Entertainment
Marvel Is Officially Failing the X-Men
Comic books have come a long way since their advent in 1933, but they have evolved significantly over the last ten years as the industry has grappled with writing stories in a post-Comicsgate era. Still, some of the most celebrated titles have found themselves falling into familiar and oftentimes uncomfortable patterns.
Few writers embody this evolution more uniquely than Gail Simone, whose early commentary helped redefine how gender and agency are understood in mainstream superhero media. In 1999, prior to her professional writing debut, Simone launched the website “Women in Refrigerators,” coining a phrase that forever altered comic book criticism. Sparked by the infamous death of Kyle Rayner’s girlfriend Alexandra DeWitt (who was murdered and stuffed into a refrigerator in Green Lantern #54) the term described a pervasive industry trope where female characters were routinely killed, maimed, or otherwise de-powered purely to advance the emotional arcs of male heroes.
Simone’s sharp critique propelled her into the industry itself, where she swiftly became a powerhouse writer for both DC and Marvel, crafting acclaimed runs on titles like Birds of Prey, Wonder Woman, and even Deadpool while proving that female characters could anchor the same complex narratives as their male peers.
That legacy makes the last two years of her run on Uncanny X-Men all the more jarring. As the first woman to be the mainline’s sole writer, Simone benefited from a degree of “plot armor,” so to say, which allowed her early missteps to be given a pass. However, this run has slowly become a depressing descent into the very creative pitfalls she spent decades dismantling.
Rather than propelling the mutant flagship forward, Simone’s work succumbs to clunky prose, dated characterizations, and a frustrating reliance on regressive tropes that feel out of character for not only the franchise, but Simone as a writer. Perhaps most glaring is how the narrative falters under the weight of subtle microaggressions and tone-deaf interpersonal dynamics, which begets the question of how an icon of feminist comic commentary could deliver a story so strangely out of step with her own established standard.
‘Uncanny X-Men’ Is Fixated on Overhyping Already Overhyped Characters
The most immediate, and perhaps least egregious, casualty of this run is the regression of Rogue and Gambit, whose iconic relationship is flattened into a hollow caricature. Rather than leading the team as a formidable leader in her own right, Rogue is reduced to little more than a domestic “tradwife” existing solely in relation to her husband. It quickly becomes evident that the narrative prioritizes making Gambit look effortless and cool instead of allowing Rogue to command respect as an actual leader.
Rogue’s dialogue (and Remy’s, admittedly) is weighed down by heavy-handed, exaggerated Southern phonetics that read more like mocking stereotypes than authentic regional voices. Compounding this domestic imbalance is the awkward insertion of Calico; forcing an infantilized teenage mutant into their immediate living situation pushes Rogue further into a suburban foster-parent trope, taking her even further away from the frontlines of mutant leadership. The narrative comes across as off-putting as Calico is written in a deeply juvenile way which includes seeing the teenage mutant crawling into bed with Rogue and Remy — a couple she has only known for a few months.
This superficial obsession with making Gambit look cool constantly sacrifices basic narrative logic for cheap, unearned hype. A glaring example occurs during a major battle sequence in Uncanny X-Men #32, where Remy abruptly transforms into the “Wyvern” — a monstrous form that has been teased relentlessly for nearly ten issues and hyped up on promotional art. Instead of delivering a dramatic, satisfying payoff to all of that teasing, the transformation arrives suddenly at a moment that makes little sense within the flow of the story.
While the storyline is still in flux, with next week’s issue intending to follow up on Gambit’s new dragon dilemma, it remains a textbook case of style over substance: prioritizing flashy “badass” visuals over a coherent plot, leaving Gambit with an empty spectacle that will inevitably lead nowhere. But these minor scruples pale in comparison to the optics of some of Simone’s more confounding narrative choices.
This uneven focus extends to the rest of the cast and setting, leaving the broader team dynamic severely undercooked. Cyclops, who is historically the tactical anchor and ideological heart of the franchise, is thoroughly underwritten, stripped of his usual gravity and pushed to the periphery. Meanwhile, the narrative’s focus on the Outliers feels deeply skewed and underdeveloped, giving priority to a new cast that lacks the emotional weight or narrative setup to justify their page time.
Anchoring Rogue’s team in Louisiana only exacerbates these issues; compared to the high-stakes, globally resonant scope that has always defined the X-Men, this regional backdrop feels insular. Ultimately, it reads as a weak attempt to force Gambit’s specific corner of the universe into a level of importance it was never meant to hold. But these minor scruples pale in comparison to the optics of some of Simone’s more confounding narrative choices.
‘Uncanny X-Men’ Is Failing the Legacy of the Series
The systemic issues in this run extend far beyond casual tone-deafness, hardening into a pattern of micro- and macro- aggressions specifically targeting Black and Asian characters. This harmful dynamic serves as the driving impetus for the “Raid on Graymalkin” and “Manhunt” arcs, which ultimately fizzled out into frustratingly dead ends, despite allegedly being planned from Uncanny X-Men #1.
Most striking is the treatment of Monet St. Croix, a Black Muslim woman whose established characterization has always centered on bodily autonomy and a fierce opposition to incarceration. Reducing her to the temporary warden of Graymalkin — a fascist concentration camp where mutants are detained until human authorities arrive — completely guts the core of her identity, reframing a hero of liberation as an enforcer of state-sanctioned violence.
What renders this direction as so acutely offensive is the sheer hypocrisy of its poor execution. For a run that postures an understanding of prison abolition and the horrors of systemic marginalization against those deemed as “other,” it arrives at a conclusion where a fascist camp’s existence is justified so long as a marginalized woman is the one holding the keys. This is a profound failure of text and subtext.
Placing Monet in direct parallel with figures like Corina (effectively weaponizing her as a cop and a jailer to her own oppressed people) turns the comic’s underlying civil rights allegory — a staple for the X-Men — on its head for all the wrong reasons. While it is true that what a character says and does is not an endorsement by the author, that does not mean authorial choices are above reproach, particularly when a pattern begins to emerge.
‘Uncanny X-Men’ Is Doubling Down on Its Missteps
Another recurring pattern in Simone’s Uncanny X-Men run is the abundance of cultural insensitivity and subtle microaggressions woven into the dialogue. Asian characters are routinely subjected to lazy, exoticized tropes. Of note, Logan casually refers to the young Japanese mutant Deathdream as a “manga kid,” which Simone glibly responded to criticism by framing it as Wolverine “incorrectly” calling him that. This casual bias rears its head again with Calico’s most recent interactions with Pietro Maximoff. Calico treats Pietro — a character of Romani heritage and a man of color — with a smug, condescending superiority (despite being in a moment of crisis), dismissively refusing to even view him as a true mutant.
Rather than celebrating the rich diversity that has long defined the franchise, these characterizations alienate readers, reducing an ambitious flagship era to a series of uncomfortable missteps. While there is some narrative explanation for Calico’s behavior, it is nevertheless jarring to see a blue-eyed, blonde-haired white woman othering a character who is, historically, the son of a Holocaust survivor. Coupled with the optics of tethering her to the franchise’s most cookie-cutter Southern couple, it feels as though Simone is doubling down on an inherent and accepted bias about Southern ideals.
Watching an industry titan like Gail Simone, whose entire legacy was built on dismantling harmful tropes, fall into these exact creative traps is a deeply disheartening turn for modern comic criticism — especially as she argues with fans of her writing on social media. Yet this failure does not rest solely on her shoulders; Marvel shares equal responsibility for allowing one of its most iconic flagships to languish without editorial discipline or vision.
At a crucial inflection point in the franchise’s decades-long history, when the X-Men’s core allegories require genuine nuance, intersectional awareness, and real gravitas, the publisher has instead settled for superficial gimmicks and passive oversight. What should have been a landmark era led by one of the industry’s most influential female voices has instead devolved into a stark reminder that legacy alone cannot sustain a title — and that the X-Men, along with their readership, deserve far better than unexamined tropes and hollow execution.
- Writer
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Stan Lee, Chris Claremont, Len Wein, John Byrne, Scott Lobdell, Steven T. Seagle, Matt Fraction, Kieron Gillen, Gail Simone
- Penciler
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Jack Kirby, Barry Windsor-Smith, Dave Cockrum, John Romita Jr., Marc Silvestri, Jim Lee, Rick Leonardi, Greg Land, David Marquez
- Publisher(s)
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Marvel Comics
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Hey, General Hospital fans. We have all seen Anna Devane (Finola Hughes) manipulated by the ghost of Peter August (Wes Ramsey), who is living rent free in her head and actively urging her to kill Britt Westbourne (Kelly Thiebaud). And that’s because Peter warned Anna that Britt will try and kill her if she doesn’t take her out first.
We’re going to talk about Anna making murderous plans for Britt. Who’s going to be the one to stop Anna from killing Britt and what consequences Anna might face as a result of trying to kill Britt?
General Hospital: Peter Pushing Anna Closer to the Edge
So, Peter’s being quite convincing. He’s made Anna believe she’s not safe and won’t be until all of Cesar Faison’s (Anders Hove) kids are dead. That means Britt’s got to go. And of course, Peter’s dead and gone, and Anna is just brain scrambled. Ross Cullum (Andrew Hawkes) scrambled her gray matter. She’s not okay.
Anna lied and told Felicia and the French therapist what they needed to hear. She just wanted out of the European psych facility. And so, she manipulated her shrink and family, but Anna is far from being in a good place mentally. So, very soon, especially after that intense scene we had with Britt and Anna at General Hospital this week, I think Peter is going to convince Anna to go ahead and take action against Britt.
So, this week, Peter told Anna to use Felicia Scorpio (Kristina Wagner) to get information on Britt. And at first, Anna didn’t want to do it, and she told ghost Peter that she doesn’t want to use her family. But he convinced Anna that she has to do it or the consequences will be dire.
So, Anna went ahead and she got a little info out of Felicia. She told Anna that Britt is on probation at GH but is doing all right. More importantly, Felicia told Anna where Britt lives because Felicia organized a sublet from another doctor. Now, Anna knows exactly where to find Britt outside of General Hospital and then Anna can go after her at home.
Anna Plays Britt on GH
With Peter writing shotgun in Anna’s head, Britt was asking Anna to use her WSB connections to help her find out about how Cassius Faison (Ryan Paevey) has died and where’s his body to give Liesl Obrecht (Kathleen Gati) some closure and some peace of mind. And initially Anna refused, but then Peter convinced Anna to tell Britt she changed her mind and said that way she’ll owe Anna something.
So, it looks like we’re getting closer with Peter pushing Anna to making a move and targeting Britt, trying to kill her because Peter’s not going to stop pushing. However, when Anna goes after Britt, people are going to realize that Anna needs help and that she’s been lying. So, let’s talk about who may save Britt and at the same time save Anna from herself because if she harms Britt, that means Anna is throwing her life away.
General Hospital: Who Will Save Britt from Anna’s Murderous Plot
There are people who care about Britt or Anna and at least one who cares about both Britt and Anna that could intervene even if it’s risky. So, one person I think would definitely get between Britt and Anna is Valentin Cassadine (James Patrick Stuart).
He’s actually my top choice because he loved Anna for decades. Even though Valentin moved on with Carly Spencer (Laura Wright), he’s never going to not care about Anna. And of course, Valentin doesn’t care that much about Britt, but he adores Anna.
And we just saw Valentin recently tell Carly he thinks something isn’t right with Anna. And with their long history, Valentin knows Anna very well. He can tell something’s off. Valentin’s not sure what it is. But there’s a chance he may stumble upon Anna trying to kill Britt and then he intervenes.
Valentin may not especially care if Britt lives or dies. He’s not exactly a family Faison fan, but he’s not going to want Anna to wreck her life this way. So Valentin, I think is a strong possibility of the person who gets involved and gets between them and hopefully it won’t cause him any issues with Carly if it is Valentin that intervenes.
Jack Dies Saving Britt on GH
I feel like though there’s a bigger chance it could be Jack Brennan (Chris McKenna) that gets between Anna and Britt because we know Chris McKenna is leaving General Hospital this fall and his character Jack is going to be killed off and knowing Brennan’s time is running out. You know, he might die because of this Anna thing. I could see Jack getting involved when he sees Anna going after Britt. Not that Jack is that attached to Anna, but he knows the WSB did her really dirty.
And he’s also someone who’s been in her life a long time, even though they’re not close now. And of course, Jack still wants info out of Britt. And this would be especially perfect because Jack and Nina Reeves (Cynthia Watros) are getting really close. And Britt is part of Nina’s family. She loves and cares about Britt. So, Nina would be eternally grateful for Jack saving Britt’s life. And no matter how Jack dies, Nina’s going to be absolutely crushed. Especially if by the time he dies, Jack and Nina have fallen in love. That would be super soapy.
General Hospital: Jason Morgan a Strong Possibility
But another person that might intervene in this Anna versus Britt thing is Jason Morgan (Steve Burton). He could be the one who saves Britt because Jason is Britt’s boyfriend and they’re in love, at least for now. So, of course, Jason would jump into any situation to save Britt’s life.
But at the same time, Anna is a very good friend of Jason’s, and at one point, it looked like Anna was going to be a love interest for Jason. General Hospital was hinting at it, but aside from that kiss, it never really went anywhere.
So, Jason’s still going to want to help Anna, and he’s also going to want to protect Britt from her. And Jason may realize something’s very wrong with Anna and in the end he may convince Britt, you know, no matter what she did, don’t press charges.
General Hospital: Joss & Britt Come Full Circle
So, basically, there’s three different guys that might save Britt. Valentin, Jack, and Jason, but also in case Britt can’t save herself from Anna, there’s somebody else that might actually save her. Could be Super Agent Josslyn Jacks (Eden McCoy). She might be the one who rescues Britt from Anna’s murder plot.
If you remember, Britt saved Joss’s life from a hook killer, Heather Webber (Alley Mills). That’s how Britt supposedly died, but then the WSB saved her and put her back to work and convinced her she had Huntington’s. So, if Joss winds up saving Britt’s life, that’s a life for her life. It would be very full circle. So, I could definitely see that happening.
And it would make sense because Joss has been worried about Anna really ever since she saw the literal writing on the wall when Joss was held in the same room below Windermere where they had Anna locked up before they shipped her off.
General Hospital: Anna Locked Back Up
So, knowing that she’s going to go after Britt and do something murdery because she’s still unhinged and Peter’s in her head, the next question is what then? Because I doubt that Anna’s going to kill Britt. I’m sure somebody’s going to intervene, but then there’s fallout and consequences. I absolutely expect to see Anna put into a psychiatric facility somewhere local like Shadybrook.
That way Felicia, Emma Scorpio-Drake (Brayden Bruner), and other friends and family can be there for Anna because she needs help getting Peter out of Anna’s head. And that means that she’s likely going to lose her badge, at least for a while. And Dante Falconeri (Dominic Zamprogna) might have to step back in as police commissioner at the PCPD, at least until Anna gets the help she so desperately needs and gets Peter out.
Hopefully, it’ll be ShadyBrook and not Ferncliff where they keep those that are more criminally insane. I guess it depends on whether Anna is arrested for trying to kill Britt or if they can handle it outside the justice system. Like Britt agrees, okay, no charges as long as Anna checks in and gets help so this doesn’t happen again.
We’ll see how it plays out with Anna getting murdery with Britt. But I don’t think it’ll be too long before Peter pushes Anna to take drastic action. And she attacks Britt. And I think a murder attempt would forever change both Anna and Britt’s lives and maybe the life of whoever gets between them.
Action movies are awesome. Sci-fi movies are awesome. Put them together, and you’ve got the most irresistible combination since H.B. Reese put peanut butter in a chocolate cup. There’s a particularly potent chemical reaction between these two genres that tends to bring out the best of both. Many of the greatest sci-fi action movies of all time could comfortably rank among the greatest in either genre and often do.
In the interest of variety, and as a natural result of subjectivity, this list will be limiting franchises to their single greatest action-packed entries. Directors, with one very notable exception, will also be kept to singular examples from their filmographies, so just know that if your personal favorite sci-fi actioner isn’t listed here, in some alternate universe it ranked number one. Otherwise, buckle up for the ten best sci-fi action movies in film history.
10
‘Predator’ (1987)
Only on a list like this could an action classic like Predator rank so low. Or maybe lower if you’re among the snobbish critics who reviewed the film when it was first released. Take a random sampling of those reviews, and you’ll notice that the majority of them wrote this iconic film off as a dumb, dull action movie. Reading some of the downright hostile reviews makes it almost seem like they stopped paying attention to the film after 30 minutes. For that first act, the film does seem like any other ultra macho 80s action movie, like Rambo or star Arnold Schwarzenegger’s own Commando, but once its alien antagonist makes its presence known, it evolves into something else entirely.
The premise of Predator is superficially similar to Aliens, with a group of highly trained soldiers taking on an extra-terrestrial threat. The difference is that these aren’t the Vietnam-coded Colonial Marines, these are hypermasculine Reagan-era mercenaries. They take out a compound full of bad guys like an R-rated A-Team, but when they come face to face with Kevin Peter Hall under Stan Winston appliances, they get their asses handed to them. Schwarzenegger spends half the climactic fight running away, with his voice pitched so high through Predator vision, he sounds like a scared little boy. Predator isn’t some cerebral thriller, but John McTiernan definitely didn’t make a dumb, dull movie.
9
‘Inception’ (2010)
There’s some debate over how good a director of action Christopher Nolan is. There’s no debate that he can handle spectacle, and his editors have certainly played a heavy role in keeping the tension taut in his films, but if there’s any decent argument to the contrary, it’s Inception. Some critics and viewers have opined that a film set almost entirely in dreams should be far more surreal, like the animated Paprika which shares more than a few similarities with Inception. The reality is that Nolan’s dreams are merely an architectural design for him to a build a big ass heist thriller meets James Bond adventure.
For all the mind-bending theatrics of the film, it’s a very basic premise of a professional thief trying to pull off one last job so he can get back to his family. Everything else is window dressing of the mind, and it looks damn good. The zero gravity fight sequence is one of the most memorable setpieces of the 21st century, and the mechanics of the film really lock into place in the climax. Inception adds several layers of action and sci-fi elements to the heist film template. The action in Nolan’s films may not be as fluidly choreographed or as tightly framed, but it’s on a scale that far too few filmmakers are even able to attempt.
8
‘Ghost in the Shell’ (1995)
There are a number of awesome animated sci-fi action films that deserve some recognition. Superheroes qualify here, so The Incredibles and the Spider-Verse get some love. The Animatrix never gets enough love, and Redline is wild fun, but really there are only two films vying for the spot here. Akira is the first, and it’s a gorgeous anime that continues to influence, and the other is Ghost in the Shell, an equally iconic film which hits a little harder in the action department. It’s a kinetic, cyberpunk thriller that really highlights the specific strengths of its medium. Though there have been sequels, remakes, and different series, all of varying quality, there’s something about the stripped-down simplicity of the original that still hits hard.
Ghost in the Shell is dense with sci-fi ideas and philosophical concepts but damned if it isn’t a movie that doesn’t feel the need to explain itself. The central narrative, about a group of cyber cops hunting down a dangerous hacker, is straightforward enough in a tech-noir sort of way. Everything else, from the setting to its technology and the implications thereof, is implicit. With a runtime of less than 90 minutes, as well, the film absolutely whips by. It’s a tight, captivating sci-fi action movie with big visuals and big ideas. That’s why it’s been so influential to many films that came after, including at least one more on this list.
7
‘Minority Report’ (2002)
Tom Cruise is his own breed of action hero. He’s been actively engaged with the genre since the 80s, but has always stood apart from it almost as his own brand. None of his films follow a clear trend, other than Cruise’s increasing insanity and willingness to put his body in danger. Even his signature franchise, Mission: Impossible, went through a few identity changes before settling in by the fifth film. Those movies all feature some very sci-fi technology, but don’t officially qualify as sci-fi action movies. His firmly fixed efforts are, ranked in ascending quality, Oblivion, Edge of Tomorrow, and Minority Report.
The 2002 sci-fi thriller benefits from the direction of Steven Spielberg, who simply knows how to stage the hell out of an action sequence. From a jet-pack fight, to a chase on automated cars, and Cruise hiding from robot spiders like kids from raptors in a kitchen, Minority Report is what an Alfred Hitchcock movie looks like in sci-fi noir clothes with 21st century technology. It’s got a wrongfully accused man on the run, but instead of being paired with a platinum blonde who Hitchcock can abuse behind-the-scenes, he’s teamed up with Samantha Morton giving an incredible performance as a child-like psychic. There are still some traces of the themes from Philip K. Dick’s short story, and the film’s tech was surprisingly prescient, but it’s a true thrill ride.
6
‘RoboCop’ (1987)
Paul Verhoeven made three pretty damn perfect over-the-top sci-fi action movies. Total Recall was another Philip K. Dick adaptation turned into a blockbuster, albeit a far more violent one. Starship Troopers was a deliberately satirical adaptation of Robert Heinlein’s sci-fi military novel that took some time for critics and audiences to warm to. They are both classics in their own right, but RoboCop is his superior invention. It exists in its own genre entirely, playing intestinal jump rope with tone and sincerity. Even awesome films like Upgrade and Dredd, which owe a blood-soaked debt to RoboCop, aren’t able to achieve its strange alchemy.
The action of RoboCop, on a surface level, isn’t anything brilliantly staged or particularly fast-paced. Robo is about as fast as a backhoe in traffic, and generally moves in a straight line to annihilate his targets with his oversized gun. What the action does have, is an absolute ridiculous brutality to it. Unlike the throat rips and exploding arrows of other 80s action movies, the violence in RoboCop knows it’s absurd. The sheer quantity and size of the squibs put on the actors in this movie turns them into bloody chum, and that’s even before a melting man gets liquified by a car. If you want fancy footwork or complex choreography, look somewhere else. If you want an entire factory turned into a cloud of cocaine, bullets and blood, watch RoboCop.
5
‘Children of Men’ (2006)
Alfonso Cuarón is another filmmaker that couldn’t be listed as an action director. He’s made films that have scenes of incredible tension and suspense like Gravity, or even chaos and violence like in Roma. Both of those films were predicated on the work Cuarón had done on the only film of his that could be considered an action movie, the dystopic sci-fi thriller Children of Men. The action in Children of Men is of a visceral nature, much of it captured through digitally assembled long takes. It makes it more white-knuckle than fist-pumping like some of the action on this list. Children of Men is an action movie the same way Saving Private Ryan is, there’s a reality to its violence that makes it hard to enjoy, but easy to be impressed by.
There’s a version of Children of Men that could have been made without any action. The novel it’s based on, by P.D. James, has no action to speak of and is focused on ore in philosophical and political debates. It could’ve made a very talky but possibly interesting sci-fi film. Cuarón is far more interested in having audiences experience the violent social upheaval that might result from the world of the novel. The political themes are broadened, based more closely on post-9/11 fearmongering and aggressive nationalism, and the plot is streamlined into the format of a thriller. It’s a breathless film that doesn’t have time to contemplate for too long, but which is far more effective for how harrowing its action is.
4
‘The Matrix’ (1999)
An action sci-fi movie that certainly wants to be contemplative is The Matrix. The Wachowski’s breakthrough film, which became a true pop culture phenomenon, is a mélange of philosophical debates, spiritual themes, and trans allegories. The film isn’t focused on any one of those things enough to express anything specific, but the implications certainly tickled many people’s cerebrums more than the average action movie. It definitely opened people up to the many philosophical influences that the Wachowskis had in crafting their film and launched a million different interpretations of its meaning. In that way, it also introduced many to the martial arts films and cyberpunk anime that were coded in its DNA.
Movies like Ghost in the Shell and directors like John Woo all inspired The Matrix, much in the same way Christopher Nolan and Inception would be by it. The film brought action techniques like wire-fu, that had been mainstays in industries like Hong Kong for decades, to mainstream American audiences. It also perfected bullet-time, which had been toyed with as a concept in previous disparate films, anime, music videos and even commercials. The Matrix funneled all its influences into one leather-clad action film that defined a generation of action films.
3
‘Terminator 2: Judgment Day’ (1991)
Top 3 spots are reserved for the big guns, and nobody likes a big sci-fi gun like James Cameron. The Canadian filmmaker has only made two films that don’t fall into science fiction and only one of those, Titanic, isn’t an action movie. While that historical drama may have brought him prestige and Oscar gold, it’s not his best film. His two best films, in fact, are both sci-fi action movies, and they are masterpieces of the subgenre. The first belongs to Cameron’s own franchise, with the totemic blockbuster sequel Terminator 2: Judgment Day.
Where The Terminator was a more exploitation-adjacent sci-fi action movie wrapped over a slasher endoskeleton, the sequel was designed from the ground up to be a blockbuster. It’s got a more family-friendly Terminator, with Arnold’s iconic villain reprogrammed as a hero this time around to protect a kid protagonist who’s about as based in reality as Bart Simpson. It’s a corny movie, no doubt, but it’s got amazing setpieces, Linda Hamilton as a kick-ass action heroine, and Robert Patrick as the ultimate artificial villain. The landmark CGI is still impressive, and it’s mixed with incredible practicle effects and stunt work that make Terminator 2: Judgment Day a chrome-clad classic.
2
‘Aliens’ (1986)
Cameron’s best film is a sequel to a movie he didn’t direct. As fun as it would be to list Piranha II: The Spawning here, it has to go to Aliens. More so than the escalation that Terminator 2 brought, Aliens completely changes genres from its predecessor. The most discussed aspect of Cameron’s sequel is how he jettisoned the horror of the first film and inserted a thrilling war movie into its sci-fi setting. It’s almost taken for granted now, but it was a big risk that paid massive dividends, and set the scales for many future sequels. Also, often discussed is the film’s expansion of the character of Ripley, who truly becomes the full iconic character as fans know and love her.
Sigourney Weaver certainly gave a committed performance in the first film, but her character is fairly thinly written, enough that her actual gender was completely arbitrary. Cameron, as he is wont to do, fleshed her out with a backstory involving a daughter (in the director’s cut) and gave her new purpose with a surrogate one. Aliens is about mothers, and that’s what Cameron brought to it. The soldiers were already there in the almost non-existent outline given to him by the producers. What could’ve been a cheap follow-up where a few soldiers are picked off by another alien, instead became an epic action movie featuring the mother of all sci-fi showdowns.
1
‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ (2015)
While there’s some debate on whether post-apocalyptic stories always qualify as sci-fi, it’s still a speculative as hell subgenre and the original Mad Max was a dystopian film so Mad Max: Fury Road gets to smash through to the top spot. It’s a film that’s been endlessly hyped by action fans, cinephiles and critics alike, but which didn’t even crack the top ten highest grossing films of the year it was released. Financial success has no bearing on its quality, it just speaks to how monumental the entire Mad Max franchise is while still remaining slightly cultish.
Miller’s first film was a seminal Ozoloitation revenge thriller. One which helped bring Australian cinema international attention, except from most of America. The states were so out of the loop that the sequel Mad Max 2 was released under the title The Road Warrior. The film was a big success regardless, especially thanks to its relatively minuscule budget of $2 million. Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome was the most mainstream entry of the franchise, with a PG-13 rating, a musical superstar as a co-lead, and a gang of kid characters. It would be three decades before Max returned, and he came back in the most streamlined, pulse-pounding, visually astonishing, sci-fi action movie ever made.
Mad Max: Fury Road
- Release Date
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May 15, 2015
- Runtime
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121 minutes
- Director
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George Miller
- Writers
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Brendan McCarthy, George Miller, Nico Lathouris
Jenna Jameson has taken the reins of love by the horns!
The former adult entertainment creator has reportedly sealed the deal with the love of her life over two years after she parted ways with her former partner, who accused her of not being honest before their commitment.
Jenna Jameson and her ex-wife, Jessi Lawless’ marriage reportedly broke down when the former picked up her once-reckless drinking habit without feeling remorseful about backsliding.
Jameson has given marriage another chance, tying the knot with her partner, Milagros Ocampo. The former adult film star, who has since transitioned into business, married Ocampo in Miami, Florida, on July 25, 2026.
Online records show the couple had obtained a marriage license several weeks before the ceremony. Jameson and Ocampo reportedly began dating in March 2025, shortly after Jameson filed for divorce from her estranged wife, Jessi Lawless.
As TMZ reported, Jameson and Lawless married in May 2023, but their relationship unraveled less than a year later, with the pair separating in April 2024.
Jessi Lawless Placed Broken Promises At The Heart Of The Failed Marriage
The Blast shared that Jameson’s ex-wife pushed to have their marriage completely annulled in court after informing the judge that she entered the union based on misleading promises from the former content creator.
Lawless claimed Jameson portrayed herself as financially secure and free of debt before their May 2023 wedding, while also promising to contribute financially to their household. She further alleged that Jameson had committed to remaining sober throughout their marriage.
According to the filing, Lawless later discovered that Jameson allegedly owed around $500,000 in tax debt and had not maintained her sobriety. Lawless claimed that the misrepresentations were material and constituted fraud in her decision to marry Jameson.
Despite the serious accusations, Lawless appeared determined to keep the legal split relatively uncomplicated. She reportedly did not seek spousal support, and because the former couple shares no children, there were no custody matters to resolve.
They had also reportedly already split up their community property, eliminating another potential source of conflict as Lawless sought to end their legal entanglements.
Jenna Jameson’s Marriage Reportedly Crashed Due To Lack Of Remorse Over Drinking Habit
In her emotional TikTok video detailing her painful split, Lawless shed more light on what she claimed ultimately destroyed her marriage to Jameson. She pointed to the former adult film star’s alleged drinking as the breaking point.
According to Lawless, alcohol had been a firm boundary from the beginning of their relationship because of the problems she believed it had previously caused in Jameson’s life. Things allegedly unraveled after Jameson traveled alone to an event in Chicago, something Lawless said had not happened since they tied the knot.
She claimed Jameson began drinking during the trip despite their understanding about sobriety. However, Jameson initially denied drinking and only admitted it after she was led to believe there was evidence proving otherwise.
What hurt Lawless most, however, was what she described as Jameson’s complete lack of regret. She recalled becoming emotional and pleading for some sign of remorse, only for Jameson to allegedly insist that she did not feel sorry for what happened.
Lawless also claimed the conversation took another turn when Jameson seemingly shifted the blame onto her. In hindsight, she said she might have held herself to a very high standard in the relationship, but it was the last straw in her decision to pursue an annulment of the marriage.
Despite the painful split and the accusations surrounding it, Lawless made it clear that she still cared deeply for Jameson and wished her well moving forward.
The Businesswoman Hinted At Second Chance With Her Ex While Dismissing Abuse Claims
Two years ago, shortly after Lawless filed for annulment of the marriage, Jameson posted another social media update, informing fans that they were taking steps to fix the marriage.
As reported by The Blast, Jameson addressed speculation about the state of their union and their split, insisting that she never considered Lawless abusive.
Jameson tagged the circulating narratives on social media as unfair to Lawless’ image. She added that they have decided to put in the work to ensure that their relationship stays on track.
The former adult film star spoke warmly about Lawless, stressing that she still cared deeply for her and did not want her dragged into further controversy.
She reiterated that affection in the caption by tagging Lawless and publicly declaring her love, and Lawless returned the gesture with a heart emoji. The apparent reconciliation drew plenty of encouragement from followers, with several fans saying they simply wanted Jameson to be happy.
Some had recommended the couple avoid airing their differences through social media. Other commenters questioned Jameson’s latest defense of Lawless and accused her of contradicting earlier claims surrounding their breakup.
Jenna Jameson Highlighted The Role Of Motherhood In Her Dating History
Prior to her marriage to Lawless, Jameson had been in relationships with men and welcomed children with them. PEOPLE noted that the television personality welcomed her twin sons with UFC legend Tito Ortiz in 2009, and after they broke up in 2013, Ortiz was awarded full custody of the boys.
Jameson moved on with Lior Bitton in 2015, welcoming a daughter in 2017 after a very intense 12-hour labor. A year later, Jameson admitted that her daughter, Batel Lu Baton, had yet to meet her older siblings, but she remains hopeful for a better outcome.
In 2023, Jameson revealed that she still has legal custody of Batel. However, she did not live with her at the time, four years after she announced her relocation to Hawaii to raise her daughter in a healthy environment.
The media personality also touched on her previous relationships with men, emphasizing that her desire to become a mother influenced those romances.
Eventually, the former adult entertainer gained a clearer understanding of herself and fully embraced the selfish decision because it led to a beautiful result: her kids.
Happy married life to Jenna Jameson and her heartthrob!
Jenna Bush Hager has spent nearly two decades building a career at NBC, but one uncomfortable comment from the beginning of her “Today” tenure apparently stayed with her.
The daughter of former President George W. Bush has never denied that her famous family helped open doors.
However, she recently revealed just how quickly colleagues questioned whether she had earned her place, recalling a blunt remark that tapped directly into what she calls “everybody’s fear” for people born into prominent families.
Bush Hager joined “Today” as a correspondent in 2009, but she admitted she was still learning the basics of broadcast journalism when a fellow correspondent confronted her with an uncomfortable observation.
“I remember — and I’m not gonna say who — but month two where I’m just trying to learn … oh, I mean, I didn’t know anything,” she recalled per PEOPLE during “Today with Jenna & Sheinelle.”
Then came the remark. “We just thought they hired you because of your dad,” Jenna remembered the unnamed correspondent telling her.
Rather than insist her family had nothing to do with the opportunity, the 44-year-old acknowledged the obvious advantage.
“I’m sure — and I haven’t asked my boss, and I’d rather not — I got this interview … I was on the show because my dad was president,” she explained.
Bush Hager noted that appearances promoting books she had written alone and with her mother, Laura Bush, helped establish her relationship with the morning show before NBC eventually offered her a job.
She admitted that she “wouldn’t have been given that opportunity” without her parents.
However, she ultimately described her career using two truths that can exist simultaneously.
“I feel lucky to be here,” Bush Hager said, “and I’ve also felt like I’ve needed to prove it.”
Famous Family Connection Created Pressure To Prove Herself
Acknowledging privilege did not eliminate the insecurity that came with it.
Jenna Bush Hager described the colleague’s remark as “everybody’s fear” for someone with famous parents because it raised the possibility that no amount of subsequent success would completely silence assumptions about how they got started.
Her response was to overcompensate.
“What we do to get over that is work like crazy, work beyond to where we’re working ourselves too much,” Bush Hager explained.
That is not the first time she has addressed the complicated reality of being labeled a “nepo baby.”
In February 2025, Bush Hager called the experience a “double-edged sword,” admitting that she and twin sister Barbara Pierce Bush had become “serious workaholics” partly because they wanted to prove that their lives had not simply been handed to them.
At the time, she acknowledged eventually needing to tell herself, “Okay, I did it. I proved it.”
Jenna Bush Hager Initially Turned Down ‘Today’ Opportunity
There is another wrinkle in the assumption that Bush Hager eagerly capitalized on her family name. When NBC initially approached her, she did not immediately accept.
Bush Hager was working as a teacher and said she continued teaching for several years before eventually interviewing for the correspondent position. She had previously recalled seeking advice from her grandparents when the opportunity arose in 2009, as she was uncertain about abandoning her education for television.
What followed became considerably larger than that first correspondent role.
She eventually joined Hoda Kotb as permanent fourth-hour co-host in 2019 after Kathie Lee Gifford’s departure. When Kotb left “Today” in January 2025, Bush Hager carried the hour through “Today with Jenna & Friends,” working alongside more than 60 rotating celebrity co-hosts before Sheinelle Jones became her permanent partner in January 2026.
Jenna Bush Hager Has Expanded Far Beyond Her Original ‘Today’ Job
Bush Hager’s attempts to establish an identity outside her political family have also expanded beyond morning television.
Her Read with Jenna book club, launched in 2019, became a significant publishing platform. By its sixth anniversary in 2025, nearly two-thirds of its selections had reached The New York Times bestseller list, while more than half had been optioned for screen adaptations.
She subsequently expanded into publishing with Thousand Voices Books, an imprint established in collaboration with Random House Publishing Group to champion emerging writers across genres.
Now, Bush Hager is moving deeper into scripted television. She serves as an executive producer on NBC’s upcoming drama “Line of Fire,” which draws in part on her unusual childhood experience of growing up under Secret Service protection.
Bush Hager recently explained that watching agents leave their own families to protect hers helped inspire the show’s exploration of what such work costs families behind the scenes.
‘Today’ Role Is Entering Another Closely Watched Chapter
Jenna Bush Hager’s confession arrives as her current “Today” partnership is attracting scrutiny of a different kind.
As The Blast previously reported, an insider claimed that Bush Hager and Sheinelle Jones have experienced tension both on and off camera, with executives allegedly monitoring viewer reaction to their fourth-hour chemistry. Those claims remain unconfirmed by NBC.
The pair have also continued sharing warmer moments publicly, and NBC is still airing “Today with Jenna & Sheinelle” as its established fourth-hour pairing.
The Challenge family is honoring former contestant Tyler Duckworth after his death was confirmed by his family.
“My son, Tyler, passed away earlier this week. Cause of death has yet to be determined,” Joni Duckworth wrote via Facebook on Thursday, August 13. “I will post on Facebook about services as soon as his dad and I figure it out.”
Tyler’s death comes nearly two weeks after he appeared at The Challenge Mania event in Minneapolis.
In his final social media post before his death, the 44-year-old reality star expressed how excited he was to interact with fans and meet with fellow competitors.
It’s not uncommon for stars to quickly fall head over heels in love while filming a reality TV show — and The Challenge competitors are no exception. 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 […]
“So proud to represent my hometown of Minneapolis along with these other Challenge legends,” Tyler wrote via Instagram on August 2. “The fans are what keep us coming out! Hearing your stories of courage, inspiration & joy that you’ve got being a fan of the franchise is humbling each and every time.”
Fans met Tyler when he appeared on MTV’s The Real World: Key West in 2006 shortly after graduating from Tufts University. He went on to compete on six seasons of The Challenge, including The Duel, The Gauntlet III, Cutthroat, Rivals, All Stars 2 and All Stars 3. He was crowned the champion on Cutthroat and Rivals.
As family and friends mourn his death, Us is combining all the heartfelt tributes from members of The Challenge. Keep reading to see how Paulie Calafiore, Derrick Kosinski and more stars are honoring a fierce competitor:
Paulie Calafiore
“Life is crazy. RIP Mighty Duckworth! You were so vibrant two weeks ago,” The Challenge star Paulie Calafiore wrote via Instagram after spending time with Tyler at The Challenge Mania event in Minneapolis. “It’s so wild to imagine your vibrant energy no longer here. Sending prayers and love to your family and friends. The Challenge fam lost a legend ❤️#rip #prayersforhealing.”
Brad Fiorenza
“Absolutely heartbroken to hear about Tyler. We shared something special being part of The Challenge family,” veteran and champion Brad Fiorenza wrote via Instagram. “I’ll always be grateful for the memories we shared; especially at this last event just a couple weeks ago. Tyler will be deeply missed by so many. May his amazing soul live on in the lives he’s touched. RIP my dear friend 🕊️🙏”
Rachel Robinson
“May your memory be a blessing for us all,” three-time champion Rachel Robinson wrote via her Instagram Story. “We love you @TheMightyDuckworth.”
Tina Barta
“Some friendships are measured in years. Others are measured in memories, laughter, shared experiences and the way someone makes you feel when they are in the room,” The Challenge star Tina Barta shared via Instagram. “@themightyduckworth you are one of those special people. A true friend and confidant.💔… Tyler, thank you for being part of my story. I’m grateful our paths crossed in this crazy life and that I get to carry those memories with me. Rest peacefully, my darling friend 🕊️.”
Derrick Kosinski
“We shared a room on All Stars 2 and he was an amazing human being. His passing is so sad,” Challenge Mania cohost and The Challenge alum Derrick Kosinski told People. “He was always such a bright light and incredible joy to be around. He also kicked my ass in elimination on the original Cutthroat. And that was after he eliminated Johnny Bananas in the famous Bananas backpack elimination, ‘Back Up Off Me.’ He went toe to toe with CT for 40 minutes! He doesn’t get his flowers often enough for that. And he won that season. And then won again with Johnny on Rivals.”
Katie Cooley
“Heartbroken to hear about Tyler. He was so funny always making everyone laugh, and sweating profusely for absolutely no reason,” Katie Cooley wrote via Facebook. “He was truly one of a kind. Sending love to everyone who knew him. Rest easy, friend.”
Hollywood mourned the deaths of some of its most legendary stars in 2026. In June, legendary music executive Clive Davis also died at age 94 following a hospitalization for an upper respiratory infection. The following month, G.R.L. member Lauren Bennett died at age 37, while Bonnie Tyler died at 75. Emergency!‘s Randolph Mantooth and Police […]
Johnny Bananas
“When it rains it pours💔🦆,” The Challenge veteran Johnny Bananas wrote via X.
Wes Bergmann
“Tyler was a remarkable man and a great friend to many. He made fantastic television. He was a great challenger. He was a very good swimmer. And eater,” champion Wes Bergmann wrote via X. “This is a really tough loss. Call your friends people.”
Jemmye Carroll
“Completely heartbroken over the unexpected loss of Tyler. He was the first Real World alum Knight & I hung out with after filming our season, before it even aired,” The Challenge star Jemmye Carroll shared via X. “He was the one who officially welcomed us to this family. A TV icon, Challenge beast, and truly one of the good ones.”
Nicole Kidman‘s partying ways are sparking intense chatter among fans, with many labeling it out of touch.
The award-winning actress has been living it up this summer following her divorce from Keith Urban earlier this year after 19 years of marriage.
For the first time, the “Big Little Lies” star opened up about her personal life like never before, revealing what she is like during a European vacation.
The actress, in a recent interview, confessed to spending her summer holidays not on luxury yachts but on the dance floor with the rest of the world across Europe.
Kidman, who told British Vogue she had been spending time in London, Ibiza, Portofino, and Paris, gushed about having quite the “Euro summer.” When asked what a night out in Ibiza looks like for the Academy Award winner, she answered, “It’s a small dinner party, or it’s a rave. I’m either playing Scrabble, or I’m out. It’s that simple.”
As for how she raves as one of the most famous Hollywood stars, Kidman shared that the night starts with a 10:30 pm dinner before she heads to the club around 1 am. However, not without a disguise.
“I’ll put on glasses. Sometimes I’ll wear a wig to hide, a little dark wig, and then I can just dance. As long as I’m surrounded by people – like, I take people with me – then I’m fine. I need it.”
Nicole Kidman Bashed For ‘Privileged’ Take
Unfortunately, the “Babygirl” actress’ revelation was met with mixed reactions from fans who interpreted it as her feeling too important to party with the masses.
“How egotistical is Nicole Kidman to think that anyone in Ibiza would be drunk off their face going, ‘ Oh my god, that’s Nicole Kidman?’” one fan blasted.
Another user slammed, “Privileged and arrogant. I doubt she does anything normal with normal people.
Others doubted her lore, with one fan wondering, “It just seems a little weird to be in her 50s, and she’s going to a club at 1 AM to rave. It almost sounds like she’s trying to present herself as young. I bet she did it one time.”
However, it wasn’t all criticism, as many praised Kidman for being adventurous despite being an A-lister. “Honestly love that she protects her peace while still having fun. Everyone deserves a safe space to dance,” this fan wrote.
Kidman Is Embracing Love After Keith Urban Divorce
As Kidman embraces her new chapter as a single woman as she approaches 60, she admitted in the interview that life is not how she expected it to be. However, rather than sulk about it, she had to adapt.
“You have all these ideas of what it’s all going to be like, and then it’s … not. You have to adjust,” she explained. However, embracing the unknown future hasn’t been an easy journey for the Hollywood star, who admitted that at some point she was “very fearful and deeply vulnerable.”
Luckily, the Australian native has a philosophy of life that has helped her come out the other side of such moments. She noted that she remains open to experimenting and trying with an open heart.
“Trying things, making mistakes, failing, getting back up, moving on, embracing love, staying open, keeping the heart open and the possibilities,” Kidman explained, per The Blast.
The ‘Practical Magic’ Star Was Warned Before Her First Marriage
During the interview, the six-time Golden Globe winner also reflected on her marriage to Tom Cruise, which lasted for a decade before they called it quits in 2001.
As The Blast reported, Kidman admitted she received warnings before tying the knot with the “Mission Impossible” actor because of how young she was.
The actress, who was around 23 at the time, was told that marrying Cruise might damage her career, but she didn’t care because she was “in love.” Kidman admitted she was ready to throw away her career because of how passionate the love felt.
Nicole Kidman Lives Lavishly With Rumored Millionaire BF
Despite having two failed marriages under her belt, the “Cold Mountain” star hasn’t given up on love and has reportedly wasted no time finding a new love interest.
Months after finalizing her divorce from Urban, Kidman is sparking chatter about a budding romance with wealthy entrepreneur Michael Reinstein.
According to The Blast, the pair were seen enjoying a drive around Los Angeles in the businessman’s luxury Ferrari, which goes for as high as $340,000.
The actress was the ultimate passenger princess as she flashed a huge smile after the private equity executive allegedly picked her up from the airport.
Ralph Sutton was recently spotted out in Santa Monica, California, where The SDR Show host and GaS Digital Network owner stopped to chat about his career, some of his biggest podcast moments, and what he has planned next. Joined by his brother, who was giving him a tour of the area, Sutton offered a candid look at the world behind his long-running podcast career.
The conversation covered everything from Mark Cuban and Howard Stern to Sutton’s dream guests, Gas Digital’s growing podcast network and his unconventional live event, Lights, Camera, Erection.
Ralph Sutton Recalls One Of His Favorite Guests
When asked about some of his favorite moments from The SDR Show, Sutton immediately brought up billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban.
Sutton recalled being particularly impressed by how Cuban arrived for the appearance.
“It’s funny, I always bring this one up because it’s not a real rock and roll thing or anything, but when Mark Cuban came, he just showed up by himself with no entourage,” Sutton said. “He’s like, ‘Hey, okay, I’m ready to go and let’s do this.’”
For Sutton, the moment stood out because of Cuban’s status and the fact that he arrived without a large entourage.
“Here’s a guy that’s worth billions of dollars and just right goes up by himself, right?” Sutton said.
He also recalled the excitement of waking up to an unexpected message from the businessman.
“And then also to wake up in the morning and have an email from Mark Cuban, I was like, ‘Well, this is pretty f——-g great,’” Sutton said.
Ralph Sutton Names His Dream Guests
Despite having interviewed countless entertainers throughout his radio and podcast career, Sutton still has a few major names on his wish list.
One of them is Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose.
“I would say that anyone—Guns N’ Roses would be one that I—because even in my heyday of doing the radio show before this, never got Axl,” Sutton said. “Had Slash on a few times but never got Axl.”
He also named Charlie Sheen as another guest he’d like to have on the show.
“I think Charlie Sheen would be a good one,” Sutton said. “Because he so epitomizes the—at least the D of SDR, you know.”
Ultimately, though, Sutton said the biggest factor isn’t necessarily fame.
“To me it’s anyone that’s got a good story to tell,” he said. “That’s what makes me happy.”
Ralph Sutton Weighs In On Howard Stern
The conversation then turned to Howard Stern and the recent discussion surrounding the legendary radio host and his future.
Sutton didn’t hesitate to acknowledge Stern’s enormous influence.
“First of all, the dude’s 72 years old,” Sutton said. “He’s held on way longer than most of us would.”
Sutton argued that Stern’s impact on radio is difficult to replicate, comparing his influence with that of other major figures in entertainment.
“There’s nobody like him,” he said. “Nothing like that will ever exist again.”
However, Sutton believes Stern could have spent more time preparing for the future of his channel by developing new talent.
“I think the negative is that he should have spent the last decade cultivating getting someone to replace him on his channel,” Sutton said.
For Sutton, the issue isn’t necessarily Stern’s longevity but what happens to a platform once its defining personality is no longer there.
Ralph Sutton Says He Is ‘A Little Podcast Out’
With GaS Digital now home to dozens of podcasts, Sutton admitted that his professional life makes it difficult to consume podcasts the way an average listener might.
“GaS Digital, that I’m co-owner of,” Sutton explained. “There’s like 30 podcasts on the network. I listen to a little bit of each one. Every day.”
As a result, he joked, “I’m a little podcast out.”
There are still a couple of shows he makes time for, however, including science-focused content from Neil deGrasse Tyson and The Lonely Island podcast with Seth Meyers.
Ralph Sutton Reveals What’s Next For Gas Digital
Sutton also discussed one of his more unconventional upcoming projects: Lights, Camera, Erection, which he said has already held two events.
“We’re doing a third where we do it at a live event,” Sutton explained.
The concept involves audience members competing for the opportunity to direct an adult scene.
“We pick six people randomly from the audience and we whittle it down to one, and that person wins the chance that night to direct the p-rn scene,” Sutton said.
According to Sutton, two adult performers participate onstage, with the winning audience member eventually getting the opportunity to direct a scene with them at a hotel.
He was also asked whether there were any OnlyFans creators he’d like to feature.
“Like, if you have followers and you’re fun, that’s the one I want,” Sutton said. “That’s all we want. I don’t hold favorites.”
Sutton emphasized that he doesn’t want the project to be about judging or shaming adult performers.
“We just welcome everybody with open arms,” he said. “We don’t, we don’t s—- on the p-rn stars. We’re happy that they’re here. We’re not going to be shaming people. Do what you want to do that makes you happy. That’s all that matters.”
Ralph Sutton Says The Algorithm Has Replaced Traditional Gatekeepers
Sutton also reflected on how the entertainment industry has changed, particularly for adult creators and independent personalities.
He compared the old system, where industry executives and established companies controlled who received attention, with today’s algorithm-driven landscape.
“It used to be that there was, uh, the gatekeepers, you know, then,” Sutton said. “The modern gatekeeper now is the algorithm, right? The algorithm is the gatekeeper.”
While creators now have more control over their own careers, Sutton believes the system remains difficult to understand.
“Now no one understands the algorithm, so it’s just as bad as ever, I think,” he said.
Still, he sees an important advantage in the modern system.
“And now at least it’s in your own hands to make your own future, right?” Sutton added.
Ralph Sutton Addresses GaS Digital’s YouTube Problems
Toward the end of the interview, Sutton opened up about another challenge facing his network: losing its YouTube channel.
“You know what I’d say is we just lost our YouTube channel, which is so annoying because that’s the world we live in,” Sutton said.
The setback, he explained, is part of the reason GaS Digital maintains its own infrastructure.
“That’s why we own our own servers, because we keep getting shut down,” Sutton said.
He encouraged fans who want to support his content to seek it out on platforms where it remains available, including GaS Digital’s own website.
“I’m all for free speech, I’m all for open-mindedness,” Sutton said, adding that people should be able to find content even when they disagree with it.
Ralph Sutton Shares His Other Podcast And A Major Personal Milestone
Before wrapping up the conversation, Sutton revealed that The SDR Show isn’t his only podcast.
“I also do a health podcast called I Love Good Sugar, which is all about eating right,” he said.
He also shared a major personal achievement, saying, “I lost 150 pounds.”
After years in radio and podcasting, Sutton clearly isn’t slowing down. Between The SDR Show, GaS Digital, new live events and additional podcast projects, his latest Los Angeles appearance offered a glimpse at the busy schedule behind one of podcasting’s more recognizable personalities.
After a long week, there’s nothing like relaxing with a great book all weekend long. Luckily, there’s no shortage of great weekend reads, with stellar books of every genre hitting the stands (both physical and digital) every single day.
However, that same breadth of choice can make it rather difficult to zero in on the really enjoyable reads that suit your personal taste. Which is why we’ve done the work for you, digging through the bestseller lists and critical reviews to put together a handpicked collection of excellent weekend reads. So, without further ado, here are three great books that we think you should read this weekend.
1
‘Yesteryear’ (2026)
Caro Claire Burke’s debut novel, Yesteryear is a psychological thriller centered on tradwife influencer Natalie Heller Mills. The book follows two timelines, one in the present day, with Natalie playing up her supposedly “traditional” life for the cameras while secretly employing a whole team to sustain the illusion, and the other set in what appears to be the 19th century. In the process, it satirizes the tradwife trend, influencer culture, and the performance of femininity while also presenting an engrossing character study.
Yesteryear isn’t really the book its marketing sells it to be: it’s not a fish-out-of-water comedy or a straightforward satire, and its underlying themes and characterizations are a lot more biting than you might expect. The book has had a generally warm reception from readers since its publication in April this year, and it’s sure to end up on the reading lists of many book clubs. A film adaptation starring and produced by Anne Hathaway is currently in the works as well.
2
‘The Wedding People’ (2024)
Written by Alison Espach, The Wedding People follows a Midwestern English professor whose plans to kill herself take a turn when she crashes a wedding party. Phoebe Stone is an adjunct English professor who travels to a luxury hotel in Newport, Rhode Island, in the aftermath of personal tragedies to enjoy one last splurge before she commits suicide. While she’s there, she runs into Lila, who’s about to get married at the hotel, sparking a complicated relationship.
The Wedding People is both funny and heartbreaking in equal measure, centered on the unlikely and even toxic friendship between two very different women. The book became a New York Times bestseller on its release in 2024, earning critical acclaim for its nuanced and satisfying narrative. The book was also acquired for a film adaptation before its publication, with Will Speck and Josh Gordon set to direct and Nicole Holofcener writing the screenplay.
3
‘Dungeon Crawler Carl’ (2020)
The first book of the smash-hit science-fantasy LitRPG series, Dungeon Crawler Carl was written by Matt Dinniman and originated on the online publisher Royal Road. The book follows Carl, a Coast Guard veteran, and Princess Donut, his ex-girlfriend’s cat, as they enter a dungeon crawl/intergalactic reality show created by an alien corporation that has destroyed Earth. The book was followed by seven sequels, the latest released in May 2026, with two more books planned in the series.
Dungeon Crawler Carl is a self-publishing success story that built a massive following before being acquired by Penguin Random House. As of this year, the series has sold over 14 million copies across formats. The first book, like the rest of the series, presents a well-balanced blend of action, humor, and intelligence. It’s an entertaining and engaging read, and the book earned a nomination for the 2026 Arthur C. Clarke Award. A TV adaptation has been greenlit by Peacock, and there are plans to further expand the franchise as games, graphic novels, and more.
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Amanda Seyfried was simply filming a commercial for Tiffany & Co. Little did she know, her look would immediately inspire our next fashion purchase. Her drop earrings were so simple yet stunning — ideal for the upcoming season and beyond. And while the pair worn by The Handmaid star might be a splurge for some, we spent hours searching for a lookalike and found it. . . on sale for only $13.
While filming in downtown Manhattan, Seyfried wore a black mock-neck top, polished trousers and sleek heels. She accessorized with gold jewelry and, believe it or not, a blue Owala water bottle. Although the colorful water bottle caught our eye, her chain-link earring style stole the show. The pair wasn’t flashy or overly trendy, but rather one of the most wearable celeb looks we’ve seen in ages.
Get the Sylph Gold Paperclip Earrings for $13 (was $15) at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication but are subject to change.
These Sylph Gold Paperclip Earrings have the same subtly statement-making silhouette as Seyfried’s brand-name pair. Like the original, the double-link design pushes any outfit into old-money territory, and despite the low price, these babies are built to last. The more affordable version features a fade-resistant finish, which keeps them shiny long after you receive your order.
We’re used to seeing Meghan Markle in linen shirts and tailored trousers, but let Us tell you, she rocks sexy one-piece swimsuits just as well. It’s all about the style, and Markle may have found the most flattering, timeless swimwear of all. Somehow, her slimming look is only $38! In an Instagram post, Markle gazed […]
Despite the bold look, shoppers say these classy earrings are incredibly lightweight and comfortable, so you can wear them straight from the office to drinks downtown. No matter how you style them — with a formal gown, with jeans, with your casual T-shirt dress — you’re bound to look rich. People might even mistake this pair for the real deal!
These gold earrings nail that luxe, wealthy woman aesthetic Seyfried sported for the Tiffany cameras, and considering the timeless design and budget price, this might be the best $13 you’ve ever spent. Snag this must-have pair while the deal lasts!
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Looking for something else? Explore more stylish earrings, and don’t forget to check out all of Amazon’s Daily Deals for more great finds!
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Chrissy Teigen took the rich mom style to a different level, carrying a tote so roomy, it could have been a weekender. We love the woven bag style, but are looking for something more practical than a tote. This designer-inspired crossbody channels the same high-end energy, and it’s on sale right now for $59. Teigen […]
There is something almost impossibly fitting about the journey of Coyote vs. Acme. A movie centered around Wile E. Coyote, a character defined by getting flattened, blown up, dropped off cliffs and somehow coming back for another try, was itself nearly erased from existence before finding a way back.
Thankfully, it did.
Coyote vs. Acme isn’t just the curiosity many expected after years of headlines surrounding its shelving. It’s a genuinely funny, surprisingly heartfelt celebration of the Looney Tunes that understands exactly why these characters have survived for generations.
Directed by Dave Green, the film takes one of the simplest running jokes in animation history and asks a question that suddenly seems completely reasonable: After decades of defective rockets, exploding bird seed, malfunctioning traps and other catastrophically unreliable products, why hasn’t Wile E. Coyote sued ACME?
That’s exactly what he does.
Wile E. teams with struggling attorney Kevin Avery, played by Will Forte, to take ACME Corporation to court over the company’s long history of products that have repeatedly exploded in his face. Standing on the other side is ACME’s powerful attorney Buddy Crane, played with exactly the kind of exaggerated confidence you’d expect from John Cena.
It’s a ridiculous premise, but the movie commits to it.
Rather than simply using the Looney Tunes characters as decoration around another live action story, Coyote vs. Acmemanages to bring their world into ours without stripping away what makes it special. Cartoon logic still applies. Explosions happen. Characters survive things no living creature possibly could. Elaborate contraptions go spectacularly wrong.
Most importantly, it actually feels like Looney Tunes.
That has been one of the biggest challenges for previous attempts to bring these characters into live action. Here, the filmmakers aren’t embarrassed by the absurdity. They embrace it.
Forte proves to be an ideal human counterpart for Wile E. Coyote. His comedic style has always worked best when playing characters who are slightly desperate, slightly defeated and somehow still convinced things might eventually work out. Pairing him with perhaps the most relentlessly unsuccessful character in animation history turns out to be a perfect match.
Cena is having even more fun. His ability to completely commit to absurd comedy has become one of his greatest strengths as an actor, and Coyote vs. Acme gives him plenty of opportunities to lean into it.
But Wile E. remains the star.
For a character who barely needs words, the movie finds an impressive amount of emotion underneath the slapstick. His endless pursuit of the Road Runner has always been funny because he refuses to quit. Here, that stubbornness becomes something unexpectedly meaningful.
The movie even manages to find a little heart inside all the falling anvils and exploding rockets.
That doesn’t mean everything lands perfectly. Some of the human material isn’t as entertaining as the animated chaos surrounding it, and there are stretches where the courtroom story slows down the manic Looney Tunes energy. Not every joke hits, either.
But the misses rarely linger because another gag is usually seconds away.
Early critical reaction has been overwhelmingly positive, and it’s easy to understand why. The Hollywood Reporter called the movie a “hilarious delight,” while praising it as one of the best combinations of live action and animation. Variety highlighted the movie’s ability to pack Road Runner style destruction, references and Looney Tunes Easter eggs into its courtroom comedy. Deadline went even further, comparing the film favorably to Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
Those are lofty comparisons, and Coyote vs. Acme doesn’t quite reach the all time greatness of Roger Rabbit. But the fact that the comparison doesn’t feel completely ridiculous says plenty about how well this movie works.
John Cena, Coyote vs Acme [credit: Warner Bros. Pictures]
There’s also an unavoidable layer of irony surrounding the entire story.
Warner Bros. Discovery originally planned to shelve the completed film, turning it into one of Hollywood’s most controversial examples of finished projects being abandoned for financial reasons. After enormous backlash from filmmakers, actors and fans, the movie eventually escaped that fate and found a new home with Ketchup Entertainment.
That history makes the movie’s story about a powerless individual taking on an enormous corporation almost comically appropriate.
You couldn’t write a better marketing campaign.
More importantly, audiences now get the opportunity to decide whether the movie deserved to survive.
It did.
Coyote vs. Acme isn’t revolutionary, and it doesn’t need to be. It’s funny, charming, energetic and clearly made by people who genuinely love these characters. Instead of attempting to reinvent the Looney Tunes for modern audiences, it remembers that great characters don’t always need reinventing.
Sometimes you just need to give Wile E. Coyote another rocket, point him toward the Road Runner and get out of the way.
After everything Coyote vs. Acme went through just to reach a theater screen, perhaps there was never a more appropriate movie to prove that getting knocked down doesn’t mean you’re finished.
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