What would you think if you could have more movies than you can handle at your disposal at all times? Yeah yeah, that’s what we all thought streaming services were supposed to do before we realized that even our purchases are temporary. Well that dream is coming to fruition, as scientists have developed a disc that can hold the equivalent of nearly a quarter-million DVDs aka more content than you can even fathom.
This so-called “super DVD” can hold — ready for this? — approximately 125,000 gigabytes. For reference, single-layer DVDs hold around 4.5 GB of data, while a double-layer can hold about 8.5. And for those wondering what the term for this massive amount of data is, the word you’re looking for is “petabit.”
As for how they can even put so much information onto one DVD, according to a new paper published in Nature (via Newsweek), “We increase the capacity of [optical data storage] to the petabit level by extending the planar recording architecture to three dimensions with hundreds of layers, meanwhile breaking the optical diffraction limit barrier of the recorded spots.” OK, that’s a lot of jargon, but basically they print the information in 3D.
While this is a major breakthrough in data storage, those behind the study also pointed out that there is another perk for the environmentally conscious, as it would also help the minimize carbon footprint.
But for most of us, it’s the draw of having everything we could ever need readily available on one DVD that is hard to pass up. While we are huge supporters of maintaining and building your home video collection, it does feel like this “super DVD” would be the ultimate combination of both physical media and streaming. Gone would be the days of figuring out which service has this show or that movie; it would be right there (although we do wonder how cataloging would work). Granted, your shelves would be a lot emptier, and just imagine the stress of figuring out the first 20,000 movies you’re going to load on this sucker!
What do you think of the “super DVD”? Is it a feasible move forward in the world of digital technology or something that wouldn’t work in the mainstream? Give us your thoughts below.
Vin Diesel’s been laying low in recent months following a bit of a double whammy. In May, Fast X Part 1 hit theaters to a collective shrug, with the film drastically underperforming at the box office, “only” making $714 million worldwide. While that sounds like a lot of money, it was under the benchmark the movie needed to break even for Universal. Given all the behind-the-scenes drama, many wondered what the supposed final Fast movie would be, especially with another spin-off announced for Dwayne Johnson’s Hobbs, and the big Fast X baddie, Jason Momoa’s Reyes. The second big blow for Diesel came in December when a former assistant accused him of sexual battery during the making of Fast Five, an accusation Diesel “categorically denied.”
With the star laying low in recent months, many wondered what would become of the Fast Saga. Now, in his first post about the Fast Saga in a while, he broke the news that he was hard at work on the franchise finale with the writers and the rest of his team:
While he didn’t provide a lot of details, he did tease that the finale would be “not just an ending; it’s a celebration of the incredible family we’ve built together.”
Given how the last one underperformed, it’ll be interesting to see what kind of scale Universal gives to the next Fast film. Several sources suggested that the 11th Fast film would take a “back to basics” approach, with a comparatively thrifty $200 million budget, compared to the rumoured, astronomical $340 million Fast X budget. However, given that the last film ended with a gigantic cliffhanger, including the return of pricey stars like Gal Gadot, Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham, I’m not sure how realistic that budget is. And will audiences embrace a back-to-basics approach given how huge the scale of the films has become?
Are you excited for an 11th Fast film, or is it time to call it quits? Let us know in the comments.
The early weekend numbers are starting to roll in, and it’s good news for Bob Marley: One Love, with the audience-friendly biopic crossing an important milestone worldwide. Indeed, the film has now crossed the century mark, making $101 million worldwide. By the end of the weekend, Bob Marley: One Love should cross $70 million domestically, with a $13.8 million weekend (according to Deadline’s numbers).
Meanwhile, in second place is the latest instalment of the ever-popular Demon Slayer anime saga, with To the Hashira Training on track to crack $10 million for the weekend, which is just about $500k more than I predicted in my box office forecast (I was way off about Marley though, I thought the hold would be better). The faith-based Ordinary Angels is third, with a softer-than-expected $6.5 million predicted, despite an A+ CinemaScore. That said, I expect this Hilary Swank/ Alan Ritchson movie to have tremendous legs.
But what about Madame Web?
It looks like Sony’s flop Spider-Verse movie is set to only eke out a fourth-place finish, with it looking at about $5.5 million for the weekend. On the plus side, Deadline is predicting a 64% decline, which is modest compared to the 78% plunge faced by The Marvels on its second weekend, or Morbius, which fell 74%. However, both films opened much stronger than Madame Web, so the superhero movie is bound to have a much smaller domestic total, with it unlikely to break $45 million all in. Yikes. No wonder the trades say it’s helped sink the live-action Spider-Verse franchise.
Finally, it looks like Ethan Coen’s Drive Away Dolls is just as niche a title as I thought, with its projected $2.5 million opening an even worse result for Focus than what Lisa Frankenstein did a few weeks ago. As I said in my review, the movie is a big lark, but I’m not sure audiences are going to be in on the joke.
Has anyone seen anything under the radar? Let us know in the comments, but let me recommend The Promised Land with Mads Mikkelsen. It’s a really great (Danish) historical epic that deserves to be seen on the big screen.
You might not have known it, but The Holdovers is actually the feature screenwriter debut of David Hemingson after a lengthy career in television. But now it seems like the bug has bitten — and that bug is named Alexander Payne. Hemingson recently revealed that he and The Holdovers director Payne are teaming up, this time for a western.
Speaking at a recent post-The Holdovers Q&A (via Deadline), Hemingson revealed some details about the project, saying, “Alexander and I are writing a Western together, so we’re going to co-write something, and it’s set in Nebraska in 1886, and it’s like no Western you have ever seen before, because it’s an Alexander Payne Western. So, all those interpersonal dynamics, all the stuff that he does, so brilliantly. He’s such a brilliant humanist. He’s going to suffuse this thing.”
Hemingson also teased other aspects that would make this The Holdovers reunion unique within the classic American genre. “It’ll be recognizable as within the genre, and it’ll have certain other tropes. But we intend to turn them on their head and really talk about the humanist perspective of 1886 Nebraska, which I’m thrilled about.”
As for who could lead this Hemingson/Payne endeavor, they’re looking at exactly who you would think: The Holdovers star Paul Giamatti, who the duo has written a part specifically for.
Giamatti and Hemingson are nominated in their respective categories at the Academy Awards. While the likely winner for Best Original Screenplay will probably be Anatomy of a Fall, it’s quite possible that Giamatti takes Lead Actor (I’m rooting for him just to see how much In-n-Out he scarfs down), at this point only competing against Oppenheimer’s Cillian Murphy. Payne did however receive a nomination from the Directors Guild of America (his third after The Descendents and Sideways).
This western project does sound promising, especially since it would reunite key players from one of the best movies of last year. The genre is circling a full-blown resurgence, with twists on them like The Power of the Dog and Killers of the Flower Moon earning widespread acclaim and shows like Yellowstone proving to be massive hits on the small screen. No doubt Payne and Hemingson could also bring something interesting to the western.
What do you think of this western pitch that could reunite The Holdovers’ star, director and writer? Let us know below!
Available exclusively on PlayStation 5 and PC, Helldivers 2 from Arrowhead Game Studios feels like a 2000s-era throwback in the best possible way. Whether you’ve been playing since day one or are curious what all the fuss is about, here’s a comprehensive rundown of all our coverage of the hit shooter.
Available exclusively on PlayStation 5 and PC, Helldivers 2 from Arrowhead Game Studios feels like a 2000s-era throwback in the best possible way. Whether you’ve been playing since day one or are curious what all the fuss is about, here’s a comprehensive rundown of all our coverage of the hit shooter.
Spider-Man.. Spider-Man.. does whatever a spider can – and everybody knows it. Unless you’ve been living under a literal rock since the 1960s, chances are you’ve at least heard of the web-slinger Peter Parker a.k.a Spider-Man. The Marvel comic-book character has become an immortal symbol of hope for his never-ending fan base and transcending time by still being (arguably) the most popular Marvel comic-book character to date.
Fans know Spider-Man is a deeply complex character with sacrifice allegedly built into his backstory/canon. Yet, he still manages to always look out for the little guy by staying true to his humble title of a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man – and that’s why audiences the world over love and relate to him. These qualities and obstacles make Spider-Man the perfect character for on-screen interpretations, and Hollywood has milked that cow for as much as they possibly could over the last two decades – and some of those interpretations were better received than others.
Keeping that in mind, let’s look at all of the movies the Spider-Verse has created over the years and see how they stack up against each other. That’s right – it’s time for Spider-Verse Movies
Madame Web
The writing was on the wall long before Madame Web came out that it would be pretty bad. Yet, I don’t think any of us anticipated just how awful this would be, with it on track to be one of the biggest superhero flops of all time. So what went wrong? Plenty. There’s the listless performances, the horrible overdubbing (Tahar Rahim’s performance suffers most of all), and the obnoxious references to Spider-Man (how many times is Adam Scott’s Ben referred to awkwardly by his full name). It’s pretty atrocious. – Chris Bumbray
Morbius
Do we really have to include this movie? We do? Fine, let’s get this over with. Yes, Morbius is technically considered a Spider-Verse movie, but it shouldn’t be. Arguably the biggest flop of 2022, Morbius was Sony’s attempt to add on to the success they achieved with their Venom movies (more on them shortly), and the overall hope was that the combination of movies focused on anti-heroes could eventually result in a Sinister Six project coming to fruition. Instead, Sony completely botched the overall plot and story of the movie in exchange for throwing in a million inconsequential Easter eggs from other Spider-verse films to help tie the movie into the bigger universe they were hoping to create. Regardless of intent, please do not consider this a Spider-Man movie – Peter Parker deserves better.
Editor’s note: For a whole lot more Morbius, check back on Monday for Awfully Good’s take on this.
Venom: Let There Be Carnage
As previously stated, Sony’s botched Morbius movie came from the ultimate success of the original Venom movie that they released in 2018. Unfortunately, the sequel made the same mistakes Sony made with Morbius. Riding high from the possibility of a Sinister Six project, the creators/writers of Venom: Let there be Carnage were more concerned with incorporating the character into a large, anti-hero universe rather than focusing on making a good movie. As a result, any positives of the movie were overshadowed by the fact that Eddie Brock/Venom was ‘transported’ to the MCU at the end, with Sony again trying to ride Marvel’s success train and failing to grasp on.
Spider-Man 3
I’m gonna put some dirt in your eye. Sam Raimi is unquestionably one of the directors who jump-started the comic-book movie wave that has consumed audiences for the past two and a half decades. It’s also unquestionable that Spider-Man 3 is the worst of his three Spider-Man movies. Tobey Maguire did his best with what he was given. The combination of three significant Spider-Man villains in one feature sets the stage for bigger and worse villains. Still, the movie’s overall tone didn’t fit the vibe of the first two outings, leading to a lackluster plot that left fans unsatisfied. The cancellation of a fourth Sam Raimi Spider-Man movie is all you really need to know about how poor this film did.
Venom
Sony came so close… and yet, so far. The Venom movie was one of the most highly-anticipated films of 2018, and it gave Sony the chance to embrace the first true anti-hero movie from their long list of fictional comic-book characters. While the film itself is by no means ‘bad’, the film ran into the same issue as Spider-Man 3 as the tone of Eddie Brock/Venom just didn’t seem to fit the bill of what fans had already set in their minds. After all, Venom is one of Spider-Man’s most notorious villains, and the character is (by nature) a darker one. Instead of honing in on that, the movie felt more like an Odd Couple buddy-cop comedy with hints of darkness sprinkled in. A good movie – yes. A good interpretation of Venom – questionable.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2
Despite the flack that Andrew Garfield got for his attempt at playing Peter Parker/Spider-Man, it’s refreshing to see that the Internet has realized that his only sin was not being Tobey Maguire, whom audiences had simply gotten used to seeing in the red-spandex suit. The Amazing Spider-Man 2, oddly enough, also fits into this same kind of category – it wasn’t necessarily a bad film. It just got some things very wrong. In this case, it was the villains. The blue CGI version of Electro, mixed with a watered-down Green Goblin and undeniably the worst live-action Spider-Man villain thanks to Paul Giamatti’s mechanical Rhino, sadly made this film more of a joke than it could have been. Despite these pitfalls, fans can’t forget that the death of Gwen Stacey is still one of the hardest-hitting moments in the entirety of the Spider-Verse films.
Spider-Man: Far From Home
What was Marvel’s solution to helping fans get over the death of Tony Stark in Endgame? Oh yeah – they brought him up during every scene of Spider-Man: Far From Home. To be fair, this wasn’t necessarily the fault of the writing or directing team – in all honesty, it was the MCU’s fault for trying to replace Iron Man so quickly by shoving Spider-Man into his role. Not only that but the first live-action rendition of Mysterio could have been masterfully done with the casting choice of Jake Gyllenhaal. Instead, they turned him into a whiney cry-baby who had a prior grudge against (you guessed it) Iron Man. The first project after Endgame would always have unrealistic expectations to meet, but the MCU didn’t have to lower the bar quite as low as they did with this movie.
Spider-Man
It is where it all began, and credit needs to be given where credit is due. Tobey Maguire was the definitive Spider-Man for an entire generation of movie-goers, making the role his own and immortalizing Peter Parker on the big screen. Willem Dafoe as the Green Goblin is still one of the best casting choices for a villain in cinematic history. Sam Raimi’s interpretation of the comic-book world was masterfully transferred to the big screen (especially considering it was released in 2002). Perhaps nostalgia keeps this movie from being ranked any lower, but it’s more than enough to emphasize that this movie still stands the test of time, which is why it falls smack dab in the middle of our Spider-Verse Movies Ranked list.
Spider-Man: Homecoming
Welcome home, Spidey. Audiences remember the legal issue that prevented Spider-Man from joining his comic-book counterparts in the MCU, and they also remember what a sigh of relief it was when he finally made the crossover. Tom Holland taking up the mantle of the web-slinger was a phenomenal casting choice, and he has held the love of Spider-Man fans ever since his first appearance in Civil War. Despite this film centered around another villain with a petty grudge against Tony Stark, the father/son bond between Peter and Tony and the overall arc of Peter having to become ‘more than just a suit’ perfectly introduced the character into the larger cinematic universe.
The Amazing Spider-Man
Gasp in shock because the truth is a hard pill to swallow – The Amazing Spider-Man is far better than critics or audiences give it credit. Andrew Garfield may not have personified Peter Parker in the ways that audiences had become accustomed to (thanks to Tobey Maguire). Still, any comic-book fan knows that he played the character of Spider-Man to perfection. Also, making Gwen Stacey the main love interest and incorporating more villains into the story that had nothing to do with Green Goblin or any of the staples from the prior Spider-Man movies allowed it to stand on its own amongst them. Is this movie perfect – absolutely not. Is the only reason people hate it because they were still bitter about Tobey Maguire and Sam Raimi getting the boot – absolutely, yes.
Spider-Man: No Way Home
Timing is everything. Just like The Amazing Spider-Man was given more criticism than it deserved, No Way Home was given more praise. Don’t misinterpret that statement – fourth on a list of thirteen films is nothing to be embarrassed about – but No Way Home is far from the masterpiece that fans gushed over back in 2021. The movie itself is a love letter to the cinematic character of Spider-Man and did a masterful job at bringing back Willem Dafoe and the other villains, not to mention Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield as their respected Spidermen. That said, the film is entirely dependent on audiences knowledge and love of all prior Spider-Man movies – i.e. if you’ve never seen any other Spider-Man movies, then (like it or not) this movie was nothing but confusion. If you’re a Spider-Man fanatic, then we could see how this could be your favorite Spider-Man movie. Still, the sad truth that no one wants to accept is that it doesn’t work independently.
Spider-Man 2
Again, fans gushed over Willem Dafoe’s performance as Green Goblin in No Way Home, but it still fell short of the greatest villain in all of the Spider-Man movies – enter Doc Ock. Alfred Molina’s rendition of the villain has not been matched in the two decades since it premiered and arguably never will. The story arc of Peter Parker having to come to terms with the fact that (as Spider-Man) he can’t save everyone, but that won’t stop him from trying made for one of the most relatable heroes in all of cinematic history. Incorporate the incredible fight scenes and special effects (especially for 2004); you get the best live-action Spider-Man movie ever.
Across the Spider-Verse
Spoilers for those who have yet to see it (you’re missing out), but this movie was an easy 10/10, A+, 5 stars, or any other symbolic way of saying ‘perfect’. The sequel to Into the Spider-Verse has blown audiences away despite the nearly 5-year wait and has reminded audiences why we all love Spider-Man in the first place. The animation is just as brilliant as in the first movie, the character development is just as deep, and the story arc is just as enticing. This movie is the longest-running animated movie of all time. It doesn’t waste a second, continuing the narrative that the Into the Spider-Verse movies will go down as one of the greatest cinematic trilogies of all time. This movie’s only pitfall – the original still tops it – for now anyway. If the sequel is great it may retroactively bump this up higher in out Spider-Verse Movies Ranked list.
Into the Spider-Verse
Beyond the Spider-Verse may ultimately prove us wrong, but right now, Into the Spider-Verse is still undeniably the best Spider-Man movie (and believe it or not, there are multiple reasons). Again, Across the Spider-Verse is still a perfect film (heavy praise for a sequel), but its predecessor is more perfect. The animation was revolutionary and ground-breaking; the character arcs and development were pristine; the soundtrack is still one of the best ever created for a movie – and those still aren’t the biggest reasons why this is the best Spider-Man movie ever. The reason why it’s the best (and where a film like No Way Home falls short) because an audience member could have known absolutely nothing about the character of Spider-Man (either Miles Morales or Peter Parker) and walked away from the movie knowing absolutely everything about them. While Across the Spider-Verse didn’t waste a single second, Into the Spider-Verse utilized every second and is arguably the best animated (not just Spider-Man) movie ever.
Tyler Perry is one of the most successful names in Hollywood, creating an empire that is now worth an estimated $1 billion. Pretty good for a guy who made his name dressing up as a sassy elderly woman. But even he, whose production company employs hundreds, isn’t invincible from the constant threat of artificial intelligence…even if it’s by his own doing.
As Tyler Perry recently told The Hollywood Reporter, there are “shocking” developments in the world of AI, citing Open AI’s Sora, which aims to teach “AI to understand and simulate the physical world in motion.” Based on examples, Sora is undeniably yet another game-changer in the world of consumed media. “I have been watching AI very closely and watching the advancements very closely. I was in the middle of, and have been planning for the last four years, about an $800 million expansion at the studio, which would’ve increased the backlot a tremendous size, we were adding 12 more soundstages. All of that is currently and indefinitely on hold because of Sora and what I’m seeing.”
So why would Tyler Perry put such an endeavor on hold? Well, taking a look at the numbers and developments, why spend hundreds of millions of dollars on a massive complex when you can achieve all of your creative fantasies with a few keystrokes? This no doubt would cost jobs, possibly around 200,000 over the next three years. As for how Perry plans to maintain jobs within his own company, it’s all up in the air. “Just like every other studio in town, we’re all trying to figure it all out. I think we’re all trying to find the answers as we go, and it’s changing every day…” Still, Perry has used AI on some upcoming projects “to avoid ever having to sit through hours of aging makeup.” At the same time, he said, “I just hope…that there’ll be some sort of thought and some sort of compassion for humanity and the people that have worked in this industry and built careers and lives.” But how much compassion will there be when convenience and cost-cutting is at play? After all, wouldn’t Perry using AI instead of actual makeup artists put a few livelihoods at risk?
This isn’t a diss on Tyler Perry, who clearly has a grip on the state of the movie business. But it does suggest that we could be at a point of no return for artificial intelligence in Hollywood. While some still insist that it won’t replace as many people as others think, there is constant proof that this is in fact the case.
Do you think Hollywood needs to enforce regulations over artificial intelligence? Or is it too late? Give us your thoughts below.
Some cliche somewhere said that ‘a picture is worth a thousand words.’ This has proven to be the case for me and especially when it comes to fan art. I have always sought out great fan art and have wanted to share it with as many people as possible. “Awesome Art We’ve Found Around The Net” is the outlet for that passion. In this column, I will showcase the kick-ass artwork of some great artists, with the hopes that these artists get the attention they deserve. That’s the aim. If you have any questions or comments, or even suggestions of art or other great artists, feel free to contact me at any time at theodorebond@joblo.com.
As yet another week passes, we get more proof that 2024 is shaping up to be a very busy year in gaming—if not for game releases, then certainly for big stories around game exclusivity, adaptions, and, as always, streamers. This week we got our first look at the highly anticipated Borderlands movie (lol), learned about…
