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David S. Goyer's 2004 film "Blade: Trinity" had all the makings of a hit. The character of Blade, as played by Wesley Snipes, was still popular after the first two movies in 1998 and 2002, and the cast expanded to include rising comedian Ryan Reynolds, Jessica Biel, indie darling Parker Posey, and the WWE wrestler Triple H. The film would pit the titular vampire hunter against Count Dracula (Dominic Purcell). In small roles, "Trinity" featured Patton Oswalt, Eric Bogosian, and Natasha Lyonne. With a hot property, an amazing stable of talent, and a fun supervillain, what could go wrong? 

As it turns out, quite a lot. Snipes clashed a great deal with many different people on "Blade: Trinity," leading to arguments, disagreements, and even a lawsuit (Snipes sued the production for withholding pay). It's been reported in /Film that Snipes refused to film many of his "Trinity" scenes, largely because of a wardrobe incident. According to Patton Oswalt, a young Black actor -- only an extra -- was dressed in a t-shirt that had the word "garbage" printed on it, throwing Snipes into a rage, accusing Goyer of racism. Oswalt also alleges that Snipes refused to communicate with Goyer directly, using notes and assistants. This was after Snipes had insisted that Goyer be brought on as director after being displeased with the project's first director.

Things only went downhill from there. It certainly didn't help that the new kid on the block, Reynolds, actively attempted to get Snipes to break character.

Method Blade

According to a report in Showbiz Cheatsheet, Snipes also affected a method approach to playing Blade for "Trinity." Blade is a stoic badass, intense and cool, not speaking a lot, and capably taking up a sword should creatures of the night attack. "Trinity" paired Blade with two additional vampire hunters played by Reynolds and Biel, forming a superhero team called The Nightstalkers (named after a Marvel comic that starred Blade, a former Ghost Rider, and Dracula's son). 

In the AV Club, Oswalt recalled Snipes introduced himself as Blade and tried to stay physically far away from his co-stars as the character might. This caused some tension with Lyonne who, playing a blind character, grabbed Snipes unexpectedly by the face. Snipes didn't like that. Oswalt said that after that Biel and especially Reynolds turned to improv to make the shoot more fun and to gently mock Snipes. 

Reynolds certainly had a lot of leeway to improvise, as Snipes wasn't on set a lot of the time, and the supporting cast were permitted to go a little hogwild. Says Oswalt: 

"A lot of the lines that Ryan Reynolds has were just a result of Wesley not being there. We would all just think of things for him to say and then cut to Wesley's face not doing anything because that's all we could get from him. It was kind of funny. We were like, 'What are the worst jokes and puns that we can say to this guy?'"

900 Variations Of Torture

That freedom was something Reynolds appreciated, and, in a 2012 interview with IGN, Reynolds talked about how "Trinity" allowed him to hone his skills as an actor, and how cracking wise with the amazing Parker Posey was blissful. 

"It was free flowing. Man, you sit down with Parker Posey and I'm in heaven. I feel like I could have shot that for ten years. We just lit the script on fire at that point and we were like, 'All right, let's roll it and let's do it.' The DVD is going to be so f***ing unbelievable for that scene, because there are 900 variations of what went down in that torture scene ... We don't ever stop. David has to stop us or they run out of film, and that's the only reason that "cut" was ever called in those scenes."

Reynolds feels that the stories of tension on the set of "Trinity" were, in his word, "overblown," saying that he may not be a Method actor himself, but respects it: 

"It's always overblown. My personality is the polar opposite of Wesley. I never met Wesley, I only met Blade, and he is a method actor. Say what you want about that style of acting, I have the utmost respect for whatever it takes to get through this process. We all say that these actors make so much money and they live such a life of leisure and privilege, but that is a vulnerable process, stepping onto the set everyday and performing in front of 110 judgmental souls. So whatever it takes for him or anyone else to get through that in a way that is artistically fulfilling to them, I have the utmost respect for."

I Will Break You

When IGN asked Reynolds if he had made it his personal goal to "crack" Snipes, he admits that he kind of did. 

"That being said, yes I did. You know what, what I found was, I just use every moment. There's a moment in the movie where I look up at Jessica and I swear to God, I didn't even know the cameras were rolling anymore and I say, 'He hates me, doesn't he?' And she's like, 'Yeah.' I'm just saying this about my relationship as Ryan Reynolds to this guy, and it works. The ad libs are just born of that. There's another one where I do a dime store psychoanalysis of him where I say, 'You ever thought about sitting down and talking with someone, getting in touch with your inner child, and also you might want to try blinking once in a while.' He just looks at me like he's gonna turn me into ass pulp."

According to Reynolds, though, Snipes wouldn't ever take the bait. Being a professional, Blade never once cracked a smile. 

"I don't know if I ever got him to laugh. The guy's Blade. Hopefully on the inside, he's laughing kind of on the inside, I don't know? It was a challenging process. I've never experienced anything like that."

Back at the AV Club, Oswalt admitted that he was into making movies for two reasons: money and anecdotes. He either wants great experiences or horrid ones, as the latter provides the best stories. While "Trinity" was not well-liked by fans or critics (it has a 25% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes), it did provide for a lot of great stories. Audiences can be grateful for that much. 

Read this next: Every Pre-MCU Marvel Movie Ranked

The post Why Wesley Snipes Didn't Like Working With Ryan Reynolds In Blade 3 appeared first on /Film.

Although a silverback gorilla could take out a rodent with just its thumb, an affectionate gorilla was caught on video (below) gently petting a groundhog at the zoo. And even more incredible, the groundhog didn't run off in fear, but seemed to enjoy the giant creature's attention. — Read the rest

Disney purchased Lucasfilm in 2012, and along with that purchase came the promise of more "Star Wars" -- something many of us never thought we were going to get after the release of "Revenge of the Sith" in 2005. Not only did we get an entire sequel trilogy of movies beginning with "The Force Awakens" in 2015, we also got standalone films such as "Rogue One" and "Solo."

Perhaps most importantly, that galaxy far, far away finally came to TV in live-action for the first time with "The Mandalorian." That, in turn, paved the way for a new era of the franchise and, more to the point, the arrival of a long-awaited project in the form of "Obi-Wan Kenobi."

For years, fans had wondered whether or not Ewan McGregor would return as the famed Jedi following the events of "Revenge of the Sith." It may not be a movie (it may be better than a movie, depending on what you're looking for), but McGregor is indeed back in the role for a six-episode limited series that takes place ten years after the events of "Revenge of the Sith," with Hayden Christensen also returning as Darth Vader. A rematch for the ages! And the person behind the camera for that rematch is Deborah Chow, whom "Star Wars" fans likely know from her work on "The Mandalorian." This time around, she's directing every single episode of the show.

I recently had the good fortune to chat with Chow in honor of the release of "Obi-Wan Kenobi" on May 27. We discussed what it's like seeing Darth Vader on set, the challenge of telling a story between trilogies, whether or not she'd direct a movie in the franchise, and more.

'It's Darth Vader Standing In Front Of You'

I've been a "Star Wars" fan my whole life, and this is something I've been waiting for a long time. So it really is like a genuine pleasure to speak with you. I've got to ask, how cool is it being the person [who] gets to yell, "action" and "cut" when Darth Vader is on set?

It's pretty cool. I think the first time he came on the set, it was very special. He's immense and it's Darth Vader standing in front of you. So I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to direct Darth Vader.

You said you've been with the project for about three years now. I know it went through a bunch of different iterations. How much did it change from the time you signed on the dotted line to do this thing to the version we actually got?

It had already had development before I came on board, but I think from the starting point with me, we're obviously all starting with the same pieces. So everybody, I think, that's been involved with the project, we're starting with the legacy from the prequels and everything that George [Lucas] has sort of set out. So a lot of the elements were the same. I think the biggest thing for us is, it's a challenging story to tell. It's between two trilogies, it's these huge characters. We really wanted to make it a character-driven journey. So I think that was the biggest thing we were trying to do over the course of the development. And in my time on the project is just really get deeper into the character.

Obviously, "Obi-Wan Kenobi" is the name of the show. We know the guy we're going to get the most time with, but there are a lot of other characters in the show outside of Obi-Wan. What was the character you were most excited to flesh out?

There are so many interesting characters, but I mean, obviously, the Obi-Wan/Vader of it all is the highlight of it. I think one of the most interesting things, for all of us, was revisiting these characters, but revisiting them at a different point in their lives. So they're not the exact same character that they were when we left them in "Revenge of the Sith" or in "A New Hope." I think that was the most exciting thing. Then I was also very excited to bring in some new characters, like Reva, and to introduce the Inquisitors, especially because we have such a strong legacy element that it felt to me that we really needed something new alongside it.

'I've Been In A Galaxy Far, Far Away For Quite A While'

I think a lot of us, when we watched "A New Hope" growing up, we sort of assumed that was the first time Vader and Obi-Wan had met in ages. There's very much an opportunity for this to sort of [add to] what we know about "A New Hope," but there's also, depending on how it goes, the concern of how do you not tarnish what came before. So how did you guys go about that?

I think for us, obviously, it was something that we looked at very carefully and you don't want to do lightly, and we really didn't want to do it just for the sake of doing it. So we really looked at it and for us, it was always just coming back to a place of character. And coming out of "Revenge of the Sith," obviously the end of "Revenge of the Sith" with Anakin and with Obi-Wan, it's so intense and there's such a weight that's being carried forward from that, that for us, it just felt natural. It felt that it made sense that he would be part of this story. So I think in terms of lining up with both sides of the trilogies, for us, we were really trying to respect everything that had been done. Respect the canon, but also obviously tell a new story. I think for us, the strongest point we could take in terms of having a point of view on it, was to have it feel that it was organic to the characters on both sides of the trilogies.

I think a lot more attention was brought to your career because of "Star Wars." But I would say the second biggest franchise you've been involved with is "The Walking Dead." They have a ton of new shows and movies in the works. Have you talked at all about dipping your toes back in that sandbox?

I've been so deep in this galaxy that honestly there hasn't been room for much else, right. So, I've been on this for three years and then I did "Mandalorian" before that. So I've been in a galaxy far, far away for quite a while. So at this point, the only thing I'm looking forward to is honestly, to have a vacation.

Yeah, fair enough. I think you've earned it. Maybe once you get done with that vacation, we recently got a bit of a roadmap of what the future of "Star Wars" on the big screen might look like. Have you put any thought into, if they approach you, [would you direct a "Star Wars" movie? Or are you more interested in sticking with the TV side of things?

I think it's really interesting now, because the line between TV and film is getting blurrier and blurrier and it's a really interesting thing. So for me, honestly, at this point, it's not really about the format. I would certainly do either. It's more about the story. So if I find a stronger story and it's TV, I'm fine with that. But if it's a feature that would be really exciting too.

"Obi-Wan Kenobi" arrives on Disney+ on May 27.

Read this next: The Best Star Wars Books Ever Written

The post Obi-Wan Kenobi Director Deborah Chow Is Giving Us The Star Wars Story We've Been Waiting For [Interview] appeared first on /Film.

On May 12, Grubhub announced a city-wide free lunch for NYC on May 17, from 11am to 2pm. If a customer orders any amount above $15, they'll automatically get $15 off. While this is an enticing offer, it's not unique—Grubhub, and its rivals, UberEats and Doordash, have previously carried out such promotions with varying success.

A case of software supply chain attack has been observed in the Rust programming language's crate registry that leveraged typosquatting techniques to publish a rogue library containing malware. Cybersecurity firm SentinelOne dubbed the attack "CrateDepression." Typosquatting attacks take place when an adversary mimics the name of a popular package on a public registry in hopes that developers

Alex Garland’s latest cerebral genre piece is a timely bit of storytelling. But the people who need to see it may never seek it out.

A Linux botnet malware known as XorDdos has witnessed a 254% surge in activity over the last six months, according to latest research from Microsoft. The trojan, so named for carrying out denial-of-service attacks on Linux systems and its use of XOR-based encryption for communications with its command-and-control (C2) server, is known to have been active since at least 2014. "XorDdos' modular

In "Top Gun: Maverick," Tom Cruise's high-flying character, Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, has got a new love interest riding with him on the back of his motorcycle. As it turns, though, that character, played by Jennifer Connelly, is an old flame who has been part of Maverick's backstory since 1986 when the original "Top Gun" movie flew into theaters.

A few things have changed for Maverick since audiences first got to know him in '86, which is understandable, given how much time has passed. The long-delayed "Top Gun" sequel was originally set to bow in the summer of 2020; its first trailer came all the way back in December 2019, before the pandemic obstructed its flight path. Now, it's finally incoming and we have confirmation that Connelly is playing Penny Benjamin, a character referenced in the first "Top Gun" movie. 

Here's how /Film's Ben Pearson described the character in his "Top Gun: Maverick" review:

"Jennifer Connelly plays Penny Benjamin, the admiral's daughter at whom Maverick made a pass in his younger days. Penny is now the owner of a San Diego bar called The Hard Deck, which serves as the local haunt for all of the pilots attending the Top Gun school. She's a single mom who has a good relationship with her teenage daughter, and despite Penny having had several romantic entanglements with Maverick over the years ending in heartbreak, the two of them can't seem to stay away from each other. Connelly brings a welcome warmth and a grounded sense of humanity to a cast full of larger-than-life characters; a nice date scene on a sailboat proves she has interests and hobbies all her own, and there's plenty Maverick can learn from her."

On-Again, Off-Again

In the original "Top Gun," Penny Benjamin is first mentioned by Maverick's friend, Goose (Anthony Edwards), the father of Miles Teller's character, Rooster, in the sequel. Their commander, Stinger (James Tolkan), reprimands Maverick for his "history of high-speed passes over five air control towers and one admiral's daughter." Later, Goose's wife, Carole, played by Meg Ryan, says to Maverick, "He told me all about the time you went ballistic with Penny Benjamin."

In the video above, you can see an on-set interview with Jennifer Connelly (courtesy of FilmIsNow), in which she explains a little more about her character's history with Maverick and her hobby of sailboating. Right off the top, she says:

"Penny Benjamin is actually mentioned in the first film. She's someone that has had a kind of on-again, off-again relationship with Maverick over the years. It started the first time when they were quite young. And you get the sense that they sort of come together, they have this sort of fiery romance, and then it falls apart. But then they keep coming back to each other. They have some things in common in that she's a racer herself. She races sailboats. But when we meet them in this film, they're at different points in their lives."

In "Top Gun: Maverick," Tom Cruise's character seems to have lost that lovin' feeling for his other old flame, Charlie Blackwood, played by Kelly McGillis. Ryan isn't back, either, which may betray a certain double standard when it comes to women's age in Hollywood versus that of men like Cruise and the returning Val Kilmer. However, it's nice to know Connelly's character, Penny Benjamin, has her own off-screen history in the "Top Gun" franchise, at least.

"Top Gun: Maverick" is in theaters on May 27, 2022.

Read this next: The 16 Best '80s Action Movies Ranked

The post Jennifer Connelly's Top Gun: Maverick Character Isn't New to the Franchise appeared first on /Film.

Microsoft has warned organizations of a new wave of brute force cyberattacks that target SQL servers and use a rather uncommon living-off-the-land binary (LOLBin).

Specifically, the attackers rely on a legitimate utility called sqlps.exe to achieve fileless persistence on SQL servers that use weak or default passwords.

read more

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The difference between a good and a bad OBD2 diagnostic app can be drastic. There are quite a lot of these apps out there and getting stuck with an ineffective one can be very frustrating. The best OBD2 app will integrate seamlessly with an OBD2 diagnostic tool, allowing the user to read common trouble codes and even monitor live data.

Japanese anime was first seen in the United States in the 1960s with shows like "Gigantor" and "Astro Boy" and "Speed Racer," grew in cult appeal throughout the 1970s, and hit it big cinematically in 1985 with the release of "Akira." Throughout the 1980s, more and more anime crept its way into the fringes of popular culture, with an increasing number of imports making their way into the collections of enterprising nerds. When "Pokémon" hit in 1997, the floodgates opened, and anime was officially mainstream. In 2022, one cannot browse through any streaming service without encountering hundreds of Japanese shows -- with dubbing or subtitles as options -- ready for mass consumption. Indeed there is at least one notable streaming service, Crunchyroll, devoted to the medium. 

However, as with anything that once possessed mere cult or outsider appeal and then becomes mainstream, a pang was felt by old-world nerds who preferred remaining in the shadows. This is an attitude that, of all people, Hayao Miyazaki -- the director of "My Neighbor Totoro," "Spirited Away," "The Wind Rises," and many other excellent animated feature films -- once expressed. In a 1994 interview with Yom magazine, Miyazaki admitted that anime's popularity was a threat to his creative freedom.

Necessity Is The Mother Of Invention

In the Yom interview, Miyazaki was concerned that live-action films for grown-up audiences were more financially successful. He seemed to long for a media landscape where adult entertainment garnered the lion's share of attention, allowing him to hide in anime obscurity, working for the purity of it, rather than just for the money. Having worked in the industry for years, and seeing what kind of artistic output he could create both with and without money, Miyazaki had the wisdom to know which made for better movies. In short, Miyazaki, in 1994, believed in the purity of not "selling out":

"I wish movies for adults were doing better. I wish such things as ticket sales or movie awards would go on without involving anime. It would be better if anime lives in a corner of the movie world, and people say 'oh, there is also anime.' If so, I don't have to do interviews or lectures. If so, directors and animators, all can work pure and poor, remaining anonymous, just because we want to do the job we can satisfy ourselves. It used to center around what we made, and we could work only by our internal values such as what we learned in this work, if we made progress, or if we could foster [animators]."

This sentiment was common all over the world in the 1990s, which can be reflected in the music of the era. This was the decade wherein Kurt Cobain wore a "corporate rock still sucks" T-shirt, and characters in Gen-X films like "Reality Bites" and shows like "Rent" were concerned about making art outside of a media-saturated, ultra-commercial environ. While Miyazaki is not an American Gen-Xer -- he was born in 1941 in Bunkyo -- his concerns about art were very much the same. Miyazaki was even nostalgic for his time as a struggling artist, longing intensely for a time when artistic freedom was more common:

"I experienced that era. Seeing from that experience, I feel although anime is in the limelight, or because of it, things are more difficult now."

Movies For Children

His 1984 film "Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind" and his 1997 film "Princess Mononoke" notwithstanding, Miyazaki has typically made gentle films that exist in quiet, domestic idylls. His movies are mostly appropriate for young audiences, and seek to depict an honest version of a young child's experience. It's notable that the center of his film "My Neighbor Totoro" is actually the background stress two young girls feel in regards to an ailing mother in a hospital; the giant furry fantasy creatures are secondary. According to the Yom interview, Miyazaki said that anime has to be for children, likely. Even in the 1994 Yom interview, 20 years prior to the above meme, he was concerned that Japanese animators were losing connection with real-world children:

"I still think anime has to be made for children. But, our situation changes, and I myself change. While saying 'we should make it for children,' I find myself making a film which is not for children."

That was in 1994. It's notable that he was working on "Princess Mononoke" at the time. Years later, in 2002, after the release of "Spirited Away," Miyazaki was asked again if he still felt the same way in an interview with Midnight Eye. He was stalwart:

"I never said that 'Porco Rosso' is a film for children, I don't think it is. But apart from 'Porco Rosso,' all my films have been made primarily for children. There are many other people who are capable of making films for adults, so I'll leave that up to them and concentrate on the children."

When asked how he feels about the adults who take a great deal of edification from his movies, Miyazaki was flattered, but remained steadfast. Movies for kids -- honest ones about actual children -- have more possibilities. It's clear that Miyazaki values emotional honesty, and he feels that children, having not yet developed a carapace of cynicism, have more opportunities to restart their lives, rework their viewpoint, and continue to grow. Accurately capturing the real world of kids -- as opposed the unchanging adult world informed by media -- was vital to this.

That Meme

Those paying attention to internet memes in 2014 might recall a circulated image of Miyazaki emblazoned with the subtitle "Anime was a mistake. It's nothing but trash." The subtitle was revealed to have been faked, but the image did come from a 2014 interview with The Golden Times wherein Miyazaki felt that a lot of anime was become far too fan-oriented. While sketching a young girl, Miyazaki pointed out that he was attempting to capture how a child actually moves while flapping her arms. He argued that one can only animate well if an animator spends time watching actual people. A "fake" version of people was too large a part of modern anime. In short, Miyazaki feels that trends in anime were tipping far too deeply into the world of stylized art.

"You see, whether you can draw like this or not, being able to think up this kind of design, it depends on whether or not you can say to yourself, 'Oh, yeah, girls like this exist in real life.' If you don't spend time watching real people, you can't do this, because you've never seen it."

Pressing back against the passions of fandom can be a dangerous proposition, and Miyazaki raised some hackles in lambasting otaku (a neighboring words to "geek" or "fanboy," but with a hint of "detrimentally socially awkward" hidden inside), whom he implied weren't interested in the real world. Miyazaki wasn't so much lashing out against fan communities, though, as he was pointing out that modern Japanese animators were too often influenced by their own consumption of media, and too infrequently influenced by the actual world:

"Some people spend their lives interested only in themselves. Almost all Japanese animation is produced with hardly any basis taken from observing real people, you know. It's produced by humans who can't stand looking at other humans. And that's why the industry is full of otaku!"

The Balance Between The Imaginary And The Virtual

Miyazaki also wanted to stress the importance of telling stories for children that employ fantasy elements properly; he is not interested in creating an escape into a tech-based world, but to enhance the world with imagination. From Midnight Eye: 

"I believe that fantasy in the meaning of imagination is very important. We shouldn't stick too close to everyday reality but give room to the reality of the heart, of the mind, and of the imagination. Those things can help us in life. But we have to be cautious in using this word fantasy. In Japan, the word fantasy these days is applied to everything from TV shows to video games, like virtual reality. But virtual reality is a denial of reality. We need to be open to the powers of imagination, which brings something useful to reality. Virtual reality can imprison people. It's a dilemma I struggle with in my work, that balance between imaginary worlds and virtual worlds."

Miyazaki, now 81, is still directing. His next film, due in 2023, will be called "How Do You Live?" What a fitting question for Miyazaki to ask modern animators as well as modern audiences. Are you living for fantasy, losing yourself in media, or are you living in the real world?

Read this next: 10 Anime Movies That Deserved To Win The Oscar For Best Animated Feature

The post Hayao Miyazaki Had Conflicted Feelings About Anime's Growing Audience appeared first on /Film.

Malicious hackers, some believed to be state-backed, are actively exploiting two unrelated vulnerabilities -- both with severity ratings of 9.8 out of a possible 10 -- in hopes of infecting sensitive enterprise networks with backdoors, botnet software, and other forms of malware. ArsTechnica: The ongoing attacks target unpatched versions of multiple product lines from VMware and of BIG-IP software from F5, security researchers said. Both vulnerabilities give attackers the ability to remotely execute malicious code or commands that run with unfettered root system privileges. The largely uncoordinated exploits appear to be malicious, as opposed to benign scans that attempt to identify vulnerable servers and quantify their number.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Guess what, CHUCKY fans?! Fiona Dourif is back!

That’s right. EP Don Mancini confirmed the news today via Twitter that Fiona Dourif is back on set for the second season of the hit series, and we should all prepare ourselves for the fun sauce that is to come.

NICA HAS LANDED ⁦@fionadourif⁩ #Chucky #Season2 pic.twitter.com/zv0OdP4Tj2

— Don Mancini (@RealDonMancini) May 18, 2022

Brad Dourif, Zackary Arthur, Björgvin Arnarson, Alyvia Alyn Lind, Alex Vincent, Christine Elise and Barbara Alyn Woods return alongside Jennifer Tilly for the second season of CHUCKY on both USA Network and SYFY.

The season one finale aired on November 30, 2021. CHUCKY reached 11.6 million viewers in its first season across all platforms. For more on the series, check out our season one review here.

The series is produced by UCP, a division of Universal Studio Group, and executive produced by Don Mancini, Nick Antosca, Alex Hedlund, David Kirschner and Jeff Renfroe.

The post [News] Fiona Dourif Returns for CHUCKY Season 2 appeared first on Nightmarish Conjurings.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition could be coming soon to the Nintendo Switch. The Taiwanese rating board appears to have rated the game; the rating was then removed, but not before the website Switch Brasil grabbed the below screenshot.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition launched on November 11th, 2021 (ten years after the original release date) for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series S|X with a bunch of new content.

Saints & Seducers

Originally released in 2019, this creation introduces an additional storyline across two quests (complete with side quests) for players to delve into. With additional armor sets, weapons, enemies and much more to discover, Saints & Seducers features some of the largest amounts of content we’ve ever packed into a single creation!

Rare Curios

Included as part of Saints & Seducers, the Rare Curios creation brings additional goods imported from all over Tamriel to Skyrim’s Khajiit Caravans. So long as you have coin, these merchants can supply you with all sorts of useful wares, including ingredients to concoct special potions, arrows and poisons!

Survival Mode

Looking to immerse yourself in Skyrim’s untamed wilderness like never before? Previously released in 2017, the Survival Mode creation has your Dragonborn contend with the very elements of Skyrim itself to survive! Players must wear warm gear and seek shelter in cold climates to keep from freezing to death, as well as mind their hunger and exhaustion on top of the usual threats like pesky bandits and ambushing dragons. Thankfully, Skyrim is rich in food to harvest (or scavenge), weather-appropriate armor and even taverns to rest your weary head. If you’re looking for a different way to experience Skyrim, we highly recommend you check Survival Mode out!

Fishing

On the topic of obtaining your own food, Skyrim’s all-new Fishing mode creation lets you angle over 20 unique aquatic species across the area’s many bodies of water. Cook your catch for a meal, display it as trophy in your den or even keep it inside your own home aquarium – the choice is yours! With many of Skyrim’s fishing spots located in the region’s most breathtaking and tranquil spots, there’s nothing like unwinding on the shores as you tackle (pun intended) the questlines in this upcoming free creation.

“I have been eagerly awaiting the release of this round of creations,” says Daniel Lee, Senior Artist and Creation Club development lead at Bethesda Games Studios. “I've wanted fishing in Skyrim ever since the beginning and now it is finally here. We've worked hard on this program and it has been a true labor of love; there are more than a few surprises tucked away and I can't wait for everyone to find them."

The post Skyrim Anniversary Edition Has Been Rated for Nintendo Switch by Alessio Palumbo appeared first on Wccftech.

Framework has announced that its modular laptop – aptly called Framework Laptop – is now available with 12th-gen Intel processors. Specifically, the laptop now comes with Intel’s P-series CPUs, which have a higher 28W TDP compared to the previous model, which used 11th-generation 15W processors. Along with being able to buy the laptop with the new processors outright, Framework is also selling an upgrade kit for owners of the existing model, allowing you to get the performance upgrade without buying a whole new laptop.

To be clear, it was already possible to replace the mainboard on the Framework Laptop, so if you got a Core i5 model and wanted to upgrade to a Core i7, you could do just that. Still, seeing that continue with the 12th-generation upgrade kit is a big step for laptops, which have traditionally been stuck with the same specs they were bought with. It’s especially impressive considering the increased TDP requires different thermals. The upgrade kit also includes a new top cover to address just that.

The laptop itself is available as a pre-built configuration or as a DIY kit if you want to put all the parts together and potentially bring over some components you already have. It comes with your choice of an Intel Core i5-1240P, Core i7-1260P, or Core i7-1280P, with up to 14 cores and 20 threads. You can also get up to 32GB of RAM (64GB if you go the DIY route), 1TB of SSD storage (2TB for DIY), along with Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 support. You can also add a variety of expansion cards for ports, just like with the previous model. The display is a 13.5-inch panel with a 3:2 aspect ratio and it comes in a 2256 x 1504 resolution, which is plenty sharp for that size.

On that note, Framework also announced today that it’s working on a new expansion card, giving the option for a 2.5Gb Ethernet port. Framework’s expansion cards use a USB Type-C port to add capabilities to your laptop. They can add ports – such as DisplayPort, HDMI, USB Type-A, or a microSD card reader – or they can be storage modules, with up to 1TB SSDs available this way. The new 2.5Gb Ethernet expansion card is coming soon, and it’ll cost $39, making it one of the most expensive ports to buy.

The Framework Laptop with 12th-gen Intel processors is available to pre-order today, with shipments beginning in July. It starts at $1,049 for a pre-built configuration, or you can grab a DIY kit starting at $819. The DIY kit pricing doesn’t include memory, storage, or an operating system, so you can bring your own. If you want to upgrade your existing Framework Laptop, you can sign up for the waitlist to know when the 12th-generation upgrade kit will be available. That will start at $538, including the mainboard and the new top cover.

The post Framework delivers on its modular laptop promise with Intel 12th-gen upgrade appeared first on XDA.

If you’re planning a vacation, and considering taking a cruise, I urge you to do literally anything else with your time off. Cruises are the worst. You might have visions of enjoying tropical breezes while the sun sets into the ocean, but in reality, you’re going to be packed into a floating nightmare with thousands…

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The Epic Games Store exclusivity period for Old World has ended, and this 4X turn-based strategy game from publisher Hooded Horse and developer Mohawk Games is now also available on GOG.com* and...

Nowadays, a celebrity cameo in a movie typically acts as a setup (or payoff) for a cinematic universe. However, there was a time when a celebrity cameo was nearly exclusively used as a punchline, where the appearance of a highly famous public figure would be a joke unto itself. Witness Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in "Airplane!," David Bowie in "Zoolander," or ... a bunch of famous folks in "Casper."

Arguably one of the best, most delightful cameos in movie history came courtesy of 2009's "Zombieland," in a scene that writers Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese intended for a surprising appearance by a celebrity, which ended up being Bill Murray. Upon Wernick and Reese's return to write the sequel to 2016's "Deadpool," they had no explicit intentions of topping themselves in the celebrity cameo department. Yet when the perfect opportunity presented itself, they couldn't resist.

However, even with a great opportunity, the impressive and hilarious inclusion of Brad Pitt in "Deadpool 2" may not have happened were it not for an assist from star Ryan Reynolds, who secured Pitt's involvement the old fashioned way: with a telephone call.

X-Force Becomes The Source For Jokes A-Plenty

While the first "Deadpool" movie established the character of Wade Wilson (Reynolds) as someone who, like his comic book counterpart, was able to break the fourth wall at will and enjoyed poking fun at superhero movie tropes (while indulging in them, of course), "Deadpool 2" used the clout granted by the first film's success to make good on Wade's pop-culture obsession. The movie is chock-full of cameos, up to and including Reynolds appearing as himself.

One section of the film Wernick and Reese pinpointed as rich with comedic potential is where Deadpool attempts to form his own superhero team made up of mercenaries with dubious powers and abilities. With the joke of the sequence being that all but one of the team (Domino, played by Zazie Beetz) will be brutally killed off, the writers and director David Leitch decided to cast the members of X-Force with actors big enough to make their deaths more of a surprise: Terry Crews, Lewis Tan, Bill Skarsgård, and Rob Delaney.

Because of that, it struck the writers that a member of X-Force who was intended to never be seen at all should not only be seen, but would be "a perfect idea for a celebrity cameo," as Wernick recalled in 2018. The screenwriter explained how "we never saw Vanisher in the original script. He was always a mystery," but when the inspiration to cast the role with a big name hit, he and the "Deadpool 2" team decided to go after Pitt, "the hardest get in Hollywood."

The Vanisher ... Un-Vanishes

Pitt had some pre-existing connections with the "Deadpool 2" cast and crew, helping influence his eventual decision to make a cameo. He'd worked with Leitch back when the director was a professional stuntman who doubled for Pitt on movies such as "Ocean's Eleven" and "Mr. & Mrs. Smith." He'd also been in the running to play the role of Cable in the film, a role which eventually went to Josh Brolin.

Ultimately, all it took for Pitt to commit to appearing in the movie was a phone call from Reynolds, to which "he immediately said yes," as Wernick remembered, the star's signing on being "a pinch-me moment" for the production. (Of course, it also helped that Pitt's children were apparently fans of the first "Deadpool.")

Once Pitt said yes, the production team could breathe a sigh of relief, as the hardest part was over with. The actual filming of Pitt's cameo only took about two hours, with Leitch recalling that "there was never a pressure — we had a whole window of post to get it done." Wernick explains how the shoot was indicative of the smoother production of "Deadpool 2" when compared to the first "Deadpool," stating that "it was a real treat to have more toys to play with in the sandbox. The premium toy being the Brad Pitt doll."

Pitt's appearance gives the X-Force sequence the hilarious celebrity cameo icing the scene needs, and helps push "Deadpool 2" to gonzo, meta-comedy heights. Even though Pitt worked with Leitch as a director for just a couple of hours, the experience and final product must've made an impression on him: he's the star of Leitch's next feature, "Bullet Train," which releases this summer. One expects his appearance in that film will be a bit longer and a bit more visible than in "Deadpool 2," but will hopefully be just as delightful.

Read this next: Every Pre-MCU Marvel Movie Ranked

The post All It Took To Get Brad Pitt In Deadpool 2 Was A Call From Ryan Reynolds appeared first on /Film.

A novel Bluetooth relay attack can let cybercriminals more easily than ever remotely unlock and operate cars, break open residential smart locks, and breach secure areas. The vulnerability has to do with weaknesses in the current implementation of Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), a wireless technology used for authenticating Bluetooth devices that are physically located within a close range. <!-

From his comic book roots as a supervillain to his many incarnations on the big screen, the Joker is, to put it simply, the best villain in comic book history. And then there's Heath Ledger's outstanding performance in Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight." Ledger's Oscar-winning Joker is beyond terrifying — he's a man who will do anything to achieve what he wants and goes to great lengths to watch the world burn. His interpretation of the supervillain is brutal and cunning, and no actor had nailed the Joker's maniacal countenance in this manner before.

Ledger's performance was very physically demanding, and the actor went to dizzying lengths to perfect the character's many peculiarities. Unfortunately, the performer tragically died of an ​accidental drug overdose months before the film was released. He could never see the fans' overwhelming love for his role, but his colleagues have continued to share his endless commitment to the film. Following the film's release in 2008, Christian Bale (who plays Bruce Wayne/Batman) recounted his memory of acting in his first scene alongside Ledger and how it set the standard for the rest of the film.

Heath Ledger Kept Slamming Himself Around

For his book "100 Things Batman Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die," author Joseph McCabe conducted interviews with Christian Bale and director Christopher Nolan at the time of the film's release. The interviews were later published (via The Hollywood Reporter) and illustrated Bale's understanding of Ledger's authentic performance, one he wasn't afraid to get hurt for.

When the actor was asked about his experience working with the late legend, Bale disclosed that the scene where Batman interrogates the Joker was the first they filmed together. In "The Dark Knight," after Joker is captured by James Gordon and brought to Gotham Police Department, he is unsuccessfully interrogated by him. When Gordon lets the Batman question Joker, the villain reveals his murderous plans, leading the caped crusader to throw a few punches at him. Bale talked to The Hollywood Reporter about how Ledger often stayed in character, and he was great company for him to be around:

"... I saw that he's a helluva actor who's completely committed to it and totally gets the tone that Chris [Nolan] is trying to create with this. We're not going for actors revealing their enjoyment of playing a wacky caricature. We're treating this as serious drama. You go into character and you stay in the character. I love that. I find that so ridiculous that I love it, and I take that very seriously. Heath was definitely embracing that. When he was in the makeup and the garb he was in character the whole time, and when he took it off he was absolutely fantastic company to be around."

'He Was Kinda Egging Me On...'

Heath Ledger was wholly dedicated to his craft — he took the role seriously and also hurt himself in the process. The performer kept persuading Christian Bale to throw a few punches at him to make the scene more authentic. Ledger was also "slamming" himself around, which caused a few tiled walls at the set to get cracked. The actor's commitment was unreal — and Bale let his fans know about it. He continued to The Hollywood Reporter:

"As you see in the movie, Batman starts beating the Joker and realizes that this is not your ordinary foe. Because the more I beat him the more he enjoys it. The more I'm giving him satisfaction. Heath was behaving in a very similar fashion. He was kinda egging me on. I was saying, "You know what, I really don't need to actually hit you. It's going to look just as good if I don't." And he's going, "Go on. Go on. Go on ... He was slamming himself around, and there were tiled walls inside of that set which were cracked and dented from him hurling himself into them. His commitment was total."

After seeing how formative Ledger's villainous performance was for those who came after him, it's wild to think that the studio wasn't big on casting him for the role. Ledger's compelling performance surprised not just fans, but the team behind "The Dark Knight," too.

Read this next: Joker's Wild: Ranking The Cinematic Versions Of The Clown Prince Of Crime

The post Heath Ledger's First Scene With Christian Bale Set The Standard For The Dark Knight's Joker appeared first on /Film.

Over three decades after Pete "Maverick" Mitchell first flew into the danger zone, "Top Gun" fans finally get to see Tom Cruise gear up for a sequel to the high-flying action classic. Even before the internet was brimming with rave reviews for "Top Gun: Maverick," it felt pretty clear that Paramount had all the ingredients for a potential blockbuster hit: Tom Cruise, nostalgia, incredibly dangerous action. 

So why did it take so long for Maverick to finally hit the ground running? Jerry Bruckheimer, the prolific producer behind the original "Top Gun," planned to get the sequel off the ground much sooner. The first film was a hit in 1986, raking in $357 million, so a follow-up only seemed natural but got lost in the shuffle of other projects. Two decades later, Bruckheimer and "Top Gun" director Tony Scott revisited the idea once more, until Scott's death in 2012. While Bruckheimer remained committed, progress slowed until Joseph Kosinski ("Tron: Legacy," "Oblivion") stepped up with a pitch for what would eventually become "Top Gun: Maverick." While chatting with The Hollywood Reporter, Bruckheimer explained:

"We always kept the flame alive to get this movie made, but once Joe Kosinski talked to us about his vision of what the movie is and the story he wanted to tell, we were enthralled with it."

Kosinkski's idea jumps into the story thirty years after the events of the original film. Maverick is working as a test pilot for the Navy — continuing to push the envelope and the buttons of everyone in command. His wily high-flying ways nearly get him grounded until an old friend swoops in and helps him secure a new gig, training an elite squad of Top Gun graduates. This job ends up pushing him to his limits in new ways, with Maverick forced to confront the ghosts of his past and consider his very uncertain future. With Kosinski's pitch wowing everyone involved, there was just one more crucial factor to consider: Tom Cruise.

How Tom Cruise Worked His Movie Star Magic

In an anecdote that makes Tom Cruise sounds like the kind of movie star that only exists in, well, movies, Bruckheimer said,

"We took [Koisinski] to Paris where Tom was shooting 'Mission: Impossible – Fallout.' That was five years ago. Joe had a look book, a poster, and the title, 'Top Gun: Maverick,' and then he told Tom the journey of the character and the story he wanted to tell. Tom then looked at him, pulled out his phone, and called the head of Paramount [Jim Gianopulos] at that time and said, "I want to make another Top Gun." And that was it. That's when the wheels really started moving forward."

It took decades, lots of planning, and a killer idea to bring "Top Gun: Maverick" to life — and the final missing piece was something only Tom Cruise could bring to the table: movie star magic. As we learned from the whole "Mission: Impossible 8" debacle, there is no saying 'no' to Tom Cruise. One exec even went as far as to say, "Tom says what he wants and the studio says what it wants. And then Tom gets what he asked for."

It's certainly not hard to see why Cruise wields such power, as one of Hollywood's biggest stars for the past four decades. But even just zeroing in on the case of "Top Gun: Maverick," we've just started seeing the fruits of everyone's labor. While the movie doesn't officially fly into theaters until May 27, 2022, the lead-up has been nonstop. Because of pandemic delays, the first footage hit CinemaCon over a year ago and got one hell of a reaction from the critics in attendance. Even more praise came once the movie was finally screened and now it touts a near-perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes. No wonder Gianopulos was so quick to hit the greenlight.

"Top Gun: Maverick" soars into theaters on May 27, 2022. Select locations are also offering early screenings on May 24, 2022.

Read this next: The Best Movies Streaming Right Now: Malignant, A Hero, And More

The post All It Took Was One Call From Tom Cruise To Get Top Gun: Maverick Off The Ground appeared first on /Film.

The third episode of "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" — entitled "Ghosts of Illyria," written by Akela Cooper and Bill Wolkoff — involves a mysterious contagious disease that infiltrates the Enterprise after an away team visits a seemingly abandoned planet called Illyria. Those infected find themselves, like moths, drawn toward and mesmerized by bright lights, likely due to a sudden lack of vitamin D. The only person who appears to be immune is Cmdr. Una Chin-Riley (Rebecca Romijn), who manages to solve the problem nearly singlehandedly while Capt. Pike (Anson Mount) and Spock (Ethan Peck) remain on the planet's surface facing a crisis of their own. 

Contagion/disease episodes are common and expected from "Star Trek." Given that each of the shows takes place largely in space (occasional away missions and most of "Star Trek: Picard" notwithstanding), every "Star Trek" cast must necessarily be confined to an enclosed starship or space station. With little chance to isolate, such places become Petri dishes. This reflects real-life instances of naval vessels becoming infected while at sea. Indeed, as anyone who has worked in a sealed office with recirculated air knows all too well, viruses can spread remarkably easily when no one is going outside.

Additionally, "Strange New Worlds" is following a tradition that goes back to the early days of the original series; the very first contagion episode of "Star Trek" came only four episodes into its first season. Or seven episodes in, if you're one of those sticklers who prefers to watch "Star Trek" in production order instead of broadcast order. Note: The author is of the latter camp.

The Naked Time

"The Naked Time" first aired on September 29, 1966, and one of "Star Trek" most famous images — Sulu (George Takei) shirtless, wielding a fencing foil — comes from this episode. In "The Naked Time," the Enterprise discovers a distant outpost wherein all the workers have died, frozen to death due to an environmental malfunction. One of the investigating Enterprise crewmates foolishly removes the glove of his futuristic hazmat suit and immediately contracts some sort of mysterious disease. When the away team returns to the ship, said crewmate begins spreading the disease immediately, with each passing accompanied by a hissing sound effect. 

The disease in question, as Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley) eventually reveals, infects the water in your body, more or less transforming it into booze. The disease impairs its victims similar to the way alcohol does. As the entire crew becomes intoxicated, they stop doing their jobs and the Enterprise threatens to crash into a nearby planet. 

A repeated conceit of "Star Trek" disease episodes is that Spock — the most notable nonhuman character on the show — will often prove to be immune to the diseases infecting the humans around him. Each "Star Trek" show conveniently features a character with unconventional biology that will usually be the last character standing. "Next Generation" has an android. "Deep Space Nine" has a liquid-based changeling. "Voyager" has a hologram. "Enterprise" had a Vulcan and a Denobulan. Given the nature of streaming-era Trek, bottle episodes are rare, and such characters aren't as explicitly included. 

The Naked Now

"The Naked Now" (first aired October 8, 1987), was essentially a sequel to "The Naked Time." It was the second episode of "Star Trek: The Next Generation," wherein the crew of the Enterprise-D was infected with the same virus as in "Time." Given that "Next Generation" was, in its first season, still declaring itself an autonomous entity — free from the characters and conceits of the 1966 TV series and the successful movies from the 1980s — "Now" was able to show how a new crew would react to a similar situation previously seen by Trekkies. So Capt. Picard (Patrick Stewart) struggled to retain his composure, engineers playfully removed vital isolinear chips from the central computer, and it would be up to the drunken teenage character Wesley (Wil Wheaton) to save the day. 

Standing frustratingly contrary to the above-stated thesis, Data (Brent Spiner) is not immune to the disease, and also gets drunk, leading to an ill-advised tryst with the ship's security chief Tasha Yar (Denise Crosby). 

The appeal of episodes like "The Naked Now" is watching how a disease forced an otherwise staid and professional crew to behave out of character. It may have been unwise to have an "out-of-character" episode nearly right out of the gate, but "Now" was a fun watch regardless and established how disease would be handled nearly a century hence from Kirk. 

'The Deadly Years' And 'Unnatural Selection'

There were two virus episodes of "Star Trek" that involved accelerated aging. In the original series, there was "The Deadly Years," which first aired on December 8, 1967. The episode saw Kirk and most of the Enterprise crew becoming infected and growing grey overnight. They lose their mental acuity and have aching hands. The episode is condescending to the aged, declaring that helming a starship is a young man's game. Spock (Leonard Nimoy) may have been infected, but because Vulcans are so long-lived (they can live several hundred years), he showed no effects. It turns out the show's most youthful character, Pavel Chekov (Walter Koenig) would hold the biology that would lead to a cure.

Although not the same virus, the "Next Generation" episode "Unnatural Selection" from the show's second season saw Dr. Pulaski (Diana Muldaur) investigating a genetic experiment wherein youths have been engineered to be psychic, into having telekinetic powers, and into being immune from all diseases. Although Pulaski is cautious -- she examines one of the engineered youths on board an enclosed shuttlecraft with Data to assist — she still has her own DNA invaded and begins aging rapidly. 

Pulaski's plight is solved by Chief O'Brien (Colm Meany) extensively reworking the ship's transporters to rewrite her body to a previous version of itself. This is such a convenient way to cure diseases, one wonders why there isn't a transporter in sickbay. 

Genesis

In one of the scarier — and more fun — episodes of "Next Generation" — "Genesis," first aired on March 21, 1994 — Dr. Crusher (Gates McFadden) gives the nervous Lt. Barclay (Dwight Schultz) an injection to take care of a minor genetic "drift" she found in his system. This will unwittingly trigger a deeply-coded quirk in humanoid DNA that will rewrite them into species from their distant evolutionary past. Barclay will de-evolve into a spider. Riker (Jonathan Frakes) will become a Neanderthal. Troi (Marina Sirtis) will become an amphibian. Worf (Michael Dorn) will become some sort of aggressive, shell-encased Klingon gorilla/crab monster. Data, immune, will ultimately find the cure. 

An amusing detail: Data and Picard were off of the Enterprise when the virus initially strikes, and Picard isn't infected until the pair beam back aboard. Data, able to discern what is happening, informs Picard that he is turning into a pygmy marmoset. Picard's look of embarrassment is priceless. 

'Babel' And 'Fascination'

The first season of "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" was rough going, and an episode like "Babel" — January 25, 1993 — proves it. In the show's fifth episode, DS9's crew begins suffering from aphasia, a mental disorder wherein one loses the ability to comprehend language. Soon, the entire station begins mixing up words and speaking nonsense. Aphasia is not contagious, so a virus must be the culprit. Eventually, Odo (René Auberjonois) finds that the cost-cutting Quark (Armin Shimerman) has been selling bootleg food which has been attracting the disease. The "babble" language was clearly a struggle for the actors, and the crisis doesn't seem too serious; one would think professional Starfleet officers could whip up a pictorial communication format. 

The other notable "Deep Space Nine" disease episode is "Fascination." Lwaxana Troi (Majel Barrett) visits Deep Space Nine, bringing with her a cloud of powerful Betazoid pheromones that infect the entire station, causing everyone to fall in love indiscriminately. Jake Sisko (Cirroc Lofton) falls in love with Maj. Kira (Nana Visitor), while Kira falls in love with Dr. Bashir (Alexander Siddig). It takes a while for the crew to figure out the source of the love virus. Visitor and Siddig would end up getting married in real life. 

The Voyager Viruses

"Star Trek: Voyager" dealt with on-ship viruses a lot, so here is only a brief rundown of each: 

In the episode "Resolutions," Capt. Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) and Chakotay (Robert Beltran) contract a life-threatening virus and have to consider building a life for themselves off the ship. "Macrocosm" saw the ship itself spreading a virus to the crew (the computers have a biological element on the Voyager) and the appearance of large insect monsters; it turns out the Doctor (Robert Picardo) accidentally beamed the virus aboard after helping a diseased remote colony. In "Favorite Son," Harry Kim (Garrett Wang) gets a disease that mutates his DNA. The episode "Scientific Method" surely counts, as the Voyager crew is infected by hidden aliens who are studying the effects of various diseases. Not so much a conventional spread, but an episode wherein an entire ship is sick. And of course, "The Disease," wherein Kim had an affair with an alien engineer and contracts, more or less, an alien STI. 

And, to mention it briefly, "Star Trek: Enterprise" did have one episode wherein a virus swept through the ship, in the fourth season episode "Observer Effect." 

So, as the reader can see, "Ghosts of Illyria" has a good deal of precedent, and presents a common crisis in "Star Trek" with skill and traditional aplomb. The familiarity of "Strange New Worlds" is proving to be a strength rather than a gimmick, and a well-worn "Star Trek" story will be welcome in its annals. 

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

The post The Classic Star Trek Episodes That Inspired Strange New Worlds Episode 3 appeared first on /Film.

There is no dearth of literal movie titles — consider "Snakes on a Plane" or the grindhouse flick "Hobo with a Shotgun" — but now, brace yourselves for ..."Nightbitch."

Described as a darkly comic neo-horror, "Nightbitch," with Amy Adams as the lead, will follow a woman raising a toddler in the suburbs, spending most of her time staying at home and taking care of the child. However, something deeply primordial is awakened by virtue of her motherhood, and several incidents lead to her transforming into a dog, er, in the night.

I have been more than happy to see Adams communicate with extraterrestrials ("Arrival") and even play a nosy woman who spies on her neighbors ("The Woman in the Window") but her transforming into a literal canine in the night sure is a bizarre horror movie premise, even for me.

Searchlight Pictures has acquired the worldwide rights for "Nightbitch" in a $25 million deal, and Marielle Heller ("Can You Ever Forgive Me?") will be helming the film (via Deadline).

Going Feral

"Nightbitch" is based on Rachel Yoder's novel of the same name, and is primarily a story of transformation, in which the protagonist gradually embraces the inevitability of her turning into a canine. Her everyday life is inert and her familial support virtually absent — she is the sole caregiver of her two-year-old, whose hyperactivity often drives her to the edge. An urge to give in to the primal takes over, and soon, she longs for raw meat, completing her transformation into Nightbitch — in a commentary on modern womanhood.

While the horror movie starring Adams will be based on Yoder's novel, Heller will be penning an original script, introducing fresh themes and ideas within the established premise. Adams herself, alongside Stacy O'Neil ("Dead Ringers"), will be producing the film via Bond Group, along with Heller. Megan Ellison, Christina Oh, Adam Paulsen, Sue Naegle, and Sammy Scher will be serving as executive producers.

Searchlight Presidents David Greenbaum and Matthew Greenfield told Deadline about their admiration of Adams, along with the premise of a "provocative" film, which is rather appealing for them:

"We are long-time admirers of Amy Adams, and we are thrilled to join with Annapurna and this incredibly creative team of filmmakers to bring this unique story to the screen. We're also delighted to reunite with Mari Heller and Anne Carey again following the collaboration on Can You Ever Forgive Me? Mari has brilliantly adapted Rachel Yoder's stunning debut for what promises to be a provocative film."

"Nightbitch" is expected to stream as a Hulu Original in the U.S., although there is an additional release plan that will be announced later. A release date has not been attached to it yet.

Read this next: Horror Roles That Changed Actors Forever

The post Amy Adams Will Turn Into a Dog in the Very Literally Titled Nightbitch appeared first on /Film.

Filmmakers like Sofia Coppola and Martin Scorsese have perfected the art of the needle drop: placing a pre-existing song within a film to conjure a specific mood or comment on the narrative's themes. But equally as important is the collaboration of musical artists on an original song that is tailor-made for a film. 

Original songs can either be non-diegetic (unheard by the characters because it exists outside of their world) or diegetic (a song that the characters can hear or sing themselves). This list explores films from across a wide range of genres and styles with songs that flawlessly capture their mood and aesthetic. These are the best original songs that were created specifically for a film to emphasize the story or flesh out the characters' perspectives, heard either during the narrative or over the end credits. 

''Cat People (Putting Out Fire)'' From Cat People (1982)

Paul Schrader directs a lurid remake of the Jacques Tourneur 1942 horror film "Cat People" featuring a hypnotic new wave score by Giorgio Moroder to compliment the psychosexual themes of a beautiful woman's transformation into a lethal black panther. David Bowie's "Cat People (Putting Out Fire)" adds to its transgressive stylings. In the final shots, the song overlays a close-up of the alert Irena in her panther form. The soaring octave change "with gasolineeee" kicks in as soon as she opens her fearsome jaws. 

When interviewed about the song for the book "Ashes to Ashes: The Songs of David Bowie 1976–2016," Bowie said: "It works on a dream state, it feels like the kind of thing you go through at night. That's the way I look at it lyrically." The words do have an ethereal eroticism that matches the film's tone. Bowie's seductive baritone references the deadly feline's piercing green eyes and the idea of "putting out fire with gasoline" hints towards the werecats' incestuous attraction in order to continue their ancestral line. Quentin Tarantino notably repurposed this song for his triumphant Nazi-killing preparation scene in "Inglourious Basterds." 

''Jai Ho'' From Slumdog Millionaire

Danny Boyle's Oscar-winning "Slumdog Millionaire" follows a young Indian boy who triumphs in spite of poverty, homelessness, and other such difficult ordeals. Dev Patel brings a wide-eyed optimism to the role of Jamal, who finds himself competing on the Indian version of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" 

The end credits sequence honors Indian filmmaking with a Bollywood-style song and dance number to offset the gritty subject matter of Jamal's upbringing. The main cast energetically moves to "Jai Ho," by A.R. Rahman, which has a gleeful beat and catchy chorus that translates to "Hallelujah" or "Victory." It's quite fitting for the jubilant ending where Jamal wins the money and secures the affection of his childhood crush, Latika (Freida Pinto). The lyrics allude to the themes of destiny that director Danny Boyle toys with throughout the film, and the joy of finding someone who is the reason you breathe and believe in love. The brightly-colored merriment of "Jai Ho" leaves a lasting impression. 

''I've Seen It All'' From Dancer In The Dark

Like the majority of Lars Von Trier films, "Dancer in the Dark" is a grueling cinematic experience. Von Trier manipulates the genre conventions of the classic Hollywood MGM musical for the bleak tale of an immigrant (Björk) with failing eyesight. "I've Seen it All" starts out slowly with the driving rhythm matching the train tracks, and builds to grand orchestrations as Selma insists that she will not despair over her blindness because she has already seen both positive and negative things throughout her life. 

Selma refuses to dwell on what she hasn't seen because it will make her feel worse about her deteriorating vision. Bjork's sweet and gentle voice accentuates the character's altruism, and also twists a knife your heart. Her open-hearted spunk accompanied by the bright surroundings of a crystal-clear river and blue sky, moving train, and dancing townspeople makes Selma's ultimate fate even more devastating. 

''Save Me'' From Magnolia

Paul Thomas Anderson's epic ode to human solitude, "Magnolia" was inspired by the work of singer/songwriter Aimee Mann and she was asked to compose songs for the film. "Save Me" accompanies the final scene with Claudia, a troubled young woman estranged from her sexually abusive father. The affable John C. Reilly plays a police officer who is called to check in on her after she blasts music during a cocaine binge. Over the course of "Magnolia," they develop an attachment, but Claudia fears that her traumas will push him away. 

With Mann's song prominent in the background, the camera pulls closer and closer on Claudia's face as Reilly's character, his back turned to the camera and voice barely audible, says that he wants to make it work with her. For the first time, we see her smile — straight into the lens. Mann's low, calm vocals have a raw quality that underpin Claudia's longing for mental stability. Here is a girl in need of a tourniquet for her emotional wounds, as Mann sings in her haunted tones. She has possibly found someone to save her; another "freak" or outsider that she can relate to. 

''Vindicated'' From Spider-Man 2

Millennials have a strong nostalgic affection for the emo rocker "Vindicated" at the end of "Spider-Man 2" by Dashboard Confessional. Thrillist details the origins of lead singer Chris Carrabba's composition of the song. In the half-whispered opening and passionate chorus, Carrabba expresses Peter Parker's turbulent emotions as he struggles to balance his dual human and superhero identities, longs for romance with Mary Jane, and deals with self-doubt. He yearns to be "vindicated" of these problems. The lyrics reference Mary Jane's engagement and Peter's hope dangling on a string that he will be able to honor his promise to Uncle Ben and face his responsibilities. "Vindicated" is the perfect song to accompany Sam Raimi's superhero melodrama, which deftly balances eye-popping visuals with high emotions.

''Falling Slowly'' From Once

The Academy Award-winning "Falling Slowly" is a delicate piece that captures the connection between a busker and an immigrant (played by musicians Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová) in John Carney's 2007 film "Once." The low-budget musical follows them documentary-style as they write and record songs that reflect their burgeoning relationship. "Falling Slowly" begins with a light guitar and tender piano, then gradually swells to an ardent confession about being drawn to a stranger. The folk song is about slowly exposing your true self and vulnerabilities. According to Performing Songwriter, Hansard and Irglová wrote it over the course of a single evening and was a true back-and-forth collaboration. In the film, their intimate performance makes you completely forget that they are in the public setting of a music shop.

''Moon River'' From Breakfast At Tiffany's

One of "Breakfast at Tiffany's" most memorable scenes is in the opening in which the lithe Holly Golightly, dressed in a gorgeous black dress and oversized sunglasses, looks longingly in the Tiffany's window, munches on an oversized Danish, and sips coffee while Henry Mancini's instrumental version of "Moon River" plays. Later in the film, Audrey Hepburn performs the song with Johnny Mercer's lyrics. Paul "Fred" Varjak, the object of Holly's affection, overhears her on the fire escape accompanying herself on the quiet guitar, barely audible over the swirling strings. 

With tight close-ups of her beautiful, longing face, Audrey Hepburn's gentle voice carries the song's dulcet tones and the soft words evoke her melancholic loneliness. The nostalgic lyrics of rainbows and huckleberries were inspired by Johnny Mercer's carefree childhood in Savannah, Georgia. In the wavering harmonica, we hear the tenderness of summertime.

''Lose Yourself'' From 8 Mile

"Lose Yourself" was the first rap song to win the Academy Award for Best Original Song. It's from Eminem's semi-autobiographical film "8 Mile," in which he stars as an aspiring rapper named B-Rabbit from Detroit. NME praised the song's use of adrenaline-pumping instrumentals, the "thundering rawk guitars and Rocky-ish bassline" that carries his urgent delivery. The song notably occurs in the sequence where B-Rabbit, so nervous to compete in a rap battle that he can only get sick or stand in silence, finally gains the courage to spit out a furious rhapsody. "Lose Yourself" draws on Eminem aka B-Rabbit's personal history: his desire to rise from poverty and traumatic upbringing to become a successful rap artist. The inspiring rap is performed with a feverish aggression about seizing the moment and losing yourself inside of your creative passions so that you are no longer self-conscious. 

''Come What May'' From Moulin Rouge

"Come What May" was originally written for Baz Luhrmann's modern retelling of Shakespeare's "Romeo + Juliet" (and the title is lifted from another Shakespeare play, "Macbeth"). Instead, it ended up being used for another pair of star-crossed lovers: Christian and Satine in Luhrmann's dazzling jukebox musical "Moulin Rouge!" 

The stirring love proclamation of "Come What May" plays an important role in the film. Christian writes it for his musical that Satine is performing in, but it also serves as a secret reminder that their forbidden love is deep and true — even as Satine must pretend to love The Duke for money. The simple lyrics are dripping with sentimental romance, thanks to Ewan McGregor's soaring voice and Kidman's dainty warmth. Christian and Satine pledge their love to one another across the changing of seasons, until their dying day — which tragically comes sooner rather than later for one of them. 

''Goldfinger'' From Goldfinger

Shirley Bassey's brassy voice and the wailing trumpets make "Goldfinger" one of the best songs in the James Bond canon, as Bassey sharply spits out her disdain for the cold-hearted, modern day King Midas villain Auric Goldfinger. The song is brought to life in a hypnotic title sequence with Sean Connery as James Bond superimposed against gold-plated women. In the final verse, Bassey growls out Auric's obsession with gold, and her elongated final note blasts as if to clarify Auric's overwhelming obsession. "'Gold-finga!" she snaps, backed by composer John Barry's iconic, sensual jazz sound. This combination adds a sense of mystery, dread, and even allure to Bond's entanglement with Goldfinger. Bassey's booming voice warns the womanizing spy of the dastardly criminal who charms with golden words. 

''Hands That Built America'' From Gangs Of New York

The Irish post-punk band U2 was the perfect choice to underscore the finale of Martin Scorsese's sprawling epic "Gangs of New York," the story of a 19th century Irish settler named Amsterdam who returns from jail to seek revenge on his father's killer, the anti-immigrant gang leader Bill "the Butcher" Cutting. U2 salutes all of the hands that built America: "Russian, Sioux, Dutch, Hindu, Polish, Irish, German, Italian," and "The Irish, the Blacks, the Chinese, the Jews, Korean, Hispanic, Muslim, Indian." They are the backbone of this country and the reason we are standing tall today. Many of these immigrants crafted the mammoth steel that soars into the city skies. 

Scorsese displays their incredible contribution in the breathtaking ending where Amsterdam buries Bill in a Brooklyn cemetery next to his father. Against the moving strings of "The Hands That Built America," images of the New York City skyline evolving over the next century fade into and out of one another. We see the Brooklyn Bridge and the World Trade Center rise as the cemetery watches on, eventually becoming a forgotten patch of weeds. It's a pitch-perfect ending that honors those who came before us and their historical contribution to the incredible, thriving metropolis of New York City and the rest of America.

''When She Loved Me'' From Toy Story 2

The A.V. Club jokes that, "There are two kinds of people: People who weep during the 'When She Loved Me' montage, and people who lie about it." "When She Loved Me" was composed by country crooner Randy Newman, who penned other great music for the "Toy Story" franchise such as "You've Got a Friend In Me" and "We Belong Together." The heart-wrenching ballad from "Toy Story 2" overlays a montage from the perspective of tough cowgirl Jessie, who was abandoned by her former owner, Emily. 

In golden-hued flashbacks, we see their sweet bond when Emily was a child; they swing on a tire and spin around in grassy fields. Jessie ends up falling and getting trapped under the bed, where she watches Emily grow into a teenager and becoming more interested in music and doing her nails. When Emily eventually finds her, Jessie thinks she has finally been reunited; she sleeps peacefully next to her beloved owner ... until she realizes she has been abandoned at a donation truck. Sarah McLachlan's angelic voice, the gutting lyrics about losing a loved one, and the sparse piano underscores the agonizing montage. The end of childhood has never been captured so poignantly.

''Into The West'' From Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King

There were two original songs, "May It Be" and "Gollum's Song," that built on the themes of the first two "Lord of the Rings" films, but "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" needed a song to conclude the epic series overall. At first, composer Howard Shore was going to include a lament from the "The Grey Havens" chapter, but it wasn't as grand in scope. Inspired by the untimely passing of a 16-year-old Māori New Zealand filmmaker named Cameron Duncan, Howard Shore, screenwriter Fran Walsh, and singer Annie Lennox composed "Into the West" (via the Extended Edition Appendices, Part 6, "Music for Middle-earth" and "Cameron Duncan: The Inspiration for 'Into the West'"). The melody incorporates musical themes used throughout the trilogy, including the triumphant "Black Gate Opens" as Sam carries Frodo up to Mount Doom.

The somber yet peaceful lyrics detail the Undying Lands where Frodo and Bilbo go to rest after suffering with the ring for so long, and reference Gandalf's monologue to Pippin about the beauty of the afterlife: "The grey rain-curtain of this world rolls back, and all turns to silver glass. ... White shores, and beyond, a far green country under a swift sunrise." Annie Lennox's soulful voice, the simple guitar, and floating flute not only encapsulates the tearful farewell between the hobbits but the total end of an arduous journey. 

The tranquil "Into the West' plays over the end credits of "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King," which include beautiful illustrated portraits of the cast. The battle for Middle-Earth is over, and we feel both relief for the fellowship and sadness that this incredible fantasy series has come to an end. 

''Don't You (Forget About Me)'' From The Breakfast Club

After five teenager archetypes spend a weekend detention together in "The Breakfast Club," — the brain, basket case, princess, jock, and criminal — they realize that they have a lot in common. The opening chords of Simple Minds' "Don't You (Forget About Me)" play underneath their manifesto to Principal Vernon: they are more than what meets the eye. The rich keyboards, motivating drums, and Jim Kerr's deep croon accompanies John Bender, the criminal, walking down the football field in his oversized trench coat. He raises his fist in a declaration of anti-authoritarianism, defying the insipid adults who ignore their emotional truths and stifle their authentic selves. 

The pining lyrics foreshadow the characters returning to their respective cliques on Monday. As the slow change of adulthood pulls them apart, they promise never to forget the brief but impactful time they spent together. Somehow this little Glasgow new wave band managed to capture the turbulent emotions and nostalgia of teenagehood in its melancholy and romantic sound. 

''(I've Had) The Time Of My Life'' From Dirty Dancing

Thrillist details the fascinating history behind "(I've Had) The Time of My Life," the Academy Award-winning original song for the exhilarating "Dirty Dancing" finale. Despite taking place in the 1960s, "Dirty Dancing" uses 1980s songs such as Eric Carmen's sexy "Hungry Eyes" to connect contemporary stylings with nostalgia for a bygone era. 

Bill Medley and Jennifer Warne's love duet is the song Johnny chooses to end the talent show with his own unique creative vision. Johnny thrusts Baby out of the corner and puts her onstage where they dance together. The lyrics summarize their relationship: a fleeting but perfect time in their lives where they fell madly in love. The upbeat song builds to an aspirational crescendo where Baby nails the long-anticipated lift. "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" is the perfect song to capture the end of this sweet, feminist coming of age film about summer romance. It's about a first love that may not last forever, but at this moment means everything. 

''My Heart Will Go On'' From Titanic

"My Heart Will Go On" is the full-throated ballad that plays at the end of the monumental blockbuster "Titanic." Written by the film's composer, James Horner, the romantic lyrics "communicate Rose's love for Jack, which might be brief, but it's a love that's as deep as the ocean and will remain in Rose's heart for a lifetime." Despite her grief, Rose fulfills Jack's dying promise to endure and make the most of her life. Celine Dion brings Jack and Rose's great passion to life with her powerful voice, especially in the final verse where, after a somber flute solo, her voice ascends to a resonant belt. "My Heart Will Go On" brings together the tragic themes of grief and true love. Its sentimental grandeur is fitting for James Cameron's melodrama about two ill-fated lovers aboard the equally ill-fated ship of dreams. 

''Glory'' From Selma

Ava DuVernay's "Selma" is a searing examination of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s public and private lives, anchored by David Oyelowo's gripping performance. The end credits feature the Academy Award-winning original song "Glory," written by John Legend, Common, and Rhymefest. "Glory" is a heady mix of John Legend's silky vocals and Common's forceful delivery that illustrates the struggles of the Black community across the decades. It's an inspiring call for social justice. NPR's pop critic Ann Powers writes on the soul influences of "Glory": 

The song is structured sort of like a bridge between the gospel music that was so crucial to the civil rights movement and contemporary R&B and rap. So John Legend's part is very stirring, very uplifting, taken right out of gospel. And then you have Common, who also plays a preacher in the film, rapping in a very preacherly style and even bringing in references to contemporary politics, like Michael Brown's shooting and the protests that happened in Ferguson this past year.

Legend and Common's powerful voices and the stirring strings epitomize all of the hope, rage, and effort in the fight for racial equality. "Glory" is a pivotal work that brings the past and present together in an urgent demand for change.

''Part Of Your World'' From The Little Mermaid

There are countless Disney tunes that deserve to be on this list, but there is one key song that highlights the key to the studio's '90s golden age of animation. "The Little Mermaid" was a vital turning point for Disney, because it featured a Broadway song structure. Lyricist Howard Ashman and composer Alan Menken included an "I Want" song -- a solo musical number for the main character that express what they want to change about their life. In "Part of Your World," Ariel declares her burning desire to live as a human in the world above. Sung with sweet-voiced passion by Jodi Benson, it allows the audience to identify with the teenage mermaid's struggles. The song also establishes that Ariel's love of the human world started way before she ever saw Prince Eric. It took her a long time to build that collection of thingamabobs! 

''Streets Of Philadelphia'' From Philadelphia

For the opening montage of "Philadelphia," director Jonathan Demme originally envisioned a hard rocking song. He specifically chose Bruce Springsteen to write it because, much like star Tom Hanks, Springsteen was an American everyman who could help make a film about a gay man with AIDS more palatable for conservative audience members during the 1990s. This was part of Jonathan Demme's goal to have the film change minds by reaching mainstream viewers (via Rolling Stone). 

Springsteen composed a mournful ballad with a simple drum machine beat and layered synths, lending it a reverent quality. His use of first person narration puts the listener in the shoes of the countless men and women whose lives were tragically taken by AIDS. The simple poetics of the main character's physical and emotional despair — wasting away until he is unrecognizable, left alone to hear the voices of those left behind  —  are devastating and intensely relatable to anyone who is dealing with pain. This kind of intimate and universal perspective was especially important during a time period when HIV-positive people were feared and castigated by society. 

Through a contemporary lens, "Philadelphia" has questionable queer politics, but there is no denying that Springsteen's poignant contribution to the film was essential in garnering empathy to mainstream audiences for HIV-positive people, especially those within the LGBTQ+ community. 

''Fight The Power'' From Do The Right Thing

Spike Lee's groundbreaking "Do the Right Thing" takes place on the hottest day of the year in the Bedford-Stuyvesant area of Brooklyn, where racial tensions explode into violence after a cop murders the boombox-carrying Radio Raheem. The film features one of the most audacious openings of all time. With gritted teeth, thrashing limbs, and nimble feet, Rosie Perez dances furiously to Public Enemy's "Fight the Power" — a song commissioned specifically for the film. 

Rolling Stone calls the fierce hip-hop track "a dissonant call to revolution" that critiques iconic white figures such as John Wayne and Elvis Presley for cultural appropriation and chauvinism, as well as other racist institutions such as the U.S. Postal Service. Hank Shocklee, a member of Public Enemy's production team, told Rolling Stone that the group wanted "Fight the Power" to have a "defiant, aggressive, I'm-not-gonna-take-it feeling," and this comes across in every sweat-dripped stomp from Rosie Perez. 

Read this next: The Coen Brothers Movies Ranked Worst To Best

The post The Best Original Songs Written for Movies appeared first on /Film.

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