Sean Penn just took home a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for One Battle After Another (or he will, if he deigns to pick it up after being unable to, or simply choosing not to, attend the ceremony), which is a good excuse to look back at one of the most underrated movies in his long career. And, as a matter of fact, it happens to be one of the most underrated movies in the careers of everybody involved in it, including its director. The movie is the 1997 thriller The Game, which was seen as a massive early flop in the career of filmmaker David Fincher — despite the fact that it’s actually really awesome.
The Game was released after Fincher’s star-making Se7en, which was only his second film after his divisive debut Alien 3(another movie that’s actually really awesome, for the record), and just a few years before his culture-destroying, widely misunderstood masterpiece Fight Club. Any movie would have a hard time competing with those films, and The Game ultimately made just about $100 million off of a reported $70 million budget — likely because of its reputation for just being a series of increasingly groan-inducing twists that leads to a dopey, unsatisfying ending. But, again, those opinions are wrong.
Advertisement
Who Does Sean Penn Play in ‘The Game’?
Image via PolyGram Films
The Game follows Michael Douglas as Nicholas Van Orton, a wealthy and unhappy banker. As his 48th birthday approaches, he is haunted by the death of his father, who died by suicide when he turned 48. Penn plays Nicholas’ brother, Connie, who presents him with an invitation to experience a bizarre, life-changing “game” run by a company called Consumer Recreation Services. Connie has apparently also done the CRS game and speaks very highly of it.
Douglas’ Nicholas is depicted as very cold and closed-off, which differentiates him from the vaguely manic energy that Penn brings to Connie. Penn essentially plays to type as the character, embracing the wild unpredictability that he had as a younger actor, which makes it difficult to know how much to trust him. Penn has a tendency to make his mere existence off-putting, which is used to great effect — albeit very differently — in both The Game and One Battle After Another. In The Game, you can see why Nicholas would want to trust him, because he’s so lonely and desperate for connections, but, as the story turns, you immediately recognize why Nicholas would believe that his brother would be wrapped up in this horrific “game.”
Last night, the Academy Awards were doled out to an array of worthy artists. What do you know about the 98-year history of this tradition?
Advertisement
What Happens in ‘The Game’?
Michael Douglas as Nicholas Van Orton on a bed of ice in The Game.Image Via PolyGram FIlms
Nicholas undergoes an aggravating and intrusive application process, led by CRS employee James Rebhorn, but he is ultimately told that he has been rejected from the game. Of course, that’s part of the game, and things in his life quickly begin to spiral out of control. The game is eventually revealed to be an elaborate con designed to rob rich people like him, and Connie has been forcibly involved from the beginning.
One of the odd things about The Game, especially given the rest of David Fincher’s filmography, is that it has a somewhat shockingly upbeat and optimistic ending. But true Game-heads know that that’s the clue to the movie’s real intentions: It’s not a dark and twisty thriller like Se7en, it’s a full-on thrill ride. If you go in thinking Michael Douglas will somehow outsmart the game and win, you’ll be annoyed. If you go in thinking the game is borderline mystical and has infinite resources to blow on giving this lonely man his own Christmas Carol, you’ll have fun.
Welcome to the Collider TV Quiz! Every Monday through Friday, we’ll give you an opportunity to prove your knowledge in the world of television trivia. We’ll be using the most prestigious, scientifically accurate method for separating 4K devotees from Cathode ray couch potatoes: multiple choice. Sign in to your account to track your daily progress. Don’t forget to play today’s Movie Quiz for even more trivia challenges, and you can find all of our current and archived quizzes here.
Advertisement
Whether it’s characters or catchphrases, series regulars or guest stars, prime-time hits or late-night gems, a show from 1930-something or a show simply called thirtysomething… we’ll cover it all. So, you’ll need to flip through channels upon channels of the useless factoids you’ve accumulated over the years in order to tune in to the correct answer. For today’s challenge, we’re heading to Paddy’s Pub to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with the It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia gang. Scroll down for the cold open!
Meghan Markle is reportedly unsettled after an email leak revealed details of her upcoming trip to Australia before an official announcement was made.
The Duchess of Sussex is scheduled to headline the “Her Best Life Retreat” in Sydney next month, but the early disclosure has sparked concerns about privacy and control over her projects.
According to insiders, the leak has left Meghan Markle worried about what other private information could surface, particularly regarding past business dealings, as she prepares for the high-profile visit.
Meghan Markle Is Reportedly ‘Losing Sleep At What Else Could Come Out’ As Email Leak Reveals Retreat Plans
News Licensing / MEGA
Meghan Markle is reportedly “losing sleep” after an email leak prematurely revealed details about her upcoming trip to Australia.
The 44-year-old Duchess of Sussex is set to headline the Her Best Life Retreat in Sydney next month, organized by Jackie’ O’ Henderson’s Besties company.
Advertisement
According to sources, Meghan was alarmed that news of her appearance leaked days before the official announcement.
“She was horrified when word got out, ahead of the official announcement, that she would be appearing at a women’s retreat in Sydney,” a source told New Idea, per Sky News. “She likes to be in control, and the chaotic announcement about her arrival was anything but polished. While a leak about the trip isn’t the end of the world, Meghan’s losing sleep at what else could come out.”
The duchess is reportedly worried about what other private information could surface, particularly concerning her confidential communications with Netflix before the streamer ended its collaboration with her lifestyle brand, As Ever.
The Duchess Tightens Security After Shocking Leak
MEGA
Meghan is said to be actively investigating the leak and strengthening her staff’s non-disclosure agreements to prevent future breaches.
“She is on a mission to find out who leaked the information. It’s made the working environment around her office very tense,” the source added.
Advertisement
The retreat, running from April 17 to 19 at Coogee’s InterContinental Hotel, promises attendees a gala dinner featuring a live conversation with Meghan.
Meghan Markle’s Pricey $3K Australia Retreat Details Emerge
James Whatling / MEGA
VIP ticket holders will receive a group photo with the duchess, a goodie bag, and access to an ocean-view hotel room.
Tickets are priced at $3,000, with the event capped at 300 guests. Meanwhile, Prince Harry will appear at the InterEdge Summit in Melbourne as a keynote speaker on workplace mental health, with tickets costing up to $2,378.
This will be the Sussexes’ first trip to Australia since their 2018 royal tour, which also included New Zealand, Fiji, and Tonga. On this visit, they will travel as private citizens, leaving their children Archie, six, and Lilibet, four, at home in California.
Supporters Say The Duchess’s Australia Retreat Offers Rare Chance To See Her Personal Side
¡dehoy! Agency / MEGA
Meanwhile, while organizers emphasize the retreat’s focus on meaningful experiences, critics have questioned the price tag.
Hosts Jackie O Henderson and Gemma O’Neill explained that the weekend will focus on “powerful conversations, relaxation, laughter, and unforgettable experiences.”
Advertisement
O’Neill revealed she would be interviewing Meghan during the retreat, adding that the duchess agreed to participate as a favor for a mutual friend and because she “really loves what our community is about.”
Royal expert Ian Pelham Turner described the event as a rare opportunity to see the personal side of Meghan.
“This is a wonderful opportunity for the guests to meet a Royal with a genuine heart and for Meghan to relax and be with people who wish to listen to her thoughts on life,” he said.
Highlighting her long-standing commitment to service, from early activism to supporting Grenfell survivors through a community cookout, Pelham noted that Meghan has “proven time and again” that she is empathetic and makes those she meets feel valued.
Advertisement
Meghan Markle’s $3K Australia Retreat Faces Criticism As Experts Question ‘Founder’ Image
MEGA
Unfortunately for the Duchess of Sussex, not everyone is convinced by the branding behind her latest venture.
“Markle has consistently leaned into the moniker of ‘entrepreneur’ or ‘founder,’” Doug Eldridge, founder of Achilles PR, told Fox News Digital, noting that such titles don’t necessarily require a proven track record.
However, Eldridge argued that credibility depends on sustained results. Citing mixed reports about As Ever, stalled acting projects, and a Netflix series that was not renewed, he stated, “For someone who often talks about building, her record seems more in line with demolition.”
Steven Bergman/AFF-USA.COM / MEGA
Kinsey Schofield, host of YouTube’s “Kinsey Schofield’s Unfiltered,” added that the upcoming Australia trip feels more commercial than royal.
She pointed out that while Harry will keynote the InterEdge Psychosocial Safety Summit on workplace mental health, Meghan is being positioned as the star of a luxury women’s retreat at the InterContinental Sydney Coogee Beach.
Guests will pay for an intimate dinner and conversation with her, with promotional materials highlighting everything from her acting work on “Suits” to her podcast “Archetypes,” her philanthropic efforts through Archewell, and her lifestyle brand As Ever.
Advertisement
“In other words, it’s essentially a very expensive girls’ weekend built around access to the former actress,” Schofield concluded, framing the event as more commercial than ceremonial.
Us Weekly has affiliate partnerships. We receive compensation when you click on a link and make a purchase. Learn more!
If you’ve ever watched Lily Collins on screen and thought, “How does her skin look like that?”, you’re not alone. The actress has a complexion that practically glows from within, the kind that looks effortless even under harsh studio lighting. And while great genes certainly play a part, one of the real secrets lives inside a very unassuming tube of French face cream.
As if the $20 price point wasn’t enough, this French pharmacy staple reportedly sells every four seconds worldwide! So, what makes it so special? The Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré Daily Face Moisturizer pulls double duty as both a moisturizer and a makeup primer, which means fewer steps in your morning routine. The formula contains shea butter and aloe vera, two ingredients that deliver serious hydration without leaving your face feeling greasy or heavy. Your skin gets that plump, dewy quality that makes makeup sit beautifully on top.
When it comes to natural beauty, Jennifer Aniston just might be the ultimate poster girl. Now at 56 years old, the iconic movie star has skin that’s still fresh, glowy and healthy-looking as ever. We should’ve known that her skincare secret comes from the queens of effortless beauty themselves: French women. According to Elle Australia, […]
The fact that it’s suitable for all skin types is a genuine advantage here. If you’ve spent years figuring out what your skin tolerates, especially as it changes over time, finding a hydrating cream that doesn’t trigger breakouts or irritation feels like striking gold. This one works as a blank canvas for pretty much everyone, which is exactly why makeup artists keep it in their kits. They never know what skin type they’ll be working on next, and Embryolisse doesn’t let them down.
At $20, this French face cream costs a fraction of what many luxury moisturizers charge. And honestly, the travel size is a smart way to test it out before committing to a full bottle. Toss it in your bag, keep it at your desk, bring it on your next trip. It’s the kind of product that earns a permanent spot in your routine once you try it.
Over 20,000 Amazon shoppers give the French face cream glowing reviews, so don’t just take Collins’ word for it!
Advertisement
“This is a quality, versatile product that makes my skin look like I had a facial,” one five-star reviewer wrote. “I use it as a moisturizer and enjoy the way it primes my skin for makeup. My skin is combination and the formula does not clog my pores, instead, it seems to erase them. I love that you can use it to cleanse your skin, which makes it a good multi-tasker for travel. It is gentle enough to be used around your eyes, too. The scent is delicious and the product is light and creamy.”
One of the funnier scenes ever to make it into a movie happens in the classic Chevy Chase/Dan Aykroyd comedy Spies Like Us. The duo, playing inept spies, arrives at a Doctors Without Borders camp, and all it takes for them to convince the people there that they belong is to call everyone “Doctor” over and over and over again. It’s a fun, silly way of poking fun at pretentious PhDs and also the limited intelligence of our heroes.
Now imagine that sixty-second scene stretched over sixty minutes, played seriously instead of as a joke, and with Chevy Chase’s character replaced by a badly rendered miniature reindeer in a top hat. That’s what happens in season 2 episode 7 of Netflix’s pirate adventure show One Piece. Aptly titled “Reindeer Shames,” it may be the single worst hour of programming ever released on streaming, and somehow it’s the penultimate episode of the streamer’s new flagship show.
Doctor. Doctor.
Having not seen episode 7 yet, and having previously enjoyed season one and all six previous episodes of season 2, I’d been recklessly recommending One Piece to everyone I know. Now, not only am I rescinding that recommendation, I’m not sure I have the strength to continue on and watch the second season’s final episode.
One Piece Fans Waited More Than Two Years For Time Wasting Filler
Get used to seeing these bushes.
A quick positioning statement: I love anime and watch a lot of it. Like 99% of the people watching the Netflix show, though, I’ve never watched the anime version of One Piece. I’ve avoided it largely because there are thousands of episodes, and that seems daunting, but also because even its most ardent defenders often admit that many of those episodes are actually time-wasting filler.
The One Piece anime’s predilection towards time-wasting filler episodes may explain the presence of “Reindeer Shames” on the Netflix version, the plot of which involves none of the show’s actual cast. The story also has basically nothing to do with any of the narratives being developed in the rest of the season.
That might be an acceptable side trip in a series with thousands of episodes, but in the modern era of lazy streaming production, we only get eight episodes every two or three years instead of an annual two-dozen. Wasting one of those precious episodes on anything not directly relevant to what’s happening on the show would be a bad idea, even if it were somehow good. When it’s this bad, it feels almost criminal.
Advertisement
A Blatant Cost-Cutting Measure From Netflix
Yep, same bushes.
“Reindeer Shames” tells the story of a Doctor on the run in a country where Doctors are being rounded up for weird anime doctor-hoarding reasons. The Doctor encounters a tiny, talking reindeer who looks like he just fell off a Toys R Us plushy shelf during the Christmas holiday rush of 1997. Or he would look like that if the CGI used to animate him didn’t also look like it came from 1997.
It seems clear that at least part of Netflix’s motivation in making this episode was as a cost-cutting measure. The show’s other episodes look fantastic, with high-level special effects and large-scale action sequences. However, “Reindeer Shames” largely takes place in either an unremarkable bush or a single hut and offers only a few, half-hearted seconds of action at the end. And again, it doesn’t involve any of the show’s actual cast, which probably means Netflix only paid them for seven episodes while still producing eight.
Netflix Has Opened Its Own Learing Center
I’m only in this one episode, so I cost less Chopper.
This has all the earmarks of a scam. Making your subscription-paying audience wait two and a half years for eight episodes and then cheaping out on one of them is the streaming version of a Minnesota Learning Center.
The talking reindeer is named Chopper, and I’m told by Jonathan Klotz, who I consider an expert in all One Piece matters, that this character is a beloved figure in the animated version of this tale. Maybe he’ll grow into that over the course of Netflix’s live-action series, assuming the awfulness of this outing doesn’t cause the show to be canceled. Still, he’s garbage in this episode, and plays out like a clumsy, half-baked attempt to create the next Baby Yoda in a world where everyone’s sick to death of Baby Yodas.
Stop Watching One Piece Unless Supervised By A Doctor
Me after watching this episode.
Instead of delivering the kind of pirate adventure One Piece viewers are tuned in for, the episode meanders around, fixating on endless speeches about how amazing and important Doctors are. Doctor this and Doctor that, and oh, aren’t Doctors incredible angels who totally aren’t doing this job just because they like buying Corvettes and hanging out at country clubs.
Sitting through “Reindeer Shames” made me wish One Piece was on YouTube instead of Netflix, so it could be interrupted by an Incogni ad. In that worse-than-streaming-sponsorships environment, I guess Chopper, since he isn’t a Doctor and only wants to be one, is the least worst thing about it. That’s a hopeful point for his continued Doctor presence on the show, which seems like something I’ll have to endure if I ever again work up the doctor-like courage to watch another One Piece episode. I probably won’t, at least not without the supervision of a Doctor.
Taylor Frankie Paul’s Secret Lives of Mormon Wives costars are hesitant to continue filming amid her dispute with ex Dakota Mortensen.
“The Mormon Wives cast [is] honestly terrified to film with Taylor right now,” a source exclusively tells Us Weekly, noting that production is “shut down” at the moment and “the women have made it clear they don’t want to be around her because they see her as a major liability.”
TMZ and People reported on Monday, March 16, that The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives producers paused filming on season 5 earlier this month following an alleged domestic dispute between Taylor, 31, and Dakota, 33. A Draper City Police Department spokesperson subsequently confirmed to Us that a “domestic assault investigation” involving the former couple is ongoing. (Per police, “allegations have been made in both directions” and “contact was made with involved parties on [February] 24th and 25th.”)
The insider told Us that, prior to the incident, the Mormon Wives cast “believed Taylor was in a better place” after she filmed her season of The Bachelorette and that their Hulu reality show “was heading in a different direction.”
Taylor Frankie Paul and Dakota Mortensen‘s complicated romance was thrust into the spotlight on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives — and their relationship status remains unclear. The couple started dating before the show premiered on Hulu. Dakota was Taylor’s first public boyfriend after her divorce from husband Tate Paul due to a high-profile “soft […]
“Now, many of them feel they’ve moved past the point of dealing with this kind of behavior and simply don’t want to be put in that position again,” according to the source.
Advertisement
Us has reached out to representatives for Paul, Mortensen and Hulu.
Taylor previously had legal issues when she was arrested in February 2023 on domestic violence charges. She was initially charged with aggravated assault, two counts of domestic violence in the presence of a child, child abuse with injury and criminal mischief after the incident.
Dakota publicly defended Taylor at the time, and she ultimately agreed to plead guilty to aggravated assault, with the four charges being dismissed with prejudice. (Taylor told the “Call Her Daddy” podcast in September 2025 that the four other charges “were all dropped.”)
When The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives season 1 premiered in September 2024, Taylor opened up about the trauma of her arrest. (Body-camera footage taken from the night of her arrest was published shortly before the reality series debuted.)
Advertisement
Dakota Mortenson, Taylor Frankie Paul on “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.”Fred Hayes; Hulu/Disney; Courtesy Everett Collection
“Getting arrested, it was the worst night of my life. I ended up being charged with aggravated assault with three years of probation,” she reflected in 2024. “After the arrest, I was under so much stress. I was filmed leaving the jail and then that was immediately on the internet. It was a blessing in disguise. It helped me wake up.”
Taylor got together with Dakota following the end of her marriage to ex-husband Tate Paul in May 2022. Taylor and Dakota subsequently split in 2025 following his sexting scandal. (Taylor and Tate welcomed daughter Indy May, 8, and son Ocean, 5, before separating during the MomTok soft swinging scandal. Shen later welcomed son Ever True with Dakota in March 2024.)
Speaking to Us for a cover story earlier this month, Taylor acknowledged that navigating her split from Dakota has been challenging at times.
Thank You!
You have successfully subscribed.
Advertisement
“It was hard because I’m, obviously, a part of that — it’s not like I am pointing the finger like, ‘He is [the toxic one.]’ It takes two to tango. We were just not progressing,” Taylor admitted to Us. “We like each other sometimes, and then we fight. It’s really hard to explain to people and unless you’ve been in that situation, it is hard to understand. If I could just snap out of it, trust me, I would. It’s just a lot harder said than done.”
Taylor Frankie Paul is unapologetically herself on The Bachelorette — and she won’t hesitate to cut anyone there for the wrong reasons. “They’re all amazing, which has made this all so much harder,” Taylor, 31, told host Jesse Palmer in a prerecorded segment during the Wednesday, November 12, finale of The Golden Bachelor about her […]
Advertisement
Since her split from Dakota, Taylor has filmed The Bachelorette season 22, which premieres on ABC March 22. The reality had a candid response when asked by Us about where she stood with Dakota amid her Bachelorette casting.
“That’s a good question,” she admitted. “I don’t even know. I have to ask myself that question all the time. Where do we stand? I don’t know. Ask me tomorrow.”
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/jane-fonda-BARBRA-STREISAND-031626-97650f109167440594d7ba9e18199331.jpg)
.jpeg?q=49&fit=crop&w=500&dpr=2)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/aqp2-08875r-2000-08cb1fbb3c344a95a01ee5dc4d637a38.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/Walt-Disney-Katharine-Hepburn-Daniel-Day-Lewis-021126-7565eebd221a478cb44a79bbc454103e.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/Jerry-OConnell-Club-Random-with-Bill-Maher-Kamala-Harris-031626-ade46cd1ab4e476ebdc3922973090cc7.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/travis-scott-kylie-jenner-timothee-chalamet-031626-8f9fc02ff900441e9fc4a0f97879ea43.jpg)
You must be logged in to post a comment Login