This weekend we're watching "Turning Red," which some people are saying is Pixar's best movie in years. We're also reading about movie scores and how they're not often made the way we think, and we're going back to our gaming basics with Eleven Table Tennis, a great game for new Meta Quest 2 owners.
‘Turning Red’ is Pixar’s latest
Disney is releasing its latest Pixar movie, “Turning Red,” exclusively on Disney+ this weekend, and I can’t wait to immerse myself in the story of Mei Lee, a 13-year-old girl who happens to turn into a giant red panda whenever she gets too worked up.
‘Lucas builds the future’ brings out your inner mad scientist
I’ve long been a fan of Lucas Rizzotto, a kind of high-tech mad scientist who uses AI, AR, VR and everything in between for far-out projects at that accident-prone intersection of art and technology. For his latest video, titled “I gave my microwave a soul with AI and it tried to kill me,” Rizzotto outdid himself, giving his Alexa-powered microwave a brain transplant and then training it with an elaborate backstory that happens to be very personal. It’s extremely entertaining, and well worth watching the entire 35 minutes, if only to make sure that Rizzotto keeps on making more of these.
‘Sounds of Survival’ is by — and aids — Ukrainian musicians
There have been a lot of fundraisers for the victims of the war in Ukraine, including a number headed by musicians and other artists. Notably absent from these have been Ukrainian artists themselves, which is why it is so refreshing to see this compilation of electronic music curated by Kyiv-based electronic music producer Serge Dubrovsky, aka Dubmasta. Money raised through sales of the album goes directly to the artists involved and their families, and buyers are also encouraged to donate to NGOs providing help on the ground.
There’s nothing pretty about how movie scores are made
Streaming is disrupting the business of film music and shining light on some of the industry’s best-kept secrets: Composers don’t always write the music they’re lauded for. This Vanity Fair piece on the intricacies of the film-score industry is a fascinating read.
Eleven Table Tennis is a great game for Meta Quest 2 beginners
“So what should I try?” A few days ago, a friend of mine finally got himself a Quest 2. After playing through a few demos and falling in love with Beat Saber, he asked for additional game and app suggestions. Going down my mental list and mentioning some obvious candidates (everyone has to try Tilt Brush at least once), I realized that Eleven is a great game for VR beginners looking for a social experience that doesn’t require too much of a time commitment. You can easily jump into a game with a stranger or invite friends, and the gameplay feels remarkably realistic.
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