Hour 21: A Film and Interactive Media Blog

Outlaws (1997) "Where are you Marshall?” "Damn it! I told that fool doctor, stealing your kid, weren't going to be good for anyone's health.” “It's a shame he didn't listen.” -Outlaws (1997)      One minute, one minute. It is remarkable what one minute can do. A single moment in time can encapsulate an entire world and open the door to cinematic and interactive experiences you never knew before. In an instant you are brought from ignorance into the joy of knowledge, this is not a discovery of a lack, but a finding of something deep within. What we find is the connection between the story and its audience.      As I write these words, it strikes me yet again: the capacity of a choice to affect our wonder and capture our imagination. As a 9-year-old you really don't have the wherewithal to appreciate the connective power of a single image or story. That is to say, my dad gave me, my brother and four sisters a tremendous gift, by allowing us to experience sto...

  This post is in loving memory of Gilbert “Gil” Kelly. Thank you Papa for showing me, day in and day out, what family truly means. You loved us grandkids equally. Even so, our relationship with you was uniquely our own. I for one, would not be who I am today, were it not for your willingness to drive me back and forth from Raritan Valley Community College for two years, on almost a daily basis. That was an immeasurable gift. You helped me start my college journey. You believed in me, even when I thought my disability would hold me back, you knew I could accomplish great things. Also, I don't know what came first, the chicken or the egg, in terms of my love of visual storytelling, but having a grandfather who played video games in the '90s was pretty awesome. PGA Tour, 1994 on the Sega Genesis for the win, along with all the racing games you could find for the system. Love you, Papa. Say hi to Danny for me, and I'll see you both again, on the other side of eternity. Streets...

  Resident Evil Requiem (2026) “Rest now Grace. We have so much to do.” “So nice to finally meet you, Leon.” "Through you, Elpis can finally be set free." -Resident Evil Requiem (2026) It's somewhat ironic that the most cathartic experiences, the moments in our lives that change us for the better. The moments that help us realize where we came from, and where we are going, often show themselves in the most unlikely of ways. Resident Evil Requiem is one such vehicle of catharsis. Though I have yet to formally declare it, in the broader sense of the word. Ask anybody close to me, and they will probably tell you that my taste in the interactive narrative space does not extend to horror. Making it all the more surprising when the ninth entry of the Resident Evil franchise, with its captivating visuals and intriguing characters, drew me into its horror infested world. To be clear, this is the first Resident Evil game I have ever played all the way through. I have dabbled h...