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@TurboR56Mini is away for the weekend and has the car. So, I'm homebound and stuck downstairs away from my computer and PlayStation. Usually this means I bake and cook a bunch of delicious stuff, but I spent all Thursday and Friday baking things for his trip. Movie marathon weekend it is! I'd go out with friends, but that involves effort. This weekend will be dedicated to watching the live-action Rurouni Kenshin movies series. I read the manga and watched most of the anime when it was originally out. Since my mind is trash, I barely remember much except how much I enjoyed the series and the emotional depth it had. First up (and literally just finished about 10 minutes ago), starting with Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning. Yes, I am thoroughly aware this is the final movie in the series, but it's also the first one in the timeline. But, when you read or watch the manga/anime, you do wonder why and how the protagonist refuses to kill and fights with the blunt edge. I loved being able to start right from the beginning (well, almost. It doesn't get into how he became such a great swordsman). Can I just say that I'm in complete awe of the actors? The speed of the fight scenes is incredible. And, no stunt doubles as the director wanted authenticity. I was curious to see if the actors were actually moving that fast, and yup, they were. The behind the scenes practice sessions are just as crazy fast. Takeru Satoh, the actor who plays the lead character of Kenshin, even stated that if he was ever not able to do any of the moves or stunts then he wouldn't take the role. Manga, like comic books, tend to not be realistic. So translating it to the screen is always tricky. I mean, I love Attack on Titan, but its live action looks terrible. Rurouni Kenshin succeeds where others have failed. And, I think some of it has to do with the overall realism of the story. It touches on the politics/revolution of the time and the weight of war. It doesn't sugar-coat much of anything. The movie itself is well-done. If you're okay with subtitles, I would suggest watching it with subtitles even though it is offered with English dub. I'm not going to give away much of anything about the plot or background. You can look it up. But, if you loved the Ghost of Tsushima game, any anime, or anything about Japanese history, the movie is good to watch if you have time. I have always considered Japanese storytelling to be decades ahead of where American Hollywood is/was. The fact that this story is almost 30 years old is a testament to Japanese arts.

No beta date yet, but some more info around specialists

We have a 75" TV in the living room (where @TurboR56Mini plays as it is our main TV room). A nice surround sound system (Kef) that was gifted to us but is probably on its last legs (I think the system is 20+ years old now). Hoping to upgrade to a at least a 85" TV next year to make it even more of a movie theater in the house! 😄

I have only so much time to watch and read stuff, so I tend to only end up watching things that are "the best of the best". Rurouni Kenshin ended up being one of them. It's also called Samurai X. I think it's a really good period piece with some slight fantastical stuff in it.

I've not read the book so I can only go by the screen, and R:P1 was excellent with enough pop culture references in it to bridge many a generation. I thoroughly enjoyed it. As for Free Guy, this is a cinema job. You want as much special effects and sound as you can get for this one, trust me.

Ooohh... I want to see this movie. It looks funny... and I'm hoping most people here know what "Free Guy" stands for lol. As for pushing Ready Player One off its perch, I don't think that was too difficult, eh? Perhaps, I just wanted more from it. I wanted to see more of the gritty part of the book about people getting killed and the torture when Watts gets captured. Loved all the references though. Once Free Guy is available for streaming, totally going to watch it!

Free Guy. This film is a love letter to gamers. It's the first gaming related film which has punted Ready: Player One off its perch. It's hands down one of the best films I've seen in ages, the way they pulled off some of the most difficult challenges in this kind of setting was unparalleled. If you're a gamer and know all the references, it's even better. It has fucktonnes of little cameos which take it to a higher level too, as well as portraying the bad guy extremely well, whilst also covering some other hot topics in the gaming world. I'd go watch it again tomorrow. Go see it, trust me. It's worth every penny.

This should be do-able. Not sure I'll buy a ticket though, as I've got form for staying in the pub 🍻😅

A fairly reliable source says the beta will land on the 22nd this month which kinda sounds about right.