Reviews

MatPat brings his intellect, creativity, and enthusiasm to bring video game logic into the real world, and crafts an entertaining series in the process!

One of the strongest aspects of the show would be its structure, as host and personality MatPat carefully guides the viewer by first establishing the video game logic that is being applied, followed by the singular challenge that he and his guest(s) would have to solve together. This makes episodes easy to follow, and makes the pace feel like a crescendo, with the more fun and exciting parts of the episodes being in the middle towards the end.

The production quality is also impressive, as the personality is then fully immersed into the experience, and so is the viewer.

Without a doubt, the strongest and most immersive episode would be the one inspired from "Five Nights at Freddy's" and "Five Nights at Candy's", which delivered on the tone and tension from start to finish, creating a scenario that caged the viewers into the experiences of the players of the game.

However, I felt that most of the series were okay at best. For me, the actual game portion of the episodes felt either way too short or way too shallow, with most making me think "Wait, that was it?" when the credits started rolling.

Despite having better structure and more seamless pace than fellow YouTube series "Scare PewDiePie", I felt that the PewDiePie series was able to hit way higher highs compared to "MatPat's Game Lab", with each moment leading into the next and delivering well on the excitement. In the end, "Scare PewDiePie" was able to better capture the feel of playing a video game, with much more challenges to explore and overcome, as opposed to having a singular challenge for a group of people to work against. PewDiePie's series had more twists, so to speak, while Game Lab came out as okay.

To conclude, "MatPat's Game Lab" is a passable watch for any person interested in video game culture!

"Scare PewDiePie" honestly showed a lot of potential as a horror series, but mostly felt like a misfire.

The lead personality PewDiePie has strong stage presence and charisma, which makes it easy for the viewers to appreciate him. Even then, he still remains very human onscreen, which makes him relatable as a person. Every time he has to solve a challenge or overcome a scary obstacle, it is hard not to root for the man. He truly carried the series.

The guests like Markiplier and MatPat are well-utilized as well, which is a bonus.

However, the flaws of the show are more from the quality and game design overall.

First and foremost, the fear factor is very hit-or-miss. Some of the "horror houses" or "escape room" locations, like the alien spaceship, haunted hotel, and spooky arcade, are AWESOME, while others look like they came straight out of a low-budget carnival, which makes the tone of the show very inconsistent. At times, the escape rooms are very amateur-looking, and other times, they are professional-looking. The same can be said for the horror actors, who are either very convincing as scary threats, or are like Trick-or-Treating toddlers trying to jumpscare an adult.

The game design is poor. PewDiePie is not given much consequences for making mistakes, and is given too many tries despite the fact that he is a gamer who should understand horror games well by that point. The line between "horror house" and "escape room" is blurred for better and for worse, but mostly for worse. Having more thought-provoking puzzles rather than straightforward puzzles would have benefited the enjoyability of the series, and gave PewDiePie true challenges to overcome.

Overall, this series has potential, and still deserves a BroFist for the effort!

"Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?" is a rewatchable, accessible, memorable, entertaining, light-hearted, and delightfully wholesome series that caters well to a young audience, but can also be a solid watch for adults that want to revisit the adventures of Scooby-Doo and Mystery Incorporated!

Pretty much every aspect of the show is iconic and recognizable, from the design, quirks, and personalities of the main characters, to the general structure of the episodes, to the animation style for that era, to the writing of the humor that is specific to each of the characters, and more.

The only complaint I can say would be the repetitiveness of some of the episodes, but that is personal preference.

So where is Scooby-Doo? In our memories that promote nostalgia!

"Doctor Who" is an absolutely charming, well-written, and incredibly acted series full of science fiction wit and time-travel shenanigans that allow the writers to go all out with their creativity! The lead actor greatly showcases his charm and versatility which complements the writers and the rest of the cast really well.

There are plenty of "villain of the week" episodes that are capable of standing alone and entertaining longtime fans, and even first time viewers of the franchise. However even with a distinct style, episodes are rarely ever predictable, so be prepared for fun twists and turns.

"Doctor Who" stands as an important character and series in the science fiction and adventure genres, with such an influential style that changed how time travel and multiversal travel are portrayed on screen.

Quite fittingly, the stories stand the test of time!

"Trick 'r Treat" surprisingly delivers on solid scares and storytelling, offering a unique entry into the anthology sub-genre of horror! There are several impressive twists that could catch first time viewers off guard, while treating other viewers with well-written foreshadowing and double meaning lines cleverly hidden with creative directorial vision.

The cast is well-utilized, allowing them to make the world believable, and the writers were able to properly pace the anthology episodes to introduce different unexpected villains from various horror genres.

A common weakness for the sub-genre is uneven storytelling, with some events feeling longer than others and/or some threats feeling more significant than others.

However for this movie, the events feel very much intertwined with each other, making for an overall coherent and consistently entertaining experience, while still being mysterious.

To summarize, "Trick 'r Treat" is an awesome and rewatchable horror experience!

"Courage the Cowardly Dog" is a unique, clever, entertaining, engaging, and memorable addition into the long legacy of Cartoon Network, and Warner Bros. Entertainment overall. It is certainly one of the greatest series to be introduced into the "supernatural" and "animation" genres!

With its unique subversion of expectations, solid blend of comedy and horror, and multitude of stand-alone episodes, it is a rewatchable animated series that makes for a splendid watch for both children and adults.

The quality of animation is well-utilized to make the protagonist characters as visually appealing as possible, while the antagonists are almost always creepy and/or threatening. To add to that, the animators combine multiple animation styles, which creates unpredictable storytelling and even frights.

The only complaint I would have about the series would be how poorly the themes of animal abuse have aged. They certainly did not look good before, and they especially are not good now.

However, the positive massively outweighs the negative when it comes to this series, and I will constantly rewatch this series every time I am craving for a good scare. "Courage the Cowardly Dog" remains to be a memorable series!

"Jurassic Park" (1993) takes the narrative and premise of the novel it is inspired from, and fully adapts it into a masterful work of rare science fiction horror!

This film near-perfectly combines practical effects and special effects to immerse the audience into the fantastical and terrifying world of the story, while still having the heart of pleasant human characters to ground the experience, making it suspenseful from the moment that the scientifically modified animals become threats.

Unlike some horror movies from the monster sub-genre, this movie actually treats the creatures as animals first and foremost, and antagonists second, which makes the behavior of the threats more believable, even if you have to suspend your disbelief at times.

When it comes to the actual execution of the movie, the cinematography, lighting, sound design, and music help establish the therapod dinosaurs as significant threats, while portraying the herbivore dinosaurs as breaths of fresh air. The dinosaurs look very believable when they are onscreen, and it is remarkable how well most of the special effects hold up.

The characters are serviceable enough, which makes it fairly easy for the audience to relate to them in each viewing.

However, the main part of the movie that I liked is how well the events flow naturally with a smooth pace and sequence, making the story unpredictable.

Overall, "Jurassic Park" (1993) is one of the greatest horror films of all time, and is one of the best movies to come from Universal Studios.

Marvel is a comic book franchise that is home to many superheroes, like the Avengers, the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, and more. Daredevil was already popular to begin with, but this series was able to do the character justice (pun intended).

The cinematography and lighting help significantly in portraying the tone of the scene. With a colorful look that gives New York a dark, but also strangely vibrant look, every frame is an immersive painting that brings emphasis to the characters onscreen during the nighttime. During daytime, scenes in the law firm are warm looking to make it look like a home. During fight scenes, the lighting makes Daredevil appear to be a shadow, but still a vulnerable human, which adds tension to the fights.

The acting and characterization makes the fictional characters feel very real, which makes the drama have a lot of impact. For the most part, the struggles of each character are handled well by the writers, and the fight choreography is possibly the best in all of the MCU.

"Daredevil" is easily the best Marvel series overall, and is easily the greatest franchise within the MCU.

"Gravity Falls" is possibly the greatest series in the supernatural genre, effortlessly catering to both younger and older audiences, with great and sincere characterization, lighthearted storytelling and comedy, and good worldbuilding.

The two seasons of the series balance out having perfectly accessible stand-alone episodes and having an engaging, mysterious, and interesting central plot for each season really well.

Given that this series is in the "coming of age" genre, it sometimes does fall for the clichés that are commonly associated with the movies and series in that genre; however, the writers supplement episodes with those clichés by subverting expectations and/or writing heartwarming moments.

The character development in this series is great, and has a conclusive ending that ties all of the character arcs together. This series made me emotional with every viewing, and that is what every series should do.

"Ash VS Evil Dead" is the "Evil Dead" movie trilogy taken entirely to the next level, with each of the three seasons having great central narrative, mostly likable and well-written characters, and that trademark "Sam Raimi"-style blend of horror and comedy that has been proven time and time again to be effective.

Although the main villains for each of the seasons are not the best in terms of writing and fear factor, "Ash VS Evil Dead" makes up for this flaw by making the three main characters, Ash, Pablo, and Kelly, absolute delights to have onscreen, and unique from each other. Each has their moments of awesomeness!

The story, worldbuilding, cinematography, sound design, choices for background music, fight choreography, practical effects, special effects, and pacing are improved here as well.

Overall, "Ash VS Evil Dead" is Groovy!

While not as memorable as other successful titles in the franchise like "The Evil Dead" (1981) and "Evil Dead II" (1987), the stand-alone sequel "Evil Dead Rise" (2023) is a creative, and undeniably frightening entry into a horror franchise that is beloved by many.

With a great emphasis on good characterization like usual, the story has a main character who is interesting, being unique from Ash Williams, while still being an honorable tribute; the supporting cast is also very strong, helping ground the story and establish the stakes of the story early on.

The writing has great foreshadowing, making the movie even better on succeeding rewatches.

While the pace may be better, this is a great modern horror movie that sets itself apart well from other films in the genre.

Overall, I highly recommend this movie!

"Evil Dead II" (1987) significantly improves upon "The Evil Dead" (1981), in regards to the cinematography, pacing, fear factor, fight choreography, practical effects, script writing, and the ever present danger of the horror villains from the previous movie.

Sam Raimi once again crafts creative scares, this time with a slightly larger setting to work with, making more use of the forest that surrounds the cabin to complement the tension of scenes filmed in the cabin, which remains one of the most recognizable settings in any horror franchise. His unique combination of horror, action, and comedy gives this movie a feel that is on the border between horror that is goofy and serious.

Bruce Campbell is at his best here, putting a lot of relatable personality and incredible charisma in Ash Williams, making the character iconic. Having a singular main character actually serves the story really well, making every experience of the character easily felt by the viewer.

Overall, "Evil Dead II" (1987) is easily one of the best horror movie sequels ever made, taking what worked in the first movie and improving upon them significantly.

Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell make for an epic duo in this horror classic, with the former's impressive directorial vision and knowledge of the horror genre, and the latter's believable charisma as an actor.

Prioritizing practical effects and unique sound design to craft a horror atmosphere that keeps not only the characters, but also the audience contained in the same creepy cabin, the viewer is forced to be in proximity to the narrative experience both the characters and the actors go through.

With consistently effective scares, "The Evil Dead" (1981) is a recognizable, memorable, and iconic first movie that would begin easily one of the greatest horror franchises of all time.

"In Space with Markiplier: Part 2" is a significant improvement over both "In Space with Markiplier: Part 1", and "A Heist with Markiplier", combining all of the aspects of those "choose your own ending" movies that were successful. The writer-director-star Mark Edward Fischbach is better than ever, with a strong cast and crew to back him up.

The stakes of the space adventure story are well-defined and established, with the comedy and entertainment value still being as strong as ever, while having even better characterization than the previous movies in Fischbach's trilogy/quadrilogy.

When it comes to the space adventure, time travel, and multiversal travel genre archetypes, Fischbach uses them creatively to serve the story well, making for a wild adventure from start to finish.

In conclusion, "In Space with Markiplier: Part 2" is a masterpiece that shakes the entire multiverse itself!

"In Space with Markiplier: Part 1" is a solid entry into Mark Edward Fischbach's collection of well-received and memorable projects, fully maximizing the potential of the "YouTube Originals" budget and "choose your own ending" genre.

While nowhere near as concise and coherent as Fischbach's previous movie "A Heist with Markiplier", the writer-director-star is still able to craft an interesting story that works within the archetypes of the science fiction, space adventure, time travel, and multiversal travel genres that have gotten even more popular in the 2020's, while still being creative in subverting expectations.

Overall, this movie is solid work from the absolutely creative Mark Fischbach, his cast, and his crew! Well done!

In "A Heist with Markiplier", Mark Edward Fischbach, his cast, and his crew bring their absolute best, crafting an incredible adventure that combines high-budget production with the kind of comedy and content that would cater well to viewers of YouTube.

Having a "YouTube Originals" project that is an interactive "choose your ending" movie is a unique concept that is almost fully utilized by the writer-director-star Fischbach. In usual Markiplier fashion, multiple genres and styles are combined to make for a different kind of adventure depending on the choices that the viewer makes.

Overall, this is a movie that stands as one of the greatest YouTube videos that Mark Fischbach has been involved in.

"Unus Annus" combines the chemistry of Mark, Ethan, and their friends, with the philosophical concepts of death and time, to create more than 365 videos of consistently comedic and engaging YouTube content.

While most of their videos are vlogs, the overall theming and consistent allusion to the central message "Memento Mori" make the content and overall channel feel very fresh and unique.

The comedic timing of the editing and seamless blending of different genres and styles adds replay value, and the overall completion of the character arcs make the channel feel complete by the series finale.