Samsung Galaxy S24+ rocks T-Mobile's speedy 5G network

A larger, slightly bulkier version of its base-model cousin, the Samsung Galaxy S24+ is geared for those who need a phone with some more durability, screen real estate and battery life.

Boiled down to basics, the phone is a souped-up version of the flagship Samsung Galaxy S24 model.

Like the standard S24, the S24+ comes with a promise of seven years of consistent update support and a slew of AI features.

Just as in the base model, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy CPU deals out a bewildering amount of processing power, working in tandem with T-Mobile's blisteringly fast 5G Magenta network to tame whatever array of multitasking challenges you ca hurl at it.

The 6.7-inch display is an upgrade over the 6.2-inch screen on the standard S24, upping the resolution from FHD+ to QHD+. The difference may at first seem inconsequential, but upon regular use, the colors stand out as richer and the image contrast appears sharper.

The bump from 8GB to 12GB of RAM is considerable, with the S24+ taking advantage of the extra memory to handle games, apps and streaming video with silk-smooth ease.

A larger, more powerful device needs more juice, and the S24+ gets just that in the form of a 4,900mAh battery, which bests the 4,000mAh battery found in the S24. I found the device could handle at least 16 hours of heavy use without needing a charge-up break.

The camera array remains consistent. The main 50MP camera with a 12MP lens and 10MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom capabilities is familiar, with the ability to capture images with as much as 50MP resolution, as well as 8K video.

Object Eraser helps you deploy AI to touch up pictures and delete photobombers, and Circle to Search lets you juggle your web surfing with Google Image scans. 

While the S24+ may lack the S-Pen and souped-up features fo the S24 Ultra, it serves its need as an impressive mid-tier option that passes the eye test and turns heads. There's no middle child syndrome here.

T-Mobile sent device for review.

T-Mobile Mother's Day Weekend deals

T-Mobile is rolling out new offers for Mother's Day weekend, including a free iPhone 15 (up to $830 off) with eligible trade on Go5G Plus or Go5G Next, or when you add a line on most plans; free Samsung Galaxy S24 with eligible trade OR when you add a line on Go5G Plus or Go5G Next; 50% off iPad 9th Gen 64GB when adding a line; free Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 (40mm or 44mm) when adding a watch line; $300 off the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8 speaker in any color and an Apple Watch SE 2nd Gen 40mm on Us (or 44mm for just $30) when adding a new watch line.

The T-Mobile Magenta Status, comes with special offers on things such as hotels, rental cars, food, concert and movie tickets and more. According to T-Mobile, customers can unlock as much as $1,500 in added value every year in Magenta Status perks. Other offers in the array of plans include free Apple TV+, Hulu, Netflix and free season-long subscriptions to MLB.TV, to free in-flight Wi-Fi, high-speed data abroad, Scam Shield protection, exclusive deals and freebies every week through T-Mobile Tuesdays and more.

Game Review: 'Final Fantasy VII Rebirth'

With impressive ambition, monumental scope and exuberant execution, "Final Fantasy VII Rebirth" somehow manages to match and even surpass its sprawling fanbase's unreasonable demands.

Expanding on the impressive start of 2020's "Final Fantasy VII Remake" and its 2021 follow-up, "Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade," the massive release expands on the foreboding groundwork established before it. There are spiritual and story similarities to the original game, which works as a sort of framekwork which the current team of developers flesh out with current interpretations.

Perhaps the greatest accomplishment of the new series, particularly its towering recent release, is that it manages to break the shackles of "Final Fantasy" archetypes while also embracing them conceptually enough to preserve the commanding feel and tone that's been established. 

The middle section of a planned trilogy, the game's story veers off in daring new directions, blending with an immersive combat system and seamless world-building to craft a whirlwind assault on the senses. "Final Fantasy VII Rebirth" goes beyond a cinematic impression to a realm that movies themselves can never touch and video games only rarely reach. Think the grandiosity of "Red Dead Redemption 2" blended with the sizzling combat of "Elden Ring" and the challenging narrative of "Chrono Trigger" and you begin to claw at the surface of the plateau in which "Rebirth" hovers.

All seriousness aside, it's also a joy to see how non-self-important the game is. Side quests, Easter eggs and knowing nods to superfans show a dev team unafraid to make fun of itself, the game development process, and JRPG cliches that date back to the series' original entry.

It's rare that a game takes me by the shoulders and sinks into me, body and spirit, from the opening moments and never lets go, but that's exactly what "Rebirth" managed to do. This is truly one for the ages, and the shivers that started in my spine at the opening titles were matched an exceeded many times over as the story twisted and turned, drawing chuckles, winces and, very nearly, tears.

"Final Fantasy VII Rebirth" is aptly named because, even though this is the hungry-for-attention middle child of a colossal endeavor of a trilogy, it feels like a fresh rejuvenation of all things "Final Fantasy," and perhaps gamedom itself. It makes you see its world and your own as if for the first time.

Publisher provided review code.

Early Game Review: 'El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron HD'

A fascinating curiosity of mainstream gamedom, "El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron" was one of the only games in memory that embraces mainstream religion. The 2011 release turned heads for its daring content and skillful execution, blending striking visuals with engaging combat and spellbinding storytelling.

While sales may not have delivered any sequels or imitators, the game remained an intriguing relic that became food for think pieces and analysis videos aplenty. 

Now comes an HD remaster, due out April 28, in which Enoch's quest for redemption as he takes on a host of fallen angels in a brutal, somehow poetic hack-and-slash. Originally released on the Xbox 360, before getting a PC release in 2021, the game seems to be an apt fit on the Switch, with its sewing circle of eclectic oddities from every corner of the indieverse, both modern and historical.

If ever there were a game in which you did yourself a disservice by skipping the cut scenes, this was it. The writers explore mainstream and obscure religious texts for the characters and scenarios that populate its story. Told with the steady, shamanistic cadence, the fable unfolds with poignance and emotional urgency. Enoch is striving not only for his own salvation, but that of man. In microcosm, his journey touches the most ancient urges of human storytelling.

Many HD remasters are more successful at showing a game's age rather than updating it, but "El Shaddai" holds up surprisingly well in the gameplay department. Not a moment of my time with the game seemed as though time had passed it by. This game, like the saga represents, is timeless. And it now looks the part as well, whether docked to your HDTV or taking it as a spiritual injection on the go.

Publisher provided review code.

Early Game Review: 'Top Spin 2K25'

Save for the occasional Mario Tennis release, fans of the sport haven't had much to cling to when it comes to gaming. But a baker's dozen of years between "Top Spin" releases has done the franchise well, and developer Hangar 13 has used the time well for what amounts to a relaunch of the franchise.

Helping "Top Spin 2K25," due out Friday, look toward the future is old-school favorite John McEnroe, who acts as a narrator and guides you through TopSpin Academy, a longform tutorial that guides you through the finer points of the game.

"Top Spin 2K25" hurls you into the mix with an intense showdown against Andy Murray. Playing as Roger Federer, you play out key points in an effort to come out victorious. After that, you are free to plunge into MyPlayer to craft your avatar. 

While the game launches as a single-player-only experience, online multiplayer is set to be added in an update sometime in May. The lack of a full suite at the outset may be discouraging, but at least the solo time allows you to hone your skills before the multiplayer scene opens up. Also, the player base will no doubt be stronger by the time the update comes along.

To get you going, you can trade serves with a slate of 25 current and past pros, including the likes of Serena Williams, Carlos Alcaraz, Iga Świątek, Frances Tiafoe and Andre Agassi.

With all four segments of the Grand Slam available, you can can serve and volley on the biggest stages in the sport. There are also MyCAREER and MyPLAYER modes available, matching the suite of options in the "NBA 2K" series.

The game looks and flows with gorgeous fluidity, surpassing past efforts, especially the Mario stuff, by leaps and bounds. 

With the confident burst of a first serve, "Top Spin 2K25" rushes the net with vigor and skill, marking an impressive return to form for the long-neglected franchise.

 Publisher provided review code.

Broadway in Tucson Review: Hairspray'

"Hairspray" first dazzled audiences as a 1988 John Waters movie, then captured Broadway hearts as a musical in 2002. That show was so successful that it inspired an encore film adaptation in 2007. The Broadway show's national tour is an endless victory lap for the phenomenon.

Bursting with catchy tunes, body-positive and civil rights messaging, "Hairspray" is as much an irresistible force of nature as its lead character, Tracy Turnblad. Played with vigor and determination by Caroline Eisman, Tracy longs to be included on the TV dance show, which nearly always consists of only thin, white performers. 

Determined not to let her plus-size body be the factor that holds her back, she turns heads at auditions and achieves her dream. But she doesn't stop there, using her newfound momentum to rally for racial equality, she makes new friends and enemies in the process. The throughline is that Tracy knows she will prevail because she's on the side of progress. As the show's tagline declares, you can't stop the beat.

From the show-launching "Good Morning Baltimore" to the dazzling duet "(You're) Timeless to Me" and the watershed "I Know Where I've Been," "Hairspray" is a nonstop succession of catchy ballads that infuse the audience with good cheer. 

The capable supporting cast, with Andrew Scoggin as showman Corny Collins, Caroline Portner as snotty Amber Von Tussle and Micah Sauvageau and Greg Kalafatas as Tracy's parents, "Hairspray" comes to life with gorgeous scenery, precision choreography and hummable music that coalesces into a boisterous extravaganza. I adored the timely additions to the script, which included a swipe at the Donald Trump regime and a crowd-wowing references to the Old Pueblo and University of Arizona.

"Hairspray" is a show for dreamers, early 1960s nostalgia and vestiges that still remain of the bygone oppressive era. Society has come a long way since the days in which "Hairspray" was set, but still has miles to go. It will take the Tracy Turnblads of the world to get us there.

"Hairspray" plays through April 28 at Centennial Hall. Buy tickets here.

Hot on Home Video: 'Drive-Away Dolls,' ''Madame Web,' 'Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths - Part Two'

DRIVE-AWAY DOLLS

Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan co-star in this comedic coming-of-age thriller about a pair of friends -- both lesbian -- who take a road trip to Tallahassee, Florida, after their personal lives hit brick walls. Unaware that the vehicle they're renting is holding some highly sought-after contraband, they become targets of law enforcement and criminal elements alike. A winning script combines with two striking lead performances and a cameo from Matt Damon for a disarming, easy-to-like effort from filmmakers Ethan Coen and Tricia Cooke.

Extras include interviews with the cast and filmmakers, a look back at the 20-year process it took for Coen and Cooke to bring the film to screen and a featurette dubbed "Road Trip Essentials."

MADAME WEB

Dakota Johnson and Sydney Sweeney join forces for this awkward spinoff of the Sony Spider-Man/Venom universe. Johnson plays the title character, Manhattan paramedic Cassandra Webb, who discovers psychic abilities that connect her with three young women who are destined to take on superpowers if they can overcome sinister threats that plague them. 

As the film's 12% Rotten Tomatoes rating indicates, the stiff, slow affair is largely forgettable. Extras include a gag reel, Easter eggs, a deleted scene and featurettes on the film's casting . 

JUSTICE LEAGUE: CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS - PART TWO

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The second part of the animated adaptation of DC's monumental 1980s superhero crossover is as much of a crowd-pleaser as January's initial entry. The likes of Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Batman and the Flash band together to take on the realm-decimating Anti-Monitor. Engaging storytelling, spirited voice performances and challenging storylines deliver a faithful yet inventive retelling of a classic story.

Extras include "Voices in Crisis," "The Bat-Family of the Multiverse" and a sneak peak at the third and final part of the saga.

Studios provided screeners for review.

Book Report: 'A Season on the Brink: A Year With Bob Knight and the Indiana Hoosiers'

 

A Season on the Brink: A Year with Bob Knight and the Indiana Hoosiers by John Feinstein
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

John Feinstein's access and blunt storytelling capture the essence of a bygone era of college basketball. The vintage Bob Knight Indiana teams captured a moment in time when the three-point shot had just been introduced, teams could stall out a 45-second shot clock and players redshirted and stayed for as many as five years with one program, immersed in the program's culture until they could lead the team as fifth-year seniors.

The book lionizes Knight, who had little control of his mercurial temper, bulled just for the sake of exerting powerful on those he controlled, and fed his insatiable ego with his every move. The book is set two seasons before I started watching the game, and helped fill in some blank spots for me, granting me a thorough understanding of the power dynamics of the period.

The psychological damage exerted by Knight is excused by the author in the grand cause of cutting down the nets, but the tome does work as a prophetic sign of the self-immolation that would one day consume not only Knight and the Indiana program, but destroy this era altogether.

The writing is pretty solid, save for the long spells of mundane play-by-play that lacks color or context.

View all my reviews