A Victoria woman is warning others about possible scammers after her cat went missing and she sent money to someone who claimed to have found it, but lied.
Jacqui Loughton’s five-year-old feline, Georgie, disappeared on Sunday night.
“She must have slipped out when we put the dogs out,” the pet owner told Global News.
Loughton said she and her family put posters up around the neighbourhood and canvassed passersby, hoping to locate the beloved furry friend. The posters contained all the information to contact the family, in case Georgie was found.
The next morning, Loughton said she got a text that read, “Hi, I know where your cat is.”
The prevalence of self-scanning scams
When Loughton asked where, the texter replied that a good friend had actually found the cat and would not provide other details, such as that friend’s address.
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After few more texts back and forth, Loughton said she became suspicious.
“I said, ‘I’m going to call the police,’ and they said, ‘Go ahead.’”
Because the texter said someone else had the cat and didn’t actually ask for any money, police reportedly told Loughton that the exchange fell just short of what’s required in order to obtain a warrant.
“I would say they knew what they were doing,” Loughton said.
Consumer Matters: Rental scams on the rise in Canada
Lesli Steeves, co-founder of Victoria’s ROAM — Reuniting Owners with Animals Missing — called Loughton’s experience “really frustrating.” She said ROAM receives between 20 and 30 found pet scams every day.
“We say, ‘Okay, thank you. Can you send a picture?’” she said of the group’s typical response.
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“Then they ask us to send them a six-digit code of some kind, or they’re going to send us a code and we’ll send a code back to them — so, you know immediately then, that something is going sideways.”
While this specific scam has not yet been reported to the Better Business Bureau in B.C., the non-profit consumer support organization said it’s well aware of it.
It said scammers are targeting pet owners at their most vulnerable.
“They’re looking for any way to find an ‘in,’ and so, this is the ‘in’ for them,” explained Simone Lis, president and CEO.
“You have to protest yourself … to make sure that you’re dealing with someone who is legitimate.”
Stowaway cat discovered at YVR in box from China
Despite the ordeal, Loughton said she’s not giving up on finding Georgie — and instead, is doubling down on the search. She’s working with ROAM while looking for the cat independently as well.
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“It would mean everything,” Loughton said of recovering Georgie.
“We need that part of our family back. It’s not whole without her.”
Rami Malek and Emma Corrin are seemingly dating. In photos obtained by The Daily Mail, the Bohemian Rhapsody actor and The Crown star were photographed kissing in London.
Corrin sported a trench coat, jeans and loafers in the photos, while Malek opted for a black sweater, jeans and a baseball cap. The photos came the same month that Malek and Corrin attended the U.S. Open together.
For the outing, Malek and Corrin both wore button-up shirts, as they took in a semi-finals match.
KENA BETANCUR/AFP via Getty Images
According to the outlet, Malek and Corrin were first linked at Bruce Springsteen‘s July concert. “Loved up” dates followed, per the outlet. In August, a source told Peoplethat Malek has fun” with Corrin, adding that “they are affectionate.”
Malek previously dated Lucy Boynton, though the pair were rumored to have split earlier this year after five years together. As for Corrin, who uses they/them pronouns, the My Policeman star was previously linked to Ibrahim “Ibby” Njoya in 2021, according to the outlet.
Lucrative, closed-door dealings between two of the world’s most powerful tech companies are under scrutiny at the Google antitrust trial in Washington, as the first of two senior Apple executives began testifying.
Apple AI chief John Giannandrea, who headed Google’s search business until 2018, appeared briefly on the stand late Thursday and will continue testimony on Friday. He will be followed by Eduardo Cue, Apple’s services chief, who previously led Apple’s negotiations to update their contract with Google. Apple unsuccessfully fought to keep them off the stand.
The pair of tech giants have been tight-lipped about the estimated $19 billion that Google pays Apple per year to ensure its search engine remains the default on iPhones and other Apple devices — a deal that spans 18 years. Both companies have sought to keep details of the transactions out of the public eye, with filings in the case heavily redacted.
Even so, the public parts of the case are providing new insight into how a once-furious rivalry between Apple and Google over smartphones — what Steve Jobs once declared a “thermonuclear war” — hasmellowed intoa peaceful partnership that analysts describe as a duopoly.
“Our vision is that we work as if we are one company,” a senior Apple employee wrote a Google counterpart in a 2018 email, cited in the Justice Department complaint.
These deals ensure that virtually all smartphones sold in the United States, both iPhones and Android, come out of the box with Google search pre-installed front and center. At issue is whether this agreement is monopolistic and shuts out Google’s competition from having automatic access to Apple’s users.
“It’s playing both sides of the street,” Justice Department attorney Kenneth Dintzer declared in his opening argument last week, about the contracts Google used to land its search engine as the default.
In a blog post published ahead of the trial, Google’s president of global affairs, Kent Walker, said that the Justice Department’s lawsuit is “deeply flawed” and that the deal with Apple does not keep consumers from using other search engines if they prefer.
“Making it easier for people to get the products they want benefits consumers and is supported by American antitrust law,” he wrote. “In sum, people don’t use Google because they have to — they use it because they want to.”
Justice Department lawyers clashed with Apple at the end of the day over what topics could be discussed in open session on Friday. Prosecutors requested Judge Amit Mehta allow them to question Giannandrea on the record about documents related to Apple’s search capabilities and internal Apple documents analyzing the search quality of Google and the Microsoft search engine Bing. An attorney for Apple disagreed, saying those “general subjects” were considered confidential by Apple.
In Giannandrea’s 10 minutes under questioning on Thursday, Dintzer pressed him to acknowledge that large sums were involved in the deal with Google, even if they couldn’t specify numbers.
“Google pays Apple billions,” Dintzer said.
“I think that’s generally true,” Giannandrea responded.
Dintzer also asked Giannandrea about a new feature in iOS 17, Apple’s latest mobile operating system released Monday, that allowed users to choose different default search engines for private and regular browsing. The move could dilute Google’s power over the iPhone, since it makes it easier to use multiple search engines.
Prosecutors are expected to grill Giannandrea and Cue about the Apple-Google accords, seeking evidence that Google used its monopoly power to accumulate 90 percent market share in general search, dictate terms and prevent Apple from experimenting with other search engines. Google is expected to try to elicit evidence from the executives that Apple chose Google search freely, simply because it was the best product.
Apple declined to comment.
The case marks the first time in nearly two decades that the Justice Department is taking a major tech company to court on antitrust charges. The decision could have broad effects on the high-tech landscape for the next decade and beyond, if it curbs Google’s reach amid an industry scramble for emerging AI technologies.
Judge Mehta will consider legal questions that are both wonky and technical. Being a monopoly is not illegal, but abusing such power to quash competition is. The Justice Department is arguing that Google strong-armed Apple and other smartphone-makers into these deals. “The exclusive default was not Apple’s choice,” Dintzer told the court last week, citing Apple’s interest in also dealing with Yahoo, before Google demanded exclusivity.
Rebecca Haw Allensworth, a Vanderbilt antitrust law professor, said Apple’s testimony will hopefully clarify the intent behind Google’s payments: Was it an aboveboard business deal, or a scheme to shut out competition?
“Google is paying billions of dollars to Apple to have that privileged status,” she said. “Any competitor to Google would also want access.”
Equity research firm Sanford Bernstein estimates Google will pay Apple between $18 billion and $19 billion this year for default search status, more than the market capitalization of Best Buy or the GDP of Mongolia, and nearly 5 percent of Apple’s 2022 revenue.
Neil Shah, vice president of research at Counterpoint Research, points out that while Apple has 52 percent of the U.S. smartphone market overall, it commands a whopping 80 percent of the premium smartphone market. Google is paying to get its ads in front of these high-rollers using iPhones, and it is splitting the profits with Apple.
“These ‘premium eyeballs’ which Apple has access to are very lucrative but hard to target for advertising companies such as Google due to Apple’s walled garden,” he said.
This arrangement has been one Apple has been loath to discuss in public.
“We actually went back and looked at earnings calls in the past, and Apple never once mentioned this relationship,” Bernstein tech analyst Toni Sacconaghi told investors when the Justice Department filed the lawsuit in 2020. “In the previous 10 years, Apple had actually never talked about this.”
Apple unsuccessfullyattempted to quash the subpoenas seeking executive testimony ahead of the trial, saying that the company — a third party in the case — has been “the subject of uncharacteristically overbroad and burdensome demands throughout this case.”
Apple said it has provided the Justice Department with more than 125,000 documents and over 21.5 hours of executive depositions. The information, the company said in court filings, reflects “its most sensitive internal commercial deliberations.”
Adrian Perica, Apple’s vice president of corporate development, was also deposed but is not expected to appear in person.
As for Google’s deal with Apple, Mehta would have the power to order the terms changed or even scrap it if he judges Google acted illegally through it. When the European Union reviewed a similar case against Google, it ordered devices to have a “choice screen” out of the box so consumers had a chance to pick which search engine they wanted.
In his opening statement last week, Justice Department attorney Dintzer cited an email a Google executive sent internally in 2007 to recount a meeting with his counterpart at Apple.
“I then told him we have two options,” the Google executive, Jeff Shardell, wrote. “1) No default placement — no revenue share on Safari/Windows. 2) Yes default placement — we will share in revenue under the current contract.”
Dintzer argued that the email showed Google was the one calling the shots.
“This is not a negotiation, Your Honor,” Dintzer told Mehta. “This is Google saying, ‘Take it or leave it.’”
Starring Jason Clarke (Oppenheimer), Jake Lacy (The White Lotus) and Kiefer Sutherland (24), the film recently world premiered at the Venice Film Festival and will premiere on streaming and VOD for all Showtime and Paramount+ with Showtime subscribers on Friday, October 6, before making its on-air debut on Showtime on Sunday, October 8, at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Pic’s set to premiere on Paramount+ in all international markets where the streaming service is currently live, including the UK, Canada, Latin America, the Caribbean, Australia, France, Italy, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and South Korea.
Previously brought to the big screen by Columbia Pictures in 1954, with Humphrey Bogart starring, The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial tells the story of Barney Greenwald (Clarke), a skeptical naval lawyer who, at the start of a naval court-martial, reluctantly agrees to defend Lt. Steve Maryk (Lacy), a first officer of the Navy who took control of the U.S.S. Caine from its domineering captain Lt. Philip Francis Queeg (Sutherland) during a violent sea storm in unfriendly waters. As the trial progresses, Greenwald becomes increasingly concerned and questions if the events aboard the Caine were deemed a true mutiny or simply the courageous acts of a group of sailors who did not trust their unstable leader.
Also starring are Monica Raymund (Chicago Fire), Lewis Pullman (Top Gun: Maverick), Jay Duplass (Transparent), Tom Riley (The Nevers) and Lance Reddick (John Wick franchise). A Republic Pictures feature completed prior to Friedkin’s passing, the film is produced by Annabelle Dunne (Joan Didion: The Center Will Not Hold) and Matt Parker (Beasts of the Southern Wild). Michael Salven (Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves) and Mike Upton (John Wick) served as executive producers, and Paramount Global Content Distribution is the distributor.
A Hollywood legend known for such iconic films as The French Connection and The Exorcist, Friedkin died from heart failure and pneumonia at his Bel Air home on August 7th. He was 87. View the trailer for his final filmmaking effort above.
Shannon Beador is ready to pay for the cost of the damage she caused to a property after her hit-and-run … and we’re told she’s also currently looking at options to get herself treatment.
Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ … Shannon’s lawyer, Michael Fell, is in contact and is working directly with the owner of the Newport Beach property she smashed into over the weekend to help make things right.
We’re told “The Real Housewives of Orange County” star, through her lawyer, offered to pay for all the damage and repairs needed to be done … and she’s completely prepared to cough up the cash to cover it.
Aside from helping fix the property damage, we’re told she’s also looking into treatment options but hasn’t nailed down a decision yet. Our sources tell us this whole ordeal is still very fresh to her, but she really wants to get the help she thinks she needs.
9/16/23
TMZ.com
As we reported, footage obtained from Shannon’s alleged drunken night showed her zipping around a neighborhood before crashing into the side of the property.
We were told officers later found her pretending to walk her dog, and she was arrested and booked for 2 misdemeanors — hit-and-run and DUI alcohol.
The tone of “Expend4bles” can be summarized in a single close-up: a corpse’s severed hand flipping the bird. To its director, Scott Waugh, and all those responsible for resurrecting this dormant action franchise, the middle finger gestures toward this fourth installment’s intended style: macho, smirky and defiant. At its best, the film is all three. This all-star mercenary squadron composed of ’80s-to-aughts brutes is the cinematic equivalent to Slash’s Snakepit, a supergroup throwback to an era when men were meatheads and we in the audience merrily cheered them on.
I’ll admit I still did, at least for some of this swaggering inanity. Why resist the impossible physics of Curtis Jackson (better known as 50 Cent) body-slamming a baddie back and forth like a toddler throwing a temper tantrum with his dolly? Or Dolph Lundgren lampooning his aging vision by screwing a prescription lens onto his sniper rifle? Or Sylvester Stallone grumbling about a thumb-wrestling injury that he’s chosen to nurse with a tiny custom leather sling? Or Jason Statham, the comically gifted bruiser now promoted to the series’ lead, doing, well, pretty much anything?
In an even earlier era, Statham’s nimble skills would have awarded him a career like Jimmy Cagney’s. But he’s stuck working in ours, with a script that offers a few enjoyable quips — he calls an enemy “a sneaky little sausage” — but mostly lets him down. The screenwriters Kurt Wimmer, Tad Daggerhart and Max Adams seem to share a mutual disinterest in the plot, intoning the words “detonator” and “World War 3” until the threats become background static.
These high jinks would be more fun if the actors didn’t look so unflappable. Nothing breaks their composure. Not explosions or blood spatters, not beheadings or nuclear bombs, not even the sight of a warship careening in the Sea of Japan. (Perhaps because all of the above have been cheaply rendered in post.) Even a back-flipping, insult-slinging seduction scene between Statham and a new teammate, played by Megan Fox, climaxes without a lip-gloss smudge. It’s just one more artificial palpitation.
The energy sputters along on throwaway gags, like when Jacob Scipio, as a motor-mouthed young Expendable, sips a cocktail with a pink umbrella at a wake. There’s an absurdly enjoyable detour with a lecherous internet influencer (Samuel Black) and a shootout interrupted by a stereo blasting 50 Cent’s “P.I.M.P.,” which is just plain absurd. Is Jackson the rapper in the same universe as Jackson the assassin? Does he moonlight in carnage?
Andy Garcia, Randy Couture, Levy Tran and the great martial artist Tony Jaa round out our cast of protagonists while Iko Uwais heads up a generic goon squad, giving all the intensity he can to a villain written with no identifiable traits other than a scar. When things get dull, there’s always Lundgren in the background, playing up his character’s nearsightedness with the daffy charm of Marilyn Monroe. But the film’s last reel is so awful — so sneeringly contemptuous of our good-faith efforts to play along with these shenanigans — that we leave the theater still thinking of that middle finger. It sure seemed pointed at us.
Expend4bles Rated R for curses and extravagantly digitalized carnage. Running time: 1 hour 43 minutes. In theaters.
Warner Bros. Discovery is giving DC Studios a primary production hub at its U.K.-based TV and film studio Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, the home of HBO’s “House of the Dragon,” amid a sprawling plan to expand the location by more than 50% capacity and 10 sound stages.
The expansion, announced Thursday by the David Zaslav-led media giant, will include the addition of 400,000 square feet of production and support space, and increase the total stage count from 19 to 29 and overall space from 1.14 million square feet to 1.78 million. WBD is scheduled break ground on the project in the second quarter of 2024, and it is expected to be completed in 2027.
DC Studios co-chairmen and CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran will consult with the Leavesden expansion team to “ensure that their ideas are incorporated” into the new facilities.
In January, Gunn and Safran detailed their first planned projects for DC Studios, including Gunn’s “Superman: Legacy” (slated for a 2025 release), a Batman and Robin movie, a Wonder Woman prequel series and a Green Lantern mystery series, as well as titles featuring lesser known characters, including Booster Gold and Swamp Thing.
WBD did not note which of these projects, and what non-DC titles, are expected to shoot at Leavesden amid its expansion plans.
Along with “House of the Dragon,” WBD titles recently filmed at Leavesden include Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” and the upcoming “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.”
WBD estimates the Leavesden expansion will create 4,000 new direct and indirect jobs across the U.K. and grow the studio’s contribution to the U.K. economy by more than £200 million, raising the total value of film and television production at Leavesden to more than £600 million annually.
“Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden is globally recognized for its exceptional soundstages and facilities, and with this planned expansion adding significant capacity and capabilities, it will be home to even more incredible storytelling for both film and television projects,” Warner Bros. Discovery Studios COO Simon Robinson said. “We are proud to not only be growing our productions in Leavesden and making it the main hub for DC Studios, but also to be growing our economic and community contributions to the UK’s creative sector.”
The plans have been developed in consultation with Three Rivers District Council and Watford Borough Council “with careful consideration given to prioritizing sustainability,” per WBD. The company notes it “remains committed to skills development through CrewHQ,” an initiative launching later in 2023 to “nurture workforce development in film and television production.” A training center at Leavesden will support the existing crew and “create career pathways for people of all backgrounds and foster the next generation of talent using the wealth of industry expertise on site.”
U.K. Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt was on site at the WB lot in Burbank Thursday to meet with WBD executive vice president of worldwide studio operations Dan Dark regarding the expansion plans, sources tell Variety.
“The enormous strength of our creative industries sees films and television shows made in the U.K. reaching cinemas and front rooms across the world, including ‘Barbie’ and the ‘House of the Dragon’ series,” Hunt said in a statement regarding the deal. “Warner Bros. Discovery’s ambitious plan to grow its Leavesden studio is a huge vote of confidence in the U.K. – creating thousands of jobs and growing our economy – and means that British-made entertainment will continue to delight and entertain global audiences.”
The Flash’s lack of a standout villain in both his DCEU team-up appearances and his own movie is a missed opportunity, considering the hero’s iconic rogues’ gallery, which includes enemies such as Reverse-Flash, Captain Cold, Gorilla Grodd, and Zoom.
2023’s The Flash doesn’t have a proper main antagonist, and Barry Allen barely encountered one of his villains during a fleeting cameo scene in Suicide Squad.
The new DC Universe has the chance to deliver better Flash villains, with an already established history of epic battles and victories over iconic enemies, showcasing varying power levels and interesting dynamics right from the get-go.
Following The Flash‘s controversial reception, James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DC Universe has the chance to do the Scarlet Speedster’s rogue gallery justice. The DCEU introduced Ezra Miller’s Barry Allen as early as in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, after which he appeared in a Suicide Squad cameo before he received a supporting role in Justice League. However, Barry Allen only starred in his own movie six years after his first cameo, and even then, he still had to share a large part of The Flash‘s runtime with several other DC characters.
The Flash adapted DC Comics’ famous Flashpoint storyline, where Barry Allen confronts his archnemesis, Eobard Thawne a.k.a. Reverse-Flash, who killed Barry’s mother Nora and motivated him to travel back in time to prevent it. However, the DCEU’s 2023 The Flash movie doesn’t feature Reverse-Flash in any capacity, and instead introduces an original take on the villain Black Flash, who’s revealed to be a time-traveling younger Barry instead of DC Comics’ personification of Death in the Speed Force. Beyond Black Flash’s rather small role in the film, General Zod and Faora Ul also make an appearance as minor antagonists. Otherwise, The Flash lacks a standout main villain.
The Flash‘s lack of a main villain is especially jarring considering the hero’s numerous iconic villains in the source material. The Flash counts with a rogues’ gallery almost as famous as Batman’s, with antagonists such as Gorilla Grodd, Captain Cold, Zoom, the Trickster, Killer Frost, and many more joining Reverse-Flash in several decades’ worth of rich comic book history. These villains possess a diverse range of abilities and personalities. Some are mere annoyances for Barry Allen and other Flashes, while others are as fast or even faster than the Central City speedsters.
With even the most obscure comic book characters making successful jumps to the big and the small screen, it’s clear that the Flash’s movie appearances fall short of their potential. Barry Allen’s only encounter with a Flash villain, Captain Boomerang, was followed up by Boomerang’s death in The Suicide Squad. Later on, the Flash’s solo film had an opportunity to pit Barry Allen against his own enemies and explore his corner of the DCEU without other heroes overshadowing him. But unfortunately, The Flash was also the DCEU’s last chance to deliver a franchise-wide crossover before the franchise came to an end, and Barry Allen’s personal journey suffered as a result.
Why The New DC Universe Can Deliver Better The Flash Villains
One of the many advantages of the new DC Universe is its freedom to fix the DCEU’s mistakes without worrying about retcons or timeline issues. The DCU’s new Flash can be introduced with an already established history of epic battles and victories over his iconic villains. He could be showing off against weak enemies like Turtle and Rag Doll, but also keeping Captain Cold and Mirror Master in line and trying to prevent Reverse-Flash and Godspeed from causing massive chaos. The villains’ varying power levels and relationships with the Flash is what makes the Scarlet Speedster’s villain dynamics interesting.
Superman: Legacy is establishing the DCU as a lived-in franchise already filled with metahumans. Although the new DC Universe might not begin with heroes as experienced as Ben Affleck’s DCEU Batman or with stories as climactic as The Flash‘s adaptation of DC’s Flashpoint, it will skip origin stories and fast-track the universe’s foundations in order to hit the ground running. This will certainly help overlooked characters like the Flash, who will likely be developed in movies or shows that have enough time and space for rich lore, complex backstories, and interesting antagonists.
Fighting fires was always dangerous. But with climate change, there have been more wildfires, which means even more risky rescue missions for local firefighting squads. That’s why multiple different companies and teams of scientists are working to develop robots that can scope out burning buildings before human firefighters have to enter. The latest entrant is , a remote-controlled robot that can withstand temperatures as high as 650 degrees Celsius. At that scalding temperature, a firefighter wearing a protective suit can only withstand about 15 minutes of exposure.
FireBot, which can be operated for four hours at a time, looks like an object straight out of a sci-fi film. With its saw-like “arms” that help the metallic boxy device move, the bot can climb obstacles in its path using tracks that allow it to climb stairs and debris – a requirement for navigating raging fires. According to, which hosted FireBot’s parent company at in San Francisco this week, the bot uses MIMO wireless technology that can transfer data to a receiver as far as 0.9 miles away. That way, a crew can safely examine the inside of a burning building while using a joystick and display to maneuver the bot.
The device has built-in sensors that include HD optical and thermal imagers, as well as various mechanisms to detect dangerous gasses. In addition, it can check for the presence of carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide, which are the two deadliest fumes that can injure or kill humans in a fire. Also importantly, the device is seemingly fast despite its boxy appearance. The FireBot can move twice as fast as a firefighter wearing full personal protective equipment that can, on average, be as heavy as .
Paradigm Robotics
The robot is expected to cost at least $90,000 when it goes on sale in the third quarter of 2024. Alternatively, fire departments could lease it. Although this device isn’t exactly cheap, it can help alleviate the annual fees associated with firefighter injuries, which is estimated to cost fire departments , according to a paper the National Fire Protection Association published in late 2019.
The FireBot is not the first device that uses robotics to make firefighting safer. Scientists at the Naval Research Laboratory are developing what’s known as , or the Shipboard Autonomous Firefighting Robot. The bi-pedal humanoid robot is being engineered to navigate ships, interact with people, and use thermal imaging to identify and handle a hose to
When Engadget covered the Navy’s robot back in 2019, SAFFiR was still not water- and fire-proof, which may be why the its more advanced prototypes are still in the experimental stages of R&D. Similarly, there’s , a disaster-response robot that hosts an infrared and a rotating light detection and ranging (LIDAR) laser that allows it to navigate dense smoke. Still, nothing is as seemingly advanced as Paradigm’s FireBot in terms of being able to withstand and navigate heat at fire scenes.
In a similar vein, the Los Angeles Fire Department even experimented with that can aid in scope and rescue missions as well as a ridiculously large . That robot costs $272,000, making the FireBot seem almost reasonable by comparison.
Shawn Levy is one of the best filmmakers working. He challenges himself with an array of movies, rising to prominence from the Night at the Museum franchise and now tackling the third movie in the Deadpool series.
But with this venture into the superhero genre, he wanted to focus on the realism he could pull from this story.
That meant shooting out in the real world and not solely on green screens, no matter the cost.
Levy sat down with Total Film magazine and told them, “It bums me out that photos have leaked online. But this is the price we pay for committing to real locations.”
He went on to explain, “Deadpool and Wolverine are iconic Marvel characters; more specifically, iconic Marvel-of-the-Fox era characters. We’re not going to pretend: ‘Oh, we snap our fingers, and suddenly that Fox legacy doesn’t exist, and it shaped a lot of what we now know as the MCU.”
These characters both rose at a time when more practical effects were used in filmmaking, and while most of the industry has moved onto stages, that legacy matters to Levy.
He elaborated, “Fox also shaped Ryan’s career, Hugh’s career and my career. So there’s a lot of history there, and there’s a lot of Marvel history at Fox. And certainly that’s a part of our storytelling.”
Levy put his put down with production, saying, “I made a decision very early in prep that even though ‘Deadpool’ is now in the MCU, I didn’t want another Marvel movie shot on a green screen stage with digital set extensions.”
This makes me very excited to see where this movie will go and makes me hope other filmmakers take note.
The third Deadpool movie is on hiatus during the summer strikes and will return to filming when they end.
That slow-moving time after the holidays is ideal for hitting the reset button with the best self-care gifts. After securing the best gifts for friends, family, and coworkers, a present that pampers and relaxes is always great for refreshing the vibes—be it for yourself or a loved one who had an equally busy holiday season.
Calming, indulgent treats run the gamut depending on who you’re shopping for. Think an eye mask or silk pillowcase for a longer, more resultful nap for a new mom, bath bombs for a soothing soak, skin-nourishing creams for your beauty-loved best friend, or the comfiest pajamas and slippers for your mother-in-law. Plus, even the hard-to-shop-for—ahem, the person who claims they don’t want anything because they already have everything—know how put a pampering product to good use.
To help you decide how to spoil yourself—or a very loved and appreciated friend or family member—we’ve rounded up dozens of the best treat-yourself picks that are sure to provide some much-needed (and potentially long overdue) self-care.
Our Top Picks:
All products featured on Glamour are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
The Writers Guild of America East has re-elected a host of incumbentsand two new leaders in film, television and streaming in its latest council election.
After running unopposed, current vp for film/TV/streaming Lisa Takeuchi Cullen is ascending into the president’s seat. She will be joined by incumbent secretary-treasurer Christopher Kyle, who is retaining the role, and Erica Saleh, a previous council member who has been elected to the role of vp for film/TV/streaming; both ran unopposed.
Out of the 12 candidates who ran for council seats in the film/TV/streaming sector, sixwere elected, including incumbents Josh Gondelman, Liz Hynes, Greg Iwinski and Sasha Stewart and new candidates Sofia Alvarez and Sarah Montana.
Turnout was 13.3 percent for the president and vice president contests and 19.9 percent for the film/TV/streaming election. The count was supervised by Votenet Solutions.
There’s never a dull moment in Moordale, but Sex Education Season 4 Episode 4 will go down as one of the series’ darkest installments yet.
The series did a great job of infusing humor through the darkness, but it’s difficult to believe things will get much better for everyone as Sex Education Season 4 continues.
Erin was never the best mother to her children, and let’s just say Maeve and Sean will harbor a lot of resentment towards her.
At one point, Maeve didn’t care whether her mother was in her life because Erin had many selfish traits, but they managed to work through their issues on Sex Education Season 3.
On top of that, Erin was instrumental in her decision to go off and study in the U.S., so while observers might paint her as a terrible mother, there was a lot of good in her.
It’s just sad her children never got to say goodbye to her before she died. Anne-Marie Duff is a busy actress, so there was always that possibility the show couldn’t lure her back for the final season.
Still, realizing that Maeve and Sean were led into a room and told that their mother had passed away 20 minutes before was difficult for many reasons.
Sean: Do you think it’s weird if I finish the sweets? She’s hardly gonna need them now, is she? Can no one take a joke anymore? Maeve: Do you remember when Uncle Pat died? Sean: Um… Yeah, kinda. His funeral was the first time I had beer. Maeve: You were eight. Sean: Yeah. Uncle Pat’s girlfriend gave it to me. Now she could take a joke. Maeve: I remember seeing him dead. He didn’t look like himself. After that, I couldn’t remember what alive Uncle Pat looked like. I don’t think I can see Mum like that. If that’s okay. Sean: Yeah.
Maeve had just traveled across the planet to help her mother back to health, but what was Sean’s excuse?
Why did he wait outside on Maeve instead of rushing to the hospital when he heard the news?
After all, He called Maeve so he could have been with his mother during her final hours but chose not to.
Sean didn’t have the best upbringing at Erin’s hands, but maybe a part of him felt he couldn’t go into that room without his sister by his side.
The saddest part of Erin’s death was Maeve’s means of coping. Finishing the crossword she started while waiting to see her mother in the hospital took precedence over her feelings about her death.
People deal with death and grief in very different ways, and I respect Maeve for not feeling pressured into viewing the body.
Far too often, people feel like they have to see the bodies of loved ones in the morgue, but the truth is, many people prefer to hold on to the vision of the person they had when they were alive.
I dread how Maeve would have reacted had she felt pressured into going into the morgue.
It’s hard to tell where Maeve goes from here, but I hope her mother being the one to give her the money on Sex Education Season 3 Episode 8 will be what gives her the drive to return to the U.S. and wipe that smirk of Thomas’ face when she thrives.
People write their best work when they’re caught up in their feelings because it’s a great way to express how you feel. For that reason alone, Maeve will probably turn to her writing and deliver more words from the heart.
Maeve’s meeting with Otis was somewhat marred by the fact that they were brought back together due to Erin being in the hospital, but would it have hurt Otis to text his friends and let them know he was okay?
Of course, Eric thought Otis was dropping everyone because Maeve was back, but for someone who tells people that communication is vital to cultivating relationships, you’d think Otis would practice what he preaches.
Granted, he probably feels some type of way because he was with Ruby when Maeve needed him the most.
If Otis makes it out of Sex Education Season 4 without looking like a heartless schmuck, he needs to be truthful with himself and those around him about how he feels.
Hiding the messages from Ruby is a recipe for disaster, and at this stage, I’m just waiting on Aimee telling Maeve that Otis’ ex is his campaign manager.
Aimee: Hi. Sean: Hi. Um… I’m gonna head off, uh, but Maeve’s still in there. She’s just finishing her crossword. Aimee: Okay. Is everythin’ all right? Sean: No, not really. My mum died. Otis: Fսck. Aimee: Oh my God, Sean. I’m so sorry. Should we go and get Maeve? Sean: Um… I wouldn’t. I’d just let her do her thing. Aimee: Do you wanna sit with us? Sean: Uh… No.
Ruby going toe-to-toe with O — er, Sarah revealed a glimpse of the Ruby we know and love from Sex Education Season 3.
Unfortunately, O understood how to push Ruby’s buttons, so telling her that she’s only helping Otis because she’s jealous is something that will come back to bite her.
Ruby is activated in her quest for revenge, and maybe she’ll be the one to show the video of O bullying her all those years ago.
Ruby is determined to take down O, but she might invest too much time in this mission and not enough time in finding some friends of her own.
O is a frustrating character because she’s showing up in places she shouldn’t be, such as Jean’s show.
I mean, what the heck? That came out of the left field, and it was a perfect way to rile up Otis and the people who are so fiercely against O.
The debate will be interesting because Ruby is slowly realizing she isn’t a priority in Otis’ life, so she has the potential to leave Otis high and dry, which is looking more likely by the day.
She could see that Otis was reading her messages and not responding, which is more rude than simply not looking at them.
There may be an opening with the cool kids because it looks like Aisha and PK are realizing that they’re not equal parts of the friend group.
Abbi gossiped and diminished their thoughts on O, which shows that Abbi wants friends who agree with everything she says.
Might this lead to Ruby exposing the truth about Abbi and taking her place? Watch this space.
That’s not to say Abbi is a bad person. Just that she wants her friends to fall in line. It was sweet that she showed up to help Eric with the soup kitchen.
You don’t often get people who will drop everything they do to help those in need. Eric wasn’t interested in it until he helped the homeless woman find the community hall.
Seeing how busy it was, he realized that there’s more to life than hanging around with friends, and that’s what his mother has been trying to make him understand for a long time.
Now that he knows the funding is gone, I expect Eric to be more active in the community and try to help the people who need help the most.
Maureen and Michael’s reunion didn’t resonate with me because it doesn’t feel like they’ve done enough work apart to consider getting back together.
Maureen was taken aback by hearing her ex-husband pose as Martin because she never heard him speak about his feelings.
That’s the critical reason their relationship fell apart, so maybe she was caught up in the moment hearing him open up, or maybe there’s a chance they will be together when Sex Education Season 4 concludes.
What are your thoughts on the latest relationship highs and lows?
Do you think Maeve will stick with Otis when she learns the truth?
Hit the comments below.
Sex Education Season 4 is now streaming on Netflix.
Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.
For 4n utterly braindead and 4rtlessly cr4fted movie th4t feels like 4 fe4ture-length FMV cut-scene from 4 Sega CD g4me, “Expend4bles” would be a lot more p4inful if not for the fact that it’s so 4t pe4ce with its gener4l shittiness. Don’t get me wrong, the creative and aesthetic indifference behind this long-gestating action sequel — which arrives nine years after “Expendables 3,” but still well before people had time to get nostalgic for this already reheated ’80s revival junk — is remarkable even by the standards of a series that has always prided itself on being cinema’s most glorified direct-to-video project, the “Avengers” of Cialis.
The script, credited to Max Adams, Kurt Wimmer, and the awesomely-named Tad Daggerhart, feels like it was written by a frat boy trying to plagiarize “Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty” (including a guy code-named “Ocelot” but minus the meta stuff that makes that game so interesting), the action is cut together as if “Need for Speed” director Scott Waugh had explicit orders to make sure that Sylvester Stallone wasn’t the most incoherent thing in the movie, and the omnipresent CGI is so outrageously bad that basic shots of Jason Statham sitting in a Jeep somehow manage to seem less natural to the eye than anything in “Avatar: The Way of Water.” We’re talking about a supposedly $100 million film that has all the polish of a 70-year-old shipwreck that’s been dredged from the bottom of the ocean, barnacles and all.
And yet, much as I’d usually take offense to such abject shoddiness, “Expend4bles” (sort of) won me over because of how unrepentantly it embraces that shoddiness as the soul of its brand. If the franchise was conceived from the hope that an entire constellation of fading action stars might be able to shine bright enough to compete with the blinding flash of superhero movies, the question it now exists to ask isn’t “remember when Arnold Schwarzenegger ruled the multiplex?” so much as “remember when movies were totally unafraid to be giant pieces of shit?” Which isn’t to say that modern Hollywood doesn’t continue to churn out giant pieces of shit on a regular basis (“Fast X” is now streaming Peacock), only that it now refuses to own up to that reality.
Nothing is ever bad, it’s just “for the fans.” Nothing ever bombs, and Dwayne Johnson will tweet (“X”?) the studio accounting details to prove it. When an “Ant-Man” or “Shazam” sequel disappoints critics and audiences, its failure is chalked up to the greater machinations of a cinematic universe.
“Expend4bles,” on the other hand, makes no excuses for itself. From the moment its opening chyron locates the action at “Gaddafi’s old chemical plant” (a hilariously casual way of describing an abandoned Libyan factory, and one made that much funnier by the later scene in which a toothpick-chewing Andy Garcia refers back to it as “Gaddafi’s old chemical plant”), this movie is fully committed to the same “who gives a fuck?” attitude that sustains its characters in the face of certain death. You think you don’t care about “Expend4bles”? Just wait until you see how little this thing cares about itself. It’s kind of awesome.
It’s impossible to unpack that idea any further without divulging what happens in the first 20 minutes of the film, so if anyone reading this has spent the last decade waiting to find out what happens to the mercenary likes of Barney Ross (Stallone) and Lee Christmas (Statham), let’s just leave it at “a lot of Botox.” See you at the movies — they’re like dreams you never forget.
The rest of you should know that not everyone survives the trip to Gaddafi’s old chemical plant, where a child-murdering terrorist by the name of Suarto Rahmat (Iko Uwais) is stealing nuclear detonators, and presumably not for good reasons. The Expendables airdrop onto the scene to save the day and unleash all sorts of obnoxiously fake CGI blood, with newcomers like Easy Day (Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson) and Galan (Jacob Scipio, playing the super-horny son of Antonio Banderas’ absent Galgo) replacing Glen Powell, Ronda Rousey, and several of the other “Expendables 3” cast members who’ve since graduated to movies that don’t feature Dolph Lundgren wearing a bolo tie. Lee disobeys a direct order by deciding to save Barney’s life instead of completing the mission, but his old buddy dies anyway. You see Stallone’s charred remains and everything. He’s definitely and indisputably dead forever, and there’s no chance whatsoever that his roasted corpse is just an elaborate set-up for one of the most amusingly inexplicable final scenes in the entire history of fiction.
Anyway, in true “Expend4bles” fashion, no one seems to care that Barney’s dead. They build a shrine to him at his favorite bar — a shrine that consists of his disembodied arm giving the middle finger — and go about their business. Lee is out, his girlfriend Gina (Megan Fox) is the Expendables’ new leader (a power dynamic they naturally resolve with a sex fight), and she’s hell-bent on proving that you can wear skin-tight leather pants in literally any situation.
In this case, that situation is infiltrating a massive oil tanker off the coast of Vladivostok and stealing the detonators back from Suarto before his boss starts World War III for profit, an airtight plan that you can definitely expect to hear about in exacting detail. Gina is joined by her boss (Garcia), along with other Expendables like sniper Gunner Jensen (Lundgren), demolitions expert Toll Road (a vaguely Drax-like Randy Couture, whose cauliflower ear is an endless fount of comic relief), and a newcomer named Lash (Lacy Tran, serving up plenty of screen presence in a role that essentially amounts to looking good while insinuating that Toll has a small penis). It goes without saying that Lee also makes his way aboard the ship, though doing so requires some help from another franchise rookie: Tony Jaa, who offers this movie so much more skill and charisma than Waugh is able to capture that it feels like watching someone try to film a cheetah with a kinetograph.
“Expend4bles” finds its footing once it plants its flag on the ship where the rest of the film will take place… a ship that survives 100 different explosions without so much as springing a leak before it ultimately splits in half and sinks under the ocean in less than a single minute (there’s a timer and everything). There’s something about confining all of this dumb energy to a single location that allows it to achieve a benign — at times almost pleasant — singularity of dumbness.
Virtually every scene begins and ends with a character saying some variation of “it’s go time” or “let’s do this.” Bad guys can’t walk five inches without exploding in a barrage of CGI machine gun fire (“Expend4bles” heralds a return to the series’ foundational “R” rating, though its violence is so cartoonish that even the film’s gnarliest moments feel like they were made for children). One second Couture is peeing on a hatch in order to bust it open (the entire cast gathers around to sneak a peek at his penis), and the next Jackson is luring evil henchmen into a trap with a stereo that’s blasting the rapper-turned-actor’s own hit song (already back in the zeitgeist because of a cover version’s critical appearance in “Anatomy of a Fall”), a moment of brain-melting self-reflexivity that would point back at “Sons of Liberty” if not for the sense that the scene only exists because someone thought, “Wouldn’t it be funny if…” and Waugh ran with it because The Expendables don’t play by the rules, baby!! At one point somebody triggers a nuclear bomb, because, as Nelson Muntz once said: “You gotta nuke something.”
And that seems to be the prevailing attitude behind the creation of this hideously constructed, beautifully 90-minute orgy of stupid ideas and silly executions: You gotta nuke something. These days, it’s almost refreshing to see a big dumb garbage sequel that doesn’t have any other agend4.
Grade: C
Lionsgate will release “Expend4bles” in theaters on Friday, September 22.
Since 2015, Eartheater has specialized in elemental avant-pop songs that span the alienating, insular experiments of 2018’s Irisiri to the folky, operatic meditations of 2020’s Phoenix. In each one, she is a siren waving sailors across turbulent waters, coaxing the listener deeper into her world. Her new album, Powders, smoothes out her roughest edges, blissed out and streamlined. Early highlight “Crushing” is a calming sea of trip-hop. Against pillowing percussion and romantic strings, Drewchin addresses a man in her crosshairs, folding her words like origami. “You’re the turn on that I can’t refuse/You’re the fuse that detonates my body,” she sighs. Only in an Eartheater song would relatively abstract lines about pearls and wine glasses sit comfortably next to a blunt compliment like “You’re a guy that eats pussy well.” The cumulative effect is one of hypnosis.
Guilty pleasure entertainment can be fun and sometimes deranged. One man defines cult cinema: John Waters. Running until August 2024, the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures John Waters: Pope of Trash exhibition covers the wide range of his filmography from Pink Flamingos to Hairspray to Cecil B. Demented. Guests will be greeted by Waters on a giant wall display posing between torn, pink-striped wallpaper, possibly a symbol of his deconstructive perspective on modest America. Once inside, you’ll see the evolution of this quirky director’s career from independent filmmaker to renowned figure of trash cinema.
John Waters: Pope of Trash – Courtesy of Academy Museum of Motion Pictures
“…the evolution of this quirky director’s career from independent filmmaker to renowned figure of trash cinema.”
Every great filmmaker has a beginning. Guests can sit in a church pew screening room where his first film is displayed, accompanied by stained glass windows featuring his collaborators, such as drag queen Divine. Neon costumes from Hairspray are displayed in front of a lemony backdrop. These exaggerated costumes personify Waters’ stylized aesthetic, capturing the colorful mood of 1950s-60s pop culture. Another portion celebrates his fandom, which includes John Waters fan art and a TV screen featuring his guest appearances in other properties such as The Simpsons. Other items showcased include the leather jacket and guitar used by Johnny Depp in the musical Cry-Baby. One unique section focuses on the history of exploitation cinema and its shady roots, which connects with Waters’ appreciation for this hidden part of film history.
John Waters: Pope of Trash – Courtesy of Academy Museum of Motion Pictures
Fans of cult cinema will be excited to see props and costumes from their favorite John Waters films. Also, newcomers get a taste of an iconic filmmaker outside the mainstream. This is another step towards a newfound appreciation for the bonkers world of cult cinema.
Oliver Anthony has made his first serious step toward getting off the DIY train after instantly vaulting to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 without without a label or agent. UTA announced Thursday that it had signed the Virginia-based upstart for global representation in all areas.
“We’re honored to represent such an authentic artist, and excited to put together a global strategy to bring Oliver Anthony and his music to the people,” said UTA’s co-head of Nashville, Jeffrey Hasson, and agent Curt Motley in a joint statement.
Although no indication was given of how the “Rich Men North of Richmond” singer ended up with the agency, UTA represents veteran country singer Jamey Johnson, who appeared as a guest with Anthony at his first viral rural gig, and who has reportedly offered him counsel as his star rose virtually. overnight.
UTA’s clients include companies and figures in the worlds of sports, film, TV, gaming and fashion as well as music. Other clients on the music side include Lizzo, Post Malone, Paramore, Cardi B, Karol G, the Jonas Brothers, Lil Nas X, the Kid Laroi, Muse, Halsey, Anitta, 21 Savage, Guns N’ Roses, J Cole and Burna Boy.
Hasson joined UTA’s Nashville office in 2020; Motley has been with the agency since 2016.
“Rich Men North of Richmond” has remained a hit in the 11 weeks since it debuted at No. 1 on the Hot 100 — the first song ever to do so by an artist who had never previously appeared on the chart at any position. Although Anthony mania has tapered off since the initial explosion and multi-week No. 1 run, “Richmond” is still on the chart at No. 22. Another song, “Ain’t Gotta Dollar,” also cracked the Hot 100 even though it was not released to most DSPs until the day of the UTA announcement.
If you weren’t one of the 8 million regular folks who invested in Gamestop stock two years ago as Covid raged, and you’d had enough of watching Wall Street bigwigs get richer, “Dumb Money” will explain a lot.
If you were one of those people, well, this film is all about you.
Written and directed at a breakneck pace by two former Wall Street journal reporters (writers Rebecca Angelo and Lauren Schuker Blum) and director Craig Gillespie (“I Tonya”), “Dumb Money” is one of those films that manages to tell a small, specific story of… ok, a stock price being driven sky-high for no intrinsic reason, while also drawing a vivid picture of wealth disparity in our polarized society.
“For me, it’s much larger than the stock market,” said Gillespie in a conversation just after the film’s premiere at the Toronto Film Festival. “We are living it right now with the strikes in Hollywood. It’s the same themes and conversation. It’s the disparity of wealth that’s going on in the country and a system that feels rigged. There’s no transparency.”
The Gamestop tale, he said, is about “trying to hold people accountable for that.’
If this were a video this is where we’d freeze frame and rewind. The film retells the very recent, true story of small retail investors who bought massively into the video game retailer, Gamestop, in 2021, led by a whacky YouTube and Reddit influencer named Keith Gill (played brilliantly by Paul Dano). Gill livestreamed his investment philosophy to the masses from his basement under the name Roaring Kitty – complete with kitty memes and videos – with the unusual transparency of showing followers his personal investment grid.
The company wasn’t doing very well. But Gill “liked the stock,” as he put it, because he knew that big Wall Street hedge funds were “shorting” it, in other words, betting on the company’s decline. (The hedge funders are also brilliantly played by Seth Rogen and Vincent d’Onofrio.) Shorting a stock is, of course, a common Wall Street tactic, but these big investors were doing it on a massive scale, and Gill and his legions of followers put a “squeeze” on those with short positions by continuing to buy the stock.
Gamestop? The company is a retailer sprinkled in malls that serves middle America’s passion for video games. Gill’s devout belief in the stock – and that of millions of individual investors who followed suit and held the stock under pressure – matched his disgust with the system that consistently screws small investors and rewards the rich guys already in the club. It was nothing short of a modern day revolt by the economic underclass, which sent the $5.00 stock to over $300.
“I got to see this in real time,” said Gillespie. “The stock market is not something I keep an eye on… My son was living with us during Covid and he was investing in Wall Street Bets. He went on this wild ride.”
“I got to see the community, the frustration, the voice, the boiling anger – that was directed at Wall Street. It was such an acute moment,” he recalled, especially during Covid. “Everyone was isolated, turning to the internet for community, to vent their frustrations.”
Producer-writers Schuker Blum and Angelo (based on the book by Ben Mezrich, who was writing at the same time as the screenplay came together) worked in parallel to create the characters who illustrated that frustration: a hospital worker and young mom who invests, played by America Ferrara; two debt-laden college students (Talia Ryder and Myhala Herrold); and a Gamestop employee (Anthony Ramos).
Said Schuker Blum: “We felt it was important to put them on the big screen – that’s what this movement was.”
Angelo added: “We’ve followed online populism for 10 years – there are scripts floating around Hollywood that no one would make, but it’s one of the biggest forces shaping the world right now.”
At the same time, she noted, depicting stock trading by people in lockdown, “it’s profoundly not cinematic. We worked really hard over many scripts to develop a cinematic language, a story about people who’ve never met each other, but engaged in conflict, having emotional relationships.”
Gillespie sees the Gamestop story as one of the iconic moments that will be an emblem of the period, “before Covid and after Covid,” he said. “Life has profoundly changed. Everyone has reassessed what’s important: the balance of life, of loved ones. To be able to take time and see that moment. It has changed our value system.”
“It got expressed through the Gamestop stock moment, but it’s still being expressed constantly,” he said. “It’s a very defining thing. We haven’t really processed it yet.”
He recalled a moment in the film when Gill talks about the impact of Covid while images of empty classrooms and grocery shelves fill the screen.
“You realize how fragile everything was, and has been,” said Gillespie. “I was looking forward to help look at that shared history we have.”
Sony will release “Dumb Money” in limited release on September 22 and wide on September 29.
A title that started ironically has now become all too accurate when it comes to the belated fourth installment of Sylvester Stallone’s action franchise. Arriving a full nine years after the poorly received last entry, Expend4bles — the number is in the middle of the word, get it? — represents a nadir for a series that began as an entertainingly nostalgic throwback to old-school action movies and the square-jawed muscle men who starred in them. This edition — essentially a sub-par Jason Statham vehicle (after this and Meg 2: The Trench, some quality control might be in order for the actor) featuring a brief appearance by Stallone and several new cast members who fail to make much of an impression — indicates that it’s time to put a fork in the series; it’s done.
If you can believe the good folks at Wikipedia, among the stars originally under consideration for this fourth Expendables film were Pierce Brosnan, Jack Nicholson and Clint Eastwood. That seems merely a Santa Claus wish list considering the final results. Besides Stallone and Statham, the sole returning original cast members are Dolph Lundgren (rocking the kind of hairdo any self-respecting scarecrow would reject) and Randy Couture, the butt of far too many cauliflower ear jokes.
Expend4bles
The Bottom Line
More like the dispos4bles.
Release date: Friday, Sept. 22 Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Megan Fox, Dolph Lundgren, Tony Jaa, Iko Uwais, Andy Garcia Director: Scott Waugh Screenwriters: Kurt Wimmer, Tad Daggerhart, Max Adams
Rated R,
1 hour 43 minutes
The newcomers include Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, vainly attempting to muster some sort of enthusiasm; Jacob Scipio, doing an unfunny Antonio Banderas impression as the son of Antonio Banderas’ character in the last installment; Levy Tran, displaying sass and lots of tattoos; Andy Garcia, probably reminiscing about how he used to work with the likes of Francis Ford Coppola, Brian De Palma and Steven Soderbergh; and Megan Fox, whose character seems underdressed for going out on highly dangerous missions. But then again, bulletproof vests don’t feature bare midriffs. She plays Statham’s girlfriend, so naturally their foreplay consists of a knock-down, drag-out fight.
The cast also includes Tony Jaa and Iko Uwais, which would be genuinely exciting if either action star, renowned for their work in Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior and The Raid films respectively, had been allowed the opportunity to show off what they can do. Instead, these two incredibly dynamic martial arts specialists are reduced to short, unexciting fight scenes so clumsily filmed and choppily edited they might as well be featuring Carrot Top and Yakov Smirnoff.
The plot, such as it is, has something to do with stopping an evil terrorist (Uwais) from acquiring some McGuffins, excuse me, detonators for nuclear warheads. Recruiting the team is a CIA operative (Garcia) who barks orders while wearing the sort of expensive, well-tailored suits that practically scream “Don’t trust me!”
And speaking of trust, Expend4bles (the spell check on my computer is now on the verge of exploding) betrays its viewers with an early fake-out and other plot twists so annoyingly obvious that they could only have been devised by a bad screenwriter. Or in this case, three bad screenwriters.
“But who cares about plot or character development in a B-movie such as this?” you might ask. “Aren’t the non-stop action and gratuitous violence the whole point?” Well, yes, they are. And on that front, the movie disappoints as well, its limited budget revealing itself through so many poorly executed CGI and green screen shots that you begin longing for the gritty realism of Henry Winkler’s Fonzie jumping the shark on Happy Days.
On the plus side, or at least the not quite as minus side, there are some welcome doses of humor, however lame; the chemistry between Stallone and Statham remains strong, making it a shame that the former is barely in the movie; and Stallone has indicated that this will be the last film in the franchise. But then again, how many times has he said that about Rocky and Rambo?
Full credits
Production: Nu Boyana Studios Templeton Media, Grobman Media, Millennium Media Distributor: Lionsgate Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Megan Fox, Dolph Lundgren, Tony Jaa, Iko Uwais, Andy Garcia Director: Scott Waugh Screenwriters: Kurt Wimmer, Tad Daggerhart, Max Adams Producers: Kevin King-Templeton, Les Weldon, Yariv Lerner, Jason Statham Executive producers: Avi Lerner, Trevor Short, Boaz Davidson, Robert Van Norden, Jeffrey Greenstein, Jonathan Yunger, Spenser Cohen, Anna Halberg, Stephen Paul, Gareth West, Allen Dam, Michael S. Constable, Lati Grobman, Christa Campbell, Basil Iwanyk, Guymon Casady, Jon Feltheimer, Jason Constantine, Eda Kowan, Christopher Woodrow, K. Blaine Johnston Director of photography: Tim Maurice-Jones Production designer: Ricky Eyres Costume designer: Neil McClean Composer: Guillaume Roussel Casting: Elaine Grainger
Rated R,
1 hour 43 minutes
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While Drew Barrymore has always dabbled in dramatic roles, she’s largely praised for her successful line of comedies and rom-coms in the late 1990s and early 2000s, like Never Been Kissed, Charlie’s Angles, and 50 First Dates. However, she saw her career as a dramatic actor reach new heights in 2009 with the TV film biopic, Grey Gardens, based on the life of East Coast mother-and-daughter socialites Big Edie Beale and Little Edie Beale. As Little Edie, Drew won a Golden Globe and SAG award and was nominated for an Emmy. In 2009, Drew told Reuters that she became a bit reclusive while filming, which required 13 prosthetic devices and up to six hours in the makeup chair. “I was so fraught with fear,” she said. “I couldn’t eat or function and felt I was totally losing my mind.”
Not only was Raimi’s horror background on full display, but the Doctor Strange sequel took a dive into darker themes like how far can a hero be pushed before the start to crack.
This dire narrative milieu was seen throughout Doctor Strange 2, being present in both Strange himself and the film’s villain, the Scarlet Witch (played by Elizabeth Olsen).
Doctor Strange Has a Dark Side
Marvel
As a part of The Art of Marvel Studios’ Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness artbook, Doctor Strange 2 director Sam Raimi offered hints about the titular hero‘s dark side and why that makes him great ahead of Cumberbatch’s MCU return.
Discussing his 2022 MCU film, Raimi remarked “[Doctor Strange’s] connection to the dark side” is a key part of the character’s appeal.
He added, “[Strange] a good person, but he’s got his own psychological problems:”
“He’s a good person, but he’s got his own psychological problems. He sometimes can be a little selfish, a little arrogant, proud. And this prevents him from being some flawless good guy. He wrestles with his dark side, and he delves into the supernatural in a way that some other magician who are fighting for good think is immoral.”
The veteran filmmaker opined all this gives the character “an interesting edge.” He is a “character at war with himself” which, according to Raimi, makes him “very relatable” as a hero:
“Therein lies a great conflict with the character. I find him to be a character at war with himself, which we all are. And so he’s very relatable in that way, even though he’s a superhero. We find Doctor Strange at the beginning of our film as someone who has not only passed through the mastery of magic, but who’s now dealing with the results of a life spent devoted to one’s craft at the extreme of his personal life.”
The director noted that, because of this conflict, Multiverse of Madness found Strange “isolated” and “a little bit miserable:”
“So I think that he’s lonely and a little upset and has not yet come to terms with those things that have put him aside from the ones he loves, such as his arrogance. I think it’s isolated him and made him a little bit miserable.
That’s where he starts in this film. And throughout the course of this journey, he’s going to find a way to open up and become a little more enlightened as a human being.”
Where Will Doctor Strange Go Next?
After the shocking twists and turns of Multiverse of Madness, it remains where this hero will go next, and how it will address this “conflict” within him.
This could have possibly come down from Marvel as an integral piece to focus on with the character, and it may be an indication of something the studio wants to continue to embrace.
Doctor Strange 3 has not yet been confirmed by Marvel Studios, but fans should expect the Avenger’s “dark side” to continue to be a focus long into the future.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is available now on Disney+.
The Academy Award-winning Marvel outing, Black Panther, has been voted the greatest superhero movie of all time. And fans of Zack Snyder are not happy. In what’s sure to be a controversial list of the top 50 superhero movies ever made put together by Rolling Stone, Black Panther was found to be number one, while Zack Snyder’s Justice League has been put at number fifty. But this isn’t the reason why fans have been left shaking their heads. No, when the list was first shared Zack Snyder’s Justice League was at the tippy top, with the publication having shared the list in reverse. By mistake, presumably.[EMBED_TWITTER]https://twitter.com/UsUnitedJustice/status/1685756714874810368[/EMBED_TWITTER][EMBED_TWITTER]https://twitter.com/TheDiscFather/status/1685796141622005760[/EMBED_TWITTER][EMBED_TWITTER]https://twitter.com/Swordfish978/status/1685869743830441984[/EMBED_TWITTER][EMBED_TWITTER]https://twitter.com/ThatBatNerd/status/1685908158651187201[/EMBED_TWITTER][EMBED_TWITTER]https://twitter.com/SnyderCastle/status/1685780204508082177[/EMBED_TWITTER]While Zack Snyder’s Justice League now has a very dedicated fanbase, the first ‘Top 10’ included such…questionable comic book movie efforts as 2007’s Ghost Rider, 1975’s Infra-Man, the first Thor, and 2010’s Megamind. Now that the list has been put the right way around, the actual top ten makes a lot more sense, with Black Panther leading a pack that includes the likes of Spider-Man 2, the first Superman from 1978, and Christopher Nolan’s seminal Batman movie The Dark Knight.The top ten in its entirety now reads; Black Panther (2018), Spider-Man 2 (2004), Logan (2017), Avengers: Endgame (2019), Superman (1978), Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018), The Dark Knight (2008), Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Wonder Woman (2017), and finally The Incredibles (2004).While there are arguably still some peculiar choices and placements here, these movies being placed at the top of the superhero mountain certainly makes more sense than that had been there originally. Overall, at least.RELATED: The Most Rewatchable Superhero Movies From Marvel and DC
The Batman, The Suicide Squad, Iron Man & More Make up the Rest of the List
Warner Bros. Pictures
The rest of the list includes such superhero outings as Iron Man (2008), X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014), Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), Deadpool (2016), the animated movie Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993), as well as the likes of Hellboy (2004), The Crow (1994), V for Vendetta (2005), Unbreakable (2000), and even Robocop (1987). Not sure that last one really counts as a superhero, but there it is.
As for the wider world of DC and its cinematic universe, only the likes of The Suicide Squad (2021) features alongside Wonder Woman, with the other DC movies featured being Batman Begins (2005), The Dark Knight Rises (2012), and last year’s The Batman, among others. No doubt those who rank such DC outings as Man of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice highly will be disappointed.
As for the number one superhero movie of all time, Black Panther, the MCU offering remains the highest rated movie in the long-running franchise. Directed by Ryan Coogler, who co-wrote the screenplay with Joe Robert Cole, and starring the late Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Daniel Kaluuya, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker, and Andy Serkis, Black Panther takes audiences to the African nation of Wakanda, where king T’Challa is drawn into a conflict that puts the fate of Wakanda and the entire world at risk.
Met with critical acclaim and nominated for seven awards at the 91st Academy Awards, winning three, Black Pantheris ranked at the tippy top of the MCU rankings on the review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes with a score of 96%. A sequel, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, was released last year.
The update accompanies the release of the game’s story expansion Phantom Liberty.
While Phantom Liberty costs $30 / £25, the Version 2.0 update will be free to all PC and current-gen players.
Version 2.0 completely overhauls many aspects of the game’s core mechanics, and as such developer CD Projekt recommends that PC players should uninstall any mods for the game until they can be updated to support the changes.
“Because changes to crucial game systems are extensive, we strongly recommend uninstalling pre-2.0 mods until the modding community has a chance to update them<” the studio says. “Outdated mods can disrupt the experience in many ways and, in some situations, may cause critical errors.”
The full list of patch notes for the free Version 2.0 update for Cyberpunk 2077 are as follows:
Cyberpunk 2077 Version 2.0 patch notes
Combat
New Police System
The NCPD will chase you when you commit a crime, whether on foot or in a vehicle.
The types of units in pursuit and their behavior will depend on your NCPD Wanted Level. These chases can include various NCPD vehicles, roadblocks and MaxTac swooping in with AVs.
The NCPD will now be present in the world, actively patrolling the streets of Night City. Officers working at crime scenes will now also engage in pursuits.
You can now hear NCPD radio chatter through the radio.
It’s now possible to quickhack NCPD officers.
Vehicle Combat
Added the option to engage in combat while driving a vehicle from either first-person or third-person perspective. While driving, you can use pistols, submachine guns and health items. Some vehicles come equipped with mounted weapons. Melee combat is possible on motorcycles.
Vehicle tires can now be shot or slashed.
Introduced new Perks that unlock a variety of vehicle-related abilities such as quickhacking vehicles, increasing collision damage, boosting vehicle weaponry, allowing the use of Sandevistan and Kerenzikov cyberware, and the ability to exit moving vehicles quickly and stylishly.
Vehicles vary in durability. Vehicles equipped with CrystalDome technology receive additional protection.
You can now encounter AI-driven and randomized chases between different factions in a given district.
We made numerous improvements to enemy AI, including:
Various enhancements to enemy netrunner AI.
Improved NPC reactions to grenades and their use of grenades.
Improved NPC reaction time when flanked.
Faster detection by enemies when you’re walking or sprinting.
Enemies equipped with Sandevistan cyberware will now activate it to counter a player who uses their own.
Enemies that don’t hear a silenced weapon but do notice the bullet impact will now properly investigate the source of the gunshot.
Made improvements for scenarios where a group of NPCs can join another group in combat against you.
Netrunning Changes
Added Perks to expand netrunning capabilities. For example, a new Overclock mode allows you to upload quickhacks by consuming Health if you have insufficient RAM. You can also acquire the ability to queue multiple quickhacks on a single enemy.
Rebalanced RAM costs.
Rebalanced damage and upload time. Changed the effects of some quickhacks.
Removed the option to use Breach Protocol on enemies.
Other
Health Items and grenades now have a limited number of charges that recharge over time after being used.
Stamina is no longer drained outside of combat for actions like sprinting, sliding and jumping. Stamina is drained when firing ranged weapons or attacking with melee weapons. Stamina cost varies by weapon.
Improved the Aim Assist feature.
Rebalanced the base game’s main boss fights.
Introduced Armor Penetration for the base game’s main bosses.
Removed the one-hit kill protection from civilians.
Perks and Skills
A complete Perk tree overhaul. These trees now contain fewer perks, but impact gameplay in a more meaningful way. Progressing in a given Perk tree will allow you to unlock special abilities such as Overclock mode for netrunners, Bolt shots for Tech weapons, the Adrenaline Rush ability for Body-focused character builds, and so on. Because we introduced extensive changes to the Perk system, your spent Perk points on existing playthroughs have been refunded. You can also choose to reset your Attributes once. Feel free to redistribute these Perk and Attribute points to suit your preferred playstyle before you continue playing.
We merged the previous Skills into five new ones – Headhunter, Netrunner, Shinobi, Solo, Engineer. These are not restricted by their corresponding Attribute’s level. On existing playthroughs, your progression on old skills has been transferred to their new counterparts. Skills unlock new passive buffs every 5 levels, and can be leveled up to a max of 60.
Removed the option to reset all Perks at once. Instead, it is now possible to refund each Perk individually for free.
Introduced new kinds of progression shards: Attribute Shards, Carrying Capacity Shards and Cyberware Capacity Shards.
Cyberware
Armor is now provided primarily by cyberware. As a result, clothing’s purpose is mostly cosmetic. Clothing items no longer have mod slots, and only some items provide bonuses.
The number of cyberware implants your body can handle is now determined by your Cyberware Capacity.
Cyberware implants are now Attuned to specific Attributes – the higher the Attribute, the stronger the stat bonus.
You can now upgrade cyberware on the ripperdoc screen.
Some Cyberware slots can be unlocked by acquiring specific Perks.
Added multiple new kinds of Cyberware.
Visiting ripperdocs is now more immersive. When getting cyberware installed, you sit on an operating chair and experience different animations depending on the type of implant.
Added a side quest introducing the new cyberware system for players who load an older save on the 2.0 update.
Weapons
Changed the unique effects of some Iconic weapons to better reflect their distinctive features.
The “first equip” animation can now be triggered at any time.
PC: Hold B or double tap Alt while the weapon is holstered.
PlayStation: double tap △ while the weapon is holstered.
Added new weapon mods and reworked some existing ones. Once installed in a weapon, mods are irreplaceable.
All obsolete weapon mods will be removed from the game. In their place you will find new, random weapon mods in your backpack. The quality of any mods added this way depends on your level.
Implemented a new way to craft weapon mods. To craft a mod, you must first have 2 mods of lower quality.
Expanded the stash wall in V’s apartment to display all of the Iconic weapons from the base game.
Vehicles
Traffic
NPC vehicles can now switch lanes to avoid obstacles.
Pedestrians will now try to avoid running into moving vehicles.
NPC drivers are now better at avoiding you when you are on foot.
Improved braking, acceleration and suspension of cars in traffic.
Some NPCs now might react aggressively when you hijack their vehicle.
Various improvements to traffic density depending on time of day and night, resulting in more realistic traffic behavior.
Driving with a quest-related NPC in your vehicle no longer disables traffic in the occupied lane, resulting in the feeling of a busier city.
Other
Fixers will no longer text you about vehicles up for sale. You now purchase vehicles via the AUTOFIXER netpage on V’s computer or by using terminals located in gas stations and repair shops throughout Night City. To find these, enable the new Autofixer filter on the world map. Vehicles are sorted by manufacturer. The vehicles equipped with built-in weaponry have photos marked with a special icon. As you earn more Street Cred, you will unlock more vehicles for purchase.
Added new user settings to help configure vehicle camera and controls. You can now also choose between three different third-person camera distances when driving a vehicle.
Added a new “Driving” category and Driving Manual to the Database.
We implemented various changes and tweaks to vehicle performance and handling:
New speed-sensitive steering applies to most vehicles. The max turn speed and radius adapts to different vehicle speeds better than before. All engines have torque curves now, which reflect the engine’s character and any power modifiers (e.g., supercharger, turbo, hybrid, etc.). Some adjustments and balancing have been made to vehicle acceleration and top speeds.
Conducted a full pass on adjustments to braking force. For slower vehicles it has been dramatically increased, and all stopping distances were measured and adjusted as necessary.
All vehicles react better to rough terrain and impacts with curbs, meridians, etc. Vehicles feel “heavier” now, as we have improved how we apply gravity as the suspension moves.
Many vehicles were fully retuned or their tuning was heavily revised.
Multiple other small improvements.
Balance and Economy
NPCs
All NPCs now scale to your level. Enemy difficulty is no longer dependent on what area of Night City you’re in.
Enemies will have different tiers depending on the faction they belong to.
Some NPC archetypes will feature Low, Medium or High armor.
All resistances for regular NPCs have been removed.
Rebalanced game difficulty to increase the challenge at higher difficulties.
Weapons
Weapons now scale damage based on their Tier.
The damage for Smart weapons has been lowered, but they now benefit from dedicated Perks.
Loot
Loot now scales to your level.
Removed excessive findable loot in the game, such as loot that distracts from scenes and quest locations.
NPCs no longer drop clothing.
Crafting & Upgrading
Crafting and upgrading now require only one type of component instead of multiple types.
Replaced old rarity levels (Common, Uncommon, Rare, Epic, Legendary) with Tiers (from Tier 1 to 5++).
Apart from cyberware, now only Iconic weapons can be upgraded. They gain a higher Tier with each upgrade.
Vendors
You can now access the Wardrobe feature through clothing vendors.
Vendor stocks scale with your level, expanding as you reach a new Tier.
Updated vendor stocks so that each has a more distinctive theme and specialization.
Vendors no longer sell quickhack and crafting components.
Adjusted the prices of weapons, cyberware, apartments, clothing and more.
Audio
New Radio Stations
89.7 Growl FM features songs created by our community. The DJ, Ash, is voiced by Sasha Grey.
Impulse 99.9 features a completely new set of songs remixed by Idris Elba.
107.5 Dark Star is a new station for electronic music.
UI
The Quest Journal now has a new, cleaner look. Jobs are located in separate tabs, depending on type. The distance to each quest marker is now displayed in the Journal.
Added the option to untrack a quest in the Journal.
Overhauled the phone UI to be more intuitive.
Revamped Perk and Cyberware menus.
Simplified item tooltips. The most important stats are now represented by bars to make comparison easier.
The minimap will now zoom out dynamically depending on your speed.
Updated the minimap to better serve the situation around you. Vision cones will not be visible unless a given NPC reacts to your actions or engages in combat.
Improved D-pad navigation in menus.
You can now change the HUD safe zone. This option is available in Settings → Interface.
Multiple UI fixes for widescreens.
You can now preview clothing and weapons not only at vendors, but also in your inventory.
The indicators that show the status of active cyberware are now displayed on your HUD.
Quest Fixes
Beat on the Brat: The Glen – Fixed an issue where it wasn’t possible to draw fists when the fight started.
Blistering Love – Fixed an issue where the parked car despawned after talking to Rogue in front of the Afterlife.
Cyberpsycho Sighting: Bloody Ritual – Fixed an issue where Zaria’s body could get stuck underground after defeating her.
Forward to Death – The forces defending the gate of the construction site now properly attack V.
Gig: Serious Side Effects – Fixed an issue where it wasn’t possible to deposit the beta acid at the Drop Point.
I Fought The Law – Fixed an issue where it was possible to get stuck in the Red Queen’s Race after completing the quest.
Queen of the Highway – Fixed an issue where it wasn’t possible to complete the “Talk to Panam.” objective on older saves.
Spellbound – It’s now possible to steal the data from R3n0’s computer if you don’t have a cyberdeck.
We Gotta Live Together – Fixed an issue where an invisible wall made it impossible to return to the camp on the Basilisk.
Stability and Performance
Multiple fixes and improvements related to stability and optimization.
Miscellaneous
Added Trauma Drama, an arcade mini game that offers a chance to win special rewards.
Added more secrets to be discovered in Night City.
Added some small scenes to the game, including some conversations with Johnny Silverhand when visiting V’s apartment in Megabuilding H10.
You can now change tattoos at ripperdocs.
You can now choose between three Control Schemes for controllers: Classic, Dynamic and Alternative.
Apartments will now give smaller buffs.
Updated the Characters tab in the Database to include more side characters.
Added new niches to the Columbarium.
Added Ukrainian text localization.
PC-Specific
Updated PC system requirements. A SSD is now required to run the game. More information can be found here.
Added support for NVIDIA DLSS 3.5, which introduces DLSS Ray Reconstruction, a feature that improves the quality of Ray Traced effects. A GeForce RTX graphics card is required. The option is available in Settings → Graphics in the NVIDIA DLSS section. DLSS 3.5 is only available if Path Tracing is turned on. To make sure DLSS Ray Reconstruction works correctly on your PC, update your NVIDIA Game Ready Driver to version 537.42 at minimum.
[AMD SMT] Introduced a new AMD Simultaneous Multithreading (SMT) switch located in Settings → Gameplay → Performance. It allows you to set SMT to Off (only physical cores), On (all logical cores) or Auto (ensuring the performance average across different locations and situations in game is optimal). This change was implemented in cooperation with AMD and is based on tests conducted on both sides.
The Crowd Density setting has been moved from the Gameplay tab to the Graphics tab. Additionally, Crowd Density is now tied to Graphics Quick Presets and will change depending on the selected preset, but it can be customized independently if needed.
As PC system requirements have been updated, running the game on an SSD is now a requirement on Steam Deck.
Updated Steam Deck graphics profile for improved frame rate stability.
CONSOLE-SPECIFIC
Changed the target upscaling resolution on Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 in Performance Mode from dynamic 4k to dynamic 1800p for improved performance and image quality.
Tibetan Hearts had its world premiere on Saturday, September 9th at the Silicon Beach Film Festival. It was wonderful to see the film on the big screen. Tibetan Hearts is a romantic drama about two lovers from rival sheep herding villages in Tibet. It was filmed on location in Tibet and provides a rare look at this isolated culture from their own perspective.
The festival took place at the esteemed TCL Chinese Theater in Hollywood. The premiere had a great turn out, with many members of the crew attending, including producers Lynn Tang and Libo Li.
SBFF program director Peter Greene was also in attendance. He praised the film’s visual beauty and spoke of how excited he was to see it on a big screen.
Reviewers especially noted the film’s cinematography. On reviewer called it a “scenic masterpiece”. Another pointed to the film’s “sumptuous drone shots”. Other aspects received praise as well, including the “superb acting” and the story, referred to as “a classic, timeless tale”.
At the Awards Ceremony the following Friday, Tibetan Hearts was honored with the award for Best Cinematography – Feature Film. Producer Lynn Tang accepted the award on behalf of the team.
The filmmaking team of Tibetan Hearts is incredibly grateful to the Silicon Beach Film Festival for including their film. They are also thankful to their many supporters in Tibet and around the world.
The newest Star Wars series on Disney+, Ahsoka, delivered a sizable viewing audience during its opening week. Suits continued its summer-long run as the top overall title.
The first two episodes of Ahsoka, starring Rosario Dawson as the title character, had 829 million minutes of viewing in the United States for the week of Aug. 21-27. With a total running time of 100 minutes over the two installments, that translates to about 8.29 million complete showings of the two. (Disney+ said the first episode alone gathered the equivalent of 14 million complete plays worldwide over its first five days.)
Ahsoka’s 829 million minutes of viewing ranks second among Disney+ Star Wars shows for their series premiere weeks, behind the 1.03 billion for Obi-Wan Kenobi in May 2022. It was the No. 2 original series for the week behind Netflix’s British import Who Is Erin Carter?, which drew 1.04 billion minutes of viewing. New seasons of The Ultimatum and Ragnarok on Netflix also pushed those two back into the top 10 originals.
Suits was the top overall title for the 10th week in a row with 2.66 billion minutes of viewing — just a 6 percent decline from the previous week. Kids’ favorite Bluey (1.03 billion minutes on Disney+) also topped a billion minutes for the seventh straight week, despite the fact that a large number of its core viewers went back to school in late August.
Nielsen’s streaming ratings cover viewing on TV sets only and don’t include minutes watched on computers or mobile devices. The ratings only measure U.S. audiences, not those in other countries. The top streaming titles for Aug. 21-27 are below.
Overall
1. Suits (Netflix/Peacock), 2.66 billion minutes viewed 2. Who Is Erin Carter? (Netflix), 1.04 billion 3. Bluey (Disney+), 1.03 billion 4. Grey’s Anatomy (Netflix), 932 million 5. Ahsoka (Disney+), 829 million 6. NCIS (Netflix/Paramount+), 784 million 7. Ballers (Max/Netflix), 656 million 8. Cocomelon (Netflix), 644 million 9. Untold (Netflix), 632 million 10. The Lincoln Lawyer (Netflix), 587 million
Original Series
1. Who Is Erin Carter?, 1.04 billion minutes 2. Ahsoka, 829 million 3. Untold, 63 million 4. The Lincoln Lawyer, 587 million 5. Only Murders in the Building (Hulu), 559 million 6. Painkiller (Netflix), 551 million 7. The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On (Netflix), 489 million 8. Ragnarok (Netflix), 471 million 9. Gabby’s Dollhouse (Netflix), 347 million 10. Futurama (Hulu) 335 million
Acquired Series
1. Suits, 2.66 billion 2. Bluey, 1.03 billion 3. Grey’s Anatomy, 932 million 4. NCIS, 784 million 5. Ballers, 656 million 6. Cocomelon, 644 million 7. The Big Bang Theory (Max), 497 million 8. Gilmore Girls (Netflix), 490 million 9. Supernatural (Netflix), 488 million 10. SpongeBob SquarePants (Paramount+/Prime Video), 431 million
Movies
1. You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah (Netflix), 495 million minutes 2. The Flash (Max), 392 million 3. The Monkey King (Netflix), 387 million 4. The Pope’s Exorcist (Netflix), 345 million 5. Heart of Stone (Netflix), 328 million 6. The Super Mario Bros. Movie (Peacock), 322 million 7. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (Disney+), 300 million 8. Vacation Friends 2 (Hulu), 246 million 9. Moana (Disney+), 245 million 10. The Black Demon (Prime Video), 237 million
The Federal Trade Commission has started to notify consumers that they may be eligible for refunds for in-game purchases on the popular multiplayer online game Fortnite.
The FTC has a $245 million settlement fund with Epic Games, the Fortnite manufacturer distributor. It has been accused of using design tricks to lure players into unwanted in-game purchases.
Those charged for in-game currency for items between January 2017 and September 2022, or had their child make Fortnite charges without their knowledge between January 2017 and November 2018, are eligible.
Those who had their account locked between January 2017 and September 2022 after they complained to their credit card company about wrongful charges are also eligible.
Epic agreed then to a $275 million penalty to settle FTC allegations that the company violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act Rule. The company was also ordered to pay a separate $245 million by the FTC that will be used for refunds.
Epic Games used “a variety of design tricks aimed at getting consumers of all ages to make unintended in-game purchases,” according to a FTC news release.
“The company also made it easy for children to rack up charges without parental consent and locked the accounts of consumers who disputed unauthorized charges with their credit card companies,” the FTC added.
Epic issued a statement in December on the original settlement.
“We accepted this agreement because we want Epic to be at the forefront of consumer protection and provide the best experience for our players,” the company wrote.
All claims must be submitted online by Jan. 17, 2024. Questions can be submitted by calling 1-833-915-0880 or emailing admin@fortniterefund.com.
The individual refunds will vary and will be determined on the number of people applying. Those under 18 must have a parent or guardian submit on their behalf.
Gangs Of London is a series bold enough to ask the question: What if Game Of Thrones, but make it modern day gangsters instead of feudal warlords and Ned Stark gets shot in the face point blank in the first episode of the series instead of getting beheaded in Episode 9? From the mind of Gareth Evans (The Raid, The Raid: Redemption) — a man whose modern action sequence bonafides are only matched by Chad Stahelski (John Wick) — GoL made its debut in the UK back in April of 2020, but didn’t make its way to these shores until April of 2021 when AMC+ picked it up. (Yes, we said AMC+, which is probably why you’ve never heard of Gangs until now.) Fortunately, though, both seasons of Gangs Of London are currently airing on Max through October 31, thanks to a unique content-sharing partnership with the struggling AMC. If you were a fan of layered, intense international crime dramas like Gomorrah (either the movie or the show), you’re gonna want to give this one a whirl.
The first thing you need to know about “Expendables 4” is that its studio somehow made the grating decision to fashion its title as “Expend4ble.” It’s a needless spelling challenge for a dull and vulgar flick with a lot of empty-calories muscle, but little-to-no skill or fun to spare. The second thing you need to know is, that insertion of “4” is, unfortunately, just about the most clever thing the fourth installment of this star-studded action series has to offer.
There is always a lot of touchiness out there in defense of such movies, usually from those who guard one’s right to “shut one’s brain off and just enjoy.” But as the “John Wick” franchise and the entirety of the “Mission: Impossible” series continue to prove time and time again, there is indeed a stylish and cinematic way to pull off fun and thoroughly entertaining action fare that is also clever and awe-inspiring to watch on the big screen with all their technical glory — even in our era of such low filmic expectations.
In those departments, keep your expectations in check throughout “Expend4bles,” directed by Scott Waugh and written by a crowded team that includes Kurt Wimmer, Tad Daggerhart and Max Adams. Unless your definition of awe-inspiring is a vile movie where throats that get gleefully punctured and sliced are a dime a dozen and body parts explode like confetti, there won’t be a lot of reason for you to stick around for this one.
On an alarming note, not even children are safe from the dreadful pleasure “Expend4bles” takes in blowing up people’s brains. In an early scene, a young kid learns this the hard way when he is murdered at gunpoint, an incident that the camera technically (and thankfully) doesn’t show, but lingers there just a second too long to make one wonder whether it would have rather put it on display.
The kid is… well, someone’s son in Libya. (Bear with me, as “Expend4bles” isn’t as into building its characters as it is into witnessing their demise.) He falls victim to a ruthless arms dealer’s scheme after seeing his mother get murdered in front of his dad, who’s being held hostage at gunpoint.
Rahmat (Iko Uwais) is the notorious baddie in question, having stolen the type of nuclear detonators that could start — wait for it — World War III. And our ragtag team of avenging Expendables, a seemingly indestructible clan of cream-of-the-crop mercenaries, are on the hunt for him as well as his unknown boss — on the heels of a rare failure of a mission that sees the death of one of their own.
Rest assured that everything will be resolved to provide the happiest outcome imaginable when the film finally reaches its twisty yet predictable end. But in the meantime, you’ll be stuck being bored as you follow both returning and brand-new armed fighters that the film repeatedly captures in slow-motion as they walk towards the screen to draw cheers from the audience.
Among them are the tough-as-nails but softhearted Barney (Sylvester Stallone), his wisecracking right-hand bestie Christmas (Jason Statham), his new girlfriend and teammate Gina (Megan Fox, sporting inexplicably perfect hair and nightclub makeup), Dolph Lundgren’s Gunner and others played by the likes of Tony Jaa, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson and Andy Garcia as the team’s chief suit, Marsh. Yes, you will get a dose of 50 Cent’s “P.I.M.P” here, although you should just turn your attention to the upcoming “Anatomy of a Fall” for an actually inventive use of that famous track.
What you won’t get is dexterously directed and choreographed fight sequences or a reason to care about the escalating mayhem on the screen. In fairness, a segment set on a massive cargo ship, where the clan has to survive an attack in order to pursue their vague mission, pumps some excitement into the picture. That is, some mazy action sequences and a scene which follows the ship on a sudden 180-degree turn finally bringing on some excitement. But the clumsiness elsewhere quickly flattens whatever pleasure is to be had from this rare moment of visual intrigue.
Even the much-hyped detonation, when it finally happens in the midst of the ocean, doesn’t deliver the big and bold cinematic splash the story continually hints at. All you’re left with is a painfully self-aware flick trying to own its tastelessness. Turns out, it needn’t try so hard.
Lizzo’s legal woes continue. Asha Daniels, who says she worked in Lizzo’s wardrobe department on tour this year, alleges in a new lawsuit that she was sometimes refused breaks during 20-hour shifts, and that she heard racist and fatphobic comments from members of Lizzo’s team, TMZ reports. She says Amanda Nomura, a member of Lizzo’s team, called Black women on the tour “dumb,” “useless,” and “fat,” according to the lawsuit. The complaint follows a lawsuit that three other dancers filed at the start of August, alleging they were sexually harassed and weight-shamed. Pitchfork has emailed Daniels’ lawyer for further details.
In the lawsuit, Daniels claims Nomura rolled a clothing rack over her ankle, and that she was later reprimanded for wearing Crocs to ease the swelling. She says she raised the issue with Lizzo’s tour manager, Carlina Gugliotta, who advised her to get video evidence, but that she felt that would be unethical. She also says she wasn’t allowed to wear sexy clothing around Lizzo, claiming Lizzo did not want her boyfriend to be around other beautiful women. Daniels says she was eventually fired, leading to ongoing anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, migraines, ocular distortions, brain fog, and fatigue.
When reached by Pitchfork, a Lizzo spokesman, Stefan Friedman, stated:
As Lizzo receives a Humanitarian Award tonight from the Black Music Action Coalition for the incredible charitable work she has done to lift up all people, an ambulance-chasing lawyer tries to sully this honor by recruiting someone to file a bogus, absurd publicity-stunt lawsuit who, wait for it, never actually met or even spoke with Lizzo.
We will pay this as much attention as it deserves. None.
In the previous lawsuit, filed back in August, Lizzo, her Big Grrl Big Touring production company, and her dance captain, Shirlene Quigley, were named as defendants. (Asha Daniels is represented by Neama Rahmani, the lawyer who represents the original plaintiffs.) It cites instances of racial discrimination and disability discrimination, along with an incident in Amsterdam where Lizzo allegedly pressured a dancer into touching a nude performer’s breasts. On the same occasion, Lizzo allegedly urged dancers to “catch dildos launched from the performers’ vaginas and eat bananas protruding from the performers’ vaginas.”
In response to the original lawsuit, Lizzo said the “false allegations” were “as unbelievable as they sound and too outrageous to not be addressed.” She added, in part, “Sometimes I have to make hard decisions but it’s never my intention to make anyone feel uncomfortable or like they aren’t valued as an important part of the team. I am not here to be looked at as a victim, but I also know that I am not the villain that people and the media have portrayed me to be be these last few days.”
In response to that statement, the original three plaintiffs—Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams, and Noelle Rodriguez—reiterated and elaborated on their claims to CNN. “It took me until actually leaving the camp that I figured out that everything that went on was bad, because I just chalked it up to, you know, oh, Lizzo might be a diva, or this is just the industry, this is what we go through,” Davis said. She added that it was “disheartening” and “incredibly frustrating” for Lizzo to deny, and try to discredit, their claims.
In late August, it emerged that 14 Lizzo dancers had settled a separate lawsuit earlier this year. The dancers, who had appeared in the 2022 documentary Love, Lizzo, raised a dispute involving payment for their appearance. A group including a “Lizzo entity” and co-production company Boardwalk Pictures settled the claim in February for $109,551.
In “Expend4bles,” the action is more digitally propulsive than it was in “The Expendables” (2010), “The Expendables 2” (2012), or “The Expendables 3” (2014). Yet the preferred mode of killing is reassuringly primitive. In scene after scene, characters use knives to slit people’s throats, or they’ll sometimes jam a knife directly into the throat (the villain does this in the opening sequence, which is the movie’s way of saying “Welcome!”). “Expend4bles” is punctuated by those quick homicidal bursts of blood spatter. They’re effective, but because they feel a lot like the video-game slashings in a “John Wick” movie, the defining spirit of the “Expendables” series — the aging action heroes of the Reagan era all gathered together for a big dumb neo-’80s marathon of old-school combat destruction — now feels nearly as far as away as the ’80s did when the first movie came out.
The first two “Expendables” films had a relatively stable cast, with Easter Egg cameos by folks like Chuck Norris and Arnold Schwarzenegger. But by the time of “The Expendables 3,” the franchise had begun to rotate in actors — Antonio Banderas, Kelsey Grammer, Wesley Snipes, Mel Gibson — in a way that theoretically expanded the series’ appeal even as it watered down the original dirty dozen. In “Expend4bles,” which revives the series after close to a decade, the revolving-door casting has now gotten so random that it’s starting to feel like the action equivalent of “Celebrity Rehab.”
Reigning badass Lee Christmas (Jason Statham) has an ex-girlfriend, Gina (played by Megan Fox), the two of whom like beating each other up as foreplay, which may be why they broke up. When Christmas gets bounced out of the Expendables for an infraction, Gina, a CIA operative, takes over his leadership position — and much as I like Megan Fox, I can’t say that she’s particularly convincing in that role. Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson is on hand, clipped and likable but reminding you why his big-screen crossover career never quite panned out, and so is Antonio Banderas look-alike Jacob Scipio as Galan, the son of Banderas’s Galgo. The new behind-the-scenes honcho is played by Andy Garcia, who somehow makes you feel like he’s been in every one of these films.
The heart of an “Expendables” movie should be the interplay of Sylvester Stallone and Jason Statham, and the two get their ball-busting on in a couple of early scenes, when Sly’s Barney Ross is trying to retrieve his heavy-metal death ring from some stooge who won it in a bet. Statham and Stallone take on a bar full of refrigerator-size goons and defeat them as if they were swatting flies.
But then they go on their mission, which is to stop Suarto (Iko Uwais), a mercenary terrorist, from getting his hands on a collection of nuclear detonators. As they ambush the compound where Suarto is holed up (it’s Muammar Gaddafi’s former chemical plant in Libya), Barney zooms into the action on the Expendables’ shark-mouthed plane…only to get shot out of the sky. At the crash site, we see the stump of his head, his charred finger with that ring on it. But I would guess more than half the audience will say, “Not quite sure I’m buying that.”
With Barney out of the picture, Christmas officially gets sidelined for the crime of letting the bad guy slip away — but all because he was trying to save Barney. (No loyal deed goes unpunished.) Then again, Christmas isn’t really out of the picture. Having teamed up with Desha, an ex-Expendable played by the Thai martial-arts star Tony Jaa, he’s ready to sneak back to the rest of the team as they infiltrate a ship outfitted to look like a U.S. aircraft carrier. It’s there that Suarto has a nuke all rigged and ready to go; he wants to detonate it once the ship enters Russian waters, so that he can start World War III. (Ah, these villains and their eminently relatable plans.)
Throat slashings aside, I haven’t said a lot about the action in “Expend4bles,” and that’s because it’s…okay. As staged by director Scott Waugh, it is, I guess, relentless enough and kinetic enough, yet there isn’t much of a stylistic imprint to it. The plot has almost no twists, except for one big one at the end that can only be called corny. And since the action no longer feels rooted in the kamikaze analog aesthetic of the “Commando”-meets-“Cobra” ’80s, this may be the first “Expendables” movie that doesn’t feel linked to the old Cannon Films spirit of trash taken to the extreme. This is true 21st-century trash: a movie in which the action itself is expendable.
Weeks after a rockslide stymied traffic moving through Highway 97 near Summerland, two lanes will be open for traffic starting Friday.
The highway will officially open at noon, now that Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure crews built a block wall to protect the road from falling rock.
“In addition, a 150-metre berm between the lock-block wall and the bottom of the slope was constructed to temporarily address slope movement,” the Ministry of Transportation said in a press release.
Okanagan locals find creative ways around Highway 97 rockslide
The current fix is temporary, though construction of permanent stabilization measures will continue while geotechnical engineers monitor the site for changes in ground conditions.
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“Drivers are reminded that this portion of the road may need to be closed again with limited notice if it is deemed unsafe,” the ministry said.
“The site will be at a greater likelihood of closure should heavy rainfall occur.”
The highway was closed on Aug. 28 because of the rockslide. Since Sept. 11, it has been operating with single-lane-alternating traffic as crews worked to stabilize the hillside.
As rehearsals for “Dancing With the Stars” are being picketed by the WGA, the other union currently on strike, SAG-AFTRA, is backing the show and its cast members.
In a statement to Variety, a spokesperson for SAG-AFTRA says that performers on the ABC competition series are not violating the strike rules by participating in the show and that they are legally required to fulfill their contractual obligations with the show.
“Our members appearing on ‘Dancing With the Stars’ are working under the Network Code agreement, which is a non-struck contract. They are required to go to work, are not in violation of SAG-AFTRA strike rules, and we support them in fulfilling their contractual obligations,” a SAG-AFTRA spokesperson says.
“The program is a SAG-AFTRA non-dramatic production under a separate agreement that is not subject to the union’s strike order,” the statement continues. “The majority of our members on ‘Dancing With the Stars’ had contractual obligations to the show prior to the strike. Many are under option agreements that require them to return to the show if the producer exercises their option which the producer has done.”
In the statement, SAG-AFTRA explains that its members are subject to a “no strike clause,” meaning that the performers have agreed not to strike during the term of the Network Code agreement, and have agreed to show up to work during that term. (The “Network Code” was ratified in 2022, and does not expire until June 2024.)
“By not showing up to work, our performers can be held in breach of contract and the Union is prohibited from advising them not to work,” the statement says.
SAG-AFTRA lends its support to the WGA and other unions in the industry, but says its members are legally obligated to work under contract: “It is important to recognize that SAG-AFTRA is fighting against the studios and not members who are required to go to work every day under other union contracts or personal service agreements. We stand with our union siblings across the industry as we also recognize our obligations under federal labor law.”
On “Dancing With the Stars,” the two hosts, three judges and professional dancers are all members of SAG-AFTRA. Much of the celebrity lineup for Season 32 are also part of SAG-AFTRA, including Alyson Hannigan, Jamie Lynn Spears, Barry Williams, Mira Sorvino, Ariana Madix and Xochitl Gomez. “Veep” actor Matt Walsh — who announced earlier today that he was “pausing his participation” with “DWTS” — is also a SAG member, in addition to being a WGA and DGA member. All of these performers on “Dancing With the Stars” are cleared to work under SAG-AFTRA’s “Network Code” agreement, which is not part of the current strike.
Variety has reached out to a handful of “Dancing With the Stars” celebrity cast members to inquire about their participation status for the upcoming season, which currently has plans to premiere next Tuesday, Sept. 26 on ABC — though ABC confirmed earlier today that the network is monitoring the situation and is putting plans in place to postpone the premiere. (If more cast members follow Walsh in stepping back from the season, matters will be further complicated for “DWTS,” as the show relies on its celebrity cast. In other words: With no cast, there is no show.)
As alluded to in SAG-AFTRA’s statement above, technically, any celebrity cast member that might back out of “DWTS” because of the WGA strike would be in breach of contract for refusing to work because SAG-AFTRA’s Network Code no strike clause. But a source close to the show tells Variety that production is being supportive of any talent with concerns amid WGA picketing, and intends to defend their right to work on the show, given that SAG-AFTRA has informed its members that they are allowed (and obligated) to continue working under the Network Code during its ongoing strike.
This week, “Dancing With the Stars” celebrity cast members have been met by picketers in Los Angeles while rehearsing for the show. WGA members are picketing with hopes that either the show is pushed until after the strike is over, or that they can pressure cast members into backing out.
The competition reality show is the latest to face blowback from the WGA, which has been vocal on social media about the unscripted show not continuing until the strike is resolved. WGA members have said that cast members who participate in the show will be scabbing to cross the picket line to work. Daytime shows, including “Drew Barrymore,” “The Talk” and “The Jennifer Hudson Show,” all opted to delay their fall premieres this week after being targeted by the WGA.
“Dancing With the Stars” is a show covered by the WGA because it employs one WGA writer — however, it is worth noting that the show employs roughly 500 staff members in total, including crew members and producers. “Everyone’s focus is to keep 500 people employed,” a production source previously told Variety.
Other reality competition shows similar to “Dancing With the Stars,” such as Fox’s “The Masked Singers,” do not employ WGA writers, which is why they are able to remain on the air with no criticism from the WGA.
During the 2007-2008 writers strike, “DWTS” remained in production. The show re-hired its writer once the strike was over.
ABC is relying heavily on “Dancing With the Stars” for its fall schedule, which is virtually all unscripted during the strikes.
As FX’s American Horror Story enters its twelfth season, three things set apart its latest baby, Delicate, from its big siblings. One is the fact that it’s the first story based on a novel — Danielle Valentine’s Delicate Condition, a Rosemary’s Baby riff about an actress, Anna (Emma Roberts), trying to conceive via IVF. Another is that it’s the first season not to have co-creator Ryan Murphy as showrunner; instead, AHS newbie Halley Feiffer (American Crime Story: Impeachment) is fulfilling that role.
In combination, they signal a potential for American Horror Story to head in a cleaner and clearer direction, away from its longstanding reputation for sloppy plotting — but not too far from its gift for building buzz, since the third standout element is the headline-worthy stunt casting of Kim Kardashian as Anna’s BFF and publicist Siobhan. But whether it has the ability to deliver on all that promise remains an open question by the end of a just-okay debut.
American Horror Story: Delicate
The Bottom Line
A bit too delicate for its own good.
Airdate: 10 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 20 (FX) Cast: Emma Roberts, Matt Czuchry, Kim Kardashian, Annabelle Dexter-Jones, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Denis O’Hare, Cara Delevingne, Julie White, Maaz Ali Creators: Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk Developed by: Halley Feiffer, based on the book by Danielle Valentine
To be fair, it’s impossible to judge an entire season based on a single episode. But if the best premieres sink their claws into a viewer, Delicate manages only a light scratch — sharp enough to leave an impression, but not to hook someone in. Its in-media-res opening is creepy by any measure: Feeling a hand on her sleeping body, Anna turns to see not her partner, Dexter (Matt Czuchry), but a cloaked figure that flees into the night, leaving Anna’s own hands inexplicably bloody. Yet the hour as a whole feels disappointingly restrained. It lacks the lush weirdness that made Amazon’s similarly fertility-themed Dead Ringers so impossible to shake, or the eerie world-building that made Yellowjackets such an immediate smash — or, for that matter, the anything-could-happen zaniness that’s kept American Horror Story trending for a decade-plus.
There’s still time for Delicate to get there, though. In the meantime, it has other attractions, first among them a knack for eye-catching visuals. Its actresses don’t wear costumes so much as serve looks, from Anna’s “off-duty A-lister” beanie-and-sunglasses combo to Siobhan’s corset-inspired blazer and oxblood leather trench. A spike-studded stiletto is no mere accessory but a plot point; so is a gleaming gold tube of bright red lipstick. Meanwhile, the sets look at once cushy and chilly. Maroon-uniformed nurses glide silently across stark gray-white walls. A terrified woman sprints down an all-white hallway that wouldn’t look out of place in a Kardashian home tour.
Speaking of which: Time may tell how Kardashian fares when she’s given more intense material, since much of Siobhan’s screen time thus far is spent exposition-dumping. For now, however, her dry affect proves paradoxically perfect for delivering campy lines like “Tell the Daniels to suck my clit,” as she does in her very first scene. Indeed, she makes a stronger impression than Roberts, who, despite having literally starred in Murphy’s Scream Queens doesn’t prove much of one here. She’s okay at capturing Anna’s gnawing unease, but unconvincing when asked to convey full-blown terror.
Anna spends most of her time in the former mode, anyway. As she embarks on her third round of IVF, she’s plagued by the feeling that she’s being watched for some sinister reason. A strange woman lurks outside her building, studying a dead bird embryo inside a broken nest. Another confronts her at the fertility clinic, and snaps her photo before she’s dragged away. Someone seems to keep messing with her appointment calendar, and moving things inside her house. Dexter chalks up her worries to stress — “It’s okay, babe. You’re on a ton of meds, you’ve got a lot on your mind,” he reassures her with condescending benevolence. But she knows something’s off, even if no one else seems to.
That tension embodies Delicate‘s central theme, of the agony of existing in a body presumed to be for everyone else. “I feel like I’m violating myself,” she protests when handed a doll of herself to sign. “That’s called being an actress,” Siobhan deadpans in response. At the clinic, her complaints of pain are dismissed under the reasoning that “nothing worth waiting for is ever easy.” That Anna chose to become an actress, and chose to undergo IVF, only makes her experience more fraught. These are decisions that now threaten to rob her of the very agency that she wielded to make them.
So far, the series appears better at projecting the surface-level beauty of Anna’s world than digging into the ugliness lying just underneath. But then, Anna’s a cover girl too, and one about to discover just how nasty life can get. Delicate would do well to follow her into the muck, and let itself get a little messy.
Finally. The alleged mastermind of the Bling Ring is at last speaking out about a wild crime spree that saw seven teens and young adults burglarize the homes of celebrities from Paris Hilton to Lindsay Lohan and Orlando Bloom over a decade ago.
Rachel Lee comes clean in The Ringleader: The Case of the Bling Ring, which is set to debut Sunday, October 1 on HBO and streaming on Max. The film is directed by Erin Lee Carr, who has explored true crime cases in I Love You, Now Die: The Commonwealth V. Michelle Carter and At The Heart of Gold: Inside The USA Gymnastics Scandal. We have your first look at The Ringleader: The Case of the Bling Ring in the trailer above.
HBO Documentary Films
“In the mid-2000s, dozens of celebrity homes are burglarized and the crime ring behind it all is surprisingly unsophisticated – teenagers from Calabasas,” notes a description of the film. “At the center of the controversy is 19-year-old Rachel Lee. According to her co-defendants, she led the burglaries at the homes of Paris Hilton, Orlando Bloom, and Lindsay Lohan. Lee remained silent while the media and her former friends branded her the ringleader of a series of crimes that captured the culture’s fascination.”
The synopsis continues, “Over 10 years later and following a prison sentence, Lee speaks for the first time intimately about her childhood and her role in the crime spree and outlines the culture of celebrity worship that prevailed in the early 2000s, when socialites and Hollywood stars flaunted their wealth and designer lifestyles on social media and popular reality shows… The Ringleader: The Case of the Bling Ring sheds light on a culture that led troubled teenagers from a well to do California neighborhood who nevertheless felt like outsiders, to covet, and believe they deserved, the lifestyles of the rich and famous.”
In the trailer, Lee observes, “Most people, if they saw me on the street, they’d be like, ‘Oh, she’s just a normal person.’ But there’s always anxiety – what if they realize who I am and what I did with the Bling Ring?” She adds, “I didn’t like my world. Going into a celebrity home and trying on their stuff, I was able to live in their world.”
In addition to Lee, the documentary features journalists Allen Salkin and Amy Kaufman, Deputy District Attorneys for L.A. County Christine Kee and Sarika Kim, burglary victim Eden Shizzle and Rachel’s father David Lee.
HBO Documentary Films presents a Story Syndicate Production in association with Carr Lot Productions The Ringleader: The Case of the Bling Ring. Directed by Erin Lee Carr; producers are Erin Lee Carr and Dani Sloane; executive producers include Sandi Tan, Dan Cogan, Liz Garbus, Jon Bardin, and Kate Barry. For HBO, executive producers are Nancy Abraham, Lisa Heller, and Sara Rodriguez.
Watch the trailer for The Ringleader: The Case of the Bling Ring above.
Matt Walsh, star of HBO’s Veep and a member of the WGA, has paused his involvement in the ABC show after much pressure from the Writers Guild. Competitors such as Oscar-winner Mira Sorvino and How I MetYour Mother‘s Alyson Hannigan have also faced calls to stop tangoing.
However, in a statement today SAG-AFTRA backed its members who choose to participate in the series, which is set to premiere on Tuesday night.
It noted that as a result of the Network Code agreement they are not in violation of strike rules and are required to go to work.
“We support them in fulfilling their contractual obligations,” the union noted. “The majority of our members on Dancing with the Stars had contractual obligations to the show prior to the strike. Many are under option agreements that require them to return to the show if the producer exercises their option which the producer has done.”
It added that as part of the Network Code Collective Bargaining Agreement, the stars are also subject to a no strike clause. “By not showing up to work, our performers can be held in breach of contract and the Union is prohibited from advising them not to work,” it added.
SAG-AFTRA also reaffirmed its solidarity with the WGA; Dancing with the Stars is a WGA-signatory show and traditionally employs one writer. “We stand with our union siblings across the industry as we also recognize our obligations under federal labor law,” it said.
The move comes as ABC is mulling postponing the premiere date of the show and putting plans in place for alterative programming if it needs to.
Other actors appearing on the show include Doctor Strange’s Xochitl Gomez, The Brady Bunch’s Barry Williams and Zoey 101’s Jamie Lynn Spears.
Shubh has issued an official statement amid backlash over his alleged separatist post.
Amid Shubh’s India tour getting cancelled, the Canadian-born Punjabi singer issued an official statement.
The Punjabi Entertainment Industry has given a number of talented individuals, including singers, rappers and actors. One rising star who captured the spotlight in 2021 is Shubhneet Singh, aka Shubh. The artist quickly gained fame after releasing his debut single Don’t Look alongside Irman Thiara. However, it was his breakthrough single, We Rollin, followed by Elevated and Offshore, which helped him turn into a sensation. Ahead of his India tour, the Canada-based Punjabi singer found himself in hot soup over allegations that he supports separatist Khalistani elements. After the controversy, several celebs like Virat Kohli unfollowed him and eventually his tour in the country got cancelled. Now finally, Shubh has broken his silence over the allegations.
Taking to his Instagram handle on Thursday, Shubh expressed that he is really disheartened with the recent developments in the context of his career, “As a young rapper-singer hailing from Punjab, India, it was my life’s dream to put my music on an international dais. But the recent happenings have tumbled my hard work and progress, and I wanted to say a few words to express my dismay and sorrow. I’m extremely disheartened by the cancellation of
my tour in India. I was highly amped up and enthusiastic to perform in my country, in front of my people. The preparations were in full swing and I was practicing with my heart and soul for the last two months. And I was very excited, happy, and ready to perform. But I guess destiny had some other plans,” he shared.
He continued, “India is MY country too. I was born here. It is the land of my GURUS and my ANCESTORS, who didn’t even blink an eye to make sacrifices for the freedom of this land, for its glory, and for the family. And Punjab is my soul, Punjab is in my blood. Whatever I am today, I am because of being a Punjabi. Punjabis do not need to give proof of patriotism. At every turn in history, Punjabis have sacrificed their lives for the freedom of this country. That’s why it’s my humble request to refrain from naming every Punjabi as a separatist or anti-national.”.
Shubh also explained his perspective on the Instagram story he had shared, which eventually led to the outrage, “My intent in resharing that post on my story was only to Pray for Punjab as there were reports of electricity and internet shutdowns throughout the state. There was no other thought behind it and I definitely didn’t intend to hurt anyone’s sentiments. The accusations against me have deeply affected me. But as my guru has taught me “ਮਾਨਸ ਕੀ ਜਾਤ ਸਬੈ ਏਕੈ ਪਹਿਚਾਨਬੋ” “Manas Ki Jaat Sabai Ekai Pachanbo” (All the human beings recognized as one and same) and taught me not to be afraid, not to be intimidated which is the origin of Punjabiyat. I will continue to work hard. My team and I will be back soon, bigger and stronger together.
WAHEGURU MEHAR KARE SARBAT DA BHALA A❤,” he concluded.
Shubh was scheduled to perform in Mumbai from September 23 to 25 as part of the Cruise Control 4.0 event, organized aboard the Cordelia Cruise. Besides this, Shubh also had a three-month-long tour in India under which he was supposed to be performing in several other cities including New Delhi, Bengaluru and Hyderabad.
However, members of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) recently tore down Shubh’s posters and alleged that the singer supports separatist Khalistani elements. Shubh’s social media post depicting a distorted map of India, omitting Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir hax also gone viral, leaving all disappointed. As reported by Hindustan Times, the viral post was shared by Shubh when the Punjab Police was hunting for a fugitive named Amritpal Singh.
Yatamanyu is a multi-disciplinary Journalist & Photographer who dabbles in Films, Poetry, Music, Politics, Pop-Culture and everything in between. …Read More
Thursday’s announcement that Rupert Murdoch is stepping down as chairman of Fox and News Corp. prompted news organizations the world over to ransack the obituaries they have been keeping in their vaults.
That only raises the question: What will they do when Murdoch, 92, actually dies?
The truth is, of course, that it’s hopelessly premature to declare as dead and done the impact Murdoch has had on newspaper and cable journalism, and on American politics generally. The DNA he injected into the American bloodstream is a hardy virus indeed. Its vectors among Murdoch-owned properties are not only Fox News, but the Wall Street Journal’s editorial page and the New York Post.
After all, we are in the entertainment business.
— Rupert Murdoch, unrepentant at publishing the forged Hitler diaries in 1983
Murdoch may be poised to transition in November to the role of “chairman emeritus,” whatever that is, but in a memo to employees he wrote: “For my entire professional life, I have been engaged daily with news and ideas, and that will not change.” He promised to be “reaching out to you with thoughts, ideas, and advice.”
As for his designated successor, his elder son Lachlan, Rupert assured the employees that Lachlan is “absolutely committed to the cause” of fighting “most of the media,” which is “peddling political narratives rather than pursuing the truth.”
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In other words, don’t expect Fox News to change. The signal he transmitted in this memo — that he’ll still be watching over his products and that Lachlan and he are on the same page — reminds one of the old joke about the long-serving politician who announces that he’s retiring, but that won’t affect his plans to run for reelection.
For all that, the announcement of Murdoch’s purported executive transition does offer an opportunity to assess his influence.
The defining characteristic of Murdoch’s journalistic empire isn’t so much its extreme conservatism, but its disengagement from anything resembling ethics or scruples or even the consequences of what have often been outright lies.
For example, Murdoch, whose personal politics are distinctly conservative, always detested Donald Trump.
According to the gossipy forthcoming book about Murdoch by fly-on-the-wall writer Michael Wolff, he didn’t think much of Fox anchor Sean Hannity, either, and was even prepared to sacrifice him as part of a defamation settlement with Dominion Voting Systems. (The settlement ultimately came to $787 million; Hannity’s ouster wasn’t part of it and indeed he’s still on the air.)
But the record shows that Murdoch has always been willing to subject his personal sentiments to the test of whether they would interfere with profits, and profits invariably came first.
A telling illustration of that was provided by the 1983 episode, almost forgotten today, of the purported Hitler diaries. These turned out to be crude forgeries, but even as their authenticity was being questioned, Murdoch purchased the U.S., British and Australian publication rights from their owner, the German magazine Stern, for $1.2 million.
At first, Murdoch relied on the judgment of Hugh Trevor-Roper, a distinguished British historian specializing in the Nazi period, that the diaries were genuine. His plan was to run them in the Sunday Times of London, which he owned. But on the very eve of publication, Trevor-Roper, who had been ennobled as Baron Dacre, called to say he had changed his mind and now felt they were forgeries.
The Sunday Times editors frantically called Murdoch for permission to stop the presses. His reply was succinct. “F— Dacre,” he said. “Publish.”
Later, he defended his decision. “Circulation went up and it stayed up,” he said. “We didn’t lose money or anything like that.” Indeed, the Sunday Times gained 60,000 readers upon the announcement of the then-authenticated diaries, and kept 20,000 readers even after the fakery was exposed. (Stern returned the money.)
Nearly 20 years later, Murdoch told a commission investigating alleged ethical and legal breaches by his British newspaper that the decision to publish was “a massive mistake I made and I will have to live with for the rest of my life.” There’s reason to doubt whether the comment, coming as it did from someone who was adept at expressing opinions and making commitments that benefited him in the short term but were abrogated over time, was sincere.
But his judgment in the immediate aftermath of the scandal, reported by Robert Harris, a chronicler of the episode, was more to the point. “After all,” he said, “we are in the entertainment business.”
For Fox News, Murdoch assembled a troupe of performers with a perfected appeal to low-information voters, feeding them a banquet of culture war ragebait and Republican partisanship. Fox News became the top-rated news station on cable, an unavoidable feature of cable systems’ basic tiers that subscribers receive whether they want it or despise it.
Perhaps inevitably, the channel’s stars came to believe that they were the indispensable factors in its popularity. Murdoch went along with their misconception, until his cost-benefit calculation moved against them.
For one reason or another, Fox sent packing such onetime icons as Glenn Beck, Bill O’Reilly and, perhaps most shockingly, Tucker Carlson.
All thought they made Fox News, when in fact it was Fox News that made them. None retained their audience or their public influence after their defenestration. Fox’s audience fell in April after the network fired Carlson, but it has since gained back many viewers with a rejiggered lineup including the Carlson clone Jesse Watters.
It’s hard to assess with any precision the impact of Murdoch’s Fox News on American politics, except that it has been, on the whole, dire.
Fox News was launched in 1996 under the leadership of Roger Ailes, a one-time producer of “The Mike Douglas Show” who had become an advisor to Richard Nixon’s 1968 presidential campaign, for which he managed the optics of Nixon’s television appearances. His role arguably started the modern trend of American politics as performance art.
Ailes had moved on to become a Republican media advisor, and later ran cable programs such as CNBC and America’s Talking, a precursor of MSNBC, when he was tapped by Murdoch to create a conservative news channel. He was the guiding force in the growth of Fox News until 2016, when he was forced to resign amid accusations of sexual harassment.
The influence of Fox News derived in large part from its stature as the lone cable channel offering right-wing commentary and a conservative news slant. By contrast, middle-of-the-road and progressive sources were fragmented.
That gave the Fox audience the appearance of being larger and more weighty than it might actually be, but there can be no question that it forced American politicians to take its audience’s viewpoint seriously.
The chief beneficiary of Fox’s concentrated audience was Trump, whose appearances on the channel were unrelenting and whose lie that the 2020 election had been stolen from him was repeated uncritically by the channel’s on-air commentators. That led to the defamation lawsuit by Dominion, which Trump’s allies falsely accused of complicity in the claimed theft, and then to the $787-million settlement.
In the course of pre-settlement wrangling, memos and emails from Fox insiders, including its anchors, were made public, demonstrating that they privately dismissed Trump’s claim even while they promoted it on the air. But those disclosures haven’t seemed to shake the Fox audience’s devotion to the channel.
The announcement of Murdoch’s quasi-retirement has already triggered speculation about the Murdoch empire’s destiny. Lachlan may share his father’s conservative politics, but there’s reason to doubt that he possesses his father’s unquestioned skill at deal-making.
That skill enabled Rupert to create an empire that has included the British newspapers the Times and Sunday Times, the British satellite network BSkyB, 21St Century Fox, the Fox television network and Dow Jones & Co. (owner of the Wall Street Journal).
His empire has been ever-changing as he buys, sells and trades properties. In 2019, for example, he sold most of 21st Century Fox to the Walt Disney Co. for more than $71 billion. The deal included the Fox film and TV studios, the FX networks and Fox’s 30% holding in the streaming service Hulu.
Looking ahead, conflict among Rupert’s oldest children — including Lachlan and his younger son, James, who is said to find the empire’s right-wing bent distasteful, and his eldest daughter, Elisabeth — beckons.
Although Lachlan is Rupert’s designated business heir, he and his siblings will share control of the family trust, which in turn controls 40% of the voting shares of Fox and News Corp., after Rupert’s death.
That points to a future of managerial instability at best. But anyone believing that Rupert’s “retirement” will lead to lasting change in Fox News, especially a shift in its partisan viewpoint, is more likely than not to be proved wrong.
In his memo to employees, Murdoch issued a manifesto for Fox News going forward, at least through the current election cycle.
“Self-serving bureaucracies are seeking to silence those who would question their provenance and purpose. Elites have open contempt for those who are not members of their rarefied class.
“Most of the media is in cahoots with those elites, peddling political narratives rather than pursuing the truth.
“In my new role, I can guarantee you that I will be involved every day in the contest of ideas.”
In other words, for those who hope to see reason and honesty to become the watchwords of Fox, it’s too early to break out the Champagne.
In the 1960s and 1970s, murder mysteries faced a decline due to the arrival of fresher narratives styles. It resurfaced again in the late-20th Century with a new ingredient that heightened their appeal: comedy. With movies like adaptations of Agatha Christie’s works like Murder on the Orient Express and A Caribbean Mystery on the big screen, interest in murder mystery movies was reinvigorated. Murder mysteries already enjoy a widespread popularity, as do comedies. The potent combination of the two keeps you guessing and entertained with laughter. What more could movie lovers ask for?
Comedy and murder mystery mix quite well. In fact, when it comes to blending genres with murder mystery, comedy stands as the perfect companion. As weird as this fusion may seem, movies like Murder Mystery and shows like Only Murders in the Building have consistently proven that people love solving crimes while being cracked up by well-timed humor. With murder mystery comedy, there’s no need to make a tough choice between these two beloved genres when you can savor both worlds.
Popular mystery comedy shows like Only Murders in the Building, which garnered more than 17 Emmy nominations in 2022, recently launched its third season in August after two successful seasons. Since then, viewers can’t seem to get their fill of the show as they are already clamoring for a fourth season. However, the release date for the fourth season remains uncertain. Until then, here are 15 mystery comedy shows to tune into.
15 Mapleworth Murders (2020)
The plot of Mapleworth Murders follows Abigail Mapleworth as she attempts to solve series of bizarre and humorous murder cases in the quaint fictional town of New Woodstream. With the help of her niece, Heidi, assistant Sid, and other colorful characters, Abigail delves into solving these murders, often leading to humorous twists. The show is known for its satirical on the murder mystery genre, often blending elements of absurdity, dark humor and satire to poke fun at conventions of traditional detective shows.
It feels like a ridiculous, lighthearted and campy version of Murder She Wrote. While it may not be appreciated by those who dislike parodies or in search of something more serious, Mapleworth Murders is guaranteed to brighten the day of some viewers with its comical characters and continuous stream of humor and surprises.
14 Castle (2009-2016)
ABC
If there’s any show you can watch more than once without getting bored, it is Castle. The series strikes the perfect blend of drama, crime, comedy, and even romance. The undeniable on-screen chemistry between Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic, playing Richard Castle and Kate Beckett, only adds to the show’s overall appeal. Here, Fillion plays the famous mystery novelist, while Katic embodies the detective who works together with him to solve series of murder cases in New York City.
With its unique premise of pairing a detective with a novelist, sharp humor, character development overtime, and the overarching Mystery, the show had a good run. Despite being well-received, some conflicts behind the scenes made it one controversial show. Nevertheless, it remains a memorable and cherished crime comedy series.
13 Murderville (2022)
Netflix
Developed by Krister for Netflix, this comedic murder-mystery is an adaptation of BBC Three’s seriesMurder in Successville. Murderville premiered in February 2022, featuring a seven-episode first season, each running approximately 29 to 30 minutes. Will Arnett plays the eccentric detective who solves a series of murder cases with new celebrity guest stars in each episode. While the Detective is well-informed about the case, the guest stars are totally clueless, which makes it extremely funny.
The show is absolutely brilliant and refreshingly, and shows that there is nothing as hilarious as improvisational comedy. As these clueless celebrities are caught in solving the cases laid out for them within a limited time, the show feels so natural and entertaining. It also offers viewers a chance to see their favorite stars play rookie cops.
12 The Flight Attendant (2020-2022)
Warner Bros. Television
This dark comedy and suspenseful thriller follows a reckless flight attendant (Kaley Cuoco) who enjoys a lifestyle of heavy drinking and partying. However, her life takes a turn for the worse when a passionate encounter with a charming passenger only leads her to waking up next to his lifeless body. To make issues worse, she has no memory of the events leading up to his death due to her heavy drinking.
The Flight Attendant kicks off as a comedy and ends up transforming into a thrilling rollercoaster of twists and turns that will certainly keep viewers on the edge of their seats. Cuoco delivers a flawless performance as Cassie. However, while the show has been praised for being one of the cleverest and most mind-bending comedy shows in recent times, some find it quite frustrating to watch.
11 Dead to Me (2019-2022)
Netflix
This dark comedy and sorrowful tale revolves around a woman, Jen Harding, who recently lost her husband in a hit-and-run accident and is determined to find the culprit. In the processing of dealing with her loss and grief, she ends up forming a strong bond with another woman, Judy Hale. However, this new friend knows an important secret that would help in solving the mystery of Jen’s husband death.
Dead to Me is known for its sharp writing, complex characters, and the exceptional performances of the lead actresses, Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini. With a well-balanced mix of mystery, dark humor, and drama, this show becomes a binge-worthy choice. Overall, the show is a brilliant dark comedy with some touch of mystery.
Father Brown is a British crime drama based on the fictional Father Brown character created by G.K Chesterton, and it stars Mark Williams as this parish priest who has a keen intellect and special talent for solving crime. Each episode presents a self-contained mystery or crime that Father Brown gets embroiled in. While the show typically falls into the crime and mystery genre, it does incorporate elements of humor and light-heartedness in its storyline.
The humor often emanates from the quirky and characters that populate the fictional Costwold village of Kembleford, where the story unfolds. The show has that warm and inviting atmosphere, making it perfect for those who love a mix of mystery and light-hearted entertainment, suitable for family viewing. With its recent return for a tenth season on July 2023, Father Brown continues to captivate viewers with its enduring charm and its delightful characters.
9 The Afterparty (2022)
Apple TV+
With just two seasons and a total of 18 episodes, Christopher Miller’s The Afterpartypresents a Whodunit narrative set against the backdrop of a high school reunion. Each episode delves into the perspectives of each character of the night of the murder. These narratives culminate into the revelation of a shocking truth. In second and final season, the show retains a similar pattern, this time focusing on a murder during a wedding ceremony, with each character sharing their version of the story.
If anyone is looking for a genuinely hilarious murder mystery with a brilliant cast, The Afterparty is just the fitting choice. Tiffany Haddish shines at the peak of her comedic prowess as Detective Danner, just like the rest of the cast. While being playful and silly, it is also smartly constructed.
8 Psych (2006-2014)
USA Network
This comedy drama series revolves around a young man, Shawn, with a photographic memory and keen observational skills. Leveraging his skills, he poses as a psychic detective, using his skills to solve crimes for the Santa Barbara Police department with the help of his childhood friend, Gus. While not all of Shawn’s cases involve murder, Psychhas a great blend of humor and crime-solving elements, keeping viewers entertained and intrigued until the very end.
Without the unique dynamic between Gus and Shawn, the show wouldn’t have been the same. The show’s charm lies in its light-hearted tone, endearing characters and unconventional ways Shawn employed in cracking cases. Psych was fun while it lasted but like every long-running show, it eventually came to an end due to declining viewership after Eight entertaining seasons.
Monk is a popular comedy mystery show, known for its memorable characters, clever writing, and Tony Shalhoub’s exceptional portrayal of the titular character. Each episode follows as Monk solves a new and intriguing case, often laced with humorous and quirky twists. Monk’s Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and phobias are often a central part of the show’s humor and are major reasons why he’s good at being a detective.
Now, 14 years after the series concluded, Peacock is set to release a Monk movie with Shalhoub and other familiar faces returning to the screen. This news is sure to bring immense delight to those who have been missing this cherished series. Whether you are discovering it for the first time or indulging in a re-watch, Monk offers a treat for fans of Whodunit mysteries.
6 Sister Boniface Mysteries (2022-Present)
Set in the 1960s, Sister Boniface Mysteries is a light-hearted murder mystery series that follows the titular nun as she solves crime with the assistance of the police department. The show is a spin-off of Father Brown, and it certainly brings a fresh perspective to the well-known series. However, some viewers find that it falls short of the excellent quality of the original series and lacks depth in its plot and character’s growth.
Nevertheless, it is brimming with fun and, of course, Father Brown does make an appearance in the series, to the delight of his fans. The show is beautifully crafted particularly for those who have fallen in love with the quirky Sister Boniface who appeared in the first season of Father Brown and have been itching to see her own story evolve. Well, fans of Miss Marple will undoubtedly appreciate this fun and light-hearted version of a female sleuth.
5 Bad Sisters (2022-Present)
Apple TV+
This Irish comedy thriller revolves around the Gravey sisters, whose unbreakable bond stems from their parents’ premature death, and they are willing to go great lengths to protect each other. Portrayed beautifully by Sharon Horgan, Eve Hewson, and Sarah Greene, the sisters are so endearing that their connection becomes the heart of the series. Even when they are up to no good, viewers can’t help but root for them.
Bad Sisters is truly a black comedy, artfully weaving drama, agony, and some truly wickedly funny moments into a bingeworthy show. With a whole lot unfolding in the lives of these sisters, the show keeps many clued to their seats, eager to see how their story ends. From the plot, acting, directing, clever script and humor, every aspect of the show is outstanding, culminating in an utterly brilliant series.
4 Poker Face (2023-Present)
If the mystery-of-the-week series appeal to you, then Poker Face is an absolute must-see. Natasha Lyonne plays a sleuth with an extraordinary talent for detecting when someone is lying. On the run, she solves series of murder and crime cases along the way, while encountering a diverse cast of characters. The show was released on Peacock in January 2023, with just 10 episodes and has gone on to become one of the best shows of the year.
The series follows the 1968 Columbo series format of murder mystery fiction and not the whodunit style, which would make it particularly interesting to those who are familiar with that classic show. Notably, the show is also created by Rian Johnson, known for murder mystery works like Knives Out and its sequel Glass Onion that are quite good at keeping viewers guessing and laughing throughout.
3 The Resort (2022)
NBCUniversal Syndication Studios
Set against the backdrop of an idyllic surrounding and created by Andy Siara, this comedy mystery show follows a bored married couple who decide to take on the role of detectives. Cristin Miloti and William Jackson Harper star as Emma and Noah, who become embroiled in solving a mystery involving a missing boy. Starting like a rom-com, the show transforms into a full-fledged dark and intriguing tale while retaining its sense of humor.
The Resort isn’t just a fantastic show for relaxation; it’s also brimming with surprises, sci-fi elements, and twists that would keep viewers guessing until the very end. Undeniably, the show is visually stunning with likeable characters and the on-screen chemistry between Miloti and Harper only adds to its charm. Fans of Palm Springs and The White Lotus wouldn’t want to miss this.
2 Bored to Death (2009-2011)
HBO
With its slow start, no one would have expected Bored to Deathto evolve into such an intriguing and addictive show. But with each episode, it became more entertaining. Created by Jonathan Ames and starring Jason Schwartzman as a struggling writer who decides to play a private detective out of sheer boredom, the show seamlessly blends crime, mystery, and comedy — everything a fan of these genres could desire.
Ted Danson, Zach Galifianakis, Schwartzman, and the rest of the cast played these flawed yet endearing characters with such finesse that one can’t help but fall in love with them. While it may occasionally seem absurd or over-the-top to dismay of some viewers, these qualities only enhance the show’s charm. Bored to Death stands out for its stylish presentation, superb performances, clever dialogues, and consistently hilarious and brilliant storylines. Rest assured, this won’t leave you bored to death.
1 Only Murders in the Building (2021-Present)
Hulu
Only Murders in the Building has become quite a sensation in 2023, after the first two episodes of the third season launched on August 8. The show’s popularity stems from the captivating premise, interesting ensemble cast ,and that perfect blend of murder mystery and comedy. The presence of comedy legends like Steve Martin and Martin Shorts is obviously one of the reasons people can’t get enough of the show.
In the show, Shorts, Martin and Selena Gomez play three strangers who are living in the same building and are connected by their knack for solving crime. The series has sparked both criticism and admiration just like any other popular show. Despite being a funny show, some feel it has shifted towards drama in recent episodes, with fewer laughs compared to its initial season.
Baldur’s Gate 3’s Astarion voice actor Neil Newbon claimed on a livestream that there is an approximately two-hour section of the game that no one has found yet.
Newborn said this on one of his regular livestreams on August 31. However, he revealed no details about what the area is and where one could find it. “There’s even something I know about that you can’t get to unless you do something that I don’t think anyone’s going to work out,” he said. “I was told this in confidence and I think I’m one of the few people who knows about it as well.”
It’s also unknown if it involves Astarion, as Newbon refused to clarify. As of writing, the livestream was a few weeks ago, so it’s possible that someone has found it since and either hasn’t uploaded the footage or that it hasn’t hit the broader community. However, our own efforts didn’t turn up anything.
A game as large as Baldur’s Gate 3 is bound to have some secrets, both large and small. Recent footage of a fourth-wall-breaking moment with Karlach recently surfaced on Reddit. Voice actor Samantha Béart confirmed on Twitter/X that moment was real, but claimed that the clip came from manipulating the game’s files. It’s still unknown how exactly the moment triggers.
In other news, Patch 3 is on the way and will add a “magic mirror” to camp that lets you change your character’s appearance. The Baldur’s Gate 3 voice actors are also getting together to play D&D as their characters in the game.
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Director Agnieszka Holland has been forced to take 24-hour security protection as she returns to her native Poland for the theatrical release of migrant drama Green Border on Friday (September 22) in the face of a fierce political backlash and online hate campaign.
“The situation is very dynamic and keeps changing. I’m trying to keep a sane mind but it’s dangerous. This campaign could provoke real violence, not only verbal violence. It only takes one deranged person to take it seriously,” Holland told Deadline as she travelled to a pre-screening event on Thursday.
Green Border tackles the migrant crisis along Poland’s thickly forested border with Belarus, which Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko is widely accused of engineering by encouraging people to travel to his country on the promise they can easily cross over to Poland and the European Union.
The film has touched a raw nerve with Poland’s ruling right-wing, anti-immigrant coalition government, led by the Law and Justice (PiS) party, for its scenes showing Polish border guards pushing exhausted, bewildered migrants back over the border into Belarus.
Green Border acknowledges the roots of the crisis but asks tough questions about a rising tide of anti-immigrant sentiment and loss of humanity, not just in Poland but across the whole of Europe.
Holland said that parties connected to the government had “stolen” a print of the film and then created news packages highlighting only the scenes showing border guard violence, when the picture covers the issue from a number of different angles.
“It actually very nuanced,” she said of the film. “It shows one or two acts of sadistic behaviour, but the rest is regular people who are trapped in some type of moral limbo. It also shows great Polish people who are saving people lives without regard for their color and the risks they are taking.”
“They [the government] are guilty and they want to hide it and they want to use it for electoral means,” she added, referring to upcoming national elections on October 15 in which the Law and Justice party is hoping to win a third term in office.
Films organisations across Europe and North America have spoken out in support of Holland with the DGA being the latest body to issue a statement on Thursday, decrying the government attacks.
“We firmly believe directors like Agnieszka have a vital role to play in fostering discussion and reflecting societal problems through their work. We echo the statements by the Federation of European Screen Directors (FERA) and the European Film Academy in support of Agnieszka and her Venice Film Festival award-winning film and will continue to support the free speech rights of all directors,” said the body.
Warsaw-born Holland, 74, is no stranger to political backlashes having been forced to leave Poland in the early 1980s when her politically engaged work put her on the wrong side of the then Communist government.
“I have lived a long life and I have been attacked by several regimes, but nothing is comparable to this. They are comparing me, the film to Nazi propaganda, Leni Riefenstahl, to Hitler, to Stalin,” she said.
Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro (leader of the PiS-aligned Sovereign Poland party) kicked off the attacks during Venice, saying the film was tantamount to a Nazi Germany propaganda film “showing Poles as bandits and murderers”.
Other political figures have accused Holland of being in league with Russia and Belarus, suggesting that both countries were using the film to discredit Poland.
President Andrzej Duda further enflamed the situation in a televized interview on Wednesday (September 20) when he endorsed reports that border guard officers had used the slogan “only pigs sit in the cinema” to refer to potential spectators of the film.
The slogan dates back to World War Two when it was used to refer to people who frequented cinemas during the Nazi occupation.
“I’m not surprised that the border guards who saw this film used the slogan “only pigs sit in the cinema”, known to us from the times of the Nazi occupation, when Nazi propaganda films were shown in our cinemas,” said the president.
He said it was a shame the film had been made and that it was an insult to the country’s border forces.
“I read that it shows them almost as sadists. These are people who do their duty; who perform tasks; who guard the border of the Republic of Poland and the security of Poles,” he continued.
Undersecretary of State Błażej Poboży announced on Thursday that cinemas showing the Green Border would be obliged to run a short film promoting the work of the country’s border forces prior to screenings.
“I have no idea how they envisage putting this in motion. The film is playing in arthouse cinemas, not multiplexes. There are cinemas owned by the municipalities, but most are not. I don’t know how they will do it, frankly, and if the film will even play, I’m not sure it will play out in the way they want.”
While Poland’s mainly government-controlled media gives the impression that much of the country is against Holland and her film, the director suggests this is not the case.
“We had the premiere of the film yesterday to which many people came… the cast and the crew as well as a lot of people from the industry. There was not only a lot of support, but they were also shaken by the film. We can see that this is more than a film, it speaks to people’s conscience,” said Holland.
“That is one side that gives me a lot of satisfaction because it’s difficult to make a film today which really means something to people. On the other side, it has provoked an unprecedented hate campaign coming from the highest places in Polish government – the president, the prime minister, several ministers, the military forces and their propagandists.”
There have been reports in the Polish media that neo-fascist groups are planning to disrupt screenings of the film.
Holland said she hoped that this would not happen but that she would not be surprised if it did. “The country is divided. The government has been feeding this polarization for the last eight years, maybe longer. It’s very easy to find these neo-fascists.”
Holland believes that many of the politicians attacking the film have not seen the entire work, adding that if they had, they would understand that it was nuanced in the way it explores the issue of migration.
“I don’t think many of them want to see them film. It would be interesting to watch them watching the film,” she said. ”
In the backdrop, another question hanging over the film is whether the political backlash will result in it being excluded as a viable contender to be Poland’s submission for the Best International Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards.
The deliberation process overseen by the Polish Film Institute is currently underway with an announcement on the selected candidate due on Monday (September 25).
The film’s Venice Special Jury Prize win and its strong reviews out of that festival and Toronto would make it a worthy candidate.
Holland says she has faith in the PFI selection committee to act in an unbiased manner but suggests the selection of her film would not get past the government.
“The committee is made up of competent film professionals who are honest people, but their selection has to be signed off by the minister of culture. If it were normal times, under a normal government, why not? Our film is one of the best received and already has quite wide fame, but I doubt it would get it through now,” she said.
Lizzo has been named in yet another lawsuit alleging the Grammy winner oversaw a “hostile, sexually and racially charged” work environment. The suit was brought by Asha Daniels, a wardrobe designer who worked on Lizzo’s 2023 tour.
The suit, filed Thursday in Los Angeles Superior Court, was brought the same day that Lizzo is set to receive the Quincy Jones Humanitarian Award from the Black Music Action Coalition. It names Melissa Jefferson, professionally known as Lizzo, her production company Big Grrrl Big Touring, Inc. (BGBT), her wardrobe manager Amanda Nomura and her tour manager Carlina Gugliotta.
In the suit (read it here), Daniels alleges racial and sexual harassment, disability discrimination, illegal retaliatory termination and assault, among other things.
Lizzo spokesman Stefan Friedman released the following statement to Deadline in response to the latest lawsuit:
“As Lizzo receives a Humanitarian Award tonight from the Black Music Action Coalition for the incredible charitable work she has done to lift up all people, an ambulance-chasing lawyer tries to sully this honor by recruiting someone to file a bogus, absurd publicity-stunt lawsuit who, wait for it, never actually met or even spoke with Lizzo.
We will pay this as much attention as it deserves. None.”
It follows a similar lawsuit filed in August by three of Lizzo’s former touring dancers.
In that suit, Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez allege that they were body-shamed, put through a self-described “excruciating” audition for their own jobs after they were accused of drinking on the clock and held to prohibitive “soft hold” retainers.
In the current lawsuit, “There was a group chat of over 30+ people from the BGBT team, which included Lizzo tour management and Plaintiff,” the complaint states. “In the group message, a backstage manager sent a photo graphically depicting male genitalia.”
When Lizzo’s tour arrived in Amsterdam, Daniels claims she saw Nomura and other supervisors “discussing hiring sex workers for lewd acts, attending sex shows, and buying hard drugs.” She claims she was pressured to join and alleges Lizzo and her management team were aware of the conduct.
The complaint also states: “On several occasions, NOMURA made statements and/or took physical actions to threaten Plaintiff and the entire crew: (1) she threatened Plaintiff and others that she would ‘kill a bitch’ and ‘stab a bitch’ when she could not find her medication. (2) she shoved a crew member in retaliation for revealing she was threatening to quit. (3) NOMURA snatched food out of a local worker’s hand for merely attempting to take an assigned break. (4) she expressed that she would ‘kill a bitch if it came down to it’ if anyone threatened her job.”
Daniels also alleges she was denied breaks by Nomura and pressured to work on her designated days off.
The complaint details one instance in which Daniels alleges Nomura rolled a heavy rack of clothing over her foot. When she told Nomura she was in severe pain and needed to sit down, she alleges Nomura shoved her “into the rack of clothing, while asserting Plaintiff should not make excuses about her foot and must help NOMURA transport the clothing.”
When Daniels changed into orthopedic shoes because of her injury, Daniels alleges Nomura forced her to switch back into tennis shoes.
“Not only was Plaintiff denied medical treatment (on this occasion and others) but was also forced to be on her feet the majority of the day and denied any rest – even after rolling her ankle,” the complaint states.
Daniels complained in February of “widespread racial and sexual harassment” in which “Black dancers were being mocked, objectified, and denied accommodations” to tour manager Gugliotta, according to the complaint. “The toxic work environment continued without change” and Daniels was ultimately fired, the complaint says.
In the lawsuit, Daniels alleges she “suffered constant anxiety and panic attacks during the tour from the racist and sexualized environments; she continues to suffer ongoing anxiety and PTSD after the tour; and she suffers from migraines and migraine-induced eye twitch and ocular distortions, brain fog, and fatigue.”
Rupert Murdoch’s announcement that he is retiring from the boards of Fox and of News Corporation had particularly interesting timing for one journalist.
“The Fall,” the new book by Michael Wolff, peers inside what we now know are the final days of Murdoch’s consequential tenure at the heart of global news. To be released Sept. 26, the book documents a particularly challenging stretch for Murdoch’s Fox News, buffeted by interpersonal drama and lawsuits by election-technology companies Dominion and Smartmatic. (The former suit was settled for some $787.5 million.)
Known for his Trump White House barnburner “Fire and Fury,” Wolff is a reporter who finds his way into all manner of tense and surprising conversations — this time around the question of when the boss at News Corp will finally exit the scene. And while the book’s narrative concludes before Thursday’s news that Lachlan Murdoch, eldest son of Rupert, will take the reins at Fox, Wolff takes pains in conversation to note that his time at the top will be complicated by the presence of his father, and could be cut short by an alliance of his siblings. This interview is drawn from two conversations with Wolff, taking place both before and after the announcement of Murdoch’s retirement.
I found it interesting timing on Murdoch’s announcement, given that your book comes out next week.
One of the things that I understand from people inside — I may have been the direct cause of this. Inside, they’ve been seeing the book as a bus aimed directly at him, and in order to avoid a direct hit, they acted first. I think that that is partly true. The book is pretty rough on the nature of what it’s like when a 92-year-old runs two public companies. But I’m going to offer another informed theory: All of that is true but at the same time they have been looking for ways to get around Rupert having to testify in the Smartmatic case. I don’t think it’ll work, he’ll be forced to testify anyway. But it’s a lot catching up with him at this point in time. The long Dominion, Smartmatic [cases are the] lingering effects of him being 92 and unable to settle this stuff in a businesslike fashion.
I wrote something after the news broke about how, even with Murdoch at the helm the past few years, Fox News has seemed somewhat rudderless.
No one is in control. That’s part of the effect of having a single decision-maker who is 92. Lachlan is going to take over. That’s also a fallacy, because Lachlan has theoretically been in charge for several years now, and that’s only seen him move further and further away from the decision-making process — he moved to Australia, for goodness sake.
And Lachlan is in a complicated situation himself.
The technical reality is that Lachlan has this job because of his father’s proxy. His father has put him in the job. But his father does not have the power to appoint his own successor. When Rupert dies, his shares are equally divided among his four oldest children. They will then be the decision-makers, and can push Lachlan out. Lachlan is a lame duck.
In a world where the other siblings, who trend more liberal, get their way, the network might change — but an eventual Fox News without the conservative politics doesn’t really seem like Fox at all.
No, then it’s not Fox; then it becomes the CNN pickle. CNN has no idea what it is, and Fox might find itself in the same position. James Murdoch’s response to this is that he led Sky News, and Sky News is an aggressively straight news organization. He has always been of the view that he could turn Fox into that. That’s a wish that many people have had for cable news television, but still the trend goes in exactly the opposite direction. It would be interesting to see someone willing to lose an enormous amount of money try.
Has Fox benefited from the relatively weak position CNN has been in of late?
Fox is laser-focused on what its audience wants, which has been fairly simple because its audience wants Donald Trump. And Donald Trump has been there to consistently and dramatically feed that desire.
Trump’s buoyancy in the polls seems to present a problem for Fox — namely, that there is now a force within the Republican Party bigger than it. He doesn’t need Fox anymore.
That’s the experiment we’re involved in right now. That’s the thesis that Trump is pursuing — that “I can go to war with Fox.” The broader question is, how does Fox evolve as it becomes clearer and clearer that Donald Trump will be the Republican nominee?
Do you think that Fox News, in the short term, will remain largely unchanged?
That’s Lachlan’s vision. The thing that he believes in is his father and keeping him happy. His status and his standing flow from his father. And the reality is that while Rupert is — you would not want him running a public company, but he is still compos mentis and very opinionated. It’s not as if he’s leaving the building and leaving Lachlan in charge. Theyve been trying to effect that outcome as long as I’ve been writing abt the company and he never goes. He’s too old to run the company — too fragile and out of it — but not too fragile and out of it to share his opinions.
Outside the walls of Fox News, do you think Tucker Carlson stands a chance at a meaningful second act?
He has a very good shot at it. He has a big audience; he has a loyal audience. And we’re at a moment, possibly an inflection point, when it is perfectly possible to do this outside of the traditional television platform.
I was struck at how many of Murdoch’s own ideas for broadcasting, in your book, seemed like ratings poison. It’s like he didn’t understand what makes Fox News work.
Rupert Murdoch is not a television guy. He has never watched much television. Rupert Murdoch is a newspaper man, and he’s been a very good businessman. If something is working, let it work.
Right now, in the twilight of the Murdoch era, things seem dysfunctional. I was really surprised at how much the people to whom you spoke speculated about one another’s substance-abuse issues. Is Fox an unusually toxic workplace?
This is part and parcel of all television news networks. They almost always are incredibly toxic environments: If I get airtime, you don’t get airtime. But Fox was not like this. It was a relatively convivial place. And this was a Roger Ailes creation. Everyone was paid an enormous amount of money. And it was clear that Roger was the boss — you had to do what Roger wanted you to do, and if you couldn’t accept that you had to go. Separate that from the issues women have had at Fox, because it was always a very difficult place. But within that, it was a place that people like to work, unlike every other television network.
What do readers who know Murdoch’s fictionalized avatar on “Succession” likely misunderstand about him as he ends his tenure?
I think “Succession” has been terrific, and I think it’s been particularly terrific when it closely followed my first Murdoch book, “The Man Who Owns the News.” But the characters of these people are fundamentally different. Murdoch, who you might argue is the ultimate archetypal mogul figure, in real lifeis profoundly inarticulate, incredibly shy. That doesn’t mean that the ultimate result is not incredible aggression, but it’s in attenuated form.
There’s something on a human level almost poignant — even given the effects Murdoch has had on our nation and the world — about his finally, finally ceding control.
My book sets up a thing, a prove-it thing. Are you up to this? And he’s not. This becomes a convenient way to deal with this Smartmatic lawsuit — he can’t testify. He comes out and testifies, and this was a major issue with the Dominion suit — he can’t go on the witness stand, he can’t give a deposition, without revealing he’s so far out of his depth that it’s tragic. But part of being Rupert Murdoch is this unwillingness to go, this inability to go. For good reason. If you’re Rupert Murdoch and you’ve done what he has done for so long, to give that up must be impossible.
Arranged is a reality television series produced by the FYI Network that premiered in April of 2015.
Arranged follows the story of the three American couples who all come from different backgrounds, but their cultural traditions allow for arranged marriages. The series chronicles their lives in the lead up to the wedding and for several months into the marriage.
Business leaders retiring from executive roles at the age of 92 don’t typically come as much of a surprise — unless the person stepping aside is a media mogul called Rupert Murdoch.
After Fox Corp. and News Corp. said on Thursday that Murdoch would step aside as chairman of both his companies, effective as of the annual meetings for both firms in November, Wall Street analysts started dissecting the move, its timing and its impact. Son Lachlan Murdoch will keep leading both companies, which only fuels Succession-esque speculation about how the transition will truly play out.
“While Rupert Murdoch is a one-of-a-kind global visionary, Lachlan Murdoch has been running the company for the last five to 10 years,” Bank of America analyst Jessica Reif Ehrlich tells The Hollywood Reporter about the impact on Fox. “The company is uniquely positioned with a great balance sheet and very interesting set of assets. It is unlikely to change strategic direction in the foreseeable future.”
The BofA analyst adds: “Longer term, there are many options as Fox has such a strong balance sheet — so it can get bigger,” but it also has “bite-size assets easily to be sold.” Could Fox and News Corp merge again? Reif Ehrlich doesn’t see a real rationale, saying: “I don’t think it makes sense to combine the companies.”
Given the media titan’s age and his son’s experience at Fox and News Corp, not everyone was shocked by the news. It’s “no major surprise,” offers Siye Desta, analyst at CFRA Research. “However, as we approach the 2024 elections, we’ll be watching closely to see if this leadership transition affects the value of News Corp shares. Furthermore, we believe that a merger between News Corp and Fox Corp. is now more likely, which could explain why Fox Corp shares are currently trading higher than those of News Corp.”
Analysts beyond big Wall Street banks also took stock of the impact the move has on Murdoch’s empire. “Rupert Murdoch appeared to be pretty hands-off for the past few years,” argued Scott Robson, senior research analyst at S&P Global Market Intelligence. “Before stepping away, Rupert strategically positioned the company to navigate a challenging media landscape by selling off its entertainment cable networks to Disney and focusing on news and sports. This also included exiting the regional sports network business at its peak.”
The expert also noted that since March 2019, when he became chairman and CEO of Fox, Lachlan Murdoch has grown the company “from $10.98 billion in revenue in 2018 to $14.29 billion in 2022. A lot of that growth during a challenging period can be attributed to the moves Rupert made before stepping down in 2019.”
Meanwhile, Third Bridge analyst Jamie Lumley added Rupert Murdoch’s exit “could further decrease the likelihood of an eventual reunion of Fox with News Corp,” and he suggested: “We’ve heard from experts that the synergies of such a merger are no longer as apparent as they were in previous years, and without Rupert advocating for it, it’s hard to see a renewed push anytime soon.”
Lumley also addressed the timing of Murdoch’s transition to a new role. “This leadership transition comes at a challenging time for Fox. Following the Dominion Voting Systems settlement earlier this year, the potential liability from the Smartmatic lawsuit still hangs over the company,” the analyst wrote. “Questions also remain about how Fox will approach its programming and coverage of the 2024 election cycle, a year which will be flush with political ad dollars.”
Rupert Murdoch’s move “seems a bit out of the blue as he has not shown a willingness to throw in the towel,” PP Foresight analyst Paolo Pescatore said in a first reaction, while also highlighting: “Undoubtedly, he will still be involved and not want to remove himself entirely given the media empire he has created.”
What does the change mean for his son taking over the reins of the Murdoch empire? “Lachlan’s first job will be to manage this transition as smoothly and seamlessly as possible to ensure no instability,” the expert said. “Regardless, [Murdoch’s are] big boots to fill, and it is never easy given the empire created. However, [it is] still paramount to have Rupert in your corner.”
Could the mogul’s transition to the chairman emeritus role lead to key changes at Fox? “It is too early to say what the future holds and unclear what direction the company will take under Lachlan’s stewardship,” Pescatore argued. “In the short term, there should not be any drastic changes given he has been heavily involved for some time. However, he will want to cement his own position and create his own legacy.”
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Before you jump on any streaming device deals, Amazon just introduced a slew of new devices to upgrade your viewing experience — including a new Fire TV Stick 4K Max, which will put all the past models to shame.
Gamers, movie lovers and TV series binge-watchers can all find something to love with the upgraded version of the Fire TV Stick that is set to drop on Sept. 27. Amazon has officially opened up preorders, allowing you to make sure you get your hands on the latest edition without risking the wait and having it sell out on release day. Plus, when combined with Amazon’s new Fire TV, you’ll have the ultimate streaming experience.
Amazon Prime Big Deal Days: 21 Sales to Shop Early — Save Up to 80% Off
How is this version different from the rest? You can expect a refined processor resulting in faster performance that will outshine its predecessors. It also offers Wi-Fi 6E to support 6GHz spectrum as well as 16GB of storage, which is double what the previous model offered. The features don’t end there though, this will be the first device to introduce Amazon’s Ambient Experience that’ll turn your TV into a smart display when not in use (think on-screen artwork displays and widgets).
It’s already rated the No. 1 new release on Amazon and is currently being priced at $59.99. Looking for ways to save? You can earn up to 20% off the streaming device when you trade-in Fire TV, Roku, Chromecast or Apple TV devices. Just click “Trade-In” on the product page and follow the instructions to redeem the deal.
Keep reading to preorder your own Fire TV Stick 4K Max below.
Amazon
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max
$59.99
Upgrade your television experience with the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max, which, along with the features mentioned above, comes with an enhanced Alexa voice remote and access to Amazon gaming (no console required) and its entire library through Amazon Luna or download a game from the app store.
TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2023 REVIEW! Fingernails is set in an alternate reality where, at the mere cost of having one of your fingernails ripped out, a machine can tell you whether you as a couple are right for each other.
This is facilitated by the Love Institute, where they also do a bizarre form of couples counseling, including having people stare at each other underwater.Jessie Buckley plays Anna, an elementary school teacher in a relationship with Ryan (Jeremy Allen White), and the two have been through the test and have the certificate to show they are a match. But things may not be as perfect as they seem when Anna secretly gets a job at the Love Institute without telling her partner.There, she trains under Duncan (Luke Wilson), who pairs her with Amir (Riz Ahmed).As Anna gets closer and closer to Amir, she starts to wonder if Ryan really is her one true love, no matter what the machine says.
“…the mere cost of having one of your fingernails ripped out, a machine can tell you whether you as a couple are right for each other.”
If you’ve seen the absurdist films of Yorgos Lanthimos, like The Lobster and Dogtooth, you have some kind of idea what you’re in for with Fingernails.The director of Fingernails, Christos Nikou, was an assistant director on Dogtooth.Fingernails derives plenty of humor from its absurd premise and situations, but it is a little more focused and slightly less zany than the films of Lanthimos.Yes, the setup is wacky, but it is real to the characters in it, and it treats them seriously.There’s a fine line between setting up your absurdist reality for laughs and having it be taken seriously enough to have an impact.Fingernails thread that needle perfectly.
In the film, nobody is forced to get their relationship certified, yet many couples opt to, whether to flaunt their perfection to their friends or to get some peace of mind that they are romantically on the right track.And yet odds of success are low — most find that they are a 0% match for each other, although some get a 50% match and even more rarely a 100% match.This immediately raises the question — why would anyone put themselves through this?Of course, it is really a commentary on our world where people “match” with algorithms on dating sites and get their relationships certified by the church.Why do we even have big ceremonies where we can prove to all our friends how much in love we are?This is where Fingernails completely resonated with me — I’ve never fully understood the degree to which weddings can drive some people to near insanity.
PARENTS have been issued an urgent warning after AI-generated “deepfake” nude pictures of dozens of girls were shared around schools, sparking outrage.
Cops are investigating after pupils complained mocked-up “deepfake” photos appearing to show them naked were being widely distributed.
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Campaigning mum Miriam Al Adib warned about ‘disgusting’ fakes being sharedCredit: Instagram
Mums have joined forces in a support group, after girls were blackmailed over images made with artificial intelligencetech.
The victims’ ages are believed to be between 11 and 17, the Telegraph reported.
Police have identified seven suspects they believe helped create and share the “deepfake” photos.
These can be generated using apps which combine a picture of the victim’s face with pornography found online.
These latest concerns have been raised among the families of girls at four schools in Spain‘s western Extremadura region.
One mum Miriam Al Adib took to Instagram to warn other parents, after her “heart skipped a beat” when her 14-year-old daughter showed a “deepfake” picture of herself she’d been sent.
Ms Al Adib, 46, wrote: “If I didn’t know my daughter, this photo looks real.”
And in a message to the offenders responsible, she said: “You’re not aware of the damage you are causing.
“Using images to create this disgusting material and distributing them is a very serious crime.”
Another mother Fátima Gómez, who has a girl aged 12, told Spainish newspaper El País she suffered an anxiety attack after learning her daughter had been targeted when told by another mum.
She then heard from her daughter a boy on Instagram had asked for “some money” then sent a deepfake naked photo when rejected.
Extremadura’s president María Guardiola promised a a new training and awareness campaign, as she warned about “digital violence against women” being “a scourge that is on the rise”.
Ms Al Adib insisted: “All is not lost in society – the feeling that women do not remain silent is a fact.
“We are no longer ashamed – we are victims and now we can speak because society supports us.
“That’s the message that I have given my daughters and they should never forget it.”
Distributing child sex abuse images and crimes against privacy can receive prison terms of between one and five years in Spain, but offenders are unlikely to be jailed if aged under 18.
A cyber-security expert told The Sun this summer three dangerous ways criminals are exploiting new AI technology, including deepfakes as well as “phishing” attack scams and invasions of data privacy.
The rise of deepfakes mean people can no longer trust their eyes and ears when it comes to videos and voices they come across online, another advisor said.
