By Robert Scucci
| Published 12 seconds ago

I have this nasty habit of watching movies with no rhyme or reason, falling into genre holes, and slowly digging myself out. I do this with actors and directors too, most recently stumbling upon Megan Fox’s Till Death (2021). It’s a home invasion thriller that plays it straight, but has so many funny moments thanks to its pacing and situational humor. Having never seen 2009’s Jennifer’s Body, I figured now would be a good time to check it out, since I now know she works well in the blood-covered baddie wheelhouse.

Jennifer’s Body has everything you could possibly want in a horror comedy. It leans into young adult tropes, giving it an inherent amount of campiness because every adult is beyond clueless. It’s high school, you know, the most important four years of your life, so for the kids involved, everybody is in a heightened state because they have little to no real-world experience, but they’re also in mortal danger thanks to a very peculiar series of events that occur in their community.

Throw a blood-sucking succubus into the equation, add gratuitous amounts of splatter for dramatic effect, and Jennifer’s Body ends up being way more fun than it has any right to be, thanks to Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried’s straight-faced commitment to the bit.

Besties Forever

Jennifer’s Body fittingly starts off more like Mean Girls than a horror flick when we’re introduced to our protagonist, Anita “Needy” Lesnicki (Amanda Seyfried), and her super popular bestie, Jennifer Check (Megan Fox). Jennifer is your stereotypical high school beauty queen who can have every underclassman groveling in her presence. Needy is much more reserved, dresses humbly, and likes to keep a low profile despite the fact that she’s best friends with the most popular girl in school.

Needy’s life changes forever when Jennifer decides to take her out to see the indie rock band Low Shoulder at a local bar. Their relationship dynamic goes like this: Jennifer wants to do something, Needy doesn’t, Jennifer bullies Needy into doing it anyway, and Needy reluctantly tags along.

A fire breaks out at the concert and destroys the venue, killing several people in the process, and the girls separate when Jennifer decides she wants to hang out with the band in their van against Needy’s advice. Needy goes home thinking Jennifer is going to do whatever Jennifer always does, but is horrified to learn that whatever happened between the fire and Jennifer’s return has changed her for the worse.

The next time we see Jennifer, she’s covered in blood, seemingly in a trance, before trying to bite Needy in the neck like a vampire. The next day at school, Jennifer looks totally normal, as if the previous night didn’t happen, complete with her usual glowing skin and on-point contouring. However, Needy sees through the illusion. Whenever Jennifer’s looks start to deteriorate, it means she’s hungry and needs to eat one of her classmates to preserve her beauty, starting with the captain of the football team, and chaotically spiraling from that point forward. 

A Vampire Story With A Twist

What sets Jennifer’s Body apart from its contemporaries is its willingness to have fun, and to do it with style. While a $16 million production budget may not sound huge these days, it was enough to allow for some great practical effects. The movie is mostly set in a high school, so it’s reasonable to assume a decent chunk of that budget went toward making sure we got some top-notch gore.

There’s also a level of campiness that really drives things forward because this movie is basically Mean Girls meets The Lost Boys in terms of its sense of humor. Jennifer knows she’s transformed into something terrible, and while Needy knows something is clearly wrong, she has to use her smarts to figure out exactly how to break the spell that turned her into a blood-sucking monster with impeccable taste in fashion.

The plot line involving the band, and their recurring presence in Devil’s Kettle, Minnesota, keeps things lively, but also hints at a much more sinister undertone once you learn how connected they are to Jennifer’s sudden transformation from high school bombshell to salacious succubus. There’s really no fat on this movie. Every character and plot line that gets introduced serves a purpose rather than getting brushed aside and forgotten about. 

In 2026, Jennifer’s Body feels like pretty standard horror comedy fare, especially after movies like The Babysitter (2017) and Little Evil (2017). Both films, along with plenty of others, latched onto a similar formula, but Jennifer’s Body is still one of the earlier examples of the modern mainstream horror comedy as far as I’m concerned. It’s gory, but not too gory. It’s sexy, but not over the top to the point where any mature teen watching with their parents would immediately want to crawl out of their skin. Most importantly, it’s fun.

Between the emotional manipulation and blood sucking, we’re still reminded that growing up anywhere is difficult, and friendship matters. Especially when the occult is involved and your best friend happens to be the person causing all the collateral damage. After all, you want to stay on Jennifer’s good side.

As of this writing, Jennifer’s Body is streaming on Netflix.

By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 18 seconds ago

Star Wars is a franchise full of quotable lines, which is why the Prequel Trilogy became the center of so many hilarious memes. One of my favorites comes from the Original Trilogy, when Darth Vader disses his old master, Obi-Wan Kenobi, with the hard line, “Now, his failure is complete.”

Even as a kid, I was fascinated by the idea that failure was not necessarily a fixed state. Just as the Dark Lord of the Sith could slip further and further into the Dark Side, it’s possible for a smaller failure to get increasingly worse over time.

Ironically enough, this line perfectly sums up the Disney era of Star Wars. The House of Mouse made some major mistakes with this franchise early on with a Sequel Trilogy so bad that it drove Star Wars out of theaters for the better part of a decade. They had to pivot to making TV shows, and the only real unqualified success was The Mandalorian. Now unable to get any new ideas to the big screen, Disney is about to premiere The Mandalorian and Grogu, and the fact that their last hope is to make a movie based on a past-its-prime series proves one thing: Disney’s failure is now complete.

The Beginning of the End

In retrospect, it’s clear that the beginning of the end for Star Wars was 2017’s The Last Jedi. While I personally enjoyed the film (it was beautifully shot and took big, creative swings), the majority of fans didn’t agree. The film subverted expectations in several hated ways, including killing Snoke and transforming Luke Skywalker into a cranky curmudgeon.

The second Sequel Trilogy film yielded solid box-office returns ($1.3 billion), but it generated enough negative word of mouth that the next movie suffered. Solo: A Star Wars Story made only $393 million against a $366 million budget, meaning it actually lost money once you factor in marketing and distribution costs.

This failure caused Disney to pivot, transforming several intended film projects (including movies featuring Boba Fett and Obi-Wan Kenobi) into TV shows. On paper, this was supposed to help drive subscribers to Disney+, letting the studio have it both ways: audiences would get their Star Wars fix at home through these series and in theaters through movies like 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker. However, that final sequel film was a critical and commercial failure (it made “only” a billion and has a 51 percent critical score on Rotten Tomatoes), which is why we haven’t seen a new Star Wars film in theaters since 2019.

See You, Space Cowboy

The Star Wars shows on Disney+ have proven to be a decidedly mixed bag. Some series that seemed like they’d be surefire hits failed to energize the fandom, including Obi-Wan Kenobi and The Book of Boba Fett. Some shows were hard to appreciate if you didn’t know the deep lore.

For example, you might be lost watching Ahsoka if you didn’t previously watch the entirety of Rebels. Meanwhile, The Acolyte was a complete and mind-bogglingly expensive failure. Ultimately, the only breakout success was The Mandalorian, which focused (at least, at first) on episodic adventures in the vein of a Firefly-esque space western. 

Now, Disney is bringing that show’s two main characters to the big screen later this month with The Mandalorian and Grogu. It’s the kind of film that fans would have eaten up a few years ago, back when The Mandalorian was the hottest show in a galaxy far, far away.

The show fell off in a big way over time. On Rotten Tomatoes, the first two seasons had both fan and critical ratings above 90 percent. But critics gave Season 3 an 84 percent, while fans gave it a much lower, much harsher 51 percent.

In other words, Disney waited until half the fandom hated The Mandalorian before deciding to bring its heroes to the big screen. Furthermore, even most fans looking forward to The Mandalorian and Grogu are worried it will feel more like an extended TV episode than a blockbuster feature film.

These factors at least partially explain why the film is projected to earn only $80 million in its opening weekend. That’s $4 million less than Solo: A Star Wars Story earned, meaning The Mandalorian and Grogu is on track to earn less money than any live-action Star Wars movie in cinematic history. 

Disney’s Failure Is Complete

Now, it’s clear that Disney’s failure is complete when it comes to Star Wars. The failure of the Sequel Trilogy created a ripple effect that turned Solo into a box-office bomb, ultimately canceling a series of intended films. After the failure of The Rise of Skywalker, execs kept canceling exciting movie projects, including Patty Jenkins’ Rogue Squadron. Disney was forced to focus entirely on Star Wars TV shows, which generated mostly disappointment and failures after the initial success of The Mandalorian.

Disney is now forced to put The Mandalorian on the big screen as a Hail Mary attempt to make Star Wars relevant to moviegoing audiences again. But after over a decade of mishandling the franchise, they have ensured that The Mandalorian and Grogu will have the worst opening of any live-action Star Wars film. Sure, more projects are in development (like Starfighter, starring Ryan Gosling), but Disney is in a precarious place. Should The Mandalorian and Grogu bomb as Solo did, it may poison future box office returns just like The Last Jedi did. 

That would make this more than just another cinematic failure for this galaxy far, far away. After nearly half a century of entertaining fans, we may actually be witnessing the end of the Star Wars franchise as we know it.

Latto knows how to keep her fans wanting more with vulnerable tracks, creative visuals, and catchy hooks. One thing about Big Mama, she’s always gonna deliver. Since the release of her album ‘Sugar Honey Iced Tea’ in 2024, many supporters have been waiting for her next body of work. However, following the latest announcement, the celebration has come to a halt as supporters reacted with mixed feelings.

RELATED: Sheesh! See Why GloRilla’s Sister Victoria Woods Mentions Megan Thee Stallion, Brandon Ingram & Latto In Diss ‘Therapy’ 

Latto Announces Her Plans To Retire From Rap 

After a hiatus from the public eye at the beginning of 2026, Latto lit the internet up back in March after revealing she was expecting a baby. She also shared that fans could look forward to her upcoming project, ‘Big Mama.’ Supporters felt like they had finally hit the jackpot and were excited to see her dropping music again. Fast forward to May, Latto shifted the energy for many supporters after taking to her X account to announce the next step in her rap career. The rapper thanked supporters in a tweet, writing, “5/29 my retirement album thank you for everything .”

Social Media Reacts 

Many gathered under The Shade Room Teens as they reacted to Latto’s announcement. While some understood that she could possibly be taking time away to enjoy mommy life, other fans were left upset and confused by the decision. Critics even questioned whether the rapper was seriously retiring or simply teasing the rollout for her upcoming project. 

Instagram user @chelseaafiaa wrote, “She better be playing, not in the mood for bs”

Instagram user @thetni_  added, “She might want to focus on being a mom for awhile. Nothing wrong with that”

While Instagram user @jaylynnsamara_ wrote. “bro wassup with the new rappers being quitters”

Instagram user @hoodbarbiie_vu wrote. “She ain’t even been in long enough to use the retirement shyt to get a few lil extra streams girl please”

Instagram user @niaprettyflacko added, “She been in the game since she was 12+, yall be forgetting !”

While Instagram user @we_liveon4 wrote, “So is this a tactic for everyone to listen???”

Instagram user @IOnglivetywrote, ““My retirement album” more clicks and plays… yall gone fall it for it everytime”

Instagram user @pyouongame added, “lol this is a lie yall! She too young, this”

While Instagram user @blancosent.ya wrote, “She about to be a mother, her baby daddy rich & she bad af. She dont gotta waste her time trynna be a rapper. I respect the hell out this. Get out while you ahead. Shoutout to her and best of luck to her with whatever she wants to pursue next.”

Here’s What We Know So Far About Latto’s ‘Big Mama’ Album

While Latto may be getting ready to step away from the music game, supporters are still waiting for her upcoming project. So far, the rapper has stepped out with two releases. Her first drop, ‘Buisness & Personal Intro,’ gave fans a glimpse into her world as an expecting first-time mommy. She later followed up with ‘GOMF’ featuring rapper GloRilla, where she appeared to clap back at some of the internet chatter and tea room comments. 👀

On Apple Music, the project currently appears to feature 17 tracks, including another song titled ‘Somebody.’ While Latto was announcing her pregnancy, she also shared that while she was away from the internet, she had really been cooking things up in the studio. The rapper has been very open that despite critics she’s more motivated than ever at this time of her life. 

RELATED: Latto Reflects On Accidentally Revealing Her Pregnancy In Viral Post Ahead Of Her ‘Business & Personal’ Video Release (WATCH)

Movie lovers today are living in a true golden age of sci-fi cinema. The releases of such monumental blockbuster epics like Project Hail Mary, the Dune movies, and even animated gems like The Wild Robot and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse are just some of the bigger, more mainstream titles that exemplify the era of science-fiction perfection the 2020s have been so far. But the strength of the genre throughout the first half of the decade isn’t only presented in the most brilliant movie masterpieces it has seen.

Also bolstering the growing claim that the 2020s could be the greatest decade for sci-fi cinema in the medium’s history is an extensive list of great albeit slightly flawed films that capture the gravitas, spectacle, and cerebral might of the genre. Ranging from action epics to probing horror, underrated animated treats, and even experimental independent gems, these near-perfect sci-fi movies support the idea that the 2020s are the genre’s golden era on the big screen.

10

‘The Creator’ (2023)

Image via 20th Century Studios

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A compelling watch, not only in terms of its thematic insights and sheer spectacle, but in its ability to perfect some elements while mishandling others, The Creator is both incredibly close to achieving sci-fi perfection and quite a ways off it. Set in a future where humanity is at war with artificial intelligence, it follows former soldier Joshua (John David Washington) as he is recruited to uncover a new weapon that has the potential to wipe out mankind. However, when he discovers it is an A.I. in the form of a child, he struggles to go through with the mission.

Its original premise is supported by bold thematic ideas, stunning visual effects, and engrossing world-building. However, The Creator falters in its character development and its plotting, with an overly slow opening and a condensed and muddled ending, unable to support the weight of the central themes. It is undeniably a great sci-fi movie, a treat of blockbuster grandeur imbued with mindfulness and timely relevance, but it never quite achieves perfection despite its litany of admirable qualities. That said, it has become a streaming sensation of late despite its mixed critical reception and its box office failure.

9

‘Crimes of the Future’ (2022)

Image via NEON

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While it certainly won’t be to everyone’s taste, Crimes of the Future is a peculiarly beautiful marriage of extreme body horror and piercing social commentary that epitomizes veteran director David Cronenberg at his absolute best. In a future where humans have evolved to a synthetic environment, performance artist Saul Tenser (Viggo Mortensen) and his wife and colleague publicly display the metamorphosis of his organs. As they are tailed by an investigator for the National Organ Registry, they also learn Tenser’s notoriety is being used by a group trying to expose the next step in human evolution.

It walks a fine line between grotesque gratuity and graphic, thematically loaded arthouse exuberance, but Cronenberg is, as always, assured in his ideas. Crimes of the Future’s exploration of mankind’s integration with technology, the exploitative nature of the human body being presented as art, and issues of surveillance and government control ensure it elevates above simple shock value to be a provocative, thought-provoking sci-fi horror.

8

‘The Invisible Man’ (2020)

Image via Universal Pictures

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A number of films in recent years have served as remakes of classic horror titles that, rather than simply rehashing the original stories with more special effects, have molded the innate themes and ideas of the narratives to comment on trending social issues. The Invisible Man is one of the best examples, turning H. G. Wells’ renowned short story—and the iconic 1933 movie based on the tale—into a richly suspenseful meditation on the trauma that lingers in the wake of an abusive and toxic relationship.

Elizabeth Moss stars as Cecilia, the former partner of an optics engineer, who fled their house to get away from him, only to hear he had committed suicide two weeks later. As she struggles with feelings of sorrow and relief, she begins to feel disconcerted by an ominous, unseen presence around her, leading to a macabre suspicion that her ex’s death may not have been what it first seemed. Eerie, effective, and often excruciating, The Invisible Man is a snappy sci-fi thriller that loads a classic tale with modern sensitivities with impressive results.

7

‘Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes’ (2020)

Image via Tollywood

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A hidden gem from Japan, Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes is a sharp and snappy sci-fi comedy that puts every cent of its low-budget production to exceptional use to deliver a high-energy, low-key treat of time travel tension. It transpires as a café owner discovers that his TV can show images from two minutes into the future. Chaos ensues when he and his colleagues try to use it for self-gain.

With a runtime of just 70 minutes, Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes develops an infectious sense of momentum, progressing at a delightfully rapid rate with its premise ensuring new disasters and twists come and go at a frenetic rate. While its frenzied pacing is enrapturing, the comedy sci-fi proves adept at juggling obscene, absurdist fun with well-defined characters and plenty of charm. Inspired, goofy, unique, and utterly magnetic, Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes is a masterclass in extracting profound entertainment from sheer lunacy.

6

‘The Substance’ (2024)

Grotesque, gruesome, and graphically grueling, The Substance continues science fiction’s longstanding relationship with horror cinema as a vessel for both squeamish visuals and cutting thematic prowess. A career-best, Oscar-nominated Demi Moore plays a fading actress who, desperate to return to her glory days, injects herself with a mysterious serum that promises a younger and more beautiful version of herself. Her dreams of rekindled stardom descend into a nightmarish hell, however, when she begins experiencing unexpected side effects.

Writer-director Coralie Fargeat brilliantly conjures a spectacle of striking shocks, defined by the visceral impact of Pierre-Oliver Persin’s extensive practical effects. The rich, meditative drama functions as both character-driven horror and a skewering satire of the superficiality of society and the entertainment industry. Mixing weird, absurdist fun with stomach-churning body horror, The Substance immediately established itself as a cult classic of sci-fi/horror cinema that is sure to be celebrated for years to come by enthusiasts of both genres.

5

‘Tenet’ (2020)

Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

The audience response to Tenet has been fascinating. While few would herald it as being Sir Christopher Nolan’s best movie, there was initially a striking divide between those who appreciated its ambition and those who rejected it for its dense exposition and confounding high-concept premise of inverted entropy. Just six years after its release, its reception seems to be far more favorable, recognized by many as a bold big swing from the modern maestro of blockbuster cinema that overcomes its flaws with a sense of sheer spectacle and audacity.

John David Washington stars as a nameless protagonist who is recruited by “Tenet,” a secret organization specializing in objects that run backwards through time. The operative is tasked with thwarting the apocalyptic plans of Andrei Sator (Kenneth Branagh), a Russian oligarch gathering weaponry from the future to use in the present. Tenet’s detailed plotting and time-shifting antics remain confusing, but the broad strokes present an absorbing treat of big production excitement defined by an arresting intensity, monumental action sequences, and a propulsive sense of momentum.

4

‘Mars Express’ (2023)

Image via GKIDS

As an action-packed adult animation released by the relatively small French distribution company Gebeka Films, Mars Express feels like a massive genre cult classic in the making. Covering everything from spy thrillers to noir mysteries, the 2023 release is a compelling concoction of ideas realized with a beautiful homage to the style of ’90s anime executed with 2D hand-drawn animation blended with digitally constructed, 3D backgrounds that fill out the infectious futuristic story world.

Set in 2200, it follows a private investigator and her android partner as they travel to Mars to track down a notorious hacker in the city of Noctis at the behest of a wealthy businessman. In their investigation, the duo finds a missing girl who holds a secret that could reshape the nature of humanity’s relationship with androids. A ravishing marriage of cyberpunk aesthetic and elaborate mystery sci-fi, Mars Express is sure to be revered as a near-perfect cult hit of the genre in years to come.

3

‘Bugonia’ (2025)

Image via Focus Features

While Yorgos Lanthimos’s Poor Things does stand firmly among the defining masterpieces of sci-fi cinema in the decades so far, it is harder to say with complete conviction that 2025’s Bugonia does. It is certainly an interesting movie, a typically eccentric convergence of genre ideas and thematic observations from Lanthimos that juggles elements of brutal black comedy, skewering satire, sci-fi paranoia, and brilliantly contained suspense to be a relentlessly absorbing watch.

Its narrative is defined by intricacies and twists, but the general outline of the plot revolves around two conspiracy theorists who abduct the CEO of a pharmaceutical company when they become convinced that she is a member of a malevolent alien species. Strengthened by outstanding performances from​​​​​​​ Jesse Plemons and an Oscar-nominated Emma Stone, Bugonia excels as an appropriately absurd and disturbing response to the maddening and often ridiculous suspicion prevalent in modern society. Its heavy-handed nature addresses its thematic point with unmissable weight, but its lack of nuance makes it less remarkable than the director’s more esteemed masterpieces.

2

‘The Mitchells vs. the Machines’ (2021)

Image via Netflix

Riotous, relatable, and splendidly ridiculous, The Mitchells vs. the Machines was something of an immediate hit of animated adventure when it released on Netflix in 2021. With its eye-catching effervescence and exuberant energy, it engrosses viewers of all ages as it follows the gleefully dysfunctional Mitchell family, who, in the midst of a road trip vacation, discover that they are the last hope for humanity as a robot apocalypse erupts.

A true charmer, The Mitchells vs. the Machines thrives through its use of silliness, sight gags, and stupendous set pieces to propel the narrative rather than distract audiences from it. Yes, it isn’t quite on par with some of the decade’s other sci-fi animated sensations—few films of any genre or medium are the equal of movies like Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Still, the 2021 cartoon comedy presents a stunning balance of fun-loving lunacy and heartfelt warmth, resulting in one of the more enjoyable gems of science-fiction cinema and family-friendly animation in recent years.

1

‘Nope’ (2022)

Image via Universal Pictures

Hot off the back of his Oscar-winning debut with Get Out and his stirring sophomore outing with Us, Jordan Peele presented yet another daring high-concept concoction of social commentary, black comedy, harrowing horror, and sci-fi splendor. Adding elements of Western spectacle and family drama into the fold, Nope follows a Californian horse wrangler and rancher as he begins to suspect a lingering cloud in the sky is actually an alien ship and, with help from a small crew, embarks on an endeavor to capture footage of it to profit from his discovery.

While many critiqued its slow pacing and the muddled goals of its characters, Nope still thrives as an engrossing treat of sci-fi storytelling underlined with a timely thematic interest in the exploitation of the phenomenal for self-gain in the modern world of technology and social media. It’s also imbued with several unforgettable sequences of visceral tension, ranging from the terrifying “Gordy” flashbacks to the haunting scene of the alien digesting its prey. Nope is a brilliant exploration of the pitfalls of sensationalism wrapped up in a compelling story of alien discovery.

Action movies are a dime a dozen. Most of the time, audiences aren’t asking for a lot. Like horror fans with a predictable slasher, action junkies are usually happy if a movie gives them plenty of thrilling fight scenes, suspenseful car chases, and a few gun fights and cool one-liners thrown in. Actors like Steven Seagal and Chuck Norris built very successful careers this way, even though many of their films weren’t all that great.

When done well though, action can transcend the tropes and do so much more because the genre has so few limitations. In these worlds, whatever you can think of is possible. The Fast and Furious franchise recognized this. But then there are those action masterpieces that are something more, becoming a stunning visual work of art on the big screen. These 10 action movies will make your jaw drop.

10

‘Sicario’ (2015)

Image via Lionsgate

Sicario is the product of two current Hollywood heavyweights. Directed by Denis Villeneuve from a script by Taylor Sheridan, the film follows FBI agent Katie Macer (Emily Blunt) as she joins a government task force to take down a drug cartel. Sicario isn’t a simple action flick with good guys and bad guys, because the more Kate gets involved, the more she sees that those show works for aren’t so trustworthy.

With Blade Runner 2029 and the Dune films, Villeneuve is regarded as a visionary. He’s treated his movies like art since the very beginning and Sicario is no different. Famed cinematographer Roger Deakins was hired to shoot the director’s seventh film. Instead of using chaotic camerawork to match the chaotic plot, Deakins pulls back and stays steady, putting the audience with the characters and letting them and the stunning visuals tell the story. His efforts resulted in a Best Cinematography nomination at the Academy Awards.

9

‘Die Hard’ (1988)

Image via 20th Century Studios

It’s not hyperbole to say that John McTiernan‘s Die Hard might be the greatest and most famous action movie of all-time. Coming out in the late 80s, it could have been just another over-the-top shoot ’em up, but casting Bruce Willis, in the era of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone, to play the iconic John McClane added a touch of realism. In the film, McClane is a New York cop separated from his wife who must now save her when a group of terrorists led by Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) takes over a Christmas party at L.A.’s Nakatomi Plaza.

Die Hard does have the tropes of 80s action, including a badass catchphrase, but what puts it among the greats is its cinematic flare. Most of the plot takes place indoors in the same building, and it’s never suffocating. Cinematographer Jan de Bont, who would later go on to direct Speed and Twister, creates unforgettable imagery. Bruce Willis, lit by the flame of a lighter in an air duct, is a perfect shot. So is the third act slow-motion leap from the top of Nakatomi Plaza, explosions going off in the background. Every scene makes full use of its limited space.

8

‘The Dark Knight’ (2008)

Image via Warner Bros.

Three years after Batman Begins, Christopher Nolan returned with The Dark Knight. As good as the first film was, the follow-up took things to a different level. Christian Bale was back as Bruce Wayne, this time going up against his most well known enemy, the Joker. It can’t be understated what Heath Ledger brought to the Oscar-winning role, but none of it would have mattered if everything around them didn’t work so well.

The Dark Knight also received Academy Award nominations for Art Direction, Visual Effects, and Cinematography, winning for Best Sound Editing. IMAX cameras made the film feel larger than life, while realistic blue and green hues brought it down to Earth with a real-world look not interested in the bright colors of the superhero genre. The Joker is especially framed perfectly in everything from the opening bank reveal of Ledger removing his mask, to the finale, where the camera twists and turns to show an upside-down Joker right side up.

7

‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ (1981)

Image via Paramount Pictures

If anyone knows how to make a movie pure cinema, it’s Steven Spielberg. By 1981, he’d already proven it several times over with movies like Jaws. Then, pairing up with George Lucas, he created a modern action classic with Raiders of the Lost Ark, the first entry in the Indiana Jones franchise. Harrison Ford‘s dry humor adds so much to the character as the adventurer sets out on a journey to get to the Ark of the Covenant before the Nazis can.

Raiders of the Lost Ark is a fun epic built for the big screen. The settings are dazzling and John Williams‘ bombastic score is known by all. At the 1982 Oscars, the film won five trophies, including for Best Sound and Best Visual Effects. It’s a shame that cinematographer Douglas Slocombe didn’t win one too. He brought the elements to cohesion with skilled lighting techniques and lingering tracking shots. From the brilliant opening scene onward, Raiders of the Lost Ark showed audiences what they had to look forward to for the next decade.

6

‘Terminator 2: Judgment Day’ (1991)

Image via Tri-Star Pictures

James Cameron‘s The Terminator is a mixture of horror and sci-fi, with a killer cyborg on the hunt for Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton), the future mother of the human resistance. Just like he did with Aliens, following Ridley Scott‘s Alien, everything about Terminator 2: Judgment Day is bigger and better. Now, the Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is the badass good guy, and he’s tasked with protecting Sarah’s preteen son, John (Edward Furlong). With such a big plot, Cameron goes all in.

Terminator 2: Judgment Day is near the top of every list for the best action movie ever made. The CGI effects are revolutionary and a supplement to a non-stop plot with one big set piece after another. The semi vs motorcycle chase scene is shot with precision by cinematographer Adam Greenberg. Another chase scene, where Robert’s Patrick T-1000’s chases after the heroes in a helicopter that swoops under bridges, is stunning in its impossibility. It won four Oscars and flipped the script on what action was capable of doing.

5

‘Seven Samurai’ (1954)

Image via Toho

Akira Kurosawa is a filmmaking legend responsible for such classics as Rashomon and Ikiru. Seven Samurai, however, is his masterpiece. You want cinematic? How about an action film that’s 207 minutes long?! When news spreads that bandits are planning to invade a small town, the residents are desperate for help. This leads them to the seven samurai who can protect them.

That’s a too easy synopsis for such a giant movie. Kurosawa nails it with the execution. He takes his time, establishing his characters first and letting the suspense build. When the action reaches a crescendo in an all-out climax, the director has the viewer on the edge of their seat with his multi-camera fight scenes and sweeping shots. Kurosawa’s directing style influenced everything from the American westerns that came after to more modern action films.

4

‘The Raid: Redemption’ (2011)

Image via PT Merantau Films

Written and directed by Gareth Evans, the Indonesian action film The Raid: Redemption is remembered for its innovations. It stars Iko Uwais as Rama, a rookie cop who is one of the only members of his team left alive when they’re gunned down during a raid on a drug lord’s territory. He and a few others are in a fight to death in one violent gun battle after another all the way to the stunning finale.

The Raid: Redemption is absolutely brutal in its violence. It’s like a non-stop video game where a new bad guy is around every turn for our hero to deal with. It does it all in quarters tighter than what Die Hard had to deal with. Despite its intense pace, Gareth does not give into the usual 21st century shaky cam tropes. He focuses on the action, letting it play out like a twisted painting leaping off the screen.

3

‘John Wick’ (2014)

Image via Lionsgate

You can take your pick about which movie from this franchise to put on the list. All of them are action perfection, but we’ll go with the 2014 original John Wick. Directed by former stuntman Chad Stahelski, Keanu Reeves stars as the titular character, a hitman looking for a way out. He only wants to grieve for his dead wife, but one day, thugs break in and kill the puppy his wife had left him. Pushed to the brink, Wick fights back and slaughters everyone in his path.

John Wick is like a samurai movie with guns in place of swords. It’s not about easy point and shoot gun fights. Stahelski delivers highly-stylized and choreographed fight scenes in front of dark, slick colors. The fact that it was made by a man who once made stunts his livelihood shows. The plot is thin, but it more than makes up for it with its unrelenting mayhem. Keanu Reeves’ performance in the chaos resurrected a lagging career and made him one of the most famous actors on the planet all over again.

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‘The Matrix’ (1999)

Image via Warner Bros.

Before John Wick, there was The Matrix. It defined pop culture and science fiction in 1999. Written by the Wachowskis, Keanu Reeves is a computer programmer named Neo who discovers that the world he’s living in is a simulation. Now he helps lead a revolution to break free with the likes of Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) and Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) as they battle the Agent Smiths (Hugo Weaving) programmed to stop them from getting out.

The cinematography, led by Bill Pope, in The Matrix was legendary at the end of the 20th century and has been copied often. The film won four much deserved Oscars for Best Film Editing, Sound, Sound Effects Editing, and Visual Effects. Perhaps most impressive of all is what is called “Bullet Time”, which allowed multiple cameras to film the same scene from different angles, which made the viewer feel like they were witnessing the camera swoop in through a still shot.

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‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ (2015)

Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

Several entries on this list were so good that they launched a franchise. Then there’s Mad Max: Fury Road, the fourth movie in George Miller‘s sweeping epic and the first without Mel Gibson. Now played by Tom Hardy, the post-apocalyptic sees Max mostly playing second fiddle to Charlize Theron‘s Furiosa, a War Rig driver who has decided to fight back and save her people.

The original trilogy was highly regarded, but no one was prepared for Fury Road put on the screen. It’s an action movie pushed to the limits in every technical aspect. The sweeping desert setting is amazing to look at, the score will make you sweat, and the characters are perfect over-the-top zaniness. What really sets this one apart, though, is how hard it pushes. Once it gets going, it doesn’t slow down, with one spectacularly wild scene after another. Nothing has been able to compare to it since.

Young and the Restless brings some wild new spoilers for next week, including Patty Williams (Stacy Haiduk) bizarre run-in with Matt Clark (Sean Dominic) that has some sparks flying. We’ve also got Phyllis Summers‘ (Michelle Stafford) big move and Adam Newman (Mark Grossman) hurling accusations at Nick Newman (Joshua Morrow).

Nick Tells Victoria About His Drug Addiction

So, first of all, let’s talk about Nick and Adam Newman. So, at the end of this week, Nick was up at the GCAC to meet Victoria Newman (Amelia Heinle). But when Christian Newman, you know, that kid of his we never see or hear about, actually calls Nick, maybe to say, “Hey, Dad, when are you coming home?” Um, he kind of turns around to take the call and that’s how he misses seeing that Matt Clark is at the GCAC and the guy walks right by. So after that, Nick goes to sit with his sister Victoria and she’s got questions about exactly what happened in Vegas. Because nobody has really given her a lot of details.

So Nick fills in Victoria about Adam and Rizza Thomas (Tina Casciani) and also about how Matt lured Sharon Newman (Sharon Case) and Noah Newman into basically a death trap and held them captive in the gas station garage and then tried to blow all of them up. And Nick also told Victoria they don’t know if Matt is really dead. Because his body hasn’t turned up. Then Nick tells Victoria that he fell into drug addiction after the car accident and surgery. And Nick tells her he got in over his head with fentanyl. He also says Matt gave him some bad fentanyl and then he overdosed. And Victoria says this isn’t Nick’s fault.

Young and the Restless Spoilers: Victoria Blamers Herself

And Victoria actually blames herself for not seeing the signs and not being there for Nick, which is very sweet. And Victoria asks if Nick is sure that he won’t relapse. That is a great question. Because he really should be in inpatient rehab, but instead he’s going to meetings and Sharon recommended I don’t know if it was an outpatient or an online thing, but probably not what he needs, you know.

So, the big reveal that Matt is alive and in Genoa City could push Nick back onto fentanyl. Because in next week’s Young and the Restless spoilers, Adam confronts his brother when we see Nick looking worse for wear. He’s all edgy. He’s kind of rumpled and stained. So, he tells Adam, “Just spit it out.

You know, if you’re going to accuse me, just do it.” And so, he asked Nick, “Are you using again?” So given that Adam saw the symptoms when Nick was tweaking in Las Vegas, yeah, I’d be worried that he did fall off the wagon and start using again and Adam has noticed. Because really Nick’s addiction cleared up way too fast to be believable. So a relapse seems likely.

Matt Has a Run-In with Noah

All right, let’s talk now a little more about Matt. At the end of this week, he was at the GCAC bar. He was chatting with Phyllis about being a town pariah, not knowing who he is. There was a little bit of a flirty vibe. And after narrowly avoiding a run-in with Nick, we’ve got Matt up at the Chancellor Park Cafe where Audra Charles (Zuleyka Silver) sees him and calls out Mitch, the name that she’s always called him.

So Noah happens to be nearby. Because he was chatting with Audra. And of course, Noah flips out when he sees Matt. So, as this week of episodes end, Noah charges at Matt and the guy doesn’t know what’s going on. He’s trying to stop Noah from attacking him, saying he lost his memory. And Matt’s begging Noah to please tell me who I am. And of course, he thinks Matt is faking.

When Noah goes to grab him again, we’ve got Matt punching him basically in self-defense. Because he has no idea why this is happening, and he runs off. Then Noah calls Grandpa Victor Newman (Eric Braeden) and tells him Matt is in Genoa City and sucker punched him and took off. So, by the way, it looks like Roger Howarth is sticking around. As of earlier this week, he was still filming scenes as Matt. Michelle Stafford posted a video of the two of them in hair and makeup earlier this week together. That means we’re likely going to have villainous Matt at least until early June on Y&R, which is interesting.

Matt Runs into Patty Williams

So clearly Victor’s security people are lax as always. Because next week Young and the Restless spoilers have Matt walking right into Sharon’s coffee shop. He’s up at Crimson Lights and he runs into another lunatic town pariah, Patty Williams. And Matt gives Patty kind of a really flirty look and she gives him one back and they’re smiling at each other. Let’s hope these two just keep walking because the idea of Matt teaming up with Patty could be a real problem for everybody in Genoa City because they are both violent psychos.

Phyllis Has Something Better In Mind

And speaking of psychos who dislike the Newmans, let’s talk about Phyllis. So, turns out the Newmans not only, you know, fed fake evidence to petty new DA Cricket, but they’re also sabotaging Summer’s conglomerate. And Lauren Fenmore (Tracey E. Bregman) tells Phyllis that there’s deals being scrapped. And Phyllis assumes Victor’s behind it. Lauren warns Phyllis even if she wins the court case, things could still fall apart. Because Victor’s destabilizing everything. Lauren will stick around and stay loyal, but she worries Phyllis isn’t going to be able to deal with all this.

Young and the Restless Spoilers: Will Phyllis Accept Help?

So, next week, Young and the Restless spoilers have Michael Baldwin (Christian LeBlanc) hoping that Phyllis is ready to let him really help her. And Michael is hoping Phyllis will give back Newman Enterprises to Victor if the criminal charges can be dropped. But no, of course, can’t be that easy. She tells Michael that she has something better in mind. So, the big question is, what in the world is Phyllis up to now? We know she’s not going to go down. She’s not going to cave to Victor without a fight. I expect more dirty moves from her. And we still have to see if the arrests are done or if Billy Abbott (Jason Thompson) also winds up in handcuffs soon.

I’m still hoping that Victor is outed for using the AI on others because he did it all first. I mean, surely Cane or Matt’s business records could prove that the AI was in there doing its thing. Honestly, Josh Griffith just got pushed out as executive producer. And if this plot ends with Victor facing no consequences, they should go ahead and fire him as head writer, too. I mean, honestly, I think Josh should be fired as head writer anyway, because he’s a mediocre, repetitive writer who loves retcons and ridiculous stuff. And the AI plot is just the latest bad thing that explains why he needs to go.

More Spoilers for Next Week

We’re also going to see next week more of Lily Winters (Christel Khalil) getting closer to Cane Ashby (Daniel Goddard) now that he is doing all he can to save Malcolm Winters (Shemar Moore) despite his arrest. Plus, Claire Grace Newman (Hayley Erin) gets closer to Holden Novak (Nathan Owens) and they’re going to be headed to New York City for Malcolm’s procedure.

Claire’s definitely going because Holden promised the whole truth about what went down with him and Audra and Claire cannot resist. Meanwhile, Audra keeps putting herself in Noah’s orbit, and Sienna Bacall (Tamara Braun) is not going to like that one bit. She has never been a fan of Audra’s anyway, and now with her checking out Noah, that’s a problem.

Y&R is on fire next week, so don’t miss an episode and check back for our weekly spoilers video, our weekly predictions, and lots more for the week of May 11th through the 15th.

Valerie Bertinelli had an unexpectedly unfiltered moment on live television after accidentally dropping not one, but two explicit words during an appearance on “Today with Jenna & Sheinelle.” The actress appeared on the show on Thursday to promote her upcoming “Love, Again,” but the conversation quickly went off-script thanks to a pair of accidental slip-ups that left both Valerie Bertinelli and the hosts stunned.

The first moment happened while Bertinelli was discussing her emotionally heavy role in “Love, Again,” where she plays a caregiver supporting her husband through Alzheimer’s.

“She’s just trying to hold it together. I just identified with her wholeheartedly,” Bertinelli explained. “Where I’m one of those people where no matter what I’m going through, I will put that happy face on so I don’t bring my sh-t to other, sorry. Bring my stuff to other people.”

The actress immediately realized what she had said and quickly apologized to co-hosts Jenna Bush Hager and Sheinelle Jones. “I’m so terrible. I’m so sorry,” she said.

Bertinelli Dropped Curses Again Minutes Later

But the live TV chaos didn’t stop there. Later in the interview, Bertinelli began discussing dating and independence when she accidentally let another curse word fly. “I am so independent and I can do anything I want, so leave me the f-ck alone,” she declared. “Oops, that’s a second one!”

Bush Hager quickly pointed out as Bertinelli appeared shocked by herself. “Geez Louise! I’ll never be invited back again,” the actress joked afterward. “I’m sorry! God, what is wrong with me?”

She then blamed the mishaps on getting older. “You know what, it’s the 66-year-old disease where you just don’t care what comes out of your mouth,” she explained, before once again apologizing to viewers.

‘Love, Again’ Marks Valerie Bertinelli’s Return To TV Acting

The appearance came as Bertinelli gears up for the premiere of “Love, Again,” which debuts May 9. The film explores themes of grief, resilience, caregiving, and rediscovering love later in life. Ahead of the movie’s release, Bertinelli also shared a heartfelt Instagram post revealing how deeply the project affected her while filming.

“This is the first time I have not regretted an all-nighter and instead welcomed it and everything that went into it,” she wrote. “The gorgeous sunrise and the bird song was the gift at the end of a challenging, yet productive, 14 hour day.” She also praised writer Nancy Silvers for creating what she called a “raw, beautiful and heartbreaking” script.

It marks Bertinelli’s first major scripted television role in more than a decade following the end of “Hot in Cleveland,” where she starred alongside Betty White, Jane Leeves, and Wendie Malick from 2010 through 2015.

Valerie Bertinelli Says She Hasn’t Experienced ‘Intimate Love’ In Over A Decade

During the interview, Bertinelli also opened up about her personal life and admitted that while she’s surrounded by love, she still misses having a true romantic partner. After co-host Jenna Bush Hager asked whether her new movie inspired her to think about love again following her split from Tom Vitale in 2022 and the loss of ex-husband Eddie Van Halen in 2020, Bertinelli reflected candidly on where she currently stands emotionally.

“I have such exquisite love in my life. I have my animals. I have my girlfriends. I have my son and his beautiful wife. I have my brothers. I have my family. I have beautiful love in my life,” she shared. “But there’s something about intimate love, and I write about it in my book,” she continued, referencing her memoir “Getting Naked: The Quiet Work of Becoming Perfectly Imperfect.” “There’s something about an intimate love with a partner, and I haven’t had a partner in over a decade at least.”

The actress explained that although she values her independence, there’s still part of her that misses having a true companion. “I do miss that,” she admitted. “But then there’s another part of this, like, I am so independent and I can do everything on my own.”

Valerie Bertinelli Reflects On Love, Divorce, And What She Still Wants In A Partner

Bertinelli has also been increasingly honest about her complicated relationship history and what she’s still searching for emotionally. The actress was married to legendary guitarist Eddie Van Halen from 1981 until 2007, and the former couple shares a son, Wolfgang Van Halen. She later married Tom Vitale in 2011 before the pair split in 2022. Following that divorce, Bertinelli confirmed she was dating writer Mike Goodnough in April 2024, though the relationship reportedly ended later that same year.

During a recent conversation with PEOPLE, Bertinelli admitted the end of both marriages left her struggling with feelings of failure. “Two divorces behind me, I felt like a failure,” she shared. “I didn’t know what love actually meant, really, real true (love).”

While reflecting on her marriage to Van Halen, Bertinelli revealed he came the closest to giving her that feeling. “Ed and I had it for glimpses, but I really never really experienced it for any length of time. And I still haven’t,” she admitted. “You know, Ed was the closest I’ve ever come to feeling true true love.”

The actress also explained that emotional safety has become one of the most important qualities she looks for in a relationship. “I want someone to feel emotionally safe with me, like they can open up and be vulnerable with me because I’ll protect that and I want to feel protected,” she said. “And I haven’t experienced that either where my vulnerability has been respected and held on to.”

Still, despite the heartbreak she’s experienced over the years, Bertinelli confirmed she remains open to finding love again, though she’s also reached a point where she’s comfortable on her own if it never happens.

The 2021 Mortal Kombat reboot is the #1 movie streaming on HBO Max.

By Charlene Badasie
| Published 1 minute ago

Mortal Kombat has fought its way into the top ten on the U.S. HBO Max streaming charts. The data is recorded by Flixpatrol, a site that tracks viewing data across multiple platforms worldwide. Based on the popular video game franchise created by Ed Boon and John Tobias, the 2021 movie is now streaming on HBO Max and serves as a reboot of the film series following the critical and commercial failure of Mortal Kombat: Annihilation in 1997.

Directed by Simon McQuoid from a screenplay by Greg Russo and Dave Callaham, Mortal Kombat follows a mixed martial arts fighter named Cole Young. Dealing with a failed career, he is unaware of his hidden lineage or why he is being hunted by an assassin known as Sub-Zero. Concerned for his family’s safety, he seeks out Sonya Blade.

After speaking with a Special Forces Major named Jax, who bears the same dragon marking Cole had since birth. His journey leads him to the temple of Elder God Lord Raiden. As protector of Earthrealm, he offers sanctuary to those bearing the dragon mark. To stand with Earth’s protectors against the Outworld enemies, Cole trains with Liu Kang, Kung Lao, and Kano as they prepare for battle.

After an intense battle, Shang Tsung vows to return with an army for the next fight. As a result, Raiden declares his intention to train new warriors for the next tournament, tasking his current champions with their recruitment. Cole leaves for Los Angeles to find Hollywood martial arts movie star Johnny Cage, setting up the story for the Mortal Kombat sequel.

The Cast Of Mortal Kombat 2021

The film stars Lewis Tan as Cole Young alongside Jessica McNamee as Sonya Blade, Josh Lawson as Kano, Mehcad Brooks as Jackson “Jax” Briggs, Ludi Lin as Liu Kang, and Max Huang as Kung Lao. Other popular characters from the Mortal Kombat video game are also featured. This includes Tadanobu Asano as Raiden, Hiroyuki Sanada as Hanzo Hasashi/Scorpion, and Joe Taslim as Bi-Han/Sub-Zero.

The cast also showcased the talents of Sisi Stringer as Mileena, Chin Han as Shang Tsung, Matilda Kimber as Emily Young, Laura Brent as Allison Young, Mel Jarnson as Nitara, Nathan Jones as Reiko, and Daniel Nelson as Kabal. Damon Herriman and Angus Sampson lend their voices to Mortal Kombat bad guys Kabal and Goro, respectively.

Response To Mortal Kombat

Mortal Kombat was a hit with fans, grossing $84.4 million worldwide. Critics had mixed feelings about the film, which currently holds a 54% rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.

The site’s general consensus says the film is mainly for fans of the source material, but is flawed. Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the movie a B+ average on a scale from A to F.

Why Everyone’s Streaming Mortal Kombat Now

The renewed interest in Mortal Kombat is being fueled by the release of Mortal Kombat II, which arrives in theaters this weekend. Directed once again by Simon McQuoid, the sequel finally centers the franchise around the actual Mortal Kombat tournament while introducing fan favorite Johnny Cage, played by Karl Urban.

The new film expands the roster significantly with the addition of Kitana, Jade, Shao Kahn, and Noob Saibot, while trailers have emphasized larger-scale fights, more recognizable game mythology, and far more elaborate fatalities. Early reactions suggest the sequel leans harder into the over-the-top tone and tournament structure that fans wanted from the 2021 reboot, positioning it as a much bigger, more crowd-pleasing adaptation of the games.

New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel and NFL reporter Dianna Russini were reportedly nervous to be seen together amid their years-long relationship. 

Vrabel, 50, and Russini, 43, were “cautious” about pictures being taken during their private boat trip together in June 2021, according to TMZ Sports, who posted video of the excursion on Thursday, May 7. 

“Coach Vrabel wanted to enjoy a private weekend,” TMZ Sports alleges the boating company was told about the trip, which came just months before Russini gave birth to her first baby with her husband, Kevin Goldschmidt. 

Vrabel did pose for one photo with staff members, but the employees were allegedly told not to share anything publicly. Russini did not take any pictures. 

Related: 12-Year NFL Veteran Makes Wild Claim About Mike Vrabel and Dianna Russini

As the Mike Vrabel and Dianna Russini scandal continues to add more pages than a quarterback’s playbook, an NFL veteran has weighed in on the controversy— and he has a hot take. Former Pro Bowl wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh saw the TMZ report on Wednesday, May 6, showing alleged visual evidence that the pair rented […]

The boating trip happened in Putnam County, Tennessee, during the 2021 NFL offseason, when Vrabel was head coach of the Tennessee Titans. 

Vrabel has been married to his wife, Jen, since 1999 and the couple share two sons: Tyler, 25, and Carter, 24. 

Russini and Goldschmidt welcomed their first son, Michael, in August 2021, and their second son, Joey, in October 2022. 

Us Weekly has reached out to Vrabel and Russini for comment. 

Vrabel and Russini’s relationship has been a viral sensation since last month, when Page Six published photos of them together at a luxury resort in Arizona. The pictures showed the two linking hands, sharing a hot tub and sunbathing together by the pool. 

Both Vrabel and Russini vehemently denied their relationship was romantic right after the first batch of photos was released. 

Related: Drake Maye Called Mike Vrabel ‘Great Human Being’ Before Russini Boat News

New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel had the full support of his quarterback just hours before the latest bomb dropped in his ongoing scandal involving NFL reporter Dianna Russini. Drake Maye called Vrabel, 50, “a great human being” and stressed that he doesn’t think the off-field controversy involving his coach will be a distraction […]

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Since then, however, multiple outlets have shared additional photographic evidence of their relationship, with Page Six publishing photos of the pair seemingly kissing at a bar in New York City in 2020. 

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Before the start of the NFL Draft last month, Vrabel announced he was briefly stepping away from the team to attend counseling.

“I promised my family, this organization and this team that I was going to give them the best version of me that I can possibly give them. In order to do so, I have committed to seeking counseling, starting this weekend,” Vrabel said in a statement to ESPN on April 22. “This is something that I have given a lot of thought to and is something I would advise a player to do if I was counseling them.”

He continued, “I have always wanted to lead by example, and I believe this is what I have to do to be the best husband, father and coach that I possibly can be. This is not an easy thing for me to admit, but it is one that I know will make me a better person. I appreciate the support that everyone has given me and promise a stronger resolve as a result.”