I am a newer teacher (this is only my fourth year) and my actual area of study was math and not science, so I often find myself at a loss when it comes to the hands on parts of teaching science classes. This semester, my physical science class has been studying force, motion, gravity, Newton's Laws, and momentum. This may be quite ambitious, but as a kind of capstone project for the semester, I would like the students to build Rube Goldberg machines. This is what I am thinking, but any input would definitely be appreciated: I have 14 students, so I will split them into two teams. Each team will have the same task that their machine has to complete, and we will make it into a contest. I want the students to take as much ownership of this project as possible, so I will ask them to brainstorm and vote on the task they want. The contest will be judged on whether or not they completed the task, and the creativity of their design. I am thinking big...not "crashing cars" big, but definitely bowling balls and chairs big. I inherited a basement full of odds and ends and treasures that could be used, and students will be encouraged to contribute as well. I have set aside fourteen 50-minute class periods starting next Monday and finishing the day before the day before Christmas break. The part that I am currently struggling with is structuring this time so that the students have products they can be proud of (I'm thinking of inviting the junior high to watch when we are ready to show them off) and also so that there is very little down time for the students to get bored and goof off. Those with experience with things like this, do you have any suggestions for a timeline? Have I set aside too much time, or not enough? Thanks so much for your help!
I am doing a Rube Goldberg machine project for my Particles and Dynamics class, and using MassFX for the first time. While the rest of my simulation has ran well the entire time, I got to the very end of it where it is supposed to kind of fall and hit a couple of objects before falling into a hole and ending, but it seems to fall about halfway and then hit an invisible surface in the middle of the air and then roll around kind of aimlessly. When I looked it up, I found that there is a setting in MassFX called ground collisions that I thought was effecting it, so I turned it off thinking that would help but it just kept happening. I have worked my way around the problem by adjusting some things and moving my objects up in the viewport, but does anyone know what I may have done wrong in the first place?
Disney+ - All the movies and shows announced/confirmed at Investor Day today
LUCASFILM
Ahsoka After making her long-awaited, live-action debut in The Mandalorian, Ahsoka Tano’s story, written by Dave Filoni, will continue in a limited series, Ahsoka, starring Rosario Dawson and executive produced by Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau. Rangers of the New Republic Set within the timeline of The Mandalorian, Rangers of the New Republic is a new live-action series from executive producers Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni that will intersect with future stories and culminate into a climactic story event. Andor Andor, a tense nail-biting spy thriller created by Tony Gilroy, is set to arrive on Disney+ in 2022. Diego Luna, reprising the role of rebel spy Cassian Andor from Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, will be joined by a fantastic new cast that includes Stellan Skarsgård, Adria Arjona, Fiona Shaw, Denise Gough, Kyle Soller and Genevieve O’Reilly as Mon Mothma. Obi-Wan Kenobi Ewan McGregor returns in the iconic role of Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi for a special event series on Disney+. Officially titled Obi-Wan Kenobi, the series begins 10 years after the dramatic events of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith where he faced his greatest defeat, the downfall and corruption of his best friend and Jedi apprentice, Anakin Skywalker turned evil Sith Lord Darth Vader. The series is directed by Deborah Chow, who helmed memorable episodes of The Mandalorian Season 1, and features the return of Hayden Christensen as Darth Vader. The Bad Batch The Bad Batch follows the elite and experimental clones of the Bad Batch (first introduced in The Clone Wars) as they find their way in a rapidly changing galaxy in the immediate aftermath of the Clone War. Members of Bad Batch—a unique squad of clones who vary genetically from their brothers in the Clone Army—each possess a singular exceptional skill that makes them extraordinarily effective soldiers and a formidable crew. In the post-Clone War era, they will take on daring mercenary missions as they struggle to stay afloat and find new purpose. This animated series will arrive exclusively on Disney+. Star Wars: Visions Presenting all-new, creative takes on the galaxy far, far away, Star Wars: Visions will be a series of animated short films celebrating Star Wars through the lens of the world’s best anime creators. The anthology collection will bring 10 fantastic visions from several of the leading Japanese anime studios, offering a fresh and diverse cultural perspective to Star Wars. Lando The galaxy’s favorite scoundrel, Lando Calrissian, will return in Lando, a brand-new event series for Disney+. Justin Simien, creator of the critically-acclaimed Dear White People and a huge Star Wars fan, is in the early stages of developing the project. The Acolyte Leslye Headland, Emmy Award-nominated creator of the mind-bending series Russian Doll, brings a new Star Wars series to Disney+ with The Acolyte. The mystery-thriller that will take viewers into a galaxy of shadowy secrets and emerging dark-side powers in the final days of the High Republic era. A Droid Story As Lucasfilm continues to develop new stories, the intersection of animation and visual effects offers new opportunities to explore. Lucasfilm Animation is teaming up with Lucasfilm’s visual effects team, Industrial Light & Magic, to develop a special Star Wars adventure film for Disney+, A Droid Story. This epic journey will introduce us to a new hero, guided by legendary duo R2-D2 and C-3PO. Willow Willow, set decades after Ron Howard’s 1988 movie, continues the spirit of adventure, heroics and humor of the original film in this new series debuting on Disney+ in 2022. Warwick Davis will return in the role of the great sorcerer, Willow Ufgood, with Jon Chu (director of the groundbreaking Crazy Rich Asians) directing the pilot.
MARVEL
WandaVision WandaVision, launching on Disney+ on January 15, 2021, is Marvel Studios’ first series that continues to expand the MCU. Wanda Maximoff and Vision are two super-powered beings are living idealized suburban lives, but begin to suspect everything is not as it seems. Starring Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Kathryn Hahn, Teyonah Parris, Kat Dennings and Randall Park, WandaVision is directed by Matt Shakman; Jac Shaeffer is head writer. The Falcon and The Winter Soldier The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, kicking off on Disney+ March 19, 2021, is a new series starring Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson aka The Falcon, and Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes aka The Winter Soldier. The pair, who came together in the final moments of Avengers: Endgame, team up on a global adventure that tests their abilities—and their patience. Directed by Kari Skogland with Malcolm Spellman serving as head writer, the six-episode series also stars Daniel Brühl as Baron Zemo, Emily VanCamp as Sharon Carter, and Wyatt Russell as John Walker. Loki Loki is set to debut on Disney+ in May 2021 featuring the God of Mischief as he steps out of his brother’s shadow in a new series that takes place after the events of Avengers: Endgame. Tom Hiddleston returns as the title character, joined by Owen Wilson, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Sophia Di Martino, Wunmi Mosaku and Richard E. Grant. Kate Herron directs Loki, and Michael Waldron is head writer. What If…? What If…? flips the script on the MCU, reimagining famous events from the films in unexpected ways. Coming to Disney+ in Summer 2021, Marvel Studios’ first animated series focuses on different heroes from the MCU, featuring a voice cast that includes a host of stars who reprise their roles. The series is directed by Bryan Andrews; Ashley Bradley is head writer. Ms. Marvel Ms. Marvel, launching on Disney+ in late 2021, is a new series that introduces Kamala Khan—a 16-year-old Pakistani-American growing up in Jersey City. A great student, an avid gamer and a voracious fan-fiction scribe, she has a special affinity for superheroes, particularly Captain Marvel. But Kamala struggles to fit in at home and at school—that is, until she gets super powers like the heroes she’s always looked up to. Life is easier with super powers, right? Iman Vellani stars as Kamala Khan aka Ms. Marvel; the cast also includes Aramis Knight, Saagar Shaikh, Rish Shah, Zenobia Shroff, Mohan Kapur, Matt Lintz, Yasmeen Fletcher, Laith Naki, Azher Usman, Travina Springer and Nimra Bucha. Episodes are directed by Adil El Arbi & Bilall Fallah, Meera Menon and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy. Hawkeye Hawkeye, which debuts on Disney+ in late 2021, stars Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, who teams up with another well-known archer from the Marvel comics, Kate Bishop, played by Hailee Steinfeld. The cast also includes Vera Farmiga, Fra Fee, Tony Dalton, Zahn McClarnon, Brian d’Arcy James and newcomer Alaqua Cox as Maya Lopez. Hawkeye is helmed by Rhys Thomas and directing duo Bert and Bertie. She-Hulk She-Hulk, a new comedy series coming to Disney+, stars Tatiana Maslany as She-Hulk/Jennifer Walters, a lawyer who specializes in superhuman-oriented legal cases. She-Hulk will welcome a host of Marvel characters to the series, including the Hulk, played by Mark Ruffalo, and the Abomination, played by Tim Roth. The series is directed by Kat Coiro and Anu Valia; Jessica Gao is head writer. Moon Knight Moon Knight is a new series created for Disney+. Directed by Mohamed Diab, the action-adventure features a complex vigilante who suffers from dissociative identity disorder. The multiple identities who live inside him are distinct characters who appear against a backdrop of Egyptian iconography. Secret Invasion Secret Invasion is a newly announced series heading to Disney+ that stars Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury and Ben Mendelsohn as the Skrull Talos—characters who first met in Captain Marvel. The crossover comic event series showcases a faction of shape-shifting Skrulls who have been infiltrating Earth for years. Ironheart Ironheart, the second of the newly announced series coming to Disney+, stars Dominique Thorne as Riri Williams, a genius inventor who creates the most advanced suit of armor since Iron Man. Armor Wars Armor Wars, based on the classic Marvel comic series, comes to Disney+ starring Don Cheadle as James Rhodes aka War Machine who must face what happens when Tony Stark’s tech falls into the wrong hands. Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, slated for Disney+ during the 2022 holiday season, is written and directed by Guardians of the Galaxy veteran James Gunn. I Am Groot I Am Groot features everyone’s favorite baby tree in a series of original shorts coming to Disney+.
PIXAR
Inside Pixar Inside Pixar is a new documentary series that invites Pixar fans into the studio for an up-close, never-before- seen look at the artistry, craftsmanship and storytellers behind beloved films. The first five episodes are currently available on Disney+ with more scheduled to release soon. Soul Soul, available exclusively on Disney+ beginning December 25, 2020, explores themes like appreciating the simple joys of life and finding one’s unique spark. Directed by Docter, the film introduces Joe Gardner (voice of Jamie Foxx), a middle-school band teacher who gets the chance of a lifetime to play at the best jazz club in town. But one small misstep takes him from the streets of New York City to The Great Before – a fantastical place where new souls get their personalities, quirks and interests before they go to Earth. Determined to return to his life, Joe teams up with a precocious soul, 22 (voice of Tina Fey), who has never understood the appeal of the human experience. As Joe desperately tries to show 22 what’s great about living, he may just discover the answers to some of life’s most important questions. Soul is co-directed by Kemp Powers (One Night in Miami) and produced by Academy Award nominee Dana Murray, p.g.a. (Pixar short Lou). Burrow Burrow is part of Pixar’s collection of shorts called SparkShorts that are created by a diverse group of storytellers. Debuting exclusively on Disney+ on December 25, 2020, Burrow features a young rabbit who embarks on a journey to dig the burrow of her dreams, despite not having a clue what she’s doing. Rather than reveal to her neighbors her imperfections, she digs herself deeper and deeper into trouble. After hitting (bed)rock bottom, she learns there is no shame in asking for help. The new short is directed by Madeline Sharafian and produced by Mike Capbarat. Pixar Popcorn Pixar Popcorn, coming to Disney+ in January 2021, is a collection of mini shorts featuring Pixar characters in all-new, bite-size stories created by Pixar’s talented animators. Dug Days Dug Days, which premieres exclusively on Disney+ in Fall 2021, is a new collection of shorts that follows the humorous misadventures of Dug, the lovable dog from Disney and Pixar’s Up. Each short features everyday events that occur in and around Dug’s backyard, all through the exciting (and delightfully distorted) eyes of our favorite talking dog. The shorts are written and directed by Academy Award nominee and Emmy Award winner Bob Peterson and produced by Kim Collins. Cars Cars, coming to Disney+ in Fall 2022, is an all-new series that follows Lightning McQueen and his best friend Mater on a cross-country road trip. These episodes are filled with lots of fun new characters, imaginative destinations as well as old friends checking in along the way. The series is written by Steve Purcell and produced by Marc Sondheimer. Win or Lose Win or Lose, Pixar’s first-ever original long-form animated series, debuts on Disney+ in 2023. It follows a coed middle school softball team in the week leading up to their championship game. Each 20-minute episode highlights the perspective of a different character and explores the drama of bad calls made on and off the field. Written and directed by story artists Carrie Hobson and Michael Yates, and produced by David Lally, Win or Lose is a comedy about love, rivalry and the challenges we all face in our struggle to win at life.
DISNEY
Hocus Pocus 2 Hocus Pocus 2, exclusively on Disney+, is the spooky sequel to the 1993 Halloween cult classic Hocus Pocus. Adam Shankman is set to direct. Three Men and a Baby Three Men and a Baby, a modern take on the hilarious ’80s comedy, will star Zac Efron and is slated for a 2022 release on Disney+. Safety Safety, premiering tomorrow, December 11, on Disney+, is a drama inspired by the empowering story of former Clemson University football safety Ray McELrathBey, a young man facing a series of challenging circumstances, whose dedication and persistence help him to triumph over repeated adversities. Marshall director Reginald Hudlin helms the uplifting drama. The Keanon Lowe project The Keanon Lowe project, coming to Disney+, is inspired by the incredible real-life story of a high school coach who averted tragedy through compassion. Dwayne Johnson, Dany Garcia and Hiram Garcia are on board as producers for the project through their Seven Bucks Productions. Greek Freak Greek Freak heads into production next year for Disney+. It is the remarkable story of NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and his family, who lifted themselves out of poverty as undocumented immigrants living in Greece. Ultimately, Giannis finds himself on the world stage. The Chris Paul Project The Chris Paul project is a biographical film in development for Disney+ about NBA superstar Chris Paul. It follows Paul’s deeply moving story of family, legacy and destiny that helped make him who he is today. Flora & Ulysses Flora & Ulysses is a delightful comedy-adventure based on the Newbery Award–winning book about 10-year-old Flora, an avid comic book fan and a self-avowed cynic, who rescues a squirrel with unique superhero powers. Flora & Ulysses stars Matilda Lawler and is directed by Lena Khan (The Tiger Hunter). The film makes its debut on Disney+ February 19, 2021. Cheaper by the Dozen Cheaper by the Dozen, a reimagining of the hit comedy with Black-ish producer Kenya Barris, will air on Disney+ in 2022. The story centers on a multiracial, blended family of 12, navigating a hectic home life while managing their family business. Gabrielle Union is set to star. Diary of a Wimpy Kid Diary of a Wimpy Kid, which has spawned a successful live-action film franchise from the popular books, comes to Disney+ in 2021 as an all-new animated film. The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild, exclusively for Disney+, is a spin-off of the popular Ice Age franchise from 20th Century Studios. The story centers on three series favorites: the prankster possum brothers Crash and Eddie, and the swashbuckling titular weasel, Buck. Simon Pegg will be returning in the role of Buck. The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild is slated for an early 2022 release. Night at the Museum Night at the Museum comes to Disney+ with a new twist: this time it’s animated. Shawn Levy, who has helped shape the blockbuster franchise as director of the previous films, and is also helming 20th Century Studios’ upcoming Free Guy, is on board as a producer. Night at the Museum launches on Disney+ in 2021. Chip N’ Dale: Rescue Rangers Chip N’ Dale: Rescue Rangers, a hybrid live-action-animated feature for Disney+, is in development. Akiva Schaffer (Popstar) directs, and John Mulaney and Andy Samberg are set to star in the title roles with Seth Rogen doing a cameo. Chip N’ Dale: Rescue Rangers is slated for spring 2022. Pinocchio Pinocchio is coming to Disney+ in a compelling new live-action retelling that will leverage state-of-the art CGI to bring Pinocchio to life. A living puppet, with the help of a cricket as his conscience, must prove himself worthy to become a real boy in a musical remake of the Disney animated classic. Robert Zemeckis directs and Tom Hanks stars. Peter Pan & Wendy Peter Pan & Wendy, inspired by the Disney animated classic, has David Lowery (Pete’s Dragon) at the helm. A young girl rebels against “growing up” by going with her two brothers to a magical land ruled by an ageless boy obsessed with adventure who is locked in an ongoing battle with a pirate captain. The cast includes Jude Law as Captain Hook and Yara Shahidi (Grown-ish) in the role of Tinker Bell. The film will premiere on Disney+. Disenchanted Disenchanted, a sequel to the hit film Enchanted, will stream exclusively on Disney+. Amy Adams returns as Giselle, who found her life flipped upside down when she fell out of her animated fantasy world and discovered herself stuck in real-life Manhattan. Sister Act 3 Sister Act 3, the third film in the beloved Sister Act series, is in development. Whoopi Goldberg is on board to star and produce, with Tyler Perry also signed on as a producer on the project. Sister Act 3 will premiere on Disney+.
WALT DISNEY ANIMATION STUDIOS
Raya and the Last Dragon Raya and the Last Dragon, which will be released on March 5, 2021, simultaneously in theaters and on Disney+ with Premier Access, travels to the fantasy world of Kumandra, where humans and dragons lived together long ago in harmony. But when an evil force threatened the land, the dragons sacrificed themselves to save humanity. Now, 500 years later, that same evil has returned and it’s up to a lone warrior, Raya, to track down the legendary last dragon to restore the fractured land and its divided people. However, along her journey, she’ll learn that it’ll take more than a dragon to save the world—it’s going to take trust and teamwork as well. Raya and the Last Dragon features the voices of Kelly Marie Tran as Raya, a warrior whose wit is as sharp as her blade, and Awkwafina as magical, mythical, self-deprecating dragon named Sisu. Newly revealed characters from the film include a street-savvy 10-year-old entrepreneur named Boun, the formidable giant Tong, and a thieving toddler Noi with her band of Ongis. The feature film is directed by Don Hall and Carlos López Estrada and produced by Osnat Shurer and Peter Del Vecho. Baymax Baymax, Walt Disney Animation Studios’ first-ever animated series, takes place in the fantastical city of San Fransokyo and features fan favorite healthcare bot, Baymax. Created by Don Hall, the Oscar-winning director of Big Hero 6, Baymax premieres on Disney+ in early 2022. Zootopia+ Zootopia+ heads back to the fast-paced mammal metropolis of Zootopia in a short-form series directed by Trent Correy and Josie Trinidad. Zootopia+ dives deeper into the lives of some of the feature film’s most intriguing characters, including Fru Fru, the newly married arctic shrew; Gazelle’s talented tiger dancers; and the sloth full of surprises, Flash. The short-form series debuts on Disney+ in Spring 2022. Iwájú Iwájú is an all-new original series coming to Disney+ in 2022. The series is a first-of-its-kind collaboration between Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pan-African comic book entertainment company Kugali and its founders Tolu Olowofoyeku, Ziki Nelson and Hamid Ibrahim. Iwájú, which roughly translates to “The Future” in the Yoruba language, is steeped in science fiction. The long-form series is set in Lagos, Nigeria, exploring deep themes of class, innocence and challenging the status quo. Says director Ziki Nelson, “This show will combine Disney’s magic and animation expertise with Kugali’s fire and storytelling authenticity. Iwájú represents a personal childhood dream of mine to tell my story and that of my people.” Tiana Tiana, coming to Disney+ in 2023, is a long-form musical-comedy series featuring the extraordinary entrepreneur who’s now princess of the kingdom Maldonia. The all-new adventures explore both Maldonia and Tiana’s beloved hometown, New Orleans. Tiana is the first princess to have her own Walt Disney Animation Studios series. Moana, The Series Moana, The Series, coming to Disney+ in 2023, is a new long-form musical series that follows spirited voyager Moana as she ventures far beyond the reef. The studio is once again connecting with storytellers from the Pacific Islands to help tell the stories of wayfinding and other traditions brought to life for generations through oral storytelling.
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
Cousteau From National Geographic Documentary Films, the studio behind Oscar winner Free Solo, two-time Academy Award nominee Liz Garbus (What Happened, Miss Simone?), Academy Award winner Dan Cogan (Icarus), and in partnership with Story Syndicate and The Cousteau Society, the life of legendary ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau is told through a treasure trove of previously unseen archival material. Featuring never-before-seen 4K footage from the Cousteau Society’s archives, Cousteau will provide audiences a “deep dive” into the renowned explorer’s remarkable life, revealing the man behind some of the world’s most significant contributions to contemporary environmentalism. Academy Award winner Evan Hayes of Free Solo is also a producer for this film. After festivals and a planned theatrical release, the film will be available exclusively to Disney+ subscribers. Genius: Martin Luther King, Jr. From executive producers Brian Grazer and Ron Howard, the Emmy Award-winning Genius scripted franchise continues exclusively for Disney+ subscribers beginning with season four, which will explore the extraordinary life and immeasurable impact of Nobel Peace Prize winner Martin Luther King Jr., who led seismic change in the civil rights movement in America. It will explore how Reverend King, a Baptist minister, became one of the most influential and inspirational African American leaders in history. Genius dramatizes the fascinating stories of the world’s most brilliant innovators, exploring their extraordinary achievements along with their volatile, passionate and complex personal relationships. The first season starred Geoffrey Rush as Albert Einstein, season two starred Antonio Banderas as Spanish painter Pablo Picasso, and the highly anticipated third season will feature Cynthia Erivo as music icon Aretha Franklin. Secrets of the Whales From executive producer and National Geographic Explorer-at-Large James Cameron, narrated by Sigourney Weaver, Secrets of the Whales is the work of acclaimed National Geographic Explorer and photographer Brian Skerry, as he helps tell the story of a species he’s been documenting for decades. Filmed across 24 locations over three years, it’s a profoundly personal saga, venturing deep into the world of whales to reveal life and love from their perspective. The four-part event series will tell the stories of the extraordinary cultures of five different whale species—orcas, belugas, narwhals, sperm whales and humpback whales. A Real Bug’s Life A Real Bug’s Life will be one of the most ambitious and innovative natural history series ever to be made. Only now, with recent advancements in miniaturized technology, can we meet these extraordinary little characters and see our colossal world through their tiny eyes. A Real Bug’s Life takes viewers on an unforgettable journey that exposes us to how these microsized creatures keep our world turning while facing monstrous forces and threats. From New York’s Central Park to your own backyard, each episode immerses the viewer inside a microcosm, where tiny yet extraordinary creatures rely on their mighty abilities to make it through the day. In ten spellbinding episodes, we take you on adventures into a world beyond your imagination to show you what life is like on planet Earth from a bug’s eye view. America the Beautiful It’s the land we love and the land we think we know. We see America’s breathtaking landscapes and wildlife as timeless, but the truth is very different. Its unique geography drives the forces of nature to extremes, shaping and reshaping the land and throwing down new challenges for life. From the award-winning producers of Planet Earth, Frozen Planet and the Disneynature films, America the Beautiful is the ambitious story of our home. Led by the iconic species that resonate with us most, we’re going to journey through America’s visually spectacular regions: the Frozen North, the Wild West, the Grassy Heartland, the Deep South and the Mountainous High Wilderness. Limitless With Chris Hemsworth What if you could combat aging and discover the full potential of the human body? Global movie star Chris Hemsworth (Thor, The Avengers) explores this revolutionary idea in the new National Geographic original series, Limitless With Chris Hemsworth, created by Darren Aronofsky and hailing from his production company Protozoa Pictures and Jane Root’s Nutopia. New scientific research is shattering conventional wisdom about the human body and offering fascinating insights into how we can all unlock our body’s superpowers to fight illness, perform better and even reverse the aging process! This science is put to the test by Hemsworth, who, despite being in peak superhero-condition, is on a personal mission to learn how to stay young, healthy, strong, and resilient. Undergoing a series of epic trials and extraordinary challenges in order to understand the limits of the human body, he’ll learn firsthand how we can live better for longer by discovering ways to regenerate damage, maximize strength, build resilience, supercharge memory and confront mortality. Entertaining, immersive and life-changing, Limitless will rewrite the rulebook on living better for longer. Welcome to Earth (working title) Hailing from Jane Root’s Nutopia and Darren Aronofsky’s Protozoa Pictures, the world’s most charismatic movie star, Will Smith, embarks on an awe-inspiring global journey to unlock the secrets of the most extraordinary and unexplained phenomena of nature. In each episode, Smith—whose curiosity and wonder is positively infectious—is guided by National Geographic Explorers traveling to different corners of the world to get up close and personal with the weirdest, most unusual, dangerous and thrilling spectacles of the planet. Their mission is to seek out the things and places beyond human perception: the hidden worlds that we can’t see, smell, hear or feel. Only with the aid of cutting-edge technology is it possible to uncover these natural wonders. Smith discovers there are hidden worlds all around us, from the farthest reaches to our doorsteps. He learns how the tiniest details have enormous consequences for this place we call home. This is Earth as you have never seen it before.
WALT DISNEY TELEVISION
The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers Lauren Graham (Gilmore Girls, Parenthood) and Emilio Estevez (reprising his role from the original feature films) star in the next chapter of the hit Mighty Ducks franchise, premiering in early 2021. In present day Minnesota, the Mighty Ducks have evolved from scrappy underdogs to an ultra-competitive, powerhouse youth hockey team. After 12-year-old Evan is unceremoniously cut from the Ducks, he and his mom Alex set out to build their own ragtag team of misfits to challenge the cutthroat, win-at-all-costs culture of competitive youth sports. Big Shot The series follows a temperamental college basketball coach who gets fired from his job and must take a teaching and coaching job at an elite all-girls private high school. Big Shot stars John Stamos and an ensemble cast of up-and-coming actors alongside Yvette Nicole Brown. The Mysterious Benedict Society Placed undercover at a boarding school known as The Institute, a group of orphans must foil a nefarious plot with global ramifications while creating a new sort of family along the way. Based on the bestseller by Trenton Lee Stewart which Time magazine called “one of the best young adult books of all time,” the series stars Emmy Award winner Tony Hale (Veep) in the titular role and features a standout ensemble of young actors. Turner & Hooch When an ambitious, buttoned-up U.S. marshal inherits a big unruly dog, he soon realizes the dog he didn’t want may be the partner he needs. Josh Peck stars as Scott Turner, son of Detective Scott Turner portrayed in the original 1989 film by Tom Hanks. Source: https://deadline.com/2020/12/disney-plus-programming-star-wars-marvel-pixar-sports-animation-1234654686/
A Brief Look at Harnessing the Power of the Crowd to Drive Investment Decisions
A Brief Look at Harnessing the Power of the Crowd to Drive Investment Decisions
Disclaimer: None of this constitutes financial advice. I have no formal training or education in anything related to finance, accounting, investments, etc. Everything in this post is purely for entertainment. This post is going to be a bit longer than your average Reddit post. I have tried to make it interesting to read, or at the very least entertaining, and I would encourage you to read all of it. But if you just want to skip my pontifications and head straight to the pretty graphs, see the Results section. Estimated read time: 15 minutes.
Introduction
Some of you may have already seen my u/asx__bot. Also for those that missed it, here is what I have planned to do next with it (this image was entirely auto-generated). The u/asx__bot version evolved from several different things before it came to be in its current form. Although before we go any further, this write-up will not discuss the current ASX Bot. But instead, my experiences in a previous iteration where I tried to use sentiment analysis to build an investment portfolio. I will refer to this version as Bot 1.0 or otherwise just the bot. I will repeat this once again. This write-up will not focus on the existing u/asx__bot but instead a previous iteration I was working on. Initially, I decided to embark on this journey because I was inspired by this post here. Despite the applications being completely different, I was intrigued by the idea of using programming to augment investment decision making. Secondly, I was also somewhat inspired by this u/BigJimBeef post about doing proper due diligence and not just listening to what is most popular or what has 🚀🚀🚀 next to it. I was curious to find out what would happen if you just listened to the crowd hype. Lastly, I needed a real-world problem to practice several things I wanted to learn. If you are getting deja vu reading any of this, it is because I already posted some results from Bot 1.0 in a thread a few weeks ago that got like 20 upvotes. But it did not include a full write-up, it was kinda shit, and I deleted it.
Method
Let me preface this section by saying that Bot 1.0 was very stupid. But I am yet to scratch the surface of what may be possible with it. This was an early prototype, and it was more about seeing if what I wanted to do was technically feasible. The term bot is also quite disingenuous and gives it an air of sophistication that does not exist. In reality, the code looked like the Python version of this or this. But it operated like a fucking Rube Goldberg machine. I overwrote a lot of the code half by choice and half mistakenly. I should have done a better job with my version control, but I really had no plan coming back to this project, so I was being a bit careless. But since a few people were tagging me and wanting to get various tidbits of information I have picked it up again. I have learnt that people really ❤️ data. Which would explain why those Spotify yearly wrap-ups are so popular or why someone who can wrangle data to create reports for executives and such will have a long and successful career. Bot 1.0 begins by analysing sentiment for all comments over a given period. It uses a very robust library called VADER (Valence Aware Dictionary and sEntiment Reasoner). This library determines how positive or negative a sentence is. From this data, the bot ranks which stocks more frequently appear in positive sentences and then creates a portfolio based around these. At the end of the given period, the bot then readjusts based on the data it has monitored over the previous period. That is it. As you can see, it is very primitive. I loaded it up with a modest sum of $100 million, I also set it up to take the top 20 shares of the given period. The period, in this case, was every calendar month.
You can see when shares get dropped in favour of the latest and greatest. You may even notice top performers getting dropped just because the bot did not consider them to be hyped up enough anymore. So with a starting sum of $100 million, the bot managed to double its money. Take that VDHG and VAS!
Discussion
I was honestly quite surprised. In this case, the crowd was not as stupid as you might believe. Initially, a part of me was expecting (and hoping) the bot would lose 50% to 100%, so I could conclude that listening to investment advice from this subreddit and other online forums (I am looking at you too HotCopper) is ill-fated. And it is in your best interest to just log out, leave it to the pros, and cop that S&P 500 ETF. But no matter how many times I tweaked settings and re-ran it, I never saw the bot finish any lower than a few percentage points and most of the time it was in the green. It reminds me of something a maths teacher told me, and that was that an individual is usually quite bad at estimating. But if you take the average of several estimates, you may be surprised with how accurate it is. An example of this is the classic competition where one must guess how many lollies there are in a jar. A strategy to win these competitions is to take an average of everyone's guesses. This assumes that most of those guesses are people trying to win. The same is true for this subreddit, this bot only works on the assumption that most people here are trying to make money, even if their portfolio says otherwise. I think that is a fair assumption though and when there is money on the line, people behave differently. The person who hypes XYZ in a thread every day (I may or may not be talking about u/SlaughterRain) would most likely only be bothered to do so because they rationally (or irrationally) believe their shares in XYZ will make them money. Even if XYZ is going nowhere anytime soon. To further tie this back to my original point, much like the lolly jar competitions, if you ask an individual to pick the top stock that they think will moon, it will probably be a dud. But if you could aggregate everyone's picks, the likelihood of making money goes up significantly. For Bot 1.0, the sentiment analysis seems to work best over four weeks. I tried periods of one to eight weeks. A period of one week was way too volatile, as the bot could not gauge sentiment nearly as well and it would be all over the place. Whereas eight weeks seemed too slow and it was way too late to the party. I will talk more about this in Limitations. Every time I did run it though, there have been some big gains but hardly many big losses. The biggest losses I have seen over any given interval were usually like 15% to 20%. The biggest gain I saw was a flukey triple bagger over a couple weeks or a month (APT related I think).
Limitations
Failing to Understand Nuance
I did not get time to do as much inspection of comment data as I would like. But I did see the bot producing a considerable amount of false positives and false negatives. A notable one was a sentence like “fuck yeah cunts! XYZ is going to the moon!”, which was associated with negative sentiment. Due to the words “fuck” and “cunt”. As Australians, I feel like either of those words can be positive depending on the context. For example, "fuck yeah cunt" compared to "fuck you cunt.” A free and open-source sentiment analysis library (like VADER) will expectedly fail in some instances at understanding comments made on an Australian investment forum focused on memey micro-cap stocks. There is also the issue of someone saying something like “fuck my life, I should have bought more XYZ.” This will be considered a negative sentence due to the tone. But is this really the case? The user is saying that most likely because the stock is performing well and they regret not getting more when it was cheaper. Because of this, it may be best to categorise comments from here myself. Then train a model on this data to predict the sentiment. Compared to just using a publically available library.
Sometimes the crowd is not always right. When people stop thinking for themselves, the house of cards falls down. If everyone here blindly believes XYZ is next to rocket because HypeBeast69420 said so, then the bot will crumble in on itself. But with Reddit and the Internet usually being a place of anonymousness and openness, it provides the perfect environment for people to speak their minds. Of which those same people may be less likely to do so in real life. Such as at a work meeting or during dinner with the extended family. On the Internet, for every HypeBeast69420, there is at least someone dying to prove them wrong.
Chasing Rainbows and Being Late to the Party
There was no guarantee Bot 1.0 would not liquidate its entire portfolio at a 50% loss to chase the latest and greatest hype. Then slowly lose more and more money as the rockets fall down to Earth. Repeating the process until it has $10 spare and can only trade pennies stocks. The rainbow chasing and volatility became a lot more pronounced when I used either a smaller fund size (three to five stocks) or made more frequent trades, i.e. making decisions off less data. But regardless, since the bot was always basing investment decisions off the previous weeks or months, it was guaranteed to be a little bit late. So at the moment, I have two ideas to combat this. The first idea is to have the bot leverage the crowd data as well as market data. So the bot might get a list of stocks that are generating interest, it then takes these stocks and uses market metrics to determine if it should buy or sell. For example, the penny miner that has shot up 50% in a week might not be a smart play. Although, when it comes to valuing a stock and deciding when to buy or not, there are many different schools of thought. Such as the Buffet-esque value investor who sifts through financials and actually does proper DD. The brah who makes sure his chakras are aligned before he bases his decision on what his tea leaf reading says. Or the chartist who creates their own take on some sort of modernist art and manages to rival the likes of a Basquiat or a Picasso. So deciding how to value stocks and what metrics to consider would require further thought. Which is not where my expertise lies. Now, the second idea is in contrast with the previous paragraph. The bot would purely be using the data generated by this sub to form its decisions. All the bot is doing is understanding what it is being told and then buying/selling accordingly. Which means efforts would need to be heavily concentrated in making sure sentiment is analysed correctly. More accurate sentiment analysis and greater comment volume will allow the bot to make decisions more accurately and more frequently. Trades could occur weekly, bi-weekly, or daily as opposed to monthly. The low volume of daily and weekly comment data during periods of 2020 was also an entire limitation in itself. But with the sharp increase in total comments being made, it seems my prayers are being answered.
Unrealistic and Simplified Trading
The buying/selling functionality was not very realistic. Much like a politician's Cayman Islands shell company, this bot was not paying any taxes. Furthermore, it was not paying any sort of brokerage fees. As mentioned above, the bot just liquidates its entire portfolio and then tries to rebalance its portfolio on the same day. Obviously, this is not very realistic. It is not looking at market depth or volume either. It just takes the open price of any given day and buys and sells at that price. The bot was just buying and selling shares of ASX listed companies. It was not involved in anything like short-selling, derivatives, or using leverage. Nor was it trading instruments like bonds, foreign currencies, cryptocurrencies, or ETFs. These may or may not be limitations depending on how you look at it. Furthermore, stuff like stock splits/consolidations and long-term trading halts (fucking DOU) really screwed with the bot. I have not implemented a way to handle stock splits or consolidations. So I just ignored companies that have had these during the 2020 period. There are probably a few more gotchas I have not considered either.
The Rollercoaster Year of 2020
Nine months of comment data is not that much in terms of financial markets. I would honestly love to have 10 to 20 years worth of data. Or even data leading up to the covid dip of last year. But this year was such a fluke in many respects too. Some shares lost about 30% of their value over a few weeks. But returned to where they were by the end of the year like nothing happened. On the other hand, others are still yet to recover from 2008, let alone 2020.
Determining Ticker Codes
I saw WOW coming up a lot at the start of the year. Which kind of made sense. Because during peak covid, supermarkets never had any specials but were selling like crazy and could barely keep up with demand. After looking into it a bit further, although there were a few mentions of Woolworths Limited, mainly it was just a lot of comments with people exclaiming “WOW”, a la Owen Wilson. In addition to this, when the sentiment analyser sees WOW, it sees this as the word wow. Which it considers very positive. So if someone is actually just referring to Woolworths Limited, it will skew the data positively regardless of the actual sentiment behind the comment. So I think I just ended up filtering out WOW. This was similar for acronyms like ATH (all-time high), UBI (universal basic income), and TGA (therapeutic goods administration). All of those three-letter acronyms are ticker codes used by ASX listed companies too. If you view the portfolio breakdown, you may even notice some acronyms I have missed.
I started this to practice a bit of Python and AWS. I am a bit of an all-rounder but machine learning and the science behind all of it is far from my area of expertise. If it helps, my knowledge is more so situated in the red circle here. But I spent more time reading about the other parts of the pyramid, then what I had set out to learn in the beginning. This was fun, but it could get quite tedious at times. And it exposed where my skills are lacking. I am also even further away from my area of expertise when it comes to investments and finance. Truth be told, I am a basic bitch retail investor. I make my investment decisions based on macro themes, ensuring a company and its directors are not complete shams, then I hold my rosary beads during each trade. Truth be told, I have put together 10-leg NRL multis with better DD than some of my investments in days gone past.
Slow Runtimes
The library that I was using to retrieve data from Yahoo Finance was incredibly slow, which I ended up having to cache a lot of this information. But retrieving comment history was even slower. To download all 200k comments (this number is probably 250k now) from this sub, it took about two hours. I also cached these comments too. But it put a bottleneck on my development because small changes in my code could render cached data useless. This slow speed was one of the reasons I had thrown in the towel. During Bot 1.0, I spent time looking at ways to speed it up. But I couldn't crack it.
Conclusion
I am at a crossroads with the development of this project. The current u/asx__bot is a simple extract/transform/load process with some sprinkles on top. But there seems to be a demand for some of the features that were present in Bot 1.0, such as sentiment analysis and market data. If this is the case, I will need to really nail down what I need, because some foundational design decisions will have to be made before going forward. I am becoming more convinced that the crowd can generate quite useful information. The Internet is Gutenberg 2.0. And like the Printing Revolution, less and less knowledge is being hoarded and controlled by the 0.1%. Instead, it is being disseminated amongst the masses. The real challenge for anyone, particularly myself, will be figuring out how to harness this increasingly decentralised knowledge.
Disney+ - Everything announced/confirmed at Investor Day today
LUCASFILM
Ahsoka After making her long-awaited, live-action debut in The Mandalorian, Ahsoka Tano’s story, written by Dave Filoni, will continue in a limited series, Ahsoka, starring Rosario Dawson and executive produced by Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau. Rangers of the New Republic Set within the timeline of The Mandalorian, Rangers of the New Republic is a new live-action series from executive producers Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni that will intersect with future stories and culminate into a climactic story event. Andor Andor, a tense nail-biting spy thriller created by Tony Gilroy, is set to arrive on Disney+ in 2022. Diego Luna, reprising the role of rebel spy Cassian Andor from Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, will be joined by a fantastic new cast that includes Stellan Skarsgård, Adria Arjona, Fiona Shaw, Denise Gough, Kyle Soller and Genevieve O’Reilly as Mon Mothma. Obi-Wan Kenobi Ewan McGregor returns in the iconic role of Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi for a special event series on Disney+. Officially titled Obi-Wan Kenobi, the series begins 10 years after the dramatic events of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith where he faced his greatest defeat, the downfall and corruption of his best friend and Jedi apprentice, Anakin Skywalker turned evil Sith Lord Darth Vader. The series is directed by Deborah Chow, who helmed memorable episodes of The Mandalorian Season 1, and features the return of Hayden Christensen as Darth Vader. The Bad Batch The Bad Batch follows the elite and experimental clones of the Bad Batch (first introduced in The Clone Wars) as they find their way in a rapidly changing galaxy in the immediate aftermath of the Clone War. Members of Bad Batch—a unique squad of clones who vary genetically from their brothers in the Clone Army—each possess a singular exceptional skill that makes them extraordinarily effective soldiers and a formidable crew. In the post-Clone War era, they will take on daring mercenary missions as they struggle to stay afloat and find new purpose. This animated series will arrive exclusively on Disney+. Star Wars: Visions Presenting all-new, creative takes on the galaxy far, far away, Star Wars: Visions will be a series of animated short films celebrating Star Wars through the lens of the world’s best anime creators. The anthology collection will bring 10 fantastic visions from several of the leading Japanese anime studios, offering a fresh and diverse cultural perspective to Star Wars. Lando The galaxy’s favorite scoundrel, Lando Calrissian, will return in Lando, a brand-new event series for Disney+. Justin Simien, creator of the critically-acclaimed Dear White People and a huge Star Wars fan, is in the early stages of developing the project. The Acolyte Leslye Headland, Emmy Award-nominated creator of the mind-bending series Russian Doll, brings a new Star Wars series to Disney+ with The Acolyte. The mystery-thriller that will take viewers into a galaxy of shadowy secrets and emerging dark-side powers in the final days of the High Republic era. A Droid Story As Lucasfilm continues to develop new stories, the intersection of animation and visual effects offers new opportunities to explore. Lucasfilm Animation is teaming up with Lucasfilm’s visual effects team, Industrial Light & Magic, to develop a special Star Wars adventure film for Disney+, A Droid Story. This epic journey will introduce us to a new hero, guided by legendary duo R2-D2 and C-3PO. Willow Willow, set decades after Ron Howard’s 1988 movie, continues the spirit of adventure, heroics and humor of the original film in this new series debuting on Disney+ in 2022. Warwick Davis will return in the role of the great sorcerer, Willow Ufgood, with Jon Chu (director of the groundbreaking Crazy Rich Asians) directing the pilot.
MARVEL
WandaVision WandaVision, launching on Disney+ on January 15, 2021, is Marvel Studios’ first series that continues to expand the MCU. Wanda Maximoff and Vision are two super-powered beings are living idealized suburban lives, but begin to suspect everything is not as it seems. Starring Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Kathryn Hahn, Teyonah Parris, Kat Dennings and Randall Park, WandaVision is directed by Matt Shakman; Jac Shaeffer is head writer. The Falcon and The Winter Soldier The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, kicking off on Disney+ March 19, 2021, is a new series starring Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson aka The Falcon, and Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes aka The Winter Soldier. The pair, who came together in the final moments of Avengers: Endgame, team up on a global adventure that tests their abilities—and their patience. Directed by Kari Skogland with Malcolm Spellman serving as head writer, the six-episode series also stars Daniel Brühl as Baron Zemo, Emily VanCamp as Sharon Carter, and Wyatt Russell as John Walker. Loki Loki is set to debut on Disney+ in May 2021 featuring the God of Mischief as he steps out of his brother’s shadow in a new series that takes place after the events of Avengers: Endgame. Tom Hiddleston returns as the title character, joined by Owen Wilson, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Sophia Di Martino, Wunmi Mosaku and Richard E. Grant. Kate Herron directs Loki, and Michael Waldron is head writer. What If…? What If…? flips the script on the MCU, reimagining famous events from the films in unexpected ways. Coming to Disney+ in Summer 2021, Marvel Studios’ first animated series focuses on different heroes from the MCU, featuring a voice cast that includes a host of stars who reprise their roles. The series is directed by Bryan Andrews; Ashley Bradley is head writer. Ms. Marvel Ms. Marvel, launching on Disney+ in late 2021, is a new series that introduces Kamala Khan—a 16-year-old Pakistani-American growing up in Jersey City. A great student, an avid gamer and a voracious fan-fiction scribe, she has a special affinity for superheroes, particularly Captain Marvel. But Kamala struggles to fit in at home and at school—that is, until she gets super powers like the heroes she’s always looked up to. Life is easier with super powers, right? Iman Vellani stars as Kamala Khan aka Ms. Marvel; the cast also includes Aramis Knight, Saagar Shaikh, Rish Shah, Zenobia Shroff, Mohan Kapur, Matt Lintz, Yasmeen Fletcher, Laith Naki, Azher Usman, Travina Springer and Nimra Bucha. Episodes are directed by Adil El Arbi & Bilall Fallah, Meera Menon and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy. Hawkeye Hawkeye, which debuts on Disney+ in late 2021, stars Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, who teams up with another well-known archer from the Marvel comics, Kate Bishop, played by Hailee Steinfeld. The cast also includes Vera Farmiga, Fra Fee, Tony Dalton, Zahn McClarnon, Brian d’Arcy James and newcomer Alaqua Cox as Maya Lopez. Hawkeye is helmed by Rhys Thomas and directing duo Bert and Bertie. She-Hulk She-Hulk, a new comedy series coming to Disney+, stars Tatiana Maslany as She-Hulk/Jennifer Walters, a lawyer who specializes in superhuman-oriented legal cases. She-Hulk will welcome a host of Marvel characters to the series, including the Hulk, played by Mark Ruffalo, and the Abomination, played by Tim Roth. The series is directed by Kat Coiro and Anu Valia; Jessica Gao is head writer. Moon Knight Moon Knight is a new series created for Disney+. Directed by Mohamed Diab, the action-adventure features a complex vigilante who suffers from dissociative identity disorder. The multiple identities who live inside him are distinct characters who appear against a backdrop of Egyptian iconography. Secret Invasion Secret Invasion is a newly announced series heading to Disney+ that stars Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury and Ben Mendelsohn as the Skrull Talos—characters who first met in Captain Marvel. The crossover comic event series showcases a faction of shape-shifting Skrulls who have been infiltrating Earth for years. Ironheart Ironheart, the second of the newly announced series coming to Disney+, stars Dominique Thorne as Riri Williams, a genius inventor who creates the most advanced suit of armor since Iron Man. Armor Wars Armor Wars, based on the classic Marvel comic series, comes to Disney+ starring Don Cheadle as James Rhodes aka War Machine who must face what happens when Tony Stark’s tech falls into the wrong hands. Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, slated for Disney+ during the 2022 holiday season, is written and directed by Guardians of the Galaxy veteran James Gunn. I Am Groot I Am Groot features everyone’s favorite baby tree in a series of original shorts coming to Disney+.
PIXAR
Inside Pixar Inside Pixar is a new documentary series that invites Pixar fans into the studio for an up-close, never-before- seen look at the artistry, craftsmanship and storytellers behind beloved films. The first five episodes are currently available on Disney+ with more scheduled to release soon. Soul Soul, available exclusively on Disney+ beginning December 25, 2020, explores themes like appreciating the simple joys of life and finding one’s unique spark. Directed by Docter, the film introduces Joe Gardner (voice of Jamie Foxx), a middle-school band teacher who gets the chance of a lifetime to play at the best jazz club in town. But one small misstep takes him from the streets of New York City to The Great Before – a fantastical place where new souls get their personalities, quirks and interests before they go to Earth. Determined to return to his life, Joe teams up with a precocious soul, 22 (voice of Tina Fey), who has never understood the appeal of the human experience. As Joe desperately tries to show 22 what’s great about living, he may just discover the answers to some of life’s most important questions. Soul is co-directed by Kemp Powers (One Night in Miami) and produced by Academy Award nominee Dana Murray, p.g.a. (Pixar short Lou). Burrow Burrow is part of Pixar’s collection of shorts called SparkShorts that are created by a diverse group of storytellers. Debuting exclusively on Disney+ on December 25, 2020, Burrow features a young rabbit who embarks on a journey to dig the burrow of her dreams, despite not having a clue what she’s doing. Rather than reveal to her neighbors her imperfections, she digs herself deeper and deeper into trouble. After hitting (bed)rock bottom, she learns there is no shame in asking for help. The new short is directed by Madeline Sharafian and produced by Mike Capbarat. Pixar Popcorn Pixar Popcorn, coming to Disney+ in January 2021, is a collection of mini shorts featuring Pixar characters in all-new, bite-size stories created by Pixar’s talented animators. Dug Days Dug Days, which premieres exclusively on Disney+ in Fall 2021, is a new collection of shorts that follows the humorous misadventures of Dug, the lovable dog from Disney and Pixar’s Up. Each short features everyday events that occur in and around Dug’s backyard, all through the exciting (and delightfully distorted) eyes of our favorite talking dog. The shorts are written and directed by Academy Award nominee and Emmy Award winner Bob Peterson and produced by Kim Collins. Cars Cars, coming to Disney+ in Fall 2022, is an all-new series that follows Lightning McQueen and his best friend Mater on a cross-country road trip. These episodes are filled with lots of fun new characters, imaginative destinations as well as old friends checking in along the way. The series is written by Steve Purcell and produced by Marc Sondheimer. Win or Lose Win or Lose, Pixar’s first-ever original long-form animated series, debuts on Disney+ in 2023. It follows a coed middle school softball team in the week leading up to their championship game. Each 20-minute episode highlights the perspective of a different character and explores the drama of bad calls made on and off the field. Written and directed by story artists Carrie Hobson and Michael Yates, and produced by David Lally, Win or Lose is a comedy about love, rivalry and the challenges we all face in our struggle to win at life.
DISNEY
Hocus Pocus 2 Hocus Pocus 2, exclusively on Disney+, is the spooky sequel to the 1993 Halloween cult classic Hocus Pocus. Adam Shankman is set to direct. Three Men and a Baby Three Men and a Baby, a modern take on the hilarious ’80s comedy, will star Zac Efron and is slated for a 2022 release on Disney+. Safety Safety, premiering tomorrow, December 11, on Disney+, is a drama inspired by the empowering story of former Clemson University football safety Ray McELrathBey, a young man facing a series of challenging circumstances, whose dedication and persistence help him to triumph over repeated adversities. Marshall director Reginald Hudlin helms the uplifting drama. The Keanon Lowe project The Keanon Lowe project, coming to Disney+, is inspired by the incredible real-life story of a high school coach who averted tragedy through compassion. Dwayne Johnson, Dany Garcia and Hiram Garcia are on board as producers for the project through their Seven Bucks Productions. Greek Freak Greek Freak heads into production next year for Disney+. It is the remarkable story of NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and his family, who lifted themselves out of poverty as undocumented immigrants living in Greece. Ultimately, Giannis finds himself on the world stage. The Chris Paul Project The Chris Paul project is a biographical film in development for Disney+ about NBA superstar Chris Paul. It follows Paul’s deeply moving story of family, legacy and destiny that helped make him who he is today. Flora & Ulysses Flora & Ulysses is a delightful comedy-adventure based on the Newbery Award–winning book about 10-year-old Flora, an avid comic book fan and a self-avowed cynic, who rescues a squirrel with unique superhero powers. Flora & Ulysses stars Matilda Lawler and is directed by Lena Khan (The Tiger Hunter). The film makes its debut on Disney+ February 19, 2021. Cheaper by the Dozen Cheaper by the Dozen, a reimagining of the hit comedy with Black-ish producer Kenya Barris, will air on Disney+ in 2022. The story centers on a multiracial, blended family of 12, navigating a hectic home life while managing their family business. Gabrielle Union is set to star. Diary of a Wimpy Kid Diary of a Wimpy Kid, which has spawned a successful live-action film franchise from the popular books, comes to Disney+ in 2021 as an all-new animated film. The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild, exclusively for Disney+, is a spin-off of the popular Ice Age franchise from 20th Century Studios. The story centers on three series favorites: the prankster possum brothers Crash and Eddie, and the swashbuckling titular weasel, Buck. Simon Pegg will be returning in the role of Buck. The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild is slated for an early 2022 release. Night at the Museum Night at the Museum comes to Disney+ with a new twist: this time it’s animated. Shawn Levy, who has helped shape the blockbuster franchise as director of the previous films, and is also helming 20th Century Studios’ upcoming Free Guy, is on board as a producer. Night at the Museum launches on Disney+ in 2021. Chip N’ Dale: Rescue Rangers Chip N’ Dale: Rescue Rangers, a hybrid live-action-animated feature for Disney+, is in development. Akiva Schaffer (Popstar) directs, and John Mulaney and Andy Samberg are set to star in the title roles with Seth Rogen doing a cameo. Chip N’ Dale: Rescue Rangers is slated for spring 2022. Pinocchio Pinocchio is coming to Disney+ in a compelling new live-action retelling that will leverage state-of-the art CGI to bring Pinocchio to life. A living puppet, with the help of a cricket as his conscience, must prove himself worthy to become a real boy in a musical remake of the Disney animated classic. Robert Zemeckis directs and Tom Hanks stars. Peter Pan & Wendy Peter Pan & Wendy, inspired by the Disney animated classic, has David Lowery (Pete’s Dragon) at the helm. A young girl rebels against “growing up” by going with her two brothers to a magical land ruled by an ageless boy obsessed with adventure who is locked in an ongoing battle with a pirate captain. The cast includes Jude Law as Captain Hook and Yara Shahidi (Grown-ish) in the role of Tinker Bell. The film will premiere on Disney+. Disenchanted Disenchanted, a sequel to the hit film Enchanted, will stream exclusively on Disney+. Amy Adams returns as Giselle, who found her life flipped upside down when she fell out of her animated fantasy world and discovered herself stuck in real-life Manhattan. Sister Act 3 Sister Act 3, the third film in the beloved Sister Act series, is in development. Whoopi Goldberg is on board to star and produce, with Tyler Perry also signed on as a producer on the project. Sister Act 3 will premiere on Disney+.
WALT DISNEY ANIMATION STUDIOS
Raya and the Last Dragon Raya and the Last Dragon, which will be released on March 5, 2021, simultaneously in theaters and on Disney+ with Premier Access, travels to the fantasy world of Kumandra, where humans and dragons lived together long ago in harmony. But when an evil force threatened the land, the dragons sacrificed themselves to save humanity. Now, 500 years later, that same evil has returned and it’s up to a lone warrior, Raya, to track down the legendary last dragon to restore the fractured land and its divided people. However, along her journey, she’ll learn that it’ll take more than a dragon to save the world—it’s going to take trust and teamwork as well. Raya and the Last Dragon features the voices of Kelly Marie Tran as Raya, a warrior whose wit is as sharp as her blade, and Awkwafina as magical, mythical, self-deprecating dragon named Sisu. Newly revealed characters from the film include a street-savvy 10-year-old entrepreneur named Boun, the formidable giant Tong, and a thieving toddler Noi with her band of Ongis. The feature film is directed by Don Hall and Carlos López Estrada and produced by Osnat Shurer and Peter Del Vecho. Baymax Baymax, Walt Disney Animation Studios’ first-ever animated series, takes place in the fantastical city of San Fransokyo and features fan favorite healthcare bot, Baymax. Created by Don Hall, the Oscar-winning director of Big Hero 6, Baymax premieres on Disney+ in early 2022. Zootopia+ Zootopia+ heads back to the fast-paced mammal metropolis of Zootopia in a short-form series directed by Trent Correy and Josie Trinidad. Zootopia+ dives deeper into the lives of some of the feature film’s most intriguing characters, including Fru Fru, the newly married arctic shrew; Gazelle’s talented tiger dancers; and the sloth full of surprises, Flash. The short-form series debuts on Disney+ in Spring 2022. Iwájú Iwájú is an all-new original series coming to Disney+ in 2022. The series is a first-of-its-kind collaboration between Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pan-African comic book entertainment company Kugali and its founders Tolu Olowofoyeku, Ziki Nelson and Hamid Ibrahim. Iwájú, which roughly translates to “The Future” in the Yoruba language, is steeped in science fiction. The long-form series is set in Lagos, Nigeria, exploring deep themes of class, innocence and challenging the status quo. Says director Ziki Nelson, “This show will combine Disney’s magic and animation expertise with Kugali’s fire and storytelling authenticity. Iwájú represents a personal childhood dream of mine to tell my story and that of my people.” Tiana Tiana, coming to Disney+ in 2023, is a long-form musical-comedy series featuring the extraordinary entrepreneur who’s now princess of the kingdom Maldonia. The all-new adventures explore both Maldonia and Tiana’s beloved hometown, New Orleans. Tiana is the first princess to have her own Walt Disney Animation Studios series. Moana, The Series Moana, The Series, coming to Disney+ in 2023, is a new long-form musical series that follows spirited voyager Moana as she ventures far beyond the reef. The studio is once again connecting with storytellers from the Pacific Islands to help tell the stories of wayfinding and other traditions brought to life for generations through oral storytelling.
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
Cousteau From National Geographic Documentary Films, the studio behind Oscar winner Free Solo, two-time Academy Award nominee Liz Garbus (What Happened, Miss Simone?), Academy Award winner Dan Cogan (Icarus), and in partnership with Story Syndicate and The Cousteau Society, the life of legendary ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau is told through a treasure trove of previously unseen archival material. Featuring never-before-seen 4K footage from the Cousteau Society’s archives, Cousteau will provide audiences a “deep dive” into the renowned explorer’s remarkable life, revealing the man behind some of the world’s most significant contributions to contemporary environmentalism. Academy Award winner Evan Hayes of Free Solo is also a producer for this film. After festivals and a planned theatrical release, the film will be available exclusively to Disney+ subscribers. Genius: Martin Luther King, Jr. From executive producers Brian Grazer and Ron Howard, the Emmy Award-winning Genius scripted franchise continues exclusively for Disney+ subscribers beginning with season four, which will explore the extraordinary life and immeasurable impact of Nobel Peace Prize winner Martin Luther King Jr., who led seismic change in the civil rights movement in America. It will explore how Reverend King, a Baptist minister, became one of the most influential and inspirational African American leaders in history. Genius dramatizes the fascinating stories of the world’s most brilliant innovators, exploring their extraordinary achievements along with their volatile, passionate and complex personal relationships. The first season starred Geoffrey Rush as Albert Einstein, season two starred Antonio Banderas as Spanish painter Pablo Picasso, and the highly anticipated third season will feature Cynthia Erivo as music icon Aretha Franklin. Secrets of the Whales From executive producer and National Geographic Explorer-at-Large James Cameron, narrated by Sigourney Weaver, Secrets of the Whales is the work of acclaimed National Geographic Explorer and photographer Brian Skerry, as he helps tell the story of a species he’s been documenting for decades. Filmed across 24 locations over three years, it’s a profoundly personal saga, venturing deep into the world of whales to reveal life and love from their perspective. The four-part event series will tell the stories of the extraordinary cultures of five different whale species—orcas, belugas, narwhals, sperm whales and humpback whales. A Real Bug’s Life A Real Bug’s Life will be one of the most ambitious and innovative natural history series ever to be made. Only now, with recent advancements in miniaturized technology, can we meet these extraordinary little characters and see our colossal world through their tiny eyes. A Real Bug’s Life takes viewers on an unforgettable journey that exposes us to how these microsized creatures keep our world turning while facing monstrous forces and threats. From New York’s Central Park to your own backyard, each episode immerses the viewer inside a microcosm, where tiny yet extraordinary creatures rely on their mighty abilities to make it through the day. In ten spellbinding episodes, we take you on adventures into a world beyond your imagination to show you what life is like on planet Earth from a bug’s eye view. America the Beautiful It’s the land we love and the land we think we know. We see America’s breathtaking landscapes and wildlife as timeless, but the truth is very different. Its unique geography drives the forces of nature to extremes, shaping and reshaping the land and throwing down new challenges for life. From the award-winning producers of Planet Earth, Frozen Planet and the Disneynature films, America the Beautiful is the ambitious story of our home. Led by the iconic species that resonate with us most, we’re going to journey through America’s visually spectacular regions: the Frozen North, the Wild West, the Grassy Heartland, the Deep South and the Mountainous High Wilderness. Limitless With Chris Hemsworth What if you could combat aging and discover the full potential of the human body? Global movie star Chris Hemsworth (Thor, The Avengers) explores this revolutionary idea in the new National Geographic original series, Limitless With Chris Hemsworth, created by Darren Aronofsky and hailing from his production company Protozoa Pictures and Jane Root’s Nutopia. New scientific research is shattering conventional wisdom about the human body and offering fascinating insights into how we can all unlock our body’s superpowers to fight illness, perform better and even reverse the aging process! This science is put to the test by Hemsworth, who, despite being in peak superhero-condition, is on a personal mission to learn how to stay young, healthy, strong, and resilient. Undergoing a series of epic trials and extraordinary challenges in order to understand the limits of the human body, he’ll learn firsthand how we can live better for longer by discovering ways to regenerate damage, maximize strength, build resilience, supercharge memory and confront mortality. Entertaining, immersive and life-changing, Limitless will rewrite the rulebook on living better for longer. Welcome to Earth (working title) Hailing from Jane Root’s Nutopia and Darren Aronofsky’s Protozoa Pictures, the world’s most charismatic movie star, Will Smith, embarks on an awe-inspiring global journey to unlock the secrets of the most extraordinary and unexplained phenomena of nature. In each episode, Smith—whose curiosity and wonder is positively infectious—is guided by National Geographic Explorers traveling to different corners of the world to get up close and personal with the weirdest, most unusual, dangerous and thrilling spectacles of the planet. Their mission is to seek out the things and places beyond human perception: the hidden worlds that we can’t see, smell, hear or feel. Only with the aid of cutting-edge technology is it possible to uncover these natural wonders. Smith discovers there are hidden worlds all around us, from the farthest reaches to our doorsteps. He learns how the tiniest details have enormous consequences for this place we call home. This is Earth as you have never seen it before.
WALT DISNEY TELEVISION
The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers Lauren Graham (Gilmore Girls, Parenthood) and Emilio Estevez (reprising his role from the original feature films) star in the next chapter of the hit Mighty Ducks franchise, premiering in early 2021. In present day Minnesota, the Mighty Ducks have evolved from scrappy underdogs to an ultra-competitive, powerhouse youth hockey team. After 12-year-old Evan is unceremoniously cut from the Ducks, he and his mom Alex set out to build their own ragtag team of misfits to challenge the cutthroat, win-at-all-costs culture of competitive youth sports. Big Shot The series follows a temperamental college basketball coach who gets fired from his job and must take a teaching and coaching job at an elite all-girls private high school. Big Shot stars John Stamos and an ensemble cast of up-and-coming actors alongside Yvette Nicole Brown. The Mysterious Benedict Society Placed undercover at a boarding school known as The Institute, a group of orphans must foil a nefarious plot with global ramifications while creating a new sort of family along the way. Based on the bestseller by Trenton Lee Stewart which Time magazine called “one of the best young adult books of all time,” the series stars Emmy Award winner Tony Hale (Veep) in the titular role and features a standout ensemble of young actors. Turner & Hooch When an ambitious, buttoned-up U.S. marshal inherits a big unruly dog, he soon realizes the dog he didn’t want may be the partner he needs. Josh Peck stars as Scott Turner, son of Detective Scott Turner portrayed in the original 1989 film by Tom Hanks. Source: https://deadline.com/2020/12/disney-plus-programming-star-wars-marvel-pixar-sports-animation-1234654686/
Hey everyone, and welcome to Today in Wrestling. Today in Wrestling is a new newsletter-type article that I will be writing everyday and posting here. It will discuss the days news, results, show reviews, match reviews, and any other events in the wrestling world. I know this isn't very original and you will possibly see no new news here, but I want to be a journalist so I feel like doing this will be cool for me. This will contain spoilers for the shows that were held today, so be aware if you are planning on watching a show. These will be uploaded daily at anytime around 10-11 PM EST. Please give me feedback on things I should add to this or take away from this.
News
NJPW
NJPW held a press conference early today. They announced the card for the New Beginning tour. You can view the full cards on njpw1972.com. Here are some of the highlights:
Master Wato, SHO, Tomoaki Honma, Hiroshi Tanahashi, and Kota Ibushi vs BUSHI, Hiromu Takahashi, Tetsuya Naito, Shingo Takagi, and SANADA in a 5v5 elimination match
El Desperado & Kanemaru vs El Phantasmo & Taiji Ishimori for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Titles
Kota Ibushi vs SANADA for the IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Intercontinental titles
I am REALLY looking forward to Shingo vs Tanahashi and Hiromu vs SHO. My favorite wrestler is in fact Shingo Takagi, so seeing him and the potential GOAT get a main event match, is amazing to see.
NJPW announced that the 2021 New Japan Cup will begin on March 5th.
WWE
The Best of Luke Harper is now available on the free version of the WWE Network.
The 1/11 episode of Monday Night Raw saw 1,819,000 viewers down from last week's 2,128,000. WWE faced big competition from the NCAA Football game, as well as CNN programming. Raw had the 7th, 12th, and 16th ranked hours of TV in the 18-49 demographic.
WWE filed for 3 new trademarks:
Giant Zanjeer
Guru Raaj
Dilsher Shanky
I figure these will be some ring names for talent competing in the India branch of WWE.
Speaking of the India branch of WWE, I have some details on the upcoming "Superstar Spectacle" event on January 26
It will air on Tuesday, January 26 on Indian Republic Day
It will be taped at the WWE Capitol Wrestling Center around January 21 in Orlando, Florida.
The show is expected to be 90 minutes to 2 hours long and will feature English and Hindi broadcasts on Sony TEN 1 and Sony TEN 3.
The advertising is built around Jinder Mahal, The Bollywood Boys, Indus Sher, and NXT recruit Kavita Devi. The show will also feature a number of NXT trainees from India as well.
The WWE posted job openings for the Senior Vice President of the newly established Talent Management Group.
The following talent were backstage for Raw, but were not utilized:
Cedric Alexander
Asuka
Shelton Benjamin
Nikki Cross
Ricochet
Angel Garza
With all this talent available, I don't understand why so many superstars worked multiple matches.
This is the Royal Rumble card so far:
WWE Championship - Drew McIntyre vs Goldberg
WWE Universal Championship - Roman Reigns vs Adam Pearce
Men's Royal Rumble - AJ Styles, Bobby Lashley, Daniel Bryan, Elias, Randy Orton, Riddle, and 24 more competitors to be announced
Women's Royal Rumble - Bayley, Bianca Belair, Charlotte Flair, Dana Brooke, Mandy Rose, Nia Jax, Shayna Baszler, and 23 more competitors to be announced
WWE has been sending invitations to fans to sign up for the Thunderdome to be apart of tomorrow's NXT episode on USA Network. This will be the first time NXT will be at the Thunderdome.
AEW
Kris Statlander shared with Fightful that her knee is close to being healed. This is good news as she is top female talent in AEW.
Here is the card for tomorrow's AEW Dynamite:
PAC vs Eddie Kingston
Miro vs Chuck Taylor
Cody on Britt Baker's "The Waiting Room"
FTR vs Jurassic Express (Jungle Boy & Marko Stunt)
Darby Allin (c) vs Brian Cage for the TNT Title
Serena Deeb (c) vs Tay Conti for the NWA Women's Title
The Elite will be in action
Inner Circle reveal their New Year's Resolutions
I especially am excited to see which Elite members will be in action, as well as Darby vs Cage and PAC vs Kingston.
AJPW
AJPW announced that on January 24th, Jun Kasai will defend the GAORA TV Championship against Black Menso-re in a hardcore match. Ever since Tajiri took over as booker, AJPW has been running more stipulation matches, including a TLC match.
MLW
Here is the full lineup for tomorrow's MLW Fusion:
MLW Tag Team Championship Tornado Tag Team Match - The Von Erichs vs Los Parks with Tom Lawlor as guest referee
Salina de la Renta will produce this episode and she has a surprise for longtime rival Konnan
The debut of Mil Muertes will happen when he faces Brian Pillman Jr.
Low Ki vs Budd Heavy
ACH will challenge MLW Champion Jacob Fatu next Wednesday on Fusion
On Wednesday, February 17, MLW Fusion will be based off the UFC Fight Island concept, and will be called The Tom Lawlor Filthy Island.
EDIT: I forgot to add the Dijakovic/Guevara twitter stuff. Here are the tweets Basically T-Bar claimed Sammy Guevara stole a move from him. Guevara replied by saying it isn't T-Bar's move. T-Bar responded by making a joke out of Guevara's rape joke.
Today's Shows
Impact Wrestling on AXS TV Keep in mind that this is not the full show recap, this is just highlights I picked out from it.
This show was held in front of no fans. It was shown on AXS TV and Twitch. It served as the go-home show to the Hard to Kill PPV.
Kimber Lee defeated Taya after a distraction when Susan attacked Rosemary.
On the Kenny Omega Express, Omega spoke to Don Callis and The Good Brothers. Callis says they need victory at Hard to Kill, but they need to see the real Machine Gun tonight and a victory over Rich Swann tonight.
We got another paid advertisement from Tony Khan and Tony Schiavone.
Chris Bey & Rohit Raju defeated Manik & Suicide
Deaner defeated Tommy Dreamer by DQ
IMPACT officially revealed the new Knockouts Tag Team titles.
Rosemary defeated Tenille Dashwood
Rich Swann cut a promo saying him and Anderson are going to have fun with Omega, Gallows, and the Motor City Machine Guns banned for their match.
Moose defeated Matthew Palmer
Rich Swann defeated Karl Anderson with a shock rollup pin
Backstage, Omega and Gallows busted into the Machine Guns locker room and attacked them. Swann and Anderson later arrived and all six brawled as Impact went off air.
This was a solid go-home show that did a great job building the Kenny & Good Brothers vs Swann & MCMG match.
AEW Dark
AEW Dark was held at Daily's Place. It was taped after last Wednesday's Dynamite episode. You can watch it free on YouTube.
The show featured 12 matches
The Dark Order were heavily featured on this show
The main event saw Top Flight defeat Chaos Project
Dragon Gate Open The New Year Gate 2021 - Day 4
This show was held in Korakuen Hall in front of 440 fans and was broadcasted live on Dragon Gate Network including live English commentary.
This show featured mainly tag matches.
The main event saw BxB Hulk and Kai defend their Open the Twin Gate Championships against Jason Lee and Kota Minoura in 18:18. This was their third defense of the belts.
Hi all, I'm going to describe my strategy to play the coming uranium bull market. Not investment advice and do your own research. The way I look at this sector is by defining what I want to achieve in profits, what are the upside and downsides risk. I'm looking for asymmetry - where a bet pays out more to the upside than the downside. For example, if I win I make 300%, if I lose I'm down 50%. Firstly,how does a retail investor with limited knowledge of mining/resource sector value a junior, developer, producer, or explorer? Answer: It is very difficult. Mining is a terrible business. Even the experts who run the mines make huge mistakes. Obvious example: why do the 2 largest producers Cameco and Kazatomprom have to shut down mines and cut production? It shows even the people with the best information have awful foresight and planning. To make matters worse this is the industry notorious for pumping up a worthless piece of land to shareholders that will never become a mine, just to make management rich. Do you really think you can look at drill hole data or a PFS and avoid a BRE-X scam? Or look at mine economics and say yes this project is feasible? If you can't accurately value a company:
you have no conviction to hold the position through volatility.
you have no courage to hold a large position that makes a meaningful gain to your portfolio
We're all in Uranium to make big profits. But we have to set targets for what we can expect to gain (and lose). A lot of the experts believe the big gains (or losses) will likely come from the developers. I believe this is the 5-10+ bagger territory. Say you are looking at a fictional developer called UHM - Uranium hail mary. They claim they've discovered a great asset in the ground. If the spot price gets to $50 they will build the mine and you can expect 10x. So spot starts rising and everything's going well. But wait. News breaks "Idiotic government body delays permit of UHM. Cites need to consult with local indigenous population on effects of scary radioactive mine on endangered spotted toad population" "Protestors chain themselves to spotted toads blocking roads to UHM minesite" "Politician in charge says: I just think radioactive mining sounds too scary and I don't want it happen in your backyard" Suddenly UHM plunges like Northern Dynasty and you're looking at a 70% loss. So I'll treat this like a lottery ticket or a call option then you say to yourself. Say you have a $100k portfolio and you decide to throw $5k at UHM to see if it sticks. Your upside likely is 50k and your downside you may vaporize that money. Not a bad play if you want to do a hail mary. Just remember a lot of these are like rube goldberg machines, if one piece doesn't play out then the whole thing fails. (to be continued)
Rotten Tomatoes: 92% (38 reviews) with 8.20 in average rating
Critics Consensus: Sharply written and brilliantly performed, Mank peers behind the scenes of Citizen Kane to tell an old Hollywood story that could end up being a classic in its own right.
Metacritic: 81/100 (24 critics) As with other movies, the scores are set to change as time passes. Meanwhile, I'll post some short reviews on the movie.
Written by Jack Fincher, who is David Fincher’s (late) father, “Mank” is a lusciously evocative, verbally sharp-angled movie that’s never less than engrossing. Yet given that it’s about the creation of “Citizen Kane,” there’s a way that it’s almost more inside baseball than it needed to be. And that could limit its appeal.
However much credit Mankiewicz deserves for “Kane,” Fincher’s remarkable movie makes a compelling argument for appreciating the prescience behind its conception. His life had a rough ending, but the movie about it gives him one last bitter laugh.
It’s possible to go into a kind of trance at just how beautiful this film looks, a ravishing display created by cinematographer Erik Messerschmidt and production designer Donald Graham Burt, with costumes by Trish Summerville. It’s a view of Hollywood that is unfashionable in many ways – the current view is probably more in line with Ryan Murphy’s miniseries Hollywood, which is all about correcting the erasure of anyone outside the white-heterosexual system, and that isn’t really what Mank is about. But what an addictive romantic drama it is, mixing sentimentality with pure rapture.
It's the visuals that linger here, an entire world of after-images swimming in the brain, from a magnificent artefact that will certainly sweep the boards at next year's Oscars but is, if one is being brutally honest, just a tiny bit cold.
"Mank" refuses to devolve into an academic thesis about who wrote what. Mank knew you had to laugh at the kings or they'd make you cry. So it's fitting that a film about him should focus on what personal sacrifices are necessary to throw off the shackles of compromise and tell the truth. The Finchers, father and son, know you don't have to be a filmmaker to face that universal challenge. And so "Mank" emerges as a timely and touching tribute to both their talents and, not coincidentally, one of the very best movies of the year.
All this is absorbing enough, but if the intention was to instill pathos into the experience of a writer producing his best work for an industry that sickens him and an artist averse to sharing credit, Mank comes up short. This is no fault of Oldman's, who loses himself in the drunken cynicism of a man whose writing is now his only tenuous link to any kind of idealism.
The story then becomes less a forensic accounting of a masterpiece than a bittersweet ode to a certain slice of old Hollywood: part love letter, part cautionary tale, and still somehow a mystery.
A long gestating labor of love, Mank’s script was written by Fincher’s late father, Jack, a journalist who died in 2003. So there is a closely personal aspect to the film, a son ardently giving breath and body to his father’s unpublished opus. But Mank taps into a vein of feeling that reaches farther than mere family tribute. The film also serves as a political cri de coeur, one that inspires as much as it dismays. In making a film that’s sort of about the making of another film, Fincher has many metatextual layers to work with, which he does with trademark precision and unexpected gentility.
Memorable acting, striking cinematography, and a provocative examination of the nexus between entertainment and media and politics — that’s part of what’s kept the legend of “Citizen Kane” alive for decades, and it’s enough to make “Mank” necessary, if not entirely fulfilling, viewing for film lovers.
Mank is about a lot, and there are times when it feels like a lot, and yet for all of its ambition, there’s something missing at the center of the picture. The emotional punch never lands, and so while Mank has no problem earning the viewer’s respect, it struggles to find our adoration.
Shot in stunning black-and-white, Mank delivers Hollywood in a multitude of greys. Built on a towering performance by Gary Oldman, it’s smart, sophisticated, by turns thrilling and difficult, and amongst Fincher’s best.
The reclamation project known as Mank falls short. Even with showy performances from Oldman and Seyfried, and its beautiful craft, the film lacks heart. Because underneath the wisecracks and drunken debauchery, in the face of a sweeping political narrative, there’s scarcely an impression of the man. Rather it says more about the era: When the dreamland power of Hollywood was wielded for terrible political ends, and when many of its brightest minds allowed it to happen. And as we hear the clicking and clacking of metallic keys, a typewriter notating the film’s time-stamped subtitles, we’re meant to imagine it’s Mankiewicz writing his own ending -- the ending this genius-loser never had -- a sentimental fairy-tale conclusion that would make even Louis B. Mayer proud. The sentiment is touching. But Mank spends so long as a distant, cold film, that such tributes feel unearned.
The script is punchy and not afraid to lean into melodrama, and Fincher is clearly having fun bringing his father’s words to life. Much of the story here feels lifted from film critic Pauline Kael’s controversial “Raising Kane” essay, which lays all the work of Kane at Mankiewicz’s feet and cuts Welles out of the equation. Several notable people have discredited the essay’s claims, but no matter – it makes for a cracking good yarn. And a great movie. It’s the stuff that dreams are made of, to quote another old Hollywood story from 1941.
“You cannot capture a man’s entire life in two hours. All you can hope is to leave the impression of one,” Mank says of the Hearst-ian Kane. The same argument could be made for “Mank,” a wonderful throwback about a flawed figure who took on a hostile era in Hollywood with choice words and major chutzpah.
David Fincher has waited decades to make this movie, but beyond his father’s work I struggle to find his emotional connection with the material. He’s made movies about difficult geniuses before — most notably The Social Network — but otherwise there’s very few of the hallmarks of his best work. As passion projects go, Mank is awfully cold.
There is some pleasure in spotting the winks and legends and shout-outs, but as with any biopic, of any figure, you can’t just bank on familiarity— you have to give the unfamiliar viewer (and, considering the platform it’s on, there will be many) reasons to care. By the end of “Mank,” even I wasn’t sure any of this mattered all that much.
I think the most productive way to look at “Mank,” a new film about Hollywood in the 1930s and ‘40s, and about the screenwriter of a particularly famous and iconic work, is to understand it as Fincher’s most playful work.
Citizen Kane conjoins an old-feeling boozer’s shame with a young man’s love of tricks, magic, and shtick; it’s a formally hopeful dramatization of collapse, a contradiction that cuts to the heart of the sort of ambiguities that hound people’s lives. Fincher, who thinks he’s superior to melodrama even if he steps in it anyway, fossilizes such themes rather than dramatizing them.
After 30 years of gestation, Mank emerges one of the great films on the machinations of Hollywood.
-Jamie Graham, Total Film: 5/5 PLOT The story centers on the life of Herman J. Mankiewicz as he wrote Citizen Kane, and the problems that arose with Orson Welles during production and leading up to the film's release. DIRECTOR David Fincher WRITER Jack Fincher MUSIC Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross CINEMATOGRAPHY Erik Messerschmidt EDITOR Kirk Baxter Release date: November 13, 2020 (select theaters) December 4, 2020 (Netflix) STARRING
One of the first interviews after the matrix ILoveNatPortman: Can you give any information on the sequels, or even confirm their existence? WachowskiBros: Yes, we are working on them right now. Well, we would be working on them right now except we have to be here in the chat room right now, LOL. blindrocket: Do you practice Martial Arts? WachowskiBros: No, we do not, but we watch a lot of Kung Fu movies. AgentMartin: Why didn’t you both do the commentry on the DVD, time restraints? WachowskiBros: That’s a two part answer. Part one is that we believe that film is a collaborative media, that’s why we never take a film by credit. We think the other artists who help create a film are important and interesting, and for people who want to understand the process of filmmaking. And the second part is, that we were too tired. Hiryu: Which Anime inspired you the most and why? WachowskiBros: We liked Ghost in the Shell and the Ninja Scroll and Akira. in anime, one thing that they do that we tried to bring to our film was a juxtaposition of time and space in action beats. AgentMartin: Is there anything in The Matrix which you weren’t too happy with, wished you could have done differently? WachowskiBros: That would require the rest of the chat to answer! But, we’ll answer that in general we’re fairly happy with the way it turned out. blindrocket: Would you consider yourselves computer nerds? WachowskiBros: You got the second part right, just nerds! LOL. AgentMartin: Were you excited about DVD as a medium for your movies to go to the homes of the masses? WachowskiBros: As a technology, DVD is exciting medium. But like all technologies, it still needs to be developed by the users of the technology. Enigma: What is the role or faith in the movie? Faith in oneself first and foremost – or in something else? WachowskiBros: Hmmmm….. that is a tough question! Faith in one’s self, how’s that for an answer? Peter: Will the be a directors cut of the matrix with any deleted scenes or out takes? WachowskiBros: Nope, nope!Because we were pretty happy with the way it turned out. AgentMartin: The two of you seemed to have a great relationship together for the making of this movie. Have you always been very close? WachowskiBros: We just met actually. Tonight! Sentinel: What comic books inspired the look of the Matrix? WachowskiBros: The largest influence from the comic book world on the actual design would be the art of Geof Darrow. Revenge: What did the humans do to scortch the sky?? WachowskiBros: We’ll answer that question later. larrikin: How long did it take to film in Sydney? was the entire movie shot in Sydney? WachowskiBros: 118 days, and yes. [On the screen, Neo is climbing out the window following Morpheus’s `orders’…] Actually, this is Keanu Reeves actually getting out onto an actual ledge, without a stuntman. He does this entire scene without a stuntman, and it’s 34 floors up.. hokeyboy: Were the filmmakers influenced by Alex Proyas’s similarly themed “Dark City”? WachowskiBros: No, but we thought it was very strange that Australia came to have three films associated with it that with it that were all about the nature of reality. Dark City, The Truman Show and The Matrix.. Enjoythesilence: How would you say Bound and the Matrix are similar? WachowskiBros: Both films examine the idea of an individual searching for their true selfwhile attempting to escape the box that we often make of our lives. calla: What do the time 9:18 and the date 9/18 signify? Is this a personal reference? WachowskiBros: That’s my wife’s birthday. Inge: How long did the lobby scene take to shoot? WachowskiBros: It took 112 days to shoot the lobby scene… It took 12 days, not 112!. dm8: do we set the video to 16×9 or 4×3? Akira702: you guys are cool. do you know that you are cool? cecilc: Have you seen any of the fan sites that out there regarding The Matrix? And are there any out there that you think particularly represent the film really well? Inge: Which scene are you guys most happy with? Favorite? For me it. Neo on his way to Morpheus the first time. WachowskiBros: If you’re talking about the pill scene, that’s our favorite too. Sealouse: Why was it filmed in Australia? WachowskiBros: Costs. calla: There are quite a few hidden messages in the movie that I notice the more I watch it. Can you tell me about how many there are? WachowskiBros: There are more than you’ll ever know. Inge: Did you guys take a nice holiday after the film had open? You deserve it! WachowskiBros: Thank you very much! And we did. Sentinel: What do you think of the fans of the Matrix?? WachowskiBros: We love them. ToiletCommando: Are you prepared to become legends? WachowskiBros: Legends of what? MadMatt: You guys BIG Jackie Chan fans?? WachowskiBros: Yes, we love a lot of Hong Kong cinema. Jackie Chan in Drunken Master II is fantastic.. Specter’s question, asked by TheTrinityACMXCL: What about the animals in the Matrix? Are they real animals or just computer-generated images? WachowskiBros: Sadly, they are all computer generated images. ToiletCommando: Is it true that you got some of your ideas from the Vertigo comic The Invisibles? WachowskiBros: We do enjoy that comic, but no. ThedrickFel: What exacty was the mirror made of? Was it the same stuff they injected into morpheus? Why silver? WachowskiBros: The mirror is actually a mirror. When Neo sees it it’s a hallucination, but it’s the direct result of the pill Morpheus has given Neo. Reflections in general are a significant theme in the film. The ideas of worlds within worlds.. AgentMartin: Are you suprised by the amount of internet life that The Matrix has spawned, fan sites etc? WachowskiBros: Surprised? Yes, very, surprised. We are very, completely stupefied by the fan response to the film. [On the screen, Morpheus offers Neo the choice of the two pills…] WachowskiBros: The idea of the reflection, the two Neo’s in Morpheus glasses, is that that represents the two lives that Neo is leading. In the left lens, we see the blue pill and Thomas Anderson, and in the right lens, we see the red pill and Neo.. Jose: What kind of drug does the red pill contain? WachowskiBros: It’s like a computer virus that’s meant to disrupt Neo’s life signal so that they can pinpoint where Neo’s body is in the power plant.. Renxo: Which is your favourite flick? WachowskiBros: Too many to answer. unholyTrinity: When did you think about making this movie for the very first time? Was there a kind of special inspiration given by any event, occasion or something like that?? WachowskiBros: It all happened very rapidly. We were working on another comic book, and a friend asked us if we had any ideas for a new series. And we said no, and then we just started talking about a couple of ideas that we had been working on in connection to cyberpunk fiction. And, a whole idea sort of exploded, over a period of about three days.. [Before they actually responded above, the pod scene was playing on the screen so they commented…] WachowskiBros: We’re pretty happy with the way this scene turned out. Keanu did some amazing work in this scene which included 6 hours every morning of prosthetic makeup. And he had to sit in a freezing cold vat of goo for another six hours.. Renxo: Where were you born? WachowskiBros: Chicago. Neo479: What are some of your favorite films from Honk Kong? WachowskiBros: I was very happy with the Don Davis score in this scene, that included his use of a boy soprano, which I thought was very eerie. Don had a great idea, to use human voices choir in scenes like the power plant and scenes on the Neb to sort of suggest the plight of humanity.. Doc: So, WAS the Japanese animation Megazone 23 an inspiration for the Matrix? The stories seem very similar.? WachowskiBros: I’ve never seen it. But send us a copy, it sounds good.. theman: How did you guys come up with the idea for the matrix? Playing video games? Shock therapy? WachowskiBros: No, designer drugs. Starr22: Are all the religious symbolism and doctrine throughout this movie intentional, or not? WachowskiBros: Most of it is intentional. [On the screen, Neo is about to be plugged in for the first time ever…] WachowskiBros: One of the things we tried to do with the Neb for when we were shooting “in the real world” was use long lenses to separate the humans from the backgrounds as opposed to when we shot the Matrix we used short lenses to place the humans in specific deep spaces. We also tinted all of the lights blue in the “real world” and green in the Matrix. Renxo: Do you reflect your personality on NEO’s character? Were you/are you… hackers? WachowskiBros: We’re probably not good enough to call ourselves hackers, like NEO.. [On the screen… Morpheus shows Neo the desert of the real…] WachowskiBros: There have been many questions about the history that Morpheus suggests in this scene,and we have written the history in a fair amount of detail, and we often have hoped that if we did an anime series, we would tell the story of this history and the story of the first One. Somebody asked us about the liquification of humans, that’s what they feed the people in the pods, the dead people are liquified and fed to the living people in the pods. Always recycle! It’s a statement on recycling.. White_Beezatch: Will there ever be a Matrix video game? WachowskiBros: Hopefully yes. If things work out the way we want them to, the video game will be released when the next movie comes out, and it will actually have something to do with the movie. DrBasher: Who came up with the wardrobe, because Trinity’s outfits rocked? So did Morpheus and Neo’s. Was it part of the original script? WachowskiBros: We described her as a woman in black leather in the script. But, mainly the costumes were designed by Kym Barrett.. Chandler: Since you have worked with the same composer and cinematographer (the great Bill Pope) did you find that it was easier to think ahead about a visual or musical style for the film? WachowskiBros: Did Bill Pope ask this question? No, but it’s easier to execute them. You develop a shorthand language with people you’ve worked with before. You tell Bill, we need a B move, and he knows what to do.. pomru: My friends and I are wondering what anime you showed the producers to get this movie greenlighted? WachowskiBros: If only it had been that easy. We had to draw the entire movie and Keanu Reeves had to agree to do the movie before anybody green-lit it. DrBasher: Also, the special effects rocked, was the script conceived knowing the special effects were available, or were the special effects conceived to make the script possible? WachowskiBros: Some of the special effects had to be invented, mainly Bullet Time. yellerdog: What are the odds of the Wachowski’s directing a “straight up” live action adaptation of an anime? WachowskiBros: I thought we did. DrBasher: How long did it take to come up with the script, because it’s great? WachowskiBros: We wrote the script before we had even directed Bound. And had been working on it up until the time of production. TGee: When did you first think you would have such a huge hit on your hands? WachowskiBros: It kind of was like a giant art house hit, in that it just kept going and going and people kept talking about it, and there was never a moment where people were like “it’s huge”. People liked it, and it just kept going. [On the screen, Morpheus is fighting Neo…] WachowskiBros: This scene took fifteen days to shoot, and about four months of training…This is all Keanu, this is Keanu running up the pillar and doing the full airborne 360. ToiletCommando: Are you going to do any projects besides the Matrix? WachowskiBros: Maybe. If we’re still alive. ToiletCommando: Is it hard to work as brothers? Don’t you disagree on everything? WachowskiBros: Mom flies down to the set everyday to settle every one of our arguments. BigMac: Rumor has it that Cypher is not dead….is this true? WachowskiBros: If you ask Joey Pants, it is. Joey Pants started that rumor.. garrett: Isn’t it rather ironic that Morpheus and his crew are completely dependent upon technology and computers, the very evils against which they are fighting? WachowskiBros: Yes! [On the screen, Morpheus’ jump makes Neo go `Whoa’…] WachowskiBros: That shot, where Morpheus jumps up out of frame, we called “The Worst Camera Operator Shot in the World”. ooo: What is the Matrix? WachowskiBros: About 2 hours and fifteen minutes long…Those doors are actually made out of wood. spark: What made you decide on the green tint for being in the Matrix? WachowskiBros: It was a whole motif inspired by the phosphorous green of old PC’s. [On the screen, Morpheus says, `Freeze it!’ in the Agent training program…] WachowskiBros: People don’t realize how important this scene is. Because we are all staring at the woman in the red dress! There’s actually twins and triplets that we hired in that scene. And all of the clothes are based on black and white costumes, like nuns, chefs, brides, sailors. We had the idea that Mouse just doubled people instead of making originals. But we couldn’t afford to do it digitally, so we ended up hiring as many doubles, or as many twins, as we could find in Sydney. It was kind of like a bad dream on the set. grey: How did you get the money for “The Matrix”? WachowskiBros: Begged. And the big-hearted Warner Brothers came through.. Stone: Would you like to direct Jackie Chan? WachowskiBros: Sure! Lyn: Have you guys been approached to direct Batman? WachowskiBros: Yes, but we thought we’d be busy doing the sequels. AgentMarr: The film’s cast was quite diverse and yet the issue of race was refreshingly not an issue on screen. How did you accomplish this? WachowskiBros: We’re pretty happy with the way the sentinels turned out. The digital artist that John Gaeta found did some amazing work.. WachowskiBros: Cypher, at the beginning of this scene, is setting up an automated system to allow him to go meet with Agent Smith. EZGuest316: Could you say a little about the sound design which was terrific such as the slomo bullet ripple effects, foley effects? WachowskiBros: Jane Davis is a genius.. ..Dane Davis is a genius. He built all of these sound effects from all kinds of original sounds. He’d put bullets on strings and whirled them around his studio, he digitized raindrops against windowpanes to create the sound of the Matrix code.. [On the screen, Cypher is enjoying the fake steak…] WachowskiBros: By the way, this steak was one of the best steaks we had in Sydney. We got to eat all of the ones that Cypher didn’t finish. JediKnight: Have you been approached with any sci-fi scripts and do you have plans to do any? WachowskiBros: Right now, we’re focusing just on Matrix 2 and 3. Freethinker: Just out of curiosity, do you guys hold to any religious beliefs? WachowskiBros: Non-denominational. [On the screen, the breakfast of champions…] WachowskiBros: Several of the cast members actually got sick eating this stuff during this scene.. Astral_Traveler: How did you choose the music? WachowskiBros: For the most part, we chose the music ourselves. But we hired a consultant DJ in LA named Jason Bentley, a musical whiz kid, who had a lot of swell ideas.. JimmyEO971: Will Joe Pantoliano be the DeNiro to your Scorsese, the Divine to your John Waters? WachowskiBros: There is a court order against Joe Pantoliano for coming within a hundred feet of us. biggysmalls: How many bluescreen/greenscreen shots are in this movie? WachowskiBros: That’s a good question. There’s 450 digital effect shots, but green screen? Probably about 125.. wrygrass: Did ideas from Buddhism influence you in making the film? WachowskiBros: Yes.There’s something uniquely interesting about Buddhism and mathematics, particularly about quantum physics, and where they meet. That has fascinated us for a long time.. gdreams: Will you use Yuen Woo Ping again? WachowskiBros: Hell yes! gtbpitt: Do you think The Matrix will develop a cult following in the decades to come? WachowskiBros: We hope it’s as big as the Night of the Lepus. WachowskiBros: This is my wife about to be on the screen here. She comes in right there!…. This kid is great! letmein: The phrase “paying taxes” comes up a few times. Why? WachowskiBros: Because we usually couldn’t afford to pay ours. It is an examination of what is and is not certain. Tank: I am a computer artist and I am very interested in knowing what type of computers and software you used to create the 3D effects? WachowskiBros: A lot of the guys at Manex wrote their programs with Softimage. We think.. [On the screen… the Oracle] WachowskiBros: Awesome actress! Wesbran: Is the title “The Matrix” related to the mitochondrial matrix located in cells; the site of cell respiration, the creation of energy in humans? WachowskiBros: Like the movie itself, there is a lot of word play, a lot of hidden other meanings, a lot of multiple meanings. Besides that, we also like the definition, the mathematical definition of the use of matrix, or the use of it in terms of a woman’s womb. DVDReporter383: Do you surf fan sites? Do you have the time? WachowskiBros: We’ve looked at a few. There’s some cool ones out there. virtualMatrix: What is the significance of Neo eating the Oracle’s cookie? WachowskiBros: There was a piece cut out of the movie that explained the significance more. It’s hard to explain. agunn3: Have you ever been told that the Matrix has Gnostic overtones? WachowskiBros: Do you consider that to be a good thing? I would. RockyMtnBri: Any chance of novels being written above and beyond the movie, like Star Wars? WachowskiBros: Maybe. Freethinker: The Matrix was very-well received by critics, as well. Did that surprise you/How much stock do you hold in critics? WachowskiBros: There were some critics that really didn’t like it. Did it surprise us that some liked it? You don’t really hold much stock in critics, you tend to make movies for first, yourselves, and second, your audience. And the greatest thing about critics is that sometimes they can help find your audience. AgentMarr: What was the thinking behind the use of numbers that can be read both ways like 303 on the hotel door where Neo meets his destiny? WachowskiBros: Like the wordplay, there’s a lot of numbers play in the movie as well. Mike: What were your fondest moments while filming The Matrix? WachowskiBros: Finishing! [On the screen… the escape from Lafayette Hotel…] WachowskiBros: This scene, this set right here, the wet wall, is something like forty-eight feet high, and they are actually really worming their way down with wires.. DVDReporter383: Do you surf the net? If so, where do you go? WachowskiBros: We’re everywhere. linusa: Do you believe that our world is in some way similar to “The Matrix”, that there is a larger world outside of this existence? WachowskiBros: That is a larger question than you actually might think. We think the most important sort of fiction attempts to answer some of the big questions. One of the things that we had talked about when we first had the idea of The Matrix was an idea that I believe philosophy and religion and mathematics all try to answer. Which is, a reconciling between a natural world and another world that is perceived by our intellect. WachowskiBros: That was a hard stunt. godbox: Confronted with Neo’s choice, which would you choose? WachowskiBros: Blue pill. Fuchikoma: What response did you get from established film-makers upon the Matrix’s release? Any unexpected phonecalls etc? Lincoln: What comment do you have to those who say that the Matrix will probably be recognised as the first C21st film? WachowskiBros: Well, first we’d be grateful for the comment. Then we’d have to point out the clerical error that it’s in the 20th Century, and not the 21st until 2001.. wrygrass: Did you do camcorder films or other film practice that helped you direct? WachowskiBros: No, nothing on video, but we did fiddle around with 16 mm film. Revenge: What is the symbolism of all the analog rotery phones? WachowskiBros: There’s a couple of meanings. We liked the analog nature of older technology. We liked the suggestion of old original phone hackers. It sort of suggested the big Rube Goldberg device that’s in the mirror scene. Inge: What was it like seeing the movie with a audience for the first time? WachowskiBros: Terrifying. [On the screen… Morpheus & the agents …] WachowskiBros: That’s the largest translight ever constructed. (interesting fact) … That is actual mercury in the hypodermic needle, by the way. It was considered one of our most dangerous sets, because we had mercury, it had to be poured into the hypodermic needle. Stone: Was the Alice in Wonderland theme just whim, or do you guys have a big love of it? WachowskiBros: Big fan! It is a brilliant book. Many of the themes we tried to echo in The Matrix.. Orange_Crush: I noticed that The Matrix is currently #30 in the IMDB top 250.. that’s quite an achievement. How do you feel about being classified with other legendary films and filmmakers? WachowskiBros: Lucky. Wesbran: What happens to all the gadgets in this movie after it is done filming? WachowskiBros: Most of them are so fragile they break as soon as you’re done filming. And Joel Silver collects the rest. Sinclair: Why were they only able to jack in through hard-lines, but still able to communicate over cell? WachowskiBros: Sinclair, good question! Mostly we felt that the amount of information that was being sent into the Matrix required a significant portal. Those portals, we felt, were better described with the hard lines rather than cell lines. We also felt that the rebels tried to be invisible when they hacked that’s why all the entrances and exits were sort of through decrepit and low traffic areas of the Matrix. The12thMonkey: The guy that played the lead agent was worryingly convincing, did it take a long time to find him? WachowskiBros: Yes, actually,and that was one of the fortuitous things about going to Sydney, is that it led us to find Hugo. wrygrass: You said in an interview that string theory might show up in the film, did it? WachowskiBros: Maybe in the next one, I have just now begun to understand string theory. whatismyname: whats your favourite music? WachowskiBros: We love all music. ZEUS: How did you finaly choose the names of the characters? WachowskiBros: They were all chosen carefully, and all of them have multiple meanings. Qualopec: How hard was it to get the kind of budget you wanted for this film? WachowskiBros: We had to go across the world to secure that budget. wrygrass: Do you have any funny stories from filming you’d share? WachowskiBros: That newspaper had to be actually a giant piece of metal with newspaper glued to metal pages. How’s that for funny? Lincoln: What is your fave line in the movie? WachowskiBros: Dodge this. And “there is no spoon.” We also liked that one. Mahy: Do all of the things that happen in the Matrix have some computer-based analogy…or did you just do some of it because it was cool? WachowskiBros: Yes. We like to try and pack as much stuff as we can in when we do a movie. So some of the stuff we do relates to the narrative, and some of the stuff we do because we like. biggysmalls: Do you like the Planet of the Apes? WachowskiBros: Yes, love it! “Get your damned dirty hands off, you stinkin ape!”. Enigma: The character Neo: Is Neo his real self and Thomas Anderson who he is “required” to be? WachowskiBros: Neo is Thomas Anderson’s potential self. Job: Do you realize that your new ideas have changed the way people will see movies in the future? WachowskiBros: Really? [On the screen, the agents have fallen… “Get up, Morpheus…”] WachowskiBros: The idea of Bullet Time came about because we wanted to shoot an event at incredibly high speed which means slow motion, but move the camera at regular speed, which is impossible. The first theory for Bullet Time involved a rocket camera that was abandoned for safety purposes. Then, John Gaeta suggested a digital solution. Which brought it to the screen. keanucarrie: Which scene was the hardest to shoot? WachowskiBros: The subway fight scene. It was incredibly cold and everyone was very sick and it went ten days over schedule. And was particularly brutal to the two actors.. Dogma: Has there been any discusions with comic book companies to publish a monthly-type of comic based on the Matrix, not just an adaptation, perhaps with Darrow illustrating it? WachowskiBros: We’re going to release another series of stories on the website. Geof Darrow is going to illustrate a couple more short stories written by Andy and I. And, we’ve toyed with the idea of continuing the story in comic book form when the movies are finished.. Trinity303: Do you like John Woo’s movies and style of shooting scenes of action? WachowskiBros: John Woo was a genius. John Woo IS a genius.. tonka: what do you think about star wars? WachowskiBros: It was one of the first films that we went berserk over when we were kids. kr: How long had you been working on writing the story and was there re-writing going on while filming? WachowskiBros: There was not much rewriting, a little bit. Somebody asked us about the street names in the movie and all of them are significant. They are all based on places in Chicago. Santayana: I love the casting of this film. Specifically, Hugo Weaving. Why him? WachowskiBros: We had seen the movie “Proof” and we flew Hugo into LA to meet and he did a phenomenal reading. And was willing to undergo the four months of training. He’s one of the finest actors we’ve ever worked with. . Hiryu: Did you ever consider doing a cameo appearance in the movie? WachowskiBros: We’re too ugly! [On the screen…Neo faces off w/ Smith…] WachowskiBros: This shot here, the showdown shot, is an hommage to Sergio Leone. joe: I am amazed by the physical performance the actors had great training. What do you think? WachowskiBros: We’re amazed as well. We think all four of them went beyond our expectations. Revenge: Any influence from Blade Runner? WachowskiBros: Blade Runner was a benchmark science fiction film, a masterpiece. Of course there’s influence. But we were like the only guys who liked that movie when we saw it, everyone else hated it.. Freethinker: Did you know right away that it would be a trilogy? WachowskiBros: We knew we had too much material for one movie. inkman: Do you two feel that sci-fi is overlooked in the “Awards” arena? WachowskiBros: We don’t put much credence in the “awards” arena.. [On the screen…Neo is fighting Smith…] WachowskiBros: There are some fantastic stunts in this sequence like THAT one! Both the Australian stunt team and the Hong Kong stunt team worked very well together in this scene. AgentMartin: Do you appreciate people dissecting your movie? Do you find it a bit of an honour or does it annoy you a little, especially when the person may have it all wrong? WachowskiBros: There’s not necessarily ever an “all wrong”. Because it’s about what a person gets out of the movie, what an individual gets out of the movie.. Vindicator: The whole idea of electronic stimuli of atrophied muscles is great. Did you guys consult any medical experts for accuracy? WachowskiBros: As a matter of fact, one of our best friends is a doctor. He was the first guy to show us our first autopsy. [On the screen… the market shootout…] WachowskiBros: Watermelons, that was an hommage to Gallagher. On the TV, when Neo goes by there’s an episode of “The Prisoner”. Action: Am I really watching the movie right now, or am I in…The Matrix? WachowskiBros: Take another blue pill and call me tomorrow. rawdogg: Why did you never show Zion? WachowskiBros: We’re saving it for Matrix 2. Nebelis: What other projects did the camerman work on and where did you find him? WachowskiBros: If you mean Bill Pope, he did our first movie “Bound” and the masterpiece “Army of Darkness”. Pill: Do you plan to write any books about this? WachowskiBros: There is a “Making Of’ book that’s coming out later this year. virtualMatrix: Do you believe one day, intelligent machines with AI will actually rule the world? WachowskiBros: Yes. If they don’t already! AcesAreWild: Who Invented BULLET TIME PHOTOGRAPHY? WachowskiBros: The original concept was ours, but the technical execution was from a company called Manex. AgentMartin: Many take the Make of the Neb, “Mark 3, V.11” and quote it from the bible “Mark 3:11”. Was this intended or is it just the make and model of the Neb and nothing more subliminal than that? WachowskiBros: The Nebuchanezzer is indeed a biblical reference, from the book of Daniel. linusa: Will you ever tell the history of the Matrix in a novel? WachowskiBros: Maybe. Renxo: Are you doing any personal presentations, anywhere? WachowskiBros: No. NIKKI: Who unplugged Morpheus and told him about the matrix? WachowskiBros: We hope to tell that story in another medium one day. Neotek: How much of an influence was William Gibson in the production and design of this movie? WachowskiBros: We’re big fans of William Gibson’s work. Ronin: Your movie has many and varied connections to mythos and philsophies, Judeo-Christian, Egyptian, Arthurian, and Platonic, just to name those I’ve noticed. How much of that was intentional? WachowskiBros: All of it. WachowskiBros: Sorry we could only get to 1 percent of your questions. We do appreciate all of your support. And we’ll see you in three years.
I believe I've found a Masonic code in Eyes Wide Shut (link with complete analysis/images in description)
The 33 Degrees of Eyes Wide Shut FOREWORD Since its 1999 release, Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut has been evaluated as a dissection of marriage and modern sexual relationships, a sub-textual critique of consumer culture, an indictment of hierarchical class structures and much more. At its functional surface level, it is typically graded as a sort of Rube Goldberg machine built out of dream-logic vignettes for use as a psychometric tool on the audience. True, Eyes Wide Shut is all of those things. But this is not one of those analyses. As much as I love Kubrick the Social Commentator, he has been given his huge due for many years and there is little left for me to say about him. No– It is Kubrick the Codemaker who interests me here. For over two decades, fans of the film who choose to take it at anything more than face value have been transfixed by it’s layered complexity– a nebulous network of double-meanings, multi-purpose metaphors and hidden symmetrical concepts; a subterranean labyrinth of symbolism and veiled intertextual references that seem to number in the hundreds. It is a fertile Petri dish for conspiracy theory that perpetually walks the line of ambiguity, keeping those who try to decode it left in the dark. This guide is for those fans. It is not an introductory companion to Eyes Wide Shut. If you are new to the film, this will hardly make sense to you and I recommend that you start somewhere else. If you are a devotee of this film who has been baffled by it, or you were once ensnared by it’s mystifying tangles and have long since given up trying to decode it, please read on. I believe I have the answers that you have been looking for– or at least some of them. As best I can tell from searching the web, I appear to be the first to be privy to this information apart from Kubrick himself. While putting it together, I was ethically hesitant to share what I had found, since I know Kubrick liked to stay tight-lipped about his films and let the viewer figure things out on their own. But ultimately, I think that (A) 21 years is a damn long time to have a secret hidden in a major Hollywood movie seen by millions, (B) the reveal of the secret will open Eyes Wide Shut up to re-evaluation and fairer criticism than it has historically received, and (C) There are still more things hidden in the movie. I need your help to find them. So here we go. Welcome to the end of the rainbow. At its heart, Eyes Wide Shut is a code with a cipher, and that cipher is the 33 Degrees of the Scottish Rite. From a full description of the Degrees at https://web.mit.edu/dryfoo/Masons/Misc/SRdegrees.html : “The Degrees of the Scottish Rite are one-act plays often staged with costume, scenery, special effects, and the full rigging of any production. Their purpose is to examine different philosophies, ancient religions, and systems of ethics. Through all of these, people have tried to answer certain universal questions. The Degrees of the Rite do not tell a person what he should think about these questions. Instead, they tell him about what great thinkers and civilizations of the past have thought, and they try to create a situation in which the candidate or Brother can gain insight. Agreeing with Socrates that the unexamined life is not worth living, the Rite helps with this self-examination by providing reference points.” In Scottish Rite freemasonry, a mason progresses through 33 honorary stages, or degrees, by manifesting the virtues of the Rite. Each degree is associated with a set of moral or philosophical precepts. When he has spent sufficient time in a degree, the mason is inducted into the next, and is given a ceremonial masonic apron, which bears colours and symbols associated with that degree. The Scottish Rite code in Eyes Wide Shut is far more encompassing than I anticipated when I started to uncover it. I’m still piecing many of the details together, but I have enough objective evidence to prove beyond all reasonable doubt that this code was deliberately included by Kubrick for reasons that should become relatively apparent. The basic outline is that from the beginning of the film until the end, Bill Harford traverses all 33 of the Degrees of the Scottish Rite. Eyes Wide Shut is essentially a 32 act structure, ending at 33, where the educative associations of each Degree are encountered in chronological order, and provide a through-line and philosophical arc to the film. Whenever the next Degree is presented, it’s arrival is marked by hidden symbolism and Masonic colour schemes. The Degrees in the film are also clearly delineated by their associated bodies: each body lines up with a distinctly segmented portion of the film. These are as follows: The Lodge of Perfection (4° – 14°): This segment is from Ziegler’s party until the first arrival at Somerton. The Chapter of the Rose Croix (15° – 18°): This segment is from the Somerton party, and goes through Alice telling her dream to the start of the next day. Technically, this is split into the “Third series” (two degrees at Somerton) and the “Fourth series” (2 degrees at dawn at the Harford house). Council of Kadosh (19° – 30°): This segment goes from the start of the day after the Somerton party, when Bill starts revisiting the locations from the day before, up until his confrontation at Ziegler’s pool table. The Consistory Degrees (31° – 33°): This segment goes from when Bill arrives home and confesses to Alice until the toy store at the end. The Scottish Rite begins at the 4th degree so I’ll explain from there. I am still in the process of properly locating and unearthing most of the Degrees beyond the 8th, but I will still include some of the more obvious sequences from the second half of the film which cement my hypothesis beyond all doubt. Either way, there are probably a lot of things I have missed, so the game is still afoot. Regarding the first three standard “Blue Lodge” masonry degrees (1° – 3°), these appear to be represented through the Harford family/household itself, in the opening scenes before the Ziegler party. That part will require a separate investigation, so I will give that it’s due analysis later. I have found other amazing things outside of this Masonic arc, but let’s deal with this bombshell first and I’ll tackle them another time. If you feel any of this is unconvincing,the most plainly self-evident of the degrees in the film are the 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 24th and the 25th, all of which immediately follow one another**. The 8th, and the 15th going into 16th are also fairly patent. They are the ones that made me sure of this.** I would also recommend checking with your copy of the film rather than just view the screenshots I have taken, as they will not always do the justice to the scene in question. Let me know what you reckon. Discovery of The Code Like most of the secrets of this movie, a hint as to the existence of the code was hiding in plain sight the entire time; this time in Ziegler’s rumpus room. Pay attention to the dialogue: “Suppose I told you […] that everything that happened to you was staged“, says Ziegler (over a glass of 25 year old scotch,) This describes Bill’s journey as echoing the staged morality plays of the Degrees of the Scottish Rite (as quoted in the description at the start of this analysis). Note that both Bill and Ziegler each specifically to the liquor as scotch; as in the Scottish Rite. Now, if my rationale for this sounds flimsy or “reaching” to you, ask yourself: How come a big-shot like Ziegler doesn’t have a liquor cabinet? How come he has everything on a clustered table? It’s because Kubrick wants us to see all the bottles. The table contains exactly 33 bottles of scotch. Hence, The 33 Degrees of the Scottish Rite. A quick note on the Degrees: I have been mainly using a summary of the Degrees as a quick reference table to identify the appearance of the colours/symbols/philosophies of each degree. However, Eyes Wide Shut digs deeper than these summaries, and draws details from the actual text of the Degrees themselves. Where appropriate, I may include such text from the original 1884 release, The Book of the Ancient & Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry (or AASR for short). It would seem Kubrick, as a renowned bibliophile, has drawn from this directly; the earliest major collation of the Masonic traditions. It can be accessed online here: http://www.phoenixmasonry.org/AASR_1884_/table_of_contents.htm In the AASR, many of the chapters for the Degrees have a subsection called “The Apartment & It’s Decorations”, describing the appropriate adornment of Masonic lodges and apartments for the different degrees. Anyone who understands how Kubrick uses mise en scène in Eyes Wide Shut will also understand why this is relevant. There are draw-dropping connections in there, but for brevity I will again devote a separate investigation to these in future. A quick note on Jewels and Constellations: 1) On top of colours and symbols, each masonic degree has a special jewel that is associated with it. In Eyes Wide Shut, although the colours and symbols always appear in the scene associated with that degree, it seems that the jewels of the degrees often appear in other scenes, spread throughout the film. The jewels are worn or connected to characters who are linked to the relevant degree. 2) There are multiple scenes in the film where soft lights are used to project constellatory dot patterns onto the clothes of characters from behind the camera. Judging by how these relate to the degrees of the scene they appear in, they seem to be representing stars. In at least one case, the lights are definitely referencing an astrological symbol associated with the relevant degree. Ok. Enough preamble. Let’s start the scavenger hunt. 33degreesofeyeswideshut.wordpress.com
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