Hello, here I am once again! First ever Fan-Fic.
Last week I opened a poll about the type of Fan-Fic I should write (or try to), and after a good 4 days I took a look at said poll, and the overwhelming majority went for Option 2. And so I shall try my hardest to deliver, and give you all a story about Humanity entering on the Galactic stage later and being more prepared for eventual hostile encounters, and acting as such.
Let's see what I can cook up in my tired state- Some creative liberties are to be expected.
Still thinking of a Title- but this is the one I came up with.
... Also consider this a proof of concept for now, a WIP if you will, as I'm still new to writing (and not a native English speaker either) and wanting to learn as much as possible while writing anything at all- so expect word vomit. Any and all feedback will be welcomed.
Lastly, all love to for having made such an amazing universe.
===---===
Memory Transcription Subject: N/A, AI Communications Unit Terminal, UN-HQ.
Date [Standardized Human Time]: January 1st, 2300, 00:00
...
<>
<>
...
<>
...
<>
...
<>
...
<>
...
...
<<00:15, Probe successfully launched. Explore protocol initiated.>>
<>
<>
...
...
Log Update: 01:15
<>
<>
...
<>
...
Log Update: 10:15
<>
...
<>
...
<>
...
...
Log Update: 10:35
<>
...
<>
...
<>
...
...
Log Update: 10:50
<>
...
...
<>
...
Memory Transcription Subject: N/A, Terminal Deactivated.
===---===
Memory Transcription Subject: Alan Voor-hein, UN Secretary-General.
Date [Standardized Human Time]: January 1st, 2300, 11:00
It has finally happened. A fellow space-faring civilization has been found, something we thought would happen one day- Never in my 40 years would I have guessed it would happen in my lifetime. But I guess that is the thought process for everyone who are now involved.
I had gotten the first message out of anyone. It was now up to me to head to the HQ and get everything ready for the Emergency meeting. We'll have to "discuss" our next course of action on this situation. And I use the term "discuss" lightly, because there is not a lot to discuss, rather there is much to think about as a potential next step. I'll be having these discussions with our diplomatic and military advisors. Civil advisors will be left out, as to not make the public aware of this discovery ...at least, not yet.
I have an hour to get everything ready... and I still need to travel 20 minutes to get there. Luckily I have my own companion who can be my chauffeur- who is always ready at a moments notice, essentially 24/7.
I was speed-walking.. or speedily descending more like it, down the stairs of my house. ...Don't ask me what I was doing upstairs. My hastiness almost caused me to trip while going down the stairs because I was in a such rush to get outside, I did not have a lot of time on my hands.
After reaching the ground-floor I sped-walked past the kitchen, and I took a second to contemplate about taking a quick bite from a snack, but I decided against it. After-all, I could eat at the HQ... not that I'd have the time too, but at least I could give it a shot if I arrive in time.
As my journey to the front door continued, I was met with a familiar face- namely Heluni. Heluni is my Android companion. Android technology has gotten far over the last few decades, and Androids have become more Human than ever before.
"Good morning Alan!" Heluni spoke up, her voice as smooth as the calmest oceans. I looked towards her, and greeted her in return.
"Morning Heluni- Sorry to be a bother, but I gotta use your driving expertise again today. Emergency UN meeting. It's at 12, but I would like to be there as quickly as possible. Can you do that for me?"
"Of course I can, sir. Right this way." She led the way, opening the front door, waiting on me to follow behind her. I took my place behind her as she led me towards our car that was parked outside. A classic unmarked "not noticeable" vehicle, one everyone knows screams "here is someone important" but no one seems to care about in their daily life.
And like always when walking outside, my mind wandered to the flowing shoulder long hair Heluni has, her hair was always a beautiful sight to behold. How she- an Android- managed to have the hair of a Goddess remains a mystery to me. But I learned to never question our technological prowess.
Before I knew it, I was standing next to the car, Heluni having already taken the drivers seat. I took my seat in the back. And before I even sat down, Heluni look back at me. "Ready sir?"
"Floor it." was the only thing I responded with.. and Heluni took off like it was the end of the world.
... And I'm suddenly reminded why I only used her driving skills in Emergencies. This type of driving is gonna make me sick- but it's to late now, I suppose. I gazed down to my watch, and it's 11:15. If Heluni keeps driving like this, we'll be there in about 10 minutes.
...
I'm just gonna try and keep myself calm, as to not make myself sick with Heluni her driving.
...
We drove through the city towards the UN Headquarters. Heluni was cutting through the traffic wherever she could- you'd think we would get pulled over. But the only reason we never were, was because the only symbol on this car (to at least mark it somewhat) was that the UN symbol was put in place of the car-manufacturer logo. Any officer knew that, if a UN car was speeding like this, there was something going on.
But since I still did not want the public to know about the discovery made earlier today, I'd have to come up with some excuse for this... I think I'll wave it off as a training exercise for my Android.
Noticing that I was rather quiet, Heluni chirped up. "Sir, is everything okay?"
"Hm? .. Oh yeah, just thinking about stuff. Don't worry about it."
"Sir, is it about the upcoming meeting? What is it about?"
"..Heluni, that's confidential information-"
"I know sir, but perhaps.. whatever it will be about, is making you nervous?"
... Am I nervous? I don't think I am- maybe subconsciously I am??
...
"Well, I can say it's something I have never planned on doing."
"Is it bad?" Heluni asked me, trying to inquire more out of me.
"Depends on future circumstances...."
"Will I be allowed to know more about this meeting?"
"One day you will, Heluni. But for now, that's gonna be a negative."
"I understand, Sir."
...
For the rest of our journey, no words were spoken. I was deep in thought again. Like.. what does this mean for my career? I will be the first leader in UN history who may lay the ground-works for an eventual "First Contact" between Humans and an Alien species.
I'm nervous thinking ahead that far, for all we know, they are those type of Alien we have seen in pop-culture. Either fun and loving, or utterly ruthless and genocidal. What would they think of us? ... What will we think of them? Is there a potential for a future war?
We have that last one covered at least. Humans being Humans and all- we already have a decent Space going fleet of roughly 8000 ships of various sizes. ... Just in case a Colony gets any funny ideas with their local security forces. But now knowing we might have to face off against Aliens as well, I think it's about time to ramp up the ship production tenfold.
More importantly, we have to spy on them. Luckily that probe we sent is close to their planet, so we'll just use that for any surveillance and intelligence..
My thoughts were shaken back into reality from plausible scenarios once we took a tight corner a little too fast- but before I could scold Heluni for it, there it was, the UN-HQ in the distance. A few more minutes, and we'll be there.
...
===---===
There we have it! I think I did well in my tired state for this first part. I'll keep looking through the text itself from time to time. So if any feedback, grammar, etc, is thrown my way. I can implement them right away.
I hope this is setting a decent stage for what's to come. Hope you had fun reading this!
For now, Imma chill with some music.

NOT the age of empires parody. It was something like derpy going to deliver a package to some merchant and the merchant starts telling her stories, which cut to sequences of different characters in medieval attire or armor fighting each other. Spike was one of them, and at some point he used fire breathing too. At the end of the animation, they show a small sequen of Derpy walking away, then she pulls a sword from her bag and just keeps walking happily.

This is a crossover fanfiction between original fiction titles: Nature of Predators by SpacePaladin15 and The Last Angel by Proximal Flame respectively. All credit and rights reserved goes to them for making such amazing science fiction settings that I wanted to put this together.
You can read The Last Angel here: Be warned, it's decently long, and at its third installment so far. I highly suggest reading it before reading this, or this story will not make sense.

Otherwise, enjoy the story! Thanks again to u/jesterra54 and u/skais01 for beta and checking of work!
First Prev Next (soon)
Memory transcription subject: Captain Sovlin, Federation Fleet Command
Date [standardized human time]: October 24, 2136
What I was doing was risky.
I kept thinking this, as I prepared to spring the idea I worked on. I had Samantha and Carlos look into acquiring a shuttlecraft, for the purposes of infiltrating Aafa. It took a day and a half longer than the UN's initial start date, but I promised them it was worth it. They believed that, and set to work on getting one through their few Venlil resources in the UN. Now that it was in my hands, I was on a trip to Aafa, alone, with no backup or human handlers to my name. They believed I wasn't a flight risk...a mistake on their part, but in a way, I was still performing their goal.
I was still suspicious of Federation governance, even before the humans took stage on the galactic scene. The Sivkit's refugee crisis turnaway, the Krakotl's military extortionate practice, the Federation was full of shady characters who ought to be exposed. I was even working on a source towards what I thought was frivolous and mismanaged Kolshian military spending budgets, but it was interrupted by the human's arrival, and I had set it to the wayside.
Though, neither of those were supposedly leaked by 'me'. Cilany was the one who put it into proper public eye, even if I was her source...
How I wish I could have her here with me, her sharp skill for coercion and interrogation of valuable info in interrogation and interview alike. But the colony she was on was under siege by the Arxur, who struck while the Federation fleet had gone to Earth. All the more fuel for the fire of my suspicions...
I could only hope that Cilany, and by extension the rest of the people there would hold out despite their actions against the humans. None deserved the Arxur thrust upon them.
It would have been far too risky to try and stop by a planet under siege by the Arxur. I would be, at best, blown to smithereens without hesitation, and at worst...eugh...don't think about it, don't think about it!
Plus, I didn't want to give any human assets an idea on my plans currently. I was already going behind their back on this, betraying their trust on this front.
If my hunch is correct, then the Arxur might be coordinating with them, and by extension, feeding info about Federation homeworlds back in their twisted little game. Seeing me pop up in a report would turn heads.
I'm sorry Humanity, but this is for your own good. You cannot trust the Arxur, and the only way we can prevent your manipulation by their Dominion is through convincing a proper attack on them from the Greater Commonwealth.
But now, I found myself on a course to Aafa, alone, all on my lonesome, seeking to do something akin to Noah, but to the most powerful person in the galaxy one-on-one...Nikonus. I felt my ability to pull rank and my reputation would precede me better than the predatory reception of humanity, even though they didn't deserve it. This was a pragmatic decision, not an emotional one…
The trip was not very eventful, roughly [6 days] one way in a ship with as underpowered of a FTL drive as this, but I was trying to sell an infiltration mission, not a courier one. I wouldn't have my claws on anything top-of-the-line for speed in a shuttle. But as my ship hit disruptor fields in-system, and I got a ping from Gunships asking for classic hailing codes, intent to visit, and the like, I sent a message that likely would have shocked their crew.
"This is Captain Sovlin of Federation Fleet Command. I have escaped human custody, and need to request an audience with Nikonus."
WARNING: Formatting of memory transcription non-standard, conversion may cause loss of data. Do you wish to continue?
[Yes]
Memory transcription subject: Chief Nikonus of the Kolshian Commonwealth
Date [standardized human time]: October 24, 2136
I walked the outer rungs of the capital gardens, looking for relief to the mounds of bureaucratic paperwork back in-office. A good walk could clear ones mind of most stresses every now and then, and given the circumstances nowadays, I think a longer one is in order.
The Affliaf blooms are quite vibrant today. That's a good omen, for what it's worth...
With the state of the galaxy in a comprehensive deadlock over what to do with humanity, I had to take to some under-the-table talks with Nishtal's military. While the Kolshian Commonwealth was not publically for humanity's invitation into the Federation, they were clearly vocal that they did not wish for the problem to be removed, so to speak. And so, I had to get my tentacles dirty planting seeds of inspiration to some military leaders in and around the Krakotl Alliance. They, thankfully took the predator threat as seriously as they ought to, and mobilized to rid ourselves of the pests.
It should have simply ended there. Humanity should have been exterminated, status quo restored, the whole cropland tilled. But no, a fleet of twenty-thousand failed to even kill a fledgling space-faring species like humanity! Even with the Venlil Space Corps on their side, the battle should have been a wash! And the worst part, was that the true believers on Venlil Prime were giving me garbage intelligence on the matter.
'A ship of unknown origin swooped in and saved humanity? One that was unheard of up to this point'? No, a wad of ectolan spulk, there was no chance it was humanity keeping something in reserve that could even the tide! They likely were feeding false data to their allies, the manipulative little apes. No, humanity being saved stunk of the Dominion's play, and that was worrisome.
Did Giznel and his lackeys go back on our deal, seeing blood in the water? I knew we groomed a deal out of Betterment that'd give them all the wrong ideas...
Needless to say, I had to now figure out where to start on approaching them and confirming our deal was still on the table, and to cease and desist assistance with humanity at once. If they didn't want to play ball anymore, we'd have to consider some Shadow Fleet excursions to pave a path for a public route to invasion. That would change the whole dynamic of the Federation's control structures, and was absolutely not the path this great galactic Commonwealth should go.
So now, I am stuck in a dilemma. Do I assume Giznel and the Dominion are still in on the deal, and haven't made allies with humanity in the backdrop, or do I take the only opportunity we get, and start mounting an offensive while the Dominion's unprepared.
Decisions, decisions...
Not long into my musings, an aide contacted me over holo-prompt. Odd, I didn't have anything scheduled this soon, and central planning proceedings weren't set to start up again until the following day, what was it?...
"Chief Nikonus. There's been a development on the outer edge of the system. Bulwark Patrol states that a shuttlecraft of Venlil-make warped in, one individual alone on scans. They identified itself as Captain Sovlin, seeking refuge from human captivity."
Oh dear. That's not anything I could have expected. The last thing I need right now is more complications...but that wording...
"Why hasn't he been boarded and processed yet? I am hardly the first authority to come to for a asylum dispute."
"He asked for you specifically, your graciousness. Said to request an audience with utmost urgency."
"Is that so?...Hmm." I am currently free of responsibilities for a solid chunk of time. While I did not know Sovlin personally, his record spoke for himself. If he truly was escaping human custody, it was likely he found something out about them that they shared by accident, not knowing he wasn't loyal to them.
If he's come here for the reason I think he might've, there's a very real chance...
"Send him my way as soon as possible then. He's lucky I can spare an audience now."
...that said opportunity has just walked itself right into my garden.
Memory transcription subject: Captain Sovlin, Federation Fleet Command
Date [standardized human time]: October 24, 2136
There was thankfully little fanfare or media attention in bringing my shuttle in. The decision to come alone clearly disarmed their initial worries of human sympathizing or terrorist actions, and soon enough, I found myself amongst an escort of soldiers to Aslou's government district.
I had been to Aafa various times throughout my life. In my tenure as captain, you tend to visit the homeworlds of the larger species at least once in a lifetime, if not several. Most times were not very exciting or noteworthy...but this time, the visit felt downright off.
The gardens were as beautiful as ever, but there were little walking them. The Songbedas were oddly quiet, making an unsettling atmosphere. The population out in the outer and medial rungs of the city split to make way for my escort, as if expecting trouble on their doorstep should they draw attention.
Given what happened with humanity, I wouldn't put it past them. Why is it so...empty?
It was forced to be pushed aside as we finally reached the inner rings of the Capitol Spire. A gleam ran up into the heavens, and a sequence of block outcroppings spun around the structure, green architecture patterns spiraled up and up. It was a beautiful idol of the dedication of megalithic engineering and urban planning of the Kolshian Commonwealth. Under any other circumstances, I would have once felt comfortable walking under its shadow, but now I felt only unease at being in its monolithic shade.
Across from us, not far up the steps leading to the Capitol Spire, was Nikonus and his guards. They were clearly waiting for me. Nikonus looked pleased to see me, somehow. Was there no clear indicator...?
Does he trust my cover?
"Captain Sovlin, your reputation precedes you! I could have sworn you were interred so deep you weren't getting out. Yet, you say you broke out?"
Here goes nothing. Make it believable, Sovlin...
"I...yes, your graciousness. After I was imprisoned on Venlil Prime, the humans kept trying to get me to turn on the Federation. They were convincing, but my loyalties ultimately lie in this government, Chief Nikonus." I put my chest into the last bit of the statement, trying to give emphasis.
He seemed to mull on that for a split second, before he made a gesture to follow him. "We may talk more about your escape inside. I assume what you have meant to say to me is not for public ears?" He glanced about, subtly tilting his head out at the few gathered crowds out and about Aslou's Capitol District. Given how open and flat the area was, with the slightest elevation, you could practically see for [kilometers].
He was right on that. My suspicions would not be for the general public to hear, lest it cause a panic. "Yes. It would not do for the media to run wild with. It could cause unrest."
The Kolshian's eyes seemed to glint at that. "On that, you and I can agree. Come, to my offices." Him and his troop started up the stairs, and I followed soon after, my 'escorts' following closely behind. I could not yet tell whether I was actually in good trust with Chief Nikonus, or whether he was playing up the kindly elder act. Politicians were always shifty like that...
We walked a long way, took several lifts to reach the original Kolshian suites of the Capitol Spire. Passing through halls of elaborate aquatic decor, and indoor habitats, we approached our destination: Chief Nikonus' personal office.
He waved away all but two guards to stand outside the office, as we walked in. As he sat down, and the door closed, the visual look of the Kolshian shifted. His old, elderly demeanor sharpened to a politics-honed edge. The tone of the room felt far more off.
"I hope you know how much your position here is troubling, Sovlin." His voice had none of the kindness it held before. In its place, laid a piercing tone of seriousness. "If I'm anticipating right, you came here with distinctly bad news, given the state of galactic politics and military scuffles. That is...if I can even trust your story at all." He got up from his chair in a way that betrayed none of his age from before, and began to pace.
Or was his earlier light hobbling also just a disarming act?
"I mean really, you mean to tell me you turned yourself in to humanity for 'crimes against sentience', and then go back on your self-inflicted punishment? All so you could come to Aafa to let me know of something I'm already decently certain I know of before you even tell me? Your loyalty in question is a mind game Sovlin. I do not appreciate mind games. You'd best get to your point quickly and succinctly."
There was a chilling quality to that statement. I did not want to see what lied on the end of that thinly veiled threat.
A hitch came to my throat, but I pushed through the discomfort. "I...Chief Nikonus...I do not revoke my feelings about humanity's sentience, but neither do I revoke my faith in the Federation's dream. Despite their predator biology, they are capable of empathy and care for things outside what we'd consider stereotypical predatory behavior. They still deserve a chance at being within the galactic community, of being part of the Federation; no matter what preconceptions are of predators, they are clearly different. But, there's something we distinctly missed about humanity, and I think the Arxur are making an attempt to exploit it."
WARNING: Formatting of memory transcription non-standard, conversion may cause loss of data. Do you wish to continue?
[Yes]
Memory transcription subject: Chief Nikonus of the Kolshian Commonwealth
Date [standardized human time]: October 24, 2136
"You've seen the empathy tests, right?" Sovlin mentioned. Of course I had, it was only the thing that had kept me from having their ambassador Noah shot on the spot, where was he going with this?
"Yes, I have. Are you saying there isn't empathy for them?"
"No, Chief Nikonus. They are just as empathic as before. The problem is in how they use it. If a protective instincts in herbivore's is to block the danger from the person, then a predator's instincts is to remove the danger."
Huh?
"I'm not seeing the problem here, Sovlin. Aggression versus protection is a choice all sentients can make, even if one is uncouth for most herbivores to make."
But my rebuttal didn't shake his look any. No, there was mortification interwoven throughout it still.
"Follow with me here, still. The human's empathic desires to latch onto anything as a companion is an odd case, but a documented one. They are looking for friends among the cosmos, and given the first thing they found was the Venlil, they took to them immediately. When they found the Federation, they too attempted to befriend us. And over the Cradle, despite our best efforts to dissuade them, they were curious of the Arxur too. I would know, I was there."
Hmm, so the humans have been making some attempt at contacting The Dominion. Given their Prophet's Word, and their temperament for predators, they likely would act receptive if given some chance. More fuel to the fire...
I motioned him on further. "They...interrogated a Arxur above the cradle. They told them of how Federation first contact went; how the Arxur were starved by the Federation releasing a bioweapon, and how it lead them into conflict during the uplift."
I walked over to my desk, and sat down. My tentacle hovered over a concealed sidearm underneath the lip, just in case. "And...did you believe what that Arxur said was true, Sovlin?..."
Sovlin sighed in denial. "No, your graciousness...but I'm afraid...the humans do." He shifted uncomfortably in his seat as he talked. "The Arxur have picked up on a weakness we didn't see, Chief Nikonus. Likely due to them being predators themselves. They know humanity is a pack predator, so they're seeking to manipulate the humans onto their side using their empathy."
I brought my tentacles away from the gun while I considered, because this was only meaning one thing.
Those bastards ARE going back on the deal! Sovlin, your loyalty has just saved me a world of hurt...
But before I could get a word in edgewise, he continued. "They are using the empathy the humans latch on with to some effect. Given the choice between a galaxy that shuns and tries to kill their species, and a fellow predator lending a claw in the interim, why would they pick anything but the Arxur? Why wouldn't they pick self-preservation?"
Sovlin looked at me with a worried face. I shared in the worry too, the long-term survival of the Federation was unraveling from the worst case scenario. "The humans might be coaxed into cruelty as bad as the Arxur because of that. We missed how their empathy was their bloodlust. And now the Arxur are here to collect on our mistakes."
This is bad. While we had some agreement beforehand with the Dominion, the human's existence on the galactic stage changes the game. The Dominion would look to seek true control of everything, rather than just playing even with us. The [Prisoner's Dilemma] is broken.
...But there is still a solution. And Sovlin proved himself loyal enough to help with it.
I turned back to him, trying to assuage his worries. "Sovlin, while this is very bad news, there is a solution that the galaxy isn't considering here."
Sovlin piped up. "Yes. We'd need to form an intense first strike on Wriss itself, to devastate the head of their government, and collapse their attempts to indoctrinate humanity. Humanity might protest, but it would be for their own good that the Arxur fails to get their claws on them. From there, we can try to reestablish friendly connections, even as strained and painful as they are..."
Oh, you poor naive fool Sovlin. Don't worry, there is a better way.
I enabled a soundproofing field interladen in the walls of my office, for what came next was sensitive. "Not...quite Captain Sovlin, a good plan, and one that will be considered soon. But...what if I told you, there was a way to remove that fellow predator’ link?..."
First Prev Next (soon)

TL;DR: What if Shizuku wrote Howls moving castle?
This is a headcanon that I came up with recently and wanted to share with the community :) marked for spoilers just in case though both movies have been out for a while since I’ll also be bringing up bits and bobs from the howls moving castle book ( I haven’t read the books for whisper of the heart so I can’t really comment on them). This headcanon is pretty much based on two sequences from the movies, both taking place in the main characters dreams, both featuring tunnels covered in knickknacks, - although in whisper of the heart it’s gems and stones (see images attached). Admittedly, this may be just a narrative point which the creators enjoy reusing to portray the characters feelings of tension (I won’t go into too much detail on this since it’s not the focus of the post), but I think a fun concept could be the following: Shizuku writes stories, and though I’m personally not aware whether she becomes a writer after the events of her movie, if she does, it’s possible that she ends up writing Howls Moving Castle. In the irl book, the world in which it is set is accessed through a portal from the real world, - that’s how Howl ends up there, and he’s able to return to the real world. If memory serves correctly, the world is very much based on rather traditional fairytale narratives, e.g. three sisters (of which Sophie was the oldest I think? And she broke the usual narrative and did significant things rather than being overshadowed by the youngeyoungest sister), etc. I don’t recall if this is actually the case in the original text, but what if the portal leads INTO a book, or a world set in a book? Possibly… Shizuku’s book? The ideas and concepts would track with Shizuku’s fascination with fictional stories, and the strong older sister image she’s got within her own family (within the movies their relationship is a bit tense, though for the sake of my headcanon I’d like to imagine they become much closer with age, as a lot of siblings with an age gap tend to, at least in my experience). This is where the dream sequences become relevant: what if Shizuku used her own dream at a time of stress and tension for inspiration of Sophie’s respective stress and tension, or as a point of narrative development? On top of that, I feel like the scene of Shizuku flying with Baron (albeit in her imagination/story) is also similar to how Sophie flew above the town with Howl at the start of the movie. Small connections and similarities my beloved :) There’s not much else to this headcanon so far, but I feel like it’s a fun way to connect two movies/stories that I personally really love. Obviously I understand if the connection between the two may seem pointless to some, but then again, this was just for fun :)
Let me know your thoughts in the comments! Do you have any ghibli headcanons?

The "John Wick" franchise has carved out a niche in the action genre with its stylish, relentless, and intricately choreographed violence. "John Wick: Chapter 4" elevates this legacy, delivering an unforgettable experience that combines heart-pounding action with a deeper exploration of its protagonist's turbulent world.
Plot Overview
"John Wick: Chapter 4" picks up where the previous film left off, with John Wick (Keanu Reeves) on the run after being declared "excommunicado" by the High Table. With a global bounty on his head, Wick must navigate a perilous world of assassins and criminals. The film takes him from the neon-soaked streets of New York to the serene yet deadly landscapes of Japan and the ancient, shadowy corridors of Europe.
John's mission is to find a way to dismantle the High Table's power structure. To do this, he seeks the help of old allies and new faces, including the enigmatic Shimazu (Hiroyuki Sanada) and the cunning Caine (Donnie Yen). As Wick delves deeper into the underworld, he faces numerous adversaries, including the formidable Marquis de Gramont (Bill Skarsgård), a high-ranking member of the High Table determined to end Wick's life.
Highlights

1. Intense Action Sequences

"John Wick: Chapter 4" is a masterclass in action choreography. The fight scenes are meticulously crafted, blending martial arts, gunplay, and close-quarters combat in a seamless ballet of violence. One standout sequence involves a breathtaking duel in a mirrored room, reminiscent of the hall of mirrors from "Enter the Dragon," showcasing both the physical prowess and strategic mind of Wick.

1. Stellar Cast and Performances

Keanu Reeves continues to embody John Wick with a stoic intensity that has become iconic. His commitment to performing many of his stunts adds a layer of authenticity to the action. Donnie Yen’s portrayal of Caine, a blind assassin with a complex history with Wick, adds depth and emotional weight to the narrative. The chemistry between Yen and Reeves is palpable, creating a dynamic that is both adversarial and respectful.

1. Expanding the Mythology

The film delves deeper into the lore of the High Table and the Continental network, revealing new characters and locations that expand the universe. The inclusion of the Osaka Continental, run by Shimazu, introduces a new cultural dimension to the story, enriching the franchise's world-building.

1. Emotional Depth

Beneath the relentless action, "John Wick: Chapter 4" explores themes of loyalty, redemption, and the personal cost of vengeance. Wick's journey is not just a physical one but an emotional odyssey as he grapples with his past and the loss of those he loves. The film poignantly examines the idea of finding peace amidst perpetual chaos.
Conclusion
"John Wick: Chapter 4" is a triumph in the action genre, blending high-octane thrills with a deeper, more nuanced narrative. Its spectacular set pieces, combined with strong performances and an expanded universe, make it a standout entry in the franchise. Keanu Reeves delivers one of his most compelling performances to date, ensuring that John Wick remains an indelible character in modern cinema.
As the credits roll, audiences are left with a sense of closure yet an eagerness for what lies ahead. The film's conclusion hints at new beginnings and unresolved conflicts, leaving the door open for future adventures in the John Wick universe. For now, fans can revel in the masterful execution of "John Wick: Chapter 4," a film that redefines the boundaries of action cinema and solidifies its place as a modern classic.

So I’m really late to the party on this one, ended up winning a deluxe copy so decided to finally jump in. After about 35 hours in so far I think I am almost finished with the story (just had THAT fight in the archives) amazing part btw. I’m not even done with the story yet but had to come here to voice my opinion on Survivor.
The game is so damn good, story had me hooked and found myself staying up later than I usually do to keep progressing. Some of the action sequences (like Merrin and Cal taking out the large drill, and the speeder bike chase) was some movie worthy set pieces.
The lightsaber battles always makes me smile when I come out on top. Some of the more difficult boss fights (like Rick) took a bit but once I come out on top there’s nothing else like it. In the race up to the array with Dagan I came across two rebels with lightsabers training with each other. That was probably one of my fav fights in the game. Also not sure about everyone else but I’ve been pretty much playing the whole game using nothing but single blade stance or either claymore.

I’m not from PNW, and I love coffee. So the coffee hut scene out here appeared a bit like stumbling upon a magical caffeinated oasis. The speed! The efficiency! I can drive up to a window, ask a nice person for a beverage, hand them a card and a tip, and be on my way in 94 seconds. In-frickin-credible.
But like any good fantasy story, there is always a villain, seemingly hell-bent on turning a Ferngully of warm beverage efficiency into a hellscape reflecting LA rush hour. And that villain is the people who turn their nose up at any other sizable brick and mortar establishment, and seem satiated most by ordering enough snacks for a seven-nation army at an 80 square foot mobile coffee hut.
I must ask, then, what drives you to do this? What about a tiny coffee hut screams to you “Oh! Look! That’s the ideal place to order seven pizza smash bagels with Fibonacci-sequenced pepperoni arrangements combined with no fewer than four alternating cheeses, watered down with multi-berry frozen miachiato-smoothie medleys, topped with whipped cream (and the crushing hopes I once had for a bright future for my species).”
Is there something about the presence of an efficient place to get coffee that simply offends your sensibilities? Were you soul-bound to an evil wizard after touching that glistening snake-adorned sword in the bog that your friends told you not to, now forever cursed to smite the feng shui of coffee provision? There must be something I’m missing in that Giza-challenging pyramid of pizza bagels you’re about to face smash - perhaps you could inform me via naval armada that could now be floated upon the stream of frozen pink smoothies that seem unnaturally mass produced in a building of such compact size?
As I’ve had the time to write this entire post while sitting behind you, please, do share. If you’re not going to be my friend, at least have the decency to be my enemy.

I just finished it. The use of violence (even if it was too much) and the mind tricking games were top notch. Also, this is one of the most impressive stunts I've seen in current mainstream media from the smooth car chase in the first episode down to the seventh episode's most thrilling action sequence against the King of Spades. I still have a lot of things to say because this show makes so much sense. Even if it feels like a merge of the most popular shows, AIB felt the most realistic. It's amazing how life and death can be this so ambiguous.
With the news of S3 coming upon us, it's hard to make theories for now. I'm really contented with the wrap up of the story in S2 but at the same time I still want to see more of it.

Hello AC community,
I'm trying to platinum AC 3 and I can't complete the frontiersmen challenge 3, specifically the two challenges the require me to visit all taverns and the challenge to unlock all underground entrances. I checked possible solutions online but none of them have fixed the issues I'm facing.
Underground entrances: I have found and solved the puzzles of all the Boston underground and the game marked them as completed. The tracker says I am missing one east entrance in New York (I'm at 88% for New York), despite the fact that I have completed the entire story and found the last entrance that is unlocked after sequence 12. On the underground map I can see all 11 entrances and to be sure, I fast travelled to all of them, exited them, and entered the underground again in the hope that this triggers completion. The game still says that I have 10/11 entrances although the map clearly has all 11 entrances marked. I just replayed the last mission of sequence 12, but in the cutscene at the end I can even see Connor walking into that last entrance in downtown centre again, but it doesn't change anything. Curiously, when playing the last mission, it lists the last two challenges as completed, as I track that mission on screen. When the sequence is over, it again marks both challenges as incomplete. Any ideas what else I could try?
Taverns: According to maps found online, I am missing a tavern in the centre of Boston, to the right of a park (the map found here lists 5 taverns in Boston: https://www.gamepressure.com/assassinscreediii/frontiersman-set-3/zc44ac). But no liberation marker appears there on my map despite the fact that I have liberated all of Boston. I have entered all other taverns that I could find in online maps except for that one. Does anyone have any suggestions?
As this is one of the only remaining things to complete to reach 100% synchronisation, I'm very frustrated by this.
Any help would be greatly appreciated, thank you!

COLLIDER:
"Few franchises have enjoyed the popularity and longevity that the beloved sci-fi Star Trek has. It's the longest-running franchise in American TV history, with no signs of wrapping up anytime soon, and has been hugely influential in pop culture. [...]
With hundreds of episodes in the franchise, choosing the best is a daunting task. At its best, the series told compelling, emotional stories, sometimes very human ones, despite the focus on the future and other species. The best episodes also often feature themes and plot devices like alternate timelines and time travel. But no matter the story, the one thing they all have in common is compelling storytelling with characters at the center.
The 20 Best Episodes in the Star Trek TV Franchise, Ranked
20) "Supernova" (Prodigy 1x19)
19) "Blink of an Eye" (Voyager 6x12)
18) "The Trouble with Tribbles" (TOS 2x15)
17) "Balance of Terror" (TOS 1x14)
16) "Devil in the Dark" (TOS 1x25)
15) "Yesteryear" (TAS 1x2)
14) "The Last Generation" (Picard 3x10)
"“The Last Generation” was the sendoff Picard and his Enterprise crew deserved. It felt very much like an ending for The Next Generation, with some Easter eggs throughout and, more importantly, great emotional moments as the crew recognized the magnitude of the threat they were dealing with and faced the possibility that some of them, or all, might not survive it. The episode also hinted at what may be yet to come in the future of the franchise."
13) "Duet" (DS9 1x19)
12) "In the Pale Moonlight" (DS9 6x19)
11) "The Drumhead" (TNG 4x21)
10) "In a Mirror, Darkly" (ENT 4x18/19)
09) "Yesterday’s Enterprise" (TNG 3x15)
08) "Darmok" (TNG 5x2)
07) "Memento Mori" (SNW 1x4)
"“Memento Mori” helped prove Strange New Worlds could be just as good as the classic, beloved Star Trek and is one of the standout episodes of the series, and it’s also among the best in the franchise. It was a compelling action-packed episode with a thrilling battle sequence and a cat-and-mouse game, and the Gorn proved to be a terrifying enemy. The episode also provided great insight into the characters of the Enterprise."
06) "The Measure of a Man" (TNG 2x9)
05) "Cause and Effect" (TNG 5x18)
04) "The Inner Light" (TNG 5x25)
03) "The Best of Both Worlds" Parts 1 and 2 (TNG 3x26/4x1)
02) "The City on the Edge of Forever" (TOS 1x28)
01 ) "The Visitor" (DS9 4x10)
"[...] “The Visitor” was a highly regarded and beloved episode in the Star Trek franchise, and also one of the most powerful, thanks to its emotional story and the performances of its cast. The episode was a great exploration of Sisko and Jake’s relationship. Their dynamic was already nice to watch, but this episode added even more to it with its story about the bond between parent and child. It also explored the ways in which obsession can destroy a person."
Janelle Sheetz (Collider)
Link:
https://collider.com/star-trek-tv-franchise-episodes-ranked/

Hi! First and foremost, thanks for your interest and I apologize in advance for how long this is, I like to be thorough. I want to start this off with some important things regarding playing at my digital table. My games are all inclusive both OOC and IC, that means both the players and the inhabitants of the game world will be varied. There will be cultural and ethnic diversity, there will be people with physical disabilities, there will be LBGTQ+ characters, the game may very well (see: likely) explore mental health, gender identity, and any number of things. My games are a safe place and I take that promise very seriously. I cannot stress this enough; bigotry of any kind will not be tolerated. There won’t be a warning, there won’t be a compromise, you’ll be out of the game, period. If you can’t manage this, then please save everyone some time and just don’t read further.
Now with that said, let’s discuss the beautiful game of D&D and this campaign and how I DM my games. My games are presented less as a static sequence of events and more of threads in the world that can be followed in any order. In a shorter campaign like this one there has to be a little more structure than a longer campaign, but this is not a railroad. Whatever ending we find to this campaign, we will find it together. Whether that’s the traditional fight the BBEG, talk them down, or join their side and plunge the world into chaos, it’s all on the table.
This campaign is set in the homebrew world that I have created and in truth I am using the campaign to explore individual parts of the world and hopefully expand upon the lore, add new NPCs, sure up any shortcomings, etc. Not because I’m publishing an adventure or anything, just because I really enjoy worldbuilding and having player choices affect the world going forward.
I like to incorporate backstories into the plot, I want everyone to have a chance to really feel a part of the story, not just along for the ride. This is also limited in a shorter campaign like this, but we can work together to give you something to identify with in this world. Whether it be directly connected to a figure in your backstory or just incorporating a theme or dynamic that resonates with your character, let’s find a way. If you give me something to work with, I promise I will find a way. This is a collaborative story, let’s create something hauntingly beautiful together.
There will be a session 0 to go over lines and veils, character creation, as well as just getting comfortable with one another. If there is a need for it to go over additional character creation, getting more acquainted with one another, or anything else we can also have a session 0.5. The point is that we are all comfortable when we begin play. Without any further ado, let’s finally get to the campaign details!
Campaign: Homebrew
System: D&D 5e
Players Needed: I already have some players, looking for 3-4 more.
Ratio: My games tend to lean more towards the RP heavy side of things though I do mix in combat. There are very few potential combat encounters that can't be solved in another way via talking, parlaying, or creativity. The amount of combat is dependent on the group as a whole. I would say in terms of planned potential combat that it will be a 60:40 or even 70:30 lean towards RP.
Scheduling: Bi-Weekly Wednesday 7pm-11pm CST, for 6-12 sessions. There is a chance this goes longer depending on RP, but I believe it will fit into 12 sessions. There’s no hard start date, just when we get the right players we will start scheduling, but it will be within a few weeks.
Software: Discord for voice, Foundry for VTT, D&D Beyond for character creation.

Character Creation:

• This campaign can work with players starting at level 3 or level 5. It will be decided by a group vote on which we start at. This allows for the characters to have some level of experience and renown but not be adventurers of legend (yet).
• All characters get a free feat. The caveat here is that if you pick a newer background that grants a feat, you don’t get an additional feat.
• Play the character you want, don’t worry about party composition. It’s my job as DM to worry about balancing the game, items, and encounters around party composition.
• Interparty conflict is fine and makes for good RP, deliberately obtuse characters designed for the sole purpose of being antagonistic to the party are not.
• All official content is allowed and most 3^rd party content is as well. If you want to use some homebrew content, send it to me so I can review it to ensure it’s balanced.
• We roll for stats. 4d6kh3, drop the full set if under 72 unless you just want to keep them. Rolled in D&D Beyond. I trust my players to not lie about rolls or to try to re-roll 20 times for ideal stats. If I find that I can’t trust you to be honest then we just can’t play together.

Setting:

Welcome to Elysiia, the year is 756 PSC - or Post-Second Cataclysm - and Elysiia is a vibrant planet. Long gone are the days of the Primordials’ dominion over the lands, gone also is the War of Gods, sealed away thousands of years ago. From the ashes of a bygone era has risen a thriving land with many diverse people. From the displaced Feylands of Remcourt - home to fey descendant creatures and prison to incorporeal creatures unfortunate enough to be caught behind it's barrier - to the Flying City of Arigon, floating among the clouds interweaving magic, nature, and technology.
Our story, however, begins in the lands of Morroch, born after the splitting of the worlds by the World Serpent. It is said that Morroch was a point of direct impact of the World’s Serpent’s bite, leaving behind the most diverse array of biomes on Elysiia, much of it incorporated with serrated mountains and rolling hills. There is much to explore here including the northern region belonging primarily to the Stone Giants of Thulkna who call the Crimson Peaks – given their name because of the reddish color of the soil – home. Let us not forget the western seaboard of the Tilltona Coast, cliff-lined coasts with treacherous waters and frequent storms, home of the Storm Giants of the nation of Salleria.
For this story, we explore the Decayed Heights of the western region of Morroch. A brutal and unforgiving arid desert dominated by three powerful tribes: the Jeswye, renown for their connection to fire and abilities as blacksmiths and warriors; the Sandstriders, Lizardfolk who traverse the vast desert with ease, trading, and maintaining the fragile peace; and the Ironhoof Tribe, fierce warriors who thrive in the storm-battered coastal regions of the Decayed Heights.
Recently, the long-standing tension between the Jeswye and the Ironhoof has escalated to the brink of war, threatening the stability of the entire region and crucial trade routes that allow for safe passage through an otherwise inhospitable region. The campaign will begin in the floating bustling trade city of Vespera, located off the coast of the Decayed Heights. Here the characters have received a request from a representative of the Merchant’s Guild to meet to discuss a lucrative opportunity that is for the betterment of the world.
More world info and campaign info will be given before character creation and upon request (I will never turn down an opportunity to talk about lore and worldbuilding).
Who am I? My players typically call me Hex or simply Chris (he/him)

• 33
• DMing for 4 years
• I work in tech so I like to try to do cool tech shit with my VTT.
• I’m a power nerd and love a bit of everything. Anime, comics, rp, tech, ttrpg (obviously), video games, writing, wrestling.
• For me D&D is a collaborative storytelling experience. I’m not out to murder your PCs or make things overly difficult for the sake of making you sweat.
• If I had to rate my skillset as a DM I’d say I’m very good at improv and storytelling but I don’t have a huge vocal range so I won’t be mesmerizing you with a unique voice for each NPC. I do what I can.
• These games are designed for me to experiment with technology, new in-game locales, cultures, etc. and as such some aspects are generated on the go or in the case of technology might experience some technical difficulties.
• Rule of cool. Yes the rules have a place, no we won’t be throwing them completely out. But if something is creative and feasible to at least attempt, yeah you can roll for it. If it’s not feasible I won’t even ask for a roll.

In closing, I’ve attached a google form below to fill out. I hate forms that make trying to get into a D&D game feel like a job interview so I’ve tried to stray away from that as much as possible. I don’t care how much experience you have, be it you’re entirely new or a 20 year vet. But comments, messages, and chat requests can often get missed so this helps me make sure I’ve seen everyone’s submissions. If you've made it this far, thank you so much for your time and patience.
If the post is not marked closed, I am still reviewing submissions.
https://forms.gle/5E1Qm2ghAU73gNGN8

Introduction: Madame Web, the latest addition to Netflix’s superhero lineup, has unfortunately crash-landed with critics. Despite its intriguing concept and talented cast, the film falls flat in numerous areas. This article aims to dives deep into the good and bad aspects of Madame Web, providing a comprehensive review for potential viewers.
Intriguing Concept: Madame Web takes inspiration from a lesser-known character in the Spider-Man universe. The film blends elements of precognition and danger, drawing comparisons to both Final Destination and Terminator. This unique premise had the potential to set Madame Web apart from other superhero films, promising a mix of suspense and action.
Dakota Johnson’s Performance: One of the film’s few saving graces is Dakota Johnson’s performance as Cassandra Webb. Despite a weak script, Johnson manages to deliver a charismatic portrayal of an overly shocked woman grappling with newfound abilities. Her charm and effort in bringing depth to her character provide a some enjoyable essence from the film’s other shortcomings.
The Flawed Script: The most significant downfall of Madame Web is its script. The dialogue is clunky, often resorting to heavy exposition dumps that disrupt the flow of the story. Furthermore, the plot is convoluted and underdeveloped, leaving viewers with more questions than answers. These issues make it difficult for the audience to fully engage with the film.
Action Overload: While action sequences are a staple of superhero films, Madame Web overdoes it. The movie relies heavily on chaotic and poorly edited action scenes that detract from the overall narrative. Instead of adding excitement, these sequences often feel disorienting and excessive.
Wasted Potential of the Supporting Cast: Madame Web features a supporting cast with several familiar faces. Unfortunately, their talents are wasted due to underdeveloped characters. These roles lack depth and fail to make a significant impact, leaving viewers disappointed by the missed opportunities
Madame Web’s Powers: A Missed Opportunity: The core concept of Madame Web’s precognitive abilities is one of the film’s most intriguing aspects. However, the execution falls short, failing to fully explore or utilize these powers in a compelling way. This aspect could have added a unique twist to the story but ends up feeling like an afterthought.
Critics’ Reception: Critics have been largely unimpressed with Madame Web. Common points of criticism include the flawed script, excessive action, and wasted potential of the cast and concept. While some appreciate Dakota Johnson’s performance, it is not enough to beautify the film in the eyes of most reviewers.
Audience Reaction: General audience feedback mirrors the sentiments of critics, though there are some differences. While many viewers share the frustrations with the script and action scenes, a portion of the audience finds some enjoyment in the film’s campy elements. This divide highlights the film’s polarizing nature.
Comparisons to Other Superhero Films: When compared to other superhero films available on Netflix, Madame Web falls short. Titles like The Old Guard and Project Power offer more cohesive storytelling and better-executed action sequences. For viewers seeking quality superhero content, these alternatives are more likely to satisfy.
Cinematic Elements: Madame Web’s cinematography and special effects are a mixed bag. While there are moments of visual appeal, inconsistencies in the CGI and overall production quality detract from the viewing experience. These issues contribute to the film’s inability to fully immerse its audience.
Direction and Production: The director’s vision for Madame Web appears to be blurred, resulting in a film that lacks clear direction. Production design and quality also suffer, with elements that feel rushed or underdeveloped. These factors further compound the film’s shortcomings.
Themes and Messages: Madame Web attempts to explore themes of fate, destiny, and the burden of precognition. However, the execution of these themes is inconsistent, and the film struggles to convey its messages effectively. This leaves the main theme elements feeling shallow and unfulfilled.
Potential for a Sequel: Despite its flaws, Madame Web leaves room for potential sequels. However, significant improvements are needed for future installments. A more cohesive script, better character development, and refined action sequences would be essential to win back both critics and audiences.
Conclusion In conclusion, Madame Web is a disappointing addition to Netflix’s superhero roster. While Dakota Johnson’s performance and the intriguing premise offer glimpses of potential, the film is ultimately hindered by a flawed script, chaotic action, and wasted opportunities. Unless you’re a die-hard superhero movie fan or curious about a potential “so bad it’s good” experience, this film is best avoided. Click here to know the top 10 shows on Netflix

"[Psychokinetic] Eyeball Pulling 2: A LitRPG Apocalypse Adventure" by FreeID is a sequel to the original LitRPG novel, continuing the fascinating narrative set in a post-apocalyptic future where players possess psychokinetic skills.
In this part, the tale takes up with the protagonist, who possesses the unusual ability to draw objects and adversaries towards him using his psychokinetic skills. As he navigates across the treacherous landscape full with monsters and other survivors, he continues to hone his powers and explore the secrets of this new world.
The novel follows the traditional LitRPG style, with the protagonist leveling up his skills, earning new abilities, and performing tasks to progress in the game-like universe. The action is fast-paced and exciting, with lots of fighting sequences and strategic skirmishes that will have readers on the edge of their seats.
One of the hallmarks of the work is its inventive world-building. FreeID delivers a colorful and immersive post-apocalyptic scenario, replete with unique critters, lethal traps, and hidden perils. The author expertly blends aspects of science fiction, fantasy, and survival horror to produce a captivating and surprising narrative.
While the story gives lots of action and excitement, some readers may believe that it lacks depth in character development and plot complexity. The focus is primarily on the protagonist's journey and his encounters with numerous difficulties and opponents, with less emphasis on ancillary characters and broader story arcs.
Overall, "[Psychokinetic] Eyeball Pulling 2" is an exciting continuation of the LitRPG narrative, delivering lovers of the genre an action-packed and immersive reading experience. FreeID's innovative world-building and fast-paced writing make this novel a worthwhile addition to any LitRPG enthusiast's library.
Listen for free with a free trial of Audible at freeaudiobookstrial .com

Taken from: https://www.theringer.com/movies/2024/5/21/24161120/greatest-movie-car-chase-scenes-ranked-furiosa-mad-max-saga
In honor of the imminent ‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga,’ we’re shifting into high gear to determine the best chase scene in cinema history
By Miles Surrey May 21, 2024, 6:30am EDTGetty Images/Ringer illustration
After wowing audiences with Mad Max: Fury Road, director George Miller returns to the franchise’s post-apocalyptic wastelands for Furiosa, the epic origin story of the eponymous heroine (now played by Anya Taylor-Joy), premiering on Friday. As the follow-up to one of the greatest action films ever made, it’s hard to overstate the hype for Furiosa, and that was before word got out about a showstopping 15-minute sequence that required nearly 200 stuntpeople and took 78 days to shoot. While Furiosa will have its own distinct flavor, as is true of every Mad Max movie, there’s one thing that unites these projects: intense, jaw-dropping scenes of vehicular mayhem. And what better way to honor the franchise than by celebrating what it does best?
Ahead of Furiosa’s release, we’ve put together our definitive ranking of the best car chases in cinema. There weren’t any strict rules in place, other than capping the list at 20—mostly for my own sanity—and limiting every franchise to one entry. (Apologies to Fury Road’s kickass predecessor The Road Warrior.) We also won’t discriminate against scenes that feature motorbikes, so long as cars (and/or trucks) remain part of the equation. As for what, exactly, constitutes a good car chase? Like list making, it’s bound to be subjective, but I tend to gravitate toward two key elements: the skill of the stuntwork on display and the ways in which a filmmaker conveys the action in relation to the story. (Also, the less CGI, the better.) Buckle up, ’cause we’re not wasting any time shifting into high gear.

20. Quantum of Solace (2008)

There have been some memorable car chases in the James Bond franchise: the first sequence featuring the iconic Aston Martin DB5 in Goldfinger, the corkscrew jump in The Man With the Golden Gun, the Lotus Esprit submarine in The Spy Who Loved Me. But I’m going with a somewhat controversial pick here: Quantum of Solace. There are many issues with Quantum of Solace—namely, it was one of the most high-profile blockbusters affected by the 2007-08 writers strike—but its opening scene isn’t one of them. Picking up right where Casino Royale left off, we find Bond (Daniel Craig) evading henchmen through the narrow roads around Italy’s Lake Garda. The frenetic, furious chase mirrors Bond’s sense of anguish after losing Vesper Lynd (Eva Green), the woman he opened his heart to, and his relentless quest for answers. It’s a thrilling tone-setter for Quantum of Solace and one that doesn’t overstay its welcome, capped off by Bond sending his final pursuers flying off a cliff:
If we’re being honest, though, it feels like James Bond has yet to create a franchise-defining car chase. Perhaps that’s a mission the newest 007, whoever it ends up being, can undertake.

19. Mission: Impossible—Rogue Nation (2015)

The Mission: Impossible franchise is no stranger to electrifying chase scenes, the best of which find Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt working up his heart rate. When it comes to action behind the wheel, though, Fallout tends to dominate the discussion—even on this very website. But I think the vehicular chase in Rogue Nation is being slept on. What we have is effectively two sequences for the price of one: The first finds Hunt pursuing Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson) by car through the narrow streets of Casablanca alongside some nefarious henchmen; the second sees him continue the chase outside the city on motorbike. (Adding to the chaos: Hunt had only just been resuscitated, and he’s clearly not all there.) In terms of death-defying stunts for the audience’s entertainment, a helmetless Cruise taking corners like a MotoGP racer is child’s play compared to his other exploits, but the actor’s authentic reaction to scraping his knee on the road underlines that there’s no one else in Hollywood doing it like him:
We’ll be sure to update this ranking if and when Cruise does something even more dangerous down the road, pun unintended.

18. Vanishing Point (1971)

A movie that counts the likes of Steven Spielberg and Quentin Tarantino among its biggest fans, Vanishing Point is the first of a few entries on this ranking that’s essentially one extended car chase. The film stars Barry Newman as Kowalski, a man tasked with delivering a Dodge Challenger T 440 Magnum from Colorado to California while eluding police across four states. One of Kowalski’s most memorable run-ins comes when a guy driving a Jaguar E-Type convertible challenges him to an impromptu race. Incredibly, we’re expected to believe the man in the Jag comes out of this crash in one piece:
Vanishing Point might not boast the impressive production values of other movies on this list, but considering Tarantino would go on to feature a white Challenger in Death Proof, its influence in the car cinema canon is undeniable.

17. Fast Five (2011)

Let’s face it, Fast & Furious has seen better days. Some believe the franchise’s dip in quality coincided with the death of Paul Walker; others are dismayed by the pivot from street racing to absurd feats of superherodom—emphasis on the Dom. Perhaps it’s a bit of both, but the very best movie in the series, Fast Five, manages to strike the perfect balance: It’s a relatively grounded heist thriller that nevertheless takes the franchise to ridiculous new heights. After Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his crew steal $100 million from a Brazilian kingpin, they drag the entire bank vault holding the money through the streets of Rio de Janeiro, all while being pursued by authorities. It’s a delightfully destructive sequence that does untold damage to Rio’s infrastructure and features some of the most bone-crunching crashes committed to film:
If the Fast franchise is going to break out of its recent slump, it would do well to remember that there’s nothing better than letting its heroes live their lives a quarter mile at a time—no detours to outer space required.

16. The Blues Brothers (1980)

A good car chase isn’t reserved just for action flicks: Comedies can get in on the act, too. In The Blues Brothers, starring the recurring Saturday Night Live characters played by John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd, the beloved bandmates must prevent the foreclosure of the orphanage where they were raised by scrounging together $5,000. Naturally, that’s easier said than done: Along the way, the Blues Brothers draw the attention of neo-Nazis, a country-and-western band, and local police. While The Blues Brothers has amusing gags and musical numbers, its chase sequences with the Brothers behind the wheel of a 1974 Dodge Monaco are what really steal the show—and none are better than a climactic pursuit across Chicago. More than 60 old police cars were used in the film, some of which are wrecked in a comically over-the-top pileup:
The sheer scale of The Blues Brothers’ final set piece is commendable in and of itself—as is the movie’s commitment to treating real-life cars like a bunch of Hot Wheels.

15. Baby Driver (2017)

For good and for ill, Edgar Wright’s movies exude an abundance of style, and Baby Driver is no exception. Baby Driver is centered on a clever gimmick: The action works in tandem with its soundtrack because the film’s protagonist, Baby (Ansel Elgort), suffers from tinnitus and constantly plays music to drown out the ringing. When everything’s clicking into place, Baby Driver feels like a supersized series of music videos, and nothing hits quite like its opening sequence. Baby acts as the getaway driver for a bank robbery while listening to the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion’s “Bellbottoms.” The ensuing chase works around rhythms of the song, as if Baby’s Subaru WRX were the star of its own dance number. Take nothing away from the actual driving, either, which puts the rally car to good use:
Baby Driver’s gimmick stretches a little thin by the end, but it’s hard to deny the crowd-pleasing power of Wright’s film when it’s firing on all cylinders.

14. The Raid 2 (2014)

With a trio of kickass Indonesian martial arts films under his belt, Gareth Evans has established himself as one of the most exciting action directors on the planet—someone who seems most in his element staging positively brutal hand-to-hand combat. In The Raid 2, however, Evans also brought his signature brand of carnage to the road. While there’s some cleverly executed close-quarters fighting within the confines of an SUV, courtesy of Iko Uwais’s hard-hitting protagonist, what really cements this sequence’s greatness are the moments when Evans turns the cars into an extension of the characters’ fists:
This belongs in an entirely new category of combat: car fights. There are so many action scenes in The Raid 2 worth writing home about—the kitchen showdown is an all-timer—but the fact that Evans casually tossed in an unforgettable car chase shows why he’s one of one.

13. The Driver (1978)

I’ll say this for Walter Hill’s The Driver: It sure lives up to its title. In this stripped-down thriller—one where none of the characters have a name—we follow the Driver (Ryan O’Neal), a getaway driver who has become a thorn in the side of the LAPD. In the film’s best scene, we see its taciturn protagonist living up to his reputation. With the Driver behind the wheel of a 1974 Ford Galaxie, a cat-and-mouse game unfolds when a handful of police cars are hot on his tail. What I love about this sequence is the pared-down nature of it all: The Driver outwits the cops as much as he outraces them. (Though, ironically, that wasn’t entirely by design: As Hill later explained, an accident on the last night of shooting meant they had to cobble together what had already been filmed.) Frankly, you’d never know the difference from the finished article:
If the general vibes of The Driver seem familiar, that’s because it was a major inspiration for Nicolas Winding Refn’s Drive, which just so happened to feature an unnamed protagonist (Ryan Gosling) evading police through the streets of Los Angeles.

12. The Bourne Supremacy (2004)

The shaky-cam style of the Bourne franchise isn’t for everyone—just ask John Woo—but credit where it’s due: These movies know how to deliver a good chase scene. (A friendly reminder that The Bourne Legacy is an underrated gem with an awesome motorbike sequence to boot.) But there’s one Bourne chase that stands above the rest: the Moscow getaway in The Bourne Supremacy. After being wounded by the Russian assassin Kirill (Karl Urban), Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) hijacks a taxi, with both the police and Kirill in hot pursuit. This isn’t the kind of sequence that lingers on any one shot; instead, what makes it work is the frenetic nature of the editing, which allows the viewer to feel like they’re in Bourne’s fight-or-flight headspace:
If I’m being honest, I’m usually one of those people who doesn’t like the Bourne movies’ shaky-cam style, but when it’s executed with such craftsmanship, you can’t help but get caught up in its adrenaline-pumping power.

11. The Seven-Ups (1973)

Philip D’Antoni was the producer of two movies featuring Hall of Fame car chases, Bullitt and The French Connection, the latter of which won him an Oscar for Best Picture. And with his lone directorial feature, The Seven-Ups, D’Antoni sought to craft an iconic sequence of his own. The film stars Roy Scheider as NYPD detective Buddy Mannuci (elite Italian American name; I can practically smell the gabagool), who commands a unit handling major felony cases that lead to seven-plus-year prison sentences; that’s why they’re known as the Seven-Ups. Midway through the movie, when one of the team members is killed by two shooters who flee the scene, Buddy chases after them. The 10-minute sequence, which starts in the Upper West Side before moving out of the city, is thrillingly immersive, alternating between close-ups of the characters and wider shots of all the damage they’ve caused. But the chase’s defining moment comes right at the end, when Buddy narrowly avoids a grisly death:
The sequence isn’t quite at the level of Bullitt or The French Connection—very few are—but D’Antoni still manages to leave an unmistakable imprint on the car chase canon.

10. Death Proof (2007)

If you ask Quentin Tarantino, Death Proof, his knowingly trashy tribute to exploitation cinema, is the worst movie he’s ever made. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a lot to admire about the film, which honors the unsung heroes of Hollywood: stunt performers. The first half of Death Proof follows three female friends who cross paths with Stuntman Mike (Kurt Russell), a misogynistic serial killer who takes them out in his “death-proof” Chevy Nova. Fourteen months later, a group that includes stuntwoman Zoë Bell, playing herself, also lands on Mike’s radar. As Bell and her friends test out a ’70s Challenger, she performs a “ship’s mast” stunt, clinging onto the hood of the car with fastening belts. Unfortunately, when Mike pursues the women, it puts Bell in a precarious situation. Most of the entries on this list celebrate some next-level driving skills, but Death Proof’s inclusion is all about Bell pulling off one of the wildest stunts you’ll ever see. She’s quite literally hanging on for dear life:
If the Academy handed out Oscars to stunt performers—and let’s hope it does happen one day—Bell would’ve won in a landslide.

9. To Live and Die in L.A. (1985)

William Friedkin was already responsible for an all-time great car chase in The French Connection (more on that later), but the filmmaker made a commendable bid to outdo himself with To Live and Die in L.A. In this neo-noir thriller, Secret Service agent Richard Chance (William L. Petersen) is hell-bent on arresting an expert counterfeiter, Rick Masters (Willem Dafoe), who kills Chance’s partner days before his retirement. To capture Masters, Chance and his new partner, John Vukovich (John Pankow), attempt to steal $50,000 from a jewelry buyer for an undercover operation. The sting goes bad when the buyer, who is later revealed to be an undercover FBI agent, is killed and a group of gunmen goes after Chance and Vukovich. It’s a clever inversion of the usual car chase formula—this time, it’s the lawmen running away from the criminals. The outside-the-box thinking extends to the film’s most astonishing stretch, in which Chance evades the gunmen by driving into oncoming traffic:
The fact that Friedkin shot the chase at the end of filming—in case anything disastrous happened to the actors—underscores just how risky the endeavor was. The pulse-pounding results speak for themselves.

8. The Matrix Reloaded (2003)

The Matrix sequels have never been held in high esteem, but I’m ready to live my truth: The Matrix Reloaded fucking rules. (If anyone’s got a problem with this take, file your complaints with the Architect.) What’s more, the film happens to boast the finest action set piece of the franchise: the highway chase. After Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) and Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) free the Keymaker (Randall Duk Kim), a program capable of creating shortcuts within the Matrix, they’re pursued by the Twins (Neil and Adrian Rayment). Morpheus once warned that going on the freeway was “suicide,” and it doesn’t take long to see why: The chase draws the attention of several Agents, who repeatedly take over the bodies of other drivers on the road. The scene is the best of both worlds: There’s some incredible stuntwork on display, including when Moss weaves around on a Ducati, and CGI augments some feats of superhuman strength. But the most jaw-dropping aspect of the sequence is how it came together, as the production spent $2.5 million to construct its own highway (!) on California’s Alameda Island. If that weren’t unique enough, I’m pretty sure Reloaded is also the only movie in existence in which a katana takes out an SUV:
The Matrix remains the Wachowskis’ masterpiece, but don’t get it twisted: The filmmakers were still cooking with gas in the sequel.

7. Gone in 60 Seconds (1974)

Size isn’t everything, but for H. B. Halicki, who produced, wrote, directed, and starred in Gone in 60 Seconds, it’s certainly part of the package. The indie action flick follows Maindrian Pace (Halicki), a Los Angeles insurance investigator who has a lucrative side hustle jacking high-end cars. The plot kicks into motion when a South American drug lord enlists Pace to nab 48 cars within five days in exchange for $400,000. Of course, Gone in 60 Seconds is best known for what happens after Pace is caught stealing a 1973 Ford Mustang Mach 1, when he leads police on a chase that lasts a whopping 40 minutes. (More than 90 cars were destroyed in the process.) Halicki, for his part, did all the driving himself, including a spectacular jump off a makeshift ramp of crashed cars:
While Halicki wound up making a few more indies after Gone in 60 Seconds, he died in an accident on the set of its sequel. His legacy as a do-it-all daredevil, however, lives on.

6. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

Long before James Cameron immersed himself in the world of Pandora, he was a pioneer of state-of-the-art visual effects. Case in point: Terminator 2: Judgment Day is credited for having the first CGI character in a blockbuster, the T-1000 (Robert Patrick), a killing machine composed of a futuristic liquid metal. But Cameron also understood that the CGI of that era shouldn’t be the main attraction: It worked best as a complement to the practical effects, as seen in Judgment Day’s epic viaduct chase. When the T-1000 tracks down a young John Connor (Edward Furlong) in a shopping mall, he’s saved at the last minute by the Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger), giving John a chance to escape on his dirt bike. As the T-1000 gives chase, the David and Goliath vibes between man and machine are further epitomized by the T-1000’s commandeering of a truck. The sequence already has a terrifying sense of urgency, but it hits another level when the T-1000 crashes through the viaduct like the Kool-Aid Man:
Big Jim is still revolutionizing what can be achieved with visual effects in the Avatar franchise, and while I cherish those movies, nothing beats his old-school showmanship.

5. Duel (1971)

The feature-length debut of Steven Spielberg—perhaps you’ve heard of him—the TV movie Duel is essentially one extended chase sequence between salesman David Mann (Dennis Weaver) and a sinister trucker determined to drive him off the road. I’ve attached a clip from the ending of the film, but that doesn’t do Duel justice. What cements this movie’s greatness is how it sustains an unbearable level of tension across its 90-minute running time—with a budget under $500,000, no less. Spielberg’s masterstroke is never once showing us the other driver, anthropomorphizing the truck itself as a monster. (You can see a lot of similarities with how he would build suspense in Jaws.) When Mann finally gets the upper hand, tricking his adversary into driving off a cliff, it feels like you can breathe again:
Spielberg would move on to bigger and better things after Duel, but considering how much the director accomplished with so little, you can’t help but wonder what else he could conjure up with limited resources.

4. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

Like Duel, Fury Road is basically one long car chase—the difference is Miller got to work with a blockbuster budget, and made every cent of it count. It’s hard to pick a single standout sequence in Fury Road, but if I had to choose, I’d go with the first attack on the War Rig after Furiosa (Charlize Theron) flees with the wives of Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne). Here’s why: Think back to when you saw Fury Road for the first time, before you fully grasped the vehicular carnage that was in store. And then stuff like this kept happening:
To quote Steven Soderbergh’s thoughts on Fury Road: “I don’t understand how they’re not still shooting that film and I don’t understand how hundreds of people aren’t dead.” Whether or not Miller manages to one-up the action in Furiosa, the director is already in the pantheon.

3. The French Connection (1971)

We return to the Friedkin-verse for what may be his best film, The French Connection, the crime thriller based on Robin Moore’s 1969 nonfiction book of the same name. The story concerns two NYPD detectives, Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle (Gene Hackman) and Buddy “Cloudy” Russo (Roy Scheider), and their tireless pursuit of a French heroin smuggler. But while there’s plenty to admire about how The French Connection illustrates the thin line between police and criminals, its greatest claim to fame is its car chase. After Popeye narrowly survives a sniper attack, he goes after the shooter, who escapes on an elevated train. The ensuing sequence is true daredevil filmmaking that Friedkin shot without permits, leading to real crashes with New Yorkers that made the final cut. But Friedkin’s finest touch was mounting a camera to the front of the car, making the audience feel like they’re part of the action:
My Ringer colleague Justin Sayles believes The French Connection’s chase should’ve landed at no. 1, and I’m sure many folks will agree with him. Being the only film on this list to win Best Picture, however, is a solid consolation prize.

2. Bullitt (1968)

When it comes to modern car chases, all roads lead back to Bullitt. A Dad Cinema classic, the film stars Steve McQueen as Frank Bullitt, a San Francisco detective who pursues a group of mobsters after a key witness is killed in protective custody. In his search for answers, Bullitt realizes he’s being tailed by a couple of hitmen, and then turns the tables on them. From there, the chase is on. Aside from McQueen doing most of his own stunts behind the wheel of a Ford Mustang GT 390 Fastback, what’s so impressive about the sequence is how timeless it is. Even the little imperfections, like hubcaps repeatedly coming off the wheels, work to the film’s advantage, stressing just how much these drivers are living on a razor’s edge. It’s been more than 50 years since Bullitt revolutionized the car chase, and yet few movies since have felt like they’re pushing the envelope to such an exhilarating degree:
That the car driven by McQueen was recently sold at auction for $3.74 million, a then-record price for a Mustang, underlines Bullitt’s enduring legacy.

1. Ronin (1998)

“If I’m going to do a car chase,” filmmaker John Frankenheimer said in an interview with the American Society of Cinematographers, “I’m going to do a car chase that’s going to make somebody think about whether or not they want to do another one!” Boy, did he ever. In Frankenheimer’s late-career masterpiece, Ronin, the director actually incorporated several chases, but it’s the climactic sequence that stands alone as the greatest ever filmed. The movie concerns an international group of mercenaries who are hired to steal a mysterious briefcase; a series of double-crosses and double-bluffs ensue. But for the final chase, all you need to know is that Sam (Robert De Niro), a mercenary with ties to the CIA, is in pursuit of Deirdre (Natascha McElhone), an IRA operative in possession of the case. Winding through the streets and tunnels of Paris, what’s most striking is just how fluid it all feels. You’re completely engrossed in the chase’s forward momentum, captured from every conceivable angle; a symphony of controlled chaos. The driving styles even reflect the characters: Deirdre is reckless and impulsive, while Sam remains calm and controlled.
There are many worthy car chases in this ranking, but in my view, Ronin takes pole position. And while I can’t imagine a movie ever topping what Frankenheimer achieved, I’d love nothing more than to be proved wrong.

So…what happened at last night’s 5+ hour meeting? The top story is that the committee voted 6/0/1 (the Mayor abstained) to ask the city for $79.4 million to fund our schools in the 2024-25 fiscal year. This is $8.2 million more than what the district received this year, $5 million more than the number initially provided to the district from the city, and $2.7 more than the number that we received at the May 6 meeting (which included $2.3 million worth of cuts to close the gap between the city’s initial number and the full ask). You can see this laid out before and after public comment (2:21 and 5:09 marks, respectively).
What’s next? The superintendent will present this “ask” to the city council as part of their review of the Mayor’s proposed city budget. Eventually, the Mayor will present a final city budget to the council and once approved, the amount allotted to the schools will come back to the Superintendent as a number so she and her team can create the final budget proposal within that final number. School committee will then need to vote to approve that budget for the upcoming fiscal year (July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025).
What else? Recap below. As always, observations and opinions are solely my own. Agenda is here, recording is here. This update also includes some clarification about the difference between level funding and level services, as these are terms getting thrown around a lot.

1. Consent agenda - Two amendments (to add a link to one of the subcommittee meeting minutes and strike from the record the street addresses of students who presented at the budget hearing) but otherwise this approval was routine.
2. Report from the Ad Hoc Handbook Review subcommittee - The proposed policy (in the agenda) was approved in its first reading. (New policies get read twice over the course of two meetings to give relevant stakeholders a chance to comment on them, unless the committee decides to waive the second reading. We declined to do so last night, so this is now the time for district and school administration to provide feedback on the policy.
3. Report from Behavioral Health & Special Education subcommittee - The recommendation to co-locate the Curtis-Tufts school in/with the new high school was approved. The administration and building committee will need to flesh this out for inclusion in the materials to be presented to the MSBA.
4. CCSR recognition - summary of the program by advisor Richard Trotter (400 students, 70 projects this year), two student presentations (a high school student who talked about the program generally as well as his Mystic River clean up projects, and two elementary school students talking about their Letter Carriers Safety program), and appreciation for the support of the Cummings Foundation.
5. Humanities awards recognition - Young Playwrights Project, Student Government Day, Boston Globe Scholastic Writing Awards, Geography Bee, Day on the Hill, Shakespearean Monologue Competition, Immigration Learning Center Teen Perspectives Contest, Ethics Bowl, Mock Trial, Model United Nations - congratulations to all students and their advisors
6. High school update & climate survey results presented by principals Marta Cabral and Chad Fallon - This included data comparisons between last year and this year (all trends were positive), discussion of community norms and core values, an update on the exploratory program (CTE/arts rotation and placements), and some highlights from several CTE programs/projects (carpentry sheds, health assisting, awards, licensing, apprenticeships/placements, the biodiesel collaborative project, and the robotics team), three year strategic priorities, an update on last year’s Welch Report (various pieces in progress, other recommendations planned to go into effect next school year), and a proposal for an alternative program proposal to provide a small group learning environment to meet individual needs (pilot was approved by the committee for next school year).
7. Proposal for CTE program expansion and additions - Chad Fallon provided an overview of the enrollment/wait list numbers, shared the results of a (still-in-progress) student survey about potential new offerings (criminal justice/protective services, dental assisting, IT/networking, plumbing/HVAC, veterinary science, and the various “other” responses to an open-ended prompt), and laid out plans for expanding those programs with the highest wait list numbers (auto technology, cosmetology, electrical, and health assisting programs). The committee passed a motion directing the administration to further flesh out the proposals for inclusion in the building committee’s materials for MSBA.
8. Budget presentation (6:38 p.m., so 1.5 hours into the meeting) - Interim Finance Director Gerry McCue provided some additional context for the budget proposal received on May 6. There were questions and comments from the school committee and student representatives (including a petition), and Member Ruseau made a motion to send a cuts-free budget to city council and the Mayor. Public comment from students, alums, teachers, and parents ensued, focusing on the coordinator of performing arts position, marching band and color guard, the Missituk teaching staff, and a smattering of other items including library, technology, administrative assistants, and kindergarten numbers. Also of note, the Superintendent answered some questions about the performing arts coordinator position around 8:30 (3.5 hours in).
9. Budget vote - The committee voted to approve the motion offered before public comment began. As noted previously, this is NOT the approved budget but rather, the amount we (school committee and the district) are asking the city for. The city council will review the request in the context of the full city budget, ask questions, offer opinions, but eventually the Mayor’s office will present a final budget for city council approval and, once approved, whatever the school number is will come back to the district, who will then prepare a final budget for school committee to vote on.
10. Motion to table the update from the MSBA building committee’s meeting last week - passed and, following condolences, the meeting was adjourned. Next regular meeting is June 3.

BONUS CONTENT! What is the difference between a level funding budget and a level services budget? Level funding provides schools with the same dollar amount as they received in the year before. Because things tend to cost more year to year (due to inflation, contractual raises, etc.) having the same amount of money usually means reducing services. Level services, on the other hand, keeps the services the same but due to aforementioned cost increases, requires a higher dollar amount than the previous year. What did the district/school committee ask for this year? We voted to ask not just for level services, but level services plus additional funding to meet additional district needs (the items presented at the May 6 meeting, nothing new since then).
Superintendent should be at tonight's city council meeting to make this ask and answer questions.

I use Vroid characters in Unreal Engine and it works great for the most part. I have a huge problem with recording the face performance of a Vroid character though.
I managed to connect a Vroid to LiveLink but the face animation works only in game mode, or simulate mode and not in editor. I also can't record the face animation to the take recorder to later animate the body separately from the lips/eyes etc.
Do anyone here have a solution for that? I understand that it's kind of a niche question as Vroid characters are probably not mainstream.
I'm trying to make my own short anime story but it's hard when I can't record the lips/face animations to be opened in Level Sequence later on.
I will be grateful for any help I can get.

Just finished up Cyno quest. Lore is interesting but there seems to be so little gameplay in the quest. Like all I’m doing is going from cutscene to cutscene. The only real gameplay was the little battle sequence with dendro traveler and Tignahri which was pretty novel but so short lived. We don’t even get to play as Cyno and instead just watch a cutscene for his fight. I even split this quests up over several days to just get my daily coms and even that felt like a slog.
Like I just want some gameplay elements in the quest. Some puzzles, exploration, battles like enough to make getting those cutscenes worth it. This one just felt very lazy compared to other character story quests we’ve seen.

Hi all,
I use Vroid in Unreal Engine and it works great for the most part. I have a huge problem with recording the face performance of a Vroid character though.
I managed to connect a Vroid to LiveLink but the face animation works only in game mode, or simulate mode and not in editor. I also can't record the face animation to the take recorder to later animate the body separately from the lips/eyes etc.
Do anyone here have a solution for that?
I'm trying to make my own short anime story but it's hard when I can't record the lips/face animations to be opened in Level Sequence later on.
I will be grateful for any help I can get.

“Alone in the Dark,” the recent reboot of the iconic survival horror series, has unfortunately become a prime example of how game-breaking bugs can utterly ruin an otherwise promising game. Despite its potential to revive the franchise with modern graphics and mechanics, the experience is marred by a plethora of technical issues that make it nearly unplayable.
First and foremost, the game is plagued with frequent crashes that disrupt the gameplay. Whether you’re in the middle of an intense chase sequence or solving a critical puzzle, the game’s tendency to abruptly crash can be incredibly frustrating. This isn’t an occasional hiccup; it’s a persistent problem that many players have encountered, effectively halting their progress and diminishing their enjoyment.
In addition to crashes, “Alone in the Dark” suffers from severe glitches that can trap the player in unresolvable situations. Characters may become stuck in the environment, unable to move or interact with necessary objects. At times, essential items disappear or fail to spawn, making it impossible to advance the story. These bugs force players to restart from previous save points, often losing significant progress in the process.
Performance issues further compound the game’s troubles. Frame rate drops are frequent, particularly during action-heavy scenes or in areas with complex lighting effects. These slowdowns not only break immersion but can also make combat and exploration feel sluggish and unresponsive.
Moreover, the game’s AI is notoriously unreliable. Enemies frequently exhibit erratic behavior, either becoming inexplicably passive or getting stuck in loops, making encounters feel less threatening and more laughable. This inconsistency detracts from the horror elements, as the sense of danger is undermined by the predictable and often buggy enemy patterns.
The developers have yet to release patches addressing these widespread issues, leaving many players frustrated and disappointed. The game’s narrative and atmosphere show glimpses of the eerie charm that made the original series a classic, but these moments are overshadowed by the overwhelming technical flaws.
In its current state, “Alone in the Dark” is a cautionary tale about the importance of thorough testing and post-launch support. Until the developers address these game-breaking bugs, it’s hard to recommend this title, even to the most die-hard fans of the series. What could have been a successful revival is instead a stark reminder that technical stability is crucial for any game’s success.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7
Meme 37: Kitty got busy making memes.
Meme 38: That's what he does now. He could be an investor, the clip says (\"Or go back to his old finance job\"). But, instead, he has become a memelord. Memes last forever, investment thesis do not.
Meme 39: DVF probably got a lot of grief from those close to him. He said what he said, and if you don't support him than hey, ill distract you with something else. he is doing it anyway.
Meme 40: In this next \"Signs\" sequence, we are Mel Gibson and Jaoqin Pheonix. We are looking for signs, from GameStop, from DFV.Looking for any news and information. About this time a photo of Kitty at a fun run was posted.
Meme 41: Mel Gibsons (our) Head is turned to field, where a sign from gamestop is seen. Share offering perhaps? Some other filing?
Meme 42: Listening to the \"aliens\" (GameStop and Kitty) are communicating, as mentioned before. Nothing serious, not insider trading, just \"hey kitty, troll post on this day\"
Meme 43: Our characters are discussing the signs, are we crazy, or do they mean something?
Meme 44: We are still looking for the signs..
Meme 45: The song is \"your never going to survive, unless you are a little crazy\". This is about us, forging our new identity as Apes. Doing DD. Hodling.
Meme 46: A dance montage. Kitty is ready, and he is excited!!!
Meme 47: Intro is R K Gill carry a suitcase, which blows open. His memes are ready to be unleashed. \"Bear beware, you're in for a scare\". finished with the title card, based on the Memes by Kitty.. Pretty self explanatory
Meme 48: Car pulls up \"I'm Britney B!tch\". Kitty Is Britney. Singing that he still believes, and he is giving you a sign.
Side note Meme 48: DFV meme spree in June
Side note Meme 48: And GameStop ran in June (as I think its about to again... With the recent swaps evidence)
Meme 49: His memes have a purpose... HE IS THE DISTRACTION.
Meme 50: Kitty is ready to fight, to do his job!
Meme 51: Starts with Jigsaw, do you want to play a game, and transitions to this. KITTY IS THE DISTRACTION. This was the Kansas city shuffle. Shares sold. 1 billy cash on hand. The price pumped because of Swaps rolling, DFV was the distraction, and RC cashed in. Now GameStop is safe, Has cash on hand, Manipulation is confirmed... HEDGIES GOT PLAYED
Meme 52: And Kitty disappeared. His job was done. Nothing remained but his memes..
Meme 53: This scene, the person lights a match that follows a gasoline trail from the car. The car tries to escape, but its gasoline trail follows it and it explodes.. The song playing \"karma police\"... The Kansas City Shuffle was complete and hedgies had led to their own demise by securing GameStops future. Karma.
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7