Latest news with #Crank
Time Business News
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time Business News
Inside Stathamism: The New Film Exploring a Reddit Cult That Idolized Jason Statham
In the vast digital sprawl of Reddit, strange subcultures are not unusual—but few are as bizarre and dangerous as the cult that emerged around the 2006 action film Crank. Known as Stathamism, this now-defunct online community centered around the belief that mimicking Jason Statham's character, Chev Chelios, was a path to true spiritual awakening. The subreddit r/stathamism was launched in 2019 by a user under the handle u/sohobreadsticks, also known as 'Opal.' What began as an apparent parody quickly spiraled into something more serious. Adherents of the group believed that the modern world was a simulation—one that could only be disrupted or escaped by maintaining constant adrenaline, just as Chelios does in Crank. Members claimed that if your heart rate dropped, so did your consciousness. Initially filled with memes and movie quotes, the subreddit rapidly evolved into a repository of increasingly risky behavior. Users posted videos of themselves engaging in high-stakes stunts, from street fights to reckless driving and rooftop jumps. One user uploaded footage of a self-inflicted electrocution. Another discussed using medical defibrillators for 'ritual clarity.' While Reddit eventually banned the community in 2023, traces of it persist. Reports linked the group to multiple hospitalizations and at least one fatality that remains under investigation. The term 'performance suicide' began appearing in user-generated posts and eventually in law enforcement briefings. Despite Reddit's efforts to scrub the content, remnants of the group's activity linger through screenshots, reuploads, and whispers of a surviving Discord server. Now, Boston-based filmmakers Caden Ahmad and Aryan Chaudhari are bringing this story to the screen. Their upcoming film, Stathamism, is currently in production and has already begun attracting attention from internet communities that remember the subreddit's eerie rise and fall. 'I thought it was just another weird Reddit joke,' says Ahmad. 'But then I found this PDF floating around called The Crank Testament. That was when I realized people had taken this way too far.' The film combines real archival Reddit content with dramatizations, capturing the surreal energy and unfiltered chaos that defined early 2010s internet horror. But it is not just a shock piece. It is a darkly comedic examination of how irony and fandom can spiral into dangerous ideology. 'We're interested in what happens when satire stops being interpreted as satire,' says Chaudhari. 'This film explores how easily performance becomes belief, and belief becomes extremism.' Stathamism aims to critique the broader cultural obsession with true crime and cult narratives, particularly in the United States. With streaming platforms increasingly leaning into sensationalist documentaries, the filmmakers argue that society has blurred the line between entertainment and danger. 'There's a market for chaos,' Ahmad notes. 'And when it becomes a spectacle, it stops being questioned.' Though the subreddit is long gone, online echoes remain. Slowed-down versions of the Crank soundtrack have surfaced on TikTok. A YouTube video tagged with #ChevAscension re-emerged recently. And on obscure forums, users claim to be part of a continuing movement—one they say Reddit could not kill. Whether or not Stathamism was a genuine belief system, a viral parody, or a tragic blend of both, the film seeks to hold a mirror up to the internet age's most absurd and dangerous tendencies. At its core, Stathamism is not just a film about a cult. It is a reflection on the digital landscapes we inhabit, and how belief can grow unchecked in the strangest of places. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ye And YoungBoy Never Broke Again Link Up For New Single 'Alive'
The only thing comparable to Ye's frequent controversial statements has been his sporadic music releases. The artist formerly known as Kanye West linked up with YoungBoy Never Broke Again this week for their new single 'Alive.' The track initially follows his recent string of unconventional releases, as it was not available on traditional streaming platforms. Instead, fans could only listen via a post on his Instagram account on Wednesday (May 21) or the several audio rips floating around the internet. On Thursday morning (May 22), he shared an Apple Music link for the record on X. 'This that ni**as been stealin' the swag, they know damn well they ain't invent/ This that ni**as ain't rich, they broke, want a blessing and they ain't even repent,' he raps to open the chaotic track. It is devoid of drums and snares production-wise, and rather loaded with rough, white noise-esque synths. 'I'll put the bi**h on and blick 'em, them youngins gon' load up and get 'em, they catch em and stretch 'em/ .223, it ain't missin' a beat, we gon' pray up to Heaven and step in eleven,' YoungBoy belts in his verse. Notably, the record samples DJ Swamp Izzo's 'Alive,' which was also recently flipped by Playboi Carti on 'Crank' from his latest album, Music. The 'Alive' sample is an interesting detail given Ye and Playboi Carti's current relationship, or lack thereof. The Chicago producer has frequently expressed his disdain for the enigmatic rapper ever since he was left off of the recent LP while Kendrick Lamar got three separate features. Things got even deeper when he learned that Carti had been trying to work on a song with his daughter North, and Kim Kardashian seemed willing to let it happen despite taking issue with Ye putting her on a song with Diddy. In an act of pettiness, the 'Timeless' artist shared his version of 'Alive' featuring YoungBoy Never Broke Again without the multi-time Grammy winner. In a now-deleted post on his Opium account, he wrote, 'DIS MY SONG LIL BRA @ye.' The record was accompanied by a full music video, which may mean that West had underhandedly tried to beat Carti to the punch and put out his version first. Ye's 'Alive' follows his controversial 'Heil Hitler,' which has been removed from X and Soundcloud seemingly due to its problematic content. He has also teased his forthcoming record 'Cousins,' where he opens up about sexual activity with a relative, along with his upcoming album Cuck. More from Kai Cenat Irritated By Fan Crashing AMAs Livestream To Praise Ye Playboi Carti Calls Out Ye For Sampling Song Without His Permission Ye Asks For God's "Forgiveness," Says He's Done With Antisemitism
Hypebeast
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hypebeast
Best New Tracks: Playboi Carti, The Alchemist, Feid and More
As the week in music comes to a close, Hypebeast has rounded up the best projects for the latest installment of Best New Tracks. Albums come fromThe AlchemistandPlaqueBoyMax, with singles landing fromPlayboi Carti,Rich BrianxSki Mask The Slump God,Burna BoyxTravis Scott,Turnstile,YGxShoreline Mafia,Feid,Maxo,AKTHESAVIORx Leon Fanourakis xTaka PerryxYeekxDenzel Curry,Larry JunexCardo Got Wings, andJoey PurpxTheolonius Martin. While not on streaming services, The Alchemist unveiled his fully instrumentalMixed Fruit Series Vol. 1: Pineapple Ginger. Spanning 15 tracks, the offering is a fully solo LP from Alc. The streamer continues his come-up with his second EP of 2025:5$TAR SESSIONS: Music We got two new singles from Playboi Carti this week: 'ALIVE' and 'SOME MORE.' The former transpired after Ye dropped his version of the 'Crank'-sampling 'ALIVE,' which Carti fired back with his version, of the reportedly uncleared song. A few hours later, he returned to Instagram to drop off 'SOME MORE.' Despite delaying his latest album, Rich Brian continues to drop off solid singles lifted from the project. The latest is a cut with Ski Mask The Slump God dubbed 'Jumpy.'Spotify|Apple Music Burna Boy tapped Travis Scott for his latest single, 'TaTaTa.' The cut marks the first official collaboration from the Music Turnstile continued to roll outNEVER ENOUGHthis week with another new single. 'LOOK OUT FOR ME' lands as the fourth single from the imminent album, dropping on June 6 — as well as premiering at Tribeca Film Music YG revealed the second release from his forthcoming project,The Gentleman's track features production fromTy Dolla $ignand additional bars from Shoreline Music Feid has returned with a new song, 'ANDO XXIL,' which arrives alongside a Tony Hawk-starring music Music Spotify|Apple Music Denzel Curry took to Instagram earlier this week to announce news of 'Ichiban''s release – little did we know how stacked the features lineup would be. An AKTHESAVIOR cut, the single also features Leon Fanourakis, Taka Perry and Music The dynamic rapper/producer duo of Larry June x Cardo Got Wings has returned to the scene with 'Black Man.'Spotify|Apple Music Closing out the collaborative hot streak of the week comes a new offering from Joey Purp, with an assist from Theolonius Martin. Purp is beginning to roll out his new projectChampagne Seats, which drops on June Music
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Havoc' Review: In Gareth Evans' Dark, Destructive Netflix Outing, Only Tom Hardy's Reputation Remains Unscathed
At first, 'Havoc' sounds like just another one of those generic, one-word titles Hollywood slaps on action movies to convey a terse, efficient shoot-'em-up. Why give such projects a long-winded name like 'A Clear and Present Danger' or 'Every Which Way but Loose' when you can find something punchy like 'Taken,' 'Crank' or 'Drive'? Look it up in the dictionary, however, and 'havoc' doesn't simply mean 'devastation' (of which there is plenty in 'The Raid' director Gareth Evans' excessively violent Netflix outing), but also some mix of confusion, mayhem and all-around disorder (which spoils whatever fun a couple over-the-top set-pieces deliver). Looking worse for wear than Bruce Willis' tank top at the end of 'Die Hard,' Tom Hardy fully commits to the walking stereotype that is Walker, the least bad cop working Christmas Eve in a city that a) doesn't exist, b) seems to be modeled on the scuzzy version of Gotham City seen in 'The Penguin' and c) boasts a triad-run underworld populated by an inexhaustible supply of heavily armed henchmen. More from Variety Tom Hardy's 'Havoc' Leads Netflix's Wales Gambit With $265 Million Economic Boost 'MobLand' Episode 2 Recap: Tom Hardy, Pierce Brosnan Break Down the 'Psychosis' Tearing at the Harrigans Tom Hardy Says Venom Crossover With Tom Holland's Spider-Man 'Got as Close as I Could Possibly Imagine Getting' Before Falling Apart According to splintered flashbacks scattered throughout the plot like shrapnel, Walker belongs to a tight, thoroughly corrupt gang of narcotics officers (where the most bad is embodied by Timothy Olyphant) who've decided to rip off a whole lot of dope from the people they should be arresting. Walker's captain recognizes him as a rule-breaker, as does real estate mogul-cum-mayoral candidate Lawrence Beaumont (Forest Whitaker), who has Walker to thank for single-handedly saving his political career. So far, it's all straight from the Shane Black playbook, including cynical repartee with rookie partner Ellie (Jessie Mei Li) and the scene where Walker scours a filthy convenience store looking for a last-minute Christmas gift for his 6-year-old daughter (inexplicably seen playing with a handgun a few seconds shy of the 10-minute mark). While Walker is so distracted, a high-speed chase involving the other four cops in on his dirty-money scheme is unfolding across town. A semitrailer full of washing machines (which are in turn full of cocaine) is racing toward the freeway — except, none of this looks real. Some guy swings from the rear door of the trailer, but it's quite obviously the camera that's moving, not the vehicle, in the movie's unconvincingly rendered metropolis. These are basically the same VFX tricks the Wachowskis used in 'Speed Racer,' except that movie was meant to suggest the live-action equivalent of anime. 'Havoc' looks cartoonish on accident. You've heard of organized crime? Now imagine the exact opposite: a clichéd and highly disorganized crime movie in which Evans — who can direct the hell out of an action scene, but struggles with anything remotely dramatic — lards a simple-minded mission to protect Beaumont's son Charlie (Justin Cornwell) with a wildly complicated conspiracy. Evans' convoluted script keeps us guessing for a while as to who is trying to kill Charlie and his three accomplices (yes, the son of the city's leading mayoral candidate was the one stealing washers), but only because there's not enough information at this point to make sense of the plot. Havoc, indeed. Early action scenes are told in strangely oblique ways, with gunfire erupting off-screen (but little carnage shown) or else via abrupt cuts, filled in later by ultra-violent flashbacks. That's true of Walker's opening crisis of conscience, as well as a heavy-artillery heist on the local Chinese drug dealer (Jeremy Ang Jones), just as Charlie and pals are delivering their haul. When Evans does circle around to showing the shootout, it looks like a scene from such Hong Kong classics as 'Hard Boiled' or 'The Killer,' in which well-dressed Asian extras go cartwheeling in slow motion as squibs explode up and down their dress shirts. (So many practical blood packs make for a nostalgic touch in a movie that otherwise relies rather heavily on CGI.) Because Charlie and his girlfriend, Mia (Quelin Sepulveda, who would have made a better main character than Walker, with her punkish, young Franka Potente vibe), were present when the raid went down, triad superboss 'Little Sister' (Yeo Yann Yann) shows up with a private army. If you can make it 50 minutes into the movie, you'll be rewarded with a nightclub scene in which Walker, the dirty cops and Little Sister's platoon converge on Charlie and Mia, while Gesaffelstein thunders on the soundtrack. That would have been a 'cool' music choice 12 years ago, when his 'Aleph' album dropped, but playing three tracks back-to-back-to-back during the 10-minute club sequence so soon after the arrival of Lady Gaga's 'Mayhem' (featuring four Gesaffelstein collaborations) feels late to the party. In any case, it's the right music for a Gareth Evans spectacular, matching Aria Prayogi's dark, industrial-sounding score, but a weird fit for the neon-lit venue or the scene's laid-back DJ, all of which belong to somewhere frat boys and Kardashians hang out, not the final resting place for 50 or so thugs with incredibly bad aim. For action fans, the club scene will be reason enough to watch, as Evans orchestrates a kinetic bloodbath using split levels and a gnarly mix of machine guns, martial arts and assorted improvised weapons (including steel pipes and butcher knives). 'Kill Bill' it ain't, though the melee is certainly reminiscent of 'The Raid.' Twenty minutes later, the climax at Walker's personal cabin feels excessive at best, but mostly just exhausting, as the surviving hundred or so characters are winnowed down to a number you could count on one hand. The cheesy screenplay, shallow characters and wince-worthy acting (from all but A-listers Hardy, Whitaker and Olyphant) suggest that Evans might be better suited to specializing in the second unit or action sequences on a major franchise, rather than writing and directing a quasi-dramatic feature. There's a reason big-studio producers looked to Sundance darlings like Colin Trevorrow, Rian Johnson and Jon Watts to handle their tentpoles: not because those guys are great at action, but because they keep the interpersonal dynamics interesting. That's precisely where Evans wreaks the most havoc, ignoring (or simply not understanding) what connects us to such characters in the first place — and therefore ensuring that his unwieldy Netflix vehicle is dead on arrival. Best of Variety The Best Albums of the Decade
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Yahoo
Suspect in Charlotte shootout that killed nursing student out on bond after 6 years in jail
CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — A man charged in the 2019 shooting death of a Charlotte nursing student and mother of two is now out of jail after posting bond this week. Adonis Smith, now 23, walked free after posting a $10,000 secured bond. Smith had been behind bars for six years, since he was 17, awaiting trial for his role in a fatal shootout that claimed the life of 27-year-old Kendal Crank. Crank, an innocent bystander, was on her way to nursing school in March 2019 when she was struck by a bullet during a gunfight at the intersection of East 28th St. and North Tryon St. Mint Hill man charged after opossum burned alive on video: Police Earlier this year, Smith's first trial ended in a mistrial due to a hung jury. In a recent motion requesting bond reduction, Smith's attorneys argued that he had spent nearly a quarter of his life in jail without a conviction and posed no flight risk. The judge agreed to set the bond at $10,000, which was posted this week. During the initial trial, Smith claimed he was acting in self-defense, stating he had been shot at by the two other suspects and returned fire without realizing that anyone else had been hurt. Crank's death sent shockwaves through the Charlotte community. Witness testimony painted a harrowing scene: Crank's friend, Porchia Jordan, described through tears how she saw Crank slumped over in the driver's seat with blood on the dashboard. With Smith now out on bond, the community and Crank's family await news on whether the case will head back to trial or potentially result in a plea deal. Latest stories from Gen Z drinking less because they're broke, Dutch study says Suspect in Charlotte shootout that killed nursing student out on bond after 6 years in jail Remote workers more engaged, less likely to be thriving: Gallup Trump taps Martin for DOJ pardon attorney, 'weaponization' role Retired Supreme Court Justice David Souter dies at 85 Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
