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Video Game Review: Onirim
Another week and another video game review of a game I’ve played a lot. It’ll be difficult to remain objective while discussing Onirim, but I’ll do my best. Usually, I delete Solitaire from my mobile devices and replace it with Onirim. You can find me in line playing a few games of Onirim. Like I said, I play Onirim a ton.
Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. At its core, Onirim is a solitaire game, which is why I replace Solitaire with this title. While this video game is a fun twist on classic Solitaire, Onirim remains a solitaire game, a tabletop card game converted to an app. How will it fare with our review criteria? Let’s find out.
Mechanisms: 10/10
Be honest. You saw this coming. Like I said, Onirim is an interesting twist on classic solitaire. The deck has four suits, each suit has four card types, here’s where the theme comes into play. The player is traveling the dream world (hence the name Onirim, a take on oneiric) and needs to safely escape the land of dreams by opening three doors in each suit. If you draw into a suit’s door and have a matching key, you may open the door. If you don’t have a matching key when you draw a suit’s door, you draw another card and shuffle the door back into the deck. This is where the digital version of Onirim trumps the physical version: shuffling.
During a game of Onirim, you’ll often shuffle the deck. Nightmare cards (which don’t belong to any of the four suits) may be drawn. Bad things will happen when a nightmare appears (it’ll be up to the player what happens exactly), and if the player draws extra nightmares in a turn, any nightmares beyond the first also get shuffled back into the deck. There’s a lot of shuffling, and the digital app does all that shuffling for you. Typically, I prefer a physical tabletop game over a digital version of that same game, but Onirim enhances this already stellar game.
Since the player has choices when a nightmare card gets drawn, Onirim provides player agency and adds a layer of strategy. The remaining two card types (in the base game; there are expansions that we won’t discuss here) are suns and moon cards in all four suits. Suns are the most common card type. Moons are less common. And the rest of the game is playing three cards of the same suit but with different symbols, in the top play area. When that happens, the player searches for a door card in that suit, and then reshuffles the deck. Yes. More shuffling. I love playing the Onirim video game.
Above Image from GameDesigning.Org
Gameplay Loop: 10/10
Onirim games play fast, and each game is unique. The simple premise, the colorful twist on solitaire, and the options a player has once a nightmare card is drawn grant Onirim a high gameplay loop score. I don’t mind waiting in line while playing Onirim. And like I said, I replace Solitaire with Onirim. Obviously, this game’s gameplay loop is fantastic.
Narrative and Storytelling : 3/10
We’re combining narrative and storytelling for Onirim because Solitaire doesn’t have any story. Onirim has an intriguing premise. The nightmare cards and doors needed to escape the dream world, hint at a greater story, but I can’t give Onirim top marks in either of these categories. This is partly why I combined the two. But Onirim does just enough to not get below a three.
User Interface: 8/10
Onirim has a clean look. The play area up top is easy to see (the image above includes an expansion, so there’s a card type, the whirlpool, that I haven’t mentioned). Your hand is visible below the play area. Beneath your hand, you’ll find how many nightmare cards remain (the black demon with the red number on the left, and how many cards remain in the deck; you lose if you run out of cards before opening all twelve doors). The filled-in cards let you know which doors have been opened, and the top right corner is where you can access the main menu. Clean. Easy to read.
I lowered Onirim just a hair for the User Interface because of how difficult it can be to navigate all-time statistics. This isn’t a big deal for a lot of players, but if one becomes invested and explores that rabbit hole, one would want an easier set of menus.
Graphics: 6/10
Onirim has amazing graphics for a solitaire game. But it’s still a solitaire game. Onirim does what it can within the confines of a card game, but no matter how good the cards look, they’re still cards. That said, Onirim may be the prettiest card game I’ve seen. It has to get an above-average score.
Audio: 5/10
Onirim is another game I play with the sound off. The soundtrack is atmospheric, but kind of blends into the background. The sound effects could–and probably should–boost this score even more. But I’m going to stay as objective as I can. While the shuffling effect can be satisfying, you’ll hear it a lot, and it can also detract from the experience. There’s so much shuffling.
Replay Factor: 10/10
Since Onirim is Solitaire with a twist, you’ll find it difficult to play only one game. The app keeps track of your all-time stats, so I end up trying to beat my all-time best, and if that happens, I’ll try raising my overall win percentage or how quickly I typically beat the game. Solitaire with stats. That’s a rabbit hole. It also gives Onirim high marks in replay value.
Aggregated Score: 7.5
Geekly News: June 29, 2025, Fantastic Four Final Trailer
Happy Sunday, Geekly Gang. Kyra Kyle here with another week of Geek News. I wrote this post a day or two early because my birthday is this weekend. Yay! I’m leveling up another year. But before I eat my body weight in key lime pie and beef stroganoff, we have some Geek News to cover, starting with the final Fantastic Four: First Steps trailer. I know. I know. We’ve covered every Fantastic Four trailer. Somehow, I keep missing some of the Superman trailers. I’m equally excited for both films.
Marvel Releases Fantastic Four: First Steps Final Trailer
The MCU released the final trailer for Fantastic Four: First Steps. I appreciate that we didn’t get too many new spoilers with this trailer, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some peppered in. We may venture into spoiler territory.
The trailer begins with the Fantastic Four at the Ted Gilbert Show when an alarm on their watches sounds. The scenes before this moment give us the longest looks we’ve seen of Marvel’s first family using their powers: Mr. Fantastic stretching, Invisible Woman throwing up a force field and manipulating objects, The Human Torch flying past a Coppertone billboard of himself and setting it on fire, and a bystander wanting The Thing to say, It’s Clobbering Time.
I love the running gag of everyone trying to coax The Thing into saying, “It’s Clobbering Time.” This is a trope used in certain Fantastic Four comics, where The Thing may have said Clobbering Time once, or it was used for a television show (in First Steps, it’s a cartoon), and I can’t wait to see the payoff because, undoubtedly, he will say Clobbering Time, perhaps in the scene where Johnny carries The Thing (with a beard–look at his rock beard, that’s awesome).
A few more moments stick out. We get a better look at Shalla-Bal. I’ve talked about how I didn’t like the CGI for this Silver Surfer, and I’m glad to see an improvement with this trailer. We get an extended look at Galactus, but not a straight-on look at the titan. The Fantastic Four fly into a black hole, and it’s implied that Sue may be pregnant with Franklin at the time. Flying into a black hole while Sue is pregnant with Franklin could supercharge Franklin’s powers. Someone in the crowd by the Fantastic Four carries a sign that reads, Earth Believed In You, which implies that the Fantastic Four have already failed in some way.
And there are those three massive devices. One is by the Eiffel Tower. I’m unsure where the other two in the distance are from Paris. Could this be what Reed was working on with his massive blackboard? We’ll have to find out. I’ll paraphrase one of the top comments on this trailer. The marketing team is doing a great job by holding back three things: 1) Galactus’s face, 2) The Thing saying, “Clobbering Time,” and 3) Johnny saying, “Flame On.” I agree. It’s best to see and hear these things when Fantastic Four: First Steps hits theaters on July 25th.
Grail Games Launches The Pixel Series on KickStarter
Grail Games returns with a trio of retro-art board games. Even though Aliens Attack!, Ohio Bob, and Harvest Valley use the same 8-bit art style, they couldn’t be more different in gameplay. Aliens Attack! is a tower defense game, Ohio Bob offers a fun adventure, and Harvest Valley is a farming sim. All three games are smaller, easier to store and transportable.
The Pixel Series even features some board game designing giants like Bruno Faidutti and Hisashi Hayashi. You can back this project and receive individual games for $10 or the entire set for $26.You can even throw in a fourth game in the series, Level 10, which is a reprinting of Okey Dokey.
I like Level 10’s retheme of guiding Izzy through a video game level without the character perishing. If you’re interested in Grail Game’s Pixel Series, check out their KickStarter page.
Mesopotamia by Meeple Pug Launches on GameFound
Even though it isn’t the Mesopotamian Royal Game of Ur, the board game Mesopotamia does include knucklebone game pieces, which were game pieces in the classic board game. Meeple Pug’s Mesopotamia puts players in the role of civilization leaders in this stunning 4X game (explore, expand, exploit, and exterminate). Mesopotamia foregoes a tech tree for research tiles that make each player’s civilization unique.
I love Mesopotamia’s customizable player boards. This gaming component could spark a series of games with a similar component. Mesopotamia’s gameplay encourages trading, exploration, and combat. Those knucklebone game pieces come in handy when attacking one of your opponents. Mesopotamia’s game pieces are top-notch. This is a gorgeous game, and that’s before considering the prelaunch Hanging Gardens Miniature.
That miniature looks amazing, and Mesopotamia has plenty of other detailed miniatures. I like the addition of note one, but three solo-player modes: exploration, siege, and castle defense. Mesopotamia offers a lot of gameplay options. It launches early next week, so we don’t yet know how much this campaign costs. If you’re interested in Mesopotamia, follow its GameFound page.
Modern Classic Board Game Colosseum Receives a Glow-Up on GameFound
Yes! If you’ve ever been interested in the Wolfgang Kramer and Markus Lubke design Colosseum, The Grand Spectacle may be the edition to add to your collection. Ian O’Toole is one of the best board game graphic designers/artists working today, and Colosseum: The Grand Spectacle is a feast for the eyes.
I’ve always liked Colosseum’s take on the roll/spin and move game mechanism, which is often maligned and hated in the board game community. Colosseum does it right; take some of the chance out of rolling dice. I also agree with the Dice Tower’s Tom Vasel. Colosseum works at 5-players, which is rare in a game of this type.
If you’ve ever wanted to run your own Colosseum, you should check out Fantasia Games’ reprint of this modern board game classic. Colosseum: The Grand Spectacle has a variety of pledges, ranging from $80-140.
Death Stranding 2’s Mysterious Update
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach was released this past week and topped video game sales. In case you haven’t played the original, the first Death Stranding is on sale for most systems. Modern video games have updates during their first week, so Death Stranding 2 adding one a day after its release doesn’t raise any eyebrows. Oddly, we know nothing about this Death Stranding 2 update. The update offers no information about what it’s patching. The Death Stranding 2 team offers no clues. No one seems to know what this patch does. Hopefully, it fixes some of the game’s audio issues. Perhaps Hideo Kojima likes keeping this update a mystery.
Tamagotchi Plaza Releases on the Nintendo Switch 2
Tamagotchi Plaza, a shop simulator, was released for the original Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. It looks adorable. I have fond memories of Tamagotchi, and I’m happy if Tamagotchi Plaza popularizes the pet raising sim to a new generation of gamers. Tamagotchi Plaza looks interesting–I may check out this title at some point–but Tamagotchi Plaza continues a disturbing trend for Nintendo Switch 2. If you already own a game for the original Switch, you can play it on the Switch 2 for a small Switch 2 upgrade fee.
While the upgrade fee isn’t the same price as a full-fledged game, it comes off as a shameless cash grab. Why should I have to pay an additional $10 for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild when I already own the game? Yes. $10 isn’t that much, but if you convert each one of your original Switch titles to the Switch 2, that adds up quickly. And this practice will embolden other console producers to do the same. We already got a Horizon: Zero Dawn remaster for the PlayStation 5 when it was released on the previous console.
Tamagotchi Plaza is a new game, and players would have to buy the Switch 2 upgrade for a game they just bought if they were to pick up a Switch 2 later this year. Okay. I get it. You could play the original version of Tamagotchi Plaza, but the Switch 2 version adds new shop types. Why would you want to play the Switch version if you were to upgrade to a Switch 2 after it becomes available again? I’m concerned about this business model for the video game community. But, hey, many of us–myself included–have purchased Skyrim eleven times. How’s this any different?
That’s all we have for Geek News this week, Geekly Gang. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Top 5 X-Men Villains
Geekly hasn’t covered a superhero team’s rogues gallery since the Avengers, and there’s no better place to continue that trend than with the X-Men. The X-Men topped our list of Most Powerful Rogues Galleries. If you missed that post, you can check it out here. No one messes with X-Men villains.
Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. We’re back with another Top 5 Villains List. Marvel’s merry band of mutants has no shortage of enemies. Here’s our list of the Top 5 X-Men Villains.
5: Emma Frost
The fifth spot on most Top 5 Villains lists could go in several directions. While the X-Men are no different, Emma Frost was an easier selection than many fifth spots. No disrespect, Juggernaut.
Like most great X-Men villains Emma Frost spends as much time as a hero as she does a villain. As a villain, Frost typically serves as the Hellfire Club’s White Queen. We had to include at least one classic member of the Hellfire Club; they’re a frequent thorn in the X-Men’s side. This alone could explain Emma Frost’s inclusion on this list, but Frost opposes Charles Xavier like no other X-Men villain. She teaches young mutants and twists them into doing her bidding.
The Hellions are the most famous of Emma Frost’s disciples. They were a rival class of young mutants. One by one, Frost manipulated the Hellions. She took advantage of Thunderbird’s grief (because of his brother’s death) and coaxed him into taking revenge against the X-Men. At Frost’s request, Empath used his abilities to force Firestar to love him and join the plot. Emma Frost is a powerful mutant telepath. She’s used these powers to control more than just the Hellions. Kitty Pryde, members of the New Mutants and the New Warriors has at some point been one of Frost’s victims.
4: Mystique
Raven Darkhölme or Mystique (even Raven’s an assumed name, so we don’t know Mystique’s real name) has one of the wildest backstories of any X-Men villain. Again, she’s had her fair share of heroic stints, but Mystique is at her best when she shapeshifts, deceives, and infiltrates.
Nearly immortal, Mystique has done it all. In 1895 (or earlier), she took up the identity of consulting detective Sherlock Holmes. She convinced a time-traveling Kitty Pryde to not assassinate Adolf Hitler during the start of World War II. She’s been a member of the Brotherhood of (Evil) Mutants, organizing the third incarnation of the team. During this time, she adopted a young girl named Anna Marie (Rogue) and manipulated her into stealing Carol Danvers’s powers.
Mystique is the biological mother of a couple of prominent figures in the X-Men universe: Nightcrawler and Graydon Creed. While Nightcrawler is another popular X-Man, Graydon Creed is the leader of the mutant-hating organization Friends of Humanity. Creed would later become a politician and after he became too much of a problem, he was assassinated. Mystique was the gunman. Ruthless and conniving, Mystique will do whatever it takes to accomplish her goal.
3: Mister Sinister
Mister Sinister is the figure in the shadows. A world-renowned geneticist, Mister Sinister treats humans and mutants as his playthings. He’s cloned (even himself), created new life, and manipulated mutant DNA for enhancing powers (again, he did this to himself). The original Nathaniel Essex (Mister Sinister) was transformed into his current form by the mutant known as Apocalypse, and his clone has spent most of his life scheming ways to break free from Apocalypse. To achieve this end, Mister Sinister has manipulated the lives of critical members of the mutant race. Cyclops, Jean Grey, Gambit, Havok, and even Professor X have been Mister Sinister victims.
Madelyne Pryor may be Mister Sinister’s greatest creation. She posed as Jean Grey, married Scott Summers (Cyclops), and gave birth to a child Nathan Summers (Cable). Yeah. Mister Sinister is all up in the Summers’ family tree. Cable’s given name Nathan is a nod to Mister Sinister’s original name Nathaniel. You could view Cable as having the family name of two families.
Beyond Sinister’s family skullduggery, he was the one responsible for wiping out the Morlocks. Unknowingly, Sinister was the one who unleashed the Legacy Virus, a mutant-specific pandemic that decimated the mutant populous. Despite multiple lifetimes of villainy, Professor X appointed Mister Sinister a seat on the mutant island nation Krakoa’s Quiet Council. His life’s work aided with the re-establishment of the country after the Krakoa Massacre.
2: Apocalypse
We go from Mister Sinister to the mutant who created him, Apocalypse. En Sabah Nur, translated as “The Seven Lights,” has lived for generations. Born in ancient Egypt, Apocalypse began life as a slave, and over time, he became a conqueror. His laundry list of abilities was crucial in Apocalypse’s Road to Conquest. Here’s a brief list of Apocalypse’s powers: self-resurrection, psychic-link, self-atomic manipulation, biomorphing, size alteration, superhuman strength, superhuman durability, superhuman stamina and endurance, telepathy, force fields, and telekinesis. The previous list was a third of Apocalypse’s powers.
Is it any wonder that Apocalypse has taken the guise of a god of destruction and the end times? Like all the other villains on this list, Apocalypse has a massive history with the X-Men. One of Nur’s standout storylines is the Age of Apocalypse. In this alternate future, Apocalypse sees his “Survival of the Fittest” philosophy to a logical conclusion. The mutants who survive are the ones able to adapt to Apocalypse’s extreme worldview.
No one aspect of Apocalypse showcases his extreme worldview than his Horsemen. Numerous X-Men have served as one of the Horsemen of Apocalypse, but Warren Worthington III may still be the most iconic. Nur transformed Worthington from the natural, angelic wings of Angel to the twisted techno-organic wings of Archangel. Archangel served as Death. War, Famine, and Pestilence round out the remaining members. The entire universe is at stake whenever the Horsemen arrive. The same can be said of Apocalypse. En Sabah Nur lives for destruction.
1: Magneto
Magneto is one of the most iconic comic book villains of all time. He had to take the top spot. His origin story is legendary. After suffering atrocities at the hand of the Nazis while interred in Auschwitz, Erik Lehnsherr (known by multiple other names like Max Eisenhardt) vowed never to let anything like the holocaust happen to the people he loves. This trauma formed Magneto’s worldview, and when humanity began lashing out against mutants, Magneto fought back. He wants to live in a world where mutants are humanity’s masters, and this puts him at odds with X-Men founder Professor Charles Xavier who dreams of peaceful mutant-human coexistence.
No other villain typifies an X-Men antagonist more than Professor X’s friend Magneto. We could discuss why Magneto takes the top spot for days, but ultimately, anyone who knows of the X-Men knows about Magneto. Most readers expected to see Magneto take the top spot. Magneto is iconic.
Did we get the list right? Let us know who you would add or remove in the comments. And wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Ironheart: Episodes 1-3 Review
Hey, hey, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here. The first half of Ironheart’s episodes were released this past week, and I’ll share my thoughts, but as you can see, I’m not giving each episode its own review. JK Geekly has covered Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man and Daredevil: Born Again, and typically, we give each episode its own post. We’re not doing that for Ironheart because it drags. With these first three episodes, the show takes double the time it needs (for at least the first two episodes), so we figured we’d cover the first three episodes as if they were one and a half episodes or a single Marvel special.
At its heart–Ha! Heart was unplanned–Ironheart has the structure for a good story. It sets up an interesting conflict between tech and magic, I like the show’s social commentary, Riri has an intriguing (enough) backstory, and I like many of its characters. Ironheart’s execution is lacking. Quick note: We will go into spoiler territory throughout this review; you’ve been warned. Ironheart actively keeps why Riri Williams wants to make an iron suit a secret for over two episodes. Really? While it makes sense for Riri to obscure her motives from other characters, it hurts Ironheart’s story, keeping the viewers in the dark. Spoiler: Her dad, Gary, was a Tony Stark superfan, and that’s why she wants to build an iron suit. We could’ve gotten that information in any one of five flashback scenes with Gary, but Ironheart deliberately keeps the audience at bay.
And Ironheart uses too many flashback scenes, with none of these scenes pulling double duty. Those flashback scenes with Gary Williams show his and Riri’s relationship, but give few other details (like Gary is a Stark fan), and it isn’t just the flashback scenes. Most of the scenes in the first two episodes are one-note. This leads to the show doubling in length. Fortunately, Ironheart’s third episode, “We in Danger, Girl” picks up the pace. Joe turns out to be Obadiah Stane’s son, Ezekiel, and this is done in a scene that pulls double duty. 1) Riri needs tech to go undetected by The Hood. 2) Ezekiel reveals who he is and why he has so much advanced tech. In fact, Ironheart’s third episode sheds most of what bogs down the previous two episodes, so I’m cautiously optimistic about next week’s Ironheart offering.
While it’s not always about the action, “We in Danger, Girl” cranks up the action and tension while raising the stakes at most turns. It even manages to throw in a few welcome comedic moments. I like Riri’s panic attack side story. We don’t get enough superheroes struggling with the very act of being a superhero. Riri’s moral ambiguity at the beginning was also welcome. I even liked how Riri struggles because of her ethnicity. I just wish Ironheart’s story were tighter.
But “We in Danger, Girl” did enough for me to watch Ironheart’s next three episodes. The cast is excellent. I like this version of Slug better than the comic book version; I need more of this Slug. The story is picking up the pace. I’m excited to see how The Hood and Mephisto interact and how Riri’s not-so-good choices will impact her future. Riri is a flawed and compelling character, and her relationship with the AI Natalie (Riri’s friend who died) is top-notch, but I wonder how many viewers will sit through Ironheart’s first two episodes. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Honkai Star Rail Color Palette Quiz 02
Geekly Tunes (Whatcha Listening To): June 2025
Hey, hey, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here. We’re back with another Geekly Tunes post for June 2025. This post is where our writers share the music they’ve listened to over the past month. You’re part of the Geekly Gang, too, so feel free to share what music you’ve been listening to over the last month. I’ll kick off the tunes for this month.
Kyra’s Tunes
My tunes for this month are less focused than the previous month. Let’s begin with The B-52’s. Their early work is stellar. Of course, you have the track that put them on the map, “Rock Lobster.” This song defied categorization. Is it art pop? New Wave? Regardless, “Rock Lobster” (and a lot of the tracks from The B-52’s eponymous first album) took inspiration from 1950s and 1960s pop music, but The B-52’s took it even deeper. They added an element of kitsch and camp. “Rock Lobster’s” conceit is a Beach Movie with Schneider switching up gender roles and adding a flourish of comedy. Obviously, The B-52’s didn’t take themselves seriously.
The B-52’s had a run of great songs from their first three albums like “Planet Claire,” “Private Idaho,” and “Whammy Kiss.” The band took a lengthy hiatus after their lead guitarist, Ricky Wilson, passed away from complications of AIDS. But the band persevered and released Cosmic Thing in the late Eighties, and this album features The B-52’s second breakthrough hit, “Love Shack.” While “Love Shack” served as a massive exhale for the band, I also adore many of Cosmic Thing’s other tracks, where they openly mourn the loss of their bandmate. And “Roam” is another huge hit. You’ve gotta love “Roam.”
What better way to celebrate Pride Month than with a queer band like The B-52’s? Happy Pride!
I’m staying in Athens, Georgia, with this one. I grew up with R.E.M.. From “Radio Free Europe” to “It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” to even their Nineties albums like Automatic for the People and Monster, I’ve listened to most of their catalogue. I don’t know which era of R.E.M. I like best. R.E.M. is one of those bands I can turn to during various musical itches.
Ironically, Kate Pierson (of the B-52’s) provided backing vocals for R.E.M.’s “Shiny Happy People.” Michael Stipe insisted that “Shiny Happy People” was about Chinese propaganda posters, to which Pierson replied, Okay then, “Love Shack” is really about the plight of tenant farmers in Georgia. Don’t get it twisted. The two bands loved each other. R.E.M. frequently thanked The B-52’s for paving the way for them. In fact, one of the songs I mentioned about The B-52’s and their fallen bandmate featured night swimming (or skinny dipping). R.E.M. has a fantastic track called “Nightswimming.” I’ve always wondered if the two bands sang about the same moment. Both bands are close. It’s possible.
Despite liking most of R.E.M.’s catalogue, Automatic for the People is the perfect moment. Stipe shows maturity in his lyrics, and the band is at the height of their power. Whenever I get on an R.E.M. kick, I’ll usually throw in Automatic for the People for good measure.
The Replacements were a band that could never get out of their own way. I love the music we got from this band, but they should’ve been bigger. They should’ve been huge. The Replacements have a sordid history with drugs and alcohol. The band’s name is a testament to their past. They could no longer get gigs with their original band name and couldn’t think of a good replacement name, so they called themselves The Replacements.
Sonically, The Replacements bridged the gap between punk and alternative rock. Many cite The Replacements as the first alternative rock band. “Can’t Hardly Wait” often gets stuck in my head. I love both versions, the electric guitar one from Tim and the second version from Pleased to Meet Me. Tim’s version of “Can’t Hardly Wait” follows someone bored in heaven, while Pleased to Meet Me’s version sounds more like someone trying to get sober. Except for one or two lines, the lyrics couldn’t be any more different.
When they weren’t embarrassing themselves on Saturday Night Live, The Replacements were dropping gems like Let It Be (which The Replacements deliberately named after The Beatles album to piss off their label) that included the hit “I Will Dare,” which also happens to feature a Peter Buck (R.E.M.) guitar solo. I didn’t plan that. I swear. Let It Be and the subsequent Tim are two albums that have gotten near-perfect scores on music review sites, and for good reason. They’re incredible. Pleased to Meet Me is a huge departure, but still great. With Pleased to Meet Me, The Replacements explored various music genres (some of which would influence future bands like Nirvana) right before the band dissolved.
Ah! The Replacements are at (or near) the top of those bands where you wonder what could’ve been. That’s all I have for music this month. Let’s see what Season and Skye have been listening to.
Season’s Tunes
I also went back in time this past month. I know Queen is a well-known band, but I’ve been on a kick of listening to some of my favorite tracks. Specifically, “Hammer to Fall,” “The Invisible Man,” and “Radio Ga Ga.” These tracks strike more of a chord with me than many of their other songs. I can listen to those songs on repeat for hours. Okay. I can listen to various songs on repeat for hours, which is normal for me. I’m trusting all of you with this secret, Geekly Gang. Eh-heh.
I had a friend in high school who had no idea who Queen is. I took it upon myself to rectify that. Don’t worry. She’s been saved. >:)
Okay. This is technically a movie, but I love the soundtrack. K-Pop Demon Hunters dropped on Netflix less than a week ago, and I’ve been listening to the soundtrack constantly. I don’t listen to a lot of K-pop, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy the earworms and choreography in the music videos. I did the same thing when the soundtrack for Barbie (2023) dropped. The soundtrack for K-Pop Demon Hunters is available on Spotify. What have you been listening to, Skye?
Skye’s Tunes
I’ve been trying to expand my musical tastes lately. I’m not familiar with Rage Against the Machine from my youth (on account of it being my youth), but I recall hearing several good things about their music. Also, having caught a couple of their songs off and on in my adulthood convinced me to dive in. Now I see what I’ve been missing. Over time, I’ve learned the different ways music genres can express specific ideas. Rage Against the Machine’s debut album reflects my feelings toward global news at the moment. Maybe it won’t someday, but Rage Against the Machine remains relevant.
Y’all know I love the classics. I’ve collected a few rap albums over the years, but 2Pac: Greatest Hits was inevitable. My favorite thing about 2Pac: Greatest Hits is how comprehensive it is. When I first bought it, I thought it was a double LP (like most large albums). However, I was surprised to learn it was a quadruple LP. Not 2 records, but 4?! Now you’re speakin’ my language. Naturally, if you’re a fan of OG 90’s rap, this album should speak for itself. I imagine I’ll probably be collecting more Tupac records over time, but I’m happy with this start.
The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds has been comforting and depressing for me this past month. I’ve loved Pet Sounds since I received it as a Christmas gift. Being another album with zero tracks I dislike, my love has remained strong across several listens. I’m sure I’m not the only one feeling saddened by Brian Wilson’s passing. So, as a faithful tribute to him, I should only appreciate the art he gifted us with, arguably his best album. Rest in peace, Brian. We truly lost a legend.
Kyra Kyle here again. Agreed. Rest in peace, Brian Wilson. Let us know your favorite Brian Wilson song in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Weird Video Games Quiz 02
Monday Thought: Listening to RFK Jr.
Skye’s 5 Pride Month Movies
Happy Pride, Geekly Gang! What better way to celebrate Pride Month than with movies? Being a member of the LGBTQ+ Community myself, it was fun to curate this list for y’all. My favorite part was seeing how film evolved in its coverage of LGBTQ+ themes. Sometimes heartwarming. Sometimes depressing. Sometimes downright cringeworthy. But what’re you gonna do? Regardless of content, these movies serve as great time capsules for how far we’ve come with discussing LGBTQ+ concepts. We still have a long way to go, but these movies are still cool.
I’d like to clear one thing up real quick. I don’t mean to imply that, as a member of the LGBTQ+ Community, only I can determine the best LGBTQ+ movies. Not at all. I’m one person, and these are some of my favorites I watched this month. There are also several other movies I saw and didn’t mention. Feel free to mention them in the comments. As always, thanks for your understanding. With that said, these are my picks for 5 LGBTQ+ movies for Pride Month.
The Birdcage
I’ll start with a goofy one. That’s mostly what The Birdcage is: goofy. Even with The Birdcage‘s simple premise, it managed to get some good laughs out of me. If you haven’t seen The Birdcage, here’s the run-down. A young man with gay fathers is getting married to a woman whose parents are deeply conservative. So, the whole movie is trying to convince the girl’s parents that the boy has straight parents. With a star-studded cast including Robin Williams, Nathan Lane, Gene Hackman, and Christine Baranski, how could I not recommend The Birdcage?
Also, I truly underestimated the comedic potential with Hank Azaria in The Birdcage. His role as Agador Spartacus had me rolling on multiple occasions.
The Kids Are All Right
Let’s take it down a bit. We go from off-the-wall humor to a more heartfelt premise in The Kids Are All Right. Two children with lesbian parents discover their sperm-donor father and try to connect with him. Another simple yet effective premise. The Kids Are All Right results in some complicated emotions and difficult relationship questions being raised. The mothers are worried about the sperm donor, Paul, taking their children away from them. Meanwhile, with the kids getting older, they’re already having conflicting feelings about their parents. It’s a cute coming-of-age film wrapped in an LGBT blanket.
If you’re in the mood for something more realistic and personal, I recommend The Kids Are All Right, if for no other reason than to remind yourself that Mia Wasikowska has emotions. I was shocked, too.
The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
Here’s where it gets more complicated. While I really enjoyed The Adventures of Priscilla, it elicited a wide variety of emotions from me. As three drag queens make their way across the Australian Outback, they have several misadventures along the way. That doesn’t seem like much on its face, but it results in all sorts of interactions. The upsides, downsides, and everything else that comes with being a drag queen in the 90s are put on display here, and it’s not always easy to watch. However, y’all may know that movies like that are the kind that attract me.
Sure, The Adventures of Priscilla can be difficult to get through, but I recommend it only for Terence Stamp. Yeah, it’s fun seeing General Zod as a drag queen.
Paris is Burning
Paris is Burning is a classic. While the creation of the film raises some ethical questions, what’s detailed in it is unlike anything else I’ve seen. Paris is Burning outlines the intricacies of Ballroom culture in New York City at the height of the AIDS crisis. This month was my first time watching it, and it raised several difficult emotions. I found myself reflected in each of the folks on-screen and relating to their struggles to an unhealthy degree. We will survive, and Paris is Burning shows us how they do it in “Gay World.”
Paris is Burning also does a fantastic job of highlighting the difficulties of combining LGBTQ+ issues with race issues. This is still an issue today, but if we don’t talk about it, it’ll never change.
Disclosure
Of the movies on this list, the ones I would consider “must-watches” in today’s climate are Paris is Burning and Disclosure. While Paris is Burning has proven to maintain relevance after 35 years, Disclosure was released 5 years ago, and its importance is already striking. Disclosure takes an elaborate and detailed look at the coverage of transgender people in the public eye over the years. From as far back as the 1910s, Disclosure shows us how transgender people have been humiliated from the start. As the world continues to grow and evolve, especially now, we need movies like Disclosure.
Even thinking about Disclosure now, I can’t help but feel emotional. For me, Disclosure hits too close to home, but that’s also why it’s important.
So those are my 5 movies for Pride Month this year. What do y’all think? Are there any movies I mi – Yes. I couldn’t even finish that sentence, but yes, share your favorite LGBTQ+ movies in the comments with us. We always love to hear from you! Now go out there and show the world how you’re not afraid to live your life on your terms. 😉
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