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Geek Vibes Nation
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Vibes Nation
'The Three Musketeers' (1973)/'The Four Musketeers' (1974) Criterion Collection 4K UHD Blu-Ray Review
Alexandre Dumas's immortal tale of adventure and camaraderie received perhaps the finest of its numerous screen adaptations with this two-part swashbuckling spectacular from A Hard Day's Night director Richard Lester. Featuring Michael York, Oliver Reed, Frank Finlay, and Richard Chamberlain as the swaggering swordsmen, who thrust and parry their way through courtly intrigue in seventeenth-century France, The Three Musketeers and The Four Musketeers are also graced with an all-star supporting cast that includes Raquel Welch, Faye Dunaway, Geraldine Chaplin, and Charlton Heston. Lester's exuberant epic breathes new life into an oft-told classic through its boisterous slapstick invention, its meticulous attention to period detail, and a sense of pure, unbridled bravado that is thrilling to behold. The Three Musketeers – Richard Lester's spirited adaptation of Alexandre Dumas's timeless novel immediately distinguished itself from previous film versions with its irresistible lightheartedness. It follows the brash, young wannabe musketeer d'Artagnan (Michael York) as he travels from the French countryside to Paris and befriends Athos (Oliver Reed), Porthos (Frank Finlay), and Aramis (Richard Chamberlain), famed swordsmen whom he must help to stop the conniving Cardinal Richelieu (Charlton Heston) and his plot to undermine the king. The Three Musketeers sweeps viewers away with its exquisite sets and costumes, chivalric romance, and breathless duels punctuated by the ingenious physical comedy that was Lester's trademark. The Four Musketeers – It may be 'all for one and one for all,' but it took director Richard Lester two films to contain the sweeping spectacle of Alexandre Dumas's swashbuckling adventure. This sequel—shot simultaneously with The Three Musketeers, since they were originally conceived as a single film—dials down the comic high jinks that distinguished the first installment in favor of a more somber tone, as our heroes are drawn into a deadly revenge plot orchestrated by the seductive Milady de Winter (a deliciously wicked Faye Dunaway). Upping the psychological stakes and deepening our sense of the characters, The Four Musketeers brings this beloved tale of honor and friendship to a close with a rousing emotional flourish. For thoughts on The Three Musketeers / The Four Musketeers: Two Films by Richard Lester, please check out my thoughts on No Streaming Required: Video Quality The Three Musketeers and The Four Musketeers come to 4K UHD Blu-Ray in their original 1.85:1 aspect ratio with a 4K restoration conducted by StudioCanal from the 35mm Original Camera Negatives. Each film is housed on individual discs for a consistent viewing experience across the two parts of the story. The presentations are as close to perfection as you could dream up, as the new transfers look impeccable. There are no major instances of print damage, and overall clarity and detail are out of this world. The aesthetic remains the same across both parts of the epic story with the lavish production design and opulent costumes rendered with ideal texture in 4K UHD. The picture also showcases the environments and facial features with a delicate, tactile touch. These 4K UHD Blu-Ray discs are presented in Dolby Vision for a brilliant example of the benefits of high dynamic range. Colors are bold and favorably saturated in a visually dazzling manner. The color grade takes on a natural appearance with nothing leaning overly warm or cool. Skin tones are lifelike and consistent with subtle facial features easily noticeable in close-ups, especially in regards to makeup. Highlights are never overcooked in any setting, and black levels hold up very well with nothing in the way of crush. There do not appear to be any issues with digital noise due to compression limitations or other such nuisances, thanks to the thoughtful allocation of disc space. This new collection is an incredible treat for fans of these films. Audio Quality The 4K UHD Blu-Ray set comes with remastered LPCM 1.0 tracks for each of these films in the original English with optional English SDH subtitles. The wonderful scores from Michel Legrand and Lalo Schifrin emanate with moving clarity and fidelity, as no weak moments are observed. Dialogue comes through crisp and clear with most of the ensemble sporting stately British accents. There are no major signs of distortion or shortcomings as competing moments avoid clipping important information. There was previously an issue with incorrect pitch on the StudioCanal release overseas that appears to be corrected on this release. Environmental sounds such as the sounds of sword fighting or rain are cleanly rendered alongside everything else. The Criterion Collection has given this collection a stellar audio presentation by all metrics. Special Features The Criterion 4K UHD Blu-Ray of The Three Musketeers / The Four Musketeers: Two Films by Richard Lester includes a booklet featuring the essay 'En Garde For Joy!' by author Stephanie Zacharek in which she delves into the career of Richard Lester, the history of this text on screen, and much more that is very illuminating. The on-disc special features are as follows: The Three Musketeers The Saga of the Musketeers, Part One: A 23-minute beginning to a documentary directed by David Gregory in 2002 that features interviews with the cast and creative team including producer Ilya Salkind, actors Michael York and Charlton Heston, and countless more. There are discussions about the decision to go back to the original source material to make a picture less sanitized, the casting of the ensemble, the direction of Richard Lester, and more. Two For One, Part One: The 30-minute beginning of a new four-part documentary created by critic David Cairns that explores the pre-production of this series through a visual essay style and audio interviews with key creative figures. Two For One, Part Two: The 43-minute continuation of the new documentary that continues to explore the production of the film in Spain, Lester's directing style to maintain authenticity, working with large swaths of extras, and more. The Making of The Three Musketeers: A seven-minute promotional piece from 1973 that gives you a glimpse at the production. Trailer (3:01) The Four Musketeers The Saga of the Musketeers, Part Two: A 25-minute conclusion to a documentary directed by David Gregory in 2002 that features interviews with the previously-named interview subjects and more. There are discussions about the stunt work, the injuries sustained, memories of the ensemble, the success of the film, and more. Two For One, Part Three: The 42-minute third entry of a new four-part documentary created by critic David Cairns that continues to examine the production of the film including the set design, the costumes, money issues, the cinematography, and more. Two For One, Part Four: The 26-minute conclusion of the new documentary that transitions to the post-production of the film including the tense editing process, the dubbing of many jokes into the background dialogue, the decision to make a sequel, and more. Trailer (3:01) Final Thoughts The Three Musketeers and The Four Musketeers are a pair of swashbuckling films that tackle the classic material with respect while also injecting a sense of levity into the experience. The ensemble is stacked to the brim with amazing actors putting forth memorable performances that only grow in estimation over the two installments. The direction of Richard Lester may be a bit too slapstick for some, yet there is a clear sense of vision, scale, and brutality in the combat as you witness the story unfold in grand fashion. You will have a lot of fun with these films. The Criterion Collection has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray set that features the films with a wonderful A/V presentation and a fine assortment of special features. If you are a fan of this timeless story, you should spend some time with these films. Recommended The Three Musketeers / The Four Musketeers: Two Films by Richard Lester will be available to purchase on Blu-Ray and 4K UHD Blu-Ray on May 27, 2025. Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray. Disclaimer: The Criterion Collection has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Laptop processors are better than ever, but I still don't give a hoot about ‘AI PCs' - and neither should you
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. It's been almost a year since Microsoft and Qualcomm changed the game in the laptop market with the launch of the Snapdragon X Elite chip at Computex 2024, taking the leap into a bright new world of 'AI PCs', followed swiftly by rivals Intel and AMD with their own shiny new laptop processors equipped with dedicated Neural Processing Units (NPUs). And in that year… well, nothing's really changed, has it? Intel recently confirmed this, reporting in an earnings call that demand for laptops with new AI-capable chips has been low, with the company in fact now facing a shortage of older chips due to unexpectedly high demand for laptops with 12th- to 14th-gen Intel Core i-series processors. There are a lot of factors here, of course. Older laptops are cheaper, and in a time of such economic uncertainty (thanks for that, Trump tariffs) it's no wonder that people would opt for a more affordable device, especially if they just need something functional for work or school. You certainly won't find any laptops sporting Intel Core Ultra or AMD Ryzen AI Max chips in our best cheap laptops list. There's also the branding issue, which is a problem specific to Intel - and, quite frankly, a problem of Intel's own making. It was revealed way back in 2023 that Team Blue would be dropping its iconic 'i' branding in favor of the new 'Core Ultra' processor nomenclature, a marketing move so wildly idiotic that it still baffles me to this day. Companies dream of building a brand as rock-solid as 'Intel Core i7', and you ruined it! In the words of Charlton Heston at the end of Planet of the Apes: You maniacs! You blew it up! Ahem. Anyway. There are a few other issues surrounding the slow adoption of Intel's AI PCs (and, one would assume, similar NPU-boosted laptops powered by chips from AMD and Qualcomm), but there's one particular area I'd like to focus on. It's a simple problem, but one with no clear solution: what exactly do these fancy new AI PCs do? For the uninitiated, the main draw behind the AI PC 'revolution' is the presence of an integrated NPU: a dedicated processing unit for handling AI workloads. These NPUs were supposed to be the game-changer that catapulted on-device artificial intelligence - chiefly Microsoft's AI helper for Windows, Copilot - but it's clear to see that consumer interest in such things is still low. Now, I've sat through more keynotes and briefings about the merits of Copilot and on-device AI than I can count (seriously, they're all the bloody same), so I get the benefits. Running AI workloads - especially ones you might be giving personal information to - on your own device brings with it the advantages of better security, faster performance, and offline functionality. These are all good things. But there's no killer app; Copilot still isn't very popular (hell, Microsoft is still struggling to get people to upgrade to Windows 11) and other common on-device AI programs - like photo and video editing software and tools for producing your own AI models, like LM Studio - are better suited to a system with a dedicated Nvidia GPU. Serious AI users are aware of this, too; Nvidia's recent focus on AI hardware for both consumer and business use is clear evidence of this. It's a bit frustrating, because these are good laptops. The new Dell XPS 13 with Intel Core Ultra is quite simply one of the best laptops I've reviewed in years - but not because of the AI features. Yes, Copilot works. It's fine. The XPS 13's real selling points are the premium design, fast overall performance, and phenomenal battery life. The 'Copilot+ PC' nonsense is an added bonus most people will ignore, nothing more. In fact, the most popular AI tools don't benefit from having an NPU in your computer at all; stuff like ChatGPT and Google Gemini run entirely in the cloud, with zero need for local processing. I imagine there are some poor souls out there who rushed to buy an 'AI PC' only to find that their 'girlfriend' doesn't reply to their attempts at flirting any faster. Sure, part of this whole debacle simply comes down to marketing: consumers just aren't really clear on the benefits of having an NPU, or what Copilot is good for, or whether Copilot is meant for personal or corporate users, or… the list goes on. Marrying some of Copilot's functionality to the ever-despised Bing was another bum note from Microsoft. With all of this in mind, it's hardly a surprise that shoppers are feeling more keen on slightly older Intel laptops without any special AI powers. Intel's earnings call discussion seemed to suggest that Team Blue might be reconsidering its efforts to remain on the cutting edge of processor tech, and given the extremely rough time Intel has been having lately, perhaps a new approach - one that champions simpler, more affordable tech - is the way to go? Microsoft is digging its own grave with Windows 11, and it has to stop Intel confirms upcoming layoffs as new CEO reveals return to office mandate in big shake-up The best laptops 2025: tested, reviewed, and rated
Chicago Tribune
11-04-2025
- General
- Chicago Tribune
Kenneth Seeskin: Passover is a celebration and challenge of our most essential human values
Passover begins at sundown Saturday. There will be two ritual meals, or seders, designed to imitate an ancient Roman banquet. No leavened bread will be consumed for eight days. In fact, there will be no leavened bread anywhere in the house. The idea is that just as our ancestors were too rushed to wait for bread to rise when the word came to leave Egypt, we will eat unleavened bread in their honor. And while there is no archeological evidence to support a massive revolt of enslaved people in Egypt, the 10 plagues or an entire nation wandering in the Sinai Peninsula for 40 years, Jews all over the world will commemorate the Exodus from Egypt. But Passover's significance is more than an observation of an actual event; it is a celebration and challenge of our most essential human values. A review of the highlights of the story can reveal deeper reasons to celebrate. The Israelites left their homeland and moved to Egypt to avoid a terrible drought. In biblical parlance, they were strangers living in a foreign land. Although the Bible recounts that the Israelites lived in Egypt for quite some time, they still are referred to as strangers. In our terms, they were immigrants. A brutal dictator begins to rule Egypt and command the mightiest army on earth. The dictator fears that the immigrants are becoming too numerous and imposes hard labor on them. God sends an immigrant criminal living in exile to take command of the Israelites and plead with the dictator to let them go. When the dictator refuses, a series of disasters afflict the Egyptian people. But the dictator is unmoved. Eventually the Israelites leave Egypt but are pursued by the Egyptian army. In one of the most stunning miracles in all of biblical literature, God parts the Red Sea to allow the Israelites to cross but causes the waters to rejoin when the Egyptian army enters, drowning the dictator and his army. The first thing to notice in this story is that despite the dictator's enormous wealth and power, God is unimpressed and sides with the immigrants instead. The standoff between God and the dictator establishes for all times that might does not make right. When it comes to the treatment of strangers, God is adamant: 'You shall love the stranger as you love yourself.' In other words, if you want to be respected as a human being and be allowed to live your life in peace and comfort, then you must see to it that the stranger (immigrant) has the same opportunity, even though they may not look like you, eat like you or speak your language. Beyond peace and comfort, the story is a resounding defense of freedom. The people are released from hard labor and allowed to live as free men and women in a nation dedicated to the rule of law rather than the arbitrary demands of the dictator. Seen in this light, the story has all the makings of a Hollywood epic. In 1956, Paramount released 'The Ten Commandments,' starring Charlton Heston as Moses and Yul Brynner as Pharaoh Rameses II. It has been rereleased and remains a classic. Passover is a celebration of our most basic values. I have already mentioned freedom and human dignity — even for people who are not natives. There is also the contrast between the brutality of the dictator and a God defined by mercy, graciousness, slowness to anger and the willingness to forgive sin. Let us not forget, however, that the Bible is more complicated than a Hollywood epic. In their 40 years in the wilderness, the Israelites commit nearly every sin imaginable. Given the choice between living as a free people with all the demands that requires and enslaved people ruled by a dictator, they routinely choose the latter. Freedom does not come easily. It may require hardship, courage and vision to achieve. The same goes for human decency. Passover, then, is both a celebration and a challenge. It is a celebration of the values by which civilized people are supposed to live. At the same time, it is a recognition that those values cannot be handed down on a silver platter. They must be fought for, sacrificed for and renewed in every age. Needless to say, our age is no different.
