BEACON TRANSCRIPT – Black Panther, Marvel Studios’ first release of the year, will be hitting theaters in two weeks time. But until then, a select number of critics have already seen a special screening of the movie, which led to them praising the actors playing the villains.

 

Michael B. Jordan, and Letitia Wright are among the antagonists and they are apparently stealing the show, according to journalist Nate Brail.

 

I think the argument can be made for #BlackPanther being the best Marvel film ever! Just got out of premiere & overwhelmed at the imagery, the majesty, & a film that elevates the superhero genre to new heights. pic.twitter.com/LSkWEconB4

— Umberto Gonzalez (@elmayimbe) January 30, 2018

 

The movie took over Twitter, as critics were enthusiastic about sharing their opinions about Ryan Coogler’s work.

 

Entertainment journalist Conner Schwerdtfeger describes the movie as a mix between a James Bond film and The Lion King. However, he also mentions that the action is inconsistent, yet “it’s highs are some of Marvel highest”.

 

A Black Panther final official trailer was also released and it had already gathered over 16,000 views by the time this article was written. This soon to be released Marvel movie seems to be well on its path to becoming a blockbuster, as Wilson Morales says. The journalist mentions that Black Panther is at least phenomenal.

 

 

The Sensitive Side of Black Panther

 

Many agree that Black Panther might turn out to be even more successful than the Captain America movies. Some point out that the movie is not perfect. Among them is senior film critic, David Ehrlich, who tweeted that the action is “predictably awful”.

However, he continues by stating that this is “the first MCU film” that actually has a sense of ‘identity’, ‘history’, and ‘musicality’.

BLACK PANTHER is like a Marvel movie, but better. the action is predictably awful, but this is the first MCU film that has an actual sense of identity & history & musicality. Wakanda is alive. whole cast is great but the women (and the war rhinos) steal the show — Danai Gurira!

— david ehrlich (@davidehrlich) January 30, 2018

The movie’s praised villains are:

• Michael B. Jordan, who plays Erik Killmonger, the movie’s main villain.
• Letitia Wright, who plays Shuri, the main protagonist’s sister.
• Danai Gurira, who plays T’Challa’s general, Okoye.

The superhero movie that picturesquely explores Wakanda will be officially released in the US on February 16th.

Image Source: StaticFlickr

BEACON TRANSCRIPT – Tired of playing the same games on your phone? Well, chin up, because there’s great news coming your way. Game studio Jam City has just announced that a new Harry Potter game is scheduled to hit the market sometime this spring. The new game will feature RPG-like gameplay.

Harry Potter Hogwarts Mystery Announced

As the title suggests, the new game inspired by J.K. Rowling’s critically-acclaimed novels will be called Harry Potter Hogwarts Mystery and, according to its developer, it will feature RPG-like gameplay where you will have total control over your character.

Despite that everyone expects to meet their all-time favorite movie/book character, the studio said that they would not be featured in the upcoming title. Instead, you will be able to meet and interact with Nymphadora Tonk and Bill Weasley.

As far as the story is concerned, all we know so far is that the game will take place between Harry Potter’s birth and his first year at Hogwarts. Players will be able to create their characters from scratch and seek admission to the prestigious magical institution.

There you will be able to attend various classes, learn magical skills, potions, and have plenty of opportunities to hone your skills further. Harry Potter Hogwarts Mystery will also have a social feature which allows your character to cultivate new friendships and make some enemies along the way.

So far, the company has refused to release any details or in-game trailers. However, the good piece of news is that we won’t have to wait for long in order to play the game. Come spring, Harry Potter Hogwarts Mystery will be available for download on Google Play and iOS store. The game will also give players a chance to spend real cash in order to earn in-game rewards.

Image source: Wikipedia

BEACON TRANSCRIPT – Say goodbye to the gloomy undertones of Thor: The Dark World, and say hello to the funniest Marvel movie ever. Yes, you heard that right, it’s even funnier than Guardians of the Galaxy.

The latest installment of Thor is in, and fans are more than delighted, albeit a bit confused. Thor Ragnarok is an unexpected treat that combines classic superhero stand-offs with rich situational comedy and lots of subtle hints.

Marvel is well known for its propensity for colorful characters, rich subtext, and situational comedy meant to humanize its superheroes. Moreover, the studio’s movies and comics have never been strangers to cameos, delighting the hearts of fans with surprise guest appearances from various superheroes. So, it comes as no surprise that Doctor Stephen Strange makes a short appearance, setting the mood for Infinity War.

Speaking of Infinity War, seeing as producers already hinted that Thanos will be responsible for the death of a handful of beloved characters, it’s more than likely that Thor Ragnarok was the last hoorah in Marvel’s quest to break our hearts and spirits.

Caution, spoilers ahead!

A Marathon of Laughter Thanks to Thor Ragnarok

Thor Ragnarok is the funniest Marvel movie so far. We see the God of Thunder getting zapped by a drunken garbage collector. We see him facing the Incredible Hulk in an arena and going full thunder mode only to lose the fight due to a shock collar.

Let’s not forget Mjolnir disguised as an umbrella, all the times Loki gets beaten Jackass-style, and Banner’s epic failed attempt at an epic rainbow bridge entrance. Fenrir never did saw him coming.

Is Marvel Making Us Laugh for Profit?

However,  a bit after over two hours of laughing our pants off, we can’t help but stop and wonder if the success of Guardians of the Galaxy pushed Marvel into transforming the story of Ragnarok into a Disney tale about a clumsy hero set on finding himself and saving the world.

Let’s get one thing out of the way. Everybody knows that the movies are very loosely based on the comics. Hella, in the comics, Thor should have been dead by the time the events of Civil War unfolded. Do you know why? Because he dies during Ragnarok. At least he does so in the comics.

After Age of Ultron started exploring heavier themes like Black Widow’s origins and then Civil War left the Avengers scattered, broken, and bruised, Ragnarok’s colorful display of boom smash ha ha ha was, indeed, a surprise.

Now, the real question is, did Marvel intend to do that, or are they following GOTG’s recipe for success? Will Infinity War feature the same amount of light-hearted jokes and end up being a disappointing failure?

Until Thanos comes to wreak havoc in the MCU, fans can still entertain themselves with Black Panther’s origin story which is set to hit the big screens in the first quarter of 2018. This one doesn’t really look like too much of a comedy.

Image Source: Wikimedia

BEACON TRANSCRIPT – The 69th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards just ended after filling the night with strong, emotional, and politically charged moments. A night of surprises with perhaps unexpected losers, the Handmaid’s Tale, Hulu’s adaptation of the classical dystopia was unquestionably one of the biggest winners of the night.

Hulu Took a Big Risk, But One that Paid Off

The Handmaid’s Tale, the televised series is based on the same named dystopia written by the Canadian author Margaret Atwood. Featured on many Must Read and Classics lists, the television series was a gamble that seemingly more than paid off for Hulu.

The subscription video on demand service’s adaptation generated extremely positive reviews and critical and public appraisal. Now, following the 2017 Emmy Awards, it also became the first web television series ever to win the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series.

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Congratulations @reedmorano for winning Outstanding Directing For A Drama Series for Hulu Original The #HandmaidsTale. #Emmys2017 pic.twitter.com/Z26NCNrAQC

— hulu (@hulu) September 18, 2017

This is also not the only win of the night for The Handmaid’s Tale. The series collected five awards from a total of seven nominations. Elisabeth Moss, who played June Osborne or Offred, as she is best known got her first Emmy, that of Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series after nine nominations.

Ann Dowd, who plays the reader despised Aunt Lydia, was critically acclaimed and now rewarded with the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series Emmy herself. The category was a strong one, with other nominees including Uzo Aduba for Orange is the New Black, Westworld’s Thandie Newton, and even another The Handmaiden’s Tale actress as well, Samira Wiley for her portrayal of Moira.

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Her strength of character defends the forces of Gilead. But her efforts are with the wrong side. #HandmaidsTale #Emmys pic.twitter.com/89XsjxbBum

— The Handmaid's Tale (@HandmaidsOnHulu) September 17, 2017

Season 1 Done, What’s in Store for Season 2?

Hulu will also be taking the politically charged series even further. The first season of the Handmaid’s Tale, a straight-to-series order of ten episodes followed the plot of the novel. In May 2017, it was officially renewed for a second season, set to premiere in 2018.

As the first season followed the book, it also ended in almost the same place as the dystopia. It will be very interesting to see where the series will go from there, but it has been touted to offer ‘answers to the questions that arise after finishing the story’.

The Following Recap is Spoilers-Free.

The politically and religiously charged dystopia is set in a near future, in the totalitarian, Christian theonomic government of Gilead, formed in the former United States. As fertility rates crumbled because of environmental pollution and STDs, any remaining fertile woman becomes a “handmaid” and is assigned to a sterile family of the ruling elite.

Ritualized rapes, brutal ritualistic “cleansings”, the race for and importance of healthy children, are just some of the elements that characterize a society where even a glance or thought can get you killed.

Offred, the main handmaid protagonist of the series, can still remember the “before”. At the time, she had a name, June Osborne, and a family of her own, and throughout the series, she revisits the actions and lack of reactions which led humanity to this point in its history.

The full list of nominees and winners can be checked out on the 69th Emmy Awards Nominees and Winners page.

Image Source: Wikimedia

The term ‘legacy’ refers to something that is left behind after a person has passed. To live one’s life in such a significant, positive manner that it impacts society into wanting to carry on the tradition of making a difference in the lives of others. Jerry Lewis will be remembered as a legacy.

Jerry Lewis: Comedian, philanthropist, friend, dies at age 91

Jerry Lewis, one of the greatest entertainers of our time, passed away on August 20, 2017 at the age of 91. He leaves behind a loving wife, family, and close friends and colleagues. Jerry also leaves the world with a footprint of his own brand of slapstick comedy. His comedic style has been and will continue to be mimicked for years to come.

Jerry Lewis left his mark on the world in many other ways. He taught us to persevere no matter what disease or tragedy comes our way…because he suffered illness and tragedy and persevered. He taught us how to be a true friend and how to forgive…because he dearly loved his friends and family, endured many challenges, and ultimately offered up the hand of forgiveness.

He taught us to give unselfishly…because there are those less fortunate that need our help. This is evidenced by the fact that he dedicated over 40 years of his life to raising funds for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Jerry understood the parable that ‘to whom much is given, much is required’. He willingly gave of his time, his talent, his wisdom, and his finances.

So while many Hollywood legends leave behind various artifacts and trinkets of their life on this earth, Jerry leaves us with many valuable life lessons that can be summed up in his own words:

“I shall pass through this world but once. Any good, therefore, that I can do or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it now. Let me not defer nor neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again!” ~Jerry Lewis

Image Source Wikipedia

BEACON TRANSCRIPT – Researchers from the Royal Hollway, London, discovered that staying with unattractive friends make you look better. The new study shows that people judge how beautiful you are by looking at those in your surroundings.  So if you want to stand out or get someone pay attention to you, the best option is to go out with a less attractive friend.

Researchers asked participants to rate different pictures of faces. After that, they were placed alongside two pictures and one of them was of a less attractive person. They discovered that the presence of an uglier face really made a difference. For example, a girl could have been rated with 6 out of 10 at first. However, when a participant looked at her photo in comparison to a less attractive face, she was rated with 8 out of 10.

People care a lot about their looks these days. Women spend thousands of dollars on makeup products, clothes and anything that could make them look more beautiful. It is not a surprise that hanging out with unattractive friends will make you more interesting to some people. However, we can not predict if this will make a person like us or not because every individual has another definition of what “beautiful” means. This means that some people will think you are the less attractive person in the group, while others may think of you as being “the beautiful one.”

What is really interesting is that even our society is obsessed with beauty, we still do not know how we measure this concept. Until this study, people thought that a person’s level of beauty is steady. However, it seems that even hanging out with certain people can help you  be more attractive.

While some think is all about the looks, there are others who focus more on the personality.  Looks are as important as we want them to be.

Having a different personality, being kind to others and having fun can make you look more beautiful than any other makeup product. There are those people who make you feel good around them and spread joy no matter where they go.  There are so many definitions of beauty that is hard to say that a person is not attractive to anyone. The truth is that you do not need unattractive friends, you just have to be confident.

Image source: Wikipedia