A live updating list of the most viewed posts on the CFS website (as of 5/8/2021). View counts are displayed below posts.
Top Posts:
Tour Every Chicago Film Location from High Fidelity… December 31, 2019 Have you ever wanted to tour every film location from High Fidelity (2000) in Chicago? Well, here's your guide. (4,446)
Off the Beaten Path | Love, Death & Robots S1E8… September 28, 2019 If you didn't think anything could top "Beyond the Aquila Rift", you're in for the treat of a lifetime with the rich and nuanced "Good Hunting" (2,449)
Off the Beaten Path | Love, Death & Robots… October 8, 2019 After a number of intense episodes full of frenetic action and philosophical musings, "Ice Age" takes us down the lazy river of film fun. (2,282)
Vanilla Sex: What I Learned from Cheryl… June 22, 2020 An (hopefully) educational and (hopefully) engaging look at some of the filmmaking lessons to be found in Cheryl Dunye's 'The Watermelon Woman' (1996). (2,196)
Jennifer’s Body and the Societal Importance of… October 19, 2020 Before diving into this essay I need to give a disclaimer- Jennifer’s Body is my favorite movie. Hands down, full stop, I love this movie more than any other. Therefore, this essay may be a little clouded by my adoration. That being… (1,801)
Off the Beaten Path | Love, Death & Robots… October 6, 2019 We look at the last of my original three favorite episodes of "Love, Death & Robots". Now the question is, how well does it hold up? (1,482)
Hello Mister Police: Trying to Understand The Snowman February 10, 2021 Warning! Spoilers ahead! “Oh the weather outside is frightful But the fire is so delightful And since we’ve no place to go Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!” Hello all. If you’re reading this in Chicago, you might… (1,385)
A Look Back at Zack Snyder’s First… March 17, 2021 As a fan, I was very excited to use the release of Zack Snyder’s Justice League as an excuse to make my way through his filmography. It also didn’t hurt that I had committed to write a ranking of his theatrical releases… (1,330)
Off the Beaten Path | Kolchak: The Night Stalker September 27, 2020 For this special installment of Off the Beaten Path, I'm celebrating the one-year anniversary of this blog with Kolchak: The Night Stalker, a Chicago based cult sensation from 1974 that is low-key one of the most influential shows of all time. (1,325)
It Is Dark Everywhere: What I learned from Peter… October 29, 2020 An (hopefully) educational and (hopefully) engaging look at some of the filmmaking lessons to be found in Peter Greenaway's 'The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover' (1989). (1,275)
Three Things Andrea Sachs Should’ve Done Differently September 12, 2020 If Anne Hathaway's character from "The Devil Wears Prada", Andrea Sachs, was a real New Yorker, things would've gone much differently (1,228)
Off the Beaten Path | Love, Death & Robots… October 10, 2019 For the last episode of "Love, Death & Robots" we get an episode that should have been a video game. Feel free to read why. (1,182)
Off the Beaten Path | Love, Death & Robots S1E7… September 27, 2019 To start off the second third of the season, we have one of, if not thee most famous episode to emerge from "Love, Death & Robots" (1,149)
The Conversational Intimacy of “Before Sunrise” October 11, 2020 Whether it be platonic or romantic love, there are those moments in every worthwhile relationship where things crystalize in the moments when the two parties merely exist together. I don’t know if there’s a film that captures this better than Before Sunrise.… (1,137)
In Defense Of: The Cat in the Hat October 18, 2020 Everyone has a handful of movies from their childhood that are special to them and helped define that part of their life. For me, one of those films is "The Cat in the Hat". My parents had bought the DVD version and… (1,120)
Zoey Deutch: A Starlet on The Rise January 18, 2021 As someone who’s been bingeing a copious amount of television the past few months after being forced into solitude due to the virus we all know and love, I’ve grown to appreciate and admire the job of actors. Being able to transform… (1,116)
Chicago Film Then-and-Now: THE FURY (1978) April 9, 2020 Brian De Palma’s Carrie (1976) stands as quite possibly his most well-known and best received film from an outstanding, if underrated career. However, he returned to similar subject matter just a couple years later, hoping to attract a larger audience, as he… (1,115)
The Evolution of the Action Film September 21, 2020 When you think of an action film, what's the first thing that comes to mind? Die Hard? Terminator 2? The Matrix? Any of these are valid. Quite frankly, the first two had all but set the template for the modern action film… (1,105)
Journey to Royal – A WWII Rescue Mission Review January 22, 2021 A Tale of Heroism in the Face of War This documentary/feature hybrid directed by Christopher Johnson and produced by Mariana Tosca, p.g.a is a remarkable and effective piece of documentary filmmaking that chronicles the incredible stories of rescue teams during World War… (1,053)
The Screen’s Unseen: “Max Magician and the Legend of… May 20, 2021 People say that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but paying sufficient attention to the minimal information that one can find about Max Magician and the Legend of the Rings online might have tipped me off that the quality of… (1,050)
Off the Beaten Path | V: The Final Battle February 23, 2021 On this Off the Beaten Path review, I cover V: The Final Battle, the disappointing sequel miniseries to V: The Original Miniseries (1,038)
Off the Beaten Path | Love, Death & Robots S1E2… September 23, 2019 Now that we've been given the strong-handed introduction to "Love, Death & Robots" by "Sonnie's Edge", lets relax with the laid back comedy stylings of "Three Robots" (1,025)
“Verotika” and the failure of Glenn Danzig December 10, 2020 While my fellow cinephiles discuss David Fincher’s new film (you can read Rob McNeil’s glowing review and Bishop’s less glowing but very informative review on Chicago Film Scene now), I thought I’d take this awards season to finally watch Glenn Danzig’s auteur… (1,000)
Off the Beaten Path | Love, Death & Robots… October 2, 2019 For this review, I cover the episode that truly establishes what it means to be an "experience" story, with all the beauty and pitfalls contained. (964)
Off the Beaten Path | V: The Original Miniseries August 28, 2020 For this installment of "Off the Beaten Path", I go back to the year 1983 to look at a show about an alien invasion that's becoming more and more prescient by the day. (932)
Old Movies New Thoughts | The Christmas Chronicles November 16, 2020 The Christmas Chronicles is a comedy/adventure about two kids helping Santa, it's mostly set in Chicago - although the movie begins in Lowell, MA. (Yep, I'm feeling some Bay State pride for my first home state.) There is a slight Hallmark vibe… (917)
My Thoughts: Idiocracy July 9, 2020 You ever see something that reminds you of a movie, and you can’t get that cinematic image out of your mind until you watch it? Yeah, me too. Idiocracy (2006), directed by Mike Judge, has been circling around my head like a… (909)
Strange & Unusual: What I learned from Tim… July 21, 2020 An (hopefully) educational and (hopefully) engaging look at some of the filmmaking lessons to be found in Tim Burton's 'Beetlejuice' (1988). (905)
Off the Beaten Path | Spicy City May 13, 2020 For the first of my season reviews on Off the Beaten Path, I review the Ralpha Bakshi animated anthology Spicy City, a show forgotten by everyone including it's home network. (895)
Off the Beaten Path | The Stand (1994) December 16, 2020 For the last Off the Beaten Path review of 2020, I'm covering the 1994 adaptation of Stephen King's post-apocalyptic fantasy epic The Stand. (879)
Music Box of Horrors | Black Vampires Double… October 2, 2020 Blacula (William Crain, 1972, 92 minutes) Blacula is a blaxploitation film directed by William Crain, one of the first black directors to graduate from UCLA's film school and achieve commercial success. I recommend Blacula. It’s political and remains relevant. It’s stylish, sweet,… (871)
The Fields Studios Opening in Logan Square/Avondale Area May 19, 2023 A new film studio is coming to town, and it's looking to be right up there among the largest in Chicago. The Fields Studios recently launched a website and Instagram page, billing itself as the "first purpose-built studio campus in Chicago and… (854)
Off the Beaten Path | Love, Death & Robots… October 9, 2019 With the penultimate episode of "Love, Death & Robots" we get ask an age old question. What would happen if Hitler died before his rise to power? The answer is funnier than you think. (847)
It’ll Put You in Deep Shock: What I learned… June 30, 2020 An (hopefully) educational and (hopefully) engaging look at some of the filmmaking lessons to be found in Dario Argento's 'Deep Red' (1975). (838)
Off the Beaten Path | Danger 5 S2E2 – Johnny Hitler November 3, 2019 With "Johnny Hitler", both the team and the villains infiltrate a high school, creating the most mundane yet most surreal episode yet. (782)
Portrait of a Lady on Fire: The Masterpiece Behind… September 29, 2020 Tread lightly: Spoilers for Portrait of a Lady on Fire ahead. Yes, if you know me at all, you knew this was coming. Portrait of a Lady on Fire is, in my humble opinion, a perfect masterpiece of a film. But, I… (778)
Watercooler Reviews | Alice in Borderland S1 February 5, 2021 So two days ago, I decided to watch something with some dramatic heft and intensity. Since I watched The Flight Attendant S1 a few weeks ago, most of my tv watching, beyond the new weekly episodes of The Stand (2020) and WandaVision,… (769)
Off the Beaten Path | Love, Death & Robots S1E9… September 29, 2019 Well the hot streak of episodes we were on had to end at some point, and unsurprisingly it ended with the one note episode "The Dump". (745)
Off the Beaten Path | Love, Death & Robots… September 30, 2019 "Shape-Shifters" welcomes us to the back half of "LDR" with an entertaining and rewatchable episode that doesn't push boundaries but doesn't need to. (739)
Chasing Him: What I learned from Satoshi Kon’s… July 2, 2020 An (hopefully) educational and (hopefully) engaging look at some of the filmmaking lessons to be found in Satoshi Kon's 'Millennium Actress' (2001). (732)
7 Non-Superhero Comics I’d Like to See Adapted… March 19, 2021 A CFS Listicle outlining 7 non-superhero comics that should be adapted to the screen and why (722)
Music Box of Horrors | “The Return of the… October 6, 2020 October 3, 2020, 12:30 P.M. Central Time — The events that are portrayed in this article are all true. The names are real names of real people and real organizations. The punks are about, idiots are at work, and a barrel of… (699)
Please Don’t Remake This: The Princess Bride December 15, 2020 Let’s talk about remakes. It wouldn’t be revolutionary for me to point out the multitude of issues with the merry-go-round of remakes Hollywood has been obsessed with churning out these past few years. Nor would it be profound for me to criticize… (694)
Off the Beaten Path | Love, Death & Robots S1E6… September 26, 2019 On episode six of "Love Death & Robots", we reach our shortest, most out of left field, and funniest episode yet. (689)
Playing at the Chitown Movie Drive-In: “Ferris… September 6, 2020 For these past thirty-four years, Ferris Bueller's Day Off has been acclaimed as a culturally significant film that’s endlessly re-watchable without audiences ever ceasing to enjoy the sunny joie de vivre of this sweet comedy. Because Ferris Bueller, the character himself, remains… (689)
Off the Beaten Path | Love, Death & Robots S1E1… September 23, 2019 My review of episode one, "Sonnie's Edge", our first introduction to the wild and sometimes bumpy ride of "Love, Death & Robots". (687)
Off the Beaten Path | FLCL June 24, 2020 For this installment of Off the Beaten Path, I look at FLCL, one of the weirdest bits of animation I've seen. Plus, there are a lot of robot fights and dick jokes. What's not to love? (684)
Watercooler Reviews | Primal S1 Part 2 October 11, 2020 A weekly Watercooler review where I review each episode of the Adult Swim original Primal S1 Part 2 as each episode premiers. (681)
20 Years of Requiem for a Dream December 18, 2020 I am writing this article on December 15th 2020.That means twenty years ago, to the day, a masterpiece was released into U.S theaters. What can be said about Requiem For a Dream that hasn’t already been said? It’s powerful? It’s upsetting? It’s… (654)
Off the Beaten Path | Love, Death & Robots S1E3… September 23, 2019 Oh man, this one is a doozy. Not sure how else to put it in a slug line. Feel free to read why inside. (647)
Otherwise-wise: What I learned from Billy… July 16, 2020 An (hopefully) educational and (hopefully) engaging look at some of the filmmaking lessons to be found in Billy Wilder's 'The Apartment' (1960). (647)
What Cinema Can Be: Part I | The Superhero Conundrum February 22, 2020 “I don’t see them. I tried, you know? But that’s not cinema,” - Martin Scorsese With everything that’s going on about the convoluted, contradictory, and controversial statements regarding superhero movies and what cinema is or isn’t, let us instead focus on what… (635)
Off the Beaten Path | Planet of the Apes: The Series September 14, 2020 For the biggest show (by sheer runtime) I've covered for Off the Beaten Path, we go back to the year 1974 to see some astronauts crash land in the year 3084. There, they find not a world of man, but a world… (618)
Off the Beaten Path | Crashing June 6, 2020 For this installment of Off the Beaten Path, I review Crashing, Phoebe Waller-Bridge's other TV show from 2016. (613)
From Pages to Film: How I am Legend Fails as an Adaptation July 6, 2021 Despite Francis Lawrence’s I am Legend being a box office success, it fails in countless ways living up to its source material. I want to go through both novel and film, examining their differences while discussing how the film falls short in… (600)
“Coming to America” | presenting an… March 1, 2021 "Wait a minute! Wait a minute! Stop right there. Listen, stop right there a minute. A man goes into a restaurant..." This review is for you - of course - but it is especially for anybody who has listened to Saul's joke… (598)
The Ultimate James Bond Film Ranking (Including No… October 11, 2021 I know what you're thinking, please God no, not another James Bond movie ranking, I would rather be tortured by Le Chiffre. I'm well aware over the past couple of weeks the world wide web has been flooded with these types of… (596)
Lovecraft Country | Season 1, Episode 5: “Strange… May 21, 2021 Warning: This (very belated) article contains spoilers for Lovecraft Country in general. The series' fifth episode "Strange Case" contains images of gore, as well as scenes of transphobia and rape. There are also scenes of consensual sex. In Lovecraft’s first episode, Montrose… (594)
Off the Beaten Path | Utopia (UK) S1E4 – Episode 1.4 December 14, 2019 After three breakneck episodes, it's time we settle down with the "Utopia" equivalent of a horse tranquilizer. The question is, is this trip good or bad? (587)
Yogi Bear (2010) is an Incisive Critique of… April 1, 2022 Rating: 4/4 stars Yogi Bear is surely one of the most subversive and intelligent children’s films ever made. There, I said it. I don’t care if I am attacked by the many film critics who awarded this movie a 13% on… (584)
Music Box of Horrors | Jennifer’s Body October 19, 2020 Chances are if you’re a part of the LGBTQ+ community, a fan of Megan Fox’s work, or generally have good taste, you’ve seen the cult classic, Jennifer’s Body. This quotable and quirky horror movie was a flop at the box office… (583)
Off the Beaten Path | Frank Herbert’s Dune May 14, 2021 All right folks, it's time for a fresh Off the Beaten Path review. This time, I'm dipping my toes back into the well of literary miniseries adaptations with Frank Herbert's Dune, one of the more famous examples from the 21st century. I’m going to be… (582)
Off the Beaten Path | Top of the Lake August 10, 2020 For this (rather elephantine and spoiler-filled) installment of Off the Beaten Path, I cover Top of the Lake, one of the best and darkest crime-miniseries of the last 10 years. (572)
Lovecraft Country | Season 1, Episode 4: “A History… February 25, 2021 After a six-week delay (sorry!), our fourth review of Lovecraft Country begins with a digression about a book, because this'll be a comparative review. Twenty years ago I was in a group discussing the novel Lolita, which is set in the 1950s… (554)
“Whatcha Eating?”: What I learned from… July 29, 2020 An (hopefully) educational and (hopefully) engaging look at some of the filmmaking lessons to be found in Jûzô Itami's 'Tampopo' (1985). (548)
Off the Beaten Path | Love, Death & Robots S1E4… September 24, 2019 After a much needed change of pace from the problematic "The Witness", the space country "Suits" brings us the most unique and humanistic episode yet. (539)
Off the Beaten Path | Utopia (UK) S1E1 – Episode 1.1 November 27, 2019 With "Episode 1.1", we are extended an invitation to fall down a rabbit hole of brutality and ruined lives. (530)
C’mon, Sugar Daddy: What I learned from John… November 5, 2020 An (hopefully) educational and (hopefully) engaging look at some of the filmmaking lessons to be found in John Cameron Mitchell's 'Hedwig and the Angry Inch' (2001). (530)
The Quiet Renaissance of LaKeith Stanfield January 25, 2021 LaKeith was Quietly Having His Moment... and We Barely Noticed LaKeith Stanfield will be a familiar face for many, but for what and why will almost certainly differ. Many will likely know him from the TV series Atlanta. Others from his somewhat… (526)
Off the Beaten Path | Love, Death & Robots… October 7, 2019 After reaching the thematic heights of "Zima Blue" we have a fun ride involving a simple plan gone wrong in "Blind Spot" (525)
“Rogue” Delivers Surprisingly Fun Action… December 22, 2020 Rogue (2020) is at least the third feature titled simply “Rogue,” to say nothing of the many movies with the word “rogue” in their titles, so it may be better to just think about it as “the movie directed by a trans… (510)
Wet Hot American Summer: Dumb, Fun, Smart, and Dumb August 4, 2020 Wet Hot American Summer (2001) written by Michael Showwalter and David Wain is a comedy that will bring you back to summer camp instantly. If you have never been to summer camp, you can watch this film and it will feel… (506)
Pretty Little Liars: A Show Made by and for Horror… December 3, 2020 Disclaimer and spoiler alert: I have only seen most of the second and third seasons of the show. I do not at all claim to be an expert. The piece discusses plot points from seasons 1 to 3. Pretty Little Liars, a… (505)
Blood Tea and Red String: Unsettle Your Christmas… November 23, 2020 Christiane Cegavske’s first feature Blood Tea and Red String may not be a movie that’s explicitly about Christmas, or even implicitly about Christmas. But the red, white, and green color palette and the stop motion animation make it feel like a not… (498)
Off the Beaten Path | Love, Death & Robots S1E5… September 25, 2019 Been craving some horror lately? Some good ol' 2D animation? If so, man is this episode is for you! (497)
The Rise of Low Budget Horror in the Modern Era September 11, 2020 Humble Beginnings Low budget horror has always been a lucrative genre in the consciousness of the film industry. This isn't merely just during "Spooky Szn." Low Budget Horror has shown that it can perform well at any point of the year. If… (490)
Music Box of Horrors | Sequel Sundays –… October 4, 2020 I have a confession to make. While I’ve seen most of the classic old-school slashers, I’ve never bothered much with the sequels. That includes my favorite of them all - the 1974 Tobe Hooper classic proto-slasher The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. That is,… (489)
Are Drive-Ins a Viable Replacement for Movie Theaters? October 27, 2020 The End of Movie Theaters, or a New Beginning? If movie theaters are going to die the slow and painful death we're already starting to see, thanks to Lady Corona, then don't we need a legitimate replacement for them? Yes, the onset… (487)
Who Framed Roger Rabbit? and The Psychology of… July 28, 2020 As millions of people fled into their homes, we were suddenly forced to face our own minds, and for many, this meant facing the things we had been using our busy lives as an excuse to run away from. (484)
Watercooler Reviews | Close Enough S2 March 4, 2021 Back in January, I checked out HBO Max once I was finally able to download the app on my Roku and after my older sister and brother-in-law gave me their login credentials - thank you Rachel and John by the way. Once… (480)
Watercooler Reviews | CODA August 16, 2021 The Sundance Favorite Has Arrived CODA might be known for winning both the Audience Award and the Grand Jury Award at this year's Sundance Film Festival, and it has finally landed on Apple TV+ for all to see. I was lucky enough… (478)
“Freak Show”: Not Just Another Teen Movie October 3, 2020 As a queer person that is constantly on the hunt for delightful, LGBTQ+ entertainment to sink my teeth into, it can be hard to find tv shows and movies that aren’t saturated in tiresome clichés, cheesy writing, and white privilege. Luckily, there… (464)
JUSTICE FOR EMMY ADAMS December 3, 2020 Justice for Emmy Adams Now, before you say anything - I know what you're thinking. Why did he spell Amy Adams' name wrong? It's not Emmy Adams! Yes, actually, it is. I did that on purpose. Anyone who knows me well will… (461)
Off the Beaten Path | Love, Death & Robots… October 5, 2019 In this review, we look at an episode for all those who want an episode that aims for the space above the ground but below the bar. (451)
Watercooler Reviews | The Way of the Househusband S1 April 26, 2021 For this Watercerool Review, I take a look at The Way of the Househusband S1, the new Netflix anime that wants to remain a manga (450)
5 to 6:30: What I learned from Agnès Varda’s… July 14, 2020 An (hopefully) educational and (hopefully) engaging look at some of the filmmaking lessons to be found in Agnès Varda's 'Cleo from 5 to 7' (1962). (427)
B.J.’s Quickies | “Attack the Block” September 17, 2020 If you've seen every other Edgar Wright film (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, all 14 episodes of SPACED, etc.), I highly recommend Joe Cornish's "Attack the Block" - it's got a similar energy, not exactly… (427)
Watercooler Reviews | Christmas Chronicles 2 November 30, 2020 A sequel to The Christmas Chronicles, offering more adventure and another destination holiday, this second installment stars Kurt Russell reprising his role as Santa. Goldie Hawn, Darby Camp, Judah Lewis, and Kimberly Williams-Paisley also star in Christmas Chronicles: Part Two. Kate Pierce… (426)
B.J.’s Quickies | “The Inglorious… September 15, 2020 Yesterday I watched "The Inglorious Bastards," the 1978 "spaghetti WW2" film that Tarantino stole the name from for his own 2009 epic. It stars Bo Svenson and Fred Williamson, who was the actual reason I looked up this movie to begin with… (425)
My Thoughts: Kung Fu Hustle September 1, 2020 Kung Fu Hustle, remember that name. Originally released in 2004 and directed by Stephen Chow, this movie is simply a gem. You can’t really ask for more than this films gives its audience: unique characters, dance breaks and fights, movie references and… (424)
Off the Beaten Path | Golan the Insatiable S1 February 3, 2021 For the first Off the Beaten Path review of 2021, I cover the animated sitcom Golan the Insatiable S1, a show that should have been so much more. (419)
Adventureland: The Best 80’s Movie… August 21, 2020 I really miss the 80's. I would know, I was born in 1998. Adventureland (2009) gives you a perception of the 80's better than most 80's movies. 80's movies are great, but some don't really capture the decade. Either they are too… (415)
“It’ll all be over in a minute”:… June 24, 2020 An (hopefully) educational and (hopefully) engaging look at some of the filmmaking lessons to be found in Gregory La Cava's 'My Man Godfrey' (1936). (413)
Lovecraft Country | Season 1, Episode 2:… January 1, 2021 *This review includes spoilers. The second episode of Lovecraft Country is titled "Whitey's on the Moon". It starts with William welcoming Atticus "Tic," Leti, and George to a mansion, which William explains is Ardham Lodge. The Lodge was designed by Titus Braithwhite, a… (412)
Off the Beaten Path | Danger 5 S1E1 – I Danced… October 14, 2019 For the first episode of "Danger 5'', we get the safe yet highly entertaining "I Danced for Hitler!" (407)
Music Box | Clint Howard Double Feature: “Evilspeak”… October 16, 2020 Evilspeak (Eric Weston, 1981, 97 minutes) Evilspeak is a violent, underrated, obscure movie made more than thirty years ago, when it was banned in the United Kingdom for being a video nasty. This horror film's been left behind in the dark abandoned hallways… (407)
Watercooler Reviews | Concrete Cowboy – a… May 27, 2021 Our main character in Concrete Cowboy is Cole, a 15-year-old boul growing up in Detroit where he keeps getting into trouble at school, so his mother drives him to Philadelphia to live with his estranged father Harp for the summer. When she… (405)
Emmy Award-Winning Writer Roberta Jones Launches… October 25, 2019 Emmy Award-winning writer Roberta Jones launches her latest feature length movie, Animator, with a special release event on global streaming service Tubi TV. The LAIFF Los Angeles Independent ‘Best All-Genre’ feature film was directed by Logan Hall alongside Animation Director Julian Jones. (401)
Commit to the Bit: What I learned from Peter… July 9, 2020 An (hopefully) educational and (hopefully) engaging look at some of the filmmaking lessons to be found in Peter Yates' 'Krull' (1982). (398)
Watercooler Reviews | Another Round December 24, 2020 Have Another Round, Mads! What a night! Another Round is a drama/comedy from renowned filmmaker Thomas Vinterberg about four high school teachers who look to spice up their lives by adding a little liquid courage to their days. On the surface, it's… (395)
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