It seems that the whale scene in Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams' funny 2020 film “Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga” was not so exaggerated.

We chalked the scene of two massive Buckels, which violated the cinematic magic in breathtaking harmony. But the small Icelandic city of Husavik isn’t only considered the whale statement capital of Iceland, a lonely planet that might be “the best whale observation center all over Europe”.

Relatives: 5 Big Whale Festivals in Northern California for spring 2025

Now we’re very completely satisfied to look at in Monterey Bay or to look at from the Mendocino country runs at gray whales or humps. However, if you happen to are fascinated with further spending Cetacean within the mountains, Lonely Planet recently classified the highest -whale statement goals of the planet.

Husavik leads the list, but you can see many other tempting places, from Antarctic to Baja California, Kauai and Tasmania. Here is a take a look at the highest 10. Find the entire story www.lonelyplanet.comIncluding recommendations, when to go, what to be seen and with which travel company is to be booked. (Psst, there may be even a reputation of Friends of Moby Dick.)

10 Best Wales Walk statement experiences on this planet

1 Húsavík, Iceland

2 Antarctic

3 French -Polynesia

4 Churchill, Manitoba, Canada

5 Nuuk, Greenland

6 Tasmania

7 Kauai

8 Madeira

9 Newfoundland, Canada

10 Baja California sur

Brady Corbets The daring, decades-spanning epic (it clocks in at around 3 hours, 45 minutes and features a 15-minute intermission) is a wide ranging sight, a fastidiously crafted piece of cinematic splendor filmed in glorious VistaVision and is something to marvel at the identical way a tourist does when he sees the influential, iconic constructing of the brutalist architect Le Corbusier “residential unit” For the primary time in France.

A key contrast, nonetheless, is that Corbet's work is much more accessible and alluring than the customarily impenetrable and stoic lines that characterised the brutalist style that emerged within the Fifties. There's a reason it won a Golden Globe Award for Best Picture.

Corbet started off as an actor after which made a loud breakthrough as a filmmaker in 2015 with the thrilling film “The Childhood of a Leader.” This passionate feature film was followed by the ambitious film “Vox Lux”. He and his co-screenwriter Mona Fastvold – his partner and actress and director – overcome the indifference some might need towards the architecture of Brutalism by making a wealthy, dense narrative foundation that recreates the brutal realities facing a Hungarian- Jewish immigrant family faces wartime within the late Forties and Fifties. But the film also serves as a metaphorical statement concerning the barrage of attacks creative people face once they hold fast to their artistic convictions while the fat cats around them threaten to destroy their vision and sanity.

Essentially, Corbet's ambitious saga, among the best movies of 2024, is a lament for Hollywood's corporate mentality in addition to a searing, timely take a look at the post-World War II American dream and the way and why it remained out of reach for a lot of refugees in search of a greater lifestyle , after fleeing tyranny.

Corbet's film works on several levels, but its success comes not only from its script and direction, but additionally from its forged and the assorted artists who helped make a sub-$10 million drama feel like a $150 million one US dollar expensive mammoth spectacle looks like. It's truly remarkable what they've built with such a limited budget.

SAG Award nominees Adrien Brody and Guy Pearce provide much of the acting fireworks. Golden Globe winner Brody delivers his best performance since his Oscar-winning tour de force in 2003 as composer/Holocaust survivor Wladyslaw Szpilman in Roman Polanski's The Pianist. Portraying the Hungarian architect László Tóth presented one other demanding challenge, and Brody is greater than as much as the duty, conveying the anguish of a flawed man and even nailing the occasions when he speaks Hungarian.

László is understood for his architectural designs, but encounters creative obstacles upon his arrival in Philadelphia. He is later joined by his wife, the traumatized but resilient Erzsébet (Felicity Jones), and his niece Zsófia (Raffey Cassidy). At first László stays together with his cousin Atilla (Alessandro Nivola), the furniture store owner, and his wife. He eventually gets a job as a designer to renovate the library of rich entrepreneur Harrison Lee Van Buren (Pearce), a short-haired mama's boy with two grown children (Joe Alwyn and Stacy Martin). The redesign attracts the eye of others and, after a heated argument between László and Lee, an agreement is reached for László to design an enormous, monolithic-looking institute dedicated to Lee's mother on a plot of land adjoining to the family estate.

A take care of the devil is made with the dandy Lee, played with charm and malice by Pearce, who demands greater than a pound of flesh from a person he considers inferior. Their tangled relationship becomes increasingly volatile as construction progresses.

The performances are all skillful, but so is every thing else related to the film, from Judy Becker's sophisticated production design to Lol Crawley's impressive cinematography to Daniel Blumberg's distinctive rating.

Every piece of The Brutalist's architectural design matches so perfectly into Corbet's vision, a sprawling yet intimate story that jumps into the '80s and even has the heart to include a famous quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson about travel versus traveling Destinations. “The Brutalist” is so daring.

“THE BRUTALIST”

4 out of 4 stars

Evaluation: R (strong sexual content, graphic nudity, rape, drug use, language)

Pour: Adrien Body, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn, Raffey Cassidy

Director: Brady Corbet

Duration: 3 hours, 45 minutes, with a 15 minute break

When and where: In cinemas from January tenth.

Originally published: January 8, 2025 at 12:27 PM PST

On the duvet notes of a few of the most memorable and best-selling albums of all time you'll find the words “Produced and arranged by Quincy Jones.”

It was a high quality feature.

Jones, who died on November 3, 2024on the age of 91, modified our understanding of musical creation. His work spanned a long time and genres, from jazz and pop to hip-hop and film music. He worked with pop icons resembling Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin, but additionally with lesser-known artists resembling Lesley Gore and Tevin Campbell.

Each of his projects, collaborations and forays into recent genres redefined what it means to rearrange music.

As Professor of Music Business and EntrepreneurshipI even have studied and taught Jones' techniques, which I hope can encourage the following generation of musicians.

A masterful musical architect

Musical arrangement may look like an abstract concept.

Simply put, it’s the art of deciding how a song develops. While a composer writes the melody and harmony, an arranger shapes the experience by selecting which instruments are played when, how textures are created, and where the dynamics change.

The arrangement transforms a song from notes on paper into a totally realized murals that resonates with listeners. Essentially, an arranger acts as a musical architect, design the structure of a song tell a charming story.

Jones took a visionary approach to arranging. He didn't just fill within the gaps around a melody with a drum beat here and a horn section there; he was create a musical narrative that gave each instrument a purpose and took listeners on an emotional journey.

From his early work within the Fifties and Sixties with jazz greats resembling Count Basie and R&B star Ray Charles to his blockbuster productions with Michael Jackson, Jones saw arrangement as a tool to take listeners from one musical moment to the following.

Uplifting voices

His work on “Sinatra on the Sands“is just an example.

Jones created lush, energetic big band arrangements that completely complemented Sinatra's smooth, warm voice. The alternative of brass sounds and the dynamic changes enhanced Sinatra's charisma and made the album a energetic, almost cinematic experience. Unlike many arrangements that usually remain within the background, Jones took center stage, mixing harmoniously with Sinatra's vocals and adding depth and tension to all the performance.

In Ray Charles' “I can't stop loving you“Jones used orchestral sounds and backing vocals to bring out the soul in Charles' voice and give listeners a deeply emotional experience. Through the intelligent combination of Charles' Gospel-tinged vocals With a classy orchestral arrangement, Jones captured the strain between grief and resilience – a testament to his ability to speak complex emotions through arrangements.

Songs develop into stories

Jones' ability to make use of arrangements as a storytelling device was exemplified by his collaborations with Jackson.

Albums like “thriller” And “From the wall“showcased Jones' talent for inventively layering sounds. On “Thriller,” Jones combined electronic and acoustic elements to create a multi-dimensional soundscape that set a brand new benchmark for production.

His ability to include textures, background vocals and unique instrument decisions – resembling a horror actor The iconic tale of Vincent Price on the song “Thriller” – transformed pop music that sets the stage for future producers to experiment with storytelling in their very own arrangements.

In Jackson's “Bad“Jones pushed the boundaries of the genre by mixing funk rhythms with pop structures, giving Jackson's music a timeless appeal.

The title track's arrangement features layers of rhythm and harmony that create a sense of tension and power, underscoring Jackson's message of confidence and defiance. Every instrument and background vocal in “Bad” serves a purpose, making a sound that’s daring, exciting and interesting.

Lessons for educators

For educators who teach music production and business music, Jones' approach offers a goldmine of practical lessons.

First, his commitment to genre fusion teaches students the importance of versatility. Jones' profession shows that by mixing jazz, pop, funk and even classical elements, something progressive and accessible may be created. Students can learn to interrupt free from the constraints of manufacturing inside a single genre and as a substitute see how Different kinds of music can work together to create fresh, appealing sounds.

Second, Jones' emphasis on storytelling through arrangements provides students with a framework for making music that resonates.

In my classes, I encourage students to ask themselves: How does each musical element support the emotional arc of the song? By studying Jones' arrangements, students learn to think about themselves as storytellers and not only sound engineers. You can start to think about arrangements as an art form in their very own right – one which can captivate audiences by involving them in a musical journey.

Ultimately, Jones' work demonstrates the facility of collaboration. His willingness to work across genres and with quite a lot of artists, each bringing a singular perspective, demonstrates the worth of open-mindedness and flexibility.

His life's work reminds us that music is greater than just sound; It is an experience marked by careful, conscious decisions, where every note and silence in a chunk of music serves a purpose.

The pitching performances of Blake Snell and Chris Sale on Monday night at Oracle Park weren’t only thrilling, they were microcosms.

Snell and Sale had 11 and 12 strikeouts, respectively, in Atlanta's 1-0 victory to open a key four-game series. Snell held the Braves hitless for six innings, and Sale lasted one inning longer than the Giants' left-hander.

For the primary time since 2010, Oracle Park hosted a game wherein each the Giants' starting pitcher and his opponent recorded not less than 10 strikeouts. Their combined 23 strikeouts were probably the most by a starting pitcher duel within the ballpark's 25-year history.

The game produced 33 total strikeouts — greater than another MLB game that season — a flaw in today's boom-or-bust baseball. Both Snell and Sale embody it as two of the era's defining starters: strikeout specialists who took advantage of the launch angle revolution and advances in advanced pitching science.

“There are a lot of misses, as you saw last night,” Giants manager Bob Melvin said. “I think both of them are very aware of where the game is going.”

Snell and Sale mix high fastballs that reach over 90 miles per hour with bending breaking balls that blow the spin rate scale. Snell has won two National League Cy Young Awards and Sale is the favourite to win the respect this 12 months.

They will not be the most effective starting pitchers of the last 15 years – that may be Justin Verlander and Clayton Kershaw. But in a way, they represent the evolution of baseball that has progressed probably the most.

Since the appearance of recent analytics, the creation of pitch labs like Driveline, and the shift to 3 real outcomes, Snell and Sale have been successful.

“The swings have changed,” Snell said after Monday's loss. “Before — luckily it was 2016 when I made my debut — but even before, it was just about average and finding a way to put the ball in play. Now it's about hitting, hitting home runs and doubles. For a guy like me who knows that, yeah, I mean, I should be pretty good at striking people out. Especially because they're trying to get far. So there's a lot more room for error because it's so hard to hit a baseball straight.”

Not every pitcher dominates the upper zone and resorts to maximum force to prioritize power over pitchability. Likewise, not every hitter goals for the fences with every swing. There are still great players like Logan Webb and Luis Arraez bucking the new-age trends. But they have gotten underdogs.

Snell and Sale rank first and second respectively on the all-time Strikeouts per nine innings leaderboard (and so they are separated by decimal points). The top 10 of the list is stuffed with energetic or recently retired pitchers. Current Giants left-hander Robbie Ray is third. Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer are fourth and fifth, respectively. Yu Darvish, Stephen Strasburg and Gerrit Cole are also included.

The only two pitchers in the highest 10 who debuted before 2008 are Randy Johnson and Kerry Wood. The undeniable fact that batters are retired as often as Snell and Sale is a recent development.

Monday night at Oracle Park was a textbook example of how dominant Snell and Sale have been of their careers, forcing half-hearted swings and their arsenals freezing batters on throws up the center.

Twice, Snell struck out 4 Braves in a row. Sale struck out his eleventh and twelfth Giants within the seventh inning.

Sale totaled 39 strikes and whiffs, including 28 along with his slider. Snell was one back and in addition used his best off-speed bet – the curveball – for swing-and-misses.

One of probably the most common complaints about modern baseball is that an excessive amount of of the motion has gone away. With fewer balls in play, there are fewer net gems, fewer stolen bases, and fewer strategy.

But duels between outstanding pitchers can be fun. Sale and Snell showed that on Monday night. The duo at the highest of the all-time strikeout rate list were at their best.

“The fastballs from the top of the zone — they took advantage of that,” Melvin said. “It's always been hard to control them. There's swing-and-misses up there. Baseball in general is going that way, and those two guys kind of embody that. They also have really, really difficult breaking balls that they have to chase, and they come from the same spot as their fastball. And they have other tricks up their sleeves, too.”

Originally published: August 13, 2024 at 5:08 pm

SAN FRANCISCO — The reigning National League Cy Young winner and the favourite to win the award this yr met on a cold night at Oracle Park

The stars aligned for a pitcher's duel, and Chris Sale and Blake Snell formed a constellation over China Basin. And they did so in a playoff atmosphere against the Braves, who entered the race for the wild card a game and a half ahead of the Giants.

“Yeah, it felt a little different,” Giants manager Bob Melvin said after the sport. “Especially because of the quality of the pitching. It felt like there was something at stake with every at-bat, every pitch.”

Snell (6 ⅓ IP, 2H, 3BB, 11 K) held the Braves hitless for six innings and recorded his third game with double-digit strikeouts as a Giant. Sale never flirted with a no-no, but lasted longer than Snell and struck out yet one more batter than the Giants' left-hander. Snell and Sale combined to strike out 23 batters, marking the primary time since 2010 at Oracle Park that each starters recorded double-digit strikeouts.

With their dominant starters ready, the Braves closed in on the Giants, scoring the automated runner within the tenth inning to beat San Francisco 1-0. To start a decisive series, the Giants (61-60) and Braves combined for 33 strikeouts, with the difference being Travis d'Arnaud's game-winning sacrifice fly.

The Giants' defense was cleaner, that they had a greater run game, they usually threw in addition to Atlanta, but they still lost early in a series that might have wild-card implications given how tousled the center of the National League standings is.

“We played a really good game on both sides,” Snell said after the sport. “Take your hat off and get ready for tomorrow.”

Both Snell and Sale struck out six batters in the primary 4 innings. Snell brought in only two baserunners during that span and retired every other batter aside from walking Jorge Soler twice.

The best scoring opportunity either team had before the starters were finally eliminated got here in the primary inning, when the Giants sent runners to the corners with no outs after Ramon Laureano ran over a shallow fly and Mark Canha hit a single to center. But Sale effortlessly danced his way out of the jam and located a rhythm.

“When you look at the pitching against us, you just have to try to fight and force a run out,” Melvin said. “It didn't happen at the beginning, and we couldn't get any more across at the end.”

Snell threw his first profession no-hitter two weeks ago, but was never capable of see the sport through on Monday. Although he didn't allow a success until Marcell Ozuna's double within the seventh inning, he didn't have enough quick innings to maintain his pitch count down anyway.

But the left-hander definitely had his best stuff. After walking Soler – the Giants' former star player who was sent to Atlanta on the deadline – for a second time, Snell struck out seven straight players. He struck out the side within the fifth inning and froze Adam Duvall with a curveball up the center to finish the stretch.

That was a part of one among two sequences by which Snell struck out 4 Braves in a row. After battling injuries in the course of the first half of the season, Snell said he feels stronger with each outing; he has struck out 45 batters in his last 4 appearances.

Snell and Sale made baserunners a must. For one reason or one other, the Giants couldn't get to them. Marco Luciano stalled after a sharply hit grounder to 3rd base to open the fifth inning, and was eventually thrown out by a double-bouncer. To close the inning, Casey Schmitt hit a line drive back up the center, but Sale in some way caught the 104 mph comebacker on the mound.

Snell didn't allow even that arduous contact. With his 98th pitch, a curveball into the dirt, Snell ended the sixth inning along with his tenth strikeout of the sport.

The Giants had nobody within the bullpen when Snell got here to the bench for the seventh inning. He desired to stay in the sport, Melvin said. But moments later, Randy Rodriguez began warming up when Ozuna slid to second base with Atlanta's first hit.

Snell — MLB's most dominant pitcher over the past month — left the sector after hitting Orlando Arcia with a high fastball, inspiring a bat slam from the batter and a standing ovation from the Oracle Park crowd. Rodriguez then finished the inning with two consecutive strikeouts, keeping the 2 strikeouts Snell left him with standing.

Sale, who didn't walk a single batter, was barely more efficient than Snell, although he did allow yet one more hit. He surpassed Snell's strikeout total by striking out Matt Chapman and Jerar Encarnacion while getting through the seventh inning.

Before Monday night, Oracle Park had not seen a pitcher's duel like this since April 28, 2010, when Tim Lincecum and Cole Hamels struck out a complete of twenty-two batters.

Both teams' relievers picked up where Sale and Snell left off, sending the sport into additional time with a complete of 30 strikeouts – 15 per team.

A run within the tenth inning, a cut single and a sacrifice fly that scored the automated runner, gave the Braves the ultimate lead. In a historic pitcher's duel, an unearned run was the decisive point.

Originally published: August 12, 2024 at 21:28