Author: Brandon Zachary

The following contains spoilers for Secret Level Season 1 Episode 6, 'The Circle,' now streaming on Prime VideoSecret levelThe Pac-Man-inspired episode highlights how an adaptation can turn even a somewhat benign concept into a horrific story. Secret level is an ambitious project from series creator Tim Miller and his collaborators. Secret level reimagines different video game properties as a series of independent animated shorts, each telling a different story in a different setting. Some of the adaptations have been faithful recreations of their original settings, while others follow the broad strokes of the concept to create something new. One of…

The following contains spoilers for Dream Productions, now streaming on Disney+Dream Productions spends a surprising amount of time focused on Nepo-Babies in production, but I love their approach. In modern Hollywood, controversy has arisen over the concept of “Nepo-Babies”, i.e. creatives who got their start in the industry because of relatives who also work in the field. Due to the difficulty many face breaking into the entertainment field, nepotism ensures an easier career start and can be seen as an unfair advantage that only benefits wealthy newcomers to film, television and music. Dream ProductionsThe story and ending poke fun at…

The following contains spoilers for Y2K, now playing in theatersY2K shares some major plot beats with an episode of The Simpsons more than twenty years ago. Y2K is a time capsule of a film, leaning into the culture of 1999 in much of its comedy and world-building. The cast of Y2K They are largely teenagers facing drama and interpersonal conflicts as they prepare to celebrate the start of the new millennium. It's a fun take on sci-fi horror films, imagining a world where the Y2K bug has led to the emergence of malicious machines across the planet. Y2K leans heavily…

The following contains spoilers for Secret Level's New World: The Once And Future King, now streaming on Prime VideoSecret levelArnold Schwarzenegger's showcase is a great reminder of one of the actor's finest talents as a performer. The anthological nature of Secret level allows each episode to stand on its own as its own story, with the best genre and style experiments to stunning effect. One of the most entertaining episodes of the series is “The Once And Future King”, which is an adaptation of New World: Aeternum. Set on the island of Aeternum, the game's universe introduces a mechanic where…

The following contains spoilers for the Secret Level Dungeons & Dragons episode “The Queen's Cradle,” now streaming on Prime VideoSecret levelepisode adaptation Dungeons and Dragons takes a different approach to the source material's most famous modern riffs and highlights a consistent element of the franchise. Secret level is an exciting take on an animated anthology, exploring the settings and worlds of several different games. This includes the legendary tabletop role-playing game, Dungeons and Dragons. The tradition of classic RPG serves as direct inspiration for “The Queen's Cradle”, which allows Secret level to bring one of Dungeons and Dragons most powerful…

The following contains spoilers for Y2K, now playing in theatersY2K is an unexpectedly ideal spiritual successor to The Terminator franchise. Directed by Kyle Mooney, Y2K is a deliberately silly and dark comedy focused on a world where the Y2K bug has turned machines against humanity. The main characters of Y2K spend the rest of the runtime trying to survive the machine's efforts to capture or kill them, while figuring out a way to stop their spread. It's the kind of plot that science fiction fans have seen before, especially in The Terminator films. At first sight, Y2K looks incredibly different…

The following contains spoilers for the Secret Level season 1 episode “New World: The Once And Future King,” now streaming on Prime VideoSecret levelcomedic approach to New World: Aeternum It's a quietly great little fantasy riff Groundhog Day which manages to have a surprisingly emotional ending. The latest animated anthology from Love, Death and Robots creator Tim Miller, Secret level takes inspiration from different video game properties to create fifteen independent stories. Secret level Video game adaptations change style and setting, but one of the most interesting in terms of tone is the one based on the MMO New World:…

The following contains spoilers for the Secret Level season 1 episode, “Sifu: It Takes A Life,” now streaming on Prime VideoSecret levelis reimagining the video game Sifu recreates the game's central premise while using it to tell a different story. Secret level is an ambitious animated anthology series that takes inspiration from several different video games, allowing the series to shift style and focus between each standalone episode. Adaptations include Sifuan action-packed story where a single skilled fighter must overcome a horde of assassins as part of his mission to take down the gang that killed his father. In the…

The following contains spoilers for 'Dungeons & Dragons: The Queen's Cradle' from the first season of Secret Level, now streaming on Prime VideoSecret levelof Dungeons and Dragons-The inspired episode features some impressive connections to the beloved RPG's lore. Secret level brings multiple video game properties to life, with the anthology series switching between setting and premise between episodes. This includes a storyline focused on the world of Dungeons and Dragonsthe iconic tabletop RPG. “The Queen's Cradle” centers on a small group of heroes trying to save the life of a young man trapped by a terrible curse. The episode is…

The following contains spoilers for ‘Scene 117: The Death of Eye,’ now streaming on MaxThe franchiseThe Season 1 finale is a surprisingly bittersweet victory for the series’ protagonists and sets the stage for an even more chaotic and conflicting Season 2. The series’ first season highlighted the litany of challenges facing the production of the universe’s superhero film Ceiling: Eye of the Storm. Painfully aware of how close Ceiling will be closed, The franchiseThe main characters of Dan and Anita struggle throughout “The Death of Eye” to find a way to save the film behind Eric’s back. Although this leads…