Talk to Me - Limited Edition 4K UHD/Blu-ray Review

 

The best horror films have something to say, they draw upon important themes and even traumas that have a connection to the creators, and Talk to Me is no exception to this as it explores teenage isolation, grief, connection, and how social media and technology has changed the way people respond in terrible situations.

Directed by Danny and Michael Philippou, first time feature film directors who created a strong following online with their YouTube channel RackaRacka, Talk to Me is an independent Australia horror film that took the world by storm in 2023; and now it's available in a new Limited Edition 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray release from Second Sight Entertainment that's packed full of special features and additional content that makes it a must buy for any fan.

Talk to Me tells the story of Mia (Sophie Wilde), a 17-year-old teen who's still dealing with the complex grief and trauma of losing her mother to an apparent case of suicide two years prior. Distanced from her father, Mia has formed a strong connection with her best friend Jade (Alexandra Jensen), her mother Sue (Miranda Otto), and younger brother Riley (Joe Bird), having become almost a member of the family herself.

When the teens discover a viral video of teenagers using a strange ceramic hand to get high and 'channel spirits' their interest is piqued, especially when they notice that some of the kids in the videos are from their area. Reaching out to some friends they manage to get invited to a party where local teens Hayley (Zoe Terakes) and Joss (Chris Alosio) have arranged for the hand to be used. Apparently the embalmed hand of a psychic medium, those who take hold of it and speak the words 'talk to me' will be able to see a spirit, and by saying 'I let you in' the spirit will be able to possess them, resulting in a euphoric feeling once the experience is over. However, there are rules attached to the game, including that the possession cannot go on for more than 90 seconds.

Finding escape from her trauma in the experience, Mia becomes focused on the hand, and wants to experience it again. Arranging for a private party at Jade's house, a small group experiments with the hand, allowing various spirits to possess them. When Riley wants to have a go Jade refuses to let him, stating that it might be dangerous for him. However, when she leaves the room Riley appeals to Mia to let him try, who agrees. When Riley begins to channel the spirit of what seems to be her mother Mia pushes the game too far, allowing the possession to go on too long with disastrous and terrifying consequences. 

Talk to Me covers a lot of ideas, all of which are central to the story yet never dominate the narrative. For example, social media and technology play a large part, with the teens learning about the hand via viral videos, and the film makes a point of showing how when dangerous or terrible things happen people will use their phones to film it, almost as a way of detaching themselves from the moment in order to avoid the emotions they might be going through. Yet the film isn't a condemnation of technology or online culture, and you can choose to ignore these themes if you want to.

The film also touches upon addiction and drugs with the hand acting as the stand in. The way that the hand gives a rush of euphoria once it's been used, and the way people keep coming back to it is a very overt allegory, and the sudden shocking turn it takes with Riley is making clear parallels to when drug taking can go bad. But, but making these comparisons via the means of the supernatural it once again makes this less overt, and Talk to Me avoids the pitfall of becoming a film about drugs or addiction. It also doesn't take a strong moral stance on either side of the issue too, neither condemning drug use nor glorifying it, simply showing how it can be used as an escape from trauma and pain by some.

Perhaps most personal to the filmmakers though, as is talked about in both their audio commentary and hour long interview that's included on the disc, is the theme of connection. One of the brothers tells a story about being in a car accident, of being in hospital battered and bruised, and being unable to stop shaking. No matter what the doctors tried nothing could stop him shaking, until his sister took hold of his hand and it ended. In that moment of pain and trauma it was the human connection with someone that he loved that he needed. This is something we see throughout the movie with Mia. She's pulled away from her father, she's trying to form a connection with Jade and her family, but none of it is really helping with the pain of losing her mother so tragically; so it's when that connection with her is teased to her that she has to take it, no matter the risks because that's the one connection she's desperately needed for two years. It's an incredibly personal and tragic theme, one that I think most people will be able to connect with in some way.

It's not just the story and the messages that makes Talk to Me such a great film though, as the Philippou brothers manage to craft a film that looks absolutely fantastic. The film has a very grounded and realistic look to it that I can't help but think comes from the brothers experience with their YouTube channel RackaRacka, and making low budget features. The film has a grounded quality to it even with the fantastical visuals and visually creative choices the two of them that gives the film an eerie, dream-like feel at times. It doesn't have the glossy feel of a big budget American horror film, and the indie roots helps to make it stand out amongst the other horror films released at the time.

It's central cast also help with this, being formed largely of unknown actors. The young cast do a fantastic job, and it's shocking that the studio took a million dollars away from the Phillipou's budget on their insistence on casting Wilde in the lead role once you see just how nuanced and incredibly well delivered her performance is. The film has some shocking visual moments and some scares, but for the most part it relies on the main cast to convey everything and to draw the audience into the story, and each one of them steps up wonderfully. I love the way that Mia and Riley have this sibling love between them, it was great to see how Hayley is largely putting on a front and how they change when things go bad, and Miranda Otto delivers some heart breaking moments. 

Alongside the film the new release is perfect for those who were enamoured with the film and want to learn more. This was me the first time I saw the film, and I literally said to one of my partners that I'd love to listen to commentaries on the film, to see interviews with the creators, and to learn more about this world that was created so wonderfully; and this new release gave me exactly what I wanted. There are two audio commentaries on the disc, one with the directors who go into a lot of detail on the genesis of the film as well as the way it was made, and the other featuring writers and horror fans Emma Westwood and Sally Christie, who cover more of the cultural impact of the film from an outside perspective.

There are also extensive special features, including a sit down interview with the Philippou's that racks up close to an hour that goes into the film and how it was made in great detail that was incredibly entertaining and informative. There are also new interviews with the films producer Samantha Jennings, cinematographer Aaron McLisky, and previously released cast and crew interviews. There's also a short video essay on Talk to Me and it's themes by Kat Ellinger, deleted scenes, and some archival behind the scenes features.

I came to this release having already watched and enjoyed the film but wanting to know more about it, and everything that Second Sight has added to this release did that for me in huge amounts. I loved listening to the Philippou's talking about their filmmaking with such incredible passion, and it made me appreciate the film even more. Talk to Me feels like one of those sleeper hits, one that is only going to be more and more beloved as the years go by, and I'm sure that his new release is going to make many new fans. 

Talk to Me is out now on 4K UHD and Blu-ray from Second Sight Entertainment. 

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Yan: Vol 1 by Cheng Sheng - Blog Tour

 

'Winner of the Golden Comics Awards and a standout of Taiwan’s rising comics scene, Yan Vol. 1 is a haunting, genre-bending journey from master storyteller Chang Sheng—creator of Oldman and The Hidden Level. In this stunning first volume, the echoes of Peking Opera performances 30 years past linger in the shadows of a story that begins in tradition and spirals toward a dark, speculative future. The tale unfolds across eras—starting with a tragedy in the richly detailed world of late 20th-century Taiwan, stepping into the present day, and glimmering with the foreboding rise of a dystopian tomorrow. 

'Declared dead in prison records, Yan Tieh-Hua mysteriously returns to Taipei, reigniting the investigation into a decades-old massacre—her own family’s. As she carves a bloody path toward vengeance, Detective Lei is drawn into a chilling spiral of cold cases, supernatural events, and impossible truths. Alongside Yan is Higa Mirai, a young Go prodigy with the uncanny gift of precognition, adding eerie weight to every move made. With sharp moral tension, brutal action, and a uniquely Taiwanese swagger, Yan is more than a mere quest for revenge—it’s a vision of justice that questions what lies beneath our choices, and what might come after humanity loses control.'

The very first thing that anyone is going to notice about Yan is that it's not your average manga book. I was surprised when I was sent my copy that the package it arrived in was so big, until I opened it and saw why. Yan is twice the size of a regular manga release, with physical dimensions more in line with western graphic novels. Picking up a manga that was this size felt almost jarring, it made the book feel like it was something a little bit special; which along with the brightly coloured yet elegantly presented cover, made the book feel different before I'd even opened it. Upon opening it, however, I became even more impressed, as the size of the book makes the artwork inside Yan hit different. This is not a small story, it has huge scope and big ideas, and the presentation makes the artwork inside feel bigger than life, and almost cinematic.

Yan opens with a bold introduction, one that's so surreal and disorienting that it can't help but to draw you in. A woman wearing Peking Opera clothing and make-up is performing a live stream in a run down building, acting out a scene from a play. However, it soon becomes apparent that there's more to this than some simple viral internet stunt, as we see that she has a man tied to a chair. When the scene is over, the woman pulls out a gun, and executes the man live on the internet. She then identifies herself as Yan Tieh-Hua, before the scene cuts to a close. The opening is so strange, and so shocking that you have to know more, that you need to know who this woman is any why she just murdered a man. Unfortunately, these answers are far from simple.

From here the book jumps backwards in time 30 years, where we see a teenage Yan Tieh-Hua performing the same scene in her family's opera company, acting alongside her mother this time. Unfortunately, the play goes a little off the rails, Yan and her mother fight (physically), and the entire set falls down. It's a disaster, and it results in Yan being grounded and unable to spend time with her friends outside of school. On her way home one day soon after, Yan gets a strange feeling that something isn't right, and races home to find her entire family has been brutally murdered. Stranger still, we then see through news reports, that Yan admitted to the killings, and is sent to a secure facility; one that in the present is a pile of rubble.

The facility, and everyone inside, were destroyed, yet Yan Tieh-Hua is walking the streets, alive and well, and younger than she should be. Thus begins a mystery that will see a retired cop coming back onto the force to try and find answers, a mysterious girl who can see into the future, an ancestral spirit who can possess origami, a secret military conspiracy, time travel, and Yan on a super powered mission for revenge. Yan is a book that's many things at the same time, it's a science fiction story, a mystery, an action revenge narrative, and a story about trauma all rolled into one. And Cheng Sheng manages to make it all work brilliantly.

One of the books main strengths is that Sheng draws you into the expansive narrative very slowly, giving you the extra pieces of the puzzle at an almost leisurely pace. At first it feels like a standard revenge story, where we're following Yan as she tries to find out who killed her family. Then we see that she's talking to a possessed piece of folded paper. It's a little surprising, but you just go with it. Then she's jumping from building to building and fighting soldiers like she's in The Matrix and you just accept it because it's cool. But then you realise that now there's someone who can see the future, there are giant mecha robots, and some mysterious person/robot who seems to be travelling through time. By the time you realise just how fantastical the book has gotten you're already committed to the story and those who have come to the series expecting a realistic revenge story will be on board for all of the wonderful madness Sheng has given us.

The art also helps with this. I mentioned before how the book feels almost cinematic, and there are multiple pages without dialogue, where we get given huge half page panels showing the city at night, or of soldiers charging out of a troop transport, or even at times artwork that stretches across both pages. You can't help but stop reading and just stare at these pages, almost in awe that Sheng is presenting such a detailed, gorgeous story that feels like it needs the larger page size to really show off just how good it is. I don't think every manga would benefit from being this size, but Yan definitely does. It makes it feel grand in a way that suits the story that's being told. 

By the time I reached the end of the first volume I literally swore out loud because it was ending. Not only does the book end in such a place that it makes you really want to keep reading, but I was sad that the experience itself was over. I wanted to keep looking at Sheng's artwork, I wanted to gaze at each page and lose myself in it. 

I've gone through Yan multiple times, most of them not even engaging with the story, but just staring at the art and soaking up the vibes that Sheng was creating. I think that Yan is going to be one of those series that as soon as I see the next volume is out I'm going to be grabbing it without even needing to consider it. Yan is a unique, beautiful, and awe inspiring book that more people need to discover.

Yan: Vol 1 is on sale now from Titan Comics.

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The Nice Guys - 4K UHD and Blu-ray Review

 

It's been almost a decade since The Nice Guys first hit screens, teaming up the unlikely duo of Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling as mismatched private investigators on a deadly case in 1970's LA. I'm not sure why, but the release of this new 4K UHD release was the first time that I'd heard of the film, it having managed to slip under my radar since it's release. Despite this, the trailer looked great, it had people OI enjoy watching in the lead roles, and it was from a director whose work I've liked, so I decided to give it a chance; and boy was I glad I did. And if you're like me, and have never seen The Nice Guys this release gives you the perfect excuse to do so.

The Nice Guys follows shady private investigator Holland March (Ryan Gosling), a recently widowed single father who takes crappy cases from retired clients that doesn't require much effort on his part. When he's hired by a woman who claims to have seen her dead niece, the porn actress Misty Mountains (Murielle Telio) alive days after her death it puts in on the trail of a young woman named Amelia (Margaret Qualley). At the same time, thug for hire Jackson Healy (Russell Crowe), gets hired by Amelia to get 'some creep' off her tail; a job that leads to Healy beating up March. 

Thinking that the job's done, Healy is surprised when armed criminals come after him wanting to know where Amelia is. Realising that there's more going on than there first appears, and knowing he doesn't have the skills to track Amelia down on his own, Healy hires March to help him get to the bottom of things. Now the two mismatched investigators are plunged into a world of pornography, corruption, and murder as they try to find Amelia before she becomes the latest victim in a mounting conspiracy.

The Nice Guys sets out its tone pretty early on, with an opening scene that draws you in but leaves you feeling baffled as a kid steals his fathers porno mag to ogle at photos of Misty Mountains, moments before her car ploughs through their house and she's left dying on the ground, naked, and posed the exact way she was in the magazine with cryptic dying words of 'how do you like my car, big boy?'. The film instantly mixes together bizarre comedy and dark mystery; something the film will manage to balance throughout its runtime as you find yourself trying to figure out answers one moment, and laughing out loud the next.

The casting of the lead actors goes a long way to making this tone work well. Crowe is the straight man of the two, with a role that's much more serious than Gosling; though that doesn't mean Crowe doesn't get to crack out some of the best comedy of the film. He brings a grittiness to the film that stems from his world weary air and sense of a man ground down to almost nothing. Gosling's March is similar in a lot of regards, he's a man recently widowed, trying to figure out a way to balance the need to raise his daughter with his desire to drown his sorrows. However, compared to Healy he comes across a lighter, more playful, largely thanks to his daughter Holly (Angourie Rice) and the dysfunctional by delightful relationship they have.

Angourie Rice is perhaps the most surprising member of the main cast, and in one of the best decisions of the filmmakers, the most competent detective of the three of them. Barely in her teens, March tries desperately to keep Holly away from the world in which he works, but thanks to her refusal to be shut out, she becomes embroiled in the case. Which is kind of a good thing as she manages to find leads, make connections, and even saves the day more than once. The injection of the kid sidekick into the buddy cop formula could have been a disastrous decision, but luckily Shane Black is a deft hand at it (he did give us Riggs and Murtaugh after all), that it instead becomes the missing piece to the dynamic that makes The Nice Guys a stand out of the genre.

The film's supporting cast all do a wonderful job at keeping the film feeling fresh an interesting, whether it's the terrifying villain John Boy (Matt Bomer), Amelia, her mother, the criminal after them (one of which is played by the always perfect Keith David), or the kid on his bike that's one of the best random sources of information I think I've seen in a film with a brilliantly delivered performance that makes his minute of screentime one I'll remember for years. 

The Nice Guys is both a wonderful deconstruction of the detective buddy cop story and a love letter to it. The choice to set the film in the 1970's, a decision that came after a number of attempts to make the story work in the modern day, feels like the perfect choice, making the movie into a timeless piece of throwback fiction that can send up the era it's set in in such a way that the movie feels like it'll never become dated. 

Shane Black has had a lot of hits in his career, but I've also found some of his newer work to have been a little disappointing. Having not enjoyed Iron Man 3 as much as most people did, and having loathed The Predator (the film had nightmare studio interference to be fair), I had begun to think that perhaps Black had lost his touch a little. However, The Nice Guys, which came out between the other two, reminds me why I love some of his other work, and why if given the right material certain directors can deliver magic.

The Second Sight release comes packed with extras that makes this edition stand out. Alongside brand new artwork the limited edition comes with some other extra physical pieces, including some gorgeous character art cards, and a book filled with essays on the film. On the disc there's the expected audio commentary, with Shane Black and co-writer Anthony Bagarozzi. Unlike most commentary tracks, however, this one includes moderator and The Nice Guys fan Priscilla Page. This is the first time that I'd heard a commentary structured this way, and it was a great choice. You get the usual effect of the crew reminiscing about the film and enjoying watching it again, but there's also someone there with a lot of knowledge and researched points to keep things flowing and to keep the conversation fresh. I honestly hope to see more like this in the future.

Alongside this, there's also new interviews with Shane Black, Producer Ethan Erwin, and Director of Photography Philippe Rousselot. There are also archival interviews with cast and crew, a new video essay on the film and Shane Black by Leigh Singer, a making of feature, and trailers. As susual, Second Sight seem to have gone out of their way to include as many older pieces as possible, but have also tried to give long time fans some new extra features to make this release worth taking a look at.

Having missed The Nice Guys when it was first released I am so glad that I was able to discover it now; though I am annoyed that I missed out on having this film in my life for a long time already. Perhaps it's been too long for a sequel to this, but if the film continues to find new fans and its audience grows maybe we'll get lucky enough that this can be the start of something that will be as fondly remembered as other iconic buddy cop movies. Even if that doesn't happen, The Nice Guys, remains a brilliant piece of movie history.

The Nice Guys 4K UHD Limited Edition and Blu-ray Standard Edition is released on 16th June 2025 courtesy of Second Sight 

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Missing Trans Woman Jax Gratton Found Dead

 

34-year-old transgender woman Jax Gratton, who has been missing for the last two months, was found dead in Denver, Colorado on 6th June.

Jax, who was a hairdresser was last seen alive leaving her apartment on the night of the 15th April, according to a social media post from her mother, Cherilynne Gratton-Camis. Despite a search for her, and urges from the public for help, Jax wasn't found until last Friday. Lakewood police announced that a body was discovered in an alley in the 9600 block of West Colfax Avenue around 5pm. They officially confirmed that it was Jax the following day, after an investigation by the coroner. Jax's cause of death has yet to be announced, though it was revealed that she was in 'advance stages of decomposition'.

Jax's mother, Cherilynne, posted on Saturday that Jax had been found, and had died. 'With a broken heart, I share the news that our beloved Jax Gratton has been found — and she is no longer with us. There are no words strong enough for the grief we are feeling. The light she carried, the love she gave so freely, and the joy she brought into our lives have been taken from this world far too soon,” she wrote above a picture of a mural of Jax.

'I want to thank everyone — near and far — who has shown up for us. Everyone who shared her story. Everyone who shared her face. Everyone who sent out a prayer, a hope, a kind thought. Everyone who hit the ground running and hasn’t stopped. This has opened my eyes in ways I can’t ignore. It’s not just about Jax — it’s about all of you in the LGBTQIA+ community who face the world every day with courage, just wanting to live, love, and exist safely and equally. That should never be a fight. And yet it is.

'Jax Gratton was a light — I know that. She lit up so many lives just by being herself. Unapologetically. Fiercely. Fully. I see her in every act of love and strength you’ve shown, and I wish peace, love, and protection for all of you.'

On Monday afternoon a gathering of friends, family, and the LGBTQIA+ community gathered outside the City and County of Denver Building to remember Jax and celebrate her life. Having been an active member in the local community, many friends and colleagues of Jax were in attendance, including community group leaders and fellow hairdressers from her workplace. 

People who knew Jax personally spoke about her life and the impact that she had upon theirs, as well as making calls to take further action against the rising transphobic sentiment and to fight for the transgender community. Z. Williams, who knew Jax through their activism, said 'That's the power of a personality like that, bringing people in to finding their voice.'

Jax's father, Mike Mastro, was in attendance and spoke to the gathered friends and supporters through a proxy speaker. He shared memories and stories of his daughter, including the time he got her to admit that she skipped out on school to go to Six Flags amusement park. 'I couldn’t even be mad at her for it. That’s who Jax was. She would rather tell the truth and get in trouble than to lie about it. A parent should never have to lose a child.'

Paul Salas, a friend of Jax's, said 'She was so many things to so many of us — a daughter, sister, friend, stylist, teacher, activist, beloved community member and so much more. To say that she will be missed doesn’t even touch the surface of the feeling of loss we are all having.'

Jax's mother has said 'My fear is that somebody killer her', when talking to People and the family has set up a GoFundMe to try to raise funds to commission an autopsy report to find further answers as to why Jax has died, and if possible find anyone who may be responsible. 

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Nick Frost Tries to Justify Working with JK Rowling Despite her Anti-Trans Views

 

Actor Nick Frost, who first rose to fame whilst working alongside his long time friends and collaborators Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright on the cult comedy series Spaced, has recently received criticism from members of the LGBTQIA+ community and its allies after it was announced that he would be playing the role of Rubeus Hagrid in the new HBO adaptation of the children's book series Harry Potter.

The source of this criticism came from the fact that the books author, JK Rowling, who sometimes works under the name Robert Galbraith (seemingly named after Robert Galbraith Hearth, a man who pioneered the torture practice of conversion therapy on queer people), seems to have dedicated herself to combating the rights and freedoms of the transgender community. 

Rowling's history of anti-trans views is a long one, mainly beginning with her 'accidentally' liking a transphobic tweet by a notable 'gender critical', and has culminated in her creating a fund to pay for court cases against trans people and their rights, her entire social media presence being dedicated towards attacking members of the trans community, and her celebrating the loss of trans rights on her super yacht like a terrible Bond villain. 

JK Rowling has become so notable as the 'face of transphobia' that anti-trans campaigners have waved banners with her name on it, worn masks of her face, and quoted her words when attacking the trans community. This has resulted in vocal opposition to her, with many former fans refusing to have anything to do with the Harry Potter fandom. As such, many people found Frost's willingness to work on this new project to be a misguided move at best, and an outright slap in the face of the queer community at worse.

Speaking to The Observer, Frost has tried to defend his decision to work on the show. Speaking about Rowling and her views on trans people he said 'She’s allowed her opinion and I’m allowed mine, they just don’t align in any way, shape or form'. Frost says this like Rowling's views happen in a vacuum, and that they can easily not align with his own with no real affect, reducing her disdain for trans people to being akin to disagreeing on a sports team or favourite film. 

JK Rowling celebrating the UK Supreme Court ruling on her super yacht

In reality, Rowling's huge wealth and fanbase has given her opinions huge weight, to the point where she has been quoted in anti-trans actions across the world. He also seems to be ignoring the fact that by working on this series, a series that will directly give money to Rowling thanks to her involvement, he is helping to fund her actions. Rowling's newly created 'Women's Fund' pledges to give money to court action against trans individuals, and broader trans rights; something she has already done when she donated £70,000 to the For Women Scotland case that resulted in a rollback in trans rights across the UK.

Frost seems to know that Rowling is something of a contentious subject though, as when he announced his role as Hagrid on his Instagram account he turned comments off, seemingly aware that his choice to be involved with Rowling would be divisive at best, if not outright damaging to his image. Speaking further on the matter he said 'But maybe it shouldn’t blow over? We shouldn’t just hope it will go away, because it makes it easier. Maybe we should educate ourselves'.

Perhaps I could suggest then, Nick, that you educate yourself on the mountain of things that Rowling has said against the transgender community. The times that she has shared lies and disinformation of trans rights, healthcare, and actions. The times she has misgendered or deadnamed individual trans people. The times she engaged in Holocaust denialism to try and score a point against the trans community. The times that she has celebrated the indignities, reduction in rights, and attacks on the trans community. Perhaps you could actually learn a little something about the woman you're agreeing to work with, the person who will profit off your work, and whose profit will go towards further attacks against a minority community. Perhaps don't be a coward, engage with people whose lives are being made worse by Rowling, and made a moral stance on the matter.

Any adult choosing to work on the new Harry Potter series has no excuse for doing to. It's not hard to learn about Rowling and her actions, to see the demonstrable damage she's causing to a minority group. Call these people out, try to educate them, try to convince them to think better of their decision; but leave the child cast alone. These children should be left in peace, but folks like Nick Frost, Katherine Parkinson, Bertie Carvel, John Lithgow, Paul Whitehouse, Paapa Essiedu, and Janet McTeer absolutely need to be called out.

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Actor Jonathan Joss Murdered in Homophobic Attack

 

Jonathan Joss, an actor best known for his roles in Parks and Rec, and as the voice of John Redcorn in King of the Hill, was murdered in a homophobic hate crime outside his destroyed home in San Antonio, Texas, yesterday.

Tristan Kern de Gonzales, Joss's husband, has released a statement saying that the attack which resulted in Joss being shot and killed by a neighbour, was part of a long running series of incidents spurred on by homophobia, and that Joss was targeted because he was gay.

'My husband Jonathan Joss and I were involved in a shooting while checking the mail at the site of our former home. That home was burned down after two years of threats from people in the area who repeatedly told us they would set it on fire. We reported these threats to law enforcement multiple times and nothing was done.' The statement read.

'Throughout that time we were harassed regularly by individuals who made it clear they did not accept our relationship. Much of the harassment was openly homophobic.

'When we returned to the sire to check our mail we discovered the skull of one of our dogs and its harness placed in clear view. This caused both of us severe emotional distress. We began yelling and crying in response to the pain of what we saw.

'While we were doing this a man approached us. He started yelling violent homophobic slurs at us. he then raised a gun from his lap and fired.

'Jonathan and I had no weapons. We were not threatening anyone. We were grieving. We were standing side by side. When the man fired Jonathan pushed me out of the way. He saved my life.

'Jonathan is my husband. He gave me more love in our time together than most people ever get. We were newlyweds. We picked Valentines Day. We were in the process of looking for a trailer and planning our future. 

'He was murdered by someone who could not stand the sight of two men loving each other.

'I was with him when he passed. I told him how much he was loved.'

Police reported that Joss was found by the side of the road outside his former residence with multiple gunshot wounds. Paramedics attempted to save his life, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

A neighbour of his, Sigfredo Alvarez Ceja, fled the scene in a vehicle, but was apprehended by police soon after. He has been booked for murder, and police say the investigation is ongoing. Despite the statement made by Tristan Kern de Gonzales, the San Antonio police department are claiming that the incident was not a hate crime and that there is 'no evidence to indicate that the Mr. Joss's murder was related to his sexual orientation'.

This was not the first time that Joss and his husband had spoken about the homophobic abuse they had received from their neighbours, and the fire that destroyed their home, whilst not proven to be arson, was possibly a part of this string of vandalism and abuse. The fire at their home, which was built by Joss' father and was his home his entire life, was destroyed a few months prior, and a GoFundMe was set up to help with relocation costs. Joss also lost three of his dogs in the fire. 

It is clear from the long running reports from Joss and his husband that they were targets of abuse, vandalism, and harassment due to them being gay. There were multiple reports online from the two of them about the abuse they had suffered for months leading to this event. The police refuse to take this into account, to take the context of the shooting and the fact that the man who murdered Joss was yelling homophobic abuse, into account. They are refusing to class this clear incident of homophobia as a hate crime. So if a long running series of incidents, culminating in someone being murdered whilst their killer yells homophobic abuse at them doesn't count as a hate crime what does? The San Antonio police department are making it clear in their reaction to this incident that nothing will, and that they don't care about the LGBTQIA+ community in their area.

Multiple news and media outlets are also failing to label the incident as a hate crime, or as an act of homophobia, simply labelling it as a 'dispute' with a neighbour. Headlines are saying that he was shot, or that he was killed, but it's clear to anyone looking at this that he was murdered, and that the man who murdered him wanted him dead. 

The LGBTQIA+ community are under constant attack, our rights and protections are being eroded, we're being demonised and villainised, our safety is being discounted. Now is not the time to shy away from the correct language. Painting this incident, and others like it, as a simple disagreement gone bad strips it of important context, and takes away blame. It takes the blame away from everyone who has been building this atmosphere of intolerance and hate. Every public figure who has failed to support the queer community, ever lawmaker who has taken away rights, every media outlet who has allowed homophobic and transphobic voices to air their views, they've all helped to make this vicious murder possible, and now they want to ignore why it happened to avoid that blame.

Jonathan Joss was murdered by a man who hated him for being gay, who killed him because he was gay. This was homophobia. This was a hate crime. Saying otherwise is further violence. 

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Quakers Stand by Trans People and Receive Hate for Their Stance

 

Quakers in Britain have come under fire from trans-exclusionary groups, anti-trans campaigners, and bigots for their refusal to abandon the transgender community following the recent escalation of transphobic rhetoric in the UK.

A Christian group that has long been at the forefront of human rights causes, they've had a reputation for doing what is right even against public pressure for hundreds of years, and have stood against the slave trade, refused to participate in wars, pushed for the equality of women, accept the LGBTQ+ community and equal marriage, and fought for prison reform to name just a few of their better known positions. 

During the Quaker's British Yearly Meeting, which took place on 25th May, officials condemned the interim guidance issued by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) on trans people in single sex spaces which was released shortly after a recent UK Supreme Court case about the definition of woman in the Equality Act 2010. The interim guidance put forward that trans people should not only be banned from single sex spaces that best align with their gender identity, but also their sex as assigned at birth, effectively segregating them into their own spaces, or unisex spaces. This guidance has been largely condemned by human rights groups across the world.

The Quakers have said that the EHRC interim guidance 'goes beyond the scope' of the Supreme Court ruling (which it very much does), and have said that they will not abide by it, something that they are not required to do under law as of yet. They said that 'it is non-statutory and therefore does not have the force of law. We see the Equality Act itself as our primary legal guide when making decisions'.

Paul Parker, the recording clerk, said that the interim guidance 'is already contested and subject to legal challenge'. He went on to say that the British Quakers would 'welcome and affirm trans and non-binary people' in their spaces. 'We must respect the dignity of each person to live with integrity, informed by the truth of their lived experience'.

During their meeting a Quaker trustee said that 'The rights and inclusion of people belonging to our communities and using our buildings are not, and should not be, just about toilets. We will continue to work to make our corner of the Commonwealth of Heaven on Earth a more welcoming and accessible place. This is what Love requires of us.'

This is far from the first time that the Quakers have backed LGBTQ+ rights here in the UK, having previously backed same sex marriage, attended numerous Pride events across the country, and having pledged to support trans people in a public statement in 2023.

The Quakers decision not to follow the highly questionable and difficult to enforce guidance, something that they are well within their legal rights to do, has resulted in them receiving criticism from a number of vocal anti-trans voices.

Helen Joyce, the head of the anti-trans group Sex Matters, who has previously said that trans people are 'a huge problem to a sane world' and expressed her desire for 'reducing or keeping down the number of people who transition', waded into the topic. Joyce has said 'Early Quakers were famously supportive of women’s rights – they would surely be shocked and ashamed if they could see the destruction of that proud legacy'. Personally, I would likely side with the group that has fairly consistently backed decent, moral social change over the woman who made comments that sound frighteningly close to a Nazi.

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Download Festival Policing Toilet Use for Portaloo's Following EHRC Trans Guidance

 

Download Festival, the popular rock and metal music festival set to be held at Donnington Park in Leicestershire between the 13th and 15th of June has been on the receiving end of public backlash when it revealed its toilet use policy.

A post on social media containing an email from the event organisers seemed to reveal that following the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) interim guidance on single sex spaces following the UK Supreme Court verdict on the definition of woman under the Equality Act 2010, the event would begin policing the use of single occupancy toilets. The interim guidance from the EHRC was released shortly following the Supreme Court ruling, and amongst other things pushed to have trans people segregated in most spaces.

The email from Download read 'We do understand the concerns resulting from the recent Supreme Court ruling I would like to reassure you that we will continue to aim to provide the same inclusive environment for all our customers at Download as has always been the case.

'We are proud of the reputation the Download community has in terms of diversity, and will always look to promote the safety and comfort of all festival attendees including transgender and non-binary customers.

'We will be following the interim guidance issued by the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) on 25 April 2025 here. Their guidance states that 'trans women (biological men) should not be permitted to use the women's facilities and trans men (biological women) should not be permitted to use the men's facilities' and that 'trans people should not be put in a position where there are no facilities for them to use'.

'In line with this, we will therefore ensure that there are sufficient gender-neutral toilet facilities available, so that transgender and non-binary customer have access to facilities they feel comfortable using.'

It should be noted that the EHRC interim guidance is not legal, nor compulsory, and that Download made an active choice to follow this. The guidance has been condemned as exclusionary by the trans community, the public, and human rights bodies from across the world who have compared it to racial segregation. It is also worth noting that despite Download claiming that trans and non-binary people attending 'facilities they feel comfortable using' they are, according to the email, excluding them from spaces they feel comfortable using, and could be forcing trans people into spaces they're not. Download did not, however, outline how they will be enforcing these regulations at the event, whether they would have security stationed at the toilets checking ID's, whether judgements on who is allowed in particular spaces would be made on how people are perceived to present, or if physical checks would be involved.

Following the email Download attracted swift criticism online, including from a number of performers at the festival. Noahfinnce, a trans artist, posted on Twitter saying 'Hey @DownloadFest what the fuck are you doing. How have you go the gall to invite trans people like me to play your festival and then ban them from using the toilets? If the only way we can piss is by outing ourselves then you've created an unsafe environment. I had a great time playing last year but will not be attending again if I have to queue up for the ladies’ and my trans sisters have to risk outing themselves in the men’s. All this does is put trans people in danger'

Following Noahfinnce's Tweet a number of other acts from the festival added their voices, sharing his initial post with their own support. Pinkshift said 'what fucking music festival polices gendered bathrooms? crazy, unsafe, disrespectful, dangerous, and a slap in the face to all the queer and trans artists and fans who bring their creativity and innovation to the alternative music space every day @DownloadFest'. 

Witch Fever were quoted as saying the toilet policy was 'a complete fuckin' tragedy' by NME, which resulted in Witch Fever resharing this with 'I said what I said' accompanied by a trans flag emoji, and 'And to be clear - apparently the festival will also be providing gender neutral toilets which is good, but to enforce rules on what person can use what toilet based on their biological sex over their gender identity is not championing inclusivity and diversity'.

In the days following the news breaking Download has been harshly condemned by members of the public, with there having been dozens of posts across social media condemning their decision, and with people expressing their desire to either no longer attend until the policy is changed, ot that the change has left them feeling unsafe and uncomfortable.

Download have now clarified their statement following the backlash. Download's new statement reads as 'At the heart of Download is acceptance – we stand with all members of our community and want everyone to feel safe, supported and welcome at the festival,” the statement reads.

'We want to reassure all of our customers that at Download, the majority of toilets will be gender neutral and available to all. There will also be single sex toilets provided. Download Festival has always been and remains for everyone.

'We sincerely apologise that a previous communication on this was not clear. We are looking forward to seeing you at Download this year.'

According to a follow-up tweet from Noahfinnce, Download told him that the person who initially sent out the email that sparked the entire incident 'should NEVER have used that wording'.

What is perhaps interesting in their responses, both to Noahfinnce and in their public statement, is that they have said that the 'wording' shouldn't have been used, and that the majority of their toilets would be gender neutral. They have not, however, said that they wouldn't be preventing trans people from using the correct facilities. Nowhere in their statement do they say they are not following the EHRC interim guidance, or that they would not be policing toilet use.

It would appear that Download have tried to walk back the backlash to their stance, yet have not changed it. They have apologised that their wording wasn't the best, but not that they're enacting trans exclusionary policies and segregation. Don't be fooled by what they've said today, Download are still enacting transphobic and dangerous practices, and none of us should be okay with that,

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Marvel Studios' The Infinity Saga - Captain America: Civil War: The Art of the Movie - Book Review

 

'Picking up where the blockbuster hit Avengers: Age of Ultron left off, Captain America: Civil War sees Steve Rogers leading the new team of Avengers in their continued efforts to safeguard humanity. Filled with exclusive concept art, production stills, and commentary from cast and crew, this book is a prize for any fan.

'Here is everything you need to know about the making of the movie from all the key players—including returning directors Anthony and Joe Russo, and producer Kevin Feige, along with all the talented special-effects gurus, concept illustrators, visual-effects designers, and storyboard artists who worked on the set and behind the scenes to create the art of Captain America: Civil War.'

Civil War was a divisive event at Marvel Comics. It was a headline, universe spanning initiative that appeared in most of the books being published, and even derailed a lot of stories, changing the way characters interacted with the world and the projection of their planned stories. Add onto that, there were fans who felt that certain characters were handled poorly, or had their personalities and character changed to fit with the plot that they barely felt like who they were supposed to be. As such, when it was announced that the MCU would be doing their own version of the story there were many fans, myself included, who saw this as an attempt to right some of those wrongs, and to craft a much better version than the source material. 

The MCU benefitted from having a smaller world, and a smaller pool of characters to draw from, and as such were able to create a much tighter story. It also helped that they pushed the Registration Act/the Sokovia Accords to the side and made a more personal story the key reason for its two leads, Captain America and Iron-Man, come into conflict. Titan Book's latest entry in the Marvel Studio's Infinity Saga art book series goes into the making of the movie, showing readers how this iconic story was adapted to the big screen. 

As with previous releases, this one breaks things down into nicely sized chapters that take readers through the film in chronological order after a brief introduction that discusses the comic inspiration for the film. The first chapter is 'Showdown in Lagos' and deals with the opening sequence of the film, as well as some costume changes for some of our returning heroes. Beginning with the titular hero, we get some designs for the new Captain America costume, alongside an abandoned concept of a more undercover look that honestly fits the secret agent vibe that Cap has at times that would have been pretty cool to see on the screen.

This chapter also shows off the new looks for the other new Avengers members teased at the end of Avengers: Age of Ultron, giving us new looks for Falcon that want to try to be as realistic as possible but also convey some of his comic book roots, and the small tweaks to Black Widow, whose design had mostly been fairly unchanging since her introduction in Ironman 2. The character who seems to have gone through the most design changes since their last appearance, however, is Scarlet Witch, whose new costume as seen at the end of Avengers: Age of Ultron gets abandoned for a more realistic outfit. It's a shame to hear that the Russo brothers wanted to scale back her look and make it more 'grounded' as out of the returning cast she seems to be the one who lost out the most; and even the few rejected designs here that feature her headband look much better than what we got on screen.

©2025 MARVEL

We also get several pages dedicated to the Crossbones, the new villainous identity for a supporting character from the previous Captain America film. It's interesting to see how the film toyed with giving him a more grounded design, with the white cross that's painted on his chest almost being made with straps and suit components. I like that the film went with the look they did, as it's the much better design, though some of the helmets in the concept art push the skull motif more than what we ended up with, and had a much creepier result. The chapter rounds out with several pages of concept art for the fight that happens in Laos, designs for the lab equipment, and the tragic final moments.

The second chapter is 'The Sokovia Accords', and deals with some of the more mundane designs in the book, focusing on the Avengers compound. Despite being home to a group of fantastical people, their facility is fairly normal, and we get artwork showing us the look of their conference room, offices, and kitchen. There's a two page spread that shows some costume designs for Vision's civilian attire that remind you that it's about super heroes, but for the most part it's one of the most grounded chapters in the book, and whilst interesting will likely be the section most people revisit the least.

Much more interesting in comparison is chapter three, 'Cat and Mouse', which deals with two of the more important supporting characters, Bucky Barnes, and the newly introduced Black Panther. Both of them get several pages given over to their new designs, with the main focus on Bucky being his civilian attire, making sure that he's able to blend in, but able to quickly stand out with the removal of his left sleeve. It's interesting to see how much work actually goes into making 'man with a metal arm' works, as there's definitely a few ways of doing that that end up looking a bit less serious than it should. There's much more attention given over to the look of Black Panther, who was newly added to the MCU with this film, I was hoping that we'd get more designs for him, perhaps ones that showed off some of his more unusual looks from the comics, but it seems that the film had a pretty clear idea of the kind of look they wanted for him, and focused instead on how to make his suit feel real, rather than the look of the suit itself.

Most of the third chapter is given over to the extensive chase sequence that takes place in this part of the film, going from an apartment building to rooftops, and then to a vehicle chase. The sequence gets broken down into a lot of detail here, and the book shows off a number of storyboards that showcase how each moment has to be carefully planned out and crafted, even down to the angle of the shot. Whilst interesting in its own right, when read in conjunction with watching the scene it becomes a lot more interesting as you're able to see just how the art was translated onto the screen, able to follow the moments along and comparing the two pieces.

The fourth chapter, 'Mind Games', is similar to the second in that it deals more with environmental design, this time covering the facility where a captured Bucky and Captain America are taken to following their daring escape attempt. More interesting than the Avengers compound, this chapter at least goes into more detail as it shows off designs for the cell that holds Bucky, the machines used to try to subdue his enhanced body, and a storyboard of Hawkeye fighting Vision to break Scarlet Witch out of custody which was much bigger and more intricate in the initial plans.

The fifth chapter is probably the one most people reading the book will be eager to get to, 'Civil War'. The chapter opens by rounding out the character designs for those who've not yet had it, including Ant-Man and Hawkeye. Little gets changed for most of the characters, though there are a few designs for Hawkeye that draw more heavily from his Ultimates look that feel a bit like a misstep, so I'm glad we didn't end up going that route. After these character pages, we get a couple dozen pages of gorgeous two page spreads showcasing various artists concepts for the airport fight.

©2025 MARVEL

It's interesting to see these segments as they show off that early stages of the script hadn't finalised which size heroes would be on, so there are some match-up's here that never make it to the final movie, such as Ant-Man fighting Hawkeye, Captain America fighting Ant-Man, and Vision fighting Ironman. Whilst the content of the images don't always line up with the final movie the feel of them certainly does, and it feels like the art team were having a lot of fun coming up with concepts for the iconic battle. This is also the only chapter to feature any art of Spider-Man, with him appearing on about five images fighting other characters. I understand that there are certain rights issues surrounding the character that likely lead to him only being able to be used sparingly here, but it's a shame that we didn't get better looks at costume designs as we did the others. 

Chapter six, 'Original Sins', takes us to the final stages of the film, and includes designs for the super soldier facility, as well as the clearest looks at the group of super soldiers that we have; certainly more than we see in the final film. It's nice to see more details like this, as this part of the film felt a little light on details when it actually came to watching it, so seeing how the place worked and what the super soldiers were like here certainly feels like it fills in a number of gaps for me. The latter half of the chapter focuses on the fight between Cap, Bucky, and Ironman, and much like the airport fight art, seems to be concerned more with finding the right kind of tone and style for the scene, rather than necessarily trying to depict moments that would end up in the final product. 

The final chapter deals with the marketing for the film, and there are some interesting looks at how the artwork for the films advertisement gets broken down and crafted stage by stage.

As with other releases in the series there are things that I really loved about this book, such as seeing the various costume designs, and artwork that shows us the way the team tried to craft a tone rather than detail. However, there are moments that are a little less exciting to read, such as seeing how the Avengers kitchen were designed. I've notices with this series that the titles that deal with the more grounded movies will have these ups and downs as they have to convey both the normality of this universe, as well as the fantastical qualities; and whilst this might not be to everyone's tastes it certainly doesn't detract from the overall quality of the book.

For those who are collecting this series this marks a fantastic addition to the collection, and for those who haven't picked one of these books up before but are tempted by this one I think that there's certainly enough here to grab your attention and make you interested in reading more.

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Scottish Police Arrest Trans Children During Protest For Their Rights

 

The UK action network Trans Kids Deserve Better staged a sit-in at the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) in London and Glasgow on Monday 26th May, with police arresting a number of people, including children, at the Glasgow event.

Trans Kids Deserve Better, are a group that campaign for the rights, freedoms, and protections for trans children across the UK, and have created a number of high profile protests in the past that usually involve their members erecting large banners on the outside of buildings, and their members scaling those structures. The members planned a peaceful protest at the EHRC in response to the Commission's recent attempts at issuing transphobic guidance.

Following the UK Supreme Court ruling on woman in the Equality Act 2010 referring to 'biological women', the EHRC quickly put of interim guidance that attempted to encourage organisations and bodies across the UK to exclude transgender people from single sex spaces, and have even gone on to encourage the full segregation of trans people by barring them from any gendered spaces.

Protestors arrive at the building in Glasgow's West George Street at around 10:30am, where they scaled the front of the building to erect a banner that read 'End segregation, trans liberation', whilst a small number of protestors stood on a small balcony. More supporters were assembled in the street below them. 

Police began to arrive on the scene shortly after, and tried to get the three protestors to leave the balcony. When they refused, several officers entered the building carrying equipment, including a crowbar. At around 12pm officers appeared in the windows behind the protestors, where they struggled to open the windows for a short while. 

Three young trans people on the EHRC office balcony.

When police were eventually able to open the windows two police women attempted to talk the protestors down, but the trans children refused to make eye contact with the women. After this, three male officers came onto the balcony and forced the trio inside the building. Fifteen minutes later two of the three children were lead from the building in handcuffs, and were ushered into the back of a waiting police van.

It was at this point that the supporters began to try to prevent the van from leaving, crowding around in front of it, trying to block off the roadway, and one person even crawled under the vehicle. The crowd could be heard loudly booing, and chanting 'let them go'. Never a group to miss an opportunity to engage in violence, police then swarmed the crowd, pushing people to the ground and shoving them out of the way of the vehicle. One man was violently pinned to the ground by two officers and then handcuffed. A second was held up against a police vehicle and was also handcuffed. 

It is unclear what happened to the third child that was arrested and did not exit the building with the other two, though it is likely that they were removed from the building via another exit. 

It was later confirmed by police that six people had been arrested at the protest, five of them as part of the protest, with a sixth having been arrested for assault. At least two of those related were teens, with one ages 18, and the other 17-years-old. The police have reported that no injuries happened during the incident, despite video of them manhandling members of the public. 

After the incident Trans Kids Deserve Better released a statement saying that this was a 'direct response to the EHRC’s statements which seek to further alienate trans people from groups or spaces that they would have otherwise have been allowed to exist in.

'They’re showing the EHRC that they won’t let their guidance dictate where they’re allowed to exist, in a very literal sense. The young activists are determined to get their rage, anger and sorrow out and this action is the way to do it.' They continued. 'Trans kids deserve to have a right to education without worry of being segregated because of their identity, so change that, go to the protest and be vocal about your anger because Trans Kids Deserve Better.'

One of the protestors on the street, identified as Moat by the Socialist Worker, said 'Police arrived and immediately tried to cordon off the building. They then went inside and violently dragged the protesters who were occupying the offices from the balcony. After they threw the protesters in the van, another two people tried to intervene. 

'One person tried to get under the van where those arrested were being detained. To stop them taking them away. It was so brutal. A girl beside me got punched in the chest and then pushed on to her face.' He continued. 'I was there to support the action. I wanted to show my support for Trans Kids Deserve Better. What they were doing was peaceful. The way the police were treating people was terrible.' This statement from Moat seems to offer a different version of events to those reported by police, who claimed that no one was injured.

Supporters gathered outside of the Govan police station following the arrests, showing their support for those detained by the police. Jess, a trans woman present outside the station said 'The number of people here keeps growing. People are not in a hurry to leave. We will stay here until those arrested have been released. The police were fishing for a confrontation today. There was a lot of anger and we were demanding that they let the people arrested go.'

A second supporter outside the police station, identified as James, told the press on the scene 'Police have acted shamefully—and this is made even worse by what happened over the weekend. Police on Saturday allowed a far right rally in the city to go on for over 10 hours. They were pushing anti-racist activists back, and protecting the far right and Nazis. When we showed police a picture of someone caught on camera doing a Nazi salute, the policeman’s reply was, ‘I don’t have my glasses with me.’ It’s shocking. They protect fascists and attack trans kids.' James referenced an event in Glasgow on Saturday 24th May, as well as several other Scottish cities, where far right extremists were allowed to march and protest for several hours.

Alex, who was also present outside the station told The National 'A lot of people are thinking that it was police brutality, which is completely understandable. At this time, we're obviously just very angry about what's happened. We think it could have been handled better. We think that if there was a lot more like speaking, asking people to move, the whole situation would have been a lot more respectful if there was a bit more communication there, instead of going in straight to force.'

The Trans Kids Deserve Better protest in London was allowed to continue, and police did not take action in that case.

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