Entertainment
Now Playing: The Album, Emily in Paris
Femme fatale overload!
Happy fall season! While there may be no Halloween parties this year and cozy autumn travels, we still find a way to have fun and relax in this crazy season. In between the so-called a-phone-calypse, here’s what’s now playing in GadgetMatch:
Games to play
Marvel’s Avengers
We’re in the middle of our playthrough for the review and the campaign mode has been fantastic so far. Called the “Reassemble Campaign,” it follows Kamala Khan AKA Ms. Marvel as she tries to bring the Avengers back together after a catastrophic event five years ago. — Rodneil
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2
This is literally everything we loved about the cult classic game in the late 90s, early 2000s but in better detail and with a few new challenges to keep us playing. It’s a faithful remake that players will certainly enjoy. — Rodneil
Command and Conquer: Remastered Collection
Remember the RTS games, Command and Conquer and Red Alert? These popular games defined the genre especially with their compelling gameplay, fast-paced plot, and unforgettable cutscenes. Thankfully, EA has remastered the game in glorious 4K to appease fans who have been craving for another C&C game for years. It is definitely a game worth playing since the luminous leader Kane approves of the remaster himself. — Kenrick
NBA 2K21
It’s another NBA 2K game, this time with a different take to the whole experience. Yes, there are new shooting mechanics to master, a more prolonged take on MyCareer, and a MyTeam mode with progression rewards. But it’s still the same great basketball simulation game from before. I mean, you can simulate a pre-NBA bubble atmosphere in time for the playoffs. — Gab
Shows to binge-watch
Emily in Paris
Netflix’s new hit series — Emily in Paris — created an uproar in social media, portraying an American woman’s adventure in the city of love rocking her almost perfect life. Emily Cooper, played by Lily Collins, struggled as the only American in a Parisian office, got entangled in a web of romance and illicit affairs, and found herself in hilarious misadventures throughout the city. — MJ
Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai
This is a rather unusual Slice of Life/Harem anime. It has shades of the supernatural like what we’ve seen from Makoto Shinkai’s work in Your Name and Weathering With you. Of course, it’s not as visually stunning, but the story/stories can be just as engaging. Best binged on a cold weekend with coffee/tea/hot chocolate in hand. — Rodneil
Hi-Score
Hi-Score is a Netflix documentary that quirkily tells the origins of the video gaming industry. This is absolutely a MUST-WATCH for anyone that’s ever been into video games. The writing, pacing, and visuals are all on point and it’s a really fun way to learn about the history of video games. — Rodneil
As someone who literally has the word “retro” in all his active gamer tags, Hi-Score is a gold mine. It features some of the classic video games that ultimately served as the foundation for gaming as we know it today. The short docu-series also tackles the highs and lows of the industry, its major players, and the technologies they were rocking at the time. Combined with clever visuals and fluid storytelling, you get to immerse yourself in the history of the video gaming industry. — Gab
Memories of Alhambra
Can’t believe I’m late to the party on this show. A tech company CEO receives a tip from an augmented reality (AR) game creator but he was given little information to go on. The series (I’m only two episodes deep), follows the CEO tracking down the creator by playing through the game. Oh, and the female lead is Park Shin-Hye. ‘Nuff said. — Rodneil
It’s Okay Not To Be Okay (사이코지만 괜찮아)
A star-studded cast, A-class cinematography, life-like visual effects — these factors are already given why K-dramas get the hype. Getting deeper, I love this series mainly because the plot talks about mental health and trying to “deal with it” as a whole. It may not be the same for all, but most of us live in our fears and traumatic experiences. I love how they named each episode based on Ko Mun Yeong’s books. ‘The Cheerful Dog’ is definitely one of my favorites. — Vincenz
Haikyu!!
Sports anime always make people feel things. Haikyu!! isn’t an exception, a volleyball anime based on the manga of the same name. With its fourth season’s second cour of 12 episodes premiering this October, it’s a good time to binge-watch the anime. Savor the feeling of triumph, defeat, discomfort, challenge, perseverance, pressure, and hope! — MJ
Movies to see
My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising
Like any other OVA, none of the events from this feature film will have any significant repercussions on the main storyline. However, it’s easily one of the best OVAs out there. Nearly every single member of Class-1A was given ample time to shine with Deku and Bakugo taking center stage in the final action sequence. This has literally all the quirks you love from My Hero Academia condensed in a satisfying movie. — Rodneil
The Social Dilemma
“If you’re not paying for the product, you are the product.” The Social Dilemma digs deep into the machinations of social networking and how, as some of us have known, it’s designed to keep us glued to our devices. It’s an insightful and well-presented documentation of how social media can affect our psychological disposition and a case study against how the current system in general just isn’t good for humanity. — Rodneil
The Promise
Late to the party with The Promise but I just recently saw this on Netflix and it left a strong impression on me. Set in the twilight years of the Ottoman Empire, the story focuses on a fictional love triangle between an Armenian medical student, a dancer from Paris of Armenian heritage, and an American journalist with the very real events that lead to the death of millions of Armenians as an extremely vivid backdrop. An event in history that’s often glossed over but deserves to be discussed. Starring Oscar Isaac, Christian Bale, and Charlotte Le Bon, you can expect great acting but do watch it for the history lesson too. — Carol
Bill & Ted Face the Music
A direct sequel to the cult duology of the ‘80s and ‘90s, Bill & Ted Face the Music brings the same quirky, lighthearted charm of the original with Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter. Pressured to write the song that will unite all of humanity, Bill and Ted attempt to steal the song from their future selves. What follows is the same hijinx we all know and love from the excellent duo. It’s the right amount of lightheartedness we all need in this dark corner of 2020. — Luigi
Nadie Sabe Que Estoy Aqúi (Nobody Knows I’m Here)
Follow the story of Memo, a singer turned recluse who met a girl that changes his life — for better or worse. This film is not your usual romance drama though. The whole story centers around Memo’s struggle between keeping his former identity hidden and expressing his desire to break free. It’s one of the better Spanish films on Netflix. The film brilliantly puts a twist in the old “follow your dreams” tale too. You may be taken aback by how the film ends, but rest assured that you’ll be hooked to Memo’s character once his talents truly shine. — Kenrick
Albums/Songs/Podcasts to listen to
The Album by BLACKPINK
Four long years after their official debut, the popular K-Pop group finally releases their first full-length album. The title track “Lovesick Girls” is a little different from the hard-hitting, beat-dropping tracks that catapulted them to global recognition. But it’s exactly the jolt the group and its dedicated fanbase — the BLINKS — needed after the long wait. — Rodneil
“Not Shy” by ITZY
This one’s a banger. ITZY has been taking the K-Pop world by storm ever since they debuted and their overall unique vibe just keeps growing. What I personally noticed is how some of their songs sound like they’re typically arranged for boy groups. The same is true with their choreography. Honorable mention to their B-side track “Surf” which has also been on my regular rotation recently. — Rodneil
“More & More (English Version)” by TWICE
TWICE’s global fanbase is growing exponentially and as a treat, the girls recorded an English Version of the song. Quite a feat considering none of them are native English speakers. The song sounds amazing, the translation isn’t awkward, and the girls’ performance on the pronunciation and vocals are top-notch. Yes, I’m whipped for TWICE. — Rodneil
“Solo” by Jay Park feat. Hoodie
Lately I’ve been spending nights mindlessly scrolling through TikTok and ran into this viral video of Jay Park. I looked up the song and was instantly hooked to its smooth vibe. It’s been on repeat over the past few days. — Rodneil
“HOLO” by Lee Hi
One of my anthems this quarantine. It’s a song that I usually play especially when I feel alone or just thinking about a particular person I’ve always been missing. This track reminds me that everything will be alright, and this “feeling” (if ever this is JUST one) will stop one day. Playing this together with her 2016 track ‘Breathe’ makes me cry even more. — Vincenz
“Where The Sea Sleeps” by Day6 (Even of Day)
Don’t let Day6’s Denimalz characters in the music video fool you. Unlike those cute visuals and storyline, the lyrics suggest otherwise. I’ll be honest, I bawled my eyes out more than enough while watching the music video all because of the translated lyrics. This has been one of my most repeated songs this 2020 — and I think you should, too. — Vincenz
“Bon Voyage” by YooA (of OH MY GIRL)
If you’re fond of animated Disney/Pixar films together with their OSTs (especially Moana), this one’s for you. YooA’s debut song truly feels magical, whimsical, and ethereal. All these adjectives combined aren’t even enough to say how perfect this song is. Her fairy-like visuals complement well with the MV’s nature-y setting. It even feels like I’m watching a Korean version of a Disney live-action film. — Vincenz
BONUS: Someone actually edited the song with Moana in it.
“We Ride” by Brave Girls
After two years of hiatus, Brave Girls is finally back with a single! Their comeback song is a completely new concept from their daring hits ‘Deepened’ and ‘Rollin’. ‘We Ride’ focuses on the “city pop” genre which is slowly gaining popularity among listeners. As the genre suggests, music video visuals give us a “Neon Tokyo” vibe while the track features ‘80’s synthpop. It may not be as loud and repetitive, but it’s honestly the perfect song for pure chill and night road trips (hoping this pandemic will end sooner tho for this to become a reality). — Vincenz
folklore
Taylor Swift’s recent album, “folklore”, surprised the world in different ways: a shift from lovey-dovey pop music to sentimental indie folk music, and the album being a secret project throughout Swift’s isolation during the lockdown. In essence, this new album harnesses the power of storytelling, music, and emotions — it even looks like the pinnacle of Swift’s journey as a talented artist and musician. This album is best enjoyed with a cup of coffee, especially on a rainy day. — MJ
Dynamite by BTS
Haven’t gone down the K-Pop rabbit hole (yet) but this song has the ability to stick to your head and just inject a big dose of positivity into your day. Which is – admittedly – something a lot of people need during these times. A true-blue pop song that doesn’t need to pretend to be anything else. — Carol
Books to read
Eat, Pray, Love
When I decided to read Elizabeth Gilbert’s 2006 memoir, it’s like the universe conspired to guide me in my own self-exploration — which happened to be the book’s central theme. It’s a story of enjoying the world as a human being, enriching your spiritual life, and finding harmony and balance to make the most out of your life. It’s a great read for anyone embarking on a journey of self-discovery and recovery of broken hearts and souls. — MJ
When Superman premiered last year, it was carrying over a decade’s worth of baggage from the ultra-gritty Snyderverse. It held the promise of a fresh superhero world that emphasizes fun. Now, Supergirl is no different. Whereas Superman was tasked with restarting a dying cinematic universe, Supergirl wants to prove that the former wasn’t just a one-hit wonder, and it does exactly that amid a few struggles.
Though David Corenswet’s Superman does make quite a few cameos in the film, Supergirl is about Clark Kent’s titular cousin. It’s also based on the award-winning book, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, written by Tom King.
Celebrating her 23rd birthday, Kara Zor-El travels to planets with a red sun, the only places where she can get drunk as a Kryptonian. In one planet, she meets Ruthye Marye Knoll, who, after seeing Supergirl’s resilience, asks Kara to hunt Krem, the leader of the Brigands who killed her whole family. Kara initially refuses, but when Krem poisons Krypto, her dog, she goes off on her own to find the Brigand.
A classic tale of revenge
As with the original book, Supergirl is a tale of reluctant revenge instigated by a child desperate for it and a more mature mentor who knows better. Despite Kara’s nihilistic tendencies, she believes that revenge isn’t the right path for Ruthye.
It’s your standard fare of a revenge tale, somewhat bordering on a classic Western. In essence, it follows much of the structure of the original book. There are, however, some interesting changes, which may or may not be helpful to the story.
By switching to a more traditional plot structure, Supergirl trades away the book’s fleshed out relationship between Kara and Ruthye. Though Kara still cares for her young protégé, Ruthye has unfortunately been reduced to a fiery platitude, telling people who she is and how much she wants to kill Krem. At one point, Kara even makes fun of her little speech.
Krem, on the other hand, feels much more ferocious. Though the book’s Krem was evil in his own right, he was more of a mundane type of evil, just-an-average-Joe evil. The movie’s Krem is the type you wouldn’t want to meet in a dark alley. He looks like he took a few too many steroids.
On the one hand, these changes make for a smoother film. Though the movie starts off slow, it eventually rolls towards a superhero-level fight at the end. On the other, it loses the message of the original story about the complexities of revenge.
On James Gunn’s universe
Normally, it’s a compliment to have a movie comparable to a James Gunn movie. There is another side to the coin, though.
Despite being tagged as fundamentally different from the tone of Superman, it’s clear that Supergirl was influenced by Gunn’s vision. There are jokes, random aliens, and a liberal use of older songs. On a micro level, it just doesn’t hit as hard as a Gunn flick, though.
For one, in a Gunn movie, each unnamed alien has so much character that you’d hardly believe that they’re just extras. In Supergirl, background characters, even those with speaking roles, don’t lift up from the screen. They just blend into the background. Likewise, the Brigands, despite how much eviler their actions are, don’t look like anything beyond generic sci-fi villains.
On a larger scale, keeping up with Gunn’s vision makes sense. Supergirl’s take on Kara’s story complements Superman’s story so well. Kara’s origin, explored in the film, contrasts with Clark’s. Ultimately, it helps turn Clark and Kara into fully fleshed out characters, rather than the tired stereotypes of Mr. Goody Two Shoes and his apathetic sidekick.
It also helps that Lobo, played by Jason Momoa, adds an interestingly cosmic element to the universe’s growing cast of characters. Finally spreading his wings away from Aquaman, Momoa has finally found a role perfect for him. He steals all the scenes that he’s in.
Should you watch Supergirl?
Supergirl is not on the same level as Superman. While the latter is Gunn at his absolute best, the former is a Gunn-esque film that drops the original story’s message in favor of a plot friendlier to the big screen.
That doesn’t mean that it’s a bad movie. In fact, it does well to expand the lore started by the first film. Supergirl is still a worthy, albeit smaller, addition to the growing DCU oeuvre.
Global K-pop sensation LE SSERAFIM is returning to BlizzCon.
Blizzard Entertainment has announced that the five-member girl group will perform as the closing musical act at BlizzCon 2026. LE SSERAFIM will take the Main Stage on Sunday, September 13 (PT), bringing fans another live performance after its BlizzCon debut in 2023.
The appearance also comes ahead of the group’s upcoming U.S. tour. Blizzard teased that the performance will make it a “Perfect Night” for fans attending the convention at the Anaheim Convention Center.
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LE SSERAFIM returns to Blizzard
LE SSERAFIM debuted in 2022 under SOURCE MUSIC, a label of HYBE. The group is composed of Sakura Miyawaki, Kim Chaewon, Huh Yunjin, Kazuha Nakamura, and Hong Eunchae.
The group’s name is an anagram of “I’m Fearless,” reflecting the confidence that has defined its music since debut.
This won’t be LE SSERAFIM’s first crossover with Blizzard. The group previously collaborated with Overwatch 2, bringing themed cosmetics and a special event to the hero shooter.
BlizzCon 2026 is sold out
BlizzCon is Blizzard Entertainment’s annual community celebration. It brings together fans of World of Warcraft, Diablo IV, Overwatch 2, and other Blizzard franchises for game announcements, developer panels, esports, cosplay, and hands-on experiences.
Passes for BlizzCon 2026 have already sold out. However, Blizzard says tickets may still become available through the Tixr public resale marketplace.
Fans can learn more about LE SSERAFIM’s appearance on Blizzard’s official blog.
Toy Story 5 is the funniest the series has been for me, even if it might end up being one of its more forgettable entries. Toy Story 3 is still the franchise’s most profound when it arrived 15 years after the original film and spoke directly to an audience that had grown up with Andy. It gave people the kind of nostalgia and continuity they were ready for.
So, when Pixar finds an angle through the takeover of iPads and the Roblox-ification of childhood, we are primed with a very predictable premise. The toys are no longer competing only with time or growing up. They are competing with screens that know how to keep a child looking.
Whether that is a genuine attempt to stay relevant or simply another way of keeping the franchise alive, it is hard not to admire the idea.
What lingers is its lens on connection and what holds us together as the world keeps changing, even in the whimsy of a child. And the end credits song, Taylor Swift’s “I Knew It, I Knew You,” which carries us back to her country-pop roots.
Jessie steps forward
Aside from the introduction of tech play, the first sequence already makes it clear that Jessie (Joan Cusack) is taking on a larger emotional role here. Woody (Tom Hanks) gets some time to polish his boots before eventually being pulled back into the chaos with the rest of the gang. Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) gets caught in his own strange space-age mess with the kind of high-speed toy panic this franchise loves to stage.
Bonnie ditches toys for tech play
Bonnie (Scarlett Spears) is basically the new Andy now, except her childhood has more tabs open. She still transforms the gang into unwitting characters from different genres and eras in 2D treatment when she plays. But, she’s also feeling ostracized and pressured by screen-ager friends.
Sitting nearby is Lilypad (Greta Lee), a frog-shaped smart tablet bright enough to make the toys look a little dimmer. It looks exactly like one of those iPads with a green, funky case that you see kids carrying around at family functions. It is one more thing to play with and one more little world calling her name. The toys are still there, but now they are waiting between notifications and an attempt at sabotaging batteries.
When all these attempts go wrong, the gang’s plan is to find Bonnie a friend who can still meet her in imaginative play.
Is the screen the villain?
What Bonnie goes through as an eight-year-old is a reality for a lot of kids whose screen time stretches beyond moderation. In some ways, it feels a notch higher than Gen Zs and Millennials spending most of the week glued to work laptops while still trying to carve out time on a Sunday to “live a life.”
The inevitability of tech play is announced like an impending doom when Bonnie spots the twins she wants to play with lolling on a couch in a bleak living room, their faces looking washed in the glow of their phones. It’s more unsettling than Sid’s vicious grin in the first film, or Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear’s refusal to redeem himself in Toy Story 3.
Bonnie’s friends even plan a sleepover just to end up on their Lilypads, not going a day without talking to each other face-to-face. It’s a room filled with excited kids slowly drained of energy by the devices in their hands. It’s strange enough that the kids packed into LAN parties and computer shops of our time, armed with the most creative trash talks, suggest a healthier version of real-world connection.
By the end, what keeps the film from becoming too preachy is that Lilypad is not treated like a Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear by-product. The toys still matter, but the tablets do too. One gives shape to touch and make-believe, and the other opens up a metaphysical escape. Parents need to understand that it’s a matter of finding the balance between enough screen to discover new worlds. And enough real life for their kids to remember how to build one themselves.
The things that raised us
I lost touch with toys years ago, so I tried to make the story’s angle make sense through my grief for the glossies and magazines that raised me. I thought about the Filbar’s and grocery newsstands I grew up nagging my parents to take me to. Now Filbar’s fully houses collectibles and toys, which is its own little irony.
The magazines left us. At least my favorites did. Now they survive as digital flipbooks on my iPad, which surprisingly works for my tactile self. Though these devices can never recreate the wrinkling of a spine that suggests I probably loved my mags too hard. I do love the illusion of turning the pages and being able to carry it everywhere. It does act like a thread to my younger, more idealistic self. Which, for me, is an important kind of connection.
And maybe Toy Story 5 circles around the idea. That we never really lose the essence of fun and connection, even if the world changes. It is an innate thing to us. We may go to our screens to virtually meet people, then we come back to the small shared spaces where the sense of belonging is tangibly real.
Right now, fun lives in both the AFKs and in the realms of social media—half-present, half-elsewhere, but wholeheartedly connected.
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