Starting a thread of creepy YouTube thumbnail images made with AI of celebrities maniacally laughing.

I haven't seen ONE NIGHT ONLY, but I kinda can't get over the premise of setting a lighthearted romcom in an alternate universe of (self-imposed?) sexual repression, because I guess it's impossible to make a movie about two people falling in love over one night for non-dystopian reasons?

Hannah Waddingham — as, basically, a female James Bond — is a revelation on this show, fierce and glamorous and yet still always recognizably human. It feels no less than a part she was born to play, to the point that I'm upset she hasn’t been doing this kind of thing for decades.

Saeed Jones@theferocity.bsky.social · 5d ago

*runs into the room* I’VE GOT A NEW SHOW TO RECOMMEND! It’s called “Ride or Die” and it’s on Amazon Prime. Octavia Spencer plays a politician’s wife. Her best friend is Hannah Waddingham who, she soon learns, is an assassin. I’ve five episodes in and OBSESSED.

This is exactly right. Spider-Man exists outside the Marvel phenomenon (whatever remains of it) the same way that, to a lesser (in terms of box office) extent, Batman exists outside of the DC phenomenon (whatever remains of it).

Adam B. Vary@adambvary.bsky.social · 2d ago

I'm seeing a lot of SUPERHERO MOVIES ARE BACK posts in the wake of #BrandNewDay's success. Spider-Man movies were breaking box office records well before the MCU existed. They are a cinema phenomenon onto themselves, because Spider-Man is a singularly resonant and relatable character.

When you watch Nolan say this in the video itself, you get the feeling this is something he's wanted to say in an interview for 20 years.

Matt Zoller Seitz@mattzollerseitz.bsky.social · 2d ago

He's right. apple.news/AjLmxBYyWQ3C...

I'm seeing a lot of SUPERHERO MOVIES ARE BACK posts in the wake of #BrandNewDay's success. Spider-Man movies were breaking box office records well before the MCU existed. They are a cinema phenomenon onto themselves, because Spider-Man is a singularly resonant and relatable character.

Another example of the lunacy of thinking discrimination against a marginalized group won't affect you if you're not part of that group bsky.app/profile/gbbr...

Gillian Branstetter@gbbranstetter.bsky.social · 2d ago

An initiative on the ballot in Washington state in November would require all athletes seeking to play girl's sports from kindergarten to high school to undergo "genetic screening, a testosterone-levels test, or an examination of their reproductive anatomy" before they can play

Update: Google just sent me a statement saying it is “rolling back” this AI feature that let anyone make completely bullshit satellite images. Comes after our demos of the tool and those from OSINT researchers. One of the worst AI tools I’ve ever seen bsky.app/profile/jose...

Joseph Cox@josephcox.bsky.social · 5d ago

New from 404 Media: Google Earth has introduced an AI feature that lets anyone fabricate completely bullshit satellite images. In our own tests, we added a “bomb blast and crater” to an area of Los Angeles. This is a misinformation time bomb, will 100% be abused www.404media.co/google-earth...

Took me seconds to make an image showing 'protesters' around Google buildings, using Google Earth's new AI generation tool. You can make bomb blasts, protesters, drone strikes, nuclear plants. How on earth did Google think this was a good idea www.404media.co/google-earth...

“Trump has rejected disaster aid for Democratic-run states at the highest rate in the 47-year history of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.” Right now people in blue states are basically paying federal taxes as if they’re colonized territories of red states. www.politico.com/news/2026/03...

Film you've watched more than six times with a gif. Hard mode: no Star Trek, Star Wars, LOTR, Marvel, Disney, or Ghibli.

Clue: What Do You Mean, Murder?

ALT: Clue: What Do You Mean, Murder?

static.klipy.com

Mike Ryan@mikeryan.bsky.social · 7d ago

Film you've watched more than six times with a gif. Hard mode: no Star Trek, Star Wars, LOTR, Marvel, Disney, or Ghibli.

Apropos of nothing, here's a Viola Davis red carpet interview that popped into my head this morning.

Viola Davis Didn't Get Any Crazy Gifts From Jared Leto? | E! Red Carpet & Award Shows

YouTube video by E! Insider

youtube.com

A fascinating contrarian view of The Odyssey. I disagree with some of this, but I certainly can't argue with the bona fides of its author. (Also, given that the London Review of Books website is currently down, this seems to be the most traffic the website has received in quite some time.)

EMILY WILSON@emilyrcwilson.bsky.social · last wk.

I wrote about the Nolan Odyssey for the LRB. I'll summarize some of my main points below, in case you don't feel like reading all that. www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...

If you, like me, have been wondering why the LAX people mover still hasn’t opened, and you can feel this wonder threatening to creep into a fist-shaking obsession every time you have to interact with the airport, this video lays it all out. (TL;DW: The contractors have been god-tier assholes.)

The REAL Story Behind the LAX People Mover Fiasco

YouTube video by nandert

youtube.com

For those of you who are still over there because of "the reach" or "the discourse" or whatever.

Brandon Friedman@brandonfriedman.bsky.social · last wk.

Musk calls for the assassination of a reporter who embarrassed him with basic questions

It is genuinely bizarre that we’ve become acclimatized to right wingers throwing a tantrum every time a black person (particularly a black woman) is cast in something, but are also supposed to pretend that this is not racism but related to some other substantive concern.

ICE has been in San Fernando Valley, CA every day now for the last couple weeks targeting Panorama City, Pacoima, Van Nuys and surrounding areas likely working out of their new field office in Van Nuys. This was in North Hollywood this morning on Lankershim and Cohasset St. This is just one of many.

For box office nerds, this solves a nagging mystery. For any human person who uses the internet, this is a perfect test case for how little prepared we are for what AI is doing to the internet.

What just happened to TheNumbers.com should worry us all

If you work in or around the film industry, there is a decent chance you have used the work of The Numbers this month, whether you realise it or not.

stephenfollows.com

This is still true!

Adam B. Vary@adambvary.bsky.social · 2w ago

Just here to point out that… Heated Rivalry plus The Odyssey equals The Song of Achilles

#SDCC comic con: our daughter left her 3D printed black dragon in the restroom near E/Starbucks. She printed it herself and is devastated. We checked the restroom and lost and found which means someone picked it up. If you bring it to 5552 I will give you a signed comic as reward

For box office nerds, this solves a nagging mystery. For any human person who uses the internet, this is a perfect test case for how little prepared we are for what AI is doing to the internet.

What just happened to TheNumbers.com should worry us all

If you work in or around the film industry, there is a decent chance you have used the work of The Numbers this month, whether you realise it or not.

stephenfollows.com

Presales for the L.A. run of OH, MARY! started today. Waited 45 minutes in a queue, got kicked off the site once for wanting to look at mezzanine seats, made it all the way to purchasing seats and got kicked off again, now the entire website has crashed. Mary Todd Lincoln would be FURIOUS.

I don't know who needs to read this right now, but you do not need to publish that take on that movie. You really don't!

Alamo's really muddied their whole thing with the mobile ordering, but I will excuse just about anything to get these theaters back open. Thrilling. THRILLING!

The Cinerama Dome Lives! Iconic Hollywood Theater to Reopen Alongside New 14-Screen Alamo Drafthouse Cinema

Viva la Cinerama Dome! Sony is officially reviving one of Hollywood's most beloved movie theaters, which has been shuttered since 2020.

variety.com

I don't know who needs to read this right now, but you do not need to publish that take on that movie. You really don't!

Today in micro-scandals I didn't know were a thing until right now…

Speaking of Comic-Con, for anyone pre-writing the MCU's obituary off of that trailer, I'd suggest waiting until after Marvel's panel, which is scheduled to run for *90 minutes*.

Adam B. Vary@adambvary.bsky.social · 2w ago

I'd bet money there are more actors in this shot from the #AvengersDoomsday trailer, and we'll learn who they are on Saturday during Marvel's Hall H panel at Comic-Con.