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	<title>John Nguyen, Author at Nerd Reactor</title>
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	<url>https://nerdreactor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/cropped-Nerd-Reactor-Atom-Logo-Favicon-32x32.png</url>
	<title>John Nguyen, Author at Nerd Reactor</title>
	<link>https://nerdreactor.com/author/john-spartan/</link>
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	<item>
		<title>These Cyberpunk 2077 and Alienware Gaming Glasses Look Straight Out of the Future</title>
		<link>https://nerdreactor.com/these-cyberpunk-2077-and-alienware-gaming-glasses-look-straight-out-of-the-future/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[John Nguyen]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 01 Jun 2026 07:26:22 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Video Games]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Alienware]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cyberpunk 2077]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[GUNNAR Optiks]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://nerdreactor.com/?p=12032</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>GUNNAR Optiks has been offering cool glasses with blue-light-blocking lenses for gamers. Examples of licensed video game glasses include the Fallout Vault 33 glasses and The Witcher&#8217;s White Wolf glasses. The lineup of gaming glasses has been expanding, with the newly released Cyberpunk glasses modeled after Dexter DeShawn&#8217;s glasses and Alienware&#8217;s Bermuda Triangle glasses. The ... <a title="These Cyberpunk 2077 and Alienware Gaming Glasses Look Straight Out of the Future" class="read-more" href="https://nerdreactor.com/these-cyberpunk-2077-and-alienware-gaming-glasses-look-straight-out-of-the-future/" aria-label="Read more about These Cyberpunk 2077 and Alienware Gaming Glasses Look Straight Out of the Future">Read more</a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://nerdreactor.com/these-cyberpunk-2077-and-alienware-gaming-glasses-look-straight-out-of-the-future/">These Cyberpunk 2077 and Alienware Gaming Glasses Look Straight Out of the Future</a> appeared first on <a href="https://nerdreactor.com">Nerd Reactor</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">GUNNAR Optiks has been offering cool glasses with blue-light-blocking lenses for gamers. Examples of licensed video game glasses include the Fallout Vault 33 glasses and The Witcher&#8217;s White Wolf glasses. The lineup of gaming glasses has been expanding, with the newly released Cyberpunk glasses modeled after Dexter DeShawn&#8217;s glasses and Alienware&#8217;s Bermuda Triangle glasses.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Cyberpunk 2077 Dex Glasses</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">With the collaboration with CD PROJEKT RED, the Cyberpunk Dex retails for $125 and is inspired by one of the first Night City fixers you meet in the game, Dexter DeShawn. The glasses aim to capture the feel of Night City, and feature blue-light-blocking technology. The shield-lens frame is brought to life, bringing the style of a cyberpunk future and also the persona of Dex.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">It&#8217;s made of magnesium-aluminum alloy and plastic, and it features G-Shield protection to help with smudges, scratches, and glare. It also has a 0.2 diopter to help you focus. The lenses are available in Amber and Amber-Max, so those wanting the red color lenses similar to Dex in the game may be disappointed. However, that&#8217;s the price to pay for the glasses&#8217; focus on blocking blue lights.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The Dex glasses come with Cyberpunk-inspired padded sleeve, microfiber cleaning cloth, and a 12-month warranty.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Alienware&#8217;s Bermuda Triangle</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" width="1024" height="576" src="https://nerdreactor.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Gunnar-Alienware-Bermuda-Amber-Vanity-1024x576.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-12034" srcset="https://nerdreactor.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Gunnar-Alienware-Bermuda-Amber-Vanity-1024x576.jpeg 1024w, https://nerdreactor.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Gunnar-Alienware-Bermuda-Amber-Vanity-300x169.jpeg 300w, https://nerdreactor.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Gunnar-Alienware-Bermuda-Amber-Vanity-768x432.jpeg 768w, https://nerdreactor.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Gunnar-Alienware-Bermuda-Amber-Vanity-1536x864.jpeg 1536w, https://nerdreactor.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Gunnar-Alienware-Bermuda-Amber-Vanity-2048x1152.jpeg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Alienware&#8217;s Bermuda Triangle Gaming Glasses. Courtesy of GUNNAR Optiks.</figcaption></figure>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Alienware, known for offering PC gamers high-end, pre-built gaming computers, is teaming up with GUNNAR Optiks. Enter the Bermuda Triangle glasses, featuring a wraparound shield lens, angular lines, and a futuristic design, which fits right at home with the brand&#8217;s sci-fi aesthetic.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">These glasses also feature blue-light-blocking lenses to help reduce digital eye strain during gaming marathons, streaming, or multitasking. The wraparound shield lens offers a panoramic field of view that&#8217;s perfect for gaming, and the frame is a lightweight polymer. The nose pads are adjustable, and the G-Shield coating helps resist smudges and scratches.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The Bermuda Triangle glasses include a white protective sleeve and a microfiber cloth.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><a href="https://gunnar.com/collections/gaming-glasses/products/cyberpunk-2077-dex" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Cyberpunk 2077 Dex</a> and <a href="https://gunnar.com/products/alienware-bermuda-triangle" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Alienware Bermuda Triangle</a> glasses are available at <a href="https://gunnar.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gunnar.com</a>. </p>
<p>The post <a href="https://nerdreactor.com/these-cyberpunk-2077-and-alienware-gaming-glasses-look-straight-out-of-the-future/">These Cyberpunk 2077 and Alienware Gaming Glasses Look Straight Out of the Future</a> appeared first on <a href="https://nerdreactor.com">Nerd Reactor</a>.</p>
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		<title>Rhys Ifans and the Cast of Star City Discuss Secrecy, Hope, and the Soviet Side of the Space Race</title>
		<link>https://nerdreactor.com/rhys-ifans-and-the-cast-of-star-city-discuss-secrecy-hope-and-the-soviet-side-of-the-space-race/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[John Nguyen]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 30 May 2026 03:08:26 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Interviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[TV]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Apple TV+]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://nerdreactor.com/?p=12025</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Apple TV+ has taken viewers into an alternate history in which the U.S. and the Soviet Union battled for supremacy in the space race for decades in For All Mankind. In the series, humanity has already colonized the Moon and Mars. The streaming service is going back to the start, but this time we get ... <a title="Rhys Ifans and the Cast of Star City Discuss Secrecy, Hope, and the Soviet Side of the Space Race" class="read-more" href="https://nerdreactor.com/rhys-ifans-and-the-cast-of-star-city-discuss-secrecy-hope-and-the-soviet-side-of-the-space-race/" aria-label="Read more about Rhys Ifans and the Cast of Star City Discuss Secrecy, Hope, and the Soviet Side of the Space Race">Read more</a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://nerdreactor.com/rhys-ifans-and-the-cast-of-star-city-discuss-secrecy-hope-and-the-soviet-side-of-the-space-race/">Rhys Ifans and the Cast of Star City Discuss Secrecy, Hope, and the Soviet Side of the Space Race</a> appeared first on <a href="https://nerdreactor.com">Nerd Reactor</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Apple TV+ has taken viewers into an alternate history in which the U.S. and the Soviet Union battled for supremacy in the space race for decades in <em>For All Mankind</em>. In the series, humanity has already colonized the Moon and Mars. The streaming service is going back to the start, but this time we get to see the Soviets&#8217; point of view in <em>Star City</em>, starring Rhys Ifans (<em>The Amazing Spider-Man</em>).</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Nerd Reactor had the opportunity to speak with Rhys Ifans, creators Matt Wolpert and Ben Nedivi, Anna Maxwell Martin, and Josef Davies about the series&#8217; darker tone, the real-life inspirations behind its characters, and how there is still hope despite the gloomy setting.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe title="Rhys Ifans on Spider-Man, Star City &amp; the Soviet Space Program | Star City Cast Interview" width="960" height="540" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/w3eNUnt_4yQ?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Rhys Ifans on Playing an Obsessive Genius Hidden From History</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Fans of Rhys Ifans may know him as Dr. Curt Connors in <em>The Amazing Spider-Man</em>, a scientist obsessed with a cure for his amputated arm. In <em>Star City</em>, he portrays The Chief Designer, who has a different kind of obsession.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">&#8220;Yes, you&#8217;re right,&#8221; the actor tells Nerd Reactor about the similarities between Curt Connors and the Chief Designer. &#8220;They&#8217;re both obsessed. But in this case, the most pleasing thing for me as an actor is that one was actually a real human being, the Chief Designer. With many obsessions, yes, to fly the Russian flag. But also, on a personal level, I think he was a kid who, like many children, stared up at the night sky, saw the moon, and was irrepressibly curious as to what that might present or represent.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">&#8220;And then what was interesting to me was the fact that he had to do all this without the knowledge of anyone, not just knowing that he was behind the great work that was done, but that he himself is invisible in the whole story. And one could argue the greatest story ever told.&#8221;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Star City Explores the Human Side of Life Under Pressure</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Ben Nedivi is the co-creator and serves as a showrunner and executive producer. Even with the show&#8217;s darker tones, hope is a pivotal part that allows the Soviets to push their space program further. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">&#8220;I think even For All Mankind, there&#8217;s a constant push and pull of the optimism of that show,&#8221; Nedivi said. &#8220;I think that&#8217;s something we wanted to capture &#8211; as important as this idea of the pressure that they were under &#8211; but also how they overcame that pressure. As people watch the show, you&#8217;ll see that the power is in these humans, that overcoming the system, overcoming the odds, to still thrive and still succeed in their own way. That&#8217;s to me where I see the hope in the show.&#8221;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Revisiting the Soviet Space Race Through a Different Lens</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Viewers will be transported into an alternate Cold War setting once again, and because of the Soviet world, it feels completely different.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">&#8220;There&#8217;s also a nostalgia for the simpler time of the Cold War, ironically, even though we were a breath away from nuclear war all the time,&#8221; Matt Wolpert said. &#8220;It was like, &#8216;Oh, but those were the days,&#8217; because now everything just feels so kind of incomprehensible. At least then you understood there were two sides and everybody was on one of those sides. And so there is kind of a nice warm feeling about being back in 1969 and in the USSR, weirdly.&#8221;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">&#8220;At least then you knew if you were going to die, who was going to kill you,&#8221; Ifans added.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Surveillance and Paranoia</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The series captures how the KGB spied on its own people, especially as audiences follow Anna Maxwell Martin as the head of the KGB surveillance department at Star City and Agnes O&#8217;Casey as a recruit.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">&#8220;There was certainly a history in a country where children informed on their own parents,&#8221; Martin said. &#8220;That was a grim reality. You have to be committed to immersing yourself in a very different type of culture and time.&#8221;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Finding Hope Inside Star City&#8217;s Dark World</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Josef Davies portrays the younger Sergei Nikulov, an engineer who works at Soviet Ground Control. Even when the government is spying on its own people, these characters find ways to persevere. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">&#8220;Although it&#8217;s in the same universe, it&#8217;s a completely different world and a completely different experience,&#8221; Davies said. &#8220;I think it&#8217;s more of this setting, and then, as we&#8217;ve said before, it&#8217;s kind of character-driven, and it&#8217;s really the story of people just trying to be human and live and fight for the thing that they&#8217;re passionate about. So the oppression and the depression and everything that we&#8217;re living in, I think, it kind of just feels more of a tool to help us provide that story.&#8221;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><em>Star City</em> premieres on Apple TV+ on May 29, 2026. </p>
<p>The post <a href="https://nerdreactor.com/rhys-ifans-and-the-cast-of-star-city-discuss-secrecy-hope-and-the-soviet-side-of-the-space-race/">Rhys Ifans and the Cast of Star City Discuss Secrecy, Hope, and the Soviet Side of the Space Race</a> appeared first on <a href="https://nerdreactor.com">Nerd Reactor</a>.</p>
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		<title>Cooking Knish with the Cast of Netflix&#8217;s Long Story Short</title>
		<link>https://nerdreactor.com/cooking-knish-with-the-cast-of-netflixs-long-story-short/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[John Nguyen]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 29 May 2026 03:43:21 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[TV]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Netflix]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://nerdreactor.com/?p=12020</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Food is a great way to connect with people, and making food together can help to amplify that. It&#8217;s also a wonderful way to appreciate another culture. Recently, I learned to make knish, a traditional Eastern European Jewish pastry. This atmosphere was the core for the Long Story Short cooking event, where creator Raphael Bob-Waksberg ... <a title="Cooking Knish with the Cast of Netflix&#8217;s Long Story Short" class="read-more" href="https://nerdreactor.com/cooking-knish-with-the-cast-of-netflixs-long-story-short/" aria-label="Read more about Cooking Knish with the Cast of Netflix&#8217;s Long Story Short">Read more</a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://nerdreactor.com/cooking-knish-with-the-cast-of-netflixs-long-story-short/">Cooking Knish with the Cast of Netflix&#8217;s Long Story Short</a> appeared first on <a href="https://nerdreactor.com">Nerd Reactor</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Food is a great way to connect with people, and making food together can help to amplify that. It&#8217;s also a wonderful way to appreciate another culture. Recently, I learned to make knish, a traditional Eastern European Jewish pastry. This atmosphere was the core for the Long Story Short cooking event, where creator Raphael Bob-Waksberg (<em>BoJack Horseman</em> creator) and actress Lisa Edelstein, who voices Naomi Schwartz, invited guests to learn to cook a Jewish pastry and discuss family, memory, and the themes featured in the series.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Netflix&#8217;s <em>Long Story Short</em> is an animated series that follows a Jewish family, particularly the three siblings, told in a nonlinear fashion. For the cooking event, it captured the spirit of the show as we joked and shared stories, and the hosts discussed memories, Jewish humor, grief, and how storytelling can help people to understand one another.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">&#8220;What better way to remember things than food?&#8221; Bob-Waksberg said during the cooking session. &#8220;And what better way to remember family than food? It&#8217;s what the episodes are about, and that’s what today is all about.&#8221;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Lisa Edelstein added to the topic about how cooking traditions can be vital to families.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">&#8220;Making food with your family, all those moments are so important,&#8221; Edelstein said. &#8220;They’re the little things that actually create and sort of capture your life.&#8221;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The event focused on learning to make knish, but it helped to open up about storytelling, identity, and empathy.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">During the interview portion of the event, I discussed how the show&#8217;s lesson helped people to understand one another. Bob-Waksberg explained that even though <em>Long Story Short</em> is about a Jewish family, the goal was never to make something that felt exclusionary. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">&#8220;I would hope that this is a show that doesn’t feel narrowly focused,&#8221; Bob-Waksberg said. &#8220;That people from all backgrounds could kind of come to it and see themselves in it, even if the specifics don’t apply, but also maybe learn something about a different kind of person perhaps.&#8221;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Edelstein added that a story&#8217;s specificity helps it become universal.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">&#8220;Through the specificity of making a Jewish family, [Bob-Waksberg] is hoping to actually speak to everybody,&#8221; Edelstein said. &#8220;But you can’t pretend to be everybody to do that. You have to really dig into the culture that you’re representing.&#8221;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The interview topics included history, suffering, and why it&#8217;s important to learn about difficult times. This resulted in discussing a personal story about wanting to visit concentration camps in Poland to better understand history and being surprised by a family member&#8217;s dismissive reaction.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">&#8220;If the lesson you take away is, &#8216;Here’s a bad thing that happened to us,&#8217; and that’s all you take away from it, then you’re missing something,&#8221; Bob-Waksberg added. &#8220;This is what humans are capable of doing.&#8221;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><em>Long Story Short</em> features characters across different decades, showing how they have changed while still showing how they have remained the same. Audiences get to see how certain characters meet others for the first time, and how it can affect their lives.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">&#8220;The way [Bob-Waksberg] tells the stories is sort of like the way you make friends with somebody,” Edelstein said. &#8220;You jump from story to story when you’re excited about meeting somebody new. You go from this time to that time &#8211; &#8216;Well, when I was a kid&#8230;&#8217; and then later on. That’s kind of how memory works.&#8221;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">&#8220;Writing about these characters at different times does force us to make choices and learn new things about them,&#8221; Bob-Waksberg added. &#8220;These characters are consistent across the run of the show. They are who they are, but you also see some of them gain confidence, while others gain resentment.&#8221;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Even when discussing heavier topics, the event&#8217;s atmosphere was light and warm overall. This was a perfect example of how <em>Long Story Short</em> balances humor and drama. In the end, the knish was eaten, but the takeaway is how memory, culture, and empathy can connect people.  </p>
<p>The post <a href="https://nerdreactor.com/cooking-knish-with-the-cast-of-netflixs-long-story-short/">Cooking Knish with the Cast of Netflix&#8217;s Long Story Short</a> appeared first on <a href="https://nerdreactor.com">Nerd Reactor</a>.</p>
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		<title>John Krasinski Calls Michael Kelly a &#8216;Wild Horse&#8217; in Jack Ryan: Ghost War Interview</title>
		<link>https://nerdreactor.com/john-krasinski-calls-michael-kelly-a-wild-horse-in-jack-ryan-ghost-war-interview/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[John Nguyen]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 20 May 2026 22:14:43 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Interviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Movies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jack Ryan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[John Krasinski]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Prime Video]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://nerdreactor.com/?p=12013</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>It&#8217;s been 3 years since we last saw John Krasinski as Jack Ryan in the Prime Video series, Tom Clancy&#8217;s Jack Ryan. Now, we see him returning in Tom Clancy&#8217;s Jack Ryan: Ghost War, a feature film that feels like a homecoming with the return of Michael Kelly as Mike November and Wendell Pierce as ... <a title="John Krasinski Calls Michael Kelly a &#8216;Wild Horse&#8217; in Jack Ryan: Ghost War Interview" class="read-more" href="https://nerdreactor.com/john-krasinski-calls-michael-kelly-a-wild-horse-in-jack-ryan-ghost-war-interview/" aria-label="Read more about John Krasinski Calls Michael Kelly a &#8216;Wild Horse&#8217; in Jack Ryan: Ghost War Interview">Read more</a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://nerdreactor.com/john-krasinski-calls-michael-kelly-a-wild-horse-in-jack-ryan-ghost-war-interview/">John Krasinski Calls Michael Kelly a &#8216;Wild Horse&#8217; in Jack Ryan: Ghost War Interview</a> appeared first on <a href="https://nerdreactor.com">Nerd Reactor</a>.</p>
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										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">It&#8217;s been 3 years since we last saw John Krasinski as Jack Ryan in the Prime Video series, <em>Tom Clancy&#8217;s Jack Ryan</em>. Now, we see him returning in <em>Tom Clancy&#8217;s Jack Ryan: Ghost War</em>, a feature film that feels like a homecoming with the return of Michael Kelly as Mike November and Wendell Pierce as James Greer.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe title="John Krasinski Jokes That Michael Kelly Has Been “Incarcerated 4 Times” &#x1f602; | Jack Ryan Interview" width="960" height="540" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ofG6BJS0Gow?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The film brings a sense of familiarity between Jack Ryan and Mike November. The joyous relationship between Krasinski and Kelly off the screen helped add to their on-screen chemistry. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">&#8220;The more you get to know Michael Kelly, you have to just embrace what you got, which is a wild horse,&#8221; Krasinski tells Nerd Reactor. &#8220;He’s the nicest, funniest, most generous person who also makes me laugh incredibly hard. It’s no coincidence that his character went from being a buttoned-up CIA guy to a complete wild man.&#8221;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Kelly reiterates the sentiment, focusing on the same energy on set.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">&#8220;Personally, I’m in tears every single day of filming,&#8221; Kelly added. &#8220;We laugh that hard every day, even through a lot of difficult days on set. Somehow, we always find a way to get through it by making each other laugh.&#8221;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Tom Clancy&#8217;s Jack Ryan: Ghost War is now available to stream on Prime Video. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">You can watch the full interview via the video above.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">About Tom Clancy&#8217;s Jack Ryan: Ghost War</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Synopsis: In this new film, Jack Ryan is reluctantly thrust back into the world of espionage when an international covert mission unravels a deadly conspiracy, forcing him to confront a rogue black-ops unit, and the clock is ticking. Operating in real time with lives on the line and the threat escalating at every turn, Jack reunites with battle-tested CIA operative Mike November (Michael Kelly) and former CIA boss James Greer (Wendell Pierce), their combined experience the only edge they have against an enemy who knows their every move. Backed by an unlikely new partner – razor-sharp MI6 officer Emma Marlowe (Sienna Miller) – Jack and the team navigate a treacherous web of betrayal, facing a past they thought was long put to rest – making this the most personal, high-stakes mission any of them have ever faced.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://nerdreactor.com/john-krasinski-calls-michael-kelly-a-wild-horse-in-jack-ryan-ghost-war-interview/">John Krasinski Calls Michael Kelly a &#8216;Wild Horse&#8217; in Jack Ryan: Ghost War Interview</a> appeared first on <a href="https://nerdreactor.com">Nerd Reactor</a>.</p>
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		<title>The Cast of Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed on Sociopaths, Manipulation and Dark Comedy</title>
		<link>https://nerdreactor.com/the-cast-of-maximum-pleasure-guaranteed-on-sociopaths-manipulation-and-dark-comedy/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[John Nguyen]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 20 May 2026 20:50:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Interviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[TV]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Apple TV+]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jake Johnson]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://nerdreactor.com/?p=12010</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Apple TV+&#8217;s Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed throws Tatiana Maslany into a crazy world filled with blackmail, murder and youth soccer, blending dark comedy and thriller as the audience tries to guess what happens next. As Paula, Maslany tries to maintain her composure as she tries to handle all the stress while trying to spend some quality ... <a title="The Cast of Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed on Sociopaths, Manipulation and Dark Comedy" class="read-more" href="https://nerdreactor.com/the-cast-of-maximum-pleasure-guaranteed-on-sociopaths-manipulation-and-dark-comedy/" aria-label="Read more about The Cast of Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed on Sociopaths, Manipulation and Dark Comedy">Read more</a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://nerdreactor.com/the-cast-of-maximum-pleasure-guaranteed-on-sociopaths-manipulation-and-dark-comedy/">The Cast of Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed on Sociopaths, Manipulation and Dark Comedy</a> appeared first on <a href="https://nerdreactor.com">Nerd Reactor</a>.</p>
]]></description>
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<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Apple TV+&#8217;s <em>Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed</em> throws Tatiana Maslany into a crazy world filled with blackmail, murder and youth soccer, blending dark comedy and thriller as the audience tries to guess what happens next. As Paula, Maslany tries to maintain her composure as she tries to handle all the stress while trying to spend some quality time with her daughter.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Jake Johnson Says Peter B. Parker Would DISLIKE His Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed Character" width="960" height="540" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/a0DrDUHVUk0?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Jake Johnson is known for voicing Peter B. Parker in the <em>Spider-Verse</em> animated films. In <em>Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed</em>, he portrays Karl, Paula&#8217;s ex-husband, who does not see her as a fit mother.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">&#8220;I don’t think Peter B. Parker would like Karl at all,&#8221; Johnson tells Nerd Reactor. &#8220;I don’t think he would be interested in him. I think Karl is so in his little battle for Hazel and doing what he thinks is right that Karl’s not able to see anything else besides his reality and his truth.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">&#8220;And I think he is 100% convinced he’s right. And I don’t think that’s something that Peter B. Parker finds attractive in people.&#8221;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Jake&#8217;s character believes what he&#8217;s doing is right; however, Bartlett&#8217;s character is a whole other beast. One of the most talked-about episodes in HBO&#8217;s <em>The Last of Us</em> series featured Murray Bartlett and Nick Offerman. It showed viewers that love can bloom even in a post-apocalyptic world. In <em>Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed</em>, Bartlett portrays an antagonist who would become an obstacle for Tatiana&#8217;s Paula. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">&#8220;I think he’d be awesome because I think he’s a sociopath,&#8221; Bartlett said about his <em>Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed</em> character if he were in <em>The Last of Us</em>. &#8220;I think he can distance himself from emotion, or just naturally, he just doesn’t have a lot of it. He has a very small spectrum of emotions. So I think he could get it done, and not be worried about consequences.&#8221;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">David J. Rosen is the creator, executive producer and writer of the series, whose credits include <em>Us &amp; Them</em>, <em>Invasion, Sugar</em>, and <em>Hunters</em>. Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed is a series with dark and comedic elements, and it&#8217;s a balancing act throughout the series.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">&#8220;I think trying to make them laugh is weirdly hard,&#8221; Rosen said. &#8220;That&#8217;s kind of how we attacked the series, actually. We can write the thriller moves, and we have to execute them. But we could know intellectually that these should line up and be good. But you can&#8217;t really intellectually know whether or not something funny will land. It&#8217;s just a whole different thing. Because of that, let&#8217;s write a bulletproof thriller, as bulletproof as we can make it. And then the humor will come from the characters and how they respond to those thriller moments.&#8221;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">About Maximum Pleasure Guarantteed</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Synopsis: From creator and showrunner David J. Rosen, <em>Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed</em> follows newly divorced mom Paula (Maslany) as she falls down a dangerous rabbit hole of blackmail, murder and youth soccer. Convinced she witnessed a crime – while simultaneously struggling through a custody battle and an identity crisis – Paula begins her own investigation, one that could unravel a greater conspiracy while also holding the keys to rebuilding her family and sense of self.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Brandon Flynn (“13 Reasons Why”) and Murray Bartlett (“The Last of Us,” “The White Lotus”) also join the ensemble cast, which includes Jessy Hodges (“Barry”), Jon Michael Hill (“Elementary”), Charlie Hall (“The Sex Lives of College Girls,” “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story”), Kiarra Hamagami Goldberg (“Charmed,” “Invasion”), Nola Wallace (The Strangers: Chapter 2, The Strangers: Chapter 3) and Dolly De Leon (&#8220;Nine Perfect Strangers,” “Triangle of Sadness”).</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://nerdreactor.com/the-cast-of-maximum-pleasure-guaranteed-on-sociopaths-manipulation-and-dark-comedy/">The Cast of Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed on Sociopaths, Manipulation and Dark Comedy</a> appeared first on <a href="https://nerdreactor.com">Nerd Reactor</a>.</p>
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		<title>Star Wars Props &#038; Rare Posters Hit Propstore’s Spring 2026 Online Auction (Stormtrooper Helmet, Empire Strikes Back Art &#038; More)</title>
		<link>https://nerdreactor.com/star-wars-props-rare-posters-hit-propstores-spring-2026-online-auction-stormtrooper-helmet-empire-strikes-back-art-more/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[John Nguyen]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 20 May 2026 01:00:19 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Star Wars]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://nerdreactor.com/?p=11998</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Star Wars is one of the most popular franchises in history that includes film, TV, toys, and many other merchandise. For fans of the films, they can get their hands on a few props from the actual films thanks to the auctions from Propstore, a memorabilia auctioneer. Rare collectibles are also available including a &#8220;Gone ... <a title="Star Wars Props &#38; Rare Posters Hit Propstore’s Spring 2026 Online Auction (Stormtrooper Helmet, Empire Strikes Back Art &#38; More)" class="read-more" href="https://nerdreactor.com/star-wars-props-rare-posters-hit-propstores-spring-2026-online-auction-stormtrooper-helmet-empire-strikes-back-art-more/" aria-label="Read more about Star Wars Props &#38; Rare Posters Hit Propstore’s Spring 2026 Online Auction (Stormtrooper Helmet, Empire Strikes Back Art &#38; More)">Read more</a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://nerdreactor.com/star-wars-props-rare-posters-hit-propstores-spring-2026-online-auction-stormtrooper-helmet-empire-strikes-back-art-more/">Star Wars Props &amp; Rare Posters Hit Propstore’s Spring 2026 Online Auction (Stormtrooper Helmet, Empire Strikes Back Art &amp; More)</a> appeared first on <a href="https://nerdreactor.com">Nerd Reactor</a>.</p>
]]></description>
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<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Star Wars is one of the most popular franchises in history that includes film, TV, toys, and many other merchandise. For fans of the films, they can get their hands on a few props from the actual films thanks to the auctions from Propstore, a memorabilia auctioneer. Rare collectibles are also available including a &#8220;Gone with the Wind&#8221; style poster. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="A $3 6M Darth Vader Lightsaber + Inside Propstore’s Star Wars Vault" width="960" height="540" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ccEwW7DcNqQ?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The auction for the Online Entertainment Memorabilia Auction: London Spring 2026 is ending on May 21st, with the Collectible Posters Auction: London Spring 2026 ending on May 22nd. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="722" height="722" src="https://nerdreactor.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Stormtrooper-helmet-from-Star-Wars-the-Rise-of-Skywalker.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-12004" srcset="https://nerdreactor.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Stormtrooper-helmet-from-Star-Wars-the-Rise-of-Skywalker.jpg 722w, https://nerdreactor.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Stormtrooper-helmet-from-Star-Wars-the-Rise-of-Skywalker-300x300.jpg 300w, https://nerdreactor.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Stormtrooper-helmet-from-Star-Wars-the-Rise-of-Skywalker-150x150.jpg 150w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 722px) 100vw, 722px" /></figure>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">One of the highlights from the auction is a Stormtrooper helmet from Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. It can be seen among the remains of the Death Star, where Rey is searching for the Sith Wayfinder. The estimated bid was $2,640 &#8211; $5,280, but now it&#8217;s currently £9,500 at the time of this writing.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Propstore’s Online Entertainment Memorabilia Auction is available for bidding until May 21, 2026. There are over 400 lots.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Registration and bidding are now open at: <a href="https://propstoreauction.com/auctions/info/id/508" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://propstoreauction.com/auctions/info/id/508</a></p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="786" src="https://nerdreactor.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Star-Wars-The-Empire-Strikes-Back-UK-Quad-Poster-1024x786.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-12005" srcset="https://nerdreactor.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Star-Wars-The-Empire-Strikes-Back-UK-Quad-Poster-1024x786.jpg 1024w, https://nerdreactor.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Star-Wars-The-Empire-Strikes-Back-UK-Quad-Poster-300x230.jpg 300w, https://nerdreactor.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Star-Wars-The-Empire-Strikes-Back-UK-Quad-Poster-768x589.jpg 768w, https://nerdreactor.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Star-Wars-The-Empire-Strikes-Back-UK-Quad-Poster.jpg 1121w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">For the collectible poster auctions, there are over 400 rare and original posters, with the British UK Quad &#8220;Gone with the Wind&#8221; style poster for Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back leading the pack. It features artwork by Roger Kastel and was produced in extremely limited numbers. Many copies were trimmed for the London Underground display, which makes the untrimmed examples very rare. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Propstore’s London Collectible Posters Auction is available for bidding until May 22, 2026. It also includes a special collection of artwork by prolific poster artist Brian Bysouth.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Registration and bidding are now open at: <a href="https://propstoreauction.com/auctions/info/id/510">https://propstoreauction.com/auctions/info/id/510</a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://nerdreactor.com/star-wars-props-rare-posters-hit-propstores-spring-2026-online-auction-stormtrooper-helmet-empire-strikes-back-art-more/">Star Wars Props &amp; Rare Posters Hit Propstore’s Spring 2026 Online Auction (Stormtrooper Helmet, Empire Strikes Back Art &amp; More)</a> appeared first on <a href="https://nerdreactor.com">Nerd Reactor</a>.</p>
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		<title>&#8216;Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway’ Stars Caleb Yen and Kieran Walton on the Morally Grey World</title>
		<link>https://nerdreactor.com/mobile-suit-gundam-hathaway-stars-caleb-yen-and-kieran-walton-on-the-morally-grey-world/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[John Nguyen]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 19 May 2026 22:52:38 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Interviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Movies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gundam]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://nerdreactor.com/?p=11997</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Mobile Suit Gundam is the pioneer of the giant &#8220;real robot&#8221; subgenre that inspired Macross and Neon Genesis Evangelion. The sci-fi drama pits humanity against humanity and continues in Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway, which was released globally on Netflix in 2021. Fast forward to 2026, and fans are finally treated to the sequel, The Sorcery ... <a title="&#8216;Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway’ Stars Caleb Yen and Kieran Walton on the Morally Grey World" class="read-more" href="https://nerdreactor.com/mobile-suit-gundam-hathaway-stars-caleb-yen-and-kieran-walton-on-the-morally-grey-world/" aria-label="Read more about &#8216;Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway’ Stars Caleb Yen and Kieran Walton on the Morally Grey World">Read more</a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://nerdreactor.com/mobile-suit-gundam-hathaway-stars-caleb-yen-and-kieran-walton-on-the-morally-grey-world/">&#8216;Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway’ Stars Caleb Yen and Kieran Walton on the Morally Grey World</a> appeared first on <a href="https://nerdreactor.com">Nerd Reactor</a>.</p>
]]></description>
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<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><em>Mobile Suit Gundam</em> is the pioneer of the giant &#8220;real robot&#8221; subgenre that inspired <em>Macross </em>and <em>Neon Genesis Evangelion</em>. The sci-fi drama pits humanity against humanity and continues in <em>Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway</em>, which was released globally on Netflix in 2021. Fast forward to 2026, and fans are finally treated to the sequel, <em>The Sorcery of Nymph Circe</em>, which is now in U.S. theaters.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Gundam Hathaway Cast &amp; Anime Voice Actors Talk Mechs, Memories &amp; Chaos" width="960" height="540" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GLIaGVe6dtU?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Voicing the English version of Hathaway is Caleb Yen (Metaphor: ReFantazio), the leader of MAFTY, who seeks to disrupt the Federation government. The character is very serious, who is the complete opposite of Yen. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">&#8220;I like to play a character that&#8217;s so different from me,&#8221; the actor said. &#8220;So getting to be someone who thinks a lot more than I do and has a mission that he&#8217;s very dedicated to, but thinks about it instead of talking about it. Whereas I would just talk about it a lot. And what&#8217;s great about this movie or the trilogy, you&#8217;re not sure who to root for.&#8221;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Voicing Lane Aim, the young Gundam pilot on the Federation side, is Kieran Walton.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">&#8220;That&#8217;s kind of real-life adjacent,&#8221; Walton said of the morally grey characters in the Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway films. &#8220;Sometimes it feels like you don&#8217;t know who to root for, and it really is important to sort through those matters on your own and really figure out where you&#8217;re passionate.&#8221;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">About Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway: The Sorcery of Nymph Circe</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Synopsis: The year is U.C. 0105, twelve years after Char&#8217;s Rebellion. &#8220;MAFTY&#8221; has begun resisting the Federation government&#8217;s tyrannical rule by assassinating its ministers. Its leader is actually Hathaway Noa, the son of Bright Noa, who fought in the One Year War alongside Amuro Ray.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Haunted by past trauma, Hathaway is drawn to a mysterious girl named Gigi Andalucia, whose strange powers stir memories within him. While swayed by her cryptic words, he continues preparing for MAFTY&#8217;s mission — the attack on the Adelaide Conference. Kenneth Sleg of the Earth Federation Forces prepares a defense operation for the Adelaide Conference and a plan to eliminate MAFTY and is approached by Handley Yoxon of the Criminal Police Organization with a secret proposal.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">As Hathaway and Kenneth pursue their respective goals, Gigi also sets off for Hong Kong to fulfill her own role.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://nerdreactor.com/mobile-suit-gundam-hathaway-stars-caleb-yen-and-kieran-walton-on-the-morally-grey-world/">&#8216;Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway’ Stars Caleb Yen and Kieran Walton on the Morally Grey World</a> appeared first on <a href="https://nerdreactor.com">Nerd Reactor</a>.</p>
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		<title>Paul Dano Reflects on Power, Politics, and Shaping Reality Behind the Scenes</title>
		<link>https://nerdreactor.com/paul-dano-reflects-on-power-politics-and-shaping-reality-behind-the-scenes/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[John Nguyen]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 15 May 2026 23:41:38 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Interviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Movies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Paul Dano]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://nerdreactor.com/?p=11975</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>The Wizard of the Kremlin, based on the fictionalized novel Le Mage du Kremlin by Giuliano da Empoli, stars Paul Dano as a master manipulator working behind the scenes to help Vladimir Putin rise to power. Nerd Reactor had the chance to chat with the actor about “I found it upsetting,&#8221; Dano tells Nerd Reactor. ... <a title="Paul Dano Reflects on Power, Politics, and Shaping Reality Behind the Scenes" class="read-more" href="https://nerdreactor.com/paul-dano-reflects-on-power-politics-and-shaping-reality-behind-the-scenes/" aria-label="Read more about Paul Dano Reflects on Power, Politics, and Shaping Reality Behind the Scenes">Read more</a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://nerdreactor.com/paul-dano-reflects-on-power-politics-and-shaping-reality-behind-the-scenes/">Paul Dano Reflects on Power, Politics, and Shaping Reality Behind the Scenes</a> appeared first on <a href="https://nerdreactor.com">Nerd Reactor</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The Wizard of the Kremlin, based on the fictionalized novel Le Mage du Kremlin by Giuliano da Empoli, stars Paul Dano as a master manipulator working behind the scenes to help Vladimir Putin rise to power. Nerd Reactor had the chance to chat with the actor about </p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Paul Dano on The Riddler vs The Wizard of the Kremlin: Two Very Different Views of Power" width="960" height="540" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/63ymRur5gkw?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“I found it upsetting,&#8221; Dano tells Nerd Reactor. &#8220;To learn what you do in this film and then see how it&#8217;s been applied all over the world. So in that way, it&#8217;s not just a film about Russia, but about modern politics and modern power. One of the really disturbing things for me was seeing that the creation of chaos requires a strong figure in the middle. We&#8217;ve really seen that put to work in the US as well.&#8221;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">As an actor, Dano discusses what he does between different projects.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">&#8220;Absolutely take time to reset if you can, because it&#8217;s easy to get lost on tour, so to speak, like a band that can&#8217;t stop touring,&#8221; he explained. &#8220;It is a different life. You&#8217;re working very long days, often away from home. It&#8217;s really important to go back to your life, your people, your family, get leveled again, get straight again, and regenerate so that you are hungry for the next one.&#8221;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">About The Wizard of the Kremlin</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Synopsis: In the chaos of post-Soviet Russia, rising KGB officer Vladimir Putin (Jude Law) joins forces with master manipulator Vadim Baranov (Paul Dano) to reshape life behind the Iron Curtain, using violence and deception to change the world forever. Putin and Baranov’s reign of chaos begins with lies and corruption, and quickly escalates to assassinations, tyranny, and eventually all-out war.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The film is directed by Olivier Assayas and written by Olivier Assayas and Emmanuel Carrère.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">It stars Paul Dano, Alicia Vikander, Tom Sturridge, Will Keen, with Jeffrey Wright and Jude Law.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The Wizard of the Kremlin releases in North American theaters on May 15, 2026. </p>
<p>The post <a href="https://nerdreactor.com/paul-dano-reflects-on-power-politics-and-shaping-reality-behind-the-scenes/">Paul Dano Reflects on Power, Politics, and Shaping Reality Behind the Scenes</a> appeared first on <a href="https://nerdreactor.com">Nerd Reactor</a>.</p>
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		<title>Valorie Curry on Firecracker’s Crisis of Faith and Emotional Breakdown in The Boys</title>
		<link>https://nerdreactor.com/valorie-curry-on-firecrackers-crisis-of-faith-and-emotional-breakdown-in-the-boys/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[John Nguyen]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 15 May 2026 22:47:10 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Interviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[TV]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The Boys]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://nerdreactor.com/?p=11971</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>The Boys&#8217; final season is almost over, and viewers are anticipating what&#8217;s going to happen in the finale episode. So far, there have been plenty of shocking moments. Spoiler alert ahead: This includes the fate of characters like Firecracker and Black Noir II. Nerd Reactor had the chance to chat with Valorie Curry, who portrayed ... <a title="Valorie Curry on Firecracker’s Crisis of Faith and Emotional Breakdown in The Boys" class="read-more" href="https://nerdreactor.com/valorie-curry-on-firecrackers-crisis-of-faith-and-emotional-breakdown-in-the-boys/" aria-label="Read more about Valorie Curry on Firecracker’s Crisis of Faith and Emotional Breakdown in The Boys">Read more</a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://nerdreactor.com/valorie-curry-on-firecrackers-crisis-of-faith-and-emotional-breakdown-in-the-boys/">Valorie Curry on Firecracker’s Crisis of Faith and Emotional Breakdown in The Boys</a> appeared first on <a href="https://nerdreactor.com">Nerd Reactor</a>.</p>
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<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The Boys&#8217; final season is almost over, and viewers are anticipating what&#8217;s going to happen in the finale episode. So far, there have been plenty of shocking moments. Spoiler alert ahead: This includes the fate of characters like Firecracker and Black Noir II.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Nerd Reactor had the chance to chat with Valorie Curry, who portrayed Firecracker, a member of The Seven who uses her show to manipulate the masses. She talks about fans&#8217; reactions to her shocking episode. </p>



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<p class="wp-block-paragraph">&#8220;It&#8217;s been pleasantly surprising because it seems to have sparked a lot of conversation about the crisis of faith that [Firecracker] goes through,&#8221; Curry tells Nerd Reactor. &#8220;It&#8217;s such a humanizing story and a relatable sort of story for a lot of people. It&#8217;s meant so much to me to hear from people who saw themselves in that. I was so happy watching it to see that it doesn&#8217;t talk down to anybody. It&#8217;s not making fun of anybody. It&#8217;s not actually making a joke of people who are having a crisis of faith, leaving a high-control religion, or leaving a political perspective. That existential crisis is treated in a very empathetic way. And that&#8217;s why I think it has resonated with so many people.&#8221;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Season 5, Episode 5 features Firecracker manipulating the public again on TV, but this time, the viewers understand what she is going through. Will she throw her former pastor under the bus, or will she try to defend her past church?</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">&#8220;The tear thing is interesting,&#8221; she said. &#8220;Because other than this scene, almost every time she cries, she can turn the water works on like that. They’re crocodile tears, right? She knows how to use her instrument, and none of those tears are coming from some real place. It’s like she’s choking on what she has to say, and that’s the one way that it comes out. It comes through that crack in the mask. That scene was by far the most painful scene to shoot. It was excruciating, and I think the reason it’s so painful is that she hasn’t actually decided yet. She still hasn’t decided when the camera starts rolling, and you just watch her vomit up that lie, and she hates herself.&#8221;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The finale episode of <em>The Boys</em> airs on May 20, 2026.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://nerdreactor.com/valorie-curry-on-firecrackers-crisis-of-faith-and-emotional-breakdown-in-the-boys/">Valorie Curry on Firecracker’s Crisis of Faith and Emotional Breakdown in The Boys</a> appeared first on <a href="https://nerdreactor.com">Nerd Reactor</a>.</p>
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		<title>Shoji Kawamori on Smartphones, Giant Robots, and the Hidden Power of the Digital Age</title>
		<link>https://nerdreactor.com/shoji-kawamori-on-smartphones-giant-robots-and-the-hidden-power-of-the-digital-age/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[John Nguyen]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 09 May 2026 00:12:10 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Interviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Movies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Macross]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Transformers]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://nerdreactor.com/?p=11903</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Shoji Kawamori is an icon in the mecha world, known as the co-creator of the Macross franchise and the Diaclone toyline, which later became Transformers. He&#8217;s also attached as one of the designers for Diaclone&#8217;s Battle Convoy, aka Optimus Prime, and the VF-1 Valkyrie. His anime credits also include Macross Plus and The Vision of ... <a title="Shoji Kawamori on Smartphones, Giant Robots, and the Hidden Power of the Digital Age" class="read-more" href="https://nerdreactor.com/shoji-kawamori-on-smartphones-giant-robots-and-the-hidden-power-of-the-digital-age/" aria-label="Read more about Shoji Kawamori on Smartphones, Giant Robots, and the Hidden Power of the Digital Age">Read more</a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://nerdreactor.com/shoji-kawamori-on-smartphones-giant-robots-and-the-hidden-power-of-the-digital-age/">Shoji Kawamori on Smartphones, Giant Robots, and the Hidden Power of the Digital Age</a> appeared first on <a href="https://nerdreactor.com">Nerd Reactor</a>.</p>
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<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Shoji Kawamori is an icon in the mecha world, known as the co-creator of the Macross franchise and the Diaclone toyline, which later became Transformers. He&#8217;s also attached as one of the designers for Diaclone&#8217;s Battle Convoy, aka Optimus Prime, and the VF-1 Valkyrie. His anime credits also include <em>Macross Plus</em> and <em>The Vision of Escaflowne</em>.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Kawamori has a new film, <em>Labyrinth</em>, which hits U.S. theaters on May 10th and 11th. If you have seen his previous works, music and technology have been important. With <em>Labyrinth</em>, a high school girl named Shiori (voiced by Atarashii Gakko!&#8217;s Suzuka) dreams of becoming an online sensation. After being in a viral but embarrassing video, she is trapped inside her smartphone and replaced by a doppelganger who becomes famous.</p>



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<iframe loading="lazy" title="Macross Creator Says Smartphones May Have More Power Than Giant Robots" width="960" height="540" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FVNLeb3a9Wo?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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<p class="wp-block-paragraph">&#8220;When I think about my past work like Macross, or the Valkyrie, or even Transformers, they have a lot of physical power because they’re giant robots,&#8221; Kawamori tells Nerd Reactor. &#8220;But a smartphone, even though it’s so much smaller, I think it can have an equivalent or maybe even more power, because you can really affect someone on the other side of the world. So I think technology is very alluring, but also that is the part of the danger that most people don’t realize.&#8221;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Kawamori is influenced by growing up in a rural area like Toyama and the modern city of Yokohama. Fans can see the inspiration in his work. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">&#8220;I was born in traditional arts, and nature was the core of our lives,&#8221; the director said. &#8220;Then I came to this technology-filled city. I don’t think one is better than the other. I think both are important, and both are very interesting to me. I wanted to always come up with ways where that duality could coexist, and also combine them to create something more interesting and fun. I think that journey of exploring that is really my more than 40 years of work, and it continues into Labyrinth.&#8221;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">About Labyrinth</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Synopsis: Shiori is a typical high school student who dreams of online stardom, but struggles to capture attention. After an embarrassing video of her goes viral, she gets trapped in her smartphone and replaced by a charismatic alter ego. As the doppelganger charms the internet and devises a nefarious plot to replace mankind with brainrot, Shiori must partner with other online outcasts to stop her digital counterpart and reclaim her life in the real world.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://nerdreactor.com/shoji-kawamori-on-smartphones-giant-robots-and-the-hidden-power-of-the-digital-age/">Shoji Kawamori on Smartphones, Giant Robots, and the Hidden Power of the Digital Age</a> appeared first on <a href="https://nerdreactor.com">Nerd Reactor</a>.</p>
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