Hour 21: A Film and Interactive Media Blog

  Solo Mio (2026) "Keep your eyes open in Rome.” "Is everything okay?” "I wish I handled it differently. I mean, I should have been honest and just talked to you.” -Solo Mio (2026) I can't remember a time when I have felt such a refreshing and filmic spring breeze. That's not to say this film is vapid or empty by any means, it's simply a refreshing take on the stalwart romantic comedy genre. Where most romantic comedies find their end, Solo Mio discovers its purpose. Matt Taylor is left at the altar, after the whirlwind of a seemingly perfect relationship, sees him alone at his own destination wedding. He's already paid for honeymoon now burning a hole in his metaphorical pocket. Solo Mio, finds the perfect balance between joy and reverie as Matt has to unexpectedly take advantage of his non-refundable honeymoon. This film is a delight from end to end. Not only because of its humor, but its heart as well. Matt's journey from heartbreak to who...

  Christy: Where There is a Will, There is, The Way “It's my story, honestly, it is.” - Fighting for Survival by Christy Martin and Ron Borges, Chapter 1 “Somebody told me once, I fought like I was trying to destroy everybody who had done me wrong. They said I fought like I had demons in me. Maybe it's true. Maybe I do.” “I go to a restaurant and I realize I don't know what to order. I don't know what to cook for myself at home. I don't know what clothes I want to wear, or what I want to watch on television. I have no idea who I actually am. Every aspect of my life has been controlled by this man. Every decision. Everyone I talk to.” “Look at me! Look at me, Jim. You stabbed me. You shot me. You left me for dead on the bedroom floor. But like most else - you came up short.” -Christy (2025) As a journey through the medium of true to life narrative filmmaking, Christy hits harder than most, and not in the way that you may think. Christy Salters' journey from I...

The Wild Robot : And The Growth of Motherhood “I do not have the programming to be a mother.” “No one does, we just make it up" “Goodbye, we like your new baby, hope it doesn't die.” -The Wild Robot (2024) I find it difficult to distill The Wild Robot down to its essence. However, I can very easily give you a one line synopsis: a robot gets shipwrecked on a deserted island, and after a tragic mistake most care for a now orphaned gosling. In all honesty, the content of the film is not the problem, my hang-up stems from my perceived inability to craft a piece that demonstrates, with accuracy and honesty the loving thematic heartbeat of this film. Either that, or I am having a difficult time realizing how this film beautifully articulates the humanity and logistical anxiety contained in a mother's love. When it comes to it, perhaps that is why The Wild Robot is such a wonderfully engaged expression of the dignity of motherhood. With a sense of effervescent charm and h...

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 (2024) Healing is Yours to Write “Every monster was once a man." “I know you.” “There is always a choice.” -Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 (2024) I think it's fair to say, in the interactive space, if empathy had a revelatory moment in the modern era, Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice would be a prime mover in that conversation. I would even suggest that a player's empathy is an essential element in understanding the impact and purpose of Senua's first steps towards healing and reclaiming her dignity as a loved and valued member of society. You may discover however, that Senua's journey through Helheim does not conclude on a note of healing, per se, but a removal of certain barriers towards that healing. That is to say, healing is a process, it does not do well with finite results. "The past, is never past." -Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 (2024) Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2, could have very easily been derailed by its own ambitio...

  Fallout, season 2 (2025-2026) “And just to ask the question, would it help if I said please?” “Guess I'm just trying to lead by example.” “So give me the drugs.” -Fallout, season 2 What is choice? What is control? Both of these motivating factors of human experience indicate a philosophical dilemma when it comes to interactivity, and its relationship with authorial intent. In other words, linear narratives have a difficult time coalescing effectively with a person's independence. Though, what if the choice is the narrative, and control its thematic through line? If you take the above quandaries into account, you would more than likely get the sophomore season of Fallout's televised efforts. Nothing short of a joyous contradiction in terms, Fallout returns, continuing an enthusiastic blending of mediums, or should I call it a breaking down of barriers? Either way, this coming together of both the interactive and linear narrative structures is a charm-filled reminde...

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (2026) “Good night princess.” “Mario, we found where Rosalina is.” “This is what happens when you don't have a bed time.” -The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (2026) No preamble here, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is a light in a dark night from end to end. I shouldn't be surprised, though it is striking, how aware this film is of its capacity for cultural impact. I know how strong that statement may seem, but its use here is not to exaggerate. Instead, I hope it illustrates how comfortable this film is with its simplicity. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie delights in its characters, and its focus on family, with their importance in our growth and understanding of who we are, and who we have the capacity to be. Mario and Peach's adventure through the outer worlds of The Mushroom Kingdom, in search of princess Rosalina, has a vibrancy that supersedes its already legendary Nintendo artistic pedigree. It took me until now to realize that Nintendo'...