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Some journeys are taken for desire, other journeys are taken for challenge, and then there are journeys taken out of sheer necessity. It’s these latter journeys that feature life hanging in the balance as survivors fight their way out of hells unknown to reach blessed sanctuary. It’s one of the most powerful story archetypes in cinema. Most of us can empathize with the struggles of a person (or persons) trying to find home from a foreign land, risking disaster for uncertain triumph....

A film that blends genres well can take a mediocre idea and turn it into something special. Of course, it’s exceptionally difficult to do well. Writing a story that successfully incorporates the tried-and-tested formulas of multiple genres? Well, that requires true mastery of the craft. To build on the rules of storytelling, you have to know the rules very well. For this reason, it takes a knowledgeable director to blend genres well....

True crime and murder mysteries aren’t just popular on television or as podcasts—they’re just a beloved in cinema. Nine times out of ten, the perpetrator of such a crime is a single person, like a lunatic sociopath with a troubled past. Other times, it can be a large group of people, like the Manson Family. Less commonly, the killers are a couple who work together. In movies, that could mean anything from cross-country slaughter sprees to Victorian-era barber shops....

The vast majority of people these days listen to music via streaming services, and most of them are happy with it. That said, there are still some people who prefer to own their digital music collection instead of effectively renting it. While some of these listeners use lossy formats like MP3, others prefer lossless or hi-res formats. Finding lossless music downloads is somewhat easier, but finding it in hi-res format—24-bit/192 kHz, for example—is less easy....

With the original Metroid created by Nintendo, released on the NES, and spawning an entire genre of adventure platformers, it only makes sense that this genre would flourish on the popular Nintendo Switch. What’s a Metroidvania game? Taking heavy inspiration from the Metroid and Castlevania franchises, Metroidvanias are sidescrolling platformers that encourage exploration across an open world of interconnected screens. As you explore the world, you’ll acquire new tools and gain access to new abilities that allow you to reach previously unreachable areas....

Schitt’s Creek became the new staple for modern comedy during its six-season run, as it dealt with contemporary issues (like technology addiction, LGBTQ+ acceptance, and class divide) in hilarious yet poignant ways representative of the Schitt’s Creek brand of humor. The exploits of Johnny, Moira, Alexis, David, and Stevie (who basically became a member of the Rose family along the way) were set in a world full of extreme-yet-mundane situations that always came from a place that spoke to 21st century realities....

Korean TV series (also called K-drama) have exploded in popularity over the past several years, becoming one of the most-watched TV genres in the world. The viral sensation Squid Game is just one of many. With the 21st century’s advent of online streaming, viewers around the world suddenly gained easy access to hundreds of excellent TV series that have been produced by South Korea—and people started to see for themselves just how good those TV series were....

A24 has such a particular and popular aesthetic that sometimes you might assume you’re watching an A24 film when it isn’t! Whether it’s a sensual, electric cityscape, a liberated and intimate romance, or an unsettling avant-garde horror, it can be quite the shock to find out it isn’t an A24 film. As it turns out, there are plenty of filmmakers who are also capable of making dramas in A24’s iconic, trending style....

There’s nothing quite like attending a geeky convention. There’s something special about getting together with thousands of like-minded individuals and celebrating the things you love. Whether it’s about comics, anime, video games, or general nerd culture, conventions are a great place to get together with fellow geeks and nerds and make some new friends. If you’re looking for something to do on your next vacation, or if you want to make a special trip out to get your nerd on, a major geek convention could be just what you need!...

Collecting is one of the classic nerdy pursuits, and with good reason. The actual act of collecting itself is satisfying, but it also lets you dive deep into what it is you’re collecting. Reading up on what’s a good addition to your collection compared to what isn’t worth its time could be an entire pastime in itself. When many of us think of collections, we tend to think of the expensive types like art collections or classic cars....

Back when the horror movie genre was languishing, The Conjuring came out and proved that supernatural horror can still frighten us—and surprise us—with dramatic depth and new directions. That original film centered on real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, and the horrific events of that story inspired what would become The Amityville Horror . Over the year, more of their cases have been brought to life on the big screen, and those movies are all linked together as part of The Conjuring Universe....

If you’ve ever seen a martial arts movie, you know the appeal of playing a Monk in Dungeons & Dragons campaigns. The Monk is a skilled combatant who can move around the battlefield like wind, inflicting multiple attacks on foes and darting back out before anyone knows what hit them. Unlike other classes that rely on armor and/or weapons to be useful in physical combat, the Monk turns their own fists and body into their weapons of choice so they can never be caught off guard....

In the horror world, almost anyone’s Mount Rushmore of slashers will include Jason Vorhees, Michael Myers, and of course, Freddy Krueger . The wise-talking dream-based killer brings the pain in every movie in which he appears. This is partially due to Wes Craven’s masterful writing and also because of the amazing portrait of the character by Robert Englund. In total, there have been nine movies released in the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, and we’re going to dig into all nice of them and rank them from best to worst...

The song “Nemesis” by Benjamin Clementine opens Apple TV+’s The Morning Show , and the lyrics tell us all we need to know about the series: it’s a story of betrayal, self-indulgence, and delusions of grandeur. The premise centers on the major news anchors of the USA’s most famous morning TV show, as one of them is accused by several people of sexual misconduct allegations. Starring a heavyweight principal cast, The Morning Show engulfs the audience with its actors—and as we descend its dark story, the flaws that permeate their characters get put forth for all to see....

Be not afraid, fellow anime fans! For we have obtained the divine list of animes featuring angels that’ll help you obtain salvation. Though these celestial beings are often sent to mortals as messengers and helpers to guide them towards salvation, angels aren’t always good. In fact, many of these angels are decidedly less holy than humans. Here are the best anime series featuring angels that play with the usual tropes to deliver twists, turns, and subversions....

Decay. Death. Mutilation of flesh. These are some of the primal fears that connect us together as humans—and, unsurprisingly, this fear of the grotesque has been deftly exploited in cinema. In horror, there’s a creative impulse to render the human body as somehow less than human, as violently imperfect, as dramatically unsound. That impulse reflects our fears of human mortality. And that impulse led to the creation of a very particular subgenre of horror movies called body horror ....

It took almost 25 years for Ridley Scott to release the version of Blade Runner that he wanted—one that became starkly different to the original cut of the film in a vastly superior way. Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner: The Final Cut came about in 2006, resulting in fans of the first movie marveling at the fully realized masterpiece. With it, Blade Runner went from a film bogged down by studio interference to one of the most profound sci-fi movies ever made....

There are plenty of tabletop RPGs with fantasy and science fiction settings. Dungeons & Dragons might the first—and only—tabletop RPG game that comes to mind for most, but there’s a wealth of other games and systems out there. That said, one area that’s a bit lacking when it comes to tabletop RPGs is modern settings. Since most players want to escape reality when they play RPGs, most game developers tend to focus on the fantastical....

Communities are an integral part of being human. Though we’ve become highly advanced, we’re ultimately still social primates who rely on a network of family, friends, and peers. Our need for community reflects something intrinsic to the human condition—and, needless to say, cinema knows this. There have been all kinds of films that explore the idea of community in various different ways, from comedic satires to heartfelt dramas to horrific thrillers about community gone awry....

Netflix surprised us when they began loading up their library with anime series in 2017. That provided a lot of value for geeks like me who liked anime but weren’t hardcore enough for Crunchyroll. The term Netflix Original encompasses both types: anime series that are actually produced by Netflix, as well as licensed anime series to which Netflix has exclusive streaming rights in the US. Not every Netflix Original anime series is a hit, but you’d be surprised by how many are actually pretty good....