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He's not doing all this out of the kindness of his heart; he's doing it because he wants the credit-card rewards. In a recent poll from Ipsos, 71% of Americans surveyed said they had some sort of rewards, points, or cash-back card, and 80% of those with such a card said they valued their rewards. But maybe we love our credit-card rewards too much, to the point that it's making us act in less-than-ideal ways toward those we hold near and dear. But credit-card rewards are, indeed, making things uncomfortable. I recently booked a fight with a friend who remarked she'd gotten some $300 in travel credit from her rewards card.
Persons: Pam, she's, It's, He's, Jane, Joe, there's, Mary fuming, Matt Schulz, Taylor Swift, I'm, Jen, who's, She'd, nonpoints, Emily Thompson, Guy, they'd, Ted Rossman, , Danielle Bayard Jackson, she'd, Thompson, I'd, Matt, " Schulz, LendingTree, they've, Emily Stewart Organizations: brunch, LendingTree, American, Business Locations: San Francisco, Ipsos, Singapore, Chicago, Alaska, Florida
Tragedy strikes and traders (or trading algorithms) sniff out a way to make money off of it. Stocks also went on a tear as Covid-19 killed millions and gutted economies across the globe. “The market’s up today, but the market’s up every day,” Steve Sosnick, chief strategist at Interactive Brokers, tells me. Whether or not the political bump lasts, some traders did seize on the moment to double down on so-called Trump trades. In short, when the yield curve gets steeper, that’s a sign bond traders are nervous.
Persons: CNN Business ’, Stocks, it’s, Steve Sosnick, Sosnick, , , Trump, Reagan, Coinbase, Elon Musk, Sturm Ruger, he’s, Joe Biden —, ” Sosnick, they’re Organizations: CNN Business, New York CNN — Financial, Dow, Interactive, Trump, White, Macquarie, Trump Media, Smith, Wesson, Democratic, Treasury Locations: New York
Thanks to de-aging technology, De Niro portrayed Sheeran throughout his life, the lines on his face digitally smoothed. There are a few ways to make actors appear younger on screen using technology, each with advantages and disadvantages. In 2019’s “Gemini Man," the younger version of Will Smith’s character Henry Brogan has a fully CGI head. There’s an excruciating bit in “The Irishman” when a supposedly young Sheeran kicks another character out of his shop. This, really, is why de-aging megastars always feels a bit icky.
Persons: Holly Thomas, Katie Couric, Robert De Niro’s, ” De Niro, Vito Corleone, Marlon Brando, De Niro, Frank Sheeran, Martin Scorsese’s, , Sheeran, De, Thomas, Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Robert Zemeckis, Hanks ’, Will Smith’s, Henry Brogan, Andy Serkis’s Gollum, ” Sheeran, Niro, Smith, Quentin Tarantino, acclimated, , George Miller, Max, Charlize Theron, Indiana Jones, Harrison Ford, Marvel, Samuel L Jackson, Nick Fury, megastars, Hanks, Timothée Chalamet, Casey Affleck, ” Gwyneth Paltrow, Maggie Smith, Michael Cera, Sam Rockwell, Brando Organizations: Katie Couric Media, CNN, Paramount Pictures, Skydance Media, ” Indy Locations: London
"House of the Dragon" finally returned on Sunday night, two years after season one aired on HBO and became a smash hit. Rhaenyra, in mourning, needs to see her dead son for herselfRhaenyra discovers the remains of Arrax, her son Lucerys' dragon, in the season two premiere of "House of the Dragon." Daemon makes an oopsieDaemon (Matt Smith) and Rhaenyra (Emma D'Arcy) in "House of the Dragon" season 2. Back in King's Landing, the assassins that Daemon sent after Aemond close inEwan Mitchell as Aemond Targaryen in "House of the Dragon" season two. Olivia Cooke as Alicent in season two of "House of the Dragon."
Persons: , Alicent Hightower, Aegon II, Rhaenyra Targaryen, Alicent's, Aemond, Rhaenyra's, Lucerys Velaryon, Eammon Jacobs, Palmer Haasch, Caralynn, Palmer, , Cregan Stark, Ollie Upton, Stark, Jace, Vhagar, Daemon Daemon, Theo Whitman, Daemon, she's, Corlys, Tom Glynn, Carney, Helaena, Alicole, … Palmer, Rhaenyra, Arrax, Lucerys, Theo Whiteman, Emma D'Arcy, Milly Alcock —, Emma, Luke, Syrax, Otto, Larys, Michael, Aegon's, Hugh, Alicent, Sonoya Mizuno, maven, Whistleworm, I'm, Matt Smith, Jace —, he's, Jacaerys, it's, Ramin, Daemon Targaryen, Ewan Mitchell, it's Helaena, It's, Olivia Cooke, Cole, wasn't Criston, Jaime, Cersei, Bran Organizations: Service, HBO, Greens, Aegon, Blacks, Business, Alpha Beta Locations: Alicole, Farmville, Lucerys, Alicent
But an Instagram posting streak is different from, say, exercising every week for a year or doing a language lesson daily, both of which have intrinsic value. You feel good about trying to get in shape or practicing Spanish no matter who sees; that's not the case for Instagram posting. "But to post on Instagram, I'm not like, 'Wow, I'm a great poster.'" Ultimately, the Instagram badges aren't the end of the world. AdvertisementThe Instagram badges aren't widely available for all users yet, and a spokesperson for Meta said they had nothing to share on whether they eventually would be.
Persons: I've, Instagram, Wordle, Meta, Instagram's, Scott Kessler, it's, Ali Grant, Grant, that's, Barasch, I'm, they'd, she'd, , Emily Stewart Organizations: YouTube, Third, Meta, Facebook, Digital, University of Colorado Boulder's Leeds School of Business, Business
The Mrs. defense: powerful men blaming their wives
  + stars: | 2024-05-18 | by ( Zachary B. Wolf | ) edition.cnn.com   time to read: +5 min
“I had no involvement whatsoever in the flying of the flag,” Alito said in a written statement to The New York Times, which first reported the story this week. A Supreme Court justice being unmasked as having a partisan tilt wouldn’t be illegal – just awkward and icky. Shannon Stapleton/ReutersCouples behaving badlyFormer Rep. Duncan Hunter, a California Republican, pioneered the Mrs. defense when he and his wife were both accused of funneling campaign funds for private use. A unanimous US Supreme Court, including Alito, later vacated the governor’s conviction and narrowed the scope by which prosecutors can pursue bribery allegations. The Mrs. defense could conceivably be turned on its head and used by a powerful woman to blame her husband.
Persons: Samuel Alito doesn’t, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Alito, , ” Alito, Ann, Alito won’t, Clarence Thomas ’, Ginni, Thomas, Menendez ‘, Sen, Bob Menendez, Nadine, Menendez, Nadine Menendez, Menendez’s, Shannon Stapleton, Duncan Hunter, Margaret, Trump, Henry Cuellar, Imelda, , . Cuellar, Jesse Jackson Jr, Sandra, Bob McDonnell, Maureen, Cori Bush, Bush, Kim Taylor, Jeremy Taylor Organizations: CNN, New York Times, House, New, New Jersey Democrat, California Republican, Texas Democrat, Illinois Democrat, Former Virginia Gov, Republican, Missouri Democrat, Supervisors Locations: New Jersey, New York, Manhattan, New York City, California, Texas, Illinois, Missouri, Washington, Iowa, Woodbury County
AdvertisementAs a potential US TikTok ban looms, Gen Zers are contemplating what app might take its place. A potential TikTok ban loomsThe US Senate passed a bill on Tuesday that could see TikTok removed from app stores. It's unclear if such AI tools would convince Gen Z to scroll on Instagram and use it more often. AdvertisementJaxson Whittle, an older Gen Z, told BI he holds a different opinion. "No hate to them, but I don't think it's the move for Gen Z at the moment."
Persons: Young, , Zers, Joe Biden, They'd, Gabrielle Yap, Instagram, Josie doesn't, Gen, Hibaq Farah, TikTok, Farah, Tabitha Mae, I'm, I've, Yap, Kat, It's, Sophie Lund, Yates, Hargreaves Lansdown, Jaxson Whittle, TikToker Cassandra Marie, Gen Z, she's Organizations: Service, Senate, Business, Pew Research Center, Meta, Facebook, BBC, YouTube, Gen Locations: TikTok
But the $6,000 in BNPL loans she'd racked up over roughly two years felt frivolous, she said, especially because they're planning to buy their first home. Many are seeking cover from high credit card interest rates. After trimming her discretionary spending and sticking to home-cooked meals, she said she's been able to whittle down her BNPL debt to about $1,200. Klarna said it had responsible spending limits for its users, whose average outstanding balance is $150, compared to the more than $6,000 for credit card users. Baird, for her part, acknowledged BNPL services can make inflation and high interest rates feel "easier" for those who can keep their shopping impulses under control.
Persons: Tia Whiteside, Whiteside, she'd, Dyson, she's, Marcus, whittle, Ben Lourie, Lourie, aren't, I've, Amy Baird, Baird, Kevin Mahoney, Mahoney, , Afterpay, Klarna, Sen, Sherrod Brown, Raphael Warnock, John Fetterman, Brown Organizations: LexisNexis, Solutions, University of California, UC Irvine, Singapore Management University, PayPal, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Financial, D.C, Sens, NBC News Locations: Greenville , South Carolina, Irvine, Stanford, Dallas, Washington, Ohio
In January, Tessa Tookes tried on her dream wedding dress at a bridal boutique in Ontario. When the store employees told her she would have to pay $200 for the bra cups of the gown to match her skin color, her heart sank. The beige cups that had already been built into the dress, however, were free. Ms. Tookes, who is Black, loved the dress so much that she put down a deposit for half the price of the gown. “When the dust settled a week later, I was like, I probably don’t want to wear this dress anymore,” Ms. Tookes, 28, said.
Persons: Tessa Tookes, Tookes, Ms, Locations: Ontario
Tineco Floor One S7 Pro The Tineco Floor One S7 Pro is without a doubt expensive, but it reigns supreme with its excellent performance, auto dirt detection system, high-tech LCD screen with an assistant, and brushroll drying capabilities. I immediately noticed how the design of the Tineco Floor One S7 Pro differed from the Tineco Floor One S5 version I previously tested. AdvertisementOur review of the Tineco Floor One S7 ProI tested the Tineco Floor One S7 Pro vacuum over two months in my 1,600-square-foot home. Alex Temblador/Business InsiderOverall, this is a relatively easy wet-dry vacuum to use and has a lot to do with the 3.6-inch LCD screen, unlike anything I've seen on any other wet-dry vacuum. AdvertisementThe bottom lineFew can compete with the deep cleaning capabilities and smart features of the the Tineco Floor One S7 Pro wet-dry vacuum cleaner.
Persons: mops, iLoop, Alex Temblador, I've, vacuuming, I'm, Tineco, It's, it's, Lulu Organizations: Business, Pro, Auto
NEW YORK (AP) — Daisy Ridley doesn’t want audiences to be misled by the title of her new film, “Sometimes I Think About Dying.”Her character, Fran, is, actually, quite funny. The Associated Press recently spoke to Ridley about finding Fran, reprising her role as Rey in a new “Star Wars” film, and perfecting her death stare. RIDLEY: I loved the world and I loved the office but, actually, a lot of that was improvised. It’s going to be so strange because I’m not going to be the baby anymore. So I pretend I’m not fussed at all that I’m, like, next to Harrison Ford (laughs)!
Persons: Daisy Ridley doesn’t, , Fran, Rachel Lambert, Dave Merheje, Ridley, Rey, it’s, RIDLEY, Rachel, I’m, Harrison Ford, Abrams, Colin, there’s Organizations: Associated Press Locations: Portland, Oregon
The end of workplace loyalty
  + stars: | 2024-01-22 | by ( Aki Ito | ) www.businessinsider.com   time to read: +16 min
Do that, and you generate the kind of trust and loyalty that leads to high productivity and low turnover. A world in which the psychological contract is profoundly broken. In the three decades following World War II, as Rick Wartzman documents in his book " The End of Loyalty ," a booming economy made American companies rich. Today, disillusioned workers might assume that the norm of workplace loyalty was nothing but a capitalistic ruse, a way for companies to exploit their employees. But the new loyalty would recognize that employees have to uphold their end of the bargain.
Persons: I've, Gen Xers, Gen Zers, they'll, Rick Wartzman, Wartzman, Denise Rousseau, Rousseau, who's, Mark, , it's, I'm, he's, quitters, Nick Bloom, Stanford University who's, Anthony Klotz, Klotz, they're, It's, Aki Ito Organizations: Companies, Kodak, GE, Carnegie Mellon University, Stanford University, University College London, Employers, Business
Had I done him a disservice — parenting him according to the holiday tradition I'd created on my own? AdvertisementAs grade school went on, I noticed one of these traditional traditions didn't leave me feeling cozy like the others: New Year's Resolutions. AdvertisementI chose never to make another resolution againBeginning in my early 30s, I resolved never to make another resolution. I finally had a New Year's tradition I felt good about — until my son got into the car as confused and claustrophobic as I'd felt in my childhood. My son made his first New Year's Resolution last year, and to keep it old school, he also set an intention.
Persons: I'd, Jane Austin, icky, , He's Organizations: Service Locations: Brussels
But, as it turns out, he meant he was going “smokeless” in a different way. I’m going smokeless with @solostove. “I know what you thinking: ‘Snoop, smoke is kinda your whole thing.’ But I’m done with it. I’m going smokeless.”At that point in the video, he reveals a Solo stove smokeless fire pit. Ironically (or maybe not), Snoop ends his “smokeless” reveal video by saying, “Clever.” Clever indeed, sir.
Persons: CNN —, Snoop Dogg, Snoop, , Stove, I’ve, , Martha Stewart, BIC Organizations: CNN, ” CNN Locations: ganja
casey newtonAnd this caused a big sort of emotional reaction that said, wow, that feels like really, really icky. It’s just really, really awful. How do I get really, really good at this? But we have that explosion at the beginning, which is really, really exciting. I’m still interested in smartphones because I think they’re really, really advanced pieces of tech.
Persons: kevin roose, Kevin Roose, ” casey newton, Casey Newton, ” kevin roose, casey newton Oh, casey newton, ” kevin roose You’re, kevin roose That’s, kevin roose I’m Kevin Russo, Marques Brownlee, a.k.a, We’ve, don’t, casey newton Well, Meta, It’s, casey newton Right, casey newton It’s, kevin roose Totally, I’ve, you’re, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, They’re, that’s, kevin roose Casey, Hansel, Gretel, let’s, they’re, casey newton Jewel, , Juul, Meta didn’t, we’ve, “ We’re, There’s, Al Capone, They’ve, , Kevin, casey newton I’ve, casey newton That’s, Marquez Brownlee, Casey, He’s, Marquez, he’s, Elon Musk, Sundar Pichai, you’ll, marquez brownlee, casey newton I’m, You’ve, casey newton Let’s, you’ve, it’s, I’m, he’ll, kevin roose Marquez, PewDiePie, marquez brownlee I’ll, they’ve, Ralph, That’s, kevin roose It’s, you’d, we’re, I’d, casey newton Libraries ! marquez brownlee, everyone’s, Samantha, Davis, Fancy, Bard, DALL, Midjourney, ChatGPT, Bing, who’s, it’ll, OpenAI, Pope, kevin roose Pope, — casey newton, casey newton Ah, Mickey Mouse, Eli Lilly, barbecuing, bro, Fabio, Getty, Greg Rutkowski, kevin roose Really, Greg, there’s, Ben Zhao, casey newton We’re, Bob Ross Organizations: The New York Times, YouTube, Meta, pharma, AGs, Netflix, COPPA, Facebook, Congress, Digital Services, Federal Communications Commission, ABC, CBS, FCC, Samsung, casey newton Libraries, VR, Apple, ChatGPT, Enterprise, DALL, Disney, Twitter, Getty, “ MIT Tech, University of Chicago, Adobe Locations: California, Colorado, what’s, you’re, Europe, United States, China, earbuds
He said: "For me, AGI…is the equivalent of a median human that you could hire as a co-worker." "It's interesting to use the term median human — that's importantly different from average human," Henry Shevlin, an AI ethicist and professor at the University of Cambridge, told Insider. How tech bros are defining this idea of median human intellect is open to question. Traditional measurements for comparing AI and human intelligence have tended to focus on capabilities rather than general intellect. But comparing AI with human intelligence at all can be ethically murky and potentially misleading, according to Mittelstadt.
Persons: Sam Altman, Altman, , , It's, you'd, Elizabeth Weil, it's, Brent Mittelstadt, Henry Shevlin, Shevlin, Mittelstadt Organizations: Service, Yorker, Twitter, McKinsey, Oxford Internet Institute, University of Cambridge
They’re almost enough to make you forget the pleasures of being a little bit bad. We asked 16 writers — most of them respectable adults — about the irresponsible, immoral, indulgent things they do. Years later, we bumped into each other in public, resulting in a humiliating exposition that left everyone questioning my sanity. Can’t stop won’t stop ShopliftingWhenever I’m at the airport, I like to do a little shopping at the Free Store. Yes yes yes.
Persons: , it’s, I’ve, Kennedy, Dan Cathy, Burger King, Jack, they’re, Chick, I’m, , Tell, Wranchers, pant, Henry Hill, Bob Hughes, — let’s, Kelly I, It’s, Saint Augustine, , It’s icky, Jamieson Webster, Rinee Shah Organizations: Harvard, New York Times Locations: British, New York, , YOLO, San Francisco
28 Things Every Student Needs to Pack for College
  + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( Lisa Lombardi | ) www.wsj.com   time to read: +12 min
One of these plug-in air fresheners will keep a dorm room smelling good, and each scent refill lasts for over a month. Aromatherapy diffuserTakeout meals from the dining hall and dirty laundry sure can stink up a tiny dorm room. But with an aromatherapy diffuser, you can keep a dorm room smelling great and exude calm vibes. Bed risers with USB portsHold N' Storage Bed Risers with Power Outlet and USB Ports $48 at AmazonTo add under bed storage, you can’t beat bed risers, says Saltman. These Hold N’ Storage bed risers elevate a bed by 7.25 inches, providing room for extra bins and luggage.
Persons: Lisa Lombardi, , , Barbara Reich, , Lauren Saltman, Will, Jamie Vacca, Decker, expanders Max, Covid, Vacca’s, Covid —, they’re, it’s, ” Vacca, Command Hooks, Tuck, Clay White, Bellamy Richardson Organizations: Facebook, YouTube, University of Wisconsin – Madison, Walmart, Apple Cider, Amazon, University of Wisconsin, Emory University, Washington University, , Command, Target, tote Locations: New York City, Newfields, Florida, Alaska, Ikat
But Washington has proved to be wary of selling those countries US-made stealth fighter jets. That leaves the Gulf states with various non-US options, which don't look all that promising — at least not any time soon. A prototype of Russia's Su-75 fighter jet at the MAKS-2021 air show outside Moscow in July 2021. AP Photo/Alexander ZemlianichenkoIn 2021, shortly after unveiling its Su-75 fighter, Russia offered to co-produce the jet, which is still in development, with the UAE. While China may eventually offer its FC-31/J-35 stealth fighter for export, it must first demonstrate the jet's effectiveness to attract serious buyers.
Persons: , Sebastien Roblin, Chris Thornbury, Abraham, Abu Dhabi, FCAS, Roblin, Russia's Su, Alexander Zemlianichenko, Abu Dhabi's, Emily Hawthorne, RANE, Hawthorne, isn't, JOHANNES EISELE, Paul Iddon Organizations: Qatar —, Service, United Arab, , US Air Force, Al Dhafra, Base, Staff, Abraham Accords, Reuters, AP, East, Korea's KF, Yonhap, Cooperation Council, KF, FC, Getty Locations: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Washington, Gulf, United Arab Emirates, Chris Thornbury But Washington, Israel, Riyadh, British, France, Germany, Turkey, Moscow, Russia, Ukraine, Abu Dhabi, Russian, North Africa, Sacheon, South Korea, Seoul, Korea, Zhuhai, AFP, China
You are so peripheral to whatever drama is unfolding here that it’s nearly impossible for you to go wrong. And be supportive of the mother as she processes what may be distressing news for her. If she doesn’t, and you feel well placed to intervene, get back in touch. But his remark was about how I look, and he knows I’m well aware of the five to 10 pounds I’ve gained. When parting, we often say, “I love you.” The issue: My daughter-in-law’s mother, who lives nearby, is not the sort of person I like.
Persons: Miguel Porlan, I’ve, , can’t
Then, a deep dive into MrBeast and what his YouTube empire says about the future of the internet. Reddit came along and said, oh, we need to protect Reddit from the rise of these large language models. So I don’t think they’re totally out of the woods. But I don’t think people would say it was a golden age for how safe the platforms fell to use. But I want to challenge you on this, because I don’t necessarily think that it’s a bad thing if we have past peak trust and safety.
Persons: kevin roose, you’ve, casey newton, casey newton Yes, I’ve, there’s, kevin roose I’m, Kevin Roose, ” casey newton, Casey Newton, Casey, Reddit, casey newton Right, roose, Steve Huffman, you’re, Kevin, It’s, They’re, casey newton Well, they’ve, we’re, Huffman, , Redditors, We’ve, Everyone’s, we’ve, I’m, let’s, Sam Walton, Max, kevin roose Hey, kevin roose Oh, kevin roose Max Read, MrBeast, it’s, Jimmy Donaldson, He’s, Willy Wonka, he’s, somethings, haven’t, kevin roose We’ll, We’ll, kevin roose She’s, she’s, kevin roose MrBeast, Jeremiah, jeremiah howard, Jeremiah Howard who’s, Jimmy, Burger, You’re, Stefan Molyneux, PewDiePie, Paul, Let’s, Raman, kevin roose It’s, MrBeast financials, doesn’t, Logan Paul, they’re, Vincent Miller, Jon Hamm’s, Matthew Weiner’s, kevin roose Max, Will, Max Read, ” kevin roose, casey newton Max, Robert F Kennedy, COVID, Kennedy, Instagram, Connor Roy, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Robert F Kennedy Jr, Elon, Donald Trump, We’re, Jim Jordan, kevin roose Totally, Alex Jones, casey newton Totally, Kate Kalanick, Trump, Tucker Carlson, aren’t, — casey newton, hasn’t, Rachel Cohn, Jen Poyante, Caitlin Love, Alyssa Moxley, Dan Powell, Elisheba Ittoop, Marion Lozano, Sofia Lanman, Rowan Niemisto, Paula Szuchman, Tam, Nell Gallogly, Kate LoPresi, Jeffrey Miranda Organizations: The New York Times, Twitter, YouTube, Lamborghini, Netflix, Walmart, News, Producers, Meta, Instagram, COVID, Democratic, Washington Post, Apple, Republicans, Facebook, 4chan, Republican Party, Trump, Fox News, Stanford, Davis Locations: Hawaii, Reddit, Greenville , North Carolina, hysterics, New Jersey, New York, Greenville, North Carolina, Central, United States, Bay, San Francisco, Stanford
Dr. Chatbot will see you now
  + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Adam Rogers | ) www.businessinsider.com   time to read: +12 min
Almost invariably, the chatbot answers were rated as three or four times as reliable as the ones from the poor wee humans. But here's the most striking part: The chatbot answers, on average, were rated seven times as empathetic as the ones from humans. It's as if the unfeeling android Mr. Data figured out how to convincingly emulate Dr. Crusher's comforting bedside manner. Give those medical chatbots access to people's individual medical records, and they could offer more precisely directed advice. Healthcare AI startups will want the cheapest versions with the most financial bang, which won't necessarily have the best patient outcomes.
Persons: feely, San Diego lurked, I'm, ChatGPT, John Ayers, Ayers, , chatbot, they're, That's, They're, Teva Brender, Brender, Jonathan Chen, Greg Corrado, isn't, Adam Rogers Organizations: University of California, UC San Diego, Pew Research Center, Harvard, Google, Stanford University School of Medicine, Food and Drug Administration, Healthcare Locations: San Diego, San Francisco
It was a glorious day for field work on the shores of the Delaware Bay. “Here’s one,” said Pamela McKenzie, a researcher at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, pointing a gloved finger at one tiny white splotch and then another. “There’s one, there’s one, there’s one.”For the next two hours, Dr. McKenzie and her colleagues crept along the shore, scooping up avian excrement. Shorebirds winging their way north alight on local beaches to rest and refuel, excreting virus along the way. And every year for the last four decades, scientists from St. Jude have flown into town to pick up after them.
Persons: , Pamela McKenzie, Jude Children’s, McKenzie, Jude Organizations: Jude Children’s Research, St Locations: Delaware, Memphis, New Jersey
“OH, LOOK, the kitchen floors are gray now,” I said, juggling boxes as I stepped inside my newly rented apartment. “Nice!”When I’d first toured the 1940s townhouse in Queens, N.Y., that floor was tiled in aging checkerboard squares of black and icky-cream. Then I noticed the kitchen walls were now a seemingly identical gray. A few months later, when my landlord needed to replace the mid-century-pink bathroom floors, I was less enthused. “Oh, look, the bathroom floors are gray now,” I said.
Ari Aster’s “Beau Is Afraid” is a supersized, fitfully amusing, self-important tale of fear and loathing. As the title announces, its protagonist, Beau Wassermann — a terminal sad-sack played by the invariably watchable Joaquin Phoenix — is anxious, well, about everything. Outwardly, “Beau Is Afraid” seems to be a departure for Aster, whose first two features center on horrific happenings and some seriously bad relationships. In “Hereditary” and “Midsommar,” Aster meticulously peels back the ostensibly ordinary surface of the world, its patina of normalcy, to reveal the annihilating malevolence beneath it. In “Beau Is Afraid,” Aster changes things up by making Beau difficult to cozy up to.
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