X-Ray Vision

There were way too many great games this year to play them all, so our X-Ray team is here to suggest a few specific games you should add to your backlog. Jason shares his progress up the Rivals leaderboard, Rosie tells us how to romance a werewolf, Abu breaks down the difficulty of a big action/adventure game, Carmen tells us why “water block” is the best item, Joelle loves getting enemies drunk, Aaron tells you why he DOESN’T recommend a game and much more!   Games discussed include: BalatroMarvel RivalsDragon Age: VeilguardHelldivers 2Wylde FlowersThe Legend of Zelda: Echoes of WisdomBaldur’s Gate 3Hades 2Unpacking   Follow Jason: twitter.com/netw3rk Follow Rosie: IG & Letterboxd  Follow X-Ray Vision on Instagram Join the X-Ray Vision DiscordSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  The entire X-Ray team crowds onto the couch for a multiplayer gaming session! Our 2024 video game retrospective starts off with reactions to the Game Awards, including the Arcane vs. Fallout debate. Then we lose our minds over all the trailers, from what has us most excited for Naughty Dog’s newest game, Intergalactic: the Heretic Project, to what concerns Jason has about the surprise FromSoft game, Elden Ring Nightreign. Plus Witcher 4, Borderlands 4, Split Fiction, and Turok????  The team explores the Live Service gaming landscape with the launch of Marvel Rivals, the continued success of Fortnite, and the fall of Destiny (and Concord RIP). Plus stories of the big budget games that pulled people back into gaming, the indie games that blew us away (and prompted some legal actions), and the recently released games that are consuming our end of year game time (happy holidays from Path of Exile 2’s massive skill tree!). Follow Jason: twitter.com/netw3rk Follow Rosie: IG & Letterboxd  Follow X-Ray Vision on Instagram Join the X-Ray Vision Discord  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

To finish out the Robert Eggers series of Xtras, producers Joelle Monique and Carmen Laurent are back today to discuss the 2022 movie The Northman! It’s manly, its wild, its a little bit witchy, but how does it stack up to Egger’s other works? We discuss all of that and more in the episode. Christmas is almost here, and that can only mean one thing: Nosferatu! Follow Jason: twitter.com/netw3rk Follow Rosie: IG & Letterboxd  Follow X-Ray Vision on Instagram Join the X-Ray Vision DiscordSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’re checking back in with our favorite crew of kids, and Jodi…Judi? Crimson Jack? Captain Silva? Is Jod really a Jedi? We can’t decide, but we’re absolutely loving this show and the mystery that is unfolding before our eyes. This show has the secret juice. What could the mystery of At Attin be?! Rosie and Jason share their speculations.  Follow Jason: twitter.com/netw3rk Follow Rosie: IG & Letterboxd  Follow X-Ray Vision on Instagram Join the X-Ray Vision Discord  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Abu is joined by Jason for a  meeting of the Landsraad high council.. They break down episode four of Dune: Prophecy and explore Valya’s scheming with her family as she attempts to win back the Emperor’s confidence and defeat Desmon Hart. Follow Jason: twitter.com/netw3rk Follow Rosie: IG & Letterboxd  Follow X-Ray Vision on Instagram Join the X-Ray Vision Discord Follow Abu: https://x.com/abu_zafarSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s time to squad up! Jason and Rosie manage to pull themselves away from Marvel Rivals to discuss their impressions of Marvel’s new hit free-to-play game. They share what’s been the most fun and what they hope to see in the future for Marvel Rivals. Then we dive into James Gunn’s new animated series for the DC Universe, Creature Commandos! We recap the first two episodes and ask the big important question we’ve all been thinking: what does Amanda Waller do all day? Plus, a history of the Creature Commandos in comics! Follow Jason: twitter.com/netw3rk Follow Rosie: IG & Letterboxd  Follow X-Ray Vision on Instagram Join the X-Ray Vision DiscordSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Next up in our Robert Eggers series of Xtras is the 2019 movie The Lighthouse. This cosmic horror is centered around themes of toxic masculinity and power dynamics! Producers Joelle Monique and Carmen Laurent recap and discuss the movie's meaning and Eggers' choices in creating it! Are you a man who likes horror movies? We wanna know! Follow Jason: twitter.com/netw3rk Follow Rosie: IG & Letterboxd  Follow X-Ray Vision on Instagram Join the X-Ray Vision DiscordSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’ve still got Gladiator on the brain here with the X-Ray Vision team! Jason and Rosie are welcoming the Xtras Team Joelle Monique, Carmen Laurent and Aaron Kaufman to discuss the most deserved brutal character deaths from film & TV, and in the end we all share which characters we WISH would get their comeuppance, but have yet to see their fateful ends. Who gets their big thumbs DOWN? Listen and find out!  Follow Jason: twitter.com/netw3rk Follow Rosie: IG & Letterboxd  Follow X-Ray Vision on Instagram Join the X-Ray Vision Discord  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Abu is joined by Jason and Rosie for a bull hunting trip. They break down episode three of Dune: Prophecy and explore the questionable storytelling choices of this series so far. Don’t worry, no hosts were poisoned in the making of this podcast. Follow Jason: twitter.com/netw3rk Follow Rosie: IG & Letterboxd  Follow X-Ray Vision on Instagram Join the X-Ray Vision Discord Follow Abu: https://x.com/abu_zafarSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why has nobody ever heard of At Attin? What exactly is “the Barrier?” And will Neel ever build up the courage to speak with Roona? Jason is here to break down this refreshing take on the Star Wars universe, and Joelle and Aaron ride up on their speeder bikes to share their predictions and reactions. Follow Jason: twitter.com/netw3rk Follow Rosie: IG & Letterboxd  Follow X-Ray Vision on Instagram Join the X-Ray Vision DiscordSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kicking off a new series of extras in anticipation of the new Robert Eggers film “Nosferatu”, producers Carmen Laurent and Joelle Monique will be covering the Eggers filmography! We start this week with his first feature film “The VVitch” we start with a brief recap of the movie, and we dive into the interesting choices Robert Eggers makes as a director. And we ask, is this a “Good for her!” film? Live Deliciously!  Follow Jason: twitter.com/netw3rk Follow Rosie: IG & Letterboxd  Follow X-Ray Vision on Instagram Join the X-Ray Vision DiscordSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jason and Rosie are joined by Joelle to share their definitive list of the best Thanksgiving movies ever, from comedies to dramas to indigenous films and more! They also debate what exactly makes a good Thanksgiving movie. Is it just vibes? Is it the autumn season? Does the holiday have to play a central role? Follow Jason: twitter.com/netw3rk Follow Rosie: IG & Letterboxd  Follow X-Ray Vision on Instagram Join the X-Ray Vision DiscordSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Abu is joined by fellow Dune nerds Haitch and Jason from Escape Hatch to break down the second episode of Dune: Prophecy on HBO! Check out https://escapehatchpod.com and follow Haitch and Jason on Instagram. Follow Jason: twitter.com/netw3rk Follow Rosie: IG & Letterboxd  Follow X-Ray Vision on Instagram Join the X-Ray Vision DiscordSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Always with you, sis. Jason and Rosie react to the beautiful finale of Arcane. From the battlefield to the dance floor, there was a LOT that happened in these final three episodes, and our hosts share their read on the show, insights from the creators, and what parts hit us the hardest. Our Xtras hosts Aaron, Abu, and Joelle join to talk about the pacing, which storylines we expect to continue in the future, the MANY many easter eggs placed along the way, which character left Jason wanting more, and of course, the jail scene. To close out our coverage of Arcane, everyone picks which character they would choose to main if we were jumping into a match of League of Legends after watching Arcane. Follow Jason: twitter.com/netw3rk Follow Rosie: IG & Letterboxd  Follow X-Ray Vision on Instagram Join the X-Ray Vision DiscordSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

GET OUT OF MY HOUSE! The XRV team has seen Gladiator II, and they were in fact entertained. Join us today as Jason and Rosie recap the film. They invite producer Joelle Monique to review the movie together and discuss how it could have been even better. Then to wrap it all up, the panel of hosts asks when was the last truly great Ridley Scott film released? They take us through a ranking of all of his films of the 21st century. Follow Jason: twitter.com/netw3rk Follow Rosie: IG & Letterboxd  Follow X-Ray Vision on Instagram Join the X-Ray Vision DiscordSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are you not entertained!? Well, whether you are or aren’t entertained, Rosie and Jason are here to recommend their favorite underrated movies and shows of the “Swords & Sandals” genre to watch after Gladiator and in preparation for Gladiator II.   The recommendations: Spartacus The 13th Warrior Rome (HBO series) A Knight's Tale Kingdom Of Heaven (Directors cut) Immortals   Honorable mentions in this episode: Quo Vadis Ulysses Ben-Hur Troy 300 Clash of the Titans The Eagle Fall of The Roman Empire   Follow Jason: twitter.com/netw3rk Follow Rosie: IG & Letterboxd  Follow X-Ray Vision on Instagram Join the X-Ray Vision Discord See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jason and Rosie are joined by Abu to break down the first episode of HBO’s Dune: Prophecy. They discuss the question of timeline, the complex politics at play, and the clunky exposition of this episode. Then, Abu reveals the deep-cut lore references and easter eggs you might’ve missed. Follow Jason: twitter.com/netw3rk Follow Rosie: IG & Letterboxd  Follow X-Ray Vision on Instagram Join the X-Ray Vision Discord See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What a difference an Act makes! Jason and Rosie react to episodes 4, 5, and 6 of Arcane Season 2, and it feels like every critique we had for the previous three episodes have been directly addressed this time around. We get a better view of the everyday citizens of Zaun, explore the growing relationship between Vi and Jinx, and get a newly introduced VERY important character! Plus, Aaron steps in to share his favorite updated hairstyles. Follow Jason: twitter.com/netw3rk Follow Rosie: IG & Letterboxd  Follow X-Ray Vision on Instagram Join the X-Ray Vision Discord See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In preparation for the upcoming Gladiator 2, Jason and Rosie enter the Coliseum to revisit Gladiator. They discuss what makes Commodus such a great villain, the creative and brutal violence, and why this film stands among the best films of 2000. Then in the Omnibus, Jason cracks open the history books to share some Rome Facts.  Follow Jason: twitter.com/netw3rk Follow Rosie: IG & Letterboxd  Follow X-Ray Vision on Instagram Join the X-Ray Vision Discord See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the Penguin’s top hat still casting a shadow and the debut of Creature Commandos just weeks away, Jason and Rosie break down the future of James Gunn’s DC Universe. How does Matt Reeves’ Batman universe fit into everything? What kind of stories do we expect from HBO’s Lanterns? What are we looking forward to from David Corenswet’s Superman? Plus, in Previously On, a deep dive into the three new trailers for that OTHER cinematic universe, with What If, Captain America, and Thunderbolts*! Follow Jason: twitter.com/netw3rk Follow Rosie: IG & Letterboxd  Follow X-Ray Vision on Instagram Join the X-Ray Vision Discord See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.