Futureproof
AI tools are flooding the culture ecosystem — and no corner of the arts space is immune. In this series, we're looking at the ways artists are embracing AI, pushing back on it, or trying their best to find an equilibrium with a new technology that's both sweeping and destabilizing. We talk to perfumers questioning the looming automation of scent creation, fanfic writers pushing back on archive scrapers, and illustrators replacing the AI that once replaced them. The tech isn't going away. Here's how artists are starting to deal with it.
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28 minutes ago
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Could Crypto Take SoFi Stock to the Next Level?
SoFi announced it will bring cryptocurrency trading back to its app. The bank will also use blockchain to facilitate cross-border money transfers. These features could help bring new customers into the growing ecosystem. 10 stocks we like better than SoFi Technologies › After a nearly two-year hiatus from the cryptocurrency industry, banking and finance app SoFi (NASDAQ: SOFI) recently announced that it will be getting back into the crypto market, and in an even bigger way than before. SoFi made two specific announcements. First, it reported the return of crypto trading to its app -- a service it had offered until late 2023. Second, the bank announced that it would leverage the capabilities of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology to facilitate rapid international money transfers. And perhaps most importantly, SoFi called this the "first of many planned crypto and blockchain innovations across [their] products and services." Both of these newly announced capabilities are expected to launch later in 2025. When it comes to cross-border money transfers, the goal is to create a more seamless and low-cost experience than currently exists in the market. And with the return of crypto trading, SoFi's goal is to gradually expand the platform, including offering stablecoins, allowing members to borrow against cryptocurrencies, and introducing staking features. The goal is to equip the SoFi app with more financial service capabilities than any other app. But will crypto and its related capabilities become a major revenue driver that will move the stock? To clarify, SoFi used to offer cryptocurrency trading in its app but closed it down a few years ago, mainly due to potential regulatory issues involving chartered banks providing cryptocurrency services to customers. This is also why you generally haven't seen any major banks roll out cryptocurrency trading platforms of their own. Specifically, SoFi became a bank in January 2022, and as part of the approval process, it was forced to refrain from engaging in any cryptocurrency-related activities without specific approval from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC). However, SoFi says that clarification provided by the OCC recently makes it practical for nationally chartered banks to "provide crypto custody and execution services on behalf of customers, hold dollar deposits serving as reserves backing stablecoins in certain circumstances, engage in certain stablecoin activities to facilitate payment transactions, and more." On the one hand, it's important to point out that back in 2023, when it shut down crypto trading, SoFi specifically said that it wasn't a material part of its business. On the other hand, it's fair to say that interest in cryptocurrency trading has once again surged in popularity since SoFi shut down its original cryptocurrency platform in late 2023. It's unclear how SoFi's crypto trading pricing will be structured, but it will likely make money through either a percentage-based transaction fee or a spread between the buy and sell prices of each digital asset. To be clear, I don't see crypto trading becoming one of the company's major revenue streams anytime soon. But adding this feature to its ecosystem could make SoFi's platform more attractive to potential customers interested in crypto, who may also become banking customers, loan customers, and so forth. The bigger news is likely the ability to send money internationally in a fully automated and low-cost manner directly through the SoFi app. While this is technically a crypto-enabled feature, it will likely appeal to a broader group than just cryptocurrency fans, as the transactions will be initiated in U.S. dollars. And this would be a unique feature among finance apps. With over $90 billion in international transfers sent annually from the U.S., a better way to do it could be a major draw. SoFi's customer base is growing quickly. It added more than 800,000 members during the first quarter alone, an all-time high for the company. If adding cryptocurrency trading and related services can help keep this growth going -- or even accelerate it -- it could be a big win for investors. Before you buy stock in SoFi Technologies, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and SoFi Technologies wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $713,547!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $966,931!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 1,062% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 177% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of June 23, 2025 Matt Frankel has positions in SoFi Technologies. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Could Crypto Take SoFi Stock to the Next Level? was originally published by The Motley Fool
Yahoo
28 minutes ago
- Yahoo
F1 Review: I Love The Eye-Popping Races, But The Sports Movie Clichés Are Overwhelming
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. There is no question that director Joseph Kosinski knows how to shoot things moving super fast. He first demonstrated this expertise about a decade and a half ago with Lightcycles zooming around The Grid in Tron: Legacy, and his collaboration with daredevil Tom Cruise three years ago yielded the wild aerial awesomeness of Top Gun: Maverick. All of this is to say that the filmmaker is a natural fit for a film about Formula 1 racing – a project that offers ample opportunity for Kosinski to make audiences feel like they are moving at extremely high velocity while simply sitting in a comfy chair. F1 Release Date: June 27, 2025Directed By: Joseph KosinskiWritten By: Ehren KrugerStarring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Tobias Menzies, and Javier BardemRating: PG-13 for strong language, and actionRuntime: 156 minutes As one would anticipate, F1 is an impressive technical achievement. It repeatedly offers the visceral experience of being strapped to the hood/side/back of one of the title sport's speedy cars, with inventive cinematography and brilliant sound design working in tandem to create the powerful effect. I can say without any reservation that the film met all my expectations in that respect, as I felt like I could practically smell the burning rubber on asphalt. However, it also falls short in some key narrative and storytelling arenas, which very much hamper the 156 minute epic. Brad Pitt is using every ounce of his star power playing driver Sonny Hayes, but the movie nonetheless fails to make it over two key hurdles: fast cars and crashes/explosions can't disguise the fact that the script by Ehren Kruger is excessively trope-ridden and formulaic. For those who don't know the various rules and regulations of the sport going in to the movie, it provides very little assistance and asks that you figure everything out via context (which I normally wouldn't ding a film for, but the reality is that I felt confused more often than desirable for an entertaining big screen experience). If you're a veteran fan of sports movies, this is a tale you'll probably recognize: Sonny Hayes is an aging, but still passionate driver looking for any excuse to get behind the wheel, and out of nowhere, he gets a golden ticket. His old friend Ruben (Javier Bardem) has a team that is desperate to win races and in need of a veteran to train hotshot rookie Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris). Sonny is far from the first choice, but he is the first one to say yes. Things start off rocky as the team fails to synchronize and mistakes are made. But as Sonny and Joshua starts moving in the same direction toward the target goal, personality conflicts are overcome. And with the help of technical director Kate McKenna (Kerry Condon) using her knowhow to make the cars work best for the drivers in the tandem driving sport, they start to win. I don't know if anyone has ever tried to calculate a golden 'cliché to runtime' ratio, but F1 is certainly a film that goes far beyond what it would be. Stock characters and story can be fine if properly packaged into a breezy 90-minute feature, but the Formula One feature asks for an hour-plus more than that, and it's too big an ask. Stakes and emotional investment dwindle when the moviegoer is left waiting for next obvious plot development to unfold, and that comes paired with disappointment as you consistently recognize that the work isn't going to make any effort to try something new. It can't be denied that some people find comfort in a movie like this, as it's a nostalgic throwback to a past era of filmmaking… but if I'm seeking that kind of comfort, I simply go back to watch the titles from the late 20th century that originated it. Anyone's desire to see the storytelling evolve and to get something sincerely fresh out of the experience will be wanting (those seeking a similar aesthetic thrill can also find it elsewhere, with recent titles springing to mind including James Mangold's Ford vs. Ferrari and Neill Blomkamp's Gran Turismo). As for the presentation of the eponymous sport, I will admit to being of two minds. I have vitriol for mindless exposition that gracelessly spoon feeds information to ensure that everyone in the audience understands everything that is going on, and I also understand that Formula 1 has a massive, worldwide fanbase that would be insulted if F1 tried to hold their hand through every racing sequence in the film. All that being said, I am a layman who struggled to fully understand certain mid-race events and found myself disengaged during my screening. I get it: I would hate any baseball movie that felt the need to explain to me that three strikes equals a strikeout and/or what a home run is. But a little hand-holding isn't the worst thing. A great baseball movie can get across the mechanics of the game and potentially turn a non-fan into a fan; after watching F1, I can't say I feel any kind of motivation to learn more about Formula 1 (which offers a kind of disappointment unto itself). Die-hards will love seeing their favorite sport on screen, but newbies like myself are kept at arm's length and won't feel regarded as a target audience (a contrast with everything else about it that screams 'mass appeal'). The various characters are as clichéd as the plot – from Kerry Condon's 'the only woman rebelling in a male-dominated field' to Tobias Menzies' 'slimy executive-type offering back-stabbing deals' – and there is exactly nothing unique about the dynamic between the grizzled veteran and egotistical rookie. F1 is a case of actors elevating material, though. Brad Pitt isn't exactly developing his range playing Sonny Hayes, but there certainly is a proper exploitation that has made him a star in the last 30+ years, and a great deal of credit is deserved for his work actually getting behind the wheel and driving at three-figure speeds. And while this is certainly a case of 'The Brad Pitt Show,' it can be said that Bardem brings a lot of charm as the 'good friend who is way out over his skis' and Damson Idris demonstrates impressive confidence as an up-and-coming performer going toe-to-toe with his A-list co-star. F1 is a movie that seems to have a very clear idea of who it is for, but a consequence is that anyone on the outside of that target won't find much to love. It's a proper big screen experience, as you'll want to feel your chair rumbling from the sound mix and have your entire field of vision dominated by whizzing scenery and blurry asphalt, but thanks to its underwhelming script, its shelf life beyond cinemas is going to be questionable.
Yahoo
29 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Critics Are Calling F1 ‘A Hell Of A Ride,' But They Agree There's One Thing Keeping It From The Finish Line
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Brad Pitt's F1 has been one of the most highly anticipated theatrical releases of the year, and now the wait is almost over. Critics had the opportunity to screen the Formula One-inspired sports drama ahead of its June 27 release on the 2025 movie calendar, and while F1's first reactions suggested audiences are in for a wild ride, they all agree it's full of sports movie clichés. So, where do they stand on the movie overall? With Top Gun: Maverick director Joseph Kosinski at the helm, we're no doubt expecting an experience worthy of being seen in 4DX or IMAX with intense race scenes (and yes, Brad Pitt and Damson Idris actually did get behind the wheel). According to Ross Bonaime of Collider, it fulfills those expectations and delivers one of the best racing movies ever, despite hitting all the tropes. He rates it 8 out of 10 and writes: This is the sort of film built for the summer: a loud, exciting movie that just feels expensive that'll make you want to clap with excitement over even the most minuscule moments and high-five the stranger next to you in a packed theater. F1 is an absolute blast and one of the most exciting films to come out this summer, a film that will put you on the edge of your seat and make you glad that filmmakers like Kosinski are still making films like this today. Mae Abdulbaki of ScreenRant agrees, also giving the movie 8 out of 10. The critic says F1 is basically a 156-minute commercial with brands everywhere and a completely unoriginal story, and still, Abdulbaki was riveted by every minute of it, saying: F1 is a theater movie for sure. It's exciting to watch it with a crowd that'll react appropriately, from the laughs to the gasps to the cheers (my theater audience had all three reactions). Even if you're not into the sport or have never watched a race in its entirety (I haven't), F1 will still hold your interest. It might be a Formula One promotional movie at its core, but at least it's a damn good film. Clint Gage of IGN admits that F1 'won't win any awards for originality,' but says the sports movie formula has stayed the same for a reason — it's pretty hard to mess up. Despite giving in to those tried-and-true tactics, the critic says you can tell everyone had fun making this movie, and that enthusiasm is infectious. Gage gives it a 'Good' 7 out of 10 and writes: Top Gun: Maverick's Joseph Kosinski assembles an all-star crew in front of and behind the camera for F1, and they craft a technical marvel of a movie. It's gorgeous and thrilling to look at, with top-notch editing backing up Brad Pitt's IMAX-consuming charisma. It's a faithful devotee to the sports-movie formula that's kept from greatness by a few too many unnecessary components and a finish line that maybe should've been closer than two and a half hours away. But in spite of that, it's still a hell of a ride. Liz Shannon Miller of Consequence gives the movie a B+ for how it captures the adrenaline and danger of being in the driver's seat. The movie (especially the races) is never boring, Miller says, but you definitely start to feel that 2.5-plus-hour runtime. The critic says: Story-wise, the plot is substantial enough to keep F1 from feeling like a two-hour-and-35-minute Formula 1 advertisement. (Yeah, this one's long.) The bad news is that it covers more than a few of your classic sports movies tropes, such as Sonny's tragic past, and of course Sonny and talented up-and-comer Joshua (Damson Idris, who makes the most of his limited character development) wind up butting heads. You'll see some of the other cliches coming a mile down the track, and it feels like there's maybe one more big plot beat than necessary. Witney Seibold of SlashFilm has the least patience for F1's shortcomings from the reviews I read, rating the film 4.5 out of 10. Like Tom Cruise in Top Gun: Maverick, Brad Pitt is a 'previous generation's pretty boy' determined to prove he's 'still got it,' Seibold says. The driving sequences are fun, but the critic says that's not enough, writing: Had F1 been a tight 90 minutes, perhaps a lot of its more glaring writing flaws could be forgiven, or at least ignored (well, the terrible handling of Condon's character notwithstanding). But at a bloated 156 minutes, audiences will have too ample time to ponder the film's many weaknesses. The racing will be exciting — very exciting, in fact — and Pitt is certainly a movie star, but quite frankly, I can have my own midlife crisis, thank you. I don't need to watch Pitt's. The critics seem to agree that F1 goes on a little longer than necessary and doesn't exactly bring the originality. However, at least for most, that's hardly a concern. Sports movie tropes are popular for a reason — they make for good movies, and it sounds like Brad Pitt and Joseph Kosinski have succeeded in making one of those. F1 hits theaters on Friday, June 27.
