Special effects have evolved so much since the infancy of cinema. But sometimes doing things the old-fashioned way is best. Just ask the cast of Avatar: The Way of Water. The 2009 original was a game-changer in terms of digital tech, and presumably the belated sequel will be, too. But there’s one aspect that’s completely real: Some of the cast spent the shoot holding their breath under water for real. In fact, it turned into something of a competition.
A new piece by The New York Times delves into the cast effectively trying to one-up Tom Cruise, who regularly risk his life to entertain the masses. For Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation, he held his breath underwater for over six minutes. Kate Winslet, who plays a Na’vi, essentially told him to hold her beer: On Avatar 2, she did it for seven minutes, breaking his record. Sigourney Weaver, who plays a teenage Pandora native, did it for six-and-a-half.
Then there’s Zoe Saldaña. “I’m very competitive, but we had an Oscar-winning actress in our cast that did seven minutes,” the actress, returning as Na’vi warrior Neytiri. “I got almost up to five minutes. That’s a big accomplishment, you guys.”
Cameron agreed. “Five minutes is huge,” he said.
It’s partly thanks to Cameron having his cast train with “the world’s best breath-hold specialists,” all so he could film lengthy underwater takes without having to cut. When asked, What’s gained from doing it for real?”, Cameron had a snappy retort.
“Oh, I don’t know, maybe that it looks good? Come on!” Cameron replied. “You want it to look like the people are underwater, so they need to be underwater. It’s not some gigantic leap — if you were making a western, you’d be out learning how to ride a horse. I knew Sam was a surfer, but Sig and Zoe and the others weren’t particularly ocean-oriented folks. So I was very specific about what would be required, and we got the world’s best breath-hold specialists to talk them through it.”
So there you have it. Digital effects are great and all, but an army of techies pounding away at computers will never be as impressive as the star of Hideous Kinky holding her breath for the length of a prog rock song.
When We Were Young Fest attendees have been going through a whirlwind of emotions, whether from the cancelation of the first day of the festival or the exciting success of the second day. It’s happening again this weekend, except a new announcement was made about a lineup switch: Avril Lavigne will no longer be playing, and Death Cab For Cutie will be added, along with the rock band Underoath.
“We are excited to share that Death Cab For Cutie and Underoath have been added to Sat’s lineup.LFG,” the festival’s social media account tweeted. “We had the best time on Sun with @AvrilLavigne. Due to unforeseen circumstances, she is unable to join us on Oct 29th of WWWY. We will miss you Avril!” No specific reason was mentioned.
Set Times for this Saturday!
We are excited to share that Death Cab For Cutie and Underoath have been added to Sat’s lineup.LFG
We had the best time on Sun with @AvrilLavigne. Due to unforeseen circumstances, she is unable to join us on Oct 29th of WWWY. We will miss you Avril! pic.twitter.com/UR6q9pfQEb
Before the festival began, Blink-182’s Matt Skiba scared attendees by comparing it to Fyre Fest. “But that festival — initially, they announced all those bands playing before anybody said yes,” he said. “It was a Fyre Festival kind of stunt that worked. And I only know that because my band was on that initial flyer, with every other band from our whole ilk. And they almost expertly started advertising it before they had a single band on the bill. And somehow, all the bands agreed to do it. I’m not making this up.”
Whether the true GOAT of the NBA is Michael Jordan or LeBron James is a controversial subject. Besides the fact that it’ll likely be Steph Curry by the time he retires, everyone seems to have an opinion. Those opinions run so deep and are so passionate that we’ll likely never have a consensus. But can we find a common ground by figuring out who is the GOAT of the celebrity tequila? It just so happens that they both have a brand.
To find out who is the true GOAT of celebrity tequila (with all due respect to Kendall Jenner) I grabbed a bottle of Jordan’s Cincoro Reposado and blind-tasted it side-by-side with LeBron James’ Lobos 1707 Reposado. This is a one-on-one, mano-a-mano showdown of luxe tequilas that you can actually find.
Once I blind-tasted each of these tequilas, I ranked them according to the depth of flavor, deliciousness, and whether or not I actually wanted to drink them after this tasting. Shall we get into it? Let’s figure out which of these tequilas is a… slam dunk (I’m so sorry).
Also Read: The Top Tequila Articles From The Last 6 Months
While Jordan is a co-founder and co-owner of this brand, the actual tequila comes from NOM 1438, Destiladora del Valle de Tequila (Casa Maestri) in Tequila, Mexico, which makes 165 (!) other brands currently. Cincoro’s Reposado is aged for eight to 10 months in ex-Tennessee whiskey barrels, which far exceeds the two months of aging required to be called a “reposado.” Once those barrels hit the right mark, they’re batched, proofed with local well water, and bottled in one of the tallest glass bottles you’ll find.
Zach Johnston
Blind Tasting Notes:
There’s a clear and rich sense of slow-roasted agave piñas on the nose with a slight note of caramelization next to soft vanilla pods (almost like a pudding), sour cherries, spiced holiday cake (clove, anise, and cinnamon heavy), and a dusting of white pepper powder. The palate is lush with a tapioca pudding vibe next to creme brûlée with burnt white sugar, a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg, and plenty of caramelization. The mid-palate has a dark cacao waxiness that leads to mashed roasted agave with a slightly sour edge next to vanilla tobacco leaves rolled into an old cedar box with a hint of sour buttercream lurking underneath.
Bottom Line:
This was really freaking nice. It was complex yet approachable. There was a mild American whiskey vibe on the palate that complimented the roasted agave and white pepperiness of it all. I can easily see sipping this on some rocks or making a killer tequila old fashioned with it.
Diego Osorio, acclaimed Spanish actor and documentarian, is the founder of Lobos 1707. King James came on a little later as a shareholder/ambassador. The juice is from NOM 1460, Compañia Tequilera de Arandas, S.A. de C.V. in the Highlands of Jalisco, which makes 42 other brands of tequila. The spirit initially rests for six months in American white oak before it’s blended with Lobos 1707 Extra Añejo and re-barreled into Spanish Pedro Ximénez sherry casks that Osorio sourced himself. Once the tequila is just right, it’s small batched, proofed, and bottled, creating a marriage of Spain and Mexico in the bottle.
Zach Johnston
Blind Tasting Notes:
This opens with a rich salted caramel note next to dark chocolate-covered coffee beans, slow-roasted agave with a good caramelization, plenty of white pepper, and a mix of cinnamon bark and allspice with this twinge of sour cream on the nose. The palate leans into that roasted agave with a hint of sour mulled wine full of star anise, allspice, and cinnamon with a slightly honeyed sweetness next to woody tobacco leaves. The end has a sense of waxy dark cacao nibs layered into that tobacco and packed into an old cedar box with a dash of white pepper next to dried red chili peppers over creamy yet slightly sour creamed cottage cheese with a slight hint of caramelized pineapple.
Bottom Line:
This is also pretty freaking great. The tequila has a lush texture that’s accented by seriously deep flavor notes and enticing aromas. It’s super easy to sip and really delivers a well-rounded tequila experience. I can also see this crushing an old fashioned application or on a rock or two as a slow sipper.
Final Thoughts
Zach Johnston
I have to give the edge to Lobos 1707 here. There’s just a richer and slightly more complex flavor profile. That said, these are shockingly similar sips of reposado tequila. We’re talking about splitting some serious hairs here. Full disclosure, I had my wife pour these again and I fully re-tasted them blind one more time just to try and find something to raise one above the other. It was there but you had to be looking for more depth to find it.
If you’re passively just looking for and drinking good reposado, then Lobos 1707 really is the play. This didn’t factor into the blind ranking at all, but it is half the price of Cincoro too. Just sayin’.
Just as often as TikTok is a platform of discovery, turning people on to products, foods, and hacks that can be life altering, or you know, possibly poisonous, the platform sometimes seems to collectively discover a thing that has always existed, and it’s truly a joy to watch a bunch of people marvel over a thing that much of the world already knows about.
Most recently, the people of TikTok seem to have discovered the wonderful world of dessert wines, specifically Taylor Port Wine.
If you’re not familiar with port wine, it’s essentially an incredibly rich and sumptuous form of fortified wine that packs some serious alcohol content. Think of port wine as the bridge between the easy-to-drink and relaxing vibes of your favorite beer or bottle of red or white wine, and the harder spirits like whiskey and tequila. Taylor Port Wine — which was founded in 1692, long before anyone could’ve ever conceived of TikTok — in particular packs about 20% ABV, nearly double the alcohol content of your average bottle of red wine, which isn’t exactly strong but packs a much more powerful punch than a casual wine drinker would expect from a bottle of “wine.”
Add to that the fact that a typical pour of port wine is something like three ounces, which not a single user on TikTok seems to be aware of because just about all of the people who have embarked on the Taylor Port Wine challenge serve the drink in a typical wine glass.
As you might imagine, TikTok users reviewing the wine are in for all sorts of surprises, like getting absolutely sh*tfaced after a single glass. There is nothing quite as funny as someone underestimating the power of a bottle of alcohol, resulting in some truly hilarious videos. This doesn’t seem nearly as dangerous as other recent TikTok trends, and it’s probably resulting in some good business for Taylor, but the best thing about this is that now more people will know about fortified wines.
Next step, sherry! Pretty soon everyone on TikTok is going to be talking like Frasier, which will make the world a much more humorous place. Check out some of the best videos from the Taylor Port Wine challenge below and go and grab yourself a bottle. But go easy, unless you want to wake up with a head-splitting hangover.
Earlier this month, Jimmy Kimmel promised an up-and-coming comedian that he would grant her her late-night TV debut. That stand-up was Ariel Elias, and she more than earned the gig. Why? Because she got a beer can thrown at her by a Trump supporter during a set. She had the perfect reaction to the incident, and sure enough, Kimmel and his team came through.
On Monday night, Elias — who became the latest comic to be attacked on-stage, after Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle — strutted out on the stage of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, after the host told the crowd to “not throw your beers,” of course. It was her network debut, and it gave the comic a chance to show off her stuff.
Elias talked growing up Jewish in Kentucky, where her progressive parents forbade her from dating anyone who wasn’t a member of the tribe. (“We live in Kentucky. My choices are my dad or my brother. That’s it. Which in Kentucky is fine. But they’re just not my type.”) She talked having low confidence and body issues. (“I got food poisoning one time, and my first thought when I got food poisoning was, I can’t wait to weigh myself.”) She talked about not being afraid to have kids in a world where they might suffer: “But I think kids should suffer.”
Elias was performing in Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey in early October when the incident that got her the Kimmel gig happened. She was bantering with the audience, one of whom asked if she voted for Trump. Things escalated to the point where the woman said, “I can tell by your jokes that you voted for Biden.” Elias snapped back, “I can tell by the fact that you’re still talking when nobody wants you to that you voted for Trump.”
Seconds later, the woman’s husband chucked a beer can at her. Luckily he had bad aim. After recovering from the shock, Elias picked up the can and chugged what remained, earning applause from the crowd and, eventually online fame.
Her name is Jesse-Jane McParland, she’s from a “wee small Irish town,” and she’s one of the best martial arts performers in the world.
McParland, who is nicknamed JJ Golden Dragon, holds more than 300 martial arts titles, including 12 European Champion titles and 21 World Champion titles—and she’s only 16. She’s been called a martial arts prodigy, and a video of her competing in the World Kickboxing Championships in 2014 that has resurfaced shows why. People simply can’t get enough of her sword skills and her gumption at such a young age.
“Absolute ledge,” wrote @Itsweary, captioning the video, which has been viewed more than 9 million times on Twitter and 11 million times on TikTok. “The ending…”
The ending they’re refering to is McParland letting out a primal scream after wowing the audience with her sword routine. It’s clear that she gives her all to her sport and people loved seeing such fierceness and discipline in such a small package.
“Here’s what I see,” wrote one commenter. “A young girl who will grow up with confidence and inner strength. And no man will dominate or control her. She won’t settle for anything less than equality and respect.”
“Absolutely unbelievable,” wrote another. “You know what I liked the most? With all that skill, talent agility dexterity and unbridled fury, she STILL remembered to bow at the end. She will do great in life.”
McParland is from the small town of Armagh in Northern Ireland and she began studying martial arts at age 3. In a 2015 interview, she told Ellen DeGeneres that she had done ballet and Irish dance, and her parents had tried to get her into basketball, but when she saw people doing karate she was hooked. At first, her father said no as he thought karate was too dangerous, but she was able to convince her parents to let her try karate.
She said when her mom asked her why she didn’t like ballet and Irish dance, she replied, “Mommy, not every girl dreams of being a little princess.”
McParland became a contestant on Britain’s Got Talent in 2015 at 9 years old and made it into the finals as the audience’s wild card choice. She has since acted in movies and television shows including “Into the Badlands” (2015), “The Martial Arts Kid” (2015) and “Robyn Hoodie” (2017).
According to her Facebook page, McParland is currently recovering from major surgery but will be back to her martial arts moves soon. “Nothing gonna keep me away from what I love!” she wrote. She recently started a TikTok page, and you can follow her @jessejane_mcparland.
Check out her most recent video share, with not one sword, but two:
In response to recent antisemitic remarks made by Kanye West, now known as Ye, film studio MRC Entertainment has announced that it is scrapping an upcoming documentary about the music producer and fashion mogul.
West has made claims of being mistreated by the Jewish community, as well as not having as many opportunities for not being Jewish, which he has doubled down on both in interviews and on social media. His outbursts have been excused by companies he’s partnered with for years, namely due to his mental illness (according to CNBC), which has undoubtedly given him a sense of impunity. On Oct. 20, West declared in an interview that “I can literally say antisemitic s— [to Adidas] and they can’t drop me.”
Whether or not this seemingly impulsive behavior is related to a mental health issue (West has been open about his bipolar diagnosis) is almost irrelevant due to the incendiary influence his words have. His allegations not only amplify Jewish stereotypes, but have fueled certain extremist groups—on Oct. 23, the Los Angeles Times reported that demonstrators showed up on the 405 freeway overpass giving Nazi salutes and waving a banner which read “Kanye is right about the Jews.” The toxic power of West’s celebrity is clearly palpable, and therefore dangerous.
When affluent, powerful people freely use hate speech, it often takes an equally powerful entity to put a stop to it, which is why it’s so important that MRC has not only cut creative ties, but has released a statement that perfectly shows how to address antisemitism.
“This morning, after discussion with our filmmakers and distribution partners, we made the decision not to proceed with any distribution for our recently completed documentary about Kanye West. We cannot support any content that amplifies his platform.
“Kanye is a producer and sampler of music. Last week he sampled and remixed a classic tune that has charted for over 3000 years – the lie that Jews are evil and conspire to control the world for their own gain. This song was performed acapella in the time of the Pharaohs, Babylon and Rome, went acoustic with The Spanish Inquisition and Russia’s Pale of Settlement, and Hitler took the song electric. Kanye has now helped mainstream it in the modern era.
“Lies are an important part of all discrimination, and this one is no different. When well crafted, they create the illusion that the action is just, that the bigot is ‘punching up’ at the victim. It’s critical to antisemites, who must explain why they are attacking a people that comprise less than half of one percent of the world’s population. Not a fair fight, numbers wise. But if the Jews are ultra-powerful because of secret evil plots, well, the argument is, it must be fair and ok.The silence from leaders and corporations when it comes to Kanye or antisemitism in general is dismaying but not surprising. What is new and sad, is the fear Jews have about speaking out in their own defense.”
Thankfully, MRC is not the only company to drop West. High-profile brands like Balenciaga, Vogue and, yes, even Adidas have severed ties, as well as major Hollywood Talent agency CAA. The fallout with Adidas has been a particularly big financial blow—since 2013 the shoe company has sold West’s Yeezy line of high-end sneakers, and the collaboration accounted for $1.5 million of his net worth. After Adidas’ announcement, West was immediately knocked out of his former billionaire status.
BREAKING: Adidas is cutting ties with Kanye West over his antisemitic remarks.
The company says it will “end production of Yeezy branded products and stop all payments to Ye and his companies.”
Of course, this isn’t really about wanting someone to get their comeuppance. It’s about accountability—both in terms of West having to be accountable for his actions and for companies having to be accountable for which values they endorse. As the co-leaders of MRC noted (a “Jew, a Muslim, and a Christian,” by the way) this isn’t a fair fight. We have already seen firsthand what results from silence and complacency when it comes to hate speech. Kudos to MRC for setting the example of how to properly take a stand.
If you thought you didn’t know Leslie Jordan, chances are you’ve stumbled across at least one of his videos during the pandemic where he said something funny and a little sassy with his unique southern drawl. Jordan was more recently on “American Horror Story” and “Call Me Kat,” but many people remember him as Karen’s BFF on “Will & Grace.” His character Beverley Leslie was to Karen as Ethel was to Lucy, always a hoot when they got together. Jordan passed away unexpectedly October 24, he was 67.
It’s suspected that Jordan had a medical emergency while driving when he crashed into the side of a building in Hollywood. Heartfelt tributes have been pouring in from celebrities and fans alike, with the overwhelming theme being how genuinely kind he was. It has truly been a celebration of life unfolding across social media for the star after TMZ broke the news.
Several celebrities took to social media to share their disbelief. Loni Love simply retweeted TMZ’s article and added “Noooooooooo” at the top. Jordan seemed to somehow be everyone’s friend and it shows in the tributes to the late star. Some fans are recounting how he helped them through the pandemic.
At the start of the pandemic everyone seemed to be full of hope, and “flattening the curve” seemed like the most patriotic thing you could do. But after being told for what felt like the 300th time that restrictions would be continued, people started having some feelings about it. Then Jordan entered with his video shenanigans that kept us laughing while we all felt trapped inside.
Jordan liked to check in on everyone using videos on Instagram to keep people entertained and feeling less lonely with stories from his life. He typically started his videos with “well shit, how y’all doing?” before launching into a smile-inducing tirade or story about something ridiculous that happened. The comedian could even make the mundane sound hilarious with his attitude and his sometimes over-the-top gestures.
After the release of Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s “WAP,” he had the entire internet laughing when he recorded himself listening to the song for the first time. Jordan also used his short Instagram videos to tell funny stories about his mother. All of these things solidified his place in people’s hearts when everyone was just looking for a little sunshine in what seemed like a hopeless never-ending situation.
The actor truly left a joyous legacy behind. Viola Davis, Jordan’s “The Help” co-star captured the sentiment many others have shared who have worked with the star.
Davis wrote on Facebook, “Oh no!!! Leslie!! I have nothing but the fondest memories of you while filming The Help. I’d never been in the presence of anyone who loved life and people as much as you. Your heart was as big as your humor. You lived. You took up space. You were present. Rest well!! I’m proud to have known you.”
Jordan certainly lived life well and his final curtain call has revealed that he made people feel seen and well loved. That’s certainly a legacy to cherish.
America is a country based on the idea that people can believe and say whatever they want. Those core values have helped create a country with a rich tapestry of viewpoints but oftentimes they come into conflict.
The key to the nation’s survival is how we can make peace with that conflict. It hasn’t always been easy, but we’ve always pulled through these struggles by embracing a common belief in democracy. Unfortunately, given the recent spread of election conspiracies, America’s way of healing itself and finding peace in a pluralistic society is in danger. This problem is confounded by the fact that in the upcoming 2022 midterm elections, nearly 300 Republican candidates don’t believe that Donald Trump lost to Joe Biden in 2020.
Many are rightfully fearful that the widespread acceptance of election denial will come to a head during the midterm elections, further weakening American democracy.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg made a strong statement in support of democratic values Monday, October 24 on “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.” He made a simple, but powerful statement to reaffirm the core values that each American must support to maintain a civil society.
u201c”When you lose, you accept the outcome.” u2014 @SecretaryPete on what it means to live in a democracy.nnSee more of Pete and @StephenAtHome’s discussion tonight at 11:35/10:35c on @CBS or @paramountplus.u201d
“One of the most important principles in democracy is that when you lose, you accept the outcome,” the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, and onetime presidential candidate told Colbert. “And I’ve had to do that. Winning is much more fun than losing. I’ve done both.”
We can all have different views, but the one thing we must have in common is a belief in the process of how we make decisions.
“And the reason that’s so important is because we expect the same thing from citizens in terms of policy decisions,” Buttgieg added. “Part of what it means to live in a democracy is that we have this process for getting decisions that all of us have to live by―those of us who agreed with the decision and those of us who were against it.”
“And so if we all have to live with the outcome of each of these policy choices, it’s only fair that the people who make them have to live with the outcome of when we choose which one of them is going to be in charge,” Buttigieg continued. “That’s how the bargain works.”
The idea that we have to reaffirm these core values that the vast majority of us hold dear to our hearts is a bit frightening. But as history has shown us, democracy should never be taken for granted. Since the dawn of civilization, democracy has been the exception not the rule and it has to be continuously fought for in the face of humanity’s innate bend toward tribalism and authoritarianism.
At a time when there are so many issues that America faces as a country, Buttigieg is right to promote the need for us to reassert our belief in democracy. Because once that’s gone, all the rights that we have now may soon be lost, too.
Andor has been widely described as a different kind of Star Wars show — a grittier, more complicated affair that isn’t as beholden to nostalgia and Easter Eggs as the others. What else would you expect from Tony Gilroy, the guy who made Michael Clayton? But it’s done more than get strong reviews. It’s also convinced another major talent to think way outside the box.
In a new interview with Inverse (as caught by /Film), Armando Iannucci — the co-creator of Steve Coogan’s Alan Partridge and the creator of The Thick of It and Veep (plus the films In the Loop and The Death of Stalin, and much else besides) — says he’s been watching the new prequel show following Diego Luna’s Rogue One character Cassian Andor, and it left him feeling inspired.
“It’s really interesting. It’s very different,” Iannucci explained. “Even the music is different than usual Star Wars music. I like that idea of just starting fresh and not being obsessed with the Death Star.”
When asked, point blank, if there could ever be “an Armando Iannucci comedy about politics in the Empire,” he responded, also point blank, “Absolutely.” He recently completed doing his very own Spider-Man comic, so it’s not like venturing over to George Lucas territory is that much of a leap.
Still, this is all very larval stage at the moment. Iannucci said that “whatever it is, as long as it’s an interesting new development rather than more of the same is how I see it. Andor is interesting in that it’s decided to just park everything else.”
As it happens, Iannucci has also stretched out into the world of sci-fi as well. His HBO show Avenue 5, which just started its second season, finds an all-star cast trapped on an interplanetary cruise ship knocked off-course, leading to much amusing chaos. Besides, the Star Wars-verse needs more jokes. Disney+, make this happen.
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CRAW KING
@Taylohr 
. @Arry
@cairahh
aint no way im floatin like this off happy juice
