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Growing up I only got to play full Pokémon games through family or friends. I admired the game from afar but never got to do a full play-through of a classic Pokémon game*. (Outside of Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness on the Gamecube the true underrated classic.) Honestly, I was floored to see of my favorite video game franchises and my deep love for open world games is finally being merged together. They gave us all of the previews but honestly, it still didn’t prepare me for the immersive experience this game had to offer.

Pokémon Legends: Arceus is the power house we all wished it would be and more. If you’re looking for a game that gives you an equal amount of stress and relaxation Pokémon Legends: Arceus is for you. One minute you’re hiding in the grass trying to throw Pokéballs at Bidoofs, next minute you’re running away from a swarm of Paras that always wants the sauce. When I first sprawled across the field, I thought it was pretty barren. Some Bidoofs, a couple of Starly, in the first few minutes I thought they fumbled the bag. But I was wrong. Pokémon Legends: Arceus slowly reels you in and gives you the opportunity to run into Pokémon of almost any level. Sometimes they chase you in the middle of the night, sometimes they’re tame and watch from a safe distance. But one thing’s certain, you’re a Survey Corps child prodigy, you must earn your keep, or they’ll throw you into the woods to die.

*I don’t think that can happen to anyone during their play through, but they make that very clear every time you seem hesitant in your answer.

Prepared to Feed You to the Bidoofs

One of my favorite parts about Pokémon Legends: Arceus is the absolute savagery. Savagery with the Pokémon is a given, but savagery with the NPCs? That’s an exceptional level. You have a man teaching you how to pack your bag, and there is no (currently identified) price cap. You can essentially go to him, pay wads of cash just to learn how to fit ONE more item in your satchel. Which when you think about it, is nuts because how can you fit 20 stones, 20 berries 50 Pokéballs and a bunch of mushroom cakes in a tiny satchel? First of all, that’s sorcery, that man is magical. Second, he’s magical and taking all of your money. That whole satchel situation is a lesson on “Do I really need that?” And the answer is no. Capitalism is the enemy, you won’t take another cent from me SATCHEL BOB! * (Take all of my money, I don’t wanna throw away my precious berries.)

In Pokémon Legends: Arceus, the flip on “boss battles” became an unexpected star. Pokémon games usually feature gym battles as major points of transition in the story where you can mark your progress. This time we are facing Pokémon head on. It essentially feels like mini legendary battles without being able to catch them. You’re just out here throwing balms filled with their favorite food to calm them down. On one hand, same. But also, the fact that the Pokemon are aiming AT YOU. In the other games, they’re respectful. Pokemon versus Pokemon. Here? They are menacing and want to kill you. But you know it’s understandable, you’re grumpy, you’re glowing, and you want to be alone. I feel that on a personal level.

Scream, Run, Repeat

Pokémon Legends: Arceus allows you to explore various terrains and see Pokémon in their habitat, but one thing I wish they did was incorporate some of the elements from Pokèmon Snap. In Pokémon Snap, we got to see Pokémon interact with one another, but we don’t see that at all in the game. Like yes what a cute bunch of Chimchars gathered together, but they do nothing really except walk around and sleep. They don’t even interact with each other really. That’s one aspect that would’ve truly enhanced the experience. Like you really mean to tell me that a pack of Growlithe’s ain’t *tussling with each other across a field? 

(Using flamethrower on another Pokémon to have lunch. In all, it’s still very hard to believe Pokémon don’t eat each other, but I digress)

The art style of Pokémon Legends: Arceus definitely left room for the imagination. We all expected this during the previews, but there were still some kinks that went unsolved. Outside of grass that barely blows in the wind, in dark areas like caves weird outlines would show up around the character. It feels like the developers put a lot of energy into how the moves look, and how to battle sequences are portrayed but not necessarily enough in the lifestyle of the Pokémon and the environment. It was too minimalistic for such a flashy game.

A Lesson for Old Fans

One thing I need old fans of Pokémon to understand is that this game is nothing like the previous games. I don’t know how humans in general slowly domesticated Pokémon over the generations, but these are their ancestors okay. Pokémon here are equipped with violence. They will come after you. You can move around and actually get hit and fall over. Personally, I don’t know how you survive after a murderous balloon uses psychic on you but, go off sis. I had an Alpha Machoke chase me down beachside, and not in like a dreamy 90s Baywatch kind of way. More like it’s trying to crush my bones and turn it into protein powder.

Truthfully, if you’re not running and screaming for most of the game, you’re not becoming fully immersed in the experience. I desperately want everyone to play Pokémon Legends: Arceus, because it gives you all the love Pokémon fans gave over these generations. So go ahead throw that ball of mud at the alpha Garchomp, chase down that Gyarados then run away, you deserve all the thrill this game has to offer.

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The post ‘Pokemon Legends: Arceus,’ Why Haven’t You Started Playing it? appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.

BGN interviews actor Channing Tatum (Briggs) and director Reid Carolin for the MGM film Dog.

Dog is a buddy comedy that follows the misadventures of two former Army Rangers paired against their will on the road trip of a lifetime. Army Ranger Briggs (Channing Tatum) and Lulu (a Belgian Malinois dog) buckle into a 1984 Ford Bronco and race down the Pacific Coast in hopes of making it to a fellow soldier’s funeral on time. Along the way, they’ll drive each other completely crazy, break a small handful of laws, narrowly evade death, and learn to let down their guards in order to have a fighting chance of finding happiness.

Interviewer: Jeandra LeBeauf

Video Editor: Jamie Broadnax

Dog opens in theaters everywhere February 18.

Los Angeles, CA (February 10, 2022) — Vertical Entertainment has acquired North American distribution rights to Measure of Revenge, a psychological thriller that marks an international directorial debut by Malaysian director Peyfa about an actress whose famous son dies suddenly from a supposed overdose, causing her to conduct her own investigation with the help of a drug dealer in pursuit of answers, justice, and revenge by any means necessary. Vertical is planning a day-and-date release on March 18, 2022.

The film stars Academy Award®-winner Melissa Leo (The Fighter, The Equalizer 2, Thunder Force), Bella Thorne (Midnight Sun, The Babysitter), Jake Weary (It Follows, Animal Kingdom), Roma Maffia (Disclosure), Adrian Martinez (The Guilty, Focus), and Benedict Samuel (The Walk). Measure of Revenge is produced by Jen Gatien (Midnight Sun, Limelight), Peter Wong (Clemency, Malignant) and Timur Bekbosunov (Color Out of Space, Come Away) of ACE Pictures Entertainment.

Broadway actress Lillian Cooper (Academy Award®-winner Melissa Leo) is making her final on-stage appearance when her famous son, Curtis (Jake Weary), is found dead. When his death is ruled as an accidental overdose, a suspicious Lillian decides to take matters into her own hands. On a quest for answers, she strikes up an unlikely alliance with her son’s drug dealer, Taz (Bella Thorne), setting in motion a bloody warpath to uncover the truth, inspired by the characters she portrayed on stage.

In a joint statement, producers Jen Gatien, Peter Wong and Timur Bekbosunov said, “We are excited to partner up with Vertical Entertainment on Measure of Revenge to release a film that is an emotional and thrilling experience filled with mystery and surprise. Melissa Leo delivers a powerful and energetic performance in the role of a mother hellbent on revenge, forming great screen chemistry with the immensely talented Bella Thorne. We can’t wait for audiences to discover the film.”

“Melissa steps into this role of a grieving and relentless mother seeking justice for her son with such ease that it draws the viewer deeply into her journey and keeps you captivated and rooting for her every step of the way,” said Peter Jarowey, Partner at Vertical Entertainment.

The executive producers of Measure of Revenge include Johnny Chang, Bronwyn Cornelius, and Emma Lee; the co-producer is Jay Cannold. Edmund Carson, Daren She, and Peter Wong are the film’s editors, Bianca Butti is cinematographer, and the production design is by Jesika Farkas. The score is composed by award-winning Nick Urata (Little Miss Sunshine, Paddington Bear, A Series of Unfortunate Events). 

Leo is represented by Agency for the Performing Arts and The Initiative Group; Thorne is represented by CAA, Thirty Three Management, and Strategic Public Relations; and Weary is represented by The Gersh Agency, Management 360, and Shafran PR.

Tony Piantedosi negotiated the deal on behalf of Vertical Entertainment, while Timur Bekbosunov and CAA negotiated on behalf of ACE Pictures.

The post Vertical Entertainment acquires North American rights to thriller Measure of Revenge starring Melissa Leo, Bella Thorne, and Jake Weary appeared first on The Nerd Element.

Most of us can agree that making friends as an adult is hard. Beyond that, once you’ve established bonds that feel as though they could last, you’ve got to put in the work. I do think that sometimes it feels like you have to do a lot, and I also think, as Black women, we do that disproportionately because we pour so much of ourselves into people.

Friendships are like roller coasters — they can have highs, and they can have lows. Sometimes they are exhilarating, and other times they can be scary and frustrating. But if it’s truly with a person who is worth having in your life, you learn how to manage that ride.

I met my best friend in Mrs. Eads’ fourth-grade class at Greenwood Elementary. As we sat in class on the first day of school, Mrs. Eads called us one by one to her desk to give her our birth date. Shinita and I learned we had the same birthday — and the rest is history. We bonded over pigtails, Michael Jackson, and wearing matching outfits. We had a bond that was different from everyone else, and although we’ve had our ups and downs, it has been a friendship we have nurtured for over three decades.

Like children, Black women’s best-friend relationships begin with similarities and then graduate to loyalty, understanding, and dependability. Black women have an innate sisterhood no matter what we do. Friendships can also be very complicated, and, because of the kind of friends we are as Black women — we care, we want to take care of each other — it can get messy sometimes. That’s okay though. Mess can be cleaned up.

Every week, we see how Black women are portrayed on reality television, as if we fight all the time, lack kindness, backstab, and are incapable of having substantial friendships. It can be assumed we are all the same and act the same way. An article in the Bay State Banner asks, “Are these shows, although heavily scripted, presenting some of the realities of Black womanhood, or are they merely repackaging what America thinks of Black women (and men) and pulling an audience by confirming stereotypes?” 

In a society that works so hard to bring Black women down, we have to be able to depend on one another for support and encouragement. The assumption that we can’t be friends is biased and ignores the fact that we have beautiful friendships with one another.

We can celebrate each other, motivate, and tell it like it is in a genuine way. The representation in the media should show more of the fact that we can accept each other and are willing to forgive each other for any mistakes that might be caused through the friendship. Sometimes friendships grow apart, for any number of reasons. What I have found is that often those friendships come back around and are stronger and better than they were before.

We’re oftentimes told that as Black women, we’re all we have. This has been shown as we’re navigating through a global pandemic and social movements. Time and time again, Black women show they are the backbone of society. Not just as mothers and caregivers, but teachers, friends, organizers, and human beings who deserve love, support, honor, and equality. In a world where there’s one crisis after another, it’s important to remember that we’re not just on this earth to give support but to receive it as well.

The terms “women empowerment” and “sisterhood” are seen almost every day on social media. To be honest, it’s been my experience that these are just trending hashtags that provide women with more fluff than substance. I’ve attended conferences that claim to empower women. However, it was just a waste of my time and money to eat cookies and chant affirmations. Really?

Ahyiana Angel, the host of the Switch Pivot or Quit podcast, did an episode about the “underbelly” of women’s empowerment. She and guest Amber L. Wright discuss what it takes to truly empower other women, and where we are falling short. It’s an eye-opening discussion about their experiences with attending conferences and leaving feeling taken advantage of.

In a Medium article written during the height of the pandemic in 2020, it asks the question, “Why don’t we treat each other according to what we claim to believe?” Women empowerment is often seen as something to hashtag, instead of something to be done in real life.

Sisterhood to me means having a circle of like-minded women around you who support you. As for empowerment, I consider it to be when you’re validated and encouraged and you provide that same thing to other women so that we all can go through life with more confidence and without concern we’re being judged. Both are very important for Black women.

Over the years, we’ve had television shows such as Girlfriends and Living Single, as well as Harlem, Run the World, First Wives Club, Insecure, and Sistas, which all follow best friends as they navigate through life, love, and careers. These shows give us a positive demonstration of the meaning of sisterhood for Black women. 

Sisterhood is and has always been my lifeline when I need to remember who I am and why I even exist in this world. It’s less of a want and more of a need for reassurance. The bonds I have with my sister-friends sustain me when everything else fails. They tell me the truth and not just what I want to hear. They are my girls, my ride-or-dies, my besties. Knowing that there are women out there who constantly have my back whether I win or lose is one of the most empowering feelings I’ve ever experienced.