review – Page 2 – The Implausi.blog

Dynazty, “Game of Faces” (2025)

Caught this on release day due to the lead single “Devilry of Ecstasy” showing up in my feed due to the glory of the Algorithm. (Praise the Omnissiah). And this time, the algorithm (and the band) hit it out of the park. I was stoked to find that my FLRS had a copy, as I had looked into pre-ordering via the Nuclear Blast label’s website, but the shipping was silly expensive at sub-$1000 levels. And after giving this the proper test, I was surprised to see how much this exceeded my already high expectations.

I haven’t heard this band before, but this is fantastic: melodic power metal with lush harmonies and soaring guitars. This feels like the metal soundtrack to a Broadway musical, and I mean that as the highest compliment: this is fantastically catchy and listenable.

The album starts off with three straight bangers: “Call of the Night”, “Game of Faces”, and “Devilry of Ecstasy”, and it doesn’t let up. The opening tracks are as good a start to an album since last year’s Invincible Shield by the almighty Judas Priest. The album is polished and well-produced and sounds great to listen to. If I need to get jazzed up, I’ll just throw this in the stereo for the ride.

The one drawback might be a bit of the sameness of the later tunes. Still well done, but perhaps lacking the furious kick of the openers. That’s not a knock; I’d be happy to listen to any track if it came up in the shuffle. Solid all around. Highly recommended. 9/10

Killswitch Engage, “This Consequence” (2025)

Picked up in advance of their coming tour, and continuing our streak of grabbing a new album every week or so.

Killswitch Engage (2025) *This Consequence*

This is the first KSE album I’ve owned*, and likely the first I’ve listened to back to front as well. A few of their previous songs have filtered through, but nothing about the music has shone through, just a mild recognition of the (admittedly) awesome band name.

But if I was forced to name one KSE tune, even with the fate of humanity on the line, well, so long and thanks for all the fish.

But as for the album itself. it’s decent enough, though it runs together on a full or repeated lesson. The high points jump out, but get dragged back down by the rest. There’s little (to my ear) to distinguish it from a Linkin Park album, or any other early 2000s metalcore band.

After giving it the requisite review period**, standout tracks include I Believe (the first single) which blends in some melody while tempering the metalcore screams, and the opener Abandon Us which kicks things off with some suitable heavy chugging.

Overall, I like it, and I’ll give it a few more listens to see if it grows on me. If all I get out of it is a few standout singles, then fair enough. A lot of albums in the collection share a similar state.

*: apparently I have 2002’s Alive Or Just Breathing in the archives, but I think that was included in a pile of other stuff. I have no recollection of it.

**: two full listens through on the stick stereo in my 2011 VW Jetta. The ultimate testing ground.

Alien: Romulus (2024)

Having sworn off the extended Alien franchise after finding myself hating both Prometheus and Alien: Covenant back-to-back, I was surprised to find me watching this on the opening weekend. Good word of mouth from a few friends whose opinions I trust had me checking it out, in IMAX no less, in a late afternoon matinee.

And surprise, it’s good!

Now, the challenge with any movie in a franchise with 45 years of history is to deal with the accumulated weight of expectations, of both the hardcore fans and casual movie-going public, and even those lapsed fans like myself. So, to achieve some modest success in creating a movie that is genuinely terrifying, and expands on the universe, fitting in as a piece in the larger story, and leaving room for more development later, is no easy task. Well done on all those involved.

That isn’t to say it’s perfect: there are a few scenes that feel like level design in a video game adaptation, which has been an ongoing trend in movies since at least the Star Wars prequels. It’s the curse of cinema in the new millennium. And a couple notable lines that tie too close to the past movies in the franchise fell flat, not having enough room to breathe. But these quibbles aside, it was a fine film, that never felt like it dragged, and kept the tension up throughout.

There’s room to expand the Alien universe off this; more with Andy, obviously. But I’d also like to see a wider universe, beyond the Weyland-Yutani corporation, and see what other approaches to outer space there might be. Because in a galaxy where the Xenomorph is a solution, what kind of problems might lurk out there?

Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)

Knew I was going to see this one pretty early on. Despite my issues with previous Ryan Reynolds vehicles, his work in the first two Deadpool movies was great, and as the initial teasers started showing up, I started actively not watching any of the other trailers that were showing up everywhere online. (I’ve had this practice of nescience for a while, even though I haven’t named it until recently.) Arranged to see it with a few friends, and bought tickets ahead of time, though it was the into the second week of release before we caught it. I went in pretty much blind.

And really enjoyed it!

(There’s something to be said for actively avoiding the spoilers and the level of enjoyment of a given work.)

The movie lived up to the hype, a frenetic bundle of kinetic energy that only slowed down when it had to interact with the TVA HQ, in it’s studio mandated ties to “metaplot” and the wider MCU and streaming series (which perhaps says something about the issues with that part of the franchise, that it’s such an anchor that it can drag the momentum of Deadpool to a halt). But the jokes landed, the violence was cartoony (in the way of Warner Brothers, not Disney), the cameos were a genuine delightful surprise, and the 4th wall was repeatedly broken.

With a wink and a smile. 😉

Deadpool’s charm is that the character seems aware. I saw Deadpool with someone who hadn’t seen the previous films and had skipped most of the larger MCU, and they found Deadpool acting as their voice in the movie, asking the questions they wanted asked (what is Gambit saying?) and pointing out the absurdity of it (“til you’re 90!”). Deadpool’s superpower is being able to break the 4th wall, but that break goes both ways, bringing the audience into the film to enjoy the movie alongside him. And it’s that joy that is infectious, and makes the movie fun.

With Deadpool‘s success as the highest-grossing R-rated film ever (at the time I’m writing this), I fear we’ll see a slate of movies leaning onto the violence and profanity in the hopes of the chasing that same success. But in doing so they’ll be learning the wrong lessons from the film.

What have we learned?

Move fast
Have fun
Keep it short
Don’t worry about explaining the plot (too much – show don’t tell)
Realize the whole premise is ridiculous
Invite the audience in
Enjoy!

Seems simple enough. Hope we see more like it.