HAVE A CUP OF LIBER-TEA WITH YOUR SLICE OF CHERRY GUYS!

To say Helldivers II's runaway success came unexpectedly is an understatement. The sequel to a little-known twin stick shooter, developed by an indie game studio from Sweden, has become the Next Big Thing. This is the little anti-bug, anti-robot, Starship Troopers-esque Player-vs-Enemy shoot-em-up that could, and does, kick all the ass. Amongst the gung-ho patriotism, shiny armour sets and massacring alien insects the Slice of Cherry Guys find a great game experience relying on basic fundamentals (emphasis on "fun"). To put it in a nutshell, this is a game where you go blow up alien bugs while shouting "DEMOCRACY". What's not to love?

Also, that dropship extraction music *slaps*.

Big thanks to Jezza for suggesting this episode!

Tell us what you thought at sliceofcherryguys@gmail.com

EDITOR'S NOTE: Please excuse Chris's terrible audio at the beginning as he had his microphone around the wrong way - it clears up at the 6-minute mark!

EXTRA LINKS:
Bloomberg's piece on Helldivers II's unexpected popularity:https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2024-03-15/-helldivers-2-is-a-surprise-hit-for-sony-in-an-oversaturated-market?embedded-checkout=true

IGN article on Arrowhead Studios rejecting adding PVP: https://www.ign.com/articles/helldivers-2-dev-says-it-will-never-add-pvp-because-it-wants-to-reduce-toxic-elements-from-the-community

Helldivers II (Slice of Cherry Guys #15)

Wake up, losers. We're finding some spice.

As if we haven't already discussed the classic 80s film and the less-classic recent TV series, we're once more traipsing around the sands of Arrakis in Funcom's latest massively multiplayer online survival crafter. And wow, do we feel awakened or what?

It's got bugs, but also a lot of patches. It's got player griefing, but also a very responsive developer. It's got some resource grinding, but also a very hungry sandworm that eats you sometimes.

Listen to the Voice of the Slice of Cherry Guys as we tell you, in no uncertain terms, why Dune: Awakening makes it feel like your desert, your Arrakis, your Dune.

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

EXTRA LINKS:
Statement from Dune: Awakening creative director Joel Bylos on changes made to PvP zones following player feedback: https://duneawakening.com/news/a-message-from-the-creative-director-on-pve-and-pvp/

Article by Christopher Livingston on July 2025 changes to PvP content and expansion of PvE zones, via PCGamer: https://www.pcgamer.com/games/mmo/todays-dune-awakening-patch-takes-another-sidestep-away-from-the-pvp-heavy-endgame/

Oli Welsh's rundown of Dune: Awakening's alternate story continuity, via Polygon: https://www.polygon.com/24183043/dune-awakening-direct-story-gameplay-june-2024

Dune: Awakening (Slice of Cherry Guys #63)

It begins...and we're keen.

The Slice of Cherry Guys are on record as card-carrying DC Comics fans, but even we weren't prepared for just how much goofy *fun* this movie is. James Gunn makes an assured start to the new DC film-verse with a big, broad, heart-on-sleeve take on the Man of Steel.

Chris argues this is the right kind of edgy-family fun kids need more of these days. Dave waxes lyrical about his favourite character's new incarnation. At the end of the day, we both agree - the new Superman rules.

You will believe a man can fly.

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

EXTRA LINKS:
The official trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ox8ZLF6cGM0

Eliana Dockterman's interview with David Corenswet about taking on the role of Superman, via TIME Magazine: https://time.com/7273166/david-corenswet-superman-interview/

James Gunn speaks on Superman's immigrant story and viewers taking offence, via The Times: https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/james-gunn-interview-superman-film-2025-david-corenswet-dhb3bw3rp

Superman 2025 (Slice of Cherry Guys #64)

Boostrap paradox, eat your heart out.

If you've ever listened to a Slice of Cherry Guys episode that begins with "Watch this without spoilers, then come back here" and actually considered doing so, this is the one to do it for. The plot is so twisty and reliant on knowing as little as possible that even telling you about Sarah Snook's character - one of the leads introduced minutes into the film - is a massive spoiler. Telling you who Ethan Hawke is, is a spoiler. Hell, *the title tiself* is a spoiler.

Suffice it to say that Predestination is an indie Australian gem of a film about fate, time travel, lots of smoking and (maybe) going to space. While we might not be able to say much else, we can absolutely say this film is worth watching at least twice.

Unless you've already watched it before it was made, because you have access to a time-travel trumpet case.

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

EXTRA LINKS:
Alex Godfrey interview with Ethan Hawke, via The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/nov/29/ethan-hawke-boyhood-before-midnight?CMP=twt_gu

Stephen A Russell interview with Sarah Snook and the Spierig brothers, via SBS: https://www.sbs.com.au/whats-on/article/predestination-5-minutes-with-the-spierig-brothers-and-sarah-snook-interview/9dm2k9lpr

Predestination (Slice of Cherry Guys #65)

Finally giving the devil his due.

Continuing the Marvel Cinematic Universe's comeback tour, Daredevil: Born Again takes the good elements of our horned hero's Netflix series (which isn't quite as good as you remember) and puts them in a solid MCU TV frame. Moreover, much like Captain America: Brave New World the production story behind the devil's rise from the grave offers insight into some of the *cooked* decision-making happening at Disney; when you have to turf your writing staff and most of your established plot because the internal reviews are that bad, you know something's wrong.

But suffice it to say that Season 1 is not bad at all. The one-shot hallway fights are preserved in all their glory. The Punisher shows up and the show becomes a noir domestic comedy, like The Odd Couple meets The Wire. A truly shocking moment closes out the penultimate episode. And naturally, we cannot wait for Season 2.

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

EXTRA LINKS:
Nick Romano's interview with cast and crew detailing the production shifts and narrative reworks of the show, via Entertainment Weekly: https://ew.com/daredevil-born-again-stars-preview-marvel-resurrection-season-2-plans-exclusive-11681922

Oliver Franklin-Wallis's interview with Charlie Cox on becoming Daredevil and coming back for Born Again, via GQ: https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/charlie-cox-hype-interview-2025

Recap of showrunner Dario Scardapane interview on improving the pacing and dynamics of Born Again compared to the Netflix series, via GamesRadar and SFX: https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/marvel-tv-shows/daredevil-born-again-will-fix-the-showrunners-big-issue-with-the-netflix-series-at-its-worst-it-was-two-characters-in-a-room-talking-about-what-a-hero-is/

Daredevil: Born Again, Season 1 (Slice of Cherry Guys #66)

It's not as bad you'd think. It's actually worse.

Where do we even *start* with this one?

War of the Worlds, the 2025 adaptation of HG Wells' seminal alien invasion novel, is a visually ugly, aurally oppressive, narratively uninspired, tonally inconsistent, dramatically bone-idle, financially shady and morally bankrupt piece of corporate garbage. It does not respect your time or intelligence, serves only as a vector for Amazon products and is a poor carbon copy of both its source text and the 2005 Tom Cruise vehicle it (poorly) imitates. From top to bottom this is a production that has us flabbergasted at how badly it was put together and how comparatively worse it gets when stacked against other films of similar budget that were produced around the same time.

It is, quite simply, one of the single most offensive films we've ever seen.

This isn't even Megalopolis-level bad; that film is terrible, but at least it has a filmmaker's intent behind it. By contrast, WotW '25 is one of the most soulless and uninventive pieces of corporate filmmaking that we'll ever see, and sets a new and very low watermark as what will most likely be 2025's worst film of the year.

Do yourselves a favour and do not watch this piece of crap.

Tell us what you thought (of our episode, not the piece-of-crap movie because you should not watch it) at sliceofcherryguys@gmail.com!

EXTRA LINKS
Trailer for the film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9erkpdh5o0

Initial announcement of the film (then-untitled) via Deadline: https://deadline.com/2020/09/ice-cube-to-star-in-untitled-patrick-aiello-timur-bekmambetov-sci-fi-pic-for-universal-1234584529/

Announcement of Eva Longoria's casting, via Deadline: https://deadline.com/2020/10/eva-longoria-ice-cube-untitled-patrick-aiello-timur-bekmambetov-sci-fi-universal-1234599687/

Tweet from SteeScribbles alleging the film's budget is around $65million USD (NOTE: we could not corroborate this with any official media, so take with a grain of salt): https://x.com/SteeScribbles/status/1956138480133668866

Brian Tallerico's scatching and spot-on 0-star review of the film, via RogerEbert.com: https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/war-of-the-worlds

YouTube Playlist of Jeff Wayne's *amazing* The War of the Worlds musical interpretation from 1978: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YwFvmnbj3E&list=PLFV_pTSMduaURY4rVeOeWDCIWcgdAW7PZ

War of the Worlds 2025 (Slice of Cherry Guys #67)

Greetings, programs!

As we hurtle towards the October release of TRON: Ares, the Slice of Cherry Guys go back to the simple days of 1982 when a weird little film from Disney left a lasting mark on pop culture despite its mixed reception. Where else can you see Jeff Bridges being sucked into a computer, or David Warner's character channeling big fascist energy with a glowing frisbee, or those *amazing* Tron Lines that are now staples of laser tag venues worldwide?

Does it hold up? Chris thinks so - and will threaten anyone who disagrees - while Dave's not quite as convinced. But given its influence on pop culture and the many computer stories that came in its wake (ReBoot, anyone?), it's safe to say TRON is still a very important film.

And yes, Homer, we have seen the movie TRON.

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

EXTRA LINKS:
Archived link to a 1982 New York Times story on special effects in filmmaking, with a particular look at the then-unreleased TRON: https://archive.md/20120915031719/http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F00E3DB123BF937A35754C0A964948260&sec=technology&spon=&pagewanted=all

Archived link to a 2012 retrospective piece from Creative Planet Network about TRON's impact on filmmaking: https://archive.md/20120707112440/http://digitalcontentproducer.com/dcc/revfeat/video_tron/

Roger Ebert's original review of TRON: https://archive.md/20120915031736/http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19820101/REVIEWS/201010350/1023

Wayback Machine link to 1982 interview with Wendy Carlos and Michael Fremer on the music of TRON: https://web.archive.org/web/20101202105815/http://wendycarlos.com/other/PDF-Files/KbdOnTRON*.pdf

TRON (Slice of Cherry Guys #68)

Sixty-Ninth Course: THE SLICE OF CHERRY GUYS REVIEW THE MENU
two opinionated guys, bad microphones, half an hour of chat, lingering hunger

*insert picture of a delicious dish here*

Make no mistake, The Menu is as diabolical as it is delicious. Not since Hell's Kitchen or the Iron Chef battlegrounds has there been a cookery as cooked as Hawthorne, where a ghostly Ralph Fiennes hosts a number of rich people for an unforgettable evening. It's a nimble, gorgeous film that knows exactly what it wants to do and doesn't outstay its welcome. It's got capitalist satire, an impressive dual performance from Fiennes and Anya Taylor-Joy, and the most mouthwatering cheeseburger you'll ever see in your life.

Don't worry, we'll get the bill before dessert arrives.

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

EXTRA LINKS:
Alma Avalle's interview with The Menu's screenwriters, via Bon Appetit: https://www.bonappetit.com/story/the-menu-movie-creators-interview

Mark Jancovich's piece on The Menu and the horror of restaurants, via The Conversation: https://theconversation.com/the-menu-ralph-fienness-new-film-shows-why-restaurants-are-a-ripe-setting-for-horror-195340

The Menu (Slice of Cherry Guys #69)

We rolling? Great. Ok, action in 3, 2...

Welcome to another episode of Slice of Cherry Guys! We're your hosts, Dave and Chris, and today we're giving you the inside scoop on the tragic passing of legendary journalist Walter Martins. With a brilliant career in newsreading and investigative reporting, we'll speak to Walter's widow about his life and the impact of his sudden passing.

Actually, hang on...do you hear that? That buzzing sound? It sounds like bad TV reception, but are there...words? Someone mumbling?

And that dog over there doesn't sound too happy. And there's a fuzzy object on Mrs Martins' nightstand that looks blurred by static. Come to think of it, why can I hear the wind blowing through the trees inside this apartment? And why is that mumbling from the television getting louder?

Did it just get *super* dark outside all of a sudden?

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

EXTRA LINKS:
The original Our Lady of the Drowned Lake download from GMTX Game Jam 2022, via Itch.Io: https://monumentalcollab.itch.io/our-lady-of-the-drowned-lake

Gamescom 2025 gameplay demo video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrR712V-jtc

Walker M's review and rundown of Teleforum, via The Geekiary: https://thegeekiary.com/teleforum-analog-embers-of-a-failed-broadcast-video-game-recommendation/130653

Teleforum (Slice of Cherry Guys #70)

Greetings (again), programs!

As we race closer to TRON Ares at the speed of light(cycle), we look at the second film in the "this shouldn't be a franchise but totally is" series. It's got it all: old Jeff Bridges, young Jeff Bridges, Jeff Bridges Jr., a computer copy of Jeff Bridges, and multiple characters all looking for Jeff Bridges. It also has one of the best CGI environments ever put to film, an amazing yet brief run by Michael Sheen as the film's most unhinged character, and music by Daft Punk that is without question one of the top five best film soundtracks ever scored.

Whether you love or hate TRON, you've got to appreciate the vibes, the visuals and the killer soundtrack.

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

EXTRA LINKS:
The Daft Punk soundtrack, because it *rules*: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7F37BB1A67E0238D

Interview with Daft Punk about making the soundtrack, via Billboard: https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/daft-punk-pull-back-the-curtain-on-tron-legacy-soundtrack-1196389/

Cyriaque Lamar's interview with Jeff Bridges and Olivia Wilde on the film's religious themes, via Gizmodo: https://gizmodo.com/jeff-bridges-and-olivia-wilde-say-tron-legacy-is-all-ab-5713435

Christina Radish's 2010 interview with director Joseph Kozinski about the film (and his active-at-the-time remake of The Black Hole), via Collider: https://collider.com/joseph-kosinski-interview-tron-legacy-reshoots-black-hole-oblivion/

Red Letter Media's reviews of TRON and TRON Legacy which hit on a lot of the same points we do, via YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMkMSoBdFAc

TRON Legacy (Slice of Cherry Guys #71)

Long, long, long, long, since we saw the last one,
Thought, thought, thought, thought, thought it would be scarier,
Turns, out, you're, not, ready for the film we got,
But, it's, so, good, you'll forget about the last one,
No-one does it like the Boyle.

Just shy of being named after the real world length of time since we first heard the term "rage virus", we dive into the hellish apocalypse of 28 Years Later. The UK's split from the rest of the world, crazed angry zombies roam the countryside, toxic masculinity (literal and figurative) is rife, and privileged white guys can't get good cell reception. So, y'know, not so different to now.

The Slice of Cherry Guys go over the water, through the trees and into the Bone Temple to rediscover that when Danny Boyle and Alex Garland team up for a film, they can *cook*.

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

EXTRA LINKS:
The first full trailer with the "Boots" poem: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcvLKldPM08

Jake Kleinman's interview with director Danny Boyle on making the film, via Wired: https://www.wired.com/story/danny-boyle-says-shooting-on-iphones-let-him-capture-startling-violence-in-28-years-later/

Scott Collura's interview with director Danny Boyle on the mechanical processes of the iPhone "bullet time" rig, via IGN: https://www.ign.com/articles/28-years-later-danny-boyle-goes-big-with-horror-sequel-widescreen-the-infected?utm_source=threads,twitter

An oral history of 28 Days Later as a prelude to making 28 Years Later, via Inverse: https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/28-days-later-oral-history-danny-boyle-alex-garland

28 Years Later (Slice of Cherry Guys #72)

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!