Category: News

The holiday season is always huge for the gaming industry, and 2021 is certainly no exception. It’s never been a better time to be a gamer, with sprawling indie libraries, subscription services, and big AAA titles worth sinking hours into. But with more games, accessories, and merch than ever available, it’s always helpful to get some guidance on what’s actually worth spending your hard-earned cash on for those you love.

Thankfully there are a ton of great options this holiday season. Whether it’s the latest in video games, tabletop games, or the accessories to make it all a reality, we at Uproxx Edge have got you covered.

Part 1: The Hardware

The Elusive Current-Gen Console

$299-???

More than a year after their release to gamers, the next-gen Xbox and PlayStation 5 consoles remain as scarce as they were on launch day in 2020. There are a lot of reasons for this in the age of supply chain disruption and chip scarcity, but it’s not great news for your chances of wandering into a big box store and snagging a Series X. If you can somehow manage to find one, though, or if you’re willing to queue up on websites to get it or just hit StockX to snag one off the secondary market, well, that’s between you and your bank account.

The good news is that there are a lot more reasons to actually upgrade this holiday season, with next-gen titles like PS5’s Deathloop and the forthcoming Horizon Forbidden West finally giving console fans legitimate reasons to upgrade. It’s also clear by now that sports sims like NBA 2K22 and the Madden franchise are putting extra effort into their next-gen titles, a trend that isn’t changing anytime soon. Whether that’s enough to justify a purchase for some is hard to say, but the juice is certainly starting to be worth the squeeze if you can actually find one.

What About The Switch?

$299-$350

Nintendo did not announce a new console in 2021, as was widely expected. Instead, they released a more expensive Switch with largely the same specs outside of a much better OLED screen. Is that device worth buying if you already have an earlier-gen Switch or a Switch Lite? Probably not.

That said, the Switch remains a great console for a variety of reasons. Its portability is a huge asset, Nintendo continues to release strong console exclusives like Metroid Dread and Mario Party Superstars and it’s still the best indie console on the planet. The online offerings for the console continue to improve, too. At this point it’s tough to expect an incredibly long shelf life out of a Nintendo Switch. But Christmas is a holiday of instant gratification, and if someone on your list somehow doesn’t have a Switch at this point there’s certainly a lot to like there.

Buy it here.

Part 2: Games

The AAA Hits

It wasn’t the biggest of release calendars amid a second plague year as the switch to next-gen continues to make things complicated for gamers. But there are certainly some major releases worth picking up this year.

Deathloop

Price: $60

Deathloop is a really fun game that’s basically video game Groundhog Day. If you don’t have a PlayStation 5, getting it on PC is an equally satisfying experience. It’s a very good time all around.

Buy it here.

Hitman 3

Price: $60

Hitman 3 is similar to Deathloop in that there are a number of ways to play, but it’s one of the most satisfying titles you can get from AAA gaming in 2021.

Buy it here.

Forza Horizon 5

Price: $60

Arguably the most beautiful game on the market if you’re playing on a next-gen console, Forza also happens to be an incredible open-world game with a huge library of cars to get you there. Whether you like racing games or not, it’s worth getting a few drives in.

Buy it here.

Psychonauts 2

Price: $60

One of our favorites here at Uproxx, the sequel lives up to the hype and will leave you talking about it long after you finish.

Indie Titles

It’s been a great year for indie gaming. Here’s the best you may have overlooked.

Unpacking

Price: $20

Unpacking is the current indie darling for a reason: it’s a delightfully calm game that tells an interesting story purely through gameplay. If you actually like packing and organizing, it’s a must-have. And if you like storytelling games you can tackle at your own pace, it’s also a must-have. The attention to detail here is truly impressive.

Get it here.

Dodgeball Academia

Price: $25

It was a big year for dodgeball video games, and Dodgeball Academia was certainly a fun addition to that. The game is easy to grasp and surprisingly funny. There’s a lot of little ways to customize your experience with these dodgeball kids, and it makes for a really enjoyable little RPG.

Get it here.

Jackbox Party Pack 8

Price: $30

Jackbox‘s annual party pack is as strong as ever, and this gift could turn a holiday gathering into one to remember. Job Job is a particular favorite, but don’t sleep on Weapons Drawn or the always-popular Drawful, which this time lets you make animated images.

Get it here.

Part 3: Subscriptions

Price: Varies

For the gamer that truly has everything, a subscription service is really a can’t-miss option. Nintendo’s expanded Online package is the newest option here, with expanded options for online Animal Crossing: New Horizons multiplayer options the highlight for some. Not to mention the new N64 and Sega Genesis games, though getting the proper controllers to go full retro will certainly cost you.

Xbox Game Pass, meanwhile, is one of the best deals in gaming that gives you access to EA titles like the breakout It Takes Two and even sleeper hits like Outriders.

And don’t worry if they already have these: you’ll just add another few months (or a year, if you’re generous) onto their subscription, which they’ll certainly appreciate.

Part 4: Tabletop Gaming

Dungeons and Dragons stuff

Price: $9-$170

Even the most experienced of dungeon crawlers could use some additions to their tabletop gaming collection. And if you know someone looking to get into the realm the Core Rules Set is certainly a great place to start, as players (and DMs) gradually slip into owning all three books at the very least as their interest in the game expands.

For anyone that has the basics already covered, some newer books like Fizban’s Treasury of Dragons or a new campaign like Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos can add to an existing campaign or kick off a new one.

You could also just, you know, buy some Chessix dice and basically any tabletop gamer will love you. Or better yet, splurge on some very fancy-looking translucent dice from Only Crits.

Hunt A Killer Box Sets

Price: $30-$300

This subscription service tabletop game puts you (and maybe some friends) at the center of a mystery that must be solved using clues found in the items, documents, and other things included in each box. It’s kind of like an escape room, or an episodic tabletop experience where your wits and investigative skills determine whether you can figure out the whodunit.

Each month costs $25, but it’s surprisingly addicting and certainly something to look forward to for tabletop gamers who like puzzles and interactive experiences. The company has several versions at this point, including a game available at big box retail stores like Target. Hunt A Killer has made partnerships with Nancy Drew and Agatha Christie for special editions, too. It’s a great last-minute gift idea, and the company’s website has clues and recaps to help struggling sleuths along if they get stuck.

Machi Koro 2

Price: $30

The original Machi Koro is a tabletop classic that spawned a series of expansions and a very fun Legacy game. But the sequel takes all those lessons learned and puts them in a slightly different, equally fun package. The sequel touts more variety in gameplay than the original, so vets of the series have just as much to look forward to here as newcomers to the dice-rolling, city-building game.

Buy it here.

Tokyo Highway

Price: $50

The holidays are a great time to force your family and friends to play a dexterity game, and Tokyo Highway is a really delightful one. Based on the helter skelter highway system in its namesake Japanese city, the game looks great and is also easy to learn. Just be careful trying to build or you might get your clumsy self into real trouble out there on the mean streets.

If you’re looking for something a bit more kid-friendly, Beasts of Balance is also a very colorful, Jenga-like alternative with a tablet/phone companion. And there’s always the classic Jenga, too, I suppose.

Buy it here.

Parks

Price: $49

Parks went from a small National Parks-related project to a burgeoning game empire, to the point that you can pick this game up at most Targets. And it’s absolutely worth the hype. The game is gorgeous, benefits a good cause and is a fun game with lots of replay value. There’s a good amount of strategy you can fall into, or simply just pick the best-looking parks on the board, collect resources to “visit” them and have a nice little journey.

The setup can be a bit much the first time you play, but stick with it and you’ll have a lovely time. It also has some interesting expansions and, if you like the art but not necessarily board games, might be a good jumping off point for other gifts for your park-loving loved ones, too.

Buy it here.

As a Detroit native, it makes perfect sense that the recently-free from GOOD Music Big Sean would be the artist tapped to perform a halftime show during today’s Lion’s game, aka their annual Thanksgiving Day showdown against the Chicago Bears. But what performances like this one always seem to evoke, is the best reactions from parents who aren’t normally tuned into the hip-hop world. Plenty of parents are off work and at home with their children on a holiday like today, and it seems that every single one of those otherwise attentive parents had thoughts about just what was going on when Big Sean hit the stage.

In a unique start, Sean began his performance from the stands, surprising fans who were in the area:

Although it might look like they were unenthused by the performance, perhaps they were just surprised? Hell, most of us haven’t been to a massive arena show for a year and a half at this point, so these fans might just be rusty. Or already annoyed because the Lions are, frankly, not doing their best today. However, all the parents at home were letting their kids know their thoughts on the show, and those children took action the only way that makes sense when you’re stuck at home on a holiday — posted it on Twitter. Since Sean brought out his own parents to close out the performance, it’s only right everyone else’s weighs in. Check out some reactions below.

Look, once in a generation, we’re blessed with the kind of artist who makes all the self-serious auteurs in the world make sense. I’m talking about the troll, the perfect, reliable troll, who brings a sense of peace and restoration to all of us who love puns, practical jokes, poking fun, etc. In this specific case, I’m talking about Weird Al, the only artist who could perfectly roast Kid Rock, successfully critique a song from Megan Thee Stallion’s Something For Thee Hotties, and aptly parody Hamilton all in the same year or so.

And not that the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade is a super self-serious event that needs to be taken down a peg, but if you’ve ever heard the way the announcers breathlessly await each float — or lived in New York and been caught in the ensuing traffic from shut down streets day-of — then this mild trolling from a supposedly oblivious Weird Al will make you chuckle. Al, who is simply sitting in his apartment checking email while a massive green and pink ear bobs down the road, is a nice little Thanksgiving treat. Thanks for all the trolls, Al, and Happy Thanksgiving. Final thought: Who is emailing Weird Al on Thanksgiving? Wrong answers only.

Looking for some good gift ideas that wont break the bank? We’ve got you covered with these five suggestions available at our very own Upworthy Market! You can feel good about your purchases, too. That’s because every item you buy from the Upworthy Market directly supports the artisans who crafted it.

1. Elephant Anklet

$19.99

Tiraphan Hasub crafts a stylish anklet, centering bright brass beads with colorful agate. Symbol of old Siam, an elephant graces this original design. Jingling bells form the clasp, and the anklet is adjustable in length.

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2. Bottle Opener

$23.99

Elegant vine and floral motifs are diligently hand-carved into the handle of this bottle opener, crafted of suar wood in the shape of a bottle. Bali’s Wayan Rendah designs this home kitchen accessory, which comes fitted with a stainless steel fixture.

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3. ‘Happiness’ Mug

$23.95

Painted onto the surface of this ceramic mug, a colorful and vibrant sun is realized in the tradition of Mexican folk art with the message of ‘Happiness’ on the reverse. Eufrosia Pantaleon creates this simple and classic mug.

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4. Travel Bag

$14.99

Using a traditional loom, the House of Antigua Artisans creates stunning textiles. They design and craft this gorgeous cosmetic bag in teal, lime, black and white, trimmed with black faux leather. The bag is just the right size for holding cosmetics or small toiletries; it is fully lined and closes with a zipper.

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5. Scarf

$23.99

Celinda Jaco selects a cozy blend of Andean alpaca for this handsome men’s scarf. Classic in style, it features fine stripes of white and gunmetal grey woven through the midnight-black textile. Hand-tied fringe completes a distinguished design.

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With the holidays fast approaching, people are preparing for “the most wonderful time of the year.” But, given all the gift-giving, it can also be “the most expensive time of the year.” While shopping for others and finding a great gift is what the holiday spirit is all about, it can leave you feeling stressed about how much you’re spending. Well, we’re here to help with five hand-crafted gifts available for under $30 from the Upworthy Market. When you buy from Upworthy Market, you’re getting goods that do good. That’s because every purchase you make directly supports artisans from all around the world.

1. Cotton Backpack

2. Silver Ring

$25.99

Using the lost wax casting technique, Alon Diller of Mexico creates a subtle but elegant band ring for men or women. The ring surface is textured to resemble the bark of a tree, while the band’s edges are polished to a high shine.

3. Bottle Opener

$19.99

Entertain your dinner guests with this creative bottle holder. In order to enjoy the treat within, you will have to solve the puzzle of how to open the bottle holder. Thai artisan Waraporn Khamsuk handcrafts the puzzle from raintree wood with a white cord. The bottle holder will fit a bottle with a 2.5 inch diameter and 9 inch height. Instructions are included.

4. Shoulder Bag

$29.99

Brown and beige motifs are embroidered on a black shoulder bag in this piece by Thailand’s Jiap Rojjana. Made from 100% cotton fibers, the bag features polyester cords and wood beads on the strap. A coconut shell button opens to reveal a cotton lining in black with an interior zipper pocket.

5. Camera Lens Mug

$24.95

This deceptively realistic, BPA-free travel mug looks just like a DSLR camera lens with details like a focus ring and grip. The screw-top lid with sliding sip top keeps coffee from spilling as you venture off road to capture that perfect vacation photo.

Although The Weekend’s last album, Starboy, came out five years ago now, he’s not quite done with reminding the world how influential it was. In a new video for “Die For You, that celebrates the project’s fifth anniversary, a baby Weeknd is a special, telekinetic young man who is captured by the government –— or similar powers that be — in order to harness his powers for their ends. Ever resilient, the young Weeknd escapes, and is rescued by a young woman, and they quickly fall for each other as glow-in-the-dark stars come alive off the walls and dance around the room.

But, like plenty of young lovers before them, the pair are discovered before their relationship can even begin to blossom, and gas-mask-clad government goons find the Weeknd and try to bring him back under their control. Except, they forgot about his telekinesis, so he easily outsmarts them and soars up into the sky holding a glowing red cross. Not too shabby for a teen Weeknd. Check out the directed by Christian Breslauer-directed video up top.

To further celebrate the album’s anniversary, Abel Tesfaye collaborated with John Ross’s Seventh Heaven on a five-piece limited-edition collection. The capsule collection includes a hoodie, a short sleeve tee, two “premium handmade jackets in leather and denim” with Seventh Heaven’s signature motif, and a “padded 3D cross.” Doubling down on that symbol from the album era, a cross-shaped shoulder bag is also available.

The capsule is available here starting at 3 PM today. Tees begin at $75 and prices range up to $800 for the leather jacket.

Thanksgiving gives people the chance to reflect on things for which they’re thankful, and for me, I’m thankful for video games. They’re an awesome way to have fun, spend time with friends, and experience a great story, but beyond that, they gave people a way to get through the last two years where we all spent a little more time inside than usual. Better times are on the way everyone, but for now, today’s as good a day as any to celebrate the things that make us thankful in the world of video games.

Relaxing Games

Games like Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Stardew Valley, and My Time at Portia have been essential plays for the last two years or so. These games might feature the kind of rich storytelling that many seek out, or brimming with action to get your blood pumping, but they are happy. It is impossible to play these relaxing games, or any relaxing game, and not have a smile on your face. Many of us have needed that smile lately, and it’s what we’re all thankful for this year.

Multiplayer Games

In the same spirit of relaxing games, a lot of us try to escape through social activity. For obvious reasons, that hasn’t been particularly easy lately, especially for those with friends spread across the world. That’s where multiplayer gaming is here to save the day. Multiplayer games like Halo Infinite, Among Us, and Mario Party Superstars have been fantastic ways to connect with family and friends no matter where they are and can all provide completely different multiplayer experiences.

Multiplayer games, maybe more than any other genre, offer the biggest variety to choose from these days. It’s hard to not find something that a group can enjoy, whether it’s a party game, competitive shooter, or an MMO. This variety of options has, of course, made multiplayer games the dominant genre of gaming out there.

Single-player games

One of the unfortunate downsides of the plethora of multiplayer games is a good campaign mode has taken a backseat. While incredible single-player experiences are still being made, they are nowhere near as common in the gaming landscape. That is why we’re thankful for the games that do provide fantastic stories. Games like Lost in Random, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, and Psychonauts 2 are an example of a handful of wonderful single-player experiences from 2021. All of these games were single-player first, and in a world where so many video games are focused on pushing their battle pass, becoming the next great esport, or trying to sell you microtransactions, it was great to play some games that are there to be nothing more than a good time.

Indie games

While there is nothing quite like an AAA experience, there are also few better places to get a quality game these days than indie developers. With video games becoming more expensive than ever, we’re seeing a downside where games can be a bit repetitive. AAA developers don’t want to take the risk of doing something new, because new can flop, and when new flops, that means a huge sunk cost. This is why we have to look to indies to try and bring us new experiences, tell stories that couldn’t be told before, and continue to push video games forward. Anyone that is only playing the massive AAA experiences are missing out on incredible gems like Death’s Door, Chicory: A Colorful Tale, and Inscryption. Video games are always changing and pushing boundaries and we are thankful for indies leading that change.

Virtual Reality

For a long time, we’ve been hearing about virtual reality becoming the next frontier for gaming, but joining that experience has always had an unfortunate barrier due to pricing. Thankfully, we’re finally starting to see headsets enter a more reasonable price range. On top of that, the library of games for them keeps increasing. It used to be that someone could play Beat Saber, the odd indie game here or there, and some cool tech demos. Now, Virtual Reality is getting a constantly growing variety of games. One of the best gaming experiences of the last few years was Half-Life: Alyx and it was entirely on a VR headset.

We’re thankful for VR. This is a growing platform with so much potential. We hope that potential is reached.

Over the course of 18 weeks (plus playoffs), it is likely that a slate or two will not go the way of the handicapper. That occurred in Week 11 with an ugly performance that included a Seahawks team with 5+ points of closing line value falling in maddening fashion and a game in which a favorite scored 15 points and the total went over 50 in the same contest. Fortunately, there are seven more weeks to search for value, and Week 12 should provide some.

We’ll get to the selections momentarily but, first, let’s take stock of the full 2021 season.

• Last Week: 1-4
• 2021 Season: 30-24-1

Come get these winners.

Detroit Lions (+3) over Chicago Bears

It’s hideous, but I think it’s right. The Lions are horrific, but the Bears are starting Andy Dalton with a bunch of injuries. Detroit should also be ready to roll at home on Thanksgiving, with Chicago potentially checked out amid Matt Nagy rumors. This bet is predicated on Jared Goff playing for Detroit but, provided he does, a full field goal is enough.

Las Vegas Raiders (+8) over Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys will be a popular teaser piece, I’m sure, and Dallas is the better team. This line being north of a touchdown is a bit much, though, as the Raiders are more than capable of dialing up some effective offense in this contest. Dallas also may be short on perimeter weapons due to injuries, and the backdoor should be open, at the very least.

Buffalo Bills and New Orleans Saints UNDER 23 points in the first half

There is a risk that Buffalo finds it offensively, but there are murmurs that Taysom Hill may appear for New Orleans. The Saints also have a stark lack of playmakers, and both of these defenses are trustworthy. It may open up after the break, but the Saints are more than willing to keep things slow and vanilla early. Hopefully they’ll bring the Bills with them.

New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles UNDER 46 points

New York is 4-0-1 to the under in the last five games. Philadelphia has been a bit more explosive, but the Eagles are going to lean heavily on the run, and the Giants have shown the propensity to be feisty on defense. This has the feel of a hideous NFC East battle.

Cincinnati Bengals (-4.5) over Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers scored 37 points and covered the spread on national television last week. Pittsburgh’s offense simply isn’t as explosive as that performance makes it seem, and the Steelers are a public dog here. It’s off-brand to lay more than a field goal, but the Steelers are still banged-up from an injury standpoint, and I trust Cincinnati’s offense considerably more right now.

A guy who tries to do the right thing, screws up, and just wants to get home to his family for the holidays: it’s technically the plot of Die Hard, but it’s also the plot of Disney+’s Hawkeye series, where Marvel’s titular avenging archer (Jeremy Renner) has his family vacation derailed thanks to some unfortunate ghosts from his past.

Hawkeye has Renner’s Clint Barton teaming up with Hailee Steinfeld’s young- but-determined archer (and fangirl) Kate Bishop to unravel a criminal conspiracy tied to Clint’s time as Ronin during the snap phase in Avengers: Endgame. Setting Hawkeye during the holiday season fills a unique hole in the MCU, as it marks Marvel’s first true holiday offering — that is, a movie or a show that makes the holiday season part of the narrative. (Iron Man 3 comes close, but the time of year is arguably a backdrop as opposed to a leading player.)

The choice also invokes a trope that underlines so many of the holiday films and shows we love: a deadline. That’s something Matt Fraction, who wrote the popular 2012 comic series that the show is largely drawing inspiration from, says made the Christmas setting a perfect one for the story of Marvel’s most human Avenger. “The pathos and chaos and madness around the holiday rush adds wave after wave of little human complications guys like Thor and Iron Man never have to deal with,” Fraction tells Uproxx. “The pressure of the holidays, and getting home for the holidays, exposes the most tender and sensitive part of Clint, it puts his most human vulnerability at risk for being hurt — his family. Home, his wife and kids, they’re the anchor that keeps Clint human and vulnerable. Losing them made him go nuts — letting them down would crush him.”

If you’re going to set a show at a time of year when the tension is high and the atmosphere is chaotic, there’s no better character to focus on than the one who is the most down-to-earth — not to mention the one who would actually have real-world stakes when it comes to how he spends the holidays. But holiday experiences are never exactly what they’re purported to look like in media. After all, how many of us have had the “perfect” Hallmark Channel Christmas? The best holiday movies take what we expect and deliver something completely different so that among the fantasticalness of over-the-top hijinks and perfectly tailored couples, we can find a sense of relatability. And similarly, the best Marvel offerings are the ones that subvert the norm of what you’d expect from a story, changing it in an unexpected yet successful way.

When fans picked up Fraction and David Aja’s Hawkeye book a few years ago, they expected to read a superhero tale. And while Hawkeye certainly had his fair share of superhero antics, most of the comic issues were dedicated to the smaller battles that everyday men like Clint Barton face such as eviction, relationship issues, and depression. But those mundane parts of Clint’s life were what let readers connect with the character in a way that they’d previously been unable to do — and that’s exactly the kind of relatability that fans and non-fans alike will find when they stream Hawkeye.

“Clint’s the guy that’s got one more errand to run, one last gift to hunt down, one last whatever to do to make it THE BEST! CHRISTMAS! EVER! Which isn’t real, and doesn’t exist, and can never be accomplished — but he’s the guy obsessing over whatever last detail remains because home, holidays, a family — those were all the things he was denied as a kid, it’s the thing he fights to keep safe and protect,” Fraction points out. “A home where all the orphans, oddballs, and misfit toys of the world are welcome and wanted, a table with seats enough for everyone, even one-eyed dogs and spunky do- gooders with more sass than common sense.” There’s something special about a show or a movie set during what many dub “the most wonderful time of the year.” As Fraction notes, “the music is the best and everybody looks great in a cozy sweater and those little lights are everywhere so everything just looks fantastic all the time, especially New York City.”

But beyond the visual aesthetics, the drama and antics that imbue the plots of these holiday-themed offerings are balanced with a sense of comfort. It’s a warm reminder, especially when everything comes full circle, that despite the presents and the lights and the food, the best holidays are ones where you feel at peace. And in the same spirit of people coming together during the holiday season, the humanity of Hawkeye’s story — a perfect superhero on the outside with an imperfect life on the inside — is something that people can come together to understand and connect with. Hawkeye is not a show about a powerful witch and her android lover, like WandaVision. It’s not a show about a Norse god who has to fix timelines and unearth the multiverse, like Loki. It’s not a show steeped in political commentary, like The Falcon And The Winter Soldier. It’s a story about a regular guy who shoots a bow and arrow, who did some bad things that are catching up with him, and who needs some help from a regular girl who also happens to have a pretty cool skillset. Maybe we can’t relate to all of that, but we can certainly relate to the guy who just wants to get home to his family. Or to the misfit girl who is trying to do the right thing and looking for a sense of purpose. In a month that can be both the most magical time of year — and also for some, the darkest — Hawkeye is a show that is providing light and a reminder that in the end, we’re all only human.

Around five hours into Peter Jackson‘s eight-hour epic The Beatles: Get Back, we see Michael Lindsay-Hogg – the director of the 1970 film Get Back who was responsible for all of this footage existing in the first place – with a distressed look on his face and he kind of sighs and says, “I don’t know what story I’m telling anymore.” His biggest problem, which he fully admits, is, if everyone is being honest, he’s got, on film, the most intimate portrait of the most famous band in the world. And of course when he says this out loud all The Beatles seem into the idea of just “putting it all out there,” but Lindsay-Hogg has that look on his face that he knows this will never happen. There’s no way anyone is going to see what really happened for at least 50 years. (It would take almost 53.)

The Let It Be sessions are infamously legendary. And every Beatles fan has dreamed about being given access to the vault with approximately 60 hours of footage from this time period. The fact that it’s never been released just fueled the idea that it must be The Beatles at their worst, constantly at each other’s throats. And the Let It Be film that came out in 1970 didn’t help. At only 80 minutes, it is basically just the songs preformed, inter-spliced with a few “fly on the wall” moments with not much context. (This movie is pretty hard to find. A couple years ago I had to buy a bootleg off of eBay.)

The most notorious scene involves Paul and George while rehearsing “Two of Us” (a very pleasant song that, somehow, always seems to be surrounded by drama in both the original Let It Be and Get Back). Paul McCartney is trying to tell George Harrison what he wants and adds an aside that he knows this annoys George. George fires back, “You don’t annoy me anymore,” with the “anymore” part being extra pointed. Now, when you take into account that the film was released right about the time The Beatles broke up, everyone just assumed every interaction was like this. There’s a scene in Get Back, late in the sessions, when Paul and John Lennon are singing “Two of Us” as ventriloquists, both trying to outdo each other as to keep their smiling teeth together and not move their lips as they sing. They are having a blast. It shows a portrait of two people who, yes, can get on each other’s nerves. But these are obviously two people who still genuinely like each other.

What is hard to get over is everything we’ve always heard about this era of The Beatles is now just … here. Like, want to know what it was like? Well, now you can travel back in time to January 1969 and spend eight hours with them. This is how I engaged with the material. Other than, every so often, a few written out captioning explaining what is happening, there’s no modern voiceover or talking heads. For people who maybe don’t care that much about The Beatles and are looking for a more straightforward documentary, this might get tedious. You know, maybe by the 15th time the band rehearses “Get Back,” I could see the more casual fan thinking, why am I watching this? But, for me, I was transported back just to observe. I literally felt like I was there as a frustrated Paul started strumming his bass trying to come up with anything new and, slowly, you can hear the formation of “Get Back” start to emerge. It’s like watching one of those miracle of lifetime lapse videos of a flower blooming. It’s incredible to watch McCartney literally just make up one of the most famous songs of all time in real-time.

Another fascinating aspect is the presence of Yoko Ono during all of this. Much has been assumed about her relationship with the rest of the band and the repercussions, but, again here, we get to see it. And, yes, she’s always there. And if I’m Paul McCartney, yeah, I can see how someone bringing their significant other to work every day might be a little disruptive. And you can tell sometimes he’s annoyed. But there’s no real blowup or anger. For the most part, she’s just there, sitting next to John, not saying much. Sometimes when the band is jamming she will scream into the microphone. On a day John is late, Paul is asked point-blank about her presence and he says John and Yoko want to basically merge as one, and to do that they have to be around each other at all times and who is he to say they can’t do that. He goes as far to say, “she’s okay, honestly.” And admits if he pushes things, John would choose Yoko over The Beatles and, as the defacto leader of the band, he’ll take John and Yoko over no John at all.

And this all leads to another interesting development. Most Beatles fans know that when the band formed it was John Lennon’s band. And as the years went on, Paul’s influence became greater and by the time Let It Be happens, Paul’s the one running the show. And running it without a manager since Brian Epstein died, so he’s also doing that. It’s weird, Paul gets some criticisms for this era but Get Back puts all this in better context. Yeah, he can be a jerk sometimes, but he’s the only one in the band trying to keep the band together. Ringo Starr had already quit and come back during their previous album. George quits and comes back during this one. And John looks, honestly, pretty content, but also it’s obvious he has no interest in a leadership role.

After George quits, Paul and John go to a cafeteria to have a private meeting, but didn’t realize there’s a hidden microphone in the room. And we get to hear the whole conversation. And it’s fascinating. It’s Paul basically saying he has to be the leader because John doesn’t want to be the leader and admitting that his leadership style has pissed off George, as John gives Paul advice on how to be a better leader. What’s interesting is both men are frustrated, but voices are never raised. If there were ever a time the two would be at “each other’s throats,” this would probably be the time. But, instead, it’s constructive. And, again, a peek behind The Beatles curtain and it’s unbelievably fascinating.

Get Back is not about a band breaking up. It’s about a band trying to save itself, but ultimately fails. The whole idea of a rooftop concert is to do something new and exciting. After that performance, which would be their last together, the idea is that is just the beginning. They start talking about more ideas for popup concerts. But what Get Back deftly shows is that the seeds are already planted for a breakup. Even after George returns, he’s frustrated because he doesn’t get enough of his songs on the album and says he has a lot of songs built up. And had contemplated selling them off but, instead, now wants to make a solo album separate from The Beatles. John has become enchanted with Allen Klein, the manager of The Rolling Stones. And Klein wants to manage The Beatles and John is pushing the others hard about this, but the rest of them seem, at the best, nonplussed about this idea.

(I know some people won’t like what Jackson has done with the film, making it look modern. And to be honest I usually don’t like that either. When I buy a 4K disc of a movie, I want it to look grainy. One of the worst 4K discs is Terminator 2, which has so much digital noise reduction applied it looks like it was filmed on an iPhone. It’s terrible. But what Jackson does with Get Back doesn’t bother me. He’s doing something else here. He’s not restoring an existing movie, he’s making a new thing. And I do think the aesthetic he comes up with here does help immerse a viewer. Put it this way: if Jackson did this to, say, The Frighteners, I would not like this. But, here, I get what he’s doing and, for me, it works.)

Again, for casual fans, Get Back might be a bit much. Honestly, even for big fans of Beatles music, if you don’t care about the inner workings of the band and their personalities, it might, too, be a bit much. (There were times even I was like, okay, this seems a bit much. But when I think of this as more of a historical document than a piece of entertainment, I get why certain scenes were included. I get why Jackson decided that even some tedious scenes needed to be seen by the public instead of locked in a vault somewhere.) But if you want to go back in time to January 1969 and just hang out with The Beatles and see what that’s like, there is nothing that comes closer to this experience than Get Back.

‘The Beatles: Get Back’ begins streaming on Thanksgiving Day via Disney+. You can contact Mike Ryan directly on Twitter.