Entertainment
What Happened Between Euphoria’s Maddy, Alamo? Confusion Explained
Euphoria has caused a lot of confusion for viewers throughout the seasons — and now they are asking what exactly took place between Maddy and Alamo.
Ahead of the season 3 finale, Maddy (Alexa Demie) had to ask Alamo (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) for money after Cassie (Sydney Sweeney) found out that Nate (Jacob Elordi) only had 72 hours to live. Alamo made Maddy put on a bathing suit and get in the hot tub while complimenting her.
Alamo ultimately agreed to help Maddy get the $1 million needed to save Nate and the scene cut off. Viewers, meanwhile, wondered if the scene hinted at Maddy having to sleep with Alamo to secure the deal but that wasn’t clarified.
Later in the episode, Alamo made sure to tell Maddy that he’s going to get 20 percent of her future earnings. This revelation was made worse when they found Nate’s body and Maddy realized her deal was for nothing.
“That was a cool way to go. Nate was someone who has made so many mistakes and made so many dark choices,” Elordi explained in a segment that aired after the Sunday, May 24, episode. “It’s cool to see it all come to what it’s come to.”
Elordi recalled having to film in a coffin, adding, “My shoulders were touching the side and they couldn’t move my arms. Then they would drill the lid on it and it would get dark.
It was really nice, actually. It was quite peaceful in there.”

The stunt team, meanwhile, stressed how important it was to make sure the actor had oxygen. They praised Elordi for agreeing to spend “minimal time in the coffin.” Viewers may be surprised, however, to find out that creator Sam Levinson “wanted to shoot it with a real snake” so a rattlesnake and a boa constrictor were both featured on screen.
“Snakes were rattling, which was really alarming when you are locked in a box,” Elordi noted. “They had a boa constrictor that they put a fake rattler on the end of it.”
He continued: “He was super cute. He was really cuddly. So he kind of just sidled up next to me and it was nice. But he was really sleepy. He was a sleepy snake. I had to kind of nudge him to get him to come up. And that was it.”
At the end of the segment, Elordi reflected on his time playing Nate.
“It’s a bittersweet thing,” he said. “This show is a massive part of — not just my career — but my life. It’s been amazing and I’m so proud of being a part of this.”
Elordi has played Nate since the show premiered in 2019. Before the show returned, Elordi teased how viewers would meet Nate again in the third and likely final season.
“I finished filming a new season just recently, and it’s a completely different thing,” he shared on a December 2025 episode of Variety’s Actors on Actors interview. “I really do think [he will be nicer].”
Elordi continued: “Whether it works or not — I don’t know. There’s a chance that what I’ve done is not good.”
Entertainment
The Morgan Freeman Serial Killer Thriller Crushing On Streaming
By Sckylar Gibby-Brown
| Updated

Morgan Freeman has appeared in just about every kind of movie imaginable throughout his legendary career, from acclaimed dramas to blockbuster action films. One of his lesser-known projects is 2023’s The Ritual Killer, a crime thriller that pairs the Academy Award winner with Yellowstone star Cole Hauser for a dark story involving ritualistic murders, an aging detective, and a killer who leaves a trail of bodies across Mississippi.
Directed by George Gallo, The Ritual Killer stars Morgan Freeman as Dr. Mackles, an anthropologist who teaches at a local college. Hauser co-stars as a detective on the brink of retirement who is struggling to cope with the death of his daughter. Working together, the pair set out to track down a vicious killer on a murder spree throughout Carlton, Mississippi.
An Independent Effort With Casting Clout

The Ritual Killer first went into production in 2021 and it was announced that Gallo would direct a film called Muti, named after the dark magic that the serial killer practices in the film. Later, the film was renamed The Ritual Killer to draw emphasis on the terrible rituals that the killer performs before taking his victims’ lives. Soon after Gallo was signed on to the project, Morgan Freeman, Cole Hauser, Peter Stormare, and Vernon Davis joined the cast.
It took a collective of imaginations to draw together the script for The Ritual Killer, with Robert T. Bowersox, Jennifer Lemmon, Francesco Cinquemani, Giorgia Iannone, Luca Giliberto, and Ferdinando Dell’Omo all coming together to write the script, with story help from Joe Lemmon. Morgan Freeman and the rest of the cast filmed in late summer 2021 in Jackson, Mississippi, with additional footage captured in Rome, Italy.

While The Ritual Killer managed to snag some major Hollywood clout by hiring blockbuster names like Morgan Freeman, the film remained a low-budget independent feature produced by Iervolino & Lady Bacardi Entertainment.
The film was made with an estimated budget of somewhere between $7 and $17 million and was given a limited release in theaters. While the film was also released on demand, the main mode of distribution for this action-thriller was through Redbox locations on DVD and Blu-Ray.

Unfortunately, despite Morgan Freeman and Cole Hauser being attached to the project, the film was barely marketed and it ended up scoring only $281,150 after release, with the majority of the audience coming from Russia.
However, while this resulted in a major loss for the studios in charge of The Ritual Killer, its streaming comeback on Hulu might be able to repair some of the financial damage, though turning a profit for the film seems unlikely.
Morgan Freeman at 89

Despite being 89 years old, Morgan Freeman is not looking to retire any time soon. The Ritual Killer was one of five projects the actor had released in 2023 alone. He also starred next to Florence Pugh in A Good Person, a drama by Zach Braff that was released in March 2023 about a woman whose life falls apart after being involved in a lethal accident.
Even in his late 80s, Morgan Freeman continues to work, and The Ritual Killer was never going to be among his final projects, adding to a filmography that already stretches well past the 100-credit mark. More than 60 years into his career, Freeman remains one of Hollywood’s most prolific performers, and there is little reason to think he’ll be stepping away anytime soon.

While Freeman has been in some incredible movies that are now deemed classics (looking at you, Shawshank Redemption), he’s also been in quite a few duds. In fact, The Ritual Killer is considered by critics to be one of these duds, with Rotten Tomatoes giving the movie only an 11 percent approval rating.
Still, people on Hulu (and in Russia) seem to like it. So, if you’re down to watch something new and are a fan of Morgan Freeman’s acting prowess, consider adding The Ritual Killer to your movie list.
Entertainment
The Strangest Sci-Fi Ever Made Involves Virtual Reality Kung Fu Batman, Jesus, And Pizza
By Robert Scucci
| Published

Have you ever seen a movie that’s so absolutely off-the-wall bonkers that you need to check your watch history the next day to make sure you didn’t dream it up? That’s how I feel about 2019’s Jesus Shows You the Way to the Highway, an absurdist sci-fi spy comedy thriller with a neo-noir bent, and probably about 20 other genres that I’m not aware exist outside of this singular piece of media. We have villains wearing masks of historical figures in a VR world, mysterious mind-altering substances, James Bond plots, kung fu, a villain who’s a cross between Batman and Dolemite, and one man’s dream of one day opening a pizza restaurant and martial arts studio with his kickboxing wife.
Does any of that make sense? Because here’s what’s absolutely insane about this movie: it successfully tells a shockingly coherent story even though it’s all cosmic gumbo simmering impatiently in its own warped little cinematic Crock Pot.

If you’re looking for a covert-op adventure that barely clings to the fabric of reality and consciousness, yet somehow manages to pull itself back together, then Jesus Shows You the Way to the Highway should be the next thing you watch on Tubi, where all the best movies you’ve never heard of live.
Psychobook, Soviets, And A Very Strange Batman
Oh boy, where do I begin? Jesus Shows You the Way to the Highway centers on CIA Special Agent Gagano (Daniel Tadesse), a man who takes his work seriously, but not nearly as seriously as his love for pizza or his kickboxing wife, Malin (Gerda-Annette Allikas). Working alongside Agent Palmer Eldritch (Augustin Mateo), the two complete all of their missions, mostly against the Soviets, through VR devices that allow their avatars to get down to business without putting their physical bodies in harm’s way.

Problems arise when Gagano, who wants nothing more than to retire, open his own pizza place, and bankroll Malin’s dream of opening a kickboxing studio, gets trapped inside Psychobook, the cyber world in which they operate, after the system is hacked and compromised. Stuck between a virtual plane of existence and the real world, Gagano faces adversaries like the all-knowing Mr. Sophistication (Carlo Pironti), a multitude of kung fu hustlers, and, of course, the most menacing antagonist of all, Batfro (Solomon Tashe), who carries himself like Rudy Ray Moore’s Dolemite but, for reasons never fully explained, has his hero insignia blurred out whenever he appears on screen.
Complicating matters further is Malin’s affair with Palmer. While Agent Gagano’s love for Malin is intense and unbreakable, Malin, despite her unwavering reciprocation up this point, has seen what she needs to see to conclude that her husband is never returning from Psychobook, and this seems like the path of least resistance that will allow her to move on. Meanwhile, Joseph Stalin is hellbent on world domination, and a man who believes he’s Jesus Christ himself tries to enlighten Gagano with candy and a life-altering revelation that may change everything for the world-weary secret agent. In other words, Jesus Shows You the Way to the Highway is total insanity, but in the best possible way.
Seriously, Give This One A Chance

In Jesus Shows You the Way to the Highway, it’s not entirely clear whether the poor overdubbing was born out of necessity or a deliberate creative choice. I’m inclined to believe the latter because everything about this movie, from the set design and Stalin masks to the copyright workaround of having a man who’s clearly dressed as Batman with his insignia obscured just enough to keep the lawyers at bay, feels intentional. It may not seem that way while you’re working through the first two acts, but as more information is revealed, it all starts to make sense in context.
If you have the patience for this movie, it’s unlike anything you’ve ever seen before, and it’s beyond satisfying that a film released as recently as 2019 is taking so many wild creative swings. The whole thing feels like an alternate reality because it is an alternate reality, constantly making you question what belongs to this virtually constructed world and what belongs to the one Gagano so desperately wants to return to.

More importantly, as absurd as Jesus Shows You the Way to the Highway may appear at a surface-level glance, everybody plays it as straight as possible. This isn’t to say that the production isn’t raw and clearly operating on a shoestring budget, but you rarely feel those limitations. Writer-director Miguel Llansó’s vision is so unhinged that it all feels like part of the packaging rather than a byproduct of limited resources.

JESUS SHOWS YOU THE WAY TO THE HIGHWAY SCORE
While it may not be for everybody, I’m glad movies like Jesus Shows You the Way to the Highway exist because they demonstrate how much filmmakers can still innovate when they allow themselves to think outside the box (and this one is way out there). If you think you’re ready, you can stream this absurdist masterpiece for free on Tubi as of this writing. Whether you regret hitting ‘play’ is entirely up to you.
Entertainment
Karmelo Anthony Supporter Arrested Amid Viral Protest In Texas
The internet hasn’t stopped talking about Karmelo Anthony’s guilty verdict and his 35-year prison sentence. Now, social media users are sounding off after authorities arrested Jerome Parker Winston, a supporter of the 19-year-old, following a protest encounter that recently went viral.
RELATED: Karmelo Anthony’s New Mugshot Surfaces As His Uncle Speaks Out Amid 35-Year Prison Sentence (PHOTOS + VIDEOS)
Details On Jerome Parker Winston’s Arrest
According to reports, authorities arrested Jerome Parker Winston outside the courthouse where Karmelo Anthony’s trial took place in Texas. Officers reportedly placed Winston in handcuffs for allegedly carrying a weapon unlawfully. Jerome’s mugshot initially made rounds in a Facebook post that included his arrest details. His arrest reportedly marked one of two that authorities made during the protest following the reading of Anthony’s verdict.
Before his arrest, a video of Jerome went viral on social media. The footage showed him in a heated confrontation with a white man wearing an American flag shirt. Based on the clip, Jerome appeared to defend a Black female supporter while accusing the man of allegedly attempting to do something to her. However, the footage does not clearly show what sparked the confrontation.
“Ain’t nothing but air and opportunity. Do something! The same thing you were going to do to her. We both have our hands behind our backs. You approached a Black woman,” Jerome says in the video as he continues to yell, “That is a woman!” And later follows up with, “That is a mother! A sister!”
Social Media Sounds OFF About Jerome’s Arrest
After The Shade Room shared the viral of Jerome along with details about his arrest, the Roommates quickly flooded the comment section with reactions. Some commenters asked for more information about the weapon authorities allegedly found in Jerome’s possession, while others called for his release.
Instagram user @theshayjohnson wrote, “What was the weapon and where did they find it?”
Instagram user @changeiskey1989 wrote, “It’s time to cancel Texas.”
While Instagram user @missjameekabanks wrote, “Standing up for Black women…. Mannnn free this man ✊🏾”
Then Instagram user @kyimaranajaae wrote, “Y’all he was unlawfully carrying a weapon. But it’s still #FreeKarmelo.”
Another Instagram user @flawednfabulous wrote, “This is* America . 🇺🇸”
Instagram user @stephroyalty wrote, “Free him lock up the judge and jury!!!”
Then another Instagram user @bigsimon19 wrote, “Black people don’t understand America has two justice systems.”
While another Instagram user @manufacturedinthe90s wrote, “We can’t do anything in this country. We fight back we get killed or arrested.”
Finally, Instagram user @cyannextdoor wrote, “Whew chile this is to much!!”
The Latest Update On Karmelo Anthony’s Case
Social media users are continuing to share their thoughts on Karmelo Anthony’s case following his conviction and 35-year prison sentence. However, Karmelo and his legal team are not backing down. Less than 24 hours after a Texas jury convicted him of murder, his attorneys filed a notice of appeal. Karmelo’s lawyer, Mike Howard said in a statement that the defense believes the court still needs to address several issues.
“After the conclusion of the trial yesterday, we gave the court our official notice that Karmelo Anthony is filing an appeal. We believe there are several important issues for the appellate courts to consider. An appeal is the next part of the legal process and a right afforded every American,” Howard said.
RELATED: UPDATE: Karmelo Anthony Found Guilty & Sentenced To 35 Years In Prison For Fatal Stabbing Of Austin Metcalf (PHOTOS)
What Do You Think Roomies?
Entertainment
“Home Improvement” cast: See Tim Allen, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, and their costars, then and now
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Tim Allen’s grunting tool man led one of the ’90s most popular sitcoms.
Entertainment
Nick Offerman explains why he didn't want 'more Ron Swanson' after finishing “Parks and Recreation”
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The “Margo’s Got Money Troubles” actor said that he received numerous offers for roles that closely resembled Ron after the sitcom wrapped in 2015.
Entertainment
Mimi Faust Says K. Michelle Is A “Bully” & Hasn’t Grown
Mimi Faust says K. Michelle is a “bully” and hasn’t grown “an ounce” since her time on ‘Love & Hip Hop Atlanta.’
RELATED: Time Flies! Recent Footage Of Stevie J & Mimi Faust’s Daughter Eva Has Internet Users Calling Themselves “Old” (VIDEO)
Mimi Faust Says K. Michelle Is A “Bully” & Hasn’t Grown “An Ounce” Since Her Time On ‘Love & Hip Hop Atlanta’
According to Bossip, MimI Faust recently appeared as a guest on ‘The Morning Hustle’ radio show. Additionally, during her appearance, Lore’l asked Faust how she felt about K. Michelle saying she wouldn’t be open to reconciling with her following their time on ‘Love & Hip Hop Atlanta.’ Specifically, the pair got into it over Michelle’s comments about one of Faust’s former partners. Additionally, their conflict escalated when K. Michelle found herself at odds with Rasheeda. To note, K. Michelle recently joined the cast of ‘The Real Housewives of Atlanta.’
“What have I ever done to K. Michelle?” Faust asked. “One, I never heard her say that, and two, IDGAF.”
Per the outlet, Lore’l then asked Faust if she believes K. Michelle has matured since their time together on TV.
“Absolutely not. Not an ounce. She is, um, the same person, different face. You know, I think it’s cute that she keeps talking about me; it’s really cute. She tries it. She’s a bully, and then she plays the victim, that’s K,” Faust explained.
Social Media Weighs In
Social media users shared their thoughts on Mimi Faust’s comments on K. Michelle in TSR’s comment section.
Instagram user @itsmetheputa wrote, “No shade but Mimi told the truth back then. K.Michelle will conjure something up in her head and belive it and those are the MOST dangerous people 😂😭 i enjoy her music tho”
While Instagram user @_bowtye added, “And if you currently watching RHOA ain’t one lie being told!”
Instagram user @iamjakkblakk wrote, “No lie she ain’t tell one lie cause she in rhoa acting a fool lmaooooo”
While Instagram user @goddesskey___ added, “Im trying figure out what did K Michelle conjure up on LhH? She told the truth about Niko,Memphis, and one earring 😂Now RHOA is a little different I believe she’s being fed info from other cast mates”
Instagram user @boii_diorr wrote, “People swear K. Michelle hasn’t changed since Love & Hip Hop, but let’s talk facts. She left the show and built a career beyond reality TV Out of all those girls she proved she was more than a storyline The talent always spoke louder than the drama. Calling K. Michelle unchanged while still discussing drama from 10+ years ago is ironic. One built a career beyond reality TV the other is still being asked about old storylines. 🎤”
While Instagram user @snoccon added, “The reason why they don’t like K is because once you wrong her she’s never letting it go and she gone drag you every chance she gets. So yall made fun of her getting abused with no apology so yea she stepping on neck but RHOA Issa show. She gone act the part”
Instagram user @prettyk1206 wrote, “Mimi is completely right and before yall come for Mimi, she has every right to say this because K Michelle continues to speak on MIMI. 💯”
While Instagram user @thealeyiajaye added, “& from watching Housewives of Atlanta, Mimi is correct 😂”
Instagram user @hallevskalel wrote, “And Mimi didn’t grow and save no money from lhh. So I guess they in the same lane”
K. Michelle Addresses A Critic Amid Mimi Faust Says She’s A “Bully” & Hasn’t Grown Since ‘Love & Hip Hop Atlanta’
On Tuesday, June 9, K. Michelle took to X, formerly known as Twitter, initially replying to a user who was sharing their thoughts on the recent comments about the singer.
But you sure can make good fucking TV 😮💨
They locked in!— Smoke (@SmokesSoul) June 9, 2026
Ultimately, K. Michelle explained to another user that she’s just being herself.
RELATED: Social Media Is Sharing Mixed Opinions After Eva Showed Off The Dress Mimi Faust Made Her Wear To Her 8th-Grade Dance
What Do You Think Roomies?
Entertainment
Sean Penn Labeled ‘Biggest Dirtbag’ Over Holocaust Remarks
Sean Penn is facing major backlash after making controversial comments about selfies that unexpectedly invoked both Holocaust survivors and a child with a disability. The Oscar-winning actor sparked outrage following an appearance at the Tribeca Festival in New York, where he launched into an anti-selfie rant that many critics quickly branded insensitive and bizarre. Social media users soon flooded X, formerly Twitter, with criticism, with one person even labeling Penn the “biggest dirtbag in Hollywood.”

During a Friday conversation with CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins at Spring Studios as part of the Tribeca Festival’s 25th anniversary programming, Penn shared his strong feelings about celebrity selfies.
The actor argued that taking photos with famous people is harmful for everyone involved. “People should not do selfies ever with anyone. It’s bad for you; it’s bad for everyone. It’s a soul-sucker,” Penn said.
However, the conversation quickly took an unexpected turn when Penn referenced scenarios involving a Holocaust survivor and a young child with a disability. “It’s the Holocaust grandmother and her 6-year-old paraplegic wheeling over? It’s a hard no,” he added.
The comment immediately sparked confusion and outrage online, with many questioning why Penn brought up such examples during a discussion about fan photos.

Penn’s remarks spread rapidly online, with critics accusing the actor of being unnecessarily insensitive and out of touch. “No surprise from the biggest dirtbag in Hollywood,” one X user wrote. Another critic blasted the actor, writing: “He really is an insufferable a-shole… @SouthPark needs another episode dedicated just to this.”
Someone else said, “He is one UGLY dude, inside and out…!!” while another chimed in with, “If he doesn’t want to take selfies, he could have certainly found a less disgusting way to communicate that to someone.”
Sean Penn Says Crowds Trigger His Anxiety

Penn’s comments came as he explained why he skipped the Oscars earlier this year despite earning a nomination, and ultimately winning, for “One Battle After Another.”
The actor admitted that large social settings have increasingly become difficult for him. “It’s not just [that it’s] an awards show. It would be the same if this group was going to an afterparty and one stepped into that,” Penn explained.
He added, “That always represented social discomfort for me; too many people. I’m now down, committed for life, that I won’t go anywhere to be in a designated group beyond eight people.”
According to Penn, interacting with large groups for extended periods fuels his anxiety. He said gatherings often leave him feeling overwhelmed because interactions become brief and repetitive.
Penn Says The Golden Globes Were His Breaking Point

Penn also revealed he decided to stop attending major Hollywood events after appearing at the Golden Globes in January. “The best that I could ever muster was relief. Knowing that I wasn’t going to do that anymore, I did one before that this year. I went to the Golden Globes; I’d never been to that before. And that’s where I decided, ‘I can’t do this,’” he said.
The actor claimed he was repeatedly approached for selfies while leaving the event, including a request from 16-year-old “Adolescence” actor Owen Cooper. Instead of attending the Oscars, Penn said he traveled to Ukraine, where he met with President Volodymyr Zelensky and watched the ceremony from abroad. “I really got to enjoy the Academy Awards for the first time. It was great,” Penn said.
Sean Penn’s Controversial Reputation Has Followed Him For Decades

For many critics, Penn’s latest controversy only added to a long history of headline-making behavior. The actor has repeatedly sparked backlash over the years for his outspoken comments and confrontational moments both on and off screen.
Penn’s legal troubles stretch back decades and have helped shape the actor’s long-standing reputation for volatility. In 1985, while married to Madonna, Penn was involved in a confrontation with photographers attempting to capture the couple in Nashville. The incident marked the beginning of several headline-making clashes involving the actor and members of the media.
Just two years later, Penn found himself in even more serious legal trouble while filming the 1988 crime drama “Colors.” Already on probation stemming from a misdemeanor battery charge involving songwriter David Wolinski at a Los Angeles nightclub, Penn was arrested after punching film extra Jeffrey Klein on set.
Because he violated probation, the actor was sentenced to 60 days in jail for assault, ultimately serving 33 days of the sentence.
Entertainment
Modern Action Movies Are All Missing One Very Important Setup
By Robert Scucci
| Published

Filmmakers need to bring back the warehouse showdown, and I’m tired of letting them get away with over-the-top action sequences that cost tens of millions of dollars to produce. These days, every action sequence has to be elevated. The Gray Man (2022) gets off on leveling entire city blocks, and the John Wick films, which are some of my favorite modern action movies, go for intense choreography and enough changes in scenery to make me slip into an overstimulation-induced coma. The list goes on. Look at any superhero movie where entire cities get razed to the ground, with 2013’s Man of Steel being perhaps the most egregious example.
All of the above titles have a disappointing lack of warehouse showdowns, and I often wonder why. Well, the real reason is that all of these productions had massive bankrolls behind them, whereas warehouse showdowns are typically found in action movies with much smaller budgets.

It doesn’t have to be this way, though, because we’ve seen iterations of the warehouse showdown in Michael Bay films like The Rock (1996) and forgotten low-budget action thrillers like Army of One (1993) alike.
Personally, I’ve become so desensitized to action sequences that I think I need to be intravenously injected with a good old warehouse showdown at least once a month as part of my longevity treatment.
Why The Warehouse Showdown Is Iconic

These days, all action has to be elevated, but it wasn’t always like that. In the 80s and 90s, the warehouse showdown didn’t discriminate, and you can see varying levels of awesomeness across low-budget films like Raw Deal (1986), Stone Cold (1991), Hard Boiled (1992), and Showdown in Little Tokyo (1991). The setup is always simple. The good guys take out what they think are all the henchmen, then finally make it to the boss level, where the primary antagonist is surrounded by even more henchmen and apparently lives in a warehouse that manufactures nothing but sparks and noise.
All you have to do while watching a classic warehouse showdown is sit back, relax, listen to the glorious music of shell casings scattering across the floor, and brace yourself for plenty of well-timed explosions that light the entire place up as our heroes run from the coming, all-consuming fireball and dive into the conveniently placed marina right next door.

You don’t need $50 million to have a solid warehouse showdown. All you need is grit, squibs, decent lighting, and a revolving door of villains who can be thrown into a pile of highly flammable barrels that are also conveniently placed throughout the field of play.
It’s Not Just A Matter Of Budget
While it certainly sounds like I’m only into low-budget schlock (I am, but that’s beside the point), the warehouse showdown isn’t just for filmmakers with limited resources. Sometimes you get the best of both worlds, which is exactly what we see in 1996’s The Rock, directed by none other than Michael Bay. I say the best of both worlds because there’s a high-speed chase through the streets of San Francisco involving a bright yellow Ferrari F355 Spider, which obviously wasn’t cheap to pull off. Streets had to be shut down, and I imagine a sequence like this required dozens of technicians on the payroll.

But here’s why The Rock is one of the greatest action movies of all time. What is Alcatraz? That’s a rhetorical question. I know Alcatraz is an out-of-service prison where you can throw a couple of quarters into a crank machine and get a crappy souvenir in the form of a flattened penny with the Golden Gate Bridge stamped on it or whatever. Still, the point stands that Alcatraz is basically just a giant warehouse, and you better believe there’s going to be a showdown.
The same can be said for RoboCop (1987) and Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), which both use steel mills as de facto warehouses for their showdowns. It’s a simple, self-contained setup that requires no worldbuilding and no constant changes in scenery. It’s the setting for the final showdown, where you can get close-ups and maybe even a great one-liner from our heroes while they focus on what’s most important: blowing sh*t up and taking out dozens of enemies in a very short amount of time.

As modern filmmaking continues to push the envelope, with the Space Pontiac in F9 coming to mind, sometimes we just need to go back to basics and blow the roof off a warehouse for the love of the game.
Entertainment
Billy Zane’s Forgotten, R-Rated 90 Sci-Fi Thriller Is Blade Runner Meets Inception
By Robert Scucci
| Published

There’s nothing quite like a solid neo-noir sci-fi mind-bender, and 1990’s Megaville is the most Inception thing I’ve ever seen in my life. And I’ve seen Inception! Megaville wins some extra points, though, because it’s Billy Zane’s first lead role. That’s right, before he blew up with The Phantom and Titanic, he was all about that Blade Runner-style dystopian sci-fi grit, taking on an increasingly complicated mission that requires him to live between two worlds: the Hemisphere and the titular Megaville.
Megaville tells a story about assumed identities, a tyrannical government that has outlawed the media, and the resulting black market hanging in the balance as corrupt officials do as they please, all in the name of controlling the masses. It’s delivered through classic neo-noir beats in the context of a sci-fi film. It’s Billy Zane at his most frenetic and hungry, and he commits to the bit like a total pro.
The Hemisphere Vs Megaville

Megaville starts out in the Hemisphere, where media is outlawed and the government rules with an iron fist. Raymond Palinov (Billy Zane) is the captain of the Media Police, but here’s the problem: he’s addicted to the media he’s supposed to be confiscating, which clearly doesn’t go over well with his higher-ups who run the CKS, the Hemisphere’s governing body. To make matters worse, Raymond keeps “losing control” in the form of full-body seizures, complete with hallucinations, that only continue to escalate.
Despite his personal and professional issues, Raymond is summoned by CKS Director Mr. Duprell (Daniel J. Travanti) to handle a classified mission in Megaville involving a new consumer product known as Dream-A-Life (DAL), a virtual reality headset that allows users to live whatever kind of life they want but can’t attain in the physical world. The Hemisphere has made such devices legal, but thanks to a mysterious man named Mr. Newman (J.C. Quinn), they’re fair game over in Megaville, which is where Raymond will be put to use.

Raymond bears an uncanny resemblance to Mr. Newman’s only known contact in the Hemisphere, Jensen, and is put under by Dr. Vogel (Stefan Gierasch) under the guise of having his head problems fixed. Instead, Dr. Vogel implants Jensen’s memories into his skull, allowing him to navigate Megaville, find Jensen’s lover, Christine (Kristen Cloke), and piece together exactly where he needs to be to track down Mr. Newman. The implant also makes him incredibly unstable, which may have been the plan all along.
From this point forward, it’s unclear who Raymond is supposed to trust. He’s still his own person, but sometimes finds himself thinking like Jensen, and other times finds himself spazzing out as if his brain is being remotely accessed by the folks back in the Hemisphere. Raymond gets further lost in his own mind as he tries to navigate a mission that even his mother (Grace Zabriskie) encouraged him to take on. Between the voices in his head, the increasing hallucinations, and the DAL technology starting to influence his decision-making, Raymond is caught in the middle of a grand conspiracy with no clear escape route, to the point where he doesn’t even know who he is anymore.
A Gritty, Frenetic Brain Twister

By now, we’ve all seen similar plots play out, but Megaville holds its own as one of those weird sci-fi gems you may have overlooked. If you go in as a blank slate, the film has a lot going for it, even if some of its genre conventions can be found elsewhere. I can’t say with confidence that I’d feel the same way if anybody other than Billy Zane were the lead actor in this movie, however. His physicality and, at times, complete blankness hint at what’s to come in his career as he’s just starting to cut his teeth as a lead actor here. This doesn’t seem like an easy role to convincingly play, and he fully commits to the premise.
Megaville is one of those weird films that’s inherently cerebral but still easy to digest because every character archetype is familiar enough to wrap your head around. You have the evil government scientists and the conflicted agent trying to find inner peace, and along the way we learn how these shadow-government operations are handled. Despite its familiar beats, Megaville remains enthralling from start to finish because we’re allowed to focus on what’s happening in the moment instead of constantly wondering what everybody’s motives are.

This isn’t to say there aren’t surprise twists and turns along the way, but rather to illustrate how this vehicle is primed to kick it into fifth gear without leaving viewers in the dust. It’s clearly a low-budget effort with a then up-and-coming A-lister, but if anything, it serves as a solid proving ground for Billy Zane, who leans so hard into his conflicted character’s fractured mental state that he sells it better than just about anybody else who could have been cast in the role.

As of this writing, you can stream Megaville for free on Tubi.
Entertainment
Nicole ‘Snooki’ Polizzi’s Cancer Coping Mechanism Was Pricey
Nicole ‘Snooki’ Polizzi has an expensive cure for a bad day, and she is unapologetic about it!
The media personality finally revealed how she took her cervical cancer diagnosis and the wild rollercoaster she hopped on afterward to embrace that reality.
Nicole ‘Snooki’ Polizzi, who shared that she was diagnosed with stage one cervical cancer, is set to get a hysterectomy as part of her cancer treatment.

The television queen told US Weekly that she immediately picked up the phone and called her mother to give her the update amid tears, and also began planning her funeral.
Polizzi continued that she was emotional and hysterical for like three days, and then she decided to do something about how she was feeling.
“You’re a bad bitch, you’re going to be fine, you tackle everything. And then I went to Short Hills and spent, like, thousands of dollars,” the star noted. Polizzi continued that she then went into a store to get designer stuff, including Louis Vuitton bags, Gucci shoes, and bags.
The reality star intimated her fans with her condition back in January via a TikTok video where she explained that she has been dealing with pre-cancerous cell growth in her cervix for about three to four years. US Weekly shared that following a biopsy, it was confirmed weeks later that she had stage one cervical cancer.
The MTV Alum Is Looking Forward To Getting This Surgery Done As Part Of Her Treatment

She continued in her chat with US Weekly that she has summer planned out, and it includes going in for a major surgery, a hysterectomy. Her timing is perfect because that is when her schedule gets less demanding, and she will not be traveling as much.
Currently, the star has been going back and forth from Canada for her show to Nashville and more places for her store, which is why she had to push the appointment well into the summer.
“I wanted to make sure that I had, like, two weeks just to chill, to recover, and do all that. It’s going to be happening soon. I’m definitely nervous. I’m excited just to get it done,” Polizzi declared.
She also raved about getting much-needed support from her father, who had been battling cancer for years, the moment she updated her family about her diagnosis.
Polizzi recalled everyone being there for her, showing her support, and wishing for her speedy recovery both within her circle and even on social media.
Nicole ‘Snooki’ Polizzi Urged Women To Prioritize Early Screenings

The media personality turned her health issue into an avenue to pass a strong message about the benefits of early detection and women’s health awareness.
Upon receiving the shocking news about her cervical cancer, Polizzi confessed that she was forced to confront her fears and begin to picture the worst-case scenarios for her family and her children.
As noted by The Blast, the diagnosis also caused her to reflect on one decision she now completely regrets, and it is constantly ignoring her doctor’s repeated follow-up reminder.
Polizzi added that if she had actually taken the reminders with all seriousness, she would have caught on early, and now she advised her listeners to take a better step than she did.
Fortunately, the media personality shared encouraging news about her recovery. A recent PET scan showed that there were no signs that the cancer had spread, and she remained hopeful that her hysterectomy would help ensure it stays that way.
The ‘Jersey Shore’ Star Received Support From Her Co-Stars After Her Diagnosis

As soon as Polizzi’s news got on social media, her fans, co-stars, and loved ones swarmed her post with love and support as she prepares to get on the road for delivery.
The Blast stated that fans praised her for being so open about her condition, stating that her bravery has encouraged them to take their health seriously.
“Jersey Shore” stars Sammi Giancola and Jenni Farley also gushed about Polizzi’s strength while reiterating their love and admiration for the star. On the home front, the reality star’s husband, Jionni LaValle, has reportedly been there to support her with whatever she needs amid her cancer battle.
The media personality’s podcast partner, Joey Camasta, who is also one of her long-time best friends, was also on the support front line, reassuring the star that, in her usual manner, she would beat cancer and come out victorious.
Nicole ‘Snooki’ Polizzi’s Emotional Conversation With Kids After Cancer News

One of the hardest aspects of Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi’s cervical cancer journey has been telling her kids about her disease. The reality queen revealed how she dealt with the tough conversation with her husband, LaValle, and their three children, Lorenzo, Giovanna, and Angelo.
In an interview with E! News, Snooki said that she kept it simple, stayed calm, told them they would be okay, and that she would need surgery. Nevertheless, there were emotional responses to the news.
Snooki said that her oldest son was immediately concerned about whether she was dying or heading to heaven. In the midst of the sadness, Lorenzo was able to add a bit of lightness to the situation by jokingly asking her if she was going to leave him anything.
Snooki said her main priority during the conversation was to ensure that her children feel safe and comfortable. She commended them for being mature and understanding of her need to focus on getting healthy and recovering from surgery.
The TV personality also said that her kids have been supportive all the way through and still tell her that it will all be okay.
Get well soon, Nicole ‘Snooki’ Polizzi!
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