Pie...pie never changes.

While every viewer and their Dog(meat) enjoys the spectacular wonder that is the Fallout TV series on Prime Video, the Slice of Cherry Guys step backwards (and forwards?) into the franchise's roots. From top-down 2D RPG to full 3D first-person shooter/action game/thieving simulator, from clicker iPhone game to massive online microtransactions, the Fallout franchise has had a long and varied history of hits and misses (and also New Vegas, one of the greatest video games ever made). While the Guys promise they will get to the TV series very soon, for now enjoy a retrospective look at one of gaming's most enduring post-apocalyptic fancies.

Also, you really should play New Vegas. Go ahead. We'll wait.

EXTRA LINKS:
hbomberguy video explaining why Fallout: New Vegas is brilliant: https://youtu.be/gzF7aHxk4Y4?si=IrrfQ7kmTH3R58jA

Forbes article by Erik Kain from 2018, explaining some of the (many) issues with Fallout 76: https://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2018/12/05/the-5-biggest-problems-with-fallout-76/?sh=244e7a39576e

Shacknews article by David Craddock "World on Fire: The Oral History of Fallout and Fallout 2": https://www.shacknews.com/article/114982/world-on-fire-the-oral-history-of-fallout-and-fallout-2

Fallout: The Games (Slice of Cherry Guys #23)

Have we got a show for you tonight!

Late Night With the Devil is a great horror film, a great 1970s film, and a great Aussie film; seriously, everyone in this film except the lead is Australian. Said lead, David Dastmalchian, is delightfully wicked as the clout-chasing host of a cursed '70s chat show, presented in a found footage/mockumentary style for historical preservation.

The Slice of Cherry Guys (which as it turns out would be a *great* name for a chat show) watch this demonically-blighted broadcast and come to several conclusions: Aussies know how to do horror, David Dastmalchian is a natural lead actor, and Ian Bliss is both in a lot and not enough things. Give this one a watch on Shudder!

Tell us what you thought at sliceofcherryguys@gmail.com!

NOTE: The spoilers start at around the 30-minute mark, try and see this without being spoiled if you can!

EXTRA LINKS:
VicScreen interview with directors Colin and Cameron Cairnes: https://vicscreen.vic.gov.au/news/inside-the-minds-of-late-night-with-the-devil-conjurers-colin-and-cameron-cairnes

Red Letter Media review of Late Night With the Devil: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrZhTkvSIXY

IndieWire article on the film's brief use of AI imagery: https://www.indiewire.com/news/general-news/late-night-with-the-devil-ai-backlash-explained-1234966938/

Late Night With The Devil (Slice of Cherry Guys #28)

Skål!

We've talked about it often enough but now the time has come to enter the Tenth Realm and discuss the viking survival crafting game Valheim. Boss fights, base-building and a *lot* of corpse-running make Valheim a frustrating delight - and probably one of the games we've both restarted the most. Clocking three years and hundreds of hours in Valheim's voxel landscapes, the Slice of Cherry Guys give the definitive word on this Norse novelty.

Valheim (Slice of Cherry Guys #29)

And you thought you had daddy issues.

Abigail starts as a seemingly-simple tale of child abduction and villain protagonists looking to get paid for it before it takes a few shocking swerves into strangeness. We won't say much more except that it involves a vampire ballerina, some garlic that's actually onions, and a surprise guest star at the end who absolutely steals the show.

This is one that sharply divided the Slice of Cherry Guys. Dave found a lot of fun in the horror comedy of everything while Chris discovered the attempts at bleak humour didn't work as well. So if you've ever been keen on seeing us really disagree on something, this might be your new favourite episode.

Tell us what you thought at sliceofcherryguys@gmail.com!

Abigail (Slice of Cherry Guys #30)

DA-WIIIIICH!

Based off a short story by Barry B. Longyear, Enemy Mine is a curious 1985 sci-fi blockbuster that's also an enemies-to-friends drama, that's also a subtextually-queer childrearing story, that's also a commentary on slavery, that's also a tale about not going back home again. Basically, there's a lot happening in this one which makes it both an intriguing curiosity and a tonal trainwreck.

On Dave's recommendation, the Slice of Cherry Guys land on an inhospitable world filled with muppet Sarlaccs, rock formations masquerading as football players, and sci-fi character actor Brion James - fresh off his stint as replicant Leon in Blade Runner - being the most evil slaver who ever slavered. What more could you ask for?

Tell us what you thought at sliceofcherryguys@gmail.com!

Enemy Mine (Slice of Cherry Guys #31)

WITNESS US.

Directed by George Miller, with a cast including heavyweights Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth, in a setting beloved by action film fans and Aussies alike, Furiosa is...not a very good film. Believe us, we're disappointed too.

As fans of the adrenaline-pumping Mad Max: Fury Road, it is with some bitter feelings that the Slice of Cherry Guys reflect on the prequel that maybe shouldn't have been. Lacking tight focus, drifting around with weird pacing and filling in narrative gaps that need not be filled, we can kind of see why this one didn't do as well as its predecessor (that scene with the peach pit at the end is pretty gnarly, though).

Tell us what you thought at sliceofcherryguys@gmail.com!

EXTRA LINKS:

Rolling Stone interview with George Miller on the making of Furiosa: https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-features/george-miller-furiosa-interview-1235016456/

Entertainment Weekly interview with the cast and Miller which, among other things, discusses why Dementus has that nose: https://ew.com/furiosa-anya-taylor-joy-chris-hemsworth-cover-story-8641567

New York Times interview with Anya Taylor-Joy about making Furiosa: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/12/movies/anya-taylor-joy-furiosa.html

Amazon link to Kyle Buchanan's book "Blood, Sweat and Chrome: The Wild and True Story of Mad Mad Fury Road": https://www.amazon.com.au/Blood-Sweat-Chrome-Wild-Story/dp/0063084341/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2YJC0PKYBD16M&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.QRxxDA4VHUOys2-vrKip94ecj3G0m4K_qIv-fZOi1qjUxZGnXzIrSbpB_Xnxu4PFZYj6UsBUlYv5gblNMsm7ta1sid4nbuPWeQB0m-I5FdSs86isCnS7yelx8FTZ56QdpLKmQP7W4QDpXTSOBMs1WDWTrQUx55qjy5VtMPRuqI4.35AP9rKRRiK08SQbIrt5s21wfGj8kh2nWS4NKGk14ec&dib_tag=se&keywords=blood+sweat+chrome&qid=1724220699&sprefix=blood+sweat+chro%2Caps%2C279&sr=8-1

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (Slice of Cherry Guys #32)

"Citizens of Peach Trees. This is the S-law-ce." (no, I couldn't think of a better pun, don't @ me).

Nasty, unflinching, effective in its mission and cheap in its execution, the 2012 Dredd film is a fantastic slice of comic book adaptation done right. Judge Chris and Judge Dave analyse Alex Garland's take on the fascist law of Mega-City One, the way Karl Urban injects a shallow character with some growly coolness, and how it stacks compared to that 1990s Stallone joint. Also, remember when 3D movies were a thing? We do, and we wish we didn't.

Tell us what you thought at sliceofcherryguys@gmail.com!

EXTRA LINKS:

Yahoo News article about the production of Dredd and Karl Urban seeking direction from Alex Garland instead of Pete Travis: https://consent.yahoo.com/v2/collectConsent?sessionId=4_cc-session_92781ce9-298d-4405-823d-026a219ddd10

Empire Magazine interview with Alex Garland and Judge Dredd creator John Wagner: https://web.archive.org/web/20121018165841/http://www.empireonline.com/interviews/interview.asp?IID=1530

Paul Leonard-Morgan's track "Mega-City One" from the Dredd soundtrack, because it's a *banger*: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fgb1ldZRVOY

Dredd (Slice of Cherry Guys #33)

There is no gene for the cherry spirit.

Continuing the journey into 90s grimdark that we began with Dark City, the Slice of Cherry Guys examine Andrew Niccol's gleaming gene-obssessed nightmare as not too dissimilar from the one we inhabit now. With a (mostly) solid cast, harrowing plot and striking cinematography, Gattaca stands the test of time as another 90s sci-fi classic.

We dare you not the cry with that music at the end.

Tell us what you thought at sliceofcherryguys@gmail.com!

EXTRA LINKS:
2023 Deadline article on the cancelled Gattaca TV series: https://deadline.com/2023/06/gattaca-series-mandy-patinkin-comedy-seasoned-scrapped-showtime-1235427279/

Roger Ebert's 1997 review of Gattaca: https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/gattaca-1997

Gattaca (Slice of Cherry Guys #34)

Maximum Effort! In two parts!

Yes, we had so much to say about Deadpool and Wolverine - from the current state of affairs in superhero films, the approach to the MCU's Multiverse Saga, and of course the film itself - that we've split it into two parts of goodness. As this movie was a double act, so is the Slice of Cherry Guys' take on things.

Also, we're proud to introduce our new occasional feature, HOT SLICE! Having watched the movie literally seconds earlier, you'll hear the immediate thoughts of Chris, Dave and guest star Josh as we wax lyrically (and monosyllabically) about Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman kicking ass together.

Tell us what you thought at sliceofcherryguys@gmail.com!

Deadpool And Wolverine, Part 1: The MCU (Slice of Cherry Guys #35)

"BUT GUYS, WHAT DID YOU ACTUALLY THINK OF THE FILM???"

Look, we had a lot to say about Deadpool and Wolverine, but in Part 2 we FINALLY get to the meat of it - did we like the movie?

Listen here and find out, peanut!

Tell us what you thought at sliceofcherryguys@gmail.com!

Deadpool And Wolverine, Part 2: The Film (Slice of Cherry Guys #36)

You are your own ball and chain.

The simple-yet-sadistic co-op platform game Chained Together is another one of those beloved Slice of Cherry Guys experiences, where we love the game but we suck at pla- hang on. We *don't* suck at this? And it's actually got a solid difficulty curve that smooth-brains like us can handle? And it's nerve-wrackingly fun? And the devil has a great voice?

Sign us up!

Tell us what you thought at sliceofcherryguys@gmail.com!

Chained Together (Slice of Cherry Guys #37)

We're Chris and Dave - best friends, gamers, and opinionated pop culture people!

Each week we talk about something that catches our fancy: movies, TV, video games, music, nothing's off limits. We often disagree with each other but we *always* have good chats with strong opinions and perspectives.

Settle in, order a slice and get a damn good coffee to go with it!

Fallout: The Games (Slice of Cherry Guys #23)

Slice of Cherry Guys

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