It is impossible to overstate just how big an impact Star Trek: The Next Generation had on an entire generation of kids growing up in the 1990s. I watched every episode with my mom. When I walked into my friend’s house after school, a gigantic cardboard cutout of virile, bald Captain Jean-Luc Picard greeted us in the hall. I followed Wil Wheaton, who played precocious teen Wesley Crusher, on social media well into my twenties. My son (I am not lying about this) is named Wesley. My husband thinks we named him after the explorer John Wesley Powell. We did not.
The detailed replica of the ship comprises 3,600 pieces and includes nine minifigures, each with its own accessory. All the important folks are here: Picard, Riker, Worf, Data, Geordi La Forge, Deanna Troi, Beverly and Wesley Crusher, and the bartender, played by Whoopi Goldberg (who didn’t really register with me because I didn’t understand what bars were back then).
You can make Riker and Troi fall in love all over again when Riker plays his tiny trombone! Remember when it was apparently really sexy for all men to play large brass instruments? Deanna’s hair looks amazing, as usual. The Wesley Crusher figure has a portable tractor beam! It also comes with a display stand with an information plaque and a minifigure display title.
You can purchase the Star Trek: U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D on November 28 for $400. If you purchase the new set between November 28 and December 1, on Lego’s website or at a Lego store, you will also receive the Type-15 Shuttlepod as a gift with purchase. Excuse me, I have to mark this on my calendar and go faint now.
Would adding that bit have opened up a can of worms? You kind of can’t just glance over Michael Jackson.
I mean everybody from Beyoncé to Kanye [West], even though he’s worked with all these people, and it’s like you can’t just, if you dip your toe into them, then it’s both unsatisfying and kind of brings up more like, “Well, what about that? Let’s get deeper into that story.” And I always look at those things as narrative quicksand.
Is that something you just had to make a call about?
It wasn’t like I was ever going to interview Kanye.
It wasn’t like Kanye had any—or Puff, another controversial person—Pharrell never had a deep relationship with any of them.
It’s wild that this movie is coming out at a time when a lot of the people involved are part of an industry that’s going through some turmoil right now.
The kind of reckoning that’s happening in the hip-hop world is long overdue.
Pharrell’s almost the opposite. He’s been married to the same woman for, been with her for 20 years. He’s never done drugs. He doesn’t drink. He is like a health nut.
Not the stuff that normally gets into music docs.
It’s more like, where’s the friction in his life?
So in that way, from the kind of traditional rock-and-roll type of story, it’s not that kind of story. He doesn’t have that kind of story.
How do you work around that? Stories need tension, something to overcome, some deep, dark truth.
You need tension, but to me, there was all this dramatic tension around creativity, which I think is real.
My mentor, Peter Guralnick, a fantastic writer, told me early on that the least interesting things in stories about musicians are sex, drugs, and getting ripped off by your record label, because everybody has the exact same story. So, what’s interesting after those things?
If you look at every film I’ve done, it’s always been the things beyond those things … My Steve Martin documentary, the last one I did, is very similar. It’s not about fame or drugs or anything. Steve is squeaky clean. But it’s about how do you wrestle with your voice, how do you stay inspired?
Well, you mentioned a second ago that you felt like you might be done with music documentaries, but your next one is about Paul McCartney. How did you put yourself on that path?
I couldn’t say no. I’ve been a Beatles fanatic my whole life.
But this is a movie about the period after they broke up, right?
Orlando Brick Convention is back for a big weekend
For those who love to brick, this Lego event is for you.
One of the biggest fan-run Lego conventions returns to Central Florida this weekend.
Orlando Brick Convention takes over Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee Saturday and Sunday, March 16-17, bringing professional and local Lego artists, build-zones and galleries of Lego sets on display.
“I have organized dozens of Lego fan events in the past 10 years and I can confidently say that the Orlando Brick Convention next week will be the most exciting, fun-filled Lego event I have ever witnessed,” says Greyson Riley, the founder of Brick Convention.
Last year’s inaugural event sold out, so 2024’s edition will be expanded to include even more Lego attractions and artists from around the world. This year’s Lego celebrities on the guest list include Patrick Durham and Mel Brown from the Lego Masters television series on Fox.
“Over two dozen local Lego creators will be participating in the event showing anything and everything Lego. Star Wars creations, Lego displays that teach history, art, Lego cities with moving trains and lights,” Riley says. “There will truly be something for everyone at the event. We will have creators young and old, from the youngest builder who is 12 years old in middle school to even a few grandparents.”
Other attractions include brick pits and building zones with thousands of Legos to build with, exhibits with Lego builds from local fans, life-size Lego models, displays of Lego botanicals and architecture, an exhibit just for Star Wars builds, and a shop for merchandise and rare Lego sets.
The Orlando Brick Convention supports Creations for Charity by giving a portion of the proceeds to the nonprofit organization that puts Lego sets into the hands of children in need. The 2023 event raised over $15,000 for charity.
“What is so appealing and what brings everyone together are the endless possibilities. There is nothing that can be done with Lego, the only limit is one’s imagination. Building with Lego gets people off the screens and into a world of creativity,” Riley says.
Tickets for the convention are $14, and it’s highly recommended you buy them ahead of time as this year’s event is expected to sell out as well.
Black Friday is here, and it needs no introduction, right? We’ve already gotten warmed up with heaps of early Black Friday deals, but now the main course has arrived first at Amazon and Best Buy before other retailers get fully underway at various points throughout the coming week. We’ll be updating this article frequently with new products, and as many more retailers (both online and in the real world) begin to slash prices with the hopes that you’ll do your shopping there. Who’s next? Target and Best Buy each have some new deals starting this weekend, so stay tuned.
There’s a little something for everyone below, and unsurprisingly there’s a lot more on the way next week for actual Black Friday. But in case your interests are more specific, we’ve got you covered with dedicated posts on board game deals (featuring dozens more than is listed below), and the best deals on gaming hardware like SSDs and monitors.
Take a short hike through the East Sea Road in Japan with Tokaido, a lovely little board game that’s available from Amazon for $24.76 (was $39.99).
If Age of Empires were a deck-building game, you’d have 7 Wonders. Typically available for $59.99, you can currently pick up a copy from Amazon for $40.
Descent: Legends of the Dark features a ton of unpainted miniatures, and a lengthy, interconnected campaign designed for one to four players. This massive game is usually $174.95 but is currently discounted to $87.48 at Amazon.
Azul, the beautiful tile-matching game is currently discounted to $21.70 at Amazon (was $39.99).
Assassin’s Creed Mirage for PS5 and Xbox Series X is $39.99 (was $49.99). This game recently launched, and beyond being a solid game that has a more reduced scope, it’s hard not to also love its cheaper debut price, which is considerably less than the industry average (and now, even cheaper thanks to Black Friday).
You can already get $20 off the Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1 for every platform at Best Buy and Amazon. It costs $39.99 (was $59.99).
Lords of the Fallen (2024) is $49.99 (was $69.99) for PS5 and Xbox Series X from Best Buy.
Lies of P for PS5 and Xbox Series X is $49.99 (was $59.99) at Best Buy. This memorable game breaks the mold of being just another Soulslike title by blending the tale of Pinocchio with horror elements. Best of all, it’s fun to play, and its unique weapon system is something that fans of the subgenre should check out.
Elden Ring is $39.99 (was $59.99) for PS5 and Xbox at Best Buy. From Software’s stunning 2022 open-world title remains a must-play, especially before its anticipated “Shadow of the Erdtree” expansion arrives. Note: The Xbox version of Elden Ring costs just $24.99 at GameStop. On PS4 (which allows a free update to the PS5 version if you have a disc-based console), it’s just $19.99 at GameStop.
Remnant 2for the Xbox Series X and PS5 is $39.99 (was $49.99) at Best Buy. This tough, yet rewarding third-person shooter allows single player as well as groups of up to 3 to trove loot-filled environments.
God of War Ragnarök is $34.99 for PS5 at Best Buy and Amazon, easily sailing past the lowest price we’d seen for the game.
Fire Emblem Engage for the Switch is $34.99 (was $59.99) at Amazon. Building off the incredible Fire Emblem: Three Houses was never going to be easy, but Intelligent Systems delivered the goods in Engage, a game focused more on battle than on relationships.
The physical version of Red Dead Redemption for PS4 (also playable on PS5) is $29.99 at Best Buy (was $49.99). In case you’ve always wanted a PS4 disc copy of one of the PS3 era’s defining games, albeit with very few modern updates, you can now buy it. Since launch, Rockstar Games added a 60 frames per second mode you can turn on while playing the game on PS5.
Final Fantasy 7: Crisis Core Reunion, the reimagined version of Square Enix’s tough-to-access PSP title, is $29.99 (was $49.99) at Best Buy and Amazon. It’s available for PS4, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch. The best deal of all is at GameStop, where you can grab it for PlayStation or Xbox for $24.99.
Super Mega Baseball 4 is $19.99 (was $29.99) at Best Buy. If you like baseball even a little bit, don’t sleep on this title, even if you aren’t particularly sold on its exaggerated art style. SMB delivers baseball that’s easier to pick up and put down than the major sports titles.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is $34.99 at Best Buy and Amazon. The sequel to Jedi: Fallen Order delivers more of that good stuff in terms of combat, story, and solid character development. Remember: this game will be $30 at Walmart starting on Nov. 22, in case it’s worth it to you to save a couple bucks.
Wild Hearts is $19.99 (was $49.99) at Best Buy. In this third-person action game, which Polygon’s review described as Monster Hunter meets Death Stranding, you’re getting a huge amount of bang for your buck during Black Friday especially.
Dead Space for Xbox Series X and PS5 is $34.99 (was $69.99) at Best Buy. Note: this title is currently available on Xbox Game Pass, in case you have a subscription to that.
All Xbox consoles are $50 off. This includes Xbox Series X consoles at Best Buy, which sell for $449.99 and come with a free $50 gift card. At Target, the Series X is $449.99 and includes a $75 gift card through Nov. 18. GameStop is honoring the same deals, but without gift cards included.
Image: Insomniac Games/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon
PlayStation deals
At multiple retailers, you can get one of Sony’s new, slimmer PS5 consoles for $499.99 (its regular cost) that comes bundled with either Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 or Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 for no extra cost (a $69.99 value).
At multiple retailers including Best Buy, Walmart, and GameStop, you can get a Sony DualSense wireless controller for PS5 and PC for $49.99 or a little less (was $69.99, and in some cases, special edition colors were $74.99).
Nintendo
Switch deals
If you’re planning to buy a Nintendo Switch this holiday, and have your sights set on the standard $299.99 model, make sure you get this holiday Switch bundle that also includes Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and three months of Nintendo’s Switch Online service for no extra cost.
Are you a fan of Super Smash Bros.? On Nov. 19, Nintendo will begin to sell a new Switch OLED bundle that includes Super Smash Bros. Ultimate for no extra charge.
Alienware’s AW3423DWF gaming monitor features a curved QD-OLED screen, which provides amazing picture quality and contrast. Its fast 165 Hz refresh rate works with PC games, and it supports up to 100 Hz with consoles.
For something smaller, Asus makes a 27-inch 1440p OLED gaming monitor that typically costs $999.99. It’s on sale at B&H Photo right now for just $629.99. This product features a 240 Hz refresh rate panel.
If you have an appetite for an even wider, bigger OLED gaming monitor, Best Buy has the best price on LG’s 45-inch curved 1440p monitor. Normally $1,699.99, if you sign up for My Best Buy Plus or Total, it’ll knock $700 off the total. At $999.99, there’s never been a better price.
OK, we’re going to keep getting bigger here. Samsung’s 49-inch curved Odyssey G9 OLED gaming monitor is $999.99 (was $1,599.99) at Amazon. This model has a 240 Hz refresh rate and a very fast response time, just like the LG 45-inch UltraGear OLED above, but its slightly bigger size results in even more of a glorious desk hog.
Logitech’s G Pro X Superlight wireless gaming mouse is currently discounted to $109.99 at Amazon (was $159.99). This is one of the lightest mice on the market, making it great for people who don’t want a heavy mouse to hold back their reflexes.
The wired version of the Logitech G502 X gaming mouse is on sale for $59.99 through Amazon (was $79.99). This is a great mouse for people who want to have many buttons.
VR deals
The Black Friday deal on the Meta Quest 2 is live at GameStop, Amazon, Walmart, and at Best Buy, knocking $50 off the cost. The deal will kick on at Target on Nov. 19, and to make it sweeter, you’ll get a $50 gift card with purchase.
There’s currently no better wireless VR headset at this price point.
Best entertainment Black Friday deals
Panasonic’s UB420-K and UB820-K 4K Blu-ray players are widely regarded as some of the best models you can currently buy, and now they’re down to their lowest retail prices. The UB420-K normally costs around $250, but it’s now $197.99 at Amazon (Best Buy is selling it for $199.99).
The higher-end UB820-K is also on sale. In terms of hardware, it’s virtually identical to the 420-K model, except it can display Dolby Vision HDR in addition to other HDR supported by both models. Normally around $500, this model is $349.99 at both Amazon and Best Buy.
Through Dec. 4, Barnes & Noble is slashing prices on many Criterion Collection movies, including DVDs, Blu-rays, 4K Blu-rays, and even top-tier box sets. This semi-annual sale is the perfect time to pick up acclaimed movies from the modern era, as well as older must-see films that have been lovingly repackaged.
The 4K UHD version of the Super Mario Bros. Movie is currently available at Amazon and Best Buy for $9.99 (was $29.99). You can also pick up the Blu-ray version for the same price (was $19.99) in case you don’t have the right hardware to play 4K discs.
Own a copy of The Super Mario Bros. Movie so you can watch it as many times as you want.
The 4K Blu-ray version of James Cameron’s Titanicis $29.99 at Amazon, and it will launch on Dec. 5. This is a few dollars less than the cost at other retailers. If you want to go all out on the pricey collector’s edition, that version is $20 off at both Amazon and Best Buy.
Best Black Friday Lego deals
The Lego version of the Atari 2600 (complete with cartridges and classic wood paneling) is currently discounted to $201.73 (was $239.99).
Normally, the 1,351-piece Lego Millennium Falcon is $169.99, but Amazon has discounted this set to $135.99. The lowest price we’ve seen yet for the ship that made the Kessel run in twelve parsecs.
Yet another Star Wars Lego set available for its lowest price ever, the 474-piece version of Luke Skywalker’s X-Wing is on sale for $37.49 at Amazon (was $49.99).
The Mario, Luigi, and Peach starter courses for Lego Super Mario are currently discounted to $47.99 at Amazon (were $59.99).
This is the Lego Super Mario set you need if you want to add all of Lego and Nintendo’s exciting expansion sets at a later date. This set includes an interactive Mario figure, a Goomba figure, Bowser Jr., and a buildable course.
The summer home of the royal house of Toadstool is typically priced at $129.99, but you can currently pick up the Peach’s Castle expansion set for Lego Super Mario at Amazon for $104.99.
Yup. Lego’s own company “OCTAN” as featured in their set since I was a kid. Plan on ironing on these mirrored decals onto a t shirt (they’ll be “un mirrored” once applied) and see if anyone catches the humor at the car show. I have the VIP Lego hat to match.
As someone who didn’t grow up with money, I’m firmly pro-Lego knockoffs. In addition to their accessibility, other Lego-type materials have existed forever because people like to build things, including children. Also, Lego has become a brand like Google or Kleenex, where the word itself comes to reference many things that serve the same purpose. However, some things push the limits, and these knockoffs from the Mormon community are one such example.
Before getting into why these are so awful and offensive, let’s start with the name of the company— Brick’em Young. I see the first vision, okay. The brand is named after Brigham Young, the second president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (a.k.a. the LDS Church, a.k.a. the Mormon Church) and the most famous person associated with the religion. The former governor of the Utah territory is the reason the Mormon community grew into a large industry, and the state’s main (and infamous) university is named Brigham Young University (BYU).
However, “brick” is also a verb used in relation to throwing a brick at someone or something, and more famously online in regards to a very erect penis and the sexual activities related to it. Now, why would you name a toy company aimed at kids “brick ’em young!” Do we see the problem here? Especially in a religion that has a child sex scandal every other year, to say nothing of the child brides and the predators, who aren’t held accountable because the church has been caught suppressing stories to protect predators.
Mormon Lego, not-Lego Sets
Anyways, the main issue beyond the terrible name is the sets they actually sell. They have the expected sets of different temples and biblical stories. Because it’s the holiday time, they’ve been pushing nativity scenes, and that’s why I’ve brought you here today.
Yes, you saw that correctly: The “traditional” nativity scene is very, very white except for two of the wise men. Unfortunately, this is a common thing in most religions that utilize nativity scenes, including Catholicism and Protestantism, despite the story being set in the Middle East. The real kicker is that, if you take issue with it, the Mormon not-Lego company has got you covered with an “African Nativity” and “Asian Nativity”—white is the default, and everyone else is “DiVeRsItY.”
In the African Nativity, the wife has lighter skin than the husband (because, of course, colorism is free) and the scene is set in a hut. The Asian Nativity scene looks like a generic scene of China, but I can’t be sure. I can’t with these. The more I see them, the more I want to scream.
Racism in the LDS Church
This is equally disgusting and very much not surprising. Mormons of all races and ethnicities exist because, like Evangelicals, they are proselytizing people. There are so many memes about the men and women dressed up with a Bible or other religious text in hand, knocking door to door. Missionary and colonizing work is big both here and abroad. Also embedded in the Mormon religion’s founding is that Black people are the “cursed” children of God and fence-sitters in a Holy War. Yeah, so we should be so lucky as to get a racist-ass, knockoff lego set.
According to The Washington Post, “[Young] enforced it enthusiastically as the word of God, supporting slavery in Utah and decreeing that the ‘mark’ on Cain was ‘the flat nose and black skin.’ Young subsequently urged immediate death to any participant in mixing of the races.” While the 1982, anti-Mormon cartoon The God Makers has been criticized for its inaccurate portrayal of the faith (by many people, not just Mormons), the section about Black people lines up with popular Mormon belief before the 1950s.
Within the church, Black people weren’t allowed to be priests until 1978, and the religion’s main publisher continued to print a 1950s book defending the ban (Mormon Doctrine) until 2010. In a 2016 survey, 62% of self-identified Mormons say they either “know” or “believe” this ban to be God’s will. The number was 70% among non-white Mormons, though there’s likely a larger margin of error because of the small sample size.
As with other communities experiencing racism and anti-Blackness, this isn’t something that’s just “dying out” because young people are expressing softer versions of the same views. One of the most popular non-sports or Greek-related college group TikTok accounts is the Black Menaces at BYU, and they reveal to the world how bigoted beliefs still permeate the LDS church by asking basic questions regarding gender, race, and sexuality. They even have a knockoff game inspired by Billy Eichner, where they ask students to name a Black historical figure, which goes about as well as the Lego set. The questions extend to Mormon history, like when they recite a quote and ask who said it—Brigham Young or Adolf Hitler?
Related to the priesthood question and status of progress, many students will make excuses for the policy and say it’s a “product of its time” while claiming the church and community aren’t racist anymore—and offering just as much imagination as those janky bricks.
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