Stuck inside? Don’t know what to watch/read/play/listen to? ComingSoon.net has got you covered. In this week’s CS Recommends our staff gives you solid tips on the best media to consume during your downtime, including Batman: Arkham Quadrilogy & more. Check out our picks below!
MAX EVRY’S RECOMMEND: The Ghost of Sierra de Cobre
A couple Halloweens ago the great folks over at Kino Lorber put out a fantastic Blu-ray of an underseen gem: The Ghost of Sierra de Cobre. Originally conceived as a pilot for a supernatural horror series called “The Haunted” but ultimately not picked up, the pilot was expanded into a TV movie written and directed by Joseph Stefano of Psycho and The Outer Limits fame. It was only aired once, and caused viewers to complain that it was “too scary.”
While it might not seem as intense to modern viewers, this is still a sensationally spooky flick with the late great Martin Landau as a rich architect who investigates ghostly occurrences as a side hustle. This story features a woman (Diane Baker) who hires Landau’s character to delve into the mystery behind phone calls from her blind husband’s dead mother buried in a family crypt.
The disc features both the pilot and feature version (I recommend the feature, better picture quality) as well as a great audio commentary by author/screenwriter David J. Schow.
KYLIE HEMMERT’S RECOMMEND: Supernatural: The Anime Series
First-time Supernatural viewers might feel a little intimidated jumping into a series that is currently in its 15th season with over 300 episodes (I highly recommend taking the plunge, though; you can stream the live-action series on Netflix or buy the first few seasons here). If you’re hesitating to get your Supernatural binge on, there’s another way to get a taste of the world without taking on 15 seasons at once, and that’s by watching Supernatural: The Anime Series.
A hidden gem outside of the Supernatural fandom, the animated series — the first-ever re-imagination of a live-action series in the anime style — only lasted for one season but acts as a great expansion to the Supernatural universe. Jared Padalecki, who plays Sam Winchester on The CW series, voices every episode of the anime and is later joined by his onscreen brother Jensen Ackles in the last two episodes (Andrew Farrar voices Dean for the first 20 episodes). The season consists of animated remakes of a few live-action episodes as well as original episodes that remind us why animation is so unique and special, with its beautiful ability to explore stories visually in ways that simply are not possible in live-action. Supernatural: The Anime Series offers its own take on the popular dark fantasy drama, but the 22 half-hour episodes serve as a fascinating side dish to the long-running main course.
GRANT HERMANNS’ RECOMMEND: Psych: The Complete Collection
Come on, son! Who doesn’t like a murder mystery series peppered with ’80s pop culture references, glorious one-liners and some of the best chemistry ever to grace the world of television. Debuting in 2006, the cult classic detective comedy series follows Shawn Spencer utilizing his skills of heightened observation and eidetic memory learned as a kid from his police officer dad to fool the Santa Barbara Police Department into believing he is a psychic private detective. To keep the illusion up and help with some of the more complicated aspects of the cases, Shawn enlists the help of Burton “Gus” Guster, his best friend since childhood, to solve the crimes they come across. Leads James Roday (Shawn) and Dule Hill (Gus) were glorious in their individual roles as well as clearly real life best friends while supporting stars Maggie Lawson, Timothy Omundson and Corbin Bernsen all prove to hold their own in every episode, helping viewers truly connect with the characters over the years and every high and low they experience over the years, resulting in arguably the finest and endlessly rewatchable crime-solving series of all-time. Plus, with a sequel to the series’ continuation Psych: The Movie set to premiere later this year, there’s plenty of time to turn new viewers onto the series while longtime fans will just have to wait for iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit.
MAGGIE DELA PAZ’S RECOMMEND: Magnifico (Filipino Film)
Set in a small provincial town in the Philippines, the film revolves around a young boy named Magnifico, who despite coming from a poor family is still filled with kindness and positivity which are something that most of the adults around him lack of. On top of his family’s lack of financial stability and a sister who suffers from cerebral palsy, their situation gets harder when his grandmother suddenly gets diagnose with Stage 4 cancer. While his parents are now worrying about the additional medical expenses, his grandmother however is more worried about the money they’ll need for her funeral. That’s why, with the determination of helping his family, Magnifico steps up to the task including finding a way to get his sister a wheelchair and building his grandmother a coffin from scrap wood. Along the way, he will also have the opportunity to share the goodness of his heart to other people in his community. Magnifico is a heart-wrenching drama film that had premiere in 2003, where it not only received critical-acclaimed in the Philippines but also in the international scene. It also earned two awards at the 2004 Berlin International Film Festival, including the Crystal Bear-Best Feature Film and Deutsches Kinderhilfswerk Grand Prix-Best Feature Film.
This film is definitely one of my most favorite and memorable Filipino films ever. I’ve watched this film at a very young age but I still remember the sentimental feelings I’ve felt during that time. Magnifico’s story was beautifully written and well-executed which will further prove that one small act of kindness can really change a lot of things. In addition to its great story, the film also featured a cast consists of acclaimed seasoned Filipino actors including veteran actress Gloria Romero, who are all exceptional in the film. However, titular lead actor Jiro Manio’s moving performance was what really made the film work as he captivates the audience in every scene despite only being 10 years old at the time. So, if you want an introduction to the Philippine cinema, I highly recommend you to watch Magnifico but fair warning prepare a box of tissue or anything to wipe away tears just in case.
JEFF AMES’ RECOMMEND: Batman: Arkham Quadrilogy
Looking for a way to pass the time? Then slap on your bat belt and don that cape and cowl for four thrilling Batman adventures — Batman: Arkham Asylum (2009), Batman: Arkham City (2011), Batman: Arkham Origins (2013), and Batman: Arkham Knight (2015) — set in everyone’s favorite urban cesspool, Gotham City. Well, technically, the games begin in Arkham Asylum, that grungy, rat-infested prison where the Bat’s rampant rogue gallery bide their time until the next criminal mastermind unleashes their latest scheme, before expanding beyond the prison walls and into Gotham’s rain-drenched neighborhoods. Batman (voiced again by Kevin Conroy) utilizes his ever-expanding weapons cache to thwart a wide variety of villains, including, at one point, a psychotic, butcher knife wielding pig man. Seriously.
And, oh boy, does the action pop.
Batman launches into full on ninja mode, easily dispatching groups of enemies with slick combat moves and brutal bone-breaking finishers. If splashy showdowns aren’t your style, stick to the shadows as a silent predator, one capable of pushing criminals to the brink of insanity before swooping in and taking them out with ferocious precision.
These games aren’t just about thrilling action sequences. Each chapter introduces a unique storyline that further expands Batman’s already vast mythos; and his relationship with enemies like the Joker (voiced again by Mark Hamill), the Riddler, Harley Quinn, the Penguin and Two-Face, among others.
In short, if you’ve ever wanted to feel what it’s like to be the Bat, right down to that kick ass batmobile, then these are the games for you. Truthfully, aside from, perhaps, Fox’s Batman: the Animated Series, these games are the greatest and most faithful adaptation of our brooding pointed-eared hero to date.
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