![]() ![]() ![]() Whether you choose to give in to the theories of the white elephant story, this spirited game is meant to be a fun way to give and receive useless and hilarious gag gifts surrounded by family, friends, and, apparently, those whom you are dissatisfied with. History of the Siamese monarchs would point to this story as being totally fake-mostly because owning an albino elephant at this time was an extremely incredible honor, so why would they give them away as cruel and unusual punishment to those they didn’t like?Īnd as for Barnum, maybe his ventures with Toung-Talong were a total flop-but, did the disappointment brought upon spectators by this pinkish elephant create the backbone of a tacky gift exchange? Now the validity of these legend stories-like any-are up for debate and could very well just be fictional tales told over time. Seems like we’ve heard this story before. The much-anticipated reveal of the white elephant was a total let-down, making it a now-burdensome possession that cost Barnum a pretty penny. Unfortunately, his American audience was also unimpressed with this hopeful-star. To no surprise, and sparing no expense, Barnum gave one last-ditch effort to ship Toung-Talong to the United States to join his circus. Expecting to see a milky-white, pure albino elephant, they were disappointed with its slightly-lighter greyish pink color, only a few hues lighter than a traditional African elephant. When Toung-Talong was finally revealed to the public, spectators were less than impressed. “Toung-Talong,” his infamous white elephant, traveled from Burma to England for its big debut at the Royal Zoological Gardens in London. Of course, the odd nature of an albino elephant was an act right up Barnum’s alley. Theory number two for the name of this game involves the circus impresario, Phineas T. Sound like any gift you’ve ever returned home with? Toung-Taloung And P.T. These parameters made the jumbo-sized gift both valuable and yet, completely useless. The upkeep for one of these pinkish-colored giants was said to cause true financial ruin. And as an added rule of thumb, they were unable to put the sacred animals to work. This gift was both a gigantic burden-because hello, it’s a literal elephant-and also extremely expensive. So, why was presenting them as a gift treated as a punishment? Well, according to the story, those who received this special gift were inevitably unable to refuse it. In Thai and Buddhist cultures, these rare white elephants are said to have a sacred quality. You would think that such a grand gift would act as a gesture of appreciation, but its intent was actually quite the opposite. As a token of his dissatisfaction,-yes, if you were on the “naughty list,” you still got a gift-the ruler presented his subjects with a rare albino elephant. The legend of this gift-giving phenomenon can be traced back to an ancient practice from the kingdom of Siam-now, Thailand. But before you head out to buy your $20 gag gift for this surprisingly intense game of swaps and steals, there are a few things you should know. A popular Christmas tradition amongst families, friends, and workplaces has become the White Elephant gift exchange-AKA Dirty Santa, Yankee Swap, or whatever else your festive bunch may call it. ![]()
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![]() ![]() Only advice is put enough tack welds on it and move around a lot while welding it together. I have a lot of experience in welding and fabrication.Īnyone with some experience in welding and fab should have no problem doing this. I hand built a previous bumper, this kit reduced the time and work and resulted in an awesome finished product I’m proud to have on my truck.Įasy enough to weld up. This was a fun build plus it turned out looking great on my truck! Would definitely buy from again!Įxcellent Kit!I highly recommend this kit. Love the bumper instructions were Love the bumper instructions were fair but all around a great value for a quality bumperĬlean and easy to fabricate. ![]() I had to trim the drivers side mounting bracket to clear the transmission cooler lines. Great quality Good quality steel and clean cuts. Here are what some of the customers are saying, Hopefully our Move bumper reviews has provided you with enough information on making a purchase. You can have peace of mind knowing that you are going to get an outstanding product that exceeds your expectations. If you are looking for the best off road bumper you can build one here. Other than the fab work this kit is amazing! Conclusion If you already have some preexisting modifications your fabricator may need to make some minor adjustments to get your kit to fit just right. To install this kit you’re going to need to find someone who knows how to weld. Not sure on the options you want? has an easy to use tool that gives you the ability to add options to your heart’s content. Customize a kit and make is one-of-a-kind. Have an idea of what you are looking for? Build your kit however you please. ![]() If you are on the lower end of the budget you can get a simple kit starting out at $495.That’s a steal seeing as you are getting an amazing product. Priceīased on the options you can customize your kit to fit within your budget. You can tell that the manufacturers put tons of planning and time into making sure they are selling a quality product. It has clean cuts and a superior construction. The quality of this kit is top of the line. Quality is a huge part of our move bumper reviews. Choose between the center of the bumper to the bottom right. Logo optionĭepending on the styling you’re looking for you can set where the Move Bumpers logo is placed. In addition ¼ inch frame mounts are added. With this option you get a ¼ inch upgraded center. Want to add more strength to your bumper? Add the optional offroad upgrade. Alternatively you can skip the lights altogether. Want some extra lights to help you see through the night? Consider adding some wing lights to your custom move bumpers kit. If you are going for more of a sinister look you can skip the cutout. Choose between a 20 inch and a 30 inch lightbar cutout. With the Move bumpers off road bumper kit you have the option to add lightbar. ![]() With these hooks you can have peace of mind knowing you can get the job done Some clevis hooks have a break strength of 42, 500lbs. In addition you can add a winch and pull yourself or someone else out of a sticky situation. These clevis hooks provide great strength for any job. This helps to prevent strain on the vehicle all while keeping your truck safe from foreign debris. The thickness of this steel provides superior protection from damage all while being somewhat lightweight. For classic front bumper it is comes with multiple features 3/16 inch plate steel Depending on the model you choose the specifications can change. ![]() ![]() The Canon EOS 90D, another new(ish) model, also can easily fit into the “all-rounder” bracket for those looking for something capable of doing a bit of everything. For example, Nikon’s latest full-frame DSLR, the Nikon D780 could easily be compared to the Nikon Z6 mirrorless model (more on that below). That said, there have been some interesting new releases, often utilizing some of those newer technologies. Most manufacturers – even those that were a little hesitant at first to join the mirrorless revolution – have been concentrating on newer technologies. ![]() What’s not to like? An alternative is the Canon EOS 90D, the best APS-C option out there with a great battery and superb handling. It’s a full-frame work-horse that also shoots 4K video. Our pick for the best DSLR is the Nikon D850. Why you can trust T3 Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. So, take a look below to compare the specs before you buy. Mirrorless cameras have also taken off in recent years, so if you're curious about this new technology, you can read more on mirrorless cameras here. Whether you're just starting out and want to practice your skills, or you're ready to invest in a long-term camera that will serve you well, it's safe to say Nikon and Canon are your go-to brands for the best DSLRs, but there are a few other good brands out there too! ![]() ![]() We've listed the very best-of-the-best DSLRs for all needs and budgets. However, for those of you wanting to upgrade or who are new to photography and want to invest in something decent, we've got the round-up for you. Today, there are so many makes and models offering high-quality features and most of the best DSLRs have been around for some time now. The best DSLR cameras can be hard to pick from. By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. ![]() ![]() ![]() Samsung reserves the right to modify or discontinue this offer at any time. Limit 1 trade-in per Qualifying Purchase. Participation in this program does not excuse you from contracts with your carrier or retailer (or any related payments or fees) for the device that was traded in. Anticipated trade-in value will be applied as a credit at time of purchase, but, if you do not send in your trade-in device within 15 days of receipt of your Qualifying Purchase, you will be charged back for the trade-in credit applied to your purchase, or if you send in your trade-in device within 15 days of receipt of your Qualifying Purchase but Samsung determines your device does not meet all eligibility requirements, you will be charged back for the trade-in credit applied to your purchase minus $25. To be eligible for trade-in, your qualifying device must meet all Trade-In Program eligibility requirements, which include, but are not limited to, that the device powers on, holds a charge, and does not power off unexpectedly has a functioning display has no breaks or cracks in the screen (unless a cracked screen offer applies) has no breaks or cracks in the case has no liquid damage (whether visible or not) has no other defects that go beyond normal wear and tear is not on a black list has a verified FCC ID has been reset to factory settings has all personal information removed has all software locks disabled and is owned by you (leased devices are not eligible). ![]() Device models that currently qualify for trade-in and trade-in credit amounts associated with those models are available on and the Shop Samsung App eligible models and amounts may change at Samsung’s sole discretion. Θ For a limited time only, on or Shop Samsung App, pre-order or purchase a new qualifying Galaxy device (“Qualifying Purchase”), send in your qualifying trade-in device to Samsung through the Samsung Trade-In Program, and if Samsung determines your trade-in device meets all eligibility requirements, you will receive a trade-in credit specific to your qualifying trade-in device to apply toward your Qualifying Purchase. ![]() ![]() ![]() We can sort the elements into large classes with common properties: metals (elements that are shiny, malleable, good conductors of heat and electricity-shaded yellow) nonmetals (elements that appear dull, poor conductors of heat and electricity-shaded green) and metalloids (elements that conduct heat and electricity moderately well, and possess some properties of metals and some properties of nonmetals-shaded purple). Other elements are not shiny, malleable, or ductile, and are poor conductors of heat and electricity. For example, many elements appear shiny, are malleable (able to be deformed without breaking) and ductile (can be drawn into wires), and conduct heat and electricity well. Many elements differ dramatically in their chemical and physical properties, but some elements are similar in their behaviors. Elements in the periodic table are organized according to their properties. For the table to fit on a single page, parts of two of the rows, a total of 14 columns, are usually written below the main body of the table.įigure 2. However, IUPAC recommends that the numbers 1 through 18 be used, and these labels are more common. In the United States, the labels traditionally were Roman numerals with capital letters. Groups are labeled at the top of each column. The elements are arranged in seven horizontal rows, called periods or series, and 18 vertical columns, called groups. Each box represents an element and contains its atomic number, symbol, average atomic mass, and (sometimes) name. A modern periodic table arranges the elements in increasing order of their atomic numbers and groups atoms with similar properties in the same vertical column (Figure 2). The modern statement of this relationship, the periodic law, is as follows: the properties of the elements are periodic functions of their atomic numbers. You can view the transcript for “The Periodic Table: Crash Course Chemistry #4” here (opens in new window).īy the twentieth century, it became apparent that the periodic relationship involved atomic numbers rather than atomic masses. ![]() (credit a: modification of work by Serge Lachinov credit b: modification of work by “Den fjättrade ankan”/Wikimedia Commons) (a) Dimitri Mendeleev is widely credited with creating (b) the first periodic table of the elements. Although Mendeleev and Meyer had a long dispute over priority, Mendeleev’s contributions to the development of the periodic table are now more widely recognized (Figure 1).įigure 1. The discoveries of gallium (1875) and germanium (1886) provided great support for Mendeleev’s work. But Mendeleev went one step further than Meyer: He used his table to predict the existence of elements that would have the properties similar to aluminum and silicon, but were yet unknown. Both published tables with the elements arranged according to increasing atomic mass. Fluorine (F), chlorine (Cl), bromine (Br), and iodine (I) also exhibit similar properties to each other, but these properties are drastically different from those of any of the elements above.ĭimitri Mendeleev in Russia (1869) and Lothar Meyer in Germany (1870) independently recognized that there was a periodic relationship among the properties of the elements known at that time. For example: Li, Na, and K are much more reactive than are Ca, Sr, and Ba Li, Na, and K form compounds with oxygen in a ratio of two of their atoms to one oxygen atom, whereas Ca, Sr, and Ba form compounds with one of their atoms to one oxygen atom. However, the specific properties of these two groupings are notably different from each other. A second grouping includes calcium (Ca), strontium (Sr), and barium (Ba), which also are shiny, good conductors of heat and electricity, and have chemical properties in common. One such grouping includes lithium (Li), sodium (Na), and potassium (K): These elements all are shiny, conduct heat and electricity well, and have similar chemical properties. Identify metals, nonmetals, and metalloids by their properties and/or location on the periodic tableĪs early chemists worked to purify ores and discovered more elements, they realized that various elements could be grouped together by their similar chemical behaviors.Predict the general properties of elements based on their location within the periodic table.State the periodic law and explain the organization of elements in the periodic table. ![]() ![]() Dandee has normal elements but it speed is high, so be careful. For lv.65-70: Forest North (Kimechu and Dandee) Kimechu has wind body, but it has low attack that can make you survive to level up before your monsters killed by him. Good leveling spot becasue of his low defense, but lambiz also has trance skill which can raise its defense. For lv.60-65: Luciender (Lambiz) Lambiz has electric body which is weak againts spirit and earth skills. Lanvil has low defense that can make you easily kill him. For lv.50-60: Ghost Town (Bumblebee and Lanvil) Bumblebee has a normal elements but be careful, it has a high speed and attack that could damage your monsters badly. It has a normal elements which can kill easily using an advantage elements. For Robotle and Squidar is for level up your monsters which has an advantage skills to them. For lv.30-40: Desert (Cacti and Cactupus) Iceland (Robotle and Squidar) Cacti and Cactupus has normal elements. For lv.20-30: Mine Cave (Rathrax and Scropionz) Beach (Mushroom and Shroomurai) All of them have a normal elements and for Scropionz is for level up your monsters which has a Spirit or Earth Skill. Robotle has a low defense which can make you easy to kill him. For lv.10-20: Apopsis Mountain (Puppiti and Robotle) Puppiti has a normal elements so can beat him easily using any advantage elements. They have normal elements which is can be attacked using elements for advantage. For lv.5-10: Sleepy Village (Cuppy, Onini, and Flybee) Here some of leveling spot that you can use to raise your monsters level. And one thing that you need always to remember "Raise your monsters level at the place that your monsters has advantage". So you need to raise their level of course. LEVELING SPOT And for trainer you can't beat a higher maps and trainer monsters using a low level monsters. ![]() Its damage calculation is "Normal Damage+1/2 Normal Damage"Įxample: If your monsters normal damage is 100, then when it took advantage damage, it will be "100+100/2=150" Its damage calculation is "Normal Damage-1/3 Normal damage" Example: If your monsters normal damage is 100, then when it took disadvantage damage, it will be "100-100/3=67" Critical Attack: ![]() ![]() Its damage calculation is "Normal Damage+1.5 Normal Damage"Įxample: If your monsters normal damage is 100, then when it took advantage damage, it will be "100+150/2=175" Disadvantage Attack: Disadvantage attack is if your monster attack element is weak againts enemies body elements. Advantage Attack:Īdvantage attack is if your monster attack element is advantage to your opponents monsters (See Elements Table below). Normal attack: Normal attack is your monster's normal attack that damage your opponent's monsters. Its Advantage, Disadvantage, and Normal attack. There are three elements system you must know. Because of your journey will be difficult or not is depends on your knowledge about your monsters and your enemies. There are lots of strong monsters you can choose to join your party (See Monsters Page for complete information).ĮLEMENTS As a trainer you have to know about elements. Or else you can skip a Capturing monster quest for saving your bulu balls (Recommended). Use your bulu balls to catch a usefull monsters only and for a quest of course there will be a quest to capture some monster. If your monster's level still low just rest them beside of using a potion. Also use potions and Bulu Balls wisely because its hard to get them. STRATEGY In this game its very difficult to get a money (Bulu Point). There are 15 Maps at Bulu island including your farm (See Maps Page for complete information). At your journey you will fight a lot of new monsters, strong trainers, and puzzles to unlock the next map. You need to journey all over Bulu Island to find a Cure for Rania illness. And the storyline is about to help your friend Rania a Bulu Monster. ![]() THE JOURNEY BEGINS ! When you start this game, you will get a tutorial how to play this game. ![]() ![]() Ballet West reserves the right to change or amend the health policy for performances in the future. Come see why this ballet version of Dracula is becoming a Utah favorite Recommended ages 8 and up. If you are feeling unwell, experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, have been diagnosed with COVID-19, or have had close contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19, we ask that you follow CDC quarantine and isolations guidelines and prioritize your health and the health of your fellow audience members and stay home. The dark and brooding Dracula surrounded by his corps of brides and hungering for more blood, this ballet sinks its teeth into intricate choreography as the dark tale unfolds, set to the ominous music of Franz Liszt. ![]() Ballet West Health and Safety PolicyĪlthough masks are not required while attending Ballet West performances for the 2023-2024 season, we encourage patrons who wish to wear a mask to do so. Programs, artists, and dates subject to change. March 1997, Houston Ballet, The Brown Theater at The Wortham Center, Houston, Texas ![]() Tony Tucci, adapted from original designs by Tim Hunter Come see why this ballet version of Dracula is becoming a Utah favorite!ĥ-performance packages start at just $147!įranz Liszt (as arranged by John Lanchbury) Mysterious and spooky, powerful and dramatic with flying vampires and pyrotechnics! The dark and brooding Dracula surrounded by his corps of brides and hungering for more blood, this ballet sinks its teeth into intricate choreography as the dark tale unfolds, set to the ominous music of Franz Liszt. “Dracula is sinister and formidable as he flies across the stage and through the air.” – Deseret News The third and final version of the Transcendental Études was published in 1852 and dedicated to pianist and composer Carl Czerny, Liszt’s piano teacher, who was also a prolific composer of études.“Ben Stevenson’s ‘Dracula’ is spectacle of an order ballet audiences seldom see today.” – New York Times They cover a wide range of moods and require mastery of a variety of virtuosic techniques. The Transcendental Études are a set of twelve highly varied and technically demanding compositions that pushed contemporary pianos (and pianists!) to the limit. Listen to the Best of Liszt on Apple Musicand Spotify. Scroll down to discover our selection of the best Liszt works featuring ten masterpieces by the great composer. The Piano Sonata In B Minor (1853) is generally acknowledged to be Liszt’s masterpiece and is a model of his technique of thematic transformation, which is also prominent in the symphonic poems. His piano works, including the Études, the Hungarian Rhapsodies, and the Mephisto Waltzes, are brilliant showpieces requiring both technical skill and expressivity. He also composed and performed orchestral music, including symphonic poems. ![]() Liszt made superb piano transcriptions of symphonies, operas, and large orchestral works of other composers, including Beethoven, Berlioz, Mozart, and Wagner. The most decisive influence, however, came from the virtuoso violinist Nicolò Paganini who inspired him to become the greatest pianist of his day and to push piano technique through previously unimagined difficulties to attain new brilliance and sonorities. Liszt was a friend of many important composers of his time, including Frédéric Chopin, Hector Berlioz, Camille Saint-Saëns, and Richard Wagner. He is best known for his virtuoso piano compositions which are amongst the most technically challenging in the repertoire. Franz Liszt was a Hungarian virtuoso pianist and one of the most important composers of the Romantic era. ![]() ![]() This type of hallucination is defined as bodily sensations experienced inside the body without any source or cause. For example, people with epilepsy often report a metallic taste in their mouth. These hallucinations consist of strange and unpleasant tastes. ![]() Alcohol use disorder and alcohol withdrawal can cause tactile hallucinations presenting with the feeling of numbness, burning, or itching skin. They are common with illicit drug use and withdrawal cocaine and amphetamine are common hallucinogens. This type of hallucination might make you feel someone’s touch or their hand on your body, or you might feel like your internal organs are moving around. Tactile hallucinationsĮxamples of tactile hallucinations include feeling insects crawling on your skin. These hallucinations could consist of a bad smell or a pleasant smell. This type of hallucination involves smelling things that don’t exist. Auditory hallucinations can involve engaging in conversation, hearing music, or voices asking a person to cause physical harm to themselves or others. The voices can be neutral, complementary, or critical. Hearing voices in the head is some of the most common types of hallucinations in people with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, dementia, and other types of mental illness. Complex visual hallucinations consist of formed images of objects, people, animals, or lifelike scenes. Simple visual hallucinations consist of non-formed colors, lines, shapes, or lights. Visual hallucinations occur when you see things that are not there. The different types of hallucinations are briefly described below: Visual hallucinations However, alcohol and substance abuse disorders or epilepsy can also cause hallucinations. Hallucinations are common symptoms of different mental health conditions. ![]() They are serious symptoms and should be evaluated without delay. Hallucinations are created by our minds and can affect all five senses. Hallucinations are seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, or feeling things that appear real, but they are not really present. But not many people know that some commonly prescribed medications can also cause drug-induced hallucinations as an adverse effect. Medical conditions such as seizures or alcohol use disorder can also cause hallucinations. Hallucinations are also common symptoms in psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. These distressing psychotic symptoms and sensory experiences can occur in various situations and medical conditions, such as alcohol and drug abuse, sleep deprivation, dementia, depression, and Charles Bonnet syndrome (a condition that causes people with vision impairment to have visual hallucinations). Seeing a shimmering light around a person or an object, feeling bugs crawling on your skin, or hearing voices in your head are all different types of hallucinations. ![]() ![]() ![]() The vegan meal includes a generous serving of hummus with carrot and celery sticks, a main course featuring three-bean stew with fire-roasted tomato and brown rice, and a choice of fresh fruit or Italian ice for dessert. A vegetarian meal is available upon request. The menu at Medieval Times consists of garlic bread, tomato bisque soup, roasted chicken, sweet buttered corn, herb-basted potatoes, the dessert of the Castle, coffee, and two rounds of select beverages. The spectacle unfolds nightly inside a fully enclosed European-style castle. Lances splinter against shields of steel, broad swords spark, and a champion emerges, to the cheers of the enthusiastic crowd. ![]() While guests enjoy a hearty four-course medieval-style banquet (without silverware), six brave knights compete in games of skill astride magnificent Andalusian stallions. CNN Sans ™ & © 2016 Cable News Network.Medieval Times is more than the nation's #1 and longest-running dinner attraction - it's a living link to the past where the glory, chivalry, and valor of old burst to life in authentic pageantry and thrilling tournament action. Market holidays and trading hours provided by Copp Clark Limited. All content of the Dow Jones branded indices Copyright S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC and/or its affiliates. Standard & Poor’s and S&P are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC and Dow Jones is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC. Dow Jones: The Dow Jones branded indices are proprietary to and are calculated, distributed and marketed by DJI Opco, a subsidiary of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC and have been licensed for use to S&P Opco, LLC and CNN. Chicago Mercantile: Certain market data is the property of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. US market indices are shown in real time, except for the S&P 500 which is refreshed every two minutes. Your CNN account Log in to your CNN account “We have to start yelling even louder.”Ībout 40 performers, including knights, squires, trumpeters and a falconer, succeeded in a union vote at the Lyndhurst, New Jersey, location last July.ĬNN’s Natasha Chen contributed to this story. “They had our account banned, and we have to take this,” Zapcic said. The union has been in wage negotiations with management since December. A screenshot shared with CNN showed CEO Perico Montaner reported the union’s Facebook account for trademark infringement. Zapcic believes the company had reported the account to be banned for violating TikTok’s intellectual property policy. The union’s last post on TikTok was advocating for fair wages. Much of the union’s support came from social media, especially on TikTok. “It is a grotesque attempt to retaliate against workers for exercising their legally protected right to form a union and bargain collectively,” Medieval Times Performers United and the American Guild of Variety Artists said in a statement in October. In October, Medieval Times filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against the union for using the company name, which is still ongoing. The union has filed numerous unfair labor practice charges against the company both in California and New Jersey, including one on their TikTok account getting banned. The closest location to California is in Scottsdale, Arizona. Zapcic said the company is pulling performers from other departments and non-unionized locations. The strike is affecting performances at the location. ![]() “They love to tell us that we’re not Broadway and it’s absolutely correct,” Zapcic said. But since reopening after COVID, staffing levels were so short, workers were performing six days a week. Zapcic said people work at Medieval Times because they love it, not for the money. Medieval Times workers walk a picket line in Buena Park, California. ![]() ![]() It's not clear whether COVID-23 is exactly meant to be a mutated version of COVID-19, but the references to social distancing and lockdown place Songbird firmly in this world, rather than a fictional one. Perhaps if the movie itself was better or engaging in any notable way, the questionable use of the very real COVID-19 pandemic might not be such a focus. ![]() Add in some baffling plot holes, such as disappearing armed guards, and it feels like the first draft was the one that ended up on screen. That haphazard feel extends to the script too as character motivations frequently change as the story requires it and there are some absolute clunkers in the dialogue ("I was on lockdown long before it was fashionable"). It's certainly a trickier task to perform to a screen rather than opposite someone, but when a large part of the movie's success rests on caring about the characters, you don't care about any of them. (Sadly, not connected, which would have been a 2020 highlight.)įor such a promising cast too, nobody is on their game and feel like they're on autopilot, with a few turning in performances as wooden as the door that separates Nico and Sara in the movie. When they do come together in the third act, you're left with some unintentionally hilarious moments involving a hazmat suit disguise and a drone assassination. The problem is that whether by design or the fact it had to shoot under strict safety conditions, there's no tension in the movie as it's mostly a series of phone calls between people, with the majority of the cast appearing on their own in scenes.īecause there's no real connectivity for the cast, it drags the pacing down to a crawl as you're just waiting for all the various strands to come together. That plot sounds like it's the basis for a fairly solid thriller with a high concept that, despite the questionable Shakespeare pitch, we could get behind. We're going to ignore the sensitivity issues for a moment and focusing on Songbird's merits as a movie. So Nico is faced with a desperate race against time and across the barren streets of Los Angeles to find the one thing that can save her from imprisonment: an immunity band. You see, unfortunately for the lovebirds, Sara is believed to have become infected and set to be forced into a quarantine camp (known as Q-Zones). Songbird also follows various other people – including wealthy couple William and Piper Griffin (Bradley Whitford and Demi Moore), disabled veteran Michael (Paul Walter Hauser) and Nico's boss Lester (Craig Robinson) – who will all eventually have a part to play in Nico and Sara's love story. ![]() The story that writer/director Adam Mason and co-writer Simon Boyes came up with was, in their own words, a viral spin on Romeo & Juliet where immune courier Nico ( Riverdalestar KJ Apa) finds love with Sara (Sofia Carson), despite the fact they've never met in person due to the lockdown. It was actually conceived post-pandemic in March 2020 and became the first movie to be shot in Los Angeles during the pandemic. This isn't a case of Songbird being eerily prescient and taking on a deeper resonance as a result of the pandemic, like movies such as The Platform, Souland Vivarium have this year. ![]() |