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What To Watch: Our Picks For The TV Shows And Movies We Think You Should Stream This Week

the idea of you
amazon prime video

Each week our staff of film and television experts surveys the entertainment landscape to select the ten best new/newish shows available for you to stream at home. We put a lot of thought into our selections, and our debates on what to include and what not to include can sometimes get a little heated and feelings may get hurt, but so be it, this is an important service for you, our readers. With that said, here are our selections for this week.

15. X-Men ’97 (Disney Plus)

X-Men 97 Rogue Magneto
Disney+

If you’re going to do unadulterated nostalgia, at least make it as fun (and occasionally devastating) as X-Men ‘97. The Disney Plus animated series is a continuation of X-Men: The Animated Series, which aired from 1992 to 1997, and follows the team of mutants as they do mutant-like things. Do we really need to explain what the X-Men show is about? It’s about the X-Men.

Watch it on Disney Plus

14. Ripley (Netflix)

ripley
netflix

Everybody remembers Matt Damon in The Talented Mr. Ripley, and Andrew Scott is fully shaking off his “Hot Priest” days to don Tom Ripley’s grifter duds, this time in a more visually-striking medium. This series is, of course, based upon Patricia Highsmith’s series of novels, and the title character takes a job in the 1960s that sets him on the deceit-filled path to murder. Whether this debut will lead to adapting more books, we shall have to wait and see.

Watch it on Netflix

13. The Sympathizer (Max)

max

The last time Park Chan-wook directed a limited series, it was The Little Drummer Girl. That turned out pretty good. Now, the Korean filmmaker is back with another excellent addition to his filmography.

Based on author Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer-winning novel of the same, The Sympathizer is described as “an espionage thriller and cross-culture satire about the struggles of a half-French, half-Vietnamese communist spy during the final days of the Vietnam War and his new life as a refugee in Los Angeles, where he learns that his spying days aren’t over.” The cast is led by Hoa Xuande and Oscar winner Robert Downey Jr., who plays multiple characters.

Watch it on Max

12. Under the Bridge (Hulu)

Under The Bridge Key Art
Hulu

The Hulu true crime series is about a 14-year-old girl who goes missing after being invited to a party. Her body is later discovered after she was brutally beaten. The story is told from the perspective of a journalist writing about the incident and a local police officer, played by Riley Keough and Oscar nominee Lily Gladstone, as they explore the “hidden world of the young girls accused of the murder — revealing startling truths about the unlikely killer.”

Watch it on Hulu

11. Fallout (Prime Video)

Fallout Walton Goggins
Amazon

Fallout is an adaptation of Bethesda’s behemoth franchise, a story set within the retro-futuristic world that’s captivated console users for years and years. Yes, there are delightful little nods to in-game storylines – Pip-Boys and Nuka-Cola and Radaway, but they either serve a larger purpose or don’t linger for too long, ensuring that the show stands on its own two feet. Long-time gamers should have little to gripe about while those craving better genre fare amidst the streaming glut should come away satisfied. Whether you know its history or not, Fallout is a f*cking blast of a sci-fi show that defies expectations in the most unconventional of ways (and turned Walton Goggins into a sex symbol).

Watch it on Prime Video

10. Knuckles (Paramount Plus)

Paramount+

There’s no Keanu Reeves (yet), but Knuckles should delight the lil’ Sonic fans in your home. The Paramount Plus series has Idris Elba reprising his role as the red echidna from the movies, while the rest of the cast includes Adam Pally, Cary Elwes, Edi Patterson, and Stockard Channing. Over the course of six episodes, Knuckles goes on a “journey of self-discovery as he agrees to train [Pally’s character] Wade as his protégé and teach him the ways of the Echidna warrior.” Is it too much to hope for a Big the Cat cameo?

Watch it on Paramount

9. Conan O’Brien Must Go (Max)

conan
max

Now that everyone remembers Conan O’Brien is a comedic genius, we owe it to him to watch his new show. Conan O’Brien Must Go is a travel series on Max where he “experiences local cultures and connects with fans he previously met on his podcast.” It’s silly and hilarious — in other words, it’s pure Conan. Hopefully he stays away from con men selling monorails, though.

Watch it on Max

8. Baby Reindeer (Netflix)

Ed Miller/Netflix

The less you learn in advance about Baby Reindeer, the better. Just know that it’s one of the most talked-about shows of the year so far, and it’s getting favorably compared to I May Destroy You and Fleabag. Don’t waste your time speculating, as requested by creator and star Richard Gadd. Watch it.

Watch it on Netflix

7. Dead Boy Detectives (Netflix)

Netflix

The latest Neil Gaiman project to be turned into a show is Dead Boy Detectives. It’s a lot of fun. Creepy, but fun. The series follows two sleuths, Edwin Payne (played by George Rexstrew) and Charles Rowland (Jayden Revri), who track down the world’s most elusive ghosts and demons. Did I mention that Edwin and Charles are also ghosts? That’s important to know, as is this: co-creator Steve Yockey compared Dead Boy Detectives to “The Hardy Boys on acid.” OK!

Watch it on Netflix

6. The Big Door Prize (Apple TV Plus)

apple tv+

Apple TV’s breakout hit The Big Door Prize returns for a second season, which follows “the residents of Deerfield as the Morpho machine readies them for the mysterious ‘next stage.’ As everyone’s potentials are exchanged for visions, new relationships form and new questions are asked,” according to the official plot synopsis. Chris O’Dowd is back, as is Josh Segarra, in case you’re missing Lance from The Other Two. I know I am.

Watch it on Apple TV+

5. Unfrosted (Netflix)

netflix

Jerry Seinfeld created one of the most popular TV shows ever, and he used that clout to make an animated movie about a horny talking bee and another film for Netflix about the invention of Pop-Tarts. Sure! Unfrosted has a solid cast, including Seinfeld, Melissa McCarthy, Jim Gaffigan, Hugh Grant, Max Greenfield, and Peter Dinklage, and it’s a weird enough concept that it might be a good time, no matter what the “extreme left” thinks.

Watch it on netflix

4. The Veil (Hulu)

hulu

The international spy thriller from creator Steven Knight stars Elisabeth Moss and Yumna Marwan as “two women who play a deadly game of truth and lies on the road from Istanbul to Paris and London. One woman has a secret, the other a mission to reveal it before thousands of lives are lost.” You had me at Elisabeth Moss.

Watch it on Hulu

3. Anyone But You (Netflix)

anyone but you
sony

You’ve probably heard about this one. Anyone But You, which has Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell pretending to be the world’s most attractive couple (both on- and off-screen), grossed $219 million at the box office. That’s a massive amount of money for a romantic-comedy. Now it’s on Netflix, in case you want to watch Sweeney sing “Unwritten” to Powell’s naked butt on a loop.

Watch it on Netflix

2. Hacks (Max)

Hacks
HBO/Max

To quote Kimberly Ricci’s glowing review: “Through a skillful turn from the Hacks writers, the third season does something different than its two predecessors and succeeds mightily. Is the power struggle completely over? No way, but there is no question that these two women are meant to be together, and that they enhance each other professionally. As well, they somehow begin to really connect on a personal level and — wait for it — make each other better humans. It sounds sappy, but it rolls well.”

Watch it on Max

1. The Idea of You (Prime Video)

prime video

An actually sexy romantic-comedy, what a concept! The Idea of You stars Anne Hathaway as a single mom who attends Coachella with her teenage daughter. While there, she meets Hayes Campbell, played by Bottoms breakout Nicholas Galitzine, the lead singer of the boy band August Moon. The two begin a romance that definitely (wink) isn’t inspired by Harry Styles. The Idea of You is getting rave reviews, as it should: Anne Hathaway rules.

Watch it on Prime Video

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When Will 4Batz’s New Mixtape ‘U Made Me A St4r’ Be On Spotify?

4batz
YouTube

For the past few months, music fans have been fascinated and bewildered by the seemingly rapid rise of mysterious newcomer 4Batz, whose breakout song “Act II: Date @ 8” was blessed with a Drake remix despite his relative obscurity up until now. But this New Music Friday, May 3, fans will get an opportunity to learn more about him through his music as he releases his debut mixtape, U Made Me A St4r. So…

When Will 4Batz’s New Mixtape U Made Me A St4r Be On Spotify?

As always, it’s impossible to know for sure until the thing actually drops, but in all likelihood, it’ll be available to stream on DSPs like Apple and Spotify at midnight ET / 9 PM PT. While it’s always possible that there could be last-minute changes — just look at Bfb Da Packman’s anticipated Drake collab or Kanye West’s reputation for missing long-promised release dates as he does last-minute tweaks — but someone who can figure out how to get this far without anyone even knowing who he is probably runs a tighter ship.

Early this month, he pushed back the tape, promising it was “the best sh*t of my life,” so he clearly cares about his presentation and wouldn’t risk it by proving himself unreliable, but we’ll have to take his word for it on the overall quality of his lifetime of music. You can judge the quality of this tape, at least, at midnight on May 3.

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A New Taylor Swift Song Could Help Save A Life, The American Heart Association Explained

taylor swift
Getty Image

Taylor Swift could fill a Guinness World Records book by herself. The Tortured Poets Department, her latest album released on April 19, became the first-ever album to cross one billion Spotify streams in one week. Swift occupies the first 14 spots on this week’s Billboard Hot 100 chart. So on, and so forth.

But who cares about chart-breaking records when you create a song that can be used to teach CPR?

The American Heart Association relayed that Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department title track “has 110 beats per minute, the right tempo for hands-only CPR.” The Instagram post’s caption reads, “If you see a teen or adult collapse, call 911, then push hard and fast in the center of the chest to the beat of ‘The Tortured Poets Department.’ Thanks, @taylorswift!”

The song has widely been associated with Swift’s ex, The 1975 lead singer Matty Healy, due to the second verse, which references Charlie Puth. That’s relevant in this context because, as People noted, the British Heart Foundation dubbed The 1975’s “Somebody Else” as having “the right beat to learn CPR to” in October 2022.

It is well within the realm of possibilities that Swift knew that and ensured a song about Healy was also a CPR-friendly song. As I’m typing that, it feels like a cartoonish reach, but anything is possible regarding Swiftian Easter eggs.

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A Look Inside Do LaB’s Psychedelic Coachella Stage

do lab coachella
MERLE COOPER/UPROXX

Oh Coachella. Where would we be without you? Better yet, where would we be without Coachella’s beloved fest-within-a-fest — Do LaB?

Returning to Coachella 2024, Do LaB made its mark once again on the Indio Valley grounds — unveiling its brand new stage design and a slate of standout performers and surprise acts. The Do LaB stage at Coachella offers a preview of the brand’s flagship boutique festival, Lightning in a Bottle. The five-day Lightning in a Bottle experience fuses a top-tier musical lineup, immersive art installations, cause-driven educational programming, and a variety of yoga and movement programming within a sprawling lakeside venue in beautiful Buena Vista Lake, California.

It’s liberation at its finest.

So what went down on the Do LaB stage at Coachella 2024? DJ Pee .Wee, the vinyl DJ alias of prolific rapper and singer-songwriter Anderson .Paak, played a headlining surprise set; SOFI TUKKER filled the stage with an energetic midday surprise DJ set; Billie Eilish & Friends hosted a party that featured three unreleased tracks off of her forthcoming album, Hit Me Hard And Soft, plus a live performance of hit “Rack City” by Tyga; Kaskade played a second surprise set alongside Alison Wonderland; Adriatique teamed up with dance icon BLOND:ISH for a surprise back to back set; Bonobo and Barry Can’t Swim joined together for a surprise back to back performance; Alesso unveiled his new house music driven project and label BodyHi; Mia Moretti brought out close friend and surprise guest Katy Perry; DJ Snake performed a special hip-hop set; UK house exports Cloonee and Chris Lorenzo teamed up for a rowdy surprise back to back headlining set; Marc Rebillet played a surprise set with his typically improvisational and whimsical style; and more.

Take a look inside Do LaB’s insane stage programming shenanigans with this collection of photos. See you there next year.

do lab coachella
COURTESY OF DO LAB // JAMIE ROSENBERG
DO LAB COACHELLA
COURTESY OF DO LAB // JAMAL EID
DO LAB COACHELLA
COURTESY OF DO LAB // JAMAL EID
do lab coachella
COURTESY OF DO LAB // JAMAL EID
DO LAB COACHELLA
COURTESY OF DO LAB // JAKE WEST
COURTESY OF DO LAB // JAKE WEST
DO LAB COACHELLA
COURTESY OF DO LAB // JAKE WEST
DO LAB COACHELLA
COURTESY OF DO LAB // JAKE WEST
DO LAB COACHELLA
COURTESY OF DO LAB // JAMAL EID
DO LAB COACHELLA
COURTESY OF DO LAB // JAMAL EID
DO LAB COACHELLA
COURTESY OF DO LAB // JAKE WEST
DO LAB COACHELLA
COURTESY OF DO LAB // JAMIE ROSENBERG
DO LAB COACHELLA
COURTESY OF DO LAB // JAMIE ROSENBERG
DO LAB COACHELLA
COURTESY OF DO LAB // JAMAL EID
DO LAB COACHELLA
COURTESY OF DO LAB // JAMAL EID
DO LAB COACHELLA
COURTESY OF DO LAB // JAMAL EID
DO LAB COACHELLA
COURTESY OF DO LAB // JAMAL EID
DO LAB COACHELLA
COURTESY OF DO LAB // JAMIE ROSENBERG
DO LAB COACHELLA
COURTESY OF DO LAB // JAMIE ROSENBERG
DO LAB COACHELLA
COURTESY OF DO LAB // JAKE WEST
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Here Is 21 Savage’s ‘American Dream Tour’ Setlist

21 savage 2024 Coachella
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21 Savage made a surprise appearance during Doja Cat’s headlining Coachella 2024 set, a dry run for his headlining American Dream Tour, which kicked off on Wednesday night, May 1, as his first solo North American tour in five years. (21 Savage embarked on the joint It’s All A Blur Tour with Drake last year.) The American Dream Tour is in support of 21 Savage’s January album of the same name. 21 Lil Harold, JID, and Nardo Wick are 21 Savage’s openers.

21 Savage’s American Dream Tour Setlist

21 Savage’s American Dream Tour opening night occurred at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. 21 Savage’s setlist is still being loaded by fans onto setlist.fm, but as of this writing, the below is what has been logged ahead of his May 3 show at White River Amphitheatre in Auburn, Washington.

1. “No Heart” (21 Savage & Metro Boomin cover)
2. “Jimmy Cooks” (Drake cover)
3. “TOPIA TWINS” (Travis Scott cover)
4. “Who Want Smoke??” (Nardo Wick cover)
5. “Peaches & Eggplants” (Young Nudy cover)
6. “Dangerous”
7. “Creepin’” (Metro Boomin cover)
8. “Bank Account”
9. “Runnin” (21 Savage & Metro Boomin cover)
10 “10 Freaky Girls” (Metro Boomin cover)
11. “Glock In My Lap” (21 Savage & Metro Boomin cover)
12. “Rich N**** Sh*t” (21 Savage & Metro Boomin cover)
13. “Ball W/O You”
14. “Don’t Come Out The House” (Metro Boomin cover)
15. “Spin Bout U” (Drake & 21 Savage cover)
16. “A Lot”
17. “Rockstar” (Post Malone cover)
18. “Surround Sound” (JID cover)
19. “Rich Flex” (Drake & 21 Savage cover)
20. “Knife Talk” (Drake & 21 Savage cover)
21. “Redrum”

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‘Fallout’ Season 2: Everything To Know About The ‘New Vegas’ Return Starring Walton Goggins

Fallout
Amazon Prime Video

Amazon Prime’s dystopian sci-fi series Fallout premiered earlier this year, and even though season one has wrapped, there is enough content in the original game series to span several seasons of the show, meaning that we will probably see even more Kyle MacLachlan on our screens.

A second season of Fallout was ordered last month, and the team behind the show is ready to take it to the next level. “Praise be to our insanely brilliant showrunners, Geneva and Graham, to our kick-ass cast, to Todd and James and all the legends at Bethesda, and to Jen, Vernon and the amazing team at Amazon for their incredible support of this show. We can’t wait to blow up the world all over again,” executive producers Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy said in a statement.

While the new season is just shaping up, there are some clues of where the story will go, thanks to the revealing season finale. Here’s everything we know about the second season of the video game-turned-tv-series Fallout.

Plot

While the first season takes elements from the Fallout games, the story isn’t adapted from any particular installment, meaning the showrunners have a lot of wiggle room when it comes to advanding the plot.

At the end of season one, it’s revealed that unfortunately, our pal Kyle MacLachlan is not the all-American father we thought he was. His character Hank is seen escaping to New Vegas, which does appear in the popular game series.

“If anything, the show is leaning into the events [of New Vegas],” Producer and Fallout game director Todd Howard recently revealed. “Season two is gonna be featuring some of New Vegas, and we’re careful about maintaining the key events of that game and the content in it.” Howard added. In the Fallout universe, New Vegas is the backdrop for social and political power struggles amongst those living in the post-war wasteland.

Besides New Vegas, it was also revealed in the season finale that Lucy’s mom might still be alive, which would likely be explored in the upcoming season.

Cast

While the cast has not yet been confirmed, we can assume that everyone who survived season one will live on in season two. That includes Ella Purnell as Lucy MacLean and Walton Goggins as the infamous Ghoul, Aaron Moten as Maximus and Kyle MacLachlan as the deceptive Hank. Moisés Aria, Sarita Choudhury, and Frances Turner are also expected to return.

Release Date

Season two has not yet begun production, but season one took about nine months to film, then another year before it actually dropped. Last month, Variety confirmed that the series has been granted $25 million in tax cuts from the state of California and also suggested that filming would begin this September. This means that we could get season two of Fallout as early as Fall 2025, but likely early 2026.

Trailer

Filming hasn’t began yet, but you can check out the teaser trailer for Fallout: New Vegas which might give you a good idea of what to expect. You can also stream the entire first season of Fallout now on Amazon Prime.

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When Will ‘Cobra Kai’s Sixth And Final Season Come Out On Netflix?

Cobra Kai Season 4
Netflix

Back in October 2022, Ralph Macchio told UPROXX that conversations about more Cobra Kai on Netflix were very cognizant of the need to bring a proper and deserving end to The Karate Kid spinoff series. Of course, we then heard about how the sixth season would complete the show, but there will also be an upcoming The Karate Kid movie starring Macchio and Jackie Chan, which means that…

[wait for it]

Cobra Kai “will never die.”

Sixth-season filming only began in January, but showrunners Jon Hurwitz, Josh Heald, and Hayden Schlossberg have always pulled off a quick turnaround, so the wait will not be long, at least for the beginning of the end. July 18 will be the arrival date for the first of a three-part event with a total of 15 episodes.

Netflix has released a teaser clip with the following declaration: “The end of a legacy deserves a grand finale.” No argument there. Do you love “the smell of karate in the morning”?

Billy Zabka also shared the teaser. Oh Johnny Lawrence, you’re such a mess:

Looks like a confirmation of Kreese’s return after his grand prison escape, too.

You heard them. Cobra Kai — starring Macchio, Zabka, Martin Cove, Jacob Bertrand, Mary Mouser, Courtney Henggeler, Xolo Maridueña, Tanner Buchanan, Gianni DeCenzo, Dallas Dupree Young, Vanessa Rubio, and Peyton List — swings back into the dojo on July 18.

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The Best Things To Do In Japan For Video Game Fans (Especially If You Love Nintendo And ‘Pokémon’)

Nintendo Japan Mario Pokemon
Nintendo/Pokémon/Derrick Rossignol

A lot of the things I’ve loved most throughout my life come from Japan. I’ve been playing Pokémon, Mario, and other Japanese video games since I was a kid during the Super Nintendo and Game Boy Color eras in the ’90s. I had a major anime phase in college that had me binging One Piece episodes deep into the night. I’m admittedly a recovering picky eater, but now I know you can’t go wrong with a big bowl of ramen and some gyoza on the side.

Traveling to the other side of the world to visit the home of my favorite stuff is something I’ve always thought about doing eventually. In November 2023, I turned “someday” into “today” and actually made the trip. Excluding travel days to and from Japan, my cousin and I spent a full week in the country: Three days in Tokyo, a travel day that included an afternoon in Machida, and three days in Kyoto (featuring an Osaka day trip in the middle).

Given that my cousin and I are both big-time Nintendo and Pokémon enjoyers, a significant portion of our to-do list revolved around those interests. Those plans ended up being major highlights of the trip, so now I’d like to pay it forward by sharing some of the best game-related things we did in Japan, things you should consider checking out if you’re a game lover planning a Japanese adventure of your own.

Pokémon Centers and Nintendo Stores

Japan 2023 Pokemon Center
Derrick Rossignol

Running through my trip in chronological order, one of the first places I checked out was a Pokémon Center, an official store that exclusively sells Pokémon merchandise. Actually, on the trip overall, I ended up going to five of the 16 locations in Japan (according to Bulbapedia). I would say that was overkill since the stores are mostly the same, but the locations I visited were close to other attractions on my schedule anyway, so a few quick pop-ins were no problem and a natural part of my trip’s flow. (Also there’s no way I wasn’t going to visit every Pokémon Center possible.)

It’s worth checking out at least one or two of them, though: They offer exclusive merch you can’t get anywhere else, and the stores are well-designed and nicely presented, cultivating an atmosphere that made my childhood heart happy. Taking photos with the store’s giant statues (each location has different ones) is a fun touristy thing to do, too, and they’re just a neat thing to see.

The Nintendo Store experience is similar (I went to two of them), but swap out Pokémon for Mario.

Akihabara

Japan 2023 Super Potato
Derrick Rossignol

Akihabara is always one of the first places that comes up on lists and online discussions about things for gamers to do in Tokyo: It’s a neighborhood in the city that’s best known for its many stores catering to fans of games, manga, anime, and similar interests.

My main goal for my time in Akihabara was to do some retro game shopping. Unfortunately for buyers, shop owners in the area are clearly aware that they’re in a tourist destination, so prices aren’t the cheapest. Still, it’s fun to poke around the stores and see things that you won’t often find outside of Japan.

Super Potato, with its floors of vintage merchandise and even some free-to-play arcade games, was a particular highlight. Before my trip, an acquaintance from Japan noted he found Super Potato to be similar to an early Japanese arcade; The country’s first arcades in the late ’70s and early ’80s were a little makeshift, with buildings not originally designed for gaming purposes filled with game cabinets to capitalize on the sudden popularity of titles like Space Invaders and Xevious. That was sort of the feel of the Super Potato arcade floor, so it’s worth checking out for fans of arcade culture and its history.

I didn’t buy much, but I did get inexpensive copies of Space Invaders for PC Engine (the card was small with nice art, and I wanted something little to commemorate Japanese arcade history) and Mahjong for Game Boy (to commemorate watching mahjong on TV in our hotel room).

84 Hashi

Japan 2023 84 Hashi
Derrick Rossignol

Speaking of gaming history: If you’re a fan (especially of Nintendo history), 84 (also known as “84 Hashi” or “Hashi”) is my most enthusiastic recommendation.

84 was originally a members-only cafe run by Toru Hashimoto (aka Chokan), a former Nintendo employee who contributed to games like Pokémon Red and Green, Yoshi’s Island, and many others. 84 started as a spot for Chokan’s game developer peers to hang out, and now anybody can book a tour.

It’s quite the place to look around, too. It’s an intimate space, but it’s filled with all sorts of unique memorabilia; Handwritten and signed sheet music from Koji Kondo and a Pikachu illustration signed by Game Freak employees especially caught my eye. 84 is a loving tribute to video game history from a man who is part of it, and to be surrounded by that energy makes it a special place. Having the opportunity to chat with somebody who worked on the original Pokémon games and ask what those times were like was a particular thrill.

(Nintendo Life published an informative feature about 84 in 2023 if you want to learn more.)

Serigaya Park

Japan 2023 Serigaya Park
Derrick Rossignol

This one is only for hardcore Pokémon fans: Machida is where Pokémon creator Satoshi Tajiri grew up, and in that city is Serigaya Park. Throughout Japan, there are Poké Lids (Pokémon-themed utility hole covers), but since Machida is a key location in Pokémon history, there’s a concentration of them in Serigaya Park.

Machida is only about a 30-minute train ride from Tokyo, and it was mostly on our way from Tokyo to Kyoto (it did add about an hour of train time to the voyage). Still, it was an easy pit stop to make, especially since the park isn’t a long walk from Machida Station.

Seeing the lids was neat and the park itself was nice, but both were just an excuse to visit what is essentially the birthplace of Pokémon, which was a moving experience for me. As a young boy, Tajiri spent a lot of time studying and catching bugs, perhaps even snagging some beetles in Serigaya Park. These experiences were a primary inspiration behind Pokemon, so to spend some time in the city where those moments happened made me feel close to the history of the games I love in a way I never thought I’d get to enjoy.

If nothing else, stopping off in Machida was an opportunity for a quick glimpse at what Japan is like outside of its major cities. Whether it’s Machida or another lesser-known area, taking a step away from Japan’s most-visited places offers worthwhile perspective.

Go Kart Street Tour

Japan 2023 Akiba Go Kart Osaka
Kjetil Rossignol

Mario Kart is rooted in reality in the sense that go kart racing exists, but that’s about it. (Also, I throw dangerous items out of the car while driving.) It’s not something you can experience in real life, but I got the closest I probably ever will during my Osaka day trip.

We booked a go kart tour from Akiba Kart Osaka, and it was for real: Before heading to Japan, we actually had to get international driving permits (an easy and inexpensive process). They were necessary because this tour puts you in gas-powered karts on active city streets, free to get pancaked by the full-sized vehicles driving next to you. To make the experience more video-game-like, they also offer a selection of onesie character costumes to wear during the hour-long tour (but no Mario outfits, presumably to avoid the iron fist of Nintendo’s legal department). I was Mewtwo (come and get me, Pokémon‘s legal department).

The Akiba Kart Osaka website claimed we’d be the “center of attention” and would “taste a little bit of fame” during the tour. That initially seemed like self-promotional exaggeration, but they weren’t wrong. Passerssby really did seem to light up as they saw us driving, especially young children who were wowed by the sight of costumed tourists zooming down the street.

The tour was just good clean fun. Furthermore, especially since we were only spending one day in Osaka, it was an effective way to see a lot of the city in a short amount of time, making it an easy recommendation.

(I witnessed a similar go kart tour one day in Tokyo as well, so you might be able to find something similar to the tour I went on regardless of where your Japan travels take you.)

Unplugging

Japan 2023 Arashiyama Bamboo Park
Derrick Rossignol

Seeing culturally significant places and other local attractions that aren’t directly game-related should be a priority for gamers. Japan’s rich history and modern culture are worth exploring on their own merits, but keeping with the theme of this article, they also offer valuable context about your favorite games. Learning more about the places where art is made and the daily lives its creators live can be eye-opening.

Specific example: When in Kyoto, my cousin pointed out how the historical buildings reminded him of Pokémon Gold and Silver; The fictional Johto region of those games was inspired by Japan’s Kansai region, which includes Kyoto. Seeing the real-life basis of a fictional world I’ve spent hours exploring since childhood made me appreciate both places so much more than I ever had before.

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Kristen Stewart Is Making Another Vampire Movie, But This One Sounds Way Sexier Than ‘Twilight’

kristen stewart
Getty Image

Kristen Stewart is returning to the world for vampires. But until like Twilight, there will be no sparkling in Flesh of the Gods, an upcoming action-horror movie directed by Mandy filmmaker Panos Cosmatos.

Set in Los Angeles in the 1980s, the film stars Stewart and Oscar Isaac as a married couple who “each evening descend from their luxury skyscraper condo and head into the city’s electric nighttime realm,” according to Variety. “When they cross paths with a mysterious and enigmatic figure known as Nameless and her hard-partying cabal, the pair are seduced into a glamorous, surrealistic world of hedonism, thrills, and violence.”

Cosmatos described Flesh of the Gods as inhibiting “the liminal realm between fantasy and nightmare. Both propulsive and hypnotic, Flesh will take you on a hot rod joy ride deep into the glittering heart of hell.” Producer Adam McKay (Anchorman, Step Brothers, etc.) added, “This director, this writer, these incredible actors, vampires, choice ’80s punk, style and attitude for miles… that’s the film we’re bringing you today. We think it’s wildly commercial and wildly artful. Our ambitions are to make a movie that ripples through popular culture, fashion, music and film. Can you tell how excited I am?”

Not as excited as me, buddy. Move over, Challengers. Flesh of the Gods is my personality now.

Flesh of the Gods does not have a release date, but filming is expected to begin later this year.

(Via Variety)

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When Will Dua Lipa’s New Album ‘Radical Optimism’ Be On Spotify?

dua lipa
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Dua Lipa will make her SNL debut on Saturday, May 4, as the host and musical guest. Lipa will perform songs from Radical Optimism, her long-awaited third studio album, arriving four years after the Grammy-winning Future Nostalgia.

When Will Dua Lipa’s New Album Radical Optimism Be On Spotify?

Radical Optimism is due out Friday, May 3, which means the album should be available to stream on Spotify (and all DSPs) beginning at 9 p.m. PST on Thursday, May 2, and and midnight EST on May 3. Lipa has released “Houdini,” “Training Season,” and “Illusion” as singles ahead of the album’s release. All three singles debuted within the top 50 of the Billboard Hot 100.

“A couple years ago, a friend introduced me to the term ‘Radical Optimism,’” Lipa said in a press release upon the album’s announcement. “It’s a concept that resonated with me, and I became more curious as I started to play with it and weave it into my life. It struck me — the idea of going through chaos gracefully and feeling like you can weather any storm. At the same time, I found myself looking through the music history of psychedelia, trip hop, and Britpop. It has always felt so confidently optimistic to me, and that honesty and attitude is a feeling I took into my recording sessions.”

Dua Lipa’s Radical Optimism Tracklist

1. “End Of An Era”
2. “Houdini”
3. “Training Season”
4. “These Walls”
5. “Whatcha Doing”
6. “French Exit”
7. “Illusion”
8. “Falling Forever”
9. “Anything For Love”
10. “Maria”
11. “Happy For You”

Dua Lipa’s Radical Optimism Album Cover Artwork

Dua Lipa Radical Optimism
Warner Records UK