Star Wars: Rogue One Review (Non-spolier) - Darth Vader is scary.

• The film, starring Felicity Jones as Jyn Erso, an outlaw recruited by the Rebellion to steal the plans for the original Death Star, is set just prior to the events of 1977’s original Star Wars, and references to the first trilogy abound, foreshadowing events-yet-to-come.

• The tone is, as promised by Lucasfilm, a war story – a relentless action tale. Fears that much-discussed reshoots were softening the story or watering down the ending appear to be unfounded, since the movie presents a much grittier soldier’s story than previous films. Think of it as Band of Brothers with a Star Wars setting, more than earning its PG-13 rating.........

• Chirrut Imwe, the blind warrior monk played by Hong Kong action star Donnie Yen, and K-2SO, the blunt-talking security droid played by Firefly star Alan Tudyk, steal the movie. Ironically, they both provide some of the movie’s funniest and most heart-tugging scenes....

• Finally, Darth Vader… The Dark Lord of the Sith delivers one moment of pure horror. You could argue there’s even more than one scene that fits this description. Rogue One shows a ruthless, predatory side of Vader when he is at the height of his powers.



http://www.ew.com/article/2016/12/11/strong-non-spoiler-first-reactions-rogue-one-star-wars-story

Bill de Blasio Finds His Mojo as the Anti-Trump

NEW YORK—Bill de Blasio, the 6-5 mayor of the nation’s largest city, slipped in almost unnoticed through a side door in the small community center in Chelsea, where a full-throated anti-Donald Trump resistance meeting was already underway.

Ten days earlier, Trump had been elected the next president of the United States, and New York City, which voted overwhelmingly against him, was still reeling. But anger was starting to find outlets, and one of them was here, where hundreds gathered for a hastily thrown together meeting billed as “Rise Together: The American Majority Against Trump.”

De Blasio’s three years in office so far have been marred by a series of disappointments, missteps, and seeming deafness to the politics of the moment—a track record that had put the mayor at risk of being taken down by his own party in next year’s primary. But since the election, a life raft has suddenly appeared: Trump.

As the president-elect sits in his midtown Trump Tower office, assembling an administration overtly hostile to the kind of progressive politics New Yorkers embrace, de Blasio has found a calling. In front of crowds, he can often fail to connect, coming off as the goofy dad or the scolding headmaster who hasn’t yet quite grown into the office. Here, in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center, he leaned straight in. “This is how we fight back!” the mayor shouted. Fists were raised.


http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/12/bill-de-blasio-trump-new-york-214513

Trump Supporters Boycotting Star Wars Rogue One Over Rumors Reshoots Added Anti-Trump Scenes

Trump supporters are planning a boycott of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, under the #DumpStarWars hashtag, over rumors that the film was re-shot to include anti-Trump scenes.

While there is no evidence for these allegations, the narrative is being pushed mainly by a popular pro-Trump Twitter account “Jack Posobiec,” which is also an avid proponent of the Pizzagate conspiracy theory.

While the writers never called Trump a Nazi, they have been vocal about their distaste for Trump. Following the election, writers Chris Weitz and Gary Whitta joined the anti-Trump “safety pin” movement.

They also tried to vaguely frame the plot of the movie against Trump’s brand of right wing nationalism. “Please note that the Empire is a white supremacist (human) organization,” wrote Weitz in a now-deleted tweet. Whitta added: “Opposed by a multi-cultural group led by brave women.”

The writers unwisely set up the film as being in opposition to Trump, but it is highly suspect that the reshoots were made to subversively attack Trump—especially since the film will be released way after the election and the reshoots were planned way before.

This is just speculation, but some Star Wars fans contend that the original cut of the film was too dark and edgy for Disney’s tastes and the reshoots were made to reframe the movie towards a cheerier, more optimistic tone. To essentially “Disneyify” it.



https://heatst.com/entertainment/trump-supporters-boycotting-star-wars-rogue-one-over-rumors-reshoots-added-anti-trump-scenes/

Faith Evans - Mesmerized (VIDEO)

The Temptations - I wish it would rain (VIDEO)

Ritchie Valens - Donna (VIDEO)

ExxonMobil to take over State Department

Donald Trump is expected to nominate ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson as his secretary of state, two sources close to the transition process told NBC News on Saturday.

The 64-year-old veteran oil executive has no government or diplomatic experience. The pick would put to rest weeks-long speculation of who would earn the post as the U.S.'s top diplomat. Tillerson would be fourth in line to the presidency.

Tillerson will be paired with former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton as his deputy secretary of state, one of the sources added, with Bolton handling day-to-day management of the department.

The sources cautioned that nothing is final until the president-elect officially announces it, which could happen as early as next week.


http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/rex-tillerson-exxon-mobile-expected-be-named-trump-s-secretary-n694371?cid=eml_nbn_20161210

Former Clinton staffer launches new anti-Trump site: corrupt.af

A former senior staffer for Hillary Clinton’s campaign has launched a new website to highlight Donald Trump’s alleged corruption, with a foul-mouthed URL to match its mission: corrupt.af.

Matt Ortega, who served as Clinton’s digital director for communications until he left the campaign in June, told POLITICO that he launched the site “completely on my own and out of my own pocket.”

Officially, the “af” in the site’s web address is the country code for Afghanistan, which administers the top-level domain along with some help from the United Nations.

Unofficially, in the abbreviated argot of texting and online chatting, “af” stands for “as fuck.”

The bare-bones site is topped by a full-bleed photo of the president-elect, along with the words, “Donald Trump is corrupt AF.”


http://www.politico.com/story/2016/12/matt-ortega-trump-corruption-site-232401

FIRST OFFICIAL Trailer for Spider-Man: Homecoming (VIDEO)

Peter Schilling - Major Tom (In tribute to John Glenn)