News

Newcastle was once one of Apex Legends‘ least-used characters but in Season 23, he joins the list of one of the most broken characters the game has ever seen. This underused legend got a buff in Season 23 which addressed a lot of his issues.

Support characters have taken over Season 23. | Image Credit: Respawn Entertainment

But this wasn’t all because the Support class itself got a buff, and now it’s the Season of Support. Now people are running double or triple support teams and wreaking havoc, and Respawn is stepping in. Let’s look at how Newcastle went from barely being used to causing big changes in professional Apex play.

The Apex Legends Has Seen a Hard Shift in Season 23 Newcastle has become absolutely busted and a must-pick. | Image Credit: Respawn Entertainment

Season 23 has been a game-changer for support characters and Newcastle has been the biggest winner alongside the newly reworked Lifeline.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Usace), Jacksonville District Commander Col. Brandon Bowman, and his Crisis Action Team take the Plant City exit to put eyes on the unprecedented flooding caused by Hurricane Milton in October 2024.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Friday said it will expand the availability of its low-cost phone and Internet service program to those receiving federal assistance in connection with Hurricane Milton and future severe weather events.

The expansion comes in the form of a waiver that will see the FCC drop certain income-based requirements for Hurricane Milton victims who are receiving federal disaster relief assistance.

The waiver means those who receive federal assistance in connection with Hurricane Milton and similar future storms will be eligible to receive Lifeline benefits, which provides a nearly $10 per month discount on eligible broadband Internet service or a $5.25 discount on Lifeline-supported voice services. Discounts are also available for bundled offerings...

Rome’s Mia Market has seen a 20% increase in submissions for its Co-Production Market and Pitching Forum, with 60 of the 600 received selected to be presented.

The number of submissions rose from 80 to 90, with a 12.5% increase in the number of countries of origin. Genres span drama, docs, film and animation

The popular Drama Co-Production Market and Pitching Forum has seen submissions up 6%, with 14 series projects from 12 nations presenting.

Among the drama projects are Italian productions A Family Reunion (Riuione di Famiglia), a family thriller produced by Rosario Rinaldo for Cross Productions and written by Donatella Diamanti, Mauro Casiraghi, Simona Coppini, Alessandra Martellini, Marzio Paoltroni and Nicola Ravera Rafele; and Uglycomics (Fumettibrutti), which is based on the graphic novel trilogy by Josephine Yole Signorelli, produced by Riccardo Russo for Bim Produzione and written by Teresa Ciabatti, Laura Luchetti and Michele Pellegrini.

International co-productions Palmyra is a French-Lebanese story about three heiresses of...

There were a ton of awards handed out at the VMAs this year, but not many of them were actually presented on television.

Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, and Chappell Roan were among the big winners of the night at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards on Wednesday (September 11) at the Ubs Arena in Elmont, New York.

At the end of the show, the full list of winners was made available and we can reveal all the award winners you didn’t see on TV.

Taylor was the most-nominated artist of the year with 12 nominations, including nine noms for her “Fortnight” video.

Make sure to take a look at photos of every single celeb who walked the red carpet at the show.

Head inside to check out the winners list…

Keep scrolling to check out the full list of winners…

Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award

Katy Perry – Winner

Video Of The Year...

Believe it or not, the 2024 VMAs have officially arrived. On Wednesday, the biggest names in music gathered for the MTV Video Music Awards to see who would take home the night’s top prizes.

Taylor Swift led the pack of nominees with 12 nods, almost all of which were for the visual for her Tortured Poets Department single with Post Malone, “Fortnight.” The clip is up for the night’s big prize, Video of the Year, offering Swift the chance to notch a record-extending fifth victory in that category. She’s...

Are we in for another Taylor Swift love fest at the MTV Video Music Awards? A year after she made history with nine wins, including her fourth Video of the Year title for “Anti-Hero,” she racked up another 12 nominations including, yes, Video of the Year again for “Fortnight” featuring Post Malone. As most of the VMAs are fan-voted and Swifties are one of the most dominant fan bases in the world, we’re expecting her to win more often than not in what could be a historic night for the superstar. Scroll down for our official odds in 15 categories, with our projected winners highlighted in gold.

Based on the combined predictions of music fans who have placed their bets here in our predictions center, Swift will win five awards: Video of the Year, Best Collaboration and Best Direction for “Fortnight,” plus Artist of the Year and Best Pop. That doesn...

The 2024 MTV Video Music Awards are airing live tonight at 8 p.m. Et from the Ubs Arena in New York.

Megan Thee Stallion is set to host the event, marking her first-ever awards show hosting gig. Katy Perry will receive the Video Vanguard Award and perform a career retrospective medley.

There will also be a ton of performers throughout the evening!

See the full list of presenters, pre-show hosts and extended play stage performers!

Find out who is nominated this year…

Keep reading to see all of the nominees…

2024 MTV Vmas Nominees

Video Of The Year

Ariana Grande – “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)”

Billie Eilish – “Lunch”

Doja Cat – “Paint The Town Red”

Eminem – “Houdini”

Sza – “Snooze”

Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone – “Fortnight”

Artist Of The Year

Ariana Grande

Bad Bunny

Eminem

Sabrina Carpenter

Sza

Taylor Swift

Song Of The Year

Beyoncé – “Texas Hold ‘Em”

Jack Harlow...

Taylor Swift has the chance to add a whole lot more Moonmen to her collection after picking up the most nominations for the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards.

Swift led the pack with 10 nods, almost all of which were for the visual for her Tortured Poets Department single with Post Malone, “Fortnight.” The clip is up for the night’s big prize, Video of the Year, offering Swift the chance to notch a record-extending fifth victory in that category. She’s also up for Artist of the Year, while the “Fortnight...

Things got physical when Jimmy Kimmel’s Cousin Sal Iacono and comedian Jeff Ross played Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? with big money on the line.

The duo appeared in Wednesday’s episode of the game show, which also featured a team of Sophia Bush and Alex Edelman.

Celebrity pairs are playing for charity during the latest season of the game show, with the chance to win as much as $1 million.

Hilarity ensues with many contestants as they decide between themselves and their Lifeline options over the correct answers.

Sal and Jeff moved along with ease through their first several questions, but one particular question left them stumped.

It nearly led to Jeff ending the game for them, which irritated Sal, causing a physical moment.

Cousin Sal pushed Jeff Ross off his chair for giving an incorrect answer

Jeff Ross and Sal quickly moved up the board through the first five questions,...

The ambitious Begoña Montes is locked in a toxic marriage to a magnate in the thrilling telenovela period drama “Dreams of Freedom” (“Sueños de Libertad”), produced for Antena 3 by Banijay’s Diagonal TV alongside Atresmedia – who produced groundbreaking shows “Money Heist” and “Velvet.”

“Our relationship with Diagonal is, and will continue to be, very good. We worked with them hand-in-hand on many productions, including ‘Amar es para siempre’, the predecessor of ‘Dreams of Freedom,’” Atresmedia fiction director, Montse García, told Variety.

The biggest fiction premiere on free-to-air Spanish television in the past two years, racking up a 14.1% market share and 2.0 million viewers on its linear Feb. 25 bow, the daily series opens with a tense chase through lush forests.

Begoña (Natalia Sánchez), with daughter Julia (Amanda Cárdenas) in tow, runs feverishly through the brush and soil to escape her betrothed, Jesús de la Reina (Alain Hernández), meeting his brother Andrés...

Hey, "The Neighborhood" fans. Unfortunately, we have some awful news to throw at you in this article. Yep, it turns out that for some unknown reason, CBS is not airing the next, new episode 7 of The Neighborhood's current season 7 tonight, April 8, 2024. That's right, guys. They're making you wait an extra week to see it. According to CBS' official episode 7 press release, CBS doesn't plan to air the new episode 7 until next Monday night, April 15, 2024. During that time, it will show up in its usual, 7 pm central standard time slot. So, certainly be on the lookout for the new episode 7 next week. In the meantime, we did take a look at what CBS is going to air instead of a new episode of The Neighborhood tonight. According to the TV guide listings, CBS is serving up a repeat episode of its hit drama NCIS. It will be the 3rd episode of its current season 21 titled,...

In her feature film debut, “As Neves,” writer-director Sonia Méndez follows a group of teenagers in a Galician village struggling with the disappearance of a friend following a drug-fueled party and heavy snowfall that has cut off Internet access, complicating the search.

Speaking to Variety, Méndez says she was eager to explore a number of elements in the film, namely the youth of today, which she describes as the most hyper-connected generation, and the often violent transition to adulthood.

“As Neves” screens in competition at the Malaga Film Festival.

Having experienced adolescence in the 1990s and belonging to the last generation caught between the analog and digital worlds, Méndez was fascinated by the “coexistence of both paradigms,” particularly among teenagers who live in such isolated areas as the mountain village of As Neves but are nevertheless always online, “which is very common in Galicia.”

Méndez points out, however, that the...

[Warning: The below contains Major spoilers for NCIS Season 21 Episode 3 “Lifeline.”] Forensic scientist Kasie Hines (Diona Reasonover) got more than she expected on Walk-a-Mile Day when NCIS employees swapped jobs. Working in emergency dispatch, Kasie fielded a call from a mysterious field agent in crisis, later identified as Eric Webb (Chris McKenna). He turned out to be at the center of a case involving the potential detonation of a dirty bomb in Washington, D.C. The NCIS agents brought Kaisie in to help get to the bottom of things, which included taking her to the site of a massacre at a CIA safe house. “Usually, we don’t see Kaisie going to the crime scene. Her being on the ground floor of this case shook her in a way that was so exciting for me to get a chance to play,” Reasonover tells us in the newest episode of Case Closed, TV Insider’s NCIS aftershow. “Having...

NCIS fans, we’ve got a fresh off the press preview for the new Season 21 Episode 3 episode titled Lifeline!

Find out everything you need to know about the Lifeline episode of NCIS, including a full preview, videos, release date, cast information and how to watch!

NCIS Lifeline Season 21 Episode 3 Preview

Get ready for an intense and gripping episode of “NCIS” titled “Lifeline,” airing on CBS at 9:00 Pm on February 26, 2024. In this installment, the NCIS team embarks on a unique endeavor as they participate in Walk-a-Mile day, aiming to gain fresh perspectives on different departments within the organization.

However, what starts as a routine activity takes an unexpected turn when Kasie, portrayed by Diona Reasonover, receives a distress call from a mysterious man. As the team races to unravel the mystery behind the call, they find themselves thrust into a high-stakes situation that tests their skills and resourcefulness like never before.

Hey, "NCIS" fans. It's that time of the week again. The CBS folks are going to unleash the next, new episode 2 of NCIS' current season 21 on you guys tonight, February 19, 2024, and we've got some new spoiler information for it to run by you guys. We were able to track down an official teaser description for one of episode 2's main storylines straight from CBS via their official episode 2 press release synopsis. So, we're going to see what it has to reveal in this spoiler session. Let's get to it. Right out of the gate, we've got an official title for this new episode 2 of NCIS season 21. The writers decided to call this one, "Lifeline." It sounds like episode 2 will feature some very interesting, intense, dramatic, action-filled and suspenseful scenes.

Gear up for an intriguing episode of “NCIS” on CBS, airing at 9:00 Pm on Monday, February 26th, 2024. In this captivating installment titled “Lifeline,” the NCIS team embarks on Walk-a-Mile day, aiming to gain fresh perspectives on various departments within the agency.

However, the routine exercise takes an unexpected turn when Kasie, the team’s forensic scientist, receives a distress call from a mysterious individual. As the team springs into action to investigate the source of the call, they find themselves entangled in a complex web of intrigue and danger.

With tensions running high and the clock ticking, the NCIS agents must rely on their expertise and teamwork to unravel the mystery and ensure the safety of those in distress. From thrilling action sequences to gripping plot twists, “Lifeline” promises to keep viewers on the edge of their seats until the very end.

Don’t miss this pulse-pounding episode of...

Alicia Keys has shared a new music video for “Lifeline,” her contribution to The Color Purple (Music From and Inspired By) soundtrack album.

“Lifeline” is quintessential Keys, an infectious offering of upbeat, heartfelt, piano-driven pop R&b (Keys co-produced the song with Tricky Stewart, Marshmello, and Tms). The video, directed by Diane Martel, pairs an array of clips from the upcoming movie with footage of Keys performing the song on a soundstage in a variety of costumes and settings.

“I can be your lifeline,” Keys sings on the hook, “Stay...

Train commuters got the surprise of their life on Monday when they discovered Alicia Keys performing a surprise set at St. Pancras International Station in London. The Grammy winner sat down at the black Yamaha piano, donated by Sir Elton John in 2016, on Monday morning after performing at Capital’s Jingle Ball in London on Sunday night.

The native New Yorker played her 2009 hit, “Empire State of Mind,” with the crowd erupting in cheers as she changed the lyrics from “now you’re in New York,” to “now you’re in London.

Alicia Keys and Ciara had a special moment on the carpet at the premiere of The Color Purple!

The 42-year-old “Fallin’” singer is featured on the soundtrack of the new version of the story, while the 38-year-old “Level Up” singer portrays the adult Nettie in the film. Halle Bailey plays Young Nettie.

Alicia and Ciara met up on the carpet and the “Girl On Fire” singer helped surprise Ciara‘s young daughter Sienna!

Find out more inside…

Ciara, who is pregnant with her fourth child, shared on her Instagram story that they FaceTimed her six-year-old.

“Alicia calling Sienna with me. SiSi is obsessed! You’re the sweetest Love you @aliciakeys,” she wrote in a captioned on the story post. So cute!

Alicia and Ciara were among 50+ celebs who attended the premiere for The Color Purple. Check out who else was in attendance…

Alicia‘s song “Lifeline” from the soundtrack is out now.

Today, beloved Washington, DC, hardcore punk band Scream has shared DC Special via Dischord Records. Stream the album via Apple Music and Spotify below.

DC Special is Scream’s first full-length album since 1993, and their first release since 2011. The album sees Scream’s original members Pete Stahl, Franz Stahl, Skeeter Thompson, and Kent Stax team up once more for a 12-track LP. The album also features key names in the hardcore punk scene — including production credits from Ian MacKaye of Minor Threat and Fugazi, and contributions from Nirvana’s Dave Grohl, former Scream drummer.

Scream launched a Kickstarter for the album in 2021, and recorded the album at Inner Ear Studios — an integral studio to the DC hardcore scene. Pick up a physical copy of the album here.

Currently, Scream are in the midst of a North American tour with Soulside. Stream DC Special below, and read on for more information...

The new Apple TV+ series “The Buccaneers” may take place in the 1870s, but the soundtrack is downright modern.

Adapted from Edith Wharton’s unfinished novel, “The Buccaneers” centers on young American women descended from old English society who are making waves in both America and England. Kristine Froseth plays Annabelle “Nan” St. George, the central character who finds herself caught in a love triangle between two very different men — Guy Thwarte (Matthew Broome) and Theo (Guy Remmers) who is a Duke. Marriage is the last thing on Nan’s mind until she meets first Guy, and then Theo.

Other ensemble stars include Alisha Boe as Conchitta Closson, Imogen Waterhouse as Virginia “Jinny” St. George, Josie Totah as Mabel Elmsworth and Aubri Ibrag as Lizzy Elmsworth. The St. Georges face pressure from their mother (Christina Hendricks) to find husbands wealthy enough to take care of them once they marry. This...

Sharon Van Etten shared a new single called “Close to You,” which she co-wrote with Courtney Barnett for the official soundtrack to the upcoming Apple Original drama series The Buccaneers.

Equal parts eerie and alluring, “Close to You” sees Van Etten infuse her classic Americana-inspired rock with a heavy wash of dreamy reverb, cooing lines like: “I got a taste of being with you, don’t wanna waste more time,” “put on your best dress and get out of your head,” and “get away and I’ll stay close to you.”

The song was produced by Warpaint’s Stella Mozgawa, who also produced the entire soundtrack: “It was a truly incredible experience working with this group of uniquely talented artists,” she said in a press release. “Everyone brought their A-game and taught me something invaluable about the creative process. Witnessing these artists map each character’s journey through song was...

DC hardcore legends Scream have announced DC Special, their first new music since 2011 and first full-length since 1993. The record, which features contributions from Ian MacKaye, former drummer Dave Grohl, and more, is out November 10th via the storied Dischord Records. Along with the news, Scream have announced a run of 2023 tour dates, and shared the new song “DC Special Sha La La.” Listen below.

Scream’s original lineup — singer Pete Stahl, guitarist Franz Stahl, bassist Skeeter Thompson, and drummer Kent Stax — recorded DC Special at Washington, DC’s go-to punk studio, Inner Ear, with founder Don Zientara, while Minor Threat/Fugazi frontman Ian MacKaye provided additional production. The band’s first LP since 1993’s Fumble, and first overall release since the 2011 EP Complete Control Recording Sessions, has been a long time coming: In 2021, Scream launched a Kickstarter to fund the project, which ended up being one of the last things...

Exclusive: Fauda and Your Honor firm Yes Studios is heading to Mipcom to launch a thought-provoking factual series going behind the scenes of helpline call centers.

Single-cam doc Lifeline follows the highly trained volunteers at Israel’s Eran Association (Emotional First Aid), who receive calls from people in desperate situations. In some cases, actors (used to preserve anonymity) improvise off notes from selected real cases to bring them to life.

Storylines include that of Aref, a Druze manager at Eran, who receives a call from a fellow Druze sent to murder his sister in the name of his family’s honor, and another featuring Marcella, whose own tragic story is recalled as she talks to an overworked and exhausted medical intern. Another follows branch manager Lydia, who decides to celebrate a holiday evening with a lonely elderly man, while Ziv is forced to weigh up violating anonymity to save a...

This Star Trek: Strange New Worlds article contains spoilers.

Time travel is a joke. Well, in Strange New Worlds season 2, time travel is either a huge deal, like it was in episode 3, when Captain Kirk had a rough time in Toronto with La’an, or in episode 7, in which time travel is mostly silly. In the long-anticipated crossover episode between Lower Decks and Strange New Worlds, crew members from 2381 find themselves in the year 2259. A strange, new time portal accidentally brings under-achieving ensigns Boimler and Marnier to Pike’s Enterprise and the results are undeniably hilarious.

With “Those Old Scientists,” Strange New Worlds enjoys a visit from The Next Generation–era of Lower Decks, and thus, gets a little bit of a retcon by default. Because, in between all the jokes, “Those Old Scientists” manages to stitch up a few aspects of Snw that feel incongruous with the actual canon...

Jaden Hossler is prioritizing his well-being. In a statement to fans, the TikTok star and musician, who performs under the stage name Jxdn, said he is taking time away from the spotlight to seek treatment to address his mental health after the “excruciating lows” of the last year.

Hossler started his note by saying he originally did not want to discuss his issues online but decided to in order to show how “real life is far more humbling” than what he and others present on social media.

“This past year...

M. Ward has announced his new album Supernatural Thing, which is set to release on June 23rd. As a preview, he’s released the record’s title track.

The album is Ward’s first in three years and features contributions from Neko Case, First Aid Kit, Jim James, Kelly Pratt, Shovels & Rope, and Scott McMicken. It also includes two covers — one of David Bowie’s “I Can’t Give Everything Away” from his final album Blackstar, and a live recording of Daniel Johnston’s “Story of an Artist.”

“Supernatural Thing” as a single is an acoustic guitar-driven ditty with a jovial atmosphere, based on a message that came to Ward in a dream by none other than Elvis — “You can go anywhere you please.”

“Well, all my songs depend on dream imagery to some extent,” Ward said in a press release. “This was an actual dream I had about Elvis...

Iris DeMent doesn’t want to get adjusted to this world. She’s been telling us as much for 30 years. The 62-year-old singer-songwriter has spent her life in song, striving toward a sacred sense of purpose in a modern world intent on the exact opposite. From the opening notes of her first album, 1992’s Infamous Angel, when she proclaimed that she believed in love and lived her life accordingly, to her 1994 cover of Merle Haggard’s “Big City” (“entirely too much work and never enough play”) to 1996’s “Wasteland of the Free,...

Paris-based Haut et Court has closed French distribution rights with sales agent Film Factory Entertainment on Victor Erice’s ”Close Your Eyes” (“Cerrar los ojos”), the legendary Spanish director’s return to feature film direction 30 years after Cannes Jury Prize winner “Dream of Light” and a half century on from his milestone debut, “The Spirit of the Beehive.”

“Beehive” is regarded by many critics as one of the greatest Spanish films ever made. “Light” was chosen by the world’s cinematheques as the best film of the 1990s. “Close Your Eyes” reunites Erice with Ana Torrent, a wide-eyed mite in “Beehive.”

One of the most awaited Spanish films of 2023, it will be released in Spain by Avalon Films, the producer-distributor of “Alcarràs.”

“Close Your Eyes” turns on a famed actor who disappears while making a film. Many years later, a TV program airs the final scenes he shot, the beginning...

“American Song Contest” continued its premiere season with Episode 5 on Monday, April 18. Kelly Clarkson and Snoop Dogg host the NBC reality TV competition that showcased 11 more qualifiers hoping to reach the semi-finals. So which state or region outshined the rest? Below, read our rankings for Season 1 Episode 5 from worst to best.

See Everything to know about ‘American Song Contest’

Representatives from each of the 50 states, five US territories and the District of Columbia will take part in this round-robin tournament to find the best original song in America.

Each locale will be showcased with an original song that will be performed by a home-grown talent, be it a solo singer, duet or band. There will be three rounds: the first five weeks will be qualifiers followed by two semi-finals and the final. Voting will be by both fans and “a jury of music industry professional.”

See ‘American Song Contest’ episode...

“American Song Contest” is live once again on April 18 with episode 5. This round-robin tournament features representatives from each of the 50 states, five US territories and the District of Columbia, all of whom are hoping to be the ones that perform the best original song in America.

Kelly Clarkson and Snoop Dogg host this reality series modelled on the Eurovision Song Contest. They will kick off this fifth qualifier with the big reveal of which three contenders from Week 4 have earned enough votes from viewers and jurists to make it through to the semi-final. They will join Washington’s Allen Stone, a 2014 Grammy nominee who won over the jury with his new, lilting alt-rock song “A Bit Of Both.”

Singing for their places in the semi-final on week 5 are:

American Samoa’s Tenelle singing “Full Circle”

California’s Sweet Taboo singing “Keys to the Kingdom”

Guam’s Jason J. singing “Midnight...

NBC has announced the identities of the remaining 11 participants who will take the stage during the fifth episode of “American Song Contest.” Sisqo, a four-time Grammy nominee, and Justin Jesso, a Latin Grammy contender, are just two of the acts on deck for the Monday, April 18 episode, which airs live from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. The four contestants from this group who receive enough votes from the national jury and the at-home viewers will advance to the all-important Semi-Finals.

Here is your complete “American Song Contest” Week 5 preview:

American Samoa’s Tenelle singing “Full Circle”

California’s Sweet Taboo singing “Keys to the Kingdom”

Guam’s Jason J. singing “Midnight”

Idaho’s Andrew Sheppard singing “Steady Machine”

Illinois’ Justin Jesso singing “Lifeline”

Maryland’s Sisqo singing “It’s Up”

Michigan’s Ada LeAnn singing “Natalie”

Missouri’s Halie singing “Better Things”

New Mexico’s Khalisol singing “Drop”

North Carolina...

Hey, "The Equalizer" fans. We hope you guys enjoyed episode 7 tonight, especially after having to wait nearly a whole month to finally see it. Now that it's in the history books, we are back on here to tell you how the next, new episode 8 of The Equalizer's current, premiere season 1 will play out when it hits their air next Sunday night, May 9, 2021. We were able to get a couple of official teaser descriptions for episode 8 from CBS' episode 8 press release. So, that's what we'll be working with in this spoiler session. Let's get into it. First thing's first. We've got an official title from CBS for this new episode 8. It's called, "Lifeline." It sounds like episode 8 will feature some very interesting, intense, dramatic and action-filled scenes as a conflict journalist is hunted by a hit squad! Aunt Vi gets real suspicious of McCall and more.

Slamdance has awarded its grand prize for screenwriting to writer Joyce Sherrí for her first feature screenplay for coming-of-age drama “Sweet Sixteen.”

The festival announced 13 prizes Thursday during a live-stream ceremony co-presented by Writers Guild of America West and hosted by Slamdance alum Todd Berger across feature film, horror/thriller, TV pilot and short film categories. Slamdance awarded more than $16,000 to winners across all categories.

“Sweet Sixteen” centers on Sweet, a 15-year-old girl who tries to convince her parents to throw her a big sweet 16 birthday party, but money and family problems lead her down a destructive path.

“Black people are not a monolith then neither are our experiences,” said Sherrí. “There is more to us than racial trauma. Sometimes we just want something as simple as a first kiss or a sweet sixteenth birthday party. I wrote ‘Sweet Sixteen’ because I want to share a story that explores a...

The 3/11 catastrophe is a reoccurring topic in recent Japanese cinema. After a slow start, the industry seems to be confident enough to tackle the trauma. It almost took nine years for a big production company to release the premier Fukushima-themed blockbuster, “Fukushima 50” by Setsuro Wakamatsu. In the same year Nobuhiru Suwa, film director and President of the Tokyo Zokei University, presents “Voices in the Wind”. For the first time in 18 years, Suwa returns to his home country to tell a devastating and haunting roadtrip drama about 17-year-old Haru, who lost her parents in the tsunami and travels to the place that once was her home.

Voices in the Wind is screening at Camera Japan

In the northern coast town of Otsuchi, there is a white telephone booth to which over 30.000 people from all over Japan have come to speak to the “loved ones” that were lost in the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.

“MacGyver” star Lucas Till said that he felt “suicidal” during the first season of the CBS reboot because of “unacceptable” verbal abuse from showrunner Peter Lenkov, who was recently fired by the network.

“I’ve never worked this hard in my life, and I am fine with hard work,” Till said in an interview published Monday by Vanity Fair Monday, two weeks after Lenkov — who was also showrunner on “Magnum Pi” and the recently ended “Hawaii Five-0” — was fired by CBS for creating a toxic work environment. “But the way Peter treats people is just unacceptable. I was suicidal that first year on the show, because of the way he made me feel. But the way he’s treated the people around me — that’s just my breaking point.”

Till told Vanity Fair that he had been verbally abused, bullied and body-shamed by Lenkov, adding that Lenkov fostered the show...

Respawn Entertainment may have already shot down any hopes players had of Apex Legends getting more character reworks anytime soon, but that doesn’t it’s avoiding making changes altogether. As part of the battle royale’s upcoming Lost Treasures Collection event, in fact, the developer intends to deploy a huge number of adjustments for problem characters, paying particular attention to those currently considered to be underperforming.

Top of that list are Lifeline, Octane and Crypto. All three have struggled to keep pace with top-tier picks such as Gibraltar, Wraith and Wattson – a growing disparity that could finally be at an end if recently revealed patch notes prove to make as big of an impact on the metagame as promised. Achieving perfect balance is little more than a pipe dream, of course, but the following tweaks are sure to be a move in the right direction. Check them out for yourselves below.

Apex Legends is one of the most popular battle royale games on the market right now, and that’s saying quite a lot considering how many titles are available within the genre. Respawn has invested a lot in ensuring that the game continues to do well, and although they may not always achieve the perfect balance, they’ve consistently tried to adjust the maps, weapons, and characters in ways that keep everyone as happy as possible.

Even so, some characters have become less and less useful as the arrival of new ones has shifted the meta toward far more aggressive and offensive playstyles. One such beloved character, Lifeline, revives fallen teammates rapidly while using a shield to protect them both from incoming fire, heals herself quite a bit faster, and has an air drop that provides her team with some cool loot like purple shields and high-end attachments. And while those abilities are useful,...

Now that Apex Legends fans have had a few weeks to explore most of what Season 5 currently has to offer (there’s always more on the way), attentions have started pivoting towards the overall gameplay experience. As always, the metagame – particularly in reference to how well each Legend is generally performing – has come under scrutiny as of late, with players eagerly putting forward their own ideas for how Respawn can further level the playing field, so to speak.

The most popular suggestion by a country mile, it seems, is for the developer to continue rolling out complete character reworks as it did for Mirage with Fortune’s Favor. While he still lives up to his nickname, the Holographic Trickster now plays remarkably differently following his overhaul, thanks mainly to the replacement and/or improvement of his diversionary abilities.

Having proven to be a success for Mirage, Respawn has been faced...

After launching in February of 2019, Respawn’s Apex Legends has become a massive success both commercially and critically, earning itself a spot among other popular battle royale titles like Fortnite and Pubg. Now in its fifth season, the game has grown into quite a different beast than it was early last year, offering plenty of new weapons, a second map, new game modes, and an ever-growing collection of lovable and fun new characters.

As the roster grows, however, Respawn is being forced to look back at some of the game’s initial launch legends to reconsider whether they’re remaining equally viable alongside arena newcomers. One such character is Lifeline, arguably the most adored from Apex Legends‘ original lineup, who’s seen very little in the way of updates to her kit since launch.

Though Lifeline is still one of the game’s most-played legends, updates over the past few...

Exclusive: Wolé Parks is set as a series regular opposite Emmanuelle Chriqui, Tyler Hoechlin, Elizabeth Tulloch and Erik Valdez in Superman & Lois, the CW’s straight-to-series drama about the iconic DC couple. Parks will play The Stranger in the series from The Flash executive producer Todd Helbing, DC Universe architect Greg Berlanti and Warner Bros. TV.

Written by Helbing, based on the DC characters created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, Superman & Lois revolves around the world’s most famous superhero and comic books’ most famous journalist, played by Hoechlin and Tulloch, as they deal with all the stress, pressures and complexities that come with being working parents in today’s society.

Parks’ The Stranger is a mysterious visitor hellbent on proving to the world that it no longer needs Superman.

Helbing executive produces with Berlanti, Sarah Schechter and Geoff Johns via Berlanti Productions. The drama, which was slated to...

Today marks the release of Season 5 of Apex Legends, and with the update comes a bevy of huge changes to characters, guns, and gameplay mechanics that you’re really going to want to familiarize yourself with before jumping into King’s Canyon again. Let’s take a look at some of the most notable changes you need to know about.

Of course, one of the most important new additions to the game is the newest legend, Loba, who we’ve been learning about via trailers over the past few weeks. This new character will be very focused on loot, with a passive that allows her to view loot through walls and an ultimate that lets her teleport those items to other teammates. She’ll also have the ability to use her Jump Drive bracelet to teleport herself around the battlefield and gain access to all this shiny loot. All in all,...

Those that consider themselves kindred spirits with Apex Legends‘ Octane now have access to a special treat.

As of today, a new edition of the battle royale is available for all platforms and comes packed with a bunch of goodies dedicated entirely to the adrenaline junkie himself. The collection, which is currently only available as a digital download (retail versions are coming in the near future), will set you back a modest $19.99 and includes two special skins not available anywhere else. The Legendary rarity Arachnoid Rush skin swaps Octane’s usual steampunk aesthetic for a high-tech suit to match his mechanical lower limbs.

Fans in the market for some new wardrobe additions to the character’s wardrobe can check out the new look above.

Apex Legends Gallery 1 of 15

Click to skip

More From The Web Click to zoom

As for the other odds and ends included with the aforementioned price tag,...

Before founding his own production company Milkyway Image in 1996, Johnnie To directed a few movies for Shaw Brothers, among them a messy action comedy called “The Mad Monk” (1993). In 1997, To delivers “Lifeline”, a swansong to the Hong Kong studio system and a milestone for his independent career.

The fiery action adventure tells the story of a group of firemen in Hong Kong, their rescue missions and personal dilemmas. The fire station seems to be cursed because bad accidents occur on a daily basis. In the beginning, the new grimly chief Raymond Cheung (Alex Fong) gets in charge and gives everyone a hard time. Even the veteran firefighter Yau-Sui (Lau Ching-Wan) is not spared. He has to moderate between the firefighters and the new boss. Sunny (Ruby Wong) is the only woman in the station and is struggling with her husband, who does not accept her profession. Yau-Sui...

After several years in television and the release of three romantic comedies including “Seven Years Itch” (1987), Johnnie To comes up with his first Action Movie “The Big Heat”. The extremely rare movie, famously known for its DVD release that falls short in terms of synchronization and subtitling, holds the blueprint of many later films of the director.

“The Big Heat” centers around the policemen John, played by Waise Lee also known as the bad guy from “A Better Tomorrow” (1986) and “Bullet in the Head” (1990), who has to solve the murder of his former partner before he can retire. Like many other of To’s heroes John has a disability. Due to a nerve damage, his hand is temporarily paralyzed.

Speaking of Johnnie To, one cannot dismiss the aspect of the auteur. Johnnie To is a prime example of a director that changed the nature of a genre...

Cha In-ha, a young Korean actor who was known for his roles in The Banker and Miss Independent Ji Eun 2, has died. He was 27.

Cha’s talent agency, Fantagio, confirmed the devastating news on Tuesday in a statement obtained by the Korean daily newspaper Hankook Ilbo.

“We’re sincerely hurt that we’re sending this sad news to the people who have given Cha In-ha so much love and supported him until now,” said a spokesperson from the entertainment agency.

The spokesperson urged fans to refrain from speculating about the circumstances around Cha’s death while his family copes with the unimaginable tragedy.

Exclusive: Hobbs & Shaw co-writer/producer Chris Morgan has closed a three-year overall deal with Sony Pictures Television for his Chris Morgan Prods. to develop series aimed at broadcast, cable and streaming.

Under the pact, Cmp is already pitching two series projects to premium/streaming networks: sci-fi drama Half-Life, written by Grant Wheeler & Ben Freiburger, creators of YouTube Red’s sci-fi thriller series Lifeline that was produced by Dwayne Johnson; and twisted dark comedy The Ripleys, penned by Duane Swierczynski, a writer of non-fiction, fiction and comic books.

Additionally, the company has secured the rights to two novels for series development, Lisa Jewell’s The Family Upstairs and Alison Gaylin’s If I Die Tonight – both in the suspense genre.

The Family Upstairs tells the story of three entangled families living in a house with the darkest of secrets. If I Die Tonight is about family ties and dark secrets—and...

Exclusive: Legendary Television has optioned Grass Kings, the Eisner Award-nominated graphic novel series published by Boom! Studios and created by writer Matt Kindt (Mind Mgmt) and artist Tyler Jenkins (Peter Panzerfaust), for series development. Grant Wheeler & Ben Freiburger are attached to adapt the rural mystery story that follows the rise of the Grass Kingdom, an off-the-grid Alaska haven for outsiders that faces dark threats as it grows.

The project was brought into Legendary by VP of Television Eric Brassard. Wheeler and Freiburger will executive produce along with the Boom! Studios tandem of Ross Richie and Stephen Christy. Matt Kindt, Tyler Jenkins, and Averie Huffine are Co-Executive Producers on the project.

Wheeler & Freiburger are the team behind YouTube Red’s Lifeline, the Dwayne Johnson science fiction series Lifeline. Boom! has the Disney/Fox feature film The Empty Man now in post-production and The Woods in development at Ucp/Syfy. Ucp also...

Joseph Baxter Aug 29, 2019

YouTube Premium's Cobra Kai will, for a limited window, be viewable for free, starting with Season 1.

Cobra Kai is kicking through its YouTube Premium paywall, making an experimental transition to free viewing!

The entirety of Cobra Kai’s first season, which arrived back in 2018, is being released for the first time outside the subscription auspices of YouTube Premium, with the caveat of the episodes being presented in ad-supported form. Moreover, along with some other YouTube Premium content, the show’s second season – still relatively fresh from its April 24 premiere – will also be made available in free-but-ad-filled form on September 11. However, as mentioned, this is an experimental transition, and, consequently, the free availability will be limited – at least, for now, anyway.

As YouTube chief business officer Robert Kyncl says of the ad-supported experiment in a statement.

“Today, we are welcoming a global audience to enjoy our award-winning series and specials.

Data-miners have been steadily working through the code of Apex Legends ever since its release earlier this year. So far, they’ve turned up a plethora of new weapons, new game modes, new abilities and, most excitingly, new Legends. The latest big leak of data came via the game’s Iron Crown patch, which revealed hints of 14 new characters and now, we have specific details about one of them, the intriguingly named Immortal, who’ll apparently be the game’s next big healer after Lifeline.

After going through all the files released for the character, YouTuber The Gaming Merchant has put together a comprehensive rundown of how he’ll play. One of the most eye-catching powers is that (appropriately given the name), Immortal can revive himself. At first glance, this power sounds game-breaking – if you can just bring yourself back to life, how could you ever be defeated? Fortunately, it...