#this footage is from thursday (like in the game). i also accessed it on wednesday and there was a different weapon :0 idk what that's about

[heksen-sabbat]

showcasing secret area in the game within the home level, containing gravestones and useful items

this video shows one way to access it without cheats

[newstfionline]

Sunday, August 1, 2021

U.S. issues new Cuba sanctions, Biden promises more to come (Reuters) The United States imposed sanctions on the Cuban police force and two of its leaders on Friday in response to the Havana government’s crackdown on protesters, and President Joe Biden promised Cuban-American leaders more actions were coming. The U.S. Treasury Department said the sanctions, which appeared to be largely symbolic, were a reaction to “actions to suppress peaceful, pro-democratic protests in Cuba that began on July 11.” “There will be more, unless there’s some drastic change in Cuba, which I don’t anticipate,” Biden said during a meeting with Cuban-American leaders at the White House. His meeting came as the politically important community calls for more support for protests in Cuba that represent the biggest populist outpouring against the government on the Communist-run island in decades.

Mexico president says thousands of federal prisoners to be freed under new decree (Reuters) Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Thursday a new presidential decree would liberate thousands of federal prisoners in special circumstances, including torture victims. The decree would free by Sept. 15 federal prisoners of any age who were accused of any crime if they had been victims of torture, Lopez Obrador said in a regular news conference. In addition, federal prisoners over age 75 who had not committed serious crimes, and prisoners over age 65 with chronic illnesses who had not committed serious crimes would also be liberated, Lopez Obrador said. Federal prisoners who have been behind bars for more than 10 years without a sentence, and who had not committed a serious crime, would be freed. There are about 94,547 people imprisoned without a sentence, according to Interior Minister Olga Sanchez Cordero, with about 12,358 in the federal system.

Brazil cold snap gives rare chance for snowmen and snowballs (AP) A fierce cold snap prompted snowfall in southern Brazil, with snow accumulating on streets of cities where the wintry phenomenon is rarely seen. At least 43 cities registered either snow or freezing rain late Wednesday, according to information from Climatempo, a weather service. Local television footage showed Brazilians building a snowman in a plaza and having a snowball fight in Bom Jesus, a city in Rio Grande do Sul state. In Sao Joaquim in Santa Catarina state, trees were weighing heavy with frost and icicles. Snow is uncommon in Brazil, even in its southern region, during the Southern Hemisphere’s winter. Brazil’s last blizzard was in 1957, when 1.3 meters (4.3 feet) of snow was recorded in a city in Santa Catarina state. Temperatures are expected to keep dropping, with more snow possible.

Romans mastered aqueducts. Now Italy is just trying to fix its leaky pipes. (Washington Post) The pure, drinkable water of an underground mountain spring makes an improbable 110-mile journey to the Puglian city of Bari, propelled by gravity along an aqueduct constructed a century ago. But once arriving in the city itself, much of that water is lost, seeping through hidden holes and ruptures on its path through the city pipes. Almost every country and every utility company in the world loses drinking water before it reaches consumers. But by the standards of developed countries, the leaks are especially severe in Italy, where two millennia ago Romans mastered the art of transporting clean water, and where in modern times water systems have instead come to symbolize underinvestment, mismanagement and economic decline. “We invented the system, but now we have a lot of holes,” Roberto Cingolani, an Italian minister in charge of making the country more environmentally sustainable, said in an interview. Across Italy, and especially in the poorer south, pipes that comprise city water systems can be 70 years old, ossified and brittle to the point of breaking. That contributes to a loss rate of 42 percent nationally. In Bari, half the water is lost before it reaches customers.

Turkish wildfire leaves charred home and ashes, as blazes continue (Reuters) Days after a raging wildfire in southern Turkey drove his family from the home they lived in for four decades, Mehmet Demir returned on Saturday to discover a burnt-out building, charred belongings and ashes. Demir’s home, near the coastal Mediterranean town of Manavgat, not far from the popular tourist resort Antalya, was hit by one of almost 100 fires which officials say erupted this week across southern and western Turkey, where sweltering heat and strong winds fanned the flames. Wildfires are common in southern Turkey in the hot summer months but local authorities say the latest fires have covered a much bigger area. Satellite imagery showed smoke from the fires in Antalya and Mersin was extending to the island of Cyprus, around 150 km (100 miles) away.

An Outbreak Of The Coronavirus Delta Variant Has Spread To 15 Chinese Cities (NPR) More than a year and a half after the coronavirus was first detected in China—followed by the world’s first big wave of COVID-19—the country is again battling to stem the spread of new cases attributed to the more infectious delta variant of the virus. The latest outbreak was first discovered in the eastern city of Nanjing, in the coastal province of Jiangsu south of the capital, Beijing. In the past week, it has quickly spread to 15 cities across the country, the South China Morning Post reports. The latest outbreak “may prove to be of a larger scale than the previous outbreak in Guangzhou, South China’s Guangdong Province” that first hit in May, the Global Times reported.

Interpreting joy and heartbreak at Tokyo Games (AP) Ask him how many languages he speaks, and Alexandre Ponomarev replies: “If you mean to make myself understood, I’ve lost count.” Ponomarev is the chief interpreter for the Tokyo Games, overseeing a staff of almost 100 interpreters who render Olympic joy and Olympic heartbreak into a calibrated cacophony of 11 languages: Japanese, English, French, Spanish, German, Russian, Italian, Arabic, Chinese, Korean, and Portuguese. Most work in the Main Press Center in a cable-strewn room with 20 translation booths lining the walls. Wires, screens, and computer coders splice their words onto a network. The booths are decorated with Japanese art from famous masters like Hokusai, and carry labels like JPN or ENG to designate the languages being worked. Unlike previous Olympics, all the interpretation is being done remotely. Press conferences from remote venues are fed into the press-center hub. Some two dozens interpreters aren’t even in the country, chiming in from the Americas or Europe to handle late night events in Japan. Their simultaneous translations can be accessed at all Olympic venues on an app. This eliminates interpreters getting tied up in traffic heading to a venue—and there’s no longer any need to distribute handheld translation devices.

Tokyo Olympics primed to lose $30 billion with no way to recoup losses (New York Post) Each Olympic Games since 1960 has overrun its budget by 172 percent on average, according to a University of Oxford study. However, economists believe the Tokyo Olympics will cost around 400 percent more than its original budget. Most of it will not be able to be recouped. Combining a postponement, a pandemic, and a Summer Games that were already running well above budget before the pandemic made the 2020 Olympics one that could lead to an $800 million taxpayer bailout. It is forcing Japanese taxpayers to bear the cost for an Olympics that barely one in 10 of them wanted to happen, in addition to the Tokyo Organizing Committee accruing billions in debt. Smith College economics Andrew Zimbalist and author of “Circus Maximus: The Economic Gamble Behind Hosting the Olympics and the World Cup,” told The Post he predicts the Organizing Committee spent $35 billion on the Summer Games—a far cry from the $7.3 billion of its initial budget. Zimbalist expects the local committee will lose at least $30 billion on Tokyo 2020.

Ship tied to Israeli billionaire attacked off Oman, 2 killed (AP) An attack on an oil tanker linked to an Israeli billionaire killed two crew members off Oman in the Arabian Sea, authorities said Friday, marking the first fatalities after years of assaults targeting shipping in the region. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the Thursday night raid on the Liberian-flagged tanker Mercer Street. However, a U.S. official said it appears a so-called suicide drone was used in the attack, raising the possibility that a government or a militia group was behind it. Without providing evidence, Israeli officials alleged that Iran carried out the attack. The U.S. Navy rushed to the scene following the attack and was escorting the tanker to a safe harbor, a London-based ship management company said Friday.

[stnent]

Fall TV Preview 2017: Time To Tune In

Fall TV Preview 2017 Time To Tune In 1. Biggie: The Life Of Notorious B.I.G. This documentary, authorized by Biggie's estate, explores the life and career of the rap icon. The miniseries features interviews with his widow Faith Evans, his mom Voletta Wallace and a who's who of rap legends, such as Nas, Jay-Z and Sean "Diddy" Combs. (Monday, September 4, 8 p.m., A&E) 2. The Deuce: Go back in time to New York City, specifically Times Square in the 1970s, when the area was a haven for porn. The show stars James Franco and Maggie Gyllenhaal and was written and created by David Simon ("The Wire"). (Sunday, September 10, 9 p.m., HBO) 3. The Orville: Seth MacFarlane created and stars in this live-action sci-fi comedy series that offers the "Family Guy" guru's take on the likes of "Star Trek." He plays the captain of the ship, who is paired with his ex-wife (Adrianne Palicki) as his first officer. (Sunday, September 10, 8 p.m., FOX/5) 4. The Vietnam War: The legendary documentarian Ken Burns and Lynn Novick tell the story of the Vietnam War in this 10-part, 18-hour series that culls from almost 80 interviews, tons of footage, and more. (Sunday, September 17, 8 p.m., WNET-13) 5. Star Trek: Discovery: Finally, after too many years, we get a new "Star Trek" series. The show has faced some issues, delays and staffing changes, but the early footage has been pretty great. The show, set before the original series, stars Sonequa Martin-Green as Spock's half-sister. (Sunday, September 24, 8:30 p.m., CBS/2, CBS All Access) 6. Young Sheldon: Spinning off from "The Big Bang Theory" comes this prequel following Sheldon Cooper at age 9 (Iain Armitage), a boy genius attending high school. (Monday, September 25, 8:30 p.m., CBS/2) 7. Me, Myself & I: Follow Alex Riley from childhood in 1991 at age 14, to now in 2017 at age 40 and in the future in 2042 at age 65. Starring Jack Dylan Grazer, Bobby Moynihan and John Larroquette. (Monday, September 25, 9:30 p.m., CBS/2) 8. The Brave: Anne Heche takes the lead in this new military drama about undercover soldiers tasked with saving innocents all around the globe. (Monday, September 25, 10 p.m., NBC/4) 9. The Good Doctor: Not a spinoff of "The Good Wife," this medical series, based on a South Korean show, is brought to the states from producer David Shore ("House") and certainly shares a bit DNA with "House." Freddie Highmore stars as a super surgeon with autism, working in pediatrics at a California hospital. (Monday, September 25, 10 p.m., ABC/7) 10. The Opposition with Jordan Klepper: Former "Daily Show" correspondent Jordan Klepper is the latest funnyman to take the former slot of "The Colbert Report," and aims to mock the alt-media on both sides. (Monday, September 25, 11:30 p.m., Comedy Central) 11. Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders: The long-running franchise hops onto the anthology trend with this new spinoff that will chronicle real-life cases, starting with the trail of Lyle and Erik Melendez. Starring Edie Falco, Anthony Edwards and Heather Graham. (Tuesday, September 26, 10 p.m., NBC/4) 12. Seal Team: David Boreanaz's post-"Bones" career begins with this military drama about one of the Navy SEALs' elite units, focusing on the tight group of soldiers as well as their family life. (Wednesday, September 27, 9 p.m., CBS/2) 13. Will & Grace: More than a decade since going off the air, the popular comedy starring Eric McCormack, Debra Messing, Megan Mullally and Sean Hayes is revived, allowing you to catch up with the characters for this 12-episode run. (Thursday, September 28, 9 p.m., NBC/4) 14. Marvel's Inhumans: This Marvel series begins unusually - with the first two episodes getting a limited run in IMAX movie theaters starting on Friday, September 1 (and then run again on TV). The series follows the powerful Inhuman Royal Family and your sure-to-be favorite character is the giant teleporting dog named Lockjaw. (Friday, September 29, 8 p.m., ABC/7) 15. Ghosted: The awesome duo of Craig Robinson and Adam Scott take the leads in this series about a skeptic and a believer who are brought in by the government to explore unusual occurrences going on around Los Angeles. (Sunday, October 1, 8:30 p.m., FOX/5) 16. Wisdom of the Crowd: An inventor comes up with an app that helps crowdsource murder investigations to help find out who killed his daughter. Starring Jeremy Piven, Richard T. Jones and Monica Potter. (Sunday, October 1, 8:30 p.m., CBS/2) 17. Ten Days in the Valley: Kyra Sedgwick stars in this drama about a television producer who is searching for her missing daughter. Also starring Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Kick Gurry, Erika Christensen and Malcolm-Jamal Warner. (Sunday, October 1, 10 p.m., ABC/7) 18. 9JKL: This new comedy, based on the life of star Mark Feuerstein, follows a New York family living in three consecutive apartments. Feuerstein plays Josh Roberts, a divorced actor moving back to the Big Apple, taking an apartment wedged between ones inhabited by his parents on one side and his brother and sister-in-law on the other. Also starring Elliott Gould, Linda Lavin, David Walton and Liza Lapira. (Monday, October 2, 8:30 p.m., CBS/2) 19. The Gifted: This Marvel series in the "X-Men" world focuses on a family with young mutants forced to go underground to keep away from the government in this series. Directed by Bryan Singer, who is no stranger to the Marvel mutants. Starring Stephen Moyer, Amy Acker, Sean Teale, Jamie Chung and Coby Bell. (Monday, October 2, 9 p.m., FOX/5) 20. The Mayor: A young rapper runs for mayor of his California town for publicity and wins. Hilarity ensues. Starring Brandon Micheal Hall, Yvette Nicole Brown and Lea Michele. (Tuesday, October 3, 9:30 p.m., ABC/7) 21. Kevin (Probably) Saves the World: The great Jason Ritter stars as Kevin in this series about a man who returns home to live with his widowed twin sister and her daughter. And then he gets divine intervention, telling him to save the world. (Tuesday, October 3, 10 p.m., ABC/7) 22. Valor: Yet another military show, this one following a team of helicopter pilots tasked with secretive missions. (Monday, October 9, 9 p.m., CW/11) 23. Dynasty: The long-running 1980s prime time soap opera about bickering rich families gets rebooted, starring Grant Show, Nathalie Kelley, Elizabeth Gillies, Alan Dale and more. (Wednesday, October 11, 9 p.m., CW/11) 24. Mindhunter: This streamer is based on the book "Mind Hunter: Inside FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit" by Mark Olshaker and John E. Douglas, and is being brought to life by famed director David Fincher. Set in 1979, it stars Jonathan Groff and Holt McCallany as a pair of FBI agents investigating a nefarious case. (Friday, October 13, Netflix) 25. White Famous: Jay Pharoah makes the jump from "Saturday Night Live" to his own series, where he plays a young, up-and-coming comedian, an African-American talent looking to find a bigger audience let the show's title give you a clue. This is loosely based on the life of executive producer Jamie Foxx. (Sunday, October 15, 10 p.m., Showtime) 26. At Home With Amy Sedaris: The delightful Amy Sedaris takes you to her home to showcase her homemaking skills in this comedy. Each episode will be centered around a theme and will feature a guest such as Scott Adsit or Sasheer Zamata. (Tuesday, October 24, 10:30 p.m. Tru TV 27. The Last O.G.: Tracy Morgan stars in this new comedy about an ex-con returning to his old Brooklyn neighborhood, now gentrified, after a 15-year sentence. (Sunday, October 22, 10 p.m., TBS) 28. S.W.A.T: Shermar Moore stars in this remake of the 1975 series, later remade into a 2003 movie. Moore plays a sergeant in the tactial unit in Los Angeles, taking on some of the most dangerous missions. (Thursday, November 2, 10 p.m., CBS/2) 29. Future Man: This streaming series from Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, and starring Josh Hutcherson and Eliza Coupe, follows a janitor with some serious video game skills who is recruited by some people from the future to save the world. Sounds a little like "The Last Starfighter," which is totally cool with us. (Tuesday, November 14, Hulu) 30. Marvel's Runaways: Young superheroes unite to take down their evil parents in this latest Marvel property, based on a modern comic book classic from Brian K. Vaughan and Adrian Alphona (Tuesday, November 21, Hulu) 31. She's Gotta Have It: Spike Lee's 1986 feature film gets turned into a series starring DeWanda Wise as a woman juggling relationships with three men. (Thursday, November 23, Netflix)

[spicynbachili1]

I Have Watched 300 Movies in Theaters in 2018, Mission Accomplished

A winner is you

Hello, starmen and starwomen, and welcome back to The 300, my successful attempt to see 300 movies in theaters in 2018. I’ve watched new releases, classics, hidden gems, and festival films to experience the wide world of cinema in all its forms. With so much moviegoing variety, I think there’s probably something I’ve seen that you’d also like. If not, that’s on you, jabroni.

As always, there are three rules for The 300:

The movie must be at least 40 minutes long, meeting the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ definition of a feature film.

I must watch the movie at a movie theater, screening room, or outdoor screening venue.

While I can watch movies I’ve seen before 2018, I cannot count repeated viewings of the same film in 2018 multiple times.

The 300 started as a dumb joke. I figured I’d exploit the system and see as many movies as possible via MoviePass. The number 300 was nice and round, and it gave me wiggle room so I wouldn’t have to go to the movies every day. Thanks to the hyper masculine silliness of the Zack Snyder film, 300 also became a fun excuse to do the dumb photoshops that have accompanied these weekly recaps.

For example:

Without MoviePass, this wouldn’t have been possible. I have renewed my love of going to the movies thanks to a lot of misguided venture capital put into tech companies with terrible business models. Subscription services Like MoviePass and AMC A-List make regular moviegoing possible when it would otherwise be prohibitively expensive, but they are unsustainable. Smoke ‘em while you got ‘em. For instance, I think I’ve seen $3,600 worth of movies on MoviePass this year, and all I’ve paid is about $110. To Helios and Matheson shareholders, I’m sorry for playing by the rules as written.

Given MoviePass’ decline, the 300 also wouldn’t have been possible without my access to press screenings and my ability to attend and cover film festivals. In fact, a good chunk of The 300 is thanks to extensive viewing at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival and the 2018 New York Film Festival. Part of me feels like this is a bit of a cheat, but I put in the time, and that’s something.

The total runtime of The 300 is 31,387 minutes. That’s 523.11 hours. That’s 21.79 days. Putting that all together, that’s 21 days, 19 hours, and 7 minutes worth of movies in theaters in 2018.

There’ll be a longer recap to come since I have lots of thoughts about a year of dedicated moviegoing, and ditto the intimate-yet-shared solitude of seeing good films with others. The year isn’t over, gang.

And so, here we are.

296 of 300: An Oversimplification of Her Beauty (2012)

Director: Terence Nance Starring: Terence Nance, Namik Minter Country: USA Seen at BAM Rose Cinemas (Brooklyn, NY) Wednesday, November 14th

An Oversimplification of Her Beauty feels like a semi-documentary partially-animated rom-com collage about unrequited love written by Italo Calvino and Michel Gondry. Terence Nance playfully cuts back and forth between a short film about a romantic relationship with his friend Namik Minter that never materialized, and a rumination on that relationship a few years after the fact. Nance also hops between fiction and non-fiction, and different animation styles, and different narrators for the voiceover.

It takes a moment to settle, but Nance captures the frustrated mindset of loving someone who just doesn’t love you back, and that unsavory thought process when you beat yourself up over it. We’ve all been on either side of that equation at some point of our lives, and it’s surprising (and mortifying) how well the movie recreates that recursive self-flagellation. What did I do wrong? Maybe something minor, or possibly nothing at all. People drawn to each other don’t always feel the same about the other person. Nance even mentions the obvious answer to his obsession: maybe she’s just not into you. Minter cares about him, likes him, is attracted to him, and yet. That unexpressed reservation may be inexpressible.

I mentioned the film as a mortifying experience, and that’s more true in the second half. At that point, An Oversimplification of Her Beauty feels like a public artistic spectacle of a tricky private relationship. While Nance is game to explore his hang-ups in public and make a spectacle of his neuroses, I wondered how Minter felt about her life being explored by someone else. It’s awkward seeing Nance pine for Minter on screen given how obtrusive his cinematic obsession feels; maybe that’s part of the inexpressible reservation. I’m not sure the whole comes together, but it’s a deeply felt art piece about one-sided romance and irresolvable feelings.

297 of 300: Widows (2018)

Director: Steve McQueen Starring: Viola Davis, Michelle Rodriguez, Elizabeth Debicki, Cynthia Erivo Country: UK/USA Seen at AMC Loews 34th Street 14 (New York, NY) Thursday, November 15th

It’s unfair to compare Widows to Ocean’s 8 (The 300 Week 23). There’s a heist in each film, sure, but they are so tonally different. Widows is less like Ocean’s and more like The Wire. Picture Steve McQueen’s version of a Michael Mann or Christopher Nolan thriller, with an edge sharpened by co-writer Gillian Flynn (Gone Girl). Widows is a high-minded crime drama that’s also an exploration of gender, race, class, political rhetoric, structural inequality, and violence. It’s one of the best-crafted movies of the year, with a stellar ensemble cast, and it’s currently slotted in my top 10 of 2018.

We begin with a heist gone horribly wrong (but blowed up real good). The widows of the dead thieves are brought together to pull off a big job. They don’t really have a choice; if they don’t take the job, they’re in debt, dead, or without options in life. The ladies essentially have to clean up after the men in their lives. Viola Davis is great as the no-nonsense ringleader, and Michelle Rodriguez is ever the reliable supporting player. Elizabeth Debicki and Cynthia Erivo are the two breakout performers of the ensemble. Debicki plays a woman no longer content being abused and acted upon, and Erivo is a moral force and a physical presence every time she’s on screen. Daniel Kaluuya is also great in the film as a political candidate’s ruthless, sociopathic enforcer, pure menace every time he’s on screen.

McQueen has always been great with long takes in his films, and there’s a standout single-shot sequence in Widows. Colin Farrell’s character is up for re-election in a South Side Chicago precinct, part of a local political dynasty. He courts the black vote in hopes it’ll give him an edge over his opponent. He leaves a photo opp in a depressed part of the South Side, gets into his car, and is driven a few minutes away to his home in an affluent neighborhood. All the while, he’s saying the sorts of two-faced things we suspect politicians say in private. The driver of this car is black, and just does his job while this exchange goes on, his blank face sometimes visible through the reflective, tinted windshield. In just a few minutes, we get the layout of this part of Chicago, a sense of the economic disparities from block to block, and experience the whiplash of private and public personas donned by politicians. Here’s the formal power of a single shot well-considered, properly deployed, and well-executed; a shot like the perfect crime.

Widows is masterful entertainment.

298 of 300: Voyage of Time (2016)

Director: Terrence Malick Country: USA Seen at BAM Howard Gilman Opera House (Brooklyn, NY) Friday, November 16th

Calling a film a “tone poem” is like saying a short story is merely “interesting.” As George Saunders said, you want a story to be so much more, and for people to say your work is brilliant or moving or that they want to sleep with you. But “interesting”? “Interesting” is a polite admission of disinterest.

Terence Malick’s Voyage of Time is an interesting tone poem. We view the creation of Earth through its end with imagery that is gorgeous but too often familiar, and hokey, repetitive, pseudo-spiritual narration. Malick intercuts these pristine images of life evolving with grainy digital footage of the world we know today. While I understand the idea behind these present interruptions during an unfolding past, they seemed too jarring, though they take on a power by the end. I’ll also admit loving some of the more psychedelic imagery, whether of bacteria or prehistoric underwater life. The best single cut in the movie is so memorable: a single low-angle shot of wheat to signify the transition from hunter-gatherer societies to agrarian societies before transitioning to modern cityscapes. (Who needs the Industrial Revolution, right?)

The live musical accompaniment at the BAM opera house was phenomenal, though, and made the sort of tedious movie a fascinating experience. David OReilly’s game Everything is a much better realization of what Malick was trying to do with Voyage of Time.

299 of 300: Jason and the Argonauts (1963)

Director: Don Chaffey Starring: Todd Armstrong, Nancy Kovack, Honor Blackman, Gary Raymond Country: USA Seen at Film Forum (New York, NY) Saturday, November 17th

My love for movies can be traced back to my Uncle Mike. He used to live in our house for a while. I was maybe five or six years old. Every now and then he’d bust out a videotape of an old movie he loved and give me a curated journey through his cinematic obsessions. That’s how I was first introduced to the work of Ray Harryhausen, and ditto the original Planet of the Apes movies, Sinbad movies, the original Star Trek show and films, and so on. It’s odd to think that an entire life of movie watching might be defined by one person. It’s the same way that an older sibling’s music collection helps mold the taste of a younger sibling. My Uncle Mike was the first older brother I never had.

Jason and the Argonauts was one of the films he showed me. I’ve always been fond of the film even though I haven’t seen it since I was a child. It’s a wonderful old-timey adventure in the Sinbad mold, featuring some of Harryhausen’s most iconic work. The battle against the skeleton warriors is still phenomenally choreographed, which is surprising for such an old film. There’s genuine cause and effect as our Greek heroes, outnumbered and terrified, slash at the air and leap over the blades of these undead soldiers.

Watching it as an adult for the first time, I was struck by how unsubtly homoerotic the movie is. It was Ancient Greece, so it fits. Just watch that dynamic between Hercules and Hylas. They are totally into each other from the first second they meet. I wonder how this played in 1963.

While MoviePass made The 300 possible from a practical standpoint, the seeds were planted years ago while sitting in front of a tiny television watching VHS copies of movies made decades before I was born.

300 of 300: After Life (1998) (aka ワンダフルライフ; Wandafuru Raifu)

Director: Hirokazu Kore-eda Starring: Arata, Erika Oda Country: Japan Seen at The Film Society of Lincoln Center (New York, NY) Monday, November 19th

Hirokazu Kore-eda’s After Life is such a wonderfully humane ugly-cry of a movie, and a fitting 300th film. After dying, you are told that your happiest memory will be recreated on film. This recreated memory will be the only thing you recall for the rest of eternity. The set-up is fantastical, but its exploration and concerns are so grounded. Purgatory is a municipal building, and the people who handle and process these cases are a mix of therapist and HR rep. After Life is all about the moments that make life worthwhile, and many of them are tiny, private, so achingly human.

This is formally unlike the other Kore-eda movies I’ve seen, and often feels more like a documentary rather than a narrative feature. The people playing the recently departed were mostly non-actors interviewed about their own lives. The interviews with the people are carried out with simplicity, and their unscripted responses make it seem like conversations with an older relative. The essence of these treasured memories is the specificity of detail—the flavor or smell of the world, a turn of phrase, a fine distinction in the quality of sensation. One person remembers the sun on his skin as an infant, but its warmth was soft; not the summer sun, but the autumn sun. A WWII veteran recalls intense hunger and how delicious rice could be with just a little salt. The fact that some of these interview subjects have passed away in real life adds a greater poignancy to their memories. In real life, they got to live some version of the film’s fictional process.

Amid this human beauty, After Life is also an oddly affecting workplace drama. As we learn about the people who interview and recreate these memories, we become attached to them. They question why they do their job, and why any of this matters, which seems like this larger commentary about the existential strife of social workers, counselors, and artists. What is their job but to listen and interpret. It’s a process of receptive empathy, coaxing out the hidden joys from a person’s life to remind them that life was worth living. Extended to the purpose of writers or filmmakers, maybe the point is to share and create joy for others, and part of that is revealing a fundamental interconnectedness between people, places, and things. Everything might matter, even just for a moment; what a joy to remember that wonderful instant of your own life, which is contingent on everything else going on in the world and the lives of others.

After Life invites the audience to ponder their own happiest memories, and consider the difficulties of picking just one, or if there is even one thing worth picking. There’s always at least one.

I cried a lot during this movie—I’m embarrassingly crying in a cafe as I type this out—but there’s one shot that got me in particular. There’s a screening room where the deceased assemble to watch their recreated memories. These people that we have come to know in the film sit in the dark facing the screen. Kore-eda situates the camera at the front of the screening room, as if they are facing us, the audience watching them. The movie screen is the membrane between our world and the cinematic world, real life and the afterlife, the present and the past, the self and the other.

We are together in the dark, sharing a memory.

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[gyrlversion]

Diary of a flytip detective

Fly-tipping is a blight on our countryside, a serious risk to wildlife and human health, and costs the taxpayer more than £58 million a year. There is nothing more infuriatingly selfish — and the problem is getting worse, with offences rising by more than 7 per cent a year.

It carries the threat of a fixed-penalty fine of up to £400, or a prison sentence for repeat offenders. But fly-tippers have become increasingly sophisticated and, to those trying to stop them, most get away scot-free.

Sometimes eyesores can be dealt with by altruistic community clean-up crews, such as the 200,000-plus members of the public and school volunteers taking part in the Mail-backed Great British Spring Clean, which runs from March 22 to April 23 (see below left for how to sign up).

Fly-tipping is a blight on our countryside, a serious risk to wildlife and human health, and costs the taxpayer more than £58 million a year

But catching fly-tippers is the job of community enforcement officers, who are working harder than ever in the face of government cutbacks.

Here, Alastair Jenkins, an enforcement officer with Walsall Council, in the West Midlands, shares the diary of his daily battles to bring the perpetrators of this shameful crime to justice.

MONDAY: A GAME OF CAT AND MOUSE

It has been another busy weekend for fly-tippers and I arrive to work to find an inbox full of complaints.

Our four-strong enforcement team handle antisocial behaviour, environmental crime, licensing, statutory nuisance and ‘unauthorised encampments’. Fly-tipping is just part of my job — but it’s taking up more and more time and becoming an obsession.

I took this job 11 years ago after 15 years in the police, as I wanted to make a visible difference to the beautiful countryside around here — but it is immensely frustrating.

Walsall spends £750,000 a year on clearing up fly-tipping, and we have hidden cameras at hotspots such as lay-bys, dead-end roads and patches of wasteland. The cameras are triggered by activity or movement, and most weeks we get about five bits of clear footage. You’d be surprised how many people are oblivious to the bright yellow ‘CCTV in operation’ signs we are obliged by law to put up.

Some of the footage is comical. You see young lads pulling washing machines out of a van straight onto their feet, then hopping around nursing their toes, or builders dumping waste willy-nilly on a layby, then meticulous folding their sacks and stacking buckets to put back in their vans.

Alastair Jenkins (pictured), an enforcement officer with Walsall Council, in the West Midlands, shares the diary of his daily battles to bring the perpetrators of this shameful crime to justice. He is seen sifting through rubbish for evidence

One memorable conviction was of a gang of serial fly-tippers who had been operating right under our noses. CCTV showed them emptying their bags of waste, furniture and mattresses in such a rush that one of them was hit on the head by a bag thrown by his mate. The courts sent him to prison for six months, with a two-year driving ban.

But sadly, successful convictions are few and far between.

In one unsolved case, residents of an affluent suburb heard clattering noises in the night. In the morning they were appalled to see their immaculate verges strewn with bits of broken furniture and old carpets spread across the entire length and breadth of their estate.

At 2am, a pick-up truck had turned in off the main road, dropped its tailgate and lurched through the crescent, scattering its full load of rubbish before speeding off into the night. The driver couldn’t be identified.

Often, number plates are obscured (some fly-tippers remove them, empty their load, then drive out of camera range and replace them) or doctored. It is common to see tape stuck on a letter F to make it look like an E, for instance, or to find that the plates are false.

If we identify a fly-tipper, we have to write inviting them to come in for an interview. When we don’t hear from them, we’ll do a door-knock and try to personally invite them for interview. That rarely works, either.

We have been able to gather enough evidence to issue about 20 fixed penalty fines in the past 18 months. Three still haven’t paid and we will be taking those cases to court. We are continually frustrated by our lack of ‘teeth’ and it is disheartening when the community criticises us for ‘doing nothing’.

To try to get on top of the problem, we are trialling initiatives such as extending the opening hours at local tips and offering free skips in designated locations to try to encourage people to get rid of their waste more responsibly.

We will soon also have the right to immediately seize a vehicle we suspect of being involved in fly-tipping. We just tell them, if you want the vehicle back, you have to talk to us.

We’d love to be able to get these people convicted but in taking a case to court, our hands are often tied. Every piece of evidence has to be absolutely watertight, and ensuring that is the case can cost up to £1,000.

TUESDAY: WALSALL’S MOST WANTED

I get a call about a fresh dump of rubbish at our most notorious spot — the open space in a run-down part of town called Goscote Lodge Crescent. It’s a fly-tipper’s paradise — easy access, loads of space and no one around to see what you’re up to.

Even though there are cameras in the area, virtually every morning there is a fresh fly-tipping incident there. Yesterday it was fridges — 20 of them. Today it’s huge wooden reels that must have once spooled copper cable.

The council clean-up crew are always on the lookout and usually arrive within 24 hours with a grabber on the back of a truck to cart the rubbish away before opportunists can add to the pile.

I drive out quickly to sift for evidence (receipts, bills or prescriptions that might hint where the tippers came from). You have to be quick before wind and rain scatters or ruins paperwork. By law, the person named on anything found is culpable but they are rarely responsible for the actual fly-tipping.

There is a Birmingham address on a receipt, so I run it through the police team when I get back to the office. Fly-tipping is very often bundled up with a whole raft of criminal activity.

Fly-tippers have become increasingly sophisticated and, to those trying to stop them, most get away scot-free. Alistair is pictured searching through rubbish

The giant reels dumped at Goscote Lodge Crescent probably held cabling that has been stolen, so fly-tipping is merely the grubby end of the process.

Sometimes we are told to back down or warned not to attempt a door-knock without police back-up — none of us wants to walk right into a snake pit.

WEDNESDAY: THE WHITE VAN MEN

We head for a car park in Willenhall for one of our monthly community protection events with the local police.

Over the years we have built up a profile of the classic fly-tipper’s vehicle: a white Transit-type van, 12-15 years old, usually in a scruffy state, with no branding or livery. So today we’ve got the police flagging down any vans that fit that brief and directing them towards us. Of the 12 pulled over, 11 are carrying house clearance and scrap and none of the drivers will say where they got it from or where they are taking it.

Obviously we can’t convict anyone merely for carrying scrap, but this is an opportunity to warn the drivers about our CCTV cameras and tell them what they should be doing with rubbish. It means we have their details on file and if the number plates come up later, they can’t claim innocence if caught.

Some local authorities slap stickers that read ‘illegally dumped rubbish under investigation’ on abandoned fridges, or swathe them in crime-scene tape. It can act as a deterrent and be quite a shock to someone who has pushed a fridge to the end of their drive, hoping the ‘scrap collector’ will take it away.

Mostly these abandoned white goods get picked up, stripped of metal parts, then fly-tipped.

Until recently, one of our worst sites in Walsall was a pretty arched bridge over the Wyrley and Essington Canal. Fly-tippers would reverse their vans up to the bridge and tip their load onto the road, where it spilled into the canal.

Last summer there was so much rubbish — the soil and bags from cannabis farms, fridges, old sofas, supermarket trolleys — you couldn’t see the water. Our clean-up teams were removing ten tons of rubbish from the site every week.

Then the Leader of the Council managed to get our highways colleagues to close the road and put massive concrete blocks in front of the bridge to block access. The fly-tippers had to go elsewhere.

THURSDAY: EMAILS COME TO NOTHING

This week’s report from our fly-tipping hotline shows 76 cases in the past three days alone.

My inbox is peppered with emails from residents who send me pictures of vans with their back doors open, number plates clearly visible, and people taking rubbish out and dumping it. That should be gold-standard evidence but it counts for nothing if the sender insists on remaining anonymous.

Yes, I understand they don’t want their tyres slashed or windows broken in recrimination. But without incontrovertible CCTV footage or a witness willing to go to court if necessary, we can’t build a case.

I am buzzed down to the reception area of our building, where a man proudly hands me a photo he has taken of a neighbour dumping building rubbish. It is crystal-clear but you can’t see any faces, and he mutters: ‘You didn’t get this from me’ as he rushes away.

Enforcement officer Alastair Jenkins reviews footage of fly-tipping in the Walsall area

I walk sadly back to my desk and file the photo with the 67 other cases I’m working on that seem to be going nowhere. I take a drive to Birmingham to find the owner of the rubbish tipped a few days ago. It’s a tidy, middle-class house with a well-kept lawn and the owner is horrified to hear why I’m there.

Industrial action in Birmingham meant the household rubbish hadn’t been collected for weeks, so she had employed a man who came to her door brandishing a business card extolling his waste disposal services and fraudulently stamped with a charity logo.

She said she felt betrayed because she put her trust in him, paid £1 a bag, then he dumped it all less than two miles from her house.

Thankfully, she is happy to support our enquiries and we’ve got the business card as evidence.

FRIDAY: IT’S HIGH FIVES ALL ROUND

I head straight to the address on the business card and find, parked outside, the grey van clearly recognisable from the CCTV footage. This is exciting but, as always, there are complications.

We are authorised to invite the registered owner of the vehicle in for interview, but it’s clear when he opens the door that the owner is at least 30 years older than the figure captured on CCTV. We are now forced to try to identify the suspect in other ways — I’m hoping we’ll be allowed to seize the vehicle, as it might speed the process a bit.

Back at the office, the team is waiting for five suspected fly-tippers who have been invited in for interview. Some are of Eastern European descent, so we have employed a translator to join us.

An hour later, and two hours into the translator’s £27-an-hour time, only one has turned up.

He gets an £80 fine, which doesn’t even come close to covering the amount of money that will have been spent on his case alone.

The translator tells us it’s accepted among this tight-knit immigrant community that any rubbish that doesn’t fit in your bin can be left in car parks or by the road for the council to remove.

Sometimes eyesores can be dealt with by altruistic community clean-up crews, such as the 200,000-plus members of the public and school volunteers taking part in the Mail-backed Great British Spring Clean, which runs from March 22 to April 23 (see below left for how to sign up)

There are pockets of rubbish-strewn land like this all over town, which we have spent thousands trying to clear. We could send a clean-up crew there every day and still make no dent in the mess.

As we are packing up for the evening, the desk phone rings and my colleague Kirsty picks it up. I hear her saying ‘yes… yes… ’ then she squeals, punching the air.

Last month our covert cameras had revealed an amazingly clear bit of footage of a man emptying car tyres from his van onto a verge. We got the number plate but needed to identify the man. With cases like these we have started to post the footage on our new ‘Walsall’s Most Wanted’ web pages and social media, and offer a reward for information leading to conviction.

The council recently hiked the reward money offered from £100 to £500 and, incredibly, it has worked. Someone saw that video, recognised the man and called us to give his name. I run downstairs to the police (in the same building) to see if they have a photo of the person with that name. It’s a match.

Maybe, just maybe, this one can get to court.

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[sentrava]

What’s On in Stockholm: March 2019

As the days begin to lengthen and the sun shares its warmth, take that renewed energy to enjoy Stockholm this March. From the Wonderland exhibit that’ll fill your world with color, to a comedy show that’ll get you laughing, to films that’ll leave you pondering, Stockhol has got that rejuvenating spring spirit.

Here are the best events happening in Stockholm this month:

Friday 1st – Sunday 3rd March

Wonderland at Fotografiska

This incredible exhibit by Kirsty Mitchell has been on display at Fotografiska for a week already. There are only a few days left, and you don’t want to miss it! Mitchell began this project after she lost her mother; it is a journey through the fairy tale world as she healed. Admission to Fotografiska is 165 SEK.

    Saturday 2nd – Sunday 3rd March

Weekend Intensive: Just Write at Crafoords väg

This weekend course will help you pick up that pen and start writing those stories you’re always getting lost in your head with. Whether you are new to writing or experience, you are welcome to Eva Sunmo’s course. Just be sure to bring a pen and notepad! The course registration fee is 2.000 SEK, and seats are limited.

    Saturday 2nd March

Rafiki at Zita Folkets Bio

Rafiki, a film about forbidden love, was the first Kenyan movie chosen to be shown at the Cannes Film Festival. The film is banned in Kenya for its “homosexual themes,” and viewing of it is often limited to film festivals in other parts of the world. Take this opportunity to watch Rafiki in Stockholm through the Stockholm Feminist Film Festival, ending 3rd March! Tickets are 130 SEK.

    Arrhult at Hilma

This brother and sister duo write their own music together, with lyrics that represent the new generation with messages of being brave, ambitious, and creative. Come celebrate the release of their new single, “Kids of Paris,” with free entrance! The duo topped the charts with Joakim Lundell in 2017 with the song “Monster.”

    Monday 4th – Sunday 10th March

Tempo Documentary Festival

Bringing you documentaries from all over the world, this festival includes seminars, photo exhibitions, competitions, and more! This year’s theme is “heritage.” Ticket prices vary.

    Monday 4th March

Nicki Minaj (with Juice Wrld and Lil Xan) at Ericsson Globe

Nicki Minaj does it all: she raps, sings, writes songs, acts, and models. Her fast-paced lyrics brought her attention back in 2010, and she isn’t giving up the spotlight anytime soon! Tickets are 550 – 810 SEK.

    Tuesday 5th March

Solid Body, Fluid Mind Opening Reception at Wetterling Gallery

Dina Isæus-Berlin is a Swedish artist and graduate of Konstfack University of Arts, Craft and Design in Stockholm. Her often large-scale paintings show the marks of human movement. The exhibit will be open until Saturday 6th April.

    Wednesday 6th, Wednesday 13th, Wednesday 20th, and Wednesday 27th March

Morning Swim at Selma City Spa

Begin the hump day with a healthy start, watching the sunrise from a rooftop pool, exercising in the gym, and having a healthy breakfast. There will be access to the sauna and relaxation area as well. Tickets are 195 SEK.

    Friday 8th March

The Women’s District at Sergels Torg 5

The 8th marks 100 years since women got voting rights in Sweden. In recognition and celebration of this, “The Women’s District” exhibition will have its opening day. The photographs and stories of women who have lived in the Klara district will be shared. Regular admission is 40 SEK; the exhibit is free up to 25 years, and is free to all on Mondays.

    Saturday 9th March

The Laugh House English Comedy at Sjätte Tunnan

Enjoy two hours of laughs with comedians from the US, England, and Sweden. Entrance fee is 150 SEK. If you’d like a meal included, and the cost is 400 SEK.

    Sunday 10th March

Vegoforum at ABF Stockholm

If you’re interested in trying a vegan diet, or if you simply want to understand more about the lifestyle, the Vegoforum is bringing information to you for free. You’ll have the opportunity to learn about vegan food, environmental issues, animal ethics issues, and more.

    They Shall Not Grow Old at Bio Rio

Peter Jackson (The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, King Kong) produces and directs this historical documentary, using 100-year-old footage from World War I. Using modern technology, the black and white silent footage has been given color and sound. The film is in English, with Swedish subtitles for most showings. Tickets range from 110 SEK to 130 SEK. If you miss this sreening, don’t worry; you’ll have the opportunity to see it again on Tuesday 12th, Saturday 16th, Tuesday 19th, and Sunday 24th March.

    Monday 11th March

Norrsken Open House

Norrsken House is an office space available to entrepreneurs. If you’re an entrepreneur looking to surround yourself with like-minded people dedicated to solving problems more efficiently, you’ll definitely want to RSVP for this event.

    Friday 15th March

Shawn Mendes at Ericsson Globe

We’re in love with this line up: Shawn Mendes, and support from Alessia Cara! These two Canadians are both making an impact on the pop music world today. Tickets range from 450 – 855 SEK.

    Saturday 16th March

The House That Jack Built at Bio Rio

A thriller that follows the story of serial killer Jack, portrayed by Matt Dillon, directed by Lars von Trier. Tickets are 135 SEK for regular admission, 115 SEK for students. The film is in English, with Swedish subtitles.

    Sunday 17th March

Flea Market at Färgfabriken


Have you tried the KonMari method and sparked joy in your life yet? You could sell those once treasured items at this flea market. Perhaps you are in search of treasures to add to your space, or just want to explore. Entrance is free!

    Tuesday 19th March

Dave Matthews Band at Annexet

Rocking the scene since the 90s, Dave Matthews Band always puts on a good show. Tickets start at 695 SEK, and also include a download of the new studio album, “Come Tomorrow.”

    Saturday 23rd March

UEFA 2020 Qualifier at Friends Arena

Whether you call it soccer or football, it’s still a great game! Sweden will play Romania in the European Championship qualifier. Tickets are between 200 and 600 SEK.

    Monday 25th March

Deborah Levy and Agnes Lidbeck at Kulturhuset Stadsteatern

Agnes Levy is a critically acclaimed author, raised in the UK, who has recently been successful with her novels Hot Milk and Swimming Home, both of which were nominated for the Man Booker Prize. Levy will be in conversation with author Lidbeck.

    Thursday 28th March

How Meditation Changes Your Brain at Yeshe Norbu Mind Training Centre

We have all heard of the benefits of meditation, but how does it actually affect our brain? If you’re curious about this, Hans Melo’s talk is the event for you. Melo holds a PhD in Computational Neuroscience in Reinforcement Learning from the University of Toronto, and has over ten years of experience in the practice of meditation. Tickets to this talk range from 160 SEK to 240 SEK.

    Ongoing in March

The Future Starts Here at ArkDes

How could 80 objects affect and shape our future? This exhibit encourages the viewers to think about how these exhibited objects, from smart appliances to satellites, will affect our bodies, our work, and our world in the future. This exhibit opens on Thursday 21st March, and is open until August. Admission is 150 SEK

    Liljevachs Spring Salon

This year’s spring salon exhibits 136 participants’ work for a total of 254 works. Entrance is only 80 SEK (free on Mondays), and there is plenty of material to keep you interested all day long. Allow yourself to fall in love with a piece, as all work at the exhibit is for sale! The exhibit closes on Sunday 24th March.

    In Character at Fotografiska

Anja Niemi’s exhibit at Fotografiska shows her talent at constructing fantasies. Niemi uses the beautiful and the creepy to create her images. Admission is 165 SEK.

    Konsthall 16 at National Sports Museum

This gallery that opened in February is the meeting place of sports and art. The first show has a collection of art from nine Swedish artists. Entrance to this museum is always free.

    Sandy Temper: Making Up Stories at Stora Nygatan 13

This project uses music, video, and pictures to tell the story of a woman, transforming a public square into a pop-up cinema for all to enjoy. An important part of the project is for the art to be easily accessible; the project is shown daily and for free for the entire month of March.

  If you’re a business or organisation that would like us to add your event to next month’s calendar, please contact us at hello [@] scandinaviastandard [dot] com. Thank you!

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  What’s On in Stockholm: March 2019 published first on https://medium.com/@OCEANDREAMCHARTERS