Wrestling heavyweight Hulk Hogan may have taken the title of his 1989 debut movie «No Holds Barred» a little too literally, as per his co-star Kurt Fuller, who played the film’s antagonist. Fuller told ComicBook.com how Hogan turned a harmless prop into a choking hazard while filming a relatively tame scene.
«Hulk was not an actor at the time,» he explained. «But there was a scene where I offer him a lot of money to try and steal him to my network. … And he looks at the check, he shoves it down my throat. And I supposedly swallow it and then his line is, ‘I won’t be around when this check clears.’ Okay, pretty funny line. Well, he didn’t know that you’re supposed to fake shoving the check down my throat. Nobody told him.»
Fuller went on trying to make sense of Hogan’s actions, saying that it’s Hogan’s wrestling background that made him think he had to try to do the stunt for real without checking to see if his co-star was on the same page as him. «He shoved the check down my throat and I almost died,» Fuller said. «I mean, it was stuck in my windpipe and they had to go in and pull it out, and he went, ‘Oh, sorry, man, I didn’t know we were supposed to fake that.’» At the time, Fuller said, he didn’t complain to anybody — he said he needed the work, and after all, who’s going to complain about a man as enormous and dangerous as Hulk Hogan?
While the actor in question does look like Bruce Willis — boasting similar facial features and hair, and dressed in a white tank top akin to the one John McClane wears during his quest to defeat Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) — neither Michael Bay nor Willis nor anyone else close to the production has ever confirmed or denied that it is him. What we do know is that there are only four pure CG shots in «Pearl Harbor,» including two shots of the USS Arizona exploding.
Since CGI was used so sparingly, the actors were given flight training so they could actually handle the planes during production. The Dolittle Raid was filmed by having real pilots position the planes, at which point the actors took over and piloted the planes to get the shot. The explosions shown in the film were primarily created using visual effects, and «Pearl Harbor» earned a shoutout in «The Guinness Book of World Records» for having created the priciest film explosion sequence, one of the most expensive movie scenes ever filmed.
«Pearl Harbor» is an epic war film with an epic production budget of $140 million — but the project was so onerous that Bay quit several times over budgetary concerns. In the end, the movie brought in $449 million in worldwide profits, but considering the poor reviews and the film’s underwhelming box office performance as compared to expectations, it is still considered one of the bigger industry bombs.
That provides fans with at least something of an explanation for why Andorians are blue in the «Star Trek» universe, but franchise devotees may also be curious about the original design conception behind the aliens and just why, exactly, the powers that be felt compelled to make them blue in the first place. There is an explanation on this front as well, though whether it’s a satisfying one is up for debate.
The Andorians were originally created by script writer D. C. Fontana for «Star Trek: The Original Series,» and their overall design was ultimately cemented by makeup artist Fred Phillips. Fontana introduced the aliens in Season 2, Episode 10, titled «Journey to Babel,» but while she seemingly always intended for them to have blue skin, her reasoning is rather unclear. The original script for «Journey to Babel» includes a memo from Fontana regarding the Andorians’ makeup and costume design, and she makes particular note of their blue coloration. In the words of Fontana herself, «Andorians are pale blue. Because.»
Fontana’s memo suggests that she and the rest of the «Star Trek» team’s motivation for making the Andorians blue was purely an aesthetic choice meant to distinguish the aliens and nothing more. Superficial reasoning or not, however, this particular design decision resulted in the creation of one of the most iconic «Star Trek» aliens of all time.
Along with the names, Galadriel has many titles. The simplest of these titles is «The Lady.» When Tolkien references Galadriel, he uses this often. In «The Two Towers,» for instance, when Sam reminds Frodo of the light-infused Phial of Galadriel, he tells him, «Master, master! The Lady’s gift!» Faramir also refers to her by the almost as simple name «the White Lady.»
In «The Fellowship of the Ring,» Aragorn refers to her as «Lady of Lórien.» too. And it’s her connection with that sacred wood (which she only comes to rule later in her life) from which many of her other appellations spring. When the Fellowship of the Ring reaches Lothlórien in the book, the text variously refers to her as Galadriel the Lady of Lórien, the Lady Galadriel, and once again, The Lady. When they leave, Gimli says, «It is enough for me to have seen the Lady of the Galadhrim,» referring to the people that she leads in the Golden Wood.
Interestingly, while Galadriel is born a princess, she doesn’t rule Lothlórien as a Queen. On the contrary, only when Frodo offers her the One Ring does she describe a terrifying scenario in which she rules thusly, wielding royal power. In Amazon Studios’ «The Rings of Power» adaptation, a similar image of «Queen Galadriel» (created for the show) was teased by Sauron when he tempted her to join him. Whenever Galadriel is shown as a Queen, though, it is a negative hypothetical scenario. Otherwise, she simply goes by «The Lady» or similar, arboreally-infused epithets.
Seattle-based Icosavax, a spin-out from the University of Washington’s Institute for Protein Design, will be acquired by biotech giant AstraZeneca for up to $1.1 billion.
The pending acquisition, announced Tuesday, values Icosavax at about $838 million, a 43% premium to its closing price on Monday.
Founded in 2017, Icosavax is developing vaccines that resemble naturally occurring viruses. Its lead product targets respiratory viruses.
The company raised more than $150 million from private investors before going public in 2021. Its stock has fallen more than 30% since then, though it has nearly doubled in 2023.
Icosavax shares were up more than 40% on Tuesday following the news.
“We are pleased to announce the proposed acquisition of Icosavax by AstraZeneca as we believe it offers the opportunity to accelerate, and expand access to, our potential first-in-class combination vaccine for older adults at risk from RSV and hMPV,” Icosavax CEO and co-founder Adam Simpson said in a statement. “We look forward to combining our skills and expertise in advancing the development of IVX-A12, with AstraZeneca’s decades of experience in RSV, resources, and capabilities in late-stage development.”
The company’s virus-like particle technology was invented at the Institute for Protein Design by Neil King, a scientific co-founder of Icosavax along with IPD head David Baker.
Simpson formerly led another IPD spinout, PvP Biologics, which sold to the pharmaceutical company Takeda.
While many 007 fans would likely argue that Andrew Scott was perfectly adequate in his role as Max in «Spectre,» it’s easy to see why the actor may be frustrated with doing something that feels so derivative of his most famous role as the villainous foil to Sherlock Holmes.
Of course, Scott has also had the opportunity to flex some different acting muscles over the years since he landed the breakout role. Most notably, the actor played The Priest (commonly referred to as «Hot Priest») on Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s acclaimed comedy series, «Fleabag,» and is the narrator for the British children’s series «School of Roars.»
Still, even if the actor isn’t necessarily interested in playing villains as often anymore, he has found himself once again cast as a bad guy as Scott plays the titular role of Tom Ripley in the upcoming miniseries adaptation of «Ripley.» Fans of «The Talented Mr. Ripley» will recall that Tom Ripley is a murderous social climber with a penchant for wrapping his troubles up in blood-soaked solutions, and there’s no indication that Scott’s version will be any less evil.
Adam Driver provided a politically ambivalent response to Rich Eisen’s questions on the latter’s show. But it is clear that Driver, at least initially, found the idea of playing Darth Vader’s narrative opposite compelling.
Certain fans tend to agree. Some, like @hold_vintage, believe that Kylo Ren was intended to portray the mindset of someone susceptible to political indoctrination. They said, «They completely gutted the point of the character which was set up as fascism is a choice made by people who crave power and control not because they are victims of the Dark Side.» While no one affiliated with the artistic team for the third «Star Wars» trilogy has officially stated that their work portrays the dangers of fascism, George Lucas openly intended for his space opera to caution against violent political decisions, i.e. the Vietnam War.
Others, like @BeaversGod, believe that an evil Kylo Ren would have better aligned with the narrative as provided at face value. They opined, «Actually … that might have made more sense based on the prophecy. Maybe ‘returning balance to the force’ required the rebirth of the Sith in a form more traditional than what Palpatine embodied? Seems so much more interesting than what we ended up with.» The prophecy in question states, «A chosen one shall come, born of no father, and through him will ultimate balance in the Force be restored.» The origin of the prophecy itself is one of the questions that «Star Wars» movies never quite answer, but this interpretation of it requires «born of no father» to imply that Kylo Ren was born of Luke Skywalker’s (Mark Hamill) mistakes, rather than any direct reference to genetic lineage.
Neal McDonough claimed to Comicbook.com that there was a Marvel Comics storyline in which Sergeant Nick Fury accidentally helps Timothy «Dum Dum» Dugan become a super soldier with a little bit of his blood. McDonough said, «In the comic books, when Nick Fury got shot, some of that Super Serum blood landed on ‘Dum Dum,’ so he lived for a long time — aged quicker than Nick Fury did, but he’s still out there, and he still could be.»
McDonough may have been referring to different accounts suggesting that Dugan was given the Infinity Formula by Fury, which also kept the latter from aging. But since the Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) of the MCU wasn’t around when the MCU’s Dugan was a Howling Commando, McDonough’s comic book pull would require a little finessing.
Conversely, Phase 5 of the MCU is all about the multiverse, which means that, narratively, anything is possible. There could be infinite versions of Dugan bouncing around, ready to join the fray whenever Marvel feels the need for that special Howling Commando flair. Although McDonough hinted that there have been «rumblings» about him returning, if he knows anything concrete, then he’s keeping it to himself.
Many fans will likely greet the news that yet another famed DC character may possibly appear in «Superman: Legacy» with open arms. But it’s also beginning to look like the lynchpin for James Gunn and Peter Safran’s cinematic universe may be a bit overstuffed at this point.
As many fans will recall, the film is already purported to introduce Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced), Mr. Terrific (Edi Gathegi), Green Lantern Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion), and Metamorpho (Anthony Carrigan), on top of more pivotal characters like Clark Kent (David Corenswet) and Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan). As a result, «Superman: Legacy» does run the risk of simply having too much going on for the first major piece of the DCU.
Of course, it’s possible that some of these characters could first appear in their animated forms in «Creature Commandos,» easing the way somewhat for the pile of exposition that might otherwise need to accompany their first live-action appearances in the DCU. Either way, fans will have to wait and see if the news about Supergirl appearing in «Superman: Legacy» in advance of «Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow» does indeed check out.
Make no mistake: James Gunn loves to cast his friends and past collaborators in his movies. Aside from Sean Gunn, actors Michael Rooker, Nathan Fillion, Daniela Melchior, Pom Klementieff, and Gunn’s wife, Jennifer Holland, all appeared in both «Guardians of the Galaxy» trilogy and «The Suicide Squad.» Fillion’s Guy Gardner is among those confirmed in the upcoming live-action DC Universe. However, by his definition, Gunn does not commit «cameo porn.» Yes, he casts his friends and family in roles, but the cameos have never been purposeless beyond mere fan service.
Gunn even noted that it is okay to have Easter eggs or advance looks at future projects, but not if cramming them into a movie they don’t belong in. «I don’t mind actual cameos – if it’s a glimpse or a moment, an Easter egg,» Gunn wrote on Threads. «What bothers me is when they mangle an elegant story by shoehorning characters in – they aren’t there because the story calls for it, but for some other reason.» As an example of James Gunn’s small cameos, Sean Gunn’s appearance as Calendar Man in «The Suicide Squad» doesn’t have significant implications for the story but enhances it by emphasizing the eclectic pool of criminals Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) chooses from when assembling the Suicide Squad. This is also a nod at a classic DC character.
Is Gunn guilty of nepotism? Sure. But the quality of his films never falters due to his casting choices. Is he guilty of «cameo porn»? Absolutely not.
Zulily’s complaint is based in part on the FTC’s antirust suit against Amazon. (GeekWire File Photos)
Updated with Amazon statement.
Less than a week after cutting hundreds of jobs and signaling its intent to go out of business, online retailer Zulily filed suit against Amazon on Monday — alleging that the e-commerce giant’s tactics made it impossible to compete on price without jeopardizing its relationships with key suppliers.
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Seattle, is based in part on allegations in the Federal Trade Commission’s separate antitrust lawsuit against Amazon.
An unredacted version of the FTC complaint, made public last month, includes a section that details what the FTC describes as Amazon’s anticompetitive tactics against Zulily and its suppliers.
Zulily, which is also based in Seattle, does not explicitly connect Amazon’s alleged tactics to the specific turmoil it has experienced over the past week.
However, the suit says Amazon’s conduct “has caused Zulily substantial revenue losses and reduced traffic to Zulily’s website,” and “denies Zulily the scale necessary to compete in the market” by discouraging price competition.
The suit, quoting in part from the earlier FTC complaint, says Amazon’s specific campaign against Zulily began around 2019, when Zulily started displaying Amazon’s prices next to its own to show shoppers than its prices were lower.
“But rather than compete on the merits, Amazon set out to ‘destroy’ Zulily instead, by coercing third-party retailers and wholesale suppliers to agree to ‘price parity,’ i.e., to artificially raise Zulily prices at or above Amazon’s, and to punish any sellers who cheated,” the Zulily suit says.
According to the suit, those punishments “ranged from disqualifying a seller from the ‘Buy Box’— the mechanism most consumers use to buy an item or add it to their cart — to ‘total banishment from Amazon’s Marketplace.’ “
Update, Tuesday Dec. 12: Amazon issued this statement from spokesperson Tim Doyle.
“The allegations made in this lawsuit are false. The retail industry is dynamic and strong with many retailers succeeding, including small and medium size businesses who are thriving, growing and innovating. That includes many in our store, and they now make up more than 60% of sales on Amazon. We’re proud of the substantial investments we make to provide entrepreneurs with tools and resources to establish and build their brands, connect with more customers, and create jobs in their communities.”
Zulily last week filed notices indicating that it’s shutting down three offices, including its Seattle headquarters, and laying off more than 800 people. The company referenced a “going-out-of-business” sale on an FAQ page this weekend but removed the language after GeekWire published a report about it.
GeekWire has contacted Zulily’s parent company, Regent, a Los Angeles-based private equity firm, for comment. Regent is not mentioned in the lawsuit.
In its motion to dismiss the FTC case, filed Friday, Amazon described its efforts to offer low prices as good for competition and consumers, asserting that the FTC’s suit “implausibly, and illogically, assumes that Amazon’s efforts to keep featured prices low on Amazon somehow raised consumer prices across the whole economy.”
Amazon added in the filing, “At most, the Complaint contains vague allegations that a handful of sellers have responded, not by lowering their prices in Amazon’s store, but by raising them elsewhere. But anecdotes are insufficient to plead a claim under antitrust law’s rule of reason.”
Founded in 2009 in Seattle by former Blue Nile executives Mark Vadon and Darrell Cavens, Zulily initially specialized in items for moms and kids before expanding to other product categories. Zulily was sold for $2.4 billion in 2014 to QVC parent Qurate (then known as Liberty Interactive), and acquired by Regent in May.
Read Zulily’s complaint against Amazon, and Amazon’s response to the FTC suit.
It’s been almost 30 years since a new «Beverly Hills Cop» movie was released. The franchise has been on hiatus ever since 1994’s «Beverly Hills Cop III,» which was famously welcomed with overwhelmingly negative reviews from critics. In the years that followed, numerous attempts were made to try to revive the franchise. A spin-off TV series centered around Axel Foley’s son was even developed in 2012 and 2013. However, CBS ultimately passed on the project, and both the show and its unaired pilot ended up going nowhere.
Now, thanks to Netflix and returning «Beverly Hills Cop» producer Jerry Bruckheimer, a sequel is finally on its way. While details about the plot of «Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F» have been kept largely under wraps, it’s not hard to see why the first teaser trailer for it places such a heavy emphasis on the sequel’s returning characters. After all, what better way to get longtime «Beverly Hills Cop» fans interested in «Axel F» than by spotlighting how many of the franchise’s previous characters have been brought back for it?
In addition to Murphy and Judge Reinhold, actors Paul Reiser, John Ashton, and Bronson Pinchot are also set to return as Jeffrey Friedman, Serge, and John Taggart, respectively, in «Axel F.» But the fact that Reinhold and Murphy are in all four «Beverly Hills Cop» installments is an undeniable accomplishment and one that fits Billy and Axel’s relationship, which is initially filled with contempt but eventually defined by their mutual respect.
Perhaps what sets SpaceGodzilla apart from the bevy of other intergalactic Godzilla opponents is not his fantastic collection of powers but his cold-blooded nature. In most instances, Godzilla’s enemies are controlled by another entity and not acting on their own will. However, SpaceGodzilla is not bound by any exterior forces, intending to take over Earth and kill Godzilla on his own rage-filled accord.
This is evident in their first interaction. Whereas most space monsters would directly start attacking the city and be encountered by Godzilla, SpaceGodzilla first lands on Birth Island, where he harasses Little Godzilla to provoke the Big G. The tactic proves effective, as SpaceGodzilla manages to weaken Godzilla and traps Little Godzilla in a crystal prison, where the youngster remains until SpaceGodzilla is defeated. It’s a clever move on the villain’s part, knowing that the only way to conquer the planet is to first dispatch Godzilla.
After landing in Fukuoka and using the Fukuoka Tower as an energy source, SpaceGodzilla again confronts Godzilla and MOGUERA. The intense battle is won after the two destroy the tower, and Godzilla uses his red spiral beam to destroy SpaceGodzilla once and for all.
A good cinematic dance scene can sear its way into the public consciousness — Just look at how «Miserlou» is instantly recognizable thanks to its needle drop moment in «Pulp Fiction.» Sam Esmail wanted to make sure the songs used in «Leave the World Behind» had a similar chance to shine, which is why he sought out tracks that weren’t well known.
The director discussed the movie with Radio Times and elaborated why «Too Close» by Next was an ideal song choice, «I just thought it was really funny and sweet at the same time. That scene goes from lighthearted and playful to sad and dark within a matter of a minute, so the song had to do a lot of heavy lifting.» Of course, it’s not the only music track in the film, as some other songs include «Misled» by Kool & the Gang, «Winter» by TV on the Radio, and «The Paradigm» by Lil Yachty. Each one was an intentional choice to avoid having audiences connect «Leave the World Behind» with other films, «I do think people make associations, and I don’t want that to ever interfere or complicate what the scene’s about or what the viewer is feeling as they’re watching the scene,» Esmail said.
The one song that was very much intended to be recognized comes at the ending of «Leave the World Behind.» «I’ll Be There for You» by the Rembrandts closes out the story even though it was used for years as the theme song to «Friends.» Without giving anything away, it concludes the film in a place of darkly comic irony one could only get with that specific song.
Though Martin Scorsese is well within his rights to disagree with the criticism, it definitely holds some merit. After all, many viewers will likely recall just how much of «Killers of the Flower Moon» is told from the perspective of Ernest (Leonardo Dicaprio). Of course, much of the film is also told from Mollie Burkhart’s (Lily Gladstone) point of view as well, which could offer the filmmaker some defense here.
Still, the writer-director’s comments that Ernest and Bill (Robert DeNiro) are criminals don’t necessarily alleviate these criticisms. After all, Scorsese has practically made a career out of telling stories focused on criminals, with many of them, like «Goodfellas,» «Gangs of New York,» and «Casino,» which are also inspired by real-life events, being told mainly from the perspectives of the wrongdoers.
Meanwhile, these critiques are compounded by the views expressed by «Reservation Dogs» star Devery Jacobs, who suggested that the film was insensitive on top of ignoring the perspective of the Osage people. «This film was painful, grueling, unrelenting, and unnecessarily graphic,» she wrote on X (formerly Twitter). «But while all of the performances were strong, if you look proportionally, each of the Osage characters felt painfully underwritten, while the white men were given way more courtesy and depth.»
While «Killers of the Flower Moon» is already expected to be a contender for best picture at the 2023 Oscars, criticisms like these may hinder its chances as awards season approaches.
Zack Snyder doesn’t exactly have a stellar track record when it comes to Rotten Tomatoes scores. His only film on the platform to be Certified Fresh is his feature-length directorial debut — 2004’s «Dawn of the Dead» — which boasts a 76% rating. «Zack Snyder’s Justice League,» his director’s cut of the superhero team-up film, also received good reviews, coming in at 72%. His other Netflix directorial venture, «Army of the Dead,» didn’t do too shabby, with a score of 67%.
«Rebel Moon — Part One: A Child of Fire» is a far cry from those numbers at 25%, which puts it in striking distance of becoming Snyder’s worst-reviewed movie ever. At the moment, that distinction belongs to «Sucker Punch,» which has a score of 22%. More reviews will undoubtedly factor into the equation, and if they’re more negative than positive, «Rebel Moon» could easily get lower than that. The next Snyder flick closest to «Rebel Moon» presently is «Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,» which has a rating of 29%.
Even if the sci-fi epic stays close to where it is now, there’s still hope. A «Rebel Moon» director’s cut is already planned, so if it delves deeper into the characters and clears things up, it may win some critics over. Snyder’s director’s cuts tend to be better than what comes out initially, as attested by «Justice League.» But for the time being, «Rebel Moon» likely isn’t changing the mind of anyone skeptical of Snyder as a director in the first place.
Vehicles by the automaker Hyundai are part of a proposed Seattle City Council resolution calling for their recall. (GeekWire Photo / Lisa Stiffler)
On Tuesday the Seattle City Council will vote on a resolution asking the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to recall Kia and Hyundai models that lack engine immobilizing, anti-theft technology.
There was a 363% increase in reports of stolen Kias and a 503% increase in Hyundai thefts from 2021 to 2022, according to the Seattle Police Department. Through October of this year, Seattle reported 868 stolen Kias and 1,021 stolen Hyundais.
The surge in thefts has hit cities around the U.S., as documented in a recent story from Vice. If Seattle approves the resolution, which it appears likely to do, it will join Baltimore and Philadelphia in making a recall request.
Headlines from the Seattle area connect the stolen cars to crimes including “crash and grabs” in which criminals smash the cars into storefronts and rob the businesses. A Kia was used to crash into a window of the Nordstrom flagship store in downtown Seattle in July, though reports didn’t specify if it was a stolen vehicle. This fall, Kias and Hyundais were listed by police as potentially involved in a string of after-school robberies of Seattle high schools students, according to KUOW.
In January, Seattle became the first U.S. city to file a lawsuit against the automakers, alleging the companies failed to install standard anti-theft technology in many of their vehicles, leading to thefts and the harm of public safety. Sixteen other cities have now also pursued legal action. Seattle’s suit is still pending.
Reported thefts of Kia and Hyundai vehicles have continued rising in Seattle. Click to enlarge. (Seattle Police Department data shared by the Seattle City Council)
The suit filed in U.S. District Court in Seattle asserts that between 2011 and 2021, the two companies opted to forgo installation of an engine immobilizer that prevents cars from starting without their keys, while 96% of car manufacturers overall included the theft prevention device. The vehicles lacking the technology were lower-priced, entry-level models.
“This is really hitting people of limited means the most,” said Seattle City Councilmember Lisa Herbold in a Monday call with reporters addressing the recall.
In addition to the cars being stolen and sometimes involved in additional crimes, it can be hard to get the unprotected cars insured, Herbold added. “There are a lot of insurance companies that are rightfully identifying the ownership of these vehicles as too high risk,” she said.
“This is really hitting people of limited means the most.”
– Seattle City Council Councilmember Lisa Herbold
The spike in thefts began after teenagers posting videos on social media in late 2020 describing how to steal the cars simply by removing a plastic piece under the steering wheel and using a USB cord. The thefts ultimately became a viral TikTok trend.
Kia and Hyundai earlier this year released a software fix meant to address the vulnerability. A review of data from seven U.S. cities collected by the AP found the thefts were still on the rise three months after the software release.
Representatives of the companies said they’re working to reverse the trend.
“Our dealers across the country are maximizing the number of anti-theft software installations that can be performed on a daily basis, contributing to steadily increasing completion rates,” said Ira Gabriel, a senior manager in Hyundai Motor America’s corporate and marketing PR, via an emailed statement.
“Hyundai recently set-up multi-day service centers in Washington, D.C., St. Louis County, New York, Chicago, the Twin Cities and upstate New York with plans to replicate in additional markets to further scale and speed installation of the software upgrade,” he added.
Hyundai and Kia say their vehicles comply with federal theft protection regulations.
“The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has publicly stated that it has not determined that this issue constitutes either a safety defect or non-compliance requiring a recall under the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act,” James Bell, Kia America’s head of corporate communications and public relation, said via email. He cited a story from NBC News that referenced a letter from the administration addressed to attorneys general of multiple states.
Prior to the software update, the companies began offering free steering wheel locks for car owners through law enforcement agencies.
In its suit, the Seattle calls on Kia and Hyundai to take multiple steps to resolve the issue, including:
taking action to stop the thefts;
providing funding for auto theft prevention;
and providing funding to cover damages caused by the absence of the engine immobilization devices.
Heading into «Rebel Moon,» Polygon reviewer Kyle Wilson hoped for a landmark in sci-fi blockbuster filmmaking. Instead, he found it to be entirely forgettable. «Everyone but the #ReleaseTheSnyderCut fanboys would be better off immediately ejecting this turgid whimper of a movie into the farthest reaches of the galaxy,» he wrote.
«That even after a reported 20 years in the making the film still feels fundamentally pointless isn’t just disappointing, it’s entirely bewildering,» wrote Robbie Collin in a review for The Telegraph.
Meanwhile, in a review for The Messenger, Jordan Hoffman praised some of the film’s sci-fi elements but found that they did little more than look good. «Cool capes, shirtless hunks and a squid alien can only get you so far,» reads the review’s subheading.
Zack Snyder already has plans for «Rebel Moon» to be the start of an expansive franchise. Since «Rebel Moon» — technically subtitled «Part One: A Child of Fire» — is the first half of a longer story, a sequel is already in post-production. Beyond that, even, Snyder is planning on turning the series into a trilogy. Netflix has yet to greenlight a third «Rebel Moon» film, however, and these reviews suggest that its prospects are currently pretty bleak.
While George Lucas kept things open-ended in the Vanity Fair interview, it makes the most sense for Palpatine to be the phantom menace. After all, «Episode I» introduces a world where the Jedi believe the Sith to be extinct. This makes Darth Maul’s emergence quite concerning. Even though he’s defeated, it’s not the end of the threat. In the conclusion, Yoda (Frank Oz) mentions that there must always be two Sith — an apprentice and a master. The Jedi don’t know which one Darth Maul was, but the other must surely be out there.
And the movie doesn’t try to hide who the real villain is. After Yoda’s comments, the camera pans over to Palpatine. It’s a case of dramatic irony where the audience is meant to know who the overarching antagonist is while the characters remain unaware. Even though the Emperor went unnamed in the original trilogy films, he was referred to as Palpatine in novelizations for the original «Star Wars» and «Return of the Jedi.» That means it isn’t a secret to hardcore Star Wars fans that Palpatine is hiding a dark secret.
Perhaps it would’ve been best if the movie was called «The Phantom’s Menace» to refer to Palpatine and Darth Maul. The former is the «Phantom» who oversees the machinations of the primary «Menace» in the film. Considering how it’s still inspiring debate to this day, «The Phantom Menace» is a great title in that it’s open to interpretation and could have multiple meanings.
