Tag: volume
Tablet shipments hit their lowest volume since 2011, but Chinese tablets mitigated the decline
Tablet shipments hit their lowest volume since 2011, but Chinese tablets mitigated the decline
Centralized crypto exchanges’ trading volume plunges 40% in April, data show
Crypto: Binance twice pauses bitcoin withdrawals due to ‘large volume’
Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 3 is an action-packed blast, full of so much blink-and-you-miss-it humour
Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 3
(12A) 150mins
★★★★☆
EXPECTING Vin Diesel to deliver more than three words of dialogue is a stretch.
One of the many genius decisions of Guardians Of The Galaxy was to have the superstar provide the voice of a walking tree who only ever says “I am Groot”.
Zoe Saldana as Gamora in Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3[/caption]
Rocket is voiced by Bradley Cooper in the flick[/caption]
Chris Pratt’s Peter Quill deserves kudos for putting Rocket at the centre of the story[/caption]
Even more leftfield was casting blue-eyed heart-throb Bradley Cooper as the voice of a hard-boiled talking raccoon called Rocket.
For me, though, the pair have always been the main attraction of this Marvel comic book adaptation.
They shoot first and don’t ask questions later.
So, this third and supposedly final outing of the sci-fi heroes led by Chris Pratt’s Peter Quill deserves kudos for putting Rocket at the centre of the story.
The mystery of how this no-nonsense raccoon learned to speak was a piece of the Guardians puzzle that I was more than happy to have revealed.
The furry hero remembers his past while on life support — and Rocket can’t be his grouchy best while unconscious.
Thankfully, the mission to save him is an action-packed blast set to the year’s best soundtrack.
Director James Gunn’s outlandish ideas include Counter Earth, a planet that looks like our own, except it is populated by talking animals.
It is full of so much blink-and-you-miss-it humour that I’d like to watch Guardians 3 again.
Action-packed
None of this could work without the characters whose flaws are played up for comic effect by judicious pairings.
Quill’s ego is regularly demolished by Zoe Saldana’s deadpan Gamora, the “kill everyone” attitude of Dave Bautista’s Drax contrasts perfectly with the empathy of Pom Klementieff’s Mantis and Sean Gunn’s not-too-bright Kraglin is jealous of his super-smart dog Cosmo (Maria Bakalova).
They are bolstered by the addition of two excellent baddies.
Will Poulter is Adam Warlock, whose brawn is let down by his immature brain, and Chukwudi Iwuji is a psychotic scientist with a God complex.
But the emotional impact of attempting to rescue the loveable raccoon is diluted by the lives of far too many cute characters being at risk at the climax.
Sometimes it’s better not to do or say too much.
I Am Groot.
- Grant Rollings
The Laureate
(15) 109mins
★★☆☆☆
THIS dramatisation of the life of war poet and author Robert Graves is a superficially titillating endeavour.
Written and directed by William Nunez, it begins after Graves has returned from World War One with post-traumatic stress and writer’s block.
Actor Tom Hughes knows how to play the sensitively dashing type.
But this story doesn’t really challenge him to deliver the poet’s introspective struggle to create.
Instead, it focuses on the extramarital affairs sparked by the arrival of an American literary critic and poet.
At his invitation, and that of his illustrator wife Nancy (Laura Haddock), Laura Riding (Dianna Agron) arrives from New York and immediately stirs up a storm.
She becomes his muse and lover but the film only skims the surface of the misogyny and sexism she receives from male literary figures.
Instead it makes her more of a femme fatale stereotype and focuses on her manipulative, dangerous behaviour.
There’s lots of naked female bodies, and girl-on-girl action, yet no man-on-man, despite Graves’s noted bisexuality.
Ultimately, The Laureate is a surface-level entry point into the tumultuous life of one of our greatest artists.
Return To Seoul
(15) 118mins
★★★★★
IF you’re looking for a gut-punch of a character study, then Return To Seoul is just the messy, identity crisis of a drama for you.
But this intimate portrait of a woman caught between cultures is, refreshingly, anything but a melodrama.
Freddie (Park Ji-min) is an impulsive French woman returning to Korea for the first time since she was adopted at birth by white parents.
She quickly makes friends with French-speaking locals but when the chance to meet her biological parents arises, her carefree spirit is confronted by some hard truths.
Park’s face does so much of the talking as we watch Freddie both turn away and face up to her dual heritage.
Director Davy Chou allows the camera to patiently watch her react, take in, feel and mask all her conflicting feelings.
She’s as mesmirising as the beautifully charged Korean backdrop.
At times, the scene throbs with bold red, anarchic energy; elsewhere, a moment recedes with pale regret.
It is a triumphant reflection of a brilliantly complex woman navigating the vast distance in her identities to make herself whole.
Film News
- THE Last Of Us actor Pedro Pascal will join director Ridley Scott’s Gladiator sequel.
- A FOLLOW-UP to Ben Stiller’s Dodgeball is in the works.
- ROB DELANEY will return to his role as Peter in Deadpool 3.
Marvel Contest Of Champions Adds A Guardians Of The Galaxy Volume 3 Villain
With Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 just around the corner, Kabam Entertainment’s mobile fighter Marvel Contest Of Champions is celebrating with a slew of new content, which includes the debut of Adam Warlock as a playable character and new Guardians-themed quests.
A new cinematic trailer heralds the arrival of two characters–the aforementioned Adam Warlock, who will feature in the new Guardians film, as well as Moondragon, a powerful telepath who was raised and trained by the Eternals on Saturn’s moon Titan. Both characters will join pool of characters obtainable using Crystals, an in-game currency. Moondragon will join first on May 11, with Adam Warlock following her on May 25..
Both characters will also feature in a new Event Quest called Seed Of Doubt, which will center around the newcomers and how they arrived in Contest Of Champions’ universe. Players can also attempt a new 7-Star Quest called Shooting Star, which if completed could earn a 7-Star version of one of the game’s many playable heroes.
Vale’s Q1 profit plunges as iron ore sales volume, prices drop
Earnings Results: Visa earnings top expectations as payment volume rises 10% on travel rebound
Turn up the volume with Anker earbuds and headphone deals
Wireless headphones and earbuds are a convenient way to listen to music and podcasts, take calls, and tune out the world. Below are several Anker wireless earbuds and headphone deals on Amazon as of April 24:
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BEST EARBUDS DEAL: The Soundcore by Anker Space A40 earbuds feature active noise cancellation and boast a battery life of up to 50 hours. $63.99
$99.99(save $36) -
BEST BUDGET HEADPHONES DEAL: The Soundcore by Anker Q30 wireless headphones offer up to 40 hours of playtime. $59.99
$84.99(save $25) -
BEST OVERALL HEADPHONES DEAL: The Soundcore by Anker Life Q35 wireless headphones feature custom silk diaphragm drivers that add more sound frequencies to your favorite tunes. $82.49
$109.99($27)
Noise-canceling headphones and earbuds will often take a bite out of your budget, but these deals will help you save up to 36%. Check out some of these Anker wireless earbuds and headphone deals and find the best pair for you.
Best Earbuds Deal
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Our pick: Soundcore by Anker Space A40 earbuds
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Why we like it
The Soundcore by Anker Space A40 earbuds are stylish, sleek, and feature Active Noice Cancelling (ANC) so you can focus on what’s important. Boasting a battery life of up to 50 hours, you’ll be ready for several days’ worth of workouts, road trips, flights, and work calls. The fast-charging feature will provide up to 4 hours of battery life on a 10-minute charge. They’re also lightweight, so you can multitask in ultimate comfort. Typically sold for $99.99, you’ll save $36 with this deal.
Best Budget Headphones Deal
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Our pick: Soundcore by Anker Q30 wireless headphones
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Why we like it
The stylish and chic Soundcore by Anker Q30 wireless headphones offer a battery life of up to 40 hours, as well as Active Noise Cancellation (ANC). It features three modes to help you optimize the headphones’ ANC: transport, outdoor, and indoor. Essentially, you’ll be able to better shut out sounds of engines, traffic, and office chatter, depending on your selection. They’re also built to be lightweight and feature memory foam cushions for maximum comfort. Usually sold for $84.99, you’ll save $25 with this deal.
Best Overall Headphones Deal
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Our pick: Soundcore by Anker Life Q35 wireless headphones
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Why we like it
The Soundcore by Anker Life Q35 wireless headphones offer maximum comfort, up to 40 hours of listening time, and more sound frequencies that make your favorite songs pop. The ear cups are made with plush memory foam, and the headphones themselves were built to be lightweight. They usually cost $109.99, but you’ll save $27 with this deal, so you’ll pay $82.99. You’ll also get three noise-canceling modes for an optimum experience: transport, indoor, and outdoor. LDAC technology allows as much data as possible to travel to your headphones for great sound quality. Additionally, the headphones are fully equipped with a custom silk diaphragm to enable better sound frequencies.
More deals like this
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Soundcore by Anker Space Q45 wireless headphones $99.99
$149.99(save $50) Best Buy Deal of the Day. This deal ends today at 11:59 p.m. CT. -
Soundcore by Anker Space Q45 wireless headphones $99.99
$149.99(save $50) -
Soundcore by Anker Space A40 earbuds (white) $63.99
$99.99(save $36) -
Soundcore by Anker Space A40 earbuds (black) $63.99
$99.99(save $36)