October 24, 2017

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Entertainment October 24, 2017

Today in Movie Culture: 'Wonder Woman' VFX Breakdown, a History of Japanese Horror and More

Here are a bunch of little bites to satisfy your hunger for movie culture:

Fan-made Poster of the Day:

Michael Bay is producing a Dora the Explorer movie, so BossLogic shows us what its poster will probably look like:

Can’t wait for the action packed @michaelbay#DoraTheExplorer starring @iambeckygpic.twitter.com/W9oVyesoKQ

— BossLogic (@Bosslogic) October 24, 2017

FX Breakdown of the Day:

See how Platige Image created the opening prologue for Wonder Woman, bringing a painting to life (via Heroic Hollywood):

See how we brought a painting to life for the prologue of #WonderWoman! #MakingOf#VFXpic.twitter.com/rxiSKXR9Te

— Platige Image (@PlatigeImage) October 23, 2017

Film History Lesson of the Day:

With Halloween coming up in a week, One Hundred Years of Cinema chronicles the history of Japanese horror:

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Prank of the Day:

Can you spot the Pennywise inserted into these engagement photos before the bride does? Hopefully the photographer still has the originals (via Geek Tyrant):

My sister asked me to shoot her engagement pics so I hid Pennywise the Clown in every photo. Countdown until she notices. pic.twitter.com/Z7QZPsq2ym

— Jesse McLaren (@McJesse) October 22, 2017

Vintage Image of the Day:

Kevin Kline, who turns 70 today, with co-stars William Hurt, Jeff Goldblum and Tom Berenger and director Lawrence Kasdan on the set of The Big Chill in 1982:

Actor in the Spotlight:

Carrie Fisher’s career is defined mostly by Star Wars, but here’s Fandor with a look at her legacy in comedy:

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Filmmaker in Focus:

This video essay from Tim Nicholas highlights dance, movement, freedom and intimacy in the work of Yorgos Lanthimos, whose latest, The Killing of a Sacred Deer, is now in theaters:

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Fan Art of the Day:

Sometimes it’s fun to just make a poster of the literal meaning of a movie title, as in the case of this Baby Driver art shared by director Edgar Wright:

Art by @scottbuonscott#BabyDriverMoviepic.twitter.com/qLOSCbZcX8

— edgarwright (@edgarwright) October 23, 2017

Cosplay of the Day:

When you’ve got the best cosplay representing the top-grossing movie of the year, Beauty and the Beast:

Beauty And The Beast Most Amazing Cosplay https://t.co/kbzQp3AKIW

— Acer (@khapra21) October 5, 2017

Classic Trailer of the Day:

Today is the 20th anniversary of the release of Gattaca. Watch the original trailer for the sci-fi classic below.

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Business October 24, 2017

Senate Kills Rule On Class-Action Suits Against Financial Companies

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Richard Cordray, listens to comments during a panel discussion in Richmond, Va. in Oct. 2016.

Steve Helber/AP

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Steve Helber/AP

The Senate has voted to get rid of a banking rule that allows consumers to bring class-action lawsuits against banks and credit card companies to resolve financial disputes.

With Vice President Mike Pence casting the tie-breaking vote, the roll-back of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau rule banning restrictive mandatory arbitration clauses found in the fine print of credit card and checking account agreements passed 51-50, with Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and John Kennedy of Louisiana voting against repeal.

The Republican-controlled House had already voted to rescind the rule and President Trump is expected to quickly sign the measure, which also bars similar rules in the future.

The CFPB rule, released in July, was aimed at giving consumers more power. Prior to the rule, the CFPB said companies could “sidestep the court system” by “forcing consumers to give up or go it alone.”

This allowed companies to “avoid big refunds, and continue harmful practices,” the CFPB wrote in July in announcing the changes.

CFPB said it was redressing a situation in which consumers were forced “to give up or go it alone – usually over small amounts,” while companies were able to “sidestep the court system, avoid big refunds, and continue harmful practices.”

In a statement released shortly after the vote, CFPB Director Richard Cordray said it represented “a giant setback for every consumer in this country. Wall Street won and ordinary people lost.”

In July, The Washington Post wrote that the rule “came about because of the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial reform legislation, which the Trump administration and Republicans have been trying to dismantle. The legislation required the CFPB to study the use of arbitration agreements and report back to Congress. The rule is a result of that report.”

The move is part of a larger push by Republicans to roll back regulations that they believe hurt the free market.

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said President Trump supported the move because: “The rule would harm our community banks and credit unions by opening the door to frivolous lawsuits by special interest trial lawyers,” she said.

Democrats, however, argue that such rules give consumers more power to stop abusive practices, citing “the sales practices at Wells Fargo and the security breach at credit company Equifax as examples of misdeeds protected through forced arbitration,” The Associated Press writes.

“So who does forced arbitration help? Wall Street banks and other huge corporations that never pay the price for cheating working people,” said Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio.

As Chris Arnold, of NPR’s Planet Money team, wrote last year, “in recent years, and especially after a Supreme Court decision in 2011, mandatory arbitration clauses have become widespread across all kinds of industries. So consumers in many instances have signed away their right to seek restitution through a class action.”

The financial industry, however, says the rule would encourage lawyers to “unfairly shake down companies to line their own pockets … [and] raise legal costs for companies, which in turn would increase prices for consumers,” Chris reported.

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Sports October 24, 2017

Dodgers Beat Astros 3-1 In Game 1 of The 2017 World Series

Los Angeles Dodgers’ Justin Turner (left) celebrates his two-run home run in the sixth inning of Game 1 of the World Series Tuesday in Los Angeles.

Matt Slocum/AP

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Matt Slocum/AP

Updated 11:50 p.m. ET

The Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Houston Astros 3-1 in Game 1 of the 2017 World Series in Los Angeles on the strength of superior pitching and timely home runs.

The Dodgers got a strong performance by their ace, Clayton Kershaw, who struck out 11 batters over seven innings, surrendering only one run on three hits. He walked none.

“It was a special night for Clayton,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said about his three-time Cy Young Award winner.

Kershaw said he really couldn’t tell the difference between any other post-season start and a World Series start.

“But it definitely feels good to say it was the World Series and feels good to say we’re 1 and 0,” he said.

The Astros’ starter, Dallas Keuchel, pitched almost as well. But the Dodgers’ three runs came on pitches Keuchel would probably like to pull back.

Winning Dodgers’ pitcher Clayton Kershaw held the Astros to one run over seven innings in Game 1. He had relief help from Brandon Morrow and Kenley Jansen in the eighth and ninth innings.

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

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Christian Petersen/Getty Images

The Dodgers drew blood in the bottom of the first inning when center fielder Chris Taylor smacked Keuchel’s first pitch deep into the left field seats.

Down by a single run, the Astros’ starting pitcher kept the Dodgers at bay with his own efficient pitching and the help of three double plays by his teammates. Houston’s third baseman Alex Bregman silenced the Los Angeles crowd when he opened the fourth inning with a solo homer off of Kershaw to tie the game 1-1.

The game was looking like a classic pitchers’ duel until the bottom of the sixth inning when Keuchel, with two outs, walked Taylor. Dodger third baseman Justin Turner broke the tie with a two-run homer to left field.

Houston’s Alex Bregman gets the Astros on the board with a home run during the fourth inning.

Alex Gallardo/AP

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Alex Gallardo/AP

Keuchel gave up three runs and six hits in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out three and surrendered one walk — to Taylor, setting up the Turner home run.

That made the score 3-1 Dodgers and their highly touted bullpen held that lead. LA reliever Brandon Morrow retired the Astros in the eighth inning and closer Kenley Jansen wrapped it up in the ninth.

In addition to outstanding pitching, Game 1 of the 2017 World Series will likely be remembered for the heat. The recorded temperature at Dodger Stadium at game time was a toasty 103 degrees.

In fact, Turner gave credit to the heat for his game-winning homer.

“When it’s that hot here the ball does travel a lot better,” he said in a post-game press conference. “If it’s ten degrees cooler that’s probably a routine fly ball to left field.”

Game 2 will be played Wednesday evening In Los Angeles. The scheduled starting pitchers are Rich Hill for the Dodgers and Justin Verlander for the Astros.

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Health October 24, 2017

Administration Denies More States' Plans To Customize Insurance Markets

“Obamacare gives states very little flexibility for innovation,” said Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, after withdrawing the state’s insurance waiver request.

Charlie Neibergall/AP

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Charlie Neibergall/AP

Two states looking for approval to customize their health insurance systems under the Affordable Care Act reversed course after the Trump administration said their applications couldn’t be approved in time for next year.

Iowa withdrew its proposal to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for a waiver to alter its Affordable Care Act markets. Massachusetts’ proposal was effectively denied by the administration.

Both states sought to use some of the money that would have gone toward subsidies for consumers to instead create reinsurance programs that would protect insurers from major losses. Reinsurance often lowers premiums.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, a Republican, blamed the rules of the Affordable Care Act for the failure of her state’s proposal. “Obamacare gives states very little flexibility for innovation,” Reynolds said at a news conference.

She gave credit to CMS Administrator Seema Verma for trying to get the waiver approved. “Unfortunately Obamacare is an unworkable law,” Reynolds said. She then urged Congress to pass a law to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

But there’s another way of looking at it. CMS took a “hard line” on its interpretation of the law, said Larry Levitt, a senior vice president at the Kaiser Family Foundation. In a letter to Iowa, the agency said the state’s proposal doesn’t meet the law’s requirements that the alternative plan not add to the federal deficit.

“The question is how sharp the pencils have to be that reviewers in HHS are using” Levitt said. “They could be a little looser in their analysis, but would risk a negative report down the road.”

On the same day that Iowa withdrew its waiver, CMS told Massachusetts that the agency couldn’t approve the state’s waiver in time for open enrollment, which begins Nov. 1. The Affordable Care Act requires all proposals to allow 90 days for public comment. CMS said Massachusetts’ application came too late.

The failures of the two states’ waiver applications follow a trend. Several states have seen their proposals delayed, denied or only partly approved, after administration officials actively encouraged states to apply.

Some critics say the denials are part of an administration effort to force the ACA marketplaces to fail. But Levitt says the agency is on solid legal ground in its strict interpretation of the rules.

Still , there appears to be a switch, given the administration’s previous invitation to states to seek permission for insurance market changes.

Former HHS Secretary Tom Price, who resigned last month, encouraged states to apply for the waivers. Just weeks after he was sworn in in February, Price wrote a letter to every governor in the country urging them to consider creating reinsurance programs and high-risk pools.

HHS “invites states to pursue approval of waiver proposals that include high-risk pool/state-operated reinsurance programs,” the letter says. “The Departments will work with states to review all applications within the timeframe provided … and do our best to work with states to review their applications on an expedited basis.”

Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., has sought to relax the waiver process. A bipartisan bill he co-authored with Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., would cut the wait time for waivers to be approved and allow states to go ahead with just the approval of the governor rather than a vote from the legislature. The bill would also make it easier for states to get copycat waivers once a program has been approved elsewhere.

Alexander said his bill would fix the problems that doomed the Massachusetts proposal. “Under the Alexander-Murray bill, states can get waivers approved in 45 days if the situation requires urgent action,” he said in a statement. “So Massachusetts could have had its waiver approved by now to help reduce chaos when open enrollment begins next week. This is further evidence that the Affordable Care Act needs changes and that states need our bill to get flexibility from the law.”

The Alexander-Murray bill, which was co-sponsored by 24 senators, has yet to be scheduled for a vote, and President Trump has wavered on whether he supports the plan.

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