Why Does Mike Mulligan Keep His Steam Shovel?

I still laugh thinking about how viral internet moments turn into Hollywood comedies. The short version is: yes, 'Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates' is inspired by a real Craigslist ad posted by two brothers, Mike and Dave Stangle, who were trying to find dates for their sister’s wedding in Hawaii. The ad went bonkers online and landed them on late-night shows and in lots of news stories, which is the seed that eventually became the movie. That said, the film is a broad, raunchy comedy rather than a faithful retelling. Zac Efron and Adam Devine play exaggerated versions of those brothers, with Anna Kendrick and Aubrey Plaza as their wild-date counterparts, and the director Luke Greenfield cranks every scene for laughs. If you dig into interviews with the real Stangles, you’ll see they laugh about the craziness but point out that many plot beats and characters are pure movie invention. So watch it for big, messy laughs and not as a documentary—then go read the original articles or interviews if you want the real, much tamer story.

If you've ever paused the credits on 'Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates' and thought, "Where is that gorgeous island?"—it's mostly Hawaii. The bulk of the movie was shot on Oahu, and a lot of the wedding/resort sequences were filmed at Turtle Bay Resort on the North Shore. I actually visited Turtle Bay a couple of years after the movie came out and could instantly picture the reception scenes; that wide beachfront and the palm-lined golf course are unmistakable on screen. Beyond Turtle Bay, the production used other spots around Oahu, including some Honolulu-area locations for city and transitional scenes. There were also a few production pick-ups done back on the mainland, so some interior or controlled-environment shots were likely finished in Los Angeles. If you love island scenery, watching 'Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates' is basically a mini-tour of Oahu with a raunchy, comedic soundtrack—perfect for a rewatch before planning a surf day.

I still laugh when I think about the chaos in 'Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates', and the little behind-the-scenes fact I always bring up is the budget. The production budget was roughly $33 million — not tiny, but also not blockbuster-level. For a raunchy comedy with recognizable stars like Zac Efron, Adam Devine, Anna Kendrick, and Aubrey Plaza, that’s pretty typical: enough to pay talent, location shoots (Hawaii in this case), stunts, and a decent production design without going overboard. Box office-wise the film did okay, pulling in somewhere around $77 million worldwide, so it recouped its production costs and then some. Marketing and distribution costs aren’t usually included in the quoted budget, so studios often need more than the production figure to break even. I always think about that when a movie seems profitable on paper but only barely — there’s a lot more money flowing into release campaigns than people realize. Honestly, I had fun watching it in a crowded theater; comedies like this don’t need massive budgets to be entertaining. If you’re curious about whether it’s worth a watch, I’d say yes — and then maybe dive into how mid-range comedy budgets get spent, because it’s surprisingly interesting to me.

Man, I was so hyped to check out 'Nanas Games' after hearing some buzz in indie circles! From what I’ve dug up, it doesn’t seem to be on Steam at the moment—I scrolled through the store and even tried a few creative search terms, but no luck. That said, sometimes smaller devs release their titles on itch.io or other platforms first, so it might be worth checking there. Honestly, the art style alone had me hooked—those muted pastels and surreal character designs remind me of early 'Katamari Damacy' vibes. If it ever does hit Steam, I’ll be first in line to wishlist it. Till then, I’ll just keep refreshing my discovery queue like a gremlin.

Mike Schmidt is the main character in 'Five Nights at Freddy's', where he works as a security guard at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza. Throughout the nights, he faces off against haunted animatronic creatures that come to life and try to get to him. He experiences terrifying events and ultimately uncovers the dark history of the restaurant. It's intense and chilling, a must-play for horror fans!

I’ve been hunting down every Atelier I can find on Steam for ages, and as of my last sweep (mid-2024) there are about 15 titles available. I actually keep a wishlist folder stuffed with the DX ports and the modern entries, so this felt like counting friends at a convention: familiar faces and a few new arrivals. The list that got me to ~15 includes 'Atelier Sophie: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Book', 'Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream', 'Atelier Firis: The Alchemist and the Mysterious Journey', 'Atelier Lydie & Suelle: The Alchemists and the Mysterious Paintings', the 'Atelier Ryza' trilogy ('Atelier Ryza', 'Atelier Ryza 2', 'Atelier Ryza 3'), the Arland DX trio ('Atelier Rorona DX', 'Atelier Totori DX', 'Atelier Meruru DX'), the Dusk entries ('Atelier Ayesha', 'Atelier Escha & Logy', 'Atelier Shallie DX'), plus 'Atelier Lulua: The Scion of Arland' and 'Nelke & the Legendary Alchemists: Ateliers of the New World'. Those DX ports are nice because they gather quality-of-life patches and extra costumes, which is why I tend to buy them over older originals when they’re on sale. That said, Gust and Koei Tecmo occasionally drop new remasters or PC ports (and sometimes regional release timing shifts), so the number can creep up. If you want a completely up-to-the-minute count, the fastest move is to search Steam for the 'Atelier' tag or check Gust/Koei Tecmo’s Steam publisher page—I'll do that whenever a sale tempts me, but for a quick answer: expect around 15 titles on Steam right now, give or take one or two depending on recent ports and remakes.

there's this incredible subset of Mike/Sulley stories where Sulley's protective nature slowly melts into something deeper. One standout is 'Roar and Whispers'—it starts with Sulley just being his usual overbearing self, keeping Mike safe from every papercut and sarcastic comment. But then the workplace dynamics shift after the energy crisis, and Sulley's gestures become softer, more deliberate. There's this scene where he stays up all night fixing Mike's door after a prank, and the way the author writes his internal monologue—all gruff concern evolving into quiet adoration—is chef's kiss. Another gem is 'Laugh Lines,' where Sulley's habit of shielding Mike from scarers during training drills turns into possessive jealousy, then finally confession during a rainstorm. The pacing feels organic, like you're watching canon Sulley grow up but still stay true to his core. What gets me is how these fics leverage their history—Sulley's 'big brother' vibe from childhood twisting into something achingly tender. 'Blanket Fort Diplomacy' does this brilliantly; Sulley starts by barging into Mike's apartment to 'check the locks' and ends up building a damn fortress just to keep him close. The way authors mirror his canon protectiveness (like when he carried Boo everywhere) but dial it into romantic devotion? Obsessed. It’s all about the tiny physical details—claws retracting when he touches Mike, or his roar dropping to a purr. That’s when you know the love’s real.

I've read a ton of 'Monsters, Inc.' fanfics where Mike and Sulley's secret relationship is the central drama, and the emotional fallout is often handled with surprising depth. Writers love to explore Mike's internal conflict—his fear of being judged by the monster world, his guilt over keeping secrets from Sulley, and his struggle to balance his career with his heart. One standout fic, 'Behind Closed Doors,' dives into Mike's anxiety through his witty but defensive monologues, showing how he uses humor to mask vulnerability. The tension builds when Randall catches them, forcing Mike to confront his insecurities head-on. The resolution usually involves Sulley proving his loyalty publicly, which melts even the most cynical readers. Another angle I adore is how fanfics use the workplace setting to amplify the stakes. The fear of scandal at Monsters, Inc. mirrors real-world pressures, making the emotional fallout feel relatable. Some stories focus on Mike's paranoia—jumping at every whisper in the break room—while others show Sulley's quiet frustration at being hidden. The best ones weave in secondary characters like Celia or Boo to add layers, like Celia's disappointment in Mike's dishonesty or Boo innocently blurting out clues. The emotional payoff is often cathartic, with Mike learning to prioritize love over reputation.