STUFF: News, Technology, the cool and the plain weird

[MIKA27]

The Best Whiskey in the World, According to Jim Murray

If you don’t know Jim Murray, you don’t know whiskey. The man behind the uber-influential Whisky Bible selects his favorite bottle every year, and every year it leads to a feeding frenzy at local bottle shops. Well, sharks, get ready, because here’s Murray’s pick for this year’s best whisky. Colonel E.H. Taylor is a small-batch bourbon release from Buffalo Trace and it’s packed with caramel corn sweetness, butterscotch notes, and an aftertaste reminiscent of tobacco and spice. It’s a bourbon that moves beyond just sweet heat. Murray says, “Nothing could match the astonishing beauty of its surprisingly delicate weight and complexity combined. It was though time stood still in the tasting room; I just knew…” That’s high praise from a man with a golden palate. Unfortunately, finding a bottle is easier said than done, as it sold out at most establishments shortly after its release.

MIKA: Aussies, Link here. It's not cheap $319.99 

[MIKA27]

FOURSQUARE CRITERION RUM

Not all rum distilleries dump a bunch of additives into their spirit. In fact, Foursquare Rum Distillery in Barbados doesn't add any color, sugar, or additives to their rum. One of the standouts in their lineup is the Criterion Rum, a single blend of distillates from traditional twin column Coffey and artisanal pot stills. It's matured in a tropical climate for three years in ex-bourbon barrels before being transferred to ex-Madiera wine barrels for seven more years. It's bottled at 112 proof, and only 2,000 bottles were available at release time.

[MIKA27]

SOLITAIRE VISION BULLETPROOF WATCH SAFE

Source: @Jeremy Festa

Part of owning luxurious timepieces revolves around protecting them when they’re not being worn. And, given enough of a collection, protecting these handsome wrist companions depends heavily on some next-level security. Luckily for you, Buben & Zorweg craft a one-of-a-kind watch safe for this very purpose.

New to their Object of Time collection, the opulent safe – dubbed Solitaire Vision – is a visionary masterpiece crafted from an array of fine materials such as stainless steel, precious wood, leather and even bulletproof spyglass for added protection. Additionally, you can house up to 46 separate timepieces in the Solitaire Vision as well. The luxury safe also comes equipped with a humidor, bar module and integrated Hi-Fi system for an enhanced experience each time you wish to check up on these timeless treasures. Finally, the centerpiece here is an ornate word time Tourbillon clock that brings the entire safe under one harmonious tick.

 

[MIKA27]

Former Hurricane Ophelia Is Making London Look Pretty Apocalyptic Right Now

If you're in London right now you might want to look out your window. It's disturbing to say the least.

No, not that. That's just the Duchess of Cambridge dancing with Paddington Bear at Paddington Station to promote the movie Paddington 2. If you look up at the sky, however, you'll see an orange, apocalyptic hue -- and it's all the fault of the cyclone formerly known as Hurricane Ophelia.

To be fair, Ophelia is now a post-tropical storm, but it's still incredibly bizarre for the region. Ophelia has brought Saharan dust and debris from forest fires in Portugal and Spain into the area, creating a dense orange haze.

The bizarre sky has given us a good deal of what the internet does best. That's right, jokes.

 

[MIKA27]

The New Black Panther Trailer Reveals One of Marvel's Most Ambitious Movies Yet

The new Black Panther trailer takes us on a trip to the Afrofuturist world of Wakanda, a technological utopia ruled by our hero played by Chadwick Boseman. Like in Guardians of the Galaxy and the Thor movies, Black Panther marks an expansion of the Marvel universe, taking us to some visually stunning places—this time back on our own planet. Full of flying machines, massive cities on mountainsides, and futuristic technology, Wakanda is a brilliant kingdom rich with vibranium, which is the powerful material that makes up Black Panther's suit and Captain America's shield.

While this new trailer doesn't give much in the way of plot, it provides a good tease of some seriously amazing action and special effects. From director Ryan Coogler, the truly ambitious Black Panther also stars Michael B. Jordan, Angela Bassett, Lupita Nyong'o and Andy Serkis. Also, props to this trailer using Vince Staples's "BagBak," whose unedited version has these lyrics: "Tell the one percent to suck a dick, because we on now / Tell the president to suck a dick, because we on now / Tell the government to suck a dick, because we on now"

[MIKA27]

The First Trailer for ‘Godless,’ Steven Soderbergh’s New Netflix Western

Maybe it’s the fact that Westworld completely blew us away, but we’re in the mood for more new Westerns. Luckily, Steven Soderbergh and Netflix heard our call and came together for Godless, a new series hitting Netflix on November 22. The star-powered show is lead by Jeff Daniels, Michelle Dockery, and Jack O’Connell, and centers on an outlaw running rampant in the American West in the 1880s. While on a hunt for his one-time partner, he runs into a town populated only by women. 

[MIKA27]

The Yamaha MOTOROiD Is a Motorcycle With Artificial Intelligence

Our vehicles are getting smarter. For proof just take a spin through the 45th Tokyo Motor Show, which takes place later this month. Yamaha will show off the MOTOROiD, an A.I.-powered motorcycle that will not only drive on its own, but will interact with the rider. How it will interact with the rider is yet to be seen, but we like to imagine this will be some sort of J.A.R.V.I.S.-powered autonomous vehicle. Maybe it knows when you need it and pulls around front of your place. Maybe it avoids traffic without you having to check a navigation app. We’ll find out more when Yamaha puts it on display in Tokyo later this month. 

[MIKA27]

Nucleus Arcade Coffee Table

Having an arcade cabinet in your home means giving away precious floor space. We’re all for some retro gaming, but we’re also all for a clean, open living room. The solution to this space-eating dilemma is Nucleus, a coffee table that slips effortlessly into any contemporary home and packs a gaming system inside. When not in use, Nucleus looks like a sleek coffee table thanks to its real wood frame and glossy black surface. When it’s time to crush some friends in Pac-Man, however, the controls pull out to transform the unit into a gaming system. A discreet sound system brings games to life and a wireless keyboard allows you to also browse the web. You can grab retro games from Steam and even use the coffee table to stream Spotify. Instead of a bulky arcade cabinet, consider Nucleus, a sleek coffee table that conceals all your gaming needs.

[Fuzz]

5 hours ago, MIKA27 said:

Former Hurricane Ophelia Is Making London Look Pretty Apocalyptic Right Now

 

 

Meh. Not as bad as the one that hit the East Coast of Australia in 2009. And we had a better reason for it too...

[MIKA27]

This Insane Gremlins Poster Has 84 Different References On It, Can You Guess Them All?

When Randall picked up Gizmo from the antique store in Gremlins, obviously the Mogwai was the standout selection. That may not be the case, however, for this Gremlins poster, which turns that store into a pop culture cornucopia.

The poster is by artist Kevin M. Wilson, who goes by "Ape Meets Girl" so as to not get buried if you ever Google his name. It was released by the Hero Complex Gallery at New York Comic Con and has, unfortunately, sold out. We even featured it briefly. But the more you look at this poster, the more secrets are revealed. In fact there are 84 different references hidden all over the poster. How many can you figure out? Click on the image to make it bigger.

And here's the variant, which has the same stuff but just in a differnet colour.

Now, I wouldn't just leave it like that. Wilson posted a key to the whole piece on his Facebook page and now you can double check your work. But don't cheat. Actually try first!

[MIKA27]

GARMIN SPEAK

Garmin's latest GPS device is the first in-vehicle gadget to offer hands-free access to Amazon's Alexa. It's an inch and a half in size and has an LED light ring and a bright OLED display with lane guidance arrows. The Speak secures to your vehicle's windshield with a magnetic mount, making it easy to stow once you've reached your destination.

 

[MIKA27]

Scientists Just Found The Perfect Spot To Build An Underground Colony On The Moon

For years, scientists have wondered if dark, crater-like features on the lunar surface might be entrances to giant caverns carved long ago by flowing lava. Researchers from Japan and the United States have uncovered new evidence to prove that these features actually exist -- which is good news for future lunar colonists looking for a convenient and safe place to live.

New research published in Geophysical Research Letters shows that several pits located near the Marius Hill region of the Moon are large open lava tubes and that these ancient caverns have the potential to offer, in the words of the researchers, a "pristine environment to conduct scientific examination of the Moon's composition and potentially serve as secure shelters for humans and instruments".

The team, which included scientists from NASA and Japan's space agency, JAXA, combined radar and gravity data to make the finding.

No doubt, these caverns would be perfect for aspiring lunar colonists. Inside these large holes, humans would be protected from the Sun's dangerous rays, and other hazards. The Moon has no atmosphere to speak of, so these "instant" shelters would be extremely advantageous.

Our future home? A view of the eastern Marius Hills, with the Marius crater at top right.

For years, scientists have suspected that these lunar features were lava tubes -- naturally occurring channels that form when lava turns into a hard crust. Millions of years ago, when the Moon experienced volcanic activity, flowing lava carved the surface, and when these channels drained, they oftentimes left a hollow void behind. Previous research showed that these caverns, should they exist, would be stable enough for subterranean lunar bases.

JAXA scientists analysed radar data from the SELENE spacecraft, which was designed to study the origins of the Moon and its geological history. As this new study shows, this instrument is also good for detecting lunar lava tubes, which it does by bouncing radar off the lunar surface. By peppering the entrances to these suspected caverns with radar bursts, the scientists were able to detect a distinctive echo pattern, where a decrease in echo power was followed by a second large echo peak.

This pattern was the smoking gun, signifying the presence of a floor and a ceiling of a lava tube. Because the scientists found several similar echo patterns at locations nearby, there may be more than one lava tube.

And it just so happens that this area corresponds to locations where NASA, through its GRAIL mission, was able to identify mass deficits -- that is, locations on the lunar surface where mass appears to be reduced or missing, which GRAIL detects as slightly less gravity.

Philadelphia is shown inside a theoretical lunar lava tube.

By combining the SELENE and GRAIL data, the team was able to not just prove the presence of a lava hole, but also the depth and height of the cavity. And it's big -- extending for several kilometers in length, and at least one kilometer in height and width.

Quite suddenly, the Moon seems like a more welcoming place. It's time for us to go back.

[MIKA27]

Legendary Manga Lone Wolf And Cub May Become A Movie, Thanks To Fast And Furious Director Justin Lin 

Rumours have been circling about Western adaptations of Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima's seminal manga epic Lone Wolf and Cub for years at this point. But the latest attempt is now underway at Paramount, with a little help from Aquaman and Star Trek: Beyond's Justin Lin.

Originally published in Weekly Manga Action between 1970 and 1976, Lone Wolf and Cub followed the cross-generational story of Ittō Ogami, an executioner for the Tokugawa Shogunate in the Edo period, which took place from the 17th to mid-19th centuries. At the start of the manga, Ogami is betrayed as the machinations of rival clans see his wife and family slaughtered, save for his newborn son Daigorō, leading the fabled warrior and his child to wander Japan as assassins-for-hire. Since its publication it's been seen as a hugely influential piece of work in Japan, and widely lauded for its detailed historical accuracy, its faithful rendition of classic Japanese art styles, and its reverence for Bushido, the Samurai code of honour.

It's already been adapted for Japanese film and TV, but Lone Wolf and Cub has also been considered for Western adaptations many times over the years. At one point Darren Aronofsky was attached to a potential movie at Paramount, and last year rumours swirled that the production team behind the lacklustre Ghost in the Shell reboot was planning a movie, complete with an awkwardly-worded "essentially Japanese cast." Now the latest attempt falls to Justin Lin -- who has been linked to previous attempts to get the movie up and running -- and his production team at Perfect Storm. As well as producing, Lin is expected to direct the movie, while Seven writer Andrew Kevin Walker will tackle the script.

Given recent... let's say poor reactions to how Hollywood has chosen to adapt Japanese media recently, a project like Lone Wolf and Cub is fraught with potential dangers. Hopefully Lin and company will be able to do this beloved manga justice.

[MIKA27]

You Can Get Paid to Live in a National Park

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is on the hunt for a modern-day Thoreau. They want a person to live inside old guard station cabins situated throughout Colorado’s San Juan National Forest. So what’s the catch with this dream job for the aspiring hermit? Well, you do have to care for the area, picking up trash and generally keeping Mother Nature tidy. You also have to keep the buildings in check and rent them out when you can, though you do get to keep some of the rental money. The deal is good for two years, with the possibility of it being extended for five. If you need a break from society and you’ve watched Into the Wild more times than you can count, we recommend applying. 

[MIKA27]

Guinness Is Brewing a Stout Based Off a Recipe from 1817

In 1817, Guinness sent eight “hogsheads” of beer to South Carolina for consumption in America. Since that time, Guinness has enjoyed a profitable relationship with the U.S., sending far more beer these days to our shores. To celebrate the 200th year of doing so, Guinness dipped into their archives to brew a new Export Stout based on the one sent many moons ago. Guinness 200th Anniversary Export Stout is brewed just like Benjamin Guinness brewed it in 1817, with black patent malt, which is a sort of precursor to roasted barley. The result is a 6% ABV stout that pours a dark ruby red and packs notes of caramel and roasted coffee. Look for it on shelves stateside soon.

[MIKA27]

Earth's Underworld Is Real And Scientists Just Mapped It

Lasciate ogni speranza, voi ch'entrate, reads the gates to the Inferno. "Abandon all hope, you who enter," which is a pretty nice way of saying "welcome to Hell." But there's a real underworld, albeit one with fewer dogs and less being blown around by the wind or wading through shit. Scientists are working on a comprehensive map of it. A map of hell. Kind of.

The Earth is made of tectonic plates, immense sections of crust and mantle spreading apart and crushing together, causing things like volcanism, earthquakes and continental drift. Through the process called subduction, one plate can slide beneath another, leaving a section of Earth to descend into the mantle called a slab.

A team of European scientists have been working on the Atlas of the Underworld, a map of these slabs, to learn about the Earth's mantle and the history and geography of this sub-surface world. They have now published a scientific paper detailing their results in the journal Tectonophysics.

"Now we can trace not only how plates move over the surface, but how they sink to the core-mantle boundary," Douwe van Hinsbergen from the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands told Gizmodo. "That's the cool thing for me -- we can learn about the physics inside the Earth."

You may think that plates that sink deep into the mantle just melt -- but in fact, they stick around for a long time and can sink as deep as 3000km, explained van Hinsbergen. The catalogue is "the first and extensive global framework for interpretation of present-day global mantle structure and its physical properties and how that relates to our planet's dynamic evolution of the past 300 [million years]," according to the paper.

Image: Atlas-of-the-Underworld.org

This hellish Atlas is a 17-year-long effort, compiling troves of data from troves of research in which these slabs were imaged. To image these slabs, the researchers used seismic tomography. It's a lot like medical imaging but using the speed of sound waves through the Earth to reconstruct images, rather than light waves interacting with some other surface.

The researchers use this information to tell the history of many of the slabs and their effect on the planet. The Bitterroot slab, for example, sits 200km below western North America. They infer that the slab could have have subducted from 66 to 46 million years ago, causing an ancient area of volcanic activity called the Challis Absaroka arc.

This 50 million-year-old volcanic area is now only detectable through its leftover rocks in the Northwestern United States. Newer slabs leave behind more noticeable features, like the Andes and the Himalaya mountain ranges.

One researcher not involved in the paper, Jonny Wu at the University of Houston told Ars Technica that the project was like a human genome project for planet Earth. "Like a human genome map, this will undoubtedly provide a platform for many future discoveries about our planet."

It's an ever-evolving effort. "If you look at the first world atlas in the 16th century, that was a pretty good job but it looks different from our atlas today," said van Hinsbergen. "I think it will look a bit different in 10 or 20 years. We'll probably find slabs here and there."

Hell is real. Or at least, lots of land gets sucked into the mantle as the planet evolves and sticks around, causing noticeable features on the surface and complex behaviour in the mantle. You can check out the Atlas over at Atlas-of-the-Underworld.org.

[MIKA27]

The US FDA Just Approved Another Promising Immunotherapy For Cancer

On Wednesday -- for only the second time -- the United States' Food and Drug Administration approved a cutting-edge therapy that genetically modifies a patient's blood cells in order to attack cancer. This time the therapy, known as CAR T-cell therapy, is designed to treat aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

In August, the FDA approved the first CAR T-cell therapy, for a drug called Kymriah designed for children and young adults whose leukemia doesn't respond to standard treatments. The FDA's approval of Yescarta, manufactured by Kite Pharma, comes just a few months after its first approval -- an indication of just how quickly the field of immunotherapy is moving. Several other companies also have CAR-T therapies in the works.

"Today, marks another milestone in the development of a whole new scientific paradigm for the treatment of serious diseases," FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said in a statement, adding that the approval demonstrates "the continued momentum of this promising new area of medicine."

CAR-T therapy works by reprogramming a patient's cells in order to attack their cancer from the inside. Doctors harvest a patient's T-cells (a type of white blood cell) and then, in the lab, genetically modify them to turn them into tumour assassins. The cells are then placed back into the body where they zero in on and destroy cancerous cells. The whole process takes about 17 days. (The FDA has called it "gene therapy," though experts quibble over whether that term applies.)

Yescarta is designed for adults with certain types of large B-cell lymphoma for whom at least two other kinds of treatment have not proved effective or resulted in relapse. There are about 7,500 patients a year in the US who would be candidates for the drug. The treatment is intended to be administered once with a price tag of $US373,000 ($475,292), less than Kymriah, which is expected to cost $US475,000 ($605,264). Kite Pharma, which developed Yescarta, was recently bought by Gilead Sciences for $US11.9 ($15) billion just ahead of its drug's expected FDA approval.

In a key trial of 100 patients cited by the FDA, Yescarta resulted in complete remission for 51 per cent of patients.

But Yescarta is not without risk, and the FDA said it will carry a warning for neurologic toxicities and cytokine release syndrome, a condition in which the body reacts to the CAR-T cells with high fever and other flu-like symptoms.

The drug was approved along with a risk evaluation strategy that requires hospitals and clinics that prescribe the drug to be specially certified and trained. The FDA is also requiring Gilead to conduct a follow-up study of the drug's long-term effects.

MIKA: F**k you Cancer!

[MIKA27]

Icelandic Horror Trailer I Remember You Hints At Dark Secrets And Malevolent Spirits 

Scandinavian horror is a particularly chilling subset of the genre -- for obvious reasons (duh, it's cold there), but also because filmmakers from that region tend to construct films blending slow-burn dread with sudden moments of otherworldly terror. I Remember You looks very much in that vein.

Like Sweden's frosty vampire tale Let the Right One In, Iceland's I Remember You is based on a best-selling novel. The creatures are not quite so apparent in the trailer for Óskar Thór Axelsson's adaptation of the latter, however. A child's unsolved disappearance haunts his family -- and then other things begin haunting other people, too, and some very dark local history starts coming to light.

The word scrawled on the wall (or walls, it looks like), is "ohreinn," which translates to "dirty" (in the "impure" sense). Here's the official synopsis, courtesy of IFC Midnight, which suggests there's a lot more spookiness to this movie than the cryptic trailer reveals:

Quote

 

An elderly woman hangs herself in a church. A grieving father searches for the truth about what happened to his missing son. And a trio of young city dwellers unleash a sinister force when they begin renovating a cursed home on a remote island. They don't know it yet, but each of these strangers is connected by a disturbing, decades-old secret -- a mystery that holds the key to a series of terrifying supernatural events.

Based on the acclaimed novel by the "Queen of Icelandic Crime," this atmospheric chiller is both a hair-raising ghost story and a powerful tale of life beyond death.

 

 

 

[MIKA27]

THIS BRITISH BEER HAS JUST BEEN CROWNED THE BEST IN THE WORLD

Forget what you know about warm beer. The Brits have officially reclaimed the title for having the world’s best beer in 2017.

The winning pint comes from British beer brand Hofmeister Helles which took out Best Lager at this year’s esteemed Beer Awards that is backed by the International Wine & Spirits Competition (the equivalent to the Oscars for the drinking world). Hofmeister Helles received a coveted five star rating amongst the judges – the first lager to ever do so in the competition’s short history.

Judges picked the winner via a series of blind tasting tests and eventually gave the beer the title for its balance of complex notes.

“It is a gentle, highly complex beer, which showcases lager brewing at its best and the importance of good quality raw materials,” explained Tim Hampson, judge and chairman of the Beer Writers Guild.

“It’s light, bright and very drinkable. Very well balanced. It is hard to cut corners when brewing a beer of this style.”

Most outside of the U.K wouldn’t know this, but there’s quite a unique backstory behind the beer name itself. Hofmeister Helles was unceremoniously pulled from the shelves just 13 years ago due to dwindling sales. Experts credited this slump to the beer’s low alcohol content at the time (5%) which made it difficult to compete with other higher strength lagers.

Since then though the name has received an entire revamp by returning to its roots as an authentic Helles lager crafted by a family-owned brewery on the outskirts of The Ebersberger Forest in southern Germany. When compared to the first generation beer, the new Hofmeister Helles features lower carbonation and a lighter golden colour. The old beer was also produced in a Scottish brewery but has since shifted production to Germany.

Even the team has changed hands with operations now falling under The Hofmeister Brewing Company as lead by co-founders Richard Longhurst and Spencer Chambers alongside a former marketing chief at Coca Cola, Zoe Howorth.

So there you have it. If you want to resurrect a fledging British name into an award-winning product, just let the Germans take over it.

[MIKA27]

WATCH THE INSANE PROCESS OF MAKING AN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP RING

Forget about your blue ribbon and plasti-dip trophy for a second. Every year the NBA presents their Championship ring to the team that takes out the NBA Finals.

These rings are designated for the winning team’s players, coaches and members of the executive front office. And now you can witness the staggering amount of work required to make one of the world’s most extravagant, priceless and coveted pieces of sporting jewellery.

As the video above explains, each ring traps inside it the memories and milestones of a winning season whilst boasting its very own individual characteristics. For the 2017 season the Championship rings will feature 83 stones on the top face which reflects the 83 wins in regular and post-season.

The ring itself will be made from yellow gold and feature a special trophy motif – that’s five trophies for five championships. There’s also 31 trapezoid diamonds to represent the road wins and 36 blue sapphires to give nod to the home wins.

The exacting detail even extends to the inner ring which features two raised trophies. When a player removes the ring, the trophies leave an indentation on the skin to remind the wearer of how many trophies they’ve won.

This year’s particular ring is also a record breaker as one that goes down in history with the most diamonds and carat weight in championship ring history.

 

[MIKA27]

Richard Branson Turned a WWII Ship Into an Underwater Work of Art

What you see here is a work of art you can only view in person if you dive off the coast of Virgin Gorda of the British Virgin Islands. BVI Art Reef, a project spearheaded by Richard Branson and a slew of artists and philanthropists, found a decaying World War II ship, one that is suspected to be one of five that survived Pearl Harbor, and outfitted it with a sculpture of a humongous octopus. They then took the structure and deposited it deep off the coast of the aforementioned island. Why would they do that? So it can become an ever-evolving piece of art, one that helps coral and other life thrive in the area. It’s no secret that overfished areas spell trouble for the future of certain aquatic locales, and the team saw an opportunity to do something while also giving divers a “fantasy adventure.” 

[MIKA27]

HENNESSY MASTER BLENDERS SELECTION COGNAC

The Master Blender's releases from Hennessy are unique, limited Cognacs that will never be duplicated. For Selection No. 2, Hennessy chose a blend initiated by its outgoing Master Blender of more than 50 years, Yann Fillioux. Fillioux draws on his extensive knowledge of the Hennessy eaux de vie reserve, starting with a choice that is aged for at least ten years. Then, the spirit matures for an extra 18 months in young coarse-grained French oak before being transferred to old barrels for additional aging. The one-of-a-kind, single batch Cognac is only available in the U.S. in limited quantities.

[MIKA27]

Will Ferrell Makes an Ass of Himself to Prove How Annoying Phones Are

Much like you, Will Ferrell thinks technology has overrun our world. He thinks it has ruined some components of interpersonal relationships. He's probably had a talk or two with his kids about it.

Unlike you, Will Ferrell is actually doing something about it. Ferrell stars in a series of PSAs about devices at the dinner table from Common Sense Media, released last week. He's a real asshole in them, too.

Just six years ago, in 2011, only 1 percent of children up to the age of 8 had their own tablet device. By 2013, 42 percent did, according to new research from the organization. From 2013 to today, the amount of time those children spend with a device has tripled to 48 minutes every day. To raise awareness of the issue, Common Sense Media created the PSAs, and it offers tips to parents about being conscious of their kids' media consumption.

Just think: Seven years ago, parents were worrying about video games and TV time. Now, kids have those, plus a device of their very own they can truck around to any activity or family event. And as Will Ferrell aptly illustrates, the whole thing can be pretty damn annoying. So please, eyes up at the dinner table.

 

[MIKA27]

‘The Commuter’: New Trailer Has Liam Neeson Facing Problems with Public Transit

Lionsgate has released a new The Commuter trailer. The film stars Liam Neeson as an insurance salesman on his daily commute who is drawn into a dangerous game where he must uncover the secret identity of one of his fellow passengers or face the consequences.

The film reteams with Neeson with his director Jaume Collet-Serra, who previously directed the actor in the action-thrillers Unknown, Non-Stop, and Run All Night. Neeson has said that The Commuter will be the last action film he does, so hopefully they make it count. The premise looks suitably loony, and yet it also seems like it’s a variation on Non-Stop—Neeson must find a passenger who is not whom he/she appears to be. But as long as we see Neeson beating people up against the backdrop of a ticking clock, I don’t think anyone really minds if it’s similar to a previous film he did. After all, we did sit through three Taken movies.

Of course, with Collet-Serra, it’s always kind of a crapshoot. Sometimes you get enjoyable B-movie entertainment like Non-Stop and then other times you get a crushingly dull movie like Unknown. Here’s hoping that he’s on his game.

The film opens January 12, 2018 and also stars Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Sam Neill, and Elizabeth McGovern.

[MIKA27]

Europe’s First Underwater Restaurant Is Coming to Norway

The best meals aren’t just about the food; they’re about the experience. If you subscribe to that belief, you’ll want to book a ticket to Norway to visit the latest creation from Snøhetta. The architecture firm just unveiled the plans for Europe’s first underwater restaurant, and judging by the pictures, it’g going to be a trip. A concrete box that looks like it was a prop from some dystopian sci-fi flick is half submerged in water. Guests head down five meters below the water’s surface to tables situated by a large glass window that looks out on the marine life. Under, as it’s being called by the firm, will be located in Båly and will offer one of the most unique dining experiences to 100 visitors at a time. Just pass on the sushi.