General Hospital two week spoilers for May 11th through the 22nd are going to see Dante Falconeri (Dominic Zamprogna) enraged at several people that he loves. Plus, Valentin Cassadine (James Patrick Stuart) is simply astonished at an unexpected twist.

General Hospital Spoilers Monday, May 11th: Valentin Utterly Astonished

On Monday, May 11th, we’ve got Valentin just stunned by what has happened and he demands to know from Nina Reeves (Cynthia Watros) what the heck was in that syringe. I do wonder if Valentin realizes that Nina meant to stab him because she certainly did.

So, we’ll see how JackBrennan (Chris McKenna) reacts to the drug. This is that special drug that Willow Tait Cain (Katelyn MacMullen) gets from Jenz Sidwell (Carlo Rota) to keep Drew Cain (Cameron Mathison) locked in. I don’t think it’s the same drug that Willow initially used to cause his stroke, but either way, it’s bad news.

Elizabeth Webber (Rebecca Herbst) starts to put two and two together and may realize Willow is drugging Drew. This could happen if Brennan winds up brought into General Hospital‘s emergency room with similar symptoms that Drew had. Plus, Nina warns Willow. I’m sure it’s about Brennan getting dosed and she may tell her about the living room brawl between Valentin and Brennan.

Also, we’ll see if Nina remembers that Drew missed that injection or if Nina is so freaked out over what happened to Brennan, she just kind of flips out and, you know, it fogs over in her brain. At Carly Spencer‘s (Laura Wright) house, she is warning Charlotte Cassadine (Bluesy Burke) she can’t do that no matter what happens. So, it’s something to do with Valentin.

GH Spoilers: Chase Gets Too Chummy with Willow

And Harrison Chase (Josh Swickard) bumps into Willow, saying that he’s glad she’s there. He was hoping she would be. They seem to be in swimsuits, maybe at the Quartermaine property. Drew is starting to move his fingers now that he missed a dose. So, this is a huge break for him.

Dante shows up at Lulu Spencer‘s (Alexa Havins Bruening) on Monday right after she’s reeling from her confrontation with not Nathan. And she can tell that Dante’s looking to bicker, but Lulu says she’s not in a good place to have it out with him. And Dante says he does not care and he vents over finding out Jason Morgan (Steve Burton) didn’t shoot Ross Cullum (Andrew Hawkes), Rocco Falconeri (Finn Carr) did and that she’s known all along.

Lulu definitely has some explaining to do to Dante and Lulu wants to know if Dante has evidence that Rocco shot Cullum and he doesn’t really have hard evidence. Ethan Lovett (Nathan Dean) and Ava Jerome (Maura West) are clashing. Ethan hauled Ava out of the gallery and is holding her in a car while Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) and Ric Lansing (Rick Hearst) have their discussion. And Ava wants to know what Ethan is going to do with her. Ric is pleading his case. So, at Ava’s gallery, Sonny is holding a gun on Ric and yelling, “He better explain,” and he better do it fast.

Tuesday, May 12th on General Hospital: Curtis on a Mission

On Tuesday, May 12th, Curtis Ashford (Donnell Turner) is a man on a mission. It’s probably about his suspicions that Isaiah Gannon (Sawandi Wilson) was driving the other car. This plot is garbage. Moving on. Lulu heads to see Britt Westbourne (Kelly Thiebaud) and Lulu may vent to Britt about Nathan trying to send her and the kids away.

It could be to ask if Britt told Dante or to warn Britt that Dante knows Rocco did it. This could be a bonding moment or a confrontation. Dante confronts not Nathan. Of course, Dante’s big mad that Lulu and Cassius Faison (Ryan Paevey) are keeping the Rocco secret. And Dante wouldn’t think that his former best friend would do this. Yeah, he wouldn’t. And that’s not him, right?

Danny Morgan (Asher Antonzyn) and Charlotte have a chat with Rocco and things get heated. And this may be about Jason or they may bring up Britt and upset him. Isaiah is in the hot seat. He may be interrogated about Jordan’s crash. Justine Turner (Nazneen Contractor) is still hoping to get a warrant. Laura doesn’t like it and wants to shut it down because bottom line, Jordan is 100% at fault. She caused her own wreck.

GH Spoilers for Wednesday, May 13th: Krissy Gets an Invite

On Wednesday, May 13th, Ethan offers Kristina Corinthos Davis (Kate Mansi) an invitation. Maybe it’s out to dinner or drinks. She told Ethan she’s been dating women lately, but Kristina has dated men in the past. And Kristina had a big crush on Ethan years ago. Or it could just be a friendly thing. Michael Corinthos (Rory Gibson) brings Jacinda Bracken (Paige Herschell) in on his plan. This is to take Willow down by getting her and Chase to cheat. I think Jacinda might be down to help Michael push Willow and Chase together.

Curtis is concerned about Jordan Ashford (Tanisha Harper). She’s distraught, which still doesn’t justify her and Curtis’s witch hunt when they’re to blame. Willow has a meeting with Sidwell and I wonder if she’s going to tell him Nina accidentally injected Brennan. And of course, Sidwell intends to kill Drew, but Willow doesn’t know it yet. So, this may be when Sidwell tells Willow they’re just going to go ahead and kill her hubby.

Thursday, May 14th on General Hospital: Carly Hounds Nina

Thursday, May 14th, Nina is grilled by Carly and it may be about what went down at the house between Brennan and Valentin. Laura Spencer Collins (Genie Francis) explains some action she took. She’s having to defend it. Could be to Sidwell. Could be to Curtis for trying to end this thing with Isaiah.

This week, Britt and Lucas Jones (Van Hansis) are at her place over Bobbie’s Diner, toasting with shots. I don’t know if they’re getting drunk to celebrate or commiserate because Britt is also pondering her options. And it may be about all of it. The totality – Cullum, her meds, Cesar Faison’s (Anders Hove,) final project, trying to protect Rocco, which of course Lucas doesn’t know about yet.

Tracy Quartermaine (Jane Elliot) is on the war path. Could be about Brook Lynn  Quartermaine (Amanda Setton) and the crash or about Chase getting too chatty with Willow while in a bathing suit. Dante has a hard talk with somebody. I’m betting it’s with his son Rocco about shooting Cullum and he may be upset that Rocco didn’t come to him. But of course, Jason and Cassius just kind of took over.

General Hospital Spoilers Friday, May 15th: Cullum Stonewalled

Friday, May 15th, we’ve got Carly stonewalling Cullum. And I wonder if he’s grilling her about Jack. This week, Jordan gets a visit from Molly Lansing-Davis (Kristin Vaganos). Remember, she and Jordan were really close when Molly was in that domestic partnership with TJ.

Valentin does some strategizing on Friday, and it may be about how to handle the Brennan situation or how to locate Josslyn Jacks (Eden McCoy). Cassius confides in somebody surprising. I wonder if it’s Joss because she’s his captive and has no choice but to listen.

Elizabeth tells Dante something important and this may be about what she figured out earlier in the week. And Ric and Alexis Davis (Nancy Lee Grahn) are a united front where Molly is concerned.

General Hospital Spoilers for the Week of May 18th-22nd: The Search for Joss Heats Up

The week of May 18th through the 22nd is big because sweeps ends on Wednesday, May 20th. So expect big action at least early in the week. The search for Josslyn intensifies. Carly’s determined to find her daughter. Valentin is determined. We’ll see if Brennan’s up to doing anything. He would be determined if he was awake. So, how long till Cullum finds out Cash has snatched Josslyn up? And I also bet Cullum’s going to be annoyed that Joss got one over on him.

Dante may take action after talking to Elizabeth. Plus, this whole thing puts Dante in a tough spot. He can kill the PCPD investigation into Colum’s shooting because the WSB already took it over, but Dante may stick with it because he wants to protect Rocco from the WSB, so he may keep pushing things in another direction. Cassius tries to make amends with Lulu. It’s not going to be easy.

Plus, now he has to babysit Josslyn. Jordan continues to struggle with her injuries and looking to blame somebody else. Nina tries to do damage control. That Brennan and Valentin thing spiraled out of control so fast.

And Willow fears the worst. Her plans are all falling apart and Drew’s twitching his hand and could tell someone soon what she did. Michael’s devious plan for Willow and Chase is underway. And we could see Brook Lynn do the right thing if she finds out Isaiah has been grilled by the PCPD.

Bhad Bhabie popped out on Mother’s Day with a whole new look and fans are STILL chattin’ about her transformation! While it seems she drew inspiration from Britney Spears, others are seeing Amber Rose and name-dropping her in the comment section. Bhabie’s new hair comes shortly after addressing allegations that she’s morphing into a wannabe Black woman.

RELATED: Clapback Season! Bhad Bhabie Responds After Trolls Accuse Her Of Changing Her Appearance To Look Black 

Bhad Bhabie Shows Off Blonde Buzz Cut 

After posting about her mother, Barbara, on Instagram, Bhad Bhabie gave fans a lil’ Mother’s Day surprise. She circled back with two posts showing off her fresh blonde, buzz cut. In the first post, she included four photos—two selfies of her hair transformation, her daughter Kali Love and a photo of Britney Spears. She captioned the post, “MOM.” The new cut really highlights her multiple neck and chest tattoos in red and black ink. Despite going bleach blonde, the 23-year-old kept brunette eyebrows.

Her second post included two other selfies. It appears the photos were all taken on the same day, given that she’s wearing the same outfit in all her new cut  photos.

Fans & Amber Rose React To Bhabie’s New Look

Colletively, Bhad Bhabie’s new hair posts collected over 5,000 comments and more than 300,000 likes on Instagram.

Under the first post, @julia__julia__julia wrote, “Omg i thought it was amber rose.. but ya’ll both pretty.” 

@oriannabliss commented, “I actually love this sm on her.” 

“Kinda makes sense, she basically is this generation’s Amber Rose, literally followed every step she did,” @youainthardfoo__ added.

“Morphed into amber rose 😂,” @juiceunlocked commented.

“Amber Rose lil sister white chocolate,” @lilsportyd added.

@official_woodboye commented, “Why I thought this was Amber Rose.” 

And while fans were name-dropping Amber Rose, she ultimately slid in the comment section, dropping several heart-eyed emojis.

RELATED: Stay Mad! Sexyy Red Claps Back At Trolls As Fans Rush To Defend Her New Hairstyle (VIDEO)

Swapped is the newest animated Netflix film, courtesy of Skydance Animation. It is the first Skydance film not to have a human protagonist, instead following Ollie (Michael B. Jordan), a furry mammalian creature called pookoo, who, in his attempt to save his family from starvation, touches a magic pod that turns him into a bird-like Javan. He reluctantly teams up with another Javan named Ivy (Juno Temple) to find another pod, which leads both of them on a journey of different perspectives that can, hopefully, improve trust and communication between the creatures of their valley.

The film’s biggest strengths come from its creative worldbuilding and fantastic animation. Both can be seen in the numerous creatures of the valley, all of whom boast unique designs that give them a distinct personality and identity that feels both natural and alien. Of course, some of Swapped‘s creatures are naturally more creative than others, be it in design or how they are used in the narrative.

10

Root Snakes

Image via Netflix

With the exception of a dung beetle couple, the species most like its real-world counterpart would be the root snakes. These ambush predators live in sizable colonies and make their dens in hollow spaces near tree roots. There, they blend in with the roots and wait for their prey by detecting nearby vibrations to make up for their poor hearing.

Though ostensibly just a snake, there are a few fun things about the root snake’s design. As the name implies, their scales are not perfectly smooth like you’d expect a serpent’s to be, instead having an asymmetrical tree-like texture that helps them blend in better with their lair. Their green eyes are also very striking, and help add to the intimidation factor once they zero in on their chosen prey.

9

Pinecone Hedgehogs

Image via Netflix

One of the smallest mammalian creatures in the valley is the pinecone hedgehog. They trade a coat of quills for woody scales, which offers them good camouflage in the forest flood. This curious form of adaptation is good because their small size places them pretty low on the food chain.

The pinecone hedgehogs sadly don’t have a large role in the story, usually only appearing as background creatures. However, their creative design helps them stand out whenever they do show up, and helps make them one of Swapped‘s cutest creatures. Not every creature is going to get fleshed out, but the inclusion of these little guys helps to make the world feel more alive.

8

Boogle Fish

Image via Netflix

Early in the film, when Ollie is exploring the underwater world, he encounters a large fish with glittering scales and flowing fins that resemble aquatic plants. The fish’s name is Boogle (Tracy Morgan), and he becomes a helpful guide, pointing Ollie and Ivy towards more magic pods. Though he claims to be the only member of his kind in the valley, Ollie and Ivy do transform into Boogle fish as well with one pod, so there are likely others.

Boogle most closely resembles a grouper, known for its large mouth and ambush tactics. The colorful bodies of the fish play into it, as when Ollie first met Boogle as a child, he nearly became the fish’s lunch when he was mesmerized by his scales. This bit also foreshadows hidden details about Boogle revealed later in the movie.

7

Rock Bears

Image via Netflix

Bears are cool animals, with a long history in art and mythology as creatures of strength and the natural world. Thus, it was no surprise that bears would appear in some fashion in Swapped. Rather than make them part plant like most of the other creatures, the designers instead gave them stony bodies with a moss covering for fur.

Rock bears are utilized in one of the most visually interesting action sequences in Swapped, as our protagonists try to swim around them, while the camera gives us an underwater perspective of bears hunting. Their stony bodies also make them masters of blending into the environment, since they are indistinguishable from regular rocks when at rest. Personality-wise, the rock bears initially seem curious, and can be friendly, but once on the hunt, they become single-minded vessels of fang and claw.

6

Javans

Image via Netflix

The primary avian species of the valley, javans, are medium-sized birds that most closely resemble parrots like the New Zealand kākāpō. They come in a variety of colors like green, yellow, orange, and red, and have leaves growing out of their hair. They are also one of the most social species in the film, all nesting on a rocky spire called Javan Rock, and caring for one another with a strong sense of community.

The plant hair goes a long way in making the javan stand out compared to standard birds, while also playing into how many species of birds have exotic plumage. Within the story, the javan are the species that best represent the delicate balance of the ecosystem, as they require a lot of food throughout the day. When their primary food source vanishes, they end up coming into conflict with others in their search for food, which often leads to disastrous ecological collapses.

5

Pookoos

Image via Netflix

Like the pinecone hedgehogs, pookoos are small, furry creatures who survive by hiding from predators and living in large communities. They are highly intelligent creatures, demonstrating advanced tool use compared to other species, which allowed Ollie to come up with several inventions and even use fire. Their greatest ability is their sense of smell, which is so advanced that they can “see” with only their noses.

The design of the pookoos breaks away from the other creatures, showing no plant influence and instead combining numerous small mammals, such as otters, squirrels, and groundhogs. This departure helps the pookoo feel even more isolated from the rest of the creatures of the valley, which fits their secretive nature. It might seem more boring and plain compared to the other creatures, but the pookoo’s intelligence makes up for it.

4

Tree Deer

Image via Netflix

Is there a forest animal more iconic than the deer? Found in nearly every ecosystem across most continents, deer are symbols of natural beauty and grace, and are keystone species whose over- or under-abundance could ruin the delicate balance of nature. They’re also rather shy creatures, and would probably love to have the same camouflage potential as the tree deer from Swapped.

The tree deer look beautiful, blending the long legs and slender bodies of deer with the unique bark texture of birch trees. Their antlers and tails also grow leaves, making them look even more like the embodiment of the forest. Sadly, no tree deer speak throughout the narrative, so we don’t get any insight into their personalities and culture, if any. However, their mere presence contributes to Swapped‘s overall success.

3

Treewolves

Image via Netflix

Wolves have long been one of the most iconic animals in human history, usually as villains, such as the iconic Big Bad Wolf of fairy tales. Indeed, many stories about wolves use them as a metaphor for the wild, predatory side of nature, but they are also creatures of great loyalty and wisdom. Both sides are represented in Swapped by a tree wolf pack that follows after Ollie and Ivy.

As the name implies, treewolves have bark-like skin and a crown of leaves on their heads, which gives them a regal appearance that fits with their status as apex predators of the woods. There are also some elements from foxes thrown in, such as the longer muzzles and the choice of red and yellow colors for their leaves. Finally, the treewolves might offer an example of gender dysmorphism, as the confirmed male wolves, the leader (David Lodge) and his son (Zemo Tatasciore), have red leaves, so the yellow and orange ones may be female, though it’s just speculation.

2

The Firewolf

Image via Netflix

The present state of the valley is due to one particular treewolf who, enraged at being abandoned to die by his pack, attacked the creatures of the valley indiscriminately to sow fear and mistrust. He was stopped for a time by the magical Dzo, but the treewolf was eventually able to steal some of their magic for himself and transform into the one and only Firewolf. With his new powers, the Firewolf killed four Dzo, drove off the others, and dammed the river, cutting the valley off from the rest of the world.

The Firewolf is destruction and malice made flesh, and his design beautifully captures this message. The beautiful plumage of the treewolves has been replaced with a crown of demonic branch-like horns, his bark-skin is black and charred, and he can ignite himself at will to cover his head and back in roaring flames. All these striking elements give the Firewolf a menacing hellhound design with elements of Doberman as well, further emphasizing how the Firewolf is anathema to the harmony represented in the other designs.

1

Dzo

Image via Netflix

The only species not native to the valley, Dzo used to migrate through the valley in large numbers, bringing with them ample food from the trees that grew on their backs. They are more plant-like than animal, resembling walking orchards with tree trunks for legs and the ability to extend their roots as needed. They also possess incredible magic that manifests through seed pods that, when touched, transform creatures into other species and grant them the ability to understand one another.

The Dzo draws inspiration from all sorts of mythological sources, from the Garden of Eden to the World Turtle/Elephants that carry all existence on their backs. Having their trunks grow from the side of their faces is also an ingenious design, as it looks like drooping mustaches that give the Dzo a wise, sage-like quality, thus reflecting their mystical nature. The climax also reveals that the Dzo can communicate with one another over large distances using root-networks, showcasing how, more than any other creature, they are the true harmony between animal and plant, and their arrival and departure symbolizes if the world is in balance or not.

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Swapped

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Release Date

May 1, 2026

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Runtime

102 minutes

Director

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Nathan Greno

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By Joshua Tyler
| Published 44 seconds ago

The trouble with traveling to other planets has always been the vast distances involved and the limitations of lightspeed travel. As far as we know, nothing in the universe can move faster than the speed of light.

This fundamental fact means that even if you go as fast as the laws of physics will allow, it would still take decades to reach the nearest inhabited planet. Science Fiction has long theorized that the solution to this problem might be warp drive.

The idea behind a warp drive, popularized by Star Trek but rooted in real theoretical physics, is that instead of moving a ship faster than light through space, you move space itself. A ship inside a “warp bubble” would stay relatively still while spacetime in front of it compresses and spacetime behind it expands, effectively carrying the vessel across enormous distances faster than light could normally travel.

Physicists have done real work to explore this possibility, but research from the University of Sydney suggests one huge obstacle: Space isn’t empty.

That big, black void between planets is actually full of radiation and tiny particles, which their research suggests would be “swept up” into the warp bubble and then focused into areas in front of and behind the ship. This wouldn’t actually be a danger for anyone inside the warp bubble, but for anyone hanging out at the ship’s destination, it would spell certain doom. They explain, “Any people at the destination would be gamma rays and high-energy particles blasted into oblivion due to the extreme blueshifts for [forward] region particles.”

This problem might be solved by aiming your craft just a little off to the side of your destination, allowing the release of all that energy into some unpopulated part of space, but even that may not do it. It could be that the particles will blast away from the craft in all directions.

It’s hard to seek out new life and new civilizations if you wipe them all out the moment you arrive. When we finally get Starfleet up and running, we’ll probably need a better alternative to the warp drive.

Quite often, fantasy films are—at least to some degree—family-friendly. It’s not the most common thing in the world for a fantasy film to be rated R by the MPAA, and when they are, these movies don’t always pan out quite like fans of the genre would expect. On a few noteworthy occasions, however, cinema has treated us to some truly exceptional R-rated fantasy films. And on even more precious occasions, these movies go on to have a tremendous impact and influence on the genre as a whole.

Their being rated R often means that these masterpieces of the genre can approach their fantastical elements with more maturity, a darker tone, and less concern for commercial whims. That’s probably why they’ve proven to be so immensely impactful over the course of the history of fantasy cinema. From adaptations of Arthurian legend to fully-original cult classics, these gems are easily among the greatest fantasy films of all time.

7

‘The Fall’ (2006)

Image via Roadside Attractions

Based on the 1981 Bulgarian film Yo Ho Ho, Tarsem Singh‘s The Fall is one of those forgotten fantasy movies that are still perfect today. Due to its incredibly complicated release process, allegedly partly due to Harvey Weinstein having disliked the movie and deciding to sabotage it as a result, the film has never been able to meet the kind of praise that it so definitely deserves. Though it’s definitely a movie that favors style over substance, that’s only a nitpick when the style is this delectably perfect.

Shot over four years across 24 countries with no CGI, The Fall proved that visual ambition in the 21st century still existed in the same kind of old-school fashion that defined ’80s fantasy. It’s too singular and niche of a movie to say that it’s had a widespread impact across the entire fantasy genre, but there’s no denying the inspiration that it has shown in the fields of indie and arthouse fantasy. It’s a cult classic unlike any other that deserves more respect.

6

‘The Green Mile’ (1999)

Stephen King is, of course, a legendary writer best-known for his work in horror, but fantasy is another genre at which he has constantly excelled. That leaves us with Frank Darabont‘s adaptation of King’s novel The Green Mile, the director’s follow-up to The Shawshank Redemption (also based on a King story). It’s one of the heaviest fantasy movies ever made, but it’s also far and away one of the most acclaimed and widely beloved.

Led by Tom Hanks and Michael Clarke Duncan at their most emotionally stirring, this tear-jerker is a genre-blending example of low fantasy that mixes its magic with elements from a prison drama. The resulting concoction is one of Hollywood’s greatest ’90s classics. There’s a case to be made that it more stronly changed the way prison dramas were made, rather than fantasy films; but the impact that it’s had on low fantasy is undeniable, and as such, that’s enough to call it one of the most influential outings the genre had at any point during the ’90s.

5

‘Fanny and Alexander’ (1982)

Image via Sandrew Film & Teater

When it comes to hyper-influential fantasy movies, it’s not all Hollywood blockbusters. Case in point: Fanny and Alexander, a coming-of-age epic that legendary Swedish auteur Ingmar Bergman (one of the greatest filmmakers in history) intended as his final movie. That didn’t end up being the case, but that doesn’t detract from the utter brilliance of this classic. Over three hours long in its theatrical cut and over five hours long in its television cut, this is an equally flawless masterpiece in both of its versions.

Fanny and Alexander is one of the best international coming-of-age movies in history, and like the rest of Bergman’s most notorious movies, it’s had a tremendous influence on many movie directors since. The film set a new gold standard for how magic realism could be applied in movies; and though its fantastical elements are definitely subtle, they’re brilliantly used nonetheless. There are many great fantasy movies which show magic through the eyes of a child’s innocence, and a remarkable number of the ones released after 1982 owe at least some of their greatness to Fanny and Alexander.

4

‘Legend’ (1985)

Image via Universal Pictures

Back when it came out right in the middle of the ’80s, Ridley Scott‘s fourth-ever feature film, Legend, was trashed by critics and destroyed at the box office. The fact that the English auteur had followed up Blade Runner, one of the most complex sci-fi films in Hollywood history, with a straightforward fairy tale movie puzzled audiences the world over. In the years since, however, it’s become one of the biggest cult classics of Scott’s whole filmography.

There are plenty of elements that make this one of the most perfect fantasy cult classics, from Tim Curry‘s iconic performance as Darkness to the delectably campy tone that permeates the whole thing. The film definitely favors visual spectacle over narrative depth, and that’s precisely the department where Legend changed the game altogether. Production design, visual effects, and makeup work were already crucial elements of the fantasy genre before 1985, but Legend proved how they could all be art forms unto themselves. Echoed by filmmakers like Guillermo del Toro and Tim Burton, the visuals of Scott’s underrated gem have aged like fine wine.

3

‘Excalibur’ (1981)

Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

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Directed by John Boorman, Excalibur is Medieval dark fantasy at its most epic and entertaining. The film actually began development as a Lord of the Rings adaptation that ended up going unproduced, and though you can still see remnants of that vision here, Excalibur is an entirely unique kind of adaptation of Arthurian legend. With its star-studded cast and a delightful visual style, it has joined the ranks of Legend as one of the biggest fantasy cult classics of the 1980s.

It’s one of the best R-rated fantasy masterpieces ever made, an operatic and highly detailed epic whose lush, dreamlike beauty more than makes up for the relative lack of substance of the narrative. Unapologetically dark, sexy, bloody, and fever-dream-ish, Excalibur set a new standard for how ambitious and full of theatrical grandeur adaptations of legendary fantasy source material could be. There has never been another Arthurian movie quite like it.

2

‘Conan the Barbarian’ (1982)

Image via Universal Pictures

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The movie that transformed Arnold Schwarzenegger from a world-renowned bodybuilder into an international movie superstar and box office magnet was Conan the Barbarian, John Milius‘ classic sword-and-sorcery masterpiece. Ideas to make a film about Robert E. Howard‘s iconic character from pulp fiction had been floating around in Hollywood since the 1970s, but the adaptation ended up materializing at exactly the right time, because it’s difficult to envision anyone but Schwarzenegger in the titular role.

It’s not just thanks to its star, though, but also thanks to Milius’ direction and the phenomenal work of the rest of the team that this is one of the best dark fantasy masterpieces of all time. There was a widespread perception before 1982 that the sword-and-sorcery subgenre was camp by nature, but Conan proved that it could be serious, brutal, and properly epic. There was a noteworthy boom in the production of fantasy media in the ’80s—including films, of course—, and many would argue that it was Conan the Barbarian that served as a major catalyst for such a revolution.

1

‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ (2006)

Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

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There is probably not a single fantasy filmmaker working today who’s more influential than Guillermo del Toro. The Mexican auteur has had an impact on the genre—dark fantasy in particular—that cannot be overstated, and that has resulted in several of the greatest fantasy films of the ’90s and of the 21st century. The discussion of del Toro’s best films can veer in many different directions, but more often than not, the conversation of what his magnum opus is ends up in a single place: Pan’s Labyrinth.

This Spanish-Mexican co-production is one of the darkest fairy tale movies of all time, and perhaps the most perfect example of what dark fantasy can achieve in the 21st century. Set against the backdrop of the Spanish Civil War and sharply criticizing fascism and authoritarian violence, del Toro’s mastepriece re-defined fantasy as a highly mature vehicle for complex themes and nuanced political commentary. Fantasy hasn’t been the same since 2006.

By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 48 seconds ago

When I heard we were getting a reboot of Jumanji, I was absolutely filled with dread. The original film was very special to me: it was a master class in acting from the late, great Robin Williams, and the plot about getting stuck inside a board game both frightened and delighted my adolescent self. I assumed any remake of this iconic film would be an insult to Williams and everyone else from the original Jumanji. Plus, the original sequel, Zathura: A Space Adventure, which was such a minor blip on the pop culture radar that I’d bet my board game collection you already forgot it ever existed.

Accordingly, I walked into my local theater in 2017, assuming that Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle would be complete trash and that I would be hate-watching it from beginning to end. To my immense surprise, however, the movie used the original Jumanji as a springboard to tell an innovative and original story featuring a quirky cast that meshed together shockingly well. The result is a modern adventure comedy that’s as funny as it is family-friendly, and you can now stream it on Netflix.

Like A Rock

In Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, the titular tabletop adventure has been transformed into a ‘90s video game console that is discovered by some hapless high schoolers. They fire up this retro machine and are instantly sucked into the world of the game, which was heavily inspired by everything from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom to the old Pitfall video game. In order to get back to reality, these teens (each stuck inside an adult body) must win the game. That means finding a way to stop its final boss: a mad professor who has taken control of the animals and turned everything in the jungle into a weapon.

The cast of Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle is eclectic, to put it mildly. Dwayne Johnson does his usual action hero thing, but he mercifully leans into his sillier side to embrace the broad comedy of this cinematic caper. The biggest punchlines come courtesy of two other, very different comedians: Kevin Hart, doing his reliably wacky schtick as a pint-sized sidekick, and Jack Black, playing hilariously against type as a teenage girl stuck in a man’s body. Rounding out the cast is Karen Gillan, the former Doctor Who companion who has now fully embraced her Marvel makeover as a modern action star.

If You Die In The Game, You Die In Real Life

The stakes never feel all that high in Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, but that’s actually part of its appeal. This is a perfect movie when you want to grab a beer and just vibe out on the couch to pure, unadulterated fun. It’s great to watch with your friends because you don’t have to take the plot seriously, and everyone you invite over will love at least one member of the quirky cast. As long as your kiddos aren’t too young, this PG-13 movie is fun for the whole family, and if your teens live on Discord, they’ll enjoy the plot about being trapped in a life-or-death video game.

While Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle is not the most original movie, it’s a great example of how a film can be greater than the sum of its parts. It’s based on the original Jumanji, and it brings in some of the “kids trapped in a fantastic world” elements of classics like Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. Its action/adventure elements are basically what you get if you smash the Indiana Jones and Pirates of the Caribbean franchises together. Plus, the movie borrows heavily from the modern Marvel formula, with a brisk pace that always finds time for some surprisingly funny quips and unexpected punchlines.

Clean, Dumb Fun

As you can tell, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle isn’t a great choice for anyone looking for a wholly original film. But if you like the movies referenced above, this action-adventure is basically a buffet of genre goodness. Not a high-class buffet, either, but one of those local places that specialize in greasy carb bombs that slow down your heart in a “hurts so good” kinda way. In the spirit of those buffets, Welcome to the Jungle is not exactly a healthy part of your cinematic diet. But for anyone looking to consume a guilty pleasure of film, however, this Jumanji reboot really hits the spot.

Fittingly enough, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle is true to the origins of the franchise. This isn’t a movie that will change your life, and it was never exactly in danger of taking home an Academy Award. But like all great board games and video games, it delivers the best kind of distractions in the form of a breezy plot, charismatic cast, and infectious humor. Whenever you’re ready for a much-needed break from the trials and tribulations of our hellworld, here’s some good news: you can now stream Jumanji: Welcome To the Jungle on Netflix. 

It should be perfectly safe. After all, there’s no way you could possibly get stuck in this movie for the next two decades, right?

Sister Wives star Kody Brown might not be married to Christine Brown Woolley anymore, but fans think, still to this day, she knows how to rattle him. When her new book arrived on shelves, fans scurried to read her insights on the Brown family. And low and behold, readers suggest that she got a jab in at Kody on the very first page of the book’s prologue.

Sister Wives: Kody Brown Easily Replaced?

Christine Brown Woolley’s new book is an eye-opener on a few topics having to do with Kody Brown and the entire Sister Wives family, both before and after his divorces. Her book, Sister Wife—A Memoir of Faith, Family, and Finding Freedom, offers what some fans see as a jab at Kody as soon as the first page. And this comes through to many fans without her ever using his name.

Reading her book, you get the feeling that she’s reborn after leaving her old life behind. Considering Christine Brown and Kody Brown have six kids together, she will always have ties to him. When she first introduced David Woolley to her kids, reports indicated Kody was not too happy.

From what the Sister Wives viewers caught on screen, it looked as if he felt like someone was taking his place. Now Christine’s new book seems to strengthen that thought for those reading it.

Christine Brown Calls Them “Dad Jokes”

Christine opens up her new book with what a typical day looks like in her life with David Woolley. She shares the house with David and her daughter Truely Brown.

Christine paints a picture of a very happy daughter, who comes downstairs with a towel, headed to the pool with friends. She also writes how Truely made protein pancakes for the family for breakfast. So, we assume “the family” consists of Christine, David, and Truely.

The third wife and now ex-wife of Kody Brown describes the playful banter between Truely and David while they are at the breakfast table. She writes how Truely playfully looks to Christine for help when David’s “dad jokes” get too much. So, the Sister Wives fans see Christine tagging David as dad for Truely.

Sister Wives: Christine Moves David Woolley into Dad Spot?

Up until her marriage to David Woolley, this Sister Wives star only knew how to share a husband. So, Kody was her part-time husband, as he had three other wives and families that he needed to spend time with.

But today, David, who calls Christine several times throughout the day, is all hers. Since Kody doesn’t see Truely very often, which is what Christine has said in the past, did this mom replace Kody with David as her dad figure? To some fans it sounds like she’s presenting David Woolley as the father figure for the only child she has left at home.

And if so, Sister Wives fans surmise that once Kody hears the buzz over what Christine wrote about “Dad,” he won’t be very happy. That’s because it looks like David very easily takes the place of a dad for Truely. But most of all, Christine paints a home of happiness and love, with Truely getting the attention she deserves today. And… her fans are thrilled for both mom and daughter.

Head back to Soap Dirt for the latest buzz on Sister Wives.

If you are an Italian-American, especially in the Tri-State area, you’re familiar with the slang terms we sometimes use to describe our favorite foods, like “muzzadell” (mozzarella), “rigot” (ricotta), and “proshut” (prosciutto).Most famously, though, the slang term “gabagool” exploded into pop culture, thanks to the HBO hit series The Sopranos. Tony Soprano’s (James Gandolfini) love for the thinly sliced cured meat, gabagool (cappicola), is probably one of the most famous details about the iconic character. However, in the series, gabagool has a deeper and much darker meaning derived from a traumatic experience in Tony’s childhood.

Tony Has a Traumatic Connection to Satriale’s Meat Market in ‘The Sopranos’ Season 3

In the Season 3 episode of The Sopranos, “Fortunate Son,” Dr. Melfi (Lorraine Bracco) is helping Tony get to the bottom of his most recent panic attack. She starts to see an odd connection between Tony’s anxiety attacks and meat. The panic attack that brought him to Dr. Melfi in the first place happened when he was grilling sausages, and the most recent one occurred while he was making a sandwich. Later in the episode, Tony is enjoying a delicious slice of gabagool from the fridge when he’s hit with a panic attack. He recalls a memory from when he was 11 years old, the first time he had an episode. Earlier that day, young Tony (Mark Damiano II) witnessed a truly brutal moment when his father, Johnny Boy (Joseph Siravo), and his Uncle Junior (Rocco Sisto) beat up the owner of the meat shop, Mr. Satriale (Lou Bonacki).

Although Tony’s father told him not to follow him inside, the young boy didn’t listen and walked in on his father chopping Mr. Satriale’s fingers off with a meat cleaver over an unpaid debt. While this would be traumatic for anyone to see, something Dr. Melfi points out, it left a particularly deep scar on young Tony. That night, when his father carved into the roast for dinner, Tony broke out into a cold sweat and “fainted,” hitting his head on the kitchen floor. From that moment on, his trauma became inextricably linked to Satriale’s Meat Market, the very place Tony would later frequent as an adult, buying meat to feed his family.

Eating Gabagool Triggers Tony’s Panic Attacks on ‘The Sopranos’

As Tony delves further into the memory with Dr. Melfi, she confirms that Tony’s experience that day was, in fact, his first panic attack and that it now makes sense why meat triggers him She also suggests that the meat symbolizes his father’s violent work, which was condoned by his mother, who cooked the meat he would bring home for free. Perhaps Tony’s anxiety stemmed from the fear that one day, he would have to live up to his father’s violent legacy. Even though Tony tries to downplay it, not wanting to think that deeply about “a slice of gabagool,” Dr. Melfi stresses that understanding the root cause of his anxiety is key to preventing future episodes.

Despite this breakthrough with Dr. Melfi, Tony has no desire to change the lifestyle that makes him Tony Soprano. He certainly isn’t going to stop eating gabagool, and his stubborn mindset about being a gangster keeps him from making any real progress in therapy. His deep connection to his father and the sense of power his work brings him is a recurring theme in The Sopranos, and this dynamic is underscored as Tony grapples with his trauma. The therapy scenes with Tony and Dr. Melfi are some of the most iconic of the whole series, but the ones in “Fortunate Son” stand out as particularly impactful.

While it’s unfortunate that Tony never fully breaks free from the same dangerous patterns, it is understandable why he isn’t willing to cut gabagool out of his diet. After all, it is a beloved and delicious food, but for Tony, it’s much more than that. The Sopranos writers cleverly use gabagool as a symbol of Tony’s connection to his violent lifestyle, making it a representation of the very thing that keeps him stuck in the same cycle of violence that defined his past, present, and future.

All seasons of The Sopranos are available to stream on Max in the U.S.

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Release Date

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1999 – 2007

Network

HBO

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Showrunner

David Chase

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Directors

Tim Van Patten, John Patterson, Alan Taylor, Jack Bender, Steve Buscemi, Daniel Attias, David Chase, Andy Wolk, Danny Leiner, David Nutter, James Hayman, Lee Tamahori, Lorraine Senna, Matthew Penn, Mike Figgis, Nick Gomez, Peter Bogdanovich, Phil Abraham, Rodrigo García

Writers

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Michael Imperioli, Jason Cahill, Lawrence Konner, David Flebotte, James Manos, Jr., Salvatore Stabile, Toni Kalem, Mark Saraceni, Nick Santora

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This article covers a developing story. Continue to check back with us as we will be adding more information as it becomes available.

ABC has officially ordered The Rookie spin-off, The Rookie: North, to a full series on the network.

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Release Date

October 16, 2018

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Showrunner

Alexi Hawley

Directors

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Tori Garrett, Chi-Yoon Chung, Michael Goi, Sylvain White, Lisa Demaine, Lanre Olabisi, Bill Johnson, David McWhirter, Liz Friedlander, Daniel Willis, Toa Fraser, Anne Renton, Jon Huertas, Cherie Nowlan, TK Shom, Rob Seidenglanz, Valerie Weiss, Barbara Brown, Charissa Sanjarernsuithikul, SJ Main Muñoz, Nelson McCormick, Marcus Stokes, Adam Davidson, Anna Mastro

Writers

Corey Miller, Bill Rinier, Zoe Cheng, Mary Trahan, Ally Seibert, Liz Alper, Nick Hurwitz, Racheal Seymour, Madeleine Coghlan, David Radcliff

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This article covers a developing story. Continue to check back with us as we will be adding more information as it becomes available.