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By Robert Scucci
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Maybe I’ve grown cynical, but I’m starting to wonder how many more Die Hard ripoffs we really need to endure before somebody figures out a different way to structure an action thriller. I can see why the 2024 Netflix Original Carry-On was well received by critics for reliably hitting all of the expected beats, with the right talent to pull its premise along, but what I’m always most curious about is the reception gap you see on Rotten Tomatoes. On the critical front, Carry-On boasts an 88 percent, Certified Fresh rating across more than 100 reviews.
Take a look at the Popcornmeter, though, and the 52 percent approval rating tells a very different story. What I’ve gathered from audience reviews is that we’ve all seen this kind of story play out before, and usually better. Carry-On is supposed to be grounded in reality, but its plot is so implausible that suspending disbelief becomes a real challenge. What’s left is a run-of-the-mill, by-the-numbers Die Hard carbon copy that went straight to streaming.

I find myself sitting squarely in the middle of both camps. Taron Egerton is a likable, serviceable lead, and Jason Bateman is a perfectly cast, straight-faced antagonist who runs the show through influence and intimidation. The complaints about realism don’t really track for me because Die Hard rules, but let’s call a spade a spade while we’re talking about it. None of us are watching Die Hard for its realism either. We’re watching it because it kicks ass, and most people are watching Carry-On because it’s chasing the same audience.
Carry-On centers on Taron Egerton’s Ethan Kopek, a directionless TSA agent working at LAX during the holidays. He has just learned that his girlfriend Nora (Sofia Carson) is pregnant, prompting him to reevaluate his stalled career. Ethan was previously rejected from the police academy, leaving him with two options. He can apply again now that some time has passed, or he can take his TSA job more seriously and earn a promotion that keeps him in law enforcement while allowing him to support his growing family.

Ethan chooses the latter on his Christmas Eve shift, another Die Hard pull, when he asks his supervisor Phil (Dean Norris) for more responsibility. That decision backfires almost immediately. The baggage scan lane he’s assigned to becomes ground zero for chaos when a traveler points out a missing earbud and hands it to Ethan. Moments later, he receives a text from a restricted number instructing him to place the device in his ear.
On the other end of the line is The Traveler (Jason Bateman), who calmly informs Ethan that he needs to let a specific bag pass through security or Nora will be killed. Ethan attempts to call 911, but it quickly becomes clear that he’s being watched by a man known only as The Watcher (Theo Rossi). Every detail of Ethan’s life is already known. Address, employment history, Nora’s location, everything. The Traveler uses that information as leverage, forcing Ethan to comply.

Completely under The Traveler’s control, Ethan follows orders while subtly trying to alert his superiors that something is wrong. The stakes escalate further when it’s revealed that the bag contains large quantities of Novichok, a deadly nerve agent capable of killing hundreds, if not thousands, of people if the plan succeeds.
Meanwhile, Detective Elena Cole (Danielle Deadwyler), who has coincidentally been investigating a double murder tied to a supply of Novichok, realizes that Ethan is at the center of the operation. After tracing an aborted 911 call back to him, she races toward the airport as Ethan struggles to stop the bag from boarding a plane while keeping his loved ones alive.

Here’s the problem with Carry-On. It’s well-acted, competently shot, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. We’ve all seen this movie countless times under different titles, you know the drill. Egerton works because he’s a sympathetic lead being pushed into actions he can’t ethically justify. The tension reads clearly on his face, and it’s effective. Bateman is a legitimate menace, and his commitment to carrying out an act of domestic terrorism feels believable within the genre’s familiar framework.
The issue is suspense. We all know how these movies work. The reluctant hero finds the bomb, disarms it with two seconds left on the clock, saves the day, and everyone claps. That predictability is where the audience divide comes from. On one hand, Carry-On does exactly what you expect, and some viewers find comfort in that. On the other hand, Carry-On does exactly what you expect, which drains the premise of any real tension.

You don’t watch movies like Carry-On to see the hero fail. You watch them struggle, adapt, and eventually do what needs to be done once all the pieces are in place. Carry-On is perfectly adequate, but it doesn’t offer anything new. It’s familiar territory, and if that’s your thing, no judgment here. It’s comfort food. I just don’t get especially excited about Die Hard knockoffs when I can always go watch Die Hard.

Carry-On is a Netflix Original and is available to stream with an active subscription.
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There’s no doubt about it: Pants are beyond versatile and can look effortlessly stylish — but a tight, restricting silhouette can quickly erase those benefits. So, when I saw lululemon’s new sweatpant-like jean, my heart skipped a beat. Can there really be a pant style that is both chic and comfortable? Yes.
The EasyFive Wide-Leg Pant doesn’t make you choose between elegance and ease, offering a trendy low-rise waist and flattering design. But the real standout star is the fabric. The cotton-blend offers a hint of stretch, resulting in an unrestricting, billowy feel. The result? A silhouette that moves with you — and one that’s undoubtedly coming after your yoga pants.
Get the EasyFive Low-Rise Classic Wide-Leg Pant for $148 at lululemon! Please note, prices are accurate as of the publishing date but are subject to change.
Petite and tall shoppers will also be pleased to know that the cut comes in three lengths, delivering the perfect fit. Four colors — navy, ivory, tan and black — also allow for peak wardrobe versatility. Plus, five carefully-placed pockets keep all of your belongings safe and secure.
Thanks to the unfussy design, the lululemon pants are simple to dress up or down. Style the bottoms with tennis shoes and a baseball cap for a laid-back look, or reach for strappy kitten heels and a tube top for something more elevated.
The pants’ fabric, fit and versatility aren’t just winning me over; reviewers are just as obsessed. “Best pants ever,” raved one shopper. “Rip to my wallet when I buy every color.” Another fan said, “These pants are amazing . . . ‘I love them’ is an understatement.”
The lululemon EasyFive Wide-Leg Pant is officially one of the hottest styles on the market — case closed. If you don’t want to miss out, snag a pair ASAP. After all, who wouldn’t want sleek, stretchy, do-it-all pants?
Get the EasyFive Low-Rise Classic Wide-Leg Pant for $148 at lululemon! Please note, prices are accurate as of the publishing date but are subject to change.
Looking for something else? Explore more pants here and don’t forget to check out all of lululemon’s best sellers for more great finds!
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“It is the honor of an entire lifetime to host a night celebrating the literal hardest working people in showbiz,” the singer shared in a statement.
In the popular consciousness, John Wayne is primarily viewed as a cultural figure first and foremost, and an actor second. Wayne, despite winning a late-career Academy Award for True Grit, relied on familiar beats and recurring character archetypes as an actor, a formula that certainly won’t impress audiences raised on transformative method acting and naturalism in the modern age.
His best performances, including his refreshingly tender and wistful turn as a boxer acclimating himself to his Irish roots in The Quiet Man, see him subverting his unabashed patriotism and mighty heroism, which are routinely deployed in countless Westerns and war epics. No director utilized Wayne’s prodigious stature better than John Ford, and the director’s most ingenious casting of the star was in his St. Patrick’s Day classic.
Separating the art from the artist is a tricky act of compartmentalization when chronicling the filmography of John Wayne, whose staunch nationalist politics were often inextricable from his portrayal of American excellence. The harshest reflection of Wayne’s notorious history of racism is in his Westerns, which frequently demonize the existence and minimize the plight of Native Americans. Still, no matter how self-conscious he was about maintaining a squeaky-clean, government-approved image, Wayne’s most trusted collaborators knew how to imbue his persona with darkness and complexity. Howard Hawks and John Ford operated within the familiar Western genre, but films such as Red River and The Searchers were biting deconstructions of Western protagonists that plunged into the dark psyche of America’s core regarding violence and racism.
With The Quiet Man from 1951, Ford stripped away Wayne’s unflinching poise and fortitude, despite his character, Sean Thornton, being a retired professional boxer. Born in Ireland but raised in America, Sean returns to his birthplace, Inisfree, to purchase his family’s old farm. However, his return home is not entirely festive, as he encounters the cutthroat politics of the local land barons and the domineering presence of Will Danaher (Victor McLaglen), over his free-spirited sister and love interest to Sean, Mary Kate (Maureen O’Hara). The film, which earned Ford his fourth Academy Award for Best Director, is a visual feast, with Winton Hoch’s photography of the Irish countryside and the luscious green fields representing the apex of Technicolor. Ford became the poet laureate of the American West, but his Irish roots were rarely explored with such passion as in The Quiet Man, which embraces the rambunctiousness and elegiac beauty of the culture.
Sean Thornton can brawl his way out of any skirmish, as displayed in the rollicking, extended climactic fistfight with Will throughout town. His burly stature is intimidating to the Irish natives, but he is no match for the fiery spunk of Mary Kate, the rare female character to upend the prowess of her male counterpart in a Ford movie. The Quiet Man is Ford’s utopia of a tight-knit community that’s unafraid to indulge in booze, pick a fight, but still love each other altogether. Frequent stock company player Maureen O’Hara symbolizes Ford’s ideal woman: a plucky redhead whose enigmatic aura makes her autonomous from all her surroundings. Wayne allows Sean to be openly smitten and hesitant around Mary Kate, making this perhaps Wayne’s most vulnerable and relatable performance. The actor’s subtle gestures and restraint embody the feeling of being unable to quit someone, even if you know they only bring turbulence.
After a series of Westerns like Stagecoach and Fort Apache, Ford dropped Wayne into uncharted territory in this romantic dramedy about societal etiquette and strict tradition. Between his distinct voice and gait, Wayne was a portrait of life unto himself, but in The Quiet Man, he never felt smaller. In various interactions with eccentric locals and priests, Sean is on his heels, oblivious to the otherworldly nature of a place of heritage that he thought he understood. This quality taps into Wayne’s effortless ability to appear aloof, a quality that always complements his lanky build. Rather than exerting brute force, the Duke was much easier to romanticize when he allowed himself to be naive and bumbling.
No one understood John Wayne’s strengths and vices better than John Ford, who fleshed out his worldview in the actor’s most soulful role. Radiating charm throughout The Quiet Man, a traditional viewing experience on St. Patrick’s Day, Sean Thornton is an avatar for Ford’s vision of the modern man — one defined by hard-nosed masculinity and wistful romanticism.
Of all the exciting returning shows in 2026, few were as hotly anticipated as The Boys. Prime Video’s gory superhero satire has been stunning audiences since it first arrived in 2019, and has picked up a total of four Primetime Emmys, alongside many other awards and nominations. A blood-soaked disassembly of modern American attitudes to celebrity worship, the series finally returned for its final season this past Wednesday, hoping to bounce back from a divisive fourth season.
And bounce back it has, with Season 5’s opening episode earning a huge 9.1/10 on IMDb. On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, Season 5 has already earned a near-perfect 98% score, although that is subject to change as more opinions are submitted. The consensus on the site reads, “The Boys stays true to its form and completes its mission with ample panache, narrative pay-off, and an excess of blood and guts to deviously glorious effect.”
Perhaps the most unsurprising of all The Boys Season 5’s early success comes on the streaming charts, where it has already flown straight to #2 in the global and U.S. Prime Video ranks. However, another superhero series stands between The Boys and the top spot, with Robert Kirkman‘s violent animated series Invincible continuing its impressive run at the summit. A synopsis for Season 5 reads:
“In the fifth and final season, it’s Homelander’s world, completely subject to his erratic, egomaniacal whims. Hughie, Mother’s Milk, and Frenchie are imprisoned in a “Freedom Camp.” Annie struggles to mount a resistance against the overwhelming Supe force. Kimiko is nowhere to be found. But when Butcher reappears, ready and willing to use a virus that will wipe all Supes off the map, he sets in motion a chain of events that will forever change the world and everyone in it. It’s the climax, people. Big stuff’s gonna happen.”
In Nate Richard‘s review of The Boys Season 5 for Collider, he agreed with most that the show has returned to form for its final outing. “Prime Video has been holding the series finale back for now, which makes perfect sense, but if the last episode can maintain the quality of the previous seven, The Boys Season 5 may just be one of the show’s best,” Richard wrote, adding, “It has all the gore, dark comedy, action, and vulgarity that you would expect, while also never veering too far out of control ahead of the final hour. In the words of Billy Butcher, Season 5 is bloody diabolical.”
The Boys is available to stream on Prime Video. Stay tuned to Collider for more streaming stories.
2019 – 2026-00-00
Eric Kripke
Eric Kripke
The Boys
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Lewis explained to the audience that she and Barrymore “came up in the same time, so I would see scripts or lose parts to Drew” over the years.
Taylor Swift is preparing for one of the most talked-about celebrity weddings of the year, but despite efforts to keep everything tightly controlled, key details have already slipped out.
The global superstar and her fiancé, Travis Kelce, are reportedly planning a lavish summer ceremony, complete with strict privacy rules and a carefully curated guest list.
Still, insiders say even the most airtight plans couldn’t stop information from leaking, offering fans a rare glimpse into what Swift has in store.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are said to be tying the knot on July 3, marking a major milestone in their high-profile relationship.
According to a report from the Daily Mail, the couple went to great lengths to ensure their big day remained private, requiring guests to RSVP with a signed NDA when save-the-date invitations were sent out.
Despite those precautions, details still found their way into the public domain.
Sources say the couple is “disappointed” by the leak but has no intention of taking legal action.
Instead, they are pressing ahead with preparations, focusing on making the day as special and controlled as possible.

While many fans assumed Taylor Swift would host her wedding at her well-known Rhode Island mansion, insiders say the ceremony will instead take place somewhere in New York.
The exact venue remains under wraps, though it has been described as an arena or museum-like space, suggesting a grand and unconventional setting.
The decision aligns with the singer’s deep connection to New York City. Over the years, she has built an impressive real estate footprint in Tribeca, combining multiple properties into one expansive living space.
She has also owned a nearby townhouse and a large loft in the same neighborhood.
Beyond property, the city has played a central role in her creative life. From her hit “Welcome to New York” to the fan-favorite “Cornelia Street,” Swift has repeatedly drawn inspiration from the city she now calls home.

One of Swift’s biggest priorities appears to be maintaining full control over the wedding environment.
Insiders say she has specifically chosen an indoor venue to avoid the unpredictability that comes with outdoor ceremonies.
“It will take place someplace indoors,” one source shared, noting that the 36-year-old wants to avoid the challenges faced at other celebrity weddings.
The insider added that “Taylor doesn’t want it to be like Selena’s wedding,” referencing Selena Gomez’s outdoor ceremony in California.
According to sources, the concern is that outdoor settings make it harder to guarantee privacy. By opting for an enclosed space, the Grammy Award winner is ensuring tighter security and a more controlled atmosphere.
The event is also expected to be fully documented, with insiders revealing that the “whole thing will be recorded,” possibly allowing the couple to revisit the day or even share moments with fans in the future.
Taylor Swift has already hinted that her wedding will be anything but small. During an appearance on “The Graham Norton Show” last October, she described the celebration as “huge” and admitted she was “so excited about it.”
She also offered a candid take on guest lists, explaining that smaller weddings could create unnecessary tension.
According to Swift, having fewer attendees often forces couples to “have to evaluate or assess your relationship” with people.
The star made it clear she intended to avoid that dilemma, joking, “Anyone I’ve ever talked to [is getting an invitation].”
The guest list is expected to reflect her wide circle of friends and connections. Among those likely to attend are Travis Kelce’s teammate Patrick Mahomes and his wife Brittany, as well as Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco.
However, sources say Blake Lively may not receive an invitation, as her relationship with Swift is no longer as close as it once was following recent court drama.

Swift’s upcoming wedding follows a whirlwind romance with Kelce that has captivated fans.
The NFL star proposed last summer after two years together, in an intimate backyard setting at his Kansas home.
Swift shared the news in her signature playful style on Instagram, writing, “Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married.”
The announcement marked a new chapter for the singer, who has had several high-profile relationships in the past, including Joe Alwyn, Taylor Lautner, Harry Styles, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Tom Hiddleston. Kelce, for his part, was previously in a long-term relationship with YouTuber Kayla Nicole.
Now, as the couple prepares for their wedding, their relationship continues to draw global attention, especially as carefully guarded details continue to emerge despite their best efforts to keep things private.
Tom Sandoval is weighing in on whether West Wilson should be the next Bravo star to join House of Villains amid his ongoing scandal.
Tom, 42, admitted to Us Weekly that he hasn’t “been following” the controversy surrounding West’s romance with Summer House costar Amanda Batula. However, when it comes to which reality stars would be a good fit for the show, Tom could see the vision for West, 31, to join in a potential season 4.
“It’s like any other show. If somebody on a reality show is going to be able to hold their own — just like on Traitors — they seem to do better,” he told Us during a joint exit interview with Tyson Apostol. “You would have as good a shot as anybody else.”
Hosted by Joel McHale, House of Villains features a cast of reality television’s most memorable and notorious villains. The contestants live in a house while competing in challenges for power and safety, voting to banish each other until the last villain remaining wins a $200,000 cash prize.
Tom joined the show in season 3 after his infamous cheating scandal with Rachel “Raquel” Leviss while dating then-girlfriend Ariana Madix. Tom has since moved on from the drama — and he hopes reality fans have as well.
“I have mentally moved on with my life and I’m focusing on all the positive things. I have some stuff coming up that I’m really excited about — that I can’t talk about — but I can’t help what people think,” he noted. “All I can do is just live my life and move forward.”
Being on House of Villains allowed Tom to take on “fun” opportunities, which helped him form friendships with people such as fellow contestant Tyson, 46. While speaking to Us, the Survivor alum had a different take on where he was in his villain era.
“I was never a villain. I’ve always been a hero,” he quipped. “I’ve always been a hero to my fan base.”
Tyson also spoke about the preconceived notions he had about Tom after watching his run on The Traitors, adding, “I just love that he was willing to just try and put himself out there and not really care. He was the only one that dared to try to sing backwards. So I was like, ‘Oh, I think that I will like this guy.’ Whenever I go on these shows, one of my goals is always to have fun and enjoy yourself a little bit.”
He continued: “With some of these personalities, it made it a little challenging to do that all the time. Tom was my rock of fun. I always know with Tom that we’ll have a good time, so all we have to do is get to our room and not let anybody else in.”
Tom, meanwhile, called the experience “really surprising.”
“It was better than I expected. It was so much fun. It was awesome meeting Tyson, and being around a great group of people was just cool. I had my reservations about going on House of Villains — just mainly because of the name — but I feel like we’re different,” he added. “I’m stoked. I felt like we made a great show, and it was so much fun.”
New episodes of House of Villains drop on Peacock Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET. The Official House of Villains Podcast airs immediately after new episodes on Peacock.
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Fourteen years later, the actor is still emotional recalling the moment his then-fiancée went above and beyond.
Dax Shepard opened up about an emotional moment involving his wife, Kristen Bell, and a touching gesture she made during a difficult period before his father died in 2012. The actor reflected on how the moment came at a time of deep emotional strain, highlighting the quiet support that helped him cope with the experience.

In a live conversation with broadcast journalist Anderson Cooper at the New Orleans Book Festival, Dax Shepard discussed grieving the loss of his late father, Dave Shepard. Dave died of small-cell carcinoma, an aggressive type of lung cancer, in December 2012.
Shepard then shared how Kristen Bell, then his fiancée, showed her support during that emotional time. Wiping tears from his eyes, the actor and podcast host recalled how he was having a hard time dealing with his emotions. His father’s friends were in and out of the hospital in Detroit, doing their final goodbyes, and while he knew they had good intentions, Shepard grew resentful about not having a moment alone with his dying father.
The actor then called Bell, who was in L.A., to tell her about the situation and say how overwhelmed he felt. “I was complaining, and she said, ‘It’s okay. I’m here. Look to the left.’ Mind you we lived in California and I’m Detroit. And I look to my left and she’s standing there seven months pregnant,” Shepard shared.

Bell was in the third trimester of her pregnancy with the couple’s first child at that time, but they knew Dave would no longer be around for the birth. Bell, who Shepard said was very intuitive, knew how much he struggled and figured out which hospital to go to in Detroit. Cooper then read a passage from the Shepard’s blog dated 2013, months after Dave’s death.
Bell’s surprise visit allowed Dave to meet the newest member of his family, and Shepard said his father placed his hand on the actress’ stomach and left it there for about an hour while “smiling from ear to ear, sitting contently.”
“He wasn’t going to make it to the birth, but that didn’t get in the way of meeting the new baby. It was an emotional and triumphant moment. One I will never forget. If I live to be a thousand, I will still be in debt to my wife for giving him that one last thrill,” Shepard wrote.

While Dax Shepard didn’t have a close relationship with his father for most of his life, they formed a deep bond after Dave was diagnosed with cancer in August 2012. He wrote in his blog that most of their problems stemmed from issues when he was 3 to 15 years old. “He was a selfish as-hole, and I lived to hold a grudge, so it was a thoroughly symbiotic pairing,” Shepard noted.
The actor, who was busy with multiple projects and preparing to welcome a baby, flew back and forth from L.A. to Detroit to be with his father. “Whoever was writing my life couldn’t figure out which storyline they wanted to tell, and decided to tell them all at once,” he wrote in his blog.
Shepard said his father was largely absent during his childhood because of his addictions, but he boasted about Dave’s more than 25 years as a member of Alcoholics Anonymous. The father and son grew close in the last four months of Dave’s life, taking long car rides, reminiscing, watching movies, and eating, which Shepard said was his father’s number one addiction. “He was like a perpetually stoned, pregnant woman,” he noted.

Shepard noted that he and Dave “had fun” in the months before his death, adding that the car rides they took were therapeutic. “One of the hidden benefits of cancer is that it can erode grudges the way WD-40 dissolves rust,” he wrote, adding that they exchanged tearful apologies and let go of the past.
The actor was not present when his father passed away at 62 years old. He noted that they never built a tree house or a derby car together, adding that dealing with cancer was the first and only project they “teamed up on.” Shepard said the only regret he had was not taking on more projects with Dave.

Shepard and Bell started dating in 2007 and have been married since 2013. They share two daughters, Lincoln and Delta. Throughout the years, Shepard has been vocal about his admiration for his wife, highlighting her kindness, generosity, and thoughtfulness.
The actor has often said that Bell was “out of my league,” even agreeing with Cher that her wife is the “better half” in their relationship. As The Blast previously reported, the legendary singer was on Shepard’s podcast when she said that comment, adding that he’s “lucky.” When asked who she thinks Bell’s partner should be, Cher said, “The truth is I trust her. So, you might have something that I don’t see.”
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