Safari 4: Beats the Speed King

The web browser war is not over yet. Recently released Apple’s Safari 4 Beta becomes the front runner on term of browsing speed. According to a benchmark Safari 4 beats Google Chrome and Mozilla’s developmental Minefield 3.2a1 and the rest of the browsers claiming today’s fastest browser. The benchmark was conducted by CNET UK’s Crave. They use a PC running Windows XP SP2 and a Mac running OSX 10.6. I tried it myself to experience this claim. My PC is running XP SP2. At first you will notice that the interface is familiar and you will think that it looks like Google Chrome. I did not notice the difference of speed among Chrome and Safari 4 Beta. All I can say that it is much faster than Firefox 3 and the sluggish Microsoft IE 7. 

PC running Windows XP SP2

For the full detail of the test click here.

To download Safari 4 click here.

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Super Portable MSI X-Slim Series

MSI X-Slim

 

MSI newly released notebook just arrived. This Apple Mac Air look alike will surely make its own mark in the market. MSI X-Slim Series X320 is a super portable notebook is equipped with latest Intel platform (Intel Atom) and with 13.4” display with optimized 16:9 screen. X320 is very thin with an overall thickness of 1.98cm. The display screen thickness is only 6mm. Due to the thinness of X320 it roughly weights 1.32kg. The default battery is 4 cell but MSI also offer extended battery life last up to 10 hours.

Variants of the MSI X-Slim Series include X340 which is smaller in size and while X600 is will be having a 15.6” display. It will directly compete with Apple’s Mac Air. Prices vary on the specs of the laptop. But X320 is priced $700 - $1,000. If you think that Mac Air costs too much then MSI X-Slim is a better choice.

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Get Ubuntu Installer CD for Free

My fresh Ubuntu 8.10 CD

Want a Linux OS on your system? Then check out Ubuntu OS. Ubuntu is an operating system consisting of free and open source software. This is a great Windows alternative. You can install it on via clean install and the good news it you can install it inside your current Windows OS. You can also try and experience Ubuntu without installation using the CD installer. Ubuntu is a free Linux OS that is available for download but you can also request for a free CD if you have slow internet connection. Requesting a CD is absolutely free you just have to register to Ubuntu.com. You have to choose whether you want the Desktop edition or the Server edition. Shipping will take 4-6 weeks. I received my Ubuntu installer in less than a month. I requested the CD last January 27, 2009 and I receive it today, February 24, 2009.

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81st Academy Awards: And The Winners are...

BEST MOTION PICTURE OF THE YEAR

Winner: Slumdog Millionaire 

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Winner: Sean Penn for Milk 

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

Winner: Kate Winslet for The Reader 

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING

Winner: Danny Boyle for Slumdog Millionaire 

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Winner: Penélope Cruz for Vicky Cristina Barcelona

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Winner: Heath Ledger for The Dark Knight 

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM OF THE YEAR

Winner: Okuribito (Japan)

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC WRITTEN FOR MOTION PICTURES, ORIGINAL SONG

Winner: Slumdog Millionaire - A.R. Rahman, Sampooran Singh Gulzar("Jai Ho")

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC WRITTEN FOR MOTION PICTURES, ORIGINAL SCORE

Winner: Slumdog Millionaire - A.R. Rahman

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN EDITING

Winner: Slumdog Millionaire  - Chris Dickens

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND

Winner: Slumdog Millionaire - Ian Tapp, Richard Pryke, Resul Pookutty

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND EDITING

Winner: The Dark Knight - Richard King

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN VISUAL EFFECTS

Winner: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Eric Barba, Steve Preeg,Burt Dalton, Craig Barron

BEST DOCUMENTARY, SHORT SUBJECTS

Winner: Smile Pinki  - Megan Mylan

BEST DOCUMENTARY, FEATURES

Winner: Man on Wire  - James Marsh, Simon Chinn

BEST SHORT FILM, LIVE ACTION

Winner: Spielzeugland - Jochen Alexander Freydank

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY

Winner: Slumdog Millionaire - Anthony Dod Mantle

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKEUP

Winner: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button  - Greg Cannom

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN COSTUME DESIGN

Winner: The Duchess  - Michael O'Connor

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN ART DIRECTION

Winner: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button  - Donald Graham Burt, Victor J. Zolfo

BEST SHORT FILM, ANIMATED

Winner: Maison en petits cubes, La  - Kunio Katô

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM OF THE YEAR

Winner: WALL·E  - Andrew Stanton

BEST WRITING, SCREENPLAY BASED ON MATERIAL PREVIOUSLY PRODUCED OR PUBLISHED

Winner: Slumdog Millionaire  - Simon Beaufoy

BEST WRITING, SCREENPLAY WRITTEN DIRECTLY FOR THE SCREEN

Winner: Milk  - Dustin Lance Black

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81st Academy Awards: The Nominees are...

The Nominees are:

Best Picture
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
Milk
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire

Best Actor
Richard Jenkins in The Visitor
Frank Langella in Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn in Milk
Brad Pitt in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler

Best Supporting Actor
Josh Brolin in Milk
Robert Downey Jr in Tropic Thunder
Philip Seymour Hoffman in Doubt
Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight
Michael Shannon in Revolutionary Road

Best Actress
Anne Hathaway in Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie in Changeling
Melissa Leo in Frozen River
Meryl Streep in Doubt
Kate Winslet in The Reader

Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams in Doubt
Penélope Cruz in Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis in Doubt
Taraji P Henson in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Marisa Tomei in The Wrestler

Best Animated Film
Bolt
Kung Fu Panda
WALL-E 

Best Director
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, David Fincher
Frost/Nixon, Ron Howard
Milk, Gus Van Sant
The Reader, Stephen Daldry
Slumdog Millionaire, Danny Boyle

Art Direction
Changeling
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
The Duchess
Revolutionary Road

Cinematography
Changeling, Tom Stern
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Claudio Miranda
The Dark Knight, Wally Pfister
The Reader, Chris Menges and Roger Deakins
Slumdog Millionaire, Anthony Dod Mantle

Original Screenplay
Frozen River, Written by Courtney Hunt
Happy-Go-Lucky, Written by Mike Leigh
In Bruges, Written by Martin McDonagh
Milk, Written by Dustin Lance Black
WALL-E, Screenplay by Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon, Original story by Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter

Adapted Screenplay
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Screenplay by Eric Roth, Screen story by Eric Roth and Robin Swicord
Doubt, Written by John Patrick Shanley
Frost/Nixon, Screenplay by Peter Morgan
The Reader, Screenplay by David Hare
Slumdog Millionaire, Screenplay by Simon Beaufoy 

Costume Design
Australia, Catherine Martin
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Jacqueline West
The Duchess, Michael O'Connor
Milk, Danny Glicker
Revolutionary Road, Albert Wolsky

Film Editing
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall
The Dark Knight, Lee Smith
Frost/Nixon, Mike Hill and Dan Hanley
Milk, Elliot Graham
Slumdog Millionaire, Chris Dickens

Achievement in Makeup
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Hellboy II: The Golden Army

Original Score
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Alexandre Desplat
Defiance, James Newton Howard
Milk, Danny Elfman
Slumdog Millionaire, A R Rahman
WALL-E, Thomas Newman

Original Song
Down to Earth from WALL-E
Jai Ho from Slumdog Millionaire
O Saya from Slumdog Millionaire

Sound Editing
The Dark Knight
Iron Man
Slumdog Millionaire
WALL-E
Wanted

Sound Mixing
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Slumdog Millionaire
WALL-E
Wanted

Visual Effects
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Iron Man 

Best Documentary Feature
The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)
Encounters at the End of the World
The Garden
Man on Wire
Trouble the Water

Best Documentary Short Subject
The Conscience of Nhem En
The Final Inch
Smile Pinki
The Witness - From the Balcony of Room 306

Foreign Language Film
The Baader Meinhof Complex, Germany
The Class, France
Departures, Japan
Revanche, Austria
Waltz with Bashir, Israel

Best Animated Short Film
La Maison en Petits Cubes
Lavatory - Lovestory
Oktapodi
Presto
This Way Up

Best Live Action Short Film
Auf der Strecke (On the Line)
Manon on the Asphalt
New Boy
The Pig
Spielzeugland (Toyland) 

The winners will be announced on February 22nd 2009 (US Time). The Philippine broadcast partner is ABS-CBN 2.

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The Razzies (dis)honors The Love Guru

The Love Guru took home 3 wins from 2009 Annual Golden Raspberry Awards. It includes Worst Picture, Worst Actor and Worst Screenplay. Paris Hilton’s The Hottie and The Nottie that turns out to be the nottie grabs 2 wins for Worst Actress and Worst Screen Couple shared with Christin Lakin or Joel David Moore. Paris is the Winslet of Razzies after winning also the Worst Supporting Actress for her performance in Repo: The Genetic Opera. Pierce Brosnan’s performance in Mamma Mia! makes him this year’s Worst Supporting Actor. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of Crystal Skull take home the Worst Remake/ Sequel/ Prequel/ Riff-off award. The Worst Director is no other than the Razzies favorite Uwe Boll of In The Name Of The King: A Dungeon Siege Tale. He is also the recipient of Worst Career Achievement award.

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The Dark Knight hits $1,000,000,000++

I really love this film. And I wonder if The Dark Knight (TDK) will join the other three movies that are sitting on the $1 Billion mark on the box office (Titanic, Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest). When the time TDK is pulled out on most of the cinemas somewhere in January 2009, hitting the $1 Billion mark is impossible because only 6 screens are showing it. But also that same month, WB announces the US re-release of TDK due to Oscars voting season. TDK is again showed on major cinemas including IMAX. The chance is growing big for TDK. So these past few weeks I always check Box Office Mojo  if The Dark Knight already reach the $1 Billion mark on the box office. It was February 20, 2009 when TDK reach the whooping $1 Billion mark.

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I.Am.Legend[2007]DvDrip-aXXo

Who is aXXo? What is the real identity behind this four letter alias? This has been the question since aXXo start uploading quality movie files over the internet in November 2005.  He is tagged as the modern-day Robin Hood of the movie industry. Much as the film fans loved aXXo, the movie makers hated him/her (or they).

 There is no doubt why aXXo is popular on major torrent portal such as The Pirate Bay and Mininova.   He only uploads good quality DVD rips in a small file size that is mostly 700mb. That is quality meet convenience.  aXXo is also often imitated by other uploaders but the users are already aware of these fakers.  In using torrent such as Bit Torrent client in downloading movies, you are not sure that you are downloading a watchable one unless it is done downloading.  Sometimes it is encrypted to a RAR file mostly contains virus and malwares and some also requires certain player that you must purchase.  To avoid these instances, aXXo’s followers are there to makes some assistance.  Like in Mininova that enables the users to comment on the torrent they download if it is legit or a fake.  Many users will comment on what is the audio and video quality, certain issues regarding the codec, compatibility on media players and others.  So you can look into whether the torrent is worth downloading and do not waste hours for nothing. 

Knowing these things might say I do something illegal, who does not? There is lot of questions on aXXo’s identity that is hard to establish for now.  If whether aXXo is a he/she or even they?aXXo can be an individual or a syndicate that hide under this codename.  Where does aXXolive? Where do those DVDs came from.  If you will look at the big picture, aXXo must be someone or group that has lot of money to purchase those DVDs.  If that so, aXXo is truly a philanthropist.  Or it can be an inside job; he might have had access to the DVDs before it is released.  Thinking that aXXo only uploads DVD rips but sometimes he preceded uploading the film even before the DVD hit the market.  Today aXXo seems to be a hot target on the authorities because film outfits are losing lots and lots of money.  But for now aXXo's true identity remain mysterious and unknown.

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To Whom It May Concern

I created this blog to express my ideas, opinion or thoughts about my life and some other things. I expect that whoever read the following blog posts must respect my opinions and writings. If you find the article annoying or just a waste you can click here.

 

If you have comments or violent reactions you can use the comment section or email your message to onepakjwan@gmail.com.

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Unix Make History:1234567890 Day

This Friday The 13th is making a history. Beside that at this day, the remake of Friday The 13th is set to be released widely on theaters. Also another record is going to happen on this date. The Unix clock already reach 1.2 Billion second mark after it is created on January 1, 1970. And what is special on this day is the clock will reach the 1234567890 seconds mark. According to 1234567890day.com it's time to party and there are several places around the world that will celebrate this Unix milestone.

These are some sites that are dedicted to this event:

1234567890day.com

1234567890countdown.co.uk

coolepochcountdown

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Petition: No more The Joker on Batman films

The fans of Heath Ledger are calling for a petition to all movie studios to remove The Joker on future Batman movies. After his untimely death, the fans believe that no one could play The Joker better than Ledger. And also being a top contender on this year’s Oscar Best Supporting Actor, Ledger fans said that he portrayed The Joker the best.

The petition is found on the site TheUltimateJoker.com.

How about Jack Nicholson?  

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Lite-On 24x DVD burner: Today's Fastest

Lite-On announced that they will release their fastest DVD writer this year. The new models having a speed of 24x is also packed with Lite –On LabelTag technology. LabelTag is PLDS patented new feature that allows users to create circular label at the data side of the disc. Label tag will work on almost all standard DVD-Rs. Beside Label tag it is also acquires the LightScribe technology that allows users to print label on the disc on special LightScribe compatible disc.  SmartErase is also included on the new models. No price yet but the new models. The iHAS324  (with SmartErase) and is available from April 2009. The iHAS624 (LabelTag and LightScribe drive with LabelTag will be available from May 2009.

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Crank vs. Crank 2 Poster

What do you think about this movie poster? I find it cool and I'm looking forward to the third installment. Crank 2 High Voltage is the sequel of Crank (2006) starred by "the transporter" Jason Statham. Crank 2 play date is April 17, 2009.

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Amazon's Kindle 2: The next iPod?

If you love reading fiction/non-fiction novels, self help, newspaper and other stuff then you have to take a look at the enhanced e-book reader or what Amazon.com called Kindle 2. This is the latest version of their Kindle which has a bunch of enhancement for comfortable and convenient reading experience. According to Amazon.com there are almost 230,000 available on their store. 

What's New?

Slim: Just over 1/3 of an inch, as thin as most magazines

Lightweight: At 10.2 ounces, lighter than a typical paperback

Wireless: 3G wireless lets you download books right from your Kindle, anytime, anywhere; no monthly fees, service plans, or hunting for Wi-Fi hotspots

Books in Under 60 Seconds: Get books delivered in less than 60 seconds; no PC required

Improved Display: Reads like real paper; now boasts 16 shades of gray for clear text and even crisper images

Longer Battery Life: 25% longer battery life; read for days without recharging

More Storage: Take your library with you; holds over 1,500 books

Faster Page Turns: 20% faster page turns

Read-to-Me: With the new Text-to-Speech feature, Kindle can read every book, blog, magazine, and newspaper out loud to you

Large Selection: Over 230,000 books plus U.S. and international newspapers, magazines, and blogs available

Low Book Prices: New York Times Best Sellers and New Releases $9.99, unless marked otherwise

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Friday The 13th (2009)

This remake is directed by Marcus Nispel (Pathfinder, Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)). It is starred by Jared Padalecki (Supernatural), Danielle Panabaker and Derek Mears as Jason. Friday The 13^th (1980) earn  $39,754,601 at the box-office with $700,000 budget. This remake has an estimated budget of $16,000,000. Will this remake give justice to the well loved Friday The 13^th? 

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2009 BAFTA: And the winners are…

Danny Boyle once again bagged a Best Director award on this year’s Orange British Academy Film Awards of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA).His film Slumdog Millionaire take home seven wins out of 11 nominations. While David Fincher’s The Curious Case of Benjamin Button got three out of 11 nods. With double leading actress nomination for The Reader and Revolutionary Road, Kate Winslet takes home the Best Actress award for The Reader, while The Wrestler Mickey Rourke bagged the Best Actor award. Once again Heath Ledger won the Best Supporting Actor category. After the snob in Annie, Wall-E once again won this year’s Best Animated Film.

Best Film
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
Milk
The Reader
Winner: Slumdog Millionaire 

Outstanding British Film
Hunger
In Bruges
Mamma Mia!
Slumdog Millionaire
Winner: Man on Wire 

Animated Film
Persepolis
Waltz with Bashir
Winner: WALL-E 

The Carl Foreman Award for Special Achievement by a British Director, Writer or Producer for their First Feature Film
Simon Chinn (Producer) – Man On Wire
Judy Craymer (Producer) – Mamma Mia!
Garth Jennings (Writer) – Son of Rambow
Solon Papadopoulos, Roy Boulter (Producers) – Of Time And The City
Winner: Steve McQueen (Director/Writer) – Hunger 

Director
Clint Eastwood, Changeling
David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon
Stephen Daldry, The Reader
Winner: Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire 

Leading Actor
Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
Dev Patel, Slumdog Millionaire
Sean Penn, Milk
Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Winner: Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler 

Leading Actress
Angelina Jolie, Changeling
Kristin Scott Thomas, I've Loved You So Long
Meryl Streep, Doubt
Kate Winslet, Revolutionary Road
Winner: Kate Winslet, The Reader 

Supporting Actor
Robert Downey Jr, Tropic Thunder
Brendan Gleeson, In Bruges
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt
Brad Pitt, Burn After Reading
Winner: Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight 

Supporting Actress
Amy Adams, Doubt
Freida Pinto, Slumdog Millionaire
Tilda Swinton, Burn After Reading
Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler
Winner: Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona 

Original Screenplay
Burn After Reading, Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Changeling, J Michael Straczynski
I've Loved You So Long, Philippe Claudel
Milk, Dustin Lance Black
Winner: In Bruges, Martin McDonagh 

Adapted Screenplay
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Eric Roth
Frost/Nixon, Peter Morgan
The Reader, David Hare
Revolutionary Road, Justin Haythe
Winner: Slumdog Millionaire, Simon Beaufoy

 

Film Not in the English Language
The Baader Meinhof Complex
Gomorrah
Persepolis
Waltz with Bashir
Winner: I've Loved You So Long 

Music
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Alexandre Desplat
The Dark Knight, Hans Zimmer, James Newton Howard
Mamma Mia!, Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus
WALL-E, Thomas Newman
Winner: Slumdog Millionaire, A. R. Rahman

 

Cinematography
Changeling, Tom Stern
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Claudio Miranda
The Dark Knight, Wally Pfister
The Reader, Chris Menges, Roger Deakins
Winner: Slumdog Millionaire, Anthony Dod Mantle

 

Editing
Changeling, Joel Cox, Gary D. Roach
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Kirk Baxter, Angus Wall
The Dark Knight, Lee Smith
Frost/Nixon, Mike Hill, Dan Hanley
In Bruges, Jon Gregory
Winner: Slumdog Millionaire, Chris Dickens 

Production Designer
Changeling, James J. Murakami, Gary Fettis
The Dark Knight, Nathan Crowley, Peter Lando
Revolutionary Road, Kristi Zea, Debra Schutt
Slumdog Millionaire, Mark Digby, Michelle Day
Winner: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Donald Graham Burt, Victor J Zolfo 

Costume Design
Changeling, Deborah Hopper
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Jacqueline West
The Dark Knight, Lindy Hemming
Revolutionary Road, Albert Wolsky
Winner: The Duchess, Michael O'Connor 

Sound
Changeling, Walt Martin, Alan Robert Murray, John Reitz, Gregg Rudloff
The Dark Knight, Lora Hirschberg, Richard King, Ed Novick, Gary Rizzo
Quantum of Solace, Jimmy Boyle, Eddy Joseph, Chris Munro, Mike Prestwood Smith, Mark Taylor
WALL-E, Ben Burtt, Tom Myers, Michael Semanick, Matthew Wood
Winner: Slumdog Millionaire, Glenn Freemantle, Resul Pookutty, Richard Pryke, Tom Sayers, Ian Tapp 

Special Visual Effects
The Dark Knight, Chris Corbould, Nick Davis, Paul Franklin, Tim Webber
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Pablo Helman
Iron Man, Shane Patrick Mahan, John Nelson, Ben Snow
Quantum of Solace, Chris Corbould, Kevin Tod Haug
Winner: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Eric Barba, Craig Barron, Nathan McGuinness, Edson Williams 

Make Up and Hair
The Dark Knight, Peter Robb-King
The Duchess, Daniel Phillips, Jan Archibald
Frost/Nixon, Edouard Henriques, Kim Santantonio
Milk, Steven E. Anderson, Michael White
Winner: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Jean Black, Colleen Callaghan

Short Animation
Codswallop
Varmints
Winner: Wallace and Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death

Short Film
Kingsland #1 The Dreamer
Love You More
Ralph
Voyage D'Affaires
Winner: September

The Orange Rising Star Award
Michael Cera
Michael Fassbender
Rebecca Hall
Toby Kebbell
Winner: Noel Clarke

 

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