If you thought the ending to Fede Alvarez's "Evil Dead" was dark, wait'll you get a load of his original plans for poor Mia (Jane Levy).
2013's "Evil Dead" was impressively dark for a big studio title, especially given that even Sam Raimi had to tone it down to PG-13 by the time he made "Army of Darkness" which was released by Universal. Alvarez was going after the darker tone of Raimi's original indie movie, which itself was slapped with an "X" rating by the MPAA for gore and intensity. To Sony's credit, they let him make something ultra disturbing and filled with more blood than Johnny Depp's bedroom by the end of "A Nightmare on Elm Street."
Today, Alvarez took to Twitter and revealed the take that was initially going to end the movie. Fans of Raimi's original will know what's what when they see the footage since the scripted ending was a deliberate callback to the end of the 1981 film.
The Original Ending Would Have Been Brutal
Alvarez tweeted a description of the first ending he filmed, adding that "I could share it here if you want. Just let me know and I'll post the take."
Um, yeah, Fede! Of course we want to see it.
He knew what he was doing. The people demanded it, so he shared the raw footage of the original ending.
Here it is. This is what was written originally. But Sam Raimi (wisely) pointed out “after everything she’s been through, she deserves to live†so I rewrote it to the actual ending. (@jcolburnlevy let out one of her best screams in the movie on this take) #EvilDead9yearspic.twitter.com/q0PFWCT7Pw
Levy does let out a whopper of a scream there, he's not wrong about that. And then, to up the ante, the original scripted ending he wrote was even more of a bummer than what wound up in the film.
Listen, I love a good, dark ending. I'm the guy that will sit here and defend the ending to "The Mist" 24/7, but exploding your lead in a rain of blood at the end of that already super dark story would have been too much even for me. But it's a fascinating look at the process of making a horror movie and the evolution of what eventually ends up on the screen.
In short, Fede Alvarez used Twitter correctly. He let us movie fans get a peek behind the curtain, which is a welcome distraction from the potshots and smarmy quipping you mostly find on that app.
It's a strange world we live in when a thread that ends with a young woman being brutally exploded by a demonic force is a positive usage of social media, but that's just our reality right now.
The federal Liberal government introduced legislation Tuesday to force digital giants to compensate news publishers for the use of their content. CBC News reports: The new regulatory regime would require companies like Google and the Meta Platforms-owned Facebook -- and other major online platforms that reproduce or facilitate access to news content -- to either pay up or go through a binding arbitration process led by an arms-length regulator, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). The compensation extracted from these digital giants must be used, in large part, to fund the creation of news content to protect the "sustainability of the Canadian news ecosystem," according to a government backgrounder distributed to reporters. The government is pitching the arrangement as a way to prop up an industry that has seen a steady decline since the emergence of the internet.
To preserve access to Canadian news, the federal government has adopted much of the so-called "Australian model," named after the country that first forced digital companies to pay for the use of news content. According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, more than $190 million has been paid already to Australian media companies since the model was enacted last year. The big winners have been legacy media and larger media outlets.
The new Canadian scheme would require that Facebook, Google and other digital platforms that have "a bargaining imbalance with news businesses" make "fair commercial deals" with newspapers, news magazines, online news businesses, private and public broadcasters and certain non-Canadian news media that meet specific criteria. The goal is to have these digital platforms negotiate deals with publishers without the need for government intervention. [T]he amount of money each news business gets from these digital giants will be decided by those negotiations -- there's no preset formula. In the absence of some sort of voluntary arrangement, news businesses can initiate a mandatory bargaining process and go to a CRTC arbitration panel for a binding decision.
Microsoft has announced a brand new security feature for Windows 11, which promises to help protect you from bad apps. However, if you're keen to use it, there's one small problem; you're going to need to perform an operating system reset before you can install it.
Apple TV+'s "Severance" is full of mystery, a sci-fi show that makes the mundanity of office life into something truly mind-bogglingly horrific. The show's premise — that some people chose to have their minds "severed" so their working-life selves know nothing of their outside selves and vice-versa — gives a whole new meaning to work-life balance.
Much of the show's story revolves around Mark (Adam Scott), a man who decides to get severed in an attempt to cope with the loss of his wife. There are several other severed characters, however, including Dichen Lachman's Ms. Casey, the employee in charge of the wellness room at the mysterious Lumon Industries.
/Film had the chance to talk with Lachman about her role on the show, including how she approached portraying Ms. Casey as we learn more about her throughout the season, including that surprise twist at the end of the seventh episode.
Read on for that conversation, though be warned! This interview will not spoil anything from this Thursday's season 1 finale, but it does contain major spoilers for everything through the penultimate episode.
This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.
'When I Started Reading Those Scripts, I Could Not Put Them Down'
There's a twist that happens close to the end of the season where we find out that Ms. Casey is actually a severed version of Mark's wife, who Mark thinks died in a car crash. When did you know that backstory for Ms. Casey?
I'm pretty sure I didn't know until after I was cast. I had a meeting with [executive producer and director Ben Stiller] on Skype. It was a very tricky character, as you can imagine, and I had no script [while auditioning]. I had very little information, so I was shooting in the dark a little bit.
My conversation with Ben was extraordinary, because he's so specific about what he wanted in this world, and trying to navigate around the fine line playing this character, not giving too much away, where it sat energetically. It was really interesting, but I didn't really read anything or know anything about it until months later when I was in London [shooting "Jurassic World Dominion"], and they finally figured out that I'd be able to do it in terms of my availability.
Then the scripts came in. When I started reading those scripts, I could not put them down. I was burning through those pages, and I have to say, it's very rare to sit down and read it and just be completely captivated by the world and these amazing, amazing characters.
Did knowing Ms. Casey was a severed version of Mark's wife inform your performance?
I had this song, it was a Lana Del Ray song. Maybe it's corny, but I would listen to it and I'd think about their relationship. Not that it was that important, because throughout the show, Ms. Casey never realizes that. But just to create some background of a memory of something, that maybe even if she's not aware, creating why she might be drawn to Mark, even if she has no idea. She doesn't understand why she thinks he's nice, and why she enjoyed spending all that time with them. But it blew my mind and it made me extremely excited. And I hope when, let's manifest that there is a season 2, that I get to do a lot more. [Editor's note: "Severance" was officially given a second season order earlier today.]
'I Imagined Her Like A Child, Or Like A Doe, Like An Animal Being Born Into The World'
One thing I thought was interesting about Ms. Casey is when we first see her, it's almost like she has a film over her, or there's sort of an extra barrier between her and the world. How did you approach portraying that?
I was thinking about how new she was in the world. You know, she says in the script, "My life has been 107 hours long." And because we know she goes down onto the testing floor, and we know she's had a terrible accident, there's something missing from her that the others don't quite have. And I imagined her like a child, or like a doe, like an animal being born into the world and just learning to walk and absorbing everything around them. To some degree she has to do what she's told. She's very literal.
There's actually a line missing. We shot it. It never made the cut, but she asks Mark where people come from, because she doesn't know. That informed that very naive, new to the world space that she was in. At the same time, she's longing for these relationships, which she doesn't get an opportunity to have down there.
One of the things that really informs Ms. Casey is her look. Did you have any input into what the character's look was and did you use her clothes and hair as inspiration for how you portrayed her?
Because of everything that was going on, I was trapped in this place and couldn't leave, I did all these different looks. I bought wigs off Amazon. I put on wigs, different wigs, tried stuff. And I made a PDF, almost like a head of the hair department would do on a set when you are doing prep, but all of that because of COVID was not possible for me being far away. [Ben and writer Dan Erickson] actually gravitated towards what my instincts really felt, which was what you ended up seeing in the show.
And then the photograph, which Mark puts together, my husband took the photo while we were in L.A. and I had this horrible wig, which was a test wig, and I just shoved a hat on and I was like, "Oh, maybe this will work," because we were working under extraordinary circumstances. But the photo worked out really well.
'I Feel So Blessed That I Get To Play In This Space Where The Storytelling Is Allegorical Of Our Time'
Did you have a particular scene or moment you were filming that just really sticks out to you as like, "Oh, that's the core of this character" or a moment that just really stuck out in your mind for whatever reason?
I love that scene in the hallway when she's looking for [Helly and Mark]. And she's like, "You're not hurt." Because her job is to protect Helly. She was told, "Go and make sure Helly doesn't kill herself, and try and calm her down." And then they disappear. And for her it's awful. And so she sees them, and they're okay, and it's such a relief, but then she starts having these new emotions for her. When she says, "You're not hurt." And then says, "I'm glad. And I forgive you." That's a new feeling for her.
She starts having these human moments, and that was the most fun thing to play with. To discover in the scene who she is, and her finding her soul and her humanity in these interactions, which were outside of the wellness room, which is just very much scripted. She's evolving.
I feel so blessed that I get to play in this space where the storytelling is allegorical of our time, or another time, or a possible time if we're not careful. All these things we invent with good intention, like giving people the ability to walk again, or see again, or hear again -- I mean, these are all wonderful intentions, but sometimes we go too far. And I think it's an interesting playground to touch on those topics and get people thinking about that stuff.
I'm so excited about this show, and I really hope many people get to see it, because it's very rare that so much detail and time goes into everything.
Season 1 of "Severance" is available on Apple TV+, with the finale premiering on April 7, 2022.
Large outdoor woodworking projects, from fences to picnic tables, can present a challenge because the wood you choose will need to be able to withstand the elements. Choosing the right kind of lumber will help furniture and structures hold up better against moisture, temperature changes, and pests. Here are some…
"Dazed and Confused" was director Richard Linklater's third feature film, codifying the filmmaker's commonest hallmarks: nostalgia, conversation, and the complicated intensity of childhood. Set in 1976, "Confused" takes place on the last day of school at Lee High in Austin, TX. The school's incoming freshmen must spend the day avoiding cruel hazing rituals, while the older kids are content with beer and marijuana consumption as several of them face growing up and graduating. Ironically, Linklater wanted "Dazed" to be an anti-nostalgia movie, showing that 1976 was rife with unpleasantness and inter-student torture; it wasn't all fun and parties. But, in his words, making an anti-nostalgia film is like making an antiwar film: By merely depicting it on screen, it looks exciting regardless of commentary.
Several hot young stars of the 1990s made their debuts or racked up some notable appearances in "Dazed and Confused," including Milla Jovovich, Parker Posey, Ben Affleck, Joey Lauren Adams, Anthony Rapp, Jason London, and Adam Goldberg. Matthew McConaughey appears as an overgrown adolescent who is still hanging out with teens well past the point of it being seemly.
Despite his occasional anti-nostalgia plan, Linklater still often brings a "hang out" sensibility to many of his films, and there is a great pleasure to be had in merely sitting around, conversing, and remembering the good times. That is certainly the ethos behind Linklater's most recent film "Apollo 10 ½: A Space Age Childhood," currently available on Netflix. In that film, Linklater reminisces, semi-autobiographically, about growing up just outside of Houston during the time leading up to the Apollo moon landing. While there is a plot about the 10-year-old protagonist going to the moon in secret in advance of the Apollo 11 mission (!), most of the film is devoted to the TV he watched, the food he ate, the places where he played, and the generally pleasant memories he had as a kid.
In a recent interview with The Daily Beast, Linklater talked "Apollo," about his philosophies of the Oscars (they should get more hardcore), his Texas memories, and the revelation that "Dazed and Confused" didn't make him a penny. This came after several stories that Linklater's experience making "Dazed" for a "bigger" studio was nothing but a stress headache.
PTSD
Back in 2019, in a piece he wrote for The Guardian, Linklater had already revealed that working on "Dazed and Confused" left him wounded. The studio didn't trust him, espcially once they discovered his 1990 film "Slacker."
"I still have PTSD when I think of how difficult the shoot was. About a month before we started filming, Tom Pollock, the head of Universal, watched 'Slacker,' at which point he realized who he was doing business with and he thought, 'Oh no, it's going to be one of those arty, jerk-offski movies.' Everyone was on high alert for me after that"
Even the editing process was difficult, and the studio was constantly breathing down his neck:
"After shooting was over, I went to Los Angeles for the finishing touches. The studio put me up in soulless corporate accommodation. I didn't think I was going to be there for long, but I realised they were doing this psy-ops thing on me, trying to wear me down. People seemed to really enjoy the screenings, but then their ratings on certain aspects were always lower than executives thought they should be, which confirmed their fears that I had made an art film."
Despite the headaches, "Dazed and Confused" became a cult hit, making its way into dorm room VHS collections and into regular rotation on local college town midnight movie circuits. It eventually found its audience. When The Dailt Beast's Marlowe Stern pointed that out, Linklater was incensed. When asked if he made money, he replied with an emphatic "F***, no!":
"Yeah, and it's like ... where's my money? How come a movie that cost less than $7 million has $12 million in interest against it? ... Hollywood accounting. I remember really asking for a piece of the soundtrack, because I picked all the songs, and they were like: 'Oh no ... First film,' you know? N.W.A is still pissed off about that first contract. Everybody has that story of getting screwed with their first project. That film was an indie success. It made more than it cost theatrically, and over the years it's been everywhere."
How Much 'Dazed' Made
From the Guardian:
"The film made $8m on a $6.9m budget. I never made a penny off anything to do with it -- I waived most of my rights to pay for the soundtrack. I don't think it's my best movie, but it represents a rite of passage for the 'busters,' the end of the baby-boom generation. I also enjoy people who weren't even born then liking the film. It tells you there's something about teenagedom that never changes."
At the Daily Beast, the interviewer pointed out that the home video market for "Dazed" must have been massive; those of us who were of VHS-buying age in 1993 recall the film's ubiquity on video store shelves and in homes. Linklater posits that it made millions, is frustrated, but ultimately understands that "Dazed" was a rarity nonetheless:
"At least about 30 or so! I don't know. That's such a cliché to bitch about. But I did go through the Hollywood experience. Here I complain, but they did green-light the film, and they wouldn't green-light the film today. Cast of unknowns? Period film when not much happens, riding around? One film out of Sundance? I don't think there's a pitch for that movie today, so I sit here very, very blessed that I came along at a time when studios were going, hey, we'll make this and this and then throw some chump change over to these guys. I'm still grateful I got the film made, and got it made the way I wanted it to."
"Dazed and Confused" is currently available on Peacock, and can be rented through various online rental outlets. "Dazed" was also granted a very nice DVD and Blu-ray edition from The Criterion Collection. If, however, you want to recreate the authentic 1993 experience, you can usually buy the VHS on eBay for ... heh .... $4.20.
This post contains spoilers for "Moon Knight" episode 2.
"Moon Knight" is officially a third of the way through its six-episode run, with the first two episodes now available on Disney+. This is essentially playing out like a long movie split up into six parts, which is kind of how a lot of these premium streaming shows are going these days. I say that to caution that we clearly haven't learned everything there is to learn about this corner of the Marvel Cinematic Universe just yet, but what we have learned has paved the way for an interesting (if unexpected) bit of pop culture comparison.
Amazingly enough, it's starting to feel an awful lot like this show's villain has an eerily similar plan/goal to a villain in Edgar Wright's 2007 buddy/cop comedy "Hot Fuzz."
Arthur Harrow's Quest For The Greater Good
In "Moon Knight" episode 2, we get a little more development in the evolving relationship between Ethan Hawke's Arthur Harrow and Oscar Isaac's Steven Grant/Marc Spector. When Arthur encounters Steven again, it is with an air of calm as he understands the situation better, and tries to appeal to the man's reason rather than let this devolve into a fight. As a result, Arthur takes Steven on a tour through one of his communities. Arthur explains that they have made something of a little paradise, where everyone gets along and nobody feels the need to lock their doors. Everyone helps everyone else, the food is free, and everything seems to be in service to the greater good.
Does that phrase sound familiar? To those who have seen "Hot Fuzz," it very well might, as the villains of that film use the phrase "the greater good" to describe the goals of their seemingly devious and violent plans. The idea is that Timothy Dalton's Simon Skinner and the rest the Sandford leadership have been committing violent acts to help keep their little town nice and perfect. To do that, Skinner and others, such as Jim Broadbent's Inspector Butterman, the father of Nick Frost's Danny Butterman, have done all sorts of unspeakable things, including a great many murders over the years. But to this crazy cult of folks living out in the countryside of England, it's all in service of "the greater good," as they say.
Circling back to the Marvel, while Arthur doesn't come right out and use that phrase, the "balancing of the scales" he's been doing throughout the first two episodes -- killing those who may end up committing evil deeds (even if they haven't done so yet) -- is very much about the greater good as he sees it. Yes, there is a supernatural/magical element to all of it as this is a superhero show, but the larger beats really do mirror what Edgar Wright was doing in "Hot Fuzz." The citizens of Sandford were quite happy, and the citizens of Harrow's little idyllic paradise seem to be as well. They have free food. They are all educated. Everyone looks out for one another. It's all quite nice if you can get over the whole "we had to kill a bunch of people to make this happen" thing.
It is certainly important to point out that we don't know the full scope of Arthur's plan yet, and that by the end of it, the differences between the villains in "Hot Fuzz" and "Moon Knight" could be far greater than the similarities. For now, it's pretty compelling.
Damn Fine Company To Be In
Does it seem a bit strange at first glance that a Marvel villain appears to be borrowing from the playbook of Edgar Wright and a buddy/cop comedy led by Simon Pegg and Nick Frost? Yes. That having been said, the MCU is well over a decade into its existence and the whole thing could do with a little change. "Moon Knight," thus far, feels pretty refreshing and unique within the larger franchise. And, even if the comparison is a bit odd, you could do a whole lot worse when it comes to unlikely cinematic companions.
15 years removed, "Hot Fuzz" remains an absolute masterwork. Not just because it's hilarious, but because Wright remembered to actually make a great movie underneath all of the comedy. If you take the comedic beats out, you still have a cop movie that works, with villains that are compelling and a twist that packs a punch. It's no secret that the villains have often been some of the weaker points within MCU projects. So, taking a pointer or two from Wright, unintentional though it may have been, is a damn fine place to draw inspiration from. And it really does make one wonder all over again what it might have looked like if Wright had made his version of "Ant-Man" instead of having him pull out at the last minute over creative differences. Was that in service of the greater good? A question for another time, perhaps.
"Moon Knight" is streaming now on Disney+, with new episodes dropping every Wednesday.
Cinema is a powerful medium that means different things to different people. Whether inspiring us through the onscreen action or serving as a means of escape by taking us to worlds that don't exist, movies can be quite cathartic. And sometimes, the simple act of going to the movie theater can make a world of difference.
In the case of Jim Carrey, a trip to a movie theater became a pivotal moment in his life. Before becoming one of Hollywood's most eclectic leading men, Carrey was a struggling kid in Canada whose family had fallen on hard times. Known as one of today's most versatile actors, his journey to Hollywood was a long and complicated one — and one specific visit to the theater made him fall in love with movies, putting him on the path to stardom.
He Worked In A Factory As A Teen
The origins of Jim Carrey's movie career could best be described as meteoric. In 1994 he came out of relative television obscurity with the surprise hit "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective," allowing him to negotiate his salary up from $350,000 to $7 million for "Dumb and Dumber." Carrey then became the first actor to receive $20 million for his role in "The Cable Guy." Not bad for a kid that had to work full time while in school.
According to The Morning Call, Carrey's family fell on hard times when his father lost his job, and at one point the actor was a janitor at Toronto's Titan Wheels factory — working a full eight-hour shift after the school day ended. Things got to be so bad that the family lived out of a Volkswagen van. Carry turned to movies to get him through the tough times. He said at age seven he saw his first movie, "The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes" starring Kurt Russell. Carrey recalled:
"I saw it at the Willow Show on Yonge street in Toronto. I'll never forget that day. I was so thrilled to be in a movie theater. To me, movies are dreams. And the most important thing when you go to the movies is that you see people up there, making the right decisions or making the wrong decisions and trying to get back on the right path."
That experience started a love affair with movies that would take Carrey a long way from living out of a van. It was a journey that would take him on a career path very similar to that of another comedy legend.
Initially, He Was Afraid To Show His Feelings
Carrey's transition from comedy to other genres mirrors that of Robin Williams. Like Williams did with "Dead Poets Society," Carrey used blended comedy-dramas such as "The Truman Show" and "The Majestic" to help the public see him as more than just a slapstick comedy actor. In explaining the transition, Carrey explained:
"I've always been introspective. It used to be that I was so afraid that if I showed people I had feelings, they'd think I was broken. But now, my experience is that people find honesty refreshing and uplifting."
Carrey's evolution gave him the freedom to be more selective in his roles, which would span from the genre-bending "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," the crime biography "I Love You Phillip Morris," and more recently the thriller "Dark Crimes."
And like Williams, Carrey has publicly battled depression and has a history of bizarre public behavior, including a more than energetic interview on Good Morning America in 2020.
But that hasn't stopped him from becoming one of today's most versatile actors in Hollywood, channeling his emotions into his work. "I am always this close to breaking down and sobbing anyway," Carrey said. "I'm joyful. I'm in agony. I'm experiencing all the things that human beings experience. The great thing about what I do is that I can express those feelings in my work."
Although he recently announced he's contemplating retiring from acting, there's no doubt that his love affair with movies will endure -- and it all stems from a trip to the theater when he was seven.
Arguably the biggest news of the past week was the much anticipated PS Plus overhaul that Sony finally made official. As covered in our report, PS Plus will be a three-tiered service starting this June.
PS Plus Essential is set to offer the same benefits as the previous PlayStation Plus offering while keeping the same pricing. The exciting stuff is available in the PS Plus Extra and PS Plus Premium tiers, though.
The former adds a library of up to 400 first-party and third-party PS4 and PS5 games for a price of $14.99 monthly or $99.99 yearly. The latter gets all that plus 340 additional games from Sony's earlier systems, including PS Now access for cloud streaming; lastly, time-limited game trials will also be available in this tier.
Obviously, Sony overhauled PlayStation Plus in a bid to compete with Microsoft's Game Pass, which is the dominant subscription service in the games industry. To get an analyst's perspective on the updated offering, we contacted Karol Severin, Senior Analyst and Product Manager at MIDiA Research.
How does the new PS Plus stack against Game Pass, in your opinion?
The move is more about playing catch up with Game Pass, rather than about driving innovation in the market. PS has consolidated its offering of games streaming and online multiplayer services into one, just as Game Pass has done in the past. On one hand, PS Plus will provide access to more games than Xbox Game Pass. However, PS Plus held short of a key benefit - first day access, which is available on Xbox Game Pass. Game Pass also includes access to EA Play. All in all, depending on whether consumers put more priority on the number of titles or first day access, PS has certainly gotten closer to Game Pass in terms of value exchange than it was before, but I would not say that it has necessarily assumed a lead.
Did Sony do the right choice in leaving day-one releases out of it?
Depends on which side you ask. From the consumer point of view, of course the value gap will be there in comparison to Xbox Game Pass, which includes day-one accessibility. From PlayStation’s point of view, however, this makes sense. The potential risk of losing revenue from the first days of retail would have likely been too great. Don’t forget that Sony’s business is much more dependent on games revenue than Microsoft’s, so Sony inevitably has to be more careful with balancing how it drives value between subscriptions and games retail models during this transition.
Do you see PS Plus Extra/Premium gaining significant ground in the games subscription market?
I think the move is more designed towards managing and fostering PlayStation’s existing user base effectively rather than going after new users. In particular, in terms of managing churn and diluting the temptation of existing users to switch over to Xbox Game Pass. While I think the new PS Plus will help address some of these matters, I don’t see the new PS Plus proposition as a ‘game-changer’ for driving new users into the Sony ecosystem from the outside.
Do you agree that the subscription model won't dominate the games industry as it did with video and music?
As the saying goes, history doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes. Over time (in the long-term), subscriptions will likely dominate the games industry as the key point of consumers’ access to games. However, this will have a number of caveats. It won’t happen overnight and it won’t happen everywhere equally. For example, some key markets (e.g. China) don’t lend themselves to games subscription models very well, due to regulators’ limitations on games engagement. Time spent is a key value exchange measure for subscription models and the limits on time consumers can legally spend on games might not be high enough to justify the value of a games subscription, for example.
What will likely happen is that over time, access to games content will get increasingly commoditized, which will give further rise to the importance of monetizing fandom (e.g. cosmetic in-game spending), over just monetizing the engagement itself (e.g. purchasing a game or access to a catalog). Games, due to their interactive nature, will however have an easier time adapting to this dynamic, than music and video have had.
The following article includes reference to sexual assault.
Watching "The Boys" means stumbling down a deep, dark rabbit hole of debauchery and despair. At this point, even those who haven't turned their souls over to Amazon's popular superhero series are well-attuned to its unapologetically nihilistic ways, and this only seems to make the troubling saga even more alluring. Based on Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson's original comic book, "The Boys" presents a world where superheroes are beloved celebrities plagued by greed and corruption. Sure, they swoop in to save the day every now and again, but they like to do so when the cameras are rolling and the fans are cheering. And when no one's looking? They're off getting their hands dirty, harming innocents, snorting drugs, or doing business for the shady corporation that keeps them paid, Vought International.
With those sickos running around, it's hard to get through a single episode of the series without wincing, shielding your eyes, or filing away the latest plotline for a discussion with your therapist. "The Boys" is in fact so disturbing that occasionally, it even becomes too much for the actors themselves.
'It Was The Most Uncomfortable Scene Ever.'
"The Boys" star Chace Crawford has admitted to needing a breather after filming a particularly disturbing moment in the series. This tracks — absolutely no one on this show is exempt from its many upsetting moments, but as The Deep, Crawford often has a front-row seat. The smarmy Aquaman stand-in starts out the series as a member of The Seven, an elite group of heroes. Though he isn't the least bit self-aware about it, The Deep quickly reveals himself to be cruel, narcissistic and petulant. In the very first episode of the series, The Deep plays a key role in crushing Starlight's (Erin Moriarty) spirit after she is welcomed into the ranks of The Seven — a dream come true that slowly becomes a nightmare.
Although there are hints here and there that the idealized heroes in The Seven are actually monsters and everything about this world is the worst, it's The Deep who makes the horrors undeniably clear when he drops his pants in front of Starlight and forces her into oral sex. Eventually, he gets his comeuppance and is kicked out of the group, leading to him offering some shallow apologies in hopes of regaining his fame. While the series goes on to explore some of his traumas more in depth — including self-worth and body issues — this show is way too hopeless for an actual redemption arc.
Nauseating as his scene with Starlight may be, this isn't even the scene that Crawford found the most difficult to film. After Starlight reveals the assault to the public, The Deep is banished to Sandusky, Ohio where a fan sexually assaults him using ... his gills. As the resident aquatic hero, The Deep is able to breathe underwater, thanks to the gills on his torso. In season 1, episode 7, "Self Preservation Society," he invites a woman home for sex, only for her to force her fingers into his gills. Crawford told MTV (via CheatSheet):
"It was the most uncomfortable scene ever. It literally made me feel kind of nauseous, I'm not going to lie. It was just so weird and uncomfortable. I could not have gotten out of there faster that day. So, yeah. It was pretty wild."
The scene is also uncomfortable to watch — although it does offer a poignant reversal of his earlier assault on Starlight.
How The Gills Were Made
Sure, most scenes in "The Boys" are disturbing by design, but in this case, it wasn't just the content that caused Crawford's discomfort -- it was also production logistics. Giving a man gills is no easy task; the scene used a combination of CGI and prosthetics, which apparently meant replicating Crawford's entire torso with some fishy additions. During Variety's 2020 edition of Actors on Actors, Crawford explained:
"They did the actual prosthetics on my skin for the first part of the scene. They had a great special effects guy replicate my entire torso down to the little chest hair. I'm laying there, and I have my own fake torso on me with the gills that have a little bit more room, and he's behind me pumping them with these air pumps so they move, and the director is right over me. I'm like, 'Guys, I'm nauseous. Can I just get out of here?"'
Just in case you needed another reason to shudder whenever The Deep is onscreen, just remember that somewhere out in the world is a gilled-up recreation of Crawford's torso, just waiting for someone to pump it full of air.
"The Boys" is set to return for a third season June 3, 2022.
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit theRape, Abuse & Incest National Network websiteor contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
Mumbai's city administration reported India's first case of the highly-transmissible coronavirus variant, XE, on Wednesday. From a report: The hybrid of two omicron strains BA.1 and BA.2 was detected in a 50-year-old woman who had traveled to the city from South Africa in February, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation said in a statement. The asymptomatic patient had no cormorbidities and had been quarantined after being diagnosed almost a month later in March, the BMC said. The hybrid strain, which was first detected in the U.K., could be the most transmissible variant yet, according to the World Health Organization.
Through the years, as GOG evolved, we explored many directions, and developed in ways that supported the needs presented by them. As mentioned in the first 2022 update, one of the things we’d like to do this year is to come back to our classic games roots, with the knowledge and experience that we gained during GOG’s existence.
Originally, GOG stood for Good Old Games. The idea for the company was born from the wish to play older games in a legal and easy-to-use way. As the classic games hold a special place in our heart, we’d like to devote more attention to highlighting them. It means that our goal is for GOG to become, once again, the best place for the classic PC games.
Our job isn’t to simply release the games that are already on the market. It’s to make them available to everyone - that oftentimes means fixing them, and making sure that they will run on the modern systems that you have. So far we achieved that by our internal work, and various cooperations with DOSBox or ScummVM, among others. Did you know there are a few titles on GOG that the DOSBox crew prepared special, dedicated versions of their great software? Our efforts to bring back some of the beloved games go beyond technical fixes.
To help those classic games shine again, and get discovered by more people, we also do our best to support our releases with initiatives like Throwback Thursday, interviews with developers and other ways to look behind the scenes. If you like to collect the extra goodies connected to the games, such as guidebooks, wallpapers, concept arts and much more, there is a good chance that some of the ones you’ve gotten on GOG are thanks to our cooperation with The Video Game History Foundation.
But you know most of this already – so what’s next?! The newest development in the area of classics’ visibility and discoverability is the revival of Good Old Games concept. We’re starting with adding the “Good Old Game” tag, which will showcase over 500 games that our Team has deemed iconic classics – games that are older than 10 years and are critically acclaimed, stand the test of time, defined certain mechanics, or simply created new genres. You’ll find there games like Bioshock, Baldur’s Gate, Fallout or Gothic. Of course, this is in part our subjective choice, but we hope to inspire you to check them out for yourselves, have fun with them, and see if you agree with our assessment.
Why did we decide to pivot in this direction? Because we believe that celebrating and preserving classic games is important. They have the power to connect generations. They have the power to evoke nostalgia. They have the power to teach us about what came before and shaped the games we enjoy today. And they deserve to be remembered, and available for everyone to enjoy.
This is just another step to give Good Old Games a well-deserved spot on GOG. The invitation is here and it’s waiting for you! Rediscover with us the games that have been universally loved or search for hidden gems that didn’t get their time in the spotlight. Whatever you choose, we commit to bringing you the best classics experience out there: playable offline, compatible with new OSs, packed with additional digital goodies, and with the ability to back up anywhere at any time to ensure that the games we offer are playable for years to come.
This guy shouldn't have been recording a tornado approaching his house (or maybe a golf clubhouse), but we wouldn't be watching this incredible video of a twister tearing the structure to shreds if he hadn't. I hope he's OK!
Not sure of the location but this was filmed today, man recorded a tornado forming above his own home.
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Phys.Org: What seems like a win-win for a pair of pressing environmental problems describes a Rice University lab's newly discovered chemical technique to turn waste plastic into an effective carbon dioxide (CO2) sorbent for industry. Rice chemist James Tour and co-lead authors Rice alumnus Wala Algozeeb, graduate student Paul Savas and postdoctoral researcher Zhe Yuan reported in the American Chemical Society journal ACS Nano that heating plastic waste in the presence of potassium acetate produced particles with nanometer-scale pores that trap carbon dioxide molecules. These particles can be used to remove CO2 from flue gas streams, they reported.
"Point sources of CO2 emissions like power plant exhaust stacks can be fitted with this waste-plastic-derived material to remove enormous amounts of CO2 that would normally fill the atmosphere," Tour said. "It is a great way to have one problem, plastic waste, address another problem, CO2 emissions." A current process to pyrolyze plastic known as chemical recycling produces oils, gases and waxes, but the carbon byproduct is nearly useless, he said. However, pyrolyzing plastic in the presence of potassium acetate produces porous particles able to hold up to 18% of their own weight in CO2 at room temperature. In addition, while typical chemical recycling doesn't work for polymer wastes with low fixed carbon content in order to generate CO2 sorbent, including polypropylene and high- and low-density polyethylene, the main constituents in municipal waste, those plastics work especially well for capturing CO2 when treated with potassium acetate.
The lab estimates the cost of carbon dioxide capture from a point source like post-combustion flue gas would be $21 a ton, far less expensive than the energy-intensive, amine-based process in common use to pull carbon dioxide from natural gas feeds, which costs $80-$160 a ton. Like amine-based materials, the sorbent can be reused. Heating it to about 75 degrees Celsius (167 degrees Fahrenheit) releases trapped carbon dioxide from the pores, regenerating about 90% of the material's binding sites. Because it cycles at 75 degrees Celsius, polyvinyl chloride vessels are sufficient to replace the expensive metal vessels that are normally required. The researchers noted the sorbent is expected to have a longer lifetime than liquid amines, cutting downtime due to corrosion and sludge formation.
For the fourth consecutive year, Microsoft 365 Defender demonstrated its industry-leading protection in MITRE Engenuity’s independent ATT&CK® Enterprise Evaluations, showcasing the value of an integrated XDR-based defense that unifies device and identity protection with a Zero Trust approach:
Complete visibility and analytics to all stages of the attack chain
100% protection, blocking all stages in early steps
Each attack generated a single comprehensive incident for the SOC
Differentiated XDR capabilities with integrated identity protection
Protection for Linux across all attack stages
Deep and integrated Windows device sensors
Leading with product truth and a customer-centric approach
Microsoft 365 Defender XDR solution displayed top-class coverage by successfully surfacing to the security operations center (SOC) a single comprehensive incident per each of the simulated attacks. This comprehensive view provided in each incident detailed suspicious device and identity activities coupled with unparalleled coverage of adversary techniques across the entire attack chain. Microsoft 365 Defender also demonstrated 100% protection by blocking both attacks in the early stages.
This is the third year in which Microsoft 365 Defender showcases the power of the combined XDR suite, demonstrating coverage across devices, identities, and cloud applications.
Demonstrated complete visibility and analytics across all stages of the attack chain
Figure 1. Microsoft 365 Defender providing full attack chain coverage
Defending against human-operated ransomware requires a defense in-depth approach that continuously evaluates device, user, network, and organization risk and then leverages these signals to alert on potential threats across the entire attack chain. Providing detection and visibility enables defenders to evict the attackers from the network during the pre-ransom phase. It also minimizes the impact of encryption or extortion through data exfiltration activities.
Technique-level detection coverage in real time without delays
Human-operated ransomware attacks evolve within minutes, and the time it takes for defenders to respond and prevent attackers from performing destructive actions—such as encrypting devices or exfiltrating information for extortion—is crucial. Organizations need real-time detections with no delays to ensure they can rapidly evict attackers before they have a chance to continue to move laterally through the infrastructure. Microsoft 365 Defender provided technique-level coverage at every attack stage in real time without any delayed detections.
Figure 2. Microsoft 365 Defender providing technique-level coverage in every attack stage
100% protection coverage, blocking all stages in early steps
Microsoft 365 Defender provided superior coverage and blocked 100% of the attack stages, offering excellent coverage across Windows and Linux platforms. Moreover, its next-generation protection capabilities proceeded without hindering productivity by blocking benign activities or a need for user consent.
Figure 3. Microsoft 365 Defender blocking in all stages
In real-world scenarios, blocking ransomware activities early—that is, in the pre-ransom stage across all platforms and assets—is crucial in protecting customers and mitigating the downstream extortion and disruption attack impact.
Each attack generated a single comprehensive incident for the SOC
Unlike many other vendors surfacing multiple alerts and multiple incidents, Microsoft 365 Defender surfaced exactly one incident per attack, combining all events across device and identity into a single comprehensive view of each attack.
Microsoft 365 Defender’s unique incident correlation technology is tremendously valuable for SOC analysts in dealing with alert fatigue. It significantly improves the efficiency in responding to threats, saving time they might have otherwise spent in manual correlations or dealing with individual alerts. It also makes triage and investigation easier and faster with a view of the full attack graph.
Figure 4. Scenario 1: A single incident representing the Wizard Spider simulated attack with the attack sprawl and impacted assets summarizedFigure 5. Scenario 1: Incident graph for an at-a-glance view of the entire attack, showing device and identity assets as well as all observed evidenceFigure 6. Scenario 2: A single incident representing the Sandworm simulated attack, with the attack sprawl and impacted assets summarized.
Unique and durable detections from the integrated Microsoft Defender for Identity
Microsoft 365 Defender’s integrated identity protection capabilities uncover and durably block identity-related attacks regardless of the specific attacker technique implemented on a device, making it practically impossible for attackers to evade. Furthermore, building these protections in the identity fabric provides in-depth, context-rich signals for security teams to investigate and respond effectively. Other vendors leveraging endpoint-only signals may be more susceptible to evasion, and their detections typically have less context.
Here are some examples representing Microsoft 365 Defender’s unique identity protection capabilities in the evaluation:
Step 5.A.4 – query to a security account manager (SAM) database was uncovered using Active Directory signals with detailed context on user enumeration activity. This identity-based detection approach prevents attacker evasion and provides rich investigation context for security teams. Some other vendors in the test relied on process creation telemetry to get similar visibility but lacked context and could be easily bypassed.
Figure 7. SAM database queried to enumerate users detected by the Microsoft 365 Defender Identity workload
Step 6.A.2 – resource-access activity on a domain controller was also uncovered using our identity sensors, with details of the exposed service principal name (SPN) and the compromised related resource name. Here too, this approach provides similar detection durability and investigation details advantages.
Figure 8. Timeline view of resource activity on a domain controller and SPN exposure attack with related compromised resource
Protection for Linux across all attack stages
Microsoft 365 Defender continues to demonstrate excellent protection coverage on all platforms, with top-level coverage on Windows and Linux. It covered all Linux-related stages via technique-level analytics, context-rich alerts, and in-depth investigation signals.
Customers face threats from various entry points across devices, and device discovery and lateral movement to identify high-value assets are table stakes for advanced attacks like human-operated ransomware. Therefore, having excellent coverage across all platforms is crucial to protect organizations against attacks.
Figure 9. Microsoft 365 Defender providing technique-level coverage in every Linux attack stage
For example, as seen in Figure 10 below, Microsoft Defender for Endpoint on a Linux device alerted of suspicious behavior by a web server process. The alert allowed for blocking sensitive file read and preventing further file read. The attacker then attempted to download and run a backdoor on the device. However, that was also blocked behaviorally, thus preventing subsequent compromise.
Figure 10. Sensitive file read by a web server process detected on Linux device
Unique and durable detections from Windows deep native sensors
While most attack steps on devices could be observed by inspecting process and script activities, solely relying on this type of telemetry can be challenging in several aspects.
From a detection durability standpoint, attackers could easily avoid detection by obfuscating or pivoting to alternative methods. Furthermore, in terms of detection quality, relying solely on “surface-level” telemetry could potentially produce a higher number of false positives and overhead for security teams. Finally, this type of telemetry lacks the needed context to enable effective investigation and response.
Unlike other solutions, Microsoft 365 Defender’s unique platform-native deep device sensors introduced signal depth, providing durable, context-rich signals for security teams to identify, investigate and respond to. Here are some examples, as seen during the evaluation:
Steps 1.A.6 and 19.A.11 were uncovered via enhanced Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) sensors, providing visibility to evasive attacker activities without relying on a process or script execution telemetry.
Figure 11. Process creation via WMI detected natively using WMI sensors, regardless of invocation methodFigure 12. System shutdown via WMI detected natively using WMI sensors, regardless of invocation method
Step 3.A.4 was uncovered via COM sensors, providing visibility to the Microsoft Outlook COM interface and detecting an attacker’s search for unsecured passwords in Outlook without relying on process command lines that attackers can easily evade by using COM interfaces directly.
Figure 13. Detection of attacker’s search for passwords in Outlook using our unique COM interface sensor integration
Step 17.A.2 was uncovered via Data Protection API (DPAPI) sensors, providing visibility to credential access—an extremely important activity. Other solutions monitor web browser folders for file access which is extremely prone to false positives in real-world environments.
Figure 14. Credential access visibility via DPAPI sensor integration
A final word: Leading with product truth and a customer-centric approach
As in previous years, Microsoft’s philosophy in this evaluation was to empathize with our customers—the “protection that works for customers in the real world” approach. We participated in the evaluation with product capabilities and configurations that we expect customers to use.
As you review evaluation results, you should consider additional important aspects, including depth and durability of protection, completeness of signals and actionable insights, and quality aspects such as device performance impact and false-positive rates. All of these are critical to the solution’s reliable operation and translate directly to protection that works in real customer production environments.
We thank MITRE Engenuity for the opportunity to contribute to and participate in this year’s evaluation.
If illusory walls you have to smack 50 times to uncover weren't enough, now players are discovering that there are Elden Ring invisible paths too. If players take a leap of faith in some areas of the RPG game, they may land on a secret platform rather than fall to their deaths. Maybe.
Elden Ring is a truly massive open-world game, so despite millions of players worldwide spending dozens or even hundreds of hours in it, there are still plenty of secrets still buried in the Lands Between. In case you weren't aware, that also includes the occasional completely invisible path.
As pointed out by ProfessorMoebius on Reddit, one of these is located in the Hidden Path to the Haligtree - which is already an ordeal to get to in the first place. As you can see in their video below, the only indication of something suspicious is a small gap in the stone railing - certainly not enough to just leap Indiana Jones-like into the void.
Where in we discuss the Oscars, social media (brace for old man rants!), Elden Ring and the state of giant open-world games, sports nerds, the Analogue Pocket, Castlevania, and E3's latest speed bump. Starring Ryan Scott and Ryan Higgins.
Wildermyth (PC), Phoenix Point(PC), Skyrim Anniversary Edition(PC), Kaycee's Mod for Inscryption(PC), Norco (PC), Weird West (XBOX), and Gaming the Past.
The second episode of "Moon Knight" ups everything that worked from the pilot, including Oscar Isaac delivering an impressive dual performance as Steven Grant and Marc Spector, Ethan Hawke embracing the "creepy religious fantatic" vibes, and more jackal-slaying action. Special props also go May Calamawy, who steals every scene she's in as Layla El-Faouly; Hollywood needs to be knocking down her door after "Moon Knight" ends its run.
"Moon Knight" episode 2, "Summon the Suit," also marks a shift in directors. While Mohamed Diab handled the pilot and will direct most of the episodes, the second installment was directed by the team of Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead -- whose time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is only beginning as they're also slated to helm the sophomore season of "Loki".
Benson and Moorhead have made an impact in the indie genre, particularly when it comes to science fiction; their films are not only standouts in the indie scenes but also showcase the skills and beautiful yet horrific imagery that made them a lock for "Moon Knight".
Resolution And The Endless
Benson and Moorhead's directorial debut, "Resolution," sees best friends Michael (Peter Cilella) and Chris (Vinny Curran) reconnecting as Michael attempts to help Chris work through his drug addiction. Both men soon encounter a cult dedicated to UFOs and start to receive a series of disturbing materials that hint at their deaths. Benson and Moorhead would later return to the world of "Resolution" with their 2017 film "The Endless", which they also starred in as ... a pair of brothers named Justin and Aaron who reconnect with the same alien-worshipping cult and learn that there actually is an eldritch alien entity with sadistic designs on the cult.
Much like "Resolution" and "The Endless", "Moon Knight" contains a cult lead by Ethan Hawke's Arthur Harrow. Rather than worshipping aliens, they worship a god -- specifically the Egyptian god Ammit, who judges you based on the history of your life. The trippy, disturbing imagery in both films is touched upon with Khonshu; honestly, wouldn't you be freaked out if a giant being with a bird skull proclaiming to be the Egyptian god of the moon followed you around and insulted you? The fact that Benson and Moorhead have also created a shared universe of sorts means that they're no strangers to working in a creative sandbox.
Spring
Benson and Moorhead's third film, "Spring," is a horrific twist on the classic romance/travel film, especially when it comes to the couple involved. After the death of his mother, Evan (Lou Taylor Pucci) travels to Italy and meets a girl named Louise (Nadia Hilker). The two hit it off, consummating their relationship shortly after. But Louise is holding a deadly secret: she's an immortal mutant who seeks sexual partners in order to preserve her immortality. And I thought "Spin Me Round" was the strangest take on this genre!
"Spring" is built around Pucci and Hilker's romance, which features a tragic turn that Guillermo del Toro himself would applaud. It also continues Benson and Moorhead's penchant for disturbing imagery, as Louise transforms into various animals and creatures (a would-be street assailant suffers a grisly death at the hand of one of those transformations). Marc and Layla's relationship seems to be built on a similarly tragic foundation; Marc tells Steven that he offered himself in servitude to Khonshu to save her, and I have a sinking feeling that there's more to the story that he's letting on.
Synchronic
Benson and Moorhead's latest film, "Synchronic," is what cued me into their filmography, and may have been what landed them their "Moon Knight" and "Loki" gigs. Paramedic Steve Denube (Anthony Mackie) and his friend/co-worker Dennis Dannelly (Jamie Dornan) discover a string of bizarre deaths linked to the titular drug Synchronic. It turns out that Synchronic can send its user back in time -- a fact Steve takes advantage of to try and find Dennis' daughter Brianna after a Synchronic-fueled party.Putting aside the fact that Benson and Moorhead worked with MCU veteran Anthony Mackie (who recently starred in his own Disney+ series, "The Falcon on the Winter Soldier"), "Synchronic" also captures the genre blending and character development that has made Marvel a force to be reckoned with in pop culture. Steve is revealed to be suffering from a brain tumor, and his quest to save Brianna stems from a desire to do something good before he leaves this Earth. The trippy time travel effects (including objects being able to be transported with you from past to present) could also inform how the duo will approach season 2 of "Loki".
"Synchronic" is available to stream on Netflix, and I highly suggest you check it out -- it's a phenomenal film, and an example of Benson and Moorhead at their best. "Moon Knight" is in good hands.
This is collection of several most popular models, textures and sounds for SS2. It is mimicking system shock 2 enhanced edition that will be officially released by nightdive studios in the future.
"Who would win in a fight?" is a question that has plagued office water coolers and playgrounds alike since the dawn of superheroes, with fans debating which of their favorite characters would come out on top in a big battle. From theorizing if Superman could beat Goku to how Batman could take down the Justice League (a phenomenal comic does answer this question), this decades-old quandary has inspired countless debates. Now, in the era of cinematic superhero universes and multiverses offering different aspects of known characters, the debate is as strong as ever, and we're getting some big screen answers. In fact, the director of "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness," the MCU's shortest movie in three years, has just chimed in on the power and strength of Doctor Strange and Scarlet Witch.
Brains Versus Brawn
During an interview with Fandango, Sam Raimi teased what fans can expect from his triumphant return to superhero movies in "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness." The next chapter in the MCU, the film promises to explore different versions of Marvel's arrogant wizard, as well as other returning characters and accents, such as Wanda Maximoff.
But that makes fans wonder, after years of seeing them both grow wiser and stronger, who would win in a fight? Leave it to Raimi himself to offer a thoughtful and diplomatic answer:
"Wow. That's a question I've been asking kids on the playground since third grade. Who is stronger, this character or that character? Well, I think Wanda's magic, from Marvel lore, is more powerful than almost any of the other characters in this picture, but Doctor Strange has the knowledge of the mystic arts that Wanda doesn't have, and he's got the help of Kamar-Taj."
This is a very sound answer. We have seen how powerful Wanda is, having enslaved an entire town in "WandaVision" and even willing two children into existence. But then again, Strange does have the entire knowledge of the Sorcerer Supreme's library. Then, there's the question of the multiverse, as Raimi points out:
"If you were to pit them against each other, different altered versions of themselves ... there could be a Doctor Strange out there that's more powerful than our Wanda. Or there could be a Wanda out there who is more powerful than our Wanda here. So, because of these altered versions, it's all a mixed bag of possibilities."
Indeed, when you take the entirety of the multiverse into consideration, it becomes much trickier to answer the "who would win" question. Is Wanda stronger than Strange? She may have crushed Thanos if he hadn't unleashed hellfire from his ship in "Avengers: Endgame," but could she beat the evil Doctor Strange from "Marvel's What If?" in a fight?
We may find out when "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" hits theaters on May 4, 2022.
What are the best Elden Ring mods? The beauty of mods is that they’re highly versatile tools that allow players to tweak their experience. In the case of Elden Ring, you might wonder why anyone would want to mod a game that's so well-received. Well, if you find soulslikes difficult, the Easy Mode mod is a surefire way to tone things down a notch. Some players might consider this goes too far, so why not remove the death mechanic, which stops you from losing your Runes instead?
What makes the best Elden Ring mods stand out is that they have the power to drastically improve someone’s experience of the open-world game. Whether you want to change the way ranged weapons work, or you want the option to pause Elden Ring, we’ve got the mods for you. Here’s everything you need to try out the best Elden Ring mods, including seamless co-op, the Convergence overhaul mod, and more.
While writer and director Quentin Tarantino thinks it's his greatest failure of a film, "Death Proof" is a thrilling homage to car chases, stunt people, and all the folks who make movies happen. Tarantino even cast "Kill Bill" stuntwoman Zoë Bell as a version of herself in her first major speaking role. It was a huge risk that paid off in spades because the film's most thrilling sequence, a lengthy car chase where Bell rides on the hood of a 1971 Dodge Challenger, is about as real as a car chase can get. Bell spends most of the chase on the hood of the car with only a pair of belts strapped to the doors to hold on to. The camera whips around, showing the ground flying beneath her as she grips the radiator cover for dear life. It's one of the most stunning stunt sequences in all of cinema history, and a true testament to how great practical stunt work can be.
'There's No Double, There's No CGI, It's All Practical.'
In an interview with RogerEbert.com, Zoë Bell explained why she felt the experience was so visceral for viewers:
"Quentin [Tarantino] would love to tie in the road and the wheel moving with me being on the car and then going wide so you could see it. And that's a perfect example of the reason people have such a visceral response to that sequence, because there is no bulls***. There's no double, there's no CGI, it's all practical, and you're seeing that the person crying is the same one falling off the car. I think, on some deep, subconscious level, it triggers as 'real' to the people watching."
There are two major car stunt sequences in "Death Proof." The first features Stuntman Mike (Kurt Russell) ramming his Chevy Nova directly into a Honda Civic owned by a group of women he followed after meeting them at a bar. The second involves a long, dragged-out chase between a second group of women (including Bell) out on a joyride in a Dodge Challenger that's for sale. Bell and her friend Kim (Tracie Thoms) are stuntwomen, and they want to do a stunt called "ship's mast," where Bell rides the front of the car. Unfortunately, Stuntman Mike shows up and starts ramming his 1969 Dodge Charger into the Challenger.
It took six weeks to shoot the second chase, a sequence that ends up being around 20 minutes. The chases were done at high speeds, up to 80 and even 100 mph, which is insanely dangerous given Bell's placement. That Tarantino put together a team of some of the best stunt coordinators and performers in the industry to create the movie's climactic chase is a terrific tribute to the magic of cinema.
Dell recently announced a refreshed lineup of Latitude laptops, all featuring Intel 12th-generation processors, among other upgrades. Among the new devices, there’s the Dell Latitude 5430, a new 14-inch business laptop geared towards the more mainstream crowd.
This isn’t to be confused with the Dell Latitude 5430 Rugged, a laptop meant for extreme conditions which is still using Intel’s 11th-generation processors. In the Latitude branding scheme, the third digit usually indicates the generation, but for whatever reason, the Rugged laptops are one digit higher. So, the Latitude 5430 Rugged has the same processors as the Latitude 5420, which is now being succeeded by the Latitude 5430 with newer hardware. Presumably, we’ll get a Latitude 5440 Rugged in the future with the same processors, but that model doesn’t exist yet. This naming scheme is prone to some confusion, but we’re probably stuck with that unless Dell decides to align its branding in the future.
With that clarification out of the way, if you’re interested in knowing more about the new Latitude 5430, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve rounded up information about the specs, pricing, and everything else you might want to know. Without further ado, let’s get into it.
1080p Full HD + IR camera with shutter, Dell Express Sign-In
1080p Full HD + IR camera with shutter Dell Express Sign-In, Intelligent Privacy, Ambient Light Sensor
Security
IR webcam (optional)
Fingerprint sensor in power button (optional)
Battery
3-cell 41Whr battery
4-cell 58Whr battery
Up to 90W USB Type-C power adapter
Ports
2 x Thunderbolt 4 (USB Type-C)
2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A
1 x HDMI 2.0
RJ45 Ethernet
3.5mm headphone jack
microSD card reader
Nano SIM slot (optional)
Connectivity
Wi-Fi 6E
Bluetooth 5.2
Optional: 4G LTE Cat9 (Intel XMM 7360)
Colors
Dark silver
Size (WxDxH)
321.35 x 212 x 19.3 mm (12.65 x 8.35 x 0.76 in)
Weight
Laptop: Starts at 1.36kg (3.01 lbs)
Starting price
$1,419
When is the release date of the Dell Latitude 5430?
If you’re wondering when you’ll be able to buy the Dell Latitude 5430, you shouldn’t have long to wait. Dell says all of the new Latitude laptops, include the Latitude 5430, will be available in April, so you only have to wait a few weeks, at the most. We don’t yet know a specific date, but we’ll update this article once it’s available.
We have to mention that even whe the laptop launches officially, not every configuration will necesarily be available from the start. Companies often roll out new configurations over time, which allows them to control and meet demand more easily. That’s especially important nowdays, as supply constraints have made it much harder for companies to secure the components needed. There’s a very good chance only a few models will be available initially, and if you want a very specific configuration, you may have to wait a little longer.
What is the price of the Dell Latitude 5430?
Dell has said that the Latitude 5430 will officially starts at $1,419 when it launches, but we don’t know yet what that base price includes. We can make some educated guesses, though – it will likely start with an Intel Core i3 processors, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB SSD for storage, which would align with last year’s model. It’s also likely that this configuration comes with 11th-generation Intel processors, since Dell is making this model available with new and old processor models alike.
Most notably, that base configuration will probably come with an HD (1366 x 768) panel, which isn’t something we’d recommend to anyone nowadays. As such, there’s a very good chance you’ll want to spend a bit more to get a better experience.
How much you spend depends on what you want. Better processors, more RAM and storage, a better display, and things like cellular support will all drive up the price. Dell calls the Latitude 5430 its most scalable laptop, meaning you can configure it to be pretty expensive if you want the best possible experience. Based on the previous model, you could be looking to spend over $4,000, if you want the fully-loaded configuration.
What’s new in the Dell Latitude 5430?
As tends to be the case with new laptops, there are some upgrades included in the Latitude 5430 compared to its predecessor. Because this is a more mainstream lineup, it doesn’t get as many radical changes as some of the more premium lines sometimes do, but the new additions are still welcome. Here’s what’s new:
12th-generation Intel Core processors
While they’re optional, the Dell Latitude 5430 gives you the option to configure it with the new 12th-generation processors from Intel, and they’re a big deal. These processors use a new hybrid architecture with a mix of performance (P) and efficient (E) cores. This allows the processors to have many more cores in total, and in tandem, a higher thread count. The Latitude 5430 is still using U-series processors, which have a 15W TDP, but it’s still a big upgrade. Most of these models have 10 (2P + 8E) cores and 12 threads in total, whereas the previous generation included only four cores and eight threads.
To improve performance further, Dell is also using larger fans to keep the laptop cool. The new processors also come with support for DDR5 RAM, but that’s not included with this laptop, so there haven’t been big changes on that front.
Intelligent Privacy features
Another big new feature with pretty much all of the new Latitude laptops for 2022 is Intelligent Privacy. This is an optional feature included with some webcam configurations, and it enables two capabilities. One of them is onlooker detection, so if you’re working and someone comes up behind you to look at your screen, the display is blurred so they can’t see anything. This works in tandem with a physical privacy screen if your model has one, or it can simply blur the entire display so neither you nor anyone else can see the content. Physical privacy screens add to the cost of a laptop, so having this privacy feature available on any display type is a welcome addition.
The other feature enabled by Intelligent Privacy is called look-away detect, and it basically dims the screen when you look away from it. This makes it so that no one else can see what your screen when you’re distracted, but also save battery power when the display isn’t needed. Of course, there’s still ExpressSign-In, which locks the computer when you walk away, so you have a full suite of security features built in.
Where can I buy the Dell Latitude 5430?
As mentioned above, the Dell Latitude 5430 is planned to be available later this month, so at writing time, you can’t buy it yet. When it does launch, it should be available on Dell’s website first, and that will usually be the best place to buy it. That’s because, like many other business laptops, the Latitude 5430 offers a ton of configuration options, but most of them are only available when you buy directly from Dell.
Some configurations may eventually end up at other general retailers like Amazon or Best Buy. The reason only a few configurations are available is so Dell doesn’t have to produce a ton of stock for specific configurations that may be harder to sell. This way, only the more popular SKUs tend to be available at other retailers, if they show up there at all. Regardless, we’ll be sure to have a link on this page as soon as the laptop is available to buy.
If you don’t want to wait, maybe consider stopping by our list of the best Dell laptops you can buy right now. Or maybe even the best laptops overall, if you want to check out other brands too.
Hyperbolic language is all the rage these days, with every movie being described as either the "best/worst thing ever," but I can say with no exaggeration -- "The Raid" is the coolest f***ing movie of all time. Don't @ me. Don't fight me. Just accept that this is a correct statement and take a deep breath. Director Gareth Evans revitalized the way we approach action films with his 2011 film starring Iko Uwais, and unfortunately for literally every action film with cool fight scenes that has come out in its wake, they've all unfairly had to live in its shadow. In fact, it wasn't until "The Raid 2: Berandal" came out in 2014 that another action film could hold a candle to the previous film's accomplishments, and somehow went even harder.
"The Raid" (aka "The Raid: Redemption") features Uwais as a rookie member of an elite command force named Rama, who is sent out on a mission to take down a ruthless crime lord named Tama (Ray Sahetapy) who runs business out of a high-rise apartment block. After the group's cover is blown, Tama announces that he will offer free sanctuary to anyone in the apartment block who can take down the command force. Now, Rama and his comrades are forced to fight nearly every resident in the building, working their way to the penthouse to take down Tama once and for all. If this sounds like the mission of a video game leading to a final boss, you're damn right it does, and it's awesome. "The Raid" is non-stop high octane ass-kicking, but despite the film being like, 70% fight scenes, Evans successfully keeps the film from becoming a campy mess, and instead plants it firmly on the side of "HELL YEAH!"
The Camera Never Lingers On The Violence
For a movie that features such an overwhelming amount of fight sequences, Gareth Evans was meticulous in how the fight scenes were shot, and how the film was edited. During a 2017 interview, he confirmed that this decision was intentional. "There's a subtle difference about how long a camera lingers on violence, and how much detail is shown," he said. "Almost all the extreme violence in 'The Raid 2' either cuts away on impact, moves onto another opponent, or happens at a distance in a wide shot."
Evans is correct, while both of "The Raid" films are loaded with violence, it never feels exploitative or mean-spirited. The fighting is a necessary means of survival, but the motivations of the characters participating in the violence are given equal importance.
There are moments in "The Raid 2" where I wanted to use the camera to question screen violence. When we hold on the shotgun blast — you have a wide frame to look at, you choose where your gaze falls. But violence is pointless if you don't also use it to say something about the characters. The restaurant scene in "The Raid 2," with the lineup of men having their throats slit, barely shows any actual detail of violence. The focus of the scene is about the psychology of [crime boss villain] Bejo and [antihero] Uco, who are capable of committing and witnessing such brutality, yet still conducting a business meeting at the same time.
Evans also mentioned a moment when Rama burns a corrupt officer on a hot plate, and that what is shown is merely the aftermath. The camera instead focuses on Rama, who is struggling to navigate his new reality surrounded by violence. "It's how you present violence that is the key component of this differentiation," said Evans. "If it has something to say about your characters, then it can be as important as a scene of dialogue."
Rama Vs. The Assassin
While all of the fight scenes in the two "Raid" movies are pure cinematic gold, perhaps the best example of this grounded violence takes place in "The Raid 2" when Rama, after having just fought off Hammer Girl (Julie Estelle) and Baseball Bat Man (Very Tri Yulisma) comes face to face with The Assassin (Cecep Arif Rahman) in a kitchen fight to the death. It's very clear that The Assassin never imagined Rama would get this far, and rather than immediately attack one another, there's a sign of mutual respect as they line up to spar, getting a feel for each other's abilities and weaknesses.
It's a powerful moment devoid of any dialogue, as their physical interactions truly tell the story of what is at play. It's a scene that also, quite frankly, kicks a metric ton of ass and deserves to be enjoyed by all.
It might be a stretch to call games like The Secret of Monkey Island and Lemmings "modern", but compared to the Apple II they're decades in the future. And yet they and other newer titles are being "demade" to play the old hardware—a painstaking process of compromise, ground-up reimagining and deep expertise in ancient technology. — Read the rest
Hot on the heels of The Wheel Of Time finding a load of new fans through a live-action series, GOG and Nightdive Studios have dug up and re-released a 90s FPS set in Robert Jordan's fantasy world. GOG are also using this opportunity to revive Good Old Games, their original name, albeit only as a store category for games they consider both old and good. This is one of them, they say. Is it? I know it's old, but is it good?
