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Each time you enhance Corvus attributes, you will get one Talent Point to spend in the proper menu, up to level 25. This way, you can learn new, helpful talents to use during your adventure in the Hermes Kingdom based on your playstyle. You can unlearn them all at any time by simply pressing one button, so you have countless chances to experiment and choose the ones you need the most.

You won’t be able to unlock all the talents, as you have only 24 Talent Points to spend. So your choices matter more than ever, as you need to develop a solid strategy if you want to beat all the bosses and unlock the best ending for the story. If you have doubts about the talents to unlock early in Thymesia, we have you covered: you will find all the information you need in this guide.

Saber Talents

Healing Execution is easily one of the most important talents, and you should unlock it as soon as you gain your first Talent Point. Every way to restore health counts in a game as punishing as Thymesia is. Moreover, you will also get some energy back with this one so that you can use the Plague Weapons at your disposal more frequently.

Sharp Weapons will also come in handy during your first hours with Thymesia, as you will rely a lot on Saber attacks.

Deflect Talents

Defence is an excellent talent to unlock early in the game, as it will help you mitigate any damage taken if you still haven’t mastered the deflect and feather techniques.

Energised Deflect is also good as it allows you to restore some energy to use your Plague Weapons every time you successfully deflect or block any incoming attack.

Dodge Talents

Short Dodge should be unlocked just after Healing Execution, as it is one of the most valuable talents in Thymesia. It lets you dodge a second time in a short amount of time, and it has been proven to be a real game changer during the playthrough, especially against bosses and speedy enemies.

Claw Talents

Long Claw Lv2 (the first level is unlocked by default) lets you perform a second Claw attack just after the first one by simply pressing the corresponding button again. Moreover, the damage dealt is increased by 30% with the second attack.

Strategies Talents

Plague Weapon Lv2 (as the first level is already unlocked when you start playing the game) lets you have a second slot for Plague Weapons obtained through Skill Shards. This way, you can freely switch between the two weapons during combat by pressing the corresponding key on your pad or keyboard. It will come in handy when you fight against more challenging enemies and bosses since you have the chance to benefit from different weapons’ unique abilities and attacks.

Plague Wounds Lv2 is another useful talent, as it extends the time taken before the enemy Wounds start healing. You will have more time to examine their moves and patterns and then use your claw to finish them.

There are many other helpful talents in the game, and you can unlock them each time you level up, according to your needs. You can even unlearn one or more of them, so you can try a new build that better satisfies your needs. And if you just started playing Thymesia, you can find our beginner’s guide here.

The post Thymesia Guide – Best Talents To Unlock Early In The Game by Agnese Carluccio appeared first on Wccftech.

A trio of new physical releases from Kino have got me thinking about a lot of things.   First, what a shame it is that more titles from the golden age of made for TV movies haven’t seen release on Blu-ray or even DVD.   To that I say, TGYT (Thank God for YouTube). Of course what YouTube offers in terms of quantity is mitigated by often crappy image quality.   Several titles I’d like to get my eyes on just don’t seem to exist in watchable format. So kudos to Kino for releasing great looking versions of these eco horrors on Blu-ray, with audio commentaries to boot.    The themes that distinguish Eco-horror have to do with the natural world. There are films in...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]

The Japanese government has been hit in the pocket by an unusual problem -- its young people aren't drinking enough. From a report: Since the pandemic began, bars and other premises selling alcohol have been hit hard by Covid-19 restrictions, causing sales -- and liquor tax revenues -- to plummet in the world's third-largest economy. The government's solution? Launch a contest to find new ways to encourage young people to drink more. The "Sake Viva!" campaign, overseen by the National Tax Agency, invites participants to submit ideas on how to "stimulate demand among young people" for alcohol through new services, promotional methods, products, designs and even sales techniques using artificial intelligence or the metaverse, according to the official competition website. "The domestic alcoholic beverage market is shrinking due to demographic changes such as the declining birthrate and aging population, and lifestyle changes due to the impact of Covid-19," said the website, adding that the competition aimed to "appeal to the younger generation ... and to revitalize the industry." The contest includes promotional ideas for all types of Japanese alcohol, with applications open until September 9. Finalists will be invited to an expert consultation in October, before a final tournament in November in Tokyo. The winner will receive support for their plan to be commercialized, according to the tax office.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Both "Supernatural" and "Doctor Who" fans love Mark Sheppard. For fans of the long-running paranormal series, the actor is well-known for playing the frequently recurring villain Crowley — the King of Crossroads and King of Hell (albeit in Lucifer's absence). The actor nailed Crowley's devious, charming but manipulative persona in the show, capturing the character's usual suave facade with great authenticity. Along with "Doom Patrol," Sheppard has also starred in two episodes of BBC's hit sci-fi series "Doctor Who," portraying Canton Everett Delaware II, a man who accompanies Matt Smith's Doctor and his companions on a secret mission to America.

Then, Sheppard had to navigate through filming two of television's biggest shows at the same time, which was not an easy job. Sheppard went through a particularly challenging ordeal: Filming a multi-season series can be grueling because there's hardly any time for actors to take on different projects, and filming both shows simultaneously was exhausting for him.

'The Timing Was Terrible'

The actor attended the Wizard World convention in Chicago last year, where a panel of his admirers inquired (via Tell Tale TV) about Sheppard's experiences starring on two of the biggest shows on television.

While Sheppard has great memories from filming "Supernatural" and "Doctor Who," the actor maintained that the "timing" of it all was very strenuous for him. It got challenging to the point that the performer called the team behind "Doctor Who" to refuse the part.

"It takes eight to ten days to finish an episode of' Supernatural,'" Sheppard said. "We have something called a midseason break for a reason. The reason is you start airing shows after you started making them, and you end up catching up to the shows that are airing. We take a midseason break because we need to make more stuff."

"I had to call up Doctor Who and say that I couldn't do it — it was really depressing."

Sheppard Traveled Back And Forth To Work On Both Projects

Eventually, the "Doctor Who" crew had Sheppard fly over immediately so he could star in the series, and when The WB and "Supernatural" writing team found out, they were concerned about the performer "cutting things too close." Sheppard was moved to fly between Wales and Vancouver multiple times and had a "crazy" experience.

"I called up Sera Gamble and said, 'I think I made a mistake.' Three hours later, the first assistant director called me back and said, 'Get on the plane. If you're late — I'll kill ya!'"

The actor added, "It was crazy, but it was just so much fun to do. It was a lovely place to work."

Since "Supernatural," Mark Sheppard has starred on "Doom Patrol" as Willoughby Kipling, a chaos magician, mystic member of the Knights Templar, and frequent ally of the Doom Patrol. The performer is expected to return in the fourth season of the DC Universe-set series. Here's hoping he has a relatively smooth filming process this time!

Read this next: The 14 Best Sci-Fi Shows On Amazon Prime

The post Shooting Supernatural and Doctor Who at the Same Time Ran Mark Sheppard Ragged appeared first on /Film.

In the early '80s, Bruce Willis was known for two things: playing the wise-cracking David Addison in the TV rom-com "Moonlighting," and dad-dancing around porches while promoting Seagrams. Then, as the lead in 1988's "Die Hard," he portrayed the smart-ass, roof-jumping cop John McClane, one of the most successful action heroes ever.

Over the next decade, Willis became one of America's most recognizable action heroes, while still managing to impress audiences with dramatic performances. Although most closely associated with the sarcastic tough guy who routinely risks life and limb to save the day, Willis' versatility can be seen in dramatic films like "The Sixth Sense" and black comedies like "Death Becomes Her."

Although he first made a splash in a tv rom-com, the actor avoided the small screen for several years after his five-year stint on "Moonlighting," and focused solely on his film career. Finally, in the early 2000s, Willis found a very good reason to appear on "Friends" and "That '70s Show," even though he wouldn't take home a single penny for either role.

Friends

In 2000, Willis appeared alongside Friends alum Matthew Perry in "The Whole Nine Yards." Reportedly, Perry had a good feeling about the comedy and predicted it would be a hit with audiences, but Willis was far less optimistic. Perry decided to settle the difference of opinion with a bet, and Willis agreed to appear in an episode of "Friends" for free if the film hit the number one spot at the box office. If you're a Fan of the show and you've seen "The One Where Ross Meets Elizabeth's dad," then you know that Perry won the bet.

Willis appeared in three episodes of "Friends," where he portrayed the father of Ross' much younger girlfriend Elizabeth, and brief love interest of Rachel. While it's widely reported that Willis appeared on the show for free, that isn't exactly true. He was paid for the role, but the actor donated his entire paycheck to five charities: The American Foundation for AIDS Research, AIDS Project Los Angeles, the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, the Rape Treatment Center, and UCLA Unicamp for underprivileged children.

Even though he didn't take home a traditional payday from his work on "Friends," the role earned Willis his second Primetime Emmy.

That '70s Show

Five years after the three-episode stint on "Friends," Willis appeared in "That '70s Show" alongside Ashton Kutcher, then boyfriend of his ex-wife, Demi Moore. Even though most people might find that whole situation awkward, Willis shrugged off any suggestions of animosity, and insisted that he, Moore, their three daughters, and Kutcher had "become like a tribe." It seems jealousy is a very small hurdle for a man who willingly tethers from a 500-foot skyscraper.

At the request of Kutcher, Willis appeared on the popular sitcom, where he portrayed a sleaze-ball named Vic. Kutcher's airhead character Kelso decides to become a security guard at Chicago's Playboy Club and sits down for an interview with Vic, the club's head of security. Vic is a leisure suit-wearing creeper with a peeping Tom hole in the wall behind his desk, but the veteran actor used the sleazy role to benefit those in need.

Once again, Willis gave away his entire paycheck. This time, his earnings were donated to The American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund to help victims of Hurricane Katrina.

The fact that Willis has donated his time and money to help others in need is a solid reminder that being a hero doesn't always have to include smashing cars into helicopters or jumping off tall buildings.

Read this next: 14 Sequels That Truly Didn't Need To Happen

The post That '70s Show Gave Bruce Willis A Good Reason To Return To TV appeared first on /Film.

Three and a half years ago, our watch had ended ... but now it's time for another one to begin.

I hope you savored these last few years of peace (well, relatively speaking, given that the internet is rarely ever at "peace") ever since "Game of Thrones" came to a grand conclusion, closing the book on one of the most popular and all-consuming pop culture phenomenon ever to grace the small screen. Ready or not, the madness and obsession is about to start up all over again with "House of the Dragon."

Or will it? With nobody quite sure whether audiences have had the time to fully process and get over the divisive final season of the original show, the prequel series is now only days away from bringing us back to the bleak, gritty, and dragon-infested world of author George R.R. Martin's imagination. This time, we're trading in the kingdom-wide scramble for control over the Iron Throne in favor of an intense power struggle waged between members of House Targaryen -- one that has every indication of leading to an operatic civil war.

That feeling of inevitable confrontation is at the forefront of the final trailer for the new series, which HBO just released for those still looking for something to do this Sunday night. Check it out below!

Watch The Final House Of The Dragon Trailer

Ominous portents of the future, paranoia over unseen enemies, and absolutely no shortage of death and destruction raining down from fire-breathing dragons above -- this "House of the Dragon" footage has it all, teasing that "fire will reign" on Westeros during this previously unseen period of history (although it has been spoken of before).

Co-created by Ryan Condal and original author George R.R. Martin with Condal and "Game of Thrones" veteran director Miguel Sapochnik serving as showrunners, "House of the Dragon" looks to up the ante to heights that even its acclaimed parent show never managed to reach. Will a whole ensemble of brand-new characters, complicated family histories, and familiar themes appeal to fantasy nerds who are looking for reasons to tune in, or will the copious amounts of cinematic battle sequences, the larger-than-life political drama over that troublesome throne, and some downright spectacular imagery end up being the key to draw in wary viewers who might need an extra push? This trailer certainly appears to be banking on the latter.

Starring Paddy Considine, Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke, Emma D'Arcy, Steve Toussaint, Eve Best, Sonoya Mizuno, Fabien Frankel, Rhys Ifans, and many, many more, "House of the Dragon" will be unleashed on HBO this Sunday night, August 21, 2022.

The reign of House Targaryen begins. House of the Dragon, the prequel to Game of Thrones, is coming to HBO and HBO Max on August 21. Based on George R.R. Martin's "Fire & Blood," the series, which is set 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones, tells the story of House Targaryen.

Read this next: The Best TV Shows And Movies Coming To HBO Max In August 2022

The post House of the Dragon Trailer: The Final Trailer Brings Fire and Blood appeared first on /Film.

The making of "Superbad" was a blessed event. Everything from the heartwarmingly puerile script by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg to the hiring of highly underrated indie filmmaker Greg Mottola (whose critically acclaimed debut, "The Daytrippers," was not just out of print, but a decade in the rearview), seemed to go just right. The high school comedy about two affable, yet far-from-popular best friends (Michael Cera and Jonah Hill) who scheme to deliver a bounty of liquor for a year-end, senior-year bash perfectly captures the uncertain yearning of that strange pre-college summer. The film has since earned its place in the teen comedy firmament alongside the sacred likes of "Fast Times at Ridgemont High," "The Breakfast Club," and "Clueless."

While you can't ascribe the success of "Superbad" to one single factor, there are certain key elements that elevated the film to classic status. No disrespect to Emma Stone or the pitch-perfect soundtrack, but if we're going to spotlight one essential ingredient, we're slotting Christopher Mintz-Plasse's thunderbolt-of-overconfident-nerdery portrayal of Fogell aka McLovin right at the top. 

Given how beloved Mintz-Plasse's McLovin has become, it's funny to learn that if Jonah Hill had his way, Mintz-Plasse wouldn't even have been allowed anywhere near the set.

Casting The Coolest Nerd

According to Vanity Fair's immensely entertaining oral history of the film's production, casting the character of McLovin, who was written to be a scene stealer, proved difficult. "It became very evident that there were no actors who were right for the role," said Goldberg. Casting director Allison Jones was forced to look outside of Hollywood, ultimately wallpapering Southern California high schools with casting notices. A seventeen-year-old Christopher Mintz-Plasse tagged along with his friends to an open audition and was shocked when he earned a callback. After sufficiently impressing Mottola, the non-professional actor read with Cera and Hill, where he went straight at the latter in his final audition.

"Chris was really, really amazing off the bat," says Hill. "And I think he was really annoying to me at that time." Mottola adds, "He played it like he was clearly the coolest guy in the room and everyone else was a nerd and a loser. He was Dean Martin instead of Jerry Lewis." This is, of course, the core of McLovin's being. He's a born loser who believes he's god's gift. Through sheer, unabashedly dorky swagger, he makes it work. This drove Hill absolutely nuts.

"APATOW: In the audition, he was very caustic and attacked Jonah and did improvs insulting Jonah.

ROGEN: Jonah immediately hated him. He was like, 'That was f***ing with my rhythm. I couldn't perform with that guy.'

APATOW: Jonah said, 'I don't like that guy. I don't want him doing it.' And I said, "That's exactly why we're hiring him. It couldn't be more perfect. The fact that it bothers you is exactly what we want.'"

Reaction Is Often The Best Acting

It's a joyous combination. Hill's exasperated insults upon learning of Fogell's fake ID moniker ("What, are you trying to be an Irish R&B singer?") are effortlessly parried by Mintz-Plasse ("Nah, they let you pick any name you want when you get down there"). Hill, who was primed for a breakout after one wonderfully silly scene in "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" and a bevy of laugh-inducing moments in "Knocked Up," might've felt a tad threatened by the thought of Mintz-Plasse showing him up in his first co-starring role.

Hill had nothing to worry about. Exasperation is his thing. Watch him in "Get Him to the Greek," "Moneyball," or "The Wolf of Wall Street" -- he's at his very best when desperately trying to make sense of his co-star's seeming insanity. Mintz-Plasse doesn't work in "Superbad" without Hill, and Hill doesn't work in "Superbad" without Mintz-Plasse. Hill didn't get it at the time, but I guarantee he understands now. He's got two Oscar nominations for Best Supporting Actor because of it.

Read this next: 20 Underrated Comedy Movies You Need To Watch

The post Jonah Hill Pushed Back Hard On Casting Christopher Mintz-Plasse In Superbad appeared first on /Film.

If you could only pick one game, what would it be?

Sometimes I'm so immersed in my little narrative bubble in the games industry, I forget that there are some people who have never played a story-centric game in their lives! Considering the industry is more flooded with titles to choose from than ever before, it can be difficult to branch outside of the comfort zones of our favorite genres because there's so much to play. No judgment — it honestly just gets me more enthused that I could have the opportunity to introduce someone to some of my favorite games of all time. That's exactly what happened this weekend when I got to chatting to a friend who works in esports (something I know equally little about as she does narrative games). She asked me for a recommendation, and in my excitement, I started rattling off a huge list of games before I could stop myself.

I make it no secret that The Last of Us is my favorite game of all time. It has some of the most tight, character-focused writing you're going to find in games, the mechanics play really well off of the story, and it also just holds a special place in my heart.

However, when I started telling this friend about narrative games, I was surprised to find myself recommending Disco Elysium first and foremost. I think maybe it's been on my mind recently because I just had an in-depth conversation with a friend about it, but the more I thought about Disco Elysium, the more I thought that maybe it's a better representation of what narrative games have to offer.

Sometimes your favorite isn't the best way to go

The Last of Us is a really great game, but I understand some of the criticisms that it's too linear -- although the "playable movie" kind of thing is Naughty Dog's bread and butter.

Anyway, Disco Elysium is a game that not only has choices and branching narrative, but you can significantly alter the narrative or characters based on how you choose to play. It also has such an organic feel based on what you find or don't find, and while you can miss out on some cool moments, finding them can make for a magical experience.

While The Last of Us has its merits as one of the greatest narrative games ever made, Disco Elysium's story is one that I think is greatly enhanced by the fact that it's a game, even in its weaker moments. Overall, I think there's a case for it being the better narrative game recommendation. Of course, it also depends on who your audience is.

I love reading, so a text-heavy game like Disco Elysium is something I naturally gravitate towards. The endless walls of text might make someone bounce off, therefore rendering my recommendation unsuccessful. There's also the fact that in some instances, the game relies on prior knowledge of tabletop tropes and mechanics.

If the prospective player has never touched a d20 in their life, it might be another reason for Disco Elysium to feel alienating. All of this to say, I think it's still one of the best examples of game narrative and I'll gush about it to anyone who will listen.

My honorable mentions

Other recommendations I sent to this friend as some of my favorite narrative games are as follows:

• Firewatch
• What Remains of Edith Finch
• Kentucky Route Zero
• Florence
• BioShock
• Portal and Portal 2
• Stray

For all my ramblings, I want to know, which game do you think best represents video game storytelling? Which game comes out on top of a story game battle royale as the best ambassador to our non-story-gaming friends? What games make up your honorable mentions list? Let me know down in the comments!

---

Story Beat is a weekly column discussing anything and everything to do with storytelling in video games.

The post What’s the first narrative game you recommend to someone? appeared first on Destructoid.

A team of researchers from various companies has analyzed Electron-based desktop applications and ended up discovering vulnerabilities in several widely used pieces of software.

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For some reason, the uncanny appearance of dolls freaks out people and this fear is what sparked producer David Kirchner to seek out a script which focused on the horror one doll instilled on the masses. Now after almost 35 years, a young filmmaker explores how one person’s wish for a demonic doll led to seven movies, a television series, and a close-knit family. Other horror franchises have earned the focus of a documentary such as Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy and Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday the 13th, but none have come from someone so intimately close with the subject matter. Director Kyra Elise Gardner has a unique perspective on the subject of Chucky because she grew up with the doll. Her father Tony Gardner is the head puppeteer for the franchise (starting with Seed of Chucky), so Kyra grew up just on the periphery of the Chucky-universe. Now as a way to connect with this extended family, director Gardner combines archival footage and personal interviews with the close-knit cast and crew who belong to the ever-growing Chucky family. LIVING WITH CHUCKY starts as an exploration of how each installment in the franchise came to be, but the personal qualities Gardner brings to the story also provides a whole lot of heart. I honestly never would have guessed that a documentary about a killer toy could bring tears to my eyes.

As Gardner gives a history of the franchise, we get quite a few origin stories as we learn how David Kirchner went from producing An American Tale to seeking out a possessed doll story. We see how director Don Mancini turned the first inception of the script (titled Blood Buddy) into the Chucky we know and love. And the film also shows how Brad Dourif came to be casted and developed his skills as a voice actor. The documentary also looks at off-screen origins as the series focuses heavily on children, so many kids came of age during the production of the seven films. Brad Dourif’s daughter Fiona and Kyra Elise Gardner both share their first encounters with Chucky when they were still toddlers. And for on-screen growth, we see Alex Vincent go from the six-year-old Andy to a grown man. He started as the baby brother to everyone on set, but eventually these relationships developed into strong friendships once he got to adulthood.

The documentary shows the actors experiences, the inspiration for each film and character, as well as the ever-evolving technology required to keep Chucky alive. The film shares the human reaction and connection to the Child’s Play saga, but the main focus (for the first half at least) looks at the evolution of Chucky himself. With each new installment, the intricacies of Chucky improved which added more emotion and details to the animatronic character, but also increased the amount of people required to bring Chucky to life. Gardner focuses on how much of a team effort goes into making each movie. Not only because the same people have stayed with the series since the beginning (ex: Mancini and Dourif) but the fact that nine people need to work as one living entity just for Chucky to function. Interspersed with the summaries of each film and behind the scenes segments we see a mysterious hand playing VHS tapes, and later DVDS when discussing the last half of the film series. The change in technology not only shows how Chucky progressed through the ages, but also indicates how with innovative technology, the actual doll got to evolve and make the scenes and stories more complex.

Aside from the Chucky stalwarts like Douriff, Mancini, and Tilly making a strong appearance in the documentary, the film also includes Lin Shaye, Marlon Wayans, and John Waters as they share their knowledge of horror and explain the absolute importance of the Chucky franchise and the sometimes-grueling requirements placed upon the cast and crew. These comments on the human side of acting actually lead into the second half of the film when Gardner takes a personal reflection. The father/child bond becomes a main point of focus as Fiona Douriff and Kyra Elise Gardner share the importance of their biological fathers, but we also see the roles surrogate fathers play. Don Mancini holds complete creative control over the Chucky stories, so he in a sense plays both father and mother to the demonic doll, but he also helped create a loving family on set.

With Gardner’s loving gaze of the Chucky family, she creates a surprisingly wholesome view of the franchise as we get a full-on hug to the horror community. At the very heart of LIVING WITH CHUCKY, the director shares a message that non-genre fans will not understand: horror is a family. The documentary is about love and family and having a father there for you because the family that slays together, stays together.

The post [Popcorn Frights 2022 Review] LIVING WITH CHUCKY appeared first on Nightmarish Conjurings.

Amazon's "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" may be ramping up its marketing ahead of the show's impending debut, but there remains plenty of secrets and surprises to be discovered that have been intentionally held back thus far. That hasn't stopped fans from churning out their own theories and speculation about what may happen and how certain major characters will be depicted, of course. If anything, the slow trickle of information and reveals have only intensified such efforts.

Perhaps one of the most hotly debated points among fans looking forward to this new series, set thousands of years before the events of "The Lord of the Rings," has to do with the identity of the actor playing Sauron. The villainous Dark Lord was only briefly seen in corporeal form early in Peter Jackson's movies, but his actions as a younger being throughout "The Rings of Power" -- at the time, still capable of appearing in the flesh and not just as a big, flaming eyeball which was mostly meant to be metaphorical, but I digress! -- will set in motion many of the events that would affect every person in Middle-earth. As implied by the title of the series, the story will deal with the forging of the rings of power and the ensemble cast's slow realization that evil is, once again, on the rise.

Glimpsed in various footage, fans pointed to actor Anson Boon under the assumption that this was our first, Slim Shady-esque look at the young villain ... but new comments straight from the creative team of "The Rings of Power" are finally clearing up this glaring misconception. In short, all your fan theories about Sauron are probably wrong -- here's why.

Will The Real Sauron Please Step Up?

I always hate to be the bearer of bad news, but, sometimes, the internet is wrong. Despite heavy speculation that we've received a tantalizing look at Sauron's physical form in "The Rings of Power," one member of the creative team is dispelling the notion that the rather subtly villainous character pictured above is actor Anson Boon in costume as Sauron. For one thing, this isn't even Boon. According to executive producer Lindsey Weber in a report by TIME, this is actually a look at Bridie Sisson as a currently unknown character. According to Weber:

"We are enjoying all the speculation online and can tell you Bridie Sisson is an incredible actor. We also thought fans might like to know that her character is traveling from far to the east — from the lands of Rhûn..."

While that name won't ring any bells to casual viewers, those in the know should be aware that this easterly portion of Middle-earth has traditionally been the home of groups of men who came under Sauron's sway, both in the distant past and again during "The Lord of the Rings." Although nobody is confirming (or denying) whether Sisson is portraying the Dark Lord or not, it's much more likely that this is merely a servant or spy in his employ.

Author J.R.R. Tolkien described Sauron, known only as Annatar (which means "Lord of Gifts") at the time, as someone capable of tricking the wise Elves and other races into allowing him to teach them the arts of ring-forging -- which he couldn't do if he looked like that.

Sauron will inevitably show up at some point ... but something tells me we haven't seen him just yet.

"The Rings of Power" debuts on Prime Video September 2, 2022.

Read this next: The 15 Most Anticipated Comic Book Movies And Shows Of 2022, Ranked

The post Why the Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Fan Theories About Sauron Are Wrong appeared first on /Film.

Anyone who cooks knows what it’s like to have a rack overflowing with spices. If you’re anything like me, you’ve collected an extensive supply of spices, many of which you’ve used exactly once. Then one day, you look at your spice rack and notice a thick layer of dust on those jars, and wonder: Do spices go bad? The…

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It is gradually getting tougher for streaming-video companies to hold on to their subscribers, as consumers who are flooded with options weed out services they don't need at any given time. From a report: Some 19% of subscribers to premium services -- a group that includes Netflix, Hulu, AppleTV+, HBO Max and Disney+, among others -- canceled three or more subscriptions in the two years up to June, according to new data from subscriber-measurement firm Antenna. That is up from 6% in the two-year stretch ended in June 2020. The average rate of monthly customer defections among premium services in the U.S. was 5.46% in July, up from 4.46% a year ago and 4.05% in July 2020, according to Antenna. Many households signed up for multiple streaming services a few years ago as options in the marketplace proliferated, subscription prices were lower and the pandemic boosted demand for in-home entertainment. Slowly but surely, they have gotten more choosy and frugal. Some consumers cancel subscriptions when they finish a hit series on a service, then switch to another that has something else compelling.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Back in 2020, we informed you about a fan remaster of Wing Commander IV: The Price of Freedom. And today, we are happy to report that a demo for it is available for download. Wing Commander IV: The Price of Freedom Remaster will offer a more modern experience by loading the files from the original … Continue reading Demo released for Wing Commander IV: The Price of Freedom Remastered →

The post Demo released for Wing Commander IV: The Price of Freedom Remastered appeared first on DSOGaming.

The fan favourite MyAnimeList service is temporarily down due to maintenance, but when will the site be back online and what is being added?

When it comes to user-based feedback websites, the vast majority of TV and film fans will immediately think of IMDB, Rotten Tomatoes or MetaCritic.

However, in the wonderful world of anime, it’s MyAnimeList that dominated fan polls, rankings and favourite series lists.

The site is unfortunately down temporarily for maintenance, but when will the MyAnimeList platform be back online?

• RUMOUR: Bleach fans react to rumour Disney+ will stream Thousand Year Blood War anime

I now have an MyAnimeList, imdb, and backloggd account. This year hopefully I fill em all up ?

— Sinan ? (@TohruSinan) March 30, 2021

MyAnimeList to be taken down temporarily for maintenance

The anime feedback, forum and information site MyAnimeList is scheduled to have a period of maintenance this week.

As confirmed by the Lead Admin in a forum post, the maintenance will take place on Wednesday, August 17^th and will aim to release the new account infrastructure.

“This maintenance is required for the release of our new account infrastructure, which is the first major release in MyAnimeList’s backend renewal project. The only noticeable difference from a member perspective will be a new account settings page, which will open on a different URL from before.” – Admin Post, MAL.

MyAnimeList will be down for the following international time periods:

• Pacific Time: 12 AM – 10 AM
• Central Time: 2 AM – 12 PM
• Eastern Time: 3 AM – 1 PM
• British Time: 8 AM – 6 PM
• European Time: 9 AM – 7 PM
• India Time: 12.30 PM – 10.30 PM
• Philippine Time: 3 PM – 1 AM (August 18)
• Japan Time: 4 PM – 2 AM (August 18)
• Australia Central Time: 4.30 PM – 2.30 AM (August 18)

The maintenance on MAL will impact both the website and official apps, with the announcement post noting how “If you currently have TFA [Two-Factor Authentication] enabled, please note that you will need to re-enable TFA again after the maintenance period is over.”

Users should note that the described information is subject to the maintenance being successfully completed by the aforementioned times and that any delays will impact the website’s return.

• HE’S BACK: Chainsaw Man Chapter 102 finally marks Denji’s comeback

?? In 2 hours, we'll be down for the 10 hour planned maintenance. This extended time is required for our new account infrastructure.

?? Please note you will need to re-enable 2 Factor Authentication after this update.

? In your time zone: https://t.co/rPF15FuWGM pic.twitter.com/BMvhrTlmzE

— MyAnimeList (@myanimelist) August 17, 2022

The current top seasonal anime on MAL

The Summer 2022 slate may not have the same impact as the previous two seasons, Winter and Spring, but the current slate is still going strong with some solid simulcast anime.

As of August 16^th, the following titles are the highest-rated series from the 2022 Summer slate:

1. Made in Abyss season 2 – 8.73/10
2. Overlord season 4 – 8.34/10
3. Lycoris Recoil – 8.24/10
4. Love Live Superstar season 2 – 8.14/10
5. Call of the Night – 8.05/10
6. Classroom of the Elite – 8.03/10
7. Uncle From Another World – 8/10
8. Shadows House season 2 – 7.92/10
9. Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? – 7.9/10
10. The Yakuza’s Guide to Babysitting – 7.77/10

Forgot Made in Abyss Season 2 was out
But also didn’t realise there was a movie to watch first ?

Guess I’m watching the movie tonight

— RIIRI ? (@riirichan) August 12, 2022

The current top anime ever on MAL

The current 15 top-rated anime projects of all time on MyAnimeList are as followed:

1. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (2009)
2. Kaguya-sama: Love is War – Ultra Romantic (2022)
3. Gintama° (2015)
4. Steins;Gate (2011)
5. Attack on Titan season 3 part 2 (2019)
6. Gintama’ (2011)
7. Gintama: The Final (2021)
8. Gintama: Enchousen (2012)
9. Hunter x Hunter (2011)
10. Fruits Basket: The Final (2021)
11. Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu (1988)
12. Gintama. (2017)
13. March Comes in Like a Lion season 2 (2017)
14. Gintama (2006)
15. A Silent Voice (2016)

By Tom Llewellyn – tom.llewellyn@grv.media

The post MyAnimeList down for maintenance– when will the site be back? appeared first on ForeverGeek.

In May 2022, we informed you about a Doom mod that aimed to turn all of its 2D sprites into 3D voxels. And today we are happy to report that its first version is available for download. Created by Cheello, Doom Voxel Version 1.0 currently replaces all monsters, weapons and items from Doom 1. So … Continue reading Doom Voxel is a must-have mod that you can download right now →

The post Doom Voxel is a must-have mod that you can download right now appeared first on DSOGaming.

For seven years, "Better Call Saul" fans have watched with rapt attention as lawyer and con man Jimmy McGill (Bob Odenkirk) transformed into sleazy crime lord Saul Goodman. The change was more gradual than expected, and more emotional, too. By the time the series finally fast-forwarded through the years between Jimmy's breakup with Kim (Rhea Seehorn) and his first encounter with Walter White, we weren't so much thrilled to see the character's reverse evolution take place as we were devastated.

This is why the show's beautiful, subtle, thrilling series finale came as such a surprise. For a while, writer-director Peter Gould let viewers think that Jimmy was gone for good, replaced by the kind of heartless coward who would try to convince a grieving widow he was innocent, only to callously yank the rug out from under her in public for his own gain. Hell, Jimmy was the person who did that, reeling in Marie Schrader (Betsy Brandt) in a sickening stunt to get a reduced sentence. But once he heard that Kim had turned herself in only moments after getting his deal, Jimmy seemed to remember himself again for the first time in years. 

As with many of the show's best tricks, audiences weren't in on this transformation until much later, when he spoke plaintively under oath about his misdeeds, reclaiming his name and apologizing to Kim in the process.

Three Ghosts

According to Gould, who co-created the series with Vince Gilligan and helmed "Saul Gone," that climactic moment of confession was inspired in part by a classic story. "We used to talk about the progression of Jimmy McGill, of Saul Goodman as being a little like 'A Christmas Carol,'" Gould told AMC Talk. 

In Charles Dickens' classic story, heartless miser Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by three ghosts, each of which helps him better understand the error of the way he's been living. By the end of his long, dark night of the soul, he emerges a changed man, and his ability to gain new insight and compassion after decades of misdeeds is seen as a Christmas miracle.

It's a story that's so familiar that watching an on-screen or stage adaptation can often feel more like a comforting holiday ritual than a genuinely heartfelt experience. But with years of commitment to its story, "Better Call Saul" breaks down the raw emotional power of Dickens' structure of atonement and contemplation, recontextualizing it for modern viewers in a way that hits us square in the heart.

A Changed Man

"Seeing him with Mike and with Walt and then with Chuck, it's an interesting structure," Gould explains. "In A Christmas Carol, Scrooge gets visited by three ghosts who change his perspective on life. And so in a weird way, maybe there's an echo of that in this episode where there are these three ghosts of three dead men who all made a huge impact on Jimmy's life in one way or another." In the episode, Jimmy asks two of the men what they would do if they could time travel, giving his own answers that ring false. 

The third, his brother Chuck, gives him the words of wisdom that carry him through to his moment on the stand years later: "There's no shame in going back and changing your path." It echoes the spirit of a wordier line from Dickens' famous tale: "Men's courses will foreshadow certain ends, to which, if persevered in, they must lead. But if the courses are departed from, the ends will change."

Like Scrooge, Jimmy did change his path, albeit later and more poignantly than any of us could have imagined. "That's the moment where he becomes Jimmy McGill again," Gould tells AMC Talk about Jimmy's confession on the stand. "That's the last moment of Saul Goodman. When he walks into that courtroom, he walks in as Saul Goodman and he walks out as Jimmy McGill." 

The final episode of the series was already a masterpiece, but in the context of this indelible Dickens story, its ability to turn a cartoonish villain's origin into an apologetic man's redemption arc is all the more profound. It's also proof that "Better Call Saul" is something we never expected it to be: a new Christmas classic.

Read this next: Everything You Need To Remember Before The Final Episodes Of Better Call Saul

The post The Better Call Saul Finale Was Inspired By a Holiday Classic appeared first on /Film.

In 2020, we informed you about an HD Texture Pack for the classic Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver game. Created by RainaAudron, this pack used AI techniques in order to enhance the original textures of the Dreamcast version. And earlier this Summer, the modder released a brand new version of it. Here are the main … Continue reading Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver HD Fan Remaster available for download →

The post Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver HD Fan Remaster available for download appeared first on DSOGaming.

There are references to a "PlayStation PC launcher" within files for Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered's PC release, which launched last week. As spotted by VGC, the mention suggests Sony could launch their own bespoke game launcher on PC and allow players to link PC games to PlayStation Network accounts.

Read more

There are a bunch of new Arch-based distributions emerging lately. All feature graphical installers—something that Arch Linux does not—and each has its own custom desktop modifications. But that's about it. In fact, the landscape is starting to look a lot like the Ubuntu-derivative scene, with different wallpapers, icons, and default apps.

Locke & Key presents a rich fantasy narrative from the minds of Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodríguez and the material has a connection to another Netflix adaptation.

We reveal if Locke & Key shares the same universe with Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman and discuss its connection, as well as confirm if Season 4 of Locke & Key is on the table.

Developed by Carlton Cuse, Meredith Averill, and Aron Eli Coleite for Netflix, Locke & Key first premiered in 2020 starring Darby Stanchfield, Connor Jessup, Emilia Jones, Jackson Robert Scott, and more following three siblings who find magical keys stashed in their old family home.

• MORE: Westworld Season 5 Teased by Ed Harris Ahead of HBO Finale

The Sandman | Official Trailer | Netflix

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The Sandman | Official Trailer | Netflix

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Do Locke & Key and The Sandman Share the Same Universe?

Yes, Locke & Key and The Sandman exist within the same universe, thanks to a crossover event in the source material.

Locke & Key: Hell and Gone is a three-part comic book series released between December 2020 and September 2021 that concluded a prequel storyline following Chamberlin Locke and his children.

The plot saw Chamberlin frequently use the Echo key to summon his son’s soul from hell, but his sister Mary tried bringing him back to life by way of Dream’s captor Roderick Burgess.

The Sandman Netflix adaptation is not expected to include this crossover in its narrative, but with a second season on the table, who knows what flashbacks it might entail.

Kick off spooky season right with dark dreams and angry demons ? What did you think of LOCKE & KEY/THE SANDMAN UNIVERSE: HELL & GONE #2? #SandmanUniverse pic.twitter.com/GPkcy0XT1Y

— DC (@DCComics) October 2, 2021

Locke & Key Season 4

Unfortunately, fans of Locke & Key will be disappointed to hear that there will not be Season 4 of Locke & Key.

The fandom was concerned that the show had been cancelled, however, showrunner Carlton Cuse and Meredith Averill confirmed in a statement that they had planned three seasons from the start.

The creators shared their statement via Netflix’s official Twitter account:

“Once we began working on the series, we felt three seasons was the ideal length to bring the story of the Locke family and their Keyhouse adventures to a satisfying conclusion.”

Locke & Key fans — get your first look at the third and final season!

Plus, a message from the showrunners on bringing this epic story to a conclusion: pic.twitter.com/dYyGH9hOnV

— Netflix (@netflix) April 6, 2022

• MORE: Where to watch Coraline – Is it Streaming on Netflix or Hulu?

Locke & Key Season 3 Episode Guide

Locke & Key Season 3 is currently available to stream and consists of eight episodes – two episodes shorter than past seasons.

Each installment falls between 40-56 minutes and the entirety of the third season dropped on Wednesday, August 10, 2022, on Netflix.

We have outlined an episode guide below for the final season complete with titles:

• Episode 1: The Snow Globe
• Episode 2: Wedding Crashers
• Episode 3: Five Minutes Past
• Episode 4: Deep Cover
• Episode 5: Siege
• Episode 6: Free Bird
• Episode 7: Curtain
• Episode 8: Farewell

The final season of Locke & Key is officially unlocked! We couldn't have done it without all of you keykeepers ? The cast filmed a special note for you ? pic.twitter.com/bLzuvrczal

— Locke & Key (@lockekeynetflix) August 10, 2022

By Jo Craig – jo.craig@grv.media

Locke & Key Season 3 is now streaming on Netflix.

The post Do Locke & Key and The Sandman Share the Same Universe? appeared first on ForeverGeek.

The 2001 film "Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" tells a tale of a small, intelligent, talking blue hedgehog — a hedgehog possessed with the ability to run at tremendous speeds — who must protect his bag of mystical golden rings from the forces of evil. The hedgehog's rings allow him to skip merrily between dimensions, and are coveted by the mad scientist Dr. Xu Wenwu (Tony Leung), who possesses a set of ten mystical rings of his own. 

Oh, but this has been a merry jest. 

One of the more visually striking things about Peter Jackson's sextet of popular films set in Tolkien's fantastical Middle-earth was his ability to shrink down human-sized actors into the realm's many diminutive humanoid species. Using forced perspective, digital overlays, stand-ins, stunt doubles, and then-revolutionary motion-matching CGI technology, Jackson was able to envision numerous hobbits and dwarfs — about 3 ½ feet and 4 feet respectively — standing alongside human characters that appeared much larger. In "Fellowship," some of the forced perspective shots stood out, albeit in a charming, dazzling sort of way. In "The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies," the digital effects were pretty seamless, and a group of 13 dwarfs looked as real as could be. 

The character of Gimli the dwarf was credited to the 6'1" John Rhys-Davies, and all closeups of Gimli's face, and all of Gimli's vocals, were provided by the actor. In many of the films' long shots, however, Gimli was played by Rhys-Davies' stand-in, an actor named Brett Beattie. 

In a 2021 interview with Polygon, Beattie reveals just how much he appeared on camera in the "Lord of the Rings" movies, admitting that it was, in fact, quite a lot.

Brett Beattie

It's now a well-known piece of trivia that several members of the cast of "Lord of the Rings" were so moved by their two-year-long experience working on the movies that they decided to get matching tattoos to commemorate it. The nine actors playing the titular Fellowship each had the word "nine," translated into Elvish, etched into their skin forever. John Rhys-Davies, however, refused to get the tattoo. Not because he didn't feel attached to the production, but because he feels, according to a jokey comment in Screen Rant, that "whenever there's anything dangerous or that involves blood, I sent my stunt double to do it." And yet, nine actors still got the tattoo. Brett Beattie was the ninth. One can find a picture of him and co-star Orlando Bloom holding hands as Beattie gets etched. 

Beattie, standing just under 4'10", was initially hired to be Rhys-Davies' stunt rider for the "Lord of the Rings" movies. Both he and Rhys-Davies had to wear similar facial prosthetics, and one can see in the pictures above that Gimli was given expanded cheeks and a nose along with his resplendent hair and beard. The Gimli makeup was practically a full-face mask that needed to be applied to Rhys-Davies and to Beattie for hours at a time. In the making-of documentary "The Fellowship of the Cast" included on the film's DVD, it was revealed that the Gimli makeup was difficult to see through and that it was rough on Rhys-Davies' skin. He eventually developed eczema around his eyes. 

Because of this, Beattie began to stand in for Gimli more and more as the films progressed. He eventually became a "scale double," used to determine the height of Gimli as he would appear next to his human counterparts.

Setting The Record Straight

All of Beattie's stand-in, riding, and stunt work as Gimli even began to surpass — in terms of screen time — the presence of Rhys-Davies. Some 21 years after the release of the very first "Rings" movie, Beattie wanted to set the record straight. In the Polygon interview, he wanted to assure even the most devout fans that Gimli wasn't always the result of clever "shrinking" technology, but was due to his own tenacity and hard work. Beattie said: 

"I am aware that a lot of the people, even hardcore 'Lord of the Rings' fans, assume that a lot of the shots are some tricky sort of camera angle or some CGI shrinking John Rhys-Davies down. I don't want to burst anyone's bubbles, but I can only think of a couple of shots where CGI was used to shrink Rhys-Davies down."

Beattie could relate to Rhys-Davies' struggles with the Gimli makeup, and tells several stories of how difficult it was to perform stunts while wearing it. In one story, Beattie recalls being cut over the brow during an ax stunt, and was unable to reach his wound because of the silicone appliance on his head. Eventually, the appliance filled up with blood and burst open. although he assured the reader that "It looked a lot worse than it actually was." He also, thanks to the severity of some of the stunts, required reconstructive surgery on both of his knees. "The surgeon was asking me how I got those injuries, and I was like, 'Well, I was battling Uruk-hai at Helm's Deep.'"

Gimli For 189 Days

Indeed, Beattie's Gimli face was more elaborate than that of the other stand-ins. He says that the stand-ins for the hobbit characters wore essentially pull-of, over-the-head masks. If they ever felt claustrophobic, they could pull the masks up and take a breath. Beattie was required to wear the entire Gimli getup, and was on call at all hours. A shift playing Gimli could last as much as 12 hours. Beattie also admits to suffering from insomnia on the set, and would often have to take naps in the Gimli makeup and costume. When awakened, Beattie didn't know where he was, but he knew he had to be Gimli. He said: 

"I'd get woken up — 'Brett, you're on!' — and the next thing I knew, I'd be running through Fangorn Forest or the Mines of Moria getting chased by goblins. I wasn't awake, I wasn't asleep; I just ended up in this really crazy state of consciousness."

Beattie recalls watching one of the "Lord of the Rings" fight scenes, and was able to identify which shots were of him and which were of Rhys-Davies. Counting up the shots, he found that all but four seconds of a particular montage were of him. He surmises that, all told, he was likely playing Gimli for a total of 2,300 hours. That's 189 straight days as a warrior dwarf. It sounds exhausting.

Beattie did a lot of Gimli's heavy lifting. It's no wonder he got the tattoo. Beattie was tenth of the Nine. Let us give credit where credit is due. 

Read this next: 12 Shows Like Stranger Things You Definitely Need To Stream

The post There Was A Secret Second Actor Playing Gimli In The Lord Of The Rings appeared first on /Film.

The White Walkers were a huge part of the mythology in "Game of Thrones," starting in the very first scene of its pilot. Those undead frozen creatures and their silent ruler, the Night King, would continue to haunt the series for most of its run, up until the Night King had a most unfortunate run-in with a Valyrian steel dagger part-way through the final season (well, unfortunate for him, anyway). Banking on their popularity, HBO had originally intended to bring those frosty zombies back in a prequel/spin-off series exploring their secret origins, only to scrap the project after deciding it just wasn't coming together the way the company had hoped.

If you thought that would be the last we'd hear of those pesky monsters, think again. "House of the Dragon," a series picking up 200 years before "Game of Thrones," takes place at a time when the people of Westeros have come to regard the White Walkers as little more than legend (what with the creatures having managed to keep a low profile north of the Wall for thousands of years). But as it turns out, the show will reveal a brand-new link between House Targaryen and the White Walkers — one that may come as a bit of a surprise to fans, even those who have already read George R.R. Martin's source material, "Fire & Blood."

'That Came From George'

"House of the Dragon" begins with King Viserys I Targaryen (Mr. Considine) as the ruler of the Seven Kingdoms, prior to the vicious war of succession that would go on to bring down House Targaryen (a conflict known as the "Dance of the Dragons"). In a new interview with Vanity Fair, co-showrunner Ryan J. Condal talked about the intriguing secret passed down between Viserys and his should-be successor, Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen (Milly Alcock), and how it relates to the White Walkers:

"I think the 'Game of Thrones' nerds were very interested and intrigued and compelled by the secret that Viserys tells Rhaenyra, connecting Aegon [the first king of the family and the original Westeros conqueror] with the prophecies that we know about the Long Night and the Others [a.k.a. the White Walkers] and the Night King coming out of the North — and how maybe the Targaryen dynasty was aware of it long before we think they were."

Those prophecies mentioned by Condal would, of course, come to be fulfilled by Viserys' descendants, Daenerys Targaryen and Aegon Targaryen (or, as he's better known, Jon Snow) hundreds of years after "House of the Dragon." What's more, the series goes so far as to suggest the Targaryens knew about the prophesied ties between them and the White Walkers for a whole century before Viserys passed that knowledge onto Rhaenyra. 

According to Condal, however, this all came directly from George R.R. Martin himself:

"I think they were very intrigued by that. A lot of them said I committed A Song of Ice and Fire heresy, but I did tell them: 'That came from George.' I reassured everybody."

It Hasn't Been Written (Yet)

If those who've read both "A Song of Ice and Fire" and "Fire & Blood" are wondering if they somehow missed this significant detail in George R.R. Martin's books, you can take comfort in knowing that — imitates John David Washington's voice — it hasn't happened yet. Yes, as Martin explained to Vanity Fair, this is one of the many things he intends to explain in full (if? when?) he finally gets around to finishing "The Winds of Winter" and its follow-up:

"I don't want to give too much away, because some of this is going to be in the later books, but this is 200 years before the events of 'Game of Thrones.' There was no sell-by date on that prophecy. That's the issue. The Targaryens that know about it are all thinking, Okay, this is going to happen in my lifetime, I have to be prepared! Or, It's going to happen in my son's lifetime. Nobody said it's going to happen 200 years from now. If the Dance of the Dragons had not happened, what would've happened to the next generation? What would've happened in the generation after that? Yeah, there's a lot to be unwound there."

For the most part, though, it sounds like "House of the Dragon" will be more focused on the power struggle tearing House Targaryen apart than some vague prophecies alluding to the family's role in events to come long after the characters on the show are dead. Still, leave it to the White Walkers to cause trouble simply by being mentioned in passing.

"House of the Dragon" premieres on HBO on August 21, 2022.

Read this next: 12 Shows Like Stranger Things You Definitely Need To Stream

The post House of the Dragon Features a Newly Canonical Connection Between House Targaryen and the White Walkers appeared first on /Film.

Starting from today, August 16th 2022, BATTALION: Legacy, a WW2 first-person multiplayer shooter is free to download on Steam. This release marks the closing of a chapter and final major update for Battalion.

The post BATTALION: Legacy is now FREE on Steam appeared first on Indie Game Bundles.

After months of troubles and public scandals, Ezra Miller, star of the "Fantastic Beasts" franchise and the upcoming "The Flash" movie, has finally broken their silence. Miller's off-screen troubles have been mounting for weeks, putting pressure on Warner Bros. Discovery in regards to the upcoming $200 million blockbuster DC Comics adaptation that Miller is at the very center of. Now, Miller has revealed that they are undergoing treatment following a period of "intense crisis."

The actor released a statement through a representative, which was first shared with Variety. Though it was provided to the outlet through a rep, the statement itself is attributed to Miller and reads as follows:

"Having recently gone through a time of intense crisis, I now understand that I am suffering complex mental health issues and have begun ongoing treatment. I want to apologize to everyone that I have alarmed and upset with my past behavior. I am committed to doing the necessary work to get back to a healthy, safe and productive stage in my life."

The specifics of the treatment that Miller is undergoing remains unclear at the time of this writing. What we know for sure is that the 29-year-old actor has made lots of headlines as of late. Recently, Miller was charged with felony burglary in Vermont, for one, as well as being arrested twice in Hawaii earlier this year -- once for disorderly conduct and another for harassment. That is, unfortunately, just the tip of the iceberg.

What Happens Now?

While there is much to be discussed and considered here, the fate of a gigantic blockbuster film almost completely rests on Miller's shoulders. Warner Bros. Discovery recently scrapped "Batgirl" and "Scoob! Holiday Haunt" in restructuring efforts spearheaded by CEO David Zaslav. The studio is hoping to release "The Flash" still, but, as we learned recently, they are weighing options and scrapping the release altogether is not off the table.

If Miller truly is in treatment and can manage to keep out of trouble, it seems likely that the studio would press forward with the release next summer. Reports have indicated that test screenings for the film, directed by Andy Muschietti ("It") have gone extremely well. Not only that, but Michael Keaton is returning as Batman for the first time in 30 years in the film. As for Miller's future as Barry Allen? Regardless of what happens from here on out, it seems very likely the role would still be recast for any future projects. But this could be the beginning of the path that leads us to this movie actually making its way out into the world after much conversation and uncertainty.

"The Flash" is currently set to hit theaters on June 2, 2023.

Read this next: /Film's Top 10 Movies Of 2021

The post The Flash Star Ezra Miller Enters Treatment and Issues Apology Following Recent Events appeared first on /Film.

There is not a greater celebrity raconteur than Michael Caine. The 89-year-old movie star has lived the fullest of lives, appeared in a number of great films, and snatched up two Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor -- and he loves to talk about it. The son of blue-collar parents seems perpetually tickled by his success. Ask him about a critically acclaimed classic like "The Man Who Would Be King" or a universally reviled bomb like "Jaws: The Revenge" and you'll get a good-humored story out of it. He is the platonic ideal of "affable."

If you were to pick an actor who resided on the opposite end of the "affable" scale, you couldn't find a more ornery cuss than John Wayne. Wayne was aloof. It took a cagey journalist like Joan Didion to humanize him, and, in retrospect, she seemed a little starstruck. Wayne seemed to have made all the friends he'd ever need by the time he'd become a star. But when an immovable object like The Duke meets an irresistibly charming force like Caine, an unlikely friendship might be in the offing.

Suede Shoes Are A Luxury Movie Stars Cannot Afford

Caine rocketed to stardom as the caddish title character of Lewis Gilbert's "Alfie" in 1966. It was around this time that the actor, in Los Angeles for the shooting of Ronald Neame's superb "Gambit," found himself routinely kicking around the lobby of the Beverly Hills Hotel for a bit of celebrity spotting. One day, John Wayne came through and spotted Caine. He'd seen "Alfie," and told the young Brit "It's very good, son." A friendship ensued, which led to the American movie icon giving his newfound pal from across the pond a strangely specific bit of advice:

"He said, 'Never wear suede shoes.' I asked why and he said, 'Because you'll be taking a piss in a men's room and there'll be a guy next to you, and all of a sudden the guy will recognize you and he'll turn and go, 'Michael Caine!' And he'll piss all over your shoes!' I never wore suede shoes again."

One wonders if rockabilly pioneer Carl Perkins had intended a slightly different lyric for his classic "Blue Suede Shoes." Mostly, though, this suggests that John Wayne had significant experience getting urinated on in men's rooms. If so, perhaps he elaborated on these experiences to his friend Michael Caine. If he did, I can guarantee you one thing: Caine wouldn't keep it to himself.

Read this next: Adam Sandler's 14 Best Roles Ranked

The post John Wayne's Oddball Advice Left An Impression On Michael Caine appeared first on /Film.

Darren Aronofsky's 2000 addiction drama "Requiem for a Dream" is an aggressively devastating, forthrightly tragic scare film that long lingers in the consciousness. Based on the 1978 novel by Hubert Selby, Jr., "Requiem" bears all the emotional beats of ignorant "druggie" films of the 1930s ("Reefer Madness" and the like) with the added benefit of hypnotic, brilliant, cinematic style. As each of the characters descends deeper and deeper into self ruin at the hands of their drug thirst, we share their pain, feel their desperation, understand their loss. The world is only briefly bright at the times when the drugs are freshly consumed. All other times are devoted to seeking the high again once it wears off. As William S. Burroughs once said: "A junky runs on junk time. When his junk is cut off, the clock runs down and stops. All he can do is hang on and wait for non-junk time to start. A sick junkie has no escape from external time, no place to go. He can only wait."

In a 2020 oral history of "Requiem" on Vulture, Aronofsky talked a lot about the Selby novel and how much it marked him when he read it for the first time as a college student. He talks about picking out Selby's "Last Exit to Brooklyn" -- Brooklyn is Aronofsky's home town -- and immediately becoming obsessed with the author, thrilled by his gift for storytelling. Aronofsky even credits Selby for him wanting to become a filmmaker. Indeed, when Aronofsky wanted to make short films for the first time, he called Selby to ask permission and was lucky enough to meet his hero. Selby, a very calm, poetic man to Aronofsky's recollection, said yes. 

"Requiem for a Dream" would be Aronofsky's second feature.

The Red Dress Monologue

In the oral history, Aronofsky describes Selby's novel as being cinematic, feeling it to be very visual and visceral. The novel is set in the Bronx, and Aronofsky asked Selby if he could transpose the action to Brooklyn, to shoot in a neighborhood he was more familiar with. Aronofsky was drawn to the novel in general, but admitted there was one scene in particular on which the entire film hinged: The red dress monologue. 

The story of "Requiem for a Dream" follows Harry and Marion (Jared Leto and Jennifer Connelly) as they traverse the world while wresting with heroin addition. Harry's mother Sara (Ellen Burstyn) is concerned, but becomes distracted by an invitation to appear on her favorite game show. In order to fit into a red dress -- the one she wore to her son's graduation -- she attempts a crash diet and eventually turns to diet pills, which are merely methamphetamine tablets. She, too, soon becomes addicted, and spends the film slowly deteriorating. She and Harry have a sad conversation about it, and Aronofsky wanted the entire film to hinge on it. He said: 

"For me, probably the reason I made the movie, was for that scene. The 'red dress monologue,' in which Harry visits his mother and realizes she is on uppers, is the devastating heart of the movie. Sara confesses that she hasn't had anything to live for besides her impending TV appearance, and from this point on, increases her dosage. It broke my heart every time I read it. I knew that that was the center of the film — if it was a seesaw, this was the fulcrum."

A Soft Image That Kurosawa Would Approve Of

When it came to shooting the scene in question, Aronofsky expressed some trepidation, concerned how he would be able to make a scene of two people sitting at a kitchen table in a small Brooklyn apartment look dynamic or interesting. Luckily for the director, Burstyn provided such a striking, intense, sad performance, any kind of additional visual dynamism wasn't necessary. Burstyn was so good, in fact, the take was nearly ruined by cinematographer Matthew Libatique. As Aronofsky tells it: 

"I can't say I remember how Ellen got there, but something triggered for her in that sequence that was just remarkable. We all sat there in awe watching her do a take, and we were all teary-eyed at the end. And [Libatique], it turns out, had fogged up the viewfinder because he was crying. And when it came back, the shot was just the tiniest bit soft. I was devastated."

Luckily, Aronofsky -- perhaps to give himself a little bit of a creative boost -- just so happened to see something very similar happening in Japanese classic from the 1950s. Asakazu Nakai, who shot multiple films for Akira Kurosawa (including "Throne of Blood" and "Red Beard"), once made a creative decision on "Seven Samurai" that gave Aronofsky validation:

"Then I was watching 'Seven Samurai,' because sometimes I'll watch my favorite films while working on a movie. There's this amazing breakdown by Toshiro Mifune in the movie, and it's actually soft. I was like, 'Okay. Good enough for Kurosawa, it's definitely good enough for me.'"

While other scenes in "Requiem" stand out for their rawness and darkness, Aronofsky is right in seeing the red dress monologue as the fulcrum of the film. It rips your heart out. 

And it looks amazing.

Read this next: Every Peter Jackson Film Ranked From Worst To Best

The post Darren Aronofsky Made Requiem For A Dream All In Service Of A Single Scene appeared first on /Film.

A colleague of mine shared a story from Windows XP product support. A major computer manufacturer discovered that playing the music video for Janet Jackson’s “Rhythm Nation” would crash certain models of laptops. I would not have wanted to be in the laboratory that they must have set up to investigate this problem. Not an artistic judgement.

One discovery during the investigation is that playing the music video also crashed some of their competitors’ laptops.

And then they discovered something extremely weird: Playing the music video on one laptop caused a laptop sitting nearby to crash, even though that other laptop wasn’t playing the video!

What’s going on?

It turns out that the song contained one of the natural resonant frequencies for the model of 5400 rpm laptop hard drives that they and other manufacturers used.

The manufacturer worked around the problem by adding a custom filter in the audio pipeline that detected and removed the offending frequencies during audio playback.

And I’m sure they put a digital version of a “Do not remove” sticker on that audio filter. (Though I’m worried that in the many years since the workaround was added, nobody remembers why it’s there. Hopefully, their laptops are not still carrying this audio filter to protect against damage to a model of hard drive they are no longer using.)

And of course, no story about natural resonant frequencies can pass without a reference to the collapse of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge in 1940.

Related: Shouting in the Datacenter.

Bonus chatter: Video version of this story and a Twitter poll.

Also, Larry Osterman had a similar experience with a specific game that crashed a prototype PC.

The post Janet Jackson had the power to crash laptop computers appeared first on The Old New Thing.

Native American actor and activist Sacheen Littlefeather stepped in for the Godfather star at the 1973 Oscars.