Uncategorized

https://nerdist.com/article/youtooz-avatar-the-last-airbender-collection-includes-appa-momo-plushes-mugs/

Get ready to celebrate Avatar: The Last Airbender (ATLA) with the help of its cutest creatures. Just in time for Netflix’s live-action series, Youtooz is releasing a brand new line of Avatar merchandise starring everyone’s favorite critters, Appa and Momo. This new ATLA release brings us an Appa mug and a fuzzy assortment of Appas and Momos you won’t be able to resist snuggling. After all, you can’t go on a quest without your best companions. The new Youtooz Avatar: The Last Airbender collection arrives on February 22. And we have an early look at what’s in store.

New Appa and Momo Plushes Arrive to Youtooz’s Avatar: The Last Airbender Collection

Youtooz’s new Avatar: The Last Airbender collection kicks off with what we all need in our lives, more Appa and Momo plushes. The Youtooz line offers us two new fluffy versions of the iconic creatures as part of their “shoulder riders” collection. That means these Appa and Momo plushes are perfectly designed, you guessed it, to sit on your shoulder. Momo naturally belongs on a shoulder. But Appa probably doesn’t get to ride around on others that much. So we’re glad he’ll get his time to relax in this Youtooz form.

A release from Youtooz shares more about these Avatar plushes, noting the Appa and Momo plushes are “made of a mixture of minky and faux fur materials, packed to the seams with the most huggable squishy 100% PP cotton, and come equipped with a magnetic disc to let them perch firmly atop your shoulder as the best accessory and a true testament to your love of the fandom!” As a note, Appa is six inches long, while Momo is six inches tall. There’s something really adorable about that in our eyes. We bet Momo has never felt more fearsome.

Appa and Momo Join Youtooz’s Magnetic Stickies Line

In addition to their shoulder rider plush form, Appa and Momo are also joining Youtooz’s line of magnetic stickies. What are magnetic stickies, you ask? Well, they’re small plushes that harness the power of four magnets to ensure you can stick your favorite fuzzy friends just about anywhere. And for creatures like Avatar: The Last Airbender‘s Appa and Momo, adding a magnetic element gives these plushes a fun infusion of life. The creative fan will definitely be able to rig these stickies up like they’re actually flying around. Appa isn’t a sitting bison, after all.

Youtooz will introduce four magnetic stickie plushes in their new Avatar line: two Appas and two Momos. As far as Appa goes, you can snag a normal Appa or an Appa with a tongue blep. I mean, we all need Appa doing a tongue blep; he’s just too cute. And he doesn’t come with any of the damp side effects that getting licked by the real Appa would leave you with. Win, win.

Meanwhile, on the Momo end of things, Youtooz is introducing a normal Momo and a Momo Cactus stickie plush into its Avatar: The Last Airbender collection. Yes, the adorable variant has Momo peeping out of a cactus at you. It really is incredibly cute. But we do have to hope that Momo hasn’t gotten secretly high on cactus juice. “The Desert” may not be one of our all-time favorite episodes of Avatar: The Last Airbender, but it certainly is one of its most bizarre.

As mentioned, all of these Avatar Appa and Momo plushes “come with 4 sewn-in magnets, so you can stick them together or onto any magnetic surface.”

Sip From an Appa Mug

Do you want to feel happy every morning? The answer lies in starting your day sipping from Youtooz’s new Appa mug. We dare you to look this mug in the face and not smile back at its cheerful disposition. Making things so cute you have to grin back at them is Youtooz’s superpower. Appa is always darling, but his crinkled eyes and big snout melt the heart, here. Happily, he’s also microwave and dishwasher-safe. (Although he prefers to be hand-washed. Appa is a bit of a diva.) This new mug really completes the new Youtooz Avatar collection.

Youtooz’s New Avatar: The Last Airbender Products Release on February 22

All the Appas and Momos you could want will hit Youtooz on February 22, when the new Avatar: The Last Airbender collection drops. Coincidentally, or not so much, this is also the day Avatar: The Last Airbender‘s live-action adaptation arrives on Netflix. It’s a true holiday for ATLA fans.

The post Appa and Momo Star in Fuzzy Youtooz AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER Collection appeared first on Nerdist.

https://blackgirlnerds.com/are-female-celebrities-treated-differently-when-it-comes-to-abuse-allegations/

On 2 August, 2023, singer Lizzo was named in a lawsuit that accused her of creating a hostile work environment. Three former dancers allege the pop star subjected them to sexual and racial discrimination, fat shaming and physical and emotional abuse.

Lizzo argued that case should be dismissed under California’s anti-SLAPP statute — a special law that makes it easier to quickly end meritless lawsuits that threaten free speech. Her lawyers argued that the accusers were using the lawsuit to “silence” that freedom.

On February 2, a Los Angeles judge denied Lizzo’s motion to toss out this lawsuit dismissing certain accusations, but allowing the case as a whole to move forward toward a trial. The ruling rightfully signals that Lizzo, or any celebrity, is not protected from this sort of inexcusable conduct merely because she is famous, or a woman for that matter.

Whatever the truth is behind the allegations against Lizzo, more importantly, this case is a primary example that abuse can exist anywhere, and we can’t pretend that women can’t be abusers, too.

The idea that any woman, could be as capable as a man — making other people’s lives miserable, or even of sexual harassment, shouldn’t surprise us as much as it invariably does. Unfortunately, sisters are not always sisterly. Sexual harassment and abuse by women may be rare, but it’s not nonexistent.

Anyone can be afraid of the professional consequences of rejecting a boss. Anyone can be made to feel humiliated, or anxious about coming in to work because of what they’ll have to pretend they are comfortable with. And women, of course, can also be sexually harassed and abused by other women. Even now, the possibility still rarely enters into our assumptions. But what’s glaring is it is ingrained in us to see men as the problem and women as the answer, no doubt because so often that is how it pans out.

But anyone can behave badly, especially in the entertainment world where the kind of toxic, high-pressure environments where people with power are indulged in abusing it, so long as they’re getting the results they want. Harassment is ultimately an abuse of power, and these days power doesn’t always lie where it did.

Although we champion her, Barbie presides over a make-believe world, while in the real world the same old assumptions and pressures create the conditions under which some women thrive and others don’t. The only power that really counts, at work or in private life but especially in the entertainment world that hypocritically blurs the two, is the power to say no to something personally uncomfortable without having to live in fear of the consequences.

In 2013, actress Emma Roberts was arrested for beating up her then boyfriend Evan Peters. She broke his nose and bit him. Peters forgave her, did not want to press any charges, and ended up publicly comforting her as she was crying not long after the incident. It was reported that they were working to move past the incident. Roberts and Peters ultimately broke off their engagement, however, her career never really suffered and she stars in the new film Madame Web.

Think about if Peters had broken Roberts’ nose and bit her. As a society, the view of the entire situation would be different. We have to be careful in believing that forgiveness means that no abuse actually took place, when in fact, that is not the case. It is very common for victims of abuse to forgive their perpetrators. Men are no different to women.

In 2009, Elin Nordegren, Tiger Woods’ then wife, had allegedly found text messages on his phone that proved he was cheating on her, so she struck him with a nine iron, causing him to spit blood, scratched his face, and smashed out the windows of his car as he tried to get away. After he crashed, she panicked and made up a conflicting story on the spot. Tiger Woods had to undergo plastic surgery from the injuries she inflicted.

This particular ordeal provided us with an ugly glimpse into the behind-the-scenes life of, at the time, Nike’s golden child — the man who could do no wrong; the man who was feared on the golf course, and adored by us all, was suddenly human. This single, unfortunate incident made Tiger Woods just another man going through hard times with his wife, and that is how it ended. For the most part, women praised Nordegren for making Woods pay for cheating. He never pressed charges against the mother of his children, and she ultimately moved on with her life better than ever.

We have come to a place where we accept that most celebrities have the resources to stay out of jail, and attain counsel. Being a celebrity can influence decisions. Yet, in these two cases, the men showed pity on the women and quickly forgave them, almost in an effort to make the incident go away just as fast. Maybe the men assumed that nothing would happen to the women anyway; that domestic violence against them wouldn’t be taken seriously; that they would rather protect their image then take it any further.

After news breaks regarding celebrity scandals, people soon forget and move on to whatever the next big news story is. As a society, we need to expand our view of what abuse looks like in the entertainment world when perpetrated by women. They need to be taken more seriously. In the grand scheme of things, it truly benefits us all when they are.

https://nerdist.com/article/sentai-and-sensibility-jane-austen-rpg-mixes-regency-and-power-rangers/

Are you ready for the Jane Austen RPG you didn’t know you needed? Because 9th Level Games is delivering mashup magic with Sentai & Sensibility. Think of it like regency romance meets Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers. Or, as the game makers put it, Bridgerton meets Kaiju. It’s a beautiful combination on paper, isn’t it? The mashup, which we first saw at Dicebreaker, looks intriguing beyond paper too, as you can see in 9th Level Games’ successful Kickstarter campaign. Take a look at this art of Mx. Cedar Abode, the Golden Ranger.

That art is only a sampling of what Sentai & Sensibility has to offer. You will play a member of the Regency elite with the usual bustling social calendar that comes with the position. Everything is business as usual until a Kaiju appears and threatens everything. Then you and your Sentai of Rangers transform into a unit of suited heroes, a la Power Rangers. You will work to defend your precious society from a sneaky organization called the Syndicate.

Excuse me whilst I execute a dramatic Regency faint to express how much I adore this concept.

Each player creates a Sentai Warrior and a type of role: the Premier, the Ronin, the Hussar, or the Dragoon. The type of hero will dictate which die the player will roll, as well as other strengths. Get all the details you need from the Kickstarter page. You still have a handful of days to back the campaign and claim an early spot in the Sentai & Sensibility fandom. Levels include PDF version, physical books, and a deck of companion cards.

The post Jane Austen Meets Kaiju in SENTAI & SENSIBILITY RPG appeared first on Nerdist.

https://nerdist.com/article/here-is-where-you-can-watch-stream-2024-nerdy-oscar-nominated-movies/

If its leading 13 nominations are any guide, Oppenheimer is going to have a big night at the Academy Awards on March 10. Christopher Nolan and his cast and crew aren’t the only ones who could be in for a special evening, though. Nerds like us could also have plenty of reasons to celebrate, too. Many genre films, geeky movies, and pop culture stalwarts earned nods across various Oscar categories. Which ones? We already told you that, but now we’re here to really get you ready for Hollywood’s biggest event. We’ve put together a list of where you can watch every nerdy nominee ahead of the Oscars telecast.

Barbie – Stream on Max

Mattel might have produced Barbie, a movie based on its own toy, but there’s no doubt it still qualifies as a true nerdy film. From Weird Barbie to “I’m Just Ken,” this was right up our alley. (An alley millions and millions of others also love, too.)

You can see why it earned more than a billion dollars at the box office and eight nominations over at Max. That’s also where you can see why it’s so absurd that director Greta Gerwig and star Margot Robbie didn’t earn recognition in their individual categories.

Oppenheimer – Stream on Peacock (Starting February 16)

Christopher Nolan has plenty of nerd cred to last a lifetime. Only he’s not why Oppenheimer makes the cut for this specific list. That honor goes to the “Barbenheimer” phenomenon. The combined shared release power of Oppenheimer and Barbie created an organic pop culture event. The films reignited a passion for movie theaters that brought together both diehard and casual cinema fans alike.

Oppenheimer turned everyone into a movie nerd, and you can be one too by streaming the favorite to win Best Picture at Peacock.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse – Stream on Netflix

The Oscar-winning Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse showed us “anyone can wear the mask.” However, if you want to stream its sequel, you need a Netflix account. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, our prediction to win 2024’s Best Animated Feature category, is available at the site. At least, that’s where you’ll find this gorgeous film in this universe.

Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny – Stream on Disney+

Harrison Ford’s farewell to his iconic character brought him on an adventure through time itself. If you have time to see Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny before the Academy Awards, you can watch the Oscar-nominated film on Disney+. The film earned the legendary John Williams a nod for Best Original Score, his 54th Oscar nomination (the most of anyone alive and second most ever).

The Creator – Stream on Hulu

We called Gareth Edwards’ The Creator “one of the most visually impressive science fiction movies” ever made. Clearly, the Academy agreed. It earned a nomination for Best Visual Effects, as well as one for Best Sound. You can see (and hear) why at Hulu, where the John David Washington-led film is streaming.

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One – Stream on Paramount+

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning has dropped “Part One” from its title. But just as a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, one of the best action movies ever is just as incredible under any other title. It was also good enough to earn Oscar nominations for both VFX and Sound. Find out why at Paramount+.

Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 – Stream on Disney+

James Gunn has left the MCU behind to lead the new DCU, but he bid farewell to Marvel Studios with a moving goodbye. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 gave the group as we know it an emotional sendoff. But the Guardians’ story isn’t over just yet. Their swan song is up for a Visual Effects Oscar in 2024. It’s also available to watch at Disney+.

Godzilla Minus One – Watch in Theaters

Godzilla Minus One looks like it must have cost hundreds of millions of dollars to make. Yet somehow, it had an operating budget under $15 million. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences found that just as impressive as the rest of us, nominating the film for Best VFX. That’s not the only reason to see this fantastic movie, though. You can see why it was a word-of-mouth hit in the U.S. by checking out the movie on the big screen in theaters.

The Boy and the Heron – Watch in Theaters

Studio Ghibli’s Hayao Miyazaki could direct an animated insurance commercial, and we’d stop everything we’re doing to see it. Multiple times. Instead, he gave us something far better, a beautiful story that might be his final animated film ever. If you want to see why the iconic director’s The Boy and the Heron is also his most successful in America, ever, you can watch this Oscar-nominated adventure in movie theaters.

Poor Things – Watch In Theaters

We’re always excited for a fresh take on Mary Shelley’s seminal Frankenstein, but it’s even better when an original interpretation is as good as Yorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things, starring Emma Stone. The movie earned the second-most 2024 nominations at eleven. While we expect the movie to hit streamers before the Oscars, if you want to watch it now you will need to see it in theaters or wait until it hits digital platforms on February 27.

Like all these Oscar-nominated nerdy films, it’s worth it.

Originally published on January 24, 2024.

The post Here’s Where You Can Watch 2024’s Nerdy Oscar Nominees appeared first on Nerdist.