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Miami Herald
a day ago
- Business
- Miami Herald
Veteran trader makes bold move with Palantir, Rocket Lab and SoFi
Admiral Ackbar knew when it was time to bail. The amphibious military commander of the Rebel Alliance achieved meme immortality when he uttered the fateful phrase "It's a trap!" in "Star Wars: Return of the Jedi," after learning that the Death Star was fully operational and open for murderous business. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter TheStreet Pro's Stephen Guilfoyle isn't so sure. While the veteran trader doesn't have to contend with a planet-destroying space station, he does invest in stocks, which on some days can be scary enough to make Darth Vader cry for his mommy. Guilfoyle, whose career dates back to the floor of the New York Stock Exchange in the 1980s, invoked the Ackbar meme in a recent column following the stock market rally on May 29. "Is this a trap?" he asked. "The answer is definitely 'maybe.'" Stocks surged after the Court of International Trade struck down President Donald Trump's sweeping tariff agenda on the grounds that he had overstepped his authority. A federal appeals court quickly paused the decision. "That certainly tempered any enthusiasm that had existed, though I must say that most human traders had expected a quick appeal," Guilfoyle said. "The early-morning surge had something of a hollow, algorithm-driven feel to it." As far as trading goes, well, Guilfoyle did something he doesn't usually do: He took some money off the table without reaching specific levels. More Palantir Palantir gets great news from the PentagonWall Street veteran doubles down on PalantirPalantir bull sends message after CEO joins Trump for Saudi visit "I did not cancel any target prices and still have large, long positions in several of my favorite names, but I used late-afternoon and after-hours strength and took an extra round of profit-taking across some of my beloved 'Stocks Under $10' plays, namely Palantir Technologies, Rocket Lab USA, and SoFi Technologies." So what's going on with these companies? Well, the Trump administration is expanding Palantir's (PLTR) work with the federal government, according to The New York Times. The big-data-analytics-software provider has received more than $113 million in federal spending since Trump took office, including additional funds from current contracts as well as new ones with the Department of Homeland Security and the Pentagon. These do not include a $795 million contract that the Department of Defense awarded the company last week. That money has not been spent. At least three members of Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency formerly worked at Palantir, the Times said, while two others worked at companies founded by the billionaire investor Peter Thiel, one of Palantir's founders. Fannie Mae (FNMA) , or Federal National Mortgage Association, said it launched its AI-powered Crime Detection Unit in partnership with Palantir. CEO Alex Karp said that the mortgage fraud detection could be done in a way that "protects the underlying data and protects the privacy of the people submitting their forms," CNBC reported. Roth Capital analyst Suji Desilva on May 28 raised the investment firm's price target on Rocket Lab (RKLB) to $35 from $25 and affirmed a buy rating on the shares, according to The Fly. Desilva cited the aerospace company's planned acquisition of privately held Geost, a sensor-payload vendor that targets primarily critical national security missions. Related: Palantir gets great news from the Pentagon He said he was encouraged by Rocket Lab's portfolio expansion while it drives both diversification and increased opportunity to offer integrated solutions. Stifel analyst Erik Rasmussen, also encouraged by the Geost acquisition, boosted his price target on Rocket Lab to $34 from $29 and maintained a buy rating. Rasmussen noted the deal's strategic rationale as Rocket Lab is acquiring key technologies to enter the satellite-payload segment, "creating a new category and positioning the company as a disruptor for national security space." SoFi, which has seen its stock climbing recently, beat Wall Street's first-quarter-earnings forecasts last month largely due to strong demand for its loans from both borrowers and investors. The company raised its full-year guidance. Guilfoyle is also watching the University of Michigan's May revision to its Consumer Sentiment Survey. Several other economic reports are due as well, including the Chicago PMI, the PCE Price Index and wholesale inventories. And he just might take some profits from BlackBerry (BB) and Peloton Interactive (PTON) , "as we also have nice gains to protect in those names." "Before anyone panics, I repeat, I remain long all of these names in decent size," he said. "I have not changed target prices for any of them. This is just risk management." "These shares can always be added back if I am wrong," Guilfoyle explained. "Aside from a heavy slate of macro this morning, there are some obvious bumps in the road developing." Related: Veteran fund manager unveils eye-popping S&P 500 forecast The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
Times
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
Bruce Logan obituary: special effects expert best known for Star Wars
Destroying the Death Star was risky both for the Rebel Alliance and the special effects expert who helped to ignite one of the most famous conflagrations in cinematic history. The obliteration of the planet-killing space station by Luke Skywalker in the first Star Wars film was physically dangerous as well as a technical challenge for Bruce Logan. To avoid blurring while filming fast-moving model spaceships, the camera and the miniatures had to be in motion simultaneously. This required a special hardware and software system that was not ready when the director, George Lucas, returned to California after shooting live-action sequences in England. A panicked Lucas asked Logan to manage a second effects unit that would take a more rudimentary approach. 'He had this harebrained scheme
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Andor Breakout Star Reveals The Action Role She Wants After Playing Kleya, And I Really Hope Hollywood Is Listening
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. With Andor Season 2 now complete amid the 2025 TV schedule, the Rogue One spinoff has now definitively reached its conclusion. There's a lot to love about the science fiction show (which is streamable with a Disney+ subscription), from its impeccable writing and awesome production values. Of course, the ensemble cast is also pitch-perfect, and relative newcomer Elizabeth Dulau is one of its brightest spots. Now, with the series done, Dulau just revealed a major role she'd love to play at some point – and I'm so here for her taking it on! The up-and-coming British actress played the role of Kleya Marki during both seasons of Andor. Introduced as the assistant of Luthen Rael and a Rebel Alliance communications operator, Kleya's role expanded during Season 2 as she began to perform more fieldwork. Elizabeth Dulau received critical acclaim for her performance during the last stretch of episodes and solidified herself as a fan-favorite. After making her mark on the galaxy far, far away, Dulau now wants to step into the shoes of a certain video game-birthed adventurer: Honestly, a dream role would actually be some sort of action hero – someone like Lara Croft! The people who know me best would not be at all surprised to hear me say that. I idolised characters like her and Indiana Jones as a kid, running around the house fighting imaginary bad guys. I even had a toy bow and arrow! Seeing a female character be that undeniably cool, clever and physically capable was so inspiring to me as a child, and my life would really come full circle if I ever got the chance to be that to other kids. So which Hollywood executives do I have to talk to in order to make this happen? I'm really excited after hearing the House of Guinness tell Country & Town House about her desire to lead the Tomb Raider franchise. Upon giving it thought, there are several reasons as to why she would be a solid fit for the widely loved Lara. As Kleya Marki, Elizabeth Dulau perfectly exudes the character's stoic nature as well as her desire to stand up for those in need or danger. Kleya has a somewhat defiant nature that shines through even during her conversations with Luthen. There's more to the orphaned character than that, though, as there's also a sheer sense of vulnerability to her that especially shines through during the final episodes of Andor. I'd argue that some of Kleya's final scenes represent some of the show's most tender moments. Every single attribute described above could easily be applied to Lara Croft as well, which is why I think the London-born actress could slide right into that role. Of course, there is a physical component to the role of Croft, as her former live-action portrayers, Angelina Jolie and Alicia Vikander, performed stunts while playing the character. I have no doubts, however, that Elizabeth Dulau could throw herself into training and commit to the necessary physicality. The Tomb Raider franchise is an interesting space, from a live-action standpoint. Actress and producer Phoebe Waller-Bridge was developing a series for Amazon Prime Video, and Sophie Turner was tapped to play Lara. However, that project was eventually canceled. At present, Hayley Atwell portrays the role in the animated series, The Legend of Lara Croft, which is streamable with a Netflix subscription. Given it's been over seven years since the film starring Alicia Vikander hit theaters, it would be wonderful to see another live-action interpretation of Croft. If another live-action take on the Tomb Raider mythology does come together, I'm not sure if Elizabeth Dulau will actually receive serious consideration. But, given her performance on Andor (which marked her first starring role), she should certainly receive a look from any casting directors. I'll be sitting here crossing my fingers that it happens but, in the meantime, do yourself a favor and check her out on the recently-ended Star Wars show.
Geek Feed
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Feed
The Internet's Best Reactions After the Andor Season 2 Finale
It's been a great run, but like any other series, Andor eventually had to end; and what a spectacular ending it had. The weekly release has been able to give way for great fan reactions every week, and now with the show ending, some fans have a lot to say about saying good-bye to Cassian and everyone else in the series; and while it is sad, that doesn't mean we can't have any fun with it. It's probably worth mentioning that Kleya (Elizabeth Dulau) has come out as one of the MVPs on the show, and the final arc does give a lot of backstory as to her origin with Luthen and their journey to defeat the Empire. Cassian to the Rebel Alliance: — SirSnipeyy | Andorhypeguy (@SirSnipeyy) May 14, 2025 "There is no team. It's only her." Kleya Marki you are THAT GIRL. #AndorSeason2 #Andor — talli (@ttalliiaa) May 14, 2025 And while he is only a guest actor for this season, Ben Mendelsohn has managed to eat up ever scene he has as Imperial director Orson Krennic. #andor spoilers–––––––– i can't even explain half the shit krennic does bro wanted to go to julliard but his parents forced him into the military — lina 🌌 is SO back (@ambessasabs) May 14, 2025 // #andor spoilers•••• Krennic's finger on Dedra's head is taking me OUT this is the divaest a diva has ever divaed — Tali ! (@taliesart) May 14, 2025 There are also some who are just happy to see that Dedra finally got what was coming to her: #andor ......... ON PROGRAM, YOU FASCIST BITCH!!!! — christina of markyate stan account (@paisagoth) May 14, 2025 Even though she ended up losing it all Dedra lowkey ATE UP Luthen in the shop #Andor — Lalo 🍵 Andor sweep (@clonehumor) May 14, 2025 And of course, Mon Mothma finally got her pixie cut that she's been infamously sporting since Return of the Jedi introduced the character: you know it went something like this before they approached bail: 'you go talk to him.' 'no, you go.' '…let's just go together.' #andor — .• linds •. (@acosmiclove) May 14, 2025 mon mothma had her crashout pixie cut during the rebellion but then knew she had to lock back in and serve cunt again as chancellor — maxine ☽ ANDOR SPOILERS!! (@ahsokaskyber) May 14, 2025 And though he only appears in one scene, it's funny how the series goes full circle with just how paranoid Saw Gerrera had become: // #andor spoilers••Mon: Saw, we KNOW you're on Jedha. Saw: I COULD BE ANYWHEREMon: No, I'm not asking, I'm TELLING you we know. Saw: ANYWHERE IN THE GALAXY — Tali ! (@taliesart) May 14, 2025 Jokes aside, a lot of people have just been gushing about how the series actually harkens back (or foreshadows) Rogue One , and how everyone just felt like revisiting the film after finishing Andor . Tony Gilroy you will pay for this parallel #Andor — Nyrotike (@nyrotike) May 14, 2025 — Maximalist Epic Dude (@Maximalistepic) May 13, 2025 Even when Andor was first announced, nobody expected that one of the supporting characters from Rogue One was going to make for an interesting series, but Tony Gilroy managed to pull it off; delivering a Star Wars series that not only looked fantastic, but had such relevant themes that some say needed to be explored in today's day and age. We don't know if Star Wars will ever get something like this again, but hopefully the rave reviews will have Lucasfilm thinking twice before they make another season of The Mandalorian filled with all kinds of cameos and digitally youth-anized characters. Catch the complete second season of Andor now streaming on Disney+.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
What happens in the ‘Andor' finale, and how it leads into ‘Rogue One'
WARNING: The following piece contains spoilers about Andor Season. It feels paradoxical that Andor is over. On the one hand, creator Tony Gilroy and his team have been working on the series since at least 2020, with various delays in production and release caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2023 Hollywood strikes, so now all that work has finally paid off. On the other hand, how can the most acclaimed Star Wars show be over after only two seasons, when other big-scale genre shows last for years and years? More from GoldDerby Taye Diggs on getting his groove back in 'Forever': 'This role was very therapeutic for me' Oscars producers reveal how Conan O'Brien made the 2025 show his own - and why they're 'fully in love' with the host 'Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning' reviews: What critics say about Tom Cruise's final (?) mission But because the end of Andor ties so directly into Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, which runs right into the original Star Wars, the show is now part of a chain of epic storytelling beyond any release. One result of that connectivity is that Andor viewers have known how titular hero Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) will die since before the show began. But plenty of other characters on the show aren't in Rogue One, so their fates have been open-ended. The final three episodes of Andor give those characters resolutions, starting with Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgård). The underground revolutionary has played a key role in forming the Rebel Alliance over two seasons. Still, his epic Season 1 speech about how, 'I burn my life to make a sunrise I'll never see,' indicated he was doomed to die in obscurity, and indeed he did — but not before making one last key contribution to the Rebel cause. After all, that epic speech was delivered to Luthen's Imperial Security Bureau mole Lonni Jung (Robert Emms) to convince him to keep delivering insider information. It worked, and in Episode 10, Lonni rewards Luthen with the biggest secret in the entire Empire: the Death Star. By accessing the files of Dedra Meero (Denise Gough), Lonni has learned that the Ghorman Massacre, the mining of Khyber crystals on Jeddah, and other Imperial activities are all connected in developing a massive new weapon. Lonni demands safety for himself and his family in exchange for this huge jackpot, but Luthen kills him. Luthen knows how vital this intel is and finally decides to leave Coruscant for the safety of the Rebel base on Yavin. But first, he needs to burn his headquarters so the Empire can't access all his information. In another excellent example of tactile technology on this show, we see Luthen pouring acid over his computers — and that's when Dedra walks in. After years of hunting and refusing to give up, she's found her 'Axis.' But if Dedra expected Luthen to spare himself the brutal treatment he's delivered to informants and acquaintances over the years, she gets served a rude awakening. He slits his wrists while she's not looking, but not before providing some beautiful final lines: 'You're too late. The Rebellion's not here anymore. It's flown away; it's everywhere now.' Dedra races Luthen to the nearest hospital, desperate not to lose her quarry before she can interrogate him, but again, she underestimates the Rebels' commitment to their cause. His longtime assistant Kleya Marki (Elizabeth Dulau) sneaks into the hospital, but to kill Luthen rather than save him. Before that happens, we're treated to flashbacks of a younger Luthen saving her as a young orphaned girl from a battlefield. This is a thematic Rogue One connection rather than a direct plot one, because it reveals that Luthen and Kleya had a similar adoptive relationship as the one between Saw Gerrera (Forest Whitaker) and Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) in that movie. Kleya kills Luthen and is alive to tell the Rebellion the big news about the Death Star, but first, they must get her off Coruscant. Dedra's loyal assistant, Heert (Jacob James Beswick), has learned many lessons from his mentor and is doing a good job of hunting Kleya down. Luckily, Cassian and K-2SO (Alan Tudyk) arrive just in time to save her. Rogue One fans have been waiting two seasons to see Cassian and his droid best friend fight side-by-side again, and watching them take down a battalion of stormtroopers does not disappoint. Meanwhile, Dedra finds herself arrested and interrogated by her coworkers. In particular, Director Orson Krennic (Ben Mendelsohn) believes she is a traitor who leaked news of his Death Star project to the Rebels. Poor Dedra thought working harder than everyone else in the Empire would always get her ahead. Still, she didn't realize that working in an evil corporation means the person above you will throw you under the bus if it saves their neck, which is exactly what Krennic does. As Major Partagaz (Anton Lesser) notes later on, the Death Star should be finished by now, and Krennic's delays have now led to news leaking before it's even ready. Krennic scoffs that Partagaz 'sounds like Tarkin,' which is a second namedrop for an unseen Rogue One character after Krennic earlier asked Dedra how she learned about Galen Erso, Mads Mikkelsen's engineer from that movie who is building the damn thing. Dedra thought that by 'scavenging' every scrap of information she could find from across the ISB's operations, she could find 'Axis' and end the Rebellion in one fell swoop. Instead, putting all those secrets in one place allowed the Rebels to see them and set in motion events that will destroy the Death Star — there's that great chain of storytelling in action! Throughout Andor, viewers have seen how the extensive Imperial bureaucracy can be as much of a hindrance as an advantage. At the same time, Luthen's Rebels are fleet-footed and quick to adapt to changing dynamics. But with Luthen dead and the Rebellion now with an official leadership council in place on Yavin, we see how their gears are getting clogged up, too. Cassian expects his return with news of the Death Star to be greeted triumphantly. Still, instead, the leaders underplay the news (because, in fairness, it is horrifying) and diss Luthen now that he can no longer defend himself. But when Cassian insists, Senator Bail Organa (here played by Benjamin Bratt instead of the usual Jimmy Smits) approves him to go to Jedha and investigate this intel, where we will find him at the beginning of Rogue One. As for the other non-Rogue One characters: Kleya is safely ensconced on Yavin, while Dedra is sent to the same type of Imperial prison-factory that Cassian once escaped — how's that for just desserts? Like a samurai, Partagaz dies by ritual suicide behind a closed door. At the same time, Mon Mothma's topknot-sporting ex-husband, Perrin Fartha (Alastair Mackenzie) takes some new mistress (or perhaps even second wife) home in his flying car while he sadly drinks liquor. Best of all, Bix Caleen (Adria Arjona) is still alive, and she's not alone. She's holding a baby, which adds another dimension to her decision to leave Cassian when she did. If he knew he had a child to protect and raise, maybe he wouldn't have been able to make the selfless sacrifices that would save the galaxy from the Death Star. This is Andor's final surprise: It turns out that viewers didn't know how Cassian's story would end after all. Heroes can die, but legacies live on. Somewhere out in the galaxy, there's always a new hope. Best of GoldDerby 'It's very daunting': Luke Kirby on taking the lead in 'Étoile' after playing 'vampire' Lenny Bruce in 'Mrs. Maisel' Taye Diggs on getting his groove back in 'Forever': 'This role was very therapeutic for me' 'The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power' star Charlie Vickers breaks down Sauron's emotional reaction to killing Celebrimbor Click here to read the full article.
