Dungeons & Dragons, Tetris, Rye Lane | See It or Skip It

Salt Lake City, Utah (See It or Skip It)— Video Game adaptations are continuing to be the big movie contenders of 2023, but how do the newest titles this week fare? Film critic Patrick Beatty is going to tell you 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, whether they know 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 a 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 fully accommodate every character’s backstory.

I enjoyed the magic and sorcery on display. The effects were unique and different from 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 to be 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 is still played in hundreds of variations.

Henk Rogers has found a potential goldmine in this small game from 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 paired with the drive and business-first attitude of the characters—both are used very well throughout the film.

It’s important to see the insane red tape that comes with capitalism, especially when dealing with countries that operate under different socioeconomic systems like Russia. Where Russia is now is truly horrifying compared to the hopes back then of people like the game’s 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 titan it is 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 their respective losses of love, but maybe there’s a way they can help each other find closure in this lovely romantic comedy directed by Nathan Bryon and Tom Melia.

See It or Skip It: See it!

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