deerstalker

https://nerdist.com/article/alien-romulus-ending-explained/

Spoiler Alert

Alien: Romulus from director Fede Álvarez functions as a sequel to Ridley Scott’s original Alien from 1979, while also referencing his more recent prequel films, Prometheus and Alien: Covenant. Álvarez combined elements of both of those films for a wild third act that has everyone talking, because it’s pure nightmare fuel. Here, we’ll break down the ties to the other films in the franchise, and what the future might hold for further Alien installments. Especially after that wild ending left audiences gagged.

The Xenomoprph from Alien: Romulus.
Twentieth Century Studios

How Alien: Romulus Ties into Alien and Prometheus

When Alien: Romulus begins, we see a space probe has discovered the remains of the Nostromo, the mining vessel destroyed at the end of the original Alien. This is some 17 years after the events of that film. As you might recall, before fleeing in her escape pod, Ripley blasted the Xenomorph out of the airlock. As a “perfect organism,” it survived in space with no nutrients by going into a cocoon mode. That same Xenomorph was discovered near the remains of the Nostromo. It is brought back to a space station named the Renaissance, in orbit of the ringed planet Jackson’s Star. This takes us to the year 2142, twenty years after the events of Alien.

The Weyland-Yutani Company Is Once Again the True Villain

Rain (Cailee Spaeny) fights for her life in Alien: Romulus.
Twentieth Century Studios

The Weyland-Yutani scientists working there try to experiment on the Xenomorph. But of course, it breaks free, killing the crew and creating new baby Xenomorphs, and releasing a metric ton of facehuggers. When labor worker Rain (Cailee Spaeny) and her friends from Jackson’s Star, including her synthetic “brother” Andy (David Jonsson) pilot the mining ship Corbelan to the station in hopes of finding cryo pods to escape to a more hospitable world than their own, they find no one alive on the station. All that’s left is a half-functioning synthetic scientist named Rook, the same model as the android Ash from the Nostromo (played by Ian Holm). He explains to Rain and the others what happened on the station.

The scientists in the Romulus lab aboard the station performed experiments on the captured Xenomorph, discovering a new form of the black goo from Prometheus. In fact, the scientists give that tar-like substance the name “the Prometheus strain.” With this strain, the Weyland-Yutani scientists believed they could reverse engineer it to create a cure for all human illnesses and build “a perfect human lifeform” of their own which they could then exploit on dangerous and inhospitable mining worlds as a labor force. The scientists in the lab synthesized this strain, but all hell broke loose before any samples could leave the station.

The Birth of a Human/Engineer/Xenomorph Hybrid Being

Kay (Isabel Merced) gives birth to a shocking being in Alien: Romulus.
Twentieth Century Studios

One of Rain’s friends from the Corbelan, Kay (Isabela Merced), was already pregnant when she escaped to the station. As the Xenomorphs pick off the Corbelan crew one by one, one of them captures Kay. Eventually, Rain and Andy find Kay in a cocoon, free her, and take her with them as they try to escape the station. Kay survives her injuries, but she chooses to inject the experimental sample into herself to increase her odds of survival. To paraphrase Aliens, this was a very bad call on her part.

Kay then suddenly gives birth to an egg. It hatches into a rapidly growing human-Xenomorph creature. The terrifying being looks part Xenomorph and also very similar to the Engineers from Prometheus. It kills its mother and nearly kills Andy, damaging him significantly. Rain ejects the cargo pod and the creature onto the asteroid rings of Jackson’s Star, and gets back control of the ship, and manages to escape with the damaged Andy. They go into cryo sleep, hoping to land on a more hospitable world than the hell they left behind. Even if it takes years to get there.

What Happens After Alien: Romulus?

Rain and Andy fight the Xenomorph in Alien: Romulus.
Twentieth Century Studios

Will someone find the remains of the creature in the rings of Jackson’s Star? And will the Company try again to replicate it? And what happens to Rain and Andy now? Just like Ripley (and Jones the cat) in Alien, they might float in cryo for years or decades. The universe they wake up in might be very different. Fede Álvarez clearly embraces the entire canon of the Alien franchise here. So whatever comes next likely continues building on what’s come before. For all we know, she arrives on Earth in the year 2381 or after, and encounters Ellen Ripley. We’re not saying that’s what will happen, but “going to sleep and waking up in a messed up world” is part of this franchise’s DNA. Anything can happen now.

The post The Wild Ending of ALIEN: ROMULUS, and What It Means for the Future of the Franchise appeared first on Nerdist.

August 17, 2024

The Wild Ending of ALIEN: ROMULUS, and What It Means for the Future of the Franchise

https://nerdist.com/article/alien-romulus-ending-explained/

Spoiler Alert

Alien: Romulus from director Fede Álvarez functions as a sequel to Ridley Scott’s original Alien from 1979, while also referencing his more recent prequel films, Prometheus and Alien: Covenant. Álvarez combined elements of both of those films for a wild third act that has everyone talking, because it’s pure nightmare fuel. Here, we’ll break down the ties to the other films in the franchise, and what the future might hold for further Alien installments. Especially after that wild ending left audiences gagged.

The Xenomoprph from Alien: Romulus.
Twentieth Century Studios

How Alien: Romulus Ties into Alien and Prometheus

When Alien: Romulus begins, we see a space probe has discovered the remains of the Nostromo, the mining vessel destroyed at the end of the original Alien. This is some 17 years after the events of that film. As you might recall, before fleeing in her escape pod, Ripley blasted the Xenomorph out of the airlock. As a “perfect organism,” it survived in space with no nutrients by going into a cocoon mode. That same Xenomorph was discovered near the remains of the Nostromo. It is brought back to a space station named the Renaissance, in orbit of the ringed planet Jackson’s Star. This takes us to the year 2142, twenty years after the events of Alien.

The Weyland-Yutani Company Is Once Again the True Villain

Rain (Cailee Spaeny) fights for her life in Alien: Romulus.
Twentieth Century Studios

The Weyland-Yutani scientists working there try to experiment on the Xenomorph. But of course, it breaks free, killing the crew and creating new baby Xenomorphs, and releasing a metric ton of facehuggers. When labor worker Rain (Cailee Spaeny) and her friends from Jackson’s Star, including her synthetic “brother” Andy (David Jonsson) pilot the mining ship Corbelan to the station in hopes of finding cryo pods to escape to a more hospitable world than their own, they find no one alive on the station. All that’s left is a half-functioning synthetic scientist named Rook, the same model as the android Ash from the Nostromo (played by Ian Holm). He explains to Rain and the others what happened on the station.

The scientists in the Romulus lab aboard the station performed experiments on the captured Xenomorph, discovering a new form of the black goo from Prometheus. In fact, the scientists give that tar-like substance the name “the Prometheus strain.” With this strain, the Weyland-Yutani scientists believed they could reverse engineer it to create a cure for all human illnesses and build “a perfect human lifeform” of their own which they could then exploit on dangerous and inhospitable mining worlds as a labor force. The scientists in the lab synthesized this strain, but all hell broke loose before any samples could leave the station.

The Birth of a Human/Engineer/Xenomorph Hybrid Being

Kay (Isabel Merced) gives birth to a shocking being in Alien: Romulus.
Twentieth Century Studios

One of Rain’s friends from the Corbelan, Kay (Isabela Merced), was already pregnant when she escaped to the station. As the Xenomorphs pick off the Corbelan crew one by one, one of them captures Kay. Eventually, Rain and Andy find Kay in a cocoon, free her, and take her with them as they try to escape the station. Kay survives her injuries, but she chooses to inject the experimental sample into herself to increase her odds of survival. To paraphrase Aliens, this was a very bad call on her part.

Kay then suddenly gives birth to an egg. It hatches into a rapidly growing human-Xenomorph creature. The terrifying being looks part Xenomorph and also very similar to the Engineers from Prometheus. It kills its mother and nearly kills Andy, damaging him significantly. Rain ejects the cargo pod and the creature onto the asteroid rings of Jackson’s Star, and gets back control of the ship, and manages to escape with the damaged Andy. They go into cryo sleep, hoping to land on a more hospitable world than the hell they left behind. Even if it takes years to get there.

What Happens After Alien: Romulus?

Rain and Andy fight the Xenomorph in Alien: Romulus.
Twentieth Century Studios

Will someone find the remains of the creature in the rings of Jackson’s Star? And will the Company try again to replicate it? And what happens to Rain and Andy now? Just like Ripley (and Jones the cat) in Alien, they might float in cryo for years or decades. The universe they wake up in might be very different. Fede Álvarez clearly embraces the entire canon of the Alien franchise here. So whatever comes next likely continues building on what’s come before. For all we know, she arrives on Earth in the year 2381 or after, and encounters Ellen Ripley. We’re not saying that’s what will happen, but “going to sleep and waking up in a messed up world” is part of this franchise’s DNA. Anything can happen now.

The post The Wild Ending of ALIEN: ROMULUS, and What It Means for the Future of the Franchise appeared first on Nerdist.


August 17, 2024

Low Housing Costs And Safety Rank Among Most Desirable For Black Americans

https://www.blackenterprise.com/report-black-americans-low-cost-housing/

Low living and housing costs, as well as safe and low crime rates, are among the qualities Black Americans cite as making a place desirable to reside.

New research shows those elements respectively ranked No. 1 and No. 2 with Blacks on ideal living conditions. Those pluses were followed by lots of things to do, good weather, high-quality education and good school districts.

Overall, 1,000 American adults were quizzed by Clever Real Estate to learn where people want to live this year and grasp what U.S. areas they prefer.  Some 128 of the respondents (12%) included in the study were Black.

The report produced many fascinating discoveries. For instance, most Americans have accepted to live with the ups and downs. A robust 84% report they could be convinced to move to another city or state. Americans are more inclined to move there is an increase in crime (58%), the cost of living rises (52% ), or due to taxes (47%). Those three factors contribute to why people would want to depart those areas to find a better quality of life.

For Black Americans, high crime/unsafe (59%), high cost of living, expensive homes, and high rent prices (51%) were the top factors making a place undesirable. Interestingly, affordable housing ranked as the No. 1 consideration overall for moving to a new location.

When it comes to the most desirable cities to live for Blacks, Atlanta, Tampa, and Miami, both in Florida, Virginia Beach, Virginia, and Los Angeles topped the list in that order. Conversely, St. Louis, Missouri, Washington, Tampa, Florida, Virginia Beach, Virginia,  and Seattle ranked sequentially by Blacks as the least desirable cities.

Jaime Dunaway-Seale, author of The Best (and Worst) Places to Live in 2024, According to Americans, told BLACK ENTERPRISE by email, “It makes sense that Atlanta would rank No. 1 among Black Americans because it’s been called a “Black Mecca” since the 1970s. Atlanta has a rich history and culture. It’s considered the birthplace of the Civil Rights Movement and is known for its arts and music (especially hip-hop) culture.”

She added, “It’s been home to the National Black Arts Festival since the late 1980s. The city also has the largest collection of HBCUs in the country, whose graduates have gone on to open many Black-owned businesses in the city.”

When it comes to cities with the best food, Black Americans ranked Atlanta first. It was followed by New York, New Orleans, Chicago, and Austin, Texas.

On the state level, Black Americans ranked California, Florida, New York, Georgia, and Hawaii as the most desirable places to live. In contrast, Alabama, Alaska, Mississippi, South Dakota, and Texas got the least desirable ranking.

The report included some noteworthy findings on other categories, including the most underrated cities and states, those areas with the nicest and rudest residents, and the ugliest and prettiest cities.


August 17, 2024

AX: ‘Ninja Scroll’ Returns to Theaters in September for 30th Anniversary

https://blacknerdproblems.com/ax-ninja-scroll-returns-to-theaters-in-september-for-30th-anniversary/

Talk about a legend! In the age of being able to stream anime almost anywhere, I remember watching this on VHS.

This September, AMC Networks’ HIDIVE and Iconic Events Releasing have partnered to present a three-day, 30th anniversary theatrical release of NINJA SCROLL, the critically acclaimed, samurai period drama film written and directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri–originally released in 1993. Originally announced at Anime Expo 2024, the film’s theatrical release has been expanded to now include both the United States and Canada — with more than 600 theaters locations during its September 11, 12, & 15 run.

As an exclusive experience available only in theaters, moviegoers will be treated to a special pre-show featuring a new, never-before-seen interview with Director Yoshiaki Kawajiri produced especially for this 30th anniversary release!

NINJA SCROLL is part of Iconic Events Releasing’s 2024-2025 season of AX Cinema Nights, a year-round movie event series that celebrates the best new and classic anime films presented in theaters across the United States and Canada. It offers the passionate fan community with immersive and unforgettable experiences beyond the annual Anime Expo.


Film Synopsis

When Jubei saves a young ninja woman from the unthinkable, he assumes that’s the end of it. To his surprise, it’s only the beginning. Together, the two investigate the mysterious deaths of an entire village which uncovers a conspiracy of demonic proportions! Getting closer to the truth, the demonic forces will stop at nothing to silence Jubei and his companion for good!

Ninja Scroll

WHEN:

Three-day theatrical release

Wednesday, September 11 (in Japanese with English Subtitles)

Thursday, September 12 (in English Dub)

Sunday, September 15 (Encore in Both Sub and Dub)

WHERE:

Over 600 theaters across the U.S. and Canada

For theater locations and advance tickets:
https://www.iconicreleasing.com/events/ninja-scroll/tickets/

Tickets also available from participating theater box offices.

Ninja Scroll

About HIDIVE:
HIDIVE is home to some of Japan’s very best anime and among the fastest growing services in AMC Network’s streaming portfolio. From TV series to movies to original video animations, HIDIVE offers one of the anime industry’s most diverse libraries of top trending and classic anime created by Japan’s leading and emerging producers. Each season, subscribers have exclusive access to first-run simulcasts of the best new anime at, or near, the same time as their Japanese broadcast.

HIDIVE can be viewed on a wide array of platforms, including desktop, laptop, tablet, smartphone, and streaming devices and is currently available by subscription in the U.S. and Canada as well as key overseas markets including the U.K., Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. For more information on HIDIVE or to sign-up for a free 7-day trial, visit www.hidive.com.

HIDIVE together with the logo and design are trademarks and copyrights of HIDIVE LLC.


Follow HIDIVE on Facebook, X, Instagram, and YouTube.

Love anime? So do we! See what else we have to offer on the site via anime here!

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The post AX: ‘Ninja Scroll’ Returns to Theaters in September for 30th Anniversary appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.


August 16, 2024

I ship Haladriel but it’s time to bring in Celeborn in ‘The Rings of Power’ season 2

https://www.themarysue.com/where-is-celeborn-in-the-rings-of-power-season-2/

Ever since The Lord of The Rings: The Rings of Power arrived on Prime Video and gave us a reason to ship Halbrand and Galadriel, fans have been wondering what happened to the lady of Noldor’s fair elven husband, Celeborn.

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