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Hello, beautiful souls! Welcome back to the Angels & Awakening Podcast. Book a 30 or 60-minute angel reading at TheAngelMedium.com Join the Angel Reiki School or Angel Membership — email Julie directly at Julie@TheAngelMedium.com to connect and make sure it's a good fit before joining. Friends, this message came through in six readings in one week — and when the angels repeat something that many times, everybody needs to hear it. This is about why your miracles aren't showing up — and the two simple things that change everything.
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This week Craig and Alex review Interstellar for their six year anniversary and break down their favorite movies!
Send us Fan MailNASA has launched the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, opening a new chapter in our exploration of the universe. We discover who Nancy Grace Roman was, and the remarkable career that led her to become one of NASA's most influential astronomers. We follow Roman's spectacular launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy and its journey towards the second Sun-Earth Lagrange point. We explore how this powerful infrared observatory will survey enormous areas of sky, investigate dark energy and dark matter, discover thousands of exoplanets, and search for clues that could fundamentally change our understanding of the universe.Follow Cosmic Coffee Time on X for some special contentX.com/CosmicCoffTimeEmail us! cosmiccoffeetime@gmail.comYou can request a topic for the show! Or even just say hi!We'd love to hear from you.
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This week Craig and Alex watch Carrie! Next week we're watching Interstellar!
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SpaceTime with Stuart Gary | Astronomy, Space & Science News
SpaceTime Series 29 Episode 115 A comet older than the Sun Astronomers have found new clues about the origin of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS suggesting it's more than twice as old as the Sun and solar system. The nearby “Super Earth” that might be a candidate for life Astronomers have taken a closer look at a nearby exoplanet finding it may be more Earth-like than previously thought. A new way to study the birth of the universe Scientists have discovered a new way to create quark gluon plasma – the first matter in the universe. The Science Report The number of women testing positive for gonorrhoea doubles over the past decade. New study shows people taking medicinal marijuana are far worse drivers. The growing problem of human pollution now present over the entire planet. The discovery of a half-billion-year-old fossil has rewritten the origin story of starfish Skeptics guide to the four flavours of aliens Our Guest This Week Professor Bill Collins from Curtin University Our regular guests: Alex Zaharov-Reutt from techadvice.life Tim Mendham from Australian Skeptics
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The squad dives into Chisme with Angie, reacting to Willow Smith revealing that Will Smith turned down iconic roles to keep "heavy energy" out of the house. Things get completely unhinged on the Homie Helpline as Sammy confesses he's being the ultimate "Bendy" for love—paying for his ex's apartment while her new man hangs out in the salah. We also hear from Noam, who is dealing with a delusional ex trying to sabotage his new marriage through screenshots and mind games. Plus, the crew roasts a viral "multitasking" mom at a Giants game and debates if Concrete's dad is actually launching a gourmet hot dog stand. It's a wild ride through toxic situationships, "Super Mario" energy, and the struggle of passing on roles like Interstellar because they aren't "plausible".[Edited by @iamdyre
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Supernovae keep galaxies churning A new study led by Fan Yi Meng from Tsinghua University provides the first comprehensive census of superbubbles in the Andromeda Galaxy, revealing that clustered supernova feedback is sufficient to sustain galactic-scale turbulence. This finding helps to explain why galaxies remain active over billions of years, with turbulence playing a crucial role in regulating star formation rates. The research, published in Nature Astronomy, highlights the energy balance between supernovae and the turbulence they create.Neutrinos may dictate stellar explosions A paper from Mariam Gogilashvili and Irene Tambora at the Niels Bohr Institute explores the role of neutrinos in determining which massive stars explode as supernovae. Their findings suggest that neutrino oscillations could lead to a significant number of stars collapsing into black holes, particularly those in the 16 to 30 solar mass range, addressing the long-standing red supergiant problem.TOI 1355b: A planet with an expiry date Researchers from the University of Tokyo have discovered TOI 1355b, a hot Jupiter with a unique eccentric orbit around an A-type star. This planet will stop transiting its host star by 2033 due to nodal precession, providing a rare opportunity to study its characteristics before it disappears from view.SpaceX Crew Missions Update NASA has contracted SpaceX for three additional crew rotation missions to the International Space Station, extending their partnership and ensuring continued access to the station. Crew 13 is currently in quarantine, with a launch targeted for early October.The Sun goes blank For the first time since February, the Sun has gone completely spotless, marking a significant moment in the solar cycle. As solar activity declines, a coronal hole is set to rotate into position, potentially leading to minor geomagnetic storms and auroras.1. Supernovae keep galaxies churning2. Neutrinos may dictate stellar explosions3. TOI 1355b: A planet with an expiry date4. SpaceX Crew Missions Update5. The Sun goes blankBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-latest-space-news--5648921/support.Sponsor Details:Ensure your online privacy by using NordVPN. To get our special listener deal and save a lot of money, visit www.astronomydaily.io/nordvpn. You've been glad you did!Get the best secure and private email on the planet. Stop your Government, Google and who knows who else spying on every email you write. Do what we did and use ProtonMail. They believe in privacy and there are no ads in their business model... yet they still provide a free forever service. Check them out and get our special deal at www.astronomydaily.io/protonmailBecome a supporter of Astronomy AstroDailyPod by joining our Supporters Club. Commercial-free episodes daily are only a click away... Click HereSponsor Details:Ensure your online privacy by using NordVPN. To get our special listener deal and save a lot of money, visit www.astronomydaily.io/nordvpn. You'll be glad you did!Get the best secure and private email on the planet. Stop your Government, google and who knows who else spying on every email you write. Do what we did and use ProtonMail. They beleive in privacy and there are no ads in their business model...yet they still provide a free forever service. Check them out and get out special deal at www.astronomydaily.io/protonmailBecome a supporter of Astronomy Daily by joining our Supporters Club. Commercial free episodes daily are only a click way... Click HereThis episode includes AI-generated content.
Space Nuts: Q&A on BepiColombo, Neutrinos, and Time DilationIn this Q&A edition of Space Nuts, hosts Andrew Dunkley and Professor Fred Watson dive into a series of intriguing listener questions that span topics from the nuances of orbital velocity to the enigmatic world of neutrinos and the complexities of time dilation. Join them as they unravel these cosmic queries with their signature blend of insight and humour.Key topics- Larry from Nebraska asks about the BepiColombo mission and the relationship between gravitational assists and orbital velocity, prompting a discussion on how spacecraft navigate the solar system.- Eduardo explores the nature of neutrinos, questioning whether they are affected by gravity and whether they can be trapped by black holes.- Shumo presents a thought-provoking idea about using high-energy gamma rays or neutrinos as interstellar beacons, leading to a discussion on the potential for advanced civilisations to communicate through unconventional means.- Colin from Adelaide raises questions about time dilation effects as depicted in the science fiction movie "Project Hail Mary," specifically the implications of travelling close to the speed of light and the resulting age differences upon return to Earth.Timestamps00:00 - Introduction to the Q&A format and listener interactions01:20 - Larry's question about BepiColombo and gravitational assists10:30 - Eduardo's inquiry on neutrinos and black holes18:45 - Shumo's question about interstellar beacons using gamma rays or neutrinos26:00 - Colin's confusion about time dilation in "Project Hail Mary"32:15 - Discussion on the implications of time dilation and relativityBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/space-nuts-astronomy-insights-cosmic-discoveries--2631155/support.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Villain-Venice-Steampunk-Adventure-Expanded/dp/B0GYVW1ZM3?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&ref_=fplfs&psc=1&smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE Project Hail Mary is a 2026 science fiction film produced and directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller and written by Drew Goddard, based on the 2021 novel of the same name by Andy Weir. It stars Ryan Gosling, who also produced the film, as Ryland Grace, and Sandra Hüller, James Ortiz, and Lionel Boyce play supporting roles. The story follows Ryland Grace, a middle school teacher who awakens aboard an interstellar spacecraft with no memory of how he got there. Pre-production began in 2020, before Weir's novel was published. Filming took place throughout 2024 in the United Kingdom, both on location and on sets. All scenes aboard the spacecraft Hail Mary were filmed on a practical set that was constructed for the film. Project Hail Mary premiered in London on March 9, 2026, and was released in the United States by Amazon MGM Studios on March 20, with Sony Pictures Releasing International releasing in other territories. It received positive reviews, with praise for Lord and Miller's direction, Gosling's performance, the character of Rocky, as well as the humor, themes and visuals. It was a commercial success, grossing over $685 million worldwide and becoming the seventh-highest-grossing film of 2026. Plot In the near future, middle school teacher and former molecular biologist Ryland Grace wakes up from an induced coma on the interstellar spacecraft Hail Mary, suffering from amnesia. Grace learns that he is the sole survivor of a three-person crew that was traveling towards the Tau Ceti system, 11.9 light-years from Earth. In a series of flashbacks, Grace recalls that scientists discovered a "Petrova line" of infrared light stretching from the Sun to Venus; an alien microbe in the line, dubbed "astrophage", was proliferating on the Sun's surface, dimming the Sun at a rate that would cause catastrophic global cooling within thirty years. The head of the Petrova Taskforce, Eva Stratt, recruited Grace to study it due to his background in speculative astrobiology. Grace experimented on a sample and discovered that astrophage was composed of unicellular organisms that absorb electromagnetic radiation from the Sun and expel it for propulsion. Grace joined Stratt's Project Hail Mary, an international "long-shot" mission to send a crewed spacecraft to Tau Ceti, the only star in Earth's solar neighborhood not occluded by astrophage. The flight to Tau Ceti would be a suicide mission, as the ship could only carry enough fuel for a one-way trip; any findings would have to return to Earth in smaller space probes. In the present, Grace encounters an alien spacecraft that docks with the Hail Mary. It is made of a solid form of xenon, which Grace dubs "xenonite". The ship's occupant is a rock-like, five-legged alien from Erid, a planet in the 40 Eridani A system. Grace names the alien "Rocky", deduces that Eridians "see" via echolocation, and creates a machine translation system to interpret Rocky's musical language into English. Rocky is a mechanical engineer and the sole survivor of the Eridians' mission to save their own star from astrophage infection. Grace and Rocky agree to work together, and become close friends. As neither can survive in the other's atmosphere, Rocky works aboard the Hail Mary inside a pressurized ball of xenonite. Grace and Rocky study the Petrova line of the planet Tau Ceti e, which Grace names "Adrian",{{cite web |url=https://www.techradar.com/streaming/entertainment/project-hail-mary-ending-explained |title=''Project Hail Mary'' Ending Explained: What happens to Ryland Grace and Rocky, will there be a sequel, and more on Ryan Gosling's new sci-fi movie |last=Power |first=Tom |website=[[TechRadar]] |date=March 20, 2026 |access-date=May 26, 2026 |archive-date=March 21, 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260321104440/https://www.techradar.com/streaming/entertainment/project-hail-mary-ending-explained |url-status=live}}"}},"i":0}}]}">[a] and discovers that the line hosts an entire microbial biosphere. Rocky theorizes that microbial organisms in Adrian's atmosphere are consuming the astrophage, keeping the population in check. Learning that Grace cannot return home, Rocky offers to share some of his own ship's astrophage fuel with the Hail Mary. Grace remembers that an astrophage explosion killed the original crew's science officers. With no time to train replacements, Stratt asked Grace to join the mission. During a risky maneuver to gather the astrophage predator from Adrian's atmosphere, a fuel leak causes the Hail Mary to spin uncontrollably, rendering Grace unconscious. Rocky breaks out of his ball to save Grace but is severely injured. While Rocky recovers, Grace studies the captured astrophage predator, dubbing it "taumoeba"[b] and selectively breeding it to survive the nitrogen in Venus's atmosphere. Rocky revives, and the two celebrate their success; Grace recalls that he fearfully refused to join the Hail Mary crew, but Stratt had him drugged and put aboard the ship anyway, believing he was the only one capable of completing the mission. Rocky and Grace say their goodbyes and begin their journeys back home. Shortly thereafter, Grace discovers that the taumoeba has evolved to escape its xenonite breeding tanks and is starting to consume Hail Mary's astrophage fuel. Grace stops the taumoeba leak, but realizes that Rocky's ship, being entirely made of xenonite, will have no way to contain the taumoeba; it will eat all of Rocky's fuel, stranding him and dooming Erid. Grace decides to use his remaining fuel to rescue Rocky and the Eridians rather than return home, and sends his video logs and taumoeba samples to Earth via the probes. Stratt and her team receive the probes and use the taumoeba to cure the Sun's astrophage infection. Meanwhile, on Erid, Grace lives in an Earth-like biodome the Eridians have constructed for him. Rocky informs him that Eridian scientists can prepare the Hail Mary for the return voyage to Earth. Grace ponders the news before beginning another day of teaching science to eager Eridian children. Cast Ryan Gosling, who portrays Dr. Ryland Grace, also served as a producer on the film Ryan Gosling as Ryland Grace, a middle school science teacher and former molecular biologist on a mission to save humanity[7] Sandra Hüller as Eva Stratt, the head of the international task force behind Project Hail Mary[8] James Ortiz as Rocky, an alien Grace encounters on his journey.[9] The character was effected through a puppet controlled by a team of five puppeteers led by Ortiz, dubbed the "Rockyteers", with Ortiz also providing the artificial voice assigned to him[10] Ortiz also has an uncredited role as a television presenter[11] Lionel Boyce as Carl, a member of security personnel Ken Leung as Yao Li-Jie, the Chinese commander of the Hail Mary spacecraft Milana Vayntrub as Olesya Ilyukhina, a Russian engineer on board the Hail Mary Priya Kansara as the voice of Mary, the Hail Mary's onboard computer[9] Malachi Kirby as Martin Dubois, the original scientist of the Hail Mary[12] Liz Kingsman as Annie Shapiro, a backup scientist of the Hail Mary Mia Soteriou as Dr. Browne Orion Lee as Dr. Li Michelle Greenidge as Chimamanda Additionally, Eunice Huthart (the film's stunt coordinator), Damien de Froberville (co-president of Sony Pictures Animation), Ray Porter (the audiobook narrator), and Meryl Streep provided the rejected alternative voices for Rocky.[13][14] Production Development In March 2020, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer was nearing a deal to acquire adaptation rights to the then-upcoming Andy Weir novel Project Hail Mary (2021), with Ryan Gosling set to star in and produce the film.[7] The rights for the novel were acquired for $3 million.[15] In May 2020, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller were hired to direct and produce the film.[16] Due to Lord and Miller being unable to work on the screenplay because of commitments to Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023), Drew Goddard (who previously adapted Weir's 2011 novel The Martian into a 2015 film) was hired the following month to write the screenplay.[17][18] In April 2024, Amazon, which acquired Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 2022,[19] revealed a possible 2026 release window for the film.[20] In May 2024, Sandra Hüller joined the cast, with Greig Fraser hired as cinematographer.[8] Milana Vayntrub joined the cast the following month.[21] Filming The film's crew, actors Ryan Gosling and Sandra Hüller, writer Drew Goddard, author/producer Andy Weir, and directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller visiting NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory on February 25, 2026 Principal photography began on June 3, 2024, in the United Kingdom and wrapped on October 26, 2024.[22][23] Filming took place at Shepperton Studios.[24] Location filming occurred at The Hemel Hempstead School, the South Parade Pier in Portsmouth,[25] the Mullard Radio Astronomy Observatory in Cambridge,[26] and Durdle Door and Man o' War Cove in Dorset.[27][28][29] The film was "filmed for IMAX" by using large-sensor Arri Alexa 65 cameras, which provide 6.5K (20 MP) of resolution, with an aspect ratio of 2.1:1,[30] utilizing the whole sensor with anamorphic lenses rotated by 90 degrees to achieve the IMAX standard 1.43:1 aspect ratio. For regular presentations, the common 2:1 format (Univisium) was derived by cropping the top and bottom of the IMAX image. The film switches between taller and wider aspect ratios. When a scene takes place in the present, a taller aspect ratio is used—1.43:1 for IMAX 15/70 mm or Dual Laser, 1.85:1 for Xenon or Single Laser, and 2.00:1 for non-IMAX presentations. For scenes in the past, an aspect ratio of 2.39:1, a standard ratio for anamorphic process cinematography, was achieved with the regular use of anamorphic lenses.[31] In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Miller mentioned that no chroma keying was used in the film, with the entire set being shot practically.[32] Fraser had previously collaborated with visual effects supervisor Paul Lambert on the Dune films; their disdain for green and blue screens, which impacts lighting and visuals through color spill, led them to use blackouts and grey screens on the film instead.[33] Miller had previously stated that VFX was used to depict the spaceship from the outside, while shots of Gosling in space were shot against a black or varying color backdrop.[34] NASA provided support through both the input of scientific experts and astronaut Kjell N. Lindgren visiting Gosling during filming to share insights on human spaceflight.[35] Post-production The visual effects were developed by Framestore (which also collaborated on the film adaptation of The Martian),[36] Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), Sony Pictures Imageworks, BUF and Wylie Co. VFX, with Mags Sarnowska serving as visual effects supervisor alongside Lambert.[37] While puppeteer Ortiz voiced Rocky during filming with Gosling, it was initially thought that a more high-profile actor would replace him. However, Lord and Miller felt that Ortiz's performance could not be improved upon during screenings of the film.[38] Lord praised the collaboration between practical and visual effects in the creation of the character Rocky's performance: Rocky was built and designed by the legendary Neal Scanlan and his creature shop and is performed by puppeteering legend James Ortiz and his team, who were on set with Ryan in every scene. Rocky's performance is a beautiful collaboration between James and the other Rockyteers on set and the wonderful animators at Framestore led by the funny soulful Arslan Elver.[39] Miller noted that by the end of the film shots with Rocky were about 50% VFX animation and 50% puppetry.[40] The digitally shot and produced film was transferred to film stock and then re-digitized to achieve the "warmth" of analog film.[31] The initial test screening of the film was 3 hours and 45 minutes long, and was cut down to the final length due to feedback from the screenings.[41] Joel Negron served as film editor.[42] Music Main article: Project Hail Mary (soundtrack) It was announced at San Diego Comic-Con that Daniel Pemberton would score the film. Pemberton worked with Lord and Miller on Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) and its 2023 sequel, which they produced. This is the first film directed by Lord and Miller to not be scored by Mark Mothersbaugh.[43] The score, consisting of 38 tracks, was released digitally on March 20, 2026.[44] The film also includes fourteen other songs, including "Sign of the Times" by Harry Styles, "Two of Us" by the Beatles, "Rainbows" by Dennis Wilson and "Gracias a la vida" sung by Mercedes Sosa.[45] Marketing The film's title on the marquee of Moreland Theater in Portland, Oregon in March 2026 The first trailer was released on June 30, 2025.[46] It was the most-viewed trailer for any original film in the first week of its release, accumulating 400 million views globally.[47] Lego released a model of the Hail Mary spacecraft on March 1, 2026, as part of the Lego Icons series.[48] Release Theatrical Project Hail Mary was released on March 20, 2026, in 4,007 theaters by Amazon MGM Studios in the United States and Canada, and Sony Pictures Releasing International in all other territories.[5] It was also released in select IMAX theaters, with a 1.43:1 aspect ratio.{{cite web |last=D'Alessandro |first=Anthony |title=Ryan Gosling, Lord & Miller Amazon MGM Studios Space Adventure ''Project Hail Mary'' Sets Launch for Spring 2026 |date=April 18, 2024 |website=[[Deadline Hollywood]] |url=https://deadline.com/2024/04/ryan-gosling-project-hail-mary-release-date-1235889844/ |access-date=April 18, 2024 |archive-date=April 19, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240419002823/https://deadline.com/2024/04/ryan-gosling-project-hail-mary-release-date-1235889844/ |url-status=live}}{{cite web |last=D'Alessandro |first=Anthony |title=Amazon MGM Studios & Sony Pictures Ink Multi-Year International Theatrical Distribution Deal |date=June 27, 2025 |website=[[Deadline Hollywood]] |url=https://deadline.com/2025/06/amazon-mgm-studios-sony-international-distribution-1236444141/ |access-date=July 1, 2025 |archive-date=June 27, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250627130223/https://deadline.com/2025/06/amazon-mgm-studios-sony-international-distribution-1236444141/ |url-status=live}}{{cite web |last=Gray |first=Jeremy |date=June 30, 2025 |title=''Project Hail Mary'' Film Adaptation Looks Like a Visual Feast |url=https://petapixel.com/2025/06/30/project-hail-mary-film-adaptation-looks-like-a-visual-feast/ |access-date=July 1, 2025 |website=[[PetaPixel]] |archive-date=July 12, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250712225014/https://petapixel.com/2025/06/30/project-hail-mary-film-adaptation-looks-like-a-visual-feast/ |url-status=live |language=en-US}}{{cite web |last=Kim |first=Anny |date=December 16, 2025 |title=Everything to know about ''Project Hail Mary'', coming soon from Amazon MGM Studios |url=https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/entertainment/project-hail-mary-ryan-gosling-amazon-mgm-studios |access-date=December 31, 2025 |publisher=About Amazon |language=en-US}}"}},"i":0}}]}">[c] Home media The film was released on digital streaming platforms on May 12, 2026.[53] It began streaming on the MGM+ subscription streaming service and Prime Video on June 18 and July 3, respectively.[54][55][56] It was also released on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray, and DVD on August 11, 2026, by Alliance Entertainment.[57] Following the standard disc release will be an Amazon exclusive three-disc SteelBook gift set, scheduled for October 13.[57] It will include a third disc with the film in its full 1.43:1 IMAX ratio, plus additional bonus material and a collectible booklet.[citation needed] Reception Box office As of September 11, 2026 Project Hail Mary has grossed $344.1 million in the United States and Canada, and $341.2 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $685.3 million.[4][5] In the United States and Canada, Project Hail Mary was released on March 20, 2026, and was projected to gross $63–65 million in North America from 4,007 theaters in its opening weekend.[58] Initially, publications estimated that the film would gross $45–55 million.[59] After grossing $31 million on opening day, including $12 million in previews, the film debuted to $80.6 million in the United States and Canada,[60] and $60.4 million overseas for a worldwide total of $141 million,[61] becoming Amazon MGM Studios' biggest debut to date.[60] In its second weekend, the film made $54.1 million (a drop of 32.8%), remaining in first.[62] It was surpassed by The Super Mario Galaxy Movie in its third weekend, grossing $31.7 million.[63] In Japan, the film became the highest-grossing foreign film of 2026 in terms of box office revenue attendance on its first day of release.[64] Critical response The performances of Ryan Gosling, Sandra Hüller, and James Ortiz were praised by critics On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 95% of 430 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8.2/10. The website's consensus reads: "A visually dazzling space odyssey that's carried along effortlessly by the gravitational pull of Ryan Gosling at his most winning, Project Hail Mary is a near-miraculous fusion of smarts and heart."[65] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 77 out of 100, based on 60 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[66] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an "A" on an A+ to F scale.[67] The film received an average rating of 8 out of 10 from Cine21.[68] G. Allen Johnson of the San Francisco Chronicle deemed it "a masterpiece of a family popcorn movie, with eye-popping hand-crafted production design and outstanding creature design and puppetry work."[69] Randy Myers of The Mercury News gave the film a 3.5/4 rating, writing: "While you can't help but marvel at the visuals and applaud the commitment of Gosling's endearing performance, what also makes Project Hail Mary so gosh darn lovable is that it imbues us with child-like wonder from scenes that pay homage to such classics as E.T., Flight of the Navigator and, yes, Rocky."[70] Cosplay of Ryland Grace with a fan-created Rocky prop at NärCon 2026 Robbie Collin of The Telegraph concluded in his review: "Does it have many original ideas of its own? Perhaps not. But its greatest hits mixtape of other people's has been compiled with such flair – as well as a sound comprehension of why they worked so well the first time – that it's hard not to be swept up regardless."[71] Barry Hertz of The Globe and Mail shared a similar opinion, writing: "At almost every turn, Project Hail Mary attempts to convince you that it is groundbreaking, innovative filmmaking. But in actuality, the movie lands as a grand act of cinematic recycling – the fusing together of familiar, comforting bits and pieces into something determined to please crowds and warm hearts."[72] Amy Nicholson of the Los Angeles Times wrote: "While Stanley Kubrick's unsentimental 2001: A Space Odyssey inspired the iPad, Lord and Miller want to inspire a better version of us."[73] Brian Truitt of USA Today gave the film a four out of four rating, writing that "Project Hail Mary is one of those old-school popcorn movies with big ideas, the kind of film that Steven Spielberg and George Lucas would have made back in the day and kids of all ages would have obsessed over and bought the toys."[74] Ryan Cooper of The American Prospect wrote that the film portrayed a "shockingly realistic view of heroism" and was "one of the rare films that is quite a bit better than the book".[75] Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian wrote: "Gosling is an effortlessly charming screen player, and he keeps it watchable, though the film itself has moments of dullness and a sort of puppyish silliness [...] Perhaps refreshingly, the film doesn't aim for the stunned awe and rapture of, say, Christopher Nolan's Interstellar or even Jon Spaihts' underrated Passengers, but it does have the classic sci-fi spacecraft tropes: the huge, mysterious architecture with its vertiginous tunnels in which legacy pop music is played to soothe the inhabitants."[76] GVSU anthropology professor Deana L. Weibel praised Grace's intellectual humility in the film.[77] Nicholas Barber of the BBC declared it one of the best films of 2026, writing: Project Hail Mary is an unusual science-fiction blockbuster in that it's mostly about people using their brains to solve problems [...] Does that approach sound a bit dry and academic? If so, rest assured that Project Hail Mary is touching and inspiring – and surprisingly fun [...] it's directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, who take a complicated, potentially bleak narrative and make it as fast-paced and cheerful as their animated hit The Lego Movie. Meanwhile, Ryan Gosling brings all of his goofball charm to the role of an amnesiac biologist who is trying to save the world.[78] Conversely, Owen Gleiberman of Variety called it "not a very good movie", adding that "it's baggy and incredibly derivative of movies you've seen before [...] More crucially, everything to do with the onboard alien is far too cute and formulaic".[79]
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Interstellar Radio w. Brimac - Episode 053 Show: Interstellar Radio Artist: Brimac Air Date: 19 September 2026 Genre: Techno / Peak Time Techno / Raw Techno / Hypnotic Techno Welcome to Episode 053 of Interstellar Radio! This month's episode delivers a driving journey into some heavy and dark dimensions spanning peak-time and hypnotic techno, including tracks from techno's heavyweights including Pleasurekraft, HI-LO, Christian Smith, Radio Slave, Dubfire and Drumsauw. Tune in each month for a new episode of Interstellar Radio. Tracklist: Pleasurekraft - Last Sapien (Original Mix) HI-LO, DJ Deeon - Wanna Go Bang (Original Mix) Christian Smith - The Future Is Ours (Warehouse Mix) Ugur Project - Strobe (Original Mix) Christian Smith - Your Lovin' (Original Mix) Danton Eeprom, Radioslave - Grindhouse feat. Danton Eeprom (Marco Faraone Remix) Danny Fontana, Lazar (IT) - Eclipse (Mars Bill Remix) Procombo - Gold Spark (Original Mix) Agent Orange - I'm The Freak (Original Mix) Avision - Free Your Mind (Original Mix) Aphrohead - Let's Prance (Radio Slave & Thomas Gandey Remix) Drumsauw - The Voice (Original Mix) That Kid Chris - Get Huh (Edit) Dubfire, Flug - Rampart (Original Mix) Originally broadcast on Data Transmission Radio. Listen live and explore the archive: https://radio.datatransmission.co
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After the success of Interstellar, Christopher Nolan came back to Earth to tell one of the most uniquely structured modern war films starring a wide ensemble of British actors. Tackling the civilian-led evacuation of the British Army at Dunkirk during the early stages of WWII, Nolan looks at three different storylines over different periods of time all cut together to tell the story of those harrowing days. Coming up next, we are finally discussing his Best Picture Winner, Oppenheimer (sorry no Tenet pod)!
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We spoil the whole movie but we still want everyone to watch (if you haven't already). We just loved it!
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Edge of Tomorrow cost $178 million, made $381 million, and stars two of the most famous actors alive. It arrived in 2014 alongside Guardians of the Galaxy, Interstellar and Gone Girl, and vanished. Everybody who has seen it loves it. Almost nobody has seen it.Huel: Limited Time Offer – Make healthy eating simple. Get Huel today with our exclusive offer of 15% OFF online with our code LFN at huel.com/LFN. New Customers Only. Thank you to Huel for partnering and supporting our show!PrizePicks: Visit https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/FOURPLAY and use code FOURPLAY and get $150 if you win your first $5 lineup! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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CAPTION JANUARY 1960CONTENTS OF THE JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW, 9-11-2026Global Currents: From Mission History to Interstellar VisitorsThis broadcast overview explores a diverse range of current events and cultural history, beginning with a look at California's coastal missions and the potential impact of a super El Niño. The narrative transitions into legal and political updates, specifically addressing mail-in ballot validation and the preservation of a historic casino sign in Las Vegas. Economic and geopolitical concerns are highlighted through rising fuel prices and military tensions at Middle Easternshipping choke points. Scientific discussions follow, covering the geological formation of Italy, the growth of commercial space travel, and the study of interstellar comets. Finally, the broadcast highlights a literary biography of George Sand, celebrating her as a groundbreaking French novelist and intellectual.California History Disasters And Ocean SwellsJeff Bliss speaks from San Luis Obispo, describing the 1772 Spanish mission built to project military and religious control in early California. Reflecting on the 25th anniversary of 9/11, he recalls being in San Luis Obispo preparing to fly to San Francisco when the attacks occurred, noting how generational memory of the event has shifted over time. Additionally, he discusses the severe damage along the Southern California coastline caused by Hurricane Marie's high heat, humidity, and massive swells that eroded beaches and threatened Amtrak rail lines. Finally, he highlights efforts to restore the iconic Circus Circus clown sign in Las Vegas. (1)Legal Challenges To Postal Voting RulesRichard Epstein analyzes the appellate court decision halting the Trump administration's proposed Postal Service mail-in voting rules. Epstein argues that while the government claims postal regulatory authority to combat potential fraud, applying restrictive envelope and documentation requirements acts as a harmful monopoly power over state election procedures. He emphasizes that the Postal Service lacks the necessary equipment, programs, or execution capability to process millions of ballots neutrally before the election, risking widespread voter disqualification. Epstein also criticizes President Trump's campaign promise to distribute $5,000 checks to adult citizens if Republicans win Congress, calling it an unfeasible and populist bribe. (2)Inflation Pressures And Local Pennsylvania ElectionsJim McTague reports on economic and political developments in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Rising gas prices—reaching $4.26 at Costco and up to $4.60 elsewhere—alongside diesel exceeding $6 per gallon, are squeezing family budgets and slowing retail activity across the region. Dining out costs have also increased substantially. On the political front, McTague discusses a visit from a campaign canvasser for Republican state representative candidate Tom Jones, who is challenging incumbent Democrat Malone. Notably, the canvasser actively avoided discussing Donald Trump, highlighting how local candidates in this traditionally Republican county are downplaying national party affiliations. (3)Wines And Cuisine Of Monferrato ItalyLorenzo Fiori explores the Monferrato region in Piedmont, Italy, highlighting its picturesque landscape of rolling hills, vineyards, and historic villages. He details the region's rich viticultural offerings, including Barbera red wines, Dolcetto, white wines such as Gavi, Cortese, and Arneis, as well as Asti Spumante and Vermouth. Fiori also describes regional culinary specialties, such as agnolotti—stuffed meat pasta served with butter, sage, or roast sauce—alongside beef tartare, truffles, and amaretti biscuits paired with Moscato d'Asti. He recommends visiting during September and October to experience the vibrant autumn colors, ideal weather, and seasonal food pairings. (4)Small Business Trends And AI ConcernsGene Marks discusses current economic conditions, noting strong corporate profits alongside owner concerns over rising regulations and labor costs. Warning of inevitable market contractions, he advises business owners to build cash reserves and credit lines. Marks also addresses workplace artificial intelligence trends, observing that younger workers often fear AI job displacement due to economic uncertainty, driving higher enrollment in trade and technical schools. Furthermore, he notes widespread distrust among business owners toward big tech executives regarding data privacy and security, even as businesses selectively adopt AI tools to enhance productivity. (5)Literary Legacy Of Novelist George SandFiona Sampson, author of Becoming George, Part Two: Sampson discusses French author George Sand (Aurore Dupin), examining her distinct appearance, unconventional attire, and public identity in 19th-century Paris. Sand broke social taboos through her independent lifestyle, extramarital affairs, and progressive writings on women, ecology, and working-class lives. Sampson outlines Sand's complex personal relationships, including her tense dynamic with her daughter Solange, her supportive role for her son Maurice, and her nine-year relationship with composer Frédéric Chopin, whose artistic output she enabled. Additionally, Sampson highlights Sand's deep literary friendship and correspondence with Gustave Flaubert and her enduring influence on modern literature. (6) Nuclear Proliferation And Orbital Space WarfareHenry Sokolski examines non-proliferation concerns surrounding Saudi Arabia's pursuit of domestic nuclear power and uranium enrichment capabilities. He questions proposed inspection arrangements and "black box" proposals, highlighting technical limits in detecting clandestine material diversion and warning of security risks in active war zones. Turning to space security, Sokolski describes a war game simulating a 2039 crisis between the United States and China over space-based interceptor networks like "Golden Dome." He warns that orbital systems designed for missile defense could also be deployed offensively to conduct space launch blockades or disable satellites, urging public debate over primary orbital military missions. (7)Commercial Space Boom And Planetary ExplorationBob Zimmerman, author of the 2017 policy paper Capitalism in Space, outlines a commercial space boom, predicting 14 operational rockets launching by early 2027—half of them American—which will significantly lower orbital launch costs and expand private enterprise. He details corporate developments involving Firefly, Relativity, Vast's commercial space station plans, and Europe's Exploration Company. Zimmerman also highlights India's efforts to privatize its space sector under Prime Minister Modi. Moving to planetary exploration, he notes the Curiosity rover's milestone climb up Mount Sharp on Mars, past discoveries of unique interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, and Chandra X-ray Observatoryfindings revealing low-energy X-ray objects across distant galaxies. (8)V
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111 Hz'in bu özel bölümünde geride bıraktığımız 5 yıllık yolculuğa kuş bakışı bakıyoruz. Albert Einstein'ın uzay-zamanından Kaluza-Klein teorisine, Christopher Nolan'ın Interstellar filmindeki Tesseract kütüphanesinden Voyager 1'in uzay boşluğundaki Altın Plağı'na uzanan bu yolculukta, insan zihninin zamana bıraktığı izler ve ürettiğimiz "zaman kapsülleri" var.Biz de 111 Hz kütüphanesinin raflarında bir tura çıkıyor ve geçmiş bölümlerimizdeki zaman kapsüllerini yeniden açıyoruz. Bu bölümde: (00:00) 111 Hz'in 5. Yılı ve Geçmişe Bakış (04:59) Fizikte 5. Boyut ve Kaluza-Klein Teorisi (07:47) Interstellar, Tesseract ve Zamanın Mekansallaşması (11:16) Kütüphaneler ve Voyager Altın Plağı (17:01) Zaman Kapsülleri: Transhümanizm ve Cahil Cesareti (20:36) Zaman Kapsülleri: Yaratıcılık Miti ve Frankenstein (25:04) Son Zaman Kapsülü ve 5 Yıllık Teşekkür Sunan: Barış ÖzcanYapımcı: Podbee Media Tüm bölümler, videolar ve daha fazlasına Podbee App ve podbee.com'dan ücretsiz olarak ulaşabilirsiniz. Bu bölüm reklam ve sponsorluk içerebilir.
Would Iris sign a permission slip letting her daughter watch INTERSTELLAR, JOJO RABBIT, AMADEUS, or TOP GUN: MAVERICK? Wes puts her to the test as they debate what kids should be allowed to watch, America's curious comfort with violence over sex, and the inevitable truth that they're going to see all this stuff eventually anyway. Contains spoilers! 818-835-0473 orwhatevermovies@gmail.com orwhatevermovies.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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In this week's episode, I take a look back at the movies and streaming shows I watched in Summer 2026 and rate them. This coupon code will get you 25% off the ebooks in the Ghost Armor series at my Payhip store: FALLARMOR The coupon code is valid through September 21, 2026. So if you need a new ebook this fall, we've got you covered! TRANSCRIPT 00:00:00 Introduction and Writing Updates Hello, everyone. Welcome to Episode 319 of The Pulp Writer Show. My name is Jonathan Moeller. Today is September the 4th, 2026, and today I'm looking back at the movies and streaming shows I watched over Summer 2026. We will also have Coupon of the Week and an update on my current writing, publishing, and audiobook projects. So let's start off with Coupon of the Week. This week's coupon code will get you 25% off the ebooks in the Ghost Armor series at my Payhip store. That coupon code is FALLARMOR. As always, you can get the coupon code and the links to my Payhip store available in the show notes for this episode. This coupon code will be valid through September 21st, 2026, so if you need a new ebook for this fall, we have got you covered. Now an update on my current writing, publishing, and audiobook projects. I'm pleased to report that the rough draft of Blade of Visions is done. It came to 99,000 words. It'd be kind of cool if it came to 100,000, but as I've learned in the 15 years I've been doing this, it's not a good idea to pad things for length. Editing is underway. I'm about 15% through the first pass of edits. I'm working on the cover design, so I'm on good track to have the book out before the end of the month. I also wrote a tie-in short story called Winter Crown and don't forget that [newsletter] subscribers will get a free ebook copy of that short story when Blade of Visions comes out later this month. So this makes a very excellent time to subscribe to my new release newsletter. I am also 12,000 words into Elven-Warlock, which will be the seventh book in the Half-Elven Thief series. Hopefully that will be out in October, if all goes well. In audiobook news, I think Blade of Thieves (as narrated by Brad Wills) and Cloak of Worlds (as narrated by Hollis McCarthy) are now finally available at all the usual audiobook stores, which includes Audible, Apple, Amazon, Kobo, Google Play, Chirp, and all the others. So if you want to listen to those if you are going on a Labor Day road trip, you can check those out. A reminder that Stealth and Spells Online: The Complete LitRPG trilogy (narrated by C.J. McAllister) is also available on Audible, so check that out. That's 32 hours long and that would also cover all your Labor Day travels. So that is where I'm at with my current writing, publishing and audiobook projects. 00:02:22 Main Topic of the Week: Summer 2026 Movie Roundup So let's move on to our main topic this week. Our main topic this week is the Summer 2026 Movie Roundup and I always enjoy doing those. These episodes are a little less serious than some of the other episodes and it's fun to talk about things I enjoyed and that you might enjoy as well. And I did see a lot of new movies this summer. In fact, I went to the actual theater four times for Masters of the Universe, The Odyssey, Spider-Man, and Coyote vs. Acme, which is probably more than I've gone in a single season since before COVID times. So as usual, here are the movies I saw this summer (rated from least favorite to most favorite). The grades are totally subjective and based on nothing but my own thoughts and opinions. First up is The Breadwinner, which came out in 2026. This is basically standup comedian Nate Bargatze's act come to life as a movie. If you've seen Bargatze's standup, his usual routine is to portray himself as the dumb husband and bumbling Girl Dad, which is actually quite clever from a comedic standpoint since you're unlikely to have outraged mobs calling for your head if all you're doing is making fun of yourself. Anyway, Bargatze portrays Nate Wilcox, the best Toyota salesman in Nashville. (Don't worry, this is the first of only many product placement moments.) He lets his wife Kate manage the household and do the bulk of the work with their three daughters. When Kate's invention takes off on Shark Tank, she has to go to South Korea for two weeks to oversee manufacturing, leaving Nate in charge of the kids. Comedic chaos ensues. On the positive side of this movie, I did approve how this movie showed a married couple trying to work through a rough patch and do what's right for their kids and each other in a semi-productive way rather than blowing up their lives over nonsensical trivialities in the style of Eat, Pray, Love. On the downside, there was a lot of product placement, to the point where it at times felt like an extended commercial with bits of plot jammed in between product endorsement. No doubt most of the production budget came from product placement money. Will Forte was funny as an eccentric roofing contractor and Martin Herlihy as a shifty DoorDash employee. Kumail Nanjiani was funny as Nate's rival salesman at the car dealership. So overall, I would say this was blandly amusing and inoffensive with some funny slapstick moments. Overall grade: C- Next up is Supergirl, which came out in 2026. This movie really was sort of a strange combination of John Wick and the human trafficking subplot from 2020's Black Widow. The end result wasn't quite as good as Superman from 2025, alas. I did like this movie's interpretation of Supergirl. Kara Zor-El's departure from Krypton was way more traumatic than Superman's, so she's dealing with her unresolved emotional issues by traveling from planet to planet with red suns and getting hammered since the same yellow sun that gives Kryptonians their superpowers on Earth also keeps them from getting drunk because their bodies process alcohol too efficiently. However, Kara comes to a planet where a girl named Ruthye lives. Ruthye's family has been slaughtered by ruthless brigands yet led by Krem of the Yellow Hills and she's going on a quest for revenge. When Ruthye tries to recruit Kara for the quest, she's not interested, but then Krem steals Kara's spaceship and poisons her dog Krypto. Krem carries the antidote on his person, so now Kara and Ruthye team up to get vengeance on Krem and to heal Krypto. Krem is a nasty piece of work and he and his space gang travel from planet to planet abducting women to be their wives. I think the problem was that Krem was kind of a boring but nasty villain, but he was still boring. He was basically a space thug with too many piercings. Lex Luthor from 2025 Superman, by contrast, was a really interesting villain, this malignant narcissist who knows that his obsession with Superman is over the top, but he's going to act on it anyway. Additionally, I don't think this version of Supergirl is quite capable of being a lead character on her own. She'd make a superb secondary character, but I don't think she could quite carry a movie on her own. And Jason Momoa was pretty good as Lobo. Overall grade: C- Next up is Troy, which came out in 2004. I wanted to see this either before or after I watched The Odyssey this summer and ended up watching it the day before I went to see The Odyssey. I would say this movie was slow and ponderous, but I did enjoy watching it. This is an adaption of The Iliad and has the sort of slow stateliness of epic films from the '60s. It had good performances and good battle scenes. Brian Cox was enjoyable as a scenery chewing Agamemnon and Brad Pitt worked as Achilles. Interestingly, his version of Achilles reminded me of the interpretation of Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen from Dune 2 as sort of a violent psychopath with his own twisted sense of honor. Oddly, despite the fact that this was rather a long movie, the ending seems a bit rushed, like we needed to hurry up and get to the Trojan Horse. It was amusing how Achilles' relationship with Patroclus was changed to "cousin" for the modern audience, but Greek views on sexuality would definitely be unpalatable with both right-wing and left-wing versions of the modern mind, which is a good thing because while the Greeks contributed a great deal to the development of civilization, they were into a lot of unsavory stuff. So overall, I would say this was a fun, epic movie, but I think this walked so the 2026 version of The Odyssey could run. Amusing fact: Christopher Nolan was apparently supposed to direct this, but the deal fell through and he got Batman Begins as a consolation prize instead. Overall grade: B- Next up is The Dink, which came out in 2026. This is an Apple TV comedy movie about pickleball of all things. I feel like this was made because some Apple executive got made fun of by some tennis players for playing pickleball and then decided to take revenge through media. Jake Johnson plays Dustin Boyd, a washed up former child tennis star who now works at his father's tennis club. The club has difficulties because of a growing influx of pickleball players who the hardcore tennis players hate. Dustin's father decides to use the club's bylaws to force a duel match to decide the issue, in the grand tradition of wacky comedy stakes. Dustin really wants to play the duel match, but his wrist is injured in an accident. To get his wrist mobility back, the doctor suggested he play some pickleball and Dustin views this as beneath him, but he really wants to play again, so he signs up for pickleball. This ends up being a wacky sports company/buddy movie as Dustin gradually befriends an eccentric older pickleball player. Ed Harris should really do more comedic roles. He was great as Dustin's stern, yet unscrupulous father. I do admire Apple TV's dedication to making random stuff. Overall grade: B- Next up is Green and Gold, which came out in 2025, and this is a melodrama about a farmer and his granddaughter dealing with the grim economic realities of farming. This is set in 1992/1993 era Wisconsin. Buck refuses to modernize his dairy farm in Door County, Wisconsin. His granddaughter Jenny is a talented musician and also a skilled farmer, and Buck wants her to take over the farm one day, but Jenny's ambitions are looking elsewhere. Events come to a head when Jenny realizes that Buck is deeply in debt to the bank, which is about to foreclose on the farm. However, Buck and the chief banker have a personal animosity, so they settle on a bet. If the Green Bay Packers win a Super Bowl title in 1993, the banker will give Buck one more year to turn things around on the farm. Meanwhile, Jenny begins to wonder if her music ambitions might generate the money to save the farm. Of course, if you are familiar with the history of the Packers, you know that they won a Super Bowl in 1996, not 1993. The movie has carried on the back of the very strong performances of its actors. It also has an ambiguously happy ending, as is true with so many things in farming. I like this movie because I've spent a lot of my life in the American Midwest, [and] I did appreciate how it shows the difficulties of the farming life. Also, this is important: a fall from a ladder is a plot point. Ladder safety is important, people! If you are going up a ladder, for heaven's sake don't climb the ladder in high heels like the character in question does. Wear sensible, well-fitting shoes with good soles. A very long time ago, I used to work with a guy who would climb extension ladders in cowboy boots. It is nothing short of the mercy of God that he didn't fall off and shatter half the bones in his body. Overall grade: B Next up is Grumpy Old Men, which came out in 1993. Apparently this is set in Wabasha, Minnesota, which is amusing because filming actually took place in several areas in the Twin Cities in Eastern Minnesota, but not actually in Wabasha. I found that personally amusing because I'm quite familiar with the area and so I recognize several filming locations. Anyway, the movie is about two retirees, Max and John, who are enemies and have been enemies for years, but Max is lonely and wants to get married again, and John is about to lose his house to the IRS due to tax problems. Things come to a head when an attractive literature professor moves across the street and both Max and John take an interest in her and start competing for her affections. However, it turns out that Max and John are actually best friends whose love language happens to be hatred and practical jokes, kind of like Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner, but more on them below. This was a good character comedy/drama. It was interesting that the professor was an early version of the Manic Pixie Dream Girl trope, albeit several decades before someone came up with the term. This is worth watching both as a character and comedy drama and a time capsule of the 1990s. Sometimes a movie ages a bit badly (Airplane and the Thomas Crown Affair from the Spring Movie Roundup come to mind), but this didn't. The sequel Grumpier Old Men from 1995 is basically the same movie, but with the characters acting about 20% dumber so a sitcom style plot can happen. Still entertaining, but not as good as the first one, so Grumpier Old Men only gets a B-, but Grumpy Old Men gets a B+. Next up is Masters of the Universe, which came out in 2026. It was amusing to read reviews of this movie because people thought way too hard about a movie that is essentially about battling action figures. Anyway, this was pretty good. It was nice to see a movie about a science fiction property that doesn't actually hate the source material. Basically it's a live action version of the cartoons from the '80s, albeit with somewhat more thoughtful moments. I heard someone suggest that it was close in tone to Thor: Ragnarok, and that seems accurate. The plot is that Skeletor conquers Eternia and 10-year-old Prince Adam is sent with the Sword of Power through a magical portal to Earth to keep him and the sword out of Skeletor's reach. However, Adam loses the sword while passing through the gate and 15 years later is working in human resources. He's still seeking for the sword despite his therapist trying to convince him that it was a trauma-induced fantasy. However, his persistence pays off and he does find the sword. Teela, who is one of the resistance leaders against Skeletor's rule, comes to Earth to find him and bring him back, but Skeletor's minions arrive to claim the sword as well. Adam and Teela escape back to Eternia and it's up to Adam to find a way to use the Sword of Power to become the hero that Eternia needs. Dolph Lundgren's cameo was great. Overall, I would say this is a fun movie to watch, especially if you're a Millennial or Gen Xer who saw the cartoons or the live action movie back in the '80s. Jared Leto has something of an increasingly questionable reputation these days, but he did a good job as Skeletor, played him halfway between the solemn gravitas of the 1987 version and the malevolent comedic cornball of the cartoons. Of course, in my opinion, the Frank Langella version from 1987 is the best version of Skeletor since he placed it with all the seriousness of a Shakespearean villain monologue at the Royal Shakespeare Company. In hindsight, it wasn't terribly surprising that this underperformed at the box office. It felt like it was made for guys my age, not for kids. I would've been comfortable bringing an eight-year-old to see The Mandalorian and Grogu or Super Mario Galaxy, but I would've been less certain bringing a kid that age to see Masters of the Universe. Additionally, it seemed very Marvel in tone, and I think the overall mood of the US these days is less "Marvel Cinematic Universe quips and banter" and more sort of the grimness of The Odyssey, which we'll talk about shortly. Overall grade: B+ Next up is Young Washington, which came out in 2026, a biopic of the early life of George Washington, covering how he more or less accidentally started the French and Indian War and how he recovered his reputation at the Battle of Braddock's Field. To be fair, the international situation at the time meant that someone was going to start the French and Indian War. It just happened to be Washington, who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Overall, I liked this. It was reasonably historically accurate, though some of the emotional and family dialogue at times was a bit clunky. Additionally, Washington was portrayed as having revolutionary leanings much earlier in life than he actually did, since when he was a young man, he had no thoughts of being anything but a British subject and officer. That said, some of the most implausible stuff in the movie actually happened in real life. Like if I were to write in a novel that the future president of the United States personally rallied the army's rear guard to save as many men as possible from an ambush, and in the process had two horses shot out from under him and ended up with bullet holes in his hat and coat (all while fighting continuously), you would probably find that a bit implausible, but it actually happened that way. Washington's daring actions during that battle were one of the reasons he was appointed commander of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War, that and there weren't many other colonials with as much experience of military command as Washington. In that vein, the battle scenes were the best part of the movie. They captured the brutality and messiness of 18th Century warfare without being especially graphic. Anyway, I'm glad this is getting a sequel. Maybe we'll end up with a Young Washington Cinematic Universe. Overall grade: B+ Next up is Meet the Parents, which came out in 2000, and this is probably one of the apex forms of cringe comedy. Ben Stiller plays Greg Focker, a nurse who's in love with schoolteacher Pam Burns. Greg wants to marry Pam, but overhears a phone call with her sister where she says her fiancé asked permission of her traditional father first. Greg decides that he's going to ask Pam's father's permission first to get off on the right foot, and so accompanies Pam to her sister's wedding and her parents' house to, as the title says, Meet the Parents. However, Pam's father is the former CIA counterintelligence officer Jack, and he and Greg immediately get on each other's nerves. To make things worse, the airline has lost Greg's luggage. From these two starting premises follow a cascading series of hilarious disasters that accumulate in a septic tank fire on the lawn. I'm not sure, but I think I saw this one in the theaters when it came out in 2000, and I thought it was funny then. With 26 years of additional life experience under the belt, I still think it's pretty funny, though you could still tell that this movie was filmed before 9/11 because if Greg had his airport meltdown seen today, the consequences would've been much worse. Overall grade: B+ Next up is O Brother Where Art Thou, which came out in 2000. This is a very, very, very specific adaptation of The Odyssey directed by the Coen brothers. George Clooney plays Everett, a convict who escapes from a chain gang in Mississippi during the Great Depression. He wants to find a treasure and he recruits fellow convicts Delmar and Peter to assist him. Along the way, Everett and his team encountered 1930s era versions of the Sirens, the cyclops, the blind prophet Tiresias, and other characters and foes from the original Odyssey myth. Everett and his friends end up running a scam where they pretend to be a Christian music group, but as it turns out, they're actually pretty good at singing, so this leads to unexpected hilarity and opportunities. This was also a very funny movie. Imagine The Odyssey is a comedy with a lot of singing set in the Deep South during the Depression, and you're there. If you're a fan of bluegrass music, this is worth watching. If you've seen Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, it's worth watching this just to ponder how the same source material can produce such wildly divergent interpretations. If you don't care about The Odyssey, then this is still a fun movie to watch. Proof: I mentioned to someone that I had seen this and she responded that she both loved the movie and was surprised to learn that he had in fact been inspired by The Odyssey. Overall grade: A- Next up is Hoppers, which came out in 2026. Like most Pixar movies, this was very high concept. Unlike many recent Pixar movies, it wasn't too depressing and didn't disappear up its own tailpipe. In the city of Beaverton, hot tempered girl Mabel bonds with her grandmother in their favorite place, a woodland grove favored by beavers. Years later, Mabel is a biology student under Dr. Fairfax, but is neglecting her studies to face off against her nemesis, the popular yet sketchy Mayor Jerry of Beaverton. Mayor Jerry wants to build an expressway that will wipe out the woodland grove, and he's perfectly within his rights to do it since no animals have been found living there. Since Mabel's grandmother has died, she's unwilling to give up the grove. However, Dr. Fairfax's research might give her a way. Dr. Fairfax has worked out a way to temporarily transfer human consciousness to a robotic beaver capable of speaking to real beavers, much like the plot of Avatar. In a funny scene, Fairfax angrily denies that it's just like Avatar. Mabel gets the idea to use this to convince real beavers to settle in the grove, thereby thwarting Mayor Jerry's plans. This touches off both a wacky yet poignant adventure. The plot was very well structured and it followed the proper rules of story structure, which I've talked about before. Mabel definitely is a protagonist who takes action, but experiences setbacks and problems of her own creation. It was pretty good. I say it was a return to form for Pixar after some of their weaker movies in the 2020s. Overall grade: A Now it's time for my three favorite movies of summer 2026, all of which I actually saw in the theater. First up is Coyote versus Acme, which came out in 2026. This movie had an extra surge of popularity from the fact that Warner Brothers canceled it as a tax write-off, but distributor Ketchup Entertainment revived it. That makes it a plucky underdog since Warner Brothers senior executives are kind of like the apex version of soulless corporate bug men. Like if I wrote characters in my books who acted like Warner Brothers senior executives, people would think I was being didactic and heavy-handed. Anyway, after decades of failures in efforts to capture the Road Runner, Wile E. Coyote decides to sue Acme Corporation for its numerous defective products. Coyote teams up with a lazy strip mall lawyer named Kevin Avery, who specializes in getting small settlements from Acme. However, Avery and Coyote end up filing a massive lawsuit against Acme, which means they'll face the full wrath of Acme Corporation, including its ace lawyer Buddy Crane and its ruthless CEO, Foghorn Leghorn. What follows is a comedic courtroom battle as Coyote and Avery try to defeat Acme Corporation, defeat its sinister plans, and Coyote starts to realize that Road Runner might actually be his best friend. Both quite amusing and touching, and I'm glad this was rescued from the tax write-off vault. Overall grade: A Next up is The Odyssey, which came out in 2026. This wasn't quite as good as Oppenheimer in 2023 in my opinion, but it was still very good and very much worth seeing. It was weird that The Odyssey was briefly a football in the never-ending US culture war scrum because the movie isn't really political and doesn't really have a message beyond "war is destructive and bad", which every sensible person would agree with, and a lesser message of "violating the law of morality has unforeseen cascading bad consequences, including the destruction of civilization", which is also quite true and was one of the themes of Oppenheimer. Nolan himself dismissed the controversies as "irrelevant" and "part of the territory" since no one had actually seen the movie yet, and given that The Odyssey has made a billion and a half dollars as of this recording, I think that may have proved his point. I imagine the scrutiny from Batman fans back in the 2010s was way more intense since in the modern era, many people care more deeply about the accuracy of Batman than The Odyssey. I do think the debate over the historical accuracy in The Odyssey is pointless because the Odyssey is myth, not history. The Iliad and The Odyssey are a lot like Arthurian myth in terms of their actual historicity. Even when Arthurian legend was massively popular with English kings and nobles in the late medieval and early modern period (for example, Henry VIII's older brother was named Arthur in imitation of King Arthur), the version of Arthurian myth they celebrated and wished to emulate had virtually no connection to the reality of Britain in the 500s AD and was instead a sort of fantasy version of their own time in the 14th and 15th centuries. By the time The Odyssey was written down, no doubt a similar process was underway. Both The Iliad and The Odyssey and the Arthurian cycle probably have a kernel of historical truth buried underneath the tales of magic swords, sirens, cyclopses, and vengeful witches with magic islands. There likely was a Romano-British warlord who might have been named Arthur (or possibly Ambrosius Aurelianus) who held off the Saxons for a while before he was overwhelmed and killed. Likewise, Heinrich Schliemann was a highly eccentric and very sketchy crazy rich guy, but he did prove that there really was some version of the city of Troy that was destroyed at the end of the Bronze Age. But everything beyond those basic details came from thousands of years of embellishments and flourishes from later poets and writers. So arguing about the historical accuracy of The Odyssey is a bit like arguing if Star Wars portrays faster than light travel in an accurate way. That kind of argument is just missing the point entirely. It's also interesting to see how modern standards clashed with the ancient mindset. You know how I always say that everywhere in the United States is exactly the same right until it really, really isn't? I think ancient people are just like us until they really, really weren't. Like ancient people would have been superstitious to an extent that even the most credulous crystal and aura influencer on TikTok would find horrifying and frequently violent in a way that the most strident self-defense advocate would find shocking. The Odyssey's version of Odysseus feels guilt and remorse over his actions in a way an actual ancient Greek probably wouldn't have, but so what? This is The Odyssey viewed through the lens of the 21st century, just as those English nobles viewed the myth of King Arthur and his knights through the lens of their time. As I mentioned with Troy above, the ancient Greeks were often quite brutal and would celebrate sacking an enemy city. One side note before we get to the movie, I probably found it funnier than I should have how Nolan favorably cited classicist Emily Wilson's translation of The Odyssey as a source, and Wilson then had an extended and unintentionally comedic multi-article crashout about how much she hated the movie and of course how much she hated the commemorative Trojan Horse popcorn bucket. Apparently Wilson hated the movie so much she's going to do a new translation of The Odyssey, much to her publisher's baffled dismay. No one does offended huffy petulance quite like an academic. Anyway, back to the movie. It follows the familiar story of Odysseus through Christopher Nolan's preference for non-linear storytelling and practical effects. I did think it was interesting how in this interpretation, Odysseus explicitly connected the ruse of the Trojan Horse with the collapse of the Bronze Age and the rise of the Sea Peoples. It's also probably the most supernatural film Nolan has ever done with actual fantasy and supernatural elements as opposed to science fiction like Inception, Tenant, and Interstellar. Odysseus talks to Athena throughout the movie and it's left up to the viewer's interpretation whether or not he's actually talking to Athena or his own guilt-ridden hallucinations. That said, Odysseus encounters a witch with actual magic powers and travels to the underworld to speak with the shades of the dead, so it's entirely possible he's talking to the actual Athena. In this version, as I mentioned, Odysseus is guilt-ridden over the ruse of the Trojan Horse, which is shown as a violation of the sacred hospitality of Zeus's law and as great a crime as the creation of the atomic bomb in Oppenheimer, which of course is similar to Oppenheimer, where Oppenheimer's creation of the atomic bomb is treated similarly. There are also some genuinely scary sequences in the movie. The bit with the underworld is very spooky, the cyclops is actually quite frightening, and the character of Circe reaches the level of scary previously attained by Heath Ledger's version of The Joker in The Dark Knight. If Nolan ever decides he wants to do a horror movie, it will probably be one of the scariest ones ever made. To sum up, The Odyssey has great performances, great spectacle, great cinematography, and great action sequences. As an interesting interpretation of the original myth, definitely worth seeing. I think you can tell it was a great movie because of all the arguments on the Internet about "what does it really mean?" Great art often has that effect. Overall grade: A The final of my three favorite movies of [Summer] 2026 is Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which came out in 2026. There's a rumor, and I don't know if it's true or not, that Tom Holland found the experience of working with Christopher Nolan on The Odyssey so eye-opening that he insisted that if they made another Spider-Man movie, it had to have a reason for existing other than "make a lot of money". If this story is true, it clearly worked. Previously, I though the two best Spider-Man movies were Spider-Man 2 from 2004 and Spider-Man: No Way Home from 2021. I must now amend that opinion to say that there are three best Spider-Man movies and Spider-Man: Brand New Day is one of the three. It is pretty good. I would've trimmed it here and there, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and is an excellent Spider-Man story that totally captures the essence of the character within a good story. It takes place four years after the events of No Way Home erased everyone's memory that Peter Parker was Spider-Man. Peter has now been crime fighting full time, but it is taking a severe toll on his emotions and personal life that he's deliberately ignoring. Meanwhile, Spider-Man has become the beloved crime fighter of New York, trusted by both the NYPD and the Federal Department of Damage Control, which is a reoccurring frenemy for superheroes from other movies. When someone launches an attack on the headquarters of Damage Control, the director recruits Peter to fight their new enemy, a mysterious figure who uses telepathy to possess people from a distance. Peter is the only one who can sense it thanks to his spider sense, and he's also the only one able to resist the telepath's possession abilities. But despite his resistance to possession, fighting a telepath is a dangerous proposition for someone with as many emotional issues as Peter, and things start to spiral out of control when the telepath starts digging into his life. But there's another lesson Peter has to learn. People (and especially superheroes) who take the federal government at its word tend to regret it. For that matter, ignoring his emotional issues is causing Peter's spider powers to start acting in strange ways. But of course, at the end of the day, Spider-Man always follows his conscience, no matter how high the cost to him personally. Definitely an enjoyable movie. All the scenes with Spider-Man and Punisher were great, and the two of them had a great dynamic together. A few other Marvel Cinematic Universe people show up, but this is probably one of the most standalone movies the MCU has done in a while. Of course, the risk of MCU Continuity Lockout is always there (which is one of the reasons I started writing Half-Eleven Thief in 2023). Overall grade: A So I would say it was a pretty good summer for movies. It's also valuable lessons in not taking the Internet too seriously, which too many people do nowadays. There are all these dedicated analyses on X, Threads, and Reddit in June and May explaining why The Odyssey was going to fail for whatever reason, and instead it made $1.5 billion. So I think that's a good lesson in not taking everything you read on the internet a little too seriously. So that's it for this week. Thanks for listening to The Pulp Writer Show. I hope you found the show enjoyable. A reminder that you can listen to all the back episodes at https://thepulpwritershow.com. If you enjoyed the podcast, please leave a review on your podcasting platform of choice. Stay safe and stay healthy, and we'll see you all next week.
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Episode 715: We're all in our 40's now! Brett sees too many big thighs. Andrew's three jokes. Are dolphins living in poop and the 5th dimension? Naming African countries. Local flavor in the airport lounge. Puke's wheel choice is vindicated! Brett builds furniture in the streets. Andrew get's video proof that he was wrong at autocross. "The Lobster", "Interstellar", and the best sequels according to Andrew.
It's been a month since our last pod...oops. But we are back with one of the most beloved Christopher Nolan films, Interstellar. Despite being divisive at the time, this film has become one of the most popular of his films, especially among Gen Z. Come back next episode as we discuss Nolan follow up, Dunkirk!
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Synthesized Radio Episode 094This week's episode features new music from Charles D, Bart Skils, Weska, Victor Ruiz, Alex Stein, Sam WOLFE, Meduza, Kevin de Vries and more.Stay tuned this month for an announcement on my next release, coming soon on Insomniac's Interstellar and featured on this month's show.Tracklist:1. Meduza, Kevin De Vries - 7 Days [Tomorrowland Music]2. Argy, SOLANCE - Window Shake [Neworld]3. Rafael Cerato, Charles D - Right Now [Drumcode]4. Adam Beyer x DJ Jock - Let Loose [Drumcode]5. Charles D - I Can6. Soul Central – Strings Of Life Un Amore Supremo (Bart Skils & Weska Remix) [Drumcode]7. 1200 Micrograms - Mescaline (Victor Ruiz & Alex Stein Remix) [Volta Records]8. Charles D x SOLANCE - Outer Space 9. Charles D x TMPR X Sander Kleinenberg - Make It Rain [Armada]10. Adam Beyer, Charles D - Rave. Repeat.11. Sam WOLFE - Control Delete12. UMEK - Vibrancy (Kosmo Remix) [1605]13. Charles D - Dream Seek 00114. Plastic Boy - Silver Bath (Charles D Remix)
Genuine Chit-Chat is back with a new quarterly show that will be airing in 2027 – a book club featuring Mike, Tony (A.R.) Farina and “Superdummy” Paul McGuigan! Initially recorded in 2025, this episode is the “pilot” where our trio review a book originally written in 1841 by Hugh Harkin, but was found in the 90s and printed by the Ballinascreen Historical Society as The Life & Adventures Of Hudy McGuigan! Paul is related to the titular character, hence their discovery of the book. The book is written in a unique way, with plenty of phonetic language and tall-tales, many of are considered truth from the time, about the mythical Hudy McGuigan and his life in Ireland, including the unusual situations he found himself in due to his mischievous ways - this is not a conventional book, so it makes the perfect pilot book to review! Paul & Mike discussed this book before reading on episode 266 of GCC, listen here: https://pod.fo/e/2c7535 The next book our trio will be reviewing is Tony's pick; J. D. Salinger's Catcher In The Rye from 1951, so make sure you subscribe to hear that in 2027, then either Paul or Mike will choose the next book. The fourth book will be chosen by you – the audience! So have a think and later in 2027, we'll put the call out to ask what to read and review! Join Mike's Patreon at the free tier for monthly bonus episodes, or support for £1 a month for weekly episodes! Head there now for access to the massive catalogue; www.patreon.com/GenuineChitChat You can also support with a one-off payment at Ko-Fi and Mike will be sure to send you bonus content as a thank you: https://ko-fi.com/GenuineChitChat If in the UK, find the book for purchase here: https://ballinascreenhistoricalsociety.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=59&product_id=83&limit=15 To read the contents of the book for free, go here: https://www.kintree.net/hudy/index.php Find information on Tony's books, podcasts and other information here: https://www.arfarina.com Find all of Mike's social media & other links at https://linktr.ee/GenuineChitChat Paul has been narrating Virgil Henry's Divine Comedy audiobooks, starting with Academic Inferno: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0F2585CT6?notRedirectToSDP=1&ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_taud_thcv&storeType=ebooks Guest Spots: Look out for Mike & Tony on Tonya Todd's Banned Books Conversations 2026, found on the feeds of Femme On and Comics In Motion! Tony was recently on Three Song Stories, found here: https://pod.fo/e/584eb8 Mike appeared on Back To The Filmography twice in 2026 to talk Matthew McConaughey! The first was about Interstellar, including behind-the-scenes details, and more: https://pod.fo/e/3b9a62 The second was about the lesser-known Beach Bum here: https://pod.fo/e/4c41a0 Mike was also on Spider-Dan's pod, talking about the Special Edition of James Cameron's The Abyss, detailing the making-of, behind-the-scenes drama and more: https://pod.fo/e/401e58 Earlier in the year, Mike & Spider-Dan reviewed 13 movies, and carried out 6 interviews, at Forbidden Worlds Film Festival 2026, find on the feeds of GCC & SD, first episode was Ladyhawke here: https://pod.fo/e/40954b Don't forget to review & share this episode wherever you can!
I joined Peter McCormack to dig into one of the deepest unanswered questions in physics: what is time, and why does it only seem to move in one direction? My answer might surprise you. Time may not be a fundamental feature of reality at all, and understanding space, matter, and energy still doesn't mean we understand the universe itself. We cover: - What may have existed before the Big Bang - Why something can't truly come from nothing - How my work with the Simons Observatory could detect gravitational waves from the universe's earliest moments - What dark matter actually means - Why even a film as detail-obsessed as Interstellar still gets the physics wrong. The conversation then turns from cosmic time to human time: mortality, family, meaning, and attention. We get into UFO disclosure, the collapse of institutional trust, and whether AI can ever reproduce the embodied human insight that let Einstein transform physics. My take: AI remains a tool built to serve humanity, and it's time we stop apologizing for humanity's greatness. ———