I played the original American McGee’s Alice back in the early 2000s when I was easily impressed by just about any 3-D game. It was probably a $5 bargain-bin CD-ROM from CompUSA, and I managed to finish it even though it was pretty bad.

This sequel is definitely much slicker looking, but beneath the goth-girl art direction it’s still a fairly uninspired platform game. The biggest problem is straightforward and boring level design. For example, you are given the ability to shrink down, but you never use this ability for anything except walking into secret keyhole rooms. This is the sort of mechanism that a Mario game would build an entire world around.

And then there’s the combat, which consists of locking on to a target and mashing the left mouse button. Half the time the camera is positioned in such a way that you can’t see what you are doing anyway. There are a couple of larger enemies that offer a little skill-based battling, but most of the time combat is just an annoyance.

The game really wants you to care about its story, but it’s just an incoherent, mumbled mess of found “memories” and illustrated cut scenes. In the end, the whole affair feels like a Psychonauts rip-off, and, in hindsight, that game wasn’t really that great either.

With this I have finally finished reading all the Mysteries of the Unknown books in my collection. This one seemed to have a good balance between skepticism, history, and strange phenomena. it also has one of the better covers in the series.

Do you long for the iron-fisted rule of Napoleon? Do you seek glory in battle? Have you memorized the Latin Bible? Then you too will root for our protagonist Julien as he tries to gain glory and status in a world without heroes. That description of the plot sounds a bit more exciting than the book really is, but it does represent the general themes of the story. Although there is dueling and a sprinkling of political intrigue, ninety percent of the book is Julien seducing women of society as a means to his ends. The novel is a little too long for my tastes but it managed to keep this pulp novel loving idiot engaged through all the mushy lovey-dovey bits.

A short Russian novella that details the final days of seven criminals who have been condemned to death. Most of the seven are from a group of terrorists who plotted to kill a minister. I guess we are supposed to sympathize with them but they all sound like brainwashed zealots to me. The point of the whole endeavor is probably to make a statement against capital punishment. Being as this book is over one hundred years old, I’d say, “Mission Accomplished?”

It’s the best movie about a cat since Milo and Otis and I’m pretty sure fewer animals were killed during the filming.

A famous modern artist is obsessed with an old Italian villa and the previous resident who died tragically. He spends much of his time brooding, then doing weird/dumb 60s cinematic artist stuff. Did all filmmakers in the 60s think artists would just have scantily clad models roll around in paint? Anyhow, it becomes a psychological drama/semi-horror film in the final act and, knowing the director, there is probably some sort of gobbledygook message about the working class and oppression. I liked it because it was goofy.

It was a little better than Project Hail Mary. Hurrah!

Here’s a silly little Web app that I had Claude.ai generate for me that will allow you to map out relationship names between family members and yourself. It arouse out of a discussion of what to call a grandparent’s brother’s grandchild. This app will clarify the whole first/second cousin once/twice removed thing and will allow you to family reunionize like a pro.

Goofy Woody Allen is better than serious Woody Allen by a long shot. A parody of Russian literature is not the most ripe area for comedy but he manages insert a joke every minute or so. In hindsight, Allen’s real-life persona just makes his on-screen character come across as a perverted creep rather than a lovable loser.

The bicycle chase and clock tower scenes are some of Jackie Chan’s most well known set pieces. The rest of the movie is boring, unfunny, and barely watchable.

I was entertained by this despite its overly long runtime and kid-friendly tone. Basically an “escape room” movie where characters have to puzzle their way out of a tough situation. Too much karaoke and too many flashbacks for my tastes.

My memory of Super Troopers was that it was primary a drug humor movie with a couple memorable gags. The dream sequence opening of this sequel did nothing to dispel my memories. It was more unfunny drug humor that assumes I remembered all the crazy characters and their past antics. And then, once back to reality, something happened. Instead of being all weed references it became a non-stop hour-and-a-half of goofing on Canada and Canadians. With that I was all in and thoroughly enjoyed every “sooh-rey” and “aboot.”

More of the same spazzy gun and sword fighting that was the hallmark of the previous game. But this one feels less expansive and much more linear. Not much to say other than if you like Shadow Warrior 1 & 2 you will enjoy this. I did.

Marty, a hotel detective who suffers from diarrhea attacks thinks he’s got only a few days to live but then his eager wannabe cop son uncovers a big crime leading to his hospitalization. Marty has given up on life but feels compelled to solve the case. He’s racist and unlikable but the noir atmosphere is dense and entertaining.

The first part of this one feels like a classic giallo with a woman being stalked and eventually attacked by a mysterious man. Then Charles Bronson shows up to manhandle his way to catching the attacker. He’s basically playing the same character as he does in Once Upon a Time in the West where he borderline roughs up a woman for her own good. I liked it but I wish it kept the tone of that first part.