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Why Before Your Eyes Is a Match Made in Heaven for PS VR2

Developer GoodbyeWorld Games was crunching away on a demo of its narrative adventure game, Before Your Eyes, for South by Southwest. It wasn’t just any demo because the indie team was going to show its unique title that reads the player’s blinks on the HTC Vive Pro Eye, a powerful virtual reality headset with, as the name implies, eye tracking. The synergy between the headset’s features and the core idea of the game could not have been stronger. It was like a baseball game finding its bat peripheral.

But Before Your Eyes didn’t make it to South by Southwest. Nothing did, though, since this was March 2020, and, thanks to COVID-19, not much went according to plan around that time.

Momentum for the port on the pricey peripheral for the game halted soon after. The studio had plans to make a VR version of the game one day, but those plans deflated once the convention was canceled. Writer and Creative Director Graham Parkes recalled this disappointing period and how the irony of making a demo for a headset that would be shared between strangers during the early stages of a pandemic wasn’t lost on them.

“I remember we were working on this VR version and laughing because COVID was in the conversation, and we were making a game that’s gonna be demoed at a festival where you’re gonna be putting on a headset and then sharing it with a bunch of strangers,” said Parkes. “Nobody’s gonna want to do this. But it hadn’t been canceled yet. So we were still full steam ahead on it. Anyway, that shut down, so that [version] kind of went away for a while. It has just been a thing with this VR version of the game.”

Before Your Eyes was one of the more surprising games of 2021 and not just a cheap gimmick. Interacting with…

While it seemed like a great match, the Vive Pro Eye was far from a perfect one. It wasn’t quite a gaming headset, as noted by the trailers on the HTC Vive’s YouTube channel that focus on experiences that revolve around public speaking and inspecting BMWs. It also launched at $999.99, making it a prohibitively expensive headset that doesn’t even include the powerful PC it requires. The barriers to buy one also put up barriers for developers since a small install base makes it hard to justify a port, as fitting as it might be.

“We just always knew that this was gonna be such a powerful version of the game, but we never had that real financial or business case to make it and really do the full adaptation into VR,” said Parkes.

Sony’s PlayStation VR2 is not a cheap VR headset — it costs more than the PlayStation 5 that it plugs into — but it is cheaper and can also track the player’s eyeballs. This more commercial headset that was also tied to a big first-party platform was huge, especially since Before Your Eyes‘ publisher, Skybound Games, already had a relationship with Sony.

“To us, it felt like a no-brainer,” said Parkes. “And we were just totally thrilled that Sony felt the same way. It was actually just really easy, like, ‘Well, of course, you guys have a new headset where you wanna show off your cool eye tracking. We’ve been working on an eye-tracking game for the better part of a decade. Like let’s go.’ So it was definitely just like a match made in heaven.”

He continued and noted how the very idea of the game meant it was destined to be a great VR experience. The team just needed to be patient enough to wait for the right opportunity.

“From the very inception of this game, there was always an idea that this would make a great VR title, but it took literally until this headset to be able to do it,” said Parkes. “Because before, any VR headsets with eye tracking were the really top-of-the-line, highest-spec headsets. There just weren’t enough out there to justify creating a piece of software for them because the install base was so low for all of them. [Creator and Studio Director] Will Hellwarth, who has a brain that’s in the future, correctly predicted that this was coming, but I think that it took a little bit longer than any of us expected for eye tracking to reach commercial mass consumer VR headsets. So once we heard that about the new PS VR2, we knew we had to target that.”

PlayStation VR2’s launch is riddled with ports, which makes sense given its lack of backward compatibility and the need to…

Game Director Oliver Lewin went one step further and called out the fortuitous timing of it all. Not only did Sony’s more advanced VR headset pop up at a good time, GoodbyeWorld had also just worked with developer BKOM on the mobile port of Before Your Eyes, which went smoothly enough to justify another collaboration. GoodbyeWorld was (and still is) hard at work on its next game, so it also didn’t have the time to do the VR port itself.

“Right after creating the mobile version, we solidified this opportunity for the VR version,” said Lewin. “We thought, ‘Well, that collaboration went really well. Let’s do round two.’ And BKOM came on to do the VR development and did a great job. It’s kind of been also the story of our continued collaboration with them, and the timing really worked out with them being able to do this.”

'A Match Made in Heaven': How Waiting for the Right VR Headset Paid Off for Before Your Eyes

The eye-tracking tech was just one reason why VR would make for a technically superior port, as the standardization of the experience gives it an edge over the other two versions. The camera functionality in the phone and PC versions works well enough, but it’s not flawless. Differences in lighting or some unforeseen tech-related error can turn a heartfelt experience into a frustrating one, and GoodbyeWorld can’t code for an uncountable amount of real-world troubles.

The technology is the same in every PS VR2 headset and that means players can just focus on the game. Parkes said that looking past the peripherals was key to titles like this and that meant players could hone in on what really matters: the story.

“With these innovative tech aspects of gaming, like when the Wiimotes came out, what works best is when you forget that it’s tech, and it’s just part of the magic of it all,” said Parkes. “And so when it disappears into the background and it’s seamless and the tech is working close to flawlessly, that’s when it really does exploit that editing technique feel of it, and it starts to have this cinematic flow. And I think the PS VR2 has proven to be a really winning platform for just hitting that flow and forgetting about the tech aspect of it and whether it’s working properly. You can just get completely lost in the story.”

The story’s emotional resonance also hits harder in VR since players can’t look away. Parkes talked about how movies used to be an immersive medium we couldn’t escape from since going to the theater meant you were in the dark for a few hours, only absorbing what was being projected. But that’s not how it works now. Multiple screens have made it hard to exclusively focus on just one of them at a time. The other versions of the game made players look at them, but the VR version amps that up a notch, something Parkes said was an “antidote to these experiences where we could be on our phones and we’re half in, half out.”

“What I always loved about this concept as soon as Will brought it to me was this idea that this is going one step further with it by using the camera and saying that you literally cannot look away from this,” said Parkes. “The vulnerability that requires from the viewer and that deal that the art needs to make with the person consuming it saying, ‘We’re in this together, and you can’t experience me passively, and you have to be 100% with me,’ is so rare. Obviously, I’m proud of what we did with the game, but I do think a lot of that emotional reaction is because the game refuses to let you disengage from it. That has a lot to do with eye tracking. VR is just the next level of that.”

Before Your Eyes not only tested PS VR2’s water resistance — Lewin joked that the lawsuits from people breaking their headsets by crying too hard would have ruined the studio — but also its eye-tracking technology that was designed for games like this. It was a combination of patience, technology, and timing that resulted in the truest version of the experience. Before Your Eyes is all about seizing the moments as they come, so it’s fitting that the team did exactly that for this fortuitous VR version.

Developer GoodbyeWorld Games was crunching away on

An illustration depicting problems at Uber

Awards

Uber’s Driver Problems Reveal Deeper Management Flaws

A bizarre Wall Street Journal profile, an underperforming stock and big executive pay packages stand out as the ride-hailing company tries to find a way forward

Something was just a bit off in the Wall Street Journal’s profile of Dara Khosrowshahi last week. The Uber CEO had been driving and delivering for the first time in his tenure and wanted to make the point on record. The Journal portrayed Khosrowshahi as a hands-on CEO learning the product with a splashy image of him in the driver’s seat. The largely positive framing was undermined, however, by the details in the story.

Khosrowshahi, the leader of a $63 billion company, admitted in the article he’d never used Uber as a driver until recently. And that, once he did, he found significant flaws. Fixing these issues was admirable, but waiting until nearly six years into his tenure to tackle them was unmissable. Attempting to convey progress, the profile left some analysts, investors and people close to the company wondering about its trajectory.

“The WSJ article was a preposterous PR stunt,” Leonard Sherman, an executive in residence and adjunct professor at Columbia Business School, told me via email. “Dara is clearly on a driver charm offensive, trying to put lipstick on a pig.”

While driving, Khosrowshahi found the driver signup experience frustrating and “clunky.” He learned that Uber wouldn’t clearly tell him when he was picking up two orders in one restaurant. He discovered that when he accepted a new delivery job, the app sent him to the new location even though he hadn’t completed his current order. And, as he drove, Khosrowshahi experienced a still-unsolved practice called tip-baiting, where customers write in big tips to expedite delivery and then reduce them once they have their food.

An Uber spokesperson told me that the company had dedicated more resources to its driver app, and Khosrowshahi’s driving was part of an effort to improve. “As a company we were unfortunately more focused on the rider app than the driver app, until the post-pandemic driver shortage led to a reckoning and company-wide shift, which included increased on-the-ground attention from folks who didn’t already work on the driver app everyday,” the spokesperson said. “To illustrate that further, there are now four times as many Uber employees driving or delivering than there were before the pandemic.”

Like every tech company, Uber is adjusting to the end of the Fed’s zero interest rate policy, and its focus on drivers is partially a result. When interest rates were near zero — and growth mattered more than profit margin — Uber could fix a subpar driving experience by luring drivers in with bonuses. In 2021, for instance, Uber announced a $250 million “stimulus” to get more drivers on the road. But now, due to market conditions, the company has less cash to throw around. So it has to focus on whether drivers actually enjoy working with it.

Khosrowshahi’s appearance in the Wall Street Journal therefore seemed to address two audiences: One, Wall Street investors who worry Uber can’t attract drivers without cash bonuses, and two, drivers who might drive more via a better product experience.

How Finance Invaded Tech and Sparked the Silicon Valley Bank Backlash | PRO Insight

For some investors, the article landed with a thud. More than one pointed me to Khosrowshahi’s compensation, approximately $24 million last year, and wondered why Uber investors were 94% in favor of that package when the stock dropped approximately 40% last year. “There’s not strong alignment of interests with shareholders, which may cause their say-on-pay approval rate to come under pressure,” one Uber investor told me.

Khosrowshahi made 146.9% of his $2 million bonus for better-than-baseline company performance last year. After Salesforce and other tech firms felt pressure from activist investors, Uber might be another candidate.

As for the driver experience, many are fed up after years using a frustrating product. Some ex-employees suggested to me that Uber might’ve already churned through a good percentage of the population that would drive for the company. That Khosrowshahi himself had to drive to find some obvious flaws isn’t great either.

“What is going on in the product management part of this company?” Emil Michael, Uber’s former chief business officer, and no fan of Khosrowshahi, told me on the Big Technology Podcast this week. “If I were him, I’d go right to the product management team and some heads would probably roll.”

Uber has more to say on this, and I’ll print its response below. It also stands to benefit from Lyft’s struggles, where the share price is down 87% since its stock market debut and is moving forward without its founders. For now, I’ll end with this chart from Uber’s 10-K annual report, which plots the company’s performance since its 2019 IPO against the S&P 500.

uber-performance — Uber performance since its 2019 IPO against the S&P 500. (Uber)

Uber’s response:

Since Uber was founded, we’ve encouraged everyone at the company to use as many of our products as possible to identify ways we can improve the user experience. That’s a key part of our culture that we’re proud of. Our Product and Ops teams — whose contributions are also discussed in that same WSJ story — lead that work day in and day out. But we think it should be part of everyone’s job, including the CEO, which is why we also have multiple company-wide Slack channels and employee beta testing dedicated to surfacing exactly this type of feedback.

Unlike most apps, our technology operates in the real world, which means product designs that can seem great when you’re at home or in an office can feel very different when you’re in traffic on a bike or behind the wheel with a passenger in the backseat. Our teams do thorough user testing with drivers to get their feedback during the design process. We also do validation testing of our products before we release them to make sure they are working as intended. But “dogfooding” our driver-facing products after they’re released is not as simple as debugging from a desk — you have to take the time to get a car, sign up, and get approved to drive or deliver. These real-world experiences can lead to additional discoveries, which then lead to additional improvements, and we think that is a key part of building the world’s best products in our category.

This isn’t some radically new process for us. But it’s something that we think has made a big impact more recently on the driver app, as discussed by the WSJ and this blog post from 2021. Even though things may be working as designed, we find many areas that can, indeed, be designed better. For example, as the article mentioned, we realized we could improve the interaction model when a courier receives a multiple-pickup order, or when they receive a new trip while they are still on a previous trip. We know there will always be things we can improve, and we’re committed to doing whatever it takes to deliver a great experience for everyone who uses our platform.

As AI Gets Better, Could It Swallow the Companies Building With It? | PRO Insight

For Katie Holmes, It’s Always Been About the Work

A bizarre Wall Street Journal profile, an

Music

Katie Holmes Combined Another Controversial Y2K Trend With a Classic White T-Shirt

Katie Holmes, the queen of the classic white T-shirt and divisive Y2K trends, combined the two for her latest street-style moment.

While promoting her latest film, Rare Objects, the 44-year-old Glamour cover star was photographed in New York City wearing a pair of triple-toned denim with grommet and sequin embellishments. While the straight-leg jean is practically a modern staple, the low-slung cut and sparkling adornments are straight out of the aughts…which probably makes them all the more Gen Z–approved, TBH. I mean, just look at the rhinestone-encrusted jeans Taylor Swift wore for her first public appearance post–Joe Alwyn breakup. I’ve seen at least five TikTok DIY tutorials on how to make them in just four days.

Holmes paired her statement denim with a fitted white T-shirt, gray blazer, and metallic silver pumps, letting her brunette hair fall in loose waves. To really let the jeans do the talking, Holmes kept her makeup and jewelry minimal, opting for a pair of simple hoop earrings and a delicate stack of bracelets.

Getty

During her recent cover interview with Glamour, Katie Holmes opened up about her controversial dress-over-skirt combo that broke the internet in December 2022. Reiterating that the bustier only covered “half her behind” and had to be worn with pants, she spoke out against the sartorial backlash, saying, “Come on, women, let’s hold each other up here. Let’s look a little bit past what we’re wearing. That’s our duty amongst each other. I feel like the woman’s journey is deeper.”

While that’s undoubtedly true, we can still admire a great look when we see one and wonder where Katie Holmes got those jeans. TikTok, I’m looking at you for a tutorial.

She’s got stellar personal style, an admirable ability to parent thoughtfully and privately, and a seemingly permanent spot on the paparazzi’s must-capture list. But behind it all, Katie Holmes is—and always has been—a passionate and successful actor and director.

Katie Holmes, the queen of the classic

Docs

Master Collaboration with Version Control for Design Teams

Of the top 3 highest-grossing movies of all time, two share a lot in common. They are predominantly animated, they share the same design process, and, oh – they also share the same storyline. Yes, we’re talking about the Avatar movies.

Whichever way you look at it, the Avatar movies owe their repeated successes to a highly collaborative process that included established design systems. Collaborative design teams looking to replicate some of Avatar’s successes can take a leaf out of the movie’s production principles.

The collaborative processes employed in the Avatar movies are far too complex to replicate across smaller design projects. However, creative teams aiming for consistent excellence can replicate core design collaboration principles to improve efficiency, output quality, and profitability. This article will explore one core modern design process that collaborators can implement to achieve this – version control.

What is version control?

Version control is a systemized design process that enables multiple designers to collaborate on the same design file without overwriting each other’s changes. And distributed version control systems are the design tools that make this happen.

What is a distributed version control system?

A distributed version control system automatically makes an entire project’s history available to each team member’s computer, allowing collaborators to work on the same design project without version conflicts.

Without a distributed version control system, design collaborators risk saving conflicting versions of the same file or even overwriting the master file. This ineffective design system leads to messy copy conflicts, disorganized file updates and will ultimately lead to missed deadlines and an escalation in costs.

With distributed managed access to all versions of a design project, teams can reference changes made throughout the project’s lifecycle, avoiding lost revisions, duplicated efforts, and a disorganized workflow.

How can designers benefit from using version control?

Let’s take the example of a team collaborating on the same project with multiple design files and contributors. A version control system streamlines the entire design workflow, preventing version conflicts by:

Preventing overwrites. Collaborators view teammates’ work in progress without fear of overwriting the master file. Next-generation version control systems also enable collaborators to leave comments, provide feedback, and make suggestions directly on the file.

Unifying file versions. With the ability to collaborate simultaneously at the file level, version control systems unify different versions of the same file at a single point. This means that edits to all the files by various designers are saved in one location, enabling them to access and edit the latest version without the risk of overwriting each other’s changes.
Granular insight into project history. Version control provides a comprehensive project history, allowing designers to reference and restore the previous version of a file. This capability gives stakeholders granular insight into what was changed, when, and who made the change. Designers can see the entire revision history, making tracking historical changes easier.

Faster onboarding for new team members. Insight into project history, commentary, and decision-making provides a deep learning experience for team rookies. Version control for design offers a centralized repository for all project files, comments, and feedback. This design system brings ease and simplicity into the workflow by exposing the decision-making process and providing insight into the project’s overall direction.

In summary, version control tools optimize the design workflow by creating a streamlined, intuitive, user-friendly source of truth that enables designers to manage design files more effectively because it gives them the confidence that their current file is the most recent version of the file.

Version control Vs. Version history

In exploring the world of version control for design, it is not uncommon to encounter a similar, related term – ‘version history’. It is therefore essential to distinguish between both terms to avoid confusion when evaluating new version control tools.

What is Version History?

Version history is a record of all incremental saved changes to a design file, made manually or automatically. Each new file version includes metadata such as the date, author, and design snapshot. The ability to compare versions side-by-side allows designers and other stakeholders to track the evolution of a design file. In addition to tracking file changes, access to version history gives teams the ability to clinically identify easily missed differences in detail between file versions.

The sanctity of change preservation is a fundamental tenet of gold-standard version history management. This means that a system that claims to offer true version history management should preserve all file changes and restrict manual deletion capabilities, as this allows data compromise and degrades audit results. These points are very important given the plethora of new compliance rules and regulations. The best version control system should create a tamper-proof non-repudiable version history that prevents users from manually deleting older file versions. This level of record-keeping is only possible in systems (DAMs or MAMs) that have in-built version control architected from the onset, not added as an afterthought.

What’s the difference between version control and version history?

While version history provides a record of design file changes, a designer uses version control to apply this record to the collaborative process. Version control for design encourages experimentation, real-time collaboration, and the ability to go back in time and reverse errors when needed. Everything is tracked and recorded. Designers can also use it to create separate mock-ups for selective merging into the master file.

Evolphin Zoom DAM is the best version control tool for creative teams

To effectively manage multiple files and file versions without losing revisions, design teams need a reliable version control tool. Evolphin Zoom DAM (Digital Asset Management system) is a cross-functional, industrial-strength version control system built on a core principle of tamper-proof, non-repudiable version management. Included in the platform are several next-generation features:

Built-in conflict detector that proactively identifies and alerts teams to version conflicts so that they can be resolved early.
Real-time activity reporting with insight into other designers’ edits in real-time.
Versatile, supporting every file type (including video files).
Versioning for file moves and renames, with insight into who moved or renamed files or folders.
Cloud storage optimization. While other version control solutions save working folders by cloning them and incurring high storage costs, Zoom DAM’s smart copy feature only saves 0-byte smart copies of revisions made.

Asset-level lock management capabilities provide full control over file-editing capabilities to prevent overwrite errors.
Metadata versioning offers transparency into metadata change history – an additional layer of information that can stand up to audits and third-party scrutiny.
A built-in collaboration app saves users the cost and effort of subscribing to third-party collaboration services. The web app is carefully integrated across devices, platforms, and time zones, making it easier for diverse teams of creatives, editors, motion graphics artists, producers, and freelancers to collaborate on the same project.
The system’s powerful dynamic collections, auto update when changes are made to files within the collection. This innovative feature extends the capabilities of version control and makes collaboration easier allowing users to easily group and access assets belonging to various projects, and distributed across various locations.

Evolphin Zoom DAM’s complete version control tool is embedded in a robust digital asset management system. Beyond advanced versioning, Zoom DAM’s design system supports diverse workflows with Adobe app plugins and Cinema 4D plugins, as well as motion graphics workflows. For example, rather than ingesting thousands of image frames (that cost a fortune to store and index), Zoom DAM enables you to ingest a sequence of similar images as a single compound asset

Final Thoughts

Version control is a vital feature for any creative team especially those collaborating on high-impact design projects with revenue-related implications. These teams can leverage version control to significantly improve the quality and accuracy of their projects while using their resources efficiently.

Gold standard version design tools like Evolphin Zoom DAM are now a necessity and not a nice to have. They are tamper-proof by design, allowing for uncompromised record keeping that can meet the most robust requirements of any compliance regulation. Adherence to compliance standards is a business imperative and a prerequisite for business sustainability. Give Evolphin Zoom DAM a try and see for yourself why it’s the best option version control option for your team’s most complex and demanding creative projects.

CEO of Evolphin Software – an AI-powered media asset management system. Brian is senior executive with 30+ years of global experience in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Japan, and the United States.

Of the top 3 highest-grossing movies of

Global

RCMP cost ‘not working for small communities’: Oxford, N.S. reviews options – Halifax

Oxford, N.S. is taking on a review of its policing services, just as the Municipality of Cumberland launches a similar review.

For Oxford Mayor Greg Henley, the reason for the review is simple.

“It’s sheer cost. It’s not really a knock against the local detachment. It’s the cost,” Henley said, explaining that roughly 40 per cent of the town’s residential tax revenue is spent on policing.

Oxford is an inland rural town of just over a thousand people, located right off the Trans-Canada highway in northwestern Nova Scotia.

The town has its own government separate from the Municipality of Cumberland, which surrounds it geographically. It is the world’s largest producer of frozen wild blueberries and is home to Oxford Frozen Foods, a major employer in the region. The large processing plant stands out among the small homes and other businesses on Main Street.

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While it once had its own municipal police department, the town currently contracts the RCMP for policing, as is common in small rural communities throughout Nova Scotia. Only 10 municipalities in the province have their own police departments.

Click to play video: 'Examining future of RCMP contracts in Nova Scotia after Mass Casualty Commission report'

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Examining future of RCMP contracts in Nova Scotia after Mass Casualty Commission report

While Oxford has a regional RCMP detachment in town, the mayor said officers are often swapped between branches across Cumberland County — a large, sparsely populated region of the province. It is situated next to Colchester County, where the April 2020 mass shooting began.

Oxford pays for roughly three RCMP officers to cover their community at an annual cost of $560,000. The cost factors out to just over $400 per resident, which Henley says is more than what residents of Halifax pay, noting that the low crime rate “makes it a lot safer in Oxford” than Halifax.

“The biggest issue is they’re unable to supply the coverage that we’re paying for due to the fact that they’re short-staffed. I don’t blame the officers around here,” Henley said.

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The Municipality of Cumberland is conducting its own review of policing and council has agreed to issue a request for proposals for police services.

“If (Cumberland) decides to pull away from the RCMP… that will affect our decision,” Henley said.

The town’s mayor said Oxford council had originally started a policing review about four years ago, but debate recently ramped up again last fall.

“I think it’s been an ongoing process,” Henley said. “And finally, it got to the point where all of a sudden we’ve got retroactive pay for the RCMP… We’re tapped out.”

The review is just a way of “opening doors and seeing what’s behind it,” Henley said, noting that the process will take several years. Options that could come out of the town’s review include remaining with an RCMP contract, combining police forces with a nearby town, or creating a new municipal police force.

The nearby towns with existing independent police forces are Amherst and Truro, but they are roughly 30 and 60-minute drives away, respectively. The neighbouring small town of Springhill disbanded its municipal police force when it joined the Municipality of Cumberland in 2015 and has since been under RCMP policing.

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If Oxford were to consider its own force, Henley said the town would have to consider the costs of a jail and patrol vehicles, neither of which the town currently has.

Henley said he is just trying to work out a better deal for the town.

The cost of policing is “just not working for small communities,” he said.

Local opinions on RCMP policing in Oxford are mixed.

Eric Mosher runs GJDE Enterprises, a gift store in town. The shop is one of the few remaining small businesses downtown — a lively splash of colour among nearby vacant storefronts.

Eric Mosher, owner of GJDE Enterprises in Oxford, N.S., spoke to Global News about how he wants RCMP to remain in Oxford.

Mosher heard about the policing review from his customers but said he is happy with the RCMP in town and that they have been helpful the few times he has needed to call over the years.

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“I think a lot of time, if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it. My store is kind of a nostalgic store, and that’s how I feel. Change isn’t necessarily a good thing for the sake of change,” Mosher said.

Down Main Street towards the edge of town, Rosemarie Spencer was walking to work along the empty, crumbling sidewalk as heavy car and truck traffic rushed by. She has lived in Oxford for about a year and a half, immigrating from Jamaica for work.

“I want the RCMP to stay because definitely, I feel very safe here,” Spencer said, noting that she had seen three RCMP cars pass by on her walk.

Rosemarie Spencer of Oxford, N.S., says she’s satisfied with RCMP policing.

She hasn’t heard of any major crimes and said the town feels peaceful.

“I’ve lived somewhere else in Canada and I’ve never seen so much police around, so for me it’s a good thing seeing them.”

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Not all residents are happy with the RCMP’s service, however. Fran Trenholm has been in town for almost 30 years and said organizations can become too complacent. She wants residents to have a vote on policing options in Oxford.

Fran Trenholm of Oxford, N.S., is losing confidence in the RCMP and supports change.

“My biggest issue with the RCMP is that they are supposed to be in service to us to make our community safe. And I don’t feel safe and a lot of people that I know around here don’t feel safe either.”

Trenholm said that while relations with the RCMP have been “going downhill” for some time, some of her distrust comes from the police response to the 2020 mass casualty event.

“There’s just been so much go down with the RCMP and the public that it’s just not a very conducive relationship any longer. And I think we need change.”

&copy 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Oxford, N.S. is taking on a review

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WWE Star Kelly Kelly and Husband Joe Coba on their IVF Journey and How It Affected Their Marriage (Exclusive)

WWE Star Kelly Kelly and Husband Joe Coba on their IVF Journey and How It Affected Their Marriage (Exclusive) | Entertainment Tonight

Tech

The End of Faking It in Silicon Valley

SAN FRANCISCO — Faking it is over. That’s the feeling in Silicon Valley, along with some schadenfreude and a pinch of paranoia.

Not only has funding dried up for cash-burning start-ups over the last year, but now, fraud is also in the air, as investors scrutinize start-up claims more closely and a tech downturn reveals who has been taking the industry’s “fake it till you make it” ethos too far.

Take what happened in the past two weeks: Charlie Javice, the founder of the financial aid start-up Frank, was arrested, accused of falsifying customer data. A jury found Rishi Shah, a co-founder of the advertising software start-up Outcome Health, guilty of defrauding customers and investors. And a judge ordered Elizabeth Holmes, the founder who defrauded investors at her blood testing start-up Theranos, to begin an 11-year prison sentence on April 27.

Those developments follow the February arrests of Carlos Watson, the founder of Ozy Media, and Christopher Kirchner, the founder of software company Slync, both accused of defrauding investors. Still to come is the fraud trial of Manish Lachwani, a co-founder of the software start-up HeadSpin, set to begin in May, and that of Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of the cryptocurrency exchange FTX, who faces 13 fraud charges later this year.

Taken together, the chorus of charges, convictions and sentences have created a feeling that the start-up world’s fast and loose fakery actually has consequences. Despite this generation’s many high-profile scandals (Uber, WeWork) and downfalls (Juicero), few start-up founders, aside from Ms. Holmes, ever faced criminal charges for pushing the boundaries of business puffery as they disrupted us into the future.

The funding downturn may be to blame. Unethical behavior can largely be overlooked when times are good, as they were for tech start-ups in the 2010s. Between 2012 and 2021, funding to tech start-ups in the United States jumped eightfold to $344 billion, according to PitchBook, which tracks start-ups. More than 1,200 of them are considered “unicorns” worth $1 billion or more on paper.

But when the easy money dries up, everyone parrots the Warren Buffett proverb about finding out who is swimming naked when the tide goes out. After FTX filed for bankruptcy in November, Brian Chesky, the chief executive of Airbnb, updated the adage for millennial tech founders: “It feels like we were in a nightclub and the lights just turned on,” he tweeted.

In the past, the venture capital investors who backed start-ups were reluctant to pursue legal action when they were duped. The companies were small, with few assets to recover, and going after a founder would hurt the investors’ reputations. That has changed as the unicorns have soared, attracting billions in funding, and as larger, more traditional investors including hedge funds, corporate investors and mutual funds have entered the investing game.

“There is more money at stake, so it just changes the calculus,” said Alexander Dyck, a professor of finance at the University of Toronto who specializes in corporate governance.

The Justice Department has also been urging prosecutors to “be bold” in its pursuit of more business frauds, including at private start-ups. Thus, charges for founders of Frank, Ozy Media, Slync and HeadSpin and expectations of more to come.

IRL, a messaging app that investors valued at $1 billion, is being investigated by the Securities and Exchange Commission for allegedly misleading investors about how many users it had, according to reporting from The Information. Rumby, a laundry delivery start-up in Ohio, allegedly fabricated a story of financial success to secure funding, which its founder used to buy himself a $1.7 million home, according to a lawsuit from one of its investors.

News outlets have also reported unethical behavior at start-ups including Olive, a $4 billion health care software start-up, and Nate, an e-commerce start-up claiming to use artificial intelligence. A spokeswoman for Olive said the company has “disputed and denied” the reported allegations.

All of this creates an awkward moment for venture capital investors. When start-up valuations were soaring, they were seen as visionary kingmakers. It was easy enough to convince the world, and the investors in their funds — pension funds, college endowments and wealthy individuals — that they were responsible stewards of capital with the unique skills required to predict the future and find the next Steve Jobs to build it.

But as more start-up frauds are revealed, these titans of industry are playing a different role in lawsuits, bankruptcy filings and court testimonies: the victim that got duped.

Alfred Lin, an investor at Sequoia Capital, a top Silicon Valley firm that put $150 million into FTX, reflected on the cryptocurrency disaster at a start-up event in January. “It’s not that we made the investment, it’s the year-and-a-half working relationship afterwards that I still didn’t see it,” he said. “That is difficult.”

Venture capital investors say their asset class is among the riskiest places to park money but holds the potential for outsize rewards. The start-up world celebrates failures, and if you’re not failing, you’re viewed as not taking enough risks. But it is unclear whether that defense will hold as the scandals become more humiliating for everyone involved.

Investors are increasingly asking consultants like RHR International to help identify the telltale signs of “Machiavellian narcissists” who are more likely to commit fraud, said Eden Abrahams, a partner at the firm. “They want to tighten up the protocols around how they’re assessing founders,” Ms. Abrahams said. “We had a series of events which should be prompting reflections.”

Start-ups have many of the conditions most associated with fraud, Mr. Dyck said. They tend to employ novel business models, their founders often have significant control and their backers do not always enforce strict oversight. It is a situation that’s ripe for bending the rules when a downturn hits. “It’s not surprising we’re seeing a lot of frauds being committed in the last 18 months are coming to light right now,” he said.

When Ms. Javice was trying to sell her college financial planning start-up, Frank, to JPMorgan Chase, she told an employee not to share exactly how many people used Frank’s service, according to an S.E.C. complaint. Later, she asked the employee to fabricate thousands of accounts, assuring her staff that such a move was legal and that no one would end up in “orange jumpsuits,” the complaint said.

After JPMorgan bought the start-up for $175 million in 2021, Frank’s investors were quick to take a congratulatory victory lap on Twitter. “So many more students & families will now have greater access to financial aid & #highered opportunities,” an investor at Reach Capital wrote. “It’s so exciting to know you will now have an even bigger platform to make a positive impact on the lives of so many people!” was the praise from an executive at Chegg, which invested.

Ms. Javice faces four counts of fraud. This past week, JPMorgan accused her of transferring money to a shell company after the bank uncovered her alleged fraud.

Outcome Health, which sold drug ads on screens in doctors’ offices, raised $488 million from investors including Goldman Sachs, the Google-affiliated fund CapitalG and the family of Gov. J.B. Pritzker of Illinois while making public claims of breakneck growth and profitability. In reality, the company had missed its revenue targets, was struggling to manage its debt load and was overbilling its customers.

Yet investors plowed money in anyway and even allowed Outcome Health’s co-founders, Mr. Shah and Shradha Agarwal, to cash out $225 million worth of shares. One of the company’s smaller investors, Todd Cozzens of Leerink Partners, said he was not deterred by red flags like missing revenue targets and other “sloppiness,” because “they could have cleaned that up.” The company crossed into fraud when it altered a sales report, which would have been difficult for outsiders to detect, he said.

“This was a great business model and the product was working, but these founders got really greedy,” he said. “They wanted more.” Mr. Cozzens’ firm lost 90 percent of its $15 million investment.

Mr. Shah was convicted of 19 counts of fraud and Ms. Agarwal of 15. A spokesman for Mr. Shah said that the verdict “deeply saddens” him and that he plans to appeal. Ms. Agarwal’s counsel said they were reviewing the verdict and considering her options.

Slync’s founder, Mr. Kirchner, lied to investors about Slync’s business performance and used the money raised to buy himself a $16 million private jet, among other misappropriations, according to an S.E.C. complaint. When one investor dug into Slync’s finances, Mr. Kirchner told the person that Slync was in the process of switching to a new financial service provider, the complaint said. The investor wired $35 million.

A Slync spokesman said the company has appointed a new chief executive, is cooperating with the government’s investigations, and “looks forward to a just resolution of this matter.”

FTX raised nearly $2 billion from top investors including Sequoia Capital, Lightspeed Venture Partners and Thoma Bravo, giving it a valuation of $32 billion. The company was so poorly run that it didn’t even have a complete list of people who worked there, according to a report issued by the company’s new management this month. Mr. Bankman-Fried told colleagues at one point that FTX’s sister hedge fund, Alameda Research, was “unauditable” and that the team sometimes found $50 million in assets lying around that they had lost track of. “Such is life,” he wrote.

Sequoia, which commissioned a glowing profile of Mr. Bankman-Fried to publish on its website, apologized to investors after the company collapsed. It also deleted the profile.

Mr. Lin explained at the start-up event that venture capital industry was ultimately a business based on trust. “Because if you don’t trust the founders that you work with,” he said, “why would you ever invest in them?”

SAN FRANCISCO — Faking it is over.

Video

Beer Drinkers Everywhere Mock ‘Pathetic’ Anheuser-Busch Statement

In response to a transphobic uproar by conservatives over a Bud Light ad campaign with trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney earlier this month, Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth released a statement on Friday that attempted to calm things down a bit.

But Whitworth’s statement, released via the company’s twitter account, contained no specific acknowledgement of the uproar, and expressed no position one way or the other on the complaints right wingers had about the campaign, or the issues of trans rights and bigotry against the LGBTQ community. It did however contain vague paeans to national unity and public service — and a sentimental tribute to the uniting power of the company’s libations.

“We never intended to be part of a discussion that divides people. We are in the business of bringing people together over a beer,” Whitworth said in part.

Well, he succeeded in that goal — albeit not in the way he planned. People on both sides of the political divide did indeed come together, but only to criticize the statement. Conservatives remained outraged that the company didn’t apologize. Supporters of trans rights called out Anheuser-Busch for appearing to distance itself from the LGBTQ community it courted with the original campaign. And pretty much everyone made fun of the statement’s neutrality, as well as what many, many, many of them dismissed as substance–free “word salad.”

“Pathetic statement from @AnheuserBusch CEO,” Democratic commentator Kaivan Schroff wrote. “To be clear they sent a trans influencer personalized cans of Budlight. [sic] That’s not “dividing” people. Caving to these hateful bigots is what divides our country. Shame on you, Brendan Whitworth. Epic leadership fail.”

“Referring to specific people’s right to exist as a “discussion that divides people” is fucking reprehensible,” another user said.

“If you didnt already know what this was referring to, you would have no idea what they were talking about. if you DID know what it was referring to, you already had an opinion that wouldn’t be changed by this statement. whats the point,” wrote journalist Libby Watson.

From the Republican side of things, commentator Matt Walsh, who has unsurprisingly been one of the most vocal opponents of the Bud Light campaign, called the statement “just as clumsy and stupid as the marketing stunt that got them into this mess in the first place.”

Another conservative critic wrote, “Damn @AnheuserBusch you must have been drunk when you wrote this apology. You still are clueless and this does NOTHING!”

What the Heck Is Happening at Uber? | PRO Insight

You can check out more criticisms of the statement below. Note that we have not included responses that contain transphobic hate speech.

Pathetic statement from @AnheuserBusch CEO.

To be clear they sent a trans influencer personalized cans of Budlight. That’s not “dividing” people. Caving to these hateful bigots is what divides our country.

Shame on you, Brendan Whitworth. Epic leadership fail. pic.twitter.com/Jvi2hHi5c8

— Kaivan Shroff (@KaivanShroff) April 14, 2023

Anheuser Busch has finally released a statement, and it’s just as clumsy and stupid as the marketing stunt that got them into this mess in the first place. pic.twitter.com/XUndM2b6qh

— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) April 14, 2023

Bud light shouldn’t apologize for a sponsored post with a trans individual.

Why don’t we hear about these same homophobic and transphobic assholes losing their mind whenever brands run sponsored advertisements every day with other LGBTQ people all the time? pic.twitter.com/YkrbDmEr9O

— David Leavitt (@David_Leavitt) April 14, 2023

Damn @AnheuserBusch you must have been drunk when you wrote this apology. You still are clueless and this does NOTHING! You all must be ran by a bunch of liberals because that’s an indoctrinated reply. We don’t give AF, just make beer and you couldn’t even do that! ????‍♂️ https://t.co/U6MP80YlWl

— ??? KC ??? (@KCPayTreeIt) April 14, 2023

Maybe there really is value to AI because several people in multiple corporate departments had to waste time workshopping this when a computer could’ve done better in 5 seconds https://t.co/vbIDAou3YT

— Mr. Bedtime (@InternetHippo) April 14, 2023

if you didnt already know what this was referring to, you would have no idea what they were talking about. if you DID know what it was referring to, you already had an opinion that wouldn’t be changed by this statement. whats the point https://t.co/sL2uk60F3R

— libby watson (@libbycwatson) April 14, 2023

If they’re going to say nothing, it would have been a hell of a lot less embarrassing to literally say nothing. https://t.co/Xl7O4D2zxX

— @normative@mastodon.social (@normative) April 14, 2023

Word salad. Says absolutely nothing. Doesn’t apologize. Doesn’t placate the crybabies having their stupid little boycotts. Just says, “We’re going to keep doing what we’re doing.” How mad do you think the transphobes are now? https://t.co/2t2HHljde5

— Kateration (@Katerationopia) April 14, 2023

In response to a transphobic uproar by

Entertaintment

‘The Tale of Genji’ Is More Than 1,000 Years Old. What Explains Its Lasting Appeal?

TOKYO — Perhaps it was the fact that my daughter was in her final year of high school while I was reading “The Tale of Genji,” a 1,300-page tome written more than 1,000 years ago by a lady-in-waiting at the court of a Japanese emperor. But when I reached a pivotal scene, a few lines of poetry nearly undid me.

Hikaru Genji, the titular hero, had asked one of his many wives to give up their daughter to be raised at court by another woman. As the little girl’s mother, Lady Akashi, watched the toddler climb into a carriage waiting to spirit her away, she recited a classical waka poem:

Its future lies in the far off distance
This pine seedling being taken from me
When will I see it spread its splendid shade

“Shedding tears,” I read, “she could say no more.”

In those lines, I foresaw my own grief. Soon I would be saying goodbye to a daughter, too, when we would leave her at a university thousands of miles away.

I had picked up “Genji Monogatari,” as it is known in Japanese, out of professional interest. As the Tokyo bureau chief for The New York Times, it felt like a gap in my knowledge never to have read the work by Murasaki Shikibu that is often described as the world’s first novel and a touchstone of Japanese literary history.

In Japan, “The Tale of Genji” has maintained an unwavering grip on the culture. Passages are taught to most schoolchildren. It has been subjected to countless translations, interpretations and adaptations across seemingly every possible art form: paintings, Noh plays, dance, film, television drama, manga, anime, even a rom-com.

When I first opened its pages, I was reading for edification. I expected to feel distance from the medieval text. After all, the book is set among the courtly elites of the classical Heian period of the 11th century, with their mysterious rituals, monarchal codes and allusive poetry.

Instead, I found common ground not only with my personal experience but with my reporting over six years as a correspondent in Japan. The more I read, the more this ancient work made me think about how gender and power dynamics have echoed across the centuries in Japan.

The narrative is structured around the life of Genji, who is the son of an emperor and his favorite consort. From the time Genji is barely a teenager, he cavorts across the region now known as Kyoto, hopping from one woman to another as he breezes through affairs and takes on multiple wives. Although he amasses great influence, he never ascends the throne to the pinnacle of power.

There are epic plot twists. Genji has to conceal the paternity of one of his sons, because the boy is the product of Genji’s affair with one of his father’s consorts. (The secret weighs heavily when that boy goes on to become emperor.) One of Genji’s consorts transforms into a jealous spirit who takes possession of one of his other wives, in a spine-chilling scene that prefigures the horror genre. Genji is sent into exile on a remote island after he has sex with a consort of the emperor.

Through it all, the author (a woman! writing more than 1,000 years ago!) continuously centers female perspectives in a work that ostensibly chronicles the escapades of a male hero.

From its opening line, “The Tale of Genji” signals its author’s focus on how women steer the fate of the hero. We are introduced to Genji’s mother, “a woman of rather undistinguished lineage” who has “captured the heart of the emperor and enjoyed his favor above all the other imperial wives and concubines.”

While she may have the emperor’s heart, she is “despised and reviled” by the emperor’s other wives, most prominently the mother of the crown prince and heir to the throne. When Genji is born, “a pure radiant gem like nothing of this world,” he immediately unsettles the political order of the court.

The importance of imperial mothers in “The Tale of Genji” is striking, given that in the current era, women are treated as a side note in the fortunes of Japan’s royal family, the world’s oldest continuous monarchy. The current emperor follows modern mores and has just one wife — imperial concubines were banned in the 20th century — but women who are born princesses must leave the family and renounce their royal titles when they marry. That leaves precious few women to give birth to legitimate heirs. Women themselves are not allowed to rule on the throne.

In “The Tale of Genji,” royal succession was a political power struggle. Now, it is an existential one: There is just one boy in the imperial family’s youngest generation.

Despite periodic debates about allowing women to sit on the throne or even to remain in the family to head legitimate lines of succession, conservative wings in Japan’s governing party oppose such proposals. The Japanese public, on the other hand, overwhelmingly supports changes to the royal laws, not only as a way to save the imperial family from extinction but as a symbol of women’s equality.

Efforts to advance women’s rights in Japan, and the conservative impulse to repress them, were on my mind as I read — often with horror — the scenes of Genji and other men barging into women’s bedrooms. It was hard not to share the interpretation of Jakucho Setouchi, a Buddhist monk who translated a best-selling Japanese edition of “The Tale of Genji” in the late 1990s and characterized most of the sex scenes in the novel as rape.

How else to regard a scene like one where Genji assaults a woman during a party to celebrate the empress (one of his favorite lovers) and the crown prince (his illegitimate son)?

“‘It won’t do you a bit of good to call for someone,” he assured her, ‘since everybody yields to me. So do be quiet.’”

The way so many of the women in the novel respond to their male pursuers eerily evoked what women have told me in interviews about sexual harassment or coercion today.

In the party scene, the young woman is frightened of Genji when he pursues her in a hallway. But she does little to resist because she “didn’t want to come off looking cold or stiff.” Even now, women tell me, they fear causing offense — not only to the men who prey upon them, but to their friends and family or those on social media who might criticize them.

How distressingly familiar, then, was a chapter where one of Genji’s sons, Yugiri, pursues a princess and presumes she should yield to him, simply because he spies a glimpse of her through the doors of her bedroom. Even the fact that she answers a poem he slips to her — with a polite demurral, no less — bolsters his sense of sexual entitlement.

When the princess’s mother learns that he is vexed by her rejection, she chastises her daughter. “It was careless of her to keep only a sliding panel between them, and it’s an absolute disgrace that she allowed him to see her so easily,” the mother rants to an attendant.

Yet reading the Genji as a “rape narrative” is, of course, anachronistic. The men in the novel are just behaving as would have been expected in the polygamous court culture of the time. A #MeToo reading may also foreclose the possibility of understanding the love that blooms between Genji and many of his partners. “It’s OK to have a democratic reading of Genji, to bring your own biases and world to it,” said Melissa McCormick, professor of Japanese art and culture at Harvard University, “and to have the opportunity to get a glimmer of something else while you are doing it.”

Even the relationship that in some ways is most difficult to stomach, that between Genji and Lady Murasaki, a girl he begins to groom as his partner when she is just 10 years old, grows into a marriage of spiritual compatibility. In his own, polyamorous way, Genji remains staunchly loyal to her until her death.

Saeko Kimura, a professor of Japanese literature at Tsuda University, a women’s college in Tokyo, told me that when students express distaste for Genji’s serial seductions, she advises them to think of him as an “oshi” — a favorite pop idol or actor.

It’s not an inapt comparison. The notion of masculinity represented by Genji is recognizable in modern day Japan. Unlike in European epics, Genji “was not described as a man of muscle, capable of lifting a boulder that not ten men could lift, or as a warrior who could single-handedly slay masses of the enemy,” the literary scholar Donald Keene wrote in “Chronicles of My Life: An American in the Heart of Japan.”

Repeated references to Genji as “the Radiant Prince,” a man who “was so beautiful that pairing him with the very finest of the ladies at the court would fail to do him justice” and who “was like the flowering tree under whose shade even the rude mountain peasant delights to rest” made me think at times of so-called “genderless danshi,” young men who blur the lines between masculine and feminine aesthetics and fashion. In Genji’s beauty, I could well imagine the main character of an anime or the lead singer in a J-pop band.

Ultimately, what made the story so powerful for me was the way Murasaki conveyed the women’s thoughts and feelings. At the time of her writing, many of her readers would have been women. Yet according to literary historians, prominent men of the court also read the tale contemporaneously. In that light, the way she foregrounded women’s emotions — their fear, suffering, disappointment, envy and anxieties — seems almost subversive.

One of the aspects of the book that resonates with readers is the way it foregrounds women’s emotions, pointing to gender and power dynamics that have echoed across the centuries in Japan.Credit…AbeNetwork

Even today, when women in Japan still lack power in politics and business, they are an important force in fiction, with writers like Mieko Kawakami, Sayaka Murata, Yoko Ogawa and Yu Miri winning Japan’s top literary prizes and representing the vanguard of modern Japanese literature in translation. They write about how their characters confront punishing beauty standards, expectations that they become mothers, ambition (or lack thereof) and sexual assault, all topics that women may be publicly shamed for talking about in other forums.

In her own writing, Murasaki winked at the potency of fiction. When Genji flirts with a woman who he has told others is his long-lost daughter (when, in fact, she is the daughter of his best friend and sometimes rival — yes, it’s as awkward as it sounds) he teases her for reading so many romantic stories.

“You know full well these tales have only the slightest connection to reality, and yet you let your heart be moved by trivial words and get so caught up in the plots that you copy them out without giving a thought to the tangled mess your hair has become in this humid weather,” Genji tells the young woman, Tamakazura.

After Genji describes the tales as no more than “spinning lies,” Tamakazura delivers a snappy clapback.

“There is certainly no doubt that someone practiced at lying would be inclined to draw such a conclusion … for all sorts of reasons,” she says to Genji. “I remain convinced, however, that these stories are quite truthful.”

Eager to extend the flirtatious exchange, Genji concedes that storytelling conveys “things of this world” and that “the narrow-minded conclusion that all tales are falsehoods misses the heart of the matter.”

With the endurance of “The Tale of Genji,” it’s hard not to think that in life, as well as in fiction, a woman has gotten the final word.

TOKYO — Perhaps it was the fact

Movies

Anupam Kher Recalls Satish Kaushik Telling Him ‘I Am Not Going To Die’ Just Hours Before His Death

Published By: Chirag Sehgal

Last Updated: April 15, 2023, 15:08 IST

Anupam Kher gets emotional while talking about his late friend Satish Kaushik. (Photo: Instagram)

Anupam Kher further mentioned that despite being exceptionally talented, Satish was sometimes undervalued.

Anupam Kher hosted a musical event to commemorate the birth anniversary of the late actor Satish Kaushik on April 13, 2023. During the event, many including Shabana Azmi and Kher himself remembered Kaushik and delivered emotional speeches, leaving everyone emotional.

Anupam Kher reminisced about his friendship with Satish, expressing that it endured various challenges and bestowed wonderful experiences upon them. “Satish passed away but our friendship has survived all ups and downs and has seen the most amazing gift has given to us. Anil has prepared a small audio-visual for Satish, we will see that. Then I will request Anil to come and talk,” the said as quoted by Hindustan Times.

Anupam further mentioned that despite being exceptionally talented, Satish was sometimes undervalued. Anil Kapoor was then invited to join Anupam on stage, with the former stating that “Heroes always cry, come and friends cry.” However, upon taking a few steps, Anil was overcome with emotion, indicating that he could not continue and returned to his seat. Anupam attempted to coax him back, saying “Aaja (Come). Okay,” but ultimately succumbed to tears himself, remarking that “Anil tu pagal hai. Main theek thaak jaraha tha (Anil you are mad. I was going fine).”

Kher also recalled his last chat with Kaushik hours before the latter’s sudden demise and shared, “On the 9th, 7th he came on my birthday, he called me up, maine kaha, ‘Tu bohut thaka hua sound karraha hai’ (I said, ‘You sound very tired’). Kyu aesa karraha hai? Tu aesa kar hospital mein chala ja, check-in kar, don’t admit yourself, go and check in’. Toh usne kaha, ‘Don’t worry, main abhi marne waala nahi hoon’ (Why is that so? Go to the hospital and check-in. He said, ‘Don’t worry, I am not going to die’). And after three hours he, unfortunately, left us.”

During the event, there were musical performances and interludes where Satish’s friends shared touching memories of their experiences with him, which moved many people to tears. Anil, who was seated beside Rani Mukerji in the audience, also wept intensely. Anil created a brief audio-visual presentation dedicated to Satish, which was presented at the event. Shabana Azmi also got emotional and shared some of her fondest memories with Kaushik, focusing on their most humorous moments as she felt that this is how he would have wanted to be remembered.

Satish Kaushik last appeared in the film Chhatriwali, which hit theatres in January 2023, just a few months before his death.

Read all the Latest Movies News and Entertainment News here

Chirag Sehgal

Chirag Sehgal, Sub Editor at News18, covers Bollywood, television and K-pop group BTS. Apart from digging deep into the world of television and Bollyw…Read More

Published By: Chirag SehgalLast Updated: April

Vanessa Hudgens can see ghosts in Tubi doc ‘Dead Hot’

Vanessa Hudgens is in her witch era.

After breaking her Disney-darling “High School Musical” persona with her performance in Harmony Korine’s racy crime drama “Spring Breakers,” she belted “There Are Worse Things I Could Do” as Rizzo in “Grease Live!”

Most recently, she starred in Netflix’s “The Princess Switch” movies.

Of course, she was also “the friend” who encouraged her ex-partner Austin Butler to pursue portraying Elvis Presley in Baz Luhrmann’s biopic that scored him an Oscar nomination. Now, Hudgens is revealing that she’s longhad a talent more rare than the rest.

She sees dead people.

In an interview with Cosmopolitan ahead of the release of her upcoming Tubi documentary, “Dead Hot,” Hudgens revealed she had her first supernatural encounter at age 5.

“I was walking into the dining room past the dining table before school,” she told Cosmopolitan. “I had one of those tin ducks, with a mama duck and all the baby ducklings behind it. I remember walking past it and it just starting to, like, move with me. I stopped and I looked at it, and I’m like, that’s weird and makes no sense.”

“Dead Hot,” which premieres April 14 on the free streaming app, follows Hudgens and her best friend, musician Georgia Magree, as they navigate the spirit world in Salem, Mass., exploring witchcraft, ghost hunting and communicating with the dead.

“I’ve always been drawn towards the darkness and the unknown, and it wasn’t really until I went to Scotland while filming ‘The Princess Switch’ that I had my conscious, witch awakening,” she continued. “I was around a lot of witches and just had a lot of questions and was figuring out my own path and my own spirituality.”

Hudgens told Cosmo that her supernatural connection is so intense that she‘s tried to shut it off at times.

“I would be at home and then out of the corner of my eye, I would see a man in the top hat. And I’m like, ‘What the hell!’”

The star had just started living alone and felt frightened. “So I tried to tune it out and turn off that channel,” she told Cosmo. “I think I just had to do some growing up personally in order to feel safe enough to open it back up again.”

While connecting with the spirit world began as a hobby for Hudgens, she loved the prospect of doing a ghost-hunting show. “We had shot an episode originally of basically just that,” she continued. “But after we finished, I felt unfulfilled, and I still had so many more questions that we opened it up to exploring spirituality as a whole because it goes hand in hand.”

Hudgens said she understands there will be naysayers and people who doubt anything that “goes against the grain,” but she’s unbothered. She just wants to remove the stigma of witchcraft and sever its demonic associations.

“I’m not trying to make anyone think the same way I think, but hopefully just open their eyes up a little bit more to the unknown and have more peace with it, rather than fear,” she said.

“I always say I think the only way to heal ancestral trauma is to shine a light on it. I look at places like the witch trials in Scotland and in Salem, and how many women were wrongfully accused and killed over something that is really beautiful. … Really shining a light on it just being a beautiful, personal, empowering thing.”

Vanessa Hudgens is in her witch

Guardians the Galaxy Vol. 3, Sylvester Stallone

MCU

First Look at Sylvester Stallone In Guardians of the Galaxy 3 Revealed

A new teaser for James Gunn‘s upcoming third Guardians of the Galaxy film included a new look at Sylvester Stallone‘s returning character.

Stallone played Stakar Ogord in Vol. 2 as one Yondu’s original teammates.

The star confirmed his return in November 2021 with an image of him doing a 3D facial scan session. Not long after, he posted another photo (which is now deleted) that had him in full costume.

Sylvester Stallone Returns to the MCU

Marvel and Disney released a new minute-long teaser for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

In the brief new footage, audiences get their first look at Sylvester Stallone’s Stakar Ogord, who first appeared in Vol. 2.

Marvel Studios

A brief glimpse of Sylvester’s hero isn’t the only new bit of footage.

What seems like the High Evolutionary’s ship can be seen breaching the surface of a large body of water.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 — Marvel Studios

The big bad himself, played by Chukwudi Ewuji, also gets his moment to shine as he violently powers up.

High Evolutionary, Chukwudi Ewuji — Marvel Studios

Viewers even get to see Nathan Fillion’s cameo—of which zero context is offered.

The full trailer can be seen below:

What Will Stakar Ogord’s Role Be in Guardians 3?

It’s hard to know what Sylvester Stallone’s character might be up to this time around.

While one might look to the comics for inspiration, the MCU’s take on the character has little in common with the more abstract and high-concept version of the original hero.

If Stakar is back, there’s a good chance the rest of his teammates will follow: Ving Rhames’ Charlie-27, Michelle Yeoh’s Aleta Ogord, Michael Rosenbaum’s Martinex, Miley Cryus’ Mainframe, and Krugarr. After all, the High Evolutionary looks like he’ll be quite the challenge—perhaps the Guardians of the Galaxy need a little backup.

Maybe some members of Yondu’s original gang will be reintegrated into a new iteration of the titular team by the time the movie comes to a close.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 lands in theaters on Friday, May 5.

DCU

Is Catfish Fascinating or Just Exploitation?

It doesn’t matter how old you are, chances you’ve heard the term “catfish” before. We’re not talking about the marine species with whiskers. We actually mean the term used for the deceitful practice that’s commonly used in online dating and other forms of contact through social networking. Someone sends you a picture, you start chatting. When it’s time to meet, if you actually get to this stage, you realize the person in front of you does not resemble the entity you’ve been talking with. Disappointment ensues. That person is a catfish.

But have you ever wondered where it comes from? In case you don’t know, a movie called Catfish was released in 2010. It was a “documentary” about a photographer who starts forming a relationship with someone online. Things get hot and heavy between Nev and Megan, but when it’s time to meet, things take a weird turn. Megan is not who she says she is, and if you haven’t seen the film, then let’s leave it at that. The term catfish comes from a metaphor one of the individuals uses to describe a situation in which cod were kept active by catfish during transportation. Megan kept her family’s world active and interesting by trying to be someone she really wasn’t.

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAYSCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT

Back in the day, people couldn’t stop talking about the film. It had crossed the boundary of what was entertaining and settled on a deep exploration of individualism and intimacy through the eyes of a generation that thrived only in virtual channels. The problem was that not everyone believed it was true. It was certainly hard to digest that this very cinematic arc wasn’t manipulated by clever filmmakers. Will we ever know? Probably not, but it doesn’t mean it isn’t a fascinating view into the “reality is stranger than fiction” dilemma we sometimes face with cinéma vérité style of filmmaking.

It Doesn’t Matter if Catfish Is True or Fake

Universal Pictures

After the movie’s success, it led to MTV capitalizing on it through the reality TV format, and the show Catfish was created. It complied with the rules of MTV’s reality shows, and frankly, it’s not that good. It’s based mostly on people being crushed by finding out they’ve been catfished. Pure exploitation, if you ask us.

What the film actually had in its favor was how it portrayed deception in a sober manner. It never ridiculizes Megan’s huge reveal, and Nev stays behind in the conflict and mostly away from the true essence of the film. The third act is not Shyamalan-style shocking with spoilers. We’re just slowly walking inside the world of a clever woman who had the capacity of fooling a young man, his partners, and the whole audience. Her universe is strange, but mostly it’s the result of the human endeavor for finding reason in the middle of unhappiness and the incapacity for self-realization.

Angela, the real person behind Megan, is a human being whose truth isn’t thoroughly explored in the film, but you get a glimpse of her life, and you start making conclusions. Months after the film’s release, during an interview, she said that she was aware of her actions in outsmarting three young men. Why did she do it? Watch the last 15 minutes of Catfish and you decide.

Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman made Catfish in 2010 and people are still questioning why they did it and whether it’s real or fake. The question is: how is that important for a film whose effectiveness does not depend on that? We can’t come up with a scenario in which someone makes a huge amount of money with this film. So, why would they have created a fake world with strange subjects if reality’s already bizarre enough?

And Yet We Are Still Watching

Nevertheless, it’s hard to agree with the coincidental aspect of the plot. Not everyone “catfished” at the time, and it’s hard to believe there weren’t a few initial attempts. Again, we will never know how it transcended from the very beginning to finish in such an anti-climactic but interesting conclusion.

Catfish aroused us. To look closer and be thorough. To question what seemed ideal and felt innocent. Megan and Nev’s “relationship” is like millions of other relationships today, and we’re not asking ourselves if our better half is real or not, even if we still haven’t met them.

The film felt exploitative because it awoke an inner fear and unnerved us with its deep and understanding dive into the reality of “Megan” without criticizing or condemning Angela’s acts. That, in itself, is also fascinating as it’s proof of the power an average holds over everyone when they decide to open up. When similar cases happen around us, we’re fascinated at thinking not how they did it (it’s relatively easy today), but why. How far would they go when creating a fictional entity to engage with someone else? That limit, often crossed, is a fascinating territory that Catfish properly portrayed almost 10 years ago.

Catfish is available to rent or buy on Prime Video and other services.

It doesn't matter how old you are,

Comics

Elon Musk has created his own artificial intelligence company

Elon Musk, who’s been vocally critical about artificial intelligence lately, seems to be planning something AI related. According to The Wall Street Journal and The Financial Times, Musk has founded a new artificial intelligence company called X.AI Corp. Based on a state filing from last month that the sources have viewed, the new company is incorporated in Nevada and lists Musk as the sole director, as well as Jared Birchall, the director of his family’s offices, as the secretary. The multi-company executive is known to have a special affinity for the letter ”X” and has even recently renamed Twitter, Inc. as X Corp.

Musk is no stranger to AI projects. He co-founded OpenAI before leaving the company almost a decade ago. After ChatGPT’s meteoric rise in popularity, though, Musk advocated for the technology’s regulation and signed an open letter that urged tech leaders to put a six-month pause on its development. The Journal says Musk thought ChatGPT was politically biased — he once commented on the “danger of training AI to be woke” — and that he’s looking create AI models that are “truth-seeking.”

At this point, though, Musk’s plans for X.AI Corp and whether he’s looking to build a veritable ChatGPT rival remains unclear. While details are still scarce, previous reports provide clues on how Musk’s AI efforts are progressing. He reportedly hired two former DeepMind researchers in March, including scientist Igor Babuschkin, who’s believed to be helming the new project. Musk also reportedly purchased 10,000 GPUs for AI development at one of Twitter’s data centers. In addition, according to The Times, he’s already in talks with Tesla and SpaceX investors to put money into his new venture.

All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. All prices are correct at the time of publishing.

Elon Musk, who’s been vocally critical about

Festivals

François Ozon End-Of-Life Drama – Deadline

Editors note: This review was originally published in June 2021 after its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. The film opens in New York on Friday and in Los Angeles on April 21.

Deadline

Beautifully upholstered and decked out with a starry cast, Everything Went Fine (Tout S’est Bien Passé) is the sort of comforting, thoroughly mainstream commercial film not often seen in competition at the Cannes Film Festival. Although the subject of euthanasia does not normally suggest a good time at the movies, French director François Ozon serves one up anyway with the help of a raft of crafty and appealing veteran actors, lush filmmaking and savvy and deft handling of the central emotional dynamic.

Shortly after family patriarch André (André Dussollier) suffers a debilitating stroke, the 85-year-old insists to his daughter Emmanuèle (Sophie Marceau) that he wants to end to it all, on his own terms. He seems something of a borderline case, alternating between misery and a kind of crabby alertness about his condition that nonetheless leaves him keen to pass over into the great unknown.

This naturally becomes the only subject on the table for his family, which also includes Emmanuèle’s sister Pascale (Geraldine Pailhas) and their mother Claude (Charlotte Rampling), a noteworthy sculptress who herself has Parkinson’s and maintains a pronounced emotional remove from her husband, whose own private life has evidently long centered on a man.

The film is based on a novel by Emmanuèle Bernheim, and these complex sentimental underpinnings provide the film with fresh and nuanced perspectives on an ordeal confronting the diverse family members.

His age and condition notwithstanding, old André is a man accustomed to getting his way and starts the ball rolling by telling Emmanuèle, “I want you to help me end it.” This involves some discreet investigation with an organization called The Right to Die With Dignity, as euthanasia is outlawed in France. Hana Schygulla is in briefly as a contact in a shadowy world in which Emmanuèle and the others must operate with the utmost care.

But while the family understandably frets over the situation, albeit in a highly civilized way, old André embraces the occasion, ultimately celebrating with a fabulous send-off meal at his favorite restaurant. For a film about impending death, this one goes down very easily.

The prolific Ozon, who is still best remembered internationally for some of his early hits, including Under the Sand, Swimming Pool (both with Rampling) and 8 Women, directs with a cool, confident hand. The dramatic conclusion feels just right and you have to hand it to Ozon for pulling off the trick of making a vibrant man’s death a happy ending.

Title: Everything Went Fine
Distributor: Cohen Media Group
Release date: April 14, 2023 (NY)
Director-screenwriter: François Ozon
Cast: Sophie Marceau, André Dussolier, Charlotte Rampling, Géraldine Pailhas, Hanna Schygulla
Running time: 1 hr 50 min

Editors note: This review was originally published in

Ryan Seacrest and Kelly Ripa Got Misty-Eyed During Their Final Show as Live Cohosts

Ryan Seacrest brought his six-year run on Live With Kelly and Ryan to an emotional close during his final taping with cohost Kelly Ripa. The 48-year-old emcee found himself getting choked up as he listened to Ripa reflect on the personal and professional bond they’ve built over the course of the daytime talk show’s six seasons.

“I just want to say a few words to you,” Ripa began. “It’s on behalf of myself and all of us—but mostly me. This has, without question, been the fastest six years of my life. And although you and I have been friends for decades and decades, I feel like I’ve gained through this process a younger brother/oldest son…. I am so grateful that our success together on this show has led to us developing an even closer—yet codependent—relationship.”

The waterworks started shortly after Ripa likened Seacrest to the fried-food delicacy known as a “blooming onion.” “You are layers upon layers of goodness, of kind, of charm, of brilliance, of authenticity and generosity,” she went on. “Your generosity is unmatched.”

Ripa ended her tribute with a nod to Seacrest’s relationship with 26-year-old model Aubrey Paige, who made a rare appearance to support him from the crowd. “We will all keep our same mailing addresses in case there is ever a wedding invitation,” Ripa joked, looking out to the audience. “Just in case!”

Seacrest responded in kind, calling himself “a very lucky man” to have worked with Ripa for so long. “I want you all to know, it’s not lost on me how fortunate I am,” he said. “Fortunate to have had this seat next to you, Kel, for six years. You’re incomparable. There’s no one like you.”

Ryan Seacrest brought his six-year run on

The Best Outfits and What They Do

As players visit the various location in Red Dead Redemption 2, they can purchase or craft unique outfits that are perfect for Arthur Morgan. Many of the best outfits can be bought from various general stores, while others require players to gather resources in perfect condition.

However, another neat feature that affects how Arthur’s outfits look is the game’s impressive reputation system. Depending on Arthur’s reputation, some outfits can look different as they tend to reflect his personality. Therefore, players can unlock some unique outfits for Arthur and make him look like an authentic cowboy in the Wild West.

The Vaquero

The Vaquero outfit for Arthus is perhaps one of the most versatile to unlock, as it lets Arthur survive in warm and mild weather. In addition, this outfit will let Arthur explore most of the open world, especially if they are looking to collect resources or hunt animals in Red Dead Redemption 2.

Due to its versatility, The Vaquero is quite costly as players can purchase it from Worths General Store in Valentine for $85.50.

The Desperado

This outfit is a bit harder to obtain as it requires players to gather legendary animal pelts. The Desperado outfit will need players to hunt Beaver, Goat, Armadillo, Oxen, Boar, Rabbit, and Muskrat to craft the different clothing items. Here’s everything players will need to buy the Desperado outfit:

Clothing Item	Price	Recipe
Beaver Drifter Hat	$20	2x Perfect Beaver Pelt
Billy Vest	$32	1x Perfect Armadillo Skin, 1xPerfect Goat Hide
Boar and Bull Fowler Boots	$31	Perfect Ox Hide, Perfect Boar Pelt
Winter Cavalry Gloves	$25	1x Perfect Rabbit Pelt, 2x Perfect Muskrat Pelt

The Gunslinger

Morgan’s default outfit in the game is also one of his best attire. Since this is the character’s original appearance at the start of the game, the player will not need to fulfill any requirements to obtain it. It also comes with two different variations for the summer and winter.

For the default Gunslinger outfit, it is best worn during hot and average weather seasons. The summer and winter versions are best suited for their titular seasons. However, no matter the season, the Gunslinger is the suit that best represents Morgan’s character, especially when completing Gunslinger quests in Red Dead Redemption 2.

The Bear Hunter

The Bear Hunter is one of the most unique outfits in Red Dead Redemption 2 and one of the more costly to collect. This outfit will comprise different parts, and collecting the right animal pelts will help players craft the different components that make up the suit at the Saint-Denis Trapper. One of the parts, the legendary bear pelt, can be acquired during a story mission with Hosea, where players will hunt the Legendary Bear. What makes the suit great is that players will get to wear a bear for a hat, and the outfit is not limited to one or two seasons.

Players can collect this outfit at the Saint-Denis Trapper after possessing the following collectibles: three legendary bear pelts, a perfect bison pelt, a perfect bull hide, a perfect boar pelt, and two perfect rabbit pelts.

The Saint-Denis

The Saint-Denis is one of the game’s more fashionable attire that helps Morgan blend in with the locals of Saint-Denis. This outfit can be acquired from the Saint-Denis Tailor for over $98. It can be worn during average and hot weather.

Thanks to the outfit, Morgan can appear as a Saint-Denis local; he can blend in with the city crowds and not worry about people looking at him for his cowboy attire. In addition, it gives him a break from wearing his cowboy attire and something cleaner to wear without alarming anyone to his outlaw nature.

The Faulkton

Available to purchase at the Strawberry General Store, the Faulkton outfit lets Morgan sport a long overcoat that can be worn during average and hot weather. Of course, wearing something long and fashionable does not hurt Morgan. Costing around $84, it is also one of the cheapest attire to acquire in-game.

Additionally, players will not need to worry about their honor rating to obtain this outfit. This outfit will be readily available for the taking when players decide to purchase it. So there is no need to worry about prerequisites in collecting this costume.

The Beast of Prey

Like the Bear Hunter, the Beast of Prey is one of the more expensive and time-consuming outfits to obtain. However, it’s available from the Saint-Denis Trapper after players collect the following to create the suit’s various components: three legendary cougar pelts, two turkey feathers, two legendary wolf pelts, one perfect goat hide, two perfect boar pelts, two perfect bull hides.

The Beast of Prey is made up of different parts that can be crafted with the mentioned collectibles at the Saint-Denis Trapper. This outfit can be worn in any climate but is more beneficial to wear, thanks to its aesthetic. It portrays Morgan as a cowboy who is not afraid to get his hands dirty.

Legend of the East

The Legend of the East outfit is Red Dead Redemption 2‘s most valuable. Players can acquire this outfit after completing the game’s numerous challenges. Unlike the other outfits on this list, this legendary attire has numerous stat bonuses for Morgan, including decreased melee damage from enemies and increased money from looting.

Aside from gameplay perks, the outfit is also very fashionable. Morgan will sport a nice coat and pants when wearing this outfit. But players can only acquire the Legend of the East if they accomplish all of Red Dead Redemption 2‘s challenges, something they can do after beating the game.

As players visit the various location in

quentin-blair-kathryn-hahn-tiny-beautiful-things-hulu-jessica-brooks

Awards

How the Not-So-Obvious ‘Tiny Beautiful Things’ Adaptation Changed the Rules Around Pilots

Hulu’s Sasha Silver, ABC Signature’s Tracey Underwood, Hello Sunshine’s Lauren Neustadter and showrunner Liz Tigelaar break down the complex process

“With most pilots… by the end of the pilot, [Clare] has to unequivocally decide she is taking on this advice column… that’s ingrained in me from a storytelling perspective,” showrunner Liz Tigelaar told TheWrap. “It was really important to me to honor the feeling of the book, and to challenge myself to break out of those known TV formulas and molds.”

With a full series order at Hulu for the limited drama series, Tigelaar broke the mold of the typical premise pilot by extending Clare’s decision to become Sugar beyond just the first episode — a move that likely wouldn’t have been accepted had only a pilot been ordered.

The team behind the series, who previously collaborated on “Little Fires Everywhere,” also played with genre. “Is it funny or serious?” Tigelaar recalled about landing the show’s genre. “It’s gonna be all the things.” So, the series switches between comedy and drama for the eight half-hour episodes.

Tigelaar, Hello Sunshine’s President of Film and TV Lauren Neustadter, Head of Drama at Hulu Originals Sasha Silver and EVP of Creative Affairs at ABC Signature Tracey Underwood sat down with TheWrap do discuss the unique process of adapting the book into the Hulu series.

Kathryn Hahn and Tanzyn Crawford in "Tiny Beautiful Things" — Kathryn Hahn, left, and Tanzyn Crawford in “Tiny Beautiful Things.” (Hulu)

When you read a book, what are some elements that you identify would make it a successful adaptation? What was it about “Tiny Beautiful Things” that you knew would make a compelling series?
Sasha Silver: From the Hulu perspective, whether intentionally or not, we go back to the well constantly to mother-daughter stories — “Little Fires” was one, obviously “Tiny Beautiful” even going back to “The Act” and “Handmaid’s Tale” are demented mother-daughter stories.

Lauren Neustadter: “A different flavor of mother-daughter…”

Silver: It felt like it shared that DNA that a lot of our previous shows had had, and it told that story in a really different way. I don’t think we’ve quite seen a woman like Clare or Rae on TV, and then being sandwiched between the dual mother-daughter stories — I think that everyone can relate to that on a certain level, depending on you know, how traumatic their relationships with their parents are.

Tracey Underwood: It wasn’t an obvious adaptation at all… I think all of us read it and just were like, “OK, how do we do it?” It felt like it took a lot of time for us all — Liz in particular was super smart — she did this on “Little Fires” also — about making sure we had the template of the first episode; making sure that was cracked and written before we actually started the (writers’) room, so everybody knew exactly what the roadmap was. Figuring out the start, what is the starting point? and then where do we go? I love that challenge in this particular book.

‘Tiny Beautiful Things’ Stars and Showrunner Break Down That Heart-Wrenching Ending

Most consumers are totally unaware how the process of getting rights works and how competitive it gets. How far in your planning or imagination do you get before you even have the rights to an adaptation?
Neustadter: Hello Sunshine actually had the option for it, obviously because of “Wild,” Reese and Laura and Cheryl had this relationship. We knew that this was going to be the most intricate adaptation [that] must be placed in the right hands because it’s this gorgeous collection of letters, but the entire thing is invention. So we knew that we really needed to find the right writer, so I asked Liz — I got down on one knee in the Hulu parking garage. Amazingly and poetically, it was on the day that we did our season pitch out for “Little Fires Everywhere.” Liz said, “I do.” Then we made “Little Fires Everywhere,” and we were focused on that, and we went through post on that, and then COVID happened. Then Liz really unlocked the whole thing, and we came to Hulu and ABC [Signature] and said, this is our vision for this, and they were so in straightaway.

How have you seen author involvement enrich the adaptation process?
Tigelaar: Where Cheryl enriched the series the most, aside from being the entire foundation that created the series, is in the writers’ room. In the beginning, I went off and wrote the pilot, I came back with it, I would give it to her, we would go through it, talk about it, [and] she would give me really wonderful notes on it. From that process, we started to talk about what this was going to look like in a series. I basically said to her, you can be in the writers’ room as much or as little as you want… she came into the writers room and never left.

Underwood: It’s only made the work better, to be that open to the authors stepping in. It’s not easy to do, and it’s not easy to shift from one medium to another. So when you have the guidance of somebody super generous and sensitive, like Liz, I think it’s a totally different experience.

Neustadter: This was so personal to Cheryl, so I think it was very important for her to be in conversation… it’s about finding the formula that works best for everyone that allows everyone to do their very best work in the way that makes them feel safest and most supportive. One of the things that we always do is just facilitate those conversations at the outset, and say, “What’s the best way?” We’re always talking about what is the very best way to tell this story? And part of that is, is it a movie? Is it a limited? Is it ongoing? And part of it also is, what’s the best path toward adaptation?

‘Tiny Beautiful Things’ Star Kathryn Hahn Reveals Advice in Cheryl Strayed’s Book That She Connected with Most — and Made Her Cry

What are the challenges of adapting a book? How do you balance the production limits of adapting a book versus what the readers expect?
Tigelaar: I just tackle it from the perspective of being a fan. I don’t put too much pressure on like, what are the readers gonna think? I go with my gut, which is, I’m the audience. I’m the reader. If I like this, chances are, they will like it. I think having the authors involved is helpful. We changed the ending of “Little Fires,” not in such a fundamental way, but from a plot perspective, it was different, and Celeste [Ng] was on board with that. I think Celeste being on board that allows the audience to be on board with it. I think that that gives readers a safety to love it too.

Silver: You also have so many timelines, time periods too, that you’re servicing — I feel like that can also be such a production challenge and development challenge.

Underwood: We knew, going in, when we were selling the show that they trusted us and would give us the leeway to make the show we needed to make and support it financially and support it with time and with launch.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

How Hello Sunshine’s Lauren Neustadter Chooses Where Projects Land: They Must ‘Love It Like We Love It’

Hulu’s Sasha Silver, ABC Signature’s Tracey Underwood,

Music

Dinamarca / Ralphie Choo: “Fubu” Track Review

The compositions of Swedish-Chilean producer Dinamarca evoke the moment when you’ve already called the Uber home, but your friend pulls you onto the dance floor for one last soft perreo before you go. It’s not quite comedown music—there’s still a sense of movement in each of his lilting, silhouetted tracks. Such is the case on “Fubu,” the opener to Dinamarca’s new album, Soñao, which sounds like a train passenger daydreaming out the window while the conductor punches holes in her ticket. A choppy funk carioca rhythm chugs forward under the creamy melodies of Madrileñan experimentalist Ralphie Choo; meanwhile, bright synths dapple the beat, shimmering like the rainbow surface of a soap bubble. Choo lusts after a woman, but often trails off into unfinished thoughts, and before he compares his lover’s shine to that of a Yu-Gi-Oh! card, Dinamarca decelerates the tempo into a slow and low dembow riddim. “Fubu” is somehow tactile and amorphous all at once, a surreal dream that only makes sense when you’re in it.

The compositions of Swedish-Chilean producer Dinamarca evoke the

Tech

Quordle today – hints and answers for Saturday, April 15 (game #446)

It’s time for your daily dose of Quordle hints. And you might need them – because this popular online game takes the Wordle format and quadruples the difficulty. So if you already find yourself searching for Wordle hints, you’ll probably need some for Quordle too.

I’m a Quordle and Wordle fanatic who’s been playing since December 2021, so I can definitely help you solve Quordle today and improve your game for tomorrow. Read on for my Quordle hints to game #446 and bookmark this page so you can easily return.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don’t read on if you don’t want to know the answers.

Your Quordle expert

Marc McLaren

Marc is TechRadar’s UK Editor in Chief and has been playing Wordle and Quordle for more than a year. He’s authored dozens of articles on the game for TechRadar and its sister site Tom’s Guide, including a detailed analysis of the most common letters in every position. His Wordle streak recently reached the 450 mark and he’ll be inconsolable if he loses it. Yes, he takes it all too seriously.

Quordle today (game #446) – hint #1 – Vowels

How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 3*.

* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).

Quordle today (game #446) – hint #2 – total vowels

What is the total number of vowels in Quordle today?

• The total number of vowels across today’s Quordle answers is 8.

Quordle today (game #446) – hint #3 – repeated letters

Do any of today’s Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 1.

Quordle today (game #446) – hint #4 – total letters

How many different letters are used in Quordle today?

• The total number of different letters used in Quordle today is 14.

Quordle today (game #446) – hint #5 – uncommon letters

Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

• Yes. One of Q, Z, X or J appears among today’s Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #446) – hint #6 – starting letters (1)

Do any of today’s Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?

• The number of today’s Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0.

If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you’re not ready yet then here’s one more clue to make things a lot easier:

Quordle today (game #446) – hint #7 – starting letters (2)

What letters do today’s Quordle answers start with?

• H

• B

• F

• C

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE THEM.

Quordle today (game #446) – the answers

Quordle 446 answers on a yellow background — (Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today’s Quordle, game #446, are…

Today’s Quordle answers are not too bad, although for the second day in a row there’s a Z to find. BERET caused me a few problems – partly because it had a repeated E, and also just because, well, I didn’t think of it!

The other notable thing about today’s Quordle is that it includes COVEN – a word that also appeared Wednesday’s game (#443). Interestingly (to me at least), that game also included DRUNK – a word that was among yesterday’s answers. Maybe we should expect to see the other two from that day, INCUR and THERE, in the next few games…

How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.

Quordle answers: The past 20

Quordle #445, Friday 14 April: BROWN, PLAZA, DRUNK, DODGE
Quordle #444, Thursday 13 April: DELVE, PIXEL, MINOR, CLOAK
Quordle #443, Wednesday 12 April: INCUR, DRUNK, COVEN, THERE
Quordle #442, Tuesday 11 April: CHIME, DRAIN, WHOSE, BOXER
Quordle #441, Monday 10 April: THUMB, CHESS, SYRUP, HOTEL
Quordle #440, Sunday 9 April: VERGE, CAMEL, PUTTY, GRASS
Quordle #439, Saturday 8 April: CRUEL, LIVID, SPIED, BLEND
Quordle #438, Friday 7 April: RIVET, VISOR, CEASE, AFOOT
Quordle #437, Thursday 6 April: COVEY, BREAK, AWASH, STALK
Quordle #436, Wednesday 5 April: SKULL, POLAR, SPREE, THOSE
Quordle #435, Tuesday 4 April: OUNCE, WHINE, FROCK, POSIT
Quordle #434, Monday 3 April: TURBO, WHOLE, LIGHT, SPRIG
Quordle #433, Sunday 2 April: WHOSE, SUPER, SHARK, FABLE
Quordle #432, Saturday 1 April: GODLY, MOTOR, EPOXY, HEART
Quordle #431, Friday 31 March: CHOIR, TUBAL, SCOUR, PARRY
Quordle #430, Thursday 30 March: ALIBI, REACH, ACRID, QUARK
Quordle #429, Wednesday 29 March: MOIST, BRAND, FAITH, ADMIN
Quordle #428, Tuesday 28 March: SUGAR, FIBRE, DITTY, TRIAD
Quordle #427, Monday 27 March: READY, REVUE, BELOW, HASTE
Quordle #426, Sunday 26 March: AWAIT, DROVE, MORAL, REEDY

Quordle FAQs: Everything you need to know

What is Quordle?

Where Wordle challenges you to guess a new five-letter word each day, Quordle presents you with four puzzles to solve. And rather than complete them in turn, you do so simultaneously. You get nine guesses, rather than the six for Wordle, but the rules are otherwise very similar.

It’s played online via the Quordle website (opens in new tab) and you can also get to it via the Merriam-Webster site (opens in new tab), after the dictionary purchased Quordle last year.

As with Wordle, the answers are the same for every player each day, meaning that you’re competing against the rest of the world. And also as with Wordle, the puzzle resets at midnight so you have a fresh challenge each day.

The website also includes a practice mode – which I definitely recommend using before attempting the game proper! – and there are daily stats including a streak count. You also get Quordle Achievements – specific badges for winning a game in a certain number of turns, playing lots of times, or guessing particularly hard words.

Oh, and it’s difficult. Really difficult.

What are the Quordle rules?

The rules of Quordle are almost identical to those of Wordle.

1. Letters that are in the answer and in the right place turn green.

2. Letters that are in the answer but in the wrong place turn yellow.

3. Letters that are not in the answer turn gray…

4. …BUT the word you guess appears in all quadrants of the puzzle at the same time, so an A could turn green in one square, yellow in another and gray in the final two.

5. Answers are never plural.

6. Letters can appear more than once. So if your guess includes two of one letter, they may both turn yellow, both turn green, or one could be yellow and the other green.

7. Each guess must be a valid word in Quordle’s dictionary. You can’t guess ABCDE, for instance.

8. You do not have to include correct letters in subsequent guesses and there is no equivalent of Wordle’s Hard mode.

9. You have nine guesses to find the Quordle answers.

10. You must complete the daily Quordle before midnight in your timezone.

What is a good Quordle strategy?

Quordle needs to be approached in a different way to Wordle. With four puzzles to solve in nine guesses, you can’t blindly throw letters at it and expect to win – you’ll stand a far better chance if you think strategically.

That’s the case in Wordle too, of course, but it’s even more important in Quordle.

There are two key things to remember.

1. Use several starting words

Firstly, you won’t want just a single starting word, but almost certainly two or three starting words.

The first of these should probably be one of the best Wordle starting words, because the same things that make them work well will apply here too. But after that, you should select another word or possibly two that use up lots more of the most common consonants and that include any remaining vowels.

For instance, I currently use STARE > DOILY > PUNCH. Between them, these three words use 15 of the 26 letters in the alphabet including all five vowels, Y, and nine of the most common consonants (S, T, R, D, L, P, N, C and H). There are plenty of other options – you might want to get an M, B, F or G in there instead of the H, maybe – but something like that should do the trick.

If all goes well, that will give you a good lead on what one or sometimes two of the answers might be. If not, well good luck!

2. Narrow things down

Secondly, if you’re faced with a word where the answer might easily be one of several options – for instance -ATCH, where it could be MATCH, BATCH, LATCH, CATCH, WATCH, HATCH or PATCH – you’ll definitely want to guess a word that would narrow down those options.

In Wordle, you can instead try several of those in succession and hope one is right, assuming you have enough guesses left. It’s risky, but will sometimes work. Plus, it’s the only option in Hard mode. But in Quordle, this will almost certainly result in a failure – you simply don’t have enough guesses.

In the scenario above, CLAMP would be a great guess, as it could point the way to four of the seven words in one go.

It's time for your daily dose of

Video

PBS Sets May Airdate For Doc On Fanny, Vital But Overlooked Rock Band – Deadline

EXCLUSIVE: David Bowie called them “as important as anybody else who’s ever been, ever.” But for decades the pioneering all-women rock band Fanny was mostly overlooked, despite their huge talent – a result of sexism and homophobia.

The musical group co-founded by Filipina sisters June and Jean Millington finally gets its due with the documentary Fanny: The Right to Rock. The Center for Asian American Media and PBS announced today the film will premiere on public television stations on Monday, May 22. It will also stream on PBS.org and the PBS app.

Fanny won the audience award at Hot Docs in Toronto as well as awards from Frameline in San Francisco and the Two Riversides Film and Art Festival in Poland. We have your first look at the film directed by Bobbi Jo Hart in the clip above.

“With incredible archival footage of the band’s rocking past, intercut with its revival with a new rock record deal, the film includes interviews with a large cadre of music icons,” according to a release, “including Def Leppard’s Joe Elliott, Bonnie Raitt, The Go-Go’s Kathy Valentine, Todd Rundgren, The Runaways’ Cherie Currie, Lovin’ Spoonful’s John Sebastian, The B-52s’ Kate Pierson, Charles Neville and David Bowie guitarist and bassist Earl Slick and Gail Ann Dorsey. Fighting early barriers of race, gender and sexuality in the music industry, and now ageism, the incredible women of Fanny are ready to claim their hallowed place in the halls of rock ‘n’ roll fame.”

The release continues, “Through the film Fanny: The Right to Rock… discover one of the most important rock groups you’ve never heard of… until now.”

Courtesy of Linda Wolf

Ahead of the PBS premiere, the Grammy Museum in downtown Los Angeles will host a screening of Fanny: The Right to Rock on May 16. The following night, May 17, Fanny bandmates will reunite for a 50^thanniversary concert at the famed Whisky A Go-Go nightclub on the Sunset Strip in L.A. Special guests are expected to join bandmates June Millington, Jean Millington, Brie Darling, Alice de Buhr and Patti Quatro on stage at the Whisky.

In a statement, filmmaker Bobbi Jo Hart said, “I am honored to celebrate the untold story of Fanny’s vital – yet buried – contributions to Rock & Roll with the public. Just like Sister Rosetta Tharpe inspired Elvis, Fanny shattered the glass ceiling of the genre to lay crucial groundwork for future bands of women to succeed, from The Runaways to The Go Go’s, and continue to do so today. Fanny deserves nothing less than to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2024.”

Fanny were sometimes referred to as the “female Beatles,” which is both a compliment of sorts but also a reductive label in that it emphasized their gender as the most salient aspect of their musicianship. Many rock journalists back in the day refused to take them seriously.

“How did people kind of disappear us, how did they stop talking about us?” June Millington questioned in an interview with Deadline in November. “I don’t really know the answer to that, but I know it’s related to… misogyny and sexism. That kind of cut off our blood flow in Fanny.”

Fanny broke up in the 1970s. But during their time as a unit, they played with wild abandon, ignoring the doubters who didn’t appreciate their talent.

“It was a great thing that we had each other, that we got to get past that and enjoy doing what we did without necessarily, at least for me, feeling the heaviness of what was actually happening,” Brie Darling told Deadline, “as opposed to the wonder and the beauty of playing music and enjoying ourselves performing.”

Fanny: The Right to Rock premieres in May during Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, along with a new American Masters film, Nam June Paik: Moon is the Oldest TV (premiering May 16). Throughout May, PBS will also encore other notable films that shine a light on AAPI experiences and filmmakers including Rising Against Asian Hate, Free Chol Soo Lee (Independent Lens), Hidden Letters (Independent Lens), Waterman – Duke: Ambassador of Aloha (American Masters), Amy Tan: Unintended Memoir (American Masters), The Donut King (Independent Lens), and additional titles streaming on PBS.org.

Fanny is written and directed by Bobbi Jo Hart and co-produced by Bobbi Jo Hart and Robbie Hart. Executive producers include Katherine Buck, Bobbi Jo Hart, Anne Pick, Catherine Bainbridge, Ina Fichman, Randy Lennox and Glen Salzman. Director of Photography is Claire Sanford. Editor is Catherine Legault. Music by Fanny. Original music & sound mix by Daniel Toussaint. Online post-production by Digital Cut.

Watch the clip from Fanny above.

EXCLUSIVE: David Bowie called them “as important as

Entertaintment

Presenting… Realscreen’s Global 200!

In April of 2006, Realscreen unveiled the first edition of its Global 100 list of the top production companies working in non-fiction and unscripted screen content. The list, intended to …

In April of 2006, Realscreen unveiled the

Movies

Ali Wong Gets Real About ‘Beef’ With Non-Asians And Asian Food

Ali Wong Gets Real About 'Beef' With

‘Sick of Myself’ Review: Disturbing Satirical Body Horror Film

If Lars von Trier hadn’t grown top-heavy with the mythology of his self-importance (I’d say that happened around the time of “Antichrist,” in 2009), he might have tossed off a movie like “Sick of Myself” — a social satire in the form of a queasy drama of body horror, and a movie whose disturbing bad-boy tastelessness recalls Von Trier’s “The Idiots,” with a touch of David Cronenberg. This is the second feature by Kristoffer Borgli, the Norwegian writer-director whose first film, “Drib” (2017), was a send-up of the marketing industry, and in a way the new movie is about marketing too. This one, though, takes a viscerally upsetting look at just how far an individual will go to gain attention in the new era of social-media addiction.

The movie, which premiered at Cannes last year, arrives from the same production team that backed “The Worst Person in the World,” and part of the offbeat way the film gets its hooks in you is to exude a very similar sort of neutrally observed Scandinavian bourgeois vibe. This one, too, is set in Oslo, and it’s about a youngish couple who live together: Signe (Kristine Kujath Thorp), a barista with an anxious pensive aura, and her boyfriend, Thomas (Eirik Sæther), a handsome aspiring artist with an indulgent whim toward public infamy. Early on, the two are seated at a restaurant celebrating Signe’s birthday when Thomas uses the occasion to run off with a $2,300 bottle of wine, just because he can. His art draws on a similar impulse: He builds it out of stolen furniture, creating installations that are just hideous enough to result in his having a next-big-thing moment.

But “Sick of Myself,” for all of Thomas’s self-adoring showmanship, is Signe’s story, and she’s such a wallflower of the spirit that it takes a while for the audience to register just what’s up with her. When a pedestrian, bitten by a dog in the throat, stumbles into the coffee shop where Signe works, she nurses her and maybe saves her life — a Samaritan act, though Signe winds up feasting on the attention. She’s been bitten by the bug of notoriety. At a dinner party with Thomas, she improvises a way to extend the spotlight: She fakes having a nut-allergy attack, her closed-throat coughing fit soaking up all the energy in the room.

At this point, let me say upfront that I was close to writing off the movie. That fake allergy attack is something only a deeply unhinged narcissist would do, and Borgli, as a filmmaker, has failed to establish in any way that Signe is that sort of person. If “Sick of Myself” were a “psychological drama,” one might have to say that it lacks a crucial element of convincingness. But though the movie isn’t quite a fantasy, it is very much a horror film, one that operates according to a suck-in-your-breath logic of the grotesque that it’s hard to argue with because it hits you on such a gut level. It’s really a monster movie, with Signe as the monster who, like Dr. Jekyll or the Wolfman, undergoes her own staggering transformation.

Hooked on the new ethos of exhibitionism, which allows her to compete with the navel-gazing obnoxiousness of Thomas the Oslo art-world celebrity, Signe stumbles onto a news item about an anti-anxiety medication manufactured in Russia, called Lidexol, that had a catastrophic side effect, causing rashes that look like blotchy arteries to erupt right out of your skin. Signe knows a drug dealer, the jittery Stian (Steiner Klouman Hallert), who can get anything for you on the dark web. He orders her a shipment of Lidexol, and as soon as she gets hold of the large yellow pills, she starts to pop them. They have a sedative effect (her eyelids droop in the middle of the day), but then, right on cue, the rash arrives, like a reddish flower stem growing on her arm and face. At first it could almost be a tattoo. Then the ridges get deeper and uglier. Then she starts to look like an accident victim. It’s “Night of the Living Disfigurement.”

In the old transformational horror films (and most of the new ones), the hero is essentially a victim. He or she doesn’t choose to be a vampire, or a slasher demon, or whatever. Yet Signe chooses to become the bio-medical Elephant Woman of Oslo, and the horror of that choice — which is psychological — is the dramatic motor of “Sick of Myself.” As Signe, wrapped in bandages, becomes an object of there-but-for-the-grace-of-God sympathy within her circle, then a kind of public victim, then a news story, then an even bigger news story, what we know — and what no one else does — is that she has chosen to look this way. She embraces sickness over health. She chooses a kind of deformed martyrdom over the even more unendurable horror of anonymity. She’s a tabloid monster now. But she’s also a star!

Most horror movies have teams of visual-effects artists devising the latest digital insanity, but the visual-effects team of “Sick of Myself,” led by the makeup designer Dimitra Drakopoulou, bring off something low-key and artful. They make the slow corrosive degeneration of Signe’s face into something squeamish and real. Kristine Kujath Thorp, under that makeup, gives a haunted performance; she shows us how Signe is trapped in a misery that’s also feeding her. “Sick of Myself” pushes itself further and further into a kind of deadpan depravity. As Signe gets famous, her image becomes hip, embraced by the new inclusionary impulse in fashion. She’s made part of the marketing campaign for a new genderless clothing line (shooting a commercial backed by throbbing dance music, she stares into the camera and says the line, “Regardless means it fits me. Regardless”). The satire is a touch didactic, yet if “Sick of Myself” is threadbare around the edges, the film is onto something: how Signe uses the diseased image she’s created to replace herself. Because she thinks she doesn’t have a self.

If Lars von Trier hadn’t grown top-heavy

MCU

Disney+ Releases First-Ever ASL Version of Marvel Studios Movie

For the first time ever, Disney+ added a new special ASL option for watching an MCU movie

The Marvel Cinematic Universe’s representation of the deaf community has increased dramatically in a way that wasn’t previously present in the Infinity Saga.

One of Eternals‘ featured leads, Lauren Ridloff, aka Makkari, was deaf. Additionally, Hawkeye introduced Alaqua Cox‘s deaf hero Echo, who will be going on to get her own series.

Now, in tandem with Disney, the studio is bringing a brand new viewing experience for those who are hard of hearing or deaf.

Marvel Studios Adds Special ASL Option

Marvel

Marvel officially announced a new ASL option for the deaf community to experience 2015’s Ant-Man, which went live on Disney+ on Friday, April 14.

The viewing option will see an ASL performer at the bottom right corner of the screen, translating all dialogue throughout the whole movie for those hard of hearing or deaf.

The ASL Video service was created by Deluxe in partnership with Grupo Steno. RespectAbilityt’s Delbert Whetter joined the project as a daily consult on ASL best practices while also helping to build Creative Guidelines.

Whetter boasted that the “deaf creatives on the team… exceed expectations” for this new experience:

“The Deaf creatives on the team, which include Douglas Ridloff and ASL performer, Jac Cook, exceeded expectations as they set out to communicate Ant-Man’s entertaining dialogue and sound effects in a manner”

American Sign Language coach Douglas Ridloff, who worked with Marvel Studios on Eternals and Hawkeye, was also part of this new project. In addition, he worked with the ASL performer Jac Cook, who can be seen throughout this new Ant-Man feature.

Ant-Man is the first Marvel Studios project with unique ASL options. However, Netflix also introduced the Marvel Televsion-produced Daredevil introduced its own unique Audio Descriptions for the series.

A Great ASL Option, But Why Now?

Some might wonder why this special ASL option is even needed since closed captions are an option for every MCU project and are generally the standard across the industry.

The answer? It’s simply another option for the deaf community to experience the film.

Seeing an ASL interpreter perform the story adds another layer to the experience for those unable to hear the film’s original audio. As a result, it can be far more intimate and entertaining than simply reading subtitles on the screen.

But why add this option now? It could have something to do with the upcoming Disney+ series Echo, featuring Alaqua Cox’s deaf anti-hero.

For a while, it seemed like the show would be pushed back into 2023, but recent rumors suggest that it could make it onto the streaming service before the end of the year.

If Marvel’s test for this feature goes well, it could lead to the ASL performance being a standard option for all of the MCU’s offerings.

Ant-Man is now streaming on Disney+.

DCU

Captain Marvel’s Comic History is WEIRD

In preparation for Carol Danvers return to the MCU alongside Monica Rambeau and Kamala Khan in the upcoming sequel, The Marvels, Kyle Anderson is breaking down the character’s long and weird comic book history. From magical wizards to alien androids with detachable limbs, find out everything you need to know about all 9 Captain Marvels on today’s episode of Nerdist Now! More Marvel News: https://nerdist.com/tags/marvel/Opens in new tab Watch more Nerdist News: http://bit.ly/1qvVVhVOpens in new tab Follow Us:
Facebook https://facebook.com/nerdistOpens in new tab Twitter https://twitter.com/NerdistOpens in new tab Instagram https://instagram.com/nerdist/Opens in new tab TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@nerdistOpens in new tab Image: Marvel #Nerdist #Marvel #MCU #TheMarvels #CaptainMarvel

In preparation for Carol Danvers return to

Comics

Ubisoft has launched a closed beta test for its free-to-play FPS XDefiant

Ubisoft has kicked off a closed beta test for its upcoming free-to-play FPS XDefiant.

Available on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, the cross-play test is running until April 23 and players can register for a chance to take part here.

Participants can step into the shoes of four Ubisoft franchise-inspired factions: The Cleaners (The Division), Libertad (Far Cry 6), Echelon (Splinter Cell) and Phantoms (Ghost Recon Phantoms).

Each faction includes three characters, one of which is unlocked from the start with the others unlockable through missions.

Players can compete across 14 maps using 24 weapons, 44 attachments and five explosive devices.

While progression won’t carry over to the full game, Ubisoft said players will be able to keep up to 10 exclusive cosmetic items at release, when the game will also be available for PS4 and Xbox One.

XDefiant is in development at Ubisoft San Francisco and led by executive producer Mark Rubin, who previously held the same position at Call of Duty: Modern Warfare studio Infinity Ward.

The game was initially revealed in July 2021 as Tom Clancy’s XDefiant. At the time, it only included factions from Tom Clancy franchises Splinter Cell, Ghost Recon and The Division.

But in March 2022, Ubisoft announced that it was dropping the Tom Clancy branding and introducing additional factions from its wider catalogue of IP.

Ubisoft has kicked off a closed beta

Festivals

NAB 2023 Is Here and Adobe Unveils AI Tools To Crush Post

This Sunday, NAB opens its doors. This year, the theme seems to be all about AI.

One of the biggest shows for camera gear, software tools, and accessories starts this Sunday. Produced by the National Association of Broadcasters, from which the show gets its name, NAB is the place to discover new tools for your creative endeavors.

This year is no different, as Adobe has announced some incredible AI-supported features that will make your post-production workflow a breeze. Solo creatives will feel like a multi-person team, especially documentary filmmakers.

Adobe Firefly

With the likes of Midjourney and Stable Diffusion taking the creative world by storm, Adobe has created its own system to help creatives iterate their creations with simple text input.

Adobe Firefly will allow filmmakers, artists, and content creators to use everyday language to generate new content or iterate existing work. While the system is currently in beta, the possibilities are much more refined than what you can get from other AI generation suites.

Move over Stable DiffusionCredit: Adobe

Filmmakers can take videos they’ve already created and use text to change the mood, atmosphere, or even the weather. Adobe Firefly will make those changes by just describing the adjustments you want, speeding up your workflow.

For another example, Photoshop artists can use a bounding box and text to take existing images and generate a whole new addition to their work. Creatives will also be able to generate custom vectors, brushes, and textures from just a few words or even a sketch. However, this feature isn’t currently implemented at this stage.

In the future, Adobe plans to enable Firefly to work with 3D. Imagine turning simple 3D compositions into photorealistic images and quickly creating new styles and variations of 3D objects.

Adobe Firefly Brushes — Build vector images or brushes from a simple sketchCredit: Adobe

Edit With Dialogue in Premiere Pro

If you’ve ever edited documentaries, you’ll know that finding the right section in an interview can be a challenge, especially if you’re working with hours and hours of footage.

With Text-Based Editing in Premiere Pro, editors can now utilize an AI-based workflow powered by Adobe Sensei. The NLE will automatically transcribe footage, giving editors and complete breakdown of what is said in every clip. Then, by using the same keyboard shortcuts, you can use this transcript to edit your scene. Premiere Pro will connect the transcript text to its corresponding video, allowing editors to create a rough cut in record time.

On top of that, Premiere Pro users will also get improved multi-user collaboration, auto-tone mapping, and expanded format support for the ARRI Alexa 35, Red V-Raptor XL, and Sony VENICE 2.

Premiere Pro Text-Based Editing — Edit using only your transcriptCredit: Adobe

Adobe After Effects

But Premiere Pro isn’t the only thing getting an update. Adobe After Effects is also getting updates to its Priorities Panel. Essential settings can now be found all in one place, which means less time jumping from panel to panel and more time creating your work.

ACES and OpenColorIO have also been added, allowing consistent color across your entire pipeline.

In addition to the improved quality of life and performance updates, creatives now have selectable track mattes, making it easier to reuse mattes on different layers, timeline performance improvements with accelerated scrubbing and fluid selections, and multi-frame rendering of shapes.

The Growth of Frame.io

Finally, Frame.io is also getting some much-needed love. Not only are there security updates that will encrypt your content, but Frame.io is also expanding to the world of photography. While uploading photos to your Frame.io account has already been possible with the Fujifilm X-H2s and X-H2, Adobe is expanding the platform with RAW image support and support for .psd, .ai, and .indd file types.

Creatives can also use the optimized annotations to tag and organize their images, while the image compare module can help you filter the best content you’ve shot. While it began life as a humble cloud interface, Frame.io is growing under Adobe into a suite that can handle more than just storage.

Frame.io UI lAnnotations — Annotate images within Frame.ioCredit: Adobe

NAB 2023

NAB starts this Sunday, April 16th, 2023. Whether you’ll be on the show floor or reading about it here on No Film School, this year is shaping up to be a massive preview of some amazing technologies.

We think AI will be the darling. Stay tuned for all your NAB updates and find out if we were right!

But what do you think? What do you want to see at NAB? Let us know in the comments.

This Sunday, NAB opens its doors.

Film

The Radio Silent Reboot of a Cult Favorite Fantasy Flop Is Still Happening

via Universal

Having already tried and failed in spectacular fashion to launch a shared universe focused on its roster of classic monsters, Universal went back to the drawing board to instead offer filmmakers the opportunity to tackle standalone properties, with Julius Avery stepping up to direct a Van Helsing reboot with James Wan set to produce.

That wasn’t even the first time, either, with Tom Cruise initially circling the lead role back in 2012, before another version spearheaded by Jon Spaihts and Eric Heisserer emerged three years later, only to fall apart at the seams when the Mission: Impossible icon ironically decided The Mummy was a better use of his time.

Avery was announced to be breathing new life into Dracula’s arch-nemesis in December of 2020, but we’ve heard barely a peep out of the project since. However, in an interview with Fangoria promoting his latest feature The Pope’s Exorcist, the filmmaker confirmed that Van Helsing is still on the cards.

“You mentioned James Wan before, and I’m a huge fan of his. I’ve been wanting to work with him for a while. He’s a fellow Aussie, and yeah, we’re teamed up on a Van Helsing movie together, which I’m currently writing and intend to direct myself with James producing. But yeah, that’s still in motion. I can’t tell you much more than that, but I’m very, very excited about it!”

It’s been almost 20 years since Hugh Jackman teamed up with The Mummy‘s Stephen Sommers for the $170 million monster mash that fell well short of expectations both with critics and at the box office, but it’s gone on to carve out a reputation as a cheesy camp classic that throws everything and the kitchen sink into the mix with reckless abandon.

Van Helsing V1.0 is far from top-tier cinema, but the muted reception to Avery’s Samaritan and The Pope’s Exorcist leaves us skeptical that it’ll even be able to match a predecessor that wasn’t all that great to begin with.

via Universal Having already tried and

‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Season 15 Finale Crowns Its Next Superstar – The Hollywood Reporter

[The following story includes spoilers for the season 15 finale of RuPaul’s Drag Race.]

RuPaul’s Drag Race has named its newest superstar.

Sasha Colby took home the crown during the season 15 finale of RuPaul’s Drag Race on Friday night. She competed against Anetra, Luxx Noir London and Mistress Isabelle Brooks, all of whom brought show-stopping performances to the stage.

Ultimately, RuPaul chose Anetra and Sasha Colby as the final two queens, and they battled it out for the season 15 title with their lip sync performance of “Knock On Wood” by Amii Stewart.

Sasha Colby was awarded $200,000, which is more than any other queen has received in the main franchise’s run. Season 14’s Miss Congeniality, Kornbread The Snack Jeté passed down her title to this year’s winner and a special prize of $10,000 to Malaysia Babydoll Foxx.

“Sasha Colby is the kind of talent that comes around once in a generation,” Rupaul said in a statement. “She embodies all the qualities of America’s Next Drag Superstar and so much more. Anetra, Luxx Noir London and Mistress Isabelle Brooks each put up an incredible fight for the crown, but in the end, Sasha proved to be unbeatable. Long may she reign!”

The season 15 finale featured celebrity guest judge Orville Peck’s rendition of “Built on Drag” from Wigloose: The Rusical, a surprise performance from two-time Drag Race winner Jinkx Monsoon and a video tribute for legendary fashion designer Bob Mackie. The episode also included first looks at the new seasons of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars and Queen of the Universe, which premiere on Paramount+ May 12 and June 2, respectively.

[The following story includes spoilers for the

Best Gateway Horror Movies for Newbies, Ranked

Recommending horror movies is a responsibility that some people take very, very seriously. Everyone’s got their own taste, and not everyone will like the same. There’s an inherent risk you assume when saying, “I’ll handle it,” and you start justifying why complete strangers should watch your favorite horror movie.

When it comes to recommending horror films for people who aren’t very familiar with the genre, the risk is higher, and it’s definitely challenging as it could be a more dangerous mission. Usually, these viewers tend to be scared easily, and they can even be young kids. So, how can you come up with a horror film that won’t represent a further nightmare for them?

The answer is: you can’t. But what you can do is try to make this journey friendlier and less stressful. Again, success is relative so don’t be disappointed. We’ll actually help you. These are 15 of the best gateway horror movies for audiences taking their first steps in the genre.

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15 Poltergeist (1982)

MGM

We’ll kick off with a safe bet. Poltergeist by Tobe Hooper is the reason why the rating system was modified and worlds were somehow merged to allow for riskier films to be seen by younger audiences. Even years after its release, it’s still a solid horror adventure that’s friendlier than you might think. The supernatural elements are heavy enough to scare when necessary, but it’s also a film that restraints itself from being graphic and disturbing. It’s a ghost story that takes its liberties to explore a family-friendly environment where strange things take place.

Key scene(s): The real ending of the film and/or the “washing your hands” sequence.

14 Return to Oz

Fairuza Balk in Return to Oz — Buena Vista Distribution

This one’s pure nightmare fuel, but technically it’s a children’s movie. Return to Oz is a non-official sequel to The Wizard of Oz, and it’s a horror fantasy film, no matter what anyone says. Made in 1985, it featured Dorothy going back to Oz to restore order alongside some other friends. The good balance between the different shades of fantasy makes it a great introductory film for younger audiences trying to venture into horror. If you use it for gateway purposes, look at their faces when the different “heads” are displayed.

Key scene: Wheelers show up and terrorize you for life.

13 Fright Night

Fright Night isn’t a film for kids or families. It’s straight-up horror. However, it’s framed under a set of rules that make its universe safer than we think. In any case, you should take warning that there is nudity and sensual dances. As years passed, it became sillier, but not enough to be cheesy. Save this movie for last in a night of gateway horror.

Key scene: Whenever Evil Ed shows up and laughs. It’s great comic relief that maintains the spirit until the very end.

12 Gremlins

Gremlins by Joe Dante is the Christmas film everyone should add to their list of films to watch during the holidays. Regardless of how obnoxious those little creatures are, it’s a fun film that plays it safe for most of its running time. When the demons smoke, gamble, and drink, that’s when the film could be dangerous for more modern audiences that aren’t used to this.

Those of us who grew up in the ’80s were used to Bugs Bunny doing all kinds of stuff that would be offensive today, to say the least, and we turned out alright. Gremlins take it one step beyond with their recklessness and violent attitude. Regardless, it’s still family-friendly and a great way to introduce children to the darker side of fantasy films.

Key scene: When Gizmo becomes a Gremlin factory.

11 The Gate

The Gate 1987 — New Century Entertainment

The Gate isn’t as kid-friendly as you would think. In fact, it gets pretty heavy at some point with its references to satanic elements in heavy metal and the possible unexpected effects such music could have when trying to discover messages through backmasking. Regardless, it’s cheesy enough to seem harmless, and the lead character is just a curious small boy who discovers a portal in his backyard. This horror adventure comes from Canada, and it’s a solid pick for a night of gateway horror. Just pick a lighter film for the beginning and leave this one for last.

Key scene: All scenes featuring the small demons are great. But, Terry listening to heavy music is a classic we will always root for.

10 Critters

Stephen Herek’s Critters is Gremlins on steroids. There’s no other way to put it. Furry, flesh-eating, balls of absolute power arrive from space and terrorize a family with punchlines and constant hunger. Fortunately, someone also comes from space to defend us. The secret to Critters is its humor, reminiscent of a good midnight movie that doesn’t take itself too seriously and even provides subtitles for the crites when they talk to each other.

Key scene: The barn house scene when the creatures show up is hilarious as well as scary.

9 Monster House

The 2006 animated film by Gil Kenan, Monster House, is a great introduction to horror designed especially for small children. The concept of fear is properly explained through the story of a group of kids dealing with a haunted house. The scary visuals are never excessive, and the creature design is classic and elegant, making this a good film for adults as well.

Key scene: The old man chasing the girl in the tricycle is very, very effective.

8 The Monster Squad

The Monster Squad perfectly mixed two worlds in what turned out to be an unexpected cult classic that surpassed the limits of genres. People adore the film for several reasons, but one has to be its balance of horror and adventure in a setting that’s safe for children. It doesn’t drop the ball with its set of rules and stays fresh until the end.

Key scene: The third act when the squad’s fighting the monsters on a version of Main Street is a thing of beauty.

7 The Lost Boys

One more on the list that’s admittedly a horror movie. Call it the presence of Coreys, of Schumacher’s fresh direction, or the fact that it’s just a very cool movie, but The Lost Boys is a must for this list. Nothing horrific actually happens in the film, but the vampire sequences are scary enough to make kids cover their eyes. Fortunately, the relief moments are constant.

Key scene: All sequences with the Frog brothers are essential. Teenage vampire hunters? We’re so in.

6 Goosebumps

Goosebumps 2015 — Sony Pictures Releasing

Goosebumps by Rob Letterman is a film we can’t help but love. Even with its flaws, we wouldn’t change a single thing about it. Its cast, creature design, and pace are reminiscent of the Amblin era, a period of cinema that we miss every day. It tells the story of a town haunted by just about every monster present in the Goosebumps books. It’s still family-friendly, and it’s due to a very slight touch of humor that’s possible only because its cast allows it.

Key scene: Every time Slappy the Dummy shows up. The voice, the practical doll, the evil nature.

5 Tremors

If you’re a child of the ’80s, chances are your parents rented Tremors just because the cover looked great. Ron Underwood’s horror film is actually a monster movie with a funny script, compelling characters, and a great second act. It’s never scary, and it’s actually fun throughout its running time. Its comedy balance is a good source of relief when giant squid monsters aren’t eating people.

Key scene: The pole vault scene is very well-shot, and it gives you a better sense of the power of Graboids.

4 Beetlejuice

Anyone who says Beetlejuice isn’t a horror film clearly hasn’t seen that room for “lost souls.” It gives us goosebumps when thinking about that one. The Tim Burton film is a great contender in horror comedy discussions as it has the necessary balance to stay funny most of the time. But the whole backdrop of dead souls trying to terrorize the living is just creepy. Just think of the title character: a continuously rotting creep who eats snots for snacks and thinks The Exorcist is funny.

Key scene(s): Sandworms and snakes. Yikes!

3 The Witches (1990)

This one we can’t believe was actually promoted as a film for kids. The Witches is Nicolas Roeg’s adaptation of Roald Dahl’s work and a damn good horror film for kids. It tells the story of a boy who, along with his grandmother, must fight against a coven of witches. What’s particularly good about the adaptation is that Roeg follows no studio rules and wreaks havoc with unsettling imagery, great makeup effects, and an impressive performance by Anjelica Huston.

Related: 8 Horror Movies For Beginners

Key scene: When witches show themselves as they truly are, removing wigs and anything that makes them resemble normal women.

2 Coraline

A Henry Selick film, inspired by Neil Gaiman’s work, and a debut for animation studio Laika. Wow. It seems uncanny that many people still haven’t seen Coraline, the stop-motion animated film about a girl who discovers a secret door to a horrific universe in her new home. A solid entry for the list, given the fact that it’s an animated feature. But be careful. This isn’t the “safest” film ever. It’s just a good way to introduce kids to something twisted in a familiar setting.

Key scene: Anything portraying “other mother.” Imagine a doppelganger to your mother that has buttons instead of eyes and behaves erratically, and has the ability to turn into a horrendous spider.

1 Ghostbusters

Not many people think Ghostbusters is part horror. It’s simply too funny. But we think otherwise, given the multiple horror elements that are found throughout the film (and increased in its sequel). From ghosts to ghouls, from demons to giant monsters, this one packs a bunch. But it’s got enough humor to make things easier for newcomers trying to get an early horror fix.

Key scene: The one in the library with a ghost that’s unaware it’s being watched. However, when the ghostly presence realizes there’s ghostbustin’ in process, prepare.

Recommending horror movies is a responsibility

Awards

Drag Race Judges, Contestants Blast Anti-Drag Legislation

In early March, Tennessee became the first state to ban drag shows in public places.

The state’s Republican governor, Bill Lee, signed a bill that banned “adult cabaret entertainment” on public property or in locations where it can be viewed by minors, including “topless dancers, go-go dancers, exotic dancers, strippers, male or female impersonators, or similar entertainers.”

Critics of the law, which went into effect April 1, say that categorizing drag as “adult entertainment” automatically deems them sexualized performances. They also argue the language surrounding “male and female impersonators” is inherently anti-trans.

At least a dozen other states are considering similar anti-drag legislation. It was a topic of discussion at the recent taping of the “RuPaul’s Drag Race” finale.

For Season 15 contestant Aura Mayari, the anti-drag law hits close to home. “I am from Tennessee,” Mayari told TheWrap. “I always say, just keep your head up. There’s a whole community behind you. We’re not gonna be p-ssies and step back and not fight back. Again, I’m here. And I’m always going to continue to use my platform to voice my opinion and fight for our rights.”

“Drag Race” songwriter Leland echoed Mayari’s words. “I live between LA and Nashville. Going to Play Dance Bar in Nashville, very much a gay bar, helped shape me. It also helped expose me to what my dreams could be and what my life and career could be. So I’m very close with a lot of the local queens in Nashville. I’m so inspired by them. They are not backing down. They are sticking true to who they are.”

Check out more responses from “Drag Race” judges, contestants and allies backstage:

What message would you give your fellow artists and entertainers who are performing in states where they’re facing persecution?

Michelle Visage, judge: We’re not gonna let anybody takes us down. We are out here. Your elders are out here fighting, walking the walk, talking to talk and we are doing this so you can be you. People would not tell sculptors or painters to stop their art, so how dare they make a drag queen stop their art? And by the way, it’s their source of income. It’s how they pay their bills. How dare you think you can take it away? When really what we’re doing is wagging the dog. And we’re trying to take the attention away from what really matters in this country like racism and anti-Semitism and hunger and poverty. The list goes on: eldercare, medical care, college tuition, the list can go on what we should be focusing on.

Ross Matthews, judge: If you’re facing opposition out there, there is so much more love and support for you than there is opposition. And if you look out your window and you don’t feel like there are open arms for you, there are. We’re here, and we’ve got your back.

If they see these artists out there performing and seeing what they do, they’d be like, “This is amazing. This is joyful and lovely and wonderful!”

Carson Kressley, “RuPaul’s Drag Race” Judge

Carson Kressley, judge: People that are buying into this manufactured fear of drag, I think if they see these artists out there performing and seeing what they do, they’d be like, “This is amazing. This is joyful and lovely and wonderful!” Why? Why are people trying to scare us? I think that truth is on our side, and it’s going to take a matter of time to reeducate.

TS Madison, judge: You have to stand up and march. Fight for your people. You have to use the influence that you have in your community to get your community out to vote.

Irene DuBois, contestant: No matter how alone you feel in this moment, no matter how hard the walls are closing in around you, everybody that you see living successfully has felt that way at one time. And it’s when you start giving yourself permission to live authentically — who you know yourself to be on the inside — the doors begin plying open.

Princess Poppy, contestant: I think it’s targeting trans people and gender non-conforming people, unfortunately. Laws are meant to be broken. If it’s unjust and unfair, break the hell out of it.

Amethyst, contestant: You know that drag is not a crime. You know how powerful drag can be. So don’t let the naysayers bring you down.

Salina EsTitties, contestant: Don’t be afraid! They want us to be scared and crawl back into our closets. That’s not gonna happen. Our closets are closed. Baby, we are out of them and we’re not going back in!

Jax, contestant: Keep doing what you’re doing, and don’t let other people make you feel invalidated. You’re entirely valid in what you’re doing; right now it’s even more important. And don’t let them try to shut you down. It’s ridiculous what is happening right now. Don’t let your lawmakers distract you.

Anheuser-Busch CEO on Dylan Mulvaney Bud Light Campaign: ‘Never Intended to Be Part of a Discussion That Divides’

Malaysia Babydoll Foxx, contestant: Keep pushing, keep fighting. You know, we’ve come a long way. And obviously, they see the impact that we have, and they trying to end us. But at the end of the day, just keep showing them that what we do is all about love.

Sugar, contestant: This fight is not over. We got to keep on giving the gay, giving the glam, and giving the glitz. If they don’t like it, they can go suck grandma’s toe.

Spice, contestant: Drag is fun. It’s no different than any other art. It’s fantasy.

Marcia Marcia Marcia, contestant: Art is born out of truth. And a lot of time politics are born out of lies. So just keep living your truth, expressing your truth and showing the truth of queerness and the truth of being a queer person in our country. Because a lot of people are gonna try and knock it down.

Robin Fierce, contestant: Keep the strength, keep the faith in whatever it is that you believe. And really just make sure that you are still speaking out and also being safe because we don’t want anything in those states to happen to you.

Trans people, queer people, drag queens are not killing people and we all know what is.

Loosey Laduca, “RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 15 Contestant

Loosey LaDuca, contestant: Drag has always been a political act. But now because there are laws that are targeted towards us, continuing to perform is more of a political act. And we all are aware that these laws are just a veiled way to target the trans community. We are all aware of that. Which is disgusting. I know that these laws are anti-trans. The trans community is being used as a scapegoat for the actual issues that are happening in this country. Trans people, queer people, drag queens are not killing people and we all know what is.

Luxx Noir London, semi-finalist: Keep doing it because they don’t want to see us. They want to see us back down. They want to see us put in a corner and we will be doing a disservice to all the people who fought for our rights today to just go back into hiding and not live outwardly proud.

Mistress Isabelle Brooks, semi-finalist: For anyone out there who was fighting the fight, visibility’s the most important thing. Whether you’re a queer person or an ally, being visible, being yourself and not letting people continue to put us down is one of the most important things because when you live your life in fear, the brother and sister next to us are going to live their life in fear.

Sasha Colby, semi-finalist: We are all protesting every time we get in drag. We are all happily protesting and that’s all we have to still do. Because we’re not going anywhere.

Anetra, semifinalist: I think it’s important to be knowledgeable of your surroundings and where you are. Still continue to do your art, still continue to evolve and grow in your craft but also just be aware. It is kind of dangerous right now. We want to continue to spread love continue to spread your art but also be smart.

RuPaul Calls Bills to Restrict Drag Shows, Trans Rights a ‘Classic Distraction Technique': ‘Hey, Look Over There!’

Jinkx Monsoon, Season 5 and All-Stars 7 winner: We have your back. And have an escape planned. I hate to sound nihilistic, but we’re already working on ours just in case.

Orville Peck, musical artist: Find a community, whether that’s friends or the greater community of LGBTQIA or whatever it might be, find a community that you can feel you’re not alone doing this. And when that fails, because oftentimes you have to sometimes pray with these moments on your own, just know that you are not alone.

To that end, “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” MTV, and World of Wonder have donated to the ACLU’s “The Drag Defense Fund” in support of the ACLU’s LGBTQ+ rights work. You can learn more about the Fund here.

In early March, Tennessee became the first

Music

Kali Uchis and Aminé Join Kaytranada at Coachella 2023

Kali Uchis and Aminé joined Kaytranada during his set at the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival. Kali Uchis performed “10%” from Kaytranada’s 2019 LP Bubba, and Aminé performed “4eva,” the first single from their collaborating project Kaytraminé. Check out Kali Uchis and Kaytraminé’s appearances on Twitter.

Aminé and Kaytranada are set to release their first LP as Kaytraminé May 12. The studio version of “4eva” features vocals and co-production from Pharrell Williams. Kali Uchis released her latest LP Red Moon in Venus in March.

Kaytranada has not released a studio LP since Bubba, but has kept busy since then with a string of collaborations: the Intimidated EP (with H.E.R., Thundercat, and Mach-Hommy), “Twin Flame” with Anderson .Paak, and a Weeknd remix are among them. He also picked up the Dance/Electronic Album Grammy for Bubba.

Follow along with all of Pitchfork’s coverage of Coachella 2023.

Kali Uchis and Aminé joined Kaytranada during

Docs

Tattooing as Political Act Explored in ‘Treasure of the Rice Terraces’

The global impact of traditional tattooing and the need to end its stigma is explored in upcoming feature-documentary “Treasure of the Rice Terraces,” directed by Filipino-Canadian Kent Donguines.

The film sees Donguines embark on a journey of self-discovery and record the oral history recounted by 106-year-old Indigenous tattoo artist Apo Whang-Od, who was recently an unlikely cover star of Vogue Philippines.

The film explores how the old practises in the Kalinga region, once banned and despised in Philippine society, have now evolved into a chic and in-demand type of body art that has become a source of pride and belonging for many Filipinos. It also delves into the issues of stolen mummified bodies, cultural appropriation, stigmatization, and discrimination faced by tattooed individuals.

Now shooting in Manila and the mountainous Kalinga region, the film is directed by Donguines (“Paco,” “Kalinga”) and written by Donguines and Zlatina Pacheva (“Run the Burbs,” “Kim’s Convenience”).

“Treasure” is produced by Jacob Crawford and Bailey Wood, co-produced by Patti Lapus (“Triangle of Sadness”), Bianca Balbuena (“Singing in Graveyards”) and Grace Palicas. It is executive produced by Lars Krutak, (“Tattoo Hunter,” “Ta Stekia: Istories Agoraiou Politismou”). Cinematography is by John Fleming (“Kalinga,” “Brown Enough”) with Oswaldo Lopez Dantes (“Crescendo,” “Wallpaper,” “Petty Crimes”) as editor.

Credited production companies are Aimer Films and Crawford Filmworks. In its early stages, Treasure of the Rice Terraces was developed through HotDocs Doc Accelerator program and received development support from Rogers Group of Funds, Creative BC and Canada’s Indigenous Screen Office. Later, Knowledge Network and Canada Media Fund came on board.

A teaser trailer can be seen on YouTube: https://youtu.be/nXPvXir32VE

“As a first-generation Filipino-Canadian, I understand the importance of identity and belonging, and the desire to reconnect with one’s roots. Growing up, tattoos were discouraged in my family, but as I became independent, I found a love for the art form and discovered deeper personal meaning behind each tattoo. I now feel secure in my identity as a Filipino because I get to carry my culture with me wherever I go,” said Donguines.

“I’ve always been fascinated by tattoos. The concept seems so simple, yet they are some of the most complex forms of artistry, with meaning and culture that goes back centuries,” said Crawford.

“The current Philippine administration is poised to let China take over the country. Never has the time been riper to interrogate our national identity,” said Lapus. “At this juncture in our history, [the rediscovery of cultural identity and national pride] has become more than a mere personal exploration, but an overt and proactive political act.”

Treasure of the Rice Terraces (Aimer Films)

The global impact of traditional tattooing and

Global

Full schedule released for Winnipeg Jets first-round playoff series against Vegas Golden Knights – Winnipeg

We now know all of the dates and some of the times for the Winnipeg Jets’ first-round playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights.

Jets fans will be in for a few late nights with the first two games in Las Vegas set for Tuesday, April 18 at 8:30 p.m. and Thursday, April 20 at 9 p.m.

The series then shifts back to Winnipeg for a Saturday afternoon affair on April 22, set for 3 p.m.

Game 4 returns to the late shift, scheduled for 8:30 p.m. on Monday, April 24.

If necessary, Game 5 would be held back in Las Vegas on Thursday, April 27, followed by another Saturday game in Winnipeg on April 29.

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A seventh and deciding game would be held on Monday, May 1 in Las Vegas.

Tickets go on sale for the Jets’ home games on Saturday.

&copy 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

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Trending

‘Love Is Blind’ Couples Who Got Engaged: Where Are They Now?

SPOILER ALERT: This post contains spoilers from the first three seasons of “Love Is Blind,” streaming now on Netflix.

“Love Is Blind” has asked a question for three seasons now: Is love really blind? The experiment, during which singles date and get engaged before ever meeting, has been successful for some. Others, not so much.

The Season 3 finale and reunion of the Netflix reality show dropped on Wednesday, revealing pairs said “I do,” who broke up — and who got back together after the cameras stopped rolling.

The first two seasons of the Kinetic Content-produced series featured engagements that didn’t make it to air; during Season 1, Danielle Drouin got engaged to Rory Newrough and Lexie Skipper was set to marry Westley Baer; In Season 2, Catilin McKee and Joey Miller and Jason Beaumont and Kara Williams got engaged. All four couples split before tying the knot.

Logistically, it’s impossible to follow every couple — so it’s a bit of “guesswork” that goes into who producers chose to film, creator Chris Coelen told Variety after Season 2.

“In Season 1, we were following Kenny Barnes and Kelly Chase, and we were like, it’s gonna be so boring. They’re gonna say yes, and, of course, they’re getting married. And they didn’t,” he shared. “We had no idea and continue to have no idea what’s going to happen in the stories that we choose.”

During Season 3, only five couples got engaged so all of their journeys were shown. While this time around, all of the pairs made to the altar, they didn’t all make it much further. Season 4 was pretty similar — and included multiple splits before the altar.

Below, Variety breaks down where each couple who got engaged in the pods stand after their season.

Lauren Speed and Cameron Hamilton

Image Credit: Netflix

The season 1 couple married in November 2018 and are still together.
Amber Pike and Matthew Barnett

Image Credit: Netflix

After meeting on Season 1, the pair got married in November 2018.
Giannina Gibelli and Damian Powers

Image Credit: Netflix

After getting engaged on Season 1, Damian said no at the altar. While they were back together at the reunion, they split in early 2021.
Jessica Batten and Mark Cuevas

Image Credit: Netflix

During Season 1, Jessica left Mark at the altar and he did not attend the “After the Altar” special. Each have since married other people.
Kelly Chase and Kenny Barnes

Image Credit: Netflix

After getting engaged during Season 1, Kelly said no at the altar. At the reunion, Kenny had moved on to a new relationship.
Diamond Jack and Carlton Morton

Image Credit: Netflix

While they got engaged in the pods on Season 1, the pair broke up during the first couples’ trip to Mexico after he revealed his bisexuality.
Iyanna McNeely and Jarrette Jones

Image Credit: ADRIAN S. BURROWS SR./NETFLIX

Although the pair married during Season 2 and were still together on the reunion, they announced their split in August 2022.
Danielle Ruhl and Nick Thompson

The Season 2 couple married in June 2021 but she filed for divorce in August 2022.
Natalie Lee and Shayne Jansen

In Season 2, Natalie said no at the altar. While they tried dating again after filming wrapped, they broke up before the reunion.
Deepti Vempati and Abhishek ‘Shake’ Chatterjee

After a tumultuous Season 2 journey, Deepti said no on their wedding day. After the show, Deepti briefly dated Kyle.
Mallory Zapata and Salvador Perez

Image Credit: ADRIAN S. BURROWS SR./NETFLIX

During the Season 2 wedding, Sal said no. While they went on a date after the show wrapped, Sal moved on before the “After the Altar” special.
Shaina Hurley and Kyle Abrams

Image Credit: PATRICK WYMORE/NETFLIX

Although they got engaged in the pods in Season 2, Shaina called off their relationship after Kyle met her family. After filming, he briefly dated Deepti. Shaina has since gotten married.
Alexa Alfia and Brennon Lemieux

Image Credit: PATRICK WYMORE/NETFLIX

The Season 3 couple married in June 2021 and were still together at the reunion, which took place more than a year later. From the start, the duo experienced the least amount of drama.
Zanab Jaffrey and Cole Barnett

Image Credit: COURTESY OF NETFLIX

During Season 3, Zanab and Cole butted heads multiple times, including when he told her that she was a “nine” while Colleen was a 10. They appeared to be in a good place heading to the wedding but she said no at the altar, telling him that he had crushed her self esteem. At the reunion, she also claimed that he tried to control what she ate.
Raven Ross and Sikiru Alagbada

Image Credit: COURTESY OF NETFLIX

At their Season 3 wedding, SK said no at the altar. However, when the reunion was filmed more than a year later, the two had rekindled their relationship. While they were in a long distance relationship, they announced their split in November 2022, nearly a month after the reunion.
Nancy Rodriguez and Bartise Bowden

Image Credit: PATRICK WYMORE/NETFLIX

Throughout Season 3, Bartise and Nancy went through many trials and tribulations. They had opposing views about abortion and a rocky meeting with his family. He also told her multiple times how attracted he was to Raven. She was blindsided at the wedding when he said no at the altar.
Colleen Reed and Matt Bolton

Image Credit: COURTESY OF NETFLIX

Despite many ups and downs, including him walking out on her multiple times, the pair got married during Season 3. During the reunion, they shared that they’re still together — but not yet living together.
Kwame Appiah and Chelsea Griffin

Image Credit: COURTESY OF NETFLIX

During Season 4, the pair had some ups and downs while they weren’t completely on the same page about what city to live in. However, they still said “I do” on the finale.
Brett Brown and Tiffany Pennywell

Image Credit: COURTESY OF NETFLIX

Tiffany and Brett were the fan favorite couple of Season 4, and it was no surprise they said yes at the altar.
Jackie Bonds and Marshall Glaze

Image Credit: COURTESY OF NETFLIX

After their Season 4 engagement in the pods, Jackie and Marshall struggled in the real world. Ultimately, they decided to split before the wedding and she rekindled her pod relationship with Josh Demas.
Micah Lussier and Paul Peden

Image Credit: COURTESY OF NETFLIX

Despite her connection with Kwame, Micah and Paul got engaged in the pods. They had a rough journey throughout Season 4 and once they got to the altar, Micah asked Paul to reveal his choice before her. He said no.
Zack Goytowski and Bliss Poureetezadi

Image Credit: COURTESY OF NETFLIX

Maybe the most shocking twist of the season, Zack broke up with Irina Solomonova after they got engaged in the pods and revealed he actually wanted to rekindle his romance with Bliss. With that, he was able to date Bliss after they met and they got engaged. They both said yes at the altar.

SPOILER ALERT: This post contains spoilers from the first three seasons

Tech

‘Blindspotting’ Star Jasmine Cephas Jones Teases Ashley’s Journey in Season 2: ‘She’s in A Lot of Pain’

The Starz comedy series, based on the movie from Rafael Casal and Daveed Diggs, returns for a new eight-episode installment starting Friday, April 14

The Starz comedy series, based on the

Video

Drag Race Season 15 Winner Announced

Herstory was made Friday night when the “RuPaul’s Drag Race” Season 15 winner was announced. The winning queen received a cash prize of $200,000 — a franchise record.

The top 4 heading into the finale were: Anetra, Luxx Noir London, Mistress Isabelle Brooks and Sasha Colby. This is the first time since Season 8 that the semifinalists are all queens of color: Anetra is Filipino, Puerto Rican, Japanese and German; Luxx is Black, Mistress is Mexican American, and Sasha Colby is Hawaiian.

The Season 15 finale was taped earlier this month at the Theatre at the Ace Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles. All four queens performed a lipsync number to an original piece, with the top two advancing to a final showdown for the crown. Multiple outcomes were filmed, so even attendees had to wait until the show aired on MTV to find out who won.

Warning, spoilers ahead. Do not continue if you do not want to find out the winner of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” Season 15.

After each semifinalist performed their lip sync, Luxx and Mistress were eliminated.

Anetra and Sasha Colby moved on to the final round. It marked the first time two Asian queens made the top 2 since Season 3, when Raja and Manila Luzon vied for the title.

The duo lip-synced to Amii Stewart’s “Knock on Wood.”

In the end, Sasha Colby, the polished pageant queen from Los Angeles, took home the top prize and the title of America’s Next Drag Superstar. She is the first regular season winner to enter the competition as trans (Season 14 winner Willow Pill transitioned after filming, while trans competitor Kylie Sonique Love won “All Stars” 6).

RuPaul’s Drag Race: All the Transgender Queens (Photos)

Malaysia Babydoll Foxx won Miss Congeniality.

See Sasha Colby take her winner’s walk below:

Sasha Colby, winner of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” Season 15 (MTV)

Herstory was made Friday night when the

Entertaintment

Tommy Lee Reposts Transphobic OAN Clip, Getting Slammed Online

Tommy Lee is stirring up controversy on his social media page … because he reposted a transphobic clip from far-right news network OAN.

The Mötley Crüe drummer posted the One America News Network clip on his official Instagram account Friday afternoon … and it’s being met with mixed reactions from celebs and Average Joes.

In the clip, OAN anchor Liz Wheeler is going on a rant about transgender, transracial and transabled people … trying to get a rise out of folks with a segment light on facts and heavy on drama … ticking off all the things she fantasizes could happen down the road.

Tommy added the caption, “Where does it end people?!?!”

The post quickly caught the attention of Questlove, who replied … “Oan tho? #unfollow.”

Tommy’s friend, Criss Angel, rushed to his defense … commenting, “100%.”

The rest of the replies and comments are mostly from people condemning Tommy, but he does have some supporters out there.

OAN is known to stoke controversy … and the network has been dropped by most major cable carriers in the United States.

But, it seems Tommy’s still tuning in.

Movies

Sanjay Dutt ‘Overwhelmed’ as Yash’s KGF 2 Completes 1 Year, Says ‘Had My Share of Personal Challenges’

Sanjay Dutt marks one year of KGF 2 with a heartfelt note.

Sanjay Dutt clocked one year of blockbuster pan-India film KGF 2 with an endearing note.

Sanjay Dutt is an actor sui generis whose career spans over four decades. Starting his career as a child actor in Reshma aur Shera, the Bollywood Star established an image disparate from his contemporaries. Dutt has truly fought against every odds to reach the highest of pedestals in the Indian Film Industry. The actor who played a menacing villain in Yash starrer KGF 2 marked one year of the film’s release with a heartfelt note.

On Thursday, Sanjay Dutt took to his Instagram handle to share a montage clip of his character in the blockbuster pan-India film. He also penned a note on which he shared how overwhelmed he feels with the film’s success. His caption read, “Working on #KGFChapter2 has been an incredible experience for me. As some of you may know, I have had my share of personal challenges, and at times it seemed like the road ahead was too difficult to navigate. However, being on the set of KGF Chapter 2 and seeing the passion and dedication of everyone involved in the project inspired me to overcome my challenges and emerge stronger and better.”

The actor continued, “From the moment I stepped on the set, I was welcomed with open arms by the talented cast and crew who worked tirelessly to bring this vision to life. @TheNameIsYash is now a brother to me, and our director #PrashanthNeel is an incredible talent who I’m sure will go on to do great things.”

He also added, “As the film completes a year, I am overwhelmed by the love and appreciation that we have received from all of you. Your support has been the driving force behind the success of KGF Chapter 2, and I cannot thank you enough for it. The film’s success is a testament to the hard work and dedication of #KarthikGowda, #VijayKiragandur sir and the entire Hombale team, and I am proud to have been a part of it.”

KGF: Chapter 2 featured Yash, Sanjay Dutt, Srinidhi Shetty, Raveena Tandon, and Prakash Raj in significant roles. Directed and written by Prashanth Neel, this historical action film portrays the story of Rocky, an assassin who has to maintain his power over his adversaries and the government after becoming the new leader of the infamous Kolar Gold Fields. The movie was produced by Hombale Films with a colossal budget of Rs 100 crore and grossed a whopping Rs 1,000 crore at the box office worldwide.

Read all the Latest Movies News and Entertainment News here

Yatamanyu Narain

Yatamanyu is a multi-disciplinary Journalist & Photographer who dabbles in Films, Poetry, Music, Politics, Pop-Culture and everything in between. …Read More

Sanjay Dutt marks one year of KGF

‘7de Laan’ distance themselves from murder suspect

‘7de Laan’ distance themselves from murder suspect Source

MCU

New Rumor Points to Actor Type Being Eyed

A new report revealed the kind of actor the MCU could look for if it had to replace Kang the Conqueror actor Jonathan Majors.

After recently having made his Marvel Studios theatrical debut earlier this year in Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, Majors – whose Multiversal villain is being touted as the next big bad of the franchise – found himself in hot water after being arrested for alleged assault.

The actor remains adamant that “he’s done nothing wrong,” but that has not stopped Marvel Studios from “discuss[ing] potential options going forward” with the actor, something that could eventually result in Kang being fully recast.

While nothing is set in stone as Majors’ case is ongoing, it seems that the MCU brass is amassing a contingency plan should they need to pull the chute.

Marvel Studios Looking at a Kang Replacement

Damson Idris

According to insider Jeff Snieder, Marvel Studios is looking for a Damson Idris-type actor if it needed to replace Jonathan Majors as the MCU’s Kang the Conqueror.

Speaking on The Hot Mic podcast, Sneider brought up Idris, who is set to play opposite Brad Pitt in Apple’s upcoming movie set in the world of Formula One:

“Here’s one I wanted to talk about… Did you see who got cast in that Brad Pitt racing movie? … Damson Idris… I think he’s from Snowfall. And so that’s like a big part, right? That is the young, hotshot racer opposite Brad Pitt in this $150-200 million racing movie. That was a big deal that he got that.”

He noted that the young talent would be the “kind of actor” the studio is looking at if “Jonathan Majors [gets] the boot as Kang:”

“And again, even though there hasn’t been any movement on the Jonathan Majors front, I’ve heard that’s the kind of actor, who, like, if Jonathan Majors got the boot as Kang, someone like Damson Idris is the type of the person that [Marvel] may look at to replace him if that, in fact, happens.”

Idris is an up-and-coming name in Hollywood, best known for his work on the FX drama Snowfall as well as the Netflix sci-fi film Outside the Wire.

Will Jonathan Majors Be Replaced As Kang?

Right now, Marvel Studios finds itself at a crossroads it never thought it would have to deal with.

The MCU invested significantly in Jonathan Majors, making the next half-decade within the franchise revolve around the actor and his Multiversal villain. And, because of this, it will not let Major go lightly, if it comes down to that. However, if it does, Marvel Studios has to be ready.

Luckily, Kang is a big bad that comes in all sorts of forms, with his near-infinite Variants. So a replacement, if needed, would not be something that would require too much narrative finagling.

If a replacement were needed, someone like Damson Idris would be a good pick. The young actor seems primed for a breakout (similar to how Jonathan Majors was when he was first cast).

Marvel Studios could grab Idris on the rise, then cash in on his newly acquired star-power by the time Avengers: The Kang Dynasty hits theaters in 2025. But if a move is going to be made, it will need to be made soon as more MCU projects go into production.

DCU

Yes, Titans Season 4 Just Did A DC Version Of WandaVision

Warning: The following contains SPOILERS for Titans season 4’s mid-season premiere.The midseason premiere of Titans season 4 presented DC Comics’ version of Wandavision with the introduction of a city called Caul’s Folly. Comparisons between Caul’s Folly and the town of Westview, New Jersey were inevitable given one shared theme. However, there is also one important and ironic difference that separates the two fictional towns.

The action of Titans season 4, part 2’s two-part premiere centered around the hunt for a magical artifact called the Horn of Trigon, which cult leader Brother Blood needed to summon his demonic patron. The search led Nightwing, Raven, and Starfire to the small town of Caul’s Folly. There was something sinister about the village, even before its citizens attacked and abducted the heroes in the final scene of Titans season 4, episode 7, “Caul’s Folly.”

SCREENRANT VIDEO OF THE DAYSCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT

Titans’ Caul’s Folly Is Basically A DC WandaVision

Starfire and Nightwing discovered that it was impossible to leave Caul’s Folly once one entered it, with the sign marking the town boundary continuing to stretch off into the horizon the longer one kept walking or driving towards it. It was later revealed that it was impossible to enter Caul’s Folly unless one was in the company of a child of Trigon, like Raven or Brother Blood. This invited comparison to the town of Westview in Wandavision, which was magically shut off from the rest of the world in a similar fashion.

Another point of comparison between Caul’s Folly and Westview was that most of the people who lived in both towns were prisoners rather than citizens. While some of the inhabitants of Caul’s Folly were willing servants of the Church of Blood cult, most of them were brainwashed into a life of service to Trigon, thanks to subconscious signals that were continually broadcast throughout the city. Nightwing and Starfire nearly fell victim to the cult’s programming, being pressured into adopting new lives as a young couple named Ted and Carol.

One Thing Titans Had That WandaVision Didn’t

Trigon in front of a house in Titans season 2.

The fact that Caul’s Folly was under the direct influence of the demon Trigon is a major point of contrast to the village of Westview in Wandavision. There were multiple theories that the infamous devil Mephisto, whose arrival in the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been eagerly anticipated by comic readers, would prove to be the ultimate villain of Wandavision. These theories prove to be wrong, adding an ironic note to Titans season 4, as it was a witch backed by a demon who was responsible for the creation of Caul’s Folly and the evil that tainted the lives of numerous innocent souls.

Titans season 4 continues on Thursdays on HBO Max.

Key Release Dates

Warning: The following contains SPOILERS for Titans

Comics

Ark Remaster Controversy, WWE Merging With UFC, and More! | IGN The Weekly Fix

Wanna catch up on all the gaming and entertainment news highlights from the past week? From the remaster of the game Ark having some troubling controversy around its release, to WWE merging with UFC, tune in for the Weekly Fix – the only show packed with the recommended weekly dose of gaming, entertainment, and esports news!

00:38 – Why Ark’s Next-Gen Unreal 5 Remaster Is a F*** You To Fans

04:42 – E3 2023 Is Canceled

07:38 – God of War Ragnarök’s New Game Plus Is Now Available

11:02 – Blizzard Reveals Most Popular Diablo 4 Beta Weekend Classes

14:12 – Is the WWE, UFC Merger a Good Move for Wrestling Fans?

18:53 – Emilia Clarke’s Secret Invasion Character Revealed

22:23 – James Gunn On Superhero Fatigue and What it Could Mean For DCU Movies

#ign #gaming #entertainment

Wanna catch up on all the gaming

Festivals

BEVERLY HILLS FILM FESTIVAL® To Feature Opening Night World Premiere of “Mercy” by Director Tony Dean Smith

The 23rd Annual Beverly Hills Film Festival® (BHFF), featuring a line-up of 150 competition films, kicks off on Wednesday, April 19th, with the Opening Night Official Red Carpet Gala event at the TCL Chinese 6 Theatres (6925 Hollywood Boulevard). The evening features fifteen premieres and culminates in the Centerpiece World Premiere of “Mercy” (Paramount Global Content Distribution), directed by Tony Dean Smith and starring Leah Gibson, Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Jon Voight. The complete schedule and tickets are available at beverlyhillsfilmfestival.com.

Festival president, Nino Simone, is brimming with excitement for the upcoming event, stating, “We can’t wait to gather in person once again. Due to the pandemic, recent installments of the festival were virtual, but this year, the BHFF is returning to the red carpet! We are thrilled to get back to the original format and create an immersive experience that fully embodies the spirit of the festival. We look forward to reconnecting the festival-goers and filmmakers in the heart of the entertainment industry to celebrate the art of film together.”

The Centerpiece film for Opening Night is the feature film “Mercy,” directed by Tony Dean Smith and executive produced by Steven Paul. Leah Gibson (“Jessica Jones”), Jonathan Rhys Meyers (“Vikings”) and Academy Award® Winner* Jon Voight (“Coming Home”) star in this action-packed thriller. An ex-military doctor finds herself in a deadly battle for survival when the Irish mafia seizes control of the hospital at which she works. When her son is taken hostage, she is forced to rely upon her battle-hardened past and lethal skills after realizing there’s no one left to save the day but her. The Paramount Global Content Distribution release is slated for May 19^th. The film also features Anthony Konechny, Sebastien Roberts, Bobby L. Stewart, Anthony Bolognese, Mike Dupod and Bradley Stryker.

For five days, the BHFF hosts red carpet premieres, a robust shorts program, networking events, panel discussions and after-parties, culminating in the annual Closing Awards Ceremony and Gala held at the landmark Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel (7000 Hollywood Boulevard), on Sunday, April 23rd. Please visit beverlyhillsfilmfestival.com for a complete line-up of the 2023 official selections.

About BHFF

The annual International Beverly Hills Film Festival® was founded in 2001 by award-winning independent filmmaker Nino Simone. The 23rd annual event, taking place from April 19th through 23rd, 2023, is dedicated to showcasing and promoting non-studio films to the entertainment industry. Designed to bridge the world of premiere independent cinema with Hollywood, the festival hosts world-class screenings, networking events and industry seminars. Tickets are available on the fest site. Prices range from $20.00 per screening to $550.00 for a Platinum Pass. For a complete festival line-up, schedule and pricing, please visit beverlyhillsfilmfestival.com or beverlyhillsfilmfestival.com/box-office.

Facebook: facebook.com/thebhfilmfest

Twitter: twitter.com/thebhfilmfest

Instagram: instagram.com/thebhfilmfest

The 23rd Annual Beverly Hills Film

Film

Montana Passed Total TikTok Ban

On Friday, Montana became the first state in America to pass a full ban of the video sharing social media site TikTok. If signed into law, the ban would take effect in Jan. 2024, barring any legal challenges.

“The governor will carefully consider any bill the legislature sends to his desk. We will keep you apprised of the bill’s status once the governor acts on it,” representatives for Republican Gov Greg Gianforte told CBS.

TikTok is already banned on Montana government devices.

In March, TikTok hired Zenia Mucha, Disney’s former head of corporate communications, as an adviser as the company faces a possible national ban. He joined former Barack Obama aides David Plouffe and Jim Messina, who have also been hired to fight the possible ban.

American lawmakers have expressed growing concern about the company’s access to user data and how that information could be used against American individuals or institutions. That’s primarily because the company’s parent company, ByteDance, has official representatives of the Chinese government on its board.

The Biden administration and members of Congress, alongside regulators, have suggested banning TikTok outright or forcing ByteDance to sell it. As with Montana, TikTok is banned on federal government devices.

On Friday, Montana became the first state

‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Season 15 Finale Names Its Next Superstar – Deadline

The top four finalists of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” Anetra, Luxx Noir London, Mistress Isabelle Brooks, and Sasha Colby, battled tonight with a series of show-stopping song hits in the Season 15 finale. The goal was to win the coveted title of “America’s Next Drag Superstar” and $200,000.

Tonight’s program also offered a first look at the new season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars,” which premieres May 12 on Paramount+. There was also a sneak peek at the new season of the global drag singing competition “Queen of the Universe, who season two premieres June 2 on Paramount+.

SPOILER ALERT: DO NOT READ PAST THIS LINE IF YOU DON’T WANT THE RESULTS:

After an epic showdown, RuPaul chose Anetra and Sasha Colby as the top two queens, who then battled it out for the crown in an unforgettable lip sync to the cover of “Knock On Wood” by Amii Stewart.

Sasha Colby was crowned “America’s Next Drag Superstar” and awarded $200,000, the highest amount ever by the main franchise.

Cash App.Season 14’s Miss Congeniality, Kornbread The Snack Jeté, passed down the title and a special prize of $10,000 sponsored by Olay Body, to Malaysia Babydoll Foxx. Olay Body also awarded the remaining queens $2,000 each to celebrate the season.

“Sasha Colby is the kind of talent that comes around once in a generation,” said RuPaul. “She embodies all the qualities of America’s Next Drag Superstar and so much more. Anetra, Luxx Noir London and Mistress Isabelle Brooks each put up an incredible fight for the crown, but in the end Sasha proved to be unbeatable. Long may she reign!”

The top four finalists of “RuPaul’s Drag

Is ‘Kannai Nambathe’ on Netflix? Where to Watch the Movie

Netflix subscription is required to watch on Netflix

Great news! “Kannai Nambathe” is available to watch on Netflix USA!

Date Added: 14th April 2023

Want to keep forever? Try looking for ‘Kannai Nambathe’ on Amazon (paid link)

Description:

After being forced to find a new place to live, Arun is inadvertently caught in a dangerous web when he becomes connected to a mysterious murder.

Certificate: TV-14
Parents strongly cautioned. May not be suitable for ages under 14.

Year: 2023

Duration: 2hr 8m

Audio: Tamil [Original]

Subtitles: English

Cast and Crew

Director: Mu. Maran

Cast: Udhayanidhi Stalin, Aathmika, Prasanna, Srikanth, Bhoomika Chawla, Vasundhara Kashyap, Sathish, G. Marimuthu, Subiksha Krishnan, G. Gnanasambandam

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Available on Netflix USA!

Netflix subscription is required to watch on Netflix

Where else can you watch ‘Kannai Nambathe’ on Netflix?

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