Mother Jones illustration; Getty Fight disinformation: Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily newsletter and follow the news that matters. On a long flight in the mid-aughts, I decided to read The Case for Israel by Alan Dershowitz. I thought of it like giving myself an assignment, the kind of thing I tended do…
PHOENIX (AZFamily) — Santa, spiders, safaris and symbiotes: what do these words have in common besides the alliteration? Well, they’re all things that appear in some of the worst movies of 2024! While those words may imply the movies listed below are an eclectic bunch, they’re really all your standard big studio rubbish. However, this year, there was one studio in particular that reigned supreme above all. Well, maybe “supreme” isn’t the right word.RED ONE(Courtesy of Prime)Normally I only list 5 movies for my worst of the year, but I just couldn’t let Red One escape unscathed. It is so insultingly lacking in any cheer or joy that calling it a “Christmas movie” should be grounds for legal action. If you’re one of those people who’s sick of the commercialization of the holidays, then Red One just may officially push you to check into the ER. It’s the kind of movie that makes you wish Santa existed just so he could give everybody involved with this dreck a massive lump of coal. I guess we’ll just have to send them to the mines instead.Ali Suliman as Chik, Mark Wahlberg as Michael, Nathalie Emmanuel as Olivia and Simu Liu as Leo in Arthur The King. Photo Credit: Carlos Rodriguez(Carlos Rodriguez/Lionsgate | Carlos Rodriguez/Lionsgate)Up until about the last 15 minutes, Arthur the King was just some lame, boring movie about Mark Wahlberg selfishly abandoning his family to dangerously trek across the jungle and become friends with a dog. Then the last 15 minutes happen, with the filmmakers disgustingly manipulating the audience’s emotions by faking them out with the dog “dying” not once, not twice, but three times! I don’t often describe films as “cruel”, but the definition certainly fits here. Good boys deserve good movies and Arthur the King is anything but.Aaron Taylor Johnson in Columbia Pictures and Marvel KRAVEN THE HUNTER (Jay Maidment | Jay Maidment)The first installment of Sony’s Universe of Spider-Haves and Have-Nots to make the list, Kraven the Hunter was the perfect end to Sony’s pathetic 100th-year anniversary celebration for Columbia Pictures. Aaron Taylor-Johnson sleepwalks through this slog of an action film, acting as a void of charisma as he lumbers from one nonsensical plot point to the next. The R rating allowing for over-the-top violence and gore is the only thing Kraven the Hunter had going for it and even that move reeked of desperation. Let’s be real, though, “Desperate” is practically Sony Pictures’ middle name.Cassandra Webb (Dakota Johnson) in Columbia Pictures’ MADAME WEB.(Courtesy of Sony Pictures | Courtesy of Sony Pictures)Hey, look! Another installment of Sony’s Universe of Spider-Haves and Have-Nots! That was fast, but not surprising. Madame Web kicked off Columbia’s centennial celebration not with a bang, but with a thud. Dakota Johnson is so awful in this, that I’m still convinced she acted this poorly on purpose, performing some sort of acting clinic that shows how people can tank their own movie. Madame Web came out almost a year ago at this point, but it’s one of those movies that’s so terrible that no matter how early it’s been released, you know it’ll make many “Worst Movies of the Year” lists. Well, here it is.Cate Blanchett as Lilith, Kevin Hart as Roland, Ariana Greenblatt as Tiny Tina, Florian Munteanu as Krieg and Jamie Lee Curtis as Tannis in Borderlands. Photo Credit: Katalin Vermes(Katalin Vermes/Lionsgate | Katalin Vermes/Lionsgate)Video game movie adaptations have rarely been good and the same goes for movies directed by Eli Roth. Well, we get the worst of both worlds here with an adaptation that understands practically nothing about what made the original source material such a hit in the first place. It’s not really all Roth’s fault, though, as the project was fraught with various production issues that did nothing more than emphasize just how incompetent film executives can be. The characters in Borderlands are “vault hunters”, but when they’re stuck in this mess, that vault may as well have belonged to Al Capone. Too bad nobody here is named Geraldo.Venom in Columbia Pictures VENOM: THE LAST DANCE. Photo Courtesy: Sony Pictures(Courtesy of Sony Pictures | Sony Pictures)I always expect some big stinkers to come my way every year, but it was legitimately shocking just how atrocious Venom: The Last Dance was. I certainly wasn’t expecting much, as the Venom movies have never been big bastions of quality, but the third (and hopefully last) outing is cacophonous, incoherent nonsense of the worst variety. Even Tom Hardy couldn’t save this mess, if he even wanted to, considering he also acted as producer and story writer.I would say that Sony and everybody else involved in 2024’s installments of their Universe of Spider-Haves and Have-Nots should be ashamed of themselves, but to put out three all-time terrible movies in the same year and all during an iconic studio’s 100th anniversary, no less? Now that deserves some praise. Happy 100th, Columbia Pictures. Sony made sure 2024 belonged to you, but unfortunately, gave you nothing but trick candles.Coming next week, check out The 10 Best Movies of 2024!Check out more movie reviews by HunterSee a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it.Copyright 2024 KTVK/KPHO. All rights reserved.
Others Specials
‘The Impact Of IPOs On Company Performance: How Going Public Affects Business’
Others Specials
The Most Successful Business Couples in India- The Entrepreneurial Love-BirdsThe Most Successful Business Couples in India- The Entrepreneurial Love-Birds
(LOOTPRESS) – As winter settles in and snow blankets landscapes in pristine white, one of nature’s most delicate wonders takes center stage: the snowflake. These intricate ice crystals captivate us with their beauty, but their formation is as fascinating as their final appearance.
From Water Vapor to Ice Crystals
Snowflakes begin their journey high in the atmosphere, where temperatures are well below freezing. They form when water vapor in the air condenses directly into ice, bypassing the liquid stage in a process called deposition. This typically happens around tiny particles in the air, such as dust or pollen, which act as nuclei for the ice to form.
The Role of Temperature and Humidity
The shape of a snowflake is determined by the temperature and humidity of the air as it falls.
Temperature: Between -2°C and -15°C (28°F and 5°F), snowflakes tend to form complex, branching patterns. At temperatures closer to freezing, simpler shapes like plates and columns are more common.
Humidity: High humidity levels lead to more elaborate and intricate designs, as the water vapor supplies ample material for the snowflake to grow.
Six Sides of Symmetry
Snowflakes are known for their six-sided symmetry, a result of the molecular structure of ice. Water molecules naturally arrange themselves in a hexagonal pattern when they freeze, creating the characteristic six arms. Despite this symmetry, no two snowflakes are identical. Each arm grows independently, influenced by the ever-changing conditions as the snowflake descends through the atmosphere.
Why Snowflakes Sparkle
Snowflakes glisten as they reflect and refract light. Their faceted surfaces act like tiny prisms, scattering light to create the shimmering effect we associate with fresh snowfall.
A Reminder of Nature’s Precision
From their microscopic beginnings to their unique and ephemeral forms, snowflakes are a testament to the intricate processes of nature. While each snowflake is fleeting, their beauty serves as a reminder of the complexity and artistry found in even the smallest details of the natural world.
This winter, as you catch snowflakes on your glove or gaze at them through a window, remember: you’re witnessing a masterpiece sculpted by science and weather.
(LOOTPRESS) – As winter settles in and snow blankets landscapes in pristine white, one of nature’s most delicate wonders takes center stage: the snowflake. These intricate ice crystals captivate us with their beauty, but their formation is as fascinating as their final appearance.
From Water Vapor to Ice Crystals
Snowflakes begin their journey high in the atmosphere, where temperatures are well below freezing. They form when water vapor in the air condenses directly into ice, bypassing the liquid stage in a process called deposition. This typically happens around tiny particles in the air, such as dust or pollen, which act as nuclei for the ice to form.
The Role of Temperature and Humidity
The shape of a snowflake is determined by the temperature and humidity of the air as it falls.
Temperature: Between -2°C and -15°C (28°F and 5°F), snowflakes tend to form complex, branching patterns. At temperatures closer to freezing, simpler shapes like plates and columns are more common.
Humidity: High humidity levels lead to more elaborate and intricate designs, as the water vapor supplies ample material for the snowflake to grow.
Six Sides of Symmetry
Snowflakes are known for their six-sided symmetry, a result of the molecular structure of ice. Water molecules naturally arrange themselves in a hexagonal pattern when they freeze, creating the characteristic six arms. Despite this symmetry, no two snowflakes are identical. Each arm grows independently, influenced by the ever-changing conditions as the snowflake descends through the atmosphere.
Why Snowflakes Sparkle
Snowflakes glisten as they reflect and refract light. Their faceted surfaces act like tiny prisms, scattering light to create the shimmering effect we associate with fresh snowfall.
A Reminder of Nature’s Precision
From their microscopic beginnings to their unique and ephemeral forms, snowflakes are a testament to the intricate processes of nature. While each snowflake is fleeting, their beauty serves as a reminder of the complexity and artistry found in even the smallest details of the natural world.
This winter, as you catch snowflakes on your glove or gaze at them through a window, remember: you’re witnessing a masterpiece sculpted by science and weather.
Umjolo: Day Ones follows the lives of Andile and Zanele, two best friends who were close to each other back in the day when everybody felt that they were going to get married to each other. But nothing of that sort happened, and Andile went on and married another woman named Jessica. Now, just because Zanele didn’t marry Andile didn’t mean that she was not involved in his life. So let’s find out what happened in Umjolo: Day Ones and if Andile was able to resolve the conflicts that came his way.
Spoiler Alert
What happened between Zanele and Andile?
The moment you saw Zanele and Andile together, you realized that the latter had done the worst possible thing by marrying Jessica. Now, ideally, it was Zanele who was third wheeling with the couple, but those who knew Andile knew that the reality was something different. Moreover, in the first five minutes of Umjolo: Day Ones itself, it was apparent that it was unfair for Jessica to be in that situation. Well, in the beginning, nothing of that sort happened between Andile and Zanele, but still, being married to a man whose female best friend was his priority a lot of the time was not an easy thing to deal with. Even Andile’s father didn’t like Jessica that much, as she didn’t belong to their community. He called Zanele her daughter, and that affection somewhere hurt Jessica a bit too much. I wouldn’t say that Jessica had a problem with Andile’s father treating Zanele affectionately, but with the condescending manner in which he talked to her a lot of times. Andile’s father wanted a grandson, as, in his view, only a son could carry his legacy. Jessica couldn’t give him that, and moreover, no matter what the poor woman did, he never appreciated her for her efforts.
We saw that Zanele came every Tuesday for dinner at Andile’s house. She shared a great equation with Andile and Jessica’s two daughters, and on most of the social occasions, she tagged along with the family. Jessica welcomed Zanele with open arms because she realized what she meant to her husband. But I believe that Jessica was also human at the end of the day, and there would have been times when she would have felt insecure looking at them. So, according to Zanele and Andile’s common friends, there was a time when the two were inseparable, and everybody felt like they would end up together. A school reunion party was organized, and Zanele and Andile went there together. The entire group was playing truth or dare, and suddenly one of the friends asked Zanele if she had ever been romantically inclined towards Andile and if they had ever gotten physically intimate. Zanele gave Andile a peck, and she told her friends that she had never gotten intimate with him in the past. But the friends didn’t stop there; they gave a dare to Andile and told him to kiss Zanele. Zanele and Andile shared a passionate kiss, and later that night, they ended up crossing all boundaries by getting intimate with each other. Andile and Zanele both knew that they had committed a mistake. They both knew that whatever happened had the potential to ruin everything.
How did Jessica come to know about Andile’s affair?
Andile came back to his home after the reunion, and Jessica realized that he was behaving in a very strange manner. Zanele also stopped coming to Andile’s house, and she stopped picking up Jessica’s calls, which made the latter even more suspicious. Jessica had a hunch that something would have happened at the reunion party, because of which Zanele and Andile had grown apart. She entertained the worst possible scenarios in her mind, but then, one day, Andile sat with her and told her that the truth was not what she thought it to be. Andile lied to his wife and told her that Zanele was not coming over because she had gotten busy with a new client, and he was stressed out because he didn’t like the way his father treated Jessica. Jessica felt like somebody had lifted a huge burden from her shoulders, not knowing that she had been lied to. But then something happened, and because of that, Andile wasn’t able to control his impulses. Zanele’s construction company got a new client who wanted to make a deal with her.
Sbu Sishi, owner of Sbu Lifestyle Village, was mesmerized the moment he laid his eyes on Zanele. He approached Zanele and asked if she wanted to go on a date with him. Zanele bluntly told him no, and she said that she didn’t like mixing her professional life with her personal life. But Sbu was persistent, and in the end, he was able to woo Zanele with his charm. Zanele decided to make her relationship official, and the moment Andile got to know about it, he grew restless, and a very different side of him came out. Andile created a scene when Zanele and Sbu came to his house for dinner. That night, he not only disrespected Sbu, but he told Zanele that he loved her. Jessica overheard the conversation with Zanele, and obviously, she was heartbroken. Jessica didn’t deserve to go through what she did. She was a faithful wife, and she had given her everything to the family. But still, her husband cheated on her and broke her trust.
Will Zanele and Andile end up together?
Jessica, maybe for her kids, still wanted to stay with Andile. In my personal opinion, she should have left him there and then, but by deciding to stay, she was just making herself more vulnerable to getting hurt in the future. Now, things became even more complicated when Zanele realized that she was pregnant. She knew that it was Andile’s baby, but she didn’t want to reveal that fact to him. The major reason for it was that Jessica had gone to meet Zanele, and she had quite bluntly asked her if she was in love with her husband. Zanele had very blatantly told them that it was a one-time mistake, and she was extremely apologetic for it. So, Jessica asked Zanele to stay away from her family and not show her face ever again. The pregnancy came as a surprise for Zanele, as doctors had earlier told her that she could not conceive. It was a blessing in disguise, but now she didn’t know how to go about the entire issue. Andile got to know that Zanele was carrying his baby, but the latter told him to just focus on his family life and not create any more hassle for all of them.
Zanele committed another blunder: She went to Sbu and told him that it was his baby and that she was ready to marry him. Sbu obviously was very happy, and he started making preparations for the baby shower. Zanele live-streamed her baby shower ceremony, and Andile found out that she was having a son. Andile and his father have always wanted to have a male heir, so Andile couldn’t resist his impulse and he went to meet Zanele at her house. Andile once again created a scene, and poor Sbu got to know the truth. Sbu obviously was disheartened, but he still very maturely told Zanele that if she had told him the truth, then they could have dealt with it in a better manner. Sbu decided to part ways with Zanele. He told Zanele that he loved her, but she had let him down in ways that he couldn’t have imagined. Zanele also loved Sbu, but she knew that she and Andile were responsible for the damage that had been done.
What will happen to Andile and Zanele?
In Umjolo: Day Ones’ ending, Zanele, and Andile decided to share custody of their child, though they were still not on talking terms. Andile, quite shamelessly, told Zanele that he had committed a mistake by marrying Jessica and that it should have been Zanele instead of her. Jessica left Andile as she realized after the entire baby shower incident that she wouldn’t be able to cope with a man who was obsessed with another woman. Now, as far as part 3, Umjolo: My Beginning and My End, is concerned, I believe that there will be a different set of characters that will be introduced since the franchise follows that pattern. But if we had to ascertain in which direction Andile and Zanele’s life would lead them then I believe that there are multiple directions in which the narrative could go. It could be possible that Jessica forgives Andile, and both of them resolve their conflicts and get back together, probably for the sake of their kids. I think that would be the worst thing that Jessica could do. Jessica was literally insulted in her relationship, and even after her husband broke her trust and had an affair, I don’t think he repented to the degree that he should have. Obviously, he was sad because nothing worked for him, but I believe that he didn’t understand what he had caused Jessica to go through.
The second possibility could be that Zanele and Andile get back together, though it seems like a far-fetched possibility considering how things ended between them in Umjolo: Day Ones. I think that Zanele will eventually get back with Sbu, as he was somebody who understood her and who loved her more than anybody else. Maybe Andile meets someone, and he decides to give love another shot. But I think that he should learn from his past mistakes, and whatever he chooses to do, he should always keep the feelings of the person he is involved with in his mind and not act selfishly as he did with Jessica.
Related
Millie Bobby Brown has given a tearful goodbye to the crew of Stranger Things after filming finished for the show’s final series.The British actress, 20, was launched to international fame when she appeared as Eleven in the first season of the supernatural drama in 2016.
On Friday, Netflix confirmed that filming had wrapped for the fifth and final series, which will air sometime in 2025.
Reflecting on the memories she has made, Brown posted a selection of photographs to Instagram alongside a video of her giving a tearful speech.
In it, she said: “Graduation is supposed to bring relief, like you’re glad to leave behind the teachers and classmates – not me.
“I am nowhere near ready to leave you guys. I love each and every one of you, and I’ll forever carry the memories and bonds we’ve created together as a family. I love you. Thank you.”
The Netflix drama, created by the Duffer Brothers, is set in the US town of Hawkins and follows a group of friends as they fight off dark forces from an alternate dimension called the upside down.
Noah Schnapp, who plays Will Byers on the show, said he was “feeling very emotional” after filming series five and listed 10 lessons he had learned from cast and crew members.
In a post to his social media, he said: “Two days ago, I wrapped my final scene as Will Byers and I’m feeling very emotional.
“As I close this chapter of my life, I can’t help but be forever grateful for the incredible people that I’ve met and valuable life/career lessons I learned through this decade journey.”
He added: “Growing up I always felt like an outcast, unsure of where I fit in.
“Navigating life in the spotlight while carrying this feeling, through every awkward phase and embarrassing moment exposed for the world to see, has definitely been an unusual experience.
“But I’ve been honoured to share it with my incredible co-stars, who understand it in a way that no-one else can.
“Stranger Things was more than a job; it was a lifelong dream.
“A dream made reality thanks to the Duffers.
“Thank you for taking a chance on me when I was just a 10-year-old kid and entrusting me with something so important to you both.”
Finn Wolfhard (Mike Wheeler) said in an Instagram post: “We just wrapped Stranger things Season 5. I’m still in shock.
“We shot it for a year and I’ll miss all of my friends and our characters terribly.”
A behind-the-scenes look at the upcoming series, set in 1987, shows the friends returning to high school with footage including a number of paranormal-looking backdrops, which will likely be used to depict the mysterious world of the upside down.
The series has sparked a nostalgia for 1980s pop culture with Kate Bush’s 1985 hit Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God) soaring to number one in the UK’s single charts after it was used in the soundtrack for series four.
Saturday 21 December 2024 10:00 am
| Updated:
Friday 20 December 2024 6:11 pm
Share
Facebook Share on Facebook
X Share on Twitter
LinkedIn Share on LinkedIn
WhatsApp Share on WhatsApp
Email Share on Email
Dune Part 2 is one of our film editor’s picks of the year
Amena Kheshtchin-Kamel hasn’t always been who she seems.Kheshtchin-Kamel, a long-time Tempe resident, is a woman of many identities — Persian/Egyptian American, lawyer, writer, director, producer, actor.She graduated a year early from Arizona State University with a bachelor’s degree in filmmaking practices, screenwriting and film production, with a Moeur Award and honors from Barrett, The Honors College.
She went on to graduate from ASU’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, where she founded and produced ASU Law’s “Measured Justice” podcast, and founded and hosted the “Legal-Ease Podcast.”But for a year in her early 20s, she set aside all of those identities and transformed herself into someone else.Kheshtchin-Kamel embarked on a yearlong social experiment, legally changing her name to the anglicized moniker Emma Kinsley in an effort to escape stereotyping and to break into Hollywood as a writer and actress. Eventually, she also changed her appearance and persona to match, becoming a blonde, white woman.Her time living as Kinsley, the “popular white girl everyone wants to know,” is now chronicled in “My Year as Emma,” a novel written by Kheshtchin-Kamel, published by Dark Horse Books and distributed by Penguin Random House. It will be available in bookstores and comic shops in March 2025.“My Year as Emma” focuses on how Kheshtchin-Kamel temporarily sacrificed her heritage and culture to become someone else and further her dreams — and the toll it took on her and her inner circle. “The role of Emma was my own way of working through and understanding code-switching, which I think is an important topic of discourse for everyone, especially women and marginalized communities,” Kheshtchin-Kamel said.“It’s a fine line that a lot of us walk between preserving our identities and struggling to adapt to whatever space we find ourselves in or are trying to break into,” Kheshtchin-Kamel said. “My unorthodox journey actually led me to become more proud of my heritage and culture, ultimately inspiring me to devote myself to a career in writing, as I now believe representation begins on the page.”#placement_707152_0_i{width:100%;margin:0 auto;}
The book explores the themes of identity, body positivity, social expectations and trying to fit into a world that often centers on whiteness. It showcases Kheshtchin-Kamel’s unique perspective as a woman of color, what her journey says about society and the many ways modern professionals must market themselves in a white-centered way.Among other experiences, the book touches on Kheshtchin-Kamel’s trip to the Cannes Film Festival to see how she would be received among film industry glitterati. She spent nearly two weeks at the world-famous festival as Emma. Kheshtchin-Kamel networked with actors, producers and independent filmmakers at one of filmdom’s most exciting and glamorous tributes to itself in the French Riviera.
The cover of Tempe author Amena Kheshtchin-Kamel’s upcoming book, “My Year as Emma,” which will be published early next year.
(Courtesy of Amena Kheshtchin-Kamel)
She connected with representatives of production companies, studios and talent agencies, watched a 20th-anniversary screening of “Pulp Fiction” on the beach with director Quentin Tarantino and star Uma Thurman, and attended a panel discussion with actress Jessica Chastain.Kheshtchin-Kamel made some inroads into the industry as Emma, but uneasiness in abandoning her true identity and feelings of self-sacrifice made her question if it was worth it. After a year as Emma, she changed back to her given name and came out the other side passionately embracing her mixed-race and multicultural heritage.“After my unique experience as Emma,” she said, “I ultimately decided I’d rather fail and succeed in life as Amena, my true self, rather than experiencing any success as Emma.”The book — with cover art by Kheshtchin-Kamel, interior art by comic book artist Giulia Giacomino and lettering by comic book letterer Frank Cvetkovic — is available for preorder from Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Hudson Booksellers. It is already listed as a bestselling new release in the “graphic novel contemporary women,” “graphic novel biography” and “graphic novel educational” categories on Amazon.“I’m over the moon that Dark Horse and my editor, Megan Walker, gave me the chance to share this universal body positivity and identity story,” Kheshtchin-Kamel said.Today, Kheshtchin-Kamel is developing a feature film with a triple-A game studio based on game IP, and is an executive producer on a sports biopic film with Anvil Pictures.