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Pablo Larraín's "Spencer" is a haunting fable that documents Princess Diana's inner turmoil unlike anything I've seen before. Kristen Stewart plays her most challenging role yet with such ease, it's hard to fully believe it's her. From the very onset of the movie, Stewart effortlessly establishes the disconnect between Diana and the rest of the family, detailing just how removed she is from them, with the exception of her sons.

It has been nearly 25 years since her death, but Princess Diana has remained at the center of our conversations, her story forever having a place in the spotlight, in movies, books, and even in a musical. If you missed experiencing "Spencer" at the cinema, you can stream it at home on a number of platforms right now. And you should, because Stewart's efforts deserve to unfold on your screen.

Spencer Is Available On Digital

"Spencer" is available on digital, which means you can watch it at home whenever you want. The movie is set against the backdrop of the Queen's luxurious Sandringham Estate, where the royals get together for Christmas festivities each year. In December 1991, as the family prepares to spend the holidays at their glorious estate, Diana battles with her strained marriage, eventually coming to the decision of separating from Prince Charles (Jack Farthing).

The movie is available to rent or purchase on Amazon Prime Video, Vudu (Fandango), and Google Play, where you can rent it for $19.99 or purchase it for $24.99. You can also rent it or buy it via DirectTV, for $19.99 and $22.99 respectively. Verizon has "Spencer" too, and you can choose to either buy or rent it out from the provider for $21.99 and $19.99.

Other streaming platforms that offer "Spencer" include Xfinity, AMC Theatres (On Demand), Spectrum, Redbox, and Row8.

Or...Wait For The Blu-Ray

"Spencer" is also getting the Blu-ray treatment. Slated to release in the new year on January 11, the Blu-ray version will include a bonus feature titled "The Making Of Spencer," and can be pre-ordered via Amazon. There is also a DVD option available.

Kristen Stewart embodies the late Princess beautifully, and her accent is faultless. It's incredible how her iteration of Diana is able to showcase how it feels like to be claustrophobic even in a sprawling estate with unending hallways and princely rooms. "Spencer" is a fairy tale of sorts, one that draws from the horror elements found in those classic stories. But there's a difference: in this fairy tale, the Princess rescues herself.

Read this next: The 20 Best Dystopian Movies Of All Time

The post Here's When You Can Watch Spencer At Home appeared first on /Film.

The Coen Brothers have a distinctly peculiar sense of humor, to put it mildly. Their ability to inject comedy into otherwise dramatic or downright unpleasant scenarios lends their movies a unique quality, often making it hard to tell how seriously or not seriously audiences should take whatever's happening onscreen. They also frequently juggle multiple tones within the span of a single scene, going from being comical and silly to disturbing and violent (as they did in this infamous moment from "Burn After Reading").

Joel and Ethan Coen's off-kilter comical sensibilities manifest themselves in other ways, as shown by this making-of featurette from the "No Country for Old Men" collector's edition Blu-ray that's actually a wry mockumentary pretending to be a solemn examination of the Coens' creative process. The siblings are incredibly hands-on when it comes to every aspect of their films, typically acting as producers, editors, and writers on top of directing. Except, according to their movies' credits, the pair have never actually served as editors.

Save for "Raising Arizona" and "Miller's Crossing" (which Michael R. Miller edited) and "The Hudsucker Proxy" (which Thom Noble edited), the Coens have edited all of their joint feature-length directorial efforts under the pseudonym Roderick Jaynes. Their reasoning for doing so? As Ethan Coen told NPR, it's because the brothers' names are already in the credits so much that "adding one more just seemed like bad taste." But, this being the Coens, there's more to the "joke" than that.

Roderick Jaynes Is A Serious Man

This is far from a recent development: The Coens have been using the Roderick Jaynes alias since their feature directorial debut on 1984's "Blood Simple." They even developed a backstory for the non-existent artist since, as Ethan Coen explained in that same NPR interview, "you need bios for the personnel of your movies, I don't even know why, for PR purposes."

As the legend of Roderick Jaynes goes, the man started out "minding the tea cart and shepherding the studios" for the Coens before stepping in to edit "Blood Simple." When they made that film, the brothers described him as being an 80-something fellow hailing from Haywards Heath, Sussex — which would mean, in the alternate universe where he actually exists, he would now be challenging Jeanne Calment for the title of longest-living human being on record (via The New York Times).

As far as Hollywood creatives go, the Coens aren't alone in cooking up an imaginary collaborator. Perhaps most notably, one-man filmmaking army Steven Soderbergh has devised not one, but two alternate identities for himself (via Mental Floss). Since "Traffic" hit theaters in 2000, he has served as his own cinematographer under the pseudonym Peter Andrews, and he has edited his directorial efforts under the pen name Mary Ann Bernard since his "Solaris" remake in 2002. Still, he and his totally real production team have a way to go before they catch up with the Coens and their nearly 40-year run with their two-time, Oscar-nominated, absolutely bonafide editor.

Read this next: The Best Movies Of 2021 So Far

The post Why the Coen Brothers Sometimes Use a Secret Identity appeared first on /Film.

Movie monsters are mythic in their own right. The tales of Michael Myers and Pennywise the Clown are no different, both in form and narrative structure, than the legends of yore. They are modern parallels to Medusa and Hades, mythic monsters with penchants for death and destruction. Horror movies in particular are defined by their monsters. Decades of "Halloween" sequels prove as much; even when the movie flounders, the monster endures.

While new monsters are stellar, it's always exceptionally exciting to see a new medium repurpose old beasties. As such, the monsters on this list are all grounded in myth, folklore, fable, or religion in some capacity. This list isn't exhaustive — sorry, fans of Syfy's "Chupacabra: Dark Seas" — but rather, it represents some of the best modern takes on mythological creatures that cinema has to offer. These monsters existed long before cinema; given their stature, they'll likely be around long after, too.

The Wendigo In Antlers

Scott Cooper's "Antlers" is the most recent movie on this list. The Wendigo isn't new to cinema (see: "Wendigo," "Dark Was the Night," or even video games like "Until Dawn"), though it has never been as gloriously realized as it was in Cooper's Pacific Northwest creeper. Keri Russel stars as Julia Meadows, a schoolteacher who, despite grappling with her own latent trauma, takes an interest in student Lucas Weaver (Jeremy T. Thomas). She suspects that Lucas is being abused by her father, though what she discovers is considerably more terrifying than she could have imagined.

See, both Lucas' father and brother are Wendigos. Cooper goes to great lengths to ground the Wendigo myth in its original form: a cannibalistic Native American spirit that jumps from person to person, perennially hungry. Largely hidden in the shadows, Cooper wisely shows the beast in all its glorious, practical might. Gory, gooey, and wearing the fleshy face of its most recent victim, it's nightmare-inducing. It'll be a long while before the Wendigo looks this good again.

The Changeling In The Hole In The Ground

A24 did not do well by "The Hole in the Ground." Sure, it's no "The Witch" or "Hereditary," but it's still a "supremely scary" horror movie that, with the right backing, could have been part of the discussion alongside the company's most noteworthy horror efforts. With a solid grasp on maternal anxiety and perennial Irish fear, it's brooding, distinct, and scary as hell.

"The Hole in the Ground" stars Seána Kerslake as Sarah O'Neill, a single mother who moves to the Irish countryside with her son, Christopher (James Quinn Markey), in a bid to escape Chris' father. There, she and Chris both stumble across the titular hole in the ground, and after Chris wanders from the house one night, Sarah suspects that what returns may not be her son. 

She's right. Chris is now a changeling. A popular legend throughout most of Europe, a changeling is believed to be a fairy left in place of human children. They generally make the swap to cause mischief and mayhem, and, as in Chris' case, sometimes arrive with homicidal intentions. A clear allegory for the impact that Sarah's abusive ex may have had on Chris' psyche — Sarah fears that he's destined to be no different — the myth is still adroitly reviewed and terrifyingly rendered. You'll be questioning the identities of your own children for weeks to come.

Fairies In Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark

As a producer, Guillermo del Toro has a clear proclivity for the kinds of projects he chooses to back. He wants childhood trauma and lush, grand, Gothic settings. He wants myth and folklore. He wants subversive fairy tales (sometimes quite literally) rendered with contemporary gusto, fueled by the demands of modern horror. As such, director Troy Nixey's "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark" is a lush and cruel remake of ABC's 1973 made-for-TV movie of the same name. While the original is a camp classic in its own right — I mean, it has Kim Darby being menaced by little gremlins — Nixey's remake is more in line with del Toro's work. That's hardly a surprise; he's credited as a co-writer.

A sensational Bailee Madison stars as Sally Hurst, a young girl resigned to living with her oblivious father (Guy Pearce) at the isolated Blackwood Manor after her mother loses interest in parenting. At the lush Gothic estate, Sally soon invites the attention of creatures living in the cellar, which are soon revealed to be fairies living deep within the earth. 

Fairy myths go back generations, with some texts depicting them as angels or demons. One recurring motif is the need to ward them off, as well as their desire to steal from the living. While the origins of the fairies in "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark" remain unclear, they seem to have connections to changeling myths (the film also makes some allusions to the tooth fairy). With creatures like this on the prowl, you'll be afraid of the dark, guaranteed.

Joulupukki In Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale

Santa Claus is conventionally depicted as a jolly, happy fellow. Some (read: Megyn Kelly) are almost pathologically compelled to defend his mythos and all of the traditional trappings. Not the people behind Finnish horror-comedy "Rare Exports," though. Exceptionally conceived by writer-director Jalmari Helander, "Rare Exports" follows Onni Tommila as Pietari Kontio, a young boy embroiled in the middle of an excavation of Joulupukki, the Finnish folkloric figure responsible for modern day conceptions of Santa Claus.

Unlike jovial Saint Nick, Joulupukki is said to be a monstrous, horned beast, one who whips bad children and boils them in a coffin. The "Rare Exports'" rendition is little more than an emaciated shell of what he once was, though his legion of homicidal elves proves to be a considerable match for the unlucky residents of Korvatunturi, the poor saps targeted by dint of mere proximity. A bloody good time, "Rare Exports" is one of the most distinct Christmas horror movies ever made, and it has an exceptional monster at its center.

Anubis In The Pyramid

For the first two-thirds of its runtime, "The Pyramid" isn't, strictly speaking, a good movie. Despite having French horror auteur Alexandre Aja as a credited producer, "The Pyramid" is curiously sparse. The acting is iffy, the setting is cheap, and the scares are reduced to "loud noises." As directed by Grégory Levasseur in his feature debut, it's an intermittently bottom-of-the-barrel found footage film, the kind of movie indicative of a dying trend. 

Something curious happens in the third act, though. When the main antagonist is introduced, "The Pyramid" becomes a hoot. An archeological team discovers a lost pyramid in Egypt and immediately straps on some gear to explore it. They're picked off one after another by an unseen creature. By the end, only Ashley Hinshaw's Dr. Nora Holden remains. Then, in a ritualistic chamber, the unseen antagonist finally makes himself known.

It's none other than Anubis, the Egyptian god of death, mummification, embalming, and the afterlife. He is featured in all his jackal-like glory with his weighing scale, a tool whereby the hearts of the deceased are measured to judge their worth. Visually, he's little more than another scary monster in the dark, but it's a ridiculous twist that works. There's something terrifically camp about seeing an Egyptian God just traipsing about a hidden temple in 2015.

La Llorona In La Llorona

La Llorona, also known as "the Weeping Woman," is a central figure in Mexican folklore. Though early texts identify her as a pre-Hispanic figure, her story involves an indigenous woman who drowns her two children in a river after their father, often conceptualized as a wealthy Spaniard or a conquistador, abandons her. She then drowns herself, but finds herself unable to enter the afterlife, and is doomed to roam the riverside in search of her children.

The myth has been adapted frequently as of late, including into a standalone entry in "The Conjuring" cinematic universe, but the best modern incarnation is found in Jayro Bustamante's Guatemalan horror film, aptly titled "La Llorona." Replete with political trauma, the movie involves a Guatemalan dictator and his family, locked away in their country home while patriarch and former ruler Enrique Monteverde (Julio Diaz) is on trial for genocide. As the days move on, several family members report sightings of a weeping woman. 

The scares only arrive in earnest in the film's final few minutes, and those wary of slow-burn horror won't find a lot that works here. But for those with patience, "La Llorona" is a tremendously frightening foray into generational trauma with a sensational specter at its center.

Cthulhu In Underwater

"Underwater" is a lot like "The Pyramid." As directed by William Eubank and written by both Brian Duffield and Adam Cozad, it's certainly better scripted and crafted, and it's got a brooding Kristen Stewart as its lead, but its core identity still doesn't make itself known until late into the film.

Stewart is one of several workers at an underwater drilling facility who are forced to leave after an earthquake threatens the stability of their quarters. In their desperate bid to escape, they discover that something is hunting them, picking them off one by one. Of course, in the third act, these antagonists are revealed to be Cthulhu and the Deep Ones, central figures in H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu mythos. 

A form of contemporary mythopoeia — myths that originate in a fictional, literary universe — Cthulhu is no less identifiable than the fairies or banshees of yore. Lovecraft's works have had a profound impact on the horror genre writ large, and it speaks to Cthulhu's perennial recognition that a mid-tier studio genre feature used him as the central antagonist. "Underwater," at the end, amounts to Kristen Stewart versus Cthulhu. It doesn't get better than that.

The Yuki-Onna In Kwaidan

"Kwaidan" is a classic. One of the best horror anthologies ever made, Masaki Kobayashi's dense masterpiece is a long, stylish, and cinematically dazzling foray into Japanese folktales, most of which were adapted from "Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things," a 1904 collection of Japanese ghost stories. With four unrelated stories, "Kwaidan" won both the Special Jury Prize at the 1965 Cannes Film Festival and a nomination for best foreign language film at the Academy Awards.

"The Woman of the Snow" segment adapts a yuki-onna myth. The yuki-onna are a class of Yōkai, or spirits in Japanese folklore, who look like beautiful women and visit and marry men. In one tale, the husband forces his wife to take a bath, and when she does, she disappears into a flurry of icicles (yuki-onna roughly translates to "snow woman"). 

"The Woman of the Snow" retells another classic story. It follows a woodcutter spared from the yuki-onna's wrath after he and a friend seek shelter in a hut during a terrible snowstorm. He is told to never mention it again, lest he be killed. Years later, he marries a beautiful woman who, yes, is the yuki-onna. They remain married for years and have several children together. When he finally tells her the tale, she assumes her true form, though she refrains from killing him on account of their life together. However, she threatens to return if he does wrong by their children. It's tender, haunting, and even a little romantic.

Fairies In The Hallow

Fairies are back, baby. Corin Hardy summoned some of the nastiest little buggers from Irish folklore, and all he got in return was the chance to direct "The Nun." Ouch. In all seriousness, though, "The Hallow" is a tense, evocative, genuinely frightening, and criminally underseen creature feature rooted in rural folklore. The effects are stellar, the scares effective, and the homages to del Toro among the best the genre has seen in some time.

Adam Hitchens (Joseph Mawle) is a conservationist who moves to a remote Irish village with his wife, Claire (Bojana Novakovic) and their young son, Finn. The locals aren't too happy they've moved in, and as Adam scours the nearby woods for fungal samples, he encounters several curious sights, including animal carcasses covered in strange substances. Soon, the legend of "The Hallow" is revealed. They are fairies, banshees — female fairies who herald the death of a loved one by wailing — and changelings, and they have plans to steal baby Finn. 

Never constrained by the film's low budget, the creatures in "The Hallow" look excellent, and the script wickedly subverts several "couple moves to a town where they're unwanted" tropes. It's a sensational genre outing with some truly vicious fairies at its center.

Trolls In Troll Hunter

Writer-director André Øvredal simply doesn't get enough credit. Despite having works like "Troll Hunter," "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark," and "The Autopsy of Jane Doe" to his name, he is curiously absent from most conversations about contemporary horror maestros. It's a shame, especially in the case of "Troll Hunter," one of the most exhilarating and wildly inventive found footage movies from this century.

Students from Volda University College seek to film a documentary about Hans (Otto Jespersen), a notorious bear poacher, but when they secretly follow him into the woods one night, they discover what he's really hunting: trolls. In Norse mythology, trolls are described as monstrous beings who dwell in isolated caves, forming small family units while being generally hostile to humankind. They're often said to be both ugly and colossal.

The trolls in Øvredal's film are no different. They appear in the distance, towering over the characters. When they need to, they flip over vehicles and chase down jeeps. They're terrifyingly and gorgeously rendered, and the found footage conceit keeps them frightening without ever shattering the illusion. "Trollhunter" is a hoot and a half, a pure adrenaline rush of mythic monsters and blockbuster action.

The Djinn In Under The Shadow

"Under the Shadow" is another myth-centric horror movie that, unfortunately, never got the credit it deserved. Like "Antlers," it inserts an ancient monster into a deeply socio-political text, using a distinct cultural context to augment its central menace. Babak Anvari's Persian-language directorial debut follows Shideh (Narges Rashidi), a mother and former medical student living in post-revolutionary Tehran. Unallowed to continue her studies because of her political affiliations, she stays in the city with her daughter, Dorsa (Avin Manshadi), despite the objections of her husband, who has been consigned into military service.

After new neighbors move in, a missile crashes into the building, and all manner of spooky goings-on are reported. Shideh is told the legend of the Djinn, spirits in Islamic mythology that, while sometimes benevolent, are often said to be responsible for misfortune and death. Anvari uses the myths to maximum effect, delivering searing social commentary on womanhood in Tehran while delivering the expected supernatural scares. There are several noteworthy jolts, and the ending is all out Djinn-tastic. "Under the Shadow" is the rare political horror film that delivers both commentary and scares in equal measure. It's simply sensational.

The Faun In Pan's Labyrinth

After many films inspired by and alluding to Guillermo del Toro, we've finally reached an entry from the master of modern myth himself. Despite having titles such as "Cronos," "Mimic," and "The Devil's Backbone" on his filmography, del Toro's legacy was truly cemented with "Pan's Labyrinth," which is arguably still his most profound achievement. A fairy tale that borrows thematically from his preceding output, it's del Toro at his peak, a horror-fantasy hybrid that remains inimitable.

The prologue outlines the tale of Princess Moana, a young girl whose father is king of the underworld. When she visits the human world, the light blinds her and she dies, so her father builds several labyrinthian portals, hoping they'll help her find her way home. Later, 10-year-old Ofelia (Ivana Baquero) is forced to move to the country with her ailing mother and stepfather, Captain Vidal (Sergi López), a general in Francoist Spain who hunts down Republican rebels. He's a cruel, callous man, and Ofelia wishes for nothing more than to escape. She is given the chance when she meets a faun (Doug Jones) in a stone labyrinth near the property.

Symbols of peace in Roman mythology, fauns are often conceptualized as half-goat, half-man. This faun believes Ofelia to be the spirit of Princess Moana, and gives her a book with three tasks she must complete before she can return. A tender and troubling examination of war, trauma, and escape, "Pan's Labyrinth" is the apotheosis of modern fairy tales.

Krampus In Krampus

Writer-director Michael Dougherty's "Krampus" had a lot to live up to. His long-delayed "Trick 'r Treat" had since become a cult classic — anyone who's visited a Spirit Halloween can attest that the movie's central antagonist, Sam, is the new de facto face of Halloween — and with "Krampus," audiences were eager to see whether lightning might strike twice. The cast looked great, with the likes of Toni Collette and Adam Scott leading the charge, and early promotional material promised something wickedly dark. Upon release, though, expectations were tempered. While critics called it "good, gory fun," "Krampus" never really took off.

That's a shame, because "Krampus" is incredible. The titular monster himself is incredibly realized, a practically rendered behemoth with massive tusks and a fur-lined robe, all wrapped in an assemblage of chains and bells. That image itself is worth the price of admission alone, though "Krampus" also delivers an exceptional modern take on an ancient myth. 

Krampus, per Alpine folklore, was the anti-Santa Claus, a horned monster whose role was to scare misbehaving children during December, whipping them with birch rods for their misdeeds. "Krampus" respects his legend, turning Krampus into a genuinely unsettling presence summoned to punish a family that's lost its holiday spirit. With a league of monstrous toys and elves in tow, "Krampus" is uncompromising in its commitment to visceral, playful holiday terror.

Jötunn In "The Ritual"

Netflix often has a penchant for dropping new movies with little to no fanfare. Sometimes, these titles take off, securing a place in the top 10 for several weeks and cementing themselves as movies to remember. Other times, they evaporate as soon as they premiere. Lucky for "The Ritual," then, that it defied the odds, becoming one of Netflix's preeminent horror hits when it launched on the platform in 2018. With strong reviews and a terrifying central foe, it was subversive, unexpected, and defied expectations.

A group of four men hike the Kungsleden trail in northern Sweden to honor a friend who was killed in an attempt to thwart a robbery. The survivors are racked with guilt for their failure to intervene, and while it's bad enough that the surrounding woods incite hallucinations and ritualistic nightmares, it gets considerably worse when they discover a jötunn has been stalking them. 

This jötunn is an ancient, god-like entity that descended from Loki; that's a twist, as mythology says that the jötunn are actually the Norse gods' early ancestors. A towering monster with an elk-like body, skeletal head, and human-esque hands, the jötunn is a terrifying foe, one the isolated cultists in "The Ritual" have been worshiping for generations.

Read this next: The 12 Best Vampire Movies Of All Time

The post The 14 Scariest Mythological Monsters in Horror Movies appeared first on /Film.

Christopher Reeve is often referred to as the best on-screen Superman, and for good reason. The actor effortlessly conveyed the greatness within Kal-El, and maintained a perfect balance between the socially awkward Clark Kent and Superman, who radiated confidence and courage. Reeve played the Man of Steel in four films -- "Superman," "Superman II," "Superman III," and "Superman IV: The Quest for Peace" -- defining the character for a generation. Henry Cavill is a fantastic Superman, but as a young kid, Reeve charmed me unlike no other superhero had before.

In a way, it's as if Christopher Reeve was born to play the superhero. When he was a young kid in New York City, the actor would get a "whiplash" from watching the planes flying overhead. At one glance, Reeve knew he wanted to pursue flying. Little did the actor know that his immense passion for it would one day bring the role of Superman to him, and he'd be able to fly, without flying at all.

Christopher Reeve Was Passionate About Flying

Before the actor was supported by a crane hundreds of feet over Manhattan's East River, Reeve was a trained pilot, who had years of experience flying by himself. After the actor scored a role alongside legendary actress Katharine Hepburn in "A Matter of Gravity" (1976) on Broadway, the star was able to earn a flying license and buy a Piper Cherokee 140, his first plane. "I have 2,500 hours and a commercial license," the actor once told The Washington Post.

Reeve is known to have flown himself to public appearances across the country, and once his Man of Steel character brought him an abundance of wealth, Reeve purchased a glider in Switzerland. Although the "Superman" producers requested the actor not to fly during the filming of the movie, Reeve's flying skills were instrumental in saving the superhero's flight scenes. It's how Christopher Reeve successfully made us believe that a man could really fly.

How Reeve Sold The Flying Illusion

Have you ever wondered how Christopher Reeve's portrayal of Superman was convincing beyond belief? He never had the physique of Henry Cavill or the advanced CGI employed by the DCEU years later. However, Reeve's knowledge of aviation was a true asset to his role, not his bulging muscles.

When the actor was suspended from a wire, he would imagine himself in flight, and replicate his arm movements as Reeves would in a plane. He borrowed inspiration from his learning experiences while gliding over Switzerland, and stretched his arms while twisting his body left or right when suspended by a harness. He'd extend his toes and keep them pointed to make a "a streamlined fuselage," which is the main body of an aircraft. The actor's movements reflected that of a plane, as he continued to pursue his life's passion in movies. Reeve pursued both careers, although he suggested that he enjoyed the discipline of flying a lot more than the "undisciplined and chaotic" acting world.

Reeve Had Tremendous Discipline, Thanks To Flying

Years later, Christopher Reeve had to channel his treasure trove of discipline and determination once again, when an accident during an equestrian competition left him paralyzed from the neck down. The actor suffered from a spinal cord injury after being thrown down from his horse on May 27, 1995. He used a wheelchair and a ventilator until he died in 2004, but Reeve was unstoppable despite his injury.

The actor took on a new role in his life, and inspired people to work harder to find a cure for spinal cord injuries. He worked tirelessly to raise awareness about the importance of this research, while working hard to walk again. Reeve published two books following his injury, "Still Me" in 1999, and "Nothing is Impossible" in 2002.

In his former book, the actor wrote about how the definition of a hero had changed for him over the years. Reeve previously believed that any person "who commits a courageous action without considering the consequences" was a hero, but after learning from his own hardships and battles, the actor began to believe that any "ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles" was a real hero.

Throughout his life, Christopher Reeve mastered the art of making the impossible happen, with resilient courage. He might have portrayed a beloved superhero on-screen, but he also lived the life of one.

Read this next: 20 Movies About Time Travel Ranked Worst To Best

The post How Christopher Reeve Saved Superman's Flight Scenes appeared first on /Film.

Marvel's "Hawkeye" series, currently in the middle of its run on Disney+, has introduced us to a brand new hero in the form of Kate Bishop. Taking after Jeremy Renner's Clint Barton and played by Hailee Steinfeld, she is a skilled archer and looks to potentially take up that mantle in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But the show has left one lingering question through its first few episodes. Namely, did Kate get snapped to dust by Thanos? Now, we have an answer.

Warning: spoilers ahead for "Hawkeye." Proceed with caution.

The opening of the show sees Kate Bishop, roughly 9 or 10 years of age (though it's not explicitly stated) during the events of 2012's "The Avengers" at the battle of New York. Hawkeye inadvertently saves her life and thus, her obsession with archery and heroism begins. We pick up with Kate in her twenties in the main portion of the show, which takes place after the events of "Avengers: Endgame." So, was Kate brought back by Tony Stark's snap? Or was she around for the full five-year ride on Earth following "Infinity War?" In an interview with The Wrap, Steinfeld provided a definitive answer.

"No, I believe that we see her survive and we see, you know, loss there as well. And that didn't happen to her."

So there we have it. Kate, like half of the population in the universe, was left to suffer the aftermath of Thanos' deadly snap. But the fact that we even had to ask this question opens up a can of worms that the MCU now has to contend with in the aftermath of "Endgame."

Thanos Made A Mess Of The MCU Timeline

"Infinity War" takes place around 2018. However, the bulk of "Endgame" takes place five years after the fact, putting it approximately in 2023. Given that the movie was released in 2019, that was one hell of a leap forward. That has provided a bit of a mess for every MCU project that is coming in Phase 4, as the timeline has to be sorted out. "Hawkeye" somewhat vaguely takes place in "present day." Renner also explained recently that it takes place "pretty much as it's released." This to say, we don't have an exact date pinned on the show.

With regards to Kate's age, if she had been snapped away, she would seemingly be a lot younger than she is in the show. But the messy timeline doesn't help matters any, and the fact that this is a question that needs to be addressed for pretty much every character we meet in the MCU from here on out might become a bit tedious. Perhaps at some point it's something we'll move on from. Though a cosmically massive event like that isn't likely something that the world's people would forget, even years removed from it.

"Hawkeye" returns with new episodes Wednesdays on Disney+.

Read this next: Every Pre-MCU Marvel Movie Ranked

The post Was Hawkeye's Kate Bishop Snapped Out of Existence By Thanos? appeared first on /Film.

Warning: Spoilers ahead for the first three episodes of "Hawkeye."

The hardcore Marvel fans among us may or may not have let out a yelp five minutes into the latest episode of "Hawkeye." But in our defense, screaming (just a little) is the only reasonable response to the potential character appearance that this episode hints at with the introduction of Echo's "uncle." Last week, the Disney+ series hit the ground running with its two-episode premiere, jam-packed with Easter eggs and intriguing foreshadowing. And while the story occasionally slows down for some necessary dog walks or relaxing subway rides, the twists and turns seem never-ending. Thrilling as this may be for the audience, Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner) is quickly approaching his limit.

In the third episode of "Hawkeye," appropriately titled "Echoes," Clint's quest to bury his past as Ronin hits a serious complication: Maya Lopez (Alaqua Cox) is digging. The mysterious character we caught a glimpse of at the end of episode 2 is finally revealed, backstory and all, as the leader of the Tracksuit Mafia, determined to track down the mysterious Ronin. It turns out that the masked boogeyman murdered her father (Zahn McClarnon), and if we know anything about comic book heroes and villains, it's how dangerous the murdered parent baggage can become.

On the bright side, Maya has more than one parental figure to turn to. In flashbacks to her childhood, we hear mention of an uncle, who makes a barely visible appearance, pinching her cheeks as she looks up affectionately. He's almost entirely offscreen, sans a brief glimpse at his suit, so how could we possibly identify the mystery man? It's as simple as a chuckle — and his laugh happens to be startlingly familiar. So, let the theorizing begin.

Who Is The Mysterious Uncle?

I'd recognize that evil laugh anywhere! Though we never see his face, the tall man wears a crisp black suit and chuckles an awful lot like a villainous Vincent D'Onofrio. I hate to jinx it, but could "Hawkeye" mark the MCU return of D'Onofrio's Wilson Fisk? The Kingpin must jump streaming platforms to make his grand return, having first appeared in Netflix's "Daredevil," but it's not an impossible gambit. Rumors have been circling for quite a while that Charlie Cox might reprise the role of Matt Murdock in "Spider-Man: No Way Home." What's to stop Fisk from following suit?

These are only rumors of course, and Fisk himself has yet to be confirmed, but the "Hawkeye" episode provides lots of wink-wink nudge-nudge action. Beyond the signature suit and distinct chuckle, Maya's uncle gets other references throughout the episode. After Clint and Kate (Hailee Steinfeld) escape the Tracksuit Mafia, Maya is questioned by her second-in-command Kazi (Fra Free), a character whose appearance comes with its own set of implications. He makes the point that chasing after Ronin and engaging with Clint, a known Avenger, makes it difficult for the gang to keep a low profile. "I just hope Uncle won't find out," he tells her. "He won't be happy."

Elsewhere, Clint and Kate take a stroll with Lucky the Pizza Dog and talk through the details of the dangerous gang. Doubling down on what's implied by Kazi, Clint confirms that Maya may be the boss on the ground level, but there's someone more dangerous above her: "Someone you don't want to mess with." Speaking as someone who knows what Wilson Fisk can do with a car door, it's safe to say he's the kind of evil that a novice like Kate (and even a veteran hero like Clint), may want to avoid. But duty calls.

Overall, Fisk feels like a pretty solid candidate for the guy behind the scenes of a large mafia organization given that he's introduced in "Daredevil" with the exact same job description. He's known as the Kingpin of Crime because he tends to be wrapped up in all kinds of nefarious action like, say, black market auctions. Last week, one eagle-eyed fan noticed that the site of the underground auction crashed by the Tracksuits has appeared in a Marvel series before. Can you guess which one? Ding ding ding — "Daredevil!" In season 3, the same hotel was the home of Wilson Fisk. It could be a reused set, sure, and maybe last week we would've dismissed it as such, but the clues are starting to add up. When Maya arrives to find her father being murdered by Ronin, the auto shop run by the Tracksuit Mafia is called "Fat Man Auto Repair," which could well be a reference to the Kingpin's formidable frame. Put it all together, and the return of Wilson Fisk now feels like a real possibility.

Wilson Fisk Is Up To His Old Tricks

Bolstering this possibility is the fact that Wilson Fisk and Maya Lopez have history. In the comics, Maya is best known as her alter ego, Echo — a name we expect she'll take on in the "Hawkeye" series given her impending spin-off of the same name. She first arrived in 1999, in the pages of "Daredevil" #9, created by David Mack and Joe Quesada. A member of the Cheyenne Tribe, Maya is born deaf and raised by a single father, just as the Disney+ series depicts. In this iteration, her father works as an enforcer for Fisk until he's killed on the Kingpin's orders. Ever crafty, Fisk blames the murder on his archnemesis, Daredevil, and takes Maya in as his adopted daughter. Fueled by rage and a need for revenge, she takes on the name Echo (in reference to her ability to replicate any skill she sees performed) and goes after the masked superhero. Eventually, Fisk's lies come to light and Echo learns to use her powers for good.

Given the comic book connection and his role as her adoptive father, Fisk as Maya's uncle isn't too far a stretch. Plus, their comic history hints at an even bigger possibility: could Fisk be behind her father's death in this version too? Back in his "Daredevil" days, Fisk has a solid business relationship with some very powerful ninjas, amongst many other assassins. Ordering one of said lackeys to disguise themselves as Ronin and murder Maya's father wouldn't exactly be out of character for this villainous crime lord. Though we don't know the details of his business relationship with the elder Lopez, Kazi mentions that the former Tracksuit Mafia leader was known to put his crew first. Caring for henchmen isn't really on brand for Fisk, so why wouldn't he get rid of the leader who took extra care to keep the gang safe? And given how easy it was for Kate to don the costume and convince the world she was Ronin returned, it's easy to imagine someone else doing the same of Fisk's orders.

We won't actually know the truth of this mystery man until he finally shows his face (or screams "Vanessa" in a loud, gravelly voice), but maybe all this wishful thinking will pay off! That would make this a pretty cheeky tweet on D'Onofrio's part — but more importantly, it means we'll have to think twice about those Charlie Cox rumors and the possibility of "Daredevil: being folded into the larger MCU.

"Hawkeye" returns with new episodes Wednesdays on Disney+.

Read this next: 11 Marvel Comics Villains We Really Want To See In The MCU

The post Who's Playing Maya's Uncle in Hawkeye? Here's One Possibility appeared first on /Film.

Windows 11's taskbar is a giant step back in usability compared to Windows 10, and now Microsoft is starting to make improvements. A new update that's currently being tested by Windows Insiders brings the clock and date back to the taskbar on secondary or multiple monitors. From a report: It's a change that multiple monitor users will appreciate, as many have had to install third-party apps like ElevenClock just to get this basic functionality in Windows 11. I've not been shy about criticizing the changes made to the taskbar in Windows 11. I hate the new taskbar, so I'm happy to see Microsoft make this initial change. There's still much more to be improved, and hopefully we see the return of being able to drag and drop files onto taskbar apps and the general customization options. Elsewhere, Microsoft is also making some improvements to the Start menu in Windows 11. The latest 22509 Insider build includes the ability to configure the Start menu to show more pins or more recommendations instead. That makes the Start menu a little more customizable, although many Windows 11 users are also opting for third-party apps here, too.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Danny DeVito perhaps doesn't get the credit he deserves as one of the truly distinct and great comic book villains we've ever had with his turn as Penguin in "Batman Returns." But the world being what it is, comic book movie-obsessed and all, it seems everything ultimately comes back around. To that end, the actor has revealed that he would be interested in revisiting the role once more, though it would seemingly only happen under the exact right circumstances.

DeVito has revisited Penguin in a roundabout way with the release of DC's "Gotham City Villains Anniversary Giant," which features a story co-written by him centered on none other than the iconic Batman villain. In a recent interview with Forbes, DeVito made it pretty clear he'd be open to taking another crack at Oswald Cobblepot, provided the opportunity.

"I feel like it's not out of the question that The Penguin will return someday, but this is all up to Tim [Burton], whether or not Tim wants to do this. I would say that could be in the cards because we ain't dead yet (laughs). We could do a continuation of what we had in the past because that was truly a brilliant movie. They afforded me that opportunity and I feel very grateful and would I like to revisit it? Why not! It was a really great moment in time for me."

So it seems DeVito is specifically interested in reuniting with Tim Burton, who directed "Batman" and "Batman Returns." Elsewhere in the interview, the actor circled back to the topic adding, "There is a little Oswald in me. And then there's Danny. I'm not a closed book, I'm pretty much an open book."

Penguin's Return Is Certainly Possible

Even just a handful of years ago, the idea of anyone from the Burton era of "Batman" returning to the role on the big screen would seem downright impossible. Yet, so much has changed in the last couple of years that nothing seems out of the question anymore. Namely, studios with comic book franchises are embracing the idea of the multiverse. Marvel is doing this in a big way with "Spider-Man: No Way Home," as well as next year's "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness." DC, not surprisingly, is doing something similar.

Next year's "The Flash" movie, directed by Andy Muschietti ("IT") and starring Ezra Miller as Barry Allen, is going full-on multiverse as well. To that end, Michael Keaton's Batman from the Burton movies will be returning in the film. While Robert Pattinson's "The Batman," which takes place elsewhere in the larger multiverse, sees Colin Farrell taking on the role of Penguin, that doesn't rule out DeVito's return. Through the multiverse, all things are possible.

The ball now firmly sits in Warner Bros.' court. They could — and we stress could — talk to the actor and Burton to see if they would have any interest in doing something. It seems like a bit of a long shot, but stranger things have happened. Like Keaton returning as Batman alongside Ben Affleck's Batman in the same movie in 2022.

"Gotham City Villains Anniversary Giant" is available now.

Read this next: Batman Movies Ranked From Worst To Best

The post Danny DeVito Would Love to Play the Penguin Again in a New Batman Movie appeared first on /Film.

One of the most famous never-made movies in Hollywood history is Guillermo del Toro's big-budget H.P. Lovecraft adaptation, "At the Mountains of Madness." Del Toro was planning to adapt Lovecraft's tale of terror as a $150 million-budgeted movie with Tom Cruise in the lead and James Cameron producing, and you'd think the combo of del Toro, Cameron, and Cruise would be enough to excite any studio. Instead, Universal, where the project was set up, eventually got cold feet and del Toro never got to scale those "Mountains of Madness." 

But some big things have changed since the project fell apart. Primarily, del Toro's "The Shape of Water" won him both Best Picture and Best Director Oscars and that's the sort of thing that gives you clout in showbiz. So will Guillermo del Toro ever try to revive "At The Mountains of Madness"? During an appearance on The Kingcast (co-hosted by /Film's own Eric Vespe), the filmmaker revealed he hasn't given up hope just yet, and that he even pitched Netflix on the project. 

In 2004, word broke that Guillermo del Toro was going to direct a film adaptation of the H.P. Lovecraft novella "At the Mountains of Madness." However, that never entirely got off the ground. No matter -- del Toro bided his time, and by 2010, after walking around from helming the first film in "The Hobbit" trilogy, del Toro's "At the Mountains of Madness" was back on track at Universal. The filmmaker's vision for the project was grand: blockbuster king James Cameron would produce, special effects house Industrial Light & Magic would handle the effects, and Tom Cruise would star. All of this wasn't going to be cheap, and the projected budget for the flick was somewhere around $150 million. And oh yeah, it was going to be rated R. What's the worst that could happen?

At The Mountains Of Netflix

According to the book "Underexposed! The 50 Greatest Movies Never Made" by Joshua Hull, the biggest hurdle facing "At the Mountains of Madness" was Ridley Scott's "Prometheus." That, too, was a big-budget, R-rated sci-fi tale of horror, and it even had similar plot elements to "Madness." "Prometheus" wasn't a box office bomb, but it failed to meet projections. As a result, Universal got cold feet and the project fell apart.

Now, del Toro is an even bigger name than he was back in 2010. More popularity means more power, which inspired The Kingcast to ask del Toro if he might revive "Madness," perhaps at Netflix. Del Toro already has a good relationship with the streaming service, the home of his "Tales of Arcadia" animated series. According to del Toro, one of the first potential projects he took to Netflix was "At the Mountains of Madness." He also added that the script needs work: 

"The thing with Mountains is the screenplay I co-wrote fifteen years ago is not the screenplay I would do now, so I need to do a rewrite. Not only to scale it down somehow, but because back then I was trying to bridge the scale of it with elements that would make it go through the studio machinery."

Del Toro went on to add that when and if he does revisit "At the Mountains of Madness," he won't have to worry about making it as "blockbuster-y" as the aborted film project. "I can go to a far more esoteric, weirder, smaller version of it," he said, continuing: 

"You know, where I can go back to some of the scenes that were left out. Some of the big set pieces I designed, for example, I have no appetite for. Like, I've already done this or that giant set piece. I feel like going into a weirder direction."

And if all of that weren't enough to keep you pining for this thing, del Toro also played up how disturbing the ending of the film would've been:

"I know the ending we have is one the most intriguing, weird, unsettling endings, for me. There's about four horror set pieces that I love in the original script. So, you know, it would be my hope. I certainly get a phone call every six months from Don Murphy going 'Are we doing this or what? Are you doing this next or what?' and I say 'I have to take the time to rewrite it.'"

And What Of Tommy Cruise?

If del Toro does manage to revive "At the Mountains of Madness," might he also bring back Tom Cruise? Probably not! "You know, I think the age has changed now," del Toro said. "Tom is fifteen years older. I think ... would be a different cast. If I can, I would go for mostly unknowns and make the journey the star."

And you know what? I think that's for the best. Don't get me wrong -- I love me some Tommy Cruise. But I honestly can't picture Cruise in a horror movie. To be fair, he did star in the excellent "Interview With the Vampire" movie, but that seems to be an outlier. Beyond that, he's gravitated away from horror and instead zeroed in on action. Someone, somewhere, is probably saying, "But what about 'The Mummy'?!" C'mon, people. Do you really think that was a horror movie? Because ... no. And besides, action is what really what works for him. So keep doing what you're doing, Tom Cruise. You know, stuff like needlessly risking your life for our entertainment and going to space. 

What Is At The Mountains Of Madness?

So just what the heck is "At the Mountains of Madness"? It's a novella from legendary horror writer (and racist) H.P. Lovecraft. The story was first published in a serialized format in 1936 issues of "Astounding Stories" magazine. The story follows a doomed expedition to Antarctica in September 1930, where a group lead by Dr. William Dyer of Miskatonic University discovers all sorts of strange things with terrifying implications. Like pretty much every other Lovecraft story, "Mountains" concerns the type of unspeakable horrors that have the power to drive a person insane. 

Here's a synopsis with some more details:

Arkham, 1933. Professor Dyer, a prominent geologist, learns that a scientific expedition will soon leave for Antarctica following in the footsteps of the journey which he himself had made in 1931. In the hope of dissuading the attempt, Dyer decides to make a full account of the tragic events he had survived, this time without omitting the passages which he had kept silent about on his return, for fear of being taken for a madman. Two years earlier, ships chartered by Miskatonic University had landed on the frozen continent at the start of the Antarctic summer, and the group of four professors and sixteen students set to work immediately. The expedition biologist, Professor Lake, left with several members of the team to follow a promising fossil track. After just a few days, he announced by radio that he had discovered astonishing specimens of an unknown ancient species, before stopping all communication after a terrible storm. Guessing the worst, Dyer went to their rescue the next day. What he discovered went beyond his wildest fears ...

And oh yeah, there are six-foot-tall penguins in the story. Now aren't you sad you never got to see Tom Cruise interacting with giant penguins? 

Lovecraft isn't the easiest author to adapt to the screen, which is why so many memorable movies inspired by his work -- like "Re-Animator" and "From Beyond" -- take great liberties with the text. All that said, if there's one person I trust to knock this sort of thing out of the park, it's Guillermo del Toro. And I really do hope he gets to make this someday. For now, we'll have to look forward to del Toro's next movie, "Nightmare Alley," which opens in theaters on December 17, 2021.

Read this next: 20 Movies About Serial Killers That Will Absolutely Creep You Out

The post Guillermo Del Toro Wants to Make At The Mountains Of Madness for Netflix, Take It in a 'Weirder' Direction appeared first on /Film.

On Sunday, a loud explosion was heard all around the uninhabited Fox Island off the south shore of Long Island, new York. The boom resonated as far as sixteen miles away. The mysterious blast left a big crater—four feet wide by two feet deep—on the beach. — Read the rest

The latest NVIDIA GeForce driver has become public and with it, several gamers will be able to enjoy the latest games with several optimizations. The latest driver (479.09) particularly focuses on bringing day-0 optimizations for ICARUS, the new co-op survival game by Dean Hall and RocketWerkz. The patch brings multiple benefits for RTX users, including the usual performance boots and even the support for RTX Global Illumination.

After installing the latest driver, players will be able to optimize their experience using NVIDIA's trademark performance boosts and RTX Global Illumination. This enhances the game's environments with realistic lighting from the sun and moon, which naturally bounce from surface to surface. RTXGI also allows for lighting to constantly change as players level trees, erect buildings, and change the environment.

NVIDIA describes the game as follows:

Icarus is a uniquely session-based survival game for up to eight co-op players or solo, developed by Dean Hall (creator of DayZ) and his New Zealand-based studio RocketWerkz.

Set in the aftermath of a terraforming project gone wrong, players drop down onto the planet Icarus for limited duration drops to complete missions and seek riches. Bringing limited resources with them, prospectors must explore the damaged planet, craft tools and machinery, build shelter, survive storms, hunt wildlife, extract exotic matter and return to their dropship in time - or be left behind forever.

You can watch a video showcasing the improvements brought by RTX below.

The latest NVIDIA GeForce Driver also brings optimizations and enhancements for multiple games which will launch in the coming days. Chorus will have enhancements like NVIDIA DLSS to provide the definitive experience for RTX players. In addition, GeForce Experience's one-click optimal settings have received support for the following games:

• Farming Simulator 22
• Halo Infinite
• Inscryption
• Ruined King: A League of Legends Story
• Crab Game

Finally, the latest NVIDIA GeForce Driver includes support for newly validated G-SYNC compatible displays. The displays that are supported can be seen below:

The new NVIDIA GeForce 497.09 driver can be downloaded through NVIDIA GeForce Experience. In other news, NVIDIA's next-generation GeForce RTX 40 series gaming graphics cards based on the Ada Lovelace GPU architecture are being prepped for a major 2022 launch. You can read the report we wrote on the matter here.

The post NVIDIA GeForce 497.09 Driver Brings Ray Tracing and DLSS Support for Icarus by Ule Lopez appeared first on Wccftech.

Multiple Vulnerabilities Found in More Than 150 HP Printer Models; Critical Flaw Could Allow Attackers to Move Laterally

Vulnerabilities in more than 150 multi-function printers from HP demonstrate that any type of device that connects to a network can expand the perceived threat surface.

read more

Apple is heavily invested in augmented reality and the company will potentially enhance its focus on the segment in the coming years. We have previously heard that the company will launch its first AR headset by the end of next year. Now, popular Apple analyst claims that the company will replace the iPhone with its forthcoming AR headset in ten years. Scroll down to read more details on the subject.

Apple Will Replace the iPhone With Its AR Headset in the Next Ten Years

In his investor notes, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo explains that Apple's objective is to replace the iPhone with AR in ten years (via MacRumors). The transition will start next year with the launch of Apple's AR headset which will be used as an independent device. What this means is that the AR headset will not connect to a secondary device and it will not be used as a complementary device like the Apple Watch. To bolster its plans, Apple intends to support a "comprehensive range of applications" to replace the iPhone.

The AR Headset will also support VR capabilities all thanks to a pair of 4K Micro OLED displays supplied by Sony. To power the headset, Apple will use M1-like processors to support high-end features.

Apple's AR headset requires a separate processor as the computing power of the sensor is significantly higher than that of the iPhone. For example, the AR headset requires at least 6-8 optical modules to simultaneously provide continuous video see-through AR services to users. In comparison, an iPhone requires up to 3 optical modules running simultaneously and does not require continuous computing.

The headset will feature 2 processors to bolster several features that require additional computing power. The main processor will be an M1-like processor while a comparatively lower-end SoC will handle the headset's sensors.

We predict that Apple's AR headset to be launched in 4Q22 will be equipped with two processors. The higher-end processor will have similar computing power as the M1 for Mac, whereas the lower-end processor will be in charge of sensor-related computing.

The power management unit (PMU) design of the high-end processor is similar to that of M1 because it has the same level of computing power as M1.

Since the AR headset is expected to launch in the fourth quarter of 2022, Apple will potentially begin manufacturing in the second half of next year. This is all there is to it, folks. What kind of applications do you think the AR headset will be best for? Moreover, do you think Apple will cannibalize the iPhone in the next decade? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

The post Apple Might Replace the iPhone With AR Headset in 10 Years by Ali Salman appeared first on Wccftech.

From "Annabelle" to "Chucky," the horror genre is filled with terrifying tales of evil dolls with homicidal intentions wreaking havoc on unsuspecting families. Unlike the alleged real-life events that inspired "Annabelle," the events depicted in the 1988 slasher flick "Child's Play" are regarded as a work of fiction; however, the tale of Robert the Doll, a real-life case of paranormal activity involving a haunted doll, has some pretty striking similarities to that of Chucky in "Child's Play."

The commonalities between Robert and Chucky are so great that some fans have come to suspect that Don Mancini, the creator of Chucky and screenwriter for all of the movies in the "Child's Play" franchise, must have inspired by Robert when creating his own possessed doll. Here's what we know.

The True Story Of Robert The Doll

As a folklore and horror obsessed Floridian, I am quite familiar with the story of Robert the Doll. As the legend goes, sometime in the early 1900s, a doll was given to a young boy named Robert "Gene" Otto in Key West, Florida. Gene was instantly enamored with the doll, giving it his old sailor outfit and even his very own first name: Robert. Soon after Robert entered the Otto household, reports of strange occurrences involving the doll began to occur. Residents and visitors of the home in which Robert resided said that they witnessed the doll move on its own, change facial expressions as though he was listening to nearby conversations, and emit a sinister laugh. Even Gene's own parents stated that they would often hear the young boy talking to Robert alone in his room, and that another voice would reply. Additionally, Gene would often blame mishaps, including rearranged and destroyed furniture, strange noises, and mysteriously mutilated toys, on Robert. Despite the doll's seemingly malicious nature, Gene was obsessed with Robert. He would carry him everywhere and referred often to him as if he were a living entity instead of a children's toy.

Eventually, Gene grew up and went to college in Chicago to study the arts, leaving Robert behind. However, after the passing of his parents, Gene moved back into his childhood home, which would come to be known in Florida as "The Artist House," and was pleased to find Robert there. He even gave Robert his own room, much to the dismay of his wife, who found the doll creepy and unsettling. Like Gene's parents and everyone else who encountered Robert years ago, Gene's wife also claimed that Robert seemed to possess a mind of his own, moving about the house, filling the halls with wicked laughter, and causing disturbances. She wanted Robert gone, but Gene was not eager to completely part with his childhood companion, so he conceded to lock Robert away in the attic. Interestingly, Robert routinely "escaped" from the attic, and passersby would state that Robert often sat in the window of the bedroom Gene had originally set aside for him, mocking them as they passed. No matter how many times Gene would make sure to return Robert to the attic, he would appear in various places throughout the house. Reports of Robert's mischief persisted.

After Gene died in 1974, Robert gained a new owner when The Artist House was purchased by a woman named Myrtle Reuter. Myrtle would live with Robert for 20 years before donating him to a museum, claiming that he would change facial expressions, move and walk around the house on his own, laugh evilly, and engage in other antics typical of a supernaturally possessed doll. Myrtle's visitors also routinely witnessed and spoke about various instances of Robert's haunted hijinks.

Eventually, Myrtle donated Robert to Fort East Martello Museum in Key West, Florida, claiming that the doll was indeed haunted. Robert remains at the museum to this day, and visitors often report strange occurrences in the presence of the doll, in addition to post-visit misfortunes that many attribute to "disrespecting Robert." The severity of Robert's alleged wrath is so extreme that the museum regularly receives apology letters addressed to Robert. Though the exact origins of Robert's paranormal behavior are unclear, legend has it that Robert was cursed by a mistreated servant of Gene's family, who used voodoo to exact her revenge by bringing life to the doll.

Robert Vs Chucky: Eerie Similarities

So that's the true story of the infamous Robert the Doll. If you're familiar with the fictional origin story of Chucky the killer doll in the "Child's Play" movies and "Chucky" TV series, you'll notice some obvious similarities between Chucky and Robert's respective stories. Like Robert, Chucky was a gift to a little boy who, at first, sees Chucky as his best friend and primary companion. In the first "Child's Play" movie, young Andy is obsessed with the "Good Guy" dolls, and is happy to receive one as a gift from his mother. Neither Andy nor his mother is aware that their particular Good Guy doll has been possessed by serial killer Charles Lee Ray, who inhabits the doll's body as the result of a voodoo spell in which Charles, also known as Chucky, transferred his soul into it. This is not unlike the supposed voodoo magic that led to the creation of Robert -- you know, minus the serial killer part.

Chucky's tale also parallels that of Robert's in that he is a living doll who causes chaos wherever he goes. Both dolls possess a mischievous nature, with Chucky taking his antics to murderous extremes, while Robert's evil escapades result in actual people begging his forgiveness after their lives suddenly take a turn for the worse upon meeting him. While there are no verifiable accounts of Robert going so far as to actually commit murder, many horror fans assume the "Child's Play" franchise was inspired by the true story of Robert the Doll. Even so, is there any actual evidence to suggest that Don Mancini was inspired by Robert when creating Chucky?

The Creator Of Chucky Weighs In

Despite the uncanny parallels between the legend of Robert of the Doll and "Child's Play," there is no verifiable evidence that lends credence to the rumor that "Child's Play" was inspired by the creepy reality of Robert's curious existence. In fact, Don Mancini has always been open about what inspired him to create everyone's favorite killer doll, stating that the source of inspiration was something that can be far more sinister than Robert and his dark origins: the advertising industry. 

In a 2019 interview with Mental Floss, Mancini disclosed that he originally "wanted to write a dark satire about how marketing affected children," and that the popularity of the Cabbage Patch Kids at the time played a role. In that same interview, he mentions that the "killer doll" trope was not original in and of itself, but that he wanted to take it a step further than it had been at the time:

"Being a horror fan all of my life, I had seen Trilogy of Terror, I had seen the Talky Tina episode of The Twilight Zone, and I knew the killer doll trope. But what I realized was that it had never been done as a feature-length film in the age of animatronics." He goes on to say in that the original "Child's Play" script, the doll wasn't possessed at all. Instead, he was "a manifestation of a little boy's unconscious rage, his id."

Mancini's original script was reworked until we were eventually blessed with Chucky, the pint-sized homicidal maniac we know and love today. While having a "based on a true story" label can easily up the fear factor of any horror film, a scary movie doesn't have to be based on real life events to be good. Sometimes spooky similarities are little more than creepy coincidences.

Read this next: The 20 Best '60s Horror Movies Ranked

The post Was Child's Play Inspired by This Creepy True Story? appeared first on /Film.

Today, Vice President Kamala Harris' office released a new framework for US space policy, detailing how the Biden administration plans to approach commercial, civil, and military space activity moving forward. From a report: Called the United States Space Priorities Framework, the document keeps many of the same space priorities from the previous administration but adds a new emphasis on using space to help combat climate change and investing in STEM education. The new framework comes ahead of today's National Space Council meeting, the first one to be held under the Biden administration. Harris, who chairs the National Space Council, will convene the policy advisory group at the United States Institute of Peace in Washington, DC, at 1:30PM ET today. [...] When it comes to space, the Biden administration is carrying forward many of the priorities set by the Trump administration. Notably, NASA's ambitious Artemis program, which was solidified under Trump, is still a major focus under Biden. And plenty of the topics discussed under Pence's Space Council are included in the new framework released by Harris. A few of the key points include maintaining US leadership in space by sending humans back to the Moon and exploring the Solar System with robotic spacecraft, fostering a competitive, regulatory environment for space companies, and defending against security threats in space while strengthening our space assets. In the biggest break from the previous administration, there looks to be a renewed focus on using space in the fight against climate change. In the new framework, the administration pledges to invest in satellites that can observe Earth from space, helping scientists better understand our changing climate. "Open dissemination of Earth observation data will support both domestic and international efforts to address the climate crisis," the document states. To further drive home this new emphasis on climate research from space, President Biden plans to sign a new Executive Order today that will add five new members to the National Space Council, including the Secretaries of Education, Labor, Agriculture, and the Interior, but also notably the National Climate Advisor.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Director Ridley Scott continues to offer up the choicest sound bites with some real, well, bite to them. First, he blamed the race of "millennian" aliens for the recent box-office failure of his film, "The Last Duel." Now, he's targeting the Gucci family, who were not enamored of his portrayal of them in his latest movie, "House of Gucci."

To be clear, Scott wasn't really talking about aliens in relation to "The Last Duel," which is now available to own on digital platforms. He was just referencing his idea of millennials as phone-addicted destroyers of cinema — despite the fact that the earliest millennials, born in 1981, are now entering their 40s.

Scott himself just celebrated his 84th birthday on November 30, 2021, and if you're one of the millennian and you thought he was only coming for you, you'd be wrong. Patricia Gucci, the daughter of Aldo Gucci, has been critical of Al Pacino's portrayal of her father in "House of Gucci," calling his version of Aldo "fat, short, with sideburns, really ugly." In response, Scott told Total Film:

"The people that were writing from the family to us at the onset were alarmingly insulting, saying that Al Pacino did not represent physically Aldo Gucci in any shape or form. And yet, frankly, how could they be better represented than by Al Pacino? Excuse me! You probably have the best actors in the world, you should be so f***ing lucky."

Based On A True Story

On the one hand, it's understandable why Scott might be defensive about an actor of Pacino's caliber. On the other hand, "House of Gucci" is, as its its trailer reminds us, "based on a true story." And Scott's almost comments have a ring of, "You should be thanking us!"

Sir Ridley has never been one to mince words; one other past comment of his that sticks out in memory is when he justified the whitewashing of his biblical epic, "Exodus: Gods and Kings" by saying, "I can't mount a film of this budget, where I have to rely on tax rebates in Spain, and say that my lead actor is Mohammad so-and-so from such-and-such."

With "House of Gucci," he's courting a different kind of controversy in that he's made a movie about a real-life murder, with Lady Gaga lending sympathy to the woman who arranged said murder. It's understandable that the victim's family members might be none too thrilled, especially when the film goes broad and comedic — or as Scott calls it, "flamboyant" — in terms of its Italian accents and its depiction of certain people.

Jared Leto's over-the-top portrayal of Paolo Gucci is another characterization that has drawn criticism from both the Guccis and film reviewers. The family reportedly takes issue not only with the physical depiction of Aldo and Paolo, but in how the film casts them as "thugs, ignorant and insensitive to the world around them." Filmmaker and fashion designer Tom Ford, the director of "A Single Man" and "Nocturnal Animals," appears in the movie, but he has also spoken up about it, saying, "It was hard for me to see the humor and camp in something that was so bloody."

"House of Gucci" is in theaters now.

Read this next: Kristen Stewart's 14 Best Roles Ranked

The post Ridley Scott Has Words About the Gucci Family Response to House of Gucci: 'You Should Be So F***ing Lucky' appeared first on /Film.

Cage will sink his teeth into the role in Renfield alongside Nicholas Hoult.

As we get closer to the release date of the Steam Deck, now scheduled for February 2022 (for those who were able to pre-order a unit as part of the first wave), Valve is sharing more information on the PC handheld device and on their future plans for it.

A newly updated FAQ page dedicated to developers confirms that there won't be any exclusive games for the Steam Deck, for example. Valve doesn't believe that would make sense, as this is a PC after all and it should just play PC games.

On the hardware front, it will be possible for the GPU to access up to 8GB of VRAM, and that amount can be changed on a per-game basis. While full screen mode will be the default, games can run in windowed mode, too. SteamOS will eventually be released as a separate operating system; non-Steam apps and games can be easily installed on the Steam Deck; and Valve is working closely with Unity, Epic, and even Godot to improve these engines' support of the platform.

How Much VRAM does Steam Deck have?

Steam Deck has 16 gigabyte of unified memory. One gigabyte that's dedicated for the GPU, but depending on workload the GPU can access up to 8 GB.

Does Deck only support full screen mode?

The Steam Deck will automatically run games in full-screen by default.  However, if you drop to desktop, you can run games in windowed mode.

Do you plan to release SteamOS as a standalone, general-purpose operating system?

We definitely plan on releasing SteamOS as a separate operating system. We don't have exact timing on that. We're really focused on making sure that Steam Deck is a great experience, and we'll release it for other hardware soon.

Does Deck support installing software from outside of Steam and can you use it with Proton?

Yes. You can install and add any game like you would on the Steam desktop. Just install the application and then add it to Steam from desktop mode and it'll show up just like it would on any PC.

Is Steam working closely with leading game engine developers, like Epic Games and Unity on Steam Deck?

Yes, we're working with both Unity and Epic on making sure Unreal and Unity engines have integrations that make the development experience for Deck as smooth as possible. And going forward we expect there will be improvements rolling into those engines over time to further integrate with our development tools and to make those engines a great target for Steam Deck. Already there's a pretty good experience for Unity and Unreal developers from the start.

You mentioned that you're talking with Unity and Epic, are you also talking to Godot?

Yes, we're talking to Godot as well and are actively supporting them and want their engine to work well with Steam Deck.

How many sound channels does Steam Deck support?

We support two when using the onboard speakers, but we support multi-channel when using HDMI or Bluetooth.

Will there be a way to install external apps on Deck without going into dev mode?

Yes. You'll be able to install external apps via Flatpak or other software without going into developer mode.

Other than that, Vale also confirmed previously announced information, such as the ability to use the device as an external controller for your PC and the recommendation that game developers implement an FPS limit or use the Steam Deck's own global FPS limiter.

The post Steam Deck Won’t Have Any Exclusive Games, Valve Confirms by Alessio Palumbo appeared first on Wccftech.

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Jessica Henwick is set to play the role of Bugs in the Warner Bros. film "The Matrix Resurrections," and she's all over the trailer. It's a role any actor would kill for, but Henwick had to choose between the highly anticipated "Matrix" film and Marvel Studios' "Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings," according to Entertainment Weekly. She was up for the roles at the same time, and the site reports that both teams said she could only audition if she gave up the other one. Henwick said in the interview with EW:

"It was a red-pill/blue-pill moment for me." 

Well, if that isn't the best choice to have to make! Awful as well, because if you lost one, how could you get the other back? Jessica Henwick is, of course, known for playing Nymeria Sand on "Game of Thrones" and Colleen Wing on "Iron Fist." Her fighting skills are so stunning that she really showed up poor Finn Jones in the latter. It's especially clear when they're training alongside each other with the exact same moves. 

'If You Want The Truth, Neo, You're Going To Have To Follow Me'

Henwick's fighting skills are fully on display in that trailer. She brings Neo (Keanu Reeves) through a mirror, then jumps off buildings, flips over cars, and does some upside down fighting in a hallway. It's pretty spectacular. While it's too early to tell yet whether she made the right choice of taking "The Matrix: Resurrections" over "Shang-Chi," at least Henwick is getting the chance to shine in the footage we've seen so far.

It's going to be difficult to wait until "The Matrix Resurrections" hits theaters and IMAX on December 22, 2021. Theaters not safe where you are quite yet? It will also be available on HBO Max for 31 days, beginning on the same day.

From visionary filmmaker Lana Wachowski comes "The Matrix Resurrections," the long-awaited fourth film in the groundbreaking franchise that redefined a genre. The new film reunites original stars Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss in the iconic roles they made famous, Neo and Trinity.

The film also stars Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (the "Aquaman" franchise) Jessica Henwick (TV's "Iron Fist," "Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens"), Jonathan Groff ("Hamilton," TV's "Mindhunter"), Neil Patrick Harris ("Gone Girl"), Priyanka Chopra Jonas (TV's "Quantico,"), Christina Ricci (TV's "Escaping the Madhouse: The Nellie Bly Story," "The Lizzie Borden Chronicles"), Telma Hopkins (TV's "Dead to Me,"), Eréndira Ibarra (series "Sense8," "Ingobernable"), Toby Onwumere (TV's "Empire"), Max Riemelt (series "Sense8"), Brian J. Smith (series "Sense8," "Treadstone"), and Jada Pinkett Smith ("Angel Has Fallen," TV's "Gotham").

Read this next: The 20 Best Dystopian Movies Of All Time

The post Jessica Henwick Had to Choose Between The Matrix Resurrections and Shang-Chi appeared first on /Film.

Hey, why not pause to think about the possibilities of extraterrestrial life? Galactic colonization? The Drake equation? The intelligent beings that might be listening to the Golden Record at this very moment?

Set aside ten minutes to dive into Tim Urban's fantastic explainer on the Fermi paradox. — Read the rest

Lay D Denton version 1.1 is the first major update for LDDP. It features many fixes and underlying code changes to allow a Male JC/ Female JC side-by-side implementation.

Scientists around the globe are racing to figure out the omicron coronavirus variant. Here's how it compares with delta so far.

Alkimia Interactive posted an update on Gothic 1 (remake). General Update - Minecrawler Sneak Peak & Call for Community Manager Application Minecrawler Sneak Peak & Call for Community Manager Application Back in March, we released a render of the actual in-game Scavenger created for the Gothic Remake to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Gothic....

Three different state-sponsored threat actors aligned with China, India, and Russia have been observed adopting a new method called RTF (aka Rich Text Format) template injection as part of their phishing campaigns to deliver malware to targeted systems. "RTF template injection is a novel technique that is ideal for malicious phishing attachments because it is simple and allows threat actors to

Where the movie foresaw a distinction between digital and physical reality, modern cities are merging them, and not necessarily in a good way.

In the 20th century, the genre imagined the body modifications and protective streetwear that could save us from our own future. Now it needs to envision humanity anew.

Questions are still arising from the shooting on the set of the period Western film "Rust" in October, in which actor Alec Baldwin fired a shot from an on-set weapon during rehearsal that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounded the film's director, Joel Souza. The Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office has been investigating the cause of the shooting and figuring out how a live round made it into a gun used on the production, and detectives have released an affidavit that answers few questions but spreads the blame around as the lawsuits start coming in against those in charge of production.

According to the affidavit, weapons expert Seth Kenney of PDQ Arm & Prop, who supplied firearms for "Rust," told investigators on October 29 that he had an idea as to how live rounds got mixed in with dummy rounds. Kenney divulged to detectives that he came into possession of "reloaded ammunition" -- meaning a new round was fashioned from a previously fired casing, like recycling -- from a friend. This reloaded ammunition had the same logo as the dummy rounds and blanks that he typically supplies to films. The affidavit reads:

Seth described how a couple years back, he received 'reloaded ammunition' from a friend. Seth described the ammunition stuck out to him due to the suspected live round to have (sic) a cartridge with the Starline Brass logo on it... He described how the company only sells components of ammunition, and not live ammunition, and therefore it had to be a reloaded round.

The Common Cry, "It Wasn't Me"

The same affidavit includes more information from interviews conducted with the film's armorer, Hannah Gutierrez Reed, and her father, veteran film armorer Thell Reed. The prop master for "Rust," Sarah Zachry, also spoke to investigators.

Gutierrez Reed describes how, on October 21, she and Zachry "dummied the guns up with dummy rounds" before lunch, but only five rounds because the sixth round did not fit. Just before breaking for lunch, she cleaned the weapon out and loaded the last dummy round but she "didn't really check it too much" before loading the final round. During lunch, the firearm was locked in a safe, per set protocol. "We had the gun the whole time before that, and nothing happened, and I wasn't in there, and they weren't even supposed to be pulling the hammer back," she told detectives. After lunch, Zachry pulled the weapon from the safe and handed it to Gutierrez Reed, who handed it to assistant director Dave Halls, who then placed the weapon in the hands of the lead actor and called "cold gun" (indicating that there were no live rounds in the gun). The next thing Gutierrez Reed heard from outside the church where filming was occurring was the fatal gunshot, and then voices calling for a medic.

Gutierrez Reed's father, Thell Reed, gave a statement to investigators on November 15 and gave a follow-up interview two days later. Therein, he reveals that he and Kenney worked together on a different project in late summer, where they gave live-fire training (on a dedicated range) for actors. Kenney asked Reed to bring some live rounds in case they ran out. He did, but he never got the rounds back. "Write it off," Kenney allegedly told him. These rounds, Reed suggests, may have made their way to the "Rust" set. 

Earlier this month, Gutierrez Reed's attorneys offered yet another theory: that someone intentionally sabotaged the rounds. Halls' lawyer also said that it's not his job to check for live rounds. 

Out of all the statements and assertions we've heard over the past month, the one thing we haven't heard so far is accountability.

Read this next: The Best Movies Of 2021 So Far

The post Rust Weapons Expert Sheds Some Unsurprising Light On The Tragic Shooting appeared first on /Film.

What if users could pay for apps or services not with money or attention, but with their spare compute power? A startup called "Massive" is working to take this concept "into the modern world as an alternative to charging users or pounding them with advertisements to generate revenue," writes TechCrunch's Alex Wilhelm. From the report: Massive announced an $11 million round this morning, led by Point72 Ventures with participation from crypto-themed entities, including CoinShares Ventures and Coinbase Ventures. Several angels also participated in the funding event. The model is interesting, and Massive's funding round is an indication that it has found some market traction. So, we get the company on the horn to learn more. Massive co-founder and CEO Jason Grad described the startup's work as something akin to an Airbnb or Turo for users' computers, comparing its service to some of the more popular consumer-sharing startups that folks already know. It's a reasonable comparison. Some 50,000 desktop computer users -- nodes, in the company's parlance -- have opted into its service. Which is white hat, it goes without saying. Given that Massive is asking for compute power, it will have constant work to do to ensure that it is a good steward of user trust and partner selection; no one wants their spare CPU cycles to go to something illegal. The company has a good early stance toward caring for its nascent compute exchange, with a hard requirement of getting users to opt into its service before joining. To start, Massive is working with crypto-focused companies. They have an obvious need for compute power, and the work they execute -- running blockchain calculations -- is monetized through block rewards and other fees, making them easy choices for partnerships. You can now see why the company's investor list includes a number of crypto-focused venture capital firms. The startup's goal is broader, however. It wants to build a two-sided marketplace for compute power, Grad explained. That means lots more users offering up a slice of their computing power, future acceptance of mobile devices, and a broader partner list. Part of the company's perspective is rooted in the belief that the dominant business models of the internet today are lacking. "Shit," to quote Grad directly.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.