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Tom's Guide
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
I just saw one of my favorite movies in theaters for its 40th anniversary — but you can stream it for free right now
When looking at the top movies to stream for free on Tubi last month, I noticed that the free streaming service had added "Ran" to its library, and it immediately caught my attention. For those who aren't familiar with this movie, it's the final epic from Akira Kurosawa, who, among other things, is notable for being a significant inspiration behind George Lucas' "Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope." But the late, great Japanese filmmaker is famous in his own right, having written and directed acclaimed films such as "Seven Samurai," "The Hidden Fortress" (that's the one that inspired "Star Wars") and "Yojimbo." Go through the Wikipedia article for any of those movies (and "Ran") and you'll see words like "significant influence" and "greatest and most influential films in cinema history." "Ran" remains my favorite Kurosawa film, though, even 40 years after its original theatrical release. I first watched it when I was a kid — it was probably the first foreign-language movie I ever watched — and when I saw it was on Tubi for free, I got ready to hit play again. But then I got an email telling me that "Ran" was being restored in 4K for its 40th anniversary. Even better, it was coming to my local independent theater. So, of course, I bought a ticket. "Ran" is a visual masterpiece, expertly creating vivid battle scenes of epic proportions, loaded with color. I wasn't going to miss a chance to see it in theaters — and having now seen the 4K restoration for myself, you shouldn't either. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. "Ran" is loosely an adaptation of William Shakespeare's "King Lear." In that play, the elderly King Lear divides his country between his three daughters, a decision that leads to him disowning one daughter before being outcast by his remaining daughters and wandering the country as a madman as his daughters fight over his lands. Kurosawa's adaptation holds pretty true to that general plotline. But he chooses to set it in a fictional version of Japan, based on 16th-century Sengoku period Japan. If that sounds familiar to you, that's also when "Shogun" is set, and you can feel shades of FX's hit period drama when watching "Ran." I'd be shocked if the show didn't draw some inspiration from this movie, even though it's directly based on an existing miniseries that predates "Ran" by five years. The historical drama epic stars Tatsuya Nakadai as the aged warlord Hidetora Ichimonji, who, like Lear, divides his lands between his three sons: Taro (Akira Terao), Jiro (Jinpachi Nezu) and Saburo (Daisuke Ryu). Like in the Shakespeare play, the third child refuses to accept this gift with the appropriate level of flattery, and Hidetora disowns him. Based on what I've already told you about "King Lear," you can guess how it goes from there. Now, I don't want to spoil much beyond that, because I want you to go see the original version on Tubi or the 4K restoration in theaters once you're done reading this article. But I will mention that, while the story is compelling enough to hold you're attention, it's the visuals of this movie that make it one of the greatest films ever made. Specifically, there are a few battle sequences sprinkled throughout the movie that are spectacular in every sense of the word. The first such battle sequence takes place at one of Hidetora's many castles, and has two of the brothers' armies assembled outside trying to breach it. At the beginning of the film, when we meet Hidetora and his sons, the sons are each wearing a primary color for their outfit: yellow (Taro), red (Jiro) and blue (Saburo). When they fight, their armies also follow this color scheme, and so in this first battle, we get a sea of yellow and a sea of red meeting in front of this imposing castle. The castle, surrounding lands and even skies are all dreary hues, and it makes the soldiers and their armor pop visually in a truly stunning way. Especially in the 4K restoration. The good news is that this visual experience still comes through in the original version of the film on Tubi. The only thing that doesn't quite hit in the same way is the sound of the film, which is immense at times in the theater. You'd want a decent sound setup to get a similar experience at home. I use a Sonos Arc Ultra, which is our top-rated pick for the best soundbars you can buy right now, and it's plenty satisfying. But the Sonos Beam (Gen 1) I use in my office is also plenty good. So, whether you see it in all its glory on the big screen or opt to watch it at home on Tubi, make sure to check out "Ran" now for its 40th anniversary. There's never been a better time to experience one of the greatest movies ever made. Stream the original version of 'Ran' free on Tubi now or check out the 4K restoration at your local theater Malcolm has been with Tom's Guide since 2022, and has been covering the latest in streaming shows and movies since 2023. He's not one to shy away from a hot take, including that "John Wick" is one of the four greatest films ever made. Here's what he's been watching lately:
New York Post
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Employee compared to Darth Vader at work wins $40K in compensation: ‘Insulting'
She kicked the Darth haters to the curb. Aggrieved UK worker Lorna Rooke was awarded almost $40,000 in compensation after being compared to Darth Vader — an analogy that litigators deemed 'upsetting.' 'Darth Vader is a legendary villain of the Star Wars series, and being aligned with his personality is insulting,' employment judge Kathryn Ramsden declared during the employment tribunal, which took place in London, the Guardian reported. Litigators deemed it harmful to be compared to the half-machine-half-human 'Star Wars' baddie, who was known in the films for force-choking underlings who failed to carry out his orders. Rooke didn't appreciate the comparisons to the iconic villain (pictured here in a scene from 'Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope.' This office space opera broke out in 2021 after Rooke, who worked for the National Health Service's Blood and Transplant sector as a training and practice supervisor, was asked to take a 'Star Wars'-themed psychological test as a team-building exercise. The questionnaire had participants answer questions to gauge their level of introversion, level of intuition, whether they operated more on thoughts or feelings and how they perceived the world around them. They were then compared to a 'Star Wars' character — of which there were 16 options — who the company thought embodied these traits, the Guardian reported. A Darth Vader cosplayer walks on the field before the game between the San Diego Padres and the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on May 4, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Getty Images While depicted in the films as a planet-destroying Sith Lord, Darth Vader was described in the quiz as a 'very focused individual' who could accelerate team synergy. Rooke didn't fill out the quiz herself as she had to take a personal phone call. But when the blood donation worker returned, she discovered that a colleague had taken it on her behalf and announced that the boss was the psychological doppelgänger of Darth Vader. Rooke found this comparison to the iconic villain — whose real name is Anakin Skywalker — highly unflattering and said it made her super unpopular at the workplace. She even cited as one of the reasons she left the job the following month. While the tribunal agreed that the 'Darth Vader Incident' affected how coworkers perceived her, they rejected her claim that it was the reason behind her resignation. They ultimately ruled it a 'detriment' — a legal term meaning harm or loss that someone suffers — and awarded her £28,989.61 ($38,729) in compensation. This isn't the first time an employee has been compensated over an unusual-seeming complaint. In 2022, a Frenchman who was fired for being 'too boring' was vindicated after a court ruled that his former company's definition of 'fun' — which involved excessive alcohol assumption and simulated sex acts — violated his rights.
Sky News AU
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Sky News AU
Dad in family of five reveals price tag for one day at Disney World — and haters are shocked: ‘Outrageous'
Their wallets were in a Disney World of hurt. A Florida father left online viewers speechless after revealing that he paid nearly $1,400 to take his family of five to Disney World for just one day. A video detailing the exorbitant price tag has amassed over 7.7 million views on X. 'Here's what a day at Disney cost me for a family of five,' explained the unnamed patriarch, who documented the price of tickets, parking, meals and snacks, along with items at the souvenir shops. Before even embarking on the money-hemorrhaging adventure, the dad reportedly shelled out $30 for all-day parking at the attraction, which is located 20 minutes southwest of Orlando by car. The total cost of tickets for the quintet, including a child under 10, clocked in at an eye-popping $974 — approximately the cost of a round-trip flight from New York to Rome. The dad said they would've paid more had they opted for the Lightning Lane pass, which allows guests to skip the regular line for up to three attractions for $35 per person. Snacks also took a big bite out of the fam's finances. After their first ride, they bought two water bottles and three ice creams, which set them back $29.50. Meanwhile, a pretzel for the kids and a beer for the dad cost another $19. The family also visited the souvenir store, where the father put the kibosh on his son's request for a $44.99 lightsaber. 'That was a hard no,' declared the dad, who said they also spent a pretty penny on lunch at Pizzerizzo. Each family member ordered a personal-sized pizza, a side and a small soft drink, costing them a total of $44.35. After lunch, the family visited the Star Wars: Galaxy Edge park, where they dropped an astronomical amount on various cash-in products. These included a 'Star Wars'-themed Coca-Cola ($6.50), a churro, margarita and water ($36), and some special blue milk ($10.29) that first appeared in 'Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope,' bringing their snack expense total to a shocking $101.29. Just when the dad thought the spending spree was 'finally' over, the 'rest of the family' decided they wanted to go to dinner at Disney Springs, the resort's outdoor dining, shopping and entertainment complex. 'This place was my literal hell; it was shoulder-to-shoulder in every store and restaurant,' lamented the bedraggled dad. They settled on the Frontera Cocina — a Mexican restaurant by multiple James Beard award-winner Rick Bayless — where they ordered carnitas, carne asada, soft drinks, margaritas and more. Total cost: $245.27. He said the family then wanted to go shopping, but luckily, 'it was getting late' — and they decided to call it a day. The grand total for the day was $1,391.91, per the disbelieving dad, who asked viewers, 'Would you spend that much on a day at Disney?' Many commenters were flabbergasted over the price tag, with one calling it 'outrageous' and another incredulous writer posting, 'I stopped at the tickets being almost $1,000, no point in watching the rest. Walt Disney would be rolling in his grave.''Disney is unattainable for most families now, sadly,' rued another. Others pointed out that the trip would be a lot more if they'd flown there or booked a hotel, with one claiming it costs up to two times as much to stay at the resort. However, some critics ripped the family for spending so much money on food. 'Heaven forbid they're not constantly eating lol,' scoffed one naysayer. 'Could have eliminated most of those meals with intermittent fasting or just eating in the car on the way there.' Others claimed that the price actually seemed cheaper than they would've expected for a group that size. '$1,400 that's not bad for a family of 5 tho,' said one. 'Looks like they had a nice time tbh — I was thinking the total was about to be $3,500.' In February, Walt Disney Company officials who work in pricing for its theme parks admitted that the experience has become unattainable for many average Americans, blaming executives at the Happiest Place on Earth for getting 'addicted to price hikes,' per a startling report. Meanwhile, a report from 2024 found that food prices at Disney World soared by an average of 61% over the past decade — nearly twice the rate of inflation during that period. Originally published as Dad in family of five reveals price tag for one day at Disney World — and haters are shocked: 'Outrageous'
