Entertainment
Will Ferrell Isn’t the Only Reason To Watch Netflix’s ‘Ted Lasso’ Rival ‘The Hawk’
Some people only care about golf when someone in expensive plaid pants is losing his mind over a three-foot putt. That’s the whole appeal of the sport, really: rich men in tiny white gloves coming undone on a perfect green, one missed shot away from a full tantrum. The Hawk, Will Ferrell‘s first television comedy for Netflix, is built almost entirely around that kind of meltdown — and that alone is enough of a winning premise before Lonnie Hawkins ever tees off.
A bit of background on Ferrell’s latest meme-able disaster: Lonnie “The Hawk” Hawkins was the number one player in the world in 2004, a three-time major winner whose reputation has slid from legend to punchline. His body is telling him to retire. His heart insists he’s one stroke away from the greatest comeback golf has ever seen. One more major would complete his career Grand Slam, and Lonnie treats that long shot as something he’s owed by the universe. The series is created and executive produced by Ferrell alongside his Gloria Sanchez partners Jessica Elbaum and Alix Taylor, plus Rian Johnson and Ram Bergman‘s T-Street and a bench of others, with the PGA TOUR signed on as a partner. How a real sports organization agreed to attach its name to this guy is its own small mystery, but the result is Ferrell’s meanest creation yet, planted in a wildly uneven sports comedy that, thanks to its sharpest stretches, is still well worth the swing.
‘The Hawk’ Turns Will Ferrell Into Golf’s Biggest Jerk
The Hawk introduces Ferrell’s Lonnie mid-catastrophe, barreling toward a PGA stop in an absurdly oversized tour bus in a race against the clock that plays like cinema’s least dignified action scene. Within minutes, he’s cooing at a golf ball like some kind of phone sex operator and guzzling what is very obviously not water from a sports bottle. He maxes out his ex-wife’s credit cards and then won’t sign the divorce papers. He’s openly, pettily jealous of his own son. By the time the opening credits roll, the picture of him is clear: This is a man who cares about winning and, as far as we can tell, nothing else.
That single-mindedness is also the show’s way into golf itself, a sport it clearly finds both fascinating and ridiculous. The world Lonnie moves through is all corporate sponsorships, country-club snobbery, and grown men treating a bad round like a world-ending tragedy, and The Hawk is happy to let him be the ugliest thing in it. He’s not a fish out of water so much as the purest version of everyone around him, minus the manners. When the show trains its eye on that culture, on the branded tournaments and the polite cruelty of the people running them, it’s sharper than it is anywhere else.
The Hawk is clearly angling for the shelf that holds Ricky Bobby and Jackie Moon, but never quite reaches it, because it’s chasing a harder, sadder joke than either of those guys ever told. The reason Ricky Bobby worked, the reason Talladega Nights remains the high point of the Ferrell sports comedy universe, is that Ricky was a himbo. He was an earnest idiot too dense to realize he was torching his own life for a checkered flag, and that obliviousness kept everything light. Lonnie is also both an idiot and obsessed with winning, but the key difference is that he knows exactly what his obsession costs. He understands the price of every bad decision but just makes it anyway. That’s a bleaker setup, and a trickier one, because it asks you to keep laughing at a man who has run out of excuses. The son in question is Lance (Jimmy Tatro), golf’s designated golden boy and the living version of everything Lonnie can’t stand about the next generation.
Where Lonnie runs on liquor and Carrabba’s, Lance chugs creatine, cold-plunges his feelings, and meditates his way up the leaderboard. Tatro plays him like a walking wellness ad (with unacknowledged chaos simmering underneath), and the contempt running in both directions gives the show the bite it needs whenever the jokes start to sprawl. By the third episode, Lonnie has made the PGA cut and immediately blown an event, brawling with a bunker and nearly taking out an elderly spectator, while across the country Lance racks up win after win at a Charles Schwab event. The contrast of one Hawkins falling apart while the other climbs is The Hawk at its most pointed.
‘The Hawk’ Is at Its Best When Fortune Feimster and Molly Shannon Take Over
Lonnie’s one flicker of decency shows up as Sam (Fortune Feimster), a DIY mechanic he finds “fixing cars” in a Walmart parking lot and promptly hires as his new caddie, mostly because she tells him to eat a Milky Way every time he feels his blood pressure spike. The wary but genuine friendship between these two mismatched people is the closest The Hawk comes to a heart. Every scene they share makes the case for what this series could be if it trusted sincerity even half as much as it trusts a crass dick joke.
Molly Shannon, as Lonnie’s estranged wife Stacy, is the other reliable bright spot. Stacy has poured herself into launching a hard iced tea brand called Teed Off, and Shannon plays her as a woman who has decided every moment of her life, no matter how inappropriate, is a chance to move product. She turns opportunism into an art form, and she’s very funny doing it.
Is ‘The Hawk’ Worth Watching?
The trouble is that The Hawk keeps reaching for more than it can hold. There’s a whole rival subplot with Luke Wilson‘s Golden Fisk, the smug pro who has beaten Lonnie twice, plus Chris Parnell‘s tour board member, Katelyn Tarver‘s influencer fiancée, and David Hornsby as Stacy’s obviously gay new boyfriend, and the show piles on cameos and storylines faster than it can sustain any of them. The tone wobbles too, never quite landing on whether viewers are supposed to be appalled by Lonnie or rooting for him, which is a hard needle to thread, even with someone as charismatic as Ferrell filling his spiked golf shoes.
The Hawk doesn’t hit the giddy highs of Ferrell’s best sports comedies, and it’s missing the clean comic logic that made Talladega Nights so watchable, but when it’s fun, it’s really fun, and there’s a lot to be said for the fact that Ferrell, this deep into his career, still throws himself at a bit with zero regard for how he comes off. That level of commitment is truly impressive, and, when paired with the episodes’ half-hour runtime, it makes The Hawk easy to justify watching in the end.
The Hawk is now streaming on Netflix.
Continue Reading
There’s a difference between a regular heist film and a true crime caper. Whereas a heist film is often more serious and focused on upping the stakes every chance it gets, a caper is a crime movie that is more laid-back, lighthearted, and even comedic. The people stealing things in a heist movie are absolute pros, while the criminals in a caper are just having fun alongside the audience.
The crime caper is a genre that has delivered several great movies over the years, from dramatic thrillers like the Argentinian Nine Queens to full-on comedies like Paper Moon. When done right, caper movies can be some of the most charming crime films imaginable, perfectly blending meticulous plotting, satisfying twists, and an irresistible sense of humor.
10
‘Snatch’ (2000)
Guy Ritchie is practically the king of the modern British crime caper, and it all started from the moment he made his feature directing debut. But as great as Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels is, there’s simply no beating the legendary Snatch. It’s one of the most universally beloved Jason Statham movies ever, also starring a staggering number of other immensely charismatic actors.
Snatch only runs for a little over an hour and a half, but its masterfully intertwined web of storylines runs at such an exquisitely fast pace that it feels even shorter. With its quotable dialogue, razor-sharp dark humor that never gets old, and vast ensemble of endearing characters, it’s also the sort of caper that only gets better with every subsequent rewatch.
9
‘The Italian Job’ (1969)
Yet another legendary British crime caper, Peter Collinson‘s The Italian Job stars Michael Caine in one of the most underrated crime movies of the 1960s. Though critics loved it, it underperformed at the box office upon release, causing it to end on a literal cliffhanger without ever getting the sequel it so deserved. But even then, it’s a masterpiece that all those who enjoy crime capers should consider essential viewing.
The film doesn’t take itself seriously for so much as a single second, making it the perfect option for those looking for a fun caper to breeze through on a weekend night. Brilliantly satirical and funny, delightfully stylish, quintessentially British, and featuring one of the greatest car chase sequences ever filmed, The Italian Job is a landmark of the genre that often doesn’t get the love it deserves.
8
‘A Fish Called Wanda’ (1988)
Starring and written by Monty Python’s John Cleese, Charles Crichton‘s A Fish Called Wanda is one of the funniest movies of not just the ’80s, but arguably of all time. Perfectly crafted and sharply hilarious in equal measure, it’s undoubtedly one of the best 1988 movie classics, an absolute masterclass in how to make a genre-bending caper that never needs to take itself seriously at all.
A Fish Called Wanda‘s sense of humor is absolutely ridiculous, and that’s precisely what makes it such a magical cinematic experience. It’s one of the most perfect screwball comedies of the modern era, filled with some of the most intricately constructed gags in the history of comedy cinema. It’s frantic, eccentric, and exceptionally performed all across the board, and the cast is top-notch, particularly as Oscar-winning Kevin Kline.
7
‘The Lavender Hill Mob’ (1951)
Directed by Charles Crichton, the ’50s classic The Lavender Hill Mob provides even more proof that no one does crime capers quite like the British. Starring Alec Guinness and featuring one of Audrey Hepburn‘s earliest roles, it’s one of the 45 movies recommended by the Vatican in 1995—but just about anyone who loves crime films, regardless of what religion they profess (if any), should watch this paragon of the British caper genre.
The Lavender Hill Mob essentially laid down the DNA for the British caper, and over 70 years after its release, it has only gotten better as it has aged. Though gritty, it’s also delightfully laid-back, cleverly subverting everything that the crime and heist genres had come to represent up to that point. It breathed new life into the heist film by proving just how well the modern caper formula could work.
6
‘Nine Queens’ (2000)
Though the world of English-language capers should contain more than enough gems for any one fan of the genre to satisfy their cravings, looking over at Latin America is bound to reveal quite a few underappreciated masterpieces. Case in point: Fabián Bielinsky‘s modern thriller classic Nine Queens, one of the best heist thriller movies of all time.
Whereas many capers are so comedy-oriented that they don’t need to spend too much attention on building a complex, overly elaborate plan for the characters to execute, this staple of Argentinian cinema is one big psychological puzzle where nothing is what it seems. Intense though it may be, however, Nine Queens never forgets to relax and have some lighthearted fun with the material, leading to one of the most satisfying final twists of 2000s cinema.
5
‘Ocean’s Eleven’ (2001)
The Rat Pack was a group of singers that originated in the late ’40s and went on to make some films together. 1960’s Ocean’s Eleven is perhaps their most iconic, but that’s only because Steven Soderbergh improved upon it tenfold when he made his 2001 remake. It’s the first installment of a trilogy, and calling it one of the best thriller movies of 2001 would be the understatement of the century.
The film has a cast that oozes charisma and chemistry, Soderbergh’s effortlessly cool directing style, and a meticulously constructed plot.
The film immediately became the blueprint for how to make a star-studded, big-budget studio comedy caper in the 21st century—and since then, it has remained the gold standard of the genre’s modern form. With a cast that oozes charisma and chemistry, Soderbergh’s effortlessly cool directing style, and a meticulously constructed plot that never lets up, Ocean’s Eleven is the caper that everyone who thinks they don’t like capers should watch at least once.
4
‘Reservoir Dogs’ (1992)
Before he became one of the most acclaimed and widely celebrated filmmakers in the modern history of Hollywood, Quentin Tarantino was a debuting feature filmmaker. The thing is that from the moment Reservoir Dogs splashed into the scene, critics and audiences alike knew that they were in the presence of someone special. Decades have passed, and some still point to this one as their favorite Tarantino movie.
Who can blame them? After all, Tarantino came up with a premise that’s nothing short of brilliant: a witty deconstruction of the caper genre that skips over the heist sequence altogether. Instead, all you see here is a casual chat right before the crime and the bloody, chaotic, twist-filled aftermath. Leading all the way to one of the best climaxes of any heist movie, Reservoir Dogs remains one of the most intense and energetic capers the genre has ever seen.
3
‘The Sting’ (1973)
The fact that the weakest gangster movie that’s won the Best Picture Oscar is still one of the greatest crime movies of the ’70s speaks volumes about the genre’s quality. It was the second and final collaboration between Paul Newman and Robert Redford, one of the most iconic actor duos in film history, and the way their chemistry elevates the timeless energy of this caper masterpiece is remarkable.
But aside from having two stars who provide an acting masterclass over the course of two delightful hours, this George Roy Hill gem is one of the crown jewels of the caper genre. In its complex, vibrant construction of a riveting long con, The Sting makes the viewer feel like they’re in on the action, but eventually surprises them with one of the biggest gotcha climaxes in the history of crime caper films.
2
‘Paper Moon’ (1973)
Paper Moon is no traditional crime caper in any way imaginable, and that uniqueness is the source of all of its timeless charm and magic. Whereas most capers tend to be about an ensemble of characters working to pull off a grand, layered heist, this Peter Bogdanovich masterpiece is more so about a road trip and the bond between a grifter and an orphaned girl that it causes to blossom.
That twist on the formula, mixed with the undeniable chemistry shared between real-life father and daughter Ryan and Tatum O’Neal, makes for a film that’s just as much of a caper as it is a sweet character study. The caper elements here come from small-time grifting and petty crimes, allowing the audience to focus on the irresistibly moving bond between these two deeply compelling characters.
1
‘Dog Day Afternoon’ (1975)
Whether Sidney Lumet‘s Dog Day Afternoon is or isn’t a caper is very much open to debate, but that brilliant tonal ambiguity is a big part of why it’s not open to debate that it’s one of the greatest films of the New Hollywood movement. Whereas most serious heist films are about cool characters pulling off a complicated but ultimately smooth crime, this biopic is all about a heist gone comically wrong.
Dog Day Afternoon starts with the sort of amateur criminal chaos that would automatically make it an undeniable caper; but as soon as the police surround the bank, Lumet shifts gears into a psychologically intense, utterly claustrophobic crime drama. It’s one of the best single-location thrillers ever, brilliantly satirizing ’70s counterculture and the American media. Though this ’70s masterpiece is overwhelmingly suspenseful far more often than it is lighthearted or comedic, that only goes to show that the caper genre has many facets.
Us Weekly has affiliate partnerships. We receive compensation when you click on a link and make a purchase. Learn more!
Hannah Waddingham is definitely booked and busy. After hopping around the U.K., making appearances at F1’s British Grand Prix and multiple Wimbledon matches, the 51-year-0ld actress stepped out in New York City, ready to promote her new Prime show, Ride or Die. That schedule alone is enough to make Us sweat, but even in the humid summer weather, Waddingham looked cool, calm and collected, and part of that had to do with her not-so-simple sleeveless top style.
At a time when the Internet is buzzing with ‘heatwave outfit’ ideas and warm-weather styling hacks, the Ted Lasso star has it handled. She provided more than enough inspiration during her segment on Good Morning America, rocking a black tank with a dainty lace trim, a form-fitting printed skirt and pointy white heels. Although her timeless accessories (like that classic, quilted red bag) begged for our attention, Waddingham’s top remained our main focus. It’s chic, lightweight and perfect for scorching days, which is why we’re grabbing an Amazon lookalike, ASAP.
Get the Vavonne Camisole for $15 (was $17) at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate as of the publishing date but are subject to change.
Waddingham’s pick is a $565 design from Gwyneth Paltrow‘s brand Gwyn (which has also been spotted on the Taylor Swift), but the Vavonne Camisole gets you a similar vibe for a lot less — just $15, to be exact! Although the Amazon alternative doesn’t include the extra material cascading down the side, it does have luxe-like lace detailing along the straps and neckline, giving it a little extra flair without the fuss. The find is also 100% cotton, so you won’t have to worry about it trapping heat.
Sometimes the most unexpected pairings make the coolest outfits, and Charlize Theron just proved it with her top and skirt combination. The Odyssey star was spotted returning to her hotel during Paris Fashion Week wearing a drapey, black lace blouse and a maxi denim skirt. The two pieces looked like they belonged to different occasions, but together, […]
A lace tank is the ultimate style solution for unbearably hot days, adding a little something extra to your outfit while still keeping you cool. You can dress the piece up with a printed skirt and heels, as Waddingham did, or use it to boost those basic white shorts you wear way too often. The thing about this style is that it’s both a staple and a statement piece, so it’ll tone down bold bottoms while elevating simpler options.
With multiple color options and iterations to choose from, and sizes ranging from small to 3X, the Vavonne tank has garnered plenty of positive reviews from all kinds of reviewers.
“So very comfortable,” one shopper wrote. “It’s so hard to find 100% cotton anything. I bought three of these, and they really fit well.”
Another person called the pick an “all-year top,” claiming it works just as well in the winter as it does in the heat.
“Love these,” they said. “They are perfect for hanging around the house during long hot Florida summers, or layered under a pretty sweater or blazer in the winter. I love mine. Got the basic colors to go with everything.”
Waddingham may be on a press tour, but her breathable summer outfit is one anyone can copy, especially after scooping up this chic, easy tank style. Grab the under-$20 pick now and keep looking cute as temperatures climb!
Get the Vavonne Camisole for $15 (was $17) at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate as of the publishing date but are subject to change.
Looking for something else? Explore more lace-trim tank tops here, and don’t forget to check out all of Amazon’s Daily Deals for more great finds!
Kate Hudson knows how to make date night look effortless. The actress recently stepped out with her signature golden glow, this time in a delicate light pink camisole trimmed with lace. The look was equal parts romantic and just a touch sexy, the kind of styling Hudson has been perfecting since her Almost Famous days. […]
UsNow Summer Sale Alert: These Chic Fashion Finds are over 30% off – Plus Free Shipping
Welcome to summer with our biggest sale of the year. This summer’s chicest dresses, tops and swimsuits are all over 30% + free shipping. Inventory is limited so hurry before they’re gone.
Netflix’s hit reality show “The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On” brought its latest season to Las Vegas, turning luxury apartment community Ariva into a temporary reality TV hub.
From customized cast residences to resort-style amenities used throughout filming, Ariva reveals what went on behind the scenes of hosting the two-month production and how the Las Vegas property became the perfect backdrop for the hit series.
Jessie Boskamp, Duty Manager of Ariva Luxury Residences — the premier resort-style apartment community in Southwest Las Vegas and the Official Luxury Apartments of the Las Vegas Raiders and Las Vegas Aces — sat down exclusively with The Blast to discuss what it was like filming the reality show on the property.
The new season of “The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On” on Netflix premieres on Wednesday, July 15. For residents of Ariva Luxury Residences in Southwest Las Vegas, there’s an elevated level of excitement to watch this season. For two months last year, the complex became the backdrop for the new season of the hit reality series.
“The production team first reached out to us around January 2025 while they were scouting locations in Las Vegas. After several site tours, they quickly saw that Ariva offered exactly what they were looking for,” Jessie Boskamp, Duty Manager of Ariva Luxury Residences told The Blast exclusively. “They toured our furnished residences and amenity spaces, met with our team to discuss logistics, and ultimately presented Ariva to their production team as the ideal location.”
From that point on, Ariva worked closely with production to prepare for filming. From mid-March to mid-May of 2025, the cast and production team were onsite “making Ariva their home throughout the filming process.”
What It Was Like Working With The Production Team During Filming At Ariva
When the season premieres on Wednesday, residents will get to see their home on the TV screen, and fans of the show will get to experience what it’s like living at Ariva.
“Viewers will see many different areas throughout Ariva. Nearly all of our amenity spaces were utilized, including our pools, fitness areas, lounges, and outdoor gathering spaces,” Boskamp said. “The cast also lived in our fully furnished, serviced residences, so those apartments became a major part of the filming as well.”
For the staff at Ariva, the experience was something they called “incredible.” They said the production team was “extremely professional, organized, and respectful of both our staff and our residents.”
“Film production moves at an incredibly fast pace, and it was impressive to watch everything come together,” Boskamp shared. “Communication was excellent throughout the entire process, and everyone we worked with was genuinely kind and collaborative.”
What Made Ariva The Right Fit For The Reality Show?
Many might wonder what it was about Ariva that fit the vibe the reality show was seeking. One step on property, and you might already know why Ariva was a “natural fit for the show.”
“Ariva offered everything production needed in one location,” Boskamp said. “Our spacious community allowed cast members to be spread throughout the property while still remaining close together. The wide variety of resort-style amenities also provided numerous filming locations and beautiful backdrops, giving the production team flexibility without ever needing to leave the property. Combined with our luxury furnished residences, Ariva was a natural fit for the show.”
Ahead of filming, the complex hosted “multiple planning and walkthrough meetings with the production team to determine which residences would work best for each cast member” as well as what spots on property would be best for filming.
“Each of the six primary cast apartments were thoughtfully designed with its own unique theme, color palette, furnishings, and decor to reflect different personalities and create distinct spaces on screen,” Boskamp said. “It was fascinating to watch that creative process unfold.”
More About Ariva Luxury Residences And Ariva Serviced Residences In Las Vegas
Ariva Serviced Residences are located within Ariva Luxury Residences. The Serviced Residences are fully furnished apartments designed for short term stays longer than 31 days. Each apartment offers a fully stocked kitchen with cookware, drinkware, and more, and has a washer and dryer, smart TVs, Frette linens, Matouk terry and Grown Alchemist bath products.
Residents who call Ariva home long term are part of Ariva Luxury Residences, which are not fully furnished, but have the same great appliances and features the Serviced Residences have.
Amenities on property include three pools, a hot tub, a state-of-the-art fitness center, yoga studio, business center, two lounges, basketball and volleyball courts, pet-friendly amenities, and Nourish, Ariva’s residents-only food truck, the first amenity of its kind at a Las Vegas apartment community.
Season 4 Of ‘The Ultimatum’ Premieres Wednesday, July 15
What happens in Vegas won’t likely stay in Vegas during this new season of the hit reality show hosted by Nick and Vanessa Lachey.
Six couples — Hayley and Blake, Ashley and Killian, Casey and David, Monica and Luke, Jessica Grace and Edris, and Alex and Jebin — must decide if they will move on from each other or get married in the new season of “The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On.”
Find out more about season 4 on the website. To learn more about Ariva Luxury Residences and Ariva Serviced Residences, visit the website. Season 4 premieres tonight, Wednesday, July 15.
Playing scary video games can be a great way to enjoy a quiet night in. Now, not all of these titles are going to please everyone. There’s hardcore horror mixed with psychological suspense and supernatural scares, there are “retro” titles folded in with more modern, visually striking games, and there are franchise titles you expected alongside other games you may never have heard of.
Whether you’re looking for survival horror or a psychological experience, there’s something here for every type of horror fan. In other words, it’s a curated list of some of the best scary video games around, but not necessarily an end-all, be-all. And if you’ve got one we haven’t played, we’d love to hear about it!
17
‘Darkwood’ (2017)
Most of the entries on this list are 3D games, which is common since that is the most immersive, but Darkwood manages to be this scary using a top-down 2D perspective. Trapped in a mysterious, mutating forest somewhere in the Soviet Bloc, players are a nameless survivor in desperate need of escape. In order to survive, gamers must scavenge for resources, craft weapons, and explore the suffocating landscape during the day.
Darkwood is one of the most unique horror video games on this list, proving that it doesn’t need to be a traditional 3D experience to be absolutely terrifying. The top-down 2D perspective reaches its sense of dread by restricting vision to a cone, with threats outside the peripheral sight-line. Not to mention, Darkwood has a grotesque visual style and immersive sound design that really puts the player into the middle of fright. —Lucas Kloberdanz-Dyck
16
‘Limbo’ (2010)
A tightly constructed piece of video game storytelling, with a wide and hazy sense of atmosphere, Limbo is designed to discomfort you, and achieves its goal from moment one. You play a small child in a horrifying world, trying to find his sister while traversing a series of gruesome-death-instilling platforming puzzles. Feeling like an Eraserhead take on an over-industrialized nightmare, this world exists in a surreal ether realm, with shadowy black-and-white monsters lurking on the margins of this dreamlike plane of existence.
So much of Limbo feels, in direct correlation to its title, unanswered. Where are we? Who are we? Why are we trying to find our sister? Who are these creatures? Are we as good a savior, as morally pure a hero as we think we are? All of these lurking questions sit and simmer, and that cut to black at the end punches it all without fail. —Gregory Lawrence
15
‘Fatal Frame’ (2001)
For Westerners, Fatal Frame may not be the first title you think of when it comes to scary games, but thanks to the franchise’s focus on Japanese horror, it’s one of the best. It’s also one of the most unique of the bunch. Other games feature player protagonists who aren’t superheroes out to battle supernatural enemies; they’re just normal people trying to survive. But at least those everyday heroes are equipped with melee weapons, guns, or other items to combat the forces of darkness. In Fatal Frame, your only defense is a camera.
The original game sees you take control of Miku Hinasaki, who goes in search of her missing brother Mafuyu, who had in turn gone looking for a famous novelist in an infamously haunted mansion. (There’s quite the recurring theme in these survival games, isn’t there?) The only way the siblings can defeat the ghosts that haunt the building — and get to the bottom of a dark, ritualistic event that took place there — is by using the Camera Obscura, an antique camera that acts like an analog “ghost-buster.” This shift to first-person “shooter” here is your only weapon in the game, one that can be upgraded by scoring enough points when you defeat ghosts by taking their picture. The closer the spirit, the higher the points, but also the higher the risk of taking significant damage. It’s a clever mechanic that forces the player to confront the very ghosts that are hunting them with only a shutter, flash, and lens. But it’s the exploration of some really disturbing themes and Japanese horror stories that makes the original title in the franchise a standout. – Dave Trumbore
14
‘Outlast’ (2013)
Horror games have found a second home on YouTube, as people enjoy watching their favorite content creators suffer, and one of the most popular games is Outlast. The player is a journalist who breaks into a remote asylum to learn of its mysteries. However, players learn that it is overrun by deranged mutants, and now, they need to escape the haunting location as everything inside tries to kill them.
Outlast popularized a specific, grueling brand of modern horror by forcing total vulnerability, and with no ability to fight back, running is the only option. This game will make the player feel helpless, transforming the gameplay into a relentless chase of nonstop terror. Outlast is a horror classic and one of the scariest modern video games. —Lucas Kloberdanz-Dyck
13
‘The Evil Within’ (2014)
Image Via Bethesda Softworks
A survival horror game by the original creator of Resident Evil, The Evil Within is an extremely brutal experience that gives you almost no moments of reprieve. Everything is terrifying 100% of the time, and you rarely have enough bullets to feel anywhere close to safe.
You play as a police detective trapped inside the mind of a killer, traveling through twisted environments and fighting horrendous enemies, all based on the killer’s memories and emotions. In classic RE fashion, you don’t have the ability to defeat every single enemy, so you have to pick your battles carefully and get used to holding down that sprint button. The imaginative level design and the upgrade system are rewarding gameplay loops, but nothing holds a candle to the game’s terrifying boss fights. These are frantic confrontations with genuinely frightening monsters, and each victory you manage to eke out feels extremely narrow. The story is a little heavy on gibberish and ultimately doesn’t make a ton of sense, but The Evil Within is such a fun spookfest that you won’t really mind too much. —Tom Reimann
12
‘Eternal Darkness’ (2002)
We’ve talked a lot about survival horror and psychological torment in this list of scary games, but we’ve yet to address one of the smartest twists in the genre: A sanity meter. Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem is largely cited as the first game to add such a mechanic, especially in the West, though earlier Japanese releases, Laplace no Ma and Clock Tower, did this first. It’s also listed among the best GameCube games, but is often lost in the conversation among the more globally recognizable franchises. But for our money — and our nerves — it’s still one of the best when it comes to getting under your skin. So good, in fact, that Nintendo patented the standout “Sanity Effects” mechanic.
Eternal Darkness can deliver a slightly different gameplay experience every time you pick it up. The hardcore gamers out there will take the “red” path, while completionists will have to tackle all three paths if they want to play any one path twice. The game gives you a level or so to warm up and get used to the combat style, but once you hit chapter two, keep an eye on your sanity; it’ll drop whenever an enemy spots you, and things will get increasingly horrifying from there on out. Those effects range from slight visual changes like a tilted camera angle or environmental effects to full-on mind-blowing fourth-wall-breaking moments that’ll have the player questioning whether or not their game is actually malfunctioning. It’s brilliant stuff, and it paved the way for many other games that came after it. —Dave Trumbore
11
‘Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly’ (2003)
The first game had already made an appearance on this list, but Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly is even scarier, placing it above the first. Twin sisters Mio and Mayu Amakura are wandering through the woods when Mayu chases a mysterious crimson butterfly. Thus, he enters Minakami Village, which has a twisted tradition, with the sisters using their camera to exorcise the dead and escape.
It may be an old game, but the dated graphics add to the frightening atmosphere. Most players want to be as far away from the danger as possible in a horror game, but Fatal Frame II forces the player to get up close. This incredible game design decision made the horror experience much more intimate, scary, uncomfortable, and panic-inducing. —Lucas Kloberdanz-Dyck
10
‘The Last of Us’ (2013)
The Last of Us comes at you from all angles. The combat sequences, in which your playable character Joel hides, stalks, and does his best to reckon with the corrupted, vilely designed zombies (not to mention the corrupted, vilely temperamented humans dealing poorly with this post-apocalyptic warzone), can truly take your breath away. They are visceral, physical, immersive pieces of game design that raise the stakes, alongside your heart rate, with ruthless, borderline cruel efficiency.
And then, psychologically, The Last of Us hits you harder than twelve Bloaters in a row. Its cold open? Emotionally devastating. Its moments of mercy and comfort, including that beautiful giraffe? Only momentarily relieving, the inevitable calm for the doubly devastating storm. Its central relationship, between Joel and Ellie? It’s one of the best duos in all of video game history. It’s rich and complicated and both the only life raft both characters have and predicated on all kinds of unhealthy coping mechanisms. The scariest part of The Last of Us might be the unending, relentless, borderline cruelly efficient sprint toward fate, toward realizing you don’t have control after all. A frightful game no matter how you slice it (with a great TV show based on the game to match). —Gregory Lawrence
9
‘SOMA’ (2015)
Frictional Games is an incredible gaming studio with multiple classics, such as SOMA. After suffering a severe injury in a car crash, Simon Jarrett agrees to an experimental brain scan, but wakes up a hundred years later in an underwater facility. Only he and biomechanical monstrosities are left, with him needing to descend deeper to find a digital utopia.
The biomechanical monsters are terrifying, and their tragic concept only adds to the overall sense of gloom. However, the true scariness of SOMA comes from the suffocating sense of dread through the narrative and philosophical themes. The more realizations that the player experiences, the more psychological terror takes over them, building into a heavy weight of darkness when the credits roll, proving it is a video game with no flaws. —Lucas Kloberdanz-Dyck
8
‘Alien: Isolation’ (2014)
Alien: Isolation is a survival horror game that casts you as the daughter of Ellen Ripley, making her way through a chaotic space station in search of answers about what happened to her mother. The station has been split up between factions of humans, so you’ll have to deal with Mad Max-style scavengers and crazed androids while trying to make as little noise as possible to avoid attracting the alien. When the alien shows up, you can try hiding in lockers and beneath tables and such, but be warned: The alien is a psychic and will find you before too long regardless of how quiet you’re being.
The tension and atmosphere are pitch-perfect for fans of the 1979 Ridley Scott film (it even features DLC where you can play as the crew of the Nostromo in a mini-mission). It’s a little too long for its premise to sustain, but when it’s at its best, Alien: Isolation is a satisfyingly scary experience that will make even the toughest players panic. —Tom Reimann
By Joshua Tyler
| Published
In a world gone mad, we could all use a little simple, silly, innocent fun. You take your kids to the theater to relax and create a memory you’ll share together. You put on a streaming show to make them giggle while you make dinner. You buy a ticket with your friends to a big-budget blockbuster to watch guys battle with swords, forget how much you hate your boss, and stop worrying about whether AI is going to take away your job.
That’s how most people view entertainment’s place in their life. For it to keep filling that need, they have to be able to trust it.
Unfortunately, entertainment can’t be trusted. The entertainment you watch has never been less interested in giving you what you want. It has other plans, and this has never been truer than it is right now, in 2026.
This is the story of how The Muppets and The Odyssey intersected in 2026 to destroy the last shred of trust audiences had left.
Making Muppets Hate Kids
On the surface, 2026 seems like a perfect time for a revival of The Muppet Show. The original was a family classic that spawned a generation of wholesome, non-controversial entertainment. Exactly the kind of thing that’s been missing from the usual streaming offerings.
So Disney hired legit Muppet fan Seth Rogen to revive the iconic show and released it to the world.
Rogen’s new version of the classic variety series was immediately praised for the way it looks, sounds, and feels exactly like the iconic Jim Henson series from the 1970s and 1980s. On that front, it was a triumph. A perfect production. Except there’s one big difference: Jim Henson’s version was the ultimate in wholesome, family-friendly entertainment. Seth Rogen’s version only pretends to be.
It’s normal for family-targeted shows to work in a couple of edgy jokes that’ll go over the heads of little kids who might be watching with them. That’s part of the fun for parents.
However, what would you think if instead of one or two sly adult references in your Pixar movie, there were twenty? Or thirty? What if all those sly adult references were only about one specific inappropriate thing? At what point would you start thinking, “Hey, is this Pixar movie trying to tell my kids something?”
That’s exactly what Seth Rogen’s The Muppet Show starts doing in its very first episode.
That episode number one is only thirty minutes long, but if you watch and keep track, you’ll discover at least ten sex references in those thirty minutes. Actually, not just references; most of them seemed to specifically revolve around celebrating full-on, willful hedonism and adulterous cheating.
There’s a joke where Sabrina Carpenter tells Kermit she likes kink. There’s an entire sketch that revolves around Piggy cheating on her lover. After that, it’s back to Sabrina Carpenter so she can brag to Kermit about banging a married man. Then there’s a segment with guest actress Maya Rudolph, who seems to be engaged in heavy petting with a grumpy Muppet in the audience.
Two of the musical numbers, one of which is sung entirely by rats, are popular songs about sex. The third song has Piggy replace Kermit as the object of Sabrina Carpenter’s sexual desire, just to make sure the sex references weren’t all heterosexual.
Defenders might argue these gags are structured so that little kids won’t realize what’s going on. But it’s a significant portion of the first episode, which is a very weird thing to do for your debut episode of The Muppet Show. It’s not the jokes themselves so much as the volume of them, crammed into a short thirty minutes of otherwise perfect Muppet silliness.
Seth Rogen doesn’t have any children, and he’s been loud about how happy he is to be childless. He doesn’t like them, doesn’t care about them, so even though he was supposed to make a show for kids of all ages, it’s clear that he decided to make one for adults and lie about it.
Sexualizing children has become common in family-friendly entertainment, and the people making that entertainment never warn parents about any of it before they see it. They do that because no one would buy a ticket if they knew Zootopia 2 featured a weird predator-prey orgy scene for no apparent reason.
Trojan Horse Messaging
None of this is an accident; it’s Trojan Horse Messaging.
Trojan Horse Messaging is a persuasion technique in which a message is packaged inside a trusted, harmless, or ideologically acceptable frame so that a different, contradictory, or more objectionable idea can be introduced without triggering the audience’s normal resistance.
It doesn’t only apply to family films slipping in sexual content to groom children into adult behavior. Sometimes it’s ideological dishonesty.
Angel Films recently released a new animated version of the famous George Orwell novel Animal Farm. The original Orwell book is infamous for being entirely anti-communist, and Angel Films, which is theoretically a conservative movie studio, was happy to tout its movie as being equally anti-communist to its conservative, Karl Marx-hating audience.
Except their movie isn’t really anti-communist. This new version of Animal Farm twists Orwell’s story into a parable about the dangers of capitalism, effectively Trojan-horsing parents into taking their children to learn one thing, while intentionally teaching them exactly the opposite.
Trojan Horse Messaging isn’t limited to children; it’s being used on you, too.
It’s why, ironically, director Christopher Nolan’s 2026 version of The Odyssey race-swapped Helen of Troy, despite the story being a Greek myth about Greek people and the iconic, foundational story explicitly describing Helen as being pale-skinned and Greek.
Loving Hats In A Fedora Hating World
Replacing the most beautiful Greek woman who ever lived with an African woman isn’t an innocent act of creative casting. This is Iconic Reconditioning.
Iconic Reconditioning is the deliberate alteration of a beloved character’s defining symbol, trait, or image to shift audience attachment from the original meaning to a new, preferred one.
It’s hard to see what’s really happening with The Odyssey through the race angle of the situation, so let’s put a different frame on it.
Imagine a new Indiana Jones where Indy throws away his Fedora in favor of wearing baseball caps. Then imagine the movie was made only because the filmmakers behind it hate Fedoras and want to make other people hate them, too.
Maybe the new baseball-cap-wearing version of Indiana Jones is well-acted and has amazing special effects. It wouldn’t matter; nobody would support it because it’s not Indiana Jones anymore. It’s some other guy in a different hat. People would hate it. No one would defend it, and the same people who made excuses for The Odyssey would be the ones leading boycotts against Indiana Jones and his baseball cap.
Christopher Nolan’s motives are no different from those of our hypothetical, fedora-hating Indiana Jones director. Only, instead of targeting your feelings on hats, he’s out to change your standards of beauty by stealing the most beautiful woman who ever lived label and applying it to someone totally different. He’s out to change your view of Western culture by rewriting its foundational stories and then pretending nothing happened. He’s using the story of the Trojan Horse, as an actual Trojan Horse, to screenwash you into sharing his worldview.
This isn’t a guess; it’s a fact. The movie’s cast went out and promoted the film by talking about how much they hate the source material because it’s too male or too white, or whatever, and Christopher Nolan himself admitted that the movie isn’t even based on Homer’s classic story but instead on a politically motivated, feminist reinterpretation of it, written in the modern era. Nolan says one of his primary goals in making the movie was to persuade his audience into abandoning what he deems as “cultural prejudice.” He wants to “do away with some of those assumptions.”
Imprisoning Your Audience With Betrayal
That might seem like at least they’re being honest about what kind of movie The Odyssey is, but most of these comments are being buried and hidden by its marketing campaign, which tells the potential audience that this movie is exactly the opposite of what it really is. There’s a reason the movie’s definitely not blonde Helen of Troy is only shown in a one-second flash in The Odyssey’s trailers, and it’s the same reason Seth Rogen pretended he was making a family-friendly version of The Muppet Show, while doing the exact opposite.
Because Seth Rogen’s version looks and feels so much like The Muppet Show, it’s likely many parents didn’t watch close enough to realize their kids are being fed a steady stream of sexualization. In the same way those parents saw Muppets and hit play on streaming, most people who buy tickets for The Odyssey will only see the trailers touting it as the next movie from the guy who made Inception and Oppenheimer, before making their decision. They’ll have no idea they’re wheeling Chris Nolan’s Trojan Horse directly into their brain.
It doesn’t matter if The Odyssey is good. It doesn’t matter if The Muppet Show is good. It doesn’t matter if you think the creatives did a good job making Star Trek’s message-heavy Starfleet Academy or the latest, diverse take on Lord of the Rings. The debate over the morality of this kind of screenwashing is not a question of storytelling. It’s a question of honesty.
At issue is something much, much bigger than opinions on joke quality or petty debates about skin color. What matters is whether filmmakers have the right to use screens to surreptitiously change or manipulate minds in ways their viewers would not consciously approve of.
Audiences have expectations. Bill your film as a comedy, and they expect to laugh. Position it as a horror movie, and they’ll rightfully be looking forward to a few scares. That doesn’t mean anyone expects to know the details of your story before they’ve watched. But it does mean people expect your intent in making your product to match their reasons for consuming it.
It’s like filling Pepsi cans with lemonade and then excusing it by telling consumers to stop complaining because it’s really good lemonade. It’s the dishonesty that’s the problem, not the quality of the liquid in the can.
When you lie to your audience about what you’re doing, you aren’t just manipulating them. You make them into the worst kind of slave: people who think they’re choosing freely, while you’re quietly stealing their free will.
Fantasy has been a popular genre on television for a long time now, but it’s really ramped up in recent years due to the success of various series in the early to mid-2010s. This has kick-started a trend across all streaming platforms, with many producing their own high-budget fantasy stories in order to bring unique worlds to life in such a way that wouldn’t have been possible just a few short decades ago.
However, with so many fantasy shows debuting over the last 10 years, it can be hard to pick just one. Many have risen above the standards of their station and have become moneymaking behemoths for their respective networks, garnering millions of viewers and rave reviews. These are the best fantasy TV shows of the last 10 years, which have earned their titles either due to their success or their inherent quality.
15
‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’ (2022–Present)
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is based on the vast legendarium written by J. R. R. Tolkien, which was later curated by his son, Christopher Tolkien. The show has generated a lot of buzz online, with many not particularly fans of how the story goes completely off the rails and tries to spin its own narrative rather than focusing on any of the stories that Tolkien actually wrote.
Despite this criticism, however, the series has been a massive success and is actually one of the most popular series on Amazon Prime Video. Two seasons in, and many of the most popular characters from Tolkien’s works have appeared, with much of the lore being expanded upon. While many Tolkien fans are less than impressed with this show, many casual viewers have come to enjoy it for what it is, especially for its high production value and brilliant acting performances.
14
‘The Witcher’ (2019–Present)
The Witcher has been having a bit of a rough go lately, what with its main actor being recast and reviews only seeming to get worse as time goes on. When it first started, however, this series was a major hit. At the time of its release, Game of Thrones had just ended, and people needed another dark fantasy series to fill the void. The first season of The Witcher proved to be exactly what people needed.
Unfortunately, since then, it has taken a bit of a decline in quality and has grown more and more removed from the source material written by Andrzej Sapkowski. Story-wise, the show is about a professional monster hunter called a Witcher who travels throughout a high fantasy world seeking bounties. This allows the show to depict some truly terrifying and grotesque beasts from various aspects of folklore, which is definitely one of its strong suits. While it may be struggling at the moment, The Witcher was a great series when it first started, and is still one of the best of the last 10 years.
13
‘Good Omens’ (2019–2026)
Good Omens is a fantasy comedy series that has shockingly only received two seasons in the six years since its release. The show is based on a novel written by both Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. Pratchett, in particular, became known for his Discworld novel series, a hilarious parody of typical fantasy tropes that has been a massive hit with fans of the genre.
While Good Omens doesn’t belong to the Discworld universe, it bears much of Pratchett’s similar style of humor, which has helped it appeal to seasoned fans of the novels and newcomers alike. The story follows an angel and a demon who have formed a forbidden friendship and who are determined to prevent the coming end of the world, despite their organizations’ desire to let the natural order of things progress. Comedic, endearing, and at times, even a little raunchy, Good Omens is a wonderful comedy series with a touch of magic that demands to be seen.
12
‘Wednesday’ (2022–Present)
Wednesday is the spin-off of The Addams Family that has taken the pop culture world by storm in recent years. Starring Jenna Ortega as the titular character, the series follows Wednesday and her family as they encounter various conflicts. The family is known for being eccentric, preferring doom and gloom to bright and preppy aesthetics, with some of their family members even being paranormal creatures.
The original sitcom run of The Addams Family in the ’60s reigns supreme as the greatest incarnation of the brand to date, but Wednesday is honestly a close second, as it brings back many of the most beloved and feared characters from the franchise while shifting its focus to one of its most popular characters. With a brand-new cast, intricate sets, and all the aspects of comedy and horror present in the original, Wednesday is one of the most explosive entries in the fantasy genre in years.
11
‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’ (2023–Present)
Percy Jackson and the Olympians is based on the novel series of the same name by Rick Riordan. Following two disastrous movie adaptations in the early 2010s, this Disney+ series tried, quite successfully, to get the brand back on its feet. This adaptation is much more faithful than the original movies and has so much more of the charm and wit that the books had, likely due to Riordan himself having a heavier hand in the show’s production.
The story follows Percy (Walker Scobell), a troubled youth who discovers he is a demigod, the child of a Greek god, and is sent to Camp Half-Blood to learn the skills he will need in order to survive in this dangerous, hidden world. Throughout the show, Percy and his friends face off against various adversaries from Greek myth, including Gorgons, Furies, and the Chimera. It’s a refreshing TV show that fans of the books seem to love, and which has scored very well with critics.
10
‘One Piece’ (2023–Present)
One Piece is a live-action remake of the original anime series of the same name, which has been running since 1999. The series really hit the ground running and managed to maintain its momentum in its recently released second season. It’s been a massive critical success, earning high scores from newcomers and veteran fans alike.
The story is set in a fantastical world populated by pirates, who are all competing to find a missing piece of an ancient map, which will supposedly lead to the world’s greatest treasure. The main character is Monkey D. Luffy (Iñaki Godoy), a young and rambunctious pirate who has eaten a Devil Fruit, which allows him to stretch his body like rubber. The series has wonderfully quirky humor, high seas adventure, and superb action, which all contribute to its astounding success.
9
‘The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance’ (2019)
The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance is a prequel series to the 1982 Jim Henson film. This series takes audiences back to the weird and wonderful world of Thra, with elaborate sets and intricate puppetry. The story details how the Dark Crystal cracked and gave rise to two new species: the sage-like Mystics and the villainous Skeksis. Much of it follows how the Skeksis rise to power and form their own empire, enslaving the native Podlings and Gelflings of the planet using the power of the Dark Crystal.
Like the original film, this series is vibrant and absolutely beautiful. Updated film technology makes the meticulously designed sets and puppets feel that much more real and interesting to look at. Despite earning the seal of approval from critics and audiences alike, Netflix unceremoniously cancelled the series after just one season, which many fans still haven’t forgiven them for.
8
‘The Wheel of Time’ (2021–2025)
The Wheel of Time is adapted from a series of 15 novels by Robert Jordan, which was later finished by Brandon Sanderson after Jordan’s untimely death. The story centers on a chosen individual known as the Dragon Reborn, a being who is said to wield immense magical power. As the end of the world approaches, the Dragon Reborn is destined to either save the world or to destroy it.
It got off to a bit of a rocky start, but each subsequent season only proved to get better and better. The third season was definitely its best and attracted millions of viewers. It’s a travesty that Amazon Prime Video decided to cancel it right as it was hitting its stride. This sparked an enormous fan campaign online to try and save the show, which goes to show how many people adored it. While some die-hard fans of the novels weren’t impressed with how different it was, the series attracted a lot of new fans to the brand and ended up being pretty incredible towards the end of its run.
7
‘His Dark Materials’ (2019–2022)
His Dark Materials is an adaptation of the novels of the same name by Philip Pullman. This is actually the second attempt at adapting them, as there was a movie in the 2000s, but it never received a sequel due to how awful it was. This HBO original series was a much more faithful and exciting adaptation of the beloved fantasy novels, and was curated with such love and care that it’ll make book readers giddy over all the tiny details and Easter eggs.
The story is set on an alternate version of planet Earth, one ruled by a shadowy and oppressive corporation. In the midst of chaos, one girl is destined to bring down the corporation and save the planet. The show is rife with magic, fantastical creatures, and even some aspects of steampunk, so it’s really unlike most fantasy series. It might be a bit underrated as far as HBO series go, but it’s worth every second of watch time.
6
‘The Dragon Prince’ (2018–2024)
Ordinarily, fantasy shows with a lot of lore behind them usually have some sort of source material to fall back on, typically a novel or series of novels. The Dragon Prince is an exception in this regard, as it is completely original. The story takes place on the continent of Xadia, where a war has broken out between the magical elves and dragons and the non-magical humans, who are conquering as much territory as they possibly can.
The 3D animation in this series is absolutely stunning, and it makes sure to use lots of bright and unconventional colors to really give it the feel of being magical. The series received a whopping seven seasons before the showrunners decided the story was complete and brought it to a close. While it is a touch underrated, fantasy fans have come to adore this series, which is precisely why it lasted as long as it did.
Shania Twain blames her no-show at Taylor Swift‘s wedding on Harry Styles!
The vocalist explained why she did not join the celebrity lineup at the singer’s wedding to her NFL footballer partner, citing work commitments to her former boyfriend as the reason.
Shania Twain has been a longtime fan of the Grammy winner, praising her amazing work ethic and commitment to art, much like Taylor Swift has praised her all these years.
The Canadian singer, in a catch-up with ETalk on Tuesday, July 14, expressed that she would have gone miles to be there because it would have been such a lovely experience. In an interesting twist, Twain revealed that she was held up fulfilling contract terms with Styles.
The former One Direction singer onboarded Twain to perform on the opening night of his 12-show residency at Wembley Stadium in London. Styles’ show clashed with Swift’s July 3 wedding, which was held at Madison Square Garden.
Styles and Swift dated between 2012 and 2013 in a highly publicized relationship, and their split fueled several conspiracy theories. Twain, in the interview, however, shared that she might redeem this moment during Styles’ wedding if he asks for her attendance at the event in advance.
Ironically, Styles’ current partner, Zoë Kravitz, was seated at Swift and Kelce’s wedding, partying with the couple until the middle of the night.
Twain Highlighted Similarity Between Her And Taylor Swift’s Journey
In 2024, Twain made some confessions in an interview with Haute Living about how she carved out a name for herself in the entertainment industry. The singer stressed that the whole time she was trying to be her original, authentic self, embracing her expressiveness with confidence.
As shared by PEOPLE, Twain then revisited instances where Swift had praised her in the past, praising her dedication and commitment to herself and her craft. Although people often call Swift an ambitious artiste, Twain added that her reality is much more than that, in her words:
“She’s an extremely hard worker, and I’m sure she’s got giant goals. But it’s not all about ambition: it’s about passion and committing yourself to your passion.” Twain also established that they are similar in their approach to career goals, embracing perseverance and reaping the rewards.
Inside Harry Styles’ And The ‘Shake It Off’ Singer’s Defunct Relationship
Styles and Swift have continued to maintain a mutual friendship over a decade after they dated. As shared by TODAY, the end of that relationship birthed Swift’s “1989” album, which came two years after their relationship.
Towards the end of 2012, rumors swirled about a possible romance between the duo when Styles spoke about Swift’s personality during an interview. By December, the pair were spotted walking together in Central Park before One Direction performed at MSG, where Swift married Kelce.
The relationship between Styles and Swift finally became clear on New Year’s Day in 2013, when they were spotted kissing during “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest” in New York’s Times Square.
That same January, Swift was pictured alone on a boat leaving the Virgin Islands days after they both arrived there. She later referred to the incident in her song “Is It Over Now.”
Zoë Kravitz Earned All The Praises For Styles’ Renewed Happiness
The actress and Styles began dating last year after they were spotted together in August 2025, and they engaged 8 months later, in April 2026. Sources also confirmed to PEOPLE that the couple have matching tattoos and have carried their unbreakable bond into their individual exploits.
The couple also prioritize spending quality time together outside their busy schedules by going on outdoor dates. “Zoë is so supportive of him, and every time both of them are free, they spend as much time together as possible,” an inside source continued.
Sources in the couple’s circle raved about the extent of their support to each other, adding that they have talked about wedding plans. Kravitz has been supporting Styles on his “Together, Together” world tour in support of his fourth studio album “Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally.”
Harry Styles Rumored To Start A Family Soon
The Grammy winner has reportedly begun planning for the next phase after his engagement to Kravitz, which may involve welcoming a little one soon. As shared by The Blast, Styles has never hidden his love for kids as he previously took a break from performing to be a part of his niece’s life, an experience that changed his perspective on life.
In January, an insider had revealed that the singer really wants a baby, and now that he is settling down with Kravitz, it may have intensified. Styles was beyond excited to be part of that experience as he watched his niece blossom.
“My sister had a baby, and at any other time in my life, I would have missed a lot of that. It was really obvious that was where I wanted to be,” the singer had explained previously. As for his relationship with Kravitz, everyone in his circle has testified to the positive influence she has had on his life as he has begun to open up more.
After a full month of release on Netflix, the new mystery series I Will Find You is on the verge of entering an elite list. The eight-episode series, based on a book of the same name by bestselling author Harlan Coben, has spent the entire month at the top of Netflix’s viewership charts despite mixed reviews. During this month, the show has fended off competition from the second season of Avatar: The Last Airbender — the big-budget live-action remake of the original animated series — which never managed to take the top spot. More recently, I Will Find You swatted away the high-profile Western series Little House on the Prairie, which debuted at the number-three spot on this week’s viewership chart.
Netflix remains the only streamer that makes viewership data public on a weekly basis. It also shares twice-yearly lists that offer more insight into the performance of every title on the platform. This week’s list tracks viewership in the week of July 6 to July 12, with I Will Find You retaining the number-one spot. The show raked in 11 million views this week, a drop from the previous week’s 16 million views. In its first week, the series accumulated 24 million views. It jumped to 34 million views in week two. Netflix has a 14-book deal with Coben, whose work has inspired hit shows across platforms.
Here’s the Show ‘I Will Find You’ Has to Overtake
But none has been as popular as I Will Find You, created by Robert Hull and starring Sam Worthington and Britt Lower. The show has accumulated more than 85 million views so far, which means that it is just 13 million views shy of overtaking this year’s His & Hers to become one of Netflix’s top 10 English-language shows of all time. Starring Tessa Thompson and Jon Bernthal, His & Hers is sitting at 98 million views. Netflix tracks data across a title’s first three months, which means that I Will Find You has two more months to break into the top 10 chart. The show holds a 61% score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, where the consensus reads, “An average Harlan Coben adaptation that puts its cast to the test and has just the right formula to pass for breezy entertainment.”
Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
- Release Date
-
2026 – 2026-00-00
- Network
-
Netflix
- Showrunner
-
Robert Hull
- Directors
-
Adam Davidson, Maggie Kiley, Maja Vrvilo, Brad Anderson
- Writers
-
Robert Hull, Harlan Coben
On paper, The Rock doesn’t necessarily sound like a movie we’d be celebrating 30 years later. Released in 1996, The Rock centers on a rogue Marine general (Ed Harris) who seizes control of Alcatraz with some of his men, threatening to attack San Francisco with chemical weapons unless compensation and proper honors are given to the families of soldiers who have died under his command. Nicolas Cage and Sean Connery play two of the people assigned to stop him — an FBI scientist and a British spy who has successfully escaped the notorious prison in the past, respectively. It’s a straightforward script that almost feels like Hollywood playing into its worst impulses. However, it is in the execution where The Rock really shines, creating something that stands alongside Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Heat, and The Matrix as one of the defining action movies of the modern blockbuster era.
It’s hard to say whether The Rock would as well as it does if not for the strong work by Cage, Connery, and Harris in the lead roles, but the three actors uplift this film above what one might think of it by reading just a plot summary. All together, it’s 1990s action film-making at its purest, with the cast fully embracing the cliché nature of the film’s plot, while also knowing when to focus on the moments that demand seriousness. By fusing these performances with stylized action, humor, and drama, The Rock feels timeless.
The Cast of ‘The Rock’ Elevates It Beyond a Clichéd Action Thriller
In The Rock, Cage portrays Dr. Stanley Goodspeed, a neurotic FBI biochemist who is brilliant in a lab but utterly hopeless when thrust into the field. Paired with Cage is Connery, who plays John Mason, a former British spy who has been locked up in prison for decades after being caught stealing US intelligence, and is the only man to ever break out of Alcatraz alive. They make for the perfect odd couple, with each bringing their own flair to the character that balances the other perfectly. Connery’s dry wit paired with Cage’s manic energy creates one of the most entertaining action duos of the decade. Even during quiet moments in between gunfire and explosions, the conversations remain engaging because these two actors are getting the best from one another, and you can feel it.
13 years after his last James Bond film, Connery is still channeling his iconic spy character, making even the most rudimentary exposition-laced dialogue into something more. He does this so well and with such charm that it’s led to some fan theories that the Mason character is actually James Bond himself. Meanwhile, Cage’s Stanley Goodspeed is anything but calm, cool and collected. Given that his expertise is in test tubes rather than guns, he panics, makes mistakes, and in contrast to Connery, spends much of the film simply trying to survive. Cage leans into his neuroses, and helps create a protagonist that we latch onto not just for his intelligence, but also because he is the audience surrogate.
On the flip side, there is Ed Harris’ General Francis X. Hummel. Harris portrays Hummel with a quiet dignity, rather than as a cartoonish villain, providing a nice counterbalance to Connery and Cage. Hummel’s circumstances are tragic and his goals noble, though his methods are indefensible. As a career soldier, one who has pulled the trigger and killed many times before, he does not relish violence. Rather, he is a product of his violence, and much of the film revolves around him being increasingly reluctant to carry out his threat. Harris’s brilliant portrayal of the film’s moral conflict is what sets The Rock apart and gives it an emotional complexity not seen in other movies of its genre.
‘The Rock’ Understands That Action Movies Should Be Fun
Despite the heavy thematic elements present throughout, The Rock knows that, at its heart, it is an action movie designed to see the good guys win and the bad guys lose. The screenplay never becomes a parody of itself, but it also never apologies for how absurd it is. For confirmation, one needs only look at Nicolas Cage launching one of the bad guys (portrayed brilliantly by the late Tony Todd) out a window using a missile while calling him “the Rocket Man.”
Its ultra-quotable dialogue makes the film endlessly re-watchable, and when paired with practical effects that still hold up even in the modern CGI era, The Rock sets the standard for what makes an action movie truly work. Even supporting characters are given memorable roles, helping to prop up the heroes and flesh out their characters.
As we honor The Rock‘s 30th anniversary, it remains one of the textbook examples of how to make an entertaining action movie that also has weight. In an era where more and more action movies begin to feel formulaic, The Rock understands that spectacle isn’t enough. Great action needs interesting heroes, villains, and crafty dialogue to make sure that the movies are elevated above the norm.
The Rock
- Release Date
-
June 7, 1996
- Runtime
-
137 minutes
- Writers
-
David Weisberg, Douglas S. Cook, Jonathan Hensleigh, Mark Rosner
The biggest names in sports took a time out from playing to celebrate the 2026 ESPY Awards — and there were plenty of A-list couples in attendance.
Host Marcello Hernández, best known for his work on Saturday Night Live, was among the first to arrive at David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center in New York City on Wednesday, July 15, to toast to the best in the business.
The comedian brought girlfriend Ana Amelia Batlle Cabral with him before emceeing the show for the first time.
Olympic snowboarder Chloe Kim and her NFL star boyfriend, Myles Garrett, meanwhile, brought the heat when they stepped out in the Big Apple before heading into the venue to see who would win big off the field.
Fellow Olympian Mikaela Shiffrin turned heads in all gold as she attended the event with fiancé Aleksander Aamodt Kilde.
Scroll down to see the hottest couples at the 2026 ESPYs:
![TORINO & PASHATA - OLD MONEY [OFFICIAL 4K VIDEO]](https://wordupnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/1779687619_maxresdefault-80x80.jpg)
News Videos3 minutes ago
TORINO & PASHATA – OLD MONEY [OFFICIAL 4K VIDEO]
NewsBeat4 minutes ago
Mary Beard Calls Out Constant Churn In UK Prime Ministers
Business5 minutes ago
Woodside chases players in stench gas stunt, in dispute against protesters
-
Fashion5 days agoWeekend Open Thread: Nutriplenish Leave-In Conditioner
-
Sports7 days ago2026 Genesis Scottish Open Thursday TV coverage: Round 1
-
Sports6 days agoSuper Eagles star Moses Simon opens up on Liverpool transfer regret
-
Tech7 days agoCharacter.AI enters the microdrama arena with its own productions, but there’s a twist
-
Politics23 hours agoYoung campaigners urge incoming PM to act on outdoor junk food ads
-
News Videos2 days agoXRP BOMBSHELL… XRP OMBOARDED FOR TRANSACTIONS!!!
-
Tech2 days agoGet Your ESP32 Sunny Side Up With This Solar Dev Board
-
Tech2 days agoDark Secrets Emerge When Jailbreaking LLMs
-
Sports14 hours agoNew Cornerback Enters Vikings Trade Rumor Mill
-
Entertainment18 hours agoDisney’s Most Ambitious Failed Star Wars Attraction Is Coming to SDCC
-
NewsBeat7 days agoMajor update after Huntingdon train attack as man enters plea
-
News Videos3 days agohow to make coin bank box with cardboard #scienceproject #money #diy #shorts
-
Tech3 days agoCloudflare Precursor Watches Your Mouse and Keyboard To Decide If You Are Human
-
Entertainment17 hours agoVicki Gunvalson Defends Discussing Heather Dubrow’s Money
-
Crypto World2 days ago
Ripple, Coinbase, Circle Join Linux x402 Foundation to Help Shape AI Payments
-
NewsBeat14 hours agoWatch: Is Donald Trump facing a popular backlash on immigration?
-
Sports11 hours agoMichigan officials not expected to discuss AD Warde Manuel at Thursday meeting
-
NewsBeat13 hours agoFirefighters issue update on Dovestone moorland blaze as fire enters fourth day
-
Business1 day agoACCC warns AI could lift insurance costs in risk-prone areas
-
Entertainment3 days agoHollywood’s Biggest Director Just Called Out AI, And It’s Glorious
You must be logged in to post a comment Login