Foshe Q2 Media Check-In
Much like Thomas my number dipped quite a bit from Q1 for a few different reasons. Ellen and I used to be on different work schedules so when I got off work I could watch a few episodes of a TV show that I was watching. Our schedules are back in sync so we are watching more things together now than ever. I also committed to a few longer running shows in Q1 that are carrying over to Q2. Things also started to open up a little more from the pandemic so we were able to get out and do more. I finished 2 TV shows and have 4 in progress, I watched 12 movies, played one video game, and read 4 books.
Quick Hits
My reading finally picked up and I will hit on that below. At the beginning of the year I wanted to try and read a book a month, surprisingly I am on track for that goal right now. I just started my 7th book of the year. Are the books super in depth and life changing? No, but they are entertaining and fun to read.
I realized I need to find some new video games, especially a RPG or two. FIFA and Madden are right around the corner, but I always like having a story game to play. Any suggestions would be great.
Nic Cage continues to make classics; Willy’s Wonderland is so absurd and ridiculous, but man did I love it. He doesn’t say a single word for the duration of the movie. Not a single word, just grunts and head nods. Everyone should watch it, he battles against killer animatronic robots that are very similar to Chuck E. Cheese robots.
I really hope my Q3 post will have some more content for all the readers lol
Movies
MVP: Quite a few of my favorite movies this quarter were released on HBO so they are getting the MVP award this quarter. Justice League, Birds of Prey, Mortal Kombat, Bombshell, and White Men Can’t Jump were all on HBO sometime in the last few months. Justice League was fine, Birds of Prey was wildly entertaining, Mortal Kombat was fantastic (don’t believe what Thomas says), Bombshell was really good and White Men Can’t Jump is an absolutely classic.
Hottest Take: I’m not sure if this is a hot take but a lot of people I have talked to did not like Mortal Kombat and I think they are crazy. Did it have a tournament? No. Was it fun and entertaining? Absolutely. Not every movie has to be an Oscar worthy movie, can’t something just be fun with some awesome kills? I love the Mortal Kombat games so maybe that’s part of it and seeing all the characters on screen battling was awesome. I thought the actors were perfectly cast and I can’t wait for the next movie in the series (hopefully). Who could complain when Kung Lao has a flawless victory over Nitara?
Movie that Surprised in a Positive Way: Birds of Prey really surprised me. Like everyone else I love Margot Robbie and thought she was one of the few good things about Suicide Squad but was worried about a whole movie centered around this character. Boy was I wrong. We watched this because my sister recommended it and it was so much fun. Watching Margot and the rest of these woman kick ass was awesome and it really had that comic book feel to it. If you have not seen Birds of Prey I definitely recommend it.
Movies that Surprised in a Negative Way: I really don’t have anything to put here; the lowest movie on my ranking is Justice League but I really wasn’t expecting much from it. I watched some really great movies and some solid ones but nothing was really bad this time!
Best Movie: Mitchell’s vs the Machines was awesome. I really enjoy animated movies and didn’t hear a thing about this one when it came out on Netflix. With a loaded cast it definitely did not disappoint and I really liked how they made it using today’s technology with the phone system taking over. It was hilarious and had a really great story behind it as well. I gave it a 9/10 on my ranking scale.
Worst Movie: I rated Justice League 6/10 and that was the worst thing I watched this quarter. This 4 hour saga was fine and I respected what Zack Snyder did, but DC is just a bummer compared to Marvel.
TV Shows
MVP: The whole cast of Loki was awesome (I know it finished in July but this is my blog, so sue me). The chemistry between Tom Hiddleston, Sophia Di Martino, and Owen Wilson was perfect. Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Ravonna, Richard E Grant as Classic Loki, Alligator as Alligator Loki, and the rest of the cast were spot on. No spoilers here but that last episode character reveal was no joke.
Best Show: Loki, hands down. The storytelling really laid the background for a character we all loved but didn’t get a lot of time with in the Marvel movies. It also set up the next decade of Marvel movies and TV which I can’t wait for. Keep making Marvel content and I will keep watching lol
Movie Rankings
Mitchell’s vs the Machines
Mortal Kombat
Two Distant Strangers
Birds of Prey
Inception
White Men Can’t Jump
Bombshell
Willy’s Wonderland
Cradle 2 the Grave (RIP DMX)
I Love You, Man
E.T.
Justice League
TV Show Rankings
Loki
Falcon and Winter Solder
Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (in progress)
Lego Masters Season 2 (in progress)
Dave Season 2 (in progress)
Real Housewives of New Jersey (in progress)
—Editor Note: honestly rude to put this last in the ranking. You prostitution whore!
Video Games
MLB The Show 21 - this was the only new game that I played and it is a lot of fun. Not super different from previous versions but the PS5 graphics are awesome. I am a huge franchise guy and rebuilding bad teams is what I always go for. I can’t wait for FIFA and Madden in the next quarter but I still need to find a story mode game to play as well.
Books
All the Pieces Matter: The Inside Story of The Wire - The Wire is my favorite all time show and arguably the best show ever created. This book has interviews with almost everyone that was involved with the show and it gives a lot of background on what was happening. I absolutely loved this book and breezed through it. If you are a Wire fan I can’t highlight this book enough.
NYPD Red 4 and NYPD Red Alert - A book series by James Patterson that tells the story of New York City police detectives who handle crimes against the wealthiest citizens of NY. These are not the greatest books by any means, but they are easy to read and tell an entertaining story
You Can’t Lose Them All: Tales of a Degenerate Gambler and His Ridiculous Friends - Written by Cousin Sal (who you might know from the Jimmy Kimmel Show or the Man Show) this book talks about Sal’s upbringing and how he got into gambling. It has some pretty hilarious stories but overall is just okay. I really enjoy Sal’s podcast and thought this would be similar, but it’s just a little boring.