Daily Archives: August 28, 2020

Its an all-too-familiar refrain by now: this years festival season is going to look a little different than years past. While autumn at the movies still signals the arrival of a glut of hotly anticipated features, movies seemingly destined for awards glory, and first looks at films that have been chattered about for entire years, 2020 will always come with an asterisk.

And so does IndieWires annual look at some of the most exciting new films of the season, this year rolling out in one singular package, all the better to highlight a curated crop of the best films arriving at Venice, Toronto, and New York. With a reduced lineup this year due to some films having to pause in the middle of production, and other finished features opting to wait until 2021 to get the usual festival bells and whistles many festivals are showing significantly fewer titles, and many of the biggest titles will be screening at all three festivals.

Some festivals are not happening at all (including Telluride, which followed in Cannes footsteps and cancelled its physical edition but named the titles that would have made its ranks), while others are unfolding as carefully crafted live events (like Venice, poised to be the first major film event in months to do just that). Others, including TIFF and NYFF, are attempting to launch festivals that utilize major virtual platforms and safety-minded in-person screenings and events.

So, yes, this years festival season will look very different. One thing, however, remains the same: many thrilling new films to look forward to seeing (whenever, and however, that might be). As possible and safe, we will be covering the fall festivals, thanks to both international contributors and a cadre of U.S.-based staff who have become (perhaps too) comfortable with working from home. Ahead, IndieWire picks through the Venice (September 2 12), TIFF (September 10 20), and NYFF (September 17 October 11) slates to highlight the best of the best.

Co-directed by two China-based journalists (Weixi Chen and someone who remains anonymous for their safety) along with New York filmmaker Hao Wu (whose Peoples Republic of Desire remains one of the best documentaries about the dystopian future of live-streaming), 76 Days offers an uncensored, ground-level portrait of the COVID-19 outbreak from inside the heart of Wuhan.

Less attuned to the Chinese governments response to the virus than it is to the outbreaks devastating impact on the first people found themselves in its path, 76 Days will introduce viewers to a pregnant woman who awaits the birth of her first child, a senile grandfather who cant remember his way home, and so many others as they scramble for life amidst an unprecedented lockdown. There will be many documentaries about this ongoing epidemic, several of which will likely be released before an end to the crisis is even in sight, but few are poised to offer such a lucid and lingering view of the toll the virus has taken. DE

See-Saw Films

That Francis Lees much-hyped romantic drama looks so much like Celine Sciammas lush Portrait of a Lady on Fire all those windswept beaches, all those longing looks, all those almost handholds!! is obvious, but whats less clear is how all those similarities are actually a good thing. If twos a trend, then were already deep into the next wave of aching period-set lesbian romances, and thats a far better state of being than, oh, being deep into the next wave of things-go-boom, robots-yell-a-lot actioners that seem more likely to drive the box office bucks.

Starring Oscar winner Kate Winslet as famed British paleontologist Mary Anning (whose real-life sexuality has already been the subject of much debate, expect that to only heat up as the season winds on), the Gods Own Country filmmaker cast four-time Oscar nominee Saoirse Ronan as Marys foil and eventual love interest, Charlotte Murchison. Like Portrait, the film imagines two seemingly different women thrown together by circumstance in a location that handily approximates the end of the world. What they discover goes beyond art or science, transforming into a forbidden obsession that has no place in their society (again: all those almost handholds).

The films first trailer and attendant press have played up its sexy side, while also indicating a true desire by Lee and his leading ladies to bring real intimacy to the big screen. That should always be in style. KE

The indomitable Frederick Wiseman will next apply his singular lens to city bureaucracy Bostons, no less. City Hall follows the inner workings of the Boston government, from climate change action to racial justice to housing policy and homelessness. In his statement about the film, Wiseman takes a characteristically neutral approach to his unwieldy subject, emphasizing the interconnectedness of city life and the services a city government can provide. The Boston city government is designed and strives to offer these services in a manner consistent with the Constitution and democratic norms, he writes.

Its hard to think of a better city to represent a snapshot of American governance than Boston, and Wiseman is the undisputed auteur of American institutions. With the most important election of our lifetime approaching, its the perfect time for art to help illuminate what government can actually do for people. JD

Did somebody say Idris Elba on a horse? The veteran actor will saddle up for a Philadelphia-set Western, where hell play opposite Stranger Things favorite Caleb McLoughlin. The pair star as an estranged father and son who become reunited, connecting over the world of urban horseback riding. The feature debut of Philadelphia native Ricky Staub, Concrete Cowboy is based on the novel Ghetto Cowboy, by G Neri. The story is fictional, but the riding club depicted is not the Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club is part of a long tradition of urban horseback riding in Philadelphias Black community. The stacked cast also includes Jharrel Jerome (When They See Us), Lorraine Toussaint (Selma), comedian Byron Bowers, and Method Man. JD

HBO

After the success of Springsteen on Broadway on Netflix and Hamilton on Disney+, it seems like streaming might become a kind of forever home for Broadway productions after their theatrical runs you know, the way its supposed to work for movies. But with the lights turned off on the Great White Way for at least the rest of the year due to a deadly pandemic (you may have heard about it), certain shows might be coming home ahead of schedule. In the case of American Utopia, it cant arrive on HBO Max soon enough.

A euphoric revue of the best songs that David Byrne has ever written during his long career as a solo artist and frontman of Talking Heads (Psycho Killer, Once in a Lifetime, Road to Nowhere, etc.), the Broadway show was a shot in the arm before people realized how badly we could need one. And lucky for us, Spike Lee was there to capture it on camera, and with a visceral immediacy that promises to let all of us share the best seat in the house. Whether Stop Making Sense is burned into your brain or you only know Byrne as the white-haired guy who cut that one album with St. Vincent, American Utopia is sure to be the brightest, warmest, danciest ray of light youll find on a screen this fall. DE

The first Indian film in Venice competition in decades (and among the first in the NYFF main slate), Chaitanya Tamhanes second feature is loaded with potential. The filmmakers sophomore effort follows Court, a gripping and austere look at his countrys broken justice system. Here, he turns to the story of a classical musical vocalist who faces personal hurdles as the modern world threatens the future of his profession.

That concept holds plenty of appeal on its own, but The Disciple is especially promising because its filmmaker has established himself as a rigid formalist whose use of cinematic language can take any number of immersive and surprising directions. Needless to say, its no surprise that avowed Court fan Alfonso Cuaron has signed on to the project as an executive producer. Tamhane is already a world-class director, and The Disciple reportedly has such delicate shot composition and editing that anyone who values the art form is likely to be impressed with the directors ability to juggle its strengths. In a strange year for festival buzz with fewer flashier English-language titles, this cinephile treat has a good shot at standing out. Bring it on. EK

Adapted from Patrick DeWitts absurdist novel of the same name and borrowing its title from an expression for leaving a party announced (a Gallic variation on the Irish goodbye), French Exit has rather fittingly been slated to end the most low-key New York Film Festival this town has ever seen. And its a New York story to the core, as this sharp and unsparing comedy-esque affair follows the misadventures of one Frances Price (Michelle Pfeiffer), a suddenly penniless widow sells everything she owns and sails to Paris with her son (Lucas Hedges) and their talking cat (Tracy Letts, duh). Friendships, reconciliations, and spiritual possessions ensue, a shrewd jumble of arch familial nonsense that director Azazel Jacobs (The Lovers, Terri) should be able to navigate as well as anyone. DE

Prolific documentarian Heidi Ewing makes her solo directorial narrative debut with a bittersweet gay romance seen through the eyes of one aspiring chefs decision to cross the border from Mexico to the United States. The drama received warm reviews out of its Sundance premiere, where it bowed earlier this year in the genre-bending and forward-looking NEXT section. Ewing wrote the screenplay with Alan Page Arriaga, and the duo tackles this American Dream story through the fertile soil of food ethnography.

The film was shot by rising Mexican cinematographer Juan Pablo Ramrez, who has racked up more than two dozen films to his name since 2010. The film was originally meant to be a vrit portrait of this epic love story, but over years of interviews, Ewing realized she had the makings of a powerful narrative. While the hybrid elements may not make for the smoothest transition, the experimental nature makes this an exciting debut. JD

American Zoetrope

Combining the gauziness of her aunt Sofias films with a nuance and sensitivity all her own, Gia Coppola did the family name proud with her 2014 debut Palo Alto, which holds up as one of this centurys best movies about being young in America. Coppolas long-awaited second feature finds her reteaming with key collaborators (like musician Dev Hynes and cinematographer Autumn Durald) for a major swing for the fences: An original film that marries the snowballing narcissism of Elia Kazans A Face in the Crowd with the ubiquitous self-love of the social media era.

Maya Hawke, in her first leading role, stars as a grieving bartender whose rant against the content-ification of the world goes viral after she meets a man named Link (Andrew Garfield). Alas, the two strangers along with a third character played by Palo Alto alum Nat Wolff can only enjoy their fame for so long before they find themselves in the crosshairs of Jason Schwartzmans corporate villain. We cant wait to see what the Mainstream looks like through Coppolas eyes. DE

Over the course of two decades behind the camera, Italian filmmaker Susanna Nicchiarelli has made complicated women her signature, moving from off-kilter coming-of-age tales like Cosmonaut to her beloved biopic Nico, 1988. Her next project appears to be a culmination of her cinematic obsessions: a fact-based drama about the life of Karl Marxs whipsmart daughter Eleanor Marx that isnt beholden to traditional biopic trappings. When the films rights sold at last year Cannes, Screen reported that Nicchiarelli would rely on the insertion of period photographs and footage, the ironic use of contemporary music, and a minimalist aesthetic for clothing and furnishing to subvert the usual genre trappings.

No matter her method of telling the story, the Romola Garai-starring film has plenty of real-life drama to pull from. Eleanor was a socialist activist with her own big ideas about how the world (and the government) should work. Despite her formidable intellect, her personal life was fraught, and she was often at the mercy of her cruel long-time partner Edward Aveling (played by Patrick Kennedy). Niccharelli has been a longtime favorite of Venice, and seems poised to take the next step in the international arena. KE

Sam Pollard is best known as an editor on some of Spike Lees most treasured films, from Mo Better Blues to Bamboozled, but hes also crafted a substantial filmography of his own with historical documentaries such as Slavery By Another Name and Sammy Davis, Jr.: Ive Gotta Be Me. He adds to that substantial oeuvre with this very timely look back on Martin Luther King, Jr.s civil rights battles and how they lead to relentless surveillance and harassment efforts by J. Edgar Hoovers intelligence agency. Its no secret that Hoovers team did everything in their power to besmirch Kings name, including wiretapping efforts that revealed his extramarital affairs and blackmail attempts that failed to dampen Kings impact.

The movie promises an engaging blend of archival footage and contemporary interviews with some of Kings surviving peers certain to resurrect conversations about ruthless efforts by the U.S. government to diminish the impact of Black progress in America. Released to the world in the wake of George Floyd protests, the subject is certain to find a receptive audience eager to dissect just how much Kings story remains relevant and inspiring to this day. EK

Mexican director Michel Francos unrelenting, tightly bottled dramas have ranged from Haneke-level horrific and effective (the cautionary after-school-special-gone-wrong After Lucia) to stiff and dull even despite a major star (Chronic with Tim Roth as an end-of-life caretaker). Returning to his native roots, Franco takes on the dystopian drama with what Venice Film Festival director Alberto Barbara calls Francos most ambitious and darkest film yet, New Order.

An extremely tense first teaser suggests something is very wrong here, as a wedding is interrupted by foreboding-looking, and most certainly unwelcome, gun-toting guests. New Order is told through the eyes of the bride and the servants working for, and evidently also against, her affluent family amid a collapsing political system. RL

Amazon

Somehow, Oscar-winning actress Regina King finds the time. Lauded on screens both big and small, King has also spent the past seven years building up an enviable assortment of directing credits, including episodes of Animal Kingdom, Insecure, and This Is Us, among others, and now makes the jump to feature filmmaking with a banger of debut, which has already been picked up by Amazon in advance of its festival premieres.

One Night in Miami doesnt just have an enviable cast in front of the camera (including Kingsley Ben-Adir, Eli Goree, Aldis Hodge, Leslie Odom Jr., Lance Reddick, Jasmine Cephas Jones, Michael Imperioli, and Beau Bridges), but shes picked them to lead a story about some of the biggest names to ever grace this Earth. Set on February 25, 1964 in the aftermath of Cassius Clay (Goree) defeating Sonny Liston for the title of World Heavyweight Boxing Champion at the Miami Beach Convention Center, the film unspools to follow Clay and his closest friends activist Malcolm X (Ben-Adir), singer Sam Cooke (Odom), and football star Jim Brown (Hodge) as they celebrate the momentous evening. Talk about a meeting of the minds, and with King guiding her cast through a story that sounds too fantastic to believe and too important to forget, it promises to be one of the most thrilling films of the season. KE

Thrice a Cannes Palme dOr contender for his films Jupiters Moon, White God, and Delta, Hungarian filmmaker Kornl Mundrucz returns with the English-language Pieces of a Woman. And oh what a cast! Shia LaBeouf, returning to screens just a few weeks after his miscalculated turn in David Ayers The Tax Collector, and Vanessa Kirby star as lovers who meet across a sharp class divide (shes an executive and hes a construction worker). But they soon find themselves navigating extreme loss after the death of their first child after complications with a midwife, played by Molly Parker. Ellen Burstyn co-stars as Kirbys mother in this intense movie reminiscent of 1970s American dramas. Collaborating once again with screenwriter Kata Wber, Mundrucz worked in North America for the first time with this film. RL

Canadian New Queer Cinema iconoclast Bruce LaBruce has been turning out sexy, unsettling features and photography for three decades, reveling in the underbellies of every sexual subculture under the sun, from amputee fetishism and BDSM, to zombie sexuality and gerontophilia. His latest movie is no differently subversive or more shocking, exploring the twin fetishism thats become an icky staple of gay pornography.

Closing out the Venice Days program, the 1972-set Saint-Narcisse follows a 22-year-old with a fetish forhimself. Upon discovering he has a twin brother, Dominic embarks on a strange odyssey of sexual depravity, revenge, and redemption, especially once he learns his mother didnt actually die in childbirth. Newcomer Felix-Antoine Duval plays the undeniably hunky twins. RL

Luca Guadagnino applies his lush lens to the life of legendary Italian shoe designer Salvatore Ferragamo. The filmmakers first documentary was written by the fashion journalist Dana Thomas, and charts Ferragamos life from learning shoemaking as a young child to landing in Hollywood as a shoe designer on films like The Thief of Baghdad and stars like Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn. The film is narrated by Call Me by Your Name star Michael Stuhlbarg, and includes interviews with, among other luminaries, no less than Martin Scorsese. This towering figure of Italian fashion gets the star treatment from one of Italys premier filmmakers, and the results are sure to be dripping with style. JD

Call Me by Your what now? Franois Ozons new film Summer of 85 looks to be the gay summer-of-love story to end them all. The queer romance, set in 1985, boasts a killer soundtrack including The Cure and Bananarama, gorgeous cinematography, a coastal setting, striped T-shirts, and, of course, a beautiful cast, led by French cinema favorites Flix Lefebvre, Benjamin Voisin, Philippine Velge, Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi, Melvil Poupaud, and Isabelle Nanty. Set against the glistening backdrop of seaside Normandy, the film tracks the friendship-turned-romance between two teenage boys, whose relationship is complicated by the arrival of another new friend. Its based on the novel by Aidan Chambers. RL

Lauded Mexican filmmaker Yulene Olaizolas latest feature boasts the kind of synopsis that only gets more intriguing and hard to fathom with each subsequent word. And if it sounds unpredictable on paper, we cant wait to see how that looks on film. Per said official synopsis, the film is set in 1920, on the border between Mexico and Belize. Deep in the Mayan jungle, a lawless territory where myths abound, a group of Mexican gum workers cross paths with Agnes, a mysterious young Belizean woman. Her presence incites tension among the men, arousing their fantasies and desires. Filled with new vigor, they face their destiny, without knowing that they have woken up Xtabay, a legendary being that lurks in the heart of the jungle.

We were already sold long before the introduction of Xtabay, but that might be the films best trick (or, at least, a clever way to obscure whats really going on here), as other official materials hint that we already know Xtabay, long before he (or she?) makes himself plain. Early casting calls hinted at a film filled with mysterious fatalities and deep roots in local mythology, a thrilling combination ripe for examination. KE

Searchlight Pictures

In 2017, Chloe Zhaos poetic cowboy drama The Rider become the surprise festival hit that kept hitting, as the industry chased after a filmmaker with a keen eye for rooting complex characters in an authentic milieu. It remains to be seen how well that sensibility will manifest in Marvels Eternals, but in the meantime, shes squeezed in another project that looks very much on brand. Nomadland stars the ever-reliable Frances McDormand as a woman roaming the American West in a frayed RV, drifting through a series of odd encounters and befriending another loner (David Strathairn) who may or may be the answer to her troubles. Zhaos patient, slow-burn ability to capture the complex isolation of the American landscape is well-established, and seems poised to mesh nicely with such dependable acting talent.

An Oscar hopeful from Fox Searchlight, Nomadland is also one of the few fall titles traveling the holy trifecta of Venice, TIFF, and NYFF (it was also poised to play at the now-canceled Telluride, alas). In a normal year, this understated movie might be a hidden gem in the noisy assemblage of red carpet events, but may actually benefit from being one of the hotter tickets this time around, a festival movie that could break out in whatever form the festivals allow it to happen. EK

Gianfranco Rosis Oscar-nominated Fire at Sea was a mesmerizing window into the migrant crisis that captured its tragic ramifications in intimate detail. For his latest, he embedded himself in another perilous environment where lives are on the line on a regular basis the battlegrounds of the Middle East. Rosi apparently spent two years gathering footage on the borders between Syria, Iraq, Kurdistan, and Lebanon, amplifying the experiences of people just looking to survive another day. His subjects range from lonely fishermen to children, but dont expect some kind of talking-head tribute.

Rosis cinematic approach to the non-fiction form assures that Notturno will deliver a hyper-immersion into a haunting environment all too often understood in terms of narrow-minded Western headlines. Another awards hopeful with real potential to break out, it stands a good shot at rejuvenating conversations about the nature of conflicts across the Middle East and just how often innocent lives are caught in the crosshairs. Its also bound to put the global pandemic in the wider context it deserves: Many people are fearing for lives today, but for the subjects of Notturno, that experience is nothing new. EK

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20 Must-See Films at the 2020 Venice, Toronto, and New York Film Festivals - IndieWire

Apple Arcadelaunched with close to 100 titles and the service is seeing new games added regularly. Follow along with our guide on the latest from Apples gaming service.

You can learn more about and downloadall the new games by heading to the Arcade tab in the App Store, then swipe down to the very bottom and tap See All Games. The newest games are listed at the top.

If you havent signed up yet, Apple Arcade is available free for the first month, then $5/month for iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, and Apple TV. PS4 and Xbox wireless controllers are also now compatible with Apple devices and select titles.

8/27:The Last Campfire joins Apple Arcade as the newest adventure game on the service.

DISCOVER A PURPOSEThe Last Campfire is an adventure, a story of a lost ember trapped in a puzzling place, searching for meaning and a way home.ON A JOURNEYTravel deeper into the lands beyond the dark forest and overcome the adversities before you.UNCOVER A WORLDDiscover beautiful wilderness filled with lost folk, strange creatures and mysterious ruins.LIGHT THE LAST CAMPFIREFind hope and carry it with you on your Journey to light The Last Campfire.FROM A SMALL STUDIOA unique tale from Hello Games and the creative minds behind LostWinds.

8/21:Adult Swims Samurai Jack is the newest game to hit Apple Arcade:

Hes back! Become Samurai Jack, the greatest warrior to ever brandish a katana!

Journey through time and finally stop Akus evil reign in this new adventure from the creators of Samurai Jack.

Voiced by the original voice-actors, Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time is an action RPG game that spans across time and space, where your actions will determine a new legend!

Encounter your favorite characters from the show including The Scotsman, Scaramouche, Sir Rothchild and more!

BECOME THE SAMURAI AND DEFEAT AKU FOREVER!Immerse yourself in an untold adventure that ties into the epic series finale. Team up with trusted allies from the show to face off against familiar enemies. Defeat ninja foes!

EXPLORE WORLDS FROM THE AWARD-WINNING SERIESVisit classic worlds and moments from your favorite episodes. Travel to a dark future to free mankind. Dive into the past to face off against diabolical monsters. Seek your fate as you travel across space and time.

CREATE YOUR OWN LEGEND!Equip and master over a dozen different weapons in combat. Increase your power even more by training and unlocking new skills to support your playstyle.

Your time has come. Become Samurai Jack, the greatest warrior of the past, present and future. Enjoy one of the most unique and iconic gaming experiences available on Apple Arcade today!

8/14: Next Stop Nowherelets players take an outer space road trip with some neat game elements.

8/7: Apple Arcade gainsGame of Thrones: Tale of Crowsas the newest title taking players back 8,000 before Jon Snow.

In the shadow of the Wall, your watch begins. Eight thousand years before Jon Snow took the Black, the Nights Watch was formed to secure the Wall and defend the border of Westeros against the perils of the North, and all that lies beyond. Into these untamed wilds, sworn brothers and their allies set out on rangings to face the dangers that would threaten the realm. But the Wall is a blade that cuts both ways.

Guide the decisions of Lord Commanders through the seasons and mount expeditions beyond the Wall. As ravens travel to and from your expeditions in real time, their messages are delivered to you throughout your day. Respond with your command right away, or whenever you see fit.

Long is the history of the Nights Watch, and many are its stories forgotten. Its time the realm remembers them.

7/24:Landing on Apple Arcade today isThe Lullaby of Life, an adventure game with a focus on music, relaxation, and agility.

In The Lullaby of Life you are the catalyst for change in a universe currently inert but filled with potential.

Explore this amazing world that combines relaxation, dexterity and agility, and help it reach its maximum splendor using the power of music to make life bloom.

This adventure has no textual elements, and wearing headphones is highly recommended. Lets write together a new story about the origin of life!

7/17:Necrobaristais the newest addition to Apple Arcade. Heres the description of the new dark adventure title:

In a back-alley Melbourne cafe, the dead are granted one last night to mingle with the living.For Maddy Xiaobarista, amateur necromancer, and new owner of the Terminalthings couldnt be better, as long as youre not reminding her of the fact that shes got an enforcer from the notoriously uncompromising Council of Death breathing down her neck.

7/10:New to Apple Arcade today is a dark and eerie adventure puzzler called Creaks.

The ground starts shaking, light bulbs are breaking and something rather unusual is happening right behind the walls of your very room. Equipped with nothing but wit and courage, you slowly descend into a world inhabited by avian folk and seemingly deadly furniture monsters.

From the creators of indie classics Machinarium and Samorost comes Creaks, a new puzzle adventure game that delights the senses with its hand-painted visuals, precise animation, eerie sounds, and an eclectic original score from Hidden Orchestra. Proceed at your own pace at figuring out the solutions to dozens of carefully designed puzzles, explore the mansion for hidden paintings, and uncover the great secret.

6/25: A big release today on Apple Arcade is the futuristic adventure thriller and sequel to the popularBeneath a Steel Sky,Beyond a Steel Sky.

From Charles Cecil, creator of the Broken Sword series, with art direction by Dave Gibbons, legendary comic book artist behind Watchmen, comes Beyond a Steel Sky, the long awaited sequel to the cult classic Beneath a Steel Sky.

You are Robert Foster. A child has been abducted in a brutal attack. You have vowed to bring him home. But the trail has led you from your community of desert wasteland dwellers, to Union City, one of the last remaining mega-cities in a world ravaged by shattering wars, and political meltdown.

Fortified and impenetrable, it is a utopia in which people live happily under the surveillance and control of a benign AI. But all is far from what it seems

Beyond a Steel Sky is a dramatic, humorous, cyberpunk thriller in which engaging puzzles drive a fast-paced narrative set in a dynamic gameworld that responds to and is subverted by the players actions.

An adventure set within a dynamic world, populated by willful characters driven by motivations that the player can subvert. In combination with a unique hacking tool, multiple solutions to puzzles emerge from player choices. Unravel dark conspiracies, defeat a terrifying antagonist in this dramatic, humorous, cyberpunk thriller, which explores contemporary themes: social control, AI, and total surveillance. Intelligent puzzles are interwoven with an intriguing dramatic narrative to deliver a compelling gameplay experience. A beautifully detailed, comic-book styled world, from the mind of legendary comic artist Dave Gibbons.

Thanks, Sigmund!

6/12:A new side-scrolling adventure game has arrived today on Apple Arcade calledLittle Orpheus.

The year is 1962 and NASA are trying to put a man on the moon. In a remote corner of Siberia, a Soviet cosmonaut is heading in the other direction. Comrade Ivan Ivanovich is dropped into an extinct volcano in his exploration capsule, Little Orpheus, to explore the center of the earth. He promptly vanishes.

Three years later he emerges claiming to have saved the world. He has also lost the atomic bomb powering the Little Orpheus. He is taken to a top secret bunker deep below the Ural mountains to be debriefed by the fearsome General Yurkovoi, a man so frightening even Stalin wont buy him a drink. The General rolls up his sleeves, fixes Ivan with a steely glare and say So where have you been comrade? And where is my bomb?And Ivan looks him right back in the eye and says Well General, you might not believe what happened to me, but Ill do my best. Because it happened like this

Join our bold yet hapless hero as he explores lost civilizations, undersea kingdoms, prehistoric jungles and lands beyond imagination. Gasp as he battles the subhuman tribe of the Menkv and escapes the clutches of dreadful monsters! Cheer as he triumphs over impossible odds and brings socialism to the subterranean worlds!

Little Orpheus is a technicolor side-scrolling adventure game inspired by classic movies like Flash Gordon, Sinbad and The Land that Time Forgot. Delivered in eight bite-size, commute-friendly episodes, Little Orpheus is simple enough for casual players but rich enough for seasoned adventure fans.

If youre a fan of old school family blockbusters, want a rollercoaster story thatll take you to the Earths core and beyond, or are just in some need of ideologically correct entertainment, join the most unlikely hero to hit Apple Arcade on an adventure beyond belief. With stunning visuals, brilliant acting and a world-class score, Little Orpheus is a pocket-epic youll never forget.

Comrades, to the center!

6/4:It doesnt look like were getting a new Apple Arcade title this week but there is a major update for the popular RPGOceanhorn 2 with the Golden Edition today (via CNET). The expansion marks a great time to replay the game or jump in for the first time.

Introducing the Golden Edition!

Theres never been a better time to start your RPG adventure or to jump back in! The Golden Edition update is packed with new, exciting content, and its the best version of the game to date!

5/28: Apple Arcade has added a new game from Nickelodeon called SpongeBob: Patty Pursuit. Heres how its described:

Trouble has come to Bikini Bottom! The evil mastermind Sheldon J. Plankton has once again hatched a plan to steal the secret Krabby Patty formula. This time he has enlisted his army of cousins to capture all of SpongeBobs friends! Play as SpongeBob on his epic, most side-scrolly quest through Bikini Bottom ever! Explore, collect coins and spatulas, and crush obstacles as SpongeBob races to rescue his friends, defeat Planktons minions and take back the formula. Keep an eye out for your favorite Bikini Bottom residentsyou never know who you might run into!

5/22:Apple Arcade sees the arrival of a new dungeon crawler RPG,Towers of Everland.

Lets go on a dungeon crawl as Towers of Everland seamlessly brings together exploration, combat and RPG elements to take the player on an amazing adventure within the world of Everland. On your epic journey, test your skills in battle against the hordes of fiendish monsters you encounter, conquer all the towers you can and amass weapons and armor from hundreds of unique pieces.

5/14:Launched today on Apple Arcade is a fun new puzzle journey calledWinding Worlds.

Youre far from home. Youre not sure how you got here. But you do know one thing: its your calling to help your new friends, however you can. But not all of them are being cooperative

From the award-winning studio that brought you GNOG comes Winding Worlds, a finger-wiggling puzzle-adventure about a girl, a Wurm, and how to say goodbye.

Willow just wants to mind her own business. But after she finds a broken magical necklace, she is transported on a spellbinding journey to a network of strange planets, each with a different inhabitant. Hired and guided by a mysterious cosmic Wurm, Willows task is to find out how to help her new friends heal and move on. In Winding Worlds, join a cast of characters, big and small, in a heartwarming tale of grief, love, truth, and acceptance.

5/8:Apple Arcade has gainedThe_Otherside, a new turn-based RPG.

Otherside is a turn based RPG and strategy board game where you will control four survivors who hope to push back the shadowy threat. Make your way through each level solving puzzles, fighting monsters, and destroying the spirit anchors that threaten our dimension.

Do you have what it takes to restore the town back to normal and save the day?

5/1:The latest addition to Apple Arcade is the adventure titleNeversong.

Upon waking from a coma, Peets girlfriend is nowhere to be found. Investigate the screams coming from the heart of Neverwood, the increasingly bizarre behavior of the zombie grownups, and the strange truth about Peets past in this hauntingly dreamlike fable.

From Red Wind Field to the haunting halls of Blackfork Asylum, explore six moody, illustrative levels.

Take on bosses, monsters, and zombie grownups with your trusty baseball bat.

Immerse yourself in a breathtaking piano-centric soundtrack.

Join your quirky childhood pals and trusty pet bird on an adventure to discover the truth about your recent coma.

4/17:Apple Arcade has gained two new titles today with Beyond Blue and A Fold Apart. The former is a deep-sea diving adventure game and the latter is a love story in a paper world puzzler.

Beyond Blue takes you into the near future, where youll have the opportunity to explore the mysteries of our ocean through the eyes of Mirai, a deep sea explorer and scientist. You and your newly-formed research team will use groundbreaking technologies to see, hear, and interact with the ocean in a more meaningful way than has ever been attempted. The game features an evocative narrative, exploration of an untouched world, and adventure that challenges the player to make high-stakes decisions during the crews expedition.

And heres the description ofA Fold Apart.

After career choices force them along separate paths, a Teacher and Architect vow to make their long-distance relationship work at any cost. Experience both sides of their story as the couple navigates the complexities of (mis)communication and the emotional ups and downs that separation brings. By flipping, folding, and unfolding the paper puzzles in their handcrafted worlds, you can help the couple overcome the emotional barriers of their relationship but will love endure?

4/10:The new side-scrollerScrappers is now available on Apple Arcade.

In Scrappers, up to 4 players can team up to clean up the streets of a futuristic city teeming with garbage and trash anyone who gets in their way!

You take on the role of the Scrappers, a squad of robot garbage collectors working to clean up a grimy city of the not-so-distant future. Time is money in Junktown, and team tactics like stacking trash and passing it to teammates much like in basketball can boost your efficiency for bigger rewards!

But garbage collection is only part of the job. Rival teams will attack and interfere, and its up to you to dispose of them while staying on schedule!

Teamwork is key to maximizing efficiency and achieving high scores, which in turn unlocks new characters and customization options!

4/3:Legend of the Sky Fish 2, a new RPG has landed on Apple Arcade.

A hundred years have passed since the hero known as Little Red Hook ended the reign of terror of Skyfish, the Lord of the Deep Seas and now the peace that civilization struggled so much to build is in danger again.

As the last Red Hook guardians, you and your master must use the atypical tool of your clan the Combat Fishing Pole as both a weapon and a grappling hook to face the rising threat.

Unveil an exciting story as you journey in a world full of intriguing characters and devious traps. Explore gorgeous landscapes and mysterious dungeons while defeating mutant abyssal creatures.

3/20: Spyder is out as the latest Apple Arcade title:

Save the world with Agent 8 in this Spy-on-The-Wall adventure.

Set in a retro universe, British Spy Agency EP-8 has created Agent 8, the most sophisticated miniature robot spider on earth! Built using experimental technology, this itsy-bitsy superspy is equipped with all the gadgets and gizmos youll need; cut through panels, overload terminals, flip switches, and open valves as you scurry about sabotaging the heinous plans of evil doers.

3/13: New today is the bouncy dungeon crawlerRoundguard.

Roundguard is a bouncy dungeon crawler with pinball physics, lots of loot, and a randomized castle full of oddballs. Press your luck against hordes of dangerously cute monsters and challenging roguelike elements in this all-round bouncy adventure!

If you love roguelikes & Peggle, then Roundguard is for you.

2/27:The makers of the highly popular Crossy Road are back with Crossy Road Castleas an Apple Arcade exclusive.

Bring your friends and see how far you can get in this endless spinning tower of arcade fun!

Link:

These are the latest Apple Arcade games for iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, and Apple TV - 9to5Mac

LG unveiled its new PuriCare Wearable Air Purifier on Thursday, essentially putting one of LGs home air purifiers on your face. The device looks like something George Jetson might wear if he got stuck in the bad timeline with climate change-fuelled wildfires, militarised police tear-gassing peaceful protesters, and a global pandemic of respiratory illness.

LG is hailing the battery-powered device as a new category of wearable air purifier technology because it uses two H13 HEPA filters and provides the user significant protection from hazardous particles in the air. The high-tech mask even adjusts air intake based on the wearers breathing patterns.

With its Dual Fans and patented Respiratory Sensor, LGs wearable air purifier allows users to take in clean, filtered air while the Respiratory Sensor detects the cycle and volume of the wearers breath and adjusts the dual three-speed fans accordingly, LG said in a press release published overnight. The fans automatically speed up to assist air intake and slow down to reduce resistance when exhaling to make breathing effortless.

The only problem, as the Verge notes, is that the mask might not be a good choice during the coronavirus pandemic. One of the reasons that public health experts recommend masks is because it can help stop the spread of the virus by people who might not know they have the disease. Masks can protect the wearer from contracting covid-19, but LGs new mask doesnt protect people around the wearer, defeating the purpose of universal masking, especially when asymptomatic transmission is so common.

The new mask would, however, be theoretically useful during wildfire season, as thousands of acres burn and make it hazardous to breathe in places like California right now. Last summer, the wildfires in Australia were so bad that indoor smoke alarms were being set off in downtown Sydney. LGs new mask would likely be a welcome addition in a scenario like that.

How soon with this new LG mask be available and where can you buy it? That part is unclear. LGs press release says that it will be available in the fourth quarter in select markets. We dont know if that includes the U.S. at this point.

It doesnt even look like LG bothered to put a working prototype on a human being for their latest press release. The company used a stock photo model and simply photoshopped the mask on his face. This particular model appears to be a favourite for the tech crowd. In recent years hes hadin-ear headphones and has hawked private car services in Europe.

There were a lot of possible futures we were promised in the 20th century. There was the jetpack future, the flying car future, the the robot butler future. Versions of utopia were always just around the corner. But we clearly got the dystopian future filled with anti-pollution personal wear, widespread panic, and a scenario where some of Americas largest cities are struggling to survive.

Thankfully, we havent seen nuclear apocalypse and permanent underground bunkers yet, but honestly thats always on the table, given the sheer number of near-misses weve had over the past half-century.

We may as well suit up for the dystopia were living in, with catastrophe around every corner. And we cant help but wonder if the predominant fashion trend of the 2020s will be a rich vein of LG-style dystopian tech. Perhaps we should call it Immortan Jetson chic.

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LG's New Wearable Air Purifier Is What George Jetson Would Wear in the Bad Timeline - Gizmodo UK

WESTERLY Flock Theatre will perform Aristophanes Greek utopian comedy "The Birds" outdoors following strict COVID-19 safety guidelines in Wilcox Park at 7 p.m. Thursday through Sunday.

A modern adaptation designed to sound the way it might have to an Athenian in an ancient comic theater, "The Birds" (written in 414 B.C.) details the escapades of the comedy team of Pithetaerus and Euelpides as they set out to create a utopia. Fed up with Athenian society, they seek out Epops, the King of the Birds who was once a human himself, to found a new civilization where the birds reclaim their status as the original gods and goddesses.

Leading the cast are Flock regulars Eric Michaelian as Pithetaerus and Madeleine Dauer as Euelpides, with Eric Propfe returning from Flocks 2003 production of "The Birds," and featuring musical arrangements of choral odes by Noah Todd.

Circles for households will be painted on the park lawn suitable for groups of up to five, and there will be six feet of space between each circle in every direction. The circles closest to the performance area are set 12 feet away, and all performers will be using face shields. The audience will also be asked to be masked when not enjoying their picnics, and there will be space for 75 audience members. Passersby are welcome to watch the performance from beyond the audience seating area.

Hand sanitizer will be available for audience members, and there will be porta-potties open for use before and after the performance and during intermission.

Performances run 1 hour and 45 minutes, including intermission. Admission is free, and donations to Flock Theatre will be accepted at the door and at flocktheatre.org.

Nancy Burns-Fusaro

Originally posted here:

Flock Theatre stages Aristophanes' 'The Birds' in Wilcox Park this weekend - The Westerly Sun

Editorial cartoonist Bill Roundy by editorial cartoonist Bill Roundy.

Sleepy de Blasio strikes again!

Our editorial cartoonist Bill Roundy couldnt help being infuriated at the mayors ongoing reluctance to create more space for pedestrians and cyclists on the crowded Queensboro Bridge a bizarre public opposition to a project that Streetsblog even lined up the funding for!

You remember your history: First, the conversion of one lane of car traffic into a pedestrian path couldnt happen, the city said, until the completion of a roadway project on the upper level of the span. Then the city said it couldnt do the work because the lane would require a special security fence that would supposedly cost multi millions of dollars.

More recently, officials trotted out a new excuse: the work would require much more than a mere fence, but new designs for pedestrians at the entrance and exit of the bridge (though that appears unlikely).

To our cartoonist, the mayor first was stalling, now hes just being obstinate and for no reason, given that he has consistently said he wants the future of New York to be more about sustainable modes of transportation and less about the private car.

What better way to start that process to Utopia than by taking away a single lane from cars on a bridge that often has more cyclists and pedestrians on it anyway (albeit all crammed into the north outer roadway currently)?

All of Bill Roundys cartoons are archived here.

Read more:

A Roundy and a Roundy: Take the Money, Bill! - Streetsblog New York

Marvel's Empyre event sees the mutant island of Krakoa invaded by the Cotati - but the X-Men are finally working as a team against them!

This article contains spoilers forX-Men #11.

TheX-Men are finally working as a team. When Charles Xavier first founded the X-Men, he established a School for Gifted Youngsters. There, he taught his students to use their powers. Oddly enough, he doesn't seem to have done a particularly good job; he was usually more fearful of seeing Omega level mutants develop their powers than he was willing to encourage them to experiment. He even used his own psychic powers to impose telepathic locks that inhibited Jean Grey's own telepathy for years.

Xavier may have had the X-Men train as a team in the Danger Room, but even teamwork doesn't appear to have been high up on his agenda. Each X-Man learned how to use their own individual powers in battle, but Xavier didn't really encourage synergies - attempts to use powers in concept. When Cyclops took over as leader of the X-Men for a time while they lived on Utopia, he immediately demonstrated his strategic genius by getting some of his mutants to work together. Now, with the world's mutants living together on the living island of Krakoa, Cyclops and his fellow Krakoan Captains have decided to get their people cooperating again.

Related:X-Men: Gambit's Secret Power Everyone Forgot About

This week'sX-Men #11 is part of Marvel's "Empyre" event, with the plant-race called the Cotati invading Krakoa. They soon learned the scale of their mistake, because Cyclops and his other Captains had come up with several ways to unite different powersets in both offensive and defensive ways. The X-Men had then used Emma Frost's telepathy to flash knowledge of all these strategies into the relevant mutants' minds, ensuring the Krakoans worked together with maximum efficiency. Apparently these are still early days, and the workshopping mostly focused on Magneto's powerset; after "Empyre," the experiment can certainly be considered successful.

Magma, for example, had located a deep vein of magma on the sea bed near Krakoa. She triggered a volcanic eruption, bringing about 20 tons of liquid iron to the surface. Iceman then intervened, using his cryokinetic powers to cool the molten metal at speed. Naturally, the almost-instantaneous cooling led to the new chunks of metal being particularly brittle, which meant they were perfect for Magneto's purposes; he was able to form them into jagged javelins, scythes, and swords, which he used to tear through the amassed army of Cotati. He then tugged a few satellites down out of space for good measure, including a few secret military ones the humans were using to monitor Krakoa that the X-Men weren't really supposed to know about in the first place.

Jonathan Hickman's X-Men run has revitalized the entire range, and this battle tactic indicates the sheer potential of the new mutant nation. The X-Men may call themselves a team, but they've always tended to operate in isolation; no longer is that the case. Consequently, they are now far greater than the sum of their parts.

More:X-Men: The Brother of COLOSSUS Returns To Marvel Comics

Nightwing Just Became Joker's Son (in The Grossest Way)

Tom Bacon is one of Screen Rant's staff writers, and he's frankly amused that his childhood is back - and this time it's cool. Tom's focus tends to be on the various superhero franchises, as well as Star Wars, Doctor Who, and Star Trek; he's also an avid comic book reader. Over the years, Tom has built a strong relationship with aspects of the various fan communities, and is a Moderator on some of Facebook's largest MCU and X-Men groups. Previously, he's written entertainment news and articles for Movie Pilot.A graduate of Edge Hill University in the United Kingdom, Tom is still strongly connected with his alma mater; in fact, in his spare time he's a voluntary chaplain there. He's heavily involved with his local church, and anyone who checks him out on Twitter will quickly learn that he's interested in British politics as well.

The rest is here:

Marvel's New X-Men Are FINALLY Working As A Team | Screen Rant - Screen Rant

[This is an excerpt from Yahoo Sports free morning newsletter. Tap here to get the best sports news in your inbox every morning.]

Good morning, friends. You made it to another Friday. Thats cause for a medal these days. Reward yourself.

I am a sportswriter. That means, by law, Im supposed to be able to thunder down with instant Hot Takes on any sports subject imaginable:The Astros are cheating dogs! James Harden cant win the big one! Tom Brady will flounder in Tampa Bay! Tiger Woods will win the Masters again!You get the idea.

But right now? Right now, friends, I have no Hot Takes. I have no takes at all. (Tip: beware anyone who claims theyve got this all figured out. They dont.) In these literally unprecedented times, I have no idea which way the wind will blow next. Its unsettling.

To recap a remarkable last 48 hours: Wednesday night, multiple NBA teams walked off the floor to protest in the name of social justice. Teams all across the sporting universe joined them, from the WNBA to MLS to baseball to football. There was talk that NBA players would scuttle the entire playoffs. We were already in uncharted territory, and that would require a whole new map.

Thursday, NBA players apparently decided to keep going with the playoffs at some as-yet-undetermined future date, possibly Saturday. But wait! Multiple NFL teams still halted practice, baseball teams again refused to take the field, and then hockey jumped in the scrum, canceling all of its Stanley Cup playoff games for the night.

Which way is up? Which way is forward? Who knows?

The principle driving all this is at once both sadly straightforward and infinitely complex. Black players and their allies are pushing for social justice in a country that all too often fails to deliver on its great promise.

Strange days indeed. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)

It's amazing why we keep loving this country, and this country does not love us back, Clippers coach Doc Rivers said Tuesday, and thats the heart of it right there: an entire segment of Americans who feel unwelcome, unloved, unsafe in their own country.

But how do we get from here to a racial utopia? Thats the question weve wrestled with as a country for centuries, and a few postponed basketball games arent going to solve the problem.

This is an immensely dispiriting situation, from any angle. Nobodys happy. Nobodys winning. A whole lot of people arent even bothering to listen. All this back-and-forth can be healthy like a relationship, a society can only advance when it brings its pain out into the open but 2020 is asking all of us to find emotional reserves weve never tapped before. Some are rising to the challenge, some are turning their backs on it all, but nobody's enjoying this.

As sports fans, this all mucks with the very foundation of our fandom: the calendar. Right up until 2020, we could count on enjoying our favorite sports, whatever they might be, at the same time every year: the Super Bowl in February. March Madness in, well, March. Baseball and the Masters in April. NBA and NHL playoffs in June. College football and the NFL in September. And so on, a comforting sameness every year.

Not anymore. Almost nothing is where it should be in the calendar. On top of the uncertainty about whether games will be played because of COVID-19, we now add the uncertainty of whether games will be played because of political protest. Its part of a deeply unsettling 2020 thats left us all adrift. (Its going to take us a long time to recover from this years assault on our mental health, but thats a story for another day.)

Bottom line: I dont have any answers. I have opinions, just like you, but no certainty. So we keep pressing onward, hoping for resolution, hoping to get people to listen to points of view other than their own, hoping theres not another shaky cellphone video this weekend that sets progress back once again.

Story continues

Continue reading here:

Sports protests: An evolving situation with no hot takes - Yahoo Sports

UsBBC OneUs (Photo: Colin Hutton/BBC)

Tom Hollander and Saskia Reeves take on the roles of Douglas and Connie in this adaption of David Nicholls beloved 2014 novel. It follows the soon to be separated couple and their distanced son as they take one last trip as a family, inter-railing across Europe.

A spin-off from Doctor Foster, this new series from Mike Bartlett focuses on Anna (Victoria Hamilton) who now goes as Belle as she builds a new life in Manchester. Moving into a house split into four levels, she meets an intriguing cast of characters, played by the likes of Alison Steadman and Adrian Lester.

Another big name comes to the small screen as Steve McQueen (12 Years A Slave, Widows) recounts the experience of Londons West Indian community throughout the 70s. Each episode tells a different story, one of which is that of Leroy Logan, a Met police officer who developed anti-racist policies for the force, who will be played by John Boyega (Star Wars).

Hugh Laurie plays a politician who finds his life both professional and personal targeted by his enemies. Timely and sharp, the four-part series written by David Hare (Collateral) explores the grey area between political duty and morality and how far one should go to achieve power.

An unlikely reunion for Fleabag and her Hot Priest, as Phoebe Waller-Bridge joins His Dark Materials as John Parrys daemon. Both are being tracked by aeronaut Lee Scoresby in the second, darker series of the Philip Pullman adaption, while Lyra continues to investigate the meaning of Dust alongside her new companion, Will.

Perhaps a triggering series for any young people vying for a place on a graduate scheme, this series set in Londons world of finance follows a group of wannabe investment bankers hoping to secure a permanent job. Expecting professionalism, they enter a world of sex, drugs and ego and must decide whether the raucous industry is really for them.

Between 1978 and 1973, serial killer Dennis Nilsen murdered at least twelve young men and boys before having sex with their corpses. David Tennant steps into his shoes for this disturbing but brilliant true crime series, focusing on the arrest and subsequent trial of the killer known as the Muswell Hill Murderer.

The so-called honour killing of Iraqi Kurdish woman Banaz Mahmod is the catalyst for this drama, with Keeley Hawes as the detective who was awarded for her investigation into the 20-year-olds disappearance. Mahmod had already told the police of her familys plan to kill her, simply because she had left her abusive husband for another man.

From the creator of Luther, we can expect murder, secrets and maybe even ghosts from this new series. Russell Tovey (Flesh and Blood) plays Nathan, a man desperate to leave a terrible secret in the past. Its all going well until an old friend shows up and sparks a chain of events that will reveal all.

Based on JG Farrells 1978 novel, this World War II drama focuses on the Webbs, a British family living in Singapore at the time of the Japanese invasion. Boasting a cast including Charles Dance and David Morrissey, the series promises to be witty, satirical and entirely watchable.

Pushed back because it was considered too rude to air before 10pm, Adult Material is a no holds barred look behind the cameras of the porn industry. Starring Hayley Squires as veteran actress Jolene Dollar, the series pits her against anti-porn activists and explores the effect of free content on the business.

A reboot of the 80s gentle drama, recounting the lives of vets living and working in the rolling hills of the Yorkshire Dales. It coincides with the 50th anniversary of the release of the novel the series is based on, written by real life vet James Herriot.

There was originally going to be an accompanying theatre piece to this series, offering viewers a chance to get involved in the drama like never before. That part will now air on Sky Arts as a livestream instead, while the series itself features Jude Law and Naomie Harris whose characters discover a mysterious island inhabited by protective outcasts.

Julia Stiles returns as Georgina Clios (now Ryland), who calls this outing the most ambitious series yet. Leaving the French Riviera behind for Italy and Argentina, Georgina has made a name for herself in the world of art restitution and is determined to leave the her less than savoury past behind. Knowing her, it wont last long.

The final series of Skys thriller follows the Worth family back to their roots in Liverpool, leaving the Canadian town of Little Big Bear forever. Unsurprisingly, theyre less than welcome in their hometown and soon find themselves the target of Merseysides most notorious and violent gang led by bulletproof king pin Michael Ryan (Ian Hart).

Nicole Kidman has once again teamed up with Big Little Lies showrunner David E Kelley for this new psychological drama about a woman whose high-profile life falls apart after the disappearance of her husband (Hugh Grant). Based on Jean Hanff Korelitzs novel You Should Have Known, the series questions whether the perfect life really exists.

Aldous Huxleys novel is modernised into a futuristic series imagining a utopian society free of hunger and violence and where people are connected via Indra, an artificial intelligence system. Those who read the original work will know all is not as it seems, and that utopia doesnt quite stretch as far as the Savage Lands.

Perhaps the most anticipated drama of the season, series four of Netflixs royal series will introduce Gillian Anderson as Margaret Thatcher and Emma Corrin as Princess Diana. As well as the 1981 Royal Wedding, well also relive the Buckingham Palace break-in, the magnificence of Concord and the birth of Princes William and Harry.

Hilary Swank plays Commander Emma Green, the astronaut in charge an international crew embarking on a dangerous mission to Mars. Less about space and more about human connection, Emma finds herself distracted by the husband and teenage daughter she left on Earth.

The international drama set in just one police interrogation room returns with four more suspects. Guest stars are yet to be announced, but with David Tennant and Hayley Atwell cast in the first series, theyre sure to be impressive.

You may recognise the name Ratched as the cruel nurse from One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest, intent on making her charges lives as difficult as possible. Sarah Paulson takes over the role from Louise Fletcher in this series led by the dark character, taking place at the very beginning of Ratcheds employment at an Oregon psychiatric hospital.

Netflixs answer to Downton Abbey? Possibly. This period drama is based on Julia Quinns bestselling series of novels, exploring the ruthless world of high society in Regency era London. Produced by Shonda Rhimes, the cast boasts Derry Girls Nicola Coughlan and none other than Dame Julie Andrews as narrator Lady Whistledown.

Henry James 1898 novel The Turning of the Screw serves as inspiration for this long-awaited follow up to horror series The Haunting of Hill House. Set in the English countryside, the story follows a nanny who moves to Bly Manor to look after a pair of orphans. Once there, the house slowly starts to reveal its spooky history and the spooky entities who still roam its halls.

Another sweary superhero show to add to the ever-popular genre, The Boys was Amazon Prime Videos runaway hit of 2019. Imagining the shows heroes as less than perfect celebrities is a welcome spin, and season two promises even more gory, bombastic action.

A remake of Channel 4s excellent 2013 mystery series, Gone Girl author Gillian Flynn tells the story of the secret deadly message hidden in the fictional series of comics known as Utopia. It comes down to a group of misfit nerds to stop the nefarious plans being carried out, finding themselves hunted by ruthless killers who have been ordered to put a stop to their investigations.

Another spin-off, this time from zombie series The Walking Dead. Taking place in Nebraska ten years after the apocalypse, the action focuses on two teenage girls who are part of the first generation to only know life alongside the undead. After a catastrophic event changes their lives forever, the pair set out on a quest which will see them leave the safety of their compound for the first time.

After eight episodes of the Star Wars series, were still no closer to discovering Baby Yodas (real name The Child) backstory. Thats the main hope for the second set of episodes, though theres also the excitement surrounding the confirmed appearance of the franchises most famous Mandalorian, Boba Fett, to look forward to.

2020 is truly shaping up to be the year of the spin-off. This offspring of crime series Power follows Tariq St. Patrick after he killed his own father in the sixth season finale. Attempting to balance university with keeping his family safe and finding a way to get his mum out of jail, Tariq is spinning a lot of plates and you can put money on the chances of him dropping one.

Go here to read the rest:

The best dramas to watch on TV this Autumn, from The Crown to Des - iNews

My profession, psychology, began demonizing traditional childrearing in the late 1960s. I was in graduate school at the time and on fire for the promise that the proper use of psychological principles could perfect the raising of children and thereby usher in the social utopia we (young boomers whose heads were enveloped in clouds of youthful idealism) thought possible, even imminent.

Children could be reasoned with. Punishment damaged self-esteem (the supposed brass ring of a good life). In the ideal family, parents and children ruled equally. Time-out which takes the all-time Parenting Boondoggle Award would correct all misbehavior. Children should be given lots of choices and allowed to express their feelings freely. Those are but a sample of the new psychological parenting narratives. Unfortunately, American parents fell en masse for this revisionism and child mental health has been in a tailspin ever since.

The propaganda boiled down to if your parents and grandparents did it, dont do it. One of the upshots of this was what I call yada-yada discipline the attempt to discipline by dialogue, through persuasive appeal to a childs inherent irrationality and self-centeredness.

Two grandparents recently shared the story of their 4-year-old male grandchild who was expressing his feelings freely by wetting his pants whenever the urge arose.

He didnt see the point of stopping whatever he was doing to use the toilet, they said.

Indeed, he didnt see the point because the point was a dull attempt on his parents part to talk him out of it. Yes, they occasionally became frustrated enough to send him to his room, which bothered him none because his room was an entertainment complex, a perfectly suitable place in which to spend a few minutes, even hours. To further demonstrate his disregard, he would often wet his pants on the way to his room, leaving tiny puddles of urine in his wake.

After several attempts, a pediatrician was unable to come up with a remedial drug. A therapist also came up empty-handed. Just prior to reaching the end of their wits, said parents read, in their local newspaper, a column written by a certain renegade psychologist that set forth a cure to spontaneous lazy boy bladder leakage disorder (SLBBLD).

From that point on, the lazy boys parents did three simple things: first, when he wet his clothes, he washed them in a bucket of soapy water; second, if he left a puddle on the floor, he wiped up the puddle and then washed the entire floor; third, when his labors were done (to his parents satisfaction) he spent the remainder of the day in the bathroom and was in bed immediately after supper.

What drugs and therapy had not moved was cured in one day. As I write, he is no longer a lazy boy. Far from it, in fact. He is a fully functioning adult who is neither beset with bathroom phobia nor haunted by nightmares of bucket monsters chasing him down labyrinthine corridors.

The moral to the story is the moral to many a parenting story these days: If your parents and grandparents did it, then (with the obvious exceptions) you should follow their example.

Some things never change, among which is common sense.

Family psychologist John Rosemond: johnrosemond.com, parentguru.com.

See the rest here:

When it comes to discipline, some things never change - Statesboro Herald

Since the beginning of the Broadway shutdown on March 12, two questions have been on every theater lovers lips. To the first and most pressing onewhen will theaters reopen?we still have no firm answer, though several productions are optimistically selling tickets for performances in early 2021. To the secondwhat will become of the Tony Awardswe now have the very beginnings of an answer, but one that raises a host of smaller questions in its wake.

Since so many of this year's scheduled Broadway productions never got to open, there had been speculation that the Tonys would be scrapped entirely this year, and that potential nominees would be bundled in with next years crop.But on August 21, the Tonys announced that the 74th annual awards, honoring achievements in the abbreviated 201920 Broadway season, would indeed be presented in a digital ceremony this fall. That seems like the right decision; to do otherwise would have penalized shows that opened earlier this season. But where will this years Tonys take place? And when? And how? Those are things we dont yet know. (Additional information, including a date and platform for the awards ceremony, will be announced soon, the press release promised.)

The Tony Awards Administration Committee, which makes rulings about eligibility and other questions, is set to convene later this week for the third and final time this season. In terms of its normal work, the committee will be considering only three productions that openedsince the last time it met: My Name is Lucy Barton, A Soldiers Play and Grand Horizons. (The new cut-off date has been established as February 19, 2020; Girl from the North Country and the revival of West Side Story, which opened after that but before the March shutdown, have been deemed ineligible because not enough nominators were able to see them.) But this is no normal season. Will the unprecedented nature of the season lead to changes in the rules that ordinarily govern the Tony nominations?

With that in mind, please join us in a deep dive into the weeds. Here arenine of the main questions that remain, as of now, unanswered.

Asnoted above, the Tonys timetable is still amystery:All we know for sure is thatthe ceremony will be in the fall. But the Tony nominations usually follow closely on the heels of the final Administration Committee meeting, sothosemightbe announcedas soon asnext week. Traditionally, there are about five weeks between the nominations and the ceremonya period usually packed with lobbying from the nominated shows' producersbut this year's gapcould easilybe shorter or longer.

One answer to this question is clear:Since all three of the seasons scheduled musical revivals are ineligible (West Side Story, Company and Caroline, or Change), there will be no award this year for Best Revival of a Musical. Five scheduled revivals of plays also didnt open, but that leaves four play revivals: enough, if only barely, to populate a category for Best Revival of a Play. Heres where things get tricky: According to the Tony rules that govern the Best Show categories, if there are only four eligible nominees then the category automatically shrinks to three nomineesunless the difference in votes between the third-highest ranked show and the fourth-highest ranked show is ten percent or less. Will one of the four potential nominees (A Soldiers Play, Betrayal, The Rose Tattoo or Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune) be left in the cold? Or will the committee decide to waive that rule this year?

Of the four new musicals that opened in 2019-2020, only one, the lukewarmly received The Lightning Thief, had an original score. But the Tonys permit nominations in this category for original music in straight plays as well, for which at least six productions this season would be eligible. Will the committee choose to err on the side of generosity and leave the category as is, at the risk of harming the awards reputation? Will it decide to give the award to one of the potential nominees by acclimation, as it did when Sunset Boulevard hadthe sole new book and score in the shockingly thin 1994-1995 season? Or will it eliminate the category entirely, as it did in the 198889 season when faced with the alternative of nominating the scores for the flops Starmites, Chu Chem, Welcome to the Club and Legs Diamond? If we were betting folk, wedput our chipson the last option.

As things stand, only two nominees are eligible: Moulin Rouge!s Aaron Tveit and The Lightning Thiefs Chris McCarrell. As with Best Score, this leaves the nominators with a decision. They could have a category of two, like the Best Actress in a Musical category in 1995. They could just give the award to one of the two (read: Tveit) outright; they could also reverse course on an earlier decision and fill out the category by bumping Tinas Daniel J. Watts and/or Jagged Little Pill's Sean Allan Krillup to the leading actor category. (Both of these options would ordinarily be against the rules, but the rules can be flexible in an emergency if the Administration Committees oversight group, the Management Committee, decides there is good cause to do so.) Or they could drop the category, as they did for both Best Actress and Best Actor in a Musical back in the weak 1984-1985 seasonand perhaps make Tveit and McCarrell eligible for Best Featured Actor (which is what happened to many leads in 1985, and which is the category they would be in anyhow if they hadnt been bumped up to leading status in an earlier rules decision).

Ordinarily, the categories for Costumes, Set, Lighting and Sound of a Musical have at least four or five nominees. This year, however, there are only four eligible musical productions, which would mean automatic nominations for everyonesomewhat defeating the prestige involved. The administration committee could leave that in place, which would be great news for, say, The Lightning Thief. Alternatively, it could thin the lanes to two or three nominees in each race. Another option might be to drop the split, for this season alone, between musicals and playsa split that has only existed since 2005, after alland put all the productions in one category. (The same logic might apply for Best Director, though in that case the split dates back to 1960.)

David Byrnes concert show was not submitted by its producers for Tony contention, though it has been widely expected to receive a Special Tony Award for merit. Given the situation, howeverand if enough of the nominators and voters saw it anyhowmight the Tonys decide its an eligible musical after all? The answer here is: almost certainly not. But it would make several of the categories more interesting if they did.

If the Tonys hew to their ordinary rules, then the race for Best Play will be the most straightforward, since ten new plays are eligible and only four that had been scheduled to open are not. That translates into fine, fat categories of five nominees for Best Play, its attendant acting awards andif the nonperformance categories are not combined (see above)Best Costumes, Set, Lighting and Sound of a Play. Expect big hauls for Slave Play andThe Inheritance.(The categories for featured performances in musicals, which usually have more than enough candidates, may end up with only four nominees apiece this year.)

Now we move into a very tricky area for the Tonys: not the nominators and administrators, but the voters. Two years ago, the Tonys instituted a new system to ensure that the pool of more than 800 Tony voters had actually seen all of the nominated productions; voters had to visit a special portal and provide proof of attendance for each show. That system might prove very exclusive this year, however, since a larger proportion of the voters might not have seen all of the nominees in many of the categories. (They might have been putting off seeing Jagged Little Pill, for instance, on the assumption that they would have plenty of time to do so before voting in May.) Enforcing the existing standards strictly might limit the voting pool significantly; dropping it, on the other hand, would tacitly acknowledge that the voters were judging work they hadnt seen.

For many theater lovers, who rarely get to see Broadway theater except on the annual Tonys telecast on CBS, this is the really important question. Its also, unfortunately, the question we have the least information about. Giving out the awards themselves is easy enough: Other awards showsthe Obies, the New York Drama Critics Circle, the Lucille Lortel Awards, the Drama Desk Awards, the new Antonyo Awardshave already given out their prizes online, and you can watch those ceremonies here. But the most exciting moments of the Tonys, for many viewers, are the musical numbers from nominated shows. Its hard to know how that part would be accomplished in a satisfying way. First of all, there are only four potential musical nominees this year (plus American Utopia). Yes, the broadcast could easily also include numbers from shows that were supposed to open this year and will instead be part of next seasons crop. But assembling such numbers in a way that would showcase them at their best would be extremely difficult: A number like Moulin Rouge!s Bad Romance simply doesnt fit in Zoom boxes. In theory, casts could be gathered, quarantined, rehearsed and filmed on stagebut the logistics would be a nightmare and the expense would be prohibitive, especially since the numbers would not be fulfilling their usual function of trying to generate ticket sales for the shows in question. Under the circumstances, we lean toward expecting a relatively modest virtual ceremony in October or Novemberjazzed up with numbers that can be performed more or less solo and pre-recorded effectivelywith a larger Broadway special of some kind to follow, months down the road, once the Street is open for business again.

As we await the answers to these questions and others, it is worth remembering what Broadway did manage to offer this season: ten new plays, four new musicals, four play revivals, a memorable theatrical concert and many glimpses of exciting things to come. Theres a lot to celebrate, and we look forward to doing just that with this years Tony Awards, in whatever new forms they assume.

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Nine Burning Questions About the 2020 Tony Awards - Time Out New York