Review: Monster Hunter: Legends of the Guild Is Fun for New and Old Fans

Review: Monster Hunter: Legends of the Guild Is Fun for New and Old Fans

I begin this review with a couple of disclaimers. First, I have only come into the world of Monster Hunter with Monster Hunter World. Secondly, I tricked my teen—who has only watched me play MHW a couple of times—into watching Monster Hunter: Legends of the Guild with me so that I can share his expert opinions. I’d like to think that our level of experience with the games helps us to bridge the gap between veteran gaming fans and newcomers who may have only discovered it while perusing Netflix to add more shows to their watch lists. The latter may find it to be a passable adventure, though somewhat lacking in depth overall. The former may feel the same but at least find some affinity with the nuggets of lore and game references, which the movie manages to incorporate with reasonable success. (more…)

Borderlands: The Movie (Or, My Plea to 2K)

Picture it: a soft instrumental in the background, a train rolling across the screen. The desert rolls behind it, the sunshine glinting off the heavy metal. It’s serene, a peaceful picture.

Then a dog-reptile hybrid gets run over by the train, and the track by The Heavy picks up. (more…)

The Pregnant Belly: A Narrative Prison for Mother and Child

The Pregnant Belly: A Narrative Prison for Mother and Child

I’ve been pregnant twice. I won’t say I loved being pregnant. There were definitely down sides to the reproductive process, though compared to some my pregnancies were relatively easy. I do not say that to brag. Pregnancy is a frightening thing. A dangerous thing. According to the World Health Organization, approximately 800 women die daily from pregnancy or birth-related issues, the majority in developing countries. Many of these deaths could be prevented if those women had access to the care and technology we do in first world countries. Still, women here can suffer through pregnancy and childbirth in many ways when their bodies betray them due to new or pre-existing conditions. When I say my pregnancies were easy, I say it with the deep understanding of how fortunate I have been, and with the humble acknowledgement of the strength of those women for whom the process is not easy at all. And who, in spite of their difficulties, are willing to do it again.

(more…)