Raz-B has fans scratching their heads after he dropped a message on social media ahead of B2K and Pretty Ricky’s upcoming Verzuz battle. In the middle of that, Pleasure P jumped on a livestream with Bow Wow to spill a lil’ tea about his game plan for the highly-anticipated music face-off.

RELATED: Uncle Time! Fans Lose It After Raz-B’s Son Links Up With Omarion & Lil’ Fizz At His First Birthday (PHOTOS) 

Raz-B’s Message For Pretty Ricky Has Fans Saying “Huh?”

Okay, so BOOM! Raz-B recently hopped on his Instagram Story with a message for Pretty Ricky ahead of the Verzuz battle on Thursday, June 25. Fans know that B2K and Pretty Ricky are set to go track for track, but before they hit the stage, Raz wanted to make on thing clear — “he can get turnt up too.” He told the group in his PSA that he wants to have a good time and catch a vibe, but he also reminded them that his silence shouldn’t be mistaken for weakness.

“Don’t get it twisted, though. While we’re all out here celebrating, getting our flowers, and giving the fans what they came to see, don’t take my silence for weakness,” Raz wrote.

However, he added that he meant every word with all due respect. “If any of y’all get out of line, I got something for every last one of y’all.” He continued, “And I mean that with nothing but love and respect.” 

The Roommates Weigh In On Raz-B’s Message

Fans wasted no time sharing their thoughts in The Shade Room’s comment section after Raz-B dropped his message. Plenty of folks admitted they felt confused by his post, while others made it clear they’re riding with Pretty Ricky when the Verzuz battle kicks off.

Instagram user @_princessjustine wrote, “Did he just politely threaten them?” 

Instagram user @yanah_____ wrote, “Who he feeling like 😂😂😂😂” 

While Instagram user @kidinfamous wrote, “Raz B is literally the least threatening person out of both groups 😂😭” 

Then Instagram user @justjasminenoelle wrote, “Comparing a TEEN BAND to an ADULT BAND is crazy. They are not in the same orbit. TBH they shouldn’t be doing a Verzuz. 😂” 

Another Instagram user @shelovecj wrote, “He could have kept this to himself.” 

Then another Instagram user @nolimitnook wrote, “I fw wit b2k but as a group they not fw pretty ricky respectfully 😂” 

While another Instagram user @shanae310 wrote, “I love B2k and all, but pretty Ricky stays in Rotation♥️🎵🎶😭😩😮‍💨”

Pleasure P Sets Strict Rules Ahead Of Verzuz

Not long after Raz-B’s PSA started making rounds online, Pleasure P jumped on a livestream with Bow Wow to set a few things straight. He made it clear that he has no plans to perform any of his solo records and intends to stick strictly to Pretty Ricky’s group hits.

“I ain’t doing no solos. I came to do group s**t.” Pleasure added, “So if they run out of songs, f*** that! It’s album against album.”

Pleasure P also doubled down on his stance about Omarion, telling viewers that if Omarion performs any solo songs during the battle, he’s packing his bags and walking out. He then threw a little shade, saying that if Omarion reaches for solo tracks, it just means that B2K ran out of songs to perform. “I ain’t come to do no solo’s. This the Pretty Ricky show. This ain’t Pleasure P show. It’s about my group n***a.” 

RELATED: Still Got Love? Omarion Reflects On Past Romance With Solange Knowles & Gets Real About His Feelings Now (WATCH) 

By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 22 seconds ago

Thanks to franchises like Star Wars, there is plenty of sci-fi out there, but most modern films are just lighthearted adventures. There’s nothing wrong with that, of course, but sometimes, we’re in the mood for thrillers that offer a stark reminder of just how scary outer space can really be. If that sounds a bit like you, here’s some good news: Stowaway is now streaming on Netflix, and this impossibly dark sci-fi thriller will have you biting your nails from beginning to end.

The Stowaway Setup

Stowaway focuses on a team taking to space for an ambitious two-year mission to Mars, but that mission goes sideways once they discover an unconscious engineer who accidentally stowed away aboard the ship.

When the device providing oxygen for the ship isn’t going to cut it, this straightforward trip to Mars becomes a fight for survival as everyone aboard is in danger of suffocating long before they reach their destination.

A Tight Cast In A Claustrophobic Setting

The nature of the film means that Stowaway has a very small cast, but each one brings something special to the table. Anna Kendrick, for example, plays the ship’s doctor, and her performance is a real revelation for anyone only familiar with her more comedic work.

If you mostly know Kendrick from movies like Scott Pilgrim vs. The World and the Pitch Perfect franchise, you will likely be very impressed with the dramatic chops she brings to this sci-fi thriller.

The rest of the small Stowaway cast is just as impressive: Toni Colette, best known to horror fans for her standout performance in Hereditary, plays the ship’s mission commander.

Daniel Dae Kim (best known for his performance in the hit TV show Lost) plays the biologist on this mission. And Shamier Anderson (best known to genre fans for his performance in Wynonna Earp) plays the engineer who accidentally stows aboard the ship.

A Moral Dilemma With A Tight Script

It may sound like a backhanded compliment, but we were really impressed with how much Stowaway managed to do with such limited resources. It had only four actors and a budget of only $10 million, but this beautifully shot movie can still go toe to toe with the best of modern sci-fi.

Much of the credit for that goes to Joe Penna, who managed to parlay a hit YouTube channel into a robust career in Hollywood.

In case you’re wondering, it’s not just us gushing about this film: Stowaway currently has a 75 percent critical rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics noted that while the pacing is a bit slow at first, the film features great performances and a very thoughtful story.

Plus, in centering that story around such a difficult moral dilemma, Stowaway takes its place among the very best science fiction, including genre staples like Star Trek (a franchise that is no stranger to moral dilemmas).

Fortunately, those who are curious about Stowaway won’t have to infiltrate a mission to Mars to experience it. All you have to do is stream this ambitious sci-fi tale on Netflix today. When it’s over, you might just be grateful for every breath you take after streaming this oxygen-starved thriller.

By Jonathan Klotz
| Updated 13 seconds ago

Hercules: The Legendary Journeys has a lot in common with pro wrestling. The fights are all choreographed, the plots are soap opera drama for men, and sometimes, the actors will go into business for themselves. Most of the time a fight scene goes off without a hitch, or at least, nothing that can’t be fixed in post. During the filming of Season 2’s “Siege at Naxos,” the battle between Hercules and Goth devolved into an actual fistfight requiring both actors to be separated. What caused it? Jealousy. 

A Real Fight With Cameras Rolling

The story of the fight between Kevin Sorbo and Brian Thompson, playing the barbarian leader Goth, started before the two were on set together. When Sorbo won the coveted role of Hercules, Thompson was the runner-up. In the back of his head, he thought the role should have been his. That was enough for him to stop thinking straight and start throwing real punches at Sorbo during the filming of the fight. Sorbo fought back, and quickly, the two were separated with Thompson being escorted off set for the day. 

These things happen, no lasting damage was done, though Thompson never did appear on Hercules again. The story of the fight was relayed on an extra from the DVD box set, and while it was a bit of a shock for real punches to be thrown, it wasn’t as bad as other on-set injuries Sorbo experienced filming the show. In the very first episode, he was cut by a sword, and he again took a real punch in a later season when he wasn’t able to move out of the way like he needed to.

No Blood, No Foul

Brian Thompson went on to have a long career in Hollywood filled with guest star spots on every show that needed a muscular villain or a stern authority figure. He played aliens on multiple Star Trek series, from Next Generation through Enterprise, the Alien Bounty Hunter on The X-Files, he was on The Orville, and most recently, Fallout. In retrospect, had he been given the role of Hercules, he would have absolutely killed it. 

Kevin Sorbo isn’t acting as much these days, but part of that goes back to his time on Hercules where it wasn’t a stunt gone wrong or a fight that left him with a lasting injury, it was a chiropractic adjustment. Sorbo’s explained that the release of blood clots caused him to suffer not one, but three separate strokes while filming in New Zealand. This left it hard for him to move, and acting becomes considerably more difficult when your muscles stop listening to your commands. 

Hercules: The Legendary Journeys was one of the most successful shows of the 90s, though it always lagged behind its own spin-off, Xena: Warrior Princess. Thompson didn’t get the part, and acted a fool for a brief moment, but in the end, everyone went on to find success in their own way. Given the horror stories of other sets, it was the best possible outcome, and at least “Siege of Naxos” is one of the best episodes of Season 2.

Mark Wiliams‘ Blacklight stars Liam Neeson as a quintessential Neeson variant. Travis Block, a government operative, specializes in extracting agents whose covers have been compromised when missions go sideways. As he attempts to lay his shadowy past to rest, the lines between friend and foe begin to blur when he brushes up against another agent he once protected. Despite the initial lackluster response upon the film’s release, thanks to Prime Video and Apple TV, Blacklight has gone from a forgettable left-swipe-worthy title to an unequivocal streaming hit.

Throughout the film, a conspiracy boiling just underneath the surface is slowly uncovered through Block’s growing distrust of his superiors. In an attempt to repair the strained relationships, Travis Block attempts to slowly retire from his former life and to heal his strained familial relationships. However, one of the big guys calling the shots, Gabriel Robinson, played by Aidan Quinn​​​​​​, protests this vehemently, thus creating a primary footing of conflict which then forces Block to question everything. Quickly, as two former confidants become adversaries, Block unearths some unscrupulous work Robinson has been doing right under his nose. Emerging journalist Mira Jones, played by Emmy Raver-Lampman, hungry for a salacious story, is hoping to make a story out of this push and pull. However, her naivety and zeal put her directly in harm’s way with only Block to protect her.

The ‘Blacklight’ Critic Vs. Audience Gap

Image via Briarcliff Entertainment

To say there’s just a radical difference between critic and audience reception would be the understatement of the century. Film aficionados have thrown around words like “stale”, “cliché”, and even “unwatchable”. Especially in comparison to Neeson’s legendary work in films like Taken or Cold Pursuit, these scathing reviews aren’t necessarily misguided. Those pictures defined the genre, thus anything that misses that impossibly high mark pales in comparison. Due to the reportedly dull action sequences and disjointed plot, the film received an abysmal and truly shocking 11% on Rotten Tomatoes. With all of this being said, it’s fair to wonder if this espionage thriller is truly so terrible, and more than that, should critics be the deciding factor in a film’s value?

Adversely, in examining the streaming numbers alone, it would express that audiences felt decidedly different. Despite its original box office failure, and terrible critical reception, the film has frequently topped viewership charts on Netflix, Prime Video, and Tubi. In fact, on Netflix in particular, the film has grossed over 13.3 million hours of time watched. Additionally, it also achieved a whopping 82% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Perhaps this is due in part to Neeson’s decorated reputation, convincing fans that a technically bad film is not only watchable but entertaining. Or maybe the cliché, but albeit exciting, quintessential action tropes captured in the film provide the surface-level entertainment streaming audiences want.

In summary, this controversial film, with a truly baffling discrepancy in reviews, is nonetheless soaring in popularity. As far as spy thrillers go, Blacklight has everything one can hope for. Mark Williams captures Neeson doing exactly what he does best, and proves yet again that, against all odds, the actor will remain an undying force in the action genre.

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February 11, 2022

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108 minutes

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By Jonathan Klotz
| Updated 26 seconds ago

The One Piece is coming to Netflix in 2027, but it’s not to be confused with One Piece that’s already available for streaming or One-Piece live-action which is One Piece but with live-action, though it’s actually closer to The One Piece. Eiichiro Oda’s manga has been running since 1997 with no end in sight. The anime has been running since 1999, and with over 1,000 episodes, tackling it is a lifetime commitment. That’s why Netflix, alongside Oda, has produced The One Piece, a modern retelling of a series that hasn’t finished yet, with improved animation, visuals, and best of all, no filler episodes. 

The One Piece Is All Killer No Filler

Right away, you can tell that The One Piece looks incredible. The CGI enhanced ships look fantastic while retaining the character and charm of Oda’s original designs from 30 years ago. While the live-action series has done a great job with casting and costuming, it’s also nice to see that the classic character designs have been retained for the new anime. Everything looks sharper, Luffy delivering a punch looks smoother than the original East Blue Saga does at it best, but the best part of the remake can’t be shown in a teaser: the new pacing. 

One Piece is infamous for adding new story arcs in order to stay behind the manga. Over the last 27 years this has resulted in hundreds of filler episodes that exist only to eat up time. That doesn’t mean they’re all bad, the G-8 arc in particular is so good fans want it to be canon. 

The Rare Remake Fans Want To See

Between One Piece, The One Piece, and One Piece live-action, there will soon be three separate sets of canon to keep track of, which might irritate fans. Except, One Piece fans are built different, and on average, they’re excited to see what The One Piece changes and to relive their favorite moments with better animation. We’ve seen Whiskey Peak twice now, what’s The One Piece going to do differently when Zorro takes on 100 Baroque Works agents? Will we ever get to see Blackbeard or Gear 5 Luffy in The One Piece?

Who knows? Netflix is committed to One Piece as a franchise and has been opening the wallet for Oda in addition to including him in all creative decisions. The investment is paying off with an ever-growing collection of anime on Netflix including more, such as Sakamoto Days, coming to the service as exclusives. The fans win, Oda is winning, and Netflix gets subscribers. For some reason, One Piece is the only time that Netflix is doing everything right for the existing fans. 

We’re still months away from The One Piece hitting streaming. Expect more trailers, more character art, and more information on what is and isn’t going to be covered by the new anime remake. This is a chance for Netflix to include both Jango and Chouchou, both of whom were left on the cutting room floor for the live-action series. Fans need to see the moonwalking hypnotist and the bestest boy ever in the new, stunning animation style.

By Robert Scucci
| Published 12 seconds ago

You know how the subtext of every single conversation we have is that a bunch of billionaires gather in remote locations to commit horrible crimes against humanity as if they’re simply playing a game with human lives? By now, we’ve seen the emails, the court documents, and enough leaked files to know these things happen, and to our horror, the world keeps spinning because most of us can only be revolutionaries until the rent is due.

2024’s Blink Twice, a psychological thriller written and directed by Zoe Kravitz and led by Channing Tatum and Naomi Ackie, whisks viewers away to one of those remote places, where women are unknowingly rounded up as prisoners, only coming to their senses after a series of traumatic incidents force them to confront the reality of their situation.

Having never heard of this one because of its limited theatrical run before being relegated to on-demand purchases, I finally had a chance to sit down with it now that it’s streaming free on Tubi, complete with an opening trigger warning. And why is there a trigger warning, you ask? Because this movie is absolutely batsh*t insane.

Seriously, it takes a lot to make me upset while watching a movie, and Blink Twice certainly delivers on that front. To the film’s credit, it’s not shocking for the sake of being shocking, and its willingness to go all in on criticizing how the ruling elite treat ordinary people makes for an enthralling watch that’s not only going to keep you up at night, but also make you wonder what we can do as a society to dismantle the power structures that allow the ultra-wealthy to operate this way.

A Series Of Unfortunate, Horrifying Events

Blink Twice offers a visceral experience that’s best experienced firsthand. There’s no real way to break down the plot without revealing major spoilers, so beyond the setup, it’s probably best to either use your imagination or simply fire up the film and give it a go.

We’re introduced to Frida (Naomi Ackie), a nail artist and waitress who works corporate events attended by some of the world’s swankiest public figures and financiers. She has a run-in with vaguely disgraced tech billionaire Slater King (Channing Tatum), who invites her and her best friend Jess (Alia Shawkat) to a gathering at his exclusive private island. They take him up on his offer and are showered with gifts, the finest food and drink money can buy, drugs, and sex.

The problem, however, is that Slater’s assistant Stacy (Geena Davis) confiscates everybody’s phones, every woman is suffering from memory lapses, and once the fog from the drugs and opulent overstimulation finally wears off, a feeling of fear begins to consume the collective consciousness.

Everybody within Slater’s inner orbit, like Vic (Christian Slater), Cody (Simon Rex), Tom (Haley Joel Osment), and Lucas (Levon Hawke), acts suspiciously about what they’re getting into during the nights when memories become imperfect, while the other women guests, Sarah (Adria Arjona), Camilla (Liz Caribel), and Heather (Trew Mullen), grow increasingly apprehensive of one another as alliances form, loyalties are questioned, and Jess voices her suspicions to deaf ears.

A High-Concept Brainwashing Catastrophe

Slater King’s alleged paradise is basically Epstein Island without explicitly saying it’s Epstein Island. It’s a place where people of influence, washed-up child actors, reality TV stars, and social climbers can get together and act as uninhibited as they damn well please. They have the resources and privacy to do whatever they want while operating above the law.

The women lured to this island are manipulated at the highest level. They know something is wrong. They know they’re witnessing crimes against humanity and even crimes against their own well-being, but they’re so charmed by everything Slater and his entourage have to offer that they don’t want to give up the lavish lifestyle they’re quickly becoming accustomed to. Once the charm wears off and they catch wise, however, they’re still fed an unthinkable amount of illicit substances to keep their rational minds at bay.

It doesn’t matter that the perfume is administered strategically as if it’s something more than just perfume, that nobody ever wakes up remembering what happened the previous night, or that certain members of the group share the exact same snake tattoo. The private island is a free meal ticket, and to most of the people unwittingly trapped there, the trade-off seems fair, even as their mental and physical autonomy is constantly compromised in increasingly invasive ways.

Blink Twice offers a horrifying glimpse at what can happen when morally reprehensible people with seemingly infinite resources get to treat the world like a playground while the average person watches helplessly from the sidelines. It’s one of those movies that will make you wish similar behavior doesn’t actually happen behind closed doors in real life.

But after all of the impropriety, carnage, and brutal lessons learned, it somehow gets the last laugh with an ending so far out of left field that you can’t help but give your TV a standing ovation.

As of this writing, Blink Twice is streaming free on Tubi. It’s a wild ride, but one worth the cost of admission.

Who ya gonna call? Apparently, a brand-new team of Ghostbusters.

Netflix and Sony Pictures Animation have officially unveiled the first details for Ghostbusters: Night Shift, an all-new animated series set within the beloved supernatural franchise. Alongside the announcement came the first concept art, a logo reveal, and an official story synopsis that teases a fresh generation of paranormal heroes.

Set in New York City in 1994, the series takes place five years after the events of Ghostbusters II, when the original team famously brought the Statue of Liberty to life to save the city. But while that battle may have ended, a new supernatural threat is just beginning.

According to the official logline:

“A new wave of supernatural terror hits the Big Apple, forcing a group of scrappy, young New Yorkers — untrained, underappreciated, and kinda sorta responsible for the problem — to put on proton packs, face their fears, and bust some ghosts.”

The newly released concept art hints at a darker and more cinematic tone than previous animated entries. One image showcases a massive fiery ghost towering over a lone figure inside an industrial building, while another depicts eerie creatures roaming the streets of New York beneath an orange sunset sky.

The series is being executive produced by Jason Reitman, Gil Kenan, Ben Hibon, Elliott Kalan, Amie Karp, and original Ghostbusters star Dan Aykroyd. Reitman and Kenan previously collaborated on Ghostbusters: Afterlife and Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, helping usher the franchise into a new era while honoring its roots.

Ghostbusters: Night Shift [credit: Netflix]

Fans have been eager for more animated Ghostbusters adventures ever since The Real Ghostbusters and Extreme Ghostbusters aired decades ago. Early reactions online have praised the title Night Shift and the moody art direction, with many hoping the series embraces a slightly darker tone while maintaining the humor the franchise is known for.

Netflix has confirmed that Ghostbusters: Night Shift will premiere exclusively on the streaming service in 2027.

With a 1990s setting, a new generation of ghost hunters, and the backing of several key figures behind the recent films, Ghostbusters: Night Shift may be the franchise’s most exciting animated revival yet.

What do you think of the first look at Ghostbusters: Night Shift? Are you excited to return to the world of Ghostbusters?

Teen Mom alum Kailyn Lowry is setting the record straight.

“[People] think that I am a serial cheater, that I’ve cheated on everyone that I’ve ever been with, which is completely false,” Lowry, 34, said during the Wednesday, June 24 episode of Gia Giudice’s “Casual Chaos” podcast.

Lowry clarified to listeners that she cheated when she was 19, which played out on Teen Mom.

“I had to retell him on camera, even though we had already talked about it in real life, but they weren’t there for it,” she continued. “So, people have assumed that I have cheated on every single partner I’ve been with since.”

Lowry added, “I literally haven’t.”

When Lowry made her debut as a MTV reality star, she and high school boyfriend Jo Rivera were expecting son Elliott, now 16. She moved on with Javi Marroquin and welcomed son Lincoln, 12. Lowry shares two sons — Lux, 8, and Creed, 5 — with ex Chris Lopez. She and ex-fiancé Elijah Scott are parents to Rio, 3, and twins Verse and Valley, 2.

“If I’m with somebody and then we break up and I date somebody else, that is not cheating, and then we happen to get back together,” Lowry said on Wednesday. “That was just a toxic relationship, but I didn’t cheat on you. Do you know what I’m saying? That’s frustrating for me.”

Wednesday’s episode was the second part of Lowry’s podcast with Giudice. The first was released on Tuesday, June 23, and Lowry was also quick to discuss the ups and downs she’s experienced with her exes.

“It depends on the day,” Lowry said when asked where she stands with her kids’ fathers. “One of the dads, we’re email-only. So we don’t do phone calls unless we schedule it. We don’t communicate via text or anything like that. It’s just strictly email.”

Related: ‘Teen Mom 2’ Star Kailyn Lowry’s Dating History Over the Years

Teen Mom 2 viewers have been following Kailyn Lowry’s love life for nearly a decade on MTV. Thank You! You have successfully subscribed. Subscribe to newsletters Enter your email Please enter a valid email. Subscribe By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive emails from Us Weekly Deal of […]

Lowry didn’t share names, but did admit that things are “super tumultuous” with a different ex.

“I’ve spent almost a million dollars on that child custody case,” she shared. “It’s been a wild ride.”

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Things with ex-fiancé Scott, however, are great.

“We share a driveway. … It’s convenient,” Lowry said, telling listeners that she and Scott are neighbors. “We have not needed to go to court. We don’t have child support orders.”

She added, “If anyone was to ask me what my perfect scenario is for coparenting, it’s that one, because it is so easy. It really is.”