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Despite being filled with ice dragons, undead wights, and possible mermen, Game of Thrones is a series heavily inspired by historical events. Just ask George R.R. Martin about the real story behind the Red Wedding. It was based on a few different events from Scottish history, including the Black Dinner in which the King James II of Scotland invited the Earl of Douglas and his brother to dine at their court, only to turn around and execute them before the main course was served. Long story short, Scottish history was absolutely brutal, full of grisly melees, protracted wars, and bloody battles, the likes of which will soon be seen in Netflix’s excellent new historical drama Outlaw King.

Directed by David Mackenzie (Hell or High Water), Outlaw King tells the story of Robert the Bruce (played by Chris Pine), one of Scotland’s national heroes and a warrior famous for waging a guerilla war against the King of England to win Scotland’s independence. But while Robert the Bruce has achieved mythic status in Scottish history, the events that happened were very real, and the reality of warfare during the 14th century was bleak, horrifying, and visceral. These are qualities that Mackenzie and his collaborators sought to highlight on the big screen in all their uncomfortable glory. The clash of steel, the crunch of bones, the sprays of blood–they aren’t glamorous in Mackenzie’s portrayal of medieval warfare; rather, they induce the same stomach-churning dread and discomfort that I felt during Game of Thrones‘ Battle of the Bastards. The result is a lot of grueling, grisly sequences that hammer home just how harrowing this experience must have been.

In order to find out how Mackenzie and company brought it to life, I traveled to Scotland where I sat down with him and stars Chris Pine, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Tony Curran, and Billy Howle at Borthwick Castle, which dates all the way back to the 15th century. In addition to doing some casual archery and falconry, I chatted with the film’s stars about how they approached these brutal battle scenes, how they pulled off the film’s insanely ambitious 9-minute-long opening tracking shot (which makes True Detective look like Babytown Frolics), and much more.

Outlaw King comes to Netflix on November 9.

Images: Netflix

Whew lawd! This episode of Doctor Who I was anticipating and dreading at the same time. Now that “Rosa” has aired I am still on the fence.  What was good about the episode? What was considered missed opportunities? Here are my thoughts on the matter.

The Good

Writers Malorie Blackman and Chris Chibnall gives us a reminder of how far we have come as a society.  They also showed we still have work to do.  I like that Jodie Whitaker has the opportunity to continue the Doctor’s ability to call out BS.  The scene where Ryan (Tosin Cole) voiced his frustration to Yasmin (Mandip Gill) was heartfelt.  I loved that Ryan got to be part of the pow wow at Rosa’s house and witness history happening in real time.

It was subtle, but I also appreciated the importance of education.  We should never forget the specifics of how and why the civil rights happened.  Accurate history is even more important.

Guest star Vinette Robinson gave a quiet dignity to Rosa Parks.  I loved all of the moments she had with the Doctor and the companions.  Tosin’s reaction to meeting Martin Luther King (Ray Sesay) was adorable!  I probably would have been speechless meeting both Parks and MLK!

The episode did not shy away from the harsh realities of 1955.  From Ryan getting punched, to the policeman hunting him the struggle was real.  There was sense of tension and danger that has not been felt before pertaining to the theme of the episode.  At least for Doctor Who. I think it was important given Ryan is so young, and from England, that he learned just what it was like in the US.

I liked that a new potential villain was introduced.  Guest star Josh Bowman of “Revenge” and “Time after Time” fame plays a jerk well as Krasko.  Yay that the actor gets to use his real-life accent! I am sure we will be seeing him again but wonder if he’s working for someone else or if he is on his own?  I enjoyed the chemistry between Whitaker and Bowman during their scenes.  It is always awesome seeing the Doctor trash talk and outsmart the baddie.

Missed Opportunities

While they did a decent job with Ryan’s and Rosa’s experience on the bus, Yasmin’s was glossed over. Having Yasmin say, “let’s see what happens,” was taking the easy way out. It would have been nice to at minimum emphasize another minority struggle in the south.  Ryan experienced it first-hand but Yasmin’s experience was in collateral situations.  I think it could have been tastefully done without taking away from the story.

The Absence of Nan

One of the things that still irritates me is the fact that Nan/Grace died in the premiere episode.  This episode features a historical black female that jump started the Civil Rights movement.  To not have Nan play a role in maintaining it is a disservice.  Yes, Ryan gave a shout out.  Past companions Martha and Billy were never part of an episode of this magnitude.   Ryan almost makes up for it but it was very disappointing that Nan could not be physically be part of it either.

The song during the final moment

I thought the song “Rise Up” by Andra Day was okay. My guess as to why “Rise Up” was chosen; it is a recognizable modern song.  Also maybe it emphasizes how much work we still need to do in modern time.  Also, there was an older song in the beginning of the episode so maybe the decision was to not overdo it?

However, to give the moment even more punch I felt another spiritual would have been a better choice.  For example, “Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around” or go with a classic, “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”

It would have shown consistency if anything else. Plus given that Ryan sent Krasko away so Rosa could succeed also would have given the song more oomph.

Overall the episode hit most of the right emotional spots. With some improvements the episode could have been even better.

What are your thoughts? Sound off below in the comments!

The post Doctor Who “Rosa” Episode Review appeared first on The Nerd Element.

R&B artist and now tech startup founder, Kehlani has been a very busy woman. Not only did she just announce her pregnancy, but today she is officially announcing the launch of her new app, Flora, an app that inspires young people to make positive changes in their lives.

Through a gamification model, the app provides users with challenges and every time a specific challenge is completed they are allowed to collect coins. Once you amass a certain amount of coins, you are allowed to exchange them for prizes. “It’s pretty awesome to me because not only does it let you get a cool prize,” said Kehlani as she explained the platform in a recent YouTube Live, “but you get to do a really fun challenge that actually actively changes something in your life, not just for yourself but, for the world, and for others.”

In addition to the app having a gamification component, it boasts an awesome community where players can support one another’s endeavors. “You can create your account and leave comments on other people’s challenges,” continued Kehlani. “Maybe I have a suggestion on how you can do the challenge better. Maybe I have a suggestion on how we can possibly compete and do our challenge at the same time. Prior to the announcement, the app amassed 22k in a pre-launch that took place over a 48-hour period.

(Image: Flora)

Kehlani is joined by her co-founders, Reid Williams, COO, and Alaxic Smith, CTO and designer. They got the idea after the two started off with their own streaming service, where Kehlani conducted her first virtual release party. “We decided to come together and said hey, as a developer, a marketing strategist, communications guy and me, how could we do something that really benefits our generation,” stated Kehlani. That started the birth of Flora. 

Co-founders of Flora: Reid Williams, Kehlani Ashley Parrish, Alaxic Smith (Image: Flora)

To learn more about the app and to download it, click here.

The post Kehlani Launches Flora, the App for Better Living appeared first on Black Enterprise.

Here’s another reminder why you should always be careful about what you post on social media. A Boston Red Sox fan arrived at Fenway Park on Wednesday for Game 2 of the 2018 […]

The post Guy’s $650 World Series Ticket Stolen by Scammer Through Instagram Photo appeared first on Geek.com.