sramder

Anyone notice siri no longer recognizes common foreign idoms anymore? Either in TTS or Ask Siri… The only concrete example I have is recognizing “Croque Monsieur” since my love for hot ham sandwiches has spanned the ages… but I feel like there’s something more nefarious at work here.

It feels like used to be able to ask for a info about random foreign words and it would at least trigger a web search for something phonetically similar, which would often get me the translation I was after. But lately* the TTS engine is militantly transforming everything into English. Obviously this is more subtle and open to other interpretations, but for example I just asked her what “hikikomori” were which got interpreted as “Hickam Morty,” with top hits for the show Rick and Morty.

Not sure if I just haven’t noticed the standard disclaimer before or if it’s a new “feature” 😬

Okay, it probably doesn’t really qualify because it’s; new, high-budget, directed by Zac Snyder, etc. But hear me out. This hot mess starts with space-nazis vs space-vikings, takes a turn through Star Wars, Oceans Eleven, space-Rome, and a few tropes that defy easy space-hyphenation.

To say the plot makes almost no sense would be generous. I’m loathed to spoil the greater arc here, but the plot does hinge on a village on the edge of space being forced to harvest grain in order to feed a passing army… there’s probably a Kurosawa reference here somewhere, but good movies just aren’t my jamb so I wouldn’t know ;-)

As I stare at the frozen credits at the end of part two and contemplate my life I have to note that there must actually have been footage cut from this movie (you’ll understand if you watch it) because they credit a Snake Wrangler!

So, if you have 4-5 hours of free time this weekend, a Netflix account you haven’t already cancelled, and are allergic to nice weather, I humbly submit, for your consideration: Rebel Moon parts I & II.

………. (All the periods I probably should have used)