Adults is a brilliant comedy and maybe an even better rom-com. Well, okay, maybe not better as a romantic TV show than a comedy, because it’s one of the best comedies I have seen in a while. However, the romantic parts are just as captivating as the comedy.

It’s even better than some of the best LGBTQ+ romantic movies. Paul Baker (Jack Innanen) and Anton (Owen Thiele) are Adults’ "It" couple. However, I wasn’t confident about their future on the show. Therefore, I was pleasantly surprised by the end of Season 2.

Warning: Adults Season 2 spoilers are ahead. Proceed with caution.

I Love That Anton And Paul Baker Ended Up Together, But Now I Am Worried About What Happens Next

I expected Anton and Paul Baker not to end up together at least until Season 4. The show even introduces a new guy, who I thought would become Anton’s Season 2 love interest, while Paul and Issa (Amita Rao) continued to figure out that they no longer worked as a couple.

I cheered when Anton and Issa ran to find Paul, but I can’t deny it made me a little worried. It’s very rare that a couple who start dating in Season 2 last for several seasons, if not until the series ends. However, it’s not impossible. We have seen sitcom couples unexpectedly get together and manage to stay together for the rest of the series (ex. Chandler (Matthew Perry) and Monica (Courteney Cox). That could become Anton and Paul’s future on Adults.

However, I suspect some conflict and a breakup or two before Adults reaches its conclusion.

Issa's Speech Really Emphasized The Importance Of These Characters' Friendships

In real life, a friend dating another friend’s ex, especially so soon after a breakup, can be seen as an extreme betrayal. Therefore, I wouldn’t support Paul and Anton getting together in real life. But because this is fiction, I cannot help but adore them as a couple. Nonetheless, I also never felt like Issa and Paul were this madly in love couple. Therefore, their breakup seemed inevitable.

However, I still think if Paul and Anton’s relationship hurt her, then her emotions and reactions would be completely valid. I was surprised that she gave this speech in support of it. She values her friendship with Anton more than any fleeting romance with Paul. It’s an amazing act of friendship and a gesture of true love. She lets Anton go after the man he loves without any guilt because she once dated him too.

It’s a beautiful moment and act of friendship that only works in fiction.

I Also Loved The Billie And Samir Twist. It Adds An Unexpected Complication That I Wasn't Expecting So Soon

Billie (Lucy Freyer) and Samir (Malik Elassal) always seemed like a couple that would eventually happen on Adults. However, I expected them to start developing feelings over the course of many seasons. I wasn't expecting it to happen as the Season 2 twist.

If Adults gets a Season 3 renewal, this already makes the friend dynamic very complicated. Almost the entire house would have slept together at some point. Samir and Billie will likely keep hooking up in secret, and that should make for a fun Season 3 plot.

Adults is still one of the best shows about Gen Z life, and Season 2 just proves it even more.

Stream Adults on Hulu.

Go ahead. Call me a hater. I know you want to. But I don’t care. I’m still not feeling Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom.

I know I’ve had plenty of time to warm up to the idea, as we’ve known since as far back as 2024 that Downey would play the character. In all that time, I’m STILL not convinced that RDJ is the best choice for Doctor Doom, and I know I’m not alone.

However, this isn’t about other people. It’s about me, and why I still don’t think Robert Downey Jr. should be the ruler of Latveria. Here’s why.

The Most Recent Trailer Didn't Do Anything To Change My Mind

Honestly, I was hoping to marvel (pun not intended) at a trailer featuring Doctor Doom. As someone who wasn’t blown away by the X-Men trailer, I was really banking on Robert Downey Jr.’s portrayal of Doom to be what finally got me excited for this film. Then I saw the trailer, and let me tell you: I was NOT marveled.

In fact, underwhelmed might be a better word. I think it’s the voice, as it does nothing for me. Sure, I’m glad that we haven’t seen Robert Downey Jr.’s face yet, as that would probably completely ruin it for me, but Robert Downey Jr.’s portrayal of Doctor Doom just doesn’t feel intimidating to me, which is a major letdown.

I’m the kind of person who’s never seen a Fantastic Four movie that he didn’t like. And while First Steps is my favorite FF film, I greatly enjoyed the Chris Evans Fantastic Four movies, and even liked the Michael B. Jordan one…for the most part. The biggest weakness out of those aforementioned films was definitely Doctor Doom, as neither of those movies got the character right. I was hoping this trailer would change all of that for me, but it didn’t, and I’m kind of putting that squarely on RDJ's shoulders. There’s another reason why I’m not convinced that he’s the best choice.

I Don't Want Doctor Doom To Feel Connected To The Old MCU

I’ve been off the MCU hype train for a LONG time now, and a lot of that is because I don’t feel like the MCU has been adventurous enough lately. Sure, I’m the only person on the planet who loved Eternals - mostly because it was so adventurous - but I feel like the MCU has been going back to the tried-and-true well that is 2012's The Avengers a bit too much lately, and bringing back RDJ doesn't help.

I mean, bringing back Chris Evans as Cap seemed desperate enough, but bringing back Robert Downey Jr. still feels like we haven't gotten past 2008, when RDJ kickstarted the MCU with Iron Man, and that's the last thing I want.

I'm still kind of bummed that the MCU abandoned the Kang storyline, but if they were going to pivot to Doctor Doom, they should have AT LEAST started fresh. RDJ doesn't feel that way, though. It feels like we're languishing in the past. That said, maybe I just feel this way because I wanted another pick for Doctor Doom…

Maybe It's Just That I Still Wish We Got Mads Mikkelsen As Doctor Doom Instead

Okay, I'll be frank with you. Even before we were made aware that Doctor Doom was coming to the MCU, I had already dreamcasted Mads Mikkelsen in the role.

This isn't just a ME thing either, as Mikkelsen himself said he would like to play the character. He would literally be perfect for the role. I mentioned before how I don't find RDJ intimidating, but I find Mikkelsen terrifying in pretty much anything he does, so I could only imagine what he would be like as Doctor Doom.

So, perhaps I'm just unfairly comparing RDJ to Mads Mikkelsen, but unless the former blows me away as Heath Ledger did in The Dark Knight, I'll likely always believe that RDJ just wasn't the best choice for what is arguably Marvel's greatest antagonist.

Like many women, my wife loves Keanu Reeves. Actually, let me rephrase that. Like many women, my wife is IN LOVE WITH Keanu Reeves, and since she’s in love with him, I end up seeing all of his movies (And not just the badass ones, either).

So, when my wife said that she wanted to watch a Keanu Reeves flick the other night, I thought, okay, what now? This is coming from somebody who’s a fan of Keanu Reeves, too. It’s just that my wife’s fandom is a bit much. So, I was surprised when my wife pulled up our Amazon Prime subscription and showed me Good Fortune.

Oh, this is the movie where Keanu's an angel, I thought, and it is that, but it’s also so much more than just that. But, get this. I liked it more than my wife. Here’s why.

Some spoilers ahead.

I Don't Think I've Laughed This Hard In A Long Time

One thing I didn’t know when going into this movie is that it’s actually Aziz Ansari’s directorial debut. The story concerns a down-on-his-luck guy named Arj (Ansari) who’s really just scraping to get by. Arj does any job he can, and often finds himself working out of his car. Keanu Reeves plays a guardian angel named Gabriel whose sole job is to prevent car accidents from texting and driving, but he feels worthless since other angels have much bigger responsibilities.

Anyway, Arj ends up working for a rich tech bro named Jeff (Seth Rogen), and through divine intervention (Mostly Gabriel royally messing things up), Arj and Jeff flip roles. Jeff ends up poor, Arj becomes wealthy, and Gabriel has to fix things…to often poor results.

Simple enough, but let me tell you, I haven’t laughed this hard in a LONG time. Seth Rogen is on point as an annoying (but strangely charming) rich guy in a poor man’s body, and Ansari is so smarmy but lovable here. As for Keanu, well, Keanu is Keanu, and all of the women keep commenting on how attractive he is (Which, believe me, I know). However, as many critics noted, Reeves isn’t always at the center of this film, which might be why my wife just thought it was okay. But me personally? I couldn’t stop laughing.

I Also Loved How The Story Is Simple, But Full Of Twists

For a story with such a simple premise, I was surprised by just how many twists this movie contained. For example, Gabriel thinks he can really make a difference for Arj by showing him that his life really is worth living. The best way he thinks he can do this is by putting him in the shoes of a rich person to show him that life for rich people isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be.

But, lo and behold, it seems that money can buy you happiness, since Arj doesn’t want to go back to his old life once he realizes how sweet it is to be wealthy. This puts Gabriel in an interesting position, because it’s not what he expected (He’s probably seen It’s a Wonderful Life a few too many times), and this causes a whole string of new problems.

In fact, that’s just ONE of the twists, as there are several more throughout the film that honestly had me actively engaged since I wanted to see where the heck this movie was going next, and I wasn’t disappointed, though my wife was slightly.

It's Now One Of My Favorite Keanu Reeves And Seth Rogen Films

As a fan of both Reeves’s and Rogen’s films, I must say that this is now one of my favorite movies of either of theirs.

It’s laugh-out-loud funny, it has heart, and it truly kept me off my cell phone and paying attention (Unlike my wife). Also, as a casual fan of Ansari’s work, I’m definitely going to keep an eye out for whatever he directs next.

So, while it might not have been my wife’s ideal movie night on the couch (which would be all Keanu, all the time), I loved Good Fortune. Great pick, honey!

Since Obsession is one of my favorite 2026 movies, I was over the moon when I learned that the movie would be part of this year’s Halloween Horror Nights festivities at Universal Studios Hollywood. The movie came out too recently for the theme park to craft a haunted house for the viral scary movie, but they did have time to make Nikki a roaming character at the parks. Well, I went to HHN with the hopes of seeing Nikki, and I want to talk about my experience.

What Happened When I Tried To Find Nikki At Halloween Horror Nights

I had the chance to visit HHN during its opening night this past Thursday, and as usual I had a blast. I had nine houses to see in seven hours and some spooky snacks to try, but my eyes were very much peeled for Nikki the whole time. Unlike other characters in the parks, from what I knew about the roaming characters, it was crafted like a Where’s Waldo situation. There’s also a password going out every night on Universal’s Instagram, and the first 100 people who utter it to Nikki get a gift.

I had heard she had been seen by the Sinners haunted house queue, Krusty Land and the front of the park, and I spent time at all the above, but I never once saw my new favorite horror character. It was a bummer, but at least I got something called a One Wish Churro!

My Disappointment Aside, I Think It's A Genius Move

Because sightings of Nikki at HHN have been all over my social media feed lately, I thought I would find her no problem. Let my experience be a reminder to other guests that finding Nikki during your HHN visit isn’t guaranteed. You have to be in a lucky “right place, right time” situation to find her, unless you literally make it your mission to track her down.

While I had hoped to have my own moment with Nikki, I think HHN's decision to make the Obsession lead a roaming character is genius. The whole night I was seeing women with long, straight brown hair and black clothing and doing a double take, thinking this time it might be Nikki, and I’ve never had that experience at HHN before. It’s pretty amazing to me that a character who is all but normal aside from her possession-like performance is one of the most sought-after horror icons of the year.

Throughout my visit to HHN, there was also an overwhelming amount of people in Obsession-themed merchandise as well. Seeing as how popular Nikki from Obsession surely is among horror fans, I have a feeling an Obsession-themed full-on house could happen next year, and I hope Inde Navarrette gets in on it by reprising her role.

If you’re going to HHN this year, I wish you well on your search! The event runs from now until November 1.

If you ask me, there are no “bad” Batman movies. Sure, I think Batman Forever is the “worst” of the bunch, and yes, I know, you think it's Batman & Robin. I disagree with you. When it comes right down to it, I think Batman has an overall pretty good track record when it comes to films.

That said, when I ranked the Batman movies a while back, I put Matt Reeves’ The Batman at number 3. However, after a rewatch, I'm now comfortable putting it at number 1. Here's why.

I Know Everybody's Favorite Batman Movie Is The Dark Knight, But I Think This Is The Most Compelling Batman Movie Yet

It's safe to say that everybody and their mama thinks Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight is the greatest Batman movie of all time, and hey, I once thought that, too. When it came to The New York Times list of the 100 Best Movies of the 21st Century, The Dark Knight landed at number 28. It’s considered by many to be the greatest superhero movie ever made, and it deserves every accolade that it’s ever received. I am taking nothing away from it.

And yet…I think Matt Reeves’ The Batman is the most compelling version of the Caped Crusader to date. I mainly think it's because the villains don't overshadow Batman for a change (which I'll get into more detail a bit later). The reason everybody adores The Dark Knight is because of Heath Ledger's electric performance as The Joker. Sure, Christian Bale is a serviceable enough Batman, but he doesn't even feel like the most important character in his own movie. Also, like many, I'm a massive fan of Michael Keaton as Batman, but with the Tim Burton movies, the main star is really Gotham City itself.

Matt Reeves puts Batman front and center in his movie, and he's a Batman unlike any other we've ever seen. Unlike most Batmen who are a version of Bruce Wayne moonlighting as Batman, Robert Pattinson's version feels like the inverse, as this is a Batman who takes off his mask only to reveal another mask, that being Bruce Wayne, who seems totally uninterested in being a playboy. It's a fascinating approach to a Batman movie, and one that is even better with a second viewing.

This Is Also My Favorite Version Of Gotham City, By Far

Gotham City has so much personality that it's always a character in itself. As I mentioned earlier, Tim Burton's films really just felt like an invitation into his creative mind, as the strangeness, colors, and darkness really did feel like they took center stage in his Batman movies. In other words, it’s Tim Burton’s world, and Batman and his rogue’s gallery were just living in it. And that’s cool.

I love the Tim Burton movies (Especially his version of The Joker). That said, his Gotham City kind of takes my focus away from the stories of his two films, as I’m so enraptured by his world that I sometimes lose sight of the narratives. Joel Schumacher’s Gotham City is like a kaleidoscope of colors, which worked for his heightened (and often silly) approach, but it’s probably my least favorite version of Gotham City. Christopher Nolan’s take was pretty much just Chicago and Pittsburgh, which really added to his more realistic approach.

Matt Reeves’ Gotham? Well, it feels like the world is trapped in a perpetual nighttime, even when it’s not. I love this aspect because it’s always, always unsettling, and the kind of place where you really do feel like some terrible stuff goes on both in plain view and behind closed doors. I think it’s the perfect Gotham City, and I like it even more on a subsequent viewing.

I Also Adore How The Bad Guys Are The Most Grounded They've Ever Been In A Batman Film

Now, here might be a strike AGAINST The Batman for many people, but I really like how normal the villains feel. We’ve gotten three live-action versions of The Riddler thus far: Frank Gorshin, Jim Carrey, and Paul Dano, and out of those three, only one of them has managed to feel scary, and that’s Dano.

Gorshin was silly, of course, because the ‘60s Batman was silly. Jim Carrey (whom I LOVED as a child) was probably the most annoying part about Batman Forever for me. However, I love how Paul Dano’s Riddler just feels like a terrorist who likes to play games with his targets. It reminds me of the Zodiac Killer, which is no coincidence, as that was intentional. I really love that.

This is a different Batman movie, one where the Caped Crusader is a detective (as Batman is), and what better villain to have him go against than a terroristic version of The Riddler? It’s the most grounded Batman villain we’ve ever gotten in a film, which is great. I also love Colin Farrell’s version of The Penguin, who isn't in the film long (Though, he’s arguably in the best part of the entire movie with that car chase), but he leaves a memorable impression all the same. He doesn’t look like a penguin like Danny DeVito, but that’s what makes him even better.

Same for Zoe Kravitz’s Catwoman and John Turturro’s Carmine Falcone. They both feel grounded, which is good, since they never overshadow Batman. They inhabit his world, but they don’t overtake it like Heath Ledger’s Joker or Danny DeVito’s Penguin. Oh, and speaking of The Penguin...

Plus, We Got My Favorite Batman Thing Ever From This Film, That Being The Penguin

I don’t think I’ve ever loved anything Batman-related as much as I loved the HBO series, The Penguin starring Colin Farrell in the title role. I loved everything about it! I loved how much I detested Oz Cobb. I loved how much it leaned into feminism. I loved its side characters. Seriously, there’s nothing I don't love about the series.

We wouldn’t have gotten it if not for Matt Reeves’ The Batman. The Penguin is kind of like the cherry on top of an already stellar movie. I don’t know if The Penguin would even work if not for all of the things I mentioned earlier. The show never features Batman, but that’s okay since The Riddler flooded Gotham City, so you get a sense that Robert Pattison’s Batman has bigger issues to worry about than an on-the-rise Oz Cobb.

Gotham City is a mess, but it’s a realistic mess that’s full of dread, and it works in the show’s favor, since you always feel unsettled. And the bad guys on the show also feel grounded, as you never get a sense that these characters are more than just drug lords or gangsters, so it’s all consistent with the film.

Seriously, it’s for all of these reasons and more that I cannot WAIT for The Batman II. Hopefully, it will actually make its current February 18, 2028 release date. Because Lord knows how long we’ve been waiting for this sequel.

Avengers: Doomsday is the next of the upcoming Marvel movies, and naturally that’s inspiring me to go back and watch movies from The Multiverse Saga so far. The one I chose to rewatch the most recently was last year’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps. I really enjoyed it the first time, and wanted to dive back into its retro-futuristic world again before the heroes collide with other characters in Doomsday. But this time around, one issue really stuck out to me like a sore thumb, and it was a whole character.

What’s Up With Natasha Lyonne In Fantastic Four?

Funny enough, after my first viewing, I thought the one thing about the movie that would bother me the second time around was the CGI baby, but honestly, it was fine. The human baby they chose is cute as heck, and the times in which it was a CGI baby, I get it. It ages just fine to me.

However, one character did really bother me: Natasha Lyonne’s Rachel Rozman. The thing is I love Lyonne, and remember being excited about her mysterious casting before it was revealed. The first time I saw First Steps, I thought it was just nice to see her in a Marvel movie, and I was taking in the whole film.

This time I was getting so distressed seeing her on the screen. Her character is literally pointless. The movie does slow down when she and The Thing are flirting, but I found myself getting restless about her character being there because I knew she had zero payoff, and I’m just so done with Marvel giving these great actors bit parts that seem to hint at something greater, but never turn into anything.

And, The Thing Deserved A Lot Better

Again, it’s not Natasha Lyonne’s fault. She did great with what she had, but her part in the film actually underlines a larger issue I had with the movie. First Steps used these scenes with The Thing as his subplot in the movie, and it doesn’t do anything to make the character very interesting or move him along emotionally. That adorable baby had more character development than The Thing gets because of how they waste our time with Rachel Rozman.

I mean, the guy has turned into a literal rock. I get that we want to humanize him, and we should, but this was such a shallow way to go about it in my opinion. I think the filmmakers wanted to go with a lighter approach than the original Fantastic Four movies did with the iconic superhero, but giving a character a love interest shouldn’t come in place of giving him a personality. I have to wonder if there was more going on in the script, and they decided to cut it in post-production?

And, since First Steps didn’t become a big hit at the box office, I wonder if Natasha Lyonne’s character will ever amount to anything. Anyways, you can check out the movie yourself now with a Disney+ subscription and decide whether you agree with me.

There’s a case to be made that William Wyler is the greatest director who’s ever stepped foot on this planet.

Three of his movies - Mrs. Miniver, The Best Years of Our Lives (a personal favorite of mine as it's one of the best war movies ever made), and Ben-Hur won Best Picture, and he won Best Director for all three films. He was also nominated for Best Director a whopping 12 times, more than any other director ever.

Well, being as prolific as he was, he directed over 30 westerns, but arguably his best is 1958's The Big Country starring Gregory Peck. I would call it one of the greatest westerns ever made, even though you rarely see it on any best-of-western lists (including our own!). Here's why it's such a gem.

Gregory Peck Plays A Man Who Prefers To Keep The Peace Without Violence

You know, a lot of people love to talk about Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven as a deconstruction of the western myth, and yeah, it definitely is. William Munny is an unvarnished former outlaw, and he's not a good man, though he's trying. However, the movie does not romanticize the West, and actually paints a rather bleak picture of what it was probably like to live back then.

The Big Country also subverts the western myth, but in a very different way. You see, westerns were always about machismo. They were about men being men, and often shooting first, and asking questions later. But Gregory Peck's character, James McKay, isn't like that at all. Instead, he's soft-spoken, jovial, and even peaceful. This conflicts with a familial war that he's caught in the middle of since he's marrying the daughter of the father who's at war with an enemy.

Everybody expects McKay to step up and “be a man,” but he doesn't live by other people's expectations. This leads to people thinking he's a coward when he's really not at all. He just doesn't see the need to prove himself to anybody. This is a vastly different western “hero” from so many of the ones you would see in the ‘50s, making this western truly stand out.

The Score Is Probably One Of The Most Magnificent That The Genre Has Ever Produced

I don't think anybody is going to debate the greatest theme of all time for a western. It's the one from The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly by the legendary composer, Ennio Morricone. But, you know, here's the thing about that theme - similar to the theme of Jaws, it's so great that it's almost BIGGER than the movie. Like, you'd often find The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly theme in other movies, and often parodied.

That said, the theme to The Big Country, by Jerome Moross, is just so stirring, and so sweeping that I think it may rival Morricone's masterpiece. In fact, the whole score to The Big Country is just so ambitious and wonderful that it totally fits THIS movie, and no other.

I think that's what really makes it special. This movie often feels vast and yet full at the same time, and this score perfectly matches the film's energy. It's definitely one of the best scores I've ever heard, and not just for a western, either.

In The End, It Deserves Way More Love Than It Gets Today, As It's A Masterpiece

I actually never even heard of The Big Country until my dad recommended it to me, since it really left a lasting impression on him when he was just a child, and I can see why.

The film is both unlike any other western I've ever seen but also fits comfortably within the genre. The whole cast is wonderful (Especially Burl Ives), and it really takes you away.

So, if you haven't seen The Big Country yet, definitely check it out. It's a masterpiece that you don't hear about often enough.

Well, the summer movie season is almost over, and we now know that the movies of the summer were 1. Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which is a box office phenomenon, and 2. The Odyssey, which is now the highest-grossing R-Rated movie ever. Do you know what movie didn't make a big splash, though? The live-action Moana.

In fact, things were looking so dire before Spider-Man and The Odyssey that I questioned if we would even HAVE a movie of the summer, with Moana's massive failure being one of the reasons I thought that. However, my question is, why did Disney bet on Moana when Encanto was right there?

Sure, like Moana, Encanto is also a relatively recent Disney movie (it came out in 2021), but I think it would have done WAY better if it had gotten the live-action treatment. Here's why.

Firstly, Encanto Would Be A Lot More Interesting, Visually, Than Moana In Live-Action

Look, I love Moana as much as the next person (I consider it a modern Disney classic), but one thing I would never say is that it’s super visually appealing. Sure, Maui's tattoos and transformations are cool, and Te Ka is an interesting antagonist, but otherwise, I think the movie is visually kind of bland. Just my opinion, of course.

This doesn't necessarily translate well to live-action, either. Seeing shots of Dwayne Johnson wearing a silly wig and countless shots of the ocean don't scream “must see in theaters!” However, one Disney movie that is a visual treat for the eyes is Encanto, which I think could have produced a rather impressive trailer to garner interest.

Because with the magical Madrigal family (Say that three times fast), those visuals could go a long way. Like, I would love to see who they would cast to play the brawny Luisa Madrigal. Would they get a bodybuilder, or would they use CGI? Or, what about Isabela Madrigal, who can control plants? Would they get the legend John Leguizamo to play Bruno? I just think they could have done a lot in a live-action space, visually speaking, that Moana never could, and that could have gone a long way to making it stand out more.

It Also Didn't Have A Fairly Recent Sequel Like Moana, So People Would Likely Warm Up To It More

I mentioned earlier how Moana, which originally came out in 2016, is fairly recent for a live-action adaptation, but it also had a sequel, Moana 2, which came out in 2024! That's WAY too soon to make a live-action adaptation of the original. For one thing, I think it's safe to say that even though Moana 2 did great at the box office, it didn't resonate with people like the original did. In fact, a lot of people think it's kind of mediocre.

That's not a great reputation to springboard off of, unfortunately. Plus, the recency of Moana 2 didn’t allow people to really miss the franchise (and yes, it’s a franchise now). Encanto, on the other hand, has been away long enough for people to say, “Oh, yeah. I remember that movie,” and in a positive way. And while yes, I know it was considered a financial disappointment at the box office (it made around $257 million worldwide), it gained a positive reputation on Disney+ and has since become one of the more well-known Disney films in recent memory.

We also can’t forget about the sensation that was “We Don’t Talk About Bruno”. Yes, people HAVE stopped talking about Bruno, but a live-action adaptation of the film could bring back some of that magic, especially if they played a stripped-down, piano rendition in a trailer. Seriously, why HAVEN’T we gotten this live-action movie yet? Because in the end, Encanto would have been a much bolder choice for a live-action adaptation (Though, not as bold as Big Hero 6) than Moana, and thus, possibly a bigger hit in the long run.

I think everybody has their own idea about what Clint Eastwood is like in real life.

I'm sure many envision him as the grizzled, squinting guy they've seen in Sergio Leone westerns, or perhaps they think he's more similar to Dirty Harry, wondering if they feel lucky…punk.

However, in actuality, Eastwood’s got a softer side to him, and he LOVES music (one of his passion projects was a movie about Charlie Parker called Bird!). Well, Bird flopped, and so did Eastwood’s film adaptation of the hit Broadway show, Jersey Boys. That said, the 2014 movie is actually a really fascinating artifact, and I want to talk about it.

Honestly, It's Relatively Close To The Broadway Musical, Though A Bit Edgier

Quite recently, I watched the Michael Jackson musical on Broadway, and I was struck by just how different it was from the somewhat recent movie. It’s not like I thought they would be 1:1 in their storylines (I knew, after all, that the play and the movie had nothing to do with each other), but I was surprised by just how different they were, given that they’re both biographical stories. Plus, the play even included a lot more of my favorite MJ songs than the film did (Like “Stranger in Moscow!”).

However, when it comes to stage-to-film adaptations, I don’t think you could get much closer than Jersey Boys. In fact, that might be a bit too much of a problem. You see, the Broadway musical is interesting in how stripped down it is. The main focus is always on the four leads, and the way the story is told through their songs is expertly done. The pacing never lets up.

That said, even though the film follows all the story beats from the play very closely (with perhaps a bit more grit), it still feels like there’s more focus on replicating the time period itself than on the characters and their experiences. This is actually a much bigger issue than I'd like it to be.

Eastwood Kind Of Seems Out Of His Depth With This One

Clint Eastwood is a master director, and I don’t think anybody will disagree. Films like Mystic River (an absolute gem), Million Dollar Baby (One of the best sports movies ever), and Unforgiven (possibly his best western) are proof positive that Eastwood could tackle many different genres.

That said, the musical might not be one of them, since Eastwood very much falters with this one. Again, it’s not the translation, as Eastwood adapts the storyline and fourth-wall-breaking setup from the musical expertly. Even so, the energy just isn’t the same as the stage play. Eastwood is known for getting films done quickly and doing minimal takes, but perhaps he should have sat with this one a bit longer, since some of the lines feel wonky, and the acting is kind of bad.

That’s not to say that the film still isn’t serviceable. But Jersey Boys isn’t the kind of movie musical (like Wicked Part 1…but not Wicked For Good) where I would say, “You don’t even need to see it on Broadway. Just watch the movie.” No, if you’re going to see Jersey Boys, see the musical. Eastwood was a little out of his depth with this one, and certainly not as good as Spielberg was when he did his excellent West Side Story adaptation.

Overall, It's Not The Best Movie Musical, But It's An Interesting Artifact

Is the 2014 Jersey Boys film great? No, not really. But, it’s still an interesting artifact.

To date, it’s Eastwood’s only musical based on a Broadway show (that he’s directed), and it’s also based on a fairly popular one. The same actor - John Lloyd Young - plays Frankie Valli in the original show, and in the movie, and the effort is definitely there…if not always meeting the mark.

However, it’s fascinating in that there’s no other movie like it in Eastwood’s filmography, and I think that’s kind of special. Personally, I enjoy it, despite its many flaws. What about you? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Head on over to the Marvel section of Disney+, and you'll find a whole section dedicated to movies and TV shows that you should watch in preparation for Avengers: Doomsday, which just so happens to come out on December 18th of the 2026 movie schedule (the same day as Dune: Part Three, making it Dunesday!).

Oh, wait. Did I say TV shows? I meant TV show, singular, as when you go to the “Countdown to Avengers: Doomsday” section, you'll find 14 movies you should watch before seeing the film, and just ONE TV show: Loki.

That this is RIDICULOUS! I’ve spent literally HOURS watching MCU TV shows, and you're telling me that only ONE of them matters when it comes to Avengers: Doomsday? Arg. Let's talk.

For A Time, It Seemed Like All Of The MCU Shows Mattered. Now, Almost None Of Them Do

I'll tell you, when WandaVision debuted back in 2021, I was in love. The show was so weird and experimental that it felt like a revelation. What interested me the most, however, was how it would eventually connect back to the MCU movies, proper. Because back then, that was sort of the promise of these MCU shows - They weren't just standalone programs. They would connect to the movies at some point.

The resulting movie following the events of WandaVision was 2022's Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which…well, I'll be frank. I didn't love. Even so, I appreciated that my time didn't feel wasted with WandaVision. The same goes for The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, with Captain America: Brave New World being the result of that series. The point I'm making is that for a time (with Ms. Marvel being another example), the shows fed into the movies, and vice versa.

Then something changed. We started getting shows that didn't really seem to connect to the films at all. Now, with the Countdown to Avengers: Doomsday saying that only Loki really matters when it comes to the events for this movie, well…I kind of feel like I wasted my time watching all of these shows, especially a few in particular, which I’ll get into next.

Certain Shows, Like Moon Knight, And She-Hulk Feel Especially Pointless Now

Moon Knight is my favorite Marvel character, so when there was word that we were getting a Moon Knight TV show, I was seriously losing my mind. However, Moon Knight came and went, and while I liked certain aspects about it, I also greatly disliked other aspects about it. Not only that, but I also felt like it could have been a real turning point for the MCU, but that's neither here nor there.

What bugs me, though, is that, as far as we know, Moon Knight will NOT return in Avengers: Doomsday. Plus, his show was so inconsequential that you don't even need to have watched it in preparation for this film. Same goes with She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. I mean, I loved it, but it feels like a forgotten relic now.

Agatha All Along? Unnecessary. Echo? Unnecessary. Hawkeye? Unnecessary. Secret Invasion (which sucked)? Unnecessary. I mean, jeez, now that so many of these shows are not connected to Avengers: Doomsday, they feel like a COMPLETE waste of time to me, which is why…

I Think I'm Done Watching Marvel TV Shows Now...For The Most Part

The other day, somebody asked me what I thought about Wonder Man, and they were shocked when I told them that I didn't even watch it (and now that it's been canceled, I'm glad I didn't watch it).

The truth is, I gave up on the MCU TV shows a while ago. The last one I watched in earnest was Season 2 of Loki (which I guess is a good thing since it's the only show that seems to matter for Doomsday). But Ironheart? Didn't watch. Daredevil: Born Again? Didn't watch. Eyes of Wakanda? Didn’t watch. I probably WILL watch VisionQuest, and because it might connect to Avengers: Secret Wars! And really, that's all it takes.

Walt Disney has been serving up holiday magic for as long as I can remember. There is nothing quite like visiting one of their many theme parks during the holiday season, not only to check out new attractions, but to sample the holiday fare. One thing Disney has a (turkey)leg up over other theme parks is their holiday food offerings. They keep getting better every year and stand apart from the crowd. Case in point: This Halloween.

I’ve eaten holiday food at plenty of theme parks over the years, and there is often a trade-off. The food might be really well-themed, cute to look at, or have a fun concept, but sometimes the actual flavor can feel like an afterthought. At Disney, however, that is not the case. It has all of those attributes, and it usually tastes great, too. There is just a little more Disney magic in their dining options that I cannot quite put my finger on. Perhaps it’s just more sugar.

These Are Some Of The Can’t-Miss Eats This Spooky Season

This year alone, there are several new items you can try this spooky season. I attended the opening day of Halloween Time at Disneyland and sampled some of the limited-time seasonal offerings.

One of the standouts that I had to stop myself from buying twice while I was there is the Pumpkin Pie Mickey Shake, a pumpkin pie and vanilla milkshake with whipped topping and golden creme-filled cookies.

I had a chance to speak with one of the Disney chefs behind these creations and asked her if there was only one new drink guests should try. She did not skip a beat:

She did not steer me wrong. The cookies make some adorable Mickey ears, and if you like pumpkin, it’s a MUST. But the best part is that this isn't just a cute Halloween-themed drink. It actually delivers on the pumpkin pie flavor, which is exactly what I want from a seasonal theme park treat.

But dessert is not the only thing Disneyland is serving up this Halloween. The savory offerings are just as creative, and Disney isn't relying on theming alone to make its holiday food stand out. I also chatted with her about some of the savory offerings that will take your taste buds for a ride. She told me about the BBQ Pork Muenster Grilled Cheese:

I ordered it and can confirm it is adorable. It also comes with jalapeño slaw and potato bites. Pro tip: Put the slaw on the sandwich. It gives it a nice spicy, acidic crunch.

There is no shortage of themed treats at Disney right now, whether you want some seriously hot villainous wings, an Oktoberfest cheese-filled dog, a carne asada spicy Oogie Boogie burrito, some seasonal popcorn in the Hatbox Ghost popcorn bucket, or any number of other offerings. You won't miss out on either the theming or the flavor.

Normally, I go to theme parks for the rides and the holiday atmosphere, and food is just something I have while I’m there. But after eating holiday food at many theme parks, I can say that Disneyland is in a league of its own. The food is fun, creative, and incredibly themed, but it also actually tastes good, and that makes all the difference. Make sure to get your tickets and try these items before they're gone.

Also, get a pickle. It’s not new or on theme, but it is always delicious and hydrating because it might be 90 degrees when you are there.

It was actually only last year when I started Ted Lasso, but my goodness did I fall hard for it. I really made the best out of my Apple TV subscription when I found it, and obviously I’m tuning into Season 4 now that it’s on the 2026 TV schedule. But can we talk about the lack of Phil Dunster’s Jamie Tartt in the new season? I’m having quite the unexpected journey with the character’s absence.

Season 4 Without Jamie Tartt Isn’t Total ‘Poopeh’, Actually

Like many people who’ve watched Ted Lasso, I thought Jamie Tartt was quite annoying at first, until I suddenly didn’t. This is actually one of the reasons why I love the show, I think. Many of the characters feel so real because they are complicated and hold multiple truths at once. That makes them relatable and the show itself a cozy watch.

And I loved what the creators did with Jamie Tartt. They brought a real depth to him, but I don’t necessarily feel like I’m ready to never see the character again. It feels to me like more of his story could be told. So, when I heard that Phil Dunster wasn’t going to be in the new season, I was very bummed out and knew there would be a hole in my heart in Season 4.

And yet, I’ve been watching it, and I’m OK without Jamie Tartt right now. I love that the show has a ton of returning people, but is also leaving room to work its magic and for us to fall for new characters. I’m already so curious what Coach Chilton’s deal is and to learn more about the dynamics of the women’s soccer team.

I’m also sort of happy that Jamie Tartt isn’t in these episodes so far because it deflates that love triangle. You know, the one that was going on between him, Roy and Keeley throughout the whole show? After the whole thing ended in a rough place last season, it’s been nice to see Keeley and Roy interact without him. And without the thought of her having to “choose” looming over her. Jamie in the mix would not only complicate things, but it would also take away from the new story that’s being told.

But, My Hopes For Jamie Tartt’s Return Remain

That being said, I hope Season 3 wasn’t the official end of Jamie Tartt on Ted Lasso. Whether he is secretly in Season 4 or will be written in a future season, things feel a little unfinished for me about him. And the fact that the show has already mentioned Jamie twice has me putting on suspicious eyes about the future of Jamie Tartt. I mean, it’s not like the show is completely hiding the existence of the character; they’ve updated us that he’s playing for FC Barcelona.

While I’ve realized I don’t really need Jamie Tartt to be full-time on Ted Lasso anymore now that I’ve seen what they’re doing with Season 4. However, I would like a cameo of some sort before the show decides to end (again). But we’ve got more than half the season to find out if Jamie Tartt does show up!

When the Vince McMahon docuseries came out in 2024, which you can watch with a Netflix subscription, it's safe to say I had mixed feelings. Granted, I definitely think Vince McMahon deserved a docuseries (though it came out amidst a pretty heinous lawsuit), but I also thought it could have been a lot more interesting.

After watching it again recently, I realized something. Sure, Vince has led a pretty interesting life, but his son, Shane McMahon, who speaks during the docuseries, seems WAY more fascinating. That's why I think we need a docuseries about Shane McMahon as well. So, here are just a few things that I would like to see in a hypothetical Shane-O-Mac docuseries.

I Would Love To Know Why Shane Wanted To Be A Hardcore Wrestler In Particular

What's interesting about the McMahon family is that all of them - Vince, Stephanie, Shane, and yes, even Linda - had roles both in and outside of the ring. Who could forget when Vince McMahon clashed with Stone Cold? Or what about Stephanie McMahon’s lengthy title run (though she rarely defended her title)? Hell, even Linda McMahon engaged in one of the most bizarre storylines ever when she was confined to a wheelchair while her husband had affairs right in front of her.

However, the only member of the family who felt like a legitimate wrestler was Shane McMahon, who had honest-to-God classic matches with the likes of Kurt Angle (the best to ever do it), The Big Show, Kane, and even his own father at WrestleMania 17. That said, Shane wasn’t just your typical wrestler. No, he was usually hardcore and even won the Hardcore title back in 2000.

My question is, why? Yes, it’s KIND of touched upon in the Vince docuseries, as it goes into how Shane was always trying to prove himself, but I want more depth into this. Like, why did Shane put himself through such pain when he could have just taken safer bumps and still gotten over with the fans? Why did he decide to be one of the toughest wrestlers that the WWE has ever produced? That’s what I want to know.

I'd Also Love To See His Role In Trying to Inherit The Family Business

Triple H is in charge of creative right now at WWE, and Nick Khan is the President. However, why isn’t the heir apparent, Shane McMahon, running things now at WWE? Yes, it always seemed like his sister, Stephanie, had more business acumen, but why didn’t Shane push to take over the family business? That’s something that I’ve always wondered as well.

Shane has discussed in the past, saying that he wanted to spend more time with his family, and he also hasn’t always had the best relationship with his father (He was even fired back in 2022 following an incident at the Royal Rumble), but I want to know more about this. You know, for a time, it looked like Shane was going to make the leap to AEW, and even though it never happened, it didn’t seem outside the realm of possibility, which you would NEVER suspect of Stephanie.

I want to know more about Shane’s feelings about not being next in line. Does it really not bother him that he never took over the business? I think a docuseries could get to the heart of the matter.

In The End, Shane Seems A Lot More Interesting Than His Father

I think what makes Shane more interesting than Vince is that he’s more of an enigma. Like, I get Stephanie’s ambition and drive, and I understand Vince’s rigid feelings on the business, but I don’t understand Shane’s feelings.

We got to see how Vince treated Shane in the docuseries, but I don’t really know how Shane truly felt himself. It’s like, we see Shane from other people’s perspectives, but not from his own, and that’s why I feel like Shane deserves his own docuseries.

I think that would be much more interesting. Don’t you?

I have mixed feelings about dating reality TV shows. I generally find them very boring, but Netflix, somehow, has made me tune into all their best ones. Therefore, I was somewhat familiar with Harry Jowsey because I watched his season of Too Hot To Handle. His relationship with Francesca Farago was one of the most interesting things about that season.

Then I watched every season of Perfect Match, and he was on that. So I knew who Harry was, but that’s also why I immediately rolled my eyes when I heard of Let’s Marry Harry. I expected a trainwreck and got one, but that’s also why it was interesting.

Warning: Let’s Marry Harry spoilers are ahead. Proceed with caution.

Let’s Marry Harry Almost Feels Like A Reality TV Dating Show Parody

Many of the popular reality dating shows feel formulaic. You know what to expect on The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, and similar shows. We’re supposed to buy into the fairytale that one person will date multiple people for a few weeks and somehow meet their future spouse and soulmate. Statistically, The Bachelor franchise doesn’t have the best track record. Sometimes the couples who meet off-camera have a better lasting track record.

However, I don’t think many of these fans tune in for the happily ever after. They want to take the journey and buy the fantasy. Let’s Marry Harry tries to emulate that fairytale dating show quality, but it feels even more inauthentic than some of the other shows. You know Harry doesn’t mean anything he’s saying.

He’s just saying it because he knows it’s what viewers want to hear and see. His lines feel scripted. It’s almost more cringe than every reality dating show because at least sometimes you believe the people.

I Didn't Believe Any Of The Love Stories

Harry’s inauthenticity is easy to spot. The women not as much. I couldn’t tell if any of them really believed they had a chance at marrying him. Harry didn’t really have chemistry with any of the women, so it made their relationships feel like an act. They didn’t want him; he didn’t want them. They were all participating in a not-so-elaborate farce.

The few women who seemed to like him got hurt. This made watching Let’s Marry Harry even more uncomfortable. You know going into this show that even if Harry marries someone, it won’t last. The show just continues to confirm this suspicion by showcasing him using this opportunity to hook up with many women in a short span.

Harry Didn't Charm Me In Let's Marry Harry

Let’s Marry Harry kept telling us how charming he is, but I didn’t see it. He felt like an older version of the same young man we met on Too Hot To Handle. Self-involved to the point of not really caring if his actions had consequences.

This type of personality and behavior makes for a great reality TV character, especially one who can create great iconic TV moments, but not for a great husband. Maybe in a few years or decades he will become a guy worth marrying, but he hasn’t gotten there yet. Let’s Marry Harry follows all the rules of standout dating reality TV shows, but it doesn’t even believe what it’s selling, and that makes it an enjoyable show to watch in fascination and judgment.

Stream Let’s Marry Harry on Netflix.

If I'm honest, I didn’t have high expectations when I went to watch Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which is still tearing up the 2026 movie schedule. I have seen all the Marvel Cinematic Universe Spider-Man movies. I have enjoyed all of them, except one. One of my most controversial movie takes is that I didn’t think Spider-Man: No Way Home was good. Lots of fan service, but the product left a lot to be desired, leaving me questioning the future of Tom Holland's series.

That I've seen it, I would now probably rank Brand New Day high among the best Spider-Man movies. It really made me excited to see where Marvel goes with the franchise now, and I think I know why this movie worked so well.

Warning: Spider-Man: Brand New Day spoilers are ahead. Proceed with caution.

This Spider-Man Film Feels Equally Hopeful And Bleak

Spider-Man: Brand New Day feels a lot darker than many of the other Marvel and Spider-Man movies. It feels even darker than a lot of the MCU films, but it doesn’t feel gritty. It doesn’t become something the Holland Spider-Man movies never were, but evolves to something a little bleaker.

The storyline of the unseeable entity already has a dark tone to it because the idea of someone taking over your body has sinister connotations. We later learn that Jean Grey (Sadie Sink) is behind it all, and we have seen Jean do plenty of dark things throughout her history in films. We didn’t know how dangerous and murderous she could become. It almost seemed like she would become a foe that Peter (Tom Holland) couldn’t stop.

However, despite how dark things get, Peter manages to save the day. Then he’s greeted with a hero’s applause for all his hard work. It shows that no matter how bleak things get, keep fighting, and maybe you will win in the end.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day Feels More Mature Than Previous Movies, Which Works With The Growing Up Theme

Sometimes as we age and grow up, life feels harder and darker. We lose people we love, or our jobs become increasingly more stressful, and we battle outer and inner demons. It’s hard growing up. Spider-Man: Brand New Day is also a coming-of-age movie. Peter goes from a teen with a complicated life to an adult with an even more complicated life.

It shows him maturing but also growing lonelier and more driven, at the cost of existing outside his Spider-Man persona. I thought the film showcases the complexities of adulthood in a sad but fascinating and accurate way, especially for a superhero movie. It felt the closest to the cancelled-too-soon Wonder-Man than any of the other Marvel projects so far. It did this by grounding the superhero story in a more relatable way without compromising the concept of a superhero.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day Doesn’t Completely Leave You Feeling Satisfied

Peter essentially saves the day, but his life still has a lot of holes in it. MJ (Zendaya) possibly still doesn’t remember him, and Ned (Jacob Batalon) might remember him. He stopped Jean, but there will always be more bad guys, so he can’t fully be satisfied with everything, and Jean was a complicated villain. Her actions are justified at times.

You leave the movie slightly happy for him, because Ned may remember now, but you leave with so many more questions. I think this is a good reflection of life in general. You may win in the moment, but the fight never ends, and things are never perfectly resolved.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day deserves its box-office success because it succeeds where other superhero movies fail. It makes the human parts just as important as the superhero elements.

If you grew up in the early 2000s like me, there’s very likely a special place in your heart for Avatar: The Last Airbender. The Nickelodeon series and its excellent sequel series, The Legend of Korra, were a staple of my upbringing. So, when I learned about The Last Airbender movie on the 2026 release schedule, I clicked play on my Paramount+ subscription as soon as I could. But there was a disappointing lack of Zuko that I hope Avatar Studios fires up, stat.

Wait, There Was Almost A Zuko Movie?

Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender feels like a long time coming. We finally got to see Adult Team Avatar in action, and it was so much fun to see. However, I felt like everyone kind of had a memorable moment except for Zuko. The fella just didn’t get enough to do for my taste, especially after the character delivered one of the best character arcs on TV.

In my frustration, I was looking on the internet to see if any other fans felt the same way. And then, I came across something: an allegedly scrapped Zuko-focused movie. My first reaction was to get totally mad at the Avatar filmmakers. But, upon further research, I realized it was an unconfirmed rumor from Knight Edge Media, which should be taken with a grain of salt.

The rumor suggests that there was a movie called Firelord Zuko that would star Steven Yeun as Adult Zuko (he just voiced Zuko in Avatar Aang, too). The movie was allegedly going to be focused on the murder of the dragons Ran & Shaw from Book 3 of the TV series. It was also going to delve deeper into his relationship with Azula after the 100-Year War. Sounds pretty cool, right? Per the source, Paramount asked Avatar Studios to shelve the project.

After Watching The New Avatar Movie, I Need It To Happen Even More

I was initially sad to see Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender go from having a theatrical release to having a limited theatrical window and a streaming release. However, the movie is doing really well on Paramount+, and I think it could pave the way for more features from Avatar Studios. Maybe, including a Zuko movie? The show’s co-creator Bryan Konietzko said this to Variety about what’s next for them:

Avatar Studios was formed in 2021, which is a new division of Nickelodeon Animation Studio that’s completely focused on more from this beloved universe. In addition to Avatar Aang coming out, there’s a new Avatar series called Seven Havens coming out on the 2026 TV schedule. Bryan also said this in another interview with Variety about their plans:

Following the Avatar Aang movie, the original character I want to see the most next is definitely Zuko, and I hope he gets his own movie like the rumors suggest might have been in development. At the same time, I’m also just happy for this moment. Avatar Studios is in full swing, and they sound like they are really cooking behind the scenes. I'll keep my fire-burning passion for a Zuko movie at bay while the filmmakers work.

A while ago, I wrote about how 2026 is potentially the biggest year ever for video game adaptations due to the sheer amount of adaptations we were getting.

However, swooping in at the end of 2025 (December 5th, to be exact) was possibly one of the biggest video game adaptations we could have gotten with Five Nights at Freddy's 2. It made over $230 million worldwide on a reported $36 million budget (so the probability of a third film is likely, though not set in stone yet).

I recently watched the second movie with my Netflix subscription, and can I just say that I liked it even better than the first movie, which I already think is one of the best video game movies ever made. Here's why.

For One Thing, It Genuinely Did Freak Me Out A Few Times

Now, I don't get freaked out often when I watch horror movies (at least the horror movies that I'm not too scared to watch), but can I just say that this PG-13 movie based on a video game series that is mostly beloved by children (or, at least Gen-Z and Gen-Alpha) actually spooked me a few times? That's something that the first movie, which again, I liked, never did.

You see, it's the new character, the Marionette animatronic, aka "the Puppet," that does it for me, since she can possess bodies and create this eerie, stringy creature that really makes my skin crawl whenever she moves.

This is actually very unique for me, since I've never actually been unnerved by the Marionette character from the games. Now, granted, I don't actually PLAY the games (I'll get to that in a moment), but as somebody who has inadvertently been following the FNaF series for quite some time now, I have to say, the Marionette in this film is WAY scarier than what’s in the games, which I'll get into next.

This Movie Is Much Closer To The Games Than The First Film

Like I just said, I don't play the FNaF games, as they were kind of after my time (I’m more into titles from the Resident Evil series and Silent Hill). However, both of my kids are REALLY into the lore of FNaF, and they love the games. So, I'm very much an over-the-shoulder kind of fan, as I’ve watched them play most of the titles. And, can I just say that I recognize a lot more of the games in this film than I did in the last movie?

For instance, there’s a scene where Balloon Boy (Yes, that’s an actual character) is stalking our protagonists in the water, and you see his beanie hat propeller like a shark fin or something. You also have the prototype animatronics, as well as a scene where Mike (Josh Hutcherson) is literally sitting at a desk while the animatronics get closer and closer (Mike even keeps commenting on how there really should be a door, just as there is in the games).

It’s all very easter egg-heavy stuff, and I’m sure series creator Scott Cawthon had a blast sticking all of this in when he was writing the screenplay.

It Made Me Want To See A Sequel

Lastly, this movie is much better than the first one because now I genuinely want a sequel, whereas after the first one, I didn’t really care either way.

It could be the way that this film ended, which I won’t spoil here, but it definitely leaves the door open for a third film in the series, making this a trilogy (Or possibly beyond).

I just really like all of these characters now, and I hope to see this franchise expand even more after watching this sequel. I think they finally nailed the tone.

So what did you think? Have you watched it now that it’s on Netflix? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Ask any mega fan of Arnold Schwarzenegger what his three best ‘80s films are, and I guarantee you'll get the following three movies: Conan the Barbarian, Predator, and The Terminator.

Sure, somebody might swap Conan for Commando (the best action movie ever), or The Running Man (and I wouldn't fault them for it since it's definitely one of the best sci-fi movies of the ‘80s), but Predator and The Terminator are certified locks, and I dare you to find somebody who says otherwise.

That said, the one Arnold flick from the ‘80s that I NEVER hear anybody talk about (well, besides Red Heat) is 1986's Raw Deal, where Arnie takes on the mob. I'm not saying it's a hidden gem or anything like that, but it should still be talked about. Here's why.

Schwarzenegger Goes Undercover For This One

One of my absolute favorite Schwarzenegger movies is 1994's True Lies, where Arnie spends almost the entire movie undercover. Now, since True Lies is a James Cameron film, it's expertly paced, hilarious at times, and an action-packed extravaganza. Raw Deal is not, but Schwarzenegger does go undercover. That said, what the latter lacks in great pacing and hilarity, it makes up for in the action department.

In this film, Schwarzenegger plays a former FBI agent named Mark Kaminsky who gets removed from the force…for reasons... However, when the FBI tries to build a case against a mob boss, they need to bring in Kaminsky since there’s a mole in the force who keeps giving away the locations of their witnesses.

Kaminsky fakes his own death and goes undercover as a former ex-con who gets in deep with the mob (kind of like The Departed, though not as enthralling). This is all in an effort to take the mob down from the inside, which he does with aplomb and just how you’d expect from Schwarzenegger in the ‘80s, i.e., like a wrecking ball.

Again, it’s nothing I’d call special, but if you love Arnie and you haven’t seen this one, then you’re doing yourself a disservice, since it’s different enough (with the added mob elements) that it’s worth a watch.

His Acting Is Exceptionally Bad In This One, Which Means It's Awesome

As a huge fan of Arnold who’s watched every single one of his movies (with Total Recall being my absolute favorite), I’m just going to come out and say it: Unlike his contemporary, Sylvester Stallone, who’s shown glimmers of being a good actor (Especially in my beloved First Blood), Schwarzenegger has never, in his entire career, exhibited acting chops that would even put him in consideration for an award.

I’ve always loved him for this reason. Because Arnold is not like any other actor, and no other actor is like him. In fact, the worse his scripts are (and Raw Deal’s script isn’t the most polished), the more Schwarzenegger has to lean into his natural charm, and he does so with gusto in this film.

With his hair slicked back for most of the movie, and him putting on an almost smarmy charm, Schwarzenegger‘s acting is pretty bad in this one, which means it’s awesome, since it truly does feel like the entire movie centers around his performance.

His line delivery is even more stilted than usual, and even his one-liners sound a little forced. However, Arnold powers through it all, and he makes this film enjoyable, even despite itself. That’s just the power of Schwarzenegger.

In The End, It's Not The Best Schwarzenegger Movie, But It Shouldn't Be Forgotten, Either

So, do I understand why nobody really talks about Raw Deal anymore? Sure, it’s one of the weaker Schwarzenegger films.

But should it be forgotten? Hell no, as it has its fun moments, and it’s not a total wash (In fact, I’d much rather watch this than a series like FUBAR).

I’d also say it’s only for true Arnie fans, as most other people won’t get much out of it.

Even so, even a “bad” Schwarzenegger movie (and no, The Last Action Hero is NOT a “bad” film) is still pretty enjoyable. So, watch Raw Deal if you haven’t already! It’s worth your time…if you’re a mega fan, that is.

Spider-Man has and will always be my favorite superhero. I’ll never forget seeing the first Spidey movie when I was a kid, and I’ve been devotedly following each installment since. While the Sam Raimi trilogy may always be my No. 1 (faults and all), I think the Tom Holland movies have been fantastic. With Brand New Day here, I decided to binge the “Home” trilogy for the first time in one day, and I have some takeaways to talk through.

First off, I still think 2017’s Homecoming is one of the best MCU movies that’s been made. The script is so sharp, and it feels like you’re watching a John Hughes film that also happens to include superheroes. It really nails the awkwardness of being a high schooler in a way no other Spider-Man movie has done before. But, my big problem with rewatching the trilogy happens in its sequel, Far From Home.

The Thing That Doesn’t Hold Up In Tom Holland’s Spider-Man Trilogy

Now, I had totally forgotten until I turned it on, but 2019’s Far From Home was the first MCU movie to come out after Avengers: Endgame and the final installment of The Infinity Saga. It opens with a hilarious high school news video of Betty Brant and Jason Ionelle explaining The Blip – which is when everyone came back five years after The Snap wiped out half the universe.

I proceeded to spend half of Far From Home feeling very confused about what was going on with the students of Midtown High in the fallout of the major universe event. I found it weird that Peter, Ned, MJ along with most of the students from Homecoming just happened to all be part of the Snapped so the plot could move along without a hitch. And yet, there’s this weird thing going on with Remy Hii’s Brad Davis, who aged up five years from a middle-schooler to a high school junior.

I think Far From Home did a decent job of explaining it, and they had a clever way of lore dumping at the top of the movie, but it also had me considering all these existential questions around The Snap and The Blip that I sort of wish the Spider-Man sequel didn’t have. In the moment when we were watching all the MCU movies one-by-one it made sense, but if you decide to skip the movies in between like I did, I think it kind of stunts an otherwise great set of movies.

If you’re thinking “just watch Infinity War and Endgame” before Far From Home, you’re right. I probably should have, but that would have added over five hours to my binge.

The Other Thoughts I Had Watching Them

Now, to put aside my gripes, and share some quick reasons why I liked the “Home” trilogy on my recent rewatch.

• I didn’t totally realize how many suits Tom Holland gets as Spider-Man until now. Like, it’s actually wild how many.
• Happy Hogan is an underrated character in this trilogy. I'm delighted he was part of it.
• Uncle Ben isn’t mentioned once in this Peter Parker’s story. Does he even exist in this version?
• While it feels forced at times, I think it’s really fun to see Tom Holland’s Spider-Man interact with a couple of other MCU characters in each movie. My favorite instance of this is the “suit” moment with Tony Stark in Homecoming.
• It’s still weird to me that they go on a class trip to Italy.
• Peter and MJ are so, so adorable to watch fall in love.
• The “Night Monkey” bit in Far From Home is actually so hilarious to me.
• I hate the Skrull twist during the end credits of Far From Home.
• I wish there was a time jump between Far From Home and No Way Home because they look visibly older, but conceptually I get it. Fine.

And now, we have Brand New Day! I hope it’s the start of another Spider-Man trilogy. You can check out what CinemaBlend thought of the movie as it plays in theaters.

It's been quite a year for Anne Hathaway, with movies like The Devil Wears Prada 2 and The Odyssey arriving in theaters, and more films on the way. That includes this week's The End of Oak Street (see what the critics are saying) and the book-to-screen adaptation of Colleen Hoover's Verity coming out this fall (check out the new trailer!). The timing seemed right to dedicate our weekly movie quiz to Anne Hathaway's past films.

All of the clues in the crossword puzzle relate to Anne Hathaway's movies over the last 20+ years. How many can you solve?

I’ve been watching Spider-Man movies my whole life, and one thing I’ve always loved about them is how they’ve never been without romance. What can I say, Peter Parker is a lover boy, and I eat it up every time. But, Brand New Day took things in a completely new direction with the MJ storyline this time around, and I’m still not over it.

Peter Parker And MJ’s Story In Brand New Day Is Rough

After what happened in No Way Home, I knew going into it that Peter Parker was going to be without his best bud Ned and girlfriend MJ, but it really went a few steps further than I thought it would. For one, in the movie we follow Peter as he goes years without anyone from his past. (Oof, the way I thought it was going to reverse somehow before their second semester).

When Peter finally collides with MJ and Ned again, they truly have no idea who he is. Sure, there’s a brief note between the two of them that there’s something they are missing, but they are completely clueless. When MJ reads the letter and finds out what’s been going on, my heart broke for Spidey when he told her he loved her, and there was not only no reciprocation behind those eyes, but she straight up rejected him. As sad as it is, I also need to praise it.

But, I Think It Deserves Its Flowers

Peter Parker’s decision not to tell Ned and MJ completely made sense to me. While I feel like the actions of some past Peter Parkers have felt not only flawed, but just unnecessary, Brand New Day feels different.

After the death of Aunt May in No Way Home, I really understood why he would isolate himself and lean into becoming the best Spider-Man he could be. Of course, he wanted to have them back, but “with great power comes great responsibility.” In the scene where MJ reads the letter and you feel her sadness about a piece of her life being kept from her, I see why she’s frustrated, but I’m actually happy the movie didn’t bring their romance back right away.

Peter has had messy relationships before, and sure, it would have brought a huge smile to my face to see these two together again. But, I’m living for the slow burn the franchise is going for instead. Instead, the hopeful gratification we got was between Peter and Ned, and it was perfect.

Peter and Ned have known each other much longer than Peter and MJ have, and have seemingly been doing that best friend handshake most of their lives. It was the perfect way to hint at a new chapter where Peter will reestablish his relationships, but without rushing the Peter and MJ romance.

We know that Spider-Man will return among upcoming Marvel movies, so why not give these two some time to fall in love again? I’m personally even hoping that Spider-Man meets one of his other famous love interests like Gwen Stacy or Black Cat before MJ is his endgame. Yearning is like the No. 1 rule of a good romance, and I’m so happy Brand New Day got it.

Spoilers for the first three episodes of Reacher Season 4 (and what could come based on the book, Gone Tomorrow, and Alan Ritchson’s comments) are ahead! You can stream the show with an Amazon Prime subscription and catch new episodes on Wednesdays.

I’m used to Jack Reacher fighting off hulking men and dealing with his issues through brute force and his intelligence. However, in the critically acclaimed fourth season of Reacher, it would seem brute force won’t get him the win this time, because the villain (at least for now) is seemingly someone he does not expect. And because of that, I’m actually terrified to see what happens next in the season of Reacher that just premiered on the 2026 TV schedule.

Lila Hoth Seems Harmless

When we meet Lila (Agnez Mo) in the premiere, she introduces herself and her mother to Reacher, and they talk about a jump drive. Lila tells Reacher she has leukemia, and her mother has a kidney disease. So, when she was calling around trying to find information about her estranged father who could help her with said medical issues, she met Anna Merrick, the woman who shot herself at the start of Season 4. Lila claims her father could be Congressman John Sampson, and she’s trying to get in contact with him to get a DNA test.

Then, in Episode 3, we learn that Lila is claiming to be a journalist, and she shows up after a violent incident to give Reacher new clothes. It’s during this scene that she apologizes for lying to him and talks about her drive to get to the truth and the story that made her lie. It’s also where she says that she’s the reporter who put Anna on that subway.

However, based on Ritchson’s comments about Lila from San Diego Comic-Con and the basic knowledge I have of Gone Tomorrow, which is what this book-to-screen adaptation is based on, I’m pretty sure Reacher still does not know the truth about Lila. And it’s the fact that he hasn’t clocked her that makes me nervous.

Alan Ritchson Warned Us That Reacher Sleeps With The Enemy

Now, if you’ve read Gone Tomorrow, or if you heard Alan Ritchson at Comic-Con this year, you know that Reacher sleeps with Lila. At SDCC, the actor specifically said that “in the book” Reacher gets “a little romantic with Lila Hoth.” He then went on to say that this is great for the show, because it really differentiates this story from previous seasons of Reacher.

So, going forward, Jack Reacher has “a different kind of relationship with the villain in this story,” according to Ritchson, and that makes it all the more enticing to watch. It also makes it a lot scarier. That’s because it seems like Reacher is unaware of the fact that Lila might be bad…

I’m So Scared To See How Lila Challenges Reacher

During the scene in the hotel, Reacher notes that he’s a 250-pound former soldier and Lila is a 110-pound reporter with average security. He implores her to go home, but she refuses, and that’s scary. She’s clearly not afraid of a challenge; she’s not going to run, and she’s certainly not afraid of Jack Reacher.

Plus, so far, we’ve seen a man fall from a roof and some brutal kills. So, it’s obvious that the villain of this season is ruthless. Now, I don’t know exactly what Lila will do next, and that unpredictability makes me anxious. However, I do know from these three episodes that Reacher seemingly doesn’t suspect her, but probably should.

She easily lied to him, and it seems like she’s very capable of manipulating him. So, while Paulie was Reacher’s biggest physical challenge last season, I have a feeling Lila will prove to be an even scarier adversary who forces Alan Ritchson’s character to work in a way he never has before.

I love the Toy Story movies because I grew up watching them. I definitely have an opinion on the best ones and don’t feel like I have outgrown them yet. They’re movies that appeal to all ages. However, I was disappointed in Toy Story 4, so I was a little hesitant about Toy Story 5.

I still think Toy Story 3 is the best in the franchise, but the latest movie restores some of the series’ past glory. I think what made it work is that it focuses less on Woody (Tom Hanks) and Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) and more on Jessie (Joan Cusack). That really made the film worth watching.

Warning: Toy Story 5 spoilers are ahead. Proceed with caution.

Toy Story 5 Reminds Fans of Jessie's Trauma, And How That Still Lives Within Her

Jessie has a backstory so tragic that if she became a Pixar villain, her actions would be justified. It’s easy to understand why Jessie would be scarred by the loss of Emily, especially from abandonment, and have trust issues with toys and humans. We saw Jessie’s scars in Toy Story 2, but the rest of the franchise mostly made it seem like she had healed from them.

Toy Story 5 reminds us that scars can shrink, but sometimes they don’t completely disappear. She’s in a much better place than she was at the start of Toy Story 2, but you still feel her pain in Toy Story 5. It seems like she finally heals mostly by the end of it, but Jessie’s story feels very human.

People don’t often fully recover from grief and heartbreak. They just learn to live with it. Jessie learns to accept her pain and thrives because of and despite it. I loved that this film once again explores Jessie’s trauma over Emily and being abandoned. Her backstory is really key to her identity.

I Love That Jessie And Buzz's Romance Takes A Main Spotlight Because It Adds A New Dimension To The Films

Buzz and Jessie have been one of Toy Story’s best couples ever since they began in the second film. However, the films mainly explore their love story in the background. It’s never that front and center until Toy Story 5. I didn’t even know I cared that much about their romance until this film. It made me cheer and root for them in ways I hadn’t for the last several movies.

I am excited to see what married life brings them in future movies

Jessie Shows That She's Not Always A Nice Toy, But That Makes Her Feel Layered.

This may be controversial, but I see a world where Jessie becomes as dark as Lotso (Ned Beatty). Jessie has a dark edge to her that could have easily turned her into a villain, but meeting Buzz and Woody saved her in many ways. In Toy Story 5, you see Jessie not always being nice to the electronic toys.

As a Jessie fan, I am glad Toy Story 5 exists because it showcases her layers and multitudes. She’s a kind toy, but she’s not without scars and rough edges. This again makes her very human, despite being a toy. Sometimes humans and toys aren’t always the nicest, but that doesn’t make them bad. It makes them real.

If you’re like me and grew up in the 1980s, there’s a decent chance you’ve seen Sixteen Candles a few times (or a few hundred times). For me, it was one of those great ‘80s movies that I can still watch over and over, even if I fully acknowledge that there are a lot of problematic moments in the movie. That has been discussed a lot, but what I never knew until just recently is what happened to Michael Schoeffling, the actor who played Sam’s crush, Jake Ryan. It turns out he simply didn’t like being famous and has instead opted for a quieter life in rural Pennsylvania.

By 1991, He Was Out Of Hollywood

In the mid-’80s, Schoeffling, who turned 65 last year, was a very in-demand actor and budding star. In addition to Sixteen Candles, he starred in a few well-received movies that any Gen Xer could quickly identify. He followed up the 1984 John Hughes movie with a starring role in 1985’s Vision Quest, alongside Linda Fiorentino and Matthew Modine. Then, after a few box office misses, he starred in 1990’s Mermaids and 1991’s Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken. And then…that’s it. There isn’t another movie or TV show on his resume.

A breakout star in the ‘80s was completely done by the very early ‘90s. Other actors who had their breakouts in Sixteen Candles, like Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall, and John Cusack, are still acting today, but Schoeffling completely disappeared from the scene. This wasn’t because he was no longer in-demand, nor was it because of any personal issues that have derailed many a career over the years. He simply wanted to live a quieter life, outside of the hot lights and attention of Hollywood.

Schoeffling Is A Woodworker And Carpenter

There are no salacious tabloid stories of booze and pills or anything like that with Schoeffling. He’s never been in legal trouble (as far as I can tell). He wasn’t blackballed for being a pain in the ass on set. He wasn’t a bad actor who outgrew his good looks. Instead, he decided that Hollywood and the film industry weren’t for him and he retired from business, left Los Angeles and settled in a small town in Pennsylvania where he could just be a regular guy. You have to respect that.

There isn’t a lot out there about his life in his hometown of Newfoundland, PA, and that is by design. He hasn’t given an interview since leaving the business, but his wife of almost 40 years, Valerie Robinson, herself a model in the 1980s, told People (via Us Magazine) in 2014 that he is “very happy,” but “He’s very reclusive and private.” According to a report in Hello! earlier this year, he has a woodworking business building custom furniture. He and Robinson have two kids, including Scarlett Schoeffling, who is in show business, working as a model and actor these days.

Part of me wants to dig a little deeper into Schoeffling’s life after Hollywood and maybe find some of his custom furniture, but an even bigger part wants to respect his wishes to be private, so I’ll leave well enough alone. In the meantime, I just found out I can stream Sixteen Candles, still one of the best high school movies ever, with my YouTube TV subscription, so I know what I’m doing tonight.

I’m a huge fan of The Blues Brothers. It’s one of those movies I’ve watched over and over, and I consider a total “remote dropper," as in, I drop the remote if I see that it’s on and watch ‘til the end. I love the humor, the characters, the amazing car chases, and above all, I love the music performances. With legends like James Brown, Ray Charles, John Lee Hooker, Cab Calloway, and, of course, the legendary Blues Brothers band, you really can’t go wrong. That’s what has always made the scene in the diner with Aretha Franklin so strange. In my head, I’ve always blamed the filmmakers, but it turns out it was Franklin’s fault that the audio track feels off.

The Audio In The Scene Doesn’t Match Her Lips

When Joliet Jake (John Belushi) and Elwood (Dan Aykroyd) are out trying to get the band together to complete their mission from God, they find themselves in a diner where Matt “Guitar” Murphy and “Blue” Lou (Lou Marini) work. In the movie, Murphy is married to a character played by Franklin, and she gives one of the best musical performances in the movie with her song “Think,” as Murphy is deciding whether or not to hit the road again with Jake and Elwood.

I love the song and the scene in the movie. From The Blues Brothers (who, according to Franklin, are dressed like two Hasidic diamond merchants or like they are from the CIA or something) ordering dry, white toast and four whole fried chickens (and a Coke) to the performance itself, it’s a scene I always look forward to. However, it’s always been a little off-putting because of the mismatched audio. That’s because Aretha Franklin simply couldn’t lip-sync her own song. That’s actually a good thing, even if it makes for a strange moment in the movie.

In the bonus features on The Blues Brothers DVD, director John Landis explains what was going on. He says:

The editor of the movie, George Folsey, added that the musical numbers were tough, though he specifically added that he wasn’t going to mention any names. I think it’s clear who he was talking about.

All that said, while it does take me out of the movie when I see the mismatched audio, now that I understand why, it’s not going to bother me anymore. As a big Aretha Franklin fan, she is allowed to do whatever she wants, and if she can’t lip-sync her own songs, well, good. That’s why she’s a legend and one of the most important (and best) voices of the 20th Century. She’s a perfect addition to one of the most quotable comedies of the 1980s and one of the best music movies of all time.

Epic Universe has been booming for over a year now. It’s still a new park that is a special day for newcomers and frequent Universal Orlando visitors alike. Sure, there are some people who have been to the park more than a handful of times. However, because it is not an experience that is covered under the annual passes (though it is discounted for passholders), even frequent parkgoers have likely spent less time in Epic than they have in the other parks.

I've now been on every major Epic Universe attraction, and know there's way more to uncover, but here are five fun Easter eggs I only learned about the second time I visited the parks.

The Pikmin Are The Only Creatures To Have Escaped From Super Nintendo World

Super Nintendo World is amazing when it comes to theming. You take an escalator through the portal into the park, and once inside, the colors pop and the characters are everywhere. Those characters are there to stay, with one exception. When you exit Super Nintendo World, you can spot some escapees, the Pikmin, who have shimmied into Celestial Park. They can be spotted if you look closely enough in a couple of locations, and if you can’t find them, you can always catch them in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.

Dark Universe Has A Cool Reference For Carl Laemmle Jr.

Carl Laemmle Jr., the son of the man who started Universal Pictures and the person who convinced his dad that monster movies would be a studio lifesaver, has an Easter egg in Dark Universe. Carved into the side of a concrete structure, it’s definitely the type of thing you would probably miss if you didn't know what to look for. Laemmle Jr was born on 4/28/1908, and when the Dark Universe portal was coming together, they popped a little 428 address on one of the buildings. You can see it on the bricks near the ground by the Burgermeister, and it's fun to look for it on your own.

The Cute Little Leafy Guy In Ministry of Magic Is Pickett

The French-themed park has a lot of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them references, and Nifflers and Bowtruckles are no exception. If you look around in the shop windows (and have a wand), not only can you complete spells, but you can also find some of the real creatures from Fantastic Beasts. My favorite is Pickett, and he can be found quietly picking a lock in a shop window in Place Cachée, having escaped Newt Scamander's suitcase.

The Ministry Of Magic Looks Large Thanks To A Hidden Mirror

Going through the Metro Floo network is considered to be the coolest experience at Universal Orlando. Once inside the Ministry of Magic, there’s a lot to look at. I’d recommend sauntering over to the side of the cavernous room where the Ministry offices are. There’s a thunderstorm ceiling with a mirrored rim that is used to give the illusion the Ministry stretches forever and ever. There are ceiling fans on the floors and the ceiling to keep the optical illusion going (because again, mirrors). To me, it's even more stunning than the green fog effect of the floo.

Stardust Racers Is A Different Experience At Night

You may have already seen videos of the dueling coasters racing around the cosmos online prior to this, but I can now confirm Stardust Racers is a completely different experience at night than during the day. Not only are you riding in complete darkness, which is just really flipping cool, but the ride also has different music at night. It gets more spacey and EDM-oriented. Next time you’re walking by at night, you can hear the differences rather than just spotting them.

All in all, if you've been to Epic Universe, you've probably discovered some fun things already, such as the Burning Blade Tavern catching fire or some dragons hanging out in some unusual places. But there's way more than meets the eye at first, even when it comes to the queues on Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge. I'm just saying, keep your eyes wide open; you never know what you're gonna see.

The late John Hughes made some of the most important films of the 1980s for almost everyone who grew up in that decade, including me. There was a time when I was a teenager that I must have watched The Breakfast Club every weekend for a year, and while David Bowie’s music doesn’t appear in The Breakfast Club, a quote from his song “Changes” introduces the film. I always assumed it was Hughes, who wrote and directed the film, who was responsible for including it. I was wrong. It was actor Ally Sheedy who gave him the idea to use it.

There are a lot of reasons why Hughes’ movies resonated with me and continue to resonate with Gen Xers all these years later, and one big one is the music he used in his movies. Not only did he pick great songs from current artists, like Simple Minds’ “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” in The Breakfast Club, but he also had a knack for great needle drops from older artists, like “Young Americans” by Bowie in Sixteen Candles. I just always assumed it was Hughes who was inspired by the quote from another Bowie song and included it on a title card in the beginning.

It turns out that it was the actor who played Allison in the movie, Ally Sheedy, who came up with the quote. In a behind-the-scenes special on The Breakfast Club Special Edition DVD, Sheedy explains what happened:

Hughes might have reacted at the time, but that doesn't mean he forgot the interaction. She goes on to explain how cool it was to see the movie for the first time, with the quote at the beginning:

It’s easy to see from the quote why both Sheedy and Hughes latched onto it; it’s pretty much a perfect encapsulation of what the movie is trying to say about being a teenager:

That is exactly what Hughes was trying to say, said in just one verse of one of the most celebrated Bowie songs of all time.

There have been very few filmmakers who have tapped into the real emotions of teenagers the way Hughes did, and I have to think that a lot of that came from him talking to his young actors and listening to what they were saying, as they were the teenagers (or 20-somethings) who were going through those emotions for real.

The Breakfast Club, which you can watch with a Netflix subscription (without the DVD extras), continues to get quoted often by people my age, as does Bowie. This was the perfect combination for us.

Spoilers for One Night Only are ahead! You can catch this rom-com that just came out on the 2026 movie schedule in theaters now.

One Night Only’s premise is comparable to The Purge movies, but instead of all crime being legal for one night, premarital sex is only legal for one night per year. So, you’d think the primary romance would focus on two people both finding a connection and hooking up in the same night. However, that’s not how this film starring Monica Barbaro and Callum Turner ended, and I can’t help but be both charmed and infuriated by this unsexy conclusion.

How One Night Only Ended

So, after following Barbaro’s Allie and Turner’s Owen on their night in New York City, they both finally realize they want to be together. In the final moments of the time when it’s legal for anyone to have sex, they both show up at the red lighthouse Allie had described earlier in the movie and choose to be together.

Now, you’d think they’d use the final minutes of the mandate-less night to have sex before they have to wait a whole year to do it again. However, they don’t. They almost do. But as they’re about to potentially use the condom Allie had spent a lot of the movie finding and protecting, they stop and talk about how they’d rather get to know each other and wait.

Then, one year later, we see them hanging out in Allie’s apartment (which Owen seems to live in now), and the second the mandate drops, they go into their bedroom to have sex. And that’s where the movie ends.

Why One Night Only’s End Was Charming

To an extent, this choice is sweet. Allie and Owen wanted to develop a real connection before they took their relationship to the next level. I mean, Barbaro’s character did make a whole point about the build-up being the best part of sex. And they got a whole year of it…and I do like that they didn't let the physical side of their relationship fully define it.

Part of me loves knowing that during that year between the day they met and the next day they could have legal sex, they really got to know each other and developed a very strong relationship. Then, when they could finally take things to the next level, it was all the more meaningful, because they had known each other for a year instead of one night only.

However, the ending also left me fuming.

I Also Can’t Help But Be Infuriated By This Ending

So, why did this ending infuriate me? Well, for a movie all about sex, there’s very little of it in this movie. There’s lots of talk about it, there are lots of attempts at it, but there’s not much of it (especially for our main characters). So, when Allie and Owen finally get the chance to have sex, and they actually have time to do it legally, their choice not to made me mad.

It’s a shockingly chaste way to end a movie all about two people trying to both find a real connection and get laid, and that bothered me. While there are plenty of great rom-coms that are about sex but don’t feature much of it (like When Harry Met Sally), this can’t be considered one because it spent its entire runtime building up to something that never really happened.

Yes, they had sex a year after they got together; however, it didn’t have the payoff I wanted, and I didn’t feel like it was satisfying. That’s because having them show up at that lighthouse, almost hook up, and then say “actually, never mind, let’s wait” was remarkably disappointing, counterintuitive, and, for lack of a better term, anticlimactic.

Ultimately, this left me with very mixed feelings about One Night Only (which doesn’t have great reviews). On the one hand, I’m happy Allie and Owen lived happily ever after and eventually got to have sex. However, when it comes to the one night they spent together, it was infuriating that they didn’t hook up while they had the chance.

The West Wing is on my shortlist of the greatest shows in the history of television (and one I’m constantly rewatching with my HBO Max subscription), and the reason it has remained on that list for decades is because of episodes like “18th and Potomac.” There is a lot of lore surrounding the episode, and one of the most interesting stories comes from when and how Dulé Hill found out the writer and showrunner Aaron Sorkin was killing off the beloved Mrs. Landingham, secretary to the President. Sorkin told the story on The West Wing Weekly Podcast.

A Character Death That Crushed Us All

The penultimate episode of Season 2, when paired with the final episode, “Two Cathedrals,” is as good as network television has ever been (something the show achieved often) and why the show is still influential today. That doesn’t mean it’s not a heartbreaking episode, however. In the episode, Mrs. Landingham (Kathryn Joosten) is killed by a drunk driver, completely out of the blue, after she buys her first new car. The character who first learns the news and is tasked with telling everyone else is Charlie Young, played by Hill.

Charlie and Mrs. Landingham were close on the show, as were Joosten and Young on the set. Unfortunately, the producers didn’t have time to warn Hill the death was coming, as Sorkin explains on The West Wing Weekly:

Just like Charlie in the episode, Hill was stunned. Sorkin continues:

I think I speak for all West Wing fans when I say it’s really heartbreaking that the words had to be said.

The Episode Is So Good At The Misdirection

A big reason the death was so shocking to fans (and Hill) is that there is nothing in the episode that foreshadows it. “18th & Potomac” is setting up the moment the President, played by Martin Sheen, will tell the public about this MS diagnosis that he’d been hiding for years. It’s a tense episode, with the only real moments of levity coming from Mrs. Landingham as she discusses the new car she’s buying.

Throughout the episode, Mrs. Landingham talks about the new car, mostly with Charlie and the President, and they give her a lot of bad advice. There is absolutely no indication that this B-plot is ever going to be anything more than just a chance to let the audience breathe between the heavier moments as the staff prepares for the MS disclosure. Then it becomes the one thing no one who watches the show will ever forget. One of the most heartbreaking moments in TV history, if you ask me.

The West Wing, which is also available to watch with a Netflix subscription, won a slew of Emmys because of moments like this, and knowing Dulé Hill was as shocked as we were when we heard him deliver the line “she’s dead” makes it all the more relatable.

It's hard to believe it's been 15 years since 2011! Then again, when I was putting together this week's movie quiz, while some of the movies feel like they came out just a few years ago, other films featured feel like they came out a lifetime ago.

I aimed for popular films that arrived in theaters in 2011 for each of the clues. Still, you'll need to be familiar with actors and character names for some of the references and answers, so be prepared! How many clues from this 2011 movie crossword puzzle can you solve?

Well, folks, we're almost there. Avengers: Doomsday comes out December 18th (the same day as Dune: Part 3, making it “Dunesday” for many), and I'm pretty excited.

I mean, how could I not be? My favorite Marvel “hero” is Moon Knight, but when it comes to villains, it has to be Doctor Doom. And yet…I kind of wish we weren't getting Doomsday. At least not so soon.

You see, I'm still very much of the opinion that Marvel should have stayed the course with their plans for Kang the Conqueror. Yes, Kevin Feige said to The Hollywood Reporter that Kang “wasn’t big enough” after Thanos, and yes, I know Jonathan Majors was dropped by Marvel after being found guilty of reckless assault and harassment. I still think Marvel should have kept with Kang rather than pivoting to Doctor Doom.

Kang COULD Have Been Big Enough With The Right Push

This might not seem like the right time to bring this up, but I want to talk about the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie. Now, when it was first announced that we were getting a Guardians film, my initial thought was, Are you kidding me? Because look, I grew up in the ‘90s, and I can tell you this: If Spider-Man and the X-Men were considered A-tier Marvel back then, then Guardians of the Galaxy was considered F-tier.

It’s not that Guardians of the Galaxy was a bad series back then, but all of the cosmic stuff (sans Silver Surfer, who was pretty popular even back then) felt pretty obscure in the ‘90s. Nova, ROM, and yes, GotG all felt like SUPER niche characters, and only for the nerdiest of the nerds. So, when we got F-tier Marvel comics as a film… and it was SUPER SUCCESSFUL, well, that just told me any Marvel character was fair game for the MCU… as long as they were handled properly.

Granted, following Avengers: Endgame, the MCU kind of felt like they dropped the ball when it came to introducing new characters (Like my beloved Eternals). That said, Marvel had it in its capabilities to really do something special with Kang the Conqueror if they just did it right!

Which, I understand, they DIDN’T get Kang right when he appeared in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. However, Kang was so great at the end of Season 1 of Loki, and I feel like Marvel should have kept at it with his character, as he just needed that extra something to push him over the top, even without Jonathan Majors, which I’ll get into next.

If Jonathan Majors Was Also A Factor At The Time, They Could Have Just Written Him Off And Made Him A Variant

Going back to that Kevin Feige Hollywood Reporter session and how he said they were already pivoting away from Kang before the Jonathan Majors incident, fine. I’ll take him for his word, as these things definitely take time, and filling the Russo brothers in that the MCU wanted to integrate Doctor Doom couldn’t have just been some spur-of-the-moment decision. That said, I’m also going to believe that Jonathan Majors' conviction of assaulting his ex-girlfriend had to have at least been a contributing factor to Marvel dropping Kang at the time.

I mean, just look at how fast Marvel dropped James Gunn from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 after his controversy, only to bring him back once the internet had cooled off. So, there's definitely a precedent for Marvel getting squeamish when one of their major players gets a negative spotlight drawn on them. However, the thing about the multiverse is that Marvel could have just written off Majors and put somebody else as a variant of Kang, and I don’t think anybody would have minded.

For example, we got Victor Timely in Season 2 of Loki, and he was a variant of Kang, as well as He Who Remains. And, while sure, these are just different versions of Jonathan Majors, there really wasn’t anything saying that Marvel couldn’t have just gotten another charismatic actor to play a DIFFERENT variant of Kang. Like, instead of David Jonsson playing the next Black Panther (which, you know, cool), perhaps he could have been a variant of Kang. He certainly has the acting chops for it.

Or, I don’t know, anybody besides Jonathan Majors. It could have been done. Because without Kang’s time travel shenanigans, the whole TVA thing kind of feels pointless. Speaking of which…

Plus, Kang's Departure From The MCU Cheapens Loki's Return In Doomsday

If there was ever a time to cry watching anything MCU-related, I can think of two instances: One was when Spider-Man turned to dust at the end of Avengers: Infinity War, and number two was Loki’s sacrifice in becoming the living embodiment of all of the timelines in Season 2 of Loki, which showed true growth in Hiddleston’s character.

All of this timeline stuff ultimately connects to Kang the Conqueror, who is known for his many variants and time-traveling capabilities. In fact, he’s what made the whole TVA thing feel interesting and alive, and Loki being a part of that really felt like something special. In a lot of ways, Loki and Kang felt intertwined in their destinies.

By just dropping Kang, it kind of weakens Loki’s story and the great finality to his role in the MCU. Now, Loki’s coming back in Doomsday, which is kind of weird. Yes, I know Hiddleston has said to The Hollywood Reporter that his role in Doomsday picks up after his sacrifice in Season 2, but I still can’t vibe with the idea of Kang just being poof, gone, forgotten.

Kang felt so instrumental to everything involving the multiverses and the timeline, and now none of that seems to matter with Kang gone. And this is all just to move on to Doctor Doom, who I really need to talk about now.

Doctor Doom Really Did Need More Time To Cook

Kevin Feige has recently shared his thoughts on Doctor Doom’s lack of build-up, and he’s compared it with Thanos, saying that the big purple dude really didn’t have all that much build-up, either. However, I’d say that was a hell of a lot more than what we got at the end of Fantastic Four: First Steps with Doctor Doom (IF that was even him).

Honestly, one post-credit scene is nothing, and it feels like it really should be something given the existential threat that Doctor Doom should present. I mean, this is Doctor FREAKING Doom we’re talking about here, and we’re really just going to get him introduced to us in this movie…which is also going to bring the X-Men into the fray?

For real? I mean, I do have faith in the Russo brothers, but Doctor Doom is a TOP TIER Marvel villain (I’d say even more so than Thanos), and I think he needed to be built up A LOT more before just throwing him against the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, and the X-Men.

Plus, where do we go from Doctor Doom? He’s like THE big bad guy in Marvel along with Thanos. Kang could have been that nice in-between if done right.

Is 2026 a big year for gamers/cinephiles, or what? I’ve already talked about how this was probably the biggest year ever for video game movies…but also that I had some reservations.

Case in point, one of those reservations was Mortal Kombat II, which I thought was just okay upon a first viewing. Now, I also had high hopes for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, which I didn’t love at first. However, upon a rewatch, I liked it quite a bit. So, I was hoping the same would happen for Mortal Kombat II now that it’s streaming with an HBO Max subscription, but nope. Nothing doing. The rewatch didn’t help.

In fact, it actually now makes me worry about the upcoming Street Fighter movie. Here’s why.

I Hope Street Fighter Doesn’t Have The Same “Pick A Damn Protagonist” Problem That Mortal Kombat II Has

When I first saw the Street Fighter trailer, I was in love. Honestly, it was everything I could have ever wanted. It looked goofy, had moves from the game, and characters galore. However, after rewatching Mortal Kombat II, it kind of makes me rethink that last one about the characters, because maybe that’s not such a good thing after all. I’ll explain.

Mortal Kombat II actually has a problem in that it doesn’t seem to know who the main protagonist is. This didn’t really bother me the first time watching it, but it bugged the hell out of me the second time. You could say that Kitana (Adeline Rudolph) is the definitive protagonist of the film, but it really does feel like Johnny Cage (Karl Urban) is who the film is actually leaning toward. In the end, it feels like neither of them really takes center stage.

I now worry about this for the Street Fighter movie. The trailer makes it seem like Ken is the main character (Noah Centineo), but is he really? Ryu (Andrew Koji) also looks to have a “finding himself” journey going on here, as does Chun-Li (Callina Liang).

I’ll be impressed if they somehow manage to focus on one character and give the other two actors suitable screen time (like the 1995 Mortal Kombat film did with Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade), but I don’t know. MKII has me kind of spooked on that front now.

At The Same Time, I Worry That Some Of The Best Characters Will Be Relegated To The Sidelines

Now here’s a Catch-22 for you. On one hand, I’m worried that the upcoming Street Fighter movie isn’t going to focus on one particular character. On the other hand, I’m concerned that some of my favorite characters won’t really get their time to shine, like Cody Rhodes playing Guile. Guile has always been one of my mains (Dhalsim, too) when playing Street Fighter, but I have a feeling that he’ll be more of a background character in this film, sort of like how Jax and Raiden were like background characters in Mortal Kombat II.

This is a problem for me, because when you have a lot of characters in one movie, you usually run into the “too many” characters issue. Like, what about E. Honda? Is he going to have much of a presence in this film? What about Roman Reigns as Akuma? I mean, this movie has Akuma AND M. Bison. So, who’s the big bad then?

In Mortal Kombat II, we had both Shang Tsung (Chin Han) and Shao Khan (Martyn Ford), but the former gets completely lost in the story. I don’t want that to happen to Akuma OR M. Bison, but I fear one of them is going to get overshadowed.

Really, what it all comes down to is that these two movies seem to have more in common than I initially thought, and that’s putting a bit of a pause (button) on my enthusiasm for Street Fighter. Well, I guess I’ll just have to wait until October 16th to see if my concerns were warranted or not.

The mere idea of even getting on a cruise gives me the heebie jeebies. So, just think of all of the anxiety I get when watching the Palme d’Or-winning Triangle of Sadness, available with a Netflix subscription, which is about everything that could go wrong on a cruise, going wrong.

I’m going to let you in on a little secret. I can’t swim. Now, this isn’t inherently bad, but it also means that I’m not in any hurry to acquire my sea legs. Seriously, when I watch documentaries like Trainwreck: Poop Cruise, I just can’t. I can’t! Sadness is labeled as a satirical black comedy and was up for Best Picture in 2023 (it lost to Everything Everywhere All At Once), but I view it as pure horror.

Oh, and spoilers up ahead.

The Idea Of Things Going Horribly Awry In The Middle Of The Ocean Is One Of My Greatest Fears

Not too long ago, there was a Hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship, and can I tell you that even today, the mere idea of it makes my hair stand up on my arms. Being stuck at sea with no escape is my absolute nightmare, and that’s the scenario we get in Triangle of Sadness.

The main characters are two models named Carl and Yaya, played by Harris Dickinson and the late Charlbi Dean, respectively. The title actually refers to the wrinkle between the eyes that models sometimes employ to make themselves look serious. Yaya is an influencer and receives an invitation onto a mega yacht in order to build engagement with her followers, and Carl is brought along for the ride as they’re viewed as an online couple. All goes well as they spend time with socialites…until it doesn’t.

The food goes bad, a terrible storm occurs, everybody starts puking and crapping everywhere, and then, there are PIRATES! I mean, it goes from bad to worse, to, oh, God, I can’t take this anymore! And then, we get to Act III...

Being Stuck With Absolute Strangers With No Escape Is An Absolute Nightmare Of Mine

Once the yacht sinks from the pirate attack, there are a few survivors left, with many of them being the crew members who had been below deck the whole time. Well, these few survivors find themselves trapped on an island together, where all roles flip, as the rich need the lower class to survive, and the lower class get the upper hand.

It’s all played for laughs, but I can’t help but feel uncomfortable at the prospect of one person taking complete control when rules and laws get thrown out the porthole. It’s terrifying!

Plus, The Idea Of One Singular Person Taking Control On A Seemingly Deserted Island Is The Worst Thing I Could Possibly Imagine

Which leads to the last reason why this “satirical black comedy” terrifies me like the best horror movies: A single person systematically takes over the entire island, and pretty much everybody has to do her bidding…even if it means giving her sexual favors. Dolly de Leon was nominated for scores of awards for her portrayal as Abigail, who was somebody who worked below deck, but is now the only person with actual survival skills, and thus, the automatic leader.

While she doesn’t rule with an iron fist, the fact that everybody depends upon her just leads her to take absolute control of the island, which would make me feel claustrophobic since I like being self-sufficient.

That said, between that, being stuck on a boat, and then trapped with strangers - all of this and more is why this satirical black comedy scares the living daylights out of me.

A lot of Millennials wax nostalgic for shows like Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (myself included), but I honestly don’t hear anybody in my age bracket who talks fondly about the peak programming that was PBS in the ‘90s.

Which is strange to me, since, as I just mentioned, PBS was PEAK television back in the day. For many of us, it was our introduction to the portmanteau that is “Edutainment,” and we surely learned so much, and had a great time doing so!

Yes, people DO still talk about Sesame Street (likely out of fear of its cancellation one day), but PBS had so much more to offer than just Big Bird and Elmo thirty-odd years ago. Let’s talk.

PBS Was Also Always The Channel You Watched When You Were Tired of The Craziness On The Other Networks

Being a ‘90s kid was something else. I know people like to say that today’s kids’ entertainment is nothing but nonsense, but I’m a veteran of the Ren and Stimpy years, and I can tell you that we had our fair share of what our current generation would likely call “brain rot” if it aired today.

Freakazoid, Animaniacs, Cow and Chicken, the list goes on and on. I LOVED the weird shows of my era, but PBS was like a beacon of hope in comparison. Shows like Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood taught us lessons in empathy and compassion, while something like Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? taught us the importance of geography (and how dope acapella could sound).

Reading Rainbow - which is coming back, baby - taught us that reading CAN be fun, and The Best of the Joy of Painting with Bob Ross taught us that life is full of happy accidents. I’ll tell you, when you wanted to take a break from the manic stuff on the other networks, PBS was your go-to!

A Lot Of Great Characters Came Out Of PBS As Well

PBS had some great characters that I don’t hear a lot of people talking about today (Again, aside from Sesame Street). Like Arthur! True, the memes got a hold of him, but he was an interesting character way before that. Or Ghostwriter. Does anybody else remember that floating dot whooshing around on their television screen?

The list goes on and on. Miss Frizzle from The Magic School Bus, Thomas the Tank Engine, Lamb Chop from Lamb Chop’s Play Along…like I said. The list just never ends (it’s like it goes on and on, my friend), which brings me to my last point.

All In All, It Mostly Taught Us How To Be Good And Caring People

Outside of this website, I’m a teacher, and one thing that I’m always talking to my students about is themes. Like, what overall message are you supposed to get out of such-and-such a book, or what is the lesson that you learned after reading this story?

Lots of times, I have to pull the answers out of them, but when it comes to PBS, the lessons were front and center so anybody could understand them. The most predominant message from PBS back then (and I’m sure now as well) was to be good and caring human beings.

You didn’t have violent programming or crude humor on the PBS TV schedule. You also didn’t have obnoxious commercials that badgered you to pester your parents to buy you things. Instead, you just had wholesome, educational television that taught you to be most excellent to each other.

Honestly, what could be better than that?

It's been more than twenty years since Mean Girls arrived and firmly cemented itself into the zeitgeist of aughts pop culture. It remains such a beloved movie that I thought it was high time I dedicated an entire movie quiz to the topic. If you're a fan of the 2004 Mark Waters hit starring Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams, Tina Fey, Lacey Chabert and Amanda Seyfried, you should have no trouble solving all of the clues in the puzzle below...

The build to SummerSlam this year hasn’t exactly been the best in WWE history. There’s a serious lack of hot storylines going into one of the biggest shows of the year, and the sluggish ticket sales are reflecting that. In a perfect world, you’d expect a lot more buzz and speculation about the matches less than a week out from the multi-night event. That being said, what we do have are a lot of matches that could overdeliver on quality, and if they do, we could remember this SummerSlam as the moment in which Triple H and company righted the ship.

Some of that potential upside is about the star power. CM Punk and Cody Rhodes’ WWE Championship storyline hasn’t been one for the ages so far, but ultimately, the two are still huge characters the fanbase cares about. The same can be said for Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins, who are fighting over the World Heavyweight Championship. There’s enough history between these opponents and enough skill to tell a story that fans buy into and maybe even a story that creates repercussions that can drive storytelling for the next few months.

There’s also a lot of in-ring talent that’s been thoughtfully paired together. Chad Gable and Penta could easily give us a match of the year candidate. Liv Morgan and Iyo Sky could easily give us a match we remember for years. Nick Aldis hasn’t wrestled in a long time, but those of us who know ball know he can really go, and opposite Gunther, there’s really high upside there. Some of this might end up being really good.

Regardless, I’ve got some predictions to get to. Before I get into what I think is going to happen in each match though, you can check out my history below. Spoiler alert: I’ve been right a lot more often than I’ve been wrong. Here's a look at the individual events in 2026, as well as my overall record.

Liv Morgan (Champion) vs Iyo Sky For The Women’s World Championship

If this match sounds familiar, it’s because Morgan and Sky just faced each other in the finals of the Queen Of The Ring tournament at Night Of Champions at the end of June. Sky won and earned the right to challenge the champion of her choice. She picked Liv Morgan, and now we’re running it back at SummerSlam.

By all accounts, WWE views Morgan as a major star and one of the faces of the women’s division. Unfortunately, she’s basically been treading water for the past few months. The assumption is that Triple H and company want to get back to her program with Stephanie Vaquer, but since she’s still out with an injury, that’s left Morgan essentially acting as a glorified supporting player in Judgment Day’s ongoing feud with Danhausen.

WWE heavily implied she lost the match to Sky at Night Of Champions because she was cursed. I can’t imagine they’ll go with that excuse again, and I also can’t imagine they’ll end Morgan’s title reign having not successfully defended it once on television. I think she has to go over here, though where that leaves Iyo Sky to go next is unclear.

Predicted Winner: Liv Morgan

Brock Lesnar vs Oba Femi In Hell In A Cell

People have lost a lot of money betting against Brock Lesnar over the years. He squashed John Cena during his retirement tour when everyone assumed he was going to lose as a recent example, but I still think it’s the lock of the night that he’s going to lose here. WWE clearly sees Femi as the next big star, and this is the culmination of their trilogy. Femi needs to pull ahead 2 to 1, and he needs to use it as a springboard to the top of the card. I wouldn’t be surprised, as an example, to see him win the Royal Rumble next year.

As for Lesnar, this might be the end of the road. The speculation heading into the year was that he would likely retire at SummerSlam, given his connections to Minnesota as a NCAA Heavyweight Champion in wrestling and former Vikings player. He’s been open about not having much time left in his career and tricked everyone into thinking he was retiring at WrestleMania. I think more than likely he does take off the boots for real this time.

If this is really the end, what a fantastic and completely original career Lesnar has had. From acclaimed amateur wrestler to virtuoso professional wrestler to nearly making an NFL team to UFC Champion and back to professional wrestler. He has been can’t miss entertainment everywhere he’s gone, and he’ll be missed.

Predicted Winner: Oba Femi

LA Knight, Royce Keys And Solo Sikoa vs Jey Uso, Jimmy Uso And Jacob Fatu

These six man tag team matches are almost always more about advancing some type of storyline than who actually wins. That’s why they’re notoriously hard to predict. Maybe the story Triple H wants to tell is about dissension within the Bloodline and we would get that if Jimmy Uso got pinned and Jacob Fatu wasn’t a happy camper about that. Maybe the story is that LA Knight and Solo Sikoa, despite trying to work together, are never going to be able to work together, and a loss will spin them off into a singles program.

Too many things can happen here to make a prediction with any kind of certainty, but I will say, having done this for several years now, that I’ve had a lot more success betting on the Bloodline than against the Bloodline. So, I’m going to take Jimmy, Jey and Jacob.

Predicted Winner: The Bloodline

Gunther vs Nick Aldis

This might be the match I’m most excited about. Nick Aldis can really go, and his mic work has obviously been tremendous since he took over as SmackDown General Manager. A good performance here could really open up a lot of options for WWE, whether they want to turn him into a full-time in-ring competitor or whether they just want to make him be a more physically imposing authority figure. He’s actually younger than Cody, Roman, CM Punk and Seth Rollins; so, he’s got some more bumps in him if the company wants him to take them.

All that said, Gunther really needs a win here. He came out on the wrong side of that program with Cody Rhodes and Sami Zayn, and he needs to show people that he’s still the most dominant monster heel on the roster. That doesn’t mean he needs to squash Aldis, but we need to see him systematically take control of the match and ultimately tap him out.

Predicted Winner: Gunther

Nikki Bella, Brie Bella And Paige vs Fatal Influence (Jacy Jayne, Fallon Henley And Lainey Reid)

Let me make the case for Fatal Influence here first. They’re a rising faction in WWE that has been getting good crowd reactions. They just won the Women’s Tag Team Championships, and there are rumors that Triple H was considering Jacy Jayne as a possible opponent for Rhea Ripley at SummerSlam before she got hurt. The best way to keep that momentum up would be to have them win big matches, and this is, by far, the biggest stage they’ve ever had a match on.

That being said, there’s also a case here for the Bellas and Paige. Clearly they’re far more popular with casual fans, and Nikki just returned from an injury that kept her out for months. If WWE wants to carry this feud past SummerSlam, the best way to do that would be having the faces win here. That would give them a good reason for getting another title shot, and it would also have the added benefit of giving the crowd a victory to get excited about.

I think WWE really believes in Fatal Influence, and I think they’re going to want them to pick up a big win here, but of all the matches on the card, this is one of the most up in the air.

Predicted Winner: Fatal Influence

CM Punk (Champion) vs Cody Rhodes For The WWE Championship

Roman Reigns won the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 38. He held onto the belt until Cody Rhodes finished his story at WrestleMania 40. Cody then held the belt for an entire year until he lost to John Cena during his retirement tour at WrestleMania 41. That’s three total champions in three years, and yet, in the last eighteen months, we saw Cena lose it to Rhodes, then Rhodes lose it to Drew McIntyre, then McIntyre lose it to Rhodes, then Rhodes lose it to Sami Zayn and then Zayn lose it to current champion CM Punk.

Triple H has repeatedly shown he prefers extended title reigns, and yet, the last year and change has more closely resembled the Attitude Era where the title hopscotched back and forth between Steve Austin, The Rock, Triple H, Mankind, The Undertaker, Kane, The Big Show and Kurt Angle on like a monthly basis. Maybe that’s the new plan moving forward, but I just don’t believe it, especially with CM Punk at the top of the card. The Best In The World went fifteen years between title reigns, and I have a hard time believing this one is only going to last about a month.

Besides, Punk has done the job at the last two WrestleManias. He is due for a high profile win at a big show, and I think he gets his moment here over Cody Rhodes. But what would that mean for Rhodes’ character? Well, I think this might be where we finally get his long-awaited heel turn. He’s still getting good crowd reactions, but I don’t think anyone would refer to his character as hot. In fact, I think he feels pretty safe right now, and a bold new direction could be a way to instill some fresh momentum. I’m thinking that’ll happen after he loses and then unexpectedly attacks Punk in a cowardly way as the show goes off the air.

Predicted Winner: CM Punk

Penta (Champion) vs Chad Gable For The Intercontinental Championship

This has to be Chad Gable’s moment, right? WWE fans were convinced the likeable former tag team star, who may be the best in-ring technician in the industry, was going to be the one to defeat Gunther and win the Intercontinental Championship back at WrestleMania 40. That didn’t happen. Triple H gave that moment to Sami Zayn. Months later, Gable got hot again amidst a heel turn and a feud with longtime friend Otis, but once again, WWE didn’t capitalize on the moment and it went nowhere. More recently, Gable refashioned himself as El Grande Americano and got super over in Mexico on the back of a program with his rival El Grande Americano.

On the back of all that good will and the years of missed opportunities, it feels like WWE needs to strike now. It feels like if they’re ever going to pull the trigger on Chad Gable, it needs to be at this SummerSlam in his hometown. Despite Penta’s continued popularity, I have to think they’re going to put Gable over and see how far he can run with the title.

Penta will be fine though. There are plenty of options. WWE can keep him at the top of the midcard and have some rematches with Chad Gable, maybe let the two swap the title back-and-forth for the rest of the year. That would be fun. They can also push him to the main event scene and let him go after one of the World Championships. He’s popular enough to do that. Or they can reunite him with his brother Rey Fenix and have the Lucha Bros dominate the tag scene. The future is very bright, even if he takes this L.

Predicted Winner: Chad Gable

Danhausen vs Dominik Mysterio

I don’t know what WWE is doing here. In my opinion, they’ve backed themselves into a cornerhausen. On the one hand, it seems weird to have Danhausen lose his most high profile match, given he’s hot right now and really breaking out into the mainstream of popular culture thanks to his affiliation with the Knicks. On the other hand, Judgment Day is supposed to be a respected stable that we take seriously. Should they really be losing a feud to a midcard comedy act?

No, they shouldn't be losing a feud to Danhausen. If I were booking the show, I'd actually play the long game and have Danhausen lose via some kind of shenanigans. Maybe he accidentally curses himself. Maybe he falls into his cloning machine and can't escape. Regardless, I'd have him take the L and then disappear from TV for a bit.

That would actually be a blessing in disguise. His most recent segment on Raw was, by far, the worst received since his debut, and he's starting to feel a little overexposed. Having him disappear for a month and then come back as a new and outrageous version of himself just as everyone starts missing him would be a masterstroke.

Is that going to happen though? No. WWE is going to have Danhausen win this match via some kind of comedic shenanigans, likely involving The Miz and Kit Wilson.

Predicted Winner: Danhausen

Finn Bálor vs Sami Zayn To Become #1 Contender To The WWE Championship

It’s been a rough few years for those of us in the Bálor Club. He’s done a lot of losing in big matches, but once again, we’ve found ourselves in a position where WWE has the option to take him to the next level. Sami Zayn’s heel character is mid crashout, and a loss here, especially under shady circumstances, could lead to additional character growth for both men, as it would make Sami crazier and give Bálor a signature win at a big event and continue his momentum.

I bet there have been four or five instances in these predictions where i’ve said, ‘I know Finn always loses matches like this, but…’ I'm not going to do that again. There's also a case for Zayn winning, and that's a program with CM Punk makes a lot of sense. The two have at least partly connected in the recent storyline that led to Punk winning the belt, and it would make logical sense for Zayn to get his chance to earn the belt back.

Predicted Winner: Finn Bálor

Trick Williams (Champion) vs Baron Corbin For The United States Championship

I’m stoked Baron Corbin is back in WWE. I loved how hard he committed to the Sad Corbin character arc back in the day, and I think the midcard could use someone with his personality. Big thumbs up on Triple H and company signing him again after he was surprisingly released a few years ago.

That being said, Trick Williams is almost certainly going to retain here. He’s still really over with the crowd, and there just hasn’t been enough of a real build here to be taking the title off of him. Plus, we haven’t gotten a proper Carmelo Hayes feud yet over the title. That’s what WWE has been teasing, and that’s what we all want to see.

Predicted Winner: Trick Williams

Tiffany Stratton vs Charlotte Flair vs Jade Cargill vs Chelsea Green vs Lash Legend/ Giulia For The Interim WWE Women’s Championship

With Rhea Ripley injured and out for an unknown period of time, WWE has decided to crown an interim champion, rather than make her vacate the belt. Not all of the participants have been locked in yet, but in my opinion, there are really only two worth discussing as viable winners.

Tiffy Time will be the hometown crowd favorite, but she’s already the United States Champion and not over enough to be simultaneously holding two championships. Chelsea Green is mega over with the crowd and still crushing the midcard, but I don’t think WWE sees her on this level. Nothing about the booking of either Lash or Giulia indicates they would get consideration here; so, I'll rule them out too.

That leaves Charlotte Flair and Jade Cargill, who have mostly been feuding with each other. Cargill’s presentation has really clicked in since WWE added B-Fab and Michin to her entourage, and I think she’s doing the best in-ring work of her career. Rewarding her with a championship would acknowledge the improvement and put the belt around someone who looks and feels like a star.

Charlotte, however, is Charlotte Flair, and WWE has never had a problem giving her gold in the past. She’s more over right now, thanks to her work with Alexa Bliss, than she has been in a long time, and it would also make sense to pay that off by letting her win this match.

My guess is WWE goes with Charlotte, specifically because the winner of the title is going to face Rhea when she gets back, and we’ve gotten a lot of Jade and Rhea over the past few months. We’ll see though.

Predicted Winner: Charlotte Flair

Roman Reigns (Champion) vs Seth Rollins For The World Heavyweight Championship

Roman Reigns’ Tribal Chief run as WWE Champion is typically thought of as the best and most popular era of WWE programming since probably the late 90s and early 00s. It’s not a surprise that WWE has reassembled the Bloodline and installed Reigns as champion again, and at this point, it’s hard to imagine them bailing on the run so quickly.

It also feels unlikely Seth Rollins would be the person to overthrow him. Yes, the two have an incredible amount of history together. Yes, they’ve done some nice promo work ahead of this match, but it’s not like they’re in the middle of some generational program we’ll remember for decades. If anything, it’s been a bit underwhelming, and it feels like when Roman finally loses the strap, it’s going to be because Jacob Fatu turned on him or it’s going to be to a rising megastar like Oba Femi.

My personal hope here is that Reigns finally, after many failed attempts, beats Rollins in clean and dominating fashion and uses that to springboard into being a cockier and even more dangerous version of the Tribal Chief.

Predicted Winner: Roman Reigns

I have NEVER seen one like Warfare, and I've seen a lot of the best war movies ever made.

In fact, I’m actually quite shocked that it was even made. I mean, it’s not that Warfare makes America look bad (In fact, it’s still strangely a patriotic film), but it just makes warfare look so…AWFUL that I’m surprised it even came out.

I know “war is hell” is a popular sentiment, but this is such an unvarnished and brutally realistic war film that it just shocks me that it got a theatrical release (and has since found an audience with an HBO Max subscription). So, here’s why I’m so shocked (and awed) about this film.

It Is Somehow Both An Anti-Enlistment Film, And Also One Of True Valor

Anybody who’s watched the opening scenes of Saving Private Ryan will tell you that it’s anxiety-inducing and sickening. Watching people get torn apart by gunfire and missing limbs is about as far from glamorous as you can possibly get, and Spielberg did an excellent job of showcasing the effects of combat.

However, it has NOTHING on Warfare, which is probably the greatest anti-enlistment film I think I’ve ever seen. In this movie, which details the true encounter after the Battle of Ramadi, Navy SEALs are pinned down in a two-story house and need to fight to get out alive. During the battle, several SEALs get their limbs blown off, and it’s so awful and harrowing that I can’t see why ANYBODY would want to enlist in the military after watching this.

And yet…the camaraderie of these men shows true valor and heart. Even with the scenario seeming as dire as it is, the men don’t leave each other behind, even if it means that they might be mowed down. Warfare wasn’t nominated for an Oscar, but when it comes to a war movie that truly captures what warfare is actually like, then you probably won’t get any more realistic than this.

There Is No Actual Victor

Wars are typically judged by the “winners” and the “losers”. It’s why World War II almost feels mythic in nature since there was a definite side that won, and a definite side that lost. However, with many wars, there really is no victor - only the remnants of what survived, and what changed for everyone else. That’s reality.

When it comes to movies, you typically want to see some sort of outcome, whether it be a victory or a defeat. In Warfare, we get neither, which is another reason why I’m shocked that this film was made. The Navy SEALs who escaped the confrontation didn’t win anything. The insurgents don’t so much as win and survive one more battle.

It’s odd to see so much loss of life and limb only for there to be no catharsis. You just end up feeling empty when it’s all over, which is an uncomfortable feeling to say the very least.

You Also Rarely Get To See A War Film Sympathize With The Civilians Like This

To get a better vantage point, the SEALs take over a civilian home and basically change the house's inhabitants forever by getting them in the middle of this conflict.

The film does a good job of getting us to sympathize with the civilian lives caught in warfare, because this isn’t just a story about the brave soldiers and their enemies. It’s also a story about the people who get caught in the middle with no way out. These are families that were sleeping one night, and then had their living quarters invaded by the U.S. military, and they just had to accept it.

It’s hard to watch such fear in their eyes when bullets fly through their windows and walls. Though the U.S. military had interpreters who tried to assuage the families’ fears, how could they do anything of the sort when the civilians might die by no fault of their own? It’s really powerful stuff, and little wonder why we initially gave this film such a high review.

I think I speak for a lot of people when I say: I’m sick of waiting two to three years for a new season of television. While every streamer has done this, Netflix is a big offender, and it’s frustrating. However, over on Amazon Prime, a production change has been made that makes it seem like we could get new seasons of beloved shows way faster than we’re currently accustomed to. Now, I need the legacy streamer to adopt this in a big way ASAP.

I’m Sick Of Waiting Years For Shows To Be Released On Netflix

If a show makes it past one season on Netflix, odds are, you’re going to be waiting a while for a new season. While there are some exceptions to this rule (Nobody Wants This got Season 2 out a little over a year after Season 1), it feels like some of the most bingeable shows on Netflix take years to produce. To that point, here’s a list of some of the wait times we’ve had to endure for some of my favorite projects from the streamer:

• Stranger Things is arguably one of the most infamous cases of waiting a long time between seasons. The show premiered in 2016, and the Season 5 finale dropped on the last day of 2025. During that time, the wait between seasons got longer, with three years passing between Seasons 4 and 5.
• Bridgerton premiered in December 2020. Season 2 followed a little over two years later, in March 2022. Another two years passed before Season 3 premiered in May 2024. Then nearly two more years went by before Season 4 dropped in January 2026.
• After Wednesday premiered in 2022, we had to wait nearly three years for Season 2's premiere in 2025. Season 3 is in production, but we don't have a release date.
• Season 1 of One Piece premiered in August of 2023, and about three years later, Season 2 was released on Netflix’s 2026 schedule in March.

Now, there are signs that Netflix is getting faster. Season 3 of One Piece and Season 5 of Bridgerton (which will follow Francesca and Michaela) are expected to come out in 2027. Plus, the anime adaptation got an early Season 3 renewal, while the romance got picked up for Seasons 5 and 6 at the same time (and before Season 4 came out).

However, the streamer has a track record for holding out on renewing and taking forever to film. While I know these grand projects take time to make, Amazon Prime is doing something with its productions that I think this legacy streamer should take note of.

Amazon Is Renewing Shows And Going Into Production Earlier

While I do think many streamers, Netflix included, are putting in an effort to renew shows earlier and get them into production faster, I think Amazon Prime has done the best job recently. On the 2026 TV schedule, specifically, there are three shows (two of which are brand new) that got early renewals and therefore early productions.

Let’s start with Off Campus; the book-to-screen adaptation took the world by storm when it premiered in May. However, the cast found out they’d get to make Season 2 long before Season 1 was available to stream with an Amazon Prime subscription. Yep, in February, Off Campus was renewed for Season 2, and then they began filming it a few days after the freshman installment came out. So, not only does Amazon have a lot of faith in this show, but it feels like we’ll easily get to see what happens next at Briar U within the next year.

Meanwhile, the Legally Blonde prequel Elle got renewed for Season 2 in January, and it wrapped on its sophomore installment before Season 1 even came out. Again, I’m optimistic we’ll get to see new episodes within the next year.

On a similar note, Reacher was renewed for Season 5 this spring, and production is set to start in July. Notably, Season 4 hasn’t even come out yet; it will begin airing on August 12. So, it would seem logical that we'll get Season 5 way sooner than we've gotten seasons in the past.

Obviously, there are Prime Video shows that have (or had) years-long waits between seasons, like The Boys and Rings of Power. However, recently, it feels like the streamer is putting in a massive effort to trust its programming, renew earlier, and get shows out faster, meaning we don’t have to wait so long between seasons. So, Netflix, take note, please.

You know, some people will never admit when they’re wrong, even when it’s just an opinion. But me? I have no problem re-evaluating something, and then changing my mind.

Case in point: The Snyderverse. I once despised it, and was glad to see it gone, but I’ve been rewatching some of the films, and I’ve had a change of heart. For example, I now like Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, and I’m also now a fan of Zack Snyder’s Justice League. So, I thought I’d rewatch Snyder’s first movie in the defunct DCEU, Man of Steel, which I initially hated, and…

Well, I still don’t like it. I mean, I wouldn’t say that I still “hate” it, but I do still think it’s a good movie. Here's why.

Yes, Henry Cavill Is The Perfect Superman, But This Is Still A Bad Superman Movie

Similar to Michael Keaton as Batman, for many, there will never be a better Superman than Christopher Reeve, and cool. I get it. Reeve starred in the two best Superman movies, those being the 1978 classic and its sequel Superman II (Unless you consider the 2025 movie to be the best Superman film, which I disagree with, but you’re welcome to your opinion), so it's only natural that I consider Reeve the best Big Blue Boy Scout.

That said, I'm going to openly admit that I consider Ben Affleck to be the best cinematic Batman (unless you're counting Kevin Conroy's voice in Mask of the Phantasm, and you know, valid), and I think Henry Cavill is the perfect Superman. He looks good in the suit; he’s got the demeanor, the jawline. He’s just perfect as Superman. You couldn’t get a better specimen. So, why is the movie around him so bad?

Look, I’ll be the first to admit it. I’m not the biggest fan of the character, so including stuff like the Phantom Zone and having deepcut characters like Jax-Ur are probably why fans of Supe love this movie. There’s also a lot of action in the film (which I’ll get into later), which a lot of Superman movies sorely lack.

However, the tone feels so incredibly off. Everything is so dismal and full of despair. I know I base all of my Superman movies off of the first two Christopher Reeve films, and Man of Steel is anything but those. Still, how are you going to have the ideal Superman in such a depressing Superman movie? What gives?

I Like The Cast...Just Not The Roles That They're In

Though a lot of people pooh-poohed these Snyderverse movies at the time (including myself), I think one thing that everybody could admit is that these movies had excellent casting. Aside from Cavill, whom I already mentioned, Man of Steel also has Kevin Costner as Jonathan Kent, Diane Lane as Martha Kent, Amy Adams as Lois Lane, Laurence Fishburne as Perry White, and Michael Shannon as General Zod.

Now, besides Shannon as Zod, who I actually think is even better than Superman II’s Terence Stamp, I just don’t vibe with the rest of the cast. It’s not like they’re bad. It’s just that…well, I don’t feel they fully immerse themselves in the roles. That might be more Zack Snyder’s fault, if anything, but I’m never really convinced that Amy Adams is Lois Lane. I mean, Adams plays a good enough journalist, but I just think actresses like Rachel Brosnahan or Margot Kidder are more convincingly the Lois Lanes.

While I get what Snyder was going for with Jonathan and Martha Kent with Costner and Lane, respectively, I just feel they are too big as movie stars to take them seriously as Kansas farmers. I much prefer Glenn Ford and Phyllis Thaxter from the original, and especially Pruitt Taylor Vince and Neva Howell in the most recent Superman.

As for Laurence Fishburne? I mean, he’s fine as Perry White, but for such a good actor, I think he gets lost in this film, so there’s that.

Also, While It's Been Said To Death, This Movie Is Way Too Desaturated

Yes, the desaturation is a problem with all of the DCEU movies (Well, aside from the Aquaman movies, which are surprisingly colorful), but Man of Steel is just way too dark and colorless. Actually, I shouldn’t say that, since this movie has a LOT of blue…perhaps too much blue, really.

That said, I think this definitely dampens the mood and tone of this film. I’m not the first to say this, but Superman is NOT Batman. Ideally, a Superman movie should be the exact opposite of a Batman flick when it comes to tone. Just look at James Gunn’s Superman movie, to which we gave a pretty high review. Personally, I wasn’t in love with the film, but one thing I will say that Gunn DEFINITELY got right was the colors and tone.

2025’s Superman is super bright and expressive, very much like a comic book, and it works for the character. The Superman I know (and I think most others know on a casual level) has always been about stirring music and hope, so the films should reflect that. The original 4 Superman movies are like that (Almost to a fault in Superman III and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace), but Man of Steel is the antithesis of that.

I know the film’s fans think that makes the movie more serious and “adult,” but I just think it makes it feel like it’s not a Superman movie, which is not how I think I’m supposed to feel when watching a Superman movie.

And Yes, The Destruction At The End And Supes Killing Zod Still Rubs Me The Wrong Way

I knew going into this recent rewatch that I would probably still dislike all of the destruction and death, and I haven’t changed my opinion on that. It’s just way too much. Let’s start with the blatant IHOP product placement fight between Superman and the Kryptonian, Faora-Ui (Antje Traue). Sure, it looks like a Dragon Ball Z fight, what with characters flying through walls, but it also just feels like too much for me. Like, I understand, up to this point, we hadn’t seen battles like this in a Superman flick, and I applaud the new approach, but it just feels overblown to me. Admittedly, that’s likely more a "me thing".

What is definitely NOT just a me thing though is the battle at the end with the Metropolis battle, and the eventual killing of Zod. I know people roll their eyes at Superman saving a squirrel in James Gunn’s Superman flick, but I could imagine a Superman who would do that over one who drags Zod across buildings, potentially killing people through collateral damage in the long run.

Then, you have the killing of Zod. I've heard people tell me, “Well, what other choice did Superman have? Zod was gonna obliterate that family,” and my answer to that is, why did it even have to come to that in the first place? Why did the screenwriters put Superman in a scenario where he had to snap Zod's neck? I'm sure there were other ways to write that scene that didn't compromise Superman's soul.

That primal scream of regret Superman gives after killing Zod still bothers me, since I don't feel he should have HAD to have killed Zod in the first place. Man of Steel is a story, and having Supes kill Zod was a creative choice that I still don't agree with. So, in the end, I like the eventual direction of the Snyderverse after this film, but I'm still not on board with this one in particular.

As a book lover, I’ve read my fair share of Stephen King novels. But, as a movie lover, I’ve also seen my fair share of Stephen King adaptations. That said, many of them, unfortunately, are either pretty bad or even terrible.

However, the good adaptations are often REALLY GOOD. I know everybody likes to point to The Shawshank Redemption as the gold standard (this website even called it the best movie of the ‘90s! - even though I think it’s just good), and I’d like to also add The Shining, The Green Mile, Stand by Me, Carrie, and Misery as cinematic masterpieces based on King’s work. Oh, and one more - The Long Walk.

In fact, in many ways, I think The Long Walk movie is better than the book…but not completely. I’ll explain.

Oh, and major spoilers on the walk ahead.

Why The Film Is Better Than The Book:

The Landscape Is Even More Desolate In The Film

For those unfamiliar with The Long Walk, it’s essentially a dystopian story in which an alternate-timeline America has become controlled by a totalitarian government. Each year, there’s a competition where young men walk for as long as possible, and the last one standing gets whatever they wish for.

People walking for hundreds of miles doesn’t sound like the most riveting story in the world, but this is King we’re talking about here, and he makes this as disturbing as he can for hundreds of pages. Well, in the novel, even though we see the aftermath of what we’re told was a civil war, there does seem to be a lot more people out and about cheering on the walkers.

At one point, there are even groupies who want to hook up with them, and, like, cool. It almost seems like a game show of sorts.

However, I actually like how much more desolate the movie feels. The backdrop is even more depressing and hopeless in the film, and I think it works in its favor…for the most part, which I’ll get into later.

The Friendship Aspect Is Even Sharper In The Film

One of my favorite movies and books of all time is Battle Royale (which Quentin Tarantino, it should be noted, maintains The Hunger Games ripped off). I bring up this story for two reasons. One, it’s similar to The Long Walk since it’s all about a group of people that gradually thin out, and two, because you have to keep track of a lot of characters, and you grow to care about many of them.

Well, in the book, The Long Walk, we get lots of characters, but the most important ones are Ray Garraty (our protagonist), Peter McVries, Stebbins, Art Baker, Gary Barkovitch (our main antagonist, outside of The Major), and a few others.

Now, while friendship is a HUGE part of the novel, I think the one formed by Ray (Cooper Hoffman) and Pete (David Jonsson) is better in the film. Their friendship is pretty pronounced in the book, almost leaning into a possible gay interpretation, whereas in the film, we don’t have the homoerotic undertones between them (Though, I do think it’s cool that you can interpret it that way in the book). Instead, their friendship is more the heart and soul of the movie, which I think is very effective.

Instead of the focus being more spread out to multiple characters like it is in the book, the movie mostly focuses on Pete’s and Ray’s friendship in particular. So, instead of this being a story about many, like in the novel, it really feels like a story about just two people surrounded by many, which works.

The Film Is Also Somehow Even More Dire Than The Book

When we initially reviewed this film, we called it “The Bleakest Stephen King Movie Since The Mist…” and yeah, that’s an apt description. Even though I find the premise of The Long Walk terrifying, I actually don’t find the book to be all that “bleak.” I don’t know, perhaps it’s the chummy way the story is written, but I feel King didn’t make it as bleak and hopeless as some of his other stories like Revival, Cujo, or Pet Semetary.

However, I do think this bleakness really elevates the movie. All of the characters feel like they’re doomed from the very start, and even though they’re joking in the beginning, as soon as that first person gets shot, the story just gets bleaker and bleaker. This consistent dire tone makes the movie stand out from other King stories, which really works in its favor. Because this film is bleak, even despite its ending. Oh, and speaking of which…

Why The Film Is Not As Good As The Book:

The Ending Of The Book Is WAY Better

Now, we’ve already written about it, but the ending of the movie is VERY different from that of the novel…and I don’t think in a good way.

In the book, Ray makes it to the finish line, but after his traumatic and exhausting experience, he doesn’t stop walking. In fact, he sees a phantom ahead of him, and he chases after him, ultimately leaving an ambiguous interpretation about what his fate will ultimately be. Trust me, I’m no Stephen King, but the way he writes this moment is truly terrifying.

The film does a MAJOR swerve, though, in that Pete is actually the victor, and not Ray. In fact, Ray says he doesn't see a future for himself, and by the time Pete realizes what’s going on, it's too late, and Ray gets his ticket punched.

The Major, played by Mark Hamill, says that Pete can get anything he wishes, but Pete chooses a carbine, just like Ray wanted. Pete then kills the Major and walks off, which is different, but I don't think anywhere near as haunting as Ray's spiraling into insanity. So, the book ending shakes me to my bones, and the movie ending doesn’t. Simple.

The Major Was Even More Mysterious In The Book

We don't see much of Hamill's Major in the film, but when we do, he pretty much steals every scene he’s in.

Now, I love Mark Hamill, but I think he’s TOO much of a presence in the movie, whereas the book made The Major a mysterious figure, which I prefer.

In a lot of ways, The Major doesn't even seem like an antagonist in the book. He's more like a symptom of the problem rather than the problem itself, and I’m much more in favor of that. He’s very much a background figure, which is where I think he should be.

The movie does a great job of making the Major an actual flesh-and-blood character, but I really liked the mythic quality of the Major in the book. It was more effective.

The Walk Itself Feels Much More Like An Event In The Book As Opposed To The Film

Now, I know I made a point earlier about how much I liked how desolate this film feels, but another part of me prefers how the walk is more like an actual event in the book.

One of my favorite Stephen King movies that’s nothing like the novel is the original The Running Man with Arnold Schwarzenegger. I love the game show aspect of the film as opposed to the kind of bland approach that the book takes.

However, The Long Walk film feels like the opposite, whereas the event is more exciting in the book than it is in the movie. So, I think the book handled that aspect better in a lot of ways.

That said, both are great. Is The Long Walk book better than the movie? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

If you look up what genre We Need to Talk About Kevin is in, you'll find it under “psychological drama.” However, much like I’d consider Mulholland Drive a horror movie, even though it’s categorized as a “mystery film,” I’d say the same thing about Kevin, as it’s straight-up horror.

In fact, I actually think WNtTAK is one of the greatest horror movies of all time that pretty much nobody talks about. Sure, I know most people wouldn’t put it on a list of the best horror movies of all time, but that’s only because many people seem to overlook “realistic horror,” such as If I Had Legs I’d Kick You (which is another great “horror” movie).

So, here’s why more people should, er, talk about We Need to Talk About Kevin.

I Think This Movie Hits Differently If You're A Parent

The premise of this movie is an uncomfortable one, especially if you’re a parent. It poses the question: What if your child is a sociopath? The movie plays with that idea and whether it’s really nature vs. nurture, but the film ultimately leans more toward the nature side. That is despite Tilda Swinton’s character, Eve, getting so mad at her child in one scene that she throws him against a wall and breaks his arm.

However, I’m getting ahead of myself. The book-to-screen adaptation is based on the novel of the same name by Lionel Shriver (a woman), and directed by Lynne Ramsay (another woman, which is cool, since this movie has a woman’s perspective), We Need to Talk About Kevin is about a mother named Eve who doesn’t know how to relate to her son, Kevin, (Ezra Miller), who seems…troubled. Kevin’s father (John C. Reilly) doesn’t believe his wife’s concerns, and even buys him a bow and arrow as a gift.

Tragically, Kevin goes on a school “shooting” with his arrows, killing several classmates. The film deals with Eve’s role in all of this, and how the town views her. It’s harrowing, thought-provoking stuff, and truly horrific, which I’ll get into next.

It's The Way That The Story Progresses That Is Truly Horrifying

What really sets WNtTAK apart from other horror movies is its nonlinear plot. We get a deeply depressed Eve basically wandering through life after what her son did to so many people, as the town blames her for giving birth to a monster.

We then see the story progress from Kevin’s youth and his relationship with his mother. Kevin never seems happy, and his mother doesn’t understand why, even despite her many efforts to connect with him. At first, she thinks it’s her fault, but then she starts to worry that perhaps it’s not actually her, but that maybe her son has a mental illness (In fact, this is actually a great movie about such a condition).

The scariest part, though, is watching Kevin’s progression, and how distant and sinister he becomes. I don’t want to spoil the movie for you just in case you haven’t seen it, but it ends on such a sour, disturbing note that you really get a sense that all of the events that occur were probably inevitable.

In The End, I Feel Like This Is A Mostly Untalked About Gem, And A Cautionary Tale

We Need to Talk About Kevin is a cautionary tale about…becoming a parent. I’m serious! Though many have wonderful experiences with having children and can offer sage-like advice, other parents really do go through hell with their kids.

It’s not enough for people to say, “Well, if you love and take care of your child, then they’ll turn out okay,” as that’s not always the case. Because sometimes, you can do everything you can for your children, and they still turn out hurting others.

WNtTAK is a horrific film that I think more people should talk about. Just keep this in mind, though: Much like parenting itself, it’s not for the faint of heart.

I might be a little biased (just a little), but you read the headline: Out of all of the characters in cinematic history, Godzilla is the greatest.

Now, “greatest” is a wildly subjective term, and that can be interpreted in many different ways. For instance, when I say Godzilla is the “greatest,” I don’t mean he’s the most important, but I do think he is the best. He’s one of the most recognizable characters in cinema history and also has the best longevity. I will die on this hill.

So, how can I make such a bold claim? Well, you’re about to find out.

What Other Cinematic Characters Have Remained Actively Popular For 70 Years?

Now, you might proclaim that Mickey Mouse has been relevant and actively popular for almost a century since his debut in Steamboat Willie back in 1928. But, let’s think about that. What was the last Mickey Mouse MOVIE you watched in theaters? I mean, I’m 42, and the last time I saw Mickey Mouse on the big screen was for the animated short, “Get a Horse,” which screened before Disney’s Frozen, and that came out all the way back in 2013!

The last Godzilla movie I watched in theaters was Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire back in 2024, which I think is the best MonsterVerse movie by far. Godzilla Minus One was the one I saw before that, in 2023. It is still my favorite Godzilla movie of all time. In fact, I think that the 2020s are actually the best time ever to be a Godzilla fan, and that's because Godzilla is bigger than ever.

I’ll give you an example. Outside of this website, I’m a teacher, and I have a Godzilla calendar in my classroom (Because of course I do). Well, every single student - and I teach 12-13 year-olds - recognizes Godzilla from the movies and can even identify some of his best enemies, such as Mothra and Mechagodzilla.

Granted, one might say that a character like Superman or Batman is more recognizable than Godzilla, but neither of those characters has movies that go as far back as 1954 and have been CONSISTENTLY churning out films for over 70 years. That’s why I say Godzilla is the greatest character in cinema history. Just like his film counterpart, he just won’t die, and he only gets stronger!

Godzilla Is Truly Universal And Basically Spawned A Whole Genre

Now, I love King Kong, and I’ve even seen every King Kong movie. Be that as it may, I definitely don’t credit the original King Kong, which came out 21 years before 1954’s Godzilla, for creating the kaiju genre. I mean, yes, I will say that King Kong definitely inspired the creation of Godzilla, but it was the 1954 movie that really kickstarted the kaiju genre, and we’re all the better for it.

Godzilla is more than just a character - he’s a symbol. From Cloverfield to Ultraman to even the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, there’s a huge chance that none of them would even exist if not for Godzilla, which popularized and even spawned the concept of the giant monster destroying a city (rather than just rampaging through one like King Kong).

This is another reason why I think Godzilla is the greatest character in cinema history. He single-handedly created an entire genre unto himself. Nobody can say that a character like Darth Vader CREATED the space opera, or that Mickey Mouse CREATED animation, but Godzilla CREATED the Kaiju genre, which we’ve gotten so many great stories from in so many different forms of media.

I could go on and on in this regard, but the proof is in the pudding. Godzilla is the King of the Monsters, and every kaiju that has ever come out after him needs to bend the knee.

Godzilla Is Also Great For Merchandising Purposes, And Instantly Recognizable

I mentioned my Godzilla calendar earlier, and what’s interesting is that every year I get a new nerdy calendar for my classroom. This year’s Godzilla calendar was the only one where EVERY student could identify who the character was (As opposed to my years when I had Street Fighter, Dragon Ball Z, and Marvel calendars, which surprised me).

I think people can recognize Godzilla because he’s also great for merchandising, and you see him everywhere, even outside of the movies. For example, I’ll always remember how ubiquitous Godzilla was when the 1998 movie (which I actually like) came out. Now, even before that film, I had known who Godzilla was, even though I hadn’t yet gotten into the Toho Godzilla movies. I mean, how could I not know who he was? He was in video games, on t-shirts, and even in Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure.

I just think it’s because Godzilla is perfect for merchandising. He can be scary. He can be cool. He can be silly. He can be a hero. He can be a villain. He can be in cartoon form. He could be in movie form. There’s just really no limit to how you can merchandise the character.

I can’t really think of too many other characters, outside of Star Wars, where you can have such general versatility when it comes to marketing. It’s perfect!

Godzilla Will Likely Outlive Us All

This is kind of crazy for me to say given all of the big movies that we’ve gotten thus far, but the upcoming Godzilla Minus Zero is my most anticipated movie on the 2026 film schedule. I think this will always be the case with any Godzilla film that comes out, because I’m pretty certain that I will be a fan of Godzilla for the rest of my life.

I don’t think it ends there, since I think Godzilla will still be in movies long after I die, which hopefully won’t be for about 50 years, because Godzilla just works. As I’ve already noted, there may be more recognizable characters out there like Spider-Man, Mickey Mouse, or Superman, but Godzilla’s consistency when it comes to movies is what really makes him the greatest cinematic character of all time.

I took my son to see Godzilla Minus One, and now he’s just as big a Godzilla fan as I am. Hopefully, if he’s ever blessed with children like I was, he’ll spread that love to his children and continue the cycle of loving the King of the Monsters. This is something I definitely foresee happening since I don’t think Godzilla is going anywhere.

So, for all of those reasons combined, I think Godzilla is the greatest character in cinematic history, and you’re never going to convince me otherwise.

As we work our way further into the second half of the year, I thought I'd dedicate this week's movie quiz to the films that have been released in theaters so far in 2026. While I don't think you'll need to have seen all of the movies featured in the crossword puzzle below, it'll help if you have some general knowledge of the titles and plots for each of the movies.

We'll give you a very vague description of the 2026 movie's plot, and you'll guess the title.

We’ve come a long way when it comes to news about December 18th’s Avengers: Doomsday. From seeing a whole bunch of names on chairs to learning that Cap and company were coming back, the info keeps on rolling.

And with the news, we also got a new poster from former visual development director Andy Park, as well as a brand-spanking-new trailer featuring Doctor Doom and everything. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing the X-Men, The Avengers (Both old AND new), and The Fantastic Four whoop Doctor Doom’s behind. However, one team is notably absent from the trailer, and that’s the one from my favorite Marvel movie, Eternals.

Which, you know, really bugs me, since if the Eternals were ever coming back, it likely would have been for this extravaganza. Let’s talk.

Look, I Get It. Nobody Likes Eternals Except For Me

Okay, I get it. When most people rank the MCU movies, Eternals always lands somewhere near the bottom, if not THE bottom. And, yeah, I’ve heard all of the complaints: “It should have been a TV series rather than a movie.” “There were just too many characters,” and, the most common of all, “It’s just so BORING.”

However, even after a rewatch, I still consider it my favorite MCU movie. I’m eternally hoping that we’ll see Thena, Sersi, and Kingo again (even though it probably would be in Kumail Nanjiani’s best interest to stay away from Marvel this time, for mental health's sake anyway). I just love these characters. I don’t think Eternals should have been a TV series, and I feel that the film did a great job of managing so many characters. But, most importantly, I don’t find it BORING. I find it ambitious, engaging, and artistic, and I always wanted more of it from Marvel.

So, to not see any hint of them on this new concept art or in the trailer just really upsets me. Especially since I know Marvel still remembers that they exist.

I Mean, Hello. They’re Referenced In Captain America: Brave New World

Another Marvel movie that I know people don’t like, but I enjoy, is Captain America: Brave New World, which I would actually rank higher than the first Captain America flick. Now, something that surprised many a longtime MCU fan is that Eternals were actually referenced in a major way in the fourth Captain America movie, as we actually got to see what happened to the Celestial, Tiamut, with Celestial Island.

That tells me that Kevin Feige still remembers Eternals. Now, I understand that the Russo brothers probably don’t care about Eternals since they have their own vision in mind, plus they also have the X-Men to bring into the fray.

However, I just can’t shake the feeling that Eternals should have at least SOME kind of presence in this movie, which actually brings me to my last point.

Eternals Would Be Really Cool In Avengers: Doomsday, So Am I Being A Fool For Still Holding Out Hope?

There’s still a lot we likely don’t know about Avengers: Doomsday, even with everything they’ve shown us thus far in the trailer. So, am I being foolish for believing that perhaps the Eternals MIGHT make an appearance in this movie somehow?

I mean, I never thought I’d see Thor: The Dark World ever referenced again, but it played a prominent role in Avengers: Endgame.

So, could the Eternals also be hidden away in this movie somewhere and we just don’t know about it yet? I guess only time will tell.

Spoilers ahead for anyone who hasn't yet watched Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro on ABC or with a Hulu subscription.

To hold you over until Dancing with the Stars debuts on the 2026 TV schedule this fall with Season 35, DWTS: The Next Pro is expanding the hit franchise. Instead of focusing on celebrities whose professional dance partners guide them as they compete to win the coveted Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy, the new series sets out to find the next pro among 12 up-and-comers. Rest assured, just because there are no celebrity contestants on this Season 35 prequel, there will still be drama. But more on that later.

I must admit, I have a spot in my heart for dance shows. Whether it’s World of Dance, So You Think You Can Dance, Dance Moms, or even Bunheads, I will be tuned in. I’m also down for a good unexpected but amazing movie dance sequence, like with “I’m Just Ken” in the Barbie movie or the Michael Jackson “Thriller” moment in 13 Going on 30.

So, moving six male and six female dancers into a house with bunk beds as they (probably literally) shed blood, sweat, and tears in a grueling audition process, and I have my popcorn ready. Let’s dig into what I learned from watching the first two episodes of DWTS: The Next Pro.

Going To Work With Your Mother Might Lead To Some Spicy Clashes

Yes, the contestants on DWTS: The Next Pro are fierce, but so are the judges. While fans of Dancing with the Stars will be familiar with three-time Mirrorball champion Mark Ballas, he’s being joined at the judges’ table, right in the center seat, by his mother Shirley Ballas, aka “The Queen of Latin.” Mama Ballas is a champion in her own right, an elite teacher, the head judge of Strictly Come Dancing, and she has the type of presence that makes you want to stand up straighter when she enters the room. It also quickly becomes clear that being mother and son won’t prevent clashes from happening when the two disagree.

Shirley Ballas is known for being firm but fair, while her son Mark Ballas has built a bit of a reputation as a rebel who will throw out the rule book when the situation calls for it. That blend of tradition and imagination is perfect for a DWTS pro dancer that’s looking to stand out from the crowd, but for a mother and son who are working side by side on a reality competition series, it’s going to cause some disagreements, and I am here for them all.

Now, the Ballas duo are professionals, so even if things do get spicy, I’m sure they can work it out. In the setup for the season at the start of the first episode, there’s a fun clip with Mark saying, “Do the show with your mom, they said. It will be fun, they said.” But Shirley laughs it off, so I think we’re safe and reassured that no judges were harmed in the making of this reality show. And there will be a different guest judge every week from the lineup of DWTS pros that can jump in to ease the tension if need be.

When Dance Show Contestants Get Vulnerable, I End Up In Tears With Chills

There is only so much airtime in a one-hour TV show, so the focus of DWTS is unsurprisingly primarily on the journeys of the celebrities, through injury and triumph. Season 35 is still a few months away from its debut, but that’s no reason not to start the hype for the celebrity contestants, having already announced Jimmy Kimmel Live’s Guillermo Rodriguez, Savannah Banana’s Jackson Olson, and Summer House and The Traitors star Ciara Miller. The Traitors and Love Island star Maura Higgins is already getting into shape with DWTS pro Val Chmerkovskiy.

DWTS: The Next Pro will have demanding challenges every week, meant to test the hopefuls’ ability to cope with the extreme pressure of the live show as they prove their technical excellence and creativity as choreographers. If you have an off week and fall short on technique, you can put more hours in at the rehearsal studio. But what often trips up the celebrity contestants on DWTS, especially the ones who aren’t actors, is being able to open themselves up emotionally in a very vulnerable way and connect that with the steps.

I was so happy to see DWTS: The Next Pro only waited until Episode 2 to bring on a challenge using dance to tell a meaningful personal story. Admittedly, I got nervous when they paired the contestants and told them to choose a story between them because that could have easily led to disaster for any pairing that didn’t fully connect or listen to each other. And while some performances didn’t live up to the promise of what they could have been, it was beautiful to witness the partnerships that did click. There’s one performance in particular, by Allen Genkin and Adele Zaikman, that was so authentic and raw that it immediately gave me chills because it felt like the dancers had cracked open their souls and poured all of their emotions out onto the dance floor. It left the dancers, their fellow contestants, the host, the judges, and yes, even me, in tears.

Robert Irwin Just Might Be The Most Wholesome Person In Entertainment

Aussie wildlife conservationist Robert Irwin made a splash on Dancing with the Stars Season 34 alongside his pro partner Witney Carson, securing victory together. Throughout his season, he stayed open to learning and absorbing everything and really wore his heart on his sleeve. And that’s really working for him as the host of DWTS: The Next Pro.

Robert Irwin is able to let his smile light up the room, offer words of encouragement, and sit beside you and share a moment of understanding, with all of it feeling completely genuine. There’s a beautiful exchange in Episode 2 when Robert Irwin goes to check in on the contestant who is working out his own grief through dance. If you’ve lost a parent, which I have, you understand the importance of just sitting with someone who knows what those emotions are without having to say anything at all. To be able to be so open and vulnerable about his own experiences with the loss of his father, Steve Irwin, and sharing what it was like for him to walk through his own grief during his time on DWTS was powerful and reassuring. I look forward to seeing what more he has in store as the competition narrows.

Being A Pro On Dancing With The Stars Is Hard Work

Being on Dancing with the Stars is hard work, and not just for the celebrity contestants, many of whom have no dance experience, put in endless hours of rehearsals practicing movements that don’t come naturally to them, and work through often quite painful injuries. It’s also hard work for the pros, no matter how easy they make it look. As someone who took my first dance class at the age of 4, grew up learning a variety of styles, and had a brief professional stint, I know what it takes, and I admire the perseverance. Dancers put everything on the line and are pushed to the extreme, having to roll with whatever happens during a live performance.

I actually really appreciate the fact that things were a bit bumpy for quite a few of the dancers in the first episode because it shows that even dancers who have been champions or have shared the stage with music superstars can still have an off day and can learn and grow. The one thing that I’m most surprised by with DWTS: The Next Pro is that it’s taken 34 seasons of DWTS for this competition series to even happen. I have no idea who is going to be the last dancer standing and win their way onto Season 35 (though we know it won't be the three who have been eliminated, Benji Castro, Jake Monreal, and Briar Nolet), or if that winner will be replacing one of the current DWTS pros. Still, I am here for every second of it, every Monday until they make the final announcement.

Spoiler alert! This story discusses The Ultimatum Season 4, Episodes 1-5, which can be streamed with a Netflix subscription.

I’ve been a fan of the Netflix dating series The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On from the beginning, and no, it’s not because I think it offers a valid option for struggling long-term couples to save their relationships. It’s because the wild partner-swap premise makes for peak reality TV drama. However, after watching the first five episodes of The Ultimatum Season 4, I’m frustrated that the couples are basically ignoring a big part of the experiment.

The Ultimatum Season 4 Couples Aren’t Buying Into Their Trial Marriages

Anyone who’s watched a past season of The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On or its superior spinoff The Ultimatum: Queer Love has heard the host (in this case, Nick Lachey) issue the rules: At the end of the experience, you will either leave engaged, with a new partner, or alone. The potential for the cast members to find love (or at least lust) with their trial spouse is baked into the show's format, but there seems to be no romantic potential in the Season 4 trial marriages.

There are no sparks flying, and therefore there’s no suspense over whether or not someone might actually leave their partner for a new relationship. Past seasons have at least shown conversations about sharing a bed or how much physical intimacy should factor into a trial marriage. We’ve even gotten scandalous kisses and “intimate” noises. I don’t think we’ve seen so much as hand-holding in Season 4.

Trial spouses Ashley Wilson and Blake Robertson (pictured above) may have had the most potential, but it seemingly only took one Instagram video of a very chaste bowling date for their original partners Hayley Hendrich and Killian Grondin to fly off the rails over their supposed connection. David Atkinson and Monica Payne also got along really well, and she legitimately seemed to be helping him open up emotionally. But come on, man, this is Netflix, not couples therapy.

This Season’s Drama Has Not Been All That Fun To Watch

The Ultimatum: Queer Love never had a problem serving up delicious drama — the Spotify “sex playlist” scandal lives rent-free in my head — and yet Netflix canceled that series. Instead, we’re left with The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On, with this season’s biggest drama so far being Killian’s group text, where he seems to condone his buddies’ lewd comments about Hayley’s body. That’s disgusting to me, and it’s definitely not the kind of drama I come to this franchise for.

And look, rooting for more experimentation between the couples doesn’t make me a monster. For one thing, these are adults who signed up for a crazy partner-swapping experience. I’m not going to apologize for wanting follow-through. Secondly, these couples are not the epitome of healthy relationships.

If you’re still “50/50” on your partner after six years, you’ve got to cut that cord, and nobody at the ripe old age of 23 should be giving OR receiving a marriage ultimatum (this season started with three that age).

Despite the lack of sparks between the contestants and a couple of problematic players, I’m still enjoying The Ultimatum Season 4, and I can’t wait to binge through the switchback round and see how it all plays out.

The first eight episodes are available to stream on Netflix now, with the finale and reunion hitting the 2026 TV schedule on Wednesday, July 22.

When the first Super Mario Bros. Movie came out (and I'm talking about the animated one - not the so-bad-it's-good live-action version), I didn't even need a second watch to enjoy it. I loved it on my very first viewing!

Hell, even with critics completely savaging it, I still thought it was great. That said, I definitely didn't have those same feelings with the sequel, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. In fact, I downright hated it.

Now that it's finally come home, I rented it and watched it again, and…well, I have some thoughts. Do you want to hear them? Okay, then, well, let's-a-go!

It Actually Wasn't As Bad As I Remember It Being

A huge complaint I had with The Super Mario Galaxy Movie upon my first viewing was that it just moved way too fast. Now, I'm usually a huge supporter of brisk pacing and short run-times (one of my favorite movies of all time is Marty, after all, which is a breezy 93 minutes). However, upon my first viewing of Galaxy, it felt like it was just all action and no character development.

Upon a rewatch, I actually didn't mind that this time. Sure, Yoshi has no character growth whatsoever, and Mario seems to get lost in his own movie, but after seeing it a second time, that didn't seem like such a big deal. I kind of just turned off my brain for a little over an hour and a half, and the visuals did a lot of the heavy lifting, as it really is a colorful and expressive film.

I also did a lot more easter egg hunting this time, which I know was a complaint with the first movie, but I think this sequel went WAY further (Like, I actually saw Little Mac from Punch-Out!! this time around) with the fan service. So, as a fast-paced, easter egg-heavy movie, I think this movie succeeds on a second watch. Even so…

This Movie Still Has A Lot Of Problems

Okay, so knowing in advance that this movie is more about Princess Peach and her relationship with Rosalina than it is about Mario, I followed that narrative more closely this time around on my second viewing, and…that storyline STILL needed some work.

The two characters who mainly get story arcs of Princess Peach and Bowser Jr. still don't feel that interesting or well thought out to me. It might be because I just don't like Bowser Jr. as a character in general, but he arguably has the biggest story arc in the entire film, and I just don't care for it.

Granted, much like the Mario video games, the story is secondary. For a movie, even one as uninterested in telling an engaging story as this one is, the characters’ journeys just don't do anything for me, which is a huge bummer.

Even Though It Likely Won't Be The Last Mario Movie, I'd Be Okay If It Was

So, given the box office success of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, I think we can all agree that we're getting a sequel, right? I mean, the end of the film already teased who we’re getting for the inevitable third film.

However, I'd be perfectly fine if this was the last Mario movie. Would it be cool to get a Star Fox flick? Absolutely! Do I want a Donkey Kong movie? No, not really. But, even so, I would definitely take that over another Mario/Illumination joint.

Sure, I’m interested in seeing what a live-action Zelda movie will be like, but I’m kind of done with these Mario films, and I definitely won’t see a third one in theaters. Thankfully, these Mario movies come home pretty quickly, so I guess I’ll just wait to see it from the comfort of my couch.

I can already hear it: Take the keyboard away from this boomer before he starts shouting at the clouds. Before you say that, one, I'm a Millennial (an elder Millennial, but still), and two, well, let me explain myself.

I'm not inherently against kids loving Michael Jackson. How can I be when I myself introduced my own children to MJ before they could even (moon) walk? Plus, as a fan, don't you think I love hearing MJ on the radio again? I grew up with Michael Jackson, and therefore, I love his music!

I love that today's kids love MJ’s music, too. That said…

The Michael Movie Only Shows The Positive Side Of MJ, So Kids Aren't Getting The Full Picture

Did you know that it’s documented that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. likely had extramarital affairs? Now, I know you probably want to smack my face for saying that, and I don’t like admitting it, either. However, just because it tarnishes a lionized version of the man, it doesn’t tarnish what he accomplished in his short time on this planet. That said, what does this have to do with Michael Jackson? Well, it’s just that the Michael biopic, which tons of people - including kids - have seen, doesn’t actually show what I remember of MJ growing up, outside of his music, of course.

Now, the movie legally could not show aspects surrounding the allegations swirling around the man at the time (In fact, the movie stops just short of that particular period of his life). I still think it’s important that young people do know that MJ, while a genius who was undeniably abused by his father, also may (emphasis on the word “may”) have had a dark side to him, just like MLK.

I think this is important since I believe that children should know that people - even great people who change the world - are still human at the end of the day, and that they’re far from perfect.

Did MJ do what people say he did? I hope not, but I don’t know. Did the media tear MJ apart during that time of his life? Absolutely, which I predict might be the narrative of the next movie. Whatever the case, I still think young people deserve to know what MIGHT have happened with Michael Jackson, and they won’t get that from the movie.

Young People Are Only Loving A Certain Time Period Of MJ's Music

Okay, phew. That was some heavy stuff. Now, onto more lighthearted fare. Another thing I don’t love about kids who watch Michael is that they only seem to know a certain time period of MJ’s music. Granted, this is because we only see MJ in his years with the Jackson 5, and then his quest towards the Bad World Tour. I’m kind of tired of hearing kids singing only stuff from the Thriller era, like “Billie Jean” and “Beat It,” (and surprisingly, the posthumous song, “Chicago,” which I gather is because of TikTok).

When it was announced that an MJ movie was initially coming out, I had high hopes for it. One of my highest hopes was that it was a FULL biopic. Like, I didn’t want to see his death, but I did want to see his full career, which meant I also wanted to see his Bad era, his Dangerous era, and even his Invincible era. That way, we’d get the full span of the biggest moments of his solo career.

By kneecapping the movie at only this specific time period, unless today’s kids want to delve into Michael Jackson on their own, they’ll likely only continue to enjoy the hits from the movie, or, from what’s popular on TikTok, and I’m not in love with that idea.

I mean, I guess kids loving MJ’s music in general is a net positive, even if it's only a sampling, but the unc in me (More like the gatekeeper, really) is kind of annoyed that today’s kids are just listening to the same bops over and over again. Oh, well. I guess a sequel could rectify that.

I’ve been a huge fan of The Hunt for Red October ever since I saw it in theaters when I was 14-years-old. The movie has since become what I would call a “remote dropper,” meaning if I happen to scroll by it on my TV looking for something to watch, there’s a better-than-excellent chance I’ll settle on watching the Sean Connery-led submarine movie again. I just learned that Connery almost turned down the role of Soviet sub captain Marko Ramius, and a fax machine was to blame. Boy, that takes me back.

Connery Argued The Plot Made No Sense In The Context Of The Time

The Film Almost Looked Completely Different

The reason Connery was even offered the part was that Austrian actor Klaus Maria Brandauer (who co-starred with the Scot in Connery’s final Bond movie, Never Say Never Again, and later in The Russia House) had a conflict and had to drop out of production after he was initially cast as Ramius. That would have made for a very different movie. That wasn’t the only difference that could have been.

According to producers, they initially reached out to Kevin Costner to play Jack Ryan, a role that would eventually go to Alec Baldwin. Costner was in the midst of getting Dances With Wolves off the ground and didn’t have time. They also wanted Harrison Ford in the role, but he turned them down. Of course, Ford would later replace Baldwin in the role in Patriot Games and Clear and Present Danger. As much as I love Ford in the role, I’m actually partial to Baldwin, so I’m happy about this eventual choice, as well.

For the generations who have come after the invention of email, fax machines are a bygone relic of the past, no different than rotary telephones and buggy whips. The fact that a cover sheet didn’t get transmitted isn’t surprising, but thankfully it was all a misunderstanding. The Hunt for Red October isn’t nearly as good without Connery.

With Matt Damon starring in The Odyssey, which arrives in theaters, now seems like the perfect time to look back on some of Damon's memorable films. If you want to ace this crossword puzzle, you'll need to be familiar with some oFor this week's movie quiz, we'll provide a quote from one of his movie characters and you tell us what movie it's from.

Can you solve all of the clues in the crossword puzzle below?