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.]
Wednesday, 25 June 2025
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.
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