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Letter Like an Architect
While writing by hand might be a dying art in our digital world, good penmanship is one of the finest arts around. If you've ever looked at an architectural drawing or schematic and wondered how to write in that distinctive style, look no further. How to Architect shows you how to easily get that super-precise look to your handwriting.
The Rise and Fall of the Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall didn't just divide East and West Germany — it divided the world. Communist versus Capitalist, with the United States leading the West and the USSR leading the East, the Wall is one of the most infamous barriers in human history. TED looks at how the Wall came to be, and the events that lead to it coming down.
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Boy and Bear
Christopher Robin and Winnie the Pooh have enjoyed one of the longest friendships in the history of friends. This ethereal remix by Pogo puts a dreamy spin on the two pals with clips from Pooh's Grand Adventure.
The Killing of a Sacred Deer
Steven, a surgeon, takes to mentoring a teenager, who begins acting strangely — and Stevens life begins to fall apart around him. Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos (The Lobster), The Killing of a Sacred Deer stars Barry Keoghan, Nicole Kidman, Colin Farrell and comes to theaters November 3, 2017.
What You Need to Know About Seeing the Solar Eclipse
Don't blink. On August 21, 2017, a total eclipse will pass over the United States for the first time in almost 40 years. Everyone is going to be watching — but before you do, WIRED has a few tips for getting the most out of this rare astrological opportunity.
Molly's Game
Molly Bloom ran an illegal poker table for more than a decade. But this wasn't just any back room poker game. Hollywood stars, professional athletes, business elites, and the Russian mob were frequent guests. After making millions, it all came crashing down. Directed by Aaron Sorkin, Jessica Chastain and Idris Elba star in Molly's Game, due in theaters November 22, 2017.
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Parachute Coal Linen Venice Set
Crafted from pure European flax, the Parachute Coal Linen Venice Set gives you the casual look of linen in a dramatic dark hue. The fabric is spun in a region of northern Portugal by a family-owned factory. From there, each piece is garment dyed and washed in small batches, creating a unique grey color and soft texture that is free of harsh chemicals and synthetics. The set includes a fitted sheet, duvet cover, and pillowcases. No, there's not a top sheet, but who uses that anyway? Along with a great looking bed, you'll also get the added benefit of knowing that with every purchase a malaria-prevention bed net is donated to the United Nations' Nothing But Nets campaign.
Presented by Parachute Home.
Mack Weldon Vesper Polo
Inspired by the timeless look of 007, the Mack Weldon Vesper Polo brings effortless style to your wardrobe. To pull it off, the company created a lightweight knit fabric that uses micro mesh to enhance breathability and high-end, fine-thread cotton for added comfort and a smoother look. The collar keeps its shape wash after wash, the chest pocket gives you a little added on-the-go storage and the modern tailored fit pairs well with everything from shorts to sport coats. Now available in four different colors to keep your look fresh and clean at all times.
Presented by Mack Weldon.
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Courtesan au Chocolat from Grand Budapest Hotel
Courtesan au Chocolat is work. A lot of work. A number one contender for the Fussy Foodie Film Festival, in the words of Babish himself. If you have the motivation, he shows you how to make a dessert that's almost as good to eat as it is involved to make.
The Meyerowitz Stories
Adam Sandler, Ben Stiller, Emma Thompson, and Dustin Hoffman are one of New York's most dysfunctional families. Although Sandler and Stiller are typically known for their more comedic roles, the pair take on dramatic characters as brothers for the Noah Baumbach-directed piece. After premiering at the Cannes Film Festival, the film is set to begin streaming on Netflix October 13, 2017, along with a few showings in select theaters.
The Aria of Babyface Cauliflower Brown
Babyface. Heel. You may think professional wrestling is a fake sport, but some view it as a real form of storytelling. One of those people is Cauliflower Brown. In this short documentary, the independent wrestler gets deep on his philosophy behind the craft.
Rememory
When a scientist turns up dead after releasing an invention that can extract, record, and play other peoples memories, and an amateur detective is pulled down the rabbit hole trying to find the culprit. Rememory stars Peter Dinklage and Henry Ian Cusick. The film is available on streaming platforms worldwide.
Go See This Eclipse
For the first time in almost 40 years, the United States will experience a total solar eclipse on August 21, 2017. Unfortunately for some, the celestial sight will only be visible from 14 states — Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina — leaving the rest of the country to witness a mere partial eclipse. If you're not lucky enough to already be a resident of one of these states, Alex Gorosh urges you to get out and go see this eclipse.
How to Make a Blockbuster Movie Trailer
Movie trailers have gotten to the place where they nearly make seeing the movie irrelevant — or maybe most movies don't have much to them these days. Formulaic and often overly dramatic, blockbuster movie trailers suffer from a bad case of sameness. On the other hand, it makes it easy for all you wannabe trailer editors out there to make your own. Auralnauts gives a comedic breakdown of big movie trailers and their color-by-numbers creation.
The Florida Project
It's summertime in Orlando and 6-year-old Moonee is homeless, bouncing around motels while the adults around her struggle to stay afloat. But Moonee and her groups of friends make the most of it, filling the summer and the people around them with a sense of wonder and adventure. Starring Willem Dafoe, Brooklynn Price, and Bria Vinaite, The Florida Project releases October 6, 2017.
The Challenge of Fresh Food
Fresh vegetables, fruits, meats, fish or any other perishable foodstuff is just a trip to your local grocer away. Keeping food fresh enough to eat used to be a challenge, and a myriad number of ways to preserve foods have been developed over the entire course of human history. Now, fresh foods are a matter of logistics. How to Make Everything looks at what it takes to bring fresh food to your plate year-round, in or out of season.
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The Defenders
Marvel takes four heroes from four shows — Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, Daredevil, and Iron Fist — and brings them all together in what might be peak Marvel. New York City needs saving against Sigourney Weaver of all people, so it's going take all four to get the job done, personal issues among them be damned. The Defenders premieres on Netflix August 18, 2017.
Logan VFX
Hollywood stunt doubles are no secret. Aside from a rare few, actors have been pawning off their dangerous action stunts for years. With advancements in CGI, digital doubles allow close-range action shots are more real than ever. While working on Logan, visual effects studio Image Engine reveals how they morphed Hugh Jackman and his stunt double to create the ultimate Wolverine.
How an IMAX Projector Works
400-pound film reels and a projector the size of a small car — getting an IMAX projector loaded and ready to play a movie is no joke. High Orbit Media takes you to the projector booth to see what it takes to play an IMAX movie — seven times a day.
The Death of Stalin
When a dictator dies, it leaves some huge shoes to fill. It's 1953 and Joesph Stalin has died. The Communist Party is in disarray as to what to do about filling the newly vacant position — and they go about in the most inefficient way possible. The Death of Stalin takes the stereotype of the unwieldy Communist bureaucracy to its blackly comedic extreme. Starring Steve Buscemi and Jeffrey Tambor, the movie releases in September 2017.
The Last Peaceful Place on Earth
Every year at the Bonneville Salt Flats, a group of daredevils gathers to do one thing — go as fast as possible on anything with wheels. Motorcycles, cars, and even jet-powered monsters that have more in common with aircraft than anything on road spend one week in the desert trying to break records. Director Skylar Nielsen talks to these speed freaks about what keeps them coming back.
You Can't Visit U Thant Island
An artificial island, a Buddist guru, endangered birds, and the UN building — New York City's U Thant Island has a very interesting history. For an island measuring about 100 by 200 feet, it has a lot of history, even for a place like New York. Vox takes a trip down the East RIver to U Thant, and learns a little about canoeing in the process.
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Nigel Sylvester Bikes Dubai
Pro-BMXer Nigel Sylvester travels a lot. From Tokyo to LA and points beyond, Nigel has been all over the world. Now he's making a stop in Dubai. Starting with a skydive into the desert, Nigel hitches a ride into the city and brings you a unique tour of the places and people from a BMX point of view.
Tarantino-Style Spaghetti and Meatballs
What if famous directors were famous chefs instead? It's a question philosophers and scientists have been agonizing over for decades. David Ma has finally given us the answer with a series of short films imagining classic dishes in the style of Hollywood blockbusters. In the lastest installment in the series, he reimagines spaghetti and meatballs with a dose of violence, Tarantino-style.
Recreating the Loot Train Attack
There are a lot of references to other battle scenes in the epic dragon attack in Game of Thrones. From American westerns to Mongol invasions, napalm in Vietnam and the Spartans in 300, the writers drew from a lot of sources to create the scene. Nerdwriter digs up some of those references to recreate the loot train attack with shots from other films.
Life and Size
Size. It determines more about living things than nearly any other measurable factor. Kurzgesagt demonstrates this in most illustrative way possible — by throwning animals off of a tall building.
The National / Carin at the Liquor Store
The National has released a new video for "Carin at the Liquor Store" from their upcoming album Sleep Well the Beast. A hazy ballad about someone you saw every day but didn't have the gumption to talk to. And then, years later and thousands of miles away, you wonder what's happened to them. Sleep Well the Beast is out September 8, 2017. Pre-order the record here.
More Animated Book Covers
Two years ago, Henning M. Lederer had an idea: What if all those abstract academic book covers you came across in the library had animated covers? Henning found another trove of material, and has set another series of covers in motion.
Kayaking Inside an Abandoned Ship
An easy kayak cruise turned into an epic adventure when a man found his way inside an abandoned ship. The spooking interior looks like it's been completely gutted or at least rotted away, and the sound of water dripping and lapping of the steel inside is almost creepy.
Art, Science, and LAIKA Studios
LAIKA Studios specializes in traditional stop-motion animation — but combines that with modern CGI effects and technology like 3D printing. A packed roster of talented artists seamlessly combines traditional techniques and modern movie making processes to create an experience unlike any other. Watch the people behind LAIKA describe the creative and practical process behind their work in this short.
