REVIEW: Red One (2024 Christmas Movie) - Starring Dwayne Johnson

Red One is a festive thrill ride that combines Christmas magic with explosive action, offering a refreshing twist on holiday films. Directed by Jake Kasdan, the film follows Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans as unlikely allies racing to rescue Santa Claus from a sinister foe. Packed with holiday cheer, imaginative lore, and larger-than-life adventure, it delivers plenty of laughs and heartfelt moments. Johnson and Evans shine in their roles, bringing both humour and emotional depth, while J. K. Simmons' Santa is a delightful mix of warmth and gravitas. With a rich cast that includes Kiernan Shipka's chilling Grýla and Kristofer Hivju's layered Krampus, the story embraces its mythological roots, creating a festive yet international feel.

Despite its fun premise, the film does falter in places. At two hours, it feels a bit too long, and a tighter edit could have improved its pacing. The script occasionally stumbles under its own ambition, and the reliance on CGI and gimmicks can be distracting at times. Still, Red One has undeniable heart, celebrating the spirit of Christmas with themes of family, redemption, and wonder. It is an action-packed, family-friendly film that leaves you smiling and in the festive mood. While not perfect, it's an entertaining addition to the holiday film canon

Full Review and Trailer at

https://www.beentothemovies.com/2024/11/review-red-one-2024-christmas-film.html

REVIEW: Am I Racist? (2024 Documentary Film) - Starring Matt Walsh

Am I Racist? is a satirical dive into the DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) industry, with Matt Walsh playing a self-proclaimed DEI "expert" who awkwardly navigates anti-racism workshops and consultations. Directed by Justin Folk, the film is half-documentary, half-mockumentary, as Walsh uses his bumbling persona to expose the excesses and contradictions within the DEI world. With scenes like convincing strangers to sign a petition to rename the Washington Monument the "George Floyd Monument" and sharing a mock "confession" about a relative's outdated joke, Walsh highlights the industry's more extreme aspects. His deadpan approach leaves interviewees tripping over their own statements, with the editing further amplifying the humour.

Though there's a clear conservative slant, Am I Racist? doesn't shy away from its target, inviting viewers to question how much of the DEI movement is rooted in genuine change versus performance or profit. Walsh's knack for asking simple, seemingly naïve questions draws out uncomfortable truths without feeling forced. The film touches on serious themes but keeps a playful tone, and while some critics have ignored it, the film is likely to resonate with audiences frustrated with the increasingly performative side of DEI. It's less hard-hitting than What is a Woman? but delivers the same brand of provocative, eye-opening satire.

Full Review

https://www.beentothemovies.com/2024/11/review-am-i-racist-2024-documentary.html

REVIEW: Songs of Conquest on PC (Steam)

Songs of Conquest is a nostalgic yet refined turn-based strategy game inspired by Heroes of Might and Magic III, combining kingdom management and tactical combat with a modern flair. Set within a vivid fantasy world, players can command powerful Wielders who lead unique factions, each meticulously crafted to offer distinct strategies and abilities. Lavapotion uses a stunning blend of pixel art with 3D environments, creating an enchanting aesthetic that feels both old-school and fresh. Each turn demands strategic thinking, from resource management to the careful positioning of units, resulting in an experience that feels as challenging as it is rewarding. The captivating visuals, atmospheric lighting, and compelling soundtrack add depth, immersing players in a world that celebrates the genre's heritage.

The gameplay's depth and replayability shine, with an essence-based magic system that encourages varied approaches to combat, and the ability to craft Wielders' powers in ways unique to each faction. Community support is a notable strength, offering extensive custom map-making and modding options that promise long-term engagement. Although some may find it a close homage to its inspirations, Songs of Conquest succeeds in revitalising the genre while respecting its roots, making it a compelling choice for fans of 90s-style strategy games and a testament to the enduring appeal of this type of fantasy adventure.

Full Review at

https://www.gamingcouchpotato.co.uk/2024/11/review-songs-of-conquest-on-pc-steam.html

The Blocky Beginnings and Evolution of Minecraft

Minecraft began in 2009 as a simple indie game created by Markus Persson, also known as "Notch." The game's open-world sandbox design, featuring blocky graphics and endless possibilities for exploration and building, quickly captured the attention of players around the world. Minecraft grew from a quirky idea into a massive global phenomenon, offering players a chance to create, survive, and thrive in randomly generated worlds. Survival Mode challenges players to gather resources, craft tools, and fend off mobs, while Hardcore Mode adds an extra layer of difficulty with permanent death. On the other hand, Anarchy servers, provide a chaotic, rule-free environment where griefing, raiding, and survival are the core activities.

The Minecraft community has played a major role in keeping the game fresh and relevant. Through multiplayer servers, mods, and custom worlds, the game offers endless variety, allowing players to shape their own experiences. Mods can add anything from new items to entire new dimensions, while the official Minecraft Marketplace offers approved mods for different platforms. The community is active across YouTube, Twitch, and events like MineCon, where fans gather to celebrate the game and discuss updates. With frequent updates from Mojang, Minecraft continues to evolve, offering new challenges, biomes, and mobs. The game remains a testament to creativity and community, staying popular for over a decade and still capturing the imagination of players worldwide.

Full Article at

https://www.gamingcouchpotato.co.uk/2024/11/the-blocky-beginnings-and-evolution-of.html

REVIEW: Planet Coaster 2 (2024 Video Game) on PS5

Planet Coaster 2 is an exciting upgrade for fans of theme park simulators, offering a wealth of new features and improvements that enhance the building and management experience. The game refines the original's solid mechanics with more freedom to design larger parks and greater creative possibilities. Key upgrades include a revamped pathing system that simplifies the creation of complex layouts, as well as new tools to scale, mirror, and customize objects for a more personalized park design. The visuals have also been improved significantly, making parks feel more dynamic with realistic lighting and immersive details.

Sandbox mode remains the heart of the game, allowing players to build freely without limitations, while the campaign mode adds structure with specific goals and challenges. Multiplayer is another exciting feature, enabling cooperative park-building across platforms. While the game shines in creativity and design, the management systems, particularly research and financial elements, feel a bit passive and could use more depth. Despite these minor drawbacks, Planet Coaster 2 builds on its predecessor with better visuals, more customization options, and a more engaging gameplay experience. It's a must-play for anyone who loves theme park simulations.

Full Review at

https://www.gamingcouchpotato.co.uk/2024/11/review-planet-coaster-2-2024-video-game.html

REVIEW: Joker: Folie à Deux (2024) - Starring Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga

"Joker: Folie à Deux" takes Arthur Fleck's troubled story in a new direction by turning it into a jukebox musical, but the result is uneven. Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga give strong performances, adding intensity to their characters and some intriguing chemistry, but the storyline feels unfocused and overly ambitious. Attempting to blend courtroom drama, psychological exploration, and musical sequences, the film struggles to capture the tension and mystery of the original. The musical numbers are a mixed bag; some enhance Arthur's mental fragmentation, while others feel like filler. Combined with slow pacing and a lack of fresh insight into Arthur's character, the film drags rather than delves.

Ultimately, "Joker: Folie à Deux" seems more like a cash grab than a meaningful continuation, missing the original's gritty intelligence. While Lady Gaga's Lee brings some charisma, her character lacks the chaotic energy seen in past portrayals of Harley Quinn, and her connection with Arthur fails to add real depth. The film's attempt to reinvent the Joker's journey as a musical leaves it feeling repetitive and hollow, with an ending that underwhelms rather than provokes. Although technically well-made, the movie feels like an extended epilogue, leaving Joker's story more muddled than ever.

Full Review at

https://www.beentothemovies.com/2024/11/review-joker-folie-deux-2024-starring.html

REVIEW: Sofie: The Echoes (2024 Video Game) - On PC (Steam)

Sofie: The Echoes is an ambitious story-driven game that brings players into the life of Sofie, a mother and professor, as she searches for her missing husband and son. With beautifully crafted cutscenes and a powerful narrative, the game does well at setting a haunting atmosphere where Sofie confronts twisted landscapes, memories, and physical foes. Sofie's emotional journey is compelling, and her character brings a refreshing depth to the action-adventure genre. However, the gameplay mechanics themselves are somewhat basic, with combat and exploration often falling into predictable, repetitive patterns that detract from the immersion the story builds.

Despite its potential, Sofie: The Echoes is held back by technical issues and inconsistent quality. The game was launched with numerous bugs, performance problems, and questionable design choices, like unnecessary attention to Sofie's skirt physics. These issues, combined with poor enemy AI and a significant drop in graphical quality between cutscenes and gameplay, make the experience feel unpolished. Although regular updates are addressing these problems, the game currently feels unrefined, making it hard to recommend despite its strong narrative. 

Full Review at

http://www.gamingcouchpotato.co.uk/2024/11/review-sofie-echoes-2024-video-game-on.html

REVIEW: Juror No. 2 (2024 Film) - Starring Nicholas Hoult, Toni Collette, J. K. Simmons, and Kiefer Sutherland

Juror #2, directed by Clint Eastwood, follows young journalist Justin Kemp, portrayed by Nicholas Hoult, as he grapples with a moral crisis while serving on the jury for a murder trial. The case seems straightforward until Justin suspects he might know more than he initially realised about the night of the crime, casting doubt on the accused man's guilt. This realisation throws Justin into a dilemma, forcing him to choose between protecting his own life and family or revealing the truth to prevent a potentially wrongful conviction. The tension in the jury room, especially with Toni Collette as the hard-nosed prosecutor and Kiefer Sutherland as an old homicide inspector on the jury, turns the courtroom scenes into a psychological and moral battlefield.

Eastwood directs the film with a steady, focused hand, allowing the actors and story to take centre stage without unnecessary theatrics. The film balances classic courtroom drama with modern themes of justice, duty, and personal sacrifice, making it more than just a thriller. Hoult and Collette deliver powerful performances, with Hoult's portrayal of Justin's inner turmoil giving the film an emotional core that keeps the audience invested. Overall, Juror #2 is a suspenseful, intelligent drama that brings thought-provoking questions about guilt and morality to the forefront, leaving viewers with a lasting impression.

Full Review and Trailer at

http://www.beentothemovies.com/2024/11/review-juror-no-2-2024-film-starring.html

REVIEW: 'Salem's Lot (2024 Film) - Starring Lewis Pullman

Salem's Lot is an atmospheric take on Stephen King's vampire classic, following writer Ben Mears as he returns to his hometown of Jerusalem's Lot, only to find it overrun by sinister forces. The film leans heavily on its moody visuals and solid performances, especially from Lewis Pullman and Makenzie Leigh, who bring a genuine sense of desperation to their characters. Faithful to King's novel, the story takes its time building suspense, aiming to evoke a slow-burning dread, though the pacing ends up feeling a bit sluggish. With a strong ensemble cast and well-done action sequences, the movie captures the eerie, small-town setting, creating a backdrop that feels both familiar and haunted.

However, despite the strong cast and final action-packed climax, the film's reluctance to fully embrace the horror feels like a missed opportunity. The scares are too tame for a modern horror audience, with key violent moments left off-screen, cutting away just as tension builds. The large number of characters and extended runtime add to the sense of drag, and while the climax delivers some excitement, the movie as a whole struggles to leave a lasting impact. For all its loyalty to the source material, Salem's Lot ultimately lacks the sharp bite fans might expect from a vampire story in 2024.

Full Review at

http://www.beentothemovies.com/2024/10/review-salems-lot-2024-film-starring.html

REVIEW: A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead on Xbox

A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead brings the intense, sound-driven horror of the film series to gaming with a unique survival experience. The game follows Alex Taylor, a pregnant college student, as she navigates a post-apocalyptic world full of aliens who hunt by sound, making every movement and breath a calculated risk. With a first-person perspective and innovative microphone-based sound mechanics, players are forced to be cautious, as even the slightest noise could spell doom. The visuals and sound design are fantastic, effectively immersing players in the eerie silence of abandoned landscapes. Anairis Quiñones' performance as Alex adds emotional depth, making the stakes feel personal and high.

Full Review at

http://www.gamingcouchpotato.co.uk/2024/10/review-quiet-place-road-ahead-on-xbox.html

REVIEW: Terrifier 3 (2024 Slasher Film) - Starring David Howard Thornton and Lauren LaVera

Terrifier 3 takes Christmas horror to brutal extremes, combining twisted holiday cheer with intense, realistic gore that will shock even seasoned horror fans. Art the Clown's return, this time decked out in a Santa suit with a new accomplice in the possessed Victoria Heyes, adds a disturbing edge to the festive season as he terrorises Sienna and her brother Jonathan once again. The practical effects are a standout, with director Damien Leone delivering some of the most convincing and gruesome kills seen in recent horror, evoking the visceral style of vintage slasher films. Art's violent creativity and dark humour are on full display, making him both terrifying and morbidly entertaining, adding depth to his place among horror icons.

Sienna's journey is compelling as she grapples with survivor's guilt and the psychological scars left by past traumas. Her struggle to reconnect with Jonathan brings emotional depth to the film, grounding the horror in real personal stakes. Leone leans heavily into both dark humour and extreme violence, pushing the boundaries in ways that may be too intense for some but will be a thrill for hardcore fans of the genre. Terrifier 3 offers a bold, unflinching horror experience that leaves a lasting impression, cementing its place as one of the most daring entries in modern horror.

Full Review at

http://www.beentothemovies.com/2024/10/review-terrifier-3-2024-slasher-film.html

The €61 Million Caritas Fraud - Fortune Teller Scandal

A fortune teller with alleged ties to a Bulgarian organised crime gang may have played a key role in the theft of €61 million from the Luxembourg charity Caritas. The charity's former chief financial officer (CFO), who is under investigation, had been consulting a psychic she found online. She confided personal and professional details to this clairvoyant, unknowingly passing on sensitive information about Caritas. It is alleged that the fortune teller passed this information to the crime gang, who used it to exploit the CFO's mental fragility and weaknesses in the charity's governance. Over five months, they managed to fraudulently transfer the funds while posing as Caritas' CEO.

Investigators discovered that more than 8,200 transactions were made, involving accounts across various countries. While some of the stolen funds have been traced to China, Hong Kong, and Lithuania, it is unclear if the money can be recovered. The Luxembourg public prosecutor has yet to fully confirm the involvement of the fortune teller but continues to investigate the "fraud against the president" scam. Requests for assistance have been sent to multiple countries as authorities work to untangle the web of fraudulent transactions.

Read more at

http://www.badpsychics.com/2024/10/fortune-teller-scandal-61-million.html

REVIEW: Smile 2 (2024 Film) - Starring Naomi Scott

"Smile 2" is a chilling follow-up to the original, centering on pop star Skye Riley, played by Naomi Scott, as she prepares for a major comeback tour. After witnessing the gruesome suicide of a drug dealer under the curse's influence, Skye's life quickly spirals into chaos. Haunted by terrifying hallucinations and eerie smiling figures, she becomes increasingly paranoid and isolated, leading to violent outbursts and disturbing encounters. Naomi Scott delivers a standout performance, portraying Skye's breakdown with raw intensity, while the film builds on the original's atmosphere of dread with even more elaborate scares and disturbing body horror.

Although the sequel offers a more intense and visually unsettling experience, it doesn't add much to the mythology of the curse, relying heavily on jump-scares and familiar plot devices from the first film. Still, it succeeds in creating a tense and horrifying atmosphere, with a final act full of mind-bending hallucinations and shocking moments. Director Parker Finn maintains the creepy, disturbing tone that made the first film successful, and Scott's performance elevates the film, making it a solid horror experience.

Full Review at

http://www.beentothemovies.com/2024/10/review-smile-2-2024-film-starring-naomi.html