Latest news with #EvilEmpire
Yahoo
27-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
"Andor" makes its clearest "Star Wars" condemnation of authoritarianism yet
When 'Andor' originally debuted, the prequel series to a prequel movie set after the prequel trilogy wasn't heavily promoted by Disney+. With no adorable Baby Yoda a la 'The Mandalorian,' only the most devoted fans tuned in. However, as critics quickly discovered, 'Andor' contained something far better than plush puppets. For the first time in the franchise's history, a show took the premise of the original 1977 'Star Wars' film and used it to seriously explore the question of how someone becomes radicalized. Due to a variety of factors and 2020 shutdowns, 'Andor' wasn't released until 2022. Season 2, which premiered its first three episodes on April 22, took another three years. But the series hasn't lost a step, broadening its focus from the individual to the collective as it portrays an entire population teetering on the edge of rebellion. I'd argue that the episodes we've seen suggest 'Andor' is the best 'Star Wars' series ever made. And it's an incredibly well-timed reminder of how relevant the franchise's story of democracy vs. authoritarianism actually is. Over the course of nearly 50 years, George Lucas' 'Evil Empire' has stood in for many things. But 'Andor' is the clearest use of the 'Star Wars' mythology yet as a critique of our own government, concurrent with the events being allegorized. (One could argue — and people have — that 'Return of the Jedi' had Vietnam War overtones, but it came out in 1983, long after the war ended.) 'Andor' is showing how the wheels come off a fictional democracy just as the wheels appear to be coming off a very real democracy most thought was indestructible. The result is a show that hits far too close to home. The series' Mexican-born star Diego Luna (who also has an executive producer credit) plays an undocumented immigrant on the run from the British-accented white men of the Empire, falling in and out with random groups of would-be rebels in various stages of radicalization. Midlevel government stooges root out the undocumented under the guise of 'the census.' They may not wear vests emblazoned with 'ICE,' but comparisons to reports on the nightly news are too obvious to miss. The well-dressed and privileged citizens casually discussing the demolition of an entire planet while snacking on the most fantastic hors d'oeuvres feels similarly pointed. (The camera makes sure to linger over the delicacies as we hear the diners casually discussing genocide.) Disney is releasing the series in three-episode groups over four weeks. This is partly due to the show's structure, which focuses on different vignettes around the galaxy, tracing the threads of the growing crisis to its explosive center. But it also means that Disney+ may be trying to downplay criticism. (April and May are some of the most crowded months of the television calendar, making 'Andor' one of many high-profile series currently trying to get traction in the entertainment sphere.) It's also possible Lucasfilm was never expecting 'Andor' to become such a runaway success, political themes and all. Not that anyone has said a bad word about the show — when you have a hit, you smile and tell everyone how much you believed in it from the get-go. The show had early support from Luna, who was eager to reprise his popular 'Rogue One' character. Perhaps more importantly, the show was greenlit in 2018, before Lucasfilm released 'The Rise of Skywalker,' a sequel that took what had been a successful trilogy revival of the franchise and destroyed it by capitulating to small but vocal pockets of reactionary fans. There is now nothing else like 'Andor' in the 'Star Wars' pipeline. In fact, there's barely anything in the pipeline. Since Disney bought Lucasfilm in 2012, two dozen projects from high-profile writers have been triumphantly announced, only to be quietly canned. Meanwhile, the feature film count since 2019's 'The Rise of Skywalker' stands at zero. We are in a moment when the 'Star Wars' story is more relevant than it's possibly ever been. We need more powerful characters standing up for democracy and against injustice. This isn't a long time ago or in a galaxy far, far away. 'Andor' shouldn't be the outlier; it should be the new standard. This article was originally published on
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
All 36 Games We Saw At The Triple-i Spring Indie Showcase Extravaganza
Big gaming showcases shouldn't just be for major console makers and Geoff Keighley, which is why the team behind Dead Cells' ongoing support, Evil Empire, launched the Triple-i Initiative last year. The event puts the spotlight on smaller projects ahead of Summer Game Fest season and returned this year with updates on a whopping 36 games, including world premieres for a few that look really cool. There was news about 2019 action platforming hit Katana Zero and its long-promised DLC, as well as brand new reveals for upcoming releases. There was Void/Breaker, a frenetic roguelike cyberpunk FPS from Stubby Games that looks like it builds off of some of the ideas in the team's 2022 FPS puzzle adventure The Entropy Centre. There was also Frostrail, a post-apocalyptic survival crafting shooter from Shiro Unlimited and FakeFish. Another one of those? Yes, but this one revolves around a train that serves as your home base, transportation, and salvation from the cold and the 'horrifying abominations' hiding in it. The most surprising announcement for me personally was the latest free DLC for Vampire Survivors. While the bullet hell roguelite getting more content is nothing new, this update is a crossover with Square Enix's lesser known SaGa franchise. Out now, the DLC drops SaGa Emerald Beyond's characters into the game's chaotic arcade adventure. What franchise collab should be next? I'm still holding out for Mega Man. You can watch the full showcase below or scroll through for a look at everything else announced during the 2025 Triple-i Initiative showcase. Real ones know and have been waiting almost five years for a glimpse of what was once likened to Katana Zero 1.5. With 'all new characters, levels, gameplay and story,' this 'massive' DLC still doesn't have a release date but sounds oh so close. The high-speed shooter is coming later this year and offers weapon crafting, gun modding, and environmental destruction. An open playtest is currently running on Steam through April 24. The first-person shooter is all about open-world survival crafting to upgrade the train that's keeping you and your friends alive. It hits Early Access for PC in 2026. 11 Bit Studios' latest project is about a space mission worker named Jan Dolski who must create alternate versions of himself with unique skills but shared memories in order to survive. It now has a release date of June 13, 2025. A nightmarish life sim, Neverway features the work of Celeste and TowerFall's pixel artist and the music of Disasterpeace who composed the mesmerizing soundscapes for both Fez and Hyper Light Drifter. That's it. That's all I needed to know. If you guessed that Deep Rock Galactic: Rogue Core would feature the mining horde mode shooter's mechanics with new run-based roguelike elements, you'd be correct. Players can sign up for a Closed Alpha happening now. One of the better Vampire Survivors copycats now has a 1.0 launch date. After winning fans over in Early Access, the full version is coming out September 17, 2025. The twee van-life sim about crafting and sustainability will feature a closed alpha on April 14. Upgrade your vehicle, grow crops, and explore a beautiful alternate world where hope still abounds. SpeedRunners 2: King of Speed was announced with a release window of 2025 for PC and 2026 for console. The Nickelodeon All-Stars Brawl team is making it, and for anyone unfamiliar with the original, the hook is the game's 8-player platforming races with a battle royale-like 'ever-shrinking ring of fire.' A workshop apprentice goes on an adventure. Many 3D action-platformer hijinks ensue. Will there be collectibles in this modern re-imagining of a retro throwback? Players can find out when it hits PC and console in 2026. Control cabin boy Sam and loyal husky Ellie in solo or co-op to explore an uncharted island and uncover a bleak mystery. Who's ready to cry?! But what is it exactly? I'll let the devs explain. According to them, Into the Fire is 'a disaster extraction survival with arcade elements.' Neat! Players can face volcanic demons in Dante's Archipelago in Early Access later this year. Arcade medieval army brawler Tears of Metal has a great art style and some really rad-looking combat. You can try the hack-and-slash roguelike online with friends in the current Steam beta running until April 17. Vampire Survivors: Emerald Diorama is the hit arcade roguelite's latest free update featuring a cross over with Square Enix. It's out on every platform right now. The long-awaited strategy follow-up now has an Early Access launch window of summer 2025. I can't wait. Interstellar politics is about to get more complicated. A free summer update for X4: Foundations will add new strategic elements for alliance building, including sending agents out on missions to influence partners and rivals. The escape room game lets you solve puzzles in Dracula's castle or deep space starships. Players can go hands-on with the sequel now on Steam. You're stuck in a gross prison cell. Pay off your debt with nothing but an ATM and a slot machine. It's coming to Steam later this year and also has a free demo available to try now. The action-roguelike spin-off is getting a couch co-op mode for two players and content from Dead Cells sometime this summer. The survival crafting Soulslike is getting a new Thralls of Twilight update in May as it continues its Early Access journey. Olden Era is a new entry in the beloved turn-based strategy series. It's being developed by Iratus makers Unfrozen and published by Ubisoft and takes players to the previously unexplored continent of Jadame. Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault takes the shopkeeper roguelite into 3D in just a few months. The dungeon crawler will be starting out in Early Access. The character action roguelite in which you transform into different characters to unleash powerful attacks hits Early Access this summer. The next game from the maker of Art of Rally lets you drive classic off-roading vehicles through trails and scenic landscapes for the colorful, lo-fi escape we all need right now. But horror fans may be enthused. Navigate a post-catastrophic world where creatures disguise themselves as humans in a very Night Trap meets Maniac Mansion meets Aphex Twin kind of way. The Forgotten Depths is a free content drop out today that adds a new biome to the pixel art-looking combat crafting sim. Necesse is slated to leave Early Access this summer. The top-down survival game is getting Invaders of Oakveil on April 28. Players will explore a new venomous area, collect poisonous weapons, and fight the Serpent Queen Megara. The narrative-driven adventure game has you use old cameras to explore a place outside of reality uncovering secrets, and probably dealing with past traumas, to make your way home. The music and art looks excellent. 'Embark on an epic quest as Ezekiel, a devoted young bishop of the god Sheol, who must recover the sacred Malkora and cleanse Antioch from heretics,' reads the plot summary. If the whole game looks and sounds as good as the trailer, sure! The Dimension Update arrives June 2 for the construction management game. It adds a bunch of new features including a refined placement system, multi-floor platforms, and various quality-of-life improvements. The next project from the makers of Dorfromantik is Star Birds. You lead spacefaring birds across the galaxy by automating systems on an asteroid. Its first demo is just a few months away. It's a roguelite city builder in which you harvest, build, mine, cook, brew, and grow in order to defend against invasions. You can lead the human or undead kingdoms, each rendered with an old-school 8-bit look. In Timberborn Update 7 the post-apocalyptic beaver masses are taking to the skies and water-sealed tubeways. 'By putting up the dirt in layers, they now can build hanging gardens, grow plants on their roofs, and even create tunnels and artificial caves.' It hits May 8. The blacksmithing sim lands in Early Access on May 25. Run a medieval smithy from top to bottom, supervising ore shipments and selling the finished products. The Eternal Life of Goldman will land sometime in 2025 and is boasting an all-star cast of composers when it does, with contributions from Kevin Penkin (Star Wars: Visions, Made in Abyss, Florence), Mason Lieberman (Overwatch 2, Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical, League of Legends: Wild Rift), Pete Lepley (Wargroove, Sky Rogue), and Yasunori Nishiki (Octopath Traveler, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth). For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Contributor: We do need some tariffs, applied strategically and predictably
Whenever the subject of trade comes up, many right-leaning free traders and left-leaning neoliberals alike trot out the same talking point: 'The economists all agree tariffs are terrible!' And perhaps they do — or at least most of them do. Barriers to free and unfettered trade may well appear inefficient as a matter of an economic model's deadweight loss — and they may well conflict with David Ricardo's much-heralded 19th century trade theory of comparative advantage. It may well be the case that consumer surplus is indeed harmed by restrictions on the free flow of goods. But this is classroom theory. And the 'dismal science' that is the economics profession is not always known for its close relationship to, well, real life. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, elites of both parties in the U.S., overly confident in their conviction that Western openness had just defeated the Soviet 'Evil Empire,' rushed to implement a Washington Consensus of globalization and trade liberalization — on all kinds of products, ending selective Reagan-era trade barriers to, for instance, Japanese cars. An advisor to President George H.W. Bush memorably quipped in 1990: 'Potato chips, semiconductor chips, what is the difference? They are all chips.' But that's economic theory, not real life. The reality is there is a tremendous difference: The U.S. wouldn't be dragged into a war to protect our access to potato chips, as we might be to defend the world's leading supplier of semiconductors, Taiwan, if China invaded. More generally: It is certainly true that free and unfettered trade lowers prices for consumers and thereby maximizes consumption. And in contemporary post-Berlin Wall consumption-based Western economies, it can be easy to lose sight of other concerns of economic statecraft. But there are other concerns: namely, production and supply chain resilience. Great Americans have understood this at least as far back as Alexander Hamilton's 1791 'Report on Manufactures,' in which he argued that free trade is often an illusion: 'If the system of perfect liberty to industry and commerce were the prevailing system of nations, the arguments which dissuade a country in the predicament of the United States from the zealous pursuit of manufactures would doubtless have great force. … But the system which has been mentioned is far from characterizing the general policy of nations.' Abraham Lincoln, who decades later would become the Republican Party's first president, took a similar stance in an early-career 1832 speech: 'My politics are short and sweet, like the old woman's dance. I am in favor of a national bank. I am in favor of the internal improvements system and a higher protective tariff.' In many ways, that Hamiltonian/Lincolnian impulse helped America become an industrial powerhouse. It was that same manufacturing powerhouse that defeated both the 19th century Confederate insurrection and the 20th century Nazi war machine. It is that noble impulse that seems, in the year 2025, to motivate President Trump as he embarks upon the most aggressive tariff campaign the nation has seen in decades. Investors, invariably in thrall to classroom theory, have reacted poorly. But this experiment has just begun; the jury is still out. Truth be told, we may not know the full effects for years. But already, there have been at least some positive signs that Trump's promised approach has been working. In February, Apple — the largest company in the world by market capitalization — announced it would invest $500 billion in the U.S. over the next four years. Johnson & Johnson has pledged $55 billion in U.S. investment, and Nvidia allegedly plans to invest 'several hundred billion' dollars in electronics manufacturing. Other recent examples abound, and we should expect the trend to continue. That is not to say that all is fine with the Trump tariff rollout, though. The tariffs unveiled thus far in this second term, culminating in Wednesday's 'Liberation Day' Rose Garden speech, are directionally correct but markedly over-inclusive. There is a tremendous difference between slapping punitive tariffs on China and Canada. China has robbed America every which way for four decades, and we are far too economically dependent on the nation that is also our top geopolitical threat this century. But what is the issue with our friendly northerly neighbor, exactly? If anything, Trump's tariffs on Canada — combined with the recurrent reckless talk of annexation — seem to have caused the political collapse of Canada's Conservative Party on the precipice of a crucial national election. There is also the issue of consistency. The administration's tariff rollout has given off the distinct impression of being done in a scattershot, shoot-from-the-hip manner. Markets value stability and predictability — and it is likely the instability or unpredictability of the tariff policy, even more so than the tariffs themselves, that has spooked so many on Wall Street. Americans don't elect economists as our leaders to monolithically pursue the most 'efficient' policies possible. And thank goodness for that. Instead, we elect leaders who will exercise prudence, discernment and sound judgment to pursue the common good. Tariffs absolutely do have a role to play. But while a thunderous jackhammer of a policy disruption may be appealing, sometimes a mere scalpel will suffice. Josh Hammer's latest book is 'Israel and Civilization: The Fate of the Jewish Nation and the Destiny of the West.' This article was produced in collaboration with Creators Syndicate. @josh_hammer If it's in the news right now, the L.A. Times' Opinion section covers it. Sign up for our weekly opinion newsletter. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
03-04-2025
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
We do need some tariffs, applied strategically and predictably
Whenever the subject of trade comes up, many right-leaning free traders and left-leaning neoliberals alike trot out the same talking point: 'The economists all agree tariffs are terrible!' And perhaps they do — or at least most of them do. Barriers to free and unfettered trade may well appear inefficient as a matter of an economic model's deadweight loss — and they may well conflict with David Ricardo's much-heralded 19th century trade theory of comparative advantage. It may well be the case that consumer surplus is indeed harmed by restrictions on the free flow of goods. But this is classroom theory. And the 'dismal science' that is the economics profession is not always known for its close relationship to, well, real life. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, elites of both parties in the U.S., overly confident in their conviction that Western openness had just defeated the Soviet 'Evil Empire,' rushed to implement a Washington Consensus of globalization and trade liberalization — on all kinds of products, ending selective Reagan-era trade barriers to, for instance, Japanese cars. An advisor to President George H.W. Bush memorably quipped in 1990: 'Potato chips, semiconductor chips, what is the difference? They are all chips.' But that's economic theory, not real life. The reality is there is a tremendous difference: The U.S. wouldn't be dragged into a war to protect our access to potato chips, as we might be to defend the world's leading supplier of semiconductors, Taiwan, if China invaded. More generally: It is certainly true that free and unfettered trade lowers prices for consumers and thereby maximizes consumption. And in contemporary post-Berlin Wall consumption-based Western economies, it can be easy to lose sight of other concerns of economic statecraft. But there are other concerns: namely, production and supply chain resilience. Great Americans have understood this at least as far back as Alexander Hamilton's 1791 'Report on Manufactures,' in which he argued that free trade is often an illusion: 'If the system of perfect liberty to industry and commerce were the prevailing system of nations, the arguments which dissuade a country in the predicament of the United States from the zealous pursuit of manufactures would doubtless have great force. … But the system which has been mentioned is far from characterizing the general policy of nations.' Abraham Lincoln, who decades later would become the Republican Party's first president, took a similar stance in an early-career 1832 speech: 'My politics are short and sweet, like the old woman's dance. I am in favor of a national bank. I am in favor of the internal improvements system and a higher protective tariff.' In many ways, that Hamiltonian/Lincolnian impulse helped America become an industrial powerhouse. It was that same manufacturing powerhouse that defeated both the 19th century Confederate insurrection and the 20th century Nazi war machine. It is that noble impulse that seems, in the year 2025, to motivate President Trump as he embarks upon the most aggressive tariff campaign the nation has seen in decades. Investors, invariably in thrall to classroom theory, have reacted poorly. But this experiment has just begun; the jury is still out. Truth be told, we may not know the full effects for years. But already, there have been at least some positive signs that Trump's promised approach has been working. In February, Apple — the largest company in the world by market capitalization — announced it would invest $500 billion in the U.S. over the next four years. Johnson & Johnson has pledged $55 billion in U.S. investment, and Nvidia allegedly plans to invest 'several hundred billion' dollars in electronics manufacturing. Other recent examples abound, and we should expect the trend to continue. That is not to say that all is fine with the Trump tariff rollout, though. The tariffs unveiled thus far in this second term, culminating in Wednesday's 'Liberation Day' Rose Garden speech, are directionally correct but markedly over-inclusive. There is a tremendous difference between slapping punitive tariffs on China and Canada. China has robbed America every which way for four decades, and we are far too economically dependent on the nation that is also our top geopolitical threat this century. But what is the issue with our friendly northerly neighbor, exactly? If anything, Trump's tariffs on Canada — combined with the recurrent reckless talk of annexation — seem to have caused the political collapse of Canada's Conservative Party on the precipice of a crucial national election. There is also the issue of consistency. The administration's tariff rollout has given off the distinct impression of being done in a scattershot, shoot-from-the-hip manner. Markets value stability and predictability — and it is likely the instability or unpredictability of the tariff policy, even more so than the tariffs themselves, that has spooked so many on Wall Street. Americans don't elect economists as our leaders to monolithically pursue the most 'efficient' policies possible. And thank goodness for that. Instead, we elect leaders who will exercise prudence, discernment and sound judgment to pursue the common good. Tariffs absolutely do have a role to play. But while a thunderous jackhammer of a policy disruption may be appealing, sometimes a mere scalpel will suffice. Josh Hammer's latest book is 'Israel and Civilization: The Fate of the Jewish Nation and the Destiny of the West.' This article was produced in collaboration with Creators Syndicate. @josh_hammer
Telegraph
13-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Andy Warhol: Portrait of America: A lucid primer to a brilliant artist
The scope of what's on display, encompassing ephemera (film posters, Polaroids, copies of Interview magazine), as well as artworks, is impressive. A chronological approach spans the artist's career, from the (highly lucrative) commercial work, and homoerotic drawings of luscious youths (one licking his lips), which Warhol produced during the 1950s, to a late Self-Portrait (1986), in which his disembodied, ravaged face appears incandescent and red, against black, beneath a dishevelled 'fright wig', as if he were some all-seeing underworld god. Labels offer captivating nuggets about Warhol's biography and techniques. Throughout, as in his famous series of pastel-coloured electric chairs, Warhol blends brutality with beauty, and gaudiness with subtlety. His pink head of a horned cow – an animal of totemic significance in Milton Keynes – is a witty Pop take on a traditional pastoral theme. The exhibition, which should appeal to schoolchildren and students, provides a lucid primer to a brilliant artist. There's value in that. Does this 'Portrait of America' also foretell the land of Donald Trump? No doubt, with its violent imagery of paratrooper boots, a 'race riot', and snub-nosed pistols, as well as a corpulent yellow-and-black dollar sign, like a big bruised banana, or an alarmed cartoon character seemingly shedding dark streaks of sweat. That said, the large, black-and-white Map of Eastern USSR Missile Bases (c 1985-86), made in response to President Ronald Reagan's 1983 'Evil Empire' speech, should, if the 47th US President is to be believed, no longer seem so menacing. Yeah, right.
