#Paul Chang Chung

[abs0luteb4stard]

W a t c h i n g

看 電 影

I'm not as impressed by it. I know it's seen as a classic, but it took an hour for the real action to start.

I think Jackie and Sammo have better collaborations and individual movies.

[phaedraismyusername]

It's been forever since I've mentioned any books so I just wanted to shout out a few of my favourites from this year so far

Mapping The Interior by Stephen Graham Jones

This little 100ish page novella was my very first read of the year and I truly could not have started with better. It follows a 15 year old Native American boy who believes he sees his dead father walk through their house one night and his mission to recreate the experience to find answers. It's an exploration of grief and trauma, and whether or not these cycles can be broken

Horror Movie by Paul Tremblay

This is so not for everyone lol. I've read four of Tremblay's books this year and this is my favourite. This book is about a horror movie that was never released. A couple of decades later, after a few scenes and the screenplay made it onto the internet, the film has gained a cult following and the only surviving member has agreed to be a part of a much anticipated remake. This is told through excerpts of the original screenplay, the autobiographical audiobook by "the thin kid" and the current timeline of the film getting made. It's weird and uncomfortable and I ate it up in a single day

Sea Change by Gina Chung

Obligatory sad girl seeks peace entry in the list. Ro has just turned 30, works at a mall aquarium, and her boyfriend has just left her to go to Mars. Estranged from her family and sidelined from her best friends life as she plans her dream wedding, Ro spends her nights drinking sharktini's and generally making bad choices. The only light in her life is a giant Pacific octopus, Dolores, who she sees as her last real connection to her missing father, and what happens when Dolores is put up for sale. It's sad and melancholy but with a throughline of hope that slowly blossoms into what my heart needed to read lol

Siren Queen by Nghi Vo

I loved this so much. This book follows a Chinese American girl named Luli Wei as she breaks into 1930s-ish Hollywood and her journey to becoming a star as the monster known as the Siren Queen. I know that's a short summary in comparison but that's because the sale is absolutely in the vibes which are basically 'what if classic Hollywood was Faerie and make it sapphic' and if any one of those words appeal to you in the slightest then I beg you to try this one. I took out an American library e-card just to get my hands on this and it's best decision I've made all year. Please read it lol

Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson

This audiobook y'all. The book follows Lillian as she reconnects with her childhood sort of best friend from boarding school who has written to her begging for help with her politician husbands two children when their mother suddenly passes away. Lillian, living the life of the persistent down and outer, agrees easily, it's just for the summer and she can't turn down the money, after all how hard could it be? There's one little catch though, sometimes the kids burst into flames. When I say this audiobook broke my heart and then healed my soul I promise you I am barely exaggerating. I'm sure you could just read it and it would still be good, but Marin Ireland's narration brings so much heart to this story that I physically cannot bear to recommend it any other way lol. If you only listen to one book this year then this is the one it should be

[olivierdemangeon]

HELIOS (2015) ★★✮☆☆

[goryhorroor]

Hi! No idea of this is your wheelhouse at all, but do you have any recs for horror novels? In particular more modern books. Not sure if this is your thing at all so no worries if the answer is no, just curious! Have a lovely day!!

sure! these are some of my favorites

Tell Me I'm Worthless by Alison Rumfitt

Whisper by Chang Yu-ko, but you can find the translation by Roddy Flagg

Our Share of Night by Mariana Enriquez, translation by Megan McDowell

Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle

The Hole by Pyun Hye-Young, translation by Sora Kim-Russell

You've Lost a Lot of Blood by Eric LaRocca

My Heart is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones

A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay

Bad Cree by Jessica Johns

Orpheus Builds a Girl by Heather Parry

The Shadow of Book of Ji Yun, translated by Yi Izzy Yu & John Yu Branscum

Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung, translated by Anton Hur

Manhunt by Gretchen Felker-Martin

The Book of Accidents by Chuck Wendig

A Good House for Children by Kate Collins

Motherthing by Ainslie Hogarth

The Dangers of Smoking in Bed by Mariana Enriquez, translated by Megan McDowell

The Grip of It by Jac Jemc

The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward

Through the Woods by Emily Carroll

Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield

The Gingerbread Men by Joanna Corrance

Sisters by Daisy Johnson

The Lonely by Andrew Michael Hurley

Served by Scott Snyder, Scott Tuft & Attila Futaki

The Lost Ones by Anita Frank

Wilder Girls by Rory Power

Wylding Hall by Elizabeth Hand

From Below by Darcy Coates

The Fisherman by John Langen

[sunskate]

Skate Ontario August Sectionals FD:

Sheri Moir and Cara Moir for IAMO, Benjamin Brisebois for IAM, Mitch Islam for Mariposa, Marc-Andre Servant? for Carol Lane's school, Paul Macintosh and more

Juniors: Layla and Alex have a sense of unity between them that's a pleasure to watch, their skating is looking beautiful, and this La Strada program has a grandness that works very well for them - there were a couple glitches today towards the end - in the ChLi in particular, but they won by 9 points here. he wore all black today instead of the orange and black shirt

the Mariposa teams did really well again - the tango program for Rachel Martins/Juel Kowalczyk is so good, and they skate it like they want to eat it up - they were 2nd in the FD but didn't quite make up the gap from yesterday's RD, so they were 3rd overall. and Summer Homick/Nicholas Buelow are well matched and have long lines, and i think that helps with the judges? they had a twizzle issue, but without that, they might have been ahead of Martins/Kowalczyk in the FD which doesn't feel right

these schools do an impressive job - maybe that's a given, but it's so exciting to see teams transforming. Chung/Mackenzie were new and green last season - Carol Lane talks about teaching skating on the circle, and this team had such better skating skills this time - you could see them curving more and looking faster and more secure. i love seeing that so much. Liv Corneil/Alex Emery from IAMO had a competition they must be happy about - they're having a successful junior debut season so far

Seniors: Lots to celebrate - Lily and Nathan's Firebird already looks stronger than a few weeks ago. it's exciting to watch it come together. the end of the program is backloaded- the twizzles looked more secure, one big element after another culminating in that huge ChLi - they lost a level here and there, but this was still beautiful, and they came in 1st

Leia and Pietro won the FD - i love the way they're able to change energy with the music and sustain a mood. one of their best performances technically - excited for what's to come as they go deeper into this

Nadiia/Peter - they're portraying the character of ballroom Latin well - i still don't love the music, but the first half of the program is starting to sparkle. after the spin, it starts to feel chaotic - that crazy slide doesn't work for me, and then they had a fall right at the end of the program. they were 2nd overall

Alyssa/Jacob - their performance was so emotional it made me cry - congratulations to them for their first 100+ point FD

thanks to @danelledo for the info that it's Kieran MacDonald's sister, not mother, who's on their coaching team at Kitchener/Waterloo. Korneva/MacDonald did a really nice job on their first outing of their FD

Ritter/Brykalov were in all black instead of the costumes they wore at Lake Placid. this program is lovely. their combo lift is so big and dramatic - their lifts in general are a high point, though i guess they were a little too long - a couple extended lift deductions

how did i miss before that Athena Roberts's dress changes colors mid program lol she has such core strength it allows them to do creative lifts. he has nice extension

Shilling/Baeten i notice her warmth as a performer - they have a nice connection. this Celine program has potential to really build. they had a fall in their hydroblade at the end- it looked like it went too big, and they slipped off their edge maybe

[sleepythug]

hiii!! got any B movie reccs you really like?

these are what come to mind when i think of "b" movies

::::::::::

8 diagram pole fighter (1984, lau kar leung)

truck turner (1974, jonathan kaplan)

framed (1975, phil karlson)

god told me to (1976, larry cohen)

emperor of the north (1973, robert aldrich)

razorback (1984, russell mulcahy)

white dog (1983, samuel fuller)

danger: diabolik (1968, mario bava)

mr. majestyk (1974, richard fleischer)

conquest (1983, lucio fulci)

the man from hong kong (1974, bryan trenchard smith)

the lady in red (1979, lewis teague)

white line fever (1975, jonathan kaplan)

5 fingers of death (1972, jeong chang-hwa)

dirty mary, crazy larry (1974, john hough)

a fist full of talons (1983, sun chung)

pit stop (1969, jack hill)

dark of the sun (1968, jack cardiff)

poor pretty eddie (1975, david worth)

twisted nerve (1968, roy boulting)

death wish 3 (1985, michael winner)

seven black heroines (1983, chu yen-ping)

bmx bandits (1983, bryan trenchard smith)

death race 2000 (1975, paul bartel)

laserblast (1978, michael rae)

[cjlinton]

2023 Reading (So Far)

For the first time in a couple years I'm actually on track to finish a book each week, which is always one of my yearly goals. Below is a list of what I've read so far and which books I particularly recommend.

✨ incredible, recommend without exception ☕ I quite enjoyed this but your mileage may vary

Novels & Novellas The Candy House by Jennifer Egan Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin ✨ Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu Upright Women Wanted by Sarah Gailey The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun All Grown Up by Jami Attenberg Swamplandia! by Karen Russell Any Other City by Hazel Jane Plante ☕ Paul Takes the Form of a Mortal Girl by Andrea Lawlor The Guest by Emma Cline Turtles All the Way Down by John Green Mostly Dead Things by Kristen Arnett Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld ☕ Finna by Nino Cipri Pet by Akwaeke Emezi ✨ Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead ✨ Fiona and Jane by Jean Chen Ho Crook Manifesto by Colson Whitehead ☕ Luster by Raven Leilani ☕ Counterweight by Djuna

Short Stories Night of the Living Rez by Morgan Talty ✨ God of Want by K-Ming Chang Manywhere by Morgan Thomas ☕ Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung Someone Who Will Love You in All Your Damaged Glory: Stories by Raphael Bob-Waksberg

Nonfiction & Essays Bad Jews: A History of American Jewish Politics and Identities by Emily Tamkin Tanqueray by Brandon Stanton and Stephanie Johnson You Sound Like a White Girl by Julissa Arce Side Affects: On Being Trans and Feeling Bad by Hil Malatino ☕ Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning by Cathy Park Hong ✨

Poetry Bloodstone Cowboy by Kara Jackson ✨ Homie by Danez Smith ✨ Tits on the Moon by Dessa ☕

Comics/Graphic Novels The Boondocks: Because I Know You Don't Read the Newspaper by Aaron McGruder ☕ The Boondocks: Fresh for '01...You Suckas by Aaron McGruder ☕

[lawlessfm]

wanted fcs for the terrors?

I just gasped   —-     the Terrors are the newest additions to Lawlessfm and I would simply thriveeeee to see more babies there!    Feral or not   ( but mostly feral ).      Some suggestions would be:     Joel Oulette, Jamilla Strand,       Jung Jin-young, Kevin Kane, Michelle Buteau,      Andrew Koji, Leo Suter, Emilio Sakraya, Jamie Chung,         Luke Grimes, Danny Ramirez, Enzo Vogrincic, Liev Schreiber,   Josh Dallas, Ok Taec-yeon,   Hugh Jackman, Antonio Banderas,     Austin Butler, Lakeith Stanfield, Lee Sang-yi, Noah Sebastian, Kevin Costner,     Trevante Rhodes, Kiowa Gordon, Tommy Flanagan,      Callum Turner, Sandra Oh,        Paul Mescal, Lesley Ann Brandt,      Mike Angelo, Ryusei Yokohama, Ji Chang-wook, Cate Blanchett,     Harris Dickinson, Lily Gladstone, Yang Se-jong, Justin Chien, Bright Vachirawit,       Charles Michael Davis,       Charlotte Nicdao,     Byeon Woo-seok, Chelsea Islan,     Gabrielle Union,      Keke Palmer, Lena Heady,      Wang Zi Yi, Karl Urban,    Derek Luh, Chiwetel Ejiofor,       Okamoto Tao,     Sonoya Mizuno,     Chiemi Blouson,     Hikari Mori,         Angelica Ross,        Song Kang, Jake Gyllenhaal,     Patrick Wilson, Alexander Skarsgard,     John Leguizamo,      Hyun Bin,     James Roday Rodriguez,     Jared Harris, Golf Pichaya, Danny Pino,     Yamashita Tomohisa,       Mercedes Morris, Diego Luna, Tony Thornburg,        Elizabeth Lail,     Keeya King,       Ross Butler,    Juliette Binoche,        Aja Naomi King,       Woo Do-hwan, Laverne Cox, Dandara Mariana,          Tika Sumpter,      Danielle Brooks,        Karrueche Tran,      Javicia Leslie,    Drew Ray Tanner,      or Elliot Page!    I hope some of these catch your eye,   beloved!   

[chillingcinemachronicles]

Top 5 Sci-Fi Movies on Netflix

5. Predestination (2014)

Genre: Science Fiction, Thriller

Actor: Alicia Pavlis, Annabelle Norman, Arielle O’Neill, Ben Prendergast, Carolyn Shakespeare-Allen, Cate Wolfe, Christopher Bunworth, Christopher Kirby, Christopher Sommers, Christopher Stollery, Dennis Coard, Dick York, Elise Jansen, Eliza D’Souza, Eliza Matengu, Ethan Hawke, Felicity Steel, Finegan Sampson, Freya Stafford, Giordano Gangl, Grant Piro, Hayley Butcher, Jim Knobeloch, Katie Avram, Kristie Jandric, Kuni Hashimoto, Lucinda Armstrong Hall, Madeleine West, Maja Sarosiek, Marky Lee Campbell, Milla Simmonds, Monique Heath, Noah Taylor, Noel Herriman, Olivia Sprague, Paul Moder, Raj Sidhu, Rob Jenkins, Sara El-Yafi, Sarah Snook, Sophie Cusworth, Tony Nikolakopoulos, Tyler Coppin, Vanessa Crouch

Director: Michael Spierig, Peter Spierig, The Spierig Brothers

Rating: R

One of the most original time-travel thrillers since 12 Monkeys. A brilliant subversion of the Time Paradox trope, with enough plot twists to keep you entertained until well after the movie is finished. Predestination is an amazing movie with great performances from Ethan Hawke and Sarah Snook. It’s a movie that will feel like Inception, when it comes to messing with your mind and barely anyone has heard of it. It is highly underrated and unknown, sadly.

4. Train to Busan (2016)

Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, Horror, Science Fiction, Thriller

Actor: Ahn So-hee, An So-hee, Baek Seung-hwan, Cha Chung-hwa, Chang-hwan Kim, Choi Gwi-hwa, Choi Woo-shik, Choi Woo-sung, Dong-seok Ma, Eui-sung Kim, Gong Yoo, Han Ji-eun, Han Sung-soo, Jang Hyuk-jin, Jeong Seok-yong, Jung Seok-yong, Jung Young-ki, Jung Yu-mi, Kim Chang-hwan, Kim Eui-sung, Kim Jae-rok, Kim Joo-heon, Kim Ju-hun, Kim Keum-soon, Kim Soo-ahn, Kim Soo-an, Kim Su-an, Kim Won-Jin, Lee Joo-sil, Lee Joong-ok, Ma Dong-seok, Park Myung-shin, Sang-ho Yeon, Seok-yong Jeong, Shim Eun-kyung, Sohee, Soo-an Kim, Soo-jung Ye, Terri Doty, Woo Do-im, Woo-sik Choi, Ye Soo-jung, Yeon Sang-ho, Yoo Gong, Yu-mi Jeong, Yu-mi Jung

Director: Sang-ho Yeon, Yeon Sang-ho

Lights, camera, VPNaction! Elevate your movie nights with NordVPN. 🎥🔒secure your connection and Download NordVPN . Click now to unlock global cinematic thrills!

A zombie virus breaks out and catches up with a father as he is taking his daughter from Seoul to Busan, South Korea’s second-largest city. Watch them trying to survive to reach their destination, a purported safe zone.

The acting is spot-on; the set pieces are particularly well choreographed. You’ll care about the characters. You’ll feel for the father as he struggles to keep his humanity in the bleakest of scenarios.

It’s a refreshingly thrilling disaster movie, a perfect specimen of the genre.

3. Serenity (2005)

Genre: Action, Adventure, Science Fiction, Thriller

Actor: Adam Baldwin, Alan Tudyk, Carrie ‘CeCe’ Cline, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Colin Patrick Lynch, David Krumholtz, Demetra Raven, Dennis Keiffer, Elaine Mani Lee, Erik Weiner, Gina Torres, Glenn Howerton, Hunter Ansley Wryn, Jessica Huang, Jewel Staite, Linda Wang, Logan O’Brien, Marcus Young, Mark Winn, Marley McClean, Matt McColm, Michael Hitchcock, Morena Baccarin, Nathan Fillion, Nectar Rose, Neil Patrick Harris, Peter James Smith, Rafael Feldman, Rick Williamson, Ron Glass, Ryan Tasz, Sarah Paulson, Sean Maher, Summer Glau, Tamara Taylor, Terrell Tilford, Terrence Hardy Jr., Tristan Jarred, Weston Nathanson, Yan Feldman

Director: Joss Whedon

Rating: PG-13

Lights, camera, VPNaction! Elevate your movie nights with NordVPN. 🎥🔒secure your connection and Download NordVPN . Click now to unlock global cinematic thrills!

Serenity is a futuristic sci-fi film that serves as a feature-length continuation of the story-line from the TV program Firefly (2002–2003). The story revolves around the captain (Nathan Fillion) and crew of the titular space vessel that operate as space outlaws, running cargo and smuggling missions throughout the galaxy. They take on a mysterious young psychic girl and her brother, the girl carrying secrets detrimental to the intergalactic government, and soon find themselves being hunted by a nefarious assassin (Chiwetel Ejiofor). The first feature-length film from Joss Whedon (The Avengers), Serenity is a lively and enjoyable adventure, replete with large-scale action sequences, strong characterizations and just the right touch of wry humor. An enjoyable viewing experience that stands alone without demanding that you have familiarity with the original program beforehand.

2. Sorry to Bother You (2018)

Genre: Comedy, Fantasy, Science Fiction

Actor: Armie Hammer, Danny Glover, David Cross, Ed Moy, Forest Whitaker, James D. Weston II, Jermaine Fowler, John Ozuna, Kate Berlant, Lakeith Stanfield, Lily James, Marcella Bragio, Michael X. Sommers, Molly Brady, Omari Hardwick, Patton Oswalt, Robert Longstreet, Rosario Dawson, Steven Yeun, Teresa Navarro, Terry Crews, Tessa Thompson, Tom Woodruff Jr., Tony Toste, W. Kamau Bell

Director: Boots Riley

In the year of the Netflix TV Show Maniac, another absurdist title stole critics’ hearts. Sorry to Bother You is a movie set in an alternate reality, where capitalism and greed are accentuated. Lakeith Stanfield (Atlanta) is a guy called Cassius who struggles to pay his bills. However, when at a tele-marketing job an old-timer tells him to use a “white voice”, he starts moving up the ranks of his bizarre society. A really smart movie that will be mostly enjoyed by those who watch it for its entertaining value, and not so much for its commentary. It is like a Black Mirror episode stretched into a movie.

1. Ex Machina (2015)

Genre: Drama, Science Fiction

Actor: Alex Garland, Alicia Vikander, Chelsea Li, Claire Selby, Corey Johnson, Domhnall Gleeson, Elina Alminas, Gana Bayarsaikhan, Oscar Isaac, Sonoya Mizuno, Symara A. Templeman, Symara Templeman, Tiffany Pisani

Director: Alex Garland

Rating: R

Lights, camera, VPNaction! Elevate your movie nights with NordVPN. 🎥🔒secure your connection and Download NordVPN . Click now to unlock global cinematic thrills!

Ex Machina is the directorial debut of Alex Garland, the writer of 28 Days Later (and 28 Weeks Later). It tells the story of Caleb (Domhnall Gleeson from About Time), an IT developer who is invited by a billionaire CEO to participate in a groundbreaking experiment — administering a Turing test to a humanoid robot called Ava (Alicia Vikander). Meeting the robot with feelings of superiority at first, questions of trust and ethics soon collide with the protagonist’s personal views. While this dazzling film does not rely on them, the visual effects and the overall look-feel of Ex Machina are absolutely stunning and were rightly picked for an Academy Award. They make Ex Machina feel just as casually futuristic as the equally stylish Her and, like Joaquin Phoenix, Gleeson aka Caleb must confront the feelings he develops towards a machine, despite his full awareness that ‘she’ is just that. This is possibly as close to Kubrick as anyone got in the 21st century. Ex Machina is clever, thrilling, and packed with engaging ideas.

[wellesleybooks]

The National Book Award finalists have been announced.

2023 Longlist for the National Book Award for Fiction:

Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, Chain-Gang All-Stars Pantheon Books / Penguin Random House

Aaliyah Bilal, Temple Folk Simon & Schuster

Eliot Duncan, Ponyboy W. W. Norton & Company

Paul Harding, This Other Eden W. W. Norton & Company

Tania James, Loot Knopf / Penguin Random House

Jayne Anne Phillips, Night Watch Knopf / Penguin Random House

Mona Susan Power, A Council of Dolls Mariner Books / HarperCollins Publishers

Hanna Pylväinen, The End of Drum-Time Henry Holt and Company / Macmillan Publishers

Justin Torres, Blackouts Farrar, Straus and Giroux / Macmillan Publishers

LaToya Watkins, Holler, Child Tiny Reparations Books / Penguin Random House

2023 Longlist for the National Book Award for Nonfiction:

Ned Blackhawk, The Rediscovery of America: Native Peoples and the Unmaking of U.S. History Yale University Press

Jonathan Eig, King: A Life Farrar, Straus and Giroux / Macmillan Publishers

Viet Thanh Nguyen, A Man of Two Faces: A Memoir, A History, A Memorial Grove Press / Grove Atlantic

Prudence Peiffer, The Slip: The New York City Street That Changed American Art Forever Harper / HarperCollins Publishers

Donovan X. Ramsey, When Crack Was King: A People’s History of a Misunderstood Era One World / Penguin Random House

Cristina Rivera Garza, Liliana’s Invincible Summer: A Sister’s Search for Justice Hogarth / Penguin Random House

Christina Sharpe, Ordinary Notes Farrar, Straus and Giroux / Macmillan Publishers

Raja Shehadeh, We Could Have Been Friends, My Father and I: A Palestinian Memoir Other Press

John Vaillant, Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World Knopf / Penguin Random House

Kidada E. Williams, I Saw Death Coming: A History of Terror and Survival in the War Against Reconstruction Bloomsbury Publishing

2023 Longlist for the National Book Award for Poetry:

John Lee Clark, How to Communicate W. W. Norton & Company

Oliver de la Paz, The Diaspora Sonnets Liveright / W. W. Norton & Company

Annelyse Gelman, Vexations University of Chicago Press

José Olivarez, Promises of Gold Henry Holt and Company / Macmillan Publishers

Craig Santos Perez, from unincorporated territory [åmot] Omnidawn Publishing

Paisley Rekdal, West: A Translation Copper Canyon Press

Brandon Som, Tripas Georgia Review Books / University of Georgia Press

Charif Shanahan, Trace Evidence Tin House Books

Evie Shockley, suddenly we Wesleyan University Press Monica Youn, From From Graywolf Press

2023 Longlist for the National Book Award for Translated Literature:

Juan Cárdenas, The Devil of the Provinces Translated from the Spanish by Lizzie Davis Coffee House Press

Bora Chung, Cursed Bunny Translated from the Korean by Anton Hur Algonquin Books / Hachette Book Group

David Diop, Beyond the Door of No Return Translated from the French by Sam Taylor Farrar, Straus and Giroux / Macmillan Publishers

Jenny Erpenbeck, Kairos Translated from the German by Michael Hofmann New Directions Publishing

Stênio Gardel, The Words That Remain Translated from the Portuguese by Bruna Dantas Lobato New Vessel Press

Khaled Khalifa, No One Prayed Over Their Graves Translated from the Arabic by Leri Price Farrar, Straus and Giroux / Macmillan Publishers

Fernanda Melchor, This Is Not Miami Translated from the Spanish by Sophie Hughes New Directions Publishing

Pilar Quintana, Abyss Translated from the Spanish by Lisa Dillman World Editions

Astrid Roemer, On a Woman’s Madness Translated from the Dutch by Lucy Scott Two Lines Press

Mohamed Mbougar Sarr, The Most Secret Memory of Men Translated from the French by Lara Vergnaud Other Press

2023 Longlist for the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature:

Erin Bow, Simon Sort of Says Disney-Hyperion Books / Disney Publishing Worldwide

Kenneth M. Cadow, Gather Candlewick Press

Alyson Derrick, Forget Me Not Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers / Simon & Schuster

Huda Fahmy, Huda F Cares? Dial Books for Young Readers / Penguin Random House

Vashti Harrison, Big Little, Brown Books for Young Readers / Hachette Book Group

Katherine Marsh, The Lost Year: A Survival Story of the Ukrainian Famine Roaring Brook Press / Macmillan Publishers

Dan Nott, Hidden Systems: Water, Electricity, the Internet, and the Secrets Behind the Systems We Use Every Day Random House Graphic / Penguin Random House

Dan Santat, A First Time for Everything First Second / Macmillan Publishers

Betty C. Tang, Parachute Kids Graphix / Scholastic, Inc.

Yohuru Williams and Michael G. Long, More Than a Dream: The Radical March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom Farrar, Straus and Giroux Books for Young Readers / Macmillan Publishers

[ulkaralakbarova]

Wheels on Meals

Cousins Thomas and David, owners of a mobile restaurant, team up with their friend Moby, a bumbling private detective, to save the beautiful Sylvia, a pickpocket. Credits: TheMovieDb. Film Cast: Thomas: Jackie Chan Moby: Sammo Hung David: Yuen Biao Sylvia: Lola Forner One of Mondale’s Men: Benny Urquidez One of Mondale’s Men: Keith Vitali Uncle Chan: Paul Chang Chung Mental Patient / Brilliant:…

[popentertainment-moviereviews]

TWISTERS (2024)

Starring Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell, Anthony Ramos, Brandon Perea, Maura Tierney, Sasha Lane, Harry Hadden-Paton, Daryl McCormack, Kiernan Shipka, Nik Dodani, David Corenswet, Tunde Adebimpe, Katy O'Brian, Paul Scheer, James Paxton, David Born, Paul Scheer, Laura Poe, Austin Bullock, Stephen Oyoung, Alex Kingi and Chris Adrien.

Screenplay by Mark L. Smith.

Directed by Lee Isaac Chung.

Distributed by Universal Pictures. 122 minutes. Rated PG-13.

The film Twisters whips the summer season into a climatic frenzy of life and death.

With this summer season of intense weather and a vast array of tornadoes touching down in state after state, there's no better timing than now to release this film, Twisters. It's a sort of sequel to its 28-year-old predecessor, Twister – directed by the now-retired Jan De Bont. The now 80-year-old Dutchman was a cinematographer, director and film producer. He's best known for directing 1994's Speed and then Twister which were part of the rise of blockbusters such as Die Hard and Lethal Weapon. De Bont was cinematographer on one installment of each of those series.   Chock full of dramatic moments we can all relate to, both films are terrifying. The various scenes of destruction are blood curdling. And given that a twister is far more fearsome than any creature fabrication like Godzilla – since storms are far less easy to reason with – the film resonates. As innovative as the original was, this edition explores all the investment in special effects to give audiences a truly close up look at what people have actually experienced when this weather phenomena destroys homes and sweeps people away into deathly oblivion.   But these films, especially the latest as directed by Lee Isaac Chung, aren’t merely fictionalized documentaries. There is a rich and fully rounded narrative of love lost and gained here. Most of that’s thanks to the fine casting of Daisy Edgar-Jones and Glen Powell – who now seem to be the go-to guy for actors who display naturalistic grit and charisma.   As weather scientist Kate, Britisher Edgar-Jones provides a reasonable facsimile of a Midwesterner obsessed with coming up with a Tornado-killer solution. The film opens as she is working with fellow students and friends to test a chemical solution to contain tornadoes. All goes awry and three of her team are swept away to their deaths.   Five years later, the other survivor, Javi (Anthony Ramos), comes to NYC to ask Kate to help him with a new project, a 3D tornado mapping system which has – as audiences realize later – insidious implications. They head to Oklahoma where they clash, at first, with tornado wrangler Tyler Owens (Powell), a high-energy social media sensation. Initially, the two teams compete but Kate eventually bonds with him and discovers that he has the scientific acumen to help her along the way.    As they wend their way to the film’s conclusion – repeatedly surviving death-dealing twisters – both find love and scientific solutions to quell the impact of these mega-death machines. It also opens the door to possible sequels, ones to be produced in a shorter time than nearly three decades.   In addition to the sheer drama of the various set pieces constructed here, Twisters is also loaded with trenchant political, scientific and sociological notions. The ecological implications are obvious. There have been so many hyper-powerful tornadoes happening now in our real world. Are they due to authorities ignoring the cause of the surge?

For various reasons too complicated to go into here, greed and irrational climate deniers have made it harder to address the long-term solutions necessary to make life in tornado alley more bearable. This film may have a touch of fanciful science built into it, but it also provokes audiences to think of the implications of weather change and man-made global warming. Twisters may not make your summer more soothing, but it does provoke more than just sheer terror.

Brad Balfour

Copyright ©2024 PopEntertainment.com. All rights reserved. Posted: July 19, 2024.

[mvdbutler]

NEOGEO BATTLE COLISEUM SUPER EXTRA RUMBLE

NEOGEO BATTLE COLISEUM YUKI-MICHAEL RUSSELL AI-JENNA FRANKLIN WORLD HEROES HATTORI HANZO-FREDDIE BENJI FUMA KOTARO-JASON CORE RASPUTIN-VLADIMIR.P JANNE D'ARC-AMBER HARRIS-DILLER JENGHIS-KEVIN MICHAEL RICHARDSON BROCKEN-ARNOLD MULLER KIM DRAGON-COREY.T MUSCLE POWER-PATRICK SMITH CAPTAIN KIDD-JUSTIN UNO ERICK-COREY SWANSON JOHNNY MAXIMUM-ALAN RITCHSON MUDMAN-RUSSELL LUCAS RYOKO IZUMO-MASHA CARSON SHURA-CHANG LI RYOFU-SHANG THANG JACK-KENNY RICHARDS SUN WUKONG-ERIC.GEOSKI.III AGGRESSORS OF DARK KOMBAT JOE KUSANAGI-KYOSHUA KHAN KISARAH-NAUTICA JOHNSON GOH KIDOKORO-MATTHEW MARCHAND LEONHALT DOMADOR-RICO GOMEZ SHEEN GENUS-ALVIN-DAVID.G LEE HAE GWON-PATRICK SEUNG BOBBY NELSON-MILTON BUTLER.JR VOLTAGE FIGHTER GOWCAIZER GOWCAIZER-MIKEY HARRIS HELLSTINGER-KOREY MONROE KARIN SON-ASHLEY WONG-HENDERSON KYOSUKE SHIGURE-JERMIAH MALONE SHAIA-TARA STRONG BRIDER-STEVEN BLUM FUDOHMARU-SHINSUKE.E CAPTAIN ATLANTIS-ALAN LENDALE MARION-BRENDA BROWN-COLLINS SHENG-LONG-HARRISON RANDELL THE MAIN BOSS VINCENT ALBERT-CHAEL SONNEN SAVAGE REIGN SHO HAYAYE-BRYAN DANIELSON CAROL STANZACK-TRESS MACNEILLE MAX EAGLE-VANCE RICHARDS.JR GORDON BOWMAN-BRYAN CRANSTON CHUNG PAIFU-ALBERT SHING GOZU-AARON PAUL MEZU-MATT JONES JOKER-MATT HARDY NICOLA ZAZA-MATTHEW MERCER KING LION-MARK LINDSEY KING LEO-PHIL LAMARR ROSA-BRITTANY CASTILLO KIM SUE II-STEVEN YEUN JYAZU-KEITH DAVID BREAKERS SHO KAMUI-SAMMY GUEVARA LEE DAO-LONG-BENNY SHAU TIA LANGRAY-SERENA DEEB PIELLE MONTARIO-ANDRADE.XAVIE CONDOR HEADS-TENOCH HUERTA SHEIK MAHERI-BOBBY RICKS RILA ESTANSIA-TAY MELO-GUEVARA ALSION III-RAFE SPALL HUANG BAI-HU-CARY-HIROYUKI TAGAWA SAIZO TOBIKAGENO-ROBIN SHOU

[sunaleisocial]

Engineers find a new way to convert carbon dioxide into useful products

New Post has been published on https://sunalei.org/news/engineers-find-a-new-way-to-convert-carbon-dioxide-into-useful-products/

Engineers find a new way to convert carbon dioxide into useful products

MIT chemical engineers have devised an efficient way to convert carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide, a chemical precursor that can be used to generate useful compounds such as ethanol and other fuels.

If scaled up for industrial use, this process could help to remove carbon dioxide from power plants and other sources, reducing the amount of greenhouse gases that are released into the atmosphere.

“This would allow you to take carbon dioxide from emissions or dissolved in the ocean, and convert it into profitable chemicals. It’s really a path forward for decarbonization because we can take CO2, which is a greenhouse gas, and turn it into things that are useful for chemical manufacture,” says Ariel Furst, the Paul M. Cook Career Development Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering and the senior author of the study.

The new approach uses electricity to perform the chemical conversion, with help from a catalyst that is tethered to the electrode surface by strands of DNA. This DNA acts like Velcro to keep all the reaction components in close proximity, making the reaction much more efficient than if all the components were floating in solution.

Furst has started a company called Helix Carbon to further develop the technology. Former MIT postdoc Gang Fan is the lead author of the paper, which appears in the Journal of the American Chemical Society Au. Other authors include Nathan Corbin PhD ’21, Minju Chung PhD ’23, former MIT postdocs Thomas Gill and Amruta Karbelkar, and Evan Moore ’23.

Breaking down CO2

Converting carbon dioxide into useful products requires first turning it into carbon monoxide. One way to do this is with electricity, but the amount of energy required for that type of electrocatalysis is prohibitively expensive.

To try to bring down those costs, researchers have tried using electrocatalysts, which can speed up the reaction and reduce the amount of energy that needs to be added to the system. One type of catalyst used for this reaction is a class of molecules known as porphyrins, which contain metals such as iron or cobalt and are similar in structure to the heme molecules that carry oxygen in blood. 

During this type of electrochemical reaction, carbon dioxide is dissolved in water within an electrochemical device, which contains an electrode that drives the reaction. The catalysts are also suspended in the solution. However, this setup isn’t very efficient because the carbon dioxide and the catalysts need to encounter each other at the electrode surface, which doesn’t happen very often.

To make the reaction occur more frequently, which would boost the efficiency of the electrochemical conversion, Furst began working on ways to attach the catalysts to the surface of the electrode. DNA seemed to be the ideal choice for this application.

“DNA is relatively inexpensive, you can modify it chemically, and you can control the interaction between two strands by changing the sequences,” she says. “It’s like a sequence-specific Velcro that has very strong but reversible interactions that you can control.”

To attach single strands of DNA to a carbon electrode, the researchers used two “chemical handles,” one on the DNA and one on the electrode. These handles can be snapped together, forming a permanent bond. A complementary DNA sequence is then attached to the porphyrin catalyst, so that when the catalyst is added to the solution, it will bind reversibly to the DNA that’s already attached to the electrode — just like Velcro.

Once this system is set up, the researchers apply a potential (or bias) to the electrode, and the catalyst uses this energy to convert carbon dioxide in the solution into carbon monoxide. The reaction also generates a small amount of hydrogen gas, from the water. After the catalysts wear out, they can be released from the surface by heating the system to break the reversible bonds between the two DNA strands, and replaced with new ones.

An efficient reaction

Using this approach, the researchers were able to boost the Faradaic efficiency of the reaction to 100 percent, meaning that all of the electrical energy that goes into the system goes directly into the chemical reactions, with no energy wasted. When the catalysts are not tethered by DNA, the Faradaic efficiency is only about 40 percent.

This technology could be scaled up for industrial use fairly easily, Furst says, because the carbon electrodes the researchers used are much less expensive than conventional metal electrodes. The catalysts are also inexpensive, as they don’t contain any precious metals, and only a small concentration of the catalyst is needed on the electrode surface.

By swapping in different catalysts, the researchers plan to try making other products such as methanol and ethanol using this approach. Helix Carbon, the company started by Furst, is also working on further developing the technology for potential commercial use.

The research was funded by the U.S. Army Research Office, the CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars Program, the MIT Energy Initiative, and the MIT Deshpande Center.

[jcmarchi]

Engineers find a new way to convert carbon dioxide into useful products

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/engineers-find-a-new-way-to-convert-carbon-dioxide-into-useful-products/

Engineers find a new way to convert carbon dioxide into useful products

MIT chemical engineers have devised an efficient way to convert carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide, a chemical precursor that can be used to generate useful compounds such as ethanol and other fuels.

If scaled up for industrial use, this process could help to remove carbon dioxide from power plants and other sources, reducing the amount of greenhouse gases that are released into the atmosphere.

“This would allow you to take carbon dioxide from emissions or dissolved in the ocean, and convert it into profitable chemicals. It’s really a path forward for decarbonization because we can take CO2, which is a greenhouse gas, and turn it into things that are useful for chemical manufacture,” says Ariel Furst, the Paul M. Cook Career Development Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering and the senior author of the study.

The new approach uses electricity to perform the chemical conversion, with help from a catalyst that is tethered to the electrode surface by strands of DNA. This DNA acts like Velcro to keep all the reaction components in close proximity, making the reaction much more efficient than if all the components were floating in solution.

Furst has started a company called Helix Carbon to further develop the technology. Former MIT postdoc Gang Fan is the lead author of the paper, which appears in the Journal of the American Chemical Society Au. Other authors include Nathan Corbin PhD ’21, Minju Chung PhD ’23, former MIT postdocs Thomas Gill and Amruta Karbelkar, and Evan Moore ’23.

Breaking down CO2

Converting carbon dioxide into useful products requires first turning it into carbon monoxide. One way to do this is with electricity, but the amount of energy required for that type of electrocatalysis is prohibitively expensive.

To try to bring down those costs, researchers have tried using electrocatalysts, which can speed up the reaction and reduce the amount of energy that needs to be added to the system. One type of catalyst used for this reaction is a class of molecules known as porphyrins, which contain metals such as iron or cobalt and are similar in structure to the heme molecules that carry oxygen in blood. 

During this type of electrochemical reaction, carbon dioxide is dissolved in water within an electrochemical device, which contains an electrode that drives the reaction. The catalysts are also suspended in the solution. However, this setup isn’t very efficient because the carbon dioxide and the catalysts need to encounter each other at the electrode surface, which doesn’t happen very often.

To make the reaction occur more frequently, which would boost the efficiency of the electrochemical conversion, Furst began working on ways to attach the catalysts to the surface of the electrode. DNA seemed to be the ideal choice for this application.

“DNA is relatively inexpensive, you can modify it chemically, and you can control the interaction between two strands by changing the sequences,” she says. “It’s like a sequence-specific Velcro that has very strong but reversible interactions that you can control.”

To attach single strands of DNA to a carbon electrode, the researchers used two “chemical handles,” one on the DNA and one on the electrode. These handles can be snapped together, forming a permanent bond. A complementary DNA sequence is then attached to the porphyrin catalyst, so that when the catalyst is added to the solution, it will bind reversibly to the DNA that’s already attached to the electrode — just like Velcro.

Once this system is set up, the researchers apply a potential (or bias) to the electrode, and the catalyst uses this energy to convert carbon dioxide in the solution into carbon monoxide. The reaction also generates a small amount of hydrogen gas, from the water. After the catalysts wear out, they can be released from the surface by heating the system to break the reversible bonds between the two DNA strands, and replaced with new ones.

An efficient reaction

Using this approach, the researchers were able to boost the Faradaic efficiency of the reaction to 100 percent, meaning that all of the electrical energy that goes into the system goes directly into the chemical reactions, with no energy wasted. When the catalysts are not tethered by DNA, the Faradaic efficiency is only about 40 percent.

This technology could be scaled up for industrial use fairly easily, Furst says, because the carbon electrodes the researchers used are much less expensive than conventional metal electrodes. The catalysts are also inexpensive, as they don’t contain any precious metals, and only a small concentration of the catalyst is needed on the electrode surface.

By swapping in different catalysts, the researchers plan to try making other products such as methanol and ethanol using this approach. Helix Carbon, the company started by Furst, is also working on further developing the technology for potential commercial use.

The research was funded by the U.S. Army Research Office, the CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars Program, the MIT Energy Initiative, and the MIT Deshpande Center.

[thisisbeyond]

Beyond's Words Before Returning from Japan

Ka Kui's Rock and Roll

Time: 10th May 1993 Place: Beyond's Band Room People: Beyond's Members: Wong Ka Kui, Wong Ka Keung, Yip Sai Wing, Wong Koon Chung Q: Why did the four of you play together in a band?

Ka Kui: Till today we don't know the answer, we believe it is fate. Character is the most important, everyone needs to unconditionally respect each other, be willing to sacrifice, wholeheartedly for the band play for the band, cannot calculate that the band can bring about what benefits for yourself. Actually before playing together each of us had our own band, at that time each was playing in several bands. Ka Keung and I joined with Tai Chi's Joey, Gary and Ricky to form Laser Band, usually practiced little, there was somebody who gave us money and said we were talented. At that time at Mark I Studio, we practiced till perfect, but recieved little money. Playing 30 songs we only got a thousand dollars, and that wasn't enough for the rent. Paul's band Stone was even more pitiful, at the municipal council party played on the truck, initially it was to be four hundred dollars, afterwards somebody pushed down the price, recieved three hundred and fifty dollars.

Beyond formed in 83, in 84 Wing joined, Paul was the latest, joining in 85. At that time they did not know Paul could play guitar, only knew he had long hair, and liked to listen to music. He designed the concert poster for us. Before the concert one member decided to go overseas to study. At that time, we found out Paul was a guitarist, and after playing with us, asked him to join.

Q: Outsiders say you are an underground band, do you agree or disagree?

Ka Kui: I've never considered that Beyond is an "underground band". We like to play the music we like to listen to, never considered playing the music that other people like. I think my music is very popular, don't know why nobody listens to it, makes me very not be resigned to it.

What is an "underground band"? One that doesn't release records? Hasn't held a performance? Doesn't stoop to give publicity to themselves? THese are all others misunderstanding of "underground". "Underground" 's true meaning is that people cannot tolerate, like on the mainland singing revolutionary songs is "underground work". Hong Kong doesn't have much political protest. Expression of resent towards society, in the west this is a sort of very popular music, it's a pity too many Hong Kong music fans only can accept the popular music they like to listen to, not accepting calling Beyond an "underground band".

Q: Has Beyond intentionally been strange?

Ka Kui: We don't like songs having too much repetition. For the most part, pop music has two verses, one bridge, one chorus, which is very formulaic. We like change, even so much that our own music compositions we have difficulty remembering, because I don't know how to notate compositions, everytime I write a song I have to use the machine to record it. There are those who think Beyond's music isn't coordinated, like three songs in one. I think this is very dramatic, like a story. I think other people's music is very limited, without change.

Q: Some say Beyond's music is becoming more and more commercial, is this submitting to reality?

Ka Kui: People have said Beyond's music is old and strange kind of music, playing pleasing to the ear music just won't work. So I try to compose other people's kind of music, prove that since others can achieve it, I can also do it. This is a challenge to yourself, not to submit to reality. But I admit Beyond did try to become commercial, this is to accept fans way of thinking. If I persisted in playing the music that I thought was good, fans wouldn't understand, or accept it, but would resist, would be annoyed, not want to listen to Beyond's music anymore, this would lead to distancing the fans. I won't be resigned to it, so temporarily, after the fans accept us, again create the music that we like. I believe that Beyond did not intentionally become commercial, unless if now we only played The Earth, Really Love You, I Like You, only then are we a one hundred percent pop band, but Beyond hasn't stayed at The Earth, I Like You, stage.

Q: It appears at this stage that your works have or have not been restricted?

Ka Kui: Before we liked simple thoughts. Today we know Hong Kong people like simple things. Personally for a musician, all day you want to make a breakthrough, but you need to control yourself, don't want to go by convention. Sometimes for the song to be popular, to supress yourself no to empty out what you like as the fans may not accept it, makes me bored. I ask myself, what music am I playing? Why need to make it so hard?

During the time of The Earth and I Like You, we played simple songs and the feetback was the strongest. Using our hearts to play some more technically difficult songs, the response was very cold. Musicians want to shift the boundaries in their msuic, instead nobody cares, nobody appreciates. I felt in Hong Kong music there isn't any interest. Right now circumstances are a litle better, the number of music fans has stabilized, the record company also has confidence in us. So as long as in an album there are two, three songs which will be popular, we are given free rein. Beyond has been established for 10 years, I hope to compose the msuic that I like, fear that some fans won't accept the path I take, but Beyond will still take its own path. Q: Spending 10 years in the music circle, what have you reaped?

Ka Kui: The biggest reward is that some fans understand guitar based music, know what drums are and know what guitars are. When we made mistakes, they would write a letter notting our mistakes that needed correction. These kind of fans aren't weak and appreciate our songs, also appreciate my hard work. They experience good guitar playing, then they wil definitely spend a lot of time practicising. I feel very happy, because our previous efforts weren't in vain. It's possible these types of fans wil grow up and become another band, like Beyond, like us criticising people, criticising society. They will also give us pressure, to do even better. Q: After becoming famous, Beyond also shot movies, appeared on television, do television programs, is it that you do not accept only being musicians, have to be entertainers?

Ka Kui: We are one hundred percent musicians, wholeheartedly pursue music. When the album comes out we publicise it, ordinarily avoid it and pursue music. If we haven't released an album and also appear on television, television programs, only then that is an "entertainer". Beyond doing publicity means that music must be relevant. There are some singers who appear on television, step all over people, "drink milk" (meaning to suck up to), what meaning has this. Helping music equates to zero, only to raise their fame, that's all. Before I also tried to appear on a singing show, in the first place because of income problems, secondly to prove we could be like other entertainers. Appearing on singing shows you earn money, but everyday return home completely tired, then how will you have time left for music? Everyone worries about themselves, so why compete so greatly? Scared that others are "hotter" than you, scared of others vieing for your own fans!

Q: Since you wish to popularize music, why don't you write for other people?

Ka Kui: We wanted to write songs for other people, but the record company was opposed to it. They said, why don't you keep the good songs for yourself? If it isn't a good song, it will affect Beyond's name. That is to only be responsible for writing songs sin't okay. In short that any person's album has Beyond's name inside isn't alright, if you want to listen to Beyond's songs you should buy Beyond's albums. If each member did their own work, everybody would lose focus. Like TaiChi for example, they played for a lot of stars, obviously they played rock, but wrote other people's jazz songs. If done too much would result in not having your own individual character. You say, if we just use up the remaining songs, what will the band be like?

Q: Why do you resent the Hong Kong entertainment industry?

Ka Kui: Hong Kong doesn't have a music circle, only has an entertainment circle. You watch every year at music awards who gets elected best singer? It's the "hot" entertainer. What song is chosen? All cover version songs. In the circle you can say that in essence people don't respect music, only use music to shape popularity, give publicity to singers, not using music to move people's hearts, the content is empty without feeling. The entertainer will be absorbed into the music world, singers filming movies, on television, being an actor and also becoming a singer. Many singers regularly attend charitable activitiesm helping the poor, go to orphanages, visit old people's homes, yet their songs always don't express loving care for society type messages. For what? Want to be "hot", becoming popular, and want to become even more popular!

Q: Why can Beyond stay together?

Ka Kui: To be a person the most important is to be true. Very strange, some entertainers can pretend to have a smiling face, obviously not having very happy thoughts, seeing them face to face, all disguise themselves as affectionate. Why? Perhaps they can't help it. I'm not willing to be an idol, towards people be strong with a smiling face. Musicians only need to write good music. We are not from college, in ten years my family have opposed it yet we have persisted in playing in a band. Towards my passion for music I have been influenced all my life, not a small number of fans have begun to understand music, we play wrongly, they will write a letter to criticise us, also fans write a letter sending their recorded music. Does Beyond still need to exist, because we have sowed the seeds and they have begun to sprout.