Martin Cid's Blog: Martin Cid Magazine, page 20

Netflix Unleashes Thai Action-Horror ‘Ziam’, Pitting Muay Thai Against the Undead

Netflix has released Ziam, a Thai-produced film offering a distinct cultural take on the action-horror genre. The movie blends a classic zombie apocalypse narrative with the national martial art of Muay Thai. This fusion is embedded in the film’s title, a portmanteau of “Siam,” the historic name for Thailand, and a “Z” for zombie, symbolizing the undead invasion.

A Desperate Siege

Set against the backdrop of a world grappling with severe food shortages, the story follows Singh, a former professional Muay Thai boxer played by Mark-Prin Suparat. Singh’s plans for a quiet retirement are destroyed when a zombie outbreak engulfs the hospital where his girlfriend, Rin, a doctor portrayed by Nuttanicha Dungwattanawanich, is working. Trapped within the besieged medical facility, Singh must use his fighting skills to protect Rin and a young boy named Buddy (Vayla Wanvayla Boonnithipaisit) whom he finds amidst the chaos. The plot unfolds as a claustrophobic siege, focusing on a fight for survival against overwhelming odds.

A Vision of Raw Combat

The film’s production was guided by director Kulp Kaljareuk’s specific vision to explore a different style of zombie combat. The action deliberately shifts away from the genre’s typical reliance on firearms, focusing instead on the brutal efficiency of Muay Thai, a martial art that uses the entire body as a weapon. This approach is complemented by a commitment to practical effects. Kaljareuk emphasized that the zombies’ gory appearance was crafted with special makeup, avoiding CGI to give the undead a more visceral and physical presence. To meet the role’s physical demands, lead actor Mark-Prin Suparat underwent an intensive training regimen, dedicating four to five hours a day to a Muay Thai workshop to prepare for the film’s demanding fight choreography.

The Team Behind the Mayhem

Ziam is directed by Kulp Kaljareuk, a third-generation scion of the family that runs the famed Thai production studio Kantana. Kaljareuk has previously directed horror films such as Hong Hun and The Lost Case and recently served as an executive producer on the internationally successful Netflix series Master of the House.

The film stars two of Thai television’s popular actors. The lead role of Singh is played by Mark-Prin Suparat, a prominent actor and model known for his roles in dramas like My Husband in Law and Kleun Cheewit. The role of Rin is played by Nuttanicha Dungwattanawanich, an established actress whose work includes numerous television dramas and the 2021 horror film Ghost Lab. The cast also includes Johnny Anfone, Pimmada Borriruksupakorn, and Jason Young. The screenplay was written by Nut Nualpang, Weerasu Worrapot, and Vatanyu Ingkavivat.

The film combines the zombie-horror genre with the distinct martial art of Muay Thai, emphasizing practical effects and visceral, bare-handed combat. Ziam was released on Netflix on July 9, 2025.

The Gringo Hunters Arrives on Netflix, Flipping the Script on Cross-Border Crime

The new Netflix original series, “The Gringo Hunters,” has premiered, presenting a unique perspective on international law enforcement. This twelve-episode Mexican action crime thriller drama series focuses on a specialized Mexican police unit tasked with apprehending American fugitives who have fled south of the border to evade justice. The narrative explores themes of deception, crime, and the complexities of cross-border dynamics, and aims to uphold justice in a frequently stereotyped setting.

The series’ central premise involves a Mexican unit actively pursuing American fugitives, a deliberate inversion of common media portrayals where U.S. agencies typically track criminals into Mexico. This narrative choice challenges the perception of Mexico as a lawless territory where individuals can evade accountability. By showcasing a competent and dedicated Mexican police unit, the series offers a counter-narrative to simplistic portrayals of the region in international media. The series thus functions as more than a crime thriller; it asserts Mexico’s sovereignty in law enforcement and its commitment to justice, even for crimes committed beyond its immediate borders.

The Gringo Hunters

Inspired by Real Events and Investigative Journalism

“The Gringo Hunters” draws inspiration from real events, specifically a Washington Post article by journalist Kevin Sieff. It centers on Mexico’s International Liaison Unit, colloquially known as the “Gringo Hunters,” an elite police force dedicated to tracking American fugitives who seek refuge in Mexico. This unit, established in 2002, operates discreetly, tasked with locating and capturing foreign criminals hiding in Mexico to evade justice. Since its inception, the unit has collaborated with agencies like the FBI, deporting over 1,600 fugitives, from financial fraudsters to individuals on the FBI’s “Ten Most Wanted” list.

The series adapts Sieff’s report, which detailed the unit’s operations and specific cases. While rooted in reality, producers Rafael Ley and Stacy Perskie stated that the series does not adhere strictly to specific real cases. Instead, it focuses on capturing a “sense of realism” and emphasizing the dynamics and camaraderie among the main characters of the police unit. Kevin Sieff contributed to the series’ development, assisting with initial contacts and research. Inspiration for the series’ tone was drawn from the “Lethal Weapon” film saga, a conscious choice to prioritize cinematic action and character engagement over a strict factual retelling. This approach allows the series to be broadly entertaining while retaining credibility from its real-world inspiration. The creators aimed to illustrate the unit’s operational methods rather than exposing specific real cases.

This strategic blend of factual inspiration and dramatic liberty maximizes the series’ appeal, attracting viewers interested in true-crime narratives while also appealing to a wider audience seeking high-quality action and drama. By not being strictly bound to real cases, the creators gained creative freedom to craft compelling storylines and develop multi-dimensional characters, ensuring emotional and dramatic resonance beyond a mere historical account. The series directly addresses the cliché of Mexico as a haven for criminals, presenting a team that actively disproves this notion by capturing and returning fugitives to face consequences, thereby exploring justice and accountability from a Mexican perspective.

A Stellar Ensemble Cast and Visionary Directors

The cast of “The Gringo Hunters” features an ensemble of established actors. Harold Torres portrays Nico, who brings depth to his role. Torres is known for his roles in acclaimed series like “ZeroZeroZero” and films such as “Rudo y Cursi” and “Sin Nombre.” His experience in intense crime dramas lends credibility to his portrayal of a law enforcement officer in a high-stakes environment.

Mayra Hermosillo plays Gloria, who adds strength and sensitivity to the ensemble. Her notable credits include “Narcos: Mexico,” “Thursday’s Widows,” “Hotel Cocaine,” and “Sierra Madre: No Trespassing.” Her background in portraying complex characters within Mexican crime narratives makes her a fitting choice.

Manuel Masalva portrays Beto. Masalva is recognized for his performance as Ramón Arellano Félix in “Narcos: Mexico” and other series such as “La Guzmán: La Reina Del Rock.” The recurring presence of actors from “Narcos: Mexico” suggests a deliberate casting approach, leveraging their familiarity with Netflix audiences and proven ability to portray complex characters within Mexican crime narratives. This lends immediate credibility and a distinct tone to “The Gringo Hunters.”

The ensemble cast also features Andrew Leland Rogers, Héctor Kotsifakis, Regina Nava, José María Yázpik (as Meyer-Rodriguez), Sebastian Roché, Jessica Lindsey, Tyler Young, and Dagoberto Gama. Producers noted that the cast met the real “gringo hunters,” a process likely contributing to the authenticity of their performances.

The series is helmed by a team of four directors, each contributing a distinct vision: Adrián Grünberg, a Mexican film director known for “Rambo: Last Blood” and “Get the Gringo”; Alonso Álvarez, whose credits include “The Lincoln Lawyer” and “Snowfall”; Jimena Montemayor, recognized for “Señorita 89”; and Natalia Beristáin, known for “Noise” and “She Doesn’t Want to Sleep Alone.” Their collective experience in high-stakes, character-driven dramas and action films ensures the series delivers both intense action sequences and nuanced character development. The selection of this cast and directorial team is a strategic move to ensure artistic quality and audience resonance. Their collective experience in the genre, particularly within a Mexican context, signals an authentic, well-acted series capable of handling complex themes with gravitas and cinematic flair. This choice reinforces the series’ ambition as a significant entry in the international crime drama landscape, appealing to those who appreciate nuanced performances in high-stakes environments.

Behind the Production: Crafting a Cinematic Experience

“The Gringo Hunters” is a production by Woo Films and Redrum, co-produced with Imagine Entertainment and developed in association with The Washington Post. Executive producers include Ron Howard, Brian Grazer, Tony Hernandez, Lilly Burns, and Kristen Zolner. The involvement of these high-profile names, particularly those associated with successful cinematic ventures, suggests a commitment to premium production quality.

The series aimed for cinematic quality, drawing inspiration from the “Lethal Weapon” film saga to blend dangerous situations with engaging character adventures. The overall production, from scriptwriting to filming, spanned approximately two years, indicating a meticulous development process and high production standards. The inclusion of “high-level action sequences” further reinforces this commitment to a visually compelling experience.

Filming locations included Tijuana in Baja California, and Mexico City. These locations are integral to the narrative, with Tijuana highlighted for its unique charm, drama, and symbolic significance as “Here begins the homeland” for Mexico. The series incorporates both Spanish and English dialogue, reflecting its cross-border premise. Positioned as a major international offering from Netflix, the series leverages established industry talent and a strong journalistic foundation. This combination aims to deliver a visually compelling and narratively robust series that stands out in the crowded streaming landscape, appealing to a global audience with its blend of authentic setting, high-stakes action, and character-driven drama. The investment in a “cinematic” feel elevates the streaming series format, providing a theatrical viewing experience on a digital platform.

Series Structure and Thematic Depth

The first season of “The Gringo Hunters” features twelve episodes. The series is characterized by an explosive mix of action, drama, and suspense, operating as a police procedural. It delivers a fresh narrative filled with tension and unexpected twists.

Beyond chases and investigations, a key aspect is the deep camaraderie among its protagonists and the incorporation of a uniquely Mexican sense of humor. The narrative thoughtfully portrays the cultural complexities between Mexico and the United States, utilizing the border situation and cultural exchange as integral plot elements. The inclusion of cultural complexities and Mexican humor moves the series beyond a mere action-thriller, humanizing the Mexican characters and portraying their experiences with authenticity. The emphasis on camaraderie suggests the series explores the personal lives and relationships of the police unit, adding emotional depth that complements the high-stakes procedural elements.

This thematic depth elevates “The Gringo Hunters” beyond a simple crime procedural. By integrating cultural nuances and focusing on character relationships, the series provides a more holistic and empathetic portrayal of its Mexican protagonists and their environment. This approach fosters greater understanding and connection with a global audience, making the series culturally significant in addition to being entertaining. It represents a conscious effort to move away from stereotypical representations and offer a richer, more authentic depiction of life and law enforcement at the U.S.-Mexico border.

The series delves into the profile of the fugitives, often described as “troubled outlaws” who venture into Mexico intending to disappear. The International Liaison Unit’s work, involving collaboration with U.S. agencies like the FBI, stands as a testament to Mexico’s commitment to justice and its capability to enforce laws against those seeking impunity across its borders.

Netflix’s ‘Trainwreck: The Real Project X’ Chronicles a Birthday Party That Became a Riot

A new documentary has premiered on Netflix, offering a clinical dissection of a digital-age fable gone wrong. Trainwreck: The Real Project X, the latest installment in the streaming service’s anthology series on public disasters, revisits the 2012 incident in Haren, a small Dutch town that became the epicenter of a social media-fueled riot. Directed by Alex Wood, the 48-minute film soberly investigates how a teenage girl’s birthday party invitation, amplified by the burgeoning power of Facebook and the influence of a Hollywood movie, spiraled into a night of widespread destruction. The documentary presents the Haren riot not as a freak occurrence, but as a landmark case study in the volatile intersection of online spectacle and offline reality.

The Digital Spark

The film meticulously traces the catastrophe back to a single, seemingly innocuous mistake. A Dutch teenager, Merthe Weusthuis, created a private Facebook event for her sixteenth birthday, intending to celebrate quietly with friends. However, she inadvertently left the event’s privacy settings public, an error that allowed anyone to see and share the invitation. The digital invitation quickly escaped her control, snowballing into an avalanche of online attention. The number of RSVPs exploded, with 30,000 people eventually confirming their attendance from over 240,000 who saw the post.

Even after a panicked Merthe canceled the event, the idea had taken on a life of its own. The party was no longer hers. Anonymous users, some from outside the Netherlands, created copycat event pages, rebranding the gathering as “Project X Haren”. An unauthorized promotional campaign flourished, complete with a dedicated website, Twitter accounts, and YouTube trailers that spliced in scenes from the film Project X to build hype. The documentary features the first-ever interview with Weusthuis, who recounts how she became the unwilling face of a viral phenomenon as merchandise bearing her image was created and sold without her consent.

Trainwreck The Real Project X

The Cinematic Blueprint

The documentary argues that the riot in Haren is inseparable from the cultural influence of the 2012 film Project X. The movie, itself loosely inspired by a real out-of-control party in Australia, depicts a high school birthday party that escalates into a destructive bacchanal, glamorizing the chaos and portraying its protagonists as legends with few lasting consequences. Trainwreck: The Real Project X demonstrates how this cinematic fantasy provided a powerful and dangerous script for reality.

Attendees and online promoters explicitly branded the Haren gathering with the film’s name, setting a clear expectation for anarchy. Thousands arrived in the small town not just for a party, but to reenact a fantasy of consequence-free destruction. The documentary analyzes this as a potent cultural feedback loop: a real event inspires a film, which in turn inspires a more chaotic real event, which has now become the subject of this documentary, packaging the phenomenon for a new generation.

The Night of Chaos

Using archival footage and eyewitness accounts, the film provides a moment-by-moment reconstruction of the riot. On the designated evening, between 3,000 and 5,000 youths descended on Haren, a town with a population of just under 19,000. Authorities, who had been warned but underestimated the scale of the viral threat, had blocked off the street where Merthe lived; she and her family had already fled their home.

According to eyewitnesses, the atmosphere was initially good-natured, but with no actual party to attend, the mood soured. Fueled by alcohol, the restless crowd turned to violence. They began throwing bottles, stones, bicycles, and even potted plants at police. The disorder spread through the town center, where shops were vandalized and looted, including a local supermarket. Cars were set on fire, and public property was destroyed. The police response escalated, ultimately involving 500 riot police to disperse the crowds. The aftermath was stark: at least 30 people were injured, 34 were arrested, and the damages were estimated to exceed one million euros.

A Digital Reckoning

Ultimately, Trainwreck: The Real Project X frames the Haren riot as a cautionary tale about an era of digital naivete and institutional unpreparedness. The film highlights the failure of local authorities to comprehend the nature of a viral threat, even after consulting with German police about a similar, smaller-scale incident in Hamburg.

However, the documentary also explores the dual nature of the technology that enabled the disaster. In the days following the riot, the same social media platform was used for constructive collective action. A Facebook group called “Project Clean-X Haren” was created to organize volunteers for the cleanup effort, while another, “Suspect-X Haren,” was used to crowdsource the identification of rioters for the police by sharing photos and videos. This adds a layer of nuance, showing how the tools of chaos can also be used for civic restoration. The film concludes that the disaster was not a single point of failure but a perfect storm of technology, media influence, and human behavior—a lesson that remains profoundly relevant.

The documentary, directed by Alex Wood, has a runtime of 48 minutes and was released on Netflix on July 8, 2025.

Netflix’s ‘Better Late Than Single’: A Deep Dive into Love for the Lifelong Single

Netflix has premiered Better Late Than Single, a new South Korean reality series that ventures into the emotionally complex world of adults who have never been in a romantic relationship. The program focuses on a group of individuals known as motae-solo, a Korean slang term literally meaning “single since the mother’s womb”. In a society where romantic experience is often considered a standard milestone, being a motae-solo can be a source of insecurity or be perceived by others as a “red flag”. Produced by Kakao Entertainment, the series positions itself as an empathetic evolution of the dating genre, shifting from the high drama of experienced singles to the vulnerable, unpredictable journey of first-time love.

The Evolution of a Genre: Authenticity Over Spectacle

The Korean dating show landscape has matured significantly, moving from the scripted celebrity pairings of the 2000s to more authentic, observational formats. In recent years, successful shows have explored a wider range of relationship dynamics, featuring divorced singles, ex-partners, and even LGBTQ+ individuals, reflecting a growing audience appetite for realism. Better Late Than Single carves out a new niche in this evolving market, distinguishing itself from predecessors like Single’s Inferno, which was known for the “steamy chemistry between ‘experienced’ singles”. The show’s premise taps into a timely social reality; a recent survey found that over 21% of unmarried young people in South Korea have never dated, with many citing economic concerns as a key factor. By focusing on this demographic, the series frames its narrative not just as a quest for a partner, but as an “intensive inside-out transformation” intended to build confidence and address the underlying reasons for the participants’ inexperience, which may include past trauma or personal circumstances.

Better Late Than Single

The Transformation: A Two-Part Journey to Confidence

The show’s format is a structured, two-part process. It begins with a six-week intensive coaching program that takes place before the participants meet. This phase is a comprehensive, personalized makeover covering personal styling, fitness, diet, communication skills, and overall mindset, with the goal of fostering inner change and boosting self-esteem. To ensure the cast’s stories were genuine, the production team conducted a rigorous casting process for the more than 4,000 applicants, which included cross-check interviews with friends and family to verify their “lifelong single” status. After the coaching, the cast enters a nine-day cohabitation period, living together and going on dates. This phase includes challenges designed to foster natural interactions, such as an overnight, two-day date, a scenario specifically crafted to push the inexperienced cast out of their comfort zones and capture raw, unfiltered moments.

The “Cupid Experts”: A New Breed of Reality Host

Guiding the cast is a panel of four celebrity mentors dubbed “Cupid Experts”: singer-actor Seo In-guk, actress Kang Han-na, comedian Lee Eun-ji, and indie musician Car, the garden. In a departure from the detached commentary style of other dating shows, each panelist is assigned to specific participants, acting as a hands-on love coach. They meet with their mentees before filming begins, allowing for tailored advice and a deeper investment in their journey. The panel was assembled to offer diverse expertise:

Seo In-guk, who launched his own career by winning the reality competition Superstar K, understands personal transformation under public scrutiny and emphasizes how style can foster inner confidence.Kang Han-na, a versatile actress known for roles in dramas like Start-Up and My Roommate Is a Gumiho, advises her mentees to be proactive in expressing their feelings to avoid missing opportunities.Lee Eun-ji, an award-winning comedian and former dance athlete, provides a mix of warmth and candid, “spicy” feedback, drawing on her own emotional experiences to empathize with the cast.Car, the garden, an R&B singer who reportedly started dating later in life, connects with the participants’ awkwardness and focuses on helping them relax and be genuine.

The Makeover’s Double-Edged Sword

While the show aims for empowerment, it operates within the complex and sometimes controversial genre of the makeover reality show. In South Korea, such programs have faced criticism for promoting the idea that success is contingent on physical appearance, potentially reinforcing unrealistic beauty standards and medicalizing appearance. Shows like Let Me In have been analyzed for framing participants as “deformed” and in need of surgical solutions, contributing to what some scholars call an “economy of shame” that masks deeper societal pressures. Better Late Than Single attempts to navigate this by focusing on an “inside-out” transformation aimed at building confidence. However, it walks a fine line between validating the participants’ experiences and suggesting that being single is a problem to be solved through conformity, creating a central tension in the show’s narrative.

Production, Strategy, and Global Ambitions

Better Late Than Single is a significant project for producer Kakao Entertainment, part of its 2025 strategy to expand its unscripted content and solidify its position as a global production studio. While well-known for adapting popular webtoons into hit dramas like Business Proposal and Karma, the company is now deliberately creating “fresh, curiosity-provoking unscripted shows” to diversify its portfolio for a global audience. The series is led by a team of directors including Cho Wook-hyung, Kim Noh-eun, and Won Seung-jae. The 10-episode series premiered its first three episodes, with subsequent episodes scheduled for weekly release in batches over the following month.

Where to Watch “Better Late Than Single”

Netflix

Netflix’s Quarterback Season 2: A Study in Contrasting Fortunes

The second season of the Netflix docuseries Quarterback provides an unfiltered look into the divergent fortunes of three of the NFL’s signal-callers during the 2024 season. The series follows players at distinctly different moments in their careers: a superstar striving for a Super Bowl, a veteran leader of a dominant team, and another established player starting over in a new city. This installment shifts its focus to Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals, Jared Goff of the Detroit Lions, and a returning Kirk Cousins, chronicling his first year with the Atlanta Falcons. Their individual journeys offer a multi-faceted and often harsh look at the on-field action and off-field reality of life as a professional quarterback.

Joe Burrow: Statistical Dominance Amidst Team Disappointment

The series presents the complex and contradictory narrative of Joe Burrow’s 2024 season, a story defined by the chasm between his personal success and the Cincinnati Bengals’ collective failure. The episodes document a career-best performance for Burrow, who led the league in passing yards with 4,918 and passing touchdowns with 43. His 70.6% completion percentage tied a franchise record, and he became just the third quarterback in league history to post a season with over 4,500 yards and 40 touchdowns with fewer than 10 interceptions. This statistical dominance, which included a record-setting stretch of eight consecutive games with at least 250 passing yards and three touchdowns, earned him the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award.

A central element of Burrow’s on-field story is his dynamic partnership with wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase. The series showcases how Burrow’s precision and volume fueled a historic season for Chase, who achieved the rare receiving triple crown by leading the NFL in receptions (127), yards (1,708), and touchdowns (17). The on-field chemistry between the two is on full display, particularly during their two matchups against the Baltimore Ravens, where Chase accumulated a staggering 457 yards and five touchdowns. However, the series contrasts this offensive firepower with the Bengals’ profound defensive struggles. Despite the presence of the league’s sack leader, Trey Hendrickson, Cincinnati’s defense ranked among the worst in the league, allowing the 25th-most points per game. This defensive frailty is presented as the primary cause for the team’s disappointing 9–8 record, which resulted in them missing the playoffs for a second consecutive year. The series captures the unique frustration of a team that set a league record for the most losses in a season in games where they scored 30 or more points, illustrating the limits of individual brilliance in the ultimate team sport. Beyond the game, the docuseries offers a glimpse into Burrow’s off-field persona, including his well-known interest in fashion. Scenes with his mother, Robin, reveal that her background in fashion merchandising influenced his particular taste in clothes from a young age, providing context for the confident and bold personality he displays away from the gridiron.

Quarterback

Jared Goff and the Lions: A Historic Rise and a Shocking Fall

One of the season’s most dramatic arcs follows Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions, chronicling a team that reached unprecedented heights before a sudden and brutal collapse. The series documents the Lions’ historic 2024 regular season, in which Goff led the team to a franchise-best 15-2 record, a second straight NFC North title, and the No. 1 seed in the NFC for the first time in team history. The offense, orchestrated by coordinator Ben Johnson, was the most potent in the league, leading all teams in points scored. Goff himself had a career year, throwing for 37 touchdowns with a remarkable 72.4% completion rate, earning his fourth Pro Bowl selection. He is portrayed as a confident and steady leader, flawlessly executing an offensive scheme perfectly tailored to his strengths.

The narrative reaches its climax in the divisional round of the playoffs against the Washington Commanders. The series provides an unfiltered, moment-by-moment account of the stunning 45-31 upset loss at home. The focus shifts to Goff’s uncharacteristic and disastrous performance, where he committed four turnovers, including a pick-six and multiple interceptions that thwarted scoring opportunities. The cameras capture the disbelief on the field and in the stands at Ford Field as a season with Super Bowl aspirations disintegrates in a matter of hours. The aftermath of this collapse lingers over the conclusion of Goff’s story. The departure of offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who became the head coach of the Chicago Bears, raises immediate questions about whether Goff can replicate his success in a new system. The final, decisive playoff failure is shown to have cast a shadow, creating doubts about his ability to perform when the pressure is at its most intense.

Kirk Cousins: A High-Stakes Gamble in Atlanta

The series’ third narrative thread follows veteran Kirk Cousins, a familiar face from the first season, as he navigates a high-stakes transition. His story is one of change, pressure, and the unique challenges of an established player adjusting to a new environment while returning from a significant injury. After six seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, Cousins signed a massive four-year, $180 million contract with the Atlanta Falcons, a deal that immediately placed him under immense scrutiny to deliver a return on the investment. A primary storyline is his comeback from a torn Achilles tendon that ended his previous season, with the series documenting the physical and mental hurdles of his rehabilitation as a 36-year-old quarterback.

Adding a layer of dramatic tension is the Falcons’ controversial decision to select quarterback Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth overall pick in the draft, just a month after signing Cousins to his blockbuster deal. This creates a palpable sense of pressure, with the veteran starter constantly aware that his potential replacement is on the same roster. This dynamic frames every performance, as Cousins attempts to lead his new team and justify his contract while battling the perception that he is a bridge to the future. The series follows his on-field struggles and his eventual replacement by Penix late in the season. In his three starts, Penix showed encouraging signs, earning a top-10 passing grade in the league over that span and highlighting the unsentimental, forward-looking nature of the NFL.

The Unforgiving Nature of the Position

Ultimately, the second season of Quarterback synthesizes these three distinct narratives to paint a broader picture of the modern NFL quarterback. The series effectively juxtaposes Burrow’s individual excellence in a losing effort, Goff’s team success undone by a single catastrophic failure, and Cousins’ battle against time, injury, and organizational strategy. By moving beyond simple highlights, the series explores the complex realities of leadership, pressure, and the off-field circumstances that shape a season. The stories demonstrate that there is no single path to success or failure for an NFL quarterback, and that the line between being a hero and a scapegoat is perilously thin.

The new season of Quarterback premiered on Netflix on Tuesday, July 8, 2025.

Advantech Taps Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite for New Line of Industrial AI Solutions

TAIPEI – Advantech, a global leader in industrial computing, has announced a new suite of high-performance edge AI solutions, leveraging the power of Qualcomm’s recently unveiled Snapdragon X Elite platform. The new products are designed to bring significant processing power, advanced AI capabilities, and next-generation connectivity to demanding industrial applications.

The new lineup, which includes the AOM-6731 AI module, the AIMB-293 motherboard, and the SOM-6820 compute module, integrates the Snapdragon X Elite’s 12-core and Snapdragon X Plus’s 10-core Qualcomm Oryon CPUs. These processors, capable of speeds up to 3.4GHz, promise not only rapid data handling for complex industrial tasks but also superior power efficiency. According to the company, the new solutions consume 28% less power on average for common tasks compared to traditional x86-based systems.

At the heart of the new offerings is a powerful AI engine. The integrated Qualcomm Hexagon NPU (Neural Processing Unit) delivers up to 45 TOPS (Trillion Operations Per Second) of AI performance, enabling sophisticated machine learning and deep learning tasks directly on the edge device without relying on the cloud.

“These solutions support data-intensive AI applications and robust remote operations,” the company stated, highlighting the goal of creating a “truly agile and future-ready infrastructure that optimizes real-time processing and connectivity.”

To support this performance, the hardware is equipped with LPDDR5X memory, which provides a 1.3x speed increase over the previous generation while reducing power consumption by 20%. Data transfer speeds also see a massive boost with the inclusion of UFS 3.1 storage, with an option for even more durable UFS 4.0 solutions designed for harsh industrial environments.

Connectivity is a cornerstone of the new platform, with integrated Wi-Fi 7 and 5G capabilities. This combination ensures ultra-fast, low-latency networking critical for real-time data streaming and remote operations in factories, smart city applications, and other industrial settings. For multimedia and vision-centric tasks, the integrated Snapdragon Adreno GPU and a fifth-generation VPU (Vision Processing Unit) support 4K60p video and provide superior graphics performance.

The new AI module, motherboard, and COM Express module will be available for engineering evaluations starting in March 2025.

This report is based on a press release issued on July 7, 2025.

Saif Azzuz Challenges Colonial Narratives in First Solo Museum Exhibition at Blaffer Art Museum

HOUSTON – Artist Saif Azzuz is making his solo museum debut with a powerful exhibition at the Blaffer Art Museum that confronts the complex histories of land, privatization, and Indigenous identity in Texas. Titled “Keet Hegehlpa’ (the water is rising),” the exhibition delves into the fabricated myths and settler-colonial systems that have shaped the region.

Azzuz, a California-born artist, utilizes a diverse range of media, including site-specific installations, new paintings, and assemblage, to explore the stories woven into the land now known as Houston. The work directly challenges the historical narratives used to displace and control the area’s original inhabitants, the Sana, Atakapa-Ishak, Akokisa, and Karankawa peoples.

A central focus of the exhibition is the examination of archival materials, such as 19th-century advertisements from the Allen Brothers, which deceptively portrayed the Buffalo Bayou as an idyllic European-style landscape to attract settlers. Through his art, Azzuz deconstructs these manufactured fictions, responding to the ongoing impacts of land theft and what he terms “carceral realities.”

The exhibition is a collaborative family effort, featuring contributions from Lulu Thrower, Elizabeth Azzuz, Viola Azzuz, Moya Azzuz, and Colleen Colegrove. Together, they draw upon shared ecological knowledge to visualize histories of land stewardship and Indigenous resilience. This approach embodies the concept of “survivance,” a term coined by Anishinaabe writer Gerald Vizenor that merges the ideas of survival and resistance. Azzuz’s work seeks to subvert continued attempts to displace Indigenous communities by centering the interconnected life force present in all beings.

Saif Azzuz has an extensive exhibition history and was a 2022 SFMOMA SECA Award finalist. His work is held in numerous public and private collections, including the de Young Museum and the North Carolina Museum of Art.

“Keet Hegehlpa’ (the water is rising)” is now on view at the Blaffer Art Museum and will run through December 20, 2025.

Saif Azzuz. Photography by Chris Grunder

Sikelela Owen’s ‘KNITTING’ Wins Royal Academy’s Top Prize

In a significant moment for the contemporary art world, Sikelela Owen has been awarded the prestigious Charles Wollaston Award for her work “KNITTING.” The £35,000 prize, now in its 27th year, is the highest honor bestowed at the Royal Academy of Arts’ annual Summer Exhibition, recognizing the ‘most distinguished work’ on display.

The decision was made by a distinguished panel of judges including the Royal Academy’s President, Rebecca Salter, and acclaimed figures Olivia Laing, Hew Locke RA, and Elif Shafak. Owen’s winning piece, located in Gallery VIII, captured the attention of the judges, distinguishing itself among a vast and diverse collection of contemporary art and architecture.

The Summer Exhibition, a cornerstone of the London art scene, continues its tradition of celebrating and supporting the artistic community through a series of coveted awards.

This year, the £10,000 AXA Art Prize UK for outstanding figurative art was awarded to Miho Sato for “WINDY DAY 2.” The sculpture “I” by the collaborative duo Zatorski + Zatorski claimed the £10,000 Jack Goldhill Award for Sculpture.

Emerging talent was also celebrated, with Winsome Yuen receiving the £5,000 British Institution Fund Award for Students for her piece “SUPERSTITION.”

Several other artists were recognized for their exceptional contributions across various media. Steven Dixon’s “GUNSHOT 1” won the £5,000 Hugh Casson Drawing Prize for an original work on paper. The Sunny Dupree Family Award for a Woman Artist, also £5,000, was presented to Anousha Payne for her sculpture “A TEMPORARY SHIFT, TWIN (SELF-PORTRAIT AS A HORSE).”

Further accolades included the Maire Ragnhild Hollingsworth Prize for Oil Painting, which went to Frances Featherstone for “MOTHERLY LOVES,” and the Viking Prize for Print, awarded to Trevor Price for “ROCK ‘N’ ROLL.” Each of these prizes carries a £5,000 award.

Rounding out the honors, Emmanuel Awuni received The Arts Club Award of £2,500 for his work “THEIR EYES WERE WATCHING GOD.” This prize is designated for an artist aged 35 or under.

The Royal Academy announced the prize winners for the 2025 Summer Exhibition.

The Summer Hikaru Died Arrives on Netflix, Blending Slice-of-Life with Slow-Burn Dread

A new form of summer horror arrives on Netflix with the premiere of The Summer Hikaru Died, an anime adaptation that delves into the unsettling quiet of rural Japan. The series, based on the award-winning manga by Mokumokuren, introduces a chilling narrative that blends the mundane routines of slice-of-life with a pervasive psychological dread. Set against the backdrop of a sweltering summer, filled with the incessant buzzing of cicadas, the story centers on two inseparable childhood friends, Yoshiki Tsujinaka and Hikaru Indou. Their bond is the anchor of their lives in a small, isolated village, but that anchor is torn away when Hikaru disappears into the mountains, only to return a week later as something else entirely. The series immediately establishes that this is not a story about the slow, dawning horror of discovering an imposter. Instead, it places the audience directly into the protagonist Yoshiki’s dreadful certainty. He knows from the outset that the being standing beside him, the one that looks and sounds and remembers just like his friend, is a replacement. This narrative choice shifts the focus inward, transforming the story from a mystery into a complex exploration of grief, complicity, and the terrifying consequences of choosing to live with a known monster rather than face the emptiness of loss. The central question is not what happened to Hikaru, but what happens to Yoshiki now that he is gone.

A story of friendship, loss, and a dreadful secret

The foundation of The Summer Hikaru Died is the profound and codependent relationship between its two leads. Yoshiki, the more reserved and paranoid of the pair, finds his social and emotional center in the outgoing and charismatic Hikaru, who is well-liked by everyone in their small community. They are the only two boys their age, and their lives are deeply intertwined. This idyllic friendship is shattered by the inciting incident: Hikaru ventures into the mountains and vanishes. He returns a week later, seemingly unharmed, but Yoshiki’s immediate realization that his friend is gone forever sets the story’s somber tone. The entity wearing Hikaru’s form, described as an eldritch being, confirms this truth. It admits that the real Hikaru died and that it has consumed him, taking on his physical form, memories, and feelings.

Faced with the unbearable finality of his friend’s death, Yoshiki makes a pivotal and haunting choice: he decides to accept this imitation and continue their life together as if nothing has changed. This decision becomes the narrative’s engine, driving a story that is less about fighting a monster and more about the psychological toll of harboring one. Yoshiki’s motivation is born of a deeply human and sympathetic grief, yet his choice positions him as both a victim of circumstance and an enabler of a potential threat. The entity is explicitly dangerous, and its presence begins to cause strange and unsettling events to ripple through the village. Animals react with instinctual fear, and a spiritually sensitive local woman immediately recognizes the imposter for what it is. Yoshiki’s secret, therefore, is not a passive burden but an active deception that puts his community at risk. This creates a powerful internal conflict, as the source of his comfort—the facsimile of his lost friend—is also the source of his constant, creeping dread. The narrative becomes a morally gray exploration of the selfish and desperate nature of grief itself. The entity, for its part, is not a simple villain. While otherworldly and dangerous, it also possesses a strange innocence and vulnerability, experiencing the world for the first time through Hikaru’s senses. Its only tether to existence is its connection to Yoshiki, creating a complex dynamic of mutual dependency that is as tender as it is terrifying.

The Summer Hikaru Died

Crafting a slow-burn dread through atmosphere and sound

The anime adaptation is helmed by director Ryohei Takeshita, who also handles the series composition. Takeshita was drawn to the project by the source material’s unique visual language and his own desire to direct a full-fledged horror piece. His approach deliberately eschews common horror tropes like jump scares in favor of cultivating a sustained sense of “eeriness.” The goal is to replicate the manga’s signature atmosphere, a quiet, heavy dread that stems from the feeling that something is fundamentally wrong beneath the surface of a mundane summer day. To achieve this, the production leans heavily on its sound design. Rather than relying on a constant musical score to dictate emotion, Takeshita has opted for an SFX-focused approach that emphasizes pauses and the ambient sounds of the rural environment. The relentless chirping of cicadas, a sound often associated with the oppressive heat of a Japanese summer, becomes a key tool in building tension, a technique more common in live-action Japanese horror films. The sound created for the entity itself was specifically designed to be “inorganic,” reflecting its soulless nature and further separating it from the world of the living.

This meticulous attention to atmosphere extends to the visual presentation. To faithfully capture the story’s setting, Takeshita and his staff undertook multiple, multi-night location scouting trips to the real-life areas that inspired Mokumokuren’s fictional village. They spent days photographing and recording, absorbing the specific details of the environment, from rusted cars left abandoned by the roadside to the way light filters through the dense trees. This commitment to realism grounds the supernatural horror in a tangible, believable world. Perhaps the most telling indicator of the production’s dedication to the source material is the creation of a unique staff position: “Dorodoro Animator.” This role was filled by Masanobu Hiraoka, a self-taught animator known for his work on metamorphosis and surreal motion. He is singularly responsible for animating the grotesque, unsettling, and “sludgy” transformations that are a visual hallmark of the manga’s horror. Hiraoka insisted on hand-drawing these complex sequences, a laborious process that avoids more efficient digital shortcuts in order to preserve the organic, disturbing quality of the original art. These specific and unusual production choices are not mere stylistic flourishes; they are calculated solutions to the core challenges of adapting a work known for its slow, atmospheric pacing and its unconventional visual horror. The investment in a specialized role like the Dorodoro Animator demonstrates a profound respect for the source material and a commitment to artistic integrity, signaling a production that understands what made the original story so effective.

A tale of grief, identity, and queer connection

Beyond its unsettling premise, The Summer Hikaru Died is a profound exploration of complex human themes. At its heart, it is a story about grief, memory, and identity, questioning what it means to be human and whether a connection can survive the absolute finality of death. The narrative is driven by Yoshiki’s internal turmoil as he navigates a world where the person he loved most is both present and irrevocably gone. This emotional depth is intricately woven with a significant and fundamental queer subtext. It is established that Yoshiki has long harbored a one-sided romantic crush on Hikaru. This is not a tangential subplot but a core component of his character and the story’s central themes. His sexuality contributes to his profound sense of isolation and “otherness” within the confines of his conservative, close-minded rural village.

This internal feeling of being different creates a powerful, unspoken kinship between Yoshiki and the monstrous entity that has taken his friend’s place. The creature is literally an “other,” an alien presence in a world that does not understand it. Yoshiki’s decision to accept this being is deeply intertwined with his unrequited, and in his view, perhaps “monstrous,” feelings for the real Hikaru. The supernatural horror framework thus becomes a potent metaphor for the queer experience of alienation. The horror is both external, in the form of the eldritch being, and internal, reflecting Yoshiki’s own struggle with his identity, his grief, and his love. The author, Mokumokuren, has clarified that the series was not intended to be a “Boys Love” (BL) manga, but rather a seinen horror story that features queer representation. This distinction is crucial. The story uses its queer themes not to serve romance genre tropes, but to deepen its psychological horror and character drama, allowing the tension of Yoshiki’s unspoken feelings to fester and contribute to the unsettling atmosphere. The series also presents a subversive depiction of masculinity, prioritizing emotional sensitivity, vulnerability, and intimacy over traditional displays of power, focusing instead on the characters’ deeply consuming emotional connection.

From acclaimed manga to a highly anticipated series

The anime adaptation of The Summer Hikaru Died arrives with immense expectations, born from the phenomenal success of its source material. The original manga, serialized on Kadokawa’s Young Ace Up website, became a critical and commercial sensation. Its first volume sold over 200,000 copies in just three months, and the series has been decorated with numerous prestigious awards, most notably topping the 2023 edition of the influential Kono Manga ga Sugoi! (This Manga is Amazing!) guide for male readers. This widespread acclaim has cultivated a large and dedicated fanbase, making the anime one of the most anticipated releases of the season.

The task of bringing this celebrated work to the screen falls to CygamesPictures, a relatively young animation studio that is a division of the larger Cygames, Inc. The studio has been steadily building its portfolio with titles like Princess Connect! Re:Dive and Brave Bang Bravern!, but The Summer Hikaru Died represents a high-profile, high-stakes prestige project. The significant investment in top-tier talent and specialized production roles indicates a strategic effort to deliver a definitive adaptation that can stand alongside the manga and solidify the studio’s reputation for quality. The series is directed by Ryohei Takeshita, with character designs and chief animation direction by Yuichi Takahashi. The pivotal voice cast is led by Chiaki Kobayashi as the conflicted protagonist Yoshiki Tsujinaka and Shuichiro Umeda as the entity that wears the face of Hikaru. They are joined by a supporting cast that includes Yumiri Hanamori, Wakana Kowaka, Chikahiro Kobayashi, Yoshiki Nakajima, and Shion Wakayama. The series’ musical landscape is defined by its opening theme, “Saikai” (Reunion), performed by Vaundy, and its ending theme, “Anata wa Kaibutsu” (You Are my Monster), by Tooboe.

The series is streaming exclusively on Netflix. It premiered on July 5.

Nick Ricciardi Joins Heist Comedy ‘High Stakes Holiday

Nick Ricciardi ( Duster, Yellowstone )  joined High Stakes Holiday in a key role opposite previously announced cast Andrew Koji ( for Warrior, Bullet Train) Violet McGraw (M3GAN ), Madeleine McGraw (Black Phone), alongside Brynne Kurland, Azizi Donnelly, Jack Griffo, and Struggle Jennings. 

High Stakes Holiday billed as Ocean’s 11 meets Home Alone, stars actual sisters Violet and Madeleine McGraw who play sharp witted siblings in the film. On vacation in Las Vegas, they wind up in the middle of a heist and must join forces with Koji’s jaded ex- MI6 agent turned security guard to outwit Donnelly’s devious international thief and rescue a priceless diamond gauntlet. 

Shaun Piccinino (Netflix’s A California Christmas) is directing from a script penned by John Ducey (Max’s A Hollywood Christmas). 

Ali Afshar (A Californian Christmas ), Daniel Aspromonte ( Day of Reckoning ), and Christina Moore ( Casa Grande ) are producing the film which filmed in Sin City. The McGraw sisters and their mother Jackie McGraw are executive producers. 

Afshar’s ESX Entertainment, which has an output deal through Warner Bros. solidifies their dedication to filming in Nevada with High Stakes Holiday as Howard Hughes Holdings, Sony Pictures Entertainment and Warner Bros. Discovery team up and press for a new world-class production facility and tax credits. 

Next up Nick Ricciardi can be seen in the new JJ Abrams Max Series Duster and in HBO’s third season of And Just Like That… 

He is repped by Tabatha Minchew at Established Artists, Daniel Hoff Agency, and Mitchell & Associates Talent.