NVIDIA's RTX 40 series graphics cards including the GeForce RTX 4090 & RTX 4080 seem to be pretty popular amongst PC users looking for the best graphics for their computer rigs. Newegg knows this, as the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 has hit its top spot in best-selling graphics cards, with the flagship RTX 4090 GPU taking 3rd place among shoppers.
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Takes Up Best Selling GPU Spot At Newegg Followed By RTX 4090 In A Close 3rd Spot
This news does come as a surprise as recent reports have shown that the GeForce RTX 4080 has had lacking sales throughout the marketplace. Newegg reports that the store's top seller is the Gigabyte GeForce RTX 4080 Gaming OC graphics card ($1,269.99). Interestingly enough, the previous generation graphics cards, such as NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 3060 and RTX 3060 Ti models, remain a favorite in the top 5 spots with consumers due to the lower pricing found in the RTX 30 series GPUs.
AMD's Radeon RX 6700 XT and Radeon RX 6600 are even farther behind the highest-priced RTX 4090 GPU, even though NVIDIA's graphics card is currently $1,599.99 and both AMD models are $479 and $329, respectively. However, Newegg's competitor Amazon shows different top-selling graphics cards that differ from the PC seller.
Amazon reveals that the top-selling graphics card is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060. The RTX 4080 and 4090 cards are much further behind in sales. For instance, NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 4090 is in 15th place, while the RTX 4080 is almost twice as far back, sitting in 28th place. What could cause such a dramatic difference in sales? A few factors come into play with comparing Newegg and Amazon. Amazon is a worldwide seller of more than just PC hardware & components. The online retail giant also sells books, clothing, movies, and more, while Newegg is more centralized in what you would find through them.
Also, there has always been a history of review moderation on the internet, with Amazon seemingly in the spotlight for third-party sellers "fluffing" their products to a five-star rating. And, because retailers do not show sales in numbers of units sold, Newegg or Amazon could have outsold the other on specific GPUs, making it more difficult to say what is genuinely the best-selling graphics card.
AMD has released the Radeon RX 7900 XT and XTX variants ($899 and $999), and on Newegg's website, the cards are at the bottom of the list, even with fantastic pricing. This could dramatically change over the next month as the tech giant has reportedly shipped around 200,000 units for its Q4 2022 supply. We may have to wait to see the best-selling card of 2022 after the year's end to see if AMD's numbers change.
Sorry this review took so long! Our reviewer had the game crash on them on PS5 during the initial process: and after the performance patch. Meanwhile, I had a smoother experience playing The Callisto Protocol: but it didn't help all that much.
The Callisto Protocol (PC, PS4, PS5 [reviewed], Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S) Developer: Striking Distance Studios Publisher: Krafton Released: December 2, 2022 MSRP: $59.99/$69.99
At first, I was floored to dig more into this world. When your horror adventure starts off with a sci-fi plane crash and the main character (played by a confident Josh Duhamel, who recently did a mean rendition of Harvey Dent/Two-Face in The Killing Joke animated two-parter) is hauled away by hulking robotic guards to prison, I'm in.
The initial mystery of Callisto Protocol is particularly intriguing. What is even happening in this universe? How are you going to escape? What's the deal with the organic Resident Evil-esque creatures? Being a prisoner immediately puts you at odds with this world and grounds you in it. The slow buildup is fun to play through, and the entire idea of "a prison escape with creatures" must have been a hell of a pitch. All of this is sold with fairly lifelike character models and some decent performances, but Callisto Protocol just doesn't deliver as time goes on, after the secret sauce is plopped on your plate. The more you progress, the less interesting things get.
As the creatures take the center stage, a few of them are more annoying than formidable. Callisto Protocol relies heavily on jump scares, which sucks away a lot of the legitimate tension when things start feeling artificial. You'll battle these creatures with a melee weapon (a crowbar, which is quickly tossed for a shock stick upgrade), and you'll get your first gun (a pistol) around an hour in. It has the whole survival horror suite: limited inventory, scarce ammo, the whole nine yards. There's even a dedicated stomp button that squishes out items from dead enemies, in a super (welcome) arcadey way.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2jrVnnefE8
On paper, this seems like a decent way to build a survival horror game, but the seams slowly disintegrated. The dodge system is utterly bizarre, for one. It encourages players to press a direction on the analog stick to dodge enemy attacks, alternating directions for subsequent strikes. One-on-one, Callisto Protocol feels manageable. But in the thankfully rarer sequences where more enemies are thrown in, it can get unwieldly because of the clunk, especially when deciphering enemy animations. Throwing QTEs in for good measure (you can turn them off in the options menu) is a risky move, but another left hook I can dodge.
One very cool half-done mechanic is quick-firing, which can be done after a reticle pops up on-screen after a melee attack. It's essentially a quick draw shot that aims at a critical body part of an enemy, and it felt legitimately action-hero-cool to pull it off quickly, then weave another melee hit in afterward. Like every facet of Callisto, there's flashes of brilliance there to remind you that some of these developers worked on Dead Space.
If you like navigating messy systems, you might see it as a challenge, especially on normal difficulty or above (which is a great PS+ or Game Pass gamble, if that opportunity ever arises). I know I did! This is such a weird game to assess, because althoughI did adapt to it, it's mind-boggling how some of these mechanics passed the idea phase. It's like someone wanted to reinvent the wheel of how survival horror action systems should work, and no one told them "no." I can see why it's been so polarizing, and I have played worse, but alongside of the technical problems, it's clear that this game could have used more time in the oven.
As I said earlier I played it after some patches were applied, and while I didn't have hard crashes or concerning framerate issues, I did encounter audio bugs (where some intense dialogue wouldn't even play, despite having subtitles for it). Also, having to remain stationary to listen to audio logs in 2022 is a choice. Checkpoints are amateurish too: if you die, depending on the checkpoint, you may have to redo every single thing you did for minutes at a time, including slowly buying safe zone upgrades and waiting for them to 3D print.
Like many things that Callisto Protocol does, the linear structure could be a source of contention, but I actually enjoyed it. There's enough open world/live service games in the market as it is, and Callisto has some degree of freedom with hidden rooms or extra caches of ammo or upgrades: all with the mostly welcome burden of inventory management. When you have enough ammo to take on an enemy it feels like an achievement, because you took the time to uncover a secret area.
If Callisto Protocol was able to get out of its own way (and was less glitchy at launch), it probably would have been an even bigger hit. If they're aiming for a follow-up I hope they take a lot of the criticism to heart, because there's something here.
[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]
It’s well documented that creativity can help quell the waves of stormy mental health seas. Hours of documentaries chronicle how artists expressed their struggles through brushstrokes, or how an actor agonised over creating an accurate character to counterbalance their imposter syndrome or anxiety. It’s unlikely many creatives have found “refuge” in a 27 year old retro game engine - but that’s exactly how Dan Douglas talks about his sprawling mod for Duke Nukem 3D.
Tim Burton's popular series "Wednesday" stars Jenna Ortega in the titular role, and her portrayal in the Netflix show pays obvious homage to Christina Ricci's performance in the 1991 film, "The Addams Family." Ortega was tasked with respecting the beloved character and growing with her as a teenager, and she did so flawlessly. Ricci also was in the series as Wednesday's teacher, Ms. Thornhill, so it would stand to reason that the older actor acted as a mentor for Ortega. Surprisingly, however, the pair did not communicate about their shared character until after filming had wrapped.
"I did not pick her brain," Ortega revealed to Entertainment Tonight. "It was weird, it was like an unspoken agreement that we had. When we first locked eyes, we were just, 'Let's never talk about her.' I don't think I've ever really said the word, 'Wednesday,' around her actually until a couple of weeks ago."
Ortega was understandably intimidated to perform with Ricci on set. "It was scary," she admitted. "Because it's like, she's observing what it is, what you're doing and it is one of her more popular characters and ... she's created quite the legacy to live up to. And the show is very reminiscent of her take. It just goes to show that there's respect there."
Ortega's Wednesday, however, is different in certain ways from Ricci's depiction. "There were a lot of challenges because we've never seen her as a teenage girl before," Ortega explained. "We've never spent so much time with Wednesday as a character doing an emotional arc with someone who's usually the one-liner, you know?"
The First Rule Of Being Wednesday Is Don't Talk About Wednesday
Christina Ricci and Jenna Ortega did eventually talk about their respective experiences of playing Wednesday. "I think we had that conversation a little bit later," Ortega told E! News. "And she related to a lot of struggles or interesting challenges that made the job more fun or exciting in certain aspects, and that I really appreciated."
The two actors also found that they had a lot in common with each other — and their shared character. "I think naturally, too, we both are a bit dry," Ortega shared. "And if we're talking to each other neither one of us can tell if the other one's being serious or not, which is kind of a fun game."
Ricci also feels a lot like Wednesday in real life. "I've always viewed myself as a natural contrarian," the actor explained to Collider. "And so being in a world where everybody's just thrilled to be doing the wrong thing is just great for me, I love it."
The last time we saw Ms. Thornhill, she was under Wednesday's boot. If she doesn't return for another season, the actors may share the screen again, if Ortega has anything to say about it — when talking to E! News, she expressed interest in joining her "Wednesday" co-star on Ricci's other series, "Yellowjackets." "That'd be so much fun," she beamed. "And it's cannibalism, right? That'd be so interesting." When asked who she would want to play, she replied in true Wednesday fashion: "One of the cannibals."
The first season of "Wednesday" is now streaming on Netflix.
This has been a really weird couple of months for Henry Cavill. Not only did he "confirm" his return as Superman after appearing in a mid-credits scene in "Black Adam," but he ended up leaving his other major franchise, Netflix's "The Witcher" adaptation, around the same time. But now that new DC heads James Gunn and Peter Safran have decided to go in a different direction with Superman, Cavill will no longer be donning the red cape again after all. With his future as Superman snuffed out, it might make sense to go back to "The Witcher," right?
According to sources close to Cavill, that isn't the case. Variety independently confirmed that the actor will not return to the show, being replaced once and for all by Liam Hemsworth. Further details were not provided by the trade or its sources, but this isn't the most surprising revelation given how Hemsworth's casting was announced at the same time as Cavill's departure. The deal for the "Hunger Games" actor seemed set in stone, and it would probably cause a lot of headaches if Geralt of Rivia's previous actor suddenly decided to take back the role he relinquished.
What Comes Next For Cavill
The good news is that Cavill still has some pretty big projects in the works, even if returns to Superman and "The Witcher" are no longer in the cards. He's been filming Matthew Vaughn's star-studded action flick "Argylle," and is currently slated to star in Guy Ritchie's World War II film "The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare." He's even potentially going to be in a "Highlander" reboot by Chad Stahelski, so that's fun!
However, it's also hard not to wonder how this two-month saga would have played out if nothing was actually said publicly. Even though a Superman project with Cavill was being talked about, it never got past the discussion stage before DC Studios was born. Not only that, but he apparently never actually signed a contract to return. As we've previously said, while publicly announcing your return on Instagram is a cool way to receive fan support, it doesn't actually mean anything without the legal bindings to back it up.
Cavill's Superman and Geralt always seemed a bit doomed to not live up to the lofty expectations both their fans and their studios placed on them. As such, it's a shame he's gone from both roles without giving them their satisfying conclusions. On the bright side, though, we'll always have "Zack Snyder's Justice League" and the bathtub scene from the first season of "The Witcher."
Jenna Ortega is a force to be reckoned with. The young starlet began her career with several bit parts in TV and movies in the early 2010s. By the middle of the decade, she enjoyed a stint on the "Richie Rich" series and appearances in "The Cookie Mobster" and "After Words." But it wasn't until her role as young Jane in "Jane the Virgin" that she began to turn a few heads. Then, in 2019, she starred as Ellie in Netflix's soapy crime drama "You," in which she dished up a star-turning performance. She went from promising talent to superstar overnight, so it's no wonder that she's become a household name. Everyone wants to work with her.
In the four years since her game-changing TV gig, she's landed roles in countless more projects, including Ti West's retro-slasher "X," the Dave Grohl-backed "Studio 666," and the award-nominated, Tim Burton-directed "Wednesday" series on Netflix. What has set Ortega head and shoulders over her contemporaries is her range and how she approaches the material she's given. Whether she needs to deliver a comedic monologue with panache or demonstrate the brokenness of the human spirit, she takes great care in offering layered and complex performances that go beyond what is simply written on the page. Ortega is only a decade into her career, yet she's amassed a body of work that any other actor should envy. Come with us as we take a stroll through her 12 best on-screen movie moments.
Finally Being Heard (Yes Day)
Katie (Jenna Ortega) isn't being heard. She feels trapped in her life and just wants to hang out with her friends. When planning to attend the music festival Fleekfest, her mother Allison (Jennifer Garner) refuses to let Katie go unless she comes with her. Of course, that's the least ideal scenario. As the family enjoys their yes day, on which the parents must say yes to their kids' every request, Allison snoops on Katie's phone and finds a photo of boys texted to her from her best friend Layla (Megan Stott). She blows up on Katie, who finally says everything she's been wanting to say: "You really don't trust me..."
In an otherwise simply fun movie, it's a weighted, emotional zinger that hits to the core of the film — kids are people, too. Katie is just a teen, trying to navigate raging hormones, social pressures, and being a daughter. Allison's strict parenting clouds her judgment and she is unable to see both her kids aren't being heard. It takes Katie's monologue for things to finally click into place. "What's happening here is I don't need you anymore, and you can't handle it!" Katie continues. It's harsh but not untrue.
"Yes Day" is silly, yet it has a tremendous amount of heart. For her part, Jenna Ortega delivers the monologue with gusto, a contrast to many entries on this list. She has such a magnetic presence that every word has power and directly transmits to the viewer. Unbelievably, this only scratches the surface of what Ortega is capable of as a performer.
You're Only Young Once (X)
Moments before Bobby-Lynne (Brittany Snow) performs a stirring rendition of Fleetwood Mac's "Landslide," Lorraine questions the morality of doing porn and falling in love. "How can you love someone and still be with other people?" she asks. Maxine (Mia Goth) responds: "Take it from me. Letting outdated traditions control how you live your life will get you nowhere." She then reminds Lorraine that the heart wants what it wants when it comes to an attraction versus love. Lorraine then admits she "did like what I saw today. I didn't think I would but I did."
Following the acoustic performance, Lorraine drops the bombshell that she wants to do a scene in the movie. Her boyfriend RJ (Owen Campbell) argues against it, saying that they've already shot most of the movie. "I don't just want to carry the equipment, I want to be in it," Lorraine offers. Ortega exhibits a brilliant serpent's tongue performance, slithering from line to line with an inescapable sting. "When did you become such a prude?" she soon whispers, flipping the script on what RJ told her earlier in the film.
Ortega could give a sterling reading of a phone book. When given such a tight script, she fills each beat with profound intention. As it relates to questions on sexual liberation and self-power, it's necessary to have a performance with such gravitas. Ortega more than meets the challenge, though other moments on this list showcase her talents even more.
To Die For (Studio 666)
Jenna Ortega appears in less than five minutes of this film but leaves an indelible mark. In "Studio 666," Ortega plays Skye Willow, a rock musician who gets murdered by an unknown assailant. The opening scene is set in 1993 inside a lavish Encino mansion. The camera pans inside, and Skye's muffled cries can be heard. Ortega has such a specific tone to her crying that you immediately know it's her.
With bones sticking out of her thigh, Skye crawls through the front room. Her face contorts in pain as she writhes in blood. "Why? We did everything!" she pleads to the killer. Soon enough, a hammer cracks into her skull. Dying in a horror movie is far more difficult than you'd think. Much like in "Scream," Ortega has a way of relaying the fear to the audience in such a way that it breaks your heart. "Studio 666" is no exception.
As we learn later in the film, the mansion is often used by musicians to record. With their forthcoming 10th studio album, the Foo Fighters hole up in the exact same mansion in the present. They soon find themselves in a similar situation; a dark entity comes to collect the price they must pay for recording music. Frontman Dave Grohl becomes possessed and chaos ensues. A simple enough premise in a film that offers little else. Fortunately, Ortega gives credibility to the film with a performance that kicks you right in the chest. This moment ranks this low, however, due to Ortega's overall lack of screen time in the feature that frankly could have used more of her.
The Babadook (Scream)
Jenna Ortega's Tara Carpenter gets attacked not once, not twice, but three times in 2022's "Scream." She's initially set up as the opening kill (more on that later) but survives. In the hospital, Ghostface attacks again. Then, in the finale, she finds herself in the crosshairs of Amber and Richie. It's hard to imagine how she survived, but Tara is one tough cookie. She won't go down without a fight — or three.
When things hit the fan in the third act, Amber knocks her unconscious. Through the second killer reveal and the action-packed ending, Tara is MIA for the rest of the film until she recovers and fires a single shot into a very charred Amber, who wields a knife much like her character in "Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood." Gun sizzling, Ortega serves up her most iconic line with "I still prefer The Babadook," a callback to the opening in which she says she prefers "elevated horror" films like "The Babadook" as opposed to "schlocky nonsense with wall-to-wall jump scares."
Ortega's delivery of the line is straightforward, yet her lip quivers to allow just enough emotion to slide out. That's the thing about Ortega; she knows exactly what scenes require. When it needs to be a quieter moment, such as this one, she gives the audience the right amount of emotional heft without overdoing it. There's stillness in her performance, and that's the mark of a great actor.
Dance Your Heart Out (The Babysitter: Killer Queen)
Jenna Ortega plays the too-cool-for-school type in "The Babysitter: Killer Queen." She wears heart-shaped glasses and her hair in pigtails. Rumors swirl that she killed her parents, giving her a bad girl street edge. As Cole (Judah Lewis) is also an outcast — no one believes the events of the first film actually happened — the two strike up an unexpected romance.
While they're being hunted by Melanie (Emily Alyn Lind) and her cronies, as well as returning characters like Bella Thorne's Allison, Cole and Phoebe hunker down in the basement of a secluded cabin on the lake. It was once her family's cabin, so Phoebe still has an emotional attachment to it. The pair draw closer as they bond over their trauma and eventually hook up. When they kiss, the film cuts away to a dance sequence that's just plain hilarious. Ortega shows off her dance moves to The Sugarhill Gang's version of "Apache (Jump on It)," and it's a wild time, with the actor displaying a very different side to her work.
"The Babysitter: Killer Queen" never reaches the campy heights of the first film, but Ortega is a shining light for the sequel. There's always something about her on-screen presence that immerses the audience in the world the movie creates. Even as goofy as the dance is, it's a standout moment that's sure to make anyone laugh.
Trapped In The Basement (X)
Unlike her character in "Scream," a genre savant, Jenna Ortega's Lorraine is a lamb to the slaughter. She doesn't make the best decisions in a film that harkens back to '70s slashers like "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre." When she follows Howard's (Stephen Ure) instructions to go down into the basement to grab a flashlight, you know she's in for a world of hurt. She ends up locked in the basement and soon uncovers a mutilated body hanging from the rafters, blood and guts spilled across the concrete floor. Upon discovery, Ortega lets out a blood-curdling scream. It stops you in your tracks and makes you pay attention — you have no other choice.
Later, Lorraine tries to escape her underground prison by using a small ax to shop away at the door, but she gets two fingers blown off when Howard discovers her plot. Lorraine cowers away, letting out blubbering cries for help. Ortega tears your heart out with every scream, like taking an icepick and digging it into your chest. The entire sequence is slasher perfection, from the scream heard around the world to her (somewhat) survivable injury. As always, the actor transmits her fear and vulnerability right through the camera.
Nine Days Late (The Babysitter: Killer Queen)
Jenna Ortega's Phoebe gives real punk-rock girl energy when she enters the classroom. Not only is she the new girl, but her presence fills the space. The teacher brings her to the front of the room, revealing that Phoebe is part of the Guardian Angel Program for "disenfranchised youths from juvenile hall."
The teacher then asks Phoebe to list three things about herself. "I think snakes are the most misunderstood reptiles," she begins. She then shares that her favorite film switches between "Deliverance" and "anything by Rob Reiner." The kicker comes with a joke about her period. "I'm nine days late," she beams, removing her heart sunglasses. "I was on the fence, but I think I might keep it now, because looking at all of your beautiful faces ... I'm just so overcome with optimism for our future. I just want to f***ing scream."
And goodness does she scream. It echoes down the hallway, punctuating one of the best character introductions in a slasher film. The Cramps' "The Way I Walk" continues thumping through the speakers as she makes her way to her seat, all eyes full of trepidation for what she might do next. She's a loose cannon, that's for sure. Ortega's comedic timing in this scene is underrated; she smartly lets the jokes sit for a beat or two before plowing ahead to the next one. Comedy is often harder to land than dramatic readings, and Ortega excels at both. Surprise, surprise.
Scariest Day Of Her Life (The Fallout)
"The Fallout" is Jenna Ortega's finest overall performance. In the aftermath of a school shooting, her character Vada struggles to cope and finds herself turning to drugs, booze, and sex to numb the pain of losing her classmates. She grows increasingly distant from her family and younger sister Amelia (Lumi Pollack). Instead, she befriends influencer and classmate Mia (Maddie Ziegler). They could not be more different, but they bond over shared trauma, effectively helping each other navigate feelings of anger, sadness, and guilt.
Late one night, Amelia creeps into Vada's room because she can't sleep. She slips into bed and finally has a long overdue conversation about what's happened. Amelia blames herself for texting Vada and confesses she's scared to go to school. She goes on to ask why Vada has been so angry with her recently. She first holds back the tears but quickly lets them cascade down her face. Vada tells her she's not mad but barely holding things together. It was "the scariest moment of my life," she confides. It's such a quiet moment, you could hear a pin drop.
"The Fallout" depicts far more than the immediate effects of a shooting on survivors; the outward ripples do just as much damage. Vada falls apart, and her struggles have a domino effect on the family, tearing them apart in the process. Ortega delivers her lines with such profound weight, it's like detonating a bomb in the air. Expect more moments from "The Fallout" in our top 5 picks.
If you have been impacted by incidents of mass violence, or are experiencing emotional distress related to incidents of mass violence, you can call or textDisaster Distress Helplineat 1-800-985-5990 for support.
Dawn's Best Friend (Saving Flora)
In 2018's "Saving Flora," Jenna Ortega stars as Dawn, the daughter of circus ringleader Henry (David Arquette). Dawn works in the traveling circus as a performer and wrangler to an elephant named Flora, now more than 50 years old. The stunts and tricks just don't come as easily as they once did. As a result, feeding and tending to Flora costs the circus even more than it otherwise would.
Henry plans to take Flora to an elephant reserve where she can roam, but when the reserve loses its federal funding, it appears there's no other option than to have Flora put down. Dawn catches wind of the news, and she lets her father know exactly how she feels. In a touching scene, Dawn approaches a bewildered Flora and nuzzles her trunk. Tears well up in her eyes before breaking down completely. Ortega shows such heartbreaking emotion, the viewer is able to feel it all, from anger to desperation and back again.
"Saving Flora" makes you care deeply about the bond between a young girl and an elephant. Throughout the film, the two grow even closer as they contend with the elements and two poachers hellbent on killing Flora to hang her head as a trophy. Ortega carries the film, emerging as the heart of the story. Without her masterful performance, the movie may not have worked as well as it does, and it's through her that the audience learns lessons on compassion, hope, and friendship.
A School Shooting (The Fallout)
With school shootings sadly being a normal occurrence in the United States, "The Fallout" depicts a catastrophic shooting and the aftermath. It's as timely a film as you might expect. The movie, thankfully, gives no screen time to the active shooter instead focusing solely on the survivors and how they suffer, emotionally and psychologically, from such a tragic event. Receiving a 9-1-1 text from her sister Amelia, Vada excuses herself from class and heads to the bathroom, where she meets Mia, her soon-to-be best friend.
While chatting over makeup, the shooter begins his reign of terror in the hallway. Mia and Vada take refuge in a nearby stall, hunkering over the toilet and hearing nothing but screams and the shower of bullets. Jenna Ortega's face wrenches in shock, disbelief, and unfiltered terror. It's one thing to read about a shooting in the news; it's something else entirely to experience it. It's through such traumatic circumstances that Vada and Mia's friendship is born. The rest of the film follows their journey to deal with what happened, process their emotions, and learn that numbing the pain is never a good thing.
"The Fallout" is quite an exquisite showcase for Ortega, who exhibits real power and finesse in the role. There's no way to walk away from this scene, or this film really, without knowing and fully believing Ortega is the next great actor of her generation.
If you have been impacted by incidents of mass violence, or are experiencing emotional distress related to incidents of mass violence, you can call or textDisaster Distress Helplineat 1-800-985-5990 for support.
Fight For Her Life (Scream)
Everything about 2022's "Scream" reboot sequel (or requel) flips franchise rules on their head. It's a new generation, and there are new rules. The opening kill scene even gets a bit of an overhaul. The sequence unravels as one might anticipate with Jenna Ortega's Tara answering the phone and talking with the killer. Ghostface naturally makes her play a game, and she must guess bits of "Stab" trivia. She fails and is then brutally attacked, but she demonstrates a strong will to survive and won't go down without a fight. Ghostface hacks and slashes her stomach and right hand, and also stomps on her leg. It's really gruesome stuff. Before what is presumed the final stab, Tara crawls toward the patio windows, as police lights flash through the curtains. She lets out a single, "Help!" and Ghostface takes one final swipe at her face.
With every jab, Ortega makes you believe what is happening is real. Her performance is so grounded and brutal, it's enough to make you squirm in your seat. While she's certainly portrayed such peril in film before, there's something other-level about her turn in "Scream." And as far as franchise openers go, it competes with "Scream 2" as the second best, behind only the 1996 original.
Sebastian's Lies (Saving Flora)
Once fleeing the circus with Flora, Dawn befriends Sebastian (Martin Martinez), a young teen forced to do the bidding of well-known criminal Fernando (Massi Furlan). Law enforcement posts a handsome reward for the whereabouts and eventual rescue of Flora and Dawn. Sebastian is instructed to lure Dawn to Sabinas, where Fernando hopes to cash in on the prize money.
While being hunted by two poachers, Dawn, Sebastian, and Flora are forced to swim across a lake to safety. It takes its physical and emotional toll on the trio, and they then camp out for the night. After getting a good night's sleep, Dawn rolls awake with a renewed spirit. Sebastian's phone vibrates. When Dawn checks it, she sees a series of texts from Fernando. Sebastian's cover has been blown, and Dawn is noticeably crushed by this revelation. Sebastian expresses that he didn't mean to sleep so long, to which Dawn fully admits she already knows. "You were tired. Probably had a hard time falling asleep ... thinking about all that reward money." She chucks the phone on his chest. "You totally had me fooled," she says, beginning to weep.
Sebastian backpedals. "I want to help," he pleads. Dawn won't hear of it and demands he leave her sight. She tugs at her hair and completely loses it. Unlike other moments, there's an innocence to Ortega's performance. It's both fragile and imposing; her ability to make you feel deeply is impressive.
Therapy (The Fallout)
Throughout this list, it's clear Jenna Ortega's strength lies in delivering emotionally-pulverizing performances. But none compare to one particular scene in "The Fallout," in which she colors her performance with a subtlety that's unlike any other moment. During a therapy session, Vada expresses feeling as though her once-best friend Nick (Will Ropp) has taken his pain and is now changing the world. She feels guilty for not doing the same and notes how the shooting completely ruined their friendship. Even more, the shooter managed to mess up her life so hard in just six minutes. It's a devastating admission that the entire film leads up to.
Vada also admits to having survivor's guilt. While her friend Quinton (Niles Fitch) lost his brother, Vada didn't suffer any direct losses. Her loss comes from a mental breakdown; she lost a part of herself that fateful day, and there's no way to ever get it back. She's having a "really hard time moving on," she says. When given such great material, courtesy of writer-director Megan Park, Ortega can shade each moment with depth and brilliance. What could fall flat in anyone else's hands emerges as career-defining in hers.
From roles in slasher flicks "Scream" and "X" to the devastating "The Fallout," there's nothing Ortega can't do. She understands every assignment she's given, and that's not easy to do. Her performances are nothing short of magnetic and signal that she has a very long career ahead of her.
If you have been impacted by incidents of mass violence, or are experiencing emotional distress related to incidents of mass violence, you can call or textDisaster Distress Helplineat 1-800-985-5990 for support.
At only 20 years old, Jenna Ortega has already accomplished a goal that not every former child star can boast: she's built up such an exciting filmography, that the world seems to have collectively forgotten she was once a Disney Channel starlet. Much of this is owed to her extremely eventful 2022. In the span of 12 months, Ortega has been making the rounds as the star of two different successful slashers, an animated "Jurassic World" spinoff, a meta-horror-comedy about the Foo Fighters, and the titular role of Netflix's (allegedly) record-breaking series, "Wednesday." Any one of those roles would be a major accomplishment all on its own, but becoming a bonafide scream queen in the same year that she dons the twin braids of the beloved Addams family daughter? Ortega has a lot to celebrate.
Given the fact that her career originated on the Disney Channel, it's pretty wild that Ortega's resume includes a horror movie about homemade pornography. And nobody's happier about that than her. Having such a diverse lineup of opportunities has always been the goal but early in her career, didn't seem entirely possible.
While chatting with Complex earlier this year, Ortega explained: "A lot of times being a child actor, especially a Latina, they're hiring to play the daughter of someone or the younger version of someone and those are typically white actresses." Indeed, the early days of Ortega's career included roles like Vice President's daughter in "Iron Man" and young Jane Villanueva, the child version of Gina Rodriguez's character in "Jane the Virgin." Her child star days continued with her Disney Channel role in "Stuck in the Middle," but outside of that, she seemed trapped in the loop of similar roles. It wasn't until landing a role on Netflix's "You" that the tides began to change.
How You Kickstarted Jenna Ortega's Career
"You" is not the kind of show where you expect to see a Disney Channel star. The series follows a bookish sociopath named Joe (Penn Badgley) who stalks his way into the lives of unassuming women and commits several murders in a poorly thought-out attempt to make them fall in love with him. When not busy with the all-consuming tasks of burying bodies or locking people in his basement cage, Joe has a tendency to befriend neglected children who secretly remind him of himself. In the second season of "You," Jenna Ortega plays the latest target of his savior complex: 15-year-old Ellie Alves, who inadvertently gets wrapped up in his murder-y antics.
Ortega is a major standout of that season. The whip-smart teen is forced to undergo some serious emotional turmoil because of how terribly Joe wrecks her life and Ortega's performance is brutally effective. Though Ellie was only fifteen, the role is a far cry from Ortega's previous gigs — much darker and more mature. Here's what she had to say about it during her interview with Complex:
"Doing projects like 'You' on Netflix and things like that where I think people saw me in an older light or in a different light, I started to get more opportunities."
A Bright (And Bloody) Future
Jenna Ortega has since flexed her range elsewhere, like Megan Park's emotional rumination on the impact of school shootings, "The Fallout," along with the many films and TV series that arrived in 2022. She went on to say that exploring different roles and genres is very much part of her path forward, adding:
"A big fear for me is I've never wanted to be pigeonholed. I never want to be seen as one thing. So if I can get my hands in as many bowls as I possibly can or have all of my projects not really resemble one another, that would be really, really, cool."
Some actors work their entire lives to be considered scream queens, but thanks to the doors that opened after "You," Ortega became horror's "It-girl" before her 21st birthday. Next up, Ortega is set to return to the world of horror via "Scream 6" with a bigger role for her cold open character, Tara Carpenter. The film is set to arrive in theaters on March 10th, 2023.
It might sound slightly hyperbolic, but filmmaker James Cameron (Titanic, The Abyss, Aliens) contains multitudes. More than just a writer, director, and producer, he’s the rare filmmaker who not only creates commercial art, but commercial art likely to engage, enthrall, and even enlighten future generations. Despite his commercial and critical successes, including an Oscar win for Best Director in 1997 (Titanic), Cameron has never been a prolific filmmaker, often spending upwards of a decade between projects he carefully shepherds through every phase of production, from writing to post-production and everything in between, including the elaborate, obsessive, detail-oriented world-building that have become a hallmark of his career. His latest obsession with Pandora, the alien moon at the center of the Avatar universe, started somewhere after Titanic...
Most people like cheese, but you might know someone who really likescheese. Lives for cheese. Breathes cheese? If you have one of those people in your life, get them a gift that allows them to do more of what they love. Because unrolling one of thosecheese art posters isn’t as good as unwrapping a wedge of the real…
Director Ryan White and his new film "Good Night Oppy"
In October I had the pleasure of introducing director Ryan White to a warmly receptive audience at the 10th annual Middleburg Film Festival. They'd just screened his buzzy documentary Good Night Oppy and there was lots of love in the room. That's been a through line with the film wherever it's shown. The space exploration documentary has since received glowing notices and several awards including five wins at the Critics Choice Documentary Awards. The charming doc about two sister robots on Mars, "Opportunity" and "Spirit", who wildly surpassed initial expectations, also represents a change of pace for the director. He's always had range. His previous lauded projects have included films as varied as the Oscar finalist short Coded (2021) about the gay golden age illustrator J.C. Leyendecker, the Emmy-nominated political doc The Case Against 8 (2014), the Emmy nominated unsolved crime doc-series The Keepers (2017), and profile docs like Ask Dr Ruth (2019) and Serena (2016).
When we first met Good Night Oppy had not yet reached Amazon Prime but it was headed there for the Thanksgiving holiday. A feast it would likely be to families that gave it a try. I was delighted to catch up with White to talk about the film again now that it's available to a wide audience...
The National Security Agency (NSA), the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) have released guidance on the security risks associated with 5G network slicing and mitigation strategies.
Red Dead Redemption 2 updates are rare and pretty thin nowadays, as Rockstar abandons the western sandbox game ahead of the imminent GTA 6 release date. But RDR 2 fans can still enjoy plenty of festive, new-content cheer, as the open world of Red Dead Online is revitalised with a huge overhaul of the biggest RDR2 RP server.
Nice attempt. I don't know Mastodon but as I looked at some picture the client looks very similar to Telegram.
BTW any possibility of making a minimal Telegram DOS/portable port that can at least send and receive text messages? Even in textmode. AFAIK it should be some kind of opensource but there's no longer even (fully) working client for WinXP :(
Some movies are liars. They’re trolls, with secrets that are only revealed after you’ve bought your ticket or hit the “play” button. Whether for marketing reasons, artistic reasons, or by accident, each of these 10 films is not what it appears to be.
For some of these movies, the double-identity is the entire point,…
The Senate has passed legislation to ban TikTok from US government devices, in a move designed to limit perceived information-security risks stemming from the social media app. From a report: The vote by unanimous consent approved the No TikTok on Government Devices Act, a bill authored by Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley. The move marks lawmakers' latest step against the short-form video app that has become popular with over a billion users worldwide. US officials fear that TikTok's user data could end up in the hands of the Chinese government due to that country's influence over TikTok's parent, ByteDance.
A companion bill was introduced in the House last year by Colorado Republican Rep. Ken Buck. It has yet to be approved by members of the House Oversight Committee. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday it isn't yet clear whether the chamber will take up the TikTok bill in light of its Senate passage, saying lawmakers were consulting with White House officials on its language.
Science fiction is one of the most versatile genres not only in film but in the arts in general. It is a genre intrinsically tied with the social, political, and economic strife of any particular time — oftentimes, the cyclical nature of humanity will mean that a sci-fi movie relevant in the 1950s will become relevant in the 2020s. Without science fiction, who knows what the landscape of film and television would be like today?
All of this is to say that 2022 was arguably terrible, although the sci-fi films released this year were pretty damn good. While some movies had their hype campaigns accentuated with festival runs, others seemed to come out of nowhere to delight genre fans and casual viewers alike. From micro-budget films to big Hollywood blockbusters, the genre was rife with sci-fi movies that not only helped diversify the genre but also made us think about it in totally new ways. Reinvention and reinterpretation are at the beating heart of what makes science fiction work, and these ten films all did their part in making us think differently about this dynamic genre.
10. Glorious
Okay, I'm going to be honest here — there will likely be some pushback over this film's inclusion. When I asked my fellow /Film writers their opinion on this pressing matter, they were split on whether it should be considered Lovecraftian sci-fi — after all, Rebekah McKendry's film does deal a lot with the incomprehensibility of the universe, but perhaps its actual science was a bit vague. However, because it's my list and I ultimately make the decisions, I believe it is firmly science fiction inspired by Lovecraft.
Even if it wasn't, why should I forgo a perfectly open opportunity to discuss "Glorious" in all of its, well, glory? It is a break-neck ride that breezes through its 79-minute runtime, enrapturing you in a story that's just as grossly thought-provoking as you might expect from its premise. With compelling performances from Ryan Kwanten and J.K. Simmons anchoring the film, "Glorious" is a movie whose plot is best left as vague as possible. If you thought you knew what you're getting into when I started talking about Lovecraft's demented version of science-fiction, then you better think again.
9. Beyond The Infinite Two Minutes
You may have seen this title hopping around the genre festival circuit last year, but its official release this past January went a bit under the radar. That's a big shame because Junta Yamaguchi's time travel film really is a wildly fun ride. While primarily known for being shot in one take and entirely on an iPhone, it is more than just a technical achievement. It is a genuinely intriguing story of how we need to spend the time we have on this earth to the fullest extent.
As the colorful cast of characters travels through the Kyoto cafe that serves as the film's sole location, the stakes quietly keep stacking up. There is an infectious energy throughout "Beyond The Infinite Two Minutes" that makes the viewer genuinely invested, even if the plot can be a little convoluted at times. Much of this has to do with the highly energetic and eclectic Europe Kikaku theater troupe, whose members play the various people who stumble upon this strange development. Every time they manage to see an additional minute into the future is one that will make you pump your fist in the air and keep you on the edge of your seat.
8. Prey
The "Predator" franchise has always been hit-or-miss in terms of quality. Sure, the first iteration is a legitimately great creature feature as well as a stealthy criticism of 1980s machismo, and 2010's "Predators" made some great expansions on the franchise's shaky lore. However, there are also some real stinkers, like the "Alien vs. Predator" duology and 2018's "The Predator," that have solidified their place in the series.
The series desperately needed some fresh blood injected into it, and thankfully, it got exactly that this year with Dan Trachtenberg's "Prey." At first glance, it seems completely different from any other entry in the franchise — set on the Great Plains in 1719, it follows a young Comanche woman named Naru (Amber Midthunder) as she tries to prove her abilities as a hunter. It initially sounds like a far cry from the military or mercenary team-ups from the franchise's other films, but this new perspective works to reinvigorate the franchise. It didn't need an epic earth battle like the one central to its last film, but rather, "Prey" gave new insight into the infamous Yautja and why they keep being so fascinated with hunting down humans. Plus, the fight scenes between the lovingly-dubbed "Feral Predator" (Dane DiLiegro) and Naru are genuinely sick as hell. Even if you aren't familiar with any of the lore surrounding "Predator," there will be a lot for you to love about "Prey."
7. Slash/Back
Those of us who grew up watching sci-fi know how fun it is to imagine a world where your favorite movies came to life. What if you really did find a benevolent alien in the woods, and you helped it get back to its home planet? What if you had to fight to survive an encounter with a much meaner group of aliens? That's the dilemma that a group of young Inuit teenagers faces in "Slash/Back" when their hamlet becomes ground zero for an alien invasion.
Perhaps the most striking element of Nyla Innuksuk's film is the way the aliens infect their prey. Their bodies become hollow husks as the parasite takes over, leaving a striking image that will be on your mind for days. The special effects, both practical and CG, are also quite impressive, although that probably isn't surprising given Innuksuk's work on virtual reality programs. However, what truly makes the film stand among the best of the year is how it utilizes the alien invasion as a potent metaphor for colonialism. Given how truly rotten some of the most influential sci-fi writers were (looking at you, Lovecraft), the importance of reclaiming and reinventing these tropes in a way that is not only thought-provoking but just flat-out fun can't be understated.
6. Something In The Dirt
Every time I watch a movie by Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead, I have a ton of questions. What did I just watch? What does it all mean? How in the world did these guys manage to land "Moon Knight" and "Loki" for how unique they are as storytellers? "Something in the Dirt" is certainly no exception to this, and it's a bit of a miracle that something as richly constructed as it was able to be made on a shoestring budget and crew.
There is so much happening in "Something in the Dirt," that it might be overwhelming to try and explain it all in a brief slide. However, what I can say is that it is a fascinating exploration of the influence of conspiracies and isolation on those who are more vulnerable than they might think they are. You know those types of people — the ones who say they would never fall for an obvious scam but do anyway. Instead of being happy or intrigued with each new discovery made by our central characters, there is a distinct sadness looming that only becomes more obvious as the film progresses. However, that very sadness is also integral to experiencing "Something in the Dirt," and you'll be hard-pressed to find a movie like it this year.
5. After Yang
Have you ever wanted to watch a sci-fi movie with robots that also made you cry? Kogonada certainly has, and we're all the better for it, because how else would a movie like "After Yang" enter our lives? The world that the director, who burst onto the scene with 2017's "Columbus," creates here is not that much different from ours — it's got viral dance challenges, uncomfortably smart homes, places that feel crowded yet empty at the same time, and so on. The real difference is that humanoid robots are typical house decorations.
With the layered and heartwrenching presence of Justin H. Min's Yang hovering throughout the film, "After Yang" will likely sit with you for a while after watching it. Kogonada's previous career as a video essayist shines through his directorial efforts in how quietly contemplative each scene not only is, but feels. While certainly not a typical sci-fi movie, it would be extremely remiss of us to not take the time once again to sing the praises of the truly brilliant "After Yang."
4. Crimes Of The Future
The return of David Cronenberg had been prophesied for years, but 2022 marked the cult director's true return. And how exactly did he come back to directing after eight years away? By telling a story about the state of modern art, repression, and most importantly, how to alter your body to truly make it your own. What more could you possibly want?
As soon as "Crimes of the Future" begins, you feel uneasy. It might be because of the drab and isolated beach house we are first introduced to, or it could be the image of a young boy eating a plastic bucket. However, it is an uneasiness that you may not have realized you missed because it is quintessentially Cronenberg. This uneasiness is intentional for several reasons — after all, the director has a very distinct filmmaking style, even when he's not necessarily making sci-fi or horror movies. However, the most prominent is that this style is used to make the audience ask why it is associated with the director so much.
Cronenberg knows that he is known for horrific body horror and uncomfortable sex, but he wants to know why he's known for that. That is ultimately what's at the center of "Crimes of the Future." It is both a self-reflection and a broader exploration of artistic legacy told in a way only Cronenberg could tell it.
3. Everything Everywhere All At Once
Come on, you knew that this film was going to make an appearance here. After all, how could it not? It's got everything you could possibly want in a sci-fi thrill ride: multiverses, romance, body swapping, outlandish outfits, and best of all, a nice life-affirming message. Add the incredible performances of Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan into the mix, along with the direction of the dudes behind "Swiss Army Man," and you've got yourself an instant classic in the sci-fi genre.
Daniels, the directing duo consisting of Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, already made their mark among the most maximalist directors currently working. As a result, there is a lot being thrown at the audience throughout its 140-minute runtime. There is a lot that shouldn't work about the film, from the multitude of characters played by the same actors to the juggling of intense, sometimes overwhelming imagery. However, Daniels somehow make it work by making the story universal instead of overly specific — "Everything Everywhere All At Once" is ultimately about the power of relentless optimism in even the darkest moments, and that is something worth reiterating in 2022.
2. Neptune Frost
Afrofuturism is an aesthetic that, while being around in an official capacity since 1994, has yet to really break into the global mainstream. While a prevalent inspiration throughout the aesthetic of both "Black Panther" movies, it's still one that is relatively untapped, perhaps in part due to structural racism that allows Hollywood to block these types of films from being made. However, what if you didn't have to rely on the Hollywood system to create a poignant story about love and identity? Saul Williams and Anisia Uzeyman didn't, and after a showstopping debut at last year's Cannes, the entire world got to see their Afrofuturist musical "Neptune Frost" for the first time this summer.
There is obviously a lot to love about the distinct visual style that the film has. Bright colors, unique attire, and the controlled chaos of the environments automatically make the movie memorable. However, it is the way that the story unfolds itself over its runtime, often in non-linear or musically-driven ways, that makes it such a unique experience. "Neptune Frost" is a movie where you are not told its story. Rather, it is one that you feel, and if you go in with the right expectations, it'll course through your veins like the electricity that powers the computers strewn throughout Burundi.
1. Nope
"I will cast abominable filth upon you, Make you vile, And make you a spectacle." These are the words of Nahum 3:6 from the New King James Bible, and they are also the first words of Jordan Peele's sci-fi epic "Nope." It tells you everything you need to know, but also nothing at all. Who, or what is this mysterious entity punishing humanity for spectacle? An angel? A demon? An alien? God itself?
The incomprehensibility of Jean Jacket, the entity that haunts the skies of "Nope," is exactly what makes Peele's third feature the best sci-fi movie of the year. It is haunting, dangerous, and yet, completely shrouded in mystery, a perfect combination of traits for a compelling threat in all mediums of science fiction. The true extent of its danger is teased throughout the film in horrifyingly claustrophobic fashion — don't even try to deny that that scene isn't still buried somewhere in your mind.
Of course, it is not just Jean Jacket as a character that makes "Nope" such a triumph in modern science fiction. It is the visual effects, the fantastic performances by its Daniel Kaluuya-led ensemble, and perhaps most importantly, its epic story about Hollywood worker exploitation and spectacle. Each element of "Nope" comes together perfectly as the story unravels, and thanks to Peele's tight direction, nothing feels out of place. With every detail filled with deep, thought-provoking intention, there truly was no other movie like "Nope" this year.
In this day and age, protecting user data is paramount, primarily because cloud storage servers help keep most of it off our devices. End-to-end encryption and its security benefits have often been part of such privacy-related conversations.
Well, how's about some pretty crazy, late-breaking DC movie news, everyone? We've heard a lot of conflicting reports regarding the future of the DC Universe as of late, particularly following the appointment of James Gunn and Peter Safran as the co-heads of DC Studios. Now, we've been provided with some clarity on a very important topic: that of the future of Superman. For one, it has been confirmed that Henry Cavill will not be returning as the Man of Steel, despite previous reports to the contrary. What's happening instead, you may ask? Well, Gunn is personally writing a "Superman" movie focused on a younger version of the character.
Before getting into the Cavill of it all, let's start with what we know about the new movie. Gunn took to Twitter to confirm the news personally, saying that he and Safran are going to be starting some of their new DC projects at the beginning of the new year. Here's what the "Guardians of the Galaxy" and "The Suicide Squad" director had to say about it:
"Peter & I have a DC slate ready to go, which we couldn't be more over-the-moon about; we'll be able to share some exciting information about our first projects at the beginning of the new year. Among those on the slate is Superman. In the initial stages, our story will be focusing on an earlier part of Superman's life, so the character will not be played by Henry Cavill. But we just had a great meeting with Henry and we're big fans and we talked about a number of exciting possibilities to work together in the future."
Okay, So What About Cavill?
There is no word yet on who will play this younger Superman. It's also not clear who will direct, though James Gunn does seem like an obvious choice. However, Gunn made it clear on Twitter that the director's chair has not officially been filled as of yet. But the most interesting part of this relates to Henry Cavill, who first played the part in 2013's "Man of Steel," which kicked off the current iteration of the DC Universe as we know it.
It got tricky recently as Cavill showed up in a post-credits scene in "Black Adam," with the actor soon after announcing his return. That, however, was before Gunn and Safran took over, and they decided to take things in another direction. But, as Gunn said in his statement, they are looking to see if they can find another role for Cavill in the future of the DCU, whatever that may look like. We know he won't be busy with "The Witcher" as he's leaving the show behind. So begin your fancasting now.
Cavill took to Instagram to release a statement on the matter, which you can read in its entirety below. Meanwhile, Gunn and Safran appear to be distancing themselves from the so-called Snyderverse, as "Wonder Woman 3" is not moving forward either. It's the end of something that was, quite frankly, messy, and the start of something new.
The "Rocky" movies have always felt a bit like anime. You have a very endearing underdog story with a charming protagonist who, with the power of friendship and hard work, manages to become the very best, like no one ever was. Then, as we got more sequels, the villains became more and more cartoonishly ridiculous, with increasingly over-the-top gimmicks. I mean, really, what is Ivan Drago if not an anime villain?
Then the "Creed" movies came and offered something similar, yet fresh and different. 2015's "Creed" delivered an underdog story, a redemption story, and a story of grief and legacy all in one, with some of the best filmmaking in the entire franchise (and the best fight choreography too). 2018's "Creed III" only further upped the ante with an even more emotional story of legacy and of parents and sons.
Now, the upcoming "Creed III" aims to reinvent the franchise yet again, with franchise lead Michael B. Jordan stepping into the director's chair to tell a story about things like family, disability accessibility, and even the importance of boxing in different cultures. But Jordan is also aiming to bring the franchise closer to becoming a full-on live-action anime than ever before, and he's taking inspiration from one of the greatest boxing animes to accomplish just that.
Taking The Fight To The Next Level
During an interview for the 2023 Preview issue of Total Film, Michael B. Jordan spoke about wanting to use his passion for anime as an influence on "Creed III," as outlandish as the idea might seem at first. In truth, for as grounded and gritty as they are, the "Creed" films also utilize the type of stylized visuals (like slow-motion) and impactful editing typical of anime. Jordan, however, is thinking bigger than that:
"With boxing anime like 'Hajime no Ippo,' I really love the inner dialogue of what's going on and happening in the ring from the characters. It was really important to me that we see the emotional journeys of both Donnie and Damian in those scenes, and anime definitely played a part with that inspiration."
Now, if you want to take inspiration from an anime for a boxing movie, "Hajime no Ippo" is definitely the way to go. It's one of the best sports anime ever made, a perfect underdog story of a young boy who decides to pick up boxing to fend off bullies but ends up falling in love with the sport and becoming an incredibly good fighter. The use of inner dialogue is a classic trope in anime, one that allows for a single fight scene to last for hours and hours. In sports anime, however, it is the inner dialogue that makes the genre so special (and, in my humble opinion, more interesting to watch than the real thing).
Cue The Jet Engine Sound
It is one thing to see two fighters compete in the boxing ring, but it is another thing entirely to feel the context behind every punch -- the emotional motivation, the constant flashbacks to the training that got the athletes to this point, the monologue about what's at stake points that increase the tension -- and remind the audience of why this moment matters. If "Creed III" wants to be different from the rest of the "Rocky" franchise and the first two "Creed" films, then letting us listen to Donny's thoughts while he's fighting is the way to go for sure.
Now, the bigger question remains: Will Michael B. Jordan also let Adonis learn the Dempsey Roll? And more importantly, will he bring in the jet engine sound? If he's going to borrow from "Hajime No Ippo," then he might as well go the whole nine yards, right?
Hold onto your butts: the trailer for "65" has dropped, and it's a dinos-vs-humans battle royale — except this time, man has high-tech weaponry. The latest feature from "A Quiet Place" co-writers Scott Beck and Bryan Woods sees double Oscar-nominee Adam Driver as intrepid hero Mills, a pilot stranded on a strange planet with some familiar flora and fauna. Bonus: it has the added support of "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" director Sam Raimi as producer. Check it out here:
The trailer synopsis has the details:
"After a catastrophic crash on an unknown planet, pilot Mills quickly discovers he's stranded on Earth. .. 65 million years ago. Now, with only one chance at rescue, Mills and the only other survivor, Koa, must make their way across an unknown terrain riddled with dangerous prehistoric creatures in an epic fight to survive."
Starring Driver opposite Ariana Greenblatt as young Koa, the movie appears to be a cross between (skipping the obvious "Jurassic Park" comparisons) a William Girdler "Day of the Animals"-type picture and M. Night Shyamalan's "After Earth" — as our doomed protagonists are stuck navigating hostile terrain where everything seems engineered to kill them, and it's going to hurt the whole time they're dying. Its intensity is just what Beck and Woods are known for; their 2018 post-apocalyptic creature feature "A Quiet Place" made a box office smash of over $340 million and inspired a blindfolded hide-and-seek "Quiet Game" among social media users.
Those who dig the new trailer won't necessarily have to wait until the March 2023 release date to see more from Beck & Woods. Just one year after "A Quiet Place," the dynamic duo crafted a slasher movie, set in a good old haunted house attraction, on Halloween night — a horror fan's dream picture. Allow /Film to introduce you to "Haunt."
Something Wicked This Way Comes
Scott Beck and Bryan Woods take on writing and directorial duties for "Haunt," which tells the story of a group of college kids visiting a haunted house featuring catchpenny-masked performers — the kind that jump out from a corner with a fake chainsaw. It starts as normally as any haunt; give up your cell phones, sign this waiver so you can't sue, etc. But the students soon find that the performers are a bit zealous, and the scares are deadly.
Among the hack-n-slash canon fodder is Harper ("American Idol" contestant Katie Stevens), potentially the resilient final girl of the story. Harper is navigating an abusive relationship and a whole lot of childhood trauma when she links up with friends to forget her troubles for a night. What they encounter is a house of horrors filled with Samhain-themed killers — one has a cheap-o witch mask, another a cheap-o devil mask — what follows are buckets of blood and mayhem — the kind guaranteed when "Hostel" director and Splat Pack member Eli Roth is counted among the film's producers. Add in a pulse-pounding score by "The Strangers" composers Tomandandy, and the result is a taut 93-minute fight for survival.
In his streaming recommendation, /Film's Chris Evangelista acknowledges the movie's predictability. If you've seen "Hell House LLC," or "Hellfest," or "The Houses October Built," you have a fair idea of the twists and turns around each corner of this "Haunt." But Evangelista further acknowledges, "Sometimes you just can't beat simplicity," vowing to revisit the movie every Halloween. While you wait 65 million years for the prehistoric thrills of "65," you can keep the Hallow's Eve spirit going and catch "Haunt" on VOD.
Amanda and Rich and Andrew talk about the Forspoken Demo, Isle of Arrows, Disney Dreamlight Valley, Marvel Snap, a little Valheim (as a treat), and their impressions of The Game Awards 2022.
Protecting customer data is critical for any business accepting online payment information. The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), created by leading credit card companies, establishes best practices for protecting consumers' information. By adhering to these standards, businesses can ensure that their customer's personal and financial information is secure.
The PCI DSS
The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has added two flaws affecting Veeam’s Backup & Replication product to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog.
Epic Games is shutting down "out-of-date online services" and servers for several of its older games, including multiple Rock Band and Unreal titles, starting today. The company notes that most affected games will still be available offline, but others will no longer work. It says the move is part of a shift that will only see it support online functions through Epic Online Services, which offers a unified friends system, voice chat, parental controls and parental verification.
Epic is removing the mobile title DropMix and the Mac and Linux versions of Hatoful Boyfriendand Hatoful Boyfriend: Holiday Star from storefronts today. You'll still be able to play these games if you already own them.
Servers for several games will be shut down on January 24th, but Epic has already started delisting them from digital storefronts and turning off in-game purchases. After that date, you'll still be able to play the following offline in single or local multiplayer modes:
1000 Tiny Claws
Dance Central 1-3
Green Day: Rock Band
Monsters (Probably) Stole My Princess
Rock Band 1-3
The Beatles: Rock Band
Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars
Unreal Gold
Unreal II: The Awakening
Unreal Tournament 2003
Unreal Tournament 2004
Unreal Tournament 3
Unreal Tournament: Game of the Year Edition
Dance Central VRand Rock Band 4online multiplayer features will remain available. Epic also plans to restore online features to Unreal Tournament 3 down the line. It will integrate Epic Online Services into the game.
Battle Breakers, a hero collector RPG that a small team of Epic developers built inhouse and released in 2019, will shut down on December 30th. Epic will refund all in-game purchases made through its direct payment system in the 180 days before today. As of January 24th, the alpha of the Unreal Tournament reboot, Rock Band Blitz, the Rock Band companion app and SingSpace will no longer be available.
It's unclear how many people are still playing the Unreal Tournament and Rock Band titles but at their peaks, they were among the biggest franchises around. It's a shame to see Epic sunsetting these games and all the others on the list. Still, if you happen to have a Rock Band guitar or drum set gathering dust, this may at least be a decent reminder to bust those out and play along to "I Want to Hold Your Hand" or "Basket Case."
Meanwhile, Rock Band developer Harmonix, which Epic bought last year, recently announced that its most recent game, Fuser, will go offline. The studio will also stop selling the game and in-game purchases on December 19th.
The following post containsmild spoilersfor episode 1 of "1923."
The new Paramount+ series "1923" premieres on Sunday. It's the second prequel to the hit series "Yellowstone" after "1883," and follows the Dutton family's next generation as they galloping headlong into the twentieth century and run smack into the era's pandemics, drought, the Great Depression, and the end of Prohibition. Harrison Ford stars as Jacob Dutton, the brother of James Dutton, played by Tim McGraw in "1883." The reason Jacob is running the ranch is made clear in the first few minutes of the first episode (which was shown to press); I won't spoil it here, but let's just say that the Dutton family isn't the luckiest in the land. His wife and matriarch of the family is Cara Dutton, played by Helen Mirren.
Brian Geraghty ("The Hurt Locker") plays the role of Zane, the "fiercely loyal" ranch hand at the Dutton place. I recently got a chance to speak to Geraghty about his character, the two-week cowboy camp that the cast had to go through, and how he managed to keep up with Harrison Ford on the set of the show.
This interview has been lightly edited for clarity and brevity.
'I've Ridden Horses Before, But When You're Working With Taylor, That's The Bar'
We didn't get to meet your character for that long in this first episode. So what can you tell us about him?
So Zane is the ranch foreman for the Duttons. And he works with Jacob and does anything that really Jacob needs, and sometimes not even pertaining to the ranch. He'll take care of him. But his job is a bit like Robert Duvall in "The Godfather." You know what I mean? He's behind ... trying to make sure everything's going well.
He's described in some places as "fiercely loyal," but he's not actually a member of the family. So is there a backstory there or anything you can let us know about?
Yeah, I think there is. I don't think we quite brush on it yet this season, but I feel like we may. But I think you'll see. Yeah. I think Jacob really helped him out, and I think he's got loyalty beyond his job title.
Is this a backstory that you have for yourself, or did you get some hints from [series creator] Taylor [Sheridan]?
Yeah, it was something that I made up for myself. I thought, "That's my job. Let me figure this out." And the higher stakes it was for me, then the more it would be ... "loyal" is a very general word. How loyal? And I figured, "Well, if we're making a TV show about it, it's got to be the nth degree of loyal. Or what's the point of even playing the part, right?" So yeah, I did it myself, and maybe I'll share it with Taylor. But I wouldn't even want to do that. I'd just rather him just write his great words, and then be like, "Oh, it's this." Because you go through the front door, you go through the back door, it's going to tell the same story. Either way, I'm loyal. Right?
That's true. And he is obviously very set in this world. So were there any pointers, any information that you got from him that was really useful?
Well, he set up a two-week cowboy camp for us. And so we all rode horses and learned and were sore and felt like we were terrible, and then got good. Yeah. So it was just about repetitive -- just time in the saddle, time around the ranch, time in my boots, my chaps, really getting used to wearing my spurs, kicking the horse with them. We had two weeks. We didn't start shooting with horses for about six weeks, and that's right when I felt like I was in a [good] place. Granted, I've ridden horses before, but when you're working with Taylor, that's the bar, because he's a real cowboy.
'I've Got To Stay In The Shot There With Harrison'
Harrison has a ranch that he lives on. So did he help you guys out? Did he go through the camp with you?
No. He showed up for a day, and we're like, "Goddamn, he's good at riding." That's it. Yeah, he just showed up. Got used to his horse a little bit, but he could ride. And he likes it. His thing is that he just goes too fast. It's hard to keep up with him.
Oh, so did that end up being a thing?
You can't keep up with him on a horse. You're like, "I've got to stay in the shot there with Harrison."
What was it like working with him? You've got Helen Mirren and Harrison Ford on this TV show, and he's doing TV for the first time. What was that like?
It's a surreal moment anytime you have those moments. And then you get through it, and then you realize, like, "Okay." The best you can, you watch them, you try to learn, and you try to be there. Then, at the end of the day, they're actors that care. And that's the great part about both of them. It's not that Harrison's down, and we're freezing -- we're all in a van together, trying to get warm. He's very inclusive. He's very funny. And Helen's just a dream to work with, really, and to watch act. So you just try to hang in there with them. That's my best hope.
"1923" premieres on Paramount+ on December 18, 2022. Paramount Network is also hosting a linear airing of the debut episode following a new episode of "Yellowstone."
It might sound slightly hyperbolic, but filmmaker James Cameron (Titanic, The Abyss, Aliens) contains multitudes. More than just a writer, director, and producer, he’s the rare filmmaker who not only creates commercial art, but commercial art likely to engage, enthrall, and even enlighten future generations. Despite his commercial and critical successes, including an Oscar win for Best Director in 1997 (Titanic), Cameron has never been a prolific filmmaker, often spending upwards of a decade between projects he carefully shepherds through every phase of production, from writing to post-production and everything in between, including the elaborate, obsessive, detail-oriented world-building that have become a hallmark of his career. His latest obsession with Pandora, the alien moon at the center of the Avatar universe, started somewhere after Titanic...
Director Ryan White and his new film "Good Night Oppy"
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