Latest news with #superhero
Free Malaysia Today
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Free Malaysia Today
Go batty with the zany adventures of ‘Keluang Man'
Keluang Man (Nas-T) is certainly all fired up to get revenge on his brother. (Astro Shaw pic) PETALING JAYA : Look, up in the sky! Is it a bat? Is it a wau?! No, it's Keluang Man, making his way to the silver screen at long last! Blockbuster superhero films have been the rage over the last decade, so it was only a matter of time that this beloved Malaysian superhero got his own cinematic adventure. 'Keluang Man' is a largely faithful live-action adaptation of the 1990s cartoon series produced by UAS Animation Studio. Its serious and silly elements sometimes clash but, overall, it's a fun superhero adventure. The big-screen version is produced by Astro Shaw and marks the directorial debut of Anwari Ashraf, the writer of hits such as the 'Polis Evo' trilogy and 'Project: High Council'. In the film, Borhan (Nas-T), a patient at the Tampoi Psychiatric Centre in Kluang, spends his days arguing with other inmates and undergoing sessions with the beautiful and intelligent Dr Malini (Shweta Sekhon). Borhan hears voices in his head – more precisely, just one voice: that of iconic actor and radio announcer Halim Othman. When a chance encounter triggers memories of Borhan's dramatic past, which involves a betrayal by his once-trusted brother Shamsir (Remy Ishak), Borhan becomes eager for revenge. Fortunately, his psychiatric facility has the lowest level of security ever, allowing him to leave regularly for his crusade of justice as the masked vigilante Keluang Man; while the grizzled Inspector Sahab (Anwaar Beg Moghal) – who happens to be Dr Malini's brother – is hot on his trail. Shweta Sekhon plays the intelligent Dr Malini, who forms a bond with Borhan. (Astro Shaw pic) At first glance, this stylish superhero seems to be a local version of Batman. But this is a different story, as the film will remind you numerous times. A wisecracking misfit with the ability to break the fourth wall? Keluang Man has just as much in common with Deadpool as he does the Dark Knight! Acting-wise, the performers are decent, with Rosyam Nor as Borhan's old mentor Ahmad being particularly noteworthy. That said, Halim Othman's voice acting is the most outstanding of the lot! Much like its eponymous character, however, 'Keluang Man' suffers from a bit of an identity crisis. The film wants to be a serious superhero story and a parody of the genre at the same time, and the rapid shifts in tone can be quite disorienting. The movie is at its funniest when making humorous observations of Malaysian culture, or taking little jabs at other superhero movies. It does attempt to explore themes such as family, identity and revenge, but this feels mostly perfunctory, existing mainly to tie the action and comedy scenes together. Apart from fighting crime, Keluang Man has time to pursue his little art projects. (Astro Shaw pic) The fight scenes are executed well, especially during the climactic clash set in a pillow factory. Alas, while entertaining, this sequence drags on a bit and feels melodramatic, flying in the face of the film's generally humorous vibe. 'Keluang Man' does have a killer soundtrack, which features many throwback hits from the 2000s. Fans will also appreciate numerous references to the original animated series sprinkled through the story. Minor gripes aside, this is a fun superhero comedy, a popcorn flick with lots of local flavour. Importantly, it seems to have been made with love and as a tribute to longtime fans, which is commendable in and of itself. This is also the first entry in the Astro Shaw Cinematic Universe, which suggests the character will return soon. Hopefully Borhan will have more interesting adventures to come: who knows, he might even cross paths with a Marvel superhero some day! 'Keluang Man' starts screening in local cinemas from tomorrow.
Geek Tyrant
5 days ago
- Business
- Geek Tyrant
James Gunn's First Call After Landing the DC STudios Job Was Marvel's Kevin Feige — GeekTyrant
Before James Gunn put on the lead the charge at DC Studios, he was already a superhero mainstay thanks to his wild and beloved Guardians of the Galaxy films over at Marvel Studios. So, when he officially took the reins as co-CEO of DC Studios, his first instinct wasn't to draft a press release or start plotting multiverse timelines, it was to call his old boss. Gunn told Entertainment Weekly: 'As soon as I got that job, I made a couple of calls, and the first one was to Kevin Feige telling him that I'm taking the [job as] head of DC,' I think that says a lot about the respect Gunn still holds for his Marvel roots. He doesn't elaborate on what they talked about, but you can imagine that conversation was probably more about mutual respect. These two helped shape modern superhero cinema, and despite being on opposite sides of the cape now, there's clearly no bad blood. If anything, it's refreshing to see this kind of professional courtesy in a space that fans often frame as Marvel vs. DC. Gunn went on to share that the second call he made was to Peacemaker star John Cena: 'The second [call] was to John Cena, and I said, 'I'm getting this gig, and I still want to do Peacemaker, but it's going to have to wait. We're going to have to get Superman working first.'' Gunn has been juggling a lot of projects, but he apparently thrives in that chaos. The new DCU is slowly taking shape under his leadership. Creature Commandos was he first official title in this fresh canon, with Superman on deck as the big, blockbuster reset. And then we've got Peacemaker Season 2 coming.
Forbes
27-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Is Outsourcing Confidence The Next Big AI Trend?
AI Coaching In Real Time? It's Here 'Even Dead, I'm The Hero…' These posthumous words from Tony Stark ring out from beyond the grave in Spider-Man: Far From Home. The acronym also spells out EDITH. That's the name for the AI-successor to JARVIS, the super intelligence Iron Man once used to face off against evildoers like Thanos. EDITH arrives as a gift to Peter Parker in the form of augmented-reality (AR) glasses. But just how powerful are they? When a rival named Brad threatens to send a compromising pic of Parker to MJ, his crush, Parker orders EDITH to 'Take him out.' The AI companion takes the order literally. EDITH launches a deadly missile strike on their school bus, nearly assassinating Brad until Parker stops the drone attack. Romantic dalliances aside, EDITH grants Peter control over satellite networks, surveillance tools, and, of course, weaponized drones. As if Parker didn't already enjoy amazing perks any high schooler can only dream about. Wearing EDITH spectacles, he suddenly possesses a god-like interface. It responds to voice commands, doing Parker's bidding, not unlike a magic wand from another iconic cultural artifact—Harry Potter. Yet beneath the superhero escapade lies a deeper fantasy now come to life: that we can somehow access life's cheat codes. This is the promise behind Cluely AI, a smart guidance platform that gives you hints in real-time to navigate existence with greater confidence—like you're forever wearing AR glasses. Yet unlike EDITH, Cluely AI didn't come from the fevered mind of a billionaire playboy/inventor. It emerged from something far more banal—the alleged academic cheating of 21-year-old former Columbia University student Chungin 'Roy' Lee. 'Roy Lee's journey began with a bold idea: an AI tool to give job candidates an edge in interviews. While at Columbia, he developed Interview Coder, which provided real-time answers during coding interviews, leading to his suspension for academic dishonesty. Rather than retreating, Lee doubled down, rebranding his vision as Cluely, a versatile AI assistant that whispers answers during high-stakes situation,' according to Medium. Rather than retreat from this ignoble setback, Lee doubled down on his initial vision. His fledgling startup soon received several million dollars in seed funding. It also attracted significant attention—some good, some not so good—thanks to its bold approach to AI-assisted performance. As NDTV describes it, 'Cluely's AI operates undetected in a hidden browser window, providing real-time assistance during exams, sales calls, and interviews. The company justified its approach by drawing parallels to calculators and spellcheck, arguing that tools initially deemed as cheating can become normalized over time.' One of the more controversial aspects to Cluely AI is the company launch video starring Lee using his application on a date. Lee posted it to X (formerly Twitter) with this evocative description: 'Cluely is out. Cheat on everything.' For those who haven't yet seen the video, it's set in a posh restaurant. Lee sits across from his date. The romantic encounter takes an unexpected twist when it becomes clear Cluely AI is feeding Lee information in real time—much like a pair of EDITH AR glasses could inform Parker of nearby dangers. Unbeknownst to his date, Lee receives pointers from a hidden overlay. Insightful nuggets include information about her interests. Reminiscent of Roxanne, in which the more eloquent Steve Martin feeds romantic quips to a tongue-tied dolt, Cluely AI suggests responses to questions to win her over. Despite Cluely AI's sagacious advice things still threaten to go south when his date questions Lee about his age. (Lee pretends to be 30—only to be called out by their server, who demands to see I.D.) But even then Cluely AI swoops in, coming up with yet another seemingly plausible lie. Naturally, pundits are alarmed by the technology. Some have likened it to a Black Mirror episode, imagining a future world where anyone can 'cheat' their way into romantic success through underhanded technology. For his part, Lee's company has argued the tools are but a sign of the times as more people rely on sophisticated AI tools like ChatGPT for everything from essays to relationship advice. Regardless of your own take on Cluely AI, it's undeniable that the technology fulfills a core human need—the urge for certainty. Returning to the romance department, it smacks of so many dating strategy books like No More Mr. Nice Guy by Dr. Robert Glover and Models: Attract Women Through Honesty by Mark Manson. Whether it's Roxanne or a stack of romantic self-help manuals, there's something universal about the wish to stop second-guessing ourselves. To put our best foot forward, especially when the stakes are high. To invoke yet another pop cultural reference, it reminds me of the Seinfeld episode 'The Café.' In it, George convinces Elaine to take an IQ test for him to impress his girlfriend. As you can guess, things don't go well with his scheme. Again, so many simple yet familiar frustrations stem from the need to put ourselves out there better. To be perceived as smarter. Funnier. More interesting. To this end, Cluely AI assists with many performance boosts using AI. Let's go over one right now to glimpse such capabilities. Picture yourself on a live sales call on Zoom. You really want to close this person, but you struggle to find the right words to say to your prospect. In this case, Cluely AI offers real-time suggestions, including advice you on tone, pacing, even delivery to clinch the deal. Faced with this growing capability, some may worry that future generations will grow ever more dependent upon such tools, especially socially. Already, we live in a world where humans increasingly outsource many life and work skills and activities that people once did to AI from navigation to hiring decisions. Contemplating the issue from a more macro standpoint, AI is increasingly blurring the lines around what constitutes academic honesty. Just this month, The New York Times published an article on the prevalence of professors using ChatGPT on campuses. Reflecting on these developments, we'd do well to remember one final universal human need: to be more than ourselves. It underlies so many of the Marvel movies starring Peter Parker and Tony Stark. And though it's natural to wish to be a superhero with immense powers, life's real challenge isn't just developing greater capabilities. It's wrestling with our own limitations. And remembering who we really are when the glasses come off.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Fantastic Four Alum Kate Mara Shares A Lovely Take On Why She's Open To Seeing First Steps
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Kate Mara might have a few regrets about Josh Trank's panned Fantastic Four film. However, she isn't haunted by the 2015 flick, not even a little. A decade after playing Sue Storm in the box office disappointment, the actor is leaning into the future of upcoming Marvel movies and the First Family's 2025 movie schedule entry, The Fantastic Four: First Steps. To that point, Mara shared a sweet take on the notion of seeing Marvel Studios' reboot when it comes out. Kate Mara caught up with THR, during which she opened up about her love of movies, her excitement for the upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe reboot The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and why the upcoming superhero film doesn't stir up baggage from her time in spandex. When asked if she has any interest in seeing the MCU movie for herself, the former Sue Storm actress responded enthusiastically: I love going to the movies. It's my favorite thing to do, especially with my husband Jamie [Bell] and our kids. We have an 11-year-old. So I'm sure we'll go, especially for a movie like that where you want to see it on a big screen with an audience and popcorn. Absolutely. It's totally different than ours [2015's Fantastic Four], so why not? I really love the cast. I love Pedro Pascal. Yeah, I would totally see the new Marvel. (Laughs.) The House of Cards alum's comments come one month before the 10th anniversary of her film's release and the debut of the latest iteration of the team. First Steps boasts a fantastic cast, including Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach, who are stepping into the roles of the Fantastic Four. It's sweet for Mara to lend her support to the franchise's newcomers. Kate Mara and husband Jamie Bell -- who played Ben Grimm a.k.a. The Thing -- helped bring these characters to life in the 2015 Fox-produced version of the franchise. However, the Shooter star's response to the new film isn't based on comparison. Her comments to THR suggest that the past doesn't influence her view of the latest movie. What truly matters to her is her love of going to the movies. That's not nothing, especially when you consider how much Josh Trank's Fantastic Four became defined by behind-the-scenes chaos: clashing visions, reshoots, and a director's cut that never saw the light of day. But, through it all, Mara met Jamie Bell, whom she married and started a family with. That chapter has a silver lining for her that has nothing to do with the abysmal Rotten Tomatoes score. Disney+: from $9.99 a month w/ ad-supported planStream 2015's Fantastic Four and other Marvel films using Disney+. There's an ad-supported tier that starts at $9.99 a month, and there's an ad-free option that costs $15.99 a month. Users can also save 16% by paying a total of $159.99 for a whole Deal Kate Mara's perspective is also especially refreshing in a genre that too often eats its own. Superhero actors who don't make it into the Marvel canon usually go quiet or go bitter. The former Sue Storm does neither. It's also easy to understand why Mara would express an interest in seeing the film. The Fantastic Four: First Steps feels like a fresh start for the classic property. With Matt Shakman, who directed WandaVision (streaming with a Disney+ subscription), at the helm, this movie seems set to bring Marvel's famously dysfunctional family into the MCU in a fun way. Expectations are pretty high, especially with Kate Mara giving it the thumbs up (even i it wasn't exactly needed). Still, it adds a nice touch as fans get excited for this reboot. Fans can flock to their local cinemas to see The Fantastic Four: First Steps when it's released on July 25.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Cobie Smulders on 'Super Team Canada': 'Cool to be part of something that is made by Canadians, for Canadians'
Cobie Smulders has expanded her superhero experience, going from S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Maria Hill in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) to voicing the superhero Niagara Falls in the animated Crave series Super Team Canada. In the show Niagara Falls, described as the "mighty maiden of moisture," stops bad guys by controlling water. The 10-episode show, created by Emmy-winning brothers Robert Cohen (The Big Bang Theory) and Joel H. Cohen (The Simpsons), is about a team of six Canadian superheroes. Unlike what we see in the MCU, these superheroes are definitely not famous, but they still come together to save the world from evil threats. Other stars voicing superheroes include Will Arnett as Breakaway, Charles Demers as Poutine, Brian Drummond as Sasquatchewan, Veena Sood as RCM-PC (Robotic Crime Management Polite Computer), Ceara Morgana as Chinook, and Kevin McDonald as the voice Canada's Prime Minister, who oversees the work of the superheroes. Smulders highlighted that she agreed to participate in this show "pretty much immediately." "I just loved it from the get go. I think it's such a great group of characters. It's such a funny concept, and I was excited to jump on board," Smulders told Yahoo Canada. Instead of this being a show with Canadianisms, as Smulders described, the entire "landscape" of the series is Canadian. "It's cool to be part of something that is made by Canadians, for Canadians," Smulders said. "The references in the show, ... they hit me pretty hard, because there are jokes and references from my youth that I thought only I knew." One thing that had to be sorted out is exactly how Canadian each character should sound, with some superheroes having a more aggressive Canadian accent than others. "We had discussions about, how hard do you want to push it as Niagara Falls. Because I feel like Breakaway, ... that accent is strong," Smulders said. "And I think we decided somewhere in between, which is maybe my voice, the way I talk after I've had like two beers, and really just kind of letting the accent be a little loose. And maybe there will be a word or two that sounds different, but not trying to make it sound too comically Canadian. But just having a little colour to it." What's interesting about working in animation is that Smulders gets to see the final product almost like an audience member herself. While the script isn't completely new to her, she gets to see how similar, or different, the show looks, compared to what she imagined in her head. "It is truly so fun to see the finished project product on a project like this, because it's just all existing in your mind," Smulders said. "You're going through the scenes and you're kind of imagining what it looks like, but when you really get to see the amount of art and talent and creativity that goes into the drawing of this, it's really quite magical." Notably, Super Team Canada is being released during a particularly tense time between Canada and the U.S., from the existing tariffs to U.S. President Donald Trump's threat to tariff movies produced outside the U.S.. That has caused some Canadians to think local a little bit more, and that can extend to entertainment. While Smulders found great success in American productions, including How I Met Your Mother and recently appearing in the Apple TV+ hit Shrinking, the Vancouver-born actor still loves working in Canada, and hopes there are more Canadian projects made in the future. "I have always been a very proud Canadian," Smulders said. "I've always wanted to work up here and love working with the crews up here, and love the content that comes out of Canada." "So I hope that when the show comes out, which is the first original animated series that's been on Crave, I hope that just means that there's more coming."
