Meghan Markle reportedly feels she’s being made to play by a “different rulebook” altogether as compared to her estranged sister-in-law, Kate Middleton.

Having both carried out similar activities in recent months, including trips abroad and sharing pictures of their family, Meghan garnered backlash for using her children to “stay relevant” while royal fans gushed over Kate.

The Duchess of Sussex believes Kate and her husband, Prince William, are still “bad-mouthing her” and remains puzzled as to why people keep thinking the Princess of Wales is faultless.

The longstanding rift within the royal family has seemingly taken a more divisive turn, with hopes of a potential reconciliation further tossed down the drain.

According to Star Magazine, a source close to Meghan has revealed that she increasingly feels she is being made to play by a “different rulebook” than her sister-in-law, Kate Middleton, amid their ongoing rift.

The former “Suits” actress’s suspicion reportedly comes from the public and media reception of her actions, which she feels carries a critical weight that Kate simply does not face.

For instance, Kate and William recently celebrated their 15th wedding anniversary with cute family photos, including their children and pet, after which they shared a sweet portrait of their daughter Charlotte to celebrate her 11th birthday.

Meghan also did something similar days later, as she took to social media to share a post in honor of her son Archie’s seventh birthday. One photo saw him and his sister Lilibet bonding together, while another had him lying on his dad, Prince Harry’s, chest as a baby.

While Kate’s post left fans gushing about her cute family dynamics, Meghan came under fire for the same, with critics accusing her of “pimping their children to stay in [the] media spotlight.”

The Duchess Of Sussex Believes The Princess Of Wales Will Always Be The ‘Golden Girl’

The source who spoke to the news outlet shared that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex feel like “there’s one set of rules for William and Kate and another for them,” going on to add that “the resentment over the double standard is bubbling up again.”

The insider went further to note that Kate and William are also “clearly using their children as part of the royal image and the branding of the family,” but quizzed why Harry and Meghan are not allowed to do the same.

“Yet Meghan’s been criticized for even including the smallest glimpse of Archie and Lilibet. She feels like she’s constantly being judged by a completely different rulebook, and no matter what she does, Kate will be the golden girl, and she will be the villain,” they added.

Meghan Markle’s Strained Relationship With Kate Middleton Affected Her Stay In The Palace

After stepping back from their royal roles in 2020, Harry and Meghan hurled similar allegations against the royal family, including claims that some family members made life hard for the As Ever founder.

Her relationship with Kate also didn’t kick off on a high note, particularly because of a 2018 clash involving bridesmaid dresses that left the future queen in tears ahead of Meghan and Harry’s wedding.

Although Meghan claimed Kate later apologized, her frosty relationship with the mother-of-three seemingly took a toll on her stay within palace walls, as Kate was always the more favored wife of the two of them.

“Once the word was out that they didn’t get along, the writing was on the wall,” the source told Star. “Meghan knew at that point that her future within The Firm — as well as the U.K. as a whole — was doomed.”

The Duchess Feels Her Family Is Being Compared To Kate and William’s

Meanwhile, talks suggesting that both royal families are being compared all over again have started springing up.

Harry and Meghan recently completed a four-day Australian tour where they took part in some charitable and business ventures.

After that, Kate announced that she was proceeding on a solo trip to Italy for her work with early child development. In fact, reports also suggest that William and Kate will likely proceed on a “revenge tour” to Australia to take the shine off Harry and Meghan’s visit.

“There’s definitely a sense in royal circles that the competition stakes have been reignited again,” the source said.

Meghan Markle Is Reportedly Frustrated With How Kate Is Viewed As A ‘Sweet’ And ‘Faultless Person’

And now, Meghan is even more convinced that Kate is being protected by powerful forces within palace walls who are also out to paint her as the big bad guy.

“Meghan has no doubt the Waleses are still stirring the pot and bad-mouthing her,” the insider noted. “That’s the main reason why it rankles and affects her so much.”

The Montecito-based royal is said to have grown frustrated that Kate continues to be viewed as flawless despite the rancors that have ensued privately behind palace walls.

“Meghan would love one day to expose how Kate isn’t this sweet, faultless person that everyone seems to think,” the source added. “Meghan says their unfortunate showdown before the wedding was just one example of how frosty and controlling Kate can be.”

I’ve learned the hard way that not all “easy” spring tops are actually that way — especially at 5’3”. What’s meant to look breezy can quickly turn boxy, oversized or just slightly off, throwing off your whole outfit. When your style priorities shift toward looking polished (but still effortless), those small fit issues matter even more.

Instead of settling, I went looking for spring tops that truly work for petite women over 40. The kind that skim instead of cling, add shape without bulk and feel intentional the second you put them on. From airy blouses to everyday staples, these 17 styles are the ones that actually fit right — and make getting dressed feel easy again.

17 Flattering Spring Tops for Women Over 40 Actually Fit Right

1. Our Favorite: Tunics usually swallow me at 5’3″, but the pleating on this chiffon option gives it shape. The V-neck keeps proportions in check.

2. Floral Favorite: The puff sleeves on this white floral blouse add just enough volume to balance my petite frame. Short sleeves keep it from feeling fussy when temperatures climb.

3. Office-Ready: The V-neck and ruffle details on this chiffon office blouse dress up plain trousers without much effort. The short sleeves also fit under a blazer without any bulk.

4. Waist-Defining: I love that this waist-defining blouse creates shape without shapewear. The V-neck and cap sleeves balance proportions, giving me a bit of playful volume up top without overwhelming.

5. Custom Fit: The drawstring waist on CiCiBird’s chiffon button-down lets me create a custom fit. Peplum hem adds movement without clinging in an awkward way.

6. Pretty Puff Sleeve: The peated babydoll cut on this puff-sleeve V-neck flows away from the midsection, disguising bloating and keeping me comfy. The pretty puff sleeves also add to the chic factor.

7. Everyday Ease: At under $10, this floral V-neck tee punches above its price. The short puff sleeves add a little interest to an otherwise basic shape.

8. Must-Try: I get hot easily, so Dokotoo’s breathable eyelet blouse is a real win. The short, slightly voluminous sleeves give it shape without adding warmth.

9. Shopper-Favorite: I was skeptical of the hype, but this shopper-favorite blouse earns it. The drape flatters without needing to be tucked.

10. Playful Pattern: I throw this collared V-neck blouse over white jeans for weekend errands. It reads put-together even when I’m running on three hours of sleep.

11. Pastel Perfection: The smocked crew neck on this pastel floral blouse sits flat against the collarbone. Ruffled sleeves and a flowy body give it an easy yet fun boost.

12. Square Neck Staple: Square necklines flatter my collarbones better than scoops, so this pink striped top was an immediate add-to-cart. The not-so-simple sleeves make this tee-like top stand out from the pack.

13. Peplum Perfection: The pleated babydoll shape on this V-neck blouse has it flowing past the waist instead of cinching or constricting. It’s also slightly structured, giving it a wealthy, polished-looking twist.

14. Boutique-Looking: The embroidery detail on this V-neck floral blouse looks like something you’d pull from a boutique rack. The contrasting detail down the middle also adds extra interest.

15. Luxe Lace: Made of lace with 3/4-length sleeves, this chic lace blouse covers the upper arm without overheating. The fabric drapes instead of stiffening, so you’ll still feel comfy while looking cute.

16. Pretty Polka Dots: The black and white polka dots on this collared button-down make it both timeless and statement-making, while the short sleeves are spring-appropriate.

17. Ravishing Ruffles: The ruffle cuffs on this V-neck ruffle blouse add drama without looking over-the-top. The 3/4 sleeves also hit at a flattering point on the forearm, so you feel covered yet comfortable at the same time.

Related: 17 French-Girl Style Spring Dresses With Parisian Boutique Energy

French-girl style isn’t about having more clothes — it’s about having the right ones. Usually, that means one really good dress you can rely on when you don’t feel like overthinking your outfit but still want to look put-together. It skims in the right places, moves easily and somehow works for everything from daytime plans […]

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It’s fair to say that the pool of people who don’t have at least one streaming subscription is small, with 83% of the U.S. population currently watching content on at least one streaming platform. However, a recent study shows that about 40% of Americans are cutting back on their subscriptions — not ditching them outright, just being more selective in what they keep. Even in such an environment, the number of subscribers to Disney+ is, at worst, maintaining the status quo, or, per the company’s 2025 fiscal report, growing moderately, but that could stil be bad news for riskier TV shows.

Disney Has Been Embracing Nostalgia and Proven Franchises

A conglomerate like Disney could go in one of two directions in response to this development. On the one hand, they could make bold, risky TV shows that draw in new subscribers willing to check out exciting and new content. On the other, they could fall back on the tried-and-true: reboots, remakes, legacy sequels, and proven franchises.

Time and again, Disney makes a calculated gamble that either fails outright or doesn’t succeed enough, and cuts bait, or they find success with a project and ride the wave until it’s been milked dry. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl was a gamble that worked, and then they rode the franchise to oblivion with increasingly tired sequels. But now, instead of taking a bold risk, they’re actually going back to the franchise with a sixth film. Adapting The Lion King for live-action wasn’t exactly a big risk, but it paid off. However, instead of taking risks with something new, they’re revisiting each one of their animated classics to do the same thing.

The same thing has already happened with Disney+. WandaVision was the first MCU TV series, but with interest in the franchise sky-high, it was hardly a risk — until the service became oversaturated with MCU content. Daredevil: Born Again definitely marked a change for the streamer, a decidedly TV-MA series unlike the bulk of Disney+’s content, yet the success of Deadpool & Wolverine proved that there was a market for it. And the revival of beloved sitcom series Malcolm in the Middle, Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair, simply wasn’t going to fail.

Disney+ Could Play It Safe, but at a Cost

It is, in fact, the last two that most likely point to the direction Disney+ goes to address their subscriber-dilemma-that-isn’t-really-a-dilemma dilemma. Both leverage known properties in the hopes of boosting their subscription numbers by wooing fence sitters with the nostalgia of the latter, and the “more of what you loved in 2024” in the former. Anything that proves to be divisive in the least, like Goosebumps, Willow, or The Acolyte, already has a short leash, so the odds that Disney+ is going to give safe harbor to series that automatically lose half their audience off the bat are slim, at best, when shows that are guaranteed a built-in audience that also have the potential to pull in others are far more appealing.

As it is, anything truly risky is kept at arm’s length by falling under the Hulu banner. But as Disney+ continues to integrate Hulu into the parent app, series that benefit from that separation, your Shōgun or Dopesick, for example, are more likely to fall to the lowest common denominator – the inoffensive, non-divisive content – than the other way around. It sounds ridiculous, perhaps, but former Disney CEO Bob Iger has more or less suggested that this is the direction they plan to go in to improve subscriber growth.

Making creative, risky content is, unsurprisingly, not part of the plan, and that is going to come at a cost for Disney. Nostalgia and safe bets have done the job to date, but the unwillingness to take risks with their content has an inherent flaw. Sure, their long, storied history has allowed them to utilize the nostalgic element longer than most. But it’s bold, original ideas that really drive people to streamers, as Stranger Things did for Netflix. It was something that easily could have failed, but the benefits ultimately outweighed the drawbacks.

Moves like that are appealing to creatives in the field, directors, and actors who want to work with companies that allow them a degree of creativity. If Disney+ moves towards a controlled environment for the projects it allows, and there’s little to suggest they won’t, they will become a pariah to the truly creative who are looking to take risks, and instead attract lesser talent willing to work within a box for the pay. And with people becoming more discerning about what they’re opting to stick with for streamers, it’s a price that Disney+ may rue not having paid from the outset.

Going to the beach usually requires a swimsuit, SPF and flip-flops, but that’s just the foundation for a full-on summer outfit. Whether you’re walking around the resort or taking a stroll on the shore, you’ll want to look casually cool yet totally chic, which is where our favorite summer beach finds come in.

These breezy tops, elevated dresses and lightweight skirts give off major tropical vibes, even if you’re just going to the community pool. And while everyone will think you shop at coastal boutiques, only we’ll know that you snapped up these designer-looking styles on Amazon. In fact, the retailer has a new Beach-Ready Looks hub that’s filled with summery clothing, shoes and accessories that scream ‘I vacation in Fiji.’ Yep, these finds are that deceiving. And the brands? Well, there are some popular names you won’t want to miss out on, including picks from Cupshe, Levi’s, Havaianas and even Farm Rio, starting at $13. Yes, you read that right.

15 Beach-Ready Summer Styles on Amazon — From $13

1. Our Favorite: Effortless breezy style is just one way to describe this cute halter top. It has a flattering peplum detail, a sweetheart neckline and a little bow at the underbust seam for an extra feminine touch.

2. Anything But Basic: We’re willing to bet that your beach cover-up isn’t nearly as swanky as this mesh knit dress. The eyelet stitching and color-blocking trim give it a classy appearance while you go to and fro the cabana.

3. Designer-Looking: These trendy oval sunglasses give a nod to iconic ’90s ‘It’ girls like Carolyn Bessette and Jennifer Aniston. Everyone will think you’re wearing a high-end brand, even though these babies are just $13.

4. Summer Staple: You can’t go on vacation without a swimsuit, and this two-piece set is perfect if you want a bit of coverage. The triangle bikini top shows off the girls, while the high-waisted bottom smooths and cinches to give you an hourglass appearance. And the bright colors are to die for.

Related: Our 17 Top Picks From Amazon’s New ‘Summer Wardrobe Refresh’ Edit

Summer style always sounds effortless . . . until you’re actually standing in front of your closet trying to get dressed in the heat. The wrong fabric, the wrong fit or just one extra layer can make an outfit feel completely off. That’s why Amazon’s new “Summer Wardrobe Refresh” edit couldn’t have landed at a […]

5. Sporty-Chic: Havaiana flip-flops have a cult following for a reason. However, if you want to elevate the classic sandals for 2026, consider this sleek style, which has a square-toe design that breathes new life into the shoe.

6. Boho Babe: Skinny jeans in the summer are a no-go. These casual, airy trousers are our favorite alternative because they offer sun protection while also providing breathability. Oh, and the smocked waist and bow-tie detail make them ultra comfy.

7. Editor-Approved: Crocs clogs are super popular, but we consider the Brooklyn Low-Wedge Sandals the OG’s cool older sister. This shopping editor has this exact pair at home and wears the sandals to concerts, city walks and church services in New York City.

8. Instant Upgrade: Little mini dresses are a summer staple, and we’re obsessing over this sleek high-neck find. It’s truly business in the front, and party in the back. Just look at the open-back design that’ll show off all the hard work you’ve been doing at the gym.

9. Slimming Staple: We love this orange and pink floral top that feels very tropical-esque for beachside dinners with the boo. Another stylistic benefit? The fit gathers and snatches in all the right places for a flattering look.

10. Bestseller Find: Amazon shoppers love this loose maxi skirt that goes nicely with tanks, tees and even a bikini top. It comes in tons of colors, but this white one is the most versatile of the bunch.

11. Rich Mom: Scoring Farm Rio anything for under $100 is almost unheard of, however, we discovered several affordable top styles from the brand on Amazon. This rich mom woven bag is positively chic, durable and roomy enough to hold all the beach essentials.

12. Everyday Essential: These baggy Levi’s shorts are perfect for slipping on over your swimsuit, thanks to the easy-going fit and long in-seam. Read: Even if your thighs touch, you won’t experience painful chafing in 90-degree Fahrenheit weather.

13. Going Viral: Cool girls are taking their flip-flops to new heights (literally). These platform flip-flop sandals have a 3.4-inch heel that elevates your entire look without sacrificing comfort.

It’s hard to put into words just how disappointing it can be to watch a movie with unappealing visuals and then look up the budget, only to find it cost an obscene amount of money. What might be worse is reading that a movie costs hundreds of millions of dollars beforehand, and then going to the biggest screen possible to watch it, only to get the feeling that all that money was wasted.

Such an experience can really make you appreciate something like the Avatar movies. Yes, the writing in those isn’t on the same level as all the other stuff, but those very expensive movies look very expensive. The same can be said for blockbusters like the recent Planet of the Apes films and most of what Christopher Nolan’s made in the last decade and a half. The same cannot be said for the following movies, with all of their budgets exceeding $200 million, and none of them really looking like the money was utilized to its full potential. For the examples below that have estimated budgets, or a budget that’s said to fall somewhere within a range, if the lowest estimate is over $200 million, then it was fair game to be included here.

10

‘The Little Mermaid’ (2023)

Image via Disney

So many of the movies here are Disney productions, because that studio seems to be the current king of spending ludicrous amounts of money on movies that don’t always live up to such reported budgets. To be fair, it’s not like every Disney movie of the past decade or so has had this problem. Some have cost expensive and looked expensive, while others were comparatively modest… emphasis on “comparatively,” because spending less than $200 million but more than $100 million on a movie is still pretty huge.

To get the ball rolling, here’s The Little Mermaid, which was a movie that remade a beloved musical that didn’t need a remake. It was live-action, it cost $250 million, and in pretty much every way, it looks worse than the original 1989 film, which has a style of animation that might well be timeless. Dishonorable mention should also go to The Lion King (2019) here, but having just computer-generated characters there, and not CGI characters talking to live-action actors, technically made it a bit less uncanny to look at.

9

‘The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies’ (2014)

Image via Warner Bros

There’s always been something incredibly impressive about the budget for The Lord of the Rings. Yes, adjusting for inflation would pump up the numbers, but those three movies were made for under $300 million, so if you wanted to say it was roughly $90-ish million a movie, that’d be somewhat accurate. $300 million in 2000 equals $580 million in 2026, yet it’s still impressive even when you take inflation into account, because most movies nowadays with budgets just under $200 million still don’t look as good.

The impressiveness of The Lord of the Rings makes The Hobbit trilogy look inevitably worse, in comparison. The Battle of the Five Armies is probably the most unpleasant-looking of the bunch, just because it has a particularly high level of effects work done for the big battle that the title promises. Adjusted for inflation, it still cost more than any individual The Lord of the Rings movie, was made/released a decade later, and overall looks considerably worse than, say, all the action and spectacle you can find (and still very much get engrossed by) in The Return of the King.

8

‘Snow White’ (2025)

Image via Disney

Lots of what was said about The Little Mermaid can also be said about Snow White. This is another live-action remake of a classic animated movie. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs might’ve once been seen as too sacred to touch or redo, since it was made in the 1930s and looks incredible, as a technical achievement, for that time, and it’s also so historically significant a film within Disney’s history. Or within cinema history, really.

And then 2025’s Snow White might well have looked the worst out of any Disney remake so far (the live-action Moana, based on the trailer, could be a competitor, though). “Uncanny” is the word of the day here, or if you want two words of the day, “flat” works. A third? “Uninspired.” All the negative adjectives. It’s never a nice movie to look at, and it’s all such a waste of money and time when the original can still be watched and appreciated today. Also, it’s worth highlighting Snow White looks worse than The Little Mermaid while also costing more, with an estimated budget of at least $269 million. Some estimates/sources suggest it’s higher. With Disney, it’s tough, because lots of the studio’s recent movies have “net” and “gross” budgets.

7

‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’ (2019)

The Star Wars movies produced and released throughout the second half of the 2010s all cost pretty ludicrous amounts of money. However, some of them did look expensive. The Force Awakens, for all its flaws, did indeed look high-budget, and it was high-budget. Rogue One was also a visually pleasing movie, and The Last Jedi was also easy on the eyes.

Solo: A Star Wars Story wasn’t quite up there, but The Rise of Skywalker has been the nadir, in terms of the visuals of theatrically released Star Wars movies. At the time of writing, The Mandalorian and Grogu is not out, so time will tell how it looks in comparison to The Rise of Skywalker. But for now, this one looks the most out of step with its reported budget, which is as “low” as $490 million and could be as high as $593 million.

6

‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’ (2023)

Image via Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

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Steven Spielberg not being attached, as a director, to the fifth Indiana Jones movie was probably a bullet dodged, in the overall scheme of things. His fourth movie was already divisive enough, but The Dial of Destiny is probably a worse film than that overall, and even a talented filmmaker like Spielberg could’ve only done so much to help it along. It’s a bloated, messy, and unusually drab-looking movie.

Well, who knows? Spielberg could’ve breathed some life into it. You can go a bit crazy with what-ifs, like imagining if he’d done more with the money somehow, or would’ve directed in a way that might’ve kept the budget down. Or it was just cursed no matter what, with a budget that went as high as $419 million. You can be almost guaranteed that none of the original three Indiana Jones movies cost nearly that much, when adjusted for inflation, and even if they did, they’re still the ones that look better than The Dial of Destiny, so it’s lose-lose (all-around loss) for this fifth film.

5

‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ (2024)

Image via Marvel Studios

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This one’s liked by a lot of people, and so it might be a hard pill to swallow, but Deadpool & Wolverine is a pretty shoddy-looking movie for something that has one of the highest budgets in cinema history. It being here doesn’t have anything to do with the writing or comedy, because yes, some of Deadpool & Wolverine is indeed kind of fun, and it’s not an overall terrible or impossible-to-watch movie.

If you’re willing to enter some speculation-heavy territory, the high budget here could have more to do with the sheer number of famous involved, in major, cameo, and everything in between roles, so if most of the money went there, that could account for the visuals being so bland. There are desolate and uninteresting-looking landscapes, and generally lacking special effects, with nothing in Deadpool & Wolverine looking better than either of the first two Deadpool movies, both of which were made for considerably less ($58 million for the first, about double that for the second, and then approximately five times the second’s budget for the third… insanity).

4

‘Justice League’ (2017)

Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

To go easy on the Disney productions for a bit, here’s 2017’s Justice League, which was produced by Warner Bros. It had a production impacted by reshoots, and was always going to be an expensive movie even if reshoots weren’t needed, so it ended up costing an estimated $300 million, with so much of the movie seemingly being cut altogether.

All that cutting was a big reason why there was such a push for the eventually-released director’s cut, and that turned out to be a radically different movie. Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021) did have things going for it visually, but the 2017 cut looks generally terrible. Some might argue The Flash (2023) looked even worse, but the lowest estimate for that film’s budget was right on $200 million, meaning it might not have cost more than $200 million, so it gets off on a technicality, basically. Consider it getting noted here as a dishonorable mention, though.

3

‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ (2022)

Image via Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Since there was a worse-looking MCU movie made in 2023, Thor: Love and Thunder doesn’t look the worst out of all the franchise’s $200+ million movies for long, but still, it remains worthy of being considered the second-worst-looking. Inflation can’t account entirely for the previous Thor movie costing $180 million, compared to Love and Thunder’s $250 million budget, though even if they did cost exactly the same, Thor: Ragnarok put that money to better use.

There are a few shots in Thor: Love and Thunder that are particularly infamous, like the floating head projection and that one image of Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman looking garish and standing against a background that somehow looks both garish and somehow also flat at the same time, but the whole movie looks bad. It might’ve been the first MCU movie to look genuinely inferior to some of the MCU TV shows, and it contributed to that growing sense of fatigue some have felt with the whole cinematic universe post-Avengers: Endgame.

2

‘The Electric State’ (2025)

Image via Netflix

The Russo brothers directed two Captain America movies, and then two Avengers movies, then went and did some other projects before Marvel pulled them back to direct the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday. Those four Marvel movies they made were all expensive, and besides The Winter Soldier, the others had sometimes shaky effects that looked a little unpolished, though for the most part, those movies at least looked pretty expensive.

As for The Electric State, which was one of the post-Endgame and pre-Doomsday Russo movies, it did not look very good at all, to say the least. If someone’s not talking about how much it missed the mark as an adaptation of a beloved and unique illustrated novel, then they’re probably talking about how ugly The Electric State looks for a movie with a reported budget of $320 million, which just seems preposterous, based on the visuals and special effects it features.

1

‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ (2023)

Image via Marvel Studios

Since Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania takes place almost entirely within the Quantum Realm, extensive special effects were needed throughout the entire thing, and likely contributed to the movie costing more than $300 million. There are so many other Marvel movies that use copious amounts of green screen, of course, but either Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania has the most green screen out of any MCU movie, or it just has the most instances of poorly-executed green screen seen in any theatrically released MCU entry so far.

You could spend hours going over everything that doesn’t look right here, but the main thing is this: the special effects look genuinely unfinished in so many places, and it would not be surprising to learn that the post-production process was rushed. There are also massive problems with how Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is written, and the fact that it set up a big villain for the whole ongoing series who’s since been removed, but the ugliness of it all, on a visual front, does stand out. It’s two hours of being smacked in the eyeballs, and even with it taking place in an alien (not in the extra-terrestrial sense) landscape, it still just looks all wrong.

The public’s view of J.J. Abrams has evolved over the years. He went from being the go-to reviver of franchises with back-to-back successes with Mission: Impossible III and Star Trek, to then having a monster hit with Star Wars: The Force Awakens and then doing what he could with The Rise of Skywalker. Even though Abrams has become so closely associated with massive franchise films, it’s the smallest project he’s done that may be his best: Super 8. Not just for the charm factor of the clear nostalgic ties he has to the material (along with Michael Giacchino‘s flawless score), but because it also has possibly the best scene in any of his movies — and it happens during the credits.

What Is J.J. Abrams’ Sci-Fi Thriller ‘Super 8’ About?

The film follows Joe (Joel Courtney), a middle schooler who’s about to start his summer vacation with his friends as they work on a zombie movie along with his crush Alice (Elle Fanning) to submit to a film festival. While sneaking out to do a night shoot at a train station, they witness and barely survive a devastating train crash, which, unbeknownst to them, unleashes an alien that’ll begin to wreak havoc on their little town. (That is, if the air force investigating the crash doesn’t do it first.)

While that description would have you believe that the story is primarily about the alien running loose around the town — Joe’s father, Deputy Lamb (Kyle Chandler) has his hands full with that as his side-quest — the story is really focused on these kids making their movie, and that’s where the credits’ scene shines.

‘Super 8’s End Credits Are What Make the Sci-Fi Thriller a Masterpiece

Once the story has reached its conclusion, we cut to black, and Electric Light Orchestra plays as the credits roll, until we’re shown a completed version of the zombie film that the kids were making, titled, “The Case.” It’s an endearing scene, obviously playing to Abrams’ experiences making Super 8 movies growing up with charming touches like improper lighting and jerky camera movements because the actors aren’t in frame. Even the acting by the kids is stilted in a way that shows that the characters are just kids, not actors. It’s a wonderful scene that makes the film come full circle, not just because we see the context of previous scenes where the kids are dressed in costumes and are in between takes — but because Super 8 isn’t about the alien, it’s about their movie.

While the boys going after Alice after she’s been captured by the alien (credited as Cooper in the credits) is the focus of the third act, the alien itself is just what gets the ball rolling for the chaos surrounding the kids. For a large portion of the story, the alien is almost totally irrelevant to them, and the only times that its existence comes to their attention is when it inadvertently benefits the production value of their movie. There’s the detail of Joe talking to Charles (Riley Griffiths) via walkie-talkies about overhearing that the air force is investigating Dr. Woodward’s (Glynn Turman) house, which is how they know to go there to film the next day. That moment works almost on a meta level too, because when Joe tries to question why the air force would be at Woodward’s house, or why they would be taking molds of the tire tracks of the car they drove on the night of the train crash, Charles literally tells him to shut up about it and brings the conversation back to their movie.

The Zombie Movie in ‘Super 8’ Is What Pushes the Sci-Fi Film Forward

It’s important to note that while the alien is a necessary plot device to bring the characters together to accomplish a common goal for the sake of having an entertaining, action-filled climax, it’s the kids’ movie that drives the story forward. The only reason Alice gets abducted by the alien in the first place is because she snuck out to Joe’s house to convince him not to blow up his model train for the sake of the movie. Even the kids’ revelation that there’s an alien at all is from the footage they captured on the night of the crash.

Every major plot development is informed by their movie, so not showing the finished product would’ve been a disservice to the resolution of the story, more so than revealing the fate of the alien. However, even without that qualifier, it’s still a sweet scene in its own right, showcasing Abrams’ career roots and emulating the quality of the Super 8 films he grew up making. It’s an endearing short film that wraps the film up in a bow and gives the movie added rewatchability when you consider Super 8 is basically a behind-the-scenes look into how the kids made their movie, just with the added hurdle of an alien terrorizing their town.

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Super 8

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Release Date

June 10, 2011

Runtime

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112 minutes

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Actor Joshua Bassett is getting real about his past addiction to ketamine following a near-death experience he had in 2021. During a podcast interview, Bassett, who starred in the Disney show “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series,” said that he used the drug to help him “escape” his internal struggles.

While appearing on the “Zack Sang Show,” Bassett said that he used ketamine and other drugs to help him mask the pain he was feeling in 2021. “[I’d use] whatever was the most effective in that moment at sort of putting me at ease,” he said.

According to PEOPLE, Bassett also opened up about his struggles in his new book, “Rookie: My Public, Private, and Secret Life,” in which he wrote about using “six” baggies of ketamine every day.

In the podcast episode, the actor said that after he began using the drugs, his addiction to them only grew.

“It got to a point, and I think that’s the thing about a lot of drugs is that they can be fun and enjoyable for a little while, but … what happens is you have a good time and then now you’re at a deficit, a dopamine deficit,” he said, explaining that he used the drugs as “an escape” from the pain.

Joshua Bassett Was Able To Hide His Addiction To Ketamine Because Of His Acting Abilities

Bassett said on the podcast that he became quite skilled at hiding his addiction struggles, mainly because of his profession as a performer.

“I was pretty good at hiding it. You know?” he said. “I’m an actor so I think it’s my gift and curse is that I can pretend that I’m doing well when I’m not.”

The singer, now 25, said that addiction “thrives through isolation” before saying his proximity to fame and money only exacerbated things.

He went on to say how thankful he was to still be alive today, saying, “It’s truly a miracle it didn’t take my life.”

He added, “It’s a miracle my life hasn’t been taken quite a few times, to be honest … You know, it’s a miracle I’m here for sure.”

Writing A Book Was ‘Cathartic’ For Joshua Bassett

In a separate interview with PEOPLE, Bassett opened up about how writing a book helped him begin his healing journey.

“When you start to write those down and relive those, it’s very, very physically painful,” he said. “The body does keep the score and I think in doing that it’s very raw and difficult, but the artist paves the road for the audience to scroll down.”

For those who may be unfamiliar, Bassett spent much of 2021 and 2022 in the headlines, thanks to his Disney co-star, Olivia Rodrigo, and her Hot 100 No. 1 hit, “Driver’s License,” which is rumored to be about him.

“The hard work I have to do of sitting in those emotions over and over again and crafting the perfect words and trying to get it to really fit and having to relive that, that difficult work ideally makes it cathartic and easy for somebody to be able to read it,” he said.

Bassett Is ‘Honest’ In His Book, But Not Always ‘Transparent’

Continuing, Bassett, who won an Emmy for Outstanding Original Song, said he bares his soul in the book, talking about sexual abuse, mental health, and the pressure of fame.

And while he touches on serious topics, the actor said he decided to dial it back a bit in certain parts of the writing process.

“My mentor, there were a couple times where he’d be like, ‘You can be honest without being transparent at times.’ So there were a couple times where I dialed it in. It’s still pretty vulnerable, but there’s certain points where it’s like, ‘You know what, you don’t need to give the world everything, you know?’” he shared.

What Has Bassett Learned From His Addiction?

Elsewhere during the interview, Bassett said that he’s learned a lot about himself over the years. According to him, he displayed some behavior he isn’t proud of, and if he could go back and do it over again, he would.

“I wish I was more considerate in my tornado and my distress and even addiction,” he said. “[Addiction can be] very self-centered. There is an element to addiction that is, ‘I care more about how I feel at the expense of everyone else,’ and you end up hurting a lot of people, you end up choosing yourself in a way that is unhealthy over people. I just wish I’d be a little bit more considerate, a little bit more thoughtful and a little bit more forgiving of myself and others.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health challenges, emotional distress, substance use problems, or just needs to talk, call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org 24/7.