Saturday, October 4, 2025

 
Home Blog Page 283

Continuity breeds plenty of confidence for Rams special teams unit

LATimes
-
0
Continuity breeds plenty of confidence for Rams special teams unit

Joshua Karty, Ethan Evans and Alex Ward still have a long way to go.

But the Rams’ kicker, punter/holder and long-snapper, respectively, have shown signs that they could have the collective staying power of former Rams stalwarts Greg Zuerlein, Johnny Hekker and Jake McQuaide.

From 2012 to 2019, Zuerlein kicked, Hekker punted (and occasionally passed) and McQuaide snapped for the Rams under former special teams coordinator John Fassel.

The current specialists can envision a similarly lengthy future together.

“We all work really well with each other,” said Evans, a third-year pro. “We all know exactly what each other’s do’s and don’ts are, what makes each other better.

“So I feel like we all complement each other really well — and I think we could do that for a long time.”

Karty, a 2024 sixth-round draft pick from Stanford, experienced and learned from the highs and lows after making 29 of 34 field-goal attempts and 32 of 36 extra-point attempts during the regular season.

Karty kicked a winning field goal against the San Francisco 49ers, navigated a stretch of misses and inconsistency and then finished by making 17 consecutive attempts during the last five regular-season games and two playoff games.

It was something of “a roller coaster,” said Karty, who aims to pick up where he left off last season.

Karty impressed coach Sean McVay with his ability to bounce back.

“I’m just super impressed with his mental resolve,” McVay said. “I think there was some instances last year where you could just see he just got better and better as the year progressed.

“He’s got a consistent process that he commits to. I don’t think you can take for granted the rapport between him, Ethan and Alex. That’s a big deal as those guys are continuing to grow together.”

Special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn said Karty has a “comfortability” from experience and working with Ward and Evans.

“The confidence that’s built in the offseason together and training camp together,” Blackburn said. “Going through it and having those, knowing that he has the confidence and the complete trust of all his teammates too.”

Evans, a third-year pro, last season averaged 41.5 net yards per punt. He placed 30 of 55 kicks inside the 20-yard line.

Evans said he has a refined daily routine and is not overthinking.

“I used to think, ‘Oh, my drop had to be perfect. My steps have to be this … I have to put the ball there, there, there.’

“Now, it’s just like, wherever Chase tells me to punt it, just punt it. Don’t think about anything. Just go and do it.”

Receiver Xavier Smith held off a challenge from veteran free agent Britain Covey during training camp to retain his role as a punt returner.

Receiver Jordan Whittington, running back Blake Corum and Smith could once again handle kickoff returns.

Undrafted rookie linebacker Shaun Dolac and veteran linebacker Troy Reeder are among other players expected to make an impact on special teams.



This story originally appeared on LA Times

Michael Jordan Attends UNC Game Alongside NFL Legend Lawrence Taylor

CelebrityInsider
-
0
Michael Jordan Attends UNC Game Alongside NFL Legend Lawrence Taylor


Instagram/@michael_jordann_

The NFL Hall of Fame has the basketball legend Michael Jordan and Lawrence Taylor, who have different sports but athletic excellence in common. The University of North Carolina basketball game for the Tar heels, where both icons for different sports were attending, created a buzz on social media. Sports enthusiasts will always remember them marveling at the unforgettable Tar Heels moment.

Advertisement

Jordan is an iconic basketball athlete, while Taylor is an NFL defensive legend. Their combined visit incited reactions from social media, as Taylor, an NFL legend, is from a different era. Jordan, an iconic basketball athlete, had collegiate stints playing basketball for UNC. People admired their visit as it brought in phenomenal celebrities from different sports and eras.

The Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill, where the Tar Heels play, contained guests to watch the game. Video footage showed the two legends in a luxury box at the same time. People who went to the event witnessed first-hand the presence of the athletes, which was a great feeling, and they uplifted the venue’s atmosphere.

Social media comments varied between subtle appreciation and joking around. A particular Twitter user praised Jordan’s impact on culture and asked, “How would it feel to be the coolest guy to walk in any room?” This represents and encapsulates the admiration Jordan still receives after many years of his retirement from professional basketball.

Besides taking Jordan and Taylor to events, people brought up sports related issues like, “athletic legacies” and “comparisons between eras of sports greatness.” The presence of both athletes brought comments like “GOATS are always relevant!” and “2nd best ever. Respect,” which were about the debates around Jordan’s influence to the game.

Unfortunately, the most shocking comments strayed away from sports as a whole. The worst comment registrated was “Lawrence Taylor is a rapist. Let’s all be clear,” which, in vague terms, was a violent marker of their opinions about Lawrence Taylor’s numerous legal issues and, to some, criminally unfair legacy of being mostly only remembered for his on-field dominance.

Different witty comments emerged, defining the humorous aspect of fan interactions. An inside joke was made on “smoking cigs”, where one user reminisced on “Niggas smoking Cigs in the suite @ the game lol it’s Lit in Chapelle Hill,” which another user then made fun of by mocking Jordan’s choice of “the Carolina blue Fidel Castro hat is crazy.”

Jordan’s and LeBron’s basketball careers also opened the window to compare these two with other basketball great players, especially leading to the Jordan and LeBron debates, and in this light an attendee made the joke, “LeBron must’ve retired if Jordan is appearing,” while others engaged in more detailed arguments on their career and achievements exploded.

The appearance of these two iconic athletes further showcases the support and love athletes have for their former schools. In the case with Michael Jordan, it further shows his continued support of UNC basketball after his successful career as the highlight of the Tar Heels 1982 NCAA triumph, aided by their famed coach Dean Smith.

The event also showcased celebrity culture in relation to sporting events and the attention it generates when celebrities from different sports are present at the same event. It was exceptional for the fans as it was a first for them to see the presence of legends like Taylor, a football star, and Jordan, a basketball icon.

The presence of these public figures at the event undoubtedly served as an amazing and unforgettable moment for the players, coaches, and fans. It captured the fact that athletes who are wonderful and celebrated are still impacting the sporting world, even after retirement.

Advertisement

The combination of the two legendary athletes attending a college basketball game is not just a celebrity attendace, it serves to aid the memory of the athletes and their institutions. For UNC and other sports enthusiasts, it was a beautiful merge of the past wisdom and continuing competition. It is a special sports occasion that will remain in the minds of the people present.




This story originally appeared on Celebrityinsider

Half of PCs still run Windows 10 despite looming end of support, PC makers say

Computerworld
-
0
Half of PCs still run Windows 10 despite looming end of support, PC makers say



Windows 10 support ends in just over a month, but close to 50% of PC installations are still running the old OS, according to PC makers.

In earnings calls last week, Dell and HP executives said that the PC upgrade cycle to Windows 11 was still ongoing, and would continue through this year and 2026.

“When we look at the total conversion, we are behind what we have been in other years,” said Enrique Lores, CEO of HP, during last week’s earnings call.

The PC refreshes are happening first in enterprises. It “takes time” in the small-and-medium business segment, Lores said. “We think this process is going to be extended,” he said.

SMB customers may end up buying 12-month Windows 10 extended support packages offered by Microsoft before upgrading PCs, Lores said.

Microsoft’s Extended Security Updates (ESU) program for Windows 10 is available in one-year increments until October 2028. Businesses must pay $61 per device for the first year, $122 per device the second year, and $244 per device the third year.

“Many businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, have not switched to Windows 11 due to tight budgets or because the upgrade does not offer sufficient benefits,” said Ranjit Atwal, research director at Gartner.

Companies taking advantage of Microsoft’s extended security updates will transition to Windows 11 gradually over the next year, Atwal said.

AI PCs edge in

HP’s consumer PC shipments in the third quarter were up by 8%, while commercial PC shipments were up 3%, compared to the same quarter last year. Revenue for HP’s Personal Systems Group, which deals in PCs, was up 6% year-over-year.

AI PCs made up about 25% of the mix, which was “a full quarter ahead of target,” Lores said.

In comparison, Dell’s consumer revenue declined by 7%, but the company generated more profits on higher PC prices, said Jeff Clarke, vice chairman and chief operating officer for Dell Technologies, during the company’s earnings call last week.

“We expect moderate growth as the PC refresh continues, driven by an aging installed base and the Windows 10 end of life,” Clarke said.

There are still hundreds of millions of PCs that can’t run Windows 11, and “there’s an opportunity for Windows 10 PCs that can’t run Windows 11 to continue to be upgraded,” Clarke said.

Global PC shipments grew by 6.5% year-over-year in the third quarter of 2025, but Dell’s shipments declined by 3.2%, according to IDC. Dell ranked third behind Lenovo and HP, whose shipments went up during the quarter.

Clarke didn’t mention “AI PCs” per se during the earnings call, except for one reference to “AI-ready devices.” He talked more about opportunities presented by profitable enterprise AI servers with Nvidia GPUs.

On the flipside, AI PCs dominated HP’s earnings call, as the company sees the market as a big opportunity.

“The demand for AI PCs is going to be driven by applications, and we are seeing more… applications taking advantage of the new capabilities,” Lores said, giving examples of Zoom and Adobe making use of AI chips in PCs.

Gartner expects AI PC shipments to hit 77.8 million units this year, making up 31% of the global PC market. The research firm projects that shipments will reach 143 million units in 2026 and account for more than 50% of PC sales.

Most AI PC benefits can still be achieved on non-AI PCs. But that will change when software can take advantage of on-device AI processing, Atwal said. “This will enable more advanced, real-time features, especially for tasks involving personal or private data, leveraging AI in future PC experiences,” he said.

PC prices on the rise

HP’s Lores said there is roughly a 5% to 10% price increase on AI PCs certified as Copilot+ by Microsoft compared to units without the AI chips.

PC makers are also raising the average selling price of PCs due to tariffs placed on goods imported into the US. That means customers can expect PC prices to go up.

Baseline tariffs on PCs made in China prompted brands to move production outside China, said Jitesh Ubrani, research manager at IDC.

“There are costs associated with moving the supply chain, and these impact profitability for these companies in addition to the tariff impact, which is why prices are expected to rise,” Ubrani said.

Some tariff exemptions were made for PCs from outside of China, but the PC price rise is inevitable, Ubrani said.

HP and Dell have until now managed to offset the impact of tariffs by increasing non-tariff inventory and shifting production to countries with lower tariffs, Gartner’s Atwal said.

These strategies mitigated price increases, but these options are no longer available, according to Atwal. “As a result, both companies will need to raise prices to compensate for the remaining tariff impact,” he said.

Trade-related costs forced HP to move production out of China and to the US, Thailand, Mexico, and Vietnam. Dell is also making a one-time investment to move production sites.



This story originally appeared on Computerworld

DJI’s tiny Mic 3 can record four subjects at once

Engadget
-
0
DJI’s tiny Mic 3 can record four subjects at once


It was a quiet Labor Day weekend for tech, but the Engadget team has kept busy testing out new gear from the likes of DJI, Sony and Bose. I want to kick things off with the new flagship DJI Mic 3.

The wireless mics have a wholesale design change from the Mic 2, plus many improvements in sound quality, noise reduction and the number of subjects you can record at once — though there is one downgrade compared to the last model. I’ve had one for over a week, so I’ll share some impressions as well.

The most noticeable change with the Mic 3 is the smaller transmitter size and lighter weight. It’s just 16 grams (.58 ounces) compared to 28 grams (.99 ounces) for the Mic 2. The smaller size and rotating clip make the Mic 3 more discreet and easier to attach to any shirt or hat. However, there’s still a large DJI logo on both sides of the transmitter, so dig out your black tape.

The Mic 3 now supports up to four transmitters and eight receivers at once. That means you can record four subjects at a time to as many as eight receivers simultaneously for multi-camera shoots (if you buy the extra kits). DJI’s Mic 3 is now on sale in most territories, priced at $329 in a kit with a charging case plus two transmitters and a receiver, or $219 with a single transmitter and receiver.

— Mat Smith

Get Engadget’s newsletter delivered direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!

The news you might have missed

Our top picks for phone mics to record anything and everything.

That makes it a great time to test the DJI Mic 3’s rivals. The world of mobile-specific (or phone-friendly) microphones has expanded significantly, with many great options arriving in the last few years. We’ve tested a wide range of popular microphones with a mobile focus, so you don’t have to. Some microphones — such as the wireless lavalier kind — will be more versatile and convenient, making them useful for a variety of uses. We also have musician or field-recording picks, where we explore more exotic form factors, such as shotgun mics and mobile-friendly desktop options. Naturally, our top focus is sound quality and performance.

Continue reading.

The two companies reached an agreement.

YouTube TV warned subscribers they could lose access to Fox content, including the start of the NFL season and a key college football game between the top-ranked Texas Longhorns and the Utah Utes. The standoff was over money, of course, with YouTube TV saying Fox demanded more than rival stations with comparable offerings.

That has now been resolved with a “renewal of the full portfolio of Fox networks, including Fox News Channel, Fox Business Network, Fox Weather, Fox Sports, FS1, FS2, Fox Deportes, Big Ten Network, the Fox network and all Fox Local Stations,” Fox said in its own press release.

In the past, YouTube TV has lost access to local Fox stations that carry regional sports, though usually disputes are extended and resolved before they get that far.

Continue reading.

Waiting 10 years to be underwhelmed.

First things first: The RX1R III can capture stunning photos. However, for something Sony waited nearly a decade to update and is charging $5,100 for, it also feels like a missed opportunity. First, the RX1R III is nearly $2,000 more expensive than its predecessor. Plus, it’s missing a handful of features the company really should have included for it to hold its own against other high-end compact cameras from rivals, like Fujifilm. Come for Igor Bonifacic’s full review, stay for the pet pics.

Continue reading.



This story originally appeared on Engadget

Everything To Know About Eboni Nichols – Hollywood Life

Hollywood Life
-
0
Everything To Know About Eboni Nichols – Hollywood Life





View gallery

INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 26: Queen Latifah attends Game Four of the Western Conference First Round NBA Playoffs between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Denver Nuggets with his family at Intuit Dome on April 26, 2025 in Inglewood, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)


Queen Latifah arrives at the MTV Video Music Awards at the Prudential Center, in Newark, N.J 2019 MTV Video Music Awards - Red Carpet, Newark, USA - 26 Aug 2019


Queen Latifah and Eboni Nichols amfAR Cinema Against AIDS gala, 76th Cannes Film Festival, France - 25 May 2023

Image Credit: AFP via Getty Images

From Beauty Shop to The Equalizer, it’s no surprise that actress Queen Latifah is a household name. The brunette beauty has starred alongside some of the most successful actors including Jada Pinkett Smith, Jimmy Fallon, and more. However, when Queen Latifah isn’t busy working on the set of hit TV series and films, she is often spotted with her longtime partner, Eboni Nichols. Below is everything to know about her, their relationship, and more!

Who Is Queen Latifah’s Partner?

Queen Latifah is a major success, and so is her partner, Eboni! She is a professional choreographer, and not only is she a professional dancer, but she’s even toured alongside some of the biggest names in music including with Rihanna, Beyonce, Usher, and more, per her Emmys bio. Eboni earned her B.F.A from Chapman University in Southern California where she studied Theatre and Dance.

latifah gf
Queen Latifah & Eboni met in 2009. (DIGGZY / SplashNews.com)

In addition to touring alongside successful singers, Eboni choreographed “all five seasons” of the hit show Jane the Virgin. The talented woman also worked on the ABC comedy Fresh Off the Boat, per The US Sun. Although Eboni is primarily known for her work as a choreographer she previously spent some times as a Laker Girl for the Los Angeles Lakers of the NBA. Some of her other choreography work included setting up routines for hit movies like Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, Office Christmas Party, and Girls Trip.

Queen Latifah & Eboni’s Relationship

Queen Latifah (b. Dana Elaine Owens) met her partner of over a decade in 2009 while on the set of the hit show Dancing with the Stars. Later, the duo made their relationship official in 2013, however, they continue to remain a relatively private couple. Queen Latifah is so private that she even told The New York Times in 2008 that she would not discuss her personal life. “I don’t have a problem discussing the topic of somebody being gay, but I do have a problem discussing my personal life,” she told the outlet. “You don’t get that part of me. Sorry. We’re not discussing it in our meetings, I don’t feel like I need to share my personal life, and I don’t care if people think I’m gay or not. Assume whatever you want. You do it anyway.”

latifah and eboni
Eboni & Queen Latifah at the Oscars in previous years. (MEGA)

Although the “Ladies First” hitmaker has not publicly talked about Eboni too many times, she did make sure to thank her partner during her 2021 acceptance speech for BET’s Lifetime Achievement Award. “Eboni, my love. Rebel, my love. Peace. Happy Pride!”, she said at the time. Notably, this was the first time that the Emmy-winner named her partner publicly, per The Cut.

Do Queen Latifah & Eboni Have Children?

Eboni and Queen Latifah welcomed a baby boy named Rebel in 2019. The pro dancer was spotted with a baby bump in October 2018, and soon enough, the pair became proud moms! They’ve even been spotted with their son on rare outings, such as at basketball games.



This story originally appeared on Hollywoodlife

‘I visited top UK seaside town but was put off by one simple thing’ | UK | Travel

Express.co.uk
-
0
‘I visited top UK seaside town but was put off by one simple thing’ | UK | Travel


A man visiting Tenby for the first time has admitted that one aspect of the seaside town put him off, even though it’s “gorgeous”. Despite being hailed as one of Wales‘ top coastal towns, thanks to its medieval walls, pastel-coloured houses, stunning beaches and bustling harbour, one visitor found a flaw.

Christopher Evans, who is on a quest to find the “prettiest town in Wales”, was advised by many to visit the scenic Pembrokeshire town. However, he felt let down by one particular element.

In a frank TikTok video, he shared his honest review with his followers, adding his voice to the chorus of opinions about the vibrant seaside town. Many people have visited in the past, and shared their reviews of Tenby online.

Christopher stated: “Hundreds of you told me to come to Tenby, so here I am. The colourful buildings are the best, probably the nicest in Wales, I’m going to say that.

“Parking is chaos. Tenby is such a busy place, and I can see why. West Wales as a whole is just gorgeous. For me, it’s way too busy, but I do like a trip to Tembs – it’s so expensive though.”

He added: “Don’t you just love a small Welsh town where they sell old sweets [and] beach things? Down here though, there are no cheap corner shops – there’s M&S, Morrisons. There are hotels on the coast.

“Honestly, like I say all the time, in towns like this you cannot lose your house. You’ll just see the colour. The beach is gorgeous.”

Christopher confessed he visited the town on a “bad day”, as it was raining and he got rather “drenched”. He said Tenby would secure a place in his top 10 destinations in Wales, but the one aspect he found difficult to handle was how crowded it becomes.

Additionally, he mentioned parking is “such a pain” due to the volume of visitors, particularly during the summer months. He acknowledged it’s a “gorgeous” location, but it can be quite chaotic as well.

Since the video was posted, it’s been watched hundreds of times, with dozens of people leaving comments. They were eager to express their opinions on Tenby.

Warning: Below video may contain offensive language

One remarked: “As a person who lives in Tenby, it’s far too overrated.” Another posted: “I love Tenby.”

A third responded: “Something so special about Tenby. I went to Rheola Market in Resolven yesterday – you should go.”

Meanwhile, a fourth added: “Tenby in August when it’s sunny. There are food stalls and ice cream parlours. Beaches are lush – I go every year.”

One more also contributed: “Such a beautiful place Chris, but I agree with the parking. It’s awful.”



This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk

Legal & General shares are yielding 9% again. Should investors consider buying?

Motley Fool
-
0
Legal & General shares are yielding 9% again. Should investors consider buying?


Image source: Getty Images

Legal & General (LSE: LGEN) shares have taken a bit of a tumble in recent weeks, falling from 266p to 243p. As a result, they’re now sporting a dividend yield of around 9% again.

Are they worth considering for this enormous yield? Let’s discuss.

A massive yield

A 9% dividend yield is no doubt attractive. But in the investment world, there’s no such thing as a free lunch.

So, we need to look at the investment risks here. Why are the shares sporting a massive yield (more than twice the average FTSE 100 yield) and what’s the catch?

What are the risks?

Looking at the company and the stock today, I see a few issues that investors need to be aware of.

First, dividend coverage (the ratio of earnings per share to dividends per share) is very low. This year, it’s forecast to be under one.

A ratio under one is generally a red flag as it signals that earnings won’t cover dividends. In other words, the payout may not be sustainable.

It’s worth noting here that a dividend cut can lead to disappointing returns. Often, investors are faced with both lower-than-anticipated income and share price losses.

Gilt uncertainty

Second, looking at the recent share price action, it’s pretty obvious that big institutional investors are concerned about UK fixed income holdings (gilts) on the insurer’s books.

You see, last week, gilts made headlines after long-term UK borrowing costs hit their highest levels since 1998 on the back of concerns over Britain’s economic outlook. And this is exactly when the Legal & General share price started to tank.

The issue here is that Legal & General is a major player in the liability driven investment (LDI) space. This area of investing involves projecting liabilities (say, of a pension scheme) into the future and then generating returns from available assets (equities, bonds, gilts, gilt derivatives, etc) to meet the liabilities.

Now, when volatility spikes in the gilt market, it can create serious challenges for LDI investors that own gilt derivatives. In this scenario, firms can face margin calls on their gilt derivative positions, leading to problems with liquidity, balance sheets, and dividend payments (and most likely share price losses).

So, there’s definitely some uncertainty here.

Worth the risk?

Despite all these risks, the insurance stock could still be worth considering today. Because in the long run, this company does have a number of growth drivers.

These include rising equity markets (which should benefit its investment management division), growth of the pension risk transfer (PRT) industry, and growth of the alternative investment markets (an area the company has been moving into recently). Share buybacks could also help to increase earnings per share.

However, given the balance sheet risks, there could be safer dividend stocks to consider buying. Looking at the recent share price action, institutional investors (the ‘smart money’) are clearly cautious here.



This story originally appeared on Motley Fool

Welcome to Derry’ Gets Surprising Stephen King Crossover Tease From Creator

MovieWeb
-
0
Welcome to Derry’ Gets Surprising Stephen King Crossover Tease From Creator


Stephen King fans are already hyped for the return of Bill Skarsgard as the infamous killer clown Pennywise in HBO Max’s It prequel series, It: Welcome to Derry. Now co-creator and director of the 2017/2019 movies, Andy Muschietti, has teased something more than originally expected – a potential connection to King’s Dark Tower novels.

The story of It, published in 1986, is one of King’s largest works. While both the 1990 miniseries starring Tim Curry as the evil force eating the children of Derry, and the movie remake, with Skarsgard skillfully taking over the role, hint at the larger universe outside of Pennywise’s hunting ground in Maine, neither project was able to dive into the cosmic realms King’s novel features. This included the role of the benevolent cosmic turtle Maturin, a creature that is also present in The Dark Tower mythology, and is described as one of the most powerful forces in all of creation.

While speaking to TV Insider ahead of the arrival of It: Welcome to Derry, Muschietti teased how the show will go beyond what has previously been shown in It projects and leave a trail of breadcrumbs to a much wider and more expansive universe. He said:

“The purpose of the show, among others, is to open a window to the other side… and give the audience the feeling. Everything that is on the other side, it’s connected to the Dark Tower because it’s the same universe, the macroverse.”

When adapting It for the screen, both versions of the story dealt mostly with the viewpoint of the young characters facing Pennywise and their fears, and their adult counterparts reliving the nightmares almost 30 years later. The prequel appears to be going far beyond a human story and taking a more mystical route to the origins of “the eater of worlds.” Muschietti continued:

“Of course, being It, we are seeing all this from the perspective of humans, mostly. In this series, there will be more than speculation. We’re gonna have that and give the audience glimpses of the other side.”

The Stephen King Universe Is About to Be Explored Like Never Before

For fans of Stephen King, the author’s interconnectivity between stories is legendary. From the setting of Castle Rock, the history of which flows through early novels like The Dead Zone and Cujo, Needful Things (when King first said goodbye to Castle Rock in explosive fashion), and the more recent Gwendy trilogy, to the dozens of novels and short stories that have some connection to The Dark Tower, King was creating cinematic universes in written form long before it became popular in movies and on TV.

However, showing those connections on screen has always been tricky in the past, and even the previous attempt to bring The Dark Tower to life in its own right proved to be a disaster. Of course, we now live in a time when everything has its own universe, and the boundaries of TV and movies do not mean quite the same as they used to. If there was ever a time for the true extent of King’s connected works to be realized on screen, then it is right now.

While It: Welcome to Derry will still be primarily focused on the origins of the evil Pennywise, Andy Muschietti’s tease of a Dark Tower connection can only help build hype for the unrelated, but well-timed, development of Mike Flanagan’s Dark Tower project at Prime Video. Although it is unlikely that these two shows will feature a true crossover, as rights issues are already tricky enough for The Dark Tower, there could certainly be a meaningful nod to the true epic scale of King’s universe in It: Welcome to Derry than has really been seen in previous projects.

The nine-episode first season of It: Welcome to Derry will float onto HBO Max in October 2025.



This story originally appeared on Movieweb

10 Best Beginner Anime on Netflix

ScreenRant
-
0
10 Best Beginner Anime on Netflix


Diving into anime can be a little overwhelming for those who aren’t exactly sure where to find the biggest shows. As the medium continues its meteoric rise in popularity, it seems every major streaming service is doing all they can to add as many titles to their lineups as possible.

Fortunately for those who aren’t committed to mainly anime platforms like Crunchyroll, Netflix has greatly increased the number of available original anime series on their service throughout the last number of years. There’s quite a bit for fans to choose from, but these 10 shows are perfect for those just getting their feet wet.

Komi Can’t Communicate

Animated by OLM, Based on the Manga by Tomohito Oda

Komi-Cant-Communicate-Komi-Sad

Before it landed on Netflix, Komi Can’t Communicate was a highly popular manga series that cultivated its own sizable fan base thanks to an incredibly wholesome premise and likable characters. The adaptation by OLM only further spread that popularity, making it one of the top coming-of-age anime stories of the 2020s.

The series follows Hitohito Tadano, a perfectly average teenage boy who happens to sit next to Shoko Komi in class, the school’s most popular beauty queen. Upon getting to know her, however, he realizes her silent, stoic demeanor isn’t some stuck-up personality trait, but is rather due to her overwhelming anxiety.

Komi Can’t Communicate is an incredibly heartwarming slice-of-life experience, and one of the decade’s top comfort anime.

Scott Pilgrim Takes Off

Animated by Science Saru, Based on the Graphic Novel by Bryan Lee O’Malley

Scott Pilgrim and Ramona Flowers running in Scott Pilgrim Takes Off

There’s a rather significant chance non-anime watchers have heard the name Scott Pilgrim. The graphic novel series received a significant surge in popularity following 2010’s Scott Pilgrim vs the World, and in 2023, was adapted into an anime series by the distinguished and highly regarded studio Science Saru, titled Scott Pilgrim Takes Off.

Those unfamiliar with the source material will have no problem jumping into Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, as the series features its own original take on O’Malley’s graphic novel series. Science Saru is known for its breathtaking visuals, and the narrative has more of a Western feel for those who are still on the fence about diving headfirst into anime.

Good Night World

Animated by NAZ, Based on the Manga by Uru Okabe

Good Night World's cast with their MMO characters in a tavern looking happy.
Good Night World’s cast with their MMO characters in a tavern looking happy.

Good Night World is a perfect entry point for new fans into one of anime’s most popular genres, the ‘got sucked into a video game’ narrative that’s been popular since the mid 2010s. Based on the manga by Uru Okabe, Good Night World follows a dysfunctional family into an alternate digital world.

Filled with drama, action, and deep exploration in a fantasy setting, the series offers a quick 12-episode taste of the sort of story that’s uniquely common to the medium of anime, and packs in a neatly tied-in-a-bow narrative. It isn’t the most complex series the genre has to offer, but it’s perfect for those just beginning their anime journey.

Devilman Crybaby

Animated by Science Saru, Based on the Manga by Go Nagai

Akira turns into Devilman from Devilman Crybaby.
Akira turns into Devilman from Devilman Crybaby.

On the complete opposite end of the spectrum from something like Good Night World, Science Saru’s Devilman Crybaby is for viewers looking to dive head first into the sort of strange and often twisted stories anime has to tell. The series is based on the highly influential 1972 Devilman manga, but updates its story to fit a modern setting.

Devilman Crybaby is not for the faint of heart, and should probably only be enjoyed by the dedicated dark fantasy fans out there. As one of Netflix’s earliest original anime series, it became the center of attention upon release in 2018, and has continued to take unsuspecting viewers by surprise ever since.

Kotaro Lives Alone

Animated by Liden Films, Based on the Manga by Mami Tsumura

Kotaro in bowtie and party hat from Kotaro Lives Alone.

Kotaro Lives Alone is a Netflix Original that flew somewhat under the radar on release, and is another example of a sort of show that’s largely unique to anime and manga. Despite an innocent premise and overly cute artstyle, the series does not hesitate to step into some heavier themes, and can often become quite an emotional experience.

Four-year-old Kotaro Sato moves into an apartment on his own, and the series follows his neighbors of all different backgrounds coming together as a community to look after the boy. Kotaro Lives Alone is a low-energy, comfort slice-of-life series that will draw some tears on first watch.

Pluto

Animated by Studio M2, Based on the Manga by Naoki Urusawa and Takashi Nagasaki

Atom flying toward the camera with an angry expression in Pluto.
Atom/Astro Boy from Netflix’s Pluto

Pluto is an interesting case of an anime series based on a manga by a legendary artist, Naoki Urusawa, which itself was based on a story from the Astroboy manga by arguably the most famous manga artist ever, Osamu Tezuka. The series follows a robot detective attempting to hunt down a mysterious killer who plants horns into the heads of their victims.

In a time when robots and artificial intelligence are somewhat touchy subjects, Pluto does well to examine human and robot relations while touching on themes like oppression, individuality, war, violence and more. The series is a tight eight episodes, making it an easy watch for any sci-fi fan with some spare time on their hands.

Delicious in Dungeon

Animated by Trigger, Based on the Manga by Ryoko Kui

Chulchank, Laios and Senji collecting vegetables in Delicious in Dungeon
Chulchank, Laios and Senji collecting vegetables in Delicious in Dungeon

As one of 2024’s top new titles, Delicious in Dungeon is for fantasy fans who are getting a little tired of the usual fantasy tropes. The series follows a standard party down into a series of dungeons crawling with increasingly dangerous creatures the further down they traverse, but offers a unique spin by using cooking as a central motif.

As they take certain threats out, those threats become the main ingredients in whatever lunch or dinner is that day. It’s a fun and fresh take on the dungeon fantasy genre that’s popular in anime, and the series incorporates quite a bit of drama and action as it goes on.

Aggretsuko

Animated by Fanworks, Original Anime Series

Retsuko Raging Her Frustrations Using Death Metal in Aggretsuko
Retsuko Raging Her Frustrations Using Death Metal in Aggretsuko

At first glance, some viewers might be put off by a series about a cute red panda by the creators of Hello Kitty, but it would be unwise to judge Aggretsuko too soon. The 2018 anime is tailor-made for lost adults in their mid-20s doing everything in their power to figure out their lives.

Retsuko, the series’ titular red panda, is a single 25-year-old accountant who works far too much and likely isn’t paid nearly enough. When the troubles of life become just a bit too big to handle, and she’s ready to explode, she goes to karaoke and sings death metal to blow off steam.

If any 20-something lost, tired, and angry viewer wants their adult version of Hello Kitty, she can be found screaming in a karaoke booth.

Violet Evergarden

Animated by Kyoto Animation, Based on the Light Novel by Kana Akatsuki

Violet Evergarden with papers flowing around her as she smiles and closes one eye.
Violet Evergarden

Violet Evergarden is far more than the pretty visuals and steampunk aesthetic it’s become known for, but it wouldn’t be entirely untrue to say that Kyoto Animation did some of their best work on the series. Despite the relaxed vibe present throughout the majority of the series, Violet Evergarden is not afraid to touch on some darker subjects.

The titular character is a former child soldier who was raised with the sole purpose of becoming a weapon. Now, years after the war had ended, she must learn human emotions and the meaning of love while working a job typing others’ letters to loved ones. The series is an incredibly emotional affair, and ends in one of the best anime movies of the 2020s.

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners

Animated by Trigger and CD Projekt, Based on the Video Game by CD Projekt Red

Lucy on the moon in Cyberpunk Edgerunners
Lucy on the moon in Cyberpunk Edgerunners

Video game adaptations, in any storytelling medium, are historically hit or miss. However, 2022’s Cyberpunk: Edgerunners does justice to its best-selling source material by expanding the world of the game and following an all-new cast of characters.

With intense action, impressive visuals, and a gripping story, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners has proven itself to not only be one of the greatest anime series of the last decade, but one of the very best ever. The rise and fall of protagonist David Martinez is one of the most tragic tales the seedy Night City has ever seen, and is guaranteed to stick with viewers long after the credits have rolled.

Netflix is home to countless highly acclaimed anime series, but there is none better for budding anime fans than Cyberpunk: Edgerunners.


Cyberpunk Edgerunners TV Poster


Cyberpunk: Edgerunners

Release Date

2022 – 2022

Network

Netflix

Writers

Mike Pondsmith, Yoshiki Usa, Masahiko Otsuka


  • Cast Placeholder Image

  • Cast Placeholder Image





This story originally appeared on Screenrant

Suede started Britpop before Oasis, but the band refuses to stay there. ‘We are anti-nostalgia.’

LATimes
-
0
Suede started Britpop before Oasis, but the band refuses to stay there. ‘We are anti-nostalgia.’


For most of its career, Suede assumed Britpop — the movement the band helped originate in the early ’90s — wouldn’t make a comeback. That assumption will be tested on Sept. 6, when Oasis plays the Rose Bowl, one of its first U.S. shows in more than two decades and part of what’s being billed as the biggest rock tour of 2025. Ninety thousand fans are expected to show up in Pasadena for the Gallagher brothers’ brash, sentimental version of Britishness — the stadium-sized equivalent of a pub on Santa Monica Boulevard. The day before, five thousand miles away, Suede will release “Antidepressants,” its 10th studio album.

In the U.S., the band goes by the London Suede, thanks to a decades-old legal dispute with an American folk singer. That name is more likely to elicit polite recognition than the ecstatic nostalgia Oasis still inspires. But in Britain, Suede was the spark. Its 1992 single, “The Drowners,” ignited what would become Britpop, the most significant resurgence of British rock since Beatlemania, paving the way for a new generation of bands and projecting British soft power abroad. The group’s self-titled debut album followed the next year, pairing stacked, anthemic guitar lines with intimate, distinctly British portraits of life.

Emerging from a cult of nonpersonality, where ordinary figures with unassuming names like Ian Brown ascended to British music royalty, Brett Anderson, Suede’s fey and foppish androgyne, reintroduced theatricality and glamour to the scene. For a brief spell, Ricky Gervais co-managed the band. The group landed the cover of Melody Maker, then one of Britain’s most popular music magazines, before it even released a song. Its debut album became one of the most anticipated releases of the early decade, with a volume of enthusiasm comparable to the Smiths’ arrival just over a decade before. When it was released, “Suede” became the fastest-selling debut album in British history.

“We released the first Britpop album,” Anderson says, matter-of-factly. “You have to accept that.” And yet the band’s legacy remains strangely unclaimed, overshadowed by bands who made their Britishness easier to export. As Britpop began to cohere into a recognizable genre and vision, Suede was canonized as its originators, only to be largely eclipsed as bands like Blur and Oasis came to define the movement.

Today, Anderson is joined by Suede’s bassist Mat Osman, who wears a distressed black tee and statement necklace. Anderson, who describes himself as “anti-fashion,” is wearing the same uniform he’s worn for the better part of two decades: an impeccably cut shirt and a pair of tight cocktail trousers. He reclines into his couch, one arm flung lazily behind his head, while the greens of his English garden sway in the waning summer light. His band has been around so long that the zeitgeist it emerged in has circled back around again.

“We released the first Britpop album,” Suede’s Brett Anderson says. “You have to accept that.” And yet its legacy remains strangely unclaimed, overshadowed by bands who made their Britishness easier to export.

(Dean Chalkley)

Soon after Suede released its debut album, David Bowie told Anderson candidly: “Your playing and your songwriting’s so good that I know you’re going to be working in music for quite some time.” He was right. Ten albums in, Suede remains creatively restless, refusing the comforts of a heritage band afterlife. “We are anti-nostalgia,” says Anderson. The band’s latest album carries the hard-earned knowledge of age and the strange doubleness of feeling both young and old, like “18-year-old software on 50-year-old hardware,” as Anderson puts it. He and Osman are nearing 60.

“Antidepressants” is every bit an emblem of late-style. If Suede’s early work captured the ecstasy and collapse of first love, “Antidepressants” is about the more precarious work of maintenance. “People sing about falling in or out of love,” Anderson says, “but no one really writes about keeping a relationship alive.” Suede has become an experiment in longevity, driving teenage feelings through a wizened motor. Still, in the group’s songs today lies a complex kind of Britishness — at once maddening and beautiful, destitute and soaring — the very kind the musicians always sought to capture in their portraits of British working-class life.

Anderson grew up near Osman in the southern English town of Haywards Heath, part of a working-class family in a government-subsidized home. His father was a classical-music obsessive; his mother, an artist — tendencies that, at the time, were considered antithetical to working-class life. That assumed contradiction mirrored Suede’s own sensibility, which resisted tidy prescriptions of what working-class representation should look like. The music press, an industry overwhelmingly drawn from the upper middle class, struggled to reconcile it. “There’s a certain kind of working-class culture or person that the middle class is very comfortable with,” Osman observes. “It’s that Oasis, football-and-beer thing.” Britpop, in its mass-market incarnation, became precisely that: laddish, boozy and wilfully simple.

Suede quickly dissociated from Britpop when it curdled into something the band couldn’t recognize; something that, to the group, resembled a kind of jingoism. The band’s second album, 1994’s “Dog Man Star,” was Suede’s “anti-Britpop” statement, more art-rock fever dream than stadium singalong. It was around this time that the press came to define Britpop through caricatured rivalries: Oasis (working-class, football-and-pints Manchester) versus Blur (middle-class, art-school London). Suede, with its glam inflections and high-drama songs, didn’t slot neatly into either camp. The bandmates dressed in secondhand suits that made them look posh to some and, perhaps more damningly, refused to flatten their class identity into something easily legible.

Here lay much of the problem. As Noel Gallagher said himself in 1994, the year Oasis released its debut album: “You get a band like Suede and they write pretty decent music and all that, but Brett Anderson’s lyrics are basically a cross between Bowie and Morrissey, and I don’t think that some 16-year-old on the dole is going to understand what he means.” In Britain, Osman observes, “The cartoon is realer than the reality.”

In America, that cartoon is also beginning to gain traction, a surprising development given Britpop’s deep-seated anti-Americana stance. Unlike previous musical movements in Britain, Britpop required no reference to American culture and often positioned itself against it. As Britpop rose to prominence in England, grunge was taking hold in America. At times, Britpop acted as a cultural reflex against its Yankee counterpart. Blur even satirized grunge music with its megahit “Song 2,” a song of nonsense lyrics and unearned vim. Suede’s sense of Britishness, however, was less a matter of manifesto than of instinct, driven by the desire to render small lives and intimate details in sweeping, romantic, even histrionic gestures. Britpop conveyed Britishness through wryness; grunge articulated Americana through sublimated passion. “You know,” Anderson says, “if I could choose between grunge and Britpop today, I’d probably choose grunge.”

Osman says he’s making a conscious effort “not to be cynical” about Britpop’s return. “It’s basically a generation with spending power indulging nostalgia for their youth,” he says. “I’m trying to think of that as a positive thing.” He rationalizes it by seeing the Oasis gigs less as musical events than as exercises in monocultural communion, “as much about being in a huge crowd of people who feel the same as you as it is about anything else.” Suede, for its part, inspires a similar mass fervor in far-flung territories: in Chile, where the group recently played to a crowd in the tens of thousands, and in China, where it can comfortably fill sports stadiums. In America, a different story. Anderson says the band has no plans to tour the States, since it probably won’t make any money from it, “and we’re not doing charity work.”

While Oasis’ Rose Bowl show may be remembered as Britpop’s American victory lap, Suede remains focused on the future, still finding ways to push itself. “Britpop’s just automatically some kind of nostalgia thing, isn’t it?” Anderson says. “It’s a faded version of a past that never really existed.”



This story originally appeared on LA Times

1...282283284...2,599Page 283 of 2,599

EDITOR PICKS

POPULAR POSTS

POPULAR CATEGORY

ABOUT US

Pagegoo.com serves as a news aggregator website. We provide the top trending news online. Our website exercises third-party content for information purpose only and are not liable for any web content related to or denoted to from these pages. All news, images & videos associated to content are hosted on third-party sites or users. We also often used third-party links.

Contact us: Info@Pagegoo.com

FOLLOW US

© 2025 Pagegoo.com. All Rights Reserved.