Team USA hockey hero Jack Hughes was thrilled to be at Yankee Stadium for its 2026 Opening Day between the New York Yankees and Miami Marlins — and he had a brand new smile to prove it.

Hughes, 24, joined women’s hockey goaltender Aerin Frankel to throw out ceremonial first pitches in the Bronx on Friday, April 3, six weeks after each player led their USA hockey teams to gold medals at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Hughes, who scored the game-winning goal for Team USA, famously celebrated the gold-medal win with missing front teeth and a bloodied mouth after taking a hit to the face by a stick from Canada’s Sam Bennett in the third period.

Throwing from the base of the mound, both Hughes and Frankel, 26, reached their targets behind home plate on the fly, avoiding the notoriously tough Yankee Stadium boo birds.

“When everything went down, this was the one thing I was wondering if it would happen,” Hughes, an avid Yankees fan, told reporters while showing off his pearly whites. “I knew a lot of things were coming but this is the one thing I was always wishing slash hoping for.”

He added that he was able to talk to Yankees captain Aaron Judge before the game. Judge, 33, also captained Team USA at the 2026 World Baseball Classic, which played out shortly after the Olympics ended.

“Pretty cool with the timing, us winning, then [the WBC] right after,” Hughes continued. “So we were pretty tuned in on that, they were tuned in on us. That was just pretty cool. They were locked in and we were locked in, so we get to share that and obviously we’re pumped to watch them in the Olympics in a couple years.”

A week after getting one of his front teeth knocked out and others chipped during the gold medal game, Hughes assured fans that he planned to get his teeth fixed.

“I can promise you, this won’t be my thing,” Hughes said with a smile during an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

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Hughes added, “It’s funny, because, like, since we’ve been back in the U.S., we feel the love like crazy, like so much support. But when people are coming up for a picture, they’ll be like, ‘Smile.’”

Hughes’ mother, Ellen, a former hockey player herself, added that she is “so happy he wears a mouth guard.”

“I can’t even imagine how many more teeth he would have lost without a mouth guard. But it was right in front of us and I can tell you that Quinn, his brother, was on the ice and he saw the teeth go down,” she said during a February appearance on Today. “We saw him picking them up, and I was glad it was teeth and nothing more.”

Amy Schumer is living her best life on vacation.

Schumer, 44, took to Instagram on Thursday, April 2, to share a glimpse into her fun-filled getaway with a friend. She rocked a black one-piece featuring thick straps and a plunging neckline in a new photo of the two going snorkeling. The classy piece was finished with brown buttons lining her V-neck.

Her stylist, Jamie Mizrahi, commented red heart emojis.

The Trainwreck actress previously rocked a burgundy swimsuit on the same vacation, opting for a similar design with buttoning lining the front. Schumer accessorized with oversized sunglasses featuring black lenses and clear frames. She completed her look with a slicked-back updo while going makeup-free.

Related: Amy Schumer Flaunts 50-Lb Weight Loss in ‘Thirsty’ Swimsuit Selfie

Amy Schumer is ready for summer. Schumer, 44, proudly showed off her figure while rocking a one-piece in a mirror selfie she posted on Tuesday, March 31. In her snapshot, Schumer stunned in a red swimsuit featuring thick straps and a plunging neckline adorned with silver buckles. She styled the number with oversized sunglasses. The […]

“Thirsty enough for you?” she cheekily captioned the mirror selfie.

The comedian again proved to have an elite swimsuit collection in February when she stunned in a cherry two-piece. Her bikini featured a strapless top and round cups and high-waisted bottoms. Schumer tied her hair back into a ponytail and dove into the ocean.

Schumer’s swim looks came after she opened up about losing 50 pounds by using weight loss drugs and making lifestyle changes. She clarified that it was an effort to treat Cushing syndrome and “survive” a life-threatening hormonal disorder, rather than to “look hot.”

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When she’s not in swimsuits, Schumer can be seen rocking pink dresses, navy outfits, forest green frocks and more on the red carpet.

Most recently, she rocked a brown long-sleeve top and matching skater skirt by Miu Miu at the Bunny premiere during the June 2025 Tribeca Film Festival in New York City.

Schumer accessorized with two-toned shoes featuring a black toe and white heel. She tied her ensemble together with a voluminous ponytail with her ends curled.

Perez Hilton can’t hide his gratitude for his health after surviving several scares in 2026.

Instead of gossiping about celebrity news, the self-proclaimed “original influencer” has spent the early part of the year documenting the ups and downs of his health as he received medical care near Las Vegas.

“March madness indeed!” Hilton wrote via Instagram on March 21, 2026, while sharing photos from his hospital room at Southern Hills Hospital and Medical Center in Clark County, Nevada. “Have I got a story to tell.”

In a separate YouTube video later in the month, Hilton revealed he was in the hospital for 21 days after battling sepsis.

If that wasn’t difficult enough, the single father of three children went to the hospital again in April 2026 after experiencing a “massive” blood clot.

As his recovery continues, Us Weekly is breaking down Hilton’s condition and the health scares he’s faced below:

Perez Hilton’s Battle With Sepsis

After Perez Hilton posted photos on his social media that caused concern about his health, the author decided to open up about what caused him to be in a Nevada hospital.

According to Hilton, he developed an ulcer, a perforation and sepsis after battling the flu for a week.

“It was such a slow process. I mean, two weeks of just sickness and then another week of getting better before I was released,” Hilton said in a YouTube video posted on March 23, 2026. “The last week was hell, because I had already been in the hospital two weeks by then. I was like, ‘I just want to go home. I just want to be with my babies.’”

After being released from the hospital, Hilton vowed to change his daily habits, including getting more sleep at night and having dinner with his kids and mom.

Perez Hilton Experiences a Blood Clot

Perez Hilton found himself back in the hospital after an ultrasound confirmed he had a blood clot or a deep vein thrombosis.

“Last night, I started having real soreness and pain in one of my legs. This morning, it got way worse. I couldn’t even walk. I had to use a walker,” Hilton said in a video posted via Instagram on April 2, 2026. “I’ve already seen some of the nurses who took care of me for 21 days when I was here fighting and beating sepsis thanks to these amazing doctors, nurses and God. Now I’m back, and I have to have emergency surgery.”

According to Hilton, if the blood clot had traveled to his lungs or my heart, “it could have been real bad.”

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Related: 28 Hollywood Stars Get Personal About What Faith Means to Them for Easter

The countdown to Easter Sunday is on, and many in Hollywood are celebrating their faith out loud. Whether through social media and podcasts or TV shows and films, several celebrities aren’t afraid to share a glimpse into their spiritual journey with fans. For some religious leaders, it’s a decision that should be met with love […]

Perez Hilton’s Recovery After Blood Clot

After doctors performed surgery to remove Perez Hilton’s blood clot, the blogger shared an update on how he was doing.

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“The thrombectomy surgery this morning was quick and painless. I was asleep for it all. And I feel so much better already!” Hilton wrote via Instagram on April 3, 2026. “The surgical assistants showed me what they extracted and it was SO MUCH! I had a totally occluded blood clot from my groin going all the way down to just below my calf! Ginormous!!”

Hilton said he should be able to go home and celebrate Easter Sunday with his family without any pain.

“THANK YOU to everyone who sent prayers and positive vibes,” he shared. “It meant so much.”

By Brian Myers
| Published 15 seconds ago

Director and screenwriter George A. Romero has long been regarded as the godfather of the modern zombie film. The late filmmaker certainly earned that moniker, with his debut feature Night of the Living Dead forever changing Hollywood’s conception of what these undead creatures are. In the decades that followed his 1968 opus, Romero continued the “Living Dead” saga with five additional films. Remakes and spinoffs from other filmmakers followed, each one paying homage to the original master to varying degrees.

But somewhere in between the film that began his career and its 1977 follow-up Dawn of the Dead lies a largely forgotten sci-fi horror movie that deserves its due. Far from the successes that any of Romero’s zombie films enjoyed, the 1973 film The Crazies is certainly one worth revisiting. 

A Sci-Fi Horror Slaughter

The film opens in a farmhouse occupied by a family of four. While the two young children are playing, the father comes into frame, destroying everything in his path with a crowbar. As the young girl runs to her mother’s bedside for help, she makes a chilling discovery. The woman had been beaten to death while she slept.

The father then ignites the kerosene that he dumped all over the floors of the house and sets it aflame. The two children escape with severe burns and are tended to in the local clinic. When nurse Judy arrives to help the town doctor, she is greeted by a group of men in full HAZMAT gear who are scrambling to set up and distribute equipment. As Judy tries to make sense of what is happening, she overhears a heated conversation between Dr. Brookmyre and the military officer who has seemed to take over the clinic.

Major Ryder reveals that a devastating bio-weapon, code-named “Trixie,” was accidentally released into the local water supply days before when the military plane carrying it crashed near the town of Evans City, PA. The chemical infects those exposed to it with a highly contagious disease that causes homicidal mania in those who survive initial exposure.

With a mandated press blackout and a government quarantine that has sealed off the community, the townspeople are cut off from the outside world. Donning gas masks and white protective gear, military personnel go from home to home and round up citizens, herding them into the school gymnasium. Anyone who attempts to run is shot on sight.

More Layers Than Your Typical Romero Film

The Crazies brings three forms of horror onto the screen for audiences. Initially, the concept of madness from an unknown disease is a terror that viewers are forced to reckon with when the farmer goes berserk during the opening moments of the film. A more realistic horror then begins to unfold as the military is shown forcing its way into homes and executing civilians. Finally, the dangers of mob mentality grip you with fear. The civilians who evaded capture (some infected with the virus, for sure) began to revolt and kill the soldiers. While an understandable reaction, it’s this very mentality that leads to the devastating fate of the town and possibly the rest of humanity.

The Crazies packs in multiple chilling scenes, making it worthy of a Romero film. In one sequence of events, a farmer begins shooting troops out of his window as his wife attacks one with her knitting needles. These acts of desperate violence play out while the couple’s young daughter plays the piano, seemingly oblivious to the carnage that is unfolding in front of her.

In another scene, an infected minister is shown running from his church with a can of gasoline. As he screams prayers, he douses himself with fuel and lights himself on fire.

The film is a quick burn (no pun intended), with jarring action from the opening frames and throughout its entirety. As with so many other Romero films, the real horror in The Crazies is the one that man brings on himself. The director can bring to life a realistic man vs. man conflict without the zombie makeup or grotesque special effects, giving audiences a good sense of how these circumstances could play out in reality. 

Reimagined For A New Generation

Following the success of Romero’s Land of the Dead in the early 2000s, Paramount Pictures began to develop a remake of his overlooked masterpiece. After early negotiations fell through, the project was picked up by the now-defunct Starz Network vehicle Overture Films in 2008. With a modest budget of $20M, director Breck Eisner reimagined Romero’s early 70s feature into a vividly terrifying 101 minutes on the big screen.

Timothy Olyphant (Justified, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) stars as the Sheriff of the fictional rural community of Ogden Marsh, Iowa. Though the remake incorporates the bioweapon being released into the town’s water supply via a military plane crash, that’s where most of the similarities with the original end. It’s still a solid watch through and through.

You can stream the original version of The Crazies for free with Tubi. The big-budget remake is currently available on the Roku Channel.

Credit: London Entertainment/Shutterstock

Johnny Knoxville

Simpson was accused of cheating on Lachey with her Dukes of Hazzard costar in 2006.

While both Simpson and Knoxville denied allegations that they had an inappropriate relationship at the time, the singer detailed their alleged emotional affair in her 2020 memoir, Open Book.

“I felt a force drawing us together,” Simpson wrote about Knoxville, who was married to his first wife, Melanie Lynn Clapp, at the time. “To me, an emotional affair was worse than a physical one. It’s funny, I know, because I had placed such an emphasis on sex by not having it before marriage. After I actually had sex, I understood that the emotional part was what mattered. And Johnny and I had that.”

She added that the twosome wrote “love letters” to each other. “It’s like Johnny and I were prison pen pals, two people who wanted too much to be with each other but were kept apart — by bars, by our stars, by our respective spouses,” Simpson wrote.

Knoxville has yet to publicly react to Simpson’s book claims. 

By Joshua Tyler
| Updated 1 hour ago

Paramount recently canceled Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, the final Star Trek series still in production. Most assumed it was due to low ratings, but no one guessed just how low those ratings were.

Mike Stoklasa, noted YouTuber and friend of Rich Evans, recently revealed during a Red Letter Media re:View that he has a source close to the production of Starfleet Academy. According to Mike, his source told him the series has only been viewed 400,000 times. That’s 400,000 views in total for the entire series.

There are ten episodes of Starfleet Academy. 400,000 divided by ten is 40,000. That means the entire show was watched by fewer than 40,000 people.

“I heard from my source… The entire first season of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, not individual episodes, the entire season total views, about 400,000. Not per episode. Cumulatively, the entire series. About 400,000 views. Which is an average of maybe 40,000 views per episode.” – Mike Stoklasa

If Mike’s numbers are correct, not only does it mean that Starfleet Academy is one of the most colossal failures in the history of streaming, it also means that most of the show’s defenders are bots. It means that the petition to resurrect the show is also fake, since it has 10,000 signatures. Unless you’re willing to believe 1/4 of all the people who watched the series actually found out a petition exists and then went through the trouble to sign it.

Putting Those Numbers In Context

It’s impossible to overstate just how terrible those numbers are. For comparison purposes, GIANT FREAKIN ROBOT’s rather small YouTube channel has done numerous videos on Star Trek. Our least-watched Star Trek video got more than 40,000 views. A video we did on what’s wrong with modern Star Trek got more than 250,000 views.

Red Letter Media’s new video discussing old episodes of Star Trek: Voyager (in which they broke this news) has already gotten nearly 500,000 views, and it’s less than a day old.

The Alex Kurtzman Conspiracy

There were also similar reports of ratings disasters for the previous Star Trek release, the movie Star Trek: Section 31. And the franchise has already canceled nearly everything else it had going, probably because the ratings simply aren’t there.

All of this calls into question why Alex Kurtzman, the man in charge of Star Trek, still has a job at Paramount. And it makes you wonder who might be behind all the fake bots and paid defenders out there, pumping up the show. Who’d benefit from that kind of fake support? Alex Kurtzman?

Blake Lively‘s brand may soon become radioactive material in Hollywood after a federal judge threw out most of her allegations in the bombshell lawsuit against her former co-star, Justin Baldoni.

Several experts claim the development will likely pose a threat to her star appearances in films and that she may soon “start to feel pushed out of the industry.”

Meanwhile, although sources say the judge wants Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni to settle out of court, reports claim she’s not throwing in the towel yet after her latest loss.

Blake Lively Could Start Feeling A Push Back From The Industry

The long-running legal battle between “It Ends With Us” stars Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni took a new turn on Thursday after Judge Lewis Liman struck down 10 of the 13 claims the actress made against him, including her sexual harassment allegations.

Now, brand expert Kayley Cornelius has warned that the brutal blow to Lively may have far-reaching implications on her Hollywood standing, claiming the industry can easily move on from her talent.

“It does look like a challenging path lies ahead for Blake Lively,” Cornelius told Page Six. “There is a real risk she could start to feel pushed out of the industry and struggle to secure major roles or brand deals going forward.”

Cornelius went further to note that there are a ton of actors and actresses looking for their big break, and with any slip-up from an established act like Lively, there wouldn’t be a problem replacing them.

“The film industry is now incredibly fast-moving and competitive, and it often feels like a revolving door,” she noted. “As one star’s momentum dips, there’s now a whole new wave of new talent ready to take their place.”

Brand Expert Says Blake Lively Is ‘No Longer Untouchable’

Speaking on the whole scandal, the brand expert Cornelius noted that studios would now be skeptical about picking a talent like Lively’s as they are looking to get more eyeballs now that the audience is “more reactive than ever.”

“With the impact of cancel culture and increased scrutiny, there is less appetite to take risks on talent who may be seen as controversial or commercially uncertain,” Cornelius said. “That means even legacy names such as Blake are no longer untouchable and guaranteed the security they once had.”

“So it’s entirely possible that Blake could face tougher competition for upcoming roles, with studios potentially favoring newer talent,” she added.

Blake Lively Needs To See Her Legal Battle ‘Through To The End’ In Order To Salvage Her Image, Expert Warns

Although Judge Liman dismissed most of her claims, Lively still has some points to work with, as three of her allegations, namely breach of contract, retaliation, and aiding and abetting in retaliation, will now go to a civil trial in New York on 18 May.

Reports claim she is “devastated” by the ruling but plans to fight till the end, a move Cornelius is in full support of.

“If she’s looking to prove a point and stand firmly behind her allegations, this is arguably a battle she needs to see through to the end,” the PR expert said. “Stepping back or settling too early could be perceived by the public as a sign of doubt, or even guilt, which would only reinforce the narrative now forming around her.”

In fact, sources claim the judge seemingly wants them to settle out of court, but the “Gossip Girl” star wants to see the case through and plans to testify in court so as to “shine a light on this vicious form of online retaliation.”

However, Cornelius adds that it’ll be “smart” for her to settle if her image continues taking a hit.

The Actress Has Faced Major Scrutiny Since Her Legal Battle With Justin Baldoni Made Headlines

Lively filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against Baldoni in 2024 and also accused him of launching a smear campaign to tarnish her image.

He denied the claims and filed a  $400 million countersuit against her and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, accusing them of defamation and extortion; however, it was dismissed.

Despite Baldoni’s case being tossed, Lively has come under fire several times for past comments in unearthed clips and has reportedly fallen out with her famous pal Taylor Swift after Baldoni alleged she likened the singer to one of her “dragons,” like the characters in the series “Game of Thrones.”

Blake Lively’s Next Project Has A Lot To Do With Her Continued Hollywood Career

In his 152-page opinion, Liman explained that part of the reason he dismissed Lively’s claims was that the filming where the actor allegedly did it was carried out in New Jersey and not Los Angeles.

“None of these acts or occurrences provides the ‘substantial connection’ to California needed to sustain Lively’s sexual harassment claims,” he wrote.

He also noted that Lively couldn’t bring certain claims of harassment and retaliation because she was an independent contractor and not an employee.

Meanwhile, Cornelius added that Lively’s successful return to the industry significantly hinges on the success or failure of her next major project, even though she moves for a settlement.

She said, “It would also give her the chance to step back, reset, and carefully phase a return to the spotlight. Realistically speaking, though, it will be the success or failure of her next major project that determines what the future of her career looks like.”

General Hospital has Jenz Sidwell (Carlo Rota) grieving and he’s also furious and determined to make whoever murdered his son, Marco Rios (Adrian Anchondo), suffer. And Sidwell’s got a lengthy revenge to-do list that he’s adding to every day.

We are going to talk about what happens so long as Ross Cullum‘s (Andrew Hawkes) role in killing Marco stays hidden. Let’s talk about how Sidwell will avenge Marco’s murder and who is on his hit list.

Sidwell Is on the Warpath on General Hospital

So, right now, Sidwell is on the warpath and he wants anyone involved with Marco’s murder to pay. Sidwell’s priorities have totally shifted and he has a whole new to-do list based on getting justice for Marco and also personal vengeance. And we have a few ideas of who is on that hit list and what Sidwell is going to do to these people and what happens next.

First of all, I expect he’s going to want Willow Corinthos (Katelyn MacMullen) to join the voices denouncing Jason Morgan‘s (Steve Burton) attack on Cullum and also to confirm that Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) is a possible suspect or is being investigated. And of course, that will cause issues for Willow with Michael Corinthos (Rory Gibson).

Willow Makes a Deal with Sidwell on GH

But Sidwell could sweeten the pot if Willow, you know, explains that she’s having a significant source of stress that he could help with. You know, that is Jack Brennan (Chris McKenna) blackmailing her mom, Nina Reeves (Cynthia Watros), because Sidwell could insist that Cullum scrubs the footage that Brennan has of Willow the night of the shooting.

Wherever he has it on the WSB computers, I’m sure Cullum can have somebody get to it. And if Sidwell helps Willow get Jack’s boot off of Nina’s neck by getting rid of that footage once and for all, it would be a win-win. And then Willow would keep doing what Sidwell asks. He can try and force her anyway, but I bet Willow could negotiate a pretty good bargain that would help set up Sonny. And I don’t think Willow is going to care that much after what happened with Michael and his family and the way they view her.

Marco’s Celebration of Life Could Be Deadly

The next thing, I wonder if that party that Sidwell was planning with Carly Spencer (Laura Wright) might still happen, but it’s not really a party anymore. Instead, Sidwell may tell Carly he wants it to be a celebration of life for his dead son, Marco.

And if you remember, the cold fusion experiment should be done any day now. So if Sidwell used Carly to bring together lots of people on Spoon Island that he is very interested in leveraging or targeting or harming, you know, we could see Sidwell using that event and say it’s to celebrate Marco’s life to but actually it’s to test out the cold fusion prototype on some of the party guests.

Since Sonny and Ric Lansing (Rick Hearst) are going to show up to Marco’s funeral this week, he’s going to be outraged, but he still might have Carly invite them to the party, which I think may turn into something for Marco so that Sidwell can be sure to target Sonny, who he firmly believes murdered Marco and also people that Sonny loves.

Already, Sidwell threatened to make Sonny and those close to him pay dearly. And Marco’s celebration of life might be when it happens, but I think this would be a couple weeks after the funeral. That way, Sidwell can get everybody together and he can test that weapon and he can experiment on his enemies or on disloyal allies.

Sidwell Will Use His Political Influence on General Hospital

Also, I think Sidwell might order Laura Spencer (Genie Francis) to have the PCPD focus on investigating Sonny. He’s already got Jordan Ashford (Tanisha Harper) trying to get info on the investigation and Sidwell has Cassius Faison (Ryan Paevey) on that too. So if Laura and Cassius both press the PCPD to look at Sonny, that would be helpful to his agenda because Sidwell is convinced that Sonny is guilty and he wants revenge.

Problem is Dante Falconeri (Dominic Zamprogna) is Sonny’s son and he’s the commissioner. So, Sidwell is going to use his influence to make sure Sonny pays hopefully through legal challenges. And if that doesn’t work out, Sidwell is likely going to have him taken out. But first, he may make Sonny suffer by targeting his children.

Kristina Targeted on GH – But Wrong Person Shot?

And that leads to the next thing that I think is on Sidwell’s to-do list. I think he is going to target Kristina Corinthos (Kate Mansi). We recently reported that our reliable leaker said there’s going to be a case of mistaken identity when Sidwell, or more likely a minion, takes a shot at Kristina, but they have the wrong target in their sights and somebody else is shot instead. So, you know, this would be somebody that looks somewhat like Kristina but winds up shot.

And the leaker also dropped a big hint saying that Sonny may lose his current love interest, which is DA Justine Turner (Nazneen Contractor). And if the shooter sees a brunette slender woman with Sonny at his house through the window, they may think it’s Kristina, but it may be the DA.

I can see Sidwell targeting Kristina. Not only because she’s Sonny’s daughter, so it’d be like an eye for an eye, but also if you remember, Sidwell went after Kristina, technically not her, but her pub before when he had Charlie’s set on fire. And it was actually Marco who saved her from that.

So, Sidwell might think that Marco should never have saved her. And of course, Sidwell can’t really easily go after Dante, Sonny’s oldest kid, because he is the police commissioner. That would be really messy and not a smart move. As for Avery Corinthos (Ava & Grace Scarola) and Donna Corinthos (Scarlett Spears), they’re so little that I would hope Sidwell wouldn’t hurt them. So, that leaves Kristina with a target on her back.

Will Cassius Be Ordered to Kill Sonny?

The last thing to consider after making Sonny suffer is Sidwell is probably going to want Sonny dead, especially if the cops don’t nail him for Marco’s murder. I could see Sidwell ordering Cassius to kill Sonny. If you remember, Sidwell already told Cassius he wants him to make Sonny pay by any means necessary. And Sidwell wants Sonny and everybody he loves to pay dearly, especially if there’s not going to be enough evidence against Sonny to put him away on General Hospital.

However, there’s still the question of where is the knife that Cullum used to kill Marco. He might have had time to plant it in the Corinthos warehouse. Or Cullum might not have had time at all because he was trying to stop Britt Westbourne (Kelly Thiebaud) from leaving and maybe he had to just hide it somewhere along the way. And he might send Cassius to retrieve the knife and plant it somewhere that will implicate Sonny. If you remember, Cullum wore gloves, so there’s no prints on it. And he had cleaned it up to some extent.

Cassius Learns the Truth on General Hospital?

I also expect that Cassius might figure out Cullum is the one that killed Marco. Or, you never know, Cullum might even confess and then swear Cassius to secrecy and order him to help lay a trail to pin Marco’s murder on Sonny. Since Cassius seems willing to punish his sister Britt without remorse, I mean, honestly, why would he care what happened to Marco?

That way, Sonny would be blamed. Sidwell gets his revenge. And then he’d never know that Cullum killed Marco. And why would not Nathan even care? So, obviously, we know Cassius is a henchman. And I’m assuming Cullum is the big boss man. So, he might tell Cassius, just follow orders. Don’t say a word to Sidwell or else.

And we know how ruthless Cullum is. And I’m sure Cassius won’t want to test him, especially because Cullum might threaten Lulu Spencer (Alexa Havins Bruening) or James West (Gary James Fuller). But right now, Sidwell is quite certain that Sonny is to blame and wants him destroyed. He is a man on a mission for revenge. And I think he has a whole to-do list of violence, misdeeds, and acts of vengeance planned.

By Robert Scucci
| Published 15 seconds ago

The 90s were great because a movie ticket cost less than $10 and Michael Bay blew up everything he could get his hands on. It was a magical time I wish I could go back to, when action spectacle dominated the cinemascape and nobody cared how unrealistic it was. Helicopters were a financial flex, heists became increasingly convoluted, and sometimes the FBI guy would step in and tell the local police guy that he’s in charge now, followed by a brief scuffle before they put their heads together and figure out what they’re dealing with.

Since time only marches relentlessly forward and we can never truly go back to what we thought were the glory days, the best thing you can do right now is watch Bay’s 2022 blockbuster, Ambulance, on Netflix. It’s pure popcorn action thriller awesomeness, and that’s all there is to it. It’s basically Speed meets Heat, with a surprising amount of comic relief at just the right moments. If you’re missing the days of action movie excess, this is one you’ll want to buckle up for.

Two Brothers Against Every Single Cop

Ambulance plays out like a 136-minute chase sequence, and you really don’t need much exposition to get going. Former Marine Will Sharp (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) is desperate for cash because his wife needs a life-saving surgery. His adoptive older brother Danny (Jake Gyllenhaal) is a total psychopath who has bank robbing down to a science. He’s knocked off dozens of banks over the years and is still a free man, so he clearly knows what he’s doing. At this point, his crew is tight and the operation is turnkey.

The problem is that Danny is getting a little too cocky for his own good, and his fatal mistake is walking around without a mask like he owns the place when it’s finally showtime. While stealing $18 million in cash, LAPD officer Zach (Jackson White) talks his way into the building because he wants to ask a teller out on a date. He quickly realizes something is off and a shootout occurs, critically injuring the officer when Will accidentally shoots him.

Surrounded and dead to rights, Will and Danny don’t have many options. They hijack an ambulance driven by Cam Thompson (Eiza Gonzalez), taking her and the wounded officer hostage. LAPD Captain Monroe (Garret Dillahunt), who’s been tracking Danny for months, and FBI Agent Ansen Clark (Keir O’Donnel), who knows what he’s capable of because the robber once joined the academy to learn how to outsmart authorities, pool every available resource to apprehend the robbers, rescue their officer, and minimize collateral damage.

But this is a Michael Bay flick, so that previous sentence doesn’t exactly go as planned. City blocks get wiped out, impromptu spleen surgeries are performed in the back of a speeding EMT, thousands of rounds are pumped into the streets, and Danny and Will start bickering at the worst possible times like brothers are known to do. Will is an otherwise honorable man trying to do right by his family, while Danny clearly isn’t living in the same reality as everybody else. With nowhere to go and no backup plan to their backup plan, it’s only a matter of time before everything comes crashing down.

90s Vibes All Around

To my surprise and pleasure, Ambulance exceeded every expectation I had. I thought it would be a cheap 90s knockoff, but it’s a perfect modern action thriller. It wears its influences on its sleeve, but there’s so much charisma dripping from every frame that you can’t help but root for the bad guys. That’s what makes this movie such a joy to watch. Danny and Will are responsible for an insane amount of destruction, and who knows how many officers and civilians get caught in the crossfire during their chase. They’re not heroes, just the protagonists we’re following, but you still want them to succeed.

Even better, the task forces hunting them have been waiting to take Danny down for a long time, and they’re more than ready to smoke him out using whatever resources they have to finally say “mission accomplished.”

The real star of the show, though, is Jake Gyllenhaal, who looks like he’s having a little too much fun. The level of hubris Danny exudes in every scene is infectious, and you know he’s flying too close to the sun the moment you’re introduced to him. It’s also the source of most of Ambulance’s comic relief, breaking the tension exactly when you need a breather from the constant gunfire and explosions.

My personal favorite moment is right before the heist, when everybody but Danny is masked up on the elevator and an elderly woman, also masked, steps in without realizing the place is about to get robbed. Danny gives this perfect “oh, come on” look as the doors close because he knows he’s going to have to deal with her at some point. Not a single line of dialogue is uttered, and it’s a perfect scene to set the tone for what’s to come. 

Every scene in Ambulance is dialed to 11, and it’s honestly refreshing. As city streets and sidewalk vendors get leveled, all you can think is, “How are they going to get out of this one?” And every time they do, you sit there dumbfounded because it’s completely unrealistic, but you just don’t care. I can’t remember the last time I willingly suspended this much disbelief for an action thriller because it’s just so fun to watch unfold without overthinking it.

Ambulance is currently streaming on Netflix.