Firestarter (1984)
Ever had a thought burned into your brain?
The Cold Open
I think I am Marvel’d out.
I say this as I make plans to see Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness next weekend and of course I am going to watch Thor: Love and Thunder as well, but I have no huge drive to see Doctor Strange. I have no real drive to finish The Falcon and The Winter Soldier either. I believe a part of this burnout is the pacing at which the shows came out at coupled with the following movies not having a unifying arc to build towards.
The last 10 years of movies built up to an exciting, incredible culmination in Avengers: Endgame. Ten years we spent watching these characters on screen. And most of that cast is done, at least the pillars of Iron Man and Captain America. I would expect Thor to be over after this upcoming film, if they haven’t already announced that plan. I think what is lacking now is a new cast. It feels like Marvel thinks they have to keep building the existing universe and reference previous events instead of building out a new one and I think that is what I don’t like. I don’t like new characters coming in and expecting to be entitled to my attention because I am a Marvel fan.
It’s weird and hard to explain or maybe I am explaining it poorly. It just… The new stuff doesn’t feel earned the same way. I almost wish they had slowed down and taken a break or staggered releases better, even though that makes ZERO business sense and let’s all remember that all of this is business and none of it is fan service. It might business disguised as fan service but that’s the closest we’ll get.
Whatever it is, I feel myself becoming tired of Marvel properties, except for Spider-Man and even then I think I am the only person who didn’t LOVE No Way Home. I don’t think there is a solution for me - I think I just need a break personally and maybe I will come back and fall in love with it all over again. Time will hopefully tell.
What I Am Watching
Game Changer is still my new favorite thing to watch. They did an entire episode that was an improvised musical and while you might think “That sounds bad” it was very much the opposite. I loved it and it was better than most musicals I have seen. I think a factor that really shines with this show is this: the contestants absolutely have no idea what the game will be and the host knows what the rules are but has no idea how the contestants will interpret or discover the rules. This leads to incredibly real moments of joy and laughter due to it being so wildly unscripted. It brings an authenticity to what you are watching and it’s very refreshing.
Martyrs (2015) is the American take on the original film and boy was it disappointing. I can see why I didn’t even know about it - I think everyone involved wants to forget it exists. It was bad. Like… Ughhh. Just bad. I can’t even get into it. Don’t watch it.
What I Am Playing - Tales From The Ring
The Dung Eater is an NPC and potential enemy in Elden Ring. He is intimidating and off-putting because he spouts insane nonsense about needing to kill and defile corpses. He is scary and I love it. Just a weird character with a definite horror sort of bend to him.
He first appears in the Roundtable Hold, a sort of safe space/hub with NPC’s and merchants, sitting cross-legged in a room that was previously closed. Another NPC says she can hear the sounds of all the souls he has tormented and defiled… Absolutely creepy as fuck. He speaks to you and then basically implies that were it not for the agreement of the Roundtable Hold being a peaceful space for all, he would murder everyone in there starting with you.
Upon further exploring the world and coming across a corpse with a Seedbed Curse item, basically a tumorous growth left behind on a corpse that has been defiled by the Dung Eater. Speaking to him again triggers his quest, in which he seeks to be released from his prison in the sewers below the capital city.
Currently I am working on his quest. I don’t know how it ends but I do know that depending on what you do with him, it can alter the ending of the game. I also know I am coming up on a point in his quest where I either decide to kill him or continue to help him. I think, despite him seeming to be an absolute monster, I will help him because of all the characters I’ve met so far and all the horrible bosses I’ve slayed, he’s the only one that is openly honest about how terrible he is and I really appreciate that on a molecular level.
Also check out this dope artwork Hyam Cacerez made for the game!
The Trailer
The Movie
Firestarter (1984) tells the story of Andrew and Charlie McGee, a father/daughter pair who have unique abilities most humans do not possess. Andy participated in a medical trial put on by a shadowy arm of the government called The Shop. In this trial, he met Vicky and they fell in love. The trial went awry but it gave Andy and Vicki telepathic powers and together they went on the run and eventually had a little girl named Charlie, who gained the power of pyrokinesis.
Blissful family life could only last for so long - The Shop tracks them down and murders Vicki and attempts to take Charlie before Andy intervenes. Now on the run and trying desperately to get their story out so the people form The Shop will be held accountable for their actions - will they ever be safe enough to live in peace?
My Thoughts and Feelings
I really enjoyed this movie. This is my first time seeing it and I wanted to watch the original before diving into the remake that just released.
Martin Sheen as Captain Hollister and George C. Scott as the creepy John Rainbird are the standout performances for me, aside from the lovely Drew Barrymore in what had to be her breakout performance as Charlie McGee.
Elevator Pitch
A little girl can set fire to things with her mind and the government wants to exploit that.
End Credits
Have you seen this movie? What are your thoughts? Feel free to chime in. Or answer the question/prompt in the stinger below!
Just hit reply and let’s have a conversation!
Stinger
What’s something you wish you could do with your mind?