Shutterstock 2025-05-24T10:44:01Z Save Saved Read in app This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Have an account? This post originally appeared in the BI Today newsletter. You can sign up for Business Insider's daily newsletter here. Welcome back to our Saturday edition! Are you headed to the movie theater this weekend to see Tom Cruise's next big flick, "Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning"? Find out why he's had such staying power. Hint: It rhymes with punts.On the agenda:Living in the forest for four years shaved a decade off a researcher's biological age.Rich Americans are booking fancy vacations. Everyone else is cutting back.Morgan Wallen is the man of the moment because of his controversies, not in spite of them.A week on Mexico's "Happy Coast," the hidden getaway of the wealthy.But first: It's cookout time.If this was forwarded to you, sign up here. Download Business Insider's app here.This week's dispatchIt's time to sizzle and serve gorodenkoff/Getty Images Summer, is that you? :squints:With Memorial Day on Monday serving as the unofficial kick-off for summer, it's my favorite time of the year — grilling season. Get out the burgers. Get out the hot dogs. And if you'd rather not eat meat, get out the vegetables.Luckily for you, BI's Lifestyle team has been speaking with various chefs for tips on how to ensure people will be coming back to your grill asking for more.Chef Alissa Fitzgerald tells BI that a good burger starts with the kind of beef you buy. Try to aim for beef with "80% meat and 20% fat," allow them to thaw completely, and don't season them too early."Right before placing it on the grill, take a large pinch of kosher salt and gently cover the outside of the patty with a thin layer," she suggests. "Add the burger salt-side down on the grill and sprinkle some on the other side."If you're putting other types of meat on the grill, however, like steaks, you'll want to season them "a few hours before you plan on cooking it and let it sit in the fridge," Chef Marcus Jacobs tells BI.Meanwhile, when grilling chicken, Jacobs suggests creating a "blend of salt, white and black pepper, paprika, coriander, and several different types of chilies."No matter how you season or what you're throwing on the grill, check out the chefs' other tips to make sure you're not the talk of the neighborhood for the wrong reason.Touching grass David Furman When David Furman discovered his body was prematurely aging because of stress, he and his family moved to a one-room cabin in the woods to reset. Furman changed what they ate and how he exercised, and scaled back use of electronics.To his delight, the experiment worked: It dramatically improved his longevity and energy. He continues to reap the benefits now, even after leaving the forest.Travel is for the rich now Slim Aarons/Getty Images Almost half of summer travelers this year make over $100,000, according to a Deloitte survey. The wealth gap is growing, and middle-income vacationers are either staying home or opting for more budget-friendly trips.Even as demand wavers, luxury travel is booming. New accommodations are under construction, and "luxury" short-term rentals are increasing in price faster than other listings.Morgan Wallen's country John Shearer/Getty Images There's nothing sonically special about Morgan Wallen's music, and he has a habit of attracting controversy. Still, in the wake of scandals involving slurs and disorderly conduct, Wallen is more popular than ever.That's because Wallen's messiness is a key part of his brand, writes BI's Callie Ahlgrim. Fans see his scandals as proof of his authenticity, and he embodies an idea of freedom.A Happy Coast hideaway Monica Humphries/Business Insider A 155-mile stretch of Mexico's Pacific coast is a quiet vacation hot spot for the ultrawealthy. Costalegre, Spanish for "Happy Coast," is practically impossible to reach — for those without a private jet, at least.BI's Monica Humphries spent a week resort-hopping in Costalegre. Each had a different appeal, from the neighborhood feel and star-studded history at Careyes to the ATVs and private beaches at Las Alamandas.What we're watching this weekend Netflix; Chelsea Jia Feng/BI "Sirens": Julianne Moore, "The White Lotus" actor Meghann Fahy, and "House of the Dragon" standout Milly Alcock all star in Netflix's new dark comedy set in a beachside town."The Last of Us": Season two of HBO's TV show adaptation of the popular video game series ends this weekend."Nine Perfect Strangers": Nicole Kidman returns as a wellness guru in season two of the Hulu series, this time set in the Austrian Alps.See the full list iStock; Rebecca Zisser/BI Deals we loveMemorial Day savings: Mattresses are almost always on sale, but our deal experts know that Memorial Day is when we see the steepest discounts. Here are the best mattress deals for the holiday weekend.Business (Insider) casual: Our men's style editors are here to help you look sharp at the office without feeling stiff. Check out our brand-new guide to the best men's business casual clothes for work.Le Creuset vs. Staub: Our kitchen experts hate to break it to you, but there's a reason the more expensive option is better. Here's why we recommend Le Creuset.More of this week's top reads:I stayed at a luxurious resort in Barbados with my young daughter. From the private pool to the stunning beach, our stay was nearly perfect.Keke Palmer said she didn't feel adequately paid in Hollywood until Jordan Peele's 'Nope' — two decades into her career.Four sandal trends that are in this summer and four that are out, according to stylists and designers.The patent behind a $182 cult-favorite skincare product recently expired. So where are all the dupes?I visited the most expensive city in Utah and spotted five signs of over-the-top wealth and luxury.Beyoncé and Sabrina Carpenter's choreographer shares how she gets her clients so fit they can sing and dance — in just 12 weeks.Five style mistakes a menswear designer wishes you would stop making.A 56-year-old personal trainer on how to build muscle after 40 — with rucking, body weight exercises, and short workouts.I visited Universal's new theme park, Epic Universe. I see why some people wouldn't like it, but I'd happily go back.The BI Today team: Dan DeFrancesco, deputy editor and anchor, in New York City. Grace Lett, editor, in New York. Lisa Ryan, executive editor, in New York. Amanda Yen, associate editor, in New York. Elizabeth Casolo, fellow, in Chicago.

David Fincher breaks it down. The post How that Red Hot Chili Peppers ep of ‘Love, Death & Robots’ was made appeared first on befores & afters.

Sizzling burgers, blistered corn on the cob, and sweat dripping from your brow as you man the grill — this is how many mark the start of summer.Fifty-eight percent of Americans plan to barbecue this Memorial Day weekend, according to a new WalletHub report, and the average cost of a cookout is expected to be about $31, a 4% increase from last year.However, while grilling certainly captures the spirit of Memorial Day weekend, slow cookers can make preparing sides and meats much easier, with minimal cleanup and no need to bother with gas or charcoal.Or at the very least, having a couple of set-it-and-forget-it dishes can help you focus on your grill.From mouthwatering barbecue ribs to savory pulled-pork sandwiches, these slow-cooker recipes are perfect for any Memorial Day cookout. For your Memorial Day cookout this year, try making the potato salad using your slow cooker. Potato salad. ziashusha/Shutterstock You might not know that you can parboil potatoes in a slow cooker. To do so, chop and cover the potatoes with water, a little salt, pepper, and butter, and cook them until they're fork-tender, usually about six hours on low.Then, mix the dressing for your potato salad as you normally would, such as mayonnaise, dill, whole grain mustard, and a splash of red wine vinegar. You can also make a German-style potato salad with bacon, light dressing, and baby potatoes. Dips, such as this spinach-and-artichoke dip, are also easily made in a slow cooker. Spinach-and-artichoke dip. Damn Delicious "I love to make spinach-and-artichoke dip in my slow cooker," Chungah Rhee, the author of the blog Damn Delicious, told Business Insider. "You can just free up so much of your time by using a slow cooker and hang out with your guests instead of laboring in the kitchen," Rhee continued. "Especially for side dishes or dips. You put it all together, set the time, and it comes out ready to go." This set-it-and-forget-it corn-and-jalapeño dip is creamy and easy to make. Corn-and-jalapeño dip. Damn Delicious "Another favorite of mine is this corn-and-jalapeño dip," Rhee told Insider. The recipe combines many of the summer's best ingredients, from fresh and vibrant jalapeños to sweet corn. Buffalo-chicken dip is another quick and easy favorite you can make in a slow cooker. Slow cooker Buffalo-chicken dip. Erin McDowell/Insider One of the benefits of making a slow-cooker Buffalo-chicken dip, like this recipe on Rhee's blog — or any other side dish in a slow cooker — is that it can be prepared well ahead of time and reheated when you're ready to eat.Rhee's advice for someone using a slow cooker for the first time for entertaining is actually to start out with a dip or side dish. "If for some reason it doesn't turn out, because we all know that can happen using an appliance for the first time, it's not detrimental to your dinner party being a success," she said. Queso can serve a whole party when made in a slow cooker. Slow cooker queso with red onion, cilantro, and sliced jalapeños. Erin McDowell/Insider This creamy queso dip from Martha Stewart uses ingredients like American cheese and pepper jack cheese, a can of evaporated milk, diced tomatoes with chilies, sliced jalapeños, red onion, and cilantro.  Brisket is perfect for feeding a larger family and can easily be made in a slow cooker. Beef brisket. iStock / Getty Images Plus "Brisket is a natural partner for the slow cooker, as a gentle braise renders it meltingly tender," Kim Laidlaw writes in her cookbook, "Everyday Slow Cooking: Modern Recipes for Delicious Meals."Laidlaw's recipe for slow-cooked braised brisket includes garlic, onion, dry red wine, carrot, and chicken or beef stock, with a chimichurri sauce. Pulled-pork sliders are another great way to use your slow cooker for a cookout. Pulled pork sandwiches with barbecue sauce and coleslaw. Joshua Resnick/Shutterstock One of the best ways to use braised and slow-cooked pork shoulder is to make pulled-pork sliders, like this Damn Delicious recipe, with all that tender meat.To elevate the dish, top the meat with barbecue sauce and slaw before sandwiching it between two fluffy brioche buns or potato rolls. You can also use the carnitas to make tacos. You can also make barbecue ribs in a slow cooker. Barbecue ribs. David P. Smith/Shutterstock Nothing screams an end-of-summer cookout like sauce-covered ribs, like Laidlaw's recipe as shared on Cooking by the Book. After cooking them in the slow cooker, place them on a baking sheet in your oven and broil them until they're slightly crispy. To save space on your grill, you can also make slow-cooked sausages and beer brats in the slow cooker. Bratwurst with sauerkraut and Dijon mustard on a bun. Charles Brutlag/Getty Images Brats with onions, peppers, and garlic simmered in the slow cooker with beer — like this recipe by The Magical Slow Cooker — are one way to use your slow cooker on Memorial Day.Top your brats with a bit of sauerkraut and put them on buns for an easy summer dish. Mac and cheese can also easily be made in a slow cooker. A spoonful of Martha Stewart's slow cooker mac and cheese. Erin McDowell/Insider If you're looking to add some carbs to your menu, look no further than a piping hot pot of mac and cheese. Martha Stewart's recipe for mac and cheese in a slow cooker calls for evaporated milk, three kinds of cheese, and homemade breadcrumbs. Garlic-and-herb mushrooms are a delicious side dish but can also be used as a burger topping. Garlic-and-herb mushrooms. Damn Delicious "The recipe for slow-cooker garlic-herb mushrooms is divine and so easy," Rhee said. "Mushrooms made in a slow cooker are truly the best." Shredded Buffalo chicken goes great on top of salads. Shredded Buffalo chicken. from my point of view/Shutterstock One of the best — and easiest — ways to use your Crock-Pot or slow cooker is by making shredded Buffalo chicken, such as this recipe by The Magical Slow Cooker.Add seasoned chicken breasts to the slow cooker and cover with your preferred Buffalo sauce. Then add a splash of ranch dressing and a cube of butter, toss your chicken breasts in the mixture to coat fully, and cook until the chicken is shreddable. You can use it for Buffalo-chicken sliders, salads, or tacos. You can even make Buffalo or barbecue chicken wings using a slow cooker. Slow cooker Buffalo wings. Erin McDowell/Insider You can make any style of wings in a slow cooker, from Asian-style to barbecue and Buffalo wings. Add your wings to the slow cooker, add in your sauce of choice, toss to combine, and let them cook for a couple of hours on high.To make them crisp up, add a cornstarch and water mixture to your slow cooker. After they're cooked through, broil them for a few minutes in the oven. Meatballs make a great appetizer for guests and don't require cooking over a hot stove. Meatballs and sauce in a slow cooker. anewlifephotostudio/Getty Images Meatballs make the perfect appetizer for parties big and small and are easy to make in a slow cooker. Place your seasoned, raw meatballs into the slow cooker, top with sauce, and let the slow cooker finish them off, says one recipe by Spend With Pennies. Serve them on their own with toothpicks or stuff them inside toasted sub rolls for a meatball sandwich.

Gladiatorial combat where naked warriors fight atop dinosaurs, alien octopus invasions, and tyrannical felines are just the tip of the iceberg in the fourth installment of Love, Death + Robots. Netflix’s genre-blending animated anthology series adeptly highlights science fiction’s versatility with stories that embrace horror, comedy, melodrama, and other label-defying tales. It’s a rare example of a project that becomes more confident and ambitious over time.  Love, Death + Robot’s executive producer, Tim Miller, and supervising director, Jennifer Yuh Nelson, open up on the animated anthology series’ electric fourth season, which science fiction story would be their white whale of adaptations, how David Fincher’s ludicrous string puppet music video came together, and which of this volume’s segments were supposed to be directed by Zack Snyder. DEN OF GEEK: How do you figure out the stories that you’re going to tell and how do you approach the source material that you adapt? Is it a case of finding source material that you’re passionate about from the start or are there stories that are being suggested to you? JENNIFER YUH NELSON: Well, pretty much all the shorts done in all the seasons have been based on short stories that Tim’s read throughout his life. And the reason why they stuck with him is because they’re great stories. And so we have hundreds of these stories just piled up. That’s sort of the pile that we go through and say, “That’s a great one. Let’s try that one,” and we just curate a gigantic, different list and try to find stories that can live together in a nice sort of album of narratives, tones, and looks. TIM MILLER: There’s a lot of different stories, but once we get the vibe for the season, there’s a lot of like, “Let’s swap this one in for that one because it’s a little too much like this other one.” We try to curate the perfect mix. So we have a little something for everybody, although we always seem to end up with too many cats. But I can’t explain that. I don’t really notice it until after the fact. Have there been any short stories that you wanted to adapt, but weren’t able to, whether it’s been for rights issues or just not being able to figure out the best way to adapt it? TM: Oh, tons. Tons. Johnny Mnemonic, the original short story. There’s another one by William Gibson called Dogfight that I would love to do. It took me forever to get Drowned Giant, the J.G. Ballard one that I did in the previous season. Vanni Fucci Is Alive and Well and Living in Hell by Dan Simmons. There’s just a lot and sometimes we just can’t get to it. Sometimes the authors don’t want to let their works go for some reason. I don’t know, but I keep trying. Bound for Glory by Lucius Shepard is another one. It’s always so exciting when you watch a season and you do recognize some of the stories, or even if it’s just the author behind it. There is a real rush to that. I love it. TM: We do publish the stories, too! There’s two volumes. There will be a third soon. All the money goes to the authors. We want people to read the stories! Forget about making them into movies. What does the process of finding the right animation style for each story entail? Are the aesthetics and artistic choices your call or that of the animation studio? JYN: Often we choose the director in the animation studio according to their specialty and making sure that it fits for us. If we have two tentpole episodes that look a certain way then we want to make sure that those episodes are going to look vastly different from each other. So you’ll go to a studio that, say, if you have a realistic science fiction one, then you want to go to a studio that might be able to do stop motion for another story instead. Not every studio does all these different things well. You need to find their thing. Join our mailing list Get the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox! It’s important for us, especially for this series, to make sure that we’re really showcasing the whole breadth of animation. What you can do with it and to see the limits and beyond of what these new innovative styles can be. And sometimes these directors are very much pioneers in what they do and no one else is doing what they do. That’s why we end up working with them. TM: We push it in the initial direction and then the directors come in and do their pitch. They’ll build off of the initial concept. So when it comes to, let’s say, design the characters, we let them take their best shot at doing that and try to give them as much freedom or rope to hang themselves – if you prefer – as we can.  Building off of that, Tim, your “Golgotha” segment is really wonderful, but also has the series explore live action territory. How did live action fall on this segment and is that something that you could see more of in Love, Death + Robots’ future? MILLER: Part of it is me just saying, “Look, we can do anything we want, motherfuckers!” So it’s just planting a stake there, but I’d love to do a whole series of, like a live action version of Love, Death + Robots because I like that format. I love animation, but I also like visual effects and I think you could make a case for doing a story that required some really innovative and cutting-edge visual effects to tell the story. But that one just felt right. You know, a lot of times the story speaks to you in a–not in a mystical way, but just a way that feels right to tell that story. Live action felt like the most grounded, right way to tell “Golgotha.” Jennifer, one of the exciting things about a show that’s now in its fourth batch of episodes is that there’s an opportunity to tell sequels and return to past worlds, like with “Spider Rose.” How did you decide that this specific story was an old idea that you wanted to build upon, rather than another past entry? JYN: Well, “Spider Rose” was batting around for a while on the story wall. We wanted to make it for a while. And with Tim’s episode, “Swarm,” those were always like two sides of the same struggle in Bruce Sterling’s world of the Shapers and the Mechanists. And so Tim’s episode, “Swarm,” had the investor aliens, which are making a reprise in “Spider Rose.” The same aliens show up, but Tim’s story focuses on the side of the Shapers, which are humans sort of manipulating themselves and evolving through biotechnology, whereas the Mechanists on the other side are the ones that are more mechanical. They’re actually cybernetic enhancements. “Spider Rose” is that side of civilization. So it is not a direct sequel, but it’s happening in the same world. It’s such a rich world, but we only have like 14 or 15 minutes. You get this little slice of a view into this world that’s so rich. That was just a fun way of just getting back into something that’s already so well thought out.  TM: But I have to say, Jennifer – if she and I were both kids and you took us to Toys “R” Us, I’m the kid that runs in and goes to the toy he knows he wants exactly. Jennifer is the kid that peruses all the aisles and makes a considered choice about what she wants, looks at every toy she could get, and then chooses the one she really wants, after much consideration, because she can choose anything she wants to put in the show. And she really thinks about it. It’s usually after the lineup comes together that she’s like, “I want that one!” It’s quite different the way our brains work. Yeah. Well, like “Screaming of the Tyrannosaur” feels like a very good example of that. Of just being like, “Who doesn’t love gladiator dinosaurs at the end of the day?” It’s just so much fun. TM: That one was written for Zack Snyder! Zack wanted to do one, but then he didn’t have time. I had written it so, normally, it wouldn’t have been one I picked, but I was invested in it, because I’d written it and I enjoyed it. When I write something, I’m working it out in my head; how I would direct it, really.  JYN: Was it really one you wouldn’t have normally done? Nelson laughs TM: I don’t know. If you look at “Drowned Giant,” which was the one I had done before that, could anything be more different than that? Although that was a weird one for me to do too. I’m not sure. I don’t think I have a style for, better or worse. David Fincher’s “Can’t Stop” is such a fun experiment, but I also really just loved to see him ostensibly returning to his music video roots. Was this an idea that he previously wanted to do in the series? How did this decision on his part come about? TM: He had mentioned a while ago about wanting to do a Chili Peppers music video with puppets. But when I called and said, “Hey, would you do an episode?” And he said, “What do you want me to do?” I said a music video for two reasons. One, because he is essentially the master of masters in that field. And then secondly, because I knew he was limited with his time. Like, he couldn’t make a 20-minute music video. So it built a box around him that I knew he couldn’t get out of. But he immediately said, “Yeah, I want to do the Chili Peppers as puppets.” Directors get fixated on ideas and then they just kick around in the attic until they get a chance to do them. You’ve talked about the rich world that all of these stories create, but sometimes you only spend a very brief time in them. Has there been any consideration for full-length spinoffs – or even a movie – that take one of these ideas or worlds and turn them into their own series?  There are certainly plenty that could sustain it. Does that idea interest you at all? TM: We pitched a “Three Robots” series. Netflix – I’m not gonna say they said no, I’m just gonna say that they haven’t said yes. And then there have been others. But you know, the beauty of the show is that we’d never get some of these ideas made if we were asking to do a feature. If I said, “Yeah, I want to do naked gladiatorial slaves riding dinosaurs in space, they’d go, ‘No.’” But if I say it as part of a short, nobody cares, right? Nobody even questions it as part of the show, which is the greatest thing about the show ever.  And even if you’re not wildly into an idea, you’re still going to do it if it’s only a five-minute buy-in. There’s such a good setup to what you guys are doing. JYN: Sometimes – and I don’t mean this in a bad way – but sometimes that’s all that’s required. You know what I mean? It’s great for five minutes, but you wouldn’t enjoy it If you made it 90. You’ve accomplished so much across the first four volumes of Love, Death + Robots, but what are your aspirations for future volumes? Is there anything that you haven’t done that you’d like to attempt? TM: We’ve got a lot of stories. I have the next season – seasons, actually – picked out. There’ll be wrangling of them if we are fortunate enough to do it, but there’s no lack of great material. And there’s no lack of different types of things. We occasionally go back to something like the tilt-shift of “Night of the Mini Dead” sort of thing or “Three Robots,” which I think is fun. There’s still a lot of room to do new and innovative things that we haven’t done before.  JYN: Absolutely. One thing that I think the show does really well and I hope really continues on  forever is that this is a way to show new ideas and new looks and new innovation by different directors and studios around the world. Rarely do you see such a showcase of animation like this. So I think that sort of beauty, shared with everyone, I hope that continues forever.  Off of that, I am such a huge animation fan. I love the different studios  that you have involved with the show. Animation has just made such huge leaps over the past few years. It’s so exciting to see the kind of stuff that’s getting nominated at the Academy Awards. Has there just been anything over the past few years that’s really excited you guys in particular?  JYN: Do we have time to watch anything, Tim?  TM: Not really, but I will say on our other show, Secret Level, one of the shorts we did was with Unreal Engine. I really think that a large part of the future of animation is going to be real-time and the tools that come with that. I think it opens up the filmmaking process to a lot of people. My studio, Blur, was started at the dawn of the PC desktop age, and it was great because it opened up the business of making animation to people that didn’t have millions of dollars. I started Blur with $24,000, but now things are even better and people can do more really highly polished stuff in their bedroom, in their underwear. I think that’s fantastic, and it’ll open up bigger stories for us to tell.  It’s too soon to say what AI is going to do to the whole industry. I’m terrified, fascinated, and excited, but I think we’re going to see a lot of changes. This means taking on bigger stories, which is what I want. It shouldn’t cost $100 million to tell a story and I hope we can do more with less. Not people, but time. All four volumes of Love, Death + Robots are now streaming on Netflix.

“How Zeke Got Religion” In 2019, Deadpool and Terminator: Dark Fate director Tim Miller launched Love, Death & Robots, an animated Netflix anthology series serving as a showcase for Miller’s own Blur Studio, along with other animators. The series has won a Primetime Emmy for each of its three seasons, which feature an eclectic mix of six- to 20-minute shorts spanning horror, science fiction, and fantasy. Miller went on to use the same formula for Prime Video’s Secret Level, where each of the shorts is based on a different video game. But that didn’t stop him from returning to Love, Death & Robots for a new 10-episode season: the series’ longest yet, but also its weakest. An episode of Love, Death & Robots can succeed based on a clever idea or some charming humor. John Scalzi has become a popular writer for the series, penning goofy tales of science and technology gone wrong and he delivers two episodes for volume 4 with varying results. But too much of this season is running on vibes, with episodes that feature cool visuals but not much plot. Others push the very concept too far, ditching any genre ties or even animation. The good thing about an anthology format is that if an individual episode isn’t great it’s over quick and then you can move on to the next one. Unfortunately there are chunks of volume 4 that feature dud after dud.   Love, Death & Robots is at its best when it uses a tight short story to deliver a strange and often disturbing tale. Highlights include Peter F. Hamilton’s brutal spin on Pokémon battles “Sonnie’s Edge” or Neal Asher’s horror at sea tale “Bad Traveling,” which was masterfully directed by David Fincher and featured an icy performance from Troy Baker. Fortunately there is one episode in volume 4 that still fits that mold. Written by J.T. Petty based on a short story by John McNichol, “How Zeke Got Religion” fuses aspects of Masters of the Air and Hellboy. Like last season’s excellent episode “In Vaulted Halls Entombed,” it starts out as a war story and becomes pure horror. In this case, the crew of the B-17 Flying Fortress Liberty Belle is antsy that they’ve been treated to chocolate and a John Wayne movie because “when brass is nice to you, you’re about to get fucked.” The best crew the Allies have is being sent on a solo mission to bomb a church in France at the behest of a mysterious new commander. The episode shows off how they work as a team normally, navigating flack, jammed weapons and a vicious dogfight that would be the nastiest part of most missions. But the church is the site of a bloody Nazi ritual to summon a fallen archangel that pursues their plane, leading to an abrupt genre shift and a gore-soaked battle that forces the jaded Zeke to reconsider what he knows about the world. Director Diego Porral, who served as the lead animator for last season’s hyper-violent episode “Kill Team Kill,” and Titmouse, the animation studio behind Scavengers Reign and Pantheon, do a phenomenal job making the fallen very different from the typical horned and bat-winged demon. It’s more like a biblically accurate angel, a cherubic face on a body with far too many eyes that rips soldiers apart with baby hands. When it literally spits out bullets from newly formed screaming mouths, the crew find that faith is their best weapon. If you watch one episode of Love, Death & Robots volume 4, make it “How Zeke Got Religion.” After that, consult this ranked list of the rest of the season’s entries. 10. “Can’t Stop” This is just a Red Hot Chili Peppers music filmed by David Fincher with marionettes standing in for the band and crowd. There’s no love, death or robots which makes it feel like a pretty pointless entry in the series. 9. “The Screaming of the Tyrannosaur” MrBeast plays the Grand Master-like emcee of spectacle featuring triceratops, a tyrannosaur, naked gladiators, and way too much voiceover. This episode is extremely predictable and self-serious for something based on how dinosaur fights are cool. 8. “Spider Rose” The series returns to Bruce Sterling’s universe portrayed in the season 3 episode “Swarm” for a much less compelling tale. “Swarm” was a deeply unsettling story about human greed and the nature of sentience and this is a bland revenge story with a weird, cute alien pet. Though the way Blur Studio animates people floating in space continues to be beautiful. 7. “Golgotha” Rhys Darby (What We Do in the Shadows, Our Flag Means Death) brings his signature affable neurosis to playing a vicar who saw a beached dolphin seemingly return to life, attracting the attention of a group of aquatic aliens. Unfortunately there’s not much to the story and it’s a very odd choice to have a live-action short in the mix. 6. “The Other Large Thing” The weaker of this season’s two Scalzi stories features a fluffy cat called Sanchez (Chris Parnell) who sees his chance at world domination when his negligent, lazy owners bring home a robot voiced by John Oliver. AGBO’s grotesque animation of the humans makes it feel like they really have it coming, though the story is very basic and the final joke falls flat. 5. “400 Boys” Robert Valley, who directed the Emmy-winning season 2 episode “Ice,” returns to Love, Death & Robots for a beautifully animated tale starring John Boyega as the leader of one of many warring gangs in post-apocalyptic Britain. It’s such a strange rich world filled with psychics and alien giants that I wish it was developed a bit more beyond the stunning action sequences. 4. “Close Encounters of the Mini Kind” Last season, Robert Bisi and Andy Lyon teamed up to use sped-up miniatures to tell a rapid-fire zombie apocalypse story, and they reunited in volume 4 to do the same thing for an alien invasion. It’s a very funny rush through the genre’s tropes with a pretty low opinion of humans, who create a problem and repeatedly make it worse. 3. “Smart Appliances, Stupid Owners” John Scalzi and director Patrick Osborne teamed up for last season’s “Three Robots: Exit Strategies” and they’re back together for a series of confessionals from smart electronics fed up with the way their owners are using or neglecting them. Aaron Sims Creative provides the claymation-style animation for the anthropomorphic waffle iron, toothbrush, showerhead and more being voiced by a stacked cast of comedians including Ronny Chieng, Amy Sedaris and Kevin Hart. 2. “For He Can Creep” The Locked Tomb author Tamsyn Muir wrote this charming episode based on Siobhan Carroll Nebula-nominated novelette of the same name. Daniel Stevens (Legion, Beauty and the Beast) plays a dapper version of Satan tormenting a poet he believes can aid his dark cause. Luckily the poet has a loyal cat who, while tempted by the Prince of Darkness’ offer of treats, unites his surprisingly powerful feline friends to fight for the poet’s soul. 1. “How Zeke Got Religion” If you skimmed the intro, go back and read about this wonderful short. Love, Death & Robots volume 4 is streaming now on Netflix.

Americans are living through interesting times, economically. The tariffs imposed, delayed, and frequently adjusted by the government have thrown household budgets into confusion. One thing that’s pretty certain is that the baseline tariffs applied to just about every country are likely to raise prices at the grocery store no matter what happens from here (prices could go up by about 3% overall).For families that are already struggling to make their grocery budgets work, this is unwelcome news, but there is one thing you can do right now—while prices are still largely unaffected by tariff chaos—to help mitigate the impact and protect you from future grocery inflation: start putting together a “tariff pantry.” This involves laying in a supply of nonperishable groceries to lock in today’s prices, and focusing on recipes and meals that will keep your grocery costs down in the coming months. Here's what to consider.How to plan out your tariff pantrySetting up a “tariff pantry” requires a little planning. “Take inventory first,” advises food blogger and bestselling cookbook author Kyndra Holley. “Know what you already have and make a list of essentials—stick to long-lasting pantry staples you actually use. Stock up gradually. Monitor prices and buy when it makes sense, not out of fear. Then set a budget and stick to it: Decide how much you can spend and avoid impulse buys or panic stockpiling. Buy what you already use when it’s discounted—don’t get lured by deals on items you wouldn’t otherwise use or need.”Holley also warns against relying too much on bulk-buying. “Bulk can save money—but only if you’ll use it,” she says. “Always check unit prices and shelf life, and don’t buy more than you can store safely. Use airtight containers and freeze what you can’t use quickly.”Changing your whole diet and meal-planning approach can help deal with tariff cost increases. “Go more plant-based,” Holley suggests. “Reduce meat and opt for beans, lentils, eggs, and grains. They’re cheaper, filling, and shelf-stable. One-pot, sheet-pan, and slow cooker meals use fewer ingredients and repurpose leftovers easily. And simplify recipes—use fewer, local ingredients. Stick to basic seasonings like garlic, onions, vinegar, and herbs.”Careful meal prepping can also reduce waste and make the most of items bought in bulk. “When you cook in bulk, you maximize every ingredient, stretching your dollars further,” says Laurie Hise, founder of the budgeting blog Passionate Penny Pincher. “Think buying meat in family packs, prepping meals in batches, and locking in today’s prices before more inflation sneaks in!”Hise also suggests broadening your grocery store choices. “Don’t put loyalty above savings! Make sure Aldi is in your store rotation, and scan weekly ads to get your must-haves for the cheapest. Eggs are almost always the cheapest there, they have a great Keto and Gluten Free selection, and you can buy meat for cheap on Wednesdays.”What to stock in a tariff pantryAlthough the blanket tariffs imposed will likely raise prices in general, the grocery items most likely to be affected by tariffs include fresh fruits and vegetables (the bulk of which are imported), coffee, cheese, olive oil, seafood, nuts, and candy. Aside from dodging future price hikes, you want to focus on items in those categories that have lengthy shelf lives and flexible uses. “Stock up on items that are both cost-effective, long-lasting, and versatile,” Holley advises, including:Grains and legumes, like rice, pasta, lentils, dried beans, and oats.Canned and frozen goods. “A variety of canned tomatoes (whole, diced, crushed) are perfect for sauces, soups, and stews,” Holley notes. “Canned vegetables and fruits can be stored for long periods, and frozen vegetables are often cheaper than fresh, and retain nutrients. And canned tuna or salmon are protein-rich and shelf-stable.”Baking ingredients like flour, sugar, yeast, baking soda, baking powder, and cornstarch. “Basic ingredients for a wide range of uses,” notes Holley.Shelf-stable dairy and dairy alternatives like powdered or evaporated milk can be rehydrated and used for baking, cooking, or even drinking, protecting you from price spikes on the fresh stuff.Oils and vinegars are likely to go up in price and are useful in cooking, dressing, and preserving food.Seasonings and spices—the U.S. imports a lot of spices from countries like India, China, and Peru, so they’re vulnerable to tariff price spikes. Laying in a supply of herbs and spices like salt and pepper, garlic and onion powder, paprika, chili powder, ginger, basil, parsley oregano, thyme, as well as soy sauce, hot sauce, mustard, and bouillon cubes will help ride out any disruptions or price hikes in the seasonings aisle.Nuts and seeds—Holley recommends adding a supply of peanut butter or almond butter. “They’re high in protein, and last a long time.”Coffee and tea. “Tea is a low-cost way to diversify your drink options,” notes Holley.Canned meats and proteins. “Canned chicken or Spam can be used in a variety of meals, especially in emergencies,” Holley notes. “And canned ham or sausage can add protein and are good for quick meals.”Building up a tariff pantry will pay off even if the impact of those tariffs is overestimated—as we all know too well, prices never go down.

Science fiction has become one of television’s most reliable genres and audiences have no shortage of options when it comes to progressive sci-fi storytelling. Anthology series have also never been more popular as they’ve proven to be an easy, noncommittal way to draw in audiences with unrelated, standalone storytelling. Love, Death + Robots has quietly done dependable, delightful work for three seasons, but it’s not just a sci-fi anthology. It’s a challenging animation showcase that goes to brave, impossible places for an anthology series. Despite the seemingly selective nature of its title, it feels like nothing is off limits in Love, Death + Robots season 4. This season is more playful than ever as it asks the audience to consider technology and eternity through endlessly diverse lenses. This energy is palpable here, with another collection of impressive, intelligent, and unpredictable animated short films. Love, Death + Robots excels with its original stories, but this season also ambitiously expands upon some of its previously built universes. Jennifer Yuh Nelson’s “Spider Rose” is a masterful follow-up to Volume 3’s “Swarm,” which follows a grieving Mechanist who receives a new companion and another shot at vengeance against the assassins who killed her husband. This is a sequel story that doesn’t just repeat the hits or gratuitously give fans what they want. “Spider Rose” instead finds a fresh, justified angle to return to this world. It’s a surprising yarn about unexpected motherhood as a conflicted character reconsiders everything she thought she knew about herself. Stories like “Spider Rose” challenge the audience and prompt them to change and grow. There’s an emotional throughline to this, but the installment is also rich in chaotic aerial dog fights, ultra gory deaths, and creative, indulgent extremes The Love, Death + Robots episodes that lean into hard science fiction are often the season’s most gripping installments and the entries that will stick with the audience long after they’ve finished. That being said, there are plenty of installments from this fourth batch that are just unabashedly silly. These may be seen as frivolous stories to some audiences, but they’re a testament to Love, Death + Robots’ versatility and that the trio of topics in its title are universal ideas that everyone can enjoy. In addition to “Can’t Stop,” ABGO’s “The Other Large Thing” and “Smart Appliances, Stupid Owners” from The Aaron Sims Company are some of the more overt examples of comedy this season. They’re a welcome balance for the more nihilistic and dour stories from this season that often hit with a ton of bricks. The successful tonal and genre balance that’s achieved across these 10 episodes takes the audience on a fascinating journey. There’s a little bit of everything here in this passionate sci-fi celebration, including a rare live-action segment. One of the season’s most entertaining episodes is the truly unhinged Red Hot Chili Pepper-starring “Can’t Stop.” Not only does this episode mark David Fincher’s directorial return to Love, Death + Robots, but through the conduit of his original love: music videos. “Can’t Stop” looks incredible and turns to an effective marionette aesthetic that’s unlike anything that’s previously been in the anthology series. “Can’t Stop” will ultimately find the audience asking not if Fincher could do this, but why he would want to. It’s such a gonzo experiment that simultaneously is the perfect showpiece for why a series like Love, Death + Robots is necessary. You’re not going to get a piece of storytelling like this on Black Mirror. There’s such a ridiculous, nonsensical energy that governs this short, but it’s also undeniably entertaining and such a fun time. The reason that a series like Love, Death + Robots works is that it makes space for “Can’t Stop” in addition to bleak, dramatic showpieces and action spectacles such as “Spider Rose” and “400 Boys.” Nothing is off limits in this series – this season even incorporates dinosaurs – and this freedom results in remarkable storytelling that’s worth the big swings that get taken, even when they don’t work. “Can’t Stop” is just five silly minutes that aren’t afraid to get weird and indulge in vibes. It also doesn’t hurt that David Fincher is behind this installment, but any chaotic mish-mash music video of this nature is still going to stand out in a series that’s more likely to reference J.G. Ballard and Harlan Ellison than MTV. Love, Death + Robots is a satisfying exploration of science fiction, but it’s also a series that prides itself in its groundbreaking visuals. Every season of Love, Death + Robots has been visually sumptuous, with these new episodes being no exception. Love, Death + Robots seems to be the proudest of its lush, photorealistic segments, like the work that Blur Studio does in “Spider Rose.” These segments don’t disappoint, but Love, Death + Robots has the most fun when it’s willing to indulge in more ambitious and stylized imagery “For He Can Creep” from Japan’s Polygon Pictures or Passion Animation Studios’ “400 Boys” are especially gorgeous.  The latter of these adopts a really impressionistic visual style that’s reminiscent of The Big O’s Art Deco quality. This complements the supernaturally heightened story that’s being told in a hyperbolized universe where gang warfare and a strict bushido-like code are the norm. Factions fight with psychic, electric powers in a world that feels ripped out of a Stephen King story. “400 Boys” is visually rich, but the art style also thematically resonates with the story’s deeper message. It goes to town with its exaggerated aesthetic and creates some truly gorgeous visuals and landscapes in this broken world. The post-apocalyptic wasteland that it crafts is like The Warriors meets Mad Max meets Escape From New York. Destruction plays out on such a massive scale that looks like gorgeous splash panels from a comic. There are setpieces in which warriors rollerblade under the legs of giant babies that they proceed to hack to bits that feel like they’re inspired by Attack on Titan’s epic battles. It’s the complete opposite style of no-holds-barred gladiatorial combat that gets treated like entertainment in “The Screaming of the Tyrannosaur.” Love, Death + Robots triumphs with its fourth season, the likes of which prove that there’s still plenty of gas in this tank. If anything, Love, Death + Robots is willing to get even weirder and break some of its older rules for the sake of fresh storytelling. There are few misfires in this season of 10 episodes, although some certainly hit harder than others. It’s appreciated to get this many episodes and that Volume 4 is longer than the two previous seasons. However, it seems increasingly less likely to return to the cornucopia of content that was the 18-episode Volume 1. It’s also worth pointing out that, while the visuals this season remain immaculate, there are only two animation studios from outside of the United States. Love, Death + Robots’ aim has never specifically been to spotlight international animation. That being said, Love, Death + Robots is at its best when there’s a truly eclectic style to each of its installments.  Love, Death + Robots has another win with Volume 4 and hopefully there are more surreal science fiction stories to come. The season begins with the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Anthony Kiedis singing “Can’t Stop” and by the end of these 10 episodes you’re left hoping that mantra is also true for Love, Death + Robots. All four volumes of Love, Death + Robots are now streaming on Netflix. Join our mailing list Get the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!