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When the trailer for Life came out I knew this was one movie I had to see. I grew up on Science Fiction movies, in fact my childhood movie list included movies such as The Thing and Aliens. As I grew older I would watch those films and remember the joy of seeing them and the little bit of terror I felt as the big scary monster appeared.

With the advancement of computer graphics, and motion capture. Science Fiction movies needed a new edge in the ever growing world of movies based on terrible Young Adult Books. It needed to recapture the terror that caused audiences to shrink down in their seats when the monster appeared. Or even worse when the monster was just lurking in the background right behind a character. 

Life written by Paul Wernick, Rhett Reese is just such a movie. It recaptures the terror of Ridley Scott’s Alien, a movie that changed the Science Fiction genre. The story is set in modern day with an international group of astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The crew consists of Dr. David Jordan (Jake Gyllenhaal), an army doctor who loves being in outer space after witnessing the horrors of war. Dr Miranda North (Rebecca Ferguson), a british doctor and a member of the CDC. Rory “Roy” Adams (Ryan Reynolds) a wise cracking pilot. Sho Kendo (Hiroyuki Sanada) the station’s engineer. Hugh Derry (Ariyon Bakare) a paraplegic scientist and their commander Katerina Golovkina (Olga Dihovichnaya).

They retrieve a capsule containing soil samples from Mars. As they study the samples they find a single cell organism, which is named Calvin. As time progresses Calvin starts to grow and react to stimulus. All seems to be going well; Sho even witnesses the birth of his daughter Mei via video chat. However an accident in the lab seems to cause Calvin to go into a hibernation state. The crew decides to try giving Calvin an electrical shock to wake it back up. As Roy puts it they ‘shock the monkey’ which causes Calvin to attack Hugh and break free of its confinement and run amok aboard the space station.

The terror begins as Calvin starts to kill of crew members in brutal and stomach churching ways. In fact I am still gagging in terror from the first gruesome death scene an hour after watching.  The crew now must find a way to kill Calvin before he kills them all and possibly even finds a way to Earth.

Space is a beautiful yet terrifying place. There is no oxygen, there’s no gravity and without heat, a human will freeze to death. Going out into space is also dangerous in itself, one mistake even the smallest can kill an astronaut. This helps increase the fear of the movie being trapped in a place where even going out means a slow painful death.

Gyllenhaal and Reynolds compliment each other perfectly in this film. Reynolds keeps to his method of being a wise cracking extrovert and Gyllenhaal plays the opposite a broken yet introvert. They don’t overpower one another and blend well in this film, it would be interesting to see them in other movies with the same methods perhaps even a buddy cop movie.

 

For me, while I enjoyed this film, my technical brain and somewhat limited knowledge of how NASA conducts things pulled me a bit away from this movie. There were certain plot holes that cause the little voice in my head to go ‘yeah that’s not right’ or ‘how does Calvin know about…’

 

Life is a movie of pure thrill and terror on the same level as the Alien series, however the ending will leave you with a pit in your stomach as the closing credits roll. If you are a Science Fiction horror fan itching for some good terror before Alien: Covenant comes out this is one movie you need to see.

Rating 99/100

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Gamer and Geek since birth. Lover of RPGs, FPS, Tabletop, Books, Tv Shows, Movies, Cartoons, puppies and kittens. Honest girl telling you what she likes and what she doesn't like. might also be insane...

Gaming

TopSpin 2K25 appears to be a standout title in the recent PS5 and PS4 gameplay showcase

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This author has consistently praised the realistic portrayal of tennis in TopSpin 4. After more than a decade, we are thrilled to witness the release of TopSpin 2K25, which expands upon the success of its renowned predecessor. This gameplay video provides a comprehensive overview of the features discussed in our recent preview while also incorporating relevant footage to enhance understanding.

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Developers are reportedly questioning the purpose behind Sony’s PS5 Pro upgrade

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Two major stories have emerged at GDC this year: the decline of Xbox’s brand and the speculation surrounding the purpose of the PS5 Pro. During a podcast discussion, Christopher Dring, a prominent reporter from GamesIndustry.biz, expressed his observations about the lack of understanding surrounding Sony’s rumored mid-gen upgrade. Dring claims that he came across a lot of people at the show who were confused about its purpose.

He made it clear that he anticipates “PS5 fans” upgrading, which gives Sony certain advantages. However, game developers are finding it difficult to generate enthusiasm for the system. “Developers don’t seem to see the necessity for it, based on my conversations with them,” he disclosed. Some people believe they aren’t fully maximizing the potential of the PS5 from the start.

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Gaming

Bend Studio, the development team behind Days Gone, is expanding their staff for an exciting new project in the world of AAA live service gaming

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Sony’s Bend Studios is expanding its team for another high-profile game, signaling PlayStation’s ongoing pursuit of the live service trend. When we last heard from the Oregan-based developer of Days Gone, Bend expressed their anticipation and confidence in their upcoming project, suggesting that it would propel the studio to new heights.

By way of Eurogamer, the studio has alerted us to this most recent update. It appears that a recruitment ad has been recently posted on the company’s website. Bend is looking for a lead project manager who can effectively manage project scope based on current team velocities and milestone schedules. The role requires hands-on game development experience in leadership roles, specifically in shipping AAA live-service games. Specifically, the ideal candidate should possess a proven ability to transform game development studios from a traditional focus on boxed products to dynamic live service development, all while holding a key leadership position.

It’s worth noting that while a service game out of Bend has the potential to be great, it’s important to acknowledge the numerous failed attempts in recent history. Over the past couple of weeks, we’ve reported on a cancelled Spider-Man game, rumors of an online Twisted Metal project, and a fantasy co-op game that got axed when London Studio shut down. And mind you, that’s just scratching the surface of what Sony has been up to. Choosing to take a chance with a studio that specializes in single-player games seems questionable, to say the least.

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