Category Archives: Hedonism

The Stand's 2020 TV show adaptation has made some noticeable changes, with one of the biggest being how Randall Flagg's Las Vegas operates.

The Stand's 2020 TV show adaptation has made some noticeable changes, with one of the biggest being how Randall Flagg's Las Vegas operates. It's always made sense that the demonic Flagg chose to build his post-plague version of society in the so-called city of sin. Las Vegas has a reputation for being a place where anything can happen, and where dreams and wild fantasies can come true. Whether that's true or not is up for debate, but thematically, it fits Flagg like a glove.

While it might seem obvious to an outsider that Flagg is evil, that's not how he presents himself to his followers. To them, Flagg is a savior, promising a safe, prosperous life following the devastation of Captain Trips. The thing is, he can indeed provide that, at least to an extent. That changes when someone makes the unfortunate decision to challenge his power or question his decisions, as Flagg's Las Vegas is definitely not a democracy, and his word is law.

Related: The Stand 2020's Use Of "Don't Fear The Reaper" Fails The '94 Miniseries

That might sound like an obvious downgrade from the Boulder Free Zone's attempted democratic society, but history is full of people willing to trade freedom for security. In The Stand 2020, Flagg's people also get seemingly unlimited hedonism in their downtime, but that's a complete 180 from Stephen King's book.

Episode five of The Stand 2020 spends much of its running time in Randall Flagg's Las Vegas, focusing on the activities of Boulder Free Zone's spy Dayna Jurgens. Through Dayna's eyes, we see that Flagg's "New Vegas" is a den of debauchery, with the residents free to indulge in any base pleasure they see fit, provided they also do the jobs assigned to them. Characters do drugs, get drunk, have public group sex, engage in no holds barred fight pits for fun, and are generally uninhibited by the former constraints of living in normal society.

To those unfamiliar with Stephen King's book, that might seem fitting for the side of evil. But the Flagg in the book allowed no such behavior. Flagg ruled with an iron fist, banning vices like intoxicants and prostitution, partly because he wanted his people clear-headed and fully able to do the tasks he needed them to do. In fact, those who disobeyed Flagg sometimes found themselves publicly crucified as an example. While The Stand 2020's producers have said they changed that to try and make siding with Flagg look more appealing, and for the right kind of person, it certainly would, it's definitely a fundamental change to how Randall Flagg thinks and controls his society.

More: The Stand Theory: Flagg & Mother A Are Connected To Gan (& The Multiverse)

Jennifer's Body: The Real Reason The Horror Movie Bombed After Release

Michael Kennedy is an avid movie and TV fan that's been working for Screen Rant in various capacities since 2014. In that time, Michael has written over 2000 articles for the site, first working solely as a news writer, then later as a senior writer and associate news editor. Most recently, Michael helped launch Screen Rant's new horror section, and is now the lead staff writer when it comes to all things frightening. A FL native, Michael is passionate about pop culture, and earned an AS degree in film production in 2012. He also loves both Marvel and DC movies, and wishes every superhero fan could just get along. When not writing, Michael enjoys going to concerts, taking in live professional wrestling, and debating pop culture. A long-term member of the Screen Rant family, Michael looks forward to continuing on creating new content for the site for many more years to come.

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How The Stand 2020 Drastically Reinvents Randall Flagg's Las Vegas - Screen Rant

Theres something very crass about Cusp, and almost all of that comes from its design. Its aimless like its subjects, and its even more hopeless. Everyone worth sympathizing with is defined by some sort of trauma, and even some of the despicable people in play have their own traumas too. Whats striking, though, is the approach that sympathetic people here dont fully realize the lasting effects of what theyve gone through. After all, theyre too busy distracting themselves from it.

Brittney, Aaloni, and Autumn live in rural Texas, and its approaching the end of summer. They get drunk and high and hang out with guys, but they dont really do to pass the time. In some way, shape, or form, theyve all been abused. Some of the assailants were other kids, some parents friends. When they talk about other girls rapes, the discussions border on banal. Sure, this documentary will feel distant and impersonal to some, but the truth is that sexual violence is so common that talking about it seems easy. At least, its easier than actually being assaulted.

With Cusp, Isabel Bethencourt & Parker Hill dont try to get personal with their subjects. They know its impossible to see exactly whats going on in these girls minds, and they know itd be false to pretend they can. If Brittney, Aaloni, and Autumn cant confront their own demons for more than 30 seconds at a time, how would two filmmakers be able to? The intent here isnt to show something new. Its to focus on what we dont know. If we happen to come across a pearl of wisdom, thats great, but that simply isnt the core of this experience.

We wade through the padding instead. We get McDonalds, weed, crushed-up pills, and heavy drinking. As for therapy? Theres just one mention of it when Autumn recounts her experience with sexual abuse. Only the people and places that surround these girls are worth discussing in earnest here. Only physical sensations, whether its substance abuse or shooting a gun, truly exist for these three. Everything else is just too fleeting, too repetitive.

Its far from a pleasant experience, but its also a brisk one at just 83 minutes. The problem that comes with this, though, is that Bethencourt & Hill get awfully close at points to defining these girls by their abuse. Just who are Britney, Aaloni, and Autumn aside from this? Its clear they dont have any concrete goals aside from living somewhere else, but aside from one moment where Autumn is painting by herself, what are their hobbies? While Cusp benefits from its distant filmmaking for stretches, it sometimes depersonalizes its subjects by mistake.

Perhaps theres some intent there. After all, the directors fixate on nature, neon, and Americana as much as they do suffering, and it gets to a point where its aesthetics feel like theyre meant to distract the audience like how hedonism distracts these girls. The result isnt perfect, but it manages to feel consistent. Theres no immediate future on display here. Theres also no real hope. To its credit, Cusp doesnt even try to fake a smile.

Cusp premiered at Sundance Film Festival.

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Sundance Review: Cusp Explores the Lives of Texas Teens with Intentional Aimlessness - The Film Stage

A shy, emotionally repressed nurse turns to religion and rechristens herself Maud following a traumatic incident in this creeping horror.

Saint Maud (Cert. 15, 84 mins, available from Monday on DVD/Blu-ray and to download and stream)

Starring: Morfydd Clark, Jennifer Ehle, Lily Frazer

Kate (Morfydd Clark) prays daily, unwavering in her devotion.

I cant shake the feeling that you must have saved me for something greater than this, she rhapsodises to her God in the cramped confines of a sparsely furnished flat.

Maud walks away from the NHS to work in the private sector as a carer to famed American dancer and choreographer Amanda Kohl (Jennifer Ehle), whose halcyon days of hedonism and artistic expression have been cut short by terminal illness.

The combative relationship between Clarks loner and Jennifer Ehles acerbic patient is elegantly distilled in fractious verbal exchanges that begin with a pitying first impression: You must be the loneliest girl Ive ever seen.

Amanda wallows in bitterness and regret in a grand seaside property, with sporadic visits from her lover Carol (Lily Frazer) and a coterie of sinful acolytes.

The ailing dancer channels her poisonous feelings at Maud, who she sarcastically anoints my little saviour.

The pious carer believes she has been chosen to save Amandas blackened soul, however, and the battle between nurse and acid-tongued patient gathers pace as reality and fantasy trade blows in Mauds warped mind.

She scorches herself and inserts pins through the sole inserts of her shoes to experience exquisite waves of pain.

The brightly-lit arcades of a nameless British seaside resort bear witness to a brutal tug of war between faith and fanaticism in writer-director Rose Glasss striking debut.

Infused with the creeping dread of a modern-day horror story, Saint Maud is a mesmerising portrait of religious fervour and sexual awakening, anchored by a bravura central performance from Welsh actress Morfydd Clark as the eponymous tortured soul.

Artfully navigating the central characters twisted psyche with carefully timed spurts of violence, Clarks porcelain features seem to hang in the pervasive darkness of the screen like some ghostly apparition, fixing us with a cold stare that perfectly and chillingly conveys the resolve of a nurse who will follow silent instruction to the bitter and bloody end.

Composer Adam Janota Bzowskis score sets our nerves on edge as much as the stellar performances, leaving almost no time to breathe comfortably between each scene of fateful self-delusion and despair.

And cinematographer Ben Fordesman is a willing accomplice, conjuring scenes of gloomily lit domestic drudgery that suddenly thrum with menace and prickle our skin with fear.

Abandon hope all ye who peer through Glasss distorted lens.

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Film of the Week: Nurse's tale is anything but saintly - Inverness Courier

During the COVID-19 pandemic, its not fun to be anywhere with strangers. But by far the worst situation is the elevator. Youre trapped in a small box, and you have to touch shared buttons to get to the right floor. You just want to get in, out, and wash your hands as fast as possible.

But the Singapore studio Stuck Labs has a better idea. Theyve devised a conceptual prototype called a Kinect Touchless elevator button. The idea is that when you walk up to the elevator button plate, youll see a series of big numbers. You hold your finger up to one, and it lights up to register your intent. Then, without actually touching the button, you mime pressing it.

And when you do? The button sinks right into the wall, as if responding to telekinesis. Pull your finger back, and the button sticks back out. The system is a mechanical wonder, capable of sensing your finger and responding with motors to its near-touch.

Granted, the Kinetic Touchless button is more the sort of design youd see in a Hollywood sci-fi film than any corporate office building. Thats because design in movies tends to be performative, with no limits to the exciting, animated contraptions that will captivate an audience. Meanwhile, design in the real world tends to focus on simplicity and reliability. Why should an elevator button have a motion sensor and motor inside iteach of which can fail over timewhen you could just press a button? Indeed, even if you want a touch-free elevator, many buildings already have that technology, allowing you to scan a badge to queue an elevator to automatically enter your floor for you.

Voice control could do this job. An elbow press onto a button could do this job. A self-sterilizing copper button can, in part, do this job. Why take such a grandiose approach?

COVID-19 has forced all of us to adjust to new norms. Most of these norms are at least a little painful, like wearing stuffy masks. What I like about the Kinetic Touchless elevator button is that, first and foremost, its familiar. The design builds upon a gesture we already knowpressing a button. UX designers sometimes refer to this approach generically as meeting users where they are. As with any new technology, like self-driving cars or virtual reality, a few familiar affordances bridge the gap to the strange and new. With so much strange during COVID-19, a gesture as recognizable as a button press is a welcome artifact of times before.

It also brings to mind architect Bjarke Ingels theory of sustainable hedonism, which argues that being green can be experienced as a luxury rather than a sacrifice. In the case of the Kinetic Touchless elevator button, you might think of it more as pandemic hedonism, and that making safer, healthier choices can be an amusement rather than yet another burden.

Weve reached out to Stuck Labs to ask if they have any interest in taking their elevator button design to market. But in the meantime, the studio has released all sorts of COVID-19-related designs, like a UV sterilizing box and a face shield free of charge for open license use. Granted, these projects arent quite as fun as the magical elevator buttons. But Im taking the stairs until I get vaccinated, anyway.

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Everyone's terrified of elevators during COVID-19. Could these magic buttons help? - Fast Company

Brontez Purnell, at 38 years old, is already something of a Bay Area legend. If you grew up in the recent Oakland punk scene, youve probably seen him play a show with his garage rock band the Younger Lovers. If you follow queer zine culture, you probably have at least a few copies of Purnells zineFag School, which hes been writing since the early aughts, or read one of the books hes put out with small publishers. You might have watched his art-house soft-core porn film100 Boyfriends Mixtape or seen him perform contemporary dance. But most people in Purnells world know him as Oaklands daddy something of a watchful protector over the gentrifying city, attuned to (but never too involved in) the affairs of the small scene. I literally represent the 0.0001 percent, says the artist, who grew up in Alabama. Black queer men that have been riding around on a bike in the California sunshine for almost 20 goddamned years.

On February 2, Purnell is releasing his first book with a major publisher, the MCD x FSG Originals imprint:100 Boyfriends, a novel composed of vignettes on love, sex, and Purnells love of love and sex. It fluctuates between first person and third person, the present and the past, prose and poetry, and reads like a series of 4 a.m. text messages received from a very smart and very messy friend when theres no way you can wait till morning to respond, What the fuck? Are you OK? Did you at least have fun? If Purnell is a living archive of the Bays queer and punk scenes in last two decades, 100 Boyfriendsis an autofiction anthology of drug-fueled warehouse dwellers, queer skate kids, and regretless heartbreakers.

I spoke to Purnell on one of the last warm days of Bay Area autumn,while we sat on the back deck of his Victorian house in Oakland. He shared how he conceives love for the page, what it was like to work on 100 Boyfriends,and why he just cant stop making art. Saam Niami

I was a zine kid in the 90s I started writing zines when I was about 14 years old. I never really felt that there was a hope or a life or a context for me down South. And so when I got to Oakland, I just felt for all the mistakes, all the crazy shit, everything that happened. It really was a breath of fresh air just to set foot on the soil. I was so developmentally regressed when I got here at 18, I essentially had to come and have my for-real teenage years life was so repressive in Alabama. My mother never really let me out of the house because I was too Black and punk and queer. She was afraid somebody was going to fucking kill me. So when I got here, I really had to just grow up in a really intense way. I had guides, but I didnt have any parents. I really had to rely on myself as a moral compass.

It was really fucking intense, but I wouldnt trade that shit for nothing in the world. Its all a patchwork quilt or a blanket: You remove any one thread, it dissembles the whole blanket. If I could talk to my younger self, I wouldnt go up in that kids face telling them what to do. Id just be like, Bitch, its going to be really fun and really hard. Go ahead.

There were so many wild, public displays of hedonism back then. If you did that shit these days, these kids would call you out on the internet so fast. But I wanted to be in that scene. We did these things because we were punk. Because we were crazy, radical queers. We came to these things because we were fucked up, because our parents were drug addicts or neglectful conservatives. We were trying to escape it and we let our trauma ricochet off of each other. But also, deep within it, there was a sense of love.

My book,100 Boyfriends,doesnt really deal with a hundred boys that just sounds like a horrible rom-com. Its really about how, every time you date someone, youre left with a ghost of someone, and that persons left with the ghost of someone, and were all just carrying around the baggage of everyones relationships, even when we deal with each other. Theres this line in the book that goes: Between two men, there can be a hundred ghosts in the room. Its about dealing with the residual effects of entanglement.

When I write about a real experience, it depends on where Im calibrating from because I have theater IQ. Maybe its all about the physical space a bedroom where you see every single squiggle mark on the ceiling. Whenever youve broken up with someone, what do you remember from that day? Do you remember if it was sunny? Do you remember cologne, perfume, or a smell, or a meal you ate? Or maybe you just strictly orient from an emotion you felt. There are lots of insertion points for memory. You can be as sacred or as secular as you want.

I think the older I have got, I dont approach relationships at all. I just exist and things happen. If you call that a fucking very earned weariness, then sure, you can say Ive changed. That gusto, that do-or-die love I have to be with this person. My heart and whole being is going to fucking break in two if I dont have this person I havent felt that way since my goddamned 20s. But then, you know,100 Boyfriendsis definitely more for, you know, old jaded whores. Its about the time after that first feeling has passed.

Ive never had this much parental intervention. When youre in the cut of DIY art for years, youre like, No ones supporting this. I got to do all this myself. I gotta make sure all this shit is doing it. But then when I got up in FSGs house, I was not ready because one page would have like 12 questions: Well, what do you mean by this? How do you mean this? Maybe we can say it this way. Blah, blah, blah. And Im like, Oh shit, this is what it means to professionalize now. Almost wasnt ready for that shit. But I think you should be able to approach any language and find where you vibe with it. Plus, who knows about ever getting this chance again? So, you know, I stuck with it.

I like zines and I like something episodic and periodical, which is why I still doFag School. I think its always good to go back every couple of years and reevaluate how you feel about something state what youve learned.

At the end of the day, my band, the Younger Lovers, has never been a heavily supported thing. Its a pop-punk band, but its too Black and too queer. Its something that I do as a labor of love. I think most people in Oakland would just remember it as the band that played for free at all the warehouses for years.

I would have to say the Younger Lovers is more of a global scene. When people are like, Oh, I love the Younger Lovers, its always some random person from the Philippines or some dude from France. Ive gotten more congratulatory remarks from people way outside the bubble than I ever did inside the bubble.

My problem with Oakland is just that it really can be a slacking-ass, beer-drinking town. Considering how much money we pay to live in this motherfucker, it makes sense that theres not a lot of support. Im not bitter or angry about it because, at the end of the day, I see what most garage rock bands have to do. If anyone wants to tour the Younger Lovers and sit me in a fucking Trump state, with me talking all the shit that I do, the only thing they gonna do is lynch my Black ass. So its probably better that I just make some music in a garage in Oakland and, you know, keep it moving.

If it had been up to me, I would have gotten all my rock-and-roll accolades at 24, and I would have gladly ODd at 26 and just left a beautiful corpse. But it wasnt up to me. God was like, No, your fat Black ass going to keep working forever and ever. Amen.

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Brontez Purnell and the Ghosts of Exes Past - Vulture

The pandemic has fundamentally changed the way we work and live across the world, and according to a new report from Backslash, the cultural intelligence unit of TBWA Worldwide, some of these changes may persist over the long-term. In its recently released annual glossary of cultural insights, which it calls Edges, the shop has identified some key shifts that could permanently transform social norms worldwide.

As marketers prepare to grapple with catering to consumers who have made sweeping changes in the past year, it may be prudent for them to keep a close watch on some key shifts that could have a deep impact.

The pandemic has precipitated a cosmic reshuffle of global realities, social norms and individual beliefs," says Says Agathe Guerrier, co-chief strategy officer of TBWA Worldwide. "2021 isnt just another year, its Year Zero. And so this isnt just a trend report. Its a glimpse into a new chapter of our history.

As marketers look to keep pace with constantly shifting social mores to keep their brands and businesses relevant, here are six broad trends that could transform the way consumers live, work and play.

Body Debates: Previously personal debates and decisions are now being made in the open. "Whether or not to get a vaccination, go vegan, wear a face mask, and have children are no longer private and personal. Theyre at the center of heated public disputes related to freedom of choice versus societal responsibility," the report notes. This shift will impact brands and industries in sectors as diverse as entertainment and pharma.

Roots Revival: BeforeCOVID-19, people prided themselves on being global citizens. However, as the pandemic has swept across the globe, consumers have started have battened down the hatches, borders have slammed shut and were now turning inward and getting in touch with our local and national heritagegaining new appreciation for the people, land, and traditions that came before us. Buying local may just be the beginning of this trend.

Unglossed: Society is turning its back on impossible standards around one-note beauty, buttoned-up professionalism, and picture-perfect lifestylesushering in a new, unapologetic attitude," the report contends. Celebrating imperfection is apparently in and constantly aspiring for perfection is out.

Stability Pursuit: The global job market has perhaps never seen so many cuts, withautomation and pandemic-driven shutdowns, causing millions of roles to disappear. As this transition accelerates, businesses will begin placing a new emphasis on stability.

Counter Cancel: Stuck at home and in front of multiple screens, consumers have perhaps never been more aware, and woke folk saw a record number of brands and public figures being felled for a range of statements and positionsmaking for a lengthy 'cancel culture' list in 2020. This hyper-aware consumer caused brands and individuals to tiptoe around important issues, constantly fearing a boycott. However, as woke fatigue sets in, a growing group of people are refusing to participate in this sharp cancel culture, instead favouring nuanced debate over public shaming.

Health Hedonism: From hospitals that feel like luxury hotels, to at-home test kits that offer insights into our biology, healthcare is going from dreaded to embraced. Every brand is now in the business of making us well.

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'Body debates', 'stability pursuit', 'counter cancel' and three other shifts that could transform marketing in 2021 | Marketing - Campaign Asia

The GameStop debacle has put the stock market on everyones radar this week even those who rarely pay it any attention. Many are depicting the incident as a David-and-Goliath battle between small investors gathering on Reddit message-boards and Wall Street powerbrokers finding themselves unexpectedly on the back foot at their own game. Billions of dollars are in the balance.

Along with such major news events, though, come the instant internet experts. Lets face it: most of us understand diddly squat about the stock market and rely on Hollywood to inform us about an industry that it portrays as a place in which, to quote from the tyrannical, fictional Gordan Gekko: lunch is for wimps.

Want to join the conversation about GameStop? Here are five films and TV shows that might help you muddle your way through.

Don Cheadle turning charm and smarm up to 100. Regina Hall in blue eyeshadow and big 80s hair. Tony-award winning Andrew Rannells adding another besuited straight-edger to his acting credits, along with The Book of Mormons Elder Price at least at first. Black Monday, in this series, refers to 19 October 1987, still the single worst day for Americas stock market. Produced by Seth Rogen, this technicolour comedy purports to tell the story of who caused the crash that day and how. Its a kind of cocaine-fulled narrative rollercoaster in which everyone is double-crossing everyone else and youre never quite sure which character to root for until you realise that the answer is none of them.

In this film, Martin Scorsese a director celebrated for making great gangster movies turned his focus to Wall Street, applying the same kind of rise and fall narrative structure as his films about the Mafia. The Wolf of Wall Street was inspired by former stockbroker Jordan Belfort (adapted from his memoir of the same name), who reacted to the film by suing the financiers and requesting $300m in compensation.

Scorseses film is damning in his portrayal of Wall Street culture as a pit of toxic masculinity and various kinds of isms hedonism, chauvinism, sexism. The film suggests succeeding as a big-name stockbroker involves not only being ruthless and calculating but also putting on a show and appealing to peoples base instincts like an inspirational speaker or a late night TV evangelist. There is no nobility in poverty, Leonardo Di Caprios Belfort tells his sales team during a shouty pep-talk. In this portrayal, there was no nobility in wealth either.

If you think the stock market is wild, just wait until you learn about commodity futures. All will be explained in this vaguely Dickensian Eddie Murphy Christmas comedy that features the price manipulation of oranges, attempted murder, a sex worker with a heart of gold and a live gorilla. If you havent guessed by this summary, the answer to your question is yes, this film was made in the 1980s. Viewers be warned: some of the language, politics and visuals of this film would see it very much cancelled in 2001, let alone 2021.

This reviewer was never much of a fan of Mary Harrons frankly disgusting 2000 adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis equally icky novel, about a New York stockbroker (Christian Bale) who commits various hideous crimes that will not be retraced here. For one thing, the ending (spoiler alert!) strongly implies it may have all been a series of hallucinations inside the protagonists head, attempting to justify grotesque gratuity by contextualising it as a kind of sick recurring daydream.

The prominence of murders and orgies does however carry an unsubtle metaphorical message about capitalism and the way it works. This confession has meant nothing, Bales character famously says towards the end, his crimes going unpunished.

There were people in Wall Street who saw the global financial crisis coming and dove in. Adam McKays playful 2015 film follows sharks who got wind of the impending crash and endeavoured to profit from it, including a shoeless heavy metal enthusiast (Christian Bale) and a self-loathing investment maverick (Steve Carell).

Aware that his subject matter is potentially dry and confusing, McKay breaks the film up with comedy scenes in which various concepts are explained straightforwardly but in wacky contexts. The director includes, for instance, Margot Robbie in a bubble bath, who, glass of champagne in hand, breaks down the ins and outs of subprime mortgages. Its a trick designed to make you think, by the end of it, that youve actually learned something.

If you want an actual primer on the global economy how it works, how it fails, and how it can affect so many peoples lives try John Lanchesters easily accessible book about the 2007-2008 global financial crisis, Whoops! Why Everyone Owes Everyone and No-One Can Pay. Or you could reach for the NPR podcast Planet Money, which offers fun, digestible explainers on complex financial questions from Modern Monetary Theory to how antitrust laws work. They even have an episode about Trading Places. You can also listen to Full Storys episode on modern monetary theory here.

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Confused about GameStop? Five films to watch to help you pretend to understand the stock market - The Guardian

Six albums in, Illys still showing fans that he has room to grow.

The multitasking Melbourne artists latest studio record, The Space Between, lands five years on from 2016s blockbuster, Two Degrees. That one certified Illy as one of the countrys most commercially successful rappers: a shiny ARIA #1 that boasted big singles in Catch-22 and notably, the #7 entry of 2016's Hottest 100: Papercuts.

Rocky relationships, finding perfection in Vera Blues voice and hitting number one. In this episode of Inspired, Illy shares how being vulnerable and taking a risk on a new sound paid off.

With half a decade in between drinks, Illys had a lot of life experience to draw on for The Space Between. Themes of hedonism and excess weave together with those of grief, loss, heartbreak and ultimately, resolve, across 14 tracks.

Featuring the unmistakable touches of producers like M-Phazes, Styalz Fuego and Cam Bluff, the pieces of The Space Between were in place early on. Though it took three years to make, this is an album that had a stacked, talented team in place to see it through.

The singles released in the lead up to The Space Betweens full release painted an early picture of what to expect from Illys new chapter. There was the Ting Tings-inspired Then What, an earworm cut from the same cloth as Catch-22; the darker, autotune-favouring Codes; and the bright pop stylings of Lean On Me.

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Then during the Year of Our Pandemic 2020, Illy came through with a whopping four singles (alongside his Quarantune Parmas In June), leading with the bratty-flex Last Laugh and continuing through two collabs with G-Flip and WAAX on Loose Ends and Cheap Seats, respectively.

Capped off with I, Myself & Me near the end of the year, the roll out of The Space Between went lengths in painting a picture of the wave Illy was riding into 2021.

The record opens with a head-on address to criticisms that hes ditched the genre that raised him. Illy says Wave serves as a reminder of his origins.

I knew, on an album that takes a lot of different turns as far as style and sound, that I wanted the first thing people would hear to be some rap shit. he said.

Even so, the music and production on Wave is not dissimilar to that of the more pop-leaning records that form the album.

Leading directly into Loose Ends, the transition between the two isnt jarring. Its one of the albums strengths: song placement has been meticulously considered, so even though the tracks twist and turn thematically and lyrically, youre never thrown off course.

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The six collaborations that feature throughout The Space Between highlight Illys mastery at matching disparate artists to the vibe of his records.

An early highlight comes in his joint with new talent Carla Wehbe (No Feelings), whose vocals bring a Thelma Plum-esque smokiness to the hook. Elsewhere, L.A. pop artist Wrabel adds range to one of The Space Betweens more introspective moments, Mirror, not dissimilar to the impact Daniel Merriweather brought to Save Me on Cinematic in 2013.

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The back end of The Space Between hosts some of the records meatier offerings. For a listener simply passing by or coming to Illy for the first time, these songs offer up some real treats.

Race To The Bottom is a moment of reflection. What happens when the late nights and recklessness catches up to you? Loneliness can be a cruel companion, especially when youre left with only your own anxieties, inner monologues and self-critiques as company.

Sometimes saving me / From my own self / Sometimes feels like / Drawing blood from stoneI wonder who would hear / me ask for help / I wonder who would / Miss me when Im gone

Lonely - featuring Guy Sebastian at his cooing best against poignant M-Phazes production - is a tribute to Illys parents and his late gran and aunt; a track that will no doubt remain a touchstone for him long after the dust on this album settles.

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Title track The Space Between and Best Mistakes bring the energy back full circle. Of the album, Illy has said that ultimately, The Space Between is a record centred on change, and its particularly evident here. Taking stock of lessons learned and the experiences that define us.

The last decade has seen Illy exist and operate in a space that first started to see Australian hip hop become commercially viable outside the wider successes of the Hilltop Hoods, bridging the gap between the genre-definers of that time and the emergence of acts who were creating Australian hip-hop with the luxury of operating in more indie/pop lanes, like Allday.

Im proud of everything Ive done, musically. Illy says, thinking about how far hes come since an album like The Chase brought him to wider acclaim in 2010.

With hindsight and experiences lived on his side, how does the freshman Illy compare with the artist he is today?

Maybe a couple of times Ive missed the mark, but with The Chase, Im proud of going for it. I think in the genre at the time, it was a really forward thinking album. As far as personal development, it was ten years ago. A lot of life has happened inside music and outside.

Though hes long swapped days kicking it on the Frankston line for Melbourne high-rise life, the changes and experiences that have brought Illy to this point, personally and creatively, are ones he shares with confidence.

The Space Between is Illy at his most candid and as such, his strongest yet; regardless of whether hes pulling from his role in the breakdown of a relationship or the excitement he views the potential driving a new one.

Take moments of lyrical sarcasm and braggadocio out, strip the huge pop sounds away and youve got Al Murray at the centre of it all. Hes not above being flawed despite his successes. Hes working his shit out like the rest of us.

Im more capable of moving into different lanes than I was then, he reflects on his early work. Im better at getting my point across with some nuance now.

The Space Between is out now via Illy/Sony Music Entertainment Australia.

Illy is performing a special livestream launch event for The Space Between tonight from 7pm AEDT. For further information and tickets, head here.

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The Space Between sees Illy embrace and thrive on reflection and change - ABC News

Caribbean hotels are moving rapidly to offer COVID-19 tests on-site to guests, responding to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCs) new requirement that international air travelers entering the United States produce a negative COVID-19 test taken within three days of arrival.

The new rules which also allow travelers to produce evidence of prior recovery from COVID-19 in lieu of a negative test result go into effect on Jan. 26, 2021.

Officials say the new policy is intended to slow the spread of new, more infectious strains of the coronavirus, such as that recently detected in the United Kingdom.

Such proof is required even for travelers who have received the COVID-19 vaccine.

Airlines are instructed not to let anyone over age 2 board aircraft bound for the United States without producing a negative COVID-19 test result or proof that they have recovered from the disease. (Note that these orders do not apply to travelers from U.S. territories, such as Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.)

The testing requirement sparked immediate concern among Caribbean hospitality officials and travelers alike the former worried about the impact on the slowly recovering tourism economy, the latter worried about availability of testing in Caribbean destinations and the scenario of being stranded on vacation due to not being able to get a test, or testing positive for COVID-19 and being required to quarantine for an extended period before being permitted to return to the U.S.

The latter remains a concern travelers who test positive on vacation will be required to produce a negative test result before they can go home. But many Caribbean governments and hoteliers are scrambling to ensure that testing is readily available for international visitors.

Anguillas Minister of Tourism, Haydn Hughes, expressed confidence that his country which has had only 11 confirmed COVID-19 cases, would be up to the challenge. Testing has been at the forefront of Anguillas reopening strategy that includes testing on arrival and departure, he said. Therefore, the CDCs requirement fortesting on departure for all visitors returning to the USis one that Anguilla has the capacity to handle in an efficient manner.

Hotels and resorts are taking a variety of approaches to providing testing, with larger properties predictably being the first to offer on-site testing to U.S. travelers.

Guests of the 603-suite all-inclusive Serenade Punta CanaBeach & Spa Resort in the Dominican Republic, for example, can get a COVID-19 antigen test in a private area of the resort if they are staying for four nights or longer. Testing, arranged by a partnership with Hospiten Hospital, will be done by appointment 72 hours priori to departure home to the U.S.; results of the antigen rapid test will be available within 20-30 minutes, and documentation will be provided in English and Spanish.

Our guests will not have to worry about finding a testing location as Hospiten Hospital will provide a safe and easy option right here at Serenade Punta Cana, said Aimee Tejeda, director of sales and marketing at the resort.

Jamaicas Hedonism II resort will provide antigen testing free of charge to guests, who are instructed to make a testing appointment upon arrival at the hotel with the concierge. In the event of a positive COVID-19 test result, the resort promises to provide quarantine accommodations for the mandatory 14-day waiting period.

We want to let our valued guests know that there is no need to cancel a reservation due to this new CDC order, as we are working to ensure that everyone can meet this government requirement in anticipation of their return home in a seamless and timely fashion, said Hedonism II general manager Dermot De Loughry.

Likewise, all Karisma Hotels & Resorts in the Riviera Maya, the Dominican Republic, and Jamaica will offer complimentary, on-site COVID-19 antigen testingto all guests through March 31, 2021, as well as 14-day quarantine lodging if required.

Another Jamaica resort, Half Moon, is framing testing as a guest amenity dubbed the Testing Concierge.

Guests arriving at the Half Moon Welcome Center in Sangster International Airport can arrange for a convenient time to take the COVID-19 viral test during their vacation, thus ensuring minimal time is spent away from the resorts sandy beaches, relaxing pools and numerous restaurants, according to the resort.

The antigen tests will be conducted by Baywest Hospital, located in the Half Moon Village, and the Testing Concierge will ensure that all paperwork is in order for guests before their departure back to the airport.

Testing will come with a price tag at some other resorts, however. At Hermitage Bay in Antigua, for example, guests will be offered on-site Covid-19 RT-PCR (real-time polymerase chain reaction) testing, with a healthcare worker performing the swab test three days prior to scheduled departure to the U.S. The tests will cost $250 per person.

La Coleccin Resorts which includes a host of properties across the Dominican Republic and Mexico, will offer travelers two options: free rapid antigen tests conducted at the resort, or PCR tests for an additional fee and conducted at local clinics.

See the article here:

How Caribbean Hotels Are Adapting to the New CDC Testing Requirement - Caribbean Journal

The popular BBC drama Peaky Blinders is set to come to an end after its sixth and final season, but dont worry, creator and writer Steven Knight promise the story will continue in another form.

Ive enjoyed the hell out of Peaky Blinders, which follows the story of Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy) and his notorious familys rise to power against the backdrop of working class, post-WWI Birmingham. Heres the synopsis:

Britain is a mixture of despair and hedonism in 1919 in the aftermath of the Great War. Returning soldiers, newly minted revolutions and criminal gangs are fighting for survival in a nation rocked by economic upheaval. One of the most powerful gangs of the time is the Peaky Blinders, run by returning war hero Thomas Shelby and his family. But Thomas has bigger ambitions than just running the streets. When a crate of guns goes missing, he recognizes an opportunity to advance in the world because crime may pay but legitimate business pays better. Trying to rid Britain of its crime is Inspector Chester Campbell, who arrives from Belfast to try to achieve that goal.

If you havent been watching this series, I definitely recommend it. Knight previously said that the series would live to see a seventh season, but it ended up being cut short due to the year delay in production for Season 6 due to the pandemic.

Knight said in a statement, Peaky is back and with a bang. After the enforced production delay due to the Covid pandemic, we find the family in extreme jeopardy and the stakes have never been higher. We believe this will be the best series of all and are sure that our amazing fans will love it. While the TV series will be coming to an end, the story will continue in another form.

Executive producer Caryn Mandabach added, Along with our wonderful, supportive partners at BBC and Netflix, we have been working diligently to ensure we can get Peaky safely back into production; the safety of our cast and crew is always our priority. Thank you to all the Peaky fans who have been so unwaveringly supportive and patient. Steves scripts are incredible and mark the end of an epic story that has entranced audiences since it first started in 2013, but the world of Peaky Blinders will most definitely live on.

We arent sure how the story will continue, but the report says its likely that the creative team is considering a movie or spin-off show.

Peaky Blinders Season 6 was written by Knight, while season 5 helmer Anthony Byrne returns to direct and Nick Goding will produce. It will likely air in late 2021 or possibly even early 2022 depending on how quickly production can complete filming.

Source: Variety

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PEAKY BLINDERS Will Come To an End After Its Sixth Season - GeekTyrant