By Robert Scucci
| Published 33 seconds ago

As a movie lover, I always feel like I’m playing catch-up with some genuinely great art because there just aren’t enough hours in the day to consume it all. One blind spot for me involves all the movies from 2020 that never got a proper theatrical release, meaning the marketing was light as so many titles silently made their way to streaming with little fanfare. One such film, 2020’s The Lovebirds, currently resides on Netflix, and I’ve never heard anybody talk about how great it is. It’s part rom-com, part action thriller, and one of the most laugh-out-loud funny movies I’ve seen in a while.

Even better, you’re in and out in 87 minutes. Not only does the humor in The Lovebirds never wear out its welcome, it leaves you wanting more thanks to its stars, Kumail Nanjiani and Issa Rae.

The. Escalations. Never. Stop. 

The Lovebirds kicks off with a murder, and things only get worse for Jibran (Kumail Nanjiani) and Leilani (Issa Rae). The two have been dating and living together for about four years, but only really seem to communicate through petty insults while strongly suggesting their relationship has run its course. While breaking up on the way to a friend’s dinner party, Jibran accidentally runs over a bicycle courier (Nicholas X. Parsons), who seems more concerned with fleeing the scene than tending to his injuries.

A panicked Jibran and Leilani, trying to figure out their next move, are then confronted by a man known only as Mustache (Paul Sparks), who informs them that the man on the bike is actually a criminal, but only after repeatedly running him over with their car to make sure he’s dead. They grab his phone and flee the scene, immediately arousing the suspicion of Detective Martin (Andrene Ward-Hammond).

While I don’t want to spoil the entire course of events in The Lovebirds, let’s just say things escalate fast, and never stop escalating. It doesn’t take long before they’re caught in the middle of an insane blackmail conspiracy, where they’re shot at, tied to chairs and threatened with boiling bacon grease or whatever’s behind the mystery door, chased by cops and the courier’s cohorts alike, all while trying to clear their names with Detective Martin, who, in their minds, has them pegged as the primary suspects in the courier’s brutal murder.

The Situational Humor Is Simply The Springboard

Here’s what makes The Lovebirds such an effective comedy thriller, or at least that’s what I’m calling it: Jibran and Leilani seem like a real couple working through their issues. Their banter and insults are always scathing, but they’re the kind you can only dish out and take if you know somebody well enough to really hit them where it hurts. It’s like trading burns with your oldest friends, knowing that nothing is off limits.

When you take this kind of character dynamic and let it rip alongside a crazy murder plot, you get to hang out with these people while they’re on the adventure of a lifetime, all while trying to figure out if they even want to stay together and realizing that maybe this whole situation is the ultimate test.

Some of the best scenes aren’t even the escalations, but the quieter moments, like when Jibran and Leilani sneak into a discount pharmacy for a wardrobe change, settling for the most ridiculous getups they can find before laying low at the dinner party while being wildly underdressed. Then again, they also end up at an Eyes Wide Shut-style gala, and the escalations just keep coming.

I genuinely can’t remember the last time I actually laughed out loud at a comedy while sitting by myself, but I woke my kids up twice last night while watching The Lovebirds. And the thing is, it’s not trying that hard to be funny. It doesn’t feel like a couple of comedians trying to get their yuks out or recycle old schtick. These characters feel lived in, and they’re simply chewing the scenery being thrust upon them, one escalating incident at a time.

The Lovebirds quietly arrived on Netflix back in 2020 in lieu of a theatrical release. I strongly recommend this to anybody who wants a rom com that’s as dangerous as it is hilarious. 

By Robert Scucci
| Published 1 second ago

When it comes to time travel films, I’ll always champion the low-budget, independent movies that focus squarely on the consequences of causality rather than the time travel apparatus itself. Films like Primer (2004), The Infinite Man (2014), and Timecrimes (2007) all have virtually no budget and very little, if any, special effects, but they’re so concerned with the human condition that it doesn’t matter. Another film I’ll add to this list is 2012’s Safety Not Guaranteed, led by Aubrey Plaza and Mark Duplass.

The film has very little time travel in it, and instead focuses on ideas of arrested development, deferred dreams, missed connections, and letting go of the past. Through its characters’ ordeals, we learn that not everything you see is exactly as it seems, and that finding the truth requires earning someone’s trust. But at its heart, it tells the story of broken people doing what they think they need to do to fix their lives, which on the surface don’t seem all that broken in the first place.

Chasing A Lead To Crazy Town

Safety Not Guaranteed centers on the titular phrase included in a classified ad written by Kenneth Calloway (Mark Duplass), stating, “Wanted: Someone to go back in time with me. This is not a joke … You’ll get paid after we get back. Must bring your own weapons. Safety not guaranteed. I have only done this once before.”

The reason Seattle Magazine writer Jeff Schwensen (Jake Johnson) wants to investigate this advertisement is because it will bring him to the same town as one of his old flames, Liz (Jenica Bergere), who he wants to confess his love to. He brings along Arnau (Karan Soni) and intern Darius Britt (Aubrey Plaza) to locate Kenneth and see if he’s actually the real deal, or some sort of nutjob.

Turns out, he’s kind of both. Blowing his cover almost immediately, Jeff defers to Darius, who earns Kenneth’s trust over the next few days as he reveals his mission: saving the life of his girlfriend, who was killed in a car wreck over a decade ago. Darius reveals that she similarly wants to save the life of her mother, who passed away when she was 14 years old.

As Darius and Kenneth open up to each other, sharing past traumas and future aspirations alike, matters get complicated when two secret agents confront the journalists about Kenneth’s activities, as they have reason to believe he’s been chatting with government officials and stealing classified technology to build his time travel apparatus that very well may work. While Darius has been truthful with Kenneth about everything in her life except how she initially came into contact with him, she now has to worry about him finding out she’s actually a journalist who’s simply looking for a spicy story.

Two Broken People Not Knowing What Needs Fixing

The reason Safety Not Guaranteed works so well is because of how emotionally disarming Mark Duplass is as Kenneth Calloway. He’s certainly off his rocker, but when Darius actually talks to him and gets to know him, you can’t help but fall in love with his earnestness. He’s too smart for his own good, a surprisingly great marksman, trains himself in hand-to-hand combat and other survival tactics, and generally acts like a 12-year-old playing army in his backyard while doing all of the above.

Aubrey Plaza, who had all but perfected the disaffected but sincerely curious vibe by the time she worked on this film, is the perfect person to get Mark to open up, express himself through his art and music, and eventually elaborate on the next phases of his mysterious time travel mission. What you get is two people broken by past tragedies trying to move on with their lives, who realize that maybe the present isn’t so bad so long as they’re in the right company.

Safety Not Guaranteed is not slapstick funny, but it gets its humor through that quirky, Napoleon Dynamite kind of awkwardness. We eventually get some time travel action, but this movie was never about its final destination. It’s about the journey that leads us there.

As of this writing, you can stream Safety Not Guaranteed for free on Tubi.

SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED SCORE

General Hospital prediction edition that covers July Sweeps, which runs from June 25th to July 20th, including Valentin Cassadine (James Patrick Stuart) returning and playing hero. Plus, Jason Morgan (Steve Burton) is back to Port Charles, and he is scolding someone he loves for a very good reason.

We’ve got predictions for Ross Cullum (Andrew Hawkes), Jenz Sidwell (Carlo Rota), Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard), for Britt Westbourne (Kelly Thiebaud), Lucas Jones (Van Hansis), Dante Falconeri (Dominic Zamprogna), Charlotte Cassadine (Bluesy Burke), Valentin, Jason, and also for Nina Reeves (Cynthia Watros) and Jack Brennan (Chris McKenna). We’re going to get into what we expect to see the four weeks of July sweeps with dangerous villains, big returns, romance, and the possibility of at least two major deaths.

General Hospital: Cullum’s Demise on Spoon Island

Our very first prediction, Cullum is killed and good riddance. So, summer spoilers for GH say that a timely arrival affords Josslyn Jacks (Eden McCoy) one last chance to stop Victor, resulting in a bloody battle on Spoon Island. That timely arrival may be Carly Corinthos Spencer (Laura Wright) and Lucas because they plan to rescue Josslyn and Valentin should be back with Z during July sweeps as well.

Also, it might be them. Lots of people now know that Cullum is an evil double agent. As soon as Liesl Obrecht (Kathleen Gati) finishes the cold fusion prototype, Cullum plans to take it and run, but no one wants him to get away with the dangerous weapon. So, he might be killed by Josslyn because of the spoiler about her getting a chance to stop Cullum.

Might be Cassius Faison (Ryan Paevey) if he finds out Cullum tricked him and Cassius mailed poison to his sister Britt. But honestly, I’d prefer it’s Anna Devane (Finola Hughes) that takes him out. After everything Cullum did to Anna, the gaslighting about Cesar Faison (Anders Hove) and the emotional torment. I think Anna deserves to be the one who takes out Cullum and leaves him pushing up daisies.

GH Predictions: Sidwell vs. Sonny – Collateral Damage

Our second prediction, Sidwell versus Sonny death battle causes collateral damage. GH summer spoilers say Sonny and Sidwell enter a final battle and in the process several lives are on the line. And we heard from our source that Justine Turner (Nazneen Contractor) could end up in the crossfire of this Sidwell versus Sonny showdown. And official GH spoilers then confirmed that. Our leaker gave more details and said that Justine will die. We’ll see.

So, it seems like Sidwell also will either die or go to prison, meaning an actress is leaving GH. It kind of makes sense that Justine dies as well because she might have been asked to exit at the same time for family reasons. And of course, we got to wait and see if it manifests. It’s a real possibility. It’s been a minute since Sonny had a love interest, so be a shame to leave him suddenly single again.

General Hospital: Britt’s Life-Changing Revelation

Our third prediction. Britt’s back and Lucas tells her she doesn’t have Huntington’s. GH summer spoilers say a huge revelation gives Britt a new lease on life. So, right now she thinks she’s dying and has end-stage Huntington’s, but we know that the medication Cullum last gave Britt was just saline. However, since Cullum just put poison into the vials Cassius has stolen and mailed to Britt, there may be more to this.

I suspect that Cullum might have been giving Britt mostly saline, but with occasional doses of poison to keep her shaky and sick and too scared to stop working on the cold fusion project. I suspect when she’s back that Lucas is going to run tests on Britt and then Lucas may tell her she never had Huntington’s. Maybe the initial test she took when on the run with Jason was a false positive. Or maybe the bad guys were planning ahead and Sidwell or Cullum tampered with it to set up Britt’s fake death incident.

New Romance on GH – Joe and Lucas

Our fourth prediction, Joe Fitzpatrick (Jonathan Bennett) and Lucas go out on a very first date. So this summer, spoilers say Lucas assists Joe as he’s seeking answers and Lucas gets competition from Joe. Lucas keeps crossing paths with Detective Joe Fitzpatrick a lot lately and it sounds like they’re going to keep crossing paths. So, Lucas may help Joe with answers about a case. And once Cullum’s dead and Sidwell is either dead or dealt with, Lucas will get some closure.

I think then he can properly grieve his loss and start moving on with his life. Although Lucas will always love and grieve that loss to some extent, he will eventually move on. And handsome Detective Joe may be his next love interest. So, I think they’re going to end up going on a date soon once the threat of Cullum and Sidwell is behind everybody.

Charlotte and Valentin’s Reunion on General Hospital

Our fifth prediction, Charlotte’s reunited with her papa Valentin and moves in with him and Carly. General Hospital summer spoilers say Charlotte’s got more problems with her mom Lulu Spencer (Emme Rylan) and that has her seeking new living arrangements. We have Valentin already putting his freedom on the line and he did that to try and stop Victor and Sidwell and he’s currently at risk of being tossed back into prison for the rest of his life.

But I do suspect Valentin will be back during sweeps along with the mysterious Z. So, I do expect him to be reunited with Charlotte. And because there’s problems with her and Lulu, that could tie into her telling Danny about Rocco shooting Cullum. Or maybe it ties to Lulu finding out Charlotte was visiting her fugitive dad over at Carly’s. And with her finding a new place to live, maybe it’s with Laura Collins (Genie Francis). However, I suspect Charlotte may prefer to move in with Valentin. And I suspect Carly’s gonna be so happy to have him back. She’ll insist he move in with her and will be totally fine with Charlotte coming along.

Jason Chews Out Danny

Our sixth prediction, Jason chews out Danny Morgan (Asher Jared Antonyzyn). Jason’s back. I think it’s July 13th, but he won’t be back in Port Charles at first, but very soon. And once he is back to Port Charles and face to face with Danny, I think Jason might be upset if he finds out Danny went around blabbing that Rocco Falconeri (Finn Carr) shot Cullum to Alexis or anybody else for a couple of reasons.

First, remember that Danny wanted to join the mob. Jason wouldn’t like that either. But also, you know what they say in the mob, snitches get stitches. So, Jason won’t like that Dante was ready to tattle on Rocco to try and get him out of the WSB prison. And second, there’s the fact that Jason literally owes Rocco his life. Although it seemed unlikely Cullum had gotten the better of Jason, had him down on the ground. He was about to kill him when Rocco shot Cullum and saved Jason’s life.

I mean, I think he might have covered for Rocco anyway. That’s the kind of guy that Jason is. But since Rocco did save his life, Jason of course wasn’t going to let Rocco get into trouble. So, Jason might have some things to say to Danny about his choice to blab about Rocco.

General Hospital: Nina Takes Jack Home

Our seventh and final prediction. Nina brings Jack Brennan (Chris McKenna) home with her. GH spoilers for summer say Nina and Jack get closer when she intercedes on his behalf and she takes it on herself to keep him out of harm’s way. So, I think that we’re going to see Nina taking Jack out of Turning Woods to recover from his ordeal that was caused by her accidentally injecting him with Drew Cain’s (Cameron Mathison) paralytic.

Victor is his medical proxy, but with him out of commission soon, Nina will take care of Jack is what I suspect. Nina already wants to protect Jack, and I expect a romance is coming for Nina and Jack. And I can see it starting while he’s under Nina’s roof and she is making sure that Jack properly recovers. It’s got to be better than Turning Woods where he has to pretend to be locked-in. Nina’s place is a whole bunch better than that.

Bold and the Beautiful prediction edition for you covers July Sweeps, which runs June 25th to July 20th, including Brooke Logan (Katherine Kelly Lang) demanding that Hope Logan (Annika Noelle) walk out on Katie Logan (Heather Tom). And we may see one fashion house circling the drain. But which one?

We’ve got predictions for Brooke and Hope, Electra Forrester (Laneya Grace), Shauna Fulton (Denise Richards), Ridge Forrester (Thorsten Kaye), Liam Spencer (Scott Clifton), Eric Forrester (John McCook), Donna Logan (Jennifer Gareis), Bill Spencer (Don Diamont), Katie, and also for the Forresters. We’re going to get into what we could see in the four weeks of July sweeps at Forrester Creations and over at the House of Logan. 

Bold and the Beautiful Prediction: Brooke Demands Hope’s Return

Our first prediction, Brooke demands that Hope walk out of Logan. So Friday, the House of Logan hits the runway and Brooke is stunned to find out Hope is working with Deke Sharpe (Harrison  Cone) as the new power pair that is Katie’s new design team for the Hope for the Future House of Logan collection. So obviously we know that Brooke is about to find out that it’s not just Deke designing for Katie, but it’s Hope he’s designing for and the collection is in her name.

Remember how Brooke lowkey insulted Deke as a talented nobody? I mean, it’s true, but Brooke didn’t have to say it out loud in front of him. And then she ran back and told Ridge and Steffy Forrester (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood) that Katie is going to be humiliated and is no threat to Forrester Creations. Brooke said Katie has no hope, no pun intended, and it’s just Deke who’s not a name in the industry. But once Brooke finds out Hope’s working for Katie, that’s going to wreck her.

Even worse, Brooke’s going to find out that Donna knew this whole time. I expect Brooke demands that Hope stop working for Katie immediately, leave Logan, and come back to Forrester Creations because Brooke won’t allow this. However, I don’t think Hope is going to do what her mom wants.

B&B Prediction: Electra Feels Threatened

Our second prediction, Electra feels threatened by Shauna. This week, Will Spencer (Crew Morrow) was sworn to secrecy about the jewelry line and the Hope for the Future diamond, and he’s upset that Logan is now competing directly against Electra’s jewelry line. And of course, Bill told him it’s just business, which is true.

Electra has actually been very supportive of Will working with his family. But Electra may feel really betrayed that Will didn’t give her a heads up that she’ll be competing directly against Shauna, who was personally trained by master jewelry artisan Quinn Forrester (Rena Sofer). Electra knows what a legend Quinn was. She trained Ivy Spencer (Ashleigh Brewer), too.

Not only that, sounds like Wyatt Spencer (Darin Brooks) may consult on the jewelry line, too. And he was Quinn’s very first protégé who’s probably as talented as his mom. Plus, they have the Hope for the Future diamond. But Electra may be upset that Will didn’t tell her. I mean, it’s one thing for him to keep the secret about Hope and Deacon is the new design team, but in Electra’s mind, Will could have told her about the jewelry line without giving away any trade secrets.

Bold and Beautiful: Ridge’s Ultimatum to Brooke

Our third prediction, Ridge demands that Brooke kick Hope off her property. This week, Brooke was all excited about Hope coming back to Forrester Creations. And of course, that’s not happening. Even worse, she’s working with the enemy, Katie. I think Hope was wrong for not just saying, “I quit,” to Ridge and Steffy. You know, Hope didn’t have to tell them she was going to Logan, but she could have done the right thing and quit Forrester Creations first.

So, I could see Ridge demanding Brooke throw Hope and Liam off the Logan property. In Ridge’s mind, Hope’s a traitor, and I don’t think Ridge is going to want to see her at breakfast and dinner around the house. And remember, when Hope betrayed the Forresters with the coup, Ridge called her disloyal and said she doesn’t belong. And I feel like Ridge is about to be back at this same breaking point. And if he gives Brooke an it’s me or her ultimatum, you know, she might side with Ridge because Brooke’s also going to feel really betrayed.

Bold Prediction: Hope and Liam’s New Home

And that leads us right into our next prediction. Hope and Liam move in at the Spencer mansion. So, Brooke and the Forresters feel betrayed by Hope’s reveal as Katie’s new designer. And of course, Bill and Katie are thrilled. And if it goes the way I expect and Ridge demands that Hope’s got to go because Ridge can’t be around a traitor, we could see a situation where Hope doesn’t put her mom in a position to have to kick her and Liam out. Hope may say, “It’s fine. We’ll just go.”

No matter how it happens, if she and Liam take Beth and go, I expect Bill and Katie to welcome them with open arms. They already offered for Hope to go over to their house just this week. They’d love to have Hope, Liam, and Beth move in at the Spencer mansion. I’m betting Bill’s got a guest house or he’d build one. Hope and Liam are family, and that is the Spencer family home. And I think Katie and Bill would be thrilled to have them living there so they could spend time with Bill’s granddaughter. Plus, it’s one more way that Katie can stick it to Brooke.

Bold and the Beautiful: Eric’s Discovery of Donna’s Secret

Our fourth prediction. Eric is mad at Donna for keeping such a huge, earth-shattering secret. So, Friday spoilers. That’s the day that Katie is going to reveal the Hope for the Future House of Logan collection at Logan. And of course, Donna hates being in the middle of Brooke and Katie. Remember, poor Donna begged Hope not to go to Logan, but she has kept the secret this whole time. She’ll be back on Friday’s episode when the ugly truth comes out that Hope has been over there with Katie behind their backs while saying she was on a leave of absence.

I expect Donna may be grilled by Brooke about what she knew. And that means Eric’s going to find out Donna knew this whole time about Hope going behind the Foresters’s backs. And Eric might see this as Donna betraying them. But remember, she kept it secret when Eric was working at Logan on the sly. Hopefully, he won’t rant at Donna about it, but I fully expect Brooke to lose it on Donna and tell her she’s just as bad as Katie.

Bold and the Beautiful: Logan’s Triumphant Launch

Our sixth prediction, Bill and Katie celebrate a successful launch Friday. We’re going to have Hope at Logan hitting the runway. The fashion press is going to be all abuzz about Hope Logan’s debut there. It’s huge that she’s the latest get for Katie’s fashion house. Almost as big a news item as Eric’s collection at Logan. So, after the debut of Hope’s line, Katie and Bill are going to be ready to celebrate.

And I expect that Deke’s line is going to get raves. He and Hope worked really hard on it. And Brooke even said that Deke’s a talented designer. The only issue was he’s not a name in the industry. But Hope Logan, she is a big name in the industry. And of course, there’s the scandal that she left Ridge, Steffy, and Brooke to go work with her aunt Katie.

That will also bring more attention to her and Deacon’s launch and could amp up sales. Plus, Bill was conscientious about the bottom line and cost. So, I think their launch will be really profitable. We’re going to see champagne flowing and everybody at Logan toasting their success on Bold and the Beautiful.

Forrester’s Financial Crisis on B&B

Our seventh and final prediction, Forresters may face financial crisis. So this week, Brooke told the Forresters that the Logan launch was ill-timed, but still not a threat since it’s just Deke who’s a nobody. Also, over the last few weeks, we’ve heard Carter Walton (Lawrence Saint-Victor) saying that Eric’s couture collection is the most expensive they’ve ever done.

And fact is over at Logan, the launch is going to pull attention from Eric’s launch because Katie putting out a Hope Logan collection is a huge deal. The fashion press is going to eat that up and Eric’s collection comes out the next day and I don’t think Hope is going to be second page news by then. I think it’s still going to be a big thing as Eric’s couture line is launching. And so I do think the House of Logan launch is going to hurt them.

And if Eric’s collection doesn’t sell out, the Foresters could be in big trouble because they overspent. Forrester Creations could very well be in financial distress because they spent too much to put Eric’s collection out because they were desperate to overshadow the launch that he did with Katie at Logan. And then Hope’s debut at Logan won’t help them either when it eats up all the front page news attention.

Young and the Restless spoilers for the week of June 29th reveal things really heating up, we’re going to talk about Jack Abbott (Peter Bergman) being kidnapped and Victor Newman (Eric Braeden) absolutely terrified as his wife loses her sight and heads into high-risk surgery.

We’ve got the latest Y&R spoilers for the week of June 29th through July 3rd, including big things for Diane Jenkins Abbott (Susan Walters), also for Patty Williams (Stacy Haiduk) and several others.

Young and the Restless: Victor’s Terror and Nikki’s Crisis

First, let’s talk about why exactly Victor is so terrified. As we end the week on Friday’s episode, July Sweeps is already hitting hard. Nikki Newman (Melody Thomas Scott) is at the hospital with Victoria Newman (Amelia Heinle), Claire Grace Newman (Hayley Erin), and Nick Newman (Joshua Morrow) all gathered around her. Victor is there, too. Nikki’s eyesight is failing, and she’s honestly just scared to even open her eyes. But her husband’s there, hard hit, and Victor goes out in the hall to cry. He’s terrified for Nikki and feeling guilty as heck, of course.

So, Victor begins scrambling to get the top surgeon there as soon as possible. Seeing Nikki like this is tearing him in half, especially after how he’s treated her for the past many months. Nikki feels bad the kids are sitting at her bedside, but they all refuse to leave. And she finally tells them she’s glad they’re there. And Victoria and Claire admit that Victor knows what’s going on with her and is doing all he can to help, which surprises her.

Y&R Spoilers: Victor on a Mission & Nikki Worries about Nick

Claire and Victoria try to stop Victor from leaving the hospital, but he says he doesn’t want to stress Nikki out by being there and he needs to make sure that the surgeon gets there as soon as possible. But in the end, Victor promises Claire and Victoria that he will be back once he makes the arrangements to get the surgeon there to do her surgery as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, Nikki’s worried that the stress of all this will affect Nick’s addiction recovery, and Victor calls Stephanie, who is with Nate Hastings (Sean Dominic) and Lily Winters (Christel Khalil). So, on Friday, Nate’s telling Lily about Nikki’s health crisis, and Nate says the mass on Nikki’s optic nerve will be tricky to remove. And then Stephanie gets a call from the surgeon saying that they can be there that same day.

And then Victor shows up and he’s thrilled to hear the doctor can come and tells Stephanie Simmons (Vivica A. Fox) that he will send his private jet to get the surgeon. Victor also calls Victoria to let her know the surgeon is flying in. And after Victor leaves, Lily, Nate, and Stephanie mention that Nikki and Victor are a true love story and they always reunite.

Young and the Restless: Race Against Time – Nikki’s Vision Fades

So, it turns out the surgeon may be too late because back at the hospital, Victoria tells Nikki, Nick and Claire that Victor has the surgeon flying in. But then, right as he walks in, Nikki cries out, “It’s too late. Her vision is gone. She’s blind.” And then next week, the doctor’s there and does the surgery on Nikki on Young and the Restless.

Plus we’ll have Victoria giving Victor the update that Nikki is finally out of surgery. And when Nick asks how it went, Victoria says it’s too soon to tell. So, we may see Nikki struggling with lost eyesight for a little while because it’s soapy and it’s sweeps, but I’m sure they won’t leave her permanently blind.

Young and Restless: Jack’s Dangerous Rescue Plan

Okay, now let’s flip over to Jack and Diane’s storyline with big stuff for both of them. At the end of this week, Kyle Abbott (Michael Mealor) and Jack are talking at Crimson Lights about breaking into Dr. Markham’s (Jere Burns) house where they are sure he’s keeping Diane. And Jack refuses adamantly to let Kyle do the break-in and says it has to be him who does it because Jack does not want Kyle at risk even though he really wants to be there for Diane.

So, the two men debate whether they can deal with Patty head-on and intimidate her, but Jack doesn’t think that’ll work. So, he wants Kyle to lure Markham out of the house so he can get in. And remember, Patty already warned Markham that Jack is going to be a problem. So, Kyle calls Markham and he leaves a voicemail and he tells him he saw his mom Diane through the window of his house and says Markham better call him back or Kyle is going to call the cops on him. So, Jack and Kyle figure that if Markham does call back, that’s confirmation that he really does have Diane.

Diane Plays Markham on Y&R

Meanwhile, back at Markham’s house, we have Diane accusing Markham of lying about Jack moving Patty in. And Markham keeps gaslighting, saying Jack has moved on. Meanwhile, Diane realizes Patty and Markham are working together against her. But Diane also wonders why Jack is playing along with Patty. So, Diane keeps playing Markham, and she fakes this big tearful breakdown, saying she was always Jack’s second choice. And then Diane again starts begging Markham to give her sleeping pills. Diane is sobbing and freaking out.

Young and the Restless: Patty’s Counter-Move and Jack’s Disappearance

And Markham steps out, listens to the voicemail from Kyle, and then Markham calls him back and denies having Diane. He says she’s in an institution, but won’t tell Kyle where. And Kyle says that he knows Markham’s lying and is going to show up with the cops. So he asks to meet Kyle in town, and he tells Markham, “Come to Crimson Lights.” So, the doctor tells Diane he’s going to go pick up her sedatives. And he goes.

Jack and Kyle are feeling pretty cocky about their plan. But once again, Patty is a step ahead of them because she was listening in and now she’s mad that they’re going behind her back and lying to get to Diane. So, we’ll find out next week if Markham shows up to actually meet Kyle. And he may not. But it looks like Patty or Markham are going to kidnap Jack because next week Kyle is asking Traci Abbott (Beth Maitland) if she has heard from Jack today and Traci hasn’t heard from Jack and asks if something has happened. And if you remember, neither Traci nor Kyle are staying at the mansion because of Patty.

So Kyle tells Traci that Jack might be in real trouble. And I agree. I could see Patty stashing Jack somewhere like the Abbott Cabin or some other remote location and honestly drugging him. Patty is an unhinged lunatic with a twisted fixation on Jack. And of course, Victor brought her back to Genoa City, which is awful.

Young and Restless: Diane’s Seduction Strategy

So, next week, we have Diane continuing to play with Dr. Markham, and she asks him if there’s a psychological term for when a patient develops an attachment to their therapist. And he tells Diane it’s quite common. Now, that may be true, but twisted Markham says it’s a positive part of the process, and that is definitely not true. And it has me further convinced that guy is not a shrink at all and is some psych ward pal of Patty’s and the real Markham is either dead or locked in a padded room somewhere.

But Diane is unbothered and she leans into Markham acting like she likes the idea of her, you know, crushing on him. So, Diane gets really, really flirty next week and tells Markham that she’s really looking forward to their next session. And man, I just hope that he gives Diane those sleeping pills and she turns around and drugs Markham, ties him up, tortures answers out of him, and then escapes.

I think it’d be a nice twist if Diane was the one to actually rescue Jack than the other way around. Y&R is kicking it up big as July sweeps rolls on. Be sure you check out our complete weekly spoilers tomorrow, our prediction edition, our two-minute spoilers, and lots more coming soon.

Rather than sticking to traditional sci-fi, the best modern Star Trek series has since established itself as one that doesn’t limit its creativity and instead explores a range of completely unexpected genres. Set in the decade before Star Trek: The Original Series, the sci-fi experiment follows Captain Christopher Pike and the crew of Enterprise in the 23rd century. It premiered on Paramount+ on May 5, 2022, with a near-perfect Rotten Tomatoes score and soon became the most-watched original Star Trek series on the streamer over its first 90 days.

From creators Akiva Goldsman, Alex Kurtzman, and Jenny Lumet, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is almost at its end after nearly five years of providing viewers with the ultimate franchise entertainment. The adventure drama is expected to conclude with Season 5, which has a shorter six-episode order with no exact premiere date — though it is expected to drop sometime in 2027. In the meantime, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds returns with Season 4 this summer and will comprise ten episodes like its predecessors.

When Does ‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ Season 4 Premiere?

The new season arrives in only four weeks, on July 23, 2026, globally on Paramount+, marking another highlight of the Star Trek franchise’s 60th anniversary year. New episodes will air every Thursday through the season finale on September 24, 2026. In anticipation, the service released an official trailer a few days ago, depicting an explosive chapter to come, which you can watch in the player above.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 4 will see the return of the U.S.S. Enterprise’s full crew, including Anson Mount as the confident Captain Christopher Pike; Rebecca Romijn as Pike’s second-in-command, Number One; and Ethan Peck as the legendary half-Vulcan, half-human Spock. Jess Bush, Christina Chong, and Celia Rose Gooding will also return, while recurring guest stars include Carol Kane as the eccentric Commander Pelia, who was first seen in the Season 2 premiere, “The Broken Circle,” and Paul Wesley as James T. Kirk, who first appeared in the Season 1 finale, “A Quality of Mercy.”

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 4 arrives next month. Stay tuned at Collider for more!

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Release Date

2022 – 2027-00-00

Network

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Paramount+

Showrunner

Henry Alonso Myers, Akiva Goldsman

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Directors

Dan Liu, Amanda Row, Maja Vrvilo, Akiva Goldsman, Dermott Downs, Eduardo Sánchez, Jeffrey W. Byrd, Jonathan Frakes, Jordan Canning, Leslie Hope, Valerie Weiss, Sydney Freeland, Christopher J. Byrne, Rachel Leiterman

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Writers

Onitra Johnson

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Roomies, Remy Ma has social media doing a double take after a lighthearted moment with her daughter Reminisce Mackenzie turned into a full-on nail debate that had fans chiming in fast. The rapper and her mini-me hopped on a livestream together, but it was their playful back-and-forth that quickly stole the spotlight and got everyone weighing in.

RELATED: Chile! Claressa Shields Speaks On Papoose’s Whereabouts & Some Folks Are Dragging Remy Ma Into It (VIDEO)

Remy Ma & Reminisce Go Viral Over Nail Debate On Livestream

In clips obtained by LiveBitez, Remy Ma and Reminisce Mackenzie are seen sitting side by side as they interact with fans in real time. Reminisce asks viewers to comment “yes or no” on whether her nails are too long, while Remy doubles down, joking that her daughter’s nails are too long as she holds up her hands to show off her French tips. In another moment, Remy calls her daughter back into frame after noticing the chat buzzing about the nails, telling viewers they wanted to get a closer look while adding that her daughter’s natural nails are already long underneath and encouraging her growth.

Remy Ma And Daughter Go Toe-To-Toe Over Nail Length

The playful exchange continues in another clip where Remy compares her own nails to her daughter’s, asking her to place their pinky nails side by side so fans can see the difference. As she reads comments from the chat, Remy even co-signs some of the viewers saying her daughter’s nails are too long, agreeing with the sentiment while keeping the tone light and funny throughout the live session.

Fans Are Already Splitting And Picking Sides

Folks quickly ran to LiveBitez’s Instagram comment section after the clip surfaced, sharing mixed reactions to Remy Ma and her daughter’s nail debate. Some users are siding with Remy, saying baby girl’s nails are indeed too long. Others defended Reminisce, saying she gets a pass because she’s a sweetheart, while a few insisted that at the end of the day, Remy has the final say since she’s the mommy.

One Instagram user @itsaudrena_ added, “Its press ons 😂😂 but they are too long“

This Instagram user @djndahouse_ commented, “Lying used to be considered a cuss word when I was growing up🤷🏽‍♀️”

And, Instagram user @dareal_miranda1210 shared, “They’re too long for her age, but that’s her child. So her decision. 🤷🏾‍♀️”

Meanwhile Instagram user @bawg98 wrote, “Reminisce can get a pass because she’s not sassy or rude for her age and she’s my internet niece lol 🤪 😍😍😍😍”

While Instagram user @itsya_daddy5 joked, “She to grown 😂😂😂”

Then Instagram user @nijiavaughn added, “That little girl is so adorable.“

Finally, Instagram user @toyeast said, “Rem and her mini 😍”

RELATED: Recent Flicks Of Claressa Shields Have Internet Users Saying She’s “Copying” Remy Ma’s Aesthetic (PHOTOS)

When you watch a movie, the most important part about it is believing the actors. You could have a brilliant script and stunning cinematography, but if you don’t believe the people on screen, chances are something’s off. Now, when two characters are meant to be two characters in love, it is a must that the actors have chemistry. Nothing can kill a film, especially those in the romance genre, like actors with zero chemistry. While there could be 100 people in a room, and if 99 of them don’t believe in the characters, that one person likely has no taste or wasn’t paying attention.

The ten on-screen couples are prime examples of bad chemistry. Focusing on films where the two characters engage in a romantic entanglement, these examples nearly killed the film for good. Some just couldn’t tackle the material, others couldn’t put aside their ego to give their scene partner space, and then there are those whose off-screen woes made it to the big screen. Some of these actors could be on here multiple times; we’re keeping it to one entry per actor. We love love, but not when it turns out like these pairs.

10

Jennifer Lopez and Ralph Fiennes

‘Maid in Manhattan’ (2002)

Image via Columbia Pictures

Because of the one-film rule made for this list, we couldn’t put two Jennifer Lopez projects here. Sorry, Brett Goldstein. Rather, you’re welcome? While Netflix’s latest romcom, Office Romance, nearly stole this spot, there is no J.Lo romcom in which she had worse on-screen chemistry than in Maid in Manhattan. Lopez and Ralph Fiennes are great at what they do, respectively— Lopez in music and Fiennes in dramas— but as a romantic pair? Not so much. Based on a story by John Hughes under the pseudonym Edmond Dantés, the Wayne Wang-directed film follows Marisa Ventura (Lopez), a hardworking single mother and hotel maid in New York City. Her life changes when a handsome senatorial candidate, Christopher Marshall (Fiennes), mistakes her for a wealthy socialite after she is caught trying on a guest’s designer coat. A charade in class, Maid in Manhattan is a story about two people who are meant to form a genuine relationship, but everything on screen was all a facade.

There must be something about British men that Lopez has difficulty acting across from. The premise of the film stems from two individuals coming together from two different worlds. And Maid in Manhattan went full throttle on the premise. It was a mismatch of acting styles. Lopez was intended to play a woman of a considerably lower social class, yet the superstar pop star still shone through. As Marisa, she’s meant to present a pristine polish, but it was still J.Lo. Then, Fiennes, who is classically trained, brought that aura to the screen. While he’s notorious for playing romantic leads, such as in The English Patient, romcoms are a different beast. Another major hiccup in the filming was the off-camera drama. At the time of filming, Lopez was in the process of divorcing her former dancer, Cris Judd, while also having a secret romance with Ben Affleck. Acting is all about playing a part, but from those two to opposite Fiennes? It was never going to work. That said, Maid in Manhattan is a delightful guilty pleasure movie.

9

William Baldwin and Sharon Stone

‘Silver’ (1993)

Image via Paramount Pictures

The 1993 film Silver might be notorious for everything but the film itself. Based on Ira Levin‘s novel of the same name, Silver is an erotic thriller about a book editor, Carly Norris (Sharon Stone), who moves into a high-tech Manhattan apartment building only to discover it has a dark history of suspicious tenant deaths. She soon becomes entangled in a dangerous web of voyeurism and romance involving her mysterious neighbors: Zeke Hawkins (William Baldwin), a shy, handsome video game designer who is secretly the building’s owner and a hidden voyeur; and Jack Landsford (Tom Berenger), a burned-out, cynical crime novelist. Meant to be Stone’s highly anticipated follow-up to Basic Instinct, the film, amid significant rewrites, battled with the ratings board and a toxic off-screen dynamic, suffered greatly in its on-screen chemistry.

Erotic thrillers were truly all the rage in the ’90s. Once Basic Instinct flourished, every studio wanted the next best thing. Levin’s source material was there for it to happen, but the production of Silver was anything but clean. The MPAA originally gave the film an NC-17 rating, which forced the filmmakers to make extensive reshoots. The original killer was changed from Zeke to Jack because, if Zeke were the killer, it would have led to an immoral revelation from Carly, which did not screen well. But the most egregious part of production was the allegations that producer Robert Evans pressured Stone into having sex with Baldwin, arguing it would improve his acting and “save the movie.” Baldwin has refuted this, claiming Stone came on to him and he rejected her advances. Nevertheless, the two actors quickly developed mutual animosity, which affected their performance. The result was a painfully uncomfortable result that lacked any sexual intrigue. The tension was forced by two underdeveloped characters trying to find any semblance of connection. If there is anything going for the film, it lost every category it was nominated in at the Razzies. Something had to be worse: Indecent Proposal, another erotic drama.

8

Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey

‘How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days’ (2003)

Image via Paramount Pictures

What’s funny is that nearly twenty years later, Matthew McConaughey recalled “easy chemistry” with Kate Hudson, having bonded on the set of How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. Unfortunately, what he may have perceived as chemistry was far from what he saw on screen. Seen as one of the go-to romantic leads of the early aughts, McConaughey shared the screen with everyone, including Jennifer Lopez and Sarah Jessica Parker, but his least convincing scene partner was the daughter of Goldie Hawn. The guilty pleasure chick flick based o Michele Alexander and Jeannie Long’s picture book, advice columnist Andie Anderson (Hudson) is tasked with writing a first-hand article about the classic mistakes women make that drive men away. In order to enact the experiment, she needs to find a guy, date him, and get him to dump her in exactly 10 days. Meanwhile, her target, Benjamin Barry, is an ambitious advertising executive who bets his boss, Phillip Warren (Robert Klein), that he can make any woman fall in love with him within 10 days to win a highly coveted diamond account. Chaos ensues through two opposing objectives, only for the pair to realize they had feelings for one another all along. The epitome of a classic romcom, Hudson did extraordinarily well in driving McConaughey away, so that when the contrived conclusion arrived, it became laughable.

Don’t get me wrong, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days is a delight. It’s a comfort watch when you need something mindless and nostalgic. With so much of their chemistry built on push-and-pull secret agendas and comical friction, the immediate, seamless romance was forced. They may have had an on-screen spark because of their natural charisma, but it didn’t mean it translated into the romance department. Both actors leaned into extremes for their characters to be triumphant. In the real world, chaotic and exaggerated behaviors would be massive red flags that would raise major concern. In a way, their easy, breezy demeanor to their agendas played out more as competitive siblings than swooning young lovers. How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days triumphs as a comedy, but falters as a genuine romance. Hudson and McConaughey forgot to make us believe in Andie and Ben.

7

Jimmy Fallon and Drew Barrymore

‘Fever Pitch’ (2005)

Image via 20th Century Fox

The pipeline from Saturday Night Live fan-favorite to Hollywood star is every cast member’s dream. There are some individuals who make that transition seamless— Mike Myers, Adam Sandler, Will Ferrell. Then there are those like Jimmy Fallon, who was never going to make it as an actor, proving through Weekend Update that he was always better suited for hosting. So, in regard to 2005’s Fever Pitch, the blame is not going to be on Drew Barrymore, who we know is a wonderful romantic lead. This one all falls on the shoulders of the future Tonight Show host. Now, to preface, I’m not knocking on Fever Pitch as a New York Yankees fan— Fallon’s love for the Boston Red Sox was greater than that of Barrymore’s character. Directed by Peter and Bobby Farrelly, Fever Pitch follows Ben Wrightman (Fallon), an obsessive Red Sox fan, whose life revolves around baseball. In the winter, he is the perfect, attentive boyfriend, but once spring training arrives, he’s all consumed by the Red Sox. Lindsey Meeks (Barrymore), a dedicated executive, is up for a career promotion and tries to understand Ben’s sports rituals. He refuses to miss a game to accommodate her professional and personal schedule. Friction and fracture emerge, but they eventually learn what it means to be “present” and how a die-hard superfan can make mutual sacrifices for their other love.

Originally based on the Nick Hornby book, which swapped out baseball for soccer, the love letter to sports. The film is best remembered for being filmed at Fenway Park in 2004, when the team broke their 86-year World Series drought. But as far as the product itself, Fallon really forgot he had a human scene partner. Perhaps taking too much inspiration from his Boston-loving SNL character, Fallon’s big-screen transition was weak. Especially compared to the famous child star who had made a name for herself in the romance genre. Fallon played affably well, but his goofy demeanor didn’t match what Barrymore was providing. The Farrelly Brothers had a history of dumb comedies, but this was a far stretch from Dumb and Dumber, There’s Something About Mary, and Shallow Hal. Fever Pitch was not a film for a silly guy to play opposite a steadfast romantic lead. Fever Pitch was mismanaged from all directions.

6

Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart (and Taylor Lautner)

The ‘Twilight’ Saga (2008-2012)

Image via Summit Entertainment

This one is going to be divisive. If you’re on a team that debates a team, you most certainly will take offense to this entry. For those who were not completely taken by the book-to-film adaptations, you likely could see through the poor performances. The chemistry in The Twilight Saga may be weak, but the box office numbers greatly disagree. Based on Stephanie Meyer‘s beloved novels, the film series chronicles teenager Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart), who moves to Forks, Washington, and falls in love with Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson), a 108-year-old vampire. Their forbidden romance draws Bella into a supernatural world of vampires and werewolves, one of whom she finds comfort in, Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner). The frenzy of Team Edward vs. Team Jacob got pop culture flustered because the vampire and werewolf were deemed peak fantasy boyfriend material. But the material the actors were forced to perform proved that clunky dialogue and dry execution from its leads is simply awkward.

The Twilight Saga was built upon the moody tone. It was an emo’s guide to love and loss. But for an on-screen performance, it was completely restrictive. There was an intentional awkwardness in Stewart’s performance meant to reflect teenage emotions, but when it’s paired with the stoic nature of Pattinson’s Edward, they both come across as stiff and emotionless. How are we supposed to champion these two as a couple without a genuine semblance of human passion? OK, yes, one as technically a vampire, but even so. There is a fire coming out of Lautner as the werewolf, but when he’s up against Stewart, it’s as if he hits a brick wall, cowering like a puppy in order to reach her level. Unfortunately, this was all by design. They played what was on the page. Edward was a sullen, tragic individual. Bella was detached and guarded. Lautner was the best of the three, but he was meant to be the third wheel. Remember when Pattinson and Stewart were romantically linked? At least they found the chemistry we all continue to look for.

5

Katie Holmes and Christian Bale

‘Batman Begins’ (2005)

Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

The resurgence of Batman through the vision of Christopher Nolan was not necessarily known for its romance. In fact, if there was one fatal flaw from the trilogy, it’s what audiences saw in Batman Begins between Christian Bale‘s Bruce Wayne and Katie Holmes‘ Rachel Dawes. In the trilogy’s first film, Bruce Wayne begins his transition into the notorious masked vigilante as he overcomes the trauma of his parents’ murder. Training in martial arts with the League of Shadows, Wayne returns as Batman to save a corrupt Gotham City from destruction. While the bad guys try to thwart his plans, his childhood friend and love interest stalls all character development. So much so that when she was recast for The Dark Knight, audiences noticed a genuine acting upgrade in Maggie Gyllenhaal. Now, to note, Holmes was not replaced because of her performance. It was strictly business on her end. But with another actress spending any time in the part, it was evident that something was amiss between her and Bale.

The script tried to prioritize a more platonic dynamic between Wayne and the assistant district attorney, but it caused a rigid character dynamic that felt forced. Rachel was meant to anchor Wayne’s moral compass, so as much as anyone tried to push for something romantic, it read as professional and friendly. What also didn’t help was Nolan’s narrative priorities, which were not romance. Viewing them more as a structural necessity, Dawes was original to the story, but given Batman’s history of romantic interests, fans were waiting for the shoe to drop. Oh, and we cannot forgive Bale as he wasn’t innocent either. He brought such an intense performance, it was a far cry from Holme’s more reserved and grounded acting choices. Bale’s brooding ultimately became the winning formula by the end of the trilogy; it was not entirely understood in Batman Begins.

4

Jason Momoa and Amber Heard

‘Aquaman’ (2018)

Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

Casting Jason Momoa as Arthur Curry, aka Aquaman, was certainly a choice. No longer did the DCEU want a blonde-haired, blue-eyed all-American boy like the ones previously portrayed by Justin Hartley and Alan Ritchson. Instead, they opted for a darker, brooding iteration for Zack Snyder‘s Justice League. By the time the solo film arrived, the cinematic universe had made its choice, and Momoa was their guy. Now, the story needed to revolve around him, which meant the ensemble had to work for Momoa more than the character. And yet, Amber Heard as Mera just simply could not connect. Perhaps the fantasy element as a fantasy warrior was too hard to play. Aquaman follows the half-human, half-Atlantean who must journey to the underwater kingdom of Atlantis to stop his power-hungry half-brother, King Orm (Patrick Wilson), from uniting the seven oceanic kingdoms to wage war on the surface world. Perhaps Arthur was already too ingratiated with the people, but beneath the surface, Heard and Momoa were in two different films.

There was always going to be a tonal difference between Momoa’s Aquaman and every other character under the sea. There was a brightness to the Atlanteans that Momoa completely lacked. And yet, rather than making Mera a weak princess, Heard brought a more stoic, regal warrior to match the boisterous, rough-around-the-edges Momoa. Still, their styles contrasted far too much, making their romance forced. There was immense drama surrounding Heard and her involvement in the sequel, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. Many of her scenes were cut, with some believing it was due to the negative press surrounding the defamation trial controversy she had with Johnny Depp. But the studio stood strong on the allegations of a lack of chemistry. It was said that there was a lot of behind-the-scenes work in order to manufacture their romantic connection. Even still, it wasn’t right. It was an easy excuse to blame Heard rather than the actor in the titular role. But that’s where the blame may actually have fallen.

3

Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson

‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ (2015)

Image via Universal Pictures

There have been countless books that fans have anxiously awaited the film adaptation. The hype surrounding the erotic romantic drama Fifty Shades of Grey was astronomical, but for a story that required perfect chemistry, it was anything but. Based on E.L. James‘ novel, the Sam Taylor-Johnson-directed film follows Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson), an inexperienced college student, whose life changes drastically after she interviews enigmatic billionaire Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan). What begins as a simple journalistic meeting quickly devolves into a passionate but unconventional romance as Ana discovers Christian’s secret BDSM lifestyle. The favorite book of housewives who pretended they never read it, the film had everything going for it, except a lead who couldn’t act her way out of a paper bag.

The thing with book adaptations is you can easily interpret a character, so tasking an actor to lift a character from the page to screen will likely be different than how you envisioned it. Dornan took an intentionally cold approach to portray Christian. Though some felt it was too empty, veering into the creepy, it was a logical direction he could go. Then there was Johnson. Anastasia Steele is meant to be naive, but Johnson took that to mean unresponsive. In turn, you had two walls of drying paint attempting to find a sexual dynamic that would get the audience feeling naughty about watching. There was no passion. It was not anywhere near close to how James envisioned her work.

Though both actors had their naysayers, it was Johnson who received the brunt of the pushback. Some tried to give credence to her work, blaming the script’s specificity, but if you saw Madame Web, that theory was out the window. Dornan and Johnson returned for both sequels, Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed, because, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. And by that, the audience was making it worthwhile at the box office. And by filming back-to-back, there was no off-ramp to reverse course. Fifty Shades of Grey was an important film for pop culture because we all needed the parodies to laugh at to make ourselves better for even watching it in the first place.

2

Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie

‘The Tourist’ (2010)

Image via Sony Pictures Releasing

In the early aughts, there were no two bigger stars in Hollywood than Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie. Combining the two powerhouses should have resulted in a cinematic masterpiece. Instead, they delivered The Tourist. The romantic thriller co-written and directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, a remake of the 2005 French film Anthony Zimmer, tells the story of Elise (Jolie), the girlfriend of an elusive international fugitive, who uses an unassuming American math teacher, Frank Tupelo (Depp), as a decoy on a train to Venice. This accidental romance soon entangles them with both the police and a ruthless mobster, who mistakenly believe Frank is Alexander Pearce, the fugitive in question. The Tourist watches a vacation turn into a life-or-death chase as the pair evade authorities and criminals across the canals of Venice. What should have worked, based on star power, became a flop because the duo simply could not get on the same page, both as characters and as actors.

The premise of The Tourist was already a difficult one for any actor to play. Because Elise used Frank as a decoy to evade the predators, Jolie deliberately kept Elise secret, leaving both Frank and the audience at arm’s length. Add in the script’s lack of emotional depth, as the director preferred the stunning Venice backdrop over an actual romantic connection. Then, with Jolie playing up the ultra-glamorous femme fatale against the clueless and coy character Depp brought, there was no way for them to be at the same level. There was an innate disconnect. Of course, for a story about deceit and a twist that was even more deceptive, it just came off as unbelievable given the lead-up. As good as they were before The Tourist, there was no hope for them to bring any chemistry to the screen. But to make matters worse, the duo reportedly showed some behind-the-scenes indifference. Some sources claimed that Jolie had difficulty working with her co-star. With so much going against them, the crime caper became a sad example that not every great movie star can act well with one another.

1

Natalie Portman and Hayden Christensen

‘Star Wars: Episode II— Attack of the Clones’ (2002)

Image via Lucasfilm

Nearly two decades after the original Star Wars was released, George Lucas returned to the well and gave fans what they always wished for: a prequel trilogy. Taking the established narrative of the Skywalker Saga and providing new light into how we got to Star Wars: Episode IV— A New Hope was every fan’s dream. Finally, the origin story of Darth Vader! The first film introduced Anakin Skywalker as an adorable, hopeful kid through Jake Lloyd’s strong performance. But when Anakin needed to grow up for Star Wars: Episode II—Attack of the Clones, his replacement, Hayden Christensen, made us instantly hate the character nearly as much as we despised Jar Jar Binks. Why did we loathe Christensen’s take on the great villain? He could not compare to the divine Natalie Portman.

The second part of the space opera follows Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) and Padawan Anakin Skywalker (Christensen) as they protect Senator Padmé Amidala (Portman) from assassination. While investigating the threat, Obi-Wan discovers a clone army, as Anakin falls in love with Padmé, ultimately triggering the devastating Clone Wars. Perhaps the most important love story in Star Wars history, it was one of the most mismatched actor pairings, making some of us wish she could have found someone better. A major reason why fans turned on Christensen’s performance is that he was the new kid in town. We already had a film to get to know and love Portman. Christensen had great difficulty navigating the highly stylized script, unnatural dialogue, and the experimental directorial approach that isolated the pair. Yes, they filmed some of their crucial romantic scenes against green screens.

In retrospect, having the events of Star Wars: Episode III—Revenge of the Sith to enlighten where the character was heading may give him some freedom for his initial choices. But even emo Anni was painful to get through. Prior to the second film, the only love story in the galaxy we watched was the ultimately forbidden burgeoning romance between Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher)—who we learned were siblings. Anakin and Padmé’s to be specific. We needed this to be our redemption. Christensen portrayed Anakin as far too socially isolated and deeply repressed. Padmé, though reserved, had some warmth inside, but against her scene partner, you had to wonder what she even saw in him. Star Wars‘ first six films were never known as emotionally rich. Perhaps if there was some nuance to play, we wouldn’t have knocked the chemistry-less duo.

For decades, Batman: Knightfall has stood as one of the most influential storylines in the Dark Knight’s history. Now, DC and Warner Bros. Animation are finally bringing the legendary comic arc to life with a multi-part animated film series, and longtime fans have every reason to be excited.

Originally published between 1993 and 1994, Batman: Knightfall redefined Batman by pushing Bruce Wayne to his absolute limits. Rather than relying on brute strength alone, Bane orchestrates a calculated campaign to wear Batman down, releasing the inmates of Arkham Asylum and forcing the Caped Crusader into an endless battle before delivering one of the most iconic moments in comic book history—breaking Batman’s back.

While that shocking image has been referenced in films, television, and games over the years, the complete Knightfallsaga has never received a faithful screen adaptation. That is finally changing.

According to Collider, the upcoming animated project has the opportunity to become the definitive adaptation of one of DC’s greatest comic stories. The publication praised Warner Bros. Animation’s recent success with comic-faithful adaptations and suggested that the multi-part format is exactly what Knightfall needs to properly tell its sprawling story.

Batman Nightfall [credit: Warner Bros. Animation]

Unlike a single feature film, the multi-part approach allows the adaptation to cover the full scope of the original event. Beyond Bane’s victory over Batman, the story follows Jean-Paul Valley (Azrael) as Gotham’s new Batman, whose increasingly violent methods tarnish the symbol Bruce Wayne spent years building. Eventually, Bruce returns to reclaim the mantle, leading to one of the most compelling redemption arcs in Batman history.

The animated adaptation is being directed by Jeff Wamester from a screenplay by Jeremy Adams. Warner Bros. has confirmed that the project is envisioned as a multi-part animated event rather than a standalone movie, giving the creative team room to faithfully adapt the massive comic storyline.

The first trailer, released this week, showcases the brutal confrontation between Batman and Bane while teasing the emotional journey ahead. Fans also received a first look at several iconic moments pulled directly from the comics, suggesting the filmmakers are embracing the source material rather than reinventing it.

Warner Bros. Animation has earned praise over the years for adaptations such as Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, and many fans hope Knightfall will join that list as another faithful translation of a beloved comic classic. Given the scale of the original story and the creative team’s commitment to preserving its biggest moments, this could become one of DC’s most ambitious animated projects to date.

If the finished film delivers on what fans have seen so far, Batman: Knightfall may not simply adapt one of Batman’s greatest stories—it could become the definitive animated Batman epic for a new generation.