Category Archives: New Utopia

The new feature film Bill & Ted Face The Music was in development for more than a decade. The third movie in a trilogy that started in 1989 with the sleeper hit Bill & Teds Excellent Adventure hits VOD and American theaters on Aug. 28, but its faced a long road to screens, and a series of studio changes and necessary revisions along the way. One of the most significant: director Dean Parisot tells Polygon that the filmmaking team had to scrap a sequence involving a computer-generated re-creation of George Carlin.

In the original Bill & Ted, teenage burnouts Bill S. Preston (Alex Winter) and Theodore Logan (Keanu Reeves) are emerging from a Circle K convenience store when theyre confronted by Rufus (Carlin), a time traveler from 2688 who tells them theyre meant to unite the world with their rock music. To help out, he introduces them to their own time-traveling selves, and sends them on a trip through time to help them pass a history class. In Bill & Ted Face The Music, the doofy duo realize theyre middle-aged musical failures who still havent written the song thats supposed to bring about world peace and a magical utopia, so they head out on a new time-traveling trip to solve the problem. Parisot says that journey was supposed to include a jump back to the Circle K, where they would ask Rufus for insight.

George Carlins death in 2008 was a limiting factor on that plan, but as of 2018, original Bill & Ted co-writer Ed Solomon was still talking up plans for a scene that used excised footage from the 1989 movie to let Winter and Reeves interact with their past selves, and with Rufus. But Parisot said the plan had to change because of the films budget and shooting schedule.

We probably could have afforded to build the Circle K set, he says, but we were using footage from the original Bill & Ted. We would have had to create a CG George Carlin, which is incredibly expensive, and very difficult to pull off in a convincing way. We didnt have the time or the money. But we had a great scene where they went back to talk to Carlin.

Parisot says the scene was intended both as a tribute to Carlin and a way to launch the quest that forms most of the movie. From a story point of view, theyre theyre trying to figure out what happens, right? he says. How do we solve this problem? Because nobody really knows the future, and they dont know whats coming. So initially, theyre going back in time to ask questions.

Ultimately, Parisot is philosophical about having to lose the sequence, which ended up being replaced with a plot device Bill and Ted wind up with a keepsake of Rufus that holds the same advice he would have given them in the cut scene. From a story perspective, it didnt change all that much, Parisot says. It was a bittersweet moment between them and Rufus. It was sweet, and I think it would have been fun but, you know, things fall by the wayside.

And he points out that the movie still includes a brief Rufus cameo. They still got to see Carlin! he says. The actor appears as a hologram, created with archival footage, and with a line of dialogue provided by animation voiceover artist Piotr Michael. It isnt exactly the emotional reunion Solomon envisioned, but it does nod to the past without kicking off the kind of uncanny-valley debates that followed other recent CGI actor re-creations, like the appearance of Peter Cushing and young Carrie Fisher in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

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Why Bill & Ted Face the Music scrapped its CGI George Carlin cameo - Polygon

Welcome to a brand new series from Android Authority where we get you the biggest, baddest, and most exciting streaming trailers as new ones are released!

This week, we got our first look at some compelling new titles coming to Netflix, HBO Max, Amazon Prime, and other streaming services. Theres a Ridley Scott sci-fi TV series thats looking killer in a new trailer. Sherlock Holmes has a sister and shes on her first detective mission. The DC FanDom virtual convention gave us the Justice League Snyder Cut trailer to feast our eyes on. And finally, we got our first glimpse at Princess Diana in the new season of The Crown.

Check out these eight new streaming trailers of the week below.

Netflix dropped the trailer for Enola Alone spelled backward Holmes this week, and the cast alone has us pretty kicked about this upcoming movie. Its the story of Sherlock Holmes younger sister played by Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown. The senior Holmes is played by none other than Superman Henry Cavill and his brother Mycroft by actor Sam Claflin of the Peaky Blinders fame. The energetic trailer follows the free-spirited Enolas mission to find her mother (Helena Bonham Carter) who has disappeared without a clue. She runs away from the care of her brothers and proves herself a super-sleuth outwitting even the mighty Sherlock.

Belief in the unreal aka religion has destroyed the Earth and two Androids are tasked with raising atheist children on a virgin planet. All goes as planned until a colony of humans land on the mysterious planet for refuge. Its humans versus robots in this upcoming Ridley Scott sci-fi thriller series on HBO Max. Catch the trailer below.

The drama between former director of FBI James Comey and US President Donald Trump unfolds in this two-part Showtime limited series. Its based on Comeys book A Higher Loyalty, and chronicles the controversial events panning the 2016 presidential election, including the Hilary Clinton email controversy and the Russian interference in the elections.

Related: The best Showtime TV series you can watch right now

Brendan Gleeson portrays president Trump, and Comey is played by Jeff Daniels. Check out the new trailer below.

The Snyder Cut, as its popularly known, is a version of the 2017 movie Justice League as put together by director Zack Snyder. Snyder had stepped down during the last stages of the production of the film due to personal reasons. This is his chance to prove that his take on the superhero film is better than the original!

Also see: The best DC movies and shows on HBO Max

Zack Snyders Justice League will stream on HBO Max in four one-hour-long installments. The trailer shows us some unreleased footage of Cyborg and The Flash. It also gives us our first good look at Darkseid!

Come November, your favorite royal family is back on Netflix. The date announcement trailer for season 4 of The Crown gives us our first glimpse at Princess Diana (Emma Corrin). It also introduces Margaret Thatcher (Gillian Anderson) and together, the duo join Olivia Colmans Queen Elizabeth II. This season youll see the Queen struggling to safeguard her line of succession as tensions arise between her and Britains first female Prime Minister. But the tiny first look below wont tell you all that. Youll just have to wait for a longer trailer to see all season 4 characters in action.

Peacock has released the trailer for its upcoming six-part thriller miniseries Departure. A passenger aircraft vanishes mysteriously over the Atlantic Ocean, leaving but one survivor. Its now up to investigator Kendra Malley (Archie Panjabi) and her mentor Howard Lawson (Christopher Plummer) to figure out what happened. Not familiar with the streaming service yet? Check out our Peacock review here.

Also read: Tired of Netflix? Here are 14 great alternatives to try

From the writers of Gone Girl and Sharp Objects comes this new Amazon Prime Video original series with a smashing trailer cut to REMs hit song Its The End Of The World As We Know It.

Also read: The 16 best original series on Amazon Prime Video

Utopia is a comedy conspiracy thriller based on a UK series by the same name. A group of young comic book fans believes that their favorite comic Utopia is real and predicts large-scale events such as pandemics. They then embark on an adventure to save humanity using what they uncover from the comic. The series stars John Cusack, Rainn Wilson, and Sasha Lane, and hits Amazon this September.

Netflix has released a short, but crisp trailer for its upcoming limited TV series The Queens Gambit. Based on a Walter Tevis novel, the show is centered around the coming-of-age story of Beth Harmon (Anya Taylor-Joy), an orphan and a chess prodigy with a penchant for narcotics. The series is directed and co-written by two-time Academy Award nominee Scott Frank and will certainly make for an interesting watch in October.

Now that youre all caught up on the new streaming trailers of the week check out the links below to discover great streaming content on your favorite streaming services.

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Streaming trailers you need to watch this week: The Snyder Cut and more - Android Authority

Aarhus School of Architecture's Drawing of the Year 2020

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For the last seven years, Aarhus School of Architecture has celebrated architectural drawing through the international drawing competition for architecture students, Drawing of the Year. The competition is a joint collaboration with Schmidt, Hammer, Lassen Architects, Vola, and The Danish Arts Foundation and offers prizes from 1,000 to 5,000 (1st prize).

The aim of the competition is to celebrate the architects oldest and most important tool, and to continuously explore new tendencies in architecture through architectural drawing. The drawing process eventually leads to new thinking and to development of ideas for the one who draws.

We strongly emphasize that the competition is run, judged and completed professionally, and that the winners are recognized with decent prices. Further, the competition is followed up by an exhibition, and for three years in a row we have documented the 100 best annual drawings in a publication.

After years of focusing exclusively on digital drawing and mixed media, this year's competition treasures handmade entries only, celebrating the art and skill of traditional representation methods. We want to encourage mastering of hand drawing, and emphasize the relevancy of communicating ideas through hand drawing.

From initial year's themes such as Engaging Through Architecture (2013), Transformation (2014), Habitation (2015) and Sustainability (2016) to recentyear's more theoretically and societally engaged themes like Everyday Utopia (2017), Shaping New Realities (2018), and Post-Human Metamorphosis (2019), the competition has persistently addressed current architectural issues.

We claim that sketches and drawings are the bones of any architectural design, the DNA of architecture, expressing and combining the interaction between the architects mind, hands and eyes. In addition, drawing has always been a practice that differentiated architecture from other disciplines. Eventually, it is an artistic discipline, what unique drawings by many great architects show. Every architect has his/her own style, that cannot be taught or copied, only developed and raffined through practice. In the spirit of many great architects of the past, from Palladio and John Soanes, Frank Lloyd Wright and Le Corbusier, to contemporary architects like Lebbeus Woods, late Zaha Hadid, Tatiana Bilbao, Jeanne Gang, and Eva Prats, architectural hand drawing has evolved into a platform of reflection and exploration of how artistic drawing continues to advance and qualify the art of architecture today.

In the light of the global Corona crisis, we encourage architecture students worldwide to submit proposals that not only revives the hand drawing but also proposals that contribute to knowledge on how the world moves on from here.

What to Submit: The drawing can either be an initial sketch (dream), a project drawing (process), or a definitive drawing (reality). An initial sketch is one of the purest forms of architectural drawing, and could be a simple design concept, or lots of details concerning a much bigger composition. The project drawing holds all the reflections, trials and errors of the process, where the definitive drawing is an elaborated drawing, close to reality. The drawing must describe the unique process or moments that a computer is unable to create.

All kind of drawing tools - such as pens, watercolour, paint, ink, led - can be used.

Entries will be judged on originality and artistic expression, architectural composition, technical skill, and success in communicating an idea. The drawing must be followed by a short text and a title.

The drawing must be scanned in high quality, 300 DPI, and uploaded as PDF, maximum 100 MB.

Announcement of Competition: SEP 1st 2020Submission: NOV 1st 2020Announcement of winners: NOV 27th 2020Exhibition: NOV 27th - DEC 18th 2020

This competition was submitted by an ArchDaily user. If you'd like to submit a competition, call for submissions or other architectural 'opportunity' please use our "Submit a Competition" form. The views expressed in announcements submitted by ArchDaily users do not necessarily reflect the views of ArchDaily.

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Aarhus School of Architecture's Drawing of the Year 2020 - ArchDaily

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.

View post:

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