Sean’s Top 10 Video Games of 2017

I wonder if 2018 will be the year I get back into video games? The past few years, being a gamer has become something of a secret shame, since you could argue that the alt right came out of the Gamergate controversy. Plus, video games are the most time-demanding media to make a hobby out of; it takes way more time to play a game than it does to check out a show or a watch movie or listen to an album… I guess reading books maybe take longer. Anyway, after watching the Last Jedi backlash, I’ve been reminded that all fans are terrible and just because other, bad people like a thing doesn’t mean I can’t like it too (I hope).

So I wish I had played more games last year. I regret not getting to play Divinity: Original Sin II the most, it looks so good and I never even bought it. I had a policy last year, it was my New Year’s resolution, to only buy a game if I was going to play it that night. Even with that, I still ended up with copies of Splatoon 2 and Persona 5 that I never got around to because I’m a sucker for that Prime 20% discount thing. I hope to do better this year.

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Top Ten TV Shows of 2017

There was a lot of television in 2017. There will probably be even more television in 2018. The point is, Colin, Sean, and John tried to watch a lot of it, but probably still didn’t watch as much as the supposed average American who watches more than 5 hours of television a day (are there just a ton of mega-bingers inflating this number? That seems like a lot). But they still watched well over 10 shows in 2017, which gave them enough to make their annual lists. And here, as every year, they talk about which ones were the best of the best. Or at least, the best out of the ones the had the time watch. Continue reading →

Sean’s Top 10 Movies of 2017

As it always tends to be, picking 10 movies from a whole year to call my favorite was pretty hard to do. Especially since the year just ended a little more than a week ago, it’s hard to say with certainty what will age poorly and what will remain in my good graces. I mean, hell, maybe we’ll find out more actors are creepy sex perverts and their movies will be ruined by that. My point is, these lists are hard because they’re so absolute and life doesn’t work that way. To make my job a little easier, I decided to have a theme for my list this year, so, without further ado… 2017: The year of the mom.

(Oh, and just because it wasn’t even in my top 15, shout out to Landline for also being a good motherhood movie.)

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Colin’s Top 10 Films of 2017

I know I talked about this year being a “just pretty good” year for television, and that may have to do with the fact that I was distracted by a ton of great movies that came out in 2017. And even though few of them made my list, I agree with the sentiment that this was a particularly good year for big budget blockbusters. Though it is a bit dispiriting to see how rapidly the theater business has been declining business-wise. Because I much prefer going to the movies than watching them at home, since it is always a better experience and always leaves a bigger impact on you. Which is evidenced by the fact that I didn’t watch a single one of the films on my list in the so-called comfort of my own home. Continue reading →

John’s Top Ten Movies of 2017

It’s weird that 2017 was a down year at the box office. Weird because I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed so many mainstream blockbusters. Even second-tier stock like the third Thor film was great–no offense Thor. My favorite genre, horror, is thriving thanks to high concepts and modest budgets. Indie and foreign movies are as insightful as always and animation is in a good place too, minus that movie where Patrick Stewart plays a piece of shit.

Yet theaters are struggling. The landscape is changing. Whether or not this is good or bad is yet to be known. Will multiplexes vanish over the next decade? Will streaming reign supreme? Hey, as long as the movies are good I’m happy. Here are ten movies from this year (plus a few others) I thought were good.

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Colin’s Top 10 TV Shows of 2017

I’ll be honest, my enthusiasm for TV definitely started to wane a bit this past year. Which isn’t to say I watched any less TV than the past few years. In fact, looking at the amount of shows I watched last year and the year before, I watched as much TV as I ever have. And yet, TV just didn’t seem to mean as much in 2017. Maybe you can blame that on the fact that there is so god damn much TV out there now, so it somewhat cheapens quality television. Or maybe its because there was lot of good TV last year, but not a ton of great TV. But, that said, a lot of good TV is nothing to complain about, and here’s the goodest of the good. Continue reading →

John’s Top Ten TV Shows of 2017

TOO. MANY. SHOWS! I had to marathon multiple shows just today to finish this list. It’s getting to the point where I feel bad for skipping out on shows like The Good Place or falling behind on Better Call Saul, both shows I know I would and do like. But the TV landscape has turned into some kind of entertainment-based shark. Which means if you don’t stop swimming you’ll get left in its bloody wake. Let’s do this!

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