TPA97

For decades, the formula has been the same. The origin story is the first movie in a series of movies about a superhero. Very seldom is there a superhero movie that is the first in a series where an origin story is not the driving force behind the plot. For most average viewers, as in those who have not read the comics or learned the backstory to a character, this can be helpful. It provides context and makes the movie more enjoyable. I see no problem with this approach. However, it makes departures from this formula such as “Hancock” “The Incredibles” stand out. I think that more movies should stray from the origin story at least for the first in the series, but I also think that abandoning it entirely could mead to less enjoyable viewing experiences for the mainstream audience.

I love this article. I feel like too few people play these games without batting an eye to the deep and philosophical meanings behind them. One of my favorite games with an overarching philosophical theme is “Dishonored.” You must make decisions that in turn affect the outcome of the game. Every person you kill in order to complete a task increases the amount of disease present in the environment. Killing may make a single moment easier, but it will eventually increase the overall difficulty of the game as it progresses. My favorite aspect of the game is that the developers created it so that it is possible to complete it without killing a single person. This is incredibly difficult, but the reward is both fulfilling, and a bragging right. I would love to see more games in the future implement this type of decision making beyond simply making choices from a list like in “Mass Effect.”

I had seen this whole series several times over through reruns on Comedy Central before I ever took the time to watch each episode in order. One of the best aspects of this show is that you can watch it either way and still enjoy it. The very first episode has just as little context leading into it as any other. You can watch any episode out of order and it will hold up on its own. However, if you choose to watch the series in order, it offers a whole new perspective. Although the premises and types of humor remain consistent throughout the series, there is a clear progression of absurdity that presents itself as you watch each consecutive season. You can tell that the producers were aware that they had a cult following on their hands, and rewarded the audience with more and more outlandish plots, clearly pushing the envelope of what they could get away with. The show started out ahead of its time, and had to adapt to stay ahead of itself, since it most definitely paved the way for many others like it. I strongly believe that without “Always Sunny,” we might not have some of the other raunchy and cringe-inducing shows we have today.