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

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THE MACALLAN EXCEPTIONAL SINGLE CASK RANGE

On its own, Macallan makes a damn fine single malt Highland scotch. Needless to say, any variant based on that aged recipe is bound to deliver exciting results. Macallan’s Exceptional Single Cask Series does just that, featuring seven separate expressions ranging from 12-22 years of age in Sherry-seasoned casks.

Each individual cask for the project was selected by The Macallan Whisky Makers – chosen for its distinctive characteristics. And with each different expression comes a different aroma and flavor imparted upon the taster by the complexities of a fine aged single malt. It’s a product of the magic that occurs at the distillery’s Whisky Maker’s Bench, where each day a handful of lucky gents taste and assess Macallan’s full range of offerings. This time, they certainly landed upon something special – available at specified locations in early 2018.

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Former VW Exec Sentenced To 7 Years In Prison Over Role In Dieselgate

Oliver Schmidt, the former head of Volkswagen's US regulatory compliance office from 2014 to 2015, was sentenced on Wednesday to seven years in prison for his role in the German automaker's emissions cheating scandal.

Facing 11 felonies for various wire fraud and conspiracy to defraud the government, Schmidt pleaded guilty in August and faced up to 169 years in prison. Prosecutors said this week they were seeking up to seven years, and on Wednesday, a judge agreed with them, court officials said.

Schmidt's sentence was handed down by Judge Sean Cox of the US District Court in Detroit. In a press release, the court said Schmidt received a five-year prison sentence for a conspiracy charge and 24 months for a criminal violation of the Clean Air Act. Cox also assessed a $US400,000 ($527,427) fine for Schmidt's role in what's now enshrined in history as Dieselgate.

In exchange for his guilty plea, the release said, federal prosecutors dropped several wire fraud charges, and Schmidt agreed to be deported to Germany after serving his sentence.

Schmidt, 48, is the highest-ranking VW employee to be convicted as part of the government's investigation into Dieselgate. In August, VW auto engineer James Liang received a 40 month sentence and a $US200,000 ($263,713) fine for his role in the scandal.

An additional six employees face charges from US authorities over Volkswagen's decision to install software in more than 500,000 diesel cars that were designed to skirt emissions tests. But, to date, five of the individuals remain at large.

Schmidt recently wrote a letter to Judge Cox, claiming he felt "misused" by Volkswagen.

"A script, or talking points, I was directed to follow for that meeting was approved by management level supervisors at VW, including a high-ranking in-house lawyer, " Schmidt wrote, according to the New York Times. "Regrettably, I agreed to follow it."

Schmidt ended up in US custody somewhat by chance. In January, authorities arrested him after he arrived in Florida on vacation from Germany.

Why he decided to risk arrest by going to the United States, the Times aptly put it, "remains a mystery."

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20 STUNNING PHOTOS FROM THE 2017 SIENA AWARDS THAT WILL INSPIRE YOUR WEEK

These winning shots from the annual Siena International Photo Award will inspire your traveler's soul.

The Siena Awards are for photographers who aren't interested in typical tourist locations and cliché vacation shots. These are modern explorers with a taste for the utterly remote or remarkable. They'll stop at nothing to find the perfect shot.

"The Siena International Photo Award is one of the photo contests with the highest international participation ever," reads the contest pitch. "2017 edition has received nearly 50.000 images from amateur and professional photographers from 161 countries worldwide."

"At World's End" by Alessandra Meniconzi (Yamal, Siberia, Russia)

"Flatiron Building In The Snowstorm" by Michele Palazzo (New York, USA)

"The Most Wuthering Heights Ever" by Kristin Linnea Backe (Oslo, Norway)

"Ice Cave" by Markus van Hauten (Winner of a "Remarkable Award.")

"Betel Nut" by M. Yousuf Tushar (Coxbazar, Bangladesh)

"Spring Time" by Marina Malikova (An ice cave)

"Peak" by Petar Sabol (Croatia)

"I'm Here" by Joao Taborda (Lisbon, Portugal)

"Blue Hat Group" by Klaus Lenzen (Winner of a "Remarkable Award")

"Winner" by Amir Hossein Kamali (Winner of a "Remarkable Award")

"Canoe" by Ian MacNicol (Rio Olympics, Brazil)

"Love Fighting" by Pierluigi Rizzato (Winner of a "Remarkable Award")

"Eve-teasing" by Pronob Ghosh (Lalbagh, Bangalore, India)

"Book Temple III" by Hans-Martin Doel (Stuttgart, Germany)

"Athabasca Cave" by Juan Pablo De Miguel (Canada)

"Caramel" by Aristeidis Apostolopoulos (Winner of a "Remarkable Award")

"Breaking The Fast In Congregation" by Noor Ahmed Gelal (Winner of a "Remarkable Award")

"Heavy Load" by Chunshui Yu (Butou, Sichuan)

"Chronicle Of Transition" by Songge Cui (Xinjiang, China)

Photo of the Year: "Sand Hill Cranes" by Randy Olson (Wood River, Nebraska, USA)

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Hugh Jackman Reveals Why He Turned Down Playing James Bond

Before Daniel Craig picked up that Walther PPK and that closet of suits, the James Bond franchise was searching for a new 007 to replace Pierce Brosnan. Hugh Jackman, who at the time had just begun playing Wolverine in 2000's X-Men, was among the actors being considered for the role. But he ended up turning down one of the most coveted parts in Hollywood.

“I was about to do X-Men 2 and a call came from my agent asking if I’d be interested in Bond,” Jackman revealed in a new interview with Variety. “I just felt at the time that the scripts had become so unbelievable and crazy, and I felt like they needed to become grittier and real.”

But the problem wasn't just the scripts at the time—which even Brosnan admitted were ridiculous with that invisible car—Jackman also wanted to have time to do other projects.

"I was also worried that between Bond and X-Men, I’d never have time to do different things.” he said. “I always tried to do different things. But there was a time between X-Men 3 and the first Wolverine movie when I could see the roles getting smaller. People wanted me to play that kind of hero part exclusively. It felt a little bit claustrophobic.”

And he certainly did get a chance to branch out, with films like The Prestige, The Fountain, Les Misérables, and the upcoming The Greatest Showman. Even though the Bond scripts did end up getting grittier, starting with Craig's Casino Royale, Jackman made a smart choice to pursue a filmography that includes diverse performance—although his best film, arguably, remains this year's Logan, his final Wolverine movie.

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THIS $44,000 SCOTCH WHISKY WILL MAKE YOUR CHRISTMAS COMPLETE

Say hello to the Glenfiddich 50 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky – one of the rarest and most precious single malt Scotch whiskies ever matured and bottled in Dufftown, Scotland.

The fine spirit has been ageing away in oak barrels for the better part of half a century before it was drawn from two casks which were married together for an additional three months by Glenfiddich’s malt master.

Even the case is a work of art with wax labelling adorning the hand stitched leather-bound case which has been lined with hand-woven silk and decorated with Scottish silver.

Those with deep enough pockets will be able to experience a whisky which features vibrant and complex floral notes along with a faint hint of smoke.

On the palate it’s initially sweet with hints of zesty orange marmalade and vanilla toffee before tapering off into layers of herbs and smokey florals.

You can claim yours now over at Dan Murphy’s. Merry Christmas ya’ filthy animal.

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California will burn until it rains — and climate change may keep future rains away

Dry weather looms ahead as fires rage across Southern California

Wildfires are spreading unchecked across Southern California, adding more infernos to the state’s worst fire season on record. A warm, dry fall in Southern California and strong offshore winds combined to create dangerous fire conditions that will probably get worse. As the winds continue to blow, a dome of warm, high-pressure air is forming over the West Coast that could keep California dry and flammable for weeks to come.

The largest fire burning in Southern California started in the foothills of Ventura County on Monday evening. Called the “Thomas fire,” it spread overnight to burn more than 65,000 acres, jumped the 101 freeway, and was stopped only by the Pacific Ocean, the LA Times reports. Four more fires are raging from San Bernardino to Santa Clarita.

Hot, dry winds blowing up to 70 miles per hour across Southern California are fanning the flames, but those aren’t unusual for December, says Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at the University of California Los Angeles and writer of the Weather West blog. Called the Santa Ana winds, these southern counterparts to Northern California’s Diablo winds tend to kick up during the fall and continue through the winter.

But something unusual is happening: Southern California’s warm winter dry spell, Swain says. “By this time of year, usually, there’s been some rain that’s wetted things down,” he says in a telephone interview, speaking over the Santa Ana winds howling in the background. “It’s just as dry as it was in the summer months.”

California gets most of its rain between October and May from storms that roll in from the Pacific, riding a highway of strong winds in the upper atmosphere called the jet stream. By now, LA should have been sprinkled by about two inches of rain, National Weather Service meteorologist John Dumas told the LA Times. But so far it’s only seen about 5 percent of that, amounting to about one-tenth of an inch. Burbank, California, has seen even less, says National Weather Service meteorologist David Sweet. Despite the rain that’s been showering Northern California, the bottom part of the state is abnormally dry; certain areas are even experiencing a moderate drought. “We’re quite parched,” Sweet says.

Update: another day, another unbelievably dry forecast for the West Coast. This is a 16-day precipitation accumulation map from GFS model, which suggests that the next 16+ days could be *completely dry* across all of California, Oregon, and Washington!

Storms in the jet stream can get diverted by high-pressure bubbles of warm air. A version of this phenomenon called an "atmospheric ridge" is to blame for Southern California's current dry spell. And even even bigger one has started forming along the entire West Coast of the US that could shunt rainfall into Canada or Alaska, Swain writes. “We were dry before and now the prospects for rain look even less likely because of the size of this thing,” Sweet says.

This is the same atmospheric phenomenon that squatted over the state for three winters in a row during California’s record-setting, five-year drought. “The real question is how long it persists,” Swains says. During the drought, these ridges lasted for months at a time — but we don’t know what’s in store for this new one. Even worse news: these atmospheric ridges are getting more common — possibly thanks to human-caused global warming, Swain and his colleagues reported in a 2016 study.

And they could become even more frequent in the future as the polar ice melts, new research says. Scientists led by Ivana Cvijanovic at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory modeled how dwindling Arctic sea ice could affect the global climate over the coming decades. They found that as the sea ice melts, the Arctic warms — starting a chain reaction that ultimately helps these atmospheric ridges form over the North Pacific, blocking rain from falling on California. That doesn’t just make drought more common, it’s also possible that it could also make fire seasons last longer.

The findings, described in a new study published Tuesday in the journal Nature Communications, are a hint of what’s to come — but they’re not a prediction of the future, Cvijanovic cautions. Other shifts in air pollution, greenhouse gasses, and even volcanic activity over the coming decades could also change how much rain falls on California. (In fact, another recent study suggests climate change could make California wetter.)

What’s clear for now is that the dry, windy weather forecast for Southern California means that the firefighters struggling to stop the flames have a long battle ahead of them. “The fire season in Southern California stops when you get enough rain that everything gets wet and turns plump and green,” says Bill Stewart, a forestry specialist at UC Berkeley. “That’s the only thing that’s going to change the system down there.”

Incredible amount of smoke being picked up on satellite right now from the wildfires in Southern California. #ThomasFire #RyeFire #CreekFire

 

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MTM HYPERTEC CHRONO 3 WATCH

Tailored for men as a dress watch, sport watch, or functioning perfectly as an everyday go-to carry item, the MTM Hypertec Chrono 3 timepiece is a handsome timepiece that truly stands out. A tactical chronograph, it’s fully customizable to fit your personal look and feel – offering a handful of iterations and colorways based on your preference.

Each Hypertec Chrono 3 watch hosts three sub-dials along with a date window featured on its attractive dial face – measuring time in seconds, minutes, and hours. The watch case here is also a bit larger than the previous Chrono 2 collection – 44mm to be exact – and boasts super luminous hands for excellent readability both day and night. Additionally, high-grade quartz movement keeps things ticking along, 200 meters of water resistance prevents any unwanted damage, and interchangeable watch bands, a case finished in either black DLC, brushed stainless steel, or sandblast gray along with three optional bezel types allows for ultimate customization. $375

 

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AUCTION BLOCK: 1954 JAGUAR D-TYPE WORKS

More of a legend than a collector’s automobile, the Jaguar D-Type OKV 2 was the second iteration from the Coventry factory back in 1954. Immediately handled by Sterling Moss, this ride was able to set a new record speed for him and his co-driver Peter Walker at 172.97 mph during Le Mans in 1954.

Shortly thereafter, the same car was considered the lead car for the Jaguar team – handled by some of the greatest drivers of the time. It was the favored car to win the 24 hours of Le Mans that same year but unfortunately didn’t finish the race due to a fuel issue. Now, that very same car is up for grabs at auction next month, where’s it’s expected to fetch upwards of $15 million. Legendary in every sense of the word, D-Type OVK-2 is one storied midcentury ride.

 

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THE KRANE HOTEL

Overlooking Nordhavn harbor, the Krane Hotel offers an ultra-exclusive stay in Copenhagen. The former coal crane has been converted into a one-room retreat with accommodations for just two guests. As a homage to its industrial past, the interior is lined from floor to ceiling in black-stained Douglas planks. Designer Danish furnishings in the signature color complete the minimalist palette, allowing the scenery to shine through the surrounding windows. Below, a gray-stone spa sits in front of floor-to-ceiling glazing, affording expansive views of the city and sea from the sauna and soaking tubs. Amenities include a concierge, airport pickup, and your own BMW to explore the capital.

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PEUGEOT SEA DRIVE CONCEPT

Developed in collaboration with shipbuilders Beneteau, the Peugeot Sea Drive Concept is as close as you can come to a car for the water. The Peugeot Design Lab collaboration borrows its i-Cockpit design from the company's SUVs, including the compact steering wheel, 17-inch touchscreen display, and Nappa leather upholstery. Beneteau's Ship Control technology makes commanding the vessel as easy as a car, with intelligent, touch-based control of the lighting, climate control, navigation, audio, and engine.

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X-Men: Dark Phoenix Photos Promise Death And Destruction, Plus Our First Look At Jessica Chastain

We got our first details earlier today on Fox's upcoming X-Men: Dark Phoenix film. We know Xavier's students will make it into space and inadvertently unleash the Phoenix sleeping within Jean, but newly released photos reveal just how dark and devastating the film will be for the X-Men.

In a new set of photos and interviews from Entertainment Weekly, the Dark Phoenix cast and crew detail how, after the initial event that awakens the Phoenix, the X-Men are forced to reckon with a Jean they don't entirely understand. According to Sophie Turner, this incarnation will struggle with the duality of her newfound nature as the Phoenix repeatedly takes control and turns her into a "confident, arrogant, judgmental" version of herself. There will be moments where Jean recaptures her humanity, but she'll always be on the precipice of a mental breakdown, setting the stage for the Phoenix to manifest again.

Though much of what plagues Jean will come from within, she'll also be tormented by Jessica Chastain's currently unnamed character, an "otherworldly shapeshifter" who deftly manipulates Jean and the Phoenix for her own nefarious goals. While Fox hasn't stated who Chastain's character is, one of the more popular theories bouncing around is that she'll be portraying a version of Lilandra of the Shi'ar, a race of aliens who have a long history with the Phoenix in Marvel's comics.

In Marvel's Ultimate X-Men, Lilandra was reimagined as the member of a Phoenix worshipping cult seeking to reawaken the entity within Jean. Dark Phoenix may very well borrow from Lilandra's various comics appearances to shape her role within the film.

This wouldn't be a proper Phoenix movie if someone didn't die and X-Men: Dark Phoenix knows it. At some point in the film, one of the X-Men is going to bite the dust, but it's unclear who. EW's photos also show Xavier, Storm, Scott, and Nightcrawler coming together for someone's funeral, and there are enough X-Men in the mix that it could be any number of different characters who end up six feet under.

Mystique, Beast, Quicksilver, and Magneto could meet their end at the hands of the Dark Phoenix, or perhaps Jean herself is going to die. More details about the film are sure to surface as we near its premiere next November - but in the meantime, you should check out the rest of Entertainment Weekly's photos and think to yourself, "Will we get to see everybody in their iconic 90s costumes?"

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LES AVIATEURS BAR

Housed next to its flagship boutique on Rue du Rhône in Geneva, Les Aviateurs Bar pays homage to IWC Schaffhausen's classic Pilot's watches. The space was designed in collaboration with gastronomy partner Globus, the latter responsible for drinks like the "R. J. Mitchell", named after the designer of the Supermarine Spitfire, or the "Rose", inspired by the motif from Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's story "The Little Prince". The bar itself recalls a gentlemen's club from the golden age of travel, with dark woods and leather providing a comfortable atmosphere in which to enjoy a cocktail or two.

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ZELOS ABYSS 2 WATCH

With the ability to descend down to 3,000 meters, the Zelos Abyss 2 Watch will accompany you the deepest depths of the sea. A double domed sapphire crystal and chunky 43mm marine bronze case create the water-resistant shell that allows it to withstand the pressures of extreme dives. Over time, its shiny facade will patina, giving the piece its own distinct character. Pair that with the unique pattern of its four-billion-year-old meteorite dial, and each watch is truly a one-of-a-kind.$600

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GOOSE ISLAND NOEL BEER

As we celebrate the holidays and look forward to another year, Goose Island has released Noel. The beer is inspired by the Belgian tradition where a holiday Noel beer is brewed to thank loyal customers. The Goose thank you is an un-spiced Belgian-style Dark Ale bottled at 9.5%, and is a limited seasonal release that is unlikely to last past the start of the new year.

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Krypton TV Series Unveils New Teaser

Despite the prominent mention of the name Kal-El, and the repeated use of the House of El crest (you know, Superman's "S") it looks like Krypton is going to forge more of its own path than other notable TV prequels like Gotham or Smallville.

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Metro Exodus Release Date, Trailer, & Everything Else We Know

4A Games returns with Metro Exodus! Much like the previous Metro games, this one appears to contain a mix of subterranean and overworld exploration gameplay spiced up a bit by the inclusion of challenging combat. As for the timeline, this appears to be a sequel to the previous titles, but that is largely based on the degenerative nature of the universe rather than any specific plot points. 

Otherwise, this title appears to share many of the gameplay and environmental aspects that make the Metro franchise so unique. If anything, there may be a slightly stronger emphasis on creature combat over human encounters (if the footage shown is any indication, at least) but we'll wait until more of the game is revealed before making too many assumptions. 

And here's the reveal trailer for Metro Exodus: 

 

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Mark Hamill Plays A Desperate Luke Skywalker On The Late Show With Stephen Colbert

Besides the existence of the film itself, the best part about Star Wars: The Last Jedi is that it gives Mark Hamill an excuse to do a tour of late-night promotional appearances. Despite not being able to talk about the movie, Hamill is a consistent delight. His mixture of impressions, anecdotes, and genuine passion for life and art is incredibly compelling.

See, for instance, his appearance last night on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, where he completely enlivens an otherwise throwaway idea just be showing up. Colbert's skit here isn't his best idea; it's Luke trying to hide from Stormtroopers in the Mos Eisley Cantina and an obnoxious bouncer (and kind of upsetting queer stereotype?) played by Colbert refuses him entry.

On the whole, it's a mixture of cliches and mediocre Star Wars references. Colbert clearly likes Star Wars, but he's not an expert the way he demonstrably is whenever The Lord of the Rings rolls into town.

And yet Hamill makes it work for him. Simply by giving this performance 120 per cent and putting all his charisma toward it, he manages to elevate the sketch into a pretty entertaining watch.

Hamill is a magnetic presence, and if this is what he can do with mediocre material, I'm so, so excited to see what he's going to do with good material this week!

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The End Is Coming In The Trailer For Maze Runner: The Death Cure

Almost two years have passed since actor Dylan O'Brien was hurt on the set of Wes Ball's final film in the Maze Runner series, The Death Cure. The injury delayed the sci-fi adaptation a year, but now, it's almost here and there's a brand new trailer to boot.

The Maze Runner films are based on the books of James Dashner, which start with telling the story of how and why a group of kids are put together in a massive maze. Eventually they get out and realise they're at the center of a global crisis. That story is coming to an end with the final film in the trilogy, The Death Cure.

The most recent Maze Runner film, The Scorch Trials, was out way back in September 2015, but the wait still feels much longer than it actually was. That means, if you're like me, you may have forgotten that Teresa (Kaya Scodelario) betrayed the group she was originally trapped in the Maze with back in the original film. But Thomas (O'Brien) and his friends seem to have mostly recovered and are going to finally get to the heart of this crazy mystery involving mazes and diseases and other post-apocalyptic madness.

The Maze Runner series is underrated when it comes to mystery and sci-fi action movies. I've enjoyed both of the original films and hope this one brings together the trilogy in an appropriately satisfying way.

Maze Runner: The Death Cure opens January 18.

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Patrick Stewart Says He's Willing To Play Picard Again For That Tarantino Star Trek Project

The man who led Star Trek into The Next Generation stopped beaming up to the Enterprise a while ago. But Patrick Stewart says he'd be willing to come back just to work with Quentin Tarantino.

Over at The Hollywood Reporter, Stewart enthused over the idea of the Jackie Brown director jumping into the Star Trek universe:

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"... one of my dreams is to work with Tarantino. I admire his work so much, and to be in a Tarantino film would give me so much satisfaction. So, if he is going to direct something to do with Star Trek and there was the possibility of dear old Jean-Luc showing up again and doing that for Mr Tarantino, I would embrace it."

Mind you, in an interview with Variety earlier this week, Stewart said he probably wouldn't be Picard again:

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"Oh, lord. I cannot think of another instance in which that might happen. My feeling is I hung up the space suit and left all that behind a long time ago. Maybe if someone came up with a brilliant idea, I'd do it. One thing that might interest me would be to bring all the existing casts of "Star Trek" from the last 50 years together for one big story."

I guess he found his instance.

We must admit, it would be interesting to see what interpretation of Picard a director like Tarantino would come up with, and how Stewart would play it. Would he be more sinister and conniving, or aghast at the faster, looser, rougher world that Tarantino could bring to Trek? Right now, it's all academic but it's nice to know that Picard might come back for one last ride.

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The First Trailer For Alita Battle Angel Is Filled With Cyborg Action And Giant Eyes

For years, James Cameron has been struggling to bring Alita: Battle Angel to life. And today, the first trailer for the manga-turned-big-budget adventure is finally here.

And it looks just like the manga come to life, right down to the creepy, giant eyes.

Directed by Robert Rodriguez, Alita: Battle Angel starts Rosa Salazar at Alita, a cyborg found in a junkyard by a scientist played by Christoph Waltz. Alita isn't mere junk, though, she's a trained assassin of the highest degree, and she'll have to battle to find out where she came from and what her purpose is. Here's the trailer.

I can already smell the hot takes coming about Alita's look. It's very unsettling, to say the least. especially when she's up against human characters. But, I think, once the action starts ramping up and we get all these other crazy cyborgs, it's a more understandable balance of robot and human. Or at least I hope. This is only 90 seconds seven months from release.

Co-starring Jennifer Connelly, Mahershala Ali, Jackie Earle Haley and Michelle Rodriguez, and produced by Cameron, Alita opens 19 July 2018.

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Zombie Reboot Day Of The Dead

The horror world lost its zombie godfather earlier this year when George A. Romero left this mortal coil. But his influence continues to be felt every time the undead roam in search of tasty brains -- which they will certainly do in Day of the Dead: Bloodline, a "reimagining" of Romero's classic 1985 film, which just dropped its red-band trailer.

Romero fans, of course, will recall that the original Day of the Dead is set in a military base populated by weary survivors - civilians, soldiers, and a scientist whose star subject, Bub, is a zombie whose mushy brain has retained a startling amount of human characteristics. This new version, directed by Hèctor Hernández Vicens, has a similar setting as well as a weirdly smart dead guy, and what looks to be appropriately gushing geysers of gore (say that three times fast!). But it's hard to tell from this "edgy," abrasively-edited preview if Bloodline is entertaining or innovative enough on its own to justify remaking Romero's cult-beloved classic -- much less bring yet another zombie movie into the world.

We'll be able to say for sure once Day of the Dead: Bloodline is in theatres, on VOD, and on Digital HD starting January 5.

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New 'Ready Player One' trailer reveals more of the real-world story

At an event today in Austin, Ernest Cline and the crew of the Ready Player One debuted the film's second trailer.

Ready Player One, based on Ernest Cline's novel, is the story of teen hero and walking-'80s-pop-culture-encyclopedia Wade Watts. (What can we say? Ernest Cline believes in writing what you know.) The story follows Watts on a journey through a moody dystopia and the virtual world of OASIS, hunting for - what else? - easter eggs.

In the film, which is being directed by Steven Spielberg, Tye Sheridan plays Watts, while Olivia Cooke plays Art3mis and Ben Mendelsohn plays Nolan Sorrento, the story's villain.

Discussing the film, Ernest Cline said, in a Q&A after the trailer, "One of the themes that comes through in the book that I also comes through in the movie is striking a balance between escapism and the real world...Striking a balance between tending to the real world and the needs of the real world but also art and escapism as an essential part of life, and something that we all desperately need to maintain our sanity in dark times." 

He also mentioned that he's writing a sequel to Ready Player One, saying, "There's no better inspiration for a writer to return to a world that they have worked on than Steven Spielberg bringing that world to life."

Watch the trailer below, and if any exciting info comes out of the event in Austin today, we'll update with it here. Ready Player One releases in theatres March 30, 2018.

MIKA: Below, the original Trailer

 

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Here’s Your First Look at the New Season of ‘The X-Files’

The X-Files is the rule-proving exception to nostalgia fatigue. Networks and studios turn out remakes and sequels and requels and semakes, all to diminishing critical returns, but The X-Files is one show that it feels impossible to get enough of. So here we are, about to embark on an 11th season of the sci-fi classic, 25 years after its initial debut.

Judging by the teaser, Mulder and Sully continue to keep on keeping on. Scully’s hair is red again, which is oddly reassuring, and the pair seem to be on the hunt for the son they gave up for adoption for his own protection way back in season eight. Does any of it appear to be strictly necessary? No. Will we be watching? Of course.

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STEP INSIDE GERARD BUTLER’S EPIC BOHEMIAN OLD-WORLD LOFT

We’ve seen Gerard Butler as a Spartan king, an Egyptian god, a fleet-footed gangster, and a disfigured musical genius, but after seeing the New York City loft he just put on the market, we suspect he’d also make a perfect vampire.

Located in the trendy Chelsea neighbourhood, the 3,150 square foot duplex looks straight out of a goth teen’s dreams. Minimalism be damned – Butler cares not for your cosy Scandinavian interiors or starkly modern spaces. He’s all about drama with a capital D, or as he once described it to Architectural Digest, “bohemian old-world rustic…with a taste of baroque.”

The two bedroom, two bathroom loft makes its home in a converted manufacturing warehouse given new life by famed architect Alexander Gorlin. Production designer Elvis Restaino stepped in to craft the loft’s aesthetic, devoting years to honing a highly-customised “modern vintage” motif that combines old architectural features with modern movie-type construction.

The apartment’s numerous unique features include 13-foot mahogany doors, columns sporting limestone lions, crystal chandeliers, plaster walls “chipped and mottled with age,” and a ceiling fresco depicting the rape of Ganymede. Butler calls the style “something elegant and gorgeous and at the same time rather masculine and raw.”

The loft’s (slightly) more normal features include an office, a laundry room, and a “templelike” home cinema outfitted with a pair of Indian columns, a wooden piece from a cathedral in the Bronx, and a stone lion’s head from an old library. Other highlights include a sweeping outdoor terrace and an immense wood-and-iron dining table that looks straight from a medieval castle.

Could anyone but a movie star pull off a space so OTT? Butler will soon find out. The apartment is listed for $5.995 million and looking for a buyer with a serious flair for the dramatic.

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GLENFIDDICH WINTER STORM

The freezing vineyards near Niagara, Canada was the inspiration for Glenfiddich's latest experimental release. Icewine casks were used to finish this whisky, secured to find a balance between the classic crispness of a Speyside malt and the sweetness Icewine imparts. A 21-year-old whisky was the best candidate for the experiment due to the extra tannins from decades in oak to help it stand up to the intense sweetness of Icewine.