Peruvian Idle

A newsletter about good content on screens.

Subscribe

#11 · The Winter Doldrums

February 1, 2025

It was a light month (particularly after turning in the last issue several weeks late), but filled with great stuff. Let's get into it!

🎮 Games

The winter doldrums continue with very few new releases, but the new Sniper Elite is sure to keep me occupied until Civilization 7 comes out next month, and Assassins Creed Shadows in March.

Sniper Elite Resistance

Box art for Sniper Elite Resistance

After revisiting Sniper Elite 5 last month I was primed for the release of Sniper Elite Resistance. I paid extra for the deluxe version, which included two days of early access and in those two days I beat the game on authentic (the hardest) difficulty. There's a new Propaganda mode that I have yet to dive into, where you earn points for specific types of kills and have to score as many points as possible (or kill all the enemies) within a time limit. I played some co-op with my friend Dave and had a blast. Looking forward to more co-op shenanigans. The game feels less like a full sequel and more like a small iteration on Sniper Elite 5, but I'm loving it all the same. If you're on the fence, it is available on Game Pass. [PS5, Xbox, PC]

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

Box art for Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

I got my samurai fix this month by revisiting Sekiro, which I restarted now for the third time. When it first came out, I compared it unfavorably to Nioh (a recurring theme with feudal Japan-based Soulslikes, like Rise of the Ronin) and didn't stick with it. The second time, I got a bit further but definitely reached a point of frustration. This time, I feel a little more prepared after having played other games whose combat centers on countering enemy attacks like Stellar Blade and Nine Sols. We'll see how long I last. [PS5, Xbox, PC]

Other games I enjoyed

Speaking of Rise of the Ronin, which was made by the developers of Nioh, I gave it another shot and it's starting to grow on me. The combat is pretty different from Nioh and, like Sekiro, is very focused on counters. As usual I spent some time doing "video game chores" in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and NBA 2k25. I did play some Balatro but only on my phone. That platinum trophy is looking pretty elusive at this point.

🎬 Movies

I caught up on some late 2024 releases and three of them retroactively made it onto my favorite films of 2024 list.

Nosferatu

Poster for Nosferatu

Incredible. A feast for the eyes. Riveting from beginning to end. Perhaps my favorite Eggers film so far. Willem Dafoe is my king. This topped everything but The Substance on my favorite films of 2024. Even if you're not a big horror fan, there's a lot to love here. [VOD]

Blink Twice

Poster for Blink Twice

Wow, that was deeply unsettling. Blink Twice sets the table and then just kinda of lets you stew in a sense of unease before finally revealing itself. From there it gets wild. I never thought much of Channing Tatum as an actor but he’s perfectly cast here, delivering a mix of charm and menace. The ending is [chef’s kiss]. The less you know about this going in, the better. But be advised, it does open with a content warning which will either turn you off or get you even more intrigued about what's to come. [Amazon Prime Video]

Babygirl

Poster for Babygirl

The horniest movie since Sanctuary, which it has a lot in common with. Nicole Kidman is great — you don’t often see older women depicted in positions of power while also screwing a much younger guy. Harris Dickinson, who plays Kidman's intern/lover, is kind of an empty vessel here, but maybe that was the point. I don’t buy for a minute that Antonio Banderas can’t get it done in the bedroom. I'm here for this renaissance of erotic thrillers. [VOD]

Other movies I enjoyed

I revisited Seven, which came out on 4k Blu-Ray, and even after a dozen viewings it's still incredibly tense. The last 20 minutes is perfect. For some reason I was watching an interview with Ben Stiller and was compelled to rewatch Zero Effect, an underrated 90s gem in which Stiller plays the assistant of a reclusive, bordline autistic detective, expertly played by Bill Pullman. I also revisted Gangs of New York, which I hadn't seen since it came out. There's a lot to love, including an amazing Daniel Day-Lewis performance, but DiCaprio and Diaz feel miscast and Scorcese just tries to stuff too much in, derailing a climactic confrontation with a historical event. It definitely felt more relevant in today's political climate. A Real Pain is another 2024 movie that took me by surprise. This was really bizarre to watch as I recognized aspects of myself in both Kieran Culkin and Jesse Eisenberg’s characters that are often in conflict. It was like seeing my inner voice projected on the screen. The last shot shook me.

📺 TV

While video game releases have been slow, it seems like TV is just a firehose of good content. A bunch of shows I had been watching wrapped up this month just in time to start some new ones. I don't know how anyone can keep up. I told Ryan that when I was his age, there were like three TV stations and you just had to watch what was on, and that kind of broke his brain. He barely even knows what a commercial is.

The Knick

Poster for The Knick

I somehow missed this show when it debuted on Cinemax 10 years ago, but now that it's available on Max I decided to check it out. Clive Owen stars as a circa 1901 surgeon who, we learn in the first five minutes, is also addicted to cocaine. Steven Soderbergh masterfully directs every episode and Cliff Martinez's score is excellent. I burned through both seasons in a couple of weeks. This show seems even more relevant today than it would have 10 years ago. I was worried, since the show was cancelled, that the finale would feel unresolved, but it definitely works well as a series finale. Rumor has it a third season is in the works with Barry Jenkins at the helm and focused on Andre Holland's Dr. Algernon Edwards, some 20 years after the last season ended. [Max, the one to watch for HBO]

The Pitt

Poster for The Pitt

I was a big ER fan back in the day, so when I heard its showrunner, John Wells was reteaming with actor Noah Wyle for a new medical drama, my interest was piqued. The Pitt feels like a spiritual successor to ER but told in near real-time like 24, so the whole season is basically one shift. This adds to the intensity but also limits the amount of character development. We get bits and pieces of backstory about the characters but the main focus is on the patients. It's still a great show four episodes in, and I love how Wyle, once a young medical student in ER, is now a grizzled veteran leading the next generation. It just feels right. [Max, the one to watch for HBO]

Severance

Poster for Severance

There's a fine line that shows like Severance have to balance between mythology and character development. Lost did this masterfully (for the most part) and shows that have followed tend to focus more on the mythology than the characters, to their own detriment (see Silo). Severance does a great job with it, particularly in the season 1 finale, where the lives of the "innies" and "outies" collided. Season 2 picks up right where we left off and digs deeper into the psychology of the characters while peeling back the layers of its mythology. There were a couple of shots in episode two that just blew me away. Severance continues to be one of the best shows on TV. [Apple TV+]

Other shows I enjoyed

The Agency wrapped up its first season, and while the show wasn't entirely perfect, I loved the finale and how it set up things for the next season. Landman also ended its first season and quickly became one of my favorite shows. Demi Moore finally had something to do in the finale besides be Jon Hamm's trophy wife. I hope they're setting her up for a meatier role in S2 because otherwise it's a huge waste of a great actress who is making a resurgence after The Substance.

📱 Videos

Thanks for reading!

I hope you enjoyed this issue of Peruvian Idle. I send this out on the first of every month. You can subscribe at peruvianidle.mikeaparicio.com or via RSS.

What are you looking forward to in February? Let me know!

Subscribe for the best recommendations for all your screens.

    We won't send you spam. Unsubscribe at any time.