The WRaP: Devils, Dualists and WMDs

Max Mielecki drops the first WRaP for ‘YouNerded.’ Here’s what he’s Watching, Reading and Playing.

Absurd Adventures

Hey guys, Max here. Montel says I’m supposed to “rap” for him (whatever that means). I attempted to do a shot-for-shot remake of the opening to Fresh Prince of Bel-Air but was told it’s actually a new feature for the site. So here’s the pop culture that I, Max Mielecki, unparalleled TV & film critic, have been devouring like a sarlacc munching on many Boba Fetts.

Watching:

‘The Brink’ (Sunday Nights on HBO)

The Brink is an interesting project. It’s a half hour comedy centered around a bunch of U.S. state department employees trying to avert nuclear disaster. Tim Robbins plays the Secretary of State, while Jack Black plays a low-level embassy employee who ends up being the key to diffusing the rise of a crazed dictator in Pakistan. The influence of things like Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove is everywhere. The show is able to wring the hilarity of the dire situation very well, not to mention Robbins and Black are backed up by a great supporting cast including The Daily Show alum Aasif Mandvi (who is also among the show’s writers). It’s definitely worth a look if you’re into that The Thick of It/Veep/In The Loop style of comedy.

Reading:

‘Master of Kung Fu’ by Haden Blackman & Dalibor Talajic

Marvel Comics

I’ve always been a huge fan of old school Kung Fu films, and at last there’s a comic out that’s scratching that itch, and scratching it well. Master of Kung Fu retells the origin of silver age Marvel character Shang Chi, reimagined as a disgraced martial arts master who must fight against rival masters based on other Marvel characters like Black Panther and Iron Fist. The series has thus far done a great job of emulating that grindhouse look, from the rain soaked mountains to the way the pages are just a little worn—like they’re part of a movie poster that was left in the sun for too long. If you need a martial arts fix and don’t mind some Marvel characters mixed in, Master of Kung Fu might be the comic of your dreams.

Playing:

‘Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition’ (PlayStation 4)

There is just something so satisfying about playing a Devil May Cry game. Capcom’s hack-and-slash series where you play as a demon hunter who defeats hordes of enemies by shooting and slicing the crap out of them is one that’s near and dear to my heart. It’s not just that it’s fun to juggle enemies in the air with your guns or fight giant bosses, but also the game has so much personality. The game is built around encounters with crazy enemies and giant bosses, allowing the player to take them down in increasingly absurd ways, like an action movie gone far, far off the rails. Series protagonist Dante is the antithesis of the typical game protagonist, eschewing crew cuts and gravelly voices for a constant stream of quips and irreverent banter. This is a guy who saw a woman break into his home and try to kill him and responded by asking if she had to use the bathroom. I’ve been gladly revisiting the fourth game in the series, which just got remastered for the PS4 with updated graphics along with new characters and modes. The games are usually quite robust by themselves, but the special edition adds so much, it’s worth a buy for fans and newcomers alike.

What are you WRaPing this week? Are you a ‘Devil May Cry’ fan? Hit up the comments below and follow @YouNerded and @Max Mielecki on Twitter.