If Jennifer Lopez is swapping sneakers for ballet flats, I’m taking notes. Unlike sky-high heels, they’re one shoe trend I can realistically see myself wearing all day, especially with the cushioned, supportive options available now. Comfortable, feminine and polished? That’s what I call peak French mom style.

The 57-year-old wore pale pink ballet flats while vacationing in Italy, pairing them with a corset-style midi dress, woven bucket hat and a coordinating bag. Inspired by her look, I found five similar styles, including picks with arch support, dainty bows and woven finishes. Prices start at just $22 — who knew stealing Lopez’s chic vacation style didn’t require a celebrity budget?

5 Ballet Flats That Channel Jennifer Lopez’s ‘French Mom’ Style 

1. Très Chic: If I were building a French mom shoe collection from scratch, these satin Mary Jane flats would be one of my first additions. The dainty bow and subtle sheen make them feel prettier than your average flat, while the secure strap and cushioned insole are practical perks I’d appreciate at any age.

2. Paris Approved: I’m all for stealing French mom style, but I’d rather skip the blisters that can come with cute shoes. These foldable ballet flats have more than 4,000 five-star ratings, including one from a shopper who “walked over 20,000 steps in Paris” in them with “no blisters.”

3. Arch Appeal: Trends come and go, but I have a hard time imagining these nude ballet flats ever looking dated. The simple bow and round toe make them ridiculously versatile, and I love that they sneak arch support and extra cushioning into such a delicate-looking shoe.

4. Champagne Taste: I’d happily swap my basic nude flats for this shimmery champagne pair when an outfit needs a little something extra. They’re lightweight, foldable and flexible enough to mold to your feet, proving practical shoes can still feel fancy.

5. Woven Wonder: These woven ballet flats look like something I’d expect to find in a French mom wardrobe. I love the creamy neutral shade, but the memory foam insole is what makes them truly worth it.

UsNow Summer Sale Alert: These Chic Fashion Finds are over 30% off – Plus Free Shipping

Welcome to summer with our biggest sale of the year. This summer’s chicest dresses, tops and swimsuits are all over 30% + free shipping. Inventory is limited so hurry before they’re gone.

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Dolly Parton had a heart of gold — just ask Billy Ray Cyrus.

As Cyrus, 65, continues to grieve the death of his longtime friend, the “Achy Breaky Heart” singer reflected on his special memories of Parton via Instagram on Friday, August 28.

“Rest in Peace Miss Dolly. This is the last performance she and I did together in Dollywood for her Christmas special. We sang ‘Christmas Where We Are’!” he wrote alongside a photo featuring himself and Parton.

Cyrus went on to explain that the moment was particularly poignant for him, sharing that Parton stepped up for him in his time of need when his mom, Ruth Ann “Ruthie” Casto, died in 2022.

Related: Miley Cyrus Breaks Her Silence on Godmother Dolly Parton’s Death

Miley Cyrus is honoring country music icon — and her godmother — Dolly Parton after her death. “The feeling of losing my Aunt Dolly is beyond what feels right to share. Our most sacred moments were private and they’ll stay there behind the stage, beneath the glamour & between our hearts,” Cyrus, 33, wrote via […]

“What most people don’t know is Dolly moved the entire film schedule shoot date because my mom Ruthie had passed away,” Cyrus wrote. “Dolly Parton … You have touched the hearts of the world . You have made your mark and made it well ….  A shining light that will shine on beyond the sun and moon …and certainly this crazy planet.”

Cyrus concluded, “From this day henceforth is forever known as … at least in my broken heart 💔…. as After Dolly. A.D.  8.25.26 A.D.”

The country singer broke his silence over Parton’s death earlier this week in a tribute to the late “Jolene” hitmaker.

“I have so many moments and memories with Dolly, it’s hard to know where to start. Like every little boy, I grew up loving Dolly Parton. She was a part of our lives, on our TV’s, right in our living rooms,” he wrote via Instagram. “In 1992, I’ll never forget walking into her dressing room to apologize for all the tabloid stories which claimed I was having an affair with her. In true Dolly fashion, she just looked at me, winked and said, Honey, this trash sells records!’”

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Related: Dolly Parton’s Loved Ones Visit Cemetery With Flowers 3 Days After Her Death

Dolly Parton’s loved ones gathered at her burial site in Nashville three days after the singer’s death. Parton’s closest relatives, including her nephew and head of security, Bryan Seaver, were spotted arriving at Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum in Nashville on Friday, August 28, as seen in photos obtained by Page Six. Seaver reportedly coordinated […]

Cyrus added, “Dolly recently sent me a beautiful message, telling me she loved me with her whole heart. I will always love her in the same way ….. with my whole heart … and I always will.”

News broke on Tuesday, August 25, that Parton had died after a brief battle with an undisclosed form of cancer.

“Global icon and humanitarian, Dolly Parton, known to the world as a beloved singer, songwriter, philanthropist, actress, playwright and author died peacefully today in Nashville, Tennessee,” read a statement from Parton’s rep. “A rhinestone life that shone bright enough for the world to see, Dolly will forever stand as an inspiration not only through her timeless music and prolific songwriting, but also her wit, warmth and kindness that made us all feel like family.”

Simon Cowell’s temporary replacement on America’s Got Talent has been announced.

Kenan Thompson, 48, will take the reins from Cowell, 66, as the British judge recovers from a medical procedure.

“A comedy legend is taking over the Judges’ table! Kenan Thompson is joining AGT as a guest Judge! 🎉  Don’t miss his guest appearance Tuesday, September 1 at 8/7c on @NBC,” America’s Got Talent announced via its official Instagram account on Friday, August 28, alongside a photo of Thompson.

AGT features Cowell as a judge alongside Howie Mandel, Sofía Vergara, and Mel B, while Terry Crews hosts the show.

Related: Sharon! Howie! Every ‘AGT’ Judge Through the Years

Since America’s Got Talent debuted in June 2006, the show has gone through many changes — including swapping out the panel of judges from time to time. The series, created by Simon Cowell, kicked off with Piers Morgan, David Hasselhoff and Sharon Osbourne serving as judges. Later, the show expanded to four judges and Cowell […]

Per a Thursday, August 27 article on NBC.com, Crews, 58, addressed Cowell’s absence during the Quarterfinals Round 2 episode.

“He’s having an operation that cannot be postponed. It’s not an emergency, but it can’t be put off,” Crews explained. “Simon, we are sending you our very best wishes for speedy recovery, and we’re looking forward to seeing you back at the Judges desk very soon.”

According to multiple outlets, Cowell is reportedly taking time off to undergo back surgery,  stemming from an injury he first sustained in an e-bike accident in 2020.

Cowell opened up about the injury while speaking to Extra in 2020.

“It could have been a lot worse. When I saw the X-ray, I really nearly smashed my spine to pieces, so I literally wouldn’t [have] been able to walk,” he told the outlet. “I knew I’d broken my back the minute I landed, it was really, really kind of sudden and it hurt.”

He continued: “You’re not supposed to move.”

Related: AGT’s Simon Cowell Reacts to Fans Who Think He’s Softened as a Judge

Simon Cowell is responding to fans who think he has grown soft as a judge. “I probably have. I would say also that the acts got better, to be fair,” Cowell, 65, exclusively shared with Us Weekly while celebrating the America’s Got Talent season 20 semi-finals with Lavazza on Tuesday, September 16. “I mean, when […]

Despite knowing that moving himself could have negative consequences, Cowell recalled what was going through his head at the time of the accident.

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“I was thinking, ‘I’ve got to get back into the house because I can’t lie there’…and made myself kind of get carried into my bedroom, which is right there at the beginning of the house, and I’m lying there and I’m kind of passing out…It was surreal,” he said.

Appearing on The Kelly Clarkson Show in June 2021, Cowell shared more details of the accident — which occurred in front of his then 6-year-old son Eric, whom he shares with his partner Lauren Silverman.

“I was a millimeter away from breaking my spine, which would’ve been a disaster,” he told Clarkson. “In a weird way, it was kind of meant to happen because I was really pushing my luck. I was buying these crazy, crazy bikes and this particular bike I bought had so much power, I was thrown about eight feet in the air, landed on my back, in front of Eric, by the way.”

Joe Amabile is sharing more details of his brain cancer journey.

Appearing on Good Morning America on Friday, August 28, the Bachelor in Paradise alum, 40, described experiencing “struggles” with his speech after undergoing surgery to remove a “blueberry size lesion” on his brain.

Joe explained that doctors found the lesion in the area of his brain that’s responsible for “speech, motor skills and memory.”

He continued, “According to my doctors, I probably wouldn’t know about this [lesion] until I eventually had a seizure.”

Related: Bachelor Nation’s Joe Amabile Shares Update After Brain Surgery

Joe Amabile is recovering after undergoing brain surgery. “They got it all!” Joe, 40, jubilantly wrote via Instagram on Thursday, August, 6, alongside several post-op photos. In one snap, the Bachelor in Paradise alum flashed a peace sign to the camera. Amabile’s wife, Serena Pitt, held his hand in a follow-up image shared to her […]

Joe underwent brain surgery earlier this month and doctors warned him that he may face difficulties with his speech post-surgery, which he confirmed was the case.

“I would think of what to say but I would have a hard time vocalizing it,” Joe explained. “And I would say I’m about 90 per cent back but I still struggle a little bit.”

The GMA segment also reported that Joe was currently taking daily medication following the surgery, which his doctor noted had limited side effects.

The Bachelorette alum announced via Instagram on July 13, that doctors found “a blueberry size lesion” on his brain which appeared to be a tumor during an MRI scan. Joe revealed at the time that he planned to undergo surgery within the next two weeks to “get it removed and get it tested.”

Joe went on to describe the experience as “a wild couple weeks” since he was told the news.

“I definitely wasn’t expecting this,” he continued. “I think it’s one of those things where you’re like, ‘Oh, something like this will never happen to me.’ And here I am.”

Joe added, “This past month has been a lot of ups and downs to say the least. After multiple scans and MRIs I have what looks to be an early stage brain tumor. In two weeks I’ll be undergoing a craniotomy to have it removed — yeah brain surgery. I’m doing my best to stay positive during this time and am lucky to have a lot of support from family and friends.”

Related: Joe Amabile’s Wife Gives Recovery Update After Brain Surgery

Bachelor in Paradise Joe Amabile is on the mend after undergoing brain surgery. “So happy to be back home with Joe,” Amabile’s wife, Serena Pitt, wrote via her Instagram Stories on Saturday, August 8, sharing a pic of her husband lounging on a couch in their New York City apartment watching golf. She continued, “Lots […]

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Earlier this month, Joe announced that the brain surgery to remove the tumor was a success.

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“They got it all!” he wrote via Instagram on August 6, alongside several post-op photos at the hospital.

Joe’s wife, Serena Pitt, shared a follow-up post via her own social media account the same day.

‘The best update: they were able to remove the entire tumor,” Serena, 28, wrote via her Instagram Stories. “Joe is recovering really well. We’re feeling so grateful.”

Fantasy stories are best experienced on the page. Sure, there are plenty of TV series and movies that are considered defining works in the genre, but there is always a limit to what can actually be shown on screen. Books don’t have that problem. An author can invent entire continents, histories, languages, religions, and systems of magic without ever worrying about a production budget or whether something looks convincing on the screen.

The only real limit is the reader’s imagination. That freedom of worldbuilding and creating high-stakes conflict makes fantasy literature feel alive with little to no visuals. The six books on this list are 10/10 masterpieces that show what happens when authors push that freedom — and their imaginations — as far as they can go.

1

‘The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring’ (1954)

Image via George Allen & Unwin

The Fellowship of the Ring is the first volume of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy and one of the defining works of fantasy literature. The book begins in the peaceful Shire, where Frodo Baggins inherits a seemingly ordinary ring from his uncle Bilbo. Gandalf eventually discovers that it is actually the One Ring, created by the Dark Lord Sauron to dominate the other Rings of Power. This leads Frodo on a grand hero’s journey as he leaves home with Sam, Merry, and Pippin to destroy the Ring and stop Sauron from returning to full power. Together, Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippin, Gandalf, Aragorn, Boromir, Legolas, and Gimli form the Fellowship — a group of people carrying what might be the fate of Middle-earth with them.

Now, Tolkien doesn’t treat Middle-earth as a simple backdrop for this plot. The author intentionally creates this world where every forest, ruin, language, and forgotten kingdom feels lived-in. This level of detail means that The Fellowship of the Ring unfolds slowly, especially during the early chapters in the Shire, but setting that context is essential to the larger story. The character drama and mythology go hand-in-hand, and it never feels like one is being sacrificed for the other. The book perfectly sets up the events of the next two installments in the series and creates a fantasy epic that would become the standard almost everything after it had to measure itself against.

2

‘The Fifth Season’ (2015)

Image via Orbit

The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin breathes new life into the fantasy genre. The story takes place on the Stillness, a continent constantly threatened by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and civilization-ending disasters known as Seasons. Here, certain people called orogenes are born with the ability to manipulate the earth and control seismic activity. However, instead of being valued, they are feared and treated as less than human. The story begins with Essun, an orogene living secretly in a small community, who discovers that her husband has murdered their young son after learning about his abilities and has disappeared with their daughter. At the same time, an enormous geological catastrophe tears across the continent and signals the beginning of another potentially devastating Season. From there, Jemisin tells the story through three women, namely Essun, a young orogene named Damaya who is taken away to be trained at the Fulcrum, and Syenite, a more experienced orogene sent on a mission with the immensely powerful Alabaster.

At first, these narratives can feel disconnected, but the way Jemisin eventually brings them together completely changes the reader’s understanding of everything that came before. Even the unusual second-person narration used for Essun’s chapters starts making sense as the story progresses. The Fifth Season is dense and demands the reader’s full attention, but nothing about the story is coincidental. Jemisin takes familiar ideas about magic, chosen people, and world-ending threats and rebuilds them around something much harsher and more human, which is what makes it a fantasy masterpiece.

3

‘Circe’ (2018)

Image via Little, Brown

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Madeline Miller’s Circe follows a character who barely gets room to exist in classical mythology. The story reimagines Circe, daughter of the sun god Helios, as an awkward and underestimated immortal who grows up surrounded by gods far more powerful and cruel than she is. When Circe discovers that she possesses witchcraft, her abilities frighten the people around her to the point that Zeus eventually has her exiled to the island of Aiaia. However, in isolation, Circe realizes that for the first time, she has control. Here, she begins to develop her magic, encounters figures including Hermes, Daedalus, and, eventually, Odysseus, while major events from Greek mythology unfold in the background.

The most interesting thing about Circe is the intimate scale of the narrative. The primary story always belongs to Circe as she spends centuries being dismissed, feared, and punished. Even her famous transformation of men into pigs feels completely different once the reader understands everything that led her there. The novel does not simply retell Greek mythology with flowery prose, but takes someone remembered largely as an obstacle in Odysseus’s journey and gives her an entire emotional history that perfectly complements the original myth.

4

‘Babel, or the Necessity of Violence’ (2022)

Image via Harper Voyager

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Babel is R.F. Kuang’s fantasy masterpiece set in an alternate version of 19th-century Oxford, where the British Empire’s power is built partly on silver bars engraved with words in different languages. The magic in this world works through the meaning lost in translation between those words. This allows silver to produce effects that have transformed transportation, industry, and warfare. At the center of the story is orphan Robin Swift, who is brought to England by the mysterious Professor Lovell and raised specifically to become a student at Oxford’s prestigious Royal Institute of Translation, also known as Babel. At first, Babel seems like everything Robin has been taught to want. He studies languages alongside Ramy, Victoire, and Letty, gains access to knowledge few people ever see, and becomes part of an institution that presents itself as the intellectual center of the world.

However, he gradually understands that all of that scholarship is serving an empire that exploits the very cultures producing the knowledge it depends on. That contradiction becomes impossible for Robin to ignore once he is introduced to the Hermes Society, an underground organization working against Babel and the empire it supports. The premise of the book is definitely complex, and it only gets more complicated as the story goes on. The idea of translation becomes the foundation of the magic system in Babel, and Kuang uses it to explore who gets to control language and who actually profits from knowledge. There’s no denying that the novel can be incredibly academic at times, with footnotes, linguistic explanations, and long discussions about etymology, but that is a huge part of its personality. Babel forces its readers to think about the machinery behind empire rather than simply bear witness to some grand war. The story is angry, ambitious, and even painful at times, but that’s exactly what makes it a modern classic.

5

‘A Game of Thrones’ (1996)

Image via Bantam Spectra

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A Game of Thrones is another defining work in the fantasy genre. The first novel in George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series serves as the perfect introduction to an epic story that remains a huge part of pop culture to this day. The story begins when King Robert Baratheon travels north to Winterfell and asks his old friend Ned Stark to become the new Hand of the King. Ned reluctantly accepts and heads south to King’s Landing, where he quickly realizes that the royal court is hiding secrets, grudges, and people who are far more dangerous than they initially appear. At the same time, Ned’s children are pulled into their own crises, while across the Narrow Sea, the exiled Daenerys Targaryen is married to Dothraki warlord Khal Drogo as part of her brother’s plan to reclaim the Iron Throne. The book has all of these moving parts, but every little thread ties together in one way or another. Martin takes his time explaining the story’s politics to make sure that the readers know how much alliances, marriages, and betrayals matter in this world.

The story is told through multiple points of view, which means the reader is constantly seeing the same world through people with completely different loyalties and assumptions. That structure makes Westeros feel messy and alive because almost nobody thinks of themselves as the villain. Even characters who make terrible decisions usually believe they are protecting their family and doing what they have to. The author establishes the rules of a traditional fantasy story and then repeatedly breaks them. Not even fan-favorite characters are safe, because Martin wants to show how real the consequences in Westeros really are. That unpredictability gives Game of Thrones a constant sense of tension, while dragons, ancient threats, and supernatural forces beyond the Wall contribute to the narrative’s delicious fantastical lore.

6

‘The Name of the Wind’ (2007)

Image via DAW Books

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The Name of the Wind is the first book in Patrick Rothfuss’s The Kingkiller Chronicle. The story follows Kvothe, a legendary musician, magician, adventurer, and alleged killer who has disappeared from the world and is now living quietly as an innkeeper named Kote. When a traveling scribe known as Chronicler finally tracks him down, Kvothe agrees to tell the true story of his life over three days. The first book covers his childhood with a troupe of traveling performers, the tragedy that destroys his family, his years surviving alone on the streets of Tarbean, and eventually his admission to the University, where he begins studying magic and searching for answers about the mysterious Chandrian.

The setup is fascinating because the reader knows the myth behind Kvothe before knowing him as a person. However, his own version of the story is the exact opposite of the larger-than-life figure stories have transformed him into. The novel’s magic system is also one of its greatest strengths. Sympathy is treated almost like a branch of physics, and music is just as important to Kvothe as magic. The prose in The Name of the Wind is lyrical without ever losing momentum, and the world feels enormous without ever needing explicit exposition. The novel is a treat for anyone who wants to experience the fantasy genre in its truest, most magical form.

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Release Date

December 19, 2001

Runtime

178 Minutes

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Writers

Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson, J.R.R. Tolkien

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Producers

Barrie M. Osborne, Bob Weinstein, Harvey Weinstein, Mark Ordesky, Robert Shaye, Tim Sanders

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Sandra Bullock‘s hair always looks like magic, and she finally spilled her secret. Turns out, Bullock’s frizz-free mane is courtesy of this exact hair oil from Jennifer Aniston‘s brand. We found this celeb-loved pick on Amazon!

In a ‘what’s in my bag’ Instagram Reel, Bullock gave Us a peek into her tote, which was filled with a planner, book of thoughts, makeup and this LolaVie Lightweight Hair Oil. “I have crazy hair. It’s curly,” she said. “Lolavie. Amazing. This oil has tamed my hair. It’s fabulous. Everyone should swear by this.”

Get the LolaVie Lightweight Hair Oil for $33 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication but are subject to change.

The ingredient list reads like a green juice for your strands, featuring seven plant oils, a superfruit complex for glassy shine, coconut alkanes for smoothness and chia seed extract for strength.

Related: Amal Clooney Uses This Foundation Stick That Feeks ‘Like Silk‘

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Amal Clooney knows how to light up a room, and with this foundation stick, we’re one step closer to doing the same. The human rights lawyer arrived at the King’s Trust International Awards with a lit-from-within radiance — even more than her baseline glow, which is saying a lot. The secret is Charlotte Tilbury’s Unreal Skin […]

According to the brand, clinical results show a 67% reduction in breakage after just one use. The formula is also designed to give you frizz protection for up to 72 hours. Whether you’re running errands or a boardroom meeting, this formula makes your hair appear soft, smooth and tame.

Better yet, this dreamy hair oil works on all hair types, from straight and thin to curly and thick. One happy shopper wrote, “Works perfect for my fine hair. Doesn’t weight down or make my hair look greasy. I only use a tiny bit and it helps manage frizz and makes my hair look shiny.”

At $33, it’s the rare celebrity-approved beauty find that doesn’t require a splurge to try. If it’s good enough for Bullock’s bag, it’s good enough for yours.

Get the LolaVie Lightweight Hair Oil for $33 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication but are subject to change.

Looking for something else? Explore more hair oil here, and don’t forget to check out all of Amazon’s Daily Deals for more great finds!

UsNow Summer Sale Alert: These Chic Fashion Finds are over 30% off – Plus Free Shipping

Welcome to summer with our biggest sale of the year. This summer’s chicest dresses, tops and swimsuits are all over 30% + free shipping. Inventory is limited so hurry before they’re gone.

Shop the UsNow Summer Sale –>

Oversized totes have their place, but Meghan Markle is reaching for a dainty, more polished alternative, and we’re totally here for it. Her exact Gucci clutch would wreck our credit, but honestly, we’re not even tempted. This classy Amazon version appears identical, and it’s on sale for only $35!

Meghan Markle showed up to the David Foster Gala looking like she’d walked off the red carpet. The Duchess kept things classic in a one-shoulder maxi dress, simple gold jewelry and a black clutch that pulled the whole outfit together. With polished hardware and a matte finish, Markle’s sleek style screams ‘expensive’ from across any room.

Get the Chunli Black Clutch Purse for $35 (was $40) at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication but are subject to change.

This Chunli Black Clutch Purse captures the same energy as Markle’s Gucci pick, right down to the ornate gold closure on top and detachable gold chain that lets you wear it as a crossbody when your hands are full of champagne flutes.

Better yet, the hard-shell design keeps its shape all night, and the interior is surprisingly roomy, fitting your real-life essentials and then some. As one five-star shopper put it, “It fits my phone, keys, and cards (or a small, thin wallet) and even has an inside pocket.” They added, “The push-to-open flower clip on top is beautiful and makes it very easy to access.”

Another happy reviewer wrote, “The design is sleek, modern and classy, making it the perfect accessory for weddings, parties, date nights, formal events or vacations.” It’s hard to argue with a bag that pulls that much weight.

Whether for gala season, wedding season, or that errand run you want to look good for, this chic black clutch handles it all. Seriously, people will think you dropped thousands. Snag the royal-approved style before everyone else catches on!

Get the Chunli Black Clutch Purse for $35 (was $40) at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication but are subject to change.

Looking for something else? Explore more chic bags, and don’t forget to check out all of Amazon’s Daily Deals for more great finds!

UsNow Summer Sale Alert: These Chic Fashion Finds are over 30% off – Plus Free Shipping

Welcome to summer with our biggest sale of the year. This summer’s chicest dresses, tops and swimsuits are all over 30% + free shipping. Inventory is limited so hurry before they’re gone.

Shop the UsNow Summer Sale –>

Related: Jennifer Lopez’s Two-Piece Look Is What Rich Moms Wear to the Office

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We get it: your rotation of white tops and black trousers is starting to feel stale. But if anyone knows how to add a fashionable edge to professional attire, it’s Jennifer Lopez. Even though she isn’t crunching numbers at an office, her chic two-piece set style is perfect for the job. We found a Lopez-inspired […]

While the console may have gotten off to a rough start with its expensive launch price and initially small selection of games, Sony’s PlayStation 3 proved to evolve greatly during its time in the spotlight, evolving from a disappointment to one of Sony’s finest consoles. A major part that played into the legacy and growth that the console received was its array of memorable exclusive titles, as it quickly amassed an exceptional catalog of must-play titles that allowed it to be real competition to the Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii.

From continued entries in beloved PlayStation franchises to prominent new franchises that would define the future of the PlayStation brand, there was a wide array of creativity within the PS3 exclusives that gave the system a life of its own. Several of the console’s best games have become among the most celebrated in PlayStation history and among the most pivotal gaming releases of the 21st century so far.

10

‘Killzone 2’ (2009)

With gritty first-person shooters completely dominating the market in the 2000s following the rise of franchises like Call of Duty and Battlefield, it only made sense for Sony to throw their hat into the ring with their own gritty, first-person shooter franchise. Killzone acted as the cinematic answer to this demand, as the must-play, and while the original PS2 game was effective enough, it’s the PS3 sequel, Killzone 2, that is widely considered to be the highlight of the franchise.

The game placed an emphasis on cinematic scale and playable story moments that were set to push the first-person shooter genre forward in its excellence. While not the completely groundbreaking work of art that the original trailers set it up to be, the game was still extremely entertaining thanks to its sleek sci-fi dystopian future and some compelling central gameplay. The game also featured a rather fun online multiplayer component that was present within many of the most successful FPS games of the era.

9

‘Gran Turismo 5’ (2010)

Ever since the original PlayStation console, Gran Turismo has stood as one of the very best racing sim franchises out there, as one of Sony’s longest-lasting and most successful franchises that completely reshaped and redefined the racing sim genre. Gran Turismo 5 proved to continue the exceptional legacy of the franchise, still celebrated as one of the very best games in the franchise as it transformed it and evolved it into the modern era of gaming.

With massive visual fidelity and a great increase in realism in every aspect of its gameplay and physics engine, Gran Turismo 5 upgrades the franchise to a prominent scale to create the perfect blend of visuals and impactful gameplay in a racing sim. It also helps that the game was the first in the franchise to feature full online multiplayer, which redefined the franchise and completely changed how fans played the game.

8

‘InFamous’ (2009)

From Sucker Punch Productions, the iconic PlayStation dev team responsible for iconic games like the Sly Cooper trilogy and Ghost of Tsushima, InFamous was their must-play open-world adventure game of the PS3 era, with a compelling story and the catharsis of playing as a character who can control electricity. What really made the game stand out was its karma system, with the story actively changing based on whether the player decided to use their powers for good or for evil.

This, combined with a vast open world complete with collectibles, missions, and all sorts of things to do, made it one of the most unique and compelling open-world games in an era that was absolutely littered with them. While the franchise would receive multiple sequels and spinoffs both on the PS3 and on PS4, none of them came close to the inherent charm and style that made the original game such a runaway hit in the early years of the PS3’s lifespan.

7

‘Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time’ (2009)

The lovable cartoon sci-fi antics of Ratchet & Clank have made the franchise one of the most endearing and consistently great across PlayStation history, with this level of quality largely being shared on the Ratchet & Clank Future trilogy on PS3. While Tools of Destruction and Quest for Booty are effective in their own right, Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time is the real highlight of the franchise on PS3, still standing as one of the very best entries in the entire franchise.

Part of what makes A Crack in Time so effective is that, on top of the classic Ratchet & Clank style of gameplay, the game experiments with other gameplay styles to really elevate it with the potential of the PS3. This largely comes in the form of playable segments as Clank, utilizing time-based puzzles as he learns more about his origins, as well as Ratchet segments giving free control of the player as you fly from planet to planet, getting into space dogfights in the process. It’s still one of the most individual games in the entire franchise whose story beats have ramifications that are still important in the latest entries.

6

‘God of War III’ (2010)

Image via Santa Monica Studio

The first two God of War games were some of the biggest must-play action games on the PS2, so there was all sorts of excitement and anticipation as to what the upgrade for PS3 would mean for the scale of this legendary franchise. God of War III from the very first moments, doesn’t hold back and acts as one of the most cathartic, highly entertaining action experiences that the PS3 has to offer. It features some of the greatest boss fights in video game history and a level of absolute carnage unmatched by any other entry in the series.

The clear jump in quality and technological prospects from the PS2 to PS3 is staggering for the God of War franchise, as the game is constantly showing off set-pieces and moments that were completely impossible on the PS2 hardware. Distinct moments like the opening boss fight against Poseidon and the legendary battle against Cronos will forever go down in the hearts of gamers as some of the best moments in the entire God of War franchise.

Image via Konami

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Each main series in the Metal Gear Solid franchise proves to be legendary and groundbreaking to the medium of gaming as a whole, with Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, posed as the chronological end of Solid Snake’s story, being no different. The game sees Snake as an old man, having rapidly aged due to a fail-safe placed into his body as a clone of Big Boss. The game features the same brilliant stealth gameplay that the franchise is famous for, with an emphasis on tying up all the loose ends of the franchise into one cohesive narrative.

Guns of the Patriots acts as the ultimate love letter to the Metal Gear franchise as a whole, with narrative and gameplay callbacks to each previous entry in the franchise while also standing as its own impactful experience. The game is also a massive leap forward in terms of the prospects of cinematic storytelling in gaming, famously having nearly 9 hours’ worth of cutscenes in the game, as well as a daunting 71-minute epilogue. If it were any other franchise, it would seem extreme, yet Metal Gear Solid is the exact franchise that can get away with this emphasis on backstory and narrative.

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‘Uncharted 2: Among Thieves’ (2009)

Image via Sony Computer Entertainment

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One of the most successful franchises to have originated on the PS3 was Naughty Dog’s legendary action-adventure franchise Uncharted, with the original trilogy making waves as some of the greatest adventure games of all time as PS3 exclusives. Out of this original trilogy, the undeniable highlight is Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, a game that is still considered one of the best Uncharted games and one of the very best adventure games ever made.

The game is unmatched in terms of masterfully concocted action set pieces that feel like they were ripped straight out of an action blockbuster, only even more effective because the player is actively experiencing and playing through these sequences. The core gameplay of climbing, gunfights, and puzzle solving is vastly improved from the original game, while the characters and entire feel of the game is fueled by a greater sense of charm and wit that elevate the experience.

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‘LittleBigPlanet’ (2008)

Image via Sony Computer Entertainment

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While toolbox games that give players the opportunity and creative tools to create whatever type of experience or level that they like are all the rage nowadays, one of the very first adopters of this sense of full expression and control to players was LittleBigPlanet. The puzzle-platformer certainly had a charming central story mode that could be played with 4 players, but the real impact and legacy of the game was its creative tools, allowing players to create any type of experience they wanted and share those experiences with millions online.

Later entries would provide more tools and potential for creating levels, yet there is an undeniable charm to the limitations of the original game and the endless possibilities of its craft that have helped make it the most celebrated game in the franchise. There’s also an easy throughline to make in seeing how the experiences of this game directly led to many other “create your own game” style games like Super Mario Maker and even Media Molecule’s own Dreams.

2

‘Persona 5’ (2016)

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Spending most of its life envisioned as a PS3 exclusive before taking so long in development that it released on both PS3 and PS4 at the same time, the PS3 version of Persona 5 is still absolutely exceptional, doing justice to the game that is celebrated as one of the greatest JRPGs of all time. With sleek and personality-fueled visuals that overtake every aspect of the game and a great mixture of RPG battles and social simulation, Persona 5 is often considered the apex of the franchise and a massive leap forward for JRPGs as a whole.

The game placed the Persona franchise on the map with a level of popularity that it never had before, launching it from a niche fan-favorite RPG franchise to one of the premier must-play experiences in the entire genre. Even still, 10 years after its release, the game is one of the greatest examples of presentation in video games, with masterful visuals complemented by an iconic soundtrack that players are still jamming to years later.

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‘The Last of Us’ (2013)

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It may be one of the last major releases by Sony before the release of the PlayStation 4, but the PS3 couldn’t have had a swan song title as perfectly crafted as The Last of Us. This absolute magnum opus of dystopian adventure gaming has stood tall in the time since its release as one of the greatest video games of the 2010s, a powerful blending of emotional story and high-tension gameplay that had gamers hooked from beginning to end.

When many people think about modern gaming experiences that prove the validity of the medium as a tool for works of art, The Last of Us is one of the primary experiences that come to mind, utilizing a massive budget and scale to tell a beautiful original story that rivals the very best of other storytelling mediums. Its legacy precedes itself as an absolute icon of the PS3 library and PlayStation history as a whole, as simply no other game could have topped this list as the greatest game released on PS3.

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The Last of Us

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Released

June 14, 2013

ESRB

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M

Publisher(s)

Sony Computer Entertainment

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Franchise

The Last of Us

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There might be no actor with a better filmography than Harrison Ford. For over 60 years, the Chicago-born Hollywood mainstay has been involved in some of the greatest films of all time. Ford starred as the President in the brilliant Air Force One, helped adapt Phillip K. Dick‘s novel into sci-fi genius in Blade Runner, pioneered cinema’s most important space-set blockbuster in Star Wars, and revolutionized the adventure genre as Indiana Jones.

Sadly, not every Ford project is destined for glory. This is best exemplified in his most recent on-screen role as the newly elected President “Thunderbolt” Ross in Captain America: Brave New World. Intended as a torch-passing from Chris Evans to Anthony Mackie, the film instead furthered MCU fans’ fears that the franchise was long past its best, earning terrible reviews from critics and bombing at the box office. But this was far from Ford’s first box office bomb, with one of his most disappointing coming back in 2013.

Ender’s Game, directed by X-Men Origins: Wolverine’s Gavin Hood, had everything going for it, with source material that was considered some of the best in literary sci-fi and a leading actor with a pedigree better than most who called the film “a really good family movie” in an interview with Collider. Alas, this clearly wasn’t enough for audiences, with the film only earning $128 million worldwide against a reported budget of $110 million. 13 years later, and Ford’s flop has a chance to redeem itself. Starting September 1, 2026, you can stream Ender’s Game for free on Plex.

Harrison Ford Is Returning to Indiana Jones

Yes, he promised to end his run as the character with Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, but Ford still has one more turn as the adventure icon to come. Sadly, this won’t be an on-screen role, but it has been confirmed that Ford will reprise Indy in Indiana Jones and the Myth of the Jade Serpent, a new attraction currently being built at Walt Disney World in Florida, at Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park. “Soon it’ll be time for his next ride, and I’m pleased to share that, for the first time ever, I’m the actual model of the Indiana Jones animatronic — fear of snakes included,” Ford said during the announcement.

Starting September 1, 2026, you can stream Ender’s Game for free on Plex. Stay tuned to Collider for the latest streaming stories.

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Release Date

November 1, 2013

Runtime

114minutes

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Long before Taylor Sheridan’s name became virtually synonymous with television Westerns, the Dutton Ranch creator was carving out an extraordinarily strong run of big-screen thrillers. After writing Sicario and Hell or High Water, Sheridan stepped behind the camera himself for a bleak murder mystery set in the frozen wilderness of Wyoming. Throw Jon Bernthal into the equation, and you’ve basically got Yellowstone colliding with The Punisher.

Wind River, now charting on Netflix in numerous territories, is a chilling thriller that follows a rookie FBI agent who teams up with a local game tracker with deep community ties and a haunted past to investigate the murder of a local girl on a remote Native American Reservation in the hopes of solving the mysterious death. The film is a collision of Marvel Cinematic Universe stars crossed with the immense supporting cast of Sheridan’s future television empire.

The movie stars Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker) as Cory Lambert, Elizabeth Olsen (WandaVision) as Jane Banner, Gil Birmingham (Yellowstone) as Martin Hanson, Jon Bernthal (The Punisher) as Matt, Julia Jones (Dexter: New Blood) as Wilma Lambert, Kelsey Asbille (Yellowstone) as Natalie Hanson, James Jordan (Landman) as Pete Mickens and Ian Bohen (Yellowstone) as Evan.

How Successful Was ‘Wind River’?

Although Wind River was a modest box office success for Sheridan, it was one of the most acclaimed thrillers of 2017 and currently holds an impressive 87% score on Rotten Tomatoes from 250 reviews, alongside an even stronger 90% audience score. The site’s critical consensus praised Sheridan’s character-driven mystery, writing, cast and use of the bleak Wyoming landscape. Critics had particular praise for the performances of Renner and Olsen in the lead roles, the slow-burning tension of the story and the exceptional use of the bleak Wyoming surroundings, which simply added to the atmosphere.

Sheridan also received particular recognition for his first directorial effort, as the movie competed in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival, where Sheridan won the Best Director award. Commercially, it punched well above its weight. Wind River earned $33.8 million in the United States alone against a reported production budget of around $11 million, ultimately reaching roughly $44 million worldwide. Combined with its reviews and Cannes win, that made Sheridan’s move into directing a pretty emphatic success.

Wind River is streaming now on Netflix in international territories.

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Release Date

August 18, 2017

Runtime

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107 minutes

Producers

Basil Iwanyk, Matthew George, Peter Berg, Elizabeth A. Bell, Wayne L. Rogers

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