Author: Heath Andrews

It was back in the winter of 2004 when Konami released one of the most revered video games of all time, “Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater.” At the time, “Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty” was not seen as the post-modern classic that it is today. That game took a good decade or so to be reassessed, but “Snake Eater,” that became an instant classic. In some ways it’s hard to believe that was nearly 20 years ago, especially given the game’s intricacies in storytelling and gameplay. But the game industry has advanced significantly in two decades and…

Ah yes, the Stephen King adaptation. There are few things with so much potential to be brilliant…or awful. For every “The Shining” and “The Shawshank Redemption” success, there’s a “Firestarter” or “The Langoliers.” One director who has broken that trend has been Mike Flanagan. In between doing series like “The Haunting of Hill House” and “Midnight Mass,” he’s delivered very strong film adaptations of King’s “Gerald’s Game” and “Doctor Sleep.” Well, Flanagan is gonna take on “The Life of Chuck,” and has made some pretty strong casting choices. The titular Chuck has his story told in reverse, starting with his…

For a series called “Mission: Impossible” the characters sure do seem to make things possible. The film franchise starring Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt has been a consistent box-office winner for almost 30 years now, dating back to the first movie in 1996. The latest installment, “Dead Reckoning – Part 1” dropped in July of this year to critical acclaim but a surprisingly weak box office. That journey was supposed to continue in June of 2024, but those plans just became too impossible for even Ethan Hunt to resolve. This is not the first time, nor will it be the…

The underwater world is a vast and terrifying one. Well, it’s terrifying if you’re scared of the unknown, the watery depths, pitch darkness, and fish that look like a cross-over between Pokémon and “Resident Evil.” There’s a lot about oceans we don’t know, thanks in large part to the tremendous amount of pressure that water exerts the deeper you dive. So when something from those depths wash ashore, it’s something to take note of. Such is the case of what was found on a California beach on Friday the 13th. The Pacific footballfish is a type of anglerfish, largely recognizable…

Back in 2021, we put together a list of 10 outside the box songs that you could add to your Halloween playlist. Everyone knows Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” or Bobby Pickett’s “Monster Mash.” Then there’s other standards like the theme from the movie “Halloween” or Blue Oyster Cult’s “Don’t Fear the Reaper.” But we went outside the norm to really mix things up and we’re going to do it for you again this year. So turn down the lights, and brace yourself for some more foreboding melodies! Interpol – “Evil” In 2004 American indie rock band, Interpol released their second album,…

There have been many elements of what has historically been labeled as nerd culture that have been seeping into the mainstream lately. Dungeons & Dragons has become far more accepted as a social gaming experience compared to 10 or 20 years ago. Similarly, collectible card game Magic: The Gathering has seen its popularity spread more into the mainstream. In fact, it’s reached what could be considered by some to be a critical mass, as it’s about to launch a multiverse crossover with Marvel Comics. Wizards of the Coast revealed a “years in the making” partnership with Marvel. While details are…

They don’t call Wisconsin the “cheese state” for nothing. While the midwestern state has long been famous for the milk-based product, it can now add another cheesed based accolade to its list. Two brothers set out to break a 23-year old record for creating the largest grilled cheese sandwich, and on October 21st, they accomplished just that. To be perfectly fair though, this was not just the work of two people. The aforementioned brothers, Iggy and Exodus Chaudhry are only 10 and 11 years old respectively. So regardless of how talented they may be in the kitchen, they’re not going…

If time has taught us anything it’s to never underestimate the popularity of Pokémon. Since the franchise went international in 1998, there has seldom been a lull in popularity or demand. Whether it’s the games, anime, or other merchandise, there’s always something people want their hands on. Like the trading cards, for example. Such is the case with a limited edition Pokémon card that was being distributed by the Van Gogh Museum in the Netherlands. On September 28th, the museum opened a special exhibit discussing the connection between Vincent Van Gogh and how he was inspired by Japanese art and…

As streaming platforms and broadcast networks continue to combat each other for ratings, you’d think that developing a breakout success would be a good thing. That’s what a lot of people, viewers and critics alike, thought about Jon Stewart and his fittingly named program, “The Problem With Jon Stewart.” The former host of “The Daily Show” wrapped up the second season of his weekly program on Apple TV+ in a much stronger position than he did in season one. With that kind of momentum, surely a third season would be good to go, right? While it’s unclear which caused which,…

Remember the Island of Misfit Toys from the Rudolph Christmas special? That land where the toys nobody wanted wound up? Well who would’ve thought that things like Transformers, a pogo stick, an My Little Pony could wind up in the Hall of Fame equivalent of that? Well every year since 1998, a select number of toys have been nominated and selected for induction into the National Toy Hall of Fame in Rochester, NY. Not every toy makes the cut though and a few of them, including the ones mentioned above, keep missing out on entry. But now, you can change…