FALLOUT Season One: It's Not Just For Gamers Anymore

FALLOUT Season One (4K SteelBook)

2024 / 450 min (8 episodes)

Warner Bros

Review by Mr. Bonnie, from the Brotherhood😺

Prior to watching Season One, everything I knew about the Fallout video game came from my oldest daughter, Natalie. She’s always been a hardcore gamer, and not only did she love this one, I seem to recall her owning some Vault Boy merch at one time. I don’t think she plays it much anymore, but was definitely interested in checking out the TV adaptation, which first debuted on Amazon Prime last year.

I’m always down for binging with Natalie, and truth be told, I was also thankful she agreed to a few nights of Fallout with her old man, if for no other reason than to explain elements that only gamers would know. One big reason most video game adaptations suck is because they forget not everyone in the audience was born with a controller in their hand.

One notable exception was the first season of The Last of Us, which was really good. Besides gushing praise from Natalie, I knew nothing about the game, nor was it necessary. That show did a masterful job developing its characters and adapting the story. Comparatively speaking, I enjoyed Fallout even more.

Because of the origins and post-apocalyptic setting of both series, the comparison is warranted. Setting aside the fact that prior knowledge of the game is not required, Fallout is similarly character driven, well-cast and features first-rate production values. But while the overall tone of The Last of Us is pretty somber, Fallout features a lot of black humor (some of it really twisted), wild production design, interesting subplots and well-placed moments of shocking gore (often played for laughs).  

And unlike The Last of Us, Fallout tells an all new story in the same gaming universe. The main story arc takes place in 2296, a few centuries after nuclear war has destroyed most of Earth. What’s left of organized civilization lives in underground Vaults, hoping to someday return to the surface and guide humankind back to its former glory. Lawless chaos reigns above ground, populated by raiders, savages, mutants and “Ghouls” (who are sort-of undead, but not quite zombies). 

When the leader of Vault 33 (Kyle MacLachlan) is kidnapped by raiders, his daughter, Lucy (Ella Purnell), decides to go to the surface and find him. She ends up in a shantytown called Filly, where a renegade scientist has secret in his head (literally) that everyone seems to want. In fact, there’s a bounty on his head (again, literally) that a vicious gunslinging ghoul (Walton Goggins) plans to collect. There’s also a cult of warriors called the Brotherhood that want the device for their own use, as does Moldaver (Sarita Choudhury), the leader of the raiders who kidnapped Lucy’s dad in the first place.

Another wrong turn at Albuquerque.

Lucy wants the device to trade for her father, while Maximus (Aaron Moten), a Brotherhood squire who assumes the use of his dead knight’s armor, hopes to return with it to avoid being executed. While the device’s purpose is eventually revealed, it’s essentially a McGuffin, and the quest for it is just scratching the surface. There are numerous subplots throughout these eight episodes, some resolved, most left open-ended (a practice I typically can’t stand in serialized TV shows). The most interesting of them is the Ghoul’s backstory. He was once known as Cooper Howard, a popular western movie star whose wife worked for Vault-Tec. We also learn that there’s something sinister behind the seemingly idyllic life in Vault 33. 

Season One of Fallout is of full of surprises, many of them with ominous implications. It also does an especially good job slowly revealing that some of these characters aren’t quite who they seem. And I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention just how great the show looks, having never seen a post-apocalyptic world depicted quite like this. Natalie said that the show’s rendering of the game’s quasi-retro universe is spot-on, right down to the smallest details, such as the Pip-Boys (wrist computers worn by Vault dwellers).

Speaking of which, the story and characters may be new, but Fallout gamers will still get a huge kick out of familiar props, creatures, TV spots, and of course, the prominent (often ironic) use of ‘40s & ‘50s pop songs. And yes, Vault Boy is everywhere. However, I think I actually liked the show even more than Natalie did. The first episode had me wanting to binge the rest of them that evening (work be damned), while she was content with an episode or two each night. My only real quip is that nearly every plot thread ends on a cliffhanger. A little bit of closure on a few of 'em would have been nice.

I don’t know how Fallout looked and sounded on Amazon, but the overall 4K image is outstanding, as is the Dolby Atmos audio track. What you definitely don’t get on Amazon is the generous amount of bonus features related to nearly all aspects of the production. None of them are very long, but they’re pretty entertaining. We were sent the SteelBook edition for review, which is exclusive to Amazon and features impressive artwork both inside and out.

EXTRA KIBBLES

INSIDE EPISODE 1 - “THE END” - This is basically a commentary by director Jonathan Nolan and actor Walton Goggins.

FEATURETTES - Inside Season One runs just under 20 minutes and features numerous interviews with the cast, crew and Bethesda Games producer Todd Howard (who also exec-produced). Includes plenty of behind the scenes footage.  The rest of the featurettes are shorter, and the titles more-or-less tell-all, including: Creating the Wasteland, Safe and Sound, Set Your Sets on 2296, The Costumes of Fallout, Writing for the Wasteland, Meet the Filmmaker (and Fanatic) Jonathan Nolan, Prosthetics & Make-up Gone Nuclear, Becoming the Ghoul, Console to Camera, Welcome to the World of Fallout.

VAULT SELLER’S SURVIVAL GUIDE - A view amusing Vault-Tec promo pieces.

6 COLLECTIBLE ARTCARDS

A MINECRAFT MOVIE: A Die Hard's Perspective

A MINECRAFT MOVIE (Blu-ray)

2025 / 101 min

Warner Bros

#InPartnershipwithWB

Review by Lucy A. (who grew up on the game)

Like a lot of kids of my generation, I grew up obsessed with Minecraft. For a long time, I didn’t have a way to play it myself, so I’d watch YouTube videos of other people playing. Until one day, I finally convinced my dad to download the mobile version on his iPad. From that point on. I was obsessed with the game for years. I would spend hours building and creating my own stories. Minecraft was sort of the gateway into my gaming hobby. Now that I’m an adult, I play it a lot less than I used to, but the game still holds a special place in my heart. Which is why when I saw trailers for A Minecraft Movie, I knew I needed to see it. 

If you’ve seen any of the trailers or other clips from the movie, whatever your first impressions are, they’re probably right. The movie seemed a bit cringey and was ‘lip/meme farming’ (meaning that the movie is actively trying to get popular going viral with funny clips, rather than being an entertaining movie as a whole). Surprise! The trailers didn’t lie. 

While watching the movie, it felt like the film was really leaning into random/unexpected humor. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that, since that sort of humor is popular among kids and that’s ultimately the target audience. However, a lot of the jokes or bits seemed to be kinda forced. Still, the movie was funny. Was it funny in how the directors intended? That’s debatable. To me and the group of friends I saw the film with, it was funny because we were all constantly thinking, “I can’t believe they thought this was a good idea.” 

The plot is also lacking. Some might argue that a movie targeted towards children can’t be expected to have a good or meaningful plot that’s entertaining to both kids and adults. But there are tons of kids movies that I’ve enjoyed as an adult that genuinely have good plots and messages that are appreciated by all audiences. Unfortunately, A Minecraft Movie is not one of them. 

Not every movie needs to have a message. It could be purely just for shits and giggles. However, it’s clear that the film wanted to send some sort of message, but just couldn’t decide what. There are loose themes of “being different is okay” and “creativity is good,” but they aren’t touched upon throughout the entire movie until the end. Any messages they were trying to convey seemed very (for lack of a better term) half-assed. 

Square Pigs

I’ll give it this…making a story based on a game with no story is very hard. If you didn’t know, Minecraft is a sandbox game, meaning that it’s open-world, and there isn’t a path or a set of goals for the player to follow. There isn’t any story in the base game, which is why it’s seen more as a starting point for people to create their own. Whether people make their own worlds, create their own narratives, or simply just survive, Minecraft is seen as a creative base for its players. Maybe that’s what the film itself may have been trying to do. 

This might come as a surprise given what was previously written, but I did enjoy the movie. The movie was objectively bad - not just as a video game movie either - but I found myself enjoying every second of it. Sure, a lot of it was eye-rolling and a little painful to watch at times, but I still had a lot of fun. Maybe it’s because I’m biased and I love Minecraft. Maybe it’s because I saw it with close friends with a similar attachment to the game. Or maybe it’s because I know, deep down, 10-year-old Lucy would have been thrilled that a game she loved so much was on the big screen. 

If you grew up with the game, you might get a kick out of it. If you have kids who did, they will definitely like it. If you have no attachment to the game whatsoever, don't bother. 

EXTRA KIBBLES:

FEATURETTES -  Building the World of Minecraft: Block Party; Creepers, Zombies and Endermen Oh My!;  A Minecraft Movie: Pixel Pals; A Minecraft Movie: Block Beats; Marlene + Nitwit.

THE POOP SCOOP: Lethal Edition

😺The Original LETHAL WEAPON on 4K and Digital June 24 from Warner Bros. Mel Gibson stars as a one-man killing machine, a Los Angeles policeman who recently lost his wife and has been acting increasingly unstable. Danny Glover plays a by-the-book homicide detective with an impeccable record and a loving family. Now the two are stuck with each other as partners, investigating a suicide that leads to an international crime ring and ever-increasing danger in this blockbuster action thriller. The Digital and 4K UHD disc release includes both the 1987 theatrical version of the film and the 2000 Director’s Cut which features an additional 7 minutes of footage not seen in theaters.

🎮A MINECRAFT MOVIE on Digital May 13 and 4K, Blu-ray & DVD June 24 from Warner Bros. From Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures and starring Jason Momoa and Jack Black, “A Minecraft Movie,” directed by Jared Hess, is the first-ever big screen, live-action adaptation of Minecraft, the best-selling video game of all time. “A Minecraft Movie” has taken the box office by storm, earning more than $872 million worldwide and is the largest domestic opening for 2025 and the largest movie based on a video game. This release also features an hour of bonus behind the scenes content.

 

🕵JAMES BOND: SEAN CONNERY 6-FILM COLLECTION on 4K June 10 from Warner Bros/MGM. The collection includes Dr. No, From Russia With Love, Goldfinger, Thunderball, You Only Live Twice and Diamonds Are Forever. The collection will be available in collectible steelbook packaging and as a standard 4K collection. These six films will also be available on Digital from MGM.

 

😺THE DAY THE EARTH BLEW UP - A LOONEY TUNES MOVIE on Blu-ray & DVD May 27 from Ketchup Entertainment. A new buddy comedy starring Porky Pig and Duffy Duck! This richly crafted, hand drawn 2D animated adventure marks the first fully-animated feature-length film in LOONEY TUNES history.!

🦈JAWS 50TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION Coming To Disc and Digital June 17 from Universal. This Combo Pack features the never-before-seen documentary, JAWS @ 50: THE DEFINITIVE INSIDE STORY, a brand-new look at the making and legacy of the film. The disc and digital include over five hours of additional bonus features! JAWS will also be available in an all-new limited edition SteelBook..

😺Jason Statham’s A WORKING MAN on 4K, Blu-ray & DVD June 10 from Warner Bros Discovery/Amazon MGM Studios. Directed by David Ayer from a screenplay by Ayer and Sylvester Stallone. Starring Jason Statham, Jason Flemyng, Merab Ninidze, Maximillian Osinski, Cokey Falkow, with Michael Peña and David Harbour.

😺THE ALTO KNIGHTS on Digital NOW and Blu-ray & DVD May 27 from Warner Bros.  From Warner Bros. Pictures, “The Alto Knights,” stars Academy Award winner Robert De Niro in a dual role and is directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Barry Levinson. 

😺NOVOCAINE on Digital April 8 and 4K/Blu-ray June 24 from Paramount. Fans who purchase NOVOCAINE on Digital or 4K Ultra HD will have access to over 35 minutes of action-packed bonus content.

THE POOP SCOOP: Upcoming Kibbles!

🙀THE LAST OF US: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON is releasing March 18 in a 4K Ultra HD Steelbook Limited-Edition Collectable from Warner Bros.

The Last of Us takes place 20 years after modern civilization has been destroyed. Joel, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie, a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone. What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal and heartbreaking journey as they both must traverse the U.S. and depend on each other for survival. In anticipation of the Season 2 premiere of “The Last of Us” on HBO, catch up on all nine episodes of the critically-acclaimed first season, along with nearly 3 hours of special features! Pre-order your copy today HERE.

🐔MOANA 2 is now available on Digital and coming to 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD on March 18 from Disney.

Gather your family to experience Moana and Maui’s latest adventure at home when Disney’s Moana 2 arrives to digital retailers (Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV and Fandango at Home) today and on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD on March 18. The highly anticipated sequel to the Walt Disney Animation Studios fan favorite is the #3 highest-grossing film of 2024 and recently crossed a billion dollars at the global box office. It is the fourth WDAS film ever to do so (Frozen, Zootopia, Frozen 2). Critics and fans alike have hailed Disney’s Moana 2 as “a fantastic voyage” (Brian Truitt, USA Today), and “a joyous adventure the whole family will love” (BJ Colangelo, Slash Film). The digital and Blu-ray release goes far beyond with hours of exclusive bonus content for the whole family featuring a full-length Sing-Along version of the film, deleted scenes, featurettes and much more. The 4K UHD will be available in a collectible limited edition SteelBook® with custom artwork and packaging.

😺DEN OF THIEVES 2: PANTERA arrives on PVOD Now and 4K, Blu-ray & DVD March 4 from Lionsgate.

Gerard Butler and O’Shea Jackson Jr. reform their unlikely duo when DEN OF THIEVES 2: PANTERA arrives on Premium Video on Demand on January 28 from Lionsgate. Written and directed by Christian Gudegast (London Has Fallen), DEN OF THIEVES 2: PANTERA returns to everything fans loved about the original film, while answering unresolved questions and diving deeper into the lives of each character. Big Nick (Butler) is back on the hunt in Europe and closing in on Donnie (Jackson), who is embroiled in the treacherous and unpredictable world of diamond thieves through the infamous Panther mafia, and their plot to pull off a massive heist of the world’s largest diamond exchange. On January 28, DEN OF THIEVES 2: PANTERA will be available to buy and rent on participating digital platforms where movies are purchased, including Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, Fandango at Home, and more. On March 4, DEN OF THIEVES 2: PANTERA will be available on 4K Ultra HD (+ Blu-ray + Digital), Blu-ray (+ DVD + Digital), and DVD.

🦈DEEP BLUE SEA Limited Edition on 4K and Blu-ray March 18 from Arrow Video.

On March 18, Arrow Video releases Deep Blue Sea, the blockbuster action/adventure film from acclaimed director Renny Harlin (Die Hard 2 and Cliffhanger). The Limited-Edition release features a brand new 4K restoration approved by the director on 4K UHD, packed with special features. There is also a limited-edition Blu-ray. The special features include audio commentaries with screenwriter Duncan Kennedy, filmmaker and critic Rebekah McKendry, archival commentary by director Renny Harlin and star Samuel L. Jackson, interview with production designer William Sandell, visual essay by film critic Trace Thurman, archival Making Of featurettes about the film and sharks, deleted scenes with optional audio commentary by director Renny Harlin, the theatrical trailer, an image gallery, a double-sided fold-out poster, postcards from Aquatica, a 60-page perfect bound collector's book with essays, and unseen production art and designs.

🗓SEPTEMBER 5 Debuts On Digital February 4th And On Blu-ray February 18th from Paramount.

Hailed as “one of the best movies of the year” (Fandango) that “succeeds on every level” (Deadline), the “masterful and heart-pounding” (Awards Daily) SEPTEMBER 5 arrives to purchase or rent on Digital February 4, 2025 from Paramount Home Entertainment.  The film will arrive on Blu-ray February 18. Nominated for the Academy Award® for Best Original Screenplay, the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture, Drama, Outstanding Producer of a Theatrical Motion Picture by the Producers Guild of America, and Critics’ Choice Awards for Best Original Screenplay and Best Editing, SEPTEMBER 5 is a gripping and visceral thriller based on real events.  The film details the hostage crisis at the 1972 Munich Olympics through the eyes of the American sports producers who covered the event live and changed television news forever. Fans who purchase SEPTEMBER 5 on Digital* will have access to nearly an hour of fascinating bonus content that delves into the significance of the historic broadcast from the 1972 Olympics and the extraordinary work that went into meticulously recreating that intense moment in time.

THE POOP SCOOP: Upcoming Kibbles!

🧛NOSFERATU is now available on Digital and coming to 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD on February 18, 2025 from Universal.

As audiences continue to succumb to the darkness in theaters across the nation, Focus Features’ NOSFERATU debuts exclusively on digital platforms to own or rent today from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. The hauntingly suspenseful horror film will be available on 4K UHD, Blu-ray™ and DVD on February 18, 2025. Own NOSFERATU with an extended cut never-before-seen in theaters, bonus content including deleted and behind-the-scenes footage as well as Robert Eggers’ exclusive director’s commentary only when you purchase from participating retailers nationwide. NOSFERATU is a gothic tale of obsession between a haunted young woman and the terrifying vampire infatuated with her, causing untold horror in its wake. Starring Bill Skarsgård, Lily-Rose Depp, Nicholas Hoult, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin, and Willem Dafoe.

🦔SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3 debuts on Digital January 21st and on 4K UHD/Blu-ray/DVD April 15th from Paramount.

Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails return for their most epic adventure yet in the blockbuster hit SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3, arriving to buy on Digital January 21, 2025 from Paramount Home Entertainment.  The film will also be available on Digital as part of a 3-movie collection that includes the first two feature films.  SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3 will arrive on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD on April 15, 2025.  The 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray Combo will also be available in two collectible SteelBooks while supplies last. Directed by Jeff Fowler, who has directed all three films in the series, SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3 stars Jim Carrey, Ben Schwartz, Krysten Ritter, Natasha Rothwell, Shemar Moore, with James Marsden with Tika Sumpter with Idris Elba and Keanu Reeves, who joins the all-star cast as Shadow the Hedgehog. Fans who purchase the film on Digital** or 4K Ultra HD will have access to over 50 minutes of fun-filled bonus content.  Go behind the scenes with the cast and crew as they speed from London to Tokyo, listen to entertaining commentary by director Jeff Fowler and the wildly funny Ben Schwartz, watch hilarious bloopers and on-set antics, check out deleted scenes not shown in theatres, and much more!

😺Jackie Chan and Jet Li in THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM 4K/Blu-ray SteelBook Coming February 25 from Lionsgate.

A MARTIAL ARTS EXPLOSION! Individually, they’ve starred in the most adrenaline-pumping martial arts adventures ever. Together for the first time, Jet Li and Jackie Chan join forces to create the greatest epic of them all – The Forbidden Kingdom. As ancient Chinese warriors, they must train and mentor a 21st-century kung fu fanatic who’s been summoned to fight a centuries-old battle and free the imprisoned Monkey King. If you’re a fighting fan, the wait is over. The team is ready. The Forbidden Kingdom arrives on 4K + Blu-ray SteelBook February 25 from Lionsgate. 

😺THE THIRD MAN 4K SteelBook Coming February 25 from Lionsgate.

Widely regarded as the greatest British film of all time, and making its 4K debut, director Carol Reed's noir The Third Man, brilliantly scripted by Graham Greene – and set to Anton Karas's evocative zither score – is a justly celebrated classic further enhanced by Orson Welles in one of his most iconic roles. After writer Holly Martins (Joseph Cotten) arrives in post-WWII Vienna to meet his old friend Harry Lime (the incomparable Welles), he discovers Lime has been killed in a suspicious accident. As the accident's witnesses disappear, the sardonic Major Calloway (Trevor Howard) and Lime's mistress, Anna Schmidt (Alida Valli), complicate Martins's search for answers regarding his friend's death. But will his relentless curiosity lead him to discoveries about Lime he'd rather not know? This release also comes with many bonus features, including a 56 page booklet, art cards and numerous featurettes.