# Pylcrow

> Things that stay with me


## Posts

- [How a hair in a death mask named the Somerton Man, and what DNA still can't tell us](https://www.pylcrow.com/2026/10/30/somerton-man-dna-death-mask-identification/): In 2022, researchers named the Somerton Man as Carl "Charles" Webb using hair caught in his plaster death mask. Here's how genetic genealogy works, in plain English, and the questions DNA can't answer.
- [Mary Celeste theories ranked by evidence: the Pylcrow Case File scorecard](https://www.pylcrow.com/2026/10/30/mary-celeste-theories-ranked-by-evidence/): Pirates, sea monsters, alcohol fumes or a broken pump? We scored every major Mary Celeste theory on the evidence, from strongest to weakest. Here's what's most likely to have happened in 1872.
- [The $100,000 eagle: the strangest thing stolen in the Gardner Museum heist](https://www.pylcrow.com/2026/10/30/gardner-heist-napoleonic-eagle-finial/): The Gardner Museum thieves walked past priceless art but took a small bronze eagle from the top of a Napoleonic flag. It now has its own $100,000 reward. Here's why it's the oddest clue in the case.
- [Why Unsolved Mysteries still haunts us: Robert Stack, that theme music and the show's new life](https://www.pylcrow.com/2026/10/30/why-unsolved-mysteries-still-haunts-us/): For millions of people, Unsolved Mysteries wasn't just a TV show. It was a voice, a theme tune and a trench coat in the fog. As it returns as a YouTube video podcast, here's why it still gets under our skin.
- [Donnie Yen was secretly shaping Phantom Blade Zero for three years. Here's what he brought.](https://www.pylcrow.com/2026/10/30/phantom-blade-zero-donnie-yen-role/): Donnie Yen has been a creative consultant on Phantom Blade Zero since 2023, and plays Mó Yuan, the hero's father. Here's his role, how he was revealed, and what a real martial artist adds to game combat.
- [Gears of War timeline explained: where E-Day fits in the story](https://www.pylcrow.com/2026/10/30/gears-of-war-timeline-e-day-explained/): Gears of War: E-Day goes back to Emergence Day, the moment the Locust burst out of the ground, years before the first game. Here's the Gears timeline in order and where E-Day fits.
- [Modern Warfare 4 for beginners: Operators, weapons and Create-a-Class, explained simply](https://www.pylcrow.com/2026/10/30/modern-warfare-4-beginners-guide/): New to Call of Duty? Modern Warfare 4 launched with 33 Operators, 33 weapons and a Create-a-Class menu that unlocks at Level 4. Here's what all of that means, in plain English.
- [Was GTA 6 Trailer 2 gameplay or cutscenes? What Rockstar said, and how to check on launch day](https://www.pylcrow.com/2026/10/30/gta-6-trailer-2-gameplay-or-cutscenes/): Rockstar says GTA 6's second trailer was captured in-game on a PS5 and was equal parts gameplay and cutscenes. Fans are still arguing about which is which. Here's the evidence, and our launch-day checklist.
- [Why does "September" say the 21st night? The most famous date in pop means nothing](https://www.pylcrow.com/2026/10/30/earth-wind-fire-september-21st-night-meaning/): Earth, Wind & Fire's "September" asks if you remember the 21st night. Co-writer Allee Willis said the date was picked because it sang best. Here's the story of pop's most famous meaningless lyric.
- [From Rush to She's the Best: Troye Sivan's three-year comedown, explained](https://www.pylcrow.com/2026/10/30/troye-sivan-rush-to-shes-the-best/): In 2023, Troye Sivan's Rush was about being addicted to your friends. In 2026, She's the Best sounds like the morning after. Here's how the two eras connect, and the Pylcrow Afterparty Test.
- [From anime to Rosalía: how Fontaines D.C. stopped sounding like Dublin](https://www.pylcrow.com/2026/10/30/fontaines-dc-influences-romance-to-dopamine-chamber/): Fontaines D.C. started as Dublin post-punk poets. By 2024's Romance they were borrowing from manga, nu-metal and Italian horror, and in 2026 they brought in Rosalía. Here's how the sound changed.
- [The week Michael Kiwanuka walked away from Kanye West, and what it explains about him](https://www.pylcrow.com/2026/10/30/michael-kiwanuka-kanye-west-impostor-syndrome/): In 2013, Kanye West invited Michael Kiwanuka to the Yeezus sessions in Hawaii. He left after a few days. Here's what that moment, and his long fight with impostor syndrome, tell us about his music.
- [Every callback in Spider-Man: Brand New Day's suit, from Tobey Maguire to Steve Ditko](https://www.pylcrow.com/2026/10/30/spider-man-brand-new-day-suit-callbacks/): Tom Holland's new Spider-Man suit borrows from Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield and the original 1962 comics. Here's every callback, and why the cheaper-looking suit is the most emotional one yet.
- [Other Mommy book vs movie: the novel's ending is far darker (spoilers)](https://www.pylcrow.com/2026/10/30/other-mommy-book-vs-movie-ending/): Other Mommy is based on Josh Malerman's novel Incidents Around the House, and the book's ending is much bleaker. Here's what changed, with full spoilers, and whether the film was right to soften it.
- [What Verity's costumes tell you: a colour guide to the sweaters (no big spoilers)](https://www.pylcrow.com/2026/10/30/verity-movie-costumes-colour-guide/): Verity's costume designer dressed Anne Hathaway in beige, blood red and butter yellow, and Dakota Johnson in thrift-store denim. Here's what those choices tell you about the characters, without spoiling the twist.
- [Who made the Street Fighter movie soundtrack? The Cobra Kai connection, explained](https://www.pylcrow.com/2026/10/30/street-fighter-movie-soundtrack-composers/): The Street Fighter movie was scored by Leo Birenberg and Zach Robinson, the duo behind Cobra Kai, with two original tracks from HEALTH. Here's who made the music and why it sounds the way it does.
- [Clayface's horror family tree: 5 films to watch before (or after) DC's body horror movie](https://www.pylcrow.com/2026/10/30/clayface-horror-influences-watchlist/): Clayface's director pointed to Sam Raimi, Brian De Palma and the old Frankenstein films, and its writer to a 1992 Batman cartoon. Here's a five-film watchlist built from those influences.
- [What the Nintendo 64 couldn't do: 6 Ocarina of Time limits the Switch 2 remake finally fixes](https://www.pylcrow.com/2026/10/30/ocarina-of-time-n64-limits-remake-changes/): Ocarina of Time was shaped by what the Nintendo 64 couldn't do: one stick, no voices, no free camera. Here are six limits the Switch 2 remake removes, and whether losing them is a good thing.
- [How a pet kangaroo inspired Choosin' Texas: the strange story behind Ella Langley's record-breaker](https://www.pylcrow.com/2026/10/30/choosin-texas-kangaroo-story-behind-the-song/): The biggest song of 2026 started with a question about Miranda Lambert's pet kangaroo. Here's how Choosin' Texas was written, who played that guitar lick, and the Pylcrow Hit Recipe behind it.
- [Was D.B. Cooper Richard McCoy? The parachute theory, scored on evidence](https://www.pylcrow.com/2026/10/30/db-cooper-richard-mccoy-parachute-theory/): Richard McCoy pulled an almost identical hijacking five months after D.B. Cooper, and his children now have a parachute they say proves it. Here's the Pylcrow Evidence Scorecard on what holds up and what doesn't.
- [Should Scarecrow be DC's next horror movie? Why Joker and Clayface make the case](https://www.pylcrow.com/2026/10/30/scarecrow-next-dc-horror-movie/): Scarecrow should be DC's next horror movie. Joker and Clayface show Batman villains can carry their own films. Here's the Pylcrow Villain-First Test, the numbers, and the best case against it.
- [Clayface review roundup: the DC horror movie built to make you squirm](https://www.pylcrow.com/2026/10/30/clayface-movie-review-mood/): Clayface is DC's first real horror movie, and it's the No. 1 film in America right now. Here's what it feels like, who it's for, and which mood it fits.
- [Is the Street Fighter movie worth watching? Critics shrug, fans cheer](https://www.pylcrow.com/2026/10/30/street-fighter-2026-movie-worth-watching/): Street Fighter was No. 1 in America and critics gave it around 41%. Audiences gave it about 80%. Here's why that gap exists and whether you should go.
- [Verity movie review: why Anne Hathaway's thriller won the box office anyway](https://www.pylcrow.com/2026/10/30/verity-movie-review-anne-hathaway/): Critics weren't kind to Verity, but it opened at No. 1 anyway. Here's what the Colleen Hoover thriller is about, why audiences showed up, and which mood it fits.
- [Other Mommy review: Jessica Chastain's horror movie that critics hated and audiences watched](https://www.pylcrow.com/2026/10/30/other-mommy-movie-review/): Other Mommy opened at No. 1 with a 17% Rotten Tomatoes score. Here's what Jessica Chastain's doppelgänger horror film gets right, what it gets wrong, and who should see it.
- [Spider-Man: Brand New Day review: the loneliest Peter Parker yet](https://www.pylcrow.com/2026/10/30/spider-man-brand-new-day-review-feelings/): Spider-Man: Brand New Day is close to $1 billion worldwide. Here's why Tom Holland's most grown-up Spider-Man hits harder than you expect, and which mood it fits.
- [Michael Kiwanuka's FUDGE: an album that feels different after what happened](https://www.pylcrow.com/2026/10/30/michael-kiwanuka-fudge-album-review/): Michael Kiwanuka's fifth album FUDGE was mostly finished before his stroke. That changes how it lands. Here's what critics heard and what the record unlocks.
- [Fontaines D.C.'s Dopamine Chamber: the Rosalía duet and why it works](https://www.pylcrow.com/2026/10/30/fontaines-dc-dopamine-chamber-review/): Fontaines D.C.'s fifth album Dopamine Chamber features their first ever guest, Rosalía. Here's what the record sounds like and why "Where Is Gone?" is the song to start with.
- [Troye Sivan's She's the Best: the sound of the party after everyone leaves](https://www.pylcrow.com/2026/10/30/troye-sivan-shes-the-best-review/): Troye Sivan's fourth album She's the Best trades easy hits for a stranger, more inward sound. Here's what critics say and the feeling it captures best.
- [Why won't Choosin' Texas leave No. 1? The song that broke the Hot 100 record](https://www.pylcrow.com/2026/10/30/choosin-texas-ella-langley-record/): Ella Langley's Choosin' Texas has spent 24 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, a new record. Here's why a song about losing someone to a place took over 2026.
- [10 songs for November nights: a Pylcrow playlist for when the days get shorter](https://www.pylcrow.com/2026/10/30/autumn-songs-for-november-nights/): The best autumn songs for November nights, picked by mood, not by genre. Ten tracks for walking home in the dark, from Nat King Cole to Fairuz to Bon Iver.
- [GTA 6 release date: everything to know before November 19](https://www.pylcrow.com/2026/10/30/gta-6-release-date-what-to-know/): GTA 6 launches November 19, 2026 on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Here's what's confirmed, what isn't, and why this one feels bigger than a game launch.
- [Modern Warfare 4 review roundup: is this the Call of Duty comeback?](https://www.pylcrow.com/2026/10/30/modern-warfare-4-review-roundup/): Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 launched October 23 with an 84 on Metacritic and strong Steam reviews. Here's what critics say and whether the campaign is worth it.
- [Is Gears of War: E-Day worth playing? What critics say about the day it all began](https://www.pylcrow.com/2026/10/30/gears-of-war-e-day-worth-playing/): Gears of War: E-Day has an 87-88 Metacritic score and is on Game Pass. Here's what critics praise, what they don't, and why a prequel about the first day hits differently.
- [Phantom Blade Zero review roundup: the kung fu game critics can't stop praising](https://www.pylcrow.com/2026/10/30/phantom-blade-zero-review-roundup/): Phantom Blade Zero launched October 29 with an 88 on Metacritic. Critics love the combat and shrug at the story. Here's who it's for and why the fights feel so good.
- [Ocarina of Time remake on Switch 2: release date, features and why it matters](https://www.pylcrow.com/2026/10/30/zelda-ocarina-of-time-remake-switch-2/): The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake launches November 5, 2026, only on Switch 2. Here's what's new, from voice acting to playing the ocarina with your voice.
- [Unsolved Mysteries is back on YouTube: what's in the new season and why we can't look away](https://www.pylcrow.com/2026/10/30/unsolved-mysteries-youtube-new-season/): Unsolved Mysteries returned on October 29, 2026, as a free weekly video podcast on YouTube. Here are the cases it covers, and why unsolved stories grip us harder than solved ones.
- [The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum heist: 81 minutes, 13 artworks and empty frames still waiting](https://www.pylcrow.com/2026/10/30/isabella-stewart-gardner-museum-heist/): In 1990, two men dressed as police stole 13 artworks worth an estimated $500 million from a Boston museum. None has ever been found. Here's what's known, and what's still open.
- [D.B. Cooper explained: the man who jumped into the night with $200,000 and was never seen again](https://www.pylcrow.com/2026/10/30/db-cooper-mystery-explained/): On November 24, 1971, a man hijacked a plane, collected $200,000 and parachuted into the dark. The FBI never found him. Here's what's known about D.B. Cooper and what's still open.
- [The Mary Celeste mystery explained: a ship found sailing with no one on board](https://www.pylcrow.com/2026/10/30/mary-celeste-mystery-explained/): In December 1872, the Mary Celeste was found drifting in the Atlantic, seaworthy, stocked with food, and empty. Ten people were gone. Here are the facts and the most likely explanations.
- [The Somerton Man: a body on the beach, a secret code and two words, "Tamam Shud"](https://www.pylcrow.com/2026/10/30/somerton-man-tamam-shud-mystery/): In 1948 a well-dressed man was found dead on an Australian beach with a scrap of paper reading "Tamam Shud" in a hidden pocket. A name was proposed in 2022, but the biggest questions are still open.

## Pages

- [Disclaimer](https://www.pylcrow.com/disclaimer/): Advertising, affiliate links and opinions on Pylcrow.
- [Accessibility](https://www.pylcrow.com/accessibility/): Pylcrow's accessibility commitment and how to report a barrier.
- [Terms of use](https://www.pylcrow.com/terms/): The terms for using pylcrow.com.
- [Corrections](https://www.pylcrow.com/corrections/): How to report a mistake, and how Pylcrow fixes and records it.
- [Editorial policy](https://www.pylcrow.com/editorial-policy/): How Pylcrow chooses, writes, checks and labels what it publishes.
- [Latest](https://www.pylcrow.com/latest/)
- [Contact](https://www.pylcrow.com/contact/): Have a movie, song or game you think I should write about? A correction, or just something to say? Send a message below and I'll get back to you.
- [About](https://www.pylcrow.com/about/): I'm Khalid Zahran, and Pylcrow is where I write about whatever sparks my curiosity.
- [Privacy Policy](https://www.pylcrow.com/privacy-policy/): This policy explains what information Pylcrow (pylcrow.com) collects when you visit, and how it is used.
- [Home](https://www.pylcrow.com/): Tom Holland's new Spider-Man suit borrows from Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield and the original 1962 comics.

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