Peruvian Idle

A ton of new stuff dropped in June but, ironically, I spent most of my time revisiting old stuff and watching a lot of soccer.

🎮 Games

This month I dove back into games that I hadn't played in awhile that sucked me back in with new content.

Destiny 2: The Final Shape

I've probably sunk several thousand hours into Destiny over the past 10 years. I haven't played it regularly in a couple of years, but when a new season would come out, I'd often burn through the story, maybe try the raid, and then dip out again. Destiny 2's new DLC(?), The Final Shape pulled me back in like Al Pacino in Godfather 3. In what's likely Destiny 2's last big release, they managed to wrap up the story they've been telling in a pretty satisfying way, while serving up plenty of nostalgia that goes all the way back to where Destiny 1 began. Bringing back Cayde-6, one of Destiny's most popular characters who tragically died around the time I stopped playing regularly, was a great choice and one that helped catch us both up with everything we missed over the past few years.

They also added a new subclass called Prismatic, which lets you mix and match abilities from all the existing subclasses in fun, synergistic ways. There's also a great two-player mission for an exotic class item which comes with random rolls that combine the abilities of two existing exotic armor pieces, which allows for even more interesting builds.

This is the best Destiny has been in a long while. If you ever played and fell off, it's great time to dive back in. [PS5/PC/XBox]

Elden Ring

With the launch of Elden Ring's Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, it seems like everyone is getting into or back into Elden Ring. Even a bunch of Call of Duty bros are playing probably their first Soulslike, which has been fun to see. After starting the DLC, I quickly realized that I did't remember my character's build or most of the mechanics of Elden Ring, so I ended up starting a new character. I spent a lot more time re-playing stuff I had already done a few times rather than exploring all the new content. I still had a blast though. Elden Ring is one of my all-time faves, and perhaps the most accessible Soulslike to date. There's so much to explore and so much variety in different builds that even after putting in a few hundred hours, it still felt fresh. Looking forward to actually getting my groove back so I can explore everything the meaty DLC has to offer. [PS5/PC/Xbox]

Other games I enjoyed

When I wasn't playing Destiny or Elden Ring, I continued to chip away at the last couple of trophies in Balatro. I finally beat every deck on the hardest difficulty, which was no small feat. Now I just have to get gold stake wins with 93 more of the 150 jokers. It might take me awhile, but I'm determined to do it!

🎬 Movies

I only made it to the theater once in June for The Bikeriders, which was fine. Still hoping to see Inside Out 2, Kinds of Kindness and A Quiet Place: Day One soon but I couldn't squeeze them in this month. Here's some standouts that I watched at home.

Godzilla Minus One

After all the awards hype, I was eager to check out this 2023 movie, but it wasn't available to buy or stream for the longest time. Out of nowhere it dropped on Netflix this month and I was finally able to see it. I think the only Godzilla movie I've seen was the terrible 1998 Matthew Broderick one, so this was a pleasant surprise. They don't waste any time getting to Godzilla. There's a lot of lengthy melodrama in between Godzilla scenes, but it mostly worked for me. The movie looks great. Amazing effects and cinematography. I also loved the rousing soundtrack. Anytime the Godzilla theme kicked in I was immediately reminded of Pharoahe Monch's 1999 hit Simon Says, which sampled it. The ending was a little predictable but played with sincerity and on the whole you could feel everyone involved wanted to honor the movies that came before. Except perhaps the Matthew Broderick one. [Netflix]

Jim Henson: Idea Man

A loving portrait of one of the most visionary entertainers of my lifetime. Henson's incredible ambition brought us so many memorable characters and moments that have stayed with me since childhood. It's incredible to think how much he gave us before passing at the age of 53. That his work lives on through his children and collaborators is a testament to its timelessness and the profound impact he had on everyone whose lives he touched. [Disney+]

Too Funny to Fail: The Life & Death of The Dana Carvey Show

If you had told me in 1995 there was a prime time sketch comedy show with a cast and writing staff that included Steve Carrell, Stephen Colbert, Louis CK, Robert Smigel, and Charlie Kaufman, I would have said "who are any of those people?" To open after Home Improvement at the height of its popularity with a sketch starring Dana Carvey as Bill Clinton, breastfeeding babies, puppies and kittens from eight prosthetic and fully-functional lactating nipples has to be the ballsiest move in the history of comedy. Needless to say, it didn't work out at the time but somehow almost everyone involved went on to greener pastures. This doc chronicles the funniest show you've never seen. [Hulu]

Other movies I enjoyed

I re-watched The Grey for the first time in awhile. The first five minutes is so efficient in its storytelling. A great survival film that's also a meditation on grief. I also re-watched Children of Men, which feels more plausible every time I see it. Incredible texture and world-building in every shot. A profoundly sad film but hopeful at the same time. The walk down the stairs at the end gets me every time.

📺 TV

The Bear

I burned through Season 3 of The Bear in two days. Although I didn't enjoy it as much as the first two seasons, it's still one of the best shows on TV. It feels like it's treading water a bit but it's filled with great character moments and several new and returning guest stars. Personally, I'd much rather enjoy an Italian Beef (which Richie succinctly describes as a French Dip, but Italian) than anything Carmy cooks up on his hell-bent quest for a Michelin star. [FX/Hulu]

House of the Dragon

I enjoyed Season 1 of House of the Dragon, if for no other reason than I find the world of Westeros that George R.R. Martin created to be endlessly compelling. The first season jumped forward in time quite a few times, setting up the main conflict of Season 2. I like how much more focused House of the Dragon is compared to Game of Thrones. The stakes are lower but it still has all the drama and intrigue you've come to expect. And dragons. There's lots and lots of dragons. Only three episodes have been released so far, but I'm digging it. [Max, the one to watch for HBO]

Maid

Staggeringly heartbreaking. Margaret Qualley is excellent as a single mom trying to escape her abusive partner with her three-year-old daughter. Being in that situation is hard enough but doing it without money or an education makes it exponentially more difficult. On top of that, seemingly every other woman in her orbit is also in a messed up relationship, including her mother, played to perfection by Qualley’s real-life mother, Andie McDowell(!). Loved the surreal touches that added a bit of levity to an otherwise bleak situation. It’s a rough ride but it does end on a hopeful note. [Netflix]

The Night Manager

Really enjoyed this limited series starring Tom Hiddleston as a hotel manager with a thing for women in abusive relationships with international arms dealers. Hiddleston plays Jonathan Pine with charm and humility, becoming a reluctant spy for Olivia Coleman's British agency. The villain is played by none other than Dr. House himself, Hugh Laurie, in full Dr. Evil mode here. The series is pretty tense as Pine races to take down the baddie without being discovered. There's nothing mind-blowing here, just a fun spy romp with a great cast and a short run that you can easily burn through in a weekend. [Prime Video]

Other shows I enjoyed

June has been a great month for soccer fans. I'm admittedly a casual fan but got pulled into the European Championship (the Euros) when I was randomly assigned Belgium in our office Euro pool. I'm more invested in Copa America, which Peru was already eliminated from in group play, while the U.S. (which is hosting) is still alive.

📱 Videos

• I joined Jason Lengstorf on Learn with Jason to talk about CSS in Design Systems.
• In A Father-Daughter Swearing Lesson, Chris Gethard breaks down the versatility of the F-word to his young daughter.
• Two of Hollywood's hottest (figuratively and literally) actors, Tom Hiddleston and Anna Sawai, talk about the surprising themes shared by Loki and Shogun in this Actors on Actors.
• The Newton Brothers break down how they modernized the iconic original X-Men theme for X-Men '97.
• A new animated Batman series, Batman: Caped Crusader is coming to Prime Video in August. From one of the creators of the original animated series, produced by JJ Abrams and Matt Reeves (The Batman). Excited for this!

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 July? Let me know!