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25 Years Later, These Are the 10 Best Movies of 2001
Although it was one year into the new millennium, 2001 technically marked the beginning of the 21st century. Proving how quickly time passes by, the year that signaled the dawn of a new era for humanity, culture, and technology is now 25 years old. While the year has obviously been memorialized by the September 11th attacks, 2001, in retrospect, it turned out to be an inflection point in pop culture, and its aftershocks still linger in cinema today. Fittingly enough, the year that shares the name with Stanley Kubrick‘s sci-fi masterpiece about the evolution of life saw totemic releases like the debut of Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings, franchises that showed Hollywood a new pathway to the future of moviegoing. From major blockbusters to acclaimed arthouse auteurist visions, narrowing down the 10 best movies of 2001 was a cumbersome task.
10
‘Moulin Rouge!’
Movie musicals were never the same after Moulin Rouge! swung into theaters in the summer of 2001. Baz Luhrmann, the master of visual and auditory glamor, revamped the genre with his rapid-fire editing, hypnotic visual language, electric pacing, and use of anachronistic pop music to round out this jukebox musical.
Starring Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor as star-crossed lovers whose romance becomes a Shakespearean tragedy, Moulin Rouge! earns its exclamation point in its title. “Loud” doesn’t even come close to describing the vigor and relentless enthusiasm of Luhrmann’s signature movie. Right when you get on the film’s bonkers wavelength and catch up with its intense camera movements and breathless editing, Luhrmann undercuts the sensationalism with a tender, affectionate, yet poignant romance between wistful poet Christian (McGregor) and aspiring actress Satine (Kidman). Just as indelible as the sets are the catchy songs, which sample the best pop music and musical numbers of the 20th century. Although Moulin Rouge!‘s story is predictable, if not maudlin, it hits all the right spots. Luhrmann kicked off the right kind of boisterous party to start the century.
9
‘Ghost World’
This is no superhero movie. In what comic book or graphic novel could you ever find a story about two disaffected teen girls navigating through a cruel and confusing world? That’s what makes Ghost World, the Daniel Clowes graphic novel and the Terry Zwigoff screen adaptation, so special. After honoring the work of iconoclastic comic book artist Robert Crumb, Zwigoff directed a signature film for everyone who’s ever been misunderstood.
Ghost World, led by Scarlett Johansson and Thora Birch, and featuring a stand-out supporting performance by Steve Buscemi, reflects an era where comics were underground and fashionable among arthouse corners before they became billion-dollar enterprises for movie studios. Zwigoff’s pitch-black and countercultural sensibilities that drove Crumb and Bad Santa are at their peak in his 2001 indie that earned a Best Adapted Screenplay nomination. Ghost World is effortlessly hilarious, even when it seems like Zwigoff has such scorn for his own quirky characters and their world that’s alien to them. While it’s initially coated in irony, the movie embraces the emotionality of Rebecca (Johansson) and Enid (Birch). Despite their glib attitude, these outsiders just want to feel loved and understood in a thankless world.
8
‘Ocean’s Eleven’
In what is perhaps the slickest and effortlessly cool Hollywood movie made in the last 25 years, Ocean’s Eleven is the best piece of evidence that filmmakers should remake unsuccessful movies with a strong premise. The original 1960 heist movie starring members of the Rat Pack was strangely dull and meandering, but if you find a sharp director like Steven Soderbergh and the present-day batch of the most suave stars, the movie ostensibly writes itself. Sure enough, 2001’s Ocean Eleven paid out like a slot machine.
This murderer’s row of seismic movie stars, which includes George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, and Matt Damon, tells you everything you need to know about Ocean’s Eleven. The film carries itself with a swagger and flair that can only manifest with this level of Hollywood pedigree. Not to mention, Soderbergh’s fast-paced and precise direction keeps the flow electric. The director knows when to expedite the plot and let the scene play out methodically so that his charismatic stars can banter. Ocean’s Eleven perfectly calibrated the stardom of Clooney and Pitt, and their respective careers are indebted to Soderbergh’s blueprint. A lively piece of pop entertainment crafted with the excellence of prestige fare, the film is exactly the kind of cinematic bravura that appeals to four quadrants.
7
‘The Piano Teacher’
You have to be in the right mood to sit down and let the psychological dread and unsettling vibes of Michael Haneke‘s movies enter your world. The world-renowned Austrian filmmaker of dark, often bleak dramas rattles everyone to the bone, and his films leave an indelible imprint. Before delving into the dread and nihilism portrayed in Funny Games or Caché, a strong gateway film to Haneke’s world is The Piano Teacher, arguably his most striking and formally impressive effort to date.
Starring Isabelle Huppert as Erika Kohut, a repressed music instructor who enters a thorny relationship with her student, Walter Klemmer (Benoît Magimel), The Piano Teacher chronicles the generational domino effect of trauma and domineering partnerships, as Erika’s mother (Annie Girardot) controls every ounce of her being, causing the icy teacher to turn to masochistic proclivities. Huppert gives one of the signature performances of the decade, seamlessly walking the tightrope between absurdist black comedy and gut-wrenching anguish throughout the film. Haneke lets the innate character drama and uncanny quirks of human relations carry the momentum, making The Piano Teacher a surprisingly captivating watch, despite its emotionally burdensome ideas. As perverse as the movie is, you’ll never want to look away.
6
‘Memento’
After watching Memento, no one will need tattoos or Polaroids to remember what they just witnessed. Before becoming the face of blockbuster cinema with The Dark Knight and The Odyssey, Christopher Nolan was the most exciting voice in the mystery/neo-noir genre. Thanks to his slick style and inventive manipulation of narrative chronology, Nolan was destined to have a modern noir classic in his repertoire. Even after all these years, Memento, which tracks the director at his darkest and most haunted, remains one of Nolan’s crowning achievements.
Memento taught audiences to never expect a conventional story structure in a Nolan film. With his second feature, the Oppenheimer director crafted a labyrinthian mystery crime thriller about Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce), who tracks down his wife’s murderer under harsh circumstances, as he suffers from short-term memory loss. Nolan makes the bold decision to drop the audience into Leonard’s mindset, and it’s up to you to put the pieces together by connecting a linear timeline with a reverse linear timeline. Filled with gripping procedural and action set pieces, a rich character study about manipulation and alternate realities, and even dashes of refreshing levity, Memento makes you wish that Nolan would return to stripped-down, mid-budget crime movies in between his galactical epics. In the century’s inaugural year, the industry found its next great auteur.
5
‘Y tu mamá también’
Audiences have never seen a love triangle movie like Y tu mamá también before or since its release. For cinephiles, this Mexican coming-of-age road-trip dramedy was the thing to seek out, although its shotgun blast of laughs, lurid images, and fiery character dynamics make it accessible to all viewers. More than anything, the film announced the presence of a genuine auteur in Alfonso Cuarón, who would go on to direct major blockbusters like Gravity and even a Harry Potter movie.
Y tu mamá también is an erotically charged, provocative study of age, masculinity, and repressed sexuality that lures you in with its compelling setup and promise for explicit material, but in the end, it confronts your psychology and overall comfort. The chemistry between its stars, Maribel Verdú as Luisa and Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna as Julio and Tenoch, respectively, crackles with fluid romanticism and thick tension. Cuarón’s gifts as a visual storyteller shine in this film that doesn’t necessarily demand flashy filmmaking, but it’s grandeur and documentary-like grit make this archetypal story unforgettable. A poignant reflection of coming-of-age and aimlessness as an adult, Y tu mamá también is a multi-layered odyssey of licentiousness, pent-up rage, and alienation.
4
‘The Royal Tenenbaums’
To this day, Wes Anderson continues to push his idiosyncratic vision to new territories. While he’s gotten more formally ambitious and thematically dark in recent years, Anderson has still yet to recapture the level of heart and rich characterization of The Royal Tenenbaums, his third feature that made it crystal clear that he was no flash in the pan. Paired up with a Hollywood legend, Gene Hackman, and his usual robust ensemble cast, this family dramedy proved that the writer-director has always been a humanist beneath his opulent set design.
What separates The Royal Tenenbaums from the Anderson pack is its titanic, career capstone performance by the late Gene Hackman, a no-nonsense, old-school dramatic heavyweight and the perfect counter to the director’s hyper-detailed, painterly visual language. Hackman upends his familiar steely edge for a riveting performance that sees him playing a quintessential bad dad trying to open the emotional pathways he locked away from his dysfunctional kids. Along with remarkable performances by Gwyneth Paltrow, Luke Wilson, and Ben Stiller, The Royal Tenenbaums is Anderson’s most subtle effort behind the camera, but his unique eye for New York City interiors remains splendid, and his affinity for serio-comic story and character beats is evidence of his preternatural talents.
3
‘A.I. Artificial Intelligence’
Unfairly maligned by many and egregiously misunderstood upon release, true fans of Steven Spielberg know that A.I. Artificial Intelligence is a landmark achievement for not just the legendary director but also the entire medium itself. Burdened with the high expectation of being Stanley Kubrick‘s unrealized passion project, Spielberg honored the late director’s cold dissection of humanity with his own pop and adventurous sensibilities to create something magical, haunting, and a sobering cautionary tale about advanced technology.
A film that grows in importance each passing day, A.I. underlined the dark side of Spielberg’s glossy and hopeful vision of the world.
First things first when discussing A.I. is to address the elephant in the room: its ending, erroneously read as a cop-out, Spielbergian happy ending, is anything but optimistic. The film’s heart-wrenching final moments tie together Spielberg and Kubrick’s themes surrounding the perils of humanizing artificial intelligence. In the end, it’s an inhuman life form that cannot replace love, family, and personal growth. A film that grows in importance each passing day, A.I. underlined the dark side of Spielberg’s glossy and hopeful vision of the world. The state-of-the-art android, David (Haley Joel Osment), can be programmed to love and serve as an adopted child, but this artifice ultimately destroys our entire notion of true love. Featuring arguably the finest child performance in history by Osment, A.I. is an expansive odyssey that depicts the world at its most vulnerable and susceptible to technological takeover.
2
‘The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring’
One of the boldest gambles in cinematic history, New Line Cinema granted a relatively unknown filmmaker, Peter Jackson, carte blanche to faithfully adapt J.R.R. Tolkien‘s Lord of the Rings book trilogy with the scope of a classic Hollywood epic. On top of it all, he would be shooting all three movies concurrently. Because The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, as well as its two successors, is so revered, it’s easy to overlook how miraculous the first movie’s triumph was, as it paved the way for the future of blockbuster cinema.
Although The Two Towers and Return of the King raise the stakes and capitalize on the world-building of their predecessor to epic proportions, Fellowship of the Ring remains the series’ apex. Jackson pulls an incredible trick by making the film feel complete and wholly satisfying while also making you excited to continue how this saga manifests on Middle-earth. While lighter on action than its sequels, Fellowship‘s hero arcs, mythmaking, and iconic lines represent the peak of cinematic euphoria. The key to the viability of Lord of the Rings as a franchise was its cast, which Jackson nailed, and minted Elijah Wood, Viggo Mortensen, and Orlando Bloom into stars. Fellowship of the Ring signaled that the tides were turning in Hollywood, and audiences began demanding that all adaptations of beloved texts have this level of craft and integrity.
1
‘Mulholland Drive’
Having been anointed as one of the finest achievements in cinematic history by the 2022 Sight and Sound poll, Mulholland Drive‘s sheer existence is a miracle, let alone standing as a triumphant masterpiece. Initially conceived as a television series by David Lynch, this failed pilot was adapted into a feature film before becoming the late director’s most uncompromising and masterful work of art. With its alluring ambiguity, deconstruction of fame, and haunting portrait of the dreamscape, the film will endure for the rest of time.
By 2001, one would think that the medium couldn’t be evolved any further, but Lynch quietly proved everyone wrong with Mulholland Drive, which channels his earlier work in film and television while pushing the envelope to new, profound heights. While Lynch’s exploration of the subconscious and the disillusionment of an aspiring actor, Betty (Naomi Watts), aimed towards more abstract ideas, the film manages to be shockingly accessible and open to surface-level entertainment. Rich with immersive photography, unsettling atmospheres, thorny questions about fame and identity, and a sprinkling of amusing exchanges, Mulholland Drive showed that surreal cinema doesn’t have to be an anguishing exercise for casual audiences. It’s compulsory viewing for everyone to understand the mythical potential of the art form. Lynch’s ability to speak to the viewers’ hearts and probe their psyche will remain unmatched.
- Release Date
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October 19, 2001
- Runtime
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147 minutes
- Director
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David Lynch
- Writers
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David Lynch
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Katie Holmes clearly knows that sometimes, the simplest wardrobe staples can be the most luxurious. At the Chanel Tribeca Festival Artists Dinner, the actress paired a beige top with sleek black trousers and two-toned heels, serving the effortless polish she’s known for. The good news is that a similar quiet-luxury top is on Amazon, and doesn’t cost more than $20!
With its neutral palette, clean lines and slightly slouchy fit, this sleeveless summer knit is a celebrity-approved style that’s actually wearable. It’s something you can casually wear to dinner with friends, not just to an A-lister-packed event, which in short means we’re snagging at least two.
Get the Btfbm Sleeveless Knit Top for $20 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication but are subject to change.
The Btfbm Sleeveless Knit Top comes in a light khaki shade that channels Katie’s exact vibe, with a relaxed crew neckline and a loose, breezy silhouette. It’s a piece that works as hard as you do, and whether it’s tucked into trousers for dinner, layered under a blazer for the office or paired with denim on weekends, it transforms your look into something luxe.
Katie Holmes did it again. She skipped a predictable fashion look for something sleeker, richer and so much classier. Her dark-wash denim style reads way more polished than regular blue, and we found the look on sale for just $27 on Amazon! The Happy Hours actress was recently spotted in New York City looking effortlessly […]
The stylish, affordable tank is also incredibly flattering. Aside from visually elongating your figure, the ribbed knit drapes away from your body rather than squeezing or constricting, making you appear slimmer by default. Oh, and it’s stretchy!
One five-star shopper wrote, “The fabric is soft and silky (no shine) and not see-through. The construction is like much more expensive garments . . . It hits at high hip and falls loosely without being tight . . . This top is sophisticated, timeless and classic.”
At $20, this chic wonder is basically begging to become the unsung hero of your warm-weather rotation. Holmes makes minimalist dressing look like an art form, and now you can borrow her formula. A great neutral knit, comfy pants, your favorite shoes and you’re done. No overthinking required.
Get the Btfbm Sleeveless Knit Top for $20 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication but are subject to change.
Bloating always comes at the worst times, but with the right blouse, it really doesn’t matter! We found 13 tummy-flattering blouses that fit the description, making you look slim, polished and anything but ‘poofy.’ They should cost hundreds, but our tailored-looking picks start at just $4! The chic, rich mom blouses on our list are […]
A fourth celebrity will be lacing up their ballroom shoes for Dancing With the Stars season 35.
Jimmy Kimmel announced on the Wednesday, June 17, episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live! that his onscreen sidekick Guillermo Rodriguez is joining DWTS this fall.
“This September, Guillermo will become the first-ever parking lot security guard to dance with the stars,” Kimmel, 58, declared. “Don’t lose a single adorable pound! ”
Rodriguez, 55, has been working on Jimmy Kimmel Live! for 23 years, having started on the show as a security guard. His quirky chemistry with Kimmel led to an on-air role as a sidekick and red carpet interviewer.
A full list of cast members (including stars and pro dancers) is set to be unveiled on September 2 on Good Morning America, with the series premiering this fall on ABC and Disney+. A new dancer from The Next Pro, which is hosted by season 34 mirrorball winner Robert Irwin, will also be joining the series.
Wednesday’s announcement comes one month after DWTS announced that Savannah Bananas’ Jackson Olson would be joining the show. Weeks earlier, news broke that Summer House star Ciara Miller and Love Island’s Maura Higgins would be trying their hand at the competition on season 35.
Maura, for her part, already has an idea of who she wants to be by her side in the ballroom.
The Dancing With the Stars ballroom is filling up fast for season 35. While simultaneously confirming the reality competition’s renewal, Hulu shared during the Get Real House event in April that Summer House’s Ciara Miller and Love Island star Maura Higgins would be lacing up their dancing shoes. The following month, Savannah Bananas second baseman Jackson […]
“The training is meant to be quite grueling,” Maura, 35, exclusively told Us Weekly in May. “That’s why I want Mark [Ballas], because maybe he might go easy on me a bit. But then I do probably need to be pushed.”
While Mark — who connected with Maura on season 4 of The Traitors, which Rob Rausch won — said he’s “not sure” if he would return for DWTS season 35, Maura has a back-up plan at the ready. (After being famously betrayed by Rob, 27, in the finale, Maura was gifted a Birkin for her troubles.)
“If it’s not Mark, I think I’d want Val [Chmerkovskiy],” Maura told Us. “I mean, to be honest, I’m OK to have anyone else. I just don’t want Gleb [Savchenko]. That’s the main thing for me.”
Dancing With the Stars season 35 may be a few months away, but executives are working on “every single part of it.” “We’re deep into it,” executive producer and casting head Deena Katz told The Hollywood Reporter on Sunday, April 26. “We’re already deep into casting, we’re talking themes — we’re talking everything.” Earlier this […]
For Maura, not being partnered with Gleb, 42, is important to her after his on-off relationship with her friend Brooks Nader.
“It’s not even being mean. It’s just because I get on with Brooks and that’s that. I’m on Brooks’ side,” Maura told Us, as she referenced her mindset from season 4 of The Traitors. “I’m a loyalist, OK?”
Ciara, whose casting was announced amid the ongoing controversy surrounding Summer House costar and ex West Wilson’s romance with ex-BFF Amanda Batula, is set on having Val, 40, as her partner.
“I’ve been campaigning for Val,” Ciara told E! News during the May Met Gala livestream. “I don’t know if they hear me, but yeah, sending out some emails, putting my word in. We’ll see where everyone wants to place me.”
Dancing With the Stars is set to premiere this fall on ABC and Disney+. A specific date has not been announced yet.
Entertainment
Oliver Tree's producer reveals he was meant to board doomed helicopter flight — and why he pulled out
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The singer and five others were killed when two choppers collided in Brazil.
Jelly Roll‘s daughter, Bailee Ann, is speaking out as fans flood his comment section with STRONG words amid his filing for divorce from Bunnie XO.
RELATED: Watch K. Michelle Eat UP Her Country Music Awards Performance With Jelly Roll
Jelly Roll’s Daughter Speaks Out
According to Page Six, on Tuesday, June 16, Jelly Roll’s daughter, Bailee Ann, took to her Story on TikTok. This, to write, “Oh & one more thing I am disgusted at how invested everyone is in a very clearly private family matter. It’s fkn crazy. Go on somewhere yall. Worry bout your house- not mine. I’m not speaking on it – yet.”
@thebaileeann what can i say, i get it honest 😂 #baileeann #baileeandbunnie
Fans Flood His Comments With STRONG Words Amid Him Filing For Divorce From Bunnie XO
Meanwhile, social media users are gathered in the comment section of Jelly Roll’s latest Instagram post, sharing their “invested” thoughts.
Instagram user @__sarahsunflower wrote, “Not the first time you see a man use a woman to help him be better then leave.”
While Instagram user @jacobfriesen32 added, “Bro was on Joe Rogan crying about how much he loved his wife and how she and his family supported him through his weight loss journey. Now you’re divorcing homegirl. 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂”
Instagram user @the1andonlyshique wrote, “The difference in what he post and what she’s posting is key … but this marriage is not out business it’s theirs and I love how he is not sending subliminal messages he’s continuing on his growth journey…”
While Instagram user @katie_fogleman added, “And deleting her name from your bio… just made it real. 😮”
Instagram user @ginatheodore wrote, “A man of Christ would work on his marriage.”
While Instagram user @ali_porcelain added, “Got skinny and sucessful and now leaving the woman who put him there for ‘greener pastures’ 🙃”
Instagram user @sommerlacey wrote, “Never gonna get better than Bunnie my guy 😭😭😭😭😭 big mistake jelly”
While Instagram user @greekfreak_81 added, “Lost weight and ditched the wife!!!”
Instagram user @coco199900 wrote, “Jelly CLEAR THIS UP!! DON’T LET THE DEVIL DESTROY YOUR MARRIAGE”
While Instagram user @yoyokhlojo added, “Americas sweethearts cannot be divorcing!!!! I’m so sad!!!! I thought these 2 were in it for the long haul!!!! WHAT HAPPENED!!! Praying for yall! 😢”
More On Jelly Roll Filing For Divorce From Bunnie XO
As The Shade Room previously reported, Jelly Roll filed for divorce from his wife of ten years, Bunnie XO, on May 18. The filing reportedly surfaced on Tuesday, June 16, and revealed that he cited their separation date as May 9. Furthermore, in his filing, Jelly Roll reportedly noted “irreconcilable differences.”
On June 16, Bunnie XO appeared to react to the news of her divorce by sharing a photo of herself on her Instagram Story with the caption, “She’s getting her sparkle back.”
RELATED: Issa New Chapter? Bunnie XO Teases Getting Her “Sparkle Back” After Jelly Roll’s Divorce Filing Surfaces (VIDEO)
What Do You Think Roomies?
Entertainment
Craig Melvin stuns Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers with hatred of peanut butter: 'They perverted the peanut!'
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Peanut butter? Craig Melvin doesn’t think so, honey.
By Chris Snellgrove
| Published
What do you think the biggest plot hole in Star Wars is? You might think it’s the Emperor inexplicably surviving Return of the Jedi, thus making all that “chosen one” stuff from the prequels pretty meaningless. Or maybe Tatooine simultaneously being a crappy little backwater planet and yet a featured location in five franchise films and three television shows. For many of us, though, the biggest plot hole goes all the way back to the beginning, when Obi-Wan Kenobi tells Luke Skywalker that Darth Vader murdered the young man’s father. In reality, Luke’s dad was Vader, and his new mentor simply lied.
Or, as Obi-Wan lamely explains later, he told the truth…from a certain point of view. The real-world reason for this plot development is that George Lucas was still trying to figure everything out. In-universe, it’s still a crazy lie, one that Luke was quite literally fated to discover. However, a canceled Star Wars project would have explained this plot hole while adding depth to one of the franchise’s favorite characters. That project was Obi-Wan Kenobi, the film that was shuttered in favor of creating the Obi-Wan Kenobi television show. In the canceled movie, Obi-Wan would have discovered the dangers of passing his own guilt onto young Luke Skywalker, potentially explaining his later omission of the truth.
The Movie That Never Was
The Obi-Wan Kenobi TV show proved to be good, not great. It was fun seeing Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen square off again, but the entire main story (a weird Princess Leia side quest) was completely superfluous. In retrospect, the canceled Obi-Wan Kenobi movie was much, much more interesting. Writer Stuart Beattie had a story where a guilt-ridden Commander Cody, aging twice as fast as other humans, has dedicated his life to protecting Obi-Wan Kenobi. In turn, Kenobi has dedicated his life to protecting young Luke Skywalker, the Force-sensitive child of Anakin Skywalker.
However, things go unpredictably sideways. In his zeal to protect Skywalker, Obi-Wan has projected his will onto the kid, which has an unexpected side effect. He loses much of his connection to the Force, leaving him vulnerable, a la the Man of Steel in Superman II. Eventually, he goes to the shrine of a goddess and ends up back on Mustafar, fighting a de-aged version of Mark Hamill as an evil Luke Skywalker. Obi-Wan nearly loses the fight before snapping awake with a revelation: that putting his guilt for failing Anakin and the rest of the Jedi would doom Luke to the Dark Side. He learns to mellow out, restoring his connection to the Force.
Trauma, Drama, And Lightsabers
So, what does this have to do with Obi-Wan lying to Luke about who his father really was in A New Hope? Simple: by this point, the Jedi Master would have spent nearly a decade trying to keep his own guilt from affecting Luke from afar. But actually sitting down with the kid, dishing about the most traumatic days of your life, plus explaining his legacy and pitching a rescue mission? That is a lot for the emotionally stunted hermit to take on in one day. Actually explaining the fall of Anakin Skywalker and the rise of Darth Vader would have been too much, so Kenobi took the easy path and lied.
It’s not a perfect explanation, of course, and nothing changes the fact that Luke was always going to discover the truth. But this canceled Obi-Wan Kenobi movie does provide a simple, emotionally satisfying reason for the old Jedi Master lying. Basically, he was trying to push past his own trauma and be the mentor Luke needed him to be. Sadly, this Obi-Wan Kenobi movie was canceled, so we’ll never have any adventures between the titular Jedi and Commander Cody. But we do now have some easy head canon that explains the truth of Kenobi’s actions. Truth told in the purest Star Wars fashion: from a certain point of view.
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Sarah Jessica Parker has spent decades perfecting the art of looking polished without looking like she tried. Since her Carrie Bradshaw days, she’s mastered that effortless, slightly undone glow. According to a source shared with Us, her secret for maintaining soft, glossy lips is a budget-friendly balm hiding on Amazon.
According to a source for the brand, Parker reportedly keeps the Finding Ferdinand Black Lip Balm in Berry on hand — a $19 Amazon find that blends hydration with a flattering hint of color. The balm offers a sheer, glossy tint while nourishing lips. It’s exactly the kind of practical-meets-pretty staple that fits her signature aesthetic.
Get the Finding Ferdinand Black Lip Balm for $19 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate as of the publishing date but are subject to change.
The Finding Ferdinand Black Lip Balm in ‘berry’ fits seamlessly into Parker’s low-maintenance beauty routine. Instead of layering multiple products, this one delivers a sheer, buildable tint that enhances your natural lip color. The vitamin-rich formula is designed to keep lips hydrated for hours, giving you that soft, glossy finish without constant reapplying.
Martha Stewart has spent decades perfecting that polished, camera-ready glow — so when one of her reported beauty staples surfaces, it’s worth paying attention. The lifestyle icon’s complexion always looks smooth, bright and effortlessly refined, which makes her rumored concealer choice especially intriguing. According to a source who told Us, Stewart uses Charlotte Tilbury AIRbrush […]
What sets it apart is the tone. The cool berry shade creates that just-bitten look that flatters a wide range of skin tones. It’s sheer enough to swipe on without a mirror but can be built up for a slightly deeper wash of color, making it an easy day-to-night option.
Shoppers are just as impressed. One reviewer raved about the “creamy” texture, adding they’ve even used it as “blush in a pinch” for a coordinated, fresh-faced look. Another said they were “blown away” by how “very natural looking” the shade is, noting it makes their lips “look youthful and ever-so-slightly shimmery.”
Beyond the flattering berry tint, this balm works overtime to smooth dryness, deliver lightweight hydration and keep lips feeling comfortable all day. The non-sticky formula glides on effortlessly, while the slim tube makes quick touch-ups easy wherever you go.
Sarah Jessica Parker’s pick proves that achieving soft, polished lips doesn’t require a luxury price tag — just one smart, everyday staple.
Get the Finding Ferdinand Black Lip Balm for $19 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate as of the publishing date but are subject to change.
Looking for something else? Explore more from Finding Ferdinand here and don’t forget to check out all of Amazon’s Daily Deals for more great finds!
Anyone who watched The Eras Tour documentary knows Taylor Swift delivers nonstop outfit changes, choreography and vocals. But fans also spotted a smaller detail backstage: a volumizing conditioner tucked among her essentials. It’s a subtle clue behind her signature bouncy, full-looking hair. While getting ready for back-to-back shows, Swift relied on products that could keep […]
Crime mysteries about missing kids are nothing new. From network procedurals like NBC’s Found to glossy miniseries like Peacock’s All Her Fault, these cases serve as the driving force for many a TV series — and for good reason. The stakes are automatically high when there’s an innocent child in danger. Harlan Coben adaptations have been a staple of streaming for a while as well, from hits like Stay Close, about a journalist, mother, and detective all united by a traumatic event, and The Stranger, starring Richard Armitage and Hannah John-Kamen as a family man and a mysterious woman who knows a plethora of life-changing secrets. No matter what kind of subject matter Coben is tackling, there’s a straightforward but suspenseful style that defines his work, and it’s one that audiences have clearly grown to love. His shows often skyrocket to the top of the Netflix charts and stay there for a good while as people make binge-watching a priority. I Will Find You is bound to be no different.
What Is ‘I Will Find You’ About?
I Will Find You centers on David Burroughs (Sam Worthington), whom we meet in prison. He’s been there for the last five years, after being found guilty of killing his young son Matthew (Ashton Cressman), though he maintains his innocence. Things get more complicated when his sister-in-law, Rachel (Britt Lower), visits him in prison with a recent photograph of a child who looks exactly like Matthew. David’s friends on the inside, a father-son duo named Philip (Peter Outerbridge) and Adam Mackenzie (Jonathan Tucker), agree to help break David out so he can discover the truth, which he attempts to do while evading a nationwide manhunt, originally led by Max Williams (Chi McBride) and Sarah Greer (Logan Browning).
In typical Coben fashion, there’s far more to this story than originally meets the eye. We’re introduced to characters like old-school crime boss Nicky Fisher (Clancy Brown), the ultra-wealthy and commanding Gertrude (Madeleine Stowe), Rachel’s influential on-again-off-again boyfriend Hayden (Milo Ventimiglia), David’s grieving ex-wife and pediatric surgeon Cheryl (Erin Richards), and more, most of whom are keeping a secret or two and could be connected to the mystery in some way.
‘I Will Find You’ Has Some Pacing Issues, but It All Pays Off By the End
One of the biggest strengths of I Will Find You is its commitment to shooting on location. From filming the prison (and eventually prison break) sequences in a former penitentiary to going to Times Square, there’s a natural immersiveness you simply can’t get with sound stages and green screens. As a result, it’s grittier and less sleek than similar shows, for better and for worse. While there is some impressive stuntwork, tense moments of suspense, and thrilling action sequences, I Will Find You never develops much of a distinct visual style. More often than not, the direction and cinematography fall flat, with standard camerawork and bland colorization. It feels like a missed opportunity to elevate the aspects that make the show unique.
I Will Find You’s pacing can also land a bit strangely. Despite the car chases and shootouts, the first half drags a bit, with some repetitive beats and information relayed multiple times to various characters. At the same time, a slew of new people are introduced in quick succession without a ton of context, making relationships and alliances difficult to keep track of.
Luckily, by the midway point, it’s easier to follow the tangled web of characters, and the show manages to find its groove. Something admirable about Coben’s work is that, while the twists can veer towards the outlandish and the cliffhangers are undoubtedly shocking, there’s still an authenticity that grounds things in reality. The pieces all fit together without too much force, and there’s a throughline of rationality through all the wild reveals. There’s a refreshing lack of cheap tricks or cheating, with everything coming together in a hard-to-believe but still logical and satisfying way.
‘I Will Find You’ Has a Solid Cast, but the Characters Feel a Bit Generic
Casting directors Lyndsey Baldasare and David Rapaport deserve credit for assembling the actors they do. Not only do the cast members embody their characters well, but they also have solid chemistry with one another. Worthington has followed in the footsteps of actors like Liam Neeson and Alan Ritchson, carving out a niche of rugged action stars who have a paternal warmth simmering under the surface. He does what he does best as David, bringing nice emotional depth to the role. Stowe, too, leans into what people have come to love about her performances, sinking her teeth into the juicy campiness of Gertrude. It’s a delicious treat to watch.
Lower and Ventimiglia’s will-they-won’t-they dynamic is both exciting and electric while also comfortable and lived-in. It’s easy to buy into the fact that Rachel and Hayden have a long, complex history with one another that’s rooted in a deep, lasting love. They are at the center of many of the series’ most impactful and interesting moments. The relationship between Max and Sarah is engaging, too, with some moments of genuine emotional impact, though the show withholds too much information regarding their past in favor of more cliché, by-the-book police work scenes. There’s something fascinating brewing between them, but the show stops shy of thoroughly exploring the complications until it’s too late, which lessens its potential impact.
I Will Find You is grounded in its characters and their arcs, but there is ultimately a genericness that permeates, leaning into tropes and archetypes — the persistent reporter, the shady benefactor, the rogue cop, etc. — instead of creating more well-rounded, fleshed-out individuals. At the end of the day, the show’s focus leans toward crafting a shocking plot rather than delving too deeply into the psyches of its characters. The result is a show that’s not particularly revolutionary but still a solid way to pass the time that will satisfy those who love to binge Coben’s shows the day they premiere.
I Will Find You is now streaming on Netflix.
- Release Date
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June 18, 2026
- Network
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Netflix
- Showrunner
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Robert Hull
- Directors
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Adam Davidson, Maggie Kiley, Maja Vrvilo, Brad Anderson
- Writers
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Robert Hull, Harlan Coben
Pros & Cons
- The action is well-done, with impressive stuntwork and on-location filming that gives the show a gritty, authentic feel.
- Lower and Ventimiglia?s chemistry is especially excellent in a cast that?s solid across the board.
- The twists and cliffhangers are executed well, leading to shocking moments that don?t feel cheap.
- The direction and cinematography fall flat, with the show never finding an interesting visual style.
- Repetitive conversations and randomly introduced characters can make the pacing confusing and difficult to follow.
- The characters can fall into generic clichés rather than feeling like surprising, three-dimensional people.
University of Kentucky football player Nic Smith exhibited worrying behavior in the days before his death by suicide at age 20.
A Fayette County Coroner’s Office report exclusively obtained by Us Weekly on Monday, June 15, determined that the defensive lineman from Loganville, Georgia — who redshirted his first season — took his own life on June 8, 2026. Investigators discovered his body in his dorm room at around 10:40 a.m local time.
Law enforcement’s subsequent investigation revealed that Smith had previously spoken to friends about suicide and allegedly crashed his car while driving drunk in the days before his death. According to friends, Smith struggled following the death of his sister, Keitlynn, in April 2026.
“I post this to let those who knew my son and loved him of the passing of our gentle giant,” Smith’s mother, Genedra Rountree, announced via Facebook on June 9, 2026. “I know there are more people that I can call or think who loved and cared about my son and was rooting for him.”
Police reports obtained by Us offered key details into Smith’s state of mind before his death and disclosed new information about the aftermath.
Keep scrolling for more information on the investigation into Smith’s death.
Police Detailed a Distressing Scene at Nic Smith’s Dorm Room
Officers were called to conduct a wellness check when a resident assistant in Smith’s dorm could not make contact with him. Once Smith’s locked bedroom door was opened, he was found unresponsive.
Firefighters on the scene tried to administer life-saving efforts but were not successful.
Police Reports Shed New Light on Nic Smith’s Final Days
A police report filed on June 9, 2026, documented an investigator speaking with someone who recalled a phone conversation with Smith from June 7, 2026. In that conversation, Smith allegedly told the friend that “he was not sure if he could continue.”
This friend initially asked Smith’s roommate to knock on his locked bedroom door on June 8, 2026, but there was no response. The roommate went off to a workout but shared his concerns with others.
Nic Smith Allegedly Crashed His Car While Drunk Days Before His Death
A friend relayed to University of Kentucky police on June 10, 2026, that he’d witnessed some distressing behavior from Smith during the last weekend of his life.
Smith drove the two to a party on June 5, 2026, but the football player “was drunk and accidentally wrecked his vehicle by hitting a curb,” his friend alleged.
“After Nicholas crashed his vehicle, [the friend] told me Nicholas said he wanted to off himself,” the officer wrote. “[The friend] believed Nicholas didn’t mean anything by it and was just drunk and pissed off that he wrecked his vehicle.”
Smith attributed his talk of ending his life from the previous night to frustration over crashing his car.
“[The friend] told Nicholas he should continue for his [late] sister [who died in April] and that Nicholas was crying at this point,” the report read. “[The friend] didn’t tell anyone else about this due to being afraid Nicholas might get in trouble with the coaches and that he didn’t want to look like a snitch.”
Nic Smith Allegedly Sent Alarming Social Media Messages Before His Death
The football star attended the Railbird Festival in Lexington, Kentucky, on June 7. His ticket was paid for by the friend who’d witnessed the drunk driving crash.
“At the concert after 1:00pm he saw Nicholas drink at least a few drinks, possibly Beatbox ones, and that he told Nicholas to not drink due to early morning workouts the next morning,” the friend recalled to police for a June 10, 2026, report.
The friend observed that Smith was “acting normal, happy, acting country and enjoying himself” all day at the festival, except for one moment where the friend group were all talking to girls.
“Nicholas didn’t have [a girl] to talk to and he started walking away, but that [the friend] pulled him back to the group and told him they were there to have a good time and not to worry about it,” police noted.
As the group left the festival, “Nicholas told them he was very thankful to him for taking him to the concert.”
“Nicholas continued to say he appreciated them and was thankful for them being good to him and eventually saying he loved them as well,” the police report specified. “[The friend] told me he asked Nicholas if he was alright, to which he told them he was good. [They] said they went to WG4 [Woodland Glen Four dorm at UKC] together and that was the last time he saw Nicholas Sunday night.”
However, while at the concert, Smith allegedly posted an Instagram Story at around 11:30 p.m. that read, “IDK if i should continue on.”
The friend explained to University of Kentucky police that he’d have reported any unusual behavior, but didn’t notice anything worrying at the festival.
Nic Smith’s Dorm Roommate Shared Key Details About Athlete’s Final Days
Smith’s roommate spoke to investigators on June 10, 2026. During their discussion, the roommate recalled having a brief conversation with Smith in their dorm the night before his death.
“Nicholas had told [the roommate] about wrecking his vehicle over the weekend, but that he didn’t know much information other than that he damaged his vehicle and seemed mad at himself over it,” the report read.
Smith and the roommate agreed to switch morning workout times for June 8, 2026. While heading out for his workout, the roommate received a call telling him Smith had not shown up on time for practice.
The roommate told police that he returned to the dorm to find Smith’s bedroom door was locked, which he described as “unusual.”
“[The roommate] banged on the door very loudly, even worrying about Nicholas getting mad, and even played alarm sounds through a small Bluetooth speaker to try and wake Nicholas up,” police wrote. “Nicholas never answered the door.”
Police Found Goodbye Messages on Nic Smith’s Phone
University of Kentucky police detailed an examination of Smith’s iPhone on June 11, 2026. They found multiple messages from the night of the Railbird concert, where he shared that he was “pissed.”
“And honestly I wanna say f*** everything … I’m tired of ts,” he wrote to a redacted person.
The device confirmed that Smith texted both his mother and father that he loved them on the morning of his death, though those messages were not delivered.
Nic Smith’s Wallet Was Missing at the Time Of His Death
Kentucky police noted on June 10, 2026, that they’d spoken with Smith’s mother and two sisters about his death. One key line of questioning involved Smith’s wallet being missing from his dorm bedroom.
“[His mother] did not know what kind of wallet it was, or exactly what was in it aside from ID cards and bank cards,” the officer noted.
The officer mentioned that Smith’s mother “expressed concerns” about his father and stepmother though the exact reasoning was redacted in the report.
A Friend Offered Insight on Nic Smith’s Family Dynamic
A second friend spoke to police on June 10, 2026, about having phone conversations with the athlete “up to 3 or 4 times a day.”
He described the Smith’s allegedly complicated family dynamic, claiming that “Nicholas’ mother only seemed to call him when she wanted money and always asked for money ‘constantly.’”
“One time recently Nicholas’ mother called Nicholas and told him it was her anniversary and that he should send her money for it, to which [the friend] believes Nicholas sent several thousand dollars,” the friend alleged. “This relationship would stress Nicholas out and put further stress on him regarding money.”
On the flipside, this friend said that “everything seemed fine” between Smith and his father.
This friend admitted “he didn’t understand why Nicholas didn’t call him if he was upset or going through something Sunday night.” Smith allegedly referenced suicide to this friend in the past, even claiming that he’d unsuccessfully tried to end his life once before.
“[That incident] served as a wake up call to Nicholas to never do something like that again, but that he would still call him if he was feeling depressed,” the friend insisted.
However, this same friend acknowledged that Smith had recently told him, “When I go, I want you to take all of my stuff.”
Smith was in contact with this friend after his alleged drunk driving crash on June 5, 2026.
“Nicholas told him he was drunk driving Friday night or Saturday morning and hit the curb on Sports Center Drive and damaging some of his tires,” police wrote in their report. “[The friend] said Nicholas was pissed at himself for damaging his vehicle. [The friend] told me he was working with Nicholas to get the vehicle towed and fixed and that he reassured him they would figure it out, but that Nicholas was stressed out and upset with himself.”
Nic Smith Was Recorded on UKC’s Security Cameras Before His Death
Security cameras in UKC’s Woodland Glen Four dorm building recorded Smith several times over the final two days of his life, yet police wrote in their June 10, 2026, report that “nothing suspicious or out of the ordinary” was observed.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.
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