SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (The Daily Dish) — Video Game adaptations are continuing to be the big movie contenders of 2023, but how do the newest titles this week fair? Film critic Patrick Beatty to tell us what we should see or skip!

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

Chris Pine stars as a charming thief who is on a quest for a lost relic with powers he’s desperate to use. He enlists the help of a group of sorcerers and fighters to retrieve it, but when things go from bad to worse, he and his group could meet their end. This film may be the biggest surprise of the year, with heart, humor, and fun for anyone who knows the game or not.

I was reminded of the first time I saw ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ as a young middle school teen. The swashbuckling adventure in fantasy land was done so well back then it spawned a billion-dollar franchise, and I believe Dungeons and Dragons may be on that path, or at least set to make a splash at the box office. The cast is great individually and as an ensemble. The villains don’t have a lot to contribute to this story but are still fairly menacing. Since there are so many characters we are exploring it seems the film was too stretched to be able to accommodate every character’s backstory.

I enjoyed the magic and sorcery on display. The effects were unique and different from the other magic-based content we’ve seen like with Doctor Strange or most recently ‘Shazam: Fury of the Gods’. If you haven’t played the game you can still find this as an easy and fun watch.

See It or Skip It: See it

Tetris

What do Nintendo, the band Europe, the KGB, and Tetris all have in common? One insane story about how Tetris became the most popular game in the world- and to this day still is played in hundreds of variations.

Hank Rogers has found a potential goldmine in this small game in Russia. He’s put his career, house, and life on the line in order to make a deal to secure the rights in the soviet union. But he’s not the only bidder, and it’ll take more than a good deal to get him in the clear. Taron Egerton again crushes his performance. I loved the suspense of an espionage thriller of the settings and tone paired with the drive and business-first attitude of the characters, and both are used very well throughout the film.

It’s important to see the insane red tape that comes with capitalism, especially in dealing with different countries with different social economics like Russia. Where Russia is at now is truly horrifying compared to the hopes back then of those people like the games creator Alexey Pajitnov.

Overall- this is not a story based on the game of Tetris- this is the story of how the game came to be in the first place. A fascinating exploration of the early gaming empires we know today- and what was done to make the video game industry the titans they are now.

See It or Skip It: See it!

Rye Lane

Breakups can be hard. Dom knows this as he’s wiping away tears in a public restroom next to an occupied stall. The occupant, Yas, is also dealing with relationship struggles. The two decide to trauma bond over the respective losses of love, but maybe there’s a way they can help each other get more closure in this lovely romantic comedy directed by Nathan Bryon and Tom Melia.

See It or Skip It: See it!