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18 Aug 18:28

That '70s Show Gave Bruce Willis A Good Reason To Return To TV

by Christian Gainey

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.

18 Aug 18:28

House Of The Dragon Trailer: The Final Trailer Brings Fire And Blood

by Jeremy Mathai

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.

18 Aug 01:34

Jonah Hill Pushed Back Hard On Casting Christopher Mintz-Plasse In Superbad

by Jeremy Smith

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.

17 Aug 22:05

What’s the first narrative game you recommend to someone?

by Noelle Warner

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.

Ellie from The Last of Us

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.

Disco Elysium is our first narrative game recommendation

My honorable mentions

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

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.

17 Aug 20:25

Security Analysis Leads to Discovery of Vulnerabilities in 18 Electron Applications

by Eduard Kovacs

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.

read more

17 Aug 20:11

[Popcorn Frights 2022 Review] LIVING WITH CHUCKY

by Amylou Ahava

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.

17 Aug 20:07

Why The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power Fan Theories About Sauron Are Wrong

by Jeremy Mathai

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.

17 Aug 20:00

The Best Ways to Use Up Old Spices

by Jeff Somers

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…

Read more...

17 Aug 19:58

Diablo III Server emulator by Blizzless

by /u/ElAmigosFanz

Hello everyone!

Blizzless has released his server emulator of DIII RoS.

With that, you can play all story quests (5 acts).

More info and features in the readme file.

Greetings to all of you.

submitted by /u/ElAmigosFanz
[link] [comments]
17 Aug 15:16

Streaming Services Deal With More Subscribers Who 'Watch, Cancel and Go'

by msmash
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.

17 Aug 10:13

Demo released for Wing Commander IV: The Price of Freedom Remastered

by John Papadopoulos

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.

17 Aug 10:08

MyAnimeList down for maintenance– when will the site be back?

by Tom Llewellyn

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?

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 17th 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.

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 16th, 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

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.

17 Aug 10:04

Doom Voxel is a must-have mod that you can download right now

by John Papadopoulos

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.

16 Aug 23:34

The Better Call Saul Finale Was Inspired By A Holiday Classic

by Valerie Ettenhofer

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.

16 Aug 23:33

Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver HD Fan Remaster available for download

by John Papadopoulos

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.

16 Aug 23:33

Sony might be planning their own PC game launcher

by Graham Smith

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

16 Aug 22:07

8 Reasons Why Manjaro Is the Best Arch-Based Distro

by Adam Overa

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.

16 Aug 22:04

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

by Jo Craig

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.

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.

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 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

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.

16 Aug 22:04

There Was A Secret Second Actor Playing Gimli In The Lord Of The Rings

by Witney Seibold

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.

16 Aug 21:59

House Of The Dragon Features A Newly Canonical Connection Between House Targaryen And The White Walkers

by Sandy Schaefer

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 voiceit 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.

16 Aug 21:59

BATTALION: Legacy is now FREE on Steam

by Tonci

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.

16 Aug 20:56

The Flash Star Ezra Miller Enters Treatment And Issues Apology Following Recent Events

by Ryan Scott

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.

16 Aug 20:56

John Wayne's Oddball Advice Left An Impression On Michael Caine

by Jeremy Smith

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.

16 Aug 20:55

Darren Aronofsky Made Requiem For A Dream All In Service Of A Single Scene

by Witney Seibold

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.

16 Aug 20:53

Janet Jackson had the power to crash laptop computers

by Raymond Chen

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.

16 Aug 20:49

Oscars Apology Comes Nearly 50 Years After Marlon Brando Protest - CNET

by Richard Trenholm
Native American actor and activist Sacheen Littlefeather stepped in for the Godfather star at the 1973 Oscars.
16 Aug 20:48

A Guide To When Each Of Those Key Better Call Saul Flashbacks Take Place

by Rafael Motamayor

Spoilers for "Better Call Saul" follow.

Who could have imagined, back when "Breaking Bad" was the reigning non-genre drama on TV, that almost a decade later we would be talking about a prequel focusing on the funny lawyer as one of the best TV shows of the decade, on par if not better than the original? "Better Call Saul" quickly proved to be more than just a spin-off of "Breaking Bad," but a show as complex, if not more so.

After six seasons, we finally said goodbye to James Morgan McGill, Kimberly Wexler, and the characters of the two-shows-and-a-movie universe with a perfect finale. After the previous episode ended with Gene on the run after being uncovered by Carol Burnett's Marion, the finale, aptly titled "Saul Gone," ties up loose ends, brings the themes of the show to the foreground and closes the book on Jimmy/Saul/Gene.

In between all of these, we also get a Dickensian series of flashbacks with ghosts of Saul Goodman's past, the three men who helped create Saul. These flashbacks and cameos are integral to the themes of the episode, and they take place at very different moments in the franchise's history. Here is a guide to exactly when the flashbacks take place and what they mean for the finale and Jimmy's story as a whole.

What Would You Do If You Had A Time Machine?

The first ghost is that of Mike Ehrmantraut, in a scene that takes place between the end of the season 5 episode "Bagman" and the start of the following episode, "Bad Choice Road." This is when Jimmy and Mike got trapped in the desert after a shooting and had to walk for hours while Jimmy carried millions of dollars on his back to pay for Lalo's bail.

When they take a moment to rest, Jimmy decides to pass the time by asking Mike a hypothetical about what he would do if he had a time machine — thinking of him as a history buff. But rather than an answer Jimmy expected, like the Civil War or Ancient Rome, Mike surprises him by giving him a specific date in 2001 (presumably when his son, Matty, died) but right away Mike changes his answer. He settles on the day he took his first bribe.

Though he doesn't realize it then, this is a pivotal moment for Jimmy. After all, Mike (together with Nacho) is the man responsible for Jimmy getting involved with the criminal underworld. He is the man who connected Jimmy to Gus, and eventually helped Walter get involved with Gus. 

To see Mike, who has a lot of money and power, talk about throwing it all away just like that is shocking to Jimmy at this point in time, but the audience knows better. To Mike, the moment he first took a bribe is the moment he set himself on a path that ended with his son dead, and him trapped in a life that revolved around a drug war and ended when a former chemistry teacher shoots him. This scene, and Mike's answer, are the first seeds of Saul's eventual death and Jimmy McGill's return in the finale.

So You Were Always Like This

The second flashback centers on Walter, the monster that brought Saul down with him, the golden goose Saul used to become a millionaire despite Mike's warnings. The scene takes place after the events of "Ozymandias," right in the first act tease of "Granite State" when the late Robert Forster's Ed Galbraith leads Saul to his vacuum repair shop where Walt is already waiting for his new identity. This is also the place where we saw Saul for the very last time in "Breaking Bad."

In the scene, we see Walt resort to his old ways, obsessing over some stupid and small thing — a leaking pipe. When Saul asks him what he'd do with a time machine, Walt immediately dismisses it and starts talking about the implausibility of time travel. What Saul wants to know is if he has any regrets, Walt says — literally less than a day after he lost his family, his money, everything. 

Where Mike knew where his life went wrong, recognized his mistakes, and instantly saw Walt for who and what he is, the man once known as Heisenberg is still delusional and lacking any self-awareness. He silently contemplates the watch Jesse once gifted him, but only gives a petty answer about not allowing his former friends to kick him off Gray Matter Technologies (which we know didn't happen this way). He blames everyone but himself for his problems, from Jesse to Skyler to the nazis. This is just like Jimmy is when he retreads into the Saul persona, blaming his problems on other people and avoiding responsibility. Walt represents the worst parts of Jimmy, obsessed with power and money, like the answer he gives Mike, and lacking responsibility, like when Saul answers Walt that he'd go back and prevent a slip and fall that messed up his knee.

If You Don't Like Where You're Heading, There's No Shame In Going Back And Changing Your Path

Just like in "A Christmas Carol," the last ghost ends up being the most significant and life-changing. In the case of Jimmy McGill, even if he denies having a serious regret he'd go back in time to change, his memories deceive him because we see the very moment where things could have gone drastically different.

The moment takes place quite literally the day before the first episode of "Better Call Saul," as Saul brings Chuck supplies now that he is living in his electricity-proof house, but the day before he surprises his big brother with a copy of The Financial Times — which is teased here. Though we've seen this interaction play out countless times in the earlier seasons of the show, we've never seen it play out exactly as it does here, with Chuck asking Jimmy if he wants to stay a little longer and just talk as brothers. 

We've seen Chuck dismiss, belittle, and otherwise act spiteful toward his younger brother, but for one glorious and fleeting moment, he reached out and tried to form a genuine bond that was more than just family obligations ... and Jimmy declined. He knows Chuck, or at least thinks he does, and he doesn't want to go through the same motions as always, and just leaves. 

But as Chuck walks away with a copy of H. G. Wells's "The Time Machine" it becomes clear that this is the moment Jimmy would revisit, this is the moment Jimmy desperately wants to change. That is because if he had stayed maybe his relationship with Chuck would have been different, and maybe Chuck would still be alive, and maybe Jimmy would have never become Saul and countless atrocities could have been avoided.

Saul Gone

If there was a man who had a hand in Jimmy becoming Saul, it was Chuck. Jimmy became a lawyer in no small part due to a desire to gain his brother's respect. Jimmy left behind his family name in favor of Saul Goodman because of his brother. Jimmy blamed all of his problems on Chuck, because he wasn't able to open up to himself and confront his own mistakes.

Throughout the whole of "Better Call Saul," Jimmy McGill never spoke his truth, and always hid his true self behind excuses, behind cons. That all changes in the finale, thanks to these three ghosts, and thanks to Kim, who inspires him to finally open up, to finally own up to his mistakes and his choices, and once again embrace the name James McGill.

Read this next: The 50 Best Documentaries You Can Watch On Netflix Right Now (July 2022)

The post A Guide to When Each of Those Key Better Call Saul Flashbacks Take Place appeared first on /Film.

16 Aug 20:19

Review: Thymesia

by Chris Moyse

thymesia review destructoid ps5 pc xbox series x/s

Secret of Nevermore

In my four decades of gaming, there have been very few 'new' genres, and even fewer that have proven to have lasting staying power. Aside from the phenomenon that is Battle Royale, there is probably only one 21st-century-birthed genre that has proven itself with consistent and cemented success with developers, player communities, and cash registers: The Soulslike.

A sub-genre of RPGs, Soulslikes generally feature grim, deep lore, an emphasis on exploration, build-heavy protagonists, and a typically gloomy, gothic aesthetic. Oh, and they're also hard as nails. And yet, despite their punishing difficulty, steep learning curve, and joyless demeanor, the Soulslike genre has enraptured a huge community of devotees, won over by FromSoftware epics such as Demon's Souls, Bloodborne, and one of the finest releases of the year to date, Elden Ring.

Capitalizing on the current craze from hard 'n' heavy hack 'n' slashers, indie out OverBorder Studio and British publisher Team 17 have tossed their own night-black cape into the gloom, with the arrival of their own take on the Soulslike, Thymesia. With a dark, nightmarish aesthetic, a despondently topical tale of an unstoppable pandemic, and teeth-clenching, merciless difficulty, Thymesia makes no bones about its desire to be the next challenge for sadistic fans of the genre mercy forgot.

thymesia review urd

Thymesia (PS5 [reviewed], PC, Xbox Series X/S)
Developer: OverBorder Studio
Publisher: Team17
Released: August 18, 2022
MSRP: $29.99

Thymesia, (a Greek derivative for "Memory"), is set in the despairing Kingdom of Hermes, a once thriving community now awash with plague, calamity, and death. Into this sorrowful city strides Corvus, a mysterious young stranger suffering his own affliction, that of total amnesia. Not long after picking their way through the body-strewn streets, Corvus enters the palace walls only to find themselves on the business end of a right royal beatdown. In the aftermath of defeat, our hero awakens in the tranquil-yet-gloomy everglades of Philosopher's Hill — cared for by a very young girl, wise beyond her years, Aisemy.

Within this framing device, Corvus must revisit the events of their recent life, piecing together the actions and reactions that brought them to Hermes' diseased gateway. Along the way, they must gather small and subtle fragments of information to help their new compadre put together the lore of the land, the conception of the plague, and the actions that brought a relatively peaceful city to its knees. Should they attain total recall, then Corvus and Aisemy may discover more than just the falsehoods of their own legacies — they may uncover the answers to ending the epidemic altogether.

A punishing action RPG, Thymesia wears its influences so broadly on its steel-coated sleeve that it's frankly ridiculous not to call it out immediately. Thymesia is not only a Soulslike, but it has gone to great lengths to be as reminiscent as possible of its bigger-budgeted, larger-scale brethren. Every box is ticked, from the game's overall dour demeanor, to its beacon-lighting save points, steel-clashing combat, extra large boss battles, lengthy "single line" health bars, and, of course, slow-fade red writing whenever birdy hits the bricks, (although here "Memory Interrupted" replaces "You Died").

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8ftSU5zlQA

Under the watchful eye of their young friend, Corvus embarks on a series of "Recalls," essentially embodying their own adventures in real-time. These adventures see Corvus recall the events that brought the kingdom to its knees and saw our beak-faced pal draw a big ol' blank. What this translates to, gameplay-wise, is a series of mini-mapped adventures, that see Corvus explore various areas of Hermes and battle it out with the infected locals, the decaying remnants of the king's army, and more than a fair share of nightmarish monsters and mutants.

As is the wont of the genre, every enemy in Thymesia is a legitimate death threat, with even the most Ray Harryhausen-looking skeleton carrying the ability to blast Corvus out of the memory bank and back into the cold emptiness of his own brain. Combat, from the lowliest grunt to the mightiest boss, is a matter of pattern recognition, precision evasion, and expert parrying. You know this, of course you do, because you know the Soulslike score. Importantly, OverBorder Games knows that you know, and wastes little time setting the metaphorical dinner table — throwing you into a pit of misery and raining axes onto your dome in a matter of seconds.

Corvus is equipped with a dagger for parrying, and a saber to lay wounds on their opponent. In addition, the hero's razor-sharp talons can be used to keep those wounds open, with combat coming down to a tight formula of Saber strikes to damage armor, Claw strikes to reduce health, and smart parrying to open up the enemy's defense. The enemies also have specials, that can only be parried via smart acrobatics or the throwing of mythic "Raven Feathers." Unfortunately, this last mechanic is very poorly implemented, with feather-tossing effectiveness proving such a coin toss, that it's almost always better to hit the skids and live to fight another round. Hopefully, this can be improved in a later update.

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As well as the old one-two, Corvus can use their mastery of plague control to "Reave" weapons from his opposition. Upon their defeat, Corvus can use a charged talon attack to essentially "steal" a spiritual version of the enemy's axe, scythe, spear, broadsword, bow, or any other skull-splitter. Using "memories" (XP) gathered from battle, (and from piecing together their fragmented past), Corvus can level up not only their attack, defense, and acrobatic abilities, but also apply various effects to their Plague arsenal, enabling combos, air assaults, floor sweeps, and earth-shattering ground pounds.

As you might expect, Thymesia ain't easy, and newcomers need to be wise to the combative structure that is the core of both this release and the genre itself. Importantly, however, the combat is never unfair, and is merely a matter of patience, wits, reactions, and experience... Oh, that said, the "Varg" boss has a painfully unfair unblockable, which is pretty much the only time that game had me clucking my tongue in true "That's Bullshit" fashion.

A game that places its core action above all other factors, it is vital that Thymesia's combat is both solid and appealing. And I'm pleased to report that it is. A meaty challenge designed to punish the arrogant and the impatient lies herein, while box-ticking grinders will get a kick out of gathering all of the Plague Weapons, digging out the memory remnants, and experimenting with the game's potion and alchemy mechanics. This array of build opportunities lends some sense of variety to Corvus, which somewhat makes up for the protagonist's complete lack of visual customization.

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While it may seem that this review has been overly focused on the fighting, it has to be noted that this is by design. Thymesia, as a low-to-mid-budget title, doesn't have too much in the way of opulence on offer. The cast is incredibly slim, there is no voice-acting or narration, and the Kingdom of Hermes feels somewhat compact when compared to the gargantuan labyrinths that genre fans will be used to. Thymesia's tale is conceptually interesting but ultimately accounts for little more than picking up a hell of a lot of notes. These clues form a tale of conspiracy, classism, and the alchemic arts, but without the necessary tools to dramatically deliver upon ideas. Thymesia does offer multiple endings depending on how much of Corvus' memory is restored, so 100%'ers will be in their element.

Thymesia is undeniably hurt by its limitations, but OverBorder Studio has worked within those same limitations to deliver a short, sharp, and impactful gameplay experience. The visuals are adequate, the special effects are impressive, and the highly cinematic score punctuates the action very well indeed. Importantly, Thymesia is rock solid from a technical standpoint, running (on PS5) at an extremely steady frame rate and spotlighting its action with a reliable, smart, and unobtrusive camera.

Taking feedback from the early demos, Overborder has improved control response time, all but eliminated camera drift, and ironed out several other issues pertaining to the game's combat. If the first demo didn't work for you, know that many of the problems have been addressed. Today, Thymesia plays very cleanly, and feels good while doing so, ensuring that the only thing you'll need worry about is getting a dagger or three in the spleen.

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I have zero doubt that right now, somewhere on the internet, somebody is writing "A Poor Man's Dark Souls." And while it is, frankly, impossible not to view Thymesia as a lower-budgeted version of its blockbuster brothers, that easy soundbite is doing the title an injustice. Those yet to dive into the Soulslike genre should consider giving this new release a crack of the whip, as Thymesia works well as an "onboarding" title for those who fancy dipping their toe into blacker waters but are perhaps not ready to smother themselves in the hundred-hour epicness of a Bloodborne or an Elden Ring. Conversely, genre veterans who are willing to compromise with Thymesia's shortcomings will find several hours of sick 'n' satisfying action adventure lies in wait.

Thymesia isn't shy about its influences, an admittance that helps and harms the title when inevitably compared to its legendary brethren. But any Soulslike fan who is willing to look past the budgetary shortcomings will find this modest monster masher a fine way to spend a gloomy weekend. While Thymesia is certainly lacking in some key departments, the solid control, satisfying combat, moody atmosphere, and compelling challenge are still well worth crowing about.

[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]

The post Review: Thymesia appeared first on Destructoid.

16 Aug 20:14

The Future of CyberSecurity is Prevention

by Gordon Lawson

Zero Trust has become so prevalent that it has lost some of its stopping power

read more

16 Aug 18:55

The Better Call Saul Finale Features The Most Powerful Saul Goodman Transformation Yet

by Jeremy Mathai

Over the course of "Better Call Saul," we've watched with equal parts fascination and horror as Jimmy McGill (Bob Odenkirk) has fought a losing battle against his own worst inclinations, inching ever so closely towards becoming the heartless criminal lawyer we all know he'll inevitably become. It's in the name, after all. In the lead-up to last night's series finale, appropriately and cleverly titled "Saul Gone," invested viewers were given a front row seat to the most spectacular self-implosion we've seen since Bryan Cranston's Walter White burned everything to the ground in the final episodes of "Breaking Bad."

Throughout the final episode, it seems all but certain that the man once known affectionately as Slippin' Jimmy is nowhere to be found. Having finally been arrested in a dumpster, of all places, the rest of the episode takes us through the painfully familiar scheming we've seen from Saul Goodman again and again. Having abandoned poor taxi driver Jeff (Pat Healy) to his fate with the Omaha police, put widowed Marie Schrader (a very welcome Betsy Brandt cameo) through the wringer all over again, and even made a mockery of the legal system once more by reducing a well-deserved multiple life sentence down to seven measly years in a pampered jail cell (one can almost feel big brother Chuck's withering disdain from the afterlife), nothing appears to stand in the way of yet another vintage example of circumstances ending up "with me on top, as always," as he puts it himself.

Until, that is, the full scope of his last con job comes into focus. "Better Call Saul" truly saved its best trick for last by having Saul go to such lengths simply to accept responsibility, acknowledge his sins, and, most importantly, attempt to make things right with Kim Wexler (Rhea Seehorn).

Regrets And Redemption

As much as the two shows share common DNA, "Breaking Bad" and "Better Call Saul" splintered into two very different conversations leading up to their respective finales. In 2013, the question surrounding drug kingpin Walter White mostly concerned whether he would actually get away with everything and achieve everything he set out to do. Many would argue that dying on his own terms and with the kind of notoriety he craved throughout his life means that is exactly what happened. With hapless Jimmy, however, the stakes mostly revolved around whether the series would somehow find a happy ending for himself and Kim before it was too late ... and whether the pair even deserved that in the first place. The end result, fittingly enough, is a little more complicated than that.

The concept of redemption in the "Breaking Bad"/"Better Call Saul" universe has never felt entirely straightforward. Bad things happen to good people all the time in these shows, as evidenced by the countless victims and collateral damage left behind in the wake of both Walter and Saul's violent rampages throughout Albuquerque and beyond. Bad people, meanwhile, have always tended to invite their own destruction. So when Saul seems ready to throw even his ex-wife Kim under the bus in exchange for an even more reduced sentence, it's easy for viewers to assume the worst.

But something remarkably unexpected happens as the huckster and soon-to-be convicted felon takes the stand: With Kim in the room, he contradicts his own sworn testimony (which conveniently blamed all his actions on his fear of Walt) and owns up to every single mistake he made. If not redemption, then acknowledging his role in Chuck's suicide, Howard Hamlin's (Patrick Fabian) murder, and Walt's reign of terror at least hints towards atonement.

One Last Con

It was always about Kim. Though hardly the sole or even the biggest factor that tipped Jimmy into going full Saul during the events of "Breaking Bad," "Better Call Saul" established with one incredibly telling jump cut that Kim walking away from the ruins of her destructive life with Jimmy essentially cleared the way for his transformation into Saul. It's only fitting, then, that Kim's attempt to make things right -- by admitting her own guilt in writing -- finally provokes Saul to do the same.

Sitting pretty with the most generous plea deal that the veteran judge has ever seen, there's truly only one factor preventing the criminal lawyer from essentially getting away with everything he ever did. The implication that he holds Kim's legal fate in his hands, depending on how he plays his cards, finally proves to be what pulls him back from the brink. Still in his Saul persona, for all intents and purposes, we finally see a glimmer of conscience in the man who once aided and abetted Walt in the absolute worst of his crimes without a second's hesitation.

In a neat echo of Walt's own admission that "I did it for me," Saul puts the blame solely on his own desire for power and money. For the first time since the tragic death of his brother Chuck (Michael McKean, who also makes a wonderfully unexpected return), he confesses his long-simmering guilt in pushing him so far. (Remember, Jimmy once failed to be reinstated as a lawyer because he couldn't even bring up Chuck's name during a hearing.) And in one beautifully cathartic declaration -- "The name's McGill. I'm James McGill" -- we see the official end of Saul Goodman and the reemergence of Jimmy as Kim looks on gratefully.

Saul Good, Man

In its concluding moments, "Better Call Saul" makes it abundantly clear that the man who once used to lean against the concrete wall of a parking garage and share cigarettes with his lover Kim has made his long-awaited return ... even if Kim Wexler's the only one who'll ever recognize it.

To his Cinnabon employees, he'll always be the kind (if distant) manager who used his one phone call from prison to check on their own well-being. To his fellow practicing attorneys in and around Albuquerque, he's the grifter who put a black mark on their profession and was finally undone in the bottom of a dumpster, self-imploding in spectacular fashion to parlay a seven-year plea deal into an 86-year life sentence. To the grieving Marie Schrader, he'll always be the sole surviving target of her anger and pain -- and rightfully so. But to Kim (and, by extension, us), he at least got to bow out as Jimmy: the flawed, good-natured con artist who pulled one final rabbit out of his hat when it mattered most.

By taking responsibility and allowing himself to face the consequences, he achieved what Walter White couldn't. By enacting one more con, he exacted a measure of redemption -- which won't tip the scales of justice one way or another, but will allow him to live with himself. By exorcizing his own Saul Goodman-shaped demon in one beautifully sincere and long overdue courtroom confession, he finally used his slippery talents in favor of a greater good beyond his own.

"Better Call Saul" went out on its own terms as a stunning companion piece to one of the greatest shows of all time and a brilliant portrait of a wonderfully complex character in his own right. Saul gone, indeed.

Read this next: The 15 Best Better Call Saul Episodes Ranked

The post The Better Call Saul Finale Features the Most Powerful Saul Goodman Transformation Yet appeared first on /Film.