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Review: ‘Exorcist’ sequel thrills but misses the original’s terror

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:02:29 GMT

By Jake Coyle | Associated PressThere may be no holier ground in horror than “The Exorcist.” As endlessly as William Friedkin’s 1973 film has been ripped off and resurrected, its power remains unalloyed, its place in movie history consecrated.Why is it that, after we’ve seen seen so many heads twist around, “The Exorcist” can still turn heads? Much, surely, is owed to its patient, restrained approach, icy atmospheres and and evocative, uncluttered imagery — all conjured in the dawning dread of post-1960s America.But the possession of young Regan MacNeil still haunts, I think, for its absolute belief in good and evil. It’s a supernatural movie that treats the supernatural as straightforwardly natural. The devil is as real and present as all those concrete steps.There were flop sequels that followed and plenty of spinoffs that failed to grip. But now, just two months after the death of Friedkin and a few months shy of the original’s 50th...

Cyclist Primož Roglič confirms Jumbo-Visma exit to focus on 2024 Tour de France with Bora-Hansgrohe

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:02:29 GMT

COMO, Italy (AP) — Cycling superteam Jumbo-Visma is losing one of its trio of Grand Tour winners this season with Primož Roglič announcing Friday his transfer to join Bora-Hansgrohe. Roglič’s move, despite a Jumbo-Visma contract through 2025, will let him focus on the 2024 Tour de France as a team leader and was confirmed at a Bora-Hansgrohe news conference ahead of the Tour of Lombardy race.The Tour is the only Grand Tour title the 33-year-old Slovenian rider lacks after winning the Giro d’Italia in May and the Spanish Vuelta each year from 2019 to 2021.Roglič’s Giro win started a season sweep for Jumbo-Visma before Jonas Vingegaard retained his Tour title in July and American Sepp Kuss won the Vuelta last month.The Vuelta podium sweep by the Dutch team – Vingegaard was runner-up and Roglič third — suggested what its priorities might be next season.Explaining his transfer, Roglič said: “The decisive factor was that the team is really motivated to work with me, and that we hold the ...

Can a spotlight on Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce help the NFL draw more Gen Z and female fans?

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:02:29 GMT

Eager as the National Football League has been to cater to the recent public fixation with Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, it’s certainly not taking any credit for creating the outsized storyline that has emerged around the pop superstar and the Kansas City Chiefs tight end.“Not orchestrated by the NFL,” league spokesman Brian McCarthy assured The Associated Press with a chuckle during a chat on the phone about what is becoming known as “ Tay Tay and Trav,” a topic few seemed to be able to get enough of initially, whether football diehards or Swifties, whether via TV or TikTok. The protagonists have remained mum about their actual status since Swift began attending Kelce’s games 1½ weeks ago. The sport providing the backdrop, and its TV partners, have not been shy about trying to capitalize on the “situationship” and gain new fans, particularly members of Gen Z and more women — although marketing experts are skeptical there will be much of a bump in the long run.“There is not going t...

Belgium coach calls up midfielder Mandela Keita for Euro 2024 qualifiers against Austria and Sweden

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:02:29 GMT

BRUSSELS (AP) — Belgium coach Domenico Tedesco called up midfielder Mandela Keita for the first time on Friday for upcoming European Championship qualifying matches against Austria and Sweden.Keita is one of 24 players summoned to prepare for the matches. The team will again be without Kevin De Bruyne and Thibaut Courtois, who are injured.Keita, who plays for Belgian champion Royal Antwerp, is the only new name in Tedesco’s selection.Belgium, which leads Group F alongside Austria, needs one more win to qualify for next year’s Euro 2024 tournament in Germany. The team travels to Austria on Oct. 13 and hosts Sweden three days later.___Goalkeepers: Koen Casteels (Wolfsburg), Matz Sels (Strasbourg), Arnaud Bodart (Standard Liege), Thomas Kaminski (Luton)Defenders: Ameen Al-Dakhil (Burnley), Timothy Castagne (Fulham), Zeno Debast (Anderlecht), Wout Faes (Leicester), Arthur Theate (Rennes), Jan Vertonghen (Anderlecht)Midfielders: Orel Mangala (Nottingham Forest), Yannick Carrasco (A...

Argentina picks Carreras ahead of Sanchez at flyhalf for decisive Rugby World Cup game against Japan

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:02:29 GMT

NANTES, France (AP) — Argentina picked Santiago Carreras ahead of Nicolas Sanchez at flyhalf for the decisive Rugby World Cup match against Japan on Sunday.Argentina coach Michael Cheika had a big choice to make at No. 10 after Sanchez kicked seven out of seven in his 100th test to become the Pumas’ all-time leading point-scorer at the World Cup in the 59-5 win over Chile on Saturday.However, Carreras will return against the Brave Blossoms for what is essentially a win-or-go-home match, with both teams having nine points and vying to finish second behind Pool D winner England.There are 11 changes in total from the Chile game, with only forwards Guido Petti and Marcos Kremer and backs Juan Martin Gonzalez and Lucio Cinti retaining their places.Kremer and Gonzalez are playing in their fourth straight pool match while prop Francisco Gómez Kodela starts for the first time since their opening-weekend loss to England in Marseille.Japan’s only change from its 28-22 win over Samoa saw...

London Calling: Bills head to England for a ‘home’ game against the well-rested Jaguars

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:02:29 GMT

Josh Allen was searching for any British phrases he might know in preparing for his first trip to England, when the Buffalo Bills quarterback smiled and said: “Mind the gap.”Not bad for someone from Central California in referencing how London Underground commuters are cautioned to not trip over the space between the platform and car when entering or exiting at each Tube stop.It serves as a useful reminder to the Bills (3-1) as a whole in being mostly unfamiliar with traveling to England and yet designated the “home” team for their game against the Jacksonville Jaguars (2-2) at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday.The gap for the Bills in making the trip across the Atlantic is a large one in comparison to Jacksonville.The Jaguars are 5-5 since making London their home for a once-a-season game (excluding 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic) since 2013. And on Sunday, they’ll become the NFL’s first team to play consecutive games outside the United States, following a 23-7 win over Atlant...

ANÁLISIS | Trump respalda a Jim Jordan mientras se mete en el caos de la Cámara y los republicanos

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:02:29 GMT

(CNN) — Solo había una manera de que el caos en la Cámara de Representantes liderada por los republicanos —que fue comparado este jueves por uno de sus miembros con un “estúpido coche de payaso”— pudiera volverse más extremo.Con la llegada de Donald Trump.El expresidente de Estados Unidos se sumergió en el caos que siguió a la destitución del ahora expresidente de la Cámara de Representantes Kevin McCarthy, buscando característicamente presentarse como hacedor de reyes y robarse el protagonismo.En un día dramático que recordó el caos dentro de la Casa Blanca de Trump, el bando del expresidente hizo circular rumores sobre su posible primera visita al Capitolio de Estados Unidos desde que una multitud lo saqueó el 6 de enero de 2021. Luego, Trump habló de la posibilidad de que incluso podría intervenir como presidente de forma interina.Pero la mayor bomba del expresidente aún estaba por llegar: poco después de la medianoche, respaldó a Jim Jordan, para el puesto.“¡Será un GRAN p...

Oct. 6-8: Things to do near Denver

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:02:29 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — Although the weather has been cooler this week, Denver will warm right back up for the weekend activities ahead. There are a variety of fall events planned for this weekend, along with a few odd standouts like a pro wrestling match, meeting the voice of Mario from "Super Mario" and a corgi meetup. These Halloween pop-up bars are open in Denver Here are a few ideas for things to do this weekend.All weekendCollect-A-Con - Oct. 7-8With over 900 vendors, you can look through sports cards, comic books, vintage toys and so much more. Special guests will be at the event including Charles Martinet, the voice of Mario, Luigi, Waluigi and Wario from "Super Mario."Pumpkin Festival at Chatfield Farms - Oct. 6-8Drone light show - Oct. 6-7Colorado State University is hosting a drone light show with live drone demonstrations, flight experiences, educational sessions and drone racing. There will also be 35 exhibitors at the show.Cider Days - Oct. 7-8Castle Rock Fall Home Show - Oc...

Americans are spending more than ever on Halloween

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:02:29 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — Be prepared to be scared. Americans are planning on spending more than ever on Halloween this year, and it's mostly going toward spooky decorations and costumes.Last year, the U.S. spent $10.6 billion on Halloween, according to the National Retail Federation’s annual survey. This year's spending is expected to be billions more. During the pandemic, the Halloween spirit was low. The least amount spent on Halloween in years was $8 billion in 2020. This makes sense as fewer people were buying costumes and candy for trick-or-treaters. Where to dispose of fallen leaves in the Denver metro area In 2021, sales skyrocketed to $10.1 billion and went even higher in 2022 with $10.6 billion. This surpasses Halloween spending rates before the pandemic. In 2018, Americans only spent $9 billion, and $8.8 billion in 2019.Whatever Halloween fun was lost during the pandemic is expected to return in record-setting force this year. NRF's 2023 Halloween survey asked 8,084 consumers abo...

Scientists say they’ve confirmed evidence that humans arrived in the Americas far earlier than previously thought

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:02:29 GMT

(CNN) — When the discovery of fossilized footprints made in what’s now New Mexico was made public in 2021, it was a bombshell moment for archaeology, seemingly rewriting a chapter of the human story. Now new research is offering further evidence of their significance.While they look like they could have been made yesterday, the footprints were pressed into mud 21,000 to 23,000 years ago, according to radiocarbon dating of the seeds of an aquatic plant that were preserved above and below the fossils.This date dramatically pushed back the timeline of humans’ history in the Americas, the last landmass to be settled by prehistoric people. The 61 dated prints, which were discovered in the Tularosa Basin, near the edge of an ancient lake in White Sands National Park, were made at a time when many scientists think that massive ice sheets had sealed off human passage into North America, indicating that humans arrived in the region even earlier.However, some archaeologists questioned the age...