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Clayface review – flesh-stretching DC body horror is very gory but not very good

Liverpool makes for an unconvincing Gotham City in this effectively gross but otherwise middling attempt to milk money from a lesser-known Batman villain A sense of desperation is understandably in the air over at DC, the company, like Marvel, slowly realising that the mass superhero fever has finally broken. There’s still interest there, of course (this summer’s Spider-Man is now the biggest film of all time in the US after all), but it’s no longer good enough to leave a high-speed conveyor belt unmanned, purpose and quality control be damned. 2019 saw a staggering 10 superhero films released in cinemas, and the inevitable exhaustion that followed, also fueled by Covid, led to a gradual winding down, monster hits turning into minor ones and sure bets often becoming expensive flops. As Peter Parker winged his way to box office records this summer, DC’s Supergirl bombed so hard that experts believe it might have cost Warners upwards of $200m in losses. It was just the latest disappointm...

Carrick insists Manchester United board back him after Ten Hag points to ‘toxic culture’

Manager acknowledges he needs to start winning games Ten Hag accuses Cristiano Ronaldo of letting club down Michael Carrick believes Manchester United’s board continue to back him, although the manager admits he must start winning matches to keep his job. Carrick also denied there is a toxic culture at the club, after Erik ten Hag’s claim there had been when he was manager. Carrick’s side travel to Como on Wednesday for their third Champions League game, aiming for a third victory of the season in all competitions. Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Leeds left United 13th in the Premier League, having won only once. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/AcJX2Rl

‘I’m in a bad place’: Mark Allen says his snooker career may be over after defeat

Former world No 1 loses 4-2 to Jordan Brown in Belfast ‘I don’t see a future with snooker in it,’ says tearful Allen Mark Allen said he was in a “bad place” and his snooker career could be over after losing to Jordan Brown in the first round of the Northern Ireland Open in Belfast. The 40-year-old was playing his first match since his world championship semi-final loss to Wu Yize in April. Allen missed a match-ball black off the spot at 16-15 in front and went on to lose the deciding frame to Wu, who went on to win the title. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/1w4cY5l

‘Crucial opportunity to act’ as study finds most of Europe’s wild bee species in decline

As Cop17 kicks off, records since 1921 show more bee species declining than increasing in all parts of Europe except the Alps Most of Europe’s wild bee species and about half of its hover fly species have declined over the last century, a study has found, as a UN biodiversity summit begins in Armenia. Records since 1921 show more bee species are declining than increasing in all parts of Europe except the Alpine region. The richness of bee and hover fly species suffered a persistent drop in the Atlantic and Continental regions, the study found, though trends in other regions were mixed or even positive. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/v8T0mGo

How Trump’s justice department is shattering practice of political neutrality as midterms loom

From the attorney general stumping for Republican candidates to federal agents raiding the home of a Democratic congresswoman up for re-election, the department is violating longstanding norms Donald Trump’s justice department has aggressively inserted itself into the midterm elections in the contest’s final weeks, shattering the department’s longstanding practice of political neutrality and leaving little doubt about the department’s willingness to help should the president attempt to subvert elections where his party is forecasted to lose seats and ultimately control of Congress. In the last few weeks, federal agents have raided the home of a Democratic congresswoman up for re-election. It has touted criminal charges and arrests of non-citizens charged with voter fraud. The attorney general has hit the campaign trail to stump for Republican candidates. And the department gave California election officials 48 hours to investigate the citizenship of 20,000 people, and then sued the s...

The moment I knew: For Valentine’s Day he gave me a heart covered in fake blood. I was appalled – and thrilled

Will Huxley thought Garrett looked like a Heathcliff type. They bonded over their shared love of Kate Bush. Then one day Garrett handed over an ornate gift box Find more stories from the moment I knew series In 2006 I’d just graduated film school at the Victorian College of the Arts and was working at the ABC in Melbourne. It was a pretty tumultuous time of my life. I had just broken up with my best friend and high school sweetheart – whom I adored – and was in the process of coming out. I was drinking too much and in breaks from the chaos I’d find myself drawn to the local video store. That’s where I first saw Garrett behind the counter. I had an instant crush on him and spent a lot of time perusing the art house section, so he would see how creative and cultured I was. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/7OWYp5U

Family of US man who died on Six Flags ride question if death was preventable

Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem died after reportedly ‘passing out’ and falling off Goliath rollercoaster in Georgia The family of a man who was ejected from a rollercoaster at a Six Flags amusement park in Georgia and died has publicly questioned whether the death could have been prevented. Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem was riding the Goliath rollercoaster at Six Flags Over Georgia near Atlanta alongside his niece during a family trip to celebrate her birthday when he was thrown from the ride. His niece witnessed her uncle’s death, a relative told the Atlanta ABC News affiliate WSB-TV . Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/u6lofpj