WEIRDLAND: Shailene Woodley fights against Food Deserts, Allegiant Special Features, Miles Teller's My Girl

Saturday, July 16, 2016

Shailene Woodley fights against Food Deserts, Allegiant Special Features, Miles Teller's My Girl

Hollywood star Shailene Woodley joined lawmakers and digital retailers on Capitol Hill at a congressional briefing Tuesday in an effort to persuade the Obama administration to enact changes that would allow people to use food stamps online. The 24-year-old Snowden star said the issue is one that affects her own family and friends. “This issue stems beyond food. It is about social justice, equality amongst all,” Woodley wrote in an Instagram post. “Healthy food should NOT be a privilege. healthy food is a RIGHT. and it’s our job to hold our government accountable to offer access to healthy food in ALL communities.”

The lawmakers are attempting to combat so-called “food deserts;” according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), 23 million Americans live in areas where there are no readily available opportunities to purchase healthy food. “A key step we can take to fight hunger, and combat food deserts is to make healthy, affordable good choices available to the greatest number of consumers,” Rep. Ryan said in a press statement. “I believe the federal government must advance to the level of today’s technology and allow for the easier use of EBT benefits through online portals.” Rep. Ryan also personally thanked Woodley for attending Tuesday’s briefing. Source: www.breitbart.com

The Divergent Series: Allegiant / 4K Ultra HD Review: Lionsgate truly pushed the envelope with this release of Allegiant creating I dare say one of the best audio mixes I have heard to date on a 4K disc. Back are the actors that the audiences fell in love with -- including Woodley, James, Watts, Ansel Elgort (The Fault In Our Stars), and Miles Teller (Fantastic Four). They all play their roles nicely, although Woodley seems a little more stiff and wooden in this installment than she had previously. To give the best possible video and audio presentation the Special Features are all contained on the Blu-ray disc in the set. Features include a Audio Commentary with Producers Douglas Wick and Lucy Fisher, Allegiant: Book to Film, Battle in the Bullfrog, Finding the Future: Effects and Technology, Characters in Conflict, The Next Chapter: Cast and Characters, and Building the Bureau. Source: flickdirect.com

Specifically, the story picks up after the genetically pure Beatrice Prior (Shailene Woodley) has defeated Jeanine Matthews, and freed a segregated Chicago population of faction controls while enjoying an ever-evolving romance with the genetically damaged Four (Theo James). However, the new leader Evelyn wants justice and power, but Beatrice and her pals want no part of her plans. They escape over a massive electrified wall surrounding the tattered Windy City and find a wasteland that looks like it was designed by Ridley Scott’s “The Martian” production team. The group eventually get to the Bureau of Genetic Welfare (built upon the ruins of Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport), and Beatrice agrees to help the leader of the bureau David (Jeff Daniels) explain the importance of genetic purity to the mysterious council.

What completely overshadows the burdening narrative is the wonderfully fun and futuristic technology injected into the world. The HD port spotlights such slick items as a plasma protection globe that envelopes and protects the body, three-dimensional surveillance station pods, a set of mini drones, a mile-high-tall camouflage wall... As far as performances, Shailene Woodley carries the emotional load while Miles Teller continues to annoy as Peter Hayes, an overtly sarcastic, greedy weasel, always ready to undermine his new friends.

I cannot in my wildest imagination understand why the characters, movie after movie, are stupid enough to constantly trust this clown and not simply beat him to an unrecognizable pulp. Part two of the book’s movie adaptation arrives next year around this time to cement Divergent as one of the most excruciating in the history of young adult, post-apocalyptic franchises.

I did enjoy 11 minutes with Alec Hammond (production designer) and Stefan Fangmeier (visual effects supervisor) on the magic behind the special effects and computer-generated effects that showcased the sci-fi technology such as the secrets of the bubble ship and plasma globes. Also worth a look is a 12-minute overview on digitally redesigning Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport starting from its current iteration and adding levels of futuristic design to create a sort of “hive of science and living,” according to the production staff. Source: www.washingtontimes.com


"I'm sick of being this way. I'm sick of doing bad things and liking it, and then wondering what is wrong with me?" - Peter Hayes in Allegiant (Deleted Scene).


Miles Teller playing and singing "My Girl" (original by The Temptations).

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