The Case Files 2: Electric Boogaloo (I really couldn't think how to headline this)
I broke down some of the media I consumed this week
So this instalment of The Case Files will be a little different to the last one, mainly because I haven’t and probably will not nail down a format for these posts.
Sometimes you’ll get my ramblings about a few things, other times it might actually be a pretty well-thought-out piece about one thing in particular. You’ll never know until you click the link, unfortunately.
The past week and a bit have been about preparing for Valentine’s Day. Still, in between ordering gifts and watching YouTube videos on how to make the perfect Fettucine Alfredo (apparently it’s all in the timing and I did not time it right), I did find time to relax, tick some things off my watch list and also start a new game.
There is no overarching theme to the media I have consumed this week (or at least not one I want to spend three paragraphs explaining) so instead, I have split it into three sections - What movie I watched, What TV Show I watch and What game I played.
With that in mind I think I should probably just get into it. So yeah, let’s start with:
What movie I watched - Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
‘Puss in Boots: The Last Wish did not need to go as hard as it did, but I’m glad that it chose to.’ - Those were the first words I uttered to my friends and girlfriend as I left the cinema.
At a time when Disney’s crown as the king of animation is faltering, it’s movies like Puss in Boots 2 that show how they can get back on top. Dreamworks not only provided a film that has compelling characters and writing, but a vivid and colourful art style that allows the action to really shine.
Antonio Banderas is excellent as Zorro… ahem I mean Puss (pauses for effect) in Boots struggling to come to terms with his mortality but Wagner Moura steals the show as The Wolf.
He is a compelling villain (unlike Hans in Frozen which I also watched this week); you understand his motivations but more importantly, he has ‘presence’. Every time he is on the screen you understand he is a threat.
The rest of the cast is also excellent and they bounce brilliantly between comedy and emotional gravitas. If I was the MCU, I would watch this movie to get an understanding of how to be funny without undermining the emotional beats of your story (James Gunn you are excused from this comment).
I wish I had been able to see this film without knowing it was good, but I doubt that I would have seen it if I didn’t. However, it still surprised me with just how creative and original it was and I implore you all to watch it.
What TV Show I watched - Extraordinary
You can thank my girlfriend for this recommendation, Extraordinary is an excellent show that has just been recently released on Disney +.
Its eight episodes chart the journey of 25-year-old Jen as she tries to find her place in the world, something I and many others can attest to. However, something I can’t relate to is her struggle of being a non-superpowered person in a world where everybody else has them.
If you’re a fan of the show Misfits, this acts as a worthy spiritual successor to it. The vibe and the humour are very similar. The powers in question vary from the comic-book standard of flying and super strength to some that are less *ahem* conventional (my mum will probably read this so I’m not going to go into detail, but you’ll get the picture in the first episode).
It’s not all about the laugh though, as it manages to hit the emotional beats when necessary.
I don’t want to get into too much detail but each episode does a good job of bringing normality and realism to a world full of superpowered individuals. The problems each character experiences are ones that anyone can relate to - feeling unfulfilled in their jobs, feeling like they can’t find their purpose, and feeling like they’re never anyone else’s first priority.
With a strong cast of characters and a good direction for where the story will go next, I’m glad that this show has been picked up for a second season by Hulu (and therefore it means it has a second season on Disney+)
What game I played - Hi-Fi Rush
I have only just started playing Hi-Fi Rush but I love this game.
Imagine the rhythmic obsessions of Edgar Wright’s Baby Driver combined with the creative art style of a game like Sunset Overdrive or Jet Set Radio and then throw in a splash of Devil May Cry and you can get close to understanding what the vibe of this Hi-Fi Rush is.
It’s a simple concept, that is done very well. Thanks to an industrial accident you now see the world moving as if it is to the beat of a song and you must fight your way through an army that is trying to stop you from leaving the factory where it happened (or that’s the plot so far, it might branch out further).
That means when you fight you must try and time your attacks to the rhythm of the music. Some would say it’s a beat ‘em up with an emphasis on the beat.
A good portion of the tracklist has been specially composed for the game, but others have been licensed (what I like about the latter is they aren’t just ‘popular songs’, they feel like they have been picked specifically because they fit the game).
But I think the gameplay loop of Hi-Fi Rush is really where it shines. It is simple to figure out but challenging to master and honestly, it’s just satisfying when you perfectly time your combo to the everpresent bass line.
If you have Xbox Game Pass it’s free, but honestly, I would pay to play this game. Tango Gameworks (who also created both Evil Within games and Ghostwire Toyko) have outdone themselves here.
My one gripe? They called the company Vanderlay Technologies instead of Vanderlay Industries.
That’s all for this week’s Case Files, hopefully, this has given you some recommendations for the next few weeks, if not, I don’t care I enjoyed them and that’s all that matters.
Maybe the theme that connected them all was creativity and adding an original spin, though that might be a little too broad and tenuous to hinge an entire article on.
There might be a bit of a delay on the next one of these as I’ve got some life stuff to deal with and I’ve also got the first paid newsletter to release for Played on Paper (I’m excited but also nervous about that).
Anyway have a good week all and see you next time.