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The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 5G aims to be the every person’s foldable smartphone. It comes at a $999 price and it’s probably a far more understandable concept than its bigger Fold 3 5G brother, as it’s just a regular-shaped phone that can fold in half rather than a thin handset that unfolds into a tablet.

It’s actually startling how normal the Flip 3 5G looks when unfolded. You almost couldn’t tell it wasn’t a regular smartphone unless you spotted the crease or wondered why the back of the phone was bisected in the middle.

The Flip 3 5G offers a big, bright, and colorful 6.7-inch FHD+ display resolving a 2640 x 1080 resolution. That’s a little low by today’s standards on flagship phones, but amazingly this foldable display has an adaptive 120Hz refresh rate. Last year’s foldable displays were limited to just 60Hz, and this new handset just feels so much more smooth while scrolling and playing games.

The biggest improvement to the Flip 3 5G interface is the new Flex Mode Panel, which is essentially the slide-out multi-tasking menu taken from Samsung’s other flagship phones. Previously the Flip’s multi-tasking abilities were limited to fold the display halfway to look or take photos, but now you can split a greater number of apps

Additionally, the cover screen on the front of the phone has been enlarged to 1.9-inches from the original Flip’s 1.1-inch outer display. The new display can show up to four lines of notifications and it makes it just a little easier to check yourself out while shooting selfies or when someone else is taking a photo for you.

Speaking of cameras, the Flip 3 5G has a new 12MP ultrawide camera in addition to its main wide-angle 12MP camera and 10MP selfie camera. This compact folding phone also offers just as much power as its little brother with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor. But it’s limited to just 8GB of RAM and your storage options are 128GB and 256GB.

The most enticing about the Flip 3 5G is its $999 price, which effectively makes it the most affordable foldable phone yet. A grand is still a lot to ask and out of reach for many, but right now this seems like the most accessible device you can buy if you want to give foldable phones a shot.

Be sure to check out the rest of our Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2021 coverage.

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Kevin Lee is IGN’s SEO Updates Editor. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam

Foldable phones really feel like they’ve matured at this point with the introduction of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 5G. Samsung’s latest foldable smartphone builds upon bigger screens the Galaxy Z Fold 2 introduced while adding welcome improvements like 120Hz adaptive displays, an under-display camera, and improved durability. Meanwhile, added S-Pen support also basically makes this phone a replacement for Samsung’s Note series, much to the chagrin of phablet fans.

Year over year, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 5G looks strikingly similar to last year’s model. In fact, the only thing that’s changed externally with the latest version is a slight camera bump. Opening the phone reveals the new under-display selfie camera that helps cover up the glaring hole punch in the screen from last year. The pixels over the camera aren’t exactly perfect, though, as they’re clearly transparent, and they don’t display the same hue and brightness as the rest of the screen.

Another thing that’s clear about the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is it’s noticeably lighter when you pick it up. I described the Galaxy Z Fold 2 overstuffed ice cream sandwich or candy bar when it weighed 9.95-ounces. The Fold 3 5G is less than half an ounce lighter at 9.56 ounces, but it doesn’t feel nearly as dense or heavy.

You still have the same 6.2-inch and 7.6-inch screens as last year’s model on the outside and inside. Both displays are still at the same resolution of 2268 x 832 for the cover screen and 2208 x 1768 on the inner display. What is different is both displays now offer a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, making them just as quick as Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S21 Ultra and the latest OnePlus 9 Pro handsets. The Fold 2’s all-screen tablet display seemed amazing except for the fact that it was limited to just 60Hz, and now this upgrade makes scrolling and gaming on the Galaxy Z Fold 3 5G feel that much smoother.

Samsung has also implemented a new Eco display technology that increases brightness by 29% without increasing power consumption. While I didn’t have Samsung’s older foldable with me to compare, the increased screen brightness helped overpower any glare from the sun and studio lights in Samsung’s hands-on space. We’ll have to test Samsung’s power savings claims in our full review and they might ultimately be offset by the Fold 3’s smaller 4,400mAh dual batteries that offer 100mAh less capacity than the Fold 2.

One less visible upgrade on the Fold 3 5G is it’s actually IPX8 waterproof now. That’s a big step up in durability when just a few years ago, Samsung’s first foldable phone was recalled due to dust getting under the screens and peeling screen protectors. Speaking of which, the inner tablet display now features Gorilla Glass Victus, the toughest glass for smartphones yet.

The inner display on Samsung’s previous foldable phones always felt a little plasticky, and sometimes it was even easy to leave marks and indents on the screen protector. But this new screen feels like it’s actually made of hard glass, and it comes at a perfect time as the Fold 3 5G is the first Samsung foldable to support S-Pen.

Typically, Samsung leaves stylus support to its Note series and other flagships but writing on a bigger tablet-shaped display feels even better. There’s just more room to doodle and make bigger notes, and thankfully the Fold 3 5G doesn’t buckle even when I’m drawing a line straight down the crease in the middle of the display.

In terms of specs, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 5G comes fully loaded with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor, 12GB of RAM, and the option of either 256GB or 512GB of storage. For cameras, you get three 12MP cameras on the back covering the usual ultrawide, wide-angle, and telephoto focal lengths. There are also two selfie cameras with a 10MP sensor on the cover display and a 4MP sensor under the display.

Clearly, there had to be some compromises with the under-display camera, which also led to compromises with the quality of the display over the camera itself. Personally, I can’t see myself doing a video call with the device in tablet mode, so I would have just skipped it altogether and had an uninterrupted inner screen.

Overall, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 5G seems like a great step forward for Samsung’s foldable flagship. It even comes at a substantially lower $1,799 starting price compared to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 that started retailing for $1,999 last year. Preorders begin on August 11 and ordering on Samsung’s website includes a $200 Samsung store credit plus a free year of Samsung Care if you agree to a three-year subscription to the service.

Be sure to check out our hands on with the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 5G and the rest of our Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2021 coverage.

Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to [email protected].

Kevin Lee is IGN’s SEO Updates Editor. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam

Shirobako: The Movie premiered in U.S. theaters on Aug. 10.

Shirobako: The Movie is essentially a lengthier, shinier iteration of its predecessor. It’s animated beautifully, and it’s an absolute treat for the eyes — the very first thing you’ll notice. But it’ll also give you a serious case of deja vu. Given that the anime concluded very neatly, this cinematic adaptation, set four years after the series ended, feels more like a reunion tour or an extraneous victory lap. Most, if not all, of the story beats are quite similar, even identical, to the show, which will no doubt sit well with hardcore fans, but may not seem worthwhile to those curious about whether there’s been any real character progression over the four years spent in-universe.

In fact, the new story can’t even begin without referencing the old. The entirety of the film’s introduction is dedicated to recapping the latter half of the series, which slightly dulls this adventure’s newness. Heroine Aoi Miyamori is still toiling away as a production assistant at Musashino Animation, and when new president Shun Watanabe (Masaya Matsukaze) asks her to head up a new theatrical project, she’s reticent. The company is in a bit of disarray, and it’s unclear if it can handle such a large production. Aoi must navigate the trials and tribulations of her everyday life at Musashino while working alongside newcomer Kaede Miyai (Ayane Sakura) to reach MusAni’s seemingly insurmountable goal.

As Aoi and the rest of MusAni buckle down on their new project, a sci-fi action adventure called Aerial Assault Ship SIVA, they’re working from scratch, scrambling to figure out the most efficient and cost-effective way to move forward while still reeling from the effects of the cancellation of their previous series, Time Hippopotamus. It seems unheard of, too raw, especially since that series was unceremoniously canceled. But it just might work.

Aoi’s confidence that reusing older elements is infectious, and watching personalities we saw scattered throughout Shirobako come together again for another undertaking is a delight. It’s still revisiting familiar territory, but catching up with faces we saw once or twice before is nevertheless enjoyable. It’s a reunion that’s clearly meant to address fans who remember every single detail about Shirobako’s cast, and while that means the movie is jam-packed with cameos, it’s nice that no one was left out of the spotlight.

Like the series did, Shirobako: The Movie shines in both its moments of workplace drama and camaraderie between the employees at MusAni. Watching everyone work together, even when they feel like they’re at the end of their rope to make something special, stirred something inside of me. It’s satisfying in a distinctly Shirobako way. Plus, seeing the early CG designs, workshopping, and brainstorming Aoi leads the team in will make you feel like you’ve done something far more productive than just watching anime.

As usual, some of the best moments stem from the time spent away from the entire roller coaster of production. In particular, we get to see Ryosuke Endo (Shinobu Matsumoto)’s interactions with his impossibly sweet wife Mayumi (Chinami Hashimoto) as he comes out of his shell after the devastation of losing Time Hippo. Their relationship is such a tender one, as Mayumi does everything she can to try and console her lover and help him rediscover his passion for the industry once more.

Similarly, it’s entertaining to see Aoi grapple with her personal decisions and growth when she has to look deep inside herself. That’s where Mimsy and Lolo, a pirate-like doll and a white bear that serve as Aoi’s expository inner voices, come out. It’s always a treat to see them return, even if they’re a little hard on our favorite member of the Donut Five. When things get serious and it seems like MusAni may not be up to the task to create their new feature (again), they tend to offer some much-needed comic relief.

Unfortunately, these small interactions don’t make for a completely riveting movie. What feels like insurmountable odds at first for the anime studio are quickly beaten, and Aoi once again comes through as the protagonist who can solve any mystery — yet she seems to remain exactly where she is. It feels like trying new things, succeeding, and then never moving forward.

In this, Shirobako: The Movie is a comfortable return to a world of day-in and day-out work in a fast-paced industry that’s happy to tread familiar waters. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that, but after four years in the anime business, it seems we’d see a studio and workers having advanced a bit further than this. Still, it’s a fun romp for anyone who’s been yearning to see their favorite characters return. It’s a better option than revisiting the series once more, since it does offer new elements to explore, but it doesn’t add anything terribly meaningful.

Val Kilmer has reflected on the challenges he faced on Batman Forever, particularly when suiting up to play DC’s masked vigilante.

Kilmer offered additional insight into his Batman Forever experience in Val, Amazon Prime Video’s new autobiographical documentary chronicling the life and career of the actor. According to ComicBook.com, Kilmer reminisced about his time on set and suggested that playing Batman was quite different from fantasizing about being the hero.

“I was in shock and disbelief, mostly because I had just been exploring a remote bat cave,” Kilmer recalled about being offered the role. “By Hollywood standards, Batman is the ultimate leading role and a dream come true. I took the part without even reading the script… But whatever boyish excitement I had going in was crushed by the reality of the Batsuit.

“When you’re in it, you can barely move and people have to help you stand up and sit down,” he added. “You also can’t hear anything and after a while people stop talking to you, it’s very isolating. It was a struggle for me to get a performance past the suit, and it was frustrating until I realized that my role in the film was just to show up and stand where I was told to.”

Kilmer elaborated further on his performance and likened playing Batman to acting in a soap opera, though he indicated that his co-stars were not as restricted by their costumes. He said fellow Batman Forever actors Tommy Lee Jones, who played Two-Face, and Jim Carrey, who portrayed The Riddler, managed to deliver huge performances in their villainous roles.

“[Jones and Carrey] had designed this whole performance… It was just so huge I think it made no difference what I was doing,” Kilmer admitted. “I tried to be like an actor on a soap opera. The way I would turn to Nicole. Go count how many times I put my hands on my hips. I don’t how they come up with this style of acting but they seem to go ‘Go to soap opera school.'”

Batman is set to return to the big screen in March of next year, with Robert Pattinson sporting the cape and cowl in Matt Reeves’ The Batman. The Dark Knight’s new suit is full of sharp lines, heavy armor plates, and a functional-looking Bat emblem, making it stand out from the other cinematic Batman costumes we’ve seen before.

The character will be given additional screentime in Andy Muschietti’s The Flash, as both Michael Keaton and Ben Affleck will be back. We’ve already had a glimpse of Keaton’s classic Batman suit, with a few drops of blood splashed across the iconic black and yellow chest symbol, teasing a darker take on the Caped Crusader for the film.

Adele Ankers is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.