Hacks, baby. It’s the perfect TV show. I’m sticking to that conclusion, and fortunately, the third season of the Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder hate-love affair shall soon be on the way. Get your chainsaws ready.
HBO
How soon? The series not only dealt with that pesky 2022 Hollywood slowdown, but Jean Smart also took much needed time off for a heart procedure. Thankfully, she bounced back, and the reigning curmudgeons got back to work. HBO hasn’t yet announced a specific date, but Spring 2024 is the official release season. On Instagram, here’s the short and sassy word: “Steppin’ on out. Hacks returns this spring on Max.”
What next, though? The second season finale could have actually functioned as a series finale, and it wasn’t clear whether Deborah truly intended to cut Ava loose (“stepping out” might be a cruel tease). Entertainment Weekly spoke with creators and showrunners Jen Statsky, Lucia Aniello, and Paul W. Downs, and they (naturally) did not clarify the situation because that’s what the third season shall do. However, Aniello revealed that Deborah was “legitimately suing Ava” over the NDA violation, and here’s more context:
“We’ve always talked about that the relationship between Deborah and Ava is this kind of dark mentorship, that the relationship is extremely complicated and twisted in some ways. It’s beautiful in some ways and loving, but it’s also twisted. And so for us at the very end, this lawsuit being the thing Ava’s looking forward to as a way to see Deborah, and then that being so sad to her when it goes away was a kind of perfect encapsulation of how complicated and twisted and bittersweet, this relationship has turned.”
There’s no way that Ava and Deborah are done with each other, but we’ll have to wait and see how much “torture” that the mentor will hand the student, sometime this spring on Max.
Last year, Blumhouse defied convention by dropping the surprise horror hit M3GAn during the month of January, which is generally a dumping ground for films. The studio did not pull off the same trick with Night Swim.
The new horror film starring Wyatt Russell and Kerry Condon is getting soaked in reviews that were left underwhelmed by this tale of a haunted swimming pool. (Yup, you read that right.) The premise was already wobbly to begin with, and Night Swim just doesn’t have the buoyancy to keep the whole thing from capsizing into boredom.
This one, waterlogged as it is, should have been called “The Aquatyville Horror,” and some might consider that a recommendation. But I never cared for the “Amityville” movies, with their “ominous” buzzing flies and their grab-bag atmosphere of threadbare haunted trickery. The title of “Night Swim” suggests the heightened sensual atmosphere of a college pool party, and that’s probably what it should have been: a slasher film set in the 12-foot deep. Instead, it’s a family horror movie, and this is one case where you really feel the PG-13-ness of it all.
The short that provided this film’s inspiration had a running time of under four minutes, which sounds exactly right. Unfortunately, the feature version runs 98 minutes, its simple premise gussied up with a backstory mythology that isn’t likely to make Stephen King green with envy. And when the most chilling line in a movie is “There’s something wrong with that pool!” it’s all too easy to imagine the barbs on a future episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000.
Yet Night Swim, a film about an evil swimming pool, is no M3gan and while not as atrocious as these first week frighteners can often be, it’s akin to a cold splash of water in the face, an immediate return to the ho-hum norm of before. It’s the sort of bottom-shelf concept that feels more at home in the 80s, alongside Blood Beach, Death Bed and Killer Workout and there’s not not some trashy fun to be squeezed out of such a lurid premise. Yet unlike those films, it’s accompanied by an uncomfortably stony face, silliness taken with far more seriousness than it deserves, quickly sinking the whole thing further by the minute.
There’s the promise that Night Swim might right itself and plunge into fun and thrills. Spoilers: It won’t. Pulling inspiration from a flood of uniquely terrifying movies, Night Swim wades into horror with the right moves but no fluidity in how they come together. While it has splashes of fun, it’s ultimately a lazy effort that feels totally disposable.
Without believable characters to root for or interesting design choices to distract from the lacking heart, “Night Swim” could have found its saving grace in an engaging, tightly constructed puzzle box nightmare. Unfortunately, McGuire muddies his brilliant concept with contradicting rules, unclear symbolism, and the sincerely outrageous decision to allow a huge portion of his movie’s best moments to take place during THE DAY. In the suffocating shadow of “Five Nights at Freddy’s,” one could theoretically argue that “Night Swim” would have been better with the kids as the main protagonists.
Night Swim dives into theaters on January 5, 2024.
Our favorite season — awards season — is finally here and with dates for major events like the Oscars changing thanks to strikes and fewer Covid restrictions we practically need a calendar to keep up. Sure, everyone knows the Academy Awards are slated to air March 10th but for invested fans looking to shore up their ballots before the big night, there are some important milestones to pay attention to before then.
We’re talking about the 2024 Oscar Nominations, that unpredictable 20+ minute long telecast that sets the stage for the biggest battles in each category. While we don’t know who the presenters will be (or which names they’ll butcher) we do know the nominations will be announced on Jan. 23rd. In December, different branches of the Academy held preliminary voting to whittle down category entries. So far, we know the Oscars shortlist for Documentary Feature, Best Original Song, and more. The rest will be voted on beginning Jan. 11th through to Jan. 16th. Once the final nominations are announced, another round of voting will run from Feb. 22 – 27.
So far, blockbusters like Barbie and Oppenheimer have commanded the most nods, but Yorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things, Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon, and The Color Purple have all made strong showings in the below-the-line categories. Expect to hear more for them when the Oscar nominations are announced.
Donald Trump dubbed Ted Cruz “Lyin’ Ted” when they were both running for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination. He also insulted his wife and basically called him a “p*ssy.” But once he stopped seeing the Texas senator as a threat, Trump gave him a more flattering nickname. “He’s not Lyin’ Ted anymore, he’s Beautiful Ted,” he told ABC News in 2018. “I call him Texas Ted.” (UT Longhorns fans would prefer Leave Texas Ted.)
So much for that: the New York Times reports that Trump is “privately ranting about and workshopping nicknames for other holdouts, like Senator Ted Cruz of Texas.” He’s allegedly furious that Cruz hasn’t backed his 2024 bid for the White House, and is letting people know it.
“Ted — he shouldn’t even exist,” Mr. Trump said recently of Mr. Cruz, a 2016 rival, according to a person who heard the remarks and recounted them soon after. “I could’ve destroyed him. I kind of did destroy him in 2016, if you think about it. But then I let him live.”
Trump, who apparently talks like a cartoon super villain in private company, has also been boasting about receiving an endorsement from Representative Tom Emmer. “They always bend the knee,” he said.
Back to Ted. Remember 2016? It feels like 50 years ago:
The John Barleycorn Awards is a beloved spirits competition that was started by spirits critics and writers to adjudicate spirits from all over the world. Full disclosure, I am a judge at both the wider Spring and Fall sessions and the Best of the Year session that determines the year’s best spirits. I tasted all of these whiskeys double-blind at least twice this year. And I can tell you that there are some truly phenomenal whiskeys in play.
Below, I’m calling out all 16 best of the best whiskeys from each category of the 2023 John Barleycorn Awards. I’ve added my professional tasting notes to each best-of-the-year whiskey to help you decide whether or not to try one of these yourself. As I mentioned, there are some amazing whiskeys on this list so find something that speaks to you and go out and get it. Let’s dive in!
The 2023 spring edition of Elijah Craig Barrel Proof was a banger. This edition is a batch of bourbons that are a minimum of 11.5 years old (down from the usual 12-year age statements). The batch is bottled completely as is without cutting with water or chill filtration.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a nice sense of funk and fruit on the nose — think standing by a barn in an apple orchard — that leads to salted caramel, cherry tobacco, and rich dark chocolate cut with red chili pepper flakes with a lush vanilla foundation of almond cakes and powdered sugar icing.
Palate: Rich winter spice cakes with a hint of rum raisin drive the taste toward dark cherry spiced tobacco with a rush of ABVs that cause a deep buzz before old cellar dirt floors and oak arrive with a dark sense of chocolate and espresso all kissed with salt.
Finish: Cherry Coke and gingerbread drive the finish with a lush and vibrant sense of red chili pepper spice, black pepper woodiness, and cinnamon bark softness before stewed apple and buttery pie crust lead back toward a vanilla almond cake vibe with a lingering warming sensation.
Bottom Line:
I keep picking this as my favorite bourbon in double-blind taste tests. It’s quintessential Kentucky bourbon with a deep sense of spicy sweet warmth that just keeps giving. Pour it over a single big rock and let it wash over you.
Best Single Barrel Bourbon/Tennessee Whiskey — Rock Town Column Still Collection Single Barrel Straight Bourbon
This Arkansas whiskey is made with a very local vibe. The mash bill is made with 79% Arkansas corn, 8% Arkansas wheat, and 13% malted barley. The actual whiskey was distilled in Kentucky though, at Bardstown Bourbon Company on a column still (that’s only for these releases, the rest is actually made in-state). After at least 34 months of mellowing, a single barrel of whiskey was hand-picked and bottled at cask strength for this release.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a hint of minerality on the nose next to fresh honey, dark cherries, peaches, pie crust, and a touch of maple syrup.
Palate: The palate has a sense of tangerine next to bran muffins with a whisper of green grass and vanilla wafers.
Finish: The end is full of soft toffee and mild woody spiciness with a clear vanilla-orange foundation.
Bottom Line:
This distillery single-handedly put Arkansas whiskey on the map. This is a great sipper or cocktail base and worth tracking down to try.
Best Rye Whiskey — Kentucky Peerless Distilling Co. Small Batch Rye Whiskey
Kentucky Peerless’ Small Batch Rye is the stuff of legend. It zoomed onto the scene only a handful of years ago and has helped reinvigorate and entire brand (and distillery). The whiskey is made in Louisville in a tiny craft distillery and aged for at least four years before small batching and bottling at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The whiskey opens with a dark fruit vibe countered by rich spices floating in soft vanilla cream and caramel with a hint of dried red chili pepper lurking on the back end of the nose.
Palate: Orange zest and maple syrup drive the palate toward soft notes of spiced winter cakes, vanilla buttercream, and salted caramel.
Finish: The end leans into spiced oak staves with a hint of cedar humidors that once held fresh tobacco alongside a twinge of brandied cherries.
Bottom Line:
This is classic Kentucky rye with a deep and dark fruity spiced edge. It’s damn tasty and makes a killer cocktail or sipper.
Best Single Barrel Rye — A.M. Scott Distillery Single Barrel A.M. Scott’s Rye Whiskey
This Ohio whiskey is made with a very low rye mash bill of 51% rye with mostly corn and a touch of malted barley in the mix. The barrels were left to age until just right for bottling with a touch of water.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a green sense of mint and fennel next to soft rye bread crusts, woody spice, and touches of soft vanilla candies.
Palate: The vanilla takes on a caramel vibe on the palate before the mint adds sharpness and a touch of rock candy sweetness with hints of tobacco and oak.
Finish: The tobacco and oak meld with the sharp mint and rye bread for a dank sort of finish with a syrup candy sweet edge lurking in the background.
Bottom Line:
This is a very unique rye that teases greeny grassiness and herbs before veering into corn sweetness. It’s a fascinating and fun pour for anyone looking for something unique.
Best Irish Whiskey — Redbreast Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey Cask Strength Aged 12 Years
This is a testament to the magic that can happen when a cask hits just the right marks. This is the standard 12-year expression — single pot still, triple distilled, and ex-bourbon/ex-sherry maturation — that’s blended and bottled unfiltered, and uncut. It’s the purest expression of the cask in the bottle.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Dried tropical fruit, stone fruit, and berries come through on the nose with a hint of cedar next to a slight cinnamon-forward spice powder.
Palate: Those fruits and spices mix into a Christmas cake with a bit of malt next to that wood while vanilla pokes in with a rich and creamy texture.
Finish: The fruit, oak, and spice marry on the long and warming end as the fade brings a buzzing to your senses.
Bottom Line:
This is an excellent Irish whiskey the perfect bridge between bourbon and single pot still Irish whiskey for anyone looking for a change-up.
Best American Whiskey — 15 STARS Fine Aged Spirits Sherry Cask Finish A Select Blend of Straight Bourbon Whiskeys
This new release from 15 STARS is made from a blend of 10 and 13-year-old Kentucky and Indiana bourbons. Those barrels were batched by the 15 STARS crew and then the whiskey was re-barreled in sherry casks for a final touch of maturation. That whiskey was then bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Plums, dates, and figs come through on the nose with deep marzipan cut with pear brandy and dipped in salted dark chocolate next to eggnog spices and creaminess with a good dose of Christmas nut cakes.
Palate: The eggnog lusciousness leads the palate toward soft vanilla cookies, salted caramel chews, and a hint of spiced plum jam next to buttermilk waffles studded with pecans before old cellar oak adds an earthen layer.
Finish: The sweetness of the leathery dried fruits drives the finish toward winter spice barks and berries with a sense of old pipe tobacco braided with smudging sage and a whisper of dried mint next to cedar and fall leaves.
Bottom Line:
This is an excellent sipper and should be on every bar cart around the country. Sadly, it’s very limited so good luck out there. I hope you can find one and enjoy it. It’s worth the hunt!
Best Luxury Whiskey — The Devil’s Keep Single Malt Irish Whiskey 2023 Edition
This is an ultra-rare Irish single malt. There were only 333 bottles produced. It’s twice distilled and the Irish malt was pulled from five barrels for cask-strength bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Bourbon vanilla and salted caramel entice you on the nose with a deep sense of old oak and cedar bark dipped in rock candy with a hint of toasted marshmallow lurking in the background.
Palate: The taste leans into that rich bourbon vanilla and caramel as the toasted marshmallow gives way to smoldering smudging sage, a whisper of tobacco, and soft notes of dark chocolate shavings.
Finish: The dark chocolate and tobacco meld on the finish with a vibrant sense of the smoldering toasted marshmallow next to rich toffee and soft vanilla.
Bottom Line:
You could easily mistake this for a very high-end bourbon if you didn’t know better. Take that as your guide if you’re going to spend your loot on this one (you have to sign up for the right to buy this whiskey — it’s that expensive).
Best American Single Malt — Cedar Ridge American Single Malt Whiskey The QuintEssential Signature Blend
This whiskey is all about a grain-to-glass experience. The juice is made with 100 percent 2-Row Pale Malted Barley (the same stuff used in some of the biggest craft beers) from up in Saskatchewan. The whiskey is then matured in ex-bourbon barrels for an undisclosed term. That whiskey is then finished in a combination of brandy, rum, wine, port, and sherry barrels before it’s vatted. The whiskey’s blend is then made using the solera method — where the vat is never fully emptied before the next barrel is added.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is immediately full of bright fruit with a peach and pear vibe that leans into a malty banana bread with plenty of butter, cinnamon, and walnut next to a touch of Almond Joy (but the good ones from a high-end shop).
Palate: The palate is soft and subtle with hints of spiced malted gingersnaps, light cream soda vibes (maybe a light sasparilla), and a mellow and creamy base of chocolate that’s not dark but not milky either.
Finish: The mid-palate has a nice sweetness that’s slightly apple adjacent with an apricot hint that mellows into a final note of chewy toffees with rum-raisin lurking on the very backend.
Bottom Line:
This is an excellent example of American single malt whiskey. If you can find some, but a case. You will not be disappointed.
Best Tennessee Whiskey — Jack Daniel’s 12-Year-Old Tennessee Whiskey
Jack Daniel’s doesn’t hide any of its processes. The mash at the base of this whiskey is a mix of 80% corn, 12% barley, and 8% rye. Those grains are milled in-house and mixed with cave water pulled from an on-site spring and Jack Daniel’s own yeast and lactobacillus that they also make/cultivate on-site. Once fermented, the mash is distilled twice in huge column stills. The hot spirit is then filtered through 10 feet of sugar maple charcoal that’s also made at the distillery. Finally, the filtered whiskey is loaded into charred new American oak barrels and left alone in the warehouse. After 12 years, a handful of barrels were ready; so they were batched, barely proofed, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is creamy with deep notes of old boot leather, dark and woody winter spices, black-tea-soaked dates, plum jam with clove, and an underbelly of chewy toffee-laced tobacco.
Palate: That creaminess presents on the palate with a soft sticky toffee pudding drizzled in salted caramel and vanilla sauce next to flakes of salt and a pinch of orange zest over dry Earl Grey tea leaves with a whisper of singed wild sage.
Finish: The end leans into the creamy toffee chewy tobacco with a hint of pear, cherry, and bananas foster over winter spice barks and a deep embracing warmth.
Bottom Line:
This is one of the best bottles of Jack Daniel’s maybe ever. It’s delicious. It’s hard to get but a new batch is on the horizon in 2024, so keep your ears to the ground and maybe you can snag one.
Best Wheat Whiskey — Bernheim Original Kentucky Straight Wheat Whiskey Barrel Proof Batch: B923
The second edition of Bernheim Wheat Whiskey Barrel Proof is made with a mash bill of 51% winter wheat, 37% corn, and 12% malted barley. That whiskey was then left to age for seven to nine years before prime barrels were chosen for batching. Once batched, the whiskey went into the bottle 100% as-is at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Fresh loaves of whole grain bread vibe with rich oaky winter pieces on the nose before soft vanilla cake, hints of dry grass, old leather tobacco pouches, and a touch of dried orange round things out.
Palate: Rich buttery toffee drives the palate toward clove-laced honey next to dry orange oils, salted caramel, rum raisin, and hints of cedar bark braided with smudging sage and dry tobacco.
Finish: Piney honey and salted caramel attach to the tobacco as dry straw and back porch wicker lead to a sense of dry winter spice and soft caramel candy corn.
Bottom Line:
This is a very nice change of pace sipper from Heaven Hill out in Kentucky. It’s reminiscent of a classic bourbon but then feels like a rye from some perspectives. If you’re looking for that vibe, grab one of these.
Best Corn Whiskey — Abasolo El Whisky de Mexico Corn Whiskey
This is billed as the first 100% corn whisky from Mexico. The spirit is made from Cacahuazintle corn that’s prepared via nixtamalization (traditionally: soaked in limewater) to enrich the corn’s bioavailability. The corn is then hulled and ground and mashed with local yeast and spring water. The spirit is twice distilled and then aged for two years in a combination of used bourbon barrels and new American oak. Finally, the juice is married, proofed, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose reminds me of a paper bag that held yellow masa with a touch of day-old popcorn and knock-off Werther’s Original candies.
Palate: There’s a continuation of that paper masa bag that leads towards a softer cornbread vibe, next to a shallow yet slightly sweet corn note on the mid-palate.
Finish: A final bow of vegetal spice with maybe some dry straw and alcohol warmth round out the finish.
Bottom Line:
This is a bold whiskey that really leans into the corn vibes. If you’re looking for the perfect pour for Taco night, this is going to be it.
Best American Craft Spirit — M&O Spirits Black Bourbon Whiskey
This Ohio whiskey is triple distilled and then double oaked. The bourbon is pulled from small batches of four-grain bourbon (corn, rye, red winter wheat, and malted barley) and proofed before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a fruity sense of old orchards and dry red fruits on the nose with a good dose of winter spice barks and soft vanilla cream next to a hint of pipe tobacco cut with citrus oils.
Palate: Orange chocolate and apricot drive the palate toward spiced oak with another dose of that sharp tobacco before a note of nutshell arrives.
Finish: The end has a smidge of sweetgrass and cedar next to orange tobacco and more of those dry orchard fruits.
Bottom Line:
This is a pretty fruity bourbon. If that’s your jam, then you know what to do the next time you’re in Ohio.
Best Scotch Whisky — Chivas XV Blended Scotch Whisky
This is a classic Chivas that has finally arrived in the U.S. The whisky is classic Chivas blended whisky (made from malt and grain whiskies) that was left to age for 15 long years before the whisky is moved into French cognac casks for a final rest. Finally, that whisky is vatted, proofed, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Orange marmalade on wheat toast is accented by freshly ground cinnamon, a touch of clove, and mincemeat pies iced with a thin layer of powdered sugar icing.
Palate: Dark dried fruits — think prunes, sultanas, and dates — drive the palate toward soft berries, rich butterscotch, and a touch of caramel-laced toffees dipped in roasted almonds.
Finish: The end is lush and creamy with a hint of vanilla kissed with more mincemeat pie, brandy-soaked dates, and a dark Christmas pudding swimming in brandy butter.
Bottom Line:
This is a classic on the rocks Scotch whisky. It’s vibrant and delicious.
Best World Whiskey — Rampur Asava Indian Single Malt Whisky
Rampur Asava is distilled and aged in the shadow of the Himalayas. The whisky is aged in both ex-bourbon and finished in Indian Cabernet Sauvignon casks before vatting and proofing with water from those Himalayan peaks.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Ripe apricots mingle with fresh pineapple, blackberry, and a hint of fruity tobacco on the nose.
Palate: The palate leans into a honey sweetness as a thin line of vanilla and red wine staves drives the taste.
Finish: The end has a slightly warm and woody tobacco note that touches on clove and nutmeg.
Bottom Line:
This is a unique and dialed whisky that delivers deep fruit and woody spice in unison. If you’re looking to change up your single malt game and indulge in some Indian malt, this is a great place to start.
Best Canadian Whisky — Black Velvet Reserve Canadian Whisky
Sticking with the under-appreciated Canadian whiskies, Black Velvet Reserve is a shockingly good whisky forits price. No, it’s not the be-all-and-end-all of Canadian whisky. But it’s cheap and very drinkable. The actual juice is an Alberta spirit mostly rendered from corn and rye that’s blended before it goes into the barrel for eight long years.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Peppery rye mingles with toasted oak, rich vanilla, and a nice dose of sweet caramel on the nose.
Palate: A slight fruit note arrives — think cherry — that counterpoints the spicy rye on the palate while the oak and vanilla fade into the background.
Finish: A slice of citrus arrives late and ends the finish rather abruptly, but nicely.
Bottom Line:
I’m not going to try and convince you that this whiskey is as good as some of the others on this list. What is it then? It’s the best Canadian whisky that made it through three levels of double-blind tastings by whiskey pros — against other Canadian whiskies only. All of that said, this is a good mixer.
Director’s Choice Awards — The Donn The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. Single Malt Irish Whiskey 23rd Edition
This release from The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. is a very limited release of very rare Irish single malt. There were 4,477 bottles made for the 23rd edition from select barrels of almost forgotten single malt. Those barrels were batched and just kissed with water for this special release.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Soft apricot and marmalade dance with bourbon vanilla buttercream, butterscotch toffee, and soft tobacco chewiness on the nose.
Palate: The palate opens with a deeply salted caramel and soft vanilla cream next to nutshells, sharp marmalade, and even sharper woody winter spices with a hint of old oak cellars and whispers of cedar cigar humidors.
Finish: That soft woodiness drives the finish toward chinotto oranges, dark smoked plums, and a whisper of pear soaked in brandy and saffron.
Bottom Line:
This is a wildly delicious whiskey with an incredible fruitiness that’s so varied but still so tasty. If you can find this one, you’ll be in for a real treat.
The only real reason somebody might not be aware that Rick Ross owns some Wingstop franchises is because they’ve never paid attention to Rick Ross ever. He pushes the restaurant chain pretty much any opportunity he gets, including when his neighbor’s home is on fire.
Ross’ neighbor happens to be Miami Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill, and yesterday, Hill’s Miami home caught fire. Firefighters responded, and fortunately, nobody was hurt. Also responding was Ross, who shared a video weighing in on the situation from outside the mansion.
i missed rick ross reporting live from tyreek hill’s burning house and getting a wingstop plug in https://t.co/LyF5e0HyWR
He speculated an electrical fire was the cause and commented on the helicopters flying overhead the scene. In another video showing off emergency vehicles outside Hill’s home, parts of Ross’s commentary sounded like a straight-up Wingstop commercial.
“I have some Wingstop wings on the way being delivered, but as y’all can see, they said it was a minor fire,” he said. He noted elsewhere, “As long as everybody’s safe, that’s more important my lemon-pepper wings, my ranch dressing, my roasted corn, trust me.” All that was missing from Ross’ posts were professional product shots showing off a Wingstop meal and the company logo.
Ross, by the way, was wrong about the cause of the fire, as a fire official later confirmed the fire was started by a child playing with a lighter inside the home. Hill was at practice when the fire broke out and he returned home once he was told about the situation.
Hill’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, also noted, “He and his family are safe. No one was injured, No. 1, no pets, so for that, we’re very grateful. We’re very grateful to the firefighters that put the fire out. Thankfully, the fire was contained to a limited area in the home. Obviously, there’ll be some smoke and water damage. It’s very difficult for anybody obviously to have your home catch on fire, but Tyreek was handling it, he and his family, with as much poise as you could hope.”
A24’s latest masterpiece The Zone of Interest is about to be all over your timeline. That’s because the Jonathan Glazer-directed drama is winding down its theatrical run and prepping an Oscar bid that could see it come away with some serious hardware. The film is a tense, thought-provoking character study that upends the norm when it comes to traditional Holocaust movies as it follows a ruthless Nazi commander charged with overseeing the day-to-day operations at Auschwitz who tries to build an idyllic life with his family next door to the camp.
While the film doesn’t have an official streaming release date, fans hoping to watch the awards contender from the comfort of their couch likely won’t have to wait long to do so. Recent A24 releases like Priscillahad about a six to seven-week window between their theatrical premiere date and their streaming rental date which means that, theoretically, The Zone of Interest should be able to buy or rent in late January or early February. If you’re planning on waiting until it lands on a streaming service you might have to wait a bit longer but expect to find it on Max. The platform recently inked a deal with A24 to host all of their theatrical features in 2024.
2024 is shaping up to be Emma Stone’s year: She has received praise for her role as a disturbed home improvement host on The Curseand has several award nominations under her belt. She’s come a long way since we danced together at The Eras Tour last spring. But she’s receiving even more buzz surrounding her role in Poor Things, the latest surreal flick from The Lobster director Yorgos Lanthimos.
In the film, which Stone also produced, a young woman named Bella dies and is brought back to life (sound familiar?) by a surgeon portrayed by Willem Dafoe. She is forced to relearn the world through a new, much weirder perspective. Here is the official synopsis:
From filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos and producer Emma Stone comes the incredible tale and fantastical evolution of Bella Baxter (Stone), a young woman brought back to life by the brilliant and unorthodox scientist Dr. Godwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe). Under Baxter’s protection, Bella is eager to learn. Hungry for the worldliness she is lacking, Bella runs off with Duncan Wedderburn (Mark Ruffalo), a slick and debauched lawyer, on a whirlwind adventure across the continents. Free from the prejudices of her times, Bella grows steadfast in her purpose to stand for equality and liberation.
Since Poor Things is distributed by Searchlight (now owned by Disney), the film will most likely land on Hulu. While we don’t have an exact date yet, if Poor Things follows a similar release strategy as a previous Searchlight release, Poor Things could hit the streamer as early as February 8th, 2024.
For now, you can still catch Poor Things in theaters.
Last month, T-Pain released a live album of his On Top Of The Covers record, which coincided with his set at Los Angeles’ The Sun Rose, according to Complex.
The album includes stripped-down performances of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin,’” Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come,” Sam Smith’s “Stay With Me,” Luther Vandross’ “Never Too Much,” Chris Stapleton’s “Tennessee Whiskey,” Frank Sinatra’s “That’s Life,” Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs,” and many more.
For those who are looking to watch T-Pain’s show from The Sun Rose, it is currently available on YouTube.
“I’m so excited for the world to hear and see this,” T-Pain said. “Since it’s the gift-giving time of year, I decided to release the full performance. Let’s keep the good times rolling in to 2024!”
“For all the people who wanted an album of me singing live, this is my holiday gift to you,” he added on Instagram. “For the Tiny Desk & Masked Singer fans & everyone in between, you ain’t heard nothing yet.”
In case anyone might have missed it, T-Pain previously competed on The Masked Singer. Given he had been known for Aut-Tune usage in his music, his real (and extremely talented) vocals shocked both the judges and viewers. Now, he’s continuing to show them off.
Check out T-Pain’s performance from The Sun Rose above.
Chick-fil-A is one of the most consistent fast-food restaurants in the game right now. Whether you’re rolling up morning, noon, or night, at the height of rush hour, or those rare moments when the drive-thru is empty, your experience is going to largely be pretty similar. The food is going to be hot and everything is going to be cooked just as it should be. That consistency puts its food more in line with fast food restaurants that focus on just one specialty, like In-N-Out or Raising Cane’s, rather than something like McDonald’s or Wendy’s, which although delicious, can vary wildly in terms of quality.
But unlike Raising Cane’s and Wendy’s, the Chick-fil-A menu is pretty robust. Sandwiches, nuggets, tenders, wraps, salads, a whole damn breakfast menu — there are a lot of different worthwhile combinations here and it’s entirely possible to eat at Chick-fil-A every day for a week without any repeats. So what are the essential menu items? We’re here to break it down by naming the five best foods on the Chick-fil-A Menu.
As we did with McDonald’s and Taco Bell in the past, we’ve tried to filter the full menu down into a single big meal (assuming you’re starving) or something you can mix and match as you see fit. Here are the only five foods you ever need to order at Chick-fil-A for a guaranteed great meal!
Spicy Deluxe
Chick-fil-A
Why It’s Great:
If you’re looking for Chick-fil-A’s absolute best sandwich, look no further than the Spicy Deluxe. This sandwich is near perfect, and until Popeyes entered the scene in 2019 with its infamous chicken sandwich, this was the best your money could buy.
The build is simple — a thick juicy spicy chicken filet on a bed of leafy greens with tomato, pickles, and pepper jack cheese. All of the flavors work in harmony here. The produce is crisp, offering a refreshing infusion of flavor to counter the tang of the briney pickles and the spicy cayenne-heavy kick of the breast filet.
The chicken is incredibly juicy and tender — and while we’d prefer a more crunchy breading — the mix of black pepper and cayenne packs enough flavor that we don’t mind missing out on a big crunch.
The Bottom Line:
Chick-fil-A’s best chicken sandwich and one of the best chicken sandwiches in all of fast food.
Nuggets
Chick-fil-A
Why It’s Great:
Chick-fil-A’s chicken nuggets are a must-order. Recently, we ranked fast-food chicken nuggets and gave these juicy nugs the top spot. Each nugget is marinated in pickle brine which gives the chicken a wonderful depth of flavor that pairs nicely with the mix of onion, garlic powder, black pepper, and earthy floral paprika smokiness of the breading.
The nuggets are whole pieces of white meat chicken — no heavily processed spongey meat here ala McDonald’s McNuggets or Wendy’s — and fried in peanut oil, which enables each nugget to be fried to a golden brown without drying the meat out.
The Bottom Line:
Juicy crispy and flavorful chicken nuggets — these are the best nuggets you’ll find in all of fast food.
Waffle Fries
Chick-fil-A
Why It’s Great:
The Waffle Fries are another must-order at Chick-fil-A. While they aren’t our favorite fries in all of fast food (McDonald’s comes out on top there), we love the salty flavor and crispy texture.
You get a lot of natural potato flavor here. While these are waffle cut, you’ll notice some potato skin on the edges — and with potato skin, a little goes a long way. You get the buttery flavor of potato balanced with the bitter and earthy flavor of the skin. The fries are finished with a light dusting of sea salt. But I think the best way to enjoy them is by sprinkling some black pepper on them to help bring out the more earthy notes.
The Bottom Line:
No Chick-fil-A order is complete without a side of fries.
Chicken Biscuit
Chick-fil-A
Why It’s Great:
Only available at breakfast (before 10:30 AM), the Chicken Biscuit is even better than the OG chicken sandwich. The biscuit is fluffy, a bit salty, and buttered, which interacts with the flavors of the pickle-brine marinated chicken breast filet in a harmonious way which deepens the savory quality and comes across as tastier than the sum of its parts.
Be warned though, this chicken biscuit is a lot smaller in size than the typical sandwich, so if you’re ordering this make sure to add some extras to the order. Pro tip: the entire lunch menu is available at breakfast time.
The Bottom Line:
This is a Chick-fil-A menu experience worth waking up early for.
Peach Milkshake
Chick-fil-A
Why It’s Great:
This one is a summer exclusive, so unfortunately you won’t be able to order this all the time. But when it’s on the menu, it’s a must-pick-up. What makes this milkshake special is that it tastes nothing like any other milkshake in the fast food landscape. It’s unique with a delicate flavor that mixes floral notes and sweetness with a hint of tang.
The milkshake is incredibly thick and luxurious but still travels through the straw easily. So what should you order if you’re showing up to Chick-fil-A during the fall, winter, or spring? We’re going to say the Arnold Palmer, which at Chick-fil-A is called a Sunjoy.
The Sunjoy doesn’t capture the magic of the Peach Milkshake, but it comes close thanks to its mix of sweet and tangy flavors.
The Bottom Line:
This milkshake is reason alone to hit up Chick-fil-A in the summer.
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