Bleeding Fool |
- What Kind of Comic Values Increased During the Pandemic?
- iPhones are Now Scanning All Your Messages & Photos… “For the Children”
- Same Day Streaming Releases Made Movie Piracy Explode
- ‘Diversity Day’ Episode of ‘The Office’ Removed at Comedy Central
- Is the GI Joe Franchise Dead? What Could this Mean for Star Trek?
- Sly Stallone Says ‘Rocky IV’ Director’s Cut is Finally Complete
| What Kind of Comic Values Increased During the Pandemic? Posted: 29 Aug 2021 07:15 AM PDT
CBS channel KFVS-12 in Cape Girardeau, MO has a report on Free Comic Book Day, of the kind of comics allegedly seeing increases during the continued Covid19 pandemic. First, there’s what’s presumably the better choice, the comic that jump-started the Silver Age:
Certainly, going for a lot of the older stuff is wiser than pursuing the newer stuff since the turn of the century. But how does it substitute for actually reading what they’re buying? If all they’re purchasing the early gems for is speculator investments, then it only reinforces my opinion all this collecting is amounting to little more than a blatant disgrace and a blight upon the medium.
And there’s also people who’re buying according to certain political trends:
I doubt this Batbook retconning Tim Drake will see much value in years to come. If previous Marvel/DC stories with politicized themes are so reviled, like the heavy handed Captain America volumes written during Axel Alonso’s regime, then there’s not much chance the Robin retcon will fare any better. Yet this news does say quite a bit about the sad situation the Big 2 have influenced, one where people are now buying all sorts of comics based on ideological themes alone. Author Sean Howe, noted for his Marvel biography from a decade ago, once made clear that buying a comic because of LGBT themes is an awfully dumb reason for doing so. And he’s right.
The real reason some ideologues may be buying these items for the speculator market may based far more on said ideologies than because they believe the finished product has artistic merit, and also because they find the notion of corrupting all that made the creations work in the first place so appealing. And that’s surely the saddest thing about the fuss you see such ideologues make on social media sites today. It’s not that they ever cared about entertainment value. They solely care about destroying everyone’s favorite literature and other products to suit their degrading belief systems.
There’s only so many mainstream comics produced today that won’t see much value on the speculator market, which suffered from such mania in the mid-90s. One of the reasons I firmly believe the time’s come to retire the monthly pamphlet format, because that’s how the medium’s being exploited for tasteless ideology. The post What Kind of Comic Values Increased During the Pandemic? appeared first on Bleeding Fool.  |
| iPhones are Now Scanning All Your Messages & Photos… “For the Children” Posted: 29 Aug 2021 05:25 AM PDT
Apple released several new features this month under the guise of expanding its protections for young people, at least two of which substantially undermine the company’s longstanding dedication to user privacy. One of the initiatives involves scanning images sent to and from child accounts in Messages, which goes against Apple’s pledge to provide end-to-end encryption in communications. And when such commitments are breached, it opens the door to new damages; this is what makes encryption breaking so insidious.
Edward Snowden, the former Intelligence Community officer and whistleblower, has a unique perspective on what Apple is doing. Snowden released documents that provided a public window into the NSA and its international intelligence partners' secret mass surveillance programs and capabilities. These revelations generated unprecedented attention around the world on privacy intrusions and digital security, leading to a global debate on the issue.
Snowden had the following to say about the new Apple features:
By now you’ve probably heard that Apple plans to push a new and uniquely intrusive surveillance system out to many of the more than one billion iPhones it has sold, which all run the behemoth’s proprietary, take-it-or-leave-it software. This new offensive is tentatively slated to begin with the launch of iOS 15—almost certainly in mid-September—with the devices of its US user-base designated as the initial targets. We're told that other countries will be spared, but not for long. You might have noticed that I haven't mentioned which problem it is that Apple is purporting to solve. Why? Because it doesn't matter. Having read thousands upon thousands of remarks on this growing scandal, it has become clear to me that many understand it doesn’t matter, but few if any have been willing to actually say it. Speaking candidly, if that's still allowed, that's the way it always goes when someone of institutional significance launches a campaign to defend an indefensible intrusion into our private spaces. They make a mad dash to the supposed high ground, from which they speak in low, solemn tones about their moral mission before fervently invoking the dread spectre of the Four Horsemen of the Infopocalypse, warning that only a dubious amulet—or suspicious software update—can save us from the most threatening members of our species. Suddenly, everybody with a principled objection is forced to preface their concern with apologetic throat-clearing and the establishment of bonafides: I lost a friend when the towers came down, however… As a parent, I understand this is a real problem, but…
Apple's new system, regardless of how anyone tries to justify it, will permanently redefine what belongs to you, and what belongs to them. How? The task Apple intends its new surveillance system to perform—preventing their cloud systems from being used to store digital contraband, in this case unlawful images uploaded by their customers—is traditionally performed by searching their systems. While it's still problematic for anybody to search through a billion people's private files, the fact that they can only see the files you gave them is a crucial limitation. Now, however, that's all set to change. Under the new design, your phone will now perform these searches on Apple's behalf before your photos have even reached their iCloud servers, and—yada, yada, yada—if enough “forbidden content” is discovered, law-enforcement will be notified.
Apple’s objectives are admirable: protecting children from strangers who use communication tools to lure and exploit them, as well as restricting the dissemination of child sexual abuse content. And it is evident that there are no simple solutions to child endangerment. However, scanning and flagging users messages and photos creates a major risk for privacy violations. It both exposes a security flaw in Messages and ignores the reality of where abuse occurs most frequently, how harmful communications occur, and what young people truly want to feel safe online.
Snowden continues:
One particular frustration for me is that I know some people at Apple, and I even like some people at Apple—bright, principled people who should know better. Actually, who do know better. Every security expert in the world is screaming themselves hoarse now, imploring Apple to stop, even those experts who in more normal circumstances reliably argue in favor of censorship. Even some survivors of child exploitation are against it. And yet, as the OG designer Galileo once said, it moves.
The whole thing is worth reading, and I recommend you do so. Snowden concludes by warning us that “every iPhone will search itself for whatever Apple wants, or for whatever Apple is directed to want. They are inventing a world in which every product you purchase owes its highest loyalty to someone other than its owner. To put it bluntly, this is not an innovation but a tragedy, a disaster-in-the-making.”
Will that be Android or Blackberry? The post iPhones are Now Scanning All Your Messages & Photos… “For the Children” appeared first on Bleeding Fool.  |
| Same Day Streaming Releases Made Movie Piracy Explode Posted: 28 Aug 2021 04:45 PM PDT
The days of bringing a camcorder into the movie theater to bootleg new films are long gone. With the tremendous transformation in how modern movies are distributed to consumers, there’s also been a massive advancement in movie bootlegging a.k.a. piracy. And now, with studios focusing more on streaming rather than theaters, there’s been an increase in high-quality, pirated online versions of new movies, according to the Wall Street Journal.
In fact, the majority of new films may currently be accessed on piracy websites such as The Pirate Bay and LimeTorrents, or watched online on sites like Putlocker.
According to the WSJ, “Black Widow” was the most pirated movie in the world for three weeks after its release. And according to their research, many of the year’s biggest films went from official release to downloaded bootleg “nearly immediately.” After “Black Widow’s” disappointing opening weekend performance in theaters, despite excellent Thursday night advance screenings, theater owners and studios suspected that piracy had a part.
Scarlett Johansson and her team even ended up suing Disney+ over concerns about releasing “Black Widow” on its streaming service while movie was still in cinemas. The action was filed after Johansson’s pay discussions fell through when she expressed worries about piracy. And the National Association of Theatre Owners said in a follow up statement after the release: "How much money did everyone lose to simultaneous release piracy?" Related: Theater Owners Furious with Disney as 'Black Widow' CollapsesThe availability of high-quality pirated versions of movies has been aided by the digital delivery of films via streaming rather than only in cinemas. While studios have done a good job of using streaming to supplement theatrical releases during the epidemic, the continuous growth of piracy is posing a rising danger to studios and streaming providers.
When the Wall Street Journal checked in on a random Tuesday in August of this year, they discovered that 12 of the top 20 most pirated videos on The Pirate Bay had opened on studio streaming services rather than exclusively in cinemas. "We started to see a significant rise when lockdowns started," said Andy Chatterley of piracy tracker Muso. "The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It", one of 2021’s major releases, grossed $201.4 million in theaters but was also, according to Muso, the most pirated movie in the world in June.
It reportedly topped 9.2 million illegal streams.
Illegal streams have also put a damper on new sign-ups for the streaming services: When Disney released "Jungle Cruise," starring Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt, on Disney+, a community of tens of thousands of people were both "seeding"—meaning sharing an illegal copy—and "leeching"—downloading the film free—within less than a day of its release, according to piracy tracking sites. Disney, which charged Disney+ users an extra $30 to watch the movie on the platform, said it grossed $30 million from subscribers on the film's opening weekend.
According to the Wall Street Journal, IMAX and other theater chains are making deals with the studios to mitigate the impact of piracy.
Rich Gelfond, chief executive of theater chain IMAX Corp. , says an increase in pirating and declining revenues could have a lasting impact on Hollywood. "It will limit how great content is made and distributed," he said. While it isn't known exactly how much piracy has shaped studios' decisions, some are revisiting online release strategies crafted in the past year. Earlier this month, AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc., AMC 1.31% the nation's biggest theater chain, said it had struck a deal with Warner Bros. for next year, guaranteeing the studio's films would enjoy 45 days of theatrical exclusivity before moving online. The agreement backtracked on an existing simultaneous-release strategy. Disney has said it would continue to release films both online and in theaters, deciding the details on a film-by-film basis. Its next Marvel film, "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings" will be in theaters only.
Related: Could Piracy Save Cinemas and Slow Hollywood's Streaming Growth?
When will these studios learn that if they stop making it so easy to get a pristine digital copy online, then consumers will eventually pay for the content? The post Same Day Streaming Releases Made Movie Piracy Explode appeared first on Bleeding Fool.  |
| ‘Diversity Day’ Episode of ‘The Office’ Removed at Comedy Central Posted: 28 Aug 2021 02:30 PM PDT The hit comedy series The Office's "Diversity Day" episode was recently omitted from a Sunday marathon screening of the long-running mockumentary series Comedy Central. The episode, which satirized contemporary corporate "diversity and inclusion" initiatives, appears to be the latest casualty of an increasingly censorious #woke society. The censorship was noted by Barstool Sports at the time.
“…instead of just slapping up a trigger warning for an episode of “The Office”, Comedy Central quietly omitted it from the rotation thus sending OCD-riddled completists into delirium and prompting me blog about it, drawing even more attention to this, dare I say, canceling of a modern day icon. Fret not as this doesn’t mean that you can only watch ‘Diversity Day’ on some shady site that gives your PC cybercrabs; you just need to pony up to enjoy it on Peacock or buy it for $3 from any number of streaming outlets. It also means that Comedy Central doesn’t get the first part of its name.”
The episode features the series’ principal character, Michael Scott (played by Steve Carell), impersonating a Chris Rock comic piece regarding black people’s attitudes of other black people. He later does a parody of an Indian accent. "Diversity Day" is possibly one of the series’ most exceptional episodes, using Carrell’s character to make casual stereotypes and bigotry look ugly. The audience applauds Kelly when she eventually decks him.
Steve Carell hinted in 2018 that the production of The Office at the time would “be impossible” owing to today’s political considerations.
“It might be impossible to do that show today and have people accept it the way it was accepted ten years ago. The climate's different. I mean, the whole idea of that character, Michael Scott, so much of it was predicated on inappropriate behavior. I mean, he's certainly not a model boss. A lot of what is depicted on that show is completely wrong-minded. That's the point, you know? But I just don't know how that would fly now. There's a very high awareness of offensive things today—which is good, for sure. But at the same time, when you take a character like that too literally, it doesn't really work.”
As Carrell puts it, the point is “wrong-mindedness.” Is the risk of offending individuals greater than the reward of making a point about racism’s wrongness? Jokes based on mocking intolerance aren’t usually accurate. Comedy is a highly personal experience. However, it is intended to be offensive. It must be offensive.
Comedy Central did not comment on why they decided to pull the episode when the Federalist or Barstool Sports made inquiries. Maybe we should call them Cowardly Central from now on?
Thankfully are still a few remaining other places where we can still watch the episode. The post 'Diversity Day' Episode of 'The Office' Removed at Comedy Central appeared first on Bleeding Fool.  |
| Is the GI Joe Franchise Dead? What Could this Mean for Star Trek? Posted: 28 Aug 2021 12:15 PM PDT
It’s been a few weeks since the 3rd GI Joe-related movie, Snake Eyes, tanked at the box office, but here’s a Forbes article discussing the failure, and what it means for further Star Trek movies in consideration by Paramount, along with any plans for more superhero movies:
Which reminds me again that since the 2013 Man of Steel movie, no solo film for Superman was made, and now, if there is going to be one, it turns out the unbearable Ta-Nehisi Coates is developing the screenplay, leading to worries it’ll embody all the worst PC traits you could think of.
One could assess from the above that famous franchises that came under corporate control became less special as they were subject to double the commercialization, and double the dumbing-down. I vaguely remember the first GI Joe movie’s biggest insult was that the Pit base was set in Egypt (and one character even wore an Islamic keffiyeh!). And this was after false rumors were spread that it would be set in Brussels. Nor did it help that the film was released without press screenings.
And now, who knew, the failure of this particular movie is bound to affect other franchises by extension, if only because they’re already faltering as it is, not the least being Star Trek, which has suffered from PC just as much over the past decade (IIRC, the J.J. Abrams reboot made Capt. Kirk otherwise unsuccessful with women). The UK Independent reported 2 years ago that a 4th installment was canceled, and this news isn’t brightening the horizon for more. So, could this additionally suggest a 3rd Wonder Woman movie might not be in the cards?
Since we’re on the subject, this also reminded me of a review I found from critic Dennis Schwartz that I thought would be best to take issue with, even if the negativity is justified:
Look, it may be dreadful, but I don’t think “bloodless” should be a reason why. And that’s because surrealism itself isn’t a bad thing. It’s just a matter of how entertaining the finished product is that matters. Judging from the audience reception as much as the critics, it clearly failed in that regard. I wish some critics wouldn’t make it sound like bloodletting is such a big deal, because that’s only dumbing down entertainment ever more. If the A-Team had been like that back in the 80s, it wouldn’t have flown well.
I will say that, if there’s anything going for the Snake Eyes film, it would have to be the outfit design worn by Samara Weaving as Scarlett. That’s actually rather good. But again, if the box office receipts say anything, it’d have to be about the best thing you could say about a botch job where Snake Eyes doesn’t wear a mask for much of the movie, just so everybody can see he’s played by a guy of Asian background, in what was a deliberate example of casting for PC’s sake (which Forbes didn’t dwell on, sadly, as could only be expected from such a mainstream news site). It’s a terrible shame that once again, a franchise like GI Joe’s been done a disfavor by PC advocates, much as was done to the 2 earlier films, resulting in a movie tentpole project that never really got off the ground.
Originally published here. The post Is the GI Joe Franchise Dead? What Could this Mean for Star Trek? appeared first on Bleeding Fool.  |
| Sly Stallone Says ‘Rocky IV’ Director’s Cut is Finally Complete Posted: 28 Aug 2021 10:13 AM PDT
Last year, while in lockdowns, Sylvester Stallone announced that he was working on a new edit of his 1985 hit film, Rocky IV, which he describes as the definitive directors cut of the film. Since that announcement, Stallone has been constantly keeping fans updated on his progress on the project, and with the film’s November release date approaching, his most recent update contained not only a bit about the film but also a very rare photo of himself and co-star Dolph Lundgren. Rocky IV, written, directed, and starring Stallone as the title character for the fourth time, was released in 1985. And while it still reigns supreme as the most profitable of the Rocky franchise and was arguably well received by many fans, the sequel generally panned by critics, perhaps leading to Stallone’s wish to recut the film.
Rocky IV, written and directed by Sylvester Stallone, was released in theaters in 1985. It follows the narrative of boxing legend Rocky Balboa, with Stallone reprising his role as the title character. Dolph Lundgren also appears as Ivan Drago, a formidable Russian fighter against whom Rocky competes. In addition to Stallone and Lundgren, the film stars Carl Weathers, Talia Shire, Burt Young, and Brigitte Nielsen. The events of the film were addressed in the sequel Creed II, which followed Apollo Creed’s son, Donny, as he feuds with Drago’s son, Viktor.
Rocky fights Ivan Drago (Lundgren) in the film after Drago fights and kills Rocky’s best buddy and previous opponent Apollo Creed. Rocky faces Drago in the Soviet Union to avenge Creed’s death while also defending his country’s pride. The new version of the film will be named Rocky Vs Drago: The Ultimate Director’s Cut, and it will be accompanied by a full-length documentary called Keep Punching: The Present Meets The Past, which will explain a behind-the-scenes look at how the Director’s Cut was made. Stallone was previously quoted on documentary film as saying, “If you can go back to recut your film, I guarantee you you would approach it with a sensitivity and a wisdom, and a confidence, ‘oh, why didn’t I see that before?’ All of us are entitled to follow our dreams, to stick to our beliefs, because in the end that’s all you have and if you keep believing in that eventually your dreams will come true.”
This could be the final time we see fresh footage of Stallone as Balboa, as the actor has stated that he will not be reprising his role as the “Italian Stallion” in Creed III after appearing in the first two films. Nonetheless, Stallone has expressed a desire to create a prequel series featuring young Rocky in the years preceding the first film.
The director’s cut will include previously unseen footage, such as a new fight scene between Rocky Balboa (Stallone) and Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren). Another significant difference is that Paulie’s pet robot Sico will not appear in the film since Stallone did not believe the moment matched with what he had in mind for the sequel. The machine had all his scenes cut from the film. I sure hope they didn’t cut James Brown’s musical scene.
Rocky Vs Drago: The Ultimate Director’s Cut will be released on November 11. The post Sly Stallone Says ‘Rocky IV’ Director’s Cut is Finally Complete appeared first on Bleeding Fool.  |
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