2026 has been a stellar year for video games. With titles such as Pragmata and Resident Evil Requiem, the race for Game of the Year is going to be more challenging than ever, and that isn’t even including what is to come; hint, hint, nudge, nudge, Grand Theft Auto VI. But that isn’t the only game to look forward to in 2026, especially with a jam-packed September, which will put a serious dent in everyone’s wallets. E3 may be long and dead, but gamers are still thriving this time of year because of Geoff Keighley‘s Summer Game Fest, which is an assortment of events that showcase all the upcoming games to get excited about this year and in the future. Other companies, such as Xbox and PlayStation, also held presentations, revealing new games like Persona 6 and God of War Laufey.

However, if Xbox and PlayStation had their time to shine, then fans know Nintendo needs to get in on the action. A Nintendo Direct aired on June 9, mostly revealing more information about their upcoming games, such as Star Fox and Splatoon Raiders. However, Nintendo likes saving the best for last, and ended the direct with an announcement of a remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. The brief trailer didn’t show off much besides the stellar graphics, a glimpse of what Link looks like, and a 2026 release date. And with it being Zelda’s 40th anniversary, now is the perfect time for the remake, especially as the franchise has hit an all-time high, quality-wise. And yet, Ocarina is still the best video game ever made, and this highly anticipated remake will remind you why.

What Is ‘The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time’ About?

Originally released in 1998, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time was the first game in the franchise to enter the 3D realm, reinventing modern action games and establishing itself as the best Zelda game of all time. This N64 classic paved new ground by bringing the franchise into 3D and pioneering Z-targeting, which most action games have used since. Its influence is historic, still felt to this day in most mainstream fantasy efforts. When looking at its polish, innovation, quality for the time, and entertainment value today, it is hard to argue with its reputation as the all-time best game in the medium’s history, because Ocarina of Time holds up surprisingly well.

Set in the fantastical Kingdom of Hyrule, the plot centers on Link, a forest boy who lives a rather mundane life. All the other kids have a fairy companion, except for Link, until a helpful yet annoying fairy named Navi wakes him up, summoning him to the Great Deku Tree. It is revealed that Princess Zelda was kidnapped by the Gerudo King, Ganondorf, taking her away to an unknown land. Link is the only one who can save her, needing to go on an adventure through the past and future, conquering dungeons and defeating bosses in order to resurrect the sages. With the help of the sages, Link must defeat Ganondorf with the power of a third of the Triforce, making sure the evil king doesn’t get the remaining two pieces.

How Different Will the Remake Be Compared to the Original?

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time still holds up pretty well, even if the graphics are outdated and the controls can feel clunky at times. However, it’s already been remade once on the 3DS, which many fans consider the best Nintendo game ever. It made many quality-of-life improvements and gave fans updated visuals to make it more palatable. Still, the 3DS remake didn’t change the story, gameplay, or reinvent anything; it simply delivered an upgraded version of the original.

However, that begs the question: what will this remake look like? There are only so many ways Nintendo could go with this new game: it could be a simple graphics upscale that keeps everything else the same, or it could be a remake with some new mechanics and polished design, or it might be a complete reimagining with new dungeons, side quests, places to explore, and gameplay. Everyone wants something different, but most fans seem keen on something entirely new, with a reimagining being the best bet. At the very least, new graphics and better controls will bring Ocarina of Time into the modern age, where new fans can experience its brilliance.

The first glimpse showed a new look at Link with by far the best graphics in any Zelda game, supporting the claim that the Ocarina of Time remake will be more of a reimagining, maybe adding extra content, redesigning the world, or making it a new experience while keeping the spirit intact. This approach can’t help but worry some fans who want that nostalgic and classic feel again, with a reimagining potentially altering what we all know and love about the game. Either way, it is likely that this remake will be one of the best Nintendo Switch games, with it already being a system seller as many fans try to get a Switch 2 before the price increases in September. The potential price for the game is already raising some eyebrows, but for now, we all remain hopeful.

Will ‘The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time’ Remake Win Game of the Year?

Image via Nintendo

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Almost every game that was originally scheduled for the last few months in 2026 has been pushed up to September or delayed to 2027 in order to avoid the inevitable storm that is Grand Theft Auto VI. It seems that everyone will be playing this game come November, and with it being in development for so long, it is likely to be the eventual Game of the Year winner. It does have some competition, and its biggest rival is the newly announced Ocarina of Time remake. As a remake, it is unlikely that Ocarina of Time will take the award, but it is one of the few games capable of giving GTA VI a run for its money. Still, seeing these two juggernauts spearhead a hectic holiday season will be magnificent, as two of the greatest video games of all time come out at the end of 2026.

There aren’t many better games than Ocarina of Time, if any, and that is a legacy which has been kept for decades. A remake is a risky thing, because while it will sell well, what if it doesn’t live up to the original? The 1998 game redefined the modern age of gaming, and while the remake is unlikely to do that, the best it can do is to expand on what made the first game great. Remaking Ocarina of Time must bring something that the audience has seen before, while not straying too far from what made the first one good. Hopefully, it’ll mean new dungeons, voice acting, side quests, incredible visuals, and maybe some new areas to explore.

And yet, it’s hard not to think the remake will cement Ocarina of Time as the all-time greatest video game in the medium’s history. It is the perfect 40th anniversary present to fans, a huge ordeal that Zelda fans are excited about. Plus, with The Legend of Zelda movie coming out in 2027, fans are eating well. A movie and a remake within half a year is better than anything fans thought they would get, but that truly means Nintendo is putting everything into making this anniversary special. It would be surprising if the Ocarina of Time remake were disappointing. It may not surpass the original, but this reimagining is exactly what the franchise needs, further proving that this is the best year for gaming in a long time.

Fans can play The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake sometime in 2026 on the Nintendo Switch 2.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are both on top of their games — and have the workout routines to back it up.

A source exclusively told Us Weekly in March 2024 that Swift trains with Kirk Myers at the gym Dogpound when she’s in either New York City or Los Angeles.

“He has helped her get in shape for her tour,” the insider explained to Us. “They have been working together for many years.

Swift had been performing her three-hour-long Eras Tour concert across the globe since March 2023.

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Related: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s Relationship Timeline

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are all anyone can talk about since they got together in 2023. Their 2025 engagement, which came weeks before Swift released her album The Life of a Showgirl (featuring plenty of references to Kelce), has made them an even bigger topic of conversation. Swift and Kelce were first linked in […]

“Every day I would run on the treadmill, singing the entire set list out loud,” Swift previously told TIME in her 2023 Person of the Year profile. “Fast for fast songs, and a jog or a fast walk for slow songs.”

To help her train, Dogpound created a unique program that incorporates strength, conditioning and weights.

Pre-Eras, Swift also hit the dance studio to learn choreography, crafted by Mandy Moore, for her entire setlist.

“I had three months of dance training because I wanted to get it in my bones,” she added to TIME. “I wanted to be so over-rehearsed that I could be silly with the fans, and not lose my train of thought.”

Since Swift and Kelce started dating in summer 2023, they’ve hit the gym together. However, they engage in drastically different workouts.

Kelce, a NFL tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, works with multiple trainers throughout his football season and during his offseason hiatus. One of his trainers, Laurence Justin Ng, shared a peek into Kelce’s gym routine in an April Instagram video.

Per the video, Kelce’s regimen starts with the football star warming up his hip flexors before doing knee drives against the wall. Kelce also runs on a treadmill at an incline and sprints uphill in a parking garage.

Kelce’s football seasons typically start in July or August when he reports for training camp. Games begin in September and run through postseason the following January. The season ends with the Super Bowl in February. After the big game, the athletes are in their offseason until the next training camp.

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Kelce continues training even when his NFL commitments are over for the season.

“Bench? Right now everything’s been sort of high reps, low weights,” Kelce previously said in a 2015 YouTube interview with Stack magazine as he showed off his offseason weightlifting regimen. “I throw two 45’s and hit it for about eight to 10 and just do more of the isolation hold to really work the shoulders, so that when I actually do throw some weight on there, I’m not injury-prone to it or anything like it.”

Throughout his NFL tenure, Swift has remained his biggest fan amid their 2025 engagement and 2026 wedding.

By Jonathan Klotz
| Published 15 seconds ago

Stargate SG-1 had a lot of work to do in its first season to go beyond the setting of the 1993 film. By the time Episode 11, “Bloodlines,” hit the air on Showtime it was clear to the new and ever-growing fanbase that this was a different type of sci-fi series. Teal’c (Christopher Judge) was already being compared to Star Trek: The Next Generation’s Worf, and the introduction of his family on Chulak didn’t help the comparisons. Once “Bloodlines” came ot an end it was clear that Teal’c would be different and the Goa’uld were going to be the worst villains in any 90s sci-fi series. 

Teal’c Would Do Anything For His Family

The episode opens with Teal’c undergoing treatment to remove his Goa’uld symbiote. It fails. By now, his body relies on the parasitic evil alien to function. That’s enough to get him to open up to Stargate Command about his family back home on Chulak. His son, Rya’c, is going to be implanted with a Goa’uld larvae and Teal’c wants to stop it. General Hammond (Don S. Davis) pushes back and stops the team though he folds at the flimsiest pretense to undertake the mission. 

Teal’c and the rest of SG-1, O’Neil (Richard Dean Anderson), Jackson (Michael Shanks), and Carter (Amanda Tapping) sneak onto Chulak and while behind enemy lines learn a word that fans of the show will get very used to hearing: Shol’va. Traitor. Teal’c was branded as Shol’va for betraying Aphosis. That brought down his family’s standing, something Drey’auc, his wife (played by future Eureka star Salli Richardson) makes sure to let him know. 

The usual full-speed ahead, gung-ho nature of SG-1 hits a snag when it turns out Rya’c is sick and needs a Goa’uld to be implanted in order to survive. After fighting to spare his son this exact fate, Teal’c is the one to implant his son. It’s a tragic moment made all the worse with the knowledge of how the Jaffa have suffered under the Goa’uld for generations. It’s a success and Rya’c lives but at an enormous cost. When “Bloodlines” ends, it’s not clear if this was a victory, or a loss, for SG-1. 

Bloodlines Set The Table For The Jaffa Revolution

Teal’c kept his family a secret from Stargate Command because knew his family, deep behind enemy lines, was a weak point for him that could be exploited by the Goa’uld, and how could anyone trust him with his family in danger? What he left out was the presence of Bra’tac (Tony Amendola). At 103 years old, the legendary Jaffa warrior is still a brutal fighter capable of taking down a unit of palace guards without breaking a sweat. Like Teal’c, he’s a former First Prime to Apophis, and also like Teal’c, he becomes a close ally of SG-1. 

Future scenes between Bra’tac and Hammond are among the best in the entire series. Bra’tac’s eventual defection is one of the many unintended consequences of the team’s actions during “Bloodlines.” Daniel blowing away a Goa’uld spawning tank, Rya’c and Drey’auc, humans entering Chulak so easily, all of it comes back in later seasons. 

Teal’c may be the Worf of Stargate SG-1 but he’s his own, tragic character, trying to carve a new path forward for his warrior people in the face of centuries of tradition and honor. It’s completely different. At least Teal’c doesn’t get his butt kicked by every new threat

There are some television cancellations that truly hurt. Finding out your favorite show won’t continue can be such a bummer, but it’s even more disheartening when shows are simply abandoned. This is the case for one of Apple TV’s most impressive offerings. Pachinko, which aired from 2022 to 2024, is based on the brilliant 2017 novel by Min Jin Lee. The first two seasons of the series are faithful adaptations of Lee’s work, but for some strange reason, Apple TV has simply failed to make a third season. Several years later, fans of both the book and the series are pleading with the streamer to at least make one more season to wrap up the story.

Season 2 of ‘Pachinko’ Finishes in an Open-Ended Way

Creator Soo Hugh always planned to adapt Pachinko in three (possibly even four) seasons, and this is why Season 2 concludes with so many unfinished storylines. Sunja (Youn Yuh-jung) seems to say goodbye to her dear friend, Kato (Jun Kunimura), but we don’t know if their relationship is completely over or what Sunja will do without this connection in her life. Continuing with the 1989 timeline, Mozasu (Soji Arai) tries to warn Solomon (Jin Ha) about his business dealings with the shady Mamoru (Louis Ozawa). Solomon also learns that because of his choices, his business enemy, Abe-san (Yoshio Maki), has killed himself. ​​​​​​​

And in the most important storyline, back in 1951, Sunja’s son, Noa (Kang Tae-Joo), disappears to Nagano after discovering a family secret. He has trouble coping with the fact that the enigmatic Hansu (Lee Min-ho) is actually his biological father. Living in this new place, Noa decides to completely cut himself off from his family, assumes a brand-new identity, and is offered a job at a pachinko parlor, cementing the gambling game in the family’s lore. But what will happen to these characters after the conclusion of the Season 2 finale?

‘Pachinko’ Has So Much More Story To Tell Stemming From the Book

The final third of the Pachinko novel is rich with some of the most in-depth character arcs and compelling plot points of the whole book. Without giving away too many spoilers, we learn more about Noa’s secluded life in Nagano, plus the tragic path he walks down as an adult. Through the 1960s and 1970s, we follow Mozasu’s life as he transforms into a family man and becomes wealthy as the owner of multiple pachinko parlors. Mozasu’s step-daughter plays a major part in the book and forms an intriguing relationship with a young Solomon. We see more of Solomon’s path before 1981, which helps explain how Solomon actually became a broken man by the time we meet up with him at the beginning of Season 1. The novel ends with closure for each of the characters, but most crucially, we see Sunja nearing the end of her life. For this quietly powerful and resilient woman, the conclusion of her character’s story ties together the entire book in a masterful way.

A third season of Pachinko could have easily followed through with each of these narratives. The timelines could have all connected, so that the viewer gets a complete and fulfilling picture of the road each character has walked down. At this point, it’s completely heartbreaking that the epic story has just been dropped before it could all come to its natural conclusion. By potentially ending for good after Season 2, Apple TV has done a disservice to Lee’s novel and to the team behind the television show, who worked so hard to tell a meaningful and moving story. If Hugh had known that the streamer wouldn’t be continuing on with the series, she could have at least reworked Season 2 to wrap up the narratives in a more satisfying way.

As it stands, some fans of Pachinko might still want to hold out hope that Season 3 of the series might be made someday. But realists are accepting the fact that this is just one more of those cancellations that hurts the most. The last update came from Hugh back in 2025, when she was on the jury at the Canneseries. When asked if Pachinko would return for new episodes, she merely noted that, “This is beyond my pay grade and I don’t know which shows will last the test of time, but I have to believe Pachinko will last the test of time.” With its genius writing, impeccable performances, and awe-inspiring cinematography, she just might be right — even if the storytelling is incomplete.

Seasons 1–2 of Pachinko are available to stream on Apple TV in the U.S.

Taylor Swift’s wedding to Travis Kelce occurred on July 3, 2026, and among the over 1,000 attendees, including such stars as Bradley Cooper, Karli Kloss, Hugh Grant and more, was Donna Kelce.

The mother of Travis and Jason Kelce, Donna is Taylor’s mother-in-law, and the two women have already established a close relationship over the years. “Everybody knows how close Travis is with his family,” a source told Us Weekly in January 2024. “So it really means everything to him how seamlessly Taylor blends in with all of them. His family is all about just hanging out, joking and having a great time. It’s almost like she’s known his family forever, and he loves that about her.”

To celebrate 2026’s most talked-about nuptials, Us looks back on Taylor and Donna’s relationship throughout the years.

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Related: Taylor Swift’s Best Moments With Travis Kelce’s Family

If Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are indeed endgame, she’s seemingly already won over her in-laws. The Grammy winner and the Kansas City Chiefs tight end began dating during summer 2023. That September, Swift started attending Chiefs games, sitting with the athlete’s mother, Donna Kelce, for the first time on October 1, 2024. That same […]

September 2023

Swift went to her first Chiefs game on September 24, sitting next to Donna in a private suite. While Donna wore Travis’ No. 87 jersey and matching team-branded earrings, Swift sported a white corset-style tank with a red Chiefs hoodie.

October 2023

Donna once again sat with Swift during the Chiefs’ October 1 away game in New Jersey. Days later, she was asked about the pop star dating her son during an interview on the Today show.

“It’s fairly new, so I don’t like to talk about it,” Donna said on the morning show. “I honestly can’t tell you. It’s just too new.”

Donna also said it “was OK” interacting with Swift, but she later regretted being so blasé. According to Travis’ WSJ. Magazine profile in November 2023, he called Donna “immediately” after the broadcast and reassured his mom that “she did a super job.”

January 2024

Throughout the NFL season, Donna alternates between attending Travis and Jason’s team games. (Jason retired from the Philadelphia Eagles in early 2024.) When she hits up Travis’ games, she is often seated with Swift in a private suite.

The two women notably sat next to each other at the AFC Wild Card playoffs on January 13 and the AFC championship on January 28. During the latter, Swift wore a ring with a replica of Travis’ jersey that had been a gift from Donna.

Related: Donna Kelce Isn’t the Only NFL Mom Fans Love: A Complete Guide

Donna Kelce, Wilma McNabb and more moms of pro football players were their sons’ No. 1 fans long before their NFL days. Travis and Jason Kelce’s mother found herself in the spotlight leading up to Super Bowl LVII in February 2023, which marked the first time brothers played against one another in the championship game. […]

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After the game, Donna updated her Facebook banner photo with a snap with Taylor and the rest of their suitemates in the box.

“That was a picture where all of us were so excited that we’re in the suite,” Donna told Today in early February.  “And we were so excited that they made it to the Super Bowl that we took a shot of everybody that was there, so it wasn’t anything calculating or anything like that.”

She added, “It was just everybody that was supporting my son and I was so happy to put that picture on Facebook, yes.”

February 2024

The Chiefs won the Super Bowl, marking the team’s second Lombardi Trophy in a row, on February 11 in Las Vegas. After the game ended, Donna and Swift walked on the field holding hands.

April 2024

Swift dropped her 11th studio album, The Tortured Poets Department, on April 19, and Donna listened to all 31 songs that same day.

“It’s her best [album],” Donna told Us less than one week later at the QVC Women’s Summit in Las Vegas.

TTPD features several songs that seemingly have Travis-coded references, though Donna played coy about whether her son was indeed Swift’s muse.

“I know there’s a few that some people think are about Travis, but we’ll just see,” Donna quipped to Us. “You know, I’ll have to ask her when I see her.”

November 2024

The duo cheered Travis on from a suite at Arrowhead Stadium during his game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on November 4.

January 2025

Swift and Donna hit the Arrowhead Stadium field after Travis and the Chiefs won the AFC conference championship. The two women walked onto the field holding hands before greeting Travis with a pair of sweet hugs. Swift, of course, added a kiss to her interaction. Swift and Donna were also seen warning Travis about staying away from Bourbon Street at the 2025 Super Bowl held in New Orleans.

Just months later in August, Travis proposed to Swift. The couple planned to wed in July 2026 after Donna flew into NYC for the occasion.

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March 2026

Seven months after Swift and Travis announced their engagement on August 26, 2025, Donna was spotted exiting the LAX airport. When approached by TMZ, she refused to spill any secrets about the upcoming event. Donna was also asked what Travis would wear to the wedding, or if she’s involved in planning, to which she replied, “Is the mother of the groom ever involved?”

She then added, “I’m just happy. Just so happy for them.” Donna can keep a secret, but she can’t hide her joy for the soon-to-be-married couple.

July 2026

It’s safe to assume Donna will be at her son’s wedding, but everyone got closer to a confirmation when she arrived in New York City on July 2, one day before the nuptials were reportedly taking place. According to TMZ, Donna was picked up by one of Swift’s drivers and was taken straight to Madison Square Garden. The tight-lipped Kelce mother was even more secretive than usual, not answering any questions or divulging any new info about the ceremony.

The hottest book series in the world is already making its way to television, as Peacock and Seth MacFarlane have teamed up for the live-action adaptation of Matt Dinniman’s Dungeon Crawler Carl. The series of novels has become a legitimate phenomenon over the past few years, selling millions of copies across its eight books and quickly branching into the worlds of comic books and tabletop gaming. Nothing has more hype or anticipation than the TV series, though, and fans are already breathing sighs of relief that Dungeon Crawler Carl has a big advantage that other popular book-to-TV adaptations didn’t.

Despite the original Dungeon Crawler Carl being published just a few years ago, the entire saga is already almost complete. The eighth novel, A Parade of Horribles, was released back in April, setting up the story for what will surely be an epic conclusion. Dinniman has confirmed that he has already been writing the chapter in the series, which will be split into two books and bring the story to a close. In other words, nearly all of Dungeon Crawler Carl is out there right now, and the ending is just around the corner. Most adaptations of long-running book series don’t get the same benefit.

‘Dungeon Crawler Carl’ Won’t Suffer the ‘Game of Thrones’ Fate

Image via Renegade Game Studios / Luciano Fleitas

Game of Thrones will, unfortunately, go down as perhaps one of the biggest fumbles to conclude an iconic TV series. The series spent six seasons as perhaps the greatest spectacle in the history of television, but the adaptation ran into big problems when it caught up to author George R.R. Martin‘s written work. After the show had worked through the already published Song of Ice and Fire books, it quickly started spiraling downhill, and the majority of fans remain disappointed in how it came to a close.

To this day, Martin still has yet to publish the next book in the series, The Winds of Winter, and many fans wonder if it will ever see the light of day. Game of Thrones is just one example of a TV adaptation arriving before the conclusion of its source material, but it is easily the most notorious of the bunch. Dungeon Crawler Carl, on the other hand, won’t suffer the same set of circumstances.

While the wait for The Winds of Winter continues, the Dungeon Crawler Carl finale is fast-approaching. There isn’t a release date for the two-part conclusion just yet, but Dinniman has been very open about his progress. He’s been working on it for some time and, given the rapid release schedule of the previous entries, it wouldn’t be surprising for the first part to arrive sometime in 2027. Regardless of the exact release date, MacFarlane and the rest of the creative team behind the TV show will have the entire story at their disposal very early on in the production process. Even if the new book isn’t here in time for them to begin production on Season 1, it will arrive long before they even get close to the show’s eventual endgame.

Plotting the Finish From the Start

In addition to simply being able to craft the ending as its original creator intended, MacFarlane & Company also have the advantage of being able to set up for some of the series’ biggest moments very early on.

Even if the final book isn’t out when the show begins shooting, Dungeon Crawler Carl is already eight books deep. We know who all the characters are and who many of them will eventually become. There are some big reveals and moments later in the series that cause some bits from the first and second book to become incredibly important — much more important than they initially seemed. Armed with the knowledge of eight entire books (and likely more), the creative team around the show can more carefully plot each season.

There are still plenty of hurdles involved with bringing Dungeon Crawler Carl into the live-action TV space, but perhaps the biggest potential challenge won’t be an issue for this series. The creative team knows exactly where this story is going to go, and there won’t be a decades-long wait to see if it ever gets an ending.

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By Brian Myers
| Published 1 hour ago

The 2009 thriller The Box had all the makings of a Hollywood hit. A-list stars (Cameron Diaz, Frank Langella, James Marsden), a $30 million budget, and a hot new director to take the lead. However, the lukewarm reception at the box office and the mediocre critical response to The Box led director Richard Kelly’s career to take an almost immediate nosedive. Fifteen years later, streaming maks it possible for viewers to get a second look at a film that deserves a lot more credit than it originally received.

Kelly had scored a major success several years leading up to the production of The Box, serving as director and screenwriter for the sleeper hit 2001 film Donnie Darko. However, in the years since The Box was released, Kelly has only had a handful of projects in the industry.

Some of this has been attributed to his own admission of wanting to prove to studios that he’s worthy of another modestly budgeted film, and some due to sheer bad luck. Kelly was set to work on a crime film titled Amicus with Sopranos star James Gandolfini, only to have the actor die from a heart attack in 2013 before the project could be started.

The Box’s Moral Conundrum

If you’ve never seen The Box, you’ll likely be intrigued by the storyline alone. Married couple Norma and Arthur Lewis (played by Diaz and Marsden, respectively) are approached by a disfigured stranger (Frank Langella) who gives them a mysterious box. Press the button inside the box, the stranger promises, and you’ll receive $1 million in cash.

However, the stranger reveals a caveat to receiving the prize money. Press the button, and someone that they do not know will die. The plot of The Box takes a good number of unpredictable twists and turns after Norma presses the button, and the young family sees a horrific fate unfold before their very eyes.

The Twilight Zone Episode

The Box was conceived from a short story written by acclaimed horror and science fiction writer Richard Matheson in 1970. Matheson’s original story, Button, Button, was turned into a radio show in the late 1970s. In 1986, a screenplay was written based on the story for an episode of the revived version of The Twilight Zone.

The theatrical version of Matheson’s story debuted in 2009 and wasn’t a favorite of critics. Though Roger Ebert gave it three out of four stars, other critics cited poor editing and the sense of the film being more of a pet project for Kelly as reasons for their dislike of The Box. Audiences at the time largely agreed as box office receipts led to barely making back the film’s budget.

The Box is certainly worth a look 15 years later, despite the lack of enthusiasm it received in 2009. The soundtrack alone should tempt a good number of curiosity seekers. Win Butler and Regine Chassagne of the pop band Arcade Fire teamed with composer Owen Pallett for a film score that more than redeems any of the film’s minor shortcomings that critics pointed out.

As of this writing, The Box can be rented or purchased on-demand through Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Apple TV+, and Fandango at Home.

By Charlene Badasie
| Published 20 seconds ago

Titan A.E. is an animated sci-fi action adventure directed by Don Bluth and Gary Goldman. Released in 2000, it was a major project for Fox Animation Studios. But despite its ambitious scope and visual appeal, the film was a commercial failure, earning $36.8 million at the box office against a budget of almost $90 million. So, the studio closed its doors, and the movie became infamous as a result.

Leaving In The Titan

Titan A.E. tells the story of a young man named Cale Tucker (Matt Damon) who is tasked with saving humanity after a hostile alien species destroys Earth. The movie begins in 3028 when The Titan Project becomes the target of a hostile alien race called the Drej. Made of pure energy, the aliens fear that the ambitious Earthly undertaking will allow humans to challenge their power.

The Drej eventually launch a massive attack on Earth, forcing humans to evacuate the planet. Amid the chaos, Professor Sam Tucker (Ron Perlman) leaves his son Cale with his alien friend Tek (Tone Loc).

Before leaving in the Titan spaceship, Sam gives Cale a gold ring and tells him that as long as he wears it, there will be hope for humanity. Over a decade later, Titan A.E. finds the surviving humans living as refugees without a home planet.

Meanwhile, Cale has become jaded and works in a space station salvage yard. Former military officer and trusted companion of Cale’s father, Joseph Korso (Bill Pullman), finds Cale and reveals that the whereabouts of the Titan are hidden in his ring. 

Becoming Fast Friends

Upon activating it, a holographic map opens. Korso asks Cale to accompany his crew to Valkyrie so they can search for the Titan together. Cale agrees and becomes fast friends with pilot Akima Kunimoto (Drew Barrymore) and three alien crew members, including first mate Preed (Nathan Lane), weapons officer Stith (Janeane Garofalo), and scientist Gune (John Leguizamo).

Using Cale’s map, they reach the planet Sesharrim, where the Gaoul reveals the Titan’s location. But everything is not as it seems in Titan A.E., as the map often changes. The crew of the Valkyrie is also faced with various challenges, including a kidnapping and a shocking betrayal that takes the story to a new level.

The Deathblow To Fox Animation Studios

Originally planned as a live-action movie named “Planet Ice,” Titan A.E. was brought to life as an animated feature due to the high costs of the visuals.

Ben Edlund penned the initial script, with John August handling re-writes. With a budget of $55 million and 19 months to complete after $30 million had already been spent on pre-production, much of the animation was computer-generated, with traditional animation used for the main characters. Despite various setbacks, like studio cutbacks and executive changes, the film was released in 2000.

However, the closure of Fox Animation Studios shortly after hindered its promotion and distribution. In fact, cutbacks at the studio during the making of Titan A.E. were largely responsible for the movie underperforming. It kind of all went wrong at once here.

Still, Titan A.E. made almost $9.4 million in its opening weekend, ranking fifth behind other popular films. However, its audience dropped by 60 percent the following weekend.

Streaming Titan A.E.

Titan A.E. received mixed reviews from critics and currently holds a 51 percent approval rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes alongside a 61 percent audience score.

The movie’s DVD release featured extras like commentary by the directors, deleted scenes, and a music video. Titan A.E. is available via various video-on-demand platforms such as YouTube, Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video, and Fandango at Home.

By Jonathan Klotz
| Published 20 seconds ago

It’s 12 years old, it’s been off and on different streaming services over the years, and yet, David Fincher’s 2014 hit Gone Girl is again in the Netflix Top Ten. There’s something about the story of a missing wife that tickle the true crime center of the brain. That’s before the first twist, and then the second one, and then a few more on top of that. By the time the credits roll, you’ll be horrified and impressed in equal measure. 

Every Man’s Worst Nightmare

Gone Girl starts with the disappearance of Amy (Rosamund Pike). Her husband, Nick (Ben Affleck) is immediately considered the prime suspect. It doesn’t help that there’s signs of a struggle in their kitchen, the small fact that he really was having an affair with one of his students played by Emily Ratajkowski, and the complete breakdown of their relationship has left him feeling, at best, completely numb inside. At worst, he thinks Amy has set him up. 

No one’s listening to anything Nick says or does in his own defense. What he says is less important than how he says it. His inability to get with the program and be the grieving, distraught husband every major news network wants to interview is more damning than all of the circumstantial evidence the police dig up. It’s everyone’s nightmare to be accused of a crime that isn’t being taken seriously. 

It’s also why Gone Girl works as well as it does. Everyone involved in the disappearance of Amy is a horrible person, with the lone exception of Nick’s sister, Margo (Carrie Coon), including Nick and Amy herself. No one’s listening to Nick’s defense, and no one listened to Amy. 

Every Woman’s Worst Nightmare

David Fincher was working off very strong source material when putting together one of the darkest, bleakest thrillers about a marriage falling apart. Author Gillian Flynn wrote the screenplay to her own blockbuster 2012 novel herself. It’s a testament to the skill and craft of everyone involved that in an era when adult thrillers were fading, the film pulled in $370 million at the box office. 

It’s Rosamund Pike’s best movie, arguably Ben Affleck’s best performance, and in the last 12 years, nothing’s come close. A wave of similar hit thriller novels came to the big screen including The Girl on the Train, but nothing hit the sweet spot of edge of your seat “what is going on here” with wild twists and characters you’ll love to hate. Or love to love. Gone Girl is a rorschach test of a film and you’ll end up seeing what you want to see. 

The success that the film has had on streaming isn’t up for debate. On every streaming service it’s been a part of Gone Girl has been a hit. True crime podcasts rising in popularity over the last decade has helped the film remain on the top of the most-watched lists. Those haven’t dipped in popularity as sadly, every year brings fresh material for the legions of podcasters out there to pour over. Gone Girl will always be relevant. 

Gone Girl is currently streaming on Netflix.

Pokémon is one of the longest-running franchises in the realm of video games, and it’s not difficult to see why. The series allows players to roam a fascinating world populated by the titular creatures. You can capture Pokémon, train and bond with them, and face numerous challenges throughout your journey across a particular region. Most mainline Pokémon games follow a similar structure, with the protagonist challenging the Gym Leaders and, eventually, the Elite Four and the Champion. Along the way, they must also overcome other obstacles, mainly an evil team aiming to control the region.

The regional evil team has been a staple of the series since Generation I introduced the iconic Team Rocket. However, in recent titles, the series has been quietly moving away from the idea, with Pokémon Scarlet and Violet featuring Team Star more as a group of misunderstood outcasts than an outright evil organization seeking regional domination. The decision has proven successful, and the games’ narratives have greatly improved. Indeed, it’s time for Pokémon to abandon the idea of evil teams entirely, making way for new and exciting plots that might also introduce more complexity to the series’ tried-and-true formula.

Evil Teams Have Grown Stale in Pokémon Games

Since Generation I of Pokémon, regional evil teams have been a crucial aspect of the franchise’s formula, making up about half of the narrative in any given mainline title. In Kanto and Johto, it’s the mob-like Team Rocket, which aims to control the regions by exploiting Pokémon for profit. In Hoenn, it’s Team Aqua and Team Magma, both seeking to expand the oceans and land, respectively. In Sinnoh, it’s Team Galactic, arguably the most deranged of them all, which seeks to literally destroy the universe and create a new one. In Unova, Team Plasma, the most sinister, wants to conquer the region by separating Trainers from Pokémon, while Kalos has Team Flare, which wants to create a “beautiful” world by using the Ultimate Weapon.

Alola and Galar have regional teams, Team Skull and Team Yell, but they’re both subservient to groups that function as the regions’ actual evil organizations: the Aether Foundation, which seeks to research and potentially control the Ultra Beasts, and Macro Cosmos, which wants to prevent an energy crisis that’s not actually set to occur for another thousand years. Similarly, the most recent region, Paldea, has Team Star, which, as previously mentioned, is just a group of misunderstood pariahs rebelling against their bullies.

For the first five generations, the evil teams in Pokémon were quite good. The trope peaked in Gens IV and V, with both Team Galactic and Team Plasma representing Pokémon villainy at its purest. The leaders of both teams, the stoic and somber Cyrus and the insane and brutal Ghetsis, are also two of the best villains in the saga, largely because of how shamelessly evil they are. Since Gen VI, the evil team trope has been on the decline; yes, Alola’s Aether Foundation is great, and Lusamine is a top-tier figure, but Team Flare and especially Macro Cosmos were very underwhelming.

Galar’s Macro Cosmos is the main reason why most fans have grown tired of the evil team trope. Its leader, Chairman Rose, is, for lack of a better word, an incredibly useless guy who’s willing to put the entire region at risk for something that won’t happen for another millennium. Let me repeat that: Rose wants to wake Eternatus to harness its energy to solve a problem that won’t actually need solving for another thousand years. It’s the peak of stupidity, and it doesn’t help that Rose is just not a good character: his villainy is meant to be a twist, but you can see it coming from a mile away.

Pokémon Games Need To Embrace Ambiguity With Its Characters

Image via the Pokémon Company

It’s not a coincidence that the downfall of evil teams in Pokémon coincided with the rise of a new type of character, one that was more morally grey and elusive than anyone we had seen before. Gen V introduced N, one of the franchise’s all-time best characters and the closest thing Pokémon has to an anti-hero. N represented an evolution of the classic Pokémon formula, representing a misguided character who opposed the protagonist while remaining compelling and even easy to root for; in other words, N was an antagonist, not a villain, and that’s exactly what Pokémon needs.

Future games followed a similar route, introducing characters who did misleading, treacherous, or even reprehensible things without necessarily being evil: AZ in Pokémon X and Y, Lusamine and Guzma in Pokémon Sun and Moon, and most recently Penny in Scarlet and Violet. The latter two games also feature the AI Professors, Turo and Sada, who act as the final bosses in the base story. They’re allies for most of the playthrough, only to reveal their ulterior motives during the story’s prologue. Turo and Sada aren’t evil, but they are a dangerous enemy and the final obstacle to overcome in Paldea. The DLC also introduces Kieran, another fascinating character who descends into desperation and becomes the main antagonist in this portion of the narrative.

All these figures greatly enhance the narratives, introducing some much-needed complexity to a franchise that has long been accused of rejecting change and refusing experimentation. Yes, the plots of most Pokémon games are still rather straightforward, but characters like N, Guzma, and Kieran offer different takes on what it means to be an antagonist. After all, a story doesn’t need a great evil to overcome, even a hero’s journey like the one most Pokémon protagonists experience.

Pokémon Must Let Go of Evil Team Once and for All

Image via The Pokémon Company

Now, I’m not saying Pokémon games need to abandon villainy for good. However, I am saying the idea of the evil team is now outdated and should probably be retired. The games can still have an overarching force for evil; just look at Volo in Pokémon Legends: Arceus, possibly the best villain in the franchise’s history. Volo is widely recognized as one of the best characters in the series, acting as the embodiment of pure evil yet acting all by himself; no need for a whole organization to back him up.

Abandoning the idea of the evil team can also free a lot of space in the average Pokémon narrative. The Starfall Street storyline is one-third of Scarlet and Violet‘s main narrative, time that could’ve been spent exploring the secrets behind the Paldea region, for example. Legends: Arceus also provides a blueprint on how to keep a narrative engaging and still have a main villain at the end of the road without any additional distractions. The evil teams in Pokémon have had a good run, but like many of the series’ other tired tropes — HMs, third versions, the Battle Frontier, etc. — it’s time to leave them in the past where they belong.