It takes a lot for a historical drama to win at the box office, especially when it doesn’t even have that big a star (for the time) at the head of it. But thankfully, when Ridley Scott is your director, you need to have a bit more faith in the system and let it do its thing, because that’s exactly what this utter masterpiece does.
Gladiator is streaming for free on Pluto this month, so put on your armor, enter the Colosseum, and prepare to be entertained. And definitely get some snacks, because it’s a long one and you’ll need to keep your blood sugar levels up. The film follows Maximus Decimus Meridius (Russell Crowe), a betrayed Roman general who is forced into slavery and rises through the gladiatorial arena while seeking revenge against the emperor who murdered his family.
Alongside Crowe, the epic features Joaquin Phoenix (Joker) as Commodus, Connie Nielsen (Wonder Woman) as Lucilla, Oliver Reed (Oliver!) as Proximo, Djimon Hounsou (Blood Diamond) as Juba, Richard Harris (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone) as Marcus Aurelius, Derek Jacobi (I, Claudius) as Gracchus, and David Schofield (Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest) as Falco.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Collider Exclusive · Sci-Fi Personality Quiz Which Sci-Fi Hero Are You Most Like? Paul Atreides · Captain Kirk · Princess Leia · Ellen Ripley · Max Rockatansky
Five iconic heroes. Five completely different ways of facing an impossible universe. One of them shares your instincts, your values, and your particular way of refusing to back down. Eight questions will tell you which one.
🏜️Paul Atreides
🖖Capt. Kirk
✊Princess Leia
Advertisement
🔦Ellen Ripley
🔥Max Rockatansky
Advertisement
01
How do you lead when the stakes couldn’t be higher? The way you lead under pressure is the most honest thing about you.
Advertisement
02
What is your greatest strength in a crisis? The quality that keeps you alive when everything else fails.
Advertisement
03
What is the thing you’d sacrifice everything else for? Your deepest motivation is your truest compass.
Advertisement
04
How do you relate to the people around you? Who you are to others under pressure is who you really are.
Advertisement
05
You’re facing a threat that no one else believes is real. What do you do? How you respond when you’re the only one who sees it defines everything.
Advertisement
06
What has your heroism cost you personally? Every hero pays. The question is what — and whether they’d pay it again.
Advertisement
07
How do you feel about the rules of the world you’re in? Every hero has a relationship with the system. What’s yours?
Advertisement
08
When everything is on the line, what keeps you going? The answer is the most honest thing about you.
Advertisement
Your Hero Has Been Identified Your Sci-Fi Hero Is…
Your answers point to the iconic sci-fi hero who shares your instincts, your values, and your particular way of facing the impossible.
Advertisement
Arrakis · Dune
Paul Atreides
You carry a weight most people would crumble under — the knowledge of what you’re capable of, and the burden of what you might have to become.
Advertisement
You see further ahead than others and you plan accordingly, even when the vision frightens you.
You are driven by loyalty to your people and a sense of destiny you didn’t ask for but can’t escape.
Paul Atreides is not simply a hero — he is someone who understands the cost of power and chooses to bear it anyway.
That gravity, that willingness to carry what others won’t, is exactly you.
USS Enterprise · Star Trek
Captain Kirk
You lead with instinct, warmth, and an absolute refusal to accept a no-win scenario — because you’ve always believed there’s a third option nobody else has thought of yet.
Advertisement
You take the mission seriously without ever taking yourself too seriously.
Your crew would follow you anywhere, not because you demand it, but because you’ve earned it.
Kirk’s genius isn’t tactical — it’s human. He reads people, bends rules with purpose, and wills outcomes into existence through sheer conviction.
That combination of warmth, audacity, and relentless optimism is unmistakably yours.
The Rebellion · Star Wars
Princess Leia
You are the kind of person who holds the line when everyone else is losing faith — not because you’re fearless, but because giving up simply isn’t something you’re capable of.
Advertisement
You lead through conviction. Your voice carries because your belief is unshakeable.
You gave up everything ordinary the moment you chose the cause, and you’ve never looked back.
Leia is not a supporting character in her own story — she is the moral centre of the entire rebellion.
That same fierce, principled, unbreakable core is what defines you.
The Nostromo · Alien
Ellen Ripley
You are not reckless, not grandiose, and not particularly interested in being anyone’s hero — you just refuse to stop when it matters.
Advertisement
You see threats clearly, you document the truth even when no one listens, and when the time comes you handle it yourself.
Ripley’s heroism is earned, not performed. She doesn’t have a speech — she has a flamethrower and a plan.
You share her composure under the worst possible pressure, and her refusal to pretend the monster isn’t there.
When it counts, you don’t flinch. That’s everything.
The Wasteland · Mad Max
Max Rockatansky
You have been through fire that would break most people — and what came out the other side is something the world underestimates at its peril.
Advertisement
You don’t ask for help, don’t need validation, and don’t wait for anyone to tell you the rules no longer apply.
Your loyalty, when it finally arrives, is absolute — but it’s earned in silence and tested in action, not in words.
Max is not a nihilist. He is someone who lost everything and found, against his will, that he still has something worth protecting.
That bruised, stubborn, ultimately human core is exactly yours.
Advertisement
Was ‘Gladiator’ a Success?
At the box office, Gladiator dominated like its titular character in the Colosseum. It grossed around $465 million worldwide against a budget of roughly $103 million, and that’s before you get into its long afterlife on home video and rentals, then cable TV and then, of course, streaming. This was a movie everyone seemed to own on DVD. In 2026 money, that gross explodes up to over $850 million off a budget of around $190 million. Rome, and indeed the rest of the world, was very entertained. Interestingly, though, the film was not a universal smash with critics. It sits at just 76% on Rotten Tomatoes while Metacritic has it at 67, but that’s not where the movie’s legacy is.
The real gold came from the awards circuit. Gladiator earned 12 Oscar nominations and won five, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Crowe’s towering performance as Maximus. It also won Best Costume Design, Best Sound, and Best Visual Effects. While critics didn’t completely dig it, the classical-style filmmaking saw Hollywood swoon.
Gladiator is streaming for free on Pluto this month.
Hugh Jackman on the red carpetImage via Roger Wong/INSTARimages
This article covers a developing story. Continue to check back with us as we will be adding more information as it becomes available.
The unstoppable Ridley Scott has a new project in the works, and this time he’s brought Hugh Jackman along as his first mate. Together, the two are set to sail the seven seas in a new nautical adventure adapting one of the most beloved seafaring tales of all time. However, the film is looking for a movie studio to be its port of call.
Advertisement
According to reports, Jackman is set to star in a new adaptation of the classic Robert Louis Stevenson novel Treasure Island. Jackman will play iconic pirate Long John Silver in the film, which is looking for a studio home. Scott has traditionally worked with 20th Century, and did present the project to the studio; however, as 20th Century is now an arm of the Disney octopus, the studio did not want to release a pirate project that might compete with its blockbuster Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, which the studio intends to continue or reboot at some point in the future.
This article covers a developing story. Continue to check back with us as we will be adding more information as it becomes available.
“I think Yana Grebenyuk Taylor [Sheridan] is going to let me hang around,” Thornton, 70, exclusively told Us Weekly while attending the Newport Beach TV Fest sponsored by Visit Newport Beach on Saturday, June 6, hinting that his character won’t be killed off just yet.
Thornton’s insight comes after season 1 of the hit Paramount+ series concluded with Monty (Jon Hamm) dying after suffering numerous strokes. The death shocked viewers, considering Hamm’s status as a main cast member. In season 2, Thornton’s character took over Monty’s role at the oil tycoon’s company M-Tex.
Tommy has since branched out from M-Tex, but he is once again at the center of the business, which has made some fans worry that it could cause health issues down the line. While the audience can breathe easy about Tommy’s faith for now, season 2 left a lot of unanswered questions.
Taylor Sheridan‘s hit series Landman was renewed for season 3 — but which stars are and aren’t returning after that shocking firing? Inspired by the “Boomtown” podcast series, Landman is focused on the West Texas oil industry with a specific focus on crisis executive Tommy Norris and his family. The Paramount+ show, which premiered in […]
Both Ali Larter and Andy Garcia revealed to Us that they were in the dark about what is still to come.
Advertisement
“I really can’t even assume or try to guess what Taylor is going to imagine for season 3,” Larter, 50, shared at the event. “One thing I know is that to be able to get this far into our story lines, we all know each other. So the characters really understand what their dynamics are.”
Larter, who plays Angela, teased that Sheridan will “just lean into that,” adding, “And I think what’s nice is that it’s not the first time. So when you’re going back down, it’s not the anxiety and the nervousness. You’ll get a little bit of the jitters, but to be able to go down and just do what we love [is wonderful].”
Emerson Miller/Paramount+
Garcia, 70, had a similar outlook on the experience.
“I’m in Taylor’s hands. I’m in it to win it. So, whatever he wants or has plans for me, I’m ready to execute,” he told Us. “It all starts from the writing. He’s the writer — and he’s the storyteller — and I think he writes all the characters in a very specific way. They are very well rounded and the stories are intertwined in a way that’s very engaging and he has a flair for the dramatic.”
Garcia continued, “He also [has] an understanding of humanity and empathy and he has an insight into relationships that are very keen. Whether it’s husband and wife, or father and daughter, or father and son, or in case maybe a businessman. It’s a privilege. When you have great writing, it’s always a privilege.”
Taylor Sheridan‘s Landman introduced some shocking twists and turns — but where would season 3 go after Demi Moore‘s Cami fired Billy Bob Thornton‘s character Tommy? Landman, which premiered in November 2024, is Sheridan’s newest hit series, joining the ranks of Yellowstone, Mayor of Kingstown, Tulsa King, Lawmen: Bass Reeves and Lioness. Based on the […]
Thornton, for his part, showed his support for Sheridan’s work — and once again took the chance to advocate for the prolific producer’s lack of award show recognition.
Advertisement
Thank You!
You have successfully subscribed.
“It’s like, ‘If you have a disagreement over someone’s way or vibe or whatever it is, that’s not the point,” he noted. “The point is, is he good? He writes great stuff.”
The actor continued, “He’s created quite an empire — and you have to respect him for that. He has the fame, he has the success, he deserves to be recognized for his work in TV shows, for sure.”
Euphoria‘s Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje is addressing the confusion over Alamo and Maddy’s shocking hookup.
“With regard to the wonderful Alexa Demie — and what a great performance of Maddy — there was a lot of conjecture as to whether she slept with him,” Akinnuoye-Agbaje, 58, exclusively told Us Weekly.
“He laid out the bikini, he put on Etta James, he got the champagne, he’s in the hot tub in a snake skin speedo,” he noted. “I don’t think he’s there to play with the tootsies. So I just thought that was pretty obvious.”
Euphoria has caused a lot of confusion for viewers throughout the seasons — and now they are asking what exactly took place between Maddy and Alamo. Ahead of the season 3 finale, Maddy (Alexa Demie) had to ask Alamo (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) for money after Cassie (Sydney Sweeney) found out that Nate (Jacob Elordi) only had […]
The actor has enjoyed the offscreen reaction to his character’s development, adding, “What has been amusing is I’ve seen a few memes of what they call M and M — Mo and Mads — with four cocoa colored babies. That’s kind of fun. But I’ve done my part. I leave the rest for you guys to make your own movies.”
Advertisement
Euphoria viewers were initially confused after a May episode of the hit HBO show had Alamo forcing Maddy to put on a bathing suit and get in a hot tub with him. He ultimately agreed to help Maddy get the $1 million needed to save Nate (Jacob Elordi), but the scene cut off before the rest of their interaction was shown.
HBO
In the season 3 finale, which aired earlier this month, Maddy visited Alamo at his strip club, where he made a move on her while proposing they have four kids together. Alamo started to touch Maddy — who got on his lap — before the scene cut out again amid an implied but unseen kiss.
“I think he saw things in Maddie that reminded him of himself,” Akinnuoye-Agbaje shared. “She’s a business woman, she’s bold and she’s well put together. She’s a no-nonsense person.”
Akinnuoye-Agbaje thought Alamo was “turned on by that,” saying, “He was inspired by that. The point that she came into his life, he had achieved everything, he defeated the DEA, he defeated Laurie, he got rid of Rue the rat and he’d gotten all of the drugs and the money. He was on top of the world.”
“He realized he has everything but nothing. He had this wonderful moment of self-reflection — this epiphany that he had been exploiting women all this time — and now he wanted to surrender to them,” he continued. “He mistakenly — or rightly — thought that, ‘OK, Maddy, you’re The One.’ But obviously when push comes to shove — excuse the pun — he threw her out the window and used her as a bulletproof shield.”
Akinnuoye-Agbaje only saw one ending for Alamo. “He was always going to be about himself first,” he told Us. “That is the man. So would they have had a future? I think he would have tried. They would have had their cocoa colored babies, perhaps. But I think anytime he was under threat — his empire or his life — he would have sacrificed her in a minute as we saw in the showdown.”
Thank You!
You have successfully subscribed.
Advertisement
After playing such a divisive character, Akinnuoye-Agbaje is curious what role will come his way next, adding, “I personally always like to go with things that challenge me to do something different. It could be humor or could be a comedy. The one thing I would say is that I’ve played a character that’s been so rich, complex, and layered that anything I do has to be at least on that level.”
He concluded, “How that manifests, I don’t mind. But I think I always like to keep my audience guessing. I enjoy disappearing from myself and transforming. So it would be probably something different for what I’ve played. It could be something that’s the antithesis to what I’ve just played.”
Benedict Cumberbatch, Sabrina Carpenter, Gwendoline Christie, more stars pop up in Madonna’s eye-popping “Confessions II” short film teasing upcoming biopic.
Us Weekly has affiliate partnerships. We receive compensation when you click on a link and make a purchase. Learn more!
Billowy dresses, tailored trousers, delicate florals — who wouldn’t want to look like a Parisian rich mom? Luckily, you don’t need a plane ticket to channel effortless Left Bank energy. These chic summer dresses, blouses, two-piece outfit sets and more look straight out of a seventh arrondissement boutique, and they start at only $7!
The trick is leaning into quality fabrics, relaxed silhouettes and prints with a little soul. Whether you’re running errands, lounging at the beach or meeting the girls for lunch, these 11 Parisian-style pieces capture that je ne sais quoi without the jet lag. They’ll quietly upgrade your wardrobe all summer long.
Advertisement
11 Summer-in-Paris Pieces — From $7
1. Everyday Outfit: Wrinkle-free fabric means this flowy blue maxi survives a suitcase, a train ride and a café lunch without a single iron. Roomy pockets seal the deal.
2. Marseilles Weekend: A high-waist, palazzo shape and lace detailing give these wide-leg lounge pants more presence than typical bottoms.
3. Dreamy Pick: Clingy tops are a no-go during the hot months. I reach for this floaty floral blouse that drapes away from the body.
4. Zimmermann Vibes: Designer lookalikes usually disappoint, but this colorful printed maxi nails the breezy silhouette without the four-figure price tag.
Advertisement
5. Polka-Dot Trend: This polka-dot top is already charming, but add in the delicate tie-neck detail and it’s retro without feeling dated. It tucks cleanly into trousers and skirts.
Remember when dad sneakers and clunky clogs were everywhere? That moment is over. Everyone’s replacing polarizing kicks with these sleek, expensive-looking styles that make any outfit appear polished. Refined footwear is officially back! We’re talking about chic flats, summery sandals, clean sneakers and mules you can slip on without a second thought. These 13 summer […]
Advertisement
6. Midi Maven: Midi length can hit awkwardly, but this flattering wonder hits just the right spot. Better yet, the shape skips your waistline entirely.
7. Office Envy: These polished dress pants have a secretly elasticized waistband for comfort, while the pleats keep them sharp. Talk about a staple!
8. Wardrobe MVP: Skip the basic tee. This textured top is much more sophisticated, and at only $25, you can grab two.
9. Silky Satin: With a dainty floral print and silky satin material, this expensive-looking midi skirt is perfect for everything, from daytime appointments to evening cocktails.
Advertisement
10. Capsule Piece: This essential satin tank top reads high-end from across the room. Trust me, it’s the missing piece for half your summer outfits.
11. Could Be Linen: Instead of mixing and matching, Parisian gals opt for this linen-looking two-piece set. You can wear them together or split them up with denim and a tee.
Sam Raimi isn’t only one of the best horror and superhero directors of the last 40 years, he’s also an incredibly successful producer who kickstarted the 90s syndication boom. Hercules, Xena, Young Hercules, Jack of All Trades, all of them were executive produced by Raimi and filmed in New Zealand. There’s another show in his stable, one that doesn’t get talked about as much as the others, and unlike all of them, it’s sci-fi. Cleopatra 2525 is so campy, it makes She-Spies seem grounded, and it was another Raimi hit that aired for two seasons. Today, you can’t find it streaming anywhere, which has denied generations the chance to see a stripper save the future.
Cleopatra 2525 Is A Sci-Fi Fever Dream
Cleopatra 2525 is as goofy as the title. Cleo (Jennifer Sky), an exotic dancer, was cryogenically frozen after a simple cosmetic procedure went wrong, and wound up waking up 500 years later in a future where humanity lives underground. AI has taken over the surface using drones called Baileys to keep humanity in check. Cleo joins the resistance fighters Hel (pre-FireflyGina Torres) and Sarge (Victoria Pratt) as they are given missions by The Voice (Elizabeth Hawthorne). Three women, missions given by only a voice? It’s sci-fiCharlie’s Angels.
Most of the plots center around Betrayers, which, as the name implies, are humans working for the Baileys. In practice, this turns episodes into games of Among Us where the team has to deduce who the Betrayer is, or go out of their way to capture a Betrayer, and you get the idea. As with Xena and Hercules, the majority of the episodes are self-contained adventures, though as with Raimi’s other shows, there’s a stable of supporting characters that pop in and out of the series.
What you can expect every episode is Cleo impressing the residents of the 25th century with her deep, philosophical musings, such as “The truth is out there” or “Live long and prosper. The Force is with you.” It’s a take on Idiocracy, years before Mike Judge released his documentary. Pop culture of today is to the future what Shakespeare is to us.
The Golden Age Of Campy Sci-Fi
The most surprising fact about Cleopatra 2525 isn’t that this fever dream of a sci-fi show was made in the first place, it’s that it lasted two seasons. As a reminder, Firefly, Almost Human, Flashforward, Terra Nova, 1899, none of those made it to two seasons. Amazingly, Jack of All Trades, which aired back-to-back with Cleopatra 2525 also made it to two seasons, proving that Sam Raimi knows exactly what to do to make a low-budget go as far as possible.
Cleopatra 2525 is available as an out of print DVD box set but other than that, it’s not streaming anywhere. For the longest time, it was on Tubi, which means it’ll likely pop back up at some point and when it does, it’s well worth checking out. The early 2000s were a Golden Age of campy, low-budget sci-fi that holds up remarkably well. It’s insane, the special effects looked dated back then, and yet, Cleopatra 2525 has more heart and joy than the majority of today’s sci-fi.
Us Weekly has affiliate partnerships. We receive compensation when you click on a link and make a purchase. Learn more!
Hamptons rich moms are almost too easy to spot. They wear Zimmermann designs nonstop, and although these boho-luxe pieces cost thousands, we found 17 romantic summer dresses that channel the same energy for *so* much less. We’re talking loose, billowy picks from just $11!
Flowing skirts, head-turning florals and sleeves with just enough drama are just some of the enviable details you find ahead. Honestly, there’s a reason even rich moms are swapping the real deal for these chic lookalikes! From casual errand runs to fancy Mediterranean dinners, these frocks work for everything on your calendar. Check out our summer favorites that scream ‘expensive’ to everyone but your wallet.
Advertisement
17 Zimmermann-Style Dresses — From $11
1. Everyday Outfit: This functional, floral, short-sleeved dress is polished enough for brunch, yet holds your phone, keys and lip balm without a clutch. Those trusty pockets are a real game-changer.
2. Oh-So Dreamy: A smocked bodice does the hard work here, cinching your waist while the long skirt floats. This blue floral maxi radiates socialite vibes without even trying.
3. Effortlessly Elevated: Walk into a vineyard wedding wearing this elevated mini dress and garner endless compliments. The watercolor print photographs beautifully.
4. Puff-Sleeve Princess: If midis feel too long and minis feel too short, a knee-length dress hits the sweet spot in between. We’re really feeling the blue and red color combo!
Advertisement
5. Boho Babe: Give your Zimmermann aesthetic a touch of Zara with this boho midi dress. The breezy fabric keeps it cool and forgiving.
6. Wedding Guest of Honor: A June wedding, an Aperol spritz and this dreamy floral gown swirling on the dance floor. It’s perfect for any venue.
7. Cool Mom: The tribal-inspired print makes this one-of-a-kind mini feel more laid back than the average sundress, while the front buttons add a luxe, polished vibe.
8. Pool Day: You’ll look like you dropped hundreds on this tropical tie-strap dress. It serves pure designer resort energy.
Advertisement
9. Farmer’s Market: Tie waists masterfully conceal bloating, and this paisley shirtdress is a prime example. It creates shape while concealing your tummy.
10. Fun Floral: Small florals sometimes feel dated, but Zesica’s bold floral mini reads as modern and rich.
11. Vintage Find: People will think you found this preppy V-neck dress at a Hamptons boutique or a really good estate sale. East Coast rich moms are obsessed with the contrasting details.
12. Flattering Find:Zesica’s white maxi dress uses every flattering trick: a defined waist, flutter sleeves and a tiered skirt that lengthens your entire figure.
Advertisement
13. Oversized Elegance: Imagine this long-sleeve maxi dress on a Greek island terrace at dinner, sandals kicked off, a glass of white in hand. It’s that kind of vacation dress.
14. Plus-Friendly: Throw on this puff-sleeve sundress with white sneakers for a backyard birthday party. Although optional, the blue colorway is a work of art!
15. Model Status: A halter neckline plus maxi length equals legs-for-days proportions. This lengthening maxi draws the eye up and down.
16. Center of Attention: Belt this printed shirtdress for cocktail hour, or leave it loose for travel days. Either way, people will ask where it’s from.
Advertisement
17. $20 Stunner: Hot afternoons call for this ultra-flowy mini dress that hangs loosely everywhere without looking frumpy. At only $20, you can grab two colors guilt-free!
You don’t need a plane ticket to imagine the aesthetic. New York rich moms, the ones that live on Park Avenue and carry totes worth quadruple digits, are polished beyond compare, and they somehow seem comfortable. That’s the magic of their comfy, luxe-looking sundresses. These 21 summer dresses deliver uptown-meets-downtown ease, the kind you can […]
British singer-songwriter Talay Riley, who wrote songs for artists including Dua Lipa, Britney Spears and Zendaya, was stabbed to death in London on Friday, June 5, the Metropolitan Police said. He was 35.
Police were called early Friday to an address in Silvertown, east London, to attend to a suspected stabbing.
Riley, whose real name was Mark Orabiyi, was pronounced dead at the scene.
A second man was taken to the hospital with multiple stab wounds, the Met Police said.
Hollywood mourned the deaths of some of its most legendary stars in 2026. The year started off with Broadway performer and influencer Bret Hanna-Shuford’s death at age 46. At the end of the month, comedy acting icon Catherine O’Hara died at age 71. In February, Designing Women’s Camilla Carr died at age 83, Dawson’s Creek […]
Three suspects — two men aged 27 and 24 and a 25-year-old woman — were arrested on suspicion of murder, the department said. The 27-year-old man was released on bail pending further investigation. The other two people detained were released with no further action.
Advertisement
“Mark was a beloved son, brother, uncle and friend. He brought love, light and joy to our family and to all who knew him,” Riley’s family said in a statement.
“We will always cherish his kindness, beautiful spirit and remarkable talent. His presence touched many lives, and his memory will remain in our hearts forever,” the family added. “May his soul rest in perfect peace.”
Riley’s songwriting credits include Zendaya’s “Close Up,” Dua Lipa’s “Last Dance” and Spears’ “Clumsy.” He has also written for the likes of U.K. rapper Stormzy, Craig David, Chris Brown, Khalid and more.
There’s something uniquely special about the bond between teen pop sensations and their fan bases, which is tragically highlighted when an artist dies young. After One Direction alum Liam Payne died at age 31 in October 2024 after falling from the third floor of a hotel in Buenos Aires, fans flocked to the scene to […]
Riley’s brother, music producer Scribz Riley (real name Michael Orabiyi), paid tribute to the singer-songwriter in a Saturday, June 6, Instagram post.
“My heart is shattered! This doesn’t feel real. It feels like a bad dream. Just before he went to sleep we spoke about the future, staying positive and about everything we still had left to do,” he wrote. “I never imagined that would be our last conversation. Yinka wasn’t just my brother. He was my mother’s son, a friend to many, a mentor, an inspiration, and a light in so many people’s lives. He had one of the purest hearts I’ve ever known. He loved deeply, gave freely, and touched countless people through his talent, kindness, and spirit.”
Advertisement
Scribz added, “The outpouring of love already shows how many lives he impacted. You inspired so many people and your legacy will continue to live on through your music, your family, your friends, and everyone blessed enough to have known you. Thank you to everyone who has reached out to me and my family, we appreciate you all.”
Thank You!
You have successfully subscribed.
Stormzy and Khalid were among the people to comment on Scribz’s post.
Advertisement
“I’m sorry bro ❤️❤️❤️,” wrote Stormzy. Khalid added, “Im so sorrry bro… im sending you so much love 🕊️.”
Singer Kehlani wrote, “Big hugs scribz i’m so sorry.”
One question that I get asked very often is why I like movies so much. Obviously, there are plenty of reasons: for example, movies are the best way to bring amazing stories to life in a way that audiences will never forget. What I don’t always admit to people is that I love films because they help me psychoanalyze myself. Like, why do I adore horror movies so much? Like, I live a pretty mild-mannered life and get wigged out by the grisly details of true crime podcasts. Nonetheless, nothing delights me quite as much as films where psychotic killers turn hapless victims into mincemeat.
By getting closer to answering that question, I get that much closer to learning what makes my weird brain tick. That’s part of why I loved Nope (2022) so much: it’s a blockbuster from iconic horror director Jordan Peele that doesn’t settle for simply scaring us. Instead, the movie explores the weird intersection of film history, yearning nostalgia, and destructive spectacle, all of which force the audience to learn more about what they find scary and why. Care to learn more about yourself with one of the decade’s freshest, most frightening films? Good news, pilgrim: Nope is currently streaming on Netflix!
Cowboy And Alien
The plot of Nope is that a pair of siblings who provide horses for Hollywood productions discover something astonishing: namely, that a UFO has been snacking on their horses. They then decide to do what most of us would in their position: record the UFO and then sell the footage for cash. Unfortunately, capturing this thing on camera is easier said than done. For one thing, it has a bad habit of shutting down nearby electronics. For another thing, anyone who so much as looks at this thing is in danger of becoming its next meal.
Still, the stubborn siblings persist in their plan. They get help from an increasingly eclectic series of allies, including a grizzled cameraman and a former child actor who narrowly survived getting killed by a chimpanzee costar. Eventually, everything culminates in a madcap attempt by this ersatz crew to capture live footage of this alien object. But as its body count grows and they learn more about its terrible secrets, one thing becomes clear: everyone involved will be lucky if they manage to somehow get out of this alive!
The Dangers Of Nostalgia
One of the weirder things I loved about Nope is how it unflinchingly presents nostalgia as a kind of double-edged sword. Sometimes, looking back to the past can be wholesome, like when the sibling protagonists take pride in their family’s connection to the earliest days of Hollywood. Plus, the veteran cameraman uses a handcranked camera to circumvent the UFO’s anti-tech abilities, a moment that is presented as the ingenuity of the past triumphing over the problems of the present. But nostalgia can also be dangerous and debilitating, as evidenced by Steven Yeun’s Jupe character.
Jupe narrowly survived a tragedy in the ‘90s when a chimpanzee co-star named Gordy got startled and murdered everyone else before being shot. As an adult, Jupe weaponizes public nostalgia for his show and for old cowboy movies by creating a tacky, Western-style theme park. Jupe never stops dwelling on the past, and he would do anything (including putting hundreds of people in danger) to regain the fame he had as a child actor. He ultimately dies because he misunderstands how he survived the chimp’s attack in the first place (namely, by never looking directly at its eyes), showcasing how fatally fickle our nostalgic memories can be.
Advertisement
The Most Believable Performances In Horror
As with all of director Jordan Peele’s films, the single best part of Nope is the cast. Sure, the special effects are excellent, and they do a great job of helping the UFO at the center of this weird tale be properly frightening. But the frights only work because we witness the scary events through the lens of what might be the most believable performers in horror history. Daniel Kaluuya’s OJ, for example, isn’t some walking horror cliche who makes a constant stream of bad decisions. Instead, he is the ultimate audience surrogate, reacting (often hilariously) in the exact baffled and beleaguered way that the rest of us would to a hungry UFO.
Kaluuya has absolutely amazing chemistry with Keke Palmer, who plays his sister. With one scene-stealing line after another, she helps bring their sibling rivalry to hilarious life, and Palmer always ensures that we can see the warmth and love undergirding every mean comment she makes to her onscreen brother. I also thought that Steven Yeun’s Jupe was remarkably complex: he is both a trauma survivor and a trauma-powered grifter, and Yeun helps to sell the desperate pathos of a man who makes one bad decision after another, all in an attempt to return to Hollywood glory days that everyone has forgotten but him.
A Deconstructed Mystery Box
When rewatching Nope, I finally put my finger on one of the more elusive reasons I always loved this movie: Jordan Peele takes the most annoying trope in film and finally does something interesting with it. After the success of JJ Abrams’ Lost, an increasing number of movies and TV shows embraced “mystery box” storytelling. These are the kinds of stories where key details are released in a slow trickle to force audience engagement. As with Lost, the answers are almost always disappointing, but the driving idea behind mystery box storytelling is that it’s okay if the reveal sucks, so long as the mystery is compelling.
Nope, by contrast, provides a kind of deconstructed mystery box. Key information isn’t trickle-truthed out to the audience; instead, we discover the most important things right alongside the characters, and every single promised payoff seriously delivers. That makes this horror film as immersive as it is rewarding, especially the climax that will leave you on the edge of your seat. What happens in this iconic horror movie, and what will it tell you about what you’re afraid of? The only way to find out is to stream it for yourself on Netflix!
You must be logged in to post a comment Login