Molly Sims is reflecting on how her relationship with her body has changed over the years.

“I just came in at a very difficult era,” the Las Vegas alum, 53, exclusively tells Us while looking back at the pressure to be a certain weight in her early modeling days. “It was about 20 pounds underweight. … Normal body weight was not that when I entered it, and so it gave me a lot of pause, a lot of tears.”

Sims says she tried “extreme measures” to meet expectations when it came to her weight, including trying “every diet” she came across.

“I think there’s not one thing I didn’t do,” she recalls.

Now, more than 40 years later, Sims has a different perspective.

“I’m not trying to look like I’m 20, which I think makes a huge difference,” she explains. “I’m just trying to look the best I can at every age.”

Sims adds that she would rather be “healthy” than thin, which is a “big mind shift.”

“I’m the girl who [wouldn’t pick up the] two-pound weight at SoulCycle. Now I do HIIT. I lift weights. I’m back to Pilates, and I do Tracy Anderson,” she continues. “Also, the difference between me at 20 and me at 53 is that I have an incredible tailor. So if I’m a size 12 or
I’m size 4, it doesn’t f***ing matter. That’s my secret weapon.”

Still, Sims admits she still has “hang-ups” about her body every now and then.

“That doesn’t just go away. I’m super broad, and I hate my shoulders and my arms because I was told my entire life, ‘You’re too muscular,’” she adds.

Sims began her modeling career in her early 20s after scoring features on the cover of Vogue Spain and Vogue Paris. In 2001, she became a spokesmodel for Old Navy and walked the runway for the annual Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. Sims has also worked with CoverGirl, Veronique Leroy, Jerome L’Huillier, Givenchy, Ann Demeulemeester and Emanuel Ungaro and appeared on the cover of Ocean Drive, Lucky, Marie Claire, Elle, Cosmopolitan, Allure, Glamour, Shape, Self and Vanidades.

Advertisement

Related: Molly Sims Looks Ageless as She Shows Off Her Figure in Tiny Bikini: Photos

Well, hello Molly Sims! The actress blessed fans with a series of vacation snaps that showed off her bikini body.  The 49-year-old Fired Up star took to Instagram on Wednesday, April 5, to share moments from her vacation in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. “Assuming spring break position,” Sims captioned the social media carousel, adding: “Let’s […]

Sims also made frequent appearances in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit in the early 2000s.

She made her triumphant return to the magazine in May and walked the SI Swimsuit Runway Show in Miami alongside Bethenny Frankel, Brooks Nader, Ilona Maher and others.

Thank You!

You have successfully subscribed.

“The fact that I said yes was a miracle of God,” Sims tells Us of agreeing to participate in the photoshoot and runway show. “I’ve always been disciplined, but people in the public eye have that added goal because they’re photographed. So it kind of helped me, especially with my fitness. Am I sick of protein? I’m so sick of chicken, but I still do my shakes and my creatine. Does it work? I don’t know. Maybe!”

Overall, Sims says she looked at preparing for her SI Swim appearance “in a different way” this time around.

“I’m at a different time in my life,” she notes. “My whole world does not depend on how I look in a bikini — which is a really nice feeling!”

Ted Lasso’s Season 3 finale was meant to be the end of the show, but it quickly became clear that would not be enough for fans. While Ted’s (Jason Sudeikis) journey coaching the AFC Richmond men’s team had come to an end, there were many loose ends left dangling. The title of the series may be Ted Lasso, but the show itself has always been an ensemble with many characters not reaching their full potential at the end.

The biggest upset was the demise of the relationship between Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein) and Keeley Jones (Juno Temple). They were posed early on in the series as the relationship to root for, only for them to come apart at the seams offscreen between Seasons 2 and 3. This is among a few creative decisions that left the Ted Lasso legacy in jeopardy. Only two episodes in, and Season 4 appears to be beating Season 3 with one quote that may set the show on the right path.

‘Ted Lasso’s Season 4 Quote Gives Hope to Roy and Keeley Fans

Ted Lasso Season 4 got off to somewhat of a slow start as Ted resisted his return as a Richmond coach. As soon as he hit English soil, however, the show that fans loved was back on track. Episode 2, “Curiouser and Curiouser!” didn’t just feature old cast members such as Roy and Couch Beard (Brendan Hunt) back in the coaching seat, but also the return of a fan-favorite couple. The tension between Roy and Keeley is palpable in their scenes, especially in one that contains more hope than fans have had in a long time.

After Keeley requests a new locker room for the women’s team, Roy assists in a charged scene that calls back to the best years of their relationship. Roy then asks for her advice when it comes to the situation he finds himself in with Beard. He knows that Beard longs to work with Ted again, but the coach is unable to ask Roy to leave the men’s team for the women’s. Keeley offers words of wisdom that don’t just apply to Ted and Beard.

“I think keeping two people apart who belong together is bad, not just for them, but for everybody,” Keeley says wisely. The best pieces of dialogue are lines that have double meanings, and this is a hint that Roy and Keeley are about as done as Ted and Beard.

Ted Lasso is famous for adding little winks at the audience, especially when it comes to Roy and Keeley. Season 1 features a voiceover from Ted about meeting his wife for the first time that overlaps a scene where Roy and Keeley have initial sparks in a parking lot. These hints are not just a comfort for the audience but a clever bit of foreshadowing that makes the series engaging.

This quote also makes it clear that Ted Lasso has reboarded the Keeley and Roy train. Season 3 posited that Roy was not ready for a relationship and devastated fans when there was no satisfying end to a couple that had been set up since the first season. Roy already seems more open to vulnerability as he asks Keeley for help in Season 4.

He also notes that it has been three years since they have been alone together, meaning he would have had ample time to work on himself. Ted’s reappearance may just offer the push these two need to come back together in a decision that will likely delight fans who never lost faith.

This quote early on in Season 4 proves to fans that Ted Lasso is making creative decisions that are a return to form. The ensemble cast may have some shake-ups, but the heart of the series remains.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Release Date

August 14, 2020

Network

Advertisement

Apple TV

Directors

Declan Lowney, MJ Delaney, Erica Dunton, Matt Lipsey

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Big Brother live feeds update is here with Barrett Pfeiffer risking his whole game. Plus, something’s brewing with Angela Murray that could trigger the most apocalyptic thing we’ve seen with her.

Big Brother: Time to Power Up

So, let’s start with powers. Rick Devens told Dee Valladares he’s definitely going to use his Diamond PoV before it expires. Even if he’s safe. Devens just wants to use it for chaos reasons.

He also told Dee he was hoping Lala Verrett would backdoor him this week so he could use it and Devens said he would’ve renommed Taylor Brown. Also, Dee and Devens both planting anti-Taylor and anti-Drew Campbell seeds. Meanwhile, Devens continues to pretend to be in an alliance with Kamu Kirk and Taylor.

Also, Devens revealed he brought 12 pairs of sunglasses and got a 13th pair in his HOH stuff. Also this was fun on the feeds. You may have seen Melody Morris using the funky clear princess phone in the living room making fake phone calls to her mom.

Yesterday, she and Barrett did a bit with her on one of her important calls with her mom. And Barrett sat down at the Commodore 64 behind her and started typing really loud on the old school 80’s era prop computer while Melody rolled her eyes and acted aggrieved about it.

Big Brother: Angela’s Birthday Crisis and Icon Targeting

Now, let’s talk about this potentially catastrophic Angela thing. Her birthday is Monday and she told Melody that she’d like them to do a talent show for her birthday.

She told Angela sounds fun but then she asked Melody to roast her for her birthday. Angela said Melody can be as messy, funny and crude as she wants. Angela said “Roast the hell out of me”. Melody agreed.

Prediction: Melody roasts her, others laugh. Seems fun. Then Angela goes away to fume and cry tears of paranoia in private. Then, she explodes on the house. That’s a prediction and also a wish cause it would be amazing.

Also, Drew, Melody, Barrett and Mallory are on the vets’ radar because they’re a strong voting block. And Mallory’s a very strong competitor. Dee talked about evicting one of them then pulling the remaining three of that alliance close to use them for votes.

Big Brother: Dee is Digging for Dirt

Meanwhile, Dee’s also cooking something up against Taylor. And it’s with Kamu once again. Dee told him that Taylor was calling out to Drew that he and the three icons are the only ones that haven’t been nominated.

There’s chatter among the FAP (that’s what the 4-person Drew, Barrett group is called). Mallory and the FAPs think they’re seen as two duos, but not as a foursome. She’s wrong.

Drew and Melody teased each other like middle schoolers, you say you like me, no you say you like me. They held hands briefly. It’s a slowmance, not a showmance.

Also, Barrett told Melody he’s kissed a boy and she told Barrett she’s kissed a girl. Then, Barrett, Drew, Yash Patel, Lala and Melody were in the HOH room plotting to take down Haley Thogmartin and Chuk Anyanwu this week and then two icons pre-jury.

Lala’s got an eye on Dee and was stunned to hear she won a million bucks on Survivor. Lala thought it was 500k and joked about can I get a loan. Then they called out none of the three icons have been nommed either.

The newbies may finally be waking up. But… Then, Drew and Barrett talked alone and decided to tattle on the HOH room talk to the icons. Dee heard it from Barrett who blamed Lala for inciting it all.

Keeping Stories Straight on BB28

Barrett said Lala’s particularly anti-Devens. Barrett also said Taylor was part of it, but if I recall her location, she was in the shower. Barrett’s wrong – Taylor was not in with the newb crew.

Taylor told Devens and Kamu blamed Melody and Mallory for some anti-icon chat but said it was casual conversation. And since Taylor wasn’t in the room, this wasn’t her ratting out that HOH chat group. It was more her updating Devens and Kamu, her allies, that there’s general chatter.

Since Barrett lied and said Taylor was there, I wonder if Devens will assume Taylor’s lying or investigate. You know Dee will tell him Taylor’s lying without proof. And Lala actually told Angela people are coming for the icons.

Kamu also did a funny impression of Chuk for Taylor and Drew. Taylor said Chuk’s whipped when it comes to Haley and there’s no saving him – Taylor called Chuk an idiot.

Devens laughed out loud when Taylor and Kamu told him Chuk thinks he’s got Devens’ vote. Chuk thinks Haley will win Blockbuster. And then, Chuk has votes to stay over Barrett.

Devens laughed and said Chuk hasn’t talked to me and I haven’t hid how much I like Barrett. Devens talked about how much time he spends with Barrett and is always hugging him.

Taylor just told Chuk he needs to campaign since he’s on the block on BB28. He told Taylor, my people got me, I’m good. Chuk said people know he’ll target Melody and that’s enough.

Also, HGs are considering keeping Haley and bouncing Chuk if he doesn’t win the block competition. This is chatter all around the house but HOH Lala says she wants Haley out.

Lala expects it to happen unless Haley wins the block competition. Also, if the HOH room-full finds out Barrett ratted them, he could legit be in trouble. This could be another jaw dropping Thursday eviction vote.

Big Brother: 1,000th Episode Airs

Also, the 1,000th episode of Big Brother is Thursday, Aug. 27 with a 90-minute LIVE episode with former houseguests chosen by fan vote. Plus, Julie Chen unveils the “biggest twist of the summer”.

With time warp theme, a battle back could be coming. I’ve heard whispers of America’s juror so America would vote on finale night with jury but that seems like a technical nightmare since final 2’s not known until finale night.

One suggestion I liked is them shoving the houseguests into the yard for a week, Jankie style, but with a time theme twist. Jankie was pure torment and I loved it. The song, the dance, the pizza, the ice cream, the porta potties.

Travis Kelce has finally opened up about marrying Taylor Swift, describing their star-studded Madison Square Garden wedding as the “best night” of his life. The Kansas City Chiefs tight end addressed the July 3 celebration during his first training camp press conference since the couple tied the knot in New York City. Although Kelce shared a few details about the “crazy” night and explained why Madison Square Garden was personally meaningful to him, he quickly shifted the conversation back to football as he prepares for his 14th NFL season.

5

Kelce began by acknowledging that his offseason looked considerably different following his marriage to the music superstar. “It was a fun offseason, man, wedding was the best night of my life and I appreciate everyone who came out and celebrated and had fun with us,” he said, per Daily Mail.

The three-time Super Bowl champion did not reveal many private details about the ceremony or reception, but made it clear that the night was filled with celebration. “That’s about all I really got from that night. It was a crazy night. It was full of a lot of celebration. But it’s football, baby,” Kelce added.

Inside Taylor Swift And Travis Kelce’s Madison Square Garden Wedding

5

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce married on July 3, 2026, at Madison Square Garden in New York City after keeping many of their wedding plans private. The couple wore custom Christian Dior Haute Couture looks designed by Jonathan Anderson, along with shoes created by Christian Louboutin. Swift completed her bridal look with Cartier jewelry.

The ceremony was officiated by actor Adam Sandler, who previously worked with Kelce on “Happy Gilmore 2.” Rather than having traditional bridesmaids and groomsmen, Swift chose her younger brother, Austin Swift, as her man of honor, while Jason Kelce served as his brother’s best man.

The venue announced the marriage by displaying “JUST&T MARRIED” on its marquee after the ceremony. Despite the enormous public interest surrounding Taylor Swift’s wedding, the couple largely kept the celebration away from cameras, with guests reportedly prohibited from using their phones inside the arena.

The Madison Square Garden wedding marked the culmination of a relationship that began in 2023 after Kelce publicly revealed that he had attempted to give Swift a friendship bracelet containing his phone number during her “Eras Tour.” The pair announced their engagement in August 2025.

Madison Square Garden Fulfilled Kelce’s Childhood Dream

5

For Kelce, the legendary New York City arena carried significance beyond its ability to host their high-profile celebration. The athlete revealed that he had long hoped to attend a New York Knicks playoff game at Madison Square Garden. Swift made it to one without him while he was busy with the Chiefs, leaving Kelce waiting for his own chance to experience the venue.

“MSG, man. You know, I always told myself I’d go for a playoff game when the Knicks were rocking,” he explained. “Then my wife went when I was stuck in minicamp, so I didn’t get my opportunity to go then.”

Marrying Swift ultimately gave Kelce a much bigger reason to step inside the arena. “So it’s kind of cool to be able to live out my childhood dream of being in that venue, the Mecca of all sports venues, being able to get married in there,” he continued.

The couple managed to keep the event largely private despite its massive scale and the public attention surrounding their relationship. “I can’t thank the owners of MSG for allowing us to get the opportunity to do that, knowing we wanted a private event and everything, so it was perfect,” Kelce said. “And the AC was perfect, man, that’s the best part.”

5

Kelce’s wedding remarks came as the Chiefs prepared to begin their preseason schedule against the Los Angeles Rams on August 15. The new season carries added pressure after Kansas City finished 6-11 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2014, ending a run of 10 consecutive postseason appearances.

Kelce also enters his 14th season hoping to improve upon a year that fell below the lofty standard he established during the Chiefs’ dominant run. He described the team’s training camp base in St. Joseph, Missouri, as an important place for both his career and personal development.

“It’s always going to be my sanctuary. I think St Joe’s has got a special place in my heart,” Kelce said. “A time that, you know, you need to have these days. You need to have this time of grinding with the guys, being around them all day, every day, starting to create that chemistry and that standard of how we’re going to do things.”

The tight end believes the intensity has increased as the Chiefs attempt to recover from their disappointing season. “This season is ramped up even more, especially on the offensive side of the ball, and man, it feels good to have the leaders out there, all feeling the same thing,” he shared.

Travis Kelce Wants To Prove He Can Still Play At A High Level

5

Although questions about Kelce’s future continue to follow him, the veteran insisted that his passion for football has not disappeared. “You know, I still got a lot of love for this game. I still think I can go out there and play at a high level, and I want to go out there and prove myself that I can play at a better level than I did last year,” he said.

Kelce explained that personal accountability has become one of his biggest priorities as he enters another season. “I think that’s probably the biggest thing for me, is making sure that I’m accountable for the guys in this room and every single play that I’m out there,” he continued.

His role has changed considerably since he arrived in Kansas City as a young player simply hoping to earn a roster spot. “Year 1 I was just trying to make the team, I guess, so this year not only making the team but trying to figure out how I can bring guys along with me and show them how to play championship football,” Kelce explained. “I think that’s a big thing.”

He also wants to appreciate the remaining opportunities he has with the people who helped build the Chiefs’ winning culture. “And then be able to just enjoy these moments with the guys I built this culture with. Coach Reid, and guys like Pat and Chris Jones, George and everybody,” Kelce said.

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

The latest issue of the Toledo Truth Teller is on its way! Peacock has released the official trailer for The Paper Season 2, teasing bigger, bolder, and more dangerous stories for Ned Sampson (Domhnall Gleeson) and his team to cover after sweeping the Ohio Journalism Awards. With one big win under their belt, he’s determined to continue the failing newspaper’s turnaround, but in searching for his next crusade, breaking the news may wind up breaking them. All episodes of The Office spin-off’s return will arrive on September 9.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Release Date

September 4, 2025

Advertisement

Network

Peacock

Directors

Advertisement

David Rogers, Jason Woliner, Jeffrey Blitz, Jennifer Celotta, Ken Kwapis, Matt Sohn, Paul Lieberstein, Yana Gorskaya

Writers

L.E. Correia, Michael Levin, Alex Edelman, Patrick Kang, Ben Philippe, Eric Rahill

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

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

Hayao Miyazaki is one of the most influential and beloved animators in the entire world. He began his career by sketching airplanes, then co-founded Studio Ghibli alongside Isao Takahata, director of the heartbreaking Grave of the Fireflies, Toshio Suzuki, and Yasuyoshi Tokuma. Miyazaki’s films have often been heralded as the best of Ghibli’s lineup, and though he has tried to retire several times over the years, a new idea always pulls him back into the game.

The majority of Miyazaki’s films are fantasy stories, though they often contain heavy science fiction themes and iconography as well. Aside from their gorgeous animation, his films are beloved for their environmentalist messages, strong characters who almost never fall into simple good or evil binaries, and his endless creativity, which results in all manner of one-of-a-kind locations and creatures. Every Miyazaki fantasy movie is great, but some are undoubtedly better than others: the question is, which is the best?

10

‘Ponyo’ (2008)

Image via Toho

Brunhilda (Yuuri Nara/Noah Cyrus) is a goldfish-like creature and eldest daughter of the wizard Fujimoto (George Tokoro/Liam Neeson) and the sea spirit Gran Mamare (Yūki Amami/Cate Blanchett). One day, she ends up stranded on land, but is rescued by a little boy named Sōsuke (Hiroki Doi/Frankie Jonas), who calls her Ponyo. Fujimoto retrieves his daughter, but thanks to tasting Sōsuke’s blood when she healed a cut on his hand, she is able to take human form, an act which threatens to throw off the balance of nature and flood the world.

Ponyo is by far Miyazaki’s lowest-stakes film, emphasized by the fact that the protagonists are small children. That doesn’t make it bad by any stretch of the imagination: Miyazaki still goes all out with the animation and the fantastical imagery, especially with how the magical imbalance starts to transform the ocean. Plus, Ponyo and Sōsuke have a very sweet bond, which results in a cute love story.

9

‘Porco Rosso’ (1992)

Image via Studio Ghibli

Marco Pagot (Shūichirō Moriyama/Michael Keaton) is a bounty hunter living in Fascist Italy who is plagued by survivor’s guilt following the loss of his squadron in World War I. Somehow, he received a curse that transformed his head into a pig’s, so now he goes by Porco Rosso as he pursues pirates in the open sky. However, the pirates recruit American ace pilot Donald Curtis (Akio Ōtsuka/Cary Elwes) to deal with Porco, leading him to team up with Fio (Akemi Okamura/Kimberly Williams-Paisley), the granddaughter of his old mechanic.

Porco Rosso is the least fantastical of the films on this list, but the way it uses its fantasy elements is creative and thematic. Porco’s pig-head is implied at times to be a self-inflicted curse that reflects how he views himself, allowing others to occasionally glimpse his real self at key moments. Visually, it’s as gorgeous as you’d expect a Ghibli film to be, and the flight scenes might be the best in any of their movies.

8

‘Howl’s Moving Castle’ (2004)

Image via Studio Ghibli

Sophie’s (Chieko Baisho/Emily Mortimer and Jean Simmons) life changes forever when she has a chance encounter with a wizard named Howl (Takuya Kimura/Christian Bale), which prompts the Witch of the Waste (Akihiro Miwa/Lauren Bacall), who desires Howl for herself, to curse her. Now transformed into an old woman, Sophie heads into the countryside, where she befriends a living scarecrow named Turnip Head before finding Howl’s moving castle, where she gets a job as a cleaning lady. As she learns more about Howl and his relationship with a fire demon named Calcifer (Tatsuya Gashūin/Billy Crystal) who powers the castle, her nation soon finds itself at war, and Howl puts his life on the line to try and stop it.

Howl’s Moving Castle is based on the book of the same name by Diana Wynne Jones, but Miyazaki changed the story based on his disgust at the Iraq War. Accordingly, one of the major themes of the film is the horrors of war, demonstrated through beautifully detailed scenes of cities burning and airships crashing to the ground. It’s not all about war, however: Sophie’s story sees her go on a journey of self-discovery and personal growth, which is demonstrated through her shifting age based on how much she believes in herself.

7

‘Kiki’s Delivery Service’ (1989)

Image via Studio Ghibli

Adolescent witch Kiki (Minami Takayama/Kirsten Dunst) leaves home on her mother’s broomstick with her familiar spirit, Jiji (Rei Sakuma/Phil Hartman), for the town of Koriko. Upon arriving, she befriends an aviation enthusiast named Tombo (Kappei Yamaguchi/Matthew Lawrence) and gets room and board from a baking couple named Osono (Keiko Toda/Tress MacNeille) and Fukuo (Koichi Yamadera/John Hostetter). As Kiki tries to find her way forward in life, she decides to put her powers to good use by opening a delivery service.

Kiki’s Delivery Service was the first Ghibli film to be dubbed by Disney, and there’s something magnetic about it that keeps audiences coming back for more. Kiki’s struggles are, at their core, universal for anyone coming-of-age, such as the stresses of moving away from home and trying to get a job. It also helps that the movie has a fun, casual tone to it that allows you to get immersed in the characters, their dynamics, and their struggles.

6

‘My Neighbor Totoro’ (1988)

Image via Studio Ghibli

With their mother, Yasuko (Sumi Shimamoto/Lea Salonga), recovering in the hospital, sisters Satsuki (Noriko Hidaka/Dakota Fanning) and Mei Kusakabe (Chika Sakamoto/Elle Fanning) move with their father, Tatsuo (Shigesato Itoi/Tim Daly), to a countryside house. They soon discover that the nearby forest is full of numerous spirits, from dust spirits to aspects of nature and a cat that acts as a bus. The one they grow closest to is a big, rotund, friendly creature known as Totoro (Hitoshi Takagi/Frank Welker), who takes them on many adventures.

My Neighbor Totoro is the movie that made Studio Ghibli a global name, and Totoro himself has since become the company’s mascot. The film is a beautiful snapshot of childhood, namely the innocence and wonder that comes from going on adventures in one’s backyard and encountering new experiences for the first time. The girl’s interactions with Totoro and the spirits can also be seen as an allegory for how humans tend to use fantasy as a means of coping with difficult moments in our lives.

5

‘Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind’ (1984)

Image via Toei Company

One thousand years after an apocalyptic war, humans try to rebuild around the Toxic Jungle, a poisonous forest inhabited by gigantic insects, including gigantic near-sentient insects called Ohm. Princess Nausicaä (Sumi Shimamoto/Alison Lohman) from the Valley of the Wind regularly ventures into the jungle to study it and hopes to find a way for humans and the insects to live in harmony. Unfortunately, her plans are jeopardized when soldiers from the militaristic Empire of Tolmekia arrive, bringing with them their war with another nation called Pejite.

Unlike the other members of this list, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind came from Topcraft, the company whose collapse birthed Studio Ghibli, and which worked on several other fantasy films, like The Last Unicorn and The Flight of Dragons. The story is one of Miyazaki’s making, so it’s no surprise that it also contains some of the strongest depictions of his common themes, especially the environmental message and female protagonist. Speaking of, Nausicaä herself is a terrific character thanks to her bravery, kindness, and how much she is willing to sacrifice in the name of peaceful coexistence.

4

‘Castle in the Sky’ (1986)

Image via Toei Company

Pazu (Mayumi Tanaka/James Van Der Beek) is a young, orphaned mechanic who is obsessed with the legend of Laputa, a floating castle said to be built by an ancient civilization. One day, he sees a girl named Sheeta (Keiko Yokozawa/Debi Derryberry and Anna Paquin) fall out of the sky, but is saved by a magical crystal she wears. Pazu learns that the crystal is linked to Laputa somehow, but they’re forced to go on the run from sky pirates and a government agent named Muska (Minori Terada/Mark Hamill), who want to find Laputa for their own reasons.

Castle in the Sky incorporates a lot of sci-fi elements into its story and worldbuilding, which leads to some of the most iconic of Miyazaki’s environmentally conscious imagery as nature and technology merge. The rest of the story is a fantastic adventure, with lots of mystery and exploration as the characters, and thus the audience, get to experience this unique world of steampunk airships and magic crystals. The characters are all fun, but the antagonists stand out the best: Muska is a mysterious man with grand ambitions, while the sky pirates are a beautifully dysfunctional family.

3

‘The Boy and the Heron’ (2023)

Image via Studio Ghibli

After losing his mother in a firebombing during World War II, Mahito’s (Soma Santoki/Luca Padovan) father, Shoichi (Takuya Kimura/Christian Bale), marries his dead wife’s sister, Natsuko (Yoshino Kimura/Gemma Chan), and moves them to her estate while he establishes an air munitions factory. Soon after arriving, Mahito encounters a strange grey heron (Masaki Suda/Robert Pattinson) who claims it can help him see his mother again. This leads Mahito into a sealed tower built by his mysterious granduncle (Shōhei Hino/Mark Hamill), which leads to fantastical discoveries regarding the family’s past.

The Boy and the Heron plays out like a lucid dream at times, especially in the third act. This ethereal aesthetic is a great way to explore the film’s primary themes concerning grief and legacy: the first half is much quieter and somber to better reflect Mahito’s isolation due to his grief, while the second half is more vibrant and ambiguous, which becomes even more fascinating when it’s explained where these more fantastical elements come from and why they are here. The voice cast in both Japanese and English is fantastic, but Pattinson stands out the most in the dub because he is unrecognizable as the heron.

2

‘Princess Mononoke’ (1997)

Image via Toho

Prince Ashitaka (Yōji Matsuda/Billy Crudup) of the Emishi slays a demon that used to be a boar god named Nago (Makoto Satō/John DiMaggio), but is given a fatal curse in the process. He follows Nago’s trail and arrives at Irontown, a mining colony built next to a forest inhabited by animal gods. The two groups are on the verge of war, and as Ashitaka does what he can to keep things from escalating, he meets a woman named San (Yuriko Ishida/Claire Danes) who was raised by the wolf gods.

Princess Mononoke is perhaps the best movie to showcase Miyazaki’s common themes. The conflict in the film is handled brilliantly: rather than go the easy route and say nature good, civilization bad, the film shows how both sides have their positive and negative traits, making them feel like two groups of individuals just struggling to survive in an ever-changing world. Speaking of the world, this movie is some of the most beautiful animation to come from Studio Ghibli, with gorgeous landscapes that look like photographs at times, and creative visual depictions of life and death.

1

‘Spirited Away’ (2001)

Image via Studio Ghibli

While moving to their new home, Chihiro (Rumi Hiiragi/Daveigh Chase) and her parents find an abandoned carnival that serves as a gateway to the spirit world. Her parents are turned into pigs, but Chihiro is aided by a strange boy named Haku (Miyu Irino/Jason Marsden), who helps her get a job at the local bathhouse run by the witch Yubaba (Mari Natsuki/Suzanne Pleshette). Chihiro is safe while she tries to find a way to free her parents, but Yubaba further complicates things by taking Chihiro’s name as part of the contract, renaming her Sen.

It can be hard to put into words just how magical an experience Spirited Away is. The spirit world is a masterfully constructed world inhabited by all manner of creatures, many of whom have deep symbolic meaning behind their design and actions, as is the case with the mysterious No Face (Akio Nakamura/Bob Bergan). It’s the kind of film that knows when to let the atmosphere tell the story rather than dialogue, leading to many soft, introspective moments that facilitate Chihiro’s coming-of-age journey, and allowing audiences to bask in the lush, detailed animation.

Warren Hudson, Jax Pitalo & Morgan Seymour are addressing the “enhanced” audio of them calling for Sea Tow assistance from Horn Island on July 4, and claims they were screaming about Nolan Wells being dead.

RELATED: Bart Edmiston Jr.’s Lawyer Says “Enhanced” Dispatch Audio Is “Doctored,” As Ben Crump Reportedly Reacts To Warren Hudson’s Dad Planning To Sue

Warren Hudson, Jax Pitalo & Morgan Seymour Address “Enhanced” Sea Tow Dispatch Audio Amid Nolan Wells Investigation

Part two of Officer Tatum’s sitdown with Warren Hudson, Jax Pitalo, and Morgan Seymour was released via YouTube on the evening of Tuesday, August 11. As the conversation commenced, Tatum asked the teens to share their thoughts on the now-viral “ehanced” audio of them calling for sea-tow assistance on July 4.

In response, Pitalo referenced a now-released video clip of the group on the boat allegedly as Hudson made the call.

“Wouldn’t you think that you would’ve seen Nolan on the bottom — on the floor, something or scrambling around or everybody in a small space on the boat looking at him or something? It’s just so crazy to think that — why would we call sea-tow if we have a dead body on the boat?” he said. “Why would we call the Coast Guard? I mean, why would we do the things we did if we know we killed somebody?”

RELATED: Dr. Umar Says Ben Crump & Rev. Al Sharpton’s Approach To Investigation Into Death Of Nolan Wells Has Been “Too Soft” (VIDEO)

Additionally, Pitalo asked, “Why aren’t we in jail yet? I mean, we’re not geniuses. There’s no way we could’ve done a murder. There’s no way we could have covered it up, especially out there with that many people.”

The Trio Address Claims They Were Screaming About Nolan Wells Being Dead On “Enhanced” Sea Tow Dispatch Audio

At that point, Hudson jumped in and explained that he thinks “people, regardless of who it is, are going to believe what they want to hear.”

“I think some of these people, you can’t convince, regardless. They’re going to believe what they want to believe. If they want to believe that my friends and I had something to do with Nolan dying then they’re going to believe that regardless of what you put out,” Hudson said. “…It is [inaudible] clear that Nolan was not on the boat with us. You can almost see down into the deck… and… everybody is completely casual…”

Furthermore, Hudson said the audio that went viral was “completely enhanced.” Additionally, he said “people just want to hear what they want to hear.”

“You don’t hear about the pool party. Because it was on June 27th… Thousands of lies. Now, oh the audio comes back and now you can hear Nolan in the background [and us] screaming about how he’s dead? That’s just a complete lie. And it’s another lie to push this narrative… it’s insane,” Hudson added.

Ultimately, the group maintained their innocence alongside their lawyer, Edward Paltzik.

Watch the full part-two sitdown below.

Warren Hudson, Jax Pitalo & Morgan Seymour Shared Their Regret About Going Out On July 4th

As The Shade Room previously reported, in part one of the interview, the trio explained how their lives have been “flipped upside down.” Specifically, they noted that they’re not able to frequent locations like they used to due to infamous recognition and potential altercations. Hudson noted that their heads are “always on a swivel.”

Additionally, the group shared their regret about going out on July 4.

“I wish we would have never went out on the Fourth of July because I know this wouldn’t have happened. Nolan wouldn’t be gone. It’s just really hard to think about,” Hudson said in part.

RELATED: Warren Hudson, Jax Pitalo & Morgan Seymour Share Regret Following Passing Of Nolan Wells: “Wish We Would Have Never Went Out”

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is currently making box office history, as huge records continue to fall. In its first few days, the return of Tom Holland’s Peter Parker earned the biggest opening weekend in domestic history, which was then followed by multiple records across the next few days. In its recent second weekend — the third-biggest of all time, behind Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Avengers: Endgame — it is making a strong bid to perhaps even rise to the very top of the all-time box office ranks.

Much has been made of the 2026 box office, with many calling it the best year post-COVID. The summer box office has even crossed the $4 billion mark, only the second time this threshold has been met since the pandemic, with 2023 and the phenomenon that was Barbenheimer being the other year. But it hasn’t been all smooth sailing, with some notable titles struggling against tough competition. One such film is Mortal Kombat II, which lost more than 50% of its audience each weekend following a strong opening, eventually tapping out with just $129 million worldwide against a reported budget of $80 million.

The second adaptation of the classic fighting game from NetherRealm Studios comes following a streak of strong box office performances for video game adaptations. Sadly, Mortal Kombat II missed its mark, no doubt thanks to going head-to-head with Antoine Fuqua’s first-ever billion-dollar biopic, Michael, the horror sensation Obsession, and more in theaters. Sadly for those who love this franchise, it seems as if this poor performance is throwing its future into doubt.

In a recent interview, Simon McQuoid, who directed both the first and second films, admitted that he wasn’t sure if he would return to helm a potential third film, saying, “I think it’s still going through its life cycle,” additionally offering a disappointing update on the status of another entry, saying, “So, I don’t know yet. I’m not sure.”

Who Starred in ‘Mortal Kombat II’?

Mortal Kombat II most notably saw Karl Urban join as the beloved Johnny Cage, with this being Urban’s first notable role following the end of his Prime Video superhero series The Boys, although the two did cross over for a couple of weeks. Adeline Rudolph (The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina), Jessica McNamee (The Meg), and Josh Lawson (Anchorman 2) also starred, with the film currently available to stream on HBO Max for those who missed out when it was in theaters.

Stay tuned to Collider for more stories.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Release Date

May 8, 2026

Runtime

116 Minutes

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement