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Bill Skarsgård and FKA twigs fall hard as doomed lovers in this remake of “The Crow.” Review.

It doesn’t matter how low your expectations are for Rupert Sanders’ The Crow, because this callous and clumsy remake will still fail to exceed them. But this shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. 

Director Alex Proyas’ 1994 The Crow was a hit at the box office, but its fandom truly exploded in the following years; this was due, in part, to the electrifying performance of its late leading man Brandon Lee, who was fatally injured in the movie’s making. Three sequels followed, boasting stars like Kirsten Dunst, Iggy Pop, and Edward Furlong, but none could recapture the magic of Proyas and Lee’s collaboration. That didn’t stop folks from trying. A relaunch of The Crow has been threatened for over a decade. Now, 30 years after the first adaptation of James O’Barr’s dark and deeply personal comic books arrived on the big screen — with a game-changing soundtrack to match — The Crow returns, like the revenant at its center. But unlike poor Eric Draven, there’s no heart at the center of this grim and gruesome reboot. 

The Crow‘s plot has been changed for the worse and the WTF. 

It‘s Bill Skarsgård and British singer/songwriter FKA twigs star as doomed lovers Eric Draven and Shelly Webster. This time around, however, they won’t be swiftly slaughtered in the first act by a vicious gang led by a nefarious and chicly goth kingpin. Instead, screenwriters Zach Baylin and William Josef Schneider construct a convoluted and yet ambiguous urban hellscape run by Roeg (a smarmy Danny Huston). This villain may look like your average wealthy and powerful white man who treats everyone like pawns in his twisted game, but also, he’s an actual demon, collecting souls to extend his life on Earth. 

This change from the 1994 movie means Eric isn’t just unleashing violence on a Detroit drug ring in the name of love and vengeance. It means he’s looking to save Shelly’s soul from the grips of hell itself. And this time he is not the cackling dark clown, swaggering shirt-off and bare hips out, swinging from broken window frames and relishing the kill. A grim and pretentious opening sequence involving a hurt horse and a mucky rural landscape establishes this Eric as a country boy with vague but damning childhood trauma. Shelly can relate. She’s got a hard history too, which is briefly alluded to when the two of them meet in rehab. 

FKA twigs and Bill Skarsgård can’t save The Crow. 

Where the first film began with the lovers as an established couple on the brink of marriage, this Crow chucks Eric and Shelly into a whirlwind romance that plays as if the screenwriters saw the trailer for American Honey. Once. 

Drug-loving free spirits with wounded souls, they bond over cafeteria trays before escaping rehab to a series of inexplicable montages. The self-proclaimed “degenerates” wander into the swanky apartment of an unknown friend, allowing for a fashion show in designer clothes and lovemaking on silk sheets. Then they tumble into a day out with friends (whose are unclear) — which is odd as Shelly is on the run from Roeg. 

While Proyas’ The Crow established a cast of supporting characters who showed Eric and Shelly as a part of a community, this version takes such associations for granted. Across The Crow, characters aren’t even introduced as much as they shuffle on-screen to provide a plot point, then either disappear or die. Likewise, Shelly and Eric’s lives beyond their days-old romance are illustrated via flimsy quick cuts to flashbacks. These two are less characters and more a Pinterest board for a grungy, romantic aesthetic. Thought they have a certain chemistry, Skarsgård and twigs can’t elevate the cringeworthy dialogue. The love story — which takes up the first 40 minutes of the film — is a tedious trudge to its inevitable tragedy. 

Rupert Sanders’ The Crow is a familiar husk stuffed with grisly, greasy nothing. 

Sanders, the director behind the largely forgotten fantasy-actioner Snow White and the Huntsman and the actively underwhelming live-action remake of The Ghost in the Shell, brings a sickly green/gray palette that recalls DCEU drudgery. Gone is the high-contrast face paint of Lee’s sad clown, replaced with Skarsgård smearing tattoo ink across his eyes and high cheekbones for a look that reads more Jared Leto’s Joker than The Crow. (That’s in no small part to the barrage of trashy tattoos that litter Skarsgård’s pale skin.) 

To Sanders’ credit, this palette does make the hard reds and blacks of blood and bile all the more putrid on-screen. The director seemingly relishes in the movie’s R-rating, creating an ultra-violent spectacle that is at times hard to stomach, much less watch. Eric spends the first two-thirds of the film not only horrified by the violence inflicted on his own body — which is shot, stabbed, and run over — but also mortified to cause violence, gawping in shock when he takes a life with a gunshot through the chest. But he’ll conveniently get over this in time for a finale that is overflowing with nameless goons who are ripped to pieces with a ruthless abandon. 

I consider myself to have a pretty high tolerance for gore and violence on-screen, as I am an avid horror-lover. But frankly, I was aghast at the graphic violence of this Crow. Part of it is that the villains — outside of Roeg — are barely established. There’s little individual flare, much less the evocative nicknames like Tin Tin, Funboy, and Skank, so these malicious minions become a row of blood-gushing dominoes to be knocked down on the way to the big bad. This kind of move might work in a sequel, where you trust in the hero and so follow him into moral gray areas readily. (See John Wick 2 through 4.) But this is not the Eric Draven that Crow fans know and love. He’s an inferior imitation that lacks the haunting charm of Lee. Despite his efforts, Skarsgård’s is more a pose than a protagonist. 

In the end, 2024’s The Crow is only an echo of an echo of the original, sometimes literally repeating the 1994 film’s best lines, but in a new context that makes them more cringe than compelling. Sanders didn’t even manage to create a soundtrack that scratches at the distinctiveness or greatness of the original. Ugly, incoherent, and ultimately cynical, The Crow evokes the words of wisdom from another horror movie about resurrected corpses on a rampage: Sometimes dead is better. 

The Crow opens in theaters Aug. 23. 

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Anime film “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim” tells the story of Rohan’s King Helm Hammerhand and his daughter Héra.

Anime film “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim” tells the story of Rohan’s King Helm Hammerhand and his daughter Héra.

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Jenna Ortega and Catherine O’Hara appeared on “The Tonight Show” and played “True Confessions” with Jimmy Fallon.

Jenna Ortega and Catherine O’Hara appeared on “The Tonight Show” and played “True Confessions” with Jimmy Fallon.

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Seth Meyers ran through the major moments and speeches of the DNC in his “A Closer Look” segment.

Seth Meyers ran through the major moments and speeches of the DNC in his “A Closer Look” segment.

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Watch the Women’s Super League 2023/24 season for free from anywhere in the world.

TL;DR: Live stream the 2024-25 Women’s Super League for free on BBC iPlayer and YouTube. Access BBC iPlayer from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Women’s Super League continues to grow in popularity, and it’s easy to see why. There are so many intense rivalries, star players, and intriguing storylines playing out every week. And you can watch some of the biggest fixtures without spending anything.

If you’re interested in watching the Women’s Super League for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

What is the Women’s Super League?

The Women’s Super League (WSL) is the highest level of women’s football in England. Established in 2010, it is run by the Football Association and features 12 professional teams. Chelsea are the current WSL champions after winning their seventh title last year.

How to watch the Women’s Super League for free

Sky Sports will show up to 44 WSL games this season, but it’s not free. Fortunately, there are free alterrnatives on offer.

BBC Sport has agreed to show 22 live matches for free on BBC iPlayer. And it gets better, because all non-Sky Sports/BBC broadcasted WSL fixtures will be live streamed globally on YouTube.

Anyone from around the world can access WSL fixtures for free on YouTube, but the same can’t be said for the top games featured on BBC iPlayer. This popular service will block your access if you attempt to connect from outside the UK, so if you want to watch the WSL on BBC iPlayer from abroad, you’ll need to use a VPN.

VPNs can hide your digital location and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can access BBC iPlayer from anywhere in the world. The process is actually really simple:

Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK

Visit BBC iPlayer

Watch the WSL on BBC iPlayer for free from anywhere in the world

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer free trials or money-back guarantees. By making the most of these offers, you can unblock BBC iPlayer without committing with your cash. This isn’t a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch multiple WSL fixtures on BBC iPlayer before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer?

ExpressVPN is the best service for unblocking BBC iPlayer. There are decent alternatives like NordVPN and Surfshark, but ExpressVPN leads the way. This high-speed service is the top choice for streaming, for a number of reasons:

Servers in 105 countries including the UK

Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

Fast connection speeds free from throttling

Up to eight simultaneous connections

30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for £82.82 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This heavily discounted plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Watch the Women’s Super League from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

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“The Daily Show” host Jordan Klepper has reacted to the speeches made by Barack and Michelle Obama at the DNC.

“The Daily Show” host Jordan Klepper has reacted to the speeches made by Barack and Michelle Obama at the DNC.

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Answers to each clue for the August 22, 2024 edition of NYT’s The Mini crossword puzzle.

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times‘ revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player’s flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

Here are the clues and answers to NYT’s The Mini for Thursday, August 22, 2024:

Across

Post made about “pommel horse guy” or “brat summer,” say

The answer is Meme.

Late game show host Trebek

The answer is Alex.

Apple product

The answer is Cider.

Food filled with carnitas or carne asada

The answer is Taco.

“Anybody ___?”

The answer is Else.

Down

Apple product

The answer is Mac .

Best of the best

The answer is Elite.

Olympic prize

The answer is Medal.

C-suite figures

The answer is Execs.

Caviar, e.g.

The answer is Roe.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.

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Live stream the NFL for free from anywhere in the world.

TL;DR: Live stream Indianapolis Colts vs. Cincinnati Bengals for free on DAZN. Watch NFL preseason games for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The last week of the NFL begins with the Indianapolis Colts at the Cincinnati Bengals. It’s a game that should see some interesting dynamics. The Colts will play their starters, while the Bengals are likely to rest starters and give game time to rookies and backups, who are vying for a spot in the roster.

The Bengals have lost both preseason fixtures so far, but there have been positives for the team as they shape up for the 2024 season. The Colts have looked solid, with pundits crediting the potential in their offense.

We’re pleased to report that you can watch all the NFL preseason without spending anything. If you want to watch these preseason fixtures for free, wherever you are around the globe, here’s some useful information.

When is Colts vs. Bengals?

Indianapolis Colts vs. Cincinnati Bengals takes place at 8 p.m. ET on Aug. 22. This fixture will be played at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio.

How to watch Colts vs. Bengals for free

To watch the NFL preseason for free, simply register with DAZN.

DAZN is showing the NFL preseason for free — live and on-demand — but games are only accessible to viewers outside the U.S., Canada, and China. However, anyone can access these free live streams by signing up for a VPN. A VPN can help by hiding your real IP address (digital location) and connecting you to secure servers in other countries, which will allow you to sidestep geo-restrictions and access content from streaming sites around the world.

Access free live streams of the NFL preseason by following these simple steps:

Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

Open up the app and connect to a server in a location with free coverage of the NFL preseason

Register with DAZN

Watch the NFL preseason for free from anywhere in the world

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, though top-rated VPN services tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. You can use these deals to access the free streams of the NFL preseason — without having to spend anything. It’s a short-term solution, but the free-trial period will give you enough time to watch all the NFL preseason action before you reclaim any upfront investment.

What is the best VPN for the NFL?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream the NFL, for a number of reasons:

Servers in 105 countries

Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

Fast connection speeds

Up to eight simultaneous connections

30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is available for $99.95 for a limited time. Included in this deal are an extra three months of usage and a year of unlimited cloud backup at no additional cost, plus a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream the NFL preseason for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

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Lionsgate has apologised and pulled a trailer for Francis Ford Coppola’s ‘Megalopolis’ for having fake quotes from real critics.

Lionsgate pulled the new trailer for Megalopolis within hours of its release on Wednesday, after it was found to include fake quotes from real film critics. The company has since apologised to both the critics and director Francis Ford Coppola, saying that it “screwed up.”

Megalopolis‘ latest trailer intended to depict Coppola’s previous work as divisive, opening with a voiceover stating that “true genius is often misunderstood.” The trailer then proceeded to display quotes purportedly from well-known film critics panning past Coppola films which are now highly regarded.

According to Megalopolis‘ trailer, Andrew Sarris allegedly called The Godfather “a sloppy self-indulgent movie” that “doesn’t know what it wants to be,” while Pauline Kael considered it “diminished by its artsiness.” Apocalypse Now was ostensibly labelled “hollow at the core” by Vincent Canby and “an epic piece of trash” by Rex Reed. Roger Ebert seemingly called Bram Stoker’s Dracula “a triumph of style over substance” while Owen Gleiberman considered it “a beautiful mess.”

However, as spotted by Vulture reporter Bilge Ebiri, almost all of the quotes in the trailer are demonstrably false. These critics did not write about Coppola’s films using the words Megalopolis‘ trailer falsely attributed to them, and some didn’t even hold the same opinions the trailer presented them as having. For example, while Kael gave The Godfather a positive review, her fake quote in the Megalopolis trailer incorrectly indicated that she derided it.

Tweet may have been deleted

Within hours of Ebiri’s report, Megalopolis‘ distributor Lionsgate apologised and announced the new trailer would be taken down immediately. Of course, because the internet is forever, the Megalopolis misinformation trailer is still available to view on multiple other YouTube channels.

“Lionsgate is immediately recalling our trailer for Megalopolis,” Lionsgate wrote in a statement shared with multiple publications. “We offer our sincere apologies to the critics involved and to Francis Ford Coppola and [Megalopolis‘ production company] American Zoetrope for this inexcusable error in our vetting process. We screwed up. We are sorry.”

Exactly how these fake quotes made it into Megalopolis‘ trailer is unclear. Many on social media have theorised that the quotes were created using a generative AI tool such as ChatGPT, though Lionsgate has not confirmed this. 

It would not be surprising if AI was involved. There have already been numerous instances of generative AI being inappropriately applied despite people not fully understanding what it actually does, producing similar results.

Last year two lawyers were fined after their legal filing cited six non-existent cases generated by OpenAI‘s ChatGPT. Another lawyer was subsequently caught citing fake cases that their client, disbarred former Trump attorney Michael Cohen, had generated using Google Bard. In both cases they claimed to be unaware that the generative AI tools actually generate content, or that such content could be false.

Megalopolis‘ misinformation trailer tried to spin a tale of an unjustly vilified visionary

While most of the other critics misquoted in Megalopolis‘ trailer are dead, Variety‘s Gleiberman has responded to the incident. Gleiberman did review Bram Stoker’s Dracula for Entertainment Weekly in 1992, however neither the word “beautiful” nor “mess” appeared in his article. It’s an assessment he says “now sounds kind.”

“Even if you’re one of those people who don’t like critics, we hardly deserve to have words put in our mouths,” Gleiberman told Variety. “Then again, the trivial scandal of all this is that the whole Megalopolis trailer is built on a false narrative. Critics loved The Godfather. And though Apocalypse Now was divisive, it received a lot of crucial critical support.”

It’s understandable why Megalopolis‘ marketing team tried to present Coppola as a misunderstood genius. Early screenings of Megalopolis have garnered mixed reactions, with Coppola’s $120 million passion project leaving audiences baffled and bewildered. 

Megalopolis follows Cesar (Adam Driver), an architect who has the power to stop time and wants to build a utopia called New Rome. He’s also in love with the corrupt mayor’s (Giancarlo Esposito) daughter (Nathalie Emmanuel). The film is currently sitting at 53 percent on Rotten Tomatoes based on 68 reviews, while its Metacritic score is 59 based on 28 reviews.

Coppola stubbornly dismissed negative reactions to Megalopolis earlier this year, incorrectly claiming that “if you look at each and every mixed or negative notice it’s always something heard from an unknown source.” Every review used to calculate Megalopolis‘ Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic scores is attributable to a named film critic and publication, and is easily accessible online.

“I really feel it’s unpardonable to attack a movie because it doesn’t play by Hollywood’s current rules, by quoting unnamed sources who probably weren’t at the screening and may not exist,” Coppola told Air Mail (via Independent).

It’s unlikely Coppola had anything to do with the creation of Megalopolis‘ latest trailer. Even so, his complaints feel rather ironic now that the film he was defending has just tried to promote itself with false quotes from named critics.

Megalopolis arrives in theatres Sept. 27.

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Live stream the NFL for free from anywhere in the world.

TL;DR: Live stream Chicago Bears vs. Kansas City Chiefs for free on DAZN. Watch NFL preseason games for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

OK, it’s only preseason, but the Kansas City Chiefs — the 2024 Super Bowl winners — are currently 0-2 following losses to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Detroit Lions.

The Chiefs showed moments of flair in last week’s game against the Lions — Patrick Mahomes’ behind-the-back pass to Travis Kelce was an immediate viral hit — and they held the lead until the Lions scored a field goal in the final play.

The Bears meanwhile are 3-0 in preseason action after wins against the Texans, Bills, and Bengals. Still, the Chiefs soundly defeated the Bears in their last meeting at the start of last season, which makes this an interesting preseason clash. Which team will gain momentum going into the proper football season?

The good news is that you can watch the NFL preseason without spending anything. If you want to watch the NFL for free from anywhere in the world, here’s all the information you need.

When is Bears vs. Chiefs?

Chicago Bears vs. Kansas City Chiefs takes place at 8.20 p.m. ET on Aug. 22. This fixture will be played at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri.

How to watch Bears vs. Chiefs for free

To watch the NFL preseason for free, simply register with DAZN.

The popular platform is showing the NFL preseason for free — live or on-demand — to viewers outside the U.S., Canada, and China. But anyone can access these free fixtures with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure servers in other countries, allowing you to unblock streaming services from around the globe.

Access free live streams of the NFL preseason by following these simple steps:

Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

Open up the app and connect to a server in a location with free coverage of the NFL preseason

Register with DAZN

Watch the NFL preseason for free from anywhere in the world

The best VPNs for streaming are not actually free to use, but leading VPN services usually offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. You can take advantage of these deals to gain access to live streams of the NFL preseason without committing with your cash. This is obviously a short-term fix, but it will give you time to watch NFL preseason games before recovering any upfront investment.

What is the best VPN for the NFL?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream the NFL, for a number of reasons:

Servers in 105 countries

Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

Fast connection speeds

Up to eight simultaneous connections

30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95, which includes a bonus three months at no extra cost. This plan also includes a year of unlimited cloud backup and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream the NFL preseason for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

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