Take our quiz to see which color saber you should wield.
So much can be said about a Jedi by the color and make of their blade. Are they a learned scholar of the ways of the Force? A guardian for peace and justice? Light? Dark? A little of both?
What about you? Have you been tainted by power and rage, or do you stand in solidarity with the Jedi Order? Take this quiz to discover how your Jedi weapon reflects your soul:
The lightsaber is “an elegant weapons for a more civilized age,” and what they symbolize is about to become more important than ever – it looks like Rey has reconstructed the famous Skywalker saber, so get ready to see it make a triumphant return in “The Rise of Skywalker.”
Frame-by-frame analysis of the Rise of Skywalker trailer
Here’s what you never knew about the best prison movie ever made.
It’s approaching 25 years since Andy Dufresne crawled through a “river of sh*t and came out clean on the other side.” “The Shawshank Redemption” was released on Sept. 23, 1994 by director Frank Darabont, starring Tim Robbins as Dufresne, a wrongfully imprisoned banker, and Morgan Freeman as Red, the narrator of the film “who knows how to get things.” If you haven’t seen the film, you can watch “The Shawshank Redemption” online!
Let’s take a peek behind the scenes behind the bars.
10 facts about The Shawshank Redemption
1. Morgan Freeman hurt his arm throwing the baseball
In what’s probably the most famous scene in the film, Andy crawls through 500 yards of sewage before emerging a free man on the other side. “We got a local chemist to test the quality of the water,” said production designer Terence Marsh on the DVD, “and he said this water is absolutely lethal.” “It was cow country,” Robbins grimaced, “enough said.” The only reason the actor agreed to do the scene was that there was a hot shower nearby. Funnily enough, the actual ‘sewage’ was just water, sawdust and chocolate syrup.
3. Freeman’s real-life son has a cameo
Red pleads for parole multiple times throughout the film, and we are shown a picture of what a young Red (and a young Morgan Freeman) might have looked like. The mugshot bears a strong resemblance for a reason: The picture on the parole papers is actually Freeman’s son, Alfonso. That’s not his only presence in the film either; he’s also a con shouting, “Fresh fish! Fresh fish today! We’re reeling ’em in!”.
4. Red and Andy don’t meet at the end
Rather than the happy ending where Red and Andy reunite on the beach, Darabont wanted to end it when Red gets on a bus and goes out to look for him. In later interviews, Darabont said the ending that he’d envisioned was more open, ambiguous note. The production company, Castle Rock, pushed for the ending we got in the film.
5. Freeman was always choice #1
A number of actors were considered to play the part of Red, including big names such as Clint Eastwood, Harrison Ford, Paul Newman and Robert Redford. In the novella, Stephen King originally wrote the part as a white Irishman. Before the film’s production, however, Darabont already knew he wanted Morgan Freeman.
6. Cruelty to maggots
For scenes involving Brooks crow, the American Humane Association was brought in to monitor the scene. Ironically enough, it wasn’t the crow they ended up having issues with. Instead, the AHA objected to the use of a live maggot during a scene where Brooks feeds the bird, citing that it was cruel to kill it. The maggot that made it into the film was already dead of natural causes.
7. The 40 minutes that took 3 weeks
Morgan Freeman recorded the complete voice-over for “The Shawshank Redemption” before filming even began. This was used as a guide track to establish the rhythm of each scene. There was a slight hiss on the track, however, and the sound engineers were unable to remove it. Instead, they had to re-record the entire thing – and this time it took three weeks.
8. Solitary Refinement
It’s hard to feel in-character when you’re playing an inmate if you’ve never been convicted. For some pretty hardcore method acting, Tim Robbins requested time in solitary confinement to better get a feeling of what the experience is like. “I wanted to go in for a day or two,” Robbins said in an interview, “but they wouldn’t let me for security reasons.” He was in solitary for a couple of hours.
The sound effect used towards the end of the film when the corrupt Warden shoots himself is actually the same sound effect as the man stamping ‘approved’ on Red’s paper during his parole hearing. Now that’s the sound of justice being served!
Hopefully these facts will make you enjoy your next viewing even more! Let us know your favorite scene in the comments below, and get busy living!
Discover what you never knew about the action-fantasy-romance-comedy classic.
From swashbuckling to romance to miracles, “The Princess Bride” has something for everybody. There’s a dashing masked hero who’s out to save the princess, an evil hunter vying for the throne, a master swordsman seeking to avenge his father – but there was a lot going on behind the scenes that most viewers wouldn’t know. If you haven’t seen “The Princess Bride,” wake up and smell the iocane powder (or can you? It’s scentless … right?) and watch “The Princess Bride online!”
But let’s not waste any more time. After all, some of you have your country’s 500th anniversary to plan, a wedding to arrange, a wife to murder, and Guilder to frame for it. You’re swamped! So without further ado, here are 10 things you might not have known about this cult classic!
10 inconceivable facts about The Princess Bride
1. Rob Reiner wasn’t the first director to pitch the adaptation
William Goldman saw Reiner’s “This is Spinal Tap” and immediately wanted him as director for “The Princess Bride.”
Early in his career, Rob Reiner got the notion to turn William Goldman’s “The Princess Bride” into a film. “It’s a brilliant story by one of America’s greatest writers,” wrote Reiner. “Why wouldn’t everyone just jump at this idea? Little did I know that for 15 years it had been the story that no studio would touch.”
Goldman wrote “The Princess Bride” in 1973. He later told Entertainment Weekly that he “had two little daughters, I think they were 7 and 4 at the time, and I said, ‘I’ll write you a story. What do you want it to be about?’ One of them said ‘a princess’ and the other one said ‘a bride.’ I said, ‘That’ll be the title.'”
4. Patinkin took Inigo’s revenge quest personally
Christopher Guest said that during his fight scene he was seriously trying to defend himself from the enthusiastic Patinkin.
“I had lost my own father [to] pancreatic cancer in 1972,” said Patinkin, who was offered any role in the film that he wanted. He felt a very personal connection to the character of Inigo. “I didn’t think about it consciously, but I think that there was a part of me that thought, if I get that man in black, my father will come back. I talked to my dad all the time during filming, and it was very healing for me.”
5. André the Giant learned his lines from a cassette
André the Giant was born in France, and English was never his strong suit. “André read this three-page scene, and I couldn’t understand one word he said,” Reiner recalled. Despite the initial difficulties, Reiner was excited to have him in the cast, saying that he was perfect physically for the part. “So I recorded his entire part on tape, exactly how I wanted him to do it, and he studied the tape. He got pretty good!”
6. The crew had to get an R.O.U.S. out of jail
“Rodents of Unusual Size? They don’t exist.”
The Rodents of Unusual Size were played by men in rat suits, one of whom got into a fight with his wife during the filming, and promptly burned down the kennel that they owned. In order to shoot the scene with him, the crew had to bail him out of jail.
7. “You’re no match for my brains.”
“Where was I?” “Australia.”
Wallace Shawn, who played Vizzini the Sicilian, held a history degree from Harvard and studied philosophy and economics at Oxford. Despite that, he was very insecure during casting, constantly comparing himself to Danny DeVito, who Reiner originally wanted for the part.
8. Westley actually did fall unconscious
The infamous six-fingered man.
During the scene in the woods when Westley is captured by Count Rugen (Christopher Guest), the scene is supposed to end with Rugen knocking Westley unconscious with the hilt of his sword. After several unconvincing takes, Elwes told Guest to just go for it and tap him on the head to get the reaction right. Guest tapped a little too hard, and Elwes was actually knocked out! He later woke up in the hospital, and the take made it into the film.
9. Mandy Patinkin only suffered one real injury on set
William Goldman had to be taken off-set during this scene; he couldn’t stop laughing.
Wallace Shawn was deathly afraid of heights, and the most difficult scene for him to film was when Fezzik carried Vizzini and Inigo up the Cliffs of Insanity. To assuage him, André gently patted Shawn’s back and said “I’ll take care of you.”
Hopefully these facts will make your next viewing even more enjoyable. Until then, have fun storming the castle!
Discover what you never knew about this action movie classic.
So… will you take the red pill or the blue pill? “The Matrix” remains one of the most iconic and influential sci-fi films of all time. Keanu Reeves stars as underground hacker Neo, who gets sucked into a war between humans and machines fought within a massive computer simulation. The film won multiple Academy Awards, and continues to have a huge influence on pop culture even 20 years later. Here are a few easter eggs and facts about the first movie… just don’t tell the Agents we told you.
10 mind-blowing facts about The Matrix
1. Anime had a huge influence on the film
Image courtesy Kodansha
The Wachowskis, the visionary siblings behind “The Matrix,” drew their inspirations from a variety of sources, including anime. In particular, they cite “Ghost in the Shell” and “Akira” as major influences on the overall tone and the stylized fight sequences of the movie. Reportedly, they even specifically told producers that they wanted the film to feel like live-action anime.
2. Will Smith turned down the role of Neo
Image courtesy Warner Bros.
Before eventually going to Keanu Reeves, the role of Neo was offered to a number of Hollywood giants. In particular, Will Smith was heavily considered for the role, but turned it down in favor of “Wild Wild West.” The role was also offered to Nicolas Cage, and The Wachowskis themselves have stated that a young Johnny Depp was their top choice for the part.
3. The movie includes many Alice in Wonderland references
Image courtesy Warner Bros
Though they may appear unrelated at first, “Alice in Wonderland” had a huge thematic influence on The Matrix. Both deal with unsuspecting, normal people who get dragged into a mind-bending alternate world that they never realized existed. Follow the white rabbit, Neo.
4. It was the first DVD ever to sell over 1 million copies
Image courtesy Warner Bros.
Though the day of the DVD has come and gone, “The Matrix” came onto the scene right as DVDs were beginning to eclipse VHS tapes. It was the first DVD in the United States to sell over a million copies, and went even further to become the first to break the 3 million mark. At last count, the total tally stands at over 30 million DVD copies sold.
5. A lot of the dojo fight scenes were real
Image courtesy Warner Bros.
The scenes where Neo and Morpheus train together in the dojo feature some tightly crafted fight sequences. The crazy thing is, those aren’t stunt doubles. Much of the time, to preserve the authenticity, the actors did their own stunts. They weren’t pulling punches, either: all that kung-fu is real, and oftentimes the fight scenes would end with actual bruises and injuries.
6. The Agent’s costumes were inspired by the Secret Service
Image courtesy Warner Bros.
Costumes play a big role in “The Matrix.” From custom sunglasses to bespoke ties and skin-tight catsuits, every costume works together to create a distinct visual style. In the case of the infamous Agents, the costume designer wanted a practical, undercover look that would set them apart from the more stylishly adorned hackers. For this look, real-life Secret Service agents served as inspiration, particularly as they were portrayed in the film “JFK.”
The shining emerald green lines of the Matrix’s computer code are made up of rapidly changing, stylized characters. At first glance, this appears to be an entirely fictional language, but it actually isn’t. The Matrix code was created by blending together Japanese half-width kana and Latin characters. Coder Simon Whitely worked closely with his wife, who is Japanese, to create the iconic code. What does the code translate to? According to Whitely, it’s just a bunch of sushi recipes.
8. Keanu Reeves shaved his entire body for the pod scene
Image courtesy Warner Bros.
Early in the movie, Neo is awoken from his computer-simulated life to find out that his actual body is being held in a gel-filled feeding pod for the machines to use. For the scene, Reeves went above and beyond, going so far as to shave and wax his entire body. He also voluntarily dropped 15 pounds to give Neo a starved look; the weight loss meant this was one of the final scenes to be completed for the movie.
9. Each character has a unique fighting style
Image courtesy Warner Bros.
To create the movie’s tightly choreographed hand-to-hand fight scenes, The Wachowskis hired martial artist to Yuen Woo-Ping to train each of the primary actors. Each actor spent four months training with Yuen, where he developed a fighting style unique to each actor. To do so, he focused on a trait specific to each actor and trained around it. For Neo (Keanu Reeves), it was “diligence.” For Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne), it was “resilience.” Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving) was built around “precision” and Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) was “grace.”
10. WB is currently working on a Matrix reboot
Image courtesy Marvel Studios
That’s right, Warner Brothers currently has a Matrix reboot in the works. First announced in 2017, exact plans are still murky, and the films don’t currently involve The Wachowskis. Zak Penn, known for his writing work on several Marvel superhero films, has been tapped for a rewrite. Who’s going to star? Michael B. Jordan, famously known as “Black Panther” antagonist Erik Killmonger.
To paraphrase the iconic words of Morpheus, it’s time to see how deep the rabbit hole goes. Head over to Softonic’s Where to Watch site discover where to watch “The Matrix” online right now, and see if you can spot any other references or easter eggs we might have missed. Just remember… there is no spoon.
Tired of Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu? Try these alternatives to expand your entertainment options.
We’re all well aware of the big names in video streaming: Netflix, Hulu, Amazon. But Netflix is upping its prices. And traditional cable feels like a scam — add in a few additional services and you’re racking up a pretty big entertainment bill before you know it. If you’re looking to watch movies online, there are all kinds of options available to you.
Below, we’ve compiled five solid options for expanding your media library without expanding your budget.
5 great Netflix alternatives for streaming movies
1. TeaTV
One of the best free movie apps for Firestick, TeaTV operates on the BitTorrent protocol and is a solid alternative to apps like Terrarium TV.
Since the original Terrarium is gone, TeaTV presents a solid alternative for fans of the bygone app.
TeaTV is a movie streaming app that offers users access to thousands of movies and TV episodes at up to 1080p quality. The app is available for Android and may be installed on a jailbroken Firestick for big screen viewing.
Keep in mind, however, TeaTV lives in some murky legal territory. You may want to use a VPN to protect your security and identity when streaming on TeaTV or similar apps.
Pluto TV is a live TV-streaming service, similar to apps like Playstation Vue, Vizio’s WatchFree, and Rabbit TV. The app, designed for the cord-cutting crowd is available on just about any device: Android, iOS, web, Firestick, Apple TV, Roku, the list goes on.
Pluto TV’s content lineup consists of a blend of live TV channels, on-demand movies, and weirdly, reruns of “sick day” faves like “Maury” and “Jerry Springer.”
As far as movies go, however, there are some gems in there. Indie flicks like “Adaptation” and cult favorites like “Cube” are nestled among “Hell’s Kitchen” repeats and “Dog the Bounty Hunter.”
So, yes, while Pluto TV is a bit all over the place, it’s worth a look because A: it’s free. And B: it’s a straightforward download: 100 percent legal, no need for a VPN or roundabout pirating process.
Snagfilms is one of the best movie streaming apps around if you’re interested in documentaries and foreign films. The free app is completely legal and provides the option to download movies for offline viewing or stream directly.
You might be a bit disappointed if you’re hoping to watch new content like the latest TV episodes or newly released movies. That said, the app has the cult classics, festival faves, and climate change documentaries on lock. Worth checking out if you need a break from the Netflix algorithm.
Flipps HD is a free movie streaming app for Android, Apple TV, Chromecast, and smart TVs like Samsung, LG, and Sony. Like Pluto TV, Flipps comes with access to 100+ channels, a long list of movies, music videos, and YouTube.
What’s cool about Flipps is, the app turns your phone into a remote control. You’ll make your selection on the phone, then tap to stream the content to your connected TV.
Watch free streaming movies and TV shows with IMDB Freedive
Kodi, formerly known as XBMC is a streaming platform for all types of content — from illegal cam versions of new releases to TV episodes, music and more. What it is, is an open-sourced media platform that allows users to upload their own media collections — BluRay, DVD, and downloaded files from personal hard drives.
Kodi offers a lot of the same features found in Terrarium TV, provided you download the right plug-ins. Kodi plugins range from the perfectly legal — use it to watch videos on YouTube and Vivo — to the illegal — torrent services and unpaid access to paywall content.
If you do choose to use Kodi for torrenting, you’ll want to invest in a VPN. Check our VPN articles if you’re not sure where to start the hunt.
123Movies reportedly shut down last year. But, these illegal sites always have a way of bouncing back, and they’re definitely out there. There’s also GoStream and several others. Unfortunately, these apps do present some risks. Aside from the potential legal risks, these apps and sites are hotbeds for malware. Unless you have some crazy virus protection in place, steer clear.
In the end, you can cobble together a diverse range of viewing options by exploring the wide array of free streaming services. Tread carefully with Kodi or TeaTV, though and invest in a VPN before catching up on those blockbusters.
Want to watch the Oscar-winning movies online now? Here’s how.
Although “Green Book” took home the top honor at the 2019 Academy Awards, it didn’t walk away with the Oscar haul you typically expect from a truly great movie. It only garnered three Oscars – a number matched by “Black Panther” and “Roma.” “Bohemian Rhapsody” actually took home four statuettes. So whether you like historical dramas, personal films, musical biopics, or superhero fantasies, all were honored on film’s biggest night.
IMDB offers free streaming movies. What’s the catch?
Looking for another option for free movies and TV shows? IMDB Freedive is here to scratch that itch, provided you’re willing to watch a few ads.
Guide to IMDB Freedive
How do I watch IMDB Freedive?
You can watch on your computer or any Amazon Fire TV device. Click here to access IMDB Freedive. You can also find the content by browsing the Amazon Prime Video app on an Android-enabled TV. Just keep scrolling down until you see the Freedive section.
What’s up with the ads?
The number and frequency of ads appear to vary, depending on what you’re watching. “The Last Samurai” has 14 commercial breaks. “Battlefield Earth” has five. You can’t skip or fast-forward the ads. You also can’t buy your way out of the ads; Freedive suggests buying movies through Amazon Prime if you want an ad-free experience.
On the plus side, the ad breaks are only 15-65 seconds and there’s a countdown so you know how long you’re stuck. Like many free streaming options, however, the ad breaks appear to be dropped totally at random. That can be jarring.
There are some gems, but not many at the time of publication. Right now, there are just 15 films from the IMDB Top 1000:
Big Fish
True Romance
Drive
Memento
Midnight in Paris
The Last Samurai
The Illusionist
Adaptation
Donnie Brasco
Awakenings
Stranger Than Fiction
Run Lola Run
Tangerines
Drunken Master
Elite Squad: The Enemy Within
There are a few other quality films in the mix:
The Natural
The Fisher King
The Mask of Zorro
Legends of the Fall
Pollock
Blue Jasmine
Closer
Foxcatcher
Junebug
Roxanne
Multiplicity
And if you love bad or cheesy movies, they have some holy grails, including “Miami Connection,” “Anaconda,” and the aforementioned “Battlefield Earth.” You could also watch “The Net” and see how badly it holds up. Or watch all three movies in the “Look Who’s Talking” trilogy.
As with most streaming services, we expect the selection will rotate, but it’s a decent start.
Can you watch Freedive anywhere?
Right now, it’s only available in the United States and U.S. territories. That’s nothing a VPN can’t fix, however.
Here’s one area where IMDB Freedive surpasses every other streaming system: its search function.
When you’re on Netflix, Amazon Prime, HBO Now, or its streaming cousins, you’re often stuck scrolling endlessly, hoping that the algorithm can pull an appealing title from the library.
With Freedive, you can cross-reference your search with IMDB’s data. So you can find free movies that have won Academy Awards (Freedive has nine Oscar-winners at the moment). Or find movies that filmed in Chicago (Freedive offers 13). Or get even more specific by choosing 20th Century Fox movies with Dolby Digital sound (Freedive has three.)
The ability to slice and dice your search according to your specific criteria is a feature no other streaming service can match.
It’s a mixed bag, but you may find something that appeals to you. “Heroes,” “Dallas,” “Quantum Leap,” “Fringe,” “Kitchen Nightmares,” and “Gilligan’s Island” are available. You can also watch “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette.” So it’s mostly “comfort food” TV.
Conclusion
Much like other free streaming options, the selection of films you actually want to watch is pretty small. Beyond that, IMDB Freedive is a weird junk drawer full of random content. But if you were to cobble together Freedive with Hoopla, Pluto, and some others, you’d have a respectable mix of free movie options.
Keep your eyes peeled to see if Freedive can set itself apart from the free streaming competition. The incredible search function alone is reason to give it a shot.
After the infamously bold ending to “Avengers: Infinity War” in 2018, the Marvel fandom has been running wild with rumors, conjectures, and theories as to what direction the upcoming sequel might take. Every scrap of idle gossip spoken by the Russo brothers, the cast, or by Kevin Feige has been shared, documented and dissected to the point where the fan base is second guessing practically everything. While the Marvel Cinematic Universe has certainly taken liberties with the franchise and characters, the original comics are still the roots they’re grown from, and the MCU dusts a sprinkling of nods and references wherever they can.
Obviously, there were some huge changes that took place between the comic and the film, most notably Thanos’ relationship and motivations involving Mistress Death, the role of the cosmic entities, the critical roles played by Dr. Doom and the Silver Surfer, and of course the glaring fact that at the start of the comic Thanos was already in control of all the gems.
While not accurate panel for panel, “Infinity War” was chock full of respectful allusions to the Jim Starlin’s 1991 Infinity Gauntlet series. Aside from the neat visual cues, the story arc for “Infinity War” also matched up pretty neatly with the concept from the comics: Thanos acquires the Infinity Stones and uses them to wreak havoc on Marvel’s superheroes, eliminating half the universe with a snap of his fingers.
Given both the general tone and the current state of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it’s abundantly clear that they will not be following the comics frame for frame. However, we think it is likely that certain crucial concepts will be adapted to the yet-to-be-titled Avengers 4. We’ve listed what we think are the five most likely:
1. Nebula will be hugely important
Since audiences first saw her in the 2014’s “Guardians of the Galaxy,” Nebula’s background and motivations were crystal clear: Like Gamora, she is the daughter of Thanos, molded into a deadly weapon of destruction. Unlike Gamora, Nebula was not the favored child. While her sister was praised time and time again for her successes, Nebula’s failures resulted in her being tortured and grotesquely mutilated with the twisted intent of enhancing her combat abilities.
Nebula has made it no secret that she wants Thanos deader than dead, and that she wants to be the one to do the deed. We’ve already seen that she was not affected by Thanos’ snap at the end of the film, and is currently with Tony Stark on the ruins of Titan. But what will be her role in Avengers 4? If it’s anything like the comic, you may be surprised just how important she’s about to become.
The power of the infinity gauntlet unsurprisingly sends Thanos on a huge power trip. In the comics his search for power and control go far beyond killing half the universe – rather, that’s where the power trip begins. Thanos’ conquest eventually leads to him overpowering even the cosmic entities of the universe – omniscient, almighty beings such as the Living Tribunal, Galactus, and Eternity. Upon defeating Eternity, Thanos himself becomes bonded with the very fabric of the universe, attaining literal godhood.
But this godhood is brief. When Thanos usurps the mantle of Eternity, his material body is left uninhabited. Nebula reaches forward and takes the gauntlet for herself, healing her injured and broken body, and reverting Thanos back to his physical body.
Considering that her revenge on Thanos is the driving motivation behind Nebula’s character in the MCU, we think that this scenario is very likely to play out on-screen, at least in some way. Perhaps she and Tony Stark will go directly to the farm planet where we saw Thanos at the end of the movie. They’ll make a plan to take him down together, but Nebula betrays Stark and takes the gauntlet for herself. Either way, her character has been building up to this moment from the start. Definitely expect a resolution.
2. Someone will play the role of Adam Warlock
If you’re at all familiar with the Infinity Gauntlet comic arc, you know that Adam Warlock is the linchpin from start to finish. The closest character Marvel has to a Christ figure, Adam Warlock is a cosmic demigod with superhuman abilities and power so vast that he is able to both foretell the future and to manipulate space on a quantum level. In the Infinity Gauntlet comics, Adam Warlock was the figurehead leading the charge against Thanos, and ultimately the one who defeats him and receives the gauntlet, resolving the crisis – at least for a time.
Though Adam was referenced at the end of “Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2,” it is highly unlikely that he will make an appearance in Avengers 4, seeing as he’ll have had no screen time or introduction prior to its release date. As such, a different character would have to take up his role as the leader. There’s a good cast of characters for the MCU to choose from, but here are our three most likely candidates. Two we’ve listed below. The third we’ll get to just a little later:
Iron Man
Tony Stark has been the connecting piece for the Marvel Cinematic Universe since the very beginning. He’s the character that launched the MCU’s initial success, and we think it would be most appropriate if he were the one to see the Infinity War through to the end. Additionally, Tony Stark is one of the few characters we’ve seen interact equally with Spider-Man, Dr. Strange, the original Avengers, and the Guardians of the Galaxy. Of the heroes to engage Thanos directly on Titan, he and Nebula were also the only two to survive.
If Iron Man takes on the role of Adam Warlock it would also be in line with what Dr. Strange said – the time stone had to go to Thanos and Dr. Strange had to die so that Tony Stark would live; only he can bring the band together to face off with Thanos. It’s also a great excuse for him to make amends with Captain America, something that Avengers 4 will undoubtedly highlight.
Captain Marvel
Scheduled to be the next hero introduced to the MCU, we already know much about Captain Marvel’s importance in Infinity War 2. Kevin Feige and James Gunn have both confirmed that she will not only be the most powerful female character on the roster, but one of the most powerful characters that the MCU has ever seen. With a resume like that, it certainly sounds like she could fit the role of a game-changing character like Adam Warlock. It’s also telling that in his last few moments before being sadly disintegrated, Nick Fury’s first instinct was to immediately reach out to her, of all people.
Lastly, we feel Captain Marvel is a logical choice because of the character’s connection to the Kree-Skrull wars. While it’s unlikely that we’ll actually be seeing Thanos face off against the cosmic entities as he did in the comics, we do think it’s logical that we would see other factions in the universe try to oppose the Mad Titan. If you’re interested in other Marvel villains we might see on the big screen after Avengers 4, check out our list here:
Since the upcoming Captain Marvel film is set to take place in the 1990s, it could very well be that we get to see Carol Danvers make some deal with the Skrull that they need to “pay in the future.” It’d be cool to see the Skrull coming to the aid of Earth’s Mightiest Superheroes to acknowledge a deal they made with Captain Marvel decades ago. And it’d be cooler still if the Skrull afterward reneged on their deal, making for a smooth segue into the Secret Wars saga.
3. Soul World will come into play
Since Thanos has gained the elusive soul stone, it has remained the only stone about which we still know next to nothing. While we’ve witnessed other stones hypnotize, create wormholes, alter reality, and bend time, the unique powers of the soul stone remain a mystery.
Soul World was first alluded to in Jim Starlin’s Strange Tales 179, published in 1975. Closely tied to Adam Warlock, Soul World served as a kind of purgatory for the souls captured by Warlock, and acted almost as a “pocket dimension:” A realm housed within the soul stone itself. If time travel is not involved in Avengers 4, the most likely explanation for Thanos’ finger snap is not that those victims were killed per se, but “removed” – their consciousnesses transferred into the soul stone.
This brings us to our third candidate for a character to take on Adam Warlock’s role from the Infinity Gauntlet story arc – Dr. Strange. Seeing as we’ve established that the Infinity Stones do work on each other (Thanos uses the time stone to repair the broken mind stone), it would make sense that Dr. Strange saw himself in the Soul World along with the half of the universe that was imprisoned there.
Given his notorious ego, Strange may not have been referring to Tony Stark when he told him that “it had to be this way,” but rather to himself: The only way that the universe could come out on top was if the lives trapped within the soul stone were unified and assembled unbeknownst to Thanos.
Adam Warlock had a very close relationship with the soul stone, and was able to even live inside of it. He was also able to emerge from it when he needed to, which is how he was the one to wrest control of it from Nebula’s grasp. Dr. Strange seems the type to know his artifacts well enough. It would be awesome to see him and a bunch of other “dusted” superheroes emerge from the soul stone to take down Thanos when the time was right.
2. Characters killed by the gauntlet will be restored
In the comics, any and every character that was killed by the Infinity Gauntlet ended up being restored by Nebula. It wasn’t at her behest, however. Surprisingly enough, it was Thanos who pushed her to restore them; more as an act of guile and manipulation than any earnest desire to restore them.
While it was a refreshingly dark spectacle to see Marvel actually kill some of its cast of characters, does anyone really believe this is the last time we’ll be seeing some of these guys? They’ve already confirmed “Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 3,” “Spider-Man: Far From Home,” and rumors abound pertaining to a “Dr. Strange” sequel. After the record-breaking success of “Black Panther,” we’re sure to be seeing a return of King T’Challa as well. As such, this is one similarity to the Infinity Gauntlet comic you can count on making it to the big screen.
1. Captain America will face down Thanos by himself
The final allusion to the comics that we’ll be seeing comes down to Captain America. For the second time in his life, the First Avenger’s closest friends and allies have disappeared, this time before his very eyes. In Infinity Gauntlet, Captain America was one of the many heroes to take on Thanos on the titan’s own turf. He fought his damnedest while his brothers in arms heroically died in the line of duty around him until he was the last man standing. Despite Thanos’ cynical jeers, Captain America stood strong, delivering an stalwart speech about fighting the good fight and dying with dignity. It’s one of the most beautiful moments for his character.
Chris Evans’ portrayal of the star-spangled hero resonates perfectly with this aspect of Captain America’s character, and we wouldn’t be surprised to see this scene play out in the movie exactly as it did in the comics. It may also be Evans’ farewell to the character seeing as it’s the end of his contract with the studio. If it really has to happen, it’d be hard to have a more poignant sendoff.
We’ll be armed with tissues.
We hope this list has given you some insight as to what elements of the Infinity Gauntlet comics the MCU might try and incorporate into Infinity War 2, and look forward to seeing you in theaters come 2019!
Fully immersive video games are closer than you think. Take a look.
“Ready Player One” started as a novel written by Ernest Cline, and eventually turned into a movie directed by Steven Spielberg! It follows Billy Batson (wait, wrong), Peter Parker (dammit), Donnie Darko (not even close)… we mean WADE WATTS, a boy from America’s decaying future, where the majority of humans escape daily life in a digital world called the Oasis! You can watch “Ready Player One” online now.
“Ready Player One” begins when the Oasis’s reclusive creator dies, then posthumously offers his fortune to whatever player can solve the hunt for his in-game “Easter eggs.” One thing leads to another… and the egg hunt turns into an enormous, pop-culture-loving battle between the common player and a huge corporation seeking to milk the Oasis for cash. It’s a whole thing.
But we aren’t here to talk story, we’re here to talk tech!
The “Ready Player One” book and movie ground their science fiction in technological reality. Players see the Oasis with Virtual Reality goggles, sense and touch their surroundings with haptic gloves and suits, and control movement with omnidirectional treadmills. Guess what? These devices already exist in primitive form! Which begs the question…
When will video gaming reach Ready Player One status?
Our Methods
To predict the future, one must examine the past.
Since Oasis technology can be broken down into sections (goggles, graphics, haptic gloves, etc.), we created analyses for each! These levels will examine what products are commercially available now. After that, we’ll guess when the technology will become available in the future.
Some are quite far away. Some are close. Some are already here, and will likely surpass “Ready Player One” levels soon enough! To find out which is which… read on!
Level 1: Goggles
The top-quality goggles in “Ready Player One” can show the Oasis in visually perfect quality. Surprisingly, our current technology is almost there, which makes this level a walk in the park. Head onto Amazon and type in Virtual Reality Headset!
Surprise, surprise; we already have great options available. For example, look at these two top-tier products by HTC Vive and Playstation VR:
These products could conceivably imitate the look of real life. In fact, an NBC article by Devin Coldewey suggested that our eyes already can’t take in the many pixels onmodernphones!
That said, we grudgingly admit a truly perfect screen requires 3D imaging to be complete. But, once again, let’s look at modern tech: the Nintendo 3DS already uses 3D imaging software. If a portable gaming system can figure out the technology, we expect Virtual Reality headsets to fully catch up no later than 2025!
The real question becomes: when will graphics be able to fully take advantage of these goggles?
Level 2: Graphics
Things are getting tough!
The Oasis offers total immersion, which requires true-to life graphics! Not only that, but “Ready Player One” takes place in an MMO (Massively Multiplayer Online) across multiple universes.
To establish a timeline, let’s go back a few decades!
The American Physics Society declaresPong to be the first true video game, created in 1958. In 1982, 24 years later, 3D monster Maze became the first game to break the two-dimensional mold. In 1997, 15 years later, Goldeneye drops into history like a nuclear bomb.
Pong3D Monster MazeGoldeneye
Fast forward 21 years to the present day: 2018. Video games look more realistic than ever! One game, in particular, prompted a rash of Reddit “screenshot photographers” because of its beauty: Horizon Zero Dawn.
Now, will these graphics hold up when seen through VR, where users can lean close with their “own eyes”? The answer is: close, but not yet. Even the newest Spider-Man game, a marvel in many ways, has terrifying Boat People on the fringes of New York City:
However, we believe improved graphics will develop as a result of other improvements: as VR excitement spreads, developers will see the need for all macro graphics to improve and respond accordingly.
Prediction? No later than 2030.
Level 3: Haptic Devices
Haptics are further behind than VR goggles and graphics. In our world, they are in the early stages of development, but in “Ready Player One” they can realistically simulate the touch of another person:
Wade being greeted by “Artemis” in a virtual nightclub.
Luckily, we’re on our way!
Notably, a company called bHaptics decided to be one the first true voyagers into the world of touch-enabled gaming. Their Tactsuit technology can be purchased from their website already. At this time, you can use their vest, sleeves, and face cushion. Check out this 2018 demo!
You may notice the haptics are controlled by “40 vibrotactical motors”. While this represents a great start (and looks freakin’ awesome), the difference between 40 motors and the “Ready Player One” haptic suit is the difference between Goldeneye and 4K Horizon Zero Dawn. We have a ways to go!
Like the haptic suit, omnidirectional treadmills are a more recent invention, without the foundation of goggles or graphics. However, we believe omnidirectional treadmills, which imitate movement over flat ground as the user “runs” are fundamentally simpler than replicating the complexity of touch. Don’t believe us?
Compare this video from “Ready Player One”…
…to this video of the Virtuix Omni, a company pushing gaming treadmill technology into the future.
That’s right: our omnidirectional treadmills already work! We can keep a player in one spot while tracking the movement of their steps. However… the apparent ease of movement in “Ready Player One” hasn’t been reached.
Prediction: 2020. However, we don’t expect them to be available at convenient prices until 2025. Geez, normal treadmills are already costly.
Level 5: Wi-Fi Speeds
Let’s make a small comparison:
When Pokémon Go released, the servers broke under demand from millions of devices. Millions.
According to “Ready Player One,” the majority of earth’s population uses the Oasis almost constantly: for work, school, and recreation. Mind you, this also isn’t a newfangled Augmented Reality game, it’s a true-to-life virtual world with tactile and kinetic capabilities. It’s a whole different beast.
Luckily, there are a number of reasons to believe the day will come when this worldwide connection will be possible. First and foremost, Moore’s Law suggests (on a basic level) that computer processing power doubles every 18 months to 2 years. Computers and servers will exchange process information with much greater speed soon enough.
Additionally, a study by Statisa clearly revealed that internet speeds have also been growing exponentially:
No info or legend… might as well be a graph of my awesomeness! Right? Right? …
Together, this indicates our ability to transmit and receive information will grow rapidly in the future, barring unseen complications or diminishing returns. Still, even in the best case scenario, there’s a high bar set. To reiterate, The Oasis constantly services millions (possibly billions) of users with a worldwide MMO environment.
Prediction: 2035.
Final Boss: Mechanics
We’re a long way off. Let’s put that right up front. In fact, we may never reach the level of “Ready Player One,” which characterizes the Oasis as an enormous and advanced environment with no breaks in immersion when using top-of-the-line products.
Where are we now? It’s a tough question. Some would note that great physics have already been made, like the rain in Driveclub or the snow from Horizon Zero Dawn.
A more pessimistic person would note that these games take place in limited environments. What if they included swimming, sitting around a campfire, slurping orange juice in space, and everything in-between? Not only that, but they must coincide with the haptic suit and treadmill!
Some of those issues are discussed by the YouTube channel Gameranx, which discussed a few great points in their video on gaming physics.
It’s true: proper physics aren’t always necessary to have a good time. Very good physics, especially in an immersive environment, are perfectly good enough to confuse gamers. In fact, many VR players still react to jump scares like the first moviegoers, who expected trains to come crashing out of the silver screen.
With this in mind, we still believe physics are nearly impossible to replicate, and will take a while to reach the bar set by “Ready Player One.”
We’ll save the date for 2030 and call it a day.
Conclusion
Human imagination is an interesting thing. At one point, many said we’d never achieve flight. Then again, a number of comic books suggested flying cars would become normal by the year 2000…
Huh. Missed that deadline, didn’t we?
The point is, these developments may come much sooner or much later. Whatever the case, we’re excited for what comes next! Until then, we can watch “Ready Player One” and dream of the future.
Here’s what you need to know about digitizing your movie collection.
Ripping DVDs to your computer or an external hard drive comes with a clear set of benefits.
You’ll have a backup in case the physical discs become scratched, easy, centralized access to your favorite flicks, the list goes on.
Plus, dealing with discs these days is a pain. They take up space, they skip, and we’ll go out on a limb here — they’re not exactly a beautiful object that adds value in the way that records or hard copies of books do.
But, the legalities of digitizing your collection can be a bit murky. Try googling the title of this article, and you’ll see exactly what we mean.
While you’re most likely going to be fine ripping DVDs here and there, there are some key things you should know about the law.
Ripping copy-protected DVDs is illegal… technically
Laws are kind of all over the place when it comes to ripping DVDs for personal use. See, it’s perfectly legal to rip DVDs that are not copies of copyrighted work. Butchances are, most of the movies you’re planning on digitizing have several layers of copyright protections.
In the U.S., it is still illegal to rip DVDs of copyrighted work for personal use, though there are several groups working to change this law.
Title 17 of the U.S. State Code explicitly states that it is illegal to reproduce a copyrighted work. So, just about anything that comes with a label indicating copyright, which includes basically any movie you can think of.
Most DVDs and Blu-Rays come with encryption attached and breaking that encryption is illegal. If you happen to come across an unencrypted DVD, ripping it for personal use is A-OK.
Where it gets confusing is, CDs have laxer rules regarding ripping for personal use. You can, for example, easily upload your old discs to iTunes and digitize your library with minimal effort — and zero legal repercussions.
Title 17 states that making a copy of an original work without the creator’s consent, is considered copyright infringement. The law doesn’t make any exceptions for personal use — or creating digital backups.
But, it also doesn’t say that you can’t copy the content on your own devices. Confusing, right?
The bottom line here is, you’re likely not going to be fined or jailed for ripping your DVDs for personal use.
The thing about ripping DVDs is, you’re probably not going to get caught.
Government agencies have too much on their plate to care that you’ve digitized your director’s cut “Lord of the Rings” DVDs.
The issue really comes into play if you start redistributing content. So long as your goal isn’t setting up a bootleg DVD stand outside or adding your full movie library to a download site like BitTorrent, you should be in the clear.
Ripping DVDs to an Apple device presents a problem. In the case of Apple, which is a U.S. company, they need to maintain relationships with movie studios. Unfortunately, that means you can’t copy DVDs to your iTunes account like you can with your CDs.
Again, while it’s technically illegal to rip DVDs for personal use, people rarely face consequences. We want to remind you to stay on the right side of the law. Watch this radical PSA for a refresher:
To rip DVDs for your personal use, you’ll want to make sure you use a reputable third-party software. You’ll need an intermediary program to successfully digitize your DVDs. There are several DVD ripping programs out there, but many of them come equipped with spyware and tracking that can put you and your devices at risk.
Free software is often unregulated, though there are some decent options available, usually in the form of a free version of a paid software.
From swashbuckling to romance to miracles, “The Princess Bride” 
Although “Green Book” took home the top honor at the 2019 Academy Awards, it didn’t walk away with the Oscar haul you typically expect from a truly great movie. It only garnered three Oscars – a number matched by “Black Panther” and “Roma.” “Bohemian Rhapsody” actually took home four statuettes. So whether you like historical dramas, personal films, musical biopics, or superhero fantasies, all were honored on film’s biggest night.
