A Look Back at ‘Sausage Party’ – What the Hell Was That Movie?

Anyone remember Sausage Party? You know, the 2016 animated movie created by the duo of Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg? Well, I decided to give it a rewatch just for the fun of it. I know I reviewed this movie before after seeing it in the theater with my dad, but seeing how it is slowly fading into obscurity as an animated movie that came and went, I figured that I would talk about it again, maybe see how well it holds up, whether it’s deserving of praise, or is just better left as a distant memory. Before I talk about Sausage Party, let’s start from the beginning.

‘The Batman’ Film Review

With all the different variations of Batman, it is understandable to be fatigued over the Caped Crusader. It seems that every five to ten years, a new actor takes on the cape and cowl in a set-up that feels all-too familiar; Bruce Wayne dressing up as Batman taking on baddies wreaking havoc on the city of Gotham while dealing with his own personal issues. Yes, the formula feels the same, yet, Matt Reeves’ take on The Batman is a dark, gritty, almost-too real approach that doesn’t seem to match the cinematic spectacle of Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy, but in its own right serves as a solid detective-thriller which ditches the same plot threads we have heard before in favor of a sinister, politically-relevant story akin to David Fincher’s Se7en. with the epicness of a superhero movie.

‘Jackass Forever’ Film Review

A decade after their last theatrical outing, the guys of Jackass have returned to show the world that they still have it. In a world dealing with political turmoil and a never-ending pandemic, we need a movie like Jackass Forever to brighten our spirits with some good old schadenfreude. There is no guarantee that anyone will make it unscathed, yet the end result is a fun, if not sickening, time. For the past twenty years, Johnny Knoxville and his buddies have seen and done it all, from the wild and outrageous, to the gross and disgusting. But through it all, they know how to have a good time, even if that type of fun is dangerous.

#Anitwitwatches Season 18 – Terror in Resonance

Welcome to the Eighteenth #Anitwitwatches!

Our last watch sure went quick! We just finished up Girls und Panzer, which was a fun series I would encourage you to check out if you haven’t already. Since that is over though, we needed to decide what to watch next. There was a short time it looked like we might have a tight race, but Terror in Resonance held steady for a bulk of the voting period and ran all the way to the bank with your votes. I have previously reviewed and discussed this title as you can see in the link above, but as always, I’ll be there each week with you all to share in the conversation.

What is #Anitwitwatches?

This is a weekly community event meant to bring folks together to revisit old favorites and discover new shows. It’s meant to be something you can get as involved in as you want, there is no pressure to participate every week or every watch, but we’d love to have you to share in the experience and discuss the shows we are watching all the same!

I was inspired to do this after seeing the “rewatches” that people do over at Reddit in the r/anime sub. Since I interact with a lot of you guys on Twitter, I thought it would be the perfect place to do something similar! That said, even if you do not have a Twitter you can still join in by posting any content via WordPress, YouTube, or whatever suits your fancy. If you do, be sure to send me an email at jonspencerreviews@gmail.com so I can share your wonderful creations!

For everyone else, simply watch the episodes for the week based on the schedule below. Make sure to use the hashtag, #anitwitwatches when you do, and that’s it! Discuss with the other folks participating, create content, and generally just have a fun time!

This next show was chosen based on YOUR votes, so let’s get to the watch schedule.

Terror in Resonance Schedule

As always, we have a short break before returning. The main reason for this is to give everybody a little time off between watches. Beyond that, I’ve been slacking a bit on a few things so going to need that time to catch back up! Anyway, that means we’ll be starting on April 4, 2022.

If you have not done so, you can see where you can watch Terror in Resonance for free, and legally, by using justwatch.com. Unfortunately, I cannot realistically check all regions but I aimed to make this as accessible as possible. That said, I won’t stop you from doing what you need to in order to participate. The more the merrier!

Here are the dates (all Mondays) and the episodes for each, please keep in mind that Monday’s are the main days for discussion but you basically have the whole week to watch (if you need to miss a week or whatever, that’s all good too):

We’ve had some pretty long watches lately, so I made sure to keep this one on the shorter side. As a result, we only have 6 weeks for this series. I hope you’re excited to watch this one and I look forward to all the excellent discussion!

A Look Back at ‘StarFox 64’ – The Most Quotable (and Memeable) Game in Existence

A long time ago in a galaxy far away, there existed a game which would shape my childhood for the rest of my life. That game was StarFox 64. As simple as it was, it came with its share of challenges that would ensure its playability for years to come. Nearly 25 years later, I still find myself reliving its moments of shooting enemy ships and getting feedback from my teammates in so many different interactions. The most important thing about StarFox 64 is how fun it is, even after all this time! For those who do not know (and why wouldn’t you), StarFox 64 is kind of a follow-up to the original StarFox that was on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), but that’s as simple as that gets. The plot, however, is that of an evil scientist named Andross who lays waste to the planet of Corneria, only to be exiled by General Pepper to the barren desert planet of Venom. Years later, the team known as Starfox, which involves James McCloud, Pigma Dengar, and Peppy Hare, are sent to investigate the goings-on in Venom. Upon arriving, Pigma betrays the team, and Andross captures James and Peppy, though Peppy is the only one who makes it out alive, as he goes home to tell James’ son, Fox about his father. Years pass, and Andross is trying to take over the Lylat System. General Pepper thus hires a new StarFox team with Fox taking over as leader, accompanied by Peppy, along with Falco Lombardi, and Slippy Toad to foil Andross’ plans and save the Lylat System. In case the names don’t spell it out for you, they also happen to be animals.

Judging by the synopsis, it is clear that I know this game left and right, front to back, as a lot of what I just explained is part of the opening narration, which could make for a great opener for a film adaptation, if one ever gets made. The whole of the game is basically you, as Fox, flying through different planets and shooting enemy ships while your teammates constantly interact with you. Though the way you explore through different planets depends on the choices that get made, whether it be a teammate’s ship needing repaired after being hit one too many times, or you find a different path, or maybe the offset chance that you mess up an objective. After many playthroughs, you start to get used to a certain path, which can be repetitive. Yet, on some planets, you are given a choice on whether you want to change course, or retry the same planet. The only takeaway is that, if you are a first time player, some plot elements don’t make sense when you get through certain planets. But you can always try for medals by shooting up the highest total amount of ships, if you can, which unlocks bonuses for later play.

Now that I got through the gist of the game, I want to talk about why StarFox 64 was a huge part of my childhood, and why I still enjoy playing it to this day. I have already talked about the fun of the gameplay and the interactions that stay with you. But there is something about the controls that make the flying of the Arwing smooth and the constant shooting fluid to the touch, compared to video games that feel stiff with their controls. Of course, you could say the same thing about any game on the Nintendo 64 (N64). What keeps me coming back for more is the dialogue, which I like to breathe in every time I play. The constant chatter from the teammates is entertaining, to say the least. I can quote this game off the top of my head, added to the voice acting; the wise words and advice from Peppy (“Do a barrel roll”), the snarkiness of Falco (“I guess you’re good for something”), and yes, even the whininess of Slippy (“Fox! Get this guy off me!”). Pure enjoyability! It’s no surprise that this game is the subject of memes!

Girls und Panzer – Anime’s Variety with CGDCT (Cute Girls Driving Cool Tanks)

There’s More to Moe Than Meets the Eye

When it comes to shows about a group of girls doing a task together a few things may come to mind:  light, fluffy, moe, casual, laidback, and so on. However, not every “cute girls doing cute things,” or CGDCT for short, show is built equally. I touched on this briefly in my deep dive into Love Live! School Idol Project, but Girls und Panzer is a fine example of one such show that doesn’t neatly fit into a traditional mold. Join me as we take a look at Season 17’s #AniTwitWatches title and why we all seemed to have such a great time with it.

9 μ’sings about Love Live! School Idol Project

Finally, I Watched Love Live!

I’ve actually been quite interested in watching Love Live! School Idol Project for some time now. Unfortunately, the series only had the second season of the first series available for several years. That is, until recently when Funimation (now Crunchyroll) got the streaming rights to the first season. While it’s true I could have started with future entries, I wanted to start from the beginning and make my way slowly through the franchise as I’ve been doing with Fate and others. Today I’ll be sharing 9 thoughts, or “μ’sings” if you will, about my experience with Love Live! so far.

‘Fresh’ Film Review

In the tradition of movies that have been known to inspire shock and fascination, Fresh seems to join the pack. Just one viewing is bound to cause a reaction from those lucky enough to stream it. However you see it, Fresh is a really unique movie to come out in the first half of 2022. While it is marketed as a horror-comedy, Fresh is at the least, unsettling. Much like other horror films of this level, I have a feeling that it will be another cult classic, discussed by many for its disturbingly strange nature.

Directed by Mimi Cave, Fresh stars Daisy Edgar-Jones as Noa, a young woman trying to navigate the world of online dating, yet with very little success. Most of her dates tend to be ignorant snobs who don’t even have one shed of decency. All that seems to change when she has a run-in with Steve (Sebastian Stan), a seemingly-average man who comes off as awkward at flirting, but has no care for whatever social apps people are using; preferring real-world meetings to technology. It soon becomes clear that they hit it off as they go out for a date, and he invites her to take a trip to his place over the weekend. What could possibly go wrong? Knowing the horror-movie formula, Steve is not all he seems, as he has a rather unusual appetite. Need I say more without giving it away? I dare not.

From the moment we finally get an opening title/credits sequence, which takes place around the 33-minute mark, Fresh diverts itself from being a tale of romance to a darkly funny horror movie, which utilizes tension as much as it can. The shock and awe on display makes for an uneasy experience. I would say it is less of a date movie (unless your significant other is into this brand of horror) and more of a cautionary tale, even though the message of the dangers of online dating have been around since the internet took off. Stan is perfect as Steve, as he does have the charisma to pull off sweet and awkward, while also being menacing once the wolf gets revealed under the guise of a sheep. He is also funny when he needs to be; displayed in a scene where he dances to Animotion’s “Obsession” while in his kitchen. Edgar-Jones is also great as Noa, as her demeanor is that of vulnerability. With these two, you have a perfect match of odds. Cave has all the ingredients to make a stomach-churning dish that stays with you until its gruesome finale. Whether you know what you’re in for, or are just walking into it cold, Fresh is quite a meal.

GRADE: B+

#Anitwitwatches Season 17 – Girls und Panzer

Welcome to the Seventeenth #Anitwitwatches!

Wait what happened to season 16?!? Don’t panic, this wasn’t a mistake. Along with season 15’s watch, Fate/Stay Night, we also watched the Unlimited Blade Works film. You can find the article covering both watches here, along with my plans to continue the Fate journey separately on my own time (meaning more content for you). This time around we had a really awesome curated list of choices for the watch, and while all of them are shows I’d eventually like to watch as part of this program, I shall reveal to you our winner:  Girls und Panzer!

What is #Anitwitwatches?

This is a weekly community event meant to bring folks together to revisit old favorites and discover new shows. It’s meant to be something you can get as involved in as you want, there is no pressure to participate every week or every watch, but we’d love to have you to share in the experience and discuss the shows we are watching all the same!

I was inspired to do this after seeing the “rewatches” that people do over at Reddit in the r/anime sub. Since I interact with a lot of you guys on Twitter, I thought it would be the perfect place to do something similar! That said, even if you do not have a Twitter you can still join in by posting any content via WordPress, YouTube, or whatever suits your fancy. If you do, be sure to send me an email at jonspencerreviews@gmail.com so I can share your wonderful creations!

For everyone else, simply watch the episodes for the week based on the schedule below. Make sure to use the hashtag, #anitwitwatches when you do, and that’s it! Discuss with the other folks participating, create content, and generally just have a fun time!

This next show was chosen based on YOUR votes, so let’s get to the watch schedule.

Girls und Panzer Schedule

As always, we have a short break before returning. The main reason for this is to give everybody a little time off between watches. This time around I need the extra week for something else too, provided everything goes to plan, so I can share something else unrelated that’s been in the works. Anyway, that means we’ll be starting on Feb. 14, 2022.

If you have not done so, you can see where you can watch Girls und Panzer for free, and legally, by using justwatch.com. Unfortunately, I cannot realistically check all regions but I aimed to make this as accessible as possible. That said, I won’t stop you from doing what you need to in order to participate. The more the merrier!

Here are the dates (all Mondays) and the episodes for each, please keep in mind that Monday’s are the main days for discussion but you basically have the whole week to watch (if you need to miss a week or whatever, that’s all good too):

We’ve had some pretty long watches lately, so I made sure to keep this one on the shorter side. As a result, we only have 6 weeks for this series. I hope you’re excited to watch this one and I look forward to all the excellent discussion!

Fate/Stay Night (2006) & UBW Route 1 – My Fate Journey Begins…

A Great Place to Start?

For the past few years I’ve slowly been collecting all of the mainline Fate entries along with a few other editions in order to finally dive into the franchise in full. With both season 15 and 16 of #AniTwitWatches my chance to start finally came. During this period we watched both of Deen’s adaptations of Fate/Stay Night (2006) and the Unlimited Blade Works film. Rather than do a typical review, I’m electing to instead discuss my expectations with each and my general thoughts on the franchise moving forward as I prepare to continue this journey deeper into the fandom.