By TeeJay Small
| Updated 2 days ago

Like many MCU fans, I’ve been following along with the drip-feed of Avengers updates with a mix of cautious optimism and thinly veiled concern since before the Doomsday title was even applied. With each new update, returning cast member, and behind-the-scenes shakeup, I’ve wondered how this film could possibly inspire the same audience turnout as installments like Infinity War and Endgame. Now, it is with great regret, and heaps of sarcasm, that I must admit: My Avengers: Doomsday hype has officially been squashed by the first official trailer.

Can Casual Fans Keep Up?

I’m already aware of the fact that there are millions of fans like me who have mentally checked out on the Disney+ Marvel shows a long time ago. While I enjoyed WandaVision and What If as much as any theatrical MCU experience, I just couldn’t bring myself to care about the barrage of shows we’ve received in the years since. Marvel’s box office stats have also done somersaults in the last decade or so, with outings like Eternals, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, and Thor: Love And Thunder serving as box office disappointments, or outright financial bombs. I’m also told that a film called The Marvels was released in 2023, though there’s no record of it in my brain whatsoever.

Despite a general waning of interest in the daily MCU minutiae, I had held on hope that an Avengers team-up would rouse attention from the cultural zeitgeist, especially with the Russo Brothers at the helm. But, after watching the Avengers: Doomsday trailer, I’m left with a sense that the movie will be a who’s who of who cares. Multiple shots within the 145-second trailer left me wondering “should I know who that is?” or “what is the significance of this interaction?” or “does this movie have a plot, or is it more of a My Dinner With Andre situation where dozens of superheroes sit around having thought-provoking conversations?”

The MCU used to be really good at balancing numerous characters around a single, coherent story. Most of the movies leading up to the Infinity saga are designed so brand new fans can keep up, and existing super-fans can enjoy every little easter egg and reference along the way. If the trailer is anything to go off, it looks like Doomsday will be loaded with Disney+ streaming characters that no employed adult would ever have the time to commit to memory. Maybe there’s a mandate that casual fans sit this one out, but it seems strange that Disney would rest their next landmark movie on the backs of Yelena Belova, Bob Reynolds, and Namora.

Better Find A Study Buddy

Ironically, this inability to juggle spinning plates is exactly the reason that nobody attempted to form an expansive cinematic universe like this before 2008. If you pitched the idea of turning the entire Marvel Comics roster into an interconnected sequence of blockbuster films before the success of The Avengers, producers would shut you down because they wouldn’t want to alienate non-comic readers, or shell out millions for an ever-expanding cast of A-listers. These days, it feels like you can’t enjoy a new Marvel film unless you’ve committed to 14 hours of mandatory homework first.

Obviously, it’s way too soon to know for sure if Avengers: Doomsday will be any good. We’ll probably get a few new trailers, some carefully-laid behind the scenes leaks, and an overwhelming media blitz from the 400 cast members before it hits theaters. But for now, my excitement is suspended. That is, unless somebody can confirm that the MF DOOM song “Doomsday” will be used in the movie. That would get me back on board immediately.

Selena Gomez‘s mother, Mandy Teefey, is not in the mood for online critics. 

The producer fired back at trolls who questioned her parenting and relationship with her daughters. In a passionate defense, she made it clear that strangers have no right to judge her family dynamic or diminish her dedication as a mother.

Teefey’s outburst comes shortly after she similarly faced backlash for sharing a post fans seemed to think was a cry for attention.  

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Taking to social media on Friday, 50-year-old Teefey shared a brief look into an online exchange before deleting the post. The mother faced criticism from an internet user who alleged that she was publicly undermining her daughters, Gomez and Gracie, while ignoring their emotional health. 

Replying directly to the critique, Teefey sarcastically thanked the individual for attempting to explain her household’s emotional well-being. She highlighted her long-standing dedication to wellness causes, stating that she has dedicated her adulthood and resources toward helping others fight psychological battles.

“No one parents perfectly, and people judge people all day on their choices, so you can think I’m a bad parent,” Teefey wrote. 

“What have you done today to make someone’s day better? Ask yourself that, and if nothing, go do that. I’m not the problem. Hate is,” she added, as reported by U.S. Weekly.

Expanding her thoughts in the post’s caption, Teefey explained that while she does not seek approval as a social media parenting figure, she will not stay silent when critics ignore her and her daughter’s sacrifices for public mental health awareness. 

Mandy Teefey’s Cryptic Social Media Post Sparked Fan Backlash

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The recent wave of online criticism against the entertainment manager seems to have stemmed from a social media update she shared over a week ago. Unfiltered pictures of her two daughters were posted alongside inspirational quotes, including a line that read, “She outgrew what drained her.” 

As reported by The Blast, in the caption, the mother praised the sisters as her ultimate life achievements before writing that one day her children would recognize her strength and return her devotion.

The message immediately triggered alarm among devoted followers, who accused the media figure of creating public drama and seeking attention at her famous child’s expense. Concerned supporters urged her to resolve any private disagreements away from social media, warning that the post would invite negative scrutiny toward her daughter. 

Mandy Teefey Was Excluded From Playing A Major Role At Selena Gomez’s Wedding

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Adding to the ongoing public scrutiny surrounding Teefey and Gomez’s relationship, reports surfaced in September 2025 regarding a major family rift during the pop star’s wedding preparations. 

The Blast reported that Gomez made the unexpected choice to have her maternal grandfather, David Cornett, instead of her mother, give her away during her nuptials to Benny Blanco. 

Insiders revealed that the decision reportedly left her mother and stepfather completely heartbroken, describing the unexpected choice as a shock move that created significant tension among family members.

While her mother was reportedly shattered by the choice, the bride’s grandparents were overcome with emotion when invited to take on the prominent role.

Selena Gomez’s Mother Faced Workplace Allegations Surrounding Drug Use

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Gomez’s decision to have Cornett walk her down the aisle instead of Teefey came a few weeks after Teefey was allegedly involved in a drug scandal. 

At the time, The Blast detailed the allegations against the producer regarding her conduct at Wondermind, the mental health startup she co-founded with her daughter and Daniella Pierson. 

According to the report, former staff members came forward alleging erratic behavior and substance use in the workplace, with one employee claiming to have witnessed the businesswoman snort a substance that appeared to be Ritalin inside her office. 

Addressing the accusations directly in a statement to the press, the media figure strongly denied the claims regarding workplace substance use, describing the reports as “absolutely” false. 

Selena Gomez Is Now Stepping Into New Cinematic Territory

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Despite the scrutiny and alleged drug scandal surrounding Teefey, Gomez has managed to keep exploring new heights in her career. 

According to The Blast, the actress is reportedly set to star alongside Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender in an “X-rated” project directed by Brady Corbet. 

While specific plot details remain closely guarded, the filmmaker described the upcoming project as a “genre-defying” film that spans from the nineteenth century to modern times, with a core focus centered on the 1970s. 

The Planet Express crew is back at San Diego Comic-Con, baby! Hulu has returned to the event this weekend to once again promote the biggest hits of its Animayhem lineup, from The Simpsons to Bob’s Burgers, Family Guy, and, of course, Futurama, which is just over a week away from blasting off for Season 14. To celebrate the coming premiere, series creator Matt Groening joined showrunner and head writer David X. Cohen, executive producers Claudia Katz and Ken Keeler, and the ever-enduring cast of Billy West, John DiMaggio, Lauren Tom, Phil LaMarr, David Herman, and Maurice LaMarche to preview the next round of zany sci-fi comedy adventures among the stars. That included sharing some world-first footage, along with some other surprises.

Season 14 is out to prove that there are depths of the universe that the Planet Express crew has not yet explored, promising “swaggering space pirates, lab-grown meats, sexy scams,” and much more. Excitingly, it also teases “the shocking return of Dr. Zoidberg’s lost love,” implying that the Hulu revival will finally address the absence of Marianne after her appearance in the final Comedy Central season. Collider was able to share a few images as part of our Exclusive Summer Preview series in May that teased a bit more, like a worrying diagnosis for Professor Farnsworth and a missing Nibbler, but now, the curtain is being properly pulled back. An explosive official trailer was unveiled during the series’ SDCC panel, showing the world once again at risk of destruction.

The footage kicks off with a literal blast from the past when the professor’s time machine, as iconically featured in “The Late Phillip J. Fry,” returns, and this time, it’s idiotproof. Fry will put that to the test, but that’s just the beginning of the crew’s worries. Hermes warns of “the end of civilization” as the world is beset by space pirates, vampires, alien invaders, revolutionary pop stars, and more. Things are dire enough that the Nibblonians once again have to get involved and send Fry, Leela, and the gang on another perilous quest to save everything. From Titanic-like crashes to robot mafia hits, the 20th-century delivery boy and his friends will have their fair share of brushes with death in another season full of as many laughs as there are high stakes.

‘Futurama’ Will Live on After Season 14, But Not as Expected

While Futurama‘s Hulu era has been a massive success so far in terms of viewership and acclaim, Season 14 is the first of the revival to go in without another season already ordered. Cohen even previously mentioned that the coming season finale was written to operate as a series finale if a Season 15 never happened. While it doesn’t appear that another round of episodes is coming at this time, the panel did have some more good news, everyone. Hulu has greenlit three extended-length “XXXL-sized” specials that are now in production, with the first set to debut next year. Not much is known about the new installments at this time, but the first one will be X-Mas themed, meaning Robot Santa is likely coming back for some ho-ho-holiday carnage. More details will be shared at a later date.

Futurama Season 14 debuts with two episodes on Hulu on August 3, while the first of the three XXXL-sized specials will arrive sometime in 2027. Check out the trailer in the player above.

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Release Date

March 28, 1999

Network

FOX, Comedy Central, Hulu

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Directors

Peter Avanzino, Brian Sheesley, Crystal Chesney, Frank Marino, Edmund Fong, Stephen Sandoval, Bret Haaland, Rich Moore, Ron Hughart, Dwayne Carey-Hill, Raymie Muzquiz, Mark Ervin, Susie Dietter, Gregg Vanzo, Swinton O. Scott III, Ira Sherak, James Purdum, Corey Barnes, Lance Kramer, Ray Claffey, Chris Sauve, Jeffrey Lynch, Pat Shinagawa, Wes Archer

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Writers

Eric Rogers, Dan Vebber, Maiya Williams, David A. Goodman, Ron Weiner, Aaron Ehasz, Kristin Gore, Brian Kelley, Evan Gore, Heather Lombard, Jason Gorbett, Michael Saikin

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  Billy West

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  Fry / Professor Farnsworth / Zoidberg / Zapp Brannigan (voice)

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If you’re talking great Ridley Scott sci-fi movies, it’s hard to rush right past Blade Runner, but also, you can if you’re not talking about the series it kicked off. There is also Alien, after all, which is similarly legendary as far as decades-old science fiction movies go, but it’s a rather different sort of sci-fi, seeing as Blade Runner is more of a dystopian/thriller sort of thing. The world of Alien is admittedly also quite bleak, but that first movie does revolve around a small group of people having to survive in space. Sequels to it, which weren’t directed by Ridley Scott, scratched the same itch in some ways and ventured into other territory in some other ways, but then Scott himself returned to the series in 2012.

That 2012 movie was Prometheus, and it was a prequel to Alien that felt quite different from any of the Alien movies that came before… mostly in a good way, despite what some naysayers might have you believe. Scott made a third movie that tried to split the difference between being a Prometheus sequel and another Alien prequel (of sorts), but one that felt distinctly more like an Alien movie. That film was Alien: Covenant, and it’s another divisive one, though it’s certainly got its moments and delivers some solid horror sequences while being technically impressive, as a sci-fi movie. It’s being taken off HBO Max at the end of July so, at the time of writing, you’ve got a bit under a week to watch it there, or venture elsewhere to give another look to a movie that probably deserves it.

What Happens in ‘Alien: Covenant’

Image via 20th Century Studios

So, for a bit of background on Prometheus, before covering Alien: Covenant, this 2012 film is not chronologically the first in the series, if you want to count Alien vs. Predator and its sequel. But it’s understandable if you don’t want to count those two, so sure, Prometheus is the first “real” Alien movie, chronologically speaking. It takes place near the end of the 21st century, while Alien: Covenant takes place at the very start of the 22nd century, and then the first Alien (from 1979) is set in 2122, about two decades on from the events of Alien: Covenant.

That means it makes sense why Alien: Covenant bridges the gap between Prometheus and Alien, though it does also feel like there would’ve ideally been a third Ridley Scott-directed Alien movie released post-Alien: Covenant, but it was not to be. Instead, there was Alien: Romulus, which was still neat. Anyway, Prometheus involves the search for the origin of humanity, and that search leads some explorers to stumble upon some vaguely Alien-y things. There’s an android from Prometheus, David 8 (Michael Fassbender, who has two roles in Alien: Covenant, also playing the android Walter One), who appears in Alien: Covenant, but it’s otherwise a different cast of characters who get wrapped up in some horror stuff, including a xenomorph, and you only got a predecessor of one of those very briefly at the end of Prometheus. Hence Alien: Covenant indeed being more of an Alien movie than Prometheus was.

The Ways ‘Alien: Covenant’ Adds to the ‘Alien’ Series

Alien: Covenant does provide closure to Prometheus, to some extent, albeit it kind of speed-runs that stuff. It’s still one of the highlights of the movie, detailing how David’s actions doomed the Engineers (a big part of Prometheus), with that whole flashback also contributing to why David behaves differently in Alien: Covenant than how he did – or seemed to behave – in Prometheus. He was a highlight of that movie, character-wise, but he steals the show to an even greater extent in Alien: Covenant.

It’s also cool how Fassbender gets to act alongside himself, despite (or maybe because) the one big scene David and Walter containing some weird sexual innuendo. Alien: Covenant just goes for it. It doesn’t really care. There is also a shower scene that feels right out of a schlocky slasher movie, and yeah, it’s one of the standout sequences in the whole movie, for better or worse. Alien: Covenant really embraces being a horror movie, and one that’s almost B-grade with its sensibilities, but thankfully A-grade when it comes to production value.

How ‘Alien: Covenant’ Compares to Other Recent Ridley Scott Movies

Image via 20th Century Studios

If you look at Quentin Tarantino, he’s a director who seems very resistant to making too many movies, stressing his intention to retire after directing his tenth feature film. He’s only worth bringing up here because Ridley Scott’s kind of the opposite. Scott just keeps on directing, even though he’s set to turn 89 near the end of 2026, and he’s amassed about 30 directorial credits to date. And a bunch of them have been recent, because since 2017’s Alien: Covenant, he’s also done All the Money in the World (2017), The Last Duel (2021), House of Gucci (2021), Napoleon (2023), and Gladiator II (2024).

This is going to sound like a potentially crazy hot take, but of those, only The Last Duel is better than Alien: Covenant. This really is one of the better Ridley Scott movies from the past decade or so, and there are a good many Ridley Scott movies released in the past decade-ish, so making that claim is worth something (and he has a new movie coming out in 2026, too: The Dog Stars). He’s not the most consistent of directors, but Alien: Covenant is a bit better than some make it out to be, and if you have to search beyond HBO Max in a post-07/31/2026 world to find it, then it’s probably worth the effort to do so.

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Alien: Covenant

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Release Date

May 19, 2017

Runtime

123 Minutes

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Writers

dante harper, John Logan, Jack Paglen, Michael Green

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Zach Gilford’s exit from Criminal Minds came as a surprise to some — but could he return in the future?

“Me and [showrunner] Erica Messer, we had this idea of a spinoff,” Gilford, 44, teased exclusively to Us. “I would love to do a spinoff. The hard thing unfortunately is it’s a joint studio. It’s Disney and Paramount. It’s kind of hard to convince them to do it.”

Gilford wouldn’t mind reprising the complex role of serial killer Elias Voit, who went from committing disturbing crimes to helping out the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit.

“It’s just convincing them to make it because no one’s going to give the rights to someone else and they don’t want to own it together,” he continued. “So unfortunately, I doubt it will ever happen, but there are dreams of it. … Let’s start an online movement or whatever we do nowadays.”

Related: ‘Criminal Minds’ Cast: Then and Now

Criminal Minds is back with a revival on Paramount+ — but fans have watched the cast change on and off screen since the procedural first debuted. In 2005, viewers were introduced to a group of criminal profilers who work for the FBI as members of its Behavioral Analysis Unit. The crime drama, which was created by […]

After playing Voit for four seasons since 2022, Gilford wasn’t ready to say goodbye.

“We can both hope [my character Voit will return] but all I know is I’m not there filming right now,” he said of his potential return for season 20 of Criminal Minds: Evolution. “It was hard to say goodbye. It definitely was one of my favorite characters I’ve ever gotten to play and partially because what a gift.”

He continued: “Every season I got to do a different side of this character. It wasn’t like I was just doing the same thing every year.”

For Gilford, Criminal Minds was the perfect challenge, adding, “To give this guy some redemption and go out on a good guy note — so to speak — was nice. It’s weird. You wrap a show and a lot of times you’re like, ‘I don’t know if I’m coming back next year and if we’re going to have another season in general.’ On this, I did know that it was the end.”

Gilford told Us he struggled to say goodbye to Criminal Minds.

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Related: Most Shocking TV Exits of 2026: From ‘Grey‘s Anatomy‘ to ‘Virgin River‘

It is never easy to unexpectedly say goodbye to your favorite characters — and 2026 has featured an influx of shocking departures on our TV screens from Grey’s Anatomy to Virgin River. Virgin River fans were surprised when showrunner Patrick Sean Smith confirmed multiple characters were written off the show after season 7. Marco Grazzini addressed […]

“It was a bummer and I am really like, ‘I’m not good with emotions,’” he shared. “So I literally — before they even officially wrapped — I had a feeling it was the last take. I just left. I didn’t say goodbye to anyone. I just snuck out. They’re like, ‘Zach, where are you? Where’d you go?’ And then a few people saw me driving out of my car. I’m like, ‘Bye, I’ll see you later.’”

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While the Thursday, July 23, season finale of Criminal Minds hinted at Voit’s exit, the door was left open for a return. Gilford, however, has remained booked and busy.

“I’ve been working since I left for the most part. I’ve had some downtime with my kids, which is always the best. But I got to do a Christmas romcom, which was so fun,” he teased. “It was just so nice to do something nice and cute. Then I went and did an Evil Dead movie, which was the complete opposite.”

Criminal Minds is now streaming on Paramount+.

There are three constants in life: death, taxes, and one of Stephen King‘s books being adapted for film or television. Firestarter, The Shining…all of these books have leaped from the page to the screen, with varying results. But the one King book series that’s always seemed to have the biggest hurdles in making it to the screen is The Dark Tower. The universe-hopping western has often been described as King’s “magnum opus,” and yet it’s hit wall after wall. Even a 2017 film adaptation starring Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey fell far, far short of expectations.

However, there may be hope on the horizon. A television series is in the works with Mike Flanagan at the helm, with Prime Video as a potential streamer, though there’s no confirmation on where it might actually land. Unlike other attempts to bring The Dark Tower to screens, this might actually stick. For one thing, Flanagan is no stranger to adapting King’s work — he previously directed adaptations of Gerald’s Game and Doctor Sleep, and the reception those received was enough for King to give him his stamp of approval for the Tower series. But more importantly, television is the one medium that The Dark Tower is perfectly fit for.

The Scale and Scope of ‘The Dark Tower’ Fits Television

The Dark Tower series centers around the adventures of Roland Deschain, the last living gunslinger. Deschain is seeking vengeance against Walter o’Dim — whom he knows as the “Man in Black” — as Walter had an affair with his mother and attempted to manipulate his life. Walter seeks to reach the titular Dark Tower, a nexus point for all realities, and claim its power so that he can become a god. Along the way, Roland forms a group of companions known as a ka-tet and travels to multiple worlds while grappling with the trauma of his past. If you hadn’t already guessed, this is a sprawling, epic story that spans the course of seven books. You couldn’t possibly hope to capture all of that on film.

That kind of scope and scale has proven to work like gangbusters when applied to the medium of television. From Game of Thrones and His Dark Materials on HBO to Shadowhunters on Freeform, television has allowed for these shows to stay faithful to their source material. It’s also proven to be a second chance of sorts for books that had poorly-received film adaptations. Both His Dark Materials and Shadowhunters were previously adapted for the screen, and fared far better in televised form. A similar approach could work wonders for The Dark Tower.

‘The Dark Tower’ Features Plenty of Connections to King’s Previous Works

Image via Hodder & Stoughton

Another feature that The Dark Tower could take advantage of is the connection to all of King’s previous works. The Man in Black is also the malevolent Randall Flagg, who served as the evil force terrorizing the world in The Stand. Father Callahan, the doomed priest from Salem’s Lot, also encounters Roland and his ka-tet.

“Roland’s story is my Jupiter — a planet that dwarfs all the others… a place of strange atmosphere, crazy landscape, and savage gravitational pull,” King wrote in the afterword for Wizard and Glass. Those words took on a whole new meaning in the final novel, where Roland is implied to meet someone who bears a shocking resemblance to King. Yes, The Dark Tower ends with its protagonist literally meeting his maker. Given the rise of the interconnected universe in storytelling, Flanagan could use these references as a way to enhance the story and also provide a jolt of serotonin for King’s readers.

However, this approach may be blunted by the fact that another show — and one based on King’s work, no less — took a similar approach. The Hulu series Castle Rock attempted to blend together themes and characters from King’s novels into one setting. Some examples include the Shawshank State Penitentiary being a primary location, as well as the characters themselves. Diane “Jackie” Torrance (Jane Levy) is the niece of The Shining protagonist Jack Torrance, and Lizzy Caplan cameos as a young Annie Wilkes, aka the nurse-turned-murderer from Misery. If Flanagan is going to attempt to reference the other books in King’s library, he may have to tread with caution.

Will This Version of ‘The Dark Tower’ Get Off the Ground?

Image via Marvel

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Flanagan’s vision for The Dark Tower is not the first time that the series has been considered for a television adaptation. J.J. Abrams and Damon Lindelof, riding the then-high of Lost, attempted to develop a television version of The Dark Tower that never got off the ground. And Prime Video considered doing an adaptation with The Walking Dead‘s Glen Mazzara at the helm, only to shelve the project in 2020. Flanagan has recently given an update that proves the series is still in early development. He told Entertainment Weekly that the series is one of the “most complicated properties to get started.” He added, “Getting the green light on Dark Tower is a much longer and more involved process than anything else I’ve ever approached in my life.” Flanagan has a long road ahead of him still, but a long journey never stopped Roland, so why should it stop Flanagan?

By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 34 seconds ago

Sometimes, Marvel fans get annoyed when critics slam the modern MCU, with said fans claiming the haters simply don’t like fun films. However, for older fans of these colorful characters, the truth is just that we can tell how far Marvel movies fall short because we’ve already witnessed the perfect superhero film. I’m talking, of course, about Spider-Man 2, a Sam Raimi masterpiece that you can now stream on Netflix (just make sure you don’t get any web fluid on the remote).

A Different Type Of Superhero Movie

Before you watch Spider-Man 2, though, you might need a little reminder of what the movie is about … after all, we now almost have more films featuring the webhead than he has clones, copy-cats, and interdimensional doppelgangers. This sequel picks up where Raimi’s first film left off: Peter Parker is trying to balance life as a college student, boyfriend, and costumed crimefighter.

However, when a freak accident turns one of his scientific heroes into a maniacal supervillain and his own powers start mysteriously failing, he must decide whether he’ll hang the tights up for good or step up and become the city’s greatest hero.

The Returning Cast

Spider-Man 2 brings most of our favorite actors back from the first film. Tobey Maguire is once again playing our favorite neighborhood wallcrawler, and Kirsten Dunst plays girl-next-door turned girlfriend Mary Jane Watson. James Franco returns as Peter’s embittered friend, Harry Osborn, and J.K. Simmons reprises his role as J. Jonah Jameson, the entertainingly irritable editor-in-chief of The Daily Bugle.

New Faces

Of course, Spider-Man 2 brings in a few new faces, including Daniel Gillies as Jameson’s son, John. The most impressive newcomer, though, is Alfred Molina, who plays the supervillain Doctor Octopus to creepy perfection.

Molina proves to be a real double threat in this film: he’s great at giving over-the-top line deliveries as a supervillain, but he’s even better as the softspoken Otto Octavius, someone whose quiet brilliance is an obvious beacon for young science geek Peter Parker.

A Blockbuster Release

This movie swung into theaters in 2004, meaning that Spider-Man 2 was released when Netflix was just a DVD mailing company and streaming entire video libraries seemed as improbable as … well … a man terrorizing a city with his killer robot arms.

Both the lack of streaming services and the sheer quality of Sam Raimi’s sequel transformed this movie into a huge payday for Sony. Against a budget of $200 million, Spider-Man 2 earned $795.9 million, ensuring that (for better or for worse, perhaps) there would be a sequel.

Talked About To This Day

That sequel remains highly divisive to this day, but nobody is really divided over Spider-Man 2: on Rotten Tomatoes, the movie currently has a critical rating of 93 percent. Critics generally raved about the movie’s awesome villain (I really can’t oversell how good Molina is as Doc Ock) and the film’s surprisingly in-depth focus on its characters’ emotional arcs. Critics also declared that this film deeply improved on the original, something once thought impossible to do because that first movie was (and still is) completely iconic.

I completely agree: Spider-Man 2 is a movie that I have embarrassingly bought multiple copies of and now stream whenever I need a quick pick-me-up (hey, we can’t all have cute girls next door that bring us chocolate cake).

The movie manages to walk an impossibly thin line between being too silly and too serious. The result is a film that does what most modern Marvel films struggle to do: dive into some serious emotional depths while still providing the free-spirited fun that made comic books so popular in the first place.

Streaming On Netflix

Will you agree that this is the best superhero movie ever made, or will you want to unleash the full fury of your Deadpool & Wolverine popcorn bucket on me for recommending it? You won’t know until you stream Spider-Man 2 on Netflix. Afterward, I hope you find some really dank memes because, like J. Jonah Jameson, I won’t be happy until someone gets me pictures of Spider-Man. 

By Jonathan Klotz
| Published 7 seconds ago

Before 1980’s Flash Gordon, there was 1974’s sex comedy Flesh Gordon, an ambitious parody of the classic 1930s serials that was clearly written and directed by sci-fi fans since it takes shots at most of the tropes that were old even back then. While it sounds like an X-rated adult parody, Flesh Gordon was released with an R-rating after 12 minutes were cut out, leaving the final product a strange mix of sci-fi parody and 70s exploitation skin-flick. 

This Could Only Be Made In The 70s

Flesh Gordon retells the original Flash Gordon serial except instead of rays arriving on Earth that cause environmental catastrophe, they’re sex rays, which have predictable results. There’s still a plane crash, Flash and Dale come across a genius inventor (instead of Zarkov, it’s Jerkoff) with a plan to save the planet, except this time his spaceship inside of only slightly resembling the classic, retro sci-fi phallic design, it’s exactly what you think it would be for a movie called Flesh Gordon.

Once the heroes arrive on the planet of Emperor Wang (instead of Ming, a swap you could see coming a mile away), Flesh is saved by Queen Amora, but here, she’s killed by Wang’s own soldiers when her ship crashes. Instead of the Aura from the original, it’s Prince Precious who goes on to inherit the kingdom once Wang is vanquished. He’s crushed under a giant idol of his Great God, who hilariously in retrospect, is voiced by an uncredited Craig T. Nelson. 

The Production’s Legal Problems Altered The Whole Plan

The original plan for Flesh Gordon was significantly altered after the producer and director Howard Ziehm learned that it was illegal to make that type of movie in Los Angeles. As a result, every adult scene was cut out and surrendered to the LAPD, leaving behind only a few explicit shots. Even the uncensored cut would be considered today to be nothing worse than a regular R-rated movie. It takes place on the other coast, but HBO’s hit series The Deuce goes into the changing laws that would dramatically alter movies of the 70s. That, though, wasn’t even the end of the film’s legal trouble.

Universal, the owners of the Flash Gordon IP, sued over the opening of the movie. Ziehm’s answer was to add an opening scroll explaining it’s a parody, and “not to be confused with Flash Gordon” was added to all of the marketing. 

Flash Gordon Finally Hit Theaters After Its Own Spoof

What made Flesh Gordon an unexpected critical hit was all of the little touches added into the production from all of the nerds working behind the scenes. From the set design to the props, the entire film is lovingly mocking those old sci-fi serials, and even the costume design is lifted straight from the originals. It was so well done, that the movie was nominated for a Hugo Award, losing out to Mel Brook’s Young Frankenstein. Not bad for what was originally intended to be only a cheap skinflick. 

Years later, a real adaptation of Flash Gordon hit theaters after years of different producers, including George Lucas, attempting to get it made. It was a complete flop at the time, but over the years has become a hit thanks to its own retro sci-fi aesthetic and campy, pulpy plot. Flesh Gordon was the only one to get a sequel, Flesh Gordon Meets the Cosmic Cheerleaders, but it replaces the winking sci-fi homages of the original with toilet humor.

Ella Langley is rapidly becoming one of Nashville’s most powerful performers, and her historic chart run is inviting inevitable comparisons to Taylor Swift. Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas” has spent 14 weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100, matching records set by Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” and Mariah Carey’s “We Belong Together.”

The Alabama-born singer also surpassed Swift’s “We Are Never Getting Back Together” for the longest-running No. 1 by a female country artist, prompting one industry insider to speculate that Swift’s recent return to her country roots was more calculated than coincidental. However, there is no evidence of personal animosity between the two singers.

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“Choosin’ Texas” surpassed Swift’s 2012 hit in May, becoming the longest-running chart-topper by a female country artist. Asked what the career-changing achievement meant, Langley offered a characteristically colorful response. “It means that my head’s spinning around like an owl,” she said. “You ever seen that? It’s pretty scary. It’s nuts. I’m just excited.”

The success has extended beyond one song. Three Langley tracks currently occupy positions within the Billboard Hot 100’s top 10. Her new collaboration with Morgan Wallen, “I Can’t Love You Anymore,” climbed to No. 7. The pair also became the first country duo to reach the top 10 since Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers.

Earlier this year, Langley became the first woman to simultaneously lead the Billboard Hot 100, Hot Country Songs, and Country Airplay charts through the success of “Choosin’ Texas.” The accompanying music video has reportedly accumulated nearly 57 million views since arriving in April.

Did Taylor Swift Return To Country To Reclaim Her ‘Throne’?

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The similarities between Swift and Langley are difficult to ignore. Both arrived in Nashville as ambitious teenagers with guitars before using country music to reach audiences far beyond Tennessee.

Swift’s latest single, “I Knew It, I Knew You,” which serves as the “Toy Story 5” theme, marks a return to her country roots. One industry insider speculated that Langley’s extraordinary success may have influenced that decision.

“Taylor could never let someone else have the country throne,” the source told Daily Mail. “She wanted to make it clear that if there’s a woman that’s going to dominate the country charts it won’t be Beyoncé and it won’t be Ella,” the insider added.

There is no evidence that Swift released the song because of Langley or that the two women are feuding. Still, another insider claimed that some country listeners have not forgotten Swift’s transition into pop music. “The radio programmers have to say they’re excited about ‘I Knew It, I Knew You’ and have to immediately play her song, it’s Taylor. But the country fans still remember that she left,” the source alleged.

Ella Langley Reportedly Benefits From Avoiding Politics

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Langley’s approach to country stardom differs from several other prominent women within the genre. Swift has publicly supported Democratic candidates and causes, while Kacey Musgraves and Maren Morris have expressed progressive views. Kelsea Ballerini has also championed LGBTQ rights and women’s issues.

Langley, by contrast, has largely avoided public political declarations. One source speculated that her decision to keep those opinions private has helped her connect with a broader section of the traditional country audience. “Ella is winning because she panders to the country music fan base,” the insider claimed. “She plays it safe. She’s not speaking out on important topics like a Kelsea Ballerini, Kacey Musgraves or Maren Morris.”

However, Langley has spoken openly about her Christian faith. During an April conversation with Theo Von, she said reading the Bible “really centers me and reminds me what’s important in my life.”

The Country Star Always Believed Music Was Her Destiny

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Langley credits her Alabama upbringing with developing both her toughness and musical abilities. “I grew up in the country in Alabama between two rowdy brothers, so I spent a lot of my childhood trying to prove that I was as fearless and tough as they were,” she said.

“My band or anyone who knows me will tell you that sometimes I can seem more like a guy than a girl, but I think women can still be tough, direct and strong, without apologizing for who they are or how they think,” Langley added.

Langley briefly studied forestry at Auburn University before abruptly leaving Alabama for Nashville in July 2019. Music, she insisted, had always been the only future she imagined. “When I was a kid, I was never like, I’m going to be a veterinarian or a police officer,” Langley said. “I was like I’m going to do this. I don’t know when it’s going to happen, but it’s going to happen.”

Ella Langley Ignores The Noise Around Her Personal Life

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As her career has grown, Langley’s image has evolved from hunting photographs and camouflage into a polished, 1970s-inspired aesthetic featuring heavy bangs, cowboy boots, and flowing sleeves. “This job is not something that you can sort of half-a-s,” she said in May. “You have to go full force.”

Her rising profile has also generated romantic speculation involving Riley Green and Megan Moroney. However, all three performers have maintained that they are single, and Langley has never confirmed a public relationship.

Langley may be facing comparisons to Swift, but her record-breaking run suggests she is building a country empire entirely her own.

By Jonathan Klotz
| Updated 3 minutes ago

Once a movie is available on streaming, does it matter if it’s good? Netflix’s recent foray into low-budget Lifetime thrillers is a sign that no, the quality of the movie doesn’t matter one bit. The best example isn’t The Body in the Locker, it’s the movie currently number four on HBO Max. For some reason, Pacific Rim: Uprising has reappeared on the top 10 most popular list, not because it’s a good movie, it isn’t, it’s horrible, but because it has the name “Pacific Rim” and everyone already subscribed to the service can easily take a look at the worst sequel ever made.

Pacific Rim: Uprising Has None Of The Original’s Charm

Pacific Rim is a flawed movie. There’s small issues with the pacing, characters, and dialogue, but what it does right, is the gigantic set piece battles pitting giant mechs against kaiju. Watch Gipsy Danger walk through the city with a container ship as a baseball bat while the deep bass of Bear McCreary’s theme song is pulsing with every giant step and you can tell why it was a hit. Pacific Rim: Uprising decided to leave out both the kaiju and that sense of weight behind the mechs. Instead of heavy, plodding, meaningful movements, we have mechs doing flips.

Pacific Rim: Uprising made the bold choice to leave out the kaiju and instead focus on drone-Jaegers with implanted kaiju brains, which naturally, turns them evil. A new generation of Jaeger pilots have to stop the drones from triggering an extinction-level event that will wipe out all of humanity. The discovery that kaiju blood is highly explosive comes up multiple times, there’s the introduction of the Precursors (or rather, an explanation for what the alien race at the end of the first movie is), and far more backstory than a movie about giant mechs ever needed.

John Boyega, in the middle of his breakout run on the Star Wars sequel trilogy, takes the lead as the son of Idris Elba’s Stacker Pentecost (brief aside, but is that the coolest name ever? It is, isn’t it?), Jake Pentecost, a former Jaegar pilot turned scrapper. Boyega is not the problem with Pacific Rim: Uprising. He was done dirty by the script and VFX while putting on a better performance than Charlie Hunnam’s in the original. Speaking of, Rinko Kikuchi, Burn Gorman, and Charlie Day are the only returning cast from the original as, respectively, Mako, Herman, and Newt.

Fans Are Still Waiting For A Pacific Rim Sequel

Despite all of the problems with Pacific Rim: Uprising, and there’s a lot of them, it wasn’t a complete flop in theaters. It brought in $291 million against a budget of $150 million. That was significantly less than the original’s $411 million, and clearly, everyone who skipped seeing it on the big screen is now responsible for the incredible streaming numbers it’s racking up. It’s the only explanation why the flippy Jaeger film is getting far more views than it deserves.

Pacific Rim fans joke that they are still waiting for a sequel. Bring up Pacific Rim: Uprising and it’s discussed as a fan film. The way it altered everything about how the Jaegers move and fight, which seems small but to mech fans, that’s a huge deal, and then shifting the focus to the humans instead of giant kaiju, makes it inferior to even the anime spinoff, Pacific Rim: The Black. HBO Max viewers are discovering they’d be better off watching the original for the 30th time than watching a film that puts mechs on an ice sheet … and it doesn’t break immediately.