Sergio

Every once in a while someone uploads another copy of Akira to youtube. The latest one, from last week, looks good (Japanese audio with optional subtitles) but it's missing the last 30 seconds -- which is kind of missing the whole point of the movie. But this led me to check how many Akira uploads I could easily find from previous posts here and on [email protected]

• Japanese audio, hardcoded subtitles 1080p https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yo8zOYkc-GI
• Japanese audio, optional subtitles missing last 30 seconds, subtitles are a little weird 1080p https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tqvkeskcy9g
• English dub with optional (ASR generated?) subtitles 2160p https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qujRfw4usC8
• English dub 1080p https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSBpzX8_hfo
• English dub 720p https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmjsXZjUqyM

Personally I think the first is the best. Weirdly, they all seem to be blocked in Germany and Austria. However, every previous upload I checked was still there. Not sure what that says, but as you probably know, it's an excellent film.

Akira (Japanese: アキラ) is a 1988 Japanese animated cyberpunk action film[4] directed by Katsuhiro Otomo, produced by Ryōhei Suzuki and Shunzō Katō, and written by Otomo and Izo Hashimoto, based on Otomo's 1982 manga Akira. Set in a dystopian 2019, it tells the story of Shōtarō Kaneda, the leader of a biker gang whose childhood friend, Tetsuo Shima, acquires incredible telekinetic abilities after a motorcycle accident, eventually threatening an entire military complex amid chaos and rebellion in the sprawling futuristic metropolis of Neo-Tokyo.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akira_(1988_film)

out of context.

context:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Is_This_Tomorrow
• https://archive.org/details/IsThisTomorrowAmericaUnderCommunismCatecheticalGuild

Demonstrators gathered in cities across the U.S. on Wednesday to protest the Trump administration’s early actions, decrying everything from the president’s immigration crackdown to his rollback of transgender rights and a proposal to forcibly transfer Palestinians from the Gaza Strip.

...

The protests were a result of a movement that has organized online under the hashtags #buildtheresistance and #50501, which stands for 50 protests, 50 states, one day. Websites and accounts across social media issued calls for action, with messages such as “reject fascism” and “defend our democracy.”

• https://apnews.com/article/50501-protests-project-2025-trump-state-capitols-ddd341171a54ba9b498cbfe7530e18ab

More articles about this story:

• The Oklahoman (OK) - photos https://www.oklahoman.com/picture-gallery/news/2025/02/05/protests-today-50501-okc-capitol-oklahoma-photos/78213725007/
• Topeka Capital-Journal (KS) - photos https://www.cjonline.com/picture-gallery/news/local/2025/02/05/50501-protesters-take-to-kansas-statehouse-to-let-voices-be-heard/78253814007/
• Austin American-Statesman (TX) https://www.statesman.com/picture-gallery/news/2025/02/05/austin-texas-capitol-protest-50501-movement-reddit-50-states-50-capitals-protests/78244714007/
• CBS News / WJZ Baltimore (MD) https://www.cbsnews.com/baltimore/news/50501-maryland-trump-protesters-annapolis-policies/
• Fox 47 (MI) https://www.fox47news.com/news/local-news/happening-today-50501-protest-budget-recommendation-msu-shooting-commemoration
• KVLY Fargo (ND) https://www.valleynewslive.com/2025/02/05/5051-movement-makes-its-way-fargo-anti-trump-protest/
• Fox 9 St Paul (MN) https://www.fox9.com/news/50-states-50-protests-minnesota-state-capitol-50501-movement

edit: more stories

• New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/05/us/politics/trump-protests-50501-project-2025.html?unlocked_article_code=1.u04.LA5v.QoNbNhOB_HAv
• USA Today https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/02/05/50501-protests-harrisburg-pa/78252288007/
• lel Jeff Bezos' Washington Post just copied the AP story and hid it: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/02/05/50501-protests-project-2025-trump-state-capitols/4e33293e-e388-11ef-ab83-bb30e4340014_story.html
• KTVZ Bend, (OR) https://ktvz.com/news/top-stories/2025/02/05/protesters-gather-in-downtown-bend-part-of-national-opposition-to-president-trumps-actions/
• Des Moines Register (IA) - photos https://www.desmoinesregister.com/picture-gallery/news/local/2025/02/05/photos-50501-protest-at-iowa-state-capitol/78252982007/
• NHPR (NH) https://www.nhpr.org/nh-news/2025-02-05/50501-protest-new-hampshire-trump-musk-state-house
• Vermont Public https://www.vermontpublic.org/local-news/2025-02-05/hundreds-protest-president-donald-trump-administration-vermont-statehouse

BONUS

• Know Your Meme! https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/events/50501-50-protests-50-states-1-day

Protests against Project 2025 and President Donald Trump's executive orders are planned for Wednesday at state Capitol buildings in all 50 states ...

• https://www.fox9.com/news/50-states-50-protests-feb-5-2025

Additional coverage of this story:

• Newsweek, a second article: https://www.newsweek.com/50501-protests-update-anti-trump-march-50-states-expands-2025741
• KVRR North Dakota: https://www.kvrr.com/2025/02/04/project-2025-protests-planned-wednesday-at-all-50-state-capitol-buildings/
• Shreveport Times (Louisiana): https://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/news/2025/02/04/what-is-the-50501-movement-find-out-more-about-the-nationwide-protest-anti-fascicm-against-trump/78208443007/
• Savannah Morning News (GA): https://www.savannahnow.com/story/news/2025/02/04/where-are-people-protesting-in-georgia-against-trump-the-50501-details/78207555007/
• the Savannah GA story above seems to have been picked up by USA Today: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2025/02/04/where-are-people-protesting-in-georgia-against-trump-the-50501-details/78207555007/
• Dallas Observer (TX): https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/where-to-go-in-texas-for-the-reject-project-2025-protest-21675389
• Clarion Ledger (MS): https://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2025/02/04/people-plan-to-protest-donald-trump-administration-in-mississippi-see-where-when-immigration-dei-ice/78207203007/
• Westword (Denver, CO): https://www.westword.com/news/denver-fifty-state-capitol-protest-when-where-what-to-know-23293344
• CT News Junkie (Connecticut newsletter?): https://ctnewsjunkie.com/2025/02/04/50501-movement-rally-planned-at-connecticut-capitol-wednesday/
• Herald Dispatch (WV) - very brief: https://www.herald-dispatch.com/news/protest-against-project-2025-planned-at-state-capitols-wednesday/article_4e7efd0e-e33e-11ef-95da-e7064df63151.html
• Longmont Leader (CO) mostly sourced from the Westword story: https://www.longmontleader.com/colorado-news/nationwide-protest-against-trump-and-project-2025-planned-in-denver-tomorrow-10181600
• Phoenix New Times (AZ): https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/phoenix-arizona-fifty-states-protest-when-where-what-to-know-21131150
• KSNT Topkea (Kansas): https://www.ksnt.com/news/local-news/two-protests-coming-to-the-capital-city-on-wednesday/
• Herald Net (WA) - brief mention: https://www.heraldnet.com/news/protest-planned-wednesday-at-snohomish-county-campus/
• Kennebec Journal (Maine): https://www.centralmaine.com/2025/02/04/trump-project-2025-protesters-to-gather-wednesday-in-augusta/

BONUS:

• Snopes article with some info on who started it https://www.snopes.com/news/2025/02/04/anti-trump-state-capitol-protests-february-5/

edit:

• Associated Press: https://apnews.com/article/50501-protests-project-2025-trump-state-capitols-ddd341171a54ba9b498cbfe7530e18ab

• Reddit interface: https://redlib.northboot.xyz/r/50501/
• Other social media: https://50501movement.carrd.co/
• news article: https://www.newsweek.com/50-states-anti-trump-protest-nationwide-february-5-details-2025300

Condottieri (Italian: [kondotˈtjɛːri]; sg.: condottiero or condottiere) were Italian military leaders during the Middle Ages and the early modern period. The definition originally applied only to commanders of mercenary companies, condottiero in medieval Italian meaning 'contractor' and condotta being the contract by which the condottieri put themselves in the service of a city or lord. The term, however, came to refer to all the famed Italian military leaders of the Renaissance, Reformation and Counter-Reformation eras. Notable condottieri include Prospero Colonna, Giovanni dalle Bande Nere, Cesare Borgia, the Marquis of Pescara, Andrea Doria, and the Duke of Parma. They served Popes and other European monarchs and states during the Italian Wars and the European wars of religion.[1][2][3]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Condottiero

I went to a local Latino restaurant yesterday to get some takeout and saw a bunch of handwritten signs saying they were going to be closed on Monday to support the community.

The waitress said there was a movement to skip work and not spend money this Monday Feb 3 to protest the attacks on Latinos. I hadn't heard of that and didn't find much mention online. I think it's the idea by some random person in DC? I found the image above on facebook or somewhere equally horrible. Anyway I'm just posting bc this is the only protest I've seen in my area, the Democrats have been completely silent so all that's left is some rando on the other side of the country.

The narrative centers around a professor who wakes up from a four-day long coma and sets out to prove his identity after no one recognizes him

...

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 55% of 207 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.8/10. The website's consensus reads: "Liam Neeson elevates the proceedings considerably, but Unknown is ultimately too derivative – and implausible – to take advantage of its intriguing premise."[14] ... Richard Roeper gave the film a B+ and wrote, "At times, Unknown stretches plausibility to the near breaking point, but it's so well paced and the performances are so strong and most of the questions are ultimately answered. This is a very solid thriller."[17] Justin Chang of Variety called it "an emotionally and psychologically threadbare exercise".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unknown_(2011_film)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVuL7tlG1K4 - link from above; there's a minute or two that has weird music superimposed, and a scene missing that seems like it took place in a nightclub, probably these are modified/removed bc of copyrighted music.

Invasion of the Star Creatures is the subject of this Sunday's "monsterdon" watch party over on Mastodon, our fediverse sibling!

• Just start watching that movie this Sunday, Feb 2, 2025 at 9pm ET / 8pm CT / 6pm PT, which is 2am Monday UTC
• and follow #monsterdon over on mastodon for live commentary. For example, you can follow that hashtag here: https://mastodon.social/tags/monsterdon
• I usually open two web browser windows on a computer side-by-side. But you could follow the mastodon commentary on a phone app while watching the movie on TV or something...

How to watch the movie:

• someone usually streams it on https://miru.miyaku.media/ at that time
• if you're in North America, Australia, or the UK try Tubi: https://tubitv.com/movies/710325/invasion-of-the-star-creatures uBO adblocker seems to work with it
• archive: https://archive.org/details/invasionofthestarcreatures1962
• youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=821nZ7C9olM
• youtube WARNING: there's another copy up there but it involves unnecessary "hosts" and embedded ads
• if you want to pay or watch ads, look here: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/invasion-of-the-star-creatures

Two Abbott and Costello-type soldiers find plantlike creatures that are under the control of two beautiful alien scientists who are bent on conquering Earth.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0128274/

Invasion of the Star Creatures has never been well reviewed by critics. When it first opened, the film trade magazine Box Office opined: “What a lot of baloney! Such a waste of time, film and effort. The title was good, but was it a spooky film? Nope! A comedy!! Closed the first night”.[7] Film historian Bill Warren, in his 1996 book Keep Watching the Skies!, Vol. 2, called the film "astonishingly bad ... so helplessly bad that it's almost unwatchable".[1]

In 1979, the film was cited by Harry and Michael Medved in their book The Golden Turkey Awards, a tribute to bad films. Invasion of the Star Creatures was nominated in the category for “The Worst Vegetable Movie of All Time”...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasion_of_the_Star_Creatures

Content WARNING: the Tubi version has a warning that "The content that you are about to view features depictions that are objectionable..." Nobody on Mastodon knows what that refers to, probably crass sexism? (edit: from perusing the imdb reviews, it likely refers to a scene with a stereotypical depiction of Native Americans...)

... a 1982 romantic drama film directed by Peter Weir and co-written by Weir and David Williamson. It was adapted from Christopher Koch's 1978 novel The Year of Living Dangerously. The story is about a love affair set in Indonesia during the overthrow of President Sukarno....

The film stars Mel Gibson as Australian journalist Guy Hamilton, and Sigourney Weaver as British Embassy officer Jill Bryant. It also stars Linda Hunt as a Chinese-Australian man with dwarfism, Billy Kwan, Hamilton's local photographer contact, a role for which Hunt won the 1983 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Year_of_Living_Dangerously_(film)

The link from above: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jINKckq_ua0

"Born in East L.A." is a single by Cheech & Chong, released in September 1985.[2] It is a parody of Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the U.S.A.", with references to the song "I Love L.A." by Randy Newman. The song reached No. 48 on the Billboard Hot 100.[2]

Written by Cheech Marin, the song's lyrics deal with a Mexican American from East Los Angeles who is mistaken for an undocumented immigrant and deported. The song served as the basis for the film of the same name, directed by Marin.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Born_in_East_L.A._(song)

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFUFw1GH6ic