This was supposed to be a down year for movies. There was a lack of mega-blockbusters, mysteries around some of the smaller titles, and lots of releases that we never in a million years expected to be good. But now that its approaching the end, we can safely say 2024 was a very, very good year for movies. There was something for everyonehorror, sci-fi, musicals, animation, superheroesyou name it and its on this list. But what made it? Did we love Dune: Part Two? What was our favorite scary movie? How much animation is there? All will be revealed. Without further ado, here are io9s picks for the 25 best sci-fi, fantasy, horror, and genre films of the year. Photo: Jesse Korman/Dark Age Cinema 25. Terrifier 3 Damien Leones horror juggernaut rose to a whole new level in 2024, giving audiences not just the highest-grossing unrated movie of all time, but some of the highest-gross-out special effects ever committed to the screen. Art the Clowns mythology is still a little too overly mysteriouswere hoping part four answers some of our outstanding questionsbut hes a splat-stick artist when it comes to decimating the flesh of his many victims. 24. Piece by Piece If this was just a biopic of producer Pharrell Williams, it probably wouldnt have been that special. Yes, Pharrell has helped craft some of the best, most memorable pop music of the past three decades, but that alone doesnt make a great movie. The choice, however, to do it animated with Lego gives the whole thing this sheen of infinite creativity, one that works in music and Lego. It also makes every single frame prettier than the last, and so much of what would have been just normal becomes hilarious when its in Lego.23. Smile 2 We liked Smile, the surprise horror hit about a demonic contagion thats passed from person to person and involves an extremely distressing facial expression. But Smile 2 took that concept and elevated it, following a troubled pop star (a fantastic Naomi Scott) who is already in a very bad place when she has her fateful encounter with you-know-what. The end result is a part two that improves on its predecessor, making fans excited to see what Smile can come up with next. Image: Marvel Studios 22. Deadpool & Wolverine Marvel needed a big win after a long period of collective wondering if the superhero genre was falling off at the box office, and it got one inDeadpool & Wolverine. A zany mishmash of violence and cameos galore, anchored in the brilliant interplay of Ryan Reynoldswildly charming merc with a mouth and the return of Hugh Jackmans rough-and-rugged X-Man,Deadpool and Wolverine delivered a delectably tongue-in-cheekcelebration of the multiversal concept Marvelsbeen building up to in recent yearsand a fine, fond tribute to Foxs mutant-forward contribution to superhero cinemas golden age.21. The First Omen Did The Omen need a prequel? Probably not. But The First Omen proved that sometimes the best-case scenario can actually happen, led by the transcendent Nell Tiger Free as an American nun who moves to Rome in the early 1970s and soon becomes entangled in a very sinister conspiracy. Yes, we know how this story ends, but the rest of the movieup to literally the very last sceneis continuously surprising. 20. Heretic Heretic is basically a horror version of Contact. A debate and discussion of religion through the lens of a tense thriller in which a creepy man (Hugh Grant) traps two Mormon missionaries in his house and forces them to make some terrible decisions. The film fizzles a bit near the end, but its a lightning bolt before that. One that can not just get you talking, and it can keep you guessing while youre on the edge of your seat filled with dread.Image: Fox 19. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes Every time a new Planet of the Apes movie hits theaters, it feels like a special occasion to hang out with some old friends. Kingdom may be set hundreds of years after Caesars exploits, but it maintains those films examinations of humanity and apekinds ongoing conflict, and what it means to be a part of a legacy bigger than yourself. It also looks as great as ever and features its own promising cast, whose future adventures were already looking forward to. 18. I Saw the TV Glow Filmmaker Jane Schoenbruns work vaulted from intriguing to essential with this neon-bright yet spooky exploration of memory, nostalgia, and home-life horrors. It charts a years-long friendship between misfits that intertwines with a cult-beloved TV show that may or may not be realin a world where wonder and nightmares share an uneasy co-existence.17. Wicked Jon M Chus blockbuster take on the Broadway icon might have taken longer to get through half of Wickeds story in the time it takes the whole theater production to start and finish, but it did so in sumptuous style.Wickedhas it all, a movie musical that is unabashedly proud of its lyrical roots, from delightful choreography to wonderful interpretations ofWickeds beloved songbook. But its elevated into something altogether remarkable in the incredible performances of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande as Elphaba and Glinda, whose electrifying chemistry lights up the screen as brightly as a sunrise over the Emerald City. Were more than happy to spend a years worth of One Short Days waiting to see how For Goodbuilds onWickeds promising first half. Image: A24 16. A Different Man Sebastian Stan has never been better than he is in A Different Man, a weird, surprising, heartbreaking story of a man with severe facial disfigurement. From the start, the movie never goes where you think its going and thats bad news for Stans character, who thinks he has things figured out when a miracle surgery cures his ailment. Soon, he realizes though that it wasnt just his looks that were holding him back.15. Inside Out 2 Picking up on Riley as a teen,Inside Out 2feels like its turning into a franchise thats going to approach coming of age in Pixar style (when will we stop crying?). The sequel catches up on how feelings shift and new emotions appear in adolescence in a very real way. Lessened is Joy, who doesnt take it well when the presence of Anxiety becomes Rileys driving force. As things get jumbled in teen angst and the discarding of childhood habits, the inner world of Inside Outcontinues to craft a relatable tale of how the mind works to further understand our loved ones, and thats just wonderful. 14. Longlegs We were having night terrors inspired by Longlegs carefully plotted marketing campaign even before the movie arrived, and thankfully it lived up to the hypeand then some. Maika Monroe and Nicolas Cage both deliver unforgettable turns as an FBI agent and her serial-killer prey, in a movie that makes gleeful work of ripping just about every police-procedural genre trope to shreds. Image: 20th Century Studios 13. Alien: Romulus Director and co-writer Fede Alvarez injected new excitement into the Alien franchise with this sci-fi horror tale set between the first two films, and styled with early 80s vibes to match. There are some heavy-handed fan-service moments, yes, but Romulus also takes some big original swings, introducing a ghastly new monster and earning the approval of the prickly Ridley Scott himself.12. Late Night With the Devil A 1970s talk-show host with serious skeletons in his closet gets his comeuppance during a live Halloween broadcast in this indie hit, which lovingly recreates a very specific era of retro TV with breathtaking accuracy. Late Night With the Devil also offers proof that the found-footage horror genre is still capable of delivering fresh storiesand shriek-worthy frights. 11. Nosferatu Robert Eggers has yet to make a bad film and his latest, Nosferatu, may be his best yet. Thats because his unique, extremely detailed and designed approach to filmmaking is married with a famous vampire story, giving his work that ever-so-slight mainstream bump it needed. The cast, led by Lily-Rose Depp, Nicholas Hoult, and Bill Skarsgrd as the terrifying titular character, leaves an impression that you wont soon forget. Image: A24 10. Civil War The genius of Alex Garlands Civil War is that its not at all what you think. Youd expect a movie about a U.S. civil war in modern times to be about reality, but this alternate reality follows journalists who are trained to be objective, no matter what occurs. And so does Garland embrace that, showing both sides of an awful conflict in a way that lets the audience decide what to think and feel. Action-packed, scary as hell, and poignant as can be, Civil War is a great film. 9. Flow A cat in a post-apocalyptic world fights to survive in this dialogue-free animated French film. Its a beautiful emotional movie just on its own as you watch this cat go through harrowing, awful, and scary circumstances. But if youre an animal lover, as we are, a whole other level of tension and emotion gets lathered on top as we cheer for this cat, and his friends, to survive the world humanity left for them.8. Monkey Man Its always nice to see Dev Patel in things, and it was really nice to learn he wrote and directed an action movie for himself to star in. Its clear from the start that hes got the chops as a filmmaker and onscreen fighter, even if Monkey Man may not have as much action as youd like. As a first effort, its a solid debut, and it hopefully allows him to make more of what he likes, action or otherwise. Image: Prime Video 7. My Old Ass My Old Ass never quite explains how a young woman named Elliot happens to meet, befriend, and keep in contact with herself from 20 years in the future. But we dont care. This hilarious coming-of-age film with that hint of sci-fi perfectly captures the wonder of being on the verge of adulthood as well as the inevitability of growing up. Aubrey Plaza and Maisy Stella co-create a lovely character who can be both so full of life and so broken, just like any of us.6. Transformers One Its been months since we saw Transformers One and were still in disbelief that its as good as it is. How is it that a movie about robots, on a robot planet, based on a toy line, could be so exhilarating, so shocking, and so smart and thoughtful about friendship? Well, Transformers One is. Plus, it gave us an origin story we never knew we needed: how the mortal enemies we now know as Optimus Prime and Megatron started as the best of friends. Its a tightrope walk, to be sure, but Transformers One nails it while also being wildly entertaining. 5. The Substance The agony of aging has been explored in sci-fi movies before, but rarely with such genuine poignancy mixed into all the ooey-gooey weird science. Demi Moore gives a stunning performance as an actress who loses her job and her self-confidence because, as the powers that be have determined, shes too old to turn on audiences. Margaret Qualley is also very good as the perky product of a bizarre experiment that lets Moores character be young againfor a gruesome price.Image: Netflix 4. Its Whats Inside If Its Whats Inside was released in theaters, and not just unceremoniously dumped on Netflix, everyone would have been talking about it. Now thoughsince youre reading thismaybe youll make a point to check it out, because its a really awesome movie. Its What Inside follows a group of college friends who reunite before a wedding and end up playing a sick and twisted party game where their personalities swap into each others bodies. Things only escalate from there, with intrigue, mystery, romance, violence, and a few twists were still thinking about. Its whats inside? More Like its so good. 3. Dune: Part Two After getting a light dusting of Dune fever back in 2021, the world was really feeling the spice with this years Part Two. Denis Villeneuves second outing to Arakkis makes good on the setup of the first film as the cast all bring their A-game (and their freak game) and the world looks better and worm-ier than ever. For a lot of people, it was hard not to get swept up in all of it, which makes the eventual threequel even more exciting. 2. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga It may have gotten overshadowed by other big movies this year, but Furiosa was a fun, often gnarly examination of the Mad Max franchises newest lead. Despite being a prequel, it doesnt try to top Fury Road, but makes its own mark through very good performances and great are you kidding me? set pieces that made this a joy to watch on the big screen. Image: DreamWorks/Universal 1. The Wild Robot No other movie in 2024 moved us quite like The Wild Robot. And part of that is because the film was so unexpected. We went into it being like Oh, look, another animated movie about a robot and came out with our lives changed. The film tells the story of Roz, a super smart helper robot mistakenly stranded on a deserted island. There, shes forced to raise a goose she names Brightbill as every other animal on the island laughs at the odd couple. What grows from there is not just a harrowing tale of parenthood, its a snapshot of the world around us. We see and feel how our differences cant come close to our similarities and that life is much better with the ones you love. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

Trumpf Schramberg Tech Center / Barkow LeibingerSave this picture! Simon Menge s, BerlinMixed Use Architecture, Science CenterSchramberg, GermanyArchitects: Barkow LeibingerAreaArea of this architecture projectArea:14000 mYearCompletion year of this architecture project Year: 2022 PhotographsPhotographs: Simon Menge s, Berlin More SpecsLess SpecsSave this picture!Text description provided by the architects. TRUMPF's corporate campus in Schramberg, northeast of Freiburg im Breisgau, has been growing steadily for over twenty years. With more than 1,400 employees, it is now the company's second-largest location, after its headquarters in Ditzingen, Germany. In line with Barkow Leibinger's master plan for the current and future expansion of the site, a first extension building was completed in 2000, followed by a new Development Center for Laser Technology in 2013 and a Production Building in 2017. As the latest component of this plan, a new multifunctional Tech Center has been in operation since March 2023, combining various uses under its roof: laboratories, offices, and conference areas, as well as a large campus restaurant that seats 400 guests. Due to the topography of the site and the laboratories' special requirements, a significant portion of the allocated space has been built underground or into the sloping terrain. Only the two upper floors are visible from the main entrance, giving visitors a glimpse of the symbolic tip of an architectural "iceberg" as they approach. In total, the new building comprises four levels with an area of more than 14,000 square meters.Save this picture!Save this picture!Orthogonal buildings, each surrounding an inner courtyard, serve as a basic model for the Schramberg campus. The approximately 60 x 60 meter Tech Center follows this logic, although its levels are slightly staggered, such that its cubic form, interrupted by cantilevers/canopies, steel parapets, and terraces, gives it a more dynamic and horizontal feel than the neighboring buildings. Its wood and glass faade likewise sets it apart from the predominantly metal production and research buildings, conveying its unique function. The central courtyard allows daylight to penetrate deep into the building, creating visual connections and allowing for transparency and orientation. The glass partitions provide rooms on all levels with a visual connection to the outside space and to the garden, across the inner courtyard. The main, open staircase is directly adjacent to the courtyard and, with its mirrored surfaces, is more a sculptural installation and place of movement and encounter than an access element.Save this picture!Save this picture!The new building serves as a main entry point to the entire campus, and thus as the "face" of TRUMPF in Schramberg. Employees enter the building from the garden level (Level -1), which provides access to all other levels and a direct connection to the neighboring production facility. This administrative and laboratory floor also houses application laboratories, offices, meeting rooms, and a conference area that can be used for events with up to 100 participants. The lower level (Level -2) houses test laboratories, locker rooms, storage and technical areas, and a large sprinkler control center for the entire site. A tunnel to a future second production building has also been constructed.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Visitors enter the building on Level 0 through an expansive lobby that overlooks the courtyard. In addition to the exposed concrete and larch wood surfaces, the space features a gray terrazzo floor and a stainless-steel wall with laser-engraved ornamental hatching. With its triangular pattern, the suspended ceiling mimics the building's timber roof structure. In addition to the lobby, the entrance level contains office and conference areas for lower and upper management, organized in a ring around the courtyard. Nearly all of the building's office workstations exit onto a terrace, courtyard, or garden. At the rear of the existing production building are the delivery and ancillary rooms for the kitchen, which is located directly above, on the top floor. The kitchen serves the campus restaurant, which, thanks to the ceiling's light, expansive, triangular timber frame, remains a column-free space that flows around the inner courtyard as a cohesive, communal area. With 3.6 meters of headroom, expansive views of the surrounding landscape, and optimized acoustics, it offers employees a place for relaxation and encounter. Between each of the gluelam beams is a panel consisting of two sheets of acoustical fleece, laser-cut on TRUMPF machines. A slight offset between the panels creates a visual moir effect, and necessary technical installations such as lighting, loudspeakers, and sprinklers have been integrated flush with the surface.Save this picture!Save this picture!The roof of the multifunctional building has been greened and, together with the terraces and numerous exits, fits into the concept laid out in the master plan for the campus, which in the future will feature welcoming, livable green spaces.Save this picture!Save this picture!Project gallerySee allShow lessProject locationAddress:Schramberg, GermanyLocation to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.About this officePublished on December 23, 2024Cite: "Trumpf Schramberg Tech Center / Barkow Leibinger" 23 Dec 2024. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1024771/trumpf-schramberg-tech-center-barkow-leibinger&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save!ArchDaily?You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream

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When it comes to character power-ups, One Piece has always had an interesting track record. While some fans believe that many of the power-ups throughout the show are completely justified through hard work and training, others believe that some characters seem to get stronger out of nowhere, with things like Gear 2 and Gear 5 just appearing to Luffy, without being fully earned. No matter the side, however, these power-ups have always presented some intriguing powers in One Piece that are bound to shake up the community when they arrive.

Kraven the Hunters woes at the box office keep compiling, as it bags yet another abysmal record for Sony during its second weekend in theaters.

The last few days have been rather busy for Jujutsu Kaisen fans as they have had to keep up with multiple announcements related to the franchise. The franchise has been doing remarkably well, and it gave fans several updates during Jump Festa 2025.

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I would hazard a guess that every anime popular in the 2010s has an AMV (anime music video) set to Thirty Seconds to Mars This Is War. It was the song for fan-edited music videos, and I will never be able to hear it without thinking of how I would edit it to whatever piece of media Im currently obsessing over. (Right now, its the newest Dragon Age game. I can picture it, the second verses the Liar lyric superimposed on Solas)From the moment the song came out in 2009, it was posited to be a hit in fandom culture. It actually debuted with the soundtrack of Dragon Age: Origins, a fact that I, a passionate Dragon Age fan, did not even realize until I started writing this pieceWait, hang on, this is completely warping my mind. Excuse me?!OK, back to business. The official BioWare trailer didnt actually lean into what made so many anime fans particularly obsessed with this song: namely that the lyrics basically just sort and categorize different types of people, warning them all about a nebulous incoming threat, making it perfect to project onto. Its generic enough to be applicable to basically anything (fascism and demons in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, or the epic highs and lows of high school volleyball in Haikyuu!!), but also with just enough specificity that fans can have some fun labeling beloved characters.Jared Leto croons about the Good and the Evil, which is super basic (and usually reserved for group shots of the Good Guys versus the Bad Guys), but as the lyrics go on, we start getting into funky archetypes like the Prophet (usually an older, wiser mentor-figure character) and the Victor (usually a cockier character, sometimes an antihero or minor bad guy turned good). Sometimes, if the piece of media allowed, these labels would be literal, even if they werent exactly fitting. But the best fan experience happened when the labels were incredibly loose and just based on the general vibe of the one-word descriptions, because its actually so fun to see how many people agree on what character traits these sparse archetypes represent.Theres an art to correctly categorizing characters in the This Is War archetypes. I think about it way too much. Every time I get into a new show, game, or movie, I immediately begin to cast the characters in a This Is War fan video. This is no exaggeration. I literally have a Google Doc for this. And it has categories for all the Dragon Age games, so the fact that this song came out with Dragon Age: Origins is really blowing my mind right now, holy shit.OK. Sorry. Ill stop getting distracted.I didnt become an anime fan until later in life, but I still knew about the proliferation of This Is War AMVs. Id always existed in parallel fandom spaces, so my first brush with the phenomenon was a Young Justice AMV in 2012. (If we wanna be technical, only anime fan videos fall under the AMV label, which would exclude Young Justice, but I use the term very loosely.) This Is War may have really taken off in the anime fan space, but as long as a piece of media had a vibrant fan base in the 2010s like Avatar: The Last Airbender, Harry Potter, hell, even Game of Thrones it could very well have a This Is War fan video.From the moment Star Trek fan Kandy Fong busted out a slide projector and a cassette tape at a convention in 1975, video edits have been a vital part of the fandom ecosystem. Nowadays, with TikTok as a primary hub, the trend skews toward short-form videos set to specific lyrics of songs, instead of full music videos. Every form of fan video expression is valid, but I came of age in the time of This Is War, so those AMVs will always have a very special place in my heart.And now I know that my deep connection to this frankly fundamentally OK Thirty Seconds to Mars song goes even deeper, since its not just nostalgically intertwined with my first experiences with online fandom, but also very specifically tied to my favorite video game franchise.