William Goldman’s 1985 novel Heat had the makings of a gritty crime thriller destined to be adapted for the big screen with its exploration of the moody life of a former mercenary-turned-bodyguard, plagued by a gambling addiction and a desire to flee Las Vegas. Goldman’s novel was adapted twice — first, in the 1986 thriller of the same name starring Burt Reynolds under the direction of Dick Richards, and then the 2015 version, called Wild Card, starring Jason Statham by director Simon West.

Reynolds and Statham share something in common: both are world-renowned for their likable charm and ability to handle their own stunts. Yet, where Statham has enjoyed positive collaborations on his films, Reynolds’ bruised ego in the latter half of his career often led to high-profile embarrassments. Neither adaptation of the Goldman novel enjoyed box-office success. However, the Statham version would ultimately become the better take.

What Is William Goldman’s ‘Heat’ About?

According to Sean Egan‘s book William Goldman: The Reluctant Storyteller, the original novel was inspired by the Oscar-winning writer’s distaste for the city of Las Vegas and the seedy means of making a living there. Reynolds’ Heat and Statham’s Wild Card are narrowed down to the Goldman book’s highlights: Las Vegas tough guy Nick “The Mex” Escalante (renamed “Nick Wild” in the Statham version) lives a lonely existence as a “chaperone” with dreams of raising enough money to flee away from Sin City to Venice, Italy. He often gambles in the casinos and takes small jobs to achieve his financial goals, such as allowing a lovelorn client to beat him up to impress a date. The action kicks into gear when Nick gets hired by a sex worker named Holly to get payback against young gangster Danny DeMarco and his thugs who viciously assaulted her. With special combat skills involving edged weapons, Nick succeeds in beating the thugs and allowing Holly to commit a cringe-worthy act on DeMarco’s family jewels.

In the key subplots, Nick gets hired to toughen up a meek rich man, Cyrus, who becomes his unlikely companion. Additionally, Nick seeks to take his earnings from Holly’s job to gamble at the blackjack table to raise enough money to flee to Venice. His luck runs out when he blows all the earnings on a single bet. As Nick finds another path out of Vegas thanks to Cyrus’ generosity, a vengeful DeMarco defies his mobster father “Baby” by hunting the ex-mercenary down.

‘Heat’ Was Burt Reynolds’ Failed Attempt at a Career Comeback

Image via Warner Bros.

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Reynolds saw the Goldman novel as an opportunity to resuscitate his fading movie star status. Recounting this period of his life in his memoir But Enough About Me, the megastar of the ’70s had a string of box office disappointments in the early ’80s and suffered a serious injury to his jaw on the set of City Heat co-starring Clint Eastwood. Additionally, the audience turning to new leading action stars of the day, including Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone, caused the Smokey and the Bandit star to look like a relic of the past. After the failure of his 1985 crime-thriller Stick, Reynolds needed a significant makeover as an on-screen hero. No more fast cars and witty banter with his friend Dom Deluise. The ‘80s was all about men with more action and less talk. Reynolds had to recapture the gritty edge he displayed in his 1981 hit Sharky’s Machine.

On paper, the character of Nick had all the qualities that made Reynolds popular in his prime: masculine, loyal to friends, and a spark in his eye when it came to the ladies. Unfortunately, Heat’s production was troubled right from the start, beginning with director Robert Altman being involved. According to Patrick McGilligan‘s book, Robert Altman: Jumping Off the Cliff – A Biography of the Great American Director, the acclaimed filmmaker behind M*A*S*H dropped out when Goldman refused to change the screenplay adaptation of his novel. Richards took over based on his past collaboration with producer Elliott Kasner on the adaptation of Raymond Chandler‘s Farewell, My Lovely. Reynolds reveals in his memoir that he did not get along with the new director, resulting in a physical altercation that led to a years-long lawsuit. Between Reynolds’ fading star power and the behind-the-scenes creative issues, Heat was nowhere near the intense street-level thriller Goldman described in the novel. Barely released to theaters in 1986, Heat became an infamous footnote in Reynolds’ historic filmmography.

Jason Statham’s Brutality Is on Full Display in ‘Wild Card’

When Wild Card was made decades later, the film was tailored to the British action star known for his proficient martial arts skills and charming wit. Yet, it went as far as faithfully adapting the original screenplay that Goldman wrote before it was altered in production. The story beats remained mostly the same as Heat but with one key difference: Statham is more believable as a prime badass in every scene than the aging, tired-looking Reynolds. Reynolds’ performance in Heat mirrored the state of his career in 1986. Instead of relying heavily on executing big stunts and Southern charm, he plays Nick like a burned out warrior exhausted by the thrills. Though the film leans heavily on Reynolds’ attempt at giving a realistic performance, he ends up losing his signature charisma in the process. Statham, however, is far more action-driven while playing a man wanting out of a violent world.

‘Wild Card’s Director Had Previously Worked With Jason Statham

Image via CBS Films

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Unlike the Reynolds/Richards feud, Statham and West already had a positive working relationship with The Expendables 2 and The Mechanic. With both men having a depth of experience in action, the fight sequences have a greater intensity, closer to Statham’s Crank movies, than the ‘70s-looking approach that Heat took on. One clear-cut example is the scene of Nick using edged items against DeMarco’s thugs. Heat relies on slow-motion shots and quick cuts of Reynolds striking at the camera to hide his physical limitations with age. Wild Card’s version, however, goes even further in cranking the motion of the shots, similar to The Matrix’s bullet-time technique, for the audience to get the full effect of Nick’s brutality.

Wild Card’s more cohesive actor/director partnership goes beyond what’s on the screen. Director West, who replaced Brian De Palma on the project, had a better collaboration with Goldman than the filmmakers of the 1986 film. Recalling an early conversation with Goldman in an interview with Den of Geek, West’s direction of Statham for nearly every scene in Wild Card is driven by the writer’s description of Nick as the most dangerous man in Vegas “even when he’s not doing anything, everybody in the room knows that, and everybody knows his history, what he’s capable of. And so, he ultimately, doesn’t have to do that much, because he is the toughest guy in Vegas.” With that description in mind, the character of Nick was the perfect embodiment of the no-nonsense Statham as opposed to the remorseful Reynolds.

‘Wild Card’s Cast Elevates the Jason Statham Action Movie

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Another aspect of Wild Card that makes it a superior film to Heat is its supporting cast. Though Heat enjoyed fine performances from Karen Young and Diana Scarwid, the rest of the cast, including WKRP in Cincinnati‘s Howard Hesseman, appeared as if they were only there to collect a paycheck. Statham, however, has been fortunate enough to surround himself with bigger stars, whether it is The Expendables, Parker, or The Beekeeper. The performances in Wild Card shine with high-caliber talents breathing life into Goldman’s street-level characters, including Milo Ventimiglia as DeMarco, Hope Davis as Nick’s card dealer friend Cassandra, Jason Alexander as Nick’s pal Pinky, and Stanley Tucci as Baby.

The standout of Wild Card’s ensemble is Michael Angarano as Cyrus, originally played by Peter MacNichol in Heat. The former’s take on the self-made millionaire has a strong apprentice characteristic next to Nick akin to Ben Foster’s role opposite Statham in The Mechanic. The ability of Angarano’s Cyrus to hold his own to Statham’s Nick is much stronger than MacNichol softening Heat’s gritty tone by playing the role as Reynolds’ latest comedic sidekick.

Wild Card did not do strong enough business in theaters to warrant a new franchise for Statham, as Heat failed to stop Reynolds’s box office slide. Yet, the differences in both films’ stars and the behind-the-scenes atmosphere made a huge difference in the overall quality. While Heat became an infamous chapter in Reynolds’ long career, Statham’s performance of Wild Card only added to his credibility as a legit modern-day action star, appearing in recent popular films like A Working Man and The Beekeeper.

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Release Date

January 14, 2015

Runtime

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92 Minutes

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R-rated mystery movies have room to be uglier about the truth. They can follow obsession into places a safer movie would soften, and they can let violence, sex, grief, corruption, and psychological damage sit on the screen without cleaning the edges for comfort.

And my favorite ones? They do more than ask who did it. They make the search itself feel dangerous. A clue can ruin someone. A missing person can expose a whole rotten system. A detective can solve the case and still lose something that was holding him together.

10

‘Shutter Island’ (2010)

Image via Paramount Pictures

The fog, the ferry, and that first look at Ashecliffe already tells you nobody is walking into a normal investigation here. Shutter Island gives us U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) arriving at a remote hospital for the criminally insane to find a missing patient, with his new partner Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo) following him through locked wards, hostile doctors, storm warnings, and a place that seems designed to keep secrets alive.

What makes the mystery so addictive is how closely it stays tied to Teddy’s grief. He is not just chasing Rachel Solando. He is chasing a version of reality where his pain still has an enemy he can fight. The Dachau memories, the dreams of Dolores, the lighthouse, the repeated questions about patient files, and Ben Kingsley’s calm control as Dr. Cawley keep tightening the island around him. And at the end, the movie flips the whole script onto you. It makes you feel like the whole movie was a lie. Shutter Island leaves you trapped with Teddy’s last choice, and that choice keeps arguing in your head. I won’t lie — this film becomes annoying once it ends.

9

‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’ (2011)

Image via Sony Pictures Releasing

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo follows Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara) as a hacker and investigator hired to look into journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig), who later joins her in reopening the decades-old disappearance of Harriet Vanger, a young woman from a wealthy Swedish family full of money, cruelty, and buried sickness.

The case pulls them into family photos, Bible verses, old business records, Nazi history, sexual violence, and a house full of people who have learned how to live around a missing girl. Mikael is such a grounded, bruised curiosity character but Lisbeth is the reason the movie burns. Her revenge against her abusive guardian is hard to watch, yet it tells you exactly why she recognizes predators so quickly. That’s amazing. The mystery has a procedure. The emotional charge comes from Lisbeth cutting through powerful men who assumed fear would keep everyone quiet. Every clue feels colder because this world has been protecting monsters politely for years.

8

‘The Usual Suspects’ (1995)

Image via PolyGram Filmed Entertainment

The Usual Suspects begins after a massacre on a ship, with small-time con man Roger “Verbal” Kint (Kevin Spacey) sitting with federal agent Dave Kujan (Chazz Palminteri) and explaining how he, Keaton, McManus, Fenster, and Hockney got pulled into the orbit of Keyser Söze, a criminal name spoken like a ghost story by men who are not easily scared. A room full of criminals telling stories should not feel this slippery, but that is the whole thrill.

The pleasure is in how the movie turns narration into a trap. Verbal looks weak, nervous, and cornered, so the audience starts leaning toward him before realizing the story has been arranging itself too neatly. Keaton’s haunted reputation, Kobayashi’s threats, the lineup scene, the Redfoot job, the Hungarian survivor, and the office details behind Kujan all become part of the game. The mystery is not only Keyser Söze’s identity. It is whether a listener can protect himself from a good story once he wants the story to make sense.

7

‘Gone Girl’ (2014)

Image via 20th Century Studios

Gone Girl is nasty and the nastiest trick here is how quickly a missing-wife case turns into a public performance. Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck) comes home on his fifth wedding anniversary and finds Amy (Rosamund Pike) gone, with the house staged badly enough to make him look suspicious. Police start circling. Cable news smells blood. Neighbors watch him like a man who forgot which face grief requires.

Then Amy’s voice takes control, and the whole movie reveals a marriage where both people understand image better than intimacy. Nick is selfish, smug, and sloppy, which makes him perfect prey for a woman who plans with terrifying patience. Amy’s diary, the treasure hunt, the pregnancy reveal, Desi’s lake house, the blood on her return home, and that dead-eyed press conference all twist domestic life into theater. The R-rated edge is crucial here because otherwise this film would’ve never hit as hard as it does. This mystery is about bodies as evidence, marriage as leverage, and media as a weapon. It is funny in the most poisonous way, which is exactly why it still feels dangerous.

6

‘Prisoners’ (2013)

Image via Summit Entertainment

Few modern thrillers make desperation feel as heavy as Prisoners. Keller Dover (Hugh Jackman) is a Pennsylvania father whose young daughter Anna disappears with her friend Joy on Thanksgiving, and the investigation quickly centers on Alex Jones (Paul Dano), a mentally impaired man who was driving a suspicious RV. Detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal) takes the official path, following evidence, suspects, and buried connections, while Keller decides the law is moving too slowly for a parent running out of hope and goes full Liam Neeson Taken on it.

The film’s grip comes from how every choice feels uglier than the last. Keller’s decision to imprison and torture Alex is horrifying, yet the character keeps the pain close enough that the viewer understands the emotional trap without being asked to approve it. Loki’s blinking intensity, the rainy streets, the maze drawings, the priest’s basement, and that final whistle all keep the movie tightening from different directions. The title is perfect too, since almost everyone here is trapped by something: grief, guilt, faith, violence, or the need to believe suffering can force truth out of the dark.

5

‘Blue Velvet’ (1986)

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Blue Velvet follows Jeffrey Beaumont (Kyle MacLachlan) as a college student back in his small hometown after his father’s stroke, where his curiosity leads him toward lounge singer Dorothy Vallens (Isabella Rossellini), violent criminal Frank Booth (Dennis Hopper), and a hidden world sitting right underneath white fences and friendly daytime streets. Finding a severed ear in the grass is such a simple nightmare image, and it sends Jeffrey into a version of suburbia he was never supposed to see.

The mystery has a strange pull because Jeffrey is not a noble detective but curious, aroused, frightened male, and fascinated by the darkness he keeps pretending to investigate from a safe distance. Dorothy’s pain gives the story its human ache, while Frank turns every room he enters into a threat. The closet scene, the nightclub song, the joyride, the oxygen mask, the police connections, and the artificial brightness of Lumberton all feel connected by one awful idea.

4

‘Zodiac’ (2007)

Image via Paramount Pictures

The scariest thing about Zodiac is how much time it has. The film follows the hunt for the Zodiac Killer through journalists, detectives, letters, codes, false leads, and years of obsession that grind people down without giving them the clean release of certainty. Robert Graysmith (Jake Gyllenhaal) begins as a cartoonist at the San Francisco Chronicle, Inspector Dave Toschi (Mark Ruffalo) carries the police side with style and frustration, and reporter Paul Avery (Robert Downey Jr.) gets pulled into the killer’s orbit and starts unraveling in public.

This is a thriller where the monster’s power comes from absence. The lake attack, the cab murder, the newsroom letter openings, the basement scene with the movie posters, and Graysmith’s final stare at Arthur Leigh Allen all hit differently because the movie never turns obsession into easy heroism. It shows how a case can become a life, then eat that life year by year. The pacing feels hypnotic because the viewer becomes part of the same hunger. You want the answer. The film understands the cost of wanting it too badly.

3

‘Memento’ (2000)

Image via Newmarket

Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce) cannot make new memories, which means the movie turns the mystery into a condition instead of a puzzle. Memento’s premise circles him. His wife was attacked, he believes the killer is still out there, and he uses Polaroids, tattoos, notes, and routines to keep himself pointed toward revenge. The cruel part is that every system he trusts can be manipulated by the next person who understands his damage.

Watching him move through Teddy (Joe Pantoliano), Natalie (Carrie-Anne Moss), motel rooms, license plates, and fragments of the Sammy Jankis’s (Stephen Tobolowsky) story feels like being trapped inside broken momentum. Then the whole backwards structure is not a gimmick sitting on top of the story either. It gives the viewer a taste of his panic. You keep grabbing for context at the same time he does, then the movie quietly asks whether identity can survive when memory becomes something you edit to keep going.

2

‘Se7en’ (1995)

Image via New Line Cinema

By the time detectives Somerset (Morgan Freeman) and Mills (Brad Pitt) step into the first crime scene, the city already feels diseased. Se7en gives them a killer staging murders around the seven deadly sins, and the structure could have been gimmicky in weaker hands. Here, it becomes a march through moral decay.

Every murder scene expands the nightmare. Gluttony is disgusting. Greed is staged like judgment. Sloth is one of the most horrifying reveals in ’90s cinema. Lust feels almost unbearable through what it implies. The library research, the rain, the apartment chase, the killer turning himself in, and that empty desert road all keep moving toward dread instead of surprise alone. Somerset understands the world’s rot too well, while Mills still believes anger can meet evil head-on and win. The box lands with such force because the film has spent the entire runtime preparing a trap made from temperament. The ending hurts as character, not only twist.

1

‘Chinatown’ (1974)

Image via Paramount Pictures

Private detective Jake Gittes (Jack Nicholson) thinks he is working a clean adultery job, and that is the tragedy before he even understands it. Chinatown begins with him being hired to photograph Hollis Mulwray, the chief engineer for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, then realizing he has been used in a setup tied to water rights, land fraud, political power, and one of the most damaged family secrets in American cinema.

Jake is smart enough to keep digging and vain enough to believe digging will give him control. Evelyn Mulwray (Faye Dunaway) moves through the story like someone trying to hide pain from a man who keeps mistaking secrecy for guilt. Noah Cross (John Huston) brings a kind of evil that feels calm because the world has already made room for him. The broken glasses, the orange groves, the dried riverbed, the nose-slitting warning, and Evelyn’s desperate attempt to protect Katherine all keep pushing Jake toward a truth he cannot fix. That is why the movie still feels enormous. The mystery gets solved, and justice still slips away in the street.

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Chinatown

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Release Date

June 20, 1974

Runtime

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130 minutes

Director

Roman Polanski

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Writers

Robert Towne

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Iconic singer Melissa Etheridge is opening up about the loss of her forever 21-year-old son, Beckett Cypher.

“It took a while,” Etheridge, 65, exclusively told Us Weekly on Friday, June 5, of the work she has done to process her son’s death. “I just sat down and just really let it happen. It’s like, ‘OK, how do I want to? Well, since I can’t call you anymore’ — because we used to, he texted me every day, used to call me, text me. I spoke to him every day.”

She continued, “That’s when I feel the most the most, so that’s where I wanted to say, well, since I can’t call you anymore, I can’t do it, I’m going to go garden. I’m going to take a drive. I’m going to do these things. I’m going to keep living, even though you know I have that.”

Etheridge and her ex Julie Cypher’s son died in 2020 at the age of 21 from what was later determined to be complications and causes of opioid addiction.

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“We’re sad to inform you that Melissa’s son Beckett passed away and there will not be a Concerts From Home show today. – #TeamMe,” the singer announced via X, then Twitter, at the time.

A year later, in a 2021 interview with People TV, Etheridge opened up about her son’s final days.

“He was paranoid … All of a sudden he was involved with guns,” she said at the time, adding that her son became addicted to opioids after he was prescribed pain medication at age 17 to treat an ankle injury. “I tried to get him [treatment]. I tried to get him to let me call an ambulance for him, then he stopped calling me. He didn’t call me for four days, and twice we sent a wellness check on him. The second time, they found him dead.”

The moments when she misses her son the most — the moments when she wants to but can’t call him — inspired one of her latest songs, aptly titled “Call You.”

“Because it’s about the loss of my son, and it was the first song I wrote,” Etheridge told Us of how her son inspired the track, while discussing her latest album Rise and CMA Fest performance. “I knew when I made up my mind — yeah, I’m going to do a whole new album, original material, you know, just me writing songs like I’ve always done — I knew I would have to write about that.”

She added, “I would have to find a way to express where I’m at with the loss of my son, and it’s almost impossible to express that sort of pain. But I knew I’d have to sit down — and I was able to, in this song, just get across that sometimes we can drown in guilt and shame.”

Etheridge went on to tell Us that the constant questions of, “Did I do enough?” and, “Did I do too much?” and, “Was there something else I could have done?” can be maddening — but as a wife and a mother, she had to “find a way to understand” the pain of her loss.

“These things that make you mad and crazy,” she said, “and it was my job — for my wife, for my kids, for me — to find a way to understand that he came into this life, he made choices, and it wasn’t up to me to save him. I couldn’t not save him, and just feeling that — feeling the loss — but also going, ‘I will not stop living for what I’m living for, even if I can’t call you anymore.’ So that was the song. I haven’t played it live yet. I don’t know if I can play it live yet, but it is a piece of meat. It was the first one, and I got it out of the way and was able to write the rest.”

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Currently, the powerful opioid fentanyl is the leading cause of death for young people ages 18 to 45, causing more deaths per year than car accidents and cancer. As the country continues to grapple with the ongoing opioid pandemic, Etheridge has a message of hope for future generations.

“I’m hopeful. I don’t want to drown. I want to live and create and have joy,” she told Us. “There’s so much joy to be able to, you know, so much joy left — and I want them to see that, too. I want, even though there are sad moments in this album, that the tour, the concert, is uplifting and inspiring. Very much so.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

As Aubrey Plaza and Chris Abbott await the birth of their first baby, the actress happily cheered on her boyfriend at the 2026 Tony Awards.

The pregnant Parks and Recreation alum, 41, and the Death of a Salesman actor, 40, attended the Sunday, June 7, ceremony at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Plaza draped her bump in a sleek pinstripe gown with EFFY jewelry, while Abbott opted for a classic suit.

Abbott earned his first Tony Award nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play for his portrayal of Biff in Arthur Miller’s iconic Death of a Salesman. His fellow contenders in the category include Danny Burstein for Marjorie Prime, Brandon J. Dirden for Waiting for Godot, Alden Ehrenreich for Becky Shaw, Ruben Santiago-Hudson for August Wilson’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone and Richard Thomas for The Balusters.

Abbott and Plaza’s Tonys outing comes two months after news broke in April that she is pregnant with the couple’s first baby. She subsequently debuted her bump while walking her dog in New York City and attended an afterparty with Abbott following Death of a Salesman’s opening night.

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Later that month, Plaza publicly addressed her pregnancy for the first time.

“Well, there’s a baby inside of me,” she said during an April appearance on the “SmartLess” podcast.

Plaza went on to offer some insight into her experience as an expectant mother.

“Today was a big day. I went to the doctor’s today, and my dog also went to the doctor’s,” she shared. “Both of us — my dog’s getting a scan right now. I got a scan earlier. I’m not kidding.”

She added, “She had to get an ultrasound on her stomach. And then I got an ultrasound on my stomach, and there is a baby in there.”

Plaza revealed at the time that she was “excited” to become a mom.

“I’ve always wanted to see what that’s all about, you know?” she explained. “It just seems so interesting, that whole thing.”

The following month, Abbott broke his silence on Plaza’s pregnancy while appearing on Today With Jenna and Sheinelle.

“Can we say congratulations?” Jenna Bush Hager asked during the May sit-down. “You’re expecting a babe.”

Abbott jokingly replied, “I thought for my Tony nom! No, no, I’m kidding.”

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When Bush Hager, 44, acknowledged that Abbott has “a lot going on” in his work and personal life at the moment, he agreed there was “too much going on” to keep up.

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“We love Aubrey here,” Bush Hager said. “We’re so happy for the both of you.”

Abbott responded, “That’s very nice. Thank you very much. It’s very exciting.”

Plaza and Abbott previously starred together in 2020’s Black Bear and 2023’s Danny and the Deep Blue Sea. The duo went public with their romance more than one year after Plaza’s estranged husband, Jeff Baena, died by suicide at age 47 in January 2025. Plaza and Baena, who married in 2021, quietly separated prior to his death.

If you’ve spotted an elevated, effortless blouse on someone at brunch and wondered where she got it, nine times out of 10, the answer is Aritzia. However, if you want the look without the credit card damage, you’re in luck. These Amazon alternatives are identical, but unlike the actual label, they start at just $6!

Aritzia’s signature look includes silky, relaxed fabrics, billowy sleeves, clean necklines and tailoring that is easy rather than constricting. These 13 summer blouses deliver that same vibe, making you appear pulled together without trying too hard. People will assume you splurged-splurged.

13 Aritzia-Style Summer Blouses — From $6

1. Our Favorite: Swiss dots and flutter sleeves give this billowy summer blouse a quietly expensive look. The airy fabric moves beautifully.

2. Trendy Tie: Pair this trendy tie-front top with trousers for the office, then swap in denim shorts for weekend errands. It’s a piece you’ll reach for twice a week (at least).

3. CEO Alert: Stiff shirts have no place in 90-degree heat. Thankfully, this professional bow-neck blouse is made of ultra-lightweight chiffon, saving you from sweating during your commute.

4. Everyday Outfit: Ruffled cap sleeves add just enough drama to elevate this head-turning button-up. It works tucked, untucked or knotted at the waist.

5. Cute and Crisp: Clean stripes, a stand collar and front buttons give this boutiquey shirt style the French-girl ease that everyone’s coveting lately.

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6. Millionaire Status: Wear this sophisticated babydoll top with white linen pants for a rooftop dinner. The ruffle neckline adds oomph in place of an accessory, so you can skip the flashy pendant entirely.

7. Dreamy and Drapey: This tummy-hiding blouse flatters even when you’re bloated, thanks to the loose fabric and drapey cowl neckline that draws attention upward.

8. Laced Up: Long sleeves usually mean overheating in summer, but this lace-embellished blouse vents air through the holes. Coverage doesn’t equal sweating.

9. Dressy Casual: Imagine this 3/4-sleeve blouse over dark denim for office days that turn into cocktails. It’s comfortable enough for the cubicle yet dressy enough for the bar.

10. Elevated Tee: Mesh sleeves and Swiss dots turn a basic white tee into something you’d actually wear out. This elevated wonder costs $6 but doesn’t look like it.

11. Rich Mom: Satin, leopard print and a bow-tie detail on a halter tank. This ultra-stylish pick should cost much more than $10.

12. Flattering Find: This sleeveless peplum top flares at the ribcage, which subtly conceals your belly. You’ll look like a model without even trying.

13. Wardrobe MVP: Lantern sleeves, a peplum shape and subtle stripes pack three trending details into one preppy blouse. Grab a few colors while you’re at it!

The best World War II movies of the last century typically feature heroic stories of battle and conquest, survival despite insurmountable challenges, and honorable figures fighting against injustice. And it’s no surprise that Richard Attenborough‘s 1977 war drama A Bridge Too Far stands out as one of the most realistic and ambitious World War II films ever made, and now it’s streaming on Prime Video. Upon its release, however, it was not universally lauded. In his scathing review, Roger Ebert asks, “Why make a movie about total defeat and stupidity?” And yet, that is the reason why A Bridge Too Far stands out among the rest. The film captures the scale, complexity, and failure of an operation by the Allied forces to surprise their enemies.

A Bridge Too Far did not match the success of Steven Spielberg‘s seminal classic Saving Private Ryan, but its epic storytelling, nuanced perspectives, and historical authenticity ensure its place among the greats. It’s an unapologetic tale of the triumphs and failures of war with a commitment to depicting war’s horrors. These are portrayed by a massive ensemble cast of A-list stars of its time, drawn from Europe and the United States. And now you can watch it for free on Tubi.

‘A Bridge Too Far’ Is Based on the True Story of the Allied Forces’ Botched Operation

Adapted from historian Cornelius Ryan‘s book of the same name, A Bridge Too Far is about the Allied forces’ ambitious, ill-fated Operation Market Garden, a plan designed to end World War II by capturing key bridges in the Nazi-occupied Netherlands. Executed in September 1944, the operation was the largest airborne assault in history, with 35,000 soldiers being flown from England and dropped behind enemy lines. Attenborough’s picture faithfully reconstructs this strategy through three main perspectives: the Allied forces, comprising the British, American, Dutch, and Polish paratroopers; Dutch civilians; and German soldiers. The film is an interplay of hope and chaos in war. The confidence of the military generals led by the British General Montgomery fails to align with the realities of those on the frontlines. William Goldman‘s screenplay highlights how these top soldiers ignored intelligence and underrated their opponents, leading to the total disaster that Roger Ebert terms “stupidity.”

With a star-studded ensemble cast that mirrors the film’s sprawling narrative, including Sean Connery, Michael Caine, Robert Redford, Anthony Hopkins, and Gene Hackman, A Bridge Too Far is a history class that shows that war is not only horrific for soldiers but also takes a toll on civilians as well. For instance, a moment in the movie shows a woman going about her business when she suddenly has unexpected soldiers as guests, with one telling her, “I’m awfully sorry, but I’m afraid we’re going to have to occupy your house.” Other scenes depict civilians caught in the line of fire, as well as the carnage of soldiers on the ground. It’s unflinching in its portrayal of war, with graphic images that leave an impression. Upon its release, it had to be edited in some destinations before being screened.

‘A Bridge Too Far’ Is a Cinematic Triumph Despite Its Flaws

Filmed on location in the Netherlands, A Bridge Too Far is a visual triumph that succeeds in part due to its effort at being authentic. Germans speak German, the Dutch speak Dutch, and even the Americans and the British are distinct in their speeches and accents (including Sean Connery in his Scottish accent). Attenborough’s attention to detail, like having tens of airplanes in the sky and thousands of parachutes with stuntmen dropping, makes the film breathtaking. While it has been criticized for some of its aged, bland effects, the battle sequences are gritty and immersive. In its near-three-hour length, criticized by some, it transports you to the chaos of the battlefield. This realism wasn’t lost on veterans and critics alike, many of whom praised its accurate portrayal of the operation’s scale and its complexity.

Comparable to Christopher Nolan‘s Dunkirk, the film rarely gives the impression of a central character leading the plot. A Bridge Too Far eschews traditional lead characters for ensemble storytelling that reflects the collective effort and sacrifice of war. General Montgomery, who developed the strategy, for instance, is a physically absent character in the film. Each of the many other characters seems to be fighting individual wars that only converge on the bigger war at hand. However, unlike Dunkirk, which condenses its narrative into a tense and focused runtime, A Bridge Too Far is focused on the failed operation’s epic scale. This approach, while it may not be emotionally stimulating, depicts the rawness of war itself.

Decades after its release, A Bridge Too Far demands patience but rewards viewers with an unparalleled depiction of WWII’s triumphs and tragedies. It’s a film that doesn’t glorify war but instead captures its chaos, futility, and humanity. If you are a fan of sprawling combat, this is definitely your movie.

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Release Date

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June 15, 1977

Runtime

175 Minutes

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Bethenny Frankel recently strutted down the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit runway during Miami Swim Week, and at 55, she absolutely owned it. The Real Housewives alum turned TikTok dupe queen wore multiple teeny bikinis, but it’s what she wore underneath those suits that feels particularly newsworthy: Cakes Body Triangle Nipple Covers, which provided the perfect amount of coverage as she did her thing.

“This is magic, this is insane!” Frankel exclaimed in an Instagram Reel, which showed her trying on her looks with Cakes ahead of the event, even posing in a chain-linked, shell-embellished design that left no room for error (or nip slips). She added that the waterproof triangles had her “covered,” especially if she wanted to “take a swim,”  and the star wasn’t lying. Those triangles really did stay in place as she twisted, turned, danced and bounced down the catwalk, further convincing Us to grab a pair for ourselves.

Get the Cakes Body Grippy Triangle Nipple Covers for $33 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate as of the publishing date but are subject to change.

Anyone who has a TikTok has likely seen Cakes advertised on their FYP, where they’re shown as an alternative to removable pads found in swimsuits or as a solution for tricky, tight tops that would otherwise show your bra. However, Frankel is the kind of celebrity who tends to tell it like it is, frequently sharing ‘splurges’ that aren’t worth it and which under-$40 finds deserve a place in your closet. Hearing her gush about these non-sticky nipple covers — and then putting them to the test in front of large crowds and the Internet — is quite the endorsement. She’s not just saying they’re good, but fully showing everyone that they are.

Related: Bethenny Frankel’s Bombshell Bikini Look Is Hiding on Amazon

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I take everything Bethenny Frankel says and does as the Bible. The mogul is truly #LifeGoals! In an effort to emulate her effortless confidence, I’m shamelessly copying her style — starting with this electric teal bikini. One thing that Frankel does impeccably is embrace the beauty of color, which she showcased in a recent Instagram […]

Cakes Body Triangle Nipple Covers are way better than that old sticky bra that never stays put, mostly because they aren’t sticky at all. There’s no adhesive backing to peel off, no glue residue and no painful removal at the end of a long day. Instead, they use your body’s natural warmth to grip the skin and stay in place gently. Made from 100% medical-grade silicone and dermatologist-tested, these babies are designed to be reused again and again. All you have to do is rinse them, let them dry and they’re ready for your next outing.

Whether you’re slipping on a strapless dress that doesn’t work with any undergarments in your drawer, recently realized your sports bra is kinda sheer or have a swimsuit that tends to shift to one side, Cakes Triangles are bound to be your ultimate style savior this summer and beyond. Designed by women who clearly understood the assignment, these waterproof covers sit under sheer fabrics, scoop necks, racerback tanks and bikini tops without announcing themselves. Plus, considering they’re reusable and don’t cost an arm and a leg, you’ll find that you’ll get more than your money’s worth from a single pair.

Miami Swim Week may have come and gone, but an important styling lesson from Frankel has stuck: sometimes the smoothest looks — be it for the runway or a date night dinner — have something invisible doing the heavy lifting. For this social media sensation, it’s a pair of silicone triangles that disappear under a shimmering swimsuit. Grab her exact $33 find now and be well prepared for your next fashion or beach emergency.

Get the Cakes Body Grippy Triangle Nipple Covers for $33 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate as of the publishing date but are subject to change.

Looking for something else? Explore more Cakes Body products here and don’t forget to check out all of Amazon’s Daily Deals for more great finds!

Related: Bethenny Frankel Compared This ‘Magic‘ $7 Cream to La Mer

Bethenny Frankel‘s resume may be stacked with credits like Real Housewives alum and Skinnygirl founder, but our favorite gig is the one where she shares budget-friendly beauty products that actually work. Recently, she took to Instagram to gush about a $7 face cream, calling it “magic” and comparing it to La Mer — a.k.a. the luxe, celeb-loved […]

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One of the most fascinating trends in the last year of movies was the notion of one actor playing two roles. Whether it’s Michael B. Jordan in Sinners, Robert De Niro in The Alto Knights, Theo James in The Monkey, or Robert Pattinson in Mickey 17, multiple A-listers got the chance to interact with themselves on screen. Although it’s a fun gimmick that can give some actors the chance to stretch outside of their comfort zones, it is quite challenging to play multiple characters with unique and distinctive personalities for an extended period of time. Holding these responsibilities over the course of the entire series would seemingly be an impenetrable difficulty for even the most talented of actors, but Anaconda star Paul Rudd pulled it off remarkably well in the underrated Netflix series Living With Yourself.

Netflix’s ‘Living With Yourself’ Puts a Smart Spin on a Familiar Premise

Rudd stars in Living With Yourself as the copywriter Miles Elliot, who is in the midst of a difficult relationship with his wife Kate (Aisling Bea), as they are struggling to conceive a child. Beyond the fact that Kate, a respected interior architect, is far more successful and fulfilled than he is, Miles is stung by the criticism that he is not present enough in their marriage. It’s after an unusual encounter with a co-worker that Miles finds that a cloned version of himself has been created, and that they may be able to team up to tackle their collective responsibilities. Living With Yourself understands the inherent conflict that comes with stories about clones. Eventually, only one of them will end up having complete control over their shared life.

Even before the sci-fi premise was introduced, Living With Yourself offered a more vulnerable and sensitive role for Rudd, who is best known for playing comedic, charismatic characters. Living With Yourself cast him as a man who has become trapped within the mundanity of his life. Despite aspirations of being a more exciting and involved person, Miles is both unable to take risks and not entirely sure what he would do if he were given the freedom of more time. Much of the joy of the early episodes of Living With Yourself comes from Miles beginning to realize how much of his life he has simply let pass him by; at the same time that he is reaching a new level of self-actualization, his clone is beginning to desire a life of its own. Ironically, it takes the presence of someone trying to impose upon his life for Miles to take accountability for his own responsibilities.

Cloning is a theme that has been tackled in countless sci-fi stories, but Living With Yourself takes a nuanced approach to the notion of creating a double and the ethical question marks that it may spark. A clone does not have a backstory or past that they can draw upon, as they are ultimately made to embody someone whose life they cannot fully have. Living With Yourself is a unique spin on the concept because both versions of Miles have both virtues and flaws, making it more challenging to label one or the other as a villain. It’s also a savvy approach to what a realistic process of human cloning might look like, given that Miles is not entirely aware of what he is signed up for, and has no means of contacting the authorities because of the illegal nature of the scientific experiment.

‘Living With Yourself’ Has One of Rudd’s Greatest Performances

Rudd is often a much better dramatic actor than he is given credit for, and Living With Yourself served as a unique way for him to play out the internal anxieties of a deeply troubled character. Part of Miles’ frustration with the existence of his clone is because of his own feelings of self-hatred, as he sees his new twin’s success as proof that he did not live up to his potential. Although Living With Yourself gives Rudd more than enough opportunities to show what a skilled physical comedian he is — particularly in a hilarious fight scene when both versions of Miles are brawling with one another — it’s a performance that also allowed him to dig into the insecurities of a middle-aged man. The chemistry he shares with Bea is also strong, as they convey the marital stresses of a couple who still love one another, but do not feel that they have the same passion that they shared when they first met and fell in love. Given the sparsity of the extended cast, it’s impressive that the sheer force of Rudd’s charisma was able to keep the series moving at the right pace.

Living With Yourself is the type of experimental series that could have only existed in the era where Netflix was greenlighting high-concept projects that may have had limited commercial viability. It’s hard to imagine Living With Yourself existing on a network, given the production budget and explicit content, and also because it’s a story that only works when serialized and available to binge. At the same time, it’s not a concept that could have worked as a feature film, as there are simply too many nuances and misadventures packed in between the major plot points in Living With Yourself for it to have ever worked as a streamlined movie.

Living With Yourself might technically be classified as a dramedy, but it’s not a sitcom, and its ambiguity might be its biggest strength. Although it was never technically classified as a miniseries, the lack of renewal after six years would imply that Rudd will never get the opportunity to play the role of Miles again. Great television should be as entertaining as it is thought-provoking. Like so much of Rudd’s best work, it is a show that is simply begging to be rediscovered and re-assessed.

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Release Date

2019 – 2019-00-00

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Netflix

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The problem with streaming is that shows can get cancelled out of nowhere. Shows like Mindhunter, The OA, The Society, I Am Not Okay With This, and Hannibal were all cancelled before they could finish their stories. That’s why miniseries are so satisfying. They tell a full story in just a handful of episodes. No waiting for a new season. No risk of getting ghosted by the platform. But even miniseries can go off the rails. Many of them start strong but completely fall apart by the end.

HBO’s The Outsider pulled viewers in with a killer mystery, only to fumble it with a random supernatural twist that didn’t fit the tone. Netflix’s Clickbait built up a murder mystery for eight episodes and then revealed the killer was someone you didn’t even meet until the final episode. What’s the point of guessing if the answer comes out of nowhere? A great miniseries should keep you guessing, build tension, and then stick the landing. So, here are the miniseries that actually pulled it off. Each one starts strong, stays strong, and ends on a high note.

‘Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber’ (2022)

Image via Showtime

Super Pumped tells the real-life story of Travis Kalanick, played to perfection by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who also narrates the events. It’s about how he turned Uber into a global tech giant and completely bulldozed the entire cab industry in the process. It also dives deep into the Silicon Valley mindset, where ambition often outweighs ethics. You get to see how Uber played the game, bending the rules when it had to, clashing with tech giants like Google and Apple, and doing whatever it took to stay on top.

The show is packed with energy. It moves fast, the dialogue is sharp and witty, and it’s extremely funny. The best way to describe it is The Wolf of Wall Street meets The Social Network. And the show retains that fun energy from the very first scene all the way to the final episode.

‘Midnight Mass’ (2021)

Image via Netflix

Midnight Mass is a slow-burn horror story set on a small, isolated island where everyone knows each other. Life is quiet until a new priest arrives in town and strange miracles start happening. But what seems like a blessing slowly turns into a nightmare.

This is Mike Flanagan’s most thought-provoking work yet. Midnight Mass feels like something straight out of a Stephen King novel but made for today’s world. It blends deep themes like religion, grief, addiction, guilt, and death into a story that hits hard on both emotional and supernatural levels. The long, philosophical monologues about faith and life are genuinely fascinating, the performances are top-notch, and when the horror kicks in, it’s truly terrifying.

‘Baby Reindeer’ (2024)

Image via Netflix

Baby Reindeer is a black comedy drama about a struggling comedian and bartender who becomes the target of an obsessive stalker. What makes it even more powerful is that the story is based on real events from the life of Richard Gadd, who not only wrote the series but also stars as himself. That raw, personal connection brings an authenticity to the screen that very few shows ever manage to achieve.

It’s an unflinching and deeply honest look at trauma, loneliness, and the messiness of human nature. And Gadd doesn’t just focus on the stalker; he turns the focus inward too, digging into his own psyche and emotional ambiguities. As the episodes go on, things get more intense and uncomfortable, but you just can’t look away. The show has been praised across the board and holds a near-perfect 99% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

‘Dopesick’ (2021)

Image via Hulu

Dopesick tells the story of how OxyContin was sold to America as a miracle painkiller. Purdue Pharma marketed it to doctors as safe and non-addictive, using aggressive and misleading advertising to get it into hospitals and clinics across the country. But in reality, it was highly addictive and ended up fueling the opioid crisis. Based on true events, the series shows how this drug destroyed lives and tore apart entire communities, all while the people behind it made billions.

The series follows multiple storylines over several years, and at the center of it is Michael Keaton. He plays a small-town doctor who buys into the promise of OxyContin, only to slowly realize the harm it’s causing his patients. Keaton’s performance is phenomenal, full of quiet heartbreak and frustration, and he even earned an Emmy for it.

‘The Haunting of Hill House’ (2018)

Image via Netflix

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The Haunting of Hill House is a Netflix horror show centered around the Crain family, who once lived in a haunted house. The story jumps between their childhood and adult lives, showing how the trauma they went through as kids still affects them years later. From the very first episode, the series hooks you in. It scares you, breaks your heart, and by the end, hits you with an emotional gut punch that makes you want to watch it all over again, just to catch the details you missed.

And it’s not just a great story. There are so many creative touches that make this one stand out. The show hides ghosts in the background of scenes without ever pointing them out, and spotting one randomly is genuinely creepy. It also pushes filmmaking to a whole new level. One episode is done almost entirely in a single, long one-take shot that flows between time periods and characters. Add to that an unforgettable score, and you’ve got a show that truly is a masterpiece from beginning to end.

‘The Night Of’ (2016)

Image via HBO

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The Night Of is a legal drama that tells the story of Nasir Khan (Riz Ahmed), a quiet college student who wakes up after a night of partying to find a woman murdered next to him. He’s arrested almost immediately, and from there, the series follows his entire journey through the justice system. It takes you from the police station to the jail cell to the courtroom, and shows the emotional and mental toll it takes on him and his family.

Ahmed and John Turturro give incredible performances, with Ahmed winning an Emmy for his role. But what really sets this series apart is how real it feels. It shows how a single night can completely change someone’s life, and it truly feels like a nightmare that could happen to anyone. The supporting characters are well-developed; each one has their own intricate backstory, cultural nuances, and personal struggles. And the reason it lands on this list is the ending. The jury’s final verdict is something rarely seen in movies or shows, and it’s handled in a way that feels real and honest.

‘When They See Us’ (2019)

Image via Netflix

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When They See Us is a Netflix limited series that tells the true story of the Central Park Five. These were five Black and Latino teenagers who were wrongly accused of a brutal assault in New York City back in 1989. The show is told in four parts, covering their arrest, the trial, their time in prison, and finally, their exoneration.

This is a show that will break your heart. It will make you squirm. And most of all, it will make you angry. It shows just how broken the justice system can be, and how racial profiling destroyed the lives of these innocent boys. The storytelling is strong from the beginning, but the final episode focused on Korey Wise‘s (Jharrel Jerome) solitary confinement is widely seen as one of the most emotional and devastating hours of television ever made.

‘Adolescence’ (2025)

Image via Netflix

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Adolescence is a Netflix crime drama starring Owen Cooper in his debut role as Jamie Miller, a 13-year-old who gets arrested for the murder of his classmate. Even though this is Cooper’s first time acting, he absolutely commands the screen alongside veteran actors like Stephen Graham and delivers a performance that’s genuinely terrifying. The story is disturbingly dark and tackles some heavy, uncomfortable topics, but it’s told so well that you just can’t look away.

What elevates this series a notch above the rest is the cinematography. Each episode is filmed as one continuous take with no cuts, which makes everything feel way more real, like you’re right there inside the scene. It creates this eerie feeling like you’re watching something you shouldn’t be. With the standout performances, sharp writing, and stunning camera work, it’s no surprise the series holds an impressive 98% on Rotten Tomatoes.

‘Chernobyl’ (2019)

Closing the list is Chernobyl, HBO’s haunting retelling of the 1986 nuclear disaster. The series covers the explosion at the Chernobyl power plant, the immediate chaos that followed, the horrifying cost to human lives, and the Soviet government’s desperate attempts to cover it all up. There are no jump scares or monsters here, but it’s still one of the scariest things you’ll ever watch. It’s so well done that it has a 9.3 rating on IMDb, making it the 5th highest-rated show of all time.

The show doesn’t try to glamorize heroism or paint every authority figure as evil. It simply lays bare how politics and fear of punishment allowed an easily avoidable disaster to spiral out of control. And the ending of the series is just as impactful as the opening explosion. The final episode features a long courtroom scene where Jared Harris‘ character explains how the disaster happened in layman’s terms, and it’s some of the best writing ever put on TV. The whole show is intense, thought-provoking, and genuinely terrifying from start to finish.

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Chernobyl

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Release Date

2019 – 2019

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HBO

Showrunner

Craig Mazin

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Directors

Johan Renck

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Roommates, Simone Biles has the internet sending prayers after she opened up about a frightening health scare that left her hospitalized and recovering quietly behind the scenes. The Olympic icon shared rare, emotional details about the ordeal, and let’s just say—this one had her fans seriously concerned.

RELATED: Nip & Talk? Simone Biles Reveals Her Plastic Surgery Procedures (VIDEO)

Simone Biles Opens Up About Traumatic Health Scare

On Saturday, June 6, Simone Biles took to her Instagram Stories with a photo showing her arm covered in hospital wristbands as she revealed she had been “in bed resting this week” following what she described as one of the scariest experiences of her life. Keeping things candid, she admitted, “almost dying wasn’t on my bingo card earlier this week,” adding that she normally values her privacy but felt compelled to share given how serious the situation became.

She went on to describe the ordeal as “one of, if not the scariest experience of my life,” noting the added stress of her husband Jonathan Owens being away in Indianapolis for NFL practice with the Colts. Biles also thanked her close circle for checking in, sending support, and showing up for her during her recovery, while sharing that she has been spending most of her time in bed healing.

The Comment Section Turned Into A Whole Discussion

As soon as Simone Biles’ update hit the timeline, folks rushed straight to The Shade Room’s Instagram comment section to share their thoughts. Many users expressed concern and sent prayers for her recovery, saying they felt relieved she was doing better. Meanwhile, others jumped in and acted like licensed professionals, offering medical takes and unsolicited theories about what might have caused the scare.

One Instagram user @theekimeyk commented, “Praying for her recovery🥺🙏🏽”

This Instagram user @missymoniquee_ claimed, “Omg 126bpm glad you’re ok girl💗”

And, Instagram user @_kynicole_ shared, “Now everyone is a Dr or Nurse 🤣 Get well Simone!“

Meanwhile, Instagram user @sariyahluvsart added, “I hope it’s not her Implants rejecting 😢”

While Instagram user @dblack_dahlia claimed, “Sometimes a fast heart rate could mean an infection speedy recovery“

Finally, Instagram user @richlifeshawtydred wrote, “We need all black queens to be alive. I’m glad she survived.“

Quiet Clues Leading Up To Simone’s Health Update

In the days leading up to the revelation, Simone had already been giving subtle glimpses into her downtime, unknowingly hinting that something was off. Just days before her post, she shared a cozy update from her Texas home showing herself enjoying “breakfast in bed,” writing, “just what the doctor ordered,” while seemingly following medical advice to rest and take it easy.

She also posted lighthearted moments from her break, including a rare video of herself doing flips on a trampoline with fellow gymnast Zoe Miller, as well as peaceful snapshots from her custom-built home. While fans initially saw the posts as her simply enjoying off-time, they now paint a clearer picture of an athlete quietly recovering while still trying to maintain moments of normalcy.

RELATED: Sisters Be Like! The Internet Is Losing It After Simone Biles Jokingly Went IN On Her Sister Adria (WATCH)