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Paycheck (film)
''Paycheck'' is a 2003 American science fiction action film directed and produced by John Woo. The film was written by Dean Georgaris, and based on the 1953 short story of the same name by Philip K. Dick. The film stars Ben Affleck, Aaron Eckhart and Uma Thurman, with Paul Giamatti, Michael C. Hall, Joe Morton, and Colm Feore in supporting roles. The film was released on December 25, 2003, by Paramount Pictures in North America and DreamWorks Pictures internationally. After ''Paycheck'', Woo did not direct another American feature film until 2023’s ''Silent Night''. Plot In the near future, Michael Jennings is a reverse engineer; he analyzes his clients' competitors' technology and recreates it with improvements. To protect his clients' intellectual property and himself, Jennings undergoes memory wipes to remove knowledge of his engineering with aid of his friend Shorty. Jennings is contacted by his college roommate James Rethrick, the CEO of technology company Allcom. R ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Woo
John Woo Yu-sen ( zh, t= ; born 22 September 1946) is a Hongkongers, Hong Kong film director known as a highly influential figure in the action film genre. The recipient of various accolades, including a Hong Kong Film Awards, Hong Kong Film Award for Hong Kong Film Awards, Best Picture, Hong Kong Film Award for Best Director, Best Director, and Hong Kong Film Award for Best Film Editing, Best Editing, as well as a Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards, Golden Horse Award, an Asia Pacific Screen Awards, Asia Pacific Screen Award and a Saturn Awards, Saturn Award, he is regarded as a pioneer of heroic bloodshed films and the gun fu genre in Hong Kong action cinema. He is known for his highly chaotic "bullet ballet" action sequences, stylized imagery, Mexican standoffs, frequent use of slow motion and allusions to ''wuxia'', film noir and Western (genre), Western cinema. Considered one of the major figures of Cinema of Hong Kong, Hong Kong cinema, Woo has directed several notable Ho ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
DreamWorks Pictures
DreamWorks Pictures (also known as DreamWorks SKG and commonly referred to as DreamWorks) is an American film studio and Film distribution, distribution label of Amblin Partners. It was originally founded on October 12, 1994, as a live-action and animation film studio by Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg, and David Geffen (which together form the SKG of DreamWorks SKG), of which they owned 72%. The studio formerly distributed its own and third-party films. It has produced or distributed more than ten films with box-office grosses of more than $100 million each. DreamWorks Pictures was sold to Viacom (1952–2006), Viacom, parent of Paramount Pictures in February 2006 (this version is now named DW Studios). In 2008, DreamWorks announced its intention to end its partnership with Paramount and made a deal to produce films with India's Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group, re-creating DreamWorks Pictures as an independent entity. The following year, DreamWorks entered into a dist ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pre-emptive Nuclear Strike
In nuclear strategy, a first strike or preemptive strike is a preemptive surprise attack employing overwhelming force. First strike capability is a country's ability to defeat another nuclear power by destroying its arsenal to the point where the attacking country can survive the weakened retaliation while the opposing side is left unable to continue war. The preferred methodology is to attack the opponent's strategic nuclear weapon facilities (missile silos, submarine bases, bomber airfields), command and control sites, and storage depots first. The strategy is called counterforce. Historical background ''First-strike attack'', the use of a nuclear first strike capability, was greatly feared during the Cold War between NATO and the Soviet Bloc. At various points, fear of a first strike attack existed on both sides. Misunderstood changes in posture and well understood changes in technology used by either side often led to speculation regarding the enemy's intentions. 1948– ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Microdot
A microdot is text or an image substantially reduced in size to prevent detection by unintended recipients. Microdots are normally circular and around in diameter but can be made into different shapes and sizes and made from various materials such as polyester or metal. The name comes from microdots often having been about the size and shape of a typography, typographical dot, such as a full stop, period or the tittle of a lowercase ''i'' or ''j''. Microdots are, fundamentally, a steganography, steganographic approach to message protection. History In 1870 during the Franco-Prussian War, Paris was under siege and messages were sent by carrier pigeon. Parisian photographer René Dagron used microfilm to permit each pigeon to carry a high volume of messages, as pigeons can carry little weight. Improvement in technology since then has made even smaller miniaturization possible. At the 1925 International Congress of Photography in Paris, Emanuel Goldberg presented a method of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Body Double
In filmmaking, a double is a person who substitutes for another actor such that the person's face is not shown. There are various terms associated with a double based on the specific body part or ability they serve as a double for, such as stunt double, "dance double", "butt double" and "hand double". Types of doubles Body double A body double or photography double is used in certain specific shots to replace the credited actor of a character. The body double's face is obscured to maintain the illusion that they are the same character; usually by shooting their body at an angle that leaves their face out (such as by showing the body double from the back) or in post-production by superimposing the original actor's face over the body double's. The double's face is usually not seen on-camera, particularly when they do not facially resemble the actor; a wig will usually be employed if the double's hair color is different from that of the main actor. This is in contrast to a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Physicist
A physicist is a scientist who specializes in the field of physics, which encompasses the interactions of matter and energy at all length and time scales in the physical universe. Physicists generally are interested in the root or ultimate causes of Phenomenon, phenomena, and usually frame their understanding in mathematical terms. They work across a wide range of Physics#Research fields, research fields, spanning all length scales: from atom, sub-atomic and particle physics, through biological physics, to physical cosmology, cosmological length scales encompassing the universe as a whole. The field generally includes two types of physicists: Experimental physics, experimental physicists who specialize in the observation of natural phenomena and the development and analysis of experiments, and Theoretical physics, theoretical physicists who specialize in mathematical modeling of physical systems to rationalize, explain and predict natural phenomena. Physicists can apply their k ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Biologist
A biologist is a scientist who conducts research in biology. Biologists are interested in studying life on Earth, whether it is an individual Cell (biology), cell, a multicellular organism, or a Community (ecology), community of Biological interaction, interacting populations. They usually specialize in a particular Outline of biology#Subdisciplines, branch (e.g., molecular biology, zoology, and evolutionary biology) of biology and have a specific research focus (e.g., studying malaria or cancer). Biologists who are involved in basic research have the aim of advancing knowledge about the natural world. They conduct their research using the scientific method, which is an empirical method for testing hypothesis, hypotheses. Their discoveries may have Applied science#Applied research, applications for some specific purpose such as in biotechnology, which has the goal of developing medically useful products for humans. In modern times, most biologists have one or more academic degre ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Memory Erasure
Memory erasure is the selective artificial removal of memories or associations from the brain, mind. Overview Memory erasure has been shown to be possible in some experimental conditions; some of the techniques currently being investigated are: drug-induced amnesia, selective memory suppression, destruction of neurons, interruption of memory, memory reconsolidation, and the disruption of specific molecular mechanisms. There are many reasons that research is being done on the selective removal of memories. Potential patients for this research include patients with psychiatric disorders such as post traumatic stress disorder, or substance use disorder, among others. Memory erasure is also featured in numerous works of fiction, with fictional methods and properties that do not necessarily correspond with scientific reality. Recent history Research focused on gaining a better understanding of what memories are has been going on for many years, in this way so has research in memo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Intellectual Property
Intellectual property (IP) is a category of property that includes intangible creations of the human intellect. There are many types of intellectual property, and some countries recognize more than others. The best-known types are patents, copyrights, trademarks, and trade secrets. The modern concept of intellectual property developed in England in the 17th and 18th centuries. The term "intellectual property" began to be used in the 19th century, though it was not until the late 20th century that intellectual property became commonplace in most of the world's List of national legal systems, legal systems."property as a common descriptor of the field probably traces to the foundation of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) by the United Nations." in Mark A. Lemley''Property, Intellectual Property, and Free Riding'', Texas Law Review, 2005, Vol. 83:1031, page 1033, footnote 4. Supporters of intellectual property laws often describe their main purpose as encouragin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Reverse Engineer
Reverse engineering (also known as backwards engineering or back engineering) is a process or method through which one attempts to understand through deductive reasoning how a previously made device, process, system, or piece of software accomplishes a task with very little (if any) insight into exactly how it does so. Depending on the system under consideration and the technologies employed, the knowledge gained during reverse engineering can help with repurposing obsolete objects, doing security analysis, or learning how something works. Although the process is specific to the object on which it is being performed, all reverse engineering processes consist of three basic steps: information extraction, modeling, and review. Information extraction is the practice of gathering all relevant information for performing the operation. Modeling is the practice of combining the gathered information into an abstract model, which can be used as a guide for designing the new object or syst ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Silent Night (2023 Film)
''Silent Night'' is a 2023 American vigilante action-thriller film directed by John Woo, who also produced the film with Christian Mercuri, Lori Tilkin deFelice, Basil Iwanyk, and Erica Lee. The film was written by Robert Archer Lynn and stars Joel Kinnaman, with Scott Mescudi, Harold Torres, and Catalina Sandino Moreno in supporting roles. '' Silent Night'' was Woo’s first American feature directorial effort since 2003’s ''Paycheck''. The film, which features minimal spokes dialogue, follows an aggrieved father avenging the death of his son, who was killed by local gang members in a drive-by shooting on Christmas Eve. Filming took place in Mexico City from April to May 2022. The film was released by Lionsgate in the United States on December 1, 2023 to mixed reviews from critics and only grossed $11 million worldwide. Plot Brian Godlock is an electrician living a happy life in the fictional town of Las Palomas, Texas with his wife Saya and young son Taylor Michael. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Paycheck (short Story)
"Paycheck" is a science fiction novelette by American writer Philip K. Dick, written on July 31, 1952 and first published in the June 1953 issue of ''Imagination''. The story was later made, with various alterations, into the film ''Paycheck'' in 2003 directed by John Woo and starring Ben Affleck. Plot summary Jennings, a talented electronic engineer, has accepted a secret contract with Rethrick Construction. The terms of the contract state that he will work for two years on a secret project after which he will have his memory of the time erased and will be paid an inordinate sum. It is implied that this type of working contract has replaced non-disclosure agreements in business and is commonplace. He wakes up to find that during his tenure he decided to forgo the payment of money and instead receive an envelope of trinkets. Rethrick states that this in itself is not unusual and that people often change their mind as to their method of payment during the course of contracts ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
