Matt Serafini

It’s here. My latest novel, FEEDERS, is out today! A weird, gruesome, hilarious story about a social media app that rewards only the most evil human behavior. Hope you’ll give it a shot. Grab yours wherever books are sold.

Not the biggest SPECTRE fan. That third act is 💀. But as always happens with the last actor to play Bond before the new one is announced, there seems to be lots of renewed disdain for Craig’s 007. (when Casino came out, there was so much Brosnan hate, and that has all but rightly subsided) While we all have our favorite actors in the role, I will defend SPECTRE in one way: Daniel Craig’s performance as Bond. In some ways, this film gives us his best take on the character. There are so many moments here where Craig’s Bond could be Connery’s or Moore’s or Brosnan’s. He is suave, steely, charming. This is the film in which Craig’s Bond clearly relishes his job. This is the one in which there is almost nothing but reverence for the history of the character. For all the talk about how Craig relentlessly deconstructed the role, he is so traditional here. And upon rewatching, that honestly goes a long way. He’s able to carry this film through a host of questionable script decisions, to the point where SPECTRE is *almost* a movie out of a different Bond era. Someday I’d like to write more about his tenure as Bond. I’ve enjoyed every actor in the role so far (even if I don’t love how this one ended up). But I think his comfort and ease in the role here is often overlooked and underappreciated. I mean, this shot is right out of FOR YOUR EYES ONLY and I’ll never not smile at that. The internet makes discussing these things “all or nothing” but I can’t say there isn’t stuff to like here.

THE CANNONBALL RUN getting a 4K release means this is a good day.

I had this. It was louder than my dehumidifier.

The endless Bond speculation is fun to me. I mean we usually only get this casting chaos once every 15-20 years so why not embrace all the fast-flying, contradicting, and baffling rumors? Despite not loving the last couple movies like the rest of the series, I’ve genuinely loved ALL the Bonds in their roles and I think that will continue. We’ll know who it is soon enough so enjoy the ride!

Enjoying BELMONT’S CURSE. As a Castlevania old head going back to NES (missed a few games here and there), this doesn’t make me forget my favorites, but it’s fun and addicting. Much of my frustration came in the first part of the game when everything can kick your ass and the first boss takes 40 tries to kill. I wonder if that’s why a good chunk of people were lighting this up. I almost bailed early on. Once you get more weapons/maneuverability, though, it comes alive. When you’re parrying and whip-swinging all over the place and dealing ungodly amounts of damage, it becomes hard to put down. Traversal becomes satisfying and even when some of the platforming becomes borderline ridiculous, the game doesn’t punish your failures too much so it’s never that frustrating. Still don’t love the art style, but that’s a personal preference. There are times when it’s lovely to look at. I’ve read criticisms of the character designs and while I think the static images that accompany the dialogue boxes are pretty underwhelming all around, I do enjoy the designs in game and in the digital art book. I’m glad I played this one for myself. It’s a good time. And I think Rose is a great character. She has plenty of vulnerability mixed with heroic qualities (I love her reverence for her dad) and to me this makes her a strong protagonist.

No one was more critical of MASS EFFECT 3’s ending than I was, but it was still 90% a great game and the trilogy itself is my favorite series of all time. Sad day, but I’ll never forget the experiences of my Commander Shepards.

We need to send Al Leong some good vibes and prayers. 80s and 90s action cinema would not be the same without this man. One of those guys whose presence was so cool, and who you kept seeing in cool shit, that I made it a point as a kid to look up and remember his name.

The grammar of “the slasher” is obvious and yet many misunderstand it. Your slasher villain has to punish the innocent, or at least stage disproportionate violence against those “guilty.”Otherwise they’re a vigilante with a knife and too far away from the conceit. Like writing a vegan werewolf who only eats poachers.

One thing about this app going back five or so years is that every new game/show/movie has an influx of new fans that spawn in out of nowhere, indistinguishable from bots, who love the current thing (avatars as their pfp) without any knowledge of the thing they claim to love.

I am playing the new CASTLEVANIA and I don’t know what to make of it. Controls well enough and the story has my interest, but the game’s art style doesn’t feel remotely like CV and the music is underwhelming.

“Next time don’t be so hot-headed.”

Pamela Voorhees… what’s her story?

Taking my kid to see GOLDENEYE on the big screen tonight. I still remember seeing this teaser in theaters for the first time and the audience going crazy. I don’t think any teaser has ever been as good. After all these years, this 007 adventure sits pretty comfortably in my top three.

Admittedly an easy mark for MIAMI VICE but… this is awesome. Very season three in style. A conscious decision to lay off the pastels, or are they saving those big guns for later on?

How many KISS songs do you figure are about Shannon Tweed?

Picked up Van Halen’s first album on vinyl the other day. Obviously it’s one of the greatest of all time but, a bit of a knowledge oversight on my part, I had no idea this came out in 1978. They’re so synonymous with the early 80s to me that I never looked it up. Cannot imagine what Runnin’ With the Devil, Eruption, Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love etc must’ve done to people’s brains in the 70s.

Whoever made the point yesterday that classic films should have their poster art preserved on disc the same as album covers really nailed it. Someone has to be able to make this case to the studios? @BillHuntBits @AJYeend and others?

Not many people I know seem to agree, but I think STREET FIGHTER looks like such a goofy good time. I honestly can’t wait to see it.