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On this day in 2023

On this day in 2022

• DEATHS
• Dagmar Rom, Austrian alpine ski racer (World C'ship gold slalom & giant slalom 1950; Olympic silver giant slalom 1952), who died at 94.
• Darius Vlad Cre?An, Rapper.
• TV SERIES
• Magpie Murders: Season 1 is released. Book editor Susan Ryeland's (Leslie Manville) search for the missing final chapter to an unfinished mystery manuscript leads to a real murder case in this adaptation of Anthony Horowitz's novel of the same name.[Premiered originally in the UK on BritBox on 10 Feb 2022 and in the US as a part of PBS' Masterpiece on 16 Oct 2022]
• POLITICS
• More than 600 people have died in Nigeria's worst floods in a decade, displacing more than 1.3 million people according to a government minister.

On this day in 2021

• EVENTS
• NASA probe Lucy launched on mission to fly-by eight Trojan asteroids circling the sun.
• Camden County Commissioners unveil Statue of boxing champion Jersey Joe Walcott at Wiggins Waterfront Park in Camden, New Jersey.
• DEATHS
• Betty Lynn, TV Actress.
• Leo Boivin, Canadian Hockey HOF defenceman (Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs) and coach (St. Louis Blues), who died at 89.
• POLITICS
• Jean Rochon, Quebec politician, who died at 83.
• SPORTS
• Pat Studstill, American football wide receiver (Pro Bowl 1965,66; NFL receiving yards leader, record 99-yard TD reception [tied] 1966; Detroit Lions, LA Rams), who died at 83.

On this day in 2020

• EVENTS
• French teacher Samuel Paty beheaded by 18 year-old Islamist militant in Paris suburb of Éragny.
• DEATHS
• Johnny Bush, American country singer, who died at 85.
• Andrzej Pogorzelski, Polish motorcycle speedway rider (Speedway World Team Cup gold 1965,66,69), who died at 82.
• MOVIES: NOT RATED
• Honest Thief is released. Wanting to lead an honest life, a notorious bank robber (Liam Neeson) turns himself in, only to be double-crossed by two ruthless FBI agents.
• This Is Not a Movie is released. Yung Chang’s This Is Not a Movie captures Fisk in action—feet on the ground, notebook in hand, as he travels into landscapes devastated by war, ferreting out the facts and firing reports back home to reach an audience of millions. The process of translating raw experience into incisive and passionate dispatches requires the determination to see things first-hand and the tenacity to say what others won’t. In his relentless pursuit of the facts, Fisk has attracted his share of controversy. But in spite of the danger, he has continued to cover stories as they unfold, talking directly to the people involved. In an era of fake news, when journalists are dubbed “the enemies of the people, ” Fisk’s resolve to document reality has become an obsessive war to speak the truth. [KimStim]
• What the Constitution Means to Me is released. A filmed version of the Broadway production of Heidi Schreck's play presenting multiple facets, historical perspectives and personal experiences with the U.S. Constitution.
• White Riot is released. Britain, late-1970s. Punk is exploding. The country is deeply divided over immigration. The National Front, a far-right and fascist political party, is gaining strength as politicians like Enoch Powell push a xenophobic agenda. Outraged by a racist speech from Eric Clapton, music photographer Red Saunders writes a letter to the music press, calling for rock to be a force against racism. NME, Melody Maker, and Sounds all publish the letter. Flooded with responses, Red discovers many share his views. Teaming up with like-minded creatives Roger Huddle, Kate Webb, Syd Shelton and Australian graphic designer Ruth Gregory, the team bands together to create Rock Against Racism (RAR) and a fanzine, Temporary Hoarding. Speaking directly to the youth, Temporary Hoarding reports stories and issues that the mainstream British media ignores, like immigration, the Catholic side of the Northern Ireland conflict, and the police’s controversial “suspected persons” (sus) powers. They give a voice to the voiceless. The National Front begins to strike back, committing acts of violence against RAR supporters and petrol-bombing their HQ. Despite this, RAR spreads virally across the UK and into Europe, becoming a grassroots youth movement. The Clash, Steel Pulse, Tom Robinson and other top bands of the day jump on board. White Riot is a moment in time when music changed the world. When a generation challenged the status quo. It’s Woodstock meets the March on Washington, punk-style.
• MOVIES: NR
• Shithouse is released. Lonely college freshman Alex (Cooper Raiff) has closed himself off from his peers, who all appear to have this whole “college thing” figured out. But everything changes one night when Alex takes a leap and attends a party at Shithouse – a legendary party fraternity – where he forges a strong connection with Maggie (Dylan Gelula). The next day, she ignores him completely and seems to have forgotten about their amazing night. Desperately clinging to his social breakthrough, Alex pulls out all the stops with one more night at Shithouse, hoping to rekindle that moment of connection.
• MOVIES: PG13
• Rebecca is released. After a whirlwind romance in Monte Carlo with handsome widower Maxim de Winter (Armie Hammer), a newly married young woman (Lily James) arrives at Manderley, her new husband's imposing family estate on a windswept English coast. Naive and inexperienced, she begins to settle into the trappings of her new life, but finds herself battling the shadow of Maxim's first wife, the elegant and urbane Rebecca, whose haunting legacy is kept alive by Manderley's sinister housekeeper Mrs. Danvers (Kristin Scott Thomas).
• Love and Monsters is released. Seven years after the Monsterpocalypse, Joel Dawson (Dylan O'Brien), along with the rest of humanity, has been living underground ever since giant creatures took control of the land. After reconnecting over radio with his high school girlfriend Aimee (Jessica Henwick), who is now 80 miles away at a coastal colony, Joel begins to fall for her again. As Joel realizes that there's nothing left for him underground, he decides against all logic to venture out to Aimee, despite all the dangerous monsters that stand in his way.
• MOVIES: R
• The Kid Detective is released. A once-celebrated kid detective, now 31, continues to solve the same trivial mysteries between hangovers and bouts of self-pity. Until a naive client brings him his first 'adult' case, to find out who brutally murdered her boyfriend.
• The Devil Has a Name is released. An ambitious oil executive leaves the whole industry exposed when she attempts to outwit a recently widowed farmer whose water she has poisoned.
• MOVIES: TVPG
• Martin Eden is released. Martin (Luca Marinelli) is a self-taught proletarian with artistic aspirations who hopes that his dreams of becoming a writer will help him rise above his station and marry a wealthy young university student (Jessica Cressy). The dissatisfactions of working-class toil and bourgeois success lead to political awakening and destructive anxiety in this enveloping, superbly mounted bildungsroman.
• Clouds is released. Based on an incredible true story, seventeen-year-old Zach Sobiech is a fun-loving high school senior with raw musical talent. But a few weeks into his senior year, just as his dream girl finally reciprocates his crush, Zach’s world gets turned upside down when he finds out his cancer has spread, and he now has only six months to live. With the limited time he has left, he and his best friend and writing partner, Sammy, decide to follow their dreams and finally make an album. Little did they know; the world would soon catch on and they would become a viral phenomenon. With time running out, Zach is confronted with the reality that no matter how he spends his time, he is going to hurt the people he loves the most, including the love of his life Amy. As Zach’s health condition begins to worsen, he is left to make difficult decisions about how to spend his time and more importantly with whom. Ultimately, he discovers the best way to say goodbye is with music, and his hit song Clouds is born. With a raw, unfiltered and beautiful look at the heartbreaking duality of life set to uplifting music, Zach’s inspiring story is a testament to what can happen when you start to live as if each day might be your last.
• TV SERIES
• Helstrom: Season 1 is released. Daimon (Tom Austen) and Ana Helstrom (Sydney Lemmon) are the children of a powerful killer but use their talents to deal with supernatural beings in this drama series based on the Marvel comic characters.
• Grand Army: Season 1 is released. Junior Joey Del Marco (Odessa A'zion), senior Siddhartha Pakam (Amir Bageria), junior Dominique Pierre (Odley Jean), sophomore Jayson Jackson (Maliq Johnson), and freshman Leila Kwan Zimmer (Amalia Yoo) deal with issues like sex, race, family, grades, and money while at Brooklyn's Grand Army High School in this drama series created by Katie Cappiello.
• ALBUMS
• Fake It Flowers was released by Beabadoobee. This is the debut full-length release for the British-Filipino alternative rock artist.
• Dark Hearts was released by Annie. The third full-length studio release for the Norwegian pop artist is her first in 11 years and was produced by Stefan Storm.
• Anime, Trauma and Divorce was released by Open Mike Eagle. The fifth full-length release for the Los Angeles-based rapper was executive produced by Jacknife Lee.
• SIGN was released by Autechre. This is the 14th full-length studio release for the British electronic duo of of Sean Booth and Rob Brown.
• Serpentine Prison was released by Matt Berninger. The debut full-length solo release for The National's frontman was recorded over 14 days with producer Booker T. Jones.
• Someone New was released by Helena Deland. The debut full-length release for the Canadian singer-songwriter features contributions from Valentin Ignat, Jake Portrait and Gabe Wax.
• Sundowner was released by Kevin Morby. The sixth full-length release for the Kansas-based singer-songwriter was recorded in Texas with producer Brad Cook and completed remotely during the pandemic lockdown.
• GAMING: PC
• Aquanox Deep Descent for PC is released. Aquanox Deep Descent is a first person underwater vehicle shooter, in which players control a variety of customizable ships to engage in fierce battles in the dystopian deep sea world of Aqua. In the near future the Earth's surface has become uninhabitable. What remains of humankind lives in former mining and research stations, deep below the surface of the sea. Born and raised in the only world we know, the loose network of underwater settlements, torn by the war for resources and dominance between various factions.Take control of a team of highly trained fighter pilots and experience an epic story in the dark world of Aquanox. Send your enemies down to Davy Jones's Locker with well-aimed torpedoes, mortars, mines and more. Explore the deepest corners of the oceans -- mysterious, hazardous, uncharted.
• GAMING: SWITCH
• Crown Trick for Switch is released. Enter a labyrinth that moves as you move, where mastering the elements is key to defeating enemies and uncovering the mysteries of this underground world. With a new experience awaiting every time you enter the dungeon, let the power bestowed by the crown guide you in this challenging adventure.
• Zoids Wild: Blast Unleashed for Switch is released. Unleash the wild mecha power and animal instinct of Zoids, in spectacular head-to-head battles on Nintendo Switch. With stunning graphics faithful to the Zoids Wild anime, and an intuitive 3D combat system that lets you chain incredible combos instinctively, Zoids Wild: Blast Unleashed is the ultimate showdown between your favorite pilots and their Zoids. But are Zoids merely weapons, or your partners? Your skill in combat will decide who wins between warring factions including Arashi’s Team Freedom and the power-hungry Team Dark Metal, in a new Zoids story. So choose your hero, step on to the battlefield, and fight to awaken the greatest bond between human and Zoid – then use the hidden power known as Wild Blast to defeat your rivals!With a huge choice of characters, Zoids and game modes, Zoids Wild: Blast Unleashed takes mecha combat to the next level. Settle scores in 2-player battles, challenge yourself in Mission Mode and Battle Tactics Mode, and hone your skills in Practice Mode. Are you ready to command the strongest lifeforms in the world?
• Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit for Switch is released. Control a real-life Mario Kart with Nintendo Switch and watch it come to life in the game. Race a real-world Mario Kart™ through your home! Use the Nintendo Switch™ system to control your kart and watch as it reacts to what’s happening in the game as you boost and drift to victory. Your in-home course comes to life on-screen with a view from right behind the driver’s seat.
• 9 Monkeys of Shaolin for Switch is released. 9 Monkeys of Shaolin marks a rebirth of the iconic beat 'em up genre in vein of old-school video games. If, as a kid you had hours of fun playing SNES or SEGA beat 'em up videogames crushing foes left and right then this new title from the creators of hardcore brawler REDEEMER is definitely for you. As a mere Chinese fisherman Wei Cheng you have to avenge the death of your friends and family slaughtered in a pirate raid at your peaceful village. Game protagonist is quite a tough nut to crack as he knows the basics of ancient martial arts only mastered by legendary Shaolin monks. Get your trusty battle staff ready for a challenging adventure in Medieval China and for merciless fights with hordes of various enemies. Action-packed battles, user friendly controls and incredible atmosphere of great kung-fu movies of 70s – all this makes 9 Monkeys of Shaolin a choice for every true fan of really hardcore brawlers.
• SPORTS
• Rodolfo Fischer, Argentine soccer striker (35 caps; San Lorenzo 271 games), who died at 76.

On this day in 2019

• EVENTS
• Netflix reveals its most popular original movie was Sandra Bullock's "Bird Box" and TV series "Stranger Things" for the year.
• Egyptian archaeologists announce discovery of more than 20 painted wooden coffins from Theban necropolis of Asasif.
• First plant-powered selfie taken by Pete the Fern as part of research into use of microbial fuel cells at London Zoo (London, England).
• BIRTHS
• Luke Ballinger, Family Member, born in United States.
• DEATHS
• John Clarke, American actor (Days of Our Lives -" Mickey"), who died at 88.
• TV SERIES
• Limetown: Season 1 is released. American Public Radio journalist Lia Haddock (Jessica Biel) looks into the mysterious disappearance of 300 people at a Tennessee neuroscience research facility in this drama based on the podcast of the same name.
• GAMING: SWITCH
• Little Town Hero for Switch is released. GAME FREAK, the developer of the Pokémon series, has created a new RPG for Nintendo Switch. In TOWN, players must take up arms against invading monsters, all within the walls of a single village.

On this day in 2018

• EVENTS
• Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan Duchess of Sussex begin their first royal tour visiting Australia and New Zealand.
• Man Booker Prize is won by Anna Burns'" Milkman", the first winner from Northern Ireland.
• DEATHS
• Berthold Leibinger, German entrepreneur (Trumpf) and philanthropist, who died at 87.
• TV SERIES
• The Kids Are Alright: Season 1 is released. Set in the 1970s, Mike (Michael Cudlitz) and Peggy Cleary (Mary McCormack) raise their eight sons in a working-class neighborhood near Los Angeles in this comedy series from Tim Doyle.
• The Rookie: Season 1 is released. 40-year-old John Nolan (Nathan Fillion) decides to move from his hometown to Los Angeles to pursue his dream to join the LAPD in this crime drama from Alexi Hawley.
• The Conners: Season 1 is released. The spinoff of Roseanne sees the return of Dan (John Goodman), Jackie (Laurie Metcalf), Darlene (Sara Gilbert), Becky (Lecy Goranson) and D.J. (Michael Fishman) without the family matriarch.
• GAMING: PLAYSTATION 4
• The Jackbox Party Pack 5 for PlayStation 4 is released. It’s the biggest Party Pack yet with five party-saving games, including the return of the classic pop culture trivia mashup, You Don’t Know Jack. Use phones or tablets as controllers and play with up to eight players, plus an audience of up to 10,000.
• Starlink: Battle for Atlas for PlayStation 4 is released. Starlink: Battle for Atlas is an action-adventure game through which you assemble a custom Starship model mounted to your game controller to launch into an interplanetary adventure. Lead a group of heroic interstellar pilots who use modular starships to mix and match their unique gear and skills on the fly. Travel the stars to unite the galaxy against villainous destructive forces. Modular, customizable starships: Mix and match pilots, hulls, wings, and weapons to assemble the starship of your dreams with a level of customization and creativity. Changes to your physical ship instantly appear in-game allowing you to immediately jump into the battle. Starships at your fingertips - Take control of your starship in a whole new way. Your custom starship attaches directly to your game controller as you pilot through Atlas. Open, living star system - Travel seamlessly through the vast exotic alien worlds of the Atlas Star System, full of unique challenges to discover and overcome. Explore 7 massive unique planets and space. Plus, fly directly from the planet into space for more battles and back to another world. Creative combat - Build your unique play style. Experiment with different pilot abilities and weapons to discover and unleash devastating combos upon your enemies and overcome deadly challenges. [Ubisoft]
• Home Sweet Home for PlayStation 4 is released. Inspired by Thai mythology and beliefs, Home Sweet Home throws players into a dark and twisted labyrinth, where a miasma of fear fills the air, dread bleeds through cracks in the ceiling and seeps down through broken floorboards.
• For Honor: Marching Fire for PlayStation 4 is released. Join the fight as a Knight, Viking, Samurai, or Wu Lin Warrior, and fight for the survival of your people. Play in a variety of modes including PvP, story campaign, PvE, and co-op.
• Fast Striker for PlayStation 4 is released. FAST STRIKER is a 2D arcade shooting game with emphasis on scoring. You can choose between 3 game modes with different scoring systems. This game features six stages of excellent 2D arcade game play with over 40 unique enemy types, super smooth 3D scrolling backgrounds, huge CGI bosses.
• Heavy Fire: Red Shadow for PlayStation 4 is released. In Heavy Fire: Red Shadow, tension between a bold North Korea, which has managed to unify with South Korea entirely on its terms, and the United States has gone beyond its breaking point.
• GAMING: SWITCH
• Warriors Orochi 4 for Switch is released. A collaboration starring heroes from DYNASTY WARRIORS and SAMURAI WARRIORS. A roster of 170 playable characters! Five new characters - Zeus, Athena, Ares, Perseus, and Odin join the battle. Introducing "Magic"to the series, you can now experience even more thrilling and intense Musou Action.
• Valkyria Chronicles for Switch is released. Fierce Combat & Explosive Tactics!As heroic Commander Welkin, you must lead a small platoon in defense of your country against the evil invading Empire.Turn-Based tactics meet action-packed real-time shooting in this beautifully crafted epic.Fight in third-person, real-time battles!Epic storyline filled with dramatic warfare!Customize your platoon with 50 characters!
• GAMING: XBOX ONE
• LEGO DC Super-Villains for Xbox One is released. Players have the ability to create and play as an all-new Super-Villain throughout the game. Set in an expansive open world experience within the DC universe. It's up to you and a crazy group of misfits to uncover the intentions of earth's new wannabe superheroes.
• NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 for Xbox One is released. NBA arcade action is back with NBA 2K Playgrounds 2. The sequel takes street balling to the next level with an expansive roster of current and retired NBA players, improved online matchmaking with dedicated servers, four-player online matches, three-point contests, new playgrounds, custom matches, and more. Pick your team, get ready to jam, and Ball Without Limits.
• POLITICS
• Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman denies knowledge of the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi according to President Trump.
• Chairman of China's Xinjiang’s government defends its detention camps for Uighur Muslims saying they provided “vocational education and training”.

On this day in 2017

• EVENTS
• Ed Sheeran broke his wrist and elbow in a biking accident, forcing him to cancel dates on his tour of Asia. He called his time off "the most depressing six weeks of my life.".
• Findings published of neutron star collision that occurred two months prior on August 17, the first cosmic event seen in gravitational waves and light. Confirms heavy elements such as gold the result of such collisions.
• Iraqi army seizes control of oil-rich Kirkuk, from Kurdish peshmerga.
• Panama Papers Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia killed in a suspicious car bomb in Malta.
• Storm formed from Hurricane Ophelia lashes Ireland, killing 3 people.
• DEATHS
• Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia was assassinated by a car bomb in Bidnija.
• Sean Hughes, Irish stand-up comedian, writer and actor, who died at 51.
• Roy Dotrice, British actor (A Moon for the Misbegotten, Amadeus) and narrator (A Song of Ice and Fire), who died at 94.
• Daphne Caruana Galizia, Maltese journalist (Panama Papers), killed by a car bomb at 53.

On this day in 2016

• EVENTS
• Ed Whitlock (85) becomes oldest person to complete a marathon under 4 hours, at Toronto Waterfront Marathon in 3 hours 56 minutes.
• DEATHS
• Anthony Foley, Rugby Player.
• Kigeli V, King.
• Stuart Edwards, British guitarist (Edison Lighthouse - "Love Grows Where My Rosemary Goes"), who died of cancer at 73.
• TV SERIES
• Killing Reagan is released. Directed by Rod Lurie, the TV-movie based on Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard novel dramatizes the events surrounding the attempted assassination of President Reagan (Tim Matheson) by John Hinckley Jr. (Kyle More).
• Graves: Season 1 is released. Former President Richard Graves (Nick Nolte) seeks to overturn many of his administration's accomplishments just as his wife Margaret (Sela Ward) decides she wants to run for office.
• Eyewitness: Season 1 is released. In the adaptation of the Norwegian drama Øyevitne, two teenage boys named Lukas (James Paxton) and Phillip (Tyler Young) try to avoid a killer and keep their relationship secret after witnessing a brutal quadruple murder.
• Berlin Station: Season 1 is released. CIA analyst-turned-field-officer Daniel Miller (Richard Armitage) arrives in Berlin and is given the mission to discover the identity of a whistleblower going by the name Thomas Shaw with the help of his old friend and veteran agent, Hector DeJean (Rhys Ifans).
• GAMING: XBOX ONE
• Skylanders Imaginators for Xbox One is released. Use the power of your imagination to create Imaginator Skylanders to battle in the ultimate adventure alongside the almighty Senseis to save Skylands.

On this day in 2015

• DEATHS
• Mikhail Burtsev, Soviet sabre fencer (Olympic gold 1976,1980), who died at 59.
• John Jennings, American guitarist and music producer (Mary Chapin Carpenter; John Gorka). dies of kidney cancer at 61.
• MOVIES: NOT RATED
• Beasts of No Nation is released. When civil war tears his family apart, a young West African boy is forced to join a unit of mercenary fighters and transform into a child soldier.
• All Things Must Pass is released. Established in 1960, Tower Records was once a retail powerhouse with two hundred stores, in thirty countries, on five continents. From humble beginnings in a small-town drugstore, Tower Records eventually became the heart and soul of the music world, and a powerful force in the music industry. In 1999, Tower Records made $1 billion. In 2006, the company filed for bankruptcy. What went wrong? Everyone thinks they know what killed Tower Records: The Internet. But that's not the story.
• Experimenter is released. In 1961, social psychologist Stanley Milgram (Peter Sarsgaard) conducted the "obedience experiments"at Yale University. The experiments observed the responses of ordinary people asked to send harmful electrical shocks to a stranger. Despite pleadings from the person they were shocking,65 percent of subjects obeyed commands from a lab-coated authority figure to deliver potentially fatal currents. With Adolf Eichmann’s trial airing in living rooms across America, Milgram’s Kafkaesque results hit a nerve, and he was accused of being a deceptive, manipulative monster. Experimenter invites us inside Milgram’s whirring mind, beginning with his obedience research and wending a path to uncover how inner obsessions and the times in which he lived shaped a parade of human behavior inquiries. [Magnolia Pictures]
• Tab Hunter Confidential is released. In the 1950s, Tab Hunter is America’s Boy Next Door. Nothing, it seems, can damage his skyrocketing career. Nothing, that is, except for the fact that Tab Hunter is secretly gay. Now, Tab Hunter’s secret is out. In Tab Hunter Confidential, the real Tab Hunter shares the whole story of a happy, healthy survivor of Hollywood’s roller coaster.
• The Assassin is released. 9th century China. 10-year-old general’s daughter Nie Yinniang is abducted by a nun who initiates her into the martial arts, transforming her into an exceptional assassin charged with eliminating cruel and corrupt local governors. One day, having failed in a task, she is sent back by her mistress to the land of her birth, with orders to kill the man to whom she was promised - a cousin who now leads the largest military region in North China. After 13 years of exile, the young woman must confront her parents, her memories and her long-repressed feelings. A slave to the orders of her mistress, Nie Yinniang must choose: sacrifice the man she loves or break forever with the sacred way of the righteous assassins.
• The Russian Woodpecker is released. Fedor Alexandrovich is a radioactive man. He was four years old in 1986, when he was exposed to the toxic effects of the Chernobyl nuclear meltdown and forced to leave his home. Now 33, he is an artist in Ukraine, with radioactive strontium in his bones and a singular obsession with Chernobyl, and with the giant, mysterious steel pyramid now rotting away 2 miles from the disaster site: a hulking Cold War weapon known as the Duga and nicknamed the "Russian Woodpecker"for the constant clicking radio frequencies that it emits. In Gracia's documentary/conspiracy thriller, Alexandrovich returns to the ghost towns in the radioactive Exclusion Zone to try to find answers - and to decide whether to risk his life by revealing them, amid growing clouds of Ukraine's emerging revolution and war.
• MOVIES: PG
• Goosebumps is released. Upset about moving from a big city to a small town, teenager Zach Cooper (Dylan Minnette) finds a silver lining when he meets the beautiful girl, Hannah (Odeya Rush), living right next door. But every silver lining has a cloud, and Zach’s comes when he learns that Hannah has a mysterious dad who is revealed to be R. L. Stine (Jack Black), the author of the bestselling Goosebumps series. It turns out that there is a reason why Stine is so strange… he is a prisoner of his own imagination – the monsters that his books made famous are real, and Stine protects his readers by keeping them locked up in their books. When Zach unintentionally unleashes the monsters from their manuscripts and they begin to terrorize the town, it’s suddenly up to Stine, Zach, and Hannah to get all of them back in the books where they belong. [Sony]
• MOVIES: PG13
• Bridge of Spies is released. Bridge of Spies tells the story of James Donovan (Tom Hanks), a Brooklyn lawyer who finds himself thrust into the center of the Cold War when the CIA sends him on the near-impossible task to negotiate the release of a captured American U-2 pilot. [Dreamworks]
• MOVIES: R
• Crimson Peak is released. When her heart is stolen by a seductive stranger, a young woman is swept away to a house atop a mountain of blood-red clay: a place ?lled with secrets that will haunt her forever. Between desire and darkness, between mystery and madness, lies the truth behind Crimson Peak.
• Truth is released. In 2004, Mary Mapes (Cate Blanchett), an award-winning CBS News journalist and Dan Rather's producer, uncovered that a sitting US president may have been AWOL from the United States National Guard for over a year during the Vietnam War. When the story blew up in their face, the ensuing scandal ruined Dan Rather's career, nearly changed a US Presidential election, and almost took down all of CBS News in the process.
• Meadowland is released. In the hazy aftermath of an unimaginable loss, Sarah (Olivia Wilde) and Phil (Luke Wilson) come unhinged, recklessly ignoring the repercussions. Phil starts to lose sight of his morals; Sarah takes off on a potentially disastrous journey, falling deeper into her own fever dream.
• Room is released. Jack (Jacob Tremblay) is a spirited 5 year-old who is looked after by his loving and devoted Ma (Brie Larson). Like any good mother, Ma dedicates herself to keeping Jack happy and safe, nurturing him with warmth and love and doing typical things like playing games and telling stories. Their life, however, is anything but typical—they are trapped—confined to a windowless,10-by-10-foot space, which Ma has euphemistically named “Room.” Ma has created a whole universe for Jack within Room, and she will stop at nothing to ensure that, even in this treacherous environment, Jack is able to live a complete and fulfilling life. But as Jack’s curiosity about their situation grows, and Ma’s resilience reaches its breaking point, they enact a risky plan to escape, ultimately bringing them face-to-face with what may turn out to be the scariest thing yet: the real world.
• TV SERIES
• The Knick: Season 2 is released. The staff are preparing for The current Knickerbocker Hospital to be closed and moving to new building uptown in the second season set in 1901.
• Truth Be Told (2015): Season 1 is released. Best friends and neighbors Mitch (Mark-Paul Gosselaar) and Russell (Tone Bell) talk about race, sex, and life in the DJ Nash comedy originally titled People Are Talking.
• ALBUMS
• The Color Before the Sun was released by Coheed and Cambria. The eigth full-length studio release for the alternative/progressive rock band is its first not tied to the Sanchez's conceptual Amory Wars story.
• Thank Your Lucky Stars was released by Beach House. Produced with Chris Coady, the sixth studio album is the Baltimore duo's second album for 2015.
• VEGA INTL. Night School was released by Neon Indian. Part of the third full-length release for the Alan Palomo's project was recorded on a cruise ship with his brother.
• Sermon on the Rocks was released by Josh Ritter. The eighth full-length studio release for the singer-songwriter was recorded in two weeks and was produced with Trina Shoemaker.
• Real Life was released by Real Lies. This is the debut full-length release for the British electronic trio of Kev Kharas, Pat King, and Tom Watson.
• Òran Mòr Session was released by The Twilight Sad. The Scottish band re-recorded its 2014's release Nobody Wants To Be Here And Nobody Wants to Leave acoustically at Glasgow's Oran Mor.
• Confident was released by Demi Lovato. The fifth full-length studio release for the pop singer features guest appearances from Iggy Azalea and Sirah.
• Christine and the Queens was released by Christine and the Queens. Chaleur Humaine, the 2014 French language release from the French synth-pop artist is reissued with songs redone in English and additional new songs featuring guest appearances from Tunji Ige and Perfume Genius.
• Be Small was released by Here We Go Magic. The fourth release for the quintet-turned duo of Luke Temple and Michael Bloch was self-produced.
• All We Need was released by Raury. The debut full-length release for the Atlanta-based artist features guest appearances from Big K.R.I.T. and Tom Morello.
• Are You Alone? was released by Majical Cloudz. The second full-length release for Canadian duo Devon Welsh and Matthew Otto features contributions from Owen Pallett.
• As If was released by !!! [Chik Chik Chik]. The sixth full-length studio release for the Sacramento dance punk band features production from Jim Eno and Patrick Ford.
• Fading Frontier was released by Deerhunter. The seventh full-length studio release for the Atlanta indie rock band was produced with Ben H. Allen III.
• Heartache City was released by CocoRosie. The sixth full-length release for the duo of Sierra and Bianca Casady was recorded in the south of France.
• Holdin' the Bag was released by Supersuckers. The latest release for the Seattle-based rock trio features guest appearances from Hayes Carll and Lydia Loveless.
• Howl was released by Rival Consoles. This is the third full-length release for British electronic artist Ryan Lee West as Rival Consoles.
• I Thought the Future Would Be Cooler was released by YACHT. The sixth full-length release for the now Los Angeles-based electro-pop duo was produced by Jona Bechtolt and Rob Kieswetter.
• Life was released by Dan Friel. The third solo release for the Parts & Labor co-founder was written after the birth of his son.
• GAMING: PLAYSTATION 4
• Kromaia Omega for PlayStation 4 is released. Kromaia ? is a highly-immersive shmup; a journey that is quite unlike any other that mixes technology and myth for an innovative gameplay experience. Players will explore new worlds protected by giant god-like guardians, filled with ancient temple ruins, and littered with puzzles to solve and treasures to collect.
• GAMING: WII U
• Yoshi's Woolly World for Wii U is released. Take Yoshi on an adventure to remember in Yoshi Land for Nintendo Wii U. Enjoy dual-screen control thanks to the Wii U Touchscreen GamePad, while you'll also be able to experience full integration with Nintendo's MiiVerse service.
• SPORTS
• Patti Smith was said to be moved to tears after a fan returned a bag of stolen goods to the singer,36 years after they went missing. They included a shirt worn for a 1978 Rolling Stone cover shot and a bandana given to her by her late brother. The items went missing in June 1979 when a truck, which was carrying $40,000 in amplifiers, guitars and other musical equipment, was stolen from outside a hotel after Smith and her band played a show at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago..

On this day in 2014

• EVENTS
• New Zealand, Malaysia, Angola, Spain and Venezuela are elected to the United Nations Security Council.
• BIRTHS
• Solage Ortiz, Instagram Star, born in California.
• DEATHS
• Tim Hauser, American jazz singer, who died from cardiac arrest at 72.
• John Spencer-Churchill,11th duke of Marlborough, English large landowner, who died at 88.
• GAMING: PC
• F1 2014 for PC is released. Gamers can refine their skills and win medals by taking part in bite-sized racing challenges in an expanded Scenario mode, featuring a range of different scenarios based on real-world challenges and moments from recent history.
• A City Sleeps for PC is released. A City Sleeps follows Poe, youngest member of The Silk, an ancient clan of dream exorcists that can enter the minds of sleeping hosts to rid their dreams of demons. When the residents of SanLo fall into an endless slumber, only Poe can rescue them from a never-ending nightmare. Equipped with her legendary Koto-sword “Heartstrings”, and flanked by her stable of powerful ghost familiars, she must cleanse their dreams, and uncover the city’s dark secrets. Driven by an unforgettable original soundtrack that builds through player actions and enemy engagement, A City Sleeps infuses classic twin-stick hardcore shoot ‘em up sensibilities with moment-to-moment tactical choices.
• Ultimate General: Gettysburg for PC is released. Ultimate General: Gettysburg is a Tactical Battle Simulator that allows you to lead thousands of soldiers in the famous Battle of Gettysburg as commander of either the Union or Confederate army. The game features the most accurately created map, detailed order of battle, complex morale, and innovative control mechanics.
• GAMING: WII U
• Paper Monsters Recut for Wii U is released. Welcome to Paperland!Dive into the world of Paper Monsters Recut and watch a living world made out of paper, cardboard, and even a few cotton balls unfold right before your eyes.Paper Monsters Recut mixes classic 2D platformer gameplay with gorgeous 3D graphics and brings it to life in a brand new title for Wii U.--FEATURES---Classic 2D platformer gameplay with gorgeous 3d environments.-An adorable cast of fun, original characters.-Tight responsive controls, with super-speed and double jump!-Old school-style playable overworld, with plenty levels and secrets to unlock along the way.-Tons of awesome power ups including jetpacks, submarines, lasers and more!-Collect special treasures to unlock bonus high score mini games.-Awesome original soundtrack.-Wii U GamePad special features and support, including Off-TV Play!-Fun for gamers of any age.
• Lone Survivor: The Director's Cut for Wii U is released. From the creator of Soul Brother and Soundless Mountain II, comes an original and adult Psychological Horror.The masked protagonist must escape from a city ravaged by disease, by any means. Starving and exhausted, he has begun to question how much of what he sees is even real.A new kind of adventure where the choice of how to survive is up to you. Sneak through without firing a single shot, or kill everything in your path. Eat and sleep well, or resort to drugs to keep going. Search for survivors, or try to escape the city alone. Look after your mental health, or descend into madness...

On this day in 2013

• EVENTS
• 49 people are killed after Lao Airlines Flight 301 crashes in the Mekong River, Laos.
• WEDDINGS
• Actress and singer Kristen Bell at the age of 30 weds actor Dax Shepard at the age of 38 at the Beverly Hills County Clerk's Office in California.
• American actress and singer Kristen Bell at the age of 30 weds American actor Dax Shepard at the age of 38 at the Beverly Hills County Clerk's Office in California.
• DEATHS
• Ed Lauter, American actor (The Artist, The Number 23), who died from mesothelioma at 74.
• Simon Phillips, Race Car Driver.
• MOVIES: NOT RATED
• Camille Claudel 1915 is released. Winter,1915. Confined by her family to an asylum in the South of France - where she will never sculpt again - Camille Claudel waits for a visit from her brother, Paul Claudel.
• MOVIES: R
• Kill Your Darlings is released. A murder in 1944 draws together the great poets of the beat generation: Allen Ginsberg (Daniel Radcliffe), Jack Kerouac (Jack Huston) and William Burroughs (Ben Foster).
• TV SERIES
• Burton and Taylor is released. Richard Burton (Dominic West) and Elizabeth Taylor (Helena Bonham Carter) are reunited for the 1983 Broadway production of Noel Coward's Private Lives in this BBC America/BBC TV movie.
• Toy Story of Terror is released. Buzz, Woody and the other toys must locate a lost toy at a motel during a trip with their new owner, Bonnie.
• GAMING: XBOX 360
• Star Wars Pinball: Balance of the Force for Xbox 360 is released. Feel the disturbance in the Force in Star Wars Pinball: Balance of the Force, featuring three brand new Star Wars pinball tables. The pack includes Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi, Starfighter Assault, and a table dedicated to Darth Vader.
• POLITICS
• The United States ends its 16-day government shut down and avoids default in a Bi-partisan deal in the Senate.