WEB SERIES: Fallout: Nuka Break – Red Star

Fallout: Nuka Break – Red Star (2013) – Somewhat darker than the original series, it incorporates some of the games’ more fantastical creatures with reasonable success (the stubby-armed super mutant aside); the Ranger/Lilly scenes drag on, but it’s engaging otherwise, and respectably well made. 6

The Gamers: Hands of Fate

The Gamers: Hands of Fate (2013) – The charm of Dorkness Rising lay in its skillful in-game/out-of-game balance, and that’s absent here: the dull in-game narrative doesn’t connect with the rest of the film (CCGs seem to lend themselves less well to this sort of thing); it certainly has its moments, but it’s not that funny, it chooses the cheesy path every chance it gets, it has too many unnecessary scenes, the love interest is completely annoying, and the film’s subplots are painful (the way it makes light of real-world psychosis is jarringly inappropriate). 5

The Last Samurai

The Last Samurai (2003) – This is a thoroughly gorgeous film, but one that’s severely romanticized and not without its share of cliché; Cruise is fair and the Japanese cast is fantastic, but the movie never escapes the long shadow of Shogun, particularly with the Japan-for-Dummies first hour. 6

WEB SERIES: JourneyQuest – Season Two

JourneyQuest (Season Two, 2012) – There’s a lot of padding, and it’s a bit of a slog, plus it trots out the same few belabored jokes over and over, but the production values are noticeably better and it makes a real attempt at some serious storytelling; there are some interesting story elements here trying to get out (Carrow’s arc is a highlight), although there’s at least one too many subplots, and it actually works better when it’s not trying to be a comedy; in any case, it gets going toward the end to the extent that I’d definitely check out a third season. 6

The Hidden Fortress

The Hidden Fortress (1958) – This is lighter fare than we usually get from Kurosawa, and while the first hour is kind of slow, Mifune (as we all know) is the best, and this is a quality (if antics-driven) adventure film with a little bit of epic spear fighting (oh, and Star Wars and blah blah blah). 7

WEB SERIES: JourneyQuest – Season One

JourneyQuest (Season One, 2010) – The production values are respectable and it’s completely watchable (the sword is a pretty good character), but although it’s quite silly, the jokes aren’t so hot—some are really dumb, actually (although everybody involved seems to be having a good time); the fact that it’s trying to eke more mileage out of a Rincewind stand-in plus how padded out it is means that by the last two episodes, it’s become rather tiresome. 5