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☆ ‘Another Body’ Review: A Cowardly New World
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( Lisa Kennedy | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The film, directed by Sophie Compton and Reuben Hamlyn, follows Taylor as she attempts to track down the person responsible. Along the way, she discovers two others whose faces have also been used for deepfake porn: Julia, a woman she recognizes from college, and Gibi, an ASMR actor and streamer. The twist is that Taylor’s and Julia’s names are pseudonyms and that they are portrayed by “face veil” actors (that technology came to the fore in the documentary “Welcome to Chechnya”). “Another Body” is most persuasive when experts weigh in on the reality-upending aspects of deepfake technology and image-based sex abuse. That the documentary does this by utilizing some of that technology to protect Taylor and Julia’s identities raises its own ethical questions — ones that, even with the filmmakers’ compassion and transparency, “Another Body” doesn’t quite resolve.

Persons: Sophie Compton, Reuben Hamlyn, Taylor, Julia Locations: Chechnya

☆ What José Andrés wants you to know about Spanish food
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-23 | by ( Leah Asmelash | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

At least, that’s what Andrés says in his docuseries “José Andrés & Family in Spain,” streaming on Discovery+ and now airing on CNN. Each episode focuses on a different territory, and as his daughters eat and learn about Spanish food, the audience eats (with their eyes) and learns, too. A rice dish made in a paella pan with pork belly — notably not true Valencian paella, according to José Andrés. Those small plates and delectable tidbits have become a staple part of restaurant culture beyond Spain and Spanish food (see: Asian tapas). “(Tapas) is not food,” Andrés noted in his conversation with Acosta.

Persons: José Andrés, Andrés, it’s, that’s, ‘, ’ ” Andrés, CNN’s Jim Acosta, “, ”, you’ll, Tapas, ” Andrés, Acosta, Andrés —, CNN’s Acosta, jamón, bravas, King Alfonso XIII, It’s, Liz Clayman, José, Cook, Chef José Andrés Organizations: CNN, Warner Bros ., Warner Bros, Moors, Posada, la Villa, consejo Locations: Spain, Naples, Italy, Nice, France, Valencia, doesn’t, Spanish, Catalonia, Barcelona, Andalusia, Madrid, consejo, Asturias, lima

☆ Taika Waititi: La La Land meets lineouts – Hollywood A-lister forays into the world of rugby
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( Amanda Davies | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Hollywood A-lister Taika Waititi is much more comfortable holding an Academy Award than lifting the Rugby World Cup trophy. “The only World Cup I’ve been to is the very first one in 1987 with my father and that was a very special moment,” he said. They’ve now suffered two losses in a row having lost to reigning champion South Africa in August before the World Cup kicked off. Waititi talks on the field during the Rugby World Cup 2021 New Zealand match against Australia. But the Rugby World Cup has provided some of the biggest upsets in the history of sport, notably when Japan stunned South Africa in 2015.

Persons: lister Taika, “, Amanda Davies, ”, Waititi, Webb Ellis, Alex Livesey, Marvel’s, Thor, Kiwi Waititi, Jerome Kaino, Andrew Mehrtens, Chabal, John Kirwan, They’ve, we’re, ” Waititi, Mike Hewitt, Rita Ora, Te, Matewa –, Phil Walter, “ Jojo Rabbit, I’d Organizations: CNN, Hollywood, Rugby, de Rugby, Zealand, NZR, Webb, Getty, Italy, New Zealand, Blacks, South Africa, rugby, FIFA, Australia, American Samoa soccer team Locations: France, Zealand, New Zealand, Namibia, Italy, Uruguay, Japan, South Africa, Australia, American Samoa

☆ Opinion | The Subtlety of J.R.R. Tolkien
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( Ross Douthat | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +7 min

The devil appears to some people as Lucifer the light-bringer, yes — but his darker visage finds worshipers as well. Ours is no longer the world in which Tolkien grew up, nor even the one in which he spent his last years. Tolkien himself was very careful to note that the Shire is not self-sustaining, dependent as it is on outsiders for security. I obviously endorse this point, but I think the last line undersells how much Tolkien subjected his own pastoral nostalgia to critique. Because Tolkien is a reactionary, the solution to that sickness is the return of a king of ancient lineage.

Persons: Tolkien, Soviet Union didn’t, Adolf Hitler’s, Joseph Stalin, Hitler, Lucifer, unrealism —, Tolkien’s, Philip Larkin, “, King Charles III’s, Niall Gooch, Hobbitism, Bilbo, It’s, Gondor, Anárion, that’s Organizations: Gorgoroth, Jackson Locations: Nazi Germany, Soviet Union, England, Tolkien’s, Isengard, Shire, Britain

☆ Venice Film Festival: All Your Questions About Bradley Cooper’s ‘Maestro’ Answered
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-02 | by ( Kyle Buchanan | More About Kyle Buchanan | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

If you refer to “Maestro” as a biopic, expect a sternly worded email from the movie’s reps. It’s also true that “Maestro” doesn’t play by traditional biopic rules. What’s up with that fake nose? But when the film flashes back to Bernstein as a young man, the prosthetic proves intermittently distracting. It’s both too much and not enough: Unlike the fake nose in “The Hours,” which really did render Nicole Kidman unrecognizable, young Bernstein just looks like Bradley Cooper wearing a big beak.

Persons: ” Bernstein, Montealegre, “ Oppenheimer ”, Ferrari, Maestro ”, Bernstein, It’s, ”, Ken ”, “ Barbie, Cooper, Leonard Bernstein, Bradley, he’s, Nicole Kidman, Bradley Cooper Organizations: Netflix

☆ Opinion | Enrique Tarrio Is a Curious Case of Latino White Supremacy
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-19 | by ( Yarimar Bonilla | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Mr. Tarrio’s case seems particularly vexing given his Afro-Cuban heritage, but being Hispanic does not insulate you from racism. Some people simply “don’t see themselves as what they are,” Ana Navaro said on “The View” in May. For many of us, filling out a job application or medical form can lead to an existential crisis. Mr. Tarrio himself employed this logic in his defense, claiming that he cannot be a white supremacist because he is of Cuban descent. After all, Eurocentrism and racism has been a hallmark of most Latin American nations.

Persons: Tarrio’s, ” Ana Navaro, Tarrio, Trump Organizations: Dominican Locations: Cuban, Miami, Latin America, United States, Dominican Republic

☆ Opinion: All the speculation about a grand Trump deal is far-fetched
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( Opinion Jill Filipovic | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Will former President Donald Trump accept a plea deal, potentially sparing himself prison and sparing us all a repeat of his presidency? It’s a compelling argument, and one that would certainly be better for the nation than Trump winning in 2024 and pardoning himself; it would be better for Trump than winding up behind bars. Trump has been embroiled in thousands of lawsuits; he’s the first former president to face federal charges. Betting on a 2024 win is a big gamble for Trump, especially if the consequence of that loss isn’t just humiliation, but a jail cell. Join us on Twitter and FacebookThere is also the question of whether prosecutors would even offer a deal Trump might consider.

Persons: Jill Filipovic, CNN —, Donald Trump, Scott Galloway, Trump , Galloway, Trump, Galloway, pardoning, —, don’t, It’s, Joe Biden, — Trump, That’s Organizations: Twitter, CNN, New York University, Trump, Republican, White Locations: New York, Trump ,, Trump

☆ ‘Barbie’ movie’s ending is an important reminder for women’s health
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( Madeline Holcombe | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

The final scene in "Barbie" is important for normalizing women's health, CNN Medical Analyst Dr. Leana Wen said. Jaap Buitendijk/Courtesy of Warner Bros. PicturesCNN: Do we give enough attention to women’s reproductive health? Dr. Leana Wen: Reproductive health care is still not regarded as part of total health and well-being. It solidifies the understanding that reproductive health is an integral part of overall health. This is a general preventive health visit in which the health care provider begins to establish a relationship of trust with the patient in a one-on-one, confidential setting.

Persons: “ Barbie, ”, Ruth Handler, Barbie, Leana Wen, Margot Robbie, Jaap Buitendijk, Barbie ”, Wen, normalizes, Pap Organizations: CNN, George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, Warner Bros . Pictures CNN, American College of Obstetricians

☆ Hidden in a Mini-Mall in Flushing, a Home for Art
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( Aruna D Souza | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The flier announcing a new exhibition in Queens, “Home-O-Stasis,” doesn’t give an address. Instead, it has instructions: When you reach the Queens Public Library in Flushing, “go up to Kissena Boulevard till you see the Q17/Q27 stop. Go past the garage gate, enter the mini-mall on the right where scooters and bikes are parked outside.” (How you get to the library is up to you and Google maps.) “Even though I grew up in Flushing my grasp of the language is not whole,” said the sculptor Anne Wu, whose work is on view. “I may not know what a place is called but I can tell you how you get there.”

Persons: doesn’t, ”, Anne Wu Organizations: Queens Public Library Locations: Queens, Flushing, “, ”, China, Korea, Taiwan

☆ Alicia Keys Is Making a Musical. Her Own Life Inspired the Story.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( Michael Paulson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

For more than a decade, Alicia Keys has been quietly developing a musical inspired by her own turbulent adolescence growing up among artists in New York City. Now that musical, “Hell’s Kitchen,” is almost ready for viewing: It will be staged this fall at the Public Theater, the downtown nonprofit where “A Chorus Line” and “Hamilton” were born. The show will feature some of Keys’s best known songs, as well as new material she has written for the musical. “This is a major, major turning point in my journey.”“Hell’s Kitchen” doesn’t precisely track the events of Keys’s own life, but there are strong parallels. (Ali, like Keys, is transformed by a passion for piano.)

Persons: Alicia Keys, “ Hamilton ”, Keys, ”, Ali Organizations: Public Theater Locations: New York City, Manhattan Plaza

☆ ‘Reality’ Review: An Unusual Suspect
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-31 | by ( Amy Nicholson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Reality Winner’s life changed six years ago in June when F.B.I. agents showed up at her home in Georgia. I’m giving this background because Tina Satter’s gripping docudrama “Reality” doesn’t. Satter strips the political context from that first F.B.I. Working from the official transcript, Satter finds that the young woman is primarily concerned with the safety of her pets.

Persons: she’d, Miranda, Tina Satter’s, Sydney Sweeney, Josh Hamilton, Marchánt Davis, “, ” Organizations: U.S . Air Force Locations: Georgia

☆ Sarah Goldberg on the ‘Barry’ Finale and Bad Decisions
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-28 | by ( Alexis Soloski | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Was this really a comedy, especially in this final season? I had a lot to say, which I never took for granted, because it’s rare. I find it interesting to play characters who are making bad decisions. Sally attracted a lot of online hate, which reminded me of the reactions to female characters on other series. I feel like there’s just this undercurrent of cultural misogyny — the sexism involved in how we view those characters is wild to me.

☆ The mourning dress codes of ‘Succession’
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-22 | by ( Jacquelyn Palumbo | Jacqui Palumbo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

“Succession” has treated us to both a wedding and a funeral as fate of the Roy siblings spin out towards its finale (which is produced by Warner Bros. Discovery, parent company of CNN), and its penultimate episode gave us mourning dress codes in a grand Catholic setting. “I can do anything — my dad just died,” Shiv responds when asked for a favor at the mass. By episode nine, with the company in a shaky post-Logan transition, the optics of how the Roy siblings perform at the funeral hold a lot of weight. Emotions must be stamped down, they maintain a fragile façade, and getting too close to the truth of Logan Roy is met with a wall of cognitive dissonance.

☆ What Is a W-4 and How Do I Fill Mine Out?
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: +14 min

How Form W-4 has changedIf you haven’t checked in on your W-4 lately, you’ll want to take a gander, says Pete Isberg, an executive with payroll provider ADP. That’s because Form W-4 was overhauled in 2020 based on changes passed in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act a few years earlier. At the top of the W-4 form, you enter your personal information and filing status. If you have multiple jobs, you’ll use Step 2(b)—Multiple Jobs Worksheet, which is found on page 3 of Form W-4. So after you file your Form 1040 tax return, your W-4 form updates should be next.

☆ Saudi Arabia says LGBTQ visitors are now welcome
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Julia Buckley | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —As Saudi Arabia continues its drive to attract tourists, authorities in the country appear to be reaching out to a particularly lucrative section of the market: LGBTQ travelers. “Everyone is welcome to visit Saudi Arabia and visitors are not asked to disclose such personal details,” is the website’s response to the question on its FAQ page: “Are LGBT visitors welcome to visit Saudi Arabia?”It is not known exactly when the website was updated. Same-sex sexual activity is an offense in Saudi Arabia, according to Human Rights Watch. LGBTQ+ travelers are a lucrative market, according to Darren Burn, CEO of Out Of Office, a luxury travel planning service for the community, and of Travel Gay, the world’s largest LGBTQ+ travel platform. Human rights researcher Nora Noralla told CNN that the kingdom is following Qatar and Dubai in its bid to attract LGBTQ+ travelers.

☆ 'Ghosted' review: Chris Evans and Ana de Armas reunite in a spirited action comedy
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —“Chris Evans and Ana de Armas” is about all that’s required to make the sales pitch for “Ghosted,” a spirited if familiar action-based romantic comedy, where the sparring banter generally outshines the muscular stunts. Throw in clever cameos and this Apple TV+ movie delivers on its promise of unpretentious fun. Unlike the needy Cole, “Ghosted” doesn’t ask for anything more than a couple intermittently attentive hours of your time. Thanks to Evans and de Armas, it’s the sort of invitation that’s pretty hard to ignore. “Ghosted” premieres April 21 on Apple TV+.

☆ Five Children’s Movies to Stream Now
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-07 | by ( Dina Gachman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The “adorable animals on an epic journey” genre has enchanted young viewers for decades — “Homeward Bound” and “The Adventures of Milo and Otis” being just two beloved examples. Over in the United Forest of America, the evil Don Vulture is running for president against a bear, John Grizzly. (There is talk of “fake lies” and “big empty promises,” so you can probably guess which real-life former president the vulture is modeled after.) The law says no childless animal can become president, but the stork delivered Grizzly’s cub to the wrong home, so our heroes must race to return the cub in time for the election. Along the way they battle hungry hyenas and snowstorms, protecting the cooing baby bear so they can complete their quest.

☆ Alejandro Jodorowsky’s ‘Dune’ Was Never Made, but With A.I., We Get a Glimpse of His ‘Tron’ - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Frank Pavich | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +12 min

I was recently shown some frames from a film that I had never heard of: Alejandro Jodorowsky’s 1976 version of “Tron.” The sets were incredible. However, Mr. Jodorowsky, the visionary Chilean filmmaker, never tried to make “Tron.” I’m not even sure he knows what “Tron” is. caption caption caption caption caption caption caption caption caption caption caption Generation Text prompt The A.I. caption caption caption caption caption caption caption caption caption caption caption Generation Text prompt The A.I. If A.I.s were eligible for the Academy Awards, I’d vote for “Jodorowsky’s Tron” for best A.I.

☆ 'M3GAN' is an internet star thanks to her TikTok-esque dance. Director Gerard Johnstone calls the viral reaction 'unbelievable.'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Kahlan-Rosenblatt.Jpg | Kalhan Rosenblatt | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

Before she ever hit the big screen, M3GAN was a social media icon. The killer android doll is the star of the film "M3GAN," which released nationwide Friday. Models perform the viral dance at a special screening of "M3GAN" in New York on Wednesday. Like other viral phenomena before it, M3GAN’s social media success was a happy accident — something Johnstone didn't see coming. "That’s incredible”He credits some of the film's early praise to social media buzz.

☆ The BMW i Vision Dee is a concept car that literally changes color
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

The two cars, which look basically the same, are both called the i Vision Dee concept. This year, the i Vision Dee changes through a full palette of colors with different parts of the car body showing different colors all at once. One version of the BMW i VIsion Dee is covered in color-changing panels. Courtesy BMWThe other i Vision Dee concept was built to show off new ideas for the “user interface,” which is how drivers and passengers interact with the vehicle. The car also has a head-up display, of course, but, in the i Vision Dee concept, the display stretches across the entire windshield.

☆ Netflix's 'The Witcher: Blood Origin' is a Christmas present for superfans only
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-26 | by ( Ani Bundel | Ani Bundel Is A Cultural Critic Who Has Been Writing Regularly Since Her Work Can Also Be Found At Elite Daily | Weta'S Telly Visions | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

Sadly, “The Witcher: Blood Origin,” Netflix’s new spinoff, is a disappointment. Not that the original “Witcher” wholly depended on Cavill as its titular lead. “Blood Origin” is the first live-action spinoff, a prequel deep-dive that chronicles how witchers came to be. Unfortunately, “Blood Origin” doesn’t do much with its excellent pieces. “Blood Origin” just feels like a side quest, something that’s only worthwhile for superfans.

☆ 'Sort Of' is about a nonbinary millennial. Its star hopes to change how we see each other
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-11 | by ( Harmeet Kaur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Sabi, who is nonbinary, not only navigates love and dating in Toronto but also hopes to be understood by their Pakistani immigrant family. Baig spoke to CNN about what it means to feel seen and how “Sort Of” might help some viewers achieve that feeling. Wanting to feel seen is another thread that runs through the show. When we feel seen, when we feel understood, we feel a lot less lonely in the world. We work with writers and directors who are trans, nonbinary, South Asian, people of color.

Every year since I was a teenager, my mom has asked what I wanted for Christmas. After all, my reasoning doesn’t seem to require us to engage in, say, the Socratic method. Maybe the pressure to buy Christmas gifts for anyone is a farce, a scheme created by capitalism to get us to spend, spend, spend on things we don’t want or need. They accept whatever bad (based on how little they use them) gifts I buy for them. But I’m tired of participating in a capitalistic sham, and I’m tired of giving Christmas gifts my family and friends don’t want.

This is one of the reasons why Derbez is telling the story of a fictional resort using both English and Spanish. “I was always criticizing movies where I was seeing 007 (referring to the character James Bond) in Brazil and everyone speaks in English,” Derbez, who's also an executive producer of the show, said in an interview with NBC News. And that’s not the way it is.”The same goes for many TV shows being filmed in Mexico, Derbez said, which also show characters speaking only in English. He wants “Acapulco” to stand out by depicting the multilingual reality that he sees and lives in both countries. Episode nine of season two releases Friday on Apple TV+.

☆ 'George & Tammy' review: Jessica Chastain and Michael Shannon stand by an oft-told musical tale
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Chastain continues to carve out an inordinately unique niche of standout performances playing women named Tammy, although “Tammy Faye” embodied a different realm of high-profile personalities. That is, of course, an oft-told tale, a la “Sid and Nancy” or Ike & Tina Turner in “What’s Love Got to Do With It,” among past dramatizations within different musical genres. Understandably, stars are invariably drawn to these kind of showy roles, with “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Rocketman” and “Elvis” among the recent examples. Thanks to Chastain and Shannon (who admirably pull off their own singing), “George & Tammy” provides a warts-and-all window into Wynette and Jones’ lives. “George & Tammy” premieres December 4 at 9 p.m.

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