhere (I did put it on 'easy' mode, but I feel no shame about that — like I said, I'm terribly out of practice. And, frankly, dying over and over and getting nowhere has never been part of the fun of gaming for me). Also, it looked pretty great. It's 10 years old, but when I haven't really played games since the GameCube / original Xbox (I did dabble with the Wii, but not enough give the amount of stuff I bought for it), I guess I feel the jump more! Imagine what I'd think of a new game...
Anyway, I can't promise I'll stick at this too much, because there are plenty of other demands on my free time (films, books, comics, podcasts, audio dramas, self-learning, card games, board games... eesh!), but I'm definitely more inclined to return now. The only possible downside is, the game is due to expire on Luna on the 1st of July — there's no way I'm going to play it enough to finish it by then. It's listed as being about 17 hours just for the main story, but I'm so out of practice that I suspect it will take me longer; and I'm always a completist, so the 31-hour-plus higher estimates seem more like it.
It's over six months since I got my Luna controller — crikey, so long? Yeah, I've barely used it. To be honest, I didn't have the greatest experience with A Plague Tale — it was ok, but I've never really felt like going back to it. Things went better with Everything or Nothing, but I think my iffiness with the analogue sticks prevented me from revisiting it beyond the tutorial stages (I do still want to, though). And then I tried Final Fantasy VII, which... I sort of didn't get on with? The lack of free saving annoyed me, especially as I ended up having to play for hours when I didn't actually want to just to get to another save point. Maybe that's because I was still early in tutorial-esque bits and it gets better? It is a revered classic, after all.
Anyway, I finally whipped the controller out again today, to have a go at this Batman game that's currently available through Luna to regular Amazon Prime members (there's also an additional Luna+ sub that gets you even more, but I don't use it enough for that — evidently). This was the fourth in the series of 'Arkham' Batman games. I don't normally like I starting with the last, but this is the one that's free, so...
I ended up playing for about two hours — not because a lack of save points forced me to, but because I was actually enjoying it. I can certainly feel I'm out of practice at this type of gaming (aside from the aforementioned tests at the end of last year, I guess the last time I properly picked up a controller was pushing 20 years ago? Jesus, time flies...), but the game wasn't so punishing that I couldn't get somewhere (I did put it on 'easy' mode, but I feel no shame about that — like I said, I'm terribly out of practice. And, frankly, dying over and over and getting nowhere has never been part of the fun of gaming for me). Also, it looked pretty great. It's 10 years old, but when I haven't really played games since the GameCube / original Xbox (I did dabble with the Wii, but not enough give the amount of stuff I bought for it), I guess I feel the jump more! Imagine what I'd think of a new game...
Anyway, I can't promise I'll stick at this too much, because there are plenty of other demands on my free time (films, books, comics, podcasts, audio dramas, self-learning, card games, board games... eesh!), but I'm definitely more inclined to return now. The only possible downside is, the game is due to expire on Luna on the 1st of July — there's no way I'm going to play it enough to finish it by then. It's listed as being about 17 hours just for the main story, but I'm so out of practice that I suspect it will take me longer; and I'm always a completist, so the 31-hour-plus higher estimates seem more like it.
Tuesday, 10 June 2025
Videos
Critical Role
2x107 Devoutness and Dicks [2nd half]
[Watch it (again) on YouTube, Twitch, or Beacon.]
2x107 Devoutness and Dicks [2nd half]
[Watch it (again) on YouTube, Twitch, or Beacon.]
Monday, 9 June 2025
Videos
Critical Role
2x107 Devoutness and Dicks [1st half]
[Watch it (again) on YouTube, Twitch, or Beacon.]
2x107 Devoutness and Dicks [1st half]
[Watch it (again) on YouTube, Twitch, or Beacon.]
Sunday, 8 June 2025
Films
The Untouchables (1987)
[#52 in The 100 Films in a Year Challenge 2025]
"What Do You Mean You Haven't Seen...?" 2025 #6
[#52 in The 100 Films in a Year Challenge 2025]
"What Do You Mean You Haven't Seen...?" 2025 #6
Podcasts
The Empire Spoiler Special Film Podcast
Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One — The Live Spoiler Interview with Christopher McQuarrie
I didn't listen to this fifth and final part of Empire's epic deep dive into M:I-7 back when it came out because it took so bloody long to be released: it was recorded in July, Part Four came out in September, and this last instalment wasn't released until Christmas Day — that's almost four months later. The Empire spoiler podcast costs money — I would've wasted three or four months of sub fees just waiting for this to turn up. Anyway, I've just re-subbed to listen to the new Final Reckoning episode(s), so before that I've gone back for this one.
More importantly: what McQ has to say is fascinating and insightful, so this is as brilliant as usual.
Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One — The Live Spoiler Interview with Christopher McQuarrie
I didn't listen to this fifth and final part of Empire's epic deep dive into M:I-7 back when it came out because it took so bloody long to be released: it was recorded in July, Part Four came out in September, and this last instalment wasn't released until Christmas Day — that's almost four months later. The Empire spoiler podcast costs money — I would've wasted three or four months of sub fees just waiting for this to turn up. Anyway, I've just re-subbed to listen to the new Final Reckoning episode(s), so before that I've gone back for this one.
More importantly: what McQ has to say is fascinating and insightful, so this is as brilliant as usual.
Videos
Age of Umbra
Session Zero Creating Characters Matt Wants to Kill
You feel like a Session Zero should be a great tool for players, but probably not much fun to actually watch. Not so here — it's a delightful mix of learning about the background to the world of the miniseries (whether or not, and how much, that will also be covered in the series proper, who knows) and just getting to hang out with these guys. Yeah, I'm one of those people who enjoys that.
[Watch it (again) on YouTube or Beacon.]
Fireside Chat LIVE With Matthew Mercer and Elise Rezendes!
Answering questions about Daggerheart — or, quite often, not being able to answer them while clearly being excited for what they can't reveal yet.
[Watch it (again) on Beacon.]
Session Zero Creating Characters Matt Wants to Kill
You feel like a Session Zero should be a great tool for players, but probably not much fun to actually watch. Not so here — it's a delightful mix of learning about the background to the world of the miniseries (whether or not, and how much, that will also be covered in the series proper, who knows) and just getting to hang out with these guys. Yeah, I'm one of those people who enjoys that.
[Watch it (again) on YouTube or Beacon.]
Fireside Chat LIVE With Matthew Mercer and Elise Rezendes!
Answering questions about Daggerheart — or, quite often, not being able to answer them while clearly being excited for what they can't reveal yet.
[Watch it (again) on Beacon.]
this week on 100Films.co.uk
Continuing where last week left off, I completed my look back at May on 100Films.co.uk by listing my "failures"...
More next Sunday? One day it'll happen.
More next Sunday? One day it'll happen.
Saturday, 7 June 2025
TV
Doctor Who: Unleashed
3x09 20 Years of New Who in Wales [special]
A nice hour-long tribute to 20 years of nuWho.
(I'm numbering this as being in "Season 3" because I numbered the 60th anniversary specials episodes as Season 1 of Unleashed, which would mean Season 2 covered Season 1, and Season 3 covered Season 2, and this comes at the end of that season. Right?)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
3x09 20 Years of New Who in Wales [special]
A nice hour-long tribute to 20 years of nuWho.
(I'm numbering this as being in "Season 3" because I numbered the 60th anniversary specials episodes as Season 1 of Unleashed, which would mean Season 2 covered Season 1, and Season 3 covered Season 2, and this comes at the end of that season. Right?)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Comics
2000 AD
Prog 2393
Prog 2394
I fell out of the habit of reading 2000 AD regularly and now I haven't read an issue since September. Oops. That's a lot of catching-up to do (44 Progs, to be precise, including the bumper Christmas one; plus an issue of Judge Dredd Megazine thanks to a crossover). Well, I've done big catchups before, so I'm sure I'll achieve it again, eventually.
Prog 2393
Prog 2394
I fell out of the habit of reading 2000 AD regularly and now I haven't read an issue since September. Oops. That's a lot of catching-up to do (44 Progs, to be precise, including the bumper Christmas one; plus an issue of Judge Dredd Megazine thanks to a crossover). Well, I've done big catchups before, so I'm sure I'll achieve it again, eventually.
Collection Count
Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.
There are increases for every stat this week — yes, even DVDs(!) — as a handful of brand-new releases are accompanied by sale pickups. That DVD, incidentally, is one I've had my eye on purchasing (with no urgency, obviously) for 12 years. That's insane! Where does time go?!
Number of titles in collection: 3,554 [up 8]
Of which DVDs: 986 [up 1]
Of which Blu-rays: 2,568 [up 7]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 473 [up 2]
Number of discs in collection: 8,559 [up 15]
Number of films: 4,510 [up 12]
Number of additional cuts: 444 [up 1]
Number of TV episodes: 10,152 [up 6]
Number of short films: 1,238 [up 1]
See you next week, faithful reader.
There are increases for every stat this week — yes, even DVDs(!) — as a handful of brand-new releases are accompanied by sale pickups. That DVD, incidentally, is one I've had my eye on purchasing (with no urgency, obviously) for 12 years. That's insane! Where does time go?!
Number of titles in collection: 3,554 [up 8]
Of which DVDs: 986 [up 1]
Of which Blu-rays: 2,568 [up 7]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 473 [up 2]
Number of discs in collection: 8,559 [up 15]
Number of films: 4,510 [up 12]
Number of additional cuts: 444 [up 1]
Number of TV episodes: 10,152 [up 6]
Number of short films: 1,238 [up 1]
See you next week, faithful reader.
Friday, 6 June 2025
Thursday, 5 June 2025
Videos
Critical Role
2x106 A Fog Lifted [1st half]
With this episode, I’m three-quarters through Campaign 2 — the kind of milestone that has me thinking where I'll go next (not because I'm especially near the end — there's still 169 hours to go — but because, well, that end will come eventually).
CR recently started their Daggerheart-based Age of Umbra miniseries, which runs until the end of July; and by then they’ll have a backlog of live shows to share, which could well fill their August streaming calendar; so Campaign 4 almost certainly won’t start until September at the earliest; some believe it won't begin until 2026 now. Will I have finished Campaign 2 by then? September: probably not; especially as I plan to watch Age of Umbra (I would've started it already, but my free time was unexpectedly upended the past few weeks). The end of 2025: I really should have.
Either way, I’m increasingly certain my plan is to go straight from C2 to C4 (either when I finish C2 or overlapping with the end of it), and then possibly go back to C1 and/or C3 if (when?) once-a-week new episodes are not enough for my CR fix.
[Watch A Fog Lifted (again) on YouTube, Twitch, or Beacon.]
2x106 A Fog Lifted [1st half]
With this episode, I’m three-quarters through Campaign 2 — the kind of milestone that has me thinking where I'll go next (not because I'm especially near the end — there's still 169 hours to go — but because, well, that end will come eventually).
CR recently started their Daggerheart-based Age of Umbra miniseries, which runs until the end of July; and by then they’ll have a backlog of live shows to share, which could well fill their August streaming calendar; so Campaign 4 almost certainly won’t start until September at the earliest; some believe it won't begin until 2026 now. Will I have finished Campaign 2 by then? September: probably not; especially as I plan to watch Age of Umbra (I would've started it already, but my free time was unexpectedly upended the past few weeks). The end of 2025: I really should have.
Either way, I’m increasingly certain my plan is to go straight from C2 to C4 (either when I finish C2 or overlapping with the end of it), and then possibly go back to C1 and/or C3 if (when?) once-a-week new episodes are not enough for my CR fix.
[Watch A Fog Lifted (again) on YouTube, Twitch, or Beacon.]
Tuesday, 3 June 2025
Sunday, 1 June 2025
TV
Friends
7x20 The One with Rachel's Big Kiss [6th or so watch]
7x21 The One with the Vows [6th or so watch]
7x22 The One with Chandler's Dad [5th or so watch]
7x23 The One with Monica and Chandler's Wedding Part 1 [5th or so watch]
7x24 The One with Monica and Chandler's Wedding Part 2 [season finale; 5th or so watch]
7x20 The One with Rachel's Big Kiss [6th or so watch]
7x21 The One with the Vows [6th or so watch]
7x22 The One with Chandler's Dad [5th or so watch]
7x23 The One with Monica and Chandler's Wedding Part 1 [5th or so watch]
7x24 The One with Monica and Chandler's Wedding Part 2 [season finale; 5th or so watch]
this week on 100Films.co.uk
Most months nowadays I only post a single update about what's been happening at 100Films.co.uk, but this month the dates and days fall in such a way that there'll be (at least) two. Wow!
This week, it's time for the regular monthly review...
...but it's not until next week that I'll be posting its companion list of "failures".
So, for once I can actually promise: more next Sunday.
This week, it's time for the regular monthly review...
...but it's not until next week that I'll be posting its companion list of "failures".
So, for once I can actually promise: more next Sunday.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)