Category Archives: Immortality

Juan over at SwitchWatchTV has dropped a hot video for 10 New Switch Titles Releasing This Week. There are some huge video games coming, but do not forget to check out Bug Fables, a brilliant Paper Mario-like RPG that will charm your butt off. Look for our review from Will Heath on May 28th! Enjoy Juans video below of 10 New Switch Titles releasing this week, or you can continue scrolling down to read it here on SwitchWatch.co.uk.

I am Juan Romero from SwitchWatch, and welcome to a colossal Nintendo Switch release schedule for the week ahead. Get yourself a drink maybe, check your bank account, and get ready, because no doubt cash is leaving the wallet this week. This is a wallet buster week, so lets get started and take a look at all these great games dropping on Switch. Maybe we should call it the Double Dipper week! Here are 10 New Switch Titles Releasing This Week.

May 26th16,74 $19,99 19,99

Minecraft Dungeons is inspired by classic dungeon crawlers and is set in the Minecraft Universe. You can go solo or with a team of 4 online. There is treasure to find and loads of action in the varied levels on offer here all in aid to save the villagers and take down the evil arch-illager. I think this one will excite a lot of people in this game packed week. Is this one you are looking forward too? Little Miss fortune In a week like this it is easy for games like this to get a little lost but this is one I am looking forward too. An interactive story game which focuses on exploration and its characters. There is darkness here and choices have consequences. If you have heard of the video game Fran Bow which was created by killmonday games then this should be something to look forward too.. Certainly one I am going to pick up and

May 28th$24.99

An RPG with bugs and adventure, I am certainly up for something maybe a little different here. These 3 heroes are looking for treasure as they embark on an epic quest of immortality. When are RPG quests ever Unepic, there is a game called that which is actually pretty epic, I digress, Here we have platforming where you can explore using the characters unique abilities and also mixes in some turn based combat. I actually quite like the sound of this but with so many games releasing this week will this be lost among it all.

May 28th $29,99

Shantae is one of my favouite games to kick back and enjoy on my Switch and I have enjoyed all previous outings this now being the 5th instalment where she gains new Fusion magic abilities where she will be exploring a vast sunken city. Which is going to mean water and I love exploring sunken citys in games, always gets my imagination working overdrive, will their be sharks, dolphins some unknown creatures, anyways this is going to be her biggist adventure yet. This is going to be some week!

May 28th in America but was already available in EU 35,99 $44,99 39,99

For the singers among you lets sing 2020 allows you to sing solo or with up to 6 people in total with a wide variety of songs featuring Rita Ora, Queen and more and will allow you to buy song packs later on and even use your phone as a mic. This is not for me but I am sure this will be enjoyed by those aspiring singers or who just want to have fun singing with friends and family.

May 28th13,49 $14,99 14,99

Atomicrops had me looking as soon as I saw that the publisher was RawFury, always publishing some great indie games and this looks like it could be a winner with a mix of Stardew Valley and Enter the Gungeon. Thats a buy for me right there, then the visuals when I saw the trailer and the humor and my money has already left my account for a pre-order. Here the farm gets blown to crap due to an atomic bomb but you survive as you were lucky enough to be in the bomb shelter. Now you have all sorts of bizarre post nuclear pests to take down who want to eat up your crops. So you are a farmer and a killer and between all that you can even get married. I mean there is always time to get married right.

May 28th17,99 $19,99 19,99

Resolution is an indie which has a bit about it, I like the visuals style as soon as I saw it, here as an old killer you escort an AI through chaotic combat and solve puzzles. The future is fractured but it is one you get to explore to unravel its mystery.

May 29th 39,99 $49,99 49,99 EU

Well if you have not heard of borderlands by now then you have been missing out. Its been on other platforms and in this collection you get Borderlands: gameof the year edition, Borderlands 2 and Borderlands the Tre Sequel along with boatloads of added on content which amounts to over 100 hours of gameplay all off which can be enjoyed solo, two player split screen or 4 players online co-op, this really covers all basis. If you love shooters especially with a friend then no doubt this is one you need to pick up wether its a double dip or for the first time,we just cannot wait to play this on the move.

May 29th 39,99 $49,99 49,99 EU

Another massive collection from Take-Two interactive we have the amazing Bioshock which has Bioshock remastered, Bioshock 2 remastered and Bio shock infinite with all single player add on content included. If you have never had the chance to explore the undersea city of rapture then now is the time to do it because this is a fantastic FPS game and even now stands the test of time. Againa collection I cannot wait to get my hands on to play at home and on the move.

May 29th39,99 $49,99 49,99 EU

Lastly this week from Take 2 if 6 games was not enough they are relasing xcom 2, all on t he same day, I mean they could have spread it out a little to give our wallets some breathing space! This is an award winning strategy which can now be played on your Switch including all DLC and again is one we cannot wait to double dip on.

May 29th49,99 $59,99 59,99 EU

Xenoblade Chronicles comes in a wonderful Physical which I am sure Jordan will tell you about on Monday but another game dropping in this jaw dropping week of games. After the excellent Xenoblade Chronicles 2, Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition is releasing after almost 10 years when it was first launched on the Wii U. Most of the English cast have returned to voice their parts and there is also a new adventure to take on too. The first game was already great and this remaster looks to be a most buy for any RPG fan.

Ladies and gentlemen that concludes this colossus episode for 10 New Switch Titles Coming Out This Week. What are you looking forward to playing and picking up the most? If you had to make a choice, which would it be from all of these? Let us know in the comments section below. Thanks for stopping by and checking out this 10 New Switch Titles video and article. We hope it was helpful!

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10 New Switch Titles Releasing This Week - SwitchWatch

The form of immortality that members of the Old Guard are gifted with is apparently rare so rare that Andy and her team haven't met another like them in a very long time when they first encounter Nile. They connect with each other through dreams, and sometimes dream of each other's faces for years before they actually meet in real life. When they're mortally wounded, their bodies simply heal and they move on, no matter how gruesome or seemingly life-ending the injury might be. Despite all that, it was important to Rucka to introduce another key rule into this world: The characters are not fully immortal. They can die, and their death might come at any time. They just have no way of knowing if the next bullet will be the one that kills them.

"There was always the sort of existential uncertainty that at some point, it may end," Rucka explained. "And for Andy, who is extraordinarily old, the question has really become, 'Why hasn't it ended?'"

Though there are several clear rules that govern the world of The Old Guard, that question of why lingers over everything. Why can't these people die? Why does their time one day even if it's been centuries? And why has Andy, who has seen so much death around her, managed to avoid it for millennia? These are the questions at the heart of the larger narrative of the comic book series.

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Read this before you watch The Old Guard - Looper

Given the suspension of athletics in the county, the Daily Journal decided to five into our 20-year archives to bring readers some of our favorite stories over the years.

NOV. 23, 2009 There comes a time in every game it can be a moment that defines a season when a play just has to be made.

With his College of San Mateo football team clinging to a precarious four-point lead against a Reedley squad driving in for the potential game-winning score late in the fourth quarter, the sophomore outside linebacker returned an interception CSMs third of the day 76 yards for a touchdown to seal the host Bulldogs 31-20 win in the 2009 Bulldog Bowl, which also served as the Northern California championship game.

It was a dream come true, said Watson, who picked a good time to come up with his first interception of his college career. I was just reading the quarterbacks eyes and once I started running no one could catch me. As I was heading to the end zone, I didnt know if it was real or if I was just knocked out and imagining this.

Reality was better than a dream for CSM (10-1), which advances to its first-ever state title game, when it will host the as-to-be-yet determined Southern California champion. The Bulldogs might not have gotten there had it not been for Watson, whose touchdown occurred with 1 minute, 15 seconds left in the game to account for the final margin.

Reedley (6-5) had a second-and-9 from the CSM 27-yard line when Watson picked off a Jesse Lownsbury pass at his 24 in the middle of the field. From there Watson took off to the right sideline and had a couple of teammates as an escort en route to the end zone.

The electrifying play put a exclamation point on a bruising, white-knuckle, mano-a-mano contest that featured three ties and four lead changes.

The Bulldogs arent used to being involved in games that go down to the wire they suffered a one-point loss to Foothill and beat City College of San Francisco by six but impressively trampled the rest of their competition by an average score of 48-19.

This one we had to scratch and claw for, CSM coach Bret Pollack said.

Indeed, Valley Conference champion Reedley proved tough to the end. The Tigers held the Bulldogs to a season-low 132 yards rushing, making CSMs task all the more tougher. But the Bulldogs showed their mettle, coming up with just enough plays in the crucible of a championship game.

It wasnt pretty, but it was effective, Pollack said. We did what we had to do to win the football game. You have to adjust, adapt, and thats why were a great football team.

With their vaunted ground game being shut down, the Bulldogs had to dig deep and basically will themselves to victory. Quarterback Matt Pelesasa was vital to CSMs success, completing 14-of-27 passes for 209 yards, including touchdown throws of 35, 10 and 19 yards.

The last two he connected with offensive player of the game John Webster (five receptions, 57 yards), who made several acrobatic grabs, none better than his leaping 10-yard TD catch in the right back corner of the end zone over a Reedley defender who was in perfect position to at least knock the ball down.

But the 6-2, 200-pound Webster had a considerable size advantage on the defender and simply made the play in what amounted to be a jump ball. The catch gave CSM a 17-10 lead with 21 seconds left until halftime. One play earlier, Pelesasa hooked up with Rahsaan Vaughn (three catches, 74 yards) for a 36-yard gain to set up the score.

But the Bulldogs had to survive a game effort from the Tigers, who scored on the games opening drive of the second half and then put the clamps on defensively. Reedley held CSM to without a point in the third, just the fourth time all season the Bulldogs were held scoreless in a quarter.

Fortunately for CSM, its defense was up to the task. After tying things up, the Tigers couldnt generate anything offensively until it was too late. The Bulldogs finally broke their second-half scoring drought with 8:51 to play, when Pelesasa hit Webster for a 19-yard TD.

It was another superb effort from Webster, who was grappling with the Reedley defender the whole way yet still made the catch under heavy duress. Key plays on the drive included a diving 29-yard catch from Vaughn who also displayed tremendous athleticism and focus with a couple of highlight-reel catches and a 10-yard scramble from Pelesasa on a third-and-7 from the Reedley 29.

The Tigers answered on the ensuing series with a field goal to cut their deficit to four, and after forcing CSM to punt they got the ball back at the Bulldogs 43 with 2:46 left and two timeouts remaining.

In other words, they had an eternity for a potential game-winning drive. Reedley didnt waste much time marching down the field, as Lownsbury completed passes of 7 and 10 yards. After a run play netted a loss of a yard, the Tigers had a second-and-9 from the 27 when Watson came up with the biggest play of his life. Pelesasa said his team received a little divine intervention.

(Before the ball was snapped) I was kneeling down on the sideline praying to God, he said. And he answered our prayer. Ashanti and the defense definitely sealed the deal. When he made that play, all the emotions came out. I feel like Im on Cloud Nine. Im going to have to come down eventually, but this feeling is going to last for a while. It feels wonderful.

Pelesasa has been vital to CSMs success this season. Pollack has praised the signal callers decision making, and the numbers dont lie. The Bulldogs are ranked second in the state in turnover margin, and as the quarterback Pelesasa plays a major role in ball protection.

The sophomore out of Woodside High has 24 touchdown passes to only three interceptions while averaging a robust 16.5 yards per completion. Against Reedley, Pelesasa (team-high 62 yards rushing on 11 carries) picked up some critical first downs on scrambles, as often times he went back to pass and no one was open.

But Pelesasa just like many of his teammates all year found a way to make a play. Thats what separates the potentially great teams from the merely good ones, and thats why the Bulldogs are one win away from immortality they have a number of players who have come up big in the critical moments. Watson said making plays are nothing special its expected of everyone, especially the defense.

We pride ourselves on being a defensive team, he said. We know its on our shoulders, and we want the responsibility to win the game. We trust all of our players to make a play. Our coaches put us in a position to make plays, and thats exactly what I did. When I picked off that pass, it felt like I was in a dream.

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From the archives: CSM wins first Nor Cal title - San Mateo Daily Journal

The boiler in the attic was wheezing, rumbling and grumbling, reminding me of a gentleman of the road who used to shuffle into the public library to read the papers - and enjoy a cigarette with his tea, brewed by the staff to the brown of an old penny.

His paper of choice was the Daily Worker. I wondered then if he saw some irony in the title, as he sat there in greatcoat, his fragrance an acquired taste. Sometimes. Id offer him a Fishermans Friend lozenge in the vain hope it would clear the phlegm in his chest.

But back to our bothersome boiler. The waters running cold, shrilled my wife as her lead foot descended into the baths scented bubbles.

Were in the midst of a global pandemic, I snapped.. There are rumours of Russian ships in our territorial waters. Stock markets are nose-diving. We should prioritise our worries.

For example, Ive lost my glasses. Do you know where I put them?

Indeed, Im always losing things these days, as has become more obvious during this period of self-isolation, when your pensioner has been less able to perambulate in our crusty old pie of a town.

But Im thinking of things long lost, rather than merely mislaid. And maybe this is the time for finding them. On a rummage though our book shelves I came across Billy Wrights 1960 Book of Soccer. I had not dipped into it for half a century or more.

Inside were lengthy articles, reflecting huge changes in our society, Burnley were the First Division champions. Local players, past and present, were featured, including Evertons Birkenhead-born Bill Dixie Dean, described as having been broad of shoulder, quick off the mark and a born opportunist, whose speciality was an ability to direct a football in almost any direction with a neat flick of his curly head.

There were photos of Liverpools Billy Liddell and Evertons Dave Hickson. Of course, Dean and Hickson both played for Tranmere Rovers at different stages of their careers.

Like old magazines and newspapers, even the Kremlin-backed Daily Worker, such books offer lessons in popular history. Articles carried the by-lines of writers whod otherwise be forgotten. They gave us a picture of their times.

Now Im adjusting the flow of the bath tap until its hot, while wondering where I put my Billy the Kid, Dandy and Eagle annuals. It would be good to see them again.

Life is strange.

Read more:

David Charters: Grumbling oil boiler offers thoughts of immortality - Liverpool Echo

In March of 1898, Mark Twain published his essay, Concerning the Jews, in Harpers Magazine, which concluded with the following:

He has made a marvelous fight in this world, in all the ages; and has done it with his hands tied behind him. He could be vain of himself, and be excused for it. The Egyptian, the Babylonian, and the Persian rose, filled the planet with sound and splendor, then faded to dream-stuff and passed away; the Greek and the Roman followed, and made a vast noise, and they are gone; other peoples have sprung up and held their torch high for a time, but it burned out, and they sit in twilight now, or have vanished.

The Jew saw them all, beat them all, and is now what he always was, exhibiting no decadence, no infirmities of age, no weakening of his parts, no slowing of his energies, no dulling of his alert and aggressive mind. All things are mortal but the Jew; all other forces pass, but he remains. What is the secret of his immortality?

https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/mod/1898twain-jews.asp

My answer to Mark Twain, at least in part, is the message of hope that exists within the pages of the Tanakh. It was hope that got them through Egyptian enslavement and hope that got them through Roman persecution. For every horror Jewish eyes have witnessed since their birth, hope remained and remains to this day.

God has seen His people through far darker times than these and those who suffered under the worst of mans inhumanity to man continued to have hope that God would see them through. They fought to survive and did not give up hope. National Socialism murdered 2/3 of the European Jewish population, but many were liberated from camps. Had they not had hope that God would see them through, they would have given in to the starvation and allowed themselves to die.

Hitlers thousand-year Reich lasted 12 years. In a little over a month, Israel will celebrate her 72nd year. Despite the continued obstacles in her path, she has started to shoot for the moon. To look at the stars with wonder requires hope to reach them one day and the moon is the first step.

For anyone losing hope, turn away from the words of man and study the words of God. Do not give in to fear, for God is with you. Remember Gods covenant is without end and rejoice in knowing He will not abandon you. All you have to do is look up and see His glory in the heavens and know you are His chosen to be a light unto all nations.

Do not fear the blindness of the future, for God will be your guide, as he always has been. Do not give in to the darkness, for God is the light that shines brightly in your souls. Do not give in to despair, for you are loved by God and you matter to God.

To be a light unto nations is not a matter of doing so only in the brightest of times, but in the darkest of times as well. Reach out to your family, friends and neighbors for many need the light you can bring to their lives. Help to lift them out of the darkness of the despair many are feeling right now and remind them that God has not abandoned them and never will.

It is believed that the number of suicides will double before the light of day can be seen through clear eyes. The Talmud tells us that to save one life is to save the world. Imagine reaching just one of those who are on the edge of the abyss and guiding them back to the light of God.

Bob Ryan is a science-fiction author and believes the key to understanding the future is to understand the past. As any writer can attest, he spends a great deal of time researching numerous subjects. He is someone who seeks to strip away emotion in search of reason, since emotion clouds judgement.Bob is an American with an MBA in Business Administration. He is a gentile who supports Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state.

See the original post here:

Hope Is an Important Part of Judaism | Bob Ryan - The Times of Israel

A teenage boy who was obsessed with vampires killed an elderly woman, 90, ripped her heart out and drank her blood.

Channel 5's new documentary series 'The Kids Who Kill' looks at the case of Matthew Hardman who had committed one of the most gruesome murders in the UK's legal history in 2001. Hardman was 17 at the time he murdered Mabel Leyshon as he believed he would become immortal.

The documentary looks at the brutality of Hardman's crimes against the pensioner.

The sickening murder took place on the island of Anglesey in North Wales. The crime came as a huge shock to those who knew the boy and describe him as 'remarkably normal'. Hardman was a paperboy and Leyshon knew him. He broke into the elderly woman's home while she was watching tv.

He stabbed Leyshon around 22 times and cut open her chest to remove her heart and drank blood from it.

He then laid down two pokers in a cross shape by her feet. Her body was found two days later.

Hardman had earlier been an art student and had also attacked a German exchange student after she refused to bite him on the neck to make him immortal. The twisted teen had also told the authorities that old people were the kind to have their blood drunk by vampires.

It came to be known that Harman had been smoking cannabis and had been searching through the internet for "vampires, gothic flesh-eating and other macabre things." According to detective Sgt. Lestyn Davies, Hardman had "this deep-rooted insanity".

"He believed if he murdered this old lady of 90, disemboweled her, ripped her heart out and drank her blood, he would be a vampire forever," he shared. "Now, to believe that is insane. He was one of the most violent evil offenders that I have dealt with."

"If he had got away with it, if we had not discovered him, he could have gone on and committed further horrendous crimes," detective Supt Jones revealed. People who knew him had begun to see a change in him. He had developed a fixation on vampires and had started to believe that they may actually exist in reality.

During his trial, the prosecution barrister explained that Hardman "believed they existed, believed they drank human blood and believed most importantly that they could achieve immortality." There was overwhelming evidence that Hardman had committed the crime.

He had left a lot of DNA trail on the scene and had also stored the murder weapon with traces of Leyshon's blood in his bedroom. He was convicted and sentenced to prison for life at the Mold Crown Couty in 2002. At the sentencing, Judge Richards had shared there was enough evidence to indicate that Hardman believed that he could achieve immortality by killing Leyshon and drinking her blood.

Justice Richards said, "You have been convicted by the jury on the strength of the most compelling evidence. The horrific nature of this murder was plain to all. It was a vicious and sustained attack on a vulnerable old lady in her own home, aggravated by the mutilation of her body after she had been killed."

"It was planned and carefully calculated. You hoped for immortality but all you have achieved is the brutal ending of another person's life and the bringing of a life sentence upon yourself," Daily Mail reports.

More:

Teen paperboy with vampire obsession ripped elderly woman's heart out and drank her blood to be immortal - MEAWW

These holidays many of us planned to go on a trip and thus escape a few days from the city. Today we propose to you to leave home and take this trip. In fact, not only leaving the city, but the country, the planet and even our solar system. Choose your destination: paradisiacal beaches with double sunsets, infinite mountains or lush jungle forests. It is a journey with the imagination, so they can dream at will.

The idea of leaving our planet, however, is not just an exercise in imagination. The European Space Agency (ESA), for example, has created a consortium of companies, including that of the British Norman Foster, to study the feasibility of building cities on the Moon and on Mars using 3D printers. However, these projects are only the beginning. Ultimately, the survival of the human species will depend on the ability to travel far beyond Mars, outside of the solar system. Not only because of the limited life of the Sun, but because of many other dangers that lurk in our galaxy.

Outside the solar system, the closest destination we can dream of is the planet Proxima b, discovered in 2016 by the team of the Spanish Guillem Anglada-Escud. Despite being the closest, the distance to this planet is about 40,000,000,000,000 km, so using rocket boosters it would take us about 75,000 years to arrive. However, the technology to create rockets approaching the speed of light (maximum limit achievable according to the laws of physics) is ceasing to be science fiction and within a century it is possible that we can reach these destinations in a while. more reasonable (we will talk about this another week).

Today, however, we are going to be even more ambitious. We are not going to think that we can do it in hundreds, but in thousands or millions of years and we are going to escape, not from our solar system, but from our galaxy. Imagination is not confined by anyone. Millions of years from now we will be bordering on immortality, we will be able to withstand radiation from outer space and travel at speeds close to the speed of light. Are there any limits to our exploration of the Universe? The answer is yes.

Galaxies, like humans, are gregarious and very rarely alone. Our Milky Way, along with the Andromeda galaxy and a few dozen smaller galaxies, is part of a group of galaxies that we call the Local Group. The Local Group is about 10 million light years in size, which, although it may seem very large (it certainly is), represents only 0.00000000001% of the universe that we can currently observe. The Local Group is one of the hundreds of groups that are part of the Laniakea supercluster (huge sky in Hawaiian) which, in turn, is one of the millions of observable superclusters. Well, as much as technology advances, if our model of the Universe does not prove to be wrong, this is our limit. We can never leave the Local Group. Billions of years from now we will remain confined. The culprit in this case is also invisible, but at least it has a more suggestive name, dark energy.

Millions of years from now we will be bordering on immortality, we will be able to withstand radiation from outer space and travel at speeds close to the speed of light. Are there any limits to our exploration of the Universe? The answer is yes.

The closest group of galaxies to us is already millions of light years away. However, like the other groups in the Universe, it is moving away from us and, due to dark energy, it is doing it faster and faster. In a few billion years, these groups will be moving away at speeds that we will hardly be able to reach with our ships, so however much we head towards them, we will never be able to get close. The Local group, however, will remain united thanks to gravity. In fact, it will become more and more united to the point that all the galaxies will merge into one, the Lactomeda galaxy.

The inhabitants of Lactomeda, many of whom will be human beings but will no longer live on Earth, will be free of epidemics and will live much longer than we do. However, they will have a lot to envy us. In Lactomeda no new stars will form anymore, so they will not be able to contemplate the beautiful shapes and colors of the regions where this occurs. Nor will they have the opportunity to know the details of the Big Bang, since the radiation that has allowed us to study the first moments of the Universe will not be visible to them. They will also not be able to observe the first galaxies formed or quasars, so they will not be able to learn about the expansion of the Universe. In fact, even the light coming from the closest galaxies will become weaker and weaker and there will come a time when these humans only see a single galaxy, theirs. They will think that the Universe is static and eternal, thus returning to the first visions of the Aristotelian universe.

Despite galactic confinement, dont be overwhelmed. The Local Group is very large and we have not yet been able to leave the solar system. Furthermore, we still have billions of stars to explore in the Milky Way. It is important to remember, however, how immensely fortunate we are to be living at the right time to be able to see, not only our future, but also our most distant past. From our little corner of the Universe we can observe all its grandeur and extreme beauty, even without leaving home.

Patricia Snchez Blzquez She is a full professor at the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM).

Pablo G. Prez Gonzlez He is a researcher at the Astrobiology Center, dependent on the Higher Council for Scientific Research and the National Institute of Aerospace Technique (CAB / CSIC-INTA).

Cosmic Void It is a section in which our knowledge of the universe is presented in a qualitative and quantitative way. It is intended to explain the importance of understanding the cosmos not only from the scientific point of view but also philosophical, social and economic. The name cosmic vacuum refers to the fact that the universe is and is, for the most part, empty, with less than 1 atom per cubic meter, despite the fact that, paradoxically, there are quintillions of atoms per meter in our environment cubic, which invites reflection on our existence and the presence of life in the universe.

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Lactomeda: the future of humanity | Science - The Union Journal

Tell me if youve heard this one: All-American, Super Blonde decides to take down an organization that seems good, but is actually evil because theyre using an algorithm to control history and also murdering people. Cant tell if Im talking about Captain America: The Winter Soldier or Westworld season three? My point is made.

Weve embarked on a slow Marvel re-watch in our house as part of our quarantine entertainment, and when we hit Winter Soldier and Nick Fury started talking about project Insight as a program that was meant to take out threats and predict danger before it even happened, I balked a bit.

The main threat in Westworld season three is an AI called Rehoboam, a system that uses every bit of data on humans and behavior to predict and control all world events and basically circumvent human free will. Oh, and its run by a company called Incite. Really? Thats apparently the only name for an all-seeing AI, I guess. no matter how you spell it.

But thats not the only similarity. Not just season three, but all of Westworld is about the attempts by humans to not just create artificial consciousness but to achieve immortality by digitally copying their minds. And thats also a key plot point ofWinter Soldier. The architect of the parasitic Hydra influence inside of SHEILD is Arnim Zola whose consciousness is copied to a computer in pretty much a preview of Westworld.

Steve Rogers and Dolores Abernathy can also be seen as similar, though its more of a stretch. They were both created as a version of an American ideal. Theyre used and exploited by powerful but corrupt interestsDelos and the American Military/SHIELDand they end up taking those organizations down, or at least starting too.

Now, obviously there are differences. Theres a lot less nudity in The Winter Soldier than in Westworld, sadly. And the Steve Rogers doesnt make copies of himself to infiltrate his enemies, but both Dolores and Steve do hook up with a well-meaning, ex-military guy who helps him out. And both do eventually hang out with Tessa Thompson.

I dont think these echoes are intentional, to be clear. I think that the idea of algorithms and AI controlling our lives is a real anxiety of our age, as if the distrust of corporations and governments. Its not surprising at all that two influential series both tackled this issue, though it is interesting that their evil AI/corporations had basically the same name.

I also dont think they two will end similarly. Westworld is too dark and messy of a show to end with the simple destruction of Rehoboam (my current theory is that Maeve will somehow communicate with the system and then take over). But its always worth considering how much we trust technology that could so easily control or destroy us.

(images: Disney/Marvel and HBO)

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Read more from the original source:

Westworld Season 3 Has Almost the Same Plot as Captain America: The Winter Soldier - The Mary Sue

Billy Bob Thornton, Dennis Quaid, Jason Patric and Patrick Wilson star in director John Lee Hancock's 2004 historical drama.

Editor's Note:Throughout March and April, were celebrating Great Westerns of the 21stCentury noteworthy movies and TV series with special appeal toC&Ireaders that have premiered since 2001. Check theEntertainment tabMonday through Friday to see a different recommendation byC&Isenior writer Joe Leydon. And be on the lookout for our upcoming May/June 2020 print edition, which prominently features the legendary star who looms large in two of this centurys very best westerns.

For some movie fans, John Waynes 1960 version of The Alamo will always be the final word on the subject. But the 2004 version directed by Texas native John Lee Hancock (The Rookie, The Highwaymen) stands on its own merits as a respectfully revisionist take on the same historical events and characters.

To his credit, Hancock strives for a dramatically sound balance of fact and fancy, men and myth, while detailing the most significant clash of 19th-century Texas Revolution. The blood-and-thunder battle scenes are vividly rendered and viscerally exciting, while the Mexican and Texian combatants including a ruthless but not-entirely-unsympathetic Gen. Antonio Lpez de Santa Anna (Emilio Echevarria) -- are depicted in a surprisingly even-handed, warts-and-all manner.

Hancocks Alamo is especially compelling whenever it focuses on Billy Bob Thornton, who more or less dominates the movie with his cunning portrayal of a ruefully self-aware Davy Crockett. As the wily frontiersman turned living legend, Thornton suggests a 19th-century version of an aging action-movie star, a celebrity who enjoys the adulation of his fans even while he wearily shoulders the burden of their unrealistic expectations. His Davy Crockett who would really, really rather be addressed as David winds up pushing himself to greatness during the defense of the Alamo against Mexican forces largely because he knows he cant disappoint those who expect greatness of him. A nice touch: At the moment of his death, he appears greatly bemused by the realization that the way he dies will ensure his immortality.

But wait, theres more: Jason Patric plays knife-fighter Jim Bowie as a larger-than-life hero whos similarly ambivalent about his fame. Patrick Wilson is William Travis, the untested commander who demonstrates grace under pressure while leading the doomed heroes at the Alamo. And Houston-born Dennis Quaid rises to the occasion as Sam Houston, whose decisive routing of Santa Annas forces at the Battle of San Jacinto allows the filmmakers to end The Alamo on a relatively upbeat note.

Back in 2004, Billy Bob Thornton spoke with C&I about playing Davy Crockett in The Alamo. Here are some highlights from our conversation.

Cowboys & Indians: When you said you were playing Davy Crockett in The Alamo, how did your friends react? Did they ask when you were getting fitted for the coonskin cap?

Billy Bob Thornton: [Laughs] Definitely. Either that or, You get to wear the hat and everything, right? And I had to tell them, Well, not really

C&I: It must be hard to overcome misconceptions about a real-life person who has become a bigger-than-life myth.

Billy Bob: It is difficult to portray a character whos been looked at more as a guy youd see in a cartoon book. But I had to play him as a real guy. I couldnt come into this movie and play him like a cartoon. Its like Jason Patric: He couldnt come in and just play Jim Bowie as this guy whos always tossing a knife. People have this idea of Davy! Davy Crockett! King of the Wild Frontier! Whereas in actuality, this guy was a congressman and he had political ambitions. A lot of the stories about him were certainly embellished. He wasnt strictly a woodsman. He was smart guy, he had a lot going on.

C&I: True enough. But, then again, many folks prefer fanciful legends to factual accounts.

Billy Bob: Yeah, some folks look at Davy Crockett like hes Paul Bunyan or something. As a matter of fact, I wouldnt be surprised if there are young people today who think Davy Crockett was a fictional character. That whole coonskin cap thing that actually came from a popular play that was written about Crockett, with an actor done up in all this frontier garb. Crockett himself might have worn a coonskin cap every now and then, when he was holding court or something, to sort of live up to the legend. But its like John Lee Hancock said, Crockett was kind of a rock star in his time.

C&I: How so?

Billy Bob: He was legendary already in his own lifetime. If you met Davy Crockett someplace or David Crockett, as he preferred it would be like meeting Bob Dylan or somebody like that. He had that kind of stature.

C&I: When youre portraying a real-life figure like Davy Crockett, do you feel any responsibility to the character youre playing?

Billy Bob: I feel a huge responsibility to do him justice. In a lot of ways, I feel like Ive channeled this character. You know, when you start playing somebody real, you start learning about them. You look at their face all the time, and you see your own face starting to look like them. It affects you. In fact, I actually did say to myself sometimes, Im going to do this good for you. Because you do start to feel like theres a ghost on your shoulder all the time, watching you.

C&I: So it wasnt hard to get into a mid-19th century mindset?

Billy Bob: Well, for an actor, one real simple way to do that is just go on the set. When you go out there and you see the reconstruction of the Alamo, and you see everybody dressed in period costumes, and theres nothing but horses and wagons and campfires it kind of just puts you there. Also, you have to remember: I grew up in Arkansas. And spending time at my grandmothers place, I felt like I was living in a period movie half the time anyway.

The Alamois available on You Tube, Amazon Prime, iTunes and other platforms.

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21st Century Westerns: The Alamo - Cowboys and Indians

Actor Vin Diesel has dropped a heavy hint to his fans that The Last Witch Hunter 2is currently being written in quarantine. Diesel was last seen in his comic book adaptation of Bloodshot, which hit theaters in early March and has had an early VOD release due to the coronavirus pandemiccutting its theatrical run short. Bloodshot was unfortunately met with a tepid reaction from critics, scoring a measly 30% on Rotten Tomatoes and only pulling in$9 million in its opening weekend. However, fans have responded fairly well to the adaptation; the film scored a respectable 78% audience rating and has evenoutsoldBirds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) in streaming sales.

The Last Witch Hunter was released in 2015 and was a surprise global hit, raking in an impressive $146 million on a budget of $90 million. The film followed a witch named Kaulder, played by Diesel, who, after being cursed with the gift of immortality by an all-powerful Witch Queen, is the last left of his kind and must stop her evil schemes once she is resurrected. The film's supporting cast was rounded out by Rose Leslie, Elijah Wood, Julie Engelbrecht, Rena Owen, and Michael Caine.Diesel has previously statedhis character was a modified version of his D&D character, Melkor, who also happened to be a witch hunter.

Related: Will The Last Witch Hunter 2 Happen? Here's What We Know

Now,Vin Diesel has heavily hinted to fans on his Instagram page that the script for a sequel to The Last Witch Hunter is being written and developed in quarantine. He states in his post that he firmly believes "some of the best scripts will be written during this time." Above this statement is a picture of his character from the film, insinuating that the sequel is moving forward and the script is being worked on. The full post is below.

Diesel has been a busy man, having lent his voice once again to the beloved character of Groot for Avengers: Endgameandstarred in Bloodshot, a superhero film of his own. He'll next be seen in F9, the highly anticipated new installment in theFast & Furious franchise. Originally set to hit theaters in April of 2020, the sequel was recently pushed back a year due to concerns stemming from the coronavirus. The actor has teasedthat a Last Witch Hunter sequel was in development before, but this post certainly gives more of a concrete and encouraging answer for fans.

Though Diesel may not be the most versatile actor in Hollywood, he has discovered his action franchise niche and embraced it fully. TheFast & Furious franchise has continued to expand and evolve in rewarding and entertaining ways, and the actor seems to have an affinity for B-movie projects outside of the beloved series. However, the quality of his outside endeavorshas been extremely inconsistent. The xXx franchise has been mindless, over the top fun while his other franchise projects such as Riddick and The Last Witch Hunter are overly serious and flat. However, fans are sure to be excited by this piece of news, as they can now eagerly await the the arrival of The Last Witch Hunter 2.

More: Bloodshot Proves Vin Diesel Needs Fast & Furious More Than He Thinks

Source: Vin Diesel

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Tom Chatalbash is a writer and film reviewer who hails from Long Island, New York. Tom has been reviewing the latest films and television shows for over 10 years now on his YouTube channel and has recently crossed over into written reviews for Film Inquiry. He attended SUNY New Paltz where he graduated with a degree in digital media production and attended a digital video editing program at the New York Film Academy.

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Last Witch Hunter 2: Vin Diesel Hints Script Is Being Worked On Now - Screen Rant