Technology

She Is Conann is a glamorous fever dream about finding beauty in barbarism

Published

2 years ago

March 10, 2024

She Is Conann is a glamorous fever dream about finding beauty in barbarism

Robert E. Howard’s Conan the Barbarian is so deeply rooted in the golden age of cartoonishly hypermasculine pulp fantasy that it’s hard to imagine a bold, feminist take on the character. But Altered Innocence’s new film She Is Conann, from French writer / director Bertrand Mandico, takes the classic Conan myth to new heights with its mind-bending visuals and story of how humanity’s capacity for violence transcends gender.

Set in a shapeshifting world where time and space morph in a chaotic, dream-like way, She Is Conann tells the story of how an unassuming young girl goes on to become a legendary barbarian after her village is ransacked by a band of bloodthirsty marauders. At 15 years old, Conann’s (Claire Duburcq) fate seems all but sealed after her mother is murdered and she’s enslaved by Sanja (Julia Riedler) — a vicious warrior who stalks the land in search of vulnerable targets to hunt for sport. But with nothing but her own life left to lose, Conann chooses to embrace the currency of her world — grotesque barbarism — in order to save herself. In making that decision, she inadvertently sets into motion events that go on to shape the course of human history.

In She Is Conann’s most basic plot beats and its depiction of a nightmarish world where sexualized ultraviolence is the norm, you can see flashes of John Milius’ testosterone-soaked 1982 Conan the Barbarian movie starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. But rather than simply trying to subvert Howard’s hypermasculine creation with a story centering women characters, She Is Conann taps into one of the most fascinating aspects of the original Conan mythos to stunning effect.

Before Conan was a fully realized person, the barbarian was merely the past life of another character featured in “People of the Dark” — Howard’s 1932 short story originally published in Strange Tales of Mystery and Terror about a man discovering the existence of his previous incarnations. She Is Conann takes the idea to the next level by introducing Conann not just as an ordinary singular girl but also as an older woman (Françoise Brion) taking stock of the many lives she led on her way to becoming an icon of war and destruction.

Fifteen-year-old Conann is just one piece of the puzzle, and her terror speaks to how she’s at the very beginning of her epic. But that fear gives way to something more complex and dangerous as Conann meets the demon Rainer (Elina Löwensohn) and her own 25-year-old self (Christa Théret), who must literally murder her past counterpart in order to move forward into their shared future.

Instead of chronicling Conann’s life in a traditionally linear fashion, She Is Conann zeroes in on these pivot moments of self-annihilation / realization as a way of exploring the many different forms that barbarity can take. This is all long-forgotten history to the elder Conann — an ethereal woman wandering the depths of hell in search of her memories. But it’s all new and terrifying to the film’s younger Conanns, who enter the film as representations of specific decades in which the titular barbarian truly established herself as a force to be reckoned with.

Through Anna Le Mouël’s production design, you can see how She Is Conann came into shape as a film after Mandico spent time cultivating ideas for other Conan-focused projects at the Théâtre Nanterre-Amandiers. Especially in its opening act, as the elder Conann’s first finding herself in the underworld, the film feels like an abstract stage play meant to evoke the sense of shock that can come with looking back at the arc of one’s life. The film’s play-like quality makes its brutal, beautiful transitions from one Conann to the next easy enough to understand as a metaphor for the barbarity of destroying one version of yourself to become another.

But while She Is Conann presents the decades of Conann’s life as vignettes, they are each so richly textured that it’s hard to imagine any of them being as powerful without cinematographer Nicolas Eveilleau’s ability to highlight their intricate details. Despite its gory portrayals of disembowelment, She Is Conann is often a shockingly beautiful film defined by an exquisitely high-fashion aesthetic that costume designer Elise Cribier-Delande brilliantly uses to explore the many facets of Conann’s identity.

No two Conanns are exactly alike, but they are all women whose desires — for vengeance, for understanding, for other people — ultimately drive them to be the best at what barbarians do. As She Is Conann hurtles toward its conclusion, Conann herself becomes an increasingly fascinating and macabre figure, but it’s the film’s ideas about what barbarism looks like that are most inspired. Though it might be hard to imagine depictions of murder, cannibalism, and war as poetic things of arresting beauty, that’s the mode She Is Conann exists in, and it’s a sight to behold.

She Is Conann also stars Sandra Parfait, Christophe Bier, Karoline Rose Sun, Holly-Rose Clegg, Yuming Hey, and Anna Raisson. The film is currently scheduled for a limited number of theatrical screenings in various cities across the US, but the film is also available to preorder on DVD and Blu-Ray.

Technology

Rad Power Bikes files for bankruptcy protection

Published

4 hours ago

December 17, 2025

Press Room

Rad Power Bikes files for bankruptcy protection

Rad Power Bikes, the once dominant electric bicycle brand in the US, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection this week as it seeks to sell of its company. The move comes less than a month after Rad Power said it could not afford to recall its older e-bike batteries that had been designated a fire risk by the US Consumer Protection Safety Commission.

The bankruptcy, which was first reported by Bicycle Retailer, was filed in US Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Washington, near the company’s headquarters in Seattle. Rad Power lists its estimated assets at $32.1 million and estimated liabilities at $72.8 million. Its inventory of e-bikes, spare parts, and accessories is listged at $14.2 million, Bicycle Retailer says.

It’s a stunning reversal for the once leading e-bike company in the US. Mike Radenbaugh founded the company in 2015 after several years of selling custom-made e-bikes to customers on the West Coast. Rad Power quickly grew to over 11 distinct models, including the fat-tire RadRover, the long-tail RadWagon, and the versatile RadRunner. Rad Power Bikes raised an approximate total of $329 million across several funding rounds, primarily in 2021, with major investments from firms like Fidelity, Morgan Stanley, and T. Rowe Price.

But in the wake of the post-covid bike boom, things started to go south. There were supply chain disruptions, safety recalls, several rounds of layoffs, and executive turnover. Last month, Rad Power said it was facing “significant financial challenges” that could lead to its imminent closure without a cash infusion.

The CPSC warning apparently was the nail in the coffin. The company’s older batteries could “unexpectedly ignite and explode,” the agency warned, citing 31 fires, including 12 reports of property damage totaling $734,500. There weren’t any injuries, but the company said it couldn’t afford a costly recall.

Rad Power could still live on if its able to find a buyer for its assets and brand. Dutch e-bike make VanMoof was able to find a buyer following its 2023 bankruptcy. And Belgium’s Cowboy is in talks to be acquired by a French holding company of several bike brands. Rad Power will continue to operate as it restructures its debts under court supervision, and in a statement to Bicycle Retailer said it will continue to sell bikes and work with customers and vendors as it moves forward with the process.

Technology

Chrome rolls out AI podcast feature on Android

Published

5 hours ago

December 17, 2025

Press Room

Chrome rolls out AI podcast feature on Android

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

Chrome on Android now offers a fresh way to digest information when your hands are busy or your eyes need a break.

A new update powered by Google Gemini can turn written webpages into short podcast-style summaries. Two virtual hosts chat about the content, making it feel easier to follow during your commute or while you multitask.

This upgrade builds on Chrome’s long-standing read-aloud tool, yet now adds a more natural and lively delivery. It does not work on every website, so some pages will still use the original word-for-word reading. When the AI option appears, though, the audio feels polished and smooth.

Below is how to try it on your Android phone right now.

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Make sure you have the newest Chrome version so the AI podcast feature works. (Cyberguy.com)

Update Chrome before you start

First, make sure Chrome is current in the Play Store by opening the Play Store, searching for Google Chrome and tapping Update if it appears. The AI podcast feature works with version 140.0.7339.124 or newer, so confirm you have at least that version installed. Once you finish the update, open Chrome and pick any webpage with text you want to hear.

Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer.

Open the More menu

Tap the More icon or the three vertical dots in the upper right corner. This reveals a set of options that control how Chrome displays or reads the page.

Select Listen to this page

Choose Listen to this page. You will see a small Generating AI playback banner at the bottom. The processing is fast, so you will not wait long.

Hear the AI hosts discuss the page

Chrome will start a mini podcast with two voices talking through the content. You can tap the playback bar to pause, rewind or jump ahead. The panel stays on screen and follows you as you scroll.

Switch to standard playback when you want

The AI audio keeps going even if you leave the webpage. If you prefer a traditional word-for-word readback, tap the AI playback icon in the lower left and pick Standard Playback.

Chrome begins creating the AI audio as soon as you tap the “Listen to this Page” option. (iStock)

ANDROID EMERGENCY LIVE VIDEO GIVES 911 EYES ON THE SCENE

What this means to you

This feature can make long articles easier to absorb when you are on the move. You get a quick, conversational rundown without having to read a full page. It also helps you revisit information faster since the controls work like any audio player. If you enjoy podcasts, this tool gives you a familiar way to stay informed without draining your attention.

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Kurt’s key takeaways

Chrome’s AI podcast feature brings a new layer of convenience to Android. It saves time, reduces eye strain and turns everyday browsing into a hands-free audio experience. Since it still supports the standard read-aloud mode, you can switch back anytime.

Would you use AI hosts to read your favorite websites, or do you prefer the classic readback style? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

Using the new update powered by Google Gemini, you can change from the AI podcast to a simple word-for-word reading at any time. (“I’ve Had It” YouTube channel)

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Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

Technology

Even Trump’s chief of staff was ‘aghast’ at Elon Musk’s deadly USAID cuts

Published

16 hours ago

December 16, 2025

Press Room

Even Trump’s chief of staff was ‘aghast’ at Elon Musk’s deadly USAID cuts

Wiles says she called Musk on the carpet. “You can’t just lock people out of their offices,” she recalls telling him. At first, Wiles didn’t grasp the effect that slashing USAID programs would have on humanitarian aid. “I didn’t know a lot about the extent of their grant making.” But with immunizations halted in Africa, lives would be lost. Soon she was getting frantic calls from relief agency heads and former government officials with a dire message: Thousands of lives were in the balance.

Wiles continued: “So Marco is on his way to Panama. We call him and say, ‘You’re Senate-confirmed. You’re going to have to be the custodian, essentially, of [USAID].’ ‘Okay,’ he says.” But Musk forged ahead—all throttle, no brake. “Elon’s attitude is you have to get it done fast. If you’re an incrementalist, you just won’t get your rocket to the moon,” Wiles said. “And so with that attitude, you’re going to break some china. But no rational person could think the USAID process was a good one. Nobody.”