News

Is Netflix’s ‘Making of a Murderer’ the next big documentary event?

/ peterbohjalian / Leave a comment

Source: Indiewire

Documentaries are enjoying more popularity than seemingly ever before these days, and a new one from Netflix looks to be the next ‘big event’ in the genre.

Perhaps because they are more accessible than ever before with the likes of Netflix, on-demand services, and other streaming sites, documentaries are having a veritable renaissance at the moment. Films like ‘Blackfish’ and ‘Food Inc.’ have stirred massive discussion around their topics, and even real-world effects, but it is another sub-genre of the documentary altogether that seems to be the most popular these days. And that is the crime documentary.

Popularized by documentaries like ‘Serial’ (which was actually a podcast) and the Robert Durst-profiling ‘The Jinx’, completely true crime series have exploded in popularity. Perhaps feeding an audience that grew up on CSI and Law & Order: SVU, both have posted ratings previously untouched by the non-fiction investigative genre. And an upcoming entry from Netflix is looking to be the next in line for this type of success, while similarly to its genre-predecessors; is looking perhaps to even change the situation it documents.

Titled ‘Making a Murderer’, the series is a 10-episode look at the life and crimes of Steven Avery, a Wisconsin man cleared after nearly two decades of imprisonment from one charge, only to be promptly accused of another heinous one. Compiling nearly 10 years of filmmaking into those 10 episodes, the series has been previewed only by a handful of critics, and the feedback is largely positive. The first episode acts a succinct prologue, while the other nine delve deeply into a look at a pair of gruesome crimes, and the small, rural community they consume. Dubbed by some critics as a type of real-life Fargo, it is noted that the characters themselves are perhaps the most compelling element of the series, as their neighborly-midwestern demeanors perhaps underlie far more sinister motives. Ultimately, the series comes down to the question of is Avery a cold-blooded psychopath, a victim of a convoluted and unfair justice system, or both?

Making a Murderer debuts Dec 18 on Netflix.

‘Making a Murderer’ debuts December 18th on Netflix (all 10 episodes, simultaneously); a date which is notably, if only for reasons of somewhat ironic juxtaposition, the same day that ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ debuts in theaters.

Disrupting the business of…breakups?

/ peterbohjalian / Leave a comment

Via: Forbes

Some of the fastest growing tech companies these days, the ones that have become darlings of Wall Street, are known as ‘disruptors’. What exactly does that mean, though?

It’s pretty straightforward, actually. When a company is commonly referred to as a disruptor, they are, quite literally, disrupting the industry in which they reside. For instance, Air BnB is a disruptor within the hospitality industry, flipping the traditional hotel business model on its head (although there is now speculation that that company will affect online travel booking sites like Travelocity more than it will hotels). Another disruptor example, and perhaps the best known? Uber. While that company has been criticized recently by some well-known investors as little more than an overvalued app, it is inarguable that Uber has had a huge effect on, has ‘disrupted’, if you will, the taxi cab industry. The sheer amount of resistance those companies receive from lobbyists and governments at both the local and more national levels is evidence enough of their disruptor status.

However, a new company, the aptly named ‘The Breakup Shop’, is looking to disrupt an entirely new, previously untapped industry; the break up.

A new ad from The Break Up Shop (Via Newser)

While the idea might seem silly, or even somewhat mean-spirited at first glance, there might be some substance there, some are now saying. Certainly, break ups are a wide reaching problem. And further more, there must be a portion of the population who finds the whole situation so uncomfortable, so unpleasant; that they might forsake good manners, societal norms, and invoke the chagrin of their friends and family to employ this company that will end their whole relationship situation for them.

In fact, the site’s potential appeal goes even further than that. In a recent round of marketing, they raised the question of what’s worse than being dumped via a brief call, or even worse, a text? Well, The Break Up shop offers multiple levels of courtesy when they do the breaking up for you. A slight price increase over their base break up model includes a nice card, and even pricier versions include coping mechanisms like a copy of the Notebook or Call of Duty.

And while we’re not the first site to reach this conclusion, it is a logical one; The Breakup Shop is hardly the first enterprise seeking to profit off of heartbreak. And you need look no further than Taylor Swift’s career for an example of that. Perhaps the business of heartbreak is an industry ready for some disruption, after all.

Tesla debuts new SUV model: Delorean doors included

/ peterbohjalian / Leave a comment

Via: The Verge

Well, it has finally arrived. Originally slated to start production all the way back in 2013, Tesla just yesterday unveiled their long awaited Model X crossover SUV model; and it is every bit as cool as the public, and Wall Street analysts alike had hoped it to be.

Tesla’s new Model X. (Via Wired.com)

The model itself is a sleek, svelte crossover; similar in its aerodynamic look to the flagship Tesla Model S. However, there are a number of notable differences. It has three rows of seating, which while seeming like a somewhat analogue selling point on this futuristic crossover, is very important for drivers with families. Also, the model uses a version of the dual-motor design that is included on the Model S, making it one of the fastest crossover models in production today, with a 0-60 time of only 3.2 seconds; the same as a Porsche 911 Turbo. In terms of range, it will boast about 250 miles per charge, slightly less than the Model S, but still very manageable from a logistical standpoint.

And did we mention the doors? This is not only the first three-row, all-electric family carrier, but its also the only one boasting Delorean doors. This means the doors open upright, instead of the usual push-out design. Pretty cool touch, if we do say so ourselves. Alas, its not all fun and games with the new Model X however, as the upcoming, initial edition of the crossover will be priced at $130,000.

Jordan Spieth earns his age in millions this year: $22 for 22

/ peterbohjalian / Leave a comment

Via: CNN

’22 sittin’ on $22 mil’ is a popular Drake lyric. And now young, yet certainly not ‘up and coming’, but seriously established 22 year old golfer Jordan Spieth has now imitated that art with his life, earning no less than $22 million in winnings on the PGA tour this year.

Jordan Spieth. (Via Golf State of Mind)

Now once again firmly entrenched as the top-ranked golfer in the world, Spieth hit that record breaking winnings number of $22 million with a whopping $10 million dollar pay day earned yesterday, when he clinched a victory at the Tour’s FedEx Cup Finale. The four tournament series, the closest analogue professional golf has to a playoff, concluded yesterday at a course in Atlanta; with Spieth turning in a scorecard four strokes better than his closest competitor, Australian Jason Day.

But of course, once the scores were in the books, attention turned to Spieth’s now record-breaking earnings for 2015. He broke the previous earnings record, Tiger Woods’ $21.9 million in 2007, and astonishingly, earned $3,523 PER SHOT this season.

Spieth is also incredibly hard to root against. When asked what he planned to do with the money, he answered “For me it’s important to give it back to not only the people who need it, but also to our team who made it possible.”

NASA announces that liquid water flows on Mars

/ peterbohjalian / Leave a comment

Via: The Verge

They alluded to the fact that they had some big news over the weekend, and now NASA has formally announced the results of a massive, on-going study that had been operating outside of the public eye on Mars for a number of years now. There is indeed flowing water on Mars, a fact that goes against virtually everything we thought we knew about the Red Planet. But what exactly does this mean for us, and for the search for intelligent life?

Liquid water on the surface of Mars. (via NASA)

This new information comes courtesy of of NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, which studies the planet while orbiting it within its gravitational pull. NASA had been attempting to analyze strange, dark streaks which appears on the planet during its warmer months. After years of study, it has been confirmed that those dark streaks are indeed flowing water. Briny, or salty water, at that, but flowing water nonetheless. As for the source of the water? NASA is not entirely sure yet, but scientists at the organization have called this finding unambiguous proof of water.

Does this mean that Mars could have, at one time, supported large life forms? NASA is of course mum on any speculation on that subject, and realistically, these findings create more questions than answers at the moment when pondering the larger ramifications, if any.

Instagram surpasses 400 million active users, surging past Twitter

/ peterbohjalian / Leave a comment

Via: Business Insider

Long positioned as one of two social media platforms vying for the number one spot after, of course, the tech juggernaut that is Facebook; it may be time to give that #2 title completely to Instagram.

In a recent blog post on their website, the company formally announced that they had surpassed the 400 million active user mark, only a few months after they announced that they had hit the 300 million mark last December. This type of growth is not only the exact type that Twitter interim CEO Jack Dorsey, and CFO Anthony Noto were very open about not having on their site at the time of their last earnings call, but also places the usership itself of Instagram ahead of Twitter, which has been hovering around 300 million active users for the past year or so.

(Via heidicohen.com)

Beyond creating an interesting contrast to the growth of Twitter, this news is interesting for a number of other reasons. It is surely good news for Facebook, who actually purchased Instagram for $1 billion back in 2012, and has been looking to monetize the app in a number of ways in recent months. These include sponsored ads, and soon a targeted ad program will be rolled out. Advertising revenue generated by Instagram this year will be around $600 million, and is projected to as much as double in 2016 as well. Also, the app has gone truly global, as Instagram reports that most of the most recent 100 million adopters of the app live in Europe, Asia, or South America.

Instagram is the only other Facebook-owned property that generates advertising revenue at this time, and is rated very positively by clients thus far.

Porsche unveils Tesla-rivaling all-electric E Concept car at Frankfurt Auto Show

/ peterbohjalian / Leave a comment

Via: Architectural Digest

Exciting news to report here today out of the Frankfurt Auto Show, as it appears that Tesla will soon have another competitor in their now somewhat-lonely luxury electric car market.

Indeed, making the debut at the biggest auto show in their home country of Germany, legendary automaker Porsche has announced an all-electric new concept model, the very first in the automaker’s illustrious 84 year history.

The new all-electric concept model from Porsche. (via Tampabay.com)

Indeed, Tesla has exploded in popularity in recent years, with some Wall Street analysts as much as doubling their forecasts for the automaker over the next 3-5 years. However, there is a lot to be impressed with on this new Porsche concept as well. The model, pictured above, featured a beautifully modern, windswept design; evocative of their classic Porsche 911 design, but also distinctly more modern. In terms of the technical specs, there is a lot to impressed with as well. The model will be able to travel up to 310 miles between charges, and its two motors equally distribute no less than 600 horsepower to the four wheels. This massive amount of power will give the new car a 0-60 time of only 3.5 seconds as well, besting most of even the most powerful traditional muscle cars.

But what about in terms of competing with Tesla? In terms of a side-by-side comparison, the Porsche is a bit more powerful, but the Tesla has a substantially longer range, with drivers reporting over 450 miles traveled between charges before. Time will certainly tell which luxury-electric model strikes the long term chord with consumers, but for now, Tesla still maintains a pretty lengthy lead on establishing itself as the leader in that market.

How low can it go? Goldman Sachs says $20 barrels may be possible

/ peterbohjalian / Leave a comment

Via: Source

There has been a LOT of movement in financial markets this summer. China, Greece, and geo-political instability across the world have all combined to send indexes swinging up and down intensely. And now, coming on the heels of a new report out of Goldman Sachs, another indicator of fundamental shifts in the market; this time in the commodities market, has come to the surface.

Earlier this week, Goldman Sachs has issued a statement basically saying that the global surplus of oil is even larger than they had previously predicted, and that the surplus could last into 2017, sending prices for crude oil as low as $20 dollars per barrel.

On first glance, this would appear to be a very good. This would send the price of a gallon of gas at the pump below $2 for the first time in years, and some analysts have speculated, sustained prices that incredibly low may actually spur an increase in American manufacturing; a sector of the economy which has famously (infamously?) been in decline for decades now.

However, when given a longer, more thoughtful glance, prices that low create a diminishing returns scenario. Prices this low would signal systemic weakness in the commodities market. One of the reasons we are seeing this weakness is because prices this low could create a systemic shift in the commodities field, permanently putting American shale oil businesses under. 1 and 2 year views on oil are all lower, with virtually no analysts predicting a return above around $60 per barrel. If oil stays at 30-40 dollars per barrel, economists like Erwat Prasad predict that could be the ideal set of supply and demand circumstances, keeping US production viable, but prices also low. The real problems of diminishing returns may begin if the value dips lower than that for a sustained period of time. This price level would put massive pressure on a number of governments all around the world which depend on their oil exports, like Saudi Arabia or Argentina. This would spur on central bank action, the ramifications of which are not yet known.

The commodities market is certainly one to keep an eye on in coming months.

Horror auteur Wes Craven dead at 76

/ peterbohjalian / Leave a comment

Horror represents perhaps the most intriguing, and likely, visceral genre of film we have today. Why do people subject themselves to massive surprises, disgusting gore, and disturbing imagery, all in the name of having fun? It is a question that psychologists have been kicking around for some time now, but whatever the answer may be, horror movies remain some of the most beloved today, mirroring the way it has been since the first version of Dracula was committed to film well over 100 years ago.

And yesterday, we lost one of the masters of that genre, Wes Craven. Known as one of the originators of the ‘slasher’ sub-genre of horror, the man has a huge number of directorial credits on his resume; the most notable of which include the ‘Nightmare on Elm Street’ series, and the ‘Scream’ series. Truly a master of his craft, the Scream films, which he made later in his career in the 90’s, are remembered for being incredibly meta, willfully, and in a way that was made incredibly clear to the audience through dialogue, tearing through horror tropes that the man had undoubtedly grown a bit tired of. Truly a sign of how adept a filmmaker he was, the man successfully inverted many themes that he himself had invented in earlier films, and made them horrifying in entirely new ways in his later work, like Scream. He was 76, and died after a lengthy battle with brain cancer.

The clip below does a great job of showing how clever and meta Craven’s writing and directing were, even inserting some lines for Drew Berrymore about how bad some of the Elm Street sequels were. RIP.

Kanye announces presidential run at MTV Video Movie Awards

/ peterbohjalian / 1 Comment

Truly one of the most notable, progressive, and of course, controversial artists of our time, Kanye West was honored with a Video Vanguard award at the MTV VMA’s last night, the highest honor that the organization bestows upon any artist.

The award was notable for a number of reasons. First, a montage of Kanye’s many, many visuals was played, drawing attention to just how stylish and provocative the rapper’s music videos have been. Then, none other than Taylor Swift herself presented Kanye with his award, of course referencing the infamous ‘Imma let you finish…’ tirade from the VMA’s a number of years ago, when he famously interrupted her acceptance speech at the very same event. Then, Kanye himself took the mic for an 8-minute-long, somewhat-rambling, yet passionate, and ultimately pretty awesome acceptance speech. In it, he started off with an apology to Taylor Swift, providing really the first public commentary on that event from the man since it happened.

Then, things got really crazy. Kanye transitioned to a more thoughtful, more abstract speech; focusing on everything from the power of ideas, to how we need to teach children to love themselves, instead of compete with, or fear each other. He really touched on some nice points. But then, in the ultimate Kanye-being-Kanye moment, he did nothing less than declare a 2020 presidential run, immediately, and literally dropping the mic directly afterward. Kanye/Swift 2020? Time will tell. Either way it was a hell of a speech.

(Via Elite Daily)