Games On Film

Games on Film is back! Harry and Rory return from hibernation over the winter break and look ahead to coming attractions this year. But first, there's a quick recap of highlights from 2021 and a few films and shows we missed. Then, we wildly speculate on forthcoming video game movies, including Illumination's Super Mario, the Sonic sequel and an intriguing take on Tetris. On the small screen, highly anticipated adaptations of The Last of Us and Halo are due, with Shenmue and Cuphead animations too. And there's also time to talk about new games based on old properties, such as Evil Dead, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Starship Troopers. Visit our Website: gamesonfilm.wixsite.com/podcast Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/GamesOnFilmPod/ Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/GamesOnFilmPod/ Music by David Lightfoot www.davidlightfootmusic.com

The Resident Evil reboot has arrived in cinemas, so Harry and Rory make their umpteenth trip to Raccoon City, this time with the promise of a more faithful and horrifying adaptation than the six live-action movies that have come before. Returning to the first two games via their more recent remakes, it's up to Claire, Chris, Jill, and Leon to uncover Umbrella's plans, survive a viral outbreak and escape the city. But does this franchise rewind provide the warm welcome fans have long hoped for? This podcast contains SPOILERS for Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City (2021), from 45:02. Visit our Website: gamesonfilm.wixsite.com/podcast Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/GamesOnFilmPod/ Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/GamesOnFilmPod/ Music by David Lightfoot www.davidlightfootmusic.com

The Ryu and Ken of podcasting, Harry and Rory, take to the streets once again, this time for the animated adaptation of Street Fighter II! The iconic video game characters battle around the globe under the watchful eyes of an army of cyborg soldiers in the employ of the villainous M. Bison, who plans to brainwash the ultimate world warrior to join his ranks. But just because it skews closer to the source material, is it any better than the live-action movie? This podcast contains SPOILERS for Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie (1994), from 12:20. Visit our Website: gamesonfilm.wixsite.com/podcast Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/GamesOnFilmPod/ Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/GamesOnFilmPod/ Music by David Lightfoot www.davidlightfootmusic.com

It's (bullet) time for Harry and Rory to take on Max Payne in an explosive episode of the podcast! First, they revisit the original video game and discuss whether it's mix of gritty hard-boiled noir and slo-mo gun-blazing action holds up 20 years later. Then, in the feature film, Mark Wahlberg stars as the titular cop who can't be stopped, shaking down crooks and shooting up thugs to find the killer of his wife and child. On his quest for revenge he uncovers a corporate cover-up, Norse narcotics, and apocalyptic hallucinations. But is there any pleasure to be derived from Max Payne? This podcast contains SPOILERS for Max Payne (2008), from 37:04. Visit our Website: gamesonfilm.wixsite.com/podcast Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/GamesOnFilmPod/ Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/GamesOnFilmPod/ Music by David Lightfoot www.davidlightfootmusic.com

Spooky season continues, so Harry and Rory "prepare for a 3D ride through Hell" (minus the third dimension) as they make a return visit to Silent Hill, this time for a Revelation! Nightmares and visions plague teenager Heather Mason as she finds herself drawn towards the titular ghost town. And when her father gets kidnapped and taken there, she heads to Silent Hill to find him, as well as the truth about her past. Along the way, she encounters mannequin monsters, Malcolm McDowell, and our old friend Pyramid Head. But will father and daughter make it out of Silent Hill alive? Only if Harry is able to retrieve the DVD box from somewhere in his living room! This podcast contains SPOILERS for Silent Hill: Revelation (2012), from 28:18. Visit our Website: gamesonfilm.wixsite.com/podcast Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/GamesOnFilmPod/ Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/GamesOnFilmPod/ Music by David Lightfoot www.davidlightfootmusic.com

To mark the spookiest time of the year, Harry and Rory launch a mini season of scary movies with a Dead Space double-bill! Following the recent remake reveal, they look back at the original sci-fi survival-horror game, its sequels and spin-offs, and how the immersive gameplay, audio and visuals hold up over a decade later. Then onto the two animated movie tie-ins: prequel Downfall, depicting the events prior to the first instalment, and Aftermath, linking the first two games. As they dig into the themes and influences amid the violence and viscera, are these films essential expansions to the universe or best left in stasis? This podcast contains SPOILERS for Dead Space: Downfall (2008) and Dead Space: Aftermath (2011), from 1:06:30. Visit our Website: gamesonfilm.wixsite.com/podcast Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/GamesOnFilmPod/ Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/GamesOnFilmPod/ Music by David Lightfoot www.davidlightfootmusic.com

The name's Bond, Games Bond. As No Time To Die finally arrives in cinemas, Harry and Rory chart the long and varied history of 007's video game adventures. From the early pixel platformers of the Moore and Dalton eras to the first-person shooters of Craig's Bond, taking in Brosnan's original video game missions and Connery returning to the iconic role for From Russia With Love along the way. Is it true that nobody does it better than N64 classic GoldenEye 007? And which games got Bond wrong? Plus, speculation on IO Interactive's forthcoming Project 007 and a look at James Bond's big screen video game and VR encounters. Visit our Website: gamesonfilm.wixsite.com/podcast Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/GamesOnFilmPod/ Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/GamesOnFilmPod/ Music by David Lightfoot www.davidlightfootmusic.com

Paul W. S. Anderson and Milla Jovovich return with another take on a Capcom franchise. This time, Harry and Rory are joined by creator of DeadEndia (and their brother) Hamish Steele on their quest to take down the Monster Hunter movie, as a squad of soliders are transported to another world. Along the way they encounter fire-breathing beasts, giant enemy crab-spiders, a feline chef, and whatever Ron Perlman's wig is supposed to be. They also talk about their playtime with various iterations of the game series, as well as a brief look at animated adventure Legends of the Guild. But how does Anderson's adaptation rank against his past video game movies? This podcast contains SPOILERS for Monster Hunter (2020), from 48:20. Visit our Website: gamesonfilm.wixsite.com/podcast Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/GamesOnFilmPod/ Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/GamesOnFilmPod/ Music by David Lightfoot www.davidlightfootmusic.com

Harry and Rory return to the cinema for Free Guy, starring Ryan Reynolds as Guy, a background character in popular video game Free City, who discovers the world as he knows it is in fact a violent virtual playground. As he breaks out of his daily routine, he starts to bend the rules and become a hero, but when his actions draw attention in the real world, it's only a matter of time before the plug is pulled on Guy, Free City and all its digital citizens. Our hosts discuss AI, IPs and NPCs, as the film grapples with mainstream modern gaming, dabbles in existentialism, and stuffs the screen with nods, winks and cameos. But can Free Guy be enjoyed by gamers and non-gamers alike? This podcast contains SPOILERS for Free Guy (2021), from 33:40. Visit our Website: gamesonfilm.wixsite.com/podcast Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/GamesOnFilmPod/ Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/GamesOnFilmPod/ Music by David Lightfoot www.davidlightfootmusic.com

Infinite Darkness? Our old friend, Resident Evil's on the podcast again! Because a new CG series is streaming, with RE2's Leon and Claire reteaming...to defeat zombies in the White House, mutant rats in a submarine, and a big bad bioweapon in a secret underground facility of course! Harry and Rory try to untangle the Netflix original anime's four episodes, featuring political intrigue, government conspiracies and a little place called Penamstan. But is RE:ID strictly for the fans, or does it have more to say? This podcast contains SPOILERS for Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness (2021), from 33:48. Visit our Website: gamesonfilm.wixsite.com/podcast Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/GamesOnFilmPod/ Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/GamesOnFilmPod/ Music by David Lightfoot www.davidlightfootmusic.com

Things get hairy and scary for Harry and Rory with this 'whodunnit with teeth', an adaptation of the VR social deduction multiplayer game. Forest ranger Finn (Sam Richardson) moves to a small snowbound town, but when a corpse shows up and a dog gets snatched, it's soon clear that there's more than a new pipeline and an incoming storm for the locals to worry about. As accusations fly amongst the eccentric residents, who or what could be responsible? Our hosts fling around their own thoughts and feelings on the film and werewolf logic and lore, but did they take a lycan to Werewolves Within? This podcast contains SPOILERS for Werewolves Within (2021), from 33:15. Visit our Website: gamesonfilm.wixsite.com/podcast Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/GamesOnFilmPod/ Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/GamesOnFilmPod/ Music by David Lightfoot www.davidlightfootmusic.com

With the release of The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles, Harry and Rory are joined by translator Anthony Figueroa to discuss the trials and tribulations of localisation, before cross-examining the live-action adaptation of the first Phoenix Wright game aka Gyakuten Saiban, from director Takashi Miike. Does the movie do justice to the courtroom comedy and drama of the games? Or is an 'OBJECTION!' called for? This podcast contains SPOILERS for Ace Attorney (2012). Visit our Website: gamesonfilm.wixsite.com/podcast Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/GamesOnFilmPod/ Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/GamesOnFilmPod/ Music by David Lightfoot www.davidlightfootmusic.com

It's 40 years since Donkey Kong made its debut, so Harry and Rory mark the anniversary of the iconic arcade classic with the first documentary to feature on the podcast. Join them as they enter the murky world of competitive retro gaming, pitting hot sauce salesman and world record holder Billy Mitchell against newcomer Steve Wiebe to determine who is the King of Kong. Expect controversies, conspiracies, and Twin Galaxies, but is truth really stranger - or funnier - than fiction? Plus, an update on the ongoing saga since the film's release. This podcast contains SPOILERS for The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters (2007). Visit our Website: gamesonfilm.wixsite.com/podcast Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/GamesOnFilmPod/ Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/GamesOnFilmPod/ Music by David Lightfoot www.davidlightfootmusic.com

Harry and Rory go ballistic watching infamous action flick Ecks vs. Sever, pitting Antonio Banderas and Lucy Liu against each other in the worst reviewed film in the history of Rotten Tomatoes. But how did such a poorly-received box-office bomb spawn two critically-acclaimed first-person-shooters on the Game Boy Advance, the first of which was released a year before the film itself even debuted? Find out more on this grenade-launching, nanobot-smuggling, backstory-baffling episode! This podcast contains SPOILERS for Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever (2002). Visit our Website: gamesonfilm.wixsite.com/podcast Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/GamesOnFilmPod/ Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/GamesOnFilmPod/ Music by David Lightfoot www.davidlightfootmusic.com

Harry and Rory dial in to an 80s cold war classic for an episode of WarGames on Film. High school hacker Matthew Broderick unwittingly kickstarts potential nuclear armageddon when a game of Global Thermonuclear War with a super-computer turns out to be more than just a simulation. Our hosts discuss the film's mix of teen shenanigans and apocalyptic dread, plus its more recent spin-offs, the prominent role it plays in novel Ready Player One, and other 1983 blockbuster Superman III. This podcast contains SPOILERS for WarGames (1983). Visit our Website: gamesonfilm.wixsite.com/podcast Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/GamesOnFilmPod/ Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/GamesOnFilmPod/ Music by David Lightfoot www.davidlightfootmusic.com

Harry and Rory make their return to the world of Castlevania to see what's up in Wallachia in seasons three and four of the Netflix series. New threats emerge, old foes reappear, and a bunch of familiar thesps, including Bill Nighy, Jason Isaacs and Malcolm McDowell, join the cast. But as our heroes Trevor, Sypha and Alucard reach what may be the end of their story, will (bloody) tears be shed? This podcast contains SPOILERS for Castlevania Seasons One to Four (2017 - 2021). Visit our Website: gamesonfilm.wixsite.com/podcast Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/GamesOnFilmPod/ Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/GamesOnFilmPod/ Music by David Lightfoot www.davidlightfootmusic.com

It has begun...again! The long-awaited reboot of Mortal Kombat arrives, bringing with it the promise of more fatalities and gore than ever before. Fresh face Cole Young discovers he has been chosen to defend Earthrealm against the forces of Outworld, with fan favourite fighters on both sides, and the centuries-old rivalry between Scorpion and Sub-Zero at its centre. But how will the film itself fare against past adaptations and current iterations of the game series? Plus, a look at official (and unofficial) spin-offs in the Games on Film Book Club! This podcast contains SPOILERS for Mortal Kombat (2021). Visit our Website: gamesonfilm.wixsite.com/podcast Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/GamesOnFilmPod/ Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/GamesOnFilmPod/

It's the end of an era, as Harry and Rory reach the sixth and final film in the Paul W. S. Anderson / Milla Jovovich survival horror series. Recaps, revelations and retcons abound as Alice returns to Raccoon City to stop Umbrella once and for all. The truth behind her past, the Red Queen and the T-virus outbreak will all become clear - sort of - but will she be in time to save humanity's last remaining survivors? Plus, our hosts reveal their final Resident Evil movie rankings! This podcast contains SPOILERS for Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (2016). Visit our Website: gamesonfilm.wixsite.com/podcast Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/GamesOnFilmPod/ Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/GamesOnFilmPod/

Harry and Rory count down to the launch of Mass Effect: Legendary Edition by watching and discussing an animated chapter of the epic saga. But first, Harry details his own experiences playing through the original trilogy, as well as the controversy surrounding the third game's ending and its legacy. Then it's on to Paragon Lost, as Freddie Prinze Jr's space marine leads a squadron into a do or die mission against alien foes - but difficult choices lie ahead. Will he make the right decision when the moment comes, and will the film be better or worse for it? This podcast contains SPOILERS for the Mass Effect trilogy and Mass Effect: Paragon Lost (2012). Visit our Website: gamesonfilm.wixsite.com/podcast Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/GamesOnFilmPod/ Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/GamesOnFilmPod/

The witching hour (and a half) is upon Harry and Rory, as they watch and discuss the anime adaptation of the first Bayonetta video game. Rory shares his experiences getting to grips with the beloved hack-and-slash-em-up, before they examine whether the story and action translate successfully to feature film form. The titular witch has magical hair and guns on her heels, though when she finds herself at the centre of a war being waged between demons and angels, the fate of all existence rests on our shoulders. But is Bayonetta: Bloody Fate bloody good or bloody awful? This podcast contains SPOILERS for Bayonetta: Bloody Fate (2013). Visit our Website: gamesonfilm.wixsite.com/podcast Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/GamesOnFilmPod/ Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/GamesOnFilmPod/