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Venom: Let There Be Carnage
If you are looking for a low key date outing and an easy Friday night, you should go and check out Venom: Let There Be Carnage. Like all recent Marvel related movies, Venom has great CGI and action. The plot might be a little confusing for those who have yet to see the first movie, so go check that out first. The movie follows the continued adventures of Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) and the alien symbiote Venom as they figure out living together and battling the titular Carnage. The movie jumps genres, mixing action and horror with some great body comedy. Frankly, its more of a buddy comedy movie with an Alien serial killer in the background then it is a superhero movie. The movie is a fun thrill ride that ultimately falls flat, as its short run time focuses more on setting up two sequel movies then delivering a fleshed-out story. Despite that shortcoming, I definitely had some great laughs and saw some very cool CGI. Ultimately, the best way to describe this movie is fun, but rushed. Weird, considering we waited four years for this sequel. —Jonah van Driesum
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Ghost of Tsushima
I am rarely willing to drop $80 on a game, but I just did it to buy Ghost of Tsushima: Directors Cut on the PS4. In this game, you experience the Mongol Invasion of Japan through the eyes of a lone samurai. You have a large and beautifully detailed island of Japan to explore at your leisure, uncovering a conspiracy surrounding the invasion and balancing the ethics of fighting a guerilla war. The combat system is the deepest sword fighting system I have used, but it is expertly balanced by simple combos and easy to use buttons. Everything about Ghost of Tsushima focuses on this simplicity. Unlike many games, there is not a large-scale HUD to help you navigate. You can pull up a map that shows you your objective, but once in the game, you have to go on visual cues. To find your objective you follow the direction of the wind. To find secret items you spot foxes and birds and follow them. Despite a dramatic background, the story is deeply personal and the use of colour gives the feudal Japanese setting not just a historical sense but also a mystical vibe that makes your characters' otherworldly skill feel all the more real.
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All of these elements make you feel like a badass and keep you fully immersed in this world. The last time I had a new favorite video game was in 2015. This may be the new winner.
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—Jonah van Driesum
