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Now Playing: Alien: Romulus is a no-frills, all-thrills masterpiece

The Alien franchise’s standalone installment

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If you’re planning to see Alien: Romulus for your dose of big screen horror, do it. Don’t even hesitate. It’s a no-frills, all-the-thrills spectacle that rights the Alien film franchise’s ship, especially after two letdown prequel installments (Prometheus and Alien: Covenant).

If this isn’t your first rodeo with an Alien film, this standalone offering perfectly encapsulates what a movie from this franchise should always look. It doesn’t feed on nostalgia, nor is it full of empty promises.

Instead, it keeps viewers on the edge of their seats from start to finish with classic elements reminiscent of the Alien (1979) and Aliens (1986) chapters while also pushing the boundaries of just how sinister and gory it could get.

Of course, the overall story has also been tailored to accommodate xenomorph first-timers, making the Fede Alvarez masterpiece a must-watch. There’s a lot to unpack, so let’s begin.

⚠️ Warning: Some spoilers ahead! ⚠️

Simple, straightforward, sinister

Alien: Romulus progresses with a simple story all too familiar with fans of the franchise. There’s a group that embarks on a quest somewhere, not knowing what’s in store for them there.

Personally, I binge-watched the six Alien films for prior knowledge although after watching, I deemed that it isn’t that required. But sure. The familiar elements were all there.

Sole survivor? Check. Stupid decision-making that leads to a ripple effect of disasters? You bet. An android? Present.

There were references made to Alien through the Nostromo spaceship crew and Aliens with the latter a bit more implied rather than obvious. Just to recall, the Weyland-Yutani Corporation of course planned on harvesting the original xenomorph’s DNA upon learning of Ellen Ripley’s tribulations.

There was also Rook, who totally gives the Weyland corporate greed android vibe as he coerced Andy to fulfill the company’s mission of developing bioweapons from the xenomorph’s DNA.

From that point of view, it’s good to see this film fit into the timeline well, as it is set in between the first two films. But don’t expect it solving loose strings either, as it served its purpose well as a standalone.

Aliens? Yes, lots of them. That’s all that matters, anyway, and I’m glad we got a ton. The film easily featured the most xenomorphs ever for the franchise. The filmmakers overloaded the movie with more than one could possibly have hoped for.

They came in different sizes, forms, and appearances. All disgusting, all gruesome-looking, all unsettling. Scene after scene, audiences kept guessing as their hearts kept thumping. You’ll get what you paid for just with this aspect. More on this below.

New story, new characters

The group is an entirely new batch of characters, led by Cailee Spaeny’s Rain Carradine. Orphaned by her parents, Carradine lives with David Jonsson’s Andy, who is an android (for this film, they’re called “synthetics”).

When a group convinces Carradine that it needed Andy’s help to infiltrate an abandoned space station (you guessed it: it’s named after Romulus and Remus) because of his capabilities as an android, that’s when the ride begins.

The cast stands out with great acting. Jonsson, in particular, aptly portrays Andy as an emotionless being who just follows logic and reasoning. I loved how he wasn’t swayed by his human allies, and it played a part even if it meant letting others die.

The rest of the artists portraying the members of the crew also did their part to set up a horrific journey. Naturally, there were parts in the film that gave dilemma to characters as to how they’ll decide to progress. It added to the excitement.

Compounding woes

All the group wanted to do is to get to the abandoned space station and enter its remaining cryo chambers. Ideally, while in statis, Andy will set the course for them to reach Yvaga, their planetary system’s sun. That’s because their home planet of Jackson Star never sees the light all year.

The story takes a bad turn as there wasn’t enough cryo fuel inside the chambers for the trip’s duration to Yvaga. That’s when the crew searched for cryo fuel inside the station and accidently thawed dozens of facehuggers in the process.

Of course, deaths were imminent throughout the film. I thought they were well-distributed too. Nothing was rushed. The execution of the pacing as well done. Another aspect that stood out was how the film embodied the “how worse can it get” mantra.

For instance, just as the crew was already dealing with xenomorphs who have escaped the abandoned space station, the station itself was about to crash to a nearby planet’s rings. Andy also had his own internal conflict, while another character, Isabella Merced’s Kay, was found to be pregnant.

And towards the end of the film, just when everyone thought it would be over and the protagonist Carradine has already prevailed, a last-second xenomorph showed up, as if to say the nightmare isn’t over.

The multitude of conflicts made the movie even more harrowing and distressing that it already is to our eyes. That’s along with its appropriate pace.

Take a bow, Fede Alvarez

All in all, it was an astounding treat, specially for thrill seekers. The filmmakers packaged this movie greatly with a blend of cinematography, acting, storytelling, sound effects, and the sheer getting into a viewer’s psyche.

Personally, I loved how some scenes were taken from a unique angle where it kind of had a “show a little, and let them tell” approach. It was psychology at its best, letting viewers complete what was supposed to happen next.

We likewise still got the classic alien-faces-their-victim shots. There was an abundance of xenomorph screen time. And even then, the element of mystery wasn’t lost in the storytelling.

Part of me also felt that if Alien: Romulus was to be likened to a video game, it’s safe to say it had several chapters, with each getting more difficult and challenging with boss fights.

Alien: Romulus brought us back to the core with a spine-tingling and heart-thumping treat that didn’t feed on nostalgia but was rather filled with all the terrifying components we looked for, perhaps even on steroids.

Alien: Romulus is now showing in cinemas.

Entertainment

One Piece: Into the Grand Line unveils final trailer ahead of premiere

All 8 episodes dropping on Netflix this March 10

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Courtesy: Netflix

Netflix has revealed the final trailer for One Piece: Into the Grand Line, exactly one week before its March 10 premiere.

The clip opens with a monologue from Monkey D. Luffy, reminding the Straw Hat crew of how far they’ve come to make it to the gates of the legendary Grand Line.

He mentions that it is time for the pirates to see what’s in store for them in the legendary stretch of sea.

Of course, that’s the treasure they’re seeking albeit encountering bizarre islands, new enemies, and unpredictable danger.

The clip then again features the larger-than-life scale of Season 2, including the towering Red Line, giant whale Laboon, Little Garden’s dinosaurs, and the giant, Brogy.

For a brief moment, the protagonist is also shown in an encounter with Smoker. Tony Tony Chopper, shown in the official trailer, once again made a quick appearance.

Just as action-packed as previous trailers, this 1:44 clip then culminates with more combat. There’s Zoro defending the crew at Whisky Peak.

Wapol and his metal-transforming Munch-Munch powers was shown in the end against Monkey D. Luffy.

The entire trailer is also set to an upbeat remix of “Come Sail Away” in the background, continuing the excitement from Season 1.

All eight episodes of One Piece: Into the Grand Line will be made available by March 10.

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ITZY’s YUNA is Infinix’s first ever global brand ambassador

Infinix is in with YUNA in the scene

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Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Infinix is entering a new era — and the brand is bringing one of K-Pop’s most sought-after stars along the ride.

A first for Infinix

In line with the launch of the latest NOTE 60 series, Infinix has also named YUNA of ITZY as its very first Global Brand Ambassador. The company calls this a bold step forward for both innovation and style.

For the record, this is the first time Infinix has tapped a global ambassador — and the choice makes sense. YUNA is known for her confidence, vibrant energy, and unapologetic self-expression. These qualities align closely with Infinix’s “Joy Tech, Beyond Limits” philosophy.

In a statement, YUNA shared her excitement about the partnership. She said she’s looking forward to connecting with fans in a new way and creating meaningful stories together with the brand.

For Infinix, this collaboration is more than just a celebrity endorsement. It signals a shift in how the company wants to position itself globally — not just as a smartphone maker, but as a lifestyle tech brand for expressive, tech-savvy youth.

The more, the merrier

The partnership goes along the debut of the NOTE 60 Series, further fueling Infinix’s move toward a more premium smartphone experience.

Like YUNA, the NOTE 60 line also brings notable names in the table:

  • Powered by Snapdragon from Qualcomm
  • Design collaboration with Pininfarina
  • Audio tuned with JBL

It’s a clear attempt that Infinix wanted to elevate both performance and design by blending in flagship-level specs, more refined aesthetics, and immersive sound altogether.

Infinix says this launch also marks its expansion into more premium international markets.

With YUNA as the face of the brand, the company hopes to strengthen its appeal among younger users who want both powerful hardware and a device that matches their personality.

Rather than focusing purely on specs, Infinix is leaning into storytelling — highlighting how technology can spark creativity, joy, and individuality.

With the NOTE 60 Series and YUNA front and center, Infinix appears ready to redefine its brand identity on a global scale.

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Now Playing: Iron Lung

The premise will leave you wanting for more.

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I’m starting to think that cosmic horror is near-impossible to adapt to the big screen. Often, the point of this subgenre of horror is to showcase the unfathomable, a horror so unknowable that it’s impossible to describe. Now, for a medium that thrives on “show, don’t tell,” a full-length movie doesn’t seem like the best format for this type of horror. I’ve seen so many cosmic horror films, and a majority of them fail to land the satisfaction of a more traditional horror film.

Iron Lung, directed by and starring Markiplier, takes a stab at this elusively complex genre.

After the sudden disappearance of stars and planets in the universe, a lone space station explores a nearby moon to search for a way to save humanity. The catch is that the entire moon is covered in an ocean of blood. A convict, played by Markiplier, is tasked with exploring the moon in a one-man submersible, in exchange for his freedom.

Naturally, an ocean of blood isn’t the best place to be. The moon’s ocean hides mysteries and monsters beneath all the gore.

On the impossibility of cosmic horror

Though a movie is all about showing and not telling, Iron Lung navigates through these intricacies by not showing anything.

Because everything is just blood outside, the submarine needs a special camera that takes only grainy photos directly in front of the submersible. There’s always a sense of claustrophobic dread. What’s outside the submarine? What were those sounds? Did the camera really take a photo of something alive?

The film’s premise alone is a perfect source of horror. This is where cosmic horror thrives: on the questions, on the tiny sneak peeks of a monster lurking around the corner.

But, then again, this is also where the subgenre can paint itself into a corner. Eventually, audiences ask for more. They need to see and know the beast for real. Think Cloverfield, when the massive alien finally shows its face, or The Nun with… well, The Nun.

It’s an unwritten rule in horror films that the monster must make an appearance. It becomes a paradox for cosmic horror because the beast must also be unknowable.

When the beast finally shows up in Iron Lung, the audience never learns an understandable reason why it’s stalking the submarine. It’s not hungry, it doesn’t want revenge, and it doesn’t want to take over the world. It just is.

Is that a satisfying enough conclusion? If you’re a fan of cosmic horror, then it’s par for the course. However, if you’re more used to the more traditional horror film, it might leave you wanting more.

On madness

A mysterious monster isn’t the only thing that cosmic horror is known for. It’s also about madness and how the protagonist goes insane after seeing the unknown.

It’s apropos, then, that the convict starts hallucinating right after seeing a glimpse of the ocean’s beast. He starts to lose track of what’s real and what’s not.

In other movies, madness is an effective tool in subverting expectations and amplifying the horror. For example, in The Lighthouse, Winslow, the protagonist, also loses his sanity and questions reality. The film is all about this descent into madness and the questionable actions as a result from it. In Shutter Island, madness is a punchline, a plot twist that invites the audience to revisit the entire film and question their own perception.

Iron Lung, however, is neither a complete descent nor a plot twist. Rather, it’s a clear third act stemming from the convict’s encounter with the monster.

Since it’s clearly delineated in the third act, it’s hard to empathize with the convict’s plight. There’s a sense of vertigo moving from a creature feature into, in the convict’s own words, “alien shit” where you’re not sure of what’s real. Likewise, it’s not a plot twist either. You don’t reevaluate whether the entire movie was a hallucination.

Madness is understandably a major plot point of the original game that the movie is based on. However, its translation into film isn’t the smoothest. It’s both too short and too long.

But is it a good film?

Despite its struggle with the format, Iron Lung is still a spirited attempt at a one-room horror film. Markiplier melds into his role and doesn’t just showcase his on-screen YouTube personality.

The premise is, at once, frightening. It’s eerie and creepy. There is always a pervasive need to figure out what comes next. That’s pretty much what you want from a movie anyway. Yes, the ending might be polarizing, especially to those more used to the usual horror film, but the journey is still worth the price of admission.

And, at the very least, the film got me interested in watching Mark’s original playthroughs.

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