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HBO debuted the first trailer for 'True Detective' season 3 starring Oscar winner Mahershala Ali

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True Detective season 3

  • HBO aired the first trailer for "True Detective" season three on Sunday night.
  • The new season, its first since 2015, stars Oscar winner Mahershala Ali and takes place in the Ozarks. Like the first season, the story will span decades. 
  • It already looks more promising than season two.

HBO aired the first trailer for season three of "True Detective" on Sunday night during the series finale of its summer miniseries, "Sharp Objects."

Season three of "True Detective" is set to premiere in January 2019. It stars Oscar winner Mahershala Ali ("Moonlight"), Ray Fisher ("Justice League"), Scoot McNairy ("Halt and Catch Fire"), Stephen Dorff ("Blade"), and Mamie Gummer ("The Good Wife").

The third season of the anthology series comes from Nic Pizzolatto, who created the show and wrote the first two seasons. David Milch, creator of "Deadwood," co-wrote the fourth episode of season three. The first season of "True Detective" premiered to high critical acclaim in 2014. The second season, which premiered in 2015, was highly anticipated but a huge disappointment to critics and audiences. While the first season has a 86% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, the second season only has a 63%.

The third season of the series will take place in the Ozarks and span decades, as did season one. 

You can watch the trailer below: 

SEE ALSO: Jim Gaffigan on turning down Netflix to make his latest stand-up special 'available to everyone,' and exploring cathartic material about his wife's brain surgery

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: How a black cop infiltrated the KKK — the true story behind Spike Lee's 'BlacKkKlansman'


Sacha Baron Cohen tried to get OJ Simpson to confess to murder on the 'Who Is America?' finale

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OJ

  • Sacha Baron Cohen took on OJ Simpson in the season finale for his Showtime series, "Who Is America?" 
  • Cohen's Italian photographer character tried to get Simpson to confess to committing murder by repeatedly joking about killing his girlfriend.

Sacha Baron Cohen tried (in vain) to get OJ Simpson to confess to committing murder in the season finale for his Showtime series "Who Is America?" on Sunday. 

Disguised in the segment as his Italian photographer character, Gio Monaldo, Cohen sits down with Simpson in Las Vegas. Cohen's character introduces his girlfriend to Simpson and, in an attempt to get her to recognize Simpson, says that Simpson was a Buffalo Bill and an actor in the "Naked Gun" films. The girlfriend doesn't recognize Simpson — who was found not guilty of murdering his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman in 1995 — until Cohen makes repeated stabbing motions with his hand.

"She knows that, oh Jesus," Simpson replies, shaking his head and laughing.

After his girlfriend leaves the room and Simpson calls her "gorgeous," Cohen makes a series of jokes about killing her in an attempt to get Simpson to agree with him.

"She's gorgeous but sometimes I want to kill her," Cohen says. "I want to send her on a private helicopter and throw her over the Grand Canyon — oopsie daisie!" Cohen high-fives Simpson, but Simpson laughs and says "stop" repeatedly. 

In another hypothetical murder scenario, Simpson goes along with Cohen's character by saying that Monaldo's girlfriend might go bungee jumping with a cord that's too long. 

The segment concludes with Cohen asking Simpson "how [he] got away with" his wife's murder. 

"Me and you, we got something in common," Cohen says. "We both, how you say, 'ladykillers.'"

"No, I didn't kill nobody," Simpson says, laughing.

"Ah, I didn't either," Cohen replies.

Watch the episode on Showtime.

SEE ALSO: How OJ Simpson says he would've murdered Nicole Brown and Ron Goldman — 'if' he did it

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: How a black cop infiltrated the KKK — the true story behind Spike Lee's 'BlacKkKlansman'

Marvel is making a serious 'best picture' push for the first time to get 'Black Panther' nominated at the Oscars

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Black Panther

  • Marvel is making a major "best picture" push for the first time with "Black Panther."
  • According to the Los Angeles Times, Disney has hired an Oscars strategist with financial backing from Marvel to launch a campaign.
  • The Marvel Cinematic Universe has never won an Oscar, but "Black Panther" is its best chance so far.
  • The movie was a cultural and box-office sensation, but the introduction of a "popular film" category may be the biggest thing standing between the movie and a best-picture nomination.

 

Awards season is looming, and Marvel Studios and Disney are eyeing the Oscars.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Marvel is making a serious "best picture" push, for the first time ever, to get its highly successful blockbuster "Black Panther" nominated for the Oscars' top prize. The Times reported that Disney, which owns Marvel, has hired a veteran Oscars strategist, Cynthia Swartz, to lead a best-picture campaign backed by significant funding from Marvel.

Movies within the Marvel Cinematic Universe have, for the most part, been absent from the Oscars, despite their consistent critical and commercial success. If they have managed to be nominated, it's been for technical awards, primarily for visual effects. No MCU movie has ever won an Oscar (even "Suicide Squad," part of the rival DC Extended Universe and despised by critics, won for makeup and hairstyling at the 2017 ceremony).

That means Marvel has a lot of faith in "Black Panther," and rightfully so. The movie was not only a box-office juggernaut — making a rare $700 million domestically and $1.3 billion worldwide — but lauded by critics, with a 97% Rotten Tomatoes critic score. The movie was praised for its diverse cast and African setting that had never been seen in a superhero movie, and the performance of Michael B. Jordan as the villain Killmonger.

The Oscars, after being panned for its lack of diversity, has shown some progress the last two years in that regard: "Moonlight," about a black, gay man struggling with his identity, won best picture in 2017, and "Get Out" won best original screenplay at this year's Oscars. It was also nominated for best picture, best director, and best actor. 

But the Oscars have also historically ignored superhero movies outside of technical categories, save for "The Dark Knight," in which Heath Ledger won posthumously for his performance as the Joker, and "Logan," which was nominated for best adapted screenplay. 

The biggest thing standing between "Black Panther" and a best-picture nomination, though, may be the introduction of a new, controversial "achievement in popular film" category, which has been mocked by critics and celebrities alike. Details are scarce about the category right now, but we know that movies can compete in both categories. The fear, though, is that "Black Panther's" inclusion in the popular film category could ruin its chances of a best-picture nomination.

SEE ALSO: 5 movies in 2018 that could be nominated for the new, controversial 'popular film' award at the Oscars

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: How a black cop infiltrated the KKK — the true story behind Spike Lee's 'BlacKkKlansman'

I visited one of the world's most beautiful bookstores, which is over 100 years old and a rumored inspiration behind Harry Potter — and despite the sea of tourists, I'd tell anyone to go

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Livrariaaaa

  • The Livraria Lello bookstore in Porto is one of the world's oldest bookstores, frequently ranked as one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world, and a top place to visit in Portugal.
  • Opened in 1906, the bookstore has once a haunt of the city's literary scene and many say it was a direct inspiration for JK Rowling and her Harry Potter books. Rowling lived in the city from 1991 to 1993 and was a frequent customer.
  • Today, the bookstore sees 4,000-5,000 visitors a day, which can make the cramped bookstore feel like a tourist trap. Despite the crowds, I still enjoyed my visit.

The Livraria Lello bookstore in Porto, Portugal is one of the world's oldest bookstores and frequently ranked as one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world.

An age-old coastal city in northwest Portugal with cobblestone streets and a historic medieval center, Porto is one of the country's premier tourism destinations. And Livraria Lello is one of the top attractions in the city.

Opened in 1906 by brothers José and António Lello on Rua das Carmelitas, the bookstore is both a stunning architectural landmark and was once a frequent hangout for Portugal's literary scene throughout the years. The neo-Gothic building features a stained glass ceiling, gorgeous wood-carvings, ladders and rails to move the books around, and special room to protect the bookstore's oldest and rarest books.

If all this sounds like a scene from Harry Potter, you'd be forgiven for thinking so. JK Rowling famously lived and taught English in Porto from 1991 to 1993 and was a loyal customer of Livraria Lello at the time.

Many have suggested that the bookstore's ornate Neo-Gothic architecture bears a striking resemblance both to depictions of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the central setting of the books, and Flourish and Blotts bookshop, where characters in the books purchase their books on magic.

As a writer and someone of the age for whom Harry Potter was a formative cultural experience, I knew upon arriving in Porto that a pilgrimage to Livraria Lello was a necessity.

Here's what it was like:

SEE ALSO: I ate at the most beautiful McDonald's in the world, with crystal chandeliers, stained glass windows, and outrageously delicious pastries

I had heard it best to head to Livraria Lello as early as possible because it gets crowded. I thought I was doing okay when I got there at 11 a.m. (it opens at 10 a.m.), but when I saw the line that stretched down several blocks, I knew I was in trouble.



To get in, you have to buy tickets for 5 Euros a pop (applicable towards a book purchase) from a separate storefront. My girlfriend, Annie, went and got the tickets while I held our place in line. There were some nice brochures to browse though.



The line was scalding in the summer sun, but, thankfully, Livraria Lello employees were handing out umbrellas to shade people from the sun. It was a nice gesture when you are feeling like tourist cattle.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

3 TV shows to watch on Netflix this week that are definitely worth your time

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The Innocents

Can't decide what to watch among Netflix's never-ending collection of TV shows? We've been there many times. We're here to make it easier to pick what shows you watch on Netflix this week.

We know what it's like to spend way too much time choosing what to watch, so every week we put together a list of three shows you can watch right now. We pick shows you can finish in a day, and some you can just get started on binge-watching. We mix shows that have recently come onto the service with some old favorites you might have missed. But they are all worth your time.

From Netflix's latest supernatural romance, "The Innocents," to NBC's recently canceled (but delightful) newsroom comedy, "Great News," here are three great shows you should watch this week. 

SEE ALSO: Netflix didn't save the romantic comedy: 5 TV shows did, and most were created by women

"The Innocents" — A Netflix Original

Seasons: 1

Episodes: 8

This young adult supernatural thriller and love story is simple, but that's what makes it fun. It's easy to binge-watch, it's only eight episodes, and it won't take that much out of you. 



"The Great British Baking Show"

Seasons: 4

Episodes: 40

Since there's a new slew of episodes coming to Netflix Friday, it's either time to revisit "The Great British Baking Show" or to catch up on the calming competition series right before everyone is talking about it again. This feel-good reality show will make you realize you don't actually know what baking is, and you'll never feel more emotion than when a contestant throws out his Baked Alaska.



"Great News"

Seasons: 1

Episodes: 10

"Great News" is a delightful show that mixes weird, escapist humor with biting commentary on the political climate and modern media. It fires snappy jokes as fast as its sister show, "30 Rock," and for that it is incredibly re-watchable and will likely build up a devoted audience on Netflix. 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

All the notable people and politicians Sacha Baron Cohen 'duped' this season on 'Who Is America?'

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dick cheney who is america

Sacha Baron Cohen's Showtime series, "Who Is America?," caused a stir before its premiere last month, as several Republican politicians felt the need to get ahead of the show in explaining how Cohen "duped" them to appear on it.

The former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, the former congressman Joe Walsh, and the former US Senate candidate Roy Moore were among those who preceded the show's premiere with statements explaining their appearances on the series and criticizing Cohen.

In the show's first season, Cohen interviewed former vice president Dick Cheney disguised as an Israeli "anti-terror expert," and roped several Republican congressmen and former elected officials into voicing their support for a program that would arm toddlers with guns to prevent school shootings.

In the season finale, Cohen's Italian photographer character tried to get OJ Simpson to confess to committing murder, and his right-wing conspiracy character interviewed former congressman Barney Frank. 

Though Palin's segment didn't end up making the cut for the season finale, Cohen listed Palin in the episode's closing credits as a "Special Publicity Consultant (Inadvertent)" for the free marketing she gave the show.

Here are the notable people and politicians who appeared on the first season of "Who Is America?":

SEE ALSO: Sheriff David Clarke told Sacha Baron Cohen 'you don't want to take sides' on fascists in 1930s Germany

Sen. Bernie Sanders

The show's first episode began with Cohen interviewing Sanders, the Vermont senator who was a Democratic presidential candidate in 2016, as a right-wing conspiracy theorist character named Billy Wayne Ruddick Jr.

Sanders, with a perplexed expression, politely dodged and shut down various absurd questions on income inequality and other topics from Cohen's Ruddick.



Larry Pratt, executive director emeritus of Gun Owners of America

In the strongest segment on the pilot episode, Cohen's Israeli "anti-terror expert" character, Col. Erran Morad, introduced Pratt and several other conservative political figures to a fake program called "Kinderguardians" that would arm children as young as 3.

Pratt endorsed the program and, reading off a teleprompter, said: "Toddlers are pure, uncorrupted by fake news or homosexuality. They don't care if it's politically correct to shoot a mentally deranged gunman. They'll just do it."



Florida congressman Matt Gaetz

Cohen's Morad character interviewed Gaetz for the pilot's segment on arming toddlers, but Gaetz wisely sidestepped the topic, saying, "Typically members of Congress don't just hear a story about a program and then indicate whether they support it or not."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Spotify shared its 10 most popular songs of the summer, and Drake won by a landslide

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drake in my feelings

Spotify has shared a list of the songs its global users listened to the most in summer 2018. 

Drake, unsurprisingly, tops the list with his ubiquitous Billboard No. 1 single "In My Feelings," which went viral earlier this summer on the strength of a video dance challenge that Will Smith ended up participating in. 

Spotify said its listeners streamed "In My Feelings" 393 million times between June 1 and August 20.

Maroon 5's Cardi B collaboration "“Girls Like You" came in a distant second place with 293 million streams during the same period. 

Rounding out the list are tracks from the likes of Calvin Harris, Post Malone, and the late rapper Xxxtentaction

Here's Spotify's global list of its 10 most popular songs of the summer:

SEE ALSO: Here's what Spotify predicted its songs of the summer would be in May

10. "Youngblood" - 5 Seconds of Summer

Listen to it on Spotify.



9. "Taste" - Tyga (feat. Offset)

Listen to it on Spotify.



8. "Solo" - Clean Bandit (feat. Demi Lovato)

Listen to it on Spotify.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

All the major 'Avengers 4' theories that have the best chance of coming true

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avengers infinity war 1

"Avengers: Infinity War" came to theaters in April, and four months later fans still can't stop talking about it – and theorizing about its sequel.

The untitled fourth "Avengers" movie comes to theaters next year, and after the devastating cliffhanger ending of "Infinity War," moviegoers are desperate to learn what happened to the Avengers who vanished from the Thanos snap, and if they're coming back. 

Well, of course they're coming back, or at least most of them. Marvel has numerous release dates set for yet-to-be-announced movies and it would be hard to imagine that it would leave some of its most popular characters, like Black Panther and Doctor Strange, as dust for good.

The bigger question is "how?" How are these characters going to return? Plenty of theories about that and more have been floating around the internet since "Infinity War" was released. We've rounded up four of the most plausible theories for "Avengers 4," and ranked them on the likelihood of them coming true.

Below are four major "Avengers 4" theories:

SEE ALSO: Marvel is making a serious 'best picture' push for the first time to get 'Black Panther' nominated at the Oscars

4. Loki faked his death (again)

"Infinity War" opens with the shocking death of one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's most popular characters, Loki, at the hands of Thanos. After Thanos retrieves the Space Stone, Loki attempts to stab him in the throat. Thanos stops him, and chokes Loki to death. But a popular theory proposes that Loki, who has faked his death before, didn't actually die.

A Reddit thread theorizes that the Loki we see die is actually an illusion because he uses his left hand to try and stab Thanos, even though he is right handed. The theory argues that the only time Loki has used his left hand has been when he's faked his death, such as in "Thor: The Dark World."

It's an intriguing theory, and after rewatching "Infinity War" on Blu-ray again, I find it more plausible. When Loki hands Thanos the Space Stone, he uses his right hand. Then the Hulk appears, and a few minutes pass between that moment and when we see Loki again. It's possible that Loki could have vanished and projected an illusion in his place in that time, and he has shown an ability to cast illusions from far away.

I have my reservations, though. It's hard to believe that Loki could have vanished without anyone noticing, even while Thanos and Hulk were fighting, and if he did, where did he go? The prospect of Loki returning in "Avengers 4" to help defeat Thanos is an exciting one, but isn't that what Captain Marvel is for?



3. Gamora is in the Soul Stone

"Infinity War" directors Joe and Anthony Russo have implied that when Thanos killed his adopted daughter Gamora, her soul entered the Soul Stone. When Thanos snaps his fingers to eliminate half of humanity in the universe, he wakes up in a dream-like place that the Russos have said emulates being inside the Soul Stone. It's here that he talks to a younger version of Gamora, who asks him what it "cost." He replies, "everything."

I never took the Russos' comments literally (plus, the comments were taken from a Reddit thread based on a high school visit where the directors reportedly took questions from students). I read it more as her being in the Soul Stone metaphorically, and Thanos waking up inside of it as a visual representation of his thoughts and fears after the snap. The "Infinity War" visual effects supervisor feels the same way, and said in an interview that it's "open to interpretation."

"It just seems like an internal moment of reflection," Kelly Port told CNET earlier this year. "It's this really nice dramatic pause at basically the culmination of 10 years of storytelling, right? It's this moment where he can just have this moment to internally reflect on what he's done and the cost of that decision."

If true, though, the theory may even account for where other characters went after the Thanos snap. If Gamora is in the Soul Stone, maybe half of humanity is, as well.

 



2. Captain America dies

Captain America/Steve Rogers' fate was questioned before "Infinity War" was released, and since he survived that, his death is even more possible in the sequel. Out of all the original Avengers, Captain America's death would make the most sense.

Actor Chris Evans has implied that he is ready to retire from the role after "Avengers 4." The character died in the comic books after the events of the "Civil War" comic, so it wouldn't be a stretch for Cap to perish.

Furthermore, Cap's death would mean that the MCU has come full circle. He was the "First Avenger," and his death would mark the end of this era of the MCU and push it into a new one going forward. Ever since he was thawed from that ice and thrust into the 21st century, Steve Rogers has been a man out of time. He clings to a stubbornness that has made him a respected hero, but may also foreshadow his end. In "Infinity War," he refused to sacrifice Vision's life to destroy the Mind Stone. "We don't trade lives," he proclaimed. But the one life Captain America has shown he is willing to trade is his own.

One theory in particular gained traction recently on Twitter. It proposes that Cap will die and be reunited with his love Peggy Carter. The tweet has 19,000 retweets and 97,000 likes. In "Captain America: The First Avenger," after he is thawed out, he tells Nick Fury that he's late for a date — maybe he'll finally show up for it.

 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

New 'House of Cards' cast members Diane Lane and Greg Kinnear take the spotlight in Netflix photos from the final season

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house of cards

  • Netflix released first photos of new "House of Cards" cast members Diane Lane and Greg Kinnear on Monday.
  • Lane and Kinnear play powerful siblings inspired by the Koch Brothers.
  • The final season of "House of Cards" premieres November 2.

 

"House of Cards" has finally unveiled the first look at new cast members Diane Lane and Greg Kinnear in new photos from the upcoming final season.

Netflix tweeted the photos on Monday, with the caption, "Diane Lane & Greg Kinnear play Annette & Bill Shepherd, siblings who exert a powerful behind-the-scenes force in politics. Cody Fern plays Duncan, Annette’s ambitious and devoted son, who represents the next generation of DC power players."

The Shepherds run Shepherd Unlimited, a "leading industrial conglomerate," and are inspired by the Koch Brothers, who run Koch Industries and are major influencers in politics.

Robin Wright will take center stage as Claire Underwood in the final season of "House of Cards" after her co-star Kevin Spacey was fired due to sexual misconduct allegations last year. 

The final episodes of "House of Cards" will be available on Netflix on November 2.

Check out the new photos below:

SEE ALSO: 3 TV shows to watch on Netflix this week that are definitely worth your time







See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Microsoft just introduced an ambitious subscription plan that makes the Xbox the best deal in gaming (MSFT)

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Xbox One All Access program

  • Microsoft is now offering a far less expensive way to buy the Xbox One: A subscription program called "Xbox All Access."
  • Starting at $22/month, subscribers will get an Xbox One console, two years of Xbox Live Gold service, and two years of Xbox Game Pass. 
  • There are subscription tiers for both the standard Xbox One S console, as well as the more powerful Xbox One X console — your choice. 
  • In offering All Access, Microsoft is testing a totally new way to buy game consoles that offers a peek at one potential future for game consoles.


Video game consoles are ridiculously expensive. Even the least expensive used Xbox One or PlayStation 4 is over $200. And a new Xbox One X console? A whopping $500.

The new Xbox One All Access subscription program aims to fix this problem.

Starting at $22/month for 24 months, the subscription program comes with an Xbox One S console, two years of Xbox Live Gold service, and two years of Xbox Game Pass access. There's a second, more expensive tier as well, which comes with the aforementioned $500 Xbox One X console, two years of Xbox Live Gold service, and two years of Xbox Game Pass Access — priced at $35/month for 24 months. You own the console outright at the end of the 24-month term. 

Both plans offer savings over buying the console and services piecemeal: The Xbox One S plan costs approximately $530 across 24 months, while buying each piece individually would cost nearly $650; the Xbox One X plan costs approximately $840 across 24 months, while buying each piece individually would cost approximately $860.

It's a bold move from Microsoft: The Xbox One is now the most affordable option for a gaming console by far. Even used PlayStation 4 consoles cost over $200 a pop, and Nintendo's Switch starts at $300. 

More importantly, All Access comes with both Xbox Live Gold and Xbox Game Pass — Microsoft's flagship subscription services for gaming — for the length of your subscription,. 

You need Xbox Live Gold to play online, making it a must for many on that basis alone. But Xbox Live Gold also comes with additional perks like discounts on downloadable games, and a quartet of free games for your console every month. 

Meanwhile, Game Pass opens the door to a huge library of downloadable games from a growing list of hundreds of  original Xbox, Xbox 360, and Xbox One titles. It's kind of like Netflix for gaming, except games are downloaded instead of streamed. You keep access to every title as long as you're subscribed. 

Game Pass is especially important because every major Microsoft-published game arrives on Game Pass the same day as launch, including new entries in the "Halo," "Gears of War," and "Forza" series. When "Forza Horizon 4" drops later this year, for example, Game Pass subscribers will get it on day one for no additional charge. 

Xbox Game Pass

In so many words, subscribing to Xbox All Access is an all-in-one way to buy a new Xbox console with a ton of games right out of the box. 

There is, however, one major caveat: The subscription plan is only available through physical Microsoft Store locations, and not online or anywhere outside the United States. Bummer! Microsoft also characterizes the All Access program as a "limited-time offer"; it sounds like the program is a test run for something bigger down the line.

That makes a lot of sense given Microsoft's ongoing push with Xbox — the company has been moving away from the traditional game console model, and it looks like the future of Xbox may be in software over consoles.

While the company is currently working on at least one, if not several, new model of Xbox hardware, the overall philosophical approach of Microsoft's Xbox group has shifted toward enabling players to play games anywhere. 

"There are 2 billion people who play video games on the planet today. We're not gonna sell 2 billion consoles," Microsoft's Xbox lead, Phil Spencer, told Business Insider in an interview in June. "Many of those people don't own a television, many have never owned a PC. For many people on the planet, the phone is their compute device," he said. "It's really about reaching a customer wherever they are, on the devices that they have."

Xbox One X / Xbox One S

In the case of Xbox All Access, Microsoft is providing devices — the Xbox One S and Xbox One X consoles, both with 1TB of storage  — at a far lower cost than the competition. More importantly, the pricing model offers consumer flexibility: People can upgrade their consoles easily.

For example: Instead of feeling buyer's remorse on that new Xbox One S because you bought it right before the Xbox One X was announced, you could simply go to the more expensive plan and get your new console. 

It's a smart move, and it may offer a look at a new way that companies like Microsoft and Sony can continually upgrade their game consoles while keeping them affordable for customers. 

SEE ALSO: The next generation of game consoles is scheduled to arrive in 2020 — here's what we know

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: How movie theaters are ruining your movie

South Korean boy band BTS beat out Taylor Swift for the biggest video debut in YouTube's history

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  • The South Korean boy band BTS has surpassed Taylor Swift to notch the biggest music video debut in YouTube's history.
  • The band's video for its single "IDOL" earned a record of over 45 million views in the first 24 hours of its release, beating out the 2017 debut of Taylor Swift's "Look What You Made Me Do," which earned 43.2 million views in 24 hours, YouTube said.

A new music video by the South Korean boy band BTS has surpassed a record held by Taylor Swift to become the biggest music video debut in YouTube's history.

BTS' video for its single "IDOL" earned a record of over 45 million views in the first 24 hours of its release, beating out the 2017 debut of Taylor Swift's "Look What You Made Me Do," which earned 43.2 million views in 24 hours, YouTube said in a release.

The South Korean group's most recent album, "Love Yourself: Tear," debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart in May, the highest-charting album in US history for a K-pop, or Korean pop, act.

BTS' previous single, "Fake Love," peaked at No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in May, and has been certified "gold" by the RIAA for sales of over half a million streaming-equivalent units. 

The seven-member group, whose members are now in their early to mid-20s, released its first project, "2 Cool 4 Skool," in 2013.

Watch the video for "IDOL" below:

SEE ALSO: Spotify shared its 10 most popular songs of the summer, and Drake won by a landslide

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: How a black cop infiltrated the KKK — the true story behind Spike Lee's 'BlacKkKlansman'

MoviePass isn't letting some annual subscribers cancel who were promised a refund

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MoviePass

  • MoviePass started converting annual subscribers to monthly plans over the weekend, and some users were given the option to cancel and receive a refund for the remainder of their annual plans.
  • Many subscribers have taken to Twitter to complain that they can't cancel their plans and receive a message that says their credentials are ineligible. 
  • Two users told Business Insider that MoviePass got their sign-up dates wrong: for instance, one user signed up for an annual subscription on February 24, but the email the user received said "August 24."
  • Some MoviePass users who inquired about why they didn't receive an email about the changes said that MoviePass told them only select users were given the option.

 

Over the weekend, MoviePass sent an email to annual subscribers saying they'd be converted to the new monthly plan that the movie-theater subscription service had been slowly rolling out. Rather than being able to see one movie per day, they would only be able to see three per month.

In the email, MoviePass promised that if the annual subscribers wished to cancel, they would receive a refund for the remainder of their annual subscription.

But that process hasn't gone smoothly.

Two MoviePass annual users told Business Insider that MoviePass got their sign-up dates wrong in the email, and it could be a reason they were considered ineligible for a refund.

moviepassIn the screenshot above, you can see that underneath the "Cancel subscription" button, there's a reference to when this subscriber started MoviePass: "The new plan's movie allotment for this month works as follows: because you began your annual subscription on August 24, any movie you saw on or past July 24 will count toward this month's allotment of movies."

However, this user told Business Insider that he actually signed up on February 24, not August 24. For another user, the message said he signed up on August 4, when he actually signed up on April 4.

One reason why that could be is if those August dates refer to last year, MoviePass' system might consider those annual subscriptions already fulfilled, and there would be no refund "for the remainder of your annual subscription."

Other users have gone on Twitter to complain that, when they tried to cancel, they got a message saying their credentials were wrong and didn't match an eligible account.

Here are a few examples:

 

A representative for MoviePass said, "There were a small number of users who had an issue Friday and the issue was quickly fixed. MP is working with them to ensure that they get their prorated refund."

But not all annual subscribers were even notified of the change. It seems only "select" annual MoviePass subscribers received the email about their plans being converted, and were offered a refund.

Several MoviePass users provided the following message to Business Insider that they received from MoviePass Support:

"This option was only offered to select users that received an email from MoviePass about being migrated to the 3 movies a month plan. However, I can make an exception for you. I’ve enabled your ability to request a prorated refund. To do so please proceed to the following website. You have until 11:59pm EDT on August 31st to process the cancelation of your account and receive your prorated refund. This offer then expires and you will be unable to request one again. Please note you will be unable to reactivate your subscription for 9 months if you cancel your account."

One subscriber who tried to cancel said she received the same message after going back and forth with MoviePass support, however MoviePass never actually let her cancel.

SEE ALSO: The 4 major 'Avengers 4' fan theories that have the best chance of coming true

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Why Drake's latest album 'Scorpion' is so long

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Drake's latest album, "Scorpion" has broken several records on the Billboard charts. With 25 tracks, "Scorpion" follows a trend of hip-hop albums with huge tracklists. We explored the changes in the Billboard charts that have led to the increase in album lengths in the past few years. Following is a transcript of the video.

Drake's latest album, "Scorpion," debuted at number one on the Billboard charts and had one of the biggest weeks ever for a hip-hop album. But to listen to the entire project, you're going to have to dedicate a lot of time. It's Drake's longest album. It's 25 tracks and has a running time of one hour and 30 minutes. But Drake isn't the only artist with a bloated album. The deluxe edition of Chris Brown's latest was a 57-track behemoth that ran for a solid three hours and 18 minutes. That's longer than "The Two Towers." Migos followed a similar path with "Culture II," which had nearly twice the amount of tracks as their previous album, "Culture." But these lengthier albums aren't just a coincidence. It might just be a response to the way we consume music.

To understand, you're going to have to look at streaming services. Spotify and Apple Music have completely changed the music industry. In 2017, 54% of music consumption came from streaming platforms, and streaming generated $3.9 billion. But the Billboard charts have had a hard time trying to figure out how to count streams in an industry that was once dominated by physical album sales. In 2014, people sat around, debated, deliberated, and ultimately decided on a way to quantify streaming music: 1,500 streamed songs counted as one album sale. Previously, Billboard didn't take streaming into account. It only counted the sales of full albums.

This caused a huge shakeup in the music industry. Record labels and artists quickly realized that more tracks equals more streams, and that ultimately equals more money. Artists like Eminem, Post Malone, and Future all held top stops on the hip-hop charts in 2017, with albums that averaged at least 18 tracks. Suddenly an individual track could help an artist reach number one on the Billboard charts without selling any physical albums, which was hugely beneficial for hip-hop, because streaming made up 89% of hip-hop consumption in 2017.

That's one of the reasons Drake might have added "Hotline Bling" onto "Views." By adding that one track, Drake almost guaranteed his album would go platinum. It had 400 million streams that converted to 267,000 streaming albums before "Views" was even released. So if an artist has a massive hit like "One Dance" or "God's Plan," it can help turn an album into a hit. Streaming listeners quickly pluck their favorite tracks from albums, put them on playlists, and then reject the leftovers. In 2015, a research company found that 60% of streaming service listeners only listen to albums a few times, because they're discovering so much new music. So the more tracks you have, the higher chance you have of making a song that lands on a playlist.

But it didn't always work this way. Music was once dominated by different physical formats. Vinyl, cassettes, and CDs all had restrictions that dictated an album's length. But no matter how long or short an album was, if one album was purchased that meant one unit was sold. But that same rule doesn't apply anymore. Streaming is the dominant format, which means the 25 tracks on "Scorpion" make a lot more sense. You could argue that Drake is a prolific artist who enjoys making long albums, or he's an incredible businessman who understands his audience's habits. But no matter how you feel about streaming, it's completely altered the way we listen to music and the way music is made, for better or for worse. Artists are still trying to experiment and find their footing on these new platforms. Kanye West took the opposite approach from Drake, releasing a bunch of albums that were only seven tracks long. Some have argued that the shorter length helps with the album's replay value, although you'll need to listen to Kanye's album a lot more times to reach 1,500 streams.

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The founder of Facebook's Oculus reviewed the buzzy new alternate reality device, Magic Leap One, and it's absolutely brutal

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  • After years of hype and over $2 billion in capital raised, Florida-based startup Magic Leap launched its first device earlier this year: Magic Leap One.
  • The device costs $2,300, and consists of a headset, a small wearable computer, and a handheld controller.
  • In a searing review published this week, Oculus VR founder and former Facebook executive Palmer Luckey savaged the device.
  • "Magic Leap needed to really blow people away to justify the last few years. The product they put out is reasonably solid, but is nowhere close to what they had hyped up, and has several flaws that prevent it from becoming a broadly useful tool for development of AR applications," he wrote, in a review titled "Magic Leap is a Tragic Heap."


After years of hype, and more than $2 billion in startup capital, Florida-based startup Magic Leap finally released its long-awaited first product: Magic Leap One.

The $2,300 headset promises to immerse users into a fantastic world of "mixed reality," where digital and physical objects seamlessly blend together.

Early adopters are already putting the device though its paces. But one early adopter's review, in particular, is getting a lot of attention.

Palmer Luckey, the creator of the Oculus virtual reality headset, published a review on his website this week titled, "Magic Leap is a Tragic Heap."

In case the title didn't make it clear, Luckey is no fan of the Magic Leap One — he calls the device, "a tragedy in the classical sense...less of a functional developer kit and more of a flashy hype vehicle that almost nobody can actually use in a meaningful way."

Magic Leap One Creator's Edition

OK, so Luckey obviously has a dog in this fight. As the creator of the Oculus VR headset, Luckey might well have a motivation (conscious or not) in tearing down a product that threatens the Oculus' position as the pre-eminent headset for the new era of virtual and mixed reality.

And it's worth remembering that early versions of the Oculus headset had many flaws and rough edges, including a propensity to give some people motion sickness.

Still, with those caveats in mind, it's worth considering the specific criticisms Luckey cites in his review:

  1. Both controller tracking and head tracking are inadequate, according to Luckey. He takes particular issue with the controller tracking, calling it outright "bad."
  2. The operating system isn't unique, he wrote. "It is actually just Android with custom stuff on top, the same approach most people take when they want to claim they have built a whole operating system."
  3. It's not a big enough jump forward from other options. "It is slightly better than Hololens in some ways," he wrote, "Slightly worse in others, and generally a small step past what was state of the art three years ago — this is more Hololens 1.1 than Consumer AR 1.0."

Luckey's review apparently caused a stir at Magic Leap headquarters, as CEO Rony Abovitz tweeted a series of oblique references to the "Avatar: The Last Airbender" show that seemingly paint Luckey as a "bitter, angry, banished" troublemaker — a reference to his dismissal from Facebook following a political donation controversy, and subsequent exit from the virtual and augmented reality business.

Luckey joined Facebook in 2014 after the social networking company acquired Oculus for $2 billion. Since his unceremonious departure from Facebook in March 2017, Luckey has gone on to found a new company focused on developing military/defense projects.

Luckey isn't the only one with a less-than-positive outlook after using Magic Leap One.

When tech publications got an early look at the device earlier this month, many reviews were similarly unflattering. Investors, too, are cooling on the imminent prospects of augmented reality headsets— but, even after $2.3 billion in capital, Magic Leap is still open to raising more funding.

SEE ALSO: Magic Leap's futuristic goggles are finally launching — here's how much they cost and how to buy them

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The numbers of hours Americans watch TV every day is incredibly different depending on your age

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Television is still the media medium of choice amongst adults in the US, with Americans aged 18 or older watching an average of almost five hours a day, according to a Total Audience Report.

But as this chart from Statista, based on Nielsen data, shows, younger adults watch significantly less television than do older adults — Americans ages 18 through 34 watch a third of what adults aged 50 to 64 do.

That could be explained by members of older age groups having already entered retirement, therefore having more time to spare to watch television. But the more likely culprit is the younger generation's tendency toward streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video instead of traditional network television.

CoD_8.27.18 tech chart of the day

SEE ALSO: Over half of American teenagers say that they spend too much time on their phones, and they're trying to cut back

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Netflix shared the first photo of the new Prince Philip in 'The Crown' season 3, and you might recognize him from 'Game of Thrones'

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  • Netflix released the first photo of Tobias Menzies as Prince Philip in "The Crown" season three.
  • Menzies is taking over the role from Matt Smith.
  • The third season also stars Olivia Colman as Queen Elizabeth II and Helena Bonham Carter as Princess Margaret.
  • The third season is expected to arrive on Netflix in 2019.

 

"The Crown" has a new Prince Philip for its upcoming third season, and we now have our first glimpse of him in costume.

On Tuesday, Netflix shared the first photo of Tobias Menzies in the role that was played in the first two seasons by Matt Smith. Smith's two seasons of the period drama covered the late 1940s to early 60s. The third season will take place in the 60s and 70s.

Menzies starred in the first season of AMC's critically acclaimed horror anthology series "The Terror" this year, and you probably also know him from his role on HBO's "Game of Thrones" (he plays Edmure Tully).

"The Crown" season three is now in production, and is expected to arrive on Netflix in 2019.

The third season also stars Olivia Colman as Queen Elizabeth II and Helena Bonham Carter as Princess Margaret, who are replacing Claire Foy and Vanessa Kirby, respectively.

"The Crown" season two, which dropped on Netflix in December, is nominated for 13 Emmys at this year's awards, which air September 17 on NBC. The nominations include drama series, Foy for lead actress in a drama, Smith for supporting actor, and Kirby for supporting actress.

SEE ALSO: New 'House of Cards' cast members Diane Lane and Greg Kinnear take the spotlight in Netflix photos from the final season

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Louis C.K. performed for the first time since admitting to sexual misconduct

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  • Louis C.K. performed at the Comedy Cellar in New York City on Sunday night in what seemed to be his first performance since admitting to sexual misconduct last year, The New York Times reports.
  • In a Times report from November, Louis C.K. was accused of sexual misconduct by five women, some of whom said he masturbated in front of them. He later admitted to the accusations in a statement.

Louis C.K. performed a surprise set at the Comedy Cellar in New York City on Sunday night, a stand-up routine The New York Times reported was "apparently" his first since he admitted to sexual misconduct in November.

The Times reported that the crowd greeted the comedian with an ovation, though the club's owner, Noam Dworman, reportedly said one audience member called the club afterward to object to the surprise.

Dworman told The Times that the set consisted of "typical Louis C.K. stuff," which the paper said included racism, waitresses' tips, and parades. "It sounded just like he was trying to work out some new material, almost like any time of the last 10 years he would come in at the beginning of a new act," Dworman told The Times.

In a Times report from November, Louis C.K. was accused of sexual misconduct by five women, two of whom said he had masturbated in front of them. He later admitted in a statement that the accusations were "true."

Louis C.K. subsequently lost his production deal at FX Networks, and the production company The Orchard canceled the release of his feature film "I Love You, Daddy," which contained controversial subject matter addressing sexual misconduct.

Louis C.K.'s return follows that of the comedian Aziz Ansari, who was accused of sexual misconduct by a woman in January and performed for the first time since the allegations at the Comedy Cellar in May.

SEE ALSO: Sacha Baron Cohen tried to get OJ Simpson to confess to murder on the 'Who Is America?' finale

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If you miss HBO's 'Sharp Objects' already, horror legend Stephen King has a recommendation for a TV show you'll like 'even more'

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  • HBO's dark atmospheric hit "Sharp Objects" finished its run on Sunday and fans might be searching for something to scratch that same itch. 
  • Master of horror Stephen King has a recommendation: "Picnic at Hanging Rock," a 6-episode TV series in a similar vein that is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video in the US.
  • The Australian series features "Game of Thrones" and "The Tudors" star Natalie Dormer, and is described by King as spooky, atmospheric, and beautiful.


On Sunday, the 8-episode run of HBO's "Sharp Objects" came to a conclusion with a stunning twist that, well, honestly lots of people saw coming.

But though "Sharp Objects" was a thriller, its draw was less about plot points and more about the haunting mood created by the superb acting of cast members like Amy Adams, the cinematography, the sets, and the Led Zeppelin needle drops.

A good nutshell review would be that "Sharp Objects" is spooky, atmospheric, and beautiful. And if you miss that already, horror author extraordinaire Stephen King has a TV show recommendation for you that you can stream right now if you have Amazon Prime.

"If you liked Sharp Objects, you'll like Picnic at Hanging Rock even more," King tweeted on Monday. "It's spooky, atmospheric, beautiful. And Natalie Dormer is amazing as the malignant Mrs. Appleyard."

The "Picnic at Hanging Rock" King is referring to is a 6-episode Australian miniseries, which debuted in May and is currently available in the US on Amazon Prime. The series is an adaptation of a cult classic Australian novel by Joan Lindsay published in 1967 (there was also a 1975 film).

In the series, Natalie Dormer ("Game of Thrones," "The Tudors," "The Hunger Games") plays Hester Appleyard, an enigmatic widow who buys a mansion in rural Australia and creates a school for young women. Six years into her tenure as headmistress, her pupils go on a Valentine's Day picnic to — you guessed it — Hanging Rock, a formation with mystical properties. That's when things start to go awry, with three of Appleyard's students and a governess vanishing into thin air.

We won't spoil the rest, but like "Sharp Objects," though "Picnic at Hanging Rock" is a thriller, the joy of watching it is more firmly rooted in the atmosphere it creates and the complex relationships between the characters. And the acting is top notch.

Stream it on Amazon Prime Video.

SEE ALSO: Netflix shared the first photo of the new Prince Philip in 'The Crown' season 3, and you might recognize him from 'Game of Thrones'

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Alec Baldwin is reportedly playing Batman's dad in 'Joker,' and the character will resemble Donald Trump

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  • Alec Baldwin is reportedly playing Thomas Wayne, Batman's father, in "Joker."
  • According to The Hollywood Reporter, the role is in the mold of  Donald Trump.
  • "Joker" also stars Joaquin Phoenix as the Joker, Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz, and Marc Maron.
  • It comes to theaters October 4, 2019.

 

Alec Baldwin is set to channel Donald Trump again, but it's not for a "Saturday Night Live" sketch.

Baldwin is reportedly joining the cast of next year's "Joker," an origin story about Batman's greatest enemy, as Thomas Wayne, who is Batman's father. Deadline first reported the casting, but a source told The Hollywood Reporter that the role is is akin to "a cheesy and tanned businessman who is more in the mold of a 1980s Donald Trump."

Baldwin won an Emmy for best supporting actor in a comedy last year for playing Donald Trump on "SNL," and is nominated again this year.

Anyone familiar with Batman's origin story knows that a young Bruce Wayne was inspired to fight crime after his parents, Thomas and Martha Wayne, are gunned down in front of him. Story details about "Joker" are scarce, so it's unknown how deep into Batman lore the movie will go. We do know that it is a 1980s crime movie with a low budget compared to other superhero movies.

Baldwin joins an already star-studded cast that includes Joaquin Phoenix as the Joker, Robert De Niro, "Deadpool 2" and "Atlanta" star Zazie Beetz, and "Glow" actor Marc Maron.

"Joker" is directed by "The Hangover" director Todd Philips and comes to theaters October 4, 2019.

SEE ALSO: There are major signs that Ben Affleck will not return as Batman in the next solo movie

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38 movies you shouldn't miss this fall, including 'Venom' and 'Creed 2'

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After an explosive summer movie season at the box office that saw it perform 11% better than last year, we now look forward to the fall. Is there any way the good times will keep going?

Typically, this is the part of the year when things slow down, as the multiplexes phase out the blockbusters and let in the award-season contenders. But with potential hits like "Venom" and "Creed 2" coming up, anything is possible.

Here are 38 movies coming out this fall that you should not miss:

SEE ALSO: Hollywood insiders explain why the box office has had an incredible rebound in 2018

"Mandy" — September 14

If you love when Nicolas Cage plays a character who is completely unhinged — and honestly, who doesn't? — then you have to see this dark and twisted tale that follows a man (played by Cage) who embarks on a blood-soaked rampage of revenge after the love of his life (played by Andrea Riseborough) is killed. What makes the movie even more of a joy to watch is that it's from Panos Cosmatos, the director behind the trippy "Beyond the Black Rainbow."



"The Predator" — September 14

The "Predator" franchise has been hit-and-miss for a long time, but the hope is that with the director Shane Black running the show this time (along with being a top-notch genre writer-director, he also played Hawkins in the first "Predator" movie) the franchise will get back on track. This time it's a group of former soldiers and a science teacher (played by Olivia Munn) who go up against the deadly hunter.



"A Simple Favor" — September 14

Director Paul Feig ("Bridesmaids") enlists Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively for his first thriller. The actresses play mothers who quickly befriend each other, but when Emily (Lively) suddenly disappears, Stephanie (Kendrick) is left trying to figure out what happened.



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