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With two Star Trek movies in a row - Nemesis and Insurrection - receiving poor box office numbers and poorer reviews, Paramount’s decision to put the franchise on hiatus seemed detrimental. Would fans ever get another film? It seemed very possible that 2002 might be the last year of a Star Trek feature film. A Star Trek movie had been released every two to three years, on average, since 1979. There has never been a shortage of ideas for the franchise - in regards to movies or TV - and in 2005, the President of Paramount (Gail Berman) talked the chief executive of CBS into giving her and her team 18 months to get a concept together for a new movie....

For a lot of little girls, going to Disney World, dressing up like their favorite princess and meeting them is the dream. For a long time, there weren’t many princes to meet. However, these days, you can find most of the fan-favorite princes arm in arm with their princesses throughout the park. These characters have become heroes and heroines, each an icon in their own right. However, what if a few key details were changed?...

As one of the most popular teen dramas of the modern television era, over seven seasons Pretty Little Liars introduced its large fan base to a long list of outrageous storylines they couldn’t get enough of. On top of that, the show put together a large cast of characters that viewers came to care deeply about, especially as they found themselves in increasingly difficult situations. More often than not a pretty intense series, one of the show’s biggest draws was the hope that in any given episode viewers could find an answer to one of the show’s many mysteries....

Paul Rudd became a welcome addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Scott Lang in Ant-Man. The comedic caper struck a chord with audiences even though a lot of viewers weren’t familiar with the character to start. Ant-Man introduced audiences to Scott, the original Ant-Man Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) and Pym’s daughter Hope (Evangeline Lilly) as they struggled to keep shrinking technology out of the wrong hands. Part Marvel superhero movie and part heist film, Ant-Man gave audiences a look at a very different kind of hero than the one they’d seen so far....

When deciding who the quintessential Spider-Man villain is, there are a lot of strong candidates to choose from, but a strong case could be made for Venom. He’s not explicitly a villain, but he’s far from a hero, and throwing him into the confused moral compass of Peter Parker has led to some very interesting comic book storylines. Last year, a new screen version of Venom debuted, played by Tom Hardy, and while his movie wasn’t an installment in the MCU, there is a chance that he’ll meet Tom Holland’s Spidey in the future....

This week on Happy Hour Benjamin and Chance break down this week’s news including the new child safety initiatives for Messages and iCloud Photos, the possibility of a titanium iPhone in future, surprise updates to the Mac Pro and speculating on its future, and the implications of SiriKit intent deprecation. Sponsored by ExpressVPN: Take back your Internet privacy today and get 3 months free with a 1-year package at ExpressVPN.com/HappyHour....

After Cupertino building official Albert Salvador visited Apple Park last year, he was concerned about employees running into the glass walls that were placed all around the campus as the cafeteria’s doors were indistinguishable from the glass walls, as we reported last month. After bringing up the issue, a contractor walked right into one of the glass walls, the San Fransisco Chronicle reports. There have been multiple instances of employees requiring medical attention due to running into the glass walls, and this goes beyond just the cafeteria....

When it comes to the big screen box office, Marvel continues to dominate—the most recent case in point being Captain America: Civil War having now become the highest grossing film domestically in 2016. From the silver screen to home television sets, Marvel has also proven to be a formidable, binge-worthy juggernaut on online streaming services. In the wake of the success of Daredevil and Jessica Jones, several more Marvel TV series are currently in the works; and slated to begin streaming on Netflix this fall is the next Defenders installment, Luke Cage....

The Academy Award nominations have just been announced, and as with any year, there have been a few surprises. While some of the 2018’s most critically acclaimed films, like Roma and Black Panther, are up for the top prize, there are also some pretty divisive films on the Best Picture list. Despite there always being a debate over what’s nominated, you can generally assume the Best Picture race will be filled with critically-acclaimed films....

To paraphrase the late great novelist Ernest Hemingway, auto racing is the only real sport… all the others are just games. It’s why Hollywood has often attempted to replicate its exciting adrenaline-charged drama on the big screen, whether it’s on the downtown streets of Los Angeles, the sharp corners of the Formula One circuit, or the deadly closed track of a privatized prison. Of course, you don’t have to be a fanatical wheel warrior to enjoy all of its exhilarating twists and turns – the car racing movie can take on many different forms....

Every December, millions of families around the country like to sit down and watch a Christmas movie. It’s a way of spending time together, while also doing something to get into the mood of the season. For many, heading out to the cinema on Christmas itself is an annual tradition. December 25th is actually one of the biggest movie-going days of the year, believe it or not. There are, of course, also dozens of holiday films available on DVD and Blu-ray....

It’s hard to think of another sub-genre that presents more delightfully convoluted, brain-melting storytelling possibilities than time travel. The paradoxical nature of the narrative device central to these stories is, in part, what’s so appealing about them, as characters try and fail time and again to break a never ending circle of actions and consequences, or learn too late how one small deviation in the past can upend the future in dramatic fashion....

Star Wars has brought us iconic characters and legendary stories, but its impact on film (and, more broadly, culture) is not limited to what is presented on the screen. In fact, Star Wars is responsible for a number of advancements and innovations that changed how filmmakers and film viewers approach cinema. Star Wars has inspired countless directors, film technicians, actors, and audience members. Additionally, though, it has affected larger trends in how studios and fan movements understand film - Star Wars literally redefined how a movie is supposed to be made, how a movie is supposed to be viewed, and how a movie is supposed to interact with the larger world....

With Warner Bros. and DC Comics ramping up their cinematic efforts to match Marvel’s line up, comic book titles are reporting their highest profits in decades. It seems fans can’t get enough. We want more superheroes, more crossovers, and an extended universe that is not bound by studio licensing. How long did it take to get Spider-Man in a movie with The Avengers? The buzz blazing up internet forums right now is DC and Marvel crossovers....

Neil Patrick Harris and celebrity chef, David Burtka, are two celebrity love birds who make just about everyone swoon with their adorable relationship. Harris and Burtka met, married, had children, and remained being just as successful in their similar, yet separate careers in the industry. Burtka and Harris take “family goals” to an all new level with their style, food, and extremely adorable twins, but not everything is as perfect as it may appear in the magazines....

It used to be an unwritten rule that any and all superheroes… and villains in a lot of cases, were required to wear capes. Capes have been seen less as comics have become more mainstream, which could have something to do with their proclivity in killing their wearers (see The Incredibles or Watchmen for reference on this phenomenon). Despite their objectionable standing in the 21st century fashion industry, most modern comic characters only wear them for specific purposes....

After 200 episodes, it’s a wonder that CW’s Supernatural has any monsters, ghoulies and other things that go bump in the night left to gank. But so many episodes were focused on angels and demons that lots of of fun creatures have merely received brief nods or been ignored entirely. It’s time to revisit the Monster of the Week with some good, old-fashioned Winchester hunting this season, and the best place to find sources for that are in classic urban legends....

The Usual Suspects set Hollywood on fire when it was released in 1995. It quickly became a modern classic, winning Oscars and taking its place in the pop culture. The movie boasts one of the most infamous twist endings of all time, in addition to a slew of other iconic moments. It’s lines have also become quoted over and over again by fans over the years. The Usual Suspects also did wonders for the careers of its cast and crew....

Counting On star Amy Duggar King’s answer to a candid parenting question on Instagram recently shocked fans of the soon-to-be-mother when she revealed that she supported raising her son as gender-fluid. Her candid response about childhood gender-fluidity revealed that the reality star’s approach to child-rearing may be more modern than her upbringing would suggest. Amy and husband, Dillon King, announced on Instagram that the couple would be expecting their first child....

Like most superheroes, the microscopic Ant-Man has gone through many radical changes through the years. The character started off as a simple scientist who could shrink to small sizes and communicate with ants. Now, there are three different versions of the superhero all with different personalities, abilities, and costumes. To make things even more confusing, each of these versions of the character have been known by a handful of different superhero names!...