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Maggie Gyllenhaal admits to feeling 'envy' toward brother Jake Gyllenhaal early in their careers
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“I don’t think I knew that at first, when I was young and Jake was a movie star right away,” said the actress, who directed her sibling for the first time in her new film, “The Bride.”
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Taylor Sheridan’s Take on a Tom Clancy Thriller Is Quietly Climbing Global Streaming Charts
Without Remorse always had the bones of a movie people might come around to later. It’s got Michael B. Jordan in action-star mode, a Tom Clancy title, and a script co-written by Taylor Sheridan, which is already enough to make it catnip for a certain kind of streaming rediscovery. That seems to be exactly what’s happening now. After landing on Tubi in March, the film started drawing fresh attention again, with coverage noting it was gaining traction among the platform’s most-watched titles.
The cast is stronger than the movie’s original reception maybe gave it credit for. Without Remorse stars Jordan as John Kelly, alongside Jodie Turner-Smith, Jamie Bell, Guy Pearce, Luke Mitchell, Jack Kesy, Brett Gelman, Lauren London, and Colman Domingo. Directed by Stefano Sollima, the film follows Kelly as he uncovers a covert conspiracy while hunting the people responsible for his wife’s murder. That’s a pretty sturdy spine for a revenge-and-espionage thriller, even if it didn’t fully break through the first time around.
Is ‘Without Remorse’ Worth Watching?
Collider’s review stated that Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse is a straightforward military action thriller that largely sticks to the familiar formula of the author’s previous adaptations. While the film doesn’t reinvent the genre or fully explore the depth of its lead character, it still delivers enough tactical action and political intrigue to satisfy fans of Tom Clancy–style storytelling. For viewers primarily interested in watching tactical operations, shootouts, and high-stakes military missions, the film delivers exactly what it promises.
“The Clancy adaptations are typically a tightrope where you never want to be too jingoistic while also ultimately approving the supremacy of the U.S. military as a force for global order, and Without Remorse is of a piece with those stories. It may start from the place of a revenge-thriller, but its heart lies in the power of the U.S. military. That kind of story isn’t really for me, but I understand the appeal, and Without Remorse tells it fairly well. Considering that the Jack Ryan series is already headed towards its third season, there’s clearly an audience for what Clancy created, and I imagine those fans will be satisfied by Sollima’s adaptation and even happier at what gets teased during the mid-credits scene.”
Without Remorse is streaming now.
- Release Date
-
April 30, 2021
- Runtime
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110 minutes
At the most difficult of times, audiences crave nostalgia. That soothing feeling of being reminded of the happiness of yesteryear can prove the perfect antidote to the anxieties and fears of the modern world, and that is a specific feeling most are experiencing right now. Times are tough, and a comfort watch from cinema’s past is both the spoonful of sugar and the medicine going down.
Of all the great nostalgic movies, such as Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over for those craving a slice of the ’00s or the Ghostbusters franchise for some ’80s fun, one film stands out perhaps as the most nostalgic of all. The film in question is Space Jam, the 1996 classic that saw people of all generations flock to the theaters to witness NBA legend Michael Jordan and Hollywood favorite Bill Murray playing basketball alongside Bugs Bunny and the Looney Tunes. In total, the movie earned a strong $250 million worldwide, split between a domestic haul of $90 million and a further $160 million from overseas markets, against a production budget of $80 million.
Given these tough times we’re living in, it seems a slice of Space Jam nostalgia is proving particularly appealing to audiences. At the time of writing, Space Jam is one of the ten most-streamed movies on Peacock in the U.S., a list that also includes other big hits such as last year’s musical sequel Wicked: For Good, another strangely nostalgic movie in The Cat in the Hat, and Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, which is the current Peacock chart-topper.
‘Space Jam’ Was Met With Mixed Reviews Upon Arrival
Time has certainly helped the reputation of Space Jam. When it was first released, the film was actually met with plenty of negativity from critics, which can be seen on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. On the site, the movie earned just 44%, with the consensus reading, “While it’s no slam dunk, Space Jam‘s silly, Looney Toons-laden slapstick and vivid animation will leave younger viewers satisfied — though accompanying adults may be more annoyed than entertained.” A synopsis for the movie reads:
“Swackhammer, an evil alien theme park owner, needs a new attraction at Moron Mountain. When his gang, the Nerdlucks, heads to Earth to kidnap Bugs Bunny and the Looney Tunes, Bugs challenges them to a basketball game to determine their fate. The aliens agree, but they steal the powers of NBA basketball players, including Larry Bird and Charles Barkley — so Bugs gets some help from superstar Michael Jordan.”
Space Jam is streaming on Peacock. Stay tuned to Collider for more streaming stories.
- Release Date
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November 15, 1996
- Runtime
-
87 minutes
- Director
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Joe Pytka
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Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan
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Theresa Randle
Juanita Jordan
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Manner Washington
Jeffery Jordan
Naomi Watts is recalling the moment one of her children stumbled across some lube in her bedroom.
During an interview with People on Thursday, April 16, the actress, 57, spoke about trying to end the stigma around menopause when she was asked whether she encourages her kids to educate their friends about perimenopausal and menopausal health.
While Watts noted she doesn’t know “if it goes that far with the kids,” the topic prompted her to tell a personal anecdote involving one of her children.
“I mean, I do remember the first time one of my kids saw lube in the bedroom, and they were like, ‘What?’ And I said, ‘Yes, yes, you know, by the way, lube is sold at Urban Outfitters now.’ And they’re like, ‘No way, no way!’” she told the outlet.
Naomi Watts is in her feels as she celebrates her son’s milestone birthday. The actress, 56, shared a sweet message as well as photos of Sasha via Instagram on Friday, July 25, to ring in his 18th birthday. “Happy birthday sweet, darling @sashapeteschreiber,” her post began. “18 today-and ready for the world! Cannot believe it.😊😭 […]
The Mulholland Drive star continued, “And I said, ‘Yeah, it’s a real thing.’ So, yeah, the stigma is definitely reducing.”
Watts shares son Sasha, 18, and daughter Kai, 17, with her ex Liev Schreiber. Watts and Schreiber, 58, were together for 11 years before splitting in 2016.
“Over the past few months, we’ve come to the conclusion that the best way forward for us as a family is to separate as a couple,” they told Us Weekly in a joint statement at the time of their separation. “It is with great love, respect and friendship in our hearts that we look forward to raising our children together and exploring this new phase of our relationship.”
After she and Schreiber went their separate ways, Watts moved on with Billy Crudup and they tied the knot in 2023.
Schreiber also began a new relationship and married Taylor Neisen in July 2023. They share daughter Hazel Bee, 2. For his part, Crudup, 57, also has a son, William Atticus Parker, 22, with ex Mary-Louise Parker.
Although Watts and Schreiber are no longer an item, they have repeatedly emphasized their commitment to coparenting amicably over the years.
Naomi Watts‘ son, Sasha, is all grown up and off to college! The actress, 56, admitted the milestone was quite emotional for her, writing via Instagram on Wednesday, August 20, that there were a few tears shed while sending Sasha off to start his new chapter. Watts, who shares Sasha, 18, with her ex Liev […]
“We’re doing things very differently. I’m pretty proud of us, corny as that may sound,” Watts told Net-a-Porter’s Porter magazine in 2019. “We’ve made it our absolute priority to be good and kind to each other and we’re absolutely committed to that.”
Schrieber has also addressed how they have tried hard to navigate their blended family respectfully despite the challenges that can come with that dynamic.
“It’s always hard, you know? You build a life with someone and things change. And I think the way that we’ve looked at it is that we’ll always be partners and that’s what kind of keeps us together and keeps us amicable,” Schreiber said on Sunday Today With Willie Geist in 2018. “But I think we’re more than that, I think we also genuinely really care about each other.”
Some of the best TV shows ever on television ended in a way that left viewers unsatisfied, which can sully a show’s entire reputation. Shows like Dexter, for example, angered viewers with its subpar ending, a situation that’s currently being rectified with several new spin-offs that are breathing new life into the franchise and righting the wrongs of how the original series ended.
There are other fantastic shows, however, that got it right, from start to finish. The way these shows went out wasn’t necessarily with a bang. In some cases, it was quiet, subtle, poetic, even. But they were worthy of ovations from viewers at home who could wrap up the multi-season stories with a red bow and slide the show into their mental banks of the best ever, right through to the end.
10
‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’ (1990–1996)
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was a story all about how a young man’s life got turned upside down when he was sent to live with his aunt and uncle in Bel-Air. Worried that he would follow the wrong path on the streets of Philadelphia, his mother sent Will (Will Smith) there to have a better life. The fish-out-of-water story saw Will grow from a juvenile, troubled young man with little respect for rules and higher society grow into a confident, successful man. Of course, the hijinks between were what the show was all about.
The sitcom, one of the best sitcoms of the ’90s, ended in a bittersweet way as the Banks family decided to move out of the mansion they called home for so many decades. Everyone was moving on, Hilary (Karyn Parsons) to New York to continue her talk show, Ashley (Tatyana M. Ali) going with her, Carlton (Alfonso Ribeiro) to Princeton, Geoffrey (Joseph Marcell) deciding to go back to England, and Philip (James Avery), Vivian (Daphne Maxwell Reid), and Nicky (Ross Bagley) to the East Coast to be closer to extended family. The scene between Uncle Phil and Will saying goodbye was a testament to how far the two, who had often been at odds with one another, had come. Their bond grew into a father-son one that would likely continue even when they were apart. Of course, the show had to end with a laugh as Carlton walks down the stairs after Will says his final goodbyes to the house and turns the light off wondering where everyone went.
9
‘Succession’ (2018–2023)
Rather than go for the shock factor and end Succession with the death of Logan Roy (Brian Cox), the series brilliantly but surprisingly killed him off early in the season. This shifted focus to his grown children who were, all along, supposed to be at the heart of the plot. Who would he leave his business to when he decides to retire? Now, with no dad to fight nor make a final decision, it was up to the children to finally step into the hot seat and make a decision on their own.
In the end, the kids’ own greed and poor decisions come back to bite them. Shiv (Sarah Snook) stabs Kendall (Jeremy Strong) in the back and votes against him, thinking this would increase her chances of getting back in eventually once the deal goes through. Tom (Matthew Macfadyen) ends up taking over, the only person with business savvy who knew how to play the long game and wait for everything else to implode. Kendall is left staring out at the harbor, unable to fathom what just happened. Rather than a feel-good ending, Succession achieved what it set out to do: prove that these kids were far too selfish, too rash, and not savvy enough to lead. In the end, none of them won.
8
‘The Sopranos’ (1999–2007)
The end of The Sopranos was polarizing when it first aired. But in the decades since and in hindsight, as well as with new confirmation from the creators, it was actually perfect. The crime drama tells the story of Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini), a Mafia boss who runs his organization like a well-oiled, violent machine from the outside. But on the inside, he suffers from panic attacks. This leads to him seeing a psychiatrist, where he opens up about the pressures of balancing family life with his criminal life.
In the final scene, Tony is seemingly in a good place, enjoying a meal in a diner with his family. He selects the song “Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey to play on the jukebox, and all is well. But then, the diner door opens, Tony looks up, and the screen fades to black. Fans were frantic, thinking something was wrong with their TVs. But then, the credits rolled. Finally, in 2021, creator David Chase ended the ambiguity by confirming to The Hollywood Reporter that Tony did indeed perish. Not seeing his death was arguably more powerful than seeing it, fans witnessing only black just as he did at that very moment.
7
‘Friends’ (1994–2004)
After airing for 10 years and as many seasons and rising to become one of the greatest sitcoms of all time, it was a tall order to end Friends in a fitting way. The series accomplished that in spades. While the entire show centered around a group of young, single people living in New York and navigating their personal and professional lives, the finale demonstrated that they had all grown up and come into their own.
The scene when Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) gets off the plane and decides to stay with Ross (David Schwimmer) was 10 years in the making, finally solidifying that the two were meant to be together. As the friends gather in Monica’s (Courteney Cox) now bare apartment to bid their goodbyes, Chandler (Matthew Perry) gets the perfect final line that fits with the tone of the show. They decide to get one last coffee together, and Chandler jokes, “Where?” It’s a beautiful callback to Central Perk, the local café where the friends spent so much of their time together.
6
‘Cobra Kai’ (2021–2025)
Cobra Kai is admittedly corny, a fun martial arts comedy drama with sometimes bad acting, silly storylines, and frequent callbacks to The Karate Kid movies. But the series, which serves as a 30-year sequel to the original film, is set on a path that it wrapped up beautifully. The idea was to show a different side to the events of the film, making Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) a more sympathetic character. It was also a vehicle to introduce a new generation of karate kids.
The final season of the show, which rose to become one of the Netflix greats, was the most emotional, heart-wrenching of them all. It wrapped up characters and storylines that needed fitting ends. It brought together two bitter rivals, provided a sense of hope, and ultimately proved that winning wasn’t everything. Plus, it featured a subtle callback to the original film that ensured Mr. Miyagi’s (Pat Morita) lessons would always live on, but in new ways. It’s the type of finale fans may have applauded from home because it was as satisfying as they come.
5
‘The Wire’ (2002–2008)
The Wire is widely considered to be one of the best drama shows ever on television, and the finale only solidified that. The crime drama follows different institutions within Baltimore and their relationship to law enforcement, including the illegal drug trade, the port system, the city government and bureaucracy, education and schools, and print news. There’s a level of authenticity thanks to the concept being loosely based on the experiences of a real-life former homicide detective and public-school teacher.
The end of The Wire was true to real life in that while there are resolutions, there are still a lot of questions left unanswered. And that’s how it really goes in each of these five areas of society and politics. No problem is ever really solved. New ones arise, old ones resurface, and the work keeps churning, again and again. It kept with the overall theme of realness that the show demonstrated at its heart throughout the entire run.
4
‘Six Feet Under’ (2001–2005)
How fitting to end a drama about the journey of life and the finality of death through the eyes of a family running a funeral home than to end with a look-ahead to their own deaths. The multi-Emmy winning series Six Feet Under follows the Fisher family and their work to help grieving families while managing their own complicated personal lives.
Six Feet Under ends with a montage that shows when each of the family members reach their ends at varying points in the future. Some are shocking and surprising, others live long into the future, dying while surrounded by their loved ones. It’s deeply poetic and was absolutely brilliant.
3
‘M*A*S*H’ (1972–1983)
A war comedy drama, M*A*S*H was the type of show families gathered around the TV to watch every week when a new episode was on, eyes glued to the screens to watch the action unfold. Centering on surgeons and medical staff in an army surgical hospital, it’s a medical sitcom like no other.
The show’s finale remains, to this day, the most-watched finale of any show and the most-watched episode ever of any scripted series. By the end, the unit is being dismantled at the end of the war and everyone is saying their goodbyes. When Hawkeye (Alan Alda) leaves in a helicopter, he looks down to see a message left by B.J. (Mike Farrell) spelled in rocks on the ground. It reads one simple word: “goodbye.”
2
‘Mad Men’ (2007–2015)
Don Draper (Jon Hamm) from Mad Men was a troubled man, traumatized by his awful childhood and hiding the fact that he has taken on the identity of an old army buddy he watched die. But he was also a brilliant ad man, and that is what much of the focus of the period drama was on. Don marvelously pitching clients on ad campaigns that left them stunned was the soul of the show. One of the most memorable, for example, is his pitch to Kodak for the Kodak Carousel product.
It makes sense that, despite all of Don’s hardships, his work would culminate in one final, defining moment. And it did. While at a retreat in California to help clear his head, Don is meditating and a slight smile washes over his face. The scene cuts to the iconic “Hilltop” Coca-Cola commercial featuring the pop song “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing (In Perfect Harmony),” suggesting that he’s the one who came up with the idea at that moment. The real-life commercial, known as “Buy the World a Coke” when it debuted in 1971, was about positive messages of hope, love, and inclusivity. It’s often considered to be one of the most influential ads in television history. So it was incredibly clever to suggest that Don created it, a wonderful way to end the show’s run, marking one of the greatest TV endings of the 21st century.
1
‘Breaking Bad’ (2008–2013)
Unlike popular shows that try to squeeze out as many seasons as they can to capitalize on the viewer interest, Breaking Bad went out when it was on a high after just five seasons. It was the right thing to do because it was inevitable that Walter White (Bryan Cranston) had to die. He had terminal cancer. The character was on the verge of experiencing the worst symptoms of the disease. It would not have been realistic to continue as if he was fine, and the way he went out was exactly the way the show should have ended.
Walter ties up loose ends, ensuring that his family is taken care of, and threatening his former friends who took everything from him, leaving them to live in fear. He kills Lydia (Laura Fraser). Then he sets up an elaborate plan, rigging a machine gun onto a remote trigger so he can kill his enemies before they get to him. He is shot in the process and begs Jesse (Aaron Paul) to put him out of his misery, but the damage has been done to their relationship and Jesse walks away, leaving Walter to die. Right before he perishes, Walter smiles, knowing that he accomplished what he set out to do and is leaving the world as the strong, confident man he always knew he could be. The episode was perfect.
Breaking Bad
- Release Date
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2008 – 2013-00-00
- Network
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AMC
- Showrunner
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Vince Gilligan
- Directors
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Vince Gilligan, Michelle Maclaren
One of the best parts of Netflix’s The Witcher when it first premiered in 2019 was all the different creatures roaming around The Continent and terrorizing its inhabitants. Although Geralt of Rivia (Henry Cavill) was roped into a larger conspiracy and adventure, there was an irresistible appeal to the loose monster-of-the-week format, as he fulfilled his dangerous role as a witcher. From the insect-like swamp creature called kikimora to the less intangible but still mesmerizing djinn, the creatures were as diverse as they were uniquely ominous. They fleshed out the magical universe and were one of the main reasons the show was so immersive.
But with the fifth and final season of The Witcher approaching, fantasy fans will undoubtedly need another fix of their love for creative, dangerous monsters. Luckily, Netflix has already announced the perfect replacement, the long-awaited series adaptation of the popular tabletop card game, Magic: The Gathering. If you haven’t had the pleasure of playing the game, the animated show, which is in production, will still be the ideal must-watch for fantasy fans. It hosts a wide variety of creatures, characters, and magical objects, all necessary to build a vibrant world, and from there, potential storylines to get swept away in.
‘Magic: The Gathering’ Offers World-Building and Adventure at Its Finest
For those who are unfamiliar with Magic, it was first created by Richard Garfield in 1993 and is often recognized as the world’s first trading card game. Within it are different classes of creatures, enchantments, artifacts, equipment, sorceries, instant spells, tokens, and lands that are played in a turn-based fashion while operating on a mana system, where the amount of mana (essentially, a spiritual kind of currency) a player has will dictate the moves they can play. Already, you get a sense of the sheer variety of fantasy elements within the basic game, let alone when you incorporate characters like the powerful Planeswalkers or dice that completely alter the battlefield.
After sticking around for decades, Magic has an endless supply of ideas for the show’s creators and writers to draw from, making it brimming with potential for a riveting high fantasy series. The cards are often released in sets, with each one almost acting as a portal to another genre, so while the show’s foundation may remain in the realm of high fantasy, there is plenty of room for genre-bending and diversity. From huge dragons with impossible stats equipped with golden armor, steampunk artifacts that can decimate everything on the battleground, to horror creatures that can rise from the graveyard, the kinds of communities, threats, and visuals available for adaptation are vast. This is all threaded together with five distinct biomes (plains, forests, islands, swamps and mountains), each laying the foundation for effective and immersive world-building.
‘Magic: The Gathering’ Is Just One of Many Recent Hollywood Adaptations
Recently, video game adaptations like The Last of Us or Sonic the Hedgehog have been on the rise, and we even got a brilliant film adaptation of the role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons, but how do you adapt a tabletop card game? What we know so far is that the show will be focusing on Planeswalkers, who are arguably the most powerful characters in the game that depict figures with unique abilities and backstories that can — as the name suggests — traverse across dimensions. They will act as the fittingly dark and complex characters that drive the storylines, while the show will also be crossing different planes and drawing on the lore of their specific world within the Magic multiverse. The main concern is being able to execute a plot that is faithful to the extensive lore and diversity of the original, while connecting the markedly distinct worlds coherently and convincingly.
That being said, it’s a wonder that Magic hasn’t been adapted before, especially since now fans are being spoiled with a TV show and a film in the works. Hasbro has had the rights to Magic since 1999, and while they attempted to adapt the game, they haven’t had success until now. The last announcement of the game’s adaptation was in 2019, which was going to be a series helmed by the Russo brothers (Avengers: Endgame), but fell through due to creative differences.
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Now, Terry Matalas (Vision Quest) is on board as the showrunner and executive producer for the TV show, while Hasbro is collaborating with Legendary for the movie. With a plan to go down the animation route for the series, providing more freedom to showcase the breadth of magic, adapting the visual element of the game has hardly been an issue. Additionally, Magic has routinely done crossover sets by collaborating with the likes of Marvel or Lord of the Rings, so it’s surprising the script wasn’t flipped and no one decided to translate the card game to the screen until now.
Either way, Magic has been patiently waiting for its turn, and in that time, it has transformed from a basic tabletop game to a sprawling multiverse of unimaginable powers and creativity, or, as Matalas puts it, “the ultimate storytelling sandbox.” Whether you’re a longtime player or a fantasy fan, this potentially epic saga needs to be on your radar, and soon, you too will be batting alongside some of the most iconic characters of this world and shaking your head in admiration at a series that is egregiously overdue.
Downton Abbey star Nathalie Baye is dead after a battle with dementia. She was 77.
Baye died in her home in Paris after receiving a Lewy body dementia diagnosis, the actress’ family confirmed to the Agence France-Presse on Saturday, April 18.
Downton Abbey caught the attention of millions of viewers throughout its six seasons — and fans are still binge-watching the drama well after its finale. 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 […]
According to the Mayo Clinic, Lewy body dementia, also known as LBD, occurs when protein deposits called Lewy bodies develop in nerve cells in the brain and affect brain regions involved in thinking, memory and movement.
This story is developing.
The Summer House cast has been divided over Amanda Batula and West Wilson’s romance reveal, and costar Ciara Miller has a theory why.
“I think some people are clearly [taking sides],” Ciara, 30, told Glamour reporter Hunter Harris in an outtake from her Friday, April 17, magazine profile shared via Substack. “But, at the same time, I feel like we have also so many new dynamics in the group. I’m not expecting anyone to take sides.”
She continued, “Honestly, I’m not asking that of anyone. But I think they really know me, and they know how I move, and so I think that this is maybe more of a barometer of maybe why … I don’t know if I’m saying this right, but they’ve watched the whole story unfold in person. I think everyone feels a little bamboozled at this point in time.”
Ciara, West, 31, and Amanda, 34, were all among the Summer House season 10 housemates last year, which is currently airing on Bravo. At the time, West mulled reconciling with ex Ciara while Amanda faced marital issues with Kyle Cooke. Amanda and Kyle, 43, announced their separation in January, three months before she confirmed her connection with West.
Ciara Miller is still sorting through her feelings after longtime friend Amanda Batula started seeing her ex-boyfriend, and their Summer House costar, West Wilson, earlier this spring. “Ciara has told friends that if they really are in love, she will accept it,” a source exclusively tells Us Weekly, noting that if West, 31, and Amanda, […]
“We’ve shown up for each other as friends over the years, through all the highs and lows, and what’s developed recently was the last thing either of us expected,” Amanda and West wrote in a joint statement on March 31. “Our connection grew out of a genuine, longstanding friendship, which made it especially important for us to approach this with care.”
West and Amanda’s big reveal shocked Ciara, who was spotted crying outside Hermès within minutes of the statement’s publication, and their costars. Most of the Bravo cast has since weighed in, picking sides about which friend was in the right. (Amanda and Ciara were once close friends, while West reportedly hooked up with Ciara earlier this year.)
“I’m not telling anyone to take sides, but if they’re taking a side, it’s probably because they’re also very confused and feel like they were led astray,” Ciara told Harris in her first public comments on the scandal. “I feel like there’s been a lot of lying on both sides between Amanda and West. They’ve both lied publicly to my face, to everyone else’s face, so it’s like, ‘Why?’”
Ciara is set to reunite with the pair during the cast’s season 10 reunion later in April.
“I think that there definitely needs to be specific questions answered,” she told the magazine about filming the tell-all. “And to be understood depends by who.”
While West and Amanda haven’t further addressed the drama, they were spotted kissing at the Yankees vs. Royals baseball game on Friday night.
Pope Leo XIV reportedly has been invited to attend the “Eternal City Tip-Off,” a college basketball doubleheader between Villanova and Notre Dame in Rome.
The schools announced the unique doubleheader on Friday, April 17, which is scheduled to take place later this fall on November 1.
“Inspired by the recent election of Pope Leo XIV, the first American-born Pope, student-athletes from two of the United States’ top Catholic universities will travel to Rome and Vatican City for a one-of-a-kind international experience to begin their college hoops season – including a planned audience with Pope Leo XIV set to take place ahead of the game,” read a statement from Notre Dame University.
Pope Leo — from Chicago — is an alumnus of Villanova and a noted sports fan. While it’s unclear whether he has accepted the invitation for an in-person appearance at the games, there is a planned papal audience with the Pope beforehand.
“This extraordinary experience reflects the very best of Villanova’s Augustinian Catholic mission—uniting faith, learning and community in a global setting,” said Villanova University President Peter Donohue in a statement. “From academic engagement and cultural immersion to shared worship and athletics, this journey offers a profound opportunity to grow in mind, body and spirit.”
Pope Leo XIV plays with a member of the Harlem Globetrotters during his weekly General Audience at St. Peter’s Square on April 08, 2026 in Vatican City, Vatican. Simone Risoluti – Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Images
“Pope Leo has spoken in such inspiring ways about the value of sport, emphasizing that sport is a ‘school of life’ that integrates the body, mind, and spirit, a vision both Notre Dame and Villanova wholeheartedly embrace,” echoed Robert Dowd, President of the University of Notre Dame, in a separate statement. “We are honored to join Villanova for what is sure to be the experience of a lifetime for our student-athletes and fans.”
He continued, “We know well the transformative impact of spending time in a city that is so central to our faith and rich in history, having established Notre Dame Rome in 2014, which allows us to host hundreds of students and scholars from around the world each year. It’s exciting and most fitting to add athletic competitions to our many activities in Rome.”
The trip will also include a welcome reception overlooking Rome and an opportunity to attend Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica.
The international game will mark the first game outside of the U.S. to start a men’s college basketball season.
“This is a special opportunity for our players and coaches to be part of a global event,” said Villanova head coach Kevin Willard in a statement. “To represent Villanova in Rome to open our 2026-27 season is such a great honor. We appreciate the enormous effort that’s gone into making it possible.”
Entertainment
Prime Video’s 6-Part Psychological Thriller Is So Good, You’ll Finish It in One Weekend
David Cronenberg is one of the most important names in horror history, as the description “Cronenbergian” is often applied to innovative works of bodily terror. Cronenberg has many films that have been accepted as classics, but few are more iconic than the 1988 masterpiece Dead Ringers, which starred Jeremy Irons as identical twins. While it’s hardly the first instance in which an actor played twins on screen, Dead Ringers was a bold and subversive look at the grotesque world of medical malpractice. There is never a point in rebooting a classic property without a fresh take, and thankfully, the Prime Video reimagining of Dead Ringers is a totally distinct entity.
Although gender-flipping leading characters has become common within contemporary reboots, Dead Ringers inverts the original material with a feminist slant, given that it’s a story in which the two main characters are gynecologists. That narrative has a different connotation within the new version, as Rachel Weisz plays twin sisters who have sought to control and subvert bodily autonomy through their research. Beverly and Elliot Mantle share a unified interest in revamping the birthing process, but have very different means of executing their goals. Cronenberg’s film was a breakthrough for its time, but the series has been updated to address the radically different landscape for medical research in the 2020s. Dead Ringers is an homage that doesn’t feel like a clone; ironically, the show’s best virtue is that it isn’t identical.
‘Dead Ringers’ Is a Fresh Take on a Horror Classic
The most important aspect of any new take on an established piece of material is using the possibilities of a different medium, and Dead Ringers is retooled to work as a series that can’t rely as heavily on shock value. Cronenberg’s film had to build up to its most visceral scares, but that momentum could never have been sustained over the course of six episodes. As a result, Dead Ringers is able to retain a consistent sense of unease by showing the casual danger of what the Mantles do, as any procedure they perform has the potential to go wrong. It’s because the depiction of medical care feels so authentic that it becomes more shocking when the twins begin to diverge from their accepted policies; it’s evident that they are not only driven by passion to help women find peace, but also out of a desire to see what the human body is capable of. This could have easily felt exploitative, but Weisz brilliantly shows how both Beverly and Elliot have found tranquility through their profession; to them, surgery is just a form of art.
The TV Adaptation of ‘Dead Ringers’ Is Even Bolder Than Cronenberg’s Original
This thrilling reimagining delves into its disturbing subject matter far deeper than its predecessor.
The most challenging conceit in Dead Ringers was that the show had to ensure that both characters were distinguishable from one another, which is much harder to do in practice than it is in theory. Keeping two versions of the same actor straight in a series is already difficult, and Weisz has to do many scenes in which she has chemistry with herself. Although there are a few overt physical distinctions when it comes to body language and hairstyle, the difference between the Mantle sisters is in their conduct; Elliot uses foul language, manages a drug addiction, and engages in more social activities, whereas Beverly is more refined and constantly refers to her twin with disparaging language. They’re two distinct characters, but Weisz also makes them feel linked in a manner that is thematically sound. Since Elliot and Beverly represent two different sides of the same coin, it would make sense that they could only unlock their true potential while working together.
‘Dead Ringers’ Has the Best Performance of Rachel Weisz’s Career
Weisz pulls off an impossible challenge of making her characters both intimidating and slightly empathetic, as the series deals with the ways in which institutions have been corrupted by private equity. It’s an unfortunate reality that many of the most advanced medical innovations have been funded through donors, and the Mantle sisters are forced to take capital from the private investor Rebecca Parke (Jennifer Ehle), who has her own agenda. The consequence of this is that the backers funding the Mantles’ research don’t put safeguards in place that account for their erratic, potentially volatile behavior. Cronenberg’s films have always had a political edge, but Dead Ringers had the ambition to address the changing economic context of the original film’s thesis.
Horror television often runs into a sustainability issue, as audiences may not want to stew in such uncomfortable emotional places for the same extended amount of time that they would in a film. Thankfully, Dead Ringers is filled with mystery and dark comedy, as there is an inherent playfulness in the notion of women dedicated to preserving life while often courting death. It’s the rare reboot that works for multiple audiences; it’s both suited to those who can appreciate the homages to Cronenberg and those who want to see something with fresh eyes. It can be hard to tell which horror shows are actually worth investing in, but Dead Ringers is more than just a gimmick. It’s frightful, innovative, and thought-provoking television, and may end up spawning the same cult appreciation that the original film did.
Dead Ringers
- Release Date
-
2023 – 2023-00-00
- Network
-
Prime Video
- Directors
-
Sean Durkin, Lauren Wolkstein, Karyn Kusama
Plot holes are kind of impossible to avoid in storytelling, and honestly, at times, the audience is willing to play along. If the story is good enough, a few logical leaps here and there don’t really matter. However, things get messy when writers push that limit a little too far. HBO, for all its prestige and reputation, is no exception. In fact, some of the network’s most iconic series are also the biggest offenders when it comes to obvious inconsistencies and unresolved arcs.
That doesn’t necessarily make them bad, though. If anything, it makes their success all the more fascinating. After all, it takes a truly great story to keep the viewers hooked even when the cracks in the plot are right there in plain sight. Here is a list of successful HBO shows that serve as perfect examples of that.
6
‘Westworld’ (2016–2022)
Westworld started as one of HBO’s most ambitious shows with a premise that instantly hooked the audience. The sci-fi series, created by Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, is about a hyperrealistic Wild West theme park populated by android hosts, where wealthy guests can indulge in their darkest fantasies without consequence. The show was meant to be a philosophical exploration of free will, consciousness, and what it truly means to be human. Now, Westworld Season 1 perfectly set up this concept with a gripping and layered central mystery. However, as the show expands its world, it begins to lose the plot big time. The storytelling begins increasingly convoluted, and timelines start blurring into each other to the point where the rules of the show’s own universe start feeling inconsistent.
Characters are repeatedly killed and revived without clear stakes, major arcs are unresolved, and key plots like the fate of the Outliers never receive a satisfying payoff. The thing about Westworld is that it isn’t necessarily a bad show, but its tendency to constantly reinvent itself comes at the expense of the story and characters. Each season turns the status quo upside down and makes the audience feel that the show is more interested in escalating its complexity than in actually following through on already-established ideas.
5
‘Euphoria’ (2019–2026)
Image via HBO Max
Euphoria has been one of the most talked-about shows of the last decade. The controversial teen drama, created by Sam Levinson, stars Zendaya as Rue Bennett, a high-schooler battling addiction along with a group of her friends and classmates, all navigating their own struggles with identity and trauma. The series takes place in a hyper-stylized world that instantly became its signature and mirrored the chaos that its characters live in. The show has been widely praised for its performances, cinematography, and raw depiction of teenage life. However, for all its strength, the drama has also faced consistent criticism for gaps in its storytelling. Euphoria Season 2 in particular feels messy, inconsistent, and clearly prioritizes shock value over any semblance of character arcs.
Some of these issues include Nate’s (Jacob Elordi) sudden fixation on Cassie despite hating her throughout Euphoria Season 1. Entire character arcs are dropped, like Kat’s (Barbie Ferriera) being reduced to a side character or McKay (Algee Smith) being written out with no explanation. However, Rue’s storyline with Laurie (Martha Kelly) and the fact that she escapes that dangerous situation without any consequence is easily one of the biggest plot holes in the series. Some might argue that all of these loose ends will be solved by Season 3. That doesn’t take away from the fact that the show struggles with its own stakes. Euphoria thrives on how it makes the audience feel in the moment, but once they step back, the cracks in the narrative are impossible to ignore.
4
‘Game of Thrones’ (2011–2019)
Game of Thrones has practically defined prestige television for the better part of the last two decades. The series, based on George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire novel series, takes place in an expansive, fantastical world and centers on the intense power struggle between the seven kingdoms for the Iron Throne. There’s no denying that the show has already gone down in pop culture history for its meticulous storytelling and unmatched worldbuilding. However, as the series moved beyond its source material, logic took a backseat to the spectacle, and that proved to be a major mistake. The later seasons destroyed the legacy that the show had spent around eight years constructing.
Entire storylines felt rushed or abandoned, including Cersei’s (Lena Headey) pregnancy and the prophecy of “The Prince That Was Promised.” Even major narrative arcs like Jon Snow’s (Kit Harrington) true lineage and Daenerys’ (Emilia Clarke) descent into madness ultimately had little impact on the outcome of the story. By the end, it felt like the show was just leaning on convenience to wrap things up, and in doing so, it set up many ideas that were never fully explored. The notorious ending of Game of Thrones raised more questions than answers and is widely considered one of the worst series finales of all time. Despite a rushed finish, though, Game of Thrones is still an undeniable landmark in TV history, with two spinoffs already airing and several others in the works.
3
‘The Leftovers’ (2014–2017)
The Leftovers is a show that fully embraces ambiguity, but that is no excuse for all the plot holes it has left behind. The series, created by Damon Lindelof and Tom Perrotta, begins with two percent of the world’s population suddenly vanishing without explanation. However, the show isn’t about where they went, but it focuses on the people left behind as they grapple with grief and faith in the wake of a phenomenon that just can’t be explained. The show’s deliberate refusal to provide easy answers gives it its emotional weight, but also tends to get frustrating at times. The Leftovers often sets up certain storylines only to abandon them in the middle. For example, Kevin Garvey’s (Justin Theroux) repeated resurrections are never grounded in any clear logic.
Not to mention the entire situation with the Guilty Remnant feels like one of the show’s most interesting elements until the viewer realizes that their larger purpose is never actually explored. Even broader world-building elements like the earthquakes or the surreal hotel world are introduced with weight but never really explained in relation to the overall narrative. Sure, some of this is intentional, but there is a fine line between leaving things to the audience’s interpretation and careless storytelling. Despite all that, though, there’s no denying that The Leftovers is one of HBO’s most emotionally complex stories.
2
‘True Detective’ (2014–Present)
True Detective Season 1 is peak TV, but unfortunately, it goes downhill from there. The HBO crime anthology begins with Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson as two detectives trying to solve a disturbing ritualistic murder case. Each subsequent season has introduced a new cast and case, with the most recent one being True Detective: Night Country starring Jodie Foster and Kali Reis. For all its ambition, though, the one thing the show has struggled with is consistency.
True Detective Season 2, in particular, is often criticized for being overly convoluted and weighed down by too many characters and subplots that ultimately go nowhere. It often feels like the show is focusing more on mood and character rather than telling a believable story. Its best moments have always come from the dynamic between its detectives and philosophical dialogue, but even then, the show’s glaring plot holes are hard to miss. Even at its messiest, though, True Detective is undeniably a great watch.
1
‘The Last of Us’ (2023–Present)
The Last of Us quickly established itself as one of HBO’s biggest hits and set the gold standard for video game adaptations. The post-apocalyptic drama follows Joel (Pedro Pascal), who is tasked with escorting Ellie (Bella Ramsey) across a post-apocalyptic United States to a revolutionary group known as the Fireflies. Now, what raises the stakes is that this teenage girl may hold the key to curing a fungal infection that is slowly taking over humanity. The drama series is far from a typical zombie show, though, because it leans heavily into character-driven storytelling.
However, for a show that attempts to remain grounded in realism, there are plenty of moments where its internal logic starts to crack. Plenty of Joel’s decisions make little sense from a practical point of view. Even the broader stakes, such as the Fireflies’ plan to immediately operate on Ellie without exploring any other alternatives, feel rushed and oddly underdeveloped. A lot of moments in the show rely entirely on convenience or shock value. One can overlook these gaps thanks to the cast’s brilliant performances and the emotional payoff of it all, but they do make it harder to fully buy into the world at times.
The Last of Us
- Release Date
-
January 15, 2023
- Network
-
HBO
- Showrunner
-
Craig Mazin
- Directors
-
Craig Mazin, Peter Hoar, Jeremy Webb, Ali Abbasi, Mark Mylod, Stephen Williams, Jasmila Žbanić, Liza Johnson, Nina Lopez-Corrado
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