Pop or Flop: The Latest Hits
Blockbuster Hits- Halloween Ends
Halloween Ends marks the finale of a beloved film franchise- or does it? While we may not know the answer to that question until later, we can confirm that the addition of an entirely new evil threw the entire movie for a loop. Following a traumatic event in 2019, Corey Cunningham, played by actor Rohan Campbell, becomes the new boogeyman following the disappearance of Michael Myers. When Corey crosses paths with the infamous Laurie Strode, a gruesome tale of murder, mental decline, and betrayal unfolds. Michael Myers himself plays a very minor role in his own final film, but ultimately meets his demise in a public procession. Halloween Ends delivers another closing chapter in the story of Michael Myers, but the film ultimately leaves the franchise in only a slightly better place than previous “final” installments. Given how much potential we saw in 2018 and the uniformity of the trilogy’s creative team across all three films, it is difficult not to be disappointed with the inability of Halloween Ends to stick the landing and bring things to a more satisfying close.
Video Game Hypes- The Entropy Center
The Entropy Centre's familiar concept is front and center from the jump. Players start off as a small cog in a massive scientific operation orbiting Earth and complete puzzles using a gun that can rewind static objects like cubes and bounce pads. Since participants have narratively convenient amnesia, players learn how to advance through context clues. Players are given a companion, an AI installed onto the gun, that offers a running corporately approved commentary on the events. As far as the story goes, there is some potential there, although it is already clear that the game is not going to deliver a narrative tour de force. Despite the spot-on cheery disposition of the AI's voicework, the writing feels lackluster. This also goes for the narrative collectibles that try to build out the world through emails that sometimes hint far too heavily at what is going on in the mystery-filled campaign. The demo is clearly exceedingly early on, so this all could change for the final release.
Stellar Reads- Ithica
From the multi-award-winning author Claire North comes a daring reimagining that breathes life into ancient myth and gives voice to the women who stand defiant in a world ruled by ruthless men. This is the story of Penelope of Ithaca, famed wife of Odysseus, as it has never been told before. Beyond Ithaca’s shores, the whims of gods dictate the wars of men. But on the isle, it is the choices of the abandoned women—and their goddesses— that will change the course of the world. The novel follows all the women who received mistreatment at the hands of Odysseus and adds far more resolution to their stories than The Odyssey offered.
