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Veronica Mars movie on home video
Veronica Mars movie on home video.KS
Kristin Bell is "Veronica Mars" in the movie based on the TV series, now on DVD and Blu-ray, co-starring Percy Daggs III and Tina Majorino. - photo by Warner Bros.
Chris Hicks
Deseret News National
Updated: May 17, 2014, 4:00 PM
Published: May 15, 2014, 2:02 PM

The theatrical movie sequel to the cult-favorite TV series “Veronica Mars” arrives to Blu-ray and DVD this week.
“Veronica Mars” (Warner/Blu-ray/DVD/Digital, 2014, PG-13, deleted scenes, featurettes, bloopers). This highly publicized spinoff of the three-season TV show came about seven years after cancellation. But writer-director Rob Thomas still managed to get nearly all of the principles involved to return, led by Kristin Bell, who played the eponymous high school-age private eye in the fictional beachfront town of Neptune, California.
Now Veronica has graduated from law school and is applying to high-rolling Manhattan firms when she’s drawn back to Neptune by an old boyfriend accused of murder. And it’s just in time for her 10th high school reunion. The most fun is watching Veronica reconnect with old friends Wallace (Percy Daggs III), Mac (Tina Majorino) and especially her relationship with her dad (Enrico Colantoni).
If you’re not familiar with the show you’ll miss a lot, but you can still follow the central mystery and enjoy the quips, which are fast and furious.
“Josh” (aka “Against the Grain,” Virgil/DVD, 2014, not rated, in Urdu with English subtitles). This artfully structured mystery with political implications tells the story of a schoolteacher (Aamina Sheikh) in Karachi, the largest city in Pakistan, whose nanny disappears. Investigating the matter takes her to a feudal village where she finds the nanny was murdered by someone powerful, but she refuses to allow a male-dominated society to keep her from the truth.
“Call Me Crazy: A Five Film” (Sony/DVD, 2013, not rated, five short films). This Lifetime-cable anthology film has each of its five celebrity directors exploring a form of mental illness: Bryce Dallas Howard’s “Lucy” is about schizophrenia (with Brittany Snow, Octavia Spencer); Laura Dern’s “Grace,” bipolar disorder (Melissa Leo); Sharon Maguire’s “Allison,” healing (Jean Smart); Bonnie Hunt’s “Eddie,” depression (Lea Thompson); and Ashley Judd’s “Maggie,” post-traumatic stress disorder (Jennifer Hudson, Melanie Griffith, Ernie Hudson).
“Peter Simon’s Through the Lens” (MVD/DVD, 2014, not rated, two discs). This is a sort of unconventional documentary as celebrated photojournalist Peter Simon offers up some of his best photos and provides background information, which naturally reveals autobiographical sketches of his time during the 1960s in a commune, exploring alternate lifestyles, the anti-war movement and, during the 1970s, the new-age movement, along with a fascination with reggae and his love for Martha’s Vineyard, among other topics. Celebrity photos include his sister, Carly Simon. (There is some nudity.)
“Trap for Cinderella” (IFC/DVD, 2013, not rated, featurette, trailer). After a house fire kills her childhood friend, a badly burned 20-year-old woman awakens in a Swiss clinic with amnesia. When she finds her friend’s diary, flashbacks unravel the mystery. Tuppence Middleton stars in this British film directed by Iain Softley (“Inkheart”).
“Making the Rules” (Lionsgate/DVD/Digital, 2014, R for language, deleted/extended scenes, featurette, trailers). This independent comedy has a married chef (Jaime Pressly) injuring her hand on the job. Then, during a boring summer of recovery, she drifts into an affair with an old boyfriend (Robin Thicke). But after becoming pregnant, she finds herself asking, who’s the daddy?  Chris Hicks is the author of "Has Hollywood Lost Its Mind? A Parent’s Guide to Movie Ratings." Website: hicksflicks.com
Email: hicks@deseretnews.com
Its toxic: New study says blue light from tech devices can speed up blindness
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A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers. - photo by Herb Scribner
Herb Scribner
Deseret News
Published: Aug 13, 2018, 1:39 PM
It turns out checking Twitter or Facebook before bed is bad for your health.

A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers.

That process can lead to age-related macular degeneration, which is a leading cause of blindness in the United States, according to the researchs extract.

Blue light is a common issue for many modern Americans. Blue light is emitted from screens, most notably at night, causing sleep loss, eye strain and a number of other issues.

Dr. Ajith Karunarathne, assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, said our constant exposure to blue light cant be blocked by the lens or cornea.

"It's no secret that blue light harms our vision by damaging the eye's retina. Our experiments explain how this happens, and we hope this leads to therapies that slow macular degeneration, such as a new kind of eye drop, he said.

Macular degeneration is an incurable eye disease that often affects those in their 50s or 60s. It occurs after the death of photoreceptor cells in the retina. Those cells need retinal to sense light and help signal the brain.

The research team found blue light exposure created poisonous chemical molecules that killed photoreceptor cells

"It's toxic. If you shine blue light on retinal, the retinal kills photoreceptor cells as the signaling molecule on the membrane dissolves," said Kasun Ratnayake, a Ph.D. student researcher working in Karunarathne's cellular photo chemistry group. "Photoreceptor cells do not regenerate in the eye. When they're dead, they're dead for good."

However, the researchers found a molecule called alpha-tocopherol, which comes from Vitamin E, can help prevent cell death, according to Futurism.

The researchers plan to review how light from TVs, cellphones and tablet screens affect the eyes as well.

"If you look at the amount of light coming out of your cellphone, it's not great but it seems tolerable," said Dr. John Payton, visiting assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. "Some cellphone companies are adding blue-light filters to the screens, and I think that is a good idea."

Indeed, Apple released a Night Shift mode two years ago to help quell blue lights strain on the eyes, according to The Verge. The screen will dim into a warmer, orange light that will cause less stress on the eyes.