It shouldn’t be too hard to believe there was a time before and after Gone Girl, the novel-turned-movie that upended how women are treated in crime fiction thanks to author Gillian Flynn, who created the iconic and deadly Amy Dunne, played by Rosamund Pike in the film adaptation. The book and David Fincher’s film are not standard murder mysteries, and the author did the same in her 2006 debut novel, Sharp Objects, which became a 2018 HBO miniseries.

The murder mystery is a jumping-off point before the story gets more disturbing. All the episodes are directed by Jean-Marc Vallée, who brings his atmospheric visual style that is rounded out with a terrific cast, led by a devastating Amy Adams. Before Amy Dunne’s manipulation and rage, there was Camille Preaker, who gets swallowed up in a personal hell.

What Is ‘Sharp Objects’ About?

Camille Preaker (Adams) returns to her childhood hometown of Wind Gap, located in Missouri’s “Bootheel,” a place she has done her best to avoid, but as a reporter, Camille is assigned to write about the murder of a young girl that has gone unsolved. She sees old classmates who haven’t lost their “mean girl” personalities and gets close to the detective who is trying to find the killer at large, but the return home is further strained when Camille sees her family again, including her distant mother, Adora (Patricia Clarkson), and wild child Amma (Eliza Scanlen), who is Camille’s half-sister. Tension builds as Camille becomes increasingly haunted by her past, especially in remembering the younger sister she lost during her childhood.

Sharp Objects is a Southern Gothic that is as deadly as it is sweaty, where the Missouri setting can unleash the humidity off the screen. There is a slow-burn pacing across the eight episodes, and while it may be too slow for some viewers, the pacing is deliberate, as Adams’ emotionally troubled reporter gets wrapped up in the dark clutches of Wind Gap. To help with the patience of the storytelling, there are unique touches that would surely keep viewers engaged.

‘Sharp Objects’ Has Beautiful and Creepy Opening Credits

Image via Anne Marie Fox / ©HBO / Courtesy: Everett Collection

The theme song that plays during the title sequence is “Dance and Angela,” a song taken from A Place in the Sun about a tragic love story. The song changes depending on who or what an episode is about, with renditions made to evoke a thematic feeling; there is a hip-hop version for youthfulness, and another toward the series’ end sounds darker and rumbling as sinister truths break through with no turning back. The title sequence lulls the viewers into the miniseries’ tone, and just like other HBO shows such as The Sopranos and True Detective, as unforgettable as the music is, so are the visuals. No one should want to hit the “skip” button.

Scenes fade in and out, some merge with others, all of them creating a world Sharp Objects will enter and depicting Wind Gap as a place that is sprawling and constricting, decadent and ruined, like the best kind of Southern Gothic stories do. Of the images seen, there is blood dripping, a young girl smiling on a swing, a fence of barbed wire, and a couple dancing. By the time the first episode plays, there will surely be something else that becomes quickly apparent to someone watching.

‘Sharp Objects’ Doesn’t Have a Typical Score, Either

Image via HBO

When Camille or anyone else heads outside or stays indoors, music is important to get into their headspace, but there is a notable lack of a score. The creative decision to keep the music diegetic — music that exists in the show’s world — feels isolating, and a song that plays can be an attempt to drown out the quiet of rural life. It feels personal too; the sound is dim when characters put on a pair of headphones, and it gets louder and crisp for the audience only when the character can hear it just as well. The sound design can then get unsettling when it’s messed with; a highlight of this is when Camille falls under a bad influence.

High on ecstasy, Camille rollerskates through Wind Gap’s main street, reliving her childhood, but with the potential of a bad trip slowly threatening to ruin the mood. Engelbert Humperdinck’s “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” blends into “Ghost” by The Acid, a song that has a personal connection to Camille, and makes for an eerie remix where the echoes of one are beneath the other. When there isn’t a needle drop, a constant hum of cicadas is heard, the small town depleted of the mundane loudness of a city. Without relying on the supernatural, Wind Gap still feels like a haunted place, where town lore includes violence against women that spans decades and where there is a favorite scary story the kids share about a dangerous “Woman in White” who lives in the woods. On Sharp Objects, the diegetic and ambient sound is a fascinating way to get inside someone’s head or develop the world, but it’s not the only method.

‘Sharp Objects’ Is the Last Project by Director Jean-Marc Vallée

Image via HBO

There is a paranoid visual style where the residents of Wind Gap are often voyeurs of each other. In a crowded scene early on, Camille may look over at someone, and the camera then switches to the perspective of someone else keeping an eye on Camille. Everyone is eager to know everyone else’s secrets in this town. There is a murder mystery that needs solving, after all, and the suspect list has plenty of names to choose from, but the editing is one of the best experiences on this show, where memories appear as non-linear scenes, and sometimes they don’t get pieced together until episodes later.

It’s a filmmaking tool that the late Jean-Marc Vallée knew how to wield well in his projects like Wild and Season 1 of Big Little Lies, a cinematic invitation to get closer to the characters. At times, Camille’s memories invade the present, and elsewhere, it seems as if she’s walking through the past. All eight episodes of Sharp Objects are directed by the late Vallée, whose sudden death in 2021 made this miniseries his last directorial work, where his fluid directing and editing conjure the intoxicating allure of the Southern Gothic genre.

The Women of ‘Sharp Objects’ Are Monsters, Hurting, or Both

Image via HBO

Sydney Sweeney has a small role as Alice, a roommate during Camille’s stay at a mental health clinic, and despite the age gap, they bond over their troubles until a heartbreaking outcome. Alice reminds Camille about the young sister she lost as a kid, and most of the music Camille listens to is from Alice’s playlist. Jackie (Elizabeth Perkins) is Camille’s boozy aunt, Adora’s estranged sister, who has self-medicated and becomes jovial and gossipy. “I hurt… is all,” she tells her niece, washing down a pill with a sip from a Bloody Mary. Amma, Camille’s teen half-sister, knows how to play the room, being the obedient child with her mother and a scathing figure among her friends and everyone else she wants to target. During Camille’s night out high and rollerskating, Amma tags along. In one menacing shot, Amma swoops in toward her older sister, and it’s uncertain whether she wants to hurt or hug Camille.

Then there is Adora, a regal woman who steps through her grand mansion in heels and gowns like the unofficial “queen of Wind Gap” she views herself as. She treats her husband, Alan (Henry Czerny), like a servant, matched by the romantic tension that simmers between Adora and haggard Chief Vickery (Matt Craven), who share drinks during meetings that verge on rekindling feelings they never acted upon. But Adora is not a kind woman, and her nails and stilettos are as jagged as the insults she directs at Camille. “She’s a rare rose,” Adora describes her eldest child, “but not without thorns.” While Sharp Objects has a captivating murder mystery to solve, there is another, more important mystery that needs to be unlocked: Who is Camille? Why is she self-destructive? “You’re not there to solve the mystery,” her boss Frank (Miguel Sandoval) tells her, one of the few people who genuinely care about Camille’s well-being, but he has no idea sending her back home will be a critical error.

Gillian Flynn Creates Another Great Character in Camille Preaker

Through Amy Adams’ portrayal, Camille is tired and quiet on the exterior, while her interior is bursting with pain and fear. She drinks heavily, armed with water bottles that she has refilled with vodka. Adams has the talent to deliver the internal monologues from Gillian Flynn’s novel, but those are left out; instead, the editing does the work as broken memories are pieced together, whether she wants them to be or not. There are hidden Easter eggs in each episode where simple words are carved into various settings (a car, a desk) without calling attention to themselves, and these are words (vanish, dirt, cherry) that are on Camille’s body, which she has cut into her skin as a form of self-harm. In slowly understanding her, Amy Adams brings to life Gillian Flynn’s tragic antihero.

Adams is terrific in the role, as the actress disappears and Camille takes over. There are so many car rides to get from one place in Wind Gap to another, and with Camille’s declining mental health, Adams seems drained. One reason she is moving is because of muscle memory; her foot is on the gas, and she’s drifting onto the next location. There are lots of fans placed in old homes without AC units, spinning mindlessly to cool down nearby occupants. They are symbolic of the cycle of violence that is prevalent in Wind Gap, a small town that is a hostile environment where murdered young girls are not the only casualties. When the miniseries begins to crack open the worst memories and horrible truths, Camille verges on falling apart completely, but she’s a survivor too and even if she denies it, she fights like hell to keep going.

Of the three Gillian Flynn adaptations, Gone Girl is her most popular, although her second novel, Dark Places, didn’t earn the best movie adaptation in 2015, despite having Charlize Theron in the starring role. Until Flynn writes her next book, and it inevitably gets the film or TV treatment, the author’s first novel remains an underrated Gothic thriller, both on the page and on the screen. Sharp Objects creeps up onto the viewer, slow and sticky like molasses, and will be tough to forget long after the final episode concludes.

Sharp Objects is streaming on Max.

It’s back-to-school time again, and several celebrities have their fans gushing after sharing photographs of their kids’ first day of school on Instagram.

RELATED: Celebs Going Viral For Sharing The Cutest Back-To-School Moments With Their Kids (PHOTOS + VIDEOS)

Celebs Break The Internet With Kids’ Back-To-School Photographs

It’s that time of year again, and the internet is overflowing with back-to-school photographs of people’s children on the first day of class. Several celebrities also shared pictures of their kids’ first day of school on Instagram, and the adorable snaps have the internet burning up.

Iman Shumpert shared first day of school photographs of his daughters with Teyana Taylor, 10-year-old Iman ‘Junie’ Tayla Shumpert Jr. and Rue Rose Shumpert, 5, on Instagram on Thursday, August 13. The post is captioned, “First Day ✏️,” and includes snaps of Taylor and Shumpert sending Junie and Rue off to school. Fans are loving the adorable pictures, which were liked more than 200,000 times in less than 24 hours.

Tristan Thompson is another celebrity who shared a back-to-school picture on Instagram. The former NBA baller shared a picture of his 9-year-old son Prince Thompson, on his first day of school.

“My best friend’s first day of 4th grade,” he wrote. “Man I’m getting old 🤣.”

Lil Duval, Victoria Monét And Tank Also Shared Pics

Comedian Lil Duval also shared a picture on Instagram of him dropping off his daughter, Nyla, at Tuskegee University. Not only that, he also shared funny video footage of the occasion. The post is captioned:

“I just dropped my daughter off to Tuskegee today and I’m so excited for her but ion trust these YNs down here,” he wrote. “Especially the ones who wear gold boots 😂😂😂😂😂😂 prepared to be sick of seeing me down here.”

Tank and Victoria Monét also shared photographs of their kids on Instagram Stories. Monét shared a snap of her 5-year-old daughter, Hazel Monét Gaines, on her first day of kindergarten. Meanwhile, Tank shared a photograph of his 11-year-old son, Zion Babbs.

Fans Ate Up The Back-To-School Photographs

Fans reacted after the pics were shared with Roomies on TSR’s Instagram page, and the comments ranged from how adorable the kiddies looked to the joy of the first day of school for parents.

User @xoxo.renaie wrote, “Awww they all look so cuteeeeee.”

@ms_betty_jack added, “I love this!!!”

User @summerof91_ wrote, “Tank son is tew adorable.”

@djjaszbadd added, “Love the normal school attire.”

@sierragilmore_ wondered, “When did Junie grow so tall??!”

User @flyguy_eli_ added, “Hazel is so cutee.”

@mr.imperfection_813 added, “That’s how you pop it frfr through them babies.”

RELATED: Pop Out, Then! Lil’ Kim And Royal Reign Sizzle At Amazon Kids Back-To-School Runway Show (VIDEO)

Kristen Stewart may be the next A-lister to move out of the U.S. for political reasons.

“If the midterms don’t start a Civil War, that’d be cool. I dream this,” Stewart, 36, told Owen Thiele on the Thursday, August 13, episode of the “In Your Dreams” podcast. “I don’t want to leave. I like it here. But I will [leave].”

Stewart was discussing her current “big dream” with Thiele, 29, and her The Wrong Girls costar Alia Shawkat on the podcast when the host asked whether she was seriously considering moving to Europe depending on the results of November’s midterm elections.

“It’s a privileged thing to say but even on a smaller scale, an escape hatch is totally f***ing necessary,” Stewart replied.

Related: Kristen Stewart’s Candid Quotes About Sexuality and Coming Out as Queer

Kristen Stewart infamously came out as queer in the middle of her Saturday Night Live hosting debut. “I’m a little nervous to be hosting because I know the president’s probably watching, and, um, I don’t think he likes me that much,” Stewart quipped in her February 2017 monologue, referring to former president Donald Trump disapproving […]

The Twilight actress has a notorious history with President Donald Trump, as the politician routinely insulted her during her past relationship with ex-boyfriend Robert Pattinson.

Four years before his 2016 presidential campaign, Trump, 80, tweeted that Stewart “cheated on [Pattinson] like a dog” and urged the actor to dump her. (At the time, Stewart had publicly apologized to then-boyfriend Pattinson, 40, for having a fling with her Snow White and the Huntsman director, Rupert Sanders.)

“[Trump] was mad at me a couple years ago, really obsessed with me a couple years ago, which is f***ing crazy,” Stewart later told Variety in 2016. “I can’t even understand it. I literally cannot even understand it. It’s such a far-out concept that I don’t want to believe that actually is happening. It’s insane.”

Stewart would be far from the first celebrity to move out of the U.S. over political disagreements with the Trump administration.

Ellen DeGeneres confirmed during a July 2025 interview that she and wife Portia de Rossi chose to make a “part-time” move to the U.K. permanent after Trump beat former Vice President Kamala Harris in the November 2024 presidential election.

“We got here the day before the election and woke up to lots of texts from our friends with crying emojis, and I was like, ‘He got in’,” DeGeneres, 68, recalled. “And we’re like, ‘We’re staying here’.”

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Related: Jennifer Lawrence Asked Robert Pattinson About Trump’s 2013 Breakup Rant

Most millennials can, for better or worse, clearly recall the time now-president Donald Trump weighed in on Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart’s breakup scandal — and Jennifer Lawrence is no exception. “I mean, if you think I didn’t ask him about Donald Trump tweeting about the breakup with Kristen, obviously,” Lawrence, 35, quipped on the […]

Rosie O’Donnell moved to Ireland in January 2025 on the eve of her longtime nemesis Trump’s second inauguration amid his threats to revoke her citizenship. (O’Donnell has since returned to the U.S. on a temporary basis for her one-woman Off-Broadway show Common Knowledge.)

“I know myself enough to know that this was something I needed to do for the safety and sanity of myself and my non-binary child,” O’Donnell, 64, exclusively told Us in April 2025.

The midterm elections will be held on November 3 to determine which major party controls the House of Representatives and the Senate in 2027.

Big Brother fans, we’ve got your week 6 Head of Household comp results, who the new HOH is targeting, who was thrown under the bus and what clueless individual thinks she’s about to win a power in BB28.

Big Brother 28: The Play for Power

First let’s talk time capsule powers. Haley Thogmartin told Angela Murray that she’s quite sure she’ll get America’s vote and win the time capsule. Plus, Haley thinks America will reward her because she was bullied all week long.

Haley told Kamu Kirk the same thing. We’re going to see the look on Haley’s face like it was at the eviction where they flipped the vote on her. Based on popularity polls, it’s most likely going to be Melody Morris or Drew Campbell that gets it.

And speaking of people with powers. Some people seem to think Rick Devens‘ Diamond Power of Veto expires this week because it’s week 6. To clarify: Devens’ DPOV was good for the next 6 weeks after he won it.

So, Devens’ power is good until the veto meeting that happens in real time on August 31st and that airs on the Wednesday, September 2nd episode. The advantage was designed by production to carry til jury.

Big Brother 28: Haley Drops a Bomb

Speaking of Big Brother’s house dad, Barrett Pfeiffer got out of Have Not status the other night but that left him sleeping in the pods. And all 6’6″ of him wouldn’t fit. So he went and crawled in bed with Devens.

And like a good dad, Devens didn’t even blink. He just patted Barrett’s arm and scooched over to make room. On the plus side, at least everyone says Barrett smells good unlike he who shall not be named.

After the HOH comp, Haley was spilling tea all over. Angela told Haley she was sorry for screaming at her and Angela said she heard Kamu brought her upstairs for good TV.

Haley dropped the bomb that it was Dee Valladares who told Kamu to bring Angela up. She’s lied to Angela’s face before, but that’s truth. Haley also told Angela if she wins HOH, she’s nominating Dee.

Big Brother 28: Week 6 Nominations and House Drama

Then, Angela drifted back to Dee to ask how it is with Haley and if it’s all good. And Angela lied to Dee’s face and said it was. So, she thinks Haley’s fine with them.

Next, Haley told Drew that on her HOH, the ToolShed was gunning to evict him. Mind you, Drew’s been told this before but hasn’t believed it. He asked Haley who specifically wanted out and she wouldn’t name names.

Later, Drew talked to Kamu who confirmed the ToolShed was gunning for Drew. Only Kamu decided to name names. One name in particular – he said Dee was gunning for Drew.

And Haley and Taylor hashed out some of their beef. She told Haley that she told Lala Verrett not to nominate Haley. Later, Taylor got onto Lala and said be more chill and less mean. Taylor told Lala people are disappointed in her.

Taylor said lay low but Lala didn’t seem to pick up what she was laying down. She argued she was justified. Taylor also acknowledged later that she has to distance herself from Lala game-wise. But Taylor didn’t tell Lala that.

Big problem is Haley’s in the house and Lala’s salty that she didn’t get her out on her HOH. She told Angela she doesn’t care if she ever sees Haley again and called her disgusting.

Talking to Haley, Kamu blamed Chuk Anyanwu for coming between them and for bullying him about the veto. Haley and Kamu agreed they do not trust Dee and Devens. Okay now let’s talk head of household comp.

Big Brother 28: Head of House Named

The two guy, two girl alliance were planning strategies in case it was a knock out comp — and it was. Devens pitted Dee and Taylor against each other at one point. Dee also picked Devens. Drew and Barrett weren’t happy with how the icons played the knockout.

They’d been hoping they’d target Kamu. For now, your week 6 HOH is Yash Patel! Now let’s talk about who he’s eyeing for the block. First, Yash made it very clear that Devens is  safe. Kamu’s safe too. In fact, all the guys are.

The headcount in the BB28 house right now is 12 houseguests, 7 women and 5 men. So, Yash said he doesn’t want to see dudes go home on his HOH. He told Kamu and Drew they’re disadvantaged.

Kamu and Yash talked about Dee going after Haley and trashing her behind her back. Then Yash called Dee crazy. Yash is referencing a story Dee told about being mad at her sister and shaving off her eyebrow while she slept.

Kamu and Yash compared Dee to Chuk. Then Kamu said it’s one thing to play the game, it’s another to drive someone’s character thru the mud. Kamu called it bullying and said it made him super uncomfortable.

Big Brother 28: Kamu Tries to Secure His Position

Dee took more heat when Kamu told Yash that Dee approached him and said Haley shouldn’t be isolated just because she’s on the block. Kamu told Haley that and she told him Dee was completely avoiding her.

Kamu told Yash, it’s the difference between what you say and do. Kamu’s also mad because Dee apparently told Haley that Kamu was trying to flip the vote on her.

Drew was there for this whole conversation so it could make it back to Dee and the other two icons. Yash told the guys his initial gut is to nominate Angela, Dee and Haley.

Kamu told Yash that makes him happy. Kamu said Angela and Dee have both lied on him to Haley. In this same talk, Drew told Yash he’s fine if he needs to nominate Mallory Aurichio or Melody as pawns.

Drew said he doesn’t want him to but won’t freak out and will do damage control. He promised Yash he’ll reassure the girls and Drew will tell them it’s just to fill seats, they’re not targets.

Kamu coached Yash and explained how he talked to Lyric Medeiros before putting her on the block. He told her she’s a fighter, well-liked and won’t be evicted.

Yash plans to tell Dee and Angela when he nominates them that it’s because they wanted him kept out of the vote info for Chuk’s eviction. Because Kamu told Yash that Dee told him not mention the vote flip to Yash.

Big Brother 28: Haley and Lala’s Bully Battle

Also, Haley and Lala are still at each other’s throats. Haley called her a bully. Devens was stuck in the kitchen looking like he wanted to be anywhere else while they went at each other.

Haley and Lala called each other bullies. Haley says she’s not been mean to one soul in this house. Lala said we can have a house meeting. Haley sassed back, I’m not scared of you girl. Lala called her a passive-aggressive bully. Messy.

Editor’s note: The below contains spoilers for Reacher’s Season 4 premiere.

Wherever Jack Reacher (Alan Ritchson) goes, trouble always seems to follow him. Prime Video’s highly anticipated action thriller Reacher officially returns for Season 4, this time in Philadelphia. Like every other season, the Army veteran never intends to attract attention or get pulled into an investigation. However, as luck would have it, Reacher seems to have a knack for finding himself in exactly those situations.

Just when Reacher thinks there’s no more personal baggage left to weigh him down or drag him into trouble, his time in Philly appears as though it might be different. But Season 4’s major change to the established Reacher formula proves otherwise. No matter which city he finds himself in or who surrounds him, Reacher will always step into the middle of danger — not because he chases after it, but because he can’t turn away from someone who needs help, even when he has no business getting involved.

What Is ‘Reacher’ Season 4 About?

Reacher is based on the books by Lee Child, with each season inspired by one specific novel. Before Reacher became a wayward drifter with nothing but the clothes on his back (and his toothbrush), he served 13 years as a major in the U.S. Army. Wanting to spend his post-Army life in peace, taking buses from one place to another, he instead finds himself pulled into a new case every season, each with unexpectedly personal ties.

In Season 1, his trip to Margrave, Georgia, is interrupted when police accuse him of murder, with the victim turning out to be his older brother Joe. In Season 2, Reacher returns to action after members of the 110th Special Investigations Unit he founded, led, and cared for are being murdered one by one, prompting him to conduct an investigation stretching across New York and Atlantic City. Season 3 sees Reacher in Abbottzville, Maine, where undercover work unexpectedly reunites him with an old military enemy-turned-arms dealer responsible for the death of his protégé, Dominique Kohl (Mariah Robinson), a loss Reacher carries considerable guilt over.

Season 4 Gives Reacher His Most Dangerous Fight Yet

Season 4, which is based on Child’s thirteenth Reacher novel, Gone Tomorrow, introduces major stakes when the titular character boards a Philadelphia subway after a casual night out. In the nearly empty car, he notices a woman who appears visibly upset and is exhibiting all the signs of a potential suicide bomber. When he tries to talk her down, he fails, but instead of a bomb, she pulls out a gun, ultimately taking her own life. While Reacher has no involvement in her death, he is the sole witness and is taken in for questioning. However, Reacher quickly realizes that the woman from the train, a Pentagon employee named Anna Merrick (Karen Kwong-Chip), may have been holding onto some highly classified government information.

After learning that Anna allegedly withheld a flash drive containing sensitive secrets before her death, Reacher becomes caught up in a conspiracy that puts him in the crosshairs of local police, the CIA, and thugs hired by the mysterious mother-daughter duo Amisha (Anggun) and Lila Hoth (Agnez Mo). The deeper he digs, the more dangerous the case becomes, with the conspiracy potentially reaching Congressman John Sampson (Marc Blucas), a former Delta Force operative suspected of supporting the bloody 1998 Indonesian riots.

Season 4 Officially Breaks One of ‘Reacher’s Biggest Traditions

Image via Prime Video

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Across the show’s first three seasons, Reacher’s cases have always had some direct connection to him. Season 4 changes that formula, proving that the titular hero needs no personal reason to save someone. For the first time in Prime Video’s adaptation, Reacher isn’t fighting because someone he loves or cares about has been hurt. Instead, he gets involved simply because he sees a stranger who needs help. He doesn’t know her, owe her anything, or have any personal stake in what happens to her, but his instinct to help is unconditional. That simple act of compassion pulls Reacher into what could very well be his biggest case yet.

Season 4’s formula change also emphasizes that Reacher’s greatest strength isn’t always his intellect, eagle eye for detail, or brute strength, but his moral compass and inexhaustible willingness to protect anyone who needs help, even when there’s nothing in it for him. That’s one reason Reacher continues to gain momentum after four seasons, with a fifth season already underway. You can have all the skills in the world to save others, but at the end of the day, the real difference between a hero and a villain is whether you choose to extend that protection to anyone, anywhere, anytime.

New episodes of Reacher Season 4 premiere Wednesdays on Prime Video.

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Reacher

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Release Date

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February 3, 2022

Network

Prime Video

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Showrunner

Nick Santora

Directors

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Omar Madha, Carol Banker, Julian Holmes, Lin Oeding, M.J. Bassett, Norberto Barba, Stephen Surjik, Thomas Vincent

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Brielle Biermann is celebrating her final days as a fiancée before saying “I do.”

The reality star, 29, showed off her pre-wedding style lineup in a series of photos from her bachelorette trip to Turks and Caicos, during which her squad rang in the special occasion with a beach-themed party.

In new photos she shared via Instagram on Thursday, August 13, pink and white balloons filled the room, which also included a light-up “Mrs.” sign in honor of Brielle’s upcoming nuptials to Minor League Baseball player Billy Seidl.

Brielle kicked off the festivities in a series of custom bridal-themed looks, rocking a white corset top paired with flowy white pants, topped off with a veil that draped down her back.

Related: Brielle Biermann and Fiance Billy Seidl’s Relationship Timeline

Courtesy of Billy Seidl/Instagram Brielle Biermann has been romanced by several baseball players since gaining fame on Don’t Be Tardy — and Billy Seidl stepped into the batter’s box in spring 2023. The Real Housewives of Atlanta alum Kim Zolciak-Biermann’s eldest daughter previously dated Chicago White Sox pitcher Michael Kopech for two years before calling […]

She also brought the personalization to another look with a white bikini featuring a custom “Mrs. Seidl” detail on the bottoms. The bride-to-be paired the two-piece with an oversized white bow that featured her future initials: “B.S.”

Brielle shared yet another snapshot wearing a white crochet mini dress layered over the bikini, rocking the same bow with her hair tied up into a tousled pony as she stood in front of a sign that read, “Brielle’s Beach Bach.”

She kept the theme going into the evening, also modeling an ivory sequin-covered mini dress with glittering embellishment paired with a pearl choker-style necklace and open-toe heels.

“ya know, casual dress code for night 1 😝,” Brielle captioned a video on her grid.

Her sister Ariana Biermann showed love in the comments section, replying, “I CANT BREATH [sic].”

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Brielle and Billy, 26, announced their engagement in February 2024 after he popped the question during a trip to Arizona.

Last month, Ariana, 24, exclusively told Us that she’s looking forward to her sister’s big day.

“I cannot wait. I’m her maid of honor, and I’m pumped, and I feel, like, so honored,” Ariana said, revealing that she helped Brielle’s fiancé with the proposal. “It was surreal. I was like, ‘I can’t believe you’re getting married, and, like, you found your person.’ It gives us hope.”

When Will Smith assaulted host Chris Rock at the 2022 Academy Awards, it was the slap seen ’round the world. Smith took home the Academy Award for Best Actor that evening for his role in ‘King Richard’ and his co-star in the film, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, recently defended his Oscars’ slap during a new interview.

RELATED: Oop! Will Smith Sounds OFF About Slapping Chris Rock At The Oscars & His Marriage To Jada Pinkett In New Album (LISTEN)

Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor Defends Will Smith Slapping Chris Rock During Oscars

In an interview with The Daily Beast, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor recalled the Oscars’ slap. Additionally, she defended Smith for standing up for his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.

The ‘Bad Boys’ star smacked Rock across the face in a shocking moment on live television after the host made a joke about Jada’s bald head. The ‘Set It Off’ actress has alopecia, and she was rocking her shaved head as she sat with Smith in the audience. The Oscars’ slap was debated for months afterward, and now, Ellis-Taylor has shared her two cents. The actress said that Smith protected his wife, and she stood with him.

“I know that he wanted to protect his wife, and I stand by that,” she said. “I stand with him for that. I think that this idea that First Amendment rights should protect everybody—I don’t think it should necessarily protect a*sholes…. I really don’t.”

Ellis-Taylor added that she enjoyed working with Smith while noting his protective treatment of everyone on the set. She also said Smith “took money out of his own pocket” to double the pay of the entire cast.

“Will certainly took care of everybody,” she added. “He just would not allow anybody to be treated poorly in his presence. He just would not allow it.”

“I cannot tell you how rare that is in this job,” the actress continued, adding that number-one stars on the call sheet use it as a reason “to be a*sholes and for them to be method and just not give a f*ck about anybody. They see it as permission to do that. They see it as their right to do that. And that’s not how he was at all. So I will always have a great deal of affection and care for him because he acted that way, and not just with me, with everybody.”

In addition, the actress told The Independent that Smith got her pay doubled for ‘King Richard after she told him her salary. Not only that, but Smith “doubled the pay of everybody on the cast. And he took money out of his own pocket to do that, he didn’t go the studio route.”

Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor Prompts Discourse Online

Taylor’s comments prompted fans to react on social media, and several folks agreed with the ‘Lucky’ actress while others criticized her remarks.

On Threads, User @kiki_forevermore30 noted, “Look I understand where she’s coming from with this. I really do and to a very certain extent I agree with her. However by slapping Chris Rock, Will Smith made the entire Oscar night selfishly about himself. he made a complete a*s out of himself by attacking someone smaller than him.”

On X, @aunjanuejlt wrote, “No ma’am. No violence is worth that -especially in that setting. Will had the chance to use that podium to enlighten the world to what his wife was going through making Chris look like the a*hole in everyone’s eyes but his insecurities got in the way.”

X user @TypeLambily disagreed. Furthermore, the user double-downed on the Oscars slap. “We all stand by Will Smith❤️ it’s protect Black women until one actually does. Chris rock is not funny and has few moments where his been funny. Matter of fact he needs another slap.”

@TavyTavy86 added, “So she defends resorting to violence because of a joke. What a disappointment.”

@Rick Wong added, “The irony in her statement .”

Will Smith’s Oscar Slap Revisited

As Smith sat next to his wife at the 2022 Academy Awards, host Chris Rock made a joke about Jada that went over well…. at first. “Jada, I love you,” said Rock. “GI Jane 2. Can’t wait to see it.” 

Evvvvverybody laughed at the joke, including Will Smith. Jada even seemed to crack a smile for a split second before rolling her eyes when all of the sudden, Smith jumped up on stage as a surprised Rock joked, “Oh oh!” Rock continued to laugh right up until Smith slapped him across the face… hard.

“Oh wow,” Rock exclaimed. “Wow! Will Smith just smacked the sh*t out of me.”

After that, Smith popped off again as audience members clutched their diamonds and pearls.“Take my wife’s name out of your f*ckin’ mouth,” he yelled from his seat. “Keep my wife’s name out your f*ckin’ mouth!” Amazingly, Rock went on with the show, and Smith took home the Best Actor Oscar. However, Smith was later banned from the Oscars for 10 years.

RELATED: Syleena Johnson Shares Why She Thinks White People Aren’t Concerned About The Buffalo Mass Shooting Like They Were About The Will Smith Oscars Slap 

Jennifer Lopez knows how to make a birthday moment. One piece from her 57th birthday celebration quickly stole the spotlight: a buttery yellow floral sundress that had shoppers racing to find it. Romantic, feminine dresses like hers are having a major moment this summer, and it’s easy to see why.

Lopez posted an Instagram carousel celebrating her 57th birthday wearing a tie-strap sundress with a corset-style bodice, breezy midi skirt and delicate floral print. The look perfectly captured the effortless, vacation-ready style she’s been embracing lately. While her exact designer dress hasn’t yet been tracked down, we found a remarkably similar version on Amazon for just $47.

Get the Scarlet Darkness Floral Corset Sundress for $47 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate as of the publishing date but are subject to change.

The Scarlet Darkness Floral Corset Sundress delivers the same summery charm without the designer price tag. With its buttery yellow floral print, lace-up corset-inspired bodice and flowing silhouette, it channels the same romantic aesthetic that made Lopez’s birthday outfit instantly trend across social media.

Related: Copy Meghan Markle’s Slimming Tailored Jeans Look for Only $39

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Every so often, a pair of jeans comes along that makes you question every other style hanging in your closet. Meghan Markle‘s latest denim moment is one of those times. Her pant style is crisp, tailored and elongating. In fact, the jeans somehow make legs look a mile long, giving you a flattering silhouette that […]

Beyond the pretty print, it’s packed with thoughtful details. The midi length is universally flattering, while the front slit adds easy movement and the adjustable tie straps help create a customized fit. Available in sizes S through XXL, it also comes in pink floral, blue floral and several other prints if yellow isn’t your favorite.

Shoppers say it looks just as good in person. One reviewer called it “so flattering” and loved that the corset design “allows for waist cinching,” while another buyer praised the “light and airy” fabric and the “super pretty cottage style design.” With 165 five-star ratings, it’s already earning plenty of fans looking for an expensive-looking summer dress without the luxury price tag.

Whether you’re heading to a birthday brunch, a garden party, a weekend getaway or dinner on the patio, this breezy floral dress is the kind of piece you’ll reach for again and again. Lopez may have sparked the trend, but for just $47, you can recreate her dreamy birthday style without stretching your budget.

Get the Scarlet Darkness Floral Corset Sundress for $47 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate as of the publishing date but are subject to change.

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

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Related: Love Nicole Kidman’s $8,300 Bag? This Lookalike Is 99% Less

Some bags are trendy for a season. Others quietly become the kind you reach for every single day because they make everything in your closet look a little more polished. Nicole Kidman’s latest black purse falls firmly into the second category — timeless, versatile and somehow able to elevate even a simple jeans-and-sneakers outfit. The […]

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According to The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition, a satire is “A […] work in which human foolishness or vice is attacked through irony, derision, or wit.” Far from being a simple parody or mockery, satire plumbs the depths of the human condition and isn’t afraid to acknowledge the truths and faults of a given topic. Ever since movies were invented, satires have played an important role in cinema’s broader contribution to the arts.

Throughout the history of film, there have been some truly great satires, and they cross over into many genres. From pop culture hits like Barbie to horror-themed flicks like The Menu or What We Do in the Shadows, these movies have their finger on a pulse that makes society tick. Out of this rich canon of films, these 10 stand apart. They deserve to be appreciated for their excellence and impact on cinema and are some of the best satires of all time.

10

‘Borat’ (2006)

Image via 20th Century Studios

Borat, also known as Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, is a movie that you either love or hate. It is undoubtedly one of the most divisive and controversial comedies ever done, and it has lost none of its potency, 20 years later. Sacha Baron Cohen plays the role of Borat Sagdiyev, a journalist from Kazakhstan who journeys to America to experience the culture and document what he discovers.

Blending a mockumentary style with scripted and improvised scenes, Borat is a collage of filmmaking techniques. The movie created something altogether different than anything done before, and the line between fiction and reality was fluid. Borat leaves nothing off the table, and everything from politics to racism to religion is fair game. Several of the real people filmed in the movie had no idea they are interacting with an actor, and Cohen is so solidly in character that the setup works hook, line, and sinker. Made on a shoestring budget of $18 million, the movie grossed almost $300 million worldwide. It continues to be quoted by devotees and earned an Oscar nomination for best adapted screenplay. Borat is a potent satire that takes no prisoners. It does not try to be palatable and instead exposes the ethnocentric behaviors that it wants to.

9

‘The Truman Show’ (1998)

Image via Paramount Pictures

Jim Carrey is one of Hollywood’s leading men when it comes to comedy, but he is also able to carry a dramatic performance very well. One of his best, more serious film roles is in The Truman Show. In The Truman Show, Carrey plays Truman Burbank, a man who has no idea that his entire life has been a TV show. Everyone Truman knows — his family, his friends, his neighbors are all actors, and everything in his world is a masquerade.

The Truman Show was years ahead of its time. Before reality TV had dominated airwaves, influencers filmed every minute of their lives, or The Matrix envisioned a simulated reality, The Truman Show tackled all of these subjects and more. From blatant product placement to the public obsession with celebrity, The Truman Show ticks every mark and has a lot to say about publicity and privacy. As time moves forward, The Truman Show has only increased in relevance. It is a touching and poignant satire that has one of the most satisfying movie endings of all time.

8

‘Shrek’ (2001)

Image via DreamWorks Animation

Satire is inherently bold, and one movie that sent shockwaves through its own genre and the larger moviemaking community alike was Shrek. In 2001, no one had dared to make fun of Disney’s animated kids movies on such a pointed scale. DreamWorks was founded in part by a former employee of Disney, Jeffrey Katzenberg, and this background would become a driving force of the animated ogre’s raison d’être.

Raising stark contrasts about what audiences had come to expect from fairy tales, Shrek blew romantic fantasy tropes apart. Striking underlying notes about self-confidence and beauty standards, Shrek was its own layered onion, tackling surface-level topics as well as more nuanced ones. Bold enough to take on the highly influential studio, Shrek became the defining satire of kids’ films and changed the game forever.

7

‘Monty Python and the Holy Grail’ (1975)

Image via EMI Films

“And now for something completely different.” Debuting in 1969, Monty Python’s Flying Circus was a TV series that broke the mold. Its droll, dry, and absurdist humor gave the series an affect all its own. Spearheaded by Graham Chapman, John Cleese, and Terry Gilliam, Monty Python was truly original and became a blueprint for modern sketch comedy.

In 1975, the creators debuted their second feature-length project entitled Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Made on a meager budget of £300,000, the film became the first ever to satirize King Arthur and his quest to find the Holy Grail. The movie had all the hallmarks of the fan-favorite TV show and did not disappoint devotees. In fact, Monty Python and the Holy Grail found new audiences and gained even more popularity in the years that followed than the original series. This unique triumph continues to influence filmmaking today and proves that low-budget projects are often the best.

6

‘Young Frankenstein’ (1974)

Image via 20th Century Fox

Mel Brooks is the king of comedy, and his parodies are universally renowned. In Young Frankenstein, Brooks aims his magnifying glass of satire at old Hollywood horror. Young Frankenstein pays tribute to the genre and includes all of the well-established tropes cinema buffs appreciate. There is the unsure but never at fault hero, the ditsy, seductive female, and the exaggerated oddities of townsfolk and side characters. It is a delightful dissection of vintage fright flicks and endlessly entertaining.

Young Frankenstein was a huge success that continues to be a favorite for many. The cast includes stellar talents such as Gene Wilder, Peter Boyle, Teri Garr, Marty Feldman, Madeline Kahn, and Cloris Leachman. Every performance given is phenomenal, and Young Frankenstein has the best acting in any blockbuster comedy ever.

5

‘Modern Times’ (1936)

Image via United Artists

The title of Charlie Chaplin’s Modern Times makes its point unmistakable. In his last silent movie before moving on to the new talkies, Chaplin tackled industrialization and modernization in one brilliant film. As a character simply known as A Factory Worker, Chaplin is seen absentmindedly pulling on levers and operating switches that seem redundant to him. A small figure against a towering room full of buttons and knobs is an instant visual depiction of how users feel out of touch with technology, and we don’t really understand how and why it works.

Modern Times continues to offer hilarious commentary on everything from human laziness to job security. In one scene, a feeding machine shoves food into Chaplin’s mouth. Of course, things start well, and even though ridiculous, the invention seems somewhat useful; then things go spectacularly awry. This example and so many more within the movie illustrate how, even in 1936, humanity was trying to negotiate and examine its dependency on gadgets.

4

‘Network’ (1976)

Image via Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Written by Paddy Chayefsky and directed by Sidney Lumet, Network is a classic 1976 dark comedy that continues to have an impact on the Zeitgeist. Decades ahead of its time, Network seems eerily prophetic in its commentaries about social hysteria and mass media manipulation. Years before “fake news” became a commonly used term, Network aimed to portray what was going on behind the scenes of powerful information distributors.

Network does a superb job of pairing its overall message with more subtle looks into the lives of the people who run large media corporations. It is both a power-behind-the-throne exposé and an observation on the allure of power and popularity. Network took home four Academy Awards in 1977 and continues to be more and more applicable as time goes on.

3

‘Get Out’ (2017)

Image via Universal Pictures

Aptly described by Collider’s Anja Djuricic as “a social satire wrapped in a thriller,” Jordan Peele’s Get Out is a perfect blend of commentary and modern horror. The story follows Chris Washington (Daniel Kaluuya) as he travels with his girlfriend Rose Armitage (Allison Williams) to visit her parents. Chris feels uneasy at Rose’s family home, and there is something about her parents he doesn’t fully trust. As Chris experiences stranger and stranger occurrences at the quiet country estate, the movie slowly reveals that there is an infinitely more sinister and widespread conspiracy at work.

Get Out is absolutely brilliant. Not only are the horror elements spot-on, but the underlying current of uneasy racial tension and cultural appropriation is thought-provoking. Get Out is one of the few horror movies to win the Oscar for best screenplay. It is a masterpiece in every sense of the word and will no doubt influence filmmakers for years to come.

2

‘Jojo Rabbit’ (2019)

Image via Searchlight Pictures

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In Jojo Rabbit, viewers get a rarely explored viewpoint to consider: that of an indoctrinated Hitler Youth. Jojo Rabbit (Roman Griffin Davis) is a 10-year-old boy who, like many young children in his town, has become enamored with Adolf Hitler (Taika Waititi). Jojo’s fascination with Adolf has reached the point where he sees and talks to him as an imaginary friend. Into this interesting dynamic comes a complication for Jojo. He discovers that his mother Rosie (Scarlett Johansson) has been hiding a young Jewish refugee named Elsa (Thomasin McKenzie) in their home.

Jojo Rabbit is a witty, tender, and heartbreaking inspection of one of humanity’s darkest hours. As movies and satires are designed to do, they try to unstring an untangleable knot. They dive deep into a topic and attempt to make sense or discover some pebble of rationality, however minute. Jojo Rabbit is an important piece of cinema that masterfully depicts how powerful media representation, structural racism, and public campaigns of propaganda can be. Jojo Rabbit serves as both a lesson and a warning that should never be forgotten.

1

‘Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb’ (1964)

Image via Columbia Pictures

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If there is one satire that has left an indelible impact on the cinema, it is Stanley Kubrick‘s Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb. In this classic masterpiece, a rogue official launches an unauthorized strike on the Soviet Union, and the US leaders panic and try to decide what to do next. The cast and performances in Dr. Strangelove are exemplary, and Peter Sellers delivers a tour de force caliber in all three of his separate roles.

Although Dr. Strangelove aims its derision against the Cold War, the movie’s insights about fear tactics, hypocrisy, and political disillusionment is still incredibly relevant. It blends subversive comedy with satire and became a model for future films to follow. Dr. Strangelove walks the fine line that the best satires do of jesting about a topic while making pointed remarks that land with the audience. By using the armor of wit, Dr. Strangelove and other satires can deliver a message that few would have been interested in receiving otherwise.

Chile, if this is what 60 is looking like, we might need to rethink everything we thought we knew about aging! Halle Berry had the internet taking notes as she celebrated the major milestone with a series of sultry birthday flicks that showed she was very much in her own lane and feeling herself.

RELATED: Halle Berry Seemingly Claps Back At David Justice For Saying She Didn’t Cook Or Clean During Their Marriage (PHOTOS)

Wait…Halle Berry Is How Old?

Halle Berry kicked off her birthday festivities on Thursday, Aug. 13, sharing photos of herself lounging on a sunny patio while rocking a mostly open lace robe, enjoying chocolate-covered strawberries and sipping a drink. Her fiancé, Van Hunt, also joined her for the intimate shoot, with the couple sharing a kiss on the couch as Berry held a piece of fruit. “Today….don’t give a f–!” she captioned the post. The Academy Award winner had already teased the milestone earlier in the week with photos of herself in a floor-length black mesh dress, writing, “60 here I come….”

The Actress Is Clearly Living Her Best Life

On Friday, Aug. 14, Berry officially celebrated her 60th birthday with another post. The actress shared a selfie of herself cheesing while holding a card that read, “Happy 60th.” In the caption, she thanked everyone for the birthday love and well wishes, adding, “I’m grateful to still be here!!” ❤️

Halle Berry Had The Gworls Questioning The Math

Folks ran to The Shade Room’s Instagram comment section and ran it up over Halle Berry’s birthday flicks. Some were confused by the “60” and questioned how she could possibly be hitting the milestone, while others said Halle had really been fine all her life. Meanwhile, a few fans said she’s been glowing since being with her man, and they absolutely love that for her.

One Instagram user @bryttain_ said, “I automatically start singing “Baow, baow, baow-baow-baow”…Happy birthday Queen 💐”

This Instagram user @astarrwasborn_ added, “She got that freshly folded like a lawn chair look and I love that for her!! 😍🔥”

And, Instagram user @x_jaddaaaa commented, “She gone be 100 years old , still fine 🥹💚”

Meanwhile, Instagram user @shidrika wrote, “& im no better than a mannnnn😍😍”

While Instagram user @1of1_llbigmatt shared, “I never wanted to be a strawberry so bad in my fkn life 😂😍❤️🔥”

Finally, Instagram user @marishalatreese claimed, “She is absolutely beautiful!! Baby 60 where?!! 😍😍”

RELATED: Happy Birthday! Celebrating Halle Berry & 5 Moments That Had Our Jaws On The Floor