Eric Mrozek's Blog, page 14

SEAL Team Is Painfully Average.

It could have been better.

Every so often, the networks air a television show about America’s armed forces and intelligence community. While some are better than others, it is important to give the subject matter a chance because of the precarious state of our world. After all, we are still involved in a global war against terrorism. The trials and triumphs of those that are still fighting should be reflected in well-written entertainment, lest we lose sight of why we are still out there.

Unf...

The Good Doctor Is A Stunning Piece Of Art.

This show is great. Let’s find out why!

Every so often, a great story comes along and expands the potential of its medium. While the overwhelming majority of these works are original, we can’t turn a blind eye to imports that address important concepts in a compelling way. The Good Doctor may be an adaptation of a one-and-done medical drama out of South Korea, but it mixes heart, humor, and medical mysteries in a way that demands attention.

So, let’s give it some!

The Cast Is Fantastic.

What...

Marvel’s Inhumans Is A Complete And Utter Disaster.

Yes, it is that bad. You’ve been warned.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has built up quite a reputation over the past nine years. While some out there may argue about the movies and shows in the franchise, the general consensus is that they are of a reasonable quality. So naturally, the premiere of Inhumans attracted my attention. Like most sci-fi/fantasy fanboys, I was ecstatic to see a new bunch of superheroes make their mark on the genre. And given Marvel’s reputation, there seemed to be no...

Kingsman: The Golden Circle Is Goofy, Silly Fun.

What are the gentlemen up to this time?

2015’s Kingsman: The Secret Service stood in stark contrast to the grim and gritty spy flicks of the past decade. Its silly atmosphere, stylish presentation, and delightful lack of political correctness felt so refreshing that I looked forward to a potential sequel. After a two and a half year wait, Matthew Vaughn and the cast have returned in Kingsman: The Golden Circle. It’s time to leap back down the rabbit hole and see if this franchise has some leg...

The Orville Is A Love Letter To Classic Sci-Fi.

We need guns that actually look like guns!

Over the past two decades, science fiction shifted from the hopeful ideals of franchises like Star Trek to darker works like Battlestar Galactica. While this approach brought about some fresh takes on the genre, there was one glaring problem that became too difficult to ignore as time went on. The sense of fun and adventure had been sucked out of what we love to watch, read, and play!

With the start of the 2017-2018 television season, Seth MacFarlane...

5 Alternate History Scenarios That Are Extremely Plausible.

We always wonder what might have happened if things had been different. It’s a part of what makes us human.

Alternate history is arguably one of the best genres in all of popular entertainment, partly because it relies on the complexity of hard decisions and the consequences that come from them. Some of the stories out there are a mixture of the serious and silly, but others are a plausible look at how a few key decisions could have changed the world. The following five scenarios come from th...

4 Stupid Military Decisions That Are Hidden In Great Movies.

When the fail is too strong, we make statues out of it! (Alex E. Proimos)

Writers of entertaining stories often strive for a balance between realism and dramatic flair for very good reasons. A story that is wholly realistic can make it easy for the audience to suspend disbelief, but can keep the author from introducing a new and exciting twist on their genre of choice. On the other hand, a story that goes for flair over substance can be hard to take seriously if the audience knows what to loo...

Stellaris Needs A Lot Of Work.

It looks cool, but…

Paradox has made a name for itself by producing some of the finest historical grand strategy games out there. Last year, they took their formula in a new direction with the release of Stellaris, a game that is largely about space exploration and conquest. This game sounded exciting when it first arrived, but there was just one problem.

The game was so bare-bones and bug-riddled that it became a chore to play.

Luckily, circumstances have changed with the release of the “Ada...

It’s Easy To See Why People Hate Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales.

It could have been better.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales is an interesting example of how the opinion of the critics and audiences can diverge in the modern era. On one hand, the critics blew it to smithereens on . On the other, audiences have regarded this movie as a passable popcorn flick. With this in mind, it is time to take a look at the film, the state of the franchise, and why the flick sort of works until you start to think about it in any meaningful way.

And by the...

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Is A Blast, But…

Let’s Go!

A part of the joy of seeing a movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is that the viewer never quite knows what he or she will get. From the conspiratorial heights of Captain America: The Winter Soldier to the wild thrill ride of Agents of SHIELD, the team over at Marvel has shown that they know how to craft entertaining stories that anyone can enjoy, even if there are a few missteps here and there. Does Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 add to this winning streak?

Absolutely. However,...