Latest news with #dystopian
Vogue
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Vogue
Gerrit Jacob Berlin Spring 2026 Collection
If the recent (excellent) run of spring 2026 shows in Berlin were hyper-focused on actually being there, in real time, in often quite incredible locations, focused on the living, breathing fashion directly in front of you, designer Gerrit Jacob took a different tack. GAME OVER is his latest offering (and available to buy, incidentally, from August 2025 onwards) and its presentation was a full on assault on the senses, held on the closing day of the schedule. Instead of a show, there was a screening of a short film directed by his friend Simon Kounovsky. The film was a CGI-created, Gerrit Jacob-clad dystopian world paved with paper money, one note burning on a flagpole, while legions of figures dressed in Jacob's supersized tracksuits, quilted bombers, crop zippered jackets, and short sculpted skirts screen-printed with global currencies—dollars, euros, and pounds sterling—stomped across what might have been described in the vacation brochure as a hellscape. The soundtrack, by Manuka Honey, another friend, was both symphonic and apocalyptic, a mood heightened by the screening space, eerily lit in a oh, excuse, me, I didn't see you there half-light, with a few collection-clad mannequins slumped in chairs and across tables. Meanwhile, we were walking across a carpet of discarded fake currency. Unsurprisingly, this was no flash-the-cash paean to wealth, despite the money leitmotif. 'These notes,' his show notes explained, 'no longer signify wealth. They signify fatigue.' In a post screening conversation, Jacob struck a weary tone. (And right now, who can blame him?) 'It came from a sense of frustration with, well, everything,' he said. 'The bad news doesn't stop, but at the same time, it felt like it would probably be dishonest not to make this collection this way.' By that, one assumes, Jacob means with an acknowledgment of the almighty mess we find ourselves in, and figuring out how his clothing can and should respond to it. Political and cultural commentary and the materialistic game of fashion don't always make for the easiest of bed fellows, but that's not to say that you shouldn't try—that's something in which Jacob firmly believes.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
New Alien: Earth trailer gives us our best look yet at the USCSS Maginot crash landing, and it's giving us major Blade Runner vibes
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Another Alien: Earth trailer has crash-landed onto the internet, and it gives us our best look yet at the spacecraft arriving on land. The new trailer, titled 'Greener World', opens with a huge explosion sending a spacecraft plummeting down to Earth, where it crashes into a dystopian city. On land, a synthetic named Wendy (Sydney Chandler) is questioning her humanity, as she and her team go to investigate the ship. The rest of the trailer shows the team finding out what the crew on the USCSS Maginot was really doing, researching five alien lifeforms. The rest of the trailer, which you can watch below, gives us a sneak peek at how the specimens affect life on Earth. We see a poor bloodied goat in a testing lab, as well as some humans running in fear from what we can only imagine is a monster of sorts. At the end, there is a single small Xenomorph hiding out in what looks like a cave. Now, although the trailer doesn't tell us much more than we already knew from the plethora of teasers previously released by FX, the new video does offer another perspective on the series. Rather than focusing on life on the ship, the clip shows us the series' take on a dystopian Earth. And it's surprisingly green and healthy. This is different than the first full Alien: Earth trailer which focused more on the horror and gore of the series. Could this mean that there is some hope after all for the poor residents of Earth who have had the most evilest of creatures thrust upon them? Set just two years before Ellen Ripley encountered her first Xenomorph in the original 1979 movie Alien, Alien: Earth follows a group of tactical soldiers who are tasked to search the a deep space research vessel called the USCSS Maginot after it crash-lands on Earth. However, unbeknownst to them, the ship was being used to research alien lifeforms, putting the Earth-dwellers face to face with the planet's greatest threat. Created by Noah Hawley, the series stars Alex Lawther, Samuel Blenkin, Essie Davis, Adarsh Gourav, Kit Young, Timothy Olyphant, and more. Alien: Earth premieres on FX and Hulu in the US on August 12, and will start streaming on Disney Plus in the UK from August 13. For more, check out our guide to all the most exciting upcoming shows of the year. Solve the daily Crossword
CNET
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- CNET
Stuff Your Kindle Day Is Now: Grab Free and $1 Sci-Fi and Dystopian E-Books
I read about a book a week on average. Sometimes I read even more when I'm also streaming an audiobook or focused during the entirety of a flight. As any fellow bookworm knows, that habit can get pricey fast. That's why I love Stuff Your Kindle Day, which lets me and my fellow bibliophiles stock up on free and heavily discounted e-books several times a year. Right now, all you sci-fi and dystopian lit fanatics can stock up on your favorite titles, and keep the downloaded books forever. These Kindle-stuffing events run throughout the year with alternating genres, so if sci-fi isn't really your thing, you can wait until the romance or mystery events coming soon (more on that in a sec). Below, I break down everything you need to know about Stuff Your Kindle Day and how to take advantage of these deals. What is Stuff Your Kindle Day? CNET Stuff Your Kindle Day is a reader-organized digital event where authors and publishers temporarily make hundreds of e-books free or drop them to just $1 (well, 99 cents to be precise). For instance, the current Something Strange event (what they're calling the sci-fi sale) is hosted by Indie Author Central. The idea is to allow you to discover new indie authors, try a genre you might not normally buy and fill your Kindle (or e-reader app) with zero guilt and little investment. The current event focuses on science fiction and dystopian titles, which are perfect if you're in the mood for intergalactic adventures, post-apocalyptic worlds or futuristic thrillers. Some of the stand-out titles include: Shadow Seeker by Michelle Areaux Fortune Limited by A. R. Kingon-Daniels When Eden Falls by Alana Faye Wilson Riddle by Amanda Cale Umbra by Amber Toro What other events are offered? Stuff Your Kindle Day isn't just a once-a-year deal. There are themed events happening all year long. Coming up in the next week alone, there are two Romance Stuff Your Kindle Days on July 19 and 22, plus a Cozy Mystery edition on July 24. If you like to plan your reading list in advance, BookBub keeps an updated calendar of events and lists of featured books. Is this just available for Kindle users? Anyone can take advantage of Stuff Your Kindle Day. Whether you use a Kindle, Kobo, Nook or just your phone, you can grab these free or discounted books and read them on your preferred device or app. How to grab these e-book deals There's no catch or sign-up required. Just browse the eligible books on your preferred retailer, such as Amazon (of course), but also other stores depending on the title, and download them before the deals expire. Once you've claimed them, they're yours to keep forever. You have until the end of tomorrow to stock up on sci-fi and dystopian reads, so fire up that Kindle. Your summer reading list will thank you.
The Independent
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
The Emmy nominations are here. 'Severance,' 'The White Lotus' and 'Adolescence' could have a big day
'Severance' could separate itself from the competition and reach the upper echelons of the Emmy Awards when nominations are announced Tuesday morning. The dystopian workplace drama from Apple TV+ achieved a convergence of acclaim and audience buzz for its second season that often leads to the kind of Emmy dominance enjoyed in recent years by 'Succession' and 'Shogun." But a flowering of Emmys tends to follow HBO 's 'The White Lotus" wherever it goes, and HBO Max's newcomer 'The Pitt' could challenge for nominations and for wins when the trophies are handed out in September. All will benefit from the absence of 'Shogun,' which last year led all Emmy nominees with 25 and set a record for wins in a season with 18. Its second season is still in the early stages of production and it shouldn't be around for next year's Emmys either. 'Severance' has become a signature show for Apple TV+. The streamer has gotten plenty of Emmy nominations for dramas including 'The Morning Show' and 'Slow Horses,' and 'Ted Lasso' was downright dominant on the comedy side. But Apple has lacked the kind of breakaway prestige drama that HBO seems to produce perennially. Adam Scott and Britt Lower are virtual locks for lead acting nominations for what amounted to dual roles as their characters' 'innie" work selves and 'outie' home selves. Tramell Tillman is just as likely to get a nod for playing their tone-shifting, pineapple-wielding supervisor, and Ben Stiller is bound to get a directing nomination. 'Severance' got 14 nominations for its first season in 2023, but won just two, for its music and its title sequence. Nominations will be streamed live beginning at 11:30 a.m. Eastern at The reality competition series and talk series nominees will be announced earlier on 'CBS Mornings" at around 7:45 a.m. Eastern. What else may get 2025 Emmy nomination Apple TV+'s Hollywood satire 'The Studio' could draw a host of comedy nominations for its first season as it takes on previously dominant Emmy veterans like 'Hacks' and 'The Bear.' 'The Studio' star and co-creator Seth Rogen could get nods for acting, writing and directing, and the show's all-star guest stars, including Zoë Kravitz, Martin Scorsese and Ron Howard, may also add some novelty to the nominations. 'Hacks' star Jean Smart has won best lead actress in a comedy for all three previous seasons of the HBO Max series, and is the favorite for the fourth. The show won best comedy series last year too. 'The Bear' set a record for comedy nominations with 23 last year for its acclaimed second season. This year, its third season is up for Emmys (even though its fourth has already aired). It got a more lukewarm reception, leaving its status coming into the nominations murky. 'The White Lotus,' HBO's darkly comic resort drama, submits all the members of its big ensemble cast in supporting categories, which they tend to dominate. Its Thailand-set third season included ballyhooed performances from Walton Goggins, Carrie Coon, Parker Posey and Sam Rockwell among several others. 'The Pitt,' HBO Max's prestige medical procedural starring 'ER' veteran Noah Wyle, had reached the top tier of most prognosticators' Emmy prediction lists by the time its first season ended in April. Wyle, who was nominated five times without a win for 'ER,' could join Scott to make best actor in a drama a two-man race. And the show's other doctors and nurses, played by lesser known actors, could draw nominations if 'The White Lotus' cast leaves them any room. Last year, the British Netflix production 'Baby Reindeer' was surprisingly dominant in the limited series categories. This year, it will surprise no one if the Netflix British crime drama 'Adolescence' does the same in the same categories. It was probably the most acclaimed show of the year. Fifteen-year-old Owen Cooper, who plays the 13-year-old accused of a killing at the center of the story, is likely to get one of several acting nominations. How streaming has changed TV and the Emmys All the shows are living in the splintered world of the streaming era, and the like the Oscars its most acclaimed nominees rarely have the huge audience they once did. While an impressive average of 10 million people per episode watched Wyle on 'The Pitt' at some point on HBO Max, according to Warner Bros. Discovery, 30 years ago an average of 30 million sat down on the same night and watched him on 'ER' on NBC. The broadcast networks have largely become Emmy non-entities, with a few shining exceptions. ABC's 'Abbott Elementary' has annually drawn plenty of comedy nominations and should get its share this year. And Oscar-winner Kathy Bates is a front-runner for the best actress in a comedy Emmy for her role on CBS's 'Matlock.' She would be the first person nominated in the category from a network show since 2019, and the first to win it since 2015. CBS will air the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on Sept. 14. Nate Bargatze is slated to host.
News.com.au
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
This box office flop is the best film of the 21st century
Director Alfonso Cuarón's 2006 dystopian thriller Children of Men starts with a bang – literally. As the film opens, actor Clive Owen's character Theo pops down to the corner cafe to grab a cup of coffee in grimy, inner-city London. It's 2027, two decades since worldwide infertility pushed humanity to the brink of extinction. The cafe is packed, as people crowd to watch a TV announcing that the youngest person in the world – a man named Diego, who was the last known person to be born 18 years earlier – had met a violent end, stabbed by an autograph hunter in Buenos Aires. Theo takes his coffee back out to the street. And then the cafe blows up, with everyone inside. Our 25@25 series will finally put to bed the debates you've been having at the pub and around dinner tables for years – and some that are just too much fun not to include. It's a startling opener to a film that, despite rave reviews, struggled to even make back its budget at the box office in 2006, but has emerged as one of the most prescient films of the 21st century. Based on P.D. James' 1992 novel The Children of Men, the film follows the cynical, world-weary Theo as he's commandeered by a refugee liberation group run by his old flame Julian (Julianne Moore). They need his help to get refugee Kee (Clare-Hope Ashitey) to safety, because she's carrying a huge secret: She's the first woman to fall pregnant in 18 years. The film unfolds as the sort of dystopian chase movie that'll be familiar to fans of shows like The Handmaid's Tale and The Last Of Us. But the world-building in the film is something else. We're never told why humanity suddenly became infertile, we only see what damage it's caused, how nihilistic humanity has become knowing that they'll be the last generation on earth. Theo passes by scenes of devastation, violence and hopelessness throughout the film, and they don't appear to register because it's just how life is now. Danger abounds – one incredible one-take shot sees Theo and the refugee group travelling by car through the apparent safety of a forested area, all breathing a sigh of relief that they've made it out of the chaos and violence of the city. Within seconds, an armed gang emerge from the forest, ambushing them for reasons unknown. They manage to escape, but not without the shocking, violent death of one key character. It's harrowing, edge-of-your-seat viewing as the camera pans around the car to capture the action – and now considered one of the best one-shot scenes in the history of cinema. The film ends on an ambiguous note, a final scene which some viewers interpret as a 'happy ending', while others aren't so sure. Perhaps that ending, coupled with the grim tone of the film, would go some way to explaining why C hildren of Men wasn't a box office hit upon release. But word spread among those who did see it, and in recent years it's appeared on many critics lists of the best films of all time. Multiple rewatches over the past two decades have affirmed my initial impression of Children of Men: It's my favourite film released so far this century. Don't agree with me? Vote in our poll below. As part of our 25@25 series celebrating the biggest and best of the past 25 years, the entertainment team at has collated a shortlist of the 10 best movies of the 21st century, from Oscar winners to family favourites to a mind-bending romance and an iconic Aussie road movie. The Dark Knight (2008) A cinematic masterpiece that redefined the superhero genre. Heath Ledger's portrayal of the Joker is nothing short of legendary, earning him a posthumous Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. His performance, coupled with Christian Bale's nuanced depiction of Batman, elevates the film to a level of dramatic intensity rarely seen in superhero films. Christopher Nolan's direction, alongside Hans Zimmer's haunting score, creates a dark and immersive atmosphere that captivates audiences. Avatar (2009) A groundbreaking achievement in filmmaking, renowned for its revolutionary use of 3D technology and visual effects. The film's immersive world-building transports audiences to the lush, alien planet of Pandora, showcasing James Cameron's visionary direction. 'Avatar' became a cultural phenomenon, holding the title of the highest-grossing film of all time for nearly a decade, with a worldwide box office gross of over $2.8 billion. Children of Men (2006) A dystopian masterpiece that combines a thought-provoking narrative with stunning cinematography. The film's screenplay, based on P.D. James' novel, presents a bleak yet compelling vision of the future, where humanity faces extinction due to global infertility. Clive Owen delivers a powerful performance as Theo, a reluctant hero navigating a world on the brink of collapse. Cuarón's direction is marked by innovative long takes, particularly the intense single-shot action sequences that heighten the film's realism and urgency. Interstellar (2014) Christopher Nolan co-wrote the screenplay for his second entrant on our list - an epic science fiction film that explores themes of love, sacrifice, and the survival of humanity. Matthew McConaughey's performance as Cooper, a pilot on a mission to save humanity, is both heartfelt and compelling. The film's visual effects, which earned an Academy Award, create a breathtaking depiction of space travel and distant worlds. Hans Zimmer's evocative score further enhances the film's emotional depth. Parasite (2019) A genre-defying film that masterfully blends elements of thriller, drama, and dark comedy. The film's screenplay, co-written by director Bong Joon-ho, offers a sharp social commentary on class disparity and the human condition. Bong's direction is meticulous, with each scene crafted to build tension and suspense. 'Parasite' made history as the first South Korean film to win the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival and the first non-English language film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture. The Departed (2006) A gripping crime thriller that showcases director Martin Scorsese's mastery of the genre. The star-studded cast, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, and Jack Nicholson, delivers powerful performances that led to critical and commercial success. It earned four Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. The Social Network (2010) A compelling drama that chronicles the creation of Facebook and the ensuing legal battles. The film's screenplay, written by Aaron Sorkin, is a masterclass in dialogue, offering a sharp and insightful look into the complexities of ambition and betrayal. Jesse Eisenberg delivers a standout performance as Mark Zuckerberg, capturing the character's brilliance and social awkwardness. 'The Social Network' was both a critical and commercial success, earning three Academy Awards. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) A poignant exploration of love and memory, distinguished by its inventive storytelling and visual style. Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet deliver exceptional performances, and Michel Gondry's direction, marked by creative visual effects and non-linear storytelling, enhances the film's emotional impact. 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind' has received critical acclaim and won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, solidifying its status as a modern classic. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) A high-octane action film that redefines the genre with its relentless pace and stunning visuals. 'Mad Max: Fury Road' was a critical and commercial success, earning six Academy Awards and grossing over $375 million worldwide. Its groundbreaking action sequences and visionary direction have established it as one of the greatest films of the 21st century. Finding Nemo (2003) An animated masterpiece that combines heartwarming storytelling with stunning animation. The voice performances, particularly Albert Brooks as Marlin and Ellen DeGeneres as Dory, bring humour and emotion to the film. The animation, which vividly captures the beauty of the ocean, set a new standard for visual storytelling in animation. 'Finding Nemo' was a box office sensation, grossing over $940 million worldwide, and won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
