Entertainment

Hotel Del Luna, Frozen 2: Now Playing

Get ready to have a magical adventure this November!

Published

November 15, 2019

GadgetMatch

November started pretty magical. Right after Halloween, a lot has happened in the tech scene including the birth of the 108-megapixel monster, the Mi Note 10, and the resurrection of Motorola razr. In the midst of all these momentous launches, our team still found the time to catch up on the latest in pop culture. Here’s what’s Now Playing in GadgetMatch!

Movies to see

Frozen 2
MJ: After six years, the most-awaited sequel is here to give us one last magical adventure. Set during the fall season, the film is about the adventures of Queen Elsa and her cohorts, seeking the truth about the past in order to protect the kingdom of Arendelle from a new threat. In between their adventures, we were rewarded with bursts of laughter, heartwarming lines, scenes that made us hold onto our seats, and lessons about change.

Frozen 2 — despite being a film made for kids and kids at heart — is a bit heavy for a Disney movie, with Elsa, Anna, and the rest of the crew enduring an emotional journey. However, the film is a call for us to go out of our comfort zones, head into the unknown, let our guard down, take chances, and risk in the name of love.

Ford v Ferrari
Kevin: The movie revolves around two special individuals — visionary car designer Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) and the fearless racer Ken Miles (Christian Bale). It was based on the historic Le Mans race in 1966 and tells the story of how car manufacturer Ford, wanted to beat the dominating cars of Ferrari and succeeded. Of course, with the help of Shelby and Miles.

Damon performed really well portraying his character but Bale completely transformed himself into another person yet again so you really feel the life of his character. Apart from that, another thing that stood out was the film’s sound design and how the cars’ engines roared and zoomed past you as if you were actually there. It’s simply an entertaining piece for all ages and a very refreshing movie about cars and racing without the overload in testosterone.

Knives Out
Luigi: Nothing beats a traditional whodunnit story. This oddjob of a story comes from The Last Jedi’s director, Rian Johnson. Like most mystery stories, everyone is a suspect and everyone is trapped. However, the story’s uniqueness comes from its wit and its stellar cast including a Chris Evans doing very non-Captain America things.

Shows to binge-watch

Hotel Del Luna
MJ: If you’re struggling with moving on, Hotel Del Luna is worth the watch. With themes about letting go, resentment, forgiveness, and love, it’s difficult not to fall in love with the show and its characters. It also has stunning cinematography and captivating soundtrack that would give you a different high even after you watched it. While people are iffy since it’s the talk of the town, this K-drama is definitely worth the hype. It’s one of the best shows I’ve watched this year, hands down.

La Casa De Papel (Money Heist)
Chay: Whether or not you’re a fan of foreign language material or stories about heists, there’s more to love about La Casa de Papel also known as Money Heist on Netflix. It tells many stories — stories of love, hope, inequality, injustice, and friendship. You will fall in love with one or two or three characters from the series. While a robbery sounds so wrong (it is, in fact, very wrong), you will find yourself rooting for the Money Heist squad to succeed.

The End of the F***ing World Season 2
Vincenz: The last season was a cliffhanger, and just like it, there were a lot of unexpected events that happened in the second installment of The End of the F***ing World — including several new characters. The portrayals of Alyssa and James may look apathetic but it’s for us to realize that actions speak louder than words, and there is always a bigger picture behind. I’m not trying to spoil but one thing I learned (that serves as a reminder for everyone): Say what you feel before it’s too late.

Queer Eye: We’re in Japan!
Chay: I grew up watching shows about makeovers — from Clean House to How Do I Look? to Shabby Chic. Queer Eye is basically all those makeover TV series from the 90s combined, and more. Set in Tokyo, the latest season feels like Terrace House meets the Fab 5. Despite the language barrier, the stories of the heroes this season are just as heartwarming and inspiring as their American counterparts.

Fleabag
Chay: Fleabag is a comedy that often breaks the fourth wall to involve the audience in her mishaps. Her character is often perceived by everyone in her life to be up to no good — who fucks up everything — making her very relatable. The entire series is only two seasons long with six episodes each, making it an easy binge when you’re stuck in traffic.

DC’s Legends of Tomorrow Season 4
MJ: One of my favorites, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow took a magical turn as the heroes — well, they call themselves Legends — save the world from demons and magical creatures. The troop travels through time to fix and destroy these fugitives in order to protect history. It’s time to refresh your memories and binge-watch it before Season 5 begins in January 2020!

Watchmen
Luigi: HBO’s Watchmen was a huge surprise for me. As a fan of the original comic, I initially thought that this sequel series was either a weak adaptation of the original or an unnecessary sequel. Fortunately, Watchmen is a hugely entertaining balance between its own story and fan service. Old fans will delight in the numerous references to comic events. New fans, however, will appreciate the timely story deeply embedded in racial politics and technological progress.

Albums/Songs/Podcasts to listen to

Frozen 2 Original Soundtrack
Chay: Only time will tell if any of the new songs in the Frozen sequel will be a hit like ‘Let it Go’. My favorite in the soundtrack is ‘Lost in the Woods’, mostly because of the cheesy, albeit poignant, sequence in the movie featuring straight white male Kristoff. After belting it all out, Sven, his reindeer best friend, tells him, “Your feelings are real. Feel what you feel. Let your guard down and let your feelings out.” Toxic masculinity, whomstve?

Modern Love
Chay: New York Times’ popular column was recently adapted into an Amazon series and while everyone has been raving about it on my feed, I haven’t had the time to watch a single episode yet. Its podcast counterpart, however, is much easier to access and digest as the episodes are all available on Spotify. Each essay is performed by actors, and the authors also get a few minutes at the end to talk about their stories. Reading Modern Love articles has been my go-to commute companion for a while now, and having a podcast to listen won’t change that anytime soon.

Bomb by AleXa
Vincenz: AleXa is a Korean-American who recently made her debut as a K-Pop soloist. Unlike any other K-Pop song, it heavily relies on electronic sounds and heavy bass. Her powerful dancing performance and vocals add up to the invigorating song. The music video gives me a Cyberpunk 2077 vibe (and even the same feels as 2NE1’s ‘Come Back Home’).

Dumb by BVNDIT
Vincenz: BVNDIT (pronounced as bandit) continues to prove their female dominance with their latest upbeat, Latin pop song. Digging into the lyrics, it talks about a guy being “dumb” for not having the courage to pursue her — and it actually made her numb. Dark red visuals are dominant, which may signify that their love desire is dying. It gets better as their vocals and synchronized choreography continue to scream “power.”

Games to play

Luigi’s Mansion 3
Luigi: I can hear the groans already. “Of course, Luigi is suggesting Luigi’s Mansion 3.” Well, Luigi’s third outing as a ghostbuster is really one of the smoothest Nintendo Switch experiences I’ve had this year. This massive action-puzzle game is right up every Switch user’s alley. If (a) you have a Switch, (b) you need an appetizer before Pokemon Sword and Shield, or (c) you want a polished platformer, grab Luigi’s Mansion 3.

Now Playing is the GadgetMatch team’s favorite games, movies, TV shows, and more each month. If you’re curious to know what we’re into at the moment, this is what you should check out. So grab your popcorn, get some drinks, and enjoy what’s now playing!

Entertainment

Apple brings HLS video podcasts to Apple Podcasts

Video podcasts arrive

Published

February 17, 2026

GadgetMatch

Apple is adding a new video podcast experience to Apple Podcasts this spring, powered by HTTP Live Streaming (HLS).

The update lets users switch seamlessly between watching and listening inside the app. They can watch in full screen, rotate to horizontal view, and download episodes for offline viewing. HLS automatically adjusts video quality based on network conditions, whether on Wi-Fi or cellular.

Video episodes will also integrate with existing features. That includes personalized recommendations and editorial curation in the New tab and Category pages.

Apple says the move gives creators more control over distribution and monetization. Participating hosting providers and ad networks will support HLS video at launch, including Acast, ART19, Triton Digital, and SiriusXM.

For the first time on Apple Podcasts, creators can dynamically insert video ads, including host-read spots. This opens access to the broader video advertising market while keeping creative control in the hands of publishers. Video integrates into existing shows without affecting followers or downloads.

Apple does not charge hosting providers or creators to distribute podcasts on Apple Podcasts, whether via traditional RSS/MP3 or HLS video. However, the company will introduce an impression-based fee for participating ad networks that deliver dynamic ads in HLS video later this year.

The feature builds on Apple Podcasts’ existing reach across more than 170 countries and regions. The app supports features such as Enhance Dialogue, adjustable playback speeds from 0.5x to 3x, auto-generated chapters, timed links, and transcripts across more than 125 million episodes in 13 languages. Users can also subscribe to premium channels for exclusive content and ad-free listening.

HLS video podcast support is available starting today in beta versions of iOS 26.4, iPadOS 26.4, and visionOS 26.4. The feature will roll out to iPhone, iPad, and Apple Vision Pro users, as well as on the web, later this spring.

Entertainment

Now Playing: ‘Wuthering Heights’

Shared souls, broken choices

Published

February 16, 2026

Rodneil Quiteles

I don’t quite recall the exact line, but there’s a scene in “Wuthering Heights” where Catherine (Margot Robbie) speaks to Nelly (Hong Chau) and finally verbalizes how she feels about Heathcliff (Jacob Elordi). She says they share the same soul. Or something very close to that.

I remember thinking how beautiful it sounded. Passionate. Honest. But also painful — because even as she admits it, she believes they can’t be together.

That felt like the key scene of the film. Everything that follows spirals out of that moment.

Love, class, and a half-heard sentence

Heathcliff isn’t just a romantic lead. He’s a servant in the Earnshaw household. He grows up alongside Catherine and Nelly, but he never truly belongs. They run wild together as children. They share a bond that feels deeper than friendship. But social class lingers in the background, quietly dictating what is acceptable.

On paper, Edgar Linton (Shazad Latif) is the right choice. He’s affluent. Proper. Stable. Choosing him preserves Catherine’s stature. Choosing Heathcliff, in her mind, would degrade it.

The tragedy is that Heathcliff only overhears part of this conversation. He hears Catherine say that being with him would degrade her. He doesn’t hear the part about shared souls. And that partial truth is enough. He leaves.

From there, the film unfolds like a prolonged consequence of a single misunderstood sentence.

Yearning that feels real

Margot Robbie plays Catherine with an earnest playfulness that makes her easy to love and frustrating at the same time. She’s energetic. Mischievous. She often pulls Heathcliff into compromising situations without hesitation. But there’s calculation underneath. She understands the world she lives in, even if she wishes she didn’t have to.

Elordi’s Heathcliff starts off reserved and protective. He doesn’t say much, but you feel how deeply he feels. Later on, when he returns, that restraint shifts. He gives in to his desires. His love turns into something sharper. Tunnel visioned. Almost self-destructive.

Nelly, meanwhile, operates in quieter ways. She observes. Nudges. And positions herself as concerned, but there’s a subtle self-centeredness to her actions. Not diabolical. Just human. Which makes the unraveling feel even more inevitable.

Frames that look like paintings

Visually, the film is dramatically composed. It rarely feels like a straightforward recreation of that time period. Instead, many scenes look like moving paintings. The frames feel intentional. Almost interpretive — like artists reimagining history rather than documenting it.

The contrast between households is especially clear. Wuthering Heights feels contained and middle class. The Linton estate is spacious and luxurious, even down to how distinctly their servants are dressed. The class divide isn’t subtle. It’s embedded in the architecture.

There are also transition shots that feel symbolic, even if I can’t fully unpack them after a single watch. The pig being slaughtered stands out the most. It lingers in a way that feels deliberate. There were several moments like that — images that seem to foreshadow something darker.

A runtime that never overstays

Despite its over two-hour runtime, I never felt the film drag. The montages used to signify time passing cut at the right moments. It never lingered too long, and it never rushed past something important. The pacing felt controlled.

Understandable isn’t the same as justified

After posting a quick exit reaction, I inevitably heard from friends who’ve read the novel. The responses were varied. Some were protective of the source material. Others were more open. As someone engaging with Wuthering Heights substantially for the first time, I can only speak to the film on its own terms.

And on its own, it works.

It even made me want to read the novel. Realistically, I might never get around to it. But the film did its job.

What I do worry about is how some viewers might walk away feeling that the protagonists’ actions were justified. They’re understandable, to a certain extent. The yearning Robbie and Elordi portray is so effective that it might transport you to a time when you felt overwhelmingly about someone.

But understandable isn’t the same as justified.

As the credits rolled, what stayed with me wasn’t the estates or the costumes or even the more dramatic confrontations. It was that earlier line about sharing the same soul. The idea that two people can recognize something that powerful — and still let it slip because the world, and their own decisions, get in the way.

That’s what lingered.

Entertainment

Jason Momoa will star in upcoming Helldivers film adaptation

Justin Lin is set to direct.

Published

February 13, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Jason Momoa in A Minecraft Movie

PlayStation’s State of Play is about games. However, there are a few times when the semi-regular event can spawn hype for something outside the realm of gaming. Today is one of those times. Sony Pictures and PlayStation have released more information about the upcoming Helldivers movie adaptation.

Early last year, Sony teased a variety of upcoming adaptations for its tentpole franchises. This announcement included Horizon Zero Dawn, Ghost of Tsushima, and Helldivers.

Today, as reported by Variety, the Helldivers film finally has a leading man. Jason Momoa, who starred in the Minecraft adaptation previously, will star in the film.

Since the franchise isn’t really known for a specific main character, it’s unknown who the star will play. We also don’t know his co-stars yet.

Alongside Momoa, Justin Lin will direct the film. The director is known for his work with the Fast and Furious franchise.

Plot-wise, the Helldivers franchise seems tailor-made for the movies. It’s not a supremely story-driven game, but its premise is endlessly adaptable. The games always revolve around a group of soldiers called Helldivers, who protect Super Earth from a host of alien threats. These threats include rogue robots and bug-like creatures.

The film, whatever it might tackle, will premiere on November 10, 2027.

Helldivers 2 launched back in 2024. At the time, the game was exclusive for the PlayStation and PC. However, it recently launched on the Xbox, too.

SEE ALSO: Helldivers 2 review: SIP ON SOME LIBER-TEA!