Civil War (2024 film)

From the visionary mind of Alex Garland comes a thought-provoking master-class movie that paints a darker picture of America.

Civil War (2024 film)

Starring Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Jesse Plemons, Cailee Spaeny, Stephen McKinley Henderson, and Nick Offerman, Civil War, the magnum opus masterpiece by Alex Garland, who is responsible for movies such as 28 Days Later, EX MACHINA, and Annihilation, is set in a dystopian future America when government and rebel forces clash throughout the entire nation. As the civil war intensifies, a group of journalists are racing against time to reach the capitol.

Although purely fictional, Civil War is a warning sign to American society because of the political tensions the country is facing today. Politics aside, this masterpiece is more than just a "war movie" because its dark and powerful storytelling is peppered with drama and values this movie possesses. Such storytelling earned Civil War the right to be called an "artisan pick" and the whole world got its attention.

A dark portrayal of America amid political turmoil is worth checking out in cinemas as Civil War ultimately proves its point that it might happen when politics in America spiraled out of control.

Let's Do The News! (April 12, 2024)

                    

Your daily round-up of today's news...

- Two Philippine Navy pilots were killed after a training helicopter crashed at Cavite City.

- Taal Volcano is experiencing phreatic eruption, according to PHIVOLCS.

- The Philippines, the US, and Japan vowed to strengthen their alliance in defense of the Indo-Pacific region after a three-way summit.

- OJ Simpson, the former American footballer who was controversially cleared of double murder charges, passed away at the age of 76. OJ, who was cleared of murdering his ex-wife in a court case that caused a global sensation, died of cancer.

- The Colombian capital Bogota begins rationing water to millions because of a prolonged drought that has left reservoirs exhausted

- Vietnamese billionaire Truong My Lan was sentenced to death for the $44bn fraud.

- A Japanese astronaut is set to become the first non-American astronaut to join the NASA Artemis mission. No one knows who but reports claimed a new agreement between the US and Japan was confirmed and a Japanese will join the Artemis crew.

- Fernando Alonso renewed his contract with the Aston Martin F1 team, keeping him for next season, 2026, and the sport's next regulatory cycle.

- Hyundai announced its return to the Pikes Peak Hill Climb with its IONIQ 5 N.

- Nickelodeon announced a new SpongeBob Squarepants movie coming at the end of 2025. The fourth SpongeBob movie is titled Search For SquarePants.

- Baldur's Gate 3 wins five awards at the BAFTA Games Awards, including the best game award.

- Korean singer Park Bo Ram dies at the age of 30. Before her death, Park Bo Ram was reportedly gearing up for a comeback.

- aespa member Winter is undergoing surgery for her collapsed lung, according to SM Entertainment.

- The list of performers for MBC's Music Core's Japan event at Belluna Dome this June 29-30 was announced.

- Kansas City Chiefs' Rashee Rice surrenders to police on charges from crash.

TTFN.

Nijigasaki Gakuen Koka

Nijiyon Animation returns for its second coming, featuring more animated shorts starring Nijigasaki High School Idol Club. Every week, the Nijigasaki girls are into more hilarious misfits as expected.

The official theme song has arrived as fans enjoy the girls' short trips every Friday night on TOKYO MX, BS11, and other networks.

Nijigasaki Gakuen Koka

The theme song of Nijiyon Animation 2 is titled "Nijigasaki Gakuen Koka" and there are two versions of the theme song, the Rock and the Piano versions. Either way, they're extremely fun to listen to on the go.

If you had fun watching the Nijigasaki girls getting into their Friday night short trips, here's your chance to snag the full version of the Nijiyon Animation 2 theme song in two different flavors.

TRACK LISTING:

01 虹ヶ咲学園校歌 (Rock Ver.)

02 虹ヶ咲学園校歌 (Piano Ver.)

03 虹ヶ咲学園校歌 (Rock Ver.) (Off Vocal)

04 虹ヶ咲学園校歌 (Piano Ver.) (Off Vocal)

Let's Do The News! (April 11, 2024)

                   

Your daily round-up of today's news...

- The Pasig City Regional Trial Court issued an arrest warrant against KJC leader Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, proving the Philippines' criminal justice system is functional.

- A magnitude 5.1 quake hits New Bataan, Davao De Oro.

- PH President Bongbong Marcos arrived in Washington DC for the trilateral meeting with the US and Japan. The government expects to raise US$ 100 billion worth of investments at the trilateral summit in the United States. PBBM held a trilateral summit to discuss leadership and foreign policy.

- The EU Parliament approved a major overhaul of migration rules, requiring countries to share responsibility for asylum seekers. The EU Asylum and Migration Pact has been in the works since 2015. It will come into force in two years.

- Gazans celebrated Eid with "only pain". In Rafah in southern Gaza, prayers were held beside the ruins of the al-Farouk mosque, destroyed in Israeli bombardments. 

- Israel confirms the killing in Gaza of three sons of the Hamas leader, Ismail Haniyeh.

- The Mercedes-Benz EQS saloon received a minor change for the 2025 model year.

- Chevrolet will unveil the C8 Corvette ZR1 this Summer.

- Pininfarina unveiled the Battista Reversario, a two-unit continuation of the Anniversario.

Pininfarina Battista Reversario

- Lamborghini unveiled the final edition Huracan STJ. All 10 units are sold out.

2024 Lamborghini Huracan STJ

- The first-ever Alfa Romeo Milano was unveiled. The newest compact crossover will be offered as a hybrid and fully electric vehicle.

2025 Alfa Romeo Milano

- Kia confirms the name of its first pickup truck coming in 2025. Kia's upcoming pickup truck will be officially named the Tasman and will go on sale in South Korea next year, followed by Australia, the Middle East, and worldwide.

- Jann Mardenborough, the 2011 Nissan GT Academy winner, will participate in the Silverstone 500 this April 27-28, representing Team RJN and driving the McLaren 720S GT3 Evo race car.

- The Gakuen IDOLM@STER app game casts Mao Ito as China Kuramoto.

- SM Entertainment announced strong legal action against malicious posts on singer BoA.

- Shohei Ohtani's ex-interpreter faces federal charges, according to reports.

- Kansas City Chiefs' Rashee Rice faces 8 charges concerning high-speed crash.

- Former NBA guard Ben McLemore was arrested by U.S. Marshals and jailed in Oregon, where he faces sex crime charges stemming from allegations that he sexually assaulted a woman in 2021 when he was playing for the Portland Trail Blazers.

- Pokwang's former partner, Lee O'Brian was deported by the Bureau of Immigration.

TTFN.

My FH5 Log: Purists' Huracan

Asked which Lamborghini is the best after six decades, most would go for the Huracan. Sure, it is not as good as its V12-powered masterpieces from the Miura to the Aventador but it's known as the last of its kind. The last to don the V10 engine in history.

The Lamborghini Huracan served as the hero car of Forza Horizon 2 in 2014 and in Forza Horizon 5, there are different versions of the Huracan offered from the LP610-4 to the STO. What Forza fanatics didn't know, is there's another Huracan in the stable and like the STO from the High Performance series update a few months ago, it's also a purists' choice except for one thing; it isn't as radical as the STO.

This is the Lamborghini Huracan Tecnica from the Italian Exotics Car Pack and although not the peak of the Huracan lineage, it's the Lambo purists wanted.

Unveiled in the spring of 2022, the Lamborghini Huracan Tecnica slots between the Evo and the hardcore STO variant. With STO-inspired styling but with a less aggressive approach to make it look tamed on the road and track, the Huracan Tecnica's 5.2L V10 engine produces 630hp and 416ft-lb of torque. Mated to a 7-speed double-clutch gearbox, it sprints from 0-100kph in three seconds and has a top speed of 325km/h, 15km/h more than the STO.

The Huracan Tecnica also comes with the LDVI system that takes control of the car's behavior such as the rear-wheel steering, suspension, torque vectoring, and traction control.

To demonstrate the true potential of the Huracan Tecnica, I've invited a bunch of V10 enthusiasts to play with, even Lamborghini fanatics, for this V10-powered bull's one last dance. Let's roll the tape.

What? I had to be desperate at the end but hey, this is the V10-powered raging bull at the fit of peak.

Be it a four-wheel-drive or a purist-friendly rear-wheel-drive, the Lamborghini Huracan is proven to be "the last one" in the age of the new normal. It really is the last car to have a V10 engine in it, which is rather a sad undertone to spell it out. Although it may not be forever, the last V10 car on earth is proven to be the final gambit that never gives in unless it uses its last resort to keep speedo boys happy until the very end.

With all units of the Huracan officially sold out, it really is the end not just the car itself but what's known as the best-sounding engine ever made. They said all good things must end, and for the last V10-powered vehicle on earth, its final mission in this unstable world is complete.

Grazie ragazzi, Lamborghini Huracan. You made us proud.

My FM Log: V12 for Victory

Forza Motorsport's Update 6 brought back two V12-powered monster machines in the stable; one is a track-only Prancing Horse that takes pride in its Nurburgring struggle and the other one is the ultimate getaway car when you're in the middle of, you guessed it, hot pursuit.

First up is the Ferrari 599XX that I won from the Update 6 Open Class Tour until the April 10 deadline. 

The 599XX is a track-only version of the 599 GTB Fiorano. It comes with a rev limited raised to 9000rpm, a V12 engine rated for 720HP, reduced weight by cutting the weight of the engine unit components, and the use of composites and carbon fiber materials. It was showcased at the 2009 Geneva Auto Show and it set the Nurburgring Nordschleife lap time of 6:58.16.

Lastly, the Pagani Zonda Cinque Roadster that I won from Update 6's Combustion Tour until the April 24 deadline. 

Cinque (five in Italian) is what we believed to be the final version of the Pagani Zonda when it was launched in 2009 with a limited run of five hardtop models and five roadster models. Furthermore, the Cinque is known to be the road-legal version of the track-only Zonda R, which became the fastest at the Nurburgring Nordschleife. This model is the first to feature a new composite material that combines carbon fiber and titanium, known as Carbotanium.

Having obtained these 12-cylinder marvels, I've driven them both around the Nurburgring Grand Prix Circuit to demonstrate the loudness and strengths these two V12 monster machines possess. Let's roll the tapes.

V12 for Victory.

Enjoy your new rides!

Let's Do The News! (April 10, 2024)

                  

Your daily round-up of today's news...

- Pastor Apollo Quiboloy is not in hiding and he's still in the Philippines, according to his legal counsel.

- The PH Department of Health recorded 54 deaths due to pertussis. Most of the casualties were children under the age of 5. The DOH is evaluating various pertussis vaccines.

- Peter Higgs, a physicist who theorized the Higgs boson particle, passed away at the age of 94.

- European Champions League matches saw heightened security after alleged ISIS threats.

- The Arizona state court revived an 1864 anti-abortion law that saw condemnation from US President Joe Biden, calling it a cruel decision that rips away women's rights. It joins more than 12 other states where abortions have been largely outlawed since the SCOTUS stripped off the Roe v Wade ruling two years ago.

- Gaza receives its largest airdrop of aid in six months.

- Paolo Pininfarina, the chairman of the Pininfarina Group, passed away at the age of 65.

- The Opel/Vauxhall Frontera returns as a crossover with mild-hybrid and electric variants.

- The third-generation Buick Enclave was unveiled.

2025 Buick Enclave

- The Acura MDX received a minor change for the 2025 model year.

2025 Acura MDX

- The Audi S3 range received a minor change for the 2025 model year. The 2.0L TFSi engine improved to produce 333PS of power.

2025 Audi S3

2025 Audi S3 Sportback

- PREMA Racing announced their participation in the NTT IndyCar Series in the 2025 season.

- Prosecutors dropped a felony rape case against former Kansas basketball player Arterio Morris, citing insufficient evidence while filing a motion in Douglas County District Court to seek its dismissal without prejudice.

TTFN.