The Republican National Convention is going on this week. As I type this, Pam Bondi is speaking. It appears that Night Two of the RNC is devoted to prosecuting the Democrats and the media. However, I don’t care about any of that right now.
What do I care about? Movies and video games.
This weekend was the DC FanDome event, and it had a lot of great reveals for fans of the comic book publisher. As America’s Forement Batmanologist (self-proclaimed), I was thrilled to see what was coming out related to Gotham City’s Dark Knight, and I was not disappointed. A movie, a video game, and some more really cool stuff is underway.
The Batman (2021)
Far be it from me to be skeptical, but after Ben Affleck’s Batman, I have been concerned with the casting of the role. Luckily for us all, the trailer for The Batman was enough to make me feel positive about this undertaking, and about Robert Pattinson in general.
Lots of really good things in here. The casting look superb. This darker take on The Riddler looks amazing, and if some of the more eagle-eyed fans are right, the movie hints at the existence of the Court Of Owls in this movie’s universe, which would make for a great trilogy going forward.
Pattinson’s acting in the trailer looks pretty solid, so I am willing to give him a chance. A gang in clown make-up means we will probably be seeing a Joker appearance in a future movie. Jeffrey Wright as Jim Gordon looks perfect. I am excited for all of this.
Gotham Knights (2021)
So, we’ve been waiting a good long while for Warner Bros. to come up with something that can follow-up the massive success of the Arkham series of games that ended with Arkham Knights not too long ago. WB Games’ Montreal dropped a trailer for Gotham Knights, which appears to be set in a different continuity, but one where Bruce Wayne has died, Jim Gordon is dead, and Gotham is being protected by four members of the Bat Family - Batgirl, Robin, Nightwing, and Red Hood.
A lot of the gameplay looks like it’s based on the foundation set by the Arkham games, but there is a more RPG aspect to this open-world game, and you can play as any of these characters, though they all appear to have their own storylines. There is also room for online and co-op play, making that a first in the story mode version of a Batman game.
There is also a gameplay trailer that looks pretty good, but I just want to see more of the Red Hood, because he’s always been one who deserved more screentime.
Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League (2022)
If they have brought Tara Strong back to voice Harley Quinn, then things are going right, folks.
While the cast of the upcoming Suicide Squad movie looks immense, this game appears to keep things nice and simple. Harley Quinn, Deadshot, Captain Boomerang, and King Shark look like they’ll all be fun to play as.
Samoa Joe, one of the best professional wrestlers out there right now, being the voice of King Shark is a bonus.
It appears that longtime Superman villain Brainiac has taken over Superman, and the Suicide Squad’s leader, Amanda Waller, has ordered them to kill Superman. If titles are anything to go by, Superman is not the only one who will be targeted by the Suicide Squad.
I am loving all of this. It’ll be a fun time to be had by all. And Captain Boomerang swears. That’s pretty cool, too.
Homestyle: Making Space Yours
On this week’s episode of Homestyle, my co-host Leigh Guidry and I talk about how to make our workspaces at home comfortable and a place we can do our work in when life (and global pandemics) force you to stay home.
What’s just as important as comfort is making sure you have a time and space that is distraction-free. You can’t get work done when you’re unable to focus, and no matter what your professional work or your personal hobby might be, it’s so vital that you make sure you can actually get it done in your space.
If you want to hear more, you can always go back and listen to previous episodes, and we’d love to hear your feedback. Subscribe, rate, and review the podcast here, and if you have cooking, crafting, or family activity ideas, you can find us on Facebook and on Instagram (@Homestylepod).
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The Homestyle Podcast is a joint venture between myself and one of my best friends, education reporter Leigh Guidry. Throughout each episode, we discuss cooking, crafting, and other hobbies as well as how we make sure to spend time with our families despite how insanely busy life can be. The goal of the podcast has always been to take a moment to focus on what’s really important because, at the end of the day, family and life is more important than whatever distractions are going on in the world around us.
Recipe Of The Week: Chocolate Pie
I think the original version of this recipe came from the Pioneer Woman. But I made a couple of changes and added a few things. You can be fancy and make your own pie crust for this. I am not that fancy, and I struggle in general with any sort of pastry dough.
1 deep-dish pie shell
4 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
4 large eggs
Bottle of chocolate syrup (NOT THE WHOLE THING)
Whipped cream
Semi-sweet baking chocolate
Follow the directions on the pre-made pie shell to bake it and let it cool to room temperature.
In a small, microwave-safe bowl, melt the unsweetened chocolate by putting it in the microwave for about a minute, stir until completely melted, then set it aside to school.
In your mixer, cream the butter and for two minutes. When the chocolate has cooled, slowly drizzle it over the sugar and butter mixture.
Add the vanilla and mix until everything is fully combined.
Turn your mixer to medium and add the eggs, one at a time, with a few minutes between each egg.
OPTIONAL: When everything is just about mixed, get your bottle of chocolate syrup add about a half cup to the filling for a little extra richness.
Add filling to pie crust, smooth it out, and let it sit in the refrigerator for at least three hours. Prior to serving, add whipped cream, chocolate syrup, and shavings from the semi-sweet chocolate over it. Slice and serve.
Final Thoughts
Trump held a naturalization ceremony in the middle of his convention. Hell of a troll move. How exactly to you attack that? Sure, you may not like the politicization of the event, but it really doesn’t look good for anyone to attack it.