The next Tarkov wipe is coming very soon. Credit: Battlestate Games / Mike StubbsBattlestate Games has announced the release date for the next Escape From Tarkov wipe and patch, and as expected it will arrive before the end of this week.In an announcement on the Escape From Tarkov social media accounts, it was announced that the next Tarkov wipe will arrive tomorrow, December 26. The wipe will launch alongside patch 0.16.0.0, which will also be installed on the same day.The installation of Escape From Tarkov patch 0.16.0.0 will begin at 7:00 AM GMT / 2:00 AM EST on December 26, and is expected to take around eight hours. This means that the patch, and new wipe, could be playable as early as 3:00 PM GMT / 10AM EST on December 26. However, during the installation process neither Escape From Tarkov, or Escape From Tarkov Arena will be playable, so you will have to find something else to fill your time.Speculation has been rife over the past few days that the wipe may not arrive on a Thursday as is usually the case. With the end of wipe events taking a slightly different direction this year, some speculated that the wipe could arrive over the weekend, but the launch of the fire sale event earlier today all but confirmed that the wipe will arrive tomorrow. That means you only have a few hours to try out the best builds you can think of for cheap before everything wipes tomorrow.When the wipe does arrive tomorrow, which based on previous years could be later than 3:00 PM GMT due to delays, there will be a lot of new toys added to Tarkov. The gun nerds among you will likely be racing to find some of the new weapons, which include the awesome looking Sako TRG M10 bolt action sniper rifle, which takes .388 Lapua ammo and will likely one shot other PMCs if you have good aim.MORE FOR YOUThen theres the expected rework to the Customs map, which hasnt been shown off too much so far but is expected to be more of a visual overhaul rather than a new design. However, we do know that some areas will change, including the big warehouse attached to the mechanics shop, which should finally be opened up and not just a massive inaccessible block on the map.Other changes coming in Escape From Tarkov patch 0.16.0.0 include the upgrade to the Unity 2022 engine, a brand-new type of extraction and a new recoil system. However, it will not be a surprise full release for Tarkov, with that now expected to come in 2025.

Table of ContentsTable of ContentsFinally, no more pixelated images and videosIts the little thingsApples Messages app has certainly come a long way. When the first iPhone launched in 2007, it could only send SMS there werent even picture messages. Then it got MMS protocol support in iPhone OS 3.0 with the iPhone 3GS. With iPhone OS 5.0, Apple implemented its own iMessage chat protocol, making it easy for Apple users to communicate with other Apple device users.However, when it came to messaging Android users, Apple dragged its feet for the longest time, sticking with SMS and MMS, which arent encrypted and dont offer full-quality photo and video sending. It also sparked the whole blue bubble versus green bubble war.Recommended VideosIn 2024, though, Apple finally brought peace by adding Rich Communication Services (RCS) to iOS 18. This is a feature Ive been waiting years for, and it has made messaging much easier for me and my non-iPhone-using friends and family. Heres why RCS has been a game-changer for me and my family.RelatedChristine Romero-Chan / Digital TrendsIve always been a heavy photo taker with my iPhone, but ever since becoming a parent a few years ago, my smartphone camera use has gone way up. Before my kid, I didnt take many videos, but now there are so many more moments where a still image just wont do.I frequently chat with my sister, the only Android user in my immediate family, through messages. We often share photos and videos, especially of our pets. But whenever we did, the videos were sent through MMS, meaning they were the size of a postage stamp and incredibly pixelated and blurry, like from a potato phone in the early 2000s. It got to the point where we wouldnt even send each other video clips; instead, we mostly just relied on uploading to something like Google Photos or iCloud and then sharing the link.With iOS 18, Apple finally implemented RCS support in Messages, making it easier to communicate with Android users. RCS supports high-resolution photos and video, and this has been my favorite use case for RCS on my iPhone 16 Pro.Christine Romero-Chan / Digital TrendsAgain, I take a lot of photos and videos of my daughter and her shenanigans. For sharing batches of media, I typically upload them all to an app Ive been using for the past three years called Family Album, where all my invited family members can view our photos and videos.But sometimes, I want to make sure that my sister has seen something, whether thats my daughter or our cat or dog or even something cute I come across that she would like. Ive really appreciated having RCS support now because I know the images and videos I send her no longer look like they were taken with a flip phone from the 2000s. Even in group chats, RCS support has made a difference because those images used to be pretty low quality, but now everything that gets sent looks great.Bryan M. Wolfe / Digital TrendsThough the high-resolution images and video are the biggest reason why I love having RCS, its not the only one.Another thing I like is the fact that you can not only see when an RCS message was delivered, similar to SMS, but you can also see if it has been read as well. Of course, this is dependent on the user enabling read receipts, but in the case of my sister, its been handy to see when she actually read my message instead of me just wondering if she saw it or not.Its also worth remembering that RCS on the iPhone is in its infancy right now. The full-resolution photos and videos are the main highlight and read receipts are the second-most important feature to me. Its great that we have RCS finally on the iPhone, but theres still room for improvement. Currently, RCS between Android and iPhone does not have end-to-end encryption (E2EE), which is a bummer.Joe Maring / Digital TrendsWhen RCS is sent from Android to Android, there is some encryption on those messages to keep them safe from interference. The same E2EE applies to iMessage, which is Apples proprietary messaging protocol. It sounds like the organization behind RCS is working on implementing E2EE between Android and iPhone, though there is no estimated time frame yet.I also wish that RCS messages were a different color than green, which is also used for regular SMS. It would be much easier to differentiate between SMS and RCS, similar to SMS/RCS and iMessage.Despite the flaws, having RCS has been beneficial and worth the wait. Some people may just use iMessage exclusively because everyone they talk to may use an iPhone. But for me, when I have some family and friends who use Android and wont switch, having RCS has definitely been a great quality of life improvement.Editors Recommendations

Searchlight PicturesTable of ContentsTable of Contents7. Walk the Line (2005)6. Im Not There (2007)5. Love & Mercy (2015)4. The Pianist (2002)3. Tick, Tick Boom! (2021)2. Maestro (2023)1. Amadeus (1984)James Mangolds Bob Dylan biopic, A Complete Unknown, would seem to mark a return to an era of serious-minded films about serious-minded musicians, psychological character studies rather than jukebox-inflected, semi-fantasist extravaganzas. (Scott Coopers upcoming Deliver Me From Nowhere, about Bruce Springsteen, looks to continue the trend.)In honor of its release this past week, its worth looking back at the films that have led us here. The following is a list of the seven best music biopics has ever released.Recommended Videos7. Walk the Line (2005)20th Century FoxMangolds earlier music biopic was the prototypical 21st-century example of the genre. Walk the Line, the birth-to-death story of Johnny Cash (played by the Oscar-nominated Joaquin Phoenix), was memorably parodied in Jake Kasdans spectacular 2007 film Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (Dewey Cox has to think about his whole life before he plays), and its easy to see why.RelatedWalk the Line has a time-jumping, playing-the-hits structure that just makes sense for this kind of movie. The 2010s to 2020s run of second-rate musician bio-dramas (Bohemian Rhapsody, Rocketman, Stardust, Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody) tried vainly to replicate this movies old-Hollywood appeal but failed to capture what made Walk the Line so captivating when it premiered in 2005.6. Im Not There (2007)A conventional biopic cannot contain Bob Dylan, an enigma whose current film biography, courtesy of Mangold, correctly but somewhat evasively characterizes him as a complete unknown. Better to look at this utterly strange jigsaw puzzle, constructed by co-screenwriters Oren Moverman and Todd Haynes and directed by the latter.Six actors play six different aspects of Dylan, none of them named Bob Dylan. Some of them (like Marcus Carl Franklins 11-year-old Black troubadour calling himself Woody Guthrie) resemble the singer/songwriter only in superficial, artistic ways. Others, like the singer characters played by Cate Blanchett and Christian Bale, are closer fits. They have one thing in common to see them properly, as with certain virtuoso paintings, you have to step back and see all the brushstrokes arrayed side by side.5. Love & Mercy (2015)The second of Oren Movermans screenplays to make the cut here (this one co-written by Michael Alan Lerner), Love & Mercy is an innovative film biography that fittingly assigns two vastly different eras of the life of the Beach Boys mastermind Brian Wilson to two different actors.The Batmans Riddler, Paul Dano, delicate and intense, is Wilson in the era of Pet Sounds, the 1966 album that cemented his legacy as a genius. John Cusack, heavy-footed and doleful, is Wilson in his forties, lost at sea and under the influence of a pill-pushing psychologist (Paul Giamatti). The performances are stellar, but its the immortal music that grabs and keeps you.4. The Pianist (2002)Famed Polish Jewish composer and pianist Wadysaw Szpilman was 28 and a star on Polish radio when the Nazis invaded Poland in 1939. Rounded up, along with his family, into the Warsaw Ghetto in 1940, he was subsequently separated from them and survived for five years, hidden in attics and secret apartments in occupied Warsaw.His survival ultimately depended upon entertaining a Wermacht captain (Thomas Kretschmann) with a penchant for Chopin. The Brutalists Adrien Brody won the Best Actor Oscar for his wrenching, body-transforming turn as Szpilman in this harrowing watch with adulation for incongruously elegant, lilting music at its core.3. Tick, Tick Boom! (2021) Jonathan Larson, the martyr-hero of the musical theater world, was 35 when he died of an aortic dissection on the night of the first Off-Broadway preview of his masterpiece Rent in 1996. His cause of bringing musicals to the masses was later taken up by successor Lin-Manuel Miranda, whose notably assured 2021 debut feature film adapted Larsons earlier autobiographical musical, Tick, Tick Boom!.The film covers Larsons abortive attempt to complete a musical based on Orwells 1984and unwittingly foreshadows Larsons abbreviated life in covering the story of his best friend (Robin de Jess) being stricken with AIDS. The chief highlight of the film is Andrew Garfields Academy Award-nominated performance as Larson, which is loose-limbed and charming.2. Maestro (2023)NetflixSuffused with the balance of exquisite reality and high-flown fantasy that is itself the hallmark of great music, Bradley Coopers biopic of composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein, Maestro, is in every sense an improvement on his A Star is Born retread of 2018.Anchored by well-matched performances by Cooper himself as Bernstein and Carey Mulligan as his wife Felicia, the film is more a portrait of the sexual dynamics of their marriage than a story about his music, per se; nonetheless, Cooper directs a bravura sequence of Bernstein conducting in the Ely Cathedral in England that perfectly captures Bernsteins charisma on the podium. The film is very possibly a modern masterpiece and deserves another look after being shut out at last years Oscars.1. Amadeus (1984)Orion PicturesIn its own way, the central relationship in Amadeus, between the divinely inspired but insipidly crude Wolfgang Mozart (Tom Hulce) and the haughty but mediocre Antonio Salieri (F. Murray Abraham, who won an Oscar for his role), is as paradigmatic as Romeo and Juliet, King Arthur and Lancelot, the black hat and the white hat.Its portrayal of insane jealousy motivated by grudging regard reveals something fundamental about musicians and composers the gift for music is a tactile skill bound by ones own physical limitations, all the more infuriating because it can rise to such supernatural heights in a few lucky, gifted geniuses.Editors Recommendations

Matt Damon and Jude Law in The Talented Mr. Ripley Paramount Pictures / Paramount PicturesThe big turning point of The Talented Mr. Ripley is a brutal act of violence on the water the moment when conniving con man Tom Ripley claims the charmed life that he wants. But thats not exactly how the scene plays out in the second and still finest adaptation of Patricia Highsmiths 1955 bestseller. Highsmith presented Toms actions as entirely calculated, even as they seemed to occur to him rather casually, like a solution to a problem he hadnt acknowledged. But theres no premeditation to what happens on that boat in the 1999 movie made from The Talented Mr. Ripley. Here, a dark plot becomes a crime of passion, an impulse. Were watching a Ripley more warm- than cold-blooded, but no less dangerous for it.? THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY (1999) | Trailer | Full HD | 1080pYou could call the film a warm-blooded Ripley, too. Written and directed by the late Anthony Minghella, it transformed literatures most devious charlatan into a tragic figure an approach that vexed some Highsmith heads in 99. (An earlier adaptation, the 1960 Purple Noon, cast French movie star Alain Delon as a much more characteristically blank Ripley.) Today, the film might startle a whole new generation of viewers, those whose only exposure to this iconic character is Netflixs recent Ripley. That black-and-white, eight-episode limited series plays the same song in a much different key. Its the starkly reptilian yin to the sunny, anguished yang of Minghellas less reverently faithful version.Recommended VideosThe Talented Mr. Ripley, which hit theaters 25 years ago this month, now looks like one of the great prestige productions of its decade a dazzling suspense thriller that deepens its source material rather than merely replicating it. Minghella was coming off the success of The English Patient, another literary adaptation and period piece that won a bunch of Oscars (including Best Picture) but also inspired a whole Seinfeldepisode about how boring it was. His Ripley is just as lavish it drinks in the luxury Tom covets, the brilliant splendor of mid-century, seaside Italy and considerably more lively. It also boasts a murderers row of glamorous, Miramax-era awards darlings, including Gwyneth Paltrow, Cate Blanchett, Jude Law, and a hilariously catty Philip Seymour Hoffman.MiramaxThe setup is straight out of Highsmith: Two-bit New York fraud Tom Ripley (Matt Damon) is hired to go overseas and bring home erstwhile playboy Dickie Greenleaf (Law), whose shipping-magnate father confuses our anti-hero for a prep-school confidante of his irresponsible son. But for as close as Minghella hews to the basic shape of the original story, he also tweaks it in significant ways, including retelling it against the backdrop of a burgeoning 1950s jazz scene and complicating Toms eventual subterfuge his juggling of two identities through the introduction of a socialite (Blanchett) who confuses him for Dickie.Talented Mr Ripley Everybody Should Have One TalentThe most meaningful deviation is the characterization of Ripley, who doesnt much resemble the empty vessel Highsmith described. As played by a young Matt Damon, the character is needier and perhaps more disturbingly human, an eager-to-please nerd too besotted with Dickie (and his life of leisure) to recognize that hes fast overstaying his welcome and losing his fickle new companions interest. Damon, coming off his Oscar-nominated turn in Good Will Hunting, weaponizes his boyishness, planting a simmering resentment and a ruthless intelligence behind the puppy-dog ingratiation. Turning Ripley into a clingy, lovelorn misfit is a bold gamble, but the star pulls it off.MiramaxToms sexuality was something of a question mark in the Ripley novels. Highsmith shrugged it off in interviews. Like everything else about the character, it seemed fluid, maybe arbitrary, discardable: If he pursued men as well as women, it was as a creature of opportunity, recognizing any potential fulfillment of his appetites. Minghella clarifies the matter, turning queer subtext into text by making Ripley explicitly closeted and self-loathing. This version of the character aches not just for Dickies status and wealth and privilege but also for Dickie himself and how could he not, with Law in the role, at the height of his charm, smarm, and sex appeal?MiramaxThe choice lends The Talented Mr. Ripley a devastating new emotional dimension, even before Minghella introduces a love interest (Jack Davenport) that Highsmith didnt, a chance at real happiness that must be sacrificed in a very literal sense before Tom can complete his climb up the ladder. On the page, the saga of Tom Ripley is an amoral awakening: a tale of self-actualization through violence and identity theft, where pulling yourself up by the bootstraps means pulling someone else down under the waves. On the screen, it becomes something sadder, a drama about the desperate loneliness of pretending to be someone or something youre not of playing straight and rich, as this Ripley does.MiramaxIts Damon who gives Minghellas soulful reworking of a classic its, well, soul. Hes never been better, or scarier: The scene where a bathrobed Tom approaches the suspicious Marge (Paltrow), disguising menace as cloying concern, could make a corpses skin crawl. One might say that upward mobility is the throughline of the stars whole career; many of his most memorable roles, from Will Hunting to the mole gangster of The Departed, are working-class guys circling a class promotion. Perhaps that resonates with Damon and his mythologized backstory as an ordinary dude from Boston who made good. As Ripley, a nobody faking his way into the life of a somebody, the actor supplies new complexity to a character usually defined by little more than his cold-eyed aspiration and duplicity.The Talented Mr. Ripley - Final sceneThe 99 Ripley wont satisfy any stickler for fidelity. The Netflix version comes much closer to capturing the spirit of Highsmiths novel, both in the inclusion of subplots only a TV runtime could accommodate and in the icier portrayal of the title character. (Despite being in his mid-40s, Andrew Scott really nails the authors conception of a go-getter unburdened by conscience.) But Minghella and Damon tap a richer vein of drama in the material by giving us a more sympathetic Ripley, one whose hurt feelings the envy and dejection and raw pining that drives him are more relatable than a non-homicidal viewer might care to confess. In that respect, the film gets at the true, discomforting appeal of this story: You stare at Tom Ripley and recognize yourself in the black hole of his murderous machinations.The Talented Mr. Ripley is currently streaming on Paramount+ and is available to rent or purchase through major digital services. For more of A.A. Dowds writing, visit his Authory page.

Nature, Published online: 25 December 2024; doi:10.1038/d41586-024-04238-9The Nature Podcast team have rewritten a popular holiday song in light of one of the biggest science trends of 2024.

Nature, Published online: 25 December 2024; doi:10.1038/d41586-024-03981-3The team select some of their favourite stories from the past 12 months.

US home sales just ended a 39-month year-over-year decline, signaling the end of the bear market, NDR said.Affordability issues, driven by high mortgage rates, drove the 3-year decline in home sales activity.Investors could take advantage of the setup by buying the iShares U.S. Home Construction ETF, NDR said.The bear market in US home sales is finally over, according to a recent note from Ned Davis Research.The firm highlighted that total single-family home sales finally turned positive year-over-year after 39 months of consecutive declines.The 39-month decline in home sales was only outdone by the 43-month decline during the housing bubble from 2005 through 2009."But the recent affordability-driven pandemic bear could not be more different than the credit-driven housing bubble bear," Pat Tschosik, a strategist at Ned Davis Research, said.The main difference between the two notable declines in home sales is affordability.Whereas the affordability index rose 53 points from 2005 through 2009, it plunged 39 points from 2021 through 2024, driven by high mortgage rates and ever-rising home prices. Ned Davis Research "Homeowners, locked into low rates and unwilling to move, added to low supply and higher prices," Tschosik said.Additionally, the stocks of homebuilders outperformed over the past three years, compared to them underperforming during the 2005 through 2009 stretch.The recent rebound in home sales activity suggests to Tschosik that the housing market should thaw in 2025, enabling a rebound in durable and home improvement spending.For investors, that means the iShares U.S. Home Construction ETF could be a worthy addition to portfolios for next year. The ticker symbol is "ITB.""We are watching ITB for an upgrade. If inflation fears are overblown, the recent ITB correction could be a great buying opportunity," Tschosik said.The ETF has declined by more than 15% since fears of a rebound in inflation gripped the market in late November.The top holdings within the Home Construction ETF include home builders D.R. Horton, Lennar Corp, NVR, and Pulte Group, as well as home-improvement retailers Home Depot and Lowe's.

Amanda's storyline to watch: Spotify and YouTube battle over video podcastingJoe Rogan dominates the podcast landscape. Syfy/Getty Images Creators are launching their own talk shows in the form of video podcasts.As this growing trend of serialized long-form content takes over screen times, two tech giants Spotify and YouTube will continue to compete to be the best platform.YouTube is already a strong leader in the creator economy and a go-to creator platform. Spotify has also had a good year, reporting increased profitability in its Q3 earnings.As video podcasts rise in popularity, these two platforms will have to convince both creators and viewers why they're the best place to earn money, engage with fans, and reach new audiences.The race has already begun. YouTube took a stand by releasing a suite of tools and features that creators can't get on other podcast platforms including the ability to go live, respond to comments, and earn revenue from donations.Meanwhile, Spotify invested heavily in video in 2024, developing its own tools and more ways to pay creators for video podcasts through subscription earnings and ad revenue.So, how will these platforms compete in 2025, and who will ultimately win in the video podcast race?-Amanda Perelli, senior reporter

There was so much to cover in 2024 across genre entertainment. Film and television welcomed new projects in the realms of Marvel Studios, anime, Star Wars, Warner Bros. and its DC Studios,and more. io9 also brought you latest from the worlds of games and theme parks, including big franchises like Indiana Jones and Universal Studios soon-to-arrive Epic Universe. Geekcore collectibles, toys, books, and comics kept our wallets very busy, too. Here are our favorite staff picks for stories and coverage of all things genre. Film Krypto! Warner Bros. 15 Things We Learned From James Gunn on the Set of Superman By Germain Lussier Its a bird, its a plane, its a report from the set of James GunnsSuperman. This past June, io9 was among several outlets invited to Cleveland, Ohio to visit the set of one of themost highly anticipated superherofilms ever. The relaunch of the DC Universe, starring the worlds first and most famous superhero, all from theman who madeGuardians of the Galaxy. And on that beautiful summer day, we learneda great many things about the film. And while we cant share everything we learned just yet, we can share some very,very cool stuff. [Read more] Captain America: The Winter Soldier By Justin Carter Back in theearly Marvel Cinematic Universe days, the second movies of a sub-franchise werent much to write home about. BothIron Man 2in 2010 and 2013s Thor: The Dark World felt like unremarkable sequels compared to their predecessors, hamstrung by being fast-tracked before they were ready or just not doing much beyond offering some light spectacle. That wasnt the case withCaptain America: The Winter Soldier. [Read More]MoanasMoana 2Destiny Was Foretold in the First Film By Sabina Graves When the credits rolled onMoana 2, we could not get over the stunning reveal that Moana (Aulii Cravalho) made a huge sacrifice which resulted in theDisney Princess becoming more than a royal wayfinder. As Moana gazed upon her gifts in the form of a new tattoo and oar upgrade, she asked herself does that mean? before Maui (Dwayne Johnson) gave a winking response as a non-answer as they celebrated theirwin against the gods. [Read more]Madame Web Is the Best Superhero Movie 2003 Has to Offer By James Whitbrook You may have heard that Madame Web isnot a good movie. That there are, in fact, things about Madame Web that could be described as The Worst. I am not here to refute those claims; there are in fact many things aboutMadame Webthat are not what you would feasibly call good. But in its surprise camp turn, it embraces its period setting to deliver a potent reminder on how far superhero movies have come, and what theyve lost along the way. [Read more]Time Is Finally onTenets By Justin Carter When Tenet released in 2020, it did so under the worst of circumstances. The context of the pandemic made the film a lightning rod when writer-director Christopher Nolan encouraged people to see it in theaters. Compared to his other recent movies, the time-bending spy thriller saw a more muted reaction. It made $365 million (against a $200M budget), and those who went to see it werent fully clicking with it. [Read More]Image: E One. Jennifer Kent Looks Back on 10 Years of Traumatizing Audiences With The Babadook By Cheryl Eddy The Babadookis returning to theaters forits 10-year anniversarybut really, did Jennifer Kents searing tale of a mother grappling with grief so powerful it manifests a monster everreallyescape your thoughts? The movie is terrifying on multiple levels, adroitly drawing on elements plucked from the darkest nightmares. io9 was thrilled to talk to the writer-director about her 2014 debut, which for a variety of reasons (somedecidedly more lighthearted than others) has only seen its pop culture footprint grow larger since its release.[Read more]John KrasinskisIF: The Spoiler FAQ By Germain Lussier Who could have guessed that John Krasinski would be so good at making horror movies? His directorial debut wasA Quiet Place, he followed it up withA Quiet Place Part II, and now hes made IF, not a horror film by genre but a horrible film in quality.We reviewed the film quite unfavorably herebut now that its in theaters, figured it might be worth diving into further by bringing by an io9 classic:the spoiler FAQ. [Read More] Longlegs Osgood Perkins on Nic Cage, T. rex, and the Scariest Movie of the Summer By Cheryl EddyIts almost time forLonglegsto arrive, and if you havent been counting down the days, you must not be a horror fan. It stars Maika Monroe(It Follows)as an FBI agent hunting a truly peculiar serial killerplayed by Nicolas Cage in one of hismost memorably shocking rolesever,which is saying a lot. You can check outio9s review of the film here, and keep reading for an interview with writer-director Osgood Perkins(The Blackcoats Daughter). [Read more] One of Dunes Biggest, Non-Spoiler Questions Is Answered in Sandworm Poop By Germain Lussier Dune: Part Two, which opens in theaters March 1, has a lot of thumpers in it. Like, a lot. Mainly because the Fremen and their culture are such a prevalent part of the film and often need a ride. And while watching, you cant help but wonder, where do these thumpers come from? Who makes them? Are they just one-and-done devices? We decided to ask the man himself, Dune: Part Two co-writer and director Denis Villeneuve, for his thoughts on thumpers and his answer did not disappoint. [Read More] io9 Meets the Real Hero of theVenomFranchise: Mrs. Chen By Gordon JacksonAs the bizarre and divisive yet always shockingly good-naturedVenomtrilogydraws to a close(still the gayest Marvel franchise, contrary to public opinion), something we can all agree on is the sheer joy of its breakout character: Mrs. Chen, the unflappable bodega proprietor and Eddie Brocks only human friend. Its for this reason we were honored to have the opportunity to speak to Peggy Lu, the pharmacist-turned-actor who portrays her. [Read more] Sonic 3 Is a Fast and Furry-ous Ride By Sabina GravesFull of electric spectacle and action-packed adventure,Sonic the Hedgehog 3completes the best video game movie trilogy yet. [Read more] How Cult Filmmaker Don Coscarelli Brought Phantasm From the Screen to the Page By Cheryl Eddyio9 talked to cult filmmaker Don Coscarelli when he released his memoir in 2018. Now, the director of Phantasm I-IV, as well as Bubba Ho-Tep, The Beastmaster, and John Dies at the End, is trying something new: fiction. Or rather, Phictiona book of short stories that explores tales from the world of Phantasm. [Read More] Aliens Villain Carter Burke Is Back! And Paul Reiser Told Us All About It By Germain Lussier James Camerons Aliens is one of the great sequels of all time. Heck, it might beone of the greatest movies of all time. And, in the almost 40 years since its release, moments, images, andcharacters from the filmhave cemented themselves in thepantheon of pop culture. [Read more] Television Netflix / Science Saru Racists Are Trying to MakeDan Da Danthe Latest Front in Their Culture War By Isaiah ColbertLately, the internet has become anuclear wasteland. The shelf life to enjoy new media, be it video games or anime, inevitably becomes the focal point of ameritless culture war, where chuds accuse art of being woke, pearl clutch at diverse characters who dont look like them being showcased in media, andlaunch harassment campaignsagainst creators and those attempting to foster constructive dialogue. [Read more] Star WarsIs at Its Most Interesting When It Trusts Us to Not Trust It By James Whitbrook The third episode ofThe Acolyteis pretty incredible fora lot of reasons. Its an episode that, in content, invites us to consider new perspectives on some of the sagasmost fundamental spiritual ideas, and delivers a meaty slice of back story for its protagonists and antagonists alike. But it also does something quite remarkable for Star Wars: it asks us to not make the assumption that what we are watching is the whole truth. [Read More] The Creators Behind Netflixs Castlevania Myth-Bust the Ins and Outs of Animation By Isaiah ColbertAnimation has experienced a mixed output in 2024. On the one hand, shows and films like the recently releasedDan Da Dan,Look Back,andRanma 1/2have reignited fans affinity for animation continuing to be an awe-inspiring medium teeming with visual clarity and fluid artistry. On the other hand, hotly anticipated shows like the long-delayedAdult SwimUzumakianime adaptationandBlue Lockseason twohave left fans wondering why their favorite projects didnt get as much shine as their contemporaries. [Read more] Banned Bluey Episode Dad Baby Is Finally Viewable in the U.S. By Sabina Graves ABlueyepisode originally released in 2020 everywhere except the United States finally gets the green light to be seenwith a catch: its only online (for now). [Read more]Evils Andrea Martin on Acting With Demons and the Terror of AI By Cheryl Eddy Andrea Martins career has included a lot of comedyshe was on legendary 1970s sketch seriesSCTVbut over the years shes excelled in nearly every genre, with two current projects earning her even more new fans: HulusOnly Murders in the Building, andParamount+sEvil. WithEvilheading toward its series finale, io9 jumped at the chance to talk to Martin about what its like starring onone of TVs best-ever horror series, particularly in the context of her character: Sister Andrea,a wise, wisecracking, demon-slaying nun. [Read More] The Best Moment in Deep Space Nines Greatest Episode Is a Punch Left Unthrown By James Whitbrook Twenty-six years ago today,Deep Space Ninedelivered the knife under its cloaked examination of Star Treks morals in wartime with all the delicate precision of a sewing needle: the incredible In the Pale Moonlight, not just one ofDS9 or Star Treks finest hours, but one of the all time greatest episodes of TV ever made. But the finest moment in an already immaculate piece of television is all about the ways to enact violence without lifting a single finger.[Read more]Interview With the Vampires Season 2 Finale Goes Full Divorce Court By Sabina Graves Leave it up to Daniel Molloy (Eric Bogosian) to giveLouis (Jacob Anderson) interview a final definitive disruption that leads to marital woes for Armand (Assad Zaman). Call it a vendetta writ large for our entertainment while Molloy plays roast host like a daytime Maury or Divorce Court episode, because youll be hootin and hollerin during And Thats The End Of It. Theres Nothing Elsethe eighth episode of AMC and AMC+sInterview with The Vampireseason two. The episode brings inshowrunner Rolin Jones as its scribe for all the explosive revenge and revelations in the finale directed by Levan Arkin. [Read more] Games, Immersive Entertainment, and Theme Parks Bethesda Every Moment Youre Playing Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Feels Like Torture By James Whitbrook Indiana Jonesshould be the perfect video game hero. He solves puzzles,he shoots Nazis, he leaps and swings through an international cavalcade of locations primed for platforming. His very existence has inspired some of the greats of the medium, fromTomb RaidertoUncharted, all in homage to the whip-slinging blueprint Indy provided. And while hes definitely starred in plenty of attempts over the years, he still feels like hes waiting for his moment to shine in the world of games of his own accord, rather than simply via the impact of his legacy. WithIndiana Jones and the Great Circle, hes very much still waiting. [Read more]The Essence of Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Was You Made the Experience By Sabina Graves A year after theStar Wars: Galactic Starcruisertook its last flight, heres a look back at the best of Disney Parks bold venture into the immersive entertainment spaceand why in the end, it couldnt quite work. [Read More] Borderlands Will Always Shoot to the Beat of Its Own Gun by Justin Carter In its heyday, the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 era produced many still-ongoing franchises, but few have endured quite as interestingly asBorderlands. Gearbox Softwares shooter-RPG series has been so definitive and soinfamousfor so long in ways that will never truly go away. At the same time, its always been itself: for better or worse,Borderlandshas no interest in changing what it is, or at least not for very long. [Read more] The Dark Universe Begins Again at Universals Theme Park By Sabina Graves Universal Studios would not be the premiere cinematic experience theme park without the Universal Monsters. Influencing filmmakers from Spielberg to Peele, they are the blueprint of thrills and its about damn time that the almost century-old fandom will finally get its due withEpic UniversesDark Universe, the theme park home of gods and monsters. This new area joins the previously announced lands at Universal Studios Orlandos newest theme park, includingSuper Nintendo WorldandHow to Train Your Dragons Isle of Berk. [Read more] Dragon Age: The Veilguard Is Ready to Bring You Back By Justin Carter After revitalizingMass Effectwith aremastered collectionof the first three games and handing offStar Wars: The Old Republicto a separate studio, BioWares now putting its full weight behind its other big franchise,Dragon Age.Over the years, its been a question of if (and in what way) BioWare would return to the world of Thedas, even as itd continuously reaffirm a new entry was in development. [Read more] Tianas Bayou Adventure Breaks 87 Years of a Weird Disney Princess Canon By Sabina Graves Over the past few days Disneyfans who have managed to ride Tianas Bayou Adventure at Walt Disney Worldhave been among the first to experiencethe continuation of Tianas fairytaleafter the events 2009s The Princess and the Frog. The ride itself serves as a sequel in attraction form, where guests follow Tiana and friends as they put together a band for their Mardi Gras celebration. But there are so many more details revealed even before you board the flume water ride for fans of the beloved Disney film. [Read more] 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.

Apartment With a View / i29Save this picture! Ewout HuibersApartment InteriorsAmsterdam, The NetherlandsArchitects: i29AreaArea of this architecture projectArea:300 mPhotographsPhotographs:Ewout HuibersManufacturersBrands with products used in this architecture project Manufacturers: Arco, Dum, FLOS, HAY, Steega InteriorsMore SpecsLess SpecsSave this picture!Text description provided by the architects. Situated on the 19th floor in the heart of Amsterdam's vibrant Zuidas business district, this stunning apartment offers breathtaking views of the city skyline. Here, the dynamic energy of urban life blends seamlessly with the warmth of tactile materials and a soft color palette, creating a serene high-rise retreat.Save this picture!Save this picture!The open-plan layout is thoughtfully curated, with custom-designed elements defining distinct living areas while maintaining an airy, cohesive flow. Spanning 300m, the apartment features expansive wooden surfaces and rich textures that exude a luxurious, contemporary feel. Upon entering, a hallway marked by dark, elegant tones provides a striking contrast to the light, open atmosphere of the kitchen and living spaces beyond. The interior reveals the i29 signature approach, with a graphical play that highlights distinct areas and adds a unique, refined touch.Save this picture!Save this picture!This is a peaceful home where the vibrancy of the city fades away, replaced by a sense of tranquility. Every detail has been carefully considered to foster an environment of calm and sophistication, offering a perfect balance of urban energy and serene retreat.Save this picture!Save this picture!The spacious layout includes a custom-designed kitchen, a large open living room, two bedrooms, an office nook, two bathrooms, and two toilets. Each room reflects the apartment's refined aesthetic, ensuring a seamless flow of style and luxury. From the soft, neutral color palette to the clean, modern lines, every element contributes to an atmosphere of understated elegance.Save this picture!Save this picture!Project gallerySee allShow lessProject locationAddress:Amsterdam, The NetherlandsLocation to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.About this officePublished on December 25, 2024Cite: "Apartment With a View / i29" 25 Dec 2024. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1023849/apartment-with-a-view-i29&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