The evolution of red and green as Christmas colors is a convoluted story. According to Arielle Eckstut, the coauthor of "The Secret Language of Color," both nature and Coca-Cola had a hand in shaping that history. Following is a transcript of the video. 

Arielle Eckstut: So there is no definitive history of the colors of Christmas. It's not like one day red and green were declared the colors. There's a long history, and a kind of convoluted one, behind it.

I'm Arielle Eckstut, and I am the co-author of "The Secret Language of Color."

What's most interesting about the red and green color combination of Christmas is that it's a combination of the beauty of nature and the crassness of commerce that come together to solidify the image of these two colors in our collective mind.

So first, let's talk about nature. And when we think about Christmas and colder climates, we think about holly trees and those beautiful bright-red berries against the green foliage of the tree. And there's a long history of holly and its associations with humans, including it being the crown of thorns for Jesus. So around the holiday time, because holly is the one bright thing in the environment in colder climates, nature has given us it as a symbol, and pagans used it, and to this day we still think of holly as associated with Christmas.

The Victorians are often associated with the red and green of Christmas. But if you go back and look, for example, atVictorian Christmas cards, you're not just going to see red and green — you're gonna see red and blue, blue and green, blue and white, all different palettes. Yes, some red and green, but not dominating the landscape.

If you look at Santa Claus during Victorian times, you're also not going to see him depicted in red robes that we associate now.  Then Santa sort of takes a leap in the early part of the 20th century, and we see lots of different artists depicting him in red robes. And he becomes a jollier, fatter figure than he ever was before. Then we get to about 1931, I believe, and Coca-Cola hires an artist named Haddon Sundblom to depict Santa Claus. And we see this incredibly fat, jolly, red-cheeked fellow with these big red-and-white robes. Again, he's not the first person to do it, but Coca-Cola uses this ad as its big Christmas campaign, and it's seen all around the United States. And this is when we really start to see the colors of red and green defined as the colors of Christmas.

So it's kind of a combination of nature, with those red berries and green foliage, and commerce, Coca-Cola with the bright red robes and the green foliage in the background of the ads, that solidifies in our imagination these colors.

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Between "Super Mario Odyssey," "PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds," "Horizon Zero Dawn," and "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild," it's going to be hard to top 2017's game line-up.

But 2018 has some massive games of its own.

From major new Nintendo games to highly-anticipated sequels, 2018 is full of promising new games. As such, we've put together a thorough list of games that should officially be on your radar in the coming months.

Perhaps we forgot your favorite game? Let us know! This list will be updated over time, and your contribution is much appreciated!

SEE ALSO: A ton of great games came out in 2017 — these are the 10 best

1. "Dragon Ball Fighter Z"

If you even remotely care about the "Dragon Ball" universe, you probably already know what "Dragon Ball Fighter Z" is. Even if you don't, you should: It's a gorgeous, unique fighting game that doesn't require a burning passion for anime to enjoy.

The game plays out similarly to the "Marvel vs Capcom" franchise, with each player selecting a team of three to fight as. You can switch between that trio during a match — matches play out in 2.5D, where the fight is on a 2D plane but the visuals are in gorgeous 3D. If you're a "Dragon Ball" fan you'll enjoy it more, but this one looks like a delight for anyone who enjoys a good fighting game period.

Release Date: January 26, 2018

Platforms: Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC

2. "Monster Hunter: World"

"Monster Hunter: World" is the latest major entry in the long-running, cult-classic "Monster Hunter" series. 

If you're wondering what the game is about, look no further than the on-the-nose name: You hunt monsters, repeatedly, in the third-person. This is a game about exploring a massive world and taking down its massive monsters. You can do that alone, or you can do that with up to four friends, but the goal remains the same: Murder monsters, take the loot you get from those monsters, and use it to take down more monsters. 

Release Date: January 26, 2018

Platforms: Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC (release date unknown for PC version)

3. "Shadow of the Colossus"

In 2018, the best game from 2005 arrives on the PlayStation 4. It's called "Shadow of the Colossus," and it's getting a gorgeous remake on the PlayStation 4.

When the game originally launched on the PlayStation 2 in 2005, it was a revelation for PlayStation 2 owners. Though it may look like a standard video game, "Shadow of the Colossus" is anything but — the diminutive character you see above is who you play as, and he's got an objective: Take down gigantic monsters. But why? And what are these "monsters"? Are they monsters, or is he, for murdering them? 

Release Date: February 6

Platforms: PlayStation 4

• There are a lot of neglectful and thoughtless parents in Christmas movies.
• Films like "Home Alone," "Jack Frost," and "The Grinch" are some prime examples of not-so-great parents in Christmas movies.

More often than not, Christmas movies are thought to be full of merriment. But there's one concerning trend in many Christmas movies: The parents are usually pretty terrible.

There are five different "Home Alone" movies. Five of them! How many times can a set of parents forget about their child over the holidays? But it's not just the McCallister parents — a significant number of parents in Christmas movies neglect their children, are irritated by their presence, and are just generally oblivious to their existence and emotional needs.

That's not to say that all parents in Christmas movies are terrible. Alonzo and Anna Smith in "Meet Me in St. Louis" are wonderful parents to their four daughters, and Mary Bailey in "It's a Wonderful Life" is the epitome of parental excellence. But poor parenting is evident in multiple films, like "The Grinch" or "Jingle All the Way."

Here are some examples of remarkably inept parents in your favorite Christmas movies:

SEE ALSO: Netflix's holiday movie 'A Christmas Prince' is good dumb fun — but its portrayal of journalism is outrageous

"Jack Frost": A dad comes back to life as a snowman to haunt his son

One of the user reviews for "Jack Frost" on IMDB is titled, "a snowdad is better than no dad," but I respectfully disagree. 

For those unfamiliar with "Jack Frost," imagine this: You're Charlie, you're 11 years old, and your deceased musician father Jack Frost (yes this is really his name), who you hardly saw when he was alive because he was always going to "gigs," comes back to life as a snowman who vaguely looks like Seth McFarlane, a year after his death.

Is this a joyful reunion, or something you will undoubtedly need to spend years in therapy recounting and working through?

Sure, it isn't really Jack's fault that he is brought back to life, it's the fault of terrible, terrible magic. But still, maybe pursuing a relationship with your son when you're essentially a ghost trapped in a snowman's body is the wrong move? Maybe as a parent, you should just consider the potential trauma this would cause, be a grown up, and not haunt your son. 

"Home Alone" and its sequels: Parents consistently ignore the existence of their son Kevin

The premise of "Home Alone" and every "Home Alone" that has followed is pretty straight forward: A child, (Macaulay Culkin's Kevin McCallister in the first two movies) is forgotten at home while his family goes on vacation.

In the first "Home Alone," Kevin makes the most of his situation by ordering pizzas with extra cheese, watching movies by himself, and setting traps for home invaders. His precociousness is delightful, and his ability to fend off convicted felons will never not be enjoyable, it's high time we all acknowledge that his parents really need to do more to remember that Kevin exists. (Especially since his sister Linnie is by far the most forgettable McCallister child.)

"The Grinch": The Grinch's parents literally did not care that he went to live on a mountain by himself at the age of 8

Everyone knows the story of Dr. Seuss's Grinch. The cranky curmudgeonly hermit, who lives on a mountain top with his dog, expresses his disdain for Christmas by trying to rob it from those who love it most.

It's easy to see why the Grinch is such an unlovable character. But in the 2000 Christmas classic "The Grinch" starring Jim Carrey, the past of the most loathsome Christmas villain since Scrooge is elucidated: The Grinch was frequently bullied for his appearance (namely his green complexion and abundance of hair) by the other children in town. 

During a Christmas gift exchange at school, the Grinch tries to bequeath his crush Martha May with a homemade gift, an angel made out of cutlery and precious gems he stole from his guardians. He tries to give her his gift with a paper bag over his head, ashamed of his botched attempt to shave his beard. His teacher forces him to show his face to the rest of his classmates, and he is mocked mercilessly. 

As a direct result of his bullying at the gift exchange, he leaves the town of Whoville and goes to live on Mount Crumpit alone, at the age of eight. 

Literally no one comes to find him or coerce him off of the mountain. No one! His guardians are disturbingly fine with his absence from their lives, and no one questions their parenting skills whatsoever. Clearly Whoville suffers from a lack of concerned parents, or social workers. 

• Penske Media said late Wednesday it is buying a majority stake in the Rolling Stone magazine.
• The deal values Rolling Stone at more than $110 million. 
• Rolling Stone co-founder Jann Wenner will assume the role of Editorial Director of the magazine after the completion of the deal.

Penske Media said late Wednesday it is buying a majority stake in the Rolling Stone magazine from its New York-based publisher, Wenner Media.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed in a statement from the companies.

The deal values Rolling Stone at more than $110 million, the Financial Times reported earlier, citing people briefed on the transaction. 

Rolling Stone co-founder Jann Wenner will assume the role of Editorial Director of the magazine after the completion of the deal, according to the statement.

Wenner Media Chief Operating Officer Gus Wenner will become a part of Penske's advisory board, in addition to keeping his current role.

Wenner Media in September said it was exploring strategic options for its majority interest in the Rolling Stone magazine, continuing its shift from print media business amid falling ad revenues.

As part of the agreement, Singapore-based music start-up BandLab Technologies, which currently has a 49 percent stake in Rolling Stone will continue as Wenner Media's partner in the magazine, the companies added.

(Reporting by Gaurika Juneja in Bengaluru; editing by Diane Craft)

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NOW WATCH: A Navy SEAL explains why you should end a shower with cold water

• Matt Damon explained why his new movie, "Downsizing," is such a rarity to be made in the Hollywood system.
• The actor defended the other movie he was in this year, George Clooney's "Suburbicon," and why he believes the critics were too harsh on Clooney.
• Damon also said that in this watershed moment of sexual misconduct allegations coming to light, we're not talking enough about the men in Hollywood who don't abuse their position.

If you haven’t noticed recently, Matt Damon has a lot of opinions.

The actor and Oscar-winning screenwriter is never shy about giving his thoughts on a range of topics, and when Business Insider met with him in New York City in mid-December, it was no different.

Damon was there to talk about his new movie, “Downsizing,” his first time working with acclaimed Oscar-winning writer-director Alexander Payne (“Election,” “Sideways,” “The Descendants”). Damon plays a man who undergoes a shrinking experiment that a growing number of others in the world are choosing. By shrinking to five inches in size, the procedure is billed as being a better way to protect the environment, with the added perk of micro-sized surroundings and possessions that allow the middle class to live like millionaires. The satire explores issues of class, economics, and the things we convince ourselves make up the American Dream. It’s the sort of movie a Hollywood studio never makes anymore.

Below, Damon explained why that’s the case. He also defended the other movie he was in this year, George Clooney’s “Suburbicon,” which he felt the critics were too harsh on. Damon also gave his thoughts on the countless sexual misconduct allegations in Hollywood, which we published earlier this week.

Jason Guerrasio: Did you know about the "Downsizing" script? Because Alexander and his cowriter Jim Taylor had written it a while ago.

Matt Damon: I hadn't heard about it. I guess they started it after “Sideways” and originally Alexander wanted Paul Giamatti for the part. Thankfully for me, he didn't get it made for ten years so I got the chance. So he called me and asked and I've wanted to work with him for a while. I wasn't sure if he was joking or not because it's such an absurd premise. But he gave me a script. 

Guerrasio: The movie on the outside has a save-the-world-vibe, and you've always been big on the environment, like your efforts with the world's water crisis —

Damon: But this isn't a message film.

Guerrasio: Not at all. Is it what was beyond the surface of the movie that grabbed you?

Damon: Yeah. There's so much stuff in there — America today, class conflict. But really I thought it's an optimistic movie, though it focuses on the apocalypse. But in the face of the apocalypse it's these human kindnesses that are in it. 

Guerrasio: The big thing for me was that a studio got behind a movie like this. 

Damon: Tell me about it. 

Guerrasio: They don't do that for these kind of movies anymore. 

Damon: Right. And we were supposed to make this a year earlier and didn't because the funding fell apart. So it was really hard to find a way to make it. It's just a challenging movie but also it's just a challenging time. The margins are so narrow now that executives are just risk averse. If you're going to make a movie that doesn't have superheroes or sequel potential it's just very hard to get that made now. 

Guerrasio: But I would think your name involved opens some check books.

Damon: Less than you would think. When we did “Behind the Candelabra,” for instance, that had Steven [Soderbergh] directing it and Michael [Douglas] and me, we couldn't get a studio to give us $25 million (HBO ended up buying the movie). 

Guerrasio: Because they don't see anything worth their time that's in that $20 million - $30 million range?

Damon: Well, if you look at $25 million, you're going to have to put at least that amount into P&A (prints and advertising) and you're going to split it with the exhibitor, so you're in for $50 million, so it's going to have to make $100 million before you even start seeing any profit. So a movie like “Behind the Candelabra,” these studio chiefs had to go, "Well, is it going to make $100 million? And is it going to make $130 million so I can get something back?" These are very real dollar and cents conversations. 

I have a first look deal with Ben [Affleck] for our company at Warner Bros., and there are movies that we bring to them and we like them they are great about it, but when we pitch they go "Okay, we'll run the numbers." It's not personal, they have to look at their slate of titles coming up and their business model and it just becomes really challenging to find way to get these kind of movies made. 

Guerrasio: Now that's what makes what you put out this year quite a feat. Both "Downsizing" and "Suburbicon" are very challenging movies, but a big studio, Paramount, released both of them.

Damon: Yeah. And I hope this one does better than "Suburbicon." I mean, I wouldn’t change a frame of "Suburbicon."

Guerrasio: I’ll be 100% honest with you, I wasn't totally into "Suburbicon" —

Damon: Many felt the same way.

Guerrasio: But what I will say is I love it when you do the off-the-rail roles. 

Damon: I did back-to-back-to-back "The Martian," "The Great Wall," "Jason Bourne," and George called in the middle of making "Jason Bourne" and it really was a chance to work with George that interested me. But I love the concept of the movie. As you say, it was really something different. I had never been able to do something like that. 

Guerrasio: When the movie comes out and isn't the reaction you guys obviously were hoping for, can you just move on? Or are you a person that at 2 AM has to go online and read the reviews?

Damon: In that situation it's easier for me than George. He spent two years on it and it does sting. It was made for a price. It's a calculated miss, but it sucks. And nowadays, when the reviews come out, it's almost like the reviewers are trying to one-up each other to see how creatively they can abuse a movie. And when movies are made in good faith you can tell. You can tell when one is a cash grab and one is not. And you may not like the movie, but you can see when it's crafted at a certain level. I think it deserves a different level of review. 

Guerrasio: Well, we do live in a world where the headline rules all.

Damon: Yes! Exactly. And I thought the reviews were oddly personal in terms of how they attacked George. Julianne [Moore] and I, we were kind of let off the hook, but they really went after George. 

Guerrasio: And I think some of that is people respect his work as a director, so when they see something like this movie they are kind of in shock how much of a swing and miss it was.

Damon: Yeah, but then say that! I get that. But you also want people to take big swings because sometimes they connect. 

Guerrasio: Projects for you coming up: I’ve heard in the past you're developing a Bobby Kennedy movie, is that something that's still hanging out there?

Damon: It's still in the ether. Hopefully we're going to get it made soon, we got to get it set up somewhere. That's one of the ones we went to Warner Bros. with and they ran their numbers and said this isn't a Warner Bros. movie. And I agree, it's not. I mean, we were having this meeting and I'm sitting there with [Warner Bros. head] Toby [Emmerich] and he's got the "Wonder Woman" poster behind him. [Laughs.]
 
Guerrasio: My last question. How much does the sexual misconduct allegations that are constantly coming out in Hollywood affect how you choose a project going forward? Do you really have to think now if you want to be on a project if an actor, producer, or director has allegations against them? Because as we saw with Kevin Spacey, Netflix won’t release the Gore Vidal movie they made with Spacey starring because of the allegations against him. 

Damon: That always went into my thinking. I mean, I wouldn't want to work with somebody who — life's too short for that. But the question of if somebody had allegations against them, you know, it would be a case-by-case basis. You go, “What's the story here?”

But, we're in this watershed moment, and it's great, but I think one thing that's not being talked about is there are a whole s---load of guys — the preponderance of men I've worked with — who don't do this kind of thing and whose lives aren't going to be affected. If I have to sign a sexual-harassment thing, I don't care, I'll sign it. I would have signed it before. I don't do that, and most of the people I know don't do that. So I think it's important that powerful people aren't abusing their stations and they are held to account. To whatever degree they do.

But besides that, I always think about who I'm going to work with and if it's going to be a good experience, if it's going to be a positive experience. We're making movies, nobody should be getting hurt.   

SEE ALSO: "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" director Rian Johnson reacts to the backlash and addresses the movie's most shocking moments

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NOW WATCH: 10 things you missed in the 'Avengers: Infinity War' trailer

• Lin-Manuel Miranda rose to fame for his Broadway musical, "Hamilton."
• Miranda worked on "Hamilton" for years, and it became one of the biggest musicals of all time.
• Miranda's unconventional blend of musical theater and hip hop, as well as a passion for diverse representation in the entertainment industry, has transformed musical theater as we know it. 
• The success of "Hamilton" has led to a promising career writing music for movies like "Moana" and "Star Wars: The Force Awakens."

Lin-Manuel Miranda seemingly came out of nowhere. After creating "Hamilton" he became a household name, and his career has skyrocketed in the years since as he's continued to keep busy.

"Hamilton," which he wrote and starred in, made its Off-Broadway debut in 2015, and it quickly became one of the most popular and most profitable musicals of all time. It ranks among classics like "The Phantom of the Opera," "The Lion King," and "Wicked."

At the end of 2017, and with a mostly new cast, "Hamilton" is still one of the most popular shows on Broadway. Tickets are still hundreds of dollars (or thousands on resale websites), and have to be purchased months in advance. 

But "Hamilton" wasn't Miranda's first big hit. He also wrote and starred in "In the Heights," a musical combining hip hop and salsa that he started to work on while he was in college.

Miranda’ relentless, non-stop work ethic — which is reflective of founding father Alexander Hamilton, whom Miranda admires so much he wrote an entire musical about him — has gotten him far in the entertainment industry, even though people he trusted told him to give up on "Hamilton" while he was working on it. 

But Miranda kept perfecting his passion project, and it paid off — literally. “Hamilton” consistently sells out all 1,321 seats at the Richard Rodgers Theater in New York City and its touring productions across the country and in London.

At 37, Miranda has won a Pulitzer Prize, an Emmy, three Tonys, and two Grammys. He's also been nominated for an Oscar. An Oscar win would award Miranda the coveted EGOT: an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony.

In addition to his passion for hip hop-infused musicals that bring diversity to the often white-dominated entertainment industry, Miranda expertly uses his platform and fame for the greater good. In 2017, Miranda was (and continues to be) an outspoken advocate for hurricane relief in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, which brought devastation to Puerto Rico in September. 

Here, we've profiled the rise of Miranda's booming career, to see how he did it and how he continues to aim higher every day:

SEE ALSO: The 14 best new TV shows of 2017, ranked

An early interest in musical theater

Miranda was born in New York City, and grew up in upper Manhattan.

Miranda credits his inspiration for a career in musicals to "Les Miserables," the first show he saw on Broadway. He saw it with his family when he was seven years old.

His music tastes eventually evolved to include R&B and hip hop, but musical theater was always a passion. When he was in high school at Hunter College High School, he participated in musical theater.

And in college, he started writing his first musical, "In the Heights," that eventually made it to Broadway. 

"In the Heights"

Miranda's non-stop work ethic started in college at Wesleyan University. 

Miranda wrote an early draft of his first musical, "In the Heights," when he was a sophomore in 1999. The show was added to Wesleyan's student theater company, Second Stage, and played in April  2000.

The lively musical combines hip hop with salsa and Latin sounds, and is set in the Manhattan neighborhood of Washington Heights, a Hispanic-American neighborhood close to where Miranda grew up. 

After the show's debut, Miranda was approached about expanding the show into a Broadway production. After a run in Connecticut in 2005, "In the Heights" made its premiere on Broadway in February 2008, when Miranda was 28 years-old. The show received mostly positive reviews, with many critics noting Miranda's emotional lyrics as its strength.  

“In the Heights" won four Tony awards, including Best Musical and Best Original Score, and the show ended its run in 2011. By then, Miranda was already two years into his work on his biggest hit, "Hamilton."

Supporting his dream

After college, when Miranda was in his 20s and supporting himself while working on "In the Heights," he wrote political jingles. 

Miranda wrote the jingles in English and Spanish for ads for politicians including Eliot Spitzer, the former governor of New York. He got the work through his father, who worked as a political consultant.

Even when Miranda was supporting his career in music, he was writing it.

November 1966: local New York TV station WPIX had nothing to broadcast for 1.5 hours. There wasn't much on TV during the holidays, so viewers were typically treated to half-hour blocks of nothing. WPIX president Fred Thrower decided to air a "Christmas card." The "card" would just be burning Yule logs. When WPIX first shot the special, they reportedly burnt a $4,000 rug trying to get a better angle.

The first Yule Log special aired on December 24, 1966. It aired for three hours with no commercials, and the footage itself was only 17 seconds long. WPIX repeatedly looped this footage for the special. The repetition was pretty obvious on tape, so in 1970, it was reshot as a 6-minute loop. The special stopped airing in 1989. With no commercials, it was a financial loss for the network.

In 2016, WPIX brought back the Yule Log special. They're even selling Yule Log apparel and merchandise. You can find more Yule Logs on services like Netflix and YouTube.

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• "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" director Rian Johnson explained why Captain Phasma doesn't get a lot of screen time.
• The fan favorite also had a small amount of scenes in "The Force Awakens," so she may be headed to the Boba Fett-level of "Star Wars" fan obsession. 

Warning: Spoilers below if you haven’t seen “Star Wars: The Last Jedi”

One of the major knocks about “The Force Awakens” was that stormtrooper leader Captain Phasma (Gwendoline Christie) had very little screen time. Well, we're sad to break it to you, but she has even less in “The Last Jedi.”

She’s a character that instantly became a fan favorite when unveiled — chrome stormtrooper armor and all — leading up to the release of “The Force Awakens.” But so far we haven't been able to learn much about her in the two movies other than she doesn’t like First Order deserter, Finn (John Boyega).

At the end of “The Force Awakens,” she was thrown into Starkiller Base’s trash compactor, and in “The Last Jedi,” she literally shows up for just one scene to fight Finn. Things don’t turn out well for Phasma again; she loses the fight and falls into the fire that’s consuming the massive First Order ship,“Supremacy.”

“The Last Jedi” director Rian Johnson wasn't coy about it when Business Insider brought up the lack of Phasma in the movie.

“There wasn't a ton of Phasma that we shot for this,” he said. “The God's honest truth is, if you take a look at the movie, it's so full already. There are so many characters to serve already, and it's tough because Phasma really enters the movie when she needs to, and she does exactly what she needs to do in it. She's someone at the tail end of Finn's journey that represents his past for him to have this cathartic moment of being on the side of good and fighting her. The notion of having a side plot of Phasma throughout the course of the film — look, I love Gwen [Christie]. I love Phasma. It would have been fun. But it just wasn't the story we were telling. There just wasn't a place for it. We already had quite a full plate to deal with in terms of all the other characters.”

Johnson has a point. The movie already has a final running time of two-and-a-half hours — the longest “Star Wars” movie ever — and it’s because there are a handful of new characters in the movie that have to be explored. But many fans are disappointed that Phasma didn’t get much of a story arc in either movie.

“Look, I'm bummed about it too,” Johnson said. “I wish we could have more Phasma. Just the truth of it is there wasn't room for her in this movie. She's so badass, I wish it was her story. But it isn't. Maybe there will be one eventually at some point.”

It’s hard to tell if that’s wishful thinking or if Johnson is dropping a hint. But at the very least, it would be nice to learn in “Episode IX” that Phasma survived the fire and is involved in more of the plot in the trilogy's finale.

If not, Captain Phasma will stand alongside Boba Fett as the most underused (and fan-obsessed) “Star Wars” characters of all time.

“Star Wars: The Last Jedi” is currently playing in theaters.

SEE ALSO: "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" director Rian Johnson reacts to the backlash and addresses the movie's most shocking moments

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NOW WATCH: 10 things you missed in the 'Avengers: Infinity War' trailer

• Apple made a crucial change to the language of its App Store guidelines this week.
• The change states that all games must disclose odds related to items earned from so-called "loot boxes" — a mechanism for rewarding players with valuable in-game items.
• The concept of "loot boxes" has been a controversial one in gaming this year, and Apple is making a strong statement by forcing this change.

In one sentence, Apple enacted a massive change that impacts the biggest iPhone games and iPhone game makers: "Apps offering 'loot boxes' or other mechanisms that provide randomized virtual items for purchase must disclose the odds of receiving each type of item to customers prior to purchase."

Many of the top games on the iPhone, from "Hearthstone" to "Clash Royale," use loot boxes.

You either earn them through play, or you outright pay real money for them, and they give you a randomized shot at earning beneficial virtual items. In "Hearthstone," that means packs of cards you can add to your deck — maybe you've got a 40% shot at getting a "rare," especially powerful card. But maybe the game doesn't tell you.

Now, under Apple's new rule, the game must tell players "the odds of receiving each type of item" and it has to do that before purchase. 

The controversy over loot crates became especially inflamed late in 2017, when "Star Wars Battlefront 2" launched — a $60 purchase, at minimum — with loot boxes that players felt were especially egregious. One congressman from Hawaii even proposed drafting legislation to ban the sale of any games with loot boxes to people under the age of 21.

Apple's new policy, published this week, is more immediately impactful.

The concept of loot boxes is a staple of the free-to-play, mobile gaming market. As such, this change in policy has an immediate, direct impact on the top games on the iPhone App Store. Whether the change in policy will result in a change in behavior from customers is another question. If players know the odds, are they less likely to buy the box? 

SEE ALSO: The new 'Star Wars' game is embroiled in controversy, and fans are furious — here's what's going on

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NOW WATCH: What those tiny rivets on your jeans are for

Cord cutting has long been linked to Millennials— but maybe not for much longer. For years, many in that age group have forsaken traditional broadcast and cable TV in favor of watching shows streamed from the internet. Now that activity is catching on with Millennials' elders.

As we can see in this chart from Statista— which is based on data from PwC — the vast majority of Americans from 18 to 59 now watch at least some of their TV shows via the internet. Perhaps most surprising is the rapid adoption of internet TV by the over-50 set. Less than half of that group went online to tune in their shows last year.

SEE ALSO: Amazon still dominates the smart speaker market — but the competition is closing in

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NOW WATCH: Here's why Boeing 747s have a giant hump in the front

It's been called everything from a "piece of junk" to "garbage," but the Millennium Falcon has never failed its crew through the deepest reaches of the galaxy.

In 2015, concept artist Kemp Remillard reimagined the interiors of the Millennium Falcon in a stunning illustration. The detail is incredible, down to the hyperdrive initiation lever.

We spoke with Remillard on how the image came together (including how he gained access to Lucasfilm's top-secret, 3D blueprints of the Falcon). You can see more concept art of the movie's ships in Remillard's book, "Star Wars: The Force Awakens Incredible Cross-Sections."

DON'T MISS: These photos of 'Star Wars' ships on Earth are mesmerizing

The Millennium Falcon soared into our lives in 1977.

As the Falcon's pilot Han Solo put it in the original "Star Wars" movie, "She may not look like much, but she's got it where it counts, kid."

Here's how illustrator Kemp Remillard imagines the interior of the ship.

"The Last Jedi" — the newest film in the "Star Wars" franchise — has been released, and fans are rushing to the theater to be immersed in a galaxy far, far away.

But true fans will be glad to know there are plenty of places on Earth that can feel just as foreign.

The travel website TripAdvisor has collected destinations from around the world that look like they belong on the big screen. Check out eight landscapes that will transport you to another universe:

SEE ALSO: 20 stunning photos of unreal landscapes, incredible animals, and mesmerizing underwater scenes

DON'T MISS: All the 'Star Wars' movies, ranked from worst to best

The Valley of Fire in the Overton, Nevada, state park allows hiking through the red sand and to Native American rock art in an area that looks ready for a pod race.

The Painted Desert in Petrified Forest National Park near Flagstaff, Arizona, bears such a resemblance to Tatooine that visitors wouldn't be surprised to see two suns.

The Valle de la Luna in Santa Catalina, Chile, has caves prime for exploring in the valley — but the moon-like atmosphere at this dry location is the main attraction.

• Some conservative commentators are calling out Tom Hanks for saying he wouldn't screen his latest film, the newspaper drama "The Post," at the White House.
• Hanks said in a recent interview that he takes issue with what he sees as the Trump administration's attempts to "denigrate" the freedom of the press.
• Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer and Fox News host Laura Ingraham, along with a number of social media users, were quick to voice negative reactions in response to Hanks.

Some conservative commentators and social media users are calling out Tom Hanks after the actor said he wouldn't screen his new film, "The Post," at the White House. 

Hanks stars alongside Meryl Streep in "The Post," a Steven Spielberg film which depicts The Washington Post's battle with Richard Nixon's administration to uncover and publish secret government records on the failing U.S. effort in the Vietnam War. 

Hanks told The Hollywood Reporter this week that he wouldn't screen "The Post" at the White House if asked, saying, "Right now, without a doubt, there are people in power trying to — if not quash or stop the right to publication, [then at least] denigrate it to the point [where] they are saying there is no truth to it whatsoever." 

While the White House has historically screened films in the theater of its East Wing, there is no indication that Trump has asked to screen "The Post."

In response to Hanks' comments, former White House press secretary Sean Spicer said in an interview with Fox News on Thursday that Hanks should "take the lead" in discussing issues with Trump personally, rather than refusing a potential screening.

"I think the idea that it's become cool to say I won't even show up to see the President of the United States is a sad commentary on where we are," Spicer said. "I think that for people like Tom Hanks, who I think is a great film producer and director — he should take the lead maybe say, you know what? I want to go talk to the president about these important issues that were brought up in my movie in 'The Post.'"

Fox News host Laura Ingraham also called out the Oscar-winning actor on Thursday, saying that Hanks "kind of flops as a political commentator and pundit," and that the actor was "insulting the president just to sell his movie." 

A deluge of ostensibly conservative social media users also took issue with Hanks' comments:

"The Post" opens nationwide on Friday. It currently sits at an 84% "Fresh" rating on the reviews aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.

SEE ALSO: Even a stellar performance by Meryl Streep can't elevate Steven Spielberg's 'The Post' past its flaws

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NOW WATCH: Meet Scott Rogowsky — the host of the hot new mobile game show HQ Trivia

• Louis C.K.'s movie "I Love You, Daddy" has hit torrent sites.
• This is following the movie's distributor being in final talks to sell the movie back to the comic.
• The movie was never released after sexual misconduct allegations against C.K. were reported by The New York Times. C.K. later said the allegations were true.

Following the sexual misconduct allegations against Louis C.K. from five women in November, the theatrical release of the comic’s new movie “I Love You, Daddy” was quickly scrapped by its distributor The Orchard. However, the company had mailed out thousands of award-season screeners to voters before the allegations came out, and that has led to the movie finding a new life on the internet.

On Friday, notorious piracy group "Hive-CM8" released the movie on various torrent sites, according to The Verge. 

There’s certainly an interest in the movie. “I Love You, Daddy” screeners have been showing up on eBay since November (one was even priced at $1,075). Hive-CM8 — best known for leaking 40 screeners online in 2015, including “The Revenant” and “The Hateful Eight” — said in a message posted with the release of the movie that it chose “I Love You, Daddy” because “it never made it to the cinema, and nobody knows if it ever will go to retail at all.”

In December, the trades reported that The Orchard was nearing a deal to sell the movie back to Louis C.K. The distributor bought the worldwide rights for the movie following its world premiere at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival for $5 million.

Most believe C.K. would one day release the movie through his website, as he’s done in the past with his standup specials. However, C.K. — who confirmed the allegations against him reported by The New York Times — has left the public eye, so it’s unknown what he’ll do with the movie.

SEE ALSO: Matt Damon on the struggles of getting his new movie "Downsizing" made, defending George Clooney's "Suburbicon," and his thoughts on sexual misconduct in Hollywood

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NOW WATCH: Everything we know about 'porgs' — the penguin-like creatures from 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi'

Most of us can’t wait to see 2017 end, but before we put a flamethrower on the whole thing let’s look back on something that wasn’t bad: the movies.

From the iconic Wonder Woman finally getting on the big screen to the movie that will mark the supposed final performance of one of our greatest living actors Daniel Day-Lewis, movies on both the studio and independent side found ways to make us forget our daily troubles and escape into stories that have stayed with us long after the closing credits.

Here are 11 movies from this year that did just that for me:

SEE ALSO: "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" director Rian Johnson reacts to the backlash and addresses the movie's most shocking moments

11. “Logan Lucky”

This is the best movie you didn’t see this year. Sadly, Steven Soderbergh’s southern-fried version of “Ocean’s 11” didn’t get a lot of box office love, but if you did catch it (or are getting around to it now as it’s available on streaming/blu-Ray) you know why it made this list. The movie is hilarious and Channing Tatum teamed with Adam Driver is gold. Plus, Daniel Craig is just on another level in this. 

The movie is also one of the best written of the year — now if we can only figure out who to thank. 

10. “Wonder Woman”

It’s hands-down my favorite superhero movie of the year. Patty Jenkins creates goose bump moments (No Man’s Land scene) while giving us the long-awaited big screen telling of one of comic books’ most iconic characters. In a genre where it’s hard to impress anymore, this movie pulled it off.

9. “Mudbound”

This is another crown jewel for Netflix. Dee Rees’ look at life on a Mississippi farm post World War II is powered by its incredible ensemble cast, and striking visuals and score. Rees proves she’s one of the top young directors working today and I still can’t get Jason Mitchell’s performance out of my head.

Since Danielle Bregoli took the internet by storm in January, it was clear that 2017 would be a strong year for memes and meme appreciators. From Salt Bae to Covfefe, here are the 9 best memes of 2017.

1. Salt Bae

2. White Guy Blinking

3. Snapchat Hot Dog

4. SpongeBob Mocking

5. Cash Me Ousside

6. Distracted Boyfriend

7. Roll Safe Meme

8. Covfefe

9. Nothing But Respect For My President

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It's officially that time of year when you never leave your house because it's too cold to go outside and you just don't feel like dealing with it, which means you'll have plenty of time to watch TV.

Thankfully, there is plenty of TV to watch these days. Too much, actually. So we listed all of the notable new and returning shows coming to your TV in the next couple months, and let you know whether or not you should watch them. 

The lineup for winter 2018 looks pretty promising, with some shows starting new seasons like HBO's "Crashing" and Netflix's "One Day at a Time" (one of our picks for best TV shows of 2017). Winter 2018 will also bring us quite a few exciting new shows, including "Waco" on the Paramount Network (formerly Spike TV), Freeform's "Grown-ish," and FX's excellent "The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story," the follow up to "The People v O.J. Simpson."

There are also some new and returning shows that we are dreading as much as walking in a blizzard: season 11 of "The X Files," a new season of "The Bachelor" and mid-season shows like "The Resident."

Here are all of the notable shows premiering in early 2018, and whether or not you should watch them:

SEE ALSO: The 21 best TV shows of 2017

JANUARY 2018

"The Bachelor" – ABC

Season 22 premieres January 1.

Fans of "The Bachelor" franchise were disappointed to learn that Arie Luyendyk Jr, a race car driver who was a guest on "The Bachelorette" in 2012, will be the next bachelor.

Should you watch it: Stay for the first few episodes, leave when it gets too serious. 

"L.A. to Vegas" – FOX

Series premiere January 2.

"L.A to Vegas" is a workplace comedy starring Dylan McDermott that follows the crew of a Friday night flight from LAX to Vegas.

Should you watch it: No. It looks gross and edgy, but in a bad way. 

• Ben Mendelsohn plays King George VI in "Darkest Hour," one of the rare times he hasn't played a bad guy in a movie.
• Don't worry though, he's got some major bad guy roles coming, like Sheriff of Nottingham in "Robin Hood" and the villain in "Ready Player One."
• But he's quiet about a possible return of his "Rogue One" character Director Krennic in any future "Star Wars" movies. 

After years of being a struggling actor in Australia, Ben Mendelsohn got his breakout in 2010 as the patriarch of a crime family on the run in “Animal Kingdom,” and hasn’t looked back since.

Finding his mark playing complex dark characters in indies like “The Place Beyond the Pines” and “Slow West,” Mendelsohn hit it big when he scored the role of Director Orson Krennic in “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” last year. But in his latest role Mendelsohn proves he can do more than just play the bad guy. As King George VI opposite Gary Oldman as Winston Churchill in “Darkest Hour” (in theaters nationwide), Mendelsohn shows off his softer side as he plays a man tasked with keeping the United Kingdom strong during World War II while trying to match wits with Churchill, though suffering a stammer when he speaks. (He plays the same character who earned Colin Firth a best actor Oscar for “The King’s Speech.”)

Mendelsohn talked to Business Insider about preparing for the challenging task as well as his upcoming anticipated roles, which range from the Sheriff of Nottingham in “Robin Hood” to a gaming nerd in “Ready Player One” — yes, he’s a bad guy in both.

Jason Guerrasio: When you had to wrap your head around that you're going to play King George VI, was it exciting or scary?

Ben Mendelsohn: It was both. It was very unexpected. I got why [director] Joe [Wright] thought of me in one respect. If you look at me in profile and look at him it's not a bad match. There are certain, well, I guess, shyness to me and the portrayal of him. But other than that it's a pretty big risk. 

Guerrasio: And when you say risk, you mean the weight of the role?

Mendelsohn: Yeah. It's a risk from Joe's perspective. I think there's plenty of people he could have cast that were more, um —

Guerrasio: English. 

Mendelsohn: Yeah. Exactly. Wouldn't have to worry about the accent stuff. But I'm very thankful that he did ask me to do it. And then it's the company you're in. Gary Oldman playing Winston Churchill, that is a film I would go see. 

Guerrasio: What was the research like? Did you want to go really deep in knowing everything about King George?

Mendelsohn: No. I was mostly interested in what I could see and hear. I was less interested in the various interpretations of the man. I knew the rough outlines of his situation. It was really to get a sense of where the stutter was and what feeling you get from him. 

Guerrasio: So basically watching "The King's Speech" would have screwed you up.

Mendelsohn: By the time the Jello had nearly set I went back and watched "The King's Speech." I hadn't planned on it and then I just thought, you know what — um, I'm trying to find a way to say this that you won't have to edit me —

Guerrasio: Screw it!

Mendelsohn: Yeah. Thank you. [Laughs.] And I'm glad I did because it is a beautiful portrayal.

Guerrasio: Was it less looking at how Colin did the voice and more how he moved as the King? His swagger?

Mendelsohn: It was less of that. No. I wasn't looking at Colin's performance as to how he interpreted the guy. I wasn't interested to try to take up or ignore, it was more getting the whole sense of the story. The stuff that affected me more was the business with his dad and brother. That's what I took on board a bit more. 

Guerrasio: It sounded like you got in early with Gary, all the actors were given a good chunk of rehearsal time before shooting started. 

Mendelsohn: They had a long rehearsal period which I was there for a few days of. And thank God we did. Look, it was a task and it helps a lot to get comfortable with the people you're going to be doing it with. Gary and I had met before, we worked on "The Dark Knight Rises."

Guerrasio: That's right!

Mendelsohn: We don't do anything together, but we are in one scene where Commissioner Gordon gets up and makes a little speech in the back of Wayne Manor. So we were together over a couple of night shoots together. 

Guerrasio: While shooting "Darkest Hour," between shooting are you and Gary talking in your character voices? Are you scared you'll lose the stutter?

Mendelsohn: Well, once you know where it is you can pick it up and put it down. You don't need to do all that stuff.

Guerrasio: The connection between you and Gary is you both play bad guys so well. For you, is it hard to find a role like this? Something that just on paper doesn't scream, "evil!"

Mendelsohn: I consider it a real compliment to be offered the bad guy. No complaints on that. But it was a delight to be offered this role in part because he's a good guy. 

Guerrasio: Is it more fun to play the dark roles?

Mendelsohn: No. Well, it depends. I think it's more fun to work than not to work. 

Guerrasio: [Laughs.]

Mendelsohn: There's a certain malevolent delight that baddies get to express. But that's pretty short lived. 

Guerrasio: Coming up you play the Sheriff of Nottingham in the latest “Robin Hood” movie. Will you give him a more playful feel? Like Alan Rickman did in “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves?"

Mendelsohn: Ah, no one is ever going to top Alan Rickman. 

Guerrasio: He was damn good in that role. 

Mendelsohn:No one is ever going to top that, and I'm not trying. But this is an origin story of Hood, it's a very explosive kind of piece. But no, the sheriff is not a good guy at all. But Nolan Sorrento in “Ready Player One” is a fantastic bad guy. He’s a nerd that's got too much power. I guess most bad guys you look at what they do with their flaws. How they've compensated for them in some way and how they try to make everyone else pay for it. That seems to be one of the thematic things about most bad guys. 

Guerrasio: I think that's why people gravitate to those kind of roles, they plug their darkness and insecurities into what they see that character doing. 

Mendelsohn: Yeah. And that kind of misbehaving, as it were, comes vicariously. 

Guerrasio: With “Ready Player One,” was that just another "pinch me" moment in your career?

Mendelsohn: Oh yeah. I remember meeting Spielberg for the first time and I said, "I don't know what your intention is but this is good enough for me, I got to sit in a room with you." He had seen "Bloodline," he was a big "Bloodline" fan.

Guerrasio: Are you bummed there's no more "Bloodline?” Did you feel there was more story to be told?

Mendelsohn: I think from my point of view [my character] Danny Rayburn was always in the early part of that telling. I think that those guys had a lot more in them. But that's the way it is. Few things have been as good to me as "Bloodline." 

Guerrasio: With the news that Rian Johnson is going to expand "Star Wars" and is tasked with making more movies — not to mention all the one-off movies — is it possible Director Krennic comes back?

Mendelsohn: I don't know. I really don't know what's happening with any of that. 

Guerrasio: Was it a one-and-done contract for you, or did you have an option for multiple films?

Mendelsohn: It would be remiss for me to discuss contractual details. 

Guerrasio: Well, I had to try.

Mendelsohn: [Laughs.]

Guerrasio: And I guess this is another one you can't really say, but are the rumors true that you'll be in Captain Marvel?

Mendelsohn: That’s another I wish we could talk about, but I can neither confirm or deny the existence of such a project, if there were such a project. [Laughs.]

Guerrasio: Honestly, these kind of questions, are these fun for you? Because you've had to navigate through them a lot for a year-plus now.

Mendelsohn: Look, honestly, I'm a guy who sat around being out of work for a very long time so this is not a problem. [Laughs.] This is a very, very lucky position to be in.  

SEE ALSO: The 10 biggest box office bombs of 2017

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NOW WATCH: Here's how Jay-Z and Beyoncé spend their $1.16 billion

Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla, apparently can't get enough of the actress Amber Heard.

In a November interview with Rolling Stone, Musk said he had split with Heard, though it sounded as if he was still pining after his ex and concerned about the status of his love life.

"I just broke up with my girlfriend," Musk said. "I was really in love, and it hurt bad."

He added: "If I'm not in love, if I'm not with a long-term companion, I cannot be happy."

But on Friday, TMZ snapped pictures of the two kissing after getting lunch in LA. While this doesn't confirm they're back together — TMZ later quoted a source close to Musk as saying they weren't — it's a possibility.

Heard, 31, has already had quite a career and continues to take on bigger acting roles. This year, she appeared as Mera, the queen of Atlantis, in "Justice League," and she'll probably have a more substantial role in 2018's "Aquaman." She's also an advocate for women, especially victims of domestic violence.

SEE ALSO: RANKED: The 11 best movies of 2017

Heard was born in Austin, Texas, in 1986. When she was 17, she dropped out of high school and moved to Los Angeles to pursue an acting and modeling career.

Source: The Telegraph

Her first movie role was in the 2004 sports drama "Friday Night Lights," which starred Billy Bob Thornton. (It later became a TV show.)

Before that, she had supporting and guest-starring roles on teen dramas including "Jack and Bobby" and "The OC."

No matter where I go during the holidays, the seasonal songs I seem to hear most often are the oldies — tunes such as Ella Fitzgerald's rendition of "Sleigh Ride," Bing Crosby's "White Christmas," and Elvis Presley's "Blue Christmas." About the most modern songs I ever hear are Wham!'s "Last Christmas," which dates from the 80s, and Etta James' nearly 20-year-old — but classic-sounding — songs from her "12 Songs of Christmas" album. If you ever wander through a mall or a brick-and-mortar store during the holiday season, your experience is likely similar.

But it turns out those classic tunes aren't necessarily representative of the music most people hear during the holidays. If you take a look at what seasonal songs were streamed online or sold as downloads last year, the majority were recorded in 2000 or later, as this chart from Statista— based on data from Nielsen — indicates. And you can't blame DJs for holiday nostalgia; the majority of seasonal songs played on the radio last year were recorded after 1989.

SEE ALSO: Cord cutting isn't just for Millennials — even 50-somethings want their internet TV

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