A Charlie Brown Christmas Producer and Lyricist Dies on Christmas Day
Lee Mendelson, the producer and lyricist behind A Charlie Brown Christmas, died at age 86 on Christmas day, according to a report from NBC News.
Mendelson is perhaps most prominently known for penning the lyrics to A Charlie Brown Christmas’ iconic holiday song “Christmas Time is Here.”
Mendelson died at his home in Hillsborough, California of congestive heart failure at the age of 86, according to a statement Mendelson’s son gave initially to the Associated Press.
59 Movies to Geek Out Over in 2020
2020 is shaping up to be yet another epic year at the movies. Film geeks can look forward to more blockbuster sequels, more superhero adventures, more terrifying horror movies and new efforts from some of the world's most acclaimed directors. With so much on tap for 2020, it's best to start planning your calendar now.
We've put together a list of the 40 most exciting and geek-worthy movie releases of 2020. But even as we count the days until the release of blockbusters like Black Widow, No Time to Die, Ghostbusters: Afterlife and Dune, it's worth remembering that some of the best films in any given year come out of nowhere to astonish us.
Check out the slideshow gallery or scroll down to see what should be on your movie radar over the next 12 months.
How Speedrunners Completely Broke Zelda: Majora’s Mask
When you play The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, either casually or as a seasoned speedrunner, it's always a race against the clock. With only three in-game days, players need to spend their time wisely to complete its long list of quests, and even more so for speedrunners who need to get as much progress as possible out of each cycle to land a competitive time.
Earlier this year, that meant collecting the four boss remains and defeating Majora in a little less than an hour. But, as of this month, most of what previously wetn into a run became unnecessary thanks to the realization of a long sought after trick: the Moon Warp.
Moon Warp, as anyone who has played Majora’s Mask might suspect, allows players to warp directly to the moon and confront Majora without visiting any of the four dungeons. It’s an impressive trick that brought along an equally impressive new achievement: the first-ever sub-30 minute Majora's Mask speedrun, courtesy of longtime Majora's Mask speedrunner and world record holder Dennis “EnNopp112” Haugen. We spoke to EnNopp to learn a little more about this mind-blowing new trick and where he sees Majora's Mask speedrunning going from here.
Joker Screenplay Reveals Deleted Scenes With Neighbor Sophie
The screenplay for Todd Phillips' blockbuster Joker, written by Phillips and Scott Silver, is now online for all to read. Not only does the script feature an introduction by the writers -- detailing the tone of the film, its connection to the DCEU, and the year -- but it has a few cut scenes with Sophie Dumond, Arthur Fleck's neighbor played by Zazie Beetz.
The last we see of Sophie in the movie, she'd just walked into her apartment to find Arthur there - a man she barely knew. But Arthur had been imagining them together in a relationship for a few weeks, in a delusional state, split from reality. When he realized her feelings for him were all in his head, he left. But did he do anything to her (or her daughter) before we see him in the next shot? Did he kill her? It was a little mini-mystery fans chewed on for a while, fueled by the fact that Arthur was a staggeringly unreliable narrator.
The Witcher is the Most In-Demand Streaming Show in the World
The Witcher is a bonafide global hit. The Netflix series is now the most in-demand TV series in the world across all platforms.
UPDATE (DEC. 30): As Business Insider reports, per data company Parrot Analytics, The Witcher passed Disney Plus' Star Wars: The Mandalorian as "the top show in the world the week of December 22 to December 28."
"The Witcher was also the top show in the US with nearly 127 million demand expressions compared to The Mandalorian's 115 million demand expressions in the US that week."
The Mandalorian: What to Expect From Season 2
Warning: this article contains full spoilers for The Mandalorian's Season 1 finale! Read our review of The Mandalorian episode 8.
The Mandalorian ended its first season with an eventful finale episode, one in which we finally learned The Mandalorian's real name and Moff Gideon wielded the black Mandalorian lightsaber known as the Darksaber. The finale also offers a few hints about what to expect from a second season, which makes us glad The Mandalorian Season 2 has been announced for a Fall 2020 release date window.
Drones Now Reveal Earthquake Threats Deep in the Ocean
David Chadwell and a team of geophysicists have created a drone that is capable of detecting earthquakes within a subduction zone — something that current technology has a hard time achieving.
The new drones will replace ships that are capable of tracking acoustic beacons along the seafloor, which in turn can locate potential earthquakes by providing a GPS position.
The drone technology from Chadwell's team will not only cut costs by replacing expensive ships but will also offer more reliable readings on potential earthquakes. The current ships used by the National Science Foundation (NSF) can cost up to $50,000 a day. The new drone technology would only cost around $500 a day.
Westworld Star Sees Cats, Bashes Cats
Tom Hooper's universally-panned Cats, which recently debuted with one of the worst box office opening weekends ever, may have been delivered its harshest blow by Westworld's Evan Rachel Wood, who recently took to Twitter after seeing the film.
Everything a Vault Hunter Should Know to Survive in Borderlands 3
Borderlands 3 makes a return to planet Pandora and introduces players to four new Vault Hunters: FL4K, Amara, Zane, and Moze. Taking place several years after Handsome Jack's death, The Crimson Raiders reach out and ask for help as they face off against a set of new enemies -- The Calypso Twins and the Children of the Vault.
Borderlands 3 is filled with tons of loot and plenty of opportunities to customize your character's loadout, skills, and gear. With our Borderlands 3 beginner's guide, you'll have everything you need to be the best Vault Hunter this side of Pandora has ever seen.
What Should I Do First in Borderlands 3?
Borderlands 3 is similar to the previous games but with some newness sprinkled in. This means whether you're familiar with the series or completely new to it, there's something for you to learn. On top of all the chaotic firefights, inventory management, and character-building, there are some additional things to keep in mind.
The Most Disappointing Third Movies in Trilogies
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker's mixed reviews, lower CinemaScore, and soft(er) box office have shined a big spotlight on how difficult it can be to wrap up a trilogy in a way that satisfies most everyone. Rise of Skywalker is a special case, of course, since it's not only completing the journeys of everyone introduced in 2015's The Force Awakens, but also ending a 40-years-in-the-making nine-movie saga that began with the original Star Wars back in 1977.